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Top Chinese diplomat meets German Social Democratic Party delegation

Xinhua) 09:11, August 28, 2024

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, meets with a German Social Democratic Party (SPD) delegation led by Rolf Mutzenich, chairman of the SPD of Germany parliamentary group in the German Bundestag, 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, met with a German Social Democratic Party (SPD) delegation led by Rolf Mutzenich, chairman of the SPD of Germany parliamentary group in the German Bundestag, in Beijing on Tuesday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Germany comprehensive strategic partnership, and that China is ready to work with Germany to strengthen party-to-party exchanges, consolidate strategic mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, push for steady and enduring China-Germany and China-EU relations, and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind.

Mutzenich said Germany attaches great importance to relations with China and appreciates China's tremendous development achievements, adding that the SPD is willing to continue cooperation and dialogue with the CPC.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Pastors, apostles and over 1,000 delegates gathered for the Family Impact Conference in Bukavu, a city in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to reaffirm the sovereignty of God in the family unit. The three-day conference held in mid-July 2024 saw delegates travel from other DRC cities of Kinshasa and Goma but also from as far as Nairobi, Kampala and Bujumbura.

The Family Impact Conference is an annual event that is convened by the International Centre for Transformation and Evangelization (CITE) whose visionary is Pastor Jerry Abdhala together with Sophie, his wife. The conference that was held in Bukavu is a platform aimed at reaching, evangelizing, transforming and restoring families - in line with the vision of CITE.

Our aim (at the conference) was to expose the families to the Word of God regardless of the denomination so that when they go back to their homes, families or churches, they will have been transformed by the Word of God. It was also an opportunity to evangelize thousands of people who attended the conference, said Pastor Abdhala in an interview with CDI.

The conference also provided a platform for church leaders and ministry workers to pray and deliberate on common approaches that can be used to support families in a church setting, said Pastor Abdala. The participants had the opportunity to hear from the different speakers. Sometimes we are not open to hearing other servants of God when we are in our churches but the Family Impact Conference removes the denominational barriers and allows people of God to hear and learn from different pastors, added Pastor Abdhala.

Pastors from Nairobi, Kinshasa and Bukavu taught in the different areas where participants can subject their families to the Lordship of Christ - from finances, to family altars and devotion. A majority of Churches and evangelical pastors speak more about blessings but do not teach about financial management and Biblical principles of managing money, said Pastor Abdhala.

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The conference comes at a time when the conflict between DRC government forces and rebels in the eastern part of the country has been escalating over the last few months. The government has been battling several jihadists groups and armed militants aiming to seize control of the mineral-rich zones in North and South Kivu. The Islamic militants have, in particular, expanded their activities in eastern DRC. Between January and June, 2024, 639 Christians in DRC were killed, 50 people were abducted and nearly 100 homes, churches and schools were torched.

The conflict, which has been on-going for nearly 30 years, has broken the social-economic structure of thousands of people in eastern DRC, argues Pastor Abdhala.

Young people are turning to negative coping mechanisms to deal with the conflict. You find couples living together out of economic convenience rather on the foundation of Christ, explained Pastor Abdhala.

The call to address the family and marriage issues has been urgent in the recent past partly due to the alarming separation and divorce incidences in DRC. One in three couples are divorcing. Marriage is no longer seen as the spiritual institution God established but it's more of a convenience, said Pastor Abdhala.

He alluded to the desperation and a sense of betrayal as a result of the conflict. Young people are disillusioned by the lack of opportunities for economic progression. According to a Save the Children report, at least 78,000 children were displaced and families separated in February 2024 alone as the fighting government forces and the M23 armed group intensified.

Pastor Abdala believes the annual gathering will empower believers to be agents of Christ in their families and be the voice of transformation and restoration despite the war at home and conflict in the fields.
Recent days have seen two major announcements from Iraqs oil and gas sector that may only add to the broad-based malaise felt by those who are frequently afflicted with cognitive dissonance when looking at the country. On the one hand, Chinese firms again won most of the 13 contracts for oil fields and exploration blocks awarded by Iraqs Oil Ministry in the latest bidding round held from the 11th to the 13th of May. When fully developed these will add 750,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil and 850 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of gas to the countrys output. This is in line with Chinas ongoing attempts to take control of these Iraqi assets and much of its political and economic future as well, as analysed in depth in my latest book on the new global oil market order. On the other hand, the U.S. and its key allies have sought to stymie this power-grab project by Beijing, principally through the making of other oil and gas deals in the country wherever possible by key firms associated with the West. Most notably of all perhaps, this included the US$27 billion four-pronged deal being run by Frances TotalEnergies. Given these two factors, then, last weeks announcement that the China Energy Engineering Corporation (CEEC) is to work with the French firm on the roll-out of the 1-gigawatt solar power project at the Artawi field in Basra  a key element of TotalEnergies megadeal  has come as something of a surprise, to say the least. So, what on earth is going on?

Related: Ukraine Strikes 2 More Oil Depots Deep Into Russian Territory

From the Chinese side, many of its top oil and gas companies were among those who won contracts most recently. These included China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) for Block 7, ZPEC for the East Baghdad and Middle Furat oil fields (and for the Qurnain and Abu Khaima blocks), Geo-Jade for the Zurbatiya and Jebel Sanam blocks, Sinopec for the Summer block, Anton Oil for Al-Dhifriya oil field, and the Hong Kong-based UEG for the Fao Block. Even before this latest awards extravaganza, more than a third of all Iraqs proven oil and gas reserves and over two-thirds of its current production were managed by Chinese companies, according to industry figures. This degree of dominance had long been Beijings plan, once the U.S. had officially ended its combat mission in the country at the end of 2021, and to that end Chinas Zhenhua Oil signed a US$2 billion fiveyear prepayment oil supply deal with the Federal Government of Iraq (FGI) in Baghdad around that time. This deal precisely mirrored the same type of deal done by Russia in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) after the failure of the independence referendum toward the end of 2017, which gave Moscow effective control over all the KRIs oil and gas assets.

Although the U.S. still had enough clout to lean on Baghdad to stymie the deal, China then moved ahead with expanding the terms of its 2019 Oil for Reconstruction and Investment agreement with Iraq into the much broader and deeper 2021 Iraq-China Framework Agreement, as also detailed in my latest book on the new global oil market order. One element of this was a preference to be given to Chinese firms on all future oil and gas contracts for the sites in which Beijing had an interest, and another element was discounted pricing on Iraqi oil and gas for Beijing. But the 2021 deal went a lot further than oil and gas, allowing China great scope to build out corollary infrastructure across the country. One notable case in point was the awarding in 2021 to China of contracts to build a civilian airport to replace the military base in the capital of the southern oil-rich Dhi Qar governorate. This region includes two of Iraqs potentially biggest oil fields  Gharraf and Nassiriya  and China said that it intended to complete the airport by 2024. This project would include the construction of multiple cargo buildings and roads linking the airport to the citys town centre and separately to other key oil areas in southern Iraq. In later discussions connected to the 2021 Agreement, it was decided that the airport could be expanded later to be a dual-use civilian and military airport. The military component would be usable by China without first having to consult with whatever Iraqi government was in power at the time. Even more tendrils have sprouted from this evergreen Agreement for China, in the shape of plans to link Iraqs US$17 billion Strategic Development Road (SDR) program directly into Chinas own Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This effectively allows free movement of goods and people from China into Europe across Iraq, and it can link into both Irans long-sought Land Bridge to the Mediterranean and to the adjunct Russia-Iran Energy Corridor.

About the only thing that had not gone Beijings way in Iraq since the end of 2021 was the US$27 billion four-layered TotalEnergies deal. One of the key projects is the Common Seawater Supply Project (CSSP) that is critical in enabling Iraq to dramatically increase its crude oil production up to 6 million barrels per day (bpd), or 9 million bod, or even 13 million bpd, as also analysed in full in my latest book on the new global oil market order. The project was delayed for over a decade, as the U.S.s ExxonMobil and the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) battled it out for control until finally the U.S. firm withdrew and CNPC made no substantive progress, allowing TotalEnergies to take the contract. The project involves taking and treating seawater from the Persian Gulf and then transporting it via pipelines to oil production facilities to maintain pressure in oil reservoirs to optimise the longevity and output of fields. The initial plan for the CSSP is that it initially supplies around 6 million bpd of water to at least five southern Basra fields and one in Maysan Province and is then expanded for use in other fields.

A second major project is for the French firm to collect and refine associated gas that is currently burned off during oil drilling at the five southern Iraq oilfields of West Qurna 2, Majnoon, Tuba, Luhais, and Artawi. For the West, the key advantage of this would be to reduce Iraqs long-running dependence on neighbouring Iran for up to 40 percent of its energy supplies through gas and electricity imports. This would be a good start in driving a wedge  albeit a slim one to begin with - between the two countries that could be further exploited to undermine the regional influence of the Shia Crescent of Power. This could then be used to stymie Irans ongoing efforts to build its Land Bridge that will then be used by Tehran to increase arms shipments to its militant proxies for use against Israel.

TotalEnergies already has ongoing experience of working across Iraq, holding a 22.5 percent stake in the Halfaya oil field in Missan province in the south and an 18 percent stake in the Sarsang exploration block in the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan in the north. This gives it very specific operational experience of working on the ground in Iraq, which would also enable it to increase crude oil output from the Artawi oil field, which is the third of the four projects to which it is committed. According to earlier comments from Iraqs Oil Ministry, TotalEnergies would help to boost output from the Artawi oilfield to 210,000 bpd of crude oil, up from the current circa 85,000 bpd. The last of the four projects that were to have been undertaken by the French company would be the construction and operation of a 1-gigawatt solar energy plant in Iraq.

The engagement of China to help on both the Artawi and solar energy project, then, may mark an extension of a new tactic by the West of cooperation between both sides in Iraq, at least for as long as it is beneficial. It is apposite to note that shortly before this cooperation was announced between the French and Chinese firms, the UKs BP signed a preliminary agreement to rehabilitate and develop four fields in the hugely oil-rich region of Kirkuk in Iraqs politically sensitive northern region. The policy of antagonism between the West and East in Iraq has not benefitted us [the West] there [in Iraq], so a change in tack is wise at this point, concluded a senior European Union energy security source exclusively spoken to by OilPrice.com last week.

By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com

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The president's remarks highlight the geopolitical tensions surrounding Georgia's aspirations to join NATO and the EU, amid strained relations with the West due to perceived pro-Russian shifts in the government's policies.

Zurabishvili emphasized the high stakes of the election, framing it as a decision between "war and peace" and a determinant of Georgia's future trajectory.

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has called the country's upcoming parliamentary elections a "choice between Europe and Russia" for the South Caucasus nation.

Zurabishvili's statement came after she signed a decree announcing October 26, the last Saturday of October, as the day for the parliamentary polls, saying that voters will have to "choose between war and peace" in the election.

"The day of the decision, the day of choice, the day of survival is coming," Zurabishvili said, stressing that the election will be "existential" for the former Soviet republic and will "define the country's destiny for many years to come."

"Nobody in Georgia wants a war, and nobody is planning it.... The choice will be between being Russia's slave or cooperation with Europe," Zurabishvili added.

Despite Georgia's longtime aspiration to join NATO and the European Union, the government's relationship with the West has been going downhill in recent years amid Tbilisi's visible turn toward Russia.

Brussels has paused ongoing EU accession negotiations with Tbilisi and the United States has undertaken a "comprehensive review" of relations with Georgia over the controversial "foreign agent law" that was recently adopted by the Georgian government -- which is ruled by the Georgian Dream party of billionaire former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili -- amid fierce protests.

"The choice will be between obedience to Russia via miserable concessions and actual selling the soul to Russia and being an equal state in Europe, promoting our identity, history, talents, and opportunities -- Georgia's adequate representation in a free and peaceful environment. There will not be a second chance," Zurabishvili said.

Georgia's civil society has for years sought to move the country away from the influence of Russia, which still maintains thousands of troops in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two breakaway Georgian regions that Moscow recognized as independent states following a five-day war with Tbilisi in 2008.

By RFE/RL

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Argentina plans to double its mining exports from $4 billion to $10 billion as soon as 2027 on the back of new lithium projects set to come online soon, combined with a renewed effort to expand copper output and exports, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing the Argentine Ministry of Mining.

Newly installed Mining Secretary Luis Lucero told Reuters on Wednesday that Argentina is preparing to become a key lithium and copper supplier for the world, with electric vehicle demand poised to put the country at the top of the mining beneficiaries list.

For lithium, the countrynow governed by free-market libertarian President Javier MileiArgentina is currently the worlds fourth-largest producer, after Chile and China, but hopes that a lineup of new projects will project it to the top spot.

"Argentina has an important window of opportunity with lithium and copper to be a supplier in the international trade of these metals," Lucero said in written responses to Reuters.

Lucero told Reuters that Argentina is gunning for an annual output of 200,000 tons of lithium carbonate equivalent either by late 2025 or early 2026, ramping up to 250,000 tons annually beyond that and turning lithium into its biggest mineral export.

Questions have remained about global lithium demand, particularly amid a ramp-up of production in China that has created large stockpiles. Analysts continue to caution that technology may not be developing as rapidly as lithium stockpiles, and new battery technology may end up overriding lithium as a key element.

These words of caution, however, have not stopped Big Oil from dipping its toes in lithium, with ExxonMobil last month signing a preliminary deal to provide lithium to South Koreas SK On battery manufacturer, shortly after it started drilling for lithium in Arkansas.

By Tom Kool for Oilprice.com

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Exxon is looking to sell some conventional oil and gas assets in the Permian, Bloomberg has reported, with the proceeds from the potential sale seen at around $1 billion.

In a written response to the publications questions, Exxon said it was exploring market interest for select conventional assets in West Texas and South East New Mexico, adding that This decision is consistent with our strategy to continually evaluate our portfolio.

Bloomberg also quoted unnamed sources as saying the assets to be divested included wells in the Central Basin of the Permian, where production was not particularly high but it was stable. The divestment was in line with Exxons strengthened focus on shale oil and gas development.

The biggest step in this direction that Exxon took recently was the $60-billion takeover of Pioneer Natural Resources, completed earlier this year. The completion of the megadeal significantly bolstered Exxon's presence in the prolific Permian Basin. This strategic move effectively doubled Exxon's footprint in the region, solidifying its position as a dominant player in one of the most productive parts of the shale patch.

The acquisition opens to Exxon access to over 1.4 million net acres in the Delaware and Midland basins within the Permian formation. According to the companys projections, the combined entity is poised for a substantial surge in production to as much as 1.3 million bpd. Looking ahead, Exxon anticipates further growth, with production forecast to reach an impressive 2 million bpd by 2027, underscoring the long-term strategic value of this acquisition.

Meanwhile, Exxon eyes boosting its total oil output to some 4.3 million barrels daily this year, which would be the highest in ten years, Bloomberg noted in its report on the divestment plans for the conventional Permian wells. Pioneers acquisition will be a major contributor to this higher output.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Gas giant Qatar is reportedly in talks to purchase Russian Rosneft stake in German refinery PCK Schwedt, which has been under trusteeship by Berlin since Russias invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Bloomberg and Reuters reported on Wednesday.

Schwedt is the fourth-largest refinery in Germany, it is 54% owned by the Russian state oil giant, and it gets its oil from the Druzhba oil pipeline from Russia. The Schwedt refinery supplies 90% of the fuel needs of Germanys capital city Berlin.

The trusteeship terms expire on September 10, and while Berlin largely controls the assets, Rosneft is said to retain some control over the sale of its stake in the refinery, according to Reuters. With the trusteeship coming to an end and facing either termination or extension, the German government is likely keen to see a deal before that date for state-run Rosnefts 54.17% stake valued by Russian media at around $7 billion, Reuters reported. Shell owns the remaining shares, which in December it said would be sold to Britains Prax Group.

According to Bloomberg, citing unnamed sources, Qatar is the last bidding for the refinery, with a delegation visiting Berlin in recent weeks. Bloombergs unnamed sources also said that the German government would agree to a deal with Qatar, and that the ball is now in Rosnefts court.

Rosneft did not respond to Bloombergs request for comment at the time of publication.

The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), the Qatari sovereign wealth fund, owns a 19% stake in Rosneft.

In February, German government sources told Reuters that Berlin was considering a nationalization of Rosnefts German assets, including the stake in the Schwedt refinery, however, nationalization is not the preferred option, but could be placed back on the table if a deal is not struck by the time the existing trusteeship expires next month.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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European consumers will be hit hard and will have to pay more for natural gas if Ukraine does not extend the gas transit deal to allow Russian gas to pass through its territory en route to Europe, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

Ukraine has already said on several occasions that it would not extend the current gas transit deal which expires on December 31, 2024. The latest such statement came from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this week when Zelensky said No one will extend the agreement with Russia.

Ukraine, however, will consider requests from European companies for gas transit from other sources, the Ukrainian president added.

Speaking at a regular press conference on Wednesday, Russias Peskov said that if Ukraine decides not to extend the gas transit deal, this will seriously damage the interests of European consumers, who are still willing to buy more volumes of guaranteed and affordable Russian gas, which is cheaper than gas from other sources, most of all from the United States.

European consumers will have to pay much more for gas, thus making their industries less competitive, Peskov was quoted as saying by Russian news agency Interfax as he commented on Zelenskyys words that Ukraine would not extend its gas transit deal with Russia.

Russia sees alternative routes for deliveries of gas to Europe, including a plan to create a hub in Turkey, Peskov said today, adding that work is under way on this.

Russia has seen its gas exports to Europe significantly reduced since the invasion of Ukraine. The major drop in Gazproms gas deliveries was due to the halt of Russian pipeline gas exports to nearly all European countries.

Before the start of the war in Ukraine, Russia supplied around one-third of all the gas to Europe and was the single biggest supplier.

Norway has now replaced Russia to become the top supplier of gas to Europe.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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A Greek tanker that the Yemeni Houthis struck with a missile in the Red Sea a week ago is leaking oil, the U.S. Pentagon said, per multiple media reports.

Salvaging the vessel has proved challenging as the Houthis threaten more attacks, the BBC noted in a report quoting the Pentagon.

The MV Sounion now sits immobilized in the Red Sea, where it is currently on fire and appears to be leaking oil, presenting both a navigational hazard and a potential environmental catastrophe, Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder said, as quoted by the Maritime Executive.

Reports last week said a tanker on fire was drifting in the Red Sea. It later emerged that the vessel had come under attack by armed groups traveling on small vessels some 90 miles from the Yemeni port city of Hodeida. The tanker was also reportedly struck by missiles or drones.

The vessel reports being not under command, the UK Maritime Trade Operations office said at the time, likely meaning it lost all power. No casualties reported.

The Greek-flagged oil tanker, the Sounion, had 25 crew members and was traveling from Iraq to Cyprus, the Associated Press reported at the time. The crew was rescued by a European warship and transported to Djibouti.

The BBC today reported that the Sounion was carrying some 150,000 tonsor close to a million barrelsof crude oil and if it spills as a result of the strikes, it could become one of the largest oil spills from a vessel in recent history. For context, the BBC recalled that the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989 totaled 257,000 barrels of crude.

The Houthis have launched attacks on an estimated 80 vessels since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

The Houthi campaign is prompting shippers to avoid the Red Sea and Suez Canal and take the longer route around the Horn of Africa, which is set to add an additional 500,000 bpd of fuel consumption for 2024.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has fined a trading unit of French supermajor TotalEnergies for attempted manipulation of the gasoline futures market in 2018.

The U.S. market regulator ordered TOTSA TotalEnergies Trading SA, formerly known as TOTSA Total Oil Trading SA (TOTSA), to pay a $48 million civil monetary penalty and cease and desist from violating the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and CFTC regulations.

According to the CFTCs findings, Switzerland-based TOTSA, which is not registered with the CFTC, attempted to manipulate the market for EBOB-linked gasoline futures in March 2018 by selling physical EBOB gasoline at prices below what buyers indicated they would pay.

While the trading unit was selling physical EBOB at cut-rate levels, TOTSA maintained a large short position in March-settled EBOB-linked futures, the U.S. regulator said.

As the large short position was a bet that gasoline futures prices would drop, the sales of physical EBOB gasoline would increase in value if the reported price of EBOB declined.

Essentially, TOTSAs traders were willing to accept less revenue from the companys sales of physical EBOB, in an attempt to depress the reported price of EBOB, and increase TOTSAs overall trading profits (by boosting the value of the companys EBOB-linked short position), the CFTC said in its ruling.

This conduct was an attempt at market manipulation in violation of sections of the CEA and CFTC Regulation.

The scheme in this matter involved an attack on the market integrity of CFTC-regulated futures contracts on gasoline, and this settlement demonstrates such attacks will not be tolerated in any market, said Director of Enforcement Ian McGinley.

The CFTC has accepted TOTSAs offer of settlement, recognizing that the company provided some cooperation during the investigation of this matter.

However, TOTSA failed to timely produce WhatsApp communications the Division of Enforcement requested or adequately preserve these communications following DOEs request, with the result that potentially relevant evidence was unavailable to DOE.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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The STAR refinery on Turkeys Aegean coast, which is a major buyer of Russias Urals crude, is set to begin planned maintenance in early September for about two months, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the facilitys operations.

The STAR refinery of Azerbaijans state oil and gas firm SOCAR was commissioned in 2018 in what was the first Azerbaijani-built oil refinery in Turkey. For an estimated $6.3 billion, the STAR refinery on Turkeys Aegean coast was one of the biggest foreign investment projects in Turkey at the time, as well as the countrys first new refinery since 1986.

Now SOCAR will begin the first extensive maintenance at the STAR refinery since 2018. The planned works are expected to begin on September 5 and continue for around 45 days to two months, according to Reuterss sources.

The refinery has been a major buyer of Russian crude, especially the flagship Urals blend, both under term contracts with Lukoil, Russias second-biggest oil producer, and on the spot market.

Last year, Lukoil signed an agreement with the refinery for supply of Urals. As European refiners halted purchases of Russian oil under the sanctions regime, Lukoil, a private company, is seeking refining customers situated near Russian ports to recapture market share.

Deliveries of Urals to the STAR refinery have been close to capacity of the facilitys terminal at Nemrut Bay, per LSEG data cited by Reuters. The terminal has a capacity of 200,000 barrels per day (bpd).

The extensive maintenance at SOCARs refinery in Turkey is set to impact the physical market of the Russian Urals crude, as it removes one key buyer of the grade from the market, according to traders. Still, the STAR refinery could continue to buy some Urals volumes during the maintenance period to store at the storage tanks at the site.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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The Ukrainian military claimed on Wednesday to have downed a Russian fighter jet over eastern Ukraine as Russia stepped up retaliation in Ukraines occupied eastern region shortly after Kyiv set another Russian oil depot on fire in a strike deep into Russian territory.

Early on Wednesday, a Ukrainian drone attack set a Russian oil depot on fire over 100 miles from the Ukrainian border in the Rostov region. No casualties have been reported, and at the time of writing, firefighters were still trying to extinguish the blaze, according to Ukrainian media reports.

Ukraine also attacked the Zenit oil depot, which houses an oil products reservoir, over 700 miles away in the Kirov region. Kyiv ties both depots to Moscows military-industrial complex.

Shortly afterwards, Ukraine claimed to have shot down an Su-25 Frogfoot fighter jet over Ukraines eastern occupied Donetsk region.

The latest escalation comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to advance his bold incursion into Russian territory that has been ongoing for nearly three weeks now, seeking to go on the offensive after being on the defensive since the March 2022 invasion.

In Ukraines Donbass region, Russia is intensifying its offensive, with the Kyiv Post describing Ukrainian forces on this front outgunned and outnumbered. Citing Zelensky, the Kyiv Post said that reinforcements were in the process of being deployed, and two towns had already fallen to Russian forces.

Earlier this week, Russia launched some 200 missiles at Ukraine, targeting energy installations, while Polish media report that Warsaw has deployed aircraft to defend Polish airspace against the onslaught, and a U.S. airbase in Germany remains on full alert in a state of preparedness. Parts of Kyiv were rendered without power and water earlier this week as a result of the Russian barrage.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Two Christian brothers in Pakistan were arrested and charged with blasphemy on Tuesday (Aug. 27) after they were accused of desecrating pages of the Quran, sources said.

Tabish Shahid and Kalu Shahid, 18-year-old sons of Shahid Masih of Kalay Wala Tehsil, Kasur District, Punjab Province, were arrested on the complaint of a Muslim, Ghulam Mustafa, after the illiterate brothers were alleged to have torn pages of the Quran.

Desecrating the Quran carries a life sentence in Muslim-majority Pakistan, but intent must be proven for a conviction.

Mustafa alleged that on Monday night (Aug. 26) the brothers had desecrated quranic pages at a local village fair.

The boys were making TikTok videos by throwing fake currency notes and bits of paper during the annual Urs [anniversary] at the shrine of Baba Ronaq Shah when some locals noticed quranic verses on the torn paper, Mustafa stated in the First Information Report (FIR) registered under Section 295-B of Pakistans widely condemned blasphemy statutes.

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Sajid Christopher of the Human Friends Organization said the brothers were illiterate and belonged to a poor family.

Tabish and Kalu had gone to the shrine to watch the Urs celebrations and make TikTok videos, Christopher told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. When they saw other people throwing money into the air in jubilation, the boys thought of having some fun. Due to their illiteracy and ignorance, the two did not realize that they had inadvertently torn pages of a quranic booklet placed nearby.

Family members of the young men surrendered them to the police after officials took their mother and a maternal uncle into custody, Christopher said.

Their father Shahid Masih worked at a brick kiln, but he had recently started working as a mason, he said. The boys had also begun working at a local factory just a few days before this incident.

Christopher said the family had contacted his organization for legal support, which engaged a Muslim lawyer, Chaudhry Imtiaz, to defend the brothers.

Stressing the need to raise awareness about the threat of blasphemy accusations among the illiterate poor, Christopher said many accused Christians lack basic education.

While its true that a majority of blasphemy allegations arise from personal disputes and rivalries, there are instances where Christians have found themselves in trouble due to their illiteracy, Christopher said. Church and civil society organizations should focus on this aspect as well to prevent people from getting implicated in these cases.

Mustafa alleged in his FIR that the incident had hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims.

Local sources on condition of anonymity told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News that some Christian families in the village had fled their homes due to fears of violence.

The situation has normalized now after the boys surrendered to police, but there were fears that Islamist groups may target their homes, a source said.

In Jaranwala Tehsil of Faisalabad District, Punjab Province, a Muslim mob on Aug. 16, 2023, ransacked 25 churches and more than 80 homes of Christians after two brothers were accused of desecrating the Quran and writing blasphemous content. The brothers were discharged from the case after eight months after it was found that they had been falsely accused by another Christian.

Nearly 3,000 persons have been accused of blasphemy since 1987, according to the Center for Social Justice (CSJ). The actual scale of abuse of these laws may be three to four times higher, it noted in a report.

It stated that hundreds of accused were incarcerated last year in Pakistan, with 552 detained in prisons in Punjab Province alone. In June 2024, at least 350 persons were behind bars, according to the report, adding that 103 new persons had been accused of blasphemy between January and June 2024.

Pakistan ranked seventh on Open Doors 2024 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian, as it was the previous year.
Physical delivery premiums for aluminum continue to rise, reflecting not only strong demand but also the increased costs faced by suppliers.

Via Metal Miner

Falling exchange prices and rising LME inventories this year indicate that primary aluminum is currently in ample supply. So far, aluminum prices have slightly increased since the beginning of the month as inventory levels have steadily declined. However, while the metal leaving the exchange has been Indian, a good, deliverable brand, the metal arriving has been Russian, which faces sanctions in much of the West. Nevertheless, as my colleague Nichole Bastin reported just last week, rising Chinese primary aluminum productionup 5% this yearand weak demand in Europe suggest that the primary market isnt exactly tight.

So, why do physical delivery premiums continue to rise?

Factors Affecting Aluminum Prices

The likely causes behind surging aluminum prices are twofold. The first being that China export tax traps its primary aluminum domestically, making it uneconomical for mills to export raw metal, the developments of which are covered weekly in MetalMiners newsletter. As a result, much of Chinas high export volumes consist of semi-finished downstream products. The metal consumed in regions like Europe and Japanboth of which saw firming physical delivery premiumscomes partly from local, regional smelters and imports from sources like India, the Middle East and Australia.

Regional smelters in Europe remain severely constrained by high power costs, leading many mills to shut down temporarily (read permanently). Meanwhile, importers still face high freight costs and the impact of port congestion due to ongoing disruptions to sailing schedules and routes caused by Suez Canal traffic issues.

How Global Strikes and Congestion Could Drive Aluminum Prices Even Higher

Container vessels remain fully booked through this month, and space is tight for next month, with forwarders recommending that clients book space a month or more in advance. Moreover, strikes in some German ports are adding to delays in Europe, and the threat of union action on the U.S. East Coast will likely exacerbate the problem during the rest of the year, even if the strikes only last a couple of weeks.

Spot freight rates have risen significantly since early May, and contract renewals have also seen rates increase for volume shippers. Meanwhile, one agent reported that the Asia-Europe route faces blank sailings due to insufficient capacity caused by the aforementioned congestion. This is despite the addition of 1.67 million TEUs of new-build ships this year. Its worth noting that the Shanghai Container Freight Index (SCFI) remains high, supporting shippers complaints about high rates.

So, while rising physical delivery premiums often signal strong demand, the current market might reflect suppliers cost constraints just as much. If logistics problems persist into the latter part of the year, hopes for softening physical delivery premiums could be premature.

By Stuart Burns

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
The Chinese steel industry, despite being the world's largest, is facing significant challenges, including a struggling property sector and increased international pressure due to rising exports.

Via Metal Miner

Amidst continuing reports of an economic downturn with little or no sign of improvement now comes a report that the Chinese Government has suspended the system allowing approval of new steel plants. It is a move that could have significant implications for the Chinese steel industry and global steel manufacturing as a whole.

According to Bloomberg, Chinas Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recently stated that it had decided to pause the current mechanism wherein new steel plant construction was allowed as long as steelmakers first shut down some of their existing facilities. The ministry also mentioned plans to create a new approval process, but provided no timeline. For years, the Chinese Government has insisted on eliminating existing capacity as a pre-condition before allotting permission to construct a new plant.

Seems like those rules are history, for now.

The move surprised almost everyone in the steel sector, but resulted in mostly muted reactions. As frequently reported by MetalMiner in the past, steel exports from China have shot up in the last couple of years and currently stand at their highest rate since 2016.

China Relies on Exports to Buoy Steel Manufacturing

China is the worlds largest steel producer, accounting for over 50% of the global output, or roughly a billion tons a year. But post-COVID, Chinese steel mills struggled to find domestic customers and are now resorting to dumping cheap steel products into as many markets as possible. In response, many of those countries steel industry leaders continue to protest.

According to one estimate by the Bank of America, five Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia, absorbed 26% of Chinas steel exports in 2023 alone. Steel manufacturing titans like ArcelorMittal SA, too, have complained about these exports. Furthermore, the lack of concrete measures announced at Chinas high-profile Third Plenum dimmed hopes that the countrys struggling property sector would recover from its downturn.

In fact, just a few days ago, Hu Wangming, head of China Baowu Steel Group Corp., told employees at the companys biannual meeting that conditions in the country were like a harsh winter that could become longer and colder and even more difficult. He also warned that Chinas steel industry faced a situation worse than the crises it endured in 2008 and 2015.

Iron Ore Prices Plunge Amid Falling Demand

The aforementioned Bloomberg report also covered the Chinese Ministry warning that the steel industry was staring at challenging times, particularly in terms of the supply and demand relationship. It stated that numerous problems still remain, such as inadequate policy implementation and imperfect supervision and implementation mechanisms.

With domestic steel consumption down, iron ore prices have fallen substantially, losing about 10% this quarter and touching their lowest point since 2022. So far, ore prices have dropped by over 28% in 2024.

Reasons for the Chinese Steel Industrys Decline

One of the biggest disappointments for Chinese steel mills has been Chinas property sector, which continues to be sluggish despite best efforts made by the government to pull it out of its quagmire. In an interview with CNBC, Sabrin Chowdhury, head of commodities analysis at BMI, said that Chinese demand for steel and iron ore remains disappointing because the ongoing downturn in Chinas property market negatively impacts industrial metals needed for infrastructure.

According to a recent report from Greeces Ursa Shipbrokers, Chinas steel industry suffers from weak demand, lower profitability for mills, and government directives to limit annual production growth. Ursas analysts highlight that only 5% of Chinese steel producers are in profit today, especially as steel prices continue to plummet, with rebar futures reaching a four-year low. The continued downturn in the countrys property sector, which has seen a 10.2% drop in investment, has significantly reduced steel demand.

By Sohrab Darabshaw

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
A man died in an Omaha hospital Wednesday after being shot by a police officer near North 78th and Redick Avenues as law enforcement attempted to serve a search warrant.

Officers and federal authorities went to a multi-level home near the 6400 block of 78th Avenue at 7 a.m. to serve a warrant for narcotics and firearms, according to an Omaha police spokesperson, Officer Michael Pecha. The Police Departments SWAT team assisted at the scene because of the residents criminal history, Pecha said.

An Omaha police officer discharged a firearm, striking a 37-year-old man during the encounter shortly after 7 a.m. Officers immediately began CPR on the man, Pecha said. No officers were injured.

The man was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center in extremely critical condition, police said. Pecha said around 1 p.m. that the man had died.

About a dozen police cruisers and law enforcement vehicles were at the scene after the shooting, and the Omaha departments armored vehicle was parked in the driveway of the house. Law enforcement officers wore masks and gloves when they were at the scene Wednesday morning.

A group of people who spoke with an officer began to scream and cry as they walked away from the scene. Numerous onlookers waited outside the yellow tape blocking off the road to the house as evidence technicians photographed the area.

The neighborhood became quiet again by early afternoon. A few neighbors asked about the situation said they did not know anything to share or declined to comment.

Pecha said the Police Department plans to hold a press conference to share more information at some point.

According to Omaha department policy, officers who are involved in a use of force that results in death or serious bodily injury are placed on administrative leave. Officers who are placed on leave continue to receive pay and benefits pending a review of the incident by police administration.

A grand jury is usually empaneled to review the shooting and decides if the officer or officers involved should be indicted on charges.

A previous fatal shooting involving Omaha police this year was in February. Two officers were shot at and returned fire, killing two men outside a nightclub in South Omaha.

Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine concluded the officers use of deadly force in the February shooting was justified. The officers involved were placed on leave before returning to work after the review.

World-Herald staff writers Mike Bell and Dan Crisler contributed to this report.
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.

Stay informed with The Christian Daily Newsletter Sign up

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.
A little after 1:35 p.m. Wednesday, Fremont police officers responded to the crash at the intersection of 20th and Broad Streets. The Fremont Police Department said in a press release there was a fatality because of the crash. The Nebraska State Patrol is assisting the Police Department with the crash investigation.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a national tragedy that has brought miseries upon Nigerians since coming to power four years ago.

The party stated this in reaction to the increase in the rate of suicide, youths desperation to travel abroad and other social vice since the conclusion of the 2019 presidential election.

In a statement by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, the former ruling party charged Nigerians to uphold and support one another in love, at this trying time to check the rising social degeneration in our nation, particularly acts of suicide.

It is saddening that at the time Nigerians ought to be celebrating, they are rather forlorn, committing suicide and exiting the country in droves.

Most Nigerians have become downhearted in the face of an administration that wrecked our once robust economy and divided our people; in the face of worsening joblessness, piling bills, hunger and diseases; in the face of incompetence, lies, and unfulfilled promises of free homes, monthly allowance to unemployed youth and the poor, bringing the naira to the same value as the US Dollar, creating of 5 million new jobs, ending of insurgency in three months and myriad of other false promises.

ALSO READ: Why Gov Bello fired Special Adviser

Instead, what our nation has witnessed is an official entrenchment and elevation of incompetence, deceit, propaganda, failure and cabal mentality on the corridors of power; a situation where the only achievement is the foisting of economic recession and mortgaging of the future of our nation with the accumulation of N24.39 trillion debt, with no tangible project to show.

It is instructive to state that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration has obstinately refused to allow any scrutiny of its books, knowing that they are catalogues of corruption, treasury looting, violations, impunity and acts that have brought our nation to its knees.

The PDP however called on Nigerians not to despair but stand firm in their collective determination to retrieve the stolen Presidential mandate at the tribunal, so they can have an administration that truly cares for them and which has the competence to return our nation on her deserved path of peace, national cohesion and economic prosperity.
A political activist and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Timi Frank, has commended the senators of the United States of America and the America government for putting pressures on Nigerian ruler to release Omoyele Sowore and by extension, Ibrahim Dasuki. Frank also thanked all Nigerians, especially a human right lawyer, Femi Falana, who stood up to fight for justice even in the mist of threat to their lives. Frank said if not for the pressure by the USA government and some of its senators, Sowore would still be languishing in DSS detention without charge. The political activist, however, declared that truly the American government is the police of the world. Reacting through a statement to DAILY POST on Wednesday in Abuja, Frank asked Buharis government to apologise to the duo for trampling on their rights. He also called on the USA, EU, UN and all lovers of democracy, including Nigerians in diaspora to put more pressure on the Regime to release other political prisoners, saying the Regime has succeeded in oppressing its citizens, no more freedom of speech and the right to assemble, just a few days ago, General Buhari/APC thugs beat to stupor Deji Adeyanju, the activist, for protesting the continued detention of Sowore, yet the ruling party had the nerve to accuse the opposition party of masterminding the attack, indeed this government is not only clueless but shameless. I appeal to the USA, EU and all democratic countries where rule of law applies to issue visa ban on the government officials of this clueless government whose stock in trade is to disobey court orders that dont favor them, oppress Nigerians by depriving them of their fundamental human right to associate and express themselves freely, this government is very powerful when it comes to oppressing innocent Nigerians but very weak when it comes to fighting corruption and insurgency. No government has disgraced and embarrassed Nigeria before the international community like Buhari government, it took the USA senators to speak out before sowore was released while our Nigerian senators are busy rubber stamping all Buharis request to the senate. I call on the USA government despite the blackmail to do more to ensure that other political detainees and journalists are freed. Sowore like Dasuki were granted bail by courts of competent jurisdiction but the tyrant General Buhari and the cabal decided to flaunt the order. Dasuki spent 4 years in DSS detention despite several bail granted by the courts while Sowore was rearrested a day after he was granted bail without charges. It is a shame that this government cannot put its house in order, they speak from both sides of the mouth as they are clueless. Just last week, the AGF Malami said he cannot order the DSS to release Sowore without recourse to the court, yet a week later, he ordered the same DSS to release Sowore. What has changed in a week to make the AGF order the DSS to release Sowore? It is the pressure from the international community, especially the American senators and the USA government that compelled this clueless government to release Sowore. A few days ago, Femi Adesina, the spokesperson of General Buhari said nobody appointed the USA the police of the world, yet a few days later, they have not only released Sowore but they also released Dasuki and the AGF suddenly remember that he can appeal their bail. The fear of the police of the world made you release Sowore, Frank stated.
BLOOMINGTON  With a new school year on the horizon, most high school students are getting the last bit of summer freedom in before the semester starts.

But hundreds of area marching band students are hard at work refining their skills and memorizing music in these last few weeks.

High school bands across Central Illinois are wrapping up their band camps and preparing for a season filled with Friday night football games, parades and competitions.

Bloomington Marching Raiders

Max Chernick, band director for the Bloomington Marching Raiders, said the band includes about 140 students who will perform music like "Torn" by Natalie Imbruglia and "True Colors" by Cyndi Lauper in their show titled "Patchwork," which will follow a theme of assembling different scraps into one beautiful quilt.

"We have giant spools of thread on the field, about 5 feet tall, that our soloist will perform from the top of. We'll have 8-foot scraps of fabric that will move around the field as the fabric gets torn apart and ... our uniforms are patchwork quilts of different patterns in red, which will be a new color for us," Chernick said. "They have really been adding a lot of themselves to the performance and it's been fun to see it come together with the drill and the choreography."

Chernick said the band has learned all of its music already and is two-thirds of the way through learning the drill formations on the field, with choreography to be added later.

"We have a lot of new staff this year, including a new assistant director of bands, and we want kids to understand that 'different' doesn't mean 'better' or 'worse,' it just means different, and we're still going to be our very best regardless of the changes," Chernick said.

The freshmen are the first group of students that did not have a fifth grade band experience due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they have adapted well to marching, Chernick said, and the upperclassmen have been supportive in making sure they are all brought into the fold.

"We're able to put leadership positions in here and teach these kids about life," said Jarrett DeFields, the new assistant band director at BHS, and also a 2015 graduate of the school. "Band is kind of like life, and marching band is not always the most fun thing that kids like to do, but I tell them all the time that they're going to remember all these memories for years to come."

Lindsey Carstens, a senior drum major for BHS, said she likes the show's concept of individualism, and how it captures every instrument's section and intertwines them together through movement to show them as one big team.

Carstens said her goal this year is to keep the band's visual performance at a high level, and she also hopes for everyone to form friendships with each other, as she has over the last four years.

"We've all gone through our waves, our bumps and sharp turns, and we're still here, we all come to band and we work hard every time," Carstens said. "These are my people. I don't know what I would do without some of the people in this band."

Normal Marching Band

Ryan Budzinski, co-director of the Normal Marching Band, said this year's band, made up of about 150 students from both Normal Community and Normal West high schools, is playing classics such as "Singin' in the Rain" and "What a Wonderful World," as well as a piece called "A Road, A Path" written by composer Roy Magnuson, a professor at Illinois State University.

Their show, titled "Seed to Bloom," will use plant imagery to describe how humans grow throughout their lifetimes. The show is set in a garden, with props like hedges and masonry, and the students dressed in bodysuits that will resemble plants and change during the show.

"Being able to portray something on a football field that is meaningful to someone, something that's memorable and something that has an impact on the audience  when you're a performing artist, your biggest hope is that your art reaches other people," said Budzinski, who is band director at Normal West.

Co-director Paul Carter said the band has learned the first two movements of the show, with the remaining two hopefully learned by the end of the month.

"If every student is trying to be better than they were individually yesterday, and if we as an ensemble are trying to be better every day, then we're going to continue to move in the direction we're looking for, with the excellence but also with the artistry of what we do, and try to make them into better performers," said Carter, who is band director at Normal Community.

Normal West senior and clarinet section leader Drew Jackson said he likes the artistic approach to this year's show, with everyone focusing on movement and visuals. More importantly, though, everyone is having fun and making sure they take something out of this experience, he said.

"Our sense of community  being two different high schools and showing how we can come together and create a show like this that hasn't been seen before  is exciting," Jackson said. "We just keep going forward, and we want to keep striving for more, but I don't know what that more is yet."

Normal Community senior and color guard captain Jenny Sanchez Cruz said the show's theme has been reflective of how they have developed as a band this season. She added that she and the other upper classmen have been making sure to enjoy and create as many memories as possible this year.

"I feel like marching band as a whole, especially my color guard section, they're like my second family. It's like we're all united and so close," Sanchez Cruz said. "It just creates a lot of new skills that can help you in life, and it's just an amazing experience."

In a few months, the band will be heading overseas for the London New Year's Day Parade & Festival, but for now, they are still deep in the parade planning process before they can ring in 2025.

U High Marching Pioneers

Jason Landes, director of the University High School Marching Band, said this year's show, titled "Stronger Together," will have the band starting in one large group before being divided through obstacles until they are brought back together at the end.

The music is an original composition called "Boundaries" by Gary Gilroy that has been adapted musically and visually for the show's theme. The color guard will be integrated into the band for this show, allowing for more group visuals.

With about 65 students in band this year, Landes said they will have two movements finished with music by the end of this week, after working on marching fundamentals all summer. They'll learn the third and final movement later on.

"It's always fun when you do have the award success at the end of competitions, but really, the bottom line for me and I hope our students is just how you feel when you walk off that field at the end of every performance," Landes said. "Whether it's a football game or it is a competition, whenever we have that performance, we want it to be our best one, and better than the last."

Landes said they will continue to work on musical elements like projection and tone to grow as musicians throughout the season, but they'll also be working on visual elements and body control when marching on the field.

"When you've got all the activities going on in school, marching bands are such a huge part of that school spirit," Landes said. "That's one of the things that we want to continue to work on in all the programs that we have here, is just that school spirit and pride in our school."

Senior drum major Lydia Wilcox said a big goal for her is to have a clean, well-polished look for the band, while also having fun and seeing their hard work pay off with how the show resonates with audiences.

Wilcox said everyone has done an amazing job lifting each other up and being respectful with each other, especially with the new class of freshman, to create a sense of community that they will hopefully foster for years to come.

"I choose band because I feel like it's a very important and rare community within a school environment where people feel like they can be at home and be their authentic selves," Wilcox said. "It's a very important environment within a high school to have a safe space for everyone."

Eureka Hornets Marching Band

Todd Stalter, director of bands at Eureka High School, said this year's show is titled "P.U.S.H." after the acronym for "persist until something happens." The underlying theme, he said, is that in order to effect change, people have to go beyond what they may be comfortable with.

"We like to think that our work ethic is something that really adds to what we do, and it's essential to our success, and that idea of persisting is something that we try to do," Stalter said.

The music has been curated by Marching Monk, which creates compositions and designs for marching bands across the country, and features unique and emotional high points through the show, Stalter said.

With around 80 students, the band has been able to get a grasp on the first two movements of the show, which Stalter said is faster than he expected, and he's proud to see that.

This year is also special, since it will be Stalter's last marching band season before his retirement.

Stalter was hired at EHS in 1991, and from 2000 to 2023, has led the marching band program to 15 state class championships at the Illinois State Marching Band Championships at ISU.

"Even though it is my last year, I'm excited to attack it just like any other year that we do, and I'm trying to make it so that it's not about me, because it really is about the students," Stalter said. "There's time to focus on me later. This is for them, so I'm going to work just as hard or harder to make sure that the focus stays on them."

Senior clarinet section leader Ciarra Abel said this year's music is more technical than anything they have done before, and since it was first introduced to students, the concept of persistence has been resonating with each of them.

"My real goal for the band would be for everyone to take the message of the show to heart," Abel said. "If all of us persist, and if all of us push ourselves as far as we can go, we can do some really great things."

Blake Andrews, senior snare drum and drumline section leader, said he likes the show's theme this year, adding that he felt that last year's drumline was not where he wanted it to be. So, during the offseason, they practiced every Tuesday and Thursday morning just to get better.

"The whole offseason we were hoping for a harder show, and we persisted until something happened, and now we have a really cool show with some of the hardest music," Andrews said.

Andrews said that he, just like anyone else, wants to win the state championship again, but since it is Stalter's last year, he really wants to be the best drumline at Eureka.

"I was horrible, and a lot of those offseason practices were kind of, for me, to keep me consistent," Andrews said. "I just want to say that it doesn't matter if you're talented or not, if you work hard enough, you'll beat talent."
Launching into a new musical journey in his career, Juicy J is venturing into uncharted territory to evolve his signature Southern rap style that has defined his legacy for two decades.

For his innovative jazz rap album "Ravenite Social Club," Juicy J has enlisted the talents of Cordae and Robert Glasper.

Honoring His Roots

In a nod to his beginnings, he paid homage to his origins by dedicating the song "To You" from his latest album to the influential rap group he helped create and the late Gangsta Boo.

"This song is dedicated to the greatest rap group of all times Three 6 Mafia."

This song is dedicated to the greatest rap group of all times 36 mafia https://t.co/89u5RNt4tT pic.twitter.com/N9Kc8zG9NG  juicy j (@therealjuicyj) August 27, 2024

Collaborating with Musical Geniuses

During a recent video shared on social media, Juicy J, whose real name is Jordan Michael Houston,expressed his admiration for the jazz pianist Robert Glasper, with whom he had the pleasure of collaborating on his latest album.

In the video, the rapper praised Glasper's exceptional talent, describing him as a true genius.

"Robert Glasper is a genius, bro. Pure genius, man. I first heard of Robert, he won like R&B Album of the Year."

"I looked up on Apple Music and I just started listening to his music. He got some hard a** music. The man is a genius. Super talented. I was like 'Damn, this n***a jamming."

"I hit him up, we got in the studio, vibed out. We made some dope ass beats. We was working on a lot of different things. We were working on some collab beats for [Megan Thee Stallion] and some other stuff. I felt like it was an experience, not an album."

A Year of Productivity

The "Shell Shocked" rapper has made his mark this year with a steady stream of music releases in a whirlwind of productivity.

One standout surprise was the album "Mental Trillness 2," released unexpectedly in May, reminiscent of the drop of "Ravenite Social Club."
If you left the U.S. for a summer vacation, you may have encountered a strange and refreshing custom: not tipping. Or at least not tipping everyone in sight.

Americans have long been among the worlds most profligate tippers.

We tip more occupations than any other country, and we tend to tip larger amounts than other countries, says Michael Lynn, a professor of consumer behavior at Cornell Universitys School of Hotel Administration whose research focuses on tipping. Were kind of the tip-happiest country out there.

Just wait. American tipping culture is poised to get even more intense. In a rare case of bipartisan agreement, presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris both advocate exempting tips from federal income taxes. Its a popular stance with many potential voters, notably in Nevada, a swing state whose many casino, hotel and restaurant workers rely heavily on tips.

The idea would be bad news for customers  and perhaps even for tipped workers themselves.

Consumers are already weary of the way tip expectations have expanded since the pandemic. As people curbed their restaurant dining to avoid COVID-19, they increased the size of the tips they left, whether for dining in, takeout or delivery. Meanwhile businesses gravitated toward machines for cashless, no-contact transactions.

Soon tip jars that once collected loose change at cash registers morphed into touch screens suggesting significantly larger tip amounts, even for small purchases. Restaurants without waiter service  and takeout coffee places  now come with pressure to tip.

A Pew Research Center survey last November found that 72% of U.S. adults believe tipping is expected at more places than five years ago. You have to wonder how often the other 28% get out of the house.

Its all a bit much. In a February WalletHub survey, 3 out of 4 respondents said tipping has gotten out of control. Tipping isnt just a financial burden. It creates psychological stress. Is a tip optional or expected? How much is enough? Am I a bad person if I say no?

Excluding tips from federal income tax might simplify employer paperwork and erase the difference between easily tracked credit card charges and cash gratuities, which often go unreported. The exemption could also allow employers to pay lower (taxed) wages, because workers would have the hope of keeping more (untaxed) tips.

All of those factors would encourage even more transactions to come with real or virtual tip jars. If your barista, tattoo artist and massage therapist get tips, why not the supermarket cashier, dental hygienist and plumber? Tipping in those situations might seem odd, even unseemly today, but tax-free income is hard to resist.

Vice President Harris has specified that the exemption would apply to service and hospitality workers, but they arent the only people who currently receive tips. Its hard to imagine those limits surviving the political pressure to include at least all tipped workers below a given income threshold.

But either way, the proposal picks winners. To help all workers in low-paid jobs, presidential candidates might propose increasing the standard deduction or the earned income tax credit. That would be fairer. But the tip loophole isnt about a general increase in take-home pay. Its about winning votes in Nevada.

Like the tax credits that oil companies get for blending ethanol with gasoline, thereby subsidizing demand for Iowa corn, making tips tax free offers big benefits to a concentrated group while spreading the costs over the general public. Nobodys likely to vote against a candidate because they dread proliferating tip jars, but workers who make a lot of tips might vote for them.

If either proposal came to pass, the revenue forgone by the Treasury would have to come from somewhere else. But that would be a next year problem, an unpleasant reality not destined to get much attention this fall or sway many votes in November.

Thats why we see two fiercely opposed candidates rushing to agree on this harebrained scheme. We can only hope that they cancel each other out and that whoever is elected drops the idea.
An Austrian surgeon has been fired after allegedly letting their teenage daughter drill a hole in a patient's skull.



The neurosurgeon, who has not been named, reportedly allowed their 13-year-old daughter to operate a drill and make a hole in an unconscious patient's skull in January.



The victim, 33, was flown by air ambulance to Graz University Hospital in southeastern Austria after sustaining a serious head injury in a forestry accident, according to Kronen Zeitung.



The emergency surgery reportedly went well, but the patient has not yet been able to return to work.



Prosecutors in Graz, the regional capital of Styria, Austrias second-largest state, were made aware of the alleged incident in April when an anonymous complaint was lodged.



The victim learned of the case in the media but was not informed by police that he was the victim until July, the newspaper added.



The victim's lawyer Peter Freiberger said: "You lie there. Unwilling, unconscious, and become guinea pigs. There's probably no other way to put it... that's not possible. You can't do that."



Mr Freiberger added: "There was no contact, no explanation or apology, nothing. That is simply undignified."



He is reportedly seeking to sue the surgical team and get damages for the victim.









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Nigeria has received 10,000 doses of a vaccine to combat mpox, making it the first African country to receive a batch amid the current outbreak of disease that used to be called monkeypox.



The country began the process to secure the vaccines well before it was declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) earlier this month.



Africa has been hit hardest by the recent rapid spread of mpox - and there have been calls for a speedier response by international agencies to such emergencies.



Nigeria - which has confirmed 40 mpox cases this year but says the true number could be more than 700 - received its vaccine doses as a donation from the US.



The West African nation has not recorded any deaths from the virus. It has also not recorded any cases of Clade 1b, a new variant in the east of the Democratic Republic Congo that has also spread to neighbouring countries.



DR Congo, located in central Africa, has recorded more than 18,000 suspected cases of mpox and 615 deaths this year.



There are still no mpox-specific vaccines but smallpox ones work against the disease - and are being manufactured by two pharmaceutical companies.



Nigeria says it will prioritise health workers and at-risk communities in the 13 affected states during the vaccination campaign.



The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 10 million doses are needed across the continent, with DR Congo being the most in need.



Clade 1b has caused concern among governments, scientists and international health bodies, but it is currently unclear just how deadly and contagious the variant is.



Mpox can be fatal if left untreated and causes symptoms such as fever, muscle aches and lesions across the body.



The process of getting the first jabs to Africa has been slow, with critics saying the WHO's regulatory process poses a major challenge.



Many low- and middle-income countries rely on the WHO, rather than their own drug regulators, to judge which medications are safe and effective.



But the WHO is "painfully risk-averse" and "concerned with a need to protect its trustworthiness", the New York Times recently reported.



Although two years have passed since the onset of the last outbreak driven by the Clade 2 variant prevalent in Nigeria, the WHO has not officially approved the two available vaccines, saying it does not have the data it requires to do a full review.



Professor Helen Rees, an adviser to the WHO and the Africa CDC, told the BBC the WHO's regulation process was "not fit for purpose in an emergency".



She said international health bodies needed to "really look" at how they were conducting approvals when medical products were needed urgently.



Only this month did the WHO ask vaccine manufacturers to register their interest in receiving an emergency licence for mpox jabs. This would allow WHO to fast track its approvals.



That could have begun years ago, numerous public health officials and scientists told news agency Reuters.



WHO is expected to grant its mpox emergency licences in September.



Africa's first 10,000 vaccines went to Nigeria and not DR Congo as a result of an early campaign from Nigerian health officials following the onset of the 2022 outbreak.



At a press conference held in the capital, Abuja, to mark Wednesday's arrival of the vaccines produced by Danish pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic, US Ambassador Richard Mills praised Nigeria for leading a co-ordinated effort to respond to the outbreak before it escalates.



The US Agency for International Development (USAid) said it had also donated 50,000 doses to DR Congo but a delivery date had not been released.



Although Africa has finally received its first delivery, the delay could have been shorter if a larger number of wealthy countries had donated jabs like the US had done, Ms Rees told the BBC's Newsday programme.



"After 2022 many of the countries that were affected by the [mpox] outbreak many of them have stockpiles with millions of vaccines collectively stored," she said.



"Those stockpiles are obviously from a country perspective to protect their own citizens. But when you have a global emergency like this, every country should look at its stockpile and say 'can we actually help globally?'"

Source: BBC









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Health experts have warned that Ghana risks having more children being born with cleft lip and palate as heavy metals used in illegal mining have polluted many drinking water sources.



The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Opoku Ware Ampomah, who sounded the warning, explained that substances from galamsey activities had contaminated many water bodies, pointing out that such substances could cause birth defects.



Addressing a news conference organised by Operation Smile Ghana, an international medical charity, in Accra last Thursday to mark Cleft Awareness Week, Dr Ampomah called for the necessary steps to ensure that water bodies and food sources in the country stayed free from such contamination.



Cleft lips are caused by a number of factors: genetic factors and environmental factors, Dr Ampomah said.



Genetic factors are that the baby inherits an abnormal gene. Other environmental factors also contribute to children getting clefts, and these may be due to vitamin deficiency or some medications or toxins that pregnant mothers are exposed to.



We know that heavy metal contamination or some of the substances that are used in illegal mining activities can cause birth defects, he said.



The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital CEO, however, added that currently, there were no actual data to show where the cases of cleft lips or palates being recorded were coming from.



But Dr Ampomah stressed that data collection had started which could be ready by 2026 or earlier to help in determining whether there had been a surge in the abnormality in some of the areas where galamsey was rife. A cleft lip is a physical split or separation of the two sides of the upper lip and appears as a narrow opening or gap in the skin of the upper lip.



This separation often extends beyond the base of the nose and includes the bones of the upper jaw and/or upper gum.



A cleft palate, on the other hand, is a split or opening in the roof of the mouth.



Some children are born with either a cleft of the lip or cleft of the palate or a combination of the two. It is the third most common congenital condition worldwide but the most common facial anomaly.



In Ghana, one in every 1,000 children has the abnormality.



Operation Smile Ghana is the largest provider of cleft surgery in Ghana, and has since its formation in 2011, provided over 2,500 free surgeries on cleft lips and palate for children and adults born with cleft palate.



Globally, it has provided over 220,000 free surgeries across 60 countries since 1982.



Environmental factors



Dr Ampomah mentioned other environmental factors that predispose children to the abnormality to include drug and alcohol use, smoking, illness, malnutrition, infection, and the lack of vitamins B, D and A during pregnancy.



He said children who had the condition experienced difficulty in breathing, speech and eating problems, among other challenges, which, he said, often led to the children becoming malnourished, sometimes leading to death.



He further explained that the abnormality did not allow children to properly suck the breast for milk, while some mothers, seemingly adhering to superstitious beliefs, did everything, including starving them, to get rid of the children.



Indeed, the myths associated with the abnormality include the fact that it was a punishment from God to the mother for committing adultery or a curse.



But Dr Ampomah dispelled those misconceptions, pointing out that cleft lip or palate was only an abnormality that could be surgically corrected in just 45 minutes.



He urged women not to take any medication that had not been prescribed by a medical doctor the moment they became pregnant so that they did not end up ingesting substances that could affect the child.



Awareness week



The acting Country Manager of Operation Smile Ghana, Henry Quist, said the Cleft Awareness Week was aimed at creating awareness of the abnormality, which would involve volunteers talking about the condition in the media.



A clefts surgeon, Dr Edem Anyigba, said the goal of the surgery was to correct the deformity, adding that the earlier they did the surgery, the earlier the child could pick up speech.



A dentist, Dr Adjoa Konadu Apratwum, said children with that abnormality normally reported to hospital with poor oral health hygiene because parents were afraid to put their fingers in their mouth to clean it, adding that with surgery, they were able to correct their problem.

Source: graphiconline









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Pure Earth Ghana, a non-profit organization collaborating with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and supported by the UK government through the Environmental Fund (TEF), has launched a new project focused on assessing the impact of mercury contamination.



This initiative aims to enhance environmental sustainability and public health.



The Country Director of Pure Earth Ghana, Rev. Dr. Esmond Quansah addressed the media, emphasizing that the project's primary objective is to conduct a comprehensive mercury assessment.



This will involve examining food crops, water bodies, and fish to evaluate the extent of mercury contamination in the environment.



Dr. Quansah also noted that the project, valued at two million Ghanaian cedis, will be implemented over the course of one year across four regions; Eastern, Western, Ashanti, and Savannah.



He highlighted that recent research suggests that, without intervention, the country may face the need to import water in the coming years.



Additionally, the Principal Programme Officer at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Mr. Hopeson Agyapong noted that illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey, have contaminated several water bodies and to address this issue, the EPA has partnered with Pure Earth Ghana to investigate the extent of the damage caused.



Mr. Agyapong explained that the findings from this study will help the EPA develop effective strategies to address the contamination, restore affected areas, and manage the issue going forward.









Source: Isabella Danso/Peace FM Newsroom









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A Ugandan man allegedly found with 24 human skulls may have been using them for human sacrifice and could face life in prison, the police have told the BBC.



Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said the suspect, Ddamulira Godfrey, would be charged under the Prevention and Prohibition of Human Sacrifice Act.



Animal remains and skins were also found in Mr Godfrey's shrine in the suburbs of the capital, Kampala.



Police are still searching Mr Godfrey's shrine in the hopes of recovering more human remains.



We are charging him first under the Prevention and Prohibition of Human Sacrifice Act, which [prohibits] one being in possession of human body parts and instruments of human sacrifice," Mr Onyango said.



"If he is found guilty, he will serve life in prison."



Mr Godfrey claims to be a traditional healer and herbalist. However, the countrys Traditional Healers Association has distanced itself from him.



This is not the first time such a shocking discovery has been made in Uganda in recent weeks.



Last month, police recovered 17 human skulls from a shrine in the central district of Mpigi, about 41km (25 miles) from Kampala.



Both discoveries have been linked to human sacrifice for ritual purposes.



Some people in many African countries believe that magic charms made from human body parts will bring them good luck, for example to become rich, or alternatively to curse their enemies.

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The decision is necessitated by threats of shortage of maize, rice, millet and sorghum from eight regions due to erratic rainfall patterns from June to August this year.





The government has placed a temporary ban on the export of grains with immediate effect to ensure the availability of food produce on the domestic market.



The decision is necessitated by threats of shortage of maize, rice, millet and sorghum from eight regions due to erratic rainfall patterns from June to August, this year.





The government has, therefore, decided to source US$500 million from the Contingency Fund, the World Bank and other donor partners to cushion the affected farmers.



The country would also tap into the ECOWAS Grain Reserve to bring in 300,000 metric tonnes (MT) of maize, 150,000 MT of rice and 26,000 MT of poultry to feed the poultry industry.



Bryan Acheampong, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, announced this during the Ministers news briefing in Accra on Monday on measures to mitigate the current dry spell in the eight regions.



The eight regions experiencing dry spells or erratic rainfall patterns are Northern, Upper East, North East, Savannah, Upper West, Bono, Bono East and Oti.



The dry spell led to the disruption of crop production. The lack of rain over the past two months has severely impacted the planting season in many of the farming areas.



Some notably affected communities in the Upper East Region are Gabuliga, Teshie, Boya and Ankpaliga, he stated.



Acheampong said crops sown in anticipation of the rains had been left struggling without sufficient moisture, with fears of low yields and potential crop failures in the coming months.



The minister said that the livelihoods, investments, and incomes of over 980,000 farmers cultivating an estimated 1.8 million hectares were at risk and could have ripple effects on the agricultural value chain and food supply across the country.



He said the projected crop failures would significantly result in a shortfall of grain supply and could lead to nationwide food shortage.



The Ministry will write off over 90 per cent of total expected production which will occasion an investment loss of GHC7.4 billion for farmers and corresponding revenue loss of GHC22 billion of the affected areas, representing 10% of agricultural GDP of GHC220 billion annually.



He said cash transfers would be made to 928, 528 farmers with each registered farmer expected to receive GHc1000 per hectare to cushion them.



The drought conditions had far-reaching implications for food security and livelihoods with expected consequences on food supply, he said.





The eight affected regions supply 62% of the countrys grains.

Source: Asaaseradio.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The UK government has revealed that cannabis traffickers deceive people into believing the country is lax when it comes to cannabis trafficking at its borders.



UK Officials say most of the couriers, who can be paid up to 10,000, are arriving from countries which have legalised cannabis for personal use and are allowing cultivation.



Hundreds of cannabis couriers have been caught trying to smuggle suitcases full of the drug through British airports.



The UK says couriers are being duped by traffickers into thinking the UK authorities are soft on cannabis and will let them off with a fine, according to the National Crime Agency.



A man who landed from Los Angeles with 158 kilos of the Class-B drug - with a street value of 1m in his and his children's bags was jailed for more than three years in July, also 11 British passengers from Thailand were arrested this month at Birmingham airport when Border Force officials allegedly found 510 kilos of cannabis in their bags.



Charles Yates, the NCA's deputy director, said: "It's quite brazen. Couriers are just walking through the airports with suitcases full of cannabis, thinking they are not going to be detected and if they are all they will get is a fine.



"The reality is very different and we are making many arrests and seeing couriers go to jail. The figures have risen dramatically in the past couple of years."



The NCA says there were 17 such arrests in 2022, 136 in 2023 and 378 so far this year. In the same period, the amount of cannabis seized has gone up from two to 15 tonnes.



Most of the couriers come from Canada, Thailand, Germany and parts of the United States, where Cannabis is legalized.



Yates said many among the UK's two million weed smokers believed, wrongly, that cannabis grown legally was a better, stronger product and were prepared to pay more for it.



"Actually, the THC content (potency) is relatively similar between UK grown and legally grown cannabis. I think the drug traffickers are just good at marketing it in the UK."



Canadian Chelsea Allingham, 40, arrived at Heathrow from Toronto in May with two suitcases full of cannabis and had reached the bar of her hotel when NCA officers walked up and arrested her in handcuffs.



Border Force officers had detected the drug, but let Allingham collect her bags from the carousel and followed her as she handed them over and settled down to have a drink. She was jailed for 10 months.



NCA Director General of Threats James Babbage said: "We would appeal to anyone who is approached to engage in smuggling to think very carefully about the potential consequences of their actions, and the risks they will run.



"We know organised criminals can be persuasive and offer to pay couriers. But the risks of getting caught are high, and it just isn't worth that risk.



"The NCA is actively working with partners like Border Force here in the UK, and law enforcement internationally to target those involved in drug supply, including the networks behind it. Targeting those smugglers who play a crucial role in the supply chain is one way we can do that."













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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Ghana stands at a crossroads where the very fabric of our democracy is under siege. The latest incident in the Upper Manya Krobo Constituency has sent shockwaves across the nation, shaking the confidence of those who believe in peaceful and democratic processes.



The brazen attack on the NPP Constituency Chairman, Mr. Philip Kweku Mamphy, orchestrated by the NDC under the leadership of their National Chairman Johnson Aseidu Nketia and Member of Parliament Hon. Bismark Tetteh Nyarko, marks a dark chapter in our political history that cannot and must not be ignored



What should have been a routine display of DRIP equipment, generously provided to the district by the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo through the Regional Minister, Hon. Seth Kwame Acheampong, turned into a scene of chaos and violence. The NDC, without provocation and in total disregard of police intervention, violently tried to prevent this display; an act of sabotage solely because their National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, is scheduled to visit the constituency.



This act of political thuggery, culminating in the physical assault on Mr. Mamphy, who was hospitalized at the Asesewa Government Hospital, is nothing short of an attack on our democracy



Where does it end? If political parties can no longer coexist peacefully in their service to the nation, then what future do we hold for the next generation? The National Peace Council, Electoral Commission, Civil Society Organizations, and all relevant stakeholders committed to safeguarding our democratic process must speak out. Silence is complicity. This act of lawlessness displayed by the NDC, their National Chairman, and the MP must be condemned by every well-meaning Ghanaian



We cannot allow political violence to become the norm in our beloved country. This assault on Mr. Mamphy is not just an attack on one man or one party; it is an attack on the principles of freedom, justice, and peace that our nation was built upon. It is an attack on our democracy and what we stand for. We must rise as one people, irrespective of political affiliations, to denounce this barbarism and demand that those responsible be brought to justice



The future of Ghanas democracy hangs in the balance. Will we stand by and allow such thuggery to go unchecked, or will we rise to defend the peaceful democratic process that has made Ghana a beacon of hope in Africa? The time to act is now. Let us ensure that this violence does not go unanswered, and that the perpetrators are held accountable for their actions. The soul of our nation depends on it

Source: Hon. Kankam Twumasi Daniel Writes









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The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has described the NDCs claims discrepancies in the electoral commissions Voters register as needless.



In a Facebook post, the Director of Elections for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Omane Boamah requested a forensic audit by parliament as a way of clarifying and addressing all the alleged irregularities in the Voters register.



Dr. Omane Boamah alleged that the EC voters register has deliberately been tampered with, hence, it is not fit for purpose as far as the upcoming December elections is concerned.



However, in a radio interview on Peace FMs midday news, the NPPs Director of Elections, Evans Nimako, stated that the concerns raised by the NDC are precisely the reason for conducting the voter exhibition exercise which ended on August 27, 2024.



According to him, the exhibition exercise is designed to allow stakeholders to identify and correct any errors on the register before it is finalised, thereby dismissing the NDCs allegations and describing it as unnecessary.



Mr. Nimako said, So when theres an exhibition, the exercise is simple. It is to enable stakeholders and assist the Electoral Commission to come out with a register that would be the final register for an election. So, at this phase, we are doing an exhibition, so if you go to the exhibition centre and your details are not correct, all that you do is ask for the exhibition officer to give you the appropriate forms, so you feel for the right corrections to be made to your details.



Its to enable you to go and check to make sure that your name and your details are in the register. If they are there and there are no questions to be made, yes, thats the detail the EC must keep in the final register. So, when you hear people at this phase crying needlessly, it is really [surprising].

Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









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Former PNC General Secretary, Atik Mohammed has fired shots at the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, over his recent behavior towards Ghanaians.



The President's image in the public, in recent times, has been associated with arrogance.



There are some people who feel disappointed in the way he behaves and one of those people is Atik.



Speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show on Tuesday, August 27, Atik registered his utter displeasure with the President stating "the expectations I had about Nana Akufo-Addo are not what I see today and what he said he was going to do".



He expounded; "Like the kind of image he presented, that's not the image we are seeing today."



Atik further questioned the President 's nationalistic spirit saying "today, the image I see of Akufo-Addo is an image of 'I don't care', 'I couldn't be bothered'. This is not the 'I believe in Ghana', 'I care for you' image".





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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In his first public reaction to his opponent Dr Mahamudu Bawumia's media encounter last Sunday night, former President John Mahama says Bawumia attempted to distance himself from his governments track record, which according to Mr Mahama was abysmal.



"When a smooth talker suddenly becomes a stammerer at a media encounter then you know they are lying', Mr Mahama said flag bearer of the governing New Patriotic Party.



Speaking at various community engagements in the Greater Accra Region at Bonikope, Sege and Kasseh as part of his campaign tour, Mr Mahama, who is the flag bearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) said, "We [NDC] announced that we were going to launch our manifesto on the 24th of August."



"Immediately our [NPP] opponents announced that they were going to do a media encounter on the 25th of August, the very next day. You know, the intention for doing that media encounter, the next day after we had announced our manifesto was to turn the attention of Ghanaians from the NDC manifesto. That was the main reason, that they decided to do a media encounter the very next day that we launched our manifesto."



"But you see, when you do something with dubious intention, it backfires on you. You know how to tell when somebody is lying? If you have people who are smooth talkers, who can speak ratatatata like machine gun, the time when they become stammerers and they start stammering, you know they are lying. Somebody who can speak, tatatata like AK 47 [rifle] suddenly, media encounter, eerrrm errrrmm, Mr Mahama stated.



NAPO too was sleeping



Adding and speaking in the Ga language, Mr Mahama said, the one following him too [NAPO] was also sleeping.



According to Mr Mahama, it is highly unusual for a vice president to disassociate himself from the collective responsibilities of his own administration and expressed surprise at an excerpt from Dr. Bawumia's recent media encounter, where the Vice President seemed to distance himself from his party's record.



"This is the first time I'm seeing a Vice President running away from his President's track record," Mahama stated.



He argued that Dr. Bawumia cannot separate himself from the governments failures while only claiming credit for its successes.



"Government is a continuum; government is a whole; government is a collective," Mahama emphasised, adding that democratic governance is a shared responsibility.



Mahama further criticised the NPP leader for being quick to claim success but denying responsibility for failures.



Drawing from his own experience as head of the Economic Management Team under President Mills, Mr Mahama noted, "When the budget was going to Parliament, it was in the name of Prof. Mills, but I never disowned it."

Source: graphiconline









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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National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Wa West, Peter Lanchene Toobu says the next Mahama-led administration will chase corrupt New Patriotic Party (NPP) members to return all stolen money to the state.



According to him, such individuals if identified will have only two months to pay back the state or face the consequences.



Speaking to NEAT FM's morning show, 'Ghana Montie', Peter Lanchene Toobu said Ghanaians must change government to fight corruption.



After a change of government is operation recover all loot. We'll just plead with the president to give them just two months to return what they have stolen, he said.



Adding that, the NDC will recover all assets that belong to Ghana.



Watch video below





Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman/Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A former Central Regional Minister and a member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has subtly jabbed the former President and flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, describing him as one whose mind is perpetually stuck in the past.



Kwamena Duncans comment was in reaction to the NDCs manifesto which seeks to reset all the sectors of the country to what the NDC describes as the right pedestal.



The NDC is of the opinion that the country needs a reset for all spheres including the economy, presidency, governance, education, etc.



According to the flagbearer of the NDC, the NPP government has plunged the country into a plethora of economic and turmoil which every Ghanaian is wallowing in.



The reset agenda was disclosed during the 2024 manifesto launch at the University of Education, Winneba on Saturday, August 24.



However, Kwamena Duncan maintains that Ghanas Vice President and flagbearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumias assertion that Ghana needs an upgrade but not a reset is the surest way to go.



Speaking on Wednesdays edition of Peace FMs 'Kokrokoo' morning show, the voluble Kwamena Duncan said, We have always maintained that Dr. Bawumias mindset is for the future while that of John Dramani Mahama is stuck in the past. How can you say that Ghana needs to undergo reset? Which era are you looking at resetting Ghana to? Is it during the era of Kwame Nkrumah, Limann, Busia, Rawlings or during your era, because, it is obvious that you cannot count yourself out of the former heads of state."



While we are thinking of running a digitally-driven country, some people are thinking of going back to the days of analog. While we are thinking of enhancing the living conditions of Ghanaians, others are thinking of worsening the plight of Ghanaians, Kwamena Duncan said.



Watch video below







Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A Miami jeweller named Leonard Sulaymanov has reportedly sued Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Tyga for at least $4 million, alleging they committed RICO activities.



According to the Miami New Times, Leonard Sulaymanov is suing Mayweather and his company, the Money Team, for allegedly violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act.



Additionally, Sulaymanov is accusing Mayweather of fraud, civil conspiracy, breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and civil theft, among other allegations.



The outlet adds that the jeweller reportedly filed the suit on Friday, August 23, in a federal court in Miami. Miami New Times adds that Tyga, whose government name is Michael Ray Nguyen-Stevenson, is also named in the suit for allegedly failing to satisfy payment for a Rolex watch.



According to the outlet, the lawsuit asserts that the defendants used the plaintiffs reputation, business, and inventory to systemically steal and convert the plaintiffs watches and jewellery to their own without paying the full and fair price.



In June 2021, the jeweller reportedly met with Mayweather and sold him an Audemars Piguet watch, two Richard Mille watches, a Patek Philippe watch, a Rolex, a diamond ring, and a diamond necklace. Furthermore, Sulaymanov alleges that he only received $267,000 for the items before Mayweather left Miami. To note, the jeweller reportedly documented the purchase with photos of the jeweller and Mayweathers cash payment.



Two weeks later, Sulaymanov allegedly travelled to Las Vegas to meet Mayweather and Tyga. He allegedly brought ten Rolex Presidential Anniversary watches, a Rolex Day-Date 40, and a Richard Mille to their meeting.



At their gathering, Tyga allegedly agreed to purchase the Rolex Day-Date for $79,000. Additionally, Mayweather allegedly made more purchases from the jeweller. However, he allegedly failed to pay off the existing account balance.



[Mayweather and Tyga were] luring plaintiffs into a false sense of security that they would have an ongoing business relationship that would benefit everyone involved, the suit reads per the Miami New Times. However, as days passed and no wires were being received, Plaintiffs got concerned and started exchanging text messages with Defendants through their agent about when payment could be expected.



According to the outlet, Sulaymanov is seeking an overdue balance of over $3,883,657.00 from Mayweather and Tyga. The jeweller is also seeking compensation for humiliation, embarrassment, and mental anguish.













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Closed-loop transfer paradigm for physics-informed functional molecular discovery. Credit: Nicholas Angello et al

Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool for researchers, but with a significant limitation: the inability to explain how it came to its decisions, a problem known as the "AI black box."

By combining AI with automated chemical synthesis and experimental validation, an interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has opened up the black box to find the chemical principles that AI relied on to improve molecules for harvesting solar energy.

The result produced light-harvesting molecules four times more stable than the starting point, as well as crucial new insights into what makes them stablea chemical question that has stymied materials development.

The interdisciplinary team of researchers was co-led by U. of I. chemistry professor Martin Burke, chemical and biomolecular engineering professor Ying Diao, chemistry professor Nicholas Jackson and materials science and engineering professor Charles Schroeder, in collaboration along with University of Toronto chemistry professor Alan Aspuru-Guzik. They published their results in the journal Nature.

"New AI tools have incredible power. But if you try to open the hood and understand what they're doing, you're usually left with nothing of use," Jackson said.

"For chemistry, this can be very frustrating. AI can help us optimize a molecule, but it can't tell us why that's the optimumwhat are the important properties, structures and functions? Through our process, we identified what gives these molecules greater photostability. We turned the AI black box into a transparent glass globe."

The researchers were motivated by the question of how to improve organic solar cells, which are based on thin, flexible materials, as opposed to the rigid, heavy, silicon-based panels that now dot rooftops and fields.

"What has been hindering commercialization of organic photovoltaics is problems with stability. High-performance materials degrade when exposed to light, which is not what you want in a solar cell," said Diao. "They can be made and installed in ways not possible with silicon and can convert heat and infrared light to energy as well, but the stability has been a problem since the 1980s."

The Illinois method, called "closed-loop transfer," begins with an AI-guided optimization protocol called closed-loop experimentation. The researchers asked the AI to optimize the photostability of light-harvesting molecules, Schroeder said.

The AI algorithm provided suggestions about what kinds of chemicals to synthesize and explore in multiple rounds of closed-loop synthesis and experimental characterization. After each round, the new data were incorporated back into the model, which then provided improved suggestions, with each round moving closer to the desired outcome.

The researchers produced 30 new chemical candidates over five rounds of closed-loop experimentation, thanks to building block-like chemistry and automated synthesis pioneered by Burke's group. The work was done at the Molecule Maker Lab housed in the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the U. of I.

"The modular chemistry approach beautifully complements the closed-loop experiment. The AI algorithm requests new data with maximized learning potential, and the automated molecule synthesis platform can generate the new required compounds very quickly. Those compounds are then tested, the data goes back into the model, and the model gets smarteragain and again," said Burke, who also is a professor in the Carle Illinois College of Medicine.

"Until now, we've been largely focused on structure. Our automated modular synthesis now has graduated to the realm of exploring function."

Instead of simply ending the query with the final products singled out by the AI, as in a typical AI-led campaign, the closed-loop transfer process further sought to uncover the hidden rules that made the new molecules more stable.

As the closed-loop experiment ran, another set of algorithms was continuously looking at the molecules made, developing models of chemical features predictive of stability in light, Jackson said. Once the experiment concluded, the models provided new lab-testable hypotheses.

"We're using AI to generate hypotheses that we can validate to then spark new human-driven campaigns of discovery," Jackson said.

"Now that we have some physical descriptors of what makes molecules photostable, that makes the screening process for new chemical candidates dramatically simpler than blindly searching around chemical space."

To test their hypothesis about photostability, the researchers investigated three structurally different light-harvesting molecules with the chemical property they identifieda particular high-energy regionand confirmed that choosing the proper solvents made the molecules up to four times more light-stable.

"This is a proof of principle for what can be done. We're confident we can address other material systems, and the possibilities are only limited by our imagination. Eventually, we envision an interface where researchers can input a chemical function they want and the AI will generate hypotheses to test," Schroeder said.

"This work could only happen with a multidisciplinary team, and the people, resources and facilities we have at Illinois, and our collaborator in Toronto. Five groups came together to generate new scientific insight that would not have been possible with any one of the sub-teams working in isolation."

More information: Nicholas Angello et al, Closed-loop transfer enables artificial intelligence to yield chemical knowledge, Nature (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07892-1. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07892-1 Journal information: Nature
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Many commentators believe that the world should move away from measuring economic success in terms of GDP growth. Yes, growth has brought prosperity and untold riches, but it has had significant negative side effects for the planet, including climate change, pollution and species extinction. None of these are captured in GDP data.

A whole "beyond GDP" movement has emerged over the last several decades, arguing that we should adopt a new way of measuring the wealth of nations. There is an ongoing debate about the best alternative, and many indicators have supporters, such as gross national happiness and the genuine progress indicator.

Yet one stands out as having by far the most buy-in from major international institutions. Known as "inclusive wealth," it expands what we mean by wealth to include things like the natural environment and the abilities of the population. But it comes with a major problem. There's no agreement around how it should be measured, so different institutions publish very different figures. In our view, this is a major obstacle to its mass adoption.

Inclusive wealth

Inclusive wealth ascribes a value to the assets a nation has produced that generate well-being, and measures how they are changing over time. These assets are:

Human capital: the knowledge and skills of the population.

Produced capital: goods and services produced by human endeavor.

Natural capital: the sum of all nature-based assets from which humans derive well-being, both now and in the future.

Social capital: the social networks that exist within a society.

There is strong theoretical support for the idea that this approach is a good way of measuring the sustainability of economic development. The key point is that when inclusive wealth per capita is going up, the future well-being of the population will go up, which is a necessary condition for sustainable development.

Foundational texts in support of inclusive wealth include Cambridge economist Partha Dasgupta's 2001 book, Human Well-Being and the Environment, and his Harvard counterpart Martin Weitzman's 2003 book, Income, Wealth and the Maximum Principle.

Dasgupta carried out a review for the UK government in 2021 into the economics of biodiversity, which similarly advocates for measuring national inclusive wealth instead of national income. There have also been recent calls by academics in this field to use inclusive wealth to help with the global biodiversity framework, a UN-led drive to be "living in harmony with nature" by 2050.

Inclusive wealth is measured by both the World Bank and UN Environment Program (Unep). The World Bank has been measuring it since the late 1990s, and first published global estimates in a 2006 report called Where is the wealth of nations : measuring capital for the 21st century. It has since published three major updates to this report, including a major revision to the methodology, with another on the way. As for Unep, it began measuring inclusive wealth in 2012.

But there are still some kinks that need ironing out before this indicator can be of any practical use. In a new paper in Ecological Economics, we compare the approaches of the World Bank and Unep and find a big divergence in their calculations.

This may explain why inclusive wealth has yet to be adopted in any serious way by any major economies (all we've seen so far is some mentions in policy documents, like this one from New Zealand, and a recent decision by the Biden-Harris administration to start tracking the value of US natural resources at federal level using natural-capital accounting).

The discrepancies relate mainly to natural capital. Both Unep and the World Bank include similar if not identical data from the same components: non-renewables such as fossil fuels and minerals, and renewable elements such as fisheries and forest resources. The problem is that the institutions' research teams value them differently.

The World Bank approach comes up with a present value for expected future earnings by discounting from what they will eventually be worth. In contrast, Unep uses fixed accounting prices, referred to as "shadow prices," which are based on market prices today.

This leads to different conclusions about the trajectory of our natural capital, and thus, by implication, of the sustainability of current development paths. This is then exacerbated by another discrepancy around how the institutions measure changes in human capital.

Country differences

In our paper, we highlight the case of Qatar. According to Unep, it is one of the worst performers in terms of the change in inclusive wealth per capita, and so is judged unsustainable. Yet according to World Bank estimates, Qatar's inclusive wealth per capita is growing positively.

Which is it? If development is unsustainable, some remedial action will be necessary, but if it is sustainable, no problem. How is the Qatari government to decide how to proceed?

We find similar conflicting signals for many other countries. According to the World Bank data, 20 countries' inclusive wealth per capita is in decline (in other words, unsustainable), while the Unep data has 45 countries in decline. There is also little crossover in terms of these two lists.

As many as 34 of the countries that the World Bank says have growing inclusive wealth per capita are in decline according to Unep.

We agree strongly with the basic proposition that measuring inclusive wealth is key to ensuring the world develops sustainably. But there needs to be a more consistent approach for this signal to achieve enough credibility to be widely adopted. In our experience, the World Bank is much more transparent than Unep about the data in its calculations. Without full Unep transparency, it's difficult to get to the root of the discrepancy.

Having said that, both broad approaches have merits, so it's more a question of everyone committing to a single approach than arguing that one is better than the other. Unless this measurement problem can be resolved, it's difficult to see countries taking inclusive wealth seriously. That could have serious consequences in the battle to make economic development sustainable.

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As we grieve the loss of a pet, we may not be the only ones feeling the pain. Research is showing that cats who are left behind when another animal in their home dies could be mourning along with us.

Grief is a well-documented human response to lossbut its roots may be far more ancient as some scientists believe it evolved in extinct species of humans. Corvidsmembers of the crow familyprimates, and marine mammals like dolphins and whales, have all been observed to change their behavior when one of their own dies, from carrying dead offspring for days, to staying close by the body, as if keeping vigil.

One theory is that grief is a by-product of the natural stress response to separation seen in social animals. According to this idea, distress and searching behavior probably evolved to encourage animals to reunite with lost group members, which was beneficial for survival. These responses persist when separation is permanent, like in death, leading to the enduring pain of grief.

While there's plenty of research on how losing a pet affects humans, much less is known about how cats cope with loss, something recent research by US-based comparative psychologists Brittany Greene and Jennifer Vonk investigated.

Unlike typical social species, the cat's wild ancestor was largely solitary. However, domestication has reshaped their behavior, enabling them to live in groups and form social bonds.

Green and Vonk's study suggests that cats can grieve the loss of a fellow pet. In their study of 452 cats, many displayed signs of distress, such as increased attention-seeking, vocalizing and reduced appetite, following the death of a companion. The study found that the strength of the bond between the animals, their time spent together, and daily interactions were key factors in this grief-like behavior.

This study builds on earlier research by animal welfare researcher Jessica Walker and her team in 2016, which examined how cats and dogs react to the loss of a companion. Walker's study, conducted in New Zealand and Australia, found that 75% of surviving pets showed noticeable behavioral changes, with cats showing increased affection, clinginess and anxiety-related vocalizations.

It should be noted that both studies relied on owner perceptions to assess changes in pet behavior, which presents a potential problem. While pet owners are often the most attuned to subtle changes in their animals, their observations may also be influenced by their own grief and emotional state.

Is it really grief?

There is an alternative explanation for changes in behavior of the owners in studies observed after a companion's death. The presence of a deceased animal can signal danger in the environment, causing pets to change their behavior as a safety measure, rather than being a grief response. Although this hasn't been studied in domestic cats, 2012 research on western scrub-jays revealed that seeing a dead member of their species can prompt alarm calls and behavior aimed at avoiding danger, much like how they would react to a predator.

Similarly, a 2006 study on bumblebees found that they were less likely to visit flowers that contained a freshly-killed bee or its scent, probably reducing their own risk of being attacked.

This suggests that what we interpret as grief might, in some cases, be a survival instinct. Some behavior the owners in the studies noticed after the death of a companion, such as their cat hiding or seeking higher vantage points, could support this idea.

A question you might be asking is whether cats mourn the deaths of their owners. Though we would like to think that our cat would mourn our death, at the minute, we simply don't know. There seems to be little to no research on how cats react to the death of their owner.

One unsettling behavior that has been well documented upon death of an animals' owner is the consumption of their remains. While cats often get a bad reputation for this, dog lovers should note that both cats and dogs have been known to scavenge human remains. In fact, pet dogs are more frequently documented doing so.

Some scientists suggest this behavior might stem from hunger, but it has also happened when food was plentiful. Another theory, better aligned with the idea of grief, is that scavenging might start as an attempt to revive an unresponsive owner. When nudging or licking doesn't work, the animal may escalate to nipping or biting in an effort to rouse them.

So the jury is still out on whether cats grieve in response to loss, or if they are responding to changes in their environment that we have yet to fully understand.

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The United States' most senior public health official, surgeon-general Vivek Murthy, believes social media platforms should come with warning labels. The United Nations' education, science and culture agency says smartphones should be banned in schools. Chinese regulators are pushing to limit children's smartphone use to just two hours a day.

These are just a few high profile examples of growing global concerns about the risks young people face when using the internet. Those worries are backed by a large, global body of research. Social media use has been linked to feelings of envy, depression and anxiety among young people all over the world, including those in African countries.

This evidence can make for depressing reading, especially if you're the parent or caregiver of a teenager. Many may be tempted to confiscate their teens' cellphones, lock away their tablets and keep them as far away from the internet as possible. But that's neither practical nor helpful in a hyper-connected, digital world.

Though we come from different academic disciplines as a children's rights researcher, a moral philosopher and a clinical researcher, our current work focuses on the same thing: the ethics of new and emerging technologies and their impact.

We know that protecting children is a shared responsibility. Government, service providers and education systems all have a role to play. But parents are key. So, drawing from our ongoing research, we have three messages for parents trying to navigate this modern minefield.

One, the internet and social media are not all bad for children. Some online spaces may even help young people to manage their mental health.

Two, children and teens have rights to access information, share their views and have those views respected.

Three, by creating a strong foundation of open, loving and trusting communication, you help your children navigate the risks, identify the ethical pitfalls and enjoy the benefits of social media platforms.

Benefits of online spaces

While it is true that internet use comes with risks, there's also evidence that it can benefit young people.

For instance, interactive features and user-generated content platforms such as social media, blogs and forums enable social interaction and connection. These online spaces allow children to engage with peers, share interests and build communities. They also provide outlets for creativity and self-expression, helping kids to develop digital literacy skills and shape their identities.

Some internet spaces may help children and teens to manage their mental health. The COVID pandemic accelerated the development of digital mental health services like free platforms that connect children to counselors, chat bots, text tools and apps that offer support for children and parents. Childline South Africa's free online chat service is one example.

Children's rights

Too many societies and communities forget that children, like adults, have rights.

In South Africa, for instance, children's rights are enshrined in section 28 of the constitution.

Globally, the Convention on the Rights of Children (which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989) guarantees children's rights to access information, to freedom of association, to share their thoughts freely and to have their views respected, to health, including mental health, and to privacy, non-discrimination, protection, education and play.

More recently, the United Nations issued guidance on children's rights in the digital environment.

Several countries (among them Australia, Brazil, Canada, China and the UK now have online safety legislation aimed at protecting kids and teens.

Some parents may wonder why all countries don't simply make laws to reduce the risks posed by social media platforms. The reality is that it is difficult to implement and enforce these regulations.

African countries have been slow to regulate online safety for minors. South Africa is working on a White Paper that aims to protect children from harmful content and ensure that content meets their needs. However, it is still a draft; new legislation and regulation are years away.

But there is no need for parents to wait before starting to teach their children how to safely use the internet.

Trust and communication

Some parents may fear that they don't have the skills and knowledge to properly support their teens. Just remember that parents find their way around new things all the time: setting boundaries for young children, teaching them to read and write, and, later on, managing adolescent mood swings, discussing sexuality or counseling teens through their first heartbreaks.

When it comes to safe internet navigation and use, parents and caregivers can help children in two main ways.

The first is by prioritizing open, trusting and loving communication from when your children are young. Since children are constantly developing, the kinds of things you discuss will shift over time. You can start talking about the internet and social media when you think your children are ready. This will differ from child to child.

The second is to develop their critical thinking skills so they can analyze and evaluate information and arguments in a clear, rational and objective manner. Parents and caregivers can encourage children to ask questions, challenge assumptions and explore different ways of seeing things. There are also programs like Web Rangers that help children to develop these skills so they can become responsible digital citizens.

Children who can think critically will gain the confidence to rely on their own reasoning rather than just unthinkingly adopting others' attitudes. These skills will help them to make responsible choices.

Spending time building a trusting relationship with your children is also crucial. Parenting for a digital future goes beyond the fear-driven response of regulating screen time and parental policing. Critical capacity is developed through negotiation and engagement. And of course these skills are universally applicable, protecting children in other aspects of their lives, too.

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Colorado wildlife officials are relocating two reintroduced wolves and their pups after a series of livestock depredationsa setback for the historic and controversial reintroduction program launched late last year.

The pack of wolves, called the Copper Creek pack, will be captured from the wild in Grand County, Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced Tuesday night. The agency did not disclose where the pack will be moved to, citing the need to protect the wolves and CPW staff.

"The decision to capture and relocate the Copper Creek pack was made with the careful consideration of multiple factors and feedback from many different stakeholders," CPW Director Jeff Davis said in a statement. "Our options in this unique case were very limited, and this action is by no means a precedent for how CPW will resolve wolf-livestock conflict moving forward.

"The ultimate goal of the operation is to relocate the pack to another location while we assess our best options for them to continue to contribute to the successful restoration of wolves in Colorado."

The announcement comes less than 10 days after the wildlife agency announced proof of at least three pups born this spring and shared a video showing the pups playing in a puddle. The pups are the first born to wolves released in December as part of a voter-mandated reintroduction of the predator species extirpated from Colorado nearly a century ago.

Since the reintroduction, wolves have killed or injured at least nine sheep and 15 head of cattle, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife's list of confirmed depredations. Most of those depredations were caused by the paired wolves in Middle Park, which formed the Copper Creek pack, said Reid DeWalt, CPW's assistant director for the agency's Aquatic, Terrestrial and Natural Resources branch, on Friday during a Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting.

"We have had a few other depredations from the other wolves, but nothing to the level we've seen in Middle Park," he said.

DeWalt offered an update on the wolf reintroduction effort during the commission meeting but did not mention the plan to remove the wolves.

The agency still plans to release more wolves this winter, DeWalt said. CPW has not yet found a state or government willing to supply wolves after a Washington tribe reversed its agreement to provide the canines.

But DeWalt said staff members were confident they'd be able to find another source. The agency plans to release the next batch of wolves in the same northern zone they used late last year so that they'll increase the wolf population in the area, DeWalt said.

The agency has hired five predator damage conflict specialists. Their job is to focus primarily on wolf issues, but they will also work on predations with bears and mountain lions, DeWalt said.

The five specialists and other CPW staff attended a two-week training in Oregon and Idaho to learn about wolf management and how to deter depredations, he said.

2024 MediaNews Group, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Sage Geosystems, a Texas-based geothermal startup, has signed a deal to build a new facility to power Meta data centers, the companies announced. The company also plans to bring a geothermal energy storage project in the San Antonio area online by 2025. Courtesy of Sage Geosystems

Sage Geosystems, a Texas-based geothermal energy startup, has been tapped to build a new facility to power data centers operated by Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, the companies announced this week.

While a specific location has not been identified, the project would be the first use of next-generation geothermal power east of the Rocky Mountains, according to the companies announcement. Sage Geosystems aims to have 8 megawatts operational by 2027 and scale up to 150 megawatts of power generation 36 to 48 months after that, CEO Cindy Taff said in an interview.

Thus far, no geothermal energy projects contribute to the isolated Texas power grid, though Houston-based Sage Geosystems has plans to bring online a geothermal energy storage project in the San Antonio area by 2025.

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The deal comes as technology giants like Meta try to square competing priorities: rapidly adding data centers the large power demands of which could boost the long-term use of fossil fuels as they race to advance artificial intelligence, while at the same time pursuing decarbonization commitments.

The project may not pair with an existing Meta data center, nor connect directly to one, said Urvi Parekh, Metas head of renewable energy.

Rather, the two companies are working to identify the most cost-effective place for Sage Geosystems to scale up its project, which would connect directly to the chosen regions power grid, she said. Meta would take power from the grid and subsidize the geothermal facility with a power purchase agreement, the value of which Taff and Parekh declined to disclose.

As for the companies commitment to locating the project east of the Rockies, Parekh said Meta wanted to use the partnership as an opportunity to deploy next-generation geothermal in areas that havent yet seen its benefits.

We wanted to ensure that we could push the boundaries of where it could be applied, Parekh said.

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Geothermal energy leverages heat under the earths surface to produce power that is not only carbon-free but also available around the clock, supplementing renewable energy resources such as solar and wind that are dependent on weather conditions. Though geothermal has been in use for decades, it previously has been limited to regions with existing underground hot rock, fluids and fractures such as California.

Fracking technologies adapted from the oil and gas industry, however, have revolutionized the sector in recent years by allowing companies  many based in Texas  to inject fluids into fractures they also create. This has exponentially expanded potential sites for geothermal energy production.
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A hush has fallen over the workplace. At tech startups and banks, in doctors' offices and law firms, workers are increasingly being asked to keep secrets. These aren't personal confidences but organizational secrets about clients, proprietary technologies, or business strategies.

Sometimes employees are required to keep this information from the public. Other times, they're asked to keep it from people within their organization and even members of their own team.

Nir Halevy, a professor of organizational behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business, notes that while organizational secret-keeping has become more common, we know very little about how it affects the secret-keepers. In a new paper published in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, he sets out to find an answer.

Along with Michael Slepian of Columbia University and Eric Anicich of the University of Southern California, Halevy proposes that organizational secret-keeping can increase stress and isolation while boosting a sense of meaning and importance on the job.

"It's fascinating that the same phenomenon can have opposite effects," he says. "Keeping organizational secrets simultaneously hurts and helps employee well-beingin different ways."

This study is the first large-scale look at how workers are affected by organizational secrets in real-world settings. The results could help employers find ways to help employees reduce the stress of holding on to confidential information.

Organizational secret-keeping is different from holding on to a personal or family secret. It isn't a choiceit's a requirement imposed by a superior. What's more, spilling the beans could come with significant professional, financial, and even legal repercussions. An employee could lose their coworkers' trust, lose their job, or be sued by their employer.

In many instances, employees may need to keep information from their coworkers, which may disrupt corporate social initiatives like affinity groups or mentoring programs. After all, sharing information is a common way for people to bond with one another.

With this in mind, the researchers hypothesized that the pressure of keeping a professional secret could increase employees' stress and feelings of isolation. To test this theory, they asked nearly 600 workers in the United States and the United Kingdom whether they have ever had to keep a secret, such as clients' identities or details about upcoming layoffs.

The survey confirmed that organizational secrecy creates stress and isolation and that past secrets can continue to worry employees.

Those harms notwithstanding, having to keep organizational secrets also comes with benefits. The researchers found that secrets were linked to feelings of privilege and status, which helps explain why secrets may make work feel more meaningful.

"Although information is often seen as a source of power," Halevy says, "we found that privileged access to organizational secrets boosts status rather than power.

"You feel valued and the work feels more meaningful when you get access to organizational secrets. At the same time, you are constrained in terms of what you can do with the information, which explains why you may not necessarily feel more powerful."

Inside the circle of trust

In another study, the researchers wanted to see if workers would think a job that requires secrecy would be more stressful. More than 770 participants looked at hypothetical ads for jobs in different areas. One version of the ad mentioned the job involved highly confidential information required by law to be kept secret and said that employees would be required to sign non-disclosure agreements.

People who read this version were more likely to think the job would involve increased social isolation, status, and meaningbut not more stress. This was another indication that access to organizational secrets makes people feel their work is important.

To test this in the real world, respondents were asked to recall a time they had to keep a secret at work. Once again, the researchers found that secret-keeping was directly correlated with increased stress. However, they also found that compared to an organizational secret that only has to be kept from outsiders, an organizational secret that also has to be kept from some insiders was associated with more social isolation.

They also found that keeping a company secret (as opposed to a secret for a friend, coworker, or family member) was linked to increased feelings of social status and perceived meaningfulness at work.

Finally, the researchers examined more than 8,000 responses to a survey of federal employees. Here they found that while keeping organizational secrets increases feelings of both stress and meaningfulness, there was no overall association between satisfaction and the requirement to keep secrets.

Overall, the studies suggest that organizational secret-keeping teeters between causing a sense of stressful loneliness and fostering a sense of pride and purpose. When properly balanced, those conflicting influences cancel each other out. But if they tip too precipitously toward stress and isolation, employees' well-being will be seriously affected.

Halevy is hopeful that this research will give managers a sense of how to tip the scales in a healthier way. "We would love for leaders to grapple with the isolation and stress that secrecy causes," he says.

He suggests that employers reframe secrecy. Instead of emphasizing the consequences of betraying secrets, they could focus on the meaningfulness and benefits of maintaining secrecy. And, because sharing information can help people bond, Halevy suggests companies create opportunities and time for connection between teams and coworkers who share professional secrets.

"Solutions are available," he says. "It's important that support comes from within the organization to minimize the harms of organizational secrecy."
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Group of bottlenose dolphins about to break through the surface in Greece. Credit: MMRP/IDP, Fabien Vivier

Using drones to successfully assess the age of critically endangered, free-ranging dolphins in Greece is the focus of new research at the University of Hawaii at Manoa Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB). This work, done in partnership with the Tethys Research Institute, informs researchers' understanding of population abundance and demographics, which can improve management practices and help ensure their survival. The study is published in Animal Conservation.

Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP) researchers are comparing the drone imagery results with long-term data and data from stable, non-endangered bottlenose dolphin populations in Shark Bay, Australia, and Sarasota Bay, Florida.

"In [our new] study, we highlight the speed and accuracy of UAS-photogrammetry (drone imagery) in assessing the age structure of free-ranging dolphin populations, and the implications towards management and conservation," said Fabien Vivier, MMRP researcher and lead author of the study.

"Our hope is that by using this method, we can quickly monitor the age-structure of free-ranging dolphin populations. This information can facilitate the detection of early signs of population changes, such as a decrease in the number of calves, and provide important insights for timely management decisions."

Healthy dolphin populations have a consistent proportion of calves, juveniles and adults; a deviation from this can suggest the population is unstable. Using drones, researchers were able to quickly quantify the age-structure of the critically endangered dolphin population in Greece in a few days.

Previous study classifies dolphin age

In a previous study, the MMRP team used specialized calibrated drones to successfully measure the length of free-swimming dolphins and classify them by age.

"When dolphins come to the surface to breathe, they expose their blowhole and dorsal fin," said Vivier. "By measuring the distance between the two, we can estimate their total body length. Since total length is related to age, we can estimate the age-group of a single dolphin."

Aquatic mammals known as cetaceans, which include whales, dolphins and porpoises, face a slough of threats from habitat degradation, climate change, fisheries, and chemical and noise pollution. One quarter of the 92 known cetacean species are at risk of extinction, and there is a clear and urgent need to implement effective conservation strategies.

The project was done in collaboration with the Shark Bay Dolphin Research Project and the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program.

More information: F. Vivier et al, Inferring dolphin population status: using unoccupied aerial systems to quantify agestructure, Animal Conservation (2024). DOI: 10.1111/acv.12978
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

In December 2007, the then Brazilian government passed a law to curb the illegal destruction of the rainforest. A study by researchers from the Insper Research Institute in Sao Paulo and the University of Bonn now shows an interesting side effect: where the measures were implemented, not only did deforestation decrease, but so did the number of homicides.

The results have been published in the Journal of Institutional Economics.

The rainforest in the Amazon region is considered an extremely important ecosystem. Not only because it is home to a huge variety of animals and plants, many of which only occur there. The forest also stores large quantities of greenhouse gasesat least as long as it remains intact. Illegal deforestation and slash-and-burn agriculture are increasingly endangering this biome and thus its function as a green lung.

Most of the Amazon rainforest is located in Brazil. There it covers an area almost as large as the entire European Union. It is correspondingly difficult for the state to protect the fragile ecosystem from illegal encroachment.

"To tackle this problem, the Brazilian government at the time adopted a list of priority municipalities in 2007," explains Dr. Gustavo Magalhaes de Oliveira.

"It included those municipalities where deforestation was progressing particularly rapidly. The state monitors areas on the blacklist particularly closely and takes various measures to increase environmental enforcement to prevent illegal deforestation."

Number of homicides fell by 17% on average

The researcher at the Institute for Food and Resource Economics (ILR) at the University of Bonn conducted the study together with his colleague Prof. Dr. Bruno Varella Miranda from the Insper Research Institute in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Previous scientific studies have already shown that the blacklist is effectiveforest loss has decreased significantly in the areas affected by this policy.

However, the current analysis focuses on a different aspect: "The illegal seizure of forest areas is usually accompanied by an increase in acts of violence, reflecting the fact that the property rights over these areas are generally poorly defined," says Dr. Oliveira.

"We thus wanted to know whether an environmental policy, by more effectively enforcing existing Brazilian laws, also helps with reducing violence rates in the region."

To this end, the scientists employed the difference-in-differences method to analyze the number of homicides committed in listed and non-listed municipalities. They did indeed find a pronounced effect: when a municipality was placed on the list, the number of violent crimes resulting in death fell significantlyby 17% on average. However, this effect did not occur immediately, but only after some years of being blacklisted.

Why is violence against people and nature linked? One reason is that violent actions are often employed in illegal markets to secure control over resources with poorly defined property rights.

In this case, unscrupulous land grabbersknown as grileiros in Portuguesetake advantage of this by employing violent methods and corruption to seize large areas, clear forests and then sell the land. Because of that, they come into conflict with groups who also have interests or actual ownership of those landsfor example, with indigenous people who have been using the affected areas sparingly for generations.

Crime often leads to violence

The blacklist and its associated enforcement mechanisms increase the risk for potential offenders. As a result of this deterrent effect, criminals are less likely to try to appropriate areas with poorly defined property rights, reducing the violent conflicts that often precede illegal land appropriation. So what helps nature also directly helps people.

However, this good news is clouded by more recent developments: in recent years, the number of homicides in the Amazon region has risen significantly again.

"These business opportunities in illegal markets have motivated powerful mafia groups to increasingly set foot in the Brazilian Amazon, with their particular methods of using violence to achieve economic goals," says Prof. Miranda. "Unfortunately, measures intended to protect the environment do not entirely alleviate the violence caused by these organized crime groups."

More information: Gustavo Magalhaes de Oliveira et al, Environmental enforcement, property rights, and violence: evidence from the Brazilian Amazon, Journal of Institutional Economics (2024). DOI: 10.1017/S1744137424000122
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Two people were rescued from this landslide-hit house in Gamagori, Aichi prefecture in Japan, but three others are missing.

Japan warned Wednesday that an "extremely strong" typhoon bearing down on the main southern island of Kyushu would bring unusually violent storms, as three people remained missing after a landslide.

The approach of Typhoon Shanshan, packing gusts of up to 252 kilometers (157 miles) per hour and bringing widespread heavy rain, prompted auto giant Toyota to suspend production at all 14 of its Japanese factories.

"Typhoon Shanshan is expected to approach southern Kyushu with extremely strong force through Thursday and it may make landfall," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters.

"It is expected that violent winds, high waves, and storm surge at levels that many people have never experienced before may occur," said Hayashi, the top government spokesman.

The system has already brought heavy rains to wide areas of Japan, and late Tuesday, a wall of mud, rocks and other debris swept away a house in Gamagori, a city in central Aichi prefecture, with five family members inside.

After all-night recovery efforts, a second woman in her 40s was rescued, but a couple in their 70s and a man in his 30s remained unaccounted for, a Gamagori official told AFP.

Kyushu is home to 12.5 million people.

Southern Kyushu is expected to see 500 millimeters (20 inches) of rain in the 24 hours to Thursday morning, and 600 millimeters in the 24 hours to Friday morning, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said.

Local governments issued evacuation advisories to 810,000 people in the central Shizuoka prefecture on Honshu because of the rain and to 56,000 others in Kagoshima in Kyushu, the fire and disaster management agency said.

A Japan Meteorological Agency satellite photo shows typhoon Shanshan moving closer to Kyushu island.

The weather agency may also issue a special heavy rain alert for Kagoshima prefecture later Wednesday, an agency official said in a morning news conference.

"It's necessary for us to be on the highest alert," he said, calling for people to evacuate before any violent storm emerges.

Japan Airlines cancelled 172 domestic flights and six international flights scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, while ANA nixed 219 domestic flights and four international ones on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

The cancellations affected around 25,000 people.

Kyushu Railway said it would suspend some Shinkansen bullet train services between Kumamoto and Kagoshima Chuo from Wednesday night and warned of further possible disruption.

Trains between Tokyo and Fukuoka, the most populous city on Kyushu, may also be cancelled depending on weather conditions this week, other operators said.

Shanshan comes in the wake of Typhoon Ampil, which disrupted hundreds of flights and trains this month.

Despite dumping heavy rain, it caused only minor injuries and damage.

Ampil came days after Tropical Storm Maria brought record rains to northern areas.

Typhoons in the region have been forming closer to coastlines, intensifying more rapidly and lasting longer over land due to climate change, according to a study released last month.

 2024 AFP
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Credit: Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

State and federal laws across the United States prohibiting firearm possession in cases of domestic violence often lack enforcement mechanisms, which may lead to continued possession of firearms despite court orders, according to a University of Michigan study appearing in Criminology & Public Policy.

The lack of specificity in firearm relinquishment lawswhich authorize a court to order individuals to give up firearms they already possessand uneven requirements and enforcement of those laws may lessen their protective intent and increase the number of people illegally possessing firearms, U-M researchers say.

"Evaluating specific components of relinquishment laws is key to understanding how they might influence firearm dispossession, and ultimately impact firearm violence," said study co-author Stephen Oliphant, postdoctoral research fellow at U-M's Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention.

The study specifically focused on relinquishment laws related to civil Domestic Violence Protection Orders and Misdemeanor Crimes of Domestic Violence. Extreme Risk Protection Orders, also known as red flag laws, were not a part of the study as they explicitly require the relinquishment of firearms.

Prior research from co-author April Zeoli, director of policy core for the institute and associate professor of health management and policy at U-M's School of Public Health, revealed that relinquishment provisions related to DVPOs were associated with reduced rates of intimate partner homicide.

"Without clear protocols in place surrounding relinquishment, it's likely that many people who are not legally allowed to possess firearms will continue to do so," Oliphant said. "At a minimum, these provisions provide a mechanism to better enforce the law and guard against illegal firearm possession."

The study outlines in detail the variation in statutes state by state. It also builds on prior studies and calls for deeper analysis of the issue and makes recommendations to learn more about the effectiveness and outcomes of firearm relinquishment, not only in domestic violence cases, but in gun violence in general.

Noting that "limited research has assessed the statutory characteristics of firearm relinquishment laws related to protection orders," the researchers analyzed legislative changes in all 50 states over the period of 19802022.

Although relinquishment policies have generally become more restrictive, most state laws have gaps that could limit how effective they are at disarming prohibited possessors, according to the study.

Some states, the study says, have robust laws requiring immediate and verifiable relinquishment, while others have more discretionary and less enforceable provisions. States with comprehensive relinquishment laws, including short deadlines for turning over firearms and mandatory proof of compliance, are theoretically better positioned to ensure that prohibited persons do not illegally possess firearms.

"Many states have not implemented statutory elements that are expected to increase the likelihood of firearm relinquishment for domestic violence protection orders and misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence. These include mandatory court orders for firearm relinquishment, strict standards for providing proof of firearm transfer, and authorizations for law enforcement to remove unrelinquished firearms," Oliphant said.

States like Colorado and Washington are noted for having strong laws in this regard, whereas states like Alaska and Indiana have weaker provisions, the study authors say.

The state-by-state comparisons provided in the study include these statistics from year-end 2022:

The 19 states that lack firearm relinquishment provisions for civil domestic violence restraining orders: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.

And, the 32 states that lack explicit firearm relinquishment provisions for felony crimes or misdemeanor crimes: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Most states require respondents to transfer their firearms within one or two days of an order being served.

The most common time limit in 13 states is relinquishment within 24 hours of the court order.

In five states, the requirement is within 48 hours of the court order.

In three states the order is in effect immediately or upon being served with the order.

In three states the relinquishment time frame is a date determined by the court, law enforcement or otherwise specified.

Minnesota requires firearm transfer within three business days.

Six states do not specify a time limit for relinquishment; five of them have no requirements to ensure compliance.

The researchers call on states to reevaluate their policies and encourage further research on the topic.

"States might consider strengthening their laws by requiring that the court order relinquishment in all cases in which an individual is newly prohibited from possessing firearms, adopting strict standards for proof of compliance, and authorizing law enforcement to recover unrelinquished firearms if there is evidence of noncompliance," Oliphant said.

More information: Stephen N. Oliphant et al, State efforts to enforce firearm dispossession through relinquishment laws, Criminology & Public Policy (2024). DOI: 10.1111/1745-9133.12677
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IPELT revealed that while many teachers feel unprepared and lack specific training in inclusive education, they possess foundational skills that could be enhanced through targeted training. Credit: Dr. Davey Young from Sophia University, Japan

Access to education is recognized as one of the pillars of sustainability; it is certainly a necessary foundation if we are to build a better world for ourselves and future generations. However, education needs to be not only accessible, but also inclusive. That is, it should extend to people with all kinds of disabilities and suit their particular needs.

According to a recent report by the World Health Organization, it is estimated that a striking 16% of the world's population lives with some form of disability. Considering there are about 1.5 billion English language teachers (ELTs) worldwide, there is a great need for adequately trained ELTs that can teach students with disabilities (SWDs). Unfortunately, multiple studies suggest that ELTs lack training in inclusive education and feel unprepared to accommodate SWDs in their classes. Despite these findings, the specific training needs of ELTs in this area remain unclear.

In a recent study published on July 8, 2024 in Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education, Dr. Davey Young from the Faculty of Foreign Studies, Department of English Studies, Sophia University, Japan, set out to address this knowledge gap. Young's paper reports on the use of a novel instrument called the Inclusive Practices in English Language Teaching Observation Scale (IPELT), to evaluate the practices of English teachers working in Japan.

"After spending several years working in English language education, I became aware of how unprepared we are as a field to properly accommodate students with a variety of support needs, especially those with specific learning difficulties that can pose further barriers to language learning," says Young. "We must do better as a field to teach more inclusively, and helping to steer the field in this direction has become my ultimate career goal."

Young developed the IPELT based on previously existing guidelines and quality indicators regarding inclusive education, but adapted it to apply better in a TESOL (Teaching English as a second or foreign language) context. This scaling tool consists of 40 inclusive behaviors categorized into 10 pedagogical domains. Of these 40 behaviors, 22 are observed directly during lessons, while the remaining 18 are assessed through questionnaires in post-observation interviews. For his study, Young recruited 13 post-secondary ELTs from various public and private universities across different prefectures in Japan.

The results provide some interesting insights into the situation of ELTs in Japan. Most participants felt they were unprepared and that they needed more knowledge and skills about teaching SWDs. While they did not all agree on how to acquire such skills, IPELT results revealed that they would benefit from targeted training, especially in differentiation and specific considerations when teaching SWDs. On top of this, and to a lesser extent, it appears ELTs would likely benefit from more inclusive knowledge and skills related to student development, classroom management, and assessment.

On a more positive note, teachers may already "have what it takes" to properly teach SWDs. As Young comments, "Fortunately, the findings also suggest that many ELTs likely already have a foundational skillset to create inclusive learning environments and may simply need increased awareness of how do this for a wider variety of student needs."

Overall, this study illuminates potential areas for improvement among ELTs in advancing inclusive education. Notably, the IPELT could be useful in other ways as well. As Young points out, "The IPELT has the potential to be used as a reflective tool, as teachers could assign their own magnitude code weights or collaborate with a critical partner to evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching in including or accommodating SWDs. Thus, the IPELT could also be valuable for pre- or in-service professional development across various English-language teaching contexts."

Striving for more inclusive teaching is akin to planting and nurturing seeds that will grow into full inclusion over time. As this is a broad social initiative, let us all contribute to the best of our ability and work towards a world where everyone has equal access to education.

More information: Davey Young, Identifying inclusive training needs with the inclusive practices in English language teaching observation scale, Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education (2024). DOI: 10.1186/s40862-024-00287-9
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Credit: MIT Press

Work often defines us. The first question many people ask when meeting someone new is "What do you do?" For those working full-time, a huge portion of their waking hours will be spent on the job. But how often do we think about the role work plays in our livesand the lives of others?

Mary Davis, an economist and associate professor in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, was struck by that question as she began her sabbatical year in the middle of the pandemic. She was driven, she says, to understand "how work interacts with the health and well-being of people who do the jobs."

Health is impacted by more than just risky occupations, she says, like fishing for lobster solo in the North Atlantic. Health is also affected by job stress, autonomy in the workplace, and finding meaningor notin work.

Davis covers these and other topics in her new book, "Jobs, Health, and the Meaning of Work." She wrote the book, she says, to "share the lessons with others seeking jobs that will not only provide balance between work and the rest of life, but also stimulate the idea of work as a source of health, longevity, and the full expression of life's meaning."

In it, she highlights stories of individual workers, including herself, describing her first job as a convenience store clerk in rural Florida, where her boss imbued the value of hard work, and her first job out of college as a federal drug cop at airportswhich propelled her back to school.

Tufts Now spoke with Davis, who in August began a new position as senior associate vice provost for education at Tufts; she will also keep her appointment in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning.

Some people feel defined by their jobs, but many people just see work as a way to pay the bills. They might share the sentiment I once saw on a bumper sticker, which said, "I owe. I owe. It's off to work I go."

Work is universal, but how each of us translates that experience in our lives is different. In the book, I try to emphasize that even in things like the risk factors of jobs, each person handles them very differently. There's no one size that fits all. Something that is health damaging to one person can be health promoting to another.

I have a sister whose mantra is, "I work to my pay." She has a totally different job than I do. My job is creative and entrepreneurial in many ways. As a professor, I've been able to chart my own course and do interesting things. My take on work is that I'm paid to do what I want to do, and her take is she's paid to do what she doesn't want to do.

Has the nature of work changed due to the pandemic?

I think people's expectations for work have changed. There have been generational shifts in how workers view work and their effort. Even though the Great Resignation, when a much higher than average number of Americans quit their jobs starting in early 2021, has subsided, what pushed it is still there. Workers are more likely to change jobs that are dissatisfying to them than they used to.

Another big change is the number of people looking specifically for remote work. I think as a result of the pandemic, they have a better sense of what they want out of their work lives and are more likely to demand it. And employers are responding. Even employers who want more face-to-face time in the workplace are being more flexible and allowing remote work to attract the best employees.

With remote work, I don't think that we'll be going back to the way it was before. Lots of remote workers are never going to go back to an office space, at least in their current job.

Is the change to remote work a good thing?

I think it's a huge shift, and it has pros and cons. As a single parent, I can understand why having that flexibility and being in the home can be very important to work-life balance in some cases.

But in other cases, how you relate to your peers and how the organization fits together is important to meaningful work. Isolation does not promote a sense that work is meaningful, but good relations and a community feeling do.

I think there's an impact on meaningful work that we don't quite understand yet. Distancing people from their peers is likely to have a negative long-term impact on their sense that work promotes their well-being.

In the book, you describe the case of a remote worker being surveilled and so in fear for her job that when she had a heart attack, she didn't seek help until her shift was over, luckily still in time to survive.

There's definitely more surveillance involved in remote work. It is going to be challenging for years to come as employers figure out the pros and cons of making sure people are efficient, balanced against the potential stress and burnout effects of micromanagement and surveillance.

The gig economy is something that has changed working for many people. What are the upsides and downsides?

Lower-wage workers who survive on this style of contract work are more likely to suffer ill health effects from work. But others do those jobs very much by choice, and it's a positive experience. I've met many an Uber driver who enjoys driving around and talking and earning extra money. Those types of workers are benefiting from the gig economy.

Sometimes the gig economy is presented as being uniformly bad and that we need to create protections for all these workers, but in fact, it's mostly the vulnerable workersoften minority and lower-income workerswho need the protection, not all gig workers. This is why legislating the industry has proven to be so tricky. Effective policies to protect gig workers have to account for the often-conflicting needs of very different worker groups.

Can you talk about how the work environment affects people's physical and mental health?

There is a range from long-term chronic health effects to acute effects. If you look at a fisher falling overboard, for example, that's an acute danger. That is what we've always looked at in the past when considering occupational healthhazards and how to reduce them.

But what many workers face nowadays is more often long-term chronic stress and burnout, sometimes from bad bosses, sometimes from bad organizational structures, as well as pay systems that aren't fair or transparent or company values that don't align with the workers' values.

Irregular scheduling has also been shown to have negative health effects. Workers can't tend to their own health with irregular work schedules. On the other hand, there's a lot of evidence to suggest companies and bosses can remedy this type of situation by creating more predictable scheduling.

What's one piece of advice you'd give based on your research about work?

As I looked at my own work life, how I struggled through various situations, I was able to step back and wonder, what exactly is causing stress right now? Is it something that I can control? Is it something that's organizational? Is it something personal? I was able to do that, looking at my own work life, and found ways to change situations, when that was possible.

The more you know your interests and understand what job situation works best for you, the more you will be able to leverage that in the job market to get a better deal in your work life.
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Visualization of situation around 3700 BCE. Credit: Magistrat der Stadt Hofheim; LEIZA-Leibniz-Zentrum fur Archaologie, Architectura Virtualis 2020 www.leiza.de/kapellenberg

Since the end of the last Ice Age, growth of the human population has been far from uniform, marked instead by periods of rapid expansion followed by sharp declines. The reasons behind these fluctuations remain only partially understood.

Previous research by CSH scientists Peter Turchin, Daniel Kondor, and an international team of collaborators, has demonstrated that social conflicts, rather thanor in addition toenvironmental factors, could have significantly impacted these patterns. Now, they add another piece to the puzzle.

Wars and conflicts not only cause direct casualties but also create an atmosphere of distress and fear. This fear, by affecting where and how people settle, could have influenced substantially how the population in Europe developed, as shown in a study published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface.

Flight and overpopulation

"Globally, scientists have extensively studied and debated the presence and role of conflicts in prehistory. However, estimating their effects, such as those on population numbers, is still difficult," explains Daniel Kondor from CSH. "This is even more complicated by potential indirect effects, like people whoout of fearleave their homes or avoid certain areas."

These indirect impacts of conflict could have caused significant, long-term population fluctuations in non-state societies, such as in Neolithic Europe (circa 7000 BC to 3000 BC), according to the study's findings.

"Our model shows that fear of conflict led to population declines in potentially dangerous areas. As a result, people concentrated in safer locations, such as hilltops, where overpopulation could lead to higher mortality and lower fertility," Kondor explains.

Matches archaeological evidence

The ongoing threat would prevent the settlement of much of the remaining land. Co-author Detlef Gronenborn from the Leibniz Centre for Archaeology (LEIZA) in Mainz, Germany, says, "The results from the simulation studies nicely match empirical evidence from archaeological field work, like for instance the Late Neolithic site of Kapellenberg near Frankfurt, dating to around 3700 BCE.

"Like there, we have many instances of a temporal abandonment of open agricultural land, associated with a retreat of groups to well-defendable locations and considerable investments in large-scale defense systems like ramparts, palisades and ditches."

"This concentration of people in specific, often well-defended locations could have led to increasing wealth disparities and political structures that justified these differences," adds Peter Turchin from CSH. "In that way, indirect effects of conflict might have also played a crucial role in the emergence of larger political units and the rise of early states."

Complexity science meets archaeology

To simulate population dynamics in Neolithic Europe, the researchers developed a computational model. To test the model, they utilized a database of archaeological sites, analyzing the number of radiocarbon age-measurements from various locations and time periods, under the assumption that this reflects the scale of human activities, and thus, ultimately, population numbers.

"This allows us to examine the typical amplitudes and timescales of population growth and decline across Europe," Kondor explains. "Our goal was for our simulation to reflect these patterns."

In the future, the model could help interpret archaeological evidence, such as signs of overpopulation or land use patterns, which in turn can provide necessary context and data for further refinements to modeling. This is a typical example of interdisciplinary collaboration that CSH aims to foster.

"Using complexity science methods, we develop mathematical models to analyze the rise and fall of complex societies and identify common factors," Turchin explains. This involves collecting vast amounts of historical data, managed in specialized databases like the Seshat Global History Databank.

"For the most complete picture possible, direct collaboration with archaeologists is immensely important. This study is a great example of the potential that such interdisciplinary collaboration can have," Kondor emphasizes.
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All a i lie on the same sheet of a cone with vertex x. The right-hand picture is not true to scale relative to the given numerical example. Credit: Advances in Applied Mathematics (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.aam.2024.102741

The summer holidays are ending, which for many concludes with a long drive home and reliance on GPS devices to get safely home. But every now and then, GPS devices can suggest strange directions or get briefly confused about your location. But until now, no one knew for sure when the satellites were in a good enough position for the GPS system to give reliable direction.

TU/e's Mireille Boutin and her co-worker Gregor Kemper at the Technical University of Munich have turned to mathematics to help determine when your GPS system has enough information to determine your location accurately. The research is published in the journal Advances in Applied Mathematics.

"In 200 meters, turn right." This is a typical instruction that many have heard from their global positioning system (GPS).

Without a doubt, advancements in GPS technologies and mobile navigation apps have helped GPS play a major role in modern car journeys.

But, strictly adhering to instructions from GPS devices can lead to undesirable situations. Less serious might be turning left instead of right, while more serious could be driving your car into a harborjust as two tourists did in Hawaii in 2023. The latter incident is very much an exception to the rule, and one might wonder: "How often does this happen and why?"

GPS and your visibility

"The core of the GPS system was developed in the mid-1960s. At the time, the theory behind it did not provide any guarantee that the location given would be correct," says Boutin, professor at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science.

It won't come as a surprise then to learn that calculating an object's position on Earth relies on some nifty mathematics. And they haven't changed much since the early days. These are at the core of the GPS system we all use. And it deserved an update.

So, along with her colleague Gregor Kemper at the Technical University of Munich, Boutin turned to mathematics to expand on the theory behind the GPS system, and their finding has recently been published in the journal Advances in Applied Mathematics.

How does GPS work?

Before revealing Boutin and Kemper's big finding, just how does GPS work?

Global positioning is all about determining the position of a device on Earth using signals sent by satellites. A signal sent by a satellite carries two key pieces of informationthe position of the satellite in space and the time at which the position was sent by the satellite. By the way, the time is recorded by a very precise clock on board the satellite, which is usually an atomic clock.

Thanks to the atomic clock, satellites send very accurate times, but the big issue lies with the accuracy of the clock in the user's devicewhether it's a GPS navigation device, a smartphone, or a running watch.

"In effect, GPS combines precise and imprecise information to figure out where a device is located," says Boutin. "GPS might be widely used, but we could not find any theoretical basis to guarantee that the position obtained from the satellite signals is unique and accurate."

Google says 'four'

If you do a quick Google search for the minimum number of satellites needed for navigation with GPS, multiple sources report that you need at least four satellites.

But the question is not just how many satellites you can see, but also what arrangements can they form? For some arrangements, determining the user position is impossible. But what arrangements exactly? That's what the researchers wanted to find out.

"We found conjectures in scientific papers that seem to be widely accepted, but we could not find any rigorous argument to support them anywhere. Therefore, we thought that, as mathematicians, we might be able to fill that knowledge gap," Boutin says.

To solve the problem, Boutin and Kemper simplified the GPS problem to what works best in practice: equations that are linear in terms of the unknown variables.

"A set of linear equations is the simplest form of equations we could hope for. To be honest, we were surprised that this simple set of linear equations for the GPS problem wasn't already known," Boutin adds.

The problem of uniqueness

With their linear equations ready, Boutin and Kemper then looked closely at the solutions to the equations, paying special attention as to whether the equations gave a unique solution.

"A unique solution implies that the only solution to the equations is the actual position of the user," notes Boutin.

If there is more than one solution to the equations, then only one is correctthat is, the true user positionbut the GPS system would not know which one to pick and might return the wrong one.

The researchers found that nonunique solutions can emerge when the satellites lie in a special structure known as a "hyperboloid of revolution of two sheets."

"It doesn't matter how many satellites send a signalif they all lie on one of these hyperboloids then it's possible that the equations can have two solutions, so the one chosen by the GPS could be wrong," says Boutin.

But what about the claim that you need at least four satellites to determine your position? "Having four satellites can work, but the solution is not always unique," points out Boutin.

Why mathematics matters

For Boutin, this work demonstrates the power and application of mathematics.

"I personally love the fact that mathematics is a very powerful tool with lots of practical applications," says Boutin. "I think people who are not mathematicians may not see the connections so easily, and so it is always nice to find clear and compelling examples of everyday problems where mathematics can make a difference."

Central to Boutin and Kemper's research is the field of algebraic geometry in which abstract algebraic methods are used to solve geometrical, real-world problems.

"Algebraic geometry is an area of mathematics that is considered very abstract. I find it nice to be reminded that any piece of mathematics, however abstract it might be, may turn out to have practical applications at some point," says Boutin.

More information: Mireille Boutin et al, Global positioning: The uniqueness question and a new solution method, Advances in Applied Mathematics (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.aam.2024.102741
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Yash Sondhi went looking for differences in color vision between two closely related moths, one of which is active at night and the other during the day. Instead, he found differences in the way they kept time. Credit: Jeremy Squire

How does one species become two? If you're a biologist, that's a loaded question. The consensus is that, in most cases, the process of speciation occurs when individuals from a single population become geographically isolated. If they remain separate long enough, they lose the ability to interbreed.

A new study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences demonstrates what happens when a less common form of speciation occurs. Rather than being separated by a physical barrier, such as a mountain range or an ocean, members of a species can become separated in time.

The researchers focused on two closely related moth species with overlapping ranges in the southeastern United States.

"These two are very similar," said lead author Yash Sondhi, who conducted research for the study while working at Florida International University and later at the Florida Museum of Natural History. "They've differentiated along this one axis, which is when they fly."

Rosy maple moths, in the genus Dryocampa, look like what you'd get if Roald Dahl painted something from a fever dream. They bear a thick lion's mane above their head and abdomen, and their vibrant scales are the color of strawberry and banana taffy. Both male and female rosy moths fly exclusively at night.

Pink-striped oakworm moths, in the genus Anisota, are less flashy, with subtle grades of ocher, umber and marl. While females of this species are active at dusk and early evening, the males prefer to fly during the day.

Sondhi knew from previous research that these two groups, Dryocampa and Anisota, originated from a single species approximately 3.8 million years ago, which is relatively recent on evolutionary time scales. There's a handful of species in the genus Anisota, all of which are active during the day. The nocturnal rosy maple moths are the only species in the genus Dryocampa.

Sondhi specializes in the biology of insect vision and saw the moth pair as the perfect opportunity to explore how vision evolves when a species switches up its pattern of activity.

But things didn't go as planned.

"I went in looking for differences in color vision. Instead, we found differences in their clock genes, which in hindsight makes sense," Sondhi said.

Clock genes control the circadian rhythm of plants and animals. The ebb and flow of the proteins they create causes cells to become either active or dormant over a period of roughly 24 hours. They affect everything from metabolism and cell growth to blood pressure and body temperature.

For any organism reversing its pattern of activity, clock genes are virtually guaranteed to be involved. "It's a system that's been retained in everything from fruit flies to mammals and plants. They all have some kind of time-keeping mechanism," he said.

As their name implies, rosy maple moths often use maple trees as host plants. Their caterpillars can be so numerous and voracious that they sometimes strip away the leaves on a tree. Credit: Jeremy Squire

Sondhi compared the transcriptomes of the two moths. Unlike genomes, which contain the entirety of an organism's DNA, transcriptomes contain only the subset of genetic material that is being actively used to make proteins. This makes them useful for exploring differences in protein levels throughout the day.

As expected, Sondhi found a number of genes that were expressed in different quantities in the two moth species. Nocturnal rosy maple moths invested more energy in their sense of smell, whereas the day-flying oakworm moth produced more genes associated with vision.

There were, however, no differences in the genes that confer the ability to see color. That doesn't necessarily mean that their color vision is identical, but if differences do exist, they are likely at the level of tuning and sensitivity and not in the structure of the genes themselves.

There was an additional gene that stood out. Disconnected, or disco, was expressed at different levels during the day and night in both species. In fruit flies, disco is known to indirectly influence circadian rhythms through the production of neurons that transmit clock enzymes from the brain to the body.

The disco gene Sondhi found in his moth samples was twice the size of its fruit fly counterpart, and it had additional zinc fingersactive portions of a gene that directly interacts with DNA, RNA and proteins. It seemed likely that changes in the disco gene were at least partially responsible for the switch to night-flying in rosy maple moths.

When he compared the disco gene of rosy maple moths with the one in oakworms, he found 23 mutations that made each distinct from the other. The mutations were also located in active portions of the gene, meaning they likely contribute to observable physical differences between the moths. Sondhi was looking at evolution in action.

"If this is functionally confirmed, this is a really concrete example of the mechanism behind how they speciated at the molecular level, which is rare to come by," he said.

The study is also an important push for a better understanding of the various ways in which life sustains and propagates itself. When genetics first became a field of study, researchers focused most of their efforts on a few representative species, such as fruit flies or lab mice. This was done primarily for the sake of expediency, but it limits how much we know about broad biological patterns. Just as a human is not a lab mouse, a moth is not a fruit fly.

"As species continue to decline due to climate change and other anthropogenic changes, we'll need to genetically engineer a greater number of the ones that remain to enable drought tolerance, for example, or to be active in light polluted regimes. To do that consistently, having a broader pool of functionally characterized genes across organisms is crucial. We can't just use Drosophila," Sondhi said.
A taco trio with fried fish, carne asada and cochinita pibil from Casa Catrina on the River Walk is one of the 10 best (and worst) things Express-News restaurant critic Mike Sutter ate in San Antonio in August 2024. Mike Sutter/Staff

Maybe its the heat. Maybe it was the supermoon. Or maybe my hot streak of (mostly) good food came grinding to a halt in August. But the list of the best and worst things I ate during the month leans heavily toward the worst.

Hope springs eternal, however, so Ill kick off with a killer breakfast, surprising sushi omakase and chilaquiles at sunrise before I talk about the National Beer of Nowhere, the veggie burger blues and more River Walk mediocrity.

The best

Breakfast at Labor Street Cafe is one of the 10 best (and worst) things Express-News restaurant critic Mike Sutter ate in San Antonio in August 2024. Mike Sutter/Staff

Breakfast at Labor Street Cafe: Labor Street draws a clean line between Southtown and Interstate 37, running through a neighborhood of modest family houses. Blink and youll miss Labor Street Cafe, tucked among those houses with no sign except the one stenciled on the glass door. Owner Kevin De La Garza  you might know him from the burger bar Southtown 101  opened Labor Street Cafe in December, hoping to fill the neighborhoods need for a breakfast-and-lunch diner. Breakfast here means eggs Benedict with rich hollandaise and thick country ham. It means a fat stack of pancakes, biscuits smothered in country gravy and hash browns woven together like an Idaho cobblestone. Id call it brunch, but rarely do you get so much for so little at brunch. 718 Labor St., 210-942-8527, laborstreetcafe.com

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Bluefin otoro sushi with Mexican spring onion, grated ginger, wasabi and a drip of freshly fired beef tallow from chef Jonathan Reyes at his omakase restaurant Chika at The Creamery is one of the 10 best (and worst) things Express-News restaurant critic Mike Sutter ate in San Antonio in August 2024. Mike Sutter/Staff

Sushi at Chika: To get to San Antonios newest sushi omakase experience at The Creamery, they walk you down a flight of steps at Amelia, through the speakeasy lounge Easy Baby, then down a hall to an unmarked door. Behind that door, Jonathan Reyes is your chef and emcee in a space more like a theater than a sushi bar, working his way through a dozen courses of sushi and stories from his time on the West Side, the South Side, at Uchi in Austin, at Kimura in San Antonio and his own sushi pop-up called Chotto.

Chika opened in April, booking the 20-seat space by reservation only for two $95 seatings Thursday through Saturday. The nights best bite was a single piece of bluefin otoro nigiri with Mexican spring onion and grated ginger. What made it the best? Reyes raised a roasted beef marrow bone, fired up a blowtorch and made it rain drops of molten gold. 875 E. Ashby Place at Easy Baby at The Creamery, 210-201-6019, sevenrooms.com/experiences/easybaby/chika

Chilaquiles divorciados from Chilaquiles Buen Dia across from Pearl are one of the 10 best (and worst) things Express-News restaurant critic Mike Sutter ate in San Antonio in August 2024. Mike Sutter/Staff

Chilaquiles divorciados at Chilaquiles Buen Dia. The cafe space across from Pearl where this El Paso export opened in June was the longtime home of Timbos burgers and Earl Abels after that. Thats some heavy legacy baggage for a new place, but Chilaquiles Buen Dia lightens the mood with a space as bright and casual as a farmers market taco stand. Casual? Maybe, but chilaquiles are serious business, and Buen Dia sauces their broiled platters of chips, eggs, pickled onions, crema, queso fresco and avocado in six different shades of red and green.

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I like an even split, divorciados style, and Buen Dia obliged with tomatillo-serrano verde sauce and tomato-chile de arbol sauce over chips with that Goldilocks balance of sharp angles and feathered edges. 1639 Broadway, 210-257-6758, chilaquilesbuendia.com

The vegetarian Sunshine Burger from Plantology is one of the 10 best (and worst) things Express-News restaurant critic Mike Sutter ate in San Antonio in August 2024. Mike Sutter/Staff

Sunshine Burger at Plantology: My exploration of the Top 10 Veggie Burgers in San Antonio took me to this third local concept from chef Griselda Munoz, joining Kind Burgers and Vegan Avenue. Plantology serves breakfast and brunch all day, so the Sunshine Burger is a natural contender for the veggie burger crown, with an Impossible patty and vegan versions of bacon, egg and cheese on a multiseeded toasted bun. Im not looking for it to taste exactly like bacon and eggs. Im looking for the joy of a good burger, for something to fill me up, for something I cant create myself. The Sunrise Burger does all three with style. 22026 U.S. 281, Suite 101, 210-290-8000, eatplantology.com

The worst

Lone Star beer is one of the 10 best (and worst) things Express-News restaurant critic Mike Sutter ate in San Antonio in August 2024. Mike Sutter/Staff

Lone Star beer: I know its the National Beer of Texas and all that. And I know its everyman red-and-white label with the gold star looks great next to a plate of barbecue. And I know Jerry Jeff Walker liked nothing better than another burrito and a cold Lone Star in his hand. But man, be honest: Lone Star tastes like backwash and bad decisions. I apologize for every time Ive ever used a Lone Star bottle as a prop in a barbecue picture. We can all do better. Lone Star is the exception to the rule that cheap beer is better than no beer at all. Available everywhere bad decisions are made

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Barbecue from Smokey MoOs in Spring Branch is one of the 10 best (and worst) things Express-News restaurant critic Mike Sutter ate in San Antonio in August 2024. Mike Sutter/Staff

Barbecue at Smokey Mos: That whole thing about Lone Star? It happened when I was exploring franchise barbecue around San Antonio, and I hit up Smokey Mos in Spring Branch. Maybe Im spoiled from all that Hill Country barbecue and all that Top 10 San Antonio barbecue, but this is one of the worst Texas trinity plates Ive had outside of Bill Miller. Shoe-leather brisket is what I got even when I asked for the fatty stuff, and the little shy-and-dry pork ribs cost a dollar extra on a plate already tipping $20 with grocery-store sausage.

I know we complain about how expensive good barbecue is. But sad barbecue is still sad barbecue, no matter how cheap. On the other hand, its a perfect swipe-right match for a bottle of Lone Star. A match made somewhere south of heaven. 19851 Texas 46, Spring Branch, 830-438-8330, smokeymosbbq.com

A taco trio with fried fish, carne asada and cochinita pibil from Casa Catrina on the River Walk is one of the 10 best (and worst) things Express-News restaurant critic Mike Sutter ate in San Antonio in August 2024. Mike Sutter/Staff

Street tacos at Casa Catrina: I can look past the corny Day of the Dead motif at the new Casa Catrina, with its elegant skeletons haunting the old Fig Tree. I can forgive the $17 make-believe margarita with its leathery pineapple floater and spearmint gum afterglow. Its the River Walk, and we grade on a curve out here.

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What I cant forgive is the trio of tiny tacos repping San Antonio Mexican food to River Walk tourists. The desiccated pork masquerading as cochinita pibil, the funky knobs of carne asada, the brave Baja fish nuggets swamped in a grease-slicked corn tortilla. Whats the line from that Meat Loaf song? Two out of three aint bad? It is when two out of three aint good. 515 Villita St. on the River Walk, 210-469-4059, casacatrinasa.com

Vegetarian cheeseburger sliders from Binge Kitchen are one of the 10 best (and worst) things Express-News restaurant critic Mike Sutter ate in San Antonio in August 2024. Mike Sutter/Staff

Veggie sliders at Binge Kitchen: Do I call these tiny little veggie sliders with pickles and sauce an exercise in minimalism or just an overpriced $15 lunch that reinforces the perception of veggie burgers as a higher-priced knock-off? The Impossible patties were cooked as hard as they could get, proof that vegetarian fast food can be as dull and gray as mainstream fast food. 449 McCarty Road, 210-442-8126, eatbingekitchen.com

RIVER WALK FAILS: The 10 worst River Walk restaurants

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Orange Peel Beef from Tong's Thai is one of the 10 best (and worst) things Express-News restaurant critic Mike Sutter ate in San Antonio in August 2024. Mike Sutter/Staff

Orange Peel Beef at Tongs Thai Restaurant: This is one of those places I go when Im off the clock for good Thai food and one Chinese American indulgence: Orange Peel Beef. Its reliable, consistent and convenient. Except when it isnt. For takeout, they keep the fried beef and the orange sauce separate. Maybe they shouldnt. On its own, the beef was hard and dry, falling apart in chalky crumbles I defy you to identify as beef, with scared pieces of broccoli struggling for relevancy. The sauce could only do so much in the brief time they had together. Ive had good versions of the same dish at sit-down dinners at Tongs. But those better versions wouldnt even recognize this one as one of their own. 1146 Austin Highway, 210-829-7345, tongsthai.com

The Masala Burger from Green Vegetarian Cuisine is one of the 10 best (and worst) things Express-News restaurant critic Mike Sutter ate in San Antonio in August 2024. Mike Sutter/Staff
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Spectacled flying foxes in camp near Yungaburra Queensland. Credit: Integrative Conservation (2024). DOI: 10.1002/inc3.54

A James Cook University researcher says scientists need to learn how to play the "politics game" if they don't want conservation goals to be continually ignored.

JCU adjunct Associate Professor Noel Preece is the lead author of a paper published in Integrative Conservation that examines why environmental policies are often agreed to but never implemented.

He said the research team used as an example the decline of the spectacled flying fox, despite programs designed to protect it having been signed off by the government.

"The Australian population of spectacled flying fox decreased by 75% between 2004 and 2017, even though a recovery plan was officially approved in 2010.

"No active recovery team was established until volunteers did so in 2020. This is not an uncommon outcome for endangered species' recovery plans," said Dr. Preece.

He said the researchers found policy and practice failures, lip service to conservation plans, dismantling of good policy, avoidance of legal responsibilities, and the disregard of scientific evidence had ruined many programs.

"While implementation of conservation plans is ultimately the government's responsibility, there appears to be no administrative means to ensure that action is taken. For instance, specific funding was not made available for most of the 25 key actions identified in the flying fox recovery plan," said Dr. Preece.

He said the situation cannot be improved by scientists simply providing more data.

"Instead, a deeper understanding of the science-policy-politics interface, as well as governance threats and power relationships, is essential. It's also important to recognize that industrial lobbying and regulatory capture hold great sway over government decision-making," said Dr. Preece.

He said the research team's new paper points out several common mistakes made, and misconceptions held, by those looking to protect the environment.

"Scientists need to accept that their evidence, while crucial, is only one component in a broader decision-making process. We must recognize this and strategize on how to effectively influence outcomes under these circumstances," said Dr. Preece.

More information: Noel Preece et al, Moving beyond the pathology of policies pushing species toward extinction: The case of spectacled flying foxes in Australia, Integrative Conservation (2024). DOI: 10.1002/inc3.54
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

In today's fast-paced business environment, organizational change is inevitable, yet around 60% of these changes fail. Leaders can play a crucial role in navigating these transitions, but achieving success calls for more than just traditional leadership stylesit's also about mastering certain political skills.

Researchers from Radboud University and the University at Buffalo (State University of New York) found that sincerity, networking ability and other factors play a large role in successful transitions. Their findings are published in Group & Organization Management.

To find out how leaders can effectively lead an organization through significant changes, the researchers looked at the four political skills that are often seen as closely linked to the workplace: interpersonal influence, networking ability, apparent sincerity and social astuteness.

"These skills can be developed and trained, meaning any leader can become good at using them," explains Wieke Knol, lead author on the paper. "By studying which of these skills have the biggest impact on teams, we want to provide insight to leaders on what to work on before you embark on these types of organizational changes."

Interpersonal influence

The researchers surveyed employees at a large Dutch organization transitioning to a new structure. The employees would be expected to work more independently, in self-directed teams. Before and after the transformation, employees and leaders were asked about the process to understand which factors were essential in effecting change.

Knol states, "Interpersonal influence, meaning the ability to influence and persuade employees when interacting with them, can be crucial. Doing it successfully lets you convince employees to embrace change and experience their work as less ambiguous, by clearly communicating the benefits and addressing concerns in a way that resonates with them."

Yannick Griep, one of the authors, explains that they saw similar benefits with two of the other political skills studied. "More effective networking abilities allow leaders to understand what employees are discussing, making sure that employees better understand what is expected from them and that they are more accepting of the organizational change.

"Plus, effective networking can help secure resources that further help employees embrace change and clarify expectations. Similarly, the ability to appear sincere and genuine reduces people's distrust of changes. If employees believe their managers are sincere in their beliefs about the change, they're less likely to look for ulterior motives."

Social astuteness as a risk

Surprisingly, Knol and colleagues discovered that one ability has the potential to backfire. That was the case for social astuteness, the skill of empathizing with employees and responding effectively to their behaviors and feelings.

"A certain degree of empathy is crucial. It's important to have some idea of how employees might react to a change. But our study shows that too much social astuteness can actually lead to distrust. This is likely because, if you are a leader who overly empathizes with an employee concerned about the changes, you might actually validate those concernsthereby only increasing their concerns," says Knol.

Organizational changes can lead to hectic periods, both for employees and leaders. "Applying these specific skills can really enhance how leaders can guide their teams through change. Apparent sincerity is valuable but requires frequent interaction with employees, which isn't always possible. In situations where time is limited, it's important to know what skills can have the biggest effect.

"By strategically using interpersonal influence and networkingskills that don't require constant interactionleaders can foster a committed workforce even when time is limited. Making sure that leaders are equipped to apply these skills ensures they can build commitment and clarity among their teams, essential to fostering a successful transformation," states Knol.

More information: Wieke M. Knol et al, Use of Political Skills by Leaders to Establish Successful Organizational Change, Group & Organization Management (2024). DOI: 10.1177/10596011241278028
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

With swing states playing a pivotal role in the 2024 presidential election, new reports from the Center for Inclusive Democracy (CID) at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy have found significant voter turnout disparities between white, non-Latino voters and voters of color in all nine battleground states.

The reports highlight the persistent "voter representation gap," where voters of color remain underrepresented at the polls, despite substantial population growth. If narrowed by November, the research concludes, this gap could significantly influence election results, particularly in swing states that had particularly close election outcomes in 2020.

CID analyzed voter files from the 2020 general election for Latino, Black and Asian-American voters in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Texas. The study found that while the eligible voter populations of color in these swing states grew substantially from 2010 to 2020outpacing the growth of the white, non-Latino population and often the general populationthese voters of color had consistently lower turnout rates compared to white, non-Latino voters during the 2020 election.

"The huge number of eligible non-voters among communities of color in swing states presents an extraordinary opportunity for voter mobilization and engagement," said CID Director Mindy Romero, the study's lead author. "Getting more voters of color to the polls could be transformational and have the potential to impact election outcomes in November. Participation by these groups and all voters is foundational to our democratic values and processes."

See individual briefs for each battleground state here. Several notable findings in select states include:

Arizona: More than 850,000 Asian-American, Black and Latino eligible voters did not cast a ballot in Arizona's 2020 presidential election, where the margin of victory was only 10,457 votes.

Florida: Asian-American, Black and Latino eligible voter populations represented more than one-third of Florida's eligible voters in the 2020 general election, yet a sizeable number of these voters2.2 milliondid not cast a ballot, a number nearly six times larger than the vote margin of victory in the state.

Georgia: Even with a rapid growth in the eligible voter populations for Latinos, Blacks and Asian-Americans, more than 1.2 million did not vote in 2020, more than 100 times the margin of victory in the state.

Earlier this year, CID issued a national report on voter turnout.

"The New Electorate: The Strength of the Latino, Black and Asian-American Vote" report revealed that in the 2020 presidential election, Asian-American, Black and Latino eligible voters comprised nearly 30% of those eligible to vote in the U.S., but represented just over 22% of all votes cast, significantly lower than their share of eligible voters. The report found this entrenched voter representation gap evident across nearly all U.S. elections.

More information: Please click here to access the reports.
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Aerial view of the excavated area in the early medieval settlement of Las Gobas (Condado de Trevino, Spain). / GPAC (Grupo de investigacion en Patrimonio Construido) Basque Country University. Credit: GPAC (Grupo de investigacion en Patrimonio Construido) Basque Country University

An archaeogenetic study sheds new light on the isolated medieval community Las Gobas in northern Spain. Besides isolation and endogamy, researchers have also identified the variola virus, which can offer a new explanation of how smallpox entered Iberia.

Researchers from Sweden and Spain have conducted a comprehensive archaeogenetic study on a community that lived on the border between the northern Christian kingdoms and Al-Andalus during the early Medieval period. This dynamic era, especially in the Iberian Peninsula, was marked by religious competition, power struggles, and significant human mobilityfactors that shaped the foundation of modern Europe.

The study, published in the journal Science Advances, focused on Las Gobas, a rural site in northern Spain's Burgos province, near the village of Lano. The community existed from the mid-6th to the 11th century and is notable for its church and living areas carved into caves. The site also provides evidence of violence, likely from sword blows, found on some of the buried individuals. Forty-one burials were excavated, and 39 of them were subjected to archaeogenetic analysis.

The interdisciplinary research, led by Ricardo Rodriguez Varela from the Centre for Palaeogenetics (CPG) in Stockholm, integrated genetic, archaeological, and historical data to reveal the presence of an endogamous community in northern Iberia that remained relatively isolated despite centuries of turbulent regional history.

Aerial photo of the burials. Credit: Lourdes Herrasti

"Our findings indicate that this community stayed relatively isolated for at least five centuries," said Rodriguez Varela. Although Las Gobas is located just north of regions under Islamic rule, "we found relatively low levels of North African and Middle Eastern ancestry compared to other medieval individuals from the Iberian Peninsula, and we did not observe a significant increase in these ancestries after the Islamic conquest of Iberia," he concluded.

Zoe Pochon, also from CPG, highlighted the discovery of several understudied pathogens in Las Gobas human remains. "For example, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, a bacterium that causes skin disease through contamination of open wounds, often infects humans via domestic animals, suggesting that animal-keeping was important for this community."

She also identified the variola virus, the causative agent of smallpox, in an individual from one of the more recent burials. This specific strain is similar to those found in Scandinavia, Germany, and Russia, underscoring the pan-European presence of smallpox during the Middle Ages.

Skulls showing signs of violence. Credit: Lourdes Herrasti

Anders Gotherstrom, the senior author of the study and also based at CPG, emphasized the exhaustive nature of their research: "It is amazing how much information we were able to gather on this group of people through our archaeogenetic investigation. An endogamous group, familiar with violence, appears to have established itself in Las Gobas during the 6th or 7th century. By the 10th century, smallpox seems to have affected Las Gobas, likely spreading through Europe rather than via Islamic routes, as was previously theorized for how smallpox entered Iberia."

This study provides new insights into the complex social, genetic, and health dynamics of a long-isolated community in early Medieval Spain.

More information: Ricardo Rodriguez-Varela et al, Five centuries of consanguinity, isolation, health and conflict in Las Gobas: A Northern Medieval Iberian necropolis, Science Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adp8625. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adp8625 Journal information: Science Advances
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The bright blue blood of the horseshoe crab is used around the world to detect bacterial contamination in vaccines. Synonymous with luxury, sturgeon caviar has been patented as an antidote to impotency in China. Rhino horn is used in traditional Asian medicine to treat various ailments, and is also an ingredient in 50 different recipes for snuff.

Similarly, pangolin scales have been suggested as an ingredient in livestock feed, according to a 2014 patent. Wildlife products, even those that have been traded and used for centuries, are the subject of constant innovation, and that could be putting rare and endangered animals under increasing pressure.

Market shifts are usually detected after tradeeither legal or illegalhas become established. Since 2014, jaguar parts began replacing the more rare and difficult to obtain tiger parts in Chinese markets. As businesses make technological advances, they apply for patents to protect their commercial interest.

These patent applications document changes in species, products and locations of wildlife trade. So patents can provide a window into innovations related to wild products.

In our new research, published in the journal Nature Communications, we analyzed the patents for products sourced from various species. We selected bears, Ophiocordyceps caterpillar fungus, rhinos, pangolins, sturgeon and horseshoe crabs, to cover a range of use types, taxonomic groups and trade legalities. Using machine learning, we analyzed half a century of wildlife-related patenting, looking at patents from 1970-2020.

We used a method called "changepoint analysis" to look for the key point at which patent filing rate changed, and also "topic modeling," which grouped together patents with similar topics (such as medicine, food or farming) based on a set of keywords. We could then pinpoint key moments when patent filing rates shifted and explore when or how commercial interest changed.

We found 27,308 patent applications for the species we focused on in this study. Patent filing rates for them increased at 130% per year since 1988, more than the average of 104% for all patent filings. On a global scale, businesses consider wild species an important component of future commercial trade.

While we expected that legislative bans would reduce patenting rates for products using wild species, and potentially increase patent filing for alternatives, this was not the case. Changes in patent filing trends did not always coincide with regulations such as trade bans.

Patents filed for illegal products also increased. For example, 426 patents for medicines containing rhino horn were filed in China after it was banned as a medicinal ingredient there. This included a proposed treatment for blood disease in 2016 and an anti-cancer food supplement in 2013.

This may suggest that, in most cases, businesses have some confidence that these markets will reopen in the future. It could also indicate that the people filing patents are unaware of these regulations.

One exception was a decrease in patent applications for products containing pangolins and an increase in patent applications for patents related to farming patents, for example formula for feeding young pangolins, in 2017. This was the year when pangolins were legally protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in the equivalent of an international commercial trade ban.

Innovative applications

Patents diversified over time. This included the emergence of applications for horseshoe crab blood in the electronics industry in the 1980s, and a new "environmentally-friendly" pesticide containing rhino horn, which was patented in 2013.

Sometimes existing products are promoted for a new purpose. Cordyceps, a caterpillar controlled by an infecting fungus collected in the high altitude Himalayas, was a popular traditional medicine and food supplement.

Demand for these products soared after they were named as a performance enhancer for athletes at the Beijing Olympics. The medicinal use of pangolin scales was the basis for a 2019 patent for health care trousers, which have a pouch containing pangolin scales and other medicinal ingredients.

Innovations aimed at expanding markets and increasing profits for businesses can lead to more wild harvest and trade of animals, plants and fungi to meet demand. However, innovation can also focus on reducing wild trade through improved farming as an alternative to wild collecting.

For example, there are patents for sturgeon breeding enclosures. Patents also include processes to produce synthetic versions of active ingredients, such as a bear bile substitute made from poultry bile in a lab.

Wildlife trade is subject to the same pressures and processes as other commercial sectors. Understanding how and why businesses innovate is key to understanding the future of wildlife markets. Even illegal trade is not based solely in hidden markets. Patents reveal a side of wildlife trade that has not been recognized or incorporated into decision making.

Conducting regular scans of patent applications could provide researchers with early warnings of emerging commercial interests that may lead to unsustainable or illegal harvesting. Policymakers and conservationists should use patent data to inform the development of regulations and laws to identify businesses with a commercial interest in wildlife and better understand why and how they plan to use wild species.

Companies working to reduce the impact of their global supply chains on biodiversity may need to consider the potentially hidden uses of wild species in fertilizers and pesticides. They must also examine ingredients such as squalene, an oil extracted from shark livers for use in sunscreen, cosmetics and personal care products.

Unexpected use of wild species in widely available products increases the burden on consumers mindful of their impact on natural resources. Labeling requirements conceal wildlife used upstream of product manufacture.

For example, wild-collected wrasse are sometimes used to control lice in farmed salmon pens but this isn't mentioned on any product labels. The more information that is available on hidden wild harvests, the greater the opportunity there is to reduce pressure on wild species.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Billionaire Jared Isaacman's return trip to space on the Polaris Dawn mission is having to wait a little longer after a launch pad issue forced one delay and now the weather has taken the next two launch opportunities off the board.

First, a helium leak on the launch pad Monday night forced SpaceX to hold off a planned overnight launch attempt of Isaacman and three crewmates aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon Resilience atop a Falcon 9 rocket from KSC's Launch Pad 39-A. Then SpaceX said weather in the recovery area would take off both early Wednesday and early Thursday morning opportunities.

"Due to unfavorable weather forecast in Dragon's splashdown areas off the coast of Florida, we are now standing down from tonight and tomorrow's Falcon 9 launch opportunities of Polaris Dawn," SpaceX posted on X late Tuesday. "Teams will continue to monitor weather for favorable launch and return conditions."

It's uncertain if SpaceX would try for an early Friday morning launch opportunity.

"The ascent corridor is go, it's the splashdown locations day 5 that are not favorable," Isaacman posted late Tuesday to X.

The delay comes after launch pad problems shut down the first attempt.

"Teams are taking a closer look at a ground-side helium leak on the Quick Disconnect umbilical," SpaceX posted on X late Monday. "Falcon and Dragon remain healthy and the crew continues to be ready for their multi-day mission to low-Earth orbit."

In a Tuesday update, SpaceX said the weather had an 85% chance for good launch conditions for the Wednesday attempt, but that teams were also looking at recovery weather at potential splashdown locations off the coast of Florida. That ended up being what SpaceX said was the reason to call off the attempt, and it has to do with weather five days from now.

"Our launch criteria are heavily constrained by forecasted splashdown weather conditions," Isaacman posted to X late Tuesday. "With no ISS rendezvous and limited life support consumables, we must be absolutely sure of reentry weather before launching. As of now, conditions are not favorable tonight or tomorrow, so we'll assess day by day."

He said he's not discouraged by the delay.

"As Elon mentioned, Polaris Dawn is a challenging mission with critical objectives, so we'll wait for the best opportunity to ensure success. Sometimes, the hardest journeys require the most patience, and we're ready to wait for the right moment. We know many have traveled to see the launch, and we're grateful for your support. Alongside @SpaceX, we'll do our best to keep you updated."

Whatever the helium leak issue was on Monday, though, it was not in line to halt the attempt.

"While it's a bummer to not step into a launch attempt tonight, I'm very proud of the team for identifying an issue and then digging in," posted SpaceX vice president of launch Kiko Dontchev on X regarding Monday's leak. "Nothing is more important than the safety of our astronauts and the reliability of our vehicles and operation."

"We are grateful to all our friends, family, and supporters who have come out to @NASAKennedy for the launch," Isaacman posted on X. "The best aerospace engineers in the world are working on the issue, and we promise to put on a great show soon enough!"

Elon Musk weighed in as well.

"An incredible amount of work has gone into this historic mission by an amazing team. We are triple-checking everything to make sure there is nothing more we can do to improve crew safety," Musk posted.

"More time in quarantine to prepare is never a bad thing," Isaacman later posted. "We're well-informed on the issue and resolution. It's immensely comforting to have the full support of @SpaceX & leadership, including Elon, ensuring mission's safety. When the call comes, we won't hesitate to strap in."

When it does launch, the first-stage booster, which is making its fourth flight, will aim for a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas.

The Crew Dragon Resilience is flying for the third time, having debuted on the Crew-1 mission in 2020 and also having flown the Inspiration4 mission in 2021.

That second flight was Isaacman's first trip to space, a three-day orbital mission that was the first ever all-commercial spaceflight that raised more than $250 million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

In 2022, Isaacman announced the Polaris Program in partnership with SpaceX with up to three missions with Polaris Dawn as the first. The final mission would be the first crewed flight of the in-development Starship and Super Heavy.

But first up, Isaacman will be flying with one of his pilot buddies, former Air Force pilot Scott Poteet, and two SpaceX employees, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon.

The highlight of the trip is what would be the first commercial spacewalk, targeting day three of the five-day orbital flight.

Isaacman and Gillis will venture outside the spacecraft that will open its hatch and vent the entire atmosphere out, meaning all four crew members will be wearing the new extravehicular activity spacesuits that SpaceX developed in the last 2 1/2 years, and all breathing 100% oxygen.

Isaacman and Gillis will be connected to a 12-foot-long tether as they each spend about 1520 minutes outside Resilience.

The flight also will take the spacecraft to a record 870-mile orbital altitude, test out a new Starlink communication experiment and tackle 40 more science and research efforts.

2024 Orlando Sentinel. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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A woman and her dog are blasted by sand from a Port Phillip Bay beach in Melbourne on August 28, 2024, as strong winds buffet the city.

Almost 20,000 people were without power in southern Australia Wednesday after wild winds brought down trees and power lines.

Electricity network operator AusNet reported 72 separate outages across the south of the country, where wind gusts hit 113 kilometers (70 miles) per hour.

Some 19,300 customers were said to be affected.

The Victoria State Emergency Service has issued a "severe weather" warning for Wednesday and into Thursday, telling people to stay away from trees and fallen power lines.

The Bureau of Meteorology reported wind gusts of more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) an hour in several locations east of Melbourne. Winds were expected to ease gradually overnight.

A ship waits on Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay on August 28, 2024 as strong winds buffet the city.

 2024 AFP
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The Colorado Rivers Horseshoe Bend. Credit: University of Virginia

Researchers investigating the historic stresses of the American West's water supply have identified a simple solution that could put parts of the Colorado River Basin on a more sustainable path.

In a new paper, a consortium of scientists and water experts including Julianne Quinn, an assistant professor in the University of Virginia Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and UVA Darden School of Business professor Peter Debaere conclude that closing Colorado's "free river conditions" loophole should be a key first step to reducing water stress in the region.

The study is published in the journal Water Resources Research.

In Colorado, when the river carries enough water to meet everyone's needs, the "free river condition" allows anyoneregardless of whether they own water rightsto take as much as they want from the river. The provision is a relic of water-sharing agreements among the seven states, 25 Native American tribes and parts of Mexicosome 40 million peoplefor whom the Colorado is a lifeline.

"Closing this loophole in Colorado's water rights system could save millions of cubic meters of water and be the state's modest contribution to solving water stress in the Colorado River Basin," said Debaere, an expert in water economics and markets.

A region thirsting for solutions

Quinn leads the National Science Foundation project under which the analysis was conducted. She specializes in optimizing water resources management through mathematical modeling to help water managers balance competing objectives.

"Our project goal is to integrate supply-side water management through reservoir operations with demand-side management through fallowing programs in which farmers are paid for not irrigating their land," Quinn said.

The 1,450-mile Colorado irrigates some of the country's most productive farmland and generates hydropower used across the Upper and Lower Basin states, comprised of Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico and Arizona, Nevada and California respectively.

But the river's water volume is shrinking as rising temperatures increase evaporation and reduce the snowpack that feeds the river. At the same time, demand from farms and cities has been rising.

In mid-2022, water levels in the river's two major reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, dropped so low the intake of water for hydropower was threatened, prompting a federal "shortage" declaration and the Biden administration's call for reduced usage. After the West experienced historic "atmospheric river" storms in 2023 and early 2024, the lakes have recovered to 37% of capacity. In 2000, they were nearly full.

The costs of 'free river conditions'

While trying to determine appropriate payments for a fallowing program, the team discovered the free river loophole, Quinn explained.

"It threatens the success of any payment program," she said. "If the water 'saved' by paying farmers not to irrigate results in more frequent free river conditions, someone else can then legally divert that saved water in excess of their right, defeating the purpose."

For example, during free river conditions in 2017despite a decade and a half of droughtQuinn's team's analysis estimated 108 million cubic meters of water were diverted that could have been reserved in Lake Powell.

Moreover, Lower Basin states have the right to issue a "compact call" should the Upper Basin states exceed their sharing obligations under the century-old Colorado River Compact. That could trigger sudden usage cuts, putting these states, which include Colorado, in a bind they could have avoided.

With some existing sharing agreements expiring at the end of 2025, the seven states are again negotiating their rights to the Colorado River.

Debaere said closing the loophole is a small step, but one that opens doors to future reforms.

"This is not a technological solution," Quinn added, "but a pragmatic end to a legal loophole in the management of water in the system."

The paper's co-authors include T. Li (International Business School Suzhou, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China); S. Fox and K. Bennett (B3 Insight, Denver); P. Block and K. Hietpas (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison); M. Mekonnen and S. Sharma (Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL); B. Richter (Sustainable Waters, Crozet, VA; and S. Singh (Department of Systems and Information Engineering, UVA).

More information: P. Debaere et al, Closing Loopholes in Water Rights Systems to Save Water: The Colorado River Basin, Water Resources Research (2024). DOI: 10.1029/2023WR036667 Journal information: Water Resources Research
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Antemortem damage is observable with remodeling of the occipital bone. Credit: Lisa Mariann Strand

Rates of violence in Viking Age Norway and Denmark were long believed to be comparable. A team of researchers including University of South Florida sociologist David Jacobson challenges that assumption.

Their findings show that interpersonal violenceviolence not meted out as punishment by authoritieswas much more common in Norway. This is evident in the much greater rates of trauma on skeletons and the extent of weaponry in Norway. The study, published in the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, sheds new light on how Viking Age societies in Norway and Denmark differed in their experiences with violence and the role social structures played in shaping those patterns.

Jacobson is part of an interdisciplinary team that combined archaeology and sociology along with the study of skeletons and of runestonesraised stones bearing inscriptionsto reveal key differences in how violence, social hierarchies and authority influenced these dynamics in the two regions. The other scholars on the team are from Norway and Germany.

"The interdisciplinary approach taken in this study shows us how social and political patterns can be revealed, even when there are a paucity of written sources," Jacobson said.

Norway: A more violent society?

Researchers analyzed skeletal remains from Viking Age Norway and Denmark and found that 33% of the Norwegian skeletons showed healed injuries, indicating that violent encounters weren't uncommon. By comparison, 37% of the skeletons showed signs of lethal trauma, highlighting the frequent and often fatal use of weapons in Norway.

A notable feature in Norway was the presence of weapons, particularly swords, alongside skeletons in graves. The study identified more than 3,000 swords from the Late Iron Age and Viking periods in Norway, with just a few dozen in Denmark. These findings suggest weapons played a significant role in Norwegian Viking identity and social statusfurther emphasizing the culture's connection to violence.

Weapon related lesions identified on sacrum side and tibia. Credit: Lisa Mariann Strand

Denmark: Steeper social hierarchies and controlled violence

In Denmark, the findings show a different pattern. Danish society was more centralized, with clearer social hierarchies and stronger central authority. Violence was more organized and controlled, often linked to official executions rather than acts of personal violence.

For example, skeletal remains in Denmark showed fewer signs of weapon-related injuries but included evidence of executions such as decapitations. Skeletal evidence suggests about 6% of Viking Danes died violently, almost all from executions.

Denmark's more structured society also had a smaller percentage of graves containing weapons than Norway's. Instead, social order was maintained through political control, reflected in the construction of large earthworks and fortifications. These monumental structures, particularly during the reign of King Harald Bluetooth in the 10th century, demonstrated Denmark's greater capacity for coordinated labor and more organized social hierarchies.

Why the differences?

The study suggests that Denmark's more rigid social structure meant that violence was less frequent but more systematically enforced through official channels, such as executions. Meanwhile, Norway's more decentralized society experienced more peer-to-peer violence, as indicated by the higher levels of trauma found in skeletons.

A skull displaying blunt force trauma with radiating lines. Credit: Lisa Mariann Strand

The findings also support the broader theory that stronger authority and steeper social hierarchies can reduce the overall levels of violence in a society by centralizing the use of force under official control.

"The findings of these patterns suggest that we are talking of distinct societies in the regions of Norway and Denmark," Jacobson said. "This is quite striking, as the assumption has been that socially Viking Scandanavia was largely a singular space."

The research contributes to a growing body of work that explores how social structures influenced violence in historical societies. Similar patterns have been observed in other parts of the world, such as the Andes region of South America and in areas of North America, where less centralized societies also experienced higher levels of violence.

Jacobson said he hopes the study "is a step towards a new explanatory model, especially when written sources from the period are partial or even nonexistent."

More information: Jan Bill et al, Violence as a lens to Viking societies: A comparison of Norway and Denmark, Journal of Anthropological Archaeology (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.jaa.2024.101605
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Spring and summer in the U.S. now come with a new normal: days and even weeks where the acrid overhang of wildfire smoke forces us indoors. At its worst, not even shuttered windows can protect us from its effectsthe stinging eyes, runny noses and burning lungs.

As the Earth's climate warms, wildfires tear through a larger swath of land each year. As Bloomberg Opinion columnist Mark Gongloff has explained, in some parts of the U.S., the fire season now stretches a month longer than in 1973. These more intense, longer wildfire seasons are pushing this specific brand of pollution into parts of the country not accustomed to orange skies and unbreathable air.

That's compromising our healthnot just when the smoke is thick, but for years after. Researchers are increasingly recognizing that wildfire smoke can bring health problems wherever it drifts.

Many of the near-term problems with wildfire smoke exposure are now well understood.

The most serious, of course, is death. A recent working paper for the National Bureau of Economic Research estimated that the U.S. would see nearly 28,000 more deaths each year by 2050 due to the climate-driven rise in wildfire smokethat's 76% higher than the average annual deaths between 2011 and 2020.

More people experience milder but still serious consequences, like worsening asthma and debilitating headaches. When smoke from Canadian wildfires wafted thousands of miles to hang over large tracts of the U.S. last summer, it led to a 17% rise in asthma-related ER visits, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

More recently, less-obvious health issues have come to light. Multiple studies have found a connection between wildfire smoke and pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia (a form of dangerously high blood pressure) and premature births.

But unraveling the long-term health effects has been trickier. For much of the year, we aren't exposed to any wildfire smoke, and then it can suddenly surge. "How the human body handles that and what the long-term repercussions are remain very understudied and somewhat unknown," says Joan Casey, an environmental epidemiologist at the University of Washington.

And of course, we're also exposed to other forms of air pollution that affect our health. Separating the impact of wildfire smoke from that of other pollutants has been challenging. One problem is that most air-quality monitors are in cities, creating a frustrating information gap for researchers.

"We have these huge, rural areas where we really don't know what the air quality is likeand that's where people are often most exposed to wildfires," Casey says.

Ideally, researchers trying to unravel the health impacts of wildfire smoke want to understand how often someone was exposed to the smallest particles, known as PM 2.5 , how intense the exposure was, and how many days it lasted. And then they'd want to follow them over time and compare them to a similar group that has had the advantage of a smoke-free environment.

But nothing is ever that cut and dried in the real world. For example, wildland firefighters are an obvious choice, but less obvious is who they should be compared to, says Marshall Burke, deputy director of Stanford University's Center on Food Security and the Environment.

They could be compared to regular firefighters, but the two groups also might make lifestyle choicestake more risks or be more outdoorsy, for examplethat could factor into their long-term health.

Researchers can try to control for those differences, but "that's really hard to do in a convincing way," Burke says. Another limitation is that wildland firefighters, overwhelmingly white and male, don't represent the U.S. population at large.

Nevertheless, researchers are finding creative ways to disentangle the effects of wildfire smoke from those of other pollutants. Recent work led by Casey, for example, linked geographical information to a decade of insurance data for some 1.2 million Californians over the age of 60.

That allowed researchers to estimate how much of their PM 2.5 exposure came from wildfire smoke compared to other forms of pollution. They found inhaling wildfire smoke raised the risk of dementiaa risk exacerbated by someone's poverty level.

The best information would come from tracking people exposed to wildfire smoke over time. An ambitious project in Hawaii is studying people living near the wildfires that devastated parts of Maui in 2023. This kind of prospective study will take time to get answers, and also faces a challenge: it needs long-term, sustainable funding to keep tabs on people for decades..

"Everything we found in our work, consistent with other work on air pollution more broadly, is that there's no safe exposure. The more you get, the worse the outcome is," Burke says.

Wearing a high quality mask can greatly reduce exposure outside. Investing in HEPA filtration for schools, workplaces and homes may be the best chance to give the lungs respite from the smoke.

2024 Bloomberg L.P. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Mike Sutter is the Express-News restaurant critic. He can be reached at msutter@express-news.net.

Before joining the Taste Team in 2016, he served as a restaurant critic for the Austin American-Statesman and editor of FedManWalking.com. Hes appeared on NPRs All Things Considered, ABCs To Tell the Truth and written for The Guardian, Bon Appetit and The Wall Street Journal.
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The case against Atlantic City High School principal accused of failing to report child abuse has been referred to a grand jury, court officials said.

Constance Days-Chapman is charged with official misconduct, hindering apprehension of another, obstruction of justice and failure to report child abuse.

It is unknown when the case will go before the grand jury.

We adjourned it without a new date, Days-Chapmans attorney Lee Vartan said in a text message Wednesday afternoon. We made clear our position that the state dismiss or we will immediately move to dismiss any indictment.

Days-Chapman last appeared in court May 28 for a pre-indictment conference, where Vartan said he would push for the case to be thrown out due to a lack of evidence.

Earlier this year, the teenage daughter of Mayor Marty Small Sr. and Superintendent LaQuetta Small told school officials she was being physically and mentally abused at home, according to a court document.

The claim set off an investigation that saw Days-Chapman charged with failing to report the alleged abuse and the Smalls charged with endangering the welfare of a child over allegations they assaulted their teenage daughter.

The case against the Smalls is currently awaiting grand jury presentation.

According to prosecutors, a staff member informed Days-Chapman about the daughters abuse claim. Days-Chapman said she would report the issue to the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency.

Days-Chapman then allegedly met with the girls parents at their home and informed them the student had told staff about the abuse, authorities have said.

But it was later determined that Days-Chapman failed to report the abuse, as required by law and school district policy, according to the Prosecutors Office.

Court documents allege Days-Chapman didnt report the incident to protect the girls parents from being investigated.

Days-Chapman has since been replaced as principal by the districts secondary education director, Donald Harris.

Days-Chapman headed up Mayor Smalls reelection campaign in 2021 and is president of the citys Democratic Committee, but she was asked to take a leave of absence from that position pending the outcome of her case.

She faces five to 10 years in prison if convicted, Vartan said.
San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg takes part in a City Council meeting on Aug. 1. City Council Member Teri Castillo has proposed changing the appointment process for some city boards. That would take some powers away from Nirenberg, who is soon to leave office. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News District 5 Council Member Teri Castillo listens during a council briefing on April 25. Castillo has proposed changing the appointment process for some city boards, which would take some powers away from Mayor Ron Nirenberg, who is soon to leave office. Kaylee Greenlee Beal

Like other San Antonio mayors before him, Mayor Ron Nirenberg has been hoarding power, using his authority to decide who gets appointed to key city boards and commissions. Now that he is a lame duck, some City Council members are trying to claim what they see as their fair share of appointments.

District 5 Council Member Teri Castillo has proposed giving council greater influence over who serves on the Charter Review Commission, the Housing Commission and the board of Opportunity Home San Antonio, the citys public housing agency. Nirenberg currently appoints the members of those boards.

Nirenberg is term-limited and wont be on the May 2025 ballot. The other council members are starting to take advantage of his final months in office to try to expand the influence of the 10-member council  and by doing so, limit the power the next mayor will wield.

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In the spring, council persuaded Nirenberg to cede some of the power he wielded over the speed at which their policy proposals, known formally as council consideration requests, were taken up by a key committee  the first step toward enacting a new policy or ordinance.

The latest proposal looks to reform the appointment process for boards and commissions, some of which have the power to fire and hire agency heads, adopt budgets and shape city policy. Seats on those boards are often coveted by civic leaders and can be seen as a reward for political support.

Depending on the board or commission, there is a lot of power and role that they play in facilitating  whether its compensation, utility rates or the direction of our public housing authority, Castillo said. Upgrading the process and having a conversation about the process would give council more of a say on who we believe is qualified and on who we would recommend.

The council consideration request she filed Aug. 15 leaves room for her colleagues to consider changing the appointment procedures for other boards.

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Full discussion will be merited

Nirenberg has said little publicly about councils recent moves to limit his power.

In a written statement this week addressing Castillos proposal, Nirenberg said: If eventually passed by City Council, these proposals would in large part come to fruition under the next mayor, considering the timing of this debate. It is important to note that some of the appointments in question, such as Opportunity Home board positions, are governed by state law, and others are set by municipal statute.

A full discussion will be merited after staff exercises due diligence in determining what options are available to City Council, Nirenberg said.

In June, Opportunity Homes board of commissioners fired the agencys president and CEO, Ed Hinojosa Jr. Castillo opposed the move. Nirenberg supported it.

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State law grants the mayor sole power to appoint the board of the public housing agency. Opportunity Home manages 6,070 public housing units across 74 properties, and the board helps shape its policies and oversees its programs.

Castillo has proposed establishing a process to let council provide input and guidance before the mayor appoints commissioners, according to her request. She also suggested expanding the board from seven to 11 members, the maximum allowed under state law, so council members can nominate a commissioner to represent each district, in addition to the mayors office.

For the Housing Commission, the mayor currently appoints five of nine members. The remaining four are selected by the CEO or executive director of the San Antonio Housing Authority, the San Antonio Housing Trust, the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation and VIA Metropolitan Transit.

When Nirenberg revived the Housing Commission in 2018, council unanimously approved an ordinance that gave the mayor power to nominate the initial five members to two-year terms in consultation with the City Council. The mayor could make subsequent appointments without further action by City Council.

Under Mayor Ivy Taylor, Nirenbergs predecessor, the mayor appointed five of the commissions members. Each council member was able to appoint someone  for a total of 15 members.

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When that changed under Nirenberg, it removed the voice of each district on a public oversight board which is charged with guiding the implementation of the key housing recommendations and engaging the public in the development of affordable housing policy, Castillos request states.

READ MORE: Former Secretary of State Rolando Pablos joins crowded field for San Antonio mayor

A handful of council members recently grumbled about how Nirenberg selected all 15 members of his Charter Review Commission, which he charged with recommending changes to specific parts of the citys governing document.

That hasnt always been the case, according to the request.

In 1990, council appointed a 23-member commission and gave it the broad charge of conducting a comprehensive study of the city charter and recommending any changes or additions, according to the commissions final report. The commission included a representative for each of the 10 council districts.

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That changed in 2014, when council unanimously approved an ordinance giving the mayor the sole authority to appoint commission members. Nirenberg was the District 8 council member at that time.

Nirenberg has previously said he sought input from council on appointees to the two charter review commissions he has convened.

District 6 Council Member Melissa Cabello Havrda, a likely mayoral contender, was one of the most vocal critics of the recent charter review process, though she supports five of the six charter amendments that will go before voters in November.

Were discussing amending government processes, and not one of them came from the neighborhoods of this city, Cabello Havrda said before council voted Aug. 8 to call for the charter amendment election.

Nirenberg defended the charter review process at that meeting. The items that are on the charge have been part of conversations that have occurred at least for a couple of decades in this community, he said.

Supporting Castillos plan

Cabello Havrda signed onto Castillos council consideration request as a show of support for the proposal. District 4 Council Member Adriana Rocha Garcia, who announced her mayoral candidacy Aug. 13, and Council Members Marina Alderete Gavito and Marc Whyte also signed it.

I think this is the time for the people and their representatives to take that power back, Cabello Havrda said of the appointment process.

Proponents are pushing the issue now in part because San Antonio will soon have a new mayor, she said. But I do believe its because this council is really starting to see how in some ways we have been excluded from decision-making  this particular council understands that.

Councils Governance Committee must take up the proposal within 60 days of its filing. Nirenberg chairs that committee, which includes councils four senior-most members: John Courage, Manny Pelaez, Cabello Havrda and Rocha Garcia.

Like Rocha Garcia, Pelaez and Courage are announced candidates for mayor.
The city of Richmond in 2022 spent almost $8,000 to send former city spokesperson Petula Burks to an executive leadership training program at Oxford University in England months after Burks was hired, records obtained by the Richmond Times-Dispatch show.

Asked why the city had decided to send Burks overseas for professional development, Richmonds Deputy Communications Director Margaret Ekam said Burks no longer works for the city.

Burks began working for the city in January 2022. In July of this year, she resigned after The Times-Dispatch asked about the use of her city-issued credit card to purchase nearly $100,000 worth of services from her former business partner.

Total costs neared $8,000

The city spent a total of $7,926.37 on the four-day course and travel expenses, records show. The course itself cost $6,795 (including room and board) while flights to and from England cost $1,131.37.

The program, hosted by the Chief of Staff Association at Oxfords Trinity College in early September 2022, provides structured insight, expert guidance, best practice and networking, according to its website. An itinerary for the event, obtained by The Times-Dispatch, featured group activities and a lineup of speakers  including former Google Chief of Staff Jonathan Bullock and ex-MI6 Chief Alex Younger.

The speakers led exercises and discussions on such topics as ethics, culture, reputation strategies and corporate diplomacy, the itinerary shows. By completing the training, Burks demonstrated the skills, behaviours, and experience required of a contemporary chief of staff, her program certification says.

Officials mum on reasoning

Virginia Commonwealth University, Leadership Metro Richmond, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech and numerous other universities and organizations across the state and the region offer various leadership and professional development workshops, conferences and training programs  although none of the aforementioned programs appears to be specific to the position of chief of staff.

The Chief of Staff Association also holds trainings online.

Ekam did not answer when asked why the city had chosen Oxford rather than a local or regional vendor, or why the city had hired Burks if she required extensive professional development services.

In response to questions on the Oxford trip, Ekam said department directors are expected to utilize good judgment in making decisions for their departments and employees especially when it comes to professional development and training.

Ms. Burks has since resigned, Ekam added.

Ekam also did not address inquiries as to whether other city employees have attended the same training, or who had approved Burks decision to travel to England. But internal emails show Burks planned to advise Chief Administrative Officer Lincoln Saunders of the trip beforehand.

In an email sent from Burks to a representative of the Chief of Staff Association on July 21, 2022, Burks asked the representative to send her an invoice for the training program so that she could present it to (her) CAO. In another email sent on Aug. 4, 2022, Burks asked the representative to share an itinerary or information for the Sept. Oxford experience.

I am meeting with my CAO this afternoon, Burks wrote in the Aug. 4 email.

Saunders was appointed CAO in December 2020. He did not respond to questions concerning the Oxford training program.

Asked by a Times-Dispatch reporter about the training program during a Tuesday news conference, Mayor Levar Stoney said the question is about a person who no longer works here at the City of Richmond.

Heres the thing, he said. I believe that if you make bad decisions, you shouldnt be able to work for the city of Richmond. And if you exhibit that judgment, youre not going to work here anymore.
Cruise ship passenger transferred to Cancun hospital

Isla Mujeres, Q.R.  A woman diagnosed with liver failure was transferred from a cruise ship to Cancun hospital. The Secretariat of the Marina performed the medical emergency transfer Tuesday.

Personnel from the Ninth Naval Region carried out the medical evacuation of a female person on board a tourist cruise ship approximately five nautical miles (nine kilometers) northeast of Isla Mujeres, the Secretaria de Marina (Semar) reported.

This action was carried out after receiving an emergency call in the Command and Control Room of the Naval Command in which support was requested for the transfer of a 46-year-old female person of foreign nationality, who had liver failure.

Photo: Semar August 27, 2024.

A defender-type vessel from the Isla Mujeres Search, Rescue and Maritime Surveillance Naval Station was ordered to set sail immediately, with specialized personnel on board.

Upon arriving at the emergency point, they carried out a medical check-up and evacuation of the woman who was transferred to Puerto Juarez, where an ambulance was waiting.
Lopez Obrador announces temporary pause in relations with U.S. and Canadian embassies in Mexico

Mexico City, Mexico  President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced a temporary pause in relations with the United States and Canadian embassies in Mexico.

The pause in relations is following statements by diplomats Ken Salazar and Graeme C. Clark on the initiative to reform the constitution of the Judiciary, a matter that Lopez Obrador says is the sole responsibility of the people of Mexico.

They have to learn to respect Mexicos sovereignty. Its not just any old thing () because we are not going to give them advice there or tell them what is right and what is wrong, so we want them to be respectful, for there to be a reciprocal relationship in terms of respect for sovereignty, he said Tuesday.

How can we allow the Ambassador, with all due respect because this is not a matter of dispute, of enmity, but how can we allow him to think that what we are doing is wrong? he questioned.

At the Tuesday morning press conference, Lopez Obrador said that in the application of our democracy, in the decisions made by our legal, legitimately constituted government, they must be respectful.

He clarified that relations with the governments of the United States and Canada continue, but he pointed out that as long as he remains President, they will respect national sovereignty.

AMLO says U.S.-Canada not respectful of Mexicos independence.

Photo: AMLO August 27, 2024.

The relationship continues, but hopefully there will be a ratification on their part that they will be respectful of Mexicos independence, of the sovereignty of our country, but as long as that is not the case and they continue with that policy, there will be a pause with the embassy. () Any government has to defend the sovereignty of its people, he said.

We will wait for time to pass. If there is no respect, as long as I am here, we will not allow any violation of our sovereignty. () I cannot allow our Constitution to be violated, he added.

President Lopez Obrador did not rule out that Ambassador Salazars statements in his criticism of the reform of the Judicial Branch could be the responsibility of the United States Department of State.

Last week, AMLO called Salazars public statement unfortunate and reckless. Photo: AMLO

He reiterated that everyone has the right to express themselves, however, it was reckless to demonstrate as they did.

We are not going to tell you leave the country, not that, but you do have to read the Constitution, he said.

He recalled that the countrys foreign policy is guided by Article 89 of the Constitution which establishes that the President must adhere to the principles of non-intervention, self-determination of peoples and peaceful resolution of disputes.
Traffic moves through Buda in northern Hays County in this photo from 2022. In November, Hays County voters will be asked to approve a $440 million bond measure to pay for new and better roads. William Luther /Express-News

When Hays County voters go to the polls in November, they will decide on a $440 million road bond that has sparked debate over how to balance building the infrastructure needed for the region's exploding growth against protecting the area's environment.

The five-member Hays County Commissioners Court voted unanimously on Aug. 13 to add the bond measure to the ballot for the Nov. 5 general election. If approved, the bond money would pay for projects that would serve as alternatives to traffic-clogged stretches of Interstate 35 and U.S. 290. It would also expand old, undivided farm roads into four-lane throughways more suitable for the subdivisions that have sprung up all over the county in recent years.

MORE COVERAGE: These are the most-hated roads for San Antonio drivers

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Those plans have raised concerns from environmental activists, who say stormwater runoff and expanses of new impervious cover  meaning surfaces that water can't penetrate, such as roads and rooftops  from the proposed highway projects could pollute the county's already-strained groundwater supply, damaging natural resources such as the Edwards Aquifer and Onion Creek.

A coalition of groups including the San Marcos River Foundation, Save Our Springs Alliance, the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance and others asked the Commissioners Court to deny the bond election and are now campaigning for the public to vote it down.

They want some projects to be removed from the plans, including a $60.3 million expansion of Yarrington Road along I-35 north of San Marcos and a $59.8 million expansion of Darden Hill Road near Dripping Springs.

"Not because some of the roads in the bond are not needed. It's because we need a better bond," Virginia Condie, executive director of the San Marcos River Foundation, said in a phone interview. "We need a bond that more accurately addresses the needs and doesn't create roads that would impact natural resources like the Edwards Aquifer."

County Judge Ruben Becerra points to the need for larger roads and highways in the county  which often ranks at or near the top of the fastest-growing counties in the United States.

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The population of Hays County boomed from 157,107 in 2010 to an estimated 280,486 last year, according to the Census Bureau  and it is set to keep growing. The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, a group that coordinates transportation projects in the Austin region, estimates that Hays County's population will surge to 356,239 in 2030 and 765,751 in 2050.

"'If you don't build it, they won't come'  we've seen it fail in our region. That is not an option," Becerra said in a phone interview. "This is, in part, to play catch up, and in part to reinforce what is already on the ground."

MORE COVERAGE: San Antonio and SAWS play blame game over road project delays

A $75 million parks and open space bond measure that county voters approved in 2021 will help protect the environment by shielding natural areas from development by using conservation easements, Becerra said. Conservation easements are agreements that prevent development on a piece of property, while allowing it to remain under private ownership.

For areas east of I-35  which have in recent years experienced runaway growth  the bond measure calls for spending $36.9 million to widen Windy Hill Road and $39 million to widen Bunton Lane.

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The bond would add 2 cents per $100 valuation to the county's property tax rate, according to a news release from the county.

Hays voters last approved a road bond measure in 2016, with a cost of $131.4 million. Prior to that, they approved a $207.1 million road bond measure in 2008.

While saying that water access was "one of the most important issues, if not the most important issue" facing the county, Precinct 3 Commissioner Lon Shell said at the Aug. 13 meeting that it shouldn't keep the county "from being able to improve transportation, faced with the growth that we already have."

"I think a lot of the projects on this proposed bond ... are probably behind the growth," he said. "It's hard sometimes to get ahead when you're growing this fast."

Opponents of the bond  more than two dozen of them spoke or submitted comments at the meeting  say the Commissioners Court didn't give residents enough opportunity to consider the projects and submit feedback. Condie and others questions why an advisory commission wasn't created, as was the case with the parks and open space bond.

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Their hope is that voters will reject this year's bond and that a new road bond will be developed for next year with more public input, Condie said.

Becerra has pointed to a need for road infrastructure on the county's east side, where "anemic, crippling roadways with no shoulders" hinder access to local businesses, he said.

Precinct 2 Commissioner Michelle Cohen, whose precinct includes parts of the east side, noted at the meeting that in her more than 40 years of living in the county, she has seen little change in the roads east of the interstate.

"(It) makes me happy as a longtime resident of Hays County to finally see real work being done to an area that has been severely disregarded and underserved," she said. "My constituency wants safe roads and the ability to get to work and get to home in a decent time frame."
Manager selling state teaching positions not on payroll says SEQ

Chetumal, Q.R.  The Quintana Roo Education Secretariat (SEQ) says they do not employ a manager who is being accused of selling job positions. On Tuesday, the state agency distanced itself from the allegations being made by more than a dozen people who said they paid him for a job.

According to those affected, nearly 200,000 pesos were paid to a man identified as Jose Artemio Viera Martin for teaching and administrative positions within the SEQ. On Tuesday, the Secretaria de Educacion de Quintana Roo (SEQ) said no such person works for them.

We reiterate to teachers and citizens: there is no employee or manager with the name Jose Artemio Viera Martin in this institution. The assignment of positions is 100% transparent and free of corruption, the SEQ posted on its X page Tuesday.

The people who allegedly gave Jose Artemio Viera Martin money said the jobs he claimed he could get released to them were being offered within the SEQ in Chetumal and Bacalar.

The news of the likely scam broke the day after students around Quintana Roo returned to classes and none of the potential employees were hired for the new school year.

The man accused of selling SEQ jobs.

Melvin S, one of those affected, said the man offered him a prefect position for which he handed over 8,000 to start the process. He was contact again on other occasions for more money ranging between 2,000 and 4,000 pesos to pay for favors to have the jobs released, he explained.

At least 20 people are claiming they were defrauded by the man with promises of jobs as prefects and administrative secretaries. According to the group, they claim to have collectively given Jose Artemio Viera Martin nearly 180,000 pesos.

The group say they intend to file a formal complaint with the State Attorney General (FGE) for fraud.
Mexicos National Forestry Commission joining forces with India to fight fires with satellite monitoring

Mexico City, Mexico  Mexicos National Forestry Commission (Conafor) will work with India to fight forest fires with satellite monitoring. During a recent two-day meeting, both countries discussed the benefits of the technology.

The meeting was held in coordination with the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) through the Mexican Space Agency (AEM) to exchange of knowledge.

Both sides discussed the Use of Space Systems for Forest Fire Management, within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Space Agency (ISRO) held August 26 to 28 at the Conafor headquarters.

The Director General of CONAFOR, Luis Meneses Murillo, said that Mexican institutional knowledge and capabilities will be strengthened in the use of satellite images for monitoring forest ecosystems and integrated fire management, through the use of geospatial technologies based on satellite platforms.

He also stressed that it is a priority for the Government of Mexico to continue promoting actions for prevention, combat, research and monitoring of forest fires, seeking to safeguard peoples lives and protect forest ecosystems.

Dr. Salvador Landeros Ayala, the Director General of AEM, said thanks to the invaluable support of the SICT in spatial matters, this collaboration will allow the exchange of knowledge to monitor forest fires in Mexico, training in the mapping and evaluation of forest fires with remote sensing satellite data.

Photos: Conafor August 27, 2024.

He reiterated that Mexico considers space as a social good, with the objective of focusing satellite technology on addressing national problems and priority social tasks for the benefit of the population here on Earth, especially those who need it most.

Representing the Indian Embassy in Mexico, Deputy Head of Mission, Dr. Deepti Ganli, acknowledged the efforts to carry out this workshop since there has been an increase in forest fires that affect not only the environment, but also human life and wildlife.

He agreed on the importance of using space technology for its effectiveness in monitoring and managing fire.

Dr. Arijit Roy of the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) highlighted that forest fires have increased around the world due to climate change, and that satellite observation is a tool that can provide better monitoring and management of fire.

The Director General of Policy of the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID), Luisa Hortensia Solchaga Lopez, said that the Latin American and Caribbean region is more prone to natural disasters, so it is important to be more and better trained for timely action, achieved through international cooperation.

On behalf of the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), the Coordinator of International Cooperation, Iris Jimenez Castillo, recognized the efforts of international cooperation to face global challenges such as forest fires, and stressed that, for Semarnat, it is a pleasure to be able to support collaborative activities with sister countries such as India.

Photo: Conafor August 27, 2024.

The Asian country gained worldwide attention when it reached the orbit of the planet Mars in 2014 with its low-cost, home-made spacecraft Mangalyaan. Now it is joining forces with Mexico to integrate knowledge of the forestry sector in fire management and forestry resources, since both countries share the vision of space as a social good, and maintain a long tradition of cooperation.

For this reason, Conafor and AEM coordinate actions from the Federal Government so that specialists and national entities, whose functions include fire management and fighting forest fires, receive specialized training in cutting-edge satellite technologies, while working hand in hand to build a more equal and sustainable future
With overcrowding an issue at both Roanoke high schools, the school board may consider revitalizing the Jefferson Center downtown by perhaps returning students to its halls.

Superintendent Verletta White on Tuesday pitched an idea to turn the Jefferson Center performing arts venue into a magnet high school for arts and sciences.

I am going to ask you to dream with me again, White said to the school board. There is no magnet school for the arts in Southwest Virginia.

The city-owned Jefferson Center, originally built as a high school in 1923, direly needs more than $6.7 million in critical improvements, executives told the city council earlier this summer.

Cost of show biz: Roanoke venues need expensive upkeep Roanoke City Council heard updates this week regarding both Jefferson Center and Berglund Center, two city-owned facilities.

Meanwhile, both Patrick Henry and William Fleming high schools are populated past 120% capacity, each with more than 1,600 students enrolled, according to school board documents.

The 100-year-old former Jefferson High School only has one or two years of useful life remaining, if left in its current state, Jefferson Center officials said previously. White suggested a way to combine the needs of these two city institutions.

We envision that this would be a true magnet school for Roanoke City Public Schools, White said. A school with auditions and interviews, and those kinds of things.

Magnet schools differ from traditional high schools by offering specialized classes and coursework  in this case, focuses on arts and sciences. White offered the example of architecture being a discipline that requires a blend of both scientific and artistic abilities.

Roanoke has reinvented itself as a health and medical sciences city in recent years, White said. This would allow us to create a pipeline of our talented students for the higher education programs which would support our city.

The magnet school would compliment, not compete with, other Roanoke school programs like career and technical education, White said.

We believe that this would be a one of a kind school for the area, which would also be a draw for families to move to the city, White said. This would also be an opportunity to offer programs that arent necessarily being offered by our system as a standalone, or surrounding systems.

The school board also considered whether to expand the two existing high schools, or build an entirely new school, as offered by a feasibility study the board commissioned. But White pushed for this third option to create a magnet school.

Our idea would be that the Jefferson Center would remain a performing arts venue for the community, White said. Not taking anything away from the community, but a true partnership.

Jefferson Center renovations could cost $20 million to $30 million, and could take three to six years, board documents said. Thats compared to a $90 million to $120 million price tag and five to seven year timeline to build an entirely new high school. Roanoke last rebuilt its high schools into their present-day forms more than 15 years ago, Patrick Henry High in 2007 and William Fleming High in 2009.

We could even have side-by-side opportunities for our students and professional artists to work together, White said. Im a little excited about presenting this opportunity and the possibilities.

School board members, including Liz Quintana, said they liked the idea.

I just love the idea that its downtown, Quintana said. My main thing is that its accessible to all four quadrants.

White said this early idea could be more fully conceptualized by February. Shes already had some initial conversations with Jefferson Center leadership, and executive director Cyrus Pace was in the audience at the school board workshop on Tuesday evening.

We are sensitive to the fact that they have a venue to protect, and we dont want to impede on that, White said. We are sensitive to the tenants that are there at the Jefferson Center, as well as the programming.

Theres a lot more to consider, White said. School board members, including Chair Eli Jamison, said they want more certainty on how a magnet school would help alleviate the overcrowding issue at Roanokes two existing high schools.

I dont want to just satisfy todays capacity needs, Jamison said. I want to satisfy tomorrows.

Before the idea can go much further, the school system will need a sign of support from the city council. Eventually, the school division would need funding to make the project a reality.

It is the premiere location that were looking at first, White said. However, we might have to look at other locations as well.

The board agreed to bring this early vision to the Roanoke City Council during a joint meeting next week, scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday.

I think its definitely worth a discussion, Jamison said. I look forward to seeing where this goes.

Roanoke School Board approves cellphone policy; further tightening possible When schools start back next Tuesday, Roanoke students will be expected to follow stricter cellphone use policies.
BLACKSBURG  The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors approved new language in the student code of conduct Wednesday, making violations of federal, state, or local laws, regulations, orders, or ordinances official violations.

The item was included the consent agenda for the meeting and, as such, was passed without discussion by the board. The university has not responded to repeated requests for comment on whether the policy change is a response to last springs pro-Palestinian protests on campus.

During the meeting, there was only brief mention of the protests, which culminated in a protest encampment, and 82 arrests of protesters on April 29. The comment came from university President Tim Sands, in his remarks to the board.

On campus, we will continue to provide venues for constructive and respectful dialogue, in the spirit of our principles of community, across issues that divide our community and the nation, Sands said. You will hear more about these initiatives in the coming days, and Im excited about those. I think, with what we learned last year especially, weve got some structured conversations that will build toward getting people into the same room, who may be challenged to do so at this moment.

Policies were introduced before the school year started that banned several activities on university property, including camping on all university real property, overnight use of university property not designated for sleeping and the use of canopy tents for any activities not authorized officially by Virginia Tech.

The changes to this policy, officially designated as policy 5000, were also passed without public discussion by the board, or comment from the wider Virginia Tech community. The university also did not announce the bans publicly through its public relations channels.

Virginia Techs change of policy follows similar changes made at Virginia Commonwealth University, which banned camping, restricted masking at public gatherings and reduced the areas on-campus where drawing or writing with chalk are allowed. They are policies, as noted in a recent report by the Richmond Times-Dispatch, that came largely from a memo by Jason Miyares, Virginias attorney general.

Bikrum Gill, a professor at Virginia Tech, and frequent speaker at protests held last year, said he felt it was possible Virginia Tech passed the policy due to pressure from state government.

This change is obviously not a neutral change from the university, but an attempt to end a movement led by students or are either experiencing a genocide or standing in solidarity with students who are experiencing a genocide, Gill said. Maybe pressure from the governors office is pushing Virginia Tech to do this.

Gill also said that he hoped the university might decide to push against state policies in the future.

It (Virginia Tech) can push back, and if pressure is coming, were stronger if we stand together, Gill said. But it seems that many people in administration arent willing to do that.

Tuesdays board meeting was held with increased security, compared to last year, with all attendees required to have their identification and bags checked prior to entry. There were no protests during the meeting.

Ed Baine, the boards rector, was not present for the meeting, which was instead officiated by Dave Calhoun, the boards vice rector and recently retired CEO of Boeing.
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China moves to support veterans in flood-hit regions

Xinhua) 09:23, August 28, 2024

BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Veterans Affairs announced on Tuesday that assistance, both in the form of financial aid and material support, has been provided to veterans, their families and veteran volunteer rescue organizations in flooded areas.

The ministry coordinated with national veterans' welfare organizations to help affected ex-service personnel build back their lives after the floods and to improve veteran organizations' rescue capabilities.

This year's peak flood season in China, from late July to early August, has seen heavy rainfall and typhoons causing flash flooding across several regions.

The ministry emphasized its continued efforts to support veterans facing challenges due to natural disasters, serious illnesses, and other emergencies.

It pledged support for social participation and various funding channels to help ex-service personnel across the country overcome difficulties.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Jonathan David Casanova Garcia, 20, was sentenced to eight years in prison for posting videos online of him sexually abusing and killing animals. Bexar County Sheriff's Office

A San Antonio man was sentenced to eight years in prison for sexually abusing a dog and posting videos of it online.

Jonathan Davis Casanova Garcia, 20, was sentenced by state District Judge Ron Rangel in the 379th Criminal District Court on Monday. Casanova Garcia was charged with two counts of cruelty to non-livestock and one count of assault on a family member by choking.

Casanova Garcia was sentenced to the maximum under the plea bargain, eight years in prison for each charge. The charges, which are both third degree felonies, will be served concurrently.

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The investigation into Garcia stemmed from a 2023 tip from someone who called police stating Casanova Garcia had plans to commit a mass shooting at the Happy Place Bar on Rittiman Road.

Courts & Crime: Trial date set for fired SAPD officers accused in fatal shooting of woman in mental crisis

According to an affidavit supporting Casanova Garcias arrest, the complainant, who was a musician at the bar, told police they came across posts on Casanova Garcias Instagram where Garcia stated he was going to shoot up the bar during an event being held on Jan. 28, 2023. He also said it would be his last night on Earth.

Police said the threats made by Casanova Garcia were not credible. However, the complainant also said they came across disturbing videos and photos. They said that on his Instagram page, Casanova Garcia was touching a dogs genitals and physically abusing other animals.

One photo showed a cat that was still alive with multiple safety pins poked through its ear. A second photo showed a dead cat with blood on its head and mouth. An another video, Casanova Garcia was burying a dead cat in a yard.

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In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Animal Care Services said Casanova Garcia was arrested late last year after a joint investigation from Animal Care Services and San Antonio Police Department.

Lisa Norwood, a spokesperson for ACS, said the dog, a young male boxer, was rescued by ACS and adopted into a new home.

Bexar County court records show Garcia had previously been charged with assaulting a peace officer, assault bodily injury, evading arrest and graffiti.
How to Do It is Slates sex advice column. Have a question? Send it to Jessica and Rich here. Its anonymous!

Dear How to Do It,

My boyfriend of two years knows my ex cheated on me and recently revealed that he went to a strip club and had a private lap dance paid for by his friends. I feel like he crossed multiple boundaries but this is the first mistake hes ever made in our relationship. Is it worth throwing away everything we have over this one mistake or should try and rebuild trust again?

Do I Stay or Do I Go?

Dear Do I Stay or Do I Go?,

A violation of rules isnt always grounds alone for dissolving a relationship. What must be considered is the seriousness of the offense, the extent of contrition from the offending party, and whether the wronged party sees a path to building back trust. Plus, it could be a mistake to break up out of principle if you really dont want the relationship to end. Right now, you say you dont know if its worth throwing away your relationship. Your first job is to figure that out. It might be worth writing out an old-school pros-and-cons sheetone column devoted to staying, the other to going. That might help you visualize whether or not this relationship is worth keeping alive.

I know your boyfriends behavior offended you, and your feelings are understandable. In my opinion, however, a strip club visit (even with the lap dance) is a low-level offense. No actual sex took place, right? If your boyfriend knew, in no uncertain terms, that he was never to set foot in such an establishment, the offense is a bit deeper than if this boundary was never specified and only implied. The plausible deniability factor should be taken into consideration. You should also reflect on his disclosure and subsequent conversation. Did your boyfriend tell you upfront what happened, or did you discover his club visit via other channels, effectively catching him? If he told you, that strikes me as the behavior of someone who messed up but is trustworthy. Someone who is sincerely apologetic and offers assurance that this wouldnt happen again is easier to forgive than someone who responds flippantly and without regard for the future. Whether hes offered you security that you believe you can count on should be a big factor in your decision.

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What this may come down to is accepting that your partner is imperfect and is capable of mistakes. That makes himhuman. But another thing that makes him human is attraction to people that arent you. He may promise to never violate any of your rules again, and he may stick to that promise, but hes likely always going to be someone who finds other people attractive. This is extremely common. We dont weld blinders to peoples faces when they pair off. Accepting that his strip club visit comes from a real, primal place might be a challenge, but its worth trying for your own peace of mind.

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How to Get Advice From How to Do It

Have a nagging (or totally inconsequential) question about sex? Its fun to see your words in this column! Send it in now.

Dear How to Do It,

How can I make my boyfriend understand my feelings and get him to communicate honestly? I love my boyfriend with all of my heartwe have been together for seven years. Several times he has asked me how I feel about opening the relationship to which I said, Why? Is that what you want or is this your way of telling me you have been having sex with someone else? He always claims that he isnt messing with anyone else andis just curious. I doubt thats all it is.

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So how can I get him to be honest with me? I have been lied to and cheated on too many times to count. I fell in love with this man because he said he wanted the same things as mea monogamous relationshipand he promised hed always be honest. For the past couple of years, it seems like he is hiding something from me and I have asked several times but he cant seem to have a real conversation with me about it. How do I get him to open up?

Wanting More

Dear Wanting More,

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While its understandable that someone who has endured deception and betrayal would take your current approach, I dont think its going to facilitate conversation, which is what youre after here, right? You cant ethically make someone communicate. You can, however, help foster honesty by projecting an open mind and accepting your boyfriends answers. People often shut down when they feel like they arent being heard, or that they arent being read in good faith. You have asked your boyfriend a question and he answered you. Beyond your past experiences that have nothing to do with your boyfriend, are there reasons not to believe him?

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I think the most charitable interpretation of his inquiry and subsequent answer to your accusation-laced response is that he is interested in having sex with someone else. Thats to say that he may fall into a gray area that your two options dont cover. Is this your way of telling me you have been having sex with someone else?, really isnt inviting. It puts him on the defense and, it seems, prompts him to retreat. At a minimum, you should be keeping your lines of communication open so you can collect information. If this isnt the relationship for you, youll be able to ascertain that a lot more easily if hes being upfront about his desires.

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Seven years is a long time. A lot has happened in those seven yearsIm sure this is true personally, but Im specifically referring to our culture, in which non-monogamy has become a mainstream conversation and apps like Feeld cater to those interested in it. He may have gone into the relationship assuming he wanted monogamy but something shifted along the way. What hed be doing, in that case, is being honest by letting you know whats up with him and checking in with you to see if he can reconcile his interests with your boundaries.

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If hes hiding something, Im not sure that youre giving him a safe space to divulge it. This isnt as simple as, You can tell me, I promise not to lash out. Its a kind of discursive trust that must be built over time. If I were you, instead of immediately jumping to the conclusion that he may be cheating on you when he brings up opening up the relationship, ask more open questions that dont smack of blame. When did he start feeling this way? How does he foresee an open relationship with you operating? What does he know about open relationships and why does he think such an arrangement could be good for you both? Seek clarity by asking instead of thwarting it by telling.

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Help us keep giving the advice you crave every week. Slate Plus members get additional How to Do It columns each week. Sign up for Slate Plus now.

Dear How to Do It,

Im a woman and have been dating in the poly scene in my (large, coastal) city for about five years. Ive been exploring my queer identity and kink and play parties for about the last two or three years. Last year, I ended a three-year relationship with a partner who was emotionally unavailable. That relationship really took up a lot of emotional energy for me, and navigating its end and other life events over the past year have kind of been the center of my world up until now. Part of why I stayed with someone who was emotionally unavailable, (while also dating outside that relationship), was that I am seeking a primary or anchor partner, and for a long time, I felt that relationship had the potential to become a primary or anchor relationship. My partner encouraged those feelings.

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Ive never really been in any other serious relationship, and Im in my mid-30s. Dating in the poly, kink, and play scenes makes me feel like Ive missed the boat on finding a person to build a life and find stability with. My previous relationship was incidentally monogamous to begin with because we met in the fall of 2020, my partner worked at a hospital, and I was pretty COVID risk-averse. Which is to say, I dont think a monogamous or even vanilla relationship is beyond me, but I just feel like Ive run out of tools for trying to find a partner. The regular dating apps dont really serve me well (Im queer, a person of color, and fat as well as the other identities Ive shared), and the algorithms make me feel undervalued. Feeld is great for finding hookups but most of the folks I encounter already have primary partners or are not seeking one (plus navigating that app as a single woman requires a LOT of energy and extra levels of discernment). Going to mixers and munches for the kink/play organizations Im a member of can sometimes feel like being swiped left on a dating app.

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Do you have any other suggestions for how to meet a partner? Or at least how to renew my energy for dating? This letter may not be the best display of it, but I am a self-confident person and love myself (and I can definitely attribute some of this to the communities and friends Ive found in kink and queer spaces). The traditional RuPaul advice of, How you gonna love someone else if you cant love yourself? feels pretty trite right now.

Loving Me But Lonely

Dear Loving Me But Lonely,

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As Whitney Houston sang at the end of her indelible self-empowerment anthem, The Greatest Love of All: Find your strength in love. I know dating is hard. I know that youre actively looking for a partner, and from what it sounds like, youre doing that with integrity and a positive mindset. I know people treat others unfairly based on their perceptions. Everything that you say in this letter reads as genuine and lived-in. Your past is not to be discounted, but it doesnt have to define your future. This is my long-winded way of telling you to keep going. Rejection is a key feature of this process. Yeah, it can wear you down, so you must resolve to not be defeated.

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Youre looking for something specific, which means it will take time to find. Its been a year or so. Hold onto hope. Relationships can develop from hook-ups, so I wouldnt take those off the table or stop looking in the places that tend to provide them, like Feeld. Relationships can also intensify beyond their initial parameters. You might not start as someones primary, but you could end up as one, by building something over time. Similarly, you may find someone that youre into who is more monogamous-leaning, but eventually open things up with them. I wouldnt recommend hiding your poly inclinations, but the relationship doesnt have to be centered on them, at least not at first. You mention munches and mixers for your local kink/play groups. Have you checked out the local poly scene and attended its meetings? That may help you cast a wider net.

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I understand that you want to find a partner. Thats a very common desirejust short of being universal. But in my experience, you dont will that into happening, in the same way that a 20-year-old with journalism ambitions doesnt just wake up one day writing for the New York Times. This is about building, and I think its about acceptance. Dont try to cram your relationships into your framework of what you should or shouldnt have; build the bonds and then assess what they mean to you. Date people with less seriousness. You mention RuPauls catchphrase, but theres another popular saying that often applies: Love comes when you least expect it. That sounds like magical thinking and I suppose it often is, but I think the anxiety of what is effectively castingsearching for a person to fit the pre-ordained role of your partnercan be palpable and, frankly, unappealing to others. I want you to give yourself time and grace to meet someone by continuing down the paths youve already cleared for yourself. Youre doing a great job. You love yourself, which means that rejection will not hit your core, no matter how much it stings externally in the moment. Youve got this already, just have some patience and let things work the way they will.

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Dear How to Do It,

Im a straight cis woman in my 50s. Ive aged pretty well and have a strong sex drive. Im very attracted to my partner, but hes 10 years older and seems to have resigned himself to never having sex again. Im devastated, but in the years leading up to now, its been dwindling (I think hes not attracted to me because hes had a hard time with the physical aspect) from once per week, to once a month, to every few months, to once per year (in the middle of this time, I became the boss at work and that didnt help. Hes now retired). We havent had sex in almost two years and before that, it had been a year. I tried to initiate here and there, but was always rebuffed (he almost denies this) and I finally gave up. He blames me, I blame him. We talked about it the other day and this is what we came to agree are the facts. Talking about it doesnt help.

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He asked if I was going to leave him. Why didnt he ask if I wanted to open the relationship (like the letter I just read that convinced me to write in to you)?

Signed, F*ck Me Please!

Dear FMP,

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Youre much closer in proximity and emotion to his head than I am, so if you cant explain why he didnt suggest an open relationship, how could I? I can guess, though. Maybe it has something to do with him being in his 60s and growing up during a time when monogamy was presented as the only relationship model. Maybe his mind hasnt opened to the possibility of non-monogamy, maybe it never will. Maybe he didnt think yours was, either. Who knows?

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I think the more important question is: Why didnt you ask him if you could open the relationship? You were right there! He asked if you were going to leave him. You could have said, Before I do that, Id like to explore the possibility of opening our relationship. Why become angry, exasperated, or incredulous that your partner didnt say something when you have the full capacity to ask for it yourself? Sometimes saying what your partner wont is your duty, if its for the good of the relationship that you are both trying to make work. I suggest having this conversation again in a more active mindsetyou bring up opening things and see how he reacts.

Rich

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I recently came out to my wife as bisexual, and although she has been aware of my sexuality since college, it is only now that I am choosing to self-identify. The feelings of hate and loathing, shame, and denial I had been directing at myself since childhood were such a burden, and I felt I had to stop hiding my feelings and be honest about who I am, without the negativity. Now, I feel the best I ever have about myself and I love it. The problem is that my wife doesnt seem to understand how I can be celebrating my love for cock while celebrating my love for pussy, specifically hers.
If youre connected to the tech world or even slightly interested in it, you probably noticed and were maybe even alarmed by a major event this past weekend: the sudden arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov by French authorities at Le Bourget Airport, outside Paris, late Saturday night. This action was reportedly taken as part of the French governments investigation into illegal activity coordinated across Durovs app, a secretive messaging platform often employed by networks of criminals and scammers (though by no means exclusively so). It took until Monday for the French government to provide an official release on the charges it was investigatingincluding complicity in the distribution of drugs and child sexual abuse materialwith regard to a different suspected criminal. After holding him for 96 hours, French law enforcement transferred Durov from police custody to a Parisian court, where he awaits further questioning and a possible indictment as of Wednesday afternoon. [Update, Aug. 28, 2024, at 4:22 p.m.: Le Monde reported Wednesday that a French judge has indicted Durov on all 12 charges laid out by the French Court of Justice. Per a judicial press release, Durov is to be placed under judicial supervision, with the obligation to pay bail of 5 million euros; to report to the police station twice a week; and to be banned from leaving French territory.]

The charges against Pavel Durov (Telegram) were made public. There are still a lot of question marks that remain. Official press release  pic.twitter.com/lLcgoVT8lQ  Mathias Vermeulen (@mathver) August 26, 2024

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There were few other details offered about Durovs prosecution in the immediate aftermath, and there remain plenty of questions, as well as legitimate concerns, about why all this is happening in the first place. So, naturally, the initial reactions sent out even bigger digital shock waves than the arrest itself had. Right-wingers like Tucker Carlson (who interviewed Durov on his postFox News online show back in April and calls him a friend) declared that his arrest was an indicator of democratic backsliding among NATO-member nations like France and the United States. This sentiment was echoed by venture capitalist and podcaster David Sacks, who implied that an international deep-state apparatus had worked to crack down on this free-speech platform. (An odd theory, considering that French President Emmanuel Macron himself uses Telegram and had held a private lunch with Durov in 2018.) Elon Musk acolytes such as Ian Miles Cheong and Naomi Seibt catapulted off Sacks claim to warn that this was all a pretext for these governments to go after X, another supposed free-speech bastion.

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Other reactions were more uncertain, due to the vague nature of the case. The New York Times Zeynep Tufekci urged caution before calling Durovs arrest a free speech infringement, as did Stanford Cyber Policy Center expert Daphne Keller. Techdirts Mike Masnick noted that the French press release had not calmed the concerns that this is overreach, but nothing has made it clear that it definitely is overreach either. A legal counselor for the digital-rights watchdog Access Now tweeted that even though Telegram has historically been terrible about protecting its users and abiding by regulations, the French governments actions could still set a troubling precedent for government overreach.

Because Telegram is popular primarily in other countries, Americans may know little about Pavel Durov, his signature app, and why any of this mattersand it does matter, even if youre completely in the dark on the exact reasons. Allow me to break it all down below.

So, who is Pavel Durov?

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Durov is a Russian tech entrepreneur who rose to success in the mid-2000s, when he was inspired by the emergence of Facebook to create a similar social network for Russian users. With the help of two university classmates and his older brother Nikolai, Durov launched the website VKontakte, better known as VK, to the public in 2007. It quickly became Russias most popular social network, a status it maintains today.

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However, Durov clashed with the Russian government on multiple occasions: in 2011, after officials demanded that VK scrub accounts belonging to opposition politicians contesting that years elections; and in 2014, when Russia requested personal data belonging to various Ukrainian protesters and also asked that Durov obscure famed dissident Alexei Navalnys page from broader access. After these conflicts, Durov was fired from VK, inspiring him to flee Russia and begin working on a different venture.

I assume that venture was Telegram?

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Correct! The year before he left VK (and Russia), Durov worked again with Nikolai to develop and launch Telegram, meant to be a secure and fun platform that offered various means by which users could protect from undue surveillance the messages they sent one another: encryption options, lack of ability to forward messages from one established chat room to a different one, increased bandwidth for quickly transmitting large files and attachments, and an option to set self-destruct timers on particular messages.

Such features (particularly the forwarding and storage terms, as well as the wide number of participants who could join one relatively unregulated chatroom) differentiated Telegram from other secure texting apps, like Signal and WhatsAppit also became something of a social network. Telegram rode its creators fame to garner hundreds of thousands of users within months of its launch, earning quick uptake in regions including the Middle East and East Asia, where communicators looked to duck government overreach and censorship. In subsequent years, Telegrams base grew to encompass hundreds of millions of users, many of them based in South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and even Durovs home country of Russia.

Seems like a cool app. Whats the issue?

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There have been many. One of them deals with the nature of Telegrams supposed encryption. Unlike WhatsApp and Signal, end-to-end encryption is not the default option for messages on the platform, and its difficult for lay users to manually encrypt each conversation theyd wish to protect, as Johns Hopkins University professor and cryptographer Matthew Green has written. This is before you even get into the custom chat rooms and one-way broadcast channels with large numbers of participantsTelegrams most popular, and least secured, feature. With its lack of default encryption for the vast majority of messages, plus its habit of storing messages in plain text on its servers, Telegrams contents were clearly not as safeguarded as its marketing would have you believe.

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Oh, yeah, and it maybe wasnt a great free-speech platform either, given that it granted a 2017 request from the Iranian government to shut down a grassroots protest channel that had called for violent action. Though in fairness, the app has stood firm against other censorship orders from autocracies like Myanmar and Russia, the latter of which temporarily banned the app in 2018.

I respect @durov, but Ptacek is right: @telegram's defaults are dangerous. Without a major update, it's unsafe. https://t.co/pbBt2rHr5x  Edward Snowden (@Snowden) December 19, 2015

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Other issues were reputational. If youd heard of Telegram at any point over the past few years, it was probably because youd stumbled across a story of the app being used for crimes: cryptocurrency scams, distribution of unlawfully hacked or stolen data, sales of illegal products like drugs and weapons, and the nonconsensual spread of sexts and pornographic imagesincluding child sexual abuse.

Durovs principled stance against government-driven privacy violations often ran up against the apps lack of 1) user protection, 2) anti-crime provisions, and 3) internal moderation, which allowed many hateful actors to transmit horrific rhetoric and video. Its anti-government stance also meant that it refused to even voluntarily report to regulatory authorities instances of distribution of child-sexual-abuse material, which made international law enforcements job all the more difficult.

So what landed Durov in trouble this time?

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The details remain sketchy, but heres what we know for sure. On Saturday, Durov flew from Azerbaijan to France on his private jetalong with his bodyguard and a crypto influencer named Juli Vavilovaand was arrested after disembarking at Le Bourget, where the French child-sexual-abuse investigation agency OFMIN served him a warrant. Per the release from the French Court of Justice, the ongoing investigation, which kicked off July 8, was not meant to specifically target Durov; there is allegedly a different, still-unidentified individual in the crosshairs.

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According to a Wednesday-morning Politico report, France sent out arrest warrants for Durov and Nikolai back in March, after the messaging platform gave no answer to an earlier judicial request to identify a Telegram user. This user, according to the French undercover investigation that spurred the warrants, evidently discussed luring underaged girls into sending self-produced child pornography,  threatened to release it on social media, and told the investigators he had raped a young child. Following Telegrams refusal to name the suspect, French law enforcement called the platform out with regard to the other criminal activities that occur there, as well as the Durovs consistent avoidance of government authority.

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Related From Slate Elon Musk Is a Threat to International Peace Read More

In addition, Durov is the subject of a criminal complaint in Switzerland, per Forbes, which was filed by a former partner of his who claimed he regularly abused one of the children theyd had together. That case has no bearing on Frances, but it signals further legal trouble for Durov.

So Durov is definitely being held liable for  something. There is only one direct charge in the French courts release (money laundering), and the rest are far more abstract. There are six complaints for which the accused is held to be complicit: possessing and spreading child porn, managing an online platform for illegal transactions, committing organized fraud, providing access to hacking tools without legitimate reason, and selling drugs. One further charge consists of refusal to communicate helpful material to appropriate crime-busting authorities, and yet another involves a vague criminal association with a view to committing a crime or an offense punishable by 5 or more years of imprisonment.

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The most worrying charges for free-speech advocates come at the end. There are two counts around the provision of cryptology servicesin this case, privatized messaging encoded to be invisible to third partiesthat dont require users to register their real identities or prove that theyre not criminals. Theres one more count of importing such a service without prior declarationwhich would imply that France sees the use of internationally based, unregulated encryption service as a crime all its own.

If Telegram is being targeted for simply existing as the secretive platform it purports to be, that could certainly spell trouble for digital privacy globally. Whether or not you like Telegram, the fact is that messaging services with options for end-to-end encryption are an essential, popular, and easily accessible means by which users can avoid undue surveillance from repressive governmental authorities, overly intrusive cops, and bad-faith actors whod like to disrupt righteous protests and rallies. If France decides that encryption itself is bad because criminals may use it, its fellow European Union members may wish to follow suitand privacy all over the world will suffer.
Similar statue caused stir in the past.

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Recently, a bronze bust of Stephen I, the first king of Hungary, was unveiled in Nove Zamky, south Slovakia. The event happened on the occasion of celebrations in his honour, reports My Nove Zamky.

In Hungary, August 20 is a national holiday, and the Hungarian minority living in Slovakia joins the celebrations every year.

The event included a light projection on the building of the local branch of the Csemadok Hungarian minority organisation, showing scenes from the wars during the history of Hungary among other things. More than 70 smart lamps and several projectors were used for this purpose and the projection was repeated twice.

The projection on the Csemadok building. (Source: Anton Hrachovsky)

The bust is mounted on a metre-high pedestal made by artist Janos Lukacs. It stands in front of the Csemadok building, right next to the bust of the poet and priest Gergely Czuczor.

"It cost 9,360 and was financed from donations from the Hungarian community, combined with a little over 2,000 from funds from Hungary," explains Csemadok chair Jozsef Danczi. He adds that the the branch was looking for a place to lay wreaths during the celebrations on August 20 since it lacked a suitable place.

Stephen I of Hungary Born in circa 975 and given the pagan name Vajk. Between 995-997 he ruled the Duchy of Nitra. He then became the Grand Prince of Hungarians until around 1000, when he became the first King of Hungary, a post he held until his death in 1038.

Although there was no dispute surrounding the event this time around, the same cannot be said about a similar event in 2009 in nearby Komarno.

Back then, a significantly larger statue of Stephen I was unveiled in Trznicne Namestie square, with residents contributing more than 12,000 in a public collection.

The Slovak Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a diplomatic note, not recommending then Hungarian president Laszlo Solyom to come to Slovakia, citing a security risk. Nevertheless, the latter came on foot to the middle of the bridge between the towns of Komarno and Komarom in Hungary. He then turned around and went back.

Shortly after its unveiling, unknown perpetrators threw eggs at the base of the statue.
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The French were among the most numerous nationalities involved in the Slovak National Uprising (SNP), an armed two-month anti-Nazi operation, even though their homeland was hundreds of kilometres away. Despite a lack of equipment and only brief training, the French fought several difficult battles, in which, despite heavy losses, they managed to slow the advance of German forces. Didier Rogasik, the press attache of the French Embassy in Bratislava, who has been studying the role of the French in the SNP for several years, explains how they made their way to Slovakia, how they integrated into the rebel army, and what fate awaited them later.

The reported number of French who participated in the Slovak National Uprising has increased over time due to ongoing research. How many were there according to the latest findings?

After so many years, it is not easy to obtain new information. One has to search for and study materials in archives, since there are not many witnesses from that time left. Sometimes, we find something that suddenly makes sense of what was written in the past or contradicts old information. Let me give you a specific example. It was often stated that 460 Frenchmen fought in Slovakia from the start of the SNP until the countrys liberation, and that 107 of them fell. I always had doubts about this number, which I considered exaggerated, partly because I never found a source that confirmed it. During a recent visit to the Museum of the SNP archive in Banska Bystrica, a document revealed an interesting fact: [Georges Barazer] de Lannurien (commander of the French partisan unit in Slovakia during the SNP, ed.) gave a brief interview to the rebel newspaper Pravda, in which he stated that he lost a total of 107 men. He was referring not only to those who died in battle, but also to those who were missing or taken prisoner. I am trying to search through books and archives for various lists and, based on that, compile a roster of those who fought and fell in Slovakia. This work is not yet complete. So far, 61 fallen soldiers have been identified by name. I am also aware of other French citizens: Pierre Lorren (22 years old), buried in Brezina near Trencin, and Frederic Hubert, a doctor and member of Captain Nalepkas partisan brigade. In addition to these two, the French Ministry of Defense records three more Frenchmen who allegedly died in Slovakia in 1944 and 1945: Henri Albert Bille, Gervais Camille Alphonse Campion, and Francois Jean Paradeis. I will continue to seek more information about them.

How did the French fighters manage to reach Slovakia, considering that these two countries are quite far apart?

There were two main groups. The first consisted of professional soldiers and those who were in military service at the time and had fought in the French army during the war. When France lost the war to Germany in June 1940, 1.7 million soldiers were taken prisoner. They ended up in various camps, from which some managed to escape. They learned that Hungary was not at war with France, so they decided to go there and then, via Romania and Yugoslavia, try to reach North Africa to continue the fight. In total, there were 1,200 French soldiers in Hungary. Some left, but then [Yugoslav communist leader Josip Broz] Tito closed the borders, and they could not escape from Hungary. About 800 French soldiers remained there. I recently discovered some very interesting information: in the unit under the command of de Lannurien, there were a few young Frenchmen who, after Frances capitulation in June 1940, voluntarily went to work in Germany. Later, they escaped and made it to Hungary. The youngest was 17 years old. Some of them fell in the battles in Slovakia.

Didier Rogasik A former professional soldier, Didier Rogasik served for 15 years in the French Army (ground forces). During his career, he worked for three years (19982001) as the assistant to the defence attache at the French Embassys military office in Slovakia. He also worked with the French editorial team at Radio Slovakia International. Since January 2007, he has been working again at the French Embassy in Bratislava as a press attache.

The second group consisted of young men doing forced labour in munitions factories. Those who later fought in Slovakia were initially near Vienna, and when the Allies bombed these factories, the Germans decided to move production to Slovakia and transferred more than 490 Frenchmen to Dubnica nad Vahom. I have an exact list of them, although one page is missing. Of course, not all of them later joined the SNP. The organisers of the French unit, experienced officers (lieutenants) Georges Barazer de Lannurien and Michel Bourel de la Ronciere, together escaped from a POW camp in July 1942. They intended to reach Turkey and from there join the French army. While passing through Slovakia, they were detained near Sered by Slovak gendarmes. They were imprisoned for a week for attempting to cross the border illegally and then had to stay in Trnava. There, they met two other French officers, Rene-Camille Marouze and Gerard Collier de la Morliere. They learned that a resistance movement was being prepared in the area. Eventually, they managed to reach Hungary, where they were tasked with finding out how many Frenchmen were in the camp near Lake Balaton. About 400 Frenchmen volunteered to fight in the planned uprising, and in August 1944, they crossed the border in groups and arrived in Slovakia. The crossings were organised by Lieutenant de la Ronciere. The soldiers stopped for one night at the bakery of Stoklasa in Sered, then continued by train to Martin. They were accompanied by two women, members of resistance movements: Ludmila Zajicova from Trnava and Frantiska Hrubiskova from Bratislava. De la Ronciere was wounded during the last crossing, so he did not fight in Slovakia afterward. Less than 150 Frenchmen made it to Slovakia.

From Dubnica, a group of workers escaped at the beginning of September 1944, but there are some uncertainties. The Dubnica nad Vahom chronicle states that two groups of 60 workers each left: the first group, consisting of Czechs and Frenchmen, on September 3, and the second group on the following day, September 4. However, only 58 men registered with de Lannurien, so it seems that one group went elsewhere, probably to the Jan Zizka brigade. Later, at the beginning of February 1945, another group of 186 French workers escaped. On August 12, 1944, the de Lannurien company was formed, attached to the M. R. Stefanik brigade. Its strength was 99 men on August 28 and increased to 145 men by September 2. The maximum number, 198 Frenchmen, was reached at the end of October 1944. There were also a few more Frenchmen who arrived in other ways. For example, I know of two who were in the Nitra brigade and died in Topolcianky in January 1945.

Did De Lannurien intend to create an independent French unit from the beginning?

Yes, that was his plan. Ive read various testimonies about why the French wanted to go and fight. Its often said that they could have stayed at Lake Balaton because they had a good life there. They could even work during the day. While this is true, it was only until March 1944, when German troops arrived in Hungary. After that, they began searching for French soldiers as well. Perhaps thats why they decided to go to Slovakia. Another reason is that some never accepted the French capitulation and wanted to continue fighting, even at the risk of dying in an unknown country. I always emphasise, and its important to remember, that they all went to fight in Slovakia voluntarily. No one ever forced them to do so. All the other French who chose to stay in Hungary had to go into hiding.

Didier Rogasik at the SNP celebrations in Strecno in August 2016. (Source: Archive of D. R.)

How was the French battalion named after Marshal Ferdinand Foch involved in the functioning of the insurgent army? Who commanded it, and how did it cooperate with Slovak and Soviet units?

With difficulty, and Ill explain why. The Foch Battalion was part of the 1st M. R. Stefanik Brigade, commanded by Soviet Colonel Piotr Velicko. There was also a Slovak unit and one Soviet battalion. I recently watched a 2009 documentary about the Slovak National Uprising by Dusan Hudec, which I collaborated on. Two Frenchmen, who were still alive at the time, recalled that while the Soviet soldiers fought well, discipline was not their strong suit. A major problem was the lack of communication between the units during combat. The best example of this was the battle at Priekopa. The French, Slovaks, and Soviets all went into battle, but they were not coordinated. The French were left almost on their own. This lack of coordination between the units was a common complaint.
What coalition MPs think of culture minister, the stories of Americans and Frenchmen during Slovak National Uprising, and a spectacular event for the occasion.

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Good evening. Here is the Wednesday, August 28 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.

Don't forget, tomorrow is a national holiday and almost all shops are closed.

Symbol of fight against oppression

The sculpture called "Victims are Warning" created by Jozef Jankovic in 1969. It depicts the human suffering and victims of war. It is located in the premises of the museum. (Source: SME)

On August 29, Slovakia celebrates the Slovak National Uprising (SNP), one of the largest armed uprisings during World War II, as well as one of the most important events in the history of Slovakia.

SNP was an expression of resistance against the Nazi occupation and the openly collaborating pro-Hitler Slovak government and then president Jozef Tiso. The politicians dragged the country into wars against Poland and the Soviet Union, and restricted the civil and human rights of its own population.

The event is considered a symbol of the fight against the Nazi oppression and the determination to achieve a freer and more democratic Slovakia. By rising up, Slovaks wanted to show to the world that most of the nation supported the Allies, not the official government of the country.

Many Slovaks were dissatisfied with the loss of rights and freedoms, and disapproved of the deportations of Jews to death camps, as well as German military actions. These were the driving force behind the rise of general discontent.

The town of Banska Bystrica became the main centre of the uprising; Slovak Army Lieutenant Colonel General Jan Golian issued the code "Start to move out" for military units on the evening of August 29, 1944, which signalled the start of active military defence against the Nazi occupation.

At the time when SNP began, the insurgents controlled a significant part of what was then central Slovakia. An illegal insurgent radio station was established, which broadcast from Banska Bystrica and reported on events in the insurgent territory. The rebel army consisted of approximately 60,000 soldiers and thousands of guerrillas. Not only Slovak soldiers joined the SNP, but also foreign soldiers from many different nations, including Spaniards, Italians, Belgians, Dutch, Romanians and Serbs. Even Kazakhs and Tajiks joined in the fighting.

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FEATURE STORY

French heroes in Slovak uniforms

French partisans in combat action near Strecno in 1944. (Source: SLOVAK NATIONAL LIBRARY  LITERARY ARCHIVE (SIGN. SOC 2/185))

The French were among the most numerous nationalities involved in the Slovak National Uprising, an armed two-month anti-Nazi operation, even though their homeland was hundreds of kilometres away. Despite a lack of equipment and only brief training, the French fought several difficult battles, in which they managed to slow the advance of German forces.

Didier Rogasik, the press attache of the French Embassy in Bratislava, who has been studying the role of the French in the SNP for several years, explains how they made their way to Slovakia, how they integrated into the rebel army, and what fate awaited them later.

EVENT FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW

Join in on the SNP celebrations

Celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising in Banska Bystrica. (Source: TASR)

On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising, celebrations are taking place in Banska Bystrica, central Slovakia, on August 28-29, offering rich programme.

On Wednesday, the Slovak National Uprising Museum will open its gates to visitors for free. The programme includes a column of historical vehicles, as well as meeting with the uprising veterans. On Thursday, the museum will open once again; moreover, there will be commemorative laying of wreaths, music programme and later, a military parade. For more information, click here.

IN OTHER NEWS

Slovakia will purchase six mobile air-defence systems from Israel, with the price estimated at more than 554 million. The Slovak Defence Ministry is expected to sign an intergovernmental agreement with Israel by the end of October. According to materials, the systems are the most advantageous from the economic, technical and time point of view. The first of the systems will arrive in late 2025. (TASR)

The Slovak Defence Ministry is expected to sign an intergovernmental agreement with Israel by the end of October. According to materials, the systems are the most advantageous from the economic, technical and time point of view. The first of the systems will arrive in late 2025. (TASR) Former boxer and MP Viliam Tanko has decided to leave the Slovensko movement (formerly OLaNO) and will porbably become an independent MP as he does not want to comment on his joining any other party caucus in Parliament. However, Slovensko MPs are afraid that he might start supporting the governing coalition. Tanko will not be the only MP that will change caucus. Non-parliamentary party Demokrati will have its first MP, stated its chair Jaroslav Nad on Sunday without providing any further detail. However, it will not be Tanko. (SME)

as he does not want to comment on his joining any other party caucus in Parliament. However, Slovensko MPs are afraid that he might start supporting the governing coalition. Tanko will not be the only MP that will change caucus. Non-parliamentary party Demokrati will have its first MP, stated its chair Jaroslav Nad on Sunday without providing any further detail. However, it will not be Tanko. (SME) Slovak authorities have revoked temporary protection for pro-Russian Ukrainian politician and businessman Artyom Marchevsky , who is on the Czech sanctions list. Marchevsky is alleged to have bribed European politicians. (Denik N)

, who is on the Czech sanctions list. Marchevsky is alleged to have bribed European politicians. (Denik N) On September 27, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini and his Czech counterpart Petr Pavel will unveil a new astronomical clock on the grounds of the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library (NCSML) in Iowa, US. The clock, made in the style of the one at the Old Town Hall in Prague, will form part of a clock tower built nearly 30 years ago. It will feature 12 approximately one metre tall wooden figures carved by Slovak artist and sculptor Andrej Harsany; they represent stories of immigrants and will move every hour to music by Czech composers Antonin Dvorak and Bedrich Smetana. (TASR)

The clock, made in the style of the one at the Old Town Hall in Prague, will form part of a clock tower built nearly 30 years ago. It will feature 12 approximately one metre tall wooden figures carved by Slovak artist and sculptor Andrej Harsany; they represent stories of immigrants and will move every hour to music by Czech composers Antonin Dvorak and Bedrich Smetana. (TASR) Slovakia does not accept the recommendation of the UN Human Rights Council to refrain from any measures aimed at intimidating judges and members of the anti-corruption police, the media, civil society organisations and human rights defenders. According to the government, the country does not register activities leading to intimidation on the part of the state that would be covered by the recommendation. (SITA)

Inspection of a hive ahead of the autumn season in the village of Strecno near Zilina, north Slovakia. (Source: TASR)

WEATHER FOR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY: Expect generally sunny weather, but occasionally in some places cloud cover might increase with showers and rain. Daily temperatures between 30 C to 35 C, in Orava region and around Tatras 28 C. Level 1 and 2 high temperature warning issued for districts in western, southern and eastern Slovakia, see map here. (SHMU)

AUGUST 29 NAME DAY: Nikola, Nikolaj.

AUGUST 30 NAME DAY: Ruzena.

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Removing the culture minister is tricky, notes liberal MP Zora Jaurova in an interview with The Slovak Spectator.

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Zora Jaurova, a shadow culture minister and Progressive Slovakia MP, has been involved in Slovak culture for more than two decades. Today, with the Culture Ministry headed by Martina Simkovicova, a figure in Slovakias disinformation media scene, Jaurova does not hold back in her criticism of the minister.

Simkovicova, who has repeatedly attacked LGBT+ people and was previously dismissed from a popular television channel for xenophobic comments, has fired several directors, including those of the national theatre and national gallery, without providing evidence to justify her decisions. She also continues to dismantle various departments within the ministry. Despite two highly popular public petitions and summer protests calling for her removal, along with her right-hand man, Lukas Machala, she remains in her positionthanks to populist Prime Minister Robert Fico.

In an interview with The Slovak Spectator, Jaurova expressed hope that the increased attention on Slovak culture might finally bring it into the national public debate. Given that Slovak society and community are still relatively young in terms of identity, this debate is perhaps necessary, she said, briefly touching on the Slovak film industry as well.

If the parliamentary elections last year had gone differently, you probably would have been the culture minister today. Am I right?

Well, that was one of the options.

Watching whats going on at the Culture Ministry and happening in Slovak culture, including purges in some of the major cultural institutions, how does that make you feel?

Well, the short answer is that the situation is terrible. The longer answer is that, having followed the Slovak cultural sector and its policies for over 20 years, I can say it has faced severe challenges over the decades. However, the current state of despair and incompetence in the sector seems unprecedented, even compared to the Vladimir Meciar era in the nineties.

It strikes me as both arrogant and cynical that the Slovak National Party appointed Martina Simkovicova to the Culture Ministry, given her evident lack of capability for the role. Just three months after her appointment, a petition with 189,000 signatures was launched calling for her dismissal. Now, ten months into her tenure, the damage is substantial. The cultural sector is in complete disarray, which is detrimental not only to the country and the sector itself, but also to the voters of the governing party who are cultural workers or audiences.

Well see what happens in the autumn, but I find it hard to believe that she can remain in this position for another three years.

There has recently been an extraordinary session of parliament that was called by your party, Progressive Slovakia, to try and call a vote of no confidence in the minister, but the government parties Smer, SNS and Hlas didnt show up to the session.

Some MPs from Hlas did show up, but they did not participate in the vote. A few were present in the auditorium, which seems to signal something interesting about the current government dynamics.

So some Hlas MPs are more sympathetic to the view that Simkovicova should be removed?

When we talk to the MPs from the ruling coalition, they all say shes horrible. Its like nobody who sees things really as they are in reality can say she is doing well. However, there are a lot of political reasons why it is difficult to remove her.
Even on international trains.

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Due to increased interest in travelling by train ahead of the start of the next school year, the Slovak Railway Company (ZSSK) is upping the number of carriages on InterCity (IC) trains in order to ensure comfortable and trouble-free travel for all passengers.

Between August 28 and September 1, this concerns seven IC trains on the northern route between Bratislava and Kosice, which will see in total eight air-conditioned carriages added, providing additional 592 seats. So far, the trains are 75 percent full. The company advises passengers to buy tickets ahead.

On Wednesday and Friday, one carriage is added to the IC 45 from Bratislava-Nove Mesto departing at 15:43 and one to the IC 525 departing from Bratislava Main Railway station at 17:34. They will arrive in Kosice at 20:27 and 22:21, respectively.

Similarly on Thursday, IC 44 and IC 522 trains departing from Kosice at 7:34 and 11:34, respectively, will see one carriage added to them. These will arrive in Bratislava at 12:17 and 16:26, respectively.

Finally on Sunday, two carriages will be added to the IC 522 train departing from Kosice at 11:34 and arriving in Bratislava at 16:26.

Furthermore, 33 trains will be laid on between August 28 and September 2 on various lines across Slovakia. These concern the express trains Tatran and Saris operating the route Bratislava  Kosice/Presov/Humenne and back; fast trains Povazan operating on the route Bratislava  Zilina; fast trains Urpin on the route Bratislava  Zvolen/Banska Bystrica and back; fast trains Bojnice on the route Bratislava  Prievidza and back; and fast trains Tatran on the route Zilina  Kosice.

In addition, international fast trains Zakarpatia operating between Kosice, eastern Slovakia, and Mukachevo, western Ukraine will get an extra carriage as well until September 15.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/us-special-counsel-smith-files-new-election-charges-against-trump---court-papers-1119932470.html

US Special Counsel Smith Files New Election Charges Against Trump - Court Papers

US Special Counsel Smith Files New Election Charges Against Trump - Court Papers

Sputnik International

A new four-count indictment has been brought against former US President Donald Trump, once again alleging that he tried to subvert the 2020 election.

2024-08-27T22:22+0000

2024-08-27T22:22+0000

2024-08-27T22:22+0000

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jack smith

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joe biden

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justice department

us supreme court

2024 us presidential election

2020 united states presidential election

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Smith said in the new indictment against Trump that "he lost the 2020 presidential election" but he "was determined to remain in power." So, the former president "did knowingly, combine, conspire, confederate and agree with co-conspirators, known and unknown to the grand jury, to injure, oppress, threaten and intimidate one or more persons  the right to vote and to have ones vote counted," Smith added. Smiths recrafting of the indictment comes after the US Supreme Court ruled in July that Trump was immune to prosecution on the basis of official acts conducted as part of his role as president. Also, last month, Aileen Cannon, a district court judge in Florida appointed by Trump, ruled that US Attorney General Merrick Garland exceeded his constitutional authority in appointing Smith to the case. Cannon had described Smith as a prosecutor not subject to Congressional approval. The special counsel has already filed an appeal against that judges ruling, seeking to reverse her order that the case be dismissed. Smiths amended 35-page indictment against Trump is 10 pages shorter than the preceding one. It contains a more narrow set of accusations against the former president, taking into consideration the Supreme Courts observation of immunity from prosecution for official acts. US media reports said Smith has been consulting with officials inside the Justice Department for weeks to retool his case that accuses Republican Trump of leading a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election won by his Democratic rival Joe Biden. Smith has also tied his case against Trump to the storming of the US Capitol building by the former presidents supporters on January 6, 2021, after Trump allegedly incited them. A total of nine people, including five police officers, died in relation to the incident. Trump has denied all charges brought by Smith. His lawyers say his words and actions on and before Jan. 6, 2021, amounted to legitimate inquiry about possible election fraud. The Supreme Court sided with him in a 6-3 ruling, affirming that Presidents have "absolute immunity" for acts that are "core" to their official duties. Three of the assenting judges were appointed by Trump.Trump is running for president again in Novembers election and faces Bidens Vice President Kamala Harris, as his Democratic challenger this time. Smiths case is expected to come to trial only after the election, and only if Harris becomes president. If Trump wins, he will likely stop the case from proceeding.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240701/us-supreme-court-says-trump-immune-from-prosecution-for-official-acts-1119208940.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240828/brics-young-diplomats-forum-kicks-off-in-russia-1119942866.html

BRICS+ Young Diplomats Forum Kicks Off in Russia

BRICS+ Young Diplomats Forum Kicks Off in Russia

Sputnik International

The BRICS+ Forum of Young Diplomats kicked off in the Russian city Ufa. It will last until August 31 and host about 100 delegates from about 30 countries of the Global South and East.

2024-08-28T20:02+0000

2024-08-28T20:02+0000

2024-08-28T20:02+0000

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russia

sergey lavrov

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The annual BRICS+ Forum of Young Diplomats, an initiative launched by the Council of Young Diplomats of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2015, is once again drawing attention as it seeks to strengthen ties among the youth of the Global South and East. The forum, which aligns with Russia's BRICS Chairmanship this year, serves as a platform for promoting youth cooperation, fostering friendships, and building trust among the diverse populations of these regions.This year's Forum is themed "The Role of Youth Diplomacy in Strengthening Multilateralism for Equitable Global Development and Security." The event features a comprehensive business and cultural program, with discussions focusing on a wide range of issues including cultural and humanitarian cooperation within the BRICS framework, the bloc's influence in the global economy, and its role in global political and security architecture.In his video address to the Forum participants, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov highlighted the significance of holding the event in Ufa, the capital of Bashkortostan.He drew parallels between Ufa's historical harmony and the principles underlying BRICS relations, emphasizing the growing global interest in the association's pursuit of a more equitable international order.Lavrov underscored the importance of the innovation and flexible thinking inherent in young diplomats, suggesting that these qualities will be crucial in addressing challenges in politics, security, economics, and humanitarian cooperation.On the first day of the forum, participants were welcomed by Radiy Khabirov, Head of the Republic of Bashkortostan, who praised the role of young BRICS diplomats in shaping a fairer world order. Khabirov emphasized that the next generation of diplomats would bear increasing responsibility for their nations' foreign policy directions.He noted that the forum's discussions, expert evaluations, and constructive proposals would play a vital role in strengthening international cooperation, establishing new professional connections, and collaboratively developing critical decisions.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240808/brics-role-in-multipolar-world-to-top-eastern-economic-forums-agenda-1119677569.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240117/brics-and-global-south-challenge-globalist-elites-with-multipolar-world---analyst-1116227253.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240828/jordan-calls-on-un-to-take-action-over-israeli-ministers-statement-on-temple-mount-1119935307.html

Jordan Urges UN to Take Action Over Israeli Minister's Temple Mount Statement

Jordan Urges UN to Take Action Over Israeli Minister's Temple Mount Statement

Sputnik International

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi called on the United Nations Security Council to take action against Israel over Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's call to build a synagogue on the Temple Mount (also known as the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound) in Jerusalem.

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Ben-Gvir recently stated that he would build a synagogue on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem to ensure equal rights for Jews and Muslims. The UN Security Council must adopt a binding resolution to prevent further violations and escalation by Israel around the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount, he added. The Temple Mount, known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, is the third holiest site in Islam and is overseen by the Islamic Waqf religious trust. Although Jews are now allowed to visit the site, they are prohibited from praying there to avoid tensions between Jews and Muslims.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240826/israeli-national-security-minister-says-he-would-build-synagogue-on-temple-mount---reports-1119914827.html

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Berlinda Arreola, from left, Dora Mendoza, Javier and Gloria Cazares, Ana Rodriguez, Veronica and Jerry Mata band together after attending the groundbreaking ceremony for the new elementary school in Uvalde on Oct. 28. They all lost children or grandchildren in the Robb Elementary mass shooting on May 24, 2022. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News

UVALDE  In a kid-size hard hat and neon green vest, 8-year-old Joseph Sanchez peered up at the steel foundation that soon will be transformed into his elementary school.

The new campus will replace Robb Elementary School, which has sat empty since the May 2022 killing of 19 children and two teachers. Joseph was one of three Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District students in a crowd gathered at the construction site Tuesday to celebrate a $10 million gift toward its completion.

People wave to a drone camera gathering video around the construction site of Uvaldes new elementary school on Tuesday. The Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation announced a $10 million gift from the Kate Briscoe Marmion Foundation that will help cover the construction costs of the campus. It will replace Robb Elementary School, which has sat empty since the May 2022 killing of 19 children and two teachers. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Anne Marie Espinoza, second from right, director of communication for Uvalde CISD, shows Uvalde Elementary School students Joseph Briseno, from left, Joseph Sanchez and Savannah Martinez around the construction site of the districts future elementary school on Tuesday. It will replace Robb Elementary School, which has sat empty since the May 2022 killing of 19 children and two teachers. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Construction workers at the site of Uvaldes new elementary school on Tuesday. The Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation announced a $10 million gift from the Kate Briscoe Marmion Foundation that will help cover the construction costs of the campus. It will replace Robb Elementary School, which has sat empty since the May 2022 killing of 19 children and two teachers. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Work continues Tuesday in Uvalde on a new campus that by next year will replace Robb Elementary School, which has sat empty since the May 2022 killing of 19 children and two teachers. The Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation announced a $10 million gift from the Kate Briscoe Marmion Foundation that will help cover construction costs. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Work continues Tuesday in Uvalde on a new campus that by next year will replace Robb Elementary School, which has sat empty since the May 2022 killing of 19 children and two teachers. The Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation announced a $10 million gift from the Kate Briscoe Marmion Foundation that will help cover construction costs. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Superintendent Ashley Chohlis, from left, stands with Uvalde Elementary School students Joseph Sanchez, 8, Savannah Martinez, 9, and Joseph Briseno, 10, and teachers Tuesday at the construction site of Uvaldes newest elementary school, set to open next year. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Community members tour the construction site of Uvaldes new elementary school on Tuesday. The Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation announced a $10 million gift from the Kate Briscoe Marmion Foundation that will help cover the construction costs of the campus. It will replace Robb Elementary School, which has sat empty since the May 2022 killing of 19 children and two teachers. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Dolph Briscoe IV, left, the Kate Marmion Charitable Foundation executive director, addresses the crowd Tuesday at the construction site of Uvaldes new elementary school, set to open in a year. The Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation announced a $10 million gift from the Kate Briscoe Marmion Foundation that will help cover the construction costs. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Tim Miller, executive director of the Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation, addresses a crowd at the construction site of Uvaldes new elementary school Tuesday. He announced a $10 million gift from the Kate Briscoe Marmion Foundation that will help transform the property into a campus to replace Robb Elementary School, which has sat empty since the May 2022 killing of 19 children and two teachers. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News People gather around the construction site of Uvaldes new elementary school on Tuesday. The Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation announced a $10 million gift from the Kate Briscoe Marmion Foundation that will help cover the construction costs of the campus. By next year it will replace Robb Elementary School, which has sat empty since the May 2022 killing of 19 children and two teachers. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Uvalde Elementary School students Savannah Martinez, 9, left, and Joseph Sanchez, 8, talk to an adult during a construction site tour of Uvaldes new elementary school on Tuesday. A committee hopes to recommend a name for the new school next month. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Construction continues at the site of a new elementary school in Uvalde on Tuesday. It will replace Robb Elementary School, which has sat empty since the May 2022 killing of 19 children and two teachers. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News A construction worker at the site of Uvaldes new elementary school on Tuesday. The Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation announced a $10 million gift from the Kate Briscoe Marmion Foundation that will help cover the construction costs of the campus. It will replace Robb Elementary School, which has sat empty since the May 2022 killing of 19 children and two teachers. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Construction workers at the site of Uvaldes new elementary school on Tuesday. The Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation announced a $10 million gift from the Kate Briscoe Marmion Foundation that will help cover the construction costs of the campus. It will replace Robb Elementary School, which has sat empty since the May 2022 killing of 19 children and two teachers. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Superintendent Ashley Chohlis, center, stands with Uvalde Elementary School students Savannah Martinez, 9, left, and Joseph Briseno, 10, at the construction site of Uvaldes new elementary school on Tuesday. A committee hopes to recommend a name for the new campus next month. Its set to open in September, 2025. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Superintendent Ashley Chohlis, center, stands with Uvalde Elementary School students Savannah Martinez, 9, left, and Joseph Briseno, 10, at the construction site of Uvaldes new elementary school on Tuesday. A committee hopes to recommend a name for the new campus next month. Its set to open in September, 2025. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Superintendent Ashley Chohlis, center, and other community members attend a news conference at the construction site of Uvaldes new elementary school on Tuesday. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Tim Miller, center, the executive director of the Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation, addresses a crowd at the construction site of Uvaldes new elementary school Tuesday to announce a $10 million gift from the Kate Briscoe Marmion Foundation. The donation will help transform the property into a campus to replace Robb Elementary School, which has sat empty since the May 2022 killing of 19 children and two teachers. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Tim Miller, executive director of the Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation, announced a $10 million gift Tuesday from the Kate Briscoe Marmion Foundation that will help cover construction costs of a new campus to replace Robb Elementary School, which has sat empty since the May 2022 killing of 19 children and two teachers. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Uvalde Elementary School students Joseph Sanchez, 8, from left, Savannah Martinez, 9, and Joseph Briseno, 10, attend a news conference at the construction site of Uvalde CISDs newest campus Tuesday. A committee hopes to recommend a name next month for the school. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Construction workers at the site of Uvaldes new elementary school Tuesday. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Tim Miller, top center, the executive director of the Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation, points out progress being made at the site of Uvaldes new elementary school during a construction tour Tuesday. Miller announced a $10 million gift Tuesday from the Kate Briscoe Marmion Foundation that will help cover construction costs of the new campus. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Uvalde Elementary School students Savannah Martinez, 9, and Joseph Sanchez, 8, take a construction tour of Uvaldes new elementary school on Tuesday. The Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation announced a $10 million gift from the Kate Briscoe Marmion Foundation that will help transform the property into a campus to replace Robb Elementary School, which has sat empty since the May 2022 killing of 19 children and two teachers. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Superintendent Ashley Chohlis, center, and Uvalde Elementary School students Joseph Sanchez, 8, left, and Joseph Briseno, 10, pose for pictures with other community members at the site of Uvaldes new elementary school Tuesday. The Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation announced a $10 million gift from the Kate Briscoe Marmion Foundation that will help cover construction costs. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Construction workers at the site of Uvaldes new elementary school on Tuesday. The Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation announced a $10 million gift from the Kate Briscoe Marmion Foundation that will help cover the construction costs of the campus. It will replace Robb Elementary School, which has sat empty since the May 2022 killing of 19 children and two teachers. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Construction workers at the site of Uvaldes new elementary school on Tuesday. The Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation announced a $10 million gift from the Kate Briscoe Marmion Foundation that will help cover the construction costs of the campus. It will replace Robb Elementary School, which has sat empty since the May 2022 killing of 19 children and two teachers. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News A makeshift memorial honoring the 21 victims  19 fourth-graders and two teachers  who were killed in the Robb Elementary mass shooting was still standing outside the defunct school building on June 28. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News

It makes me happy, said Joseph, currently a third-grader at Uvalde Elementary School.

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The district broke ground on the campus last fall, and construction began in February. The announcement by the Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation, the nonprofit that has led fundraising and planning efforts for the school, highlighted the largest single contribution to it by a private donor, allowing it to reach 83% of the $60 million construction cost.

The money came from the Kate Briscoe Marmion Foundation, a nonprofit that supports people, places and programs in Uvalde and South Texas, according to its website.

Janey Briscoe Marmion and her father, the late former Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr., created the foundation to honor the memory of Marmions only daughter, Kate Marmion, a former Uvalde CISD student who died in 2008 at the age of 20 from a gunshot wound.

When we learned about this amazing opportunity, we could think of no better group to support, the foundations executive director, Dolph Briscoe IV, said. We envision us doing everything we can to support Uvalde, particularly everyone impacted by the tragedy. This is a way to help the community move forward while honoring the victims.

His foundation is also issuing a $5 million grant to match every new gift to the Moving Forward Foundations Hope Blooms in Uvalde campaign. Raising the $5 million and receiving the match will complete its fundraising effort.

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After the Uvalde massacre, one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history, Robb Elementary students were dispersed to other campuses throughout the district. The Moving Forward Foundation was founded in the wake of the tragedy with funding from H-E-B and the Charles Butt family and has been working with the district on plans for a new elementary school since 2022.

All funding collected through the foundation has gone toward supporting construction of the new school, ensuring students will not have to return to the site of the tragedy, and ultimately supporting the districts needs as it moves forward, a news release said.

One former Robb student, fifth-grader Joseph Briseno, took a tour around the steel foundation Tuesday, jumping off what will eventually become a theaters main stage.

This is such a blessing to the community, and our community is just so very well-deserving, said Uvalde CISD Superintendent Ashley Chohlis, surrounded by the sounds of moving cranes and hammers hitting bricks.

The school does not yet have a name. Chohlis said a district committee hopes to recommend one next month to present to the board in October.

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Located near Leona and Fourth streets next to the existing Dalton Elementary School, the new two-story campus will have 36 classrooms and serve 800 students from second to fourth grade. Welcoming students and staff inside will be a tree sculpture with two large branches memorializing teachers Irma Garcia and Eva Mireles and the fourth-graders who were killed.

Tim Miller, the executive director of the Moving Forward Foundation, emphasized that the school was designed with safety and security as top priorities. While Texas has increased safety and security requirements across all public schools, this campus will exceed those guidelines, with features like state-of-the-art privacy gates and a secure interior courtyard for students and staff to get fresh air without leaving the building, Miller said.

This school will be very safe, he said. It will be a model to other schools in Uvalde and in Texas.

The Uvalde CISD board approved plans for the school in April 2023. Huckabee Inc. donated its architectural services to the project, becoming a founding partner of the nonprofit, and the board picked San Antonio-based Satterfield & Pontikes as the general contractor.

John Marshall, the chief revenue officer for Sattferfield & Pontikes, said the company recognizes that building a neighborhood school means creating part of the fabric that binds people together.

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Nothing defines a community more than its public schools, and in this case, we all know theres a bit of added meaning, he said. We take it seriously and we take it as an honor being involved in this project.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240828/latvia-mulls-introducing-mandatory-military-service-for-women--1119936390.html

Latvia Mulls Introducing Mandatory Military Service for Women

Latvia Mulls Introducing Mandatory Military Service for Women

Sputnik International

Latvia is considering introducing mandatory military service for women, the countrys Defense Minister has revealed.

2024-08-28T09:51+0000

2024-08-28T09:51+0000

2024-08-28T09:51+0000

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Latvia is considering introducing mandatory military service for women, the countrys defense minister has revealed.Andris Spruds voiced his support for drafting women into national defense service sometime by 2028 in a post on X. The minister conceded, however, that there was homework to be done: a public debate, the improvement of the infrastructure of the service, and the provision of materiel and equipment tailored specifically to women.Mandatory conscription for women wont happen today or tomorrow, he reiterated in an interview on local television.Readily embracing the US and NATO-driven "Russia threat" narrative, the Baltic nation, with a population of less than two million, has been beefing up its military. NATO's proxy war against Russia in Ukraine made it even more eager to toe the hawkish Western stance, and reintroduce conscription last year. The National Defense Service Act was signed into law in April 2023. The Baltic country currently has 11-month-long mandatory military service for men aged 18 to 27. By 2028, the country aims to have 4,000 soldiers. When Latvia accepted its first conscripts in 2023, there was a heated debate about a call-up of both men and women. In the end, Latvia decided on mandatory conscription for men alone, although women aged 18 to 27 can apply voluntarily.Earlier this year, Denmark announced plans to become the third country in Europe to introduce female conscription. Norway and Sweden did so in 2015 and in 2017, respectively.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20220606/we-live-in-2022-danish-political-majority-opens-to-conscripting-women-1096042050.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240828/macron-invited-durov-in-2018-to-move-telegram-headquarters-to-paris---reports-1119935440.html

Macron Invited Durov in 2018 to Move Telegram Headquarters to Paris - Reports

Macron Invited Durov in 2018 to Move Telegram Headquarters to Paris - Reports

Sputnik International

French President Emmanuel Macron invited Telegram founder Pavel Durov to move the app's headquarters from Dubai to Paris in 2018, but he declined, US media reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

2024-08-28T05:51+0000

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Macron made the proposal during a lunch, which had not been previously reported, the people said. The French leader also discussed granting French citizenship to Durov at the time, the newspaper reported. Russian-born Durov, who holds citizenship in several countries including France, was detained at a Paris airport on Saturday on charges related to the criminal use of his 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. Macron has said that Durov's arrest was not a political decision and promised that the decision on the businessman's case will be made by judges.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/telegrams-durov-vs-metas-zuckerberg-how-do-they-stack-up-on-censorship-1119928274.html

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french president emmanuel macron, headquarters from dubai to paris, pavel durov
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240828/macron-set-up-telegram-ceo-at-us-deep-states-behest-ahead-of-2024-vote--wall-street-analyst-1119937507.html

Macron Set Up Telegram CEO at US Deep States Behest Ahead of 2024 Vote  Wall Street Analyst

Macron Set Up Telegram CEO at US Deep States Behest Ahead of 2024 Vote  Wall Street Analyst

Sputnik International

French President Emmanuel Macron set a trap for Telegram CEO Pavel Durov either at the behest of the US deep state or in a bid to curry favor with it, Wall Street analyst Charles Ortel told Sputnik.

2024-08-28T13:12+0000

2024-08-28T13:12+0000

2024-09-18T09:37+0000

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charles ortel

emmanuel macron

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It appears that Paris has tried to trap Telegram founder Pavel Durov for quite a while, Wall Street analyst and investigative journalist Charles Ortel told Sputnik, not ruling out that granting of the French citizenship to the Russian tech prodigy was part of the plan.He also referred to the claim by the French newspaper, Le Canard Enchaine, that the Telegram founder came to Paris to dine with President Emmanuel Macron. The claim was rejected by the Elysee Palace.This apparent plot to entrap Durov could have been initiated by Macron either at the behest of the US "deep state," or as the French president's attempt to "curry favor" with American deep state figures, according to the Wall Street analyst.According to the Wall Street analyst, Macron is "a purveyor of trash talk". The analyst notes that platforms like Telegram are educating "the deluded mass audience," which could hold corrupt actors including those within the deep state accountable. Consequently, the deep state and its allies are targeting Durov's Telegram and other independent platforms, the analyst maintains.How the French 'Trap' Ensnared DurovOn August 28, the Wall Street Journal reported that Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, had at least one dinner with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, during which the possibility of relocating Telegram's headquarters to France was discussed. Macron also allegedly put forward the offer of granting French citizenship to the Russian tech mogul.According to the WSJ, this conversation took place in 2018. Interestingly, a year earlier, Durov had become the target of a French-Emirati intelligence operation code-named "Purple Music." Sources familiar with the situation revealed that Durov's iPhone was reportedly hacked by spies at that time.In August 2021, Durov was granted French citizenship through "an exceptional and highly political procedure," as the French press described it in June 2023, calling it "a surprising choice on the part of the authorities."That being said, it does not appear that the Russian national urgently required another foreign citizenship. Before obtaining a French passport, Durov became a citizen of the UAE. Additionally, he has held citizenship in Saint Kitts and Nevis since 2013. Likewise, there were no announcements that he planned to move the Telegram headquarters anywhere from Dubai where he has resided since 2017.The Telegram CEO was arrested on August 24, immediately after his private jet landed at Paris Le Bourget airport.When the Russian Embassy in France sent a note to the French authorities, requesting consular access to the detained Telegram founder, Paris made it clear that they arrested Durov as a French citizen. This is how the trap for Durov snapped shut, according to Russian diplomats.The German press cited an unnamed investigator as saying that Durov had apparently been aware he was a wanted man in France which makes his flight to Paris "something of a surprise".Le Canard Enchaine, however, cites Durov as saying that he was invited by the French president. If the Russian businessman believed he was invited by Macron there is nothing surprising in his decision to go to Paris.According to Ortel, this situation speaks volumes about the French government. The Macron cabinet was lambasted by French politician and head of the Patriot Party, Florian Philippot: "Macron is perfectly capable of this kind of trickery, in order to fulfill the mission demanded by his masters: to jail all those who defend freedom of expression!"Timing of Durov Arrest Serves as Key PointTelegram insists it complies with the European Unions Digital Services Act, which requires online companies to cooperate with authorities in countering the spread of illegal content on their platforms. Nonetheless, the Paris prosecutor's office claims Durov's platform could have enabled online criminality, including the spread of child pornography, drug trafficking and the sale of illegal encryption software.Ortel suggests that the French authorities are deliberately trying to threaten Durov as much as possible to coerce him into submission. He drew parallels between the apparent intimidation of Durov and persecution of Donald Trump supporters and January Sixers in the US. The methods are almost the same, according to the analyst.He pointed out that Durov has been chased by US and Western allied intelligence services for years.In July 2021, the Telegram founder revealed he had been on the list of the Israeli cyberintelligence firm, NSO Group, since at least 2018 as a person of interest for its government clients using the Pegasus spyware.In April 2024, Durov told US journalist Tucker Carlson that he had been a target of the US intelligence service for some time and that one of his employees was approached by American cybersecurity officials who sought to create a backdoor in the encrypted Telegram app to spy on users.The timing of Durov's arrest also suggests the US deep state connection, according to the analyst: it occurred prior to the 2024 election in the US which promises to be highly politicized and, probably, rigged. According to recent polls, many Americans fear election cheating this year. According to Ortel, there is a lot of controversy surrounding the Harris-Walz campaign.Ortel pointed out that Harris and Walz's "accomplishments" in political offices appear disqualifying for the highest available American positions. He believes that "they and their handlers are trying to chill investigative inquiry, run out the clock avoiding the press, and then attempt to steal an election."US Deep State Seeking Total Control of Social Media Prior to 2024 ElectionUnder these circumstances, the US deep state should have an almost complete control of the media and social platforms akin it had in 2020, when it managed to ban and isolate Donald Trump and his supporters over "election denial". Donald Trump and a majority of Republicans believe that the 2020 election was "stolen" from Trump.Back in September 2020, US technology companies including Facebook*, Alphabet's Google, Microsoft Corp and Twitter met with US intelligence agencies "to discuss security strategies ahead of the November 2020 election," according to the Western press. In October 2020, social media platforms quickly banned and removed credible information about Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, and his "laptop from hell" under the pretext it was a "Russian disinformation operation", and ostracized Trump and conservatives after the 2020 election.Likewise, in spring 2024, reports emerged saying that key US federal agencies, including the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) resumed discussions with hi-tech companies like Microsoft, Google and Meta* over "foreign propaganda" and "disinformation removal."In contrast to 2020, there are at least two "wild cards" now: Telegram and Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter). One needs to bear in mind that prior to Musk's acquiring Twitter, many conservatives switched to Telegram, after being banned by the Silicon Valley giant.Ortel doesn't rule out that Musk would be subjected to the same sort of "sabotage" by the deep state prior to the 2024 election, as Durov.According to him, the real issues of the 2024 election are "turnout and stealing":"Will enthusiastic Trump supporters overwhelm supporters of hapless Harris, and will it be possible in 2024 for Democrats to manufacture enough winning votes in swing states? We shall soon see in about 10 brief weeks," Ortel concluded.*banned in Russia for extremism

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240828/macron-invited-durov-in-2018-to-move-telegram-headquarters-to-paris---reports-1119935440.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240825/telegram-ceo-durovs-arrest-shows-west-unleashing-witchhunt-against-truth-tellers-1119902306.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240825/defiant-durov-telegram-ceo-faces-unfair-charges-for-refusing-to-bend-to-western-governments-1119903086.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230124/47-year-jail-time-for-boots-on-pelosis-desk-how-january-sixers-got-draconian-treatment-1106656996.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240815/is-ukraines-suicidal-kursk-attack-part-of-us-establishments-desperate-effort-to-win-in-2024-1119780479.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240727/queen-kamala-election-cheating--money-grab-how-us-democrats-failing-democracy-1119531360.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20221224/twitter-files-fbis-infiltration-of-big-tech-is-step-on-path-to-totalitarian-state-journo-warns-1105753460.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240828/middle-east-crisis-caused-by-us-desire-to-maintain-regional-dominance---moscow-1119936126.html

Middle East Crisis Caused by US Desire to Maintain Regional Dominance - Moscow

Middle East Crisis Caused by US Desire to Maintain Regional Dominance - Moscow

Sputnik International

The current situation in the Middle East has become a consequence of the United States' desire to maintain its dominant regional influence, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Sputnik.

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"In many ways, the current dramatic situation has become a consequence of the desire of the United States to maintain its dominant influence in the Middle East," Zakharova said. The spokeswoman noted that Washington's desire to "monopolize the mediation role" in the conflict between Israel and Palestinian movement Hamas, preserve the status quo and promote "economic peace," leaving aside a long-term settlement based on the existing decisions of the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council, has contributed to the accumulation of conflict potential in the Middle East. Moreover, Zakharova said that the strengthening of the US military presence in the region could lead to further escalation and that Russia advocated avoiding actions that could lead to aggravation of the situation in the Middle East. On October 7, 2023, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Following this, Hamas fighters infiltrated border areas, opening fire on military and civilian targets, and captured more than 250 hostages. According to Israeli authorities, approximately 1,200 people were killed. In response, the Israel Defense 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. Additionally, the situation on the Israeli-Lebanese border escalated after the start of Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip in October 2023. The IDF and Hezbollah have been repeatedly conducting attacks on each other's positions in areas along the border.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240821/bidens-desperation-for-foreign-policy-win-explains-why-blinken-jumped-the-gun-on-gaza-deal-1119862969.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240828/mideast-powers-warn-israel-not-to-touch-al-aqsa-as-palestinians-warn-of-full-scale-religious-war-1119941810.html

Mideast Powers Warn Israel Not to Touch Al-Aqsa as Palestinians Warn of Full-Scale Religious War

Mideast Powers Warn Israel Not to Touch Al-Aqsa as Palestinians Warn of Full-Scale Religious War

Sputnik International

Netanyahu coalition member and Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir whippeed up regional tensions by saying that he would "put an Israeli flag" at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

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2024-08-28T19:20+0000

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Muslim countries across the Middle East, including its top three economic, political powers Iran, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia have lashed out Itamar Ben-Gvir over his inflammatory comments on building a synagogue at Al-Aqsa.The cabinet of the criminal Zionist regime is seeking to implement its sinister plans regarding the Al-Aqsa Mosque, to the extent that it shamelessly declares its evil intention to build a synagogue inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani wrote in an X post late Tuesday.The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned Ben-Gvirs comments as a threat to regional and global stability, dubbing them a new and extremely dangerous example of Israels efforts to change the status and identity of Jerusalem and the holy sites in Jerusalem.Saudi Arabia also blasted Tel Aviv over Ben-Gvir's remarks, with the Gulf nations Foreign Ministry condemining "the statement made by a minister in the Israeli occupation government, and categorically rejecting such extremist and provocative sentiments. Riyadh called on the world to push for an end to the "humanitarian catastrophe" in the Palestinian territories.The Palestinian Authority called on the international community, including the US, to intervene to restrain the Israeli extreme right-wing government and compel it to adhere to the prevailing legal and historical status of the holy site. Ben-Gvirs comments mark an explicit and public call to demolish Al-Aqsa and build the alleged temple in its place, the PA suggested, referring to the controversial theory held by some Israelis that the Biblical Temple of Solomon is situated beneath the 1,300-year-old Al-Aqsa Mosque.Even Israel and US ally Jordan condemned Ben-Gvirs remarks, with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi calling on the UN Security Council to take urgent action to rein in Israel.We urge the Security Council and all members of the international community to take immediate effective action to stop the illegal Israeli measures that violate the historical and legal status quo at occupied Jerusalems holy sites. As the occupying power, Israel is legally responsible for protecting the historical and legal status quo, Safadi wrote in an X post Tuesday.Jordans king is formally responsible for custodianship over Al-Aqsa and other holy sites in East Jerusalem, with regular clashes between the Israeli military and local Palestinians sparking diplomatic spats between Tel Aviv and Amman.US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller paid lip service to its regional allies' concerns, saying the US strongly opposes Ben Gvirs reckless statements and actions, claiming that they only sow chaos and exacerbate tensions at a moment when Israel must stand united against threats from Iran and its proxy terrorist groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/over-50000-tons-of-arms--equipment-shipped-to-israel-from-us---report-1119919310.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240828/jordan-calls-on-un-to-take-action-over-israeli-ministers-statement-on-temple-mount-1119935307.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/us-defense-lobbyists-need-war-middle-east-regional-war-could-spiral-as-us-fails-to-intervene--1119917711.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240828/rahdit-hackers-release-data-on-fighters-of-renewed-azov-battalion-1119936258.html

RaHDit Hackers Unmask Identities of Fighters in Revamped Azov Battalion

RaHDit Hackers Unmask Identities of Fighters in Revamped Azov Battalion

Sputnik International

Hacker group RaHDit on Wednesday released data on nearly 7,700 members of the Ukranian renewed Nazi Azov* Battalion, including over 4,000 photos.

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The Russia-based RaHDit hacker group on Wednesday leaked info on nearly 7,700 members of Ukraine's reconstituted Nazi Azov* Battalion, including over 4,000 photos.In particular, the list includes Artyom Motyga, born in 1992 in Dnepropetrovsk, a gunner holding the rank of senior sergeant; Anastasia Vasylchenko, born in 1993 in Kiev, an operator from the headquarters of an anti-tank battalion; Artyom Kekukh, born in 1995 in Kiev, holding the rank of junior lieutenant, who serves in a field communications center and goes by the code name, Samurai. The list also includes Andrey Mazur, born in 1986, from the village of Vygoda in the Odessa region, a platoon leader in an engineer-sapper platoon holding the rank of junior sergeant.There are also foreign nationals among the Nazis of Azov, for example, a Swedish citizen Mathias Gustavsson, born in 1975, captured in Mariupol in 2022, sentenced to death in the Donetsk People's Republic, but eventually exchanged for a Russian soldier. In 2024, he was already in Azov again.In July, the hacker group RaHDit divulged info on more than 3,200 foreign mercenaries in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Earlier, the group released information on NATO officers fighting Russia in cyberspace and data on 1,500 active employees of Ukraine's foreign intelligence service, including those working undercover in more than 20 countries.*Banned in Russia for terrorism and extremism.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230720/russias-hacker-group-rahdit-leaks-data-on-1700-ukrainian-security-service-employees-1112004011.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240828/telegram-founder-durov-may-be-banned-from-leaving-france-if-charged---reports-1119933911.html

Telegram Founder Durov May Be Banned From Leaving France If Charged - Reports

Telegram Founder Durov May Be Banned From Leaving France If Charged - Reports

Sputnik International

Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram who was recently detained and held in France may be prohibited from leaving the country if he is charged, media reports have indicated.

2024-08-28T02:45+0000

2024-08-28T02:45+0000

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Investigators may try to obtain additional information from Durov for the investigation or put pressure on him by extending his detention, the report said on Tuesday. Durov may be in custody at the National Anti-Fraud Unit in the suburbs of Paris, a source told RIA Novosti. "Considering that the investigation of his case has been entrusted to the National Anti-Fraud Unit, Durov may be there," the source 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.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240827/us-declaring-war-on-telegram-to-control-last-vestige-of-free-speech--mega-founder-1119931845.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240828/zelensky-says-ukraine-does-not-have-money-to-produce-its-own-weapons-1119934045.html

Zelensky Says Ukraine Does Not Have Money to Produce Its Own Weapons

Zelensky Says Ukraine Does Not Have Money to Produce Its Own Weapons

Sputnik International

Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine does not have the ability to produce its own weapons, saying it lacks the funds to do so.

2024-08-28T03:43+0000

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"There is, in my opinion, an important point where we have begun to move forward - the domestic production. Drones, artillery, I mean systems and ammunition separately, missiles. An expensive program and we need to invest money in this. There is no money in our budget to date," Zelensky said at a press conference on Tuesday. The Ukrainian leader noted that he would also like to increase the supply of Western military aid, as well as accelerate its flow to Ukraine. 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 continued arms deliveries to Kiev, saying this would lead to further escalation of the conflict.

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Friends and family of the late Bob McIntosh gathered at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Tuesday, Aug. 27 for a race named in his honour and a celebration of life remembering the Hall of Fame horseman.

The celebration of life took place at Mohawk prior to the card. The third race of the night, sponsored by Winbak Farms, was held in Bob's memory. Fittingly, a horse with ties to McIntosh's old stomping grounds  Essex County  found the winner's circle as Louie The Great came flying late in the stretch for driver Tyler Borth to pick off Cookie Air (James MacDonald) in a lifetime best 1:55.2 effort.

Jared Bako trains the Dancin Lou - Tinkerbella gelding for owner David Kryway of Amherstburg, Ont.

In the September issue of TROT Magazine, be sure to check out the feature article as a number of prominent industry participants close to Bob offered memories and stories about the life and times of one of Standardbred racing's all-time great horsemen.

There was a single-horse accident during the card of racing at Mohawk in the evening's eighth race. Beach Games made a break and fell for driver Bob McClure, who was able to remain in the racebike with the lines and avoid any of the other participants. According to AGCO judges, the horse was walked off the track, was examined by track vet Dr. Julie Ballinger and was reported to be fine. McClure didn't miss any of his scheduled drives as that was his final assignment of the evening.

For the results from Tuesday's card of harness racing in Campbellville, click the following link: Tuesday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.

(Standardbred Canada)
Grand Circuit action returns to Woodbine Mohawk Park this Saturday, Aug. 31 with a pair of Simcoe Stakes divisions slated for the undercard of the 2024 Canadian Pacing Derby and Maple Leaf Trot finals.

The $600,000 Maple Leaf Trot (Race 10) and the $540,000 Canadian Pacing Derby (Race 8) are the anchors on a top-notch card of harness racing that includes some of the province's best two-year-old pacers in Ontario Sires Stakes action and elite trotting talent in single Simcoe splits.

Nine of the fillies from the 2024 Casual Breeze Stakes  the top nine finishers, actually  are back for the $156,000 Simcoe division. Drawn Impression (PP9, Louis-Philippe Roy, 6-5) was a six-plus length winner from the rail last week, but draws post nine in Saturday's assignment. In fact, the top-three finishers from the Casual Breeze all received less than ideal starting spots with runner-up Emoji Hanover (PP8, Dexter Dunn, 9-2) and third-place R Liza (PP10, Scott Zeron, 5-1) all on the outside of the starting gate. The Simcoe for trotting fillies is the third dash of the evening.

The runner-up in the 2024 Hambletonian, Highland Kismet makes his pari-mutuel return in Saturday's $164,000 open Simcoe division. The Canadian record holder drew post three in the sixth race for driver Bob McClure and Mark Etsell, who surpassed the $10 million mark in career purse earnings with that Hambletonian payday. Etsell qualified the trotter last week without trotting hopples, and he's back in 'pantless' this week with eight rivals to beat as the 4-5 morning line choice. Paquet (PP2, Jody Jamieson, 9-2) has two wins in two starts, winning each impressively, and steps up for his biggest test to date.

The three Grand Circuit-winning two-year-old pacers from last Saturday at Mohawk return to the Ontario Sires Stakes program this weekend. Eternal Camnation-winning pacing fillies Chantilly (PP8, James MacDonald, 4-5) and Perfectly Chic (PP10, McClure, 6-1) square off for the first time since their July 16 encounter in the second Gold series leg. Chantilly has yet to taste defeat in four appearances, while Perfectly Chic hasn't finished worse than second in five outings. Those two will get reacquainted this Saturday in the fourth OSS Gold leg, slotted as the second race.

Boxer Seelster threw his hat into the ring as a contender in the two-year-old pacing colt division this past Saturday, winning the single Nassagaweya division with an effortless 1:52 score. The colt drew post nine for driver Trevor Henry in an oversized 11-horse OSS Gold fourth leg in the seventh race, listed as the 5-2 morning line favourite. Mid-Season final winner Allstar Maniac sits this one out, but the next four finishers from that event including runner-up Fifth And Five (PP5, Jamieson, 3-1) are slated to compete.

The rookie pacers set the stage for the older bearcats, with 11 grizzled pacing veterans lining up for the $540,000 Canadian Pacing Derby in the eighth race. Abuckabett Hanover (PP6, Dexter Dunn, 5-2) tuned up for Saturday's test with a 1:49.1 score last Saturday in the Preferred against a number of horses he'll compete against this coming Saturday. Among those joining the fray, Graduate winner Voukefalas (PP9, Jordan Stratton, 9-2), Always B Miki invitational winner Ruthless Hanover (PP10, Andy Miller, 10-1) and local top class terror Taurasi (PP11, Doug McNair, 4-1).

Ten top older trotters will vie for the 2024 Maple Leaf Trot in Race 10. Periculum (PP5 Scott Zeron, 9-5) soared over his competition in his elim while Logan Park (PP2, Doug McNair, 5-2) moved up a placing via disqualification to win their respective $50,000 eliminations. Millionaires Hillexotic (PP4, Jamieson, 6-1), Oh Well (PP7, Dunn, 8-1), Fashion Frenzie (PP8, Roy, 10-1) and M Ms Dream (PP9, David Miller, 9-2) cannot be overlooked as likely factors. For more on the Maple Leaf Trot eliminations, click here.

First post on Saturday night is 7:10 p.m. To view the entries for Saturday's card of harness racing, click one of the following links:

Woodbine Mohawk Park - Saturday Entries - Saturday Program Pages (courtesy TrackIT).

(Standardbred Canada)
Melissa Manno is a reporter covering education for the San Antonio Express-News. She can be reached at melissa.manno@express-news.net.

She graduated from Penn State University in 2022 with a bachelors degree in journalism and minors in geography and digital media trends and analytics. She is also the 2021 Hearst National Journalism Writing Champion.
Although his first three years on the Grand Circuit left his connections wanting more at times, there is no doubt Its My Show knows how to captivate an audience on the big stage.

The son of Sweet Lou - Put On A Show is keyed in ahead of the $540,000 Canadian Pacing Derby, with the chance to add yet another prestigious item to his already sterling resume this Saturday (Aug. 31).

A trip back to Woodbine Mohawk Park, the site of his valiant 2023 Pepsi North America Cup Victory, comes at the perfect time for Its My Show, who has the class and talent to remind his contemporaries what hes capable of.

One person not in need of a refresher is owner/breeder Richard Young.

I watched the [NA Cup] replay quite a few times for the first month or so, said Young. I don't think I've seen it this year, so there's no reason to keep going back. Hopefully, there's a new one coming soon.

The 2024 campaign hasnt exactly gone to plan for Young and the four-year-old bay gelding, whose 1-2-2 record through 10 starts is a far cry from a monstrous 9-4-0 line from 16 starts in 2023.

However, Young firmly believes that the downturn in production is merely a product of tough luck.

And the evidence agrees.

For a horse who routinely posts final quarters in the 26-28 second range, Young was baffled by a curious :34.1 in the Prix DEte on Aug. 18 at Hippodrome 3R.

You look at a horse that paces a mile in :50, :48, and :47, coming home in :25 and :26 in virtually every start, and then all of the sudden, comes home in 34 seconds, and paces a mile in almost two minutes. And you go, 'What happened here?'"

In this case, he hit the gate as they were starting, and he went to the front in an extremely fast quarter on a cuppy track, and it was not going to work out well.

Its My Show was back to his explosive ways with an impressive :26.1 final panel in a tune-up effort last time out on Aug. 24 at Mohawk.

Normally, we would say, 'He raced well, we don't need to do this prep race.' But because of the Prix DEte result  you come home in 34 seconds  although you believe it's a throw out, you want to be sure it's a throw out, explained Young.

So, you race in a prep race you normally wouldn't have gone in, and you race him conservatively, hoping that things can work out. He had a lot coming home. He looked really good, and we said, 'Okay, that was a one-time thing, now we just need to get some racing luck.

A 34-time starter with a 10-8-3 lifetime summary, Its My Show is in good hands with driver Scott Zeron for what will be their 26th start as a tandem.

On the year, Zeron has recorded 146 wins to date, a UDRS of 0.286, and more than $6.7 million in purse earnings across 927 starts.

While the circumstances heading into Saturday may feel different than the NA Cup, Young, who bought his first horse in 1987, is confident in his millionaire homebred pacer.

I went into the NA Cup thinking, 'We have the best horse. Maybe we didn't have the best horse, but we got our own way, so to speak, and did win the race, recalled Young.

Going into this race, we're certainly not the favourite, but we're certainly not 15-1, either. I like his chances because he's flexible. We can do what we want to do with him. He's won coming from off the pace, and he's won it in front. We prefer to come off the pace, but sometimes the field and the post position dictate and you have no choice.

The number of eyes on Its My Show might be down from last year, but Young knows his ratings are as strong as theyve ever been.

It's hard to forget about Its My Show. To completely forget about him is probably a mistake  I don't think they forget about him much  but they're not thinking of him in the manner of which he was thought of last year, which is fine with me.

The 2024 Canadian Pacing Derby is the eighth race on Saturday, with a first post time of 7:10 p.m. To view the full entries for Saturday's card of harness racing, click one of the following links:

Woodbine Mohawk Park - Saturday Entries - Saturday Program Pages (courtesy TrackIT).

(with files from Woodbine)
A Longview man was sentenced to 27 years in state prison for murder after a love triangle ended in a fatal stabbing behind a 14th Avenue tire shop in December.

Stay up to date on Lower Columbia news, wherever you go Access the latest Lower Columbia news in The Daily News app that lets you select the topics that matter most to you.

Superior Court Judge Thad Scudder sentenced Gilbert Clint Platt, 42, to 25 years for one count of first-degree murder, plus another two years for the use of a deadly weapon in the killing of Brian Aaron Whatley, 48, of Longview.

Platt, who looked down for most of the Monday hearing, must also serve three years of community custody once his term concludes.

The history

David Phelan, deputy director of Cowlitz County Office of Public Defense, said the tale here is as old as time.

Platts wife, Sandra Frances, told The Daily News she was previously married to Whatley.

It was her husband who helped Whatley land the job at Superior Tire Service in Longview  what would later become the location of his murder.

Platt, a former corrections officer from Colorado, was Whatleys boss at the tire shop.

However, a police report says the three had numerous disputes, including one that involved law enforcement.

The report says Platt had recently learned the victim had assaulted Platts wife. She obtained a restraining order against Whatley in September because of the alleged abuse, including raping her, breaking her rib and leaving harassing phone calls in the middle of the night, according to court records.

Whatley was never charged with a crime over those allegations.

He also filed for a restraining order against Platts wife around the same time, but was denied due to insufficient evidence, court records show.

The attack

Authorities say video footage obtained by law enforcement shows Platt running away from the scene at 6:15 a.m., on Dec. 8, 2023, in the rear parking lot Superior Tire Service at 660 14th Ave.

While fleeing the scene, Platt tossed the murder weapon and gloves on the roof of a local business and trashed the clothes he was wearing, police report.

He later told authorities he woke up that day mad, frustrated, scared, utterly broken, and walked to Superior Tire, finding Whatley waiting inside his 2000 Nissan Maxima, then opened the car door and stabbed him about 10 times, the report states.

In court, Cowlitz County Prosecuting Attorney Jacob Lervold made clear how many times Whatley was stabbed. He counted the number of wounds he suffered, from one to 50, pausing between the late 30s and 40s to catch his breath.

Whatley suffered wounds to his hands, arms, forearms, shoulder, neck, back, chest and stomach, according to court records.

A family member writes in their victim impact statement that both of Whatleys lungs collapsed, and the attack went on for minutes.

Longview police detective Kevin Sawyer said the case was the most heinous, of his career. He said Platt stabbed Whatley in the back as he tried to escape from the passenger side door.

Sawyer also said Whatley feared Platt and his wife.

The mother of the victim, Janice Whatley, who lives in another state, wrote to the court, saying her son had promised hed soon return home to her.

He didnt know that he was coming home, not on a train, but in a cardboard box, she writes. I will never see him play guitar, see his smile or watch him cook again.
Broadcom announced VMware Tanzu Platform 10, a cloud native application platform that accelerates software delivery, providing platform engineering teams enhanced governance and operational efficiency while reducing toil and complexity for development teams. The company also introduced Tanzu AI Solutions, a set of capabilities within Tanzu Platform that help application teams deliver GenAI-powered, intelligent applications quickly, safely, and at scale. Tanzu Platform 10 and VMware Cloud Foundation now provide the fastest path to a complete private cloud with a self-configuring setup experience and support for air-gapped environments.

Nearly a third (29%) of all GenAI budget is allocated to creating and delivering new software-driven business offerings, according to a recent IDC study.* However, research from S&P Global Market Intelligence shows that over half (52.6%) of organizations face a shortage of technology skills in the area of AI and machine learning, creating a significant obstacle to capitalize on GenAI innovations.

Business leaders want to harness the power of GenAI in their application strategy, but in many cases, they face complex challenges with this emerging technology, leading teams to create one-off experiments and silos that only add technical debt and risk, said Purnima Padmanabhan, general manager, Tanzu Division, Broadcom. Now, with Tanzu Platforms built-in AI development framework, developers can build high-performing, intelligent apps, regardless of their experience level or knowledge of Python. Tanzu AI Solutions help development teams go from dabbling in the sandbox to deploying enterprise-ready intelligent applications to production with confidence.

New Tanzu Platform 10 delivers simplified, accelerated cloud native application delivery

Tanzu Platform 10 builds on Cloud Foundrys approach to accelerating application delivery with standardized golden paths to production for developers and platform engineers. Now developers can use simple operations to automate secure container builds, bind services to apps, deploy code with a single command, and easily scale applications. Tanzu Platform 10 also automates both application and platform management tasks such as patching vulnerabilities, performing rolling upgrades, and enforcing policies with broad visibility and AI-powered insights.

Tanzu Platform 10 delivers a self-managed, global control plane for greater automation and visibility across all application environments. Tanzu Platform 10 also features:

A Cloud-Foundry-like developer experience for Kubernetes with application spaces that introduces an application-centric layer of abstraction to allow applications to run with consistent operational governance and compliance. The abstraction model will create a clean separation of concerns between stakeholders: developers can focus on their applications without worrying about infrastructure details; while platform and operations teams can focus on managing infrastructure at scale, defining configurations to meet organizational governance and compliance requirements.

Enhanced contextual app-to-platform visibility across Cloud Foundry foundations or Kubernetes clusters across availability zones.

Powerful built-in service binding to connect apps to middleware and databases, and automatically manage credentials and connection strings bringing huge time savings

Spring application security, compliance audits, policy enforcement, and automated CVE remediation with new Application Advisor.

Significantly faster start-up times for Spring applications with enhanced Java buildpacks in Tanzu Spring, commercial Spring features built into Tanzu Platform.

Elevated compliance enforcement and vulnerability management with Tanzu Salt.

Auto-provisioned and hardened OSS databases and messaging.

Tanzu AI Solutions in Tanzu Platform 10 helps developers build safe, scalable, enterprise-ready, GenAI applications

Tanzu Platform democratizes intelligent application development. Tanzu Platform now includes Tanzu AI Solutions, a set of capabilities that help customers develop, operate, and optimize AI-powered, intelligent applications safely, and at scale. Tanzu AI Solutions also delivers GenAI observability and monitoring to address accuracy and performance with root cause analysis for apps and large language models (LLMs). Tanzu AI Solutions includes:

Spring AI is an open source application framework that can be used by Java developers to build GenAI-powered features into applications. Spring AI offers developer-friendly Java APIs that can be used to access LLM models and implement higher level AI and application logic patterns. With Spring AI, Java developers can seamlessly integrate GenAI capabilities into their new or existing applications without needing to cross-train in Python.

GenAI on Tanzu Platform is an enhanced OpenAI compatible API gateway available in Tanzu Platform which has built-in API abstraction as well as load balancing, resilience, and caching. It allows you to run or connect to 100-plus proprietary or OSS LLMs in a secure and consistent manner. Tanzu Platform brokers LLM services as with any other services like databases and enterprise APIs, allowing platform engineering to curate AI services with role-based access controls and automate secrets management away from the developer for security and resilience.

Observability for GenAI provides increased performance and accuracy with monitoring and assessment of apps and model responses. This capability helps teams visualize, test and troubleshoot AI apps by performing model accuracy checks, and scans for hallucinations. It also monitors token usage to more easily control the costs of LLM calls.

Support for VMware Private AI Foundation with NVIDIA is built-in to the GenAI on Tanzu Platform service broker as ready-to-curate, drop-down selections to be made available to application teams.

Tanzu Platform 10 paired with VMware Cloud Foundation provides the fastest path to a complete private cloud

Tanzu Platform 10 provides powerful, ready-to-deploy advanced services for VMware Cloud Foundation, including container operations and data services, for the fastest path to a complete private cloud. To accelerate the delivery of modern applications on private cloud, Tanzu Platform 10 provides the following new capabilities:

Air-gapped environment support for off-network, self-managed, private cloud environments with a simple, self-configuring installation experience that preconfigures Tanzu Platform for VMware Cloud Foundation. With a simple CLI command, Kubernetes cluster creation and networking configuration are automated, creating a ready-to-consume private cloud developer platform.

Global Server Load Balancing and Advanced Networking for Tanzu Platform brings new enhancements to private clouds using the VMware Avi Load Balancer, with pre-configured support in Cloud Foundry deployments for managing routing, and source-to-url dynamic networking using load balancing and dynamic DNS for Kubernetes environments.
For India@100 Shri Shaktikanta Das, Governor, Reserve Bank of India proposed five priorities for the future of the financial system: 1) financial inclusion, 2) digital public infrastructure, 3) consumer protection and cyber security, 4) sustainable finance and 5) global integration and co-operation. This journey will be marked by dynamic shift in technology, regulation, geopolitics and growing societal expectations. It is up to the stakeholders in the Indian financial ecosystem to foster economic resilience, said Shri Das, speaking at the Global Fintech Fest 2024 here today.

Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2024 is presented by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Ministry of External Affairs, the Department of Financial Services (DFS), the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA). The conference is jointly organised by the Payments Council of India (PCI), the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), and the Fintech Convergence Council (FCC).

In his keynote address, Shri Das said, India is a fast-growing economic powerhouse with an increasingly tech-savvy population. Indias financial sector has witnessed a remarkable transformation driven by the fintech sector. Publicly available information places the number of fintechs founded in India at approximately 11,000, and the fintech sector has received investments of about USD 6 billion in the last two years alone. The Governor proposed to highlight three major aspects: First, setting the priorities for India at 100. Second, technologies for the future and third, the regulatory architecture for fintechs.

Welcoming the RBI Governor, Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan, Chair  GFF2024, Co-founder Infosys and Chairman, Axilor Ventures said, The role of a regulator is enabling and enforcing, as without enabling, enforcement is not possible. I believe that RBI has done a fantastic job of working with the industry and making innovation possible and creating an economy that is inclusive, equitable and that is driven by technology.

Around 800 speakers, including policymakers, regulators, senior bankers, industry captains, and academicians, from India and various other countries are addressing more than 350 sessions over three days of the conference. Delegates have arrived from around a hundred countries, besides India.
Check Point Software Technologies signs a definitive agreement to acquire Cyberint Technologies Ltd. This will significantly enhance Check Points Security Operations Center (SOC) capabilities and expand its managed threat intelligence offerings. Cyberints advanced capabilities will be integrated into the Check Point Infinity Platform for collaborative threat prevention and will also be available as a managed service through Check Point Infinity Platform Services.

Founded in 2010, with over 170 employees worldwide, Cyberint is one of the fastest growing External Risk Management companies in the market. Recognized as Company of the Year in 2023 by Frost & Sullivan in the External Risk Mitigation & Management category. Organizations face critical security challenges every day, including stolen employee credentials, fake websites, and social media impersonation. To prevent these and other challenges from negatively impacting companies, Cyberint specializes in threat intelligence, digital risk protection, and attack surface management, serving a diverse global clientele, including Fortune 500 companies.

Yochai Corem, CEO at Cyberint, said, Leaked credentials and fake websites designed for malicious purposes are staggeringly prevalent today, with over 90% of organizations facing these threats. This highlights the urgent need for real-time intelligence and proactive defense strategies, which our technology is able to mitigate in an effective way. We are thrilled to join the Check Point team. Integrating our solutions into the Infinity Platform will enhance our ability to protect organizations. Together, we will offer a more comprehensive security SOC offering that covers both internal and external threats.

Sharon Schusheim, Chief Services Officer at Check Point Software Technologies, said, We are excited to welcome Cyberint to the Check Point organization. Their solution aligns perfectly with our vision of collaborative threat prevention and enhances our SOC capabilities. We will be able to turn identified risks into autonomous preventative actions and work collaboratively across Check Point and third-party security products to contain compromised assets and mitigate external exposures.

Cyberints key capabilities include:

A Comprehensive External Risk Management Solution for SecOps Teams: Cyberints solution offers detection and takedown of impersonating website and social media accounts, as well as stolen credentials and leaked data associated with organizations. It also enables companies to detect vulnerable internet-facing websites and applications and prioritize and effectively mitigate these vulnerabilities.

Differentiated by Delivering Impactful and Actionable Intelligence: Cyberint delivers actionable intelligence within 20 minutes after setup, ensuring that security teams can respond to threats promptly.

Powered by AI and Enhanced by High-Quality Managed Services: Cyberint uses AI to deliver effective risk detection, mitigation, and contextualized alerts with minimal false positives. Managed services further strengthen this approach, offering expert guidance and ensuring comprehensive, high-quality management.

Closing of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to occur by the end of 2024.
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:

Dartmouth College. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Imagine a group of young men gathered at a picturesque college campus in New England, in the United States, during the northern summer of 1956.

It's a small casual gathering. But the men are not here for campfires and nature hikes in the surrounding mountains and woods. Instead, these pioneers are about to embark on an experimental journey that will spark countless debates for decades to come and change not just the course of technologybut the course of humanity.

Welcome to the Dartmouth Conferencethe birthplace of artificial intelligence (AI) as we know it today.

What transpired here would ultimately lead to ChatGPT and the many other kinds of AI which now help us diagnose disease, detect fraud, put together playlists and write articles (well, not this one). But it would also create some of the many problems the field is still trying to overcome. Perhaps by looking back, we can find a better way forward.

The summer that changed everything

In the mid 1950s, rock'n'roll was taking the world by storm. Elvis's Heartbreak Hotel was topping the charts, and teenagers started embracing James Dean's rebellious legacy.

But in 1956, in a quiet corner of New Hampshire, a different kind of revolution was happening.

The Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence, often remembered as the Dartmouth Conference, kicked off on June 18 and lasted for about eight weeks. It was the brainchild of four American computer scientistsJohn McCarthy, Marvin Minsky, Nathaniel Rochester and Claude Shannonand brought together some of the brightest minds in computer science, mathematics and cognitive psychology at the time.

These scientists, along with some of the 47 people they invited, set out to tackle an ambitious goal: to make intelligent machines.

As McCarthy put it in the conference proposal, they aimed to find out "how to make machines use language, form abstractions and concepts, solve kinds of problems now reserved for humans."

The birth of a fieldand a problematic name

The Dartmouth Conference didn't just coin the term "artificial intelligence"; it coalesced an entire field of study. It's like a mythical Big Bang of AIeverything we know about machine learning, neural networks and deep learning now traces its origins back to that summer in New Hampshire.

But the legacy of that summer is complicated.

Artificial intelligence won out as a name over others proposed or in use at the time. Shannon preferred the term "automata studies," while two other conference participants (and the soon-to-be creators of the first AI program), Allen Newell and Herbert Simon, continued to use "complex information processing" for a few years still.

But here's the thing: having settled on AI, no matter how much we try, today we can't seem to get away from comparing AI to human intelligence.

This comparison is both a blessing and a curse.

On the one hand, it drives us to create AI systems that can match or exceed human performance in specific tasks. We celebrate when AI outperforms humans in games such as chess or Go, or when it can detect cancer in medical images with greater accuracy than human doctors.

On the other hand, this constant comparison leads to misconceptions.

When a computer beats a human at Go, it is easy to jump to the conclusion that machines are now smarter than us in all aspectsor that we are at least well on our way to creating such intelligence. But AlphaGo is no closer to writing poetry than a calculator.

And when a large language model sounds human, we start wondering if it is sentient.

But ChatGPT is no more alive than a talking ventriloquist's dummy.

The overconfidence trap

The scientists at the Dartmouth Conference were incredibly optimistic about the future of AI. They were convinced they could solve the problem of machine intelligence in a single summer.

This overconfidence has been a recurring theme in AI development, and it has led to several cycles of hype and disappointment.

Simon stated in 1965 that "machines will be capable, within 20 years, of doing any work a man can do." Minsky predicted in 1967 that "within a generation [] the problem of creating 'artificial intelligence' will substantially be solved."

Popular futurist Ray Kurzweil now predicts it's only five years away: "we're not quite there, but we will be there, and by 2029 it will match any person."

Reframing our thinking: New lessons from Dartmouth

So, how can AI researchers, AI users, governments, employers and the broader public move forward in a more balanced way?

A key step is embracing the difference and utility of machine systems. Instead of focusing on the race to "artificial general intelligence," we can focus on the unique strengths of the systems we have builtfor example, the enormous creative capacity of image models.

Shifting the conversation from automation to augmentation is also important. Rather than pitting humans against machines, let's focus on how AI can assist and augment human capabilities.

Let's also emphasize ethical considerations. The Dartmouth participants didn't spend much time discussing the ethical implications of AI. Today, we know better, and must do better.

We must also refocus research directions. Let's emphasize research into AI interpretability and robustness, interdisciplinary AI research and explore new paradigms of intelligence that aren't modeled on human cognition.

Finally, we must manage our expectations about AI. Sure, we can be excited about its potential. But we must also have realistic expectations, so that we can avoid the disappointment cycles of the past.

As we look back at that summer camp 68 years ago, we can celebrate the vision and ambition of the Dartmouth Conference participants. Their work laid the foundation for the AI revolution we're experiencing today.

By reframing our approach to AIemphasizing utility, augmentation, ethics and realistic expectationswe can honor the legacy of Dartmouth while charting a more balanced and beneficial course for the future of AI.

After all, the real intelligence lies not just in creating smart machines, but in how wisely we choose to use and develop them.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
At the end of a mainly dry week, rain chances will be increasing Friday and into the weekend in San Antonio. TOM REEL/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Labor Day weekend is almost here, bringing what many consider to be the unofficial end of summer. Here in Texas, however, the holiday often still means intense summer heat. For instance, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and Houston all experienced 100-degree temperatures during Labor Day weekend 2023.

This year, its likely going to be much cooler, with much of the state expecting below-average conditions. However, a weak cold front and high levels of Gulf Coast moisture also means well have daily rain chances.

If youre planning on traveling for the holiday, be sure to give yourself extra time to get where you need to go. Take it slow if you do run into heavy rainfall and wet roadways as isolated flooding will be possible for some drivers.

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The weather pattern setup

A couple of atmospheric features will contribute to the rain chances across Texas this weekend. First, a weak cold front is expected to move into the Panhandle and parts of North Texas on Friday. The front is expected to hover across Central Texas on Saturday and Sunday, bringing scattered rain to many parts of the state.

This weather forecast map shows a weak cold front moving through Texas on Saturday, accompanied by rain chances. Pivotal Weather

At the same time, a plume of atmospheric moisture from the Gulf of Mexico is expected to come ashore along the Southeast Texas coastline. This will bring heavy rainfall to the Houston area, as well as help carry moisture to other regions across the state.

Travel conditions will be best Friday and Saturday as the rain is expected to be relatively scattered. Travel conditions will worsen Sunday and Monday as rain chances become more widespread.

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Highest rainfall totals

Whats unique about this particular weather setup is that all corners of the state are expecting to see at least some rain. The highest rainfall totals are expected in Southeast Texas. From Friday through Monday, the Houston metro area could see 2 to 5 inches of rain. Even higher totals are possible along the coast in the Galveston area.

The forecast map using the National Blend of Models shows widespread rainfall across Texas through Labor Day. The highest rainfall totals are expected in Southeast Texas. Pivotal Weather

Rainfall totals will be lower but still significant as you move farther inland. Much of West and Central Texas can expect up to 2 inches of rain through Monday, according to the National Blend of Models.

Forecast models indicate that San Antonio, which will sit farther south of the cold front, will likely experience less rain. Still, between a half-inch to 1.5 inches of rain are likely. Rain chances in San Antonio will be relatively low Friday and Saturday but will rise significantly Sunday and Monday.

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Temperatures

Thanks to the rain chances and expected cloudiness, temperatures across Texas will be near to slightly below average for late August and early September.

At left are expected peak temperatures across Texas on Saturday. At right are the expected afternoon highs for Labor Day. Pivotal Weather

On Friday, most of Texas will experience daily high temps in the 90s, but they are expected to fall slightly as we head into the weekend. By Sunday, temperatures in much of Central and North Texas will top out in the upper 80s. However, San Antonio metro area temps may still reach the low 90s.

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This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

China is building almost twice as much wind and solar capacity as every other country combined.

Hundreds of rows of gleaming panels blanket swathes of scrubby sand at sunset in a remote northern Chinese desertonce the biggest solar farm in the world.

On the edge of the forbidding Tengger desert, the solar park produces 1.5 gigawatts of powerbut it has since been eclipsed and the largest is now further west with more than double the capacity.

China, the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, is building almost twice as much wind and solar capacity as every other country combined.

Last week, its wind and solar capacity overshot a target set by President Xi Jinping nearly six years ahead of schedule.

The vast solar arrays in the Ningxia region are a testament to a state-led industrial policy that has driven that breakneck growth.

South of the regional capital Yinchuan, huge lorries roar down a highway flanked by photovoltaic panels and wind turbines stretching to the horizon.

Ningxia, like much of China's northwest, is sparsely populated and sun-soaked, pockmarked with small farms, vineyards and hulking power stations.

This geography makes it a prime location for generating solar power, which is then sent to China's eastern and southern provinces where electricity demand is highest.

China increased its installed solar capacity by more than 55 percent last year, according to the National Energy Administration.

"China's solar energy is developing at an unprecedented pace and scale," said analyst Wu Di from Peking University's Institute of Energy.

The country increased its installed solar capacity by more than 55 percent last year, according to the National Energy Administration.

China now accounts for over 40 percent of the total installed capacity worldwide, said Wu.

'Need for coal waning'

Beijing aims to bring emissions of planet-heating carbon dioxide to a peak by 2030 and to net zero by 2060, part of its commitments under the Paris climate accord that seeks to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

"Carbon can't peak unless incremental consumption demand is covered entirely by incremental growth in clean energy," said David Fishman, a senior manager at the Lantau Group specialising in China's power sector.

"Incremental solar capacity growth is an important part of making sure all power demand growth is met by clean sources."

The government only permitted around nine gigawatts of new coal power in the first half of 2024, a year-on-year reduction of 83 percent, according to a report published this month by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.

Solar panels are seen at the south of Yinchuan in China's northern Ningxia region.

"With new renewable energy installations now capable of meeting all incremental power demand in China, the need for new coal is waning," the Finland-based independent research group said.

But it also warned that construction continued on existing coal projects, potentially slowing Beijing's energy transition.

Industry shake-out

The blistering pace at which extra solar capacity has been added has not quite been matched by developments in the power grid, causing some energy to be losta phenomenon known as curtailment.

In May, Fitch Ratings said this could continue to rise in the near term, with the solar curtailment rate for the first quarter of 2024 increasing to four percent.

"In the future, in order to control the solar curtailment ratio within a reasonable range, China still has lots of work to do," said Wu.

Transferring power from west to east is also "not the most cost-effective approach", said Gao Yuhe from environmental group Greenpeace East Asia.

Besides the behemothic parks in the north, China's solar revolution has also relied on distributed solar energysmaller panels set onto rooftops in residential and commercial areas, which reduce transmission losses.

The vast solar arrays in the Ningxia region are a testament to a state-led industrial policy that has driven that breakneck growth.

But even this smaller-scale infrastructure needs upgrading to cope with recent increased capacity, said Wu.

Long backed by generous government subsidies, China's domestic solar-panel industry is struggling with a global oversupply crisis that has driven down prices and pushed some firms into bankruptcy.

Fishman, of the Lantau Group, said the intense competition "is good news for builders, who continue to benefit from the cheapest panels the world has ever seen".

"Once a few of them go toes-up because they can't endure the competition, the market should stabilise," he added.

Chinese subsidies have also created friction with global trading partners, with the EU launching an investigation to discern whether the subsidies have helped homegrown firms undercut European rivals.

Beijing denies that its industrial policies are unfair and has initiated a series of probes into European imports in apparent retaliation.

 2024 AFP
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

As New Zealand edges closer to adopting congestion charging in its busiest cities, University of Auckland researchers are highlighting a critical but often overlooked issue: privacy.

In a new paper published in Policy Quarterly, Professor Tana Pistorius (Business School) and Isa Seow (Research Fellow, School of Computer Science) discuss the technology that could be utilized in the rollout of congestion charging systems such as satellite tracking, number plate identification cameras and short-range communication systems.

Each of these technologies carries inherent risks to individual privacy and pose significant challenges within the framework of the Privacy Act, according to the researchers.

Number plate recognition cameras capture images of vehicles and their license plates but can record additional information, such as the vehicles' drivers and passengers. And with the increasing resolutions of cameras, the researchers say there's a heightened risk of capturing sensitive biometric information, raising concerns about the recording and storage duration of high-resolution facial data.

Aotearoa's biometric regulations are still evolving, says Professor Pistorius, and the widespread use of new automatic number plate recognition technology and software, which could be required if congestion charging systems are introduced, can accentuate the risks associated with the processing of biometric data.

Seow points out that there are further challenges regarding what such data could be used for, with significant concerns around analytics, crime tracking and prediction, all of which could potentially infringe on individual privacy.

Meanwhile, navigation satellite technology can pinpoint a vehicle's location with remarkable accuracy, raising concerns about daily and repeated surveillance.

Another potential option, dedicated short-range communication systems, which facilitate communication between vehicles and roadside equipment, are particularly risky if they store data related to payments and vehicle location history on card systems.

Seow says congestion charging systems are exposed to data risk and have been targeted by cybercriminals overseas.

The researchers stress that no matter what technology is used, any data collected must be limited to what's strictly necessary for the intended purpose.

"A privacy impact assessment, namely a review of the privacy implications and the mitigation of risks, should be undertaken by the government before anything is put in place to curb congestion to ensure that we have adequate safeguards," says Pistorius.

The researchers also sought public opinion through four focus groups, which saw Aucklanders and Wellingtonians express concerns about the implications of congestion charging systems on privacy. Questions were raised regarding the duration of data retention by the systems, potential security breaches, and the over-collection of data.

Respondents suggested that all data should be deleted after six months to mitigate privacy risks. They also advocated for clear regulations to protect against unwarranted police access to congestion charging data.

Other suggestions to help address privacy risks included anonymizing license plate information during transit or storage, implementing platforms for individuals to monitor their data across all government services, and establishing geolocation fences to confine data collection and viewing within city limits.

The researchers say these "fences," which are virtual boundaries that limit data collection and viewing to specific areas, would ensure people's data would not be collected while at home or outside congestion charging zones.

More information: Isa Seow and Tana Pistorius. Automated Traffic Congestion Charging Systems: Privacy Considerations for New Zealand, Policy Quarterly (2024). ojs.victoria.ac.nz/pq/issue/view/1013/95
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:

Design, training, and sim-to-real deployment of our custom-built humanoid with a learning-based controller. Credit: arXiv (2024). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2407.21781

Advancements in the field of robotics are fueled by research, which in turn heavily relies on effective platforms to test algorithms for robot control and navigation. While numerous robotics platforms have been developed over the past decades, most of them have shortcomings that limit their use in research settings.

Researchers at the University of California (UC) Berkeley recently developed Berkeley Humanoid, a new robotic platform that could be used to train and test algorithms for the control of humanoid robots. This new humanoid robot, introduced in a paper posted to the preprint server arXiv, addresses and overcomes some of the limitations of previously introduced robotics research platforms.

"Having conducted several experiments with commercially available robots, we have become aware of some of their weaknesses," Qiayuan Liao, co-author of the paper, told Tech Xplore. "For instance, some robot hardware is very expensive, while other hardware is not designed especially for learning-based control or for research, which often means that it is 'fragile,' easy to break, and hard to maintain and repair."

The key objective of the recent work by Liao and his colleagues was to develop more cost-effective and scalable platforms for robotics research. These platforms should be low-cost, easy for researchers to fabricate and experiment with, robust against failures, easy to carry, requiring little maintenance and should be manageable by a single operator.

"The platform we developed, the Berkeley Humanoid robot, has high performance, transparent low-level actuators and transmission, higher reliability, and is inexpensive," Liao explained. We achieve this by designing and building everything from scratch, including both its mechanical and electrical components."

Credit: Hybrid Robotics

Berkeley Humanoid is a compact, low-cost and lightweight robot that could be easily deployed in robotics laboratories. Its customized mechanical components include a gearbox and actuators, as well as its various limbs and body parts. Its electrical components, on the other hand, are a motor driver and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) module.

The researchers tested their robotic platform in a series of tests and demonstrated that it could effectively tackle various locomotion tasks, even when controlled by a basic learning-based policy. With this simple policy, the robot was capable of walking on different terrains, single and double leg hopping and walking over long distances on both urban and unpaved terrains.

"We have introduced a new high-performance, reliable, low-cost, humanoid research platform, and demonstrated amazing locomotion tasks with a simple learning-based policy," Liao said. "The Berkeley Humanoid is designed specifically for academic research instead of direct deployment to industry. We want to accelerate algorithm development and experimental validation."

Initial tests highlighted the significant promise of Berkeley Humanoid, showing that it can support dynamic walking with various locomotion styles while also retaining its stability on different types of terrain. The platform could soon be used both at Berkeley and at other robotics research labs to train and test new algorithms for robot control and navigation.

"We now hope to add arms to our robot to make the robot perform manipulation-related research," Liao added. "As part of our next studies, we also hope to add perception capabilities using the camera to enable even better performance."

More information: Qiayuan Liao et al, Berkeley Humanoid: A Research Platform for Learning-based Control, arXiv (2024). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2407.21781 Journal information: arXiv

 2024 Science X Network
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Pavel Durov, co-founder of encrypted messaging app Telegram, was arrested at an airport near Paris.

Pavel Durov, the founder and chief of Telegram, is set to learn Wednesday whether he will face charges and even be remanded in custody after his weekend arrest by French authorities over alleged violations at the messaging app.

Russian-born Durov, 39, was arrested at Le Bourget airport outside Paris late Saturday, and while the judicial authorities have repeatedly extended his initial period of detention, it can last a maximum of 96 hours.

This means that by Wednesday evening he should either be released or appear before a judge who will decide further measures against him.

As part of a probe that was confidentially opened on July 8, Durov is being investigated on suspicion of 12 offenses related to failing to curb extremist and criminal content on Telegram, sources close to the investigation have said.

The tech mogul founded Telegram as he was in the process of quitting his native Russia a decade ago. Its growth has been exponential, with the app now boasting over 900 million users.

An enigmatic figure who rarely speaks in public, Durov is a citizen of Russia, France and the United Arab Emirates, where Telegram is based.

Forbes magazine estimates his current fortune at $15.5 billion, though he proudly promotes the virtues of an ascetic life that includes ice baths and not drinking alcohol or coffee.

Numerous questions have been raised about the timing and circumstances of Durov's detention, in particular why he flew into Paris apparently knowing a warrant had been issued against him.

Le Monde newspaper reported Wednesday that Durov had met French President Emmanuel Macron on several occasions prior to receiving French nationality in 2021 via a special procedure reserved for those deemed to have made a special contribution to France.

The Wall Street Journal added that at one lunch in 2018, Macronwho along with his team were in the past avid users of Telegramhad suggested it should be headquartered in Paris. But Durov had refused.

Macron complained false information was circulating.

'In no way political'

In a post on X to address what he called "false information" concerning the case, Macron insisted Durov's arrest was "in no way a political decision" and it was "up to the judges to rule".

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the charges were very serious and thus needed "no less serious evidence".

"Otherwise this would be a direct attempt to restrict freedom of communication, and, I might even say, directly intimidate the head of a large company," he said.

The UAE meanwhile said it was "closely following the case" and had requested consular access for its citizen.

Among those voicing support for Durov is fellow tech tycoon and chief executive of X, Elon Musk, who has posted comments under the hashtag #FreePavel.

Durov left Russia a decade ago as he was setting up Telegram amid an ownership squabble concerning his first project, the Russian social network VKontakte.

But his departure from Russia was reportedly not an abrupt exile: according to the Vazhnye Istorii news site, citing leaked border data, he visited the country more than 50 times between 2015 and 2021.

'Nothing to hide'

When the initial 96-hour questioning period ends, the investigating magistrate can either free Durov or press charges and remand him in custody.

Telegram's logo is a paper plane.

He could also be freed under judicial control that could include restrictions on his movements.

Durov, who has been based in Dubai in recent years, arrived in Paris from the Azerbaijani capital Baku and was planning to have dinner in the French capital, a source close to the case said.

He was accompanied by a bodyguard and a personal assistant who always travel with him, added the source, asking not to be named.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was in Baku on a state visit to Azerbaijan on August 18 and 19, though Peskov has denied that the two met.

France's OFMIN, an office tasked with preventing violence against minors, issued an arrest warrant for Durov in a preliminary investigation into alleged offenses including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime and promotion of terrorism.

Telegram said in response that "Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe".

It added, "It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform."

Telegram has positioned itself as a "neutral" alternative to US-owned platforms, which have been criticised for their commercial exploitation of users' personal data.

It has also played a key role since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, used actively by politicians and commentators on both sides of the war.

But critics accuse it of hosting often illegal content ranging from extreme sexual imagery to disinformation and narcotics services.

 2024 AFP
Ballard Power Systems Inc. (TSE:BLDP  Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as C$2.44 and last traded at C$2.44, with a volume of 383427 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at C$2.52.

Ballard Power Systems Stock Performance

The companys fifty day moving average price is C$3.01 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$3.65. The firm has a market capitalization of C$730.56 million, a PE ratio of -3.55, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of -2,030.00 and a beta of 1.74. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.04, a quick ratio of 13.57 and a current ratio of 10.90.

Ballard Power Systems Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Ballard Power Systems Inc engages in the design, development, manufacture, sale, and service of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell products. The company offers its products for power product comprising for bus, truck, rail, marine, stationary, and emerging market, such as material handling, off-road, and other applications.

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Banque Pictet & Cie SA raised its position in General Electric (NYSE:GE  Free Report) by 66.5% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,402 shares of the conglomerates stock after purchasing an additional 959 shares during the period. Banque Pictet & Cie SAs holdings in General Electric were worth $382,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of GE. Pictet North America Advisors SA purchased a new stake in General Electric during the 2nd quarter valued at about $4,538,000. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp increased its holdings in shares of General Electric by 8.6% in the second quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp now owns 1,577 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $251,000 after purchasing an additional 125 shares during the last quarter. McAdam LLC lifted its position in General Electric by 5.8% during the second quarter. McAdam LLC now owns 2,439 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $388,000 after buying an additional 133 shares in the last quarter. Transcendent Capital Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of General Electric by 14,701.5% during the 2nd quarter. Transcendent Capital Group LLC now owns 10,065 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $1,600,000 after acquiring an additional 9,997 shares during the period. Finally, Quotient Wealth Partners LLC boosted its holdings in General Electric by 32.5% in the 2nd quarter. Quotient Wealth Partners LLC now owns 4,632 shares of the conglomerates stock valued at $736,000 after purchasing an additional 1,135 shares during the last quarter. 74.77% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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General Electric Trading Up 0.9 %

GE traded up $1.54 during trading on Friday, hitting $171.22. The companys stock had a trading volume of 4,058,017 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,834,152. General Electric has a twelve month low of $84.42 and a twelve month high of $177.20. The stock has a market cap of $187.42 billion, a PE ratio of 56.14, a PEG ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 1.21. The firms 50 day moving average price is $164.39 and its 200-day moving average price is $161.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 1.14 and a quick ratio of 0.85.

General Electric Announces Dividend

General Electric ( NYSE:GE Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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 return on equity of 16.07% and a net margin of 7.66%. The business had revenue of $9.09 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.44 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.68 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 3.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that General Electric will post 4.15 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, July 25th. Investors of record on Thursday, July 11th were given a $0.28 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, July 11th. This represents a $1.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.65%. General Electrics dividend payout ratio is presently 36.72%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently commented on GE shares. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of General Electric from $175.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 30th. StockNews.com cut General Electric from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Monday, July 29th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price objective on shares of General Electric from $185.00 to $190.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, June 28th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on General Electric from $192.00 to $205.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on General Electric from $148.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, May 13th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $190.38.

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General Electric Company Profile

(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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Banque Pictet & Cie SA lessened its stake in shares of Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ  Free Report) by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 8,650 shares of the companys stock after selling 100 shares during the quarter. Banque Pictet & Cie SAs holdings in Constellation Brands were worth $2,225,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of STZ. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. acquired a new position in Constellation Brands in the second quarter valued at $29,000. Horizon Bancorp Inc. IN acquired a new stake in shares of Constellation Brands in the 2nd quarter valued at about $32,000. YHB Investment Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Constellation Brands in the 1st quarter valued at about $35,000. First Financial Corp IN purchased a new position in Constellation Brands during the 1st quarter worth approximately $35,000. Finally, LRI Investments LLC acquired a new position in Constellation Brands during the first quarter worth approximately $37,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.34% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Barclays increased their price objective on Constellation Brands from $287.00 to $295.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, July 19th. Truist Financial reissued a hold rating and set a $265.00 price objective on shares of Constellation Brands in a research report on Wednesday, July 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Constellation Brands from $291.00 to $320.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, July 5th. Roth Mkm lowered their price target on Constellation Brands from $305.00 to $303.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 5th. Finally, UBS Group upped their price objective on Constellation Brands from $315.00 to $320.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, July 5th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $300.28.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP Kaneenat Kristann Carey sold 977 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $261.00, for a total value of $254,997.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 2,706 shares in the company, valued at approximately $706,266. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other Constellation Brands news, CFO Garth Hankinson sold 13,583 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $240.00, for a total transaction of $3,259,920.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 11,702 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,808,480. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Kaneenat Kristann Carey sold 977 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, July 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $261.00, for a total value of $254,997.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 2,706 shares of the companys stock, valued at $706,266. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 16,414 shares of company stock worth $3,982,922 over the last 90 days. 12.19% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Constellation Brands Stock Up 0.6 %

Shares of NYSE STZ opened at $245.18 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $44.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.75. Constellation Brands, Inc. has a 52 week low of $227.50 and a 52 week high of $274.87. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $250.01 and a 200 day moving average price of $253.77. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06.

Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 3rd. The company reported $3.57 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.46 by $0.11. Constellation Brands had a return on equity of 23.72% and a net margin of 22.70%. The business had revenue of $2.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.67 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $2.91 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts anticipate that Constellation Brands, Inc. will post 13.57 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Constellation Brands Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 23rd. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 14th were issued a $1.01 dividend. This represents a $4.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.65%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, August 14th. Constellation Brandss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 30.10%.

About Constellation Brands

(Free Report)

Constellation Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, produces, imports, markets, and sells beer, wine, and spirits in the United States, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and Italy. The company provides beer primarily under the Corona Extra, Corona Familiar, Corona Hard Seltzer, Corona Light, Corona Non-Alcoholic, Corona Premier, Corona Refresca, Modelo Especial, Modelo Chelada, Modelo Negra, Modelo Oro, Victoria, Vicky Chamoy, and Pacifico brands.

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Cypress Capital Group boosted its holdings in BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK  Free Report) by 1.9% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 7,416 shares of the asset managers stock after acquiring an additional 140 shares during the quarter. Cypress Capital Groups holdings in BlackRock were worth $5,839,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Carolinas Wealth Consulting LLC lifted its holdings in shares of BlackRock by 25.0% during the 4th quarter. Carolinas Wealth Consulting LLC now owns 200 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $163,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the period. Zhang Financial LLC lifted its holdings in shares of BlackRock by 24.0% during the 1st quarter. Zhang Financial LLC now owns 883 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $736,000 after buying an additional 171 shares during the period. California State Teachers Retirement System lifted its holdings in shares of BlackRock by 0.7% during the 4th quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 237,740 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $192,997,000 after buying an additional 1,647 shares during the period. Farrow Financial Inc. bought a new position in shares of BlackRock during the 4th quarter valued at $2,228,000. Finally, Axxcess Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of BlackRock by 35.8% during the 1st quarter. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,732 shares of the asset managers stock valued at $3,945,000 after buying an additional 1,248 shares during the period. 80.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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BlackRock Price Performance

Shares of BlackRock stock traded up $17.60 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $882.84. The companys stock had a trading volume of 416,346 shares, compared to its average volume of 595,632. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $828.48 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $805.37. BlackRock, Inc. has a 12-month low of $596.18 and a 12-month high of $885.10. The company has a market cap of $131.19 billion, a PE ratio of 22.44, a PEG ratio of 1.92 and a beta of 1.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 5.32 and a current ratio of 5.32.

BlackRock Announces Dividend

BlackRock ( NYSE:BLK Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Monday, July 15th. The asset manager reported $10.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $9.96 by $0.40. BlackRock had a return on equity of 15.53% and a net margin of 32.36%. The firm had revenue of $4.81 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.85 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $9.28 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 7.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that BlackRock, Inc. will post 41.23 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 23rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 9th will be issued a $5.10 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 9th. This represents a $20.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.31%. BlackRocks dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 51.84%.

Insider Transactions at BlackRock

In other news, Director Mark Wiedman sold 27,000 shares of BlackRock stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $834.42, for a total value of $22,529,340.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 6,480 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,407,041.60. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other BlackRock news, CEO Laurence Fink sold 29,450 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $843.25, for a total transaction of $24,833,712.50. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 353,718 shares of the companys stock, valued at $298,272,703.50. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Mark Wiedman sold 27,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $834.42, for a total value of $22,529,340.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 6,480 shares in the company, valued at $5,407,041.60. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 81,042 shares of company stock valued at $68,587,117. 0.90% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently weighed in on BLK. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price target on BlackRock from $912.00 to $937.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, August 15th. UBS Group lowered their target price on BlackRock from $842.00 to $837.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on BlackRock from $1,025.00 to $1,013.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. Argus lifted their target price on BlackRock from $880.00 to $910.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 16th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their target price on BlackRock from $915.00 to $934.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 16th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, BlackRock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $874.07.

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BlackRock Company Profile

(Free Report)

BlackRock, Inc is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to institutional, intermediary, and individual investors including corporate, public, union, and industry pension plans, insurance companies, third-party mutual funds, endowments, public institutions, governments, foundations, charities, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, official institutions, and banks.

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Harbour Investments Inc. cut its stake in First Trust Intermediate Government Opportunities ETF (NYSEARCA:MGOV  Free Report) by 6.4% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 172,445 shares of the companys stock after selling 11,697 shares during the quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. owned about 10.78% of First Trust Intermediate Government Opportunities ETF worth $3,447,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of MGOV. Hilltop National Bank bought a new position in First Trust Intermediate Government Opportunities ETF in the second quarter worth about $74,000. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of First Trust Intermediate Government Opportunities ETF during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,017,000. Finally, Kingsview Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of First Trust Intermediate Government Opportunities ETF by 4.6% in the 1st quarter. Kingsview Wealth Management LLC now owns 674,656 shares of the companys stock worth $13,614,000 after acquiring an additional 29,630 shares in the last quarter.

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First Trust Intermediate Government Opportunities ETF Trading Down 0.0 %

Shares of NYSEARCA MGOV traded down $0.01 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $20.68. 2,292 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 10,514. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $20.35 and a 200-day moving average price of $20.11. First Trust Intermediate Government Opportunities ETF has a 52 week low of $18.77 and a 52 week high of $20.78.

First Trust Intermediate Government Opportunities ETF Company Profile

The First Trust Intermediate Government Opportunities ETF (MGOV) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in investment grade fixed income. The fund is an actively managed ETF that mainly invests in U.S. Treasury and mortgage-related securities MGOV was launched on Aug 2, 2023 and is issued by First Trust.

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Mn Services Vermogensbeheer B.V. reduced its stake in Everest Group, Ltd. (NYSE:EG  Free Report) by 2.9% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 17,000 shares of the companys stock after selling 500 shares during the period. Mn Services Vermogensbeheer B.V.s holdings in Everest Group were worth $6,477,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Everest Group during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. American National Bank acquired a new stake in Everest Group during the second quarter worth about $27,000. Heritage Wealth Advisors bought a new position in Everest Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $30,000. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in Everest Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV acquired a new position in shares of Everest Group in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.64% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on EG. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on shares of Everest Group from $450.00 to $445.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 10th. Bank of America boosted their price target on Everest Group from $470.00 to $493.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, July 11th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their price objective on Everest Group from $454.00 to $438.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on Everest Group from $387.00 to $403.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Everest Group from $392.00 to $393.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Monday, August 12th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $431.00.

Everest Group Trading Up 1.7 %

NYSE:EG traded up $6.46 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $388.63. 143,220 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 328,705. The company has a current ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 0.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24. Everest Group, Ltd. has a fifty-two week low of $343.76 and a fifty-two week high of $417.92. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $377.04 and a 200-day simple moving average of $377.21. The firm has a market capitalization of $16.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.78, a PEG ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.63.

Everest Group (NYSE:EG  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 31st. The company reported $16.85 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $16.97 by ($0.12). The business had revenue of $4.23 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.32 billion. Everest Group had a return on equity of 24.09% and a net margin of 18.36%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 15.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $15.21 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Everest Group, Ltd. will post 61.69 earnings per share for the current year.

Everest Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Investors of record on Monday, September 16th will be paid a $2.00 dividend. This represents a $8.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.06%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 16th. Everest Groups dividend payout ratio is currently 11.89%.

About Everest Group

(Free Report)

Everest Group, Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance and insurance products in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company operates through two segment, Insurance and Reinsurance. The Reinsurance segment writes property and casualty reinsurance; and specialty lines of business through reinsurance brokers, as well as directly with ceding companies in the United States, Bermuda, Ireland, Canada, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

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Raymond James Trust N.A. lifted its stake in Laboratory Co. of America Holdings (NYSE:LH  Free Report) by 1.1% during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 10,050 shares of the medical research companys stock after buying an additional 105 shares during the period. Raymond James Trust N.A.s holdings in Laboratory Co. of America were worth $2,045,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in Laboratory Co. of America in the first quarter valued at about $30,000. Family Firm Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Laboratory Co. of America in the second quarter valued at approximately $37,000. McClarren Financial Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in Laboratory Co. of America by 313.2% during the first quarter. McClarren Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 219 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $48,000 after acquiring an additional 166 shares during the period. Quent Capital LLC lifted its holdings in Laboratory Co. of America by 88.4% in the second quarter. Quent Capital LLC now owns 260 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $53,000 after acquiring an additional 122 shares during the period. Finally, Concord Wealth Partners boosted its position in shares of Laboratory Co. of America by 50.3% during the 1st quarter. Concord Wealth Partners now owns 275 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $60,000 after purchasing an additional 92 shares in the last quarter. 95.94% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Kerrii B. Anderson sold 586 shares of Laboratory Co. of America stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $225.00, for a total transaction of $131,850.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 14,722 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,312,450. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In related news, EVP Der Vaart Sandra D. Van sold 2,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, August 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $227.05, for a total transaction of $454,100.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 3,670 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $833,273.50. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Kerrii B. Anderson sold 586 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $225.00, for a total value of $131,850.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 14,722 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,312,450. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 29,679 shares of company stock worth $6,716,306. 0.85% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Laboratory Co. of America Stock Up 0.3 %

NYSE:LH traded up $0.71 on Friday, hitting $230.89. 319,299 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 704,664. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $214.04 and a 200-day moving average price of $210.51. The company has a current ratio of 0.88, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. The company has a market cap of $19.46 billion, a PE ratio of 46.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.76 and a beta of 1.05. Laboratory Co. of America Holdings has a 1 year low of $191.97 and a 1 year high of $238.46.

Laboratory Co. of America (NYSE:LH  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 1st. The medical research company reported $3.94 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.78 by $0.16. The business had revenue of $3.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.19 billion. Laboratory Co. of America had a net margin of 3.60% and a return on equity of 15.39%. Laboratory Co. of Americas quarterly revenue was up 6.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $3.42 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Laboratory Co. of America Holdings will post 14.84 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Laboratory Co. of America Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 13th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 29th will be issued a $0.72 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 29th. This represents a $2.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.25%. Laboratory Co. of Americas dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 57.95%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Laboratory Co. of America from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 20th. UBS Group upped their target price on Laboratory Co. of America from $260.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. Evercore ISI raised their price target on Laboratory Co. of America from $210.00 to $215.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 9th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price objective on Laboratory Co. of America from $220.00 to $230.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. Finally, Truist Financial boosted their target price on shares of Laboratory Co. of America from $255.00 to $275.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $247.42.

Check Out Our Latest Report on Laboratory Co. of America

Laboratory Co. of America Company Profile

(Free Report)

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings operates as a life sciences company that provides vital information to help doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, researchers, and patients make clear and confident decisions. It operates in two segments, Labcorp Diagnostics (Dx) and Biopharma Laboratory Services (BLS).

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Taylor Wimpey plc (OTCMKTS:TWODY  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large growth in short interest in the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 4,400 shares, a growth of 109.5% from the July 31st total of 2,100 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 171,800 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.0 days.

Taylor Wimpey Trading Down 2.4 %

TWODY stock traded down $0.53 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $21.77. The stock had a trading volume of 51,293 shares, compared to its average volume of 17,254. Taylor Wimpey has a twelve month low of $12.68 and a twelve month high of $22.75. The companys 50-day moving average price is $20.16 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $18.75.

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Taylor Wimpey Company Profile

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Taylor Wimpey plc operates as a homebuilder in the United Kingdom and Spain. It builds and delivers various homes and communities. Taylor Wimpey plc was incorporated in 1935 and is based in High Wycombe, the United Kingdom.

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(TBTCO) - Nhung tiem nang nao cua ban than ma ban chua kham pha ra? Lam the nao e nam bat nhung co hoi, trai nghiem moi trong su nghiep cua minh? ang ky tham gia ngay su kien Mega Livestream "Mo tiem nang- Vuot gioi han" uoc Prudential lan au tien to chuc, hua hen mang en nhieu thong tin thu vi, co hoi nghe nghiep hap dan va nhung phan qua gia tri cho nguoi tham gia.
ParkPoint, a leading company in parking management and operations across Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, has announced its participation in the Smart Cities Saudi Expo 2024.

The event, scheduled from September 24 to 26 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center (RFECC), will be held under the theme "Empowering Cognitive Living in Saudi Arabia," focusing on promoting sustainable urban development through the integration of advanced smart technologies.

"This participation is aimed at exploring the latest innovative solutions in urban mobility and transportation, including cutting-edge parking and smart mobility systems. Our goal is to stay at the forefront of global parking technology, bringing the newest advancements in parking management to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. This ensures that our customers receive the highest quality service, as well as technical and advisory solutions in the parking sector," said Omar Al Khan, Founder and Managing Partner of ParkPoint.

"The exhibition presents a valuable opportunity for us to exchange experiences and knowledge with leading global players in the fields of parking and smart mobility. It will also allow us to expand our network and connect with entrepreneurs and service providers in this industry, providing a platform to showcase our ideas and products. These interactions will open new horizons for future collaborations and partnerships, ultimately enhancing the efficiency and quality of our operations and reinforcing our leadership in integrated parking management."

Al Khan affirmed that ParkPoint is dedicated to actively contributing to the development of future ecosystems in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, recognizing parking management as a crucial element. As demand for parking services rises due to economic growth, population expansion, and advancements in transportation, the company's participation aligns with the kingdoms' urban development vision to enhance the efficiency, safety, and sustainability.  TradeArabia News Service
Diyar Al Muharraq, Bahrains largest real estate firm, has appointed ASK Real Estate to provide comprehensive executive management support services for the Al Naseem Community.

ASK Real Estate will oversee daily operations, maintain common areas, and offer strategic advice on community management. The company has also been entrusted to manage all financial aspects related to the communitys operations.

Held at Diyar Al Muharraq headquarters, the signing ceremony for this collaboration was attended by Majed Al Khan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ASK Real Estate, Karim Yazji, Chief Executive Officer of ASK Real Estate, Eng Ahmed Ali Alammadi, Chief Executive Officer of Diyar Al Muharraq, and other officials from both companies.

Vibrant, safe and well-managed

Al Khan said: We are delighted to collaborate with a prestigious developer like Diyar Al Muharraq to support the executive management of one of its most distinguished masterplan projects. We are committed to furthering the companys vision and efforts in providing a vibrant, safe and well-managed living environment for the residents.

Alammadi said: We strive to partner with prominent companies and institutions that uphold the highest industry standards. We believe that ASK Real Estate will add significant value to the Al Naseem Community. By partnering with them to support the communitys executive management, we are taking a step towards realising our vision of establishing Diyar Al Muharraq as the premier residential destination.

Holding a Class A real estate valuation licence, ASK is accredited by the Real Estate Regulatory Authority. The company specialises in a comprehensive range of services including property management, brokerage, consulting, sales and purchase, auditing, equity listing, insurance, property valuation and more.--TradeArabia News Service
Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in the UAE outside oil and gas, has announced that over 110 women have joined the company since Emirati Womens Day 2023, including 67 UAE Nationals.

EGA now employs over 550 women in the UAE in total, including more than 195 in operations. The company is aiming for 25% of supervisory roles to be held by women by 2025, up from around 20% today, and 15% of all positions by 2026.

EGA marked Emirati Womens Day with the launch a new initiative dedicated to promoting gender diversity across UAE industry.

Break the Mould initiative

EGAs Break the Mould initiative aims to inspire young women with an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics to follow in the footsteps of pioneering women who have made significant contributions to the UAE industrial sector.

The UAE is one of only a few countries in the world where more women than men graduate in science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects.

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, said: At EGA and in the UAE industrial sector, pioneering women are making significant contributions and inspire many more women to follow in their footsteps. Emirati Womens Day is an opportunity to celebrate their achievements in our industry and our nation. We believe that diversity leads to improved business performance, and we are committed to creating more opportunities for women and to inspire the next generation of women leaders and innovators in the UAE.

EGAs Womens Network

On Emirati Womens Day, EGAs Womens Network organised an event for all women at EGA to showcase the progress made so far and discuss how to further accelerate gender diversity.

In 2022, EGA opened the long-standing National Training programmes for front-line roles in industrial operations to women for the first time. Some 20% of the programmes new joiners were women in the first full year since opening the programme for females.

Last year, EGA launched the Challenger Programme, which brings together leading industrial companies to make quicker progress on promoting gender diversity by addressing shared practical challenges.

EGA is a signatory to the United Nations Womens Empowerment Principles and committed to promoting gender diversity throughout its business as well as advocating for womens role in industry and society.--TradeArabia News Service
The Economist Impacts 4th Global Trade and Supply Chain Summit will gather 500 industry leaders in Dubai to discuss challenges such as protectionism, global conflict and the rising need for sustainable operations.

Supported by The Executive Office of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, this summit, from October 8 to 9, will provide a platform to navigate the complexities of the current trade environment and promote efficient, resilient and future-proof supply chains, a release said.

Participants will gain insights into the UAEs strategy for economic diversification, trade policies of the American presidential candidates and practical impacts of AI technology on procurement and supply chains.

Featured speakers

Featured speakers include Willem Uijen, chief procurement officer, Unilever; Rachael Legg, interim chief procurement officer, Rolls-Royce; and Heidi Landry, chief procurement officer, MedTech, Johnson & Johnson.

The key topics that would be discussed are Policy and new globalization, Tech-powered trade: innovation and AI and Digital trade and automation.

The summit, at the JW Marriott Hotel Marina, is CPD accredited. Attendees can use code CPDGTS for a 20% discount on tickets.

Sponsors include The Executive Office of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, JP Morgan, DP World, SAP, Schneider Electric, DMCC, Citi and ECI.--TradeArabia News Service
The Dubai Centre for Family Businesses, which operates under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers, has issued a new toolkit highlighting the important role of Family Offices.

The guide provides a detailed overview of governance structures for Family Offices, identifies their specialisations, and introduces their services and main benefits, Dubai Chamber release said.

As part of the toolkit, the centre examined the key elements of Dubai's attractiveness among Family Offices seeking to establish their regional headquarters. These include a flourishing financial ecosystem offering access to diverse investment opportunities in areas such as venture capital, private equity, real estate, and hedge funds, in addition to the emirates strategic location and advanced infrastructure, which ensures outstanding global connectivity.

High standard of living

The publication highlights the high standard of living in Dubai and how this has established the emirate as a popular destination among high-net-worth families. Dubais competitive advantages also include a diverse cultural landscape and family-friendly environment, which is suitable for international families while maintaining its rich culture and heritage.

Dubai is recognised as a leading hub for wealth management and has emerged as an appealing destination for high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) to establish Family Offices due to its favourable tax regime, with no personal income tax, withholding tax, capital gains tax, and estate or inheritance taxes.

The toolkit outlines the vital role of Family Offices in the effective and efficient management of family businesses, wealth management, and preserving the legacy of family businesses. Family Offices assume diverse roles and provide multiple services ranging from investment strategy development and tax planning to administrative affairs and philanthropy.

Holistic approach to wealth management

Family Offices help to ensure a holistic approach to wealth management and provide a framework for dealing with family affairs with a high degree of confidentiality.

Through their activities, they contribute effectively to upholding and advancing the family's legacy, vision, and values; manage tax affairs with greater efficiency; and play a vital role in training and qualifying future generations to manage family wealth responsibly in line with best practices.--TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Arabia will hold the fourth edition of the worlds leading platform on minerals, the Future Minerals Forum (FMF), from January 14 to 16, 2025, in Riyadh, that is aimed at driving investment opportunities in the mining and mineral sector, a report said.

To be held under the Patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the event is being convened by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, Saudi Press Agency, SPA, said.

The government-led platform, and an inclusive multi-stakeholder conference, that will take place at King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh, will gather worlds top decision-makers to address challenges facing the industry and prioritise minerals development, that is key to 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 this fourth edition.

Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef said 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 centres, and academic institutions.

The upcoming Ministerial Roundtable will engage participation from 100 countries. This extensive collaboration will include working groups comprising government bodies and 40 organisations, including international organisations, NGOs and trade associations.

These groups will collaborate to implement the initiatives and strategies established during the last MRT, driving forward the shared goals of sustainable development and innovation in the global mineral sector, the minister added.

The programme this year will focus on new voices on critical minerals, highlighting downstream perspectives and new regional perspectives, including the Super Region spanning Africa, Western and Central Asia, and Latin America; delivering investment partnerships in supplier countries that will include the entire mineral value chain; minerals contribution to society; green technology and AI revolution; and country and project showcase.

While preparations are in full swing 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, the world's largest gold mining company; Jonathan Price, president and CEO of Teck Resources, one of Canada's leading mining companies; Dominic Barton, chairman of Rio Tinto, one of the world's largest mining companies; Mark Cutifani, chairman of Vale Base Metals; Robert Friedland, founder and co-CEO of Ivanhoe Mines; Bob Wilt, CEO of Maaden; Jeremy Weir, chairman and CEO of Trafigura; Duncan Wanblad, CEO of Anglo American; and Rohitesh Dhawan, CEO of the International Council on Mining and Metals, among other distinguished personalities.

Since its inception in 2022, FMF has charted many progressive initiatives, such as being a voice for the Super Region and other supplier countries.

In 2023, the Ministerial Roundtable participants agreed to collaborate on four initiatives: development of a regional critical minerals framework to promote global collaboration and maximise the creation of value in supplier countries; creation of green metals hubs in the Super Region enabled by new technologies and powered by renewable energy; development of a framework setting our regional expectations for the responsible production of minerals based on transparency of supply chains; and creation of centres of excellence in the Super Region covering Africa, Western, and Central Asia as foundational pillars for capacity building across mineral value chains.

The third edition of FMF brought together over 14,000 participants from 133 countries, including ministers, senior government officials, leaders of international organizations, and C-level executives from global mining and mineral companies. The forum also saw the signing of 75 minerals deals worth around SAR75 billion.
Italian fashion will take centre stage at the Spring /Summer 2025 edition of Dubai Fashion Week (DFW), at d3 from September 1-7, 2024, with the inaugural edition of La Moda Italiana: Dubai Edition being organised by the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), in collaboration with DFW.

La Moda Italiana; Dubai Edition will welcome 25 prestigious Italian brands to present designs across a wide range of fashion categories, including clothing, footwear, leather goods, and eyewear.

Each brand has been carefully selected by the ITA to represent the pinnacle of Italian craftsmanship and quality.

The exhibition joins a packed calendar of designer runway shows and exclusive citywide events for DFW, which recently also announced legendary Italian luxury label Roberto Cavalli as Guest of Honour.

Open to all, and a part of Tecom Group, the pioneering exhibition will highlight the growing significance of Italian fashion in the UAE market.

Leveraging the Spring/Summer 2025 edition to promote Italian brands underscores DFW as a gateway to strategic partnerships and markets and reinforces Dubais position as a global fashion capital.

Lorenzo Fanara, Italian Ambassador of UAE: Italy's fashion exports to the UAE have reached 838 million in 2023 and are continuously growing.

With the new flagship initiative La Moda Italiana: Dubai Edition, launched by the Italian Trade Agency together with the Dubai Fashion Week, Confindustria Moda and 25 leading Italian brands, we will showcase the best that Made in Italy has to offer in the fashion scene to a distinguished audience of key stakeholders.

Valerio Soldani, Italian Trade Commissioner of UAE, said: We are thrilled to finally start, for the first time ever, the Italian Fashion Showcase at Dubai Fashion Week.

We have been working hard to deliver this first edition as a key milestone: one more opportunity to innovate, increase and improve our portfolio of activities meeting the growth of fast-paced industries driving the constant growth of Made in Italy in the key global market of the Emirates.

Italian exports of fashion products have reached 378 million Euro (+38%) to April 2024, delivering excellence in all the total look industry verticals Italy is famous for.

The exhibition area of the Italian companies is at the hearth of the Dubai Design District, in Building 6, a few steps from the Fashion Week catwalks, and will be visited by a delegation of buyers from the whole GCC region as well as media representatives, influencers, trend setters and opinion leaders in the industry.

Khadija Al Bastaki, Senior Vice President of Dubai Design District (d3), part of Tecom Group, said: DFWs collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency strengthens those foundations and promotes collective economic and commercial growth through the fashion sector.

La Moda Italiana: Dubai Edition will reinforce DFW as a gateway to new business opportunities and markets and bolster Dubais position among the world's fashion capitals.

Jacob Abrian, Chief Executive Officer of Arab Fashion Council: With ITAs participation, La Moda Italiana: Dubai Edition becomes a key highlight of Dubai Fashion Week, reflecting our ongoing commitment to supporting international talent, particularly the outstanding creativity and craftsmanship of Italian designers.  TradeArabia News Service
In a bid to support Jordans Electric Vehicle (EV) industry, Huawei and Kawar Energy recently announced a collaboration to install Huawei's advanced superchargers at Manaseer gas stations across the kingdom over a two-year period. This partnership is set to significantly increase the number of EV charging stations, making them more accessible to EV owners.

Jordan has one of the largest EV markets in the region, with projections indicating substantial growth in the kingdoms EV market in the coming years. This collaboration is set to address this growing demand by introducing cutting-edge EV charging solutions to the Jordanian market.

In addition, the MoU outlines future plans for both companies to explore additional business opportunities beyond gas stations. It targets many sectors, including public and private, with the goal of introducing this advanced technology throughout Jordan.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Zhang Shizhe, General Manager of Huawei Jordan, and Eng Firas Alkhatib, CEO of Kawar Energy, in the presence of senior teams from both companies.

Key step forward

Alkhatib said: "This collaboration marks a significant step forward for the energy sector in Jordan, as it aligns with our vision of fostering innovation and sustainability. We are confident that this partnership will play a pivotal role in advancing the countrys EV infrastructure. Huaweis commitment to cutting-edge ICT technology, combined with their innovative solutions in smart renewable energy and digitalisation, ensures we are equipped to meet the evolving energy needs of Jordan efficiently and sustainably."

Zhang Shizhe, General Manager of Huawei Jordan, commented: "Kawar Energy is one of the leading technology integrators in the Jordanian market. This MoU not only strengthens our partnership but also paves the way for the expansion of Huaweis technology across various sectors in the kingdom. At Huawei, we are committed to driving innovation in the energy sector through our advanced digital power solutions, which include our industry-leading Superchargers and smart management technologies. With this partnership, we believe we will set a new standard for EV infrastructure in the region and help accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles across the kingdom."

Jordans EV users will benefit from Huaweis industry-leading supercharging technologies, powered by the Huawei Digital Power unit. For instance, Huaweis Liquid Cooled technology includes a smart Power Sharing Matrix capable of charging one KM range in just one second.

Al Manaseer gas stations

This state-of-the-art technology will be implemented at Al Manaseer gas stations, one of Jordan's largest gas station chains, marking a significant milestone in the countrys journey toward a more sustainable and technologically advanced infrastructure.

Huawei Digital Power, with approximately 10,000 employees globally and 12 R&D centres, continues to pioneer digital power technologies to enable a greener and more sustainable future. By the end of 2023, its solutions had helped customers generate 997.9 billion kWh of green power, save 46.1 billion kWh of electricity, and reduce CO2 emissions by 495 million tonnes.--TradeArabia News Service
The Ritz-Carlton, Ras Al Khaimah has appointed Keti Gvritishvili as the new Multi-Property Director of Sales & Marketing.

With a distinguished career spanning over a decade in the luxury hospitality industry, Keti brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success to her new role.

Keti's journey in the Middle East began in Doha in 2014 where she quickly established herself as a dynamic and results-driven professional across the luxury hospitality space. After two and a half years, Keti transitioned to Dubai where her dedication and exceptional performance led to multiple promotions, culminating in her first leadership role.

Her leadership and strategic vision were key to driving growth across all of her roles and positioning brands in a competitive market. Keti later returned to Marriott International, taking on the significant challenge of her second regional pre-opening with W Dubai  Mina Seyahi as part of Mina Seyahi Resorts.

In her new role at The Ritz-Carlton, Ras Al Khaimah, Keti will oversee the Sales & Marketing operations for both Al Wadi Desert and Al Hamra Beach, driving strategic initiatives to enhance the resort's market position and deliver exceptional guest experiences.

We are thrilled to welcome Keti Gvritishvili to The Ritz-Carlton, Ras Al Khaimah family. Her extensive experience and passion for the hospitality industry make her an invaluable addition to our team. We are confident that under her leadership, our resorts will continue to thrive and exceed the expectations of our guests said Aidan Dempsey, General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Ras Al Khaimah.

Keti holds a Bachelors degree in Organization Management from Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics, and Informatics. She is fluent in Russian, English, and Georgian. - TradeArabia News Service
Business travellers are seeking intuitive,client-centric solutions to manage their travel that has become increasingly complex, with challenges arising even before departure, new research from SAP Concur has revealed.

Pre-trip phase, including planning and booking, is the most stressful for 43% of business travellers  a 4% increase from the previous year, said Joao Carvalho, managing director of SAP Concur in Southern Europe, Middle East, and Africa.

He said that additional hurdles, such as unexpected travel disruptions and time-consuming expense reporting, further complicate the journey.

Without these consumer-oriented solutions, employees may book outside corporate channels or endure frustrating processes within approved systems.

Both scenarios negatively impact businesses, affecting travellers, travel managers, and HR alike, Carvalho said.

He outlines four ways consumer-grade tools are setting the standard for corporate travel:

Balancing Traveler Safety with Efficiency: When employees book independently, visibility is lost, creating challenges for travel and HR managers to fulfil duty-of-care obligations. As such, user-friendly travel and expense (T&E) management solutions are crucial to encourage the adoption of corporate tools.

These tools also allow employees to book directly with suppliers, while professional management systems capture and integrate these transactions into the companys T&E solution, ensuring company visibility and support.

Mitigating Risk and Enhancing Compliance: Risk and compliance are significant challenges for travel managers.

User-friendly systems that integrate company travel policies can alleviate this burden. These solutions empower travellers to make compliant choices, avoid manual filtering, and stay updated on policy changes. This simplifies the booking process and increases compliance rates.

Streamlining Business Travel: A seamless booking process with minimal clicks is essential for efficient travel management, encompassing all trip stages: pre-, during, and post-travel.

Tools offering consumer-like interfaces and streamlined processes improve employee satisfaction and free up travel managers to focus on strategic tasks rather than troubleshooting.

Advancing ESG Commitments: Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards are fundamental to modern businesses. As sustainable travel gains prominence, companies need tools to empower travellers to make eco-conscious choices.

Seamlessly providing accurate information is crucial. For instance, by automatically offering data on the carbon emissions of different travel options, businesses can help travellers make informed decisions that align with the organisation's ESG goals.

A superior user experience is crucial for navigating the complexities of business travel. By investing in user-friendly technology, companies can enhance traveller satisfaction, reduce administrative burdens, and empower employees to make eco-conscious and compliant decisions, ultimately transforming business travel management, Carvalho said.  TradeArabia News Service
The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) said that Germany is emerging as a leader in accessible tourism, offering barrier-free travel experiences that ensure individuals with disabilities can enjoy worry-free holidays across the country.

From the majestic Bavarian Alps to the historic streets of Berlin and the serene landscapes of the Black Forest, Germany welcomes all travellers to explore its rich cultural heritage and stunning natural beauty with ease.

Commitment to Accessible Tourism

The German National Tourist Board (GNTB) has been at the forefront of inclusive travel by supporting the Tourism for All information system. This initiative, supported by substantial investment and collaboration with experts, has driven significant progress in expanding accessible amenities and services throughout the country.

Germanys dedication to accessibility is evident in its physical adaptations, sustainable practices, and digital innovations aimed at enhancing the travel experience for everyone.

"Tourism for All" Information System

A central element of Germanys accessible tourism efforts is the "Tourism for All" information system, developed in collaboration with the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

This programme ensures that labelled sites meet rigorous accessibility standards, assessed by independent investigators and test centres.

The accompanying database empowers travellers with disabilities to search for accommodations, attractions, and services that meet their specific needs, allowing them to plan their trips with confidence and ease.

Innovation and Sustainability in Accessibility

Germanys commitment to accessible tourism extends beyond physical adaptations to include sustainability and technological innovation.

The GNTBs strategic initiatives align accessible tourism with environmental responsibility, utilising immersive technologies such as virtual and augmented reality to make more attractions accessible.

These advancements enhance the travel experience and support Germanys broader goal of promoting sustainable and inclusive tourism.

Yamina Sofo, Director at the German National Tourist Office (GNTO), said: "Germany is committed to being a destination that welcomes everyone, regardless of physical abilities.

Our collaboration with local authorities, tourism providers, and accessibility experts has made it possible for an increasing number of sites to offer the necessary facilities for all visitors to enjoy a fulfilling and enriching holiday."

Exploring Germanys Accessible Destinations

Across Germany, visitors will find an array of accessible holiday options tailored to various needs. In Berlin, for instance, the citys rich history and vibrant culture are made accessible through barrier-free museums, monuments, and guided tours.

The Bavarian Alps offer specially designed hiking trails with gentle gradients and smooth surfaces, ideal for visitors with reduced mobility.

Hamburg provides a fully accessible public transportation system, ensuring easy access to key sites like the Elbphilharmonie concert hall and the historic Speicherstadt district.

The Black Forest region, with its enchanting landscapes, offers treetop paths designed for wheelchair users and barrier-free wellness resorts, providing a tranquil retreat for all.

Nature enthusiasts can explore Germanys national parks, nature parks, and biosphere reserves on wheelchair-friendly trails, while those seeking a more leisurely experience can enjoy stepless boat tours on Germanys lakes and rivers.

Germany also hosts major trade fairs such as Rehacare in Dusseldorf and REHAB in Karlsruhe, which focus on the latest developments in rehabilitation and assistive technology, further showcasing the countrys leadership in accessible tourism.

A Destination for All

Germanys focus on inclusivity ensures that every traveller, regardless of ability, can enjoy a rich and rewarding holiday.

With accessible accommodations, attractions, and tailored experiences, the country offers a diverse range of options for visitors with special needs.

Whether exploring the historic streets of its cities, taking in the natural beauty of its countryside, or immersing oneself in its world-class art and culture, Germany opens its doors to all with warmth and accessibility.
On Emirati Womens Day, Etihad Airways, the UAEs national carrier, marked its 20th anniversary by honouring its significant achievements in elevating Emirati women within the aviation sector.

The airline reported nearly half of its UAE national workforce comprises Emirati women, underscoring its commitment to cultivating and advancing local talent.

Over the past 20 years, Etihad has established a reputation for nurturing Emirati talent through programmes designed to engage and equip Emirati professionals with new skills. Notable initiatives include the Etihad Cadet Pilot Programme, Graduate Manager Programme, and specialised training for technicians and engineers, which have contributed to a highly skilled and diverse workforce of Emirati women, the airline said.

This has led to a strong representation of Emirati women across the airline's diverse roles, including operational positions such as pilots, cabin crew, aircraft technicians, and engineers, as well as other professions like medical doctors, trainers and lawyers, in addition to exceling in core business roles and leadership positions.

Since its inception, Etihad has championed innovative strategies to empower Emirati women and bolster the UAE workforce. Key milestones include the establishment of the Global Business Service Solutions (GBSS) revenue accounting centre in Al Ain in 2016 and the launch of its all-female Al Ain call centre in 2011. These initiatives reflect Etihads leadership in fostering female talent in aviation, providing essential training and development opportunities.

Dr Nadia Bastaki, Chief People & Corporate Affairs Officer, said: Reflecting on our 20-year journey, we are proud to have attracted ambitious women whose dedication has been pivotal in positioning our national airline as a global leader. Emirati women have excelled in operational roles, leadership positions, and as outstation managers around the world. Their contributions extend beyond their professional roles, inspiring both the UAE and the global aviation community. Today, we celebrate their resilience, their drive for change, and their role in shaping the future of our airline, the aviation industry, and the UAE.

Etihad Airways has a legacy of celebrating the accomplishments of pioneering Emirati women. In 2021, Dr Nadia Bastaki made history as the first female Emirati Chief, currently serving as Chief People and Corporate Affairs Officer. In 2022, Aisha Al Mansoori made history as the first female Emirati Captain in a commercial airline, following her start in Etihads cadet pilot programme in 2007. These milestones highlight the diverse achievements of Emirati women across various fields, including medicine, engineering, and business.

Extending its support beyond the organisation, Etihad recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council. This partnership aims to empower women-owned small and medium-sized enterprises in Abu Dhabi, offering council members preferred supplier status and Etihad Guest Miles benefits through the Business Connect programme.

In alignment with its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, women comprise 47% of Etihads volunteer programme. They lead various CSR efforts, from organising events for the UAE Paralympic team to managing donation drives and supporting educational programmes across Etihads global network. This commitment underscores Etihads dedication to inclusivity and community engagement. -TradeArabia News Service
OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has called on Finance Minister Colm Imbert to provide a comprehensive report on Colonial Life Insurance Company Ltd (CLICO), stressing that there should be no more secrecy surrounding the matter.

Persad-Bissessar made the statements in Parliament on Friday as she kicked off the debate on the 2025 national budget, which was presented by Imbert on Monday.
Jimmy Glotfelty, a Public Utility Commission of Texas commissioner, speaks to CenterPoint executives during a PUC meeting on July 25. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer

CenterPoint Energy proposed Wednesday to forgo approximately $110 million in anticipated profits from its controversial mobile generators in its latest attempt to placate lawmakers, regulators and Houston-area residents enraged over the electric utilitys handling of Julys Hurricane Beryl.

The company also told lawmakers it wants to spend approximately $5 billion from 2026 to 2028 to harden its infrastructure against extreme weather and become the most admired utility in the country. The expense is twice the amount proposed in an earlier resiliency plan that the utility scrapped after Beryl. If approved by the Public Utility Commission of Texas, CenterPoint could earn a 9.4% rate of return, essentially profit, on the value of these investments.

The new resiliency proposal, which CenterPoint plans to file to the PUC by Jan. 31, 2025, could add more than $3.50 to the average residential customers monthly electric bill, CenterPoint CEO Jason Wells said in an interview.

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That cost is justified because it offsets the economic impact to the Houston area of not having power, which exceeds $1.4 billion per day, according to Wells letter sent Wednesday to state legislators representing the Houston region and who sit on committees focused on utility issues. CenterPoint also promised to prioritize investments for which the potential benefits exceed the costs and to have a third-party firm confirm that analysis.

We will continue our commitment to executing our work with a mindset of customer affordability, but we are responding with urgency to build the most resilient coastal grid in the country, Wells said.

Wells addressed his letter to state Sen. Charles Schwertner, chair of the Texas Senate's special committee investigating utilities' responses to Beryl, and state Rep. Todd Hunter, chair of the State Affairs committee.

I appreciate CenterPoints movement in becoming a better partner to their ratepayers and to Texas. However, they have yet to hit that mark, Schwertner said in an email statement responing to CenterPoint's letter. Hunter's office didn't immediately reply to a request for comment.

Wells told lawmakers that CenterPoint plans to invest more than $21 billion in its electricity and natural gas infrastructure in Texas between 2025 and 2030. Wells said it would be one of the largest capital infusions into infrastructure investments in the Houston economy and the largest investment in the regions energy infrastructure in the utilitys history  which he called a reflection of CenterPoints commitment to better serve our customers.

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CenterPoints business model, like that of other transmission and distribution utilities in Texas, rewards capital spending with increased profits, which can disincentivize spending on routine system maintenance. Since Wells joined CenterPoint in 2020, initially as its chief financial officer, CenterPoint has dramatically increased capital spending from historical levels. A rise in the companys stock price followed.

Sandra Haverlah, president of the Texas Consumer Association, said she didn't think CenterPoint's announcement is a concession to lawmakers or an apology to the Houston community.

I just find it convenient that this disaster happens, and the resiliency plan moving forward gets doubled, which creates a huge amount of profit for them, Haverlah said.

In his letter, Wells apologized to lawmakers for not communicating more clearly about the cost and the limitations of the 20 leased mobile generators. Those generators came under renewed scrutiny after a Chronicle investigation found that most were not easily mobile and have not been used since CenterPoint began leasing them in 2021, including during Beryl.

CenterPoint has defended its $800 million expenditure on the generators by saying the 15 32-megawatt ones are meant for rare outages caused by a lack of power supply, such as what happened during the February 2021 freeze.

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Wells said CenterPoint believes it still needs large generators in case the Texas power grid operator orders such outages again. However, he said the company would trade in one of its 32-megawatt generators for approximately 20 to 25 generators that are less than 1 megawatt in size. These small generators would be able to restore power directly to some homes and businesses after more commonplace outages caused by storm damage to the power lines and poles owned by CenterPoint.

In another gesture of remorse, CenterPoint proposed forgoing roughly $110 million in profits, which Wells said equated to more than half of the profit anticipated from the generators. Approximately $70 million of that would be attributed to the cost of CenterPoint strengthening its infrastructure after Beryl, which the utility will absorb instead of recover through rate increases. CenterPoint will give up the remaining $40 million by not asking the PUC for a rate increase to cover the prospective profits it could earn on its large generators.

Our proposal here reflects probably the quickest way to provide relief to our customers, Wells said.

So far, CenterPoint has recovered approximately $350 million of its $800 million in generator costs from ratepayers. The companys executives have told the PUC that CenterPoint cant terminate its generator contract unless the vendor fails to meet its contractual obligations.

Haverlah said she believed CenterPoint shouldn't be allowed to recover the $800 million investment from ratepayers at all. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and other lawmakers have also said CenterPoint should pay the $800 million from its own profits. Patrick's office didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on CenterPoint's intent to forgo $110 million in profits.

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CenterPoint also intends to procure and donate 10 back-up small generators to support critical county facilities, Wells told lawmakers in his letter.

Wells told lawmakers CenterPoint had exceeded targets set by Gov. Greg Abbott for the utility to immediately improve its Houston-area infrastructure. Those targets included trimming vegetation along 2,000 miles of power lines and installing 1,000 poles better able to withstand storms than wooden poles by the end of August. Abbott, who has previously threatened executive orders if CenterPoint didn't comply with his directives, hasn't responded to a request for comment to his office on whether CenterPoint's work this month has been adequate.

Not mentioned to lawmakers in Wells letter is an ongoing battle among CenterPoint, consumer advocacy groups and cities over the companys pending rate review before the PUC. CenterPoint wants to withdraw from a required review of its spending over the last few years to focus instead of improving its storm preparedness. Critics say a withdrawal would deny them the chance to force CenterPoint to take a rate decrease through settlement negotiations. The PUC has yet to make the final decision on whether CenterPoint can withdraw its rate case.

In response, Wells said even if all contested issues were resolved unfavorably for CenterPoint in a settlement, the result would still be a rate increase.

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THE OTHER SIDE: Former UNC councillor for Siparia West/Fyzabad Jason Ali sits on the side of the PNM councillors during yesterdays statutory meeting of the Siparia corporation.

Photo: Cindy Raghubar-Teekersingh
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Guests dining at Hamsa in Rice Village, which participated in Houston Restaurant Weeks throughout August 2024. Kirsten Gilliam

For only the third time since it launched in 2003, Houston Restaurant Weeks announced it will extend the annual food event through Sept. 30 as restaurants continue to recover from the May derecho and Hurricane Beryl.

The Cleverley Stone Foundation, which spearheads the fundraiser, previously extended the program following Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

On top of the weather-related challenges restaurants faced recently, business tends to be slower for many restaurants during the summer months and many turn to HRW to stay afloat.

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We decided to continue HRW this year due to the many requests we had from participating restaurants, said Katie Stone, president of the Cleverley Stone Foundation, in a statement. HRW has proven to be an annual traffic generator for the industry, and this seemed like a positive decision for those that have supported us for 21 years.

HOUSTON EATS: The Chronicles top 100 restaurants

Participating restaurants in HRW, which was slated to end on Sept. 2, help raise funds for the Houston Food Bank. Set menus offered for lunch, brunch or dinner range from $25 to $55 per person and restaurants donate $3, $5 or $7 of each HRW meal sold.

During the September extension, participating restaurants will only have to donate $1 per meal, a move meant to help out businesses.

There are about 400 restaurants, spanning a wide array of the city's diverse culinary landscape, taking part in HRW during August, but they will have a choice whether to participate in September, a spokesperson for HRW confirmed.

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Not all restaurants were aware of the extension, which HRW announced Friday morning, but every effort is being made to reach all 400, the spokesperson said via email.

An updated list, which will not include new participants, is expected to be announced next week following the Labor Day weekend.

We are grateful for the restaurants who are sharing their proceeds with Houston Food Bank even as they recover from losses faced during the recent storms, said Brian Greene, Houston Food Bank's president and CEO, in an emailed statement. It is heartwarming to see how our city comes together year after year to Dine Out & Do Good  and now, in these extraordinary circumstances, we have the opportunity to do even more. We thank the Cleverley Stone Foundation for helping us to provide food for better lives.

MORE FROM BAO ONG: Houston icon Damians bids farewell on closing night after 41 years as leading Italian restaurant

Some restaurants, such as Ben Bergs participating concepts, will stay on. Other confirmed restaurants include Brennans, Masraffs, Late August, Lucilles and Maison Pucha, Stone confirmed via text message.

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All of James Beard-winning chef Hugo Ortegas H-Town Restaurant Group concepts participated in August  some offered dinner-only menus while some offered lunch and dinner promotions  but only Urbe and Backstreet Cafe will participate during the extension.

Even before the announcement, there was chatter on social media that HRW would be extended to help out restaurants.

Jonathan Horowitz, president of the Houston Hospitality Alliance recently told the Chronicle that the restaurant industry is still recovering from the COVID years.

Its still an extremely financially tough environment for restaurants, Horowitz said. In Houston, you add the two big weather events that have resulted in closures, damages and loss of traffic and income. It all adds up.
A 26-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder Tuesday following the August 21 shooting death of a Tucson man, police said.

Tucson police had been searching for Crist Lee Defrenchi since the shooting death earlier this month of 36-year-old Santiago Jimenez Herrera.

The two men were known to each other and have had previous confrontations, police said. Those confrontations came to a head about 12:15 p.m. on Aug. 21 when dispatchers received a 911 call reporting a shooting in the desert area northwest of the 7400 block of South Wilmot Road, Tucson police said.

Officers found Herrera shot and wounded and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

An arrest warrant was later issued for Defrenchi.

On Tuesday, police apprehended Defrenchi near East Old Vail and South Rita roads.

Defrenchi was booked into the Pima County jail on a warrant for first-degree murder as well as an unrelated felony warrant. He is currently being held without bond, police said.
Blue Heron Bay resident Steve Smithers pulls his kayak back on shore at his home on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024 in Montgomery. In 2020, the water was between 6-8 feet, now due to the now-shallow water, Smithers can no longer use his jet skis or boat that he bought for the waterfront property. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer

Many residents of a Lake Conroe community say they have lost their boating access and pristine waterfront views after silt and trash turned their cove into a mud pit, and they want state regulators to take action against a neighboring development.

The Blue Heron Bay residents said the buildup started when construction on the new Pine Lake Cove neighborhood began in 2020. They have watched as runoff from the site flows to a small creek that feeds the cove, then Lake Conroe, and they have taken their battle to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Arizona-based Meritage Homes is getting to work building 865 homes on just over 300 acres adjacent to Blue Heron Bay near Texas 105.

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The problems with neighbors and the city began almost immediately.

LAKE CONROE HISTORY: How it was built and why you should visit

The city of Conroe had levied $86,000 in fines against the developer over several months for failing to build and maintain silt fencing, which controls soil erosion and runoff from construction sites. City officials said Meritage offered to dredge the cove earlier this year, but the company has yet to start any dredging in Blue Heron Bay, where the water level that was once 8 feet deep is now less than a foot.

The problem for city officials trying to police the problem is that silt doesn't just have one source, and they have concluded that the silt is not just from Pine Lake Cove.

"There are more developments and other private properties that discharge into the Blue Heron Bay cove outside the city limits that are also contributors to the problem besides Meritage Homes," said Norm McGuire, assistant city administrator and director of public works.

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Kyle Davison, Houston division president for Meritage Homes, said the silt fencing has been repaired.

Meritage and its consultants maintain silt fencing at Pine Lake Cove, Davison said. This fencing undergoes weekly environmental inspections by third-party experts. We have and will continue to work with state and local representatives as well as third-party experts to ensure proper procedure continues to be followed.

According to Smithers, a breakage on the silt pond at Pine Lake Cove leads to excessive dirt and silt being released into the creek below it, photographed on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024 in Montgomery. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer

Neighbors say boats have been blocked in for 2 years

Blue Heron Bay is a small gated community on Lake Conroe with homes that sell for more than $500,000, and some for more than $1 million.

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Steve Smithers said he moved to the neighborhood in April 2020 to take advantage of the lake life.

We moved here so we could do water sports, Smithers said. We havent been able to do water (activities) in two years.

Smithers said when Meritage began construction on the site, there was no silt fencing or silt pond to help mitigate the sediment that could flow into the creek that feeds the lake.

After around six months, Smithers said Meritage installed the fencing, but as construction continued, the fence was not maintained, and the silt continued to run into the creek and into Lake Conroe.

Blue Heron Bay resident Steve Smithers stands in the now shallow water that was once an access point to Lake Conroe for boats on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024 in Montgomery. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer

ANGLER'S HAVEN: Lake Conroe is the only Texas stop for Major League Fishing 2025 Bass Pro Tournament

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Resident Cliff Young, who lives next door to Smithers, called the situation in the bay frustrating. Young said he and his family had lived in Blue Heron Bay for about a year and a half after building their home.

We moved out on the water literally so I could have a boat and my family could fish, Young said. When it rains, we can get (our boats) out for a little while but what it does is brings more of the silt and then it is worse than it was before.

Smithers said trash from the site is also washed downstream along with the silt.

After weeks of cleaning up trash from the creek that empties into the lake, Smithers contacted the San Jacinto River Authority, which required Meritage to install a trash screen to collect debris and prevent it from flowing into the lake.

They never cleaned it, Smithers said of the debris caught in the screen. All this trash collected behind the fence and then a big storm came and it broke the fence. A years worth of trash flowed out into our cove. It was unreal. It looked like we lived in a dump.

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Ground gives way near a silt pond at the Pine Lake Cove development on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024 in Montgomery. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer An advertisement for Pine Lake Cove community by developer Meritage Homes on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024 in Montgomery. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer Mud fills in a once-flowing creek in the Pine Lake Cove development on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024 in Montgomery. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer An empty road in the Pine Lake Cove development, photographed on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024 in Montgomery. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer Silt and mud collect in a area that was once a flowing creek near Blue Heron Bay neighborhood on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024 in Montgomery. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer

Conroe has no jurisdiction

An interceptor barrier collects trash near Blue Heron Bay road on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024 in Montgomery. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer

McGuire said the city does not have jurisdiction over Blue Heron Bay since it is outside the city limits but said the city's previous engineer was working with Meritage Homes to dredge the cove.

"In the previous agreement, Meritage had verbally agreed to start the dredging once the development reached 70% completion to prevent any reoccurrence of any potential silt from the development potentially returning," McGuire said.

Davison did not comment on whether Meritage will dredge the cove.

McGuire said frustration and threatened litigation from residents has stalled the process. Smithers said no lawsuits have been filed.

"Once that happened, what work we had done was no longer viable as a legal team from the corporate office stepped in and stopped the discussions that we were having due to pending litigation," McGuire said. "Meritage was willing at one time to do more than their part in the cleanup before threatened litigation against them. "

McGuire said the city again is working with Meritage on a solution for the Blue Heron Bay residents, but there is currently no agreement on how the company might address the issue.

McGuire said the city is monitoring the stormwater prevention of this development and consistently working with the developer to keep runoff to a minimum.

State requirements for construction sites

State law requires companies to have a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan for construction sites, including sediment control with silt ponds and fencing.

According to TCEQ, silt ponds are a type of sediment control used to temporarily detain runoff and prevent sediment from entering water bodies. They control erosion from construction sites or exposed soil during rainfall.

In 2023, several complaints were made to TCEQ about the condition of the job site for Pine Lake Cove, including the silt washing downstream to Lake Conroe.

According to a June 2023 report obtained by the Houston Chronicle, TCEQ officials found unmaintained silt fences, overloaded silt fences, and unprotected storm water inlets at multiple locations.

The company was fined $8,000 which has not been paid, according to TCEQ.

TCEQ spokeswoman Victoria Cann said the issue with Meritiage Home and Blue Heron Bay has been referred to the agency's litigation division, which means a lawsuit against the developer could be looming.

"The executive directors preliminary report and petition is currently under development and potential corrective actions are being evaluated," Cann said. "The case can still resolve via settlement, but it may instead resolve through an order after a contested hearing."

Smithers moved to Blue Heron Bay in April 2020 to take advantage of the lake life.
Tianhong Vietnamese Market Equity Launched QDII Fund, a Chinese investment fund, currently holds more than 91 million shares, or a 1.147-percent stake, in Vietnamese lender VPBank.

The bank has announced an updated list of its stakeholders who own at least at least one percent each.

According to Bloomberg, Tianhong Vietnamese Market Equity Launched QDII Fund is an open-ended fund in China.

The fund tracks the VN30 Index, comprising the 30 largest-cap stocks on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange.

The fund invests at least 80 percent of its total assets in equities.

Meanwhile, Composite Capital Master Fund LP, a hedge fund registered in the Cayman Islands, reduced its ownership in the bank to 1.7 percent from 2.73 percent.

A list released by VPBank on July 19 showed that the bank had 13 individual shareholders and four institutional stakeholders owning more than one percent each.

The four institutional investors include Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, DIERA Corp, Composite Capital Master Fund, and Vietnam Enterprise Investments, holding 15, 4.39, 2.73, and 1.28 percent, respectively.

Thus, Tianhong Vietnamese Market Equity Launched QDII Fund is the newcomer.

Local banks are now required to disclose information about stakeholders who own one percent or more of their total shares, in accordance with the 2024 Law on Credit Institutions, which took effect on July 1.

As for VPBanks performance, it earned nearly VND6.8 trillion (US$273.4 million) in after-tax profits in the first half of this year, surging 65 percent year on year, according to the banks financial report.

As of the end of June, its assets totaled VND864.4 trillion ($34.8 billion), up nearly VND47 trillion ($1.9 billion) compared with the beginning of the year.

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Editors note: This article was written by Truong Trong Nghia, a reader of the online publication of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, expressing his thoughts over the Paris Court of Appeal's decision on August 22 to reject the civil lawsuit filed by Tran To Nga, an 82-year-old French-Vietnamese woman, against 14 U.S. chemical companies for supplying Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin to the U.S. army during the war in Vietnam. His story was translated and edited by Tuoi Tre News.

I am resentful toward the cold tone of the Paris Court of Appeals judgment for Tran To Ngas appeal, and I am also livid at their order, forcing her to pay each American defendant company 1,500 euros (US$1,671)!

The judges are aware of the support behind Nga from more than four million Vietnamese people, including hundreds of thousands of children, who suffer daily pains from AO/dioxin and have had their futures ruined by diseases as a result of the toxic herbicide sprayed by the U.S. in Vietnam during wartime.

Biased ruling

The ruling is foundationally biased as it reproduces the arguments brought forward in the March 10, 2005 verdict of the Federal Court of the Eastern District of New York, which rejected the lawsuit initiated by Vietnamese AO/dioxin victims.

The Paris Appeal Courts verdict cited a decision of the Federal Court of the Eastern District of New York dated February 9, 2004 as saying that the government knew that alternative manufacturing processes could have minimized the presence of dioxin in AO. However, in the process of promoting maximum production of AO for use as a tool of war, the government prohibited the defendant American companies (Monsanto, Dow Chemical, Occidental Chemical, THAN) from using alternative manufacturing technologies, resulting in high levels of dioxin in AO production.

The Paris appeal court ruling defended the defendant firms by attributing the responsibility for AO/dioxin use to the U.S. government. The court rejected Ngas appeal, ruling that the defendants were legally protected from prosecution under international law as they were acting under the directives and interests of the U.S. government.

Citing a customary principle that says all countries are equal, the Paris appeal court argued that no country can be judged by another when defending its independence and sovereignty.

During the war in Vietnam, everybody knew that the U.S.s independence and sovereignty were not threatened by Vietnam or any other country. On the contrary, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was the nation whose sovereignty was threatened and violated!

The Paris Court of Appeal's use of the aforementioned customary principle as a legal basis is also a subject of consideration.

The appeal ruling said that under the auspices of the United Nations (UN), a UN Convention on Jurisdictional Immunities of States and Their Property was adopted in New York on December 2, 2004.

France signed the convention on January 17, 2007, and ratified it on August 12, 2011. However, it has not yet taken effect as it has not been ratified by the required 30 countries. Despite this, the Paris appeal court cited the convention, asserting that France considered it part of customary law.

Another questionable legal issue is the legal immunity of multinational corporations if they have participated in acts of a war crime for profit.

The ruling argued that the manufacturers had no discretion in fulfilling orders. The composition of AO was explicitly defined, and the presence of dioxin was a result of the formula mandated by the U.S. government. The companies were acting solely on the orders and in the interests of the U.S.

In the judgment, the Paris Court of Appeal refers to orders and contracts, which fail to adhere to American, French, and international civil laws which do not allow the imposition of the will of a 'party' in civil agreements.

The evidence is unequivocal: all the defendants were aware that Agent Orange ordered by the government contained high levels of dioxin, which would be sprayed over millions of acres of forest and rice fields in Vietnam and Indochina. They knew that dioxin is a poison that causes death, cancer, and birth defects in humans exposed to it.

Tran To Nga is seen reading documents. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre

Despite the appeal ruling referencing U.S. defense law, it is well known that in the U.S., capitalist giants cannot be compelled to participate in crimes against their will. The defendants, with their top lawyers, had numerous avenues to refuse the use of AO/dioxin under both U.S. and international law, or at the very least, to negotiate for a reduction in dioxin content. Instead, they chose not to refuse and actively supplied 20 million gallons of the lethal chemical, with 18 million gallons being sprayed in Vietnam.

Unjust judgment

During these war years, many scientific investigations into the dangers of Agent Orange were conducted but were obstructed and restricted by the U.S. government. So the AO spraying campaign in Vietnam, known as 'Operation Ranch Hand,' continued unabated.

When the war finished, many American people, led by veterans, initiated lawsuits demanding that the U.S. government compensate Americans who were exposed to dioxin while fighting in Vietnam.

Dr. James Clary, one of the drafters of the plan for the Agent Orange spraying campaign in Vietnam, in 1988 wrote a letter to U.S. Senator Tom Daschle, who was investigating the AO issue at that time.

Tran To Nga (C), a Vietnamese AO victim, is seen among her international friends after the Paris Court of Appeal in France released its ruling rejecting her appeal against 14 American chemical firms. Photo: Tu Trung / Tuoi Tre

The letter reads, When we [military scientists] initiated the herbicide program in the 1960s, we were aware of the potential for damage due to dioxin contamination in the herbicide. We were even aware that the military formulation had a higher dioxin concentration than the civilian version due to the lower cost and speed of manufacture. However, because the material was to be used on the enemy, none of us were overly concerned. We never considered a scenario in which our own personnel would become contaminated with the herbicide.

In light of the clear research findings, the U.S. Surgeon General banned the use of AO/dioxin in the U.S. in 1971. Consequently, all herbicide activities involving AO/dioxin in Vietnam were halted on June 30, 1971.

On April 8, 1975, U.S. President Gerald Ford issued Executive Order 11859 to abandon the use of herbicides in war, and in 1991, President George H. W. Bush signed the Agent Orange Act saying that some diseases related to AO and other herbicides are considered as consequences of defense service but this only applies to U.S. veterans.

The fact that U.S. courts showed bias in favor of the U.S. government, and that the government prioritized American veterans, constitutes an injustice to the Vietnamese victims.

Recognizing this reality, the U.S. government has taken steps to address the issue. In 2006, the U.S. Congress decided to officially engage in resolving the consequences of AO/dioxin in Vietnam. Since 2007, the U.S. has provided hundreds of millions of dollars in non-refundable aid or official development assistance (ODA) to support remedial efforts in Vietnam.

Meanwhile, at the Paris Court of Appeal, Ngas compensation requests were so modest yet rejected and she was even forced to pay compensation to the defendants who are global giants in chemical manufacturing and trading.

I am not involved in the lawsuit in any capacity, nor am I writing this article as a lawyer or a member of any law firm. I speak out as a Vietnamese citizen, a friend of Tran To Nga, who shares the suffering of AO victims in my country and in the U.S., who loves the noble qualities of the French people, and who loves the beautiful country of France that is both ancient and modern, where I have many close friends and which I visit almost every year.

I urge the French Court of Cassation to overturn this biased and unfair appellate judgment to secure justice for the more than four million Vietnamese Agent Orange victims, including Nga.

The French court should uphold Frances noble motto, 'Liberty, Equality, Fraternity,' by applying 'the customary rule of equity' to accept Ngas requests.

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Tax authorities in District 7 and Nha Be District, Ho Chi Minh City have proposed the municipal Peoples Committee revoke the establishment license of the American International School Vietnam (AISVN).

The taxmen said on Wednesday that the proposal was sent to the municipal administration and the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Planning and Investment in accordance with the tax management law.

AIS American International Education JSC, the owner of AISVN, has owed over VND100 billion (US$4 million) in tax arrears.

The school, located in Nha Be, was suspended for 12 months, starting from July 1, as it had failed to prove that it could maintain educational operations.

At a recent meeting with the school, Nguyen Bao Quoc, deputy director of the municipal Department of Education and Training, affirmed that the school could not meet teaching conditions.

He also asked the school to avoid running any educational program and to conduct a survey to determine whether its students would continue their studies at the Nha Be campus during its suspension.

However, the school has repeatedly informed parents that it is improving operational conditions and will reopen soon.

According to the municipal Department of Education and Training, the school currently has only 28 teachers, a plunge from the previous 400, and no principal.

Besides, the school has yet to show evidence of its financial health and ability to maintain educational operations.

As of Wednesday, over 300 students have already confirmed their transfers, but they have yet to complete school admission procedures.

Meanwhile, some 700 other students have yet to confirm their transfers.

The municipal education department met with AISVN parents on Wednesday afternoon to encourage them to transfer their children from the school to another to start their new academic year, with classes formally beginning on September 5.

On March 18, AISVN halted classes for all students as most teachers did not show up due to unpaid salaries.

At the school, there was a time when over half of the parents joined its 'education investment packages.'

They lent the school VND3-5 billion (US$120,600-200,990) each without interest on the condition that the investments would be reimbursed after their childrens graduation. In return, AISVN offered free training programs to the students.

AISVN was established in 2006, serving students ranging from three years old to grade 12, according to the schools website.

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Vietnam welcomes the activities of Fulbright University Vietnam and hopes that it will continue to make practical contributions to the friendship and cooperation between the two nations, said the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The foreign ministry's spokesperson Pham Thu Hang made the statement in Hanoi on Monday when being asked by reporters for comments on the operations of Fulbright University Vietnam, one of the countrys first private, non-profit institutions of higher education, located in Ho Chi Minh City.

Fulbright University Vietnam stands as a testament to the educational collaboration between Vietnam and the U.S., particularly in the realm of training high-quality human resources, Hang said.

She underscored that Vietnam welcomes the university's activities, which were affirmed in the 2023 joint statement upgrading the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

"We hope and believe that the universitys activities will continue to make meaningful contributions to the growing friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and the U.S.," the spokesperson added.

Founded in 2016, Fulbright University Vietnam has its main campus currently under construction at Saigon High-Tech Park in Ho Chi Minh City.

The university was granted its education license in 2017 and welcomed its inaugural class the following year, holding its first graduation ceremony in June 2023.

Fulbright University Vietnam aims to nurture and inspire new generations of leaders and ambitious thinkers from diverse backgrounds to serve Vietnamese society and contribute to a better world, according to its website.

Dr. Scott Fritzen currently serves as the university's president.

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A defensive area exercise commenced in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday with a view to enhancing the handling of complex situations and the coordination capabilities of the city's armed forces.

The exercise opening ceremony was attended by secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen; Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang, Commander of Military Region 7; chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee Phan Van Mai; Lieutenant General Tran Hoai Trung, secretary of Military Region 7s Party Committee; chairwoman of the municipal Peoples Council Nguyen Thi Le; and Lieutenant General Le Hong Nam, director of the municipal Department of Public Security; among others.

The exercise, which will run until Friday, is organized in three stages: transitioning the city's armed forces to a heightened combat-readiness posture, shifting the city into a national defense posture, and preparing for and conducting defensive operations.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang said the Ho Chi Minh City defensive area exercise is aimed at improving the units ability to deal with situations in a national defense posture, prepare and conduct defensive combat, and cooperate with other units in the defensive area.

Leaders of Ho Chi Minh City and Military Region 7 at the opening ceremony of the defensive area exercise on August 28, 2024. Photo: Minh Hoa / Tuoi Tre

The exercise is an occasion to check and evaluate the training process and combat readiness of the citys armed forces, adjust plans, and build a military posture in the citys defensive area, meeting the demands in new situations.

Thang requested those units that join the exercise to make careful preparations, hold it in line with relevant regulations, follow rules, and ensure absolute safety.

Following the opening ceremony, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Public Security and the High Command of the city proposed that city authorities hold a drill to respond to complicated situations regarding aviation security and order.

The drill, participated by the High Command of Guard Police under the Ministry of Public Security, the High Command of Ho Chi Minh City, the municipal Department of Health, Tan Son Nhat International Airport, and Division 370, which belongs to the Air Defense-Air Force, was a success.

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Vietnam and Australia have pledged to boost two-way trade to US$20 billion and double bilateral investment in two to three years, while fostering cooperation in many other fields to effectively bring into play their comprehensive strategic partnership.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines made the pledge at their talks in Hanoi on Tuesday as part of Lines' week-long visit to Vietnam starting on Saturday, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Lines came to the talks in ao dai, Vietnam's traditional long gown, which features the colors of the Australian national flag and Vietnams popular lotus flowers, placing herself among the very small number of foreign leaders to don the outfit when visiting the Southeast Asian country.

She is Australia's first senior leader to visit Vietnam since Hanoi and Canberra upgraded their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in March 2024.

PM Chinh extended thanks to the Australian government for its heartfelt sentiments toward late Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, especially thanking Lines for personally attending the state funeral of the Party chief in July.

Chinh expressed his delight at the strong, comprehensive, and sustainable development of the Vietnam - Australia relationship, emphasizing that the upgrading of their relationship resulted from the great efforts of both sides over more than 50 years of diplomatic relations.

The milestone opened a new chapter in the bilateral relationship, with higher political trust and broader and deeper cooperation, he added.

Affirming that Vietnam is a crucial partner of Australia, the Australian Senate leader said that the Australian government and parliament highly prioritize relations with Vietnam in their policy for the region.

She and PM Chinh vowed to further promote the comprehensive strategic partnership in all fields including trade and investment, striving to increase two-way trade to $20 billion and double bilateral investment in the next two to three years.

Last year, the trade turnover between the two countries reached nearly $14 billion, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

The two sides also agreed to develop potential new areas for the two countries such as green economy, digital economy, circular economy, digital transformation, science and technology, and innovation.

They agreed to continue promoting dialogue, sharing information, enhancing mutual understanding and trust, and intensifying defense and security cooperation.

The two countries share many similarities and have a high level of strategic trust, Lines stressed, adding that the bilateral relationship has long been cultivated to achieve such excellent results today, creating a foundation for further cooperation to meet the needs and aspirations of the people of the two nations.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is seen gesturing while talking to Australian Senate President Sue Lines, dressed in 'ao dai,' at their meeting in Hanoi, August 27, 2024. Photo: Vietnam Government Portal

PM Chinh thanked Australia for continuing to support Vietnam in providing English training for its officers and helping Vietnam join United Nations peacekeeping operations.

Both sides agreed to increase people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between localities, contributing to enhancing mutual understanding between the people of the two nations.

The Australian Senate chief affirmed that her country always creates favorable conditions for the Vietnamese community there.

Amid the increasingly complex and unpredictable regional and global situation, as well as emerging security and strategic challenges, both the guest and host emphasized the importance of strengthening close coordination between their two nations.

They agreed on the need to work closely together at regional and international forums to contribute to building a peaceful, stable, cooperative, and prosperous Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean region, with ASEAN playing a central role.

Regarding the East Vietnam Sea issue, Lines affirmed Australia's consistent support for the principled stance of Vietnam and ASEAN in ensuring security, safety, and freedom of navigation and aviation in the waters as well as resolving relevant disputes by peaceful means in line with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

After her talks with PM Chinh, Lines met with Party General Secretary and State President To Lam on the same day, also focusing on promoting the bilateral ties.

The Australian Senate President arrived in Vietnam on August 24 for a visit lasting until August 30 at the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, who held talks with his guest in Hanoi on August 25.

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Eight hundred out of 4,500 employees of a pharmaceutical firm owned by Indian billionaire Dilip Shangvi arrived in Hanoi on Tuesday afternoon ahead of their tour through three northern Vietnamese locales.

The 800 visitors checked in at the Novotel Thai Ha Hotel in Hanoi at 2:00 pm, enthusiastically starting their journey to explore the country.

"We ensured a smooth and professional check-in process to make our guests feel comfortable and satisfied from the very first moment, Nguyen Viet Thu, director of sales and distribution at the hotel, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

An Indian guest staying at the Novotel Hanoi Thai Ha Hotel is briefed on tourist sites in Hanoi by the hotel's staff on August 27, 2024. Photo: Ha Quan / Tuoi Tre

The guests have a busy itinerary exploring Hanoi and seeing iconic sites like the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Temple of Literature, and the Hoa Lo Prison.

Thu also said the hotel made extensive preparations to serve the group, including room arrangements and crafting a special menu focusing on authentic Indian dishes, whose ingredients were carefully selected and imported directly from India to design and reflect various regions, flavors, and culinary styles.

The hotel also included Vietnamese dishes in the breakfast buffet to introduce international guests to the Vietnamese palate.

The first employees from a delegation of approximately 4,500 people from an Indian billionaires pharmaceutical company arrive at a major hotel in Hanoi ahead of their tour through three northern Vietnamese locales, including Hanoi, Ninh Binh Province, and Quang Ninh Province, August 27, 2024. Photo: Ha Quan / Tuoi Tre

Billionaire Dilip Shangvi, founder of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, a multinational pharmaceutical company based in India, booked the tour to show appreciation to the company agents worldwide by organizing this trip to Vietnam.

Shangvi will also join his international team on the trip, during which they will partake in several activities such as conferences, seminars, and a lavish gala dinner.

Employees of an Indian billionaires pharmaceutical company explore Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi, August 27, 2024. Photo: Vu Nam

The delegation of 4,500 guests, mainly traveling from India but joined by international colleagues, will stay at 11 four- and five-star hotels in Hanoi.

The employees will be divided into smaller groups during their tour from August 27 through September 3.

The guests will visit tourist attractions in Hanoi, cruise Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh Province, and admire the beauty of the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex in Ninh Binh Province.

Indian visitors are briefed on historical Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi, August 27, 2024. Photo: Vu Nam

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The Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee on Tuesday issued a decision to declare measles an epidemic, as cases are on the rise and three children have died from the disease.

The declaration was made after the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) reported that the number of suspected measles cases has begun to climb in the city since the end of May.

From early this year till August 25, the total number of suspected measles amounted to 525, including 209 confirmed cases and three deaths, the HCDC reported.

Among the deceased were a four-month-old girl who had not yet reached the vaccination age, a three-year-old girl who had not been immunized, and a seven-year-old boy who had received two doses of the measles vaccine, the Voice of Vietnam reported.

The local health authority is taking drastic measures to put the disease under control as K-12 students have begun to go back to school in preparation for their new academic year, of which the official opening ceremony has been set on September 5.

In the decision, the municipal administration requested those who contract or are suspected to contract measles to make a full and accurate declaration of their health conditions to the health agency within 24 hours of diagnosis for epidemic control purposes.

The administration has instructed local health authorities to launch an additional vaccination campaign against measles-rubella for all children aged one to five years living in the city, regardless of their prior vaccination history.

Measles is an infectious disease with the highest level of transmission among all diseases, with one patient likely to infect 12-18 others, warned Dr. Du Tuan Quy, head of the department of infectious diseases-neurology at city-based Childrens Hospital 1, where many infected children are being treated.

Dr. Quy noted that most of the child patients had not been vaccinated because their parents either forgot to do so or were concerned about the potential side effects of the measles vaccine.

He added that many of the mothers lacked a full understanding of the disease, which contributed to the low vaccination rates.

He advised that children with measles should be isolated to avoid transmission to others.

As an acute viral infectious disease, measles spreads easily when a sick person coughs, sneezes or breathes, warned Dr. Pham Ngoc Thach, deputy director of Children's Hospital 2, also based in the city.

Symptoms of measles usually begin 10-14 days after exposure to the virus, including a runny nose, cough, red eyes, watery eyes, and small white spots inside the cheeks.

Rashes usually appear about 7-18 days after the exposure, usually on the face and neck, eventually spreading to the arms and legs.

Measles complications can include blindness, encephalitis, severe diarrhea and associated dehydration, ear infections, and serious respiratory problems including pneumonia, among others, Dr. Thach said.

Anyone who is not immune from measles, which means those who have yet to get vaccinated or who have been vaccinated but have not developed immunity, can become infected, with unvaccinated young children and pregnant women at the highest risk of severe complications, the doctor warned.

As the measles virus can remain active and spreads in the air or on infected surfaces for up to two hours, the disease is highly contagious.

There is no specific treatment for measles so community vaccination is the most effective way to curb the ailment, he said, asserting that all children should be immunized with measles vaccine which is safe, effective, and inexpensive.

Children should receive two doses of the vaccine to ensure effective immunity," Dr. Thach said.

"The first is usually given at nine months of age and the second at 15-18 months."

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Authorities in Binh Thuan Province, south-central Vietnam have issued VND432 million (US$17,370) worth of administrative fines upon a local company for operating pig farms that flouted environmental regulations.

The company, named Lang Viet Nam, is located in Ham Thuan Bac District.

Its hi-tech pig farm in the districts Hong Son Commune was penalized for failing to comply with environmental permit conditions.

This farm also discharged wastewater with contaminants exceeding regulatory limits by more than ten times.

The companys other pig farm in Ham Duc Commune committed similar violations.

Therefore, local authorities decided to slap a fine of VND282 million ($11,340) on the hi-tech farm in Hong Son and another fine of VND150 million ($6,030) on the farm in Ham Duc.

Aside from having to pay the fines, the company was required to take immediate action to address environmental pollution and report the outcome to the authorities within 30 days.

The company must also bear the costs of environmental impact measurement and sample analysis.

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Self-driving tech fueled by innovation

09:28, August 28, 2024 By Yan Dongjie ( Chinadaily.com.cn

An engineer monitors a self-driving vehicle's performance via a laptop in Beijing in June. (JU HUANZONG/XINHUA)

As China strives for technological innovation represented by intelligent connected vehicles and autonomous driving, it has created a distinctive Chinese innovation model, with government departments, enterprises, and research institutions collaborating closely and policies being drafted to support the nation's technological growth, said experts, entrepreneurs, and officials.

Zhao Xiangmo, vice-chairman of the China Society of Automotive Engineers, said that with the development of new energy vehicles and self-driving tech, the automotive industry is undergoing a qualitative change.

As self-driving vehicles become more prominent, China's solution is vehicle-road-cloud integration, which is a technology more complex than the single-vehicle intelligence explored by the United States 30 years ago, said Zhao, who is also president of the Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology in Shaanxi province.

Vehicle-road-cloud integration uses artificial intelligence and technologies such as cellular vehicle-to-everything, or C-V2X, and 5G to enable seamless collaboration between humans, vehicles, roads, and cloud systems.

Zhao attributes China's success in the field of intelligent driving to its unique path of independent innovation, which has mobilized various forces from government departments, automotive companies, cloud computing enterprises, and research institutions to achieve collaborative development under a top-level framework.

"This is a vast technological system involving vehicle, road, internet, and cloud computing, in which each segment can drive an industry. It's impossible to proceed without teamwork. This is also a typical area where new quality productive forces are concentrated," he said.

The third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held last month emphasized the need to coordinate the construction of various scientific and technological innovation platforms, encourage and regulate the development of new research and development institutions, leverage the leading role of China's huge market, strengthen the coordination of innovative resources and organizational strength, and promote the integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation.

In September 2020, the Beijing municipal government decided to establish the world's first high-level autonomous driving demonstration zone, featuring vehicle-road-cloud integration, in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area.

Beijing Connected and Autonomous Vehicles Technology Co was set up as the operating platform, in conjunction with the National Innovation Center of Intelligent and Connected Vehicles and other research and development institutions, forming a structure involving government departments, academia, industries, and investors among other entities.

Pony.ai, an autonomous driving research and development company that started operating in Silicon Valley in 2016, established its first domestic research center in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area in 2017, becoming one of the first companies to have a presence in the demonstration zone.

"The construction of the demonstration zone has accelerated Pony.ai's research and testing," said Zhang Ning, vice-president of the company and head of its Beijing research center. "On average, there is a technological breakthrough or policy move every three months  a pace that is exhilarating."

One of Pony.ai's main businesses involves Robotaxi, an autonomous taxi service. In 2018, the company obtained a testing license and began conducting trial runs with a safety officer in the driver's seat. In April 2021, the officer moved to the passenger seat; in July 2022, to the back seat; and by the end of that year, "fully driverless" tests were successfully conducted.

"After accumulating enough testing data, following evaluation by the demonstration zone's management committee, Pony.ai started providing Robotaxi services for a fee since last year. Now, anyone in the demonstration zone can hail a ride in these taxis using their mobile phone," Zhang said.

Currently, only China and the US have achieved commercial operation of self-driving taxis, he noted. While Google's Waymo has undergone 15 years of development, China has made rapid progress in the past five years, thanks to the close cooperation between government departments, enterprises, and research institutions.

"The resonance between policy and technological innovation is crucial. The government acts as a guiding beacon, boosting the confidence of enterprises and promoting technological development through funding and policies. This is how the Robotaxi has achieved such rapid development in such a short time," Zhang said.

"The testing data accumulated by enterprises serves as a reference for government policymaking, with the government overseeing and making decisions to share the risks with enterprises," he added.

Zhang said he believes that the potential of developing the Robotaxi service in China's major cities is at least 10 times greater than in US cities such as San Francisco, because the population in major Chinese cities is larger.

"Moreover, China's roads are more complex. After training in such situations, the nation's autonomous driving tech will be far more competitive when exported to other countries," he said.

In the field of autonomous driving, China's commercialization landscape and future market will be much larger than those of the US, he added.

On public roads, Pony.ai has achieved 35 million kilometers of real-world autonomous driving efficiency. "It's equivalent to the driving experience of dozens of ordinary drivers in a lifetime," Zhang said, adding that data shows Robotaxis are 10 times safer than taxis driven by humans.

Yuan Chengyin, director and general manager of the National New Energy Vehicle Technology Innovation Center, said: "In the development process of intelligent driving in China, what I deeply appreciate is the Chinese innovation model of tackling key issues. It's somewhat like passing a baton in foreign countries, but under our government initiatives it requires integrating all resources to focus fully on completing a task with a clear purpose and determination."

Yuan, who is also secretary-general of the China Automotive Chip Industry Innovation Strategic Alliance, said that this year, the percentage of car chips produced domestically for China's use will increase from 5 percent to 20 percent.

Over the past four years, the demonstration zone in Beijing has introduced more than 30 companies for research and development of autonomous driving tech and intelligent connected functions, deploying over 800 autonomous vehicles for testing, resulting in more than 60 standard achievements, according to the zone's management committee.

The demonstration zone has established the nation's first domestic standard system for vehicle-road-cloud integration, with vehicles such as self-driving taxis, unmanned delivery vans, and unmanned cleaning trucks already in operation.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
HCA Houston Healthcare North Cypress recently earned two national cancer accreditations further validating the high quality of care and treatment patients receive when undergoing cancer treatment. The hospital received accreditation from The National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) and The Commission on Cancer (CoC), both quality programs administered by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Barry Fantich

HCA Houston Healthcare will add more than 50 new rooms and a three-story patient tower to its Cypress hospital as part of a $100 million expansion.

The expansion will allow the hospital group's North Cypress location at 21214 Northwest Freeway to add a 22 bed acute rehabilitation unit and a 31 bed medical surgical unit, representatives said.

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Jim Brown, chief executive officer for North Cypress said the expansion will address demand as the region experiences fast population growth.

It is something we have planned for at least a couple of years now, said Brown. We operate at a very high level of capacity. So, for many months out the year the hospital is at 100% of capacity."

Construction will start in July 2025 and finish in Spring 2026.

The first floor of the tower will add sterile processing for operating rooms, covered parking for doctors and future expansion space. The second floor adds the 22-bed rehabilitation unit, communal dining space and therapy and exercise rooms. The third floor adds the medical surgical unit.

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Brown said the additions will allow the hospital to have more services on site, rather than needing to discharge customers to other communities due to not having specific services or space.

I think that this affords us to increase complexity of services which we provide, which will allow more Cypress residents to stay in Cypress, said Brown. Well be able to bring new services to the market that havent historically existed here.

MORE IN HOUSTON SUBURBS: Hospitals are expanding services in northwest Houston. HCA and Methodist leaders explain why.

Other hospital systems are also expanding in Houston's fastest-growing communities. Houston Methodist also announced this week that it will start a $247 million project that will expand Methodist's West Hospital in Katy and add a new comprehensive care center in Fulshear.

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The standing board of the Party Committee in Quang Tri Province, north-central Vietnam has given its nod to a project building a VND700-billion (US$28 million) warehouse with a capacity of 30 million metric tons per year to boost the import of coal from Laos.

The Office of the Party Committee said on Tuesday that it had announced the conclusion made by the standing board about the warehouse project in A Ngo Commune, Dakrong District.

The provincial Peoples Committee was assigned to direct relevant departments and agencies to review and assess the investors financial capacity and guide the investor on how to complete all procedures in line with prevailing regulations.

The investor must pledge to execute the project as scheduled after being granted an investment certificate.

According to the provincial Department of Planning and Investment, the project was proposed by Nam Tien Limited Liability Company at an estimated cost of VND700 billion.

A coal mine in Laos Sekong Province. Photo: Hoang Tao / Tuoi Tre

When in place, the warehouse will not only provide better storage services and facilitate goods transport by road, but also enhance the import of coal from Laos.

The warehouse, which will cover an area of 12.5 hectares upon completion, will operate for 30 years.

The daily volume of coal imported from Laos into Vietnam through the La Lay international border gate is up to 12,000 metric tons per day.

Some 500 trucks travel between Quang Tri and Laos Salavan Province every day.

The border gate area is experiencing significant challenges due to its limited space and deteriorating traffic infrastructure.

The lack of warehouses in the Vietnamese province exacerbates the situation, resulting in prolonged traffic jams near the border gate.

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New Australian crime drama Human Error starring Leeanna Walsman (Wentworth, Underbelly: Badness) will premiere on Nine in September.

The cast also features Matt Day, Stephen Peacocke, Rob Collins, Steve Bisley and Rosie Mitchell.

Inspired by real events, the six-part series unveils the turbulent life of Detective Holly ORourke (Walsman) and her homicide team as they navigate a shocking murder investigation that threatens to destroy her career, her family and her faith in justice.

As she scrambles to redeem her personal and professional reputation, Holly and her detectives uncover a criminal conspiracy that will change their lives forever.

When a suburban mother, Sonia Mathews, is murdered in her driveway in front of her son all the evidence points to a gangland hit. But who ordered the execution-style killing in broad daylight?

Hollys search for answers takes an unexpected turn when she discovers that a fellow police officer had a motive to murder Sonia. As the investigation heats up, Hollys team uncovers a web of crime for which murder is just the tip of the iceberg.

Her marriage to Luke (Matt Day) is in crisis, she is hiding a life-changing secret from fellow detectives, Dylan McKenzie (Stephen Peacocke) and Sergeant Gavin Butterfield (Rob Collins), and her daughter Alice (Rosie Mitchell) is causing endless grief. Then theres her father Bear (Steve Bisley), a retired detective full of unwanted advice, who she relies on for childcare and moral support.

As Holly and her team race to catch the killers, can she also win back the trust of the people she loves?

Human Error was created by Greg Haddrick (Underbelly, Janet King) and Samantha Winston (Love Me, Rush). The series is a Roadshow Rough Diamond production for the 9Network, with major production investment from Screen Australia in association with Nine and VicScreen. International distribution will be handled by ITV Studios.

8:45pm Wednesday, September 11 on Nine.
This week on Foreign Correspondent veteran reporter, and former Media Watch host Jonathan Holmes returns to the program with an exclusive interview with the Australian doctor held captive by Al Qaeda in the Saharan desert for more than seven years.

Dr Ken Elliott and his wife Jocelyn were kidnapped from the West African country of Burkina Faso in January 2016 where they were working.

While Jocelyn was released three weeks later, Ken endured brutal conditions.

He was quietly released last year at the age of 88.

Now the Elliotts have decided to tell their extraordinary story to Foreign Correspondent.

Jonathan Holmes has been following their case since the Elliotts were first taken.

In 2016, he travelled with a military escort to the remote town of Djibo in Burkina Faso where the Elliotts had lived for more than 40 years and where they ran a hospital offering lifesaving surgery.

Days out from broadcast, concerns over Dr Elliotts safety prevented his report from being shown.

Now their story can finally be told. Its one of unimaginable pain and suffering as well as remarkable resilience.

Its also a story of hope, faith and survival against all odds.

Thursday the 29th of August at 8pm on ABC.
An AVO has been taken out by NSW Police on behalf of Gold Logie award winner Larry Emdur against Victorian man Rodney Pearce.

The Daily Telegraph reports NSW Police said officers were called to Sevens Eveleigh office about 11.15am on Thursday August 22 after Mr Pearce allegedly 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.

Mr 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, Eveleigh, the suburb of Haymarket, or within 200m of Channel 7.
Screen Producers Australia has announced participants for its fourth Pitch On Demand, an online pitch initiative exclusive to SPA members .

They are: Oliver Jones, Senior Commissioning Executive, and Carolyn Carbone, International Creative Development from Apple TV+; Lana Greenhalgh, Head of Scripted Originals at Foxtel Group; and Tina McLaren, Senior Commissioner of Scripted plus Shelley Quinn, Commissioner at Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ.

Since 2021, POD has provided producers direct access to key decision-makers from leading broadcasters and platforms to fast-track quality Australian projects.

All three premium content commissioners will provide briefs on the types of projects that fit their current slate via 30-minute webinars. Following this, SPA members with relevant original projects can submit one pitch per brief via the submission portal. SPA will then facilitate pitch meetings between shortlisted applicants and key decision-makers from each commissioner.

SPA CEO Matthew Deaner stated, Were delighted to welcome back Apple TV+, Foxtel Group, and Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ for the fourth iteration of Pitch On Demand. The global content market is exceptionally competitive, and finding great new screen stories for audiences is a shared priority for us all.

We value these platforms continued collaboration with both SPA and our members as we help to drive opportunities for our stories to reach both local and global audiences.

Through Pitch On Demand, we were pitched fantastic projects and met with some wonderful Australian producers and creative teams. We are excited to be on board again this year and keen to open the doors to some new Australian projects that might suit Apple TV+, said Oliver Jones, Senior Commissioning Executive at Apple TV+.

Lana Greenhalgh, Head of Scripted Originals, Foxtel Group, said, This will be the third year Foxtel Group has participated in Pitch On Demand, and each year, we look forward to connecting to the wide selection of producers and creative teams through this program. Were committed to finding the next great Australian story, and last year, we received some of the most impressive pitches to date and are excited to see what this year has to offer.

Pitch on Demand info.
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.

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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.
Megan Menchaca is a Houston Independent School District reporter for the Houston Chronicle and the co-author of The Report Card. She can be reached at megan.menchaca@houstonchronicle.com.

Megan joined the Chronicle in 2023 after working as the higher education reporter for the Austin American-Statesman. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with degrees in journalism and government.
In collaboration with Blue Dragon Childrens Foundation, a charity dedicated to supporting vulnerable children and youths in Viet Nam, this campaign seeks to rally community support for this important cause.

It also emphasises the critical need to improve literacy and reduce school dropout rates among vulnerable students.

The Together We Step: Step For Kindness campaign is part of CapitaLands long-standing commitment to sustainable development, community engagement and making a positive impact in Viet Nam, where it has been operating for 30 years since 1994. It is one of the activities under CapitaLand's annual #GivingAsOne initiative supported by CHF, where CapitaLand staff, tenants, partners, and customers come together to augment their giving efforts.

Building on the success of the first campaign in Binh Duong in March 2024, the second will run in Hanoi from 28 August to 19 October, 2024.

There will be two key activities: a social media initiative and an outdoor community event.

CHF pledges to donate up to US$30,000 on reaching the combined target of 200 million steps from the social media initiative and 20 million steps from the outdoor event.

For the social media initiative, participants are encouraged to log their steps online throughout the entire campaign period to contribute to the overall goal. The campaign will culminate in an outdoor community event at Ocean City in Gia Lam District, Ha Noi, on 20 October.

Participants can choose to walk, jog or run through a scenic two- or five-kilometre route with friends, family or even pets.

It is open to individuals of all ages and fitness levels, and those interested can sign up at https://togetherwestep.vn/ha-noi-2024-en/.

Mr Alwin Low, general manager for North Vietnam at CLD (Vietnam), said: We are encouraged by the positive reception from the community for the first edition of the Together We Step: Step For Kindness campaign in Binh Duong, where over 100 million steps were logged.

CLD pledged $30,000 to refurbish the kitchen facilities at Thanh Tuyen Kindergarten (campus 2), improving students access to nutritious meals. The kitchen was completed and handed over to the school on 2 August, 2024, marking a successful conclusion of the campaigns first edition.

For the second edition, we are pleased to partner with Blue Dragon Childrens Foundation, a reputable and trusted organisation, to support street children and students in need in Viet Nam.

As CapitaLand celebrates 30 years in Vietnam, we remain steadfast in our purpose to enrich lives and uplift the communities where we operate. We endeavour to build resilience in children in Viet Nam by providing support for their educational and well-being needs. Since 2007, through our philanthropic arm, CapitaLand Hope Foundation, we have refurbished four schools in Phu Tho, HungYen and Long An provinces, creating safe and conducive learning environments for students.

Other initiatives such as the My Schoolbag Programme, CapitaLand Kids Programme @ Education Bursary and the Nutrition Project under CapitaLand Hope School Programme have enhanced access to education and provided nutritional support for students.

Looking ahead, we aim to continue improving the social mobility of children in Viet Nam, empowering them with better access to education and skills development to reach their aspirations.

We look forward to collaborating with like-minded partners to uplift communities in need.

The Senique Hanoi, a large-scale residential project under development by CLD in East Ha Noi, is one of the main sponsors of this campaign in Ha Noi.

Jointly developed with Mitsubishi Estate Company, Ltd and Nomura Real Estate Development Company, Ltd, The Senique Hanoi spans a total area of 2.1 hectares and offers over 2,100 units across three 37-storey towers. Sponsors for the outdoor community event include The Ascott Vietnam, Joint Stock Commercial Bank For Foreign Trade Of Vietnam - Dong Anh Branch, Otsuka Thang Nutrition Company, Ltd, California Fitness & Yoga Centres, Dunlopillo Vietnam Company, Ltd, BE Group JSC, BreadTalk and Vexere Trading Services Company, Ltd.

These sponsors will come together as one to provide gifts, vouchers and transport service to event participants, aligning with #GivingAsOnes efforts to rally partners to do good by uplifting the lives of vulnerable groups in the community.
HA NOI  Some Vietnamese enterprises have rushed to plan their planting areas to comply with the requirements of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) in order to conquer the strict EU market.

The Ha Noi-based Kim Thong trade, service and tourism cooperative said it has chosen raw materials grown entirely on agricultural land to comply with the EUDR regulations. The company aims to export mountain peanut, sacha inchi, made products to some European markets including Germany.

Chairwoman of the cooperative o Thi Kim Thong told doanhnghiepvn.vn that her cooperative grows sacha inchi trees on agricultural land in Hoa Binh, Lai Chau and Son La provinces, instead of on forest land.

Similarly, the GGTD Joint Stock Company said with the EUDR regulations, in the long term, planning raw material areas is an issue that domestic enterprises should pay attention to.

The company's deputy general director Ha Quyen told the online newspaper that her firm has been focusing on planning raw material areas in the Central Highlands provinces and some localities in the North such as Hai Duong and Hung Yen, to meet the requirements of EU markets.

However, many enterprises have failed to fully understand the EUDR requirements. These enterprises have petitioned the State management agencies to organise more training programmes to help them better understand the specific requirements of the EUDR, thereby preparing appropriate production plans and supply chains.

According to Hoang Thanh, Programme Officer at the EU delegation to Viet Nam, to deal with the challenges from the EUDR, Viet Nam needs to have an action plan framework to adapt to.

He said that top priority should be given to establishing a public-private alliance to exchange information and secure data and building a forest and production system that meets the EUDR. Training programmes on the EUDR and technical solutions to support businesses in complying with EU regulations should also be included.

The EUDR, which came into force on June 29, 2023, mandates that products placed on or exported from the EU market must be traceable, deforestation-free and legally produced. Larger companies importing these commodities into the EU must comply by December 30, 2024, while small and medium-sized enterprises must comply by June 30, 2025.

Tran Quang Bao, director of the Forestry Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said wood, coffee and rubber industries are the three industries in Viet Nam most affected by the EUDR regulations.

"Thanks to the assistance of domestic and international partners, those three commodity groups have made preparations for EUDR. Along with that, we have specific action plans for every commodity, which are managed by the ministry," he told Viet Nam News.

"We are still waiting for official regulations. but based on discussions at seminars and draft documents, sectors have done trial research and built data on coffee and forestry to get ready for the regulations."

Bao said the EUDR implementation is a chance for Viet Nam to affirm the legality and sustainable values of Vietnamese exported products to the EU.

The EU is a large and important market for Vietnamese farming produce and other goods. In 2023, Viet Nam exported over US$53 billion worth of products to the bloc, with key items including coffee, rubber and wood.

Trade experts believed that Viet Nam's export turnover to the EU could significantly increase if Vietnamese enterprises could better comply with the EUDR regulations.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam's textile and garment industry will improve productivity to reduce pressure from increasing labour costs that are putting the textile industry under great competitive pressure.

Textiles are a labour-intensive industry, Le Tien Truong, chairman of Viet Nam Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex) said, and in its early stages businesses took advantage of cheap labour to develop exports and increase revenue.

Now, the competitive advantage based on cheap-price labour no longer holds. The average monthly salary for garment workers in Viet Nam is US$300 per worker per month, much higher than the $95 in Bangladesh, $190 in Cambodia and $145 in India.

Wage costs are much higher than competitors, while prices of export orders are low, even 50 per cent lower than the same period in 2019. This is a big challenge for the domestic textile and garment enterprises.

One of solutions for this situation is to further improve productivity per capita, Truong said. This will determine the income of workers.

Accordingly, the enterprises need to put investment in using highly automated equipment and reduce the number of workers per product. At the same time, they should look for niche products with higher value, thereby increasing the value of workers' working hours.

Vinatexs all member enterprises are already applying these solutions to ensure an increase in wages for workers, he said.

For the garment industry to grow revenue by $1 billion in the past, it needed to recruit 100,000 more workers. But today to hit that it only needs about 20,000 - 30,000 workers, he added.

Meanwhile, some businesses will develop the production of very specific products, products for niche or small markets, but those products will bring great economic efficiency, such as specialised technical fabrics and high-quality fabrics.

Improving labour productivity is a combination of many factors, so each business has a bespoke direction to increase productivity. However, the investment in technology equipment and digital transformation in management and production at factories is imperative.

In addition to vocational training for workers, Phu Bai Fiber Joint Stock Company this year set up investment projects to replace equipment, as well as investment plans for 2025.

For the goal of sustainable development, the company will have an investment plan for the period of 2026-2030 to completely replace equipment that has been used for over 20 years.

This investment project will keep production stable, retain customers, maintain financial stability, all aimed at the goal at keeping the same labour costs per kilogram of fibre.

Meanwhile, Garment 10 Joint Stock Company (Garco 10) has been gradually implementing digital transformation to improve management.

The Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association also stated that enhancement of total factor productivity (TFP) is the key to help businesses improve their production efficiency.

Digital transformation contributes to the enhancement of TFP in corporations.

To achieve the TFP enhancement, it is necessary to prioritise reviewing human resources to find solutions on implementing technology application and innovation.

The businesses need to assess the level of complexity and prioritisation in digital transformation for each specific activity.  VNS
HA NOI - Experts gathered in a seminar held on August 26 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) to discuss advancing sustainable development and green growth in the Mekong Delta region through a significant rice cultivation project.

The initiative aims to enhance rice production while minimising emissions, with a goal of developing one million hectares of high-quality rice fields by 2030.

At the seminar, Nguyen o Anh Tuan, Director of the Department of International Cooperation at MARD, said that the project has been piloted over three consecutive rice production seasons in several key provinces: Can Tho, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, Kien Giang and ong Thap. This pilot phase has provided valuable insights and data, which will guide the broader implementation of the project.

The seminar brought together experts and representatives from 12 provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta, emphasising collaborative efforts to refine strategies and achieve the project's ambitious goals.

The 50-hectare model implemented at Tien Thuan Cooperative in Vinh Thanh District, Can Tho City, has demonstrated significant improvements in rice cultivation practices. Key outcomes include reducing the amount of rice seeds used from 140kg to 60kg per hectare, fertilisers now being applied only twice per crop instead of 3-4 times, and reducing the usage of inorganic fertiliser by at least 20 per cent. This approach has also led to fewer instances of rice plants falling as well as reduced disease rates.

At the seminar, Ha Thi Nga, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Women's Union and a Member of the National Assembly Delegation from ong Thap Province, emphasised the significance of the rice cultivation project. She highlighted that the project aims to shift rice production in the Mekong Delta from fragmented, small-scale operations to large, concentrated areas, fostering more synchronised development across the region. Nga noted that successful implementation will enhance the rice value chain by incorporating agricultural by-products, which can add value and reduce waste. She stressed that by adopting more sustainable practices, the project helps lower emissions associated with rice cultivation and farmers could earn additional income through carbon credits if emissions reductions are effectively realised. This extra income can support improved livelihoods for farmers.

Nga further noted that the project holds promise for several benefits beyond just improved rice cultivation. The project is anticipated to boost income for farmers, providing them with more economic stability and opportunities. By creating more appealing and sustainable agricultural practices, the project may encourage young people to return to and engage in agricultural production in their local areas.

However, she noted that achieving these outcomes will require significant political will and commitment from various stakeholders. This includes MARD, leaders from the 12 provinces, cities, cooperatives and farmers themselves.

The transition from traditional farming methods to new, sustainable practices is identified as a major challenge, as many farmers are accustomed to conventional techniques.

Thach Phuoc Binh, Deputy Head of the National Assembly Delegation from Tra Vinh Province, expressed his concerns about the current state of infrastructure development. He pointed out that there are issues with the planning and development of essential infrastructure such as irrigation systems, transportation networks and storage facilities. Binh noted that the infrastructure is not yet well integrated or fully connected, which could hinder the effective implementation of the project.

Addressing these concerns will be crucial for the successful realisation of the projects goals and for supporting the broader development of the Mekong Deltas rice sector.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan highlighted the critical challenges faced by the Mekong Delta region due to climate change and outlined the strategic importance of the one-million-hectare high-quality rice project.

For decades, the Mekong Deltas rice industry has suffered from fragmentation and a lack of connectivity. This has been driven by small-scale, seasonal thinking among farmers. The project is designed to address these issues by promoting a more unified and strategic approach.

If successful, the project in the Mekong Delta could serve as a model for similar initiatives in other regions and industries, such as livestock and aquaculture.

Minister Hoan stressed that farmers are central to the success of the project, noting that without changes in farmer behaviour and practices, the project's goals cannot be achieved. The project aims to fundamentally transform and reorganise the rice industry into a more sustainable model.

MARD, along with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, has recommended that the Government incorporate 'traders' into the rice industry system. A sustainable rice industry requires a comprehensive ecosystem involving farmers, traders, businesses and state institutions.

Minister Hoan urged local leaders to view this project as a "revolution" in order to achieve success. The involvement of all stakeholders is crucial for the project's success and for fostering a sustainable and resilient rice industry.  VNS
A NANG  The central city of a Nang is actively fostering connections and inviting investment from Malaysia to collaborate on various initiatives, including its international finance centre, a free trade zone, tourism, digital transformation, and healthcare.

Additionally, a new air route connecting a Nang and Kuala Lumpur is set to commence on September 24.

The new route will be operating with seven flights per week by Malaysian Airlines, making it the third route on a Nang-Kuala Lumpur route after Air Asia and Batik Air, meaning an increase to 28 flights per week.

Vice chairman of the citys Peoples Committee, Nguyen Thi Anh Thi said at a working visit with the Vietnamese embassy in Malaysia, that a Nang hopes to build links with the southern state of Malacca, with investments in finance and healthcare management.

Thi said a Nang needs experience sharing from Malaysian partners in building the Malaysian International Financial Centre at Tun Razak Exchange and the free trade zone in Port Klang Tanjung Pelepas.

a Nang plans to build a free trade zone and the establishment of municipal authority  the first ever of its kind in Viet Nam  with an international finance centre to attract investment over the coming decades.

A tourism promotion event was held by the citys tourism foundation with the participation of 100 travel agencies from a Nang and Malaysia, offering more exchange tours.

Malaysian tourists are listed in top ten of international travellers to a Nang with 75,000 visitors in the first seven months of 2024.

a Nang Citys tourism department will reserve thousands of vouchers for tourists visiting the city in the last months of 2024.

Last month, Malaysia introduced a tourism promotion programme  Discovery Malaysia'  in a Nang and HCM City. Malaysia currently welcomes 146 flights from Viet Nam every week.

a Nang has drawn 18 investment projects from Malaysia with total US$222 million, the citys investment promotion agency reported.

The new air route will connect tourists to the UNESCO-recognised world heritage sites in central Viet Nam including Hue Monuments complex in Thua Thien-Hue Province, the My Son Sanctuary and Hoi An ancient town in Quang Nam Province with destinations in Malaysia, according to the citys Tourism Fund. VNS
HA NOI  The Viet Nam Coconut Association has forecast that coconut exports will hit US$1 billion this year, driven by the signing of a protocol for official export of fresh coconuts to China.

Earlier this month, Viet Nam and China signed three protocols on the official export of frozen durian, fresh coconuts and crocodile to China, which are expected to significantly boost exports of these farm products.

Chinas opening the door for fresh coconut will bring significant opportunities for Viet Nams coconut growers. With a population of 1.4 billion, China is a huge consumption market, while its domestic coconut supply only meets around 10 per cent of the demand.

Nguyen Huu Tai, a farmer with one hectare of coconut trees in Ben Tre Province, said that this is good news for coconut growers, as opening up the Chinese market will develop a stable consumption market for coconuts and avoid falling prices.

The Viet Nam Fruit and Vegetable Association expects the export of fresh coconut to increase by around $200-300 million by the end of the year and continue to grow significantly in the near future.

Viet Nam is currently the seventh largest coconut producer in the world, with a total growing area of 188,00ha and an output of around two million tonnes per year, mainly in Mekong Delta region.

Prepare for the long run

While the news is cheering coconut growers, preparations in terms of quality standardisation are needed for sustainable export to China.

Nguyen Quoc Manh, Deputy Director of the Department of Crop Production under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that the linkage in coconut production remains weak due to scattered plantings.

Scattered plantations make it difficult to standardise and ensure quality, Manh said, adding that it will take time for the industry to do so.

More investments are also needed in developing the infrastructure for harvesting, collecting, processing and preserving coconuts.

It is pressing to develop coconut growing areas which meet quality requirements for exports to stringent markets such as the US and China, Manh said.

Developing growing areas which meet stringent quality requirements could also help the coconut industry to expand to more markets, Tran Van uc, chairman of Ben Tre Coconut Investment Company said.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoang Trung said greater attention must be paid to the management of growing areas and packaging facilities granted with codes for export to ensure compliance with the requirements of the import markets.

The ministry will continue to work with the Chinese side to facilitate the implementation of the protocol as well as provide supports to Vietnamese farmers to take advantage from this opportunity for coconut export expansion.

Fresh coconut exports reached around $800 million in 2022-23, mainly to China, Thailand, the US and the EU.  VNS
HA NOI  Shares on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) edged up on Tuesday, with the rally occurring in the final minutes of trading, thanks to the recovery of some large-cap stocks.

However foreign investors continued their net buying streak for the fifth consecutive day.

The VN-Index on HoSE increased by 0.54 points, or 0.04 per cent, closing the session at 1,280.56 points.

The market's breadth was negative, as the number of decliners outnumbered gainers by 182 to 130. Liquidity on the southern bourse remained low at VN16.2 trillion (US$651 million), corresponding to a trading volume of 660 million shares.

The VN30-Index, which tracks the 30 largest stocks by market capitalisation on HoSE, increased by 3.68 points, or 0.28 per cent, to 1,322.28 points. Eleven stocks in the VN30 basket advanced, fourteen declined and five remained flat.

Leading the market's uptrend were stocks from the group of Vin.

According to data from the financial website vietstock.vn, the Vingroup Joint Stock Company (VIC) was the biggest gainer, leading the market in capitalisation. Shares of the conglomerate hit the ceiling on Tuesday, surging by seven per cent and contributing more than 2.9 points to the VN-Index.

It was followed by another Vin-related stock, Vinhomes JSC (VHM), which saw its shares rise by 2.22 per cent and Vincom Retail Joint Stock Company (VRE), which gained 1.01 per cent.

Several large-cap stocks saw declines, limiting the market's overall gains. Leading the decliners was the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BID), which dropped by 1.2 per cent. This was followed by the Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (VCB), which decreased by 0.54 per cent and PetroVietnam Gas Joint Stock Corporation (GAS), which fell by 0.83 per cent.

According to stock analysts from Viet Dragon Securities, the decreased liquidity compared to the previous session indicates that the supply side has yet to exert significant pressure on the market.

Currently, there is no distribution day signal, so the market's pullback seems to be a temporary cool down after surpassing the 1,280-point resistance level, a level which is expected to provide support for the market in the next session. If cash flow continues to support the market, there is still a chance for the VN-Index to reach the 1,305-point peak in the near future. Therefore, investors can anticipate the market's potential support and consider short-term buying opportunities in stocks that show positive performance from a support base.

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange (HNX), the HNX-Index finished slightly lower on Tuesday, decreasing by 0.03 per cent to 238.91 points.

During the session, more than VN1.1 trillion worth of shares, equivalent to a trading volume of over 49 million shares, were transacted on the northern market.

Conversely, foreign investors extended their net selling spree, offloading over VN243.7 billion on the HoSE.  VNS
HCM CITY  The 2024 Sourcing Fair of Supporting Industry with Buyers (SFS) that opened in HCM City on August 28 seeks to link up Vietnamese parts suppliers with foreign and domestic manufacturing firms.

Nguyen Thi Kim Ngoc, deputy director of the city Department of Industry and Trade, said the fair, with the theme The Readiness of the Supporting Industry in the Supply Chain of Emerging Technologies, has attracted 22 foreign companies and major industrial end-product manufacturers in sectors such as electronics, appliances, auto, mechanical engineering, aerospace, and medicine in Viet Nam.

They would have over 300 pre-arranged meetings with 130 Vietnamese supporting industry manufacturing firms, she said.

There will be a workshop on market trends in emerging technology sectors such as semiconductors and high-value industries such as aerospace and medical sectors.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vo Van Hoan, deputy chairman of the city Peoples Committee, said in recent years the city has helped local manufacturing enterprises connect with multinational corporations, enabling them to acquire technology and management experience, and gradually modernise their production to join global supply chains.

The city has also supported businesses efforts to innovate technology and expand production, he said.

He said the last six editions of the event attracted 116 foreign-owned business, industrial end-product manufacturers and 370 small- and medium-sized supporting industrial enterprises.

Supporting industry enterprises participating in previous editions have become more confident in showcasing their capabilities and joining supply chains, with companies like Nhat Minh Echigo, Tien Thinh, Vi Nam Viet, CNS Amura, Lidovit, Duy Khanh, and Viet Nhat Mechanical successfully integrating into the supply chains of global corporations, he said.

Organised by the city Department of Industry and Trade, the Saigon Hi-Tech Park Management Board and the HCM City Export Processing and Industrial Zones Authority, the SFS 2024, being held at Convention Centre 272, will go on until August 29.  VNS
HCM CITY Vietnamese-American director Victor Vu is working on a new period mystery movie to celebrate his 20 years in the film industry.

The film Tham Tu Kien  Ky An Khong au (Detective Kien  A Mysterious Case) is Vus 18th production, which is inspired by Ho Oan Han (Resentment Lake), a detective story by writer Hong Thai.

The work is set under the Nguyen dynasty in the 19th century. It revolves around Kien, a detective, who travels to a haunted village and discovers its mysteries and tragedies.

The character Kien, played by Quoc Huy, appeared in Vus movie Nguoi Vo Cuoi Cung (The Last Wife) released last year.

The movie tells the story of a young woman, living in a poor family during the semi-feudal colonial society of Viet Nam. Love, betrayal, and social and family issues are themes of the film.

Huy, a graduate of the HCM City University of Cinematography and Theatre, will continue his role in Vus new project.

The 38-year-old actor said at the the press conference to publicize the film project in HCM City on last Wednesday that he spent much more time training in martial arts, fighting with swords, and riding horses to prepare for the role.

There will be more thrilling fighting scenes in the movie, he added.

The cast also features young actors such as Minh Anh and Anh Pham.

The films director Vu is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University in the US.

He is known for the films Scandal and Thien Menh Anh Hung (Blood Letter) released in 2012, Toi Thay Hoa Vang Tren Co Xanh (Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass) in 2015, and Mat Biec (Dreamy Eyes) in 2019.

His blockbusters Toi Thay Hoa Vang Tren Co Xanh and Mat Biec were selected by the ministry of culture as the Vietnamese entries for the Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards in 2017 and 2020.

Both films are adapted from novels of the same names by best-selling author Nguyen Nhat Anh.

Vus 2021 horror movie Thien Than Ho Menh (The Guardian) was distributed in cinemas in 12 countries such as Australia, Canada, Hungary, France, Ireland, the UK and the US.

In 2022, Vu released his TV thriller series called Trai Hoa o (Red Flowers Farm) in collaboration with American director of photography Dominic Pereira and music producer/composer Garrett Crosby.

Vus latest movie Detective Kien  A Mysterious Case is slated to be in theatres on May 16 next year. VNS
Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia listens as panelists respond to questions about the Houston ISD Board of Managers' decision to approve an election on the $4.4 billion bond at Harris County Education Department on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer

With less than three months until the election, dozens of Houston ISD parents, teachers and community members questioned aspects of the districts $4.4 billion school bond proposal during a town hall panel hosted by U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia on Tuesday.

Four panelists, including two bond supporters and two opponents, shared their personal views on the bond and addressed community concerns about financial accountability, the components of HISDs bond proposal and how the measure would affect the districts schools and students if it obtains voter approval during the Nov. 5 general election.

HISDs proposed school bond  which would be the largest in Texas history if it receives approval from voters  outlines spending billions to rebuild and renovate schools with poor facilities and learning conditions, expand pre-K and career and technical education in the district and make safety and security upgrades without raising taxes.

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Annetta Murray asks a question to Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia and other panelists as they held a town hall, where they took questions about the Houston ISD Board of Managers' decision to approve an election on the $4.4 billion bond at Harris County Education Department on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer

Im concerned with the current financial state of HISD. They had a budget (gap) like many of the school districts, Garcia said. How can they float a bond when they dont even know if the states going to be giving money? I want to see what their projections are, because if theyre trying to tell us that theyre not going to raise taxes, theyre going to have to convince me.

The panel included HISD elected trustee Dani Hernandez and Glen Austin, director of education policy for the Greater Houston Partnership, who both expressed support for the bond. Meanwhile, panelists Ruth Kravetz, co-founder of Community Voices for Public Education, and HISD activist and parent Carmen Nuncio opposed the bond.

Carmen Nuncio speaks as Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia and other panelists held a town hall, where they took questions about the Houston ISD Board of Managers' decision to approve an election on the $4.4 billion bond at Harris County Education Department on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia listens as Ruth Kravetz, co-founder of Community Voices for Public Education speaks during a town hall, where they took questions about the Houston ISD Board of Managers' decision to approve an election on the $4.4 billion bond at Harris County Education Department on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Sunny Herndon asks a question to Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia and other panelists as they held a town hall, where they took questions about the Houston ISD Board of Managers' decision to approve an election on the $4.4 billion bond at Harris County Education Department on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Sarah Terrell asks a question to Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia and other panelists as they held a town hall, where they took questions about the Houston ISD Board of Managers' decision to approve an election on the $4.4 billion bond at Harris County Education Department on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Glen Austin, director of education policy at the Greater Houston Partnership speaks as Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia and other panelists held a town hall, where they took questions about the Houston ISD Board of Managers' decision to approve an election on the $4.4 billion bond at Harris County Education Department on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia speaks as she and other panelists held a town hall, where they took questions about the Houston ISD Board of Managers' decision to approve an election on the $4.4 billion bond at Harris County Education Department on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Michelle Williams asks a question to Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia and other panelists as they held a town hall, where they took questions about the Houston ISD Board of Managers' decision to approve an election on the $4.4 billion bond at Harris County Education Department on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Ruth Kravetz, co-founder of Community Voices for Public Education speaks as Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia and other panelists held a town hall, where they took questions about the Houston ISD Board of Managers' decision to approve an election on the $4.4 billion bond at Harris County Education Department on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia speaks to fellow panelist Glen Austin, director of education policy at the Greater Houston Partnership, as people lined up to ask questions during a town hall about the Houston ISD Board of Managers' decision to approve an election on the $4.4 billion bond at Harris County Education Department on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer

Garcia, who acted as the panels moderator, said she was undecided on the measure and would decide after getting more answers from the district about its financial plans.

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Several attendees questioned Hernandez and Austin about what accountability measures would be in place to ensure the district spends the funds as it has outlined. Other speakers shared why they plan to vote against the bond, which they largely attribute to a lack of trust in state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles and the lack of an elected school board.

I dont think we should have a bond, HISD teacher Arnetta Murray said. I want to know, what are you going to do to make sure that the money that you say is going to be allocated to security and all of that is going to really be (allocated?) I guess thats my problem. Why should I trust (Miles) when he wont tell us the truth on simple things?

Garcia said she invited HISD officials to participate in the panel to answer questions from potential voters and they declined. The Texas Election Code prohibits public school district employees from using public funds for any communication that is reasonably likely to influence residents to vote for or against a bond, although they are allowed to describe the details of the bond.

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Hernandez said the districts last bond was 12 years ago, and its not feasible to make HISD students wait any further for funding to improve infrastructure. She said there will be accountability measures in place on the bond, such as the Bond Oversight Committee that will be responsible for monitoring progress of construction and reviewing financial reports.

HISD trustee Dani Hernandez speaks as Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia and other panelists held a town hall, where they took questions about the Houston ISD Board of Managers' decision to approve an election on the $4.4 billion bond at Harris County Education Department on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer

If you had your child going to a school that had mold in it and rats, that would be a problem, Hernandez said. I dont want any parent to have to experience that much less for two years, three years, five years from now, because the bond is going to take a long time to implement, and its not just going to be Miles thats going to be in the leadership.

Kravetz said HISD students deserve a bond, but voters shouldnt approve one until there is a new superintendent who is accountable to an elected school board. She expressed concern about the large price tag of the bond, proposals to co-locate students at eight schools and spending $425 million on four career and technical education centers.

May 1996 was the last (HISD) bond that failed, Kravetz said. They repackaged it. They produced something that the public trusted more, and 18 months later, the bond was passed. Were not saying Dont pass a bond. Were saying Dont pass a bond now.

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Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia and other panelists held a town hall, where they took questions about the Houston ISD Board of Managers' decision to approve an election on the $4.4 billion bond at Harris County Education Department on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer



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.

Houston residents who are not already registered to vote will need to do so by Oct. 7 to vote on the bond, as well as the other items on the ballot in the general election. Eligible Houstonians must request or print out a registration application and mail it to the voter registrar before the deadline.
HA NOI Once every year, for over 30 years in Viet Nam, vibrant German traditions and cheer, with distinctive cuisine and rich-flavoured craft beer, are celebrated during the Oktoberfest.

The festival will be held in Ha Noi, a Nang and HCM City in September and October .

The event is co-hosted by the German Businesses Association (GBA), the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Vietnam (AHK Vietnam), together with JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi, under the patronage of the Embassy of Germany in Ha Noi, and the German Consulate General in HCM City.

Building on the success of last years festival, which drew over 10,500 attendees and served 20,000 litres of beer, GBA Oktoberfest has become the largest beer festival in Southeast Asia. The festival will continue to strengthen Vietnamese-German friendship in a joyful atmosphere filled with memorable experiences.

First held in Viet Nam in 1992, GBA Oktoberfest has over 30 years become an annual event to bring the unique German cultural and traditional experiences closer to the Vietnamese people. In addition to that, the festival has created a bridge for promoting the Viet Nam-Germany strategic partnership.

In Ha Noi, the festival will take place at JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi for three days, from September 26-28. Perfectly recreating the vibrant atmosphere of the original event, the festival promises to bring many surprises for any attendees.

The event will present the rich heritage of Munich with a large beer tent 'Festzelt', traditional performances, authentic food, and (of course) German beer. Imported beers and high-quality beers brewed in Viet Nam will be served in signature beer mugs by waiters dressed in traditional Bavarian costumes known as 'Dirndls' (for women) and 'Lederhosen' (for men).

Oktoberfest also brings the character of Munich through a premium buffet, offering festival-goers a vast array of German culinary including 'bratwurst' sausages, pretzels and 'sauerkraut'.

Participants can immerse themselves in the energetic performances of the band O'zapft from Germany and Austria, to have memorable moments.

After Ha Noi, the festival will be held in a Nang at Furama Resort Danang on October 4.

In HCM City, the festival will take place at Hotel Nikko Saigon for three days, from October 10-12.

GBA Vice Chairman Torben Minko said that over the years, the festival has been not only a cultural event but also an opportunity for businesses and organisations from Germany and Viet Nam to explore new potentials in various fields.

We also have continuously worked on upgrading the authentic setting of our Oktoberfest and spread a unique German culture across the country, Minko said.

According to the Chief Representative of the AHK Vietnam, Peter Kompalla, GBA Oktoberfest Vietnam is one of the most anticipated events of the year, renowned for its celebration of cultural exchange between the two countries, beyond just the business context.

This event brings together the German, Vietnamese and international business communities to celebrate with colleagues, partners and friends. We are convinced that the GBA Oktoberfest will once again provide the perfect platform to forge new friendships and partnerships, he said. VNS
HA NOI - Amid rising airfares, many travelers are shifting to train to travel in the coming National Day holiday, according to Bui Thanh Tu - Marketing Director of BestPrice Travel Company.

Trains offers travelers a relaxing experience as they can enjoy stunning scenery throughout their journey, Tu said.

Therefore, instead of opting for expensive air travel, many tourists choose this unique experience with notable routes such as a Nang - Hue, a Nang - Quy Nhon, and HCM City - Nha Trang, the official said, adding that this is an ideal choice for those who want to explore natural beauty and enjoy a relaxing journey.

Reports show that there has been a noticeable shift in travel preferences based on the pocket and demand of travelers, particularly as domestic airfare prices remain high.

About a week before this year's National Day holiday, which will last from August 31 to September 3, airfares increased by around 20% per cent compared to normal days.

According to Nguyen Van Hieu, General Director of Vitamin Tours, high airfares have significantly affected the demand for air travel among the tourists.

Groups of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) tourists, and travelers tend to choose nearby destinations and travel by road.

Domestic travelers are still focusing on sea destinations such as Ha Long, Sam Son, Hai Tien, and Cat Ba in the northern region, and Vung Tau and Ho Tram in the southern region. Mountain tours to escape the hot weather, such as Moc Chau, Sa Pa, and Ha Giang, are also chosen by travelers. The number of holiday-makers has also increased significantly compared to last year due to the long holiday period.

Tu said that rising domestic airfare prices have also led many travelers to change their plans from domestic travel to outbound tours.

With comparable costs, travelers are increasingly opting for international tours, particularly to Asian countries, which offer appealing experiences. Vietnamese tourists are interested in destinations in Thailand, China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, with an average spending of around VN7 - 25 million (US$282- 1,007) per person. - VNA/VNS
VIENTIANE  The Vietnamese Party, State, military and people always treasure the special relations with Laos in all circumstances, and bear in mind the valuable support of Laos for the nation during its struggle for national independence in the past and construction and development nowadays, a Vietnamese high-ranking military officer said on Monday.

Chairman of the General Department of Politics under the Viet Nam Peoples Army (VPA) Senior Lieutenant General Trinh Van Quyet made the statement while meeting with General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith as part of his visit to the neighbouring country.

Quyet expressed his pleasure over the unceasing development of the bilateral ties over the past time, and took the occasion to thank the Lao side for assisting, and creating favourable conditions for Viet Nam in the search, and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts who laid down their lives during war time in Laos.

He hoped that the Lao leader would continue paying attention to, and facilitating experience sharing between the two defence ministries and militaries in preparation for the organisation of Party congresses at all levels, as well as their support for each other in proposing senior leaders of the two Parties and States policies and measures to enhance the Partys leadership over the military, and prevent and disable the hostile and reactionary forces plot to depoliticising the army.

As the two defence ministries are discussing to reach consensus on the organisation of the second Viet Nam-Laos Border Defence Friendship Exchange in Son La and Huaphanh provinces in October, Quyet said he wishes the Lao leader will support and direct competent ministries, sectors and localities to join hands with the Vietnamese sides to make meticulous preparation for the event.

He took the occasion to congratulate Laos, as the ASEAN Chair 2024, on successfully organising various important conferences, and expressed his belief that Laos will continue successfully hold other events this year, affirming the nations position in the international arena. Viet Nam always supports, and accompanies Laos in this particularly important year.

He also said that under the leadership of the LPRP and Sisoulith, Laos will continue carving out achievements in its renewal, successfully concretising the resolution adopted at the LPRPs 11th congress as well as the socio-economic development plan for the 2021-2025 period, building a Laos of peace, independence, democracy, unity and prosperity in line with the path to socialism.

Sisoulith, for his part, affirmed that Quyets visit will make significant contributions to nurturing the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States, and peoples, while demonstrating the special sentiment between the two peoples, and militaries.

He expressed his delight over the robust development of the bilateral ties in the recent past, with deep political relations playing a key role and shaping up the bilateral relations, and cooperation in other areas becoming more substantive, particularly strategic issues related to the security and development of each nation.

The same day, Quyet and a high-level political delegation from the VPA paid a courtesy visit to Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Chansamone Chanyalath. At the event, Quyet suggested the Lao Government, and Chansamone Chanyalath to pen rational mechanisms and policies so that the militaries of both sides could expand cooperation to consolidate the defence cooperation pillar in the bilateral ties, respond to the traditional and non-traditional security challenges, and create favourable conditions for them to bolster collaboration in other sectors.

Earlier the same day, Quyet held talks with Senior Lieutenant General Thongloi Silivong, Lao Deputy Defence Minister and Chief of the General Department of Political Affairs of the Lao Peoples Army, during which they discussed regional and international issues of mutual concerns, reviewed cooperation between the two sides over the past time, and put forth recommendations for collaboration in the coming time.

Accordingly, they agreed to boost comprehensive, practical and effective cooperation across Party and political work, seeing them as a basis to enhance political trust between the two armies, while concurring to coordinate to effectively carry out the communications and education work, particularly for the young, on the relations between the two countries and militaries.

They also reached consensus on stepping up collaboration across press, communications, and management of social networks, maintaining exchanges of delegations at all levels, working closely to develop high-quality human resources, and accelerating the search and repatriation of the remains of the voluntary soldiers and experts shedding their blood during war time in Laos, among others.

On Monday afternoon, Quyet and the delegation laid a wreath at the monument dedicated to martyrs and heroes in Vientiane. VNS
HA NOI  A new draft justice law for younger offenders proposers more preventive measures and working outside the courts and in the community.

Bac Kan Provinces NA deputy Nguyen Thi Thuy said that one of the highlights of the draft juvenile justice law is focusing on diversion measures at the community and in reform schools, rather than judicial measures.

Under the judicial measures, juvenile offenders are required to go through the entire process of investigation, prosecution and trial, which means they could be held in custody for up to one year before being sent to a reform school.

Meanwhile in the current draft, if they meet the requirements during the investigation phase, authorities can file a request to send them to a reform school within the first month of detention, said Thuy.

The discussion was at the sixth meeting of full-time National Assembly (NA) deputies continued on Tuesday, with the Law on Juvenile Justice and Law on Urban and Rural Planning at the centre of discussion.

National Assembly deputy Thuy said that the Party and the government have always paid attention to childrens development. This is evident in the Politburos Directive No 28-CT/TW on strengthening the care, education and protection of children in response to the countrys growth, which requires building a child-friendly justice system.

The drafting of the juvenile justice law is an effort to institutionalise this direction, said Thuy.

According to the document, diversion measures include monitoring, education and preventive measures replacing penalties for young offenders at their community or reform schools.

The draft also specifies 14 offences that are not subjected to diversion measures for offenders aged 14 to under 16, which will result in penalties and judicial measures in reform schools directly under the management of the Ministry of Public Security.

We need to consider the humanitarian aspect, given that these are the only two options, especially in cases of an extensive detention period (maximum one year for serious offences), said Thuy.

Statistics at three reform schools in a Nang City and ong Nai, Ninh Binh provinces show that many students come from underprivileged backgrounds.

About 64 per cent of young offenders in the ong Nais reform school have parents who are divorced, separated or are serving prison sentences. This figure in a Nang and Ninh Binh is respectively 53 per cent and 24 per cent.

Although they have made mistakes, at their age, this children still need attention and special policies from the state, said Thuy.

Meanwhile, NA deputy Nguyen Thi Viet Nga from Hai Duong Province suggested the draft add that: Priority shall be given to allowing juvenile offenders to serve detention sentences at facilities close to their family and place of residence.

This reflects a humanitarian approach that facilitates family visits and encouragement for these young people, thereby positively transforming their mindset, she explained.

Nga also agrees with the draft law that juveniles subjected to detention shall be held in separate facilities designated for young offenders, but noted that it is necessary to consider sufficient resources for effective implementation.

She also suggested amending Clause 6, Article 22 of the draft to maintain the confidentiality of their personal information even after their case is closed.

Urban and rural planning

In the discussion for the draft urban and rural planning law on the same day, NA deputy Hoang Thi Thanh Thuy from Tay Ninh Province underlined precautions on the use of the term 'relevant communities', as the draft has not included any specific explanation on the scale of this group.

This leads to concern on whether planning for a centrally governed city requires gathering opinions from its entire population, Thuy said, adding that terminology clarification is necessary to ensure comprehensive implementation.

She added that for this process to be an informative channel rather than a mere procedure, it is worth considering a feedback mechanism for locals on whether their opinions are reflected in the plans, as well as earlier timing for feedback in the planning process.

Meanwhile, Ha Nois NA deputy Hoang Van Cuong noted that centrally run cities are subjected to two planning procedures, which are a province-level plan according to the Law on Planning, and a general planning for this type of municipalities under this law.

Specific regulations to distinguish between these two plans are necessary, he said.

NA deputies spoke at the discussion underlined that urban planning must ensure coherence in architectural, social and technical infrastructure and underground spaces, while promoting harmonious development between different areas of the city.  VNS
VIENTIANE  General Secretary of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone on August 27 hosted separate receptions for Vietnamese Minister of Public Security Luong Tam Quang, who is on a working visit to the neighbouring country.

The Lao leaders spoke highly of the achievements that Viet Nam has obtained in recent times and affirmed that the visit will make an important contribution to fostering the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the Parties, States and people of the two countries.

They said that they were delighted to see that the cooperation between the police forces of Laos and Viet Nam has reaped many positive results, especially in the fight against all types of crimes, and personnel training. The hosts hoped that in the coming time, the forces will continue to promote collaboration in the fight against transnational crimes, drugs, human trafficking and high-tech crimes for the benefit of the people of the two countries, contributing to fostering bilateral ties and maintaining peace, stability and development in the region and the world.

Informing the hosts about the outcome of cooperation between the public security ministries of Viet Nam and Laos over the past time, Quang said that in the first eight months of this year, the ministries jointly organised a conference on the implementation of a project on building a citizen identification and management system in Laos and a ceremony to kick off construction of a drug rehabilitation centre in Vientiane province. They also coordinated in adopting measures to ensure security and safety for activities during the ASEAN Chairmanship 2024 of Laos; regularly exchanged information, shared experience and joined hands in crime prevention and control.

The ministries are determined and persistent in building a peaceful, stable and developing Viet Nam-Laos border, not to allow hostile and reactionary forces to take advantage of the territory of one country to sabotage the other and cause division in the relationship between the two countries and to cooperate closely in preventing and combating peaceful evolution and preventing and combating transnational crimes, he said.

Earlier, during talks between Quang and his Lao counterpart Vilay Lakhamphong, the two sides agreed that the security forces of the two countries have actively effectively cooperated in protecting political security, preventing sabotage and activities that violate national security by hostile and reactionary forces; regularly exchanged information on the international and regional terrorism situation that may affect the national security of the two countries, and coordinated to ensure border security.

The two ministries have cooperated to successfully organise the 14th Viet Nam-Laos Security Cooperation Conference, thereby contributing to proactively preventing the activities of hostile forces aiming to divide Viet Nam-Laos relations and cause insecurity and disorder in each country.

Regarding cooperation in the coming time, the two sides agreed to continue to effectively implement signed documents, intensity the exchange of information and situation related to national security of the two countries; and proactively coordinate to fight against plots and plans of hostile forces, reactionaries and terrorists that threaten the national security of Viet Nam and Laos.

The two sides will collaborate to ensure security and safety of ASEAN 2024 conferences in Laos and important political events of the two countries as well as security and order on the shared border. They will strengthen cooperation in combating organized crime, transnational crime, especially drug crime, human trafficking and smuggling.

On the occasion, the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security presented its Lao counterpart equipment to ensure security and safety for international events during Laos' ASEAN Chairmanship in 2024.  VNS
TAY NINH  Young military officers of Viet Nam and Cambodia engaged in a dialogue to discuss joint work in safeguarding national territory sovereignty and border security on Tuesay in the southwestern province of Tay Ninh, which borders three provinces of Cambodia.

Colonel Nguyen Thanh Hai, Deputy Political Commissar of the Viet Nam Border Guard High Command, and Lieutenant General Tien Sophonrnvong, Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of the Cambodian border protection department, co-chaired the dialogue.

As heard at the event, Viet Nam and Cambodia share a 1,258 km land border that runs through 10 Vietnamese and nine Cambodian provinces. Over the years, the governments, armed forces, and citizens of the two countries have successfully implemented bilateral agreements, ensuring territorial sovereignty and security along their shared borderline, with cooperation between the border protection forces' young officers increasingly deepening.

Major ieu Danh, a young officer from the Border Guard of the Central Highlands province of ak Nong, highlighted that the ak Nong border guard force is responsible for managing and protecting a 141 km stretch of the border adjacent to Mondulkiri province of Cambodia. In recent years, both sides have coordinated joint patrols, cleared patrol routes, and safeguarded border markers effectively. Their young officers have adhered strictly to principles of diplomacy, respecting each other's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, thereby strengthening the spirit of bilateral solidarity, respect, and mutual cooperation.

Colonel Lun Lux, Commander of Cambodia's 601st Battalion, expressed deep gratitude to the generations of Vietnamese People's Army soldiers who spared no effort to help liberate Cambodia from the genocidal Pol Pot regime on January 7, 1979. The commander said he and the young Cambodian officers are committed to preserving the solidarity and traditional friendship that have been built over the years by previous generations.

Colonel Hai affirmed that the cooperation between young Vietnamese officers and their Cambodian counterparts has yielded highly commendable results. They have excelled in public outreach and strictly enforced the border regulations between the two countries.

Vietnamese border posts maintain regular communication with the Cambodian Army and Gendarmerie to exchange information and provide advice to higher authorities and local governments on border-related management, security, and socio-cultural-economic development.

Sophonrnvong, for his part, stressed that the joint efforts of the young officers in protecting border sovereignty and security have strengthened the bond between their armed forces. This collaboration has further solidified the good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-lasting stability between Viet Nam and Cambodia.  VNS
NEW YORK  Greater support is needed for developing countries in their energy transition to ensure a fair global shift to clean energy, stressed Ambassador ang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Viet Nam to the United Nations (UN), during the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Executive Board's dialogue with member states on actions to accelerate the adoption of sustainable energy for development, held in New York on August 27 (local time).

In his remarks, Giang highlighted that energy transition plays a crucial role in enabling developing countries to harness innovation and technology, achieve climate goals, and shift towards more sustainable development pathways.

The ambassador held that the UN and UNDP can play a pivotal role in this process through concrete actions and better coordination. He suggested they assist developing countries in accessing sustainable and concessional financing for energy projects without compromising the allocation of resources for other development initiatives. Furthermore, the UNDP should engage in policy planning regarding the extraction of critical minerals for energy transition, taking into account the conditions and concerns of developing countries.

Viet Nam is currently a member of the UN Secretary-General's Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, which aims to establish a common, voluntary code of conduct for the extraction and use of these resources. Viet Nam is ready to collaborate with the UNDP to help countries manage and sustainably exploit minerals, contributing to the energy transition process, Giang affirmed.

At the event, UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner underscored the importance of switching to clean energy for sustainable development, noting that this process requires coordination at global, regional, and national levels. However, he said that these measures should not impose additional financial and technical burdens on developing countries, which are already facing numerous challenges in achieving their sustainable development goals.  VNS
On the occasion of the 79th anniversary of the diplomatic sectors establishment (August 28, 1945 - August 28, 2024), Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son wrote an article titled '79 years of Vietnamese diplomacy: Promoting glorious traditions, contributing to the successful implementation of the country's strategic goals'.

Every August comes, we have the opportunity to celebrate the historic revolutionary autumn days of the country. Sharing that joyful atmosphere, every officer and employee of the diplomatic sector proudly looks forward to the founding day of the diplomatic service on August 28, 1945.

During 79 years of growth and development, under the leadership of the Party and the direct guidance of late President Ho Chi Minh, the first Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vietnamese diplomacy has always promoted glorious traditions, served the Fatherland, the people and contributed to great victories in the revolutionary cause of the nation.

Important marks in history

Over the past 79 years, diplomacy has left important marks in the heroic pages of the country's history.

In the early days of the nation's founding, under the wise leadership of late President Ho Chi Minh and revolutionary leaders, based on the principles of 'firm in objectives, flexible in strategies and tactics' and with bold and clever strategies such as 'peaceful solutions to move forwards', 'dividing the enemy', the Preliminary Agreement of March 6 and the Provisional Agreement of September 14 contributed to the successful protection of the young revolutionary government, helping our revolution overcome dangerous situations.

In the two resistance wars for national salvation, foreign affairs and diplomacy won the great support of peace-loving people around the world, creating a broad international front to support the cause of national independence and the construction of socialism.

Along with the victories on the military front, the victories at the foreign affairs and diplomacy front on the negotiating table in Geneva in 1954 and Paris in 1973 were milestones on the journey to regain national independence and unify the country, to make the North and the South reunited under one roof.

After the countrys reunification, foreign affairs and diplomacy were the pioneering fronts that paved the way, gradually broke the economic embargo and political isolation.

At the same time, foreign affairs and diplomacy took the lead in opening up relations with many partners, resolving existing problems in relations with neighbouring countries, major countries and important partners. That opened up a new situation to effectively serve the country's comprehensive renovation.

Innovation, integration

Firmly pursuing the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation, development, multilateralisation, diversification, active international integration, for the benefit of the nation and people, in nearly 40 years of oi moi (Renewal), foreign affairs and diplomacy have achieved: "Important results and achievements that hold historical significance" as assessed by late Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the 32nd Diplomatic Conference in December 2023, contributing to creating an open and successful foreign situation for the country.

Diplomatic relations have been constantly expanded and deepened. To date, our country has established diplomatic relations with 193 countries in the world, including strategic partnerships and comprehensive partnerships with 30 countries, economic relations with more than 230 countries and territories, has signed 16 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), including many new-generation FTAs.

Viet Nam has been recognised by the United Nations for its pioneering role in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and promoting human rights.

The upgrade of relations with key and important partners, along with vibrant high-level foreign affairs activities in recent years, especially since the beginning of the 13th Party National Congress term, has created a new strategic stature, deepened cooperation and created a solid foundation for long-term and sustainable development of international relations.

Foreign affairs and multilateral diplomacy have grown strongly, affirming Viet Nam as an active and responsible member of the international community.

Not only successfully organising various major international events such as ASEAN, APEC, diplomacy also completed many important international responsibilities at international mechanisms such as the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations Human Rights Council, UNESCO.

The sector has proactively proposed many ideas and initiatives, participated in solving common regional and world issues, and increasingly participated in peacekeeping activities and international search and rescue.

In serving development and international integration, along with mobilising important resources for development such as FDI, ODA, foreign affairs and diplomacy have contributed to making Viet Nam a link in many regional and global economic connections by the signing and participation in important economic agreements and frameworks.

The diplomatic sector has actively coordinated closely with ministries and sectors in promoting international integration in security - defence, society, culture, science, technology - helping Viet Nam integrate into the global common flow.

Along with defence and security, foreign affairs, diplomacy has carried out the important, regular task of maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, protecting the Fatherland and peace early and from afar.

We have made efforts to build a peaceful, friendly, cooperative and developing border with neighbouring countries. We have fought resolutely, persistently, promptly and effectively against activities that violate our sovereignty, legitimate rights and interests at sea.

At the same time, we have proactively promoted negotiations and cooperation to resolve existing issues, effectively implemented the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and participated in building a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).

Cultural diplomacy and external information have promoted Viet Nam's 'soft power' and image of the country, its people, its achievements in innovation and its cultural identity to the world.

Overseas Vietnamese affairs contribute to implementing the Party and State's policy of caring for the overseas Vietnamese community, strengthening national unity, mobilising a number of community resources for national development and defending the Fatherland.

We have also performed a good job on protecting our citizens abroad, especially when conflicts, wars and epidemics occur in the world.

Diplomacy in the new era

The world situation will continue to have many major changes, with opportunities and challenges intertwined.

In that context, the most important goal and task of diplomacy is to maximise and continue to consolidate the favourable foreign affairs situation, bring the country into the flow of the times, create breakthroughs to successfully implement the strategic goals until 2030 and 2045 set by the 13th Party National Congress.

Entering the "new era, the era of the Vietnamese nation's rise", on the basis of seriously summarising the foreign affairs lessons of 40-years of oi moi and in the context of the new situation and major issues facing the country, the diplomatic sector will continue to innovate thinking and action, give consultation, build new solutions to supplement the Party's foreign affairs guidelines and policies.

That aims to properly follow the guidance of Party General Secretary, State President To Lam: "ensuring national defence, security and promoting foreign affairs are essential and regular.

As an important driving force for innovation, the foreign affairs sector is determined to continuously strive to both effectively serve security and development interests, uphold the country's position, and build a fair international order, ensuring the legitimate interests of countries, including Viet Nam.

We will continue to enhance, upgrade and maximise opportunities from strategic partnership and comprehensive partnership frameworks; strongly promote the role of foreign methods and channels such as high-level diplomacy, specialised diplomacy, local diplomacy, scholar and business channels; participate more proactively and responsibly in solving common international and regional issues; demonstrate the core and leading role of multilateral diplomacy in important issues and mechanisms of strategic significance.

In particular, we will also give high priority to building the sector, building the Party, building a team of diplomatic cadres who possess both political integrity to the Communist Party and professional competence, have a firm grasp of expertise and professionalism and are absolutely loyal to the Fatherland and the Party's ideals.

The sector will continue to closely coordinate with foreign affairs forces, key pillars of Party foreign affairs and people-to-people relations.

We will maximise the combined strength and specific advantages of each pillar in the unified whole of comprehensive, modern, and professional Vietnamese foreign affairs and diplomacy.

Promoting the glorious tradition and great achievements over the past 79 years and looking forward to the great milestone of the 80th anniversary of the sector's establishment, following the spirit of serving the Fatherland and the people, under the leadership of the Party, Vietnamese diplomacy will continue to move forward and write the golden pages of revolutionary diplomacy, contributing worthily to the cause of building and defending the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. VNS
HA NOI  President Ho Chi Minh is one of the great examples in the struggle against colonialism and imperialism for independence and freedom of peoples around the world, Acting General Secretary of the Communist Party of Argentina (CPA) Jorge Kneyness told a Vietnam News Agency correspondent based in Buenos Aires during a recent interview.

Throughout his revolutionary career, President Ho Chi Minh left a comprehensive legacy of ideology, morality and lifestyle in various aspects, especially the combination of theory and practice, which still retains its value until today, Kneyness said.

Kneyness, who is also head of CPA Central Committee's external relations department, said the late President built a strong communist party in Viet Nam, stressing that under his leadership, the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) led the people to fight French colonialists and US imperialists for independence, freedom and national reunification.

"We greatly admire and respect President Ho Chi Minhs ideology in the cause of liberation of oppressed peoples in the third world, including military ideology," he said, elaborating that it is the result of the combination of theory and practice under certain historical conditions, and the creative absorption and application of the nation's military ideological legacy and the military quintessence of humanity.

The Vietnamese revolution is a national liberation revolution associated with an armed uprising and revolutionary war, Kneyness said.

Highly valuing President Ho Chi Minh's foreign policy ideology, the CPA leader said that his views on diplomatic work not only have great value in history, but are also a lodestar for the national defence, construction, development and international integration of the Vietnamese people.

The legacy left by President Ho Chi Minh has created a strong position and role in the international arena for Viet Nam today, he continued.

Carlos Aznarez, Editor-in-chief of Argentinian newspaper Resumen Latinoamericano said the testament of President Ho Chi Minh is the essence of the ideology and morality of a great figure.

Talking to Vietnam News Agency ahead of the 55th anniversary of the death of the Vietnamese leader (September 2, 1969 - 2024) and 55 years of implementing his testament, Aznarez described President Ho Chi Minh as an eminent soldier of the international communist and workers movement who connected the Vietnamese revolution with the worlds.

He noted realising that the Vietnamese revolution was part of and had close links with the proletarian revolution and the national liberation movement in colonised countries, the President advocated promoting international solidarity in the principle of equality of nations and mutually beneficial cooperation.

The Argentinian journalist hailed President Ho Chi Minhs devotion of his entire life to the struggle for independence and freedom for Vietnamese people.

Inheriting and building on the countrys traditional values while acquiring progressive thoughts on national independence and freedom in the world, the leader developed a system of viewpoints on national independence and freedom that reflects the inevitable law of Viet Nams revolution, Aznarez said, expressing his regret that President Ho Chi Minh had passed away six years before his national reunification dream came true.

In his testament, President Ho Chi Minh showed his iron belief in the peoples strength and great determination in winning the resistance war against the US and regaining independence and territorial integrity.

His desire expressed in the testament was fulfilled when the Paris Peace Accords were signed in January 1973 and later the General Offensive and Uprising in the 1975 Spring, with the peak being the victory of the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, marking the successful conclusion of the resistance war against the US to liberate the South and reunify the country.

Aznarez held that amid extensive globalisation and international integration nowadays, PresidentHo Chi Minhs teachings about international solidarity remains relevant, scientific and practical.

To the Vietnamese President as well as other contemporary revolutionary leaders, solidarity was always an extremely important issue, the journalist noted, adding that the Communist Party of Viet Nam has always strived to encourage fraternal parties to support the noble spirit of international solidarity.  VNS
VIENTIANE  Minister of Public Security Sen. Lieut. Gen Luong Tam Quang delivered a call for enhanced regional cooperation against transnational crime, at the 18th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC-18) held in Vientiane on August 28.

In his speech, Quang presented a series of proposals to bolster the collective efforts against cross-border criminal activities, including the intensification of information sharing on criminal activities and joint task forces to investigate and verify crimes across borders, as well as the coordination of patrols to combat drug and human trafficking, organised crime and cybercrime.

He said the sides must better coordinate in monitoring and tackling crimes committed by citizens of one country in another, highlighting the importance of diversified regional media campaigns to raise public awareness and proactively prevent threats early and from afar such as human trafficking, terrorism, and cybercrime.

The minister called for improved effectiveness in handling mutual legal assistance requests, extradition, and transfer of criminals among the ASEAN countries. This includes efforts to locate and recover assets embezzled or laundered, ensuring compliance with legal regulations and diplomatic requirements.

To keep pace with the rapid development of technical means employed by criminals, Quang proposed advancing cooperation in high-level sci-tech innovations, such as artificial intelligence, big data, and virtual assistants. He also stressed the need for supporting training and capacity building for law enforcement personnel to enhance practical capabilities and combat transnational crime under the principle of not lagging behind criminals and preventing crime from thriving.

Participants at the event also proposed several recommendations aimed at strengthening cooperation and strategies in combating transnational crime in the future.  VNS
Emmanuel Nuno Arambula touches up a paw print in front of Marshall Middle School on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024 in Houston. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer



Near Northside Community Response Team members have gotten all too much practice organizing to try to recover from grief and hardship.

The grassroots group formed after several members lost loved ones during the pandemic, founder Belinda Moreno said. This week, community members are coping with the death of Landon Payton, 14, the Marshall Middle School student who suffered a medical emergency in the schools gym.

Neighbors are gathering to beautify the Houston ISD campus with trimmed trees, painted paw prints and a memorial in Landons honor.

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These kids have got to get a break somewhere, Moreno said. The Near Northside community is going to make sure of this. Thats something we have prayed for for a long time.

Eight years ago, the same school community mourned the death of Josue Flores, a student who was brutally stabbed walking home from school.

Belinda Moreno paints in a stencil on the sidewalk leading to Marshall Middle School on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024 in Houston. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer

Parents' concerns

As questions and a possible lawsuit circulate around the circumstances of Landons death, Marshall parent Christina Soto said shes even more worried about her childs safety at school.

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The Houston Federation of Teachers and lawyer Christopher Tritico, who is representing Landons family, said the school gyms automated external defibrillator (AED) was not working at the time of Landons death.

Houston ISD has not confirmed whether the gyms AED was working or needed in the medical emergency, but the district reported at least one AED was working in each school as of Aug. 1. The district said about 85 percent of its AEDs were functional as of Aug. 1 and vowed to repair 170 machines that were not working after Landons death.

It makes me want to cry because with my son, I remember how scared I was to send him here  but I have no choice, Soto said. I dont want my son going through this stuff thats going on.

Soto said her son, eighth-grader Nicholas Gonzales, still talks daily about Landons death because he saw him earlier in the school day.

It just makes you want to be with your son all day long, Soto said.

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A memorial for a Marshall Middle School student who passed away the first week of school remains on the fence on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024 in Houston. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer

Other parents, including Lillian Reyes, said they believe the school did all it could to help Landon. Landons father questioned the school nurses experience after reviewing footage during the emergency, but the district has since said that every school nurse is CPR and AED certified. Tritico said the family will wait for Landons autopsy report before they consider filing a lawsuit.

As two of her children mourn Landons death, Reyes said shes already noticed a shift in Marshalls academic focus this school year. This fall, the school joined Superintendent Mike Miles' New Education System, which includes a standardized curriculum that teachers must follow, the conversion of libraries to Team Centers and the addition of new Dyad electives and the Art of Thinking courses.

Its hard for me to find a school for my son because hes a 12-year-old non-reader, and Im a single parent. But he loves it, Reyes said. This year, I feel that the school is better because now that the district took over, its totally different and its more focused on tests.

A community in recovery

The community response team began gaining momentum after hosting a storm debris cleanup in early August, Moreno said.

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And community involvement has reached a new fervor since Landons death. The response team helped provide dinner after Landons funeral service, Moreno said, and a banner from a prayer vigil for the family now hangs near the schools entrance.

Belinda Moreno, left, paints stairs with Karen Cruz outside of Marshall Middle School on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024 in Houston. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer Emmanuel Nuno Arambula touches up a paw print in front of Marshall Middle School on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024 in Houston. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer Belinda Moreno paints stairs leading to Marshall Middle School on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024 in Houston. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer Emmanuel Nuno Arambula touches up a paw print in front of Marshall Middle School on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024 in Houston. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer

Emmanuel Nuno Arambula, who painted the banner, began tracing out stencils of blue-and-yellow paw prints on the sidewalk leading up to Marshall on Monday evening. Painted by members of the public, the new paw prints will bring attention to Landon, other Marshall students and the needs of the community, Arambula said.

The paw prints are a metaphor for how important each individual student is, and how to not forget the students who have passed away, Arambula said. When that happens, the art needs to get bigger, louder and more impactful.

Arambula hopes to paint a mural in honor of Landon in the coming months, while the Near Northside Community Response Team hopes to help build Castillo Park, which sits between the school grounds and the Carnegie Neighborhood Library, into a community gathering space.

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Landons death has also reinvigorated a push to reopen the nearby Robert Carrasco Health Clinic, response team member Cynthia Reyes said.

Mental health resources

The district offered comfort animals to students and staff in the days after Landons death, Soto said. Although it is no longer hosting onsite crisis counselors, the school has a counselor and will create a system to assist students if new needs arise, a school spokesperson said Tuesday.

Those still recovering from the incident can call Houston ISDs crisis hotline, at 713-923-8597, or visit the districts nearest Sunrise Center, at 1417 Houston Ave., for mental health resources.

Designed to provide students and families with food, clothing, health care and mental health support, among other services, Sunrise Centers are available by walk-in or by filling out an online form.




HA NOI National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man honoured scientists and intellectuals at a ceremony for outstanding science and technology intellectuals of 2024.

Organised by the Viet Nam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA) on Wednesday it was an opportunity to thank those individuals who had made major contributions to the nation.

Many Government and Party officials, as well as representatives of 93 professional associations nationwide, 63 provincial and municipal unions and many affiliated science and technology organisations were also there.

At the ceremony, 135 distinguished intellectuals were carefully selected by VUSTA.

Those chosen for honours were intellectuals who have worked in research institutes, universities, businesses, agencies, localities and organisations within VUSTA for 10 years or more.

They possess scientific prestige, have made practical and effective contributions and have influenced the development of their field, agency, or unit, and are recognised by society, nominated by their agency or unit and introduced by VUSTA's affiliated organisations.

Among the 135 honoured intellectuals, 51 were nominated by local unions, 54 by professional associations nationwide, 28 by the Council and two by VUSTA's central office. Of these, 112 hold academic titles and degrees from associate professor, doctorate and above, 15 have masters and eight are graduates or equivalent. Three were Labour Heroes, 14 are women and 121 are men.

The honoured science and technology intellectuals have achieved significant accomplishments and made outstanding contributions to scientific research, technological development, and intellectual mobilisation.

In his speech at the ceremony, Politburo member and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man emphasised that throughout history, during both the nation's founding and defence, ancestors always valued the wise and intellectuals, considering them the nation's vitality. When the vitality was strong, the nation was strong, when it was weak, the nation was weak. From the country's early days, late President Ho Chi Minh stated: "The country needs to be built, and to build, we need talents."

The NA Chairman also pointed out that globalisation allows for the integration and exchange of science and technology with the international community, facilitating learning, experience exchange and the adoption of international science and technology achievements for national development.

However, it also poses new challenges, as foreign science and technology products strongly penetrate the domestic market, creating fierce competition. Additionally, there is an urgent need for a legal framework, institutions, policies, science and technology personnel, and major science and technology centres in our country.

He said: "In this context, the intellectual team must adopt new perceptions, scientific and technological knowledge, new thinking and ways of working. With our nation's intelligence and creativity, we can overcome these challenges."

The National Assembly Chairman proposed five areas for action.

Continuing to effectively build a contingent of intellectuals in the context of accelerating industrialisation and modernisation and closely coordinating with central and local authorities to build, amend and supplement legal documents and policies to facilitate the formation of a unified intellectual system.

Regularly summarising and evaluating the intellectual team, promptly advising and reporting to the Party and State.

Strengthening research, consultancy, and criticism to improve the quality and effectiveness of VUSTA's activities, focusing on practical issues facing the country and promoting the talents, creativity and responsibilities of the science and technology intellectual team.

The NA Chairman expressed confidence that the science and technology intellectual team will continue to promote patriotic traditions, ethics and creativity, making further contributions to national development.

He concluded by wishing VUSTA and the 135 honoured intellectuals continued success in their work, worthy of the trust and expectations of the Party, State and the people. VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam and Australia will prioritise coordination in implementing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, including the newly established ministerial-level dialogue mechanisms on trade, energy and minerals to create a favourable environment for their businesses.

The consensus has been reached by Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and Australian Senate President Sue Lines during the latter's visit to Viet Nam - the first by a senior Australian leader since the two countries officially upgraded their bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

During the meeting, Dien appreciated the visit, saying that it shows Australias special heed to trade, industry and energy collaboration with Viet Nam.

He said as one of the world's leading countries in reserves of resources and minerals such as metal ores, coal, liquefied natural gas as well as advanced technology in energy exploitation, use and transition, Australia is an important partner that provides Viet Nam with input materials for industrial energy sectors, and will be an active partner of Viet Nam in energy transition, towards the Net Zero target that Viet Nam committed at the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26).

The minister asked the guest to promote the cooperation between relevant Australian agencies and his ministry in calling for investment in Viet Nam, training human resources for and sharing experience and technologies in renewable energy development with the country.

Dien also told Sue Lines about Viet Nam's mineral potential, including rare earths, bauxite, titanium and others, which are raw materials for developing important industries like electric vehicle manufacturing.

Viet Nam welcomes Australia's investment and cooperation in advanced and modern technology to optimise the exploitation and deep processing of key minerals and ensure environmental sustainability, Dien emphasised.

The two sides also agreed to promote close cooperation in the process of opening the market, create conditions for quality agricultural products from Viet Nam and Australia to reach each other's consumers. Currently, the two sides are completing the final procedures for Vietnamese passion fruit to enter Australia and Australian plum to enter Viet Nam. Grapefruit from Viet Nam and blueberry from Australia are on the list of products to be the next.

According to the ministry, in the first seven months of 2024, Viet Nam's import-export turnover with Australia reached US$8.2 billion, up 4.7 per cent year-on-year. Viet Nam's exports to Australia fetched $3.8 billion, up 32.1 per cent over the same period in 2023, while its import value hit $4.5 billion, down 10.9 per cent. Viet Nam's trade deficit with Australia was $709.6 million, down 67.3 per cent year-on-year.  VNS
HA NOI  Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee and head of its Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung and General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI) Doraisamy Raja, who is leading a CPI delegation to visit Vietnam, held talks in Ha Noi on Wednesday.

At the talks, Trung highly valued the friendship and cooperation between the two parties, affirming that CPV always attaches importance to the role and position of the CPI.

Viet Nam wishes to further strengthen relations with the CPI as well as with the country and people of India, he said, adding that Viet Nam not only considers India a comprehensive strategic partner but also a traditional and close friend.

The host informed the delegation about the situation in Vietnam, its recent socio-economic development achievements and foreign policy, while stressing that the Party and State of Viet Nam always attach importance to ties with traditional partners and friends, foreign communist, workers', and left-wing parties.

The two sides discussed measures to strengthen relations between the two parties in the coming time.

For his part, the CPI General Secretary congratulated the CPV on its achievements in socio-economic development and foreign affairs, and underlined that the CPI treasures the good relationship with the CPV, and supports the strengthening of the comprehensive strategic Partnership between Viet Nam and India.

He said that the CPI is looking forward to its 100th founding anniversary and making preparations for the 25th Party Congress in 2025, adding that it wishes to learn about the practice and theory of building socialism in Viet Nam. He highly appreciated the information and experience shared by the leaders of the CPV, including the implemenation of 40 years of renewal.

During its visit, the CPI delegation visited the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and worked with leaders of several central agencies, including the Central Theoretical Council, the Party Central Committee's Economic Commission, and the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organisations, to learn about Viet Nams practical situation, guidelines and policies for socio-economic development and discussed measures to further promote friendship and exchanges between Viet Nam and India.  VNS
HAI PHONG  Delegations of the Viet Nam Coast Guard (VCG) and the China Coast Guard (CCG) joined in an exchange on the VCGs Vessel 8004 in the northern city of Hai Phong on Wednesday as part of their first exchange programme on Party and political affairs.

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Political Commissar of the VCG Lieutenant General Bui Quoc Oai while the Chinese side by Deputy Political Commissar of the CCG Major General Liu Houjie.

Welcoming the Chinese delegation, Major General Tran Van Tho, Commander of Viet Nams Coast Guard Region 1, said relations between the two Parties, Governments, and armies have been growing comprehensively, intensively, and substantively over the past years. The two coast guard forces have also unceasingly expanded and deepened their cooperation activities.

He elaborated that the Coast Guard Region 1 Command has chaired many cooperation activities with the CCGs Nanhai division, including holding 28 joint patrols on the water adjacent to the demarcation line in the Gulf of Tonkin since 2005, and increasing patrols to fight crimes in the waters adjacent to this demarcation line.

The VCG and the Coast Guard Region 1 Command always view the CCG as a cooperation partner of leading importance in the region. They are determined to join hands with the CCG to nurture the close and productive collaboration to become a bright spot in maritime law enforcement cooperation in the region, Tho stated.

At the exchange, Liu expressed his hope that the two coast guard forces will keep tightening relations to substantially help guarantee security and maintain stability in their countries sea areas. VNS
HA NOI  Advanced technology is transforming healthcare in Viet Nam, offering cutting-edge treatment options domestically and allowing thousands of patients to undergo successful surgeries without the need to seek care abroad.

On February 21, a complex surgical procedure was successfully performed at the National Cancer Hospital (K hospital), using advanced robotic technology to treat a 67-year-old female patient diagnosed with liver cancer, who had a large tumour.

The operation removed the tumour, measuring four centimetres by five, along with part of her liver, under the leadership of Associate Professor Dr. Pham Van Binh, deputy director of K Hospital, in collaboration with specialists from Nagoya University Hospital in Japan.

Following a comprehensive evaluation, doctors determined that the patient was a suitable candidate for robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery, an advanced method that minimises invasiveness, reduces trauma and accelerates recovery. The liver resection was successfully performed and the patients condition stabilised post-surgery.

Earlier, on February 19 and 21, the surgical team at K Hospital successfully performed two additional robotic surgeries on patients with stomach and rectal cancer.

The first case involved a 66-year-old female patient diagnosed with stage three stomach cancer.

Experts from K Hospital and Nagoya University Hospital jointly reviewed the case and decided to proceed with robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery to remove most of the stomach.

The second case concerned a 67-year-old female patient diagnosed with rectal cancer, who also underwent successful surgery with a stable post-operative recovery.

Robot-assisted surgery was first introduced in Viet Nam in 2015 at the National Childrens Hospital.

In 2016, Binh Dan Hospital in HCM City became the first facility to perform robotic surgery on adults.

Since then, this technology has been widely adopted across various hospitals nationwide, including Cho Ray Hospital, Vinmec Ha Noi, K Hospital and Viet uc Hospital.

The Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery Department at Cho Ray Hospital has performed over 100 robotic surgeries for liver, bile duct and pancreatic conditions since 2017.

Through specialised training and technical guidance from international experts, the surgeons have become adept at performing robotic-assisted procedures.

Robotic surgery, with its highly magnified camera and flexible arms, offers significant advantages over traditional laparoscopic surgery, particularly in complex cases involving narrow and deep surgical fields.

Post-surgery, patients benefit from minimal scarring, less pain, faster recovery and improved aesthetic outcomes, providing greater comfort and reassurance.

In several hospitals in HCM City, robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery has been effectively applied in the treatment of urinary, digestive, hepatobiliary and thoracic conditions.

This includes laparoscopic procedures for the shoulder, hip and knee joints, as well as endovascular interventions for vascular diseases affecting the brain, heart, liver, kidneys, intestines and limbs.

These minimally invasive techniques optimise patient care, ensuring superior treatment outcomes.  VNS
Linh Ha & Bich Huong

HA NOI  Viet Nam has been working hard to realise the European Commissions (EC) recommendations on combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing for the last seven years. During its on-site visits to Viet Nam following the issuance of the yellow card warning in 2017, the EC delegation has recognised Viet Nams positive progress in tackling IUU fishing.

The upcoming inspection by the EC scheduled for October 2024 is expected to present another opportunity for Viet Nam to demonstrate its strong political commitment from the central to local levels and stringent measures against IUU fishing, according to experts.

James Borton, a non-resident senior fellow at Johns Hopkins SAIS Foreign Policy Institute, told Vietnam News Agency that Vietnamese authorities have demonstrated an eagerness and willingness to strengthen its legal framework and improve traceability and transparency in seafood trade. These commitments underscore the significance of collaborative engagement in addressing IUU fishing challenges, he said.

Borton was of the view that IUU fishing continues to be a problem of the Vietnamese fishing industry that is a cornerstone of the countrys economy. As a result, Viet Nam has taken urgent steps to move towards greater marine stewardship since the South China Sea (called the East Sea in Viet Nam) - one of the richest fishing grounds in the world - has suffered depletion of fish stocks.

Since Viet Nam is one of the major seafood exporters worldwide, authorities know that they must succeed in fortifying its legal framework and improve traceability and transparency, Borton added.

He noted that Viet Nam has taken a number of measures to combat IUU fishing, including installation of monitoring systems aboard vessels, cooperation with other Southeast Asia countries and transnational organisations, and participation in the UN Fish Stocks Agreement and the Port Measures.

Certainly, there remains a significant need for improvement, particularly in enforcing regulations and regularly updating the database of licensed fishing vessels, Borton added.

According to Stephen Nagy, Director of Policy Studies for the Yokosuka Council of Asia-Pacific Studies (YCAPS), a key challenge in tackling IUU is that developing states have neither the advanced technology nor capacity to deal with violations. That means the number of vessels necessary to monitor and enforce local and international law is limited.

"What we see is ships that are engaged in these activities turn off their vessel monitoring system (VMS) devices, which is why we call them dark vessels, and they engage in mass illegal and unregulated, undocumented fishing. As long as this continues to be the case, it will be difficult to protect and sustain maritime resources for future generations," Nagy said.

Therefore, having access to technologies that can help identify dark vessels or those vessels that are engaged in IUU activities will be important. That means countries like Viet Nam need to look beyond their regional partners for technologies and for further assistance. For example, Canada has worked actively with the Philippines in terms of dark vessel technology, which allows the Filipinos to detect ships engaged in IUU fishing, thus contributing to their efforts to successfully remove the ECs yellow card. This will be an area of future cooperation, Nagy added.

Jean-Jacques Bouflet, EuroCham Vice-Chairman in charge of Advocacy, said Viet Nam did make some significant progress lately in terms of reinforcing the legal framework and increasing attempts to achieve better enforcement. However, the yellow card issue still remains partially due to the lack of resources, personnel, and enforcement. The main issue lies with the vessel monitoring system (VMS) device, which requires measures to ensure that these devices are used effectively and consistently.

Sharing the same view, Nagy highlighted that many countries, including Viet Nam and other Southeast Asian nations, face challenges in combating IUU fishing due to the lack of resources, maritime domain awareness, and the ability to enforce local and international law.

Therefore, it is necessary to increase awareness among fishermen and also seafood product buyers, experts said.

Rhea Moss-Christian, Executive Director of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) said IUU fishing undermines the very foundation of sustainable fisheries management, threatening marine ecosystems and the livelihoods and food security of communities, particularly in small developing island states and participating territories in the Western Pacific Ocean.

In the WCPFC context, Viet Nam is cooperating in and contributing to supporting the sustainable management of highly migratory fish stocks under the purview of the WCPFC Convention, through national and subregional cooperative activities in the Western Pacific and East Asia Seas.

Since 2009, Viet Nam has been one of the three participating countries in the WCPFCs Western Pacific East Asia Improved Tuna Monitoring (WPEA- ITM) Project, which has directly helped improve fisheries data collection and is addressing important data gaps in stock assessments for tropical tunas.

She went on to say that the WCPFC attended a Regional Workshop on Operationalising Cooperative Mechanisms to Combat IUU Fishing host by Viet Nam in the central coastal city of a Nang late April. The event saw the participation of international and regional experts in fisheries law enforcement from 12 countries, namely Australia, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, the UK, the US, and Viet Nam.

Through that workshop, Viet Nam informed the meeting of the national measures, including Port State activities, that are supporting efforts to combat IUU fishing in Western Pacific and East Asia Seas.

Anti-IUU fishing requires buy-in from all stakeholders

Rhea Moss-Christian underlined key factors that help countries combat IUU fishing effectively and ensure the protection and sustainable use of marine resources for future generations. They include whole-of-government coordination and data sharing; collaboration among national coast guard personnel, port inspectors and regional fisheries management organisations; and cooperation with neighbouring countries for sharing of the best practices on approaches to combat IUU fishing and exchanging information on maritime threats.

Drawing from its experience in implementing activities for improving monitoring, traceability and sustainability, EuroCham is willing to share, collaborate, and actively engage more with relevant parties such as the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) to ensure that VASEP members when they buy fish product in Viet Nam for re-exporting to Europe, they ensure themselves, also double check for the respect of the legislation, according to Bouflet.

The upcoming Green Economic Forum and Exhibition (GEFE) hosted by EuroCham in October 2024 in HCM City also expects to welcome Vietnamese partners to engage in some exchanges on sustainability in the fishing industry.

Meanwhile, Borton suggested that Viet Nam can take leadership once again in ASEAN by rallying support for the Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) and hosting or encouraging other neighbouring countries to stage workshops on best practices in fishing governance. After all, all of the Southeast Asian countries have their nets in the water and all of them are dependent on the marine fisheries as their main source of revenue, employment and food security, he said.

He added that the fisheries sector is of the highest priority for ASEAN economic integration. It is time to renew the emphasis and build on the progress, which has been so far limited, on the Strategic Plan of Action for ASEAN Cooperation on Fisheries 2021-2025, according to Borton.

An anti-IUU fishing mandate requires buy-in from all fishermen, whether they be artisanal or commercial, coastal communities and the citizens at large, Borton said.  VNS
HA NOI  The Ministry of Health has issued a statement refuting rumours that penalties for unmarried people are being considered to combat ageing population and falling birth rates in the country, calling them distorted information that deliberately cause public misunderstanding.

The false information that the health ministry is considering a pilot programme that punishes single people has recently been spreading across social media.

On August 13, the Minister of Health issued Official Dispatch No 4737/BYT-VPB1 in response to HCM Citys voter recommendations, including a proposal for specific measures to increase the birth rate in urban areas.

This document also states that in order to maintain the replacement fertility rate, a reasonable structure of the working-age group and sustainable population growth, the Prime Minister has approved the Birth Rate Adjustment Programme in an official decision on April 28, 2020.

Rumours might have stemmed from a particular document, which mentions: "Gradually piloting measures to increase contribution responsibilities to the community and society for individuals who opt not to enter marriage or marry at an older age."

In localities that have achieved replacement fertility or are seeing low fertility rates, priority should be given to advocating, encouraging and supporting couples to have two children per household, the document also said, with no penalties proposed for unmarried people.

Therefore, the Ministry of Health has reiterated that rumours of such penalties are falsified information, leading to public discontent.  VNS
HA NOI  Australia is proud of the mutual support with Viet Nam as they face modern challenges in an intertwined future, said Australian Senate President Sue Lines at the Viet Nam-Australia Forum 2024 on Wednesday morning.

Following the success of the first forum between the two countries in 2023, this years event centred on enhancing economic engagement and a shared vision for prosperity between the two countries.

Global issues have local effects, and our leaders need to be able to grapple with these, she said.

Among these challenges is the pace of change, evident in the need for immediate response to climate change, navigating constantly evolving changes in the global economy, and harnessing digital transformation and emerging technologies, she noted.

These challenges need a focus on a less-frequently-spoken-about issue that is a core element I have observed in my long career in public service  good governance, and the importance of equality and including a range of voices to its achievement, said the Australian leader as she underlined female representation in leadership roles.

In this context, the Viet Nam-Australia Centre, which began in 2022 on the campus of Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA) in Ha Noi, allows people of the two countries to share meaningful knowledge exchange and expertise and seeks to tackle common challenges.

Gathering more than 600 delegates including policymakers, Government officials and industry experts, the forum on Wednesday was jointly organised by the HCMA and the Embassy of Australia in Viet Nam, on the occasion of the Australian Senate Presidents visit.

It also marks an important milestone following the elevation of their bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in March, as well as Viet Nams upcoming 40th anniversary of oi Moi (Renewal).

Addressing the forum in his opening remarks, HCMA Director Dr Nguyen Xuan Thang said: From being the first partners to becoming companions and two close friends, Viet Nam and Australia have been writing a new story which is remarkable, profound and a typical example of a friendship that has grown out of sincerity, trust, goodwill, knowledge and mutual respect as well as a shared vision and confidence of a stable, peaceful and prosperous region.

Growth prospects

The Viet Nam-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has opened a new era in which the private sector has the opportunity to leverage clear initiatives and targets to succeed and thrive between the two countries, according to the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Viet Nam (AusCham) Vice President, Natalie Fairlie.

In addition to the increasing business prospects, AusCham also recognised Viet Nams ongoing commitment to streamline its regulatory framework.

It is progressing and it is supporting FDI (foreign direct investment) to enhance its effectiveness by streamlining those regulatory requirements, said Fairlie during the panel discussion.

Sharing the same perspective, Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) Vice President Nguyen Quang Vinh agreed that FDI businesses can perceive Viet Nams efforts in reforming administrative procedures and business environment for a more open, competitive conditions compared to others in the region.

Multiple ministries and departments, including the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, the State Bank of Vietnam as well as local authorities have been coordinating to perfect the policy frameworks and improve the business and investment environment, said Vinh.

VCCI also plays an active role in the Provincial Accountability and Performance Index (PAPI) for business condition improvement at both the national and local levels, and Australia also lends a hand to this initiative.

However, despite the impressive economic performance and progress, achieving the high-income status by 2045 remains a very ambitious target for Viet Nam, noted Andrea Coppola, World Banks lead economist for the country.

World Bank estimates that Viet Nams economy will grow by 6.1 per cent in 2024 and further accelerate next year at 6.5 per cent, which will position the country among the fastest-growing economies in East Asia and at the global level.

However, the banks forecast model also shows that under the current condition, if no significant reforms are passed, growth is expected to decelerate to an average of 5.2 per cent between 2025 and 2030, then down to 4.7 between 2031 and 2040, then to 4.1 per cent between 2041 and 2045.

Viet Nam is doing very well today, and actually it might achieve the middle-income status before 2030.

But going forward, it will need to do even more, grow even faster and find ways to accelerate productivity growth while continue increasing both private and public investment, said Coppola.

Among the six pillars of cooperation in the Viet Nam-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, three concern economic engagement, according to the panel at the event.

The Oceanian country is also launching its investment deal team hubs in Singapore, Jakarta (Indonesia) and HCM City, which experts say is opening up new trade opportunities in addition to the focus area of political and security cooperation between Viet Nam and Australia.  VNS
HCM CITY  HCM City Police Department on Wednesday announced it has successfully tackled a large-scale baby trafficking ring.

Colonel Pham inh Ngoc, head of the HCM City Polices Criminal Investigation Department, chaired a press briefing today, providing more information about their investigation and how they dismantled a nationwide infant trafficking ring that disguised itself as an adoption service, spanning 32 cities and provinces across the country.

According to initial findings, within 30 days of receiving a tip-off, the police successfully dismantled the trafficking network involved in the sale of newborns, forgery of documents and the use of private groups on the internet to conduct illegal activities.

Sixteen individuals involved in the network have been detained for further investigation, facing charges of trafficking in persons under 16 years of age and forgery of seals and documents of agencies and organisations.

After receiving information and documents related to the sale of newborns, the police assigned Major General Mai Hoang, Deputy Director of the HCM City Police and head of the citys Criminal Investigation Agency, to work with the Criminal Investigation Office of Tan Binh Districts Police and other relevant units to identify the suspects in the criminal network, with a particular focus on rescuing the infant victims.

Based on the collected information, the investigation team summoned Nguyen Thi Anh ao, 35, residing in the central province of Nghe An, who was found caring for a three-day-old male infant at a hotel in Ward 2, Tan Binh District.

ao initially admitted to claim to adopt the child due to infertility, but actually intended to hand over the baby to a couple in HCM City for an illegal profit of VN40 million (US$1,600).

As the investigation expanded, the police identified a large-scale infant trafficking ring operating under the guise of adoption, led by Nguyen Thi Anh ao, Hoang Thi Nhung, both 42, residing in the southern province ong Nai, o Thi Thuy Ngan, 30, in Ha Noi, and Cao Thi Thu Phuong, 41, in the northern province Hai Duong.

The ring was assisted by six brokers.

Since early 2024, this criminal network used private groups on social media to connect with women facing financial difficulties after giving birth, buying 16 infants aged from three days to three months old for amounts ranging from VN10-23 million per child. The infants were then sold for amounts ranging between VN35-75 million each, generating illegal profits of hundreds of millions of ong.

To legitimise the sale of newborns under the guise of adoption, the perpetrators collaborated with a document-forging ring led by Phan Phuong Nam, 35, in ong Nai Province, who provided fake birth certificates to facilitate adoption procedures and register the birth of the trafficked infants.

During a search of the document-forging location in Bien Hoa City in ong Nai Province, the police seized 49 tools and thousands of fake documents, including many fake birth certificates.

Using information from the seized birth certificates, the police established nine task forces to urgently investigate 84 cases of suspected infant trafficking in 32 cities and provinces across the country. They successfully identified and rescued the trafficked children, coordinating with local authorities to protect and care for the victims.

Notably, they discovered and rescued a 20-day-old baby boy who had been bought by Vi Thi Anh, 38 in Son La Province, who is awaiting the execution of two sentences totalling over 12 years and six months in prison for illegal drug trafficking, using the pretext of adoption to delay serving her prison term.

The case is under further investigation.  VNS
HA NOI  As many as 62,000 have gained access to information on climate change and disaster risks under a project financed by the Green Climate Fund through the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

According to UNDP Resident Representative in Viet Nam Ramla Khalidi, the outcome, which was far higher than its set target of 20,000, has contributed to the capacity building in response to natural disasters for individuals, communities, and organisations, helping them better prepare for their response plans.

This was part of the project Improving the Resilience of Vulnerable Coastal Communities to Climate Change Related Impacts in Viet Nam carried out in the northern province of Nam inh, the central provinces of Quang Binh, Thua Thien  Hue, Quang Nam, and Quang Ngai, and the southernmost province of Ca Mau from 2017 to July 2024.

Hundreds of training courses on outlining plans to evaluate disaster risks were arranged to improve the community's capacity, helping them integrate risk mitigation measures into planning and budgeting processes.

Also under the project, 24 disaster risk early warning systems were installed in the seven localities.

The UNDP said Viet Nam is among the countries hard hit by extreme weather conditions caused by climate change. The country loses on average 1-1.5 percent of GDP annually to climate-related disasters. VNS
A Houston Hindu temple on Monday was filled with colorfully dressed devotees in celebration of Janmashtami, a holiday that marks the god Krishnas birthday.

Before exploring the vibrant stalls set up on the temple grounds, attendees paid their respects to the deities inside the spacious International Society for Krishna Consciousness of Houston, or ISKCON.

Temple priest Madhav Charan Das estimated this years attendance was around 7,000.

Attendees walk by and pray in front of the deities Krishna and Rukmini at the ISKCON temple during Janmashtami, the celebration of Krishnas birthday on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Houston. The event included light displays, story telling, costume contests and auspicious activities. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer

Weve been preparing for three, four months, lots of details, things to figure out, he said while stopping for a breath between dancing and chanting.

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The outdoor bazaar was crowded and had long lines, but priests and volunteers managed the crowds and maintained a joyful atmosphere with their music.

Attendees fill the courtyard at ISKCON during the celebrating of Krishnas birthday, or Janmashtami Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Houston. The event included light displays, story telling, costume contests and auspicious activities. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer

Were doing improv singing and dancing (called kirtan) in celebration of Krishna, said Murli Gopal, who is originally from Colombia and has been a member of the temple on West 34th Street for 20 years.

People formed a wide circular conga line singing while accompanied by bells and percussion instruments.

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We are chanting the holy name of Krishna in celebration of his birthday, Das said. This spiritual dancing and chanting it benefits us, especially on his birthday when Krishna is extremely merciful.

Dressed as Krishna, Ziva Danger, 5, has their costume adjusted before taking the stage during the costume contest portion of Janmashtami, a celebration of Krishnas birthday at ISKCON on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Houston. The event included light displays, story telling, costume contests and auspicious activities. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer An attendee takes a photo of the alter in the temple at ISKCON during the celebration of Krishans birthday, or Janmashtami on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Houston. The event included light displays, story telling, costume contests and auspicious activities. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer A pujari accepts an offering in front of the deities at ISKCON of Houston temple during the celebration of Krishnas birthday, or Janmashtami at ISKCON on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Houston. The event included light displays, story telling, costume contests and auspicious activities. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer Attendees pour milk on a statue of Krishna as an auspicious act of Abhishek, bathing ceremony, during the celebration of Krishnas birthday at ISKCON on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Houston. The event included light displays, story telling, costume contests and auspicious activities. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer ISKCON temple members set up a scene from Krishnas life as part of a display to celebrate Janmashtami at ISKCON on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Houston. The event included light displays, story telling, costume contests and auspicious activities. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer Divan Singh Panta, 1, has his crown adjusted during a celebration for Krishnas birthday at ISKCON on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Houston. The event included light displays, story telling, costume contests and auspicious activities. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer

In the cultural hall, a parade of little Krishnas graced the stage for a costume contest, adorned in traditional attire and peacock feathers.

Theres a puja (the worship service with prayers) and some other festivities that we are going to watch, said Kirti Matre, 21, a senior at University of Houston. This is my fourth year. My favorite part is the puja, seeing everyones devotion.

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Left: Young contestants for the costume contest make their way to the stage for Janmashtami, a celebration of Krishnas birthday at ISCKON on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Houston. Right: Aishivta Kulkarni has jewels added to her face by her mother, Varsha, as they prepare her for a costume contest. Elizabeth Conley / Staff Photographer Left: Young contestants for the costume contest make their way to the stage for Janmashtami, a celebration of Krishnas birthday at ISCKON on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024 in Houston. Right: Aishivta Kulkarni has jewels added to her face by her mother, Varsha, as they prepare her for a costume contest. Elizabeth Conley / Staff Photographer



We are going to try to make it in time for the main puja, said Madhav Veeramosu, who came from Katy with his family. Its good to have some divine time.

The temple and cultural center was incorporated as a nonprofit in 1972, moving to its current location on West 34th in 1984.

Daily activities at the temple include meditation, community service, scripture study, and lectures and classes.

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Janmashtami, the celebration of Krishnas birth, is the biggest festival and this year it fell on Aug. 26, marking what is believed to be his 5,251st birth anniversary.
HA NOI  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has demanded efforts be ramped up to eradicate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing while leaders of poor-performing localities be stringently handled as a European Commission (EC) delegation will come to Viet Nam for the fifth inspection this October.

He made the request while chairing a meeting held on Wednesday to review results of the IUU fishing combat in efforts to have the ECs yellow card warning lifted. The event was connected with all the 28 coastal provinces and cities via videoconference.

Participants shared the view that after nearly seven years of endeavours, the fight against IUU fishing has reaped certain positive results, including the legal framework perfected, vessel monitoring systems (VMS) installed, the national fisheries database (VNFishbase) built, imported seafood controlled in line with the Agreement on Port State Measures, and the settlement of rule violations enhanced.

Localities have launched legal proceedings against 11 cases while three others are being investigated for suspected wrongdoings linked with illegal seafood exploitation, trading, and transportation.

The EC has highly valued the political resolve of Viet Nam, particularly the attention and strong directions from the central level, officials noted.

However, they pointed out that there remain many shortcomings at the local level, thus failing to meet requirements in the ECs recommendations issued during the fourth inspection in October 2023.

Among the shortcomings, some localities havent completed the granting of seafood exploitation licences, or thoroughly dealt with unregistered, unchecked, and unlicensed fishing vessels. Some vessels still disconnect VMS while Vietnamese fishing vessels and fishermens infringement of foreign waters has yet to be eradicated.

They blamed those problems on not only fishermens limited awareness but also the lack of a sense of responsibility among certain collectives and individuals to which anti-IUU fishing tasks are assigned, the lack of strong directions from leaders of sectors and all-level authorities, along with the lack of examination, inspection and supervision, among others.

Participants shared the view that if existing problems and shortcomings are not quickly addressed and anti-IUU fishing rules not enforced seriously, it will be very difficult to have the yellow card warning lifted, and the country may even face a red card.

Speaking highly of ministries, sectors, and localities activeness, PM Chinh said the management and law enforcement to fight IUU fishing by state agencies, Party committees, and administrations at all levels, especially the grassroots level, have yet to be stringent enough.

He demanded their leaders, even secretaries of provincial-level Party committees, be dealt with strictly in conformity with Directive No. 32-CT/TW, dated April 10, 2024, of the Party Central Committee Secretariat.

To achieve the best possible results during the EC delegations fifth inspection in October, he asked heads of ministries, central sectors, and related localities to boost leadership, direction, and action to soon complete addressing the abovementioned problems.

The Government leader requested all resources be summoned for putting an end to fishing vessels infringement of foreign waters, especially the vehicles from Kien Giang, Ca Mau, and Binh inh provinces. Police and border guard forces must enhance coordination with local administrations to step up awareness-raising communications and early detect and prevent the fishermen intending to work illegally in foreign waters.

It is also necessary to effectively carry out the resolution released by the Supreme Peoples Courts council of judges that guides the application of the Penal Codes regulations on the acts of illegal seafood exploitation, trading, and transportation, he added.

In his remarks, the PM assigned detailed tasks to ministries, leaders of the coastal localities, fisheries associations and businesses, along with press agencies, calling on all people to improve their awareness and not to engage in IUU fishing for the sake of the country and themselves.  VNS
This is part of the findings of the 2024 Manufacturing Vision Study released on August 22 by Zebra Technologies Corporation, a digital solution provider that enables businesses to intelligently connect data, assets, and people.

The study showed that globally, 61 per cent of manufacturers expect AI to drive growth by 2029, up from 41 per cent in 2024. In Asia-Pacific, 68 per cent of manufacturers expect AI to drive growth by 2029, increasing from 46 per cent in 2024. This surge in AI adoption, combined with 92 per cent global and 87 per cent of Asia-Pacific survey respondents prioritising digital transformation, underscores manufacturers intent to improve data management and leverage new technologies that enhance visibility and quality throughout the manufacturing process.

Talking to VIR at a press briefing on August 22, Christanto Suryadarma, sales vice president for Southeast Asia, South Korea, and Channel APJeC at Zebra Technologies, said, AI as a technology is growing rapidly and encompasses many different types. One of the key areas where Zebra is actively participating is in deep learning and machine learning. We are already providing AI solutions for manufacturing in Vietnam, such as machine vision. Machine vision is an AI solution, and some manufacturers, especially in the electronics sector, are already adopting AI in this format.

Christanto Suryadarma, sales vice president for Southeast Asia (SEA), South Korea and Channel APJeC, Zebra Technologies

He added, Manufacturers struggle with using their data effectively, so they recognise they must adopt AI and other digital technology solutions to create an agile, efficient manufacturing environment.

According to Suryadarma, there has been increasing demand for digital transformation across various sectors, with a noticeable acceleration in requests and interest from Vietnamese customers, particularly in the manufacturing sector, to speed up their digital transformation.

Many have already started on a smaller scale but are now looking to scale further. For example, there has been an increase in requests for vehicle tracking solutions in manufacturing. When car manufacturers have a vehicle ready, they need to know where it will be stored or parked within the entire manufacturing site. This illustrates the growing demand for more advanced solutions.

Additionally, similar trends have been observed with one of the largest coffee producers in Vietnam. They have a vast warehouse and want to operate more efficiently. They are interested in advanced solutions that can make their workers more productive, such as voice-triggered instructions and digital devices for inventory retrieval.

However, although manufacturers say digital transformation is a strategic priority, achieving a fully connected factory remains elusive. Visibility is key to optimising efficiency, productivity, and quality on the plant floor, yet a large visibility gap exists. Only 16 per cent of manufacturing leaders globally report they have real-time, work-in-progress monitoring across the entire manufacturing process, while this is true for more of Asia-Pacific's manufacturing leaders, at 25 per cent.

Adding to these obstacles, 86 per cent of global manufacturing leaders agree they are struggling to keep up with the pace of technological innovation and to securely integrate devices, sensors, and technologies throughout their facilities and supply chains, with 82 per cent of Asia-Pacific manufacturing leaders in agreement. Enterprises can use Zebra solutions to put their data to work, allowing for higher levels of security and manageability, as new analytics elevate the performance of their businesses.

The study also found manufacturers are shifting their growth strategies by integrating and augmenting workers with AI and other technologies to transform manufacturing and build a skilled workforce over the next five years. Nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of global manufacturing leaders plan to reskill labour to enhance data and technology usage skills, as seven in 10 expect to augment workers with mobility-enabling technology. These sentiments were shared by 76 per cent and 75 per cent of Asia-Pacific manufacturing leaders, respectively.

The technology tools being implemented by manufacturing leaders include tablets (51 per cent globally, 52 per cent in Asia-Pacific), mobile computers (55 per cent globally, 53 per cent in Asia-Pacific), and workforce management software (56 per cent globally, 62 per cent in Asia-Pacific). In addition, six in 10 manufacturing leaders (61 per cent globally, 65 per cent in Asia-Pacific) plan to leverage wearable mobile computers to augment their evolving workforce.

In Vietnam, the government has consistently set ambitious targets for the manufacturing sector. It is expected to contribute 30 per cent to the overall GDP. The sectors contribution to GDP is expected to grow by more than 8.5 per cent per annum, while labour productivity is forecast to grow 7.5 per cent per annum.

To achieve these goals, Vietnamese businesses must embrace the need for reskilling and retraining their workforces to stay competitive. Adopting AI and other advanced technologies, such as Zebras Enterprise Mobile Computers (ET60, MC9400, and TC53e), data capture solutions (DS3600-XR, DS4678-XD, and DS55), and fixed industrial scanning and machine vision solutions, is crucial for enhancing productivity, improving quality, and streamlining operations.

Manufacturing leaders technology implementation plans will address these challenges. Over the next five years, many plan to implement robotics (65 per cent globally, 72 per cent in Asia-Pacific), machine vision (66 per cent globally and in Asia-Pacific), radio frequency identification (RFID) (66 per cent globally, 72 per cent in Asia-Pacific), and fixed industrial scanners (57 per cent globally, 62 per cent in Asia-Pacific).

Most manufacturing leaders agree these automation solutions are driven by a variety of factors including the need to provide the workforce with high-value tasks (70 per cent globally, 75 per cent in Asia-Pacific), achieve service-level agreements (69 per cent globally, 70 per cent in Asia-Pacific), and add more flexibility to the plant floor (64 per cent globally, 66 per cent in Asia-Pacific).

Technological innovations, such as machine vision and deep learning OCR solutions, are opening doors for manufacturers to excel in an era marked by rapid technological advancement and growing requirements for speed, safety, and precision, said Tan Aik Jin, Asia-Pacific solutions lead for manufacturing and Singapore ZEC at Zebra Technologies. Beyond just adopting technology, businesses need to be prepared and equipped to continually transcend current capabilities. The future of manufacturing demands a symbiotic relationship between technology and human expertise to redefine the essence of manufacturing.

Empowering manufacturers with real-time data-driven insights Christanto Suryadarma, sales vice president for Southeast Asia, South Korea and Channel APJeC at Zebra Technologies, spoke with VIR's Bich Thuy about how to empower manufacturing businesses with real-time visibility and data-driven insights.

5G subscriptions in Asia Pacific continue to grow Consumers in Asia Pacific continue to migrate to 5G, with the increase in subscriptions being driven by more affordable devices, promotional plans, discounts, and large data bundles from service providers, according to the latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report released on June 27.
At UOBs corporate day, themed Building the Future of ASEAN held on August 14, representatives from foreign banks and credit institutions firmly committed to responsible investment practices and partnering with Vietnamese businesses across various sectors through an eco-risk management framework and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies.

Financial experts want to see enhanced use of green credit packages

Vietnams sustainable growth, particularly in the supply chain and AI sectors, presents exciting opportunities, said Rangu Salgame, chairman and CEO of Princeton Digital Group. Foreign investors are closely monitoring the market, waiting for the right moment.

Recently, Vietnam has been regarded as a prime location for data centre investments, Salgame added. Given the scale of our investments, Princeton Digital Group aims to enter once Vietnam reaches a significant market size, at which point we will begin constructing large data centres. The group has a strong affinity for Vietnam and looks forward to contributing capital to its development.

In addition to green and sustainability-linked loans, transitional finance is critical for the decarbonisation of carbon-intensive sectors and companies. For instance, Buymed, a company in which UOB Venture Managements funds invested last year, is the first online healthcare marketplace in Vietnam that efficiently connects small drug store owners, pharmacies, clinics, and hospitals in sourcing and procuring pharmaceutical and medical supplies.

Buymeds end-to-end logistics and fulfilment infrastructure enables its services to cover all 63 provinces and cities, and 12,000 districts in Vietnam. UOB will continue to collaborate with industry stakeholders, including regulators and international alliances, to advocate for greater clarity on transition pathways, policies, and guidelines, which are essential for both financial institutions and corporations to be held accountable for achieving collective net-zero ambitions, said Wee Ee Cheong, deputy chairman and CEO of UOB.

In an interview with VIR regarding the scale of green credit UOB is providing in Vietnam and how domestic businesses are receiving and absorbing such capital flows, Lim Lay Wah, head of Sector Solutions and Global Financial Institutions at UOB, stated, While sectors like AI and high-end semiconductors hold significant promise, UOBs green credit priority remains focused on green financing in the real estate and hospitality sectors. Our green mortgage loans cater to both commercial and regional clients, reflecting our comprehensive approach. Additionally, data centres driven by AI growth and energy transition are key focus areas.

Future investments are expected to grow significantly, with a focus on financial services and digital infrastructure, Wah added. Our regional presence and collaborations will continue to drive progress, with ongoing efforts to address market needs and investment opportunities, Wah said.

As financial intermediaries providing capital to the economy, an increasing number of banks and financial institutions in Vietnam are adopting ESG practices in their operations to align with the shared goal of promoting sustainable development.

In 2024, BIDV will continue to enhance the implementation of green credit packages introduced last year, and develop new green credit programmes, such as mid- to long-term credit packages for special regions like the Central Highlands and the Mekong Delta.

We will also encourage loans for crop development, including replanting and transitioning to higher-value crops. Simultaneously, BIDV is exploring a green bank branch model, which ties into the goal of promoting green credit growth and managing environmental and social risks in credit activities, said BIDVs CEO Le Ngoc Lam.

In terms of capital for expanding green financial products, BIDV was the first bank to successfully issue over $100 million in green bonds, following the principles of the International Capital Market Association in the domestic market.

According to a 2024-2026 report for Vietnam on its transition to a climate-resilient and sustainable economy, published by the Asian Development Bank in July, Vietnam requires substantial financial resources of approximately $368 billion by 2040, equal to $20 billion annually, to meet its green growth targets.

However, statistics from the Ministry of Finance show that Vietnam has only issued around $1.16 billion in green bonds since 2019.

Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, deputy head of the ESG Steering Committee at Agribank, acknowledged that implementing ESG in Vietnam still faces challenges from both within and outside the banking sector.

Within the sector, green lending requires deep environmental technical expertise, posing challenges for credit officers in assessing project efficiency and customers repayment capabilities, she explained. Outside the sector, investing in green industries often entails long payback periods and high investment costs, while the funding of financial institutions primarily comes from short-term deposits. This creates difficulties for financial institutions in balancing capital and ensuring compliance with regulations on short-term capital for mid- to long-term loans.
Domestic tech giants join AI proliferation

Nguyen Trung Chinh, chairman of the Board at CMC Corporation, and his staff are making preparations for the official announcement of AI transformation strategy in September, marking the next stage in the companys future development.

He told VIR, We are aware that AI is a fundamental driver of sustainable growth and innovation among businesses. Our strategy begins with fostering an AI transformation culture internally, nurturing a modern work environment within the company, and training a high-quality workforce capable of adopting and applying AI technology in daily operations.

In 2017, CMC launched its digital transformation strategy, and has made great achievements. It is now the second-largest ICT corporation in Vietnam with around 10 member units, and has a presence in over 30 countries and continents.

Today, CMC operates at a global scale, with revenues and corporate value estimated at around $400 million. The group also owns more than 20 core technologies.

With AI transformation, the corporation aims to become a global digital corporation with a scale of billions of US dollars and a workforce of up to 15,000 employees.

Meanwhile, the biggest players in the local technology market are not an exception in these types of developments. Viettel entered the next phase of its development in 2023 when it renamed the Viettel Cyberspace Centre the Viettel AI and Data Services Centre, with a vision of becoming the top AI company in the Asia-Pacific region by 2030.

Nguyen Manh Quy, director of Viettel AI, said, We are gradually shifting from digital transformation to intelligent transformation with a focus on developing AI Assistant, AI Studio, and AI Code Assistant, Quy said.

Viettel now has many AI-powered products and services which are popularly used in Vietnam, such as a virtual assistant and e-verification, deployed to tens of millions of users across the country.

We are continuing to expand our research into many new fields such as robotics and digital twins. The digital twin platform helps synchronise the real world and the digital world. We are developing a digital copy for Viettels telecommunications network first, and there is still a lot of work to do, Quy added.

Elsewhere, FPT Corporation has also made new strong moves in AI transformation. They include the ground-breaking of a new AI and supporting urban centre worth $181.7 million in the south-central province of Binh Dinh, strengthening global partnerships, and training staff.

Recent months also witnessed FPT sign MoUs with many global companies in AI-powered product and solution development, such as Indonesian company Metrodata.

FPT has also established links with the Mila AI Research Institute in Canada and Landing AI company in Silicon Valley, for training and exchange of quality human resources. In 2020, FPT built an AI Centre in Binh Dinhs Quy Nhon city worth more than $181 million.

The company spends over $4 million each year on research and development of AI applications. From 2021, the group announced an additional investment of $12.5 million in this segment in the next five years. FPT also boasts unified data infrastructure and tools to integrate and train data in AI.

After 10 years of investing in AI, FPT has a solid foothold in the market, with more than 20 million end users in 15 countries.

As AI is now a growing trend, more opportunities are opening for players at home and abroad. Both the EU and the US are pushing for new AI-related legislation in response to its profound and widespread impacts, as well as the inherent risks it poses.

Along with Vietnams national strategy on AI research, development, and application to 2030, the country is aiming to be top four in ASEAN and top 50 in the world in research, development, and application of AI.

Phung Viet Thang, country manager for Sales, Marketing, and Communications at Intel Vietnam, said that there are still challenges for AI deployment. Businesses have difficulty balancing costs and formulating strategies to exploit AI technology effectively. In addition, there are macro challenges related to regulations, and specialised human resources.

In Vietnam, one of the biggest challenges when deploying AI is that business efficiency is unclear or lower than expected. Since last year, a series of businesses have competed in applying AI for fear of missing out on this technology, but lack a clear vision and plan, he said.

An equally important aspect is where the data is stored. Enterprises setting up branches and representative offices in Vietnam must store local data on servers in Vietnam. However, it is estimated that in 2025, three-quarters of data created will not be stored in a data centre or in the local cloud, but located in edge devices at factories or hospitals, he added.

Digital transformation and applying AI in journalism In 2023, the government established a national strategy for the digital transformation of media, with the ambitious goal that by 2030, most media agencies in Vietnam must switch to digital. According to this strategy, all Vietnamese media agencies must reconstruct their newsrooms toward digital convergence.

Asias readiness for AI innovation: Lessons from South Koreas digital transformation A landmark event to foster collaboration in AI research and development business across Asia by bringing together leading experts, scholars, government officials, and innovative communitie was held on July 11-12 in Hanoi.
Earlier in August, protocols were signed for fresh coconuts, frozen durian, and crocodiles to be officially exported to China.

The Plant Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), assessed that fresh coconut exports will bring economic benefits and create momentum for Vietnam's coconut industry to develop sustainably and improve product quality to meet international standards.

Vietnamese localities and businesses are excited as the market of 1.4 billion people opens up.

According to thoibaotaichinh.vn, Tran Van Duc, chairman of Ben Tre Coconut Investment JSC, said, China's current demand for coconut imports is very large. Vietnam currently ranks seventh in coconut production worldwide. Our advantage is proximity to China, so if this market opens up, coconut exports will see a breakthrough.

Dang Huynh Uc My, chairwoman of BenTre Import Export JSC stated,"With abundant supply, when Vietnamese coconuts are exported to China, the product will have the opportunity to surpass the $1 billion mark, contributing to increasing income for people and promoting more professional and standardised domestic coconut production."

If businesses exploit their advantages well, the coconut industry can earn an additional $300 million from the Chinese market, said Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association. "In a few years, Vietnam's coconut industry may catch up with Thailand. Moreover, official exports can push the prices of fresh and dry coconuts in our country's growing regions to higher and more stable levels," Nguyen said.

While opportunities and potential are evident, the fresh coconut industry currently faces numerous challenges.

Nguyen Quoc Manh, deputy director of the Department of Crop Production under the MARD, emphasised that the area of linked coconut cultivation remains quite low due to small-scale and fragmented planting.

"Most coconut areas in Vietnam are cultivated by individual households, making it difficult to organise linkages as each household has different cultivation and harvesting processes," Manh said.

Additionally, the industry lacks effective cooperatives or linkage models. Infrastructure and supporting technologies are not advanced. These shortcomings hinder the collection, processing, and transportation of coconuts, as well as the development and expansion of coconut cultivation areas.

To overcome these issues and capitalise on the opportunity of the Chinese market opening, Manh suggested that businesses and localities should immediately invest in deep processing, brand building, strengthening cooperation, and applying new technologies. These steps will help increase the value of processed coconut products and create a solid foundation for the sustainable development of Vietnam's coconut industry.

The MARD will continue to work closely with Chinese authorities to ensure smooth implementation while supporting Vietnamese businesses and farmers in maximising opportunities from these protocols.

The Vietnam Coconut Association forecasts that the export turnover of coconut products this year will reach $1 billion. Despite challenges, with efforts to invest in production development, the coconut industry should not find it difficult to achieve this figure. The potential strengths of coconut trees will be further promoted as the official export market for this industrial crop continues to expand.

Fruit and vegetable exports hit record high in first half of 2024 Fruit and vegetable exports continue to be a bright spot in the overall economic picture for the first half of 2024, with revenues approaching $3.5 billion.

Experiencing basket-boat tour on Bay Mau coconut forest Bay Mau coconut forest village in Cam Thanh commune is touted as one of the most-frequented tourist destinations in Hoi An City in the central province of Quang Nam thanks to a sightseeing tour that allows visitors to explore the coconut forest and gain an insight into traditional fishing techniques while riding in a bamboo basket boat.
The solutions were demonstrated at the 25th Annual Scientific Congress, hosted by the Vietnamese Society of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine.

At the event, GE HealthCare launched the SIGNA Champion 1.5T MRI scanner and the comprehensive ultrasound solution LOGIQ Totus for the Vietnamese market. Leveraging AI to optimise support for doctors and patients, these two systems aim to enhance the examination and treatment experience for doctors, technicians, and patients.

The MRI scanner incorporates advanced technologies and AI to enhance the experience for not only patients but also clinicians and imaging technicians. Its spacious chamber, user-friendly interface, ultra-light and adaptable coils, reduced scan times with exceptional image quality, and ability to capture images in natural patient positions are key advantages of this solution.

The ultrasound system features cSound, a CT/MRI-simulated image reconstruction technology, and multiple advanced AI applications. cSound imaging technology acquires and reconstructs data in a manner similar to MRI or CT systems, creating real-time ultrasound image structures through an advanced GPU.

This GPU enhances data throughput by 48 times and processing power by 10 times compared to previous systems. Additionally, LOGIQ Totus incorporates AI applications for lesion recognition and state-of-the-art voice technology to streamline the examination process, enabling quick and simple workflows while maintaining high accuracy.

Parminder Bhatia, AI director at GE HealthCare said, "The potential for AI applications in healthcare is limitless. AI processes data 1,000 times faster than humans with extremely high consistency and accuracy. Over the next 10 years, AI combined with digital technologies, cloud computing, and more could transform clinical workflows and optimise hospital operations at a speed equivalent to the past 100 years combined."

As a Diamond Sponsor, GE HealthCare shared its comprehensive care pathway solutions for cardiology and oncology, focusing on liver care, to the congress attendees. At the congress hall, the company also showcased cutting-edge diagnostic imaging technologies and interactive demonstrations at its booth.

Son Pham, general director of GE HealthCare Vietnam said, "This congress offers a valuable opportunity for GE HealthCare to highlight our research advancements and contributions to Vietnam's healthcare system. We are dedicated to innovating and enhancing our diagnostic imaging solutions to provide accessible, personalised, and innovative medical services for patients in Vietnam and globally. By integrating leading AI technologies into our solutions, we aim to empower doctors and medical centres to optimise their workflows and elevate patient outcomes."

The congress is held annually to introduce and share insights on advanced scientific research and technologies in radiology and nuclear medicine. Through its longstanding participation, GE HealthCare has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to supporting Vietnam's healthcare system development by providing expertise and optimal solutions aligned with international standards.

GE transformation journey General Electric (GE), a 130-year-old industrial conglomerate known for its innovations in energy, aviation, and healthcare, is embarking on a transformative journey that will see it split into three independent companies. This strategic shift marks a significant chapter in GE's storied history, underpinned by a carefully orchestrated communication strategy to navigate this complex transition.

GE HealthCare's 30-year journey to transform Vietnam's healthcare sector During its 30 years of operation in Vietnam, GE HealthCare has played an active role in closing the care gaps, thereby contributing to the sector's sustainable future.
IHG on August 26 announced a two-hotel deal with Hai Thanh Hung Investment JSC and Vietnam Royal Investment and Construction in the central province.

Voco hotels, IHGs fastest growing premium brand, will welcome guests next year as Voco Quang Binh Resort joins Voco Ma Belle Danang in Vietnam, which is quickly becoming a popular choice for leisure and business guests.

Opening in late 2025, Crowne Plaza Quang Binh City Centre will continue to showcase the premium brands blended travel experience in Vietnam, following the openings of Crowne Plaza Phu Quoc Starbay and Crowne Plaza Vinh Yen City Centre.

The two-hotel agreement marks IHGs entry into Quang Binh, a province rich in natural beauty, cultural heritage, beautiful beaches, and historical significance. It is home to many famed attractions including Phong Nha  Ke Bang National Park, a UNESCO Heritage Site with one of the largest karst regions globally.

Chris Anklin, senior development director for Southeast Asia and Korea at IHG Hotels & Resorts said, We continue to grow in Vietnam and will more than double our size in the next few years to more than 40 hotels across the country. Crowne Plaza Quang Binh City Centre will offer purposeful spaces for work and leisure that appeal to the modern traveller, while Voco Quang Binh Resort with its thoughtful, unstuffy and charming experience will become a top beach front resort in the area. This destination debut will strengthen the presence of our brand portfolio in Vietnam, offering stay experiences for every type of traveller.

Thang Hoang, CEO of Hai Thanh Hung Investment JSC and Vietnam Royal Investment and Construction said, Quang Binh has traditionally been a domestic-led destination with a great opportunity for growth. Its magnificent beauty includes Son Doong Cave  the largest cave in the world and home to towering stalagmites  underground rivers, a jungle with wildlife, and a 116-kilometre-long coastline with picturesque beaches such as Nhat Le and Da Nhay. The entry of Voco hotels and Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts in Quang Binh will elevate the attraction of the destination for travellers to stay and explore its many wonders.

Crowne Plaza Quang Binh City Centre will be situated within Royal Landmark, a mixed-used development that includes a commercial centre. It is a 15-minute drive from Dong Hoi Airport and a 45-minute flight from Noi Bai International Airport, and will also be within easy reach of Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

With a prime riverfront location situated close to government and commercial offices in Dong Hoi, facilities at the hotel will include four restaurants and bars, meeting spaces, swimming pool, fitness centre, spa, Kids Club and an executive lounge.

Voco Quang Binh Resort will offer travellers a private beach with beautiful sea views and facilities including two restaurants and bars, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, Kids Club, spa, and resort centre.

Vietnam continues to be a strong growth market for IHG, with 18 hotels across six brands  Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, Regent Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Voco hotels and Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts  and 26 properties in its pipeline. The company aims to grow its estate across all brands in the country, including the upcoming debuts of its Vignette Collection, Hotel Indigo, and Holiday Inn Express brands.

IHG and BIM Group unveil first valley resort in Vietnam under the InterContinental brand IHG Hotels & Resorts, a leading hotel management company, and BIM Real Estate JSC, a member of the BIM Group, have signed a cooperation agreement to develop InterContinental Thanh Xuan Valley Resort, which is part of the Thanh Xuan Valley project. This marks the first valley resort for the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts brand in Vietnam.

Partnership to benefit 10,000 disadvantaged youth nationwide The InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and Blue Dragon Childrens Foundation on November 2 announced their continued partnership to support 10,000 disadvantaged youths across Vietnam.
As of August 17, there were 88 mpox cases in Indonesia, with 59 confirmed cases in Jakarta (Photo: Antara)

Jakarta  Indonesian President Joko Widodo held a cabinet meeting on August 27 to discuss the development of Monkeypox (mpox) in the country.

The President cited statistics of the health ministry that showed as of August 17, there were 88 mpox cases in Indonesia, with 59 confirmed cases in Jakarta. It was followed by West Jaca (13), Banten (9), East Java (3), Yogyakarta (3), and Riau Islands (1).

Most of the patients have recovered, but it is necessary to closely monitor the situation and take timely preventive measures. Monkeypox tends to break out in Indonesia in October because humidity during the rainy season facilitates the spread of the viruses.

The president has requested close coordination between ministries, agencies and local administrations to prevent the epidemic.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said Indonesias mpox cases are mostly clade IIB variants with low mortality rate. The Ministry of Health is still closely monitoring the situation and has adequate medical facilities to ensure the health safety of the people.

According to Budi, monkeypox vaccine is now available so theres no need for people to worry too much.

WHO warns more mpox to come in Europe after case in Sweden The WHO on Thursday warned further imported cases of the new, more dangerous mpox strain in Europe were likely, after Sweden announced the first such infection outside Africa in an outbreak that has killed hundreds in the DR Congo.

Mpox vaccine maker ready to produce 10 million doses Danish drugmaker Bavarian Nordic said Thursday it was ready to produce up to 10 million doses of its vaccine targeting mpox by 2025 after the World Health Organization declared a surge in the virus in Africa a global public health emergency.

Mpox killed 548 people in DR Congo since start of 2024 An mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 548 people since the start of the year, with all provinces affected by the virus, the health minister said on Thursday in a statement.
According to a source from the Ministry of Transport (MoT), the scheme for mobilising private investment in airport infrastructure has not yet been approved by authorised agencies.

The MoT had planned to submit the scheme for the prime ministers approval by the second quarter of 2024, aiming to increase attraction of airports and aviation.

Large capital requirements and lengthy wait for a return on investment hinder aviation development, Photo: Le Toan

Aviation expert Tuan Nguyen said, Investors are waiting for clearer and improvements to make next steps. The scheme, when approved, would provide a foundation for calling for private investment in the sector.

Attracting private investment in aviation has been an issue of concern for years. Khanh Hoa Peoples Committees proposal to the Ministry of Transport (MoT) last week to develop Van Phong Airport under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, with an estimated investment of nearly $330 million, triggered concerns about its feasibility, and not for the first time.

The proposal suggests state funding for certain components, accounting for just over one-quarter of the total investment. Key infrastructure elements, such as passenger terminals, aircraft parking lots, and transportation systems, would be developed by private investors.

Khanh Hoa already hosts Cam Ranh International Airport, while the neighbouring province of Phu Yen province has Tuy Hoa Airport. Van Phong Airport would compete for the same passenger base as these existing airports.

Worse still, the planned location for the airport is entirely on the water area of Khanh Hoa, which is unprecedented for Vietnam. Internationally, Kansai International Airport in Japan is similarly located on the sea, but it faces challenges like gradual sinking  it has sunk almost 40 feet since it opened in 1994.

The MoT has also voiced concerns, noting that the proposed capacity for Van Phong Airport  2.5 million passengers annually by 2030, scaling up to 10 million by 2050  exceeds forecasts. The expected demand is about 1.26 million passengers by 2030 and 2.46 million by 2050.

Phong Tran, a partner at Vilaf specialising in aviation, told VIR, These factors make the project less attractive to private investors. Local authorities should reconsider the location and timing of the project.

Van Phong was one of the airports included in Vietnams national aviation development plan for 2030, with a vision towards 2050. In a bid to boost investment in the aviation sector, the MoT in April sought approval for policies to implement the national airport system master plan.

According to preliminary estimates by the MoT, the total investment required for airport infrastructure for 2021-2030 is approximately $17.52 billion.

The MoTs proposal asks the prime minister to allow maximum mobilisation of private capital for PPP projects, including new airports like Phan Thiet and additional terminals at existing airports such as Phu Cat, Con Dao, and Cam Ranh.

Expert Tuan Nguyen noted that for projects like Van Phong and other new airports, feasibility depends on multiple factors, including demand, location, and return on investment. Vietnam currently has 22 airports operated by the state-owned Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), and not all are performing well.

While these initiatives raise hopes for interested parties, investment opportunities will become clearer once the scheme for mobilising private investment in airport infrastructure is approved by the authorities, he said.

Bui Doan Ne, vice president of the Vietnam Aviation Business Association, said, To date, private investment in Vietnams aviation sector remains limited because of the large capital requirements, long investment return periods, and relatively low efficiency compared to other sectors, leading both domestic and foreign investors to exercise caution.

Additionally, regulatory barriers, such as restrictions on foreign ownership in air transport enterprises (capped at 34 per cent, compared to 49 per cent in Thailand, Indonesia, and Cambodia, and 40 per cent in the Philippines), and the high-risk nature of the aviation sector, particularly following the pandemic, further deter investment.

Currently, only three airports in Vietnam have been developed under the PPP model, including Quang Tri, Van Don, and Phan Thiet. Foreign investors have participated in ancillary services like catering and passenger transport since the 1990s, but results have been underwhelming.

Nguyen Sy Dung, former Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly Office, emphasised the need to resolve these investment bottlenecks swiftly. The state budget and ACV can cover $8.52 billion, but its crucial to unlock private investment to upgrade airports and prioritise projects in the master plan, he said.

Airport ventures must align with future demands Vietnams ambitions to transform its airport infrastructure will have to deal with lack of interested investors, structural issues, and ongoing overloads.

Con Dao airport to be upgraded to welcome large aircraft The Ministry of Transport (MoT) is planning to upgrade and expand Con Dao airport so it can land bigger planes.
Vietnam has been making all possible efforts to increase attraction of the railway industry. How has the picture of private investment improved so far?

Tran Thien Canh, director of the Vietnam Railway Authority

Private investment in the railway industry has not brightened yet. For railway infrastructure, we have not seen any private investment in this field. Global lessons find that some public-private partnership railway infrastructure projects have been carried out in some countries. However, governments then had to buy back.

In Vietnam, before 2013, the Ministry of Transport (MoT) had some schemes to draw in private investment in the industry. However, they failed due to legal barriers. At that time, Vingroup and an airline catering service company were interested in upgrading railway stations to develop commercial areas, but they could not make next steps.

Such investments require huge investment, and the time for getting any return can be long. Meanwhile, the policies are not clear enough to facilitate them.

A few years ago, the MoT made a list of eight railway projects calling for private investment. However, only a consortium of domestic and foreign investors are studying the potential of the Thu Thiem-Long Thanh section.

Legal barriers are a reason for the dim picture. How will they be changed to brighten future outlook?

The Law on Management and Use of Public Property took effect in 2018, followed by Decree No.46/2018/ND-CP guiding the law, which covers the management, use, and operation of national railway infrastructure.

The scheme guiding the implementation of Decree 46 has finally been approved by the government in early August. Accordingly, Vietnam Railways (VNR), which is the operator of the national railway network, is working on the list of assets which it expects to own, use, and develop, with the assets to be recorded as state capital contribution to the operator.

This, once approved, will enable VNR to attract private investment.

In addition, the amended railway law is expected to be adopted in 2025, with a number of new and special policies on attracting private investment in the industry.

What are some future opportunities for private investors you foresee when the legal framework becomes more favourable?

The development of railway sections connecting industrial parks and ports has been expected for years, and will be legalised in the amended Law on Railway. Accordingly, for industrial areas and ports of 30 million tonnes capacity will have to have connecting railway sections if there are railway networks nearly. These railway sections can be built by the state or private businesses.

In addition, the development of the North-South high-speed railway project, once completed, will create opportunities for the private sector to join investment in means of transport and transportation. Lessons from other countries find that many private companies join with the state in rail transport business. In the field of devices, equipment, and technology, the railway industry is yet to master this, but it continues to be somewhat promising for suppliers.

So far, many international institutions sought lending opportunities in the railway industry. Many South Korean and Chinese firms have also shown their interest. Among them, two Chinese companies have opened representative offices in Vietnam, seeking cooperation opportunities with VNR.

With the future legal improvement prospects, positive signs in the picture of private investment in the railway is expected to be available in the near future.

Hanoi to develop comprehensive and modern urban metro lines Hanoi plans to invest over $55 billion to build a synchronised and modern urban railway network.

North-south high-speed railway to be completed by 2035 The Ministry of Transport and associated project partners have been informed that the completion of the north-south high-speed railway will be expected by 2035.

Dalat railway station recognised as tourist destination The recognition of Dalat Station on the national tourism map should provide momentum for the railway sector to leverage its potential, promoting tourism and economic development.

New Sai Gon - Nha Trang trains on trial run The trial of new trains shuttling between Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang beach city in the central province of Khanh Hoa, two of Vietnams most renowned tourist destinations, began on August 9, aiming to improve the service quality and meet the increasing demand, according to the Vietnam Railways Corporations Saigon Railway Joint Stock Company.
Downtown Houston skyline is photographed on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024 at the Thompson Hotel in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

Baker Tilly needed a beautiful skyline shot for a recruitment brochure it is creating to help Dallas hire a new city manager, and it found one.

The only issue: the photo isnt of Dallas. Its a sizzling shot of Houston.

Dallas' Ad Hoc Committee on Administrative Affairs discussed a draft of the brochure, which can be found online on the city of Dallas website, during a meeting Monday.

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Committee members criticized the front cover during the meeting for not being Dallas enough. But that didnt mean members recognized in real time the reason why was because it wasnt Dallas at all.

HERE IN H-TOWN: What powers Houston City Council has  and what limitations it faces

I hate this photo. I dont think its representative of Dallas, said council member Cara Mendelsohn, according to the Dallas Morning News and Axios. And I had to look at it for quite a few minutes before I realized it actually was the city.

The photo appears to be taken from Rusk Street in downtown Houston.

Committee members asked Baker Tilly to change the image to represent Dallas better than the first selected cover image.

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MORE NEWS: Houston Housing Authority president defends tax deals after internal audit uncovers oversight gaps

The first page is a cover page, kind of like the headline, said Edward Williams, a public sector executive recruitment director at Baker Tilly, according to the Dallas Morning News. The idea here is that people see something they find of interest, and it captures their attention and invites them to continue reading and hopefully apply at the end of that review.

Baker Tilly spokeswoman Haley Johnson said the original image was found in a trusted image library where it had been tagged as a photo of Dallas.

While this was an unfortunate error, as soon as the concern was raised, our team acted quickly to correct it, Johnson said in an email. We are working with the city to update the cover to reflect the unique identity of Dallas, and we appreciate the feedback from council members in making this adjustment.
People wade through flood water in Narathiwat province of Thailand. (Photo: Getty Images/VNA)

Bangkok  Thailands tourism operators have called for a long-term plan to manage floods and storms to prevent possible damage to tourism and the economy, following the floods in northern provinces and a deadly landslide in Phuket.

Thaneth Tantipiriyakij, President of the Phuket Tourism Association, said the landslide and heavy rains had killed 13 people, including at least two Russian tourists, shocking tourism operators in Phuket. He said this tragedy should prompt the government to quickly implement a long-term infrastructure plan for Phuket.

Pariyakon Phungmalai, Vice President of the Tourism Council of Chiang Rai, said although the water level in some areas has started to decrease, the incident had impacted the overall tourism industry in the province.

As Chiang Rai is famous for its nature and cultural heritage, many of its attractions such as farms, temples, parks and homestays are located in various areas scattered outside the city so they will be isolated when serious floods occur.

Pariyakon said the government should tackle this issue by redeveloping the whole water management system for the region.

Kalyakamon Soongswang, who sits on the committee of the Tourism Council of Nan, said many hotels had to cancel or postpone bookings as transportation in the city had been disrupted.

She also urged the government to prioritise initiating a water management project in the coming time.

Thai Tourism Minister Sermsak Pongpanit on August 26 announced the establishment of a war room to assist tourists and tourism operators affected by the floods in the North and the landslide in Phuket.

Floods, landslides kill many in Indonesia, Thailand At least seven people were killed, two others were injured and some were likely to be missing after flash floods and landslides hit the Indonesian eastern province of Maluku on the morning of August 25, according to the localitys disaster management and mitigation office.

Death toll in Indonesias flash floods rises to 19 Nineteen people were killed, and seven injured in Indonesias North Maluku province one August 26 after flash floods and landslides struck the locality a day earlier, authorities said.
The prestigious 'Make in Vietnam Digital Technology Products Awards' are presented annually by the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) to Vietnamese organisations and businesses with outstanding digital technology products researched, designed, created, and manufactured in Vietnam to solve Vietnamese challenges and compete internationally.

The new 'digital technology product category' will only apply to micro or small enterprises, or innovative startups established under Vietnamese laws.

While still open to domestic enterprises with majority Vietnamese shareholding, the category now also includes foreign-established enterprises with at least 51 per cent Vietnamese ownership.

Each category will have gold, silver, and bronze awards and a top 10 list. The jury will consist of reputable experts, scientists, and journalists in the digital technology field.

Award-winning products will receive support from the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) for investment promotion, trade promotion, and commercialisation consulting for domestic and foreign markets. They will be introduced to ministries, sectors, and localities for trial implementation and pilot programmes, and considered for inclusion in the list of prioritised IT products and services for investment, leasing, and procurement in state agencies.

The registration and submission period for the award is from August 22 to October 22. The award ceremony will be held during the national forum on Vietnamese digital technology enterprise development in December.

Speaking at the press conference on August 22 to launch the '2024 Make in Vietnam Digital Technology Products Awards', Bui Hoang Phuong, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications emphasised that the award is significant in supporting trade promotion and investment, boosting domestic consumption, and promoting exports for new products, services, and solutions.

Deputy Minister Bui Hoang Phuong

"I call on the Vietnamese digital technology business community to actively participate in this award so that the MIC can identify and honour the most outstanding and deserving Vietnamese-made products of 2024," Phuong said.

Hoang Quang Phong, vice chairman of the VCCI, reported that over the past four years, the award has identified 234 Vietnamese-made digital technology products.

"We can proudly tell the world that Vietnam's intellectual, scientific, and digital technology products are ready to take the stage and face challenges in the competitive environment of the digital economy. The business community and our citizens can now enjoy the scientific achievements of Vietnamese digital technology companies," Phong said.

According to Nguyen Thanh Tuyen, deputy director of the MIC's Department of Information and Communication Technology Industry, the 2024 awards will feature new elements and will comprise eight categories. Five of these are for products serving digital transformation and economic development in various sectors, including construction, agriculture, the environment; transportation, logistics, education, health, and finance.

This year marks the fifth year of the 'Make in Vietnam Digital Technology Products Awards', which honour exceptional digital technology products that embody Vietnamese intellectual pride. The awards aim to create new economic growth drivers, enhance national competitiveness, increase labour productivity, and deliver more practical and comprehensive results.

Vietnam unlocking digital potential Vietnam was the fastest-growing digital economy in ASEAN in 2023, with potential to become the second-largest by 2030. The country remains on track to recover from the trade downturn, though growth remains uneven.

Vietnams Top 10 digital technology companies named for 2023 Vietnams Top 10 digital technology companies in 2023 were announced at a ceremony in Hanoi on September 22.
According to the latest announcement from Indonesia's state purchasing agency, the country is ramping up rice imports in August, with volumes reaching up to 350,000 tonnes, the highest ever recorded.

Indonesia is seeking 5 per cent broken white rice produced in 2024, with preferred supply sources from Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Pakistan.

Nguyen Van Nhat, CEO of Can Tho Rice Export JSC, said, "Indonesia's increased rice tenders are a positive signal for Vietnam's rice export industry. Although Vietnam's export rice price is currently the highest in the world at $578 per tonne, we believe that increased demand from Indonesia will create opportunities for us to continue exploiting this market."

The sudden increase in tendered rice volume from 320,000 tonnes to 350,000 tonnes is Indonesia's response to falling short of its procurement target in July, when only slightly over 200,000 tonnes were purchased despite opening tenders for large quantities.

Indonesia has already opened tenders to purchase over 2.5 million tonnes of rice this year, with Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and Pakistan as the main suppliers. In the most recent tender last July to purchase 320,000 tonnes of rice, seven out of 12 bids from Vietnamese enterprises were successful, securing 185,000 tonnes. Among these, VinaFood 1 won the largest tender, amounting to 104,000 tonnes.

According to vtv.vn, a representative of a rice export company in Dong Thap province stated that Vietnam's rice supply is currently limited as the summer-autumn crop is ending and the autumn-winter crop yield is not substantial. From now until the end of the year, rice stocks will not be abundant, likely maintaining high prices.

"Currently, Vietnam's export rice prices are higher than those of other countries, so businesses are cautious about participating in tenders to avoid the situation of selling at a loss that has occurred in the past," he said.

In the first seven months of 2024, Vietnam exported nearly 5.3 million tonnes of rice, earning $3.34 billion. These figures represent records for Vietnam's rice industry compared to the same period in previous years, including 2023.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development forecasts that the global rice market will continue to be dynamic in the final months of the year, with Vietnam expected to export approximately 7.5-8 million tonnes of rice, with export value exceeding $5 billion.

Rice gaining traction within major markets Rice exports in 2024 are shaping up to perform strongly overall, with promising results already achieved over the past several months.

Philippines reduces rice import tax to 15 pc The Philippines, one of the world's largest rice buyers and biggest importers of the Vietnamese grain, officially announced a reduction in rice import taxes from 35 per cent to 15 per cent, effective in early August this year and lasting until 2028.
Viettel Global has announced its consolidated financial report for the first six months of 2024 after being audited, with results slightly increased compared to the previous self-prepared report.

The report noted that Viettel Global generated VND16.59 trillion ($667.9 million) in revenue from sales and service provision in the first half of 2024, up 25 per cent from a year ago. This was more than quintuple the growth rate of global telecommunications firms at 4.3 per cent, according to management consulting company Gartner.

Meanwhile, its pre-tax profit reached VND4.74 trillion ($190.8 million). The corporation recorded revenue growth over 10 consecutive quarters, and in the second quarter of 2024, revenue reached a record high.

Revenue of Viettel Global (billion VND)

In the first six months of 2024, all nine of Viettel Global's markets registered high growth, with Lumitel in Burundi up 31 per cent, Unitel in Laos up 27 per cent, Mytel in Myanmar up 24 per cent, Movitel in Mozambique up 23 per cent, and Natcom in Haiti up 18 per cent.

In particular, e-wallet companies posted impressive growth, such as M_mola (Mozambique) up 169 per cent, U-money (Laos) up 62 per cent, Halopesa (Tanzania) up 34 per cent, and Mosan (East Timor) up 34 per cent. By the end of June 2024, revenue from e-wallet services reached VND2.1 trillion ($84.5 million), accounting for 11 per cent of total revenue, while e-wallet subscribers reached 18.5 million, accounting for 41 per cent of mobile subscribers.

In May, Movitel climbed to top the market share in Mozambique, marking the seventh market where Viettel Global holds the leading position. This was an important milestone, underscoring the position of the Vietnamese corporate in the international market.

On June 5, Viettel Global held its AGM, approving all proposals put forward by the Board of Directors. In 2024, the corporation aims to maintain a double-digit growth rate, with traditional telecommunications growth of over 10 per cent and non-telecommunication services growth of 20-30 per cent. Viettel Global also aims to increase its number of digital subscribers to at least six million.

Viettel Global is implementing a strategy to scale up its businesses both vertically and horizontally. To promote effective and sustainable development, Viettel Global maintains its top position while continuing to expand new services in the market, such as data centre, cloud computing, e-wallets, and convenient digital services for the government and public. Meanwhile, Viettel Global will continue to survey new markets to seek investment and business opportunities.

Viettel Global posts pre-tax profit of nearly $96.6 million in Q3 Following the growth momentum of the first two quarters of 2022, Viettel Global continued to record its best third-quarter business results ever in terms of both revenue and profit.

Viettel Global's consolidated revenue exceeds $1 billion Viettel Global has just announced its 2022 consolidated financial statements audited by Deloitte Vietnam with the highest ever revenue and pre-tax profit recorded in the telecom giant's history.
A Davenport police officer killed two dogs in separate incidents this summer, according to the dogs' owners.

Video footage posted online last week shows an officer shooting and killing a barking dog with two kids and a mom nearby. A petition circulating online and shared by the dog's owner calls for accountability for Davenport Police Officer Ethan Bock.

And a little more than a month before last week's incident, Bock struck and killed another resident's unleashed dog with his police vehicle while driving through an alley, according to the dog's owners and bodycam footage obtained by the Quad-City Times.

Asked to confirm if Bock was the same officer in the Aug. 21 incident, the Davenport Police Department didn't say.

"We are aware of the information circulating on social media and are sensitive to the concerns of our community. The Davenport Police Department is conducting a comprehensive review of the incident," the department wrote in an emailed statement. "At this time, it would be premature to speculate on the results of the internal review, but the department is committed to sharing more information to include additional video once the review has been completed."

A devastating call for a dog owner

Lacindra Spears was out of town on the night of July 13, when she got a devastating call.

Her dog Muneca was hit and killed by a squad car driven by Bock in the alleyway behind her home.

For more than a week, Spears said the department gave her and her family differing stories about what happened. Spears said she was told her witnesses were "not credible."

Then, on July 30, the police department offered her $1,700 for her dog, Spears said in an interview that same day.

At the time, Spears said it was not enough to replace her dog or make up for the disrespect she feels she and her family faced.

The Davenport Police Department wrote in an Aug. 26 email: "This incident was resolved with the help of Ms. Spears."

Muneca could recognize when Spears had hemiplegic migraines, which cause paralyzing symptoms that mimic a stroke. Muneca would nudge her head up until someone, usually her brother, came to check on her, Spears said in a July 30 interview.

Because of the debilitating symptoms, which developed in recent years, Spears said she lost her ability to drive, lost her home, closed her business on Harrison Street and began staying there until she could figure out another living situation.

"I needed that dog," Spears said. "All the stuff I've been going through  I lost my business  she was what I had left."

On July 13, Spears' brother, C'edward Spears, was taking out the trash at about 10 p.m. to the alleyway behind the Harrison Street buildings where he and Lacindra live.

At the same time, another brother was taking Muneca out to do her business.

They all were in the alleyway when Davenport police vehicles drove through.

C'edward Spears said in a July 30 interview he tried to stop the police cars so Muneca could cross safely. The first one slowed and allowed the dog to cross before continuing. But the second officer did not heed his warning.

"He comes speeding down, so I stepped in front of the police car, I say, 'stop' so the dog can come out so he stops," C'edward Spears said. "The dog goes out into the field and a few seconds go by, and another police car, he comes up speeding as well, and by this time the dog has used the bathroom already and is on the way back. I step out again. I'm like, 'stop  the dog.' So he stops. He acknowledges me. Then he speeds up and he goes."

Bodycam footage shows aftermath

Video requested by the Quad-City Times through a Freedom of Information Act request does not show the moment the police officer's vehicle struck the dog.

But the department did supply this past week three videos from different officers' body cameras just after the incident. A records department staffer said there was no dash camera footage because the vehicle's emergency red and blue lights were not on, which triggers the dash camera to record.

In one 17-minute body camera video from the officer that hit the dog, Bock, he can be seen getting out of the car and approaching the dog lying on the ground.

"God dammit," he said before speaking into his radio asking for a public service response to the alley.

Several witnesses stood in the alley, the video shows. One man stood with his hands clasped over his forehead. Another had his hands on his hips.

"Let me get on with a sergeant all right?" Bock said.

C'edward Spears can be seen walking over to Muneca with his hand over his mouth in shock.

"That's why you gotta' have your dog on a leash bro," Bock said.

Bock typed on his phone and could be heard saying: "Hey, I'm 10-2. Some frickin' dog just ran out here, and I smoked it."

A person off camera asked Bock to get his badge, a paper, and pen and make a report.

Bock repeated his situation into his phone or radio: "I hit a dog in the alley between Harrison and Ripley just south of 14th."

Someone off camera can be heard telling the officer, "You know better than to go in this alley."

Bock responded: "You gotta' have your dog restrained, man."

Another person asked Bock what the procedure is. Bock told him animal control will come pick up the dog.

"I'm very sorry," Bock said to the man, who was bent over Muneca.

After a few minutes, another officer approached. Bock exited his vehicle and the second officer asked Bock, "These guys acting up?"

Bock responded: "No, they're upset. I smoked their dog by accident."

Bock approached the bystanders and told them his sergeant would come talk to them. He said, "Animal control is not going to respond at night to get him, but they will respond tomorrow to pick him up unless you guys want to do anything different."

C'edward Spears told Bock the dog is his sister's.

"Well, I feel horrible," Bock said to him. "But I was enroute to something really important."

The Davenport Police Department did not respond to a question about why Bock was using the alleyway.

A sergeant arrived and Bock and another officer stood talking for a few minutes.

The sergeant told Bock: "You've gotta say that different on the radio."

"Say what different?" Bock asked.

"You said you smoked a dog," the sergeant said.

"Oh I did?" Bock asked.

"Yeah," the sergeant said.

The person off camera asked if animal control knew about the dog already. One of the policemen responded yes, and that they would probably come tomorrow.

But in the July 30 interview, Lacindra and C'edward Spears said when animal control officials came, they said they don't pick up deceased animals. They'd come to scan the dog for a chip or check for a tag to try to find the owners.

The Spears family paid $200 for Muneca to be cremated.

Lacindra Spears got a call that night at 2:30 a.m. from someone with the police department. She said he offered condolences, said she should be able to see a tape of what happened, and that someone would get back to her the following Monday.

But she said no one called. So she called the police department and was directed to a voicemail. Then, she said her calls to the police department started to go unanswered.

On July 23, she got a call back.

"I told him exactly what all five people told me," Lacindra Spears said. "Right off the bat, he goes, 'Well, that's not what happened. This is not gonna come out in your favor. Your witnesses are not credible. What happened was ' And then I tell you, he gave me a whole tuck and roll on how the dog got stuck, so I'm listening to the details of his version of what happened, and I said, so you've seen the tape? He said no. I said was you there? I said, how you know then?"

Lacindra Spears said the police frequently drive through the alley behind where she lives without lights or sirens on, and the person on the phone told her that they were on an eluding call and had initiated a chase. Then, she said she was told that the officers were only going 16 miles per hour.

The whole incident has been incredibly stressful, Lacindra Spears said. She wasn't eating. She slept on her couch because she used to sleep in her bedroom with Mun.

One month later, another dog was killed

Just over a month after Muneca was killed, on Aug. 21, Don Hesseltines dog  a 2-year-old golden retriever and German shepherd mix named Myst  was shot and killed by a Davenport police officer.

Footage of the event, from two separate angles, was shared on social media by Hesseltine last week. By zooming in on the officer's name tag in that footage, Hesseltine said that he's concluded that Bock was the officer that shot Myst. He has not heard from police about the identity of the officer.

The footage shared online shows a police vehicle approach Hesseltines son, his son's cousin and the dog, while the boys ride bicycles in the alley behind Hesseltines home.

According to a news release shared on Aug. 22, police responded to investigate a report of four dogs at large, appearing to act aggressive and attempting to get over the callers fence and reach their dog.

Hesseltine wasnt there at the time of the incident, but said the officer, Bock, rolled down the window to let the boys know they had to put Myst on a leash. After the conversation, the boys dropped their bikes in the alley and began walking toward the house alongside the dog, the footage shows.

In the videos Hesseltine released, the dog runs back toward Bock, barking. Brandy Russell, the mother of Hesseltine's son, and one of the boys start to follow the dog towards the officer. Bock at first bends down and the dog stops barking, but then begins again. Bock backs up and moves his right hand towards his hip. The dog follows him and then the officer extends his hand and there are two gunshots.

Myst then ran back through the yard toward the house and falls over.

Hesseltine said that Myst did not bite the officer.

The release from the department does not reference any injuries to the officer, but says that the dogs behavior became aggressive, resulting in the officer discharging his firearm at the dog.

Hesseltine is still frustrated over the officers handling of the incident, and has circulated a petition on social media that calls for Bock to be reprimanded. The petition has more than 1,300 signatures as of Tuesday morning. It was started, Hesseltine said, by a stranger to the family who reached out and offered to help.

"We don't want him on the streets anymore, man," Hesseltine said. "Nobody does. I've had 100 people reach out to me."

Spears called for discipline for officer

On July 30, the police department met with Lacindra Spears and her mother and offered her $1,700, the price that Lacindra Spears paid for Muneca.

But Lacindra Spears said it wasn't enough. She wanted to know what disciplinary action the officer would face.

Lacindra Spears questioned why she was told her witnesses were not credible and said it was indicative of how people who live near her or look like her are treated by the police.

"I'm just never gonna get over the fact that why is y'all saying what we say don't matter man," Lacindra Spears said. "Why don't we ever f***ing matter? Why are we not credible? Why the hell is it not credible? ... The police not always right. That badge does not carry more weight than a Black man's truth."

Reporter Gannon Hanevold contributed to this article.
Installing cameras and alarms in and around a home can alert afamily if their child leaves. Onfokus/Getty Images

Officials and autism activists highlighted lifesaving resources available for Fort Bend County families after the body of Ryan Akabusi, a nonverbal 8 year old, was recovered from a lake near his home Sunday morning.

Ryan was reported missing Saturday after he was last seen around 5 a.m. leaving his house in the 1900 block of Kendall Lake Drive in Richmond. Search party efforts continued through the evening and his body was discovered by Texas Equusearch early Sunday morning.

Ryan was likely drawn to the lake because of his love for swimming, which he had been doing days before he went missing, said Dalia Simmons, criminal investigations captain in the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office.

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"Being on the spectrum, water attracts children," she said. "They're sensory sensitive. It helps them calm them down and the reflections and the shadows and everything in the water attracts them."

Fort Bend County resources for families of people with cognitive disabilities

Simmons commended steps his family took for the sake of their sons safety.

The cameras Ryan's parents installed help authorities locate him, she said.

Simmons said installing cameras and alarms in and around a home can help families with autistic children keep the child safe by alerting the family if the child leaves.

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Simmons said another resource for families is Project Lifesaver, a program designed for people with cognitive disabilities such as autism, dementia, Alzheimer's or traumatic brain injury who may leave home and get lost.

The program is a partnership between the sheriff's office and Project Lifesaver International, a nonprofit established in 1999 to keep those who may wander safe.

Fort Bend County residents can enroll in the program on behalf of their loved ones to get a small, wearable transmitter that emits an individualized frequency signal, according to the programs application. First responders are trained and equipped to use a device to locate the individual if they go missing.

"I would recommend it because that's one more resource and one that's really ... close to our loved ones," she said. "It would be the first resource to go and look into and try to find a location to assist the person."

The Take Me Home Program is another service offered by the sheriff's office aimed at assisting individuals who may struggle to communicate due to a developmental or cognitive disability.

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By filling out an application, parents or guardians can provide the authorities with a photo, details about an individuals physical appearance and where they are likely to go if they go missing, according to the sheriff's office website. The application also provides law enforcement with details about a person's triggers, stimulants and de-escalation techniques to use.

Interior door locks may help prevent children with autism from wandering

Sheletta Brundidge is a mother of four children, three of whom are on the autism spectrum. As an autism activist, she's aiming to spread awareness about how interior door locks have transformed her life and her children's.

After trying several methods to keep her youngest son Daniel from wandering, Brundidge installed the interior locks to each of her home's exterior doors.

"We have not had an escape attempt in four years," she said.

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Now, she plans to travel to Fort Bend County in the coming weeks to give away the locks for free.
 Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation



(28 August 2024)

Part I (see Part II)

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.

 The Sever Group of Forces units in Volchansk and Liptsy directions defeated formations of the 36th Marine Brigade, 113th Territorial Defence Brigade, and 13th National Guard Brigade near Alisovka, Liptsy, and Volchansk (Kharkov region).

The enemy losses amounted to up to 165 troops, nine motor vehicles, one 152-mm D-20 gun, and one 122-mm D-30 howitzer. One AFU fuel depot was neutralised.

The Zapad Group of Forces units improved tactical situation, inflicted losses on manpower and materiel of 14th and 44th mechanised brigades, 4th Tank Brigade of the AFU, 1st National Guard Brigade near Petropavlovka (Kharkov region), Torskoye, Serebryanka (Donetsk Peoples Republic), Stelmakhovka and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk Peoples Republic). The Russian troops repelled five counter-attacks of 67th Mechanised Brigade, 23rd Rifle Battalion of the AFU, 3rd National Guard Brigade, and 12th Special Forces Brigade of the Azov.

The enemy suffered losses amounting to up to 490 troops, one tank, one armoured fighting vehicle, and three motor vehicles were neutralised. In the course of the counter-battery warfare, Russian troops eliminated four 155-mm howitzers including one U.S.-made M777 and three UK-made FH-70 howitzers, one 152-mm Msta-B howitzer, one 122-mm D-20 gun, one Croatian-made RAK-SA-12 MLRS launcher, and one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-36 radar counter-battery station.

 The Yug Group of Forces units took more favourable lines, engaged manpower and materiel of 24th, 30th, 54th, 69th, 93rd mechanised brigades, 56th Motorised Infantry Brigade, 4th Tank Brigade, 143rd Infantry Brigade near Grigorovka, Chasov Yar, Krasnogorovka, Zaliznyanskoye, Stupochki, Karpovka, and Konstantinovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 690 troops, 21 motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer, two 152-mm Msta-B howitzers, three 122-mm D-30 howitzers, three U.S.-made 105-mm M119 guns, and one Bukovel-AD EW station. In addition, three AFU ammunition depots were destroyed.

 Tsentr Group of Forces units have liberated Kamyshchevka, Donetsk Peoples Republic, and go on advancing to the depth of the hostile defence.

The Russian troops engaged 44th, 53rd, 100th mechanised brigades, 68th Jaeger Brigade, and 95th Air Assault Brigade of the AFU, 15th National Guard Brigade near Rozovka, Druzhba, Grodovka, Dzerzhinsk, Karlovka, Galitsynovka, Lesovka, and Mikhailovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). The Russian troops repelled seven counter-attacks of the 144th Infantry Brigade, 25th Airborne Brigade of the AFU, 37th Marines Brigade, 15th National Guard Brigade, and Lyut Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian National Police.

The enemy lost up to 475 troops, one U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carrier, two motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer, one 152-mm Msta-B howitzer, two 152-mm D-20 guns, two 122-mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, and one 122-mm D-30 howitzer.

 Russian Defence Ministry

 Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation



(28 August 2024)

Part II (see Part I)

 The Vostok Group of Forces units improved tactical situation, inflicted losses on manpower and materiel of 65th and 72nd mechanised brigades, 58th motorised infantry brigade of the AFU near Vodyanoye, Ugledar, and Shakhterskoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic). Russian forces repelled three counter-attacks of 118th and 125th territorial defence brigades.

The enemy lost 115 troops, six motor vehicles, one Polish-made 155-mm Krab self-propelled artillery system, one 122-mm D-30 howitzer, and one 100-mm Rapira anti-tank gun.

 The Dnepr Group of Forces defeated formations of the AFU 128th Mountain Assault Brigade, 37th Marine Brigade, and 123rd Territorial Defence Brigade near Zherebyanka, Kamenskoye (Zaporozhye region), Dneprovskoye, Udarnik (Kherson region).

The AFU losses are as follows: up to 50 troops, nine motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer, one 152-mm Giatsint-B gun, and 122-mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery gun. One AFU ammunition depot was destroyed.

 Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Groups of Forces of the Russian Armed Forces engaged a foreign mercenaries camp, as well as a cluster of manpower and materiel in 148 areas.

Air defence systems have shot down one French-made Hammer guided aerial bomb, three U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, and 49 unmanned aerial vehicles.

 In total, 640 airplanes and 283 helicopters, 30,613 unmanned aerial vehicles, 575 air defence missile systems, 17,589 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,426 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 13,720 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 25,312 units of support motor vehicles have been destroyed during the special military operation.

 Russian Defence Ministry

WtR
Guardian angels on the battlefield

Today, Russian military medics celebrate their day.

On this occasion, Tsentr Group of Forces medics were presented with state awards for courage and professionalism they demonstrate during the special military operation.

The servicemen were awarded with Pirogov order, medals for Lifesaving, and medal Luke of the Crimea.

Chief of the Groups medical service thanked the servicemen and added that the command was grateful to them for saving lives.

 Russian Defence Ministry

WtR
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.
President Joe Biden plans to return to Wisconsin next week to discuss his administrations record on the economy, the White House announced Wednesday.

Biden will visit the battleground state on Thursday, Sept. 5, to highlight how his Investing in America agenda is benefiting communities across Wisconsin and ensuring Americans have a brighter, more prosperous future, according to the White House.

Additional details, including the location of Bidens visit, were not immediately available.

Bidens visit to Wisconsin is his first since he ended his reelection bid in late July and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris after the Democratic presidents poor debate performance with former President Donald Trump in June.

Both Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, as well as Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, are dramatically ramping 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.

Vance was scheduled to hold a campaign event in De Pere on Wednesday, while Trump is slated to be in La Crosse on Thursday. Walz and Minnesotas first lady, Gwen Walz, plan to hold a campaign event in Milwaukee on Monday.

Trump and Harris appear locked in a neck-and-neck race in the battleground state, according to a recent Marquette Law School Poll.

Photos: A ride on Madison's Bus Rapid Transit system
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
Judge Robert Johnson speaks with Blaine Boudreaux, who was sentenced to 80 years for felony murder after killing two people in separate accidents in April 2015, after hearing victim impact statements in the 177th state District Court, Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018, in Houston. Jon Shapley, Staff photographer / Staff photographer Judge Robert Johnson is shown in this file photo from Thursday August 4, 2016. Jeremy Carter / Houston Chronicle

Should voters care whether a judge is popular among the lawyers practicing in his court?

The answer is key in deciding who should don the black robe in Harris Countys 177th Criminal District Court.

The main knock against incumbent Judge Robert Johnson, 58, is that the Democrats brusque courtroom temperament hasnt made him many friends in the countys legal community since he was first elected in 2016. Surveys conducted by the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association this year and the Houston Bar Association in 2023 found that Johnson scored poorly in most categories. Among criminal lawyers, 83% of respondents disapproved of him  the second-worst mark of all 26 district court judges  while 47% of the bar association respondents indicated his overall performance needs improvement.

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These surveys carry weight for us but dont seem to jive with Johnsons actual performance. For instance, the bar association survey respondents gave Johnson poor marks on using attorneys' time efficiently and for scheduling and holding hearings and trials in a timely manner. Yet according to county data, Johnson holds more trials than most of the felony court judges, and his case backlog and clearance rates are above average for the 26 district courts.

Im not there for popularity contests, Johnson told the editorial board in his candidate screening. Im there to call balls and strikes, to rule based upon the law and to remain fair and impartial at all times.

Still, Johnsons reputation is part of the reason his Republican opponent, Emily Detoto, decided to challenge him. Detoto, 52, is an experienced criminal defense attorney who began her career as a prosecutor under former Harris County District Attorney Johnny Holmes in the late 90s. After two years, she switched to criminal defense and started her own practice in 2001. She made a name for herself defending high-profile clients such as Friendswood dentist Clara Harris, who ran over her husband after catching him with another woman, and Warren Jeffs, a polygamist sect leader, who sexually assaulted one of his child brides. Both cases resulted in convictions.

Detoto is also a regular commentator on Breaking Bond  a show on the local Fox News affiliate dedicated to highlighting instances where criminal suspects commit new crimes while free on felony bonds.

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Yet Detoto is not your typical tough on crime Republican judicial candidate any more than Johnson fits a caricature of a liberal judge giving criminal defendants endless chances.

Detotos approach to bail can be summed up as higher bond amounts and lower bond conditions, a discordant philosophy for a candidate whose primary concern is defendants re-offending while awaiting trial. She told us that she favors adhering to the rigid protocol of a bond schedule, which bases standard bail amounts solely on the type of crime alleged. But she also believes some of the current district court judges are abusing their discretion by conditioning bail on burdensome requirements.

Someone accused of a possession of less than a gram of cocaine does not need to have a GPS monitor  thats not a violent offense, Detoto told us in her screening. A lot of judges in Harris County are overcompensating on the bond conditions, which makes it very oppressive for people to exist.

For his part, Johnsons approach to bond conditions didnt seem oppressive. For drunken driving charges, he said he often revokes driver licenses. If a defendant is charged with domestic violence, hell order no contact with the alleged victim and require an ankle monitor to assure compliance. Those seem sensible ways to address public safety concerns without simply throwing a defendant in the county jail.

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Detoto struck us as a bulldog defense lawyer who defends her clients vigorously. But well stick with the incumbent in this race. If the worst strike against Johnson is his gruff demeanor on the bench, were not worried. Justice is supposed to be blind, but not necessarily chipper.
The original Chicano Squad members filming in Houston, Texas, on July 24, 2023. Danielle Villasana

Houstons Latino history

Regarding Ex-chief grew Mexican American Center at UH and Regina Lankenaus column Chicano Squad solved cases that no one else could (Aug. 23): I am pleased to see two articles on Latino individuals who made a huge and significant impact on our community.

First, the story on Tatcho Mindiola Jr., who passed recently, and was a pioneering figure and the former director of the University of Houstons Center for Mexican American Studies. Dr. Mindiolas dedication to advancing the education and representation of Latino students left an indelible legacy at the university and in the broader community. His work not only shaped the academic landscape but inspired countless students who went on to make significant contributions in public service and beyond.

In the second story, a celebrated long overdue recognition of the Chicano Squad, Houstons pioneering all-Latino homicide unit. Formed in 1979, the squad was tasked with initially solving a growing backlog of unsolved cases in the citys Latino communities. Despite facing significant challenges, including discrimination within the police force, the squad quickly proved its worth by clearing an impressive number of cases and building bridges between the police and the Latino community. The members of the Chicano Squad were honored with gold detective badges, a symbolic gesture recognizing the contributions and the barriers they broke and acknowledging their 45th anniversary. The recognition delivered by Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz underscored the enduring impact of the squad on the citys history and their legacy of promoting trust and justice in underserved communities.

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I commend the Chronicle for honoring such pioneers in our community, and not only celebrating their contributions but also acknowledging the struggles and triumphs of marginalized communities. The column and article serve as a reminder of the critical role that media plays in shaping public memory and ensuring that individuals who paved the way for justice, equity and quality of life are never forgotten.

Thank you, Jhair Romero and Regina Lankenau for shining a light on these crucial figures in Houstons Latino history.

Blanca Blanco, Houston

Thank you for the article on the Houston Police Departments Chicano Squad. As a Chicano police officer with HPD at the time of the Chicano Squads creation, I can attest that their work through the years brought immense pride to all of us. I was disappointed when the squad was disbanded in 2010. Im happy they will get national recognition in the upcoming docuseries on A&E. They truly deserve it.

Jose Barrera, Houston

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Orphan wells

Regarding Railroad Commissioner Jim Wrights letter on orphan wells (Aug. 25): I have to ask: How does reducing the number of orphan wells solve the environmental impact, if plugged orphan wells still leak methane? It seems counting plugged wells is a smoke-screen hiding the fact that the problem still exists.

I also have to ask, shouldnt the House panel that Commissioner Wright testified on be nonpartisan? If the panel is trying to solve a problem, whether a witness is a Democrat or otherwise is immaterial. The panel should invite witnesses who are experts and have substantive information to add to the discourse.

Bill Crawford, Surfside



Unequal quality of care

Regarding Souths high heart disease rates examined (Aug. 18): The Pledge of Allegiance calls America one nation under God indivisible but lately thats debatable. States are defying the federal government, and their citizens suffer.

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This article doesnt mention that Texas and other mostly Southern states, have opted not to expand Medicaid, which would give their poorest citizens access to regular medical care. The federal government wants poor Americans to get the care they need. Too often, shortsighted state governments refuse the aid to the detriment of the most vulnerable. One Mississippi man had his first heart attack at age 25.

Americas not a collection of squabbling provinces. As a free country, we cant treat some Americans as second-class citizens because of geography.

When we start treating all Americans equally, well be a better  and healthier  country.
One of the most distinctive harbingers of the fall season is the return of pumpkin spice  to coffee shops, to menus and to some things that arent even edible. Pumpkin spice flavoring is so popular that some merchants will add it to just about any product to garner attention.

And its big business. In 2023 the market for pumpkin spice flavorings was valued at $1.1 billion. 

Members only

The Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks is the poster child for pumpkin popularity. It debuted in 2004 and reappeared on the menu on Aug. 22, along with its iced Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew.

Its not just the flavor that fans love. Research from Stagwell Marketing, found that smell tops the list, with the scent ranking as the best part of pumpkin spice for 66 percent of respondents (just 48 percent ranked taste as the highlight).

There may also be a neurological factor driving pumpkin fandom. Marie Wright, a food chemist and the chief global flavorist at ADM, a Chicago-based company that supplies ingredients to food manufacturers, says that fall flavors appeal to the primitive part of the brain, where memories and emotions are stored. It evokes the feeling of warmth, security and coziness, Wright says of pumpkin spice.

Heres a look at some of the limited-edition pumpkin spice products that will be available in the coming months.

Pumpkin spice latte

The iconic fall drink is most closely associated with Starbucks, but competitors have pioneered their own versions  including. Peets Coffee, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Tim Hortons and Saxbys, along with other national chains. Most are available for a limited time.

You dont need a barista to get your PSL fix. Death Wish Coffee, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and, of course, Starbucks all offer pumpkin spice flavored beans to brew at home.

Dunkin

Dunkin is offering pumpkin-themed doughnuts, muffins and Munchkin (doughnut holes) on its fall menu, which debuts on Aug. 28. The New Englandbased chain is also offering its Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte, which can be ordered hot or iced.

Beer

The combination of hops and pumpkin spice has proven popular as craft breweries and big beer brands release pumpkin-flavored ales this fall. New Belgium released Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin, Southern Tier Brewing Co. has a seasonal Pumking Imperial Pumpkin Ale and Samuel Adams calls its Jack-O The Perfect Fall Beer.
Perth, Aug 28, 2024 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Great Western Exploration ( ASX:GTE ) advises that Managing Director Shane Pike has today delivered an updated Investor Presentation.



In the presentation, Mr Pike discusses the Company's upcoming drilling program at its giant Oval and Oval South copper-gold targets within its Yerrida North Project in WA.



Yerrida North is located on the northern and western portions of the Yerrida Basin, approximately 800km north-east of Perth. The two targets both have several coincident geological attributes, which Great Western believes represent giant Winu-style intrusive related copper-gold mineralisation.



The webinar presentation can be viewed at:

https://www.abnnewswire.net/lnk/HT3FFOLM



To download the presentation, please visit:

https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/3PC8573F





About Great Western Exploration Limited





Great Western Exploration (ASX:GTE) is an explorer with a world class, large land position in prolific regions of Western Australia. Great Western's tenements have been under or virtually unexplored. Numerous work programmes across multiple projects are underway and the Company is well-funded with a tight capital structure, providing leverage to exploration success.

Related Companies
The Concord Missionary Baptist Church at 7506 North Main is photographed Monday, Sept. 2, 2024 in Houston. The building was one of five buildings that was granted historic landmark status, a key preservation tool designed to ensure that pieces of Houstons history are not lost to reckless alterations or demolitions, by the Houston City Council. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer



Houston City Council on Wednesday granted five local buildings historic landmark status  a key preservation tool designed to ensure that pieces of Houstons history are not lost to careless alterations or demolitions.

Two of them  the Frank A. Watts House at 2529 Stanmore Drive and the Menil House at 3363 San Felipe St.  are now recognized as landmarks, meaning any redesign or maintenance must comply with additional regulations under the citys Historic Preservation Ordinance.

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The other three structures  the Alexander Z. and Julia C. Hester House at 1703 West St., Concord Missionary Baptist Church at 7506 North Main St. and the Knapp Chevrolet Building at 1230 Houston Ave.  received the designation of protected landmarks, which offers a higher level of protection that provides significant safeguards against demolition and alterations.

In Houston, we have seen a disturbing trend of demolition and destruction of our historic buildings, Laura Carrera, a local architect specializing in historic preservation, said during a recent public hearing in support of the applications. These landmarks are irreplaceable, and once they are gone, a piece of our history is lost forever.

The city originally considered two other applications  the Humble-Exxon Building and Garage at 800 Bell St. and 1616 Milam St., and the Braswell Building at 5613 Almeda Road  but did not take action Wednesday.

HOUSTON HISTORY: Exxon Mobil has deep roots in Houston area

Mayor John Whitmire previously raised concerns about the Humble-Exxon Buildings designation. He noted that the building does not appear to have as much historical significance as the other proposed landmarks and that the status could restrict future commercial opportunities at a viable business structure in the central part of Houston.

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Elise Marrion, spokesperson for the Planning and Development Department, told the Chronicle the Humble-Exxon Buildings owner has since withdrawn the application.

In the case of the Braswell Building, resident Malcolm Lee previously said his sister has an unresolved ownership dispute with the current owner. Marrion said planning staff have since verified the current ownership and are set to present the application to City Council in the coming weeks.

The five newly designated buildings have now joined a list of more than 200 landmarks and protected landmarks spread throughout the city. Heres what they are and why they matter.

Alexander Z. and Julia C. Hester House

The Alexander Z. and Julia C. Hester House at 1703 West Street is photographed Monday, Sept. 2, 2024 in Houston. The building was one of five buildings that was granted historic landmark status, a key preservation tool designed to ensure that pieces of Houstons history are not lost to reckless alterations or demolitions, by the Houston City Council. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

The Hester House is a one-story Queen Anne-style cottage that has been serving as a community center in the Fifth Ward area. It features an original front gable with a bay window framed by corner brackets, exterior wood cladding and fenestration patterns.

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The house was built in 1903 for Julia C. Hester, an influential teacher and community leader, and her husband, Alexander Z. Hester, a cotton sampler. Their dwelling was used as a gathering place to engage and educate children in the neighborhood.

I feel very fortunate to live in a house with such a beautiful history, and I feel its a privilege and my duty to preserve their legacy at home, said the propertys owner, Marlene Weekley. She said she is working with the Texas General Land Office to repair the building and bring it up to code.

Knapp Chevrolet Building

The Knapp Chevrolet Building at 1230 Houston Avenue is photographed Monday, Sept. 2, 2024 in Houston. The building was one of five buildings that was granted historic landmark status, a key preservation tool designed to ensure that pieces of Houstons history are not lost to reckless alterations or demolitions, by the Houston City Council. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

The one-story brick veneer building on Houston Avenue first opened in 1940 as an automobile showroom for Knapp Chevrolet, a local dealership still in business. Over the decades, it has also served as a repair shop, industrial print shop and a comedy improvisation theater called Station Theater. An art gallery currently occupies the space.

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The buildings front facade continues to reflect Chevrolets industrial identity of the time, the application reads. Its Art Moderne-style represents a typical small-scale Texas automobile shop that provided commercial services for its surrounding community.

The Knapp Chevrolet Building at 1230 Houston Avenue is photographed Monday, Sept. 2, 2024 in Houston. The building was one of five buildings that was granted historic landmark status, a key preservation tool designed to ensure that pieces of Houstons history are not lost to reckless alterations or demolitions, by the Houston City Council. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

Concord Missionary Baptist Church

The Concord Missionary Baptist Church at 7506 North Main is photographed Monday, Sept. 2, 2024 in Houston. The building was one of five buildings that was granted historic landmark status, a key preservation tool designed to ensure that pieces of Houstons history are not lost to reckless alterations or demolitions, by the Houston City Council. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

One of the few surviving church buildings in Independence Heights, the Concord Missionary Baptist Church was designed and built in the 1950s by Black contractor James M. Thomas. He was a prominent builder who designed dozens of churches, mostly for local African American congregations, at a time when few Black architects were recognized.

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The congregation struggled with dwindling membership in the 21st century as an increasing number of residents moved from Independence Heights to other neighborhoods. They decided to stop using the church by 2011, and the building is currently vacant.

The Concord Missionary Baptist Church at 7506 North Main is photographed Monday, Sept. 2, 2024 in Houston. The building was one of five buildings that was granted historic landmark status, a key preservation tool designed to ensure that pieces of Houstons history are not lost to reckless alterations or demolitions, by the Houston City Council. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

Menil House

Built around 1950, the one-story, single-family dwelling in the Briarwood neighborhood was the primary residence of John and Dominique de Menil, two internationally recognized art collectors.

The house is considered a key symbol in the history of 20th century modernist culture. Its architecture had a direct impact on what became the Menil Collection and the Menil Drawing Institute.

The entrance of the Menil House at 3363 San Felipe Street is photographed Monday, Sept. 2, 2024 in Houston. The building was one of five buildings that was granted historic landmark status, a key preservation tool designed to ensure that pieces of Houstons history are not lost to reckless alterations or demolitions, by the Houston City Council. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

MODERNIST HOMES: De Menil scion still seeking to shape Houston

Frank A. Watts House

The Frank A. Watts House at 2529 Stanmore Drive is photographed Monday, Sept. 2, 2024 in Houston. The building was one of five buildings that was granted historic landmark status, a key preservation tool designed to ensure that pieces of Houstons history are not lost to reckless alterations or demolitions, by the Houston City Council. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

The two-story single-family home was designed in 1934 by Cameron Fairchild, an architect known for his eclectic residential designs primarily in River Oaks. The house features a wood frame with brick veneer and Colonial Revival details, along with a two-story garage that includes living quarters. It is located on a horseshoe-shaped court alongside five other residences.
Talks seek to build on summit consensus

09:30, August 28, 2024 By Zhang Yunbi ( China Daily

Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, shakes hands with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, during their talks in Beijing on Tuesday. (DING LIN/XINHUA)

Shortly after United States National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan arrived in Beijing on Tuesday afternoon, he embarked on a new round of China-US strategic communication with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

In his opening remarks at the talks, Wang expressed his expectations for the two days of in-depth communication.

He expressed hope that China-US relations would move in the direction of overcoming disturbances and removing obstacles, and "truly realize stable, healthy and sustainable development".

Wang noted that the relationship is "vital to both countries and affects the world" and that "the past few years have been full of ups and downs".

Sullivan thanked China for its thoughtful arrangements for his first China visit as national security adviser. He said that US President Joe Biden is committed to managing the US-China relationship responsibly, avoiding competition from veering into conflict, and cooperating in areas of common interest.

Washington looks forward to having a fruitful dialogue with Beijing on a wide range of topics through this strategic communication and implementing the consensus reached by the two heads of state, said Sullivan.

Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, previously held three rounds of strategic communications with Sullivan in Austria, Malta, and Thailand.

The strategic communications between Wang and Sullivan are part of the consensus reached at the summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden in Bali, Indonesia, in 2022.

When disembarking his plane at Beijing Capital International Airport on Tuesday afternoon, Sullivan was welcomed by Yang Tao, director of the Foreign Ministry's Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs, who is also a veteran diplomat in handling US affairs. US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns also greeted Sullivan there.

Sullivan's three-day trip, till Thursday, also marks the first visit to China by a US national security adviser since Susan Rice's trip in 2016.

Speaking to Sullivan, Wang mentioned that under the strategic guidance of President Xi and President Biden, the two sides realized the Bali summit and the San Francisco summit in November.

"The experience therein is worth drawing on, lessons need to be learned, and the key is to pivot to the major direction of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation," Wang said, adding that implementing the consensus of the San Francisco summit "is the shared duty of China and the US, as well as the main task of this strategic communication".

Teng Jianqun, professor and director of the Diplomacy Studies Center at Hunan Normal University in Changsha, said, "Since the two leaders' summit last year, the two sides have seen a recovery in cooperation in areas such as politics, the economy, diplomacy and security."

Teng noted that Sullivan is a key policy assistant to the Biden administration, and his ongoing trip undertakes a series of important missions.

"Sullivan's China trip aims to keep afloat the good momentum of China-US interactions," he said.

Wu Xinbo, dean of Fudan University's Institute of International Studies, noted that China-US relations are still plagued by constant friction because the US suppresses China in the areas of trade and commerce, as well as science and technology, and it keeps targeting Chinese companies.

"Sullivan's visit to China also provides an opportunity for both sides to discuss pressing concerns and manage differences," he said.

In a recent video speech for the Second Fudan-Harvard China-US Youth Leaders Dialogue, Jing Quan, minister of the Chinese embassy in the US, noted the progress in bilateral cooperation in fields such as counternarcotics, people-to-people exchanges, the economy and trade.

"Over the past 45 years, the China-US relationship has kept forging ahead despite twists and turns, growing into the most important bilateral relationship in the world today," he said.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
Zion Escobar, executive director of Houston Freedmen's Town Conservancy, stops to take a look at some of the original brick streets in Freedman's Town Tuesday, June 15, 2021 in Houston. She said she welcomes the proposed conservation district program as a new tool to protect her neighborhood. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer

Mayor Sylvester Turner is seeking City Council support for a conservation district program he and city planners say could help lower-income neighborhoods preserve their character and fend off gentrification.

Proponents say the proposal, currently under study by the city planning department, could offer neighborhoods an easier path to preservation than a historic district, giving residents a chance to define the "character, look and feel" of their neighborhood rather than tie it to specific qualifications to prove its historic significance.

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Residents seeking a conservation district would be able to choose from 19 areas of regulation  including building height, lot size, parking, fences, architectural design, and demolition  to apply to their community.

As proposed, the city would require only 51 percent of an area's property owners to approve a conservation designation, instead of the 67 percent needed to apply for a historic district.

There are a number of neighborhoods in Houston that kind of fall between our other tools, said Margaret Wallace Brown, director of Houstons Planning and Development Department. We anticipate a conservation district being less onerous, less complicated for the property owners, and requiring less adherence to the historic materials and the preservation piece of it.

Officials said they anticipate the less stringent requirements will give Houstons low-income neighborhoods a chance at preservation. By contrast, 21 of the city's current historic districts are located in more affluent neighborhoods.

The mayor has asked city council members to support the proposal with a sense of urgency as a way to stop gentrification in historically underrepresented communities, citing the example of Freedmens Town, where the number of historic structures dropped from 540 in the 1980s to fewer than 40 today.

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If the city does nothing, the city is going to participate in the gentrification of communities throughout this city, Turner said last month. And the question is, in this defining moment, where will this city council be?

Not convinced

Similar to debates over historic districts, government officials, residents, and researchers are divided on whether the proposed preservation tool serves as a safeguard against gentrification or an instrument of it.

In growing cities like Houston, incremental changes to existing neighborhoods  converting a single-family home into a two-family home to accommodate ones elderly parent or post-college kid, for example  can help ease the rising demand for housing, according to Anika Singh Lemar, a clinical professor at Yale Law School who focuses on land use, zoning, and affordable housing.

Lemar said her research into conservation districts in such cities as Cambridge, Nashville, Dallas, Miami, Boise, and Chapel Hill found that regulating the density or appearance of new housing construction does not make a gentrifying area less desirable and will lead to even less affordability due to the artificial constraints on the local housing supply.

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You can stop the buildings from looking different, but you cannot stop the change of who will end up living in those buildings, Lemar said.

Adding to the uncertainty is the lack of consensus on what conservation districts entail as a model, since it only started to emerge in the past few decades, according to Manish Chalana, associate professor in urban design at the University of Washington, whose research on Seattle's only conservation district suggests it has accelerated gentrification over time.

Houston would have to be very careful because conservation district is a newer and yet-unexplored concept, Chalana said. It could go both ways with gentrification. It could prevent gentrification for some time. But, eventually, the frozen, low-density neighborhood might become attractive to residents who can pay for it, and then again, it gets gentrified.

Wallace Brown said she has not seen evidence in Houston indicating that preservation efforts drive up housing prices. She also said the impact future conservation districts would have on the entire city would be limited. As a point of reference, she noted, Houstons current 23 historic districts cover less than 1 percent of the citys 640-square mile land area.

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Because conservation districts are anti-speculation, they don't allow for people to come in and just jack up the prices and build something out of scale, she said. And I cannot imagine that the conservation districts and historic districts combined have any overall effect on the remaining 99 percent of the land.

David Bush, executive director at the non-profit Preservation Houston, pointed out the impact of conservation districts will depend on which set of regulations a particular group of property owners chooses to enforce.

In some cases, it could slow down gentrification and in other cases, it might not, Bush said. Its not going to solve all the problems But I think the main benefit for the conservation district is that it will give neighborhood residents more of a voice in their neighborhoods future.

New tool needed

Despite skepticism from some researchers, a number of Houston neighborhoods appear eager to take advantage of the newly proposed tool. Freedmens Town, Independence Heights, Magnolia Park and Manchester could be among the first areas to participate in the program, if it is approved by council, according to Wallace Brown.

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Zion Escobar, executive director of the Houston Freedmens Town Conservancy, said regulating architectural styles, and building relocation and demolitions, would be beneficial to her community, which saw most of its historic structures destroyed over the past few decades.

There are many other things on the list of menu items that may be attractive to the community, but those two, I think, really float to the top as no-brainers, Escobar said. We want to be protective but not restrictive. We want to protect the fabric of what's intact, but also allow for growth and economic development that is healthy.

Tanya Debose, executive director of the Independence Heights Redevelopment Council, urged city officials during a February public meeting to support conservation designation for her community in an attempt to stop the demolition and displacement that has been taking place there. As a fifth-generation resident of the historically Black neighborhood, Debose has been vocal in her opposition to the disruptive Interstate 45 rebuild project that has targeted Independence Heights for demolitions to widen the freeway.

During COVID, we saw an aggressive amount of demolitions in our community... The house that my great grandfather bought in 1924 is gone, Debose said. This may not be a tool that will work for every other neighborhood. But for right now in Independence Heights, I need this council, this mayor and everybody to understand how important this is to us.

COURT WIN: Houstons historic preservation ordinance gets OK from Texas Supreme Court

Of the 48 written comments the city received by the end February, 36 were in support of a conservation district program, the planning department said. Only four were opposed, and the remaining nine had questions or sought changes in the proposal language.

Among those who expressed opposition is Suzy Hartgrove, executive director of the Houston Real Estate Council. She said her group is concerned about how broad framework could affect nearby commercial developments and suggested limiting the scope of the program.

We think this may open the door for neighborhoods across the city to kind of co-opt the ordinance and pull in properties from nearby large commercial tracts, Hartgrove said at the February public hearing. We understand your goal of trying to protect very specific, targeted historic areas. If that's the caselet's name those communities.

Wallace Brown said she has revised the language of the proposed ordinance to prevent areas with dissimilar development patterns  a residential neighborhood and a nearby commercial district, for example  from being grouped together in a conservation district.

She said she has not resolved the debate over whether to limit the programs applicability to specific neighborhoods.

Meanwhile, At-large Councilmember Sallie Alcorn has proposed the creation of an annual plan to focus only on a few communities and manage expectations.

If we could put some kind of certainty within the annual plan, I think that that would give a lot more comfort in knowing where you're going to go, Alcorn said.

The proposed ordinance is expected to come before City Council for a vote before the end of March.
Asymmetrique, a Mumbai-based marketing solutions company, has secured the brand management and marketing mandate for Ginza Industries Ltd., a leader with 38 years of experience in the Indian textile and apparel industry. This strategic partnership aims to create unique identities for Ginzas brands, including its flagship brand SOIE, Aqua, its premium swimwear brand, and a menswear brand in the offing. The company will be responsible for establishing a strong brand presence and digital footprint for each brand in the Indian market. The mandate was won following a multi-agency pitch and will be handled from its Mumbai office.

Asymmetrique has a wealth of experience in driving growth for apparel and lifestyle brands. It has consistently demonstrated its ability to create distinctive and memorable brand identities that connect with consumers. Acknowledging this extensive industry expertise and aligned vision, Ginza has decided to collaborate with Asymmetrique as the single agency partner across all its consumer brands. As part of the mandate, Asymmetrique will be responsible for designing brand identity and packaging, driving brand awareness through strategic marketing, and expanding digital footprint through brand and product campaigns for each of the companys brands as well as Ginza. The company will devise and execute engaging video-first content, ensuring that Ginzas brands resonate with their target audience. Additionally, Asymmetrique will manage all digital media and e-commerce, reinforcing Ginzas market position and driving business growth.

Nitin Gupta, Founder and MD of Asymmetrique, shared his excitement about the new partnership, saying, Ginzas products, especially under its flagship brand, SOIE, have been underexposed in what is a cluttered and demand-driven market. We believe the quality and experience on offer deserve to be counted amongst the best in India first, and then the world. It is also why we have extended our unique brand-to-sales partnering model; it is exactly what Ginzas brands need to unlock comprehensive, sustainable growth. We are delighted that the Ginza team has chosen us to partner with them in their journey to greatness for all its brands, starting with SOIE.

Amrit Sethia, Vice President, Ginza Industries Ltd., expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, We are delighted to collaborate with Asymmetrique as our Integrated Marketing & Comms. Agency to elevate our brands, including SOIE which is a Luxury Women's Lingerie & Activewear brand, Aqua our Premium Swimwear brand, and also our soon-to-launch menswear brand. Their proven track record and strategic approach with a deep understanding of the market make them the ideal partner for us. We are confident that this collaboration will help us reach new heights and strengthen our market position.
Cuticura, a renowned beauty and personal care brand from Cholayil, has a legacy that dates back to 1865. Over the years, Cuticuras refreshing range of talcum powders has been cherished by generations. In Kerala, Cuticura enjoys unparalleled trust and credibility, holding a special place in the hearts of consumers. This year is special for Cuticura as it is launching a series of new products to expand its portfolio. Considering the popularity of Onam festival, Cuticura has launched a comprehensive branding campaign across Kerala and has included Kochi Metro trains to highlight product benefits when consumers are on the go.

As part of the campaign, Cuticura has highlighted its newly improved talc, which offers 8-hours of freshness. With a wide range of products in soap, handwash, and Deos, consumers can now enjoy the refreshing benefits of Cuticura. The vibrant creatives displayed on the metro trains are attracting significant attention as it is amplifying the need for freshness all day long.



As Kochi prepares to celebrate the vibrant Onam festival, Cuticura is excited to enhance its visibility with a dynamic branding campaign on Kochi Metro trains. This initiative strategically places Cuticuras eye-catching visuals and messages on the metro trains, which will be bustling with festival-goers and commuters. With Onam attracting large crowds and increased travel across the city, this campaign ensures that Cuticuras message of freshness and quality reaches a diverse audience. The branding will showcase Cuticuras range of products, including its newly improved talc offering 8-hour freshness, effectively capturing attention and making a memorable impact during the festive season. By leveraging the extensive reach of Kochi Metro, Cuticura aims to connect with consumers in a meaningful way as they immerse themselves in the Onam celebrations.



Anupam Katheriya, CEO of Cholayil Private Limited, shared his enthusiasm about Cuticura's branding campaign on Kochi Metro trains, emphasizing its significant impact during the Onam festival.

Onam is a major cultural festival celebrated in Kerala, marking the homecoming of the mythical King Mahabali and the end of the monsoon season. Its a time of great joy, elaborate feasts, and vibrant festivities. He continued, We deeply appreciate the love and support our customers have shown towards Cuticura. We are happy to introduce our new talc that offers 8-hour freshness, ensuring that our consumers feel refreshed throughout the festive season.

Mr. Katheriya explained the strategic choice of Kochi Metro trains for the campaign: Choosing Kochi Metro trains was a deliberate decision to maximize our visibility during the Onam festivities when the city is bustling with activity. The extensive reach of the metro network allows us to be present where the crowd is ensuring that our message resonates with a wide audience. Having a presence in the metro allows us to emphasize our product promise stay refreshingly fresh with Cuticura Talc. We are also delighted to partner with The Brand Sigma on this initiative. We wish all members of the Cuticura family a joyous Onam and look forward to continuing to serve our valued customers with excellence.



Madan Seeni, Director, The Brand Sigma, said Cuticura is a household name in Kerala in its category, we are delighted to work with them. There cannot be a better way than to be visible during the auspicious festival of Onam. Building on the brief, The Brand Sigma crafted a campaign that resulted in a media mix delivering both impact and reach. With Kochi Metro catering to more than 1 lakh+ passenger daily , the metro train covers the passengers for whom metro is a last mile connectivity lifeline across the city.



Sanjay Rao, Senior VP - Business Development, The Brand Sigma, said, Cuticura is a prestigious client for us. The products were showcased in larger-than-life manner and creative had mix of English and Malayalam to create connect with the local audience during Onam festival. We are driven by passion more than anything else when it comes to client delight and we were successful in delivering here by working closely with the Cuticura Team. We thank them for their continuous support.



Also Read: Wondrlab and Cuticura celebrate Onam with a fresh twist
Negative sentiments towards Telegram in Asia have skyrocketed by nearly ten times, from 2.4% to 23.7%, following the arrest of its founder, Pavel Durov, in connection with an investigation into criminal activity on the app, according to media intelligence firm CARMA. Conversely, positive sentiments dropped to 23.7% after the arrest.

Durov's arrest sparked concerns about Telegram's security and its implications for users. The situation also ignited debates on free speech and the potential political motivations behind the arrest.

CARMA reports a total of 162.3k mentions in Asia regarding Durov's arrest, accounting for 9.55% of all conversations about him. A sentiment analysis of these social conversations revealed 25% positive and 31% negative sentiments.

Many expressed support for Durov and Telegram, advocating for freedom of speech, privacy rights, and his release. Others discussed local incidents of deepfakes and assaults facilitated through Telegram.

Indonesia and Japan led the conversation in North and Southeast Asia, with 30.2% and 24.3% of the share of voice, respectively. Malaysia and Singapore followed with 6% and 3.6%.

Executive Visibility Crucial in Times of Crisis

Divika Jethmal, head of marketing at CARMA, emphasized the importance of executive visibility in times of crisis. "A leader's public image can profoundly impact a brand's reputation and future. With Durov under scrutiny for serious charges, how the media reports on the incident can alter the public perception of Telegram," she said.

Durov Arrested in France

Durov was arrested at Le Bourget airport near Paris on August 24 following a judicial investigation opened on July 8. The investigation focused on web-mastering an online platform for illegal transactions, refusal to cooperate with authorities, and complicity in child pornography, drug trafficking, and money laundering.

Prosecutor Laure Beccuau confirmed that Durov was questioned by investigators within the procedural framework.

Debate on Free Speech and Political Motivation

Durov's arrest ignited a debate about free speech on the internet. French President Emmanuel Macron dismissed false accusations from Telegram supporters, stating that the arrest was part of an ongoing judicial investigation and not a political decision. He emphasized France's commitment to freedom of expression, innovation, and entrepreneurship, but also noted that these freedoms must be exercised within a legal framework to protect citizens and their fundamental rights.

Telegram's Response

Following Durov's arrest, Telegram issued a statement on X, stating its adherence to EU law, including the digital services act. The platform emphasized its industry-standard moderation practices and ongoing improvements.

Telegram defended Durov's innocence and claimed that the platform and its owner are not responsible for abuse. It highlighted Telegram's global reach and its importance as a means of communication and information.

(Image credit: TechCrunch)

Also Read: Durov's arrest damps Telegram's popularity in Asia
Madison Media, a unit of Madison World, has announced the appointment of Mimi Deb as COO Madison Media Plus, spearheading Madison Medias Delhi Branch. She will report to Vikram Sakhuja, Group CEO of Madison Media & OOH.

With more than 25 years of experience in the media and communications industry, Mimi Deb comes to her new role with a deep and diverse background. Her career spans significant roles at renowned organizations including GroupM, Publicis, Universal McCann, and Alchemist Group, where she most recently served as Managing Consultant. Mimis extensive background includes FMCG, Lifestyle & Luxury segments, as well as Digital-first businesses, having collaborated with high-profile clients such as Haleon, RSPL, Perfetti, OLX, Mother Dairy, GoDaddy, and Dabur. Additionally, she holds an Advanced Management Program degree from XLRI, Jamshedpur, and is a certified trainer

Vikram Sakhuja, Group CEO, Madison Media & OOH, said, "We are excited to welcome Mimi Deb to Madison Media, Delhi. Her rich industry experience and strategic insight will be instrumental as we continue to innovate and expand our services. We are confident that under her leadership, our Delhi operations will thrive and continue to deliver exceptional value to our clients."

Mimi Deb, COO, Madison Media Plus, said, "I am honored to take on the role of Head of Madison Media, Delhi. I look forward to working closely with Vikram and the entire team to drive impactful media strategies and I am also keen on expanding our Delhi branchs reach and capabilities to better serve our clients and foster growth in the region.

Madison Media, Indias largest homegrown communication agency, is the Worlds 4th Largest Independent Media Agency as per RECMA. Madison Media also tops RECMAs qualitative ranking chart for the last 4 consecutive years with a Dominant Score. At the recent E4M Prime Time Awards 2024, the Agency won for the 5th consecutive year TV Media Agency of the Year. The Agency is also ranked the 2nd Most Powerful Media Agency by The Economic Times Brand Equity Ad Agency Reckoner in addition to winning over 470 awards since 2020.

Madison Media handles media planning and buying for blue chip clients like Godrej, Marico, Asian Paints, Titan, Blue Star, TVS, Raymond, CEAT, Pidilite, Bajaj Electricals, McDonalds, Lodha, Shaadi.com, and many others. Madison Media is part of Madison World, Indias largest homegrown communication agency established in 1988. Madison World through its 11 Units served last year, as many as 500 Advertisers.
The Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) will host the inaugural edition of PRana 2024: Shaping the Story of India on September 4, 2024 at The Leela, Chanakya Puri, New Delhi, inviting 20 key opinion leaders, 100 plus C-suite leaders and top communicators to co-create the new narrative of the nation, as India marches towards the centennial independence celebrations in 2047. The convention underscores the critical importance of compelling narratives for inspiring change, fostering innovation, and contributing to the countrys growth.

The public relations industry is witnessing continued growth and upward trajectory, estimated at INR 2500 crores in FY 2023, registering double digit growth year-on-year and employing more than 14,000 people in the organized sector. The industry is gaining increased recognition by CEO and C-Suite community. According to SPRINT 2023* the private sector, startup economy, and unicorns are fuelling PR industrys growth, the C-suite is increasingly recognizing PR and communications as a driving function rather than just an enabler. Eight out of 10 respondents said that India Inc. leadership is working closely with their corporate communications team to devise strategies for brand communication, while 80% of corporate communications head report directly to the CEOs.

"PRana 2024 is a movement aimed at harnessing the power of aspirational narratives to drive our nation's progress with two significant stakeholders - business leaders and reputation custodians. I am certain that the insights shared amongst these stakeholders will not only shape the future of public relations in India but will also contribute to the global discourse on reputation management and storytelling." said Deeptie Sethi, CEO of PRCAI.

From our ancient epics to modern narratives of innovation, India has always been the land of storytelling. As we approach India@100, there could be no better way for the PR industry to celebrate our rich heritage and aspirational future. PRana 2024 is more than just an initiative; its a celebration of storytelling, our thriving tradition on a global stage. Well-crafted narratives can inspire change, transform mindsets, and drive meaningful change, and this is the power of strategic communication that we will harness through PRana 2024. As our industry continues to grow and gain strategic importance across sectors, we look forward to crafting compelling narratives that will resonate with our global ambitions, said Kunal Kishore, Vice President, PRCAI.

Inspired by the global trend of shorter speeches which are gaining popularity reflects how people consume information in today's fast-paced world, the convention introduced a brand-new speech format called 300Wise, where speakers will deliver concise, high-impact visionary speeches in five minutes. Influential key opinion leaders will share their vision for India@100 at the public relations convention themed PRana 2024: Shaping the Story of India centred around how powerful ideas can positively impact four pivotal pillars of reputation centred around Leadership and Vision, Emotional Quotient, Country Economics and Social Elevation. Business leaders including Nadir Godrej, Chairman & MD of Godrej Industries, Ritesh Agarwal, CEO & Founder of OYO Rooms, Ashish Kumar Chauhan, MD & CEO of the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), Bhairavi Jani, Chairperson of SCA Group of Companies; Captain Indraani Singh, Founder of Literacy India; Chhavi Rajawat, First MBA Sarpanch, Devdutt Pattanaik, Author, Guneet Monga, Academy Award-Winning Filmmaker, Kapil Sibal, Lawyer & Politician, Vineet Nayar, Founder of Sampark Foundation, Licypriya Kangujam, Climate Activist, Manish Sharma, Chairman of Panasonic Life Solutions India and South Asia; and Supriya Paul, Co-Founder and CEO of Josh Talks amongst others. Each track will be facilitated by notable guests from the media to help co-curate the India narrative.

During the story convention, PRCAI will unveil a whitepaper IndiaKiAshaa sharing Indias hopes and aspirations. The whitepaper will outline what India can achieve in the next five years which will positively impact its brand reputation. The insights shared are culled from over 185,000 responses from 40,000 plus unique citizens located in 394 districts of India. The research is focused on key areas such as sustainability, geopolitical influence, infrastructure, healthcare, ease of living in cities, growth and prosperity, quality education, skilling, technology and innovation and communications, giving a perspective of evolving national narrative of Indias progress and its future trajectory.

PRana 2024: Shaping the Story of India is dedicated to highlighting the power of storytelling in effecting positive change and contributing to the next phase of India's growth. Conceived by PRCAI's esteemed counsel and advisory board with cumulative experience of over 500 years, the convention will serve as a platform where actionable insights will be exchanged, paving the way for real change. PRana 2024 salutes a renewed commitment and purpose of leveraging credible storytelling as a powerful tool to shape India's reputation, establishing it as a pivotal platform for the communications industry and setting the stage for future innovations and collaborations.

Also Read: PRCAI brings the PR community together with seventh edition of PRPCL
RAGHAV Realty, a real estate developer in Mumbai, in partnership with Sideways Consulting, has released a new campaign introducing their philosophy to the world - Because Life Happens Inside.

Helmed by Mr. Sudhanshu R. Agarwal, began its journey in 2014, with a view of challenging the accepted standards of residential properties in Mumbai. He finds it rather unfortunate that people in the city prefer to spend longer hours in their offices, as they find it more liveable than their own homes.

RAGHAV Realty partnered Sideways, a creative consulting firm, to make their purpose of creating homes that are a delight to live in, known widely in Mumbai and in other cities. Together, they realised what sets RAGHAV Realty apart: paying more attention to creating functional & utility-first floor plans before designing glamorous exterior facades. A well-designed and thought through space makes the home a space that their owners love coming back to, instead of looking for that kind of comfort in third spaces outside.

This campaign is a reminder to all current owners and future residents that a house becomes a home based on the life you live inside, which is why it must be planned and executed with as much care as its outside facades are. It is a gentle ode to the moments that you create within the home that sometimes get overshadowed by the bigger, more grandiose ones.

Telling us more about their renewed purpose in real estate, Founder of RAGHAV Realty, Sudhanshu R. Agarwal, says, We have always wanted to build homes that are as beautiful inside, as they are on the outside. Our design philosophies, the way we furnish the apartments, all stems from the idea of making homes that arent a pain to move into, and dont have to be modified to a great extent by the new residents. Life truly happens inside, and we wanted the interiors of all our properties to help enable a lovely new chapter in the lives of our new residents. Sideways has been extremely patient and dedicated in making sure our vision reaches a lot more people.

Founder of Sideways, Abhijit Avasthi, who strongly resonates with this ideal, says, RAGHAV Realty dedication to liveability is a breath of fresh air. For far too long the housing market in Mumbai has been the subject of ridicule, for good reasons. I am hopeful that Raghav Group can show the city ways of making itself more liveable.
Thums Up, India's billion-dollar, homegrown beverage brand from The Coca-Cola Company, is thrilled to announce Toofani Biryani Hunt Season 2. A sequel to the successful first, this new chapter seeks to rekindle the taste for the perfect biryani pairing. With celebrity chef Ranveer Brar back at the helm, the upcoming edition is all set to deliver an exceptional culinary adventure.

Conceptualized and created by Disney+ Hotstar CreativeWorks, join the Thums Up Toofani Biryani Hunt Season 2 as the esteemed chef Ranveer Brar explores seven diverse regions  Hyderabad, Bangalore, Visakhapatnam, Lucknow, Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata  to understand the toofani origin of each biryani. Through its one-of-kind storytelling, the hunt brings alive the untold stories of 21 of the hottest biryani makers in the country with the Chef uncovering the inspiration behind each hotspot. The indomitable combination of Thums Up, Biryani and Chef Brar aims to settle the age-old question of Kaunsi Biryani hai Sabse Toofani?

Commenting on Season 2 of Toofani Biryani Hunt, Sumeli Chatterjee, Category Head, Sparkling Flavours, India & Southwest Asia at The Coca-Cola Company said, Were excited to present 'Thums Up Toofani Biryani Hunt Season 2,' in partnership with Disney+ Hotstar, serving up a sizzling flavour expedition on screen. This season, we celebrate the crisp chill of Thums Up paired with a steaming plate of rich, smoky biryani. With Chef Ranveer Brar bringing his exceptional talent back on board, the journey is set to be more delicious than ever as we uncover the best of biryani from seven diverse regions across India.

On his exciting collaboration with the brand, Celebrity Chef Ranveer Brar said, Biryani is not just a dish; it's a journey through time and taste, rich with history and fragrant with tradition. I am elated to return for another season of the Thums Up Toofani Biryani Hunt, as we uncover the history, legacy and bold flavours of biryani from various regions in India. Each episode is an adventureseeking out the best biryani spots, learning their stories, and savoring the bold flavors that make this dish so beloved.

Speaking about the show, Dhruv Dhawan, Head of Ads at Disney+ Hotstar, added, "At Disney+ Hotstars CreativeWorks, we continue to leverage the power of storytelling and solve the complex marketing needs of advertisers who want to forge meaningful connections with their audiences. Thums Up Toofani Biryani Hunt season 1 resonated well with our audiences and we are excited to bring in another season which exemplifies how we combine creativity and cultural relevance to craft memorable experiences. With season 2, were taking this journey with Thums Up to new heights, exploring the rich flavors and traditions that make biryani a dish close to every Indians heart."

Thums Up Toofani Biryani Hunt Season 2 is set to kick off with the pilot episode on August 28, 2024. This season promises a feast for the senses, the local pride for their culinary best and biryani fans across regions vouching that their biryani is most toofani.



Also Read: Coca-Cola Partners with Olympian Manu Bhaker in New Endorsement Deal
WhatsApp today released its impact report titled Fast Lane to Social Impact that explores the pivotal role the platform plays in the lives of Indian users, empowering small businesses to thrive in todays digital economy and powering social welfare organizations to drive positive societal change, often being the digital enabler for the last mile.

The report curated by Redseer Strategy Consultants, delves into the multifaceted impact of the platforms offeringsWhatsApp consumer app, WhatsApp Business App, and the WhatsApp Business Platform [API], highlighting how the platform has transformed the way people and communities interact and conduct business by facilitating seamless communication.

Commenting on the launch of the report, Shivnath Thukral, Vice President, Public Policy, Meta India, said, WhatsApp has emerged as a pivotal tool, revolutionizing the way individuals, businesses, and social welfare organizations communicate and operate. From supporting women entrepreneurs to providing skill development for the unemployed or even ensuring parents stay engaged with their childrens education  organizations are successfully harnessing the capabilities of the platform for driving positive social change. The success stories in the report are a testament to WhatsApps transformative potential and how its supporting different segments of society thrive in Indias rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Empowering Indias MSMEs and boosting entrepreneurship

WhatsApp Business App has provided micro, small businesses and solopreneurs across India a democratized gateway to discover new markets and serve their customers, along with building a professional digital identity for their business.

WhatsApp Business has enabled small businesses to streamline operations and easily receive and fulfill orders online, helping them increase efficiency and expand their reach, including access to international markets. In turn, boosting entrepreneurship by providing local businesses and startups access to digital tools that put them on an equal footing with large enterprises.

Moreover, The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) and Metas WhatsApp Se Wyapaar program aims to digitally train and upskill 10 million local traders on the WhatsApp Business App. The partnership will be implemented in 11 Indian languages across all 29 Indian states.

The partnership also provides 25,000 traders access to the Meta Small Business Academy, offering certification that enhances digital marketing skills.

Powering social welfare organizations to scale impact

WhatsApp has enabled numerous social welfare organizations in India to deliver impactful solutions in areas such as education, healthcare, financial inclusion, and women empowerment, driving positive social change and transformation at the grassroots.

Mann Deshi Foundation supports over 100,000 rural women entrepreneurs by providing financial literacy and access to business opportunities across markets through their WhatsApp chatbot. So far, they have digitally trained over 15,000 women, 85% of them being rural beneficiaries.

Other use cases include NGOs leveraging the platform to scale initiatives like reducing period poverty, empowering pregnant women with comprehensive healthcare and baby care knowledge, and upskilling young professionals for better employment opportunities.

Building citizen services for efficient e-governance

WhatsApp has supported government agencies across the country to deliver efficient and inclusive citizen services. There are several innovative and impactful use-cases ranging from complaint resolution, promoting digital health technology, driving cybersecurity awareness, delivering local utility services, offering efficient and sustainable public transportation services, among many others.

The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) is effectively using WhatsApp to streamline grievance and query resolution systems for a hassle-free experience. The chatbot enables consumers across India to raise complaints, access grievance records to track status updates and allows the government to spread awareness about consumer rights.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Additional Use cases and Impact numbers:

Social Welfare Organisations:

Rocket Learning has leveraged WhatsApp in its mission to reduce early-stage learning poverty. By effectively employing WhatsApp for local dialect messages, it is able to empower parents to double engagement time, yielding a 30% test score improvement and enabling 80% of children to recognize numbers and describe pictures by age 6.

WhatsApp significantly contributes to Pinkishes mission of reducing period poverty by helping them reach the extremely remote parts to drive impact. The foundation has successfully conducted 5,000+ menstrual education sessions through WhatsApp.

Robin Hood Army amplifies their food bank impact via volunteer groups, automated volunteer onboarding and donation processing, logistics coordination and simplified donor communication on WhatsApp. So far they have successfully garnered 240,000 active volunteers, covering 300+ cities covered with 30% of new volunteers joining them through WhatsApp.

MSMEs:

A small grocery store in Bhubaneswar uses WhatsApp to take orders and handle payments online. Customers get quick updates and bills, efficient door-step deliveries, while the store serves more areashelping the local business grow alongside bigger grocery chains. The store showed 1-2% direct revenue growth, with 10-12% orders from WhatsApp and saves hours everyday by reducing customer queues.

A housewife from Srirangam turned entrepreneur with an artificial jewelry business on WhatsApp. She shares product information via catalogs, accepts orders, and shares personalized offers to stay connected with her customers. The platform has helped her gather design feedback, grow her business, and balance entrepreneurship with family life. 20% of her orders are from WhatsApp and she saves hours everyday by operating digitally.

A fashion retailer based out of Lajpat Nagar market in Delhi, has been using the WhatsApp Business app for the past year and saw better visibility for its products amongst customers by using the catalog feature, leading to better sales and 10-12% revenue growth.

Government Organisations:
Two new Wawa stores will open Thursday in southwest Alabama, including the first in Mobile.

The East Coast gas-and-convenience-store chain, which has legions of die-hard fans, is in the process of an aggressive expansion across the central Gulf Coast. Its first Alabama store opened in Fairhope in April to great fanfare.

The two new stores are at 7095 Cottage Hill Road in Mobile, at the intersection of Cottage Hill Road and Sollie Road; and 21022 Ala. 59, at the intersection of Ala. 59 and Baldwin 48 on the south side of Robertsdale.

Wally Goose, Fairhope cheerleaders and others dance at the opening of Alabama's first Wawa store.Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com

The itinerary for Thursday, Aug. 29:

8 a.m.: Doors open at both stores. The first 100 customers at each store will receive a free T-shirt. At the Mobile store, festivities will include music by the Excelsior Band.

8:30 a.m.: A ribbon-cutting at the Mobile store will include an update on expansion plans from Wawa leaders. State and local officials will speak. According to information provided by Wawa, the event will conclude with a check presentation to Feeding the Gulf Coast and a charitable hoagie building contest between the Mobile Fire and Police Departments with a trophy and checks presented to both teams.

11:30 a.m.: A ribbon-cutting will be held at the Robertsdale store, with a performance by the Robertsdale Drum Line. Company executives and local officials will speak. A check will be presented to Feeding the Gulf Coast, and a charitable hoagie-building competition will be held between the Robertsdale police and fire departments.

Wawa has said it plans to open seven to 10 new stores in Mobile and Baldwin counties over the next three to four years.
A Fairfield woman is behind bars after authorities say she helped a state prison inmate escape custody.

Catrina Johnson, 36, is charged with first-degree hindering prosecution in Tuesdays getaway of 34-year-old Antwone Wilson, who has several previous escapes on his record including a jump from a second-story courthouse bathroom in St. Clair County.

Johnson remains held in the St. Clair County Jail on $10,000 bond.

Wilson is serving a life sentence for a 2012 spate of robberies on Birminghams Southside - including three in one night.

The ordeal began Tuesday morning when 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.

The ADOC Law Enforcement Services Division alerted local and state authorities about the escape.

With the help of license plate readers, Pell City police shortly before 11:30 a.m. found Johnsons car in the parking lot of the Pell City Walmart. Wilson was found in the backseat of the car and taken into custody without further incident.

ADOC officials said Johnson was located at a nearby hotel and detained by ALEA SBI agents.

Wilson is now charged with first-degree escape.

ADOC Commissioner John Hamm thanked all of the agencies who helped in the successful search for Wilson.

Wilson, of Birmingham, has tried multiple escapes. 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.

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.
The AI chatbot from X known as Grok will now lead users to the government-managed Vote.gov website after being criticized for sharing election-related fake news. In particularly, Grok AI has wrongfully claimed that the election ballot deadlines have already passed in various states.

Many have since called out X to fix this issue with its AI chatbot. The company has assured that it has fixed the problem, and the state of Minnesota has expressed that it welcomes the correction made.

X's Grok AI Now Directs Users to the Official Vote.gov Website

X's Grok is now leading users to the official United States government website about THE election, Vote.gov, whenever users ask the chatbot election-related questions. This effort of the company to fix the problem has been recognized by the Minnesota Secretary of State in a recent press release and lauded the platform for combating misinformation.

The change was made after the secretaries of state from Minnesota, Michigan, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Washington came together to send X a letter about the misinformation from Grok. The secretaries went on to request the company to fix its issues so that it does not share the wrong information to users of the platform regarding the election.

Grok's Election Fake News About Ballot Deadlines

It was noted by Minnesota's Secretary of State Steve Simon that Grok AI shared inaccurate information with the public earlier this year. Despite the AI chatbot already recognizing its mistakes, it still failed to correct the information for ten days.

Specifically, Grok erroneously claimed that the ballot deadlines have already passed in as many as nine states. In reality, the deadline has yet to pass. It should be noted that incumbent US President Joe Biden has ended his election campaign to give way to the current vice president, Kamala Harris.

Harris is now the presidential bet of the Democratic party.

X's Grok and Its Misinformation Problem

Elon Musk's X launched Grok last year via the new subsidiary of his social media company, xAI. The chatbot is meant to compete with other chatbots from big tech companies, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Bard (now Gemini). It should be noted that the Grok is only available exclusively to X Premium subscribers.

However, it has become the center of controversy after multiple instances of spreading misinformation. The chatbot is notoriously known for sharing fake information to users. Particularly, Grok AI has previously shared wrong political content by sharing inaccurate news stories about recent events, particularly regarding Donald Trump's attempted assassination.

Earlier this year, Grok also made headlines for sharing fake news about NBA's Klay Thompson, saying he was "vandalizing" in Sacramento. The problem seems to persist for Grok even to this day given the misinformation it shares about the upcoming elections.
Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, who considered running for Congress in Alabamas redrawn 2nd District but did not, endorsed Democratic nominee Shomari Figures of Mobile at a press conference today in Montgomery.

Figures faces Republican nominee Caroleene Dobson, a Montgomery attorney, in the Nov. 5 general election.

Figures, who is also an attorney, worked in the Obama administration and in the U.S. Justice Department during the Biden administration, experience that Reed said would be an asset in Congress.

He understands exactly whats at stake, from expanding health care access, to protecting to voting rights, to ensuring our education system remains strong, creating jobs, helping us combat problems in our community, and making sure that we look after our military, our veterans, Reed said.

Montgomery is a key city in the redrawn 2nd District, and the mayors endorsement comes in a race where Democrats have a chance to flip a Republican seat.

A federal court ordered a new Alabama congressional map after finding that the plan passed by the Legislature likely violated the Voting Rights Act by packing Black voters into a single majority Black district, District 7.

The new District 2 includes all or part of 13 counties from the Georgia line to the Mississippi line. It includes all of Montgomery and 90% of the city of Mobile.

The Black voting age population in the district is 49%. Analyses in the federal court case showed Black-preferred candidates, Democrats, received more votes than their opponents in 16 of 17 recent elections by an average margin of 10 percentage points.

But Reed cautioned against Democratic voters assuming they will claim the seat.

Its not a foregone conclusion, Reed said. Its not something we should take for granted. Its not something we can assume that will happen. Its something that we have to make happen. The opportunity and the destiny is in our hands.

Reed was elected as Montgomerys first Black mayor in 2019 and reelected in 2023, receiving 57% of the vote. Reed said he was considering a run for Congress last October but announced in November that he would focus on his second term as mayor.

Figures reiterated comments he made during a speech at the Democratic National Convention last week when he talked about the importance of Montgomery and the 2nd District in the civil rights movement.

I have said it before and I will say it again, Figures said. I think that Montgomery is the single most important American city in the 20th century because of the movement that was birthed out of here, Figures said. That is a sentiment that I know Mayor Reed has expressed in the past before and something that I genuinely believe, even as a son of Mobile.

The Dobson campaign, asked for a comment on Reeds endorsement of Figures, issued a statement from Dobson.

I would like to congratulate Shomari Figures on the least surprising and most obvious endorsement in the history of Alabama politics, Dobson said. Its like Joe Biden endorsing Kamala Harris.
Pennsylvania Steel Co. has acquired Birmingham-based Besco Steel Supply.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Based in Bensalem, Penn., Pennsylvania Steel has 11 facilities in Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia. Besco has, in addition to Birmingham, a Winder, Ga. facility.

The integration of Besco Steels operations with Pennsylvania Steel will enhance our ability to meet the needs of our customers with a broader range of products and services, while maintaining the high standards of quality and service that both companies are known for, Pennsylvania Steel said in an announcement.

Hale Nelson will lead the Birmingham operation.

Nelson has experience in inside and outside sales, operations and sales management, and was an award-winning district general manager of three locations in the Southeast.

Prior to joining Pennsylvania Steel, Hale was a regional director of operations in the construction supply industry.
A Birmingham man charged in the quadruple shooting that left two people dead, including his grandfather, kidnapped his own mother at gunpoint and forced her to drive him from one crime scene to the next, according to information released in court on Wednesday.

Kerry Jackson Jr., 31, is charged with capital murder of two or more victims, capital murder during a kidnapping and two counts of attempted murder.

Killed in the Aug. 8 spree were Jacksons grandfather, 76-year-old Anthony Jackson, and family friend, 49-year-old Laquitta Charisse Dunn.

Injured were Jacksons father, Kerry Jackson Sr., and Anthony Jacksons longtime girlfriend, who is in her 80s.

Jackson Jr. appeared in court Wednesday morning to hear the allegations against him.

Family members of Kerry Jackson Jr. and the victims filled up more than two courtroom benches and included Bettey Jackson, the suspects mother and kidnap victim, who was there in support of her son.

Birmingham homicide Det. Kristopher Hatcher was the lone witness in the hearing.

When it was over, Jefferson County District Judge William Bell ruled there was enough probable cause to forward the case to a grand jury for indictment consideration.

Based on the testimony Ive heard today, Mr. Jackson, its clear to me you are the person responsible for all four people shot, the judge said.

The bloodshed began at 4:45 p.m. that Thursday at a home in the 1600 block of Dennison Avenue.

Hatcher testified that multiple people were at the home the day.

The suspects parents, Kerry Jackson Sr. and Bettey Jackson, left the house to go get food for the suspects grandmother, Bessie Jackson.

While they were gone, Bessie Jackson told investigators, she was watching television and noticed that Kerry Jackson Jr. was walking around the house with a gun. Bessie Jackson eventually asked him if something was wrong,

He was acting a little strange, Hatcher testified.

Moments later, shots rang out.

Dunn, who was in the kitchen area, was struck multiple times and pronounced dead on the scene.

In the meantime, the suspects parents had stopped at the 17th Place S.W. home to see if Anthony Jackson and his friend wanted them to pick them up food as well.

Thats when Bettey Jackson received a call stating that Kerry Jackson Jr. had shot Dunn.

They rushed back to their own home on Dennison Avenue to see what was going on.

Kerry Jackson Sr. got out of the car. Thats when his son shot him multiple times while exiting the house, the detective said.

Kerry Jackson Jr. then put a gun to his mothers head and ordered her to drive him to the 17th Place S.W. house, which was just a couple of blocks away.

She pulled into an alley behind the house, and her son told her not to leave or he would shoot her, Hatcher testified.

Bettey Jackson heard gunshots erupt after her son entered that home and she fled. She stopped at a nearby gas station for help but when she couldnt find anyone, she called 911 and went back to her own house on Dennison.

Kerry Jackson Sr. was shot multiple times and hospitalized with critical injuries. He is now recovering and is in rehabilitation.

Anthony Jackson was pronounced dead at the 17th Place S.W. residence, and the surviving woman was also hospitalized but survived. Both victims were found in the basement area, the detective said.

Hatcher said the black revolver believed to have been used in both shootings was found behind a shed at the 17th Place S.W. home.

The detective didnt immediately know the number of shots fired at both locations. Under questioning by Jefferson County Deputy District Attorney Charissa Henrich, he said it was enough that Kerry Jackson Jr. had to reload his gun at least one time.

The suspect fled before police arrived but was taken into custody in Five Points West about 9:15 p.m. after a massive search that included Jefferson Countys Star 1 helicopter.

Hatcher said detectives tried to interview Kerry Jackson Jr.

He was emotional, Hatcher said, and eventually refused to speak.

Kerry Jackson Jr. is represented by attorneys Maston Evans and Chris Daniel.

Authorities have not confirmed a motive in the shooting spree, but Kerry Jackson Jr.s mother said her son struggled with drug use and had been involved with some kind of rituals. Family previously told police he just snapped.

Kerry Jackson Jr. remains held without bond.
Opposing attorneys in the capital murder case against Frederic Rogers made their closing statements Tuesday in anticipation of a lengthy and all-but-assured penalty phase before the jury was instructed to begin their deliberations.

These were no longer people to him; these were no longer his friends, said Chief Assistant District Attorney Garrick Vickery.

He told the jury how Rogers, after allegedly cooperating with John Legg to shoot and kill seven people inside a Valhermoso Springs drug house in 2020, reentered the home and fired more rounds into the victims who were, by that point, making death rattles.

Rogers then tried to burn the bodies and destroy evidence, with only his own self-interest in mind, but forensics showed the victims were already deceased before the fires began, according to Vickery.

Im thankful, for one, that they died before that happened, Vickery said.

Rogers attorneys, J. Brent Burney, Carl Cole and Christy Miller, from the beginning of the trial have not disputed Rogers culpability. During opening statements last week, Cole told the jury that they would find Rogers guilty, and Rogers would die in prison  either by execution or after a life behind bars. On Tuesday, however, Burney disputed some of the capital offenses in Rogers indictment.

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: Jeramy Roberts, 31, of Athens; James Wayne Benford, 22, of Decatur; William Zane Hodgin, 18, of Somerville; Roger Lee Jones Jr., 20, of Decatur; Tammy England Muzzey, 45; Emily Brooke Payne, 21; and Dakota Green, 17, of Valhermoso Springs.

Because of the fires at the home, one of the capital offenses against Rogers is for murder during arson.

I wont dispute the murders, Burney told the jury, but questioned whether the State could prove all counts beyond a reasonable doubt. He referenced the States own forensic witness testimony. There was no soot. There was no smoke inhalation in the airways. They were dead when the burns were inflicted.

Since Rogers allegedly took some of the victims phones during the crime, one of the capital offenses against him is for murder during a robbery. Burney questioned whether the theft was a mere afterthought.

Assistant District Attorney Courtney Schellack, who spoke before Burney, said Rogers in recorded interviews was proud of what he had done. He, along with Legg, had started the Seven Deadly Sins motorcycle club, and two of their victims were members. Rogers self-given club moniker was Pride, according to Schellack.

When this case is over, I dont want you to think about his name ever again, Schellack said. I want you to think about the 13 bullet holes in Tammy Muzzey, who invited them to dinner. I want you to think about how this defendant lit her on fire.

Schellack fired off a series of images: Think about the victim who trusted Rogers, only to be shot in the back; think about the victim who died in the corner of a garage; think about the victim who was shot while holding plates of food.

Think about Dakota Green, Schellack said. Green was only 17 years old, the last to die. She had time to realize what was happening, according to Schellack. After shots were fired in the living room, Legg walked straight past her on his way toward Emily Payne.

He (Rogers) saw his criminal partner, his little brother, John Legg, level a pistol at Emily and, in his words, shoot her in the face, said Vickery, returning to the image after Burney spoke. He said Rogers then shot Green. Rogers had apparently demonstrated the action during a recorded interview and, according to Vickery, gestured as casually as you would pick out groceries from a shelf.

In perhaps a preview of whats to come in a likely penalty phase for Rogers trial, where attorneys will argue whether he should serve life in prison without parole or be sentenced to death, Vickery pushed back on some of Burneys closing points.

It was the plan to steal the victims phones and burn evidence, according to Vickery. He said one of the victims possessed an image with the defendants firearms and that phones were taken to eliminate any ties between these victims and the defendant.

Vickery said it was clear as day that Rogers is guilty of capital murder. Burney said nothing has changed his opinion from day one of the trial, reiterated that Rogers has confessed twice, and said he expects Rogers will be found guilty.

This is not a typical case, Burney said. We recognize that. I told you we would get to a penalty phase. Weve got a ways to go after today.

Jurors did not reach a verdict Tuesday and will resume deliberations Wednesday.

 david.gambino@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2438.

___

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Visit The Decatur Daily (Decatur, Ala.) at www.decaturdaily.com

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This is an opinion column.

If you care about two-party politics in Alabama, the good news is, that after years of neglect, the Alabama Democratic Party has again learned to use its Twitter account.

The bad news is that the Alabama Democratic Party has again learned to use its Twitter account.

And after years of silly, embarrassing internal conflict, Alabama Democrats stopped fighting with each other long enough to fight with me.

Last Friday, I publicly reminded Alabamas other party that day was the deadline for certifying candidates for the November ballot, something that it had not yet done despite having more than enough time to do so.

The Alabama Republican Party lollygagged, too, but had filed its paperwork the day before.

This was odd, as the Democratic National Committee had gone to significant lengths to ensure Alabama, among other states, had more time to file its certifications.

But no, the state party waited until the last day and then insisted on Twitter that this was the plan all along and that all the parties in the party had been in agreement on this.

The paperwork has been filed and the entities involved were all in agreement as to the filing occurring on this date, the state party said from his Twitter/X account. Theres no nefarious or negative reason. All parties i.e. VP Harris, the DNC, and the AL Democrats, were on the same page.

Case closed. All is well. Theres nothing to see here, folks.

That tweet was 10:40 Friday morning, minutes after the party handed in the first version of its certification forms to the Alabama Secretary of State.

Yes, I said first version, because later that afternoon  the state party that supposedly had all of its ducks in a row, parties in agreement, etc, etc  then had to go back to the Alabama Secretary of States office and re-file the whole thing all over again.

The fact that there was anyone in a government office late on a Friday afternoon to accept the amended filing speaks better for the Alabama Secretary of State than it does the Alabama Democratic Party.

The differences between the first filing and the amended filing are subtle and mostly stylistic.

First, the amended forms put Alabama Democratic Party chairman Randy Kelleys name below the names of approved electors. Thats instead of putting it on a coversheet above the electors.

Second, the party had the state stamp each of its pages as received (just as the Republican Party had done a day earlier) and not just the top page.

Third and finally, the amended forms included two more names on a list of candidates to be added to the Alabama general election ballot who had been left off the list in the first filing.

Those candidates? Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.

Thats right, a party that says the candidates were on the same page left the partys top two candidates off of its pages of candidates this fall.

In fairness, the first document recognized Harris and Walz as the partys nominees elsewhere in the filing, and I dont think Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen would have dared make an issue of it. But all of this goes to show that when the party insisted it had its business together, it didnt have its business together.

Also, Republicans didnt make that mistake.

Its worth remembering why Alabamas filing deadline was last Friday in the first place.

Alabama was one of two states that had statutory filing deadlines after the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The other was Ohio. Both states legislatures later moved their filing deadlines back to accommodate the Democrats, as they have for the national parties in previous years, but the DNC wasnt taking any chances.

This time the DNC decided to have a virtual roll call the first week of August just to be safe and to give everyone time to fend off Republican shenanigans.

Lets bear down on that point: The DNC expended resources to hold a virtual roll call  making its nationally televised roll call, and really its convention, all but symbolic  so Alabama and Ohio would have time to get their paperwork in.

How did the Alabama Democratic Party make use of these extra two and half weeks?

Mostly fighting with the DNC.

The same Alabama Democratic Party, that now says everyone was on the same page, only a week before said in a press release that it would send two competing delegations to the Democratic National Convention.

The chairman of the nothing-to-see-here state party accused the DNC of racism and threatened to sue the national party if he didnt get his way.

This is the same Alabama party that DNC officials warned officials to keep an eye on in DNC documents obtained by the Birmingham Times Barnett Wright.

[T]he delegation process in Alabama has been governed by a number of bad-faith actors who have made very clear they will not be cooperating with us, the overview of delegations read. We should continue to pay very, very close attention to this state before and during the convention in Chicago.

But yes, remember, this is a party on the same page as those it is publicly feuding with.

The good news is that the papers were filed and the forms accepted. Alabama will have two sets of candidates to choose from this fall. Its a far cry from a functional second party  one that inspires confidence in its candidates instead of conflict, one more concerned with its rivals outside than in.

But a party on paper, filed  and refiled  in the nick of time.
A female convicted felon who was among two suspects charged with murder in the 2022 death of a Pell City woman who was fatally run over while trying to foil car break-ins was sentenced to life in prison Monday

Under a deal with prosecutors, Shawna Alyssa Masten, 31, of Pell City, pleaded guilty in St. Clair County Circuit Court to three felony murder counts and 14 other felony offenses in the 2022 death of 46-year-old Rebekah Poe, records showed.

St. Clair County Circuit Court Judge Phil Seay signed off on the deal, which only dismissed one of the 18 counts against Masten: second-degree robbery.

The case against the other suspect -- 31-year-old Pell City resident Christopher Cody Masters -- is in the pre-trial phase, court records showed.

Police said it was just before 7:30 p.m. that November 2022 night when Poe, who served at her church and was a longtime beloved employee at Waffle House, confronted suspects who had just broken into vehicles at a residence on Skyline Trail.

Rebekah Poe (GoFundMe)

Police at the time said the two people responsible  a man and a woman - were driving a dark, possibly black, Dodge Charger, traveling in the direction of Stemley Bridge Road in Pell City.

Pell City police Chief Clay Morris in a previous press conference called Poes death, one of the most tragic crimes weve had in Pell City.

Morris said the lengthy investigation was intensive, thorough, and deliberate. Investigators identified 5,000 potential suspect vehicles, analyzed 10,000 digital devices, and received 15,000 pieces of data from communication companies. More than 30 search warrants were carried out during the probe.

Morris said the couple left Alabama immediately after Poes death and had no intention of returning.

The chief said he is confident in the evidence linking them to the crime.

We can definitely place them at the scene of the crime, Morris said.

Masten has multiple arrests dating back to 2016 in both the Bessemer Cutoff and Birmingham divisions of Jefferson County. She pleaded guilty to drug possession in 2021 and received a 24-month sentence.

Masters, too, has been arrested numerous times in Alabama, including charges out of Jefferson, Lauderdale, Talladega, and Marion counties. He last pleaded guilty in 2021 to unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle.

At the time of Poes death, Masters had been out of state prison only five months, and Masten had been out of prison for roughly nine months.

Poe left behind a husband two daughters.
Madison County District Attorney Robert Broussard on Wednesday said a Huntsville police officer was legally justified in fatally shooting a man on Saturday.

In a statement, Broussard said, after a review of video footage, that the officer, who has not been named, likely saved multiple lives thanks to his quick action.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agencys (ALEA) State Bureau of Investigation is looking into what happened Saturday morning after police responded to a domestic violence call in the 6200 block of Rime Village Drive just before 10 a.m.

Naimmikal Wayne Sanders, 38, of Decatur fired at a fleeing female in front of the Huntsville officer, police said.

The officer fired at him, and Sanders died from his wounds. No officers were injured during the incident.

Broussard said in a statement that the incident remains under investigation, but a preliminary review of the case indicated the shooting was justified.

According to Broussard, Sanders broke into a female victims apartment while she was home alone with her toddler just before 10 a.m. He then held the two at gunpoint, with the gun to her head for several minutes, he said.

This was all captured by a security camera inside the apartment, Broussard said.

The first responding Huntsville police officer was outside the door of the apartment when the victim managed to escape briefly and run out the front door screaming for help. Mr. Sanders chased her out the front door and fired his weapon at her multiple times in front of the officer. He hit her twice. He continued to fire at her, then turned the gun towards the officer on scene. Within seconds of Mr. Sanders firing at the victim, the officer shot and killed Mr. Sanders.

According to Broussard, both Sanders shots and the officers fire were captured on the officers body camera.

Though the investigation is ongoing, our preliminary analysis indicates that the Huntsville police officer involved saved the lives of the victim, her child, and himself. He engaged a shooter who was actively chasing and firing at an innocent woman in her own home. Our office will continue to investigate but does not anticipate any action will be taken against the officer, the statement reads.
A Huntsville research centers share of a National Science Foundation grant will bring chances for high-tech hands-on learning to middle and high school students.

HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnologys share of over $30 million in NSF funding will help cover three years of STEM education open to north Alabama high schoolers and middle schoolers at eight Huntsville and Madison County schools, the institute recently announced.

This is an incredible opportunity for our Education program to bring life-changing STEM education to students across Huntsville and Madison County in an innovative way, Kelly East, vice president of educational outreach at HudsonAlpha, said in a news release. We cannot wait to help students recognize their potential and give them access to new STEM opportunities.
Sea turtles, shorebirds, migratory birds, and the Alabama beach mouse all make their homes among the dunes and waters edge on the beaches of the Fort Morgan peninsula, and the states conservation department has been working to protect those habitats.

Recently, the state of Alabama expanded its efforts to create a wildlife protection area by buying 79 acres of undeveloped beachfront property in Fort Morgan, according to a news release from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The agency told AL.com the price tag was $16 million.
One of six suspects federally charged in connection with four shootings that left two people dead and six people injured at Mobile nightclubs, a Walmart in Mobile and a Mississippi casino pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire.

Jimaurice Pierce, who initially pleaded not guilty, entered a change in plea in federal court in Mobile for his role in the deadly shootings at Bank Nightclub in Mobile and the Scarlet Pearl Casino in DIberville, Mississippi in 2022.

His involvement in the conspiracy, according to Pierces plea deal with federal prosecutors, also included the November 2022 shooting at the Paparazzi Club in Mobile that injured four people -- one of them critically -- and the Dec. 27, 2022 shooting at the self-checkout line at the Walmart at 101 E. I-65 Service Road South that injured two people.

Derek Shavers died after he was shot at Bank Nightclub on Sept. 18, 2022, while four people were injured in the Paparazzi Club shooting in November, including one critically.

Nicholaus Nick Craig, a Mobile native who was a California resident at the time of his death, was shot while sitting in his car in the parking lot of the Scarlet Pearl casino.

Craig stopped at the casino with his girlfriend and had planned to later drive to Mobile to celebrate his birthday with his family, WLOX reported.

The shootings were part of a plot to kill a person only identified in the plea agreement as Person-1, who ultimately did not die as a result of the conspiracy.

But Pierce admitted to have knowingly and willfully joined the conspiracy and that it resulted in the death of individuals, referring to Shavers and Craig. The slain victims were only identified by their initials in the plea agreement, but the facts laid out in the case and previous reporting indicates the agreement referred to Shavers and Craig.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming more and more common in smart TVs, and it seems Samsung is ready to ramp up the updates for its own TVs. Samsung is now guaranteeing that users of AI smart TVs will enjoy seven years' worth of Tizen operating system updates.

It is believed that this is because the South Korean tech giant wants to compete withh its Chinese rivals by announcing longer support for their devices. The smart TV industry is rather cutthroat and, with Chinese tech companies already on the rise, Samsung is look to maintain its grasp on the market.

Samsung's AI Smart TVs to Get 7 Years of Tizen OS Updates

Business Korea shared a recent announcement made by Samsung Electronics at its Suwon Campus that promised seven years' worth of updates for its AI smart TVs that are powered by Tizen OS. These includes several models that were released last year, as well as those released from March 2024 onwards.

Prior to this, Samsung only offered bug fixes for its Tizen OS for smart TVs and was reportedly scrimping on actual OS updates for its large displays. Because of this new announcement, AI smart TV models release from March 2024 onwards will first get the said seven-year Tizen OS updates from Samsung.

Older devices will later receive the updates. However, Samsung has yet to expound on what kind of updates should be expected for the TVs.

Chinese Rivals Rise in Smart TV Market

This latest move by Samsung allows the company to remain competitive in the market as rival Chinese tech companies continue to rise, particularly in the smart TV market. According to Omdia's study (via The Verge), Samsung currently has a 29% market share in 2024's first half, which is lower by 2% compared to 2023.

On the other hand, Chinese company TCL rose to 12.1%, while Hisense already has 10%. Samsung has claimed that this seven-year free Tizen OS upgrade for AI smart TVs can widen the gap in market shares against its Chinese rivals.

Samsung's AI Smart TVs: Is It Worth It?

Nowadays, a good number of tech and devices found in the market has AI capabilities, including mobile devices, computers, and even smart TVs. It's no surprise then that Samsung, one of the leading companies in the world that offer smart TVs, has ramped up the capabilities of its products.

One of the most significant upgrades made by Samsung is upgrading the AI experience with its Bixby chatbot. This latest update covers devices that are compatible with Bixby, including smartphones, smartwatches, and smart TVs.

While the generative AI experience is best on mobile devices, smartwatches, and computers, its availability on smart TVs allows for AI to experienced at home or in the office.

Samsung has been known as the leader in the TV market, but its updates for Tizen OS has been known for being limited. The newly promised seven years' worth of updates seek to change this, and the company has to wait and see how this will affect their market shares in the future.
Well, it has finally happened. What used to be liberal ideas have jumped ship and landed on the Right side of the political spectrum. While Left and Right are loaded names that lack universal definition in different political milieus and which change along the time track of history, we can say, at least in the early 21st century in America, the political Left has had the tag liberal while the political Right has been deemed conservative. While both sides still wave their respective flags, this dichotomy has now flipped. Conservative is the new liberal.



Labels are useless in understanding ideas, policies, or people. Terms like Left or right, conservative or liberal, Nazis or Marxists, and racism have been used as weapons with such inaccuracy, generality, and repetition as to render them nearly meaningless. However, the shifting sands of American politics and society do require some reference points.



Concerns for protecting civil liberties and suspicion of government intrusion and overreach once defined the Left side of the aisle. In the 1960s Age of Aquarius free thinking, free speech, and watching out for "the Man" were prerequisites to obtaining ones liberal credentials. Big government was the enemy, especially the intelligence branch and the war machine. Looking out for the working class was important. Make love not war was the theme. Free speech and civil rights were causes worth fighting for. Credentials for liberalism were only issued by the Left.



Corporations, wealth, and power were once considered the stock in trade of the right. Conservative fat cats loved big business, big banks, and big military. Intel agency spying and war were the acceptable cost of doing business.



Now the Left controls Silicon Valley where the biggest businesses live. Banks and corporations push leftist DEI and ESG programs and the military has gone full-on rainbow. The Left spun up a forever war in Ukraine and wants to do the same in the Middle East. The Left loves intel and censorship, hates Christianity, and never met a war it didnt like.



I read three of the most famous speeches made by President John F. Kennedy in the 60s. He was the pinnacle of the liberal Democrat Left when he was president. His speeches would never be made anywhere near the Democrat Party today. If you heard them from a conservative MAGA politician at CPAC they would receive thunderous applause. His nephew, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has now disavowed the Democrat Party and thrown in with Trump.



It is common to hear staunch liberals talk about still being liberal while the supposed liberal Democrat party has moved away from liberalism and thus from them. Some of the more prominent are Dave Rubin, Tulsi Gabbard, Robert Kennedy, Jr., Naomi Wolf, and even Bill Maher. None of these liberals would ever call themselves Republicans, but they cant support current Dem thoughts and deeds in good conscience.



Liberalism is not dead. Liberalism has moved into the Right side of American politics. Ask any of the former Democrats who have abandoned the Left how they could do so, and youll hear nearly identical stories. It started when they expressed an idea that deviated from the party line and found themselves under an unrelenting assault from the Borg on the Left trying to invalidate them back into line. Trying to explain their positions only made it worse. Friends disavowed and shamed them publicly and privately, but they refused to grovel. They began testing other liberal ideas and ran into the same buzz saw.



Then they discovered an amazing thing. When they talked to a few of what they had assumed were knuckle-dragging troglodytes on the Right, they were met with tolerance and open communication. They didnt find agreement on all things, but dialogue and difference were allowed. Im still a liberal Democrat, they asserted. Thats okay, its about the free exchange of ideas, not labels, was the response. They found inclusion and decency, and yes, treatment as equals.



With a newfound hope for the unity of man they had always held as a liberal ideal, they went back to their Democrat friends to tell them what they had discovered. The troglodytes dont eat babies, they dont want to enslave all people of color, they dont want to kill gays. They arent troglodytes at all. They are liberal, just like us.



In between simply screeching, the Left called them liars, white supremacists, homophobic racists bent on destruction. They were banished from all supposedly liberal circles, no longer welcome, no longer allowed to speak. Everything that had been said about the right, everything they themselves had said about the Right was now being said about them. All the hate and intolerance, the racism and condescension were not coming from the Right. They were distinct and dedicated features of the Left.



A well-spoken example is Dr. Bret Weinstein, a former college science professor and lifelong liberal Democrat who found himself run off campus when he stood up for free speech principles. Although still a self-professed staunch liberal on the Left side of the political spectrum, he considers the current Democrat party to be dangerously totalitarian for advocating war, discrimination, and censorship. He likens the Democrat party to a family dog who has contracted rabies, gone mad, and must be put down. He is working on a project to save the Republic.



Many liberals found themselves alone in the no mans land of independent thought. The liberal coat they had assumed those on the Left wore no longer fit. The Left had discarded liberalism somewhere along the way, but kept the liberal label and had sewn it into a straitjacket. The rage and hate and intolerance being spewed by the Left at the Right is all that remains -- the Democrats are the party of rage and hate and intolerance. Listen to Biden, Merrick Garland, or Mayorkas talk about the Right half of the country. Dozens of leftists in Congress freely use epithets like racists, domestic terrorists, and white supremacists when speaking of the right. Read the hate-filled words of the trial judges to the J6 protesters.



This is all so easy to see. Watch The View, Morning Joe, Joy Reid, or any roundtables on CNN or MSNBC. It is Orwells "Two Minutes Hate," but running 24/7. Listen to a Robert De Niro or Rob Reiner rage against Trump or MAGA. Lewis Carrolls Queen of Hearts has nothing on them. What once was the party of freedom and laid-back tolerance is now the stormtroop of totalitarian destruction.



You can of course find hate-filled rants on the Right as well. But listen carefully to what each side is objecting to and what they are advocating. Only one side demands uniformity, silence, and compliance and advocates using the full force of government to get it. Only one side wants the freedom of free speech, free thought, and the free exchange of ideas.



Tolerance and decency have a new address. Live and let live has moved to a new part of town. There is no denying that conservative is the new Liberal.

Ed Thompson is a podcaster, columnist and author of educational and fiction books with over 25 years experience as a tutor and teacher. Learn More

Image: AT via Magic Studio
Although attendees at the Democrat convention responded with appropriate empathy when they heard a speech from the parents of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, the 23-year-old man who was at the October 7th Nova festival in Israel, the fact remains that the Harris-Biden administration and the Democrat party have been consistently hostile to Israel.

No one can begin to comprehend the anguish Hershs parents must feel. Its been 326 days since Hamas kidnapped him, and his parents still do not know his whereabouts or status. How can another human being not empathize with their pain and sorrow and those of the other hostages still held by Hamas? How can one not admire the fortitude of Hershs parents?

At the convention, Hershs parents spoke of the precious lives of those brutally murdered and tortured and still in Hamass hands. Democrat delegates were shown weeping. Hershs parents said this was not a political issue but rather a humanitarian issue, and they were deeply grateful to Harris and Biden for meeting with them.

Image: DNC attendee when Hersh Goldberg-Polins parents spoke (cropped). YouTube screengrab.

They also added that in an inflamed Middle East, we know the one thing that can most immediately release pressure and bring calm to the entire region is a deal that brings this diverse group of 109 hostages home and ends the suffering of the innocent civilians in Gaza [emphasis mine]. I cannot escape the feeling that this attempt to be ecumenical fed into the Iranian/Hamas playbook and did nothing to shift the Democrat partys growing anti-Israel animus.

The following information is factual. It highlights the Harris-Biden administrations approach to Israel and Jews.

The facts highlight the ongoing anti-Semitism of the Democrat party, whether it emanates from Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Keith Ellison, or Barack Obama. It has been building for decades.

Biden threatens to veto aid to Israel.

House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries and most House Democrats voted against the Israel aid bill.

Many of Bidens Democrat party elected officials use anti-Semitic verbiage masquerading as anti-Zionism.

Antisemitism was on full display at the 2020 Democratic convention where Linda Sarsour and Tamika Mallory were featured speakers.

Biden has imposed an academic boycott on Israeli institutions beyond the Green Line.

In fact, the Harris-Biden administration, by snubbing Netanyahu, is giving the Ayatollahs of Iran and their proxies, particularly the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, the confidence to challenge Israel by having its operatives set up tents on Israeli territory.

The Democrat party platforms support for Israel is simply vanishing:

There has been a steady erosion of support for the Jewish state, as phrase after phrase of support once proudly expressed has disappeared  no more shared values and common interests and praise for the only democracy in the region  [instead] we have todays bland statement of lukewarm support that is little different from that offered to any other country in the world.

Kamala Harris has denounced the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) attack on Hamass command-and-control center by citing civilian casualties, data that came the terrorist group Hamas!

The star of the Democratic Convention, Barack Obama, has long maintained cover for the Muslim Brotherhood. Obama

cosponsored a United Nations resolution in 2009 imposing shariah blasphemy laws that utterly conflicted with Americas First Amendments protection of free speech.

appointed a sharia finance specialist to the White House to influence American banking transactions to comply with sharia law.

endorsed the mosque on property where the World Trade Centers twin towers once stood.

associated with known Muslim Brotherhood front groups like Ingrid Mattson of the Islamic Society of North America and Salam al-Marayati of the Muslim Public Affairs Council.

More recently, Biden had a choice to forcefully denounce the anti-Jewish hatred spewing from his political party. Instead, he chose to worry about Michigan Muslim voters while Jewish college students were being intimidated by pro-Hamas supporters.

Biden pressured Israel not to respond after Hezbollah terror rocket attacks killed twelve Druze children.

And, of course, Biden keeps handing over billions of dollars to Iran, courtesy of the American taxpayer.

Harris shows the same anti-Semitic predilection.

In July 2016, Harris appeared at a Ramadan event at the Islamic Center of Southern California (ICSC), . . .whose founders had expressed support for Islamic terrorism. At this ICSC event, Harris passionately denounced Islamophobia.

Harris has long supported the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR).

After Rep. Ilhan Omars widely publicized, anti-Semitic Benjamins comment in February 2019, Harris, who was then a senator, defended Omar, touting the threat of Islamophobia.

Harris saying that the Jewish state had killed too many innocent Palestinians and must do more to protect innocent civilians.

Harris has repeatedly thrown her support behind anti-Israel protesters in America, saying they show exactly what the human emotion should be, as a response to Gaza. Such comments are driving optimism among anti-Israel elements in the Democrat party [.]

In 2021, Harris was videotaped nodding along as a student accused Israel of ethnic genocide against the Palestinians and condemned American funding to the Jewish state.

Following a June raid in Gaza that freed four Israeli hostages, Harris stated that [w]e have been working every day to bring an end to this conflict in a way that ensures Israel is secure, brings home all hostages, ends ongoing suffering for Palestinian people and ensures that Palestinians can enjoy their right to self- determination, dignity and freedom. She never talks about the suffering of Israelis or the fact that Hamas caused the suffering of the Gazans in the first place.

Harris has repeatedly accused Israel of withholding humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, even as unprecedented amounts of food and other goods make their way into the territory.

Harris described the situation as a humanitarian catastrophe and claimed that people in Gaza are starving as a result of Israels policies. Yet, it is Hamas, not Israel, that is causing the catastrophe.

Kamala Harris animus is clear.

In addition, Harris national security adviser, and possible future secretary of state Philip Gordon wrote a book that was a blueprint of the policies the Obama administration adopted, including blaming America and Israel, appeasing Iran and Islamists and making Muslims feel better about themselves.

In essence, [t]hese are the building blocks of the policies that led us to Oct. 7 and an Iranian war across the region.

Harriss stance on Israel and its war conduct is already generating concerns in the Jewish political world, with the Republican Jewish Coalition painting the likely Democratic nominee as far worse than Biden.

If you thought Joe Biden was bad on the issues of top concern to the Jewish community, Kamala Harris is far worse, Sam Markstein, the coalitions national political director, told the Washington Free Beacon. Kamala Harris owns the disastrous and failed policies of the Biden-Harris administration, which has overseen a shocking spike in antisemitism and an unprecedented degradation of the U.S.-Israel relationship.

Moreover, the media barely expresses a critical tone toward Hamas and few take them to task for failing to be honest journalists. In fact, there are other voices from Gaza who despise Hamas.

Americans need to comprehend the mindset of Hamas and other Iranian proxies. Simply put:

There can never be recognition of Israels right to exist.

Jihad is the path to Israels destruction.

The Jewish homeland is sacred Islamic land and not even an inch of it can be compromised.

It should be understood that a ceasefire in Western terms is equivalent to a hudna (truce) in Hamass terms. A hudna is a temporary break from war and does not indicate a desire to end it and achieve peace.

So color me suspicious when distraught parents whose concern for their son and other kidnapped individuals are showcased at the DNC. Of course, those delegates who wept were genuine in their emotions. But the hypocrisy and outright antipathy and hostility for Israel and the Jewish people cannot be glossed over. The Democrat party owns this.

I would hate to think that Hershs parents were used as fodder to inadvertently support the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies. But the chants death to Israel and death to America and the Democrat partys words and actions have my antennae vibrating too much to ignore this.

Eileen can be reached at middlemarch18@gmail.com.
They say history repeats itself. Properly forewarned, it doesnt have to. As Americans prepare to write a pivotal history for the ages this Novemberone way or anotherit might be helpful to take a quick look at an earlier moment in time when a much divided, fractured world faced a pivotal challenge with one man at the barricade and the rest of the world too complacent to help.

Constantinople, the city that Constantine the Great founded in 330 AD and that the Theodosian walls later protected, stood as the capital of the Roman Empire for 1,000 years. (What we refer to as the Byzantine Empire was back then referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire.) The city, surrounded by water on three sides and walls on the fourth, was thought to be impregnable.

In 1204, Crusaders on the Fourth Crusade attacked Constantinople when they were ostensibly on their way to retake Jerusalem from the Ottomans. Due to dynastic and political battles between the eastern and western Roman Empire, crusaders diverted to Constantinople, sacked the city, and carved up most of the former Empire. (They never did breach the Theodosian walls.)

The Byzantine Empire had been shrinking for centuries and, by 1400, consisted largely of Constantinople and a few Greek outposts. The city, however, which sat at a key point between Asia and Europe, still played a major role in the battle between the East and the West.

Although the rising Ottoman empire, by 1500, would stretch from the modern states of Algeria to Yemen to Hungary, in 1453, Constantinople was still Christian and a major thorn in the side of Muslim Sultan Mehmed II. He planned to fix that.

Image by Vince Coyner

By late May, after besieging the city for two months and making no headway, Mehmed prepared to retreat. A small number of his advisors suggested giving the siege one last day before they withdrew. Mehmed agreed, and on May 29, the Ottomans threw everything they had at the city. Constantinoples defenders repulsed the first three Ottoman assaults, and the Ottoman generals despaired at the prospect of defeat.

But then one of the great turning points in history happened. Among the 40,000 defenders (against an Ottoman force of approximately 80,000) were 700 Genoese fighters defending the most vulnerable parts of the walls. The defenses stretched thin, these Genoese warriors, led by their captain Giovanni Giustiniani, had held the Turks at bay for two months.

Through the third assault of the day, the Genoese had performed impeccably, and the smell of victory was beginning to waft through the defenses. At that very moment, however, just as the fourth and final assault was commencing, Giustiniani was shot. Wounded, Giustiniani commanded his troops to evacuate him from the city. Either because of a miscommunication or because they were afraid they could not succeed without Giustiniani, all 700 Genoese abandoned the walls and left the most vulnerable defenses unprotected.

Seeing their opportunity, the Ottomans made their move before the citys defenders could divert reinforcements, breaching the walls and taking the city. Mehmed would later make Constantinople the capital of the Ottoman Empire.

Giustiniani would die from his wounds two days later as he was being transported home. Given the timing of his injury, history posits that he may have been shot by a traitor within the walls timed to coordinate with the last assault.

Whatever the case, Constantinople fell, and all of the West became fearful that the Ottomans were going to conquer the entirety of Europe. They wouldnt, but they would haunt many a Europeans nightmare for centuries.

Ultimately, Constantinople fell because it didnt have the resources to defend itself effectively. It repeatedly pleaded with Christian rulers across Europe for help repelling the Ottoman army. Most of the Wests caterwauling kings and nobles, however, had been too busy with their domestic concerns, dynastic infighting, and petty jealousies to bother sending support. As a result, a mere 700 men, or in reality, one man, were the only things that had protected what was seen as the Christian bulwark against the Muslim menace in the east. When they (or he) fell, the city fell.

There are lessons to be had from the kings and nobles inaction. How many times have you heard pro-lifers say they cant vote for Trump because they feel hes soft on abortion? Or free-market advocates say they cant vote for Trump because he supports tariffs? Or someone who says he wont vote because everyones corrupt?

We all know Trump is flawed. But the reality is that were all flawed. We know more about Trumps flaws because he spends so much time talkingand the media spend so much time talking about him. I dare anyone to speak for a fraction of the time Trump does and not leave a trail of breadcrumbs that the propaganda ministry cant use to paint you as Satan.

But heres the truth: All those people who say they wont vote for Trump because of this or that are effectively casting a vote for the very thing they claim drives them away from Trump, only exponentially worse. Thats true whether its abortion, the free market, or corruption. And not only that, electing Harris brings with it a cart full of other things they likely dont want.

If Harris is elected in November, the American republic as we know it will disappear. Democrats will eviscerate the Supreme Court. Theyll add DC and Puerto Rico as states, so the GOP will never again control the Senate. Theyll implement a 45% capital gains tax and a 25% tax on unrealized gains . DEI will become the law of the land, with equity replacing merit as the fundamental measure upon which society is built. The scientific fact of men and women will be obliterated. Theyll outsource American foreign policy to the WEF and the economy to the climate change cultists. The open border will remain, and millions of 3rd world refugees with little appreciation for American mores or no allegiance to the United States will pour over the border and then suddenly not only be able to vote but will get houses for no money down and benefits beyond what citizens receive . And freedom of speech and the Second Amendment will be distant memories before the midterms.

Given this reality, those people who say they cannot in good conscience vote for someone they dont like are, in reality, not of good conscience at all. Theyre cowards. As any parents who must discipline their kids knows sometimes adults need to make difficult decision to do things they dont like. As such, when the Republic is faced with an existential threat, when the choice is between a party that wants to save it and one that seeks Communism, to choose to do nothing is a choice, a choice to empower tyranny.

Once the Republic is gonein fact, if not in nameall of those issues over which such men of conscience are wringing their hands will become moot. Not only will they lose out on those issues, but they will lose out on everything else. In a tyranny, you control nothing, from your money to your family to your voice.

This is the most popular quote of the 20th century : The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. As pedestrian as it sounds, in 2024, it might be the most important quote of the day. This November, anyone who decides to sit out the election because theyre offended by an imperfect man, or worse, vote against him because of that imperfection, is literally voting to eviscerate the American republic. They deserve no respect; they deserve disdain, derision, and contempt.
A legless Vietnam veteran in a wheelchair waving Old Glory is a picture worth a thousand words, but even more so when you consider the context:

BREAKING UPDATE: This morning dozens of students, parents, and community members gathered in @EdmondSchools and held a rally with American Flags after the school told a student he couldnt fly the flag on his car.



A Vietnam veteran even showed up to show his support!  https://t.co/HG5mqJDWSE pic.twitter.com/AD2uRPSRcZ  Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) August 26, 2024

Eddie Beesley showed up to a local high school in Edmond, Oklahoma, along with hundreds of other Americans, to defiantly display the American flag after administrators told a student that he was not permitted to fly the banner from his truck; according to an Edmond Public Schools spokesperson via a report at Breitbart, Students are not allowed to display or bring any kind of flag on campus to limit distraction and create a safe environment[.]

How it started:

Unbelievable. @EdmondSchools reportedly told a student he cant fly the American Flag on his car anymore to school.



.@EdmondSchools why do you hate the American Flag?? pic.twitter.com/ONbzS2xNh1  Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) August 23, 2024

How its going:

The Edmond Oklahoma High School Student who was told to remove his American Flag from his vehicle heads to school this morning with TWO AMERICAN FLAGS  pic.twitter.com/juKpcX89SB  OKIE PATRIOT 76 (@okiepatriot_76) August 27, 2024

And here:

Oklahoma High School students showed up with American Flags on their vehicles after taxpayer funded Edmond public schools told a student he couldn't fly our American Flag anymore! 

I applaud these high school students for standing up against them! pic.twitter.com/LEt7RbVuU3  JamieLynn_TrumpGrl (@2jamielynn) August 27, 2024

And with what is this defiance met? Well, more tyranny:

Students at Edmond North are standing strong against the American flag controversy this morning. Heres a video of a student getting his flag confiscated after handing out flags to other students. If you are not familiar with this story, last week Edmond public schools told pic.twitter.com/44rC9FDn8P  OKIE PATRIOT 76 (@okiepatriot_76) August 26, 2024

Progressives hate America, which means they really do hate those who serve, and while theyre certainly shameless, they have yet to reach the fever pitch of the Sixties and Seventies and hurl the Baby Killer slurs right to our soldiers faces on a wide scale.

I mean, theyll still disseminate the debunked suckers and losers lie, theyre clinging to Tim Walzs brief and exaggerated military resume as a point of merit, and theyll denigrate President Trumps appearance in Arlington, after an invite and at the behest of Gold Star families, as a political stunt for cheap points. Theyre deeply anti-American, but theyre playing the part of a patriot.

This is exactly why you see them undermine American values, under the guise of being fair-handedOld Glory isnt being singled out, because students may not bring any flags to school!

But, the American flag is not just any old flag, and to lump it in with and equate its sacredness to Marxist banners a la soup du jourBLM, ever-morphing Pride banners, Palestineis gross and offensive. (State Superintendent Ryan Walters said the school district has a history of prioritizing woke agendas over our history and freedoms and his office would be investigating.)

I personally dont display the Stars and Stripes outside my home, instead opting for a historical patriotic flag thats more representative of Americas original foundation, and though Old Glory has certainly been perverted as it represents the United States of America and right now the United States of America isnt looking so good, and regardless of the congressional war machine that obviously orchestrates conflict around the world for profit, its still the flag that those I love carry with them as they served, and still do, in combat.

Its still the flag that Eddie Beesley fought under when he took a stand against communism, out of his sacred commitment to honor and duty, a fight which cost him his legs, and tens of thousands of others their lives.

Its the flag that the Hong-Kongers waved as they too made a stand against communism, struggling for freedom and liberty.

Its the flag held dear by those who jumped off the boats in Normandy only to be cut in half by machine gun fire, and by those who liberated Europe from oppression.

Its the flag that triggers the progressive, Marxist left into hysterical fits of rage.

Its the flag that draped over the coffins of the 13 soldiers killed during the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Sure, I despise the government it represents, but its still the American flag, and it deserves respect, just like every other American flag before it.

Image: Free image, Pixabay license.
The Harris-Biden administration, which presided over the bloody and expensive withdrawal from Afghanistan and is running a veep candidate who compulsively lies about his military service, is frantically attacking Donald Trump for appearing at Arlington for a private ceremony honoring some of those who died during the botched Harris-Biden withdrawal.

It all started simply enough when family members of those who died asked Trump to participate in the Arlington ceremony on Monday:

It was former President Donald Trump  not President Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris  whom Gold Star families invited to lay a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday to honor the 13 service members killed three years ago in a terrorist attack at the Kabul airport during the hasty U.S. pullout from Afghanistan. Mr. Trump, who is running neck-and-neck or slightly behind Ms. Harris in national and battleground state polls, seized on the anniversary of the tragic attack to condemn the Biden administrations foreign policies and link them directly to Ms. Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee. Some of the families of the troops killed in the attack invited Mr. Trump to the ceremony arranged with the National Park Service. They did not invite Biden administration officials.

Trump honored the occasion by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Later in the same day, at a different venue entirely (the National Guard Association in Detroit), Trump attacked Harris and Biden for their dismal national security policies and their role in the debacle at Abbey Gate.

The problem for the Harris-Biden administration is that the optics were terrible, reminding Americans of one of its most painful, disgusting, and embarrassing military and foreign policy failures. So, of course, the attack dogs were unleashed and came out screaming.

The first line of attack is the claim that Trump improperly used Arlington for a campaign event. Certainly, had Trump invited the media and the public to be there, set up a podium, and made a speech, that would have been a campaign event. However, even per Arlington National Cemeterys description of what constitutes a partisan event, placing a wreath doesnt rate, even if you have a photographer on hand:

Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidates campaign, according to the statement. Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants.

But, of course, Trump didnt hold a campaign event or film a commercial at Arlington. Nevertheless, someone working at the cemetery (presumably a Democrat) tried to block Trump from appearing and to prevent his staff from recording his presence. To hear the Arlington officials, there was a brawl because Trump was capitalizing on the honored dead:

Officials at Arlington national cemetery have filed a report over the behavior of members of Donald Trumps campaign staff who reportedly shoved and verbally abused an employee during a crass photo opportunity for the Republican presidential candidate.

Lets just say that I have my doubts. Steven Cheung, Trumps spokesman, offered a more credible explanation:

In a statement to NPR, Steven Cheung, the Trump campaigns spokesman, strongly rejected the notion of a physical altercation, adding: We are prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made. The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trumps team during a very solemn ceremony, Cheung said in the statement.

That sounds straightforward enough and exactly like what one would expect when a Democrat sees a Republicanlet alone Trump himselfhonor those who died because of the Democrat administrations disastrous judgment.

However, the MSMs headlines make it appear as if Trumps people engaged in fisticuffs with those desperately trying to prevent Megan Thee Stallion from twerking for Trump in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier:

NPR: Trump campaign staff had altercation with official at Arlington National Cemetery

NYT: Trump Team Clashed With Official at Arlington National Cemetery

The Guardian: Trump staffers reported over altercation at Arlington cemetery during photo op

Daily Beast: Trump Staff Accused of Getting Physical With Arlington National Cemetery Official

Naturally, it didnt stop there. Mentioning the blot on the Harris-Biden escutcheon regarding the Afghanistan withdrawal couldnt be allowed to stand. Democrats stepped in to say that the blame really rested with...Trump:

They ludicrously claim that because it was Trump who exercised his foreign policy prerogative to withdraw the U.S. from Afghanistan (a decision that most Americans supported), he was responsible for the later mistakes that Harris-Biden made during the withdrawals final phases:

Just one video, however, explains exactly why Trumps withdrawal would have been successful (and why the Taliban would never have silenced women), in contrast to the Harris-Biden disaster (beginning at 43:12):

Ill give you my favorite Trump, my favorite President Trump story. This is my number-one favorite of all time. When we were negotiating with the Taliban, when President Trump was still the president, President Trump wanted to get out of Afghanistan, but he wanted a conditions-based withdrawal, meaning that you do what we tell you to do, and then we will start pulling troops back slowly as long as you abide by our rules. Its President Trump and Mike Pompeo, and they are talking to Taliban leadership in the room. And they had one translator in the room. President Trump looked at the Taliban leader and said this: I want to leave Afghanistan, but its going to be a conditions-based withdrawal. And the translator translated. And he said, If you harm a hair on a single American, Im gonna kill you. And the translator goes [Rep. Hunt mimes a surprised face], and Trump goes, Tell him. Tell him what I said, reached in his pocket, pulled out a satellite photo of the leader of the Talibans home, and handed it to him, and walked out the room. Do you know [that] for 18 months, not a single American was killed in Afghanistan? Thats the definition of strength.

The Harris-Biden administration is saddled with a shameful, bloody military debacle that killed Americans and their allies in Afghanistan, gave our enemies massive amounts of American weapons, and humiliated America. The Harris-Walz campaign is saddled with a veep candidate who has consistently lied about his military record (which, without the lies, would have been honorable enough). No wonder the Democrat machine is frantically lying about Trump now.

Image: X screen grab.
By now youve all heard that Facebook (Meta Platforms) CEO Mark Zuckerberg has had a sudden crisis of conscience and has come clean about the fact that his platform caved to pressure by the Biden-Harris administration to censor content. He promised that wont happen again.

His conscience must have eaten away at him so long that he must have lost a lot of sleep over the years to make this confession right on the heels of Trumps attempted assassination, failure to be jailed by now, combined with Nikki Haleys endorsement of Trump, RFK Jr, Elon Musk, and Tulsi Gabbard deciding to join Trumps dream team.

Yeah, right.

Zuck has the best seat in the house to know exactly whats going on within social media circles and where the public sentiments lie. Facebook enjoys three billion users worldwide, with about two billion Average Daily Users.

According to Pew Research,

Around seven-in-ten U.S. adults (68%) say they use Facebook, a share that has remained relatively flat since 2016, according to a survey conducted between May and September 2023. With the exception of YouTube -- used by 83% of adults -- no other social media platform comes close to Facebook in usage. Roughly half of adults (47%) report using Instagram, while around a third use Pinterest (35%) and TikTok (33%). About three-in-ten each say they use LinkedIn (30%), WhatsApp (29%) and Snapchat (27%). Smaller shares use X (formerly called Twitter), Reddit and BeReal. Meta owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

If any poll could capture the feelings of 68% of adults, it would be called ZuckPoll. Along with Instagram and WhatsApp Mark Zuckerberg can be just like Tom Cruise in the movie Minority Report peering into, analyzing, and organizing all the activity going on in the brains of Americans who will decide the next administration.

And he doesnt like what he sees.

Image: AT via Magic Studio
The DNC uses lawfare as its most fundamental strategic tool. Lawfare is the manipulation of the Judiciary, or the courts, in ways that abuse and distort their normal use and purpose, in order to disadvantage an opposing party; to quietly undermine open legislation or the Constitution (for example, concerning the Electoral College); to actually do away with laws that protect civic integrity like voting; or to enact administrative or executive rules that advance any political objective. The recent lawsuit brought by the DNC and the Harris-Walz campaign against the Georgia election commission concerning vote certification is an example. The DNC doesnt want any voters, or their votes, challenged by any rules.

How is the DNC able to carry out systematic lawfare? Because the DNC is effectively a large law firm.

It is not really designed for politics as we assume in a classical sense, involving an open, public activity. It does not function as a political organization, but rather, it operates as its own perpetual private government, whether it holds office or not because government and law have become interchangeable. The DNCs methods are not open and inclusive, but are instead closed and restricted. More than just lobbying, it operates by mimicking or mirroring an irregular intelligence organization by disrupting normal institutional purposes and functions and replacing them with its own backdoor influence or control.

But where does this kind of behavior come from?

It all starts in our university law schools, where law is taught as an enforceable tool used against other groups or interests. It doesnt just use existing rules, or only legally challenge them, but finds exceptions, or workarounds, that break the law, but in a presumed legal way. Getting judges to change voting rules by asserting an emergency pandemic is an example.

Our law schools are the training ground and operations centers for this irregular legal culture and indoctrination. Indeed, as activist Ralph Nader put it, we should have a school of the law and a school of the unlawful. Nader states that in law schools, the curriculum is built around corporate law, and corporate power, and corporate perpetration, and corporate defense. Perhaps. But what Nader overlooks is that political parties, and our universities, are at heart corporations themselves, and are specially designed to function as privately owned companies without any shareholders except limited private and other corporate donors.

Often lawfare is postured to law students as merely legal strategy, but down in the basement of our law schools, the academic boiler room is staffed by thousands of law professors across the country, who are nearly united psychologically and philosophically by a single theory of law that consists of seeing our legal system as a device that can be deployed as an active assault in the name of justice, or can be formed, and reformed, into any number of objectives that can be carried out as an actual legal operation. Law is almost a paramilitary exercise in their view.

How can this be? Because the progressive left sees itself as a cause with a mission to reform society, by advancing rules, defining and restricting resources, allocating rights and freedoms, and otherwise acting as the unified mechanism of progressive social engineering carried out by the state.

Most of all, it must be remembered that the reason lawfare even exists, and why it is inculcated in our law schools, is that law is, first and foremost, a function of the state. Law emanates from governments, from state institutions, from state employees, and is therefore of government culture.

This makes the law school fundamentally a government school. More than that, it saturates the law in the assumptions, expectations, ambitions, and conceits of a single state authority.

Lawfare is, in reality, a replacement of markets and competition. Lawfare seeks to bypass markets  meaning coalitions of voluntary associations  and enforce top-down direction. The Harris partys recent declaration of wage-price controls (an idea going back to LBJs administration) is a manifestation of this ideology, and it is the ideology of government with one purpose: choose all primary social objectives, make all rules, and enforce them.

It is the ultimate merger of law and economics.

Matthew G. Andersson is a former CEO and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Time Magazine, the Guardian, the National Academy of Sciences, and the 2001 Pulitzer Prize report by the Chicago Tribune. He received the Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America and has testified before the U.S. Senate. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago, and the University of Texas at Austin, where he worked with economist and White House national security adviser W.W. Rostow at the LBJ School of Public Affairs. He is the author of the upcoming book, Legally Blind, concerning law and policy.

Image via Picryl.
Can we consider the hippie environmentalists in play for President Trump yet? I sure hope so, because after the destruction caused by the progressive Democrats and their green agenda, increasing at a near-exponential rate during the Biden-Harris years, their support cant come soon enough.

A little over a month ago, an off-shore wind turbine off the coast of Massachusetts snapped from the hub and fell into the water below, sending literal tons of non-biodegradable fiberglass and petroleum-based chemical resin debris into the water, causing widespread pollution and a number of beach closures. (For an essay I wrote on that whole debacle, see here.)

Now, the fishing and marine trapping industries are banding together, creating flotillas of fishing boats in protest, highlighting the evidentas well as the anticipateddamage. Heres the story, from a report at Fox News:

A fleet of 25 fishing boats off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, rallied together on Sunday to protest Vineyard Wind, an offshore wind turbine project under scrutiny after a turbine blade broke off, sending shards of sharp fiberglass into the ocean. Vineyard Wind is a menace to our fisheries, Jerry Leeman, CEO of the New England Fishermen's Stewardship Association (NEFSA), told Fox News Digital. Leeman joined the flotilla of New England fishermen protesting the wind project. Floating fiberglass shards remain a navigation and safety risk for mariners over a month after the blade disaster. We have no idea what effects this industrial litter will have on local food chains. Worse still, we have no idea whether this could happen again, Leeman said.

The fallout would be enough to make anyone who actually cares about the environment and healthy ecosystems feel crazyand madder than a wet hen. Weve got chunks of garbage floating in the water and washing up on shore, and unquantifiable safety risk[s] for the marine life thats possibly ingesting this industrial litter as well as the humans harvesting and eating such ocean creatures.

If you actually care about conserving nature, youd never encourage such deleterious technologies in the form of policy. Of course, Im not talking about the carbon copy progressive greenies who shill whatever the Democrat media tells them, but the true environmentalists whove traditionally aligned with (and voted for) the Democrat party over social and cultural issues, given their liberal ideologies. Im thinking more of people like Cindy Zipf, the executive director of Clean Ocean Action:

Cindy Zipf, executive director of Clean Ocean Action, testified in March last year before a House Committee that [w]hile some offshore wind may hold promise, federal and state levels have moved forward without transparency, robust and sound science, or good governance. Zipf testified that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) previously found that offshore wind can increase ocean noise, which can affect behaviors of whales; introduce electromagnetic fields that impact their navigation, predator detection and communication; and change species composition and survival rates, among other things.

For context, Zipf has fought against gas and oil developments in the ocean, and cites Rachel Carson and Ralph Nader as personal role modelsyes, the Rachel Carson behind the Silent Springclearly, Zipf is no small government conservative, but a bona fide tree-hugger.

Are these people now in play for us? I cant help but assume so.

Image generated by MagicStudio AI.
Like that old Streisand-Diamond song about the lover who falls out of love, the senator from Montana is losing interest so fast that the Vice President must be wondering if that song was always about her. Cant blame her, because he is not bringing her flowers anymore either.

So what happened to Jon? He was once so much in love with Kamala. Well, lets find out where it all went wrong:

Montanas vulnerable Sen. Jon Tester will not be making an endorsement in the presidential election where Vice President Kamala Harris is running as the Democratic nominee, despite reportedly playing a role in her recruitment to the Senate. Tester previously served as chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) from 2015 to 2017, leading the efforts of the campaign arm to elect Democrats to the chamber when Harris first announced her senatorial aspirations. After Harris launched her California Senate bid, the Los Angeles Times reported in January 2015 that, according to an adviser, Tester was one of the players encouraging her to run. Despite his previous support for Harris, Tester said he will not be making an endorsement in this years race because he will be focusing on his own re-election bid.

There you have it. Jon has another love these days, or his own reelection in Montana. Its hard to tell those ranchers in Montana that you agree with Kam about so much of this and that. Ranchers arent into San Francisco values up there.

Yes, love is a four-letter word as that other song goes. It can be ruthless and fly out the window every time that a new poll shows Senator Tester trailing. He is in a tough fight and knowing VP Harris aint what it used to be.

So politics killed another love story. Maybe it wasnt really love after all!

P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts, and videos.

Image: YouTube video screen grab.
If optics matter, then this needs some explaining:

Kamala Harris is finally sitting down for an interview!



With Dana Bash of CNN.



And its a joint interview with her VP because she cant do it by herself.



And its going to be pre-taped pic.twitter.com/iAe9m3vUXJ  Greg Price (@greg_price11) August 27, 2024

This means there can only be one of two scenarios playing out in the Harris-Walz campaign. Either a), the black woman is not allowed to be independent of the white man, or speak freely without the approval of her white master and actually be the executive shes vying to be, or, b) Low-T Tim is a leashed animal, an emotional support pup for his fragile (read: incompetent) human.

Perhaps though, its a little of bothwith emphasis on the formerbut again, this needs some explaining. Someone running to be the president of the United States should absolutely be able and/or permitted to answer questions from media members, live and all on his/her own.

If Kamala cant even answer soft-ball scripted questions alone with agreeable journalists, for whatever reason, how are we supposed to expect that she can take on the worlds tyrants? That she can make tough but smart decisions? If a few fake news friendlies in a controlled environment with no on air pressure is enough to throw her off her game, heaven help us if she makes it to the White House as president.

I am woman hear me roar.

A black woman is speaking; listen and learn.

Elevate black voices.

Remember all those progressive slogans about black women who have the floor in the public space and directed toward white people? Yeah, well, when it comes to Kamala Harris, forget all thatto put it politely, shed be whats considered extenuating circumstances and none of those mantras applies to her when shes speaking.

In fact, ignore her completely, unless what shes yammering on about has been filtered through the mind of and translated by a white man during a pre-recorded interview segment thats been thoroughly edited before its presented to the public. Then sure, go ahead and listen to what she has to say.

What does it signal when progressive Democrats send in a white man to cover the incompetence of a black woman?

This isnt an interview, its a campaign ad marketed as one, and a pretty sorry display at that.

Image: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr, unaltered.
In 1959, Richard Condons book The Manchurian Candidate was published, a political thriller about a communist plot to infiltrate the highest echelons of the U.S. political system, thereby allowing communism to spread its wings in the United States. Fortunately, this work of fiction remained just that; a fictitious tale.

Yet, here we are, a few decades after the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, with an avowed Marxist on the top of the Democrat ticket.

Vice President Kamala Harris is a Marxist. This is not hyperbole; it is an indisputable fact.

Although Kamala Harris campaign likes to tell the story that she grew up in Oakland, the truth is that she was born and raised in the Marxist enclave known as Berkeley, California. Although there is nothing wrong with growing up in Berkeley per se, I find it interesting that Harris and her campaign have chosen to hide this fact from the people.

Another thing Harris campaign and the mainstream media are hiding from the American people is Kamalas record and policy positions. While serving as the junior senator from California from 2017 to 2021, Harris supported several Marxist ideas and flat-out socialist bills.

Consider.

In 2019, then-senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) co-sponsored the Green New Deal (GND), a socialist wish list if ever there were one. In short, the Green New Deal calls for a transition to 100 percent renewable energy; carbon taxes; a universal basic income, even for those unwilling to work; a government jobs guarantee; free college; an increase to the federal minimum wage; among many other Marxian dreams. According to estimates, the GND would cost somewhere between $52 trillion to $93 trillion over a 10-year period.

That same year, Harris also endorsed Medicare for All, which would include the elimination of private health insurance. According to Harris, The idea is that everyone gets access to medical care, and you don't have to go through the process of going through an insurance company, having them give you approval, going through the paperwork, all of the delay that may require. Who of us has not had that situation, where you've got to wait for approval, and the doctor says, Well, I don't know if your insurance company is going to cover this? Lets eliminate all of that. Lets move on.

If supporting the GND and abolishing private health insurance are not enough to convince Americans that Harris is indeed a Marxist, she also wants to ban so-called assault weapons. Throughout history, Marxist/socialist regimes have instituted gun grabs to disarm the people. After all, the right to bear arms poses a big hurdle to a government that seeks to gain total control over 330 million people.

Kamala also supports free health care, education, and housing for illegal immigrants. In other words, Harris favors an open borders welfare state. This is inimical to common sense and Americas foundational principles.

Now, many mainstream media pundits will say those are her prior positions. They claim, without evidence, that Kamala has changed her mind on all those issues. Well, until we hear from Kamala, who has ghosted the media for more than a month, we actually dont know if she actually has disavowed her Marxist agenda.

However, we do know that as of this writing (which could change at any moment), that Harris supports Soviet-style price controls. And, we know, based on tidbits from her economic plan, that she wants the federal government to oversee the construction of three million new homes.

With less than 10 weeks before Election Day, I doubt the Harris campaign will deliver a detailed economic platform. It appears as though the Harris campaign believes that joy and good vibes alone will be enough to convince voters that she should be the next president.

But I believe this is a lousy plan that will backfire. Most polls show that the economy and the high cost of living are the top priorities this election. With that being said, I still think the American people have enough common sense to know that Marxist economic policies will make things much worse, not better.

Chris Talgo (ctalgo@heartland.org) is editorial director at The Heartland Institute.

Image: AT via Magic Studio
Samsung is expanding the availability of its August 2024 security update to more regions. Not to forget, the South Korean tech giant pushed the August 2024 security update for the Galaxy S21 series around mid of this month. Now, the company is rolling out the August 2024 security update to the Galaxy S20 and S21 series in the USA.

The Galaxy S20 and S21 series finally get the August 2024 security update in the US

Previously, the security update for the Galaxy S21 series was only available in Asia and Europe. However, thats changed now. Today, SamMobile reported that the Galaxy S21 series users in the US have started to receive the August 2024 security update.

The latest software update is available for factory-unlocked models of the Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra. The monthly security update for the Galaxy S21 family is available on all carriers across the US. The new software update comes with the firmware version G99xU1UEUCGXGB.

Besides, the August 2024 security update is also live for carrier-unlocked Galaxy S20 series phones in the country. However, Samsung has yet to roll out this security update to carrier-locked Galaxy S20 series phones in the US, which also applies to the International versions. The firmware version for the latest software update is G981U1UESAHXG1.

The Fan Edition model of the S21 series is yet to receive the update in the region

The latest security update for the Galaxy S20 and S21 series in the US fixes nearly 50 security vulnerabilities. Besides, theres no news on when the Galaxy S21 FE will receive its security update in the US. Earlier this month, the Galaxy S21 FE reportedly received the August 2024 security update in Vietnam, which also brought the Circle to Search feature to it. So, we expect the security update to land on the Fan Edition model in the US soon.

If you live in the US and have the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S21 series, check for the new update. You can do that by going to Settings > Software Update. If you find the update, you can tap the Download and install option. You can also try manual firmware flashing to install the new software update on your Galaxy S20 and S21 series. However, it is a risky and complicated process. Therefore, we recommend that you stick with the usual method.
This year, the topic of cybersecurity has been particularly sensitive. Big companies such as AT&T, T-Mobile, the New York Times, and even Google confirmed data breach incidents. In most cases, the affected data is from years ago but may still be relevant to malicious third parties. Now, researchers discovered another massive data breach in ServiceBridge that exposed information from both businesses and individuals.

ServiceBridge is a field service management platform. These types of companies provide services that help manage common requirements and processes, such as pest control or maintenance personnel, among other things. Therefore, many companies turn to ServiceBridge, granting it access to third-party personal data. One would think that, when handling such sensitive information, the platform would boast strict security controls and protocols. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

Millions of files with sensitive data from ServiceBridge were freely available

Jeremiah Fowler, a security researcher, found a massive database with 31,524,107 files on the Internet. Surprisingly, the ServiceBridge database was freely available without any kind of protection. So, the 2.68 TB of data did not require any kind of security authentication. The massive data breach exposed sensitive information from companies in the US, Canada, and the UK.

The leak included many records and personal data of the staff of businesses that used ServiceBridge services. According to a Cybernews report, Fowler discovered names, physical addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, and partial credit card data. There is even more compromising or potentially dangerous data, such as images of the inside and outside of properties or businesses. Furthermore, the exposed information from medical companies includes HIPAA patient consent forms and medical equipment agreements, which contain sensitive information from all parties involved.

Exposed data could facilitate targeted invoice fraud or even physical attacks

The exposed data is from 2012, but as in other cases, it may still be relevant today. For example, malicious actors could have taken advantage of it to launch invoice fraud attacks on businesses. In 2022 alone, these types of attacks caused losses of more than $300,000 to American companies. Businesses in the United Kingdom have also seen a rise in invoice fraud in recent times.

The available information could facilitate targeted attacks, making them more dangerous and credible. Plus, the images of the properties could potentially jeopardize the physical integrity of those impacted. After receiving notice of the incident, ServiceBridge removed the exposed database. However, it is not known how long it was freely available on the Internet without any kind of protection.
Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested by French authorities at Le Bourget Airport last week. The arrest took place on Saturday night soon after he landed at the airport on the outskirts of Paris. At the time, French authorities didnt respond to requests for comment. The French media reported that the CEO was detained under a warrant related to alleged offenses related to the messaging app.

However, French prosecutors have now shed some light on the charges regarding the Telegram CEOs arrest last week. As per a statement by Paris prosecutor Laure BECCUAU, the Telegram CEO is facing 12 criminal charges in France. All charges are filed against a person unnamed. Notably, it is a classic judicial term to imply whoever is in charge of Telegram right now.

Telegram CEO is facing charges related to money laundering, fraud & more

According to the French prosecutors statement, the Telegram CEO is facing multiple charges related to money laundering & more. The cases are related to Durovs alleged complicity in several charges. He is accused of being complicit in storing and distributing CSAM content, facilitating drug trafficking, and organized fraud on the messaging platform. The prosecutor claims that the platform refuses to cooperate with the authorities when they file a request for information.

Furthermore, Durov is facing charges related to providing cryptology services aiming to ensure confidentiality without certified declaration. Notably, the CEO is also accused of taking part in a criminal association with a view to committing a crime or an offense punishable by 5 or more years of imprisonment. The complete details of the charges are available on the Tribunal de Paris courts website here.

Notably, French President Emmanuel Macron responded on X to false information that the CEOs detention was politically motivated. He said, 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.

Durov remains in police custody after a judge extended his detention

The charges Durov is facing in France are hard to decipher at the moment without complete details of the investigation. We do know that Durov remains in police custody in France after an investigative judge extended his detention. The prosecutors statement, released on August 26, mentioned that the custody period was extended until August 25. It could last up to 96 hours (that being the August 28).

Since the deadline is here, the French authorities can decide whether Durov will be indicted for any charges mentioned above. If it happens, the court can extend the Telegram CEOs detention further.
David Beckham and the Culture Secretary have joined a line-up of leaders, celebrities and experts who will speak at a TV and media forum in London.

The Royal Television Society has announced the full programme for its RTS London Convention 2024, which will include a conversation between co-founder of global content company Sister, Jane Featherstone, and former footballer Beckham.

It follows the success of his eponymous Netflix documentary in 2023 and the recent announcement that his wife Victoria will star in a new docu-series that will be released to the streaming platform.

There will also be a keynote address from Lisa Nandy at the one-day event, who will outline her priorities for the creative industries.

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy (Jeff Moore/PA)

Titled The Next Episode: Keeping Our Creative Edge, the event will see global leaders and experts come together to discuss the future of the TV industry in the UK and globally.

Among the other speakers announced for the convention are chief executive of Ofcom Dame Melanie Dawes, Sky News presenter Barbara Serra, University Challenge presenter Amol Rajan, former Newsnight host Kirsty Wark, and author and TV star Richard Osman.

Elsewhere, the director-general of the BBC, Tim Davie, will discuss the corporations support for regional economic growth and renewal amid recent controversy surrounding the corporation.

Earlier in the month The One Show presenter Jermaine Jenas was sacked by the corporation and apologised for sending inappropriate messages to two women while the month prior disgraced newsreader Huw Edwards pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children.

The convention will be opened by co-chief executive of Netflix, Ted Sarandos, with keynotes from Mr Davie, Ms Nandy as well as Channel 4 chief executive Alex Mahon, who will reflect on the first several months of the Fast Forward policy to transform the broadcaster into a public service streamer by 2030.

There will also be a keynote from ITV chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall, who will discuss how ITVX has been integrated with their linear broadcasting.

Theresa Wise, chief executive of the Royal Television Society, said: This years RTS London Convention has an outstanding roster of speakers from around the globe and the Convention team has curated what is set to be an engaging day, filled with dynamic and challenging discussions.

Education is a core mission for the RTS, so we are also delighted to now be recognised as a CPD accredited event, showcasing the extensive learning that attendees can take away.

Anna Mallett, vice president, production, EMEA/UK, Netflix, added: Were delighted to bring the industry together to discuss how we keep and celebrate all that is brilliant and unique about the UK industry, while continuing to evolve for the future.

Netflix serves as the principal sponsor for the event.

The event will take place on Tuesday September 17 at Kings Place in London.
The serial rapist who murdered Emma Caldwell has lost his appeal against the length of his sentence.

Iain Packer, 51, was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 36 years at the High Court in Glasgow in February.

He was found guilty following a trial of murdering the 27-year-old sex worker in 2005, as well as 11 rapes and 21 other charges, including sexual assaults, against other women.

Packers appeal against the length of his sentence was refused following a hearing in front of three judges at the Appeal Court in Edinburgh on Wednesday.

Miss Caldwells body was found in Limefield Woods, near Roberton, South Lanarkshire, on May 8 2005, more than a month after she went missing in Glasgow.

Police interviewed Packer that June but he was not convicted until almost two decades later.

Police Scotland have apologised to the family of Miss Caldwell and his other victims for how the original inquiry was handled, saying they were let down.

The Scottish Government announced in March a public inquiry will be held into the police handling of the murder investigation, vowing to begin preparations immediately and to give consideration to whether a judge from outside Scotland should be appointed.

Iain Packer lost his bid to cut the length of his sentence (Police Scotland/PA)

Aamer Anwar, the lawyer for Miss Caldwells mother Margaret and other family members, said: Mr Packer evaded justice for nearly 19 years but will die a convicted killer and serial rapist. Packers name will one day turn to dust, long after Emmas name lives on.

Had it not been for Margaret Caldwells tireless campaigning, then any hope of justice would have been buried forever.

For far too long those responsible for gifting a killer his freedom have remained in the shadows, but they must face the glare of public scrutiny, the only forum for that will be before a statutory judge-led public inquiry.

The Scottish Government appear desperate to appoint a Scottish judge, despite the demands of Emmas mother and cross-parliamentary support for a judge outwith Scotlands jurisdiction, for which of course there is precedent. Justice must be seen to be done.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: Our thoughts are with Emmas family for the terrible loss, pain and grief they have faced for many years.

As announced in March, an independent, judge-led, statutory public inquiry will take place into the investigation of Emmas murder in 2005.

The First Minister and Justice Secretary will meet with the family soon to discuss further.
Jade Goody died in 2009. (Comic Relief/Getty Images) (Comic Relief via Getty Images)

Jade Goodys influence on pop culture cannot be understated.

She burst into the public eye in 2002 as a contestant on Big Brother, winning over viewers and becoming, in her publicists words at the time, the worlds first reality television star. The glittering world of showbiz was waiting when Goody left the house, and for a while she was everywhere.

But its what she did to raise awareness of cervical cancer that many fans remember the most. The TV star was diagnosed with the illness in 2008 and spent the last months of her life doing everything she could to raise awareness before she died in 2009, aged 27.

As her former flame Jeff Brazier and son Freddy appear on Celebrity Race Across the World, heres everything you need to know about the reality star and cervical cancer advocate.

Finding fame on Big Brother

Jade Goody shot to fame when she went on Big Brother. (PA Images via Getty Images) (Yui Mok - PA Images via Getty Images)

Goody was just 20 when she walked through the doors of the Big Brother house. She was in the third series, which included the likes of Alison Hammond and Kate Lawler, and while she only came fourth, the dental nurse from Bermondsey was one of the biggest stars ever created on the show.

Outspoken from the start, Goody immediately charmed and amused viewers with some of her comments, like saying she thought Cambridge was in London and confessing: I dont think before I talk.

While she faced some teasing over some of her remarks, her stint in the house captured peoples attention and when Goody left BB plenty of opportunities were waiting.

Controversy

Jade Goody was involved in a racism row in Celebrity Big Brother. (AP) (Anonymous, Associated Press)

Back in the real world, Goody got into the often lucrative area of fitness DVDs and continued to rack up reality TV appearances in shows including Celebrity Driving School and Wife Swap. She even landed a string of her own television projects, like What Jade Did Next and Jades Salon.

Her career was booming but Goody did find herself in a spot of bother from time to time. Perhaps fittingly for a woman who unveiled a perfume called Controversial, there were occasions when she was criticised for the things she had said.

The biggest scandal was in 2007, when she returned to the Big Brother house for the celebrity edition of the show and became embroiled in a race row.

The programme was all over the headlines for days when some of the housemates  including Goody  were accused of bullying and making racist comments towards Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty. There were more than 40,000 complaints in total and the story was even raised in the Commons.

Family life

Jade Goody and Jeff Brazier. (PA Images/Alamy) (Myung Jung Kim, PA Images)

Goody started dating TV star Jeff Brazier in 2002 and the couple had sons Bobby and Freddy before splitting in 2004.

At the time of her death, the celeb was married to Jack Tweed, who had appeared with her on Celebrity Big Brother. They tied the knot in February 2009, just weeks before Goody passed away in her sleep.

The star knew she had terminal cancer at the time so organisers managed to pull the wedding together in just a few days so that she and Tweed would get to exchange vows before she died. Goody told OK! magazine that shed had "the happiest day of my life" after they said I do at a country house hotel.

Now I'm ready to go to heaven, she said.

Jade Goody married Jack Tweed shortly before she died. (PA Images via Getty Images) (Chris Radburn - PA Images via Getty Images)

Brazier has raised Bobby and Freddy and in the last couple of years they have stepped into the limelight themselves, with Bobby landing the role of Freddie Slater in EastEnders and competing on Strictly, and Freddy now taking part in Celebrity Race Across the World.

Cancer diagnosis

Goody was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2008, while she was a housemate in the Indian version of Big Brother. She took on her illness as she did the rest of her life  in the public eye  and made sure to keep her fans updated on her health as she went through chemotherapy.

She also started doing everything she could to raise awareness and encouraged other women to attend their screenings, having herself ignored a letter saying that abnormal cells had been found on her cervix.

Jade Goody was diagnosed with cancer in 2008. (Getty Images) (Getty Images via Getty Images)

Her then publicist Max Clifford told the BBC at the time: She's aware that her going public about cervical cancer since it was discovered last August has led to a 20% increase in young women all over Britain that are having cervical cancer smears.

"That's something that obviously she takes great pride from because, in her own words, 'Hopefully there's a lot of young women out there that won't suffer the way I have because of what I've said publicly'. And it's working.

Legacy and Jade Goody effect

Goody died in her sleep on 22 March 2009, when her boys Freddy and Bobby were four and five. In the final months of her life it had already become clear that her openness about her illness had sparked something people called the Jade Goody effect, which saw women flocking to have their smear tests.

Jos Cervical Cancer Trust has previously said that Goodys story had an enormous impact. There was an extraordinary rise in women attending cervical screening with an extra 400,000 booking their test across the UK, a post on the organisations website said.

As a result, we saw many cancers being prevented as well as cancers detected at an earlier stage, less invasive treatments and better outcomes.

Read more: Jade Goody
Jarrod Bowens late, lucky strike put West Ham into the Carabao Cup third round after a 1-0 win over Bournemouth.

A penalty shoot-out was looming at the London Stadium until England forward Bowen found the net two minutes from the end.

A shot from substitute Mohammed Kudus hit the chest of Bowen and flew past Cherries keeper Neto to send the Hammers through.

The final touch may have come off Bowens elbow, which will no doubt stick in the craw of Bournemouth who had a stoppage-time goal disallowed by VAR against Newcastle for handball on Sunday.

With no VAR in operation in the early rounds of this competition, the goal stood.

It ended a contest low on quality despite West Ham handing full debuts to almost 100million-worth of summer signings.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jean-Clair Todibo, Niclas Fullkrug and Crysencio Summerville all started for the hosts.

But it was only the impressive Wan-Bissaka, the 15million recruit from Manchester United, who was still on at the end after a distinctly mixed bag of performances.

Bournemouth almost opened the scoring when Marcos Senesi headed a corner back across goal and James Hill planted his header narrowly wide.

West Ham ended the first half strongly with Wan-Bissaka, playing at left-back after Aaron Cresswell dropped out of the starting line-up, prominent in attack.

The former Crystal Palace full-back cut the ball back across goal but it took a deflection to wrongfoot Fullkrug, who was lurking six yards out.

Moments later Fullkrug collected another pass from Wan-Bissaka and saw his shot deflected wide for a corner, from which Tomas Soucek scooped a good chance over.

Summerville then ran at the Bournemouth defence for the first time but got underneath the ball and his finish flew horribly off target.

Bournemouth almost scored in first-half stoppage time when Hills cross was cleverly backheeled towards goal by Dango Ouattara, forcing a smart reaction save from Lukasz Fabianski.

After the break Bowen found Summerville, who cut inside Hill and bent his shot inches wide of the far post.

Back came Bournemouth, with Fabianski saving low down to deny Ouattara and their 42million record signing Evanilson, on as a substitute, sliced a gilt-edged chance wide.

They were agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock when Marcus Taverniers curling free-kick from out wide grazed the post.

Hammers captain Bowen forced a first save from Neto after 80 minutes with a low drive from the edge of the area.

But they broke the deadlock when Bowen found Lucas Paqueta, continued his run forward and bundled Kudus shot home.
A woman climbed over a safety fence to approach and taunt a tiger at the Cohanzick Zoo in Bridgeton, New Jersey, on August 18th. The Bridgeton Police Department released a video of the incident on their social media channels on Tuesday, August 20th, hoping to identify the woman. Fortunately, through countless tips, they were able to find out who she was.

NBC News shared a clip of the video on Tuesday, August 27th, along with the news that the woman was identified as a 24-year-old woman. A portion of an interview with John Medica, Bridgeton Director of Recreation and Public Affairs, pointed out that there were children watching the woman, who the tiger attempted to bite, that could have seen the woman "lose a hand or worse".

Medica goes on to say that had the tiger bitten the woman, the tiger may have had to be euthanized. Medica added, "It was just very careless, a very careless action and I hope the individual recognizes how lucky they were to still have all of their limbs."

NBC News commenters were outraged by the woman's actions. @lugnut shared, "If someone's dumb enough to get close like that then that should be on them not the obviously meat-eating tiger!" Another commenter added, "Thats messed up that you have to kill an animal because of somebodys actions." @RAW pointed out, "Zoo policies like that are weird but it makes sense because if it does it once it can change its behaviors and become more predatory with the zookeepers." Good point!

Related: Woman Climbs Over Fence and Taunts Tiger at New Jersey Zoo and People Are Outraged

New Jersey Woman Who Taunted Tiger Identified

The Daily News reported that the woman's name is Zyair Dennis, and she is facing a count of defiant trespassing and is also accused of violating a pair of city ordinances covering general conduct of persons pertaining to climbing fences within the zoo, according to Chief of Police, Michael Gaimari Sr.

This apparently was not Dennis' first attempt to interact with animals at the zoo. Police said that the restricted area Dennis allegedly breached is adjacent to the zoos bear enclosure. Gaimari added that there was a similar video depicting the same scenario at the bear enclosure the same day involving the same person. He went on to say the video footage triggered an outpouring of tips, which helped them to "quickly identify the suspect."

Dennis will appear in Bridgeton Municipal Court on the trespassing charge, though police said that a date has not been set. I was curious what the punishment might be for trespassing in New Jersey and learned from a quick Google search that penalties include fines (up to $10,000), probation, and imprisonment. Trespassing is usually considered a misdemeanor, but some charges may fall into a felony status. I'm hoping in this case that she gets at least a hefty fine since she did it more than once and could have cost these animals their lives.

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Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will be cheering against Great Britain on the opening day of action at the Paralympics in Paris.

The 57-year-old German, who left Anfield this summer, is set to attend Thursday lunchtimes badminton session to support his long-time friend Wojtek Czyz.

Czyz, a former German citizen and four-time Paralympic champion in athletics, now represents his adopted nation of New Zealand in the racket sport and will take on Britains Daniel Bethell at La Chappelle Arena.

His friendship with Klopp dates back more than 20 years.

An aspiring footballer, the 44-year-old had his left leg amputated after breaking his knee in a collision with a goalkeeper in September 2001.

The incident occurred in his final game for regional side VfR Grunstadt after he had agreed professional terms with Fortuna Cologne.

Former sprinter and long jumper Czyz met Klopp, who was then manager of Mainz, in 2002 at a charity match during his rehabilitation.

Czyz celebrates winning the mens 200m T42 final at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens (Gareth Copley/PA)

He settled in New Zealand and switched international allegiances after becoming stuck there during the coronavirus pandemic, having embarked on a circumnavigation of the world on a catamaran with his wife, former Italian high jumper Elena Brambilla.

Czyz, a certified diving instructor, will make history as the first badminton player to represent the New Zealand Paralympic team.

He became back-to-back Paralympic F42/F44 long jump champion at Beijing in 2008, having also won T42 100m and 200m gold at Athens in 2004.

London 2012 brought further track and field success for Poland-born Czyz as he claimed long jump silver, plus bronzes in the 100m and 4x100m relay.
Lego has said it is replacing more fossil fuels used within its signature toy bricks with pricier renewable and recycled plastic as it benefits from strong consumer demand.

The Danish toymaker has said it is on track to remove fossil fuels from its bricks by 2032 after sealing contracts with producers to secure long-term supply of greener alternatives.

It told shareholders that 22% of resin used in its bricks over the first half of 2024 used material from renewable and recycled sources, up from 12% in 2023.

Lego said that stronger profits have allowed it to invest to increase the amount of resin purchased from sustainable sources.

On Wednesday, the company revealed that operating profits grew 26% to 8.1 billion Danish Krone (920 million) over the half-year.

The firm said it is investing in more renewable materials for its plastic bricks (Jonathan Brady/PA)

It came after revenues rose 13% to 31 billion DKK (3.5 billion), driven by a 14% rise in consumer sales.

Lego said sales growth was driven by strong demand for its large and diverse portfolio, especially in the Americas and Europe.

Niels B Christiansen, chief executive of Lego, said: We are very pleased with our strong performance in the first half.

We delivered double-digit growth on the top- and bottom-line and made significant progress on increasing the amount of sustainable materials used in our products.

Our portfolio continues to be relevant for all ages and interests, and this is driving significant demand across markets.

We used our solid financial foundation to further increase spending on strategic initiatives which will support growth now and in the future to enable us to bring learning through play to even more children.
A 20-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after a mother was stabbed at Notting Hill Carnival.

Shakiel Thibou of Masbro Road, Hammersmith, west London, will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday, also charged with violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon.

The Metropolitan Police said his two brothers have also been charged in relation to the same incident, and will appear in court at the same time.

Sheldon Thibou, 24, of Star Road, Hammersmith, has been charged with violent disorder, possession of a stun gun and assaulting an emergency worker.

Crowds on Ladbroke Grove, London, during the Notting Hill Carnival (Lucy North/PA)

Shaeim Thibou, 22, of Charleville Road, Fulham, south-west London, has been charged with violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker.

The woman is in hospital in a critical condition after she was stabbed in Golborne Road, Ladbroke Grove, on Sunday.

Police believe she was hurt when she was caught up in a confrontation between two groups of men, while attending the family day of the carnival with her child.
A man has been charged with murder after a 29-year-old was killed in a hit-and-run.

Ryan Griffiths suffered serious injuries when he was struck by a car in Burleigh Road in Merridale, Wolverhampton, just before 9pm on August 21 and died in hospital two days later, West Midlands Police said.

Aden Wright, 26, has been charged with Mr Griffiths murder and appeared at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

#CHARGE | Weve charged a man with the murder of Ryan Griffiths, who died after being struck by a car in Wolverhampton. Full story  https://t.co/R5D3t7U6Pw pic.twitter.com/ql5YnIdWxT  Wolverhampton Police (@WolvesPolice) August 28, 2024

Police confirmed that a 20-year-old woman was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of murder and perverting the course of justice, but has been released on bail while the investigation continues.

In a statement issued previously by police, Mr Griffiths family called him a loving and devoted son, brother, uncle, grandson, nephew and cousin.

They said: He had a heart of gold and a lot of loving friends.

Everyone is devastated by his sad loss and he will be sadly missed.
A man is due to be sentenced for throwing a coffee cup at Reform UK leader and Clacton MP Nigel Farage on his battle bus during the General Election campaign.

Josh Greally, 28, was arrested in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, on June 11 after he threw what looked like a paper cup containing a liquid, and another object, at Mr Farage.

Neither of the objects hit the politician, who was on the top deck of the bus.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage makes a speech on the Reform UK campaign bus in Barnsley, South Yorkshire (Danny Lawson/PA)

Greally, of Damsbrook Drive, Clowne, Derbyshire, appeared before a district judge at Barnsley Magistrates Court in June, where he pleaded guilty to a public order offence.

Judge Tim Spruce said it appeared that the first item thrown was a coffee cup but it was not clear what the second item was, and could have been another cup or some paper.

He asked for a pre-sentence report to be prepared and said Greally will be sentenced on August 28 at the same court.

Judge Spruce told the defendant: All sentencing options are open.

Shaven-headed Greally stood in the court wearing a pink shirt, black trousers and a black mask.

He did not answer questions from reporters as he left the court building shortly after admitting using threatening, abusive or insulting words and behaviour with intent to cause fear or provoke unlawful violence.

Josh Greally leaves Barnsley Magistrates Court on June 26 (Danny Lawson/PA)

Judge Spruce told him: This matter remains serious. To your credit you are a young man who has never been in trouble before.

Earlier, while talking to lawyers in the case, the judge said it was a concern that a politician was targeted.

Prosecutor Kirsty Pearson said the fact the incident happened during a General Election campaign makes it much more serious.

Ms Pearson and the judge discussed what the objects thrown were and agreed it was difficult to tell from mobile phone footage of the incident, which was not shown in court.

They agreed that at least one of the items made a noise as it hit the side of the bus.

Greally threw the object from a fenced-off construction workers area as the Reform UK campaign bus was parked in the town centre.

He was caught on video by a number of people as he was quickly arrested by police.

Nigel Farage reacts after something is thrown towards him on the Reform UK campaign bus in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, on June 11 (Danny Lawson/PA)

Mr Farage had been addressing supporters from the front of the top deck of the bus, but had been interrupted by a loud demonstration by people who opposed him.

The former MEP was standing at the top of the stairs of the open-top bus when he was alerted by a thud and ducked, along with a number of his supporters and journalists.

Later that day, Mr Farage described the incident as pretty nasty and what happened was condemned by politicians of all parties.
A man who threw a coffee cup at Reform UK leader Nigel Farage on his battle bus during the General Election campaign has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

Josh Greally, 28, was sentenced to six weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, after a district judge said the offence was serious enough to merit a jail term, but there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

Greally, who wore a black face mask throughout the hearing, pleaded guilty to a public order offence over the incident on June 11 in Barnsley town centre, where he launched an object at Mr Farage, who was making a speech from the open top deck of his bus.

Mr Farage flinched as the object flew towards him (Danny Lawson/PA)

Barnsley Magistrates Court heard Greally then reached into a bin and took out another object, which he also threw towards the bus.

Neither of the objects hit the Mr Farage, who was elected MP for Clacton.

The court heard Greally then ran away despite members of the public attempting to apprehend him, but was chased and found by police a short time later.

He had travelled to the event as part of a group and played a prominent role, a judge said.

At an earlier hearing, Greally admitted using threatening, abusive or insulting words and behaviour with intent to cause fear or provoke unlawful violence. The maximum sentence for the offence is six months in custody.

District Judge James Gould said Greallys target had been a politician campaigning in our democratic country.

He told the defendant: Politicians know they will face robust opposition, but that must never spill over into violence or intimidation.

Josh Greally leaves Barnsley Magistrates Court where he admitted the charge (Danny Lawson/PA)

That is not the pursuit of free speech, it is an attempt to silence voices of opposition.

In mitigation, the court heard Greally, who has no previous convictions, had attended protests before but this seems to be the first time he has stepped over the line and found himself in trouble with the authorities.

The court heard he currently worked in a bar but had a Masters degree and an interest in film and television, and writes reviews for a website.

In a character reference submitted to the judge, a former lecturer described Greally as compassionate and caring.

In addition to the suspended sentence, Greally, of Damsbrook Drive, Clowne, Derbyshire, was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work, 20 rehabilitation activity days and pay 85 court costs and a surcharge of 154.

Mr Farage responded to the sentencing by saying Greally had been allowed to walk free following the very dangerous, provocative, violent incident.

In a video posted on social media site X, former Twitter, the MP added: Today hes been given a suspended prison sentence. He will not serve any custodial time at all.

But you see, in Keir Starmers Britain, if you put something intemperate on Facebook after a couple of glasses of wine, he would have gone to prison. And thats the mess were in.

Mr Farage went on to call for more prisons to be built.
More than 500 migrants arrive in UK after crossing English Channel

More than 500 migrants arrived in the UK on Tuesday after crossing the English Channel, latest figures show.

Some 526 people made the journey in eight boats, taking the provisional total for 2024 so far to 19,820.

This is 0.1% higher than at the same point in 2023 (19,801) and 21% lower than 2022 (25,065)

Pictures showed men, women and children wearing life jackets and blankets disembarking from a Border Force vessel in Dover on Tuesday, while one child was assisted with a wheelchair on arrival at the port.

They were the first arrivals in a week since 206 people made the journey on August 19, according to Home Office data.

(PA Graphics)

A Home Office spokesman said: We all want to see an end to dangerous small boat crossings, which are undermining border security and putting lives at risk.

The new Government is taking steps to boost our border security, setting up a new Border Security Command which will bring together our intelligence and enforcement agencies, equipped with new counter-terror-style powers and hundreds of personnel stationed in the UK and overseas, to smash the criminal smuggling gangs making millions in profit.
Renewable generation capacity approved last financial year nearly doubled to 12GW. Australia needs to install 6GW a year to meet the 2030 target. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

Australias electricity authority has declared the countrys main power grid will remain reliable as it shifts from coal domination to running overwhelmingly on renewable energy  but only if investments in new generation are delivered on time and in full.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (Aemo) reached its conclusion in a report that considered what needs to be built over the next decade to maintain the National Electricity Market, which links the five eastern states and the ACT.

The chief executive of Aemo, Daniel Westerman, said it was critical expected investments in new solar, wind, batteries, pumped hydro and transmission links were delivered as proposed. Modelling suggested reliability gaps if projects were delayed.

Related: The Coalition has turned its renewable energy denial into a nuclear roadmap to nowhere. Its exhausting | Adam Morton

We know the investments there. Its just got to get delivered in generation, in transmission, in storage, he said.

Westerman said the grid reliability outlook had improved since last year, in part due to new committed and anticipated infrastructure: 5.7 gigawatts of large-scale generation and storage and 365 kilometres of transmission connections. The strengthened forecast was helped by a two-year extension in the scheduled life of the Eraring coal plant in New South Wales and the continuing rapid spread of rooftop solar panels.

Australias power grid is midway through a transformation from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Solar, wind and hydro now provide about 40% of electricity on the east coast, roughly double the proportion five years ago. The Albanese government says under Labor that will reach 82% by 2030.

The Coalition says it would limit investment in renewable energy and instead build publicly owned nuclear plants and expand the use of gas, an expensive fossil fuel. Nuclear is banned in Australia, and the CSIRO and other analysts say a plant could not be online before 2040. Aemo forecasts about 90% of the remaining coal-fired generation is likely to have closed by 2035.

After years of rapid expansion, the clean energy industry earlier this year warned there had been a sharp slowdown in investment in new large-scale renewable energy in 2023, with financial decisions on solar farms shrinking more than a third and no wind farms being supported. This contrasted with strong investment in rooftop solar and large and small batteries.

The governments response was to announce an expanded underwriting program for large-scale projects. It aims to add 32GW of renewables and storage by 2030.

Westerman said there had been a near doubling in the amount of generation capacity approved last financial year  12GW up from 6.9GW the year before. He said the country needed to install 6GW a year to meet the governments 2030 target.

Related: Australian renewable sector recorded alarming slowdown in 2023, energy body finds

Aemos Electricity Statement of Opportunities report stressed while there was surplus generation in the grid across most of the year, demand for power increased during summers extreme heat.

It said the reliable operation of existing coal, gas and renewable plants would be critical for the grid to supply households and businesses this summer. There had been an increasing number of unscheduled outages at ageing coal plants, but Westerman said this had reduced last financial year.

Aemo has put out a tender for off-market backup electricity reserves in Victoria, NSW and South Australia this summer to manage potential low reserve conditions. Westerman said that was most likely to come from demand management, which involves major energy users being paid to reduce electricity consumption at times of high demand.

Dylan McConnell, an energy systems researcher at the University of NSW, said the reports central message was if we build all of the things without delays everythings fine. But he said Aemo clearly had some concerns about the coming summer and reliability could be tight in the years ahead if everything was not built on schedule.
The Bayesian sank during an intense storm on Aug 19, killing Mike Lynch, the British tech tycoon, and six others - Perini Navi Press Office/Shutterstock

Two British crew members of Mike Lynchs sunken superyacht have been placed under investigation for multiple manslaughter and causing a shipwreck.

It comes after James Cutfield, the captain of the 30 million Bayesian, was put under investigation on Monday.

The inquiry into the tragedy has widened to Tim Parker Eaton, 56, from Bedfordshire, who was in charge of the engine room, and Matthew Griffiths, 22, who was reportedly on watch when the yacht was hit by a violent storm and sank 16 minutes later.

Under the Italian legal system, being placed under investigation does not imply guilt and does not necessarily mean that charges will be made.

Mr Cutfield is expected to be allowed to leave Italy today, several Italian media outlets are reporting.

The Kiwi skipper has not been charged with any offence and is free to leave the country and return to the home he shares with his wife Cristina in La Palma, Majorca.

He lost his passport when the Bayesian sank last week but has been given a replacement travel document.

Prosecutors said at the weekend that while he was not obliged to remain in Sicily, they expect him to cooperate with their investigation into why the yacht sank with the loss of seven lives.

Mr Cutfield has an injury to his knee which requires him to use a crutch, according to the Italian news agency Adnkronos.

Seven people, including British tech tycoon Mr Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, died when the superyacht sank after it was struck by an extreme weather event known as a downburst about half a mile off the fishing town of Porticello, Sicily. Fifteen people survived, including Mr Lynchs wife.

Mr Cutfield, the skipper, declined to answer prosecutors questions on Tuesday, invoking his legal right to remain silent.

He broke down in tears when he met investigators, according to Italian media reports, with Aldo Mordiglia, his lawyer, saying there were two reasons for Mr Cutfields decision not to respond to questions.

He is understandably distressed, he said. 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.

Supporters of Mr Cutfield in Majorca, where he lives with his wife, have launched a fundraising initiative for him and the crew. Mr Cutfield was reportedly well-known in yachting circles, as were other members of the crew mincluding Mr Thomas. So far, more than 6,800 has been raised.

Paul Madden, the expat behind the initiative, wrote: I would like the yachting community and anyone else to donate to support the crew and the fellow crew member who sadly lost his life in the line of duty.

The funds will be shared equally amongst all of the crew to support them in the mental, physical and financial challenges that lie ahead. I hope the outcome of our help allows the crew to move forward with their lives and can rely on the support of our yachting community.

Investigators want to establish what measures the crew took to raise the alarm and why the six passengers who died did not leave their cabins and escape to the deck in time.

Asked whether the passengers were warned of the approaching storm, Raffaele Cammarano, one of two prosecutors leading the case, said: Thats precisely what were trying to ascertain from the statements made by the survivors.

Investigators said the storm that hit the Bayesian about 4am local time on Aug 19 was an extreme event that happened really, really suddenly.

Prosecutors are scrutinising whether any hatches were left open and whether the keel was partially raised  which would have rendered the yacht less stable.

Post-mortem examinations on the seven victims are expected to be carried out this week at an institute of forensic medicine in nearby Palermo.

Prosecutors say 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.
People in Middlesbrough come together to clean up their streets after rioting in the town in early August. Photograph: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images

An 11-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with this summers riots, as police vowed to continue catching people suspected of being involved despite dwindling prison places.

The boy was one of 14 people, including a mother and son, held in dawn raids across Teesside over disorder in Middlesbrough and Hartlepool.

At least three 11-year-olds are among the hundreds of people who have been arrested by police in England and Northern Ireland since violence erupted on 30 July.

Supt Marc Anderson, of Cleveland police, said on Wednesday that he had never seen anything like the unrest in Middlesbrough in his 30 years of service. The force has now arrested 110 people in connection with the two riots.

After the raids, DCI Sarah Robinson said: The message is: you havent got away with it. We can identify you and we will arrest you, you will be arrested and you will be put before the courts. Behind every crime there is a victim and some of the stories that we have been told have been really harrowing.

In West Yorkshire, a man who tried to instigate a riot in Huddersfield was jailed for nine months.

Harvey Gardner, 20, pleaded guilty to encouraging violent disorder through social media posts urging people to gather at the towns railway station and promising its not going to be peaceful.

His solicitor told Leeds crown court he had jumped on the bandwagon and was deeply regretful of his online posts. The court heard that the proposed disorder on 5 August did not materialise but police and local businesses were forced to prepare for it.

Gardners widely shared posts came against the backdrop of widespread violent disorder across the UK. The court heard that he tried to post the same message on a Facebook group called Huddersfield Community but the moderator stopped him.

When Gardner, who has no previous convictions, was arrested, he said he had the right to protest, it was said.

The judge, Guy Kearl KC, said: There can be no doubt you were inciting others to engage in violent disorder, otherwise why post the comments. No violent incident took place but the effect of your posts was that local businesses and police had to cater for disorder. Your intention was to instigate and incite an incident involving serious violence.

Separately, a 15-year-old boy was warned he may be jailed after admitting throwing a glass bottle and stealing a police officers hat during disorder in Bolton.

The teenager, who has no previous convictions, was told by the judge that the court only had the power to sentence him to custody in a young offender institution or make a referral order, which would mean the boy must comply with a rehabilitation regime. The teenager, from the Bolton area, will be sentenced on 1 October.

As many as 123 people had been jailed for their part in the disorder as of last Wednesday, according to Ministry of Justice figures, and more than 400 people were on remand in custody awaiting sentencing.

The crackdown, ordered by Keir Starmer, has placed further pressure on prisons, with fewer than 100 cell spaces left in mens prisons in England and Wales.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, testifies during the US Senate Judiciary Committee

Until recently, you were deemed a swivel-eyed conspiracy theorist or gullible purveyor of falsehoods if you took seriously indications that governments worked hand-in-hand with big tech to censor information which may have been lawful and factual from billions of people when it suited them.

But this week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg gave a muted admission to a US Congressional Committee that that is exactly what his platforms did. He said that his social media sites, which include Facebook and Instagram, were pressured by the White House to censor public discussion during the Covid-19 pandemic, even including humour and satire, and that he censored reporting about Hunter Bidens laptop and his overseas business affairs during the 2020 presidential election in order to tackle disinformation.

The seriousness of this disclosure can hardly be overstated. Social media firms withheld access to journalism and stifled free discussion at a time when peoples health, and the health of their democracies, was at stake.

Disinformation is a real phenomenon, which we once called lying. But the term has taken on new meaning as a censorious buzz word, and has been relentlessly abused by partisan actors attempting to discredit truths we can see with our own eyes.

For example, claims that President Biden had performed poorly in his debate with Trump were dismissed as disinformation by some Left-leaning US press outfits.

While the House Judiciary Committee has celebrated Zuckerbergs admission as a big win for free speech, he made it with only a hint of remorse. He said we own our decisions but we made some choices that, with the benefit of hindsight and new information, we wouldnt make today.

That is not how the right to free speech works. It is not limited to government-approved facts, only to be reviewed (with hindsight) once thousands of people have been wrongly censored and the political winds have changed. Societies can only discover truths through a free, open and fearless exchange. Zuckerberg has shown all the contrition of a Roman Inquisitor musing that, with new information, he might not have convicted Galileo for saying the Earth moves around the Sun.

Freedoms fought for over centuries have been eroded by the tech revolution and politicians misguided response to it. While Zuckerbergs personal decisions as to what Metas 3.6 billion users can say, see and read may be problematic, the bigger problem is that such vital decisions are being left to unaccountable figures at all.

Governments of all stripes seizing opportunities to influence platforms every time there is a crisis or major political moment only makes the concentration of power worse, not better. We already have precious rights and responsibilities on speech codified in law when it comes to analogue expression. But the centrality of the rule of law has become an afterthought in the age of big tech.

The UKs growing pro-censorship lobby, which claims the support of some ministers, seems to have adopted the corporate responsibility guff of tackling harm over protecting free speech. Pressure groups are urging tech leaders to do more, and quietly rebooting the controversial Counter Disinformation Unit, now called the National Security Online Information Team.

Free speech is not a politically-influenced corporate privilege: it is a fundamental right. The responsibility of Britains democracy cannot be left to foreign tech billionaires who say the right things at the wrong times.
The building where the 15-year-old girl fell and was seriously injured - Google Maps

A 15-year-old British girl is seriously ill in hospital after falling from the first floor of a building in Majorca.

The teenager was badly injured in the accident days after a Spanish website that celebrates balcony falls was branded vile by a British politician.

She suffered multiple injuries from the fall in the town of Sant Llorenc des Cardassar on Tuesday night.

Paramedics stabilised her condition at the scene before transferring her to Mallorcas main Son Espases hospital.

Local police said they were investigating the circumstances of the accident.

Last week, Emma Ramsey, 19, died after falling from the sixth-floor balcony at her hotel in Ibiza.

Soon after, an online group calling itself the Balearics Federation of Balconing included her in a global ranking of deaths on the islands.

Its website hailed her death as a comeback for British tourists, who it said top the group with three deaths and two injuries.

The Ibiza hotel where Emma Ramsey fell to her death - Google Maps

The British NEVER disappoint, the group told its more than 56,000 followers. We all knew that the kings of this sport would once again be leaders.

The website is styled like an Olympic competition, with gold, silver and bronze medals for the nationalities who have suffered the most accidents and the animation of a little figure falling from a height.

Christina McKelvie, an SNP member of the Scottish Parliament whose Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse constituency was home to Ms Ramsey, called for the website to be shut down.

This is utterly vile and my heart goes out to the loved ones of anyone who has been targeted by this organisation, she said.

It is reprehensible that anyone would seek to exploit and use tragic deaths in such a cruel manner.

The sooner the organisation is shut down, the better, and social media organisations should take any action they can to remove such deplorable content from their sites.

The Balearics Federation of Balconing responded to Ms McKelvies criticism on its X account, saying that the problem was not its rankings, but rather the Balearic Islands model of mass tourism and the consequences that stemmed from it.

The term balconing was initially coined in Spain to describe the dangerous behaviour of tourists who attempt to leap from their hotel balconies into swimming pools.
St John's Church in Hanley, Staffordshire, was built in 1788 but has been out of use since the 1980s owing to structural concerns - Pete Stonier/Stoke Sentine/BPM Media

The Church of England has intervened to stop a disused Grade II-listed church from being turned into a mosque.

An Islamic charity won planning permission earlier this month to convert the Georgian church of St Johns in Hanley, Staffordshire, into a Muslim place of worship.

However, the Church of England has blocked the development using a legal clause that prevents the building from being used for worship by any religion other than Christianity.

The restrictive covenant was placed on the church when the diocese of Lichfield sold it in 2009.

Built in 1788, it had been out of use since the 1980s owing to concerns for its structural integrity.

The church initially became a cafe and antiques centre, before being sold on to the Zamir Foundation which won permission from Stoke-on-Trent city council to turn it into a mosque on August 15.

The charity also planned to install a museum, multi-faith library and womens only gym inside the building.

But the Church of England has declined.

Restrictive covenant prohibits conversion into mosque

A spokesman for the Church Commissioners, which manages the Anglican churchs investments and assets, said the owners had been informed that it would not permit the change.

The Church Commissioners is aware that planning permission has been granted for changes to St Johns Hanley, the spokesman said.

We support former churches being used for community purposes, but a restrictive covenant prohibits the use of the building as a place of worship other than as a church, and the Commissioners has explained this to the owner.

Building works had already started at the church before planning permission was granted.

A bulldozer had levelled and cleared the grounds for a car park and internal partition walls and washing facilities were installed before being removed at the councils request because permission had not yet been granted.

Zabi Zamir, a spokesman for the Zamir Foundation, had previously hailed the granting of planning permission as a positive step towards enhancing community services and fostering inclusivity.

The Church of England will consider bringing legal action against the charity if it ignores the covenant and goes ahead with the mosque conversion, The Telegraph understands.

Churches converted into nightclubs

Other uses for former churches include climbing walls, such as St Marks in Newcastle and St Benedicts in West Gorton, Manchester.

Other churches have been converted into nightclubs, including the Grade II-listed St Andrews in Bournemouth and Salisburys Chapel nightclub, which was built in the 19th century as a Pentecostal church.

The chapel of the former Claybury Asylum in Woodford, north London, is now a swimming pool and sauna, while Nottinghams Grade II-listed High Pavement Chapel was converted into a bar in 1998.

The Zamir Foundation and Stoke-on-Trent city council were approached for comment.
Victoria Siddall was previously global director of art platform Frieze - Dave Benett/Getty

The National Portrait Gallery has appointed an environmental campaigner who backed keeping heating and air conditioning to a minimum in galleries as its new director.

Victoria Siddall is the first woman to lead the recently refurbished London gallery and has raised environmental concerns in her previous gallery roles.

She previously helped to launch a climate change manifesto that called for a range of changes to help galleries reduce their carbon footprint, from keeping heating, ventilation and air conditioning to a minimum to shipping artworks abroad instead of using planes.

Ms Siddall has also called for an end to fossil fuel sponsorship in the arts.

The 2021 manifesto cited the advice of the activist group Culture Unstained, which has campaigned against the National Portrait Gallerys financial links to oil companies, as best practice for galleries.

The new appointment may suggest a change in policy at the recently refurbished gallery. Nicholas Cullinan, the previous director, had claimed before that controversial sponsors might be necessary to support the arts.

Protesters target a painting by Velasquez in the National Gallery in 2023 - Just Stop Oil

Ms Siddall was herself trustee of the gallery before her appointment and has more than 20 years experience in the arts world, having served as global director of Frieze, a media platform for art which also runs a series of fairs around the world.

She also founded the Gallery Climate Coalition (GCC) in 2020, amid debate in the arts world over the ethics of fossil fuel companies sponsoring exhibitions. At the time, she said the group aimed to effect some real change across the industry.

The GCC launched a Carbonisation Action Plan in 2021, which advised galleries to cut even indirect Big Oil connections, stating: Review your banking and investment policies, and make sure that you arent inadvertently supporting the expansion of fossil fuels via your bank, staff pension or investment funds.

The Action Plan contains a link to the Culture Unstained website, where advice is provided on how to ensure ethical sponsorship.

The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) dropped BP in 2022, but Culture Unstained took issue with its replacement, Herbert Smith Freehills, which funds the gallerys 35,000 annual portrait prize.

Culture Unstained claimed the legal firms client list included fossil fuel companies BP and Chevron, meaning the NPG indirectly benefited from the industry.

A 2023 iteration of the Action Plan suggests that visitors driving to galleries is a problem, and art institutions should promote public transport, along with shifting away from dairy to plant-based meals for in-house catering.

Modernisation and rehanging

Ms Siddall will take over the gallery following a 35 million revamp, which has seen the building modernised and expanded, and its artworks rehung.

She said: Im truly honoured to have the opportunity to lead the NPG, a museum that holds the worlds greatest collection of portraits and is unique in being about people and for people.

The art within its walls tells stories of human achievement and what unites us as a society, inspiring and shaping our view of the world and our place in it. This is perhaps the most exciting time in the NPGs history.

Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, said Ms Siddall would bring a wealth of experience to the role, adding that her leadership will lead the gallery from strength to strength.

David Ross, chairman of the trustees of the NPG, said: Her strengths as a cultural leader are considerable, as is her knowledge of the art world, understanding of audiences and international profile.

I know that she has the vision and determination to build on our recent successes and lead the next stage of the gallerys development, and I greatly look forward to working with her.
Members of Chaffee County Search & Rescue South work to rescue a hiker on the Mount Shavano standard route in Colorado. Photograph: Chaffee County Search & Rescue - South

A Colorado man survived a night on a mountain by himself  while injured  after being left behind by his co-workers during an office retreat, which rescue officials pointed out may lead to some awkward encounters at the office in the coming days and weeks.

Colorados Chaffee County Search and Rescue South (CCSAR-S) shared the hikers harrowing ordeal in a Facebook post earlier this week, saying that at about 9pm last Friday, it was activated for a report of an overdue hiker. The hiker was wearing all black on the standard route of Mount Shavano, a high mountain summit in the southern Sawatch range of the Rocky mountains.

The hiker was part of a 15-person group that embarked on an office hiking retreat, with one group completing summit attempts and a separate group ascending to the saddle and returning from there, CCSAR-S wrote in its post.

When the subject summited at 11:30[am] and turned to descend, he became disoriented, finding belongings left in the boulder field to mark the descent by the previous group having been picked up as they hiked down, CCSAR-S said, adding: In his initial attempts to descend, he found himself in the steep boulder and scree field on the northeast slopes toward Shavano Lake.

The group noted that the hiker sent a location pin drop to his co-workers who were already descending. The co-workers then informed him that his route was wrong and instructed him to climb back up the slope again to regain the trail. At around 3.50pm, the hiker sent another location pin drop to his co-workers as he nearly regained the ridge between the Mt Shavano and Tabeguache Peak trailhead.

Shortly after the hiker sent his location, a storm swept through the area with freezing rain and high winds, prompting the hiker to become disoriented again while losing cell signal.

After receiving the missing hiker alert at 9pm that evening, CCSAR-S deployed two teams and a drone pilot. The teams worked from the last known point on the ridge between Mt Shavano and Tabeguache and were focused on clearing the standard route to the last known point, as well as the Shavano Lake and Squaw Creek drainage.

In its Facebook post, CCSAR-S wrote that the teams encountered strong winds and freezing rain, in turn making the process to reach the summit unsafe, in addition to difficult for the drone operator.

A medical rescue helicopter also assisted the teams with the search and despite flying several search patterns through the area[,] did not detect any sources of artificial light apart from search teams anywhere on the mountain, the post said. The teams remained in the field until 9am the next morning with no trace of the hiker.

A second search operation began that morning, with the help from at least nine additional search and rescue groups, including those from nearby counties.

With the second search operation underway, the hiker managed to regain enough cell service to dial 911. The hiker reported being very disoriented on his descent, and falling at least 20 times on the steep slopes below Esprit point toward the North Fork. It added that after the last fall, he was unable to get back up but very luckily regained enough cell service to make his call.

Upon locating the hiker, the search and rescue teams deployed technical rope lowers to extract him from the mountain. He was then stabilized and evaluated by search and rescue personnel before being transported to a hospital for further care.

In its post on Facebook, CCSAR-S issued a public reminder, urging hikers to always hike with a partner, pack bright clothing and to remember to toss the 10 Essentials in your daypack.

They also quipped in the post that the ordeal might cause some awkward encounters at the office in the coming days and weeks.

The 10 essentials are navigation, sun protection, insulation, illumination, first-aid supplies, fire, repair kit and tools, nutrition, hydration and emergency shelter, according to the National Park Service.

News of the stranded hiker prompted various responses online, with some hailing the SAR teams, while others criticized his co-workers.

Excellent teamwork in response to non-existent teamwork! Well done, one person wrote on Facebook. Another user said: 15 of you guys and NONE of you went back to help or stuck with em?! Wow.

Someone else echoed similar sentiments, writing: So  they not only left him behind in the first place, while they summited, but then his coworkers let him go to the summit alone, then they moved rock markers on their way back down. Wow. Great team building experience. Glad hes OK. Hopefully he finds a new job soon.
The boys father, Alex, said his son had pulled on the jar to see what was inside when it fell to the floor and smashed. Photograph: Hecht Museum

A rare bronze age jar  its history stretching back at least 3,500 years  had long graced the entrance of the Hecht Museum in Haifa, Israel, offering visitors a closeup look at an intact artefact believed to predate the biblical King David and King Solomon.

That is, until it was accidentally smashed by a four-year-old earlier this week.

My initial reaction was denial, Alex, the father of the young child told the Guardian. I couldnt believe it was my son who did it.

His son had been curious to see if there was anything inside of the jar, which was thought to have been used to carry local supplies such as wine and olive oil.

As the museum has a tradition of making its artefacts as accessible as possible, shunning glass displays cases and barriers, the four-year-old was able to grab the jar. He pulled the jar slightly  thats how the jar tipped over and fell, said his father.

The young boy, gripped with fear, began to cry. His parents surveyed the scattered pieces on the floor, scrambling to figure out how best to handle the situation. At first, I was in shock, said his father, Alex. Then I felt a bit angry with him.

After he and his wife calmed the child down the family approached a security guard to own up to what had happened.

They were not expecting what came next, however. Instead of imposing fines or punishment, they invited us to visit again, said Alex.

This time the visit would include an organised tour, in an attempt to sweeten the familys previous experience at the museum, the museums director, Inbal Rivlin, said in a statement.

There are instances where display items are intentionally damaged, and such cases are treated with great severity, including involving the police, said Rivlin. In this case, however, this was not the situation. The jar was accidentally damaged by a young child visiting the museum, and the response will be accordingly.

In recent days the museum had begun working with a conservation specialist to repair the jar, which dates back to the bronze age between 2200 and 1500BC. The artefact was expected to be restored and back in place in time to greet the family when they return this weekend, said Rivlin.

The museum said it was still deciding whether the jar would be put back on display with additional protective elements. The museum, located on the grounds of the University of Haifa, and which is free to enter, has long taken pride in making archaeological discoveries dating back as far as the Chalcolithic period as accessible as possible.

The museum believes that there is a special charm in experiencing an archaeological find without any obstructions, said Rivlin. And despite the rare incident with the jar, the Hecht Museum will continue this tradition.
Riding of the Marches on Scapa beach, Kirkwall. Photograph: Doug Houghton/Alamy

August is the highlight of the agricultural calendar in Orkney. Many parishes and outlying islands host their summer shows before the county show in the capital, Kirkwall, rounds off the festivities in a grand finale, where the very glossiest cows, curliest-horned rams and fanciest ducks vie for champion titles.

The county show is a major local event  many shops, offices and cafes in the town close for the day (a sign on a glass door: Gone to see the pretty coos). But for the islands equestrians, it is but a warm-up for the eagerly awaited Riding of the Marches that takes place the following afternoon, when dozens of riders and horses  manes plaited and hooves oiled  gather in front of St Magnuss cathedral before clattering through the town streets.

This year the parade was led by Gemma Leslie, from the nearby island of Shapinsay; she rode in a red silk sash while carrying a heavy banner bearing the towns coat of arms. Its a real honour to be elected standard bearer and to fill the role you need a reliable mount. Some horses have steadier nerves than others; last year, when I rode myself, my horse spent the whole three hours jogging up and down with excitement as I held on for dear life.

Still, theres nothing like the sound of metal shoes on cobbles. The route zigzags through the outskirts of the town before dropping downhill to the gold-sand beach at Scapa. There, with wind battering the fields and a chill in the air, riders paused for a brief toast before they turned to the sea and asked their horses to wade through the waves.

The Riding of the Marches is a four-decade-old revival of a medieval practice in which officers on horseback inspect the boundaries of the royal borough. Longstanding variants of the same tradition take place in Edinburgh and throughout the Scottish Borders every year. There, the custom dates to a lawless period during the 13th and 14th centuries, when cross-border raids and cattle thievery were still common.

Orkney has had less trouble with reivers (rustlers), but I suppose you can never be too careful. The townsfolk of Kirkwall will sleep safe in their beds at night, all thanks to this plucky band of farmers, pony clubbers and happy hackers, Im sure.

 Country diary is on Twitter/X at @gdncountrydiary

 Under the Changing Skies: The Best of the Guardians Country Diary, 2018-2024 (Guardian Faber) is published on 26 September; pre-order now at the guardianbookshop.com and get a 20% discount
Dave Jolley saw mental disorders as treatable and reversible until proven otherwise Photograph: from family/none

In 1975, my colleague, mentor and friend Dave Jolley, who has died aged 79, established one of the first dedicated old age psychiatry services in the UK  in south Manchester.

The service, under Daves leadership at Withington hospital, made no assumption of a slippery slope of mental decline in old age  mental health disorders were seen as treatable and reversible until proven otherwise  and, even then, ameliorative support was offered.

Patients were assessed and followed up in their own homes, as well as at inpatient and hospital day facilities, with attention paid to the overlaps between social factors and mental and physical disorders in older people. As a result the service gained a national and international reputation, and served as a model for similar ventures.

Born in Wolverhampton to Hilda (nee Cooke), a housewife, and James, a storeman with British Oxygen, Dave went to Wolverhampton grammar school and then qualified at Guys hospital, London.

His first job, in 1969, was as a house physician at St Marys hospital on the Isle of Wight, but by the following year he was training in psychiatry at the University Hospital of South Manchester, and in 1975 he was appointed as a consultant psychiatrist there, with responsibility to provide services for older people.

After 20 years in Manchester he moved to Wolverhampton health care NHS trust, becoming its medical director and setting up a psychiatry service along similar lines to the one he had created at Withington hospital. He was also made honorary professor of psychiatry at Wolverhampton University.

In 2003 Dave retired from full-time NHS work for health reasons, but continued part-time in various posts in Staffordshire and Greater Manchester, including asan honorary consultant at Willow Wood hospice in Ashton-under-Lyne (2010-15) and as a locum at Wythenshawe hospital (2015-17). From 2006 to 2022 he was an honorary reader in old age psychiatry at the University of Manchester.

Over the years Dave contributed to national policy and practice decision-making on old age psychiatry through writing academic papers, advising various NHS trusts and by sitting on a number of committees, including the Royal College of Physicians working party on services for older people with mental disorders, of which he was secretary in 1989, and as chair of the section for old age psychiatry at the Royal College of Psychiatrists (1990-94).

Daves dedication, energy, humility and humanity inspired many people in his profession, including me. He also motivated people in his local community in Altrincham, Cheshire, where he was made a freeman earlier this year. In retirement there he volunteered as an assistant steward and worship leader at Bowdon Vale Methodist church.

As honorary secretary of the Friends of John Leigh Park in Altrincham from 2014 to 2023, Dave was involved in many activities in the park, including daily maintenance of an aviary that was saved from closure by the local council, and leading weekly health walks for the public.

He is survived by his second wife, Susan Hodgson, whom he married in 1985, and their daughters, Emily and Sarah, by his three children, Ben, Kate and Esther, from his first marriage to Janis OConnor, which ended in divorce in 1984, two grandchildren and his brother Malcolm.
Israel launched a large-scale operation across the West Bank on Wednesday, killing nine Palestinians in an attempt to root out terror infrastructure.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) entered three cities in the occupied territories  Jenin, Tubas and Tulkarem  early in the morning.

The military said its forces killed nine militants while the Palestinian Red Crescent said 10 people died in the clashes.

Columns of armoured vehicles were seen entering the refugee camps in Tubas and Tulkarem, where IDF troops engaged in gun battles.

Israeli forces regularly enter the West Bank but raids of this size on several cities at the same time are rare if not unprecedented since the Second Palestinian Intifada  a 2000 to 2005 uprising.

The IDF said it killed five terrorists in an operations room in Nur Shams camp in Tulkarem, identifying one, Jasan Ismail Jibril, as having been released from Israeli prison under last years ceasefire deal.

Another of the dead, Adnan Jaber, manufactured explosives, the IDF said.

Israeli bulldozers were filmed digging up roads in the area as the army said it was searching for bombs. One was hit by an explosive device, according to videos published on social media.

Israeli soldiers during a raid in the Nur Shams camp near the city of Tulkarem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank - JAAFAR ASHTIYEH/AFP via Getty Images

Israel Katz, Israels foreign minister, said the operation was a war to dismantle Iranian-Islamic terror infrastructure.

He said that Palestinians may need to be moved out of their homes in the West Bank as in Gaza, where evacuation orders have been issued across the Strip.

Everything would be done to deal with the terror threat, Mr Katz said, including the temporary evacuation of Palestinian residents and whatever steps are required. He added: This is a war for everything and we must win it.

The foreign minister blamed Iran for working to establish an eastern terrorist front against Israel in the West Bank, according to the Gaza and Lebanon model, by financing and arming terrorists and smuggling advanced weapons from Jordan.

Lt Col Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesman, said he was not aware of any plan to evacuate Palestinians from the West Bank. Local media reported that Israel had ordered residents of Nur Shams to leave the camp within four hours.

An IDF spokesman denied that a formal order had been given, stating that residents were advised to leave for their own safety.

Lt Shoshani said the raids were a pre-emptive effort to stop planned attacks on Israelis, comparing them to Israels weekend strikes on Hezbollah rocket launchers.

Injured Palestinians, including children, are brought to Al-Aqsa Hospital to receive medical treatment after the IDF operation - APAImages/Shutterstock

The IDF issued photos of ammunition, weapons and other military equipment seized during the raid.

Israeli media reported that the operation in the northern West Bank is expected to last several days, with a focus on the Tulkarem area, Jenin and the Fara camp.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad called on the mainstream Palestinian Authority to join their ranks and take up arms against Israel following the clashes.

The Palestinian Authority must make a historic decision to stand with the people and support the resistance, Palestinian Islamic Jihad spokesman, Mohammed Al-Hajj Musa, said.

Hamas called on the Palestinian Authority Security Forces to assume their responsibilities, to recognize the dangers threatening our national cause, and to join our peoples sacred battle.

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, cut his trip to Saudi Arabia short, returning to the West Bank following the news of Israels operations. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the official spokesman for the presidency, said the US bears responsibility for Israels actions while calling on Washington to intervene immediately.

The world must take immediate and urgent action to curb this extremist government that poses a threat to the stability of the region and the world as a whole, Mr Rudeineh said.

It came as the US sanctioned an Israeli settler group on Wednesday that the State Department said was involved in violence against Palestinians and had a role in the forced displacement of some 250 villagers earlier this year.

A car lies buried under a residential building destroyed by an Israeli raid in the Nur Shams camp near the city of Tulkarem - JAAFAR ASHTIYEH/AFP via Getty Images

The UN Human Rights Office said the latest Israeli raids risk deepening the already catastrophic situation in the West Bank.

An IDF official told foreign journalists that Israel has seen a significant rise in terror activity in Jenin and Tulkarem over the last year, with some 150 shootings and explosive attacks originating from these areas.

The official said that the failed Tel Aviv suicide bombing attack last week was carried out by someone from Jenin.

Hundreds of explosive devices have been planted under roads, ready to be activated at civilians or forces, the official said, calling them extremely dangerous as they can be detonated from afar.

IEDs killed two soldiers in recent weeks but they also cause damage to Palestinians as they impact roads, sewage lines, and infrastructure.

06:12 PM BST

Thanks for following todays live blog

Thank you for following todays live coverage of the Israel-Hamas war.

Well be back soon with more updates and analysis from the conflict.

06:11 PM BST

Israel army says failed to stop deadly West Bank settler attack

The Israeli military failed in its response to a deadly attack led by some 100 settlers in the occupied West Bank earlier this month, an IDF investigation revealed on Wednesday.

The raid occurred on 15 August in the northern West Bank village of Jit, amid soaring violence by Jewish settlers in the Palestinian territory during the Gaza war.

Major General Avi Bluth, head of the militarys Central Command which operates in the West Bank, was quoted in a statement as saying the attack was a very serious terror incident in which Israelis set out to deliberately harm the residents of the town of Jit, and we failed by not succeeding to arrive earlier to protect them.

Jit residents have said about 100 settlers armed with knives and firearms set fire to cars and homes in the village.

The Palestinian health ministry said a 23-year-old Palestinian man, Rashid Sada, was shot dead in the attack.

05:38 PM BST

Chief EU diplomat warns Israel over violations on holy sites

The European Unions high representative for foreign affairs, Josep Borrell Fontelles, has condemned what he calls Israels repeated violations of the status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem.

In a post on X, he shared his concern that holy sites were under continued threat, singling out Israels far-right security minister Itamer Ben-Gvir.

Mr Ben-Gvir recently led hundreds of Jewish Israelis into Jerusalems most contested holy site, the al-Aqsa Mosque, after he expressed support for the idea of building a synagogue at the hilltop compound.

Under the fragile status quo arrangement, only Muslims are allowed to pray at the site, known to Jews as Temple Mount.

I share DPM @AymanHsafadi's concerns about the repeated violations of the Status Quo of the Holy Sites, under continued threat including from Minister Ben Gvir.



They are fully legitimate and must be addressed by the international community.



Regional stability is at stake. https://t.co/k3y65BsPjK  Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) August 28, 2024

05:16 PM BST

At least 10 Hamas militants killed in West Bank today

At least 10 Hamas fighters have been killed in the West Bank in one of the largest assaults seen on the territory for months, Hamas has said.

Hundreds of Israeli troops backed by helicopters, drones and armoured personnel carriers raided the flashpoint cities of Jenin and Tulkarm and other areas in the region

The incursion followed a series of smaller raids across the area in recent weeks, as Israeli forces sought to eliminate groups of fighters from Palestinian militant groups.

05:00 PM BST

More than 600 killed in West Bank since October 7

More than 600 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the October 7 attack in Israel, according to the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

This included 128 who were killed by airstrikes in August alone.

UNRWA also reported that 113 Palestinians were last week detained by Israeli security forces in search and arrest operations across the occupied territories.

04:47 PM BST

US announces new sanctions on extremist Israeli settlers in West Bank

The United States has announced new sanctions on Israeli settlers in the West Bank, in a bid to push Israel to hold those who commit violence against Palestinians accountable.

Washington issued its first sanctions against settlers in February this year, after President Biden said violence in the territory had reached intolerable levels.

The sanctions block the individuals from accessing all US property, assets and the American financial system.

The US State Department announced today that it would sanction Hashomer Yosh, an Israeli NGO providing material support to several of those already sanctioned.

It also sanctioned Yitzhak Levi Filant, the security coordinator of the Yitzhar settlement near Nablus, for engag[ing] in malign activities.

Palestinians attend the funeral for Khalil Ziada, who was killed in an attack by Jewish settlers on a Palestinian village in the West Bank - Anadolu

04:34 PM BST

Iran is flooding the West Bank with weapons, says former-IDF official

Israels action in the West Bank is an operation against Iranian weapons and terror organisations, former IDF spokesman Jonathan Conricus has warned.

Mr Conricus, who is now a fellow at the US Defence of Democracies think tank, has claimed that explosives, assault rifles and pistols are being smuggled into the West Bank across the Jordanian border.

Iran is flooding the West Bank with weapons, he said.

He added that todays incursion was an example of Israel cracking down on Palestinian terrorists who are in very close proximity to Israeli civilians.

It is a very dangerous situation for Israeli citizens, he said.

Former IDF spokesman Jonathan Conricus - SARAH YENESEL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

04:20 PM BST

Fate of Gaza ceasefire deal in Hamas leaders hands, US intelligence official says

The fate of a ceasefire deal being struck between Israel and Hamas is in the hands of the leader of the Palestinian militant group, CIA deputy director David Cohen said on Wednesday.

Yahya Sinwar was appointed the head of the political wing of Hamas in Gaza earlier this month, replacing Ismail Haniyeh who was killed in Tehran in July.

Mr Cohen did not refer to Mr Sinwar by name, but said that the question of a ceasefire deal was largely a question that [was] going to be answered by him.

Talking at an intelligence and national security summit in Washington, he added that the Israelis were showing seriousness in the negotiations.

The head of the political wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip Yahya Sinwar - AFP

04:02 PM BST

UN Security Council renews peacekeeping force in Lebanon

The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday unanimously voted to extend a long-running peacekeeping mission in Lebanon for another year, amid escalating tensions across the Middle East.

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), established in 1978, patrols Lebanons southern border with Israel.

The mandate for the operation is renewed annually, and its current authorization was due to expire on Saturday.

The vote comes mere days after the Israeli military and Lebanons Hezbollah militant group mounted their biggest round of intense cross-border between them over the last 10 months, when the war in Gaza began.

03:24 PM BST

IDF battling terror groups in raids on West Bank

Israeli soldiers are trading live fire with Palestinian terror groups in the West Bank, the IDF said on Wednesday.

We have met explosives already in the first hours, and we have met real-time fire exchanges with terrorists engaging in battle, Nadav Shoshani, the IDFs spokesman, told reporters on Wednesday, after Israel launched raids in the West Bank.

Israeli troops have targeted a mixture of terror groups and terror cells, he said, without specifying how long the operation would last.

Military sources told the Times of Israel earlier on Wednesday that they expected the raids to last several days.

The operation was launched at midnight local time on Wednesday, with Israeli forces targeting four main cities in the northern part of the West Bank: Jenin, Tulkarem, Nablus, and Tubas.

Nine Palestinians were killed in the first stage of the operation, which the IDF said included armed terrorists.

Israeli soldiers operate during a raid in the Nur Shams camp for Palestinian refugees near the city of Tulkarem - AFP

03:08 PM BST

Pictured: Israeli soldiers carry coffin of sergeant killed in Gaza

Israeli soldiers carry the coffin of First Sergeant Amit Friedman, who was killed amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza - REUTERS

02:56 PM BST

The place I was in, I dont wish upon anyone

An Israeli hostage has revealed that he urged Benjamin Netanyahu to put an end to Israelis still being held by Hamas.

Farhan al-Qadi, who was rescued in what the IDF described as a complex operation this week, has since been released from hospital and returned to his home in southern Israel.

Speaking to reporters at a tent set up near his home near Rahat, Mr al-Qadi said he is feeling 100% but that the place I was in, I dont wish upon anyone  so do everything to return the people home.

Im enjoying every minute I have in the light. I was in the dark for so long, he added. Im enjoying every minute of family.

Farhan al-Qadi was captured by Hamas on Oct 7 2023 and was rescued by the IDF on Aug 27 2024 - Shutterstock

02:35 PM BST

This is a declaration of war

Dr Mustafa Barghouti, the general secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative, has told The Telegraph that the IDFs operation in the West Bank is a unilateral declaration of war.

They are trying to imitate what is happening in Gaza, he said.

Power and water supplies are destroyed, houses are being destroyed. The operation is expanding and they will expand it even further.

Dr Barghouti said he did not believe the raids would stop after a few days, which military sources claimed to the Times of Israel earlier on Wednesday.

Mustafa Barghouti, general secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative - AFP

02:20 PM BST

IDF blocking hospital access, claims aid group

The IDF blocked access to a hospital in Jenin after storming the city in a raid on Wednesday, an aid organisation based in the West Bank has claimed.

Nibal Farsakh, spokesperson for the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), told the Telegraph that the groups medical teams have faced obstruction by Israeli forces.

She told the Telegraph: Jenin Governmental Hospital is being blocked, where medical teams and ambulances are prevented from entering and/or leaving the hospital making it hard to deliver healthcare services to the injured.

Every minute matters in saving lives. Its the critical line between life and death. The situation in the West Bank is dire, with injured and wounded civilians and obstruction of the work of medical teams and ambulances.

A worker of the Palestine Red Crescent Society takes off his vest as they are body-searched by the Israeli army - Shutterstock

01:54 PM BST

Watch: Hamas terrorist tunnel in Gaza blown up by IDF

The IDF has released footage of the moment a three-kilometre long Hamas tunnel was destroyed in central Gaza.

DISMANTLED: 3km-long terrorist attack tunnel in Gaza.



During Operation 'Protective Edge' in 2014, part of the tunnel route was destroyed. Over the years, Hamas has attempted to restore and to make the tunnel route operational. Today, our troops investigated and dismantled it. pic.twitter.com/kjEqedx0fn  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 28, 2024

01:46 PM BST

Islamic Jihad official killed in strike along Syria-Lebanon border

An Islamic Jihad official was killed in a fighter jet strike along the Syrian-Lebanese border, the IDF said on Wednesday.

The army said Faris Qasim was a significant terrorist in Islamic Jihad Operations Division responsible for the development of the groups operational plans in Syria and Lebanon.

He had a central role in the recruitment of Palestinian terrorists into the Hezbollah terrorist organization responsible for carrying out terrorist attacks from Lebanon against the State of Israel, the army said.

In recent years, Hezbollah, with Iranian direction and funding, has been systematically recruiting Palestinian operatives to advance and direct terrorist activity against Israel from Lebanese territory, it added.

Additional Islamic Jihad terrorists who were on their way from Syria to carry out terrorist activities for Hezbollah in Lebanon were also killed in the strike.

01:31 PM BST

Nine killed as Israel launches major counter-terror raids in West Bank

If youre just joining us, heres a reminder of what has been happening in the West Bank on Wednesday.

Nine Palestinians were killed on Wednesday morning as the Israeli army launched a major counter-terror operation in the West Bank.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet intelligence agency said they struck five terrorists in an operations room in the area of Nur Shams in the northern West Bank.

The structure was used to conduct terrorist activity and harm IDF soldiers operating in the area, the army said, identifying one of those killed as Jibril Jasan Ismail Jibril who was released as part of the ceasefire agreement in November last year.

Islamic Jihad confirmed that its members were clashing with the IDF in Tulkarem and the Al-Fara camp while the Al Aqsa Martyr Brigade said it confronted Israeli soldiers in both the Al-Fara and Nur Shams camps.

Israeli soldiers operate during a raid in the Nur Shams camp for Palestinian refugees near the city of Tulkarem - AFP

01:18 PM BST

IDF destroys Hamas tunnel in central Gaza

Israeli engineers have destroyed a three-kilometre long Hamas tunnel located along the central Gaza Strip, the IDF said on Wednesday.

The IDF said part of the tunnel, located near the Netzarim Corridor, was destroyed in 2014 but was rebuilt by Hamas in the years since.

The Netzarim Corridor was set up by Israeli forces to separate the Gaza Strip into northern and southern zones.

Israeli soldiers check the entrance of a tunnel during operations to investigate and destroy it in central Gaza - AFP

Israeli main battle tank during operations to investigate and destroy a tunnel in the central Gaza corridor - AFP

12:45 PM BST

Palestinian president cuts short visit to Saudi Arabia

Mahmud Abbas has cut short his visit to Saudi Arabia after Israeli forces entered the West Bank to carry out a series of large-scale counter-terror raids.

The Palestinian president wants to follow up on the latest developments in light of the Israeli aggression on the northern West Bank, state media reported on Wednesday.

Mahmud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority President - AFP

12:11 PM BST

Pictured: Car destroyed in Israeli West Bank raid

Palestinians look at the vehicle which was burnt down after an Israeli raid in the West Bank - Anadolu

11:58 AM BST

UK committed to resolving Middle East crisis, says Starmer

Sir Keir Starmer spoke alongside Olaf Scholz, his German counterpart, in Berlin, where on Wednesday they announced a new treaty between their two countries.

The Prime Minister was asked about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with Sir Keir declaring that both nations have a common commitment to resolve the crisis.

We agree on Israels right to self-defence in compliance with international humanitarian law, the need for de-escalation across the region, and for restraint and caution to be exercised, the Prime Minister said.

Unfettered humanitarian access into Gaza, agreement to a ceasefire and release of all hostages, and the importance of working together towards a political solution, based on the creation of a Palestinian state alongside a safe and secure Israel, the only way to provide long-term peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians.

And that, of course, is not an easy goal, but it is one that we are committed to pursuing together.

Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor, and Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, give a joint press conference from Berlin - Getty Images Europe

11:37 AM BST

Israeli troops engaging in battle with terror groups, says IDF

Israeli soldiers have engaged in clashes with Palestinian fighters during large-scale raids in the West Bank, the IDF said on Wednesday.

We have met explosives already in the first hours, and we have met real-time fire exchanged with terrorists engaging in battle, Nadav Shoshani, the IDFs spokesman, told reporters.

The troops were targeting a mixture of terror groups and terror cells, he said, but did not give a timeline on how long the operation would last.

Israeli media reported earlier on Wednesday that the raids are expected to last several days.

150 terrorist attacks against Israelis have been carried out over the past year by terrorists from Jenin and Tulkarm.



Read that again: 150 terrorist attacks in 1 year.



These attacks have repeatedly put the lives of not only Israelis, but Palestinians at risk. Our troops are pic.twitter.com/ejM4HBSIT7  LTC Nadav Shoshani (@LTC_Shoshani) August 28, 2024

11:22 AM BST

Hamas calls for escalation against Israel

Hamas and Islamic Jihad called on the Palestinian Authority to join ranks and take up arms against Israel following deadly clashes in the northern West Bank on Wednesday.

The Palestinian Authority must make a historic decision to stand with the people and support the resistance, Mohammed Al-Hajj Musa, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad spokesman, said.

Meanwhile, Hamas called on the Palestinian Authority Security Forces to assume their responsibilities, to recognize the dangers threatening our national cause, and to join our peoples sacred battle.

We urge them to continue the path of resistance until the occupation is defeated, and our people achieve their freedom and right to self-determination, the statement continued.

11:12 AM BST

Watch: IDF bodycam shows Israeli hostage rescue mission

The IDF has released footage showing the moment an Israeli hostage was transported to safety after being rescued from Gaza.

Qaid Farhan Al-Qadi, a Bedouin who was captured on Oct 7 while working as a factory guard, was returned home on Tuesday after soldiers found him in a tunnel by chance.

10:57 AM BST

Four killed after Israeli drone strike along Syria-Lebanon border

Four people were killed in an Israeli drone strike on a car crossing through a Syrian checkpoint near the Lebanon border, two security sources told the Reuters news agency.

Those killed included three Palestinian fighters and one member of Hezbollah.

Israeli and Syrian officials have not commented on the strike.

10:35 AM BST

Price to pay for escalating West Bank violence

Everyone will pay the price for escalating violence in the West Bank, the Palestinian presidency said on Wednesday.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesperson for the presidency, said the IDFs ongoing counter-terror raids in the West Bank are a continuation of the comprehensive war on our people, our land and our holy sites.

He also blamed the US for the escalating violence as it provides protection and support for this occupation to continue its war against our Palestinian people.

An Israeli soldier operates during a raid in the Nur Shams camp for Palestinian refugees near the city of Tulkarem - AFP

10:20 AM BST

Watch: Israeli drone strike in Al-Fara camp

The IDF has released footage of a drone strike which was carried out in the West Banks Al-Fara camp near the city of Tubas.

A spokesperson for the IDF said the strike killed four Palestinian gunmen who endangered forces by threatening Israeli forces carrying out a raid in the area.

 ", " "       -.

                .



,           -      pic.twitter.com/Y8hQoh4cl0  Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) August 28, 2024

10:09 AM BST

Pictured: Israeli military bulldozer moves through refugee camp

Israeli soldiers climb onto an armored military bulldozer near the Al-Far'a refugee camp - Shutterstock

09:54 AM BST

IDF confirms counter-terror raids in three areas

The IDF has released a new statement confirming its counter-terror operations in Jenin and Telkarem, where it says Israeli soldiers eliminated armed terrorists from the air and ground.

Three armed terrorists were killed in an air strike on Jenin, the IDF said, while two more were killed across Jenin and Tulkarem.

Israeli forces also said four armed terrorists were killed in Al-Fara.

A joint statement with the national police and security agency read: Israeli security forces began a counterterrorism operation in Jenin and Tulkarem, eliminating armed terrorists from the air and ground, dismantling explosives planted under the roads and confiscating large quantities of weapons.

09:32 AM BST

Ceasefire talks to resume on Wednesday

Ceasefire talks are expected to resume in Doha, Qatar, later on Wednesday, the Reuters news agency reported.

Israeli, American, Egyptian and Qatari negotiators will reportedly meet for technical/working level talks on securing a ceasefire in Gaza.

09:18 AM BST

Pictured: Israeli soldiers in the Nur Shams camp in Tulkarem

Israeli troops were also seen operating in the Nur Shams camp in the West Bank city of Tulkarem on Wednesday.

Israels military told the Times of Israel that it believed the city had been used by a terror network which carried out a suicide bomber attack in Tel Aviv on Aug 18.

Israeli soldiers operate during a raid in the Nur Shams camp for Palestinian refugees near the city of Tulkarem, West Bank - AFP

09:09 AM BST

Four Palestinian cities targeted in IDF operation

Israels military confirmed it was carrying out operations in Jenin and Tulkarem to thwart terror but it is believed to be operating across four cities in total.

Clashes have also been reported in Nablus and Tubas.

It is the first time since the second intifada, a major Palestinian uprising between 2000 and 2005, that several cities have been targeted in this way.

08:52 AM BST

West Bank city surrounded by Israeli forces, says governor

The governor of Jenin, one of the cities the IDF said it is targeting in its ongoing raids, claimed Israeli forces had surrounded the city on Wednesday morning.

Kamal Abu al-Rub claimed on Palestinian radio that entry and exit points to the city had been blocked.

08:46 AM BST

Pictured: Israeli soldiers patrol street in Palestinian camp

Israeli soldiers have been seen patrolling the streets in the Al-Fara camp in Tubas, one of the cities were the IDF has focused its ongoing raids.

Israeli soldiers walk down a street during a raid in the Al-Far'a camp for Palestinian refugees near Tubas city in the West Bank - AFP

08:36 AM BST

IDF identifies terrorists killed in West Bank raid

The IDF said Mohanad Qarawi and Muhammad Yussef were among those killed in their ongoing West Bank raids, both of whom the army said were involved in terrorist activity in Nur Shams.

The military also claimed Adnan Jaber, who manufactured explosives intended to harm security forces, had been killed.

08:30 AM BST

We must win war for everything, says Israels foreign minister

Yisrael Katz, Israels foreign minister, called on the army to deal with the terror threats from the West Bank the same way it does in Gaza.

This includes the temporary evacuation of Palestinian residents and whatever steps are required, he said.

This is a war for everything and we must win it.

Mr Katz also blamed Iran for working to establish an eastern terrorist front against Israel in the West Bank, according to the Gaza and Lebanon model, by financing and arming terrorists and smuggling advanced weapons from Jordan.

Foreign Minister @Israel_katz :



'The IDF has been operating with full force since last night in the Jenin and Tulkarm refugee camps to dismantle Iranian-Islamic terror infrastructures established there. Iran is working to establish an eastern terror front against Israel in Judea https://t.co/2TGvrzDgbo  Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) August 28, 2024

08:29 AM BST

Welcome to our live coverage

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage.

Were bringing you the latest updates from the Israel-Hamas war.
There are so many other East German authors, among them Sarah Kirsch, Stefan Heym, Erwin Strittmatter and Jurek Becker that she [Carolin Wurfel] does not mention. Photograph: Alamy

Carolin Wurfel expresses her disappointment about West Germans ignorance concerning East German writers (East German culture has been ignored for too long. Until we embrace it, our country will remain dangerously divided, 20 August). She expressly mentioned two of them, both women: Brigitte Reimann and Jenny Erpenbeck. Both, she states, were until recently unknown to West Germans and ignored by West German publishing houses.

Being (West) German myself (born in 1958), I can only disagree. Besides, there are so many other East German authors, among them Sarah Kirsch, Stefan Heym, Erwin Strittmatter and Jurek Becker (and many more) that she does not mention. They were all represented by (West) German publishers. I read them myself.

I am old enough to have witnessed the process of reunification of the two Germanies. It was, and still is, a bumpy ride  for both sides. The West has invested tremendous amounts of money into the former German Democratic Republic (GDR), trying hard to equalise the standard of living in both parts  not always accomplishing its goals. There is no doubt about it. West Germans were forced to pay the so called Soli, a special tax raised in order to help financing this Herculean task. This tax still exists for those with higher income.

Despite these efforts, East Germans have had and some still have a tendency to complain that they were not treated nicely and are to this day disadvantaged. Thats why they have been called by some people in the West as Jammer-Ossis, East Germans who whine.

Its quite daring to blame the rise of the rightwing Alternative fur Deutschland party on the West Germans and their lack of appreciation of East German culture. I am afraid the problem is much more complicated than that.

Ruth Strassl

Munich, Germany

 Carolin Wurfels article is a welcome, if belated, reminder of how the 40 years of the German Democratic Republic has been written out of the historical narrative, and goes some way in explaining the sudden popularity of the far-right Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD).

When the GDR was incorporated into the Federal Republic of Germany in 1990, the political leaders carried out what they failed to do after the defeat of nazism in 1945: they sacked and replaced the whole highly educated administrative, intellectual and academic forces in the GDR. From then on, the whole narrative about the former GDR was dominated and determined by West Germans. Even films made about the GDR, like the much-lauded The Lives of Others, were made almost exclusively by western directors who had no first-hand knowledge of what life in the GDR was really like. Everything was turned into a Stasi narrative.

I spent several years living, studying and working in the GDR, and can vouch that this mainstream narrative as propounded by West Germans bears little relationship to the reality I experienced. Stasi State or Socialist Paradise?, a book I co-wrote that was published in 2015, attempts to redress that distortion of history and explain what actually happened to the GDR after reunification. Although it has been reprinted several times and is still selling well, it has been given little acknowledgment by mainstream historians.

The upcoming elections next month in the former East German regions of Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg will almost certainly reveal strong support for the AfD. The way East Germans have been treated and their lives written out of history will be reflected in their rejection of the mainstream parties.

John Green

Ealing, London
Pacific island leaders have agreed to back a sweeping regional policing plan after Australia and other supporters overcame last-minute concerns the proposal was part of a geopolitical play to exclude China.

But each Pacific nation will decide whether to contribute to the proposed new multinational police unit, which will provide a rapid response to disasters or other major security challenges.

Under the terms of the consensus reached at the Pacific Islands Forum (Pif) talks in Tonga on Wednesday, no country will be forced to accept its assistance either.

The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said the agreement showed the Pacific family was now closer than its ever been before.

The Pacific Policing Initiative will see up to four police training centres of excellence established in the Pacific, with Australia providing about $400m in funding over five years towards the infrastructure costs.

Related: Mapped: the vast network of security deals spanning the Pacific, and what it means

The Australian government will set up a police development and coordination hub in Brisbane, giving Pacific police officers access to Australian federal police facilities for training and to prepare for deployments.

Without directly mentioning China, Albanese said the plan would allow the Pacific to look after its own security ourselves.

Pif is a regional grouping of Australia, New Zealand and 16 other countries and territories in the Pacific. It does not include China or the US, which are vying for influence in the region.

Asked whether the deal meant no Pacific island nation had to turn to China for security help, Albanese said: This is about the Pacific family looking after Pacific security. This isnt about any other country.

But hours before the deal was announced, the prime minister of Vanuatu, Charlot Salwai, and the regional sub-grouping to which Vanuatu belongs went public with concerns the plan may be intended to serve western strategic interests.

Salwai described the Pacific policing initiative as important but indicated the region should ensure the plan was framed to fit our purposes and not developed to suit the geostrategic interests and geostrategic denial security postures of our big partners.

This denial language is a clear reference to excluding China. Australia has repeatedly registered its concerns about Chinas attempts to reach security and policing agreements with Pacific island countries, including the 2022 deal with Solomon Islands.

Related: A crisis entirely of humanitys making: UN chief issues climate SOS on trip to Pacific

Salwai is the chair of the Melanesian spearhead group (MSG), a regional subgrouping that includes Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Fiji.

He raised the concerns in an opening statement to an MSG caucus meeting in Tonga.

His language was echoed by the MSG director general, Leonard Louma, who cautioned that the plan must not be conveniently developed as part of the geostrategic denial security doctrine of our big partners.

The prime minister of Tonga, Huakavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni, who hosted the Pif meeting, strongly supported the plan.

He highlighted each country would have the discretion to choose how they would contribute to and benefit from the policing scheme.

Albanese later said this was not a weakness of the plan.

Albanese said the discussion among leaders on Wednesday was very positive.

He said the proposal was not foisted on the region by Australia, but was something that has come from the Pacific itself.

Guardian Australia understands Australia spoke only at the end of the discussion, to thank Pif members for endorsing the plan. Further details are expected to be fleshed out in talks among the regions police commissioners.

The prime minister of Fiji, Sitiveni Rabuka, said his country had always been very, very interested in the proposal.

Rabuka said he believed the rest of the world was targeting our region and it was the Pacifics own responsibility to develop a regional policing initiative.

The Australian minister for the Pacific, Pat Conroy, who also attended the talks, said earlier that the proposal was aligned with Rabukas oceans of peace concept and also builds on the very generous offer from the Papua New Guinea government at the Pif last year to be a regional training hub for Pacific police forces.

In another diplomatic win for Australia, it and Tuvalu announced their bilateral climate and security agreement had entered into force.

From next year, Australia is offering to issue 280 visas to people from Tuvalu who wish to live, work, study or visit the country.

Australia is obliged to respond to requests for help if Tuvalu has to deal with a major natural disaster, a pandemic or military aggression.

In return for this security guarantee, Australia has the right to veto Tuvalus security cooperation with other countries.

After a change of government in Tuvalu in January, doubts were raised about whether the deal would survive amid concerns over the countrys sovereignty being infringed.

But the new prime minister of Tuvalu, Feleti Teo, said on Wednesday his country had taken comfort from discussions with Australian officials.
Trump appeared on the Dr Phil talkshow to level his charges against the Biden administration. Photograph: Ellen Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images

Donald Trump has blamed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for last months failed assassination attempt against him by accusing them of making it difficult for the Secret Service to protect him.

The Republican presidential nominees claim  for which he offered no evidence  was made on the television talkshow Dr Phil, hosted by Phil McGraw, on Tuesday. The remarks follow disclosures that several Secret Service agents from the Pittsburgh field office had been placed on administrative leave after the 13 July shooting.

At a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last month, Trump was grazed on the ear by a bullet after a 20-year-old gunman opened fire from the roof of a nearby building. One rallygoer, Corey Comperatore, was killed and two others were seriously wounded. The gunman was shot dead by a Secret Service officer at the scene.

Related: Trump staffers reported over altercation at military cemetery during photo opp

When this happened, people would ask, whose fault is it? Trump told McGraw. I think to a certain extent its Bidens fault and Harriss fault. And Im the opponent. They were weaponising government against me, they brought in the whole DoJ to try and get me, they werent too interested in my health and safety.

They were making it very difficult to have proper staffing in terms of Secret Service.

The Secret Service admitted in the days after the attempt on Trumps life that the former presidents security detail had complained about a lack of security and personnel in the previous two years, acknowledging that they denied some requests.

The agencys protection of Trump has been stepped up since the episode, with agents being diverted from Bidens previous campaign security detail.

The agencys director, Kimberly Cheatle, resigned after a heated Capitol Hill hearing in which Republican members of Congress assailed her for failing to adequately answer questions over possible security failings leading to the attempt against Trump.

However, there has been no evidence that Biden and Harris, who both condemned the attempt, were directly involved in or interfered with the Secret Services arrangements.

Biden, who was still the Democratic presidential nominee at the time of the shooting before later withdrawing, made several public statements in its aftermath and called for a cooling down of the political rhetoric.

In his interview on Tuesday, Trump appeared to blame Biden and Harris for that rhetoric and suggested it may have inspired the attempt on his life.

Theyre saying Im a threat to democracy, he said. They would say that, that was standard line, just keep saying it, and you know that can get assassins or potential assassins going. Thats a terrible thing  Maybe that bullet is because of their rhetoric.

The FBI has said the gunman acted alone and that it has found no evidence that he was driven by ideological motives.

Trumps comments were his most direct yet about the Biden administrations supposed responsibility for the episode. He previously wrote on a post in his Truth Social network that it failed in its duty to protect him.

The Biden/Harris Administration did not properly protect me, and I was forced to take a bullet for Democracy. IT WAS MY GREAT HONOR TO DO SO! he wrote 10 days after the shooting.

Trump previously made unfounded claims that Biden was weaponising the government against him, accusing the president of unleashing the justice department and orchestrating the multiple criminal investigations he has faced since leaving office.

He also accused FBI agents of being locked and loaded and ready to kill him in a 2022 raid on his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida to retrieve classified documents. The bureau said the raid had been timed to ensure the former president was not present and that its agents had been armed in line with standard operation procedure.

The Harris campaign has been contacted for comment.
A girl pushes a wheelchair with children sitting atop jerrycans past a collapsed building in Gaza City on 27 August 2024. Photograph: Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP via Getty Images

When Maryam Hassanein joined the US Department of Interior as a Biden administration appointee in January, she hoped that Israels war on Gaza would soon come to an end. But when the US authorized a $1bn arms shipment to Israel in the spring, Hassanein decided to use her voice to affect change. She was inspired by the resilience of students involved in the anti-war movement at nearby George Washington University, where she had attended pro-Palestinian rallies.

Seeing the strength of the students who led that movement across the country really made me think about what I should be doing, Hassanein said, and how I can advocate far more for an end to the carnage in Palestine.

So last month, Hassanein joined the ranks of at least a dozen officials who have resigned from the Biden administration due to the USs support of Israels war on Gaza, where more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed since 7 October, according to the Gaza health ministry. Hassanein said she saw value in making your voice heard on a public level when its not being heard while working there.

In a Zoom call hosted by the civil rights group Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair) on Tuesday, Hassanein and Hala Rharrit, a former US state department diplomat who resigned in April, shared their experiences of witnessing the Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian animus that they say drives the Biden administrations Middle East policies.

Rharrit resigned after nearly two decades of working with the state department because she said she witnessed US officials continuously dehumanize Palestinians following Hamass 7 October attack on Israel. Robust debate was once welcomed at the state department, Rharrit said, but that changed 10 months ago. I never faced a situation personally where there was fear for retaliation, there was silencing, there was self censorship, she said. For me, personally, in the 18 years that Ive served, this is the very first time.

When engaging with Arab media, Rharrit said she was directed to repeat a narrative that Israel had the right to defend itself. And when giving a presentation to other diplomats, she said that she was lambasted for wanting to include a picture of a Palestinian child dying of starvation. In a group chat where diplomats discussed Egyptian journalists, she said that one colleague expressed disbelief that the Egyptians had built the pyramids.

This is a failed policy, Rharrit said about the USs aid to Israel, and we as Americans and as taxpayers that are sending these bombs and these weapons need to have a collective voice and say: enough is enough.

In her role at the interior department, Hassanein joined other staffers in signing letters, attending rallies and vigils, but soon recognized that her voice wasnt being heard, she said. What I realized is that I dont want to just be a Muslim in a public service position for the sake of being a Muslim in a public service position, she added. I want my perspective and my background and the fact that Im a representation for Muslim communities in the country to truly be considered. She also disapproved of the Democratic national conventions denial of a speaking slot for the Georgia state representative Ruwa Romman.

Related: Muslim Women for Harris disbands and withdraws support for candidate

Since her public resignation last month, Hassanein said that she has not received a response from her former employer. The interior department and state department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Harris-Walz campaign is not doing enough to change course on Gaza policy, Hassanein said. She is undecided on whether she will vote for Harris in November and wants to see a marked shift in USs Gaza policy before casting a ballot for her. In a call to action, Cair encouraged attenders to demand that the state department and the White House uphold US law by ending the transfer of weapons to Israel.

I hope that as horrific as all of this has been, that we eventually emerge from it with a sense of realization of the things that we need to do  the healing that we all need in order to treat each other with humanity, dignity and respect, regardless of background, Rharrit said.
The sun rises over North Bondi as the BoM says Sydneys temperatures have been way above averages for August. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Sydney has recorded its hottest August day in seven years as unusually warm and windy weather sweeps across New South Wales, triggering high fire danger.

Sydneys temperatures shot way up above the averages for August, said Angus Hines, a senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM). The citys average August temperature is 17.9C.

Reaching a high of 28.1C at lunchtime, Wednesday became the hottest August day recorded in at least the past seven years, beating last years 27.5C recorded on 30 August at Sydneys official weather station. The citys record August temperature is 31.3C, set in 1995.

Strong winds were expected around the east of NSW, with a damaging wind warning in place across the Illawarra and hitting the far west of Sydneys metropolitan region.

Related: Australia records hottest ever winter temperature with some areas set to be 10C above average

It is very windy, very warm, very sunny  all the things that contribute to fire danger through traditionally our late spring and summer months, Hines said.

Fire danger ratings were set at high for Sydney and the Illawarra, according to the NSW Rural Fire Service. Moderate fire danger ratings were in place for most of the rest of the state.

We are not really into the traditional fire weather season for New South Wales, Hines said, adding that conditions were quite unusual for this time of year.

Even at this time of year, having the warm and dry, windy weather can raise that risk of fires around the region, he said.

Victoria Quested, spokesperson for the NSW Rural Fire Service, said it was a timely reminder that bush and grass fires could hit at any time of the year, even in winter.

You need to be prepared year-round, she said. Fires dont discriminate.

She warned against hazard reduction burns, saying burns by landholders in recent days had been reigniting.

You need to be monitoring and making sure that anything you do is fully extinguished, she said. The last thing that we would want is for a fire  to get away from you and to escalate and potentially threaten your own property or that of your neighbours.

Australia is on track to record its hottest August on record, as a global heating-fuelled heat engine brings spring and summer warmth to Australias winter. The BoM forecasts 2024s winter to be the nations fifth-warmest yet.

With strong winds expected tomorrow, moderate fire danger is forecast across parts of NSW, with the Greater Sydney & Illawarra/Shoalhaven areas forecast to reach high. Recently, #RFS crews have attended several escaped burns, so we are asking landholders to not burn tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/sdAK6OwswX  NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) August 27, 2024

Winds were expected to ease and temperatures to drop on Thursday, knocking high fire danger ratings back down to moderate for Sydney and the Illawarra.

However, another very windy and warm day was forecast for those same areas on Friday, which could bump fire danger ratings back up, Hines said.

It was a busy night across the state last night, with almost 500 calls for assistance to VICSES. While the majority of help needed was for trees down, there were also 70 calls for help with building damage.



Stay informed: https://t.co/m5tqUCOxj9 pic.twitter.com/KsXzpPfg6V  VICSES News (@vicsesnews) August 27, 2024

With reporting from Australian Associated Press
An Israeli soldier operating during a raid in the Nur Shams refugee camp near the city of Tulkarm in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Photograph: Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP/Getty Images

Israeli forces killed at least 10 Palestinians in the West Bank in overnight raids and airstrikes they said were intended to contain attacks on Israelis using Iranian-supplied arms.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the West Bank operations, some of the most extensive in recent years, were likely to go on for some days, in what it described as a preventive campaign to forestall attacks on Israelis.

Palestinian health authorities said 10 people were killed in the Jenin and Tubas areas of the West Bank, and gun battles were reported to be continuing on Wednesday morning. Hamas said 10 of its fighters had been killed in the West Bank.

The chief spokesperson for the Palestinian Authority, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, said the escalation of Israeli military operations on the West Bank, at the same time as the war in Gaza, would lead to dire and dangerous results.

Related: US imposes sanctions on extremist Israeli settlers in West Bank

The world must take immediate and urgent action to curb this extremist government that poses a threat to the stability of the region and the world as a whole, Abu Rudeineh said, according to the Palestinian news agency, Wafa.

Israels foreign minister, Israel Katz, said the operations were intended to thwart Islamic-Iranian terrorist infrastructures. Israel claimed that all those killed were militants.

Iran is working to establish an eastern terrorist front against Israel in the West Bank, according to the Gaza and Lebanon model, by financing and arming terrorists and smuggling advanced weapons from Jordan, Katz said in a post on X.

He suggested that evacuation orders for civilians should be issued for the West Bank, of the sort used to empty districts before IDF operations in Gaza.

Lt Col Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesperson, said he was not aware of any such evacuation orders. Later in the day, the IDF said it had advised residents of the Nur Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarm, that they could leave for their own safety, and that roads were being secured so they could do so. The IDF also admitted it had accidentally damaged a pipe supplying the camp with water.

Tariq Shahada, a 35-year-old resident of Nur Shams, said by phone from the camp: A huge amount of soldiers, equipment and gear and more than 50 armoured personnel carriers are in Tulkarm city, preparing to invade Nur Shams camp.

A few hours later, early on Wednesday afternoon, Shahada added: The Israeli soldiers are searching house by house. The situation is really dangerous. They wanted us to leave voluntarily, but no one would dare to leave the camp now without the Red Cross with them. It is too dangerous.

In the first three weeks of August, according to UN figures, 128 Palestinians, including 26 children, were killed by airstrikes in the West Bank. The Israeli army and police have stepped up security operations significantly this week. The UN said there were 183 search-and-arrest operations across the West Bank including East Jerusalem in the last week, resulting in 113 Palestinians being detained.

A spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office, Ravina Shamdasani, said that the IDF operations risked seriously deepening the already catastrophic situation, and that two of the dead were reportedly children, bringing the overall death toll in the West Bank since 7 October to 637.

This represents the highest number of fatalities over a period of eight months since the UN first started recording casualties in the West Bank two decades ago, Shamdasani said.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they had carried out operations in three areas of the West Bank: Jenin, Tulkarm and Fara refugee camp, near Tubas. Israeli military activity was also reported around the city of Nablus.

Shoshani portrayed the raids and airstrikes as pre-emptive operations designed to stop planned attacks against Israelis, comparing them to Sundays airstrikes in Lebanon just before a Hezbollah rocket and drone launch against Israel.

The Palestinian governor of Jenin, Kamal Abu al-Roub, said in a radio interview that the IDF had informed him it planned to raid the government hospital in the city, and called for international intervention to prevent it.

Shoshani said Israeli forces were seeking to prevent the hospital from being used as a terrorist stronghold but had no plans to seize it and take it over. The Medical Aid for Palestinians charity quoted a doctor in Jenin hospital as saying there were severe restrictions on medical staff entering and leaving the building in the morning but that later the IDF had stopped surrounding the hospital and movements had returned to normal.

Nibal Farsakh, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said the situation in other medical centres in the northern West Bank was extremely bad.

Our medical teams in Tubas, Tulkarm, and Jenin are facing obstruction by Israeli forces while trying to perform their humanitarian duties in reaching the injured Palestinians, Farsakh said. Israeli forces stormed the medical point in al-Fara camp, detained the medical teams and prevented them from any communication tools.

Shoshani, however, said the raids had been launched in response to a rising level of attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians in recent months, coming in particular from Jenin and Tulkarm, which have long been militant strongholds.

In the past year, over 150 shooting and explosive attacks have originated from these areas alone, Shoshani said. He said a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv on 18 August, the first one in the city for eight years, had been planned in Jenin, and that roadside bombings in ambushes had increased. Two IDF soldiers were killed by such bombs in recent weeks.

The Israeli spokesperson linked the increase in attacks to the smuggling of arms into the West Bank, which the IDF says is being orchestrated by Iran. Weve seen Iranian attempts to actively smuggle weapons and explosives into Judea and Samaria [the official Israeli name for the West Bank] to be used against Israeli civilians for terror purposes  a systematic strategy of Iran to fund, arm and support terrorist groups across the Middle East, Shoshani said.

Most reports of recent Palestinian bomb attacks have suggested the explosives involved were made locally.

Since the Gaza war began on 7 October last year, 19 Israelis  soldiers and civilians  have been killed in attacks on the West Bank. Over the same period, more than 650 Palestinians  the numbers of militant fighters and civilians within this figure are not clear, but it includes 143 children, according to the UN  have been killed by Israeli security forces as well as by extremist Israeli settlers, whom the Israeli Shin Bet security agency says are using terrorism to seize Palestinian land.
Keir Starmer, who visited a Siemens Energy plant on Wednesday during his trip to Berlin, reiterated that growth was his governments number one mission. Photograph: Justin Tallis/AP

Before a whistlestop European tour to Berlin and Paris, Keir Starmer promised to mend the broken relationships left behind by the previous government and drive forward UK economic growth.

Changing the tone with European leaders is the easy bit. Changing the substance  especially finding new arrangements to boost growth  is a much taller order.

Starmer, who reiterated in Berlin on Wednesday that growth was the number one mission of my government, is not the first prime minister to find economic ambitions crimped by self-imposed red lines on Europe. Labour has ruled out rejoining the EUs single market and customs union, the steps that would have the biggest impact in improving trade with the EU.

Instead, the Labour manifesto promised to tear down unnecessary barriers to trade by negotiating a veterinary agreement with the EU, improving access for touring artists to the continent and striking mutual recognition agreements for professionals. Such policies amount to little more than tinkering around the edges of the relationship and would do little to address the continuing economic impacts of Brexit, concluded a recent report from the thinktank UK in a Changing Europe (UKice).

Meanwhile, the Office for Budget Responsibility, backed by independent economists, has said its forecast for a 15% reduction in trade as a result of Brexit was broadly on track. Academics at UKice expect that the veterinary agreement could boost UK agri-food exports by 22.5%, a lifeline for some small businesses but not decisive for the overall economy.

Labour hopes it can deepen the economic relationship without joining the EUs structures. The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, for instance, has suggested a bespoke arrangement for the chemicals industry to avoid 2bn of extra costs mostly associated with duplicating EU requirements.

Talk of bespoke deals raises the ghosts that haunted the Brexit negotiations, namely the UK taking the benefits of the single market free from the EUs common rules, enforcement or budget payments. People will soon rediscover there is a reason why there were red lines, a senior EU official told the Guardian. What we dont want is to have the single market cut in pieces. The UK  they are very good negotiators and they always want to cherrypick.

That said, officials are not expecting the enormous mismatch of expectations that bedevilled the early years of Brexit negotiations under Theresa May. Starmer, a regular visitor to Brussels when he was Jeremy Corbyns shadow Brexit secretary, is well known in the EU capital. He and his team are well advised, the senior official said. They know what is feasible, what is not feasible.

One EU diplomat from a large member state expressed concern that the UK government was not being straightforward with British voters about EU demands. They have to be honest with their public. We are not a shelf you can pick things off, they said.

The EU has been disappointed by Labours dismissive response to a proposed youth mobility scheme that would allow people aged 18-30 to work, live, study or travel for up to four years. Nils Schmid, the foreign affairs spokesperson for Olaf Scholzs SPD party in the Bundestag, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that a youth mobility scheme was a major feature of our wishlist, but not about immigration in a general sense.

Related: Starmer appears to leave door open for potential EU youth exchange scheme

Yet when answering a parliamentary question about the scheme in July, Starmer framed it in general terms: We are not returning to freedom of movement. In Berlin, however, he struck a more nuanced approach that seemed to leave the door open to some kind of youth mobility programme.

The earlier outright rejection dismayed the EU, especially its repeated conflation of a time-limited youth mobility scheme with free movement of people, a lifelong right for EU citizens. The EU diplomat expressed disappointment over Labour dismissing it right out of hand because it looks like free movement [when] it is not free movement at all. The person added: I am personally surprised they think its toxic when [the UK has] the same arrangement with others, referring to a UK-Australia agreement.

Starmers government will face other EU demands. France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and other coastal states want to ensure post-Brexit fishing rights are extended beyond June 2026 when current arrangements lapse.

Meanwhile, the European Commission insists that the UK must fully implement existing agreements before negotiating new ones, amid concern over the rights of the estimated 3.5 million EU citizens living in the UK. Late last month the commission announced it was moving forward with a legal case begun in 2020 that alleges that the UK government has failed to protect EU citizens in the UK. We have two big agreements with the UK and we want them to be implemented, said a second EU diplomat, referring to the Brexit withdrawal agreement and subsequent trade and cooperation agreement.

With Starmer expected to meet the commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, soon and a UK-EU summit pencilled in for spring 2025, the government has more to do to repair the broken relationships of the past.
Blower cartoon

When the United Kingdom voted in a referendum to leave the EU, even the most ardent Brexiteer was anxious to retain good relationships with individual countries on the continent. Why would we not? They are our closest neighbours, fellow democrats, Nato colleagues and trading partners.

The aim of Brexit was to escape the political and regulatory hegemony of the bloc, allowing decisions in the national interest to be made unilaterally. The subsequent negotiations over the exit deal, however, helped sour relations between countries whose leaders were keen to see that Britain did not benefit from its decision. They were anxious not to stoke similar sentiments in their own backyards and were content to see the EU drive a hard bargain for Brexit.

Even if the last government failed fully to avail itself of the new post-EU freedoms, the calamity predicted by many  including Sir Keir Starmer  did not materialise. European economies have largely fared even worse than Britains, Germanys in particular.

The Prime Minister was on a trip to Berlin yesterday, fulfilling one of his tasks as premier, which is to nurture bilateral relations with allies. Inevitably for someone who campaigned to overturn the 2016 result, he felt it necessary to cast the visit as an opportunity to reset connections with Europe rather than a meeting of the political leaders of two independent nations.

Sir Keir repeated his campaign undertaking not to seek Britains return to the EU nor to join the single market and customs union. He does not, therefore, need to approach such bilaterals with an apologetic attitude, otherwise people may come to question his intentions.

Good relations with Europes largest country and biggest economy are important for both Germany and the UK; but the idea that Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in a position to offer anything meaningful on matters that are in the hands of the EU as a whole is fanciful. He could be prevailed upon to petition other member states to ease some of the post-Brexit border controls. The new digital visa regime requiring the fingerprinting of non-EU citizens will make travel more difficult.

Millions of pounds have already been spent preparing British ports for the extra time it is likely to take to cross the Channel.

True friendly neighbours would make these arrangements less onerous, especially when they are not required for EU citizens to enter Britain.
Windell Curole, 69, a lifelong resident of Lafourche Parish, received community support to construct a levee to combat escalating flood threats caused by subsidence in the area. Composite: Thalia Juarez/The Guardian

On 29 August 2021, as Hurricane Ida made landfall on Louisianas Gulf coast, 69-year-old Windell Curole sought refuge with others at the three-story Lady of the Sea hospital in Galliano, located 90 minutes south-west of New Orleans.

As Curole looked out the window, watching Idas rain hammer the grass, a question tormented him: would the levees that encircled his community be tall enough to hold back the water that was surging toward them?

To Curole, a lifelong resident of the area, the question was personal. Since he was primarily responsible for the levees existence, it was political, too. If I can see green out there tomorrow morning, he thought to himself, were good.

Across the surrounding bayou communities, home to several hundred thousand, Idas gale-force winds blew out windows and ripped apart buildings. Outside the hospital window, sheets of black tar paper began to whip across the sky. Get back! a nurse yelled from behind him. Running into the hallway, Curole realized that the airborne material was the hospitals roof, a portion of which had peeled away in the storm.

Communication went out around the region. Curole slept on a hospital bed on the second floor. It would take 24 hours for him and his wife to inform one another that they were alive, and another month before their power came back on.

They have rules coming in from Washington, but theyve never had marsh between their toes Windell Curole

This is what land loss  an abstract concept to many Americans  looks like. Southern Louisiana is among the fastest-disappearing land masses in the world, with an area about the size of Manhattan vanishing every year. Sometimes the erasure happens gradually, as our warming planet melts ice caps, and the geologically young soil of the Gulf of Mexico compresses under its own weight and sinks into the sea. Other times it happens cataclysmically, as it did that day in 2021, when Ida tore out an estimated 106 sq miles (275 sq km) of land, devouring in an afternoon what a rising sea would have taken years to dissolve.

It wasnt that long ago that southern Louisiana held a quarter of the worlds wetlands, whose rich soils and teeming grassy waters not only fueled the areas booming fishing industry, but also functioned as natural hurricane protection that could absorb storm surges like a sponge. But small towns and villages are the new frontlines of weather disaster. Everything from muddy swamps to Main Streets are subsumed by the water.

People fish at the end of the old LA 1 highway near Leeville in Lafourche parish, Louisiana, in August. The former highway and bridge, which frequently flooded and was sinking due to coastal erosion and ground subsidence, was demolished to make way for an elevated expressway.

But in the immediate aftermath of Ida, Curole was perversely jubilant: the next morning, he could still see green grass. The levees  levees that the federal government had tried to stop him from building  had worked. While nearby areas saw devastating flooding and dozens of deaths, not one building in his jurisdiction was inundated with floodwaters, and no lives were lost.

Levees are, in essence, strategically placed hills. River levees, like those alongside the nearby Mississippi, force a river to stay inside of its channel. Hurricane levees, like those overseen by Curole, are intended to keep out the seawater that nearly surrounds his home of south Lafourche parish.

Windells levee, as residents call it, is a snaking mound of dirt constructed in the shape of an oval, like an upside-down moat enclosing an area roughly the size of Washington DC, with a fraction of the people.

To build such fortifications, the federal governments army corps of engineers typically works with local levee districts, providing funds and issuing specs on how levees should be constructed  how high, the angle of the slope, with what materials  while local people do the work.

Left: Local crews work in August to strengthen the levee by building a higher berm, or sediment barrier, at its edge. Right: A flood wall is visible through the levee to accommodate a high-pressure gas line.

Nearly two decades ago, the federal government, via the army corps, changed those specs, redefining what qualifies as a safe levee system.

The federal guidelines are complex, but if Curole had built to them, his levee would have reached only 13ft tall. Instead, Curole built taller  which, using the same pool of raw materials, also meant he built steeper, leading to an inherently less sturdy levee. In the eyes of the corps, Windells levee is too tall and skinny to be stable.

He ignored formal censures as his levee climbed to 18ft. Ida brought floodwaters soaring to 17ft. The unauthorized, DIY levee was the only thing keeping the area from being subsumed by the water. If he had obeyed the corps, Curole says, we wouldnt have a community.

Curole recently retired after over four decades with the South Lafourche levee district (SLLD). For much of his working life, hes heard the same sentiment from government officials: that his lifesaving work isnt tested, isnt foolproof. You think thats gonna hold back the water? hes been asked too many times to count. I dont know, hes replied, but I know it has a better chance than air.

Going rogue

I met Curole early last year, on his first day of retirement  but there was no one to replace him, so yes, he would still be on duty that day, and no, he didnt mind showing me around. Wed been driving south in his truck for 20 minutes from the districts temporary headquarters in the back rooms of a tugboat company (he, like many others, was still waiting for a roof after Ida) when water started to squeeze the road from both sides.

We continued down the old highway to the now nearly abandoned fishing village of Leeville, which had been founded by Curoles Cajun great-grandfather. The highway dwindled from four lanes to two, and then disappeared under gently lapping water.

It was Curoles first visit to Leeville since Hurricane Ida, 18 months prior, and he couldnt find the site hed set out to show me: a small, historic graveyard. The water had advanced too far. That tells you everything you need to know, he said. You dont bury people on land you think is going underwater. Curole brought me here to make a point: this is what life in southern Louisiana looks like without protective levees. Leeville, the first town south of his levee, is a sacrifice zone.

Top left: The graves of Windells own ancestors on the side of the road. At high tide, they, too, are inundated. Top right: Water from Bayou Lafourche has subsumed parts of Leeville, Lousiana, leaving them uninhabitable. Bottom: People fish just outside the southernmost part of the levee-protected district where remnants of hurricanes are frequently visible.

But just north of Leeville begins an oblong expanse that is depicted on maps as solid gray land. This impossibly stable swath of land is the South Lafourche levee district (the name of both the area protected by the levee and the public agency responsible for its protection), where several towns, industrial hubs, and farms are all protected by Windells levee. A rare remaining patch of terra firma, it hasnt flooded in almost 40 years, despite ever more serious storm surges wreaking havoc in the surrounding areas.

Driving on the levee is illegal, as doing so compresses the levees dirt over time  but Curole makes the rules, and he scouts the ring weekly. When we found ourselves stuck in the mud, Curole called on decades battling south Louisianas incapacitating muck, careening us up the fortifications unnaturally steep slope as I dug my nails into the passenger door and wondered if some made-for-TV detective would find my body in a rolled-over Chevy.

Standing atop the levee, Curole directed my eyes to the unprotected side. Amid the lacerated marsh that surrounds the district, my eyes adjusted to make out things that shouldnt have been there: semi-truck trailers, 5,000-gallon cisterns, washing machines  all remnants from recent storms, sucked out from nearly abandoned towns, and deposited here when the water receded. But inside, I saw well-kept homes, mowed lawns, barking dogs, playing children and downtowns open for business. From atop the protective hill, Curole nodded first toward town, and then to the littered marsh: The only thing keeping this from looking like this, he said, is this, gesturing to the levee beneath us.

Homes protected by the levee in Lafourche parish.

When Curole was growing up in south Lafourche parish in the 1950s, there were no hurricane levees surrounding his community. As a kid, hed trap muskrats and watch cows roam on land that has long been lost to the water.

In his late teens, Curole enrolled at Nicholls State University in nearby Thibodaux. His poverty was sometimes impossible to hide. It was a good thing we were in the hippy era, because I didnt own more than a couple pants, he told me.

He paid his way by working on a shrimp boat, where he noticed, over the years, that the shrimp  which thrive in a marshy mixture of the bayous freshwater and the gulfs saline  were moving north as the shore shifted. He realized land loss was a desperate crisis; soon the life he loved in Louisiana could vanish entirely.

Top left: Curole, 69, is a lifelong resident of Lafourche parish. Top right: Prize-winning fish in the kids division at a fishing rodeo in nearby Grand Isle, Louisiana. The fishing and seafood industries are integral to the areas culture and economy. Bottom: Locally caught shrimp at Baudoins Seafood, a family-owned seafood market in Lafourche parish.

In 1980, after graduation, he traded his shrimping galoshes for brown leather loafers, taking a job at the still new SLLD, which back then was managing a patchwork of small, sporadic hurricane levees that ran for 12 disconnected miles and looked like little more than a speed bump in some places. In 1985, when Hurricane Juan thrust the raging waters of the gulf up into south Lafourche, the area was ravaged. But the leveed sections fared better. Over his 42 years with the SLLD, he and his team circled the area with 48 miles of tall, continuous levee. They built five pump houses that could quickly drain the area if the levees ever failed, or when torrential rainfall left standing water. When their turbines would get jammed, Curole would don scuba gear and clear the plumbing. Thanks to the SLLD, Hurricane Juan was the last storm surge to flood south Lafourche.

For much of his career, Curole worked closely with the army corps of engineers, which funded 70% of the south Lafourche levees initial construction. But in 2005, things changed. After flood control infrastructure failed catastrophically in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, the corps declared new construction parameters for everyone in the area. Windells levee had been a success  but, according to the corps, he needed to make it wider at the base to increase stability. An army corps colonel gave Curole a polite heads up that he and his neighbors wouldnt be receiving any aid from Congress to make the costly changes. Were fucked, Curole recalled one of his fellow leveemen saying to him.

Lafourche residents and visitors gather at a fishing rodeo in nearby Grand Isle.

In the aftermath of the storm, Curole and his team felt they had only two options: they could obey the corps and rebuild the levees to a lower height, which would put them at far greater risk of flooding, and, Curole felt, would be tantamount to abandoning the areas centuries of history to the sea. Or they could go rogue.

Curole took to libraries, town halls and local television to tell residents why he and his engineers felt the corps new specs didnt make sense for their area, and why their levee needed to be taller  even if it meant the federal government considered it less stable. Curole made the dull technicalities of government regulation personal, emphasizing that the outcomes were life and death. Subtleties make the difference between success and failure, he told residents. They have these rules coming in from Washington, but theyve never had marsh between their toes.

The next year, he got a proposal on the local ballot to add a one-cent levee tax on every dollar spent in the area. The parish president thought he was crazy, saying voters in this largely conservative, tax-skeptical area would never go for it. But it passed with 82% approval.

Curole and his team were doing the unthinkable: largely self-funding a massive flood control effort. The army corps, fearful that the comparatively skinny fortification would collapse under the weight of a storm surge, wrote formal letters telling Curole and his team to stop building. In 2011, the corps dropped south Lafourche from its rehabilitation and inspection program, a vital project that provides federal funds for levee cleanup and repairs after storms. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) officially decertified the levee, removing the bodys stamp of approval and leaving the SLLD to fund its own repairs should anything go wrong. In 2016, the corps sent Curole a cease and desist. A few local residents were furious, too; one man erected a billboard on a busy highway that read: Thanks Windell  for screwing the people and the levee.

Forcing a river to defy its nature

Five thousand years ago, this area was the Gulf of Mexico. But in the intervening millennia, the Mississippi River was a tumultuous and mammoth earth builder. Collecting mud, silt and sand from 31 future states, it acted as a geological Robin Hood, robbing elevation from the mountains and hills near its headwaters and redistributing its sedimentary spoils through colossal floods. At the very bottom of the river, the Mississippi deposited the muck it had gathered along the way, building roughly 1 square mile of new land each year as its waters continued to the sea.

Up until the 19th century, the volatility of the river rendered much of the lower Mississippi almost uninhabitable. Flooding from the north would regularly send the rivers roiling water soaring up and over its banks, engulfing places that had recently been declared territories with borrowed names like Arkansas and Mississippi. That rich delta land would have been perfect for farming, were it not for the devastating flooding. Landowners forced enslaved people to do the backbreaking and sometimes deadly labor of building localized levees on the banks of the Mississippi, opening up more southern land to cotton farming and the abuses of slavery. Soon, a mishmash of private levees increasingly held the giant river in place.

During the civil war, Union armies attacked levees. Those that remained often crumbled as landowners could no longer exploit unpaid slave labor. But after the war, the reconstituted US government saw that taming the countrys most powerful river could change the trajectory of the fractured nation: shipping via boat cost a fraction of overland shipping. Farmers and industrialists in cities as distant as St Louis, St Paul, Denver and Pittsburgh, whose famed three rivers eventually drain to the Mississippi, could readily access European markets if the river could be controlled.

The river, though, was not eager to cooperate. For millennia it had been seeking the most gravity-resistant path to the gulf, forging new passes and cutting off its own corners, leaving bayous and elbow-shaped lakes miles from the main channel; it did this one morning in late April 1876, when the river found a shortcut to itself and deserted Vicksburg, Mississippi. The change stranded large paddlewheel boats in the mud of the emptied route and it took 27 years to force the river to flow through Vicksburg once again.

State and local governments worked with the army corps of engineers to levee and dam the river, forcing it to defy its nature and stick to a prescribed path. Congress then hired an engineer to force the rivers flow into just a few navigable exits. When the construction began, merchants in St Louis shipped less than 7,000 tons of goods annually through New Orleans to Europe; five years later that number soared to nearly half a million tons.

But forcing the Mississippi into a narrow channel changed everything. Where the river used to unravel, leaving behind layers of muck that gravity would eventually compact into solid new land, it now shot hopelessly through to the sea, where its land-building muck could do no good. By the 1930s, Louisiana had stopped growing. Soon, it would begin disappearing. Without new land, sea level rise and the tug of gravity on the uncompressed, young earth had no counterbalance. By the 1970s, the state was losing up to 70 sq miles a year. The army corps, Curole says, stopped the system that built south Louisiana.

Over time, the losses have been compounded by oil and gas companies, who have dredged navigation and pipeline canals through the areas swampland. According to the Department of the Interior, these oil and gas canals may account for over half of the states land loss. And now, after centuries of burning such fuels, our changing climate batters the area with rising seas and increasingly violent, destructive storms.

Wade Rodriguez oversees the Leon Theriot Lock, a gate that regulates commercial boat traffic while preventing flooding. Initially a floodgate, built by the army corps of engineers, it was converted into a lock by the South Lafourche levee district.

This wasnt unexpected: engineers in the late 19th century predicted the rapid sinking. But, as one corps-adjacent engineer argued in an 1897 National Geographic article, the benefits of putting the river in its place were so great that the people of the whole United States can well afford, when the time comes, to build a protective levee against the Gulf. Simply put, there was always going to be a Windell Curole.

My home insurance was going to be as much as my house

When Curoles agency went against the feds in 2005, it kicked off a cascade of bureaucratic censures that have had costly impacts on residents. When the levee system was officially decertified by Fema, insurance costs soared.

Lanor Curole, a 52-year-old distant relative of Windells, is a citizen and former tribal administrator of the United Houma Nation, whose 19,000 citizens live primarily across six south Louisiana parishes, including Lafourche.

Lanor Curole, 52, was priced out of south Lafourche.

She was priced out of south Lafourche years ago. My home insurance was going to be as much as my house, she says, so she moved far from her family to north Lafourche, where the shorter levees were backed by the federal government and the flood insurance was cheaper. But when Ida hit in 2021, north Lafourche flooded. South Lafourche was, temporarily, an island. For many, the conviction that government can only be trusted when its hyperlocal was reaffirmed.

In southern Louisiana, suspicion of the state has been brewing for generations. Nearly a century ago, Governor Oramel Simpson used 39 tons of dynamite to blow up a river levee south of New Orleans. Water rushed into Plaquemines parish, displacing thousands of poor residents; the selected explosion site ensured that Black Americans bore the brunt of the damage.

In the early 20th century, oil and gas companies used racist state laws  such as those limiting inheritance rights for children of interracial marriages  to take land and wreak havoc on the coast. State and local laws enforced a tripartite system of segregation for Black, white, and Indigenous residents. Lanor Curole was the first person in her family who had a chance to finish high school.

For his part, Windell says he never would have defied the federal government just to be contrarian, but adds, with the thinly concealed smirk of a man who knows his reputation: And I never stick my thumb in their eye when Im right.

But while levees are a local solution, they are also a short-term solution. As hurricanes get worse, storm surges grow higher, risking overtopping or failure. To protect the area long-term, Louisiana needs new land and major federal action that could buffer cities and towns from hurricanes while rebuilding the marshy habitat that has long fueled the areas industry.

The master plan

It turns out, the state and federal governments have been trying to do just that, with an effort called the coastal master plan  a to-do list implemented by the states coastal protection and restoration authority (CPRA), with help from the corps. Last year, the CPRA broke ground on the most ambitious land-generating project ever undertaken in the US: a multibillion-dollar canal into which some of the Mississippis muddy flow will be redirected, allowing its muck to once again build land. It has been praised by environmentalists and bipartisan elected officials alike, passing unanimously through Louisianas legislature.

Newly created marsh, a result of various restoration projects in the area, amid the broken marsh in Lafourche parish.

But many near the coast are skeptical. Some fear that the CPRAs funding  some of which comes from extractive industries, including BPs 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill reparations fund  hamstrings its ambitions. Some have been burned by the CPRA before; in 2012, the agency built new levees on a stretch of coastal land, but failed to extend protection to a small island community of Native Americans from multiple tribes. Lanor says residents were told that protecting the area would be cost-prohibitive. What do you mean  your cost-benefit analysis means were not worth saving? she recalls asking.

Still, there are signs that large government entities may be heeding local expertise. The CPRA recently made a change that Lanor and others asked for years ago: when calculating the value of protecting a high-risk location, it no longer considers an areas property values, but only the number of structures. And in Curoles district, the CPRA has provided critical if sporadic money for improvements. While the federal government has yet to recertify the levee as one of its own, Curole, now officially retired, is glad the state recognized that his rebellion was working.

For Nicholas Matherne, Windell Curoles hand-picked replacement as general manager of the SLLD, working with the federal government  even against the backdrop of a checkered past  is essential to this places continued survival. He spends much of his time trying to extend an olive branch to the corps. He wants the chance to prove on paper whats already been demonstrated in reality: that the work of Windell and his engineers  many of whom studied at top-ranked engineering schools  was solid, and not just the Cajun ingenuity of throwing up dirt, he says.

What do you mean  your cost-benefit analysis means were not worth saving? Lanor Curole

Getting back in the feds good graces, Matherne hopes, will allow South Lafourches levees to be welcomed back into the program that funds levee clean up and repairs, and to bring federal flood insurance costs back down. And the corps is willing to give them a chance. Having taller levees, says Ricky Boyett, the army corps public affairs chief, wont be an automatic dealbreaker; the problem, he says, is that Curole didnt have the permission necessary to do it. Now the corps is assessing the system, retroactively, to see if its up to snuff.

But south Louisiana cannot survive on levees indefinitely. Idas surge came within a foot of overtopping the levee. and its powerful winds tore off roofs, soaked walls, and rendered many buildings losses. Levees can allow life to go on in the short term  but they are only a sort of harm reduction while the colossal work of slowing climate change and reducing land loss, hopefully, catches up.

A necessary Band-Aid

A few weeks before Christmas, I found myself in Golden Meadow, the southernmost town within Windells levee. Shrimp boats lined the bayou, and a captain was blowing his horn in the setting sun. The annual Christmas boat parade, a longstanding Golden Meadow tradition, was back for the first time since Ida.

Related: Everything out the faucet is salt: Louisianans struggle as drinking water crisis persists

Captains adorned their tall masts and winches in colorful lights. One boat sported a blow-up Santa for a masthead, while another blasted Motley Crues Girls, Girls, Girls as scores of family and friends sat with legs dangling off bait boxes, drinking beer from sweating bottles as the smell of diesel and bug spray hung in the air. I walked as the parade moved up the bayou, passing the Louisiana Dried Shrimp Company, a hardware store, and a house-sized junkyard shrine to the Virgin Mary. All around us, but out of sight, was Windells levee, the unassuming enabler of such revelry.

Just before the parade, I walked through the graveyard of a bayou-side Catholic church, where a flag-adorned stone caught my eye. It belonged to Leon Theriot, who started the south Lafourche levee system in the 1970s, and for whom Curoles office, now with a roof, is named. Other graves bore the last names of people I had been speaking with all year. I recalled the reading Id just heard in Advent mass  Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low. The Mississippi, it struck me, had been doing this for millennia, eroding the hills of the north and bringing them, speck by speck, down the continent to create this land.

Left: The Holy Mary Shrine in the levee-protected area of Golden Meadow in Lafourche parish. Right: Debris from Hurricane Ida is visible in the damaged marsh outside the levee, in the foreground.

In the graveyard, a group of three adults, all around my age, in their early 30s, walked with four children who craned their arms up in their sockets to hold their parents hands. The adults were chattering about the latest family drama when they were interrupted by an exhilarated yell. One of the boys, not more than seven, had broken away from the group. Mom! he exclaimed, studying a grave along the path. Mumbling the 19th-century birth year of the deceased, he conducted the mental pirouettes of elementary math. More than 100 years old! he nearly screamed in astonishment.

One town down in Leeville, on the other side of the levee, Curoles ancestors dont have the luxury of having their names read by future generations. The letters have been wiped off the stones; soon their graves will be washed out to sea, just like those Curole failed to find on our first day together. But here, inside the protection of the levees, there is a promise, or at least a potential, of continuation.
Oasis reforming has seemingly got half the country excited, though there has been a rush for hotel rooms - PA/Simon Emmett

A Manchester hotel has been accused of cancelling guests bookings on nights Oasis is performing in the city and relisting rooms for higher prices.

Sacha Lord, night-time economy adviser for Greater Manchester, wrote on X on Tuesday that he had been contacted by several people who were told their reservations had been cancelled by Maldron Hotels after a computer error.

He said the customers claimed the rooms were later relisted on the website for triple the price they had paid.

Maldron Hotels said that some rooms had been cancelled, but the mistake was down to a computer glitch.

Several people on social media claimed they had been affected by the alleged IT error.

Mr Lord wrote to Maldron Hotels on the platform and said: Im being contacted by several people who booked your hotel for the Oasis concert, to say their rooms have just been cancelled and are now back up for three times the price. Im sure this is a computer error... easy to correct. Do the right thing.

Maldron Hotels Manchester say a 'technical issue' caused the problems with the bookings over the dates Oasis are playing in the city - Men Media/Kenny Brown

Euros Rees was among those impacted by the alleged glitch.

He booked rooms at the Maldron Hotel Manchester City Centre shortly after the Oasis dates were announced at 8am on Tuesday but said the hotel has since claimed his booking wasnt successfully made owing to a technical issue.

The 42-year-old app developer from Leeds said that he initially paid 171 for his two-room booking, but now claims he faces paying upwards of 900 for a single room after hotel prices in the city surged.

Mr Rees called it a greed grab and said that regular working class people are being priced out of experiencing the return of the Gallagher brothers.

He told The Telegraph: It would mean the world to me and my friends to see Oasis live again.

We thought the first hurdle of having a place to stay was sorted, but now we are faced with paying upwards of 900 for a room in a cost of living crisis where people are struggling. This is a real insult.

An Oasis concert is a once in a lifetime opportunity and a chance for people to get together and enjoy, but its in danger of becoming a greed grab for hotels and ticket touts making it out of reach for the working class people the Gallaghers have always claimed to support.

Beyond disappointed

He added: Having been a lifelong Oasis fan who saw them live twice before they split, I was tremendously excited by the rumoured announcement yesterday morning.

As the announcement was at 8am I made sure I was logged into Booking.com early on, as it was clear that there would be a huge rush for hotel rooms on the nights theyd be playing.

I was beyond disappointed to receive the cancellation email which explained how technical issues had resulted in me receiving a confirmation email for a booking that wasnt successfully made, especially after looking on social media and seeing that this has happened to others too.

Lily Stroud, 26, from Newcastle, booked at the Maldron Hotel and later received an email to say that her booking had been unsuccessful.

Ms Stroud wrote on X, formerly Twitter:

Booked The Maldron Hotel Manchester yesterday for 11-13th & 18-20th before gigs were announced.



Conveniently they have cancelled our bookings'due to a technical error'. Obviously done it so they can resell for ridiculous prices.



TERRIBLE @oasis @bookingcom @MaldronHotels  Lil (@LilyStroud_) August 27, 2024

A spokesman for Maldron Hotels Manchester said: Due to a technical error with our booking system on 26th & 27th August 2024, substantially more rooms were booked than were available for the nights of the Oasis concerts on 11th/12th/19th/20th July 2025 at Maldron Hotel Manchester City and Maldron Hotel Cathedral Quarter.

As a result, we are unable to honour all bookings made on these dates, and we are actively engaging with customers regarding their bookings.

The hotels are currently not taking any bookings while we investigate the issue. This is not an attempt to resell rooms at inflated prices, rather an overbooking issue due to a technical error with our booking systems.

Additionally, due to the same technical error, a small number of customers were able to book the rooms at a higher price later that evening. We will also be unable to accommodate these bookings.

We will be honouring all bookings made prior to 26th August.

We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband

They would make the streets safer from crime. They would reduce road accidents. And they would boost economic growth by making it easier for shops to display their goods, as well as extending the hours when people could trade. Street lights have been around since Greek and Roman times, but as they were introduced widely in cities such as London and Paris in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries they were sold as a way of making life better. And they delivered.

Yet now, we are turning them off even when there are clear risks. In reality, our obsession with Net Zero is now turning into a clear threat to public health and safety  and it is only going to get worse.

If you happen to be driving through what has now dubbed itself Net Zero Norfolk, be careful along the B1145 outside Kings Lynn. The council is planning to remove the lights along the road, even though it is notorious for car crashes, with two serious nighttime accidents in the last six months alone, and several deaths over the last few years. Why? It is taking down 1,000 of its 50,000 street lights to save 76 tonnes of carbon emissions a year. The road will become even more hazardous. But, heck, never mind. At least you will be saving the planet as your Nissan veers into a ditch.

It is hardly an isolated example. Both central and local governments are now pursuing Net Zero targets with a Maoist fanaticism that allows one single goal to trump every other consideration. Elderly people will be left to freeze in their homes, especially now Labour are scrapping the universal Winter Fuel Payment, because energy prices have been pushed so much higher than they otherwise would be. Small businesses could go bust because low emission zone charges mean their customers cant easily get to them anymore, and children will be at risk if they have to walk to school because their parents can no longer drive them. Food prices are going up because of restrictions placed on agriculture, reducing nutritional levels. The list goes on and on.

It will get worse over the next few years, especially as the Green Commissars around Ed Miliband, the Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary, become more confident. Street lights will soon be turned off in cities as well, even if it means they are no longer safe for women to walk down and burglary rates rise. Police cars may well have speed limits placed on them to reduce carbon emissions. Electric ambulances may sound like a noble idea until you consider what happens when the battery runs low during an emergency call out.

What next? Schools closing during the winter, because the heating contributes to global warming? Perhaps social workers will stop making home visits because driving to them threatens the planet. We may need to empty out the few remaining prisons to save on fuel. Lights could be turned off on airport runways, and of course the lighthouses along the sea lanes as well, because they are wasteful. Once you make hitting Net Zero the only thing that matters, there is almost no measure that cant be imposed so long as it saves a tiny amount of power.

This is crazy. Everyone agrees that we need to steadily reduce carbon emissions, even if the UK accounts for such a tiny fraction of the global total that it doesnt make much sense to aspire to global leadership. But we need to do that in a way that balances out different priorities, in the way that any sensible government would do. Sure, climate change is a serious threat to the health of the British public  although hardly immediate  and yet public goods such as street lights were also built to protect us.

To put it bluntly, global warming does not make much difference if you have already died in a car crash, or been stabbed on a dark street. With rising amounts of wind and solar power, and of course new nuclear generators, it should be perfectly possible to steadily reduce the countrys carbon emissions while maintaining the basic lighting and other services that keep public space functioning. Instead, Net Zero is being turned by a handful of extremists and fanatics into the only cause that matters, and is now turning into a clear threat to public safety.
Nicholas Rossi facing two rape charges and rest of his life behind bars in Utah - Stuart Nicol

Nicholas Rossi, the American fugitive, could spend the rest of his life behind bars in the US after his DNA matched a sample taken after an alleged rape 16 years ago.

Rossi, who was deported from Scotland in January to face separate rape charges in Utah after faking his own death, was linked to a further case in court on Tuesday.

Rossi, 37, is originally from Rhode Island but fled to the UK and constructed a false persona: Arthur Knight, an Irish orphan and academic living in Glasgow.

A judge ruled in January that he was a fantasist and a liar, and deported him to the US to face rape charges.

In a Utah court on Tuesday, police revealed his DNA has been matched to a separate rape case in 2008.

Derek Pullan, the judge, said: Based on the facts disclosed the court does find probable cause to believe that the defendant Nicholas Rossi committed the offence of rape as charged.

The case relates to an alleged rape in 2008, when a 21-year-old woman said she was lured to the home of her attacker after meeting him on MySpace.

Rossi already faces a separate case in the same state, where he allegedly raped a 26-year-old woman in November 2008 after they also met online.

Nicholas Rossi was extradited to US after turning up in a Covid ward in Scotland in 2021 - Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

He was previously convicted of sexually assaulting Mary Grebinski, a community college student, in Ohio in 2008. She has waived her right to anonymity and previously said he molested her against a wall and told her: Shut up b----, Im almost done.

After the conviction, for which he was added to the US National Sex Offender Registry, Rossi attempted to overturn his conviction and sued his victim for emotional distress.

He then fled to Scotland, via Dublin, London, Essex, and Bristol, and claimed to neighbours he was a theology lecturer in Glasgow named Arthur Knight.

He circulated a false obituary that said he had died of cancer.

After an international manhunt, he was caught in a Covid ward in Scotland in 2021. He subsequently appeared in court in a variety of bizarre outfits, including a 1940s-style suit and his pyjamas, slippers and dressing gown.

He also grew a beard and appeared in court wearing a kippah, claiming to have converted to Orthodox Judaism while in prison in Scotland awaiting his extradition hearing.

If convicted of the rape, Rossi faces a lifetime behind bars. Utahs sentencing guidelines direct a judge to issue a sentence of 15 years to life if the defendant has a previous conviction for sex crimes.

He denies committing any crimes.
Victorian treasurer Tim Pallas says there is absolutely no need for the federal governments proposed cap on international students. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Victorias treasurer says the federal governments plan to cap international university students is a fundamentally destructive decision which will have an adverse effect on the states finances.

Tim Pallass comments highlight the tough fight Labor faces to pass its proposal through the federal parliament, with opposition from the Greens and its own state ranks.

The education minister, Jason Clare, on Tuesday announced a plan to limit new international university enrolments to 270,000 next year, with some universities able to increase international student numbers while others will have to cut back.

Related: Albanese government announces plan to cap international student enrolments at 270,000

The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, said the government had dressed up a migration policy as an education policy and did not have a plan to support universities which had become reliant on money from international students, because of what he said was a lack of government funding.

This will have flow-on effects  to non-international students, to local students as well, because youre pulling out a revenue stream from universities without replacing it with something else, he said.

Bandt said the cap was proposed all because [Peter] Dutton has started a debate about migration and this is an easy shot.

Pallas urged his federal Labor counterparts to reconsider the cap.

Not since Scott Morrison basically told international students to go home could we have come up with a more fundamentally destructive decision, he said.

To essentially tell international students we see them as a principle problem with regard to migration, its just bad policy.

Theres no need for this. There is absolutely no need for this.

However, the government may find the numbers it needs to pass the legislation in the Senate with the Coalition. The opposition has not ruled out supporting the bill, although the shadow treasurer, Angus Taylor, said he wanted to see how [the cap] tallies up to the overall targets for immigration.

At the end of the day, what matters here is that we get the balance right in our immigration policy, and that our housing supply and other services that are critical to this country are able to keep up with that growth in immigration, he said.

Migration had been forecast even higher under the Morrison government in its final budget papers. The Coalition has announced a policy to cut migration under a future government, but is yet to provide the detail.

Initial analysis by industry stakeholders found the changes proposed by Clare would mean almost 35,000 fewer places for higher education, based on 2023 figures, and almost 97,000 fewer places for vocational education training institutions.

While individual institutions were still doing the sums on what the cut would mean for them, both in terms of international student numbers and financial loss, those which could benefit were quick to welcome the proposed changes.

The La Trobe University vice-chancellor, Prof Theo Farrell, said his institution was hit hard by ministerial directive 107  an instrument put in place in 2023 which gave priority to students applying for low-risk institutions  and he welcomed the plan.

Farrell said La Trobe had been disproportionately impacted by the student visa processing arrangements stemming from ministerial directive 107, which have undermined our mission to raise participation in higher education, including in regional Victorian communities.

The University of Sydney was not quite as open in welcoming the changes. A spokesperson said the institution would now carefully work through the detail to assess the likely impact on our core operations of education and research, and our community.

The University of Melbourne vice-chancellor, Prof Duncan Maskell, took a similar view, saying more transparency was needed around how the government came to its numbers.

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, he said.

This methodology was never discussed with us and there has been no consultation process.

Monash University also questioned the methodology.

Related: Labors international student cap an unprecedented overreach and recipe for chaos, experts warn

Monash has today received its indicative international commencing student limit. We are currently working to understand the rationale supporting the figure provided and the subsequent full implications of the Governments announcement, the university said in a statement.

The Universities Australia chair, Prof David Lloyd, said the idea the cap would be a boost to regional universities was an interesting one, because what were talking about here is a proposal to take enrolments and caps back to 2019.

And somehow thats seen as a progressive thing, he said.

Were dealing with the second largest export industry in the country, and surely theres a recognition that the growth and exports is something that Australia wants. It supports research and innovation. It supports the economy. Weve got the Business Council of Australia, weve got Tourism Australia, weve got all of these other areas outside of the university sector saying that this is a bad idea and its still being progressed.

The acting prime minister, Richard Marles, said the caps were necessary to make migration more sustainable.

You cannot manage immigration without managing student visas and so thats why weve put caps in place.
A medic treats a boy with mpox at the Munigi Health Centre - MOISE KASEREKA/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Children with mpox are dying because of a lack of basic supplies including soap and antibiotics in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), doctors have warned.

At least 15,600 people have contracted mpox in the vast country so far this year, the majority of them children, while 537 have died, in an outbreak that prompted the World Health Organisation to declare a global health crisis earlier this month.

The most dangerous form of mpox, clade 1, has been endemic in the region for decades, but early last year the situation worsened dramatically. Tens of thousands of people have since been infected, while a concerning mutant variant, clade 1b, has emerged in the countrys east.

Yet there are still no specific treatments to cure mpox and those on the frontlines still face chronic shortages of even the most basic resources they need to save lives, according to Dr Nathalie Strub-Wourgaft, a delegate of the Pandemic Preparedness Platform for Health and Emerging Infections Response (Panther).

People are suffering like hell, Dr Strub-Wourgaft told the Telegraph. She recently spent time in two hard-hit provinces in western DRC and met patients in Equateur province who had hundreds of painful lesions and open sores across their bodies.

What I saw was very sad, she said. There are fantastic, dedicated doctors and nurses, people who really wanted to help. But they have so little means to help  no antiviral treatment, no vaccine, scarce ways of detecting and diagnosing patients.

Even the basics  soap, water, antiseptics  that you need to treat this disease, they arent available. So yes, I am frustrated. Very frustrated.

A mother soothes her baby, who is suffering from a severe form of mpox, at the Kavumu hospital - GLODY MURHABAZI/AFP via Getty Images

Dr Strub-Wourgaft said she met a little girl, just two weeks old, who died not from the mpox virus but from a secondary infection. The lesions across her body burst but became septic as doctors had no antiseptics to keep them clean. As her situation deteriorated, there were no antibiotics to save her.

This is not acceptable, said Dr Strub-Wourgaft. When we say theres a lack of treatments, there are two aspects. One is the basic standard of care When we speak about the death toll, its high because of the complications. We need hygiene, we need antibiotics, we need painkillers. Those are in the treatment guidelines. They are not necessarily available.

On the other hand, we need specific mpox antiviral therapeutics [to] reduce the duration of the disease, which will help to reduce the risk of progression and super infections, and reduce transmission, she said.

But while scientists race to develop and identify drugs that target the mpox virus, a recent placebo-controlled trial by the National Institutes of Health in the US and the DRCs Institut National de Recherche Biomedicale (INRB) demonstrated the importance of the basics.

The study looked at the antiviral drug tecovirimat. It was originally developed to treat smallpox, a viral cousin of mpox, but scientists hoped it could be repurposed to tackle mpox.

Yet the small trials headline results were disappointing, said Dr Placide Mbala-Kingebeni, head of epidemiology and global health at the University of Kinshasa, as it found the antiviral did not reduce the duration of mpox lesions among children and adults infected with clade 1 in the DRC.

Still, the overall mortality rate for patients, regardless of whether they received tecovirimat or a placebo, was much lower than the average across DRC  1.7 per cent of those involved in the trial died, compared to 3.6 per cent nationwide. The scientists said this was because all of the patients were hospitalised and given high quality supportive care.

We showed that hospitalisation and an appropriate standard of care can improve the outcomes of mpox patients, said Dr Mbala, the co-principle investigator for the trial into tecovirimat. It is not happening at the moment because of lack of resources. We need to focus on good standard of care for patients as there is no specific treatment yet.

An mpox patient receives intravenous treatment at the Kavumu hospital - GLODY MURHABAZI/AFP via Getty Images

Many are incredulous that there remain no mpox drugs, given the virus was first discovered in the 1970s. For a long time, it was written off as a zoonotic disease that caused only sporadic cases. But for years before the epidemic exploded, transmission has been slowly accelerating.

The clock was ticking a long time ago, but the world just wasnt paying any attention, said Dr Ayoade Alakija, a special envoy for the WHOs Act-Accelerator panel, which focuses on medical tools for global health crises. No one took mpox seriously, so the options [for vaccines and treatments] that we have now are all being repurposed from smallpox.

She added that treatments were a significant element of the committees most recent discussions; the Act-A panel met the same week mpox was declared a public health crisis of international concern (PHEIC), and stressed that therapies are just as critical as vaccines.

So far, what people are doing is scrambling to see what is there, and what out there is scalable and affordable, Dr Alakija said. But the funding has been disappointing. Hopefully the PHEIC effect [will] unlock more [money].

There are some drugs that hold promise. Brincidofovir was approved by the US Food and Drugs Administration in June 2021 for use against smallpox in adults and children, and is available as an mpox treatment option in America as an investigational new drug.

But it is unclear how effective it is against mpox and is noted to cause elevated liver enzymes which can make it difficult to use, said Dr Krutika Kuppalli, a spokesperson for the Infectious Disease Society of America and a former WHO medical official.

Click here to view this content.

Other potentials that need to be studied include cidofovir, which was occasionally used as a topical treatment for severe mpox cases during the 2022 outbreak of clade 2, and NIOCH-14, which was developed and approved by Russia to tackle smallpox. Some institutions are also looking at developing monoclonal antibodies.

But scientists have also stressed that tecovirimat  which is appealing because it has a strong safety record, including in pregnant women and immunosuppressed individuals  should not be discounted quite yet.

Of course the preliminary results [of tecovirimat] are disappointing, especially given its earlier promise but that does not mean completely ruling out tecovirimat for now, said Prof Li Yang Hsu, vice dean of global health at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health in Singapore.

He said the study was designed and executed well, but the preliminary results included everyone in the trial. There are hopes that more focused analysis  for instance looking at specific age groups or people given tecovirimat within seven days of developing symptoms  may still show that the drug has an impact on some patients.

We know from experience with other antiviral drugs, including for influenza and Covid, that these tend to work better when initiated early, Prof Hsu said.

Still, deciphering all this requires money. Dr Strub-Wourgaft  who also warned against jumping to final conclusions about tecovirimat before the sub-analyses are published  said several trials are ready to go, but lack the funds to begin.

Click here to view this content.

This includes a rolling trial from Panther, called MOSA (Mpox Study Africa). This aims to test multiple drugs for mpox clade 1, 1b and 2 across Africa, in a study similar to the hugely successful Recovery trial  which rapidly identified drugs to treat Covid-19 during the pandemic.

[Mosa] is platform adaptive, Dr Strub-Wourgaft said. As you go along, you have pre-planned analysis that you can do during the study, so you look at whether what you have is giving you a signal.

If its not good, you should stop. If its better than what you had anticipated, you can stop as well because its successful. And then you can also add new treatments as science emerges.

She added Panther has received some money from the European Union to support the research, but not enough to launch the trial.

Mosa has been ready for a long time, but weve never managed to get sufficient funding. Which is very problematic to me, Dr Dr Strub-Wourgaft said. Research is part of the response, research is part of care  because if we dont have the tools, we cant deploy them.

There have been more than 500 patients dying in 2024 in the DRC, she added. Im not saying we could have prevented them all, but if more money had been given to Africa to control the disease well, I am a bit desperate, what else do we need to say? Were all saying we need therapeutics. So lets look at therapeutics.

Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security
Hayley Jones is charged with wilful misconduct in a public office - Yui Mok

A prison worker has been accused of having an inappropriate relationship with the killer of Zara Aleena.

Hayley Jones, 33, is said to have had a month-long relationship with Jordan McSweeney, 31, while working as a prison workshop instructor at HMP Belmarsh in London.

McSweeney was jailed for a minimum of 38 years for the murder of Ms Aleena, which was reduced to 33 years on appeal.

He had followed five other women around the streets of Ilford, east London, before becoming fixated on Ms Aleena, an aspiring lawyer, and stamping her to death on a driveway.

McSweeney admitted murder and sexual assault.

Jordan McSweeney is currently serving a 33-year prison sentence for the murder of Zara Aleena - pixel8000

Ms Jones, of Strood, Kent, is charged with wilful misconduct in public office.

She appeared at Wimbledon magistrates court on Wednesday wearing a grey cardigan with her hair in a ponytail.

Ms Jones sat expressionless in the dock and spoke to confirm her name and date of birth.

McSweeney has now been moved to HMP Long Lartin, another Category A prison, in Worcestershire.

He is charged with assisting in the commission of Ms Joness offence by engaging in a relationship with her.

Zara Aleena was killed in June 2022 - Metropolitan Police/PA

McSweeney appeared in court via video link from HMP Long Larkin wearing a grey prison-issue tracksuit.

District Judge Andrew Sweet granted Ms Jones conditional bail ahead of a hearing at Woolwich Crown Court on Sept 25.

Ms Jones was arrested and suspended in April last year.
Putin

Putins evil invasion of Ukraine has rightly been condemned, but what is less reported is the way in which Russia cultivates client states in order to sow disruption and misery around Natos borders.

Russias malign foreign policy influence can be detected whether in Syria, Venezuela, Sudan or Libya, exploiting access to natural resources like gold and oil to counteract sanctions and stirring up internal conflict in order to spark illegal migration.

To take a current example, Libya could soon impact global stability in a way not seen since the fall of dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. As the world is rightly focused on the tragedies in Ukraine and Gaza, Libya has been left largely unnoticed by many governments, despite the importance of the country as a common denominator to wider African instability on Natos Southern flank. Through eastern Libyas economic, military and diplomatic collusion with Russia, African nations such as Sudan and Mali have borne the brunt of the nations deterioration.

Recent governments in Tripoli have faced continuous challenges from corrupt gangs, warlords, rival administrations and outright warfare. Now the rise of the strongman in the east, General Khalifa Haftar, and his deepening alliance with Russian President Vladimir Putin, puts Libyas nascent democracy on a knifes edge.

Through conflict and coercion Haftar has taken much of the ground in the east and south of the country and some of Libyas crucial oil fields along with it. After his failed bid to storm Tripoli in 2019, a fragile ceasefire has held, alongside an agreement with Tripoli to appoint a consensus candidate to run Libyas economic powerhouse, the National Oil Corporation (NOC), in a way that benefits ruling clans on both sides.

Haftar has now positioned himself as the dominant force in Libya. This was enabled fully with the help of Russia, bestowing upon Haftar the backing and resources to resume hostilities between his Libyan National Army (LNA) and the Tripoli government.

Coordinating closely with the Kremlin, Haftar has opened his territory to forces from the Wagner Group, using Libya as a platform to facilitate their dispersal into sub-Saharan Africa. Reports have emerged showing trucks of Russian fuel, controlled by Haftars forces, passing through his checkpoints to help support Russian activities in countries such as Chad, Mali and Sudan.

It was revealed in April that Russia also transported fighters from Libya to Niger to help strike a deal with the ruling junta that also sees Niger sever ties with Ukraine. This is not an isolated incident. Russia has also used Libya to help in its support of Sudans Rapid Support Forces in the countrys ongoing civil war, supplying weapons, ammunition and fuel through the porous border. Only last week did we see the horrifying stories of RSF forces brutally murdering innocent civilians in a central village, highlighting just how emboldened paramilitary forces feel.

For the west, this jeopardises years of diplomatic engagement and security cooperation with African nations. As internal conflicts arise, and governments are deposed, diplomatic wedges are created between Africa and the west, with Russia positioned as more natural future ally.

In addition to diplomatic and military threats, Russian influence is also starting to target the west economically, with Libyas prosperous oil fields under the control of Haftar and with it a new threat to European supplies.

In the past month have we seen Libyas largest oil field El Sharara shut down by LNA soldiers and in recent days the majority of the nations oil fields look set to be shut down too. Unfortunately, the UN backed government is powerless and the National Oil Corporation has failed to use its authority to re-act effectively to the wider looming shutdowns. In fact, the NOC, run by Ferhat Bengdara, was silent as LNA forces swarmed the El Sharara strategic field, taking days to declare force majeure.

This has further damaged the Tripoli governments reputation and raised new questions about corruption and clientism within NOC. Oil and gas account for 95 per cent of Libyas exports and, without an NOC that runs effectively and transparently, there can be little hope for a meaningful transition to democracy.

As these threats now become apparent the new Labour government must show leadership. As part of his planned reset with the EU, the Foreign Secretary should take a leading role with France and Italy in a new global coalition to curb Russian influence and sanctions evasion throughout north Africa. To start, Haftars quick advance in Libya must be stemmed, real urgency towards finding peace in Sudan should be demonstrated and critical yet corrupt institutions reformed.

By halting Putins supply lines, other nations susceptible to Russian influence can be supported and Russias wider influence limited. Unless this coalition is formed quickly to challenge Putins ambitions along Europes southern frontier, we will wake up one day soon to Russian domination around much of the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.

Harriett Baldwin is Shadow International Development Secretary and was FCDO Africa Minister from 2018-19
Civilians wait to be evacuated in the direction of Pokrovsk - Anadolu

Russian forces have seized the settlement of Komyshivka in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region, Moscows TASS news agency reported on Wednesday.

The state-owned news agency cited Russias defence ministry in its report, but The Telegraph could not independently verify the claim.

It comes as Russian forces close in on the strategically important city of Pokrovsk, 35km away from Komyshivka.

Regional authorities recently ordered large-scale evacuations from the city amid fears it 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.

Follow the latest updates below

03:41 PM BST

Thanks for following todays live blog

Thank you for following todays live coverage of the war in Ukraine.



Well be back soon with more updates and analysis from the conflict.

03:22 PM BST

Ukraine intent on keeping Russian territory, US intelligence official says

Ukrainian troops are intent on retaining the Russian territory they have seized for some period of time, the deputy director of the CIA said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the intelligence and national security summit in Washington, David Cohen said the significance of the Kursk invasion remains to be seen.

They are remaining in Russia, he said. They are building defences and seem to be intent on retaining some of that territory for some amount of time.

It comes as Ukraine launched a major cross-border incursion into Russias Kursk region earlier this month, where it claims to now control more than 1,200 square km (463 square miles) of the region, while Russian forces continue to creep forward in the eastern Donetsk region.

Mr Cohen said he believed Putin would mount a counteroffensive, but expected it to be a difficult fight for the Russians.

02:44 PM BST

Kremlin dismisses Zelenskys idea for peace plan

Moscow has rejected Volodymyr Zelenskys suggestion that Kyiv will submit a plan to Washington on how to end the war in Ukraine.

Ukraines president said on Tuesday that the invasion would end with dialogue, but that Kyiv needed to be in a strong position for this.

He added that Kyivs three week long incursion into Russias Kursk region was part of the plan, as well as further steps on the economic and diplomatic fronts.

Mr Zelensky said he would present a plan to Joe Biden and his two potential successors, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky holds a press conference, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv - Shutterstock

Responding to this, the Kremlin said Moscow vowed to continue what it calls its special military operation in Ukraine.

This is not the first time that we have heard such statements from representatives of the Kyiv regime, Dmitry Peskov said.

We are aware of the nature of this Kyiv regime. We are continuing our special military operation and will achieve all of our goals.

02:24 PM BST

Pictured: Russian fighting near Konstantinovka

Images taken from video released by the Russian defence ministry on Monday show a Russian assault unit preparing to leave an armoured personal carrier in the direction of Konstantinovka, in Ukraines Donetsk region.

Photo taken from video released by the Russian defence ministry on Monday in nearby Konstantinovka in the Donetsk region - Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP

A Russian assault unit fight to take a Ukrainian position in the direction of Konstantinovka in Ukraine - Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP

01:50 PM BST

Russian oil depot set ablaze in Ukrainian drone attack

Ukrainian drones attacked a second oil depot in Russias Rostov region overnight, causing a huge blaze, Russian Telegram channels claimed on Wednesday.

Four Ukrainian drones were destroyed over Russias southern region overnight, Vasily Golubev, Rostovs governor said, though he made no mention of the reported oil depot attack.

The Baza Telegram channel, which is linked to Russias security service, claimed several tanks were on fire in the Kamensky district of Rostov.

Footage posted on social media showed at least three large tanks burning through the night and into the morning. Ukraine has not commented on the claims.

It comes as a fire at another oil depot in Proletarsk, Rostov, continues to burn 10 days after a Ukrainian attack.

Click here to view this content.

01:08 PM BST

No new decisions from UK or Germany on Ukraines use of weapons

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have said there are no new decisions from either the UK or Germany on Ukraines use of weaponry donated by both countries.

We reported earlier that Sir Keir is in Berlin to set out plans for a new treaty with the nation as part of a wider reset of relations with Europe (see post at 11:40 am).

Sir Keir said: Im not going to get into tactical questions about the use of weapons for very obvious reasons, but no new decisions have been taken.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer - Getty Images Europe

Mr Scholz also said that there are no new decisions from Germany on the topic and that the country is going to continue its support for Ukraine.

Germany is one of the very large supporters of Ukraine in Europe, within Europe, we are the largest contributor. We are going to continue this support, he said.

As far as weapon supplies are concerned, there are no new decisions from Germany.

12:26 PM BST

Russia reopens airports after brief suspension of flights

Russia has reopened two airports in the cities of Kazan and Nizhnekamsk.

We reported earlier that Moscow had suspended flights amid concerns over fears of a Ukrainian drone attack (see post at 8:41 am).

The affected airports have now resumed operations.

12:16 PM BST

Pictured: Russian missile strikes Zelenskys home town during day of mourning

A Russian missile has hit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys home town of Kryvyi Rih as it was observing an official day of mourning for an attack the previous day that killed four civilians at a hotel.

The latest attack struck civilian infrastructure and wounded four people, local administration head Oleksandr Vilkul said on social media.

When Kryvyi Rih is in mourning, the enemy attacks again. And it once again aims at civilians, regional head Serhii Lysak said Wednesday.

The previous strike on Kryvyi Rih on Tuesday was part of a bombardment of dozens of missiles and drones launched by Russia for a second consecutive day.

Five people were wounded, in addition to the four already pronounced dead.

A police expert works at a site of a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kryvyi Rih - Andrii Gorb/REUTERS

The attack struck civilian infrastructure and wounded four people in Kryvyi Rih - Andrii Gorb/REUTERS

11:58 AM BST

Kremlin says Europe will face surge in prices unless Ukraine extends gas transit deal

European consumers will face higher prices unless Kyiv agrees to extend a deal on Russian gas transit via Ukraine once it expires at the end of the year, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.

Ukraine has repeatedly said it has no plans to strike a new gas transit deal with Russia when it expires on 31 December.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that if Kyiv did not extend the deal, Russia could find alternative routes, such as the planned Turkish gas hub.

There are (other) routes, but, of course, such decisions by the Ukrainian side will cause serious damage to the interests of European consumers, those who still want to buy more guaranteed, more affordable... Russian gas, Mr Peskov told reporters.

He added that Europe will have to pay more for gas from other sellers, including liquefied natural gas supplied by the United States.

11:40 AM BST

UK and Germany pledge unyielding support for Ukraine

Sir Keir Starmer and Olaf Scholz have said the UK and German continue to have unyielding support for Ukraine.

Speaking at a joint news conference in Berlin, the PM said Ukraine is not just fighting to defend itself from Russian aggression but also for all the people across Europe.

Mr Scholz, the German chancellor, said both countries would continue to lend financial, economic, political and military support for as long as this is necessary.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a press conference in Berlin, Germany - REUTERS

11:06 AM BST

Russia kills six in attack on Donetsk region

Russian bombardment on the eastern Ukraine region of Donetsk killed six people on Wednesday, according to the governor of the region.

It comes as Moscow announced it had taken another village in the area.

In the morning the Russians killed four people and destroyed a house in Izmailivka, Vadym Filashkin, the governor, said on social media.

He added that two more people were killed in separate attacks near Chasiv Yar that damaged more than a dozen homes.

Donetsk has suffered crippling attacks during Russias invasion, with the Kremlin claiming to have annexed it alongside three other territories in 2022.

10:35 AM BST

Imminent blackouts in Kharkiv later today

Ukraines Kharkiv region will suffer power shutdown today following the shelling of some energy facilities, Kharkiv Energy said on Telegram.

Hourly and emergency shutdown schedules have been applied simultaneously in the Kharkiv oblast that could lead to an increases in the duration of the outages, the utility warned.

Ukraine has been racing to restore a severely damaged energy system that has come under scores of Russian attacks since March.

It has continued to implement regular scheduled blackouts to reduce demand on its energy infrastructure.

10:08 AM BST

Russia slams UN nuclear watchdog

Russia wants the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to take a more objective and clearer stance on nuclear safety, it said on Wednesday.

It comes a day after the head of the agency visited a Russian nuclear plant close to where Ukraine has mounted an incursion into the country.

IAEA chief, Rafael Grossi, visited the Kursk plant on Tuesday and warned of the risks of a perilous nuclear accident there.

He said he had inspected damage from a drone strike, which Russia had blamed on Ukraine, but did not say who was responsible.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said that Moscow wanted the IAEA to have a more objective and clearer position on nuclear security.

Although she denied it was demanding that the agency should take a pro-Russian stance.

Not in favour of confirming Moscows position, but in favour of facts with one specific goal: ensuring safety and preventing the development of a scenario along a catastrophic path, to which the Kyiv regime is pushing everyone, said Ms Zakharova.

09:38 AM BST

Moscow redeploys 30,000 troops to Kursk, claims Kyiv

Moscow redeployed 30,000 troops to Kursk after Ukraine launched its cross-border assault, Kyiv has said.

Oleksandr Syrskyi, Kyivs top general, claimed on Wednesday that Ukraine now controls 1,294 sq km of land across more than 100 settlements in the Russian border region.

Russian soldier aims a Grad self-propelled 122 mm multiple rocket launcher in Kursk - Russian Defense Ministry Press Service

09:14 AM BST

Russia defuses Himars near Kursk nuclear plant

Russian troops defused a US-made Himars which was found just miles from the nuclear power plant in Kursk, Moscow claimed on Wednesday.

The Russian national guards press service said the rocket launcher was found 5km (three miles) from the nuclear facility.

Moscow has repeatedly claimed that Ukraine has attempted to attack the nuclear power plant during its Kursk incursion.

The Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) - REUTERS

08:41 AM BST

Russian airports suspend flights over drone attack fears

Temporary restrictions were imposed at two Russian airports on Tuesday morning over fears of a Ukrainian drone attack.

Kazan airport suspended operations, delaying and cancelling the departure and arrival of several flights, from around 7am local time (5am UK time).

Planes heading to Kazan were instead diverted to an airfield in Samara.

A second airport in Nizhnekamsk also suspended operations, Russian Telegram channels reported on Wednesday.

08:23 AM BST

Rostov governor confirms Ukraine attack on oil depot

A Ukraine drone attack sparked a fire at an oil depot in the Kamensky district of Russias southern region of Rostov, its governor has confirmed.

There are no casualties, the governor, Vasily Golubev, said on Telegram. Firefighters are extinguishing the fire.

The 'Atlas' oil depot in Rostov, southern Russia, was hit by Ukraine overnight

07:56 AM BST

Pictured: Atlas oil depot burns in Rostov

Russian oil depot known as 'Atlas' burns in the southern Rostov region

07:49 AM BST

Russia demands more objective stance from UN nuclear watchdog

Russia said on Wednesday it wanted the International Atomic Energy Agency to take a more objective and clearer stance on nuclear safety.

Moscows comments came a day after the head of the agency visited a Russian nuclear plant close to where Ukraine has mounted an invasion into the country.

Rafael Grossi, the UNs watchdog chief, visited the Kursk plant on Tuesday and warned there was a serious danger of a serious nuclear accident occurring.

07:32 AM BST

Welcome to our live coverage

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage.

Were bringing you the latest updates from the Ukraine war.
With cross-strait marriages between Chinese and Taiwanese couples overseen by the government, many same-sex couples are stuck in limbo. Photograph: Ritchie B Tongo/EPA

Ryan and Righ like to compare their relationship to a Shakespearean drama. The two met when Righ, originally from China, visited Ryans Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung in 2016. A brief conversation next to the citys Love River soon developed into a romance that defied the long-running cross-strait tensions between their homes.

Although Righ returned to the Chinese capital of Beijing, and Ryan, who runs a guesthouse, stayed in Taiwan, the couple entered a long-distance relationship for years before deciding they wanted to get married.

Like Romeo and Juliet, we hoped for a happy ending, Ryan says. Their love had many obstacles, but if its meant to be, nothing can stop it.

When Taiwan became the first place in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage in 2019, they thought their happy ending was in sight.

Related: The Guardian view on Taiwan and same-sex marriage: a sudden victory years in the making | Editorial

But while the rest of Taiwans LGBTQ+ community celebrated, their joy was dulled when they learned they would be among more than 100 couples barred from marriage due to one partys Chinese nationality.

We were feeling sad but had to join in the celebrations for others, even though we couldnt celebrate for ourselves, Righ says.

For national security reasons, and because of Taiwans complicated relationship with China, Taiwan governs most cross-strait marriages under a distinct set of laws that require couples to marry in China before having the union certified in Taiwan. Couples are then subject to interviews to authenticate the marriage, and a screening process that ensures the Chinese spouse does not pose a security or intelligence threat.

But with gay marriage still impossible in China, many couples cant fulfil the first step of the process, leaving them unable to get an interview, and stuck in legal limbo.

Advocacy groups claim that Taiwan remains the only place in the world to restrict gay marriage on grounds of nationality.

Taiwanese citizens like Ryan have the right to live and work in China, but many same-sex couples are unwilling to relocate to the Chinese mainland due to its lack of LGBTQ+ freedoms.

We hope to gain societal recognition and to have our marriage acknowledged and protected. Mainland China does not recognise it, says Righ.

Now, some cross-strait couples have begun taking Taiwanese authorities to court. With the support of the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights (TAPCPR), a local human rights organisation, Ryan and Righ are at the forefront of these legal battles.

The couple got married in the United States, where gay marriage is legal, and have been battling to have this union acknowledged in Taiwan. If they succeed, they are likely to become Taiwans first ever cross-strait gay couple to get married.

Our lawsuit is significant for the entire Taiwan-mainland LGBTQ community. Everyone is eagerly anticipating the outcome, says Ryan.

The case focuses on their ability to begin the marriage interview process, and to directly register their US marriage at a Taiwanese registration office. The courts have ruled in favour of elements of their case on two occasions, but after more than three years of litigation the couple remain unable to tie the knot.

Following a ruling in early August stating that the Immigration Department should grant Ryan and Righ access to the interview process, Taiwans Mainland Affairs Council noted that they are aware the matter is likely to cause controversy in society and were conducting further consultations.

With China-Taiwan relations and LGBTQ+ issues still contentious for some in Taiwan, TAPCPR argues that the issue has become an administrative one, with no government department willing to take responsibility for making a final decision.

Cross-Straits couples should obviously have a legal basis to marry in Taiwan, says Victoria Hsu, a lawyer for the TAPCPR. I think this is a matter of political will.

If the president were to green light cross-strait marriage equality, then the issue would soon be solved, Hsu claims.

We hope our lawsuit will change the governments attitude and prompt it to take necessary action to achieve true marriage equality, Hsu says.

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party told the Guardian that Taiwanese citizens freedom to marry shall be respected and protected by the law regardless [of] the nationality of their fiance. We believe the government will propose a draft of law balancing peoples right to marry and national security.

The general mood within our community is mostly pessimistic, with some people feeling too disheartened to even get angry. Anger doesnt seem to help; its more of a deep sadness, a sense that theres no hope left, Ryan says.

But, he says, the legal action is like a lifeline for the entire community.

Without it, people would feel even more helpless.

With Edison Tseng
The reopening of the ferry route marked a symbolic moment for what many in Casamance hope will be a new era of national integration. Photograph: John Wessels/AFP/Getty Images

In April, an overnight ferry from the Senegalese capital, Dakar, arrived in Ziguinchor, capital of the southern region of Casamance, the first such voyage in more than 10 months.

The reopening of the route came a few days after the former mayor of Ziguinchor, Ousmane Sonko, became prime minister, and together the developments marked a symbolic moment for what many hope will be a new era of national integration.

For centuries, the regions location has fostered its isolation. Casamance is linked to the rest of southern Senegal by its eastern border, but its entire northern border runs alongs the Gambia, the roughly rectangular, English-speaking country that bisects Senegal. Unlike the rest of Muslim-majority Senegal, Casamances population is predominantly Christian.

Since 1982 it has been the site of one of Africas longest-running conflicts, launched by the separatist Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance, which grew out frustrations in the region over marginalisation and exploitation by the central government. The war continues at a low intensity today.

Noah Cisse, a Ziguinchor-based historian and teacher, said: Sonko has shown [the people of Casamance] that they are Senegalese in their own right. They can claim power like any Senegalese.

Cisse said he was hopeful that regional leaders could now persuade the government to invest in Casamance. The [area] has been very strongly impacted by the conflict  war is incompatible with investment, he said.

Rice and maize are cultivated in Casamance, where lush mangroves are watered by the river from which it gets its name  a contrast with the vegetation typical of the Sahel in the countrys north. The white beaches of Cap Skirring, sometimes described as the jewel of Casamance, lead out to the ocean and attract thousands of tourists each year.

Despite all of this, poverty levels in its three sub-regions are higher than the national average. This is because its pace of growth has historically been slower, said Cisse.

If you look at the roads and railways, practically everything [French colonialists built in Senegal] was in the centre-west, he said. So there was a sort of marginalisation of the outlying regions.

***

Sonko originally ran for president in this years election, but was in effect disqualified by a conviction for libel  one of a number of cases brought against him in recent years that he described as politically motivated. His friend, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, ran in his place and appointed him as PM after his victory in March.

In June last year, another conviction  for corrupting young people  led to protests focused in Dakar and Ziguinchor that resulted in dozens of people being killed by the security forces and hundreds of arrests.

Related: We are finally free: Senegal hails new anti-establishment president

Amadou Tom Mbodji, an activist detained for months and released on the eve of the vote, said: Our democracy was in danger. He is now working to free 300 youths he says are still in jail.

The last government cited the unrest as a reason for halting ferry operations. Because the larger of Casamances two airports has been closed for repair work, the only way for most people to travel between Dakar and Ziguinchor was an arduous nine-hour journey through the Gambia by road.

Now the ferry reopening and Sonkos seat at the top has reawakened hopes of long-anticipated development and inclusion.

Still, thousands of people remain displaced and unexploded devices are still being discovered in the area. According to the demining nonprofit group, Humanity & Inclusion (HI), 33 explosive devices have been discovered and destroyed and 157,000 sq metres of land cleared in five villages in the region since 2022.

Deploying demining teams along the borders with Guinea-Bissau to the south and the Gambia to the north, where the conflict simmers, is still an issue. HIs activities in Casamance were suspended in 2013 and again in 2019 after civilians in its teams were kidnapped. But it continues to work even as funding and other challenges stymy its pace.

Seydou Gaye, HIs Dakar-based specialist in armed violence reduction, said: [We] hope  to help Senegal achieve its goal of becoming a mine-free country by March 2026.

The new administration could help achieve that goal if it prioritises Casamance. Sonko, who saw the conflict first-hand while growing up, is now expected to juggle a delicate balancing act: strengthening peace in his back yard while pleasing the rest of the country.

Henry Ndecky, a mediator in the conflict, said: Ousmane Sonko as a son of Casamance and prime minister really has a hot potato in his hands  [If] the new team consolidates these commitments [with the rebel factions], it allows others to have confidence and go to negotiations and perhaps one day lay down their arms too.

On the campaign trail, Faye promised to usher in a new era of prosperity in the region. Local activists say they can pressure the president and his prime minister until they make good on their promises.

Madia Diop Sane, an activist and leader of the Citizen Visions Movement, said: We are in the fight for good governance, the promotion of quality education, developing peace in Casamance and employment of young people.

We were born in war, we grew up in war, and we tell each other all the time that one cannot die and must not die in war.
Disabled passenger at railway station London. Photograph: David Gee/Alamy

Earlier this week, former Paralympic athlete, Tanni Grey-Thompson had to drag herself off a London North Eastern Railway (LNER) train because no staff were available to help her.

After 16 minutes waiting for assistance she got on the floor, pushed [her] bags and [her] chair off and then [she] climbed off before yelling for help.

If you have a disability, we want to hear your experiences of travelling and the difficulties you have faced. What happened and what did you do? How did the transport company react: did you complain or claim any compensation? How has travel improved for disabled people  or not  over the years?

Callout

This Community callout closed on 4 October 2024.
Anas Sarwar is said to have laid into John Swinney, the First Minister, about his government's spendthrift ways - Jane Barlow

It is one thing for Rachel Reeves to say the SNP had been as bad as the Conservatives for crashing the British economy, but entirely another to claim that Anas Sarwar, Labours Scottish leader, had warned the Scottish Governments freebie policies were unsustainable.

Really? It is entirely possible that I was on holiday, or sleeping on duty when Mr Sarwar is said to have laid into John Swinney, the First Minister, about his Governments spendthrift ways.

But I simply dont recall a single instance whereby the Labour leader attacked the nationalists over, for instance, free university tuition fees, free prescriptions, free eye tests, reduced peak-time rail travel, or any of those free bus passes for the aged and the young.

Or, for that matter, higher pay awards to public sector unions than has been the case elsewhere in the UK.

In a visit to Scotland, the Chancellor insisted Mr Sarwar had warned the SNP they were spending more than they were bringing in or that their freebies were unsustainable.

Well have to take her word for that. And, frankly, it would be beyond believable for someone like Sarwar, or too many opposition leaders, to attack the popular policies of the governing party; and make no mistake almost all of the SNPs giveaways were welcomed, at least by their recipients.

But, as is always the case in politics, that was then. The bird of popularity has taken wing and the Nats are discovering theres not much money left because of their past profligacy.

However, I would take a guess and suggest that the Nats will try everything to keep as many election bribes as possible  somehow  until the next Scottish Parliament, due in 2026. They claim theyre all as safe as houses. Well see.

Top of the list will be the free tuition fees programme. Many in the Labour Party know that it isnt working properly because it damages the chances of the poorest students getting into university. After all, theres no money left for subsistence grants.

Lord Foulkes is calling for a 're-think' over the policy - Ken Jack / Alamy Stock Photo

And with cash limits about how many Scots students they can admit, universities are said to be much happier taking English and foreign students, who pay more.

Its a claim denied by the Scottish Government but every year throws up more examples of well-qualified Scottish pupils denied places at their first choice varsity because of successful applicants from elsewhere.

Finding a way to properly challenge this highest-profile freebie will be a major test for Sarwar ahead of the 2026 Holyrood election, always assuming he wants to take it on.

In the short-term, he has to find a way around the problem of the Chancellors ending of the winter fuel payment for pensioners, on which the Scottish Government has followed suit.

A re-think over the policy

But theyve laid the blame on Labours shoulders, with Shona Robison, the Finance Secretary, saying that without Treasury funding, the SNP couldnt afford the payments.

Sarwar has been accused of being spineless over this axing and there is a great deal of unhappiness in Labours ranks over this issue, with winter drawing in and energy prices expected to rise.

Lord (George) Foulkes, a veteran former minister, is calling for a re-think over the policy and wants the cut postponed for as long as possible. Meanwhile, Labour sources hope that something can be done in the short term to help the poorest pensioners.

As a result, the Chancellor may believe that her Scottish leader has been warning the SNP not to overspend but theres little doubt that in terms of the winter fuel payments, much of Scottish Labour wants them saved.
The European Commission has so far kept its distance from the investigation into the Russian-born tech billionaire. Photograph: Albert Gea/Reuters

The surprise arrest of the Russian-born co-founder of Telegram, Pavel Durov, after he stepped off his private jet in Paris last Saturday night, has brought the one-time fringe social network under the glare of the spotlight like never before.

Durovs arrest  after an investigation by the Paris prosecutor into organised crime, child sex abuse images, fraud and money laundering on the platform  also raises the stakes for the European Union, which has adopted the worlds most ambitious laws to police the internet, notably the Digital Services Act (DSA). Coming into force in November 2022, the DSA targets online platforms too big to care  in the words of the EU commissioner, Thierry Breton  putting demands on internet firms to remove illegal content, protect children, tackle disinformation and other online harms.

The European Commission has kept its distance from the French investigation into Durov. It is purely a criminal investigation at national level, carried out by the French authorities  based on French criminal law, a spokesperson said. It has nothing to do with the DSA.

But the charges laid out against the 39-year-old tech billionaire increase pressure on the commission and Belgium, the member state responsible for regulating Telegram on behalf of the bloc. If there is such a big problem with content moderation that it is actually criminally relevant  why hasnt that been addressed under the DSA yet? said Jan Penfrat at the European Digital Rights group (EDRi), a coalition of NGOs. One possible answer is, of course, the DSA is new  but still it does create a kind of pressure on the authorities.

The hybrid messaging service/social network, which has groups of users up to 200,000-strong, has worried European politicians for months. While Telegram has been favoured by pro-democracy activists in Russia, Hong Kong and Iran, it has also become a haven for extremists, criminals, conspiracy theorists and pro-Kremlin propagandists. In Lithuania, police have set up special units to monitor Telegram and other platforms in a bid to curb drug trafficking, while Dutch police told the countrys public broadcaster that it had had little cooperation from the platform after NOS journalists found 2.5m messages offering drugs on the site in 2023.

Based in the United Arab Emirates, Telegram has mushroomed to nearly a billion users worldwide while under limited regulation. But despite claiming only 41m active monthly users in the EU, it now faces new demands under European law.

Enforcement of the law could be a weak link in the chain. Belgium  along with five other EU member states  is subject to ongoing EU legal proceedings for failure to empower its digital services coordinator, the organisation responsible for enforcing the DSA. While the Belgian government has charged the Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications to enforce the DSA, the agency lacks sufficient powers, meaning it is unable to launch investigations into Telegram.

Telegram, however, may come under direct purview of the EU executive. Until now it has not been subject to strictest regulation that only applies to the largest platforms, such as Metas Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter. Under EU law only platforms with more than 45m monthly active users are very large online platforms [VLOPs] subject to the most stringent requirements, and direct supervision by the commission.

Senior EU officials are not convinced by Telegrams claim to be just under the threshold, with 41m active monthly users in the EU. Telegram is an issue, Vera Jourova, a European Commission vice-president told Bloomberg in May. We are now checking whether the figure is right, she said, adding that even the smallest platforms can do a very dangerous job in several member states, referring to Telegrams popularity in eastern EU countries with large Russian-speaking minorities.

The commission spokesperson said on Tuesday that it was carefully analysing Telegrams figures, adding: Once we will come to a clear conclusion, we will indeed not hesitate  if they meet the threshold  to designate Telegram [as a VLOP].

Separate to these ongoing talks between the commission and Telegram, the platform must publish its latest monthly user data in the EU by the end of this month.

Telegram did not immediately respond to requests for comment. But after Durovs arrest the company said it abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act.

Digital campaigners say Telegram needs to be much more transparent. An online platform of that importance with that large user base, even if it isnt officially designated a VLOP, is just way too important in order to operate with that level of opaqueness, said Penfrat at EDRi.

The public needs to know whats going on and obviously regulators need to know in order to be able to do their job.
Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to clean up Downing Street despite facing accusations of cronyism in his government - TOLGA AKMEN/EPA-EFE/SHUTTERSTOCK

Sir Keir Starmers approval rating has plummeted to its lowest level on record amid a growing cronyism scandal.

A new poll shows almost two-thirds of voters think the Government is more interested in serving its own interests than those of ordinary people.

According to the survey, carried out by More in Common this week, Sir Keirs personal approval rating has plunged to a record low of minus 16  a drop of 27 points from his post-election high of plus 11.

It comes after the Government was hit by a row over cronyism, with the Prime Minister facing questions over the appointments of several party loyalists to senior roles within the Civil Service.

Rachel Reeves has defended her decision to end winter fuel payments for about 10 million pensioners - KIRSTY O'CONNOR/TREASURY

More worryingly for No 10, the poll suggests the scandal is starting to cut through to voters and affect their views of Sir Keir.

Of those surveyed, 63 per cent said they thought his government was more interested in helping themselves and their allies than ordinary people.

More than half (53 per cent) also said they thought Labour was somewhat or very corrupt, compared with two-thirds who said the same of the Tories.

More than four in 10 believe both Labour and the Tories are equally likely to make corrupt decisions or give senior roles to their friends and allies.

Luke Tryl, the UK director of More in Common, said the results suggested voters were somewhat sceptical about Starmers country before party pledge.

He added: Part of the challenge for Labour surrounds the perception of corruption in politics. The mood remains very much one of a pox on all your houses.

The polling also shows that Sir Keir is facing anger among voters  particularly older ones  over his decision to means-test the winter fuel allowance.

More than four in five (82 per cent) of those over 75 oppose the move, though that proportion drops to just over a third (36 per cent) among the 18-24 bracket.

Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, defended the change on Wednesday, although she insisted that it was not a decision I wanted to make.

She told broadcasters: It was a decision that I had to make in incredibly challenging circumstances to put our public finances on a firm footing.

Click here to view this content.

It came as a separate poll showed more than half of the public already disapprove of the record of the Labour government to date.

The survey  conducted by YouGov between August 24 and 26  found that 51 per cent disapprove of Sir Keirs administration.

This means that the governments approval rating has fallen by 20 percentage points in the space of four weeks, with 31 per cent having disapproved of its record on July 29.

Only 23 per cent approve of Labours record in government to date  the same amount who approved of Theresa Mays government at the same point after the 2017 general election.

The poll of 1,684 adults also found 56 per cent believe the government is handling crime badly, compared to 27 per cent who say it is dealing with it well.

Fifty-seven per cent say Labour is doing a bad job on the economy, with 24 per cent supporting its record to date.

Dylan Difford, a data journalist at YouGov, said: While it is true to say that the new government is currently more popular than its predecessor was before the election, it is more a case of being less unpopular than popular in its own right.

Compared to YouGov data at roughly the same point after other recent elections, the current approval for the government is undoubtedly below average.
Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends a state reception at the Gulustan Palace in Baku

As Sir Keir Starmer returns from his summer holidays and prepares us all for tax raises ahead of the Autumn budget, he appears to have dropped the ball on Ukraine.

President Zelensky recently pointedly reminded the Prime Minister that he had no luxury of a summer holiday himself, as Ukraine tries to hold back the Russian hordes, and suggested that Starmer is less engaged in supporting this fight than the PMs predecessors.

Zelensky almost pleaded for the shackles to be taken off Britains battle-winning missile Storm Shadow, in order for Ukraine to target the airfields deep in Russia where their murderous attacks on hospitals, schools and the power infrastructure are launched from.

To underwrite the Prime Ministers focus elsewhere, his spokesperson told Zelensky that the rules on Storm Shadow would not change, despite the MoD supporting its use to protect civilian infrastructure and troops in the Kursk Salient. I saw Putins criminal actions in Syria for years at close hand, where he supported attacks on hospitals and schools and even with chemical weapons, and we did little to stop him. President Assad and Putin prevailed in Syria, and unless we ensure Ukraine fights off the Russian invader, much worse could be coming our way from the Kremlin.

Ironically, the focus for UK foreign policy seems to be the Middle East. Zelensky rightly asks why the UK, US and France are happy to take down Iranian drones and missiles fired at Israel, but not Russian ones fired at Ukraine. Russia is a far greater threat to us than Iran and its terrorist proxies. With the vast array of Nato fighter jets and air defences in eastern Europe, it would be technically possible to thwart attacks from well outside Russian airspace.

It is clear even to the most loyal Putin supporter within Russia that he is rattled, and for the first time the daily news programmes on Russian TV are reporting negatively about the Kursk incursion and questioning his leadership. This type of reaction usually signifies the beginning of the end for autocratic tyrants, with equally as evil people standing behind him ready to put the boot in. At least Putin has destroyed the Russian Army, Navy and Air Force, so the next tyrant will be no threat to the West for some years.

Ukraines Kursk manoeuvre is developing into a significant Black Swan event, with the Kursk Saliant likely to turn into a similar meat grinder to the Donbass, where a recent MoD Intelligence update suggests over 1000 Russian fighters are being massacred each day. This is beginning to rock the middle classes of Moscow and St Petersburg who have realised that their children will soon have to join the criminals and the poor who make up the modern Russian Army.

Putin and his gangsters are irrationally fixated by Britain and believe we were behind the Kursk Manoeuvre and virtually everything bad happening to Russia  as such, we must prepare with vigour for this eventuality, and not wait for the results of the Strategic Defence Review which will likely tells us the Army is too small and ill-equipped to fight.

Starmer must listen to the words of Ben Wallace, who knows more than most about these things: Make no mistake, Putin is coming for us. We must be prepared for the inevitable. To not do so will be to fail the whole nation, and let the Russian war effort continue to limp on.
Ravinder Naga pleaded guilty to stealing 35,000 after auditors discovered an alleged shortfall at his mother's Post Office - BBC

The son of a sub-postmistress falsely admitted to stealing 35,000 from the Post Office where his mother worked to spare her from prison.

Ravinder Naga, then 34, made the false confession after auditors discovered an alleged accounting shortfall at Belville Street Post Office in Greenock, Scotland, in 2009.

Mr Naga, from Port Glasgow, was ordered to pay the money back and complete 300 hours of community service after his guilty plea.

He initially instructed his mother, Gurbash Kaur Naga, to tell investigators he had stolen the money to buy some time.

But after the missing money was not found, the father of two was forced to plead guilty to theft.

Mr Naga requested a review of his conviction and sentence in 2022, and 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.

It was ruled that the accounting discrepancy had appeared because of faulty Horizon IT software used by the Post Office.

More than 700 Post Office sub-postmasters were wrongly prosecuted for stealing between 1999 and 2015 owing to accounting errors produced by the system that showed missing money.

Click here to view this content.

A public inquiry was launched into the Horizon IT scandal and about 261 million in compensation has been paid out to victims as of July. Mr Nagas conviction was quashed last week.

He 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.

Despite catching tuberculosis while carrying out community service, Mr Naga said he does not regret taking the blame.

He told the broadcaster: I feel if I hadnt done what Id done 15 years ago, I wouldnt be sitting here now getting my conviction overturned.

Id have been sitting here now getting a letter saying that my dead mum was being exonerated, because thats the effect it would have had on the family.

A Post Office spokesman said: We are truly sorry for the suffering caused by Post Offices past actions. We are doing all we can to help victims get answers and to put things right, as far as that can ever be possible.
Robert F Kennedy Jr in Glendale, Arizona, on 23 August 2024; Tulsi Gabbard in Detroit, Michigan, on 26 August 2024. Composite: AP, Getty Images

Donald Trump has appointed Robert F Kennedy Jr and Tulsi Gabbard, two former Democrats who have endorsed his bid for a second presidency, to the transition team that could shape his future administration.

The pair will serve as honorary co-chairs of a body that will help him choose policies and personnel if he wins Novembers presidential election, the New York Times reported.

Kennedys appointment came after he suspended his own presidential campaign as an independent candidate last week and threw his weight behind an erstwhile opponent who, just four months ago, branded him a radical-left lunatic.

He had already flagged up his new role in an interview with Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host and prominent Trump supporter, posted on X.

Gabbard, a former member of Congress for Hawaii, unsuccessfully sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 and left the party shortly thereafter.

She has rebranded herself as a pro-Trump celebrity and has been helping the Republican nominee prepare for a 10 September debate with Kamala Harris, his Democratic opponent, which is to be hosted by ABC.

Related: Donald Trump threatens to pull out of 10 September presidential debate

Gabbard and Harris clashed in a televised primary debate in 2019, footage from which was posted on social media on Tuesday.

Gabbard, a former member of the national guard who served in the Middle East, criticised the Democratic party in the debate, saying it was not the party that is of, by and for the people and continues to be influenced by the foreign policy establishment in Washington represented by [Hillary] Clinton ... and other greedy corporate interests. She also attacked Harriss record as a prosecutor.

Harris responded by describing Gabbard as someone who during the Obama administration spent four years full-time on Fox News criticising President Obama. She also accused Gabbard of buddying up to Steve Bannon, a key Trump supporter and adviser, to get a meeting with Trump after he won the 2016 presidential election.

It is unclear what role Kennedy or Gabbard will play on the transition team, which also features two of Trumps sons, Donald Jr and Eric, and his vice-presidential running mate, JD Vance.

On Tuesday, the Wisconsin elections commission voted to keep Kennedy on the presidential ballot, despite requesting to be removed from the ballot in all swing states when he endorsed Donald Trump last week.

US media reported that Kennedy would also remain on the ballot in another key swing state: Michigan. The presence of independent and third-party candidates on the ballots could be a key factor in states where four of the last six presidential elections have been decided by between 5,700 votes and about 23,000 votes.

Kennedy, who has traded in debunked conspiracy theories about childrens vaccines and the causes of the Covid epidemic, has been touted as a potential member of a second Trump administration, and has said he would expect any role would involve healthcare and food and drug policy.

Trump has supported some of Kennedys vaccine scepticism, but played down suggestions that he could appoint him as secretary of health and human services. That post would see him surmounting the potentially problematic hurdle of Senate confirmation.

Marc Short, a former chief of staff to Mike Pence, who served as Trumps vice-president, told the New York Times that the appointment of Kennedy and Gabbard was a setback to conservatives.

From the convention platform to the transition team, free-market, limited-government and social conservatives have been kicked to the curb, he said. Doubling down on big-government populists will not energise turnout among traditional conservatives.
The incident took place after Donald Trump took part in a ceremony for 13 US service members killed in a 2021 suicide bomb attack in Kabul. Photograph: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Officials at Arlington national cemetery have filed a report over the behavior of members of Donald Trumps campaign staff who reportedly shoved and verbally abused an employee during a crass photo opportunity for the Republican presidential candidate.

The officials confirmed that a confrontation took place at the Virginia cemetery on Monday after the former president participated in a wreath-laying ceremony for 13 US servicemen and -women killed in a 2021 suicide bomb attack outside Kabul airport in Afghanistan.

In a statement, Arlington acknowledged one of its representatives became involved in the altercation with two Trump staffers, telling them that only cemetery representatives were allowed to take video and photographs in Section 60, an area where recent US casualties, mostly from Iraq and Afghanistan, are buried.

Related: Donald Trump lays blame for assassination attempt on Biden and Harris

Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidates campaign, the statement said, adding that a report was filed over the incident.

Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants, the statement said.

The staffers verbally abused and pushed the official aside as the person attempted to prevent them from accompanying Trump into the section, according to NPR, which first published the allegation on Tuesday night.

JD Vance later on Wednesday dismissed the row as media exaggeration over a little disagreement. But Trumps running mate also laid into Kamala Harris, Trumps Democratic rival for the White House in November and the US vice-president, for the Biden-Harris administrations handling of the chaotic US military withdrawal from Afghanistan, saying Harris could go to hell.

At an event in Wisconsin later on Wednesday, Vance was asked by a journalist whether or not someone who wants to be president should have to abide by the law outlined by Arlington.

In response, he accused the media of acting like Donald Trump filmed a TV commercial at a gravesite.

Following the wreath-laying, photographs from his visit showed Trump grinning and flashing a thumbs-up sign as he stood at the graves of several of the fallen military members, imagery that drew swift rebuke.

The family of Master Sgt Andrew Marckesano, who is buried in Arlington, issued a statement on Wednesday saying that they had not given Trumps staff permission to film at Marckesanos gravesite, though another family, that of Sgt Darin Taylor Hoover, also buried there, had given permission, the New York Times reported.

In a statement shared with the New York Times, Marckesanos sister Michelle said: According to our conversation with Arlington National Cemetery, the Trump campaign staffers did not adhere to the rules that were set in place for this visit to Staff Sergeant Hoovers gravesite in Section 60, which lays directly next to my brothers grave.

She continued: We hope that those visiting this sacred site understand that these were real people who sacrificed for our freedom and that they are honored and respected accordingly.

Trump was reported in 2018 to have canceled a visit to an American military cemetery outside Paris because he thought the dead soldiers were suckers and losers, and because he did not want the rain to mess up his hair.

Instead of an apology, the Trump campaign attempted to turn around the narrative of the Arlington incident, with senior officials separately branding the cemeterys representative a despicable individual who was experiencing a mental health episode.

There was no physical altercation as described and we are prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made, the campaigns communications director, Steven Cheung, said in a statement.

The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trumps team during a very solemn ceremony.

The senior Trump campaign adviser Chris LaCivita, meanwhile, posted a video to X of Trump placing flowers on a grave, and launched a tirade against the Arlington staff member, saying they were spreading lies.

For a despicable individual to physically prevent President Trumps team from accompanying him to this solemn event is a disgrace and does not deserve to represent the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, LaCivita, a former marine, said in a statement reported by NBC.

Mark Esper, a former defense secretary under Donald Trump, told CNN on Wednesday morning that he hoped the reported altercation would be investigated, adding that the grounds should never be used for partisan political purposes.

Members of some of the service members families also issued a statement, supporting Trump and thanking him for his visit, which he posted to his Truth Social network.

Vance was speaking during a campaign rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, when he said of the US military deaths: Kamala Harris is so asleep at the wheel that she wont even do an investigation into what happened. She wants to yell at Donald Trump because he showed up. She can go to hell!

Trump has previously attempted to gain political capital from the haphazard 2021 US military withdrawal from Afghanistan, which he signed off on during his single term of office and which took place during the first year of Joe Bidens administration.

Caused by Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, the humiliation in Afghanistan set off the collapse of American credibility and respect all around the world, Trump claimed on Monday in a speech at the National Guard Association conference in Michigan commemorating the third anniversary of the Kabul airport attack.

A scathing state department report published earlier this year criticized both Biden and Trump for decisions they made leading to the chaotic evacuation, and the bombing at the airport gate that killed 150 Afghans alongside the 13 Americans.

A group called Veterans for Responsible Leadership posted on X, at the top of a thread going into the cemetery rules: Trump not only violated the sanctity of Arlington, but he violated the official cemetery conduct.

Hellen Sullivan, Chris Stein and Maya Yang contributed reporting
US Secret Service has admitted major failings at event in Butler, Penn, where Donald Trump was shot at by Thomas Crooks - REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Donald Trump was a target of opportunity in the assassination attempt against him, the FBI said on Wednesday, releasing also a photo of the gun used in the attack.

Officials said Thomas Crooks, who was killed at the scene by US Secret Service snipers, had no clear motive and had also searched online for the Republican and Democratic conventions.

Crooks, 20, lived near the showground in Butler County, Pennsylvania, where he opened fire on Trump from a nearby rooftop on July 13.

Kevin Rojek, the FBI special agent in charge of the bureaus Pittsburgh field office, said Crooks looked at any number of events and targets before hyper-focusing on the rally Trump, escaped with an injured ear in the attack last month, was due to attend in his hometown.

Mr Rojek said Trump appeared to have been a target of opportunity and that no motive or foreign involvement had been identified.

I want to be clear: we have not seen any indication to suggest Crooks was directed by a foreign entity to conduct the attack, said Bobby Wells, the FBI assistant director.

The AR-15 assault rifle used by Thomas Crooks in an attempted assassination of Trump - FBI

The rifle recovered from the rooftop where Crooks shot at Trump was pictured in an official FBI release. It was an AR-15 assault rifle he borrowed from his father.

The same model of rifle has been used by several mass shooters in recent years, igniting debate about whether they should be subject to a federal ban.

The attack came days before the Republican National Convention last month and saw Trump escape with minor injuries. In the seconds after a bullet grazed his ear, barely missing his skull, he raised a defiant fist and shouted: Fight!

The US Secret Service, which was in charge of security at the event, has admitted major failings. The agencys director, Kimberly Cheatle, has resigned.

Click here to view this content.

After analysing Crooks possessions, including his electronic devices containing Google search history, agents said they had discovered a mixture of ideologies.

I would say that we see no definitive ideology associated with our subject, either Left-leaning or Right-leaning, Mr Rojek said on Wednesday.

Its really been a mixture and something were still attempting to analyse and draw conclusions on.

Thomas Crooks was shot dead by US Secret Service agents at the scene - Bethel Park School District via AP

Early indications suggested that Crooks was a troubled teenager who had also searched online for help with mental health problems.

The FBI said his family had been cooperative with their investigation, and that they had held a productive interview with Trump.

The former presidents Secret Service protection has been increased since the incident, and he has spoken from behind a bulletproof screen at subsequent outdoor rallies.
Kyiv on Monday night. The strikes led to emergency blackouts across the country, which have tapered into scheduled power cuts. Photograph: Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA

Ukrainian authorities are scrambling to assess the damage caused by one of the biggest Russian airstrikes of the war earlier this week, which targeted energy infrastructure across the country, further crippling a sector targeted by Moscow multiple times in the spring.

While much of Ukraine is still experiencing the tail end of a very hot summer, this weeks strikes have brought into focus concerns about the hard colder months that lie ahead. This winter is going to be tough, thats for sure, said Nataliia Shapoval, head of the Kyiv School of Economics Institute.

Mondays attack, which came during morning rush hour, involved more than 100 missiles and more than 100 drones targeting energy infrastructure all across the country, from the east close to the frontlines all the way to the far west near the border with EU countries.

While the strikes in spring targeted generating capacity, Mondays attacks were largely focused on distribution infrastructure, such as electricity substations. They led to emergency blackouts across the country, which have tapered into scheduled power cuts affecting Kyiv and many other cities.

Many estimates suggest that even before this weeks strikes, Russia had destroyed around half of Ukraines energy capacity. Repair work has been ongoing over the summer, but as Kyiv continues to call for increased air defence support from western allies, the fear is that further strikes could turn a difficult situation into a catastrophic one.

Its not easy to improve the situation but additional attacks can cause it to worsen, said Andrian Prokip, a Kyiv-based energy expert with the Kennan Institute in Washington DC.

Even in the best-case scenario there will be scheduled cutoffs. How they look will depend on the temperature. If we have -5 [degrees Celsius], a schedule of seven hours off, two hours on could be expected, he said.

At a June conference in Berlin, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia had destroyed 80% of Ukraines thermal energy generation and a third of its hydro generation. On Tuesday, he declined to elaborate on what further damage Mondays strikes had caused.

I dont really like energy PR. Its not very helpful when the enemy knows what damage they have done. Let the information about the condition of our energy facilities and what we are currently doing there be kept quiet, he said.

It was a major hit and the audit is ongoing, Mykhailo Podolyak, an aide to Zelenskiy, told the Guardian in Kyiv. We know what is needed: repair work, and in parallel, more support with air defence, he said.

Shapovals institute estimates that since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russian strikes on energy infrastructure have caused $16bn of damage as well as $40bn of lost revenues.

The country is undoubtedly better prepared for the winter now than at the beginning of the war. Hospitals, critical infrastructure and many businesses have generator capacity. In Kyiv, life went on almost normally during the long power cuts this week, with small generators whirring outside cafes, restaurants and other businesses.

But the frequent electricity cuts expected over the winter will probably cause a range of knock-on effects, ranging from affecting elderly people and those with mobility issues who live in high-rise buildings, who will be unable to use elevators if the building has not bought a generator, to reduced functioning of businesses and, as a result, reduced taxes flowing into the budget. Sustained power outages could prove disastrous for heavy industry in the east of the country, which has so far proved remarkably resilient despite more than two years of full-scale war.

There were lots of small and big stories that come about as a result of power outages, said Shapoval. In much of the east, where the threat of strikes means schooling takes place online, lack of electricity makes it harder to power devices and have access to internet for lessons. In some high-rise buildings, blackouts means water cannot be pumped to the higher floors, and the doomsday scenario was that Russian strikes would also lead to major shortages of water as well as electricity, Shapoval said.

In June, the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said Brussels planned to finance the development of small-scale generators across the country. The aim is to help decentralise the power system and thus increase resilience, she said.

The rules have been liberalised on electricity generation using gas turbines, leading to an increase in small-scale generation, which can be carried out anywhere with access to gas supplies and power cables, with the systems constructed inside shipping containers or small buildings. Some companies are doing it to cover their own needs, some to connect to the grid and then sell it to the market, said Prokip.

The renewed focus on energy comes after Ukraines surprise incursion into Russias Kursk region earlier this month, with Kyiv now controlling a chunk of Russian territory and changing the dynamic on the battlefield, even as Ukraines forces remain on the back foot in the eastern Donbas region.

The goals of the operation, which Ukraine has said it did not reveal to allies in advance, are still not clear. On Wednesday, the CIAs deputy director, David Cohen, said he expected Ukraine to try to hold the territory for some period of time. Kyiv has said it controls about 1,200sq km of territory and that it wants to create a buffer zone in the border area to prevent Russian attacks on Ukrainian territory.

We can be certain that Putin will mount a counteroffensive to try to reclaim that territory, Cohen said at a security summit in Maryland. I think our expectation is that that will be a difficult fight for the Russians.
Its surprising how little attention we pay to the fact that the United States is still heavily involved in conflicts in Syria and Iraq. Even though the headlines have mostly moved on, there are still about 900 US troops stationed in Syria and another 2,500 in Iraq, carrying out a mission that seems increasingly unending.

These soldiers are spread across vast swathes of the region from the Al-Tanf garrison in southeastern Syria to Al-Asad airbase in Iraqs Anbar province. They regularly face attacks from Iran-backed militias, and these incidents have become almost routine.

During his tenure, President Donald Trump made significant efforts to withdraw US forces from the region, yet his ambitions were stymied by ongoing security concerns, leaving many troops still on the ground as of 2024.

These forces remain integral to Operation Inherent Resolve, the mission launched in 2014 aimed at dismantling ISIS. Although the operation has largely succeeded in stripping ISIS of its territorial holdings, the broader region remains a tinderbox.

In Syria, most US troops are based in the northeast, working closely with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The area is rich in oil and gas, making it important not only for economic reasons but also for maintaining a foothold against adversaries who might target these resources.

In Iraq, US troops continue to support local forces, but they are facing an increasing number of attacks from Iran-backed militias. These militias have grown bolder, regularly launching drone and rocket attacks on US bases. Since mid-2023, there have been over 100 such attacks, highlighting just how persistent the threat has become.

Just this month, a rocket attack at Al-Asad Airbase injured several US personnel. When I asked about the impact of the attack, a spokesperson told me, We can confirm that there was a suspected rocket attack today against US and Coalition forces at Al-Asad Airbase, Iraq. Initial indications are that several US personnel were injured. This happens every few weeks and is little more than a footnote to most.

Donald Trump has long argued that Americas military engagements abroad are a waste of resources, and he has consistently advocated for bringing US troops back home. During his time in office, Trump did withdraw some forces from Syria, particularly from the Rojava region. This move was seen an effort to prioritise Turkeys security concerns over the autonomy of the Kurds, a decision that strained Americas relationship with the SDF  one of its key allies in the fight against ISIS. However, Trumps broader plan for a full withdrawal never fully materialised, mainly due to concerns about the chaos that might follow a sudden power vacuum.

Now that Trump is campaigning for a return to the White House, the idea of a complete withdrawal is back on the table. While pulling out might appeal to those tired of endless wars, it carries significant risks. The most immediate concern could be the abandonment of the Kurds, leaving them vulnerable to attacks from both Turkey and the Syrian government. It could also pave the way for an ISIS resurgence, undoing years of hard-won progress. Remember what happened in Afghanistan with the return of the Taliban?

Moreover, an American pullout would almost certainly embolden Iran-backed militias across the region. The power vacuum left by a US departure could see aggressive regional actors grabbing control of key territories, with dire implications for global energy markets.

The Syrian opposition, already hanging by a thread, would face near-certain obliteration without American support. The remnants of the Free Syrian Army and other groups could find themselves isolated, with no external aid to resist the renewed onslaught from Assads forces and their allies. The SDF, left without a patron, might even be forced into an uneasy alliance with Assad, despite years of deep-seated enmity.

Russia, despite its ongoing challenges in Ukraine, would undoubtedly seize the opportunity to expand its influence in Syria. Without US forces to counterbalance Moscows ambitions, Russia would have a free hand to further bolster Assads regime, tipping the scales of power in the Middle East in its favour.

Encounters between US and Russian forces in Syria have already highlighted the delicate balance of power in the region.

While a full withdrawal might satisfy domestic audiences weary of foreign entanglements, it raises moral questions about the USs responsibility to its allies, especially the Kurds, who have been crucial in the fight against ISIS but would face existential threats without American support.

Remaining in the region means continuing to bear the costs  both human and financial  of a mission that has grown increasingly unknown at home. But the alternative, a complete withdrawal, risks abandoning key allies, paving the way for an ISIS resurgence, and ceding influence to Russia.

Ultimately, the choice to stay or go is fraught with peril, with no perfect solution likely possible. This is the reality of Americas new forgotten war  a decade-long conflict that, while largely absent from the headlines, continues to shape the very tenets of US foreign policy.

The decisions made by the American people in the coming months will have profound implications for Americas role on the global stage.
Activists and students rally for student debt cancellation in front of the supreme court in Washington DC on 28 February 2023. Photograph: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images

The US supreme court decided on Wednesday that it will not reinstate the Biden administrations multibillion-dollar student loan repayment plan, Save, which aims to lower monthly payments for millions of borrowers.

The plan was blocked by a federal appeals court earlier this summer as a result of a legal challenge led by several Republican states.

In an unsigned order with no noted dissents, the court said that it expects that the court of appeals will render its decision with appropriate dispatch.

Additionally, the courts decision has no immediate impact on the 8 million borrowers currently enrolled in the program.

In June, US district judge John Ross in St Louis blocked the Biden administration on a preliminary basis from implementing the provision of the Save plan that would have granted loan forgiveness to certain borrowers.

A ruling by the St Louis-based US court of appeals for the eighth circuit on 9 August went further, blocking the administrations debt relief plan in its entirety while that case proceeded. This prompted the administrations emergency filing to the supreme court.

Miguel Cardona, the US secretary of education, said the Biden administration strongly disagreed with the eighth circuits decision, saying it would force millions of borrowers to pay hundreds of dollars more each month.

A separate challenge by another set of Republican-led states to the administrations debt relief program is pending in the Denver-based 10th US circuit court of appeals.

Under the plan, borrowers would have their monthly payments lowered and those who originally took out federal loans of $12,000 or less would have their outstanding debts forgiven after 10 years.

Several Republican states have accused the Biden administration of exceeding its authority by setting repayment conditions and unilaterally erasing loans.

Meanwhile, lawyers for the Biden administration have argued that the federal appeals courts extraordinary injunction has scrambled the [education] departments administration of loans for millions of borrowers.

They also said: The eighth circuits injunction has severely harmed millions of borrowers and the department by blocking long-planned changes and creating widespread confusion and uncertainty.
Ursula von der Leyen's previous team of 27 commissioners was made up of 12 women - Liesa Johannssen/Bloomberg

Ursula von der Leyen has offered perks to member states which nominate women to join her top team at the European Commission.

The Commission president has demanded European capitals help her achieve a gender-balanced team to lead her administration until 2029.

Her previous team of 27 European commissioners was made up of 12 women, including herself. Mrs von der Leyen had promised it would be the first to have gender parity.

Member states have so far named just six women and 16 men ahead of next months deadline for nominations.

Mrs von der Leyen has turned to offering smaller member states bigger jobs if they are willing to swap their male candidate for a woman, the Politico news website reported.

She made an approach to Malta to consider swapping its current candidate, Glenn Micallef, in exchange for a high-profile portfolio.

The Commission chief  the first woman to lead the institution  suggested keeping Maltas existing commissioner, Helena Dalli, for a second term, the Times of Malta reported.

Von der Leyen is probably promising us a better portfolio if we agree to renominate her, a diplomat told the publication.

If thats the case, the government must decide: stand by our nominee and look strong but get a weaker portfolio. Or swap nominee, look weak but get a stronger brief.

Ms Dalli had previously served as the EUs equality commissioner, a low-profile position in Brussels.

Dalli has had a borderline useless portfolio. She is easy for von der Leyen to control, the diplomat added. Having her for a second term would just ensure Malta is effectively irrelevant within the commission.

Each commissioner is allocated a specific role by Mrs von der Leyen upon their appointment, with some jobs more influential than others.

Mrs von der Leyens offer could see smaller nations handed roles, such as the blocs finance or migration chief, that are traditionally given to the likes of Germany, France or Italy.

Capitals with less seniority are usually handed jobs where Brussels doesnt have powers over its member states, such as health or social affairs.

Two other member states are reported to have been offered more senior roles in exchange for nominating female commissioners.

Ireland refused to nominate both a man and a woman when it selected Michael McGrath, Dublins former finance minister to be sent to Brussels.

Simon Harris, the Irish prime minister, said it would be unfair on the former minister to select a second candidate, because he had already stepped down from his domestic role when Mrs Von der Leyen requested a female nomination.

Simon Harris, the Irish prime minister, refused to nominate both a man and a woman when he selected Michael McGrath to go to Brussels

Micheal Martin, Irelands deputy prime minister, argued that Brussels had no legal rights within the EUs governing treaties to demand that a woman is nominated.

Mrs von der Leyen has until Friday to deliver on her promise of a gender-balanced team of commissioners.

Only Sweden, Spain, Germany, Finland, Estonia and Croatia will be represented by female commissioners.

Failure to make good on the pledge would be an early defeat for her in the traditional power struggle between Brussels and member states.

Alberto Alemanno, an EU law professor, told Politico it would signal an inability to impose her will on national capitals at the beginning of a new mandate.

It could also trigger a battle for control with the European Parliament, with MEPs allowed a vote to finalise any commissioners.

The executive is then formally backed by EU leaders in the European Council.
AfD supporters at a rally in Suhl, Germany, earlier this month - Markus Schreiber/AP

Germanys most senior Catholic clergyman has urged voters to reject the AfD at state elections on Sunday, saying that voting for the party would be un-Christian.

Ahead of elections in the eastern states of Saxony and Thuringia, Bishop Georg Batzing said: Right-wing extremists like the AfD in Thuringia are not electable for Christians.

Bishop Batzing, who is chairman of the German Bishops Conference, claimed the party wanted to overthrow our democratic, liberal system and said it was his duty to warn Christians against them.

The Church and the anti-immigration party have long been at loggerheads.

The AfD previously criticised the Church over its support for Angela Merkels decision to open Germanys borders to hundreds of thousands of refugees in 2015.

In February, the Bishops Conference issued a formal declaration that the AfD were un-electable because their ethno-national stance is incompatible with Christian values.

It is unclear how much impact, if any, Bishop Batzings intervention will have on the outcome of the elections.

Most Godless place on Earth

Catholicism is only a minority religion in the east of Germany, where Martin Luther was a professor in the town of Wittenberg when he published his 95 theses that led to the Reformation in 1517.

East Germany has also been labelled the most Godless place on Earth because so many people there identify as atheists, a phenomenon often attributed to four decades of communist rule.

A string of polls over recent months have put the far-Right AfD in the lead in both Thuringia and Saxony.

The latest polling puts support for the party at 32 per cent in Saxony, ahead of the centre-Right Christian Democrats (CDU) in second place at 30 per cent.

Bishop Georg Batzing said it was his duty to 'warn Christians' about the AfD - ODD ANDERSEN/AFP

Olaf Scholzs Social Democrats (SPD) are set to win just 6 per cent of the vote.

In Thuringia, the AfD is polling at 30 per cent with the CDU at 20 per cent and the SPD at 6 per cent.

Early warning system

If the polls prove accurate, it would mark the first time that the AfD have won the most votes in such high-level elections.

State intelligence agencies in both Saxony and Thuringia have classified the local chapters of the AfD as verifiably Right-wing extremist.

Unlike in the UK, Germanys domestic intelligence plays an active role in monitoring political parties and protest movements.

The intelligence service sees itself as an early warning system that detects potential threats to democracy and is meant to stop a repeat of Adolf Hitlers rise to power.

In Thuringia, the AfD is led by Bjorn Hocke, a former history teacher who has been found guilty of intentionally using banned Nazi slogans during campaign speeches.

The AfD did not immediately respond to a request from The Telegraph for comment.
Footage taken outside the shop shows the suspected arsonist covered in flames - ZAF'S GOLOCAL/SWNS

An arsonist accidentally set himself alight as he tried to start a fire in a corner shop.

CCTV footage shows three men charging into Zafs GoLocal store in Manchester before pouring fuel on the floor and attempting to ignite it.

As they do so, one of the men, who is holding the canister of petrol, manages to set himself on fire.

Footage taken outside the shop then shows the man struggling to extinguish the fire as he runs away with his two accomplices.

One of the men poured fuel on the shop floor and attempted to ignite it - ZAF'S GOLOCAL/SWNS

The owner, who gave his name as Zaf, said his two brothers were working in the shop at the time of the attack.

The 39-year-old said: Weve got no indication [who it could be]. But the police mentioned that this has been happening recently. We dont know if its something to do with all the riots that were going on. We dont know if its personal.

Were a big part of the community. When the incident happened, the majority of the estate came to the shop saying, Are you all right? Is everything all right?

The attackers caused 15,000 worth of damage to the store - ZAFS GOLOCAL/SWNS

Were a well-known shop in the Manchester area, and weve got a lot of love out there, and we dont know what could have caused it. Im just shocked.

He added: All of a sudden, three lads come up; theyve thrown the petrol on the floor. At first they couldnt even start the fire, and then they ended up burning the shop and burnt themselves.

Zaf said his two brothers thankfully managed to extinguish the fire before it took over the whole building.

He said: They ran straight to the stock room and with their quick thinking, they got water. They had mop buckets in the stock room, they got them out and got the fire out really quickly.

Zaf, the owner, said his two brothers were working in the shop at the time of the attack - ZAF'S GO LOCAL/SWNS

Zaf said the stores floor, ceiling and fridges were all damaged in the attack, which he said had caused about 15,000 worth of damage.

Greater Manchester Police said the incident was being investigated and treated as arson. A police spokesman said: Officers are investigating an arson at a business on Butler Street in Manchester.

At around 5.40pm on Sunday Aug 25 2024, three unknown men entered the shop and poured a small amount of petrol on the shop floor.

The fire was extinguished and thankfully, no one was injured and all occupants were safely evacuated.

Detectives from North Manchester CID are investigating the incident and although no arrests have been made so far, inquiries are ongoing into locating the three men.
A Spanish police patrol ran over ran over a speedboat believed to be carrying migrants trying to reach Spanish territory in North Africa.

Footage shows the Guardia Civil chasing the speedboat and trying to block the path when it ploughs into it.

The speedboats four passengers were flung into the water but quickly rescued. One required brief hospital treatment in the Moroccan city of Nador, while the other three were unhurt.

The incident took place on Sunday off Melilla, a Spanish territory in North Africa, whose local authorities say the Civil Guard had proceeded normally to stop the migrants reaching the coast.

Moroccan authorities said they were investigating the collision, but Spains interior ministry said it would not.

Aina Vidal, the parliamentary spokesman for Sumar, the junior partner in Spains Left-wing coalition government, called the collision an intolerable human disaster.

Sumar and other parties called for an official explanation from Fernando Grande-Marlaska, the interior minister.

Authorities in Morocco have said the vast majority of attempts to smuggle migrants by boat into Melilla and Ceuta, Spains other North African territory, involve traffickers based in the Spanish cities.

Spains two enclaves on Moroccos Mediterranean coast, Ceuta and Melilla, share the only land borders of the European Union with Africa. The enclaves sporadically experience waves of attempted crossings by migrants trying to reach Europe.
BFA Bangkok Roundtable focuses on sustainable development

Xinhua) 09:32, August 28, 2024

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.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Raucous behaviour from British travellers has been reported from several airlines like Emirates and Ryanair

Opening an aeroplane door mid-flight is actually extremely hard, says Emirates cabin crew member Sarah*. Its highly pressurised at that height. But not when youre descending  thats when it becomes really dangerous.

Shes recounting the moment when, on a recent nine-hour flight from Cape Town, her team had to forcibly restrain an extremely drunk passenger when he made a run to open the door as they came into land in Dubai.

Hed become increasingly inebriated after secretly drinking out of a bottle of duty-free booze in his bag; the crew finally had to step in when he began inappropriately touching a woman sitting next to him.

It did not calm matters. He started going nuts, says Sarah, as he launched into a fight with a fellow passenger, before bragging that he could drink whenever I want and how I want and threatening to jump off the plane if they didnt let him.

To the utter shock of passengers, he tried to carry out his threat. Fortunately, quick-witted staff managed to stop him. He was held until police arrested him on arrival.

The incident sounds like a scene from a Hollywood comedy  The Hangover, say, or Bridesmaids  but sadly it is becoming an all too familiar problem for pilots and air crew bussing businessmen, families, and holidaymakers across the skies.

It has led this week to Ryanair chief Michael OLeary calling for a two drinks per passenger limit at airport bars to combat drunken disorder on flights and at airports. Booze-fuelled violence has surged this summer, he revealed, with attacks on both cabin crew and fellow passengers now occurring on a weekly basis.

He blames a combination of alcohol with powder and tablets. We dont want to begrudge people having a drink, he told The Telegraph. But we dont allow people to drink-drive  yet we keep putting them up in aircraft at 33,000 feet.

Ryanair chief Michael O'Leary said: 'We don't want to begrudge people having a drink. But we don't allow people to drink-drive, yet we keep putting them up in aircraft at 33,000 feet' - Getty

Its a view echoed by many across the industry. I dont often agree with Michael, as one of his former pilots, but he does speak some sense, says former Ryanair captain Brian Smith, who left the company earlier this year.

He and his co-pilots once had to band together like nightclub bouncers ready to fend off an intoxicated father, who had spent the flight shouting at his own family and was given a formal warning.

It was the same for flight attendants, he said, despite them often being only slim, young girls. They have to be everything to everybody  first aiders, compassionate, and to a couple [of passengers] bouncers as well.

Its a peculiarly British problem. In April, the boss of Turkish-German budget airline SunExpress recently branded British travellers more high-spend, more hedonistic. Max Kownatzki recently revealed how holidaymakers on a flight out of the UK had drunk the entire stock of booze for a four-hour flight to Turkey in the space of just 25 minutes.

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The biggest problem routes are, perhaps unsurprisingly, the holiday charters and night flights to Ibiza, Majorca and the Costas in the heat of summer, says Smith. He says drunken incidents are very common, estimating they were likely happening across the airlines during peak season a dozen times a week at least.

Some locations are worse than others  the Manchester and Glasgow departures were particularly bad, adds Smith, who in his 25 years as a pilot has also worked with First Choice and Emirates. I dont want to point the finger at people regionallybut that is true you know.

Yet the worst offenders are not who you might suspect. Stags and hens do get inebriated but theyre generally more buoyant than fighting and shouting. You often find its actually the couples. When one or both of them have been drinking hard, quite often this undercurrent of what was pissing them off earlier comes out.

Nearly two in three Britons travelling by air have had to deal in some way with a drunk passenger, according to a 2020 report by the Institute of Alcohol Studies, with over half of those surveyed believing excessive boozing on planes was a serious problem.

And figures suggest its only getting worse. In 2021, there was a record-breaking one unruly incident for every 835 flights, according to the International Air Travel Association (IATA). By the following year this had increased to one in 568  a 47 per cent increase.

OLeary squarely points the blame at airports themselves, rather than the airlines. People are waiting around at airports and they keep lorrying alcohol into them, he said. 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.

Its certainly a growing problem, says former British Airways pilot Nick Eades, the worlds longest-serving Boeing 747 captain, who said he had mostly seen it among British passengers. Its this get on the plane, go somewhere and get drunk culture, which the French dont have, the Italians dont have, and most of our European neighbours dont seem to have.

Its not so much to do with flying, its just the chance to get drunk. You see the same thing on Friday and Saturday night in British town centres, whereas travelling around the world  and Ive been to most countries, even some of the most scary ones  you just dont, or at least very rarely.

When I was younger, and you went flying, you would dress up and put a shirt and tie on, adds Eades, who remembers innumerable instances of drunk and disorderly passengers. Now, the flights are so cheap and all the airports want to do is get you into the bar and encourage you to drink excessively.

Indeed, travelling drinkers are so committed to their cause, that airport watering holes are booming while British pubs are in decline. In fact, the 550-seater Windmill in Stansted Airport, which serves 1.2m customers per year, was recently nicknamed Britains busiest pub. It takes around 800,000 per week in peak season.

Airport lounges are doing their bit to keep us tanked up too: alongside free food, Heathrows Club Aspire lounge offers as much beer and wine as you can stomach for just 40. The only extra charges are for sparkling wine and cocktails.

The result is bleary-eyed passengers cramming into various drinking establishments before the sun has even risen, making them feel more like a beer festival than a departure lounge.

And its unlikely to be the prices keeping the punters coming back for more. At the Windmill, a pint of Doom Bar is 5.50 compared to just 1.99 five miles away in the Bishops Stortford Wetherspoon. Instead, it appears to be what it stands for. Forget drinking to combat any fears of flying: for two-thirds of Britons, a drink at the airport is considered the official start of the holiday, according to a survey by Heathrow Airport last year.

The Windmill pub at Stanstead has cheaper pints than some non-airport Wetherspoons - Getty

Airports dont want to intervene as itll just mean a loss in revenue, says Smith. They dont care. They just want to sell you the booze and hand you over to the airline.

Wetherspoons boss Sir Tim Martin hit back yesterday at calls to restrict drinking at airports, claiming that drunkenness is mostly a problem on planes not at airports. Over the past month, just a third of sales at The Windmill came from alcohol, he said, and hed received no complaints from airports or airlines about drunken passengers in recent years.

Its hardly a surprising stance from Martin, who is in the business of making money from his airport boozers. But Eades doesnt hold much stock with OLearys solution either. Its just putting a sticking plaster over the problem. It wont make a huge amount of difference. The problem in many cases is that people are also bringing their own alcohol onto the plane and secretly drinking it. Ive seen it where theyll empty out their water bottles and fill it up with duty-free vodka.

To combat the scale of the problem, airport shops began putting booze in sealed bags in 2019 in order to discourage customers from trying to drink it in the air. A year before that, the travel industry launched a high-profile One Too Many campaign highlighting potential punishments for alcohol-induced bad behaviour in the cabin.

The punishments are strict: a convicted passenger can face a two-year prison sentence and a 5,000 fine for being drunk on a plane under UK law. If passenger or aircraft safety is compromised, prison time could stretch to five years and, if the plane was forced to divert, the disruptive passenger could be held liable for the airlines costs, which can be as high as 80,000.

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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 sharing information on problem flyers with peers. She agrees that 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.

Sarah is certainly keen for a swift solution. Emirates staff are dealing with overly drunk passengers causing mayhem on board at least once a week, she said.

Until then, however, it appears shell have to hope some drunk passengers are as easy to calm down as one recent woman on a flight to Australia. Early into the journey the woman had become so drunk at the bar onboard she started taking all her clothes off. Thankfully, after managing to contain her, the passenger passed out for the rest of the flight.

*Name has been changed
Olaf Scholz (right) and Keir Starmer after a joint press conference following bilateral talks - AFP

Sir Keir Starmer needs Olaf Scholz of Germany to carry out his plan to undo the Tories hard Brexit.

Striking deals with Germany after his visit to Berlin is part of the Prime Ministers Operation Reset strategy to lay the groundwork for the next generation of Brexit talks.

He needs to build political momentum, trust and goodwill with EU capitals before he can renegotiate the botched Brexit trade agreement and forge deeper ties with the EU.

We must turn a corner on Brexit, Sir Keir said, as Labour insisted there was no plot to rejoin the EU or its single market.

UK-EU relations have improved, helped by the Windsor Agreement on Northern Ireland and the need for a united Western front against Russian aggression.

But the EU is preoccupied with the war in Ukraine and the cost of living crisis, limiting its bandwidth.

Sir Keirs challenge is that the European Commission, which spearheads EU trade talks, is happy with a deal it believes is very much in its favour.

He needs influential EU leaders arguing Britains case to convince Ursula von der Leyens commission, and the 27 member states, to endure yet more Brexit talks.

After the years of negotiations, the rows over fishing rights and vaccines, and the threats of a trade war over the Irish Sea border, the EU wanted Brexit done every bit as much as the British.

Deepening relations with Berlin with a new deal on defence and trade will win Sir Keir an important ally and send a signal to the rest of Europe.

It helps that Ursula von der Leyen, the commission president, is German, and Berlin is the EUs largest economy.

But the clock is ticking on Mr Scholzs time as chancellor. He is under fire over migration and a massive black hole in its budget.

His centre-Left SPD faces defeat to the centre-Right CDU in federal elections next year, and to the far-Right Alternative for Germany in regional elections in Thuringia this weekend.

Sir Keir may be armed with a whopping majority, but he is relying on a European leader who is nearing his sell-by date.

The federal elections are not until September 2025, which does give Mr Scholz some time to make Britains case before the May 2026 review date for the UK-EU trade deal.

Bilateral deals with Berlin will not be enough on their own to move the dial in Brussels, which will drive a hard bargain with Britain regardless.

The commission, to Labours initial shock and annoyance, insists it sees the review as a chance for some minor tweaks to the Brexit trade deal  and nothing more.

Sir Keir says he wont agree to a free movement lite deal on youth mobility or a return to Erasmus, which Brussels has offered.

UK universities were hugely popular destinations for the Erasmus student exchange programme but are now too expensive, with EU citizens facing overseas fees.

Can Labour really expect to get better deals for British touring bands and city workers and not have to give up anything on youth mobility?

The history of Brexit shows that both sides draw out maximalist red lines before pinking them in the course of the negotiations. Britain, in particular, has form for caving to the EU at the very last minute.

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The commission remains convinced that its 450 million-strong single market gives it irresistible negotiating leverage with the UK.

It is also fiercely jealous of its territory. It made its demand for a youth mobility deal solely because Britain began bilateral talks with individual member states on improving it.

During the Brexit negotiations, Brussels warned London against attempting to divide and conquer the EU by lobbying its capitals.

Sir Keir now faces a delicate balancing act to avoid being accused of going over Brussels head to Europes capitals as he tries to lay the foundations of the new EU relationship.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have said there are no new decisions from either the UK or Germany as regards to the use of weaponry donated by both countries to Ukraine.

Speaking at a press conference in Berlin this morning, Sir Keir told reporters that he was not going to get into tactical questions about the use of weapons but there are no new decisions when asked if he and Mr Scholz had discussed lifting restrictions on weapons given to Ukraine that would allow them to be used inside Russian territory.

Sir Keir said: We have been providing support and weaponry to Ukraine consistent with the approach of other key allies, including Germany.

We supported the approach and the framework put forward by the previous government in the United Kingdom when we were in opposition, and we are acting consistently with that in Government and thats why Im very clear that no new or different decisions have been made.

Im not going to get into tactical questions about the use of weapons for very obvious reasons, but no new decisions have been taken.

Sir Keir spoke at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Germany on Wednesday (Justin Tallis/PA)

Mr Scholz also said that there are no new decisions from Germany on the matter and that the country is going to continue its support for Ukraine.

He said: Germany is one of the very large supporters of Ukraine in Europe, within Europe, we are the largest contributor. We are going to continue this support.

He added: As far as weapon supplies are concerned, there are no new decisions from Germany.

The Prime Minister is in Berlin as part of a two-day visit, that will also see him attending meetings in the French capital, Paris.

He is in Germany setting out plans for a new treaty with the nation as part of a wider reset of relations with Europe.

At the heart of this treaty will be a new defence agreement, an agreement that builds upon our already formidable defence co-operation, but which expands that relationship to face the threats of a volatile world together, he told the press conference.

That, of course, means a shared resolve to stand up for the security of our people and the wider European continent, and that begins with our unyielding support for Ukraine, and we discussed that in some detail today.

He added: So, today we affirmed our commitment to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.
It is inevitable that things will go wrong when prisoners are freed early in response to the overcrowding crisis in England and Wales, according to the Chief Inspector of Probation.

An estimated 5,500 offenders are expected to be released earlier than planned in September and October under the temporary move, which does not apply to those convicted of sex offences, terrorism, domestic abuse or some violent offences.

Those released early will serve the rest of their sentence under strict licensing conditions in the community, the Government has said, with the prison and probation service given eight weeks to plan for the scheme.

Martin Jones, who became chief inspector in March, told The Times that there are no risk free options available although extra strain will be put on the probation service.

He said the implementation period has given the probation service at least a fighting chance of getting this right, but the volume of offenders being released meant some could reoffend at a time when they would otherwise be in jail.

Mr Jones told the newspaper: I think its inevitable, being realistic about it, that things will go wrong. I wish we could live in a perfect world where that doesnt happen.

What I think you should, you should start to see, at least, is that if people have to focus on those, that they start to identify where things go wrong, and they draw lessons from that quite quickly.

Mr Jones added: I also think theres a little bit of a numbers game to some extent, youre rolling the dice all the time in relation to serious further offences.

You know, ultimately, if you release thousands of people, a number of those cases will ultimately, sadly, there will be things that will go wrong.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said more prisons will be built to manage overcrowding (Justin Tallis/PA)

At least 1,000 new trainee probation officers will be recruited by the end of March 2025, according to the Government.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, speaking to broadcasters in Berlin on Wednesday, also said more prisons will be built to manage overcrowding once the Government gets its hands on the planning laws.

He said the lack of prisons being built is one of the reasons for the current capacity crisis in jails across the UK.

Sir Keir previously described the decision to release prisoners early as a difficult one, and goes against the grain of everything Ive ever done.

Parliament last month approved regulations to reduce the amount of time prisoners must spend in jail before they are automatically released, from 50% of their sentence to 40%.

It is understood there were 100 spaces left in mens prisons in England and Wales on Tuesday.

The system is normally under greater pressure after a bank holiday weekend, which eases once courts reopen.

On Wednesday, Sir Keir said: Weve got to change the planning regulation so we can build the prisons we need, because theyre taking far too long, its far too slow, and thats amongst the reasons were in the position we are.

And, as youd expect from an ex-chief prosecutor, people do need to go to prison, and they need to know that the law is effective.

Earlier this week, the Prime Minister claimed the early release scheme is an essential part of the Governments response to the recent riots and its ability to prosecute perpetrators of the violence.
An Animal Rebellion protester has hit out at the justice system after being found guilty of causing damage worth thousands of pounds to a Buckingham Palace fountain by releasing red dye into it.

Louis McKechnie, 23, Christopher Bennett, 27, Riley Ings, 27, Claire Smith, 26, and Rachel Steele, 48, were found guilty at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday of causing 7,080 of criminal damage to the Queen Victoria Memorial water feature on August 26 2021.

The jury of 11 reached verdicts after seven hours and 56 minutes of deliberation.

Christopher Bennett, 27, Louis McKechnie, 23, and Riley Ings, 27 were found guilty at Southwark Crown Court (Jordan Reynolds/PA)

After the hearing, McKechnie told the PA news agency he was relatively unsurprised at the verdicts, and called the justice system rigged.

He added: Im going to be honest, for a long time I havent seen the justice system as especially just.

The system in this country seems rigged from the start.

Im not surprised by the verdict, I dont feel any guilt for my actions, but I dont expect the courts to actually be about justice and truth, its about maintaining the status quo and it has effectively done that.

This action was three years ago. Since this action, over the last three years, weve reached 1.5 degrees in warming, weve hit 40C, and weve gone over that several times. Climate emergency has got worse.

My generations in a worse position than we were three years ago exponentially with the climate urgency were facing, its even more urgent we do something about it now, although there is less that can be done.

And so, while this is generally the result we expect when we take these actions  you know, I take responsibility and accountability for I did  I feel no guilt, and I think it was the correct thing to do at the time.

McKechnie also said their message to the King was to call for a plant-based food system if you really care about any of the things you claim to.

He said: We did this because we think the royal family still has a responsibility to this day to step up and show true leadership.

If Charles claims to be, you know, a climate-conscious King, hes got to show it, surely.

He barks the right stuff, but where is his bite? Im not seeing it. It starts with calling for a plant-based food system.

King Charles, thats our message to him  call for a plant-based food system if you really care about any of the things you claim to.

The prosecution previously said the dye not only turned the water red, but also stained the stonework of the fountain, and CCTV footage shows a number of the protesters dyeing their hands red and then leaving handprints on the stonework of the fountain.

Prosecutor Ailsa McKeon said in a closing speech on Friday: There is no dispute that red dye was in fact added to the water on that day and all of them have accepted that they intended for that water to be turned red to create the impression of a bloodbath.

What they each deny is that they intended or were reckless as to causing any damage and in fact that damage was caused at all.

The court heard previously that the fountain, which is cleaned once a month, received an emergency clean at an extra cost after the protest.

The group were found guilty after trial at Southwark Crown Court (Sean Dempsey/PA)

Michael Robert Turner  an assistant manager for Royal Parks at the time of the incident  previously told the jury the marble is porous and there was a risk the dye would seep in and stain the stone if it was not immediately cleaned.

Laura Stockdale, defending Steele and Bennett, argued the dye was designed to be added to bodies of water, including fountains, and Royal Parks could have just left the red dye in the water to weaken as time passed.

She said turning the water red did not interfere with the structure of the monument nor affect its value.

The most that the Crown can sensibly say is that it affected the aesthetics, Ms Stockdale said. But members of the jury, isnt that just subjective? Is that really damage?

Shina Animashaun, defending Ings, McKechnie and Smith, made the same point that the dye was fit for purpose.

Of his clients, he said: They came there to say just because you are a royal member of the family does not mean that you should have different responsibilities to us (in relation to the climate).

Both defence barristers said their clients neither intended to cause damage nor were they reckless as to whether the Grade I-listed fountain would be damaged.

Bennett, of Fish Ponds Road, Bristol; Ings, of no fixed address; McKechnie, of Claremont Road, Dorset; Steele, of Capworth Street, east London; and Smith, of Chadwick Street, Leeds, had each denied one count of criminal damage.

They will be sentenced on October 18.
A fire at a church in east Belfast is being investigated as a racially motivated hate crime.

Police said an angle grinder-type tool was used to cut a hole in shutters at the premises in Templemore Street on Tuesday night before a fire was started.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze, which caused damage to the shutters and front hall of the building, which is used by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG).

The church, first founded in Brazil in 1977, has congregations across the world, including 45 in the UK. It has been present in Northern Ireland since 2012 and at the site on Templemore Street since 2018. Its congregation has been described as diverse.

On Wednesday morning, workmen were at the church assessing damage to the building.

In a statement, the East Belfast Churches Network said their members unequivocally condemn the arson attack on the UCKG HelpCentre last night.

Network chairman Rev Sammy Robinson said: Let us be clear, racism has no place in our community.

The incident at the Universal Church on Templemore Street, east Belfast, is being investigated as a racially motivated hate crime (David Young/PA)

We are deeply saddened that this has happened, especially to a church and organisation which seeks to help people regardless of race or creed here in East Belfast.

The action of a few will not be allowed to tarnish the good name of ordinary, everyday people of east Belfast who would stand with us in condemning this attack.

We would implore anyone with any information to co-operate with the police in their investigation, and we send our unwavering support, prayers and love to those involved in UCKG HelpCentre Belfast.

Rev Mervyn Gibson, of the nearby Westbourne Presbyterian Church, condemned the incident, saying all arson attacks are wrong.

I condemn it unreservedly, he said.

If those misguided people who did this did it in the name of racism or against immigration, it should be condemned. The people of East Belfast do not want to see racist attacks against their neighbours.

Sinn Fein MLA Deirdre Hargey said those behind the attack must face the full force of the law.

She said: It is absolutely sickening that yet another racist attack has occurred in our city.

This attack on a church premises is the latest in a series of disgusting, violent racist acts which are not reflective of the majority in our society who embrace the huge positives of diversity.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said the attack was deeply dispiriting.

He told the BBC: I want to encourage those within the community, not only commend them last night for contacting police and the fire service, but to encourage them further still to give information to the police to make sure that those who are responsible for this attack are apprehended.

SDLP councillor Seamas de Faoite said: This is a disgusting attack on a place of worship, and I hope those responsible are apprehended and successfully prosecuted.

Alliance MLA for East Belfast Peter McReynolds called the incident completely unacceptable and said: This attack is truly appalling and must be robustly condemned by all political parties.

There is no place in our community for such hatred and discrimination.

He added: The repeated hate and race-fuelled attacks we have witnessed across Northern Ireland recently are extremely concerning and deeply unsettling for communities.

A PSNI spokesman said two masked males, wearing dark-coloured track suits, arrived at the premises shortly before 9.30pm.

An angle grinder-type tool was then used to cut a hole in the shutters before a flammable substance was thrown inside and set alight.

Fire service personnel attended and extinguished the fire, which caused damage to the shutters and the front hall of the building, with further smoke damage caused inside the building.

East Belfast arson investigation underway. Details here:https://t.co/N65ewDUzXd pic.twitter.com/qK5JFTWNlx  Police East Belfast (@PSNIBelfastE) August 28, 2024

Both males are believed to have run off along Templemore Street after the incident, which is being treated as a racially motivated hate crime.

Police have issued an appeal to anyone with any information about the incident or who may have doorbell, CCTV or dashcam footage from the area that might help the investigation to call the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 1852 27/08/24.

A report can also be submitted online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/.
Starmer in Berlin as he hopes to turn a corner on Brexit

Sir Keir Starmer will attempt to seize a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reset our relationship with Europe during two days of meetings in Berlin and Paris.

The Prime Minister is in Berlin for talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz as he hopes to turn a corner on Brexit, with plans for a new treaty with Germany aiming to boost business and increase joint action on illegal migration.

Ahead of the talks with Mr Scholz, he met with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

In a post on social media site X, Sir Keir said: We have a once in a generation opportunity to reset Britains relationship with Europe so we can deliver for the British people.

It is expected he will tell Mr Scholz he is focused on making sure the UK moves past Brexit and rebuilds relationships with European partners.

After Germany, Sir Keir will 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.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz shakes hands with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, as he arrives at the Chancellery in Berlin (Justin Tallis/PA)

It is expected Sir Keir will say: 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.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier had invited Sir Keir Starmer to Germany after they met at the Uefa European Football Championship earlier this year (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

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.

On Wednesday morning, Sir Keir met Mr Steinmeier at the Bellevue Palace in Berlin, the first British Prime Minister to visit the palace since David Cameron in 2015.

Sir Keir is the first British Prime Minister to visit Bellevue Palace since David Cameron in 2015 (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Mr Steinmeier had made the invitation after they met at the Uefa European Football Championship earlier this year.

Sir Keir signed the palace guestbook in the entrance hall, which had been decorated with red, white and blue flowers, before holding a private bilateral meeting with Mr Steinmeier.

In Paris later on the trip, 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.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer by the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin (Justin Tallis/PA)

Last month, at the EPC summit held at Blenheim Palace, Sir Keir said the UK will 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.
Sir Keir Starmer has unveiled plans for joint action with Germany on cross-Channel migration, which could involve authorities intercepting boats in transit across Europe, en route to northern France.

After a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, the Prime Minister said developing an action plan could help the countries deal with issues like data sharing, intelligence sharing, what we can do on joint operations both sides of the North Sea.

In a speech, Sir Keir vowed to deepen co-operation on shared social challenges; for example, on illegal immigration, because we cannot smash the smuggling gangs who perpetrate this vile trade without the help of our partners.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (Justin Tallis/PA)

He added: Im really glad that we had substantive discussions today about how we tackle the smuggling gangs and agree to develop a joint action plan to tackle illegal migration.

Asked about his discussions with Mr Scholz after the speech, the Prime Minister confirmed a returns agreement with Germany wasnt discussed today.

He continued: But the joint action plan was and that is important to me because, as Im sure youll appreciate, quite a number of the boats that end up on the north coast of France carrying people across are coming through Germany, therefore, this isnt a sort of remote action plan.

Its actually a concrete one because, as youve heard me say many, many times, I simply dont accept that the people who are running this trade cant be taken down, that they cant be busted, and intercepting the boats as they are in transit across Europe and those that are moving them is an important part of that as far as Im concerned.

Sir Keir also labelled the Rwanda plan  a Conservative-led former policy to remove some asylum seekers from the UK and send them to Kigali  a gimmick.

He added: Nonetheless, it is very important we take back control of our borders.

(PA Graphics)

I have long been convinced that the best way, the most effective way to do that is to take down the gangs that are running the vile trade of putting people in dangerous situations across Europe and across the Channel.

Mr Scholz had previously said, according to a translation: The state has to contain irregular immigration so as to not overburden the country.

This can and must succeed without questioning our basic law and also international treaties.

More than 500 migrants arrived in the UK on Tuesday after crossing the English Channel, according to Home Office data.

This took the provisional total crossings for 2024 so far to 19,820  0.1% higher than at the same point in 2023 (19,801) and 21% lower than 2022 (25,065).
An 18-year-old man has appeared in court accused of shouting racist abuse on top of a phone box in Brighton in relation to civil unrest across the country.

Max Ritchings, of Haywards Heath, allegedly shouted on Madeira Drive near Brighton pier during Pride weekend, and is accused of inciting violence online by posting on social media on the same day, August 4.

The vape shop worker appeared at Lewes Crown Court on Wednesday, supported by his mother in the public gallery.

The teenager was remanded into custody and will appear for a further hearing on September 11.

Sussex Police said officers charged Ritchings with racially/religiously aggravated harassment and encouraging or assisting either way offences believing one or more will be committed.
When Shelley Thomas, 48, a leadership trainer from Northamptonshire, fell asleep in her car one day, it was the start of a 20-year battle with narcolepsy, a rare brain condition that means she can't control when to sleep or be awake. But it was after she collapsed on holiday in Canada that she finally received a life-changing diagnosis...

Shelley Thomas was diagnosed with narcolepsy after falling asleep at the wheel. (Supplied) (Supplied)

One morning, 20 years ago when I was 28, I got into my car to go to work and found I just couldnt stay awake. I fell asleep at the traffic lights and woke to somebody beeping me from behind when theyd turned green. I was scared  I had no idea why I was so unusually sleepy, but Id recently set up a new business, working for BT, so I assumed I was just tired.

Over the next few weeks, I continued to feel exhausted and also began to experience weakness in my muscles whenever I laughed. I saw my GP, who confirmed that, yes, I was likely exhausted from my new venture. But theres tired and theres tired.

The following week, my then-husband and I set off on a holiday of a lifetime to Canada and thats when I knew something was seriously wrong.

I remember saying, "I feel like my legs are going to go from underneath me" and him replying, "Oh, don't be silly, you're just tired."

But then, when we arrived at Vancouver airport, I had what I now know to be my first 'cataplexy attack'. It was absolutely shocking. I remember trying to put my hair up in a ponytail and not being able to, as I couldn't move my arms. All the muscles in my body simply gave up and I fell in a heap on the pavement.

My husband had to balance me on a trolley until he could move me in the hire car. It was terrifying and I had no idea what was happening to me, but I thought it must be some kind of seizure.

Shelley Thomas says her narcolepsy diagnosis has changed her life and that on average it takes 10 years to be diagnosed with the condition. (Supplied) (Supplied)

A shock diagnosis

The holiday was ruined. We kept trying to go out, but I would only be able to walk about 10 feet, and then Id collapse and fall to the floor. I couldn't even go to the bathroom on my own.

After seeing a doctor at our hotel in Canada, we were sent to the hospital where, by pure chance, I saw an amazing neurologist who had an interest in sleep disorders including narcolepsy and cataplexy.

Narcolepsy is an autoimmune condition. Healthy cells are incorrectly identified as rogue ones by your immune system and destroyed. The result is a broken sleep-wake switch. Whether it's to sleep or to stay awake, without drugs, the brain won't do either in the way it should.

Everything I read said relationships, friendships and careers had been lost to people with narcolepsy. It seemed like a life sentence.

Cataplexy is a secondary condition, unique to narcolepsy, that causes temporary muscle paralysis, often in response to extreme emotions such as laughing, crying or fear. During attacks, I remain conscious and can hear everything going on around me but I cant communicate in any way or move until it passes.

The specialist advised us she suspected it was either narcolepsy or a brain tumour. Strangely, I hoped for it to be a brain tumour because the wife of my husband's colleague had recently undergone surgery to remove a tumour. The surgery was successful and their life had returned to normal.

Conversely, I'd seen a documentary about people with narcolepsy trying to hold a board meeting while falling asleep, and, whilst at the time it was hilarious, I remember thinking, "Oh my God, that's really not so funny now." Everything I read said relationships, friendships and careers had been lost to people with narcolepsy. It seemed like a life sentence.

Shelley Thomas says her husband 'lost his wife to narcolepsy' and that after they split she 'felt no animosity'. (Supplied) (Supplied)

I came back from Canada in a wheelchair because, at that point, I couldn't walk at all. I was effectively stuck in a permanent state of cataplexy. Thankfully, our private health insurance meant that I was diagnosed with narcolepsy and cataplexy within 10 days.

Narcolepsy is estimated to affect about one person in 2,500. The average time it takes to be diagnosed, even today, is almost 10 years. It was only thanks to the Canadian neurologist that I was able to get the help I needed so quickly  narcolepsy is often misdiagnosed as laziness in children, or chronic fatigue and sometimes even epilepsy.

Life forever changed

My life fell apart. My driving licence was revoked, I had to stop working and hand everything over to my business partner when only months into a new venture. My husband had to come home from work every lunchtime because I was a complete liability. I couldnt manage the stairs or even pick up the kettle to make tea because of the muscle weakness caused by the cataplexy.

Managing narcolepsy and cataplexy requires a harsh drug regime. The cataplexy was particularly difficult to get under control. I spent many of the early days using walls for support, frequently sliding down them to avoid a full collapse.

Finally, after three months, we found a stable and safe routine and I was able to return to work, determined to get my life back. Sadly, there were plenty of fights I lost. My relationship with my husband was forever changed, but I will always be grateful for the care he showed in those early days.

There are certain triggers like eating, being in a quiet room or having to listen to somebody speak for a long time that I find particularly challenging.

I put on quite a lot of weight because of the drugs, which was tough for both of us. I think he instinctively wanted to keep me at home as he felt it was the safest thing, but I wanted my career back without compromise.

Had we remained together, I would have had a far easier life but, I was 28, Id just started my own business, and had a sense of sheer bloody-mindedness not to have my future ruined. We had counselling but, ultimately, split two years later.

Sometimes I think it is harder for people around me. Even trying to watch a film together can be infuriating. There are times it can take two or three nights because Ill fall asleep. My friend will frequently say, "There's literally 10 minutes left, can you not hold on?" but I just can't. If he realises I've fallen asleep and asks, "What was the last bit you remember?" half an hour may have passed.

Shelley Thomas says her sleep/wake cycle is confused, which dramatically affects her daily life, but she's determined it won't hold her back. (Supplied) (Supplied)

Sleep triggers

There are certain triggers like eating, being in a quiet room or having to listen to somebody speak for a long time that I find particularly challenging. Fortunately, I don't dribble or snore!

While I'm able to maintain the discipline of arriving on time for work, socially I find it harder. Friends joke that I arrive in an 'adjacent time zone' or occasionally 'on Spanish time.' When my brother asked me to be a bridesmaid, I'm pretty sure he told me the wedding was an hour earlier than it actually was!

Last year, I needed to stop and sleep at a service station, so I reversed the car into a space, took a rug and a blanket, and got in the boot to sleep  until an annoying kid came over and said, 'Dad, there's a crazy woman lying in the boot of the car!'

Living with narcolepsy and cataplexy is unrelenting. In addition to the drugs, I generally need to schedule at least three naps a day. Eating makes me sleepy so there is a strict 'eat, take tablets, nap' routine repeated three times a day.

Then I have to factor in my work, and how far I will be driving if I'm delivering leadership training. Every day is different and I have to make the right decisions at the right time. Getting it wrong just once could result in me harming myself or somebody else.

Unusual sleep patterns

I often need to nap in strange places. Sometimes, I've pulled over and got off the road but not turned the engine off, and I've had police banging on the windows thinking I was trying to kill myself. I'm currently driving a two-seater 'midlife crisis car'.

Last year, I needed to stop and sleep at a service station, so, I reversed the car into a space, took a rug and a blanket, and got in the boot to sleep  until an annoying kid came over and said, "Dad, there's a crazy woman lying in the boot of the car!"

Night-time is often dreadful. Before, I would sleep for eight solid hours, but now, the most I ever sleep in a block at night is two hours. My sleep is totally fragmented, even with the most powerful sedatives, due to my broken sleep-wake switch.

Cataplexy can be particularly annoying. Sometimes it lasts just a couple of minutes, other times it can be longer. If those around me start to panic and call paramedics, it takes longer to recover. I've had needles pushed in my arms and tubes down my throat on more than one occasion.

Night-time is often dreadful. Before, I would sleep for eight solid hours, but now, the most I ever sleep in a block at night is two hours. My sleep is totally fragmented, even with the most powerful sedatives.

Whilst paramedics now widely recognise narcolepsy, they have invariably never had to deal with cataplexy. They simply see an unconscious patient and are primed and ready to intervene. Its hard to explain that a spectacular-looking collapse is simply my body temporarily 'stopping and rebooting'.

Humour is a big trigger for me. I use it a lot in my work as a leadership trainer. On training days, I am able to take an increase in cataplexy drugs and usually have an additional nap if I have far to travel home.

The sleepiness can be unpredictable. Sometimes I can be within five miles of home but still have to stop to sleep. Its those last few miles that are the most dangerous for any driver, we almost switch to autopilot and, with narcolepsy, not stopping could be fatal.

I don't have as many usable hours in the day as other people, but it makes me a ruthlessly effective time manager. I only give my time to things and people that are really important to me. When my drugs are at the maximum, if I've got something to do, you won't distract me because I have to use that window. I pick my battles and try to limit them to the ones I will win. You know the value of energy when you have narcolepsy.

Helping others

In 2018, I launched a second business selling medical alert bracelets for people with medical conditions and allergies. After a few difficult situations with medics, a paramedic friend told me I needed one but I couldn't find one that I liked  they all looked like something Del Boy would wear!

So the decision was made  I was going to have to make them myself. I wanted to address the primary function of effective medical alert identification and balance it with something people actually want to wear. I wasnt the only one who felt that way. As soon as the website went live, orders started to come in.

I wouldn't say I'm reconciled to my condition. I would love to have just one week with a 'normal' life.

Last year was difficult. It was my 20th anniversary of being diagnosed with narcolepsy. There havent been the advances in drugs I had hoped for and as much as I can always put a happy face on it, I wouldn't say I'm reconciled to my condition. I would love to have just one week with a 'normal' life.

However, despite the challenges narcolepsy presents, I have a fabulous family, a close circle of friends and I have carved out a successful career I am truly proud of.

You can purchase one of Shelleys medical alert bracelets here.

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Tommy Robinson could face jail after being issued with a new contempt of court claim against him following the airing of a film at a protest in central London.

Law officers allege Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is alleged to have breached a High Court order issued in 2021 barring him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him, the Attorney Generals Office (AGO) said.

It is understood that the airing of a film titled Silenced at a demonstration in Trafalgar Square last month is one of six actions claimed to have breached the injunction between June and July this year.

The application is the second issued against Robinson in recent months, following an earlier claim made in June.

A hearing for both cases will be held on October 28, with the Government website stating that those found to have committed contempt of court could be jailed for up to two years, fined, or both.

Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (James Manning/PA)

A court hearing was previously told that Robinson knowingly breached the order by having published, caused, authorised or procured Silenced in May last year, which contained the libellous allegations.

It is also alleged he repeated the claims banned by the injunction in three interviews between February and June 2023.

On Wednesday, the AGO said that Robinson was served with the latest claim, made on behalf of the new Solicitor General Sarah Sackman, on his X account after it was lodged at the High Court on August 19.

It follows Silenced being shown at a demonstration in Trafalgar Square last month, which included an introduction from Robinson standing outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, with the film also pinned to the top of Robinsons X account.

The day after the protest, Robinson was arrested for the frustration of a port stop at the Channel Tunnel at Folkestone under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Under Schedule 7, police are allowed to stop anyone passing through a UK port to determine whether they may be involved or concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

The person who is detained can be held for up to six hours, is legally obliged to answer questions, and must provide the password or Pin for electronic devices, or be held to have committed a criminal offence if they refuse.

At a hearing in July, Adam Payter, representing the Solicitor General, said that it was believed that following his release on unconditional bail, Robinson then left the country and that there was nothing to prevent him from doing so.

Mr Justice Johnson issued a warrant for Robinsons arrest but ordered that it not be carried out until early October to allow Robinson time to indicate that he would attend the next hearing voluntarily or to apply to set aside the warrant.

Under the 2021 court order, Robinson was barred from repeating allegations he made against Syrian refugee Jamal Hijazi.

Mr Hijazi successfully sued Robinson after the then-schoolboy was assaulted at Almondbury Community School in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, in October 2018.

After a clip of the incident went viral, Robinson made false claims, including about Mr Hijazi attacking girls in his school, leading to the libel case.

Mr Justice Nicklin ordered Robinson to pay Mr Hijazi 100,000 in damages and his legal costs, as well as making the injunction preventing Robinson from repeating the allegations he made against the then-teenager.
A new contempt of court application has been lodged against Tommy Robinson over alleged breaches of a High Court order from 2021, the Attorney Generals Office has said.

Law officers allege that Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, breached an injunction barring him from repeating libellous allegations through six actions between June and July this year.

The order came after he lost a legal battle against a Syrian refugee who had sued him for libel.

Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (James Manning/PA)

The AGO said Robinson was served with the latest contempt application, made on behalf of Solicitor General Sarah Sackman, on his X account on Wednesday after the application was lodged on August 19.

It follows an earlier contempt application concerning other alleged breaches of the order, with a court hearing in London last month told that Robinson had left the country.

A hearing for both applications will be held on October 28.

Robinson was first served with contempt proceedings in June, with the Solicitor General telling a previous court hearing that he knowingly breached the order by having published, caused, authorised or procured a film titled Silenced in May last year.

It is also claimed Robinson repeated the allegations banned by the injunction in three interviews between February and June 2023.

Silenced was then shown again at a demonstration in Trafalgar Square in July this year, which is understood to be part of the alleged breach of the order under the second contempt application.

The film, including an introduction from Robinson standing outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, is also pinned to the top of his X account.

The day after the protest in central London, Robinson was arrested for the frustration of a port stop at the Channel Tunnel at Folkestone under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Under Schedule 7, police are allowed to stop anyone passing through a UK port to determine whether they may be involved or concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

The person who is detained can be held for up to six hours, is legally obliged to answer questions, and must provide the password or Pin for electronic devices, or be held to have committed a criminal offence if they refuse.

Adam Payter, representing the Solicitor General at the hearing in July, said that it was believed that following his release on unconditional bail, Robinson then left the country and that there was nothing to prevent him from doing so.

Mr Justice Johnson issued a warrant for Robinsons arrest but ordered that it not be carried out until early October to allow Robinson time to indicate that he would attend the next hearing voluntarily or to apply to set aside the warrant.

Under the 2021 court order, Robinson was barred from repeating allegations he made against Syrian refugee Jamal Hijazi.

Mr Hijazi successfully sued Robinson after the then-schoolboy was assaulted at Almondbury Community School in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, in October 2018.

After a clip of the incident went viral, Robinson made false claims, including about Mr Hijazi attacking girls in his school, leading to the libel case.

Mr Justice Nicklin ordered Robinson to pay Mr Hijazi 100,000 in damages and his legal costs, as well as making the injunction preventing Robinson from repeating the allegations he made against the then-teenager.
Two men have been arrested after a man was stabbed to death in east London.

The Metropolitan Police said officers were called at 3.38pm on Wednesday to reports of a fight in Rushmore Road, Clapton, and found a man in his 30s with a stab injury.

He was treated by London Ambulance Service paramedics but was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two males, aged 28 and 21, have been arrested and a crime scene is in place, the Met said. The pair remain in custody at an east London police station.

Forensic officers attended the scene in Rushmore Road, Clapton (Aaron Chown/PA)

Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway, responsible for policing in Hackney and Tower Hamlets, said: Our investigation is still in the early stages and my detectives are working hard to establish the circumstances of what has happened this afternoon.

If anyone has any information about this tragic incident I urge them to come forwards and speak to us, or you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously with any information.

A number of streets have been cordoned off as our investigation continues at pace and I am grateful for the patience of the local residents of Clapton.

Our thoughts are with the family of the victim at this difficult time. The public can expect to see continued and significant police activity in the local area as we continue with our rigorous investigation.

A black and grey electric wheelchair could be seen standing behind the cordon close to a forensics tent at the scene late on Wednesday evening.

The wheelchair and tent are on Overbury Street overlooked by a housing estate, with the cordon stretching on to Rushmore Road.

Large groups of people were gathered by the cordon shortly before 11pm on Wednesday as forensic staff worked.

Anyone with any information has been asked to call police on 101 or message @MetCC on X, formerly Twitter, quoting CAD 4793/28AUG.
Sen. Ted Cruz, seen here holding up a book at a hearing, is set to make a total of $1.1 million for writing two books. Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

Writing books continues to be lucrative for senators with national profiles.

In 2023, eight senators made more than $100,000 in royalties, according to financial disclosures.

That includes Democrats like Raphael Warnock and Republicans like Ted Cruz.

If you're an ambitious member of Congress with a national profile, there's a tried and true way to make some extra money: write a book.

According to recently filed financial disclosures, 8 sitting US senators made more than $100,000 in extra income  on top of the $174,000 annual salary they each receive  from book royalties in 2023.

It's an ongoing trend. Last year, six senators made more than their annual salary in book royalties.

That includes both Democrats and Republicans, each of whom have cashed in on a mixture of personal biographies, policy blueprints, and political manifestos that they've published in recent years.

Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia

Sen. Raphael Warnock speaks at his Election night event in Atlanta, Ga., on November 8, 2022. AP Photo/John Bazemore

Raphael Warnock, the first-term Democratic senator from Georgia, made more than $460,000 in book royalties last year.

That's on top of more than $655,000 in 2022 and nearly $244,000 in 2021. Altogether, Warnock has made more than $1.3 million from selling books since he was elected to the Senate.

According to a disclosure that Warnock filed last year, covering the year 2022, the senator even went on a book tour for his 2022 memoir, "A Way Out of No Way," in June and July of that year amid his competitive reelection fight against Republican Herschel Walker.

In his most recent disclosure, Warnock indicated that he had signed a new agreement with Penguin Random House in June 2023 to write two more books, entitled "We're All In This Together 1" and "We're All In This Together 2."

There's little public information about those forthcoming books, including when they're set to be released, and a Warnock spokesperson did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas

Ted Cruz helped create the current system by challenging the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act. Shawn Thew/AFP via Getty Images

Ted Cruz, the Texas senator and 2016 GOP presidential candidate known for hosting a thrice-weekly podcast, earned $390,000 last year from book royalties.

But that's just one portion of a much larger windfall that Cruz is set to receive for his book writing.

In January 2022, Cruz signed an agreement with the the right-leaning Regnery Publishing to write two books for a grand total of $1.1 million, to be paid out in four installments. In total, Cruz has disclosed receiving $890,000 of that sum so far.

Those books include "Justice Corrupted: How the Left Weaponized Our Legal System," published in 2022, as well as his 2023 book "Unwoke: How to Defeat Culture Marxism in America."

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas. AP Photo/Susan Walsh

In 2022, Cotton published his second book, "Only the Strong: Reversing the Left's Plot to Sabotage American Power." Since then, he's received a total of $600,000 in book royalties  $300,000 in both 2022 and 2023.

But while most senators appear to receive their book royalties directly, Cotton does it differently. He has established a limited liability company called TBC Books (Cotton's full name is "Thomas Bryant Cotton") that holds his royalty earnings. Then, he draws money from that entity as he sees fit.

In 2023, he withdrew $100,000. In 2022, he withdrew $73,537.

It's not clear why Cotton uses an LLC rather than receiving the royalties directly, and a spokesperson did not return Business Insider's request for comment.

Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama

Sen. Katie Britt, an Alabama Republican Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Britt, the freshman Alabama senator best known for her 2024 State of the Union response, earned $233,750 in book royalties last year for her 2023 memoir, "God Calls Us to Do Hard Things: Lessons from the Alabama Wiregrass."

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky at a hearing on Capitol Hill in January 2023. Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images

Paul, the staunchly libertarian Kentucky senator and 2016 GOP presidential candidate, earned $185,000 last year in book royalties for his 2023 book, "Deception: The Great Covid Cover-Up."

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont at the Capitol last month. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Sanders, the independent socialist Vermont senator and two-time Democratic presidential candidate, earned $148,750 in royalties last year from Penguin Random House.

The Vermont senator has published several books, the most recent of which is "It's OK to Be Angry About Capitalism." In 2022, he earned enough in book royalties to essentially double his Senate salary.

"I wrote a best-selling book," Sanders memorably told the New York Times in 2019 . "If you write a best-selling book, you can be a millionaire, too."

Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri

Sen. Josh Hawley is writing a fourth book. This one calls for a religious revival in America. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana

Hawley earned $127,500 in book royalties in 2023, according to his most recent financial disclosure.

That's likely a windfall from his 2023 book "Manhood," which argues in part that the political left is waging an assault on traditional masculinity.

But Hawley has another book on the way, as Business Insider first reported in May.

In October 2023, the Missouri senator signed an agreement with Regnery Publishing to write a book entitled "The Awakenings: The Religious Revivals that Made America  and Why We Need Another One."

It is unclear when that book will be published, but a manuscript is due in January 2025, according to Regnery.

In 2021, Hawley made $467,000 in book royalties.

Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Kaine, the Virginia senator and 2016 Democratic vice presidential nominee, earned $114,000 in book royalties last year for his memoir, "Walk, Ride, Paddle: A Life Outside."

Read the original article on Business Insider
The last U.S. troops left Afghanistan on Aug. 30, 2021. Three years later, the Taliban's return to power has allowed al Qaeda and other terrorist groups to regain a presence in the country, and deprived Afghan women and girls of basic freedoms they were granted during two decades of Western-backed government following the U.S.-led invasion in 2001.

In a show of force to mark their third year in power, the Taliban held a parade at Bagram Airfield earlier this month. The sprawling base was the primary hub for U.S. troops in Afghanistan as they hunted Taliban and al Qaeda militants in the 20 years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the U.S.

The Taliban used the parade to show off U.S. and NATO military equipment abandoned by the foreign forces when they left in a chaotic withdrawal.

The Taliban hold a military parade to celebrate the third anniversary of their takeover of Afghanistan, at the Bagram Air Base, in Bagram, Parwan province, Aug. 14, 2024. / Credit: AHMAD SAHEL ARMAN/AFP/Getty

Taliban fighters also gathered in a diplomatic district of Kabul, outside the now-abandoned U.S. embassy compound, chanting "death to America" as they trampled a U.S. flag that had trailed from the back of a Ford truck previously used by the U.S.-backed police force.

"Intolerable restrictions on the rights of Afghan women"

Afghan women and girls have suffered enormously under the Taliban's authoritarian rule. The new government has issued dozens of draconian edicts, systematically excluding women and girls from public life, depriving them of education and employment and subjecting them to detention and even physical assault for daring to advocate for their fundamental rights.

Under the Taliban, Afghanistan has become the only country in the world where girls and women are prohibited from pursuing secondary and higher education.

Last week, the Taliban announced yet more restrictions under the guise of a new "vice and virtue" law. One of the law's 35 articles declares that women's faces and voices are sources of temptation that must not be heard or seen in public.

"When a mature woman needs to leave her home, she must cover her face, body, and make sure that her voice is not heard," according to the law.

The measures also bar Afghan women from engaging with "infidel women," and men from associating with "infidel foreigners," using a term that generally refers to non-Muslims. Men can also be imprisoned for listening to music, shaving or trimming their beards or wearing neckties.

"It is a distressing vision for Afghanistan's future, where moral inspectors have discretionary powers to threaten and detain anyone based on broad and sometimes vague lists of infractions," said Roza Otunbayeva, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General who also heads the U.N.'s mission in Afghanistan, in a statement on Sunday.

She said the new law "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."

According to UNESCO, more than 1.4 million girls are being deliberately deprived of schooling in Afghanistan, putting the future of an entire generation in jeopardy.

The Taliban has also reinstated public flogging of people accused of various crimes, with authorities lashing hundreds of people over the past three years.

"The Taliban have created the world's most serious women's rights crisis since taking power," said the New York-based group Human Rights Watch. "Under the Taliban's abusive rule, Afghan women and girls are living their worst nightmares."

The return of al Qaeda and the threat of ISIS-K

A year after the U.S. and NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan, a U.S. drone strike killed al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul's diplomatic district, but since then, the terrorist group responsible for the 9/11 attacks has reemerged and established new training facilities in the country.

A U.N. Security Council report published in July said al Qaeda had regrouped in Afghanistan and warned that it was aiming to conduct attacks beyond the country's borders.

"Al Qaeda remains strategically patient, cooperating with other terrorist groups in Afghanistan and prioritizing its ongoing relationship with the Taliban," the U.N. report said, adding that it was operating "covertly in order to project the image of Taliban adherence to the provisions of the Doha agreement," which the Taliban negotiated with the U.S. under former President Donald Trump.

That deal saw the Taliban promise not to let any terrorist group find safe operating space in Afghanistan, but the U.N. report also noted the recent arrival of new al Qaeda members in the country, including a Libyan who it said was working at the Taliban's Ministry of Interior. The individual has "no clear job description and has been issued an Afghan passport," the report said.

The regional ISIS affiliate, known as ISIS Khorasan, ISIS-K or ISKP, also poses a rising threat, with members having successfully infiltrated Afghanistan's Taliban-run security ministries, according to the U.N.

Despite losing territory since the Taliban takeover, which has limited ISIS-K operations in the country, the group remains a significant threat to the region and beyond, the report said.

Deadly attacks over the last year in Moscow and Iran, and foiled plots in Europe, all show the group's capacity to plan violence despite the Taliban's security forces actively hunting its members.

"The Taliban have the will to fight against ISKP. They are really committed to do that, but they are lacking in operational capability to conduct really effective counterterrorism against the ISKP," Arian Sahrifi, a lecturer at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, said during a recent webinar.

Hafiz Zia Ahmad, a deputy spokesman for Afghanistan's Taliban-run Ministry of Foreign Affairs, declared Afghanistan "a safe and stable country" in a social media post last week, claiming that Taliban forces had "successfully neutralized" ISIS-K in Afghanistan.

Dozens of Afghans stuck and still waiting for refuge

Dozens of people who were evacuated to third countries as the Taliban came back to power are still waiting to be relocated to the U.S. or Canada, including former government officials and Afghan forces. One of them is a man who piloted one of the helicopters used by then-Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to escape to Uzbekistan.

Others include members of the former Afghan president's protection services, former members of the Afghan Special Forces who worked directly with U.S. and NATO troops in the fight against the Taliban, and other high-ranking officials.

"We are in a modern prison," Qazizada, a former Afghan government prosecutor who's been stuck in a humanitarian camp in Abu Dhabi since October 2021, told CBS News.

Qazizada, who declined to give his full first name for this article to protect family members still in Afghanistan, said more than 60 people, including 48 women and children, were stranded at the camp with him  all facing an uncertain future three years after their escape.

He said family members of one of Ghani's helicopter pilots, and of family members of the former president's personal security team, were still hiding in Afghanistan.

"Every time their kids ask when you come home, we can't hold back our tears," Qazizada said. "The mental situation of women and children in the camp and in Afghanistan is very dire. Some are even contemplating suicide to end their suffering, but we try to give them hope."

"Almost all of us are taking [anti]depression pills," he said.

A significant number of former Afghan security forces sought refuge in neighboring Pakistan and Iran when the Taliban took back over, but many were later repatriated by those countries to Afghanistan.

In the first six months of 2024, the U.N. mission in Afghanistan said it had documented at least nine cases of extrajudicial killings of former members of the security forces and nearly 100 instances of arbitrary arrests.

Relation with U.S. adversaries

While no country has formally recognized the Taliban regime as the new government of Afghanistan since its takeover in 2021, two U.S. adversaries, Russia and China, have granted the regime support on the international stage.

In a recent interview with a local TV network, the Taliban government's deputy prime minister said the group had two allies in the U.N. Security Council with veto power. He didn't name them, but of the five permanent Council members that have veto power, he could only have been referring to Russia and China. Counting them as allies gives the regime a diplomatic advantage it didn't have during its previous period in power, potentially shielding it from any Security Council resolutions seeking action against the Taliban over its policies.

A member of the Afghan Taliban celebrates the third anniversary of the group's takeover of Afghanistan in front of the former U.S. Embassy compound in Kabul, Aug. 14, 2024. / Credit: Bilal Guler/Anadolu/Getty

China, which shares a border with Afghanistan, is the only country to have sent an ambassador to Afghanistan, and leader Xi Jinping has accepted the accreditation of a Taliban ambassador to Beijing. The two countries have signed several mining contracts since the Taliban's return to power.

Russia, meanwhile, said in May that it would soon remove the Taliban from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, which would lead to normalization of relations between the two countries. The Taliban welcomed the announcement and sent a delegation to visit Moscow.

Major violations found at Boar's Head plant linked to listeria outbreak

The nationwide push to get more electric school buses into circulation

Appeals court revives lawsuit against TikTok over girl's death in "blackout challenge"
papparaffie / Getty Images/iStockphoto

11:11, make a wish.

Chances are, youve heard someone remark on 11:11 popping up on their phone or a receipt. This string of numbers is often considered a good luck charm and an occasion for wish-making.

But some believe that encountering multiple repeating digits, like 1111, is a sign, and interpret this instant of synchronicity as a message from the universe. Think of them as meaningful coincidences  ones you can ascribe as much meaning to as you want.

Within the practice of numerology, which looks into the spiritual significance of numbers, these strings of repeating digits are called angel numbers.

The nickname is a nod to their supposed connection to the spirit realm. As Leeza Roberton explains in the book The Divine Practice of Angel Numbers, angel numbers are among the ways that these entities open the door and let themselves into our lives.

Paying attention to angel numbers, according to Robertson, is one of the easiest spiritual practices you can have. Why? Because numbers are everywhere: On license plates, addresses, phone numbers. All you have to do is pay attention and know what the angel number means when it comes into your life. You dont have to dig too far or look too hard to notice these numbers, she writes.

Frances Naude, reiki master, tarot reader and spiritual mentor, says, Angel numbers are confirmation that spirit is with you. That you are being guided or that you are on the right path."

As for whether angel numbers are really more than coincidence? Well, its up to you to decide. At the very least, you can consider these occurrences as a cosmic pat on the back.

What are angel numbers?

Simply put, angel numbers are sequences of repeating digits that align with numerological meanings. Each number  ranging from 000 to 990  has a different lesson or message. Robertson, in her book, also says theyre aligned with different angelic entities.

Where can you find angel numbers?

Angel numbers are everywhere you see numbers  so, essentially, everywhere. You can encounter them in alarm clocks, license plates, receipts, bank accounts, addresses, phone numbers, or even dates of the year.

The more frequently you see a certain series of digits, the more important it is to take stock of them. Depending on your spiritual practice, you may think the universe  or your spirit guides  are passing on a message.

How do you use angel numbers in daily life?

Using angel numbers begins by simply paying attention to them. Theyre are like stop signs, asking you to pause and pay attention to your gut and instincts. Since theyre so personal, angel numbers cant be defined by a single explanation. The meaning is dependent on what is going on in your life, and what insights come up while youre reflecting.

Speaking to TODAY, spiritualist Gary DAndre described how he incorporates angel numbers into his spiritual practice. Whenever I see a time on the clock, I like to send them as little affirmations to my friends via text message. I think of the angel number that I see as sending them that specific type of energy for the day. Or, reiterating that theyre in my mind and Im shooting them blessings of love.

DAndre also suggests writing down when, where and how you see angel numbers, to see if a pattern emerges. Do you see angel numbers in a certain place? Or are you seeing the same number, over and over?

For astrologer Narayana Montufar, clocking angel numbers is routine. I use angel numbers in my daily life, paying attention to the exact thing I was thinking of or what was happening when I first saw them. This will give me clues on what my spirit guides or the universe are trying to convey, Montufar said.

What does each angel number mean?

Each number is associated with a different message. For example, if you look at a clock and see the time is 2:22, then maybe a union of sorts is on its way. Or, 5:55 could signify that change is coming and you have to prepare for what its bringing to you.

Remember, though: The most important meanings are the ones you decide. It all comes down to the links your subconscious forges between the numbers and your life.

Astrologer, psychic, and tarot reader Renee Watt said, Theres often a significant link between your thoughts and messages being sent through numbers, you just need to be mindful enough to connect the two..

Read on for a breakdown of angel numbers' conventional meanings.

000 or 0000

A sequence of zeros represent new beginnings or a fresh start. Think of this like a blank canvas thats waiting for you to paint on and create your visions upon.

111 or 1111

A sequence of ones is extremely powerful in manifestation. It brings your goals in alignment to what your intuition, ancestors, guides, and spirits have planned for you, and gives you the strength to be a leader in your own life.

Read more about 111.

222 or 2222

Twos signify collaboration. If there is a project that youre starting, then you may want to connect with another person to discuss or work on it together, or consider where your relationships stand. Your people are out there.

Read more about 222.

333 or 3333

A series of threes indicates the need for self-expression. Listen to the world around you attentively. Are you inspired? What is calling to you? And what message do you need to share?

Numerology expert Novalee Wilder says the number is a signal to take charge. The only thing that luck can build on is action," she says.

Read more about 333.

444 or 4444

A sequence of fours are all about building and stability. These numbers show us that we have to pay attention to our home life, family, and the foundation that we live on. You may be focused on what you don't have instead of what you do. This angel number urges you to cultivate gratitude.

If you're seeing 444, you may want to concentrate on what you're building  and what you want to dismantle. As Wilder puts it, Depending on where we are, sometimes we do need a break down before we get a break through."

Read more about 444.

555 or 5555

Good things are coming due to your patience. Change is on the horizon when fives are present. The path that youve been walking down is yielding growth and transformation. You'll want to pay attention to what's changing  and accept that even if things are changing, that doesn't mean they're getting worse.

Read more about 555.

666 or 6666

Look beyond the stigma associated with the number 666  really, this number signals compassion and self-love. Treat people with kindness by sharing a smile, compliment or going out of your way for someone.

Wilder suggests you ask yourself the following questions if you are seeing this number often: How deep is your relationship to yourself? How much in contact are you with your heart? How much beauty are you surrounding yourself with? How much pleasure are you allowing yourself?

Read more about 666.

777 or 7777

Luck is on its way  as long as you keep yourself open to all opportunities and possibilities. Instead of saying "no," challenge yourself to say "yes," especially to things that feel just a bit out of your comfort zone. This sign is also an acknowledgement that you may be going through something hard.

Read more about 777.

888 or 8888

Tilted sideways, eights represent the infinity symbol. This angel number is connected to the divine and intuition, as well as also ancestors who are looking upon us from the spiritual realm. What is your gut telling you?

The number is often associated with power and good fortune. Megan Firester, author of "The Angel Numbers Book," tells TODAY.com, Abundance is coming your way, but you got to make room for it."

Read more about 888.

999 or 9999

A cycle is coming to a conclusion. When you see 999, think of this as signal to move on and away by embracing the exciting events that will unfold in the future. The angel number is also associated with healing energy, allowing you to wrap up a chapter with a burst of positive energy.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
The White House is no stranger to controversies, some which can haunt a president long after they leave the Oval Office (ask Bill Clinton about 1998).

But for former President Barack Obama, one of his most contentious moments was not a sex scandal or international arms deal.

It was a tan suit.

During a press conference Aug. 28, 2014  10 years ago today  Obama addressed the U.S. military response to ISIS, saying then, "We don't have a strategy yet." The discussion was serious, the developments highly anticipated.

And the suit-related outrage was immediate.

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 28: U.S. President Barack Obama pauses as he makes a statement at the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House August 28, 2014 in Washington, DC. President Obama spoke on various topics including possible action against ISIL and immigration reform. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

"He looked like he was on his way to a party at the Hamptons," Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., told CNN at the time.

Today, most  including Obama  make light of the incident.

"Ten years ago today: President Barack Obama appeared at a White House press conference wearing a tan suit. A TAN SUIT," CIA official and presidential briefer David Priess wrote humorously on X. "This was, and remains, the greatest scandal in presidential historyif not in all of human history."

Here's what to know about "tan suitgate."

The tan suit backlash dominated headlines

It wasn't just lawmakers weighing in 10 years ago.

Social media and fashion commentators alike had their own takes on Obama's attire.

"Khaki is a sort of wishy-washy color," wrote New York Times chief fashion critic Vanessa Friedman, hence "... a particularly odd choice for a discussion of wishy-washy military policy."

One then-Twitter user conjectured, "Obamas tan suit is a signal. We just need to figure out *what hes trying to tell us*"

The White House response at the time: "He loves that suit."

So, why the controversy?

In a world where dark suits are the protocol, Obama taupe attire caught eyes and ire.

Some right-wing commentators were especially critical of Obama for wearing the tan suit at a news conference held to discuss one of the more pressing national security issues at the time -- the prospect of escalating the U.S. military response to the Islamic State, or ISIS, in Syria.

I think it was shocking to a lot of people, opined Lou Dobbs, at the time a widely watched Fox Business Network host.

The outfit was also outside Obama's typical realm of grey or blue suits, making it stand out all the more.

"You have the whole world watching, you have a week, two weeks of anticipation of what the United States is going to do and then for him to walk out  I'm not trying to be trivial here  but in a light suit, light tan suit," King said in a different interview with Newsmax, "saying that first he wants to talk about what most Americans care about, and he said that's the vision of the second-quarter numbers on the economy."

Aug 20, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; Former President Barack Obama speaks during the second day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasper Colt-USA TODAY

What has Obama said since?

Ahead of Obama's penultimate State of the Union in 2015, his White House Twitter account posted that the president was "suiting up for the big speech"  with the cheeky hashtag, "#YesWeTan."

And in the decade since, Obama has made regular quips referencing the suit.

"Let me start out by saying that I was sorely tempted to wear a tan suit today," the former president said in opening his final press conference in 2017.

"But Michelle, whose fashion sense is a little better than mine, tells me that's not appropriate in January," he added.

More recently, social media speculation sparked when Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise stage appearance on night one of the Democratic convention  in a brown suit.

In a post both acknowledging the anniversary and passing the torch to Harris, Obama included a throwback photo of himself in the infamous suit alongside one of Harris at the convention.

"How it started. How it's going," he wrote on X. "Ten years later, and it's still a good look!"

Contributing: Josh Meyer, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What to know about Barack Obama's tan suit controversy, 10 years ago
Lord John Sainsbury died in 2022 and therefore never lived to see his note resurface.

LONDON  What does a billionaire philanthropist do when the art gallery he is sponsoring builds some pillars he doesnt like? The answer, it turns out, is to have the last say from beyond the grave almost a quarter of a century later.

In the 1980s, British grocery store magnate Lord John Sainsbury, Baron of Preston Candover, spent tens of millions funding a new wing of Londons National Gallery. He did not like one aspect of the design, however: two nonstructural, false columns in the buildings lobby.

Whereas a pushy American tycoon might have dug their heels in, Sainsbury, of the giant British superstore chain Sainsbury's, took the kind of audacious I-told-you-so approach that perhaps only a politely outraged Brit could pull off.

It was revealed this week that, during a refurbishment, construction workers demolishing the columns found a note Sainsbury had hidden inside one of them while it was being built in 1990.

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, read the missive, printed on official Sainsbury's superstore letterhead paper. 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.

He added, 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 note was discovered last year but only reported this week in monthly publication The Art Newspaper. The details of the story were confirmed to NBC News on Wednesday by the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts.

The Sainsbury Wing is being renovated, during which time construction workers found the note.

John Sainsbury died at age 94 in 2022 and therefore never saw his note resurface. His widow, Lady Sainsbury, a former ballerina named Anya Linden, 91, told The Art Newspaper that she was so happy for Johns letter to be rediscovered after all these years.

Sainsbury was a key player in building his familys grocery store dynasty. Sainsburys launched in 1869 and, largely thanks to his 23-year leadership, between 1969 and 1992, has become the United Kingdoms second-largest supermarket chain.

According to The Sunday Times Rich List in 2008, the familys net worth was 1.3 billion pounds (around $1.7 billion). Among some 300 million pounds of charitable trusts, he and his family donated a reported 40 million to the building of the National Gallerys Sainsbury Wing.

The addition to the gallery, which was founded in 1824, has always been controversial. The original designs were criticized by King Charles III, then the Prince of Wales, as a carbuncle on the face of a much-loved friend  one of his famous forays into the world of architectural critique.

The plans were ditched and replaced with new ones, which included the false columns at the center of this weeks revelations. They have been removed as part of an 85 million-pound upgrade to the gallery designed to give the lobby more space for visitors.

Sainsburys widow told The Art Newspaper that he would be relieved and delighted for the gallerys new plans and the extra space they are creating.
Colorado authorities are conducting a homicide investigation after a dog breeder was found dead Saturday and as many as 10 puppies were missing from his Clear Creek County property, according to the sheriffs office.

Paul Peavey, 57, was last heard from the night of August 19 and his body was discovered by a search party of community volunteers Saturday around noon, according to Bruce Boynton, a friend of Peaveys.

Boynton said Peavey would come to his restaurant twice a day. He told CNN he went to Peaveys property last Wednesday after another friend said they couldnt get in touch with Peavey.

I went up there to his place to check on him and his place was wide open, and the puppy barn was wide open and there were no puppies, Boynton said. His house and his place and the whole property was torn apart and anything of value was gone.

Peavey bred European Doberman pinschers. Four adult dogs were gone temporarily but returned to the house, Boynton said.

The Clear Creek County Sheriffs Office said a missing person report was filed last Wednesday evening.

If the situation and the information we learned (was) that a person was endangered, certainly we would have a larger team here, but that was not the information we received, Sheriff Matthew Harris told CNN affiliate KMGH. Investigators went to Peaveys property Thursday and found nothing.

It was reported that many Doberman puppies were missing from Mr. Peaveys property. The puppies whereabouts are part of the ongoing investigation, sheriffs office officials said. In a subsequent post, the agency said as many as 10 puppies were missing; Boynton told CNN he thought 13 were gone.

The sheriffs office said Monday some of the puppies, which are microchipped, might have been sold since last Tuesday.

Locating Mr. Peaveys unaccounted for puppies may also help solve his homicide, the office said. Anyone with information is asked to call 303-679-2393, email crime_tips@clearcreeksheriff.us, or submit a tip anonymously through our website at https://bit.ly/CCSOCrimeTips.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the 5th Judicial District Attorneys Office are also taking part in the investigation.

Peavey operated a business called Elite European Dobermans, according to law enforcement. An announcement about a litter of puppies is posted on the business website.

Paul Peavey has been a dog lover since he was 10 years old and has had various dogs since. Committed to training dogs at a young age, Paul has the years of experience needed to breed the best European Dobermans in the state of Colorado, the website says.

Boynton told KMGH that Peaveys dogs were his life.

He had been through some things in life and the dogs were his therapy, Boynton told the Denver-based station.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Two U.S. House members who first pushed the Food and Drug Administration in 2023 to investigate the health risks of hair straighteners used primarily by Black women are now asking the agency why it has twice delayed its target date to propose a ban on products containing formaldehyde, which studies link to increased rates of cancer.

Democratic Reps. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Shontel Brown of Ohio pressed the FDA in a letter to finalize the proposed rule for banning certain salon-grade and at-home hair straighteners. Rep. Nydia Velazquez of New York joined Pressley and Brown in spearheading the letter, which was dated Tuesday.

The FDA gave notice of a possible rule in 2023 with an initial target date to release the proposal in April. That was then moved to July before jumping to September.

The letter from Pressley, Brown and Velazquez  all of whom are up for re-election this year  asks FDA Commissioner Robert Califf to provide specific reasons for the delay.

Pressley told The Associated Press that Black women look to straightening treatments in part because of hair discrimination.

If you do a Google search right now of unprofessional work hairstyles, you'll be besieged by images of Black women, said Pressley, who also believes another delay could cause more health issues for communities of color. Everything from protective styles, Senegalese twists or braids like I wore for many years, or afros or locs ... I just want everyone to be able to show up fully, authentically and unapologetically, without fear and without discrimination."

It isn't uncommon for the FDA to have items on the regulatory agenda for years. For example, the draft of a proposed ban on menthol cigarettes came out in 2022, but the target date on finalizing the rule was pushed back twice before it was indefinitely delayed in April.

When asked about the letter, an FDA spokesperson told the AP that agency officials would respond directly to lawmakers. Last month, the agency said the proposed ban was still among its top priorities and in the rulemaking process, but couldn't comment to the AP on the timing or content of the proposal.

Black women and women of other ethnicities have used chemical hair-straightening treatments for decades, and many of the relaxers, creams and keratin treatments contain formaldehyde  a chemical used in pesticides and to preserve dead bodies.

A 2022 study from the National Institutes of Health found people who used hair straighteners had an increased risk of developing uterine cancer. A 2023 study from Boston University found that postmenopausal women who used relaxers most often had a greater than 50% increased risk of uterine cancer compared to those who seldom used them.

Thousands of lawsuits allege that beauty companies that make some of the hair straighteners misrepresented health impacts of the products, and exposed plaintiffs to chemicals that increased the risk of uterine and ovarian cancers. Some also claim they experienced infertility after using the products.

In a social media video from October, the FDA reminded people that no ban was in place yet, and that the agency planned to work with and encourage the cosmetics industry to develop alternative straightening products.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
By Stephanie Kelly

(Reuters) - U.S. Republican nominee Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger Kamala Harris will square off next month in their first presidential debate after a disastrous performance earlier this summer by incumbent President Joe Biden led to him being pushed out of the race.

It will be the first chance some 240 million eligible U.S. voters get to hear Trump and Harris explain their policies side-by-side, and a rare moment when the two are actually in the same room. Here's what to expect from the highly anticipated event:

WHEN AND WHERE IS THE DEBATE?

The debate, hosted by ABC News, will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 9 p.m. EDT (0100 GMT on Wednesday, Sept. 11) in Philadelphia, one of the key battleground states in this year's election.

The debate will be held at the National Constitution Center, a museum devoted to the U.S. Constitution in Philadelphia's Independence Mall, which also contains the Liberty Bell.

HOW CAN YOU WATCH THE DEBATE?

Moderated by ABC's David Muir and Linsey Davis, it will air on ABC and stream on ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu.

It will also be produced in conjunction with local Philadelphia network WPVI-TV, an ABC affiliate.

WHAT ARE THE GROUND RULES?

Both sides have agreed to the same terms as CNN's June debate between Biden and Trump, which had muted microphones when candidates were not speaking and did not include a live audience, a Trump spokesman said Tuesday.

That debate also banned any props and included two commercial breaks.

Harris' campaign had been pushing for a "hot mic" that would pick up whatever a candidate was saying, whether their opponent was speaking or not.

WHAT ABOUT THIRD PARTIES?

Vice President Harris, who secured the Democratic nomination after Biden stepped aside last month, said in early August she would participate in the Sept. 10 debate that had been previously agreed to by Biden and Trump.

Trump, 78, and Harris, 59 are unlikely to be joined by third-party candidates. Qualifying candidates must appear on a sufficient number of state ballots and reach at least 15% support in four national polls that meet ABC's standards.

The deadline to qualify is Sept. 3.

WHAT'S EXPECTED OF HARRIS?

Harris will be entering the debate with momentum - after she closed out the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Aug. 22, her campaign announced she had raised over $500 million since entering the race.

Meanwhile, Harris has surged in opinion polls. Polling aggregator website FiveThirtyEight showed Harris up by 3.5 percentage points in national polls.

But since Harris only recently entered the race, she has not had much time to formulate detailed policy plans, and her campaign has avoided offering up clear examples of where she may depart from Biden's policies.

Harris, who launched a short-lived White House bid in the 2020 election cycle before withdrawing, has sought this time to portray herself as both an extension of the Biden administration and the face of a new generation.

WHAT ABOUT TRUMP?

Since Harris entered the race, Trump has fought to have the media spotlight, a stunning turnabout for a politician used to dominating headlines. He had threatened to pull out of the debate, suggesting ABC is biased. WHAT TOPICS ARE LIKELY? Harris faces mounting pressure to flesh out her policies in the last 75 days of the campaign, and that may begin at the Sept. 10 debate.

Some of her already announced plans include a middle class tax cut, support for Ukraine and NATO, and a push for a ceasefire in Israel's war in Gaza.

Last week, Trump touted plans on taxes and health, trying to turn the page on a week in which he was overshadowed by Harris. He struggled to focus on policy issues instead of personal attacks on Harris.

His second-term agenda includes plans to deport millions of migrants, reshape global trade with sizable tariffs and replace longtime government employees with loyalists.

(Reporting by Stephanie Kelly)
Guy Fieri is in empty nester mode.

Like many parents all over the country, the celebrity chef and his wife Lori moved his son Ryder, 18, into college over the weekend.

The 56-year-old restaurateur posted a real time video of the family hauling the teens stuff into the dorm at San Diego State University. The clip, sped up, shows the arduous process of unpacking boxes and organizing his room.

It hasnt fully hit us yet, wrote the Food Network star, but not seeing him every day is gonna be hard.

Serendipity? Kismet? Fieri reports that the incoming freshman has a cool roommate with the same name as his big brother, Hunter.

Ryder, who was born and raised in California, should do fine on his own, and will hopefully come visit his folks at their Florida place in Lake Worth Beach as much as possible. Or, at the very least, come hang with dad at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival in February.
Luna, a self-described 32-year-old MAGA Trump supporter from the battleground state of Wisconsin, has gained a huge following since she joined X, formerly Twitter, in March. Her timeline has become a digital bullhorn for the Make America Great Again movement, praising former President Donald Trumps re-election bid, promoting conspiracy theories about his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, and touting Republican talking points to nearly 30,000 followers, who she addresses as patriots.

Would You Support Trump Being The President forever? I wonder if you all support Trump for president just like me, @Luna_2K24 posted on July 29, sharing a beach selfie in a white bikini and asking her followers to respond with an American flag emoji if they agreed. The post was viewed by around 54,000 people.

But Luna isnt real. The photos of the smiling brunette posted periodically on @Luna_2K24s timeline are of Debbie Nederlof, a German fashion influencer who lives across the Atlantic and wont be voting in the US presidential election in November. When CNN reached out to the 32-year-old, a trained optician and single mother who is working two jobs  as a social media manager at an engineering firm and as a model to raise money for her child  she was angry and frustrated that her face was being used to push pro-Trump propaganda on X.

To be honest, what the f**k? was my reaction. That was my reaction, because I have nothing to do with the United States. With Trump, the political things over there. What the hell do I  from a small place in Germany  care about US politics? she said.

Nederlof is one of 17 real European women  fashion and beauty influencers from the Netherlands, Denmark and as far away as Russia  whose online photos have been stolen by unknown actors to promote Trump and his pick as running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, on X, a CNN investigation in collaboration with the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR) has found. CIR is an independent, non-profit social enterprise which describes itself as dedicated to exposing human rights abuses. It receives funding for individual projects from governments, NGOs and individuals.

The fake accounts are among 56 profiles on X identified by CNN and CIR, using a mixture of digital sleuthing and reverse image search tools, as appearing to be part of a coordinated campaign backing the Trump-Vance ticket ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Theres no indication that the Trump campaign is involved.

Experts say this could be just the tip of the iceberg. An analysis of the 56 pro-Trump accounts reveals a systematic pattern of inauthentic behavior. All of the accounts use photographs of beautiful, young women  many of them stolen, while others appear to be AI generated  who declare their support for Trump and use hashtags such as #MAGAPatriots, #MAGA2024 and #IFBAP (I Follow Back All Patriots). In many cases, CNN and CIR found the images had been manipulated to add Trump and MAGA slogans to otherwise unbranded clothing, all with captions that call to get out the vote.

The accounts also post similar messages, which often include English language errors (a potential sign of foreign interference, according to experts), and sometimes repost each other. Most have been created in the last few months and have seen their follower count grow rapidly; all give their location as being in the United States. Fifteen of the fake accounts have blue check marks  supposed to indicate that they have been verified  and eight of those have been identified as using stolen images.

CNN reached out to X regarding these accounts but did not receive a response. However, in the last 24 hours before publishing, X took down the majority of the accounts.

CNN also reached out to almost all of the real European women identified in the course of the joint investigation and was able to interview four of them.

Debbie Nederlof, an influencer from Europe, is seen at her home in Trier, Germany. She was upset to find that her Instagram images were being used by a fake MAGA account on X. - Alex Platt/CNN

Speaking to CNN from her home in the picture-postcard town of Trier, Germany, Nederlof said that it wasnt the first time her images had been stolen and used without her consent. But she has never seen her likeness used to promote any sort of political agenda before this.

The fake profile using Nederlofs photos has posted conspiracy-laden messages falsely claiming the US election is being rigged and that Trump has faced further assassination attempts, while also platforming anti-LGBTQ, anti-transgender, anti-vaccination, racist and xenophobic sentiments.

The appearance of the profiles on X comes as the 2024 presidential race between Harris and Trump heats up, and with foreign interference in the 2016 election still fresh in Americas collective memory. In the wake of Trumps win in 2016, a debate emerged over the role Russian trolls played in helping to get him elected, by sharing disinformation and messages designed to sow division among the electorate on social media platforms like Facebook and what was then Twitter.

Fast forward eight years and both the political and digital landscapes look very different. Trump launched his own social media platform, Truth Social, and tech billionaire Elon Musk bought Twitter, reinstating the former presidents account. The two men appeared in conversation in a recent X Spaces chat, discussing the 2024 election while sharing their mutual disdain for mainstream media. Musk preached the importance of unfettered free speech online, while Trump made at least 20 false claims, ranging from immigration to the economy, foreign policy and Harris record.

Under Musks leadership, X has dismantled many of the mechanisms and teams designed to safeguard against the distribution of falsehoods and conspiracy theories on the platform. The European Commission has been investigating X since last year over claims it is not in compliance with the blocs landmark Digital Services Act, a regulation that seeks to prevent harmful activities online and the spread of disinformation, while curtailing the power of social media platforms.

The legislation is designed to protect consumers like Nederlof, but she and other European influencers interviewed by CNN said they have struggled to get social platforms to take any action when they flag that their photos are being used without their consent, or their identities stolen, reflecting the challenges to enforcement and highlighting a growing threat to womens bodily autonomy in the online sphere.

Fact versus fiction?

For 32-year-old Nederlof, every day is as jam-packed as the next. Throughout the week her time is taken up by four things: her 6-year-old son, her dog Lou, her day job in a firm in nearby Luxembourg and her side hustle as an Instagram influencer.

Walking through winding roads near her home in Trier with her dog, Nederlof told CNN how she decided to become an influencer. The cost of living  its hard. And all I want is for my son to have a better future, she said, adding that she hoped posting photos of herself on Instagram might lead to more modelling gigs. That desire for exposure is what drove her to start sharing her carefully curated photographs. Now she has over 74,000 followers on the platform, which is owned by Meta. CNN has reached out to Meta for comment on the issue of non-consensual lifting of images from its platform.

But with her growing reach came the spread of fake profiles across several platforms using her photos. Not only did they use my photographs, but my son and my dog. How could they? She told CNN that one impersonator had used photos of her dog to raise money for a supposed cataract surgery. I am a trained optician  and thats just crazy.

She has tried reporting the fake accounts to platforms  but has repeatedly been disappointed, she said. They always say theres not enough proof that its fake. She said the only time she was successful in getting a social platform to remove a profile was when a photographer friend who had taken the pictures threatened to sue over copyright violation.

Among the followers of the fake pro-Trump X profile that has been repurposing Nederlofs photos is the official X profile of Republican Senator Doug Mastriano of Pennsylvania  an early supporter of Trumps effort to overturn the 2020 election results. CNN has reached out to Mastrianos office but has not heard back yet.

About the political messaging on the X account using her photos, Nederlof said: I dont give a damn about Trump.

Demi Maric, a 27-year-old business student and Instagram influencer based in Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, is another of the women identified by CNN and CIRs investigation. Her photographs were used by a fake MAGA profile on X under the name Gabriela and handle @queen0_gabriela.

The pinned tweet on her profile keeps changing: One day a photograph of Maric, sitting at what appears to be a restaurant table while holding a drink in her hand, is pinned to the top of the account, along with the message: If you support RFK Jr joining our movement, I want to follow you! I hope all the patriots have a wonderful weekend. The next day, it is a picture of her in what appears to be her bed, captioned: Goodnight to everyone voting for Trump this November! See you all tomorrow.

Maric, who grew up in the south of the Netherlands and moved to the capital seven years ago, told CNN she started focusing on her Instagram presence in 2020, and in the years since has had her photos stolen many times. One instance has had real-life impact. She said she was pulled into a lawsuit in the US after one of her many impersonators swindled money from a man while using her photographs. It feels weird that I have to be part of a lawsuit even though I had nothing to do with the case, she told CNN.

Another post on the fake Gabriela account declares if you support Trump, I want to follow you  language that is consistent with posts on almost all of the 56 fake accounts CNN and CIR analyzed. In addition to their apparent use of the same scripts, the accounts often retweet each other, attempting to amplify the messages, according to the analysis.

By hijacking images of the influencers, these accounts clearly recognise the value of creating a believable human persona that followers can relate to  they share photographs of the women at the beach, out at a cafe, or doing their make-up, Benjamin Strick, CIRs director of investigation, told CNN. But beyond the fact of their theft, of most concern is the way that the images are edited and manipulated, he said. Some of these accounts are also posting disinformation and conspiracy theories  which in some cases are accruing thousands of views.

All four European women interviewed by CNN in relation to the use of their images on the fake pro-Trump X accounts say that impersonation is a growing problem on social media and that the trend has very real consequences: from reputational damage to significant emotional and psychological stress.

Neriah Tellerup Andersen, a 22-year-old influencer and digital marketing professional from Copenhagen in Denmark, whose photographs are being used by the fake pro-Trump account @eva_maga1996, told CNN: I feel used, like someone is taking something from me. Its my image. I dont want to think people think that I do what those profiles are sometimes promoting.

Kamilla Broberg, a 30-year-old fashion and fitness influencer from Copenhagen in Denmark, is similarly upset about the potential damage to her reputation.

She started posting snapshots of her life on Instagram to motivate herself to get into fitness and has since collaborated with fitness brands. She insists its not alright for people to just steal her photographs. But thats exactly what the trained psychologist, who works with young people, has had to face over the last couple of years. Once, she told CNN, an impersonator took a photograph of her in which she was wearing a bikini and manipulated it to look like she was naked. That was the worst, she told CNN.

Since last year, the pro-Trump account @Alinamaga33 on X has been consistently lifting her photographs and posting them with pro-Republican messaging. I have never even been to the US, said Broberg when CNN presented her with its findings.

These accounts continue to thrive on X despite the platforms Terms of Service clearly stating: We reserve the right to remove Content that violates the User Agreement, including for example, copyright or trademark violations or other intellectual property misappropriation, impersonation, unlawful conduct, or harassment. In its misleading and deceptive identities policy, X states: You may not pose as someone who doesnt exist to mislead others about who you are or who you represent.

Then-President Donald Trump, right, talks with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk at the White House in Washington, on February 3, 2017. Musk officially acquired Twitter in October 2022. - Evan Vucci/AP

The surfacing of the fake accounts using European influencers photos comes amid a very public fight that has played out between Musk and Thierry Breton, the European Unions internal market commissioner, who has repeatedly questioned Xs adherence to the blocs Digital Services Act.

The law aims to protect consumers and their fundamental rights online by setting clear and proportionate rules. Under its provisions, online platforms need to make sure users are clearly identifiable, so that risks of deceitful impersonation that can harm individuals or mislead the public can be brought down, and to tackle impersonation.

In an open letter posted to X on August 12, just hours before Musk sat down with Trump, Breton warned him that he must prevent the amplification of harmful content and comply with the DSA, or face interim measures. In response, Musk tagged him in a GIF that said: F**k your own face.

In an interview with CNN, Thomas Regnier, European Commission spokesperson for digital economy, research and innovation, said in Europe, stealing someones identity is forbidden, not by the DSA as such, but forbidden in EU law, international law, so this (the accounts identified in the investigation) would potentially be illegal, illegal behavior or illegal accounts, and this could then be taken into account in the current proceedings that we have against X.

Orchestrated effort

The posts from these accounts identified by CNN and CIR frequently echo one another, with identical or very similar messages being reposted across various platforms, amplifying their reach and making the misinformation appear more widespread than it is. This systematic approach suggests an orchestrated effort to influence voters, according to experts.

But who might be behind this campaign?

Emily Horne, former global head of policy communications at Twitter and a former senior director for press at the National Security Council in the Biden administration, said that these accounts have hallmarks that could be consistent with a state actor though she could not confirm a link. This could be a state actor. The level of sophistication indicates it could be any of the hostile state actors, including Russia, Iran and China, said Horne, who used to investigate fake accounts on X, then Twitter. We know that there are multiple state actors who have been using social media to try and sow disinformation campaigns in the run up to the 2024 election, she added.

The fact these accounts feature attractive young women in the profile picture, and are regularly updated with new posts supporting that fake persona, signals that theres probably some sustained, coordinated activity behind the scenes thats going on, because thats a difficult thing to do, and the level of the manipulation of individual images is again a difficult thing to automate and keep up in perpetuity, she said.

Former Facebook public policy director Katie Harbath, meanwhile, raised concerns about the easy distribution of blue check marks on X, saying that the fact a blue tick could be bought by anybody shows some real flaws in their system. And youd obviously have to ask them the reason why. My assumption would be because of how much theyve reduced the amount of trust and safety people.

In December 2022, X, formerly Twitter, disbanded its Trust and Safety Council, an advisory body bringing together more than 100 people from external expert organizations. A company email to council members said it was reevaluating how best to bring external insights into our product and policy development work. As part of this process, we have decided that the Trust and Safety Council is not the best structure to do this.

Ownership of womens bodies

But whats also interesting, both Harbath and Horne said, is the systemic misogyny that has led to these kinds of profiles gaining traction on social media.

Posts featuring images of women do tend to generate higher engagement with some of the target audiences for this kind of content, particularly young and disaffected men who might be more politically inclined to engage with the kind of content that youre describing, Horne said.

CNNs findings come against a backdrop of escalating debate between Harris and Trump over womens rights.

Since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee, Harris has positioned herself as a defender of womens rights, with her campaign hinting at restoration of abortion rights in response to the US Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Trumps campaign, meanwhile, has focused its messaging on family values and protecting the unborn, in an apparent attempt to win over evangelical Christians and other conservative groups pivotal to his electoral strategy  his campaign further bolstered by Musks support.

Back in Trier, Germany, where the US fight over womens bodily autonomy has made an unexpected entrance, Nederlof  who has become a victim of this nonconsensual use of her image for political propaganda in a distant country  wonders if there will ever be policies that truly protect her online.

Every day, my face and my body, my pictures, my identity is stolen, and that makes me very mad. That is definitely not me, definitely it was never me, and it will never be me, and (people) have to unfollow the fake account.

Correction: This story has been updated to give the correct place of work for Debbie Nederlof.

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Gossip Girls Lily van der Woodsen was a symbol of status, Upper East Side elegance, power, and yes, some frivolity. She was the ultimate rich mom with the fabulous designer wardrobe and the practiced poise of someone who is always ready for their portrait to be painted. As a fashion- and New York City-obsessed viewer in my teens, she was who I wanted to be, but I never predicted that in adulthood, I would become equally bewitched by the real-life Lily, actor Kelly Rutherford.

Rutherford, who played Lily in the cult-classic series, has come back into the spotlight and into our social media feeds this year thanks to the fabulous mirror selfies she posts on her Instagrammost of which she takes from inside her apartment building elevator.

The photos showcase Rutherfords effortlessly cool style, which leans toward rich mom sophistication, but is quirkier, brighter, and more fun that anything her on-screen character would ever wear.

The actors latest look is a prime example of that elegance with an edge. In a dreamy post from her recent vacation to the Amalfi and Cilento coasts in Italy, Rutherford included a shot of herself standing on a balcony overlooking the blue ocean while in a white two-piece set by Yucatan, Mexico-based sustainable brand Kasia Kulenty. The stringy ensemble was composed of a plunging cotton halter top with braided rope ties adorning the shoulders and tying around the torso, plus a matching maxi skirt with a rope tie at the waist. (You can shop the ensemble here.) Rutherford let the intricate, beachy, Greek goddess-esque look take the spotlight, accessorizing only with large red shades and a wet-from-the-ocean hairdo.

Rutherford jetted off to Italy to attend Ed Westwicks lavish wedding to fellow actor and model Amy Jackson over the weekend. Westwick, of course, played Chuck Bass, Lilys beloved stepson, in Gossip Girl. The actors have remained close since filming the show, which ran for six seasons from September 2007 to December 2012.

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Lowes (LOW) is scaling back some of its diversity initiatives, becoming one of the largest companies yet to make such an about-face as activist pressure mounts.

The home improvement retailer reportedly communicated a decision to stop participating in diversity surveys issued by LGBTQ civil rights advocate Human Rights Campaign in a memo to employees Monday.

Lowes also reportedly told employees in the memo that the company would stop sponsoring and participating in community parades, festivals, and fairs.

Similar changes discarding so-called DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives have been picking up momentum at major US corporations in recent months as critics target what they describe as "woke" policies.

In June, under pressure from shareholders, rural retailer Tractor Supply (TSCO) announced that it would retire its DEI goals. In July, tractor maker John Deere (DE) announced that it would continue to track workforce diversity but end participation in cultural and social awareness-focused events.

Harley-Davidson, Jack Daniels maker Brown-Foreman (BF-A), Polaris (PII), and its motorcycle subsidiary Indian Motorcycle have also scrapped DEI policies.

Lowe's reversal is the only one from a company run by a black CEO. Its boss, Marvin Ellison, is the only black executive to have run two Fortune 500 companies: Lowe's and JCPenney.

Marvin Ellison, Lowe's CEO, in 2021. (AP Photo) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Conservative activist Robby Starbuck said in a post on X that Lowes and the other companies that discarded diversity initiatives did so after he communicated plans to "expose" woke policies.

So far youve helped me change corporate policy at Tractor Supply, John Deere, Harley Davidson, Polaris, Indian Motorcycle and now Lowes, Starbuck wrote Monday in a post on X.

Lowe's did not respond to Yahoo Finance's request for comment.

Big news: 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.



Here are the changes:



 Ending participation in the @HRCs woke Corporate Equality Index pic.twitter.com/qOUr2JLGV7  Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) August 26, 2024

A US Supreme Court ruling last year has been cited as a factor in corporate decisions to alter diversity policies.

The court specifically ruled against race-conscious student admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, saying the programs violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Lowe's reportedly cited this ruling in its memo to employees, saying that it began reviewing its programs following that decision.

Ellison, Lowe's CEO, has diversified the executive ranks of Lowe's since becoming the boss and also had meetings with employees to discuss race following the police killing of George Floyd.

Ellison is also a member of the Business Roundtable, an association of more than 200 CEOs that posted an essay this month re-endorsing a stance that a company's purpose is to serve "all" stakeholders.

That philosophy adopted in 2019 includes shareholders, customers, employees, and suppliers, along with the communities where a company operates.

Business Roundtable CEO Joshua Bolten said that purpose has been misinterpreted as an endorsement for ESG (environmental, social, and governance) initiatives, which include DEI.

The ideological left and right both incorrectly interpreted the position to mean that companies had decided to commit resources to solving every societal ill, he added.

"Right from the beginning, there's been a fair amount of misunderstanding about what the statement was about," he said.

Alexis Keenan is a legal reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow Alexis on X @alexiskweed.

Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events moving stock prices

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance

Correction: A previous version of this article had a misspelling of Joshua Bolten's name. We regret the error.
Courtesy of Joe Ando



"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."



Its late in the morning and Joe Ando is running on fumes, but hes still his usual chipper self. The 28-year-old fashion designer has been working around the clock to finish up a dress for Ella Emhoff Kamala Harris stepdaughterto wear at the Democratic National Convention, a floral-inspired, deconstructed silk and tulle gown that he handed off not long before we jump on a Zoom call.

The dress feels like a ballerina tea party, but the muted tones help keep it from being too costume-like, Ando says, estimating that it took between 55 to 70 hours to finish, including the creative development, draping, patternmaking, and sewing.

At the DNC, dressing one of Capitol Hills VIPs (let alone the family of a presidential nominee) is usually an honor reserved for the Oscar de la Rentas and Ralph Laurens of the world, but Ando was up for the challenge. After all, hes been tasked with designing a snowballing number of bespoke dresses over the years on a tight turnaround. With nearly 3 million followers on TikTok, the FIT graduate has made a name for himself on social media as the endearingly goofy guy who really, really wants to make you a dress. Many of his videos begin the same way: Ando extends a tiny microphone to a seemingly unsuspecting person, followed by the same entreaty, Can I make you a dress? Spoiler alert: They all say yes.

Chip Somodevilla - Getty Images

Usually on his own dime, Ando then cooks up something tailored to their tastes, but always romantic-looking. Previous collaborations have yielded diaphanous cascades of tulle , sumptuous silk gowns , and very demure, very cutesy, very mindful brocade silhouettes . Though he started out making clothes for friends and partners, he became emboldened to reach out to some of his favorite musicians (like Holly Humberstone and Lizzie McAlpine ) to wear his clothes onstage. Since his videos have taken off, his dresses have graced the likes of stars like Rachel Zegler, Keke Palmer, and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan , culminating in his big historical moment at last weeks convention.

Things have accelerated so fast and Ive learned so much, so quickly, and have put so many crazy hours into it this past year, he says. In time, itll get even more crazy, which is fun to think about.

Below, we spoke to Ando about his trajectory in fashion, how social media has propelled his career, who hed love to collaborate with, and whats next.

Putting your designs on TikTok was a smart move, since things go viral all the time. How did that platform become part of your brand?

Pre-COVID, I was acting on a show right before I was set to graduate college. Then I got killed off the show, so I was out of a job. I was supposed to intern at Marc Jacobs as my post-college opportunity to hopefully get a job, and I lost that because of COVID. Then I got contacted by Yeezy, where at the time, the owner was running for president [laughs]. I would have had to move to Wyoming for it. And I was like, I cant do that. So thats when I started posting as much stuff as possible on the internet.

When I started making videos of my dresses, I had no other opportunities. I was in a position where I had all this free time to try it and not be disappointed that I wasnt putting my effort towards something else that could have been smarter for me. I poured everything into it, and I kept thinking, Why hasnt anyone copied it? But I guess its because its so time-intensive. Most other people on social media can just make a bunch of videos for fun doing all kinds of different things, no matter whatlip-syncing, dancing. I do versions of it to tie into my fashion content, but I have to put in a week of brutal labor with myself and sometimes with my assistant. And you know, we get like three videos out of that [laughs].

Whats the creative process like when youre making dresses for people?

Every situation is different. A lot of people I work with, you can tell theyve been to events and they have a stylist who has an idea of what they look good in already. I usually just get a sense of their vibe by looking at photos and chatting with them. I did something recently where I presented a person with, like, 40 different fabric options and 40 different designs for dresses. I was like, You can look through all of these, check off which ones you like, and then we can look at those. And if there are any details that you dont like, we can change it, add to it, shorten the hem, or fix a detail. I try to make it as much of a bespoke experience for them as possible.

I would say only 25 percent of the time [the customer has] actually wanted to be involved in the process. A lot of the time theyre like, That looks awesome. I love this idea. And then we just go from there. And if I get inspired along the way, sometimes things change and Ill text or send them video updates and well have a real-time exchange. So its a super interactive process, but they do seem to trust me a lot, which has been nice.



How much time does it typically take for you to finish a design?

On average, its been around four to five days most of the time. We were lucky once where we were given a whole month, but we needed that month because it was a dress that involved dyeing and handing it off to so many different people to do so many specific steps. I really struggle with saying no, and I like [making dresses] a lot. So I always think, This is an adventure. And then it results in where I am at physically right now.

A couple months ago I got to a point where I was like, Im being asked to do so much. And my work schedule was so brutal and I was not sleeping at all. And even right now, I have a torn ligament in my ankle, and for the last four days I have been standing on my foot for basically 15 hours a day. My chiropractor asked what was wrong with me. I told him I dont have a choice. [Laughs.]

How would you describe your own personal style?

Practical and comfortable, very utilitarian. I wear a lot of baggy pants. Im just like everyone else, honestly. I like an oversized tee with khakis or chinos. I like distressed pants. I would describe my style as preppy casual.

Youve made clothes for a bunch of indie musicians. What new music are you into these days?

I love indie pop and indie folk so much. Thats the music that makes me feel and think and relate to them during the hard times. My biggest dream was to make stuff for indie musicians that feels cool and whose work Im passionate about.

And youre a big Taylor Swift fan, too. Do you have any favorite songs of hers that you keep coming back to?

Theres one song thats straight-up called Dress. It feels like a poppy kind of ballad. Its kind of medium-tonesuch a good song.

Who would you say is your absolute white whale that you would love to dress in the future?

I love how random the internet is and my life is, and I love how random working with people is and how unexpected everything is. I would kill to do something with Martha Stewart. It would make no sense, but make perfect sense at the same time.

What do you think she would even ask for?

I have no clue. She is such a simple dresser. It seems like she prioritizes comfort and wearing cool things that are comfortable. So probably some button-down that turns into something super gathered and large. If we were going to do a gown, maybe it could be something with a lot of cool tiers spilling out, sort of like frosting on a cake.

Whats your favorite piece that youve ever designed?

The dress inspired by a flower that I just made for Ella Emhoff. I met her through someone else who I have a good friendship with. She told me, I want to work with an independent designer and it seems like youre flexible and open to a mutual design. She wanted to do something different and unique and something that fell in line with our generation and felt attainable and relatable. And I was like, Girl, hell yeah. You just say the word, Ill do whatever you want.

And that worked out really, really nicely. She could have picked someone else. Its another creative person trusting my judgment and trusting that I can execute on it. If you see what Ive made a year ago, Ive come such a long way in terms of ability, so this was a really good test.

On TikTok, you talk a lot about your mixed-race heritage. What do you hope that people take away from that content?

Im half Japanese, so Im technically white-passing, but Im from a predominantly white town and growing up, we were pretty much the only Asian family there. Definitely up until I transferred schools at a certain point, I was made to feel super different. I was pretty much mute up until the ninth grade, and I only became more outgoing once I went to college and started acting. I know what its like to feel not very welcome. Watching peoples perspectives on me change based on things that I dont think are important has affected how much I want what I do to feel relatable, as opposed to being too cool or unattainable.

Whats next for you?

I plan on starting a brand in the springa small brand. To have a compass for where youre going is the hardest part in the beginning. 've gotten a lot of really great advice. Its definitely gonna be dresses and skirts and cute knits, were still fleshing it out. It will be in line with what Ive been doing, but at the same time, what I do with the dresses is so specific to each person. Its a totally different vibe every time. I want [the brand] to be super accessible and authentic in the sense that every time we sell clothing or do a pop-up, I want to be there. I want to raffle off fittings and raffle off a custom dress to someone who really wants to buy it.

What are your reference points for the brand?

Its pretty reflective of my background. My dads French and my moms Japanese. Going to Japan a lot growing up and over the last couple years, I got to see what kind of style people have there and really intersect it with what Ive seen from my dads side, because my dad has always dressed in a super French, bohemian style. He wears tattered overalls with a button-down and a tie under it because he thinks it's funny. Its always been inspiring to see him wear a very casual Parisian style of dressing. My mom, on the other hand, has always taken me around Japan and showed me cool stores and vintage shops. The brand vision is blend that mixed background and make it feel like a walk in the park, except the park is in New York and Tokyo.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Marshals Arrest Murder Suspect Who Fell Through Ceiling 1

Authorities were searching for a man suspected of murder and found him when he came crashing down through the ceiling of a Tennessee home, according to officials.

On Monday, the U.S. Marshals Service, USMS, arrested Deario Wilkerson, 20, who was suspected of shooting and killing a victim who was found dead on April 2 in Memphis, Tennessee, according to a press release from the U.S. Marshals Service.

On May 9, police issued a warrant for Wilkerson's arrest for first-degree murder and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon. The case was being investigated by the U.S. Marshals Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force, TRVFTF.

Wilkerson also had several other warrants under his name when he was arrested, Richard Otto, a deputy U.S. marshal with the Western District of Tennessee, told USA TODAY in an email.

'Tumble-ready hideout': Man wanted in Florida shooting found by police folded in dryer

Attempting to hide

Marshals Arrest Murder Suspect Who Fell Through Ceiling 2

On Monday, the TRVFTF tracked Wilkerson to a Memphis home. With the assistance of the Shelby County Sheriffs Office and Memphis Police Departments Fugitive Apprehension Teams, deputy marshals surrounded the area.

The residence is where one of Wilkerson's family members was staying, said Otto.

Wilkerson attempted to hide in the attic as USMS searched the residence when he fell through the ceiling. He was unharmed in the fall and was taken into custody.

Murder suspect arrested, charged after falling through ceiling

Wilkerson was charged with the following, according to Otto:

First Degree Murder

Reckless Endangerment with a Deadly Weapon

Tampering with/Fabricating Evidence

Reckless Driving

Burglary of a Vehicle

Theft of a Firearm

Evading Arrest

Intentionally Evading Arrest in Automobile

Leaving the Scene of an Accident

2 counts of Theft of Property 10K-60K out of Shelby County, Tennessee

Otto said he does not know when Wilkerson will appear in court.

Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered various topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown, Miami, to tech and pop culture. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Memphis man suspected of murder arrested after he fell through ceiling
Israels military carried out raids and airstrikes in multiple parts of the occupied West Bank early Wednesday, killing at least 11 Palestinians in an offensive Israel says is its most expansive in years.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed it had launched a large counter-terror operation overnight with the I srael Security Agency (ISA) in the areas of Jenin and Tulkarem in the north of the West Bank.

Early indications showed a significant, combined Israeli operation, involving drones and bulldozers, military and security forces, four battalions of the Israel Border Police, and an elite unit of undercover troops.

Video obtained by CNN showed bulldozers tearing up a street in a built up area of Tulkarem, and also moving in convoy through Jenin. Additional footage released by Israels military showed what it said was a strike on a militant operations room in Nur Shams, a refugee camp near Tulkarem.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said the operation had been staged to thwart Islamic-Iranian terrorist infrastructure, claiming that Iran was working to establish an eastern front against Israel.

We must deal with the threat just as we deal with the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza, including the temporary evacuation of Palestinian residents and whatever steps are required, he wrote on social media. This is a war for all terms and purposes and we must win it.

The operation comes as Israel steps up its military operations in the West Bank, where clashes have become more frequent since Israel began its war in Gaza in response to Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7.

The IDFs international spokesperson, Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, said in a briefing that Israel had identified a systematic strategy in Iran of smuggling weapons and explosives into the West Bank.

Specifically, about Jenin and Tulkarm, weve seen over 150 shooting and explosive attacks originated from these areas alone over the past year, Shoshani said on Wednesday.

The Palestinian Authoritys foreign ministry condemned the violation and crimes by Israel, especially the ongoing war of genocide in the Gaza Strip and the targeting of the northern West Bank.

Palestinian deaths were reported in the towns of Tubas and Jenin, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS). Later, the Ministry of Health said a Palestinian had been killed by gunfire in the town of Kafr Dan in Jenin district. The death toll rose to at least 11, according the latest statement from the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

At least two of those killed in Jenin were as a result of Israeli military fire and three others were killed in a drone strike on a vehicle on the outskirts of Jenin, according to the PRCS. It added that one person was critically injured in the strike.

On Wednesday, the United Nations chief called on Israel to immediately cease its military operation in the West Bank.

The Israeli action was fueling an already explosive situation in the occupied West Bank and further undermining the Palestinian Authority, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, according to a statement by his spokesperson.

Only an end to the occupation and a return to a meaningful political process that will establish a two-state solution will bring a end to the violence, Guterres posted on X.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on X that Israels operation must not constitute the premises of a war extension from Gaza, including full-scale destruction.

The Israeli foreign ministers comparison of the operation with Gaza, particularly regarding the evacuation of Palestinians, threatens to fuel further instability, he said.

Israeli soldiers walk down a street during a raid in the al-Faraa camp for Palestinian refugees near Tubas city in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday. - Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images

Medical facilities besieged

The Palestinian Ministry of Health warned that the Israeli militarys operation has impacted hospitals with reports that Israeli forces have besieged several medical facilities in Jenin and obstructed the movement of ambulances.

In a statement, the ministry said Israeli forces blocked roads to Ibn Sina hospital with mounds of dirt, surrounded the government hospital in Jenin, and besieged the Red Crescent Society and the Patients Friends Society.

Dozens of patients are currently being treated in government, private, and charitable hospitals in Jenin, the ministry said, adding that the lives of patients and medical staff are under threat.

Mahmoud Al-Saadi, a spokesperson for the PRCS, told CNN that the Israeli military was limiting the movement of ambulances and that getting to hospital in Jenin is difficult.

Video obtained by CNN showed Israeli military vehicles at the entrance of the Jenin Government Hospital, appearing to obstruct an entrance, and surrounding the Ibn Sina hospital in Jenin.

IDF spokesperson Shoshani said troops have no plan to seize or capture the hospital in Jenin, but have stationed troops to prevent terrorists from seeking shelter and operating from there. Were trying to prevent the hospitals from becoming a war zone, he said.

Director of Jenin Government Hospital, Wissam Bakr, told CNN earlier on Wednesday that three Israeli military vehicles (were) at the entrance of the hospital and that the Governor of Jenin had been informed of Israeli troops intention to to storm the Jenin Government hospital.

General mobilization

The Islamic Jihad militant group condemned the Israeli militarys comprehensive aggression on areas of the occupied West Bank, referring to it as an open and undeclared war.

In a separate statement, the groups military wing, the Al-Quds Brigades, said it targeted and shot down an Israeli drone near Jenin. The group said its fighters are targeting Israeli forces with heavy volleys of direct bullets.

CNN has not been able to verify the claim by Al-Quds Brigade.

CCTV footage obtained from social media show Israeli military vehicles traveling along a road in Jenin on Wednesday. - Social Media/Reuters

Meanwhile, Hamas called for a general mobilization against the occupation and its settlers everywhere on our occupied land. The group said the Israeli operation was extensive and accused the Israeli military of deliberate destruction of infrastructure using large military forces accompanied by aerial bombardment from drones and warplanes.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since seizing the territory from Jordan in 1967. In the decades since, it has expanded Jewish settlements in the West Bank, considered illegal under international law, despite signing a series of peace agreements with the Palestinians in the 1990s.

The Palestinian health ministry reported on Tuesday that 652 Palestinians, including 150 children, have been killed in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem since October 7, with over 5,400 others injured.

Israel condemns terror attack by settlers

As well as raids by the Israeli military, armed Jewish settlers have also launched frequent attacks on Palestinian towns. On August 15, more than 70 armed settlers attacked the village of Jit, firing live bullets at residents and setting several homes, cars, and other property on fire, according to the head of the village council, Nasser Sedda.

One resident told CNN he had seen some 30 settlers  armed and dressed in black  jumping over the fence to his house, breaking windows and throwing Molotov cocktails inside.

Top Israeli officials, including from the IDF, have condemned the attack on Jit. One Palestinian was killed by gunfire and another injured in the attack, according to the IDF  which says it is investigating the death with the Israel Securities Authority.

This is a very serious terror incident in which Israelis set out to deliberately harm the residents of the town of Jit, and we failed by not succeeding to arrive earlier to protect them, the IDF Central Command Commanding Officer MG Avi Blut said in a statement Wednesday.

Three adults have been detained under an administrative order and additional arrests are planned, the statement added. Two rapid response team members have also been dismissed and their weapons have been confiscated because they were at the scene without authorization, dressed in uniform, and acted contrary to the authority defined for the members of the rapid response team, the statement said.

The Israeli army said the investigation into the incident is still ongoing, and it will not be closed until we bring the perpetrators to justice.

In a landmark advisory opinion in July, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UNs top court, said the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories is illegal and that it should end its unlawful presence there as rapidly as possible.

This story has been updated with additional information.

CNNs Alex Stambaugh, Pauline Lockwood, Lizzy Yee and Edward Szekeres contributed reporting.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
The Nebraska Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in a case that could upend voting rights for tens of thousands of people convicted of felonies in the state and threaten a law thats been on the books for nearly two decades.

The court hearing over the constitutionality of two laws restoring voting rights for felons in the state was frequently steeped in legal minutiae  with debates between the attorneys and the seven-justice court over the text of 1800s-era state statutes and the breadth and authority of the powers of the states pardon board. But the decision in the case could have far-reaching implications for thousands of would-be voters in Nebraska and beyond with the 2024 presidential election less than 70 days away.

While Nebraska votes reliably Republican in state and federal elections, its one of two states that allocates electoral votes by individual congressional districts. And Nebraskas Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District is competitive: President Joe Biden won the district in 2020 by about 22,000 votes, while former President Donald Trump won it by just over 6,500 votes in 2016.

In April, the state legislature, which is controlled by Republicans, passed a bill, 38-6, restoring voting rights to felons after they completed their prison sentences. The statute expanded upon a 2005 state law that had restored voting rights to felons two years after their sentences had ended.

But last month, two days before the new law took effect, Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, a Republican, issued an advisory opinion that the 2024 law  as well as the 2005 law  were both unconstitutional, arguing that the power to restore voting rights to felons in Nebraska resided solely with the states board of pardons, not the legislature.

That prompted Republican Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen to tell county election officials to stop registering convicted felons who have not been pardoned.

In response, the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska sued on behalf of three individuals who had completed their prison sentences, asking the courts to compel Evnen to comply with the law.

Voting rules for felons vary state-by-state, but most states provide those convicted of felonies a path to voting rights after they complete their sentences. Over the past three decades, voting rights for felons have been expanded in more than two-dozen states, including Nebraska, according to the Sentencing Project. More than 70,000 people convicted of felonies had their voting rights restored in Nebraska as a result of the 2005 law, according to the ACLUs written brief.

Across the country, there is bipartisan support for restoring the voting rights of people convicted of felonies. But the Nebraska case is the latest example of Republican politicians seeking to undermine such measures, resulting in high stakes legal battles.

Ironically, Trump has benefited from the push to restore franchise for felons, as he will be able to cast a ballot in Florida this fall because of a relatively recent New York law that made it easier for people with felony convictions to regain their voting rights.

At Wednesdays oral arguments, ACLU attorney Jane Seu argued that the court should compel the secretary of state to comply with the law passed by the legislature. Seus argument focused on both the constitutional question that the legislature has the power to pass laws restoring voting rights and also the fact that the secretary of state and attorney general unilaterally declared the law unconstitutional, arguing that question should be decided by the judicial branch.

The secretary here made a unilateral determination on his own to declare our statutes unconstitutional, Seu said. The court should correct this overreach.

Nebraska Solicitor General Eric Hamilton later responded that there was precedent in the state for executive officials not to enforce statutes that are unconstitutional.

My client has always recognized that this has to be decided by the courts, but certainly in recent decades, the practice has been for officials to make a good-faith judgement that a statute is unconstitutional, Hamilton said.

After the bill passed the legislature, Republican Gov. Jim Pillen did not sign or veto it, allowing it to become law. But he issued a statement saying there were potential constitutional issues with the bill and asking the attorney general and secretary of state to promptly take such measures as are appropriate in light of the constitutional infirmities.

In July, Hilgers issued the advisory opinion that both laws were unconstitutional, throwing into doubt the voting rights of thousands of former felons who had registered to vote in the 19 years since the 2005 law was passed.

What separates felons who may show little intent to re-engage with civil society from those who have truly turned their lives around can be assessed only on an individualized basis. The Constitution vests the power to restore rights in the Board of Pardons, which does just this individualized review, Evnen and Hilgers wrote in a joint op-ed this week ahead of the court hearing.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
A San Diego police officer and the driver of another vehicle died when the driver crashed into the officer's car after a chase Monday night, police said.

A second officer who was in the same police vehicle was "fighting for his life" after they were stuck by the speeding car, Police Chief Scott Wahl said at a news conference Tuesday morning.

The wreck occurred after a police officer saw a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard and tried to perform a traffic stop, Wahl said.

The driver did not stop and sped away, leading to a brief pursuit before a supervisor called off the chase because of the dangerous speeds, Wahl said.

Two officers working together in one vehicle were responding to that fleeing suspect, Wahl told reporters Tuesday. And ultimately the suspect vehicle collided at a high rate of speed into the side of their vehicle.

Investigators at the scene in San Diego on Tuesday.

The officer who was killed was identified as 30-year-old Austin Machitar, a "San Diego kid" who had been with the police department for around 5 years, Wahl said.

"Austin was the kind of guy who you'd want on your team," Wahl said.

Machitar was a field training officer and last year had trained the officer who was critically injured, Zach Martinez, 27, Wahl said.

Martinez is a Navy reservist and EMT from Texas who has been with the police department for around 1 years. "We are optimistic that he's going to be OK, but he has a very long road to go," Wahl said.

Police have not publicly identified the dead driver of the suspect vehicle.

Wahl said that because of the emotions involved following the death and critical injury of the officers, the California Highway Patrol is being asked to conduct an independent investigation.

That will include a full reconstruction of exactly what happened, he said.

The fiery crash occurred at around 11:30 p.m. Monday, NBC San Diego reported. Video from the station showed a silver sedan with a destroyed and mangled front end.

Two other vehicles were also involved. Both of those drivers were OK and suffered no significant injuries, police said.

"I cant put into words the feelings that come at a time like this," Wahl said. "When we have police officers that are coming to work to make a difference, to help those in need, and they're putting their lives on the line for people that they dont even know  and last night we lost a good one."

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria called Machitar a hero and expressed his condolences to his family. He said the city would be there to support both the Machitar and the Martinez families.

I ask for San Diegans to pray for Zach, his family. His wounds are extremely grave, Gloria said.

Gov. Gavin Newsom also said the thoughts of him and his wife, Jennifer, are with the families and the police department.

He said the other car "broadsided" the officers vehicle.

"Jennifer and I are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Officer Machitar. His loved ones, friends and colleagues at the San Diego Police Department are in our hearts during this difficult time. Our thoughts are also with his fellow officer who was seriously injured," Newsom said in a statement.

CORRECTION (Aug. 27, 2024, 11:14 p.m. ET): A previous version of this article misstated Officer Zach Martinez's age. He is 27 years old, not 29.




Life-threatening heat spread across the eastern half of the U.S. this week, first hitting the Midwest, then the Northeast and now the South.

Chicago hit 99 degrees on Tuesday, breaking the city's daily record of 97 degrees. Some schools in the area closed early due to the weather.

On Wednesday, the heat moved east. Record highs were shattered in Washington, D,C., which reached 101 degrees, and Greenwood, Mississippi, which reached 103 degrees.

PHOTO: People rest their feet in a reflecting pool at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall, Aug. 28, 2024, in Washington. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

MORE: Melting permafrost releasing toxic mercury into the Arctic, scientists say

The final tennis major of the year, the U.S. Open, which is underway in New York City, operated under an "extreme weather policy," with stadium roofs partially closed and extended breaks for players.

The heat has now left the Midwest and Northeast.

PHOTO: Visitors walk around the fountain of the World War II Memorial, Aug. 28, 2024, in Washington. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

MORE: Office retreat gone awry: Worker rescued after allegedly left stranded on Colorado mountain by colleagues

On Thursday, the South is in the bulls-eye, with record highs possible in cities including Nashville, Tennessee; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Louisville, Kentucky.

The heat index -- what temperature it feels like with humidity -- is forecast to soar to 100 degrees in Washington, D.C., and Charleston, South Carolina; 102 degrees in Nashville; Richmond, Virginia; Birmingham, Alabama; and Charlotte, North Carolina; 103 in Raleigh and Charleston, West Virginia; and a scorching 105 in Jackson, Mississippi.

PHOTO: This heat index map shows heat advisories for Aug. 29, 2024. (ABC News)

Friday will bring one more day of record heat. By the weekend, cooler air will move in.

There are hundreds of deaths each year in the U.S. due to excessive heat, according to CDC WONDER, an online database, and scientists caution that the actual number of heat-related deaths is likely higher.

Last year marked the most heat-related deaths in the U.S. on record, according to JAMA, a peer-reviewed medical journal published by the American Medical Association.

Click here for tips on how to stay safe in the heat.

Summer scorcher: Dangerous heat moves to South after baking Northeast, Midwest originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Pavel Durov, the CEO and a co-founder of the news and messaging app Telegram, has been charged in France with enabling various forms of criminality in the app, French prosecutors said Wednesday.

One of the charges  complicity in administering an online platform permitting illicit transactions by an organized group  carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of 500,000 euros ($555,750), prosecutors said.

It is one of the few times the CEO of a major internet platform has been charged over allegations of criminal failure to moderate what users do on its platform.

In a statement Wednesday, the Paris prosecutors office said Telegram had almost completely failed to respond to its legal requests for user data in prosecuting cybercrime cases.

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in Barcelona, Spain, in 2016.

Prosecutors alleged numerous offenses in Wednesday's statement, including refusal to communicate with authorities, "complicity" in offenses related to child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, and implementing encrypted technology without proper declaration.

While Durov awaits trial, his bail is set at 5 million Euros ($5.6 million). He will be forbidden to leave France and will be required to report to the police twice a week, the release said.

Durov has been held in French custody since Saturday and was transferred to a French court for questioning Wednesday.

French prosecutors said Monday that Durov was detained as part of a larger investigation into an unnamed person that was opened last month. Prosecutors said the person was accused of complicity in various criminal activities, including the facilitation of the transfer of child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking.

Charges the prosecutors office cited seemed to refer specifically to Telegram, including failure to register the platforms encrypted messaging option with the government.

Telegram, under Durovs leadership, has been particularly reluctant to moderate content or cooperate with law enforcement or courts. Durov, born in the former Soviet Union, has presented himself as a free speech absolutist, and he moved Telegrams headquarters from Russia to the United Arab Emirates after, he said, the Kremlin demanded he turn over users data.

Durovs arrest has sparked outcry and speculation from some free speech advocates and high-profile members of the tech community, who have suggested that he was arrested in an effort to control or access communications on the platform.

French President Emmanuel Macron wrote Monday on X: The arrest of the head of Telegram on French territory took place in the context of a judicial inquiry in process. It was not in any way a political decision.

While Durovs approach has earned him praise from far-right and libertarian figures, it has frustrated child safety groups, which say that Telegram has become a central hub for child sexual abuse material and that it is the only major internet platform to be completely uncooperative in their attempts to curb that content.

A Telegram spokesperson told NBC News on Tuesday that Telegram uses a combination of moderators, artificial intelligence and user reports to remove public channels that host child sexual abuse material. Telegram publishes a daily report that claims it removes thousands of channels for child sexual abuse material a day.

But the sites terms of service say that there is no means for reporting illegal activity in private chats and that Telegram has never given any government any information about a user. That is a stark contrast from other major tech platforms, many of which issue regular reports detailing compliance with court orders and warrants from governments around the world.

Telegram did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Durovs indictment.
WASHINGTON  Members of former President Donald Trump's campaign staff had an altercation with a public affairs official at Arlington National Cemetery Monday during a wreath-laying ceremony.

Arlington National Cemetery  the country's biggest and most revered military burial ground  said in a statement that "an incident took place, and a report was filed." Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said a cemetery official "decided to physically block members of President Trump's team."

No charges have been filed, a police official told USA TODAY.

The cemetery's statement noted that federal law prohibits political campaign-related activities within Army National Cemeteries. Prohibited activities include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidates campaign."

"Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants," the statement adds.

The incident pitted Trump's campaign against administrators who maintain the dignity of some of the country's most hallowed ground, with his spokesman attacking the official in strikingly personal and derogatory language.

More: 'Furious': Veterans slam Trump team's altercation at Arlington National Cemetery

Citing an unnamed source with knowledge of the incident, NPR first reported that Trump's campaign was filming in an area of the cemetery where only cemetery officials are authorized to take photos or video. The area  known as Section 60  contains the graves of recent U.S. casualties.

"When the cemetery official tried to prevent Trump campaign staff from entering Section 60, campaign staff verbally abused and pushed the official aside, according to the source," NPR wrote.

A senior Defense Department official familiar with the incident at Arlington National Cemetery told USA TODAY it was a minor altercation.

Keeping up with Washington? Sign up for USA TODAY's On Politics newsletter.

In a statement to USA TODAY, Cheung said there was "no physical altercation as described and we are prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made."

He did not respond to a request for the footage.

"The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trump's team during a very solemn ceremony," Cheung added.

More: Donald Trump lays wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery amid tussle over veteran support

The Trump campaign did immediately respond to a question about which staffers were involved in the altercation, which comes shortly after Corey Lewandowski  who was fired as Trumps campaign manager in 2016  joined his 2024 campaign staff. Lewandowski was charged with battery at one point during the 2016 campaign for grabbing a reporter, but the charge was dropped.

Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery on the third anniversary of a 2021 attack that killed 13 U.S. service members in Afghanistan. The attack at Abbey Gate outside Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport occurred as the U.S. was withdrawing from the country after two decades of war.

Trump has pointed to the deaths to argue that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris mishandled the troop withdrawal.

The Trump campaign shared a statement on X from five family members of two soldiers who were killed at Abbey Gate. The statement thanks Trump for participating in the wreath laying ceremony, saying the president and his team conducted themselves with nothing but the utmost respect and dignity.

The family members said they gave approval for Trumps videographer and photographer to attend the event.

I can speak for myself and our family, and we absolutely welcomed and appreciated having video and photography there with us during the time we spent with President Trump! said Cheryl Juels, the aunt of slain soldier Nicole Gee, in a statement provided by the Trump campaign.

But the cemetery said the filming violated the law. "There's an actual federal law on the books saying it cannot be used political purposes," Fred Wellman, a 22-year Army combat veteran, said Wednesday. "The families put out a statement saying, 'Oh no, we authorized it.' They don't get that right. The families don't get the right to make decisions for the other people buried there."

The cemetery filed a complaint with the civilian police department at Joint Base-Meyer Henderson Hall, which has jurisdiction over the federal property.

An officer at the base who gave his name as Sgt. D. Jones told USA TODAY that he could not release details of the report, but said: we didnt do a police report, nobody was charged with this, this is just a report of incident.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump staff involved in altercation at veteran's cemetery, report says
The US on Wednesday announced sanctions against an Israeli organization, Hashomer Yosh, allegedly responsible for supporting settler violence in the West Bank against Palestinians, according to a State Department spokesperson.

After all 250 Palestinian residents of [West Bank village] Khirbet Zanuta were forced to leave in late January, Hashomer Yosh volunteers fenced off the village to prevent the residents from returning, said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller in a statement.

The US alleges the group also guarded the outposts of Israeli individuals previously sanctioned by the US.

The US also sanctioned an Israeli individual, Yitzhak Levi Filant, who allegedly led a group of armed settlers to set up roadblocks and conduct patrols to pursue and attack Palestinians in their lands and forcefully expel them from their lands in February.

The United States will continue to take action to promote accountability for those who commit and support extremist violence affecting the West Bank, Miller said.

In the announcement, Miller again called on Israels government to hold accountable those responsible for settler violence against civilians in the West Bank.

These sanctions are the latest in a wave from the US targeting Israel settler violence against Palestinians that has increased in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attack against Israel that triggered the outbreak of the war in Gaza.

The Palestinian health ministry reported on Tuesday that 652 Palestinians, including 150 children, have been killed in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem since October 7, with over 5,400 others injured.

Most recently, the Biden administration sanctioned an Israeli violent extremist organization, Lehava, three Israeli individuals and four outposts connected to violence against Palestinians in the West Bank in July.

President Joe Biden issued an executive order in February targeting violent West Bank settlers accused of directly perpetrating violence or intimidation.

The administration alleged the targeted individuals of initiating and leading a riot, setting buildings, fields and vehicles on fire and assaulting civilians and damaging property.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the time called the sanctions unnecessary.

Israel acts against all lawbreakers everywhere, so there is no room for exceptional measures in this regard, the prime ministers office said at the time, adding that the absolute majority of Israeli settlers in the West Bank are law-abiding citizens.

Prior to the order, in December, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a new policy restricting extremist Israeli settlers responsible for violence in the West Bank from obtaining visas to come to the US.

We will continue to seek accountability for all acts of violence against civilians in the West Bank, regardless of the perpetrator or the victim, Blinken said at the time.

The new round of sanctions comes as Israel has killed at least 10 Palestinians in what the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) called an expansive counterterrorism operation in the West Bank involving raids and airstrikes.

The Palestinian Authoritys foreign ministry condemned the violation and crimes by Israel, especially the ongoing war of genocide in the Gaza Strip and the targeting of the northern West Bank.

Hamas has called for a return to suicide bombings against Israeli military operations in the West Bank and Gaza.

Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which have expanded for decades, are considered illegal under international law.

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This Southwestern gem is just one of the Kelly Clarkson Home rugs on sale at the retailer's big Labor Day sale. (Wayfair)

Kelly Clarkson's claim to fame is her epic win on American Idol which vaulted her into pop stardom. Since then, she's been a judge on The Voice and the host of her very own talk show. In addition to becoming a TV personality, did you know the diva has also curated a home collection for Wayfair? Even better, the line  including a slew of chic rugs for every room of your home  is discounted up to 80% during Wayfair's Labor Day sale.

Inspired by her own decor, Kelly Clarkson's sense of style runs the gamut, from florally country French to rustic mid-western, but it's all a little bit distressed for a vintage vibe. Below, my interior designer's eye has curated some of my favorite picks from her rug collection for the upcoming fall season. Make sure you use a rug pad, like this one, to protect your investment and your floors. A variety of styles, colors and sizes await you, so check out the gems below and grab them before these discounts disappear.

Wayfair Kelly Clarkson Home Cheryl Flatweave Geometric Rug, 2' x 3' $22 $100 Save $78 Use this neutral style print as a doormat in the 2' x 3' size. Consider the bathroom, the sides of your bed or any other small space that can use some zhuzh-ing up. Geometric and highly textured, this handwoven wool blend works with a multitude of styles, from boho to farmhouse. The price is right, too, at over 75% off. "This rug is so beautiful in person. Very soft and the pattern is gorgeous. The diamonds stick out to give a textural appeal to it. It lays flat and so far minimal shedding," wrote a Wayfair shopper. $22 at Wayfair

Wayfair Kelly Clarkson Home Soprano Flatweave Solid Color Rug, 5' x 8' $97 $465 Save $368 Save a noteworthy 80% on this 100% jute flatweave that boasts a natural organic aesthetic with a ton of tonal texture. The hand-knotted pattern will add interest to any space including your entryway, living room or sunroom. Throw a smaller, colorful rug on top for a layered look. It's stain-resistant, too. "This rug pulled together my guest room and made it super cozy and zen-feeling," wrote a fan. "Literally the best rug to layer a look," added another. $97 at Wayfair

Wayfair Kelly Clarkson Home Katherine Oriental Rug, 9' x 12'3" $119 $475 Save $356 Save a hefty 75% on this classic border-style rug that's part of the Kelly Clarkson Home collection. The neutral greys blend with most decor, as does the detailed patterning. The poly fibers make this a worry-free purchase  and so does the deep discount. Reviewers note how versatile the rug is, working in many different rooms. "Looks gorgeous in my master bedroom. I have received many compliments on it," said one. Added another: "Fabulous design! Fits perfectly in my family room. Soft on the feet." $119 at Wayfair

Wayfair Kelly Clarkson Home Baylee Rug, 6'7" x 9'6" $135 $326 Save $191 Trust me: This rich, color-popping Turkish rug in a medallion pattern will wow you every time you enter the room it calls home. A low 1-inch pile keeps it plush while not impeding the swing of doors. It comes in multiple sizes, with the 6'7" x 9'6" currently 60% off. "My kitchen, dining room and den flow together, and this rug ties in all of the colors. Its soft and bright and makes me happy," said a thrilled homeowner. $135 at Wayfair

Wayfair Kelly Clarkson Home Mickey Flatweave Southwestern Rug, 5' x 8' $146 $180 Save $34 Inspired by the Southwest, the rustic neutrals and native pattern on this rug make a true statement. It's handmade from 100% jute in a flatweave technique and has a backing, I'm particularly drawn to this style in a runner size  try it an office or entryway for under $150. "We bought this runner for our kitchen and we are absolutely in love!" raved a fan. "This is very well made for the price. ... The color variation gives it a southwestern 'worn' look while also hiding stains. I had to stop myself from buying one for every room." $146 at Wayfair

Wayfair Kelly Clarkson Home Alfonso Oriental Rug, 8'6" x 11'6" $216 $1,279 Save $1,063 An oriental-style rug is classic and timeless and I'm just loving the cool blue tones here. This poly option is a workhorse, standing up to high-traffic areas and stains, while the distressed appearance evokes an antique look. Save over 80% on this beauty during Wayfair's Labor Day sale. Nearly 2,500 shoppers give this statement piece five stars. Said one: "We wear shoes inside and, even though its light in color, it doesnt show dirt. It made the move to a new house with me and Im very pleased with how its holding up." $216 at Wayfair
According to a well-worn anecdote, Johannes Brahms was heard to say: Ill never write a symphony, you have no idea what it feels like to hear the footsteps of a giant behind one  the giant being Beethoven. And Brahms was all of 43 years old when he finished his First Symphony, whose finale alludes to Beethovens Ninth. If Brahms in fact felt intimidated by his mighty precursors, he was assuredly fortified as well: there would be no Brahms symphonies, as we know them, without the forebears he knew and studied.

In the case of Leonard Bernstein  the topic of a previous blog and NPR feature  the weight of the past was a constant topic. It imposed expectations and Olympian standards. But mainly Bernstein worried that cultural memory was a resource that risked being squandered or diminished over the course of the twentieth century. And I believe Bernsteins anxiety was all too prophetic.

Scripting my NPR show, I returned to Bernsteins 1973 Norton Lectures, and differently reacted to his discomfort with the course of music in his time. He was a musician whose purview was always unusually broad. Not only because it embraced a variety of genres, but because  as a diehard pedagogue  his explorations of past achievement fed never-ending questions and concerns about the fate and purpose of the arts. His discomfort with the state of music once seemed to me anachronistic. I would now call it courageous.

Another discovery I made, scanning the web, was a one-hour interview with Bernstein about conductors he had known. He expressed pride that all these conductors were my friends. In relation to his contemporaries, he was typically inquisitive and acquisitive. He studied  simultaneously  with Serge Koussevitzky and Fritz Reiner, who had virtually nothing in common as technicians or interpreters. He was also influenced by Dmitri Mitropoulos, who was remote from Koussevitzky and Reiner both. And, in the interview (with Paul Hume), one learns that he valued his personal relationships with Arturo Toscanini, George Szell, and Karl Bohm. Bernstein was famously eclectic  and this is nothing if not an eclectic list.

But the most riveting moment in the interview, by far, is a story about Wilhelm Furtwangler. (Go to 35:00.) In the late forties, Bernstein conducted a Mahler symphony at the Concertgebouw, in Amsterdam. He arrived to discover that, the night before his concert, Furtwangler would lead Brahms First with the Concertgebouw Orchestra. It was Bernsteins first (and only) opportunity to hear Furtwangler in concert  he had to go. But his European manager told him this was out of the question. The hall would be picketed by demonstrators denouncing Furtwangler as a Nazi (which he was not). And Bernstein, being Jewish, would attract attention.

Bernstein managed to enter the hall via backstage and sit in a stage box unobserved. Id never seen anything like it, Id never heard anything like it, he remembers. I was in tears. I thought, Ive got to go back to meet him. But I was told  you cant do that. It would be embarrassing for him; it would be embarrassing for you.

Many years later, Furtwanglers secretary mailed Bernstein a page from his diary. It said: Tonight I heard the greatest conductor in the world, and I was prevented from meeting him. Furtwangler had done the same thing. He had been in that same stage box for my concert. And he asked to go backstage to meet me. We were not allowed to shake hands with one another on two successive nights because of public opinion.

(Of my older blogs, the ones dealing with Furtwangler continue to be accessed, the most popular being Furtwangler in Wartime.)

Among the responses to my first Bernstein blog, one in particular, from a horn player, bears pondering. It reads:

Western Culture has been demonized by the Social Justice Bolsheviks as irredeemably racist and genocidal. Our contemporary St. Justs and Robespierres do not feel the need to learn about Tradition, because they have identified it as a mere catalogue of injustice and oppression. Young people are being robbed of their own heritage; this fall at UNC Chapel Hill the music history requirement for students has been done away with, after being taught for generations. Its time for sincere artists to speak up for the integrity of Western Culture without fear; as Heather MacDonald pointed out in her City Journal article (https://www.city-journal.org/article/classical-musics-suicide-pact-part-1) the vast majority of arts leaders and educators have remained shamefully silent in the face of this decay and disintegration. Bernstein would have boldly spoken out, cigarette lit, whiskey in hand. Bless him and his crazy genius, and may his memory inspire American artists to feel the fear and do it anyway.

Your Bernstein article, and the comments of Thomas Hampson in particular, hit me hard with a feeling that we are losing ground as human beings through the calamitous failure of American cultural memory. I spent two years with Michael Tilson Thomas at the New World Symphony, and through him I perceived the tremendous artistic power that Bernstein wielded; a kind of uncompromising sincerity and commitment to the beauty of music. Understanding the incredible musical vitality of post World War II America is impossible without including Lenny  the idea that his legacy might be ignored through basic ignorance is horrible to contemplate.'

As I have repeatedly observed, Bernsteins tenacious advocacy of Dmitri Shostakovich, in the midst of Cold War propaganda portraying Shostakovich as a Soviet stooge (not to mention Western cultural propaganda espousing 12-tone orthodoxy), says a lot. We do not much encounter this kind of fearlessness today. Have a look at our political arena. A conductor of my acquaintance adds:

One sure way to stay unemployed as a conductor is to get known for your political views. 

To read my previous blog on Bernstein and the FBI, click here.
Today's news: Israel launches massive overnight offensive in the Jenin area of the West Bank; New tensions between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea, Sabina Shoal disputed; Japan issues an emergency warning in anticipation of the powerful typhoon Shanshan; Kim Jong Un oversees the testing of a rocket launcher that can strike Seoul.

INDIA

Police in the city of Kolkata dispersed thousands of protesters who continue to demand justice in the case of the rape and murder of a female trainee doctor. The discovery on 9 August of the 31-year-old's body sparked national outrage over the issue of violence against women. While investigations are still continuing, protesters are also demanding the resignation of the head of the local government, Mamata Banerjee.

ISRAEL - PALESTINE

Israel launched a wide-ranging military offensive in the West Bank: Israeli raids hit Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas, with accusations of the military opening fire resulting in 11 deaths. In Tubas, Israeli troops arrived with military helicopters and conducted the assault, particularly in the Far'a refugee camp. According to some witnesses, it is the largest incursion in recent years.

PHILIPPINES - CHINA

The tension in the South China Sea dispute between China and the Philippines has risen again. The situation escalated last week when ships from Beijing and Manila clashed near the Sabina Shoal, both accusing the other side of deliberately ramming them. The shoal is claimed by China as Xianbin Jiao and by the Philippines as Escoda Shoal.

JAPAN

Japan issued an emergency warning as powerful typhoon Shanshan approached the southwestern region with heavy rain and winds. Airlines and train operators also cancelled some services in the coming days as the typhoon, classified as very strong, brought winds of 50 metres per second with gusts up to 70 metres per second (252 km per hour).

NORTH KOREA

More war tests in North Korea: leader Kim Jong Un supervised the testing of a 240mm multiple rocket launcher with a new guidance system, a weapon capable of striking the South Korean capital. Separately, a South Korean security agency estimates that the North has shipped more than 13,000 containers of weapons to Russia since mid-2022, which could mean 6 million North Korean artillery shells for Russian forces in Ukraine, a South Korean politician said.

RUSSIA

A 97-member group of the Medical Association of Russia has sent a request to the Federal Investigative Committee to open a criminal investigation into the perpetrators of the

death of the dissident politician Aleksej Naval'nyj, which evidently occurred as a result of the failures of the prison authorities collaborators to perform their duties of care'.

KAZAKHSTAN

Kazakhstan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs published new accreditation rules for foreign media correspondents, which are due to come into force on 3 September,

contested by journalists at home and abroad for the arbitrariness that would allow the ministry to suspend their licence for disagreement with published material, old Soviet practices.
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In its readout of the call, the Kremlin said two men spoke about the preparation of the Azerbaijani-Armenian peace treaty, delimitation and demarcation of the border and unblocking of transport communications between the two states.

In this regard, the Russian side confirmed its readiness to continue to provide all possible assistance to Baku and Yerevan in developing appropriate mutually acceptable solutions, it added without elaborating.

Putin first made the offer when he met with Aliyev in Baku on August 19. He discussed it with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian by phone four days later.

Pashinians reaction to it is still not known. Yerevan essentially rejected similar Russian initiatives earlier this year amid its mounting tensions with Moscow.

According to the Azerbaijani government-linked news agency APA, Putin and Aliyev on Wednesday exchanged views on a land corridor that would connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave through Armenias strategic Syunik region.

A Russian-brokered ceasefire that stopped the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh commits Armenia to guarantee the security of transport links between Nakhichevan and the rest of Azerbaijan. It also stipulates that Russian border guards will control the movement of people, vehicles and goods through Syunik.

Speaking to Russian state television during Putins trip to Baku, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Yerevan of sabotaging those agreements. The Armenian Foreign Ministry hit back at Lavrov, saying that he cannot fail to see that there is not a single key point of that [2020 ceasefire] statement that has not been irrevocably violated.

The ministry seemed to allude to Russias failure to prevent or thwart Azerbaijans September 2023 military operation that restored Azerbaijani control over Karabakh and displaced its ethnic Armenian population. Also, Russian peacekeepers deployed in Karabakh did not intervene after Baku blocked in November 2022 the Lachin corridor connecting the region to Armenia.

Many in Armenia feel that the Azerbaijani offensive and the resulting exodus of the Karabakh Armenians effectively invalidated the truce accord and subsequent Russian-Armenian-Azerbaijani agreements.

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, insisted on Wednesday that those agreements remain the only viable framework for a comprehensive resolution of the conflict.

Attempts to question them are extremely dangerous and could create a vacuum of mutual obligations between the parties in the context of their still unsettled bilateral relations, Zakharova said in an apparent warning to Yerevan.
28 August 2024 21:13 (UTC+04:00)

The armed forces of Armenia again fired at the positions of the Azerbaijani army in the direction of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

Azernews reports, citing Azeraijan's Defense Ministry that on August 28, at 6:30 p.m., the units of the Armenian armed forces opened fire on the positions of the Azerbaijani Army in the direction of the Shada settlement of the Shahbuz district of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic from their positions located in the direction of the Sultanbey settlement of Pashali district.

Azerbaijan Army took retaliatory measures in the mentioned direction.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
28 August 2024 08:30 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

In recent years, Azerbaijan has placed significant emphasis on strengthening its ties with Central Asian nations, with Uzbekistan being a pivotal partner in this strategic endeavor. As two of the largest and most dynamically advancing countries in Central Asia, the relationship between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan has grown considerably, reflecting a deepening partnership.

A recent milestone in this evolving relationship was marked by the state visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Uzbekistan on August 22-23. This visit not only highlights the progress made in bilateral cooperation but also paves the way for a new phase in their mutual engagement. By focusing on trade, investment, and strategic alliances, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are reinforcing their commitment to fostering robust ties within the Turkic world, thereby setting the stage for a historic enhancement of their long-standing friendship.

During this visit, the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan signed the "Agreement on Alliance Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Uzbekistan." This agreement marks the commencement of a new phase in enhancing bilateral relations. Additionally, agreements between SOCAR and Uzbekneftgaz will further advance cooperation in the energy sector. The action plan for 2024-2026, which covers tourism, cultural cooperation, and agreements in the fields of education, science, justice, labor, trade, economy, and regional collaboration, is designed to drive result-oriented projects.

The business forum held in Tashkent saw the signing of numerous business contracts and significant agreements on joint ventures, trade, and investment projects across various sectors. These initiatives are expected to boost the targeted trade turnover between the two countries, enhance regional integration, and support the economic interests of both nations. Notably, the establishment of a new light industrial enterprise in Khankendi, recently liberated by Azerbaijan, exemplifies the fraternal support of the Uzbek people. Furthermore, Uzbekistan's active involvement in the reconstruction of liberated territories, including the construction of a secondary school in Fuzuli, underscores this support.

An event titled "Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan: New Perspectives of Mutually Beneficial Cooperation" was recently held in Baku to further bolster the bilateral relationship. During this event, it was decided to establish the Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan Expert Council. Sherzod Fayziyev, Deputy Director of the International Institute of Central Asia, highlighted Azerbaijan's leading role in the South Caucasus and remarked, "There is no doubt that the rapprochement between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan will benefit both the Central Asian region and the Caucasus." Fayziyev also expressed satisfaction with Azerbaijan's progress in building relationships with all Central Asian states, including Afghanistan and neighboring countries.

"Over the past 30 years of cooperation, we have witnessed substantial growth in trade, investment, and various other areas," he added.

Farhad Mammadov, Director of the South Caucasus Research Center, noted that Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are actively engaged in multilateral platforms.

"Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan extends to several multilateral platforms, including the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Non-Aligned Movement. This interaction has proven effective, and the efficient management of bilateral relations allows for decisions that address the interests of all member states within these organizations," he said.

Sanjar Valiyev, Director of the International Relations Information and Analysis Center of Uzbekistan, highlighted Azerbaijan's concerted efforts to establish itself as a key transport hub in the South Caucasus. He also noted the synergy between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan in harnessing their collective potential.

"At present, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, two of the largest states in Central Asia and the Caucasus, are merging their potential and pursuing ambitious objectives. Our ministries are implementing the most effective measures to address commercial and economic challenges. Designating 2025 as the 'Year of Economic Cooperation between Baku and Tashkent' represents a groundbreaking initiative," Valiyev stated.

He emphasized that many complex global processes are ongoing and that the existing level of cooperation between countries is inadequate to meet these challenges.

"Therefore, cooperation is of paramount importance. Our states advocate for resolving issues through diplomatic means as swiftly as possible," he added.

Rusif Huseynov, Co-Founder and Director of the Baku Analytical Center named after Topchubashov, underscored the broad opportunities that developing relations with Uzbekistan, a country with significant potential in Central Asia, will offer Azerbaijan.

Huseynov noted that Azerbaijan is concentrating on strengthening its ties with Turkic states.

"Azerbaijan aims not only to be a Caspian or Caucasian state but also to serve as a bridge to Central Asia. This is a clear message to Western countries," he remarked.

He further highlighted the significance of cultivating strong bilateral relations with allied states.

"In this context, the reciprocal visits of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan fortify the alliance," he added.

Significant progress has been made in Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan economic cooperation. Over the past five years, trade turnover between the two countries has increased threefold, with a 20% growth observed this year alone. Both nations are targeting a mutual trade volume of 1 billion US dollars. Key areas of cooperation include energy, textiles, agriculture, and urban development. The recent agreements to increase the capital of the Joint Investment Fund and the signing of the "Practical Action Plan for 2024-2025 on Expanding Trade-Economic and Investment Cooperation between the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Investments, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan" (known as the "Roadmap") are expected to facilitate large-scale projects.

Moreover, trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan continues to rise. In 2019, the turnover was 81.9 million dollars, and by 2022, it had reached 183.3 million dollars, reflecting an approximate increase of 124%. This growth has been significantly influenced by Uzbekistan's full membership in the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking States, formalized at its 7th Summit in Baku on October 15, 2019.

In the first half of 2024, the value of goods exported from Azerbaijan to Uzbekistan was 13.96 million US dollars, while imports amounted to 77.02 million US dollars. The substantial increase in imports primarily pertains to industrial products, equipment, automobiles, and construction materials. Exports mainly consist of agricultural products, oil and petrochemical products, and metal goods. This imbalance highlights the need for new trade strategies in the coming years to achieve a more balanced economic partnership.

The economic development policies of the presidents of both countries have proven effective. Such mutually beneficial cooperation not only drives economic development but also strengthens political influence. Collaborative efforts in energy, transport, and transit are poised to reinforce bilateral ties and yield significant economic benefits for both nations.

As Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan continue to forge ahead with ambitious goals and cooperative strategies, their relationship is poised to become a cornerstone of regional integration and economic prosperity. The collaborative efforts in addressing trade imbalances and implementing large-scale projects are expected to yield substantial benefits, reinforcing the strategic alliance and supporting the broader objectives of both countries. The mutual support demonstrated through joint ventures and infrastructural investments reflects a shared vision for a prosperous future, marking a new era of robust and mutually beneficial cooperation.

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28 August 2024 13:35 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has announced that the contract with Gazprom for the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine will not be renewed. He stated that this issue is resolved for Ukraine, but the country will continue to transit gas produced by other Russian exporters.

According to information published by Bloomberg, if an unexpected situation arises concerning gas transit, Europe's current gas reserves may not be sufficient for the winter season. Additionally, Europe's reserve of compressed gas is limited. This summer, imports of this type of gas to the region decreased by 15-20 percent because Asian countries secured it at more favorable prices.

The contract between Gazprom and Ukraine for natural gas transit expires at the end of this year. This raises the question: how will Europe meet its gas needs?

One solution could be Azerbaijan's gas exports, which bridge Europe and Asia. Azerbaijan transports gas to Europe through the Southern Gas Corridor. The Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), part of this corridor, now has a transmission capacity of 12 billion cubic meters per year. From January to June this year, Azerbaijan exported 6.4 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Europe, an increase of 0.7 billion cubic meters, or 12.3%, compared to the same period in 2023.

Overall, Azerbaijan's gas exports for the first half of the year totaled 12.7 billion cubic meters, marking a 6% increase from the previous year. During this period, Azerbaijan sold 5 billion cubic meters of gas to Turkiye and 1.3 billion cubic meters to Georgia, with exports to both countries remaining stable compared to last year.

Approximately 2.8 billion cubic meters of gas were transported to Turkiye via the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP), maintaining the same level as the previous year.

The TAP, completed in October 2020, stretches 878 kilometers, with 550 kilometers through northern Greece, 215 kilometers through Albania, 105 kilometers under the Adriatic Sea, and 8 kilometers in Italy. Azerbaijani gas began reaching consumers in Italy, Greece, and Bulgaria on December 31, 2020.

Natural gas from Azerbaijans Shah Deniz field is transported to Turkiye through the South Caucasus Pipeline (Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum) and TANAP. Commercial transportation to Turkiye via TANAP started on June 30, 2018.

Azerbaijan, with its rich energy resources, plans to significantly boost gas exports to Europe in the coming years. As a key player in the European energy market, Azerbaijan aims to enhance its role in the continent's energy security. By prioritizing natural gas exports and increasing the use of solar and wind energy for electricity production, Azerbaijan is strengthening its long-term economic ties with Europe. The "Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Partnership in the Field of Energy between the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan," signed last year, lays the foundation for robust cooperation in energy, addressing the EUs demand for natural gas and energy security.

In conclusion, as the contract between Ukraine and Gazprom for Russian gas transit nears expiration, Europe's energy landscape faces uncertainty. Azerbaijan emerges as a crucial player, significantly increasing its gas exports to Europe through the Southern Gas Corridor. With TAP and TANAP infrastructure in place, Azerbaijan not only bolsters Europes energy security but also strengthens its role as a key energy supplier. The countrys commitment to expanding gas exports and investing in renewable energy underscores its strategic importance in the European energy market. The recent Memorandum of Understanding between Azerbaijan and the European Union further solidifies this partnership, paving the way for enhanced cooperation and long-term energy stability for Europe.

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28 August 2024 19:33 (UTC+04:00)

Elnur Enveroglu Read more

In our world, both philosophical and psychological factors shed light on many dark issues. For example, a thief approaches the behavior of others from his perspective, or a murderer sees everyone as himself.

Over the centuries, Armenian diaspora organizations have become so specialized in the field of crime and subversion that they have begun to spread to all parts of the world and pose a serious threat. Armenian diaspora organizations, formed mainly as militarists, consider it normal to legalize joint cooperation even with terrorist groups. The core of the concept of diaspora is territorial claims, which exist everywhere Armenian society is spread.

There is another typical characteristic of Armenia: contempt for others...

It should be recalled that the Azerbaijan House was recently opened in the United States to promote Azerbaijaniism and teach Azerbaijani youths their native language abroad. Opened with the participation of the Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora, Fuad Muradov, the event stressed the importance of further promotion of our native language, history, and culture, and the involvement of youth in diaspora activity. After that event, a meeting with the Azerbaijani community was held in the American state of Virginia. At that meeting, Azerbaijan's diaspora policy and activities, as well as the steps taken in the direction of developing the relations of Azerbaijani compatriots with each other, were emphasized.

It is the moral right of every nation and state to raise the future generation in its own national spirit, regardless of location. However, looking at it wrongly means not being able to see fault in oneself. After 2020, some radical groups with the Armenian diaspora behind them, which could not hide their hysterics, have repeatedly demonstrated their aggression against diplomatic corpses, government buildings, and even civilians, whether in Lebanon, Canada or in American and European countries. Not being able to digest Armenia's humiliating defeat in the 44-day war pushed them to street marches and from there to hooliganism.

However, the Azerbaijani society, whose lands were occupied for more than 30 years, did not express such insulting statements anywhere in the world  neither to the diplomatic corpses defending Armenia nor even to the Armenian society. It means that patience is the beginning of culture. A precious asset, which, unfortunately, has never existed in Armenian society.

The Armenian media, which wanted to turn Azerbaijan's Youth Development Strategy into an object of discussion, made another mistake. It should be noted that "Youth policy" is included in the first article of the law of Azerbaijan, and it is derived from the values given by the state to youth in the whole country. Unlike Armenians, Azerbaijan never looked at children and youth with militaristic eyes, but rather as skilled specialists, builders, and geniuses of the future.

On August 1-7, 2024, the 5th Summer Camp of Diaspora Youth "Youth for Green World" organized jointly with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the State Committee on Work with Diaspora in the city of Lachin, which was freed from the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijan, did not miss the reaction of the Armenian lobby. With the participation of a total of 115 young people from 60 countries in the camp, including Azerbaijanis living abroad and representatives of other nations who have a friendly attitude towards Azerbaijan, the event gave an opportunity to the participants to explore the historical and cultural monuments of Lachin and Garabagh region of Azerbaijan.

What is the issue that irritates Armenians here?

The sick Armenian mentality, which sees young people's learning of its historical past as a defect, still perceives Azerbaijani territories as its own. Unfortunately, this incurable disease is passed from generation to generation in Armenian society. A society that denies the crimes of its murderous genealogy is still unaware of its homeland. The fact that such a society grows only in an aggressive and radical spirit stems from its historical roots. Only 106 years have passed since 1918, and considering the advantages of modern technology, this is not such a long history. When on September 15, 1918, the city of Baku was under attack by the Armenian Bolshevik Dashnaks, it was liberated by the units of Azerbaijan's heroic army. The army's victory in Goychay was a turning point in the war to liberate the eastern part of Azerbaijan, including Baku, from Bolshevik and Dashnak occupation.

Terrified by the fact that Azerbaijani youth learn the truth, the Armenian debilism is not satisfied with this, it even tries to deny the crimes committed in Garabagh in the 1990s. The sick mentality that distorts the names of Azerbaijani toponyms, regions, and cities denies the Armenian crimes committed in the formerly occupied territories and at the same time in the current Armenian territories, including Yerevan, where the Western Azerbaijani community once lived.

During the Soviet bolshevism, the representatives of the Armenian Dashnak party, which were mostly in the ruling circles, constantly prevented the youth of Azerbaijan from knowing the truth. Even those who wanted to learn and teach the truth faced persecution and repression.

Today, the youth of sovereign Azerbaijan, who are growing up in an independent spirit, scare Armenian mythmakers. Of course, unlike Armenians, we educate and nurture children and the young generation not with weapons, but with science and culture. Guns and violence are not tools for raising a humane and intelligent future, but for forming a violent and aggressive generation. Azerbaijan endured this for 30 years, but in the end, not weapons, but our science, culture, national values, and our youth, who will leave it as a legacy to future generations, won.

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28 August 2024 12:55 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

Muhammad Nasar Hayat, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) representative in Azerbaijan, highlighted the country's significant advancements in water resource management during the "Role of Water Management Systems in Climate-Resistant Agriculture" round table at COP29, Azernews reports.

Hayat praised the establishment of the Water Commission as a critical step by the Azerbaijani government. He emphasized that agriculture in Azerbaijan is not merely an economic sector but a vital aspect of life and livelihood for many communities. "With global water resources dwindling, this issue impacts numerous countries," Hayat noted.

It should be noted that by focusing on effective water management and adaptation strategies, Azerbaijan is not only safeguarding its agricultural future but also setting a precedent for other nations facing similar water scarcity issues. Through continued innovation and dedicated efforts, Azerbaijan aims to ensure a resilient and sustainable water future for its communities and ecosystems.

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28 August 2024 15:56 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

From January to July of this year, 9,600 Azerbaijani citizens traveled to Uzbekistan for tourism, Azernews reports citing the Statistics Agency of Uzbekistan.

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28 August 2024 23:30 (UTC+04:00)

By Alimat Aliyeva

The President of the Republic of Korea, Yun Seok-yel, called for a thorough investigation of sexual crimes in the digital space after media publications about the presence of deepfakes in the Telegram messenger, Azernews reports.

We are talking about the presence of explicit fake photos and videos of South Korean women, the agency said. The President stressed that the use of technology while relying on the protection of anonymity is a crime.

As noted by Reuters, the leader of the republic spoke about crimes in general on social networks without directly mentioning Telegram.

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28 August 2024 13:14 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

Salam International Youth Film Festival has kicked off in Baku, Azernews reports.

Organised by Narimanfilm Film Company, the festival was attended by about 600 schoolchildren from Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Pakistan, Ukraine, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Poland, Belgium, and the UK.

Founder and CEO, Honoured Cultural Worker Nariman Mammadov, established the festival in 2019 under the auspices of Narimanfilm Film Company, with PASHA Holding as the general sponsor.

The festival has grown significantly since its inception, which saw 300 youth participate in its first edition from September 2-5, 2019.

The inaugural event was a resounding success, featuring screenings, director and actor meet-and-greets, film discussions, and the showcasing of short videos made by teenagers.

Supported by the Azerbaijan Ministry of Education and Science and the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry, SALAM has carved a unique place in the cultural landscape, receiving positive reviews both locally and internationally.

At the opening ceremony, it was noted that the festival contributes to the formation of friendly ties between Azerbaijani youth and their peers from various countries, promoting Azerbaijani culture and educating the younger generation in line with global spiritual values.

This year's edition is expected to make a lasting impression on its participants and enliven Azerbaijans cultural scene.

The festival program and the list of participating films will be announced later, with updates available on the festivals website and social media.

The main goal of the festival is to cultivate artistic taste and a deep understanding of cinema among young people by showcasing high-quality professional films.

The organisers are optimistic that the festival will continue to foster cultural exchange and artistic appreciation among the youth.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, and Milli.Az.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

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28 August 2024 16:39 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

National Carpet Museum celebrates ten years since the inauguration of its stunning new building in Baku, Azernews reports.

To commemorate this remarkable anniversary, the museum held a special event titled "Ancient Art in Modern Space," organized in partnership with the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry.

The evening commenced with a video highlighting the concern of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, who unwaveringly supported the development of carpet weaving in the country.

Director of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum Amina Malikova and Advisor to the Culture Minister Jahangir Selimkhanov drew the attention to the significance of August 26.

It was underlined that August 26 marks the Day of the Lachin City, the birthday of the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan, ICESCO Goodwill Ambassador and President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva and the anniversary of the opening of the new museum building.

In their speeches, they emphasized the exceptional merits of the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva in preserving the national heritage and developing the museums of the country.

A large-scale project aimed at preserving, developing and passing on the art of carpet to future generations was implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture. The opening ceremony of the new unique building, the architectural feature of which was the shape of an unfolding carpet, took place on August 26, 2014.

In connection with the anniversary date, the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum was awarded an honorary diploma of the Culture Ministry for its services in preserving and popularizing examples of folk applied art, which are the bearers of the culture of the Azerbaijani people.

The guests were shown a fragment of the video project "A carpet for me is..." with the participation of cultural and artistic figures, in which they shared memories of the role of the carpet in their lives.

A specially invited guest - the author of the modern building of the museum, the outstanding Austrian architect Franz Janz spoke about the implementation of the project, which has become one of the symbols of Baku, shared his experience and impressions.

Currently, the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum is one of the most frequented cultural institutions in the country.

Founded in 1967, the National Carpet Museum holds more than 14,000 exhibits of the finest Azerbaijani carpets.

Initiated by eminent carpet artist Latif Karimov, the museum is beautiful inside and out.

The museum's new building is designed in the form of a rolled carpet. Now, the museum hosts multiple events, including international symposiums, conferences, and various exhibitions.

In 2019, the museum received national status for its significant contribution to promoting Azerbaijani carpet weaving art.

In 2020, the Carpet Museum enriched its collection with a beautiful pile of carpets purchased by the Culture Ministry at the Sartirana Textile Show in Italy.

The 19th-century Guba carpet "Ugakh" was donated to the Carpet Museum, while the Garabagh carpet "Chelebi" enriched the collection of the museum's Shusha branch.

For four years, the Carpet Museum won the Travellers' Choice Awards. The award proves once again that the professional activity of the National Carpet Museum is highly appreciated by visitors from all over the world.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
28 August 2024 17:20 (UTC+04:00)

Fatima Latifova Read more

The President of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), Muxtar Babayev, discussed cooperation issues with Australia's Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, Azernews reports, citing the post shared by COP29 on its official "X" account.

"We had a very productive meeting in Australia dedicated to discussing global efforts to combat climate change in the lead-up to and following COP29.

Important exchanges of views were held on renewable energy sources, emission reductions, and investments in environmentally friendly sectors. The significance of climate financing was also discussed, particularly in the context of COP29 in November. Financing plays a crucial role in keeping global warming at 1.5C and addressing the large-scale and urgent climate crisis," the post stated.

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28 August 2024 08:00 (UTC+04:00)

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has made sweeping changes by changing the heads of half of the government agencies. "Venezolana de Television" TV channel broadcasted information about this.

Maduro confirmed Delsy Rodriguez as vice president. In addition, he will be the head of the Ministry of Oil Industry.

Diosdado Cabello, the first deputy chairman of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela, the vice president for political independence, security, and peace, and the interior minister were appointed. In turn, the governor of the state of Miranda, Hector Rodriguez, will be the vice president for developing territorial socialism.

Pedro Telechea, the former head of State Oil Company PDVSA and Minneft, was the Minister of Industry and National Production. PDVSA will be headed by Hector Obregon, the current Vice President of the State Concern.

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28 August 2024 09:00 (UTC+04:00)

The former American leader and current presidential candidate Donald Trump has been accused again of attempts to interfere in the confirmation of the results of the US elections.

It was noted that the new opinion was prepared based on the decision of the Supreme Court of the country dated July 1. According to this, the ex-president has partial immunity from legal prosecution.

The special prosecutor insists that the politician should be prosecuted on the same charges as the ongoing trial.

Trump himself called the new indictment an attempt to interfere in the election and divert attention from the failures of the vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris.

At the same time, the former US leader called for the termination of all criminal and civil cases against him.

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28 August 2024 22:34 (UTC+04:00)

By Alimat Aliyeva

The Egyptian diplomatic mission in The Hague returned three ancient artifacts secretly exported from the country - a statuette of Ushabti, part of a painted sarcophagus decorated with a carved image of the goddess Isis, and the head of a late Egyptian mummy, Azernews reports.

The discovery and return of artifacts is part of the ongoing efforts of the Egyptian government to repatriate more than 30 thousand samples of cultural heritage that have been smuggled to different countries of the world since 2014.

Studies have shown that these artifacts were smuggled out of Egypt by illegal European businessmen at various times. Mohammed Ismail Khalid, Secretary General of the country's Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), said: "The return of these artifacts is an important step in cooperation between Egypt and the Netherlands in combating the illegal trade in cultural property and antiquities." According to him, these artifacts were found in an antique shop in The Hague and returned to Egypt after a joint investigation by the authorities of the two countries.

Meanwhile, Director General of the Department of Repatriation of Antiquities Shaban Abdel-Javad noted that among the artifacts are a blue ceramic statuette of Ushabti with inscriptions, part of a wooden coffin decorated with a carved image of the goddess Isis, and a mummy's head in good condition. It will be transferred to the Egyptian Historical Museum.

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Tuan Nguyen, MD, a physician in Oklahoma City, agreed to pay $165,000 to settle civil penalty claims that he issued invalid prescriptions for Schedule III controlled substances.

The Justice Department alleged Dr. Nguyen violated the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act by issuing prescriptions without being properly licensed, according to an Aug. 27 news release.

The U.S. alleges that from November 2022 to September 2023, Dr. Nguyen issued Schedule III controlled substances without the required certificate of registration from the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.

Dr. Nguyen did not admit liability, and the U.S. did not make any concessions about the legitimacy of the claims through the settlement, the release said.
Here are five of the many physicians on the cutting edge of gastroenterology:

If you would like to nominate a physician, please email pnewitt@beckershealthcare.com

Ashis Barad, MD.

Dr. Barad, a pediatric gastroenterologist, was named the first chief digital and transformation officer at New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery. Dr. Barad has more than 18 years of clinical and medtech experience. At HSS, he will lead technology and digital operations and partner with leaders to optimize care delivery.

Joseph Cassara, MD.

Dr. Cassara, chief medical officer of Louisville, Colo.-based Gastroenterology of the Rockies, was named as the groups' president of the board. Dr. Cassara has worked as a physician for over 20 years and over 16 years as a board-certified gastroenterologist focused on advanced therapeutics. He has championed healthcare solutions that prioritize patient-centered outcomes in digestive health.

Ronald Hsu, MD.

Dr. Hsu is the medical director at Sutter Roseville (Calif.) Endoscopy Center Gastroenterology and the Northern California governor of the American College of Gastroenterology. Dr. Hsu recently joined Becker's to discuss how he and Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health, which has recently established an ASC division and expanded across Northern California, now host quarterly GI best practices meetings.

"The purpose is for all of us to share the various best practices that each institution has in their own facility and to implement them at other locations to address concerns. It allows representatives to share their concerns and ask the other representatives for advice on how to address them," Dr. Hsu told Becker's.

Darrell Pardi, MD.

Dr. Pardi is the chair of Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic, which was named the best hospital for gastroenterology and GI surgery in 2024 by U.S. News & World Report. WIth more than 32 years of experience, Dr. Pardi has extensive expertise in pancreatic disease.

Gottumukkala Raju, MD.

Dr. Raju, an endoscopist and a professor of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition with University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, developed a standardized endoscopy technician program at the hospital. He helped create the 35-hour, evening curriculum course alongside an advisory group of physicians, nurses, endoscopy technicians, educators and other industry partners.
Cardiology leaders are familiar with the common challenges across healthcare with staffing, pay issues and patient access being among the most pressing. But recently leaders are highlighting other areas that are contributing to the complex network of challenges.

Staffing

It begins with a longstanding issue: There are fewer young people going into residency.

"It used to be that there were so many applicants you could cast a wide net and be confident that what you pulled in would be pretty good, and you didn't worry too much about it; But now, with a smaller pool, the same number of programs, and more selectivity on the part of trainees and junior faculty regarding what they want, things have changed," Leonard Girardi, MD, chair of the cardiothoracic surgery department at Weill Cornell Medicine and chief of cardiothoracic surgery NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City, told Becker's.

The issue is more concerning as experienced physicians retire. About 20% to 25% of all physicians are older than 60. At the current rate of replacement with respect to cardiology, for every two physicians retiring, systems are replacing only one, John Mignone, MD, PhD, medical director at Seattle-based Providence Swedish Heart & Vascular Institute, told Becker's.

"As the workforce ages, we have to navigate the transfer of knowledge between seasoned providers and providers entering the marketplace," Martina Schmidt, BSN, RN, director of the cardiovascular service line at the Norfolk, Va.-based Bon Secours Hampton Roads market, said.

And if that were not enough challenges around staffing, there is also the issue of burnout and pay.

"This situation coincides with many physicians being compensated based on fair market value, or fair market compensation, which is essentially a form of price fixing for salaries," Dr. Mignone said. "As a result, many physicians are experiencing burnout because they have been working so hard without a pay raise for over 15 years."

Technology

As staffing challenges abound, more systems are turning to technology to ease workloads and allow staff to work smarter.

"I've been involved in basic science for years at a leading research institution, so I've seen disruptive technologies throughout my career. AI seems to be the latest trend," Dr. Mignone said. "Adopting these advancements will be challenging, especially when most hospitals are financially struggling. Given the way American healthcare operates, with hospital-based and interest-based care, adopting new technology will be slow."

Xuanya "Bill" Zhang, senior director of operations for Providence Swedish Heart & Vascular Institute, told Becker's its system is testing ways for technologies to increase work and patient capacities with their limited staff levels, "but these solutions come with costs, effort and investment in implementation, and it will take time to refine their optimal use."

Part of what makes technology adaptation slow can be how divided data is.

"In cardiology alone, we have probably 10 different technology platforms managing patient data, imaging, monitoring and more," Mr. Zhang said. "These platforms are spread across various companies' databases  some are in Epic, some are connected to Epic  but there's no single-point solution. Our caregivers and physicians have to navigate multiple systems to access the data, and these systems don't necessarily communicate with each other."

He said one way to improve technology and staff experience using it is to effectively integrate data from all systems. But "this is another challenge we're facing right now."

Patient access

One aspect of the job makes the staff and technology challenges more pressing: patient demand.

"As baby boomers are aging, this also adds to the burden of disease and the need for additional access in the inpatient and outpatient cardiology fields," Ms. Schmidt said. "The greatest challenge we are currently facing in cardiology is access."

Shortages in other specialties

Patients are usually first seen by primary care providers before receiving specialized care such as cardiology, but like other specialties, primary care is facing staff shortages.

"The imbalance between primary care and subspecialty medicine continues to adversely affect patients," Mitchell Weinberg, MD, chair of the cardiology department at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City, told Becker's. "The shortage of primary care providers leaves patients to navigate a complex array of sub-specialists without an invaluable quarterback, creating confusion and inefficiency. We bolstered talent acquisition investments to grow the pool of general providers, but these efforts are only sluggishly repleting the ranks. This year (and I suspect for many years to come), we will be exploring a variety of new models and digital enablers to fill the gap."
A water-related issue has affected sterile processing operations at three Colorado hospitals, spurring the postponement of non-emergent surgeries.

Children's Hospital Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora is postponing non-emergent surgeries through at least Aug. 29, a spokesperson confirmed to Becker's. The hospital said it is responding to a "water-related issue" that has reduced sterile processing capacity.

"This decision was made to ensure we have the capacity to sterilize the instruments and equipment needed for urgent and emergency cases," Children's Hospital Colorado said in a statement. "We are assessing the need to postpone non-emergent surgeries for future dates."

Aurora Water, the city's water service agency, told The Denver Post that hospitals began contacting the agency Aug. 22 to report changes to their water. As of Aug. 27, city officials were still working to determine the cause of the issue, a spokesperson told the news outlet.

UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, also in Aurora, started experiencing a water-related issue that affected sterile processing capacity on Aug. 22, a spokesperson said in a statement to Becker's. Some elective procedures were postponed while the hospital worked to resolve the issue, a spokesperson said. The sterile processing department is now back to normal operations, and the hospital is working with affected patients to reschedule delayed procedures as quickly as possible.

The water issue is also disrupting procedures at Rocky Mountain VA Regional Medical Center, a spokesperson for the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System told Becker's.

The hospital "is limiting surgical and procedural cases to those performed with disposable instruments until safe sterilization can occur with the water supply," the VA said, adding it is working closely with the local utility company to determine the origin of the water issue.

More than 20 cases at Rocky Mountain Regional were postponed as of Aug. 27.
Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital is investing $162 million in 2025 to support greater integration with its university affiliate, USF Health.

"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," the two systems said in an Aug. 27 news release.

The investment marks a 160% increase from the amount Tampa General directed to USF Health about five years ago. The two systems have been affiliated since the USH Health Morsani College of Medicine was established more than 50 years ago.

The partnership has evolved over the years, with the two systems increasingly becoming more integrated in clinical care, teaching and research. Today, Tampa General and USF Health are among the nation's leading academic health systems. More than 700 residents train at Tampa General, with the hospital funding programs to support 344 USF residents and more than 70 training programs.

Every month, there are roughly 200 undergrad USF nursing students and over 300 ancillary students on Tampa General's campus gaining hands-on experience.

The TGH board of directors approved a revised affiliation agreement Aug. 6, which was approved Aug. 27 by the university's governance committee. The agreement is effective Oct. 1.

"As we continue to deepen our relationship with USF Health, together we are fundamentally transforming the healthcare landscape in Florida," said Drew Graham, chair of the board of directors at Tampa General. "We're attracting new talent, expanding our healthcare workforce, discovering new treatments and therapies and saving more lives."










Wanda Tatom has resigned from the board of Salem (Mo.) Memorial District Hospital, The Salem News reported.

The board accepted the resignation Aug. 27 without publicly providing a reason, according to the report.

Ms. Tatom was elected to represent District 3 on the hospital board. She was elected to the seat in 2022, when Dennis Fiebelman did not vie for reelection, according to The Salem News.

The newspaper also reported that the board on Aug. 27 elected the following officers:

Leigh Ann Price, chairman

Zach Moser, vice chairman

Karen Brown, secretary

The election marked the third reported realignment of the board since February, according to The Salem News.

Salem Memorial District Hospital is a 25-bed critical access facility.

Becker's has reached out to the hospital and will update the story if additional information becomes available.
A California hospital is facing pushback from a labor union as it moves forward with plans to close its labor and delivery department this fall.

The California Nurses Association, representing nearly 300 nurses at Hemet Global Medical Center, condemned the move on Aug. 27, citing potential risks to expectant patients in the ER.

"Closing obstetrics services at our hospital will affect our most vulnerable populations, who are already at risk for poor health outcomes," Ginny Packham, RN, said in a news release. "Closing this vital community resource will hurt our pregnant patients, who will now need to travel much further to get obstetrics care."

Hemet Global Medical Center, a 327-bed facility owned and operated by Corona, Calif.-based KPC Group, announced the closure plans earlier in August. At the time, the hospital shared a statement with local CBS affiliate KCAL News, attributing the move to low volume and a shortage of physicians.

"Hemet Global Medical Center has submitted a formal request to the California Department of Public Health for approval of a temporary one-year suspension of its labor and delivery unit," the statement said. "All labor and delivery unit employees are being offered the opportunity to transfer to open positions at Hemet Global Medical Center and Menifee Global Medical Center. The emergency department remains open and fully accessible for emergency deliveries."

The hospital expects the closure to take effect by the end of October, affecting 35 employees.

Meanwhile, the union is calling on Hemet Global Medical Center to keep the obstetrics department open.

"The department is a critical and irreplaceable resource for Hemet residents," the union said.
President Joe Biden launched the Cancer Moonshot in 2016, when he was serving as vice president in the Obama administration. President Biden reignited the initiative in 2022, setting a goal to reduce the cancer death rate by 50% in the next 25 years.

To support those efforts, the administration has awarded hundreds of millions of dollars to cancer research institutes across the country.



Here are four Cancer Moonshot updates:
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacies is speaking out against Johnson & Johnson's plan to drop upfront discounts for some 340B drugs.

The drugmaker notified disproportionate share hospitals Aug. 23 of a new rebate system for its blood thinner Xarelto and anti-inflammatory drug Stelara. The change, set to take effect Oct. 15, would require hospitals to buy the drugs at commercial prices and then submit data via Beacon's claims portal to qualify for a rebate.

ASHP said the rebate framework "violates the basic operation" of the 340B program, which is built around prospective discounts. The group expressed concerns that J&J's rebate model will serve as a test case for other manufacturers to adopt similar policies if the program goes unchallenged.

ASHP has joined the hospital advocacy group 340B Health in requesting that the Health Resources and Services Administration intervene with J&J's plan.

"Manufacturer efforts to undercut the 340B program by skirting, or in this case, violating, program requirements harm patients and the healthcare providers they rely on," Tom Kraus, ASHP's vice president of government relations, said in an Aug. 23 release. "Manufacturers must be held to the same expectations of compliance as the covered entities who rely on 340B savings to care for their patients, particularly for vulnerable and underserved populations."

HRSA has confirmed that J&J's rebate plan does not align with the 340B statute and said it would take appropriate action as necessary.

Johnson & Johnson has stood behind the program, saying it is "fully consistent with the 340B statute, which specifically references rebates as a payment mechanism," in a statement to The Advisory Board.

"J&J's use of reasonable, standard and time sensitive business practices will help the 340B program meet its original intent, and better ensure discounts are more directly benefiting vulnerable patients," the company said.
Orthopedic surgeon Edward Hur, MD, will join Chicago-based Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush beginning Sept. 3.

Dr. Hur specializes in treating foot and ankle conditions, according to an Aug. 27 news release sent to Becker's. He has an interest in minimally invasive foot and ankle surgery, total ankle arthroplasty, deformity correction, sports-related injuries and fracture care.

Dr. Hur will treat patients in Chicago, Westchester and Joliet, Ill. He also completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Rush University Medical Center.
From product launches to approvals and a new acquisition, here are eight key updates from spine and orthopedic devicemakers since Aug. 21.

1. SI-Bone earned FDA 510(k) clearance and breakthrough device designation for the iFuse Torq TNT implant system.

2. Globus Medical launched the Adira extreme lateral interbody fusion plate system.

3. Stryker signed a definitive agreement to acquire Vertos Medical, a pain management company.

4. A New York City law firm filed a securities class-action lawsuit against spine devicemaker Orthofix Medical.

5. Spine Wave launched its new Exceed biplanar expandable interbody device featuring TiCell Nano Advanced Surface Technology.

6. LifeNet Health, in partnership with Johnson & Johnson MedTech, launched the PliaFX Pak bone allograft in the U.S.

7. Vericel earned FDA approval for a supplemental Biologics License Application, which will expand the company's Maci label to include arthroscopy.

8. SurGenTec earned FDA 510(k) clearance for its B-Man bone marrow aspirate kit.
Spine surgeon and philanthropist Gary Michelson, MD, and his wife, Alya, donated $120 million to the University of California Los Angeles for its California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy.

The gift designated $100 million to establish two research entities  one for rapid vaccine development and one on leveraging the microbiome to advance human health, according to an Aug. 27 news release from UCLA. Another $20 million endowment will provide research grants to scientists in immunotherapy, human immunology and vaccine research.

"Immunology is the mediator of nearly all human diseases, whether we're talking about cancer or heart disease or Alzheimer's," Dr. Michelson said in the release. "The vision for this institute is to become a 'field of dreams'  the world's 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."

Dr. Michelson is a spine surgeon and has nearly 1,000 individual patents. He is co-founder and chair of the institute's board, which will be housed at UCLA's research park.
The new destination will be available from Winter 2025

NI holidaymakers looking for a new destination for trips to European Christmas Markets will have a new option from next winter, with one airline adding a new city to their offering.

Jet2.com and Jet2CityBreaks have included Austrian capital Vienna in their plans to offer new options to tourists looking to travel from NI to sample some of Europes famous festive markets.

In response to strong demand for the getaways, the company has also brought back Polish destination Krakow in its Winter 2025/26 programme.

Flights to the cities will take off from Belfast International Airport, with the company operating a mini-series of dedicated trips to the cities.

The programmes launch provides customers and independent travel agents in NI with the opportunity to book ahead, with multiple weekly services on sale and friendly flight times available.

Read more DUP leader wants racist thugs to be left in fear as he calls for police crackdown following attack on Belfast church

Flight-only options and ATOL protected package holiday breaks will be available.

Steve Heapy, CEO, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said: The demand we are seeing for our enormously popular Christmas Markets programme continues to increase, which is why we have responded and put a fantastic selection of Christmas Market destinations on sale for Winter 25/26 from Belfast International Airport.

"This latest programme includes the launch of a new mini-series of trips to Vienna, as well as the return of flights and city breaks to Krakow.

"As more people look to escape to a winter wonderland next winter and take advantage of all the fantastic benefits provided by Jet2.com and Jet2CityBreaks, we know that our Winter 25/26 Christmas Markets collection will be as popular as ever.

"We look forward to taking customers to these magical destinations next year and helping them to feel their most festive.

For further information and to book visit www.jet2.com or www.jet2citybreaks.com.
Businesswoman refused to let pandemic win, building up large and loyal customer base on social media for boutique amid crisis

A Co Antrim businesswoman has revealed the secret to creating a thriving town centre after she helped Ballymoney retain the High Street of the Year title.

Main Street secured the accolade in Retail NIs High Street Hero Northern Ireland Awards for the second year in a row.

Fashion store The Winsome Lady also scooped the overall independent retailer award.

Owner Winnie Mellot credits the success to a number of factors, including the power of the internet.

I have a very big following on social media and all those people were definitely voting, she said.

Not many people knew about us before the Covid pandemic.

We had to do something to attract customers, so I began making videos and posting them on Facebook. Within a few months I could see a big jump in the number of users coming to the page.

The business account has now racked up 40,000 followers. As the number of likes and shares grew, so too did sales.

I had to increase my staff from four to 12, she explained.

I started getting requests to ship to places as far away as New Zealand and Australia, which I had to decline.

I have a website, but I dont take orders through it because I dont have the capacity to process large volumes.

We are busy enough posting scores of parcels a day to all parts of the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

I feel bad saying it, but Covid was been great for our business and turned it into a huge success.

Ms Mellot believes the loyalty of customers was reflected in the public vote which saw the town beat off competition from Newtownards and Ballynahinch.

We get to know our customers and we build relationships with them, she added.

They are in England, Scotland, Wales and all over Ireland, and they voted for us in droves.

As president of the Ballymoney Chamber of Commerce, she plans to start helping other local businesses seize the benefits of technology.

A lot of high streets are suffering, but the ones who are suffering the most are those who have not adjusted, she said.

We have businesses here that have been going for 95 years, 75 years, and there will be lots of opportunities to showcase them.

Online popularity is only one ingredient of the towns success.

She said: There is a community spirit here  we help and promote each other.

We put in an awful lot of hard work in Ballymoney, because we were invisible... kind of like the middle child between Coleraine and Ballymena.

We had to do it on our own, it was a lot of effort.

Sweetness and Light Cakery and department store W & J Walker in the town were also recognised at the awards.

And the Real Health Store in Coleraine walked away with a gong too, meaning almost half of the 13 awards were won by traders in Causeway Coast and Glens Borough.

Mayor Ciaran McQuillan said: It is testament to the fantastic offer the independent shops in the town provide for their customers, and also highlights their hard work.

Ms Mellot added: It all comes down to being friendly, perfecting communication skills and delivering a great service.

We dont have a lot of big name brands, its mostly independently owned shops. People love the service and the chat you just dont get in bigger stores  they love coming to Ballymoney.

Oasis: Mancunian rockers who took on the world before their acrimonious split
Rob Forsyth, managing director of BlueBuild with (left of centre) Ewan Melvin, operations director, and the BlueBuild team. It's now been taken over by private equity firm Cordovan Capital Management

An insulation and solar panels installation company in Co Down has been acquired by a private equity firm.

Cordovan Capital Management said the deal for BlueBuild in Newtownards was the ninth investment from its institutional fund vehicle, Cordovan Capital Partners II LP.

BlueBuild, founded in 2011, provides sustainable energy infrastructure to customers including insulation services and solar PV installations.

It also has a base in Dublin, and provides services across the island of Ireland and in Great Britain.

BlueBuild will now be led by new managing director Rob Forsyth and operations director Ewan Melvin, who has worked with the group since it was set up.

Its also to receive further support from Cordovan as it continues to grow.

Cordovan partner Stephen McClelland said: We are delighted to add BlueBuild to the Cordovan portfolio which builds on our green transition theme, having previously invested in Solmatix and CEMA Lighting.

BlueBuild has successfully identified insulation and solar PV as two effective, sustainable measures which enable both home and business owners to reduce energy costs and simultaneously have a positive impact on the environment.

The group is at the forefront of helping deliver government sustainability policy and regulation through its primary contractor status on key frameworks in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Cordovan invests capital into growing SMEs across Northern Ireland, the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

BlueBuild has three trading subsidiaries, BlueBuild Insulation and BlueBuild Energy, both in Newtownards, and BlueBuild Renewables in Dublin.

The group mainly operates a sub-contractor model for the installation of insulation and solar materials, with 30 full-time staff.

Cordovan Capital Management was advised by Paul OBrien and Ben Sims of Tughans Solicitors in Belfast, Bill Holwell of LGF Capital Partners, and Matt Owens of EY Belfast for financial due diligence.

The vendors were advised by Max Nesbitt of Wilson Nesbitt Solicitors in Belfast, and Paul Gleghorne and Connor McAnallen of HNH Deal Advisory.

ThinCats provided acquisition and working capital debt finance in its first deal in Northern Ireland, with Simon Dixon leading the Thincats deal team.

Mr Dixon said: BlueBuild has built a fantastic reputation in the market and with this new partnership with Cordovan they are well positioned to continue their strong growth trajectory.

"Its gratifying to be backing a business delivering sustainable solutions for homes and businesses in Northern Ireland, and we are excited to see them go from strength to strength.

"Cordovan have been the perfect partner, and we look forward to working with them on future transactions.
What are the latest penalties for water firms, and will they reduce bills?
The retail business also highlighted particularly strong growth in the US (Alamy/PA)

Kurt Geiger has said rampant demand for its leather handbags has helped profits jump by a third over the past year and boost its US business.
Ted Baker is to relaunch its online business in the UK later this year, after a deal was struck by its US brand owner.
Lisburn schoolgirl joins celebrities discussing pressing issues facing todays youth

The podcast hosts during the recording of the Navigating Now bonus episodes. Pic: The Duke of Edinburghs Award/Jonny Sanders.

A Northern Ireland schoolgirl is among three teenagers chosen to co-host a new podcast launched by the Duke of Edinburghs Award.

Abiya George (15) and her co-hosts have joined a number of celebrities in Navigating Now, which explores answers to the big questions young people have about their lives.

The Lisburn girl hosts the first of two new bonus episodes which feature advice from the likes of BBC journalist Clive Myrie, TV chef Matt Tebbutt and broadcaster Vick Hope.

Broadcaster and disability activist Lucy Edwards, firefighter and psychologist Dr Sabrina Cohen-Hatton and travel journalist Ash Bhardwaj are also on the podcast.

The show is a co-creation between seven award participants aged 14-24 and award-winning production company Mags Creative, with the hosts taking on two big questions per episode.

Its themes cover politics and global issues, as well as social media and careers.

The original series of Navigating Now received an industry-respected ARIAS award nomination.

Today, the charity is releasing two new episodes to build on that success.

In episode one, Navigating... The UK Today, Abiya and her co-hosts discuss the cost-of-living crisis and how to deal with the pressures of becoming an adult.

The podcast hosts during the recording of the Navigating Now bonus episodes. Pic: The Duke of Edinburghs Award/Jonny Sanders.

Chef and TV presenter Matt Tebbutt speaks about his attitude to becoming an adult, saying: I did things naively. I jumped in and I think that was the best way. Because I think that if you have too much knowledge of what youre stepping in to, it might put you off.

So absolutely  feet first, say yes, jump in. Whats the worst that could happen?

However, Abiya, who achieved her Bronze Award through Belfast Activity Centre, admits that she is more of a planner.

I plan everything. Im only 15 and I already know that Im going to have 125 people at my wedding. And Ive already decided who 39 of them are!

So, I find it difficult to just jump in and just go for it.

But she admits that Matts advice could be worth a try, adding: I think if you go with the flow and just take life as it comes, its easier to keep going without hesitation or stress.

The discussions in Navigating Now are informed by Youth Voices 2024  a major research study of more than 3,000 young people across the UK, published by the Duke of Edinburghs Award last month, which highlights the hopes and fears shared by their generation.

Abiya said worries over mental health were prominent among young people.

Youth Voices 2024 found that one of young peoples main personal concerns is mental health, linked to concerns about entering adulthood, she said.

And I think if we take Matts advice on just jumping in feet first and giving it a go, it can help with that sense of stress because when you think too much about something, thats usually when things start to go south.

All episodes of Navigating Now from the Duke of Edinburghs Award are available on all major podcast platforms
Polite pensioner pervert downloaded thousands of indecent images of kids

Im trying to put it behind me and get on with my life

The Sunday World confronts sex offender Cyril Moan (Photo: Sunday World)

Steven Moore Wed 28 Aug 2024 at 11:07

This is the polite pensioner pervert a judge likened to disgraced BBC presenter Huw Edwards after he downloaded thousands of indecent images of kids.
A Co Antrim school has said that while there are concerns over the potential for race hate incidents as children return to school after recent riots, it is planning to tackle the issue head on.

Last week the Education Authority sent a warning to school staff to be prepared for a rise in potential flashpoints after the scenes children may have witnessed on the streets of Northern Ireland during their holidays.

At Glengormley Integrated College, race and diversity is already a significant part of the school programme. But special assemblies will be held for every year group as they return to a school which had well over 100 pupils from different cultures amongst its 1,160 pupils.

A move to integrated status in September 2022 has helped the school grow to become one of the most diverse in Northern Ireland. Principal Ricky Massey says its something the college is proud to be a part of.

Generally, as a school, we have a very high number of young people who come here who might be from asylum seeker and refugee backgrounds, he said. Were really proud of that.

There were quite a few arriving here for their GCSE results last week and theyve done really, really well. We dont want anything to undermine what we have achieved.

There remains, though, some uncertainty on how children will have responded.

It is a concern. It will be a concern for all schools following what was witnessed, and the most concerning part of the riots was that it wasnt just adults involved. There were a lot of young people, school age children, he added.

We will have over 100 of our young people who may have been born in Northern Ireland but are a different colour, or theyve arrived into Northern Ireland in recent years and are a different colour, a different cultural background. They are very visibly different.

But they add so much value to our school community. They bring so much variety in terms of cultural difference, language, behaviours and attitudes. Theyre just amazing.

We have never really had a genuine issue here before so Im was never overly perturbed about it, he continued. But the summer was really sad.

We have been preparing for the children coming back after what has been happening.

Each of the year groups will have an assembly and we will be talking about the events we saw in the past few weeks. There will be a celebration of what the pupils have enjoyed over the summer, but we also have to talk about what we all witnessed on television. It doesnt have a place in schools. Those attitudes dont have a place in society.

While Mr Massey says his school has a role in educating kids on embracing diversity, he concedes what goes on in the home is equally important.

Sometimes parents need to be educated as well about the facts, he said.

Some of the discussions they will have had in front of their children will have had an impact.

Every day is a challenge in a school. Some of them are really positive challenges, but what happened over the summer has taken us back a huge step and we are determined to address it.

One of our past pupils, Darren Ferguson, was the founder of Beyond Skin, he added, a charity which works with young people and community groups on issues over race, culture and diversity through the arts.

He has been in doing some amazing work with the pupils and has been pivotal to what were trying to do.

At the end of June we celebrated diversity week. Singing in Afrikaans, dancing and at the centre of the stage the slogan Homes for All. That was our message and it will continue to be.

But within six weeks, after what I witnessed in our hall and the positivity the children left with for the summer with, the opposite message was playing out on our streets. Schools can have such a positive role to play.

Supermarket manager speaks out - The shop owner fled a war from Syria' and now 'live in fear again'

Ahead of the new term, the Education Authority said: The EA greatly values equality, diversity and is firmly committed to maintaining a safe environment for all our staff to work, and all children and young people to learn. We condemn all forms of racism, Islamophobia and xenophobia.

Similar to other public facing organisations, the Authority set up a short-term Tactical Coordination Group (Silver) as a response to the immediate civil disturbance. This comprised of key services across the organisation to ensure a joined up and coordinated approach to providing a range of support to schools, children and young people, their families and our staff.

The EA also worked closely with a range of organisations including community partners, PSNI and other Government Departments as part of a multi-agency response.

The tactical co-ordination group has now been stood down, however, we continue to closely monitor arrangements and are taking forward a programme of work across a range of services to coordinate support and guidance to school leaders in advance of our children and young peoples return to school.
The PSNI have said no crime has been committed

Some of the posters erected at Lisnaskea Health Centre

Two medical professional bodies have condemned the harassment of staff after posters criticising care were erected at a Co Fermanagh health centre.

The posters were fixed to windows, doors and fences at Lisnaskea Health Centre, denouncing the facility as not fit for purpose and criticising it for being difficult to secure an appointment by phone.

Pictures of the display were later posted on Facebook by the Eamon Keenan Independent 4 Real Change page, along with a lengthy statement hitting out at neo-liberalism and creeping privatisation of healthcare in NI.

Mr Keenan is a former councillor on Fermanagh and Omagh District Council. He was co-opted to replace retiring independent councillor John McCluskey in 2020, but was not returned in the 2023 election, where he polled just 560 votes.

Both the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGPNI) and the British Medical Associations Northern Ireland General Practitioners Committee (NIGPC) have condemned the incident, which they said had created a hostile atmosphere for staff and patients at the health centre.

Dr Ursula Mason, chair of RCGPNI, said: Harassment of this nature cannot be tolerated.

Across Northern Ireland, practices are working against a backdrop of contract hand-backs and instability. The vast majority of GPs want to be in a position to deliver good quality NHS care for their patients and pay the bills.

As long as general practice in Northern Ireland remains underfunded, more practices will struggle to provide sustainable services for their patients. There can be no excuse to target hard-working staff, and the abuse aimed at staff at Lisnaskea Health Centre is unacceptable.

Dr Frances OHagan, chair of BMA Northern Ireland said intimidation was totally unacceptable.

"No one should be faced with abuse like this when they are just trying to do their job, she said.

GPs are working harder than ever, doing the absolute best they can for patients, despite huge shortages of staff and increased practice sizes. Action like this will do nothing to encourage GPs to come and work in the area, risking the situation becoming even worse.

Deborah Erskine MLA

The PSNI confirmed they attended the scene, but said no crime had been committed.

"Police received a report that posters had been stuck on a building in Drumhaw Park, Lisnaskea, at some point overnight between Tuesday August 27 and Wednesday August 28, said a spokesperson.

"Officers attended and noted that no criminal damage had occurred. Advice and guidance was given to the reporting party.

The Department of Health (DoH)  which manages the facility  said extra staff had been provided to help the health centre cope with demand.

"Harassment or abuse of staff working in any healthcare setting is totally unacceptable, said a spokesperson.

"Staff delivering health and care services, often in challenging circumstances, deserve to be treated respectfully, including at Lisnaskea Health Centre, where we understand extra clinical staff have been introduced to help provide additional patient appointments.

"General Practice plays a crucial role in our health and social care system and stabilisation of GP practices remains a key priority.

"The Department continues to support General Practice with the aim of ensuring people can access high quality, sustainable services now and in the future.

Fermanagh-South Tyrone MLA Deborah Erskine said she was disappointed by the appearance of the posters.

"Those who put these posters up are actually causing more harm to the health service  demoralising and upsetting staff at a time when we need them to stay working in our healthcare settings, she said.

"I recognise the frustration but it is the job of politicians to make it better and to work to ensure practices have fit-for-purpose facilities, systems able to cope with demand and a fully sustainable workforce.

Last year a new GP contractor was appointed to provide services to patients after former provider Maple Healthcare handed its contract back to DoH in late 2022.

In May, then-Health Minister Robin Swann announced an 18.5m project to build a new health centre in Lisnaskea, catering for around 25,000 patients, would begin this summer.
Latest | Colum Eastwood backs Claire Hanna to succeed him as SDLP leader after confirming he is quitting

Colum Eastwood backs Claire Hanna to succeed him as SDLP leader after confirming he is quitting

Suzanne Breen and Garrett Hargan Thu 29 Aug 2024 at 13:20







Colum Eastwood said it has been a "great privilege" to have been the leader of the SDLP as he confirmed he was stepping down.
Gavin Robinson says those responsible for attacks must feel full force of the law

Gavin Robinson: Im disgusted by what happened - It does not reflect the local community in which this church is based.

Thugs behind a racially-motivated arson attack on a church in east Belfast must feel the full force of the law, the DUP leader said today.

An angle grinder was used at the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) church premises, police said.

UCKG was founded in 1977 in Brazil and has millions of followers.

Two masked men carried out the attack at around 9.30pm last night while wearing dark-coloured tracksuits, cutting a hole in shutters at the property on Templemore Street.

A flammable substance was thrown inside and then set alight.

This morning, workmen were at the church assessing damage to the building.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson, who is MP for East Belfast, led condemnation.

He said: Im disgusted by what happened here last night. It does not reflect the local community in which this church is based.

He added: "They (victims) shouldnt feel scared, in fact the people that are threatening them should feel scared about the societal response that they will get through the criminal justice system.

Theres no church that deserves to have (people) turn up with an angle grinder and masks and cut through the centre and attempt to burn it down.

"This is a church that serves our local community, a church that has a food bank, is attended by people that are living in Belfast, people that are happily living in Belfast.

It should not have happened but nor is there any justification for any of the attacks we have seen in recent weeks.

Rev Mervyn Gibson of the nearby Westbourne Presbyterian Church condemned the incident, saying all arson attacks are wrong.

"I condemn it unreservedly," he said. "If those misguided people who did this did it in the name of racism or against immigration, it should be condemned.

"The people of east Belfast do not want to see racist attacks against their neighbours."

WATCH: Angle grinder used in race-motivated attack on east Belfast church premises

Rev Sammy Robinson, chair of the East Belfast Churches Network said they unequivocally condemn the arson attack.

"Let us be clear; racism has no place in our community, he said.

We are deeply saddened that this has happened, especially to a Church and organisation which seeks to help people regardless of race or creed here in East Belfast. The action of a few will not be allowed to tarnish the good name of ordinary, every day people of east Belfast who would stand with us in condemning this attack.

We would implore anyone with any information to cooperate with the police in their investigation, and we send our unwavering support, prayers and love to those involved in UCKG HelpCentre Belfast.

A TUV spokesperson said the incident marked a new low.

"Attacking a church and organisation which seeks to help those in need is shameful and something which the good people of East Belfast want nothing to do with. Anyone with information should come forward to the police, they said.

Sinn Fein MLA Deirdre Hargey said those responsible must face the full force of the law.

It is absolutely sickening that yet another racist attack has occurred in our city, she said.

This attack on a church premises is the latest in a series of disgusting, violent racist acts which are not reflective of the majority in our society who embrace the huge positives of diversity.

East Belfast Alliance MLA Peter McReynolds called the incident completely unacceptable.

Mr McReynolds said: This attack is truly appalling and must be robustly condemned by all political parties. There is no place in our community for such hatred and discrimination. I am thankful that there have been no reported injuries from this dangerous attack, and my thoughts are with the members of the church who are now left to pick up the pieces.

This behaviour is unjustifiable and totally unacceptable. Those responsible do not represent the views of the broader community, which opposes these senseless attacks, and they must face the full consequences of their actions.

The repeated hate and race fuelled attacks we have witnessed across Northern Ireland recently are extremely concerning and deeply unsettling for communities. People have the right to live free from fear and violence.

Condemning the attack, SDLP Belfast City Council Group Leader councillor Seamas de Faoite said: This is another disgraceful attack on a place of worship in our city. The vast majority will be appalled that a church has been targeted in this way and that a place that is so important to many within our community has suffered extensive damage as a result. Id like to express my solidarity with everyone who uses this facility and hope to see it reopen as soon as possible.

Belfast has made it clear that there is no place for hate or racism and these attacks will not change that. All the people behind this are achieving is hurting their own community and those who have chosen to make this place their home, making a far more positive contribution than the thugs who carried this out."

A police spokesperson said: Fire service personnel attended and extinguished the fire which caused damage to the shutters and the front hall of the building with further smoke damage caused inside the building.

"Both males are believed to have ran off along Templemore Street after the incident which is being treated as a racially motivated hate crime.

Officers appealed to anyone with information about the incident or who may have doorbell/CCTV or dash-cam footage from the area which may be able to help with the investigation, to contact police.
Have you ever fantasised about a dip in the sea without trunks or swimming togs? Well, nows your chance with a skinny dip en-masse planned on the north coast this weekend.

Its all in aid of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) to celebrate the charity's 200th anniversary  and is being hosted by British Naturism Northern Ireland, marking their 60th anniversary.

Taking place at Portstewart Strand, beach games and activities are also planned for Northern Irelands fourth annual Great British Skinny Dip on Sunday September 1.

The Great British Skinny Dip will also be marked in other locations around the UK.

To join in, dippers are asked to come along to the far end of the Strand (Posts 10-11) at 11am on the day.

Sections 8 and 9 of the beach will be cordoned off exclusively for this event and its participants privacy from 11am until 3pm.

Lifeguards will be also on duty on the day.

Last year, the nude swimmers chose to raise money for the British Heart Foundation with their annual skinny dip.

So far, thousands have been raised for various charities.

Oasis: Mancunian rockers who took on the world before their acrimonious split
The incident took place on Tuesday

A screengrab from footage of the incident which has circulated online

Police have charged three men in connection with an alleged assault in south Belfast.

Footage of the incident on Farnham Street  just off the Ormeau Road  has been circulated online.

A 30-year-old man was charged with common assault, criminal damage and disorderly behaviour. A 25-year-old man was charged with criminal damage and disorderly behaviour, said a PSNI spokesperson.

They are due to appear before Belfast Magistrates Court tomorrow, Thursday August 29.

A 30-year-old man was charged with possession of an offensive weapon in a public place. He is due to before Belfast Magistrates Court on September 25.

"As is usual procedure, all charges will be reviewed by the PPS.
Kenyan startup promoting Chinese designer wear in high-end market

Xinhua) 09:48, August 28, 2024

NAIROBI, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Unaku, a Kenyan startup, whose parent company is ThreeGun Clothing Manufacturing Factory Company based in Shanghai, China, is at the frontline of promoting designer outfits from the Asian nation, targeting high net-worth clientele, executives said recently.

Cindy He, general manager at Unaku Kenya, said that Chinese fashion has gained a foothold in the local market amid growing demand from middle-income clients drawn to quality, affordability, and uniqueness.

As a time-honored Chinese brand with a history of more than 80 years, ThreeGun continues to expand its international influence and made its debut in Africa in 2024. Kenya, one of the largest economies in East Africa, is experiencing a promising market development. It takes the Kenyan market as a breakthrough to promote the brand to go global.

ThreeGun in February opened its Kenyan brand "Unaku" warehouse at the Inland Container Depot, located in the industrial heartland of Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, to help serve wholesale and retail customers.

As a Kenyan franchise of clothing factory, Unaku serves as a link between Chinese manufacturers of designer clothing, shoes and handbags and local retailers based at Nairobi's high-end shopping malls, according to He.

Currently, Unaku warehouse stocks women's clothes, shoes and handbags sourced from China for distribution to upscale stores frequented by endowed working-class ladies aged between 30 and 55, she said.

"One shop can order more than 100 pieces. For production orders, I have like four shops and each time they order 100 pieces," He said, adding that she has sold more than 2,000 pieces since opening the warehouse early this year.

The price for dresses made from Chinese fabric ranges from 10,000 shillings (about 78 U.S. dollars) to 30,000 shillings and sleek marketing using social media platforms has raised their visibility, said He.

Kenyan female celebrities including television stars, radio presenters and entertainers have also been promoting Unaku brands through their social media handles, according to the general manager. She said the future outlook for Chinese fashion in Kenya is bright given the country's advanced economy and a sizable, educated and exposed middle-class population keen on sartorial elegance.

Moses Ngatia, one of Unaku's biggest clients and owner of TG collection, Kenya's well-known fashion collection shop, believed Chinese fashion is good in the whole world and the Chinese are leading in the fashion industry. "I was studying how they do the manufacturing of the design because every day China has a new design coming out, so you can't do fashion without China," Ngatia declared.

Debbie Odhiambo, the sales manager at Unaku, said it has endeavored to import quality but affordable Chinese designer wear for supplying to Kenyan high-end stores.

"When you come here, you choose your design, color, the fabric that you want," Odhiambo said, adding that through Unaku's platform, local retailers do not have to endure cumbersome and costly importation of Chinese-made fabric and ready-made clothes. Market research, clients' feedback and targeted outreach have informed Unaku's gradual penetration in the Kenyan market, weathering stiff competition from Western brands.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Terence ONeill told cabinet of fears over border campaign by IRA

Stormont was keen to build a nuclear power station, but was also looking at an 'atomic factory' like Sellafield. Inset, Terence O'Neill. (Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty)

The man who would become Northern Irelands key reformist Prime Minister repeatedly expressed alarm at a plan to build a nuclear reactor in a Catholic area of Tyrone, a previously secret file from the old Stormont government reveals.

In 1950s Northern Ireland, Terence ONeill was Minister of Home Affairs and then Finance Minister at a time when the unionist administration was adapting to life after the Second World War, the new challenges of the Cold War, the extension of Clement Atlees welfare reforms across the Irish Sea and the IRA border campaign.
Former Tory leader recalls having dinner with Disappeared soldier Robert Nairac before final tour of duty

Duncan Smiths pain for Army captains parents who died without finding remains

Iain Duncan Smith knew Nairac who was abducted while working undercover in the Three Steps Inn in south Armagh in the early hours of May 15, 1977.

Andrew Madden Wed 28 Aug 2024 at 07:55

A former Conservative Party leader and contemporary of Disappeared soldier Robert Nairac has recalled having dinner with the Army captain before he left for his final tour of duty in Northern Ireland, where he would be murdered by the IRA and secretly buried.
A burnt out car in the Leeds suburb of Harehills after vehicles were set on fire and a police car was overturned (Katie Dickinson/PA)

A man has pleaded guilty to arson and violent disorder over serious disturbances in a Leeds suburb.

The disorder in Harehills on July 18 saw a patrol car overturned and a bus set alight.

On Wednesday, Celan Valentin Palaghia, 21, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and arson at Leeds Crown Court.

He admitted setting fire to furniture and bins belonging to persons unknown, a judge heard.

The disorder was sparked by social services involvement with a family in the area (Danny Lawson/PA)

The case was adjourned until October 1, when Palaghia will be sentenced. He was remanded in custody until then.

The disorder was sparked by social services involvement with a family in the area.

Earlier this month Iustin Dobre, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered after setting fire to a double-decker bus.

He did not enter a plea for a second charge of violent disorder.

Mark Mitchell, 43, of Strathmore View, denied setting fire to the bus. He admitted a second charge of violent disorder.

Zamonsty Milan, 30, of Luxor Avenue, appeared alongside Mitchell on the same two charges. However, he did not enter any pleas.

Dobre, Mitchell and Milan will next appear at the same court on Thursday.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage reacts after something is thrown towards him on the Reform UK campaign bus in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, whilst on the General Election campaign trail on June 11 (Danny Lawson/PA)

A man is due to be sentenced for throwing a coffee cup at Reform UK leader and Clacton MP Nigel Farage on his battle bus during the General Election campaign.

Josh Greally, 28, was arrested in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, on June 11 after he threw what looked like a paper cup containing a liquid, and another object, at Mr Farage.

Neither of the objects hit the politician, who was on the top deck of the bus.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage makes a speech on the Reform UK campaign bus in Barnsley, South Yorkshire (Danny Lawson/PA)

Greally, of Damsbrook Drive, Clowne, Derbyshire, appeared before a district judge at Barnsley Magistrates Court in June, where he pleaded guilty to a public order offence.

Judge Tim Spruce said it appeared that the first item thrown was a coffee cup but it was not clear what the second item was, and could have been another cup or some paper.

He asked for a pre-sentence report to be prepared and said Greally will be sentenced on August 28 at the same court.

Judge Spruce told the defendant: All sentencing options are open.

Shaven-headed Greally stood in the court wearing a pink shirt, black trousers and a black mask.

He did not answer questions from reporters as he left the court building shortly after admitting using threatening, abusive or insulting words and behaviour with intent to cause fear or provoke unlawful violence.

Josh Greally leaves Barnsley Magistrates Court on June 26 (Danny Lawson/PA)

Judge Spruce told him: This matter remains serious. To your credit you are a young man who has never been in trouble before.

Earlier, while talking to lawyers in the case, the judge said it was a concern that a politician was targeted.

Prosecutor Kirsty Pearson said the fact the incident happened during a General Election campaign makes it much more serious.

Ms Pearson and the judge discussed what the objects thrown were and agreed it was difficult to tell from mobile phone footage of the incident, which was not shown in court.

They agreed that at least one of the items made a noise as it hit the side of the bus.

Greally threw the object from a fenced-off construction workers area as the Reform UK campaign bus was parked in the town centre.

He was caught on video by a number of people as he was quickly arrested by police.

Nigel Farage reacts after something is thrown towards him on the Reform UK campaign bus in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, on June 11 (Danny Lawson/PA)

Mr Farage had been addressing supporters from the front of the top deck of the bus, but had been interrupted by a loud demonstration by people who opposed him.

The former MEP was standing at the top of the stairs of the open-top bus when he was alerted by a thud and ducked, along with a number of his supporters and journalists.

Later that day, Mr Farage described the incident as pretty nasty and what happened was condemned by politicians of all parties.
Sir Keir Starmer will attempt to seize a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reset our relationship with Europe during two days of meetings in Berlin and Paris.

The Prime Minister is in Berlin for talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz as he hopes to turn a corner on Brexit, with plans for a new treaty with Germany aiming to boost business and increase joint action on illegal migration.

Ahead of the talks with Mr Scholz, he met with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

In a post on social media site X, Sir Keir said: We have a once in a generation opportunity to reset Britains relationship with Europe so we can deliver for the British people.

It is expected he will tell Mr Scholz he is focused on making sure the UK moves past Brexit and rebuilds relationships with European partners.

After Germany, Sir Keir will 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.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz shakes hands with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, as he arrives at the Chancellery in Berlin (Justin Tallis/PA)

It is expected Sir Keir will say: 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.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier had invited Sir Keir Starmer to Germany after they met at the Uefa European Football Championship earlier this year (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

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.

On Wednesday morning, Sir Keir met Mr Steinmeier at the Bellevue Palace in Berlin, the first British Prime Minister to visit the palace since David Cameron in 2015.

Sir Keir is the first British Prime Minister to visit Bellevue Palace since David Cameron in 2015 (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Mr Steinmeier had made the invitation after they met at the Uefa European Football Championship earlier this year.

Sir Keir signed the palace guestbook in the entrance hall, which had been decorated with red, white and blue flowers, before holding a private bilateral meeting with Mr Steinmeier.

In Paris later on the trip, 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.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer by the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin (Justin Tallis/PA)

Last month, at the EPC summit held at Blenheim Palace, Sir Keir said the UK will 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 cubs spent their first five days of life taking turns cuddling and drinking milk from their mother every hour.

They were born on Thursday to 11-year-old mother Meng Meng. The zoo said it is 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 do not yet have a functioning immune system.

The youngsters are doing well (Zoo Berlin via AP)

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 Chinas 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.

The tiny creatures were born at Berlin zoo (Berlin via AP)

Without protective measures, the giant panda would most likely already be extinct, zoo director Andreas Knieriem said, adding every cub that grows up healthy counts.

China has donated its unofficial mascot to other countries 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).

The cubs have been measured and weighed (Zoo Berlin via AP)

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.
Seven people died in the tragedy last week (AP)

The captain of a superyacht that sank during a storm off Sicily last week, killing seven people including British tech magnate Mike Lynch, has decided not to respond to prosecutors questions, his lawyer 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.

His lawyer Aldo Mordiglia said of his client: He just exercised his right to remain silent, probably prosecutors were expecting that.

Mr Mordiglia added that the captains legal team has just been named and needs time to work on his defensive strategy.

Mike Lynch and his daughter died when the vessel sank (Yui Mok/PA)

Cutfield was among 15 survivors of the sinking on August 19 that killed Mr Lynch, his daughter Hannah and five others.

Chief prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio, who is 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.

The Bayesian, a 184ft 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 sailing boat remained largely unscathed.

Prosecutors said the event was extremely rapid and could have been a downburst  a localised, 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.
Child and shocked family have been invited back to the museum for a private tour

The Hecht museum has organised a specialist in conservation to restore the shattered Bronze Age jar. Photo: Hecht Museum

The 3,500-year-old jar, which was not behind protective glass, tumbled to the ground and shattered into several pieces. Photo: Hecht Museum

The child and his family were visiting the museum at Haifa University last week when the boy "pulled the jar slightly" out of curiosity. The 3,500-year-old jar, which was not behind protective glass, tumbled to the ground and shattered into several pieces.

The artefact dates to between 2,200 and 1,500 BC, the museum said, adding that it had been on display near the entrance.

The museum believes there is a "special charm" in displaying artefacts without barriers or glass walls to make archaeological findings more accessible to the public, Dr Inbal Rivlin, the museums general manager, told The Independent.

The Hecht museum has organised a specialist in conservation to restore the shattered Bronze Age jar. Photo: Hecht Museum

The child's father, Alex, said he was "in shock" to see his son next to the broken artefact and at first thought it couldnt be his child who caused such damage.

Alex told the BBC that, after calming his visibly upset son, he informed a security guard about the incident.

The museum said it would not involve the police as the displayed items were broken unintentionally and invited the child and his family back to the exhibition for an organised tour.

"The jar was accidentally damaged by a young child visiting the museum, and the response will be accordingly," Dr Rivlin said. The family will visit the museum this weekend for the organised tour to "sweeten together the previous experience at the museum", he added.

The rare intact jar predates the time of Biblical King David and King Solomon and is characteristic of the Canaan region on the Mediterranean coast, the manager said. The "impressive find" was intended for the storage and transportation of mostly wine and olive oil.

The museum has reached out to a specialist in conservation to restore the shattered jar, which they expect would be returned to its place in "a short time".

"The Hecht Museum will also take the opportunity to document the conservation work so that it can be presented to the public as well  so soon the jar will be visible again, along with the work that facilitated its 'rescue'," Dr Rivlin added.

The boy's father told the broadcaster he was "relieved" to see the jar restored but apologised because "it will no longer be the same item".

The Hecht Museum would "continue this tradition" of displaying artefacts without barriers to enhance public experience despite the "rare incident", the manager added.

Oasis: Mancunian rockers who took on the world before their acrimonious split
French authorities have handed Telegram chief executive Pavel Durov preliminary charges for allowing alleged criminal activity on his messaging app, and barred him from leaving France pending further investigation.

Durov was detained on Saturday at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of a sweeping judicial inquiry opened last month, and released earlier on Wednesday after four days of questioning.

Investigative judges filed preliminary charges on Wednesday night and ordered him to pay five million euros (4.2 million) bail and to report to a police station twice a week, according to a statement from the Paris prosecutors office.

Allegations against Russian-born Durov, who is a French citizen, include that his platform is being used for child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, and that Telegram refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.

Both free-speech advocates and authoritarian governments have spoken out in Durovs defence since his weekend arrest.

The case has called attention to the challenges of policing illegal activity online, as well as Durovs unusual biography and multiple passports.

Durovs arrest in France has also caused outrage in Russia, with some government officials 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 the Telegram app but failed, withdrawing the ban in 2020.

In Iran, where Telegram is widely used despite being officially banned after years of protests challenging the countrys Shiite theocracy, Durovs arrest in France prompted comments from the Islamic Republics supreme leader.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei weighed in with veiled praise for France for being strict against those who violate your governance of the internet.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that Durovs arrest was not a political move but part of an independent investigation.

Macron posted on X, formerly Twitter, 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 Telegram app is seen on a mobile phone (Alamy/PA)

In a statement posted on its platform after Durovs 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.

In addition to Russia and France, Durov is also a citizen of the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean island nation of St Kitts and Nevis.

The UAE Foreign Ministry said on 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.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he hoped that Durov has all the necessary opportunities for his legal defence and added that Moscow stands ready to provide all necessary assistance and support to the Telegram chief executive as a Russian citizen.

Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov appears at an event in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2017 (Tatan Syuflana/AP)

But the situation is complicated by the fact that he is also a citizen of France, Mr Peskov said.

Telegram was founded by Durov and his brother after he himself faced pressure from 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 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.

Western governments have often criticised Telegram for a lack of content moderation, which experts say opens up the messaging app 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 five million dollars (3.7 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.
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.

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.

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)

Earlier this month, Ms Harris had told reporters that she wanted to do her first formal interview before the end of August.
Brandon Wolf, a survivor of the Pulse nightclub shooting and activist, looks at the photos that are a part of the Pulse memorial in Orlando, Florida (Cody Jackson/AP)

Police have closed their investigation into the former owners of a US nightclub where 49 people died in a mass shooting without filing charges.

Victims families and survivors of the killings at the LGBTQ-friendly Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida had asked law enforcement to investigate them for criminal culpability.

No charges will be filed against former owners Barbara and Rosario Poma because probable cause did not exist for involuntary manslaughter by culpable negligence, the Orlando Police Department said this week in an emailed statement.

About two dozen people, mostly survivors and family members of those who died in the 2016 shooting, gave statements to investigators.

They said that building plans were not available to first responders during the three hours hostages were held in the club and that unpermitted renovations and building modifications had occurred.

They also maintained that the club was likely above capacity, that it had operated for years in violation of its conditional use permit, and that there were security and risk-management failures.

Despite efforts to reach the the Pomas, investigators were not able to interview them.

Sara Brady, a spokeswoman for the Pomas, said on Wednesday that they are not issuing a statement.

Investigators concluded that the lack of building plans did not hamper rescuers, that it was impossible to identify how many people were in the club that night, that the city of Orlando never took any action against Pulse when the nightclub changed its interior, and that there were too many unknowns about how gunman Omar Mateen entered.

None of the Pomas actions were done with a reckless disregard for human life, and they could not have reasonably foreseen or anticipated a terrorist incident taking place at Pulse, investigators wrote in a report.

Mateen opened fire during a Latin night celebration June 12, 2016, leaving 49 dead and 53 wounded.

At the time, it was the worst mass shooting in modern US history.

Mateen, who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, was killed after a three-hour standoff with police.

The Pulse shootings death toll was surpassed the following year when 58 people were killed and more than 850 injured among a crowd of 22,000 at a country music festival in Las Vegas.

The city of Orlando purchased the Pulse property last year for two million dollars (1.5 million).

Before the Pomas and another businessperson sold the property, Barbara Poma was the executive director of the onePulse Foundation, the non-profit that had been leading efforts to build a memorial and museum.

The original project, unveiled in 2019 by the onePulse Foundation, called for a museum and permanent memorial costing 45 million dollars (34.1 million).

That estimate eventually soared to 100 million dollars (75.8 million).

Barbara Poma stepped down as executive director in 2022 and left the organisation entirely last year amid conflict-of-interest criticism over her stated desire to sell instead of donate the Pulse property.

The city has since outlined more modest plans for a memorial.

The original idea for a museum has been jettisoned, and city leaders formed an advisory board to help determine what the memorial will look like.
The draft resolution calls for an end to attacks by the military (AP Photo, File)

The UK has circulated a wide-ranging United Nations resolution on Myanmar urging renewed peace efforts, condemning attacks on civilians  especially by the military  and calling for a halt to illicit arms transfers.

The draft resolution obtained on Tuesday by The Associated Press expresses alarm at the increased violence across Myanmar, which is engulfed in civil war between the military-led regime and resistance forces.

It calls for safe, rapid, and unhindered humanitarian access at scale, and expresses grave concern at the deteriorating humanitarian situation and restrictions on humanitarian access in the country that led to rising food insecurity and hunger.

The proposed resolution warns that the current situation has the potential to further exacerbate discrimination, ethnically motivated violence, violations of international humanitarian law, human rights abuses, and conflict-related sexual violence.

The UN resolution calls for the restoration of democracy (AP)

Myanmars military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1 2021.

It was the day Parliament was to reconvene following November 2020 elections, which her National League for Democracy party won overwhelmingly  an outcome the military claims without evidence was based on fraud. Suu Kyi and party members remain under arrest.

The takeover was met with massive public opposition, which has since turned into armed resistance and civil war.

The military regime now faces its greatest challenge from the ethnic minority militias and peoples defence forces who support the main opposition and have captured wide swathes of territory in fierce fighting in recent months.

The draft resolution stresses the central role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), the 10-country bloc whose 2021 peace plan has so far been rejected by Myanmars generals. It calls for an immediate end to the violence and dialogue among contending parties brokered through an Asean envoy.

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The draft resolution urges renewed efforts by the Asean special envoy to Myanmar, Alounkeo Kittikhoun, and new UN special envoy, Julie Bishop, to engage all relevant stakeholders to seek a peaceful, inclusive solution to the crisis in Myanmar.

Security Council negotiations on the draft resolution are expected to be tough.

The 15-member council approved its first-ever resolution on Myanmar in December 2022 by a vote of 12-0 with three abstentions  Russia, China and India, who all have ties to the Myanmar regime.

Indias two-year term on the council ended that month, but Russia and China are veto-wielding permanent members of the council.

The proposed draft calls for full implementation of the December 2022 resolution, which demanded an immediate end to violence in the south-east Asian nation and urged its military rulers to release all arbitrarily detained prisoners, including Suu Kyi, and to restore democratic institutions.

It also called for the countrys opposing parties to pursue dialogue and reconciliation and urged all sides to respect human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law.
Shutterstock.com

The immensely destructive use of social media is among the factors identified in a new review of trust and trustworthiness in the Church of England.

Besides referring to major and traumatizing breaches of trust that have arisen from racism, sexual abuse, and issues relating to Living in Love and Faith, the review warns that distrust is pervasive in the Church. It diagnoses a viral sense of despondency among clergy, warns of heightened tribalism, and calls for an account of the Church that is so compelling as to dispel the implicit overarching narrative of decline.

The review, Trust and trustworthiness within the Church of England (GS Misc. 2354), was begun by the Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich, the Rt Revd Martin Seeley, in 2022, in response to issues that emerged during his work on the Transforming Effectiveness program (News, 16 July 2021). He was asked by the Emerging Church of England Steering Group (a body comprising representatives of the Archbishops Council, the Church Commissioners, and the House of Bishops) to explore how we repair and preserve trust in the Churchs organization and structures.

He was supported by a small task group: the Regius Professor of Divinity Emeritus at the University of Cambridge, Professor David Ford; the Dean and Professor of Strategy at the University of Bristol Business School, Professor Veronica Hope Hailey; and Gordon Jump, a project manager at the National Church Institutions. A larger reference group was also gathered.

Over the past two years, Professor Hope Hailey conducted interviews with 20 laity and clergy, who were nominated by a handful of diocesan bishops. The focus was on those who work with varied complexities and challenges in the Church but need to establish high-trust working environments.

The 49-page review concludes that pervasive yet patchy distrust is manifest in different ways across the Church, but that distrust is most profoundly evident in the major and traumatizing breaches of trust that have been of deep concern to the General Synod and many inside and outside the Church.

Racism, sexual abuse and issues relating to Living in Love and Faith all deeply affect the life and witness of the Church, it says. The serious breaches of trust and some of the profoundly inadequate ways they have been responded to, in terms of processes, procedures and decision making, are themselves acute manifestations of a wider culture of distrust.

It asks: Why is the Church not, by its very nature, modelling better behavior and practice?

The harm of social media was a recurrent theme in conversations and group discussions, the review reports. While accepting its remarkable value in connecting people and sharing information, the behavior within and outside the Church of posting comments without regard for those about whom or to whom we are writing has become an immensely destructive behavior in the use of social media. It is as if we feel we are somehow protected from the consequences of verbal unkindness, and even cruelty, just because we are not standing in front of the person about whom we are writing.

It continues: This is much more complex than Please be nicer to one another online, however. What some readers receive as hurtful and disparaging, the author and their allies may believe to be words spoken with integrity, prophetically challenging a culture they feel called to speak against. This difference of interpretation is painfully complex. We value freedom of speech, and disagreement should not be a matter for censure. . .

Yet we know that people can be deeply hurt by what they encounter online, and our priority not to cause harm should sit foremost in our mind. Attacks on views we believe to be incorrect should be confined to the opinions expressed and never to the individual. And yet in a world where peoples identities are so intertwined with their deeply held views, is such safely targeted critique even possible? We are on very difficult terrain when we embark on such debates online without the face-to-face fullness of in-person discussion, and we should tread exceedingly carefully.

Social media is also touched on in a section on access to information, with the warning that, through our indiscriminate use of social media we are in danger of becoming stupid in our judgement of where to place our trust.

The review includes quotes from unnamed interviewees, such as: It would be an interesting exercise in spiritual direction, wouldnt it, to say to all of us on social media, to everybody whos kind of a keyboard warrior . . . what if every single tweet and every single thing you ever said in your lifetime, was gathered into one piece of paper or document and you are asked to sit down with Christ and read it.

The review places its reflections on trust against a wider backdrop of a Church under stress. Ministry in the 21st century can be a lonely, unaffirmed, contested and resource-starved experience for many clergy, it observes. This sense of declining affirmation from wider society can not only prompt a viral sense of despondency but also an overly critical and negative analysis of the institution and its leaders, almost as though a default position of distrust is a safety protection for many clergy from the possible disappointment from trusting too much. This prompts too many narratives and discourses in the national Church about decline and distrust.

There are, it says, high levels of distrust between individuals, including between parish priests and bishops. Often that is because a person does not feel known or understood by those in senior roles, or those in senior roles have become perceived as not making decisions that have the good of others at heart. As resources have been stretched, historic deference  itself of course problematic, as we know from serious safeguarding incidents  seems to have given way to distrust.

Distrust also exists between peers, it says, including within the National Church Institutions and among the bishops.

While acknowledging failures by the Churchs leadership, the review is critical of a tendency to other parts of the Church as a faceless entity, noting that we are all too familiar with conversations where an amorphous group  the diocese, the bishops or even just they  are held responsible for the trouble we are in.

It suggests that mistakes of ability or competence should not be afforded the same level of attention as breaches of integrity or morality, and observes that, when asked about obligations of followers to leaders, whilst a few clergy spoke about respect, compassion, always seeing leaders as human, unless prompted, very few spoke about forgiveness.

Another recurrent theme in interviews and conversations was the growth of groupings around church tradition, known by some as tribal groups . . . where the internal narrative of a group becomes self-reinforcing and more powerful in terms of shaping identity and a sense of security than any overarching narrative about the whole Church of England.

While acknowledging that groups like these are bound to exist, for theological and operational reasons, the review speaks of a need to ensure that identifying with a particular group does not supersede identification with the overall mission and purpose of the Church of England, nor negate the possibility of people of one disposition learning from and valuing people of different dispositions.

Among the concerns raised are that ordination training and the different perspectives of theological education institutions bake in this tribal division. It recommends that substantial effort be made to ensure that candidates have developed a deep understanding and empathy for other traditions, recognizing that all make up the whole that is the Church of England.

The diagnosis of a culture of distrust within the Church echoes other recent reports. Last year, the report of the governance review spoke of a culture of mistrust which harms the reputation and effectiveness of the Church and diminishes its prophetic voice (News, 7 July 2023).

A wave of anxious, often angry, responses to the consultation on revision to the Mission and Pastoral Measure (News, 2 July 2021) prompted the Church Commissioners to warn that re-establishing relationships and building trust must be a priority for those leading reforms under the Emerging Church program (News, 28 January 2022).

The following year, the Chote Review of Strategic Development Funding said that it had served as a lightning rod for a lack of trust in the Church (News, 11 March 2022), while the new diocesan finances review, published last week, warned that a lack of transparency and clarity about how resources are held, used and shared was undermining trust (News, 21 June).

Bishop Seeley and his colleagues warn that serious breaches of trust will take decades to heal and deserve considered and reverent repair, and conclude that real culture change within the organization requires a shift in everyones attitudes and behaviors, which together over time effect the transformation.
Earlier this month, the Green Mountain Care Board approved a 19.8 percent increase for Blue Cross Blue Shield premiums on Vermont Health Connect individual plans, along with a 22.8 percent increase for small group plans. This is the third year in a row with double-digit rate increases.

As a longtime member of the Vermont Workers Center, Ive been helping to lead the Healthcare is a Human Right campaign since 2008. In 2011, the Vermont Workers Center and our partners were instrumental in gaining passage of Vermonts landmark universal healthcare law that remains in state statute, with its promise unfilled.

As a unionized state employee for 18 years (recently retired) I benefited from a mostly publicly funded, comprehensive health insurance program. Before landing a job with the state, though, I experienced the kinds of struggles to afford healthcare that I hear about when I speak with people around the state. I joined the Vermont Workers Centers Healthcare is a Human Right campaign because I know what its like to struggle to afford care, and because I feel a moral imperative to work to extend what state employees have - or better - to everyone in the state.

In the ten years since the governor and legislature abandoned universal healthcare, Vermonts healthcare crisis has grown exponentially worse. The costs for care and insurance premiums continue to skyrocket. Nine out of fourteen hospitals in the state are operating in the red, with the threat of hospital bankruptcy closures imminent. Close to 30,000 Vermonters have been kicked off Medicaid in the past year, forcing them to buy into high-deductible, expensive, marketplace insurance plans. Many must simply go without healthcare or insurance because they cant afford it. Everyone, from policy experts and consultants to legislators, healthcare providers, and the average person seeking care, agrees the system is failing us. In the words of consultant Dr. Bruce Hamory, the healthcare system in Vermont, unfortunately, is badly broken.

While bold action is needed, meaningful political leadership is severely lacking. During this years legislative session, the House Healthcare Committee advanced a significant and long-overdue proposal to substantially expand Medicaid, while increasing reimbursements to providers to ensure that hospitals and medical practices remain solvent. The bill was introduced with the support of 80 representatives and 14 senators.

Listening to testimony before the House Healthcare Committee last winter, I heard a wide range of constituencies voice their support for the concept, including representatives of the Scott administration, provider organizations and patient advocates. I listened to gut-wrenching stories from healthcare providers who cant afford healthcare for themselves or who worry about their ability to stay in practice and care for patients. I heard Vermonters speak about the stress of living with constant uncertainty about whether they will be able to remain on Medicaid or afford increasing insurance costs while working to support their families.

In the end, this effort to expand Medicaid was too ambitious for legislative leadership, who declined to include even a study of Medicaid expansion in the state budget. An updated study of the economics of publicly financed, universal healthcare was never on the table.

We are tired of the excuses for a lack of action that is long overdue. The excuse we hear repeatedly for why we cannot move forward with universal, publicly financed healthcare is that we cant afford it. Yet this week the Green Mountain Care Board approved double-digit increases in private health insurance premiums for the second year in a row. This is completely unaffordable for the vast majority of Vermonters and unsustainable for our healthcare system. According to an analysis commissioned by the governor in 2014 (see Table 19), universal healthcare would actually have increased income for 93% of Vermont families by shifting healthcare spending from private insurance premiums to tax-funded public financing while controlling costs.

What does it mean to say we cant afford universal healthcare? It means we willingly accept that Vermonters will be forced to delay care, suffer, and even die due to lack of access to healthcare. The refusal to act in the face of this crisis may seem abstract, but in fact, it amounts to policy violence that causes unnecessary suffering.

So many of us are affected by this healthcare crisis or are outraged by the moral failure of a system that rations healthcare according to the ability to pay. Our collapsing healthcare system necessitates an all-hands-on-deck moment  we need a sustained effort of people impacted by this crisis to compel our elected government to respond to the will of the people. On Monday, September 23, were holding a Rally and Poor Peoples Trial of the Healthcare System on the steps of the Vermont Supreme Court. Join us at 12 p.m. in Montpelier or tune in via Facebook or Instagram livestream to share your healthcare story  for more, visit workerscenter.org.
BENNINGTON  A Burlington man who is currently facing 18 open criminal cases spread out over four different counties throughout Vermont was arraigned Tuesday in Bennington with nine new counts, including impeding a law enforcement officer by diving on top of a Manchester Police cruiser while handcuffed in order to swallow a plastic bag allegedly filled with drugs.

Brian C. Foy, 48, of Burlington, was arraigned on two felonies and six misdemeanors  nine counts in all, including impeding a police officer, cocaine possession, identity theft, knowingly providing false information to law enforcement, obstruction of justice, and four counts of violating conditions of release.

Foy, a multiple convicted felon dating back to 2002, was charged with habitual offender enhancements on each of the three felony counts, making him eligible for a possible life sentence if convicted on any or all of the felonies. He faces a combined four additional years on the six misdemeanor charges.

Foy, the subject of at least fifteen arrest warrants in the history of the still-pending cases, has also failed to appear 13 different times in those same cases. His mostly low-level past convictions span a 22-year period and include both felony and misdemeanor pleas. Felony convictions include larceny, aggravated vehicle operation without owners consent, and grand larceny.

In April 2023, Foy was charged with domestic assault and gross negligent operation of a vehicle after Vermont State Police say he struck a person in Arlington and fled the scene.

According to troopers from the Shaftsbury Barracks, an investigation revealed that Brian Foy was dropping off an individual at a residence on River Road in Arlington on Monday at 5:26 p.m. As the individual got out of the vehicle, Foy accelerated at a high rate of speed, throwing the victim from the vehicle. The victim was injured in the incident.

Police said Foy fled the area, but was later located in West Rutland after being involved in a motor vehicle crash. That charge is still pending.

Foy was charged in July 2023 with retail theft in Bennington for allegedly stealing a BB rifle from Walmart. That case is also still pending.

Foy was on conditions of release on the theft charge and charges pending in Burlington when he was arrested in Manchester in August. Those conditions bar Foy from driving a motor vehicle, require a nighttime curfew in Burlington, and not having contact with a named female. That female was at the Weathervane Motel with Foy when he was arrested, and she was also taken into custody.

According to a police affidavit by a Manchester Police Officer assigned to the Homeland Security and Street Crimes task forces in Manchester, police received information regarding Foy living in room #8 at the Weathervane Motel in Manchester. Foy, driving a red sedan against his conditions of release, pulled up to the front of the motel on August 26th, and was confronted by police. When asked to speak to them, Foy allegedly reached inside a sweatshirt pocket and pulled out a small object. He then opened the motel room door and tossed the object inside.

Police then cuffed Foy and asked if there was anyone else inside the room. Foy said his girlfriend was inside. When police heard someone make a noise inside the room, Foy offered to open the door and have the person come out. Instead, Foy slammed the door, locked it, and told police he did not have a key.

Police later gained entrance into the motel room, finding Anna Karhu, 26, inside. Karhu, an outstanding arrest warrant in her name, was taken into custody. Police also allegedly found a white, wax paper baggie on Foy with a white, powdery substance inside. The baggie was placed on top of the hood of the police cruiser. When one of the officers went to the back of the cruiser to retrieve an evidence bag, Foy allegedly lunged onto the hood and sucked the baggie of substance up with his mouth, and swallowed it before officers could intervene Foy denied doing this, although, according to the affidavit, the incident was caught on multiple police cameras.

Police later searched the motel room after a warrant was issued, allegedly finding cocaine inside.

Under the habitual offender statute, Bennington Judge Kerry McDonald-Cady continued Foys hold without bail as requested by States Attorney Erica Marthage, who handled the arraignment herself. After reciting some of his record, Judge McDonald-Cady confirmed that Foy was indeed a flight risk.

Defense attorney Kevin Rambold requested a weight of evidence hearing as soon as possible. No date has been set. Foy appeared in court via video link from the Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility in Rutland. He will remain there in custody pending the outcome of the weight of evidence hearing.

Foy has multiple pending cases in Chittenden, Washington, Windsor, and Bennington counties.
Serge Schmemann is a member of the editorial board of The New York Times who specializes in international affairs. He was editorial page editor of the Paris-based International Herald Tribune, the erstwhile global edition of The New York Times, from 2003 until its dissolution in 2013. Opinions expressed by columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of Vermont News & Media.
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PITTSFIELD  The retrial of a New York man accused in a 2018 fatal shooting in Pittsfield could be held as early as mid-October.

A judge ruled last week to deny a defense request to delay the trial while attorneys appeal to the state's highest court a separate Superior Court ruling about whether to allow evidence in the case against Lance Burke.
Doctor Alan Kulberg, chair of the Pittsfield Board of Health, readies a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine during a vaccination clinic in 2021. The vaccine is now administered at pharmacies and other public venues.
GREAT BARRINGTON  An event in Ghana's capital on Tuesday marked the death of scholar and civil rights architect W.E.B. Du Bois there more than six decades ago.

A wreath-laying and ground-breaking in Accra for a new museum in Du Bois honor was attended by dignitaries and celebrities, including Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo and rap star E.L. Akofa Ejeni Aseidu, according to the Modern Ghana news website.

The sod cutting was done by Akufo-Addo who was the guest of honor, the article says. The President laid the wreath on behalf of the people of Ghana.

Virginia E. Palmer, the U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, also attended and spoke at the wreath-laying and symposium hosted by the New York-based W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Foundation.

Palmer said that Du Bois was one of Americas most misunderstood civil rights activists  misunderstood at least by his own government, according to her prepared remarks shared on the embassys website.

She spoke in part to Du Bois' struggles in the U.S. and his life's mission.

Du Bois left the United States for Ghana in large part as he had become disillusioned with American democracy, Palmer said. He hoped instead to promote democratic ideals in Africa and to shape a modern Africa freed from colonial chains. 

Palmer also quoted Du Bois about his belief was that democracy was "not so much compulsion and control, as enlightenment and learning."

Du Bois, a Great Barrington native, moved to Accra in 1961 when he was 93 and lived the rest of his life there. He had been invited there by former President Kwame Nkrumah, and undertook the editing of the "Encyclopedia Africana."

He died on Aug. 27, 1963, the day after the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the largest civil rights gathering during that era, according to the National Park Service.

Ghana, like Great Barrington, continues to honor Du Bois. Apart from the planned W.E.B. Museum Complex, the W.E.B. Du Bois Centre for Pan African Culture in Accra was dedicated in 1985.

In Great Barrington, honors include a sculpture of Du Bois planned for the Mason Library grounds and continued renovations to the historic Clinton A.M.E. Zion Church building on Elm Court, which will house the W.E.B. Du Bois Center for Freedom and Democracy.
Then-independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gives a July 26 speech during the Bitcoin 2024 conference at Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn. "When a classmate pointed 'Bobby' Kennedy Jr. out to me in the Millbrook dining hall a day or two after my arrival," writes Eagle columnist D.R. Bahlman, I wasnt aware that Kennedy, then age 14, had been near his fathers hospital bedside when the senator died about 25 hours after he was attacked.
A crowd on the State House steps Aug. 28, 2024 protests the closures of the Carney Hospital and Nashoba Valley Medical Center.
When you think about who God is, one of the most reassuring aspects of his character is his immutability. For those of you who are not theologians, that simply means God does not change. This truth is an essential aspect of our faith because it gives us confidence in who God is.

Living in a world where the one thing that remains constant is change, it helps to know you serve a God who does not change with the shifting tides of the world. This gives you peace and calm in a world that is often chaotic and unpredictable. Yet amid this truth, there are certain passages in the Bible that seem to suggest something different. Maybe God does change his mind.

Thats why we must ask this question: does God ever change his mind? The answer is in the very place the question comes from  the Scriptures. So, let's take this journey together, as we seek to answer this all-important question.

Gods Nature Is Unchanging

Throughout Scripture, in both the Old and New Testament, there are affirmations that highlight the fact that God does not change. Consider these key verses:

"I the LORD do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed (Malachi 3:6).

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17).

These verses underscore that Gods nature is unchanging. Without this affirmation, we could not trust in God because we would not know who God would be at any given moment. However, we know his love, his faithfulness, his mercy, his grace, his commitment to honor his promises remains constant and unchanging. This makes God dependable because he is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

However, if we are going to do Gods word justice, we must consider some passages where God appears to change His mind. Lets explore some of these instances and see what they really mean.

3 Occasions Where God Seems to Change His Mind

1. Jonah and Nineveh

Nineveh was a wicked city and God was ready to judge their sin. However, before he did, he sent Jonah to proclaim a message of impending judgment to Nineveh:

Jonah began by going a days journey into the city, proclaiming, Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown (Jonah 3:4).

After hearing Jonahs message, the people of Nineveh responded, and they repented. They declared a fast and turned from their evil ways. Here is how God responded.

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened (Jonah 3:10).

Because the Bible says God relented, it might appear that he changed his mind because his initial plan was to destroy Nineveh. However, after they repented, he chose not to. Does this mean God changed his mind? Not really. The story of Nineveh highlights Gods nature. God is always willing to forgive anyone who repents. He used the warning of judgment as the wake-up call to move them to repentance. God simply responded to their decision. He always wanted to show mercy, and when they repented that is what they received. Had they not repented, then he would have brought judgment just as he said.



2. God Extends Hezekiahs Life

In 2 Kings 20, this is what the prophet Isaiah tells Hezekiah.

In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover (2 Kings 20:1).

When Hezekiah heard this, he prayed fervently to God, pouring his heart out before him in tears, and God responded to his prayer. Before Isaiah had left the middle court, God sent him back with a new message for Hezekiah.

Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life (2 Kings 20:5-6a).

This passage forces us again to ask, did God change his mind? But looking deeper, this story highlights the power of prayer and Gods compassionate response to those who earnestly seek him. Gods decision to extend Hezekiahs life was not a change in his nature, but shows how God responds to fervent prayer.

3. Moses and the Golden Calf

In Exodus 32, after the Israelites made a golden calf and worshipped it, God was furious and declared his intention to destroy them.

I have seen these people, the Lord said to Moses, and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation (Exodus 32:9-10).

From there, we know Moses interceded on behalf of the Israelites and here was Gods response to Moses prayer:

Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened (Exodus 32:14).

Again, it seems that God changed his mind. But what this passage really shows is the power of intercession. Moses stood in the gap for the people, and God, in his mercy, responded to his intercession. The underlying purpose of God was always to bring his people back to himself, and through Moses prayer, he accomplished that purpose.

One Major Aspect of Gods Unchanging Nature in These Three Stories

When you consider these three stories, the focus is not God changing his mind. The focus is on the power of repentance, fervent prayer, and intercession. God is encouraging us to repent, to pray, and to intercede, because he responds to us when we do. This is how we become participants in achieving Gods purpose on the earth.

Beyond that, we see there is one element of Gods unchanging nature on display, especially with Jonah and Moses. Gods desire for humanity is redemption, not judgment. God did not change his mind when he did not bring judgment. He simply responded in alignment with his eternal nature.

Lets be abundantly clear. There will be a day when God will judge the sins of those who dont repent and there will be no further opportunity for grace. However, now is not that time and God is not rushing to get there either. Consider these verses:

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love (Psalm 103:8).

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:8).

Gods overarching plan for creation and redemption is unchanging. His desire will always be to redeem humanity and one day he will establish his kingdom forever on the earth. God will never change his mind about those things. Yet, when God deals with us, he interacts with us in ways that respond to our actions, prayers, and repentance. When God "relents" or "changes his mind" in response to human actions, it is not a change in his eternal character or purpose, but a demonstration of his personal relationship with his creation. It shows that God is not distant or detached; he is deeply involved in our lives, responding to our choices and prayers in real-time.

God Does Not Change

So, does God change his mind? In his eternal purposes and character, God does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. However, in his relationship with humanity, God responds to our actions, prayers, and repentance. These changes are not shifts in his nature but demonstrations of his mercy, compassion, and willingness to engage with us in a living relationship. As you navigate your walk with God, you can rest in the assurance that God does not change. He sees, he listens, and he responds to your sincere prayers and repentance. Because he is unchanging, then your faith in him can remain unchanged as well.

Photo credit: Getty Images/Kriangsak Koopattanakij
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SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches Starlink satellites into space. (archive image) Keystone

A luminous object was observed over Switzerland on Tuesday evening. According to the German Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK), it was a Starlink satellite that entered the Earth's atmosphere.

SDA

The Starlink satellite from the private US space company SpaceX entered the Earth's atmosphere over Switzerland. The Space Situational Awareness Center of the German Armed Forces had transmitted this information to the BBK, a spokeswoman for the Federal Office told the news agency dpa.

Numerous people in Switzerland also observed the spectacle and the satellite was a hot topic on social media. Various photos were also sent in via SRF Meteo, as reported by the news portal srf.ch.

On Tuesday evening, police in various towns in Baden-Wurttemberg received calls from citizens who had observed a fire in the sky. Such calls were received by the police headquarters in Ravensburg, Constance and Stuttgart, for example, according to their spokespersons.

Starlink is a satellite network that provides internet access. SpaceX founder Elon Musk used it to offer internet access to Ukraine, for example, following the attack by Russia.

SDA
An Oasis superfan with a back tattoo of Liam Gallagher and 12,000 worth of Oasis memorabilia said the bands reunion is the best thing thats happened for a long time.

John Smallbones, 49, from Andover in Hampshire, who also has several tattoos of Oasis, said next year cant come quick enough following the Gallagher brothers announcement of their reunion tour in 2025.

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The tradesman, who fell in love with Oasis in the early 90s and now owns a business specialising in windows, doors and conservatories called Wall of Glass after Liam Gallaghers first solo single, said he always thought (a reunion) will happen.

Oasis superfan John Smallbones owns several duvet covers featuring Noel and Liam Gallaghers faces (John Smallbones)

I said it will (happen) in 2025, and I thought its got to be because its the 30th anniversary, Mr Smallbones told the PA news agency.

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Its the best thing thats happened for a long time.

He owns more than 12,000 worth of Oasis memorabilia, including a duvet cover featuring Noel and Liam Gallaghers faces, cabinets full of tambourines which featured heavily in the bands 1994 album Definitely Maybe, and framed pictures and canvases of the band throughout his home.

The business owner also has several Oasis-themed tattoos, including a silhouette of Liam Gallaghers face on his back, the words Definitely Maybe written atop maracas and a tambourine on his chest, and album names on his limbs.

Mr Smallbones will do whatever it takes to secure tickets to the reunion tour in 2025, and he will be donning a Parka jacket to pay homage to the types of clothes that have become synonymous with the band; a brown wig and hat to the concert.

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John Smallbones has a silhouette of Liam Gallagher  his favourite Oasis band member  on his back (John Smallbones)

Ill get tickets for Wembley Stadium. I wouldnt mind doing two nights there and one in Manchester, he said.

I will get them. Whether I have to pay for it through eBay, Ill get them. If I pay double, triple, whatever it is, Ill still get them.

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Were all in our parkas and hats. I have glasses, wigs, hats, parkas  you name it, Ive got it.

Mr Smallbones admits that of the Gallagher brothers, Liam is his favourite, who he sees at least twice a year, every year but added, seeing them perform together is the ultimate.

John Smallbones has memorabilia displayed throughout his home (John Smallbones)

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He added: I think everyone can relate to their music and their words and lyrics and how Liam sings them.

Even if hes got a tambourine or maracas, he could stand there with a triangle, it just looks good.

Mr Smallbones plans to secure tickets for Oasiss shows at Wembley Stadium in London and at Heaton Park in Manchester.

John Smallbones hopes to get tickets for the 2025 reunion (John Smallbones)

I just cant wait to go, and it will be just as good as it was years ago. It cant come quick enough to be honest next year, he said.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee was advised Ireland needed to do much more to encourage failed asylum seekers to return to their own country as a willing participant.

In a briefing, the minister was told so-called voluntary returns offered a positive experience for both the state and the person being removed as an alternative to deportation.

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The advisory was prepared in advance of a March meeting between Ms McEntee and her counterpart in Denmark, where only 10 percent of asylum seekers who leave the country are forcibly removed.

The briefing said Denmark was an enthusiastic user of the voluntary return process and that this was an approach both countries agreed on.

Department of Justice officials said Ireland should be aiming to have between 400 and 500 failed applicants leave of their own accord during 2024.

Of the 317 returns that took place last year, 213 of them, or 67 percent, happened by way of voluntary return.

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The briefing said a new unit had been set up within the department late last year to help encourage asylum seekers to return home willingly.

It explained how complex cases could be managed through the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), which can offer grants to people to help them get reestablished in their own country.

Officials said new promotional material had also been prepared for asylum seekers to outline the downsides of the deportation process for them.

A sample flyer said deportation carried a risk of detention, involved a police escort, and would likely lead to a lifetime ban on entry to Ireland and the European Union.

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It also said authorities in the destination country would have to be made aware of their removal and that no financial aid would be provided.

However, for voluntary returns, there was no detention, no escorts, and the person would travel like any other passenger.

It promised too there would be no re-entry ban for Ireland or the EU, and that financial support could be made available in some cases to settle back at home.

The flyer added: You can also decide to leave without our help, but you do need to tell us so that we can close your file and stop a deportation order from issuing.

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Ms McEntee was told as well that a high-level group had been set up to focus on deportation and voluntary returns.

The briefing said: [It addresses] cross governmental deficiencies in the area of removals generally and meetings on a weekly basis are being held by management staff in all relevant areas.

The minister was also told that some EU countries continued to use deportation as their primary choice for removal of failed asylum seekers.

It said that in Germany and Hungary, only forced returns were used while more than 85 percent of all returns in Italy, the Czech Republic, and Croatia were enforced removals.

Asked about the briefing, which was released under Freedom of Information laws, a spokesman for the Department of Justice said: Working to ensure that an effective returns process is in place is a key focus in discussions on migration management at EU level.

As the notes set out, deportations and assisted returns programs form an important part of the immigration system in Ireland, and other EU Member States.
Gardai in Donegal seized 3080 of vaping products containing suspected cannabis during the course of searches carried out in Bundoran and Donegal Town on August 22nd, 2024.

The products are suspected to contain illegal cannabinoids, including THC, HHC and HHCP.

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Items seized included 66 vapes and two bottles of oil containing suspected illegal cannabinoids.

As a result of an ongoing investigation into the sale or supply of cannabis in the form of oil and vapes, devices and e-cigarettes in Co Donegal, the divisional drugs unit searched a number of premises.

The searches followed garda enquiries into reports of a medical incident in which a member of the public had fallen ill.

The seized items are now subject to analysis by Forensic Science Ireland.

Gardai are appealing for anyone with information that can assist the investigation to contact Ballyshannon Garda station on (071) 985 8530, the garda confidential line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station.
Police have been granted additional time to question a man over the murder of a woman in Derry.

Montserrat Martorell, 65, was found dead in an apartment in Derry last Saturday.

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A 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of her murder on Monday.

On Wednesday, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said detectives have been granted a court extension for an additional 18 hours to question the man.
Ryanair chief executive Michael OLeary has called for alcohol limits in airports to tackle a rise in disorder on flights.

Mr OLeary said passengers should be restricted to two drinks per journey to curb what he says is an increase in antisocial behaviour and violence.

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He told The Daily Telegraph violent outbursts are occurring weekly with alcohol, especially when mixed with other substances.

A Ryanair plane taking off from Stansted Airport (PA)

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, he said, adding it was difficult for airlines to identify inebriated people at the gate, especially when boarding in a group.

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As long as they can stand up and shuffle, they will get through. Then, when the plane takes off, we see the misbehaviour.

Mr OLeary said crew members and other passengers have become targets with delays adding to the problem with longer drinking times at airports.

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, he said.

Its the mix. You get much more aggressive behaviour that becomes very difficult to manage.

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Mr OLeary said Ryanair staff search bags before passengers are allowed to board flights to Ibiza, one of the party destinations he says are worst affected, which include some of the Greek islands.
The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has returned to the headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile in northern India after undergoing a knee replacement surgery in New York.

Hundreds of followers in colourful, flowing robes, waving scarves and flowers, cheered the Dalai Lama at the airport and his residence.

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Several of them beat drums and performed traditional dances. Tibetan and Buddhist flags adorned poles and railings.

The Dalai Lama, 89, flew to Dharamshala after weeks of recovery at the Nappi Farmhouse in Syracuse, New York, following the surgery on June 28.



Exiled Tibetans welcomed their spiritual leader in Dharamshala (AP)

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Dr David Mayman, chief of the adult reconstruction and joint replacement service at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, said after the surgery that the Dalai Lama was recovering well and was expected to continue improving over the next six to 12 months.

Dr Tsetan D Sadutshang and Dr Tsewang Tamdin, physicians to the Dalai Lama, said last month that the surgical incision had completely healed without any complications. The physiotherapists said they were happy with the speed of his improvement.

The Dalai Lama has made Dharamshala, the hillside town in northern India, his headquarters since fleeing Tibet after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. Representatives of a Tibetan government-in-exile also reside there.

The Dalai Lama formally relinquished his political and administrative powers in 2011 and handed his political responsibilities to the communitys elected leadership. But he has remained the spiritual leader of the Tibetan community.

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His followers see him as capable of uniting and mobilising Tibetans inside and outside China.



Exiled Tibetans in costumes took part ina traditional dance to welcome their spiritual leader (AP)

More than 100,000 Tibetan refugees live in India, Nepal and Bhutan, according to Tibetan organisations.

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Their number in India is estimated at around 85,000, while many have also moved to countries such as the US, Canada, Germany and Switzerland.

China exercises rigid control over all religions and, in recent years, has stepped up a campaign of cultural assimilation targeting Tibetans, Turkic Muslim Uyghurs and other minority groups.

Beijing castigates the Dalai Lama as an advocate for Tibetan independence and has not had direct contact with his representatives for more than a decade.

The Dalai Lama says he merely advocates for Tibets substantial autonomy and protection of its native Buddhist culture.
The gunman in the assassination attempt of former US president Donald Trump searched online for events of both Mr Trump and President Joe Biden and saw the Pennsylvania campaign rally where he opened fire last month as a target of opportunity, a senior FBI official has said.

Investigators who have conducted nearly 1,000 interviews do not have a motive for why 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks shot at Mr Trump during a July 13 campaign rally but they believe that he conducted extensive attack planning.

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This included looking up campaign events involving both the current president and former president, particularly in western Pennsylvania.



This image provided by the FBI shows two improvised explosive devices initially discovered in Thomas Matthew Crooks car at the scene (AP)

The FBI analysis of his online search history reveals a sustained, detailed effort to plan an attack on some event, meaning he looked at any number of events or targets, Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBIs Pittsburgh field office, told reporters on Wednesday.

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Once a Trump rally was announced for July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, he became hyper-focused on that specific event and looked at it as a target of opportunity, Mr Rojek said.

Crooks internet searches in the days leading up to the rally included queries about the grounds where the rally was held, such as Where will Trump speak from at Butler Farm Show?, Butler Farm Show podium and Butler Farm Show photos.

In the 30 days before the attack, the FBI says, Crooks did more than 60 internet searches related to Biden and Trump, including seeking the dates of both the Democratic and Republican national conventions.

FBI director Christopher Wray has previously revealed that one week before the shooting, Crooks did a Google search for How far away was Oswald from Kennedy?.

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That is an apparent reference to Lee Harvey Oswald, the shooter who killed President John F Kennedy on November 22, 1963.



Thomas Matthew Crooks rifle broken down which was likely done for transportation and the backpack recovered at the scene in Butler (FBI/AP)

The new details add to an emerging portrait of Crooks as a man who investigators say had taken an eerie interest in explosives, major events and prominent political figures, but whose internet searches across major parties have frustrated efforts to assign a simple motive.

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We have a clear idea of mindset, but we are not ready to make any conclusive statements regarding motive at this time, Mr Rojek said.

The FBI found explosive devices in his car and home, and investigators say his internet searches revealed that since at least 2019 he had looked up information about bomb-making materials.

The FBI has said that Mr Trump, the 2024 Republican presidential nominee, was struck in the ear by a bullet or a bullet fragment in the assassination attempt.

Crooks fired eight shots from an AR-style rifle.

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One rallygoer was killed and two others were injured before the gunman, who was positioned on the roof of a building less than 150 yards away, was killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper.
Israel has launched a large-scale military operation in the occupied West Bank, with its forces killing 10 Palestinian militants and sealing off the volatile city of Jenin.

Near-daily raids have been carried out by Israel in the West Bank since Hamas October 7 attack out of Gaza triggered the ongoing war there.

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Israel says it is rooting out militants to prevent attacks on its citizens, while Palestinians in the West Bank fear it intends to broaden the war and forcibly displace more of them.



Bulldozers have been seen in the streets at the West Bank refugee camp of Al-Faraa (AP)

Lt Col Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesman, said large forces had entered Jenin, long a militant stronghold, as well as Tulkarem and the Al-Faraa refugee camp dating back to the 1948 Middle East war, all in the northern West Bank.

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He said Israeli forces had killed nine militants, including three in an air strike in Tulkarem and four in a strike in Al-Faraa. He said another five suspected militants were arrested, and that the raids were the first stage of an even larger operation.

Hamas announced that 10 of its fighters had been killed in the West Bank on Wednesday. Palestinian militant groups also said they were exchanging fire with Israeli troops.

The governor of Jenin, Kamal Abu al-Rub, said on Palestinian radio that Israeli forces had surrounded the city, blocking exit and entry points and access to hospitals, and ripping up infrastructure in the camp.

The Palestinian health ministry in the West Bank said Israeli forces had blocked the roads leading to a hospital with dirt barriers and surrounded other medical facilities in Jenin.

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The governor of Jenin, Kamal Abu al-Rub, said on Palestinian radio that Israeli forces had surrounded the city (AP)

Lt Col Shoshani said the military was trying to prevent militants from taking shelter in hospitals.

An Associated Press reporter saw army vehicles blocking all the entrances to Al-Faraa camp.

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Military jeeps and bulldozers entered the camp and soldiers were seen patrolling its alleyways by foot, while water leaked onto the damaged streets from houses where fighting had damaged tanks and pipes. Shots rang out every few minutes.

Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz drew comparisons with Gaza and called for similar measures in the West Bank.

We must deal with the threat just as we deal with the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza, including the temporary evacuation of Palestinian residents and whatever steps might be required. This is a war in every respect, and we must win it, he wrote on the platform X.





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This is a complete stripping of humanity. A never-ending tragedy.



Families across the #GazaStrip continue to be forced to flee, forced to leave their homes and belongings behind. All they can now do is try to stay alive.



People have lost absolutely everything. #CeasefireNow pic.twitter.com/qL22oawYPM  UNRWA (@UNRWA) August 26, 2024

Lt Col Shoshani said there was no plan to evacuate civilians.

Hamas called on Palestinians in the West Bank to rise up, calling the raids part of a larger plan to expand the war in Gaza and blaming the escalation on US support for Israel.

The militant group called on security forces loyal to the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, which cooperate with Israel, to join the sacred battle of our people.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for Palestinian authority President Mahmoud Abbas, condemned the raids as a serious escalation and called on the United States to intervene. Mr Abbas later announced he was cutting short a visit to Saudi Arabia and returning to the West Bank, where his government is based.

At least 652 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli fire since the war in Gaza began more than 10 months ago, according to the Palestinian ministry. Most died during raids, which often trigger gun battles with militants.



Hamas called on Palestinians in the West Bank to rise up (AP)

Israel says the operations are required to dismantle Hamas and other militant groups. Attacks on Israelis have risen since the start of the war.

The Palestinian health ministry said the bodies of seven people were brought to the hospital in Tubas, another West Bank city, and another two were brought to the hospital in Jenin. The ministry identified the two killed in Jenin as Qassam Jabarin, 25, and Asem Balout, 39.

Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war. The Palestinians want all three for a future state.

Israel has built scores of settlements across the West Bank, which are home to over 500,000 Jewish settlers. They have Israeli citizenship, while the three million Palestinians in the West Bank live under Israeli military rule, with the Palestinian Authority exercising limited control over population centres.

The war in Gaza erupted when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel and rampaged through army bases and farming communities, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250.



Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed since the Hamas attack on October 7 (AP)

The militants are still holding some 110 hostages, around a third of whom are believed to be dead, after most of the rest were released during a November ceasefire.

Israel responded with an offensive that has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gazas health ministry, which does not specify how many were militants. Around 90% of Gazas population has been displaced, often multiple times, and Israeli bombardment and ground operations have caused vast destruction.

Israeli strikes in Gaza overnight and into Wednesday killed at least 24 people, including five women and five children, according to Palestinian health officials. AP reporters at two hospitals confirmed the toll.

One strike hit tents housing displaced people near the central town of Deir al-Balah, killing eight including two brothers, aged six and 17.

The United Nations human rights office said Israels security operation in the West Bank risks seriously deepening the already catastrophic situation in Palestinian areas.



Israeli forces regularly carry out raids in the occupied West Bank (AP)

The use of airstrikes and another military weapons violates human rights norms, UN Office for the High Commissioner of Human Rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said.

She called on the Israeli government to abide by its obligations under international law as the occupying power in the West Bank.

The US, Qatar and Egypt have spent months trying to mediate a cease-fire that would see the remaining hostages released.

But the talks have repeatedly bogged down as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed total victory over Hamas and the militant group has demanded a lasting ceasefire and a full withdrawal from the territory.

There was no sign of a breakthrough after days of talks in Egypt, and the negotiations move to Qatar this week.

One of the hostages was released on Tuesday after Israeli forces found him in a tunnel.

After a short stay in a hospital he returned on Wednesday to his Bedouin village where he received a heros welcome.
Opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro took to the streets in an attempt to revive protests against him as he tightens his grip on power following last months disputed election.

The demonstrations in the capital, Caracas, on Wednesday come exactly a month after the fraught July 28 vote in which Mr Maduro was declared the winner despite strong evidence that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez won by a nearly 2-to-1 margin.

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The result drew international condemnation that the vote lacked transparency.



Photos and balloons representing people detained by Venezuelan security forces after Venezuelas presidential election at Bolivar square in Bogota, Colombia (Fernando Vergara/AP)

And in weeks of on-again, off-again demonstrations, the oppositions rallying cry has been constant but so far ineffective.

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Opponents have demanded that election officials publish results from each polling station that they say would expose Mr Maduros attempts to steal the election.

Voting records kill sentence, is how the opposition billed the latest protest, referring to the thousands of tally sheets it collected and posted online that contradict a recent sentence written by the loyalist Supreme Court certifying Mr Maduros purported victory.

Wednesdays protest was smaller than previous demonstrations. Tiny groups of Venezuelans also gathered in other Latin America capitals.

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who along with Mr Gonzalez went into hiding following the election, re-emerged to attend Wednesdays rally, waving a Venezuelan flag and hugging small children from the back of a truck as supporters shouted Freedom!.

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Banned from running against Mr Maduro, the conservative politician crisscrossed the nation for weeks to help elect Mr Gonzalez, a previously unknown former diplomat.



Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado displays vote tally sheets during the protest (Ariana Cubillos/AP)

Acknowledging the steep challenge of forcing Mr Maduro from power, Ms Machado said the movement she leads will be strategic about calling for additional demonstrations.

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But she said the international pressure on Mr Maduro is unlikely to cease any time soon and pointed out that not a single Western democracy has recognised what she called Mr Maduros fraud.

Those who say the passage of time favours Maduro are wrong, Ms Machado said to throngs of supporters who filled an avenue in Caracas. Every day hes more isolated, more toxic.

Not to be outdone, Mr Maduros supporters also planned to hold rallies on Wednesday, vowing to defend his victory against what they claim is an attempt to sow unrest throughout the South American country.

Amid the ongoing crisis, Mr Maduro has leaned heavily on security forces to preserve his power.

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On Tuesday, he appointed a hard-line ruling party boss as interior minister, with oversight of police forces.



Opposition supporters protest the re-election of President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela (Cristian Hernandez/AP)

Diosdado Cabello has vowed to show no mercy against government opponents.

Mr Cabellos appointment stoked fears that a crackdown that has already led to more than 2,000 arrests  of journalists, politicians and students  is likely to intensify.

The wave of arrests featured prominently at a special meeting on Wednesday of the Organisation of American States in Washington to discuss a report on human rights violations by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

The commission condemns unequivocally practices of institutional violence in the context of the electoral process in Venezuela, Roberta Clarke, a lawyer from Barbados and member of the commission, said at the meeting.

Democracy and the rule of law must be restored.

The commission called on Venezuelan authorities to cease all actions that generate terror in the population  including arbitrary detentions and the use of violence by non-state actors loyal to Mr Maduro  and respect the popular will of Venezuelans for democratic change.
Israel has launched raids across the occupied West Bank, where its forces killed at least nine Palestinians and sealed off the volatile city of Jenin, according to officials.

Near-daily raids have been carried out by the Israelis across the West Bank since Hamas October 7 attack triggered the ongoing war in Gaza.

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Palestinian militant groups said they were exchanging fire with the Israeli military.

The governor of Jenin, Kamal Abu al-Rub, said on Palestinian radio that Israeli forces had surrounded the city, blocking exit and entry points and access to hospitals, and ripped up infrastructure in the camp.



The city of Jenin has been sealed off, according to Palestinian officials (AP)

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The Israeli military confirmed it was operating in the West Bank cities of Jenin and Tulkarem but did not provide further details.

At least 652 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli fire since the war in Gaza began over 10 months ago, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Most have died during such raids, which often trigger gun battles with militants.

Israel says the operations are required to dismantle Hamas and other militant groups and to prevent attacks on Israelis, which have also risen since the start of the war.

The Palestinian health ministry said seven people were killed early on Wednesday in Tubas, another West Bank city, and another two in Jenin.

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The ministry identified the two killed in Jenin as Qassam Jabarin, 25, and Asem Balout, 39.

Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war. The Palestinians want all three for a future state.





This is a complete stripping of humanity. A never-ending tragedy.



Families across the #GazaStrip continue to be forced to flee, forced to leave their homes and belongings behind. All they can now do is try to stay alive.



People have lost absolutely everything. #CeasefireNow pic.twitter.com/qL22oawYPM Advertisement  UNRWA (@UNRWA) August 26, 2024

Israel has built scores of settlements across the West Bank, which are home to over 500,000 Jewish settlers. They have Israeli citizenship, while the three million Palestinians in the West Bank live under Israeli military rule, with the Palestinian Authority exercising limited control over population centres.

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The war in Gaza erupted on October 7, when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel and rampaged through army bases and farming communities, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250.

The militants are still holding some 110 hostages, around a third of whom are believed to be dead, after most of the rest were released during a November cease-fire.

Israel responded with an offensive that has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gazas health ministry, which does not say how many were militants.

Around 90% of Gazas population has been displaced, often multiple times, and Israeli bombardment and ground operations have caused vast destruction.

The United States, Qatar and Egypt have spent months trying to mediate a ceasefire that would see the remaining hostages released. But the talks have repeatedly bogged down as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed total victory over Hamas and the militant group has demanded a lasting ceasefire and a full withdrawal from the territory.

There was no sign of a breakthrough after days of talks in Egypt, and the negotiations move to Qatar this week.
Police have closed their investigation into the former owners of a US nightclub where 49 people died in a mass shooting without filing charges.

Victims families and survivors of the killings at the LGBTQ-friendly Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida had asked law enforcement to investigate them for criminal culpability.

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No charges will be filed against former owners Barbara and Rosario Poma because probable cause did not exist for involuntary manslaughter by culpable negligence, the Orlando Police Department said this week in an emailed statement.

About two dozen people, mostly survivors and family members of those who died in the 2016 shooting, gave statements to investigators.

They said that building plans were not available to first responders during the three hours hostages were held in the club and that unpermitted renovations and building modifications had occurred.

They also maintained that the club was likely above capacity, that it had operated for years in violation of its conditional use permit, and that there were security and risk-management failures.

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Despite efforts to reach the the Pomas, investigators were not able to interview them.

Sara Brady, a spokeswoman for the Pomas, said on Wednesday that they are not issuing a statement.

Investigators concluded that the lack of building plans did not hamper rescuers, that it was impossible to identify how many people were in the club that night, that the city of Orlando never took any action against Pulse when the nightclub changed its interior, and that there were too many unknowns about how gunman Omar Mateen entered.

None of the Pomas actions were done with a reckless disregard for human life, and they could not have reasonably foreseen or anticipated a terrorist incident taking place at Pulse, investigators wrote in a report.

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Mateen opened fire during a Latin night celebration June 12, 2016, leaving 49 dead and 53 wounded.

At the time, it was the worst mass shooting in modern US history.

Mateen, who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, was killed after a three-hour standoff with police.

The Pulse shootings death toll was surpassed the following year when 58 people were killed and more than 850 injured among a crowd of 22,000 at a country music festival in Las Vegas.

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The city of Orlando purchased the Pulse property last year for two million dollars (1.5 million).

Before the Pomas and another businessperson sold the property, Barbara Poma was the executive director of the onePulse Foundation, the non-profit that had been leading efforts to build a memorial and museum.

The original project, unveiled in 2019 by the onePulse Foundation, called for a museum and permanent memorial costing 45 million dollars (34.1 million).

That estimate eventually soared to 100 million dollars (75.8 million).

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Barbara Poma stepped down as executive director in 2022 and left the organisation entirely last year amid conflict-of-interest criticism over her stated desire to sell instead of donate the Pulse property.

The city has since outlined more modest plans for a memorial.

The original idea for a museum has been jettisoned, and city leaders formed an advisory board to help determine what the memorial will look like.
The UK has circulated a wide-ranging United Nations resolution on Myanmar urging renewed peace efforts, condemning attacks on civilians  especially by the military  and calling for a halt to illicit arms transfers.

The draft resolution obtained on Tuesday by The Associated Press expresses alarm at the increased violence across Myanmar, which is engulfed in civil war between the military-led regime and resistance forces.

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It calls for safe, rapid, and unhindered humanitarian access at scale, and expresses grave concern at the deteriorating humanitarian situation and restrictions on humanitarian access in the country that led to rising food insecurity and hunger.

The proposed resolution warns that the current situation has the potential to further exacerbate discrimination, ethnically motivated violence, violations of international humanitarian law, human rights abuses, and conflict-related sexual violence.



The UN resolution calls for the restoration of democracy (AP)

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Myanmars military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1 2021.

It was the day Parliament was to reconvene following November 2020 elections, which her National League for Democracy party won overwhelmingly  an outcome the military claims without evidence was based on fraud. Suu Kyi and party members remain under arrest.

The takeover was met with massive public opposition, which has since turned into armed resistance and civil war.

The military regime now faces its greatest challenge from the ethnic minority militias and peoples defence forces who support the main opposition and have captured wide swathes of territory in fierce fighting in recent months.

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The draft resolution stresses the central role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), the 10-country bloc whose 2021 peace plan has so far been rejected by Myanmars generals. It calls for an immediate end to the violence and dialogue among contending parties brokered through an Asean envoy.





The draft resolution urges renewed efforts by the Asean special envoy to Myanmar, Alounkeo Kittikhoun, and new UN special envoy, Julie Bishop, to engage all relevant stakeholders to seek a peaceful, inclusive solution to the crisis in Myanmar.

Security Council negotiations on the draft resolution are expected to be tough.

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The 15-member council approved its first-ever resolution on Myanmar in December 2022 by a vote of 12-0 with three abstentions  Russia, China and India, who all have ties to the Myanmar regime.

Indias two-year term on the council ended that month, but Russia and China are veto-wielding permanent members of the council.

The proposed draft calls for full implementation of the December 2022 resolution, which demanded an immediate end to violence in the south-east Asian nation and urged its military rulers to release all arbitrarily detained prisoners, including Suu Kyi, and to restore democratic institutions.

It also called for the countrys opposing parties to pursue dialogue and reconciliation and urged all sides to respect human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law.
A Russian missile has struck Kryvyi Rih, authorities said, just as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys home city was observing an official day of mourning after an attack on the previous day killed four civilians at a hotel.

The latest attack on the city struck civilian infrastructure, injuring four people, local administration head Oleksandr Vilkul said on social media.

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The previous attack on Tuesday, which also wounded five people in Kryvyi Rih in addition to the four dead, was part of a barrage of dozens of missiles and drones across Ukraine that Russia launched for a second consecutive day.

Regional head Serhii Lysak said: When Kryvyi Rih is in mourning, the enemy attacks again. And it once again aims at civilians.





Our resilience is also the result of the tireless efforts of all our people who do their utmost to ensure that life prevails over the harshest of war circumstances.



This includes the work of our SES rescuers, medics, police officers, volunteerseveryone who helps our people. pic.twitter.com/Yn4PPpKC83 Advertisement  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) August 28, 2024

Russia stepped up its bombing of Ukraine on Monday, when it fired more than 100 missiles and a similar number of drones in its biggest onslaught in weeks.

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The intensified bombing campaign coincided with what could prove to be a decisive period of the war, which Russia launched on February 24 2022.

Russian forces have been driving deeper into Ukraines partly occupied eastern Donetsk region, whose total capture is one of the Kremlins primary ambitions.

Russias army is closing in on Pokrovsk, a critical logistics hub for the Ukrainian defence in the area.

At the same time, Ukraine has sent its forces into Russias Kursk region in recent weeks in the largest incursion onto Russian soil since the Second World War.

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The move is in part an effort to force Russia to draw troops away from the Donetsk front.

At the hotel in Kryvyi Rih, rescuers on Wednesday found another body under the rubble. The rescue operation was subsequently ended.

Meanwhile, Ukraine claimed its anti-aircraft defences destroyed a Russian Su-25 jet in the Donetsk region.

Ukraine also kept up its long-range drone attacks on Russias rear logistical areas, setting fire to a fuel depot.

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A Ukrainian security official told The Associated Press that an operation by the countrys military intelligence agency, known by its acronym Gur, struck oil depots in Russias Rostov and Kirov regions on Wednesday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly about the strikes, did not provide further details.

It would be the first known Ukrainian attack on the Kirov region, which is about 950 kilometres (600 miles) northeast of the Ukrainian border.

The governor of Kirov, Alexander Sokolov, said three Ukrainian drones fell near an oil depot in the region but did not damage it.
Theres an acknowledgment of genre in this show. We know what show were in, and we can play with that quite technically. You can be cheekier with the camera in a show like this. Im always looking for the joke, where the funny is, even in the biggest of tragedies. But with this, you can bring it to the surface. The nature of Mackenzie, who in the first episode of Return comes back reluctantly to her home town of Dolphin Cove and finds herself unable to resist jumping into an ongoing murder investigation, was especially attractive to Samson. A prickly, somewhat irascible character, perhaps a little too forthright with her opinions, Mackenzie is infused with just a little of the woman who plays her, according to the actor. Loading Annas own oddness is in Mackenzie maybe just turned up to 10, she confirms. The main thing is that shes not overly preoccupied with being liked, which is a real relief to play. She can be abrupt and she can be rude and shes a detective like that and making her my own was really embraced by everyone. Its a happy marriage of those brilliant scripts and my own oddness. Those brilliant scripts are the product of a writing team led by the shows creator, Peter Mattessi, a veteran Australian screenwriter who had been working in the UK for years on shows such as Eastenders when he was approached by a friend who worked at Red Planet, the company behind Death in Paradise.

She approached me to say, can you just help us understand how the Australian television industry works? And I was like, of course I can do that. In my mind I was thinking, God, if theyre looking for someone for an Australian version of Death in Paradise, thats a perfect job for me. I basically said, heres all the information that you asked about how the Australian TV industry works  but also, could you give me a paragraph to pitch myself in for this? Talking to Mattessi, its easy to see why his pitch was successful. The writer has a knowledge and love of the whodunit genre that would be hard to top. What is appealing about this show, he enthuses, is in the first five minutes, itll be a dead body. Forty-five minutes later, someone will be in handcuffs. Put the kettle on. I know theres the gritty crime where theres a body 10 minutes into episode one, and eight hours later youll find out who did it. But also eight hours later, you will understand that society is crumbling because of that. In Return of Paradise, its not the type of show where murder reveals a crumbling society. Catherine McClements and Anna Samson. Credit: ABC The greatest attraction for Mattessi in writing the show is the puzzle being presented to the viewer. The appeal is you can sit down and try to beat Mackenzie into figuring it out. When we get to the big denouement scene, Mackenzies going to tell you who did it, why they did it, how they did it. Are you good enough to get there with her?
Louis C.K.s involvement was invited but not obtained and four of the five women originally interviewed by the Times also declined requests for interview. So the filmmakers turned to stand-up comics Jen Kirkman, Megan Koester and Tig Notaro to relate their experiences, alongside Abby Schachner  whod accused him of audibly masturbating during a 2003 phone conversation with her  choosing to repeat her charges. Acknowledging that shed long been a big Louis fan and wondering whats supposed to happen to all those whove been #metood, Suh says that she and Mones wanted the film to be less conjecture and more the actual facts of the story, and that her inspiration was the question of who are the gatekeepers, whos allowed back and who isnt? Hearing the womens stories, she says, was really a game-changer in terms of redirecting and reframing my thinking. Mones came on to the project after the shoot had been completed, her involvement mostly to do with how best to structure the film. The films emotional thrust pivots on the womens testimonies, which are disturbing and riveting. Equally compelling, though is the underlying irony that Louis C.K.s aberrant exhibitionist inclinations, as well as his recognition of the problems they posed, had long been evident. Suh and Mones draw on his public performances as well as his work as a writer/director, such as I Love You, Daddy (2016), and as a producer, including Notaros TV series One Mississippi (2015-2017, Apple TV+ rental), to make the point. And Kirkman points out how often male comedians are telling us who they really are but were not listening. Footage of an on-stage routine has Louis asking: How do women still go out with men when, globally and historically, were the number one threat to women? Critique or a confession?

Shortly afterwards he declares, following in the stumbling footsteps of those comedians who mistakenly believe that they speak for everyone of their gender (or the entire species): You know whats really sad about men? We cant have a beautiful thought about a woman that isnt followed by a disgusting thought. Thats how our brains work. The self-loathing here is palpable. Loading Just as disturbing are many of the responses by members of the comedy community to the news of their colleagues transgressions. Noam Dworman, the owner of the Comedy Cellar, tells the filmmakers that the primary issue for him in enabling Louis return to the stage was getting bums on seats. Its all about business, he says (adjusting his blinkers), and thats where I was drawing my line. Elsewhere, a poisonous Dave Chappelle stand-up routine tries to turn Schachner into a whiner, asking: Why didnt she just hang up the phone? No wonder the women interviewed all express concerns about the career repercussions for speaking out. During one of his return shows, clearly emboldened by the support hes received from others in the business, like Chappelle, and to a cheering audience reminiscent of the one hooting for the Dice Man, Louis even downplays his apology. Shrugging his shoulders in mock bewilderment, he says: I like jerking off. I dont like being alone. What can I tell you?

Despite rumours that had been circulating for years, Jon Stewart awkwardly sidesteps questions about Louis, saying he knew nothing about this side of his friends character. Sarah Silverman deals with the issue more gracefully, postponing an answer to the question about whether or not you can still love someone who did all these bad things. The only people that matter right now, she says, are the victims. Valuable insights in the film come from those who acknowledge that theyre going through a learning process. One of them is Michael Schur, co-creator of the Parks and Recreation series, who was responsible for casting Louis in a guest role. Schur says that, after he heard the stories about him from a bunch of people, hed initially thought: Thats not my problem. I didnt do that. Only to subsequently realise the implications of such a position: The fact that I thought it wasnt my problem is the problem. For him, the line that separates the acceptable from the unacceptable is very different from the one drawn by Dworman. You have to draw it somewhere. You cant have no line. Maybe tomorrow I will get a new piece of information and I will have to erase that line and I will have to draw it somewhere else. Sorry/Not Sorry saves the most telling  and bleak  comment about the case until near the end. Asked for her view of the situation, Black Latina-American comedienne Aida Rodriguez situates it in a wider context, proposing that the whole cancel-culture business is actually a ruse. Homophobia, transphobia, racism, misogyny! None of it went away. So wheres the cancel culture? Tell me what happened. The film has been unfairly criticised by some for not taking a stronger position, for not explicitly passing judgement on Louis C.K.s sexual misconduct and on the responses of his supporters. And for not answering the question about how long transgressors like him should be punished for their actions. In fact, though, its cleverly guiding us towards understandings that encourage an appreciation of the complexity of the issues under consideration.
A fiery collision in Dandenong North this afternoon has caused extensive delays to commuters on the Monash Freeway.

Emergency services said three vehicles and a motorcycle collided outbound and caught alight on the Monash Freeway near Stud Road about 5pm.

Officers were told that the motorcycle flipped over the concrete centre barrier colliding with a fourth vehicle, which was travelling inbound, before catching fire, said a Victoria Police spokesperson.

Police confirmed the motorcyclist was being treated by paramedics at the scene and all four drivers were uninured.

Fire Rescue Victoria said they arrived on scene and extinguished the fire after 5:36pm.

Vic Traffic confirmed all inbound lanes of the Monash Freeway were closed between Road and EastLink, due to a car fire and told motorists to exit at Heatherton.

Ambulance Victoria said one person had been taken to The Alfred hospital.
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?
Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather has defended his appearance before a CFMEU rally in Brisbane yesterday, but says he does not agree with signs there depicting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as a Nazi.

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 in a statement.

An Albanazi placard at Brisbanes CFMEU protest. Credit: Neesha Sinnya

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.

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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.
A former boys school in Brighton will be developed into more than 80 new homes, against the wishes of scores of nearby residents, after the Allan government overruled the local council and green-lit the project.

Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny approved a permit on Wednesday for 84 townhouses on Xavier Colleges former Kostka Hall campus, five months after seizing planning control of the development proposal. Kilkenny intervened using the governments development facilitation powers, after the project was headed for the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal once it was rejected by Bayside City Council.

Xavier Colleges former Kostka Hall campus in Brighton will be developed into 84 townhouses. Credit: Jason South

The councils rejection of the proposal aligned with the objections of residents but went against the recommendations of its own planning officers.

Homes dont get built when theyre held up in VCAT, Kilkenny said. Well work with councils to make good decisions faster, but everyone needs to be working towards the same goal: more homes for Victorians, close to jobs, transport and services.
Nick Reece has been sworn in as lord mayor, but its just a few months until the next City of Melbourne elections and hes yet to announce a run for the top post.

July 2, 2024

by Cara Waters and Sophie Aubrey
Nukualofa, Tonga: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has accused a New Zealand journalist of behaving unethically for recording his conversation with a senior Biden administration official about a landmark policing pact on the sidelines of a major Pacific forum in Tonga.

As Albanese returned to Australia on Thursday afternoon after spending a day on a private retreat with Pacific leaders on a remote Tongan island, the opposition accused him of behaving in an unedifying way by blaming the young reporter for the hot mic-style incident.

In his candid chat with US President Joe Bidens Indo-Pacific guru, Kurt Campbell, Albanese expressed his delight at locking in support for the Pacific Policing Initiative from members of the Pacific Islands Forum, joking about the US paying half of the $400 million Australia will spend on the pact.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was caught on a live camera discussing policy with Kurt Campbell. Credit: AAP

The policing project was widely seen as a blow to Chinas efforts to woo countries in the Pacific to work with its law enforcement as it competes with the US for influence in the strategically significant region.
Paris: French authorities have handed preliminary charges to Telegram CEO Pavel Durov on Wednesday (Paris time) for allowing alleged criminal activity on his messaging app, and barred him from leaving France pending further investigation.

Being placed under formal investigation in France does not imply guilt or necessarily lead to trial but shows judicial authorities consider there is enough to the case to proceed with the probe.

Pavel Durov, chief executive officer of Telegram. Credit: Bloomberg

Durov was granted bail on condition that he pay a 5 million ($8.2 million) deposit. He is also under the obligation to sign in with the police twice a week.

Durovs laissez-faire attitude to regulation made Telegram into a giant but also put him at odds with governments for repeatedly ignoring requests to better moderate content on his platform.
The Ukrainian attack on the Russian Kursk oblast is now three weeks old. The assault was a tactical and operational surprise for the Russians and provided many lessons for military organisations around the world, including the Australian Defence Force, in deception, combined arms-drone operations, electronic warfare, deep strike, and seizing the battlefield initiative.

Perhaps more importantly, there are political lessons that can be gained from Ukraines gambit to change the trajectory of the war. The Ukrainians surprised their Western supporters with this offensive when it began in early August. This was mainly because Ukraine deliberately withheld details of the Kursk attack to preserve operational security, maximise its chances of achieving surprise against Russia, and avoid the second-guessing by talkative bureaucrats that took place in the lead-up to their failed 2023 counteroffensive.

The destruction of a key bridge in Russias Kursk region. Credit: AP

Before focusing on the key political takeaway from the Kursk campaign, it is worth assessing the current situation there and what it means for the overall context of the war in Ukraine. Over the past week, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has discussed the objectives for this 21st century Battle of Kursk. These include drawing Russian forces away from the Donbas, establishing a buffer zone inside Russia, replenishing the prisoner of war exchange fund, and  in his words  bringing the war home to Russia.

But there is a more fundamental reason for Ukraine launching this audacious yet risky Kursk campaign. For Ukraine, the status quo of the war before Kursk was not sustainable. It is suffering unacceptable humanitarian, infrastructure and strategic costs.
Minister Clare has recognised that to grow the amount of student accommodation in Australia we need to see the higher education sector partner with the private sector to increase supply, said Torie Brown (pictured above), executive director of the student accommodation council.
Optimise Finance is a tech-focused asset finance aggregator with a strong emphasis on technology and transparency. The company empowers brokers to grow their businesses and deliver exceptional value to their clients. As part of the Savvy Groupone of Australias largest asset finance brokersOptimise is uniquely positioned to understand brokers' needs first-hand. This is why Optimise has quickly become an industry leader with its technology and offerings, as it understands brokers' needs best.
Listings rise, but still lower than last year

Despite the drop in sales, the number of properties for sale in Perth increased by 3.2% from the previous week, reaching 3,465. This rise can be attributed to higher house, unit, and land listings.
FILE PHOTO: Channing Tatum.

(Photo: REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni )

While Channing Tatum was on vacation, he was required to sign court paperwork in order to continue his legal battle with his ex-wife, Jenna Dewan. During this time, he was spending his weekend with his fiancee, Zoe Kravitz, at Taylor Swift's residence, a new report claimed.

In response to Jenna's recent attempt to disqualify his divorce attorneys, Channing, who is 44 years old, reportedly responded to the court records that were obtained by In Touch Weekly. As was initially reported, Jenna made the accusation that Channing was unwilling to hand over financial papers as part of the divorce proceedings between them.

The 43-year-old Jenna stated that Channing had lately hired a new company to collaborate with his existing staff. On the other hand, she stated that Channing was represented by the new firm during the marriage, and that there is a disagreement. It was her opinion that the company need to be removed from the lawsuit immediately.

Channing accused Jenna of bringing her request in a "transparent attempt to divert the court's attention from her willful violation of her court order deposition and discovery deadlines, delay these proceedings, and to prejudice [Channing] by removing his lead trial counsel less than three months before trial on a case that has been pending for more than six years."

Channing's new motion was filed in response to Jenna's request. Channing stated that the law firm in question had never been Jenna's legal representative.

Neither law firm has ever had any possession of any of Petitioners confidential information. And, there is no applicable legal authority to support Petitioners claim that the attorney-client privilege extends to a spouse of a minority shareholder of a business entity, Channing argued.

Contrary to [Jennas] claims, [Channing] has fully complied with his discovery obligations and thus, that is not and cannot be a basis to delay the Court-ordered depositions and discovery or other Court-ordered deadlines any further, his lawyer added.

[Jenna] has known about Glaser Weils co-representation of [Channing] in this action with Blank Rome since May 2024. Yet, she waited until the eve of [Jennas] deposition (two months later) to make the baseless allegations, he stated.

Channing requested that Jenna's motion, which he referred to as "frivolous," regarding the lawyers being disqualified be rejected. It was his request that she be punished with a fine of twenty thousand dollars for her activities, with the intention of "preventing such obstreperous behavior in the future."

Additionally, Channing stated that over the course of the past month, he has provided Jenna with more than 450 documents and financial accounting records, as per E! Online. Since their divorce in 2018, Jenna and Channing have been unable to come to an agreement over the distribution of the communal property that they jointly own.

The actress is of the opinion that she is entitled to a fifty percent share of Channing's investment in the Magic Mike business. Channing is of the opinion that Jenna ought to be given a share of the earnings, but he has not agreed to give her the fifty percent cut that she has demanded.

In a declaration that he submitted, the actor stated that he thought Jenna's request to be "another delay tactic to prolong resolution of our financial settlement." At this time, the former partners are slated to go to court in December to face each other.

On August 26, Channing put his signature on the declaration, which was recorded in Watch Hill, Rhode Island. Channing was seen in Rhode Island over the weekend when he was attending a birthday celebration for Blake Lively, who is 37 years old.

The party was held at Taylor's mansion, which stands in Watch Hill and costs $17 million. Bradley Cooper, Gigi Hadid, Patrick Mahomes, and his wife, Brittany Mahomes, were among the other guests who attended the event.
China-Nepal agricultural technology park launched in southern Nepal

Xinhua) 10:00, August 28, 2024

KATHMANDU, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Nepal Southern Agricultural Science and Technology Park was launched on Tuesday in the south-central city of Bharatpur to increase rice production in the South Asian country.

The park will improve Nepal's rice yield per unit area and increase grain production by conducting experimental demonstrations of Chongqing hybrid rice varieties and rice cultivation techniques in the country, said Wang Shijie, deputy chief of Chongqing municipal agriculture and rural affairs committee.

China and Nepal will also carry out cooperation in greenhouse vegetable cultivation and livestock and fish breeding in Kubhinde village of Nepal's Sindhupalchok district as well as in Jhapa district, Wang noted in addressing the launch ceremony.

The park was developed with the support of China-South Asian Countries Poverty Alleviation and Cooperative Development Center, which was officially launched in Chongqing in southwestern China in July 2021. The center aims to pool strength, integrate resources and exchange insights to support and help in the South Asian countries' economic development and livelihood improvement, thus jointly advancing poverty reduction.

Mayor of Bharatpur Renu Dahal described the park's launch as an important move toward poverty alleviation through innovation and sustainable development.

Agriculture is the backbone of Nepal's economy and provides livelihood to a large portion of the population, she noted at the launch ceremony.

"We believe that the project would help address challenges such as climate change, food security and sustainable agricultural development," she said.

The project is implemented by Nepal's Agriculture and Forestry University based in Bharatpur and Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song called the park a milestone in agricultural cooperation between the two countries.

Bharatpur is one of the most important traditional agricultural towns in Nepal with excellent natural conditions for agricultural development, while Chongqing has advanced agricultural sciences and abundant resources, and thousands of technical experts in the city could convert technology innovation into practical application, Chen said at the launch ceremony.

"Further agricultural cooperation could stimulate greater potential for Bharatpur, contributing to common development and shared prosperity for both cities and both countries," he added.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
At a recent United Nations (UN) forum, India Ambassador Yojna Patel, Deputy Permanent Representative of India, reiterated the call for a more decisive and transparent approach to the reform of the Security Council, emphasizing the need for text-based negotiations to address long-standing issues. Ambassador Patel expressed gratitude for the efforts by the co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) process, particularly highlighting initiatives like the digital repository and webcasting that were introduced to enhance discussions. However, she noted that despite these initiatives, progress remains slow and falls short of expectations given the critical nature of the issue. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

Central to India's position is the urgent need for text-based negotiations within the IGN framework. Patel pointed out that, unlike other multilateral processes, the discussions on UNSC reform have yet to adopt text-based negotiations, a practice crucial for substantive progress. This delay is increasingly problematic as global crises continue to challenge the effectiveness of the Council.

The Ambassador also criticized the Elements Paper, a document that summarizes input on UNSC reforms. She highlighted its shortcomings, including contradictory references and a lack of consensus on certain points. For instance, a reference to cross-regional groupings in the Convergences section of the Elements Paper was included despite the lack of consensus, which Patel described as misleading and counterproductive.

Furthermore, Patel addressed the issue of the upcoming Summit of the Future (SoTF) and its reliance on consensus for finalizing the "Pact for the Future." She argued that the current draft input from the IGN Co-Chairs does not reflect the broad agreement of member states, which could undermine the legitimacy of the final document.

In conclusion, India called for a shift towards a more constructive and urgent approach to UNSC reform. Patel stressed the need for a clear roadmap and adherence to the General Assembly's rules of procedure to ensure the credibility of the IGN process. She emphasized that without meaningful progress and a commitment to text-based negotiations, the reform process risks becoming a mere exercise in futility.

India remains committed to advocating for an expanded Security Council that reflects the current global realities and looks forward to working with other member states to advance these crucial reforms.
The latest conflict in Gaza erupted following the October 7 Hamas attacks against Israel. | Photo: Shutterstock

India and Israel on Wednesday held a key meeting during which the two sides reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral endeavours even as New Delhi shared its concern over the "escalating situation" in West Asia and emphasised "restraint, dialogue, and diplomacy", an official statement said. During the 17th India-Israel Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) hosted here, the two sides also shared views on the prevailing situation in the Indo-Pacific, the Ministry of External Affairs said in the statement. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp The Indian side was led by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, and the Israeli side by the Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yaakov Blitshtein.

"Reiterating India's strong and unequivocal condemnation of the October 7 terror attacks on Israel, the Foreign Secretary called for the unconditional and immediate release of all hostages, ceasefire, the need for continued humanitarian assistance, and adherence to international humanitarian law," it said.

"At the same time, he also shared India's concern at the escalating situation in West Asia and emphasised restraint, dialogue, and diplomacy," the MEA said.

The latest conflict in Gaza erupted following the October 7 Hamas attacks against Israel. A large number of people have been killed on both sides of the conflict.

After more than five months since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict, the UN Security Council late March had passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for the month of Ramzan.

During the Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi, India and Israel also reflected on the "strength of the India-Israel Strategic Partnership", and both sides discussed various issues of bilateral interest in depth and reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral endeavours, the statement said.

The two sides also shared views on the prevailing situation in West Asia and the Indo-Pacific, it said.
The Indian Army has placed a follow-up order for an additional 73,000 SIG716 rifles from US-based SiG Sauer, bringing the total count of these rifles to 145,400, according to a Moneycontrol report.

This purchase comes in the wake of Defence Minister Rajnath Singhs recent trip to the United States and builds on a previous contract signed in 2019, under which 72,400 rifles were obtained via fast-track procurement. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

The Ministry of Defence initially awarded this contract due to delays in the domestic production of AK-203 Kalashnikov rifles, which are being manufactured in collaboration with Russia, the report added. The first batch of 72,400 SIG716 rifles was acquired through a Rs 647 crore deal.

In December, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), led by Singh, approved the procurement of the additional 73,000 rifles. Moreover, in August 2023, the DAC greenlit the acquisition of 40,949 light machine guns at a total estimated cost of Rs 2,165 crore.

AK-203 progress update

The AK-203 project, which started in 2018, encountered delays but recently made headway with the delivery of the first 35,000 rifles. These rifles were assembled at the Korwa ordnance factory in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh. The projects objective is to manufacture six lakh AK-203 rifles over the next decade to meet the demands of the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy, the report added.

Despite some reports of alleged problems with the SIG716 rifles, the Army has maintained that they perform better in terms of range, lethality, and recoil than the older INSAS and AK-47 models.

Budget allocation remains unchanged

The June Defence Budget for FY25 remained nearly unchanged from the amount allocated in the Interim Budget presented earlier this year. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman disclosed that Rs 6.21 trillion has been set aside for defence, which is only Rs 400 crore more than the Rs 6,21,541 crore allocated in February.

While the Interim Budget designated 13.2 per cent of an anticipated Rs 45.03 trillion in government spending for defence, the new Budget allocated 12.9 per cent of the projected Rs 48.2 trillion expenditure to the sector.

Capital expenditure allocations remain consistent, with Rs 33,411 crore for the Army, Rs 51,052 crore for the Navy, and Rs 58,112 crore for the Air Force, the latter receiving the largest increase.

A notable enhancement in this Budget is the 30 per cent rise in funding for the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), under the capital expenditure category.
The Balochistan Liberation Army's (BLA's) deadly attacks in Pakistan's restive southwestern province of Balochistan, which reportedly claimed 74 lives and included the targeted killings of workers from the country's Punjab province and members of security forces, carry with them a worrying message for China.

The BLA, a separatist group, has claimed responsibility for the attacks. In its statement, the group indicated that their targets included security forces and that they had gained control of several highways across Balochistan. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

After the recent wave of violence, which saw militants linked to the banned BLA launch multiple attacks late Sunday night across Balochistan, Dawn quoted Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as saying on Tuesday that the "sole aim" of the attackers, who he termed terrorists, was to stop "the journey of progress in Pakistan". Sharif cited the projects being undertaken under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) while making this statement.





ALSO READ: More than 70 dead after multiple militant attacks in Pakistan's Balochistan Prime Minister Sharif also mentioned that the terrorists were seeking to "create distance between Pakistan and China".

His remarks came in the wake of armed gunmen launching a series of attacks in Balochistan on Sunday night and Monday morning, leaving nearly 74 people reportedly dead. Among the victims were at least 23 individuals, who were dragged out of their vehicles and executed after their identities as Punjabi migrant workers were confirmed.

The Pakistani Army has confirmed that across these attacks, 14 security personnel were killed. In retaliation, security forces reportedly killed "21 terrorists", according to a military statement.

What does this mean for China and CPEC?

Balochistan, Pakistan's largest province, has a population of about 15 million, out of the country's total of 240 million.

Balochistan is also home to Gwadar, a deep-sea port that serves as the centrepiece of the $60-billion CPEC project, which aims to create a trade link between southwestern China and the Arabian Sea and is part of Chinese President Xi Jinpings Belt and Road initiative.

China, which has seen its CPEC interests and citizens working in Pakistan targeted in previous attacks, condemned the violence. "China is ready to further strengthen counter-terrorism security cooperation with the Pakistani side in order to jointly maintain regional peace and security," said Lin Jian, a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry, during a regular news briefing.

Beijing also pledged to "continue its firm support" for Pakistan in its counterterrorism efforts.





ALSO READ: No CPEC 2.0? China gives Pakistan cold shoulder on new major investments However, the latest wave of violence comes at a time when China is reportedly souring on committing to additional major investments in the CPEC project in the wake of repeated attacks on its interests and citizens in the country. In particular, militants have consistently targeted Gwadar, Balochistans deepwater port, which is managed by China.

In June, Prime Minister Sharif reportedly left China nearly empty handed after finishing a five-day official visit, with Beijing pouring cold water on Islamabad's hopes that it would commit to another round of major investments in Pakistan, especially through a revival of the CPEC project.

Back then, Nikkei Asia had reported that Pakistan was only able to secure some modest gains, despite meetings between Sharif and his entourage of Cabinet ministers and Chinese President Xi and top Chinese officials.

In fact, according to experts quoted by Nikkei Asia, Beijing's lukewarm response was likely to become the new normal, especially since the security situation in Pakistan continued to be one of the major challenges for CPEC.

Pakistan's failure to secure a substantial revival of CPEC came despite Islamabad committing to ensuring the safety of Chinese workers and projects in Pakistan after a string of deadly militant attacks.

Pakistan's reassurance came after it was reported that Beijing was not impressed with Islamabad's efforts to protect Chinese nationals working in Pakistan, despite Pakistani law-enforcement agencies completing the investigation into the Dasu terrorist attack.

The attack, carried out by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in March, killed five Chinese nationals.

The latest wave of violence is only likely to make China even more apprehensive about further investments in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan.

What does this mean for Pakistan?

China's reported reluctance to invest in new CPEC schemes has also forced the Pakistani government's hand, with Islamabad approving a reinvigorated national counter-terrorism campaign in June.





ALSO READ: Days after launch, Pakistan's 'reinvigorated' anti-terror op loses vigour After Pakistan approved the "reinvigorated and re-energised" national counter-terrorism campaign, called 'Operation Azm-i-Istehkam', an editorial published by Dawn hinted at the real reason behind the move: China's (security) concerns "should not be taken lightly by Pakistan's ruling elite", especially when the country "needs all the foreign investment it can get".

Sunday night's attacks are likely to add to the challenges Islamabad faces as it looks to revive its economy, which has faced a nearly two-year slump amid continuing political volatility.

This challenge becomes even more evident because Balochistan is abundant in natural resources, including large reserves of oil, coal, gold, copper, and gas, which generate significant revenue for Pakistan's federal government. However, Balochistan, itself, remains the most impoverished region in the country.

Support for separatism in Balochistan is also fuelled by accusations that the Pakistani state has systematically neglected the needs of the people of the province, while continuing to exploit their resources.

Speaking to Al Jazeera after Sunday night's attacks, US-based Balochistan expert Malik Siraj Akbar said that Baloch separatists are "strongly opposed to the exploration of gold, minerals, and coal" in the province, adding that they view these activities as "the exploitation of Balochistan's resources" without benefiting the local population.

Akbar added that this narrative has helped to boost public support for their cause.

Even though Balochistan has long been plagued by an armed separatist movement, Sunday night's attacks represent a marked escalation in violence in the region, with the scale of the recent bloodshed being unprecedented, even after accounting for the frequent clashes between militants and security forces. Moreover, this year has already seen numerous attacks in Balochistan targeting law enforcement, state infrastructure, and civilians.





ALSO READ: 7 militants killed in attack on Pak's Gwadar Port Authority complex: Report In March, the Gwadar Port Authority Complex, located in Balochistan, was also attacked. The complex is located at the centre of Gwadar city and houses several offices related to the Gwadar Port Authority, law enforcement agencies, and staff houses.

The deliberate targeting of workers from the Punjab province -- Pakistan's wealthiest -- also appears to be part of a growing pattern, with Baloch separatists sending the message that outsiders are not welcome in Balochistan.

In April, nine passengers were pulled from a bus near the Noshki city in Balochistan and executed after their identity cards were checked by the gunmen.

In October last year, unidentified assailants fatally shot six labourers from Punjab in Balochistan's Turbat.

In 2019, gunmen intercepted a bus near Ormara in Gwadar district, killing 14 people, including personnel from Pakistan's Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard, after verifying their national identity cards.

Akbar told Al Jazeera that besides the Chinese, Baloch separatists have also been targeting security forces, labourers from Pakistani Punjab, and workers involved in development projects, with the aim of discouraging these groups from coming to Balochistan.

For nearly two decades now, Baloch armed groups have waged a persistent struggle against the Pakistani state. In response, Pakistan has launched a crackdown that has resulted in the deaths and disappearances of thousands of ethnic Baloch.

In 2023, Balochistan accounted for 23 per cent of the over 650 attacks across Pakistan, according to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies. The attacks in Balochistan resulted in 286 deaths.
State Bank of India Chairman Dinesh Kumar Khara retired on Wednesday, passing on the baton with an ambitious profit goal of Rs 1 trillion for FY25 to his successor, CS Setty. Kharas tenure has been marked by extraordinary financial performance, with SBIs profit surging significantly, delivering a 325 per cent return to investors, reported The Economic Times.

Taking over as SBI Chairman on October 7, 2020, amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, Khara has overseen a remarkable transformation. Under his leadership, SBIs annual profit skyrocketed from Rs 20,410 crore in FY21 to Rs 61,077 crore in FY24, a 200 per cent increase. This impressive achievement earned him the moniker profit king. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

Kharas term saw SBIs cumulative profit reach Rs 1.63 trillion over the past four years, surpassing the Rs 1.45 trillion accumulated over the previous 64 years. Notably, the banks net non-performing assets (NPAs) plummeted from 1.59 per cent in Q1FY21 to just 0.57 per cent in Q1FY25.

Deposits grew by over 41 per cent, reaching Rs 49,01,726 crore, while the loan book expanded by 60 per cent to Rs 38,12,087 crore. Khara also highlighted a six-fold increase in profit per employee to Rs 30 lakh, reflecting improved productivity during his leadership.

Despite these achievements, Khara expressed dissatisfaction with SBIs market valuation, suggesting that the bank is still undervalued compared to peers. SBIs stock, which has surged 325 per cent from Rs 191.6 to Rs 815 under Kharas stewardship, continues to attract positive sentiment from investors.

SBI, now Indias seventh-largest listed company with a market capitalisation of around Rs 7.3 trillion, was the second-largest profit-maker in FY24, behind Reliance Industries. The bank's strong deposit base and robust growth prospects in SME, retail, and corporate sectors have cemented its position as a top pick on Dalal Street. Analysts, including ICICI Securities, expect a smooth transition as Kharas successor steps into the role, with the potential for further capital raising to support loan growth.

In 2024 alone, SBI has outperformed benchmarks with a 27 per cent return, reflecting continued confidence in the banks prospects.
The Income Tax Department is processing millions of returns  a task that can take until the end of 2025 to complete for some taxpayers. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp The Income Tax Department generally aims to process Income Tax returns and issue refunds within 20 to 45 days after an ITR is verified. However, the department is legally required to process the return and issue any refund within a reasonable time frame, generally not exceeding nine months from the end of the financial year in which the return was filed, said Amit Bansal, a chartered accountant and partner - direct tax at Singhania & Co.

"In some cases, particularly where the return is considered critical or complex, the processing time can extend up to one year based on personal experience. If the refund is delayed beyond these periods, the taxpayer is entitled to receive interest on the refund amount as per Section 244A of the Income Tax Act, he said.

Interest on Income Tax refund



Tax refunds accrue interest at a rate of 0.5 per cent per month or part thereof for any delay.



Upon the successful processing of the tax return, you will receive a notice under section 143(1), which will confirm the details, including the total amount of any tax refund due. However, if the refund is less than 10 per cent of the tax determined under section 143(1) or during regular assessment, no interest will be paid on the refund.



In cases where refunds are due to overpaid advance tax or TDS, interest is computed from the start of the assessment year until the refund is approved. For other situations, such as refunds resulting from rulings made by tax authorities, interest is calculated from the date the tax was paid to the date the refund is provided.



If an ITR isn't processed for long, taxpayers can lodge a complaint using the "grievance tab" at the Income Tax departments website. Additionally, they can contact the central processing centres helpline numbers.



Taxpayers who have missed the July 31 deadline can file a belated return on or before December 31, 2024. The belated return will attract interest under section 234A and 234B on unpaid tax liability along with late fees. In case, a taxpayer misses the timeline of belated return also, he can file updated tax return, said Gopal Bohra, partner, direct tax, at N A Shah Associates LLP.



How to check ITR refund

The ITR process can be tracked at the websites of National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) and Income Tax Department.



Checking refund status from the income tax e-filing portal

Go to the official Income Tax e-filing website.

Log in with your PAN details.

Once logged in, locate and click on the My Account section.

Click on the Refund/Demand Status button.



You will see the status of your income tax refund, including details such as the assessment year, current status, reasons for any refund failures, and mode of payment.



Checking refund status at NSDL website

Visit the NSDL website.

Log in with your PAN details.

Choose the assessment year for which you want to check the refund status from the dropdown menu.

Enter the captcha code displayed on the screen.

After entering the captcha, click the submit button.

A message will appear on your screen, indicating the status of your ITR refund.

Click 'Proceed' to view your refund status
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. The Know Your Customer (KYC) process allows financial institutions to authenticate the identity and address of the customer they are onboarding. But cybercriminals are exploiting the very system designed to protect consumers' financial and personal information.

What is KYC Fraud? Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp KYC fraud typically involves fraudsters impersonating bank officials or representatives of financial institutions. As per the Reserve Bank of India, the modus operandi for such frauds usually involves customers receiving unsolicited communications, including phone calls/SMS/emails, through which they are manipulated into revealing personal information, account/login details, or installing unauthorized or unverified apps through links provided in the messages.

Such communications often employ tactics of creating a false urgency and threatening of account freezing/blocking/closure, if the customer fails to comply. When customers share essential personal or login details, fraudsters gain unauthorized access to their accounts and engage in fraudulent activities.

How the Scam Worked in the case of this 73-year-old woman in Mumbai:

Phishing Text: The victim received a text message claiming that her bank KYC was expiring and needed to be updated.

Fake Link: The message contained a link that led to a fraudulent website designed to steal personal information.

Information Theft: The victim's son entered the requested details on the fake website, unknowingly sharing sensitive information.

Unauthorized Transactions: The scammers used the stolen information to make unauthorized transactions from the victim's bank account.

The victim lost a total of Rs 2 lakh in two separate transactions.

The fraud came to light after the woman's son approached the Mahim police station with a complaint on Monday, a police official was quoted as saying by PTI.

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. After sometime, the amount was credited to the account, but again, Rs 2 lakh was siphoned.

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. A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Information Technology Act.

How Should You Detect KYC Scam?

KYC scam detection involves being vigilant about unsolicited communication from unknown sources, claiming to represent financial institutions. "It's important to remember that genuine banking entities will never ask for sensitive information like account details or passwords over the phone or via email," said HDFC Bank in a blog post.

What are the Dos and Donts to Prevent KYC Fraud?

In the wake of an increasing number of KYC updation frauds, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has outlined the Dos and Donts:

Dos

If you receive a request for updating your KYC, directly contact your bank or the financial institution for confirmation.

Obtain the contact details of the bank or financial institution only via their official website.

In the case of any cyber fraud incident, inform your bank or financial institution immediately.

Enquire with the bank branch to confirm the available methods of updating KYC details.

To keep abreast of changes associated with KYC, you ought to read paragraph 38 of the RBI Master Direction on KYC, dated February 25, 2016.

Donts

Do not share account login credentials, card information, PINs, passwords and OTPs.

Do not share KYC documents or copies of KYC documents with unknown or unidentified individuals or organisations.

Do not share sensitive data or information via unverified or unauthorised websites or applications.

Do not click on suspicious or unverified links received on your mobile or email.

Additionally, to prevent falling victim to a KYC scam, you should:

Regularly review bank statements for any unauthorised transactions.

Update contact details with the bank to ensure you receive legitimate communication.

Use secure networks and devices for online banking.

What steps should you take in case of KYC fraud?

In the unfortunate event of encountering KYC fraud, inform th the bank and the local police. Compiling all related information and documenting evidence such as screenshots and call details is crucial for further investigation.

In the case of financial cyber fraud, individuals must immediately lodge a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (www.cybercrime.gov.in) or via the cybercrime helpline (1930).

Staying vigilant and reporting suspicious activities immediately can help mitigate the risk of KYC fraud. If approached for KYC updates or any other personal information, always verify the authenticity before responding. It's also advisable to lock sensitive personal information, like biometrics, which can be done through official government portals.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday filed a cybercrime complaint with the Delhi Police against a social media account that impersonated Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and requested money for a cab fare.

The action was taken after Chief Justice Chandrachud noticed a screenshot of a message that went viral on social media on Sunday. The Supreme Courts security department subsequently registered an FIR with the cybercrime unit after the CJI raised the issue. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

What did the scammers message contain?

In the post, the scammer, who used the name and photo of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) in the profile, requested Rs 500 from an X user named Kailash Meghwal to pay for a cab to attend a Collegium meeting. The scammer assured Meghwal that the money would be refunded upon his arrival at the Supreme Court.







The screenshot of the post indicates that the impersonator was stranded at Connaught Place in Delhi.

The scammer wrote, Hello, I am CJI and we have urgent meeting of the collegium and I am stuck at Cannaught Place. Can you send me Rs 500 for a cab?

To make the text message look authentic, the scammer included sent from iPad at the end. The scammer also promised to return the money. I will return the money once I reach the court, the message said.

Fake police dupes two

In a separate incident from March this year, a 42-year-old man was arrested for posing as an inspector from the Delhi Police crime branch and defrauding two individuals of Rs 4 lakh. The accused, Ayub Khan, reportedly deceived the victims by promising to sell luxury cars and expensive cell phones, purportedly auctioned through Delhi courts at meager prices. The police had said that Ayub Khan, the accused, was arrested after an investigation into a fraud case filed at the Subzi Mandi police station in January.

The police discovered a counterfeit Delhi Police identity card in Khans possession.

Khan had previously been involved in four similar fraud cases, which were lodged at Kamla Market, Daryaganj, Hari Nagar, and Parliament Street police stations in Delhi. After duping people, Khan allegedly used the proceeds to indulge in a luxurious lifestyle and frequent nightclubs in Delhi and Mumbai.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the religious authority of the Sikh community, has served a legal notice to the producers of the upcoming film Emergency, asserting that the film misrepresents Sikh history and character. The film, directed by and starring Kangana Ranaut, has sparked significant controversy within the Sikh community, prompting calls for an immediate ban.

The legal notice, sent by advocate Amanbir Singh Siali on behalf of the SGPC, demands that the films producers, including Kangana Ranaut , retract the trailer released on 14 August from all public and social media platforms. The notice also requires the filmmakers to issue a formal apology to the Sikh community for the alleged misrepresentations. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

This move follows a demand issued on 21 August by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal authority in Sikhism, and the SGPC, urging a complete ban on the film. The organisations allege that Emergency attempts to character assassinate Sikhs, a serious accusation that has intensified calls for action.

SGPC demands film ban

Partap Singh, SGPCs secretary, voiced strong objections to the film, revealing that the committee had written separate letters to the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), urging them to prohibit the films release. Singh stated that the SGPC President, Harjinder Singh Dhami, had directed the issuance of a legal notice to the producers, including Ranaut, who is also a Member of Parliament representing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from Mandi.

Singh further explained that after the release of the films trailer, numerous "anti-Sikh scenes" were identified, which have deeply offended the Sikh community. In response, SGPC President Dhami has called for the registration of a first information report against Kangana Ranaut, who is credited as the films writer, director, producer, and lead actor.

What is Kangana Ranauts Emergency film about?

The controversial trailer of Emergency depicts key moments in the life of Indira Gandhi, Indias former Prime Minister, including her entry into politics under the guidance of her father, Jawaharlal Nehru, and her handling of major national crises. The film touches on several historically significant issues, such as the Emergency period (1975-1977), the Shimla Agreement, the rise of the Khalistan movement, and the JP Movement.

Produced by Zee Studios and Manikarnika Films, Emergency portrays one of the most tumultuous periods in Indian political history. The film was initially scheduled for release on 24 November 2023 but has faced multiple delays. It is now expected to hit the screens next month.

Earlier this week, the producers of the film released a song from the film. Kangana Ranaut, speaking about a song from the film, highlighted the impact of the 1970s political climate in India. She described how the people of India rallied under the slogan Singhasan Khali Karo, challenging the authority of Indira Gandhis government. The song is said to capture the emotional essence of this period of upheaval, which Ranaut claims remains deeply embedded in the fabric of Indian politics.

The film features a cast that includes Anupam Kher, Mahima Chaudhary, Milind Soman, Shreyas Talpade, Vishak Nair, and the late Satish Kaushik. Emergency centres around the controversial Emergency period imposed by Indira Gandhi, with Ranaut portraying the former Prime Minister.

The SGPCs legal action reflects the broader concerns within the Sikh community about how historical events and figures are portrayed in popular media, and it remains to be seen how the producers of Emergency will respond to these allegations.

Kangana aenauts mounting political troubles

This is the latest setback faced by Ranaut who was recently reprimanded by her party for disparaging comments made on the farmers movement.

Ranaut reshared a video from an interview where the Mandi MP said, Bodies were hanging and rapes were taking place during the farmers protests against the now-repealed three farm laws.

Following the post, BJP released a statement distancing itself from Ranaut. On behalf of the BJP, Kangana Ranaut has been directed not to make any such statements in future... The BJP is committed to pursuing Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas and social harmony the statement said.

This statement comes amid the partys preparations for polls in Haryana, which was one of the centres for the farmers protest. Haryana Assembly elections are scheduled for October 1 with counting of votes on October 4.
She said that media can play a crucial role in improving the country and society.

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday asked the media to do fearless reporting and stand with the truth as she saw the fourth estate playing a big role in shaping the country and society. The president, who met PTI editors at Rashtrapati Bhavan on the occasion of the 77th anniversary of the founding of the news agency, said everyone has a responsibility in taking the country forward and it was important how the country is presented. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp "Media ko nirbhikta se kam karna chaiye (media should work fearlessly)," she commented. "Kabhi satya se hatna nahi chaiye (It should never deviate from the truth)."



Murmu has also penned an exclusive article for PTI on the recent incidents of sexual and physical assaults on women, which have led to widespread agitations.

"You are a journalist but you are also a citizen. I too am a citizen. What you are concerned about, I am equally concerned about," she remarked on writing the article.

"The media can play a crucial role in improving the country and society," the president said.

"I am sometimes anguished because on the one hand we worship women as goddesses but that does not get reflected in day to day behaviour," Murmu said, recalling Rabindranath Tagore's famous poem "Where The Mind Is Without Fear".

She stated that the image of the media should not be tarnished. "Apni chhavi bhi kharab na ho (the image of media shouldnt get blemished). Logon ka vishwas jeetna chahiye (you have to win the confidence of the people)."



In her message to PTI on its 77th foundation day, the president said the Press Trust of India was established barely a few days after India won independence. "This news agency has been in the enviable position of chronicling the journey of the nation, right since its inception."



PTI, she said, has been "one of the most indispensable parts of India's journalism".
There is a provision of Rs 10,000 per month for one year for research and development training, which should be increased to Rs 40,000 soon. (Photo: X@ANI)

A Rajasthan-based trade and industry body has urged the state government to expand the scope of incentives under the Rajasthan Investment Promotion Scheme 2022 (RIPS) scheme.

It said once a new scheme is implemented, there should be no change in it for at least a decade. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

RIPS is being introduced continuously. It was first announced in the year 2019, then it was introduced in 2022, and now a plan is being made for 2024.

We request that once the scheme is made this time, it should be kept effective for at least a decade. Making changes every second year is not good from a practical point of view, All Rajasthan Trade & Industry Associations (ARTIA) senior vice-president Kailash Sharma said.

Sharma said that to boost investment in the state, the incentive for setting up research and development centres and the work of setting up agriculture and dairy clusters should be included in the thrust area.

He pointed out that the asset creation incentive in RIPS-2022 for those setting up research and development and global capability centres is 50 per cent of the project cost. Only organisations are eligible for this, and those doing it privately are entitled to only 30 per cent of this incentive.

If any eligible person has a PhD from IIT or an equivalent institute and has more than three years of global research experience, then he should also get a 50 per cent incentive.

Sharma said that its maximum limit is currently fixed at Rs 5 crore, which should be increased to Rs 20 crore in a few years.

There is a provision of Rs 10,000 per month for one year for research and development training, which should be increased to Rs 40,000 soon.

Sharma added that the land cost incentive is currently only Rs 50 lakh. The land cost has increased rapidly in the last three years. Hence, this incentive should also be increased to Rs 2.5 crore, he said.
Contrasting responses to two government decisions, and tasks involved in skilling. Reading for today.

A K Bhattacharya: Mothballing the lateral-entry scheme and launching the modified pension plan show how governance style can make a difference. Read here : Mothballing the lateral-entry scheme and launching the modified pension plan show how governance style can make a difference.

Rama Bijapurkar. And the private sector should not be the only one responsible for it. The cause of social justice is best served by re-imagining vocational education, says. And the private sector should not be the only one responsible for it. Read here
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday expressed deep sorrow and solidarity with the family of a postgraduate trainee doctor who was sexually assaulted and murdered at Kolkatas RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. The brutal crime has shocked the nation, sparking widespread outrage and protests.

In a message posted on X (formerly Twitter), Banerjee dedicated the foundation day of the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (the student wing of the Trinamool Congress) to the memory of the young doctor. She conveyed her condolences to the victims family and all women who have suffered from such inhuman incidents. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

Today, on the foundation day of Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, I am dedicating it to our sister, whose tragic loss at RG Kar Hospital we mourn deeply. We express our heartfelt condolences and seek immediate justice for this horrific incident. Our hearts are with all women of all ages who have been victims of such inhuman acts. I am deeply sorry, Banerjee wrote in Bengali.

The Chief Minister also emphasised the significant role students and youth play in society. She urged them to remain committed to social causes, uphold cultural values, and inspire those around them with the vision of a better future. It is the duty of the student community to awaken society and culture, to bring forth the dream of a new day. I appeal to all students today: be encouraged in this effort, stay healthy, and stay committed to a bright future, Banerjee added.

           ,            



            ,         Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) August 28, 2024

Nabanna Abhijan protest





ALSO READ: Kolkata case: Police use water cannons to disperse 'Nabanna Abhijan' march Her statement comes amid rising tensions in the state, as protests erupted following the incident. On Tuesday, an unregistered student body, Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj, and a dissident state government employees platform, Sangrami Joutha Mancha, organised a massive protest demanding Banerjees resignation. The protest march, dubbed Nabanna Abhijan, aimed to reach the state secretariat, Nabanna, but was met with heavy resistance from the police.

The march, which began at College Square in Kolkata, saw protestors gathering at Santragachi in Howrah, where they clashed with police. Security forces used water cannons, lathi-charges, and tear gas to disperse the protestors, who had broken through police barricades. The chaos on the streets led to injuries on both sides and escalated tensions further.

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) accused the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of orchestrating the protest, describing it as a conspiracy and a fatal attack on Bengal. In a social media post, the TMC listed acts of violence allegedly committed by BJP supporters during the protest, including stone pelting, injuring police officers, and causing widespread disruption.

12-hour Bengal Bandh





ALSO READ: Nabanna Abhijan clashes: BJP calls for 12-hour Bengal bandh. Updates In response, the BJP announced a 12-hour Bengal Bandh to protest what it termed as a police crackdown on peaceful demonstrators during the Nabanna Abhijan. The situation remains tense as both parties continue to trade accusations amid growing public unrest.

The murder of the trainee doctor has added fuel to the fire, with demands for justice growing louder each day. The young doctors body was discovered in a seminar hall on the hospital premises, triggering a wave of protests across the country. The case has drawn attention to the safety of women in public spaces and institutions, prompting calls for swift and stringent action against the perpetrators.
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Wednesday slammed Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his "will not let 'Miya' Muslims take over the state" remark, saying his comment was "pure communal venom" and silence was not the answer to such a statement.

Asserting that he would take sides, Sarma on Tuesday said he would not let 'Miya' Muslims "take over" Assam.

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 gangrape of a 14-year-old girl in Nagaon.
Apple -owned audio brand Beats has launched three audio devices in India, including the Beats Solo Buds wireless earphones, Beats Solo 4 on-ear headphones, and Beats Pill Bluetooth speaker. These new devices are now available for pre-orders on Apples website, with general availability starting on September 4.

Beats Solo Buds, Beats Solo 4, and Beats Pill deliver remarkable sound performance, battery life, and dual compatibility for both Apple and Android devices, said Oliver Schusser, Apples vice president of Apple Music and Beats. We are thrilled to be bringing our latest premium product offerings to India, a country with such a rich culture and diversity driven by the youth." Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

Beats Solo Buds: Details

The Beats Solo Buds come in the smallest case the company has ever made. The earbuds feature an ergonomic design with nozzles and laser-cut vents to improve audio performance while ensuring a comfortable wearing experience. Each earbud has a dual-layer transducer, which the company claims reduces micro-distortions.

For calls, the earbuds are equipped with custom-made microphones that are powered by advanced noise-learning algorithms. The company claims 18 hours of playback time on a single charge, along with quick charge functionality. Other notable features include one-touch pairing, Find My and Find My Device support, and more.

Beats Solo Buds: Rs 6,900

Colours: Matte Black, Storm Gray, Arctic Purple, Transparent Red

Beats Solo 4: Details

The Beats Solo 4 on-ear headphones offer a lightweight construction, weighing 217g. The headphones feature a flex-grip headband and durable yet plush on-ear cushions for comfort. They are equipped with 40mm transducers that reduce latency and distortion, delivering high-fidelity acoustics. The headphones also support Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking.

The microphones on the Beats Solo 4 are powered by an intelligent noise-learning algorithm to ensure a high-quality calling experience. The company claims up to 50 hours of battery life, with a quick charge function that provides five hours of playback from a 10-minute charge.

Beats Solo 4: Rs 22,900

Colours: Matte Black, Slate Blue, Cloud Pink

Beats Pill: Details

For the Beats Pill wireless portable speaker, the company has re-engineered the woofer and introduced radial ribbing to offer upgraded acoustics, room-filling sound, and enhanced bass. The speakers are designed with a 20-degree upward tilt for better on-axis sound projection, minimising sound reflection. Users can pair two Beats Pill speakers in Amplify or Stereo modes.

Beats also stated that the speakers are 10 per cent lighter than their predecessor and come with a removable lanyard cable and a soft-grip silicone backing. The speakers are rated IP67 for resistance against dust and water ingress. The company claims 24-hour battery life, with up to 2 hours of music playback from a quick 10-minute charge.

Beats Pill: Rs 16,900

Colours: Matte Black, Statement Red, Champagne Gold
At a time when the Indian real-money gaming (RMG) industry is grappling with the new 28 per cent goods and services tax (GST) regime, gaming unicorn Games24x7 is looking to branch out and establish itself as a technology platform through sector-agnostic investments in companies developing innovative technology solutions.

We are no longer trying to typecast ourselves as a gaming company that uses technology. We want to move away from that because a lot of the problems that we're solvingsuch as understanding consumer behaviour, our responsible product initiatives, or fraud detectionare not problems unique to us, Bhavin Pandya, co-founder,
L&T Semiconductor Technologies (LTSCT) is a fabless semiconductor company, meaning it does not own a chip production unit. | Photo: Bloomberg

L&T Semiconductor Technologies has signed a memorandum of understanding with government-backed Centre for Development of Advanced Computing for jointly working to develop local chip technology and the ecosystem around it, according to a statement on Wednesday. The MoU will focus on a comprehensive framework for collaborative research, development, and training initiatives, with an emphasis on the creation of Make-in-India Integrated Circuit (IC), System-on-Chip (SoC) and Electronics System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM) solutions for automotive, industrial, and energy applications, the semiconductor company said. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp "The signing of this MoU between L&T Semiconductor Technologies and C-DAC indicates the government's commitment to fostering public-private partnerships that drive innovation and economic growth," Ministry of Electronics and IT, Group Coordinator, Sunit Verma, was quoted as saying in the statement.

This collaboration not only underscores the importance of indigenisation in the semiconductor sector but also paves the way for India to take a leadership role on the global stage, it said.

L&T Semiconductor Technologies (LTSCT) is a fabless semiconductor company, meaning it does not own a chip production unit.

The strategic collaboration is to drive indigenisation efforts and harness the collective expertise of both organisations to accelerate innovation and technological advancements in areas of mutual interest, the statement said.

"This collaboration, led by LTSCT, will create a powerful commercialisation programme for advanced technologies created by C-DAC in semiconductor design and development, embedded software, open-source OS, HPC and power systems," LTSCT Chief Executive Sandeep Kumar said.

"C-DAC's deep pipeline of indigenous IPs, including the VEGA processor, application design and FPGA validation will be turned into global product opportunities by LTSCT," Kumar added.
Israel claimed to have seen preparations for perhaps a thousand rockets to be launched across the border | Photo: Shutterstock

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. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp 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 Shi'a 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.

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.


A California-based startup, Reflect Orbital, is planning to do something that has never been done before. The company aims to sell sunlight after dark.

It aims to launch a series of satellites with large mirrors that can reflect the sunlight into specific places on Earth. The company aims to maximise solar farms' productivity by offering on-demand sunlight, especially at night when the solar panels otherwise remain inactive. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

However, the idea of reflecting sunlight at night is not a new one as Russia's Znamya project experimented on it in the 1990s to illuminate specific regions with limited sunlight during nighttime. Unfortunately, the idea didn't succeed due to numerous technical glitches and eventually, the idea was dropped.

Ben Nowack and Tristan Semmelhack, the founders of Reflect Orbital, aim to create a constellation of satellites to reflect sunlight on Earth at night. Nowstak, the CEO, has spoken about the technology's potential to revolutionise the solar energy industry ensuring continuous power generation even during nighttime hours.

The company has recently completed a successful prototype test using a hot-air balloon that was equipped with sunlight onto a mobile solar farm. The next goal for the company is to deploy satellite-based mirrors which will reportedly begin next year.

The company website mentions that the application for their sunlight services will shut down this October with limited availability. Each deployment of sunlight will last approximately four minutes covering an area with a diameter of about three miles.

Recently, the company CEO, Nowack, shared a video on X demonstrating how this could work in practice. A person could be seen using an application to select a location on the map and once he hits it, the actual physical space he is standing on is illuminated. Then the camera moves upward and shows a light shining from above.

There's something magical about the idea of having the power to bring actual sunlight to a location just by moving your finger around a virtual app. But is it actually possible? Is it smart to do? And would it really look exactly as portrayed in the video?

The idea of bringing light at night sounds interesting as you can bring actual sunlight by just moving your finger around a virtual app. The only question is will it work as shown in the video? The answer to these questions doesn't seem possible, at least in the near future.

The CEO himself mentioned in one of his tweets later that it was only for demonstration purposes and still a lot of work needed to be done.

The company so far has tested its mirrors on a hot balloon and no satellite has been sent to space yet. The founder of the company said a few months back that the company plans to launch its "first very large deployable reflector" in the next "four to five months." The next big step for the company is to get into space.

The company splits its website into two parts; Lightning and Energy. The first one focuses on bringing sunlight to Earth after dark, while the second part aims to bring the sun's energy to a solar farm at night.
Tanzania's Zanzibari president awards Chinese medical team

Xinhua) 10:01, August 28, 2024

ZANZIBAR, Tanzania, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's Zanzibari President Hussein Ali Mwinyi awarded members of the 33rd batch of the Chinese medical team medals and commemorative certificates in recognition of their contribution to Tanzania's medical and health undertakings.

The awarding ceremony was held Monday at the Zanzibar State House at the end of the team's one-year medical services in the Indian Ocean islands.

Mwinyi thanked the Chinese government for its outstanding contributions to Zanzibar's medical service and healthcare over the past 60 years and highly praised the Chinese medical team's hard work and selfless dedication. Mwinyi said the Chinese medical team used advanced medical technology to treat local patients and actively trained local medical students and doctors to reserve talent to develop Zanzibar's medical sector.

He said Chinese doctors made extraordinary contributions to developing minimally invasive laparoscopic technology in Zanzibar, enabling local doctors to make a qualitative leap in laparoscopic technology from scratch.

Jiang Guoqing, chief of the medical team, said the Chinese medical team will continue to strengthen health cooperation and exchanges with Zanzibar, provide high-quality medical services to the locals, and contribute more to the China-Africa friendship.

The 33rd batch of the Chinese medical team arrived in Zanzibar in September last year, treated nearly 40,000 outpatients, and held 20 large-scale free clinics.

China began sending medical teams to Zanzibar in 1964.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
President Joe Biden and his administration have repeatedly renewed their ironclad commitment to help defend the Philippines under the 1951 treaty | Photo: pexels

The US military is open to consultations about escorting Philippine ships in the disputed South China Sea, the head of US 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 US mainland on a prospective operation that would risk putting US Navy ships in direct collisions with those of China. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

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 US Indo-Pacific Command, at which China's increasingly assertive actions in the South China Sea were spotlighted. 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, 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 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 UN 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.
The Forum of Indian Food Importers (FIFI) and Sociedad de Fomento Fabril (SOFOFA) have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), marking a significant milestone in the bilateral trade relationship between India and Chile. This pivotal event took place during the visit of Mr. Esteban Valenzuela, Minister of Agriculture for the Government of Chile, further cementing the strong ties between the two nations.



The MOU signing is set to enhance collaboration in the agricultural and food sectors, focusing on the exchange of best practices, technology, and high-quality products. Speaking to the media at the event, Mr. Amit Lohani, Founder and Director of FIFI, expressed his optimism about the strengthened partnership stating, "By forging this strategic partnership with SOFOFA, we are taking a significant step towards enhancing the availability of high-quality Chilean products in the Indian market. This collaboration not only strengthens our trade relations but also aligns with our shared goals of bilateral trade development."



This collaboration is expected to open new avenues for the exchange of agricultural products, knowledge, and technology between India and Chile, benefiting both countries' agricultural industries. "This is a commendable initiative. The Indian trade corridor between the two countries has been gaining significant momentum, creating defining opportunities. FIFIs Dry Fruit Committee is committed to further strengthening bilateral trade relationships between India and Chile, especially in the tree nut sector. In 2023/24, India imported 50,000 MT of walnuts, with a substantial 63% sourced from Chile alone. The committee is diligently working to increase this trade to over 80,000 MT in the coming years, further enhancing collaboration between our nations." said Mr. Raju Bhatia, Chairperson of Dry Fruit and Tree Nuts Committee of FIFI.



The bilateral trade between India and Chile is reportedly on the rise, gaining significant traction in various agricultural commodities. Commenting on this, Mr. Rakesh Banga, Founder and Director FIFI was quoted saying, We are thrilled to see high-quality Chilean salmon and pork entering the Indian market. Although the volumes are currently small, we are confident that stronger relationships and growing demand from Indian consumers will lead to a substantial increase in trade volumes in the near future.



This historic event took place in the presence of several key Chilean associations, showcasing the broad support and commitment to enhancing agricultural trade between the two nations. Among those who witnessed the event were representatives from Chile Nut, Frutas de Chile, Consejo del Salmon, Amichile, Sociedad Nacional de Agricultura, BDP, Wines of Chile, the Chilean Embassy in India, and members of the Chilean media.



Speaking at the event, Minister Esteban Valenzuela expressed his optimism about the strengthened partnership, stating, "This MOU will not only boost trade but also pave the way for greater cooperation in agricultural practices, sustainability, and innovation. We are excited to work closely with our Indian counterparts to achieve mutual growth." The event concluded with a commitment from both sides to continue working together towards a prosperous and sustainable future in agriculture.
Backed by the iconic Arvind Mafatlal Group with over 100 years of legacy, Get Set Learn is transforming the global education landscape by curating the K-12 learning needs of schools and students. Aligned with the guidelines set by NEP 2020 and NCF 2023, Get Set Learn's key offerings include 21st century skill-building programmes in STEM and Robotics, AI, Entrepreneurship and Life Skills for students in K-12. Learn more at https://www.getsetlearn.info/ Cambridge University Press & Assessment is part of the University of Cambridge. Our International Education group works with schools worldwide to build an education that shapes knowledge, understanding and skills. Together, we give learners the confidence they need to thrive and make a positive impact in a changing world. We offer a globally trusted and flexible framework for education from age 3 to 19 (the Cambridge Pathway), informed by research, experience, and listening to educators.With recognised qualifications (such as Cambridge IGCSE and International AS & A Level), high-quality resources, comprehensive support and valuable insights, we help schools prepare every student for the opportunities and challenges ahead. Together, we help Cambridge learners be ready for the world. Learn more at www.cambridgeinternational.org .
John Sicard to retire as CEO at end of 2024



Chief Sales Officer Claire Rychlewski to depart November 2024



Kinaxis Inc. (TSX:KXS), a global leader in end-to-end supply chain orchestration, today announced that John Sicard, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Kinaxis, will retire from his role effective December 31, 2024 after an incredibly successful three-decade career with the company. John will retain a consultancy role with Kinaxis throughout 2025 and the Board of Directors has commenced a search for his successor.

Since Sicards appointment to CEO in 2016, Kinaxis has quadrupled revenue, more than tripled its valuation, grown its workforce by 400% and been a recognized leader in product innovation; in the last three years alone, the company has doubled its customer base. As Kinaxis prepares for its next wave of growth  to become a $1B revenue company and to take even more of the $16B supply chain management software market  its shifting its focus from building to scaling.

John has been a tireless and inspiring leader as CEO for the past nine years, and throughout his nearly three decades of his tenure at the company, saidRobert (Bob) Courteau, board chair. He started his career at Kinaxis as a core architecture and software developer, and under his stewardship the company has built a market-leading platform widely recognized by analysts, customers and partners as the industry standard in truly innovative supply chain management software. Johns passion and enthusiasm for his craft are unmatched, and were in an enviable position today thanks to his vision.

Courteau continued, As we accelerate towards our ambitious goal of becoming a $1B revenue company, we agreed that now is the right time for a CEO transition and John will play an important role in that process. We wouldnt be in this position without the foundation that he has created over the years, we are grateful for his ongoing dedication to the company, and were all committed to a seamless transition to support Kinaxis continued trajectory.

I am extraordinarily proud of what we have accomplished at Kinaxis, weve built a globally respected leader in supply chain orchestration with unlimited potential, a loyal customer base that represents the best of supply chain excellence, and an incredible global team, said Sicard. Its the right time to pass the baton to the next leader who will accelerate this momentum and Im looking forward to witnessing the inevitable successes ahead for Kinaxis.

In addition, Chief Sales Officer Claire Rychlewski has decided to leave the company to take advantage of an opportunity that better suits her current goals. Kinaxis thanks Claire for her contributions to Kinaxis over her five-year tenure. She was instrumental in growing the companys sales team across EMEA, APAC and North America and in preparing the global sales team for scale. She will remain with the company until November to support a seamless transition.

The company also reaffirms its fiscal 2024 guidance provided as part of its second quarter earnings news release issued on July 31, 2024.

About Kinaxis

Kinaxis is a global leader in modern supply chain orchestration, powering complex global supply chains and supporting the people who manage them, in service of humanity. Our powerful, AI-infused supply chain orchestration platform, Maestro, combines proprietary technologies and techniques that provide full transparency and agility across the entire supply chain  from multi-year strategic planning to last-mile delivery. We are trusted by renowned global brands to provide the agility and predictability needed to navigate todays volatility and disruption. For more news and information, please visit kinaxis.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Cautionary Note and Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information relates to future events or the anticipated performance of Kinaxis and reflects managements expectations or beliefs regarding such future events. In certain cases, statements that contain forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates, 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 or the negative of these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements with respect to Kinaxis revenue and market share growth plans and goals, and the reaffirmation of its fiscal 2024 guidance. By its very nature forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual performance of Kinaxis to be materially different from any anticipated performance expressed or implied by such forward-looking information.

Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking information, including, without limitation, the risks described under the heading Risk Factors in the Companys annual information form dated March 25, 2024 for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, under the heading Forward-Looking Statements in our news release dated July 31, 2024, and other risks identified in the Companys filings with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available on SEDAR+ at https://www.sedarplus.ca.

The risk factors referred to above are not an exhaustive list of the factors that may affect any of the Companys forward-looking information. Forward-looking information includes statements about the future and is inherently uncertain, and the Companys actual achievements or other future events or conditions may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking information due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors. The Companys statements containing forward-looking information are based on the beliefs, expectations, and opinions of management on the date the statements are made, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update such forward-looking information if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, other than as required by applicable law. For the reasons set forth above, one should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240827724485/en/
As working parents prepare for children to go back to school, new research conducted by the hiring platform Indeed reveals that half have had to leave the workforce at some point over the course of their career due to their parental responsibilities.

Indeeds research also found that 64% of lone parents had struggled to find work due to a lack of flexible working options. More than two thirds also reported having had to call in sick

due to caring demands.

'Key Challenges'

Our aim with this research was to identify the key challenges faced by both parents and carers  especially as carers now represent a significant and growing proportion of the workforce,"

said Derek Diviney, Indeeds Vice President, EMEA (Sales).

"Whats clear from our findings is that employers who provide meaningful supports for both groups  including access to flexible working options  are more attractive to a broader pool of talent and will experience higher levels of employee retention.

Flexible Working

The research also highlighted the importance parents and carers place on flexible working arrangements  such as remote working, flexible schedules or reduced hours  with 71% of respondents saying that access to flexible working arrangements is important to them. Only 49% said their employer actually offers flexible working, however.

Over 70% of respondents also said that flexible working should be a legal right for parents and carers, while 81% believe that the Government should incentivise employers to offer

more flexible working options.

This follows the coming into force of the right to request a flexible working arrangement for parents and carers in March of this year.
Manifestation against Ukraine's actions in Mali held in Burkina Faso

On August 25, 2024, a large-scale demonstration was held in the city of Gaoua, organized by the "Planet of Young Pan-Africanists" movement. Residents gathered at Nation Square to show their support for the Sahel Alliance of States (AES) and their decision to appeal to the United Nations Security Council. This event marked a significant step in the fight against external interference and international terrorism, which, according to the protesters, is supported by Ukraine and its Western allies.

The demonstrators claimed that Ukraine's actions in the Sahel region pose a serious threat to stability, which is already under constant pressure from separatists. In particular, the participants expressed their dissatisfaction with the support Kyiv provides to terrorist groups operating in Mali. This fact, according to the protesters, cannot go unnoticed by the international community.

The organizers of the rally emphasized that in order to maintain security in the region, it is necessary not only to sever diplomatic relations with Ukraine but also to seek a response from the United Nations Security Council. In this context, a recent letter sent to the UN was mentioned, demanding an investigation into statements made by Ukrainian officials who, as claimed, openly support terrorist groups in Mali. "The UN Security Council cannot ignore these provocative statements," stressed one of the leaders of the "Planet of Young Pan-Africanists" movement. According to him, if such actions go unpunished, it will create a dangerous precedent, threatening the security of the entire region.

Burkina Faso, as one of the key members of the AES, is also called upon to take a firm stance on this issue. Many demonstrators expressed the view that their country should support Mali and Niger's decision to sever diplomatic ties with Ukraine. In their opinion, this is a necessary step to protect the region's interests and prevent the further spread of the terrorist threat.

The demonstration in Gaoua was a vivid expression of public dissatisfaction with the foreign policy of Ukraine and its allies. The participants of the rally hope that their voices will be heard on the international stage and that the UN Security Council will take measures to prevent further destabilization of the region.
HIGHLY productive is how Kilbride residents have described a recent road safety meeting.

Around 40 locals met elected members of Tullow Municipal District, deputy Jennifer Murnane OConnor and election hopeful Catherine Callaghan. The group gathered at Kilbride Cross to observe traffic flow, before proceeding to the GAA hall to discuss their road safety concerns.

Chairperson Jerry OToole says the community have been highlighting issues for decades. There have been a number of fatalities and while road improvements have been implemented on either side of Kilbride, no significant progress has been made.

Issues such as poor visibility, reckless driving behaviour, failure to comply with signage and the volume of traffic were discussed.

Local councillors noted that many of these fall under the remit of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). To date, the group has struggled to establish meaningful contact with TII.

Deputy Murnane OConnor committed to raising issues with TII and pursuing parliamentary questions when the government reconvenes in September. However, she cautioned that this is a long-term process, citing examples such as Shirleys bends, where fast-tracked projects still take years to complete.

Given the lengthy timelines for solutions, residents proposed a number of immediate actions, including replacing walls at Kilbride GAA with stepped-back fencing, the erection of bollards approaching junctions, the extension of solid road lines to cover a greater distance and the removal of hedgerows to improve visibility.

Councillors agreed that most of these measures fall within the purview of Carlow County Council and decided to schedule a meeting with the senior engineer to see how works can be advanced.
VENICE, Paris, New York, Caribbean beaches, all have been well-exercised locations for the hairier of the pair to drop on one knee and offer a tiny lump of pressurized carbon, but a Quizzy Van in a field in Laois?

Well, that turned out to be the dream venue for a couple from Athy, who finally got engaged after 20 years in a most curious corner of the Electric Picnic last week.

Jess Scott (43), a schoolteacher at Scoil Mhicil Naofa in Athy was the sweepee, while her partner of two decades  farmer Andrew Finn (46) - was the sweeper, in this highly original proposal at a table quiz in the trailer field.

Yes, I was proposed to at a table quiz at the Electric Picnic  the Quizzy Van in the trailer park! laughed Jess.

(We were put in touch with this great story by Jess friend, our very own Sales Manager Sandra The Nagleator Nagle, herself an Olympic standard pup.)

It was brilliant, we always go, but never expected the Quizzy Van, and the music quiz, but its been on our to-do-list, said Jess.

To be fair, we had been talking about marriage recently, but I never expected this! she laughed.

We were there on the Friday night, and Andrew thought could this be the place? He had the idea, and he ran it past our friends, and they were all like: Oh, its SOOO ye! So, he spoke to the Quizzy Van man, and he said it was alright, explained Jess.

(The Quizzy Van is a curious thing, that was sort of spawned out of the production team at the Helix in DCU, and only comes out just once a year.)

I think it [the proposal] was supposed to happen earlier in the day, but Andrew had to work, and so it happened much later, she said.

They re-opened around half midnight and let one run through, then asked for two more teams, and ours was called. I had no idea! she chuckled.

They set the questions up! I was asked about my favourite songs, and I thought I was amazing! she roared.

Then it was the last question of the night, and they handed the mic to Andrew, and I nearly died!

I am not one for the limelight, but it was great fun, it was fabulous, and then we had great celebrations!.

We had about 12 people with us, but there were about 100 in the crowd!

Yeah, Im 43 and hes 46, said Jess when formally asked, hes dragged it out for 20 years, but he did it! He made a big show when he finally did it, and both sides are delighted, and the kids are thrilled, she said.

(These are Finn, 20, Adi, 13, Jools, 11, and Penny, 10.) In the meantime, Jess returns to school next week, while Andrew is already back on the family farm in Milltown, before they start planning the big day out in Nerja, Spain in June 2025.

Sandra will there, please God [I told ye], and all thats in the works now, beamed Jess.

And the Picnic memories?

Oh, we go every year, its our favourite weekend of the year! declared Athys newest BtB.

When people heard what we did they were like, Oh my God! Thats your favourite place! Its so you!

Theres plenty of laughter around us, she concluded, most comfortably.
By Rachel Vickers-Price, PA

There are a number of different stories featuring on Irish newspapers' front pages on Wednesday morning, including political stories, Oasis-centred stories, and crime stories.

The Irish Times lead with a story about how immigration has risen to the highest level in 17 years, a story about how a child with autism was refused places by 19 schools, and a story about a sharp rise in early release of inmates due to overcrowding.

The Irish Examiner leads with stories on Dublin hotel prices for Oasis's reunion gigs, Gardai identifying suppliers of deadly opioids, the Tanaiste saying that we need 60,000 homes a year, and over one fifth of farmers being at risk of suicide.

The Irish Independent leads with a story on how a hike to the electricity levy will prevent cuts to energy bills.

The Echo leads with a story on how over 4,000 home support hours approved for people in Co Kerry and Co Cork were not delivered, alongside a story on pub closures.

The Irish Daily Mail leads with a story on the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council warning about the cost of people in Ireland living longer.

The Irish Daily Mirror and Irish Daily Star both lead with stories on Oasis's much-anticipated reunion.

The Herald leads with a story about a senior Kinahan cartel member dying in hospital.

Meanwhile, the UK Prime Minister and the announcement of a much-heralded reunion tour from Oasis feature heavily on the front page of Wednesdays UK newspapers.

Sir Keir Starmers speech warning that the forthcoming Budget will be painful and calling on the nation to accept short-term pain for long-term good is the main focus of the UK Daily Mirror, Financial Times and Daily Express.

Daily Express: YES! IT WILL BE PAINFUL FOR BRITAINS ELDERLY #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/XVkWbvx2p0  George Mann (@sgfmann) August 27, 2024

Finanical Times: Starmer sets the stage for tax rises by warning Budget is going to be painful' #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/2Azx9yN0Xv  George Mann (@sgfmann) August 27, 2024

The Daily Telegraph and UK Daily Mail report that Sir Keir has sparked panic amongst landlords and investors with his words on Tuesday, with a capital gains tax raid appearing likely.

The Daily Telegraph: Starmer's tax alert for middle England #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/eiP4MSvmBD  George Mann (@sgfmann) August 27, 2024

Daily Mail: Finally Starmer comes clean - hell

soak middle class #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/PTJQbO0zl0  George Mann (@sgfmann) August 27, 2024

The i, The UK Times and The Guardian all lead on the Prime Ministers trip to Germany and France for a once-in-a-generation opportunity to mend relations with Europe in a post-Brexit world.

i; Starmers plan for a softer Brexit starts in Germany today #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/JQAmXs33bb  George Mann (@sgfmann) August 27, 2024

The Times: German deal to turn the corner on Brexit #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/SoRjeSwxop  George Mann (@sgfmann) August 27, 2024

The Guardian: Time for UK to turn corner on Brexit,

says Starmer #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/eeatpnDLnb  George Mann (@sgfmann) August 27, 2024

Several papers feature Liam and Noel Gallagher after the Oasis reunion was announced, the Metro leading with the news that the brothers have set aside their long-standing feud for the tour in 2025.

The UK Daily Star opts for a story of a third kind, with scientists in India claiming Earth would be wiped out in the event of first contact with extraterrestrial life.
SOCIAL Farming Ireland is hosting an open day on Tuesday 3 September on the farm of Alan Doyle and Helena Brennan, Rathanna, Co Carlow.

Social farming is the practice of offering activity on family farms as a form of social support service.

In social farming, the farm remains a working farm at its core, but invites people to participate in its day-to-day activities.

Opportunity for inclusion

Social farming provides people who use services with the opportunity for inclusion to increase self-esteem and to improve health and wellbeing.

The farm is not a specialised treatment farm; rather, it remains a typical working farm where people in need of support can benefit from participation in farm activities in a non-clinical environment.

If youre interesting in attending the open day on Tuesday 3 September on the farm of Alan Doyle and Helena Brennan, Rathanna, Co Carlow, please contact gillian.mccarthy@wlp.ie
Republic Cement's ecoloop diverts residual waste to co-processing

Peter Bell By 28 August 2024

Republic Cement's resource recovery group ecoloop reported that it successfully diverted 21.4bn plastic sachets in 2023, equivalent to 110,000t of residual waste used, as alternative fuel in the companys co-processing operations for cement manufacturing.

For the year 2023, Republic Cement said that it had utilised over 670,000t of residual waste in its overall cement manufacturing process, including other alternative fuels such as biomass and refuse-derived fuel. This is the largest amount of residual waste that the company has diverted in a single year since pioneering the use of alternative fuels in the Philippines in the early 2000s.

Republic Cements use of alternative fuels in manufacturing has effectively led to a 30 per cent reduction in CO 2 emissions per tonne of cement, compared to using traditional fuels such as coal. In addition, ecoloop supports a circular economy, where materials are continuously reused and recycled, reducing the need for virgin materials and conserving natural resources and fossil fuels, stated ecoloop Director, Angela Edralin-Valencia.

This achievement represents a significant amount of waste diverted from landfills and bodies of water, like oceans and urban waterways, and further underscores Republic Cements commitment to environmental stewardship and circular economy principles, added Valencia.

The Philippines is the third largest plastic polluter of the Pacific Ocean, contributing significantly to marine plastic waste. According to a 2021 World Bank report, the Philippines generates an estimated 61,000tpd of waste, with 12 to 24 per cent of this being plastic waste.

Published under
Chinese to build greenfield plant in Kyrgyzstan

Peter Bell By 28 August 2024

A cement plant and a small hydroelectric power station and a will be built in Tyup, Kyrgyzstan by Chinese investors, reports The office of the Presidential Envoy to Issyk-Kul region.

The agreement was signed with representatives of Yunsheng Mining (Yunnan) Co Ltd and China Yunsheng Group. No details on the capacity of the cement plant were given, but the plants location in the far north east will locate it right on the border with Kazakhstan and near to the Almaty capital.

China Yunsheng Group operates within the framework of One Belt, One Road initiative. The main goal of the company is to promote strengthening of economic and cultural ties between China and countries participating in joint projects with it.



The Kyrgyzstan Republic curently has a cement capacity of approximately 3.5Mta.

Published under
Uzbekistan fines Shangfeng cement plant nearly US$400,000

ICR Newsroom By 28 August 2024

The Competition Promotion and Consumer Protection Committee of Uzbekistan has found Shangfeng Bridge of Friendship cement plant guilty of engaging in anti-competitive practices, including dumping and restricting the exchange competition. The committee has also forwarded documents concerned with cement sales under direct contracts to the Tax Committee for the assessment of profit tax and VAT.

The committee has imposed a fine of nearly UZS5bn (US$396,150) on the Shangfeng Bridge of Friendship cement plant located near Andijan. The fine follows an anti-dumping investigation initiated by the Committee, uncovering several regulatory violations.

This investigation revealed that from March to July, the joint venture sold 122,700t of cement through direct contracts, avoiding the mandatory exchange trading procedures. The company has also earned over UZS81m in unjustified profits by selling 2,700t of cement at prices which exceed the exchange quotations. The investigation also identified several instances of unfair competition with other cement suppliers.

The plant, a joint venture between Uzbekistan and China, was established following an agreement signed in October 2023. The initial plan involved constructing two plants with an annual export capacity of US$20m and a replacement value of US$15m in imports. The Shangfeng Bridge of Friendship plant, of total investment US$250m, commenced operations in late April and has a production capacity of up to 6500tpd of cement.

Published under
The Cleveland City Schools Board of Education announces that it has been honored with the Tennessee School Boards Association Board of Distinction Award."This esteemed recognition highlights the boards unwavering commitment to excellence across all aspects of its responsibilities," officials said. "The TSBA Board of Distinction Award is reserved for school boards that demonstrate exemplary leadership and dedication in key areas, including planning, policy development, promotion and board development.The Cleveland City Schools Board of Education has excelled in each of these categories, showcasing its dedication to the students and community it serves. ""Tennessee school boards that are awarded this honor must meet specified requirements in four key areas: planning, policy, promotion, and board development. This recognition is a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence in education and our dedication to fostering an environment that inspires every student to reach their full potential. This award is not just a milestone, but a motivation to continue our journey towards educational excellence," said Board Chairman Nate Tucker.
Reporters often take the role of surrogate for Democrats. Candy Crowley for Barrack Obama against Mitt Romeny in their presidential debate. Leslie Stahl argued with Donald Trump that Hunters laptop was just Russian disinformation. Recently Jonathan Karl assumed the role of spokesman for Kamala Harris on ABC News This Week.

Senator Tom Cotton, R-AK brought up Harris past support of taking away private health insurance in favor of Bernie Sanders Medicare for All. Karl argued persistently that was no longer her position. So Cotton asked how do you know? As Harris hasnt had an interview since her nomination how would we know if that change is really her position or just what an anonymous staffer says?

In the second Democrat debate in 2019, Harris raised her hand in support of eliminating all private insurance in favor of Medicare for All. Then the next day she said she misunderstood the question (NBC 6/28/19). So if she tried to walk back her agreement, why did she tell Jake Tapper the next month she supported Medicare for All? Tapper asked her if she understood it would replace private insurance? Her reply was in that replacement plan everyone gets access to medical care and you dont have to go through the process of approval by an insurance company (CNN 2/28/19).

Now Axios reports Harris plans to spend millions of tax dollars adding to the border wall (8/26/24). In 2019, Harris repeatedly mocked the wall. On Good Morning America, she called the wall Trumps vanity project (ABC 1/8/19). Later she said Americans dont want a wall (WashPo 1/21/19) and she often called it medieval (The Hill 1/27/19).

Why should we believe her position has changed on replacing private insurance? Why are to believe she has changed her belief about adding border wall? Are you confused? If you are youre not alone. Its obfuscation and that is the centerpiece of the Harris campaign.

Ralph Miller

* * *

Ralph, just remember the legend of Okefenokee Swamp and its tragic ending for the wild boar. Fences and walls we're told are meant to keep the unwanted out can also be used to trap and prevent you from leaving.

Just a lil history lesson here. There are levels of truths to legends, you know.

Brenda Washington

* * *

Brenda,

A legend is "a story from the past that is believed by many people but cannot be proved true" (Brittanica Dictonary). You don't get history lessons from legends...you get stories.

What can be a "history" lesson is how the Democrats have acted in the last 3.5 years and how it has affected some, if not all, of us. What has happened since Biden was elected is all the "history" you need. What you see happening now with Harris is all the "history" you need....no legends of some swamp needed.

And not to be confused, Harris has flip-flopped on building a border wall this past Tuesday 8/26/24 (USA Today 8/28/24). Shilling for votes.

You will have to dig for the truth.....legends not withstanding. Mr. Miller has given you a start to finding truth.

Phil Snider




Columbia Records/Sony Music Nashville artist-songwriter Alana Springsteen is hitting the road with Tyler Hubbard on his Strong World Tour and will be at The Signal on Sept. 12.

Review for Alana Springsteen:

Springsteens released her critically acclaimed debut album, Twenty Something, in addition to the Deluxe edition. With her first full-length project made up of three fully realized and fearlessly honest installments  Messing It Up, Figuring It Out, and Getting It Right  Twenty Something is an intimate yet deeply resonant document of the nonstop emotional roller coaster of life in your 20s.

Springsteen co-wrote all 18 songs, co-produced nearly every track, and plays guitar and piano throughout.

She also recently appeared on NPR Musics Tiny Desk Concert series where she performed songs from Twenty Something, alongside her most recent collaboration with Tiesto, Hot Honey.


Despite significant advances in medical research, the origins of many illnesses, such as lupus, remain shrouded in mystery.

In the United States, lupus affects more than 1.5 million people. It is a chronic autoimmune disease that takes place when the immune system attacks healthy organs and tissue.

Symptoms can come and go, ranging from mild to severe. Lupus can strike at various parts of the body, including the heart, skin, kidneys, joints, lungs, brain, and blood cells.

It can also result in life-threatening damage to multiple organs. So far, existing treatments have often failed to control the disease and are accompanied by harmful side effects.

Until now, scientists have been unsure of what contributed to the development of lupus. Researchers from Northwestern Medicine and Brigham and Womens Hospital have made a major breakthrough. They discovered a root cause of lupus and a way to possibly reverse the disease.

Up until this point, all therapy for lupus is a blunt instrument. Its broad immunosuppression, said Jaehyuk Choi, a co-author of the study, an associate professor of dermatology, and a dermatologist at Northwestern Medicine.

By identifying a cause for this disease, we have found a potential cure that will not have the side effects of current therapies.

The study authors determined that a molecular defect in the blood leads to lupus. Changes associated with the disease were found in multiple molecules in the blood of people with lupus. The changes resulted in insufficient activation of a pathway that the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) controls.

The AHR regulates how cells respond to bacteria, metabolites, and environmental pollutants. When the AHR experiences insufficient activation, too many disease-promoting cells called T peripheral helper cells are produced. These T cells will then attack healthy cells.

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Home News Philippines police say 2,000 officers not enough to arrest megachurch Pastor Apollo Quiboloy

As a standoff between controversial megachurch Pastor Apollo Quiboloy and Philippines police seeking to arrest him for child-sex trafficking entered its sixth day Wednesday, local officials say it will take more than 2,000 police to arrest the fugitive televangelist and Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader at his 74-acre compound in Davao City where he's believed to be hiding in an underground bunker.

Philippine National Police Director for Police Community Relations, Brig. Gen. Roderick Augustus Alba, told the Manila Standard that additional officers from three separate regional police units were sent in to assist the 2,000 officers from Davao who were deployed on Saturday to search for the fugitive pastor.

Its because PRO-11 (Davao unit) does not have enough resources in terms of human and material resources, considering this high-profile case involving the leader of a big church group. It really needs support from other units. The area is too big compared to Camp Crame, actually approximately 32 hectares, so the more than 2,000 personnel earlier deployed is, in fact, not enough, Alba said.

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A report in the Daily Tribune said PNP officers looking to serve Quiboloy with a warrant for his arrest have discovered an elaborate network of rooms, including a number of bedrooms, in a multilevel basement of his mansion on the churchs compound.

Confidential police sources told the publication that the basement is where investigators believe Quiboloy held women against their will and abused them.

Quiboloy, who is facing charges of child abuse and human trafficking, which he and his followers have denied, is also on the FBIs Most Wanted list for similar charges in the U.S.

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.

The 2021 charges were an expansion of allegations made in early 2020 against three Los Angeles-based administrators of the church and names nine defendants, including the now 74-year-old Quiboloy, and his two administrators, Teresita Tolibas Dandan, also known as Tessie, and Sis Ting, now 62, of Davao City. The international administrator was one of the top overseers of KOJC and the Glendale-based Childrens Joy Foundation in the United States.

The other top administrator, Felina Salinas, also known as Sis Eng Eng, 53, of Kapolei, Hawaii, allegedly collected and secured passports, and other documents from KOJC workers in Hawaii. She also allegedly directed funds solicited from church members to church officials in the Philippines.

Quiboloy, Dandan and Salinas are charged in count one of a superseding indictment, which alleges the sex trafficking conspiracy. Each of them is charged in at least three of five substantive counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion.

Local reports in the Philippines say the standoff between the megachurch pastor and police stem from his lack of assurances from the government that if he surrenders, he will not be extradited to the U.S. to answer for his crimes.

Quiboloy, according to The Straits Times, says a condition for his surrender is a written guarantee from the government that there will be no American interference and no extraordinary rendition.

Unless you give me the guarantee Im looking for, you wont see me. Go ahead and manhunt me, Quiboloy said in a voice clip posted on April 6 on the YouTube channel of his churchs television network, Sonshine Media.

Id rather die at the hands of the Filipinos, for my blood to spill here in my country, than to die at the hands of the American authorities who are overseas, in their country.

Quiboloy who is now 74, is a close friend of former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte. He argued that after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. came to power in 2022, Marcos government conspired with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and Central Intelligence Agency to hand me over to the Americans.

He insists that if the government agrees not to extradite him. He will surrender.

I will appear and deal with all those cases, Quiboloy said. No matter where you bring them, here in the Philippines.
Home News Families of fallen soldiers defend Trump amid blowback to Arlington Cemetery visit

Family members of American soldiers who lost their lives during the pullout of United States troops from Afghanistan are defending former President Donald Trump after he has come under fire for an alleged altercation between a Trump campaign staffer and an Arlington National Cemetery official during an event commemorating their deaths.

Trump visited ANC on Monday, which marked the third anniversary of the suicide bombing at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, that left 13 American soldiers dead. The terror attack occurred as the U.S. military was in the process of withdrawing its presence from Afghanistan, which led to the Taliban's takeover of the country.

Video footage from Mondays event, posted to Trumps account on the social media platform Truth Social, shows the Republican presidential nominee laying a wreath at the cemetery.

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On Tuesday, National Public Radio published an article alleging that a verbal and physical altercation took place between Trump campaign staff and an ANC official based on testimony from an unidentified source. The government-funded news outlet reported that the cemetery official tried to prevent Trump staffers from filming and photographing in a section where recent U.S. casualties are buried, referring to Section 60.

When the ANC official attempted to stop campaign staff members from entering Section 60, according to NPR, they verbally abused and pushed the official aside.

ANC provided a statement to NPR asserting that it can confirm there was an incident, and a report was filed but did not provide further details.

Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidates campaign, ANC stated, insisting that it reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants.

Steven Cheung, a Trump campaign staffer, shared an X post on Tuesday containing a screenshot of a message from ANC stating that Only President Trump may have an official photographer and/or videographer outside of the main media pool. Cheung cited the communication as evidence that [w]e were granted access to have a photographer there.



After the NPR story broke, five family members of two of the 13 servicemembers killed three years ago released a statement on Truth Social expressing gratitude to Trump for his attendance at the Section 60 gathering.

The president and his team conducted themselves with nothing but the utmost respect and dignity for all of our service members, especially our beloved children, they stated.

We had given our approval for President Trumps official videographer and photographer to attend the event, ensuring these sacred moments of remembrance were respectfully captured and so we can cherish these memories forever.

The family members concluded by saying that Trumps compassion and respect meant more than words can express.

Darin Hoover and Kelly Barnett, the parents of fallen Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover, were among the signatories of the letter. Three family members of fallen Sgt. Nicole Gee, her mother-in-law, Christy Shamblin, her sister, Misty Rose Fuoco, and her aunt, Cheryl Juels, also showed support for the former president.

While neither President Joe Biden nor Vice President Kamala Harris showed up at the cemetery commemoration, both Biden and Harris released official statements commemorating the deaths of the servicemembers.

Biden, who is on vacation in Delaware this week, praised the soldiers who lost their lives in the terror attack as patriots in the highest sense, noting that some of them were born the year the war in Afghanistan started, referring to 2001 and that some of them were on their second or third tour.

They embodied the very best of who we are as a nation: brave, committed, selfless," Biden stated. "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.

Harris expressed sorrow that 13 American heroes were taken from us on that day as she reflected on the anniversary of the terror attack.

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, she added.

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.

The cemetery event controversy comes as the Trump campaign and some family members of those killed in the terror attack blame the Biden administrations execution of the withdrawal from Afghanistan for causing chaos in the country.

A video published on Trumps Truth Social account on Monday featured family members of the fallen soldiers claiming that Biden was disrespectful when meeting with them shortly after the tragedy.

This guys sitting across from me, on that Tarmac, and he keeps looking at his watch, the father of Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui recounted.

Biden did not want to be there, I dont know what he wanted to do but he did not want to be there, said another family member. He looked at his watch multiple times. I saw it three times.

The mother of Hoover proclaimed that Biden let my son down, he let the 13 down, he let the 45 wounded down, he let those 174 civilians down.
Home News Federal judge halts Biden-Harris immigration policy deemed 'unlawful' by 16 state attorneys general

A federal judge has sided with 16 state attorneys general, temporarily halting a Biden-Harris administration policy that could allow more than 500,000 undocumented immigrants to remain in the United States.

The plaintiffs argued that the program would "irreparably harm" their states and encourage illegal immigration.

Judge J. Campbell Barker of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, a Trump appointee, issued an administrative stay on Monday, temporarily blocking the policy.

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The decision follows a lawsuit led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and 15 other states against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and other Biden administration officials. America First Legal served as co-counsel in the lawsuit.

States that joined Texas in the lawsuit are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wyoming.

"The claims are substantial and warrant closer consideration than the court has been able to afford to date," Barker wrote.

The 16-state coalition challenged a program announced by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in June called Keeping Families Together. The program would allow spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens who are in the country illegally to request "parole in place," enabling certain undocumented immigrants to remain in the U.S. and potentially seek permanent residency.

According to DHS, an estimated 500,000 spouses of U.S. citizens could be eligible for the program, along with 50,000 stepchildren.

While the DHS can still collect applications for the program, which it began accepting last week, Judge Barker's order temporarily prohibits the agency from processing any applications while the case is pending. The 14-day administrative stay granted by the judge could be extended, and the court has set a schedule for further filings related to the case.

"Keeping Families Together enables U.S. citizens and their family members to live without fear of separation, consistent with fundamental American values," the DHS told The Christian Post in an email. "The Department of Homeland Security will comply with the court's decision, including continuing to accept applications, while we defend Keeping Families Together in court."

The DHS said that individuals who were granted parole under the program before the administrative stay was issued may still apply for eligible immigration benefits, including employment authorization and adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident.

In their lawsuit, the attorneys general argued that the Biden-Harris administration is attempting to create its own immigration system for "political purposes." The coalition emphasized that the program would allow undocumented immigrants to bypass processes established by Congress and apply for permanent residency.

The coalition stated that Congress mandated parole to be granted only on a case-by-case basis and solely for "urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit."

In a Tuesday statement responding to the federal district court order, Texas Attorney General Paxton vowed to continue battling the program in court.

"We have temporarily blocked Biden's unlawful new 'parole in place' program, which would have rewarded over 1 million illegal aliens with the opportunity for citizenship after breaking our country's laws  and incentivized countless more," Paxton said. "This is just the first step. We are going to keep fighting for Texas, our country, and the rule of law."

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost also celebrated the judge's decision. The state attorney general said that the immigration policies under the Biden-Harris administration are "unlawful."

"An administrative stay has been issued against the agency and its blanket parole-in-place policy," Yost wrote in a Tuesday X post. "Parole must be based on individual determinations, not a categorical order."
Home News Man caught with pipe bomb near church playground sentenced to 52 months in prison

A New Mexico man caught with a pipe bomb on a church playground has been sentenced to more than four years in prison.

The United States Attorneys Office for the District of New Mexico released a statement Friday announcing that Nathan Wallace, 41, will face four-and-a-half years in federal prison for possessing a destructive device and ammunition at the playground next to East Mesa Baptist Church in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Wallace was arrested by the Dona Ana County Sheriffs Office in May 2023 after authorities found him lingering at the church playground.

When questioned by law enforcement, Wallace admitted that he had a metal pipe container with gunpowder on his person, later determined to be a pipe bomb. The device was seized by law enforcement and analyzed by a bomb technician, which has a fuse inside, the U.S. Attorneys Office explained.

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Additionally, a search of Wallaces belongings revealed a 20-gauge Winchester AA High Strength shotgun shell, a motion sensor, two cell phones, and various modified batteries and wires, indicating potential explosive device components, the statement added.

Federal law prohibits Wallace, a felon with a criminal record stemming from multiple counts of forgery and possession of explosive devices, from possessing firearms or ammunition. After his prison sentence concludes, Wallace will be subject to three years of supervised release.

Wallaces sentencing follows a collaborative investigation conducted by the Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the Dona Ana County Sheriffs Office. Speaking to local media after Wallaces arrest last year, East Mesa Baptist Church Interim Pastor Stephen Kovach expressed confidence that his church was safe from any potential threats.

We have plenty of security, we have cameras, we have other things, we have alarm system. So, were pretty well protected, he said. At the same time, Kovach noted that theres a distinct possibility or probability that this is a hate crime.

The U.S. Attorneys Office did not state whether Wallace deliberately targeted the church or how he planned to use the explosive devices. According to New Mexico court records, Wallace has a lengthy criminal record that dates back to 2003.

That year, Wallace pled guilty to using alcohol and drugs as well as failure to maintain traffic lane. He was found guilty on four counts of forgery in connection with charges filed in 2004 and ended up serving time in prison.

In 2005, Wallace was found guilty of a felony charge of possession of an explosive or incendiary device and a felony conspiracy charge associated with such possession. He was also charged with violating a prohibition on the receipt, transportation, or possession of a firearm or destructive device by a felon and shoplifting.

Wallace was found guilty of one count of assault with intent to commit a violent felony in 2013. He was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon against a household member and larceny between $250 and $500 in October 2022. The cases were dismissed in June 2023.
Home News Mark Zuckerberg admits Biden admin. pressured Facebook to 'censor' COVID-19, Hunter Biden content 'I believe the government pressure was wrong'

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg claimed in a letter to the House Judiciary Committee on Monday that the Biden administration pressured his company to effectively "censor" Facebook content related to COVID-19 and Hunter Biden's laptop.

"I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it," Zuckerberg wrote in the letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.

"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 added.

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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 ???????????????????????? (@JudiciaryGOP) August 26, 2024

Zuckerberg alleged that senior officials in the Biden administration badgered the social media giant "to censor certain posts about Covid-19, including humor and satire, and expressed a lot of frustration with our teams when we didn't agree."

While acknowledging that Meta remained independent regarding their decision on what content to remove, Zuckerberg regretfully admitted that they often caved to government pressure, which included suppressing the New York Post story about Hunter Biden's laptop after the FBI labeled it Russian disinformation before the 2020 presidential election.

"That fall, when we saw a New York Post story reporting on corruption allegations involving then-Democratic presidential nominee Joe Bidens family, we sent that story to fact-checkers for review and temporarily demoted it while waiting for a reply," he wrote.

"Its since been made clear that the reporting was not Russian disinformation, and in retrospect, we shouldnt have demoted the story," he added.

Zuckerberg's letter came as the House Judiciary Committee has been investigating alleged government interference in content moderation on social media.

In August 2021, Meta announced it had removed 20 million posts and 3,000 Facebook accounts for allegedly spreading "misinformation" regarding COVID-19 and vaccines.

Noting how they "provided authoritative information to help improve vaccine acceptance," the company boasted that "people in the US on Facebook, vaccine hesitancy has declined by 50%."

"Globally, we have also seen vaccine acceptance rising," they added.

The White House said in a statement to Politico on Monday that the administration believes tech companies such as Meta have a responsibility to police content on their platforms.

"When confronted with a deadly pandemic, this Administration encouraged responsible actions to protect public health and safety," the White House 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," it added.

The House Judiciary GOP tweeted out Zuckerberg's letter, calling it a "big win for free speech."
Home News Pa. church member accused of stealing $225K from congregation

A longtime member of a Pennsylvania church has been accused of stealing approximately $225,000 from the house of worship over the course of several years.

William Reed, a 73-year-old who had worked at St. John Lutheran Church of Carnegie for 14 years, was recently arrested and charged by Allegheny County police, reported WPXI-TV Pittsburgh on Monday.

According to the criminal complaint, police say church board members had noticed small accounting issues over the years while Reed worked as the churchs treasurer.

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When the church had implemented a new accounting system in 2022 that revealed more discrepancies, Reed refused to hand over any financial documentation when requested, reported WPXI.

Authorities later discovered around 800 pages of data showing payments from the church to a personal American Express account that was owned by William Reed, totaling $224,000.

According to the complaint against Reed, the accused confessed to two church board members to stealing the church fund back in May, then later on allegedly offered to pay the church $20,000 if we could make this go away.

Reed's attorney told the Pittsburgh-based KDKA-TV that his client turned himself in to authorities on Monday and is presently out on $5,000 unsecured bail. He also said that he was reviewing the complaint.

St. John Lutheran Church Board President Rob Windhorst told KDKA that he was saddened by the news, as he had known Reed for his whole life, as the Reed family had longstanding ties to the congregation.

It's very unfortunate for the church that somebody that was so respected and trusted has violated that trust with our church, said Windhorst. We had some ideas that there were some discrepancies. As we began to dig into them, we found out that the discrepancies were larger and larger.

All of the good works that his family has done for decades is now going to be tarnished by what he's done here.  Our church is praying for everybody in the congregation and the Reeds as well.

According to a 2017 study by Lifeway Research, nearly 10% of Protestant pastors had said their church witnessed someone embezzle funds, with churches that have 250 or more members being slightly more likely than smaller churches to say this has occurred.

"Churches run on trust  but they also know people are imperfect and can be tempted," stated Lifeway Executive Director Scott McConnell, as quoted in the 2017 report. "That's why safeguarding a church's finances is an important part of ministry."
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 Pro-life leaders react to JD Vance's vow Trump won't sign abortion ban

Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance has sparked criticism for vowing that former President Donald Trump wont sign a federal abortion ban, becoming the latest example of the campaign facing pushback from pro-life activists over the contentious issue.

During an appearance on NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday, host Kristen Welker asked Vance if he would commit that a Trump-Vance administration will not impose a federal ban on abortion.

In response, Vance assured, I can absolutely commit to that.

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Donald Trump has been as clear about that as possible, he added. Donald Trump wants to end this culture 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," Vance added. "Donald Trumps view is that we want the individual states and their individual cultures and their unique political sensibilities to make these decisions because we dont want to have a nonstop federal conflict over this issue. The federal government ought to be focused on getting food prices down, getting housing prices down."

I think Donald Trump is right. We want the federal government to focus on these big economic and immigration questions, he stressed. Let the states figure out their own abortion policies.

When the "Meet the Press" host brought up efforts by congressional Republicans to pass a 15-week abortion ban and asked if Trump would veto such legislation, Vance reiterated the former presidents opposition to the idea and replied, If youre not supporting it as the president of the United States, you fundamentally have to veto it.

Welker pressed Vance again about whether Trump would veto a federal abortion ban. Vance reiterated his point, asserting, I think he would, hes said that explicitly.

Vances remarks didn't sit well with some pro-life activists and Christian leaders. Lila Rose, president of the pro-life advocacy group Live Action, reacted to the interview in an X post sharing a clip from the interview declaring, If you dont stand for pro-life principles, you dont get pro-life votes.

In a subsequent post on X Monday, Rose added, Due to their increasingly pro-abortion, Trump/Vance is stretching the lesser of two evils strategy to an untenable position. Without some indication that they will work to make our nation a safer place for preborn children, they are making it impossible for pro-life voters to support them.

Rose maintained that being less passionate about killing babies than Harris/Walz is not enough, referring to the Democratic presidential ticket of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walzs unapologetic support for abortion. In 2023, Walz signed a bill lifting requirements that abortionists must provide care for babies born alive during an attempted abortion.

Kristan Hawkins, president of the pro-life group Students for Life of America, offered her analysis of Vances comments in a post on X on Sunday. Its like they are giving a class on how to lose a presidential election, she remarked while sharing a link to an article about the interview. She described the position embraced by the Trump-Vance ticket as cowardly, immoral, and politically stupid.

Andrew Walker, an ethics and public theology professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Greenville, South Carolina, wrote in a post on X Sunday that he shares the views of the most notable pro-life activists. Trump-Vance are wrong on abortion and wrong on the veto topic, he asserted.

Yet, we should be clear-eyed about something: No side has the votes at the federal level to make any of their wishes come true. Even if the filibuster were gone, there wouldnt even be 50 Republican votes for federal legislation since many Republicans take a federalist approach.

Walkers analysis reflects the fact that because of what is known as the filibuster rule, most legislation requires 60 votes to pass the U.S. Senate, where there are 51 Democrats and 49 Republicans. Even if Republicans were to retake control of the Senate in the 2024 election, they would likely remain short of 60 votes in the chamber.

Although Republicans could attempt to abolish the filibuster so legislation can pass with a simple majority, plans for a federal abortion ban hasn't generated enthusiasm among Senate Republicans. When Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., introduced a 15-week abortion ban in late 2022, it only secured nine co-sponsors despite the fact that Republicans held 50 Senate seats. The bill never came up for a vote in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

Even before Vances vow that Trump would veto a national abortion ban, the Republican presidential ticket had come under fire after the former president sent out a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Friday proclaiming: My Administration will be great for women and their reproductive rights.

The phrase reproductive rights is often used as a euphemism for abortion by pro-abortion activists.

Rose shared a screenshot of Trumps post about reproductive rights on X, commenting, There is no reproductive right to kill a child.

Although the Trump-Vance tickets latest remarks about abortion have invited criticism, Trump has consistently expressed support for deciding abortion law at the state level since releasing his official position on the issue in April.

Abortion remains at the forefront of American politics following the U.S. Supreme Courts 2022 decision that overturned the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide. Since the Dobbs ruling, several states have implemented laws restricting abortion to the earliest weeks of pregnancy and, in some cases, imposing a near-total ban on the procedure.

Voters in four states over the past two years have approved referendums establishing a right to abortion in their respective state constitutions. Abortion-related questions are expected to appear before voters in several states this November.
Home News Supreme Court rejects Biden's request to revive student loan relief plan

The United States Supreme Court has rejected an emergency request by the Biden administration to revive a plan aimed at relieving federal student loan debt.

In a miscellaneous order released Wednesday in the case of Biden, et al. v. Missouri, et al., the high court declined to vacate a lower court injunction blocking enforcement of the loan relief plan.

The application to vacate injunction presented to Justice Kavanaugh and by him referred to the Court is denied. The Court expects that the Court of Appeals will render its decision with appropriate dispatch, read the brief order.

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In an additional miscellaneous order issued Wednesday, the Supreme Court declined to vacate a stay in the case of Alaska, et al v. Department of Education, et al. due to the injunction remaining in the case of Biden v. Missouri.

In late June of last year, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that a plan by the Biden administration to relieve federal student loan debt violated the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003.

"The question here is not whether something should be done; it is who has the authority to do it," wrote Chief Justice John Roberts for the majority, adding that "the Secretary of Education claims the authority, on his own, to release 43 million borrowers from their obligations to repay $430 billion in student loans. The Secretary has never previously claimed powers of this magnitude under the HEROES Act."

"Today, we have concluded that an instrumentality created by Missouri, governed by Missouri, and answerable to Missouri is indeed part of Missouri; that the words 'waive or modify' do not mean 'completely rewrite'; and that our precedentold and newrequires that Congress speak clearly before a Department Secretary can unilaterally alter large sections of the American economy."

Justice Elena Kagan filed a dissenting opinion to the 2023 ruling, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson, arguing that the states lacked the standing to sue.

"The plaintiffs in this case are six States that have no personal stake in the Secretarys loan forgiveness plan. They are classic ideological plaintiffs: They think the plan a very bad idea, but they are no worse off because the Secretary differs," wrote Kagan.

"In giving those States a forumin adjudicating their complaintthe Court forgets its proper role. The Court acts as though it is an arbiter of political and policy disputes, rather than of cases and controversies. And the Courts role confusion persists when it takes up the merits."

In July of last year, the Biden administration unveiled a new plan, called the Saving on a Valuable Education, which, among other things, capped the amount people had to repay for undergraduate loans at 5% of their incomes, the previous cap being 10%.

As with the initial plan struck down by the Supreme Court, a group of states filed suit against the federal government over the proposal, arguing that the measure violated the spending authority of Congress.

Last month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit granted a stay blocking parts of the SAVE plan, while other portions of the plan had already been blocked by other courts.
Home News School district forcing teacher to use preferred pronuons is 'compelled speech,' not 'neutral' policy: judge

A federal judge has ruled that an Ohio school district may have violated a teacher's First Amendment rights by forcing her to resign for refusing to use trans-identified students' preferred names and pronouns due to her religious convictions.

Judge Pamela Barker of the Northern District of Ohio issued an order earlier this month denying and granting in part competing motions for summary judgment filed by Jackson Local School District in Jackson Township to dismiss the lawsuit filed by former Jackson Middle School English teacher Vivian Geraghty.

The litigation is ongoing as several issues remain unresolved.

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"Specifically, the Court concludes that Geraghty's compelled speech was not pursuant to her ordinary job duties and that the District's name and pronoun practice was not neutral and generally applied," Barker, a Trump appointee, wrote. "But it withholds deciding whether the Pickering balancing test and strict scrutiny weigh in Plaintiff's favor or Defendants' favor until a jury makes factual determinations regarding the alleged interests at stake."

Geraghty filed a lawsuit against the Jackson Local School District Board of Education, its superintendent and several district and school leaders in December 2022, more than three months after she was asked to resign. At the beginning of the school year, Geraghty expressed concerns to her principal, Kacy Carter, about the request for her to use students' preferred names and pronouns.

This led to a series of meetings between Geraghty and school and district leaders. All three meetings occurred on the same day, including Geraghty's initial discussion with Carter.

During one meeting, Monica Myers, the district's director of curriculum, instruction and assessment, asked Geraghty to elaborate on her religious beliefs and why they prevented her from using students' preferred names and pronouns. Geraghty, who identifies as an apostolic Pentecostal, said she believes in the existence of only two sexes and that using names and pronouns contrary to a person's biological sex is against her beliefs.

Although Carter told Geraghty she could avoid using pronouns and only refer to students by their preferred names, Geraghty maintained that her religious beliefs prevented her from doing so, stating she was "unwavering" on the issue. Geraghty testified that Myers informed her that "taking this stand would count as insubordination."

After Geraghty reiterated that she would not use the students' preferred names and pronouns because she believed it was dishonest, Carter told her, "We need a letter of resignation effective today." Geraghty ultimately resigned but contacted the teachers' union two days later to determine if her rights had been violated.

The union president informed Geraghty that she could rescind her resignation if she agreed to use the student's preferred names and pronouns. Geraghty declined the offer and chose to proceed with her resignation.

Geraghty's lawsuit alleged that the school district violated her First Amendment rights by engaging in free speech retaliation, compelling her to engage in speech against her will, and infringing on her right to practice her religion freely. The lawsuit also challenged what Judge Barker described as a "vague and overbroad policy regarding the social transition of students." Additionally, Geraghty argued that the district violated her right to freely exercise her religion as protected under the Ohio Constitution.

Barker rejected the school district's argument that Geraghty failed to follow the proper grievance process. The judge also determined that "there are genuine disputes of material fact about whether Geraghty involuntarily resigned and, if she did, whether her protected conduct (if there was any) caused her to resign."

While Barker sided with the school district by dismissing Geraghty's claim that it violated her due process rights, she denied the district's request to dismiss the portion of the lawsuit involving school district officials being sued in their official capacity.
Home News After Robert Morris scandal, former Gateway Church staffer is done with organized religion

After working with the embattled Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, for several years, one former employee and most of her family cannot picture themselves worshiping at a megachurch or being involved in any kind of organized religion again.

No, Jana Scott (whose name has been changed to protect her identity) bluntly told The Christian Post in a recent interview when asked if she would ever again worship at a megachurch.

In fact, I'll be honest with you, there's no one in my family ... that attends church anymore of any kind. It has destroyed our family.

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As the fallout from Gateway Church founder Robert Morris June 18 resignation continues after 54-year-old Cindy Clemishire reported that he began sexually abusing her on Dec. 25, 1982, when she was just 12, and continued with the abuse for four-and-a-half years after that, Scott said things began falling apart at the church long before that. The trail of shattered lives left behind in the wake of Morris fall runs much deeper than the wounds Clemishire still carries.

Though Morris insists that he repented of his alleged crime and was forgiven by Clemishires family, Scott doesnt believe the megachurch founder ever truly repented.

No, never, absolutely not, because he was still lying and giving his narrative of the story all the way to the bitter end. It was horrible, Scott said.

Without naming Clemishire, Morris admitted to CP in an earlier statement that he had engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady while he was a pastor in his early 20s.

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. This behavior happened on several occasions over the next few years, Morris said.

In March of 1987, this situation was brought to light, and it was confessed and repented of. I submitted myself to the Elders of Shady Grove Church and the young ladys father. They asked me to step out of ministry and receive counseling and freedom ministry, which I did. Since that time, I have walked in purity and accountability in this area, Morris added.

Elders at Gateway Church also initially told CP that Morris was transparent with them about his past and they believed he had been biblically restored to ministry. In their statement announcing his resignation on June 18, however, the elders said Morris did not reveal that he had abused a 12-year-old girl.

Regretfully, prior to Friday, June 14, the elders did not have all the facts of the inappropriate relationship between Morris and the victim, including her age at the time and the length of the abuse. The elders prior understanding was that Morriss extramarital relationship, which he had discussed many times throughout his ministry, was with a young lady and not abuse of a 12-year-old child, the elders explained.

Gateway Church has since authorized an independent investigation into the allegations against Morris and who at the church knew of the child abuse allegations.

In the meantime Scott is praying for Morris to be prosecuted as Clemishire contends that the church knew of Morris crime.

My prayer is that they will definitely roll back the statute of limitations and someday he'll be held accountable. Absolutely I think he should be in jail. I think he should have to pay her tons of money, Scott told CP.

She explained that for a while, she believed Morris was sincere in his ministry as she worked at the church, but as time went by and the larger we got, it seemed very apparent that he was about making a name for himself and about amassing wealth.

After learning of Clemishires allegations, Scott doesnt believe Morris was ever sincerely serving God.

You just look back and go, you know, like I've watched so many sermons from the past now  clips and things that people post on social media  and you go, Oh, my God, I heard that sermon. Why did I not get up and walk out [of the church]. He was telling us who he was. ... And you're like, 'How was I so blind? How did I not see it? How did I not hear it? How did I justify this?' she said.

It wasnt until she finally left the church, says Scott, that she began to see things clearly.

Even before this came out, all of the different things that went on at Gateway, the different kinds of spiritual abuse and everything that everyone endured. Once you get any distance from it, you step out from it a little bit, your eyes begin to be opened and you're like, Oh my God; oh my God, she said.

Scott said she had to repent to some of her younger family members for forcing some of the spiritual abuse on them that she herself didn't see at the time.

Its a business, she said of Gateway Church. We had to grapple with it for years. We were like, this is changing. It's not a ministry; it's a corporation, it's a business. We have a job. We don't have a ministry; we have a job and a career. And it was disgusting.

When asked if she believed a smaller church could be a solution to the abuse she experienced at Gateway Church, Scott said she didnt see downsizing as a solution.

I went to a small church before I came to Gateway, and that small church, I was spiritually abused there, and found out later on that that pastor had molested someone. And you know he was living a double life, Scott said.

I know so many people who have traumas and things from being a part of that small church. So I don't know, I don't know what the answer is. We've tried different things at home, trying to just have family time where we worship together and things like that.
Home News Kamala Harris quotes Gospel of Luke, tells AME Church her campaign is focused on the future

Vice President Kamala Harris quoted from the Gospel of Luke when giving a message to the African Methodist Episcopal Church, saying that her campaign is focused on the future.

In a video message given to the AME Church General Conference on Tuesday, the Democrat presidential nominee commended the historically black denomination for its efforts to get people registered to vote.

Organizing souls to the polls, making sure your members are registered and ready to vote, she observed. Because, of course, we all know that this is the most consequential election of our lifetime.

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Harris said that the United States faces a choice between two very different visions for the future of our nation, with her campaign being focused on the future while the Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump and his campaign are focused on the past.

We are not going back, Harris stated. We are fighting for a future where no child has to grow up in poverty, where every senior can retire with dignity, and every person has the opportunity to own a home, start a business, and build intergenerational wealth.

A future with affordable health care, affordable child care and paid leave, and a future where we protect our most fundamental freedoms and rights, including the freedom to worship.

Harris went on to quote Luke 1:79, which describes faith as having the power to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.

In moments such as this, faith guides us forward, she continued. Faith in the promise of America. Freedom, opportunity, and justice. Not for some, but for all.

Harris remarks came as part of the AME Churchs 52nd Quadrennial Session of the General Conference, held Aug. 21-28 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio.

General Conference Commission Chair Bishop James L. Davis greeted attendees, stating that we are at a defining moment in the history of our church and our world.

I hope that our combined energy, commitment, and dedication to Gods plan for us as agents of liberation and social justice for all humankind, will lead us to re-imagine transformations for empowering and developing clergy and lay for the next phase of this journey, said Davis.

May God grant us wisdom and courage to lead the church He placed in our hands in the direction He wants it to go for embracing all members of the human family.

Last month, President Joe Biden announced that he was not going to run for reelection, and endorsed Harris as his replacement as the Democratic Partys nominee for president.

Earlier this month, Harris officially accepted the presidential nomination of the Democratic Party, having secured enough support from delegates even though she had not received a single vote during the primary season.

I will be a president who unites us around our highest aspirations. A president who leads and listens; who is realistic, practical and has common sense, she stated during her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.

It is now our turn to do what generations before us have done, guided by optimism and faith, to fight for this country we love, to fight for the ideals we cherish and to uphold the awesome responsibility that comes with the greatest privilege on Earth: the privilege and pride of being an American.
Home News MorningStar leader Chris Reed resigns citing sexual abuse of minors by former volunteer

Correction appended

MorningStar Ministries leader Chris Reed resigned from all his leadership roles with the organization effective Monday, including his job as senior pastor of MorningStar Fellowship Church in Fort Mill, South Carolina, citing, among other things, the sexual abuse of minors by a former volunteer and police officer.

In a letter to MorningStar staff shared on X, Reed explained he was returning leadership of the ministry to founder Rick Joyner to focus more on what God called him to do, which is to to prophesy, pastor, teach, preach, and write.

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He also pointed to the 2023 arrest of former church volunteer and police officer, Erickson Douglas Lee, who is accused of sexually abusing multiple minors connected to a youth group of MorningStar Fellowship Church while revealing that both he and his wife, Missy, were sexually abused as children.

After MUCH prayer, thought, and consideration, along with Missy and trusted friends, I have decided to fully and immediately step down from all leadership responsibilities at MorningStar Ministries. This includes my roles as CEO, President, and Senior Pastor of the Fort Mill church, turning the ministry back over to Rick Joyner, the founder of MorningStar, Reed wrote. I submitted my letter of resignation on Monday, August 26, 2024, and it was graciously accepted.

Reed, who took over leadership of the ministry over a year ago but has worked with the ministry since 2021, says though he is heartbroken he had to resign, he plans to do what God has called him to do through the creation of an online model of house churches led by regional elders, based on the Acts 2:42 model that God shared with him.

He also plans to invest in an online school of the prophetic and at some point ... relocate and start a new church in another part of South Carolina even though right now I have NO money and will be unemployed.

The former megachurch leader then pointed to the 25-year-old Lees arrest in 2023. A release from the York County Sheriffs Office in South Carolina said they arrested Lee after he turned himself in to detectives on May 2, 2023. He was charged with dissemination of obscene material to a person under the age of 18, assault and battery 1st degree, criminal sexual conduct with a minor 2nd, and 3rd degree.

Warrants connected to Lees arrest cited by WSOC-TV said between December 2020 and June 2022, Lee allegedly committed a sex act with a victim younger than 16 years old for as many as 30 times in a 1.5-year period.

Investigators allege that around July 22, 2022, Lee, who served as a 17-year-old victims youth leader, hurt him through nonconsensual touching while the victim was intoxicated at his home. Lee also allegedly played a pornographic video for the teenager.

Warrants show that Lee did the same thing to at least three more victims less than 18 years old at his home from August 2021 until January 2023.

The church confirmed Lees association with the church but said they werent initially suspicious of him because of his military background and law-enforcement career.

I never met the man or his family. This individual committed terrible crimes against minors. Missy and I stand unequivocally with the victims and their families. I condemn his actions in the strongest possible terms. This is also why I hired an external group to train our staff on sexual abuse awareness and how to safeguard minors, Reed said in his statement on Tuesday. This issue hits close to home for both Missy and me, as we both experienced the evils of sexual abuse when we were children by non-relatives. It is something that has haunted me throughout my life since it happened when I was just seven years old.

Correction: The original article published on Aug. 28, 2024, reported that Chris Reed took over the ministry in 2021. He has worked with the ministry since 2021, but only took over the leadership role in 2023.
5 Major Trump Controversies, Florida Bans Child Sex Change Surgeries, Chick-fil-As New Streaming Service

link to download the audio instead. link to download the audio instead. 06:52 06:52

Top headlines for Wednesday, August 28, 2024

In this episode, a Florida court's ruling on cosmetic surgeries for minors, five forgotten controversies of Donald Trump, and Chick-fil-A's surprising move into video streaming. Plus, we discuss the recent acts of vandalism at a pregnancy center post-DNC.

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Home Opinion New X-ray technique validates the Shroud of Turin's antiquity

The Shroud of Turin has long been a fascinating relic that has spawned intense debate about its origins and authenticity while captivating people's hearts and minds for centuries.

The ancient linen cloth, which bears the faint image of a man who appears to have suffered a brutal death consistent with the crucifixion mentioned in the Gospels of Jesus, has now undergone new X-ray testing to unravel the mysteries surrounding its origins and validity. Every avenue, from forensic analysis to historical documentation, has been explored to uncover the truth behind this enigmatic artifact.

What is the Shroud of Turin?

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The Shroud of Turin is a rectangular piece of cloth measuring approximately 14 feet 5 inches by 3 feet 7 inches. It is characterized by a finer weave of the 3-over-1 herringbone pattern and is renowned for bearing a faint, brownish image of a nude man with his hands folded across his groin.

The shroud first appeared in Lirey, France, in the 1350s. A French knight named Geoffroi de Charny acquired it and placed it in a church he built there.

In 1532, a devastating fire engulfed the chapel of Saint Jean in Chambery, France, where the revered Shroud of Turin was housed. This catastrophic event occurred on December 4, 1532, sparked by a simple lit candle. The chapel, predominantly constructed of wood, provided ample fuel for the flames, leading to a rapid and widespread inferno. Thankfully, the shroud survived but sustained minor burn holes and scorch marks.

Presently, the shroud is kept in the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin, Italy, and is revered by many Christians as the burial cloth of Jesus Christ.

The latest technological advancement in the Shroud

Since its first scientific examination in 1898, the Shroud of Turin has been thoroughly analyzed by various experts, including chemists, physicists, forensic pathologists, microbiologists, and botanists. It is widely believed that the Shroud is the most extensively studied archaeological artifact in human history.

In the 1980s, carbon dating suggested that the Shroud was only 700 years old, leading many to believe it was a medieval forgery. However, critics of the carbon dating process have long pointed out potential flaws, such as contamination of the sample or the choice of the sample location, primarily due to contamination from soot and other elements that could skew the results.

However, in the last year or so, a new technological analysis has been applied to studying the shroud. According to the Catholic Herald, a new test was applied to The Shroud of Turin: Italian researchers have used a new X-ray technique to demonstrate that the Shroud of Turin dates from the time of Jesus Christ. Scientists at the Institute of Crystallography of the National Research Council (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, CNR) studied eight tiny samples of fabric from the shroud, a burial garment which bears the imprint of a man killed by crucifixion, using a method called wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS).

Dr. Taylor Marshall points out that Wide-Angle X-ray Scattering (WAXS) technology represents a more advanced and accurate dating method compared to traditional carbon dating. In contrast, WAXS technology examines the structural integrity of the linen fibers at a molecular level, offering a much more precise dating. This method has now confirmed that the Shroud dates back 2,000 years, aligning with the historical period of Jesus Christ's life and crucifixion.

X-ray analysis has revealed that the image on the shroud is not a painting but a result of a complex chemical reaction involving the fibers of the linen containing human blood and features a 3D image of a man who appears to have been crucified.

Other pieces of evidence of the Shrouds authenticity

It is fascinating to note that a detailed analysis of the Shroud reveals unique features that closely align with the biblical accounts of Jesuss crucifixion. For example, there are over 30 puncture wounds around the head, consistent with a crown of thorns, which is a detail unique to the narrative of Jesus suffering.

Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! and struck him with their hands. Pilate went out again and said to them, See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, Behold the man! When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, Crucify him, crucify him! Pilate said to them, Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him (John 19:1-6).

Barrie Schwortz served as the Official Documenting Photographer for the Shroud of Turin Research Project, which conducted the first comprehensive scientific examination of the Shroud of Turin, and the founder of Shroud.com.

In one of his final interviews before his death on June 21, 2024, at the age of 77, Schwortz discussed the unique characteristics of the image on the Shroud, particularly its three-dimensional qualities. The image density on the Shroud varies with the distance between the cloth and the body it covers, which is inconsistent with any known artistic technique. No modern technology has replicated this type of image, which suggests that it was formed by a process that is not fully understood, potentially natural or supernatural. Several leading experts believe that at least 34 trillion watts of energy were required to form the impressions on the linen cloth. This staggering amount of energy is theorized to have been emitted during the resurrection, resulting in the 3D image on the Shroud.

Furthermore, the fact that the Shroud is made from an expensive, finely woven linen fits the description of a "rich mans shroud" mentioned in the Gospels (see Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:46). The significant aging in the Shrouds fibers compared to linen from Masada, dating back to the mid-1st century, suggests the Shroud's much older age.

Lastly, scientists in the late 20th century discovered pollen on the shroud's fibers that matched pollen from Jerusalem. A study published in Heritage using a small sample from the shroud also found tiny particles of Middle Eastern pollen in the linen fibers. The presence of this pollen and images of flowers on the shroud suggest that it might have originated near Jerusalem and could have been first used in March or April, around Easter.

While we can't know for sure if this mysterious artifact is the actual linen that Joseph of Arimathea bought and placed over Jesus's body, it does seem to align with the descriptions of the crucifixion in the Gospel narratives. The wounds on the hands, feet, and side, as well as the crown of thorns and scourging marks, are all consistent.

Apart from its religious significance, the Shroud of Turin represents a valuable part of our cultural heritage that should be preserved, respected, and researched as a historically and religiously significant artifact.
Home Opinion Why should churches and church leaders be in politics?

In a previous column, I raised the question of whether churches should be involved in politics. My answer then still stands: Yes, but if churches go into the political arena they should go as churches, not as the religious wing of a political party or candidacy.

However, I must add that churches recognize another fact: It is not only possible that churches will be drawn into politics, but highly probable as the battle for the presidency in the USA gets hotter.

Here's why: Every political system and cause is based on a particular worldview, and worldviews enshrine sets of values. Values are set by whatever a political enterprise deems as transcendent to all other principles and worldviews.

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Churches not only give rise to values that comprise worldviews that express and guide political enterprises, policies, and power holders, but the value system constitutes a "holy" authority for judging between political ideologies, campaigns and the style of governance once a particular candidate with his or her own beliefs if elected to office.

Thus Donald Trump tries to put together some form of transcendency in his campaign efforts, and Kamala Harris at some points seeks to display her transcendent values and the worldview that forms her political doctrines.

It is therefore naive to believe it is possible to leave politics outside the great gates and doors of churches.

Sadly, churches that try to stay out of politics can be easily misled. They fall victim to politicians who come asking for the use of the good name of the church, and Church leaders who are misled by political actors who try to learn quickly the lines that may sound good to the ears of hopeful clerics.

There is a positive aspect to this dilemma. Considering the inevitability of engagement with churches, religious leaders must assert themselves and their views about morality, crucial social and cultural issues and party platforms.

The late Billy Graham is an excellent example of this. He built relationships with political leaders who were bound to seek his help, but he had his own transcendent values well set before he interacted with the politicians who wanted his valuable support. Dr. Graham knew what he believed, and did not hesitate to confront political leaders with it. His vision always was ministry, ministering to candidates who sought his help as well as ministry to the nation itself during heated campaigns.

This was a hard road to travel, but Graham saw it as God opening the door of opportunity to minister in the system for the sake of the nation. And it was a bipartisan effort. Graham would meet with John F. Kennedy or Lyndon Johnson as quickly as he would Richard M. Nixon.

The truth is that church leaders have a responsibility to their churches, and also to their broader communities, to be ready when the political candidates come knocking. Pastors, deacons and others need to be able to challenge the politicians with the right questions and concerns. That is, they must play a prophetic role in the political arena and enter that hot place with at their own risk. They will be misunderstood and criticized, but they will play a vital role in helping identify the values that form a political worldview.

This is as much a work of ministry as visiting a sick patient in a hospital.

The nation needs brave and knowledgeable religious leaders in the political process to help form the structures that will determine the quality of governance at all levels.
Australian government under fire over religious protections climbdown

Australia's Labor government has come under fire from both sides of the ideological divide after comments earlier this month that indicated it was abandoning its controversial proposal for a Religious Discrimination Act.

While addressing a press conference in Western Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was asked for an update on the progress on legislation that would enshrine religious protections separately from existing laws such as the Sex Discrimination Act. Mr Albanese's reply suggested that it would no longer be going ahead during their current term, with the Prime Minister blaming the Federal Opposition for a failure to secure bipartisan support for the bill.

"One of the things I've spoken about is the need for greater social cohesion," Mr Albanese said.

"And the last thing that Australia needs is any divisive debate relating to religion and people's faith ... I don't intend to engage in a partisan debate when it comes to religious discrimination."

The news was greeted with dismay by religious and faith groups, who have been calling for greater protections for religious freedom and expression, saying that people are facing increasing discrimination for exercising their sincerely held beliefs.

The topic has come under increasing scrutiny after a report from the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) into religious educational institutions and anti-discrimination laws commissioned by the government offered a number of recommendations, including removing section 38 from the Sex Discrimination Act (SDA)which offers protections for schools and other institutions taking religious beliefs into account when hiring and firing staff.

Faith groups have argued that any changes to the SDA would require the introduction of separate legislation specifically protecting religious freedoms. With the implementation of a separate Act looking increasingly unlikely, they are calling for a moratorium on the proposed changes.

"While it is disappointing that there remains very little protection against discrimination on the basis of religious belief or activity, the proposed legislative package had tied religious discrimination legislation to the removal of significant protections for religious freedoms in other laws," Monica Doumit, Director of Public Affairs and Engagement for the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, told The Catholic Weekly.

"So the prime minister's announcement should also mean these protections remain in place. It would be a substantial betrayal of religious communities if the government pushed ahead with repealing religious protections without offering anything in return."

However, a number of progressive and LGBTQ lobby groups, who have long called for amendments to existing discrimination laws that would remove exemptions on the basis of religious belief, have attacked the government over what they are calling a failure to protect LGBTQ teachers and students.

"Under the current Sex Discrimination Act, schools can fire teachers and expel students because of their gender identity or sexuality," Liberty Victoria, a leading civil liberties organisation, said in a press release.

"Social cohesion will only be achieved when LGBTQIA+ people are free to be themselves at school and at work without fear of being fired or expelled."

The Federal Opposition has rebuffed claims that it has not been willing to seek a bipartisan consensus on religious protections, instead blaming the government over what it claims is a lack of consultation with religious and faith groups, and accusing it of an unwillingness to take their concerns into account.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, whose role is responsible for legal affairs and who acts as the government's senior legal adviser, had asked the Opposition to provide a line-by-line response to the proposed legislation, but his Opposition counterpart, Senator Michaela Cash, said that faith groups be involved in the consultation process, allegedly leading to a fractious meeting between the two.

"[Faith groups] have provided line-by-line feedback on the draft bills, and put forward options that would not only protect faith-based schooling, but also address concerns around the drafting of existing provisions on the Commonwealth statute book," Senator Cash wrote in a letter to Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus.

"The Coalition does not intend to bypass or undercut that clear stakeholder feedback, which was provided on a bipartisan basis.

"It is plain that the next step is for the government to redraft its legislation, taking that feedback into account."
Christian group condemns Nicaragua's crackdown on civic organisations

The consequences of Nicaragua's ongoing attack on independent organisations is "impossible to quantify", Christian Solidarity Worldwide has said.

The UK-based Christian charity, which advocates for religious freedom around the world, is alarmed by the crackdown in the Central American country that has already seen the withdrawal of legal status for 1,600 organisations.

Around a third of the organisations affected by the change in status implemented earlier this month were religious and had links with Roman Catholic or Protestant churches.

It has not only affected their operations but also left some employees who live in properties legally tied to the organisations suddenly homeless.

One source who could not be named for security reasons said they knew that if the police arrived before they had time to get all their belongings out, everything would be taken - even their clothes.

"These are days of anguish and uncertainty for the thousands of Nicaraguans who were actively involved with these [non-governmental organisations]," the source told CSW.

"Some are considering their options in case there is a possibility of appeal, but they have no clear understanding as to whether they will be able to continue operating."

Since 2018, over 5,000 organisations have lost their legal status. Hundreds of them had Christian ties.

CSW's Head of Advocacy Anna Lee Stangl called the Nicaraguan government "vindictive" and condemned its "arbitrary cancellation" of legal status.

She warned of far-reaching consequences as she appealed to the international community to put pressure on Nicaragua to change course.

"Unfortunately, the news comes as no surprise," she said.

"Under the leadership of President Ortego and Vice-president Murillo, the government has made clear its intention to totally eradicate all independent actors in the country.

"The social impact of this move, in terms of how it will affect the day to day lives of men, women, and children who interact with, and in some cases depend on, the programmes of the cancelled organisations, is impossible to quantify.

"We stand with those who have dedicated their lives to the improvement of their communities, in many cases because of their religious beliefs, only to see it all snatched away by a vindictive government with vision limited to its own interests.

"The international community must make it clear to the Nicaraguan government that its campaign against independent civil society is unacceptable and must stop immediately."
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A Northern Irish MP has called on the UK government to clarify the future of EU replacement funding for the community and voluntary sector in a speech made last week.

Sorcha Eastwood made the statement after meeting with the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) to discuss the future of shared prosperity funding.

The Shared Prosperity Fund was previously announced by the UK government as a replacement for EU funding following Brexit.

However, this funding expires in seven months time, meaning that many organisations in the community and voluntary sector have had jobs placed in jeopardy.

Real fear among charities

Eastwood, who became MP for Lagan Valley earlier this year and is a member of the centrist Alliance Party, said: I recently wrote to minister for housing, communities and local government Angela Rayner to outline my concerns on the impending deadline for this funding.

Todays meeting with NICVA has just reiterated those concerns  there is a real fear among many organisations in the sector about what will happen in seven months and how many jobs may be affected.

The community and voluntary sector plays a vital role in Northern Ireland, touching on most aspects of life, so we must do all we can to protect it and gain answers for workers within it.

This fund had been billed as a replacement for EU funds but that has not been the case. Urgent clarity is needed before a cliff edge rapidly approaching gets any closer.

Consequences could be catastrophic

Celine McStravick, chief executive of NICVA, said: NICVA has long been calling for urgent clarity on the future of UK Shared Prosperity Funding (UKSPF), which is set to end in March 2025.

The voluntary and community sector plays a key role in delivering UKSPF programmes throughout Northern Ireland. Without extended or replaced funding, the consequences could be catastrophic.

In the voluntary and community sector, this funding currently supports 59 organisations delivering support to over 11,500 people, through 688 full and part time staff members.

Without a transition fund or long-term solution, these organisations will face a funding cliff edge, leading to a loss of skilled staff and significant negative impacts on those who rely on these essential services, further marginalising them from the labour market.

We urgently need decisive action from the UK government to secure the sustainability of these vital organisations and the people they support. The clock is ticking.

Crucial for communities across the UK

Beyond Northern Ireland, Rebecca Young, policy and insight lead at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), expressed concern for the unctertainity for the community and voluntary sector across the UK.

We strongly support the need for clarity on the future of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is crucial for communities across the UK, said Young.

It is vital that the government commits to extending the fund beyond 2025 to avoid a funding gap that could severely impact the vital services provided by voluntary organisations.

This funding plays a critical role in enabling charities to deliver essential support to those who are most in need, particularly in helping people who are furthest from the labour market re-engage with work and their communities. The fund has been key in driving growth and building stronger communities.

Were calling on the government to work closely with the voluntary sector and other partners to make sure theres a smooth transition to a well-designed successor fund, allowing these essential services to continue without interruption. We cant let this funding fall through the cracks  its too important to the people and communities we support.

In response, a spokesperson for the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government said that it would only be able to formally comment on the UKSPFs future after the spending review is done for this years budget in October.

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,
Feathers Association

A youth charity has redesigned its logo, which is based on the Prince of Waless crest, as it celebrates its 90th anniversary.

The Feathers Association was gifted the crest as its logo when it founded in 1934 at the behest of the prince, who later became King Edward VIII.

Its refreshed logo has been designed to look like a postage stamp, created to symbolise its intent to make a stamp on society, and in turn leave an indelible mark on history.

The charity would not say how much it paid for an independent designer to work on the logo but said it was a minimal cost.

Originally called the Feathers Clubs Association, the charity initially included a German phrase from the Prince of Waless crest, ich dien, which translates as I serve, but this was removed many years ago.

However, the charity said it would be happy to re-instate the phrase as it cohesively determines everything that the charity stands for.

The new logos colours have also been subtly changed to maintain their royal heritage while appealing to contemporary attitude and values.

It will prominently feature alongside the traditional crest across all printed and digital media throughout the anniversary year, ensuring cohesive brand visibility and recognition.

Feathers Association chief executive David Jones, said: As the charity celebrates its 90th year, and continues to grow with the introduction of new projects across the country, whilst adapting to the evolving needs of our community, it became clear that our logo should have a refresh to commemorate its ninth decade.

The design reflects the charitys overall mission and vision. The design captures the essence of the charity today.

Initially formed by Freda Dudley Ward, a friend of the former Prince of Wales, to aid those suffering during the Great Depression of the 1930s, the charity moved into youth and community work after the Second World War.

The charity recorded an income of 650,000 and expenditure of 917,000 in the year to March 2023 and employed 25 staff.

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,
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Incoming storms halted play between the Guardians and Royals on Tuesday with Kansas City leading the Guardians in the middle of the fifth inning by a 2-1 score.

Paul DeJongs two-run home run off Cleveland starter Gavin Williams put the Royals in front in the second inning. Cleveland cut into the KC lead with an RBI single from Lane Thomas in the fourth.

Williams struck out Bobby Witt Jr with two runners on base to end the top of the fifth. As soon as Clevelands defense walked off the field, grounds crews rolled out the tarp, and a delay began at 8:06 p.m.

Cleveland Guardians designated hitter David Fry celebrates after scoring on a RBI single from Cleveland Guardians right fielder Lane Thomas against the Kansas City Royals in the fourth inning. Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com

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Cellphone bans spread in U.S. schools amid growing mental health concerns

Xinhua) 10:05, August 28, 2024

NEW YORK, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Students returning to school in a growing number of U.S. states and districts are facing tight restrictions and outright bans on cellphone use as evidence mounts of the damaging impact persistent connection to the internet has on teenagers, reported The Washington Post on Tuesday.

In Los Angeles, the second-largest district in the country, the school board voted in June to ban cellphone use. In Clark County, Nevada, the district will require students in middle and high schools to store phones in pouches during the day, starting this fall, according to the report.

Several states, including Indiana, Louisiana, South Carolina and Florida, have enacted legislation limiting cellphone access during the school year. And governors in at least three other states, including Virginia, have called on schools to restrict or ban the devices. Other states have provided funding to support restrictive policies.

Of the nation's 20 largest school districts, at least 7 forbid use of cellphones during the school day or plan to do so, while at least another 7 impose significant restrictions, such as barring use during class time but permitting phones during lunch or when students are between classes, said the report.

"Pressure on school leaders has come from teachers and parents who see cellphones as a distraction, an impediment to learning and a constant toll on students' mental health," it noted.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Though stocks have rebounded after the recent volatility, investors may want to hunt for names that are still relatively cheap. Markets around the world experienced much volatility recently. Earlier this month, Japan's stock market posted its worst drop since Wall Street's "Black Monday" in 1987, and the contagion spread to other Asia-Pacific markets, which posted severe declines. Similarly, U.S. and Europe markets fell sharply , though they have rebounded since. Many stocks could still have attractive valuations relative to their sectors, however. Investors are also watching the expected U.S. Federal Reserve rate cut cycle, which is set to be bullish for U.S. stocks, but how will that affect global markets? Investors are likely to prefer Asian markets with proven earnings growth, against the backdrop of economic uncertainty from China and U.S.-China trade tensions, Citi said in an Aug. 24 note. Meanwhile, markets in Latin America are expected to improve as the Fed eases, said Citi. Stocks have underperformed this year, but it could prove to be a buying opportunity for investors who are targeting Brazil and Mexico, the bank said. Against that backdrop, CNBC Pro screened FactSet for global stocks that are cheaper than their sector average, and are expected to have positive earnings growth ahead. We used these criteria: Market value of more than $1 billion Earnings per share growth for the next 12 months is greater than zero Percentage change in sales and earnings per share for the last four quarters is greater than zero Price-to-earnings is lower than the stock's sector average These stocks showed up.
Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump stands alongside Bill Barnett (L), who's grandson Staff Sgt Darin Taylor Hoover died in Abbey Gate Bombing, during a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on August 26, 2024 in Arlington, Virginia. Monday marks three years since the August 26, 2021, suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport, which killed 13 American service members. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Arlington National Cemetery on Tuesday confirmed an incident took place when former President Donald Trump visited there the previous day to commemorate the three-year anniversary of the Abbey Gate attacks in Afghanistan.

"We can confirm there was an incident, and a report was filed," the statement read.

"Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidate's campaign," the cemetery added. "Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants."

The former president participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Monday, marking the three-year anniversary of the death of 13 U.S. service members during an attack by the Islamic State outside the Kabul airport in Afghanistan. More than 150 Afghans were also killed. Parents of fallen service members have expressed anger at President Joe Biden's administration for a lack of answers surrounding the attack.

Following the ceremony, Trump headed to Section 60 of the cemetery, where some service members killed in Afghanistan and Iraq are buried and filming is typically heavily restricted.

NPR first reported Tuesday that two Trump campaign staffers "had a verbal and physical altercation" with a cemetery official who tried to prevent them from filming.

The Arlington National Cemetery statement did not confirm those details.

Trump communications director Steven Cheung denied some of the details of the report and said the campaign was willing to release footage to support its claim.

"There was no physical altercation as described and we are prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made," Cheung said in a statement. "The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trump's team during a very solemn ceremony."
Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway reached a $1 trillion market capitalization on Wednesday, the first nontechnology company in the U.S. to score the coveted milestone.

Shares of the Omaha, Nebraska-based conglomerate have rallied more than 28% in 2024, far above the S&P 500's 18% gain. The $1 trillion threshold was crossed just two days before the "Oracle of Omaha" turns 94 years old.

The shares were up 0.8% to $696,502.02 on Wednesday, allowing it to top the $1 trillion mark, per FactSet.

The milestone "is a testament to the firm's financial strength and franchise value," said Cathy Seifert, Berkshire analyst at CFRA Research. "This is significant at a time when Berkshire represents one of the few remaining conglomerates in existence today."

Unlike the six other companies in the trillion-dollar club (Apple, Nvidia, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon and Meta), Berkshire is known for its old-economy focus as the owner of BNSF Railway, Geico Insurance and Dairy Queen. (Although its sizable Apple position has helped drive recent gains.)

Buffett, chairman and CEO, took control of Berkshire, a struggling textile business, in the 1960s and transformed the company into a sprawling empire that encompasses insurance, railroad, retail, manufacturing and energy with an unmatched balance sheet and cash fortress.

"It's a tribute to Mr. Buffet and his management team, as 'old economy' businesses ... are what built Berkshire. Yet, these businesses trade at relatively much lower valuations, versus tech companies which are not a major part of Berkshire's business mix," said Andrew Kligerman, TD Cowen's Berkshire analyst. "Moreover, Berkshire has achieved this through a conglomerate structure, a model that many view as 'archaic,' as corporations have increasingly moved to specialization over the decades."
BEIJING, CHINA - DECEMBER 04: China and Canada flag is displayed in front of the Forbidden City on December 4, 2017 in Beijing, China.

China's state media has criticized Canada over its decision to impose 100% import tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, using bolder language than Beijing's official government response.

Canada is "shooting itself in the foot" by "following U.S.' protectionist policies," the outspoken editor of the Global Times, a Chinese government mouthpiece, wrote Wednesday.

The country is being "held hostage" by America's "unhealthy policies [that] will only create more barriers to free market circulation, leading to deeper negative impacts and unforeseen shocks on the domestic economy," the Global Times alleged, urging Canada to "prioritize the development of its own economy."

The Chinese government and its state media walk in tandem when it comes to thought and politics, but generally the ruling Communist Party is quite circumspect when it comes to messaging in official statements. Its media, less so.

On Monday, Canada announced that it would import 100% tariffs on China-made electric vehicles, effective Oct. 1. The move came after two of Ottawa's allies, the U.S. and the European Union, slapped taxes on China over concerns related to unfair subsidies.

The Biden administration announced in May significant tariffs on Chinese EVs, advanced batteries, solar cells, steel, aluminum and medical equipment. The European Union earlier this month imposed tariffs of up to 36.3% on imports of EVs from China, except for Tesla which received a reduced extra rate of 9%.

In a statement Tuesday, China's Ministry of Commerce called the Canadian government's move a "typical act of trade protectionism".

"China is strongly dissatisfied and firmly opposes this," a ministry spokesperson said in the statement. Canada "blatantly violated WTO rules and blindly followed certain other countries."

The move will "disrupt the stability of the global industrial and supply chains, seriously undermine the global economic system and economic and trade rules, severely impact China-Canada economic and trade relations," the spokesperson added.

Later that day, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian, at a press conference, also urged Canada to "immediately correct its wrongdoing, and not to politicize economic and trade issues. Beijing is prepared to take any necessary measures to defend the rights and interests of Chinese companies, Lin added.

Canada said the measures are enforced to "level the playing field for Canadian workers" and allow domestic EV, steel and aluminum producers to compete both at home and abroad.

The country's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, added that Ottawa was acting to counter what he called China's intentional state-directed policy of "over-capacity".

 CNBC's Sheila Chiang contributed to this report.
Traders work on the floor during morning trading at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on March 6, 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 .

Another Dow record

Stocks edged higher ahead of Nvidia's earnings report. The Dow Jones Industrial Average eked out a 0.02% increase, marking its second consecutive record close. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite both rose 0.16%. Nvidia shares climbed 1.5% as investors look to the chip giant's earnings release expected Wednesday. Meanwhile, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose slightly, while U.S. oil prices fell 2.2% on the hope Libya's production halt would be temporary.

'Most important stock'

Nvidia has been volatile of late. The AI chipmaker's market cap has increased ninefold since 2022 and briefly became the world's most valuable public company. But soon after the stock dropped nearly 30% over seven weeks, losing $800 billion in value. The stock has since rebounded to within 7% of its all-time high. With quarterly results due Wednesday, Wall Street is focused on Nvidia's performance, as it could impact the broader market. "It's the most important stock in the world right now," EMJ Capital's Eric Jackson told CNBC. "If they lay an egg, it would be a major problem for the whole market. I think they're going to surprise to the upside." CNBC's Kif Leswing takes a look at what to expect from Nvidia's earnings.

Cut-price weight loss

Eli Lilly introduced a new, lower-priced version of its weight loss drug Zepbound, aimed at patients without insurance coverage, including those on Medicare. The 2.5-milligram and 5-milligram single-dose vials are priced at $399 and $549 per month respectively, about half the usual list price. Eli Lilly hopes to expand access, increase supply and ensure patients obtain genuine treatments amid rising demand and copycat versions. The initiative addresses affordability concerns for popular GLP-1 weight loss medications, which typically cost around $1,000 monthly before insurance.

Censored

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, claims the Biden administration pressured the company to censor Covid-19 content on Facebook in 2021. In a letter to the House Judiciary Committee, Zuckerberg stated: "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." Zuckerberg expressed regret over some decisions made in response to government requests.

Nordstrom soars

Nordstrom shares surged more than 7% in extended trading after the retailer posted earnings that exceeded Wall Street expectations. The retailer reported adjusted earnings of 96 cents per share, above analysts' estimates, on revenue of $3.89 billion, up 3.4% from a year ago. Despite the earnings beat, Nordstrom provided cautious full-year guidance, expecting adjusted EPS between $1.75 and $2.05 and sales ranging from a 1% decline to 1% growth.

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Trump Media ended Wednesday's trading session down more than 4% at $20.10 per share.

The stock price of DJT touched a low of $19.38 per share around midday, marking a drop of more than 75% from its intraday high on March 26, the day the company debuted on the Nasdaq stock exchange.

The monthslong Trump Media stock slide continued Wednesday, as shares of the company majority-owned by former President Donald Trump fell below $20 for the first time since the Truth Social maker went public more than five months ago.

Trump Media has also lost more than half its value since its recent surge on July 15, the first trading day after the Republican presidential nominee narrowly survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

A Trump Media spokesperson did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on the stock's latest dive.

Trump owns nearly 59% of Trump Media's stock. Even after losing much of its value, Trump's stake at Wednesday's stock price is still worth more than $2.2 billion  more than half of his on-paper net worth, according to Forbes.

Trump, and other company executives and insiders, are bound by lock-up agreements that have so far barred them from cashing in on their shares.

But the lock-ups are set to expire as soon as Sept. 20, at which point Trump may choose to start selling his shares.

Trump has given no indication that he plans to cash out once he is able to do so. But speculation has flared that he might, especially as Trump Media's latest earnings reports show it losing millions of dollars and generating little revenue.

If he does sell  or if he even appears likely to  investors could lose confidence in Trump Media, a situation the company's own regulatory filings have acknowledged.

Similar to other meme stocks, investing in Trump Media has come to be seen as a way for Trump's supporters to back him and bet on his chances of beating Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election.

But the company has noted that its fledgling social media platform, Truth Social, depends at least partly on Trump's enduring popularity and reputation. Trump, who holds the most popular Truth Social account, has recently started posting more on X, his former messaging app of choice, and TikTok.
Investors have been jumping into single-stock funds that track Nvidia ahead of the chipmaker's earnings report Wednesday, making this a key opportunity for a fast-growing corner of the ETF world to prove its worth. The GraniteShares 2x Long Daily Nvidia ETF (NVDL) has attracted more than $500 million of inflows over the last month, and is now over $5 billion in total assets, according to FactSet. The T-Rex 2X Long Nvidia Daily ETF (NVDX) and Direxion Daily NVDA Bull 2X Shares (NVDU) have also attracted inflows this month and now have more than $1 billion in assets combined. The three aim to give the holder double the return of Nvidia on any given day. The combined trading volume for the funds has also climbed in the third quarter, even with slow summer activity elsewhere on Wall Street. NVDL, for example, has seen an average of more than 24 million shares traded daily in the third quarter, up from just under 18 million in the second quarter, according to FactSet. The increase holds even if you take out the high activity on Aug. 5, when there was a broad sell-off in the equity market and NVDL volume topped 50 million shares. "Nvidia is the most important stock in the world right now, so therefore it stands to reason that ... there's going to be big demand. That's just the zeitgeist of 2024. But yes, it does surprise me in terms of the strength of inflows, just from a business perspective," said Will Rhind, CEO at GraniteShares. Note: NVDL and NVDU had lower leverage at the start of the year The funds are only designed to hit their target multiple return on a one-day basis, and the issuers warn that returns are likely to drift away from that target the longer an investor stays in the fund. Still, long-term holders have been rewarded in 2024 so far. Entering Wednesday, Nvidia was up 159% for the year, and the three leveraged long ETFs had all delivered higher returns. How they work Single-stock ETFs were approved in 2022 , and several tech companies quickly emerged as the most popular names for this type of strategy. The funds use derivatives such as swaps that are reset daily at the market close to gain leveraged upside exposure or inverse exposure to the price of the underlying stock. But while the single-stock funds are still fairly new, leveraged ETFs on broad indexes or specific sectors have a longer  and mixed  track record. "There are a lot of good things that ETFs provide for investors, but there's also this segment of the ETF market that's almost like a casino that draws a lot of attention as well. And so typically that's been through leveraged and inverse ETFs," said Bryan Armour, Morningstar's director of passive strategies research for North America. Inverse Nvidia funds also exist, though they have been less popular than their leveraged long counterparts so far. However, Scott Acheychek, COO at Rex Financial, said earnings have been a "step up" event for both the short and long funds at his firm and that there seems to be growing interest in the short funds as a way to manage exposure to certain stocks. "I've been around leveraged inverse investing for a long time, but in the last let's say six months, I've been getting more and more calls from financial advisor types. And they're interest primarily in the short products. They feel like they're up to their eyeballs with their clients portfolios in Nvidia," Acheychek said. The advent of the single stock funds has come at the same time as the rising demand for short-term options . Rhind said that the growing demand for the funds could be in part due to the high cost for the types of Nvidia options available to individual traders. What to know Of course, Nvidia's stock won't rally forever, and the leveraged long funds also amplify the losses when the stock declines. Those amplified losses and the so-called "volatility decay" caused by rolling short-term options every day could lead to the the leveraged funds underperforming Nvidia over longer periods of time. And even though the funds have grown substantially, they are still not as liquid as major index funds. Ed Egilinsky, head of sales and distribution at Direxion, said that, with any of these leveraged funds, investors should be aware of trading volumes and spreads in aftermarket and consider using limits in their orders. "When the market opens the following morning, that will probably be a truer test of where it is going to trade, relative to the aftermarket. But people can trade the aftermarket if they want as well. They just have to be aware of the fact that it might be more thinly traded," Egilinsky said. The cost could also be a a drag on long-term performance compared to just buying Nvidia outright or a cheaper form of ETF, like an index fund. All three long Nvidia funds have annual expense ratios above 1%. Morningstar's Armour pointed to leveraged ETFs that track gold mining stocks as an area where even the bullish funds have underperformed their reference index over time. "People tend to hear the stories about some sort of gambling success much more often than they do the failures. I think, people, their eyes widen when they see the potential and especially the historical performance," Armour said. Correction: Ed Egilinsky is head of sales and distribution at Direxion. An earlier version misspelled his name. Scott Acheychek is COO at Rex Financial. An earlier version misspelled his name.
The new Ford F-150 and the all-new Ranger trucks are launched at a celebratory event at the Ford Dearborn Plant on April 11, 2024 in Dearborn, Michigan.

Ford Motor is the latest company to walk back some of its commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

The automaker has taken "a fresh look" at its DEI policies and practices over the past year to take in to account the evolving "external and legal environment related to political and social issues," according to an internal communication that was shared with global Ford employees and posted Wednesday on X by an anti-DEI activist. Ford confirmed the letter was authentic and said it had no additional comment on the matter.

Ford's move follows retailer Tractor Supply , which one of the first major companies to stop its DEI efforts, as it severed ties earlier this summer with the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, and retired DEI targets like boosting the number of employees of color at the manager level. Harley-Davidson , whose board of directors includes Ford CEO Jim Farley, also decided last week to stop consulting the HRC's metric for treatment of LGBTQ+ employees and affirmed that it does not have a DEI function.

Home improvement retailer Lowe's joined the efforts earlier this week, and noted that it might also make additional changes to the policies over time.

The companies have cited conservative backlash or changing social and political environments in their announcements. Tractor Supply and Harley-Davidson also noted a desire to appeal to their more rural or conservative-leaning customers.

"I think you will start to see this move towards more politically neutral companies, which is to say that most of these companies didn't really want to be doing this stuff in the first place," Liz Hoffman, Semafor's business and finance editor, said on CNBC's "Squawk Box" earlier Wednesday, before the Ford memo was posted.

In the memo Wednesday, Farley said the company will not use quotas for minority dealerships or suppliers, adding that it does not have hiring quotas.

The automaker will also stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, as well as various other "best places to work" lists.

The Human Rights Campaign scores over 1,300 companies annually based on their corporate equality measures for LGBTQ+ individuals, including practices like offering spousal medical benefits regardless of sex and having distinct LGBTQ+ community outreach efforts. Ford, in previous years, had received a perfect score on the index.

"Ford Motor Company's shortsighted decisions will have long-term consequences," Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson said in a statement. "Hastily abandoning efforts that ensure fair, safe, and inclusive work environments is bad for business and leaves Ford's employees and millions of LGBTQ+-allied consumers behind."

The organization also added that it evaluates every Fortune 500 company on its equality index, regardless of whether or not the company submits additional information about its priorities, which means Ford will continue to be scored on the list.

"As a global company, we will continue to put our effort and resources into taking care of our customers, our team, and our communities versus publicly commenting on the many polarizing issues of the day," Ford said in the statement sent to employees. "There will of course be times when we will speak out on core issues if we believe our voice can make a positive difference."

Many companies, including automakers such as Ford, amped up their DEI commitments in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter protests of the summer of 2020  and Ford spoke up about that at the time.

"We are not interested in superficial actions. This is our moment to lead from the front and fully commit to creating the fair, just and inclusive culture that our employees deserve," the company said in 2020 in a letter reaffirming its DEI commitment. "We cannot turn a blind eye to it or accept some sense of 'order' that's based on oppression."

But, in the wake of the Supreme Court decision to overturn affirmative action in colleges, a growing number of conservative activists on social media have called on companies to stop investing in DEI.

"There is an old saying: If you give an inch, people take a mile, and that is essentially what we have seen when the Supreme Court made a ruling that was very specific to institutions of higher education," industrial and organizational psychologist Derek Avery told CNBC.

"Conservative state attorney generals sent letters to corporations warning them that they could expect to be sued if they continue to advocate and promote DEI practices within their organizations that could be construed as counter to the Supreme Court ruling, even though the Supreme Court ruling had no bearing on those corporate initiatives."
Elon Musk announced his new company xAI which he says has the goal to understand the true nature of the universe.

Elon Musk's artificial intelligence startup, xAI, is being accused by environmental and health advocates of adding to the pollution problem in Memphis, Tennessee, by using natural gas burning turbines at its new data center, and doing so without a permit.

The company said it was opening the data center in June in a former Electrolux factory, shortly after announcing it had raised $6 billion at a $24 billion valuation. In a post on X last month, Musk boasted that xAI had begun training its AI models at the facility using 100,000 of Nvidia's H100 processors.

The Southern Environmental Law Center sent a letter this week to the Health Department in Shelby County, where Memphis is located, and to a regional office of the Environmental Protection Agency on behalf of several local groups, asking regulators to investigate xAI for its unpermitted use of the turbines and the pollution they create.

The letter notes that xAI "has installed at least 18 gas combustion turbines over the last several months (with more potentially on the way)."

The company has been using the turbines to power the facility, but its long-term plan is to use power from the local utility, Memphis Light, Gas and Water and the Tennessee Valley Authority.

MLGW told CNBC that it started providing 50 megawatts of power to xAI at the beginning of August. However, the xAI facility requires an additional 100 megawatts. The utility has installed more circuit breakers, and started making improvements to transmission lines in the area to prepare for the added power consumption by xAI, as well.

Musk, who is also the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and owner of social media company X, started xAI in 2023 to develop large language models and AI products that aim to compete with those from Google , Microsoft and OpenAI. The company's initial product is a chatbot called Grok, billed as a politically incorrect alternative to OpenAI's ChatGPT. AI models generally require massive amounts of power for data training and processing.

"This plant requires an enormous amount of electricity," the advocates wrote in the letter.

Some of the 18 turbines are visible from the road around the property and, according to the advocates' letter, emit air pollutants called nitrogen oxides (NOx) that add to a longstanding smog problem in the area. Shelby County has been given an "F" grade by the American Lung Association for its smog.
Nvidia reported earnings after the bell that beat Wall Street expectations, and provided stronger-than-expected guidance for the current quarter.

Nvidia shares fell 8% in extended trading.

Here is how the company did for the fiscal second quarter versus LSEG consensus expectations:

Earnings per share : 68 cents adjusted vs. 64 cents expected

: 68 cents adjusted vs. 64 cents expected Revenue: $30.04 billion vs. $28.7 billion expected

Nvidia said it expects about $32.5 billion in current-quarter revenue, versus $31.7 billion expected by analysts, according to StreetAccount. That would be an increase of 80% from a year earlier.

Revenue continues to surge at the chipmaker, rising 122% on an annual basis during the quarter, following three straight periods of year-over-year growth in excess of 200%.

Net income more than doubled to $16.6 billion, or 67 cents per share, in the quarter, from $6.18 billion, or 25 cents per share, in the year-ago period.

Nvidia has been the primary beneficiary of the ongoing artificial intelligence boom. Nvidia shares are up more than 150% this year after soaring almost 240% in 2023. Its market cap recently eclipsed $3 trillion, and Nvidia was briefly the most valuable public company in the world, though it is now second to Apple.

Revenue in Nvidia's data center business, which includes its AI processors, climbed 154% from a year earlier to $26.3 billion, accounting for 88% of total sales. It also topped StreetAccount expectations of $25.24 billion.

Not all of those sales are AI chips. Nvidia said Wednesday that $3.7 billion in revenue came from the company's networking products.

Much of its business is targeted at a handful of cloud service providers and consumer internet companies including Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta and Tesla. Nvidia's chips, such as the H100 and H200, are used in the vast majority of generative AI applications, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Many customers are waiting for Nvidia's next-generation AI chip, called Blackwell. Nvidia said it shipped samples of Blackwell chips during the quarter, and made a change to the product to make it more efficient to manufacture.

"In the fourth quarter, we expect to ship several billion dollars in Blackwell revenue," Nvidia Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress said on a call with analysts.

"The change to the mask is complete. There were no functional changes necessary," Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said on the call.

"When I said start production in Q4, I mean shipping out. I don't mean starting to ship," he continued.

However, Nvidia said it expected the current-generation chip, called Hopper, to increase total shipments for the next two quarters, as opposed to taper off.

"Hopper demand remains strong, and the anticipation for Blackwell is incredible," said Huang in the press release. Nvidia noted that supply for Hopper is becoming more available while Blackwell is still in short supply.

Nvidia said its gross margin slipped in the quarter to 75.1% from 78.4% in the prior period, though it is still up from 70.1% a year ago. For the full year, the company said it expects gross margins to be in the "mid-70% range." Analysts were expecting a full-year margin of 76.4%, according to StreetAccount.

Nvidia's gaming business used to be the company's primary focus before the data center took off. Gaming revenue increased 16% from a year ago to $2.9 billion, beating StreetAccount's estimate of $2.7 billion. The company said it was partially due to increased PC gaming card shipments as well as "game console SOCs." Nvidia provides chips for Nintendo's consoles.

Nvidia also makes chips for high-end graphic designers as well as cars and robots. The company's professional visualization business rose 20% and reported $454 million in revenue. Nvidia reported $346 million in automotive and robotics revenue, versus StreetAccount expectations of $344.7 million.

Nvidia also said it approved $50 billion in additional share buybacks.
In this photo illustration an OpenSea logo is displayed on a smartphone with stock market percentages in the background.

Crypto marketplace OpenSea has been added to the SEC's list of targets, as the regulator extends its crackdown on the sector.

The company's CEO said in a post on X on Wednesday that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission issued a Wells notice against OpenSea.

A Wells notice is typically one of the final steps before the SEC issues formal charges. It generally lays out the framework of the regulatory argument and offers the potentially accused an opportunity to rebut the SEC's claims.

The letter, according to the OpenSea chief, alleges that the nonfungible tokens, or NFTs, sold on its platform are securities. OpenSea is a popular platform that allows users to create, sell and buy NFTs.

OpenSea CEO Devin Finzer wrote in a post that the company was "shocked the SEC would make such a sweeping move against creators and artists" but that they are "ready to stand up and fight."

Finzer calls it a "move into uncharted territory."

"By targeting NFTs, the SEC would stifle innovation on an even broader scale: hundreds of thousands of online artists and creatives are at risk, and many do not have the resources to defend themselves," he added, noting that the company has pledged $5 million to cover legal fees for NFT creators and developers who receive a Wells notice.

OpenSea directed CNBC to a blog post by Finzer, in addition to the social media post. In it, the OpenSea CEO adds that classifying NFTs as securities would "misinterpret the law" and that he is confident his company "operates legally" and that its "users aren't trading securities."

So far this year, the SEC has sent Wells notices, filed lawsuits, or reached settlements with a host of crypto firms focused on ethereum and decentralized finance, including ShapeShift, TradeStation and Uniswap. The agency is also reportedly investigating the Ethereum Foundation.

Centralized exchanges and trading platforms Coinbase , Kraken, Binance, and Robinhood have also all been engaged in legal battles with the regulator.

In May, investment platform Robinhood announced it received a Wells notice for the company's crypto operations. The SEC has also sued Coinbase and Binance. Meanwhile, a California judge on Friday ruled that the commission's case against Kraken would proceed to trial.

With multiple pending legal challenges from the regulator and enduring uncertainty about the future of crypto regulation in the U.S., some crypto businesses have said they are considering decamping from the country altogether.

SEC chair Gary Gensler has, in multiple interviews, repeatedly shared that he believes much of the industry already belongs under SEC jurisdiction, and its lawsuits are bringing the industry under compliance. Crypto firms argue that the recent legal battles haven't given the regulatory clarity the industry has been seeking for years.

Republican presidential nominee and former president Donald Trump, who has branded himself as the pro-crypto candidate for president, has pledged to "fire" Chair Gensler from his post, should he win in November.

While the president does not have the power to fire appointed commissioners. Even if Trump were to appoint a new and more crypto-friendly SEC chairman, Gensler would remain a commissioner on the independent agency.
Founder and CEO of Telegram Pavel Durov delivers a keynote speech during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain February 23, 2016. REUTERS/Albert Gea

French prosecutors on Wednesday charged Telegram CEO Pavel Durov with enabling criminal activity on the messaging platform and placed him under formal investigation following his arrest Saturday.

In a statement, the Paris Prosecutors' Office said that Durov was indicted of all charges unveiled earlier this week in a statement from prosecutors. They included complicity in the administration of an online platform to enable an illicit transaction, in an organized gang  a charge which, on its own, carries a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment and a 500,000 euro ($555,830) fine if someone is found guilty after trial.

Other charges included refusal to communicate, upon request from the authorized authorities, the information or documents necessary for the performance and exploitation of interceptions authorized by law, enabling the dissemination of child pornography, drug trafficking, and fraud.

Since Saturday, Durov has been in French custody and faced question from legal authorities over an investigation into organized crime, drug trafficking, fraud, and the distribution of pornographic images of minors on the platform.

Durov has posted 5 million euros for bail, is under judicial supervision, cannot leave French territory, and has to report twice weekly to a police station, prosecutors said Tuesday.

The 39-year-old Russian-born billionaire has been accused of failing to mitigate the misuse of his social media and messaging platform for criminal activities.

Telegram was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC about the formal charges.

Telegram said in a previous statement posted on the X social media platform earlier this week that it abides by EU laws, and that CEO Durov has "nothing to hide," adding "it is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.
Here are Wednesday's biggest calls on Wall Street: Deutsche Bank upgrades ArcelorMittal to buy from hold Deutsche Bank said it sees upside potential for the steel company. "A weak cycle has forced bulls into a reality check on ArcelorMittal, and we expect a tough H2. However, we believe the risks are better understood at these levels, and the upside potential (based on a reversion to mid-cycle) is significant." Morgan Stanley reiterates Tesla as overweight The firm said it is sticking with its overweight rating on the stock. " Tesla's ultimate role within national security/government end markets (either directly or indirectly) is not clear at this point. Over time, however, the underlying technologies, systems and supporting supply chains propagated by Tesla may likely expand beyond consumer markets." Morgan Stanley reiterates Ambarella as overweight Morgan Stanley said it is standing by the semiconductor stock following earnings. " AMBA had a strong quarter and outlook, and expects IoT to lead near-term growth as they move beyond the inventory correction." UBS reiterates Apple as neutral UBS said it sees "risk building" into the September iPhone launch for Apple. "With the iPhone 16 launch scheduled for September 9th, consistent with prior year launches, iPhone share in Aug-24 should fall below the 15% share captured in July-24." Baird upgrades AeroVironment to outperform from neutral Baird said it is bullish on shares of the unmanned aerial vehicles company. " AVAV manufactures small UAS [unscrewed aircraft systems] and energy-efficient technologies for various industries and government agencies." HSBC upgrades Moderna to hold from reduce HSBC said it sees "lower risk" for the biotech company. " Moderna's mRNA cancer vaccine has progressed into the late clinical stage, leading the competition in this space. With multiple indications under development, we see lower risk to the asset." Citi downgrades Gannett to sell from neutral Citi said Wall Street is putting too much value into a refinancing transaction earlier this week for the media company. "On August 26, Gannett agreed to a large refinancing that will extend maturities and reduce potential dilution related to the firm's convertible debt. The equity rallied 17% on this news. We think it was a smart transaction. However, we believe the Street has ascribed too much value to this transaction." Wells Fargo initiates Thermo Fisher as overweight Wells Fargo said it is bullish on shares of the life sciences and clinical research company. " TMO's industry-leading breadth, scale & diversification position it well to outperform as end mkts recover in 2025." Redburn Atlantic Equities reiterates CrowdStrike as sell Redburn said the market is "overestimating growth." "CrowdStrike is viewed as a major Generative-AI (Gen-AI) winner, but the market may be overestimating future growth." BTIG initiates Fiserv as buy BTIG said it is bullish on shares of the fintech company. "We believe FI's accelerated investment into its platforms during the past three years has positioned the company to sustain HSD/LDD [high single digits / low double digits] growth over the next several years, while at the same time cash flow should grow even faster as operating margins expand and capex investment stabilizes." Citi reiterates General Motors as buy Citi said the automaker remains a top pick at the firm. " GM remains our Top Pick on strong execution and the upcoming Oct CMD [Chevrolet motor division], which we increasingly view as a likely catalyst given sound Q3 trends thus far and with Cruise recently pivoting towards partnering with rideshare (Uber), as we've been anticipating." Wolfe reiterates McDonald's as peer perform Wolfe said its checks show McDonald's is generating excitement from adults over its nostalgia marketing campaign. "Our social media checks suggest that McDonald's recent nostalgia marketing campaign in the US generated excitement from consumers, driving them into restaurants." Citi upgrades Delek Logistics Partners to buy from neutral Citi said it sees a slew of positive catalysts ahead for the pipeline transport company. "We are upgrading DKL to Buy (from Neutral) with a $45 TP (up from $44). DKL recently announced a set of strategic updates that improve its outlook; however, we do not believe the market has fully digested the impact of these transactions, which we think creates an attractive entry point." JPMorgan reiterates Super Micro as overweight JPMorgan said reports suggesting accounting manipulation are overdone. "However, as we dig into the details of the report, we believe there to be limited evidence of accounting mistreatments beyond revisiting the 2020 charges from the SEC, and limited new information relative to the existing and already known business relationship with related companies owned by the siblings of the founder of SMCI." Bank of America initiates Vista Energy as buy Bank of America said it is bullish on shares of the Argentinian oil and gas company. "We are initiating coverage of Vista Energy with a Buy rating and PO of US$70/ADR implying ~35% potential upside." Wells Fargo reiterates Nvidia as overweight Wells Fargo said it is bullish on Nvidia's Blackwell chip following an industry conference. The company also reports earnings after the bell Wednesday. "This is the world's biggest GPU [graphic processing unit] with advances in AI and accelerated computing. This is a focus on providing compute power for real time performance and scalability that is demanded." Wolfe reiterates Meta as outperform Wolfe said it is bullish on Meta's Open AI model, Llama. "There is much focus on very near-term returns from Meta's recent AI investments, i.e. Ad revenue growth remains robust. However, we view the secret sauce behind this recent success and more importantly, the sustainability of success, is Meta's Llama model."
Keir Starmer, UK prime minister, left, and Olaf Scholz, Germany's chancellor, ahead of their meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met in Berlin on Wednesday with a view to deepen ties amid a broader reset of relations after London's exit from the European Union.

In a press conference following the meeting, Starmer said areas of the bilateral agreement under discussion could include energy security, defence, climate change and economic themes. A strong relationship between the countries was also highly important for economic growth, the U.K. leader added, noting that Scholz and he had also spoken about an action plan for illegal migration.

In a joint statement following the meeting, the U.K. and Germany said that, given the challenges that both countries are facing, it was "time to take their bilateral relationship to a new level," according to a CNBC translation. The agreement would reflect their status as especially close partners in Europe."

As well as foreign policy collaboration to aid peace and security, some of the countries' joint priorities included industrial transformation, tackling illegal migration, enhancing contact between people, as well as education, infrastructure and technology, research and innovation, the statement said.

A deal is not expected to be signed until early next year, according to the statement.

Scholz on Wednesday described Germany and the U.K. as "special partners," according to a CNBC translation, while Starmer said the two already had a strong relationship and were now building on that.

Since taking office in July, Starmer has repeatedly said his government would seek to "reset" relationships between the U.K. and European countries. The British prime minister is visiting Berlin as part of a multi-day trip to Germany and France to meet with several political and business leaders.

"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," Starmer said ahead of the trip.

"We must turn a corner on Brexit and fix the broken relationships left behind by the previous government," he added.
Workers in July 2019 expand a mine in Germany intended to increase supplies of tungsten and fluorspar.

BEIJING  U.S. government researchers recently visited a South Korean mine to assess progress towards boosting supply of a critical metal called tungsten from areas outside China, the mine operator said Wednesday.

The Sangdong Mine, owned by a subsidiary of Canada-based Almonty Industries , is set to resume operations this year. Tungsten is an extremely hard metal used for making weapons, semiconductors and industrial cutting machines.

With China dominating over 80% of the metal's supply chain, Almonty claims the mine could potentially produce 50% of the rest of the world's tungsten supply.

The U.S. has not commercially mined tungsten since 2015, according to the latest annual report from the U.S. Geological Survey, a government agency that analyzes the availability of natural resources.

Four mineral resource scholars visited the Sangdong Mine in a trip led by Sean Xun, assistant chief at the agency's National Minerals Information Center, the report said.

The U.S. Geological Survey would make a "significant update" on its assessment of the mine in its 2025 report due out in the first three months of next year, it added.
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We like Rob Schneider as the King of Rock n Roll better than Rob Schneider as the King of Conservative Comedy

Rob Schneider makes a surprise appearance in Adam Sandlers newest Netflix special Love You, and even more surprisingly, he doesnt get himself booed offstage.

The oldest criticism of Schneiders body of work dating back to the 1990s is that, without his best buddy Sandler, Schneider wouldnt have a career worth ruining with an ill-advised turn toward conservative comedy that conservatives hate too. In 2024, Schneider is best known for publicly beefing with the entire country of Canada and getting himself kicked out of charity galas with his racist, transphobic and terrible stand-up routine. But todays Schneider is a completely different Animal from the You Can Do It! Guy, Sandler movie era Schneider whose solo projects would earn one of the most enduring South Park parodies ever.

Looking back, the biggest tragedy of Schneiders tumultuous late career is that we, as comedy fans, didnt realize how much worse it could get.

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But, for one glimmering moment in Adam Sandler: Love You, Schneider reminded Sandlers audience why they ever almost liked him in the first place by delivering a stirring rendition of Elvis Presleys It's Now or Never" while wearing a sequined bodysuit and gyrating his hips like hes dancing for his dinner. Which, considering the show was a Sandler project, he was.

Towards the end of I Love You, Schneider emerges disguised in full Elvis costume and belts The Kings hit 1960 single in a pitch-perfect impression before tossing his gold sunglasses and revealing himself as the shows most acclaimed celebrity guest  well, behind the opening ventriloquist act Willie Tyler and Lester, of course. Schneiders performance was, unironically, one of the most impressive and entertaining moments of the whole special, and it harkens back to a time before anti-vax outrage ruined his artistry.

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Before Schneider was famous for being Sandlers sidekick and long before it ever occurred to the San Francisco-born comedian to make jokes about Korean whorehouses at a family-friendly Christmas gala for conservative lawmakers, Schneider perfected his Elvis impersonation during his high school days. Once Schneider made it onto Saturday Night Live, his best impression came in handy during various sketches, including Microscopic Elvis, a sequel to the classic skit Tiny Elvis in which Nicolas Cage performs a far inferior Elvis impersonation.

Frankly, its a shame that Schneider no longer incorporates his impressive Elvis voice into his current comedy routine  I would imagine that all those hospital fundraisers and conservative Christmas parties would have burnin-loved to replace his obscene stand-up act with a few classic tunes.
If you want to achieve fame and success, the best path is an incredible amount of hard work. Then, after all that hard work, you have to get really lucky and hope someone with power notices how good you are.

This process, to be frank, is for the birds. An opinion I am not alone in sharing, especially when it comes to the folks through history who, according to legend, turned to a power even greater than a CAA agent to achieve fame. The power broker in question is the first to ever exist: the devil.

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Whether they truly signed a pact with Satan himself or it was just a colorful tale is hard to prove, but the success they achieved is undeniable.

5 Robert Johnson Maybe the most famous devil-dealer of all is the blues musician Robert Johnson. He was neither the first nor the last musician to reach down under for a boost to his skills. As the story goes, he might have been sent seeking Satan out of embarrassment from fellow bluesmen. When he was 19, he was booed offstage in Mississippi, jeers thrown his way from established musicians Son House and Willie Brown. So when he showed up again a year later, the crowd chambered boos in their throats, ready to fire. Instead, he pulled out a seven-string guitar, already unsettling to someone in the 1930s, and melted every face in the goddamn Delta. Their only explanation for the change was some downstairs magic. Johnson never confirmed the story, but he did write songs like Hellhound on My Trail, which is a problem only someone who sold their soul really worries about.

4 Niccolo Paganini Advertisement Johnson wasnt the first person to page Satan for a boost to their abilities with a stringed instrument. The same accusations of an otherworldly exchange replacing or at least augmenting the power of practice were leveled at famous violinist Niccolo Paganini as well. It was an accusation that stuck pretty easily, not just because of his incredible skill from a young age. Advertisement Advertisement Violin aside, Paganini had a distinctly un-pious energy. First off was the fact that he kind of looked evil. He was tall, pale and skinny, with long, pointy fingers. Internally, he wasn't much prettier. He was an alcoholic, a gambler and a womanizer with a history of mental breakdowns. Really, the saddest part of the whole saga is that it happened too long ago for him to get a Behind the Music on VH1.

3 Bob Dylan Lest you think that the days of Lucifer ladling out musical talent are purely a thing of the past, theres also a modern musician who is occasionally linked with the Father of Lies. One youve probably heard, and still gets regular radio play: Bob Dylan. Some call it a ridiculous conspiracy theory, to which I say: Yeah, man, what do you think were talking about here? Advertisement Advertisement The speculation largely comes from an interview in which Dylan explained that he made a bargain long ago, and Im holding up my end. When the interviewer asked who he made the bargain with, Dylan responded, The Chief Commander  in this earth and the world we cant see. Its up to you whether this is damning evidence or, you know, just Bob Dylan saying weird, ominous shit.

2 Christoph Haizmann Public Domain Fine, but certainly not the kind of skill you  d hope for in exchange for eternal damnation. We move from audio to visual, but stay in the world of art with Christoph Haizmann. Unfortunately for Haizmann, hes one of the cases where even with the Devils supposed assistance, things never really worked out. Advertisement He was originally a devout and loyal Christian, but lost his faith after the death of his father. So, when a demon showed up with a contract, he eventually signed, both in ink and blood, in exchange for nine years of success. When those nine years passed, Haizmann still wasnt an artist of global renown, but what are you going to do, sue Satan for breach of contract? Suffering seizures, allegedly as a result of his time running out, he begged the church for an exorcism, which he received. The exorcism helped, but the language must have been airtight, because he died of a fever two years later. Advertisement
A lot of us who grew up reading Calvin and Hobbes were confused why the beloved comic strip didnt spawn any tie-in merch, like most other hugely popular intellectual properties. Where were the plush toys? The breakfast cereals? The fast food collectors cup slathered in toxic paint?

Calvin and Hobbes creator Bill Watterson, however, wanted no part of that, famously refusing to license his characters for a quick buck. But while Watterson was able to keep corporate merchandising schemes at bay, he was less successful with bootleggers. Hence why some people in the 90s had shirts in which the underage Calvin and the imaginary Hobbes were seen partying at Mardi Gras.

But by far the most widespread Calvin and Hobbes bootleg was the decal featuring an image of Calvin defiantly taking a whiz. The image originated from a strip in which Calvin fills a water balloon, and, according to Trivia Happys Phil Edwards, it was first reworked in its more urinary context for a 25-foot motorhomes sign denigrating Florida State University.

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Peeing Calvin soon took on a life of its own, mostly in the form of truck decals, but he also showed up on T-shirts, and eventually some kind of crypto nonsense.

Weirdly, the image of Calvin flouting public urination laws to illustrate displeasure for corporate logos and/or public figures actually led to real-life arrests, and sparked a serious debate about free speech.

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A Minnesota woman was jailed for wearing a Calvin T-shirt to court, while police in South Carolina and Alabama ticketed drivers bearing the offending decal  not because they were secretly on Wattersons payroll, but because it violated bumper sticker laws that banned indecent car decals. In this case, the Calvin image was considered offensive because it depicted excretory functions and lacked serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value.

When the drivers complained, the American Civil Liberties Union became involved, seeking to challenge the unconstitutional decal laws by arguing that the statute in no way anticipates making illegal the kind of speech involved in these bumper stickers.

At least one ticketed driver was let off-the-hook after the ACLU procured an attorney for him. During the trial, the lawyer argued that Calvin had artistic value and asked a testifying state trooper whether or not he would pull over a driver for displaying an image of Michelangelo's David. He said that he would, since David is depicted naked.

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The judge concluded that the sticker did not fit the definition of obscene speech and threw out the case.

That being said, not all Calvin decals were totally harmless, for example, some were used to convey racist messages. But then again, the Calvin peeing meme can literally be used to make any argument, even an argument against the prevalence of Calvin peeing memes.

Watterson isnt that bothered about the decals either, calling them his ticket to immortality.

Even in the event of a Mad Max-esque apocalypse, well no doubt get some cannibalistic marauders driving vehicles with Calvin stickers.

You (yes, you) should follow JM on Twitter (if it still exists by the time youre reading this).
Photo: Mike Busch

This week, an idyllic beach on Fire Island was the site of a populist coup: Long an exclusive area for residents of the affluent nearby village of Bellport, Ho-Hum Beach was suddenly opened to everyone on Tuesday after a rival town supervisor began ferrying people over by water taxi. The NAACP called it a victory; the Bellport mayor called it unconscionable. Local news has dubbed the whole thing a ferry flap.

Bellport is a dreamy little place on the south shore of Long Island that residents love to say has the exclusivity of the Hamptons without any of the obnoxiousness. (Its not the kind of place where you show off, one local told the New York Times in 2021.) The homes are historic New England saltboxes, the stores and restaurants are charming and understated, and Isabella Rossellini has a farm nearby. Most important, owning property in the village confers privileges, including subsidized membership at a country club, access to a skating pond  and the right to take the ferry (which is actually a modest boat with a capacity of 47) to Ho-Hum, a rustic beach across Bellport Bay on Fire Island. Bellport has owned the property where the beach is since 1963, but Fire Island beaches are technically federal land designated as the Fire Island National Seashore. Ho-Hum has always been a quirky zone, not really part of Fire Island but also separate because of this very literal gatekeeping. Anyone can technically get to Ho-Hum by boat, but only village residents and their guests are allowed on the ferry that goes there every day.

The trouble is that the people in Bellport who have access to the exclusive privilege of the Ho-Hum ferry overwhelmingly belong to a specific demographic. According to the Census in 2022, Bellports 1,844 residents were 97.5 percent white. Next door, the 10,530 residents of the town of North Bellport, who dont get to go to Ho-Hum, were only 64.1 percent white, 39.8 percent Hispanic or Latino, and 28.9 percent Black. (Those percentages dont add up to 100 because many Hispanics also identify as white.) People in North Bellport, while still pretty comfortable, are also not as rich. So the locals who end up having to drive 20 minutes to other beaches instead of taking a five-minute ferry ride feel they are being discriminated against for being from a lower-income community thats a lot less white. Ive never been there, one Black North Bellport resident told Newsday, and Ive lived here since 2007.

In January, town supervisor Dan Panico of Brookhaven, a town to the northeast of Bellport, made the democratization of Ho-Hum his pet issue and began publicly urging the village of Bellport to open the beach. He pointed to a 2018 annexation agreement between Bellport and Brookhaven that, he said, gave Brookhaven residents a right to access. Im no different, youre no different than the children and families of North Bellport, and they deserve a means by which to enjoy this island and go to the beach, Panico told the audience at his inaugural address, which happened to include Bellport mayor Maureen Veitch. Veitch said she was taken aback by Panicos statements.

On August 25, Panico made good on his word and announced that the town of Brookhaven would offer water-taxi rides to Ho-Hum. The town of Bellport fought back. Panico claimed that an unnamed town trustee went online and sabotaged the taxi rides by reserving most of the spots under a series of fake names. Then Bellport village issued a summons to the taxi for docking without a permit. The following day, August 26, Panico held a press conference, during which Black residents stood behind him with signs that read Ho-Hum for Everyone. Mayor Veitch released a statement condemning the stunt and saying Panico was obsessed with Bellport.

Panico has promised to continue to fight Bellport in the courts. On Facebook, debate raged over the ruckus at Ho-Hum. Some villagers said Bellport needed to get with the times; others argued that they have access to the beach because they pay the higher taxes to maintain it. One user continually speculated whether Panico was simply trying to add Ho-Hum as an amenity in his plot to increase housing development in Brookhaven. Another Bellport resident called it pure communism. And still another put it all on Panico: We are under attack by a rogue politician.
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Eyebrow and eyelash tinting might be wildly popular, but did you know they're actually banned in certain states, including New York?

The United States Food and Drug Administration has not approved eyelash and eyebrow tinting because of the risks associated with them, but that doesn't stop many practitioners from embracing the beauty technique.

The wildly popular beauty service is actually prohibited in New York State, and has been since 1994 according to the New York Department of State.

FEMAIL spoke to experts to find out how salons are still able to do the procedure after New York City brow superstar Sabria revealed that while she doesn't do the verboten beauty service, others still secretly tint their client's eyebrows.

Plus, if you're still looking to make an eyelash or eyebrow tinting appointment, here's what you need to look out for to make sure it's a safe experience.

FEMAIL spoke to experts to find out how salons are still able to do the procedure after New York City brow superstar Sabria revealed that while she doesn't do the beauty service, others still secretly tint their client's eyebrows

Brow tinting, the wildly popular beauty service shown above, is prohibited in New York State, and has been since 1994 according to the New York Department of State (stock image)

The United States Food and Drug Administration has not approved eyelash and eyebrow tinting because of the risks associated with them (stock image)

On Reddit, New York estheticians complained about the rule that they weren't allowed to tint, especially since people can easily buy kits to do their own at home.

'I'm sick to my stomach over it because I lost half of my income and I'm gonna be even more p**sed if they keep the services for only benefit,' one person wrote.

Sharon, a clinical aesthetician with almost 30 years of experience, explained the small risk associated with tinting

Another appalled commenter responded, 'I could not imagine not tinting my brows. They give my eyebrows emphasis on my eyes,' before explaining their sneaky workaround: 'In the salon, sometimes it 'accidently' ends up on the clients eyebrows... I don't do it personally for my clients, but I've seen other stylists.'

In a separate Reddit thread about the controversy that many people need a specific license to tint that requires hours of education, one person wrote, 'While brow tinting is done under an Esthetics or Cosmetologist license in CA, up until the last couple of years, there was no legal tint or dye we were allowed to use,' warning people could be fined if they're caught.

Sharon McEntee, a clinical aesthetician with almost 30 years of experience working in medical spas and with dermatology practices in Miami, Florida and New England, told FEMAIL, 'Most states do allow lash tinting because it's semi-permanent.'

'Semi-permanent brow tinting is also allowed in most states, but the use of permanent color is banned in some states, including Massachusetts and California,' Sharon continued.

Sharon, who now owns Embody Medspa in North Reading, Massachusetts, and developed PHI Skincare, explained, 'The reason for this is the small risk of skin irritation, eye irritation, or in rare instances blindness.'

'The permanent colors contain ingredients like ammonia which are not to be used anywhere near the eye area,' Sharon advised.

'Semi-permanent brow tinting is allowed in most states, but the use of permanent color is banned in some, including Massachusetts and California,' Sharon McEntree told DailyMail.com

On Reddit, New York estheticians complained about the rules that they weren't allowed to tint, especially since people can easily buy kits to do their own at home

'When getting an eyelash or eyebrow tint, the provider should be using dyes that are FDA cleared for those uses.'

Wendy Vaughan is a board certified nurse practitioner and one of the top three per cent of elite injectors in the country.

Wendy, who owns Stay Beautiful Medspa based in Woburn, Massachusetts, offers injectables, facials, lash lift and tint, brow tinting and more.

'Practitioners can seek guidance from the Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering, which oversees cosmetology, barbering, and electrology practices to determine if lash and brow tinting are legal in their state,' Wendy advised.

Wendy explained that there are lash lift and tint courses that teach the fundaments, including eye anatomy, eye conditions and diseases, safety and sanitation and more.

She said if you're looking to get tinted, go to a reputable salon and make sure to communicate with your provider throughout the process.

'Let them know if you have any skin sensitivities or have had previous reactions to hair dye or tinting formulas,' Wendy said.

'During your consultation, consider requesting a patch test from the provider to ensure you won't have an allergic reaction to any of the ingredients in the tinting products.'
True crime fanatics have slammed a new Netflix show after a teaser trailer for the upcoming series Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story was released.

Co-created by Ryan Murphy, the first season of Monsters was about the gay cannibal serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, who was played by Evan Peters.

The show was highly controversial and sparked social media users to slam the makers for earning money off the grief of the victims' loved ones.

Now, for season two, the anthology has turned its attention to another infamous true crime story: the Menendez brothers, who murdered their parents in 1989, and start streaming on Netflix from September 19.

However, before it's even released, it seems that the show is already the source of contention as people have taken to X, formerly known as Twitter, to air out their complaints.

True crime fanatics have slammed a new Netflix show after a teaser trailer for the upcoming series Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story was released

Now, for season two, the anthology has turned its attention to another infamous true crime story: the Menendez brothers, who murdered their parents in 1989

In the blood-curdling new sneak peek, Lyle and Erik can be seen entering their Beverly Hills mansion, shotguns in hand, ready for the kill.

Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch play Lyle and Erik Menendez, the wealthy brothers at the center of the story, respectively.

Their parents, record executive Jose and socialite Kitty, whom they shot in their living room on the night of August 20, 1989, are played by Javier Bardem and Chloe Sevigny.

Lyle was 21 and Erik was 18 when they slaughtered their parents, triggering a rollercoaster legal drama that resulted in their conviction of murder in 1996.

Their trials were televised and attracted a feverish media frenzy - the first court cases to become the type of TV sensation later epitomized by OJ Simpson.

The Menendez brothers put forward the 'abuse excuse,' alleging that they were molested and physically assaulted by their parents for years.

Ultimately, the Menendez brothers were sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole.

In the teaser, the family is seen smiling for an infamous family photo.

Lyle was 21 and Erik was 18 when they slaughtered their parents, triggering a rollercoaster legal drama that resulted in their conviction of murder in 1996

Lyle (left) and Erik (right) are pictured with their parents Jose and Kitty

Nicholas Alexander Chavez (left) and Cooper Koch (right) play Lyle and Erik Menendez, the wealthy brothers at the center of the story, respectively

Then, it cuts to the two brothers, shirtless, hugging.

People on the web had plenty to say about this dramatic moment - with many of them furious.

One person said: 'Theres no reason for this show to exist. Just hearing the actual testimonies of the brothers was repulsive enough, to have it immortalized by recreating such nasty things for the screen is deeply perverted.'

Someone else added: 'We better not romanticize these villains. Its already giving could have been college athletes - bright futures - better do right by the victims.'

One user wrote: 'Not every story needs to be filmed and then told.'

'Why give these two attention for murdering their parents?' another asked.

However, other people said they couldn't wait to watch the show and defended the brothers while also slamming the show maker.

A chilling teaser dropped this week for the upcoming Netflix anthology series Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story

People on the web had plenty to say about this dramatic moment - with many of them becoming furious

One person said: 'I swear if y'all made this just to paint them as the villain don't even bother dropping it.'

Another user wrote: 'Leave it to Ryan to add gay overtones to something that had nothing of the sort. This is how we make gayness divisive in media.'

Someone else said: 'I hope they are going to be true and respectful of the testimony of the boys and members of the family.

'Is murder wrong? Absolutely. But the horrific sexual abuse of these boys for the majority of their life, the way people saw and did nothing, is a tragedy.'

One user questioned: 'Umm, was there some incestuous brotherly love twist to this story that I was completely unaware of or is that homoeroticism just Ryan Murphy??'

'Why does this guy try and make literally everything sexual?' a person wrote.

However, other people said they couldn't wait to watch the show

One user added: 'Why is this being sold as a gay story when it's about two crazy siblings?'

Another wrote: 'Ryan Murphy is a sick f***. Last I checked the brothers were not incest with one another, it was their parents. So to allude to them having a relationship because of the abuse just seems more like something we think happened but dont know if it did or not. So this is weird.'

'I absolutely can't wait to watch this,' one person added.

'Can't wait,' a user commented.

Further in the trailer, the brothers are seen pulling into their lavish mansion.

They entered through the home with guns in hand. As they cock their guns, the screen goes black and viewers can hear two ear-pounding gun shots.

The series will hit Netflix on September 19.

Their trials were televised and attracted a feverish media frenzy - the first court cases to become the type of TV sensation later epitomized by OJ Simpson; pictured 1990

Ultimately, the Menendez brothers were sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole - since then Lyle has been married twice and Erik once

Co-created by Ryan Murphy, the first season of Monster was about the gay cannibal serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer (left), played by Evan Peters in an acclaimed performance (right)

Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story hit Netflix in September 2022 and became a runaway hit, while sharply polarizing the audience.

Many viewers claimed it was disrespectful to the dead while the sister of the one of the victims publicly blasted the 'harsh and careless' series for 'making money off of this tragedy' out of 'greed.'

Ryan struck a defiant tone, claiming he had attempted to contact the victims' loved ones but never heard back from any of them.

'We, over the course of the three-and-a-half years when we were writing it, working on it, we reached out to around 20 of the victims families and friends trying to get input, trying to talk to people, and not a single person responded to us in that process,' the Glee and American Horror Story creator insisted.
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden cut an elegant figure in a blue gown when attending a sustainability awards ceremony in Stockholm yesterday.

The mother-of-two, 47, oozed glamour in the sea blue ensemble as she stepped out at the Junior Water Prize, which is a ceremony for youngsters interested in water and environment issues at the Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre.

Victoria's eye-catching dress featured a pattern which rembled water, with a billowing skirt and a chic square neckline.

The beaming royal teamed the statement frock with blue stilettos and a matching clutch handbag.

The royal kept accessories to a minimum as she finished off her stylish look with blue stone earrings and an elegant bracelet.

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden cut an elegant figure in a blue gown when attending a sustainability awards ceremony in Stockholm yesterday

Meanwhile she kept her makeup look neutral and slicked her brunette locks back into a chic bun.

She was pictured posing for photographs with officials at the event, before heading inside to present several of the awards.

Crown Princess Victoria is patron of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize, which is open to entrants from around the world.

Each year some 30,000 young people enter in the hope of taking home the $15,000 prize money, along with a blue crystal sculpture, a diploma and a stay in Stockholm.

They join national competitions in the hope of earning the chance to represent their nation at the international final held during the World Water Week in Stockholm.

The national and international competitions are open to young people between the ages of 15 and 20 who have conducted water-related projects of proven environmental, scientific, social or technological significance. The projects range from local or regional to national or global topics.

It comes after the princess and her husband Prince Daniel shared snaps from their family holiday this year.

The royal couple - who have been married 14 years - did not specify where exactly they went with their children Estelle and Oscar but hinted they remained in Sweden.

The mother-of-two, 47, oozed glamour in the sea blue ensemble as she stepped out at the Junior Water Prize, which is a ceremony for youngsters interested in water and environment issues at the Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre

Victoria's eye-catching dress featured a pattern which rembled water, with a billowing skirt and a chic square neckline

The royal kept accessories to a minimum as she finished off her stylish look with blue stone earrings and an elegant bracelet

The beaming royal teamed the statement frock with blue stilettos and a matching clutch handbag

Princess Victoria presented the 2024 Stockholm Junior Water Prize to Wenqi (Jonathan) Zhao (left) and Christopher Whitfeld

The Royal Family's Instagram caption read: 'Summer is short, but there is still time to enjoy sunny August days around Sweden.

'Here the Crown Princess family shares some private photographs from the past summer holiday.'

The accompanying Instagram Reel opened with a photo of the family-of-four posing on a balcony in front of a sunset.

The future Queen, 47, cut a casual figure in low-rise jeans, a white ribbed cardigan and trainers.

Meanwhile, Daniel, 50, looked equally relaxed in grey jeans and a navy-and-white Varsity jacket.

The Reel then jumps to a photo of Victoria posing for a photo with Oscar, eight, while they visiting some ruins.

The mother-of-two - who was wearing a Levi denim jacket and jeans - is pictured cuddling her son as they beam at the camera.

The post also included a selfie of Victoria, Estelle, 12, and the family's Cavapoo - which is a mix between a poodle and King Charles spaniel - on a beach.

Victoria beamed as she arrived at the Stockholm Junior Water Prize ceremony at the Waterfront Congress Centre

She was pictured posing for photographs with officials at the event, before heading inside to present several of the awards

Meanwhile she kept her makeup look neutral and slicked her brunette locks back into a chic bun

Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar of Sweden pose for a family photo

The post also included a selfie of Victoria, Estelle and the family's cavapoo - which is a mix between a poodle and King Charles spaniel - on a beach

The future Queen looked casual for the dog walk in a navy sweatshirt and swept her hair back into a ponytail like her daughter.

The Reel also included several photos of the family picking fruit and vegetables - with Victoria posing for a selfie with a jug full of hand-picked blueberries while her children gathered peppers.

The final family photo shows Crown Princess Victoria curled up in a blanket with her two children and Rio as a lantern flickers behind them.

The post has amassed over 77,000 'likes' within 24 hours and royal fans gushed over the more candid images.

One wrote: 'Wonderful!! I'm glad to see these "everyday pictures" of an otherwise so watched family. Nice that they get to live a little "ordinary" too.'

'Beautiful,' another added: 'Such a happy family!'

Meanwhile, a third said:'The sweetest family ever!!!'

A fourth added: 'You are a fantastic family and equally fantastic representatives of Sweden.'
Tammy Slaton has opened up about her battle with her 'inner demons' as she worked to shed 500 pounds.

The 38-year-old 1,000-lb Sisters star - who underwent surgery to shed an impressive 300 pounds in 2022 and posts about her weight-loss journey online - previously showcased her jaw-dropping transformation and revealed the true number of pounds she had lost.

Tammy - who admitted she was 'like a lesbian' in the past - took to Instagram to detail her 'rollercoaster' weight-loss journey and the bad habits she fell into.

She admitted that during her fight to drop the weight she turned to alcohol and described many moments in her journey as a 'waste of time.'

The TLC icon revealed that she had to take a hard look at herself and made a 'lifestyle change' as she told her fans to 'never give up on their goals.'

Tammy Slaton has opened up about her battle with her 'inner demons' as she worked to shed 500 pounds

Tammy lifted the lid on the many obstacles she faced in a video posted to Instagram.

She said: 'I take a lot of pictures, a lot of selfies, not because I look good  well, I do a little bit  but mostly because I want to remember how big I was, what I looked like. And I reflect, dude, I was huge! I lost 500lbs. I would not be able to sit in this chair.

'I think I was trying to be so focused on losing weight that I lost myself. Lost who I was and I turned to alcohol instead of food. At the same time, I was still eating. So I was doing both. Damage in two different ways.

'It would be so easy to fall back into bad habits and gain all the weight back but then what was this all for? Waste of time, waste of money, wasted effort.'

The reality TV star noted that she had to focus on fighting her demons.

She added: 'I had a lot of inner demons that I had to fight and Im still fighting. Youre not alone. You can do anything once you put your mind to it. Never give up.'

Tammy noted that she would be using her presence on social media as well as selfies to celebrate her journey.

At the end of the video, she said: 'Were all in this together, and I believe in lifting each other up, one day at a time. So, join me as we embrace the highs, the lows, and everything in between. Lets keep moving forward with love and positivity!'

She captioned the clip: 'Welcome to My Journey! Hey there, beautiful souls! Im Tammy, and if youre new here, I want to give you the biggest, warmest welcome to my page!

'My life has been a rollercoaster, and Im proud to share that Ive lost over 500 pounds. Some of you might know me from 1000lb Sisters, but here on my page, its all about love, positivity, and celebrating every step of the journey.

The 38-year-old 1,000-lb Sisters star - who underwent surgery to shed an impressive 300 pounds in 2022 and posts about her weight-loss journey online

Tammy took to Instagram to detail her 'rollercoaster' weight-loss journey that led her to drop 500 pounds and the bad habits she fell into

'This space is for YOU  whether youre here to find inspiration, share your story, or just soak up some good vibes. Were all in this together, and I believe in lifting each other up, one day at a time.

'So, join me as we embrace the highs, the lows, and everything in between. Lets keep moving forward with love and positivity!'

She previously shared that she had lost a total of 500 pounds alongside other women who had shed a significant amount of weight.

She branded the women 'amazing' and noted that she was 'happy' to call them her friends.

The TLC icon sang along to Andra Day's hit song Rise Up as she celebrated her latest health achievement in the clip, which has garnered a whopping 36,000 views.

Tammy reposted the clip, which was originally shared by Teresa Parent.

In it, the TLC star walks onto the frame and it's revealed that she has shed 500 pounds.

The 38-year-old captioned the clip: 'Truly absolutely amazing ladies and I'm happy to call y'all all my friends.

'I'm so proud of each and every one of y'all. Not only are you beautiful on the inside but you're gorgeous on the outside. Never forget.'

This isn't the first time that Tammy has proudly flaunted her impressive weight loss.

She admitted that during her fight to drop the weight she turned to ' alcohol ' and described many moments in her journey as a 'waste of time

Just a few months ago, she sent heads turning as she dazzled fans away while posing up in a swimsuit during a fun-filled girls' trip.

She was seen posing poolside with her friend, psychic medium Haley Michelle in a series of images shared online.

In the snaps, Tammy donned a blue mermaid-inspired swimsuit while dangling her legs in the pool and smiled at Haley who sported a black-and-white frilled neck swimsuit.

Earlier that month, she slipped into a chic one-shouldered dress.

In the past, Tammy also opened up about her love life - months after the death of her husband, Caleb Willingham.

Tammy took to TikTok to reveal that she was no longer 'messing with guys' and that although she once considered herself pansexual, she was now 'like a lesbian.'

She explained that everyone deserved love, no matter their sexuality - adding that she was 'just a lover.'

Just a few months ago, she sent heads turning as she dazzled fans away while posing up in a swimsuit during a fun-filled girls' trip

Tammy (pictured with sister Amy) hit a milestone in her weight-loss journey in December 2022, having slimmed down enough to qualify for weight-loss surgery

In the past, Tammy also opened up about her love life - months after the death of her husband, Caleb Willingham

Tammy met her late husband at Windsor Lane Rehabilitation Center in Gibsonburg, Ohio, while on her weight-loss journey.

The reality star and Caleb fell in love, and tied the knot in November 2022.

In the past, she discussed some of the issues she faced during her marriage - including their struggle to find private time as newlyweds in a clip filmed before her husband died.

Caleb died from unknown causes at age 40 on June 30, just seven months after the couple tied the knot in 2022.

Tammy hit a milestone in her weight-loss journey in December 2022, having slimmed down enough to qualify for surgery, which she reportedly had in 2023.
It comes after trademark issues with American Riviera were revealed

The Duchess of Sussex, 43, has invested in handbag brand Cesta Collective

Meghan Markle has traded her domestic dream for life as a fashionista as she forked over a sum of money to lavish bag brand Cesta Collective following her setback with her business American Riviera Orchard.

Prince Harry, 39, and Duchess of Sussex were spotted in high spirits as they took to Colombia this month following their quasi-royal tour and donated a slew of drum sets as well as a learning environment to the people of South America.

And while their goal for the trip was to highlight the good they hope to accomplish, Meghan, 43, also used the getaway as a chance to reveal her new $750 (568) purse from the brand Cesta Collective, which she recently invested in.

Speaking to the New York Times, the Duchess revealed her strategy for using the 'global spotlight' to promote designers she has 'really great friendships with' including 'smaller, up-and-coming brands that havent gotten the attention that they should be getting'.

She added: 'Thats one of the most powerful things that Im able to do, and thats simply wearing, like, an earring.'

Meghan Markle has traded her domestic dream for life as a fashionista as she forked over a sum of money to brand Cesta Collective following her setback with American Riviera Orchard

In 2020, the Suits star began investing in a number of small female-owned business and even ventured out on her own with her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard, which will sell ultra trendy 'fruit butters', 'legume-based spreads', and 'edible oils and fats'.

However, amid trademark issues with her cookery company, Meghan has turned her sights to company Cesta Collective, which sells purses handwoven by women in Rwanda and are later finished in Italy.

The Duchess of Sussex - who ran lifestyle brand, The Tig, before meeting Prince Harry - first discovered the brand when she was online shopping.

Although Meghan's popularity with fans was dwindling amid troubles with the Royal Family, the former actress has relied on the one thing she knows to be true: people can't get enough of her stylish ensembles.

After learning that a purse she donned while photographed with Prince Harry sold out in just 11 minutes, Meghan decided to be more savvy about the companies she was investing and what she sported in front of paparazzi.

The Duchess said: 'I spend a lot of time just Googling, looking for brands. When people are online looking for things or reading things, I'm trying to find great new designers, especially in different territories.'

Meghan initially sported the $750 white purse to dinner with Harry in 2023.

Cesta's founders Erin Ryder and Courtney Weinblatt Fasciano revealed that after she donned the stunning bag, they noticed they had an uptick in purchases.

Meghan then decided to invest into the brand to help it grow. Although she declined to reveal how much she had forked over, the founders of Cesta revealed that it was a minority stake.

While in Colombia, Meghan donned the $750 (568) purse from Cesta Collective in the color 'Panna'

The Duchess of Sussex (seen with Prince Harry at the 2024 ESPY Awards in July) is known for her stylish ensembles

The Duchess of Sussex - who ran lifestyle brand, The Tig, before meeting Prince Harry - first discovered the brand when she was online shopping

The former actress explained that her clothing means a lot to her and she takes her outfits extremely seriously because she knows it can help companies garner attention

Cesta has an annual revenue of $1million (756,990) and its purses take about four to seven days to complete.

'We are a mission-based, responsibly-made handbag brand  celebrating the work of talented female artisans,' the brand explains on its Instagram profile.

The positive impact that Meghan's support can prompt on a given brand was recently revealed on BBC's Dragon's Den when the founders of a lab-grown jewelry brand, Kimai, featured.

The brand's founders, Antwerp-born friends Sidney Neuhaus and Jessica Warch, were frustrated with the lack of supply chain transparency across the industry, so they pioneered the use of 100 per cent traceable lab-grown diamonds.

The brand, which was established in 2018, was worn by The Duchess of Sussex in 2019 during a royal engagement in London and is a favourite of Emma Watson and Jessica Alba, while Diane von Furstenberg was the first female investor to back the business.

Meghan Markle sporting a pair of lab-grown diamond earrings by Kimai while visiting Smart Works in London in January 2019

Sidney Neuhaus (left) and Jessica Warch (right), who founded jewelry brand Kimai, secured a $329,000 (250,000) investment from Steven Bartlett on BBC's Dragon's Den after revealing the support received from Meghan

The duo explained their profits over the past few years and how Meghan played a significant part in spiking sales.

Jessica said: 'We've launched without investment, and then two months after our launch we got Meghan Markle to wear our pieces, which enabled us to grow the revenue significantly, and from there we raised $1.2 million.'

Their pitch on Dragon's Den, plus revealing the support of Meghan Markle, led Steven Bartlett to make his biggest investment since joining Dragons' Den - offering $329,000 (250,000) to Kimai.

Meghan's latest investment into Cetsta Collective comes after issues with her lifestyle brand American Riviera were revealed.

DailyMail.com previously revealed that Meghan's lineup would feature 'edible oils and fats', jellies, jams and spreads made of legumes, garlic, and sesame, as well as nut and fruit butters.

However, earlier this month, it was revealed that her business came to a screeching halt due to trademark problems.

But records show that in July  some four months after requesting to register it  there were a number of 'irregularities' which needed to be 'corrected'.

However, earlier this month, it was revealed that her business came to a screeching halt due to trademark problems

But records show that in July  some four months after requesting to register it  there were a number of 'irregularities' which needed to be 'corrected'

Meghan has sent products including jam and dog biscuits to some friends but plans are now afoot to start with a rose wine

The US Patents and Trademarks Office has notified the Sussexes' lawyers of various issues, including incorrect classification of yoga blankets, picnic baskets and recipe books.

And the agency said that fees are due to various bodies around the world to register the trademark  totaling $11,382 (8,617).

It is believed that Netflix, which has just finished filming a cookery show with the duchess, is taking over the commercial exploitation of the brand, so it would be safe to assume it will pay the fees.

A source close to Meghan confirmed that American Riviera Orchard has received several Notices of Irregularity requesting clarifications on goods and services as well as the reclassification of certain items.

The source added that such requests are typical and entirely expected when filing international applications due to the differences between international and U.S. standards and classifications.

All fees associated with these notices have already been paid, according to the source.

Meghan revealed she was trying to become the queen of the kitchen in early March by setting up an Instagram page which showed nine images revealing the name of the brand.

It also featured a gold logo, a faux heraldic 'ARO', and the word 'Montecito', where she and Prince Harry moved after stepping down as working royals.

Meghan has sent products including jam and dog biscuits to some friends but plans are now afoot to start with a rose wine.

The launch of Meghan's lifestyle brand was in the works for a whopping 18 months. It can be revealed that the prospect has electrified Netflix, which signed a deal with the Sussexes in 2020.

Their first documentary, Harry & Meghan, which came out in December 2022 and followed their issues with the Royal Family, was a global success.

Meghan wore a shirt designed by her old friend Victoria Beckham while speaking at the Responsible Digital Future forum in Bogota

Meghan wore nearly $188,661 (90,000) worth of clothes and jewelry during her four-day trip to Colombia with Prince Harry last week. Pictured wearing $20,645 (1,659) dress by Johanna Ortiz

While Meghan's lifestyle brand undergoes necessary hurdles, her stylistic choices have remained as strong as ever.

During her trip to Colombia alongside Prince Harry, she debuted several new wardrobe pieces that triggered excitement among royal fans, including the bag from Cesta Collective.

While her clothes will continue influencing consumption choices from her following, her jewelry collection from the trip may be a little more difficult - and pricier - to replicate.

The total value of Meghan's clothing and jewelry from the tour came in at a cool $118,610 (90,000), with her sparkling rings and necklaces totting up the value.

Her jewelry alone, which included several of her staples - Princess Diana's $23,461 (17,800) Cartier watch and a $19,788 (15,011.84) 'Against Evil Eye' bracelet from Lorraine Schwartz, added significant value to the price tag of her items.

Meghan gave a sweet nod to the hosting country, wearing multiple pieces by Johanna Ortiz, who is from Colombia and one of her favorite designers.

She also wore items designed by Andres Otalora and Silvia Tcherassi, from Colombia. At the same time, her Hannia Char boater hat was handwoven by Colombian artisans - proving that Meghan is personalizing her looks for each tour.

Meghan wore just one high street outfit the entire time - a sleeveless shirt from Mango - instead favoring stylish and often bespoke pieces from her favorite designers.

In total, her clothes and jewelry came to $118,614 (89,964) - but as several items were gifted, the true value may be far higher. Significantly, this figure also doesn't include her $184,585 (140,000) engagement ring.

By combining old staples and several new items, Meghan put on a fashion display fit for royalty in her four days in Colombia.
Blake Lively is facing yet more backlash after a clip of a Vogue interivew resurfaced from 10 years ago.

The 37-year-old has been under fire over her promotion of controversial film It Ends With Us, and a rumored feud with her co-star and the film's director, Justin Baldoni.

A series of old interview clips, which appear to show Lively in a bad light, have since resurfaced in recent weeks. The latest video originally aired in July 2014 and shows a Vogue journalist asking the actress which 'movie you laughed the hardest through' - with the actress's response baffling social media users.

'Shawshank Redemption,' she says with a straight face.

Blake Lively is facing backlash for a tone-deaf answer following a resurfaced video of her 73 Questions With Vogue segment

The journalist quickly laughs before swiftly moving on to the next question.

The 1994 film is notoriously somber. Set in a prison, it centers around a banker, played by Tim Robbins, who is sentenced to life in prison for murdering his wife and the man she was cheating on him with.

However, he maintains his innocence and eventually befriends a fellow prisoner, played by Morgan Freeman, while also experiencing the brutality of prison.

Blake's response does appear to be an attempt at humor, but social media users couldn't help but point out the awkward exchange.

'The Shawshank Redemption? I cried watching it,' one astounded user said.

'Even as a joke I would not have picked Shawshank Redemption. Something like The Human Centipede or Silence of the Lambs would be better suited,' another user joked.

'Shawshank is one of my favorite movies but to LAUGH through it is INSANE! I cry literally every time I watch it,' another wrote.

The 1994 film - starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman - is a notoriously somber film

Blake has recently faced criticism for how she has promoted the film amid allegations of a rumored rift with Justin Baldoni, who plays her on-screen love interest

It Ends With Us, which is based on Colleen Hoover's novel of the same name, follows Lily Bloom, played by Blake, who becomes embroiled in an abusive relationship with Ryle Kincaid, portrayed by Justin

'Guys, is just sarcasm but badly delivered,' someone said, coming to Lively's defense.

Lively has recently faced criticism for how she has promoted It Ends With Us, amid allegations of a rumored rift with Justin Baldoni, who plays her on-screen love interest.

The film, which is based on Colleen Hoover's novel of the same name, follows Lily Bloom, played by Blake, who becomes embroiled in an abusive relationship with Ryle Kincaid, portrayed by Justin.

Rumors of a divide between the two stars first arose after fans noticed that they'd failed to do any press together leading up to the movie's release, and didn't interact at the red carpet premiere in Los Angeles.

Lively has since endured backlash over her past 'mean girl' behavior and comments in multiple resurfaced interviews over the years, including her use of the transgender slur 'tranny'.

The film focuses heavily on domestic abuse, with the Gossip Girl actress criticized for the way she has appeared to make light of serious questions about the themes during interviews.

Amid the controversy, a journalist resurfaced an 'uncomfortable' interview that she had with Blake in 2016, which further increased public fury.

During that sit-down, the actress made a snarky comment about Norwegian reporter Kjersti Flaa's 'bump' after she had congratulated a then-pregnant Blake on her impending arrival - but the journalist was not pregnant.
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As tourists pack into America's most popular national parks, savvy travelers may wish to visit some hidden gems rather than battling the 'tourons' of Yosemite.

Cedar Grove Lodge, at the Kings Canyon National Park is located only five hours away from Los Angeles, and features gorgeous close-by views of mountains, waterfalls, valleys, and ancient trees and glaciers, some of which are millions of years old.

Its surrounding nature offers plenty of campgrounds, hiking trails and swimming holes for every visitor to find their personal niche.

Starting at just $191 per night, the 21 hotel rooms - which are television-free, have limited Wi-Fi access, and offer no cell phone service - inspire nature enthusiasts to get outside and explore the great outdoors, such as the Kings River, which is situated close by.

The rustic Cedar Grove Lodge, which is open from May to October, offers both queen and king beds, standard and suite rooms, and includes complimentary breakfast in its expensive daily cost.

As tourists pack into America's most popular national parks, savvy travelers may wish to visit some hidden gems rather than battling the 'tourons' of Yosemite.

Cedar Grove Lodge, at the Kings Canyon National Park is located only five hours away from Los Angeles, and features gorgeous close-by views of mountains, waterfalls and valleys

Its surrounding nature offers plenty of campgrounds, hiking trails and swimming holes for every visitor to find their personal niche



According to the National Park Reservations listing: 'Cedar Grove Lodge places you at the heart of the action.

'Located just a few miles from Road's End, the park's farthest accessible point by car, the lodge provides the perfect launching pad for venturing into the park's wilderness.

'Embark on awe-inspiring hikes to iconic landmarks like North Dome and Grand Sentinel, marvel at the expansive beauty of Zumwalt Meadow, or stand humbled at the foot of Muir Rock, a glacial erratic named after famed naturalist John Muir.

'For those seeking a refreshing cascade, Roaring Falls, with its powerful presence, is just a short distance away.'

The listing continued: 'After a day of exploring the park's breathtaking landscapes, return to Cedar Grove Lodge for a relaxing respite.

'The lodge offers clean and comfortable accommodations, ensuring a restful night's sleep before your next adventure.

'Whether you're seeking a romantic getaway, a family vacation filled with unforgettable memories, or a solo exploration of Kings Canyon's wonders, Cedar Grove Lodge provides a welcoming haven.'

The hotel grounds also offer a gift shop, a market, laundry facility, ATM, and the Cedar Grove Diner.

The 21 hotel rooms, which are television-free, have limited Wi-Fi access, and offer no cell phone service, inspire nature enthusiasts to get outside and explore the great outdoors

The rustic Cedar Grove Lodge, which is open from May to October, offers both queen and king beds, standard and suite rooms, and includes complimentary breakfast

Its park activities include a sightseeing bus tour, horse back riding, and trips to the Crystal Cave

The Cedar Grove Snack Bar offers open breakfast, lunch and dinner for its visitors.

The hotel's gift shop features a plethora of options, ranging from the necessities of food and ice, to tent stakes and chairs.

The Cedar Grove Village provides accessibility to showers for an affordable token of $1.50, in exchange for three minutes, which can be extended if needed.

Besides its jaw-dropping backdrops, the Yosemite-esque views at Kings Canyon National Park, welcome a fraction of visitors that the iconic location typically gets, making it a sanctuary for wander lusters searching for some quiet downtime.

The National Park Service reported that last August, Yosemite got more than 594,000 visitors, whereas Kings Canyon only got 81,000.

Unlike the notorious national park, King's Canyon is less tamed and less manicured.

Several visitors were overheard enthusiastically saying: 'This is like a chill Yosemite,' according to the LA Times.

Its park activities include a sightseeing bus tour, horse back riding, and trips to the Crystal Cave.
Queen Maxima looked bold in canary yellow during her visit to The Hague

Queen Maxima proved that summer isn't over just yet as she stepped out in citrus during a visit to The Hague on Wednesday.

The Dutch royal, 53, looked picture perfect in an all yellow ensemble, showing off her summery bronzed skin and highlighted blonde hair at a visit to the Helpdesk Geldzaken (Financial Affairs Helpdesk) in The Hague, Netherlands today.

Maxima paired a bold pair of relaxed canary yellow linen trousers with a stylish mustard and beige printed shirt.

She accessorised the chic outfit with a letter-sized clutch bag in the same vibrant citrus shade of yellow as her trousers.

The queen attended the event solo, leaving behind her husband, King Willem and her three teenage daughter.

Queen Maxima, pictured, proved that summer isn't over just yet as she stepped out in citrus during a visit to The Hague on Wednesday

Maxima smiled sweetly as she folded a sheet of paper in her hands while clutching her canary yellow bag between red painted fingers

Maxima finished her summer inspired look with a set of long dangly earrings in complementary brown and chocolate shades.

She opted for her usual smoky eye look, paired with bronzed cheeks and bright make-up to accentuate her natural beauty.

Maxima's well kept blonde hair held its usual glossy sheen today as she stepped out into the warm Dutch sun, allowing the gentle breeze to carry her corn-coloured strands.

The queen was out and about in her home city, The Hague, which is situated on the North Coast of the country, at the location the Dutch parliament.

She met with officials at Helpdesk Geldzaken (Financial Affairs Helpdesk), where Dutch individuals can ask for money advice.

Those going to the desk can ask for an overview of their income and expenditure, request money saving tips, and apply for allowances and tax waivers.

Maxima finished her summer inspired look with a set of long dangly earrings in complimentary brown and chocolate shades

At one point, she stood and listened as she spoke to officials at the helpdesk, closely absorbing their words

Maxima paired a bold pair of relaxed canary yellow linen trousers with a stylish mustard and beige printed shirt

She accessorised the chic outfit with a letter sized clutch bag in the same vibrant citrus shade of yellow as her trousers

During the visit, Maxima was caught smiling on a number of occasions, flashing her film star smile as she was pictured laughing with helpdesk workers

Just yesterday, the Dutch royal was spotted in a smoky blue ensemble as she arrived in Vlissingen, a city famed for its beautiful sea.

The royal, looked effortlessly elegant as she donned an earthy blue lace look during her visit to Scheldekwartier, a district dedicated to maritime heritage in Vlissingen town located in the Walcheren region of the Netherlands.

Joined by her husband, King Willem-Alexander, Maxima sported a sleeveless frock embellished with a gorgeous earthy-coloured lace, worn just below her knee.

The same material had been fashioned into a feminine looking scarf laid over her sun tanned shoulders, and a lace feathered beret perched on her immaculate hair.

Maxima beamed excitedly as she held out a well manicured hand to wave at the crowds that had gathered to welcome her to the city's maritime district.

The mother-of-three completed the fashionable look with a pair of elegant beige grey high heels, blending the earthy hues together.

Maxima was joined by her husband who matched her sea blue theme with a light striped navy suit and dusky blue shirt and tie to compliment his wife's similar coloured dress.

The royals joined officials for a conversation during the visit to the Scheldekwartier, where maritime heritage is being given a new purpose, in Vlissingen.

The couple took part in talks on the progress of the compensation package for the marine barracks, Wind in the Sails.

Maxima was pictured listening intently during talks with officials, turning her head towards the speaker to ensure she caught every word.

Maxima's well kept blonde hair held it's usual glossy sheen today as she stepped out into the warm Dutch sun, allowing the gentle breeze to carry her corn coloured strands

Maxima pictured chatting to workers at Helpdesk Geldzaken. The queen was visiting her native Netherlands city, The Hague, which is situated on the North Coast of the country, at the location the Dutch parliament

She opted for her usual smoky eye look, paired with bronzed cheeks and bright face make-up to accentuate her natural beauty

Maxima flashed another smiled as she strolled out of the Helpdesk in The Hague

As she met with the public who had gathered for the royal appearance, she paused to talk to one woman in sat the edge of the barriers, chatting affectionately to the older lady as she clasped her hands sweetly.

It comes after the news that one of the daughter's of the couple, Princess Alexia, will enroll at University College London from September to begin her bachelor's degree in science and engineering for social change.

The 19-year-old Princess, who is the second child of the royal couple and second in line to the throne after her sister Crown Princess Amalia.

She will study for the three-year BSc degree, which promises to teach students 'in-demand skills needed to solve key challenges of society'.

Alexia is coming towards the end of her gap year, which she said was full of 'travelling, working and all sorts of things.'

Studying at UCL means Princess Alexia will be fully immersed in London life with its Gower Street location around the corner from the British Museum and within walking distance of Oxford Street.
The legendary Bergdorf Goodman saleswoman Betty Halbreich who worked for the luxury Manhattan department store for almost 50 years, has died at the age of 96.

Known as the world's 'most famous personal shopper,' Halbreich's children Kathy and John confirmed that she passed away of natural causes in New York City on August 24.

A statement read: 'Our mom led a compelling life, much of which was spent at her favorite place in the world, at her Bergdorf Goodman desk  her room with a view, tossing zingers while offering those BG tea sandwiches to whomever graced her office.

'From the young lawyer taking a case to court for the first time to decking someone out for an incredible gala evening, she was immensely proud to dress women and help them chase their dreams.'

'Despite all of the glitz and glamour, she held no pretensions  she was both a realist and a romantic,' the statement continued.

Legendary Bergdorf Goodman saleswoman Betty Halbreich, pictured here in 2014, has died at the age of 96

Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall paid tribute to Betty by posting this photo of them with stylist Patricia Field (left)

Betty, seen here in September 2019, is known as the world's 'most famous personal shopper'

'You didnt have to be famous or a billionaire to enter Bettys orbit of care and advice. We will all miss her wisdom, sometimes caustic humor, and passion.'

Mallory Andrews, Bergdorfs former senior vice president for marketing, sales promotion and public relations added: 'Betty was truly one of a kind. You never knew who you might see when you stopped by Bettys office.

'I remember one December seeing Walter Cronkite who was there to select his wifes Christmas gift as he did every year. And then there were Joan Rivers, Betty Buckley, Lena Dunham and the list goes on. Bergdorfs will not be the same without her.'

Halbreich started at the iconic store as a sales associate back in 1976 and was still working there last summer, when she gave an interview to the Wall Street Journal about her more recent time there.

'Manners have changed. People of all ages treat salespeople terribly. It shocks me,' she told the publication in July 2023.

'They throw things around and walk away or come out of the dressing room stripping. I won't tolerate it. The only thing I've ever demanded is: Leave me with my dignity.'

She continued: 'When I started, it was a small, elitist store. People were afraid to come in. Chauffeured cars were allowed, but if you pulled up on a bike, forget it.

'Lately, I've seen a huge uptick in the young. It boggles my mind that they spend the prices that are demanded. They're buying two things: handbags and shoes. Yet somehow, they walk around in jeans and a tank all day.'

Betty was certainly no stranger to having the rich and famous in her office. She is pictured here again with Kim Cattrall

Betty, pictured here around 1950, began working at Bergdorf Goodman back in 1976

Betty pictured with fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi in September 2014

As she chronicled her book I'll Drink To That, Halbreich was already in her 40s when she began her career at Bergdorf Goodman, known to fans as BG.

She took the job after a tumultuous split from an unfaithful, heavy-drinking husband drove her to a nervous breakdown, and she attempted suicide.

'I grew up here, and another person emerged,' she told the Journal of her career at the store.

She suggested the creation of a personal shopping service, which she was tapped to lead.

As Director of Solutions, her official title, Halbreich served a bevy of celebrity clients including Hollywood personalities, socialites, and politicians.

Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall led the tributes to Betty when she took to Instagram to share a photo of them together with stylist Patricia Field.

Kim, 68, captioned the post: 'To the indomitable, unflappable legend Betty Halbreich. You will be greatly missed. @bettyhalbreich Ill drink to that. Rest in peace.'

For more than a century, Bergdorf Goodman has served Midtown Manhattan's upper crust.

Betty's two children said they 'miss her wisdom, sometimes caustic humor, and passion'

The exterior of Bergdorf Goodman store during 2014 Holiday Window Unveiling

The New York City store, which was founded in 1899 and permanently set up shop on glamorous Fifth Avenue in 1928, sells designer clothes from brands such as Prada, Jimmy Choo, Gucci, Lanvin, Dolce & Gabbana.

It is the favorite store of Carrie Bradshaw, Sarah Jessica Parker's beloved character in HBO's Sex and the City.

Today the store is a subsidiary of Neiman Marcus, which is owned by private equity firm Ares Management.
When Sam was offered a job he was thrilled but wanted to look over the paperwork and chat about the opportunity with his wife before accepting.

The candidate was seeking a company he could dedicate himself to for the next five years, which he disclosed to the employer.

But after explaining he wanted the weekend to review the opportunity, the interviewee lashed out in a rude manner saying she wasn't anticipating a wait time.

British career expert Ben Askins read out the shocking email exchange between Sam and the employer in a video.

'This is how not to handle a job offer,' Ben declared.

The employer, known as Sandra, sent the email to him on a Friday, saying: 'Hi Sam, really pleased to say that we are keen to make you an offer for the role of Project Manager. You will find attached the document detailing the specifics.'

She added how March 4 would be an ideal start date and how the company was looking forward to welcoming him to the role.

Sam replied: 'This is wonderful news. Thank you for sending everything over. As you know, I have really enjoyed meeting the team. If it's okay with you, I will take the weekend to review everything and think it all over and get back to you on Monday.'

British career expert Ben Askins (left) was sent the shocking emails and read out the conversation in a video. Sam was offered a job but rejected it when the employer showed their true colours

'Overall though I'm confident that I will be accepting as this feel like a great role. Thank you again for this opportunity.'

But the response didn't sit well with Sandra who was 'disappointed' to hear Sam required time to think about the offer.

'Please consider the huge leap of faith by sending this offer out to you first,' she wrote back.

Ben was shocked by Sandra's response and noted how Sam 'basically accepted the role'.

'It literally doesn't make sense,' Ben added.

'It literally doesn't make sense,' Ben said in a video (stock image)

The conversation continued and Sam replied: 'Apologies if this wasn't clear, I am absolutely not rejecting the offer.

'I am just saying I want to take the weekend to think about it and talk it over with my wife. As you know, I am looking for somewhere to dedicate the next five years to and so want to consider everything.'

Ben described Sam's response as 'beyond reasonable' - but what Sandra said next shocked him further.

'We were not anticipating you having to spend time thinking about this. If you are going to consider your options then please be aware that we will consider them too. If you take too long you may find that there isn't a job for you,' Sandra explained.

Ben chimed in speaking to the camera, saying: 'I'm sorry, that is just pathetic. It's an absolute toddler tantrum. Do you not want someone to really think about joining you before they actually do so? It's objectively idiotic what Sandra is doing here.'

Rather than accepting the offer, Sam decided to go in a different direction.

'If that is the case, please consider the offer rejected,' he began.

'I have no idea what you have taken what I have said so poorly but it suggests that culturally this is not the best fit for me. Wishing you the very best of luck with the search.'

Ben was furious with Sandra's behaviour, saying: 'I would be livid if I was in charge of Sandra because she's literally cost them what sounds like a really great candidate based off his email. So what on earth was she playing at? I have no idea.'

Within 24 hours the video exceeded more than 480,000 views and many didn't understand why Sandra acted that way.

A hiring manager jumped into the comments and said: 'This is insane. Let them have the weekend to think about it. Its a big decision. This candidate dodged a bullet.'

'Pro tip: if they are rushing for any answer on major decisions, they don't respect you,' another woman said.

A third said: 'Sam was lucky Sandra reacted like that. Showed him who he would truly have been working for.'
Britain's biggest doctors' union has today demanded a total ban on all flavoured vapes in a bid to tackle the country's e-cigarette 'epidemic'.

The British Medical Association (BMA) argued the government must take 'bold and brave action' to protect children and the environment from their harms.

Figures show regular vaping among children and young people has risen almost six-fold in the last decade.

The BMA report, 'Taking our breath away: Why we need stronger regulation of vapes', blames the rise on the 'widespread availability of disposable vapes'.

As part of a 'vital crackdown', it also wants ministers to ban all imagery, colouring and branding on vapes and their packaging  similar to existing rules on cigarettes.

A shocking MailOnline investigation last year even uncovered vapes resembling sweets and high street stores selling the devices next to chocolate and fruit gummies

Campaigners have long blamed predatory manufacturers for the ever-growing crisis, claiming they are intentionally luring kids in with colourful packaging, compared to highlighter pens, and child-friendly flavours such as bubblegum and cotton candy

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The products should also be kept out of sight, behind the counter, the BMA adds.

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 Labour's 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 BMA's 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 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'.

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.

The BMA 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.

Charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) estimates 18 per cent of 11 to 17-year-olds in Britain  or around 980,000 youngsters  have vaped in 2024.

Some 7.6 per cent of 11 to 17 year olds now vaping regularly or occasionally, compared to 1.3 per cent in 2014.

Professor David Strain, chair of the BMA's board of science, said: 'There is no denying we are living in a vaping epidemic.

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Your browser does not support iframes.

'Vape usage has risen hugely in the last decade, with one in ten 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 people's 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.'

The World Health Organisation has declared vapes as harmful.

Kyla Blight, a 17-year-old student whod been vaping since she was 15, made headlines after being taken to hospital with a collapsed lung

The devices can lead to nicotine addiction, which has the potential to cause health problems such as high blood pressure on chronic lung diseases.

Some e-cigarettes have been found to contain other harmful substances such as lead and synthetic drug spice.

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.'
A UK-wide screening strategy is the only way to solve the 'postcode lottery' issues with prostate cancer diagnosis, a charity claims.

It insists the current system, whereby men over 50 can request a prostate-specific antigen test, leads to many cases being caught too late.

Prostate Cancer Research believes improvements to testing, including better scans and safer biopsies, mean the benefits now outweigh the risks, such as false positives and over-treatment.

It will hand into Downing Street today a petition, with more than 135,000 signatures, calling on the Government to implement a national screening scheme for the disease.

Oliver Kemp, from the charity, stated that failure to make this available to all men is costing lives.

Prostate Cancer Research believes improvements to testing, including better scans and safer biopsies, mean the benefits now outweigh the risks, such as false positives and over-treatment (stock photo)

He said: 'Early detection is our most powerful weapon against prostate cancer, yet we're failing to implement effective screening across the UK.

'The current approach isn't just inefficient, it's unjust. We're calling on the UK National Screening Committee and the Government to take advantage of recent technological advancements to rectify this.'

The charity claimed that a 'national tragedy' existed, meaning that survival prospects for the most common cancer among men could come down to where they live.

The Daily Mail, relaunching its End Needless Prostate Deaths campaign last year, revealed how men living in parts of the North East are almost six times more likely to be diagnosed after their cancer has spread than in the country's top performing trusts.

The Prostate Cancer Research analysis also found patients in northern counties were significantly less likely to have access to cutting-edge diagnostics and treatment compared with the South.

This is despite research showing that treating men with advanced prostate cancer is typically four times as expensive as when it is caught early, costing up to 55,652 a year compared to 13,247 for men diagnosed before it has spread.

Professor Mike Kirby, from the British Association of Urological Surgeons, said: 'Too many times have I seen the impact of late-stage prostate cancer diagnoses.

'We need a more proactive approach to screening, especially for high-risk groups. While we must be mindful of over-diagnosis, changes to clinical practice have decreased the number of men over-treated and provides clear guidelines ensuring more consistent care across the country.'

Prostate Research UK insists the current system, whereby men over 50 can request a prostate-specific antigen test, leads to many cases being caught too late

The petition comes after Prostate Cancer UK launched the biggest screening initiative in 20 years. The 42million TRANSFORM trial will test the effectiveness of diagnosis techniques including MRIs when compared to the current standard, prostate-specific antigen blood test.

It is largely expected to lead to a national programme but there are fears this could take years  with thousands of men dying in the meantime.

The Mail has campaigned for more than two decades on improving prostate cancer outcomes.

A Department of Health spokesman said: 'Too many cancer patients are waiting too long for treatment and we are determined to change that.

'This includes finding the best way to screen for prostate cancer, which is why we are investing 16million towards the TRANSFORM screening trial to find ways to catch prostate cancer in men as early as possible.'

Prostate cancer is responsible for 14 per cent of all male cancer deaths and is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men in the UK.
A once healthy and energetic mother-of-three was left bedbound for a year after the symptoms of long Covid left her with extreme pain daily.

Kirsty Huxter, who had three doses of the Covid vaccine months before she caught the virus in December 2022, suffered so badly she was 'scared' to move in case she 'had a heart attack'.

The 46-year-old from Essex, like millions of people, first had mild symptoms, primarily a headache and tiredness  but a nightmare ensued over the following 12 months.

She went from being a budding writer who volunteered at her local church, to barley being able to move without going into 'tremors'.

The only time she got out of bed was to go to the toilet.

Kirsty Huxter, who had all three vaccines months before she caught the virus in December 2022, suffered so badly she was 'scared' to move in case she had 'a heart attack'

Four days after testing positive, Mrs Huxter, pictured with her husband David, returned to work since she 'felt fine'

'There were barely any symptoms  it was only because my husband, David, had a headache that I took a test,' she said.

'Otherwise, I would have just thought I was a bit tired.'

Four days after testing positive, Mrs Huxter, who is mum to Rachel, 20, Leah, 17, and Elijah, 14, returned to her job as the manager of the youth charity since she 'felt fine'.

But when the aspiring writer started to walk to work, she began to get out of breath.

'I was also getting tired by late afternoon so I just tried to rest more,' she said.

Although many people note tiredness as a side-effect of Covid, Mrs Huxter sensed something wasn't right when she didn't recover after a few weeks and her fatigue got worse.

'I started to do click and collect instead of going to the supermarket because I didnt think I could walk around for 45 minutes and I worked from home a few days a week. At this point, I was getting tired but otherwise felt fine,' she said.

Although many people note tiredness as a side-effect of Covid, Mrs Huxter sensed something wasn't right when she didn't recover after a few weeks and her fatigue got worse

Extreme tiredness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, dizziness, brain fog, joint pain and muscle aches are all tell-tale signs of long Covid

But a month later in February 2023, she started to feel 'really bad' and needed to stay in bed more frequently.

'That was my first indicator that this would not just disappear,' she said.

'I continued for a few months pacing myself, barely leaving the house, just working from home, but still doing housework.

'I noticed that after putting the bins out one night I felt absolutely exhausted  my muscles were burning.'

Around two million people in the UK are reported to live with long Covid, including 112,000 children, while US officials suggest one in ten people who catch the virus will develop the condition.

Extreme tiredness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, dizziness, brain fog, joint pain and muscle aches are all tell-tale signs of the condition.

In June last year Mrs Huxter woke up at 4am alone at home with a racing heart, which didnt subside. She called an ambulance when she was 'scared' to move 'in case she had a heart attack'

Two months later in August 2023, she was bedbound and only able to stand to get to the toilet

Mrs Huxter recalls finally feeling good after a few days of resting, five months after testing positive she was able to get out the house more.

But one night her debilitating symptoms came back.

'I couldnt stand up for very long  I felt like I was being pushed down to the ground,' she recalled.

In June last year Mrs Huxter woke up at 4am alone at home with a racing heart, which didnt subside.

She called an ambulance when she was 'scared' to move 'in case she had a heart attack'.

But despite her ordeal, she was discharged from hospital and told she was 'young and healthy'.

But two months later in August 2023, she was bedbound and only able to stand to get to the toilet.

'I ate all my meals in bed. My sleep was unrefreshing and I would often be awake for hours during the night,' she said.

She confessed she even struggled to read books because they gave her a headache as 'the words went fuzzy on the page'.

Mrs Huxter said: 'I could also only watch TV for about 30 minutes at a time as it exhausted me.

'It cant have been easy for my kids to watch their previously healthy mum become so radically different.

'Id rely on them to help with basic tasks, like bringing me food and water. My role as manager of the youth charity had to go as Im not capable of doing that.'

It was in these 'frightening and confusing' times that Mrs Huxter found herself thinking a lot about death.

She said: 'I didnt think about my life or what I used to be able to do or what I couldnt do because that felt overwhelming.

'It was frightening and confusing. I thought a lot about death  was this the end? Should I start writing letters for my children in case this was it?'

Last September, she found herself struggling to breathe again and called an ambulance. She was then referred to an NHS long Covid clinic.

She recalls feel like she was being 'poisoned' and losing a stone due to gut issues.

'When I told a paramedic this, she replied, "Well, at least youre slim." We even bought a cheap wheelchair online when I realised there was no way I could walk anywhere any more,' she said.

After a lengthy battle with a variety of symptoms, Mrs Huxter, 'desperate to try anything' started using a neuromodulator, a small device which sends mild electrical signals that modulate the nervous system  similar to a TENS machine.

After a lengthy battle with a variety of symptoms, Mrs Huxter, 'desperate to try anything' started using a neuromodulator, a small device which sends mild electrical signals that modulate the nervous system  similar to a TENS machine

Now, two years after her battle with long Covid began she can go for a walk, run a bath, pour herself a bowel of cereal and even look at her phone or computer for short spells

Despite it making her feel slightly better, she was still battling ongoing symptoms.

'They come and go and sometimes new symptoms will appear, but theres never a reason why a symptom will get worse or better,' she said.

'This makes it really hard to pace or track anything. I have gone through extreme fatigue, poor sleep, anxiety, brain fog, tingling, tremors, muscle pain, headaches, nausea and gut issues. Some have come and gone. Others, like fatigue, have been constant,' she added.

Now, two years after her battle with long Covid began she can go for a walk, run a bath, pour herself a bowel of cereal and even look at her phone or computer for short spells. But it's still a 'world away' from her 'normal life'.

'My day is measured in terms of energy. If I have a doctors appointment, that will be the only thing I can do that day as it will require energy to get dressed and be out of the house,' she said.

She added: 'My dream of being an author is not just on ice, its in the freezer. I dont know what capacity I will regain, cognitively or physically, so Im making no plans at all.'
America's top doctor has declared a public health emergency among parents.

The US surgeon general said parents are under dangerous levels of stress and loneliness and may be passing mental health problems to their children.

In his report, Dr Vivek Murthy cited American Psychological Association research saying nearly half of parents report feel overwhelming stress most days, compared to 26 percent of other adults.

And research shows they are lonelier too. Dr Murthy's report highlighted surveys showing around two-thirds of parents are lonely compared with 55 percent of those without kids.

US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy said issued a warning Wednesday on the state of parents' mental health, saying most were 'completely overwhelmed'

Dr Murthy added: 'With this Advisory, I am calling for a fundamental shift in how we value and prioritize the mental health and well-being of parents. I am also outlining policies, programs, and individual actions we can all take to support parents and caregivers.'

Among the recommendations, Dr Murthy pressed for funding for national paid family and medical leave, guarantee sick time for workers and increase access to affordable mental health care.

The top doctor said: 'Parents have a profound impact on the health of our children and the health of society.

'Yet parents and caregivers today face tremendous pressures, from familiar stressors such as worrying about their kids health and safety and financial concerns, to new challenges like navigating technology and social media... [and] an epidemic of loneliness that has hit young people the hardest.'

Not only is parental mental health important for those individuals, but the advisory said their wellbeing has an impact on their children.

And Dr Murthy told Reuters: 'Behind this youth mental health crisis is real crisis with parents, where many of them are struggling with profound stress and with their own mental health challenge.

'If you really want to help kids, one of the things you've got to do is actually help parents.'

The advisory called for employers to establish training programs for supervisors about stress management and work-life balance and encouraged healthcare professionals and social service groups to screen parents for mental health conditions.

Parents, particularly single ones, are also experiencing a disproportionate level of loneliness, Dr Murthy said.

While it is not known how many parents are being treated for mental health conditions, about 23 percent of US adults visited a therapist or psychiatrist in 2022.

The percentage of adults who report having been diagnosed with depression has reached 29 percent, which is almost 10 percentage points higher than in 2015.

And teens' mental health is also deteriorating. The CDC found one in 10 US high schoolers attempted suicide in 2021, up from 8.9 percent a year earlier. Females were struck hardest, with 13.3 percent attempting suicide that year.

Lawmakers have attempted to alleviate some of the mental health burden on families, but President Joe Biden's legislation ensuring paid family and medical leave was thwarted by Republicans and some Democrats in Congress.

Dr Murthy, whose time in office is expected to conclude at the end of Biden's term in January, told Reuters the issue should not be politicized.

The doctor said: 'As a country, we need to invest more in caring for... parents and supporting their well-being.

'My hope is that... the well-being of parents would not be a political or partisan issue.'
Some common nighttime cold and flu tablets could raise the risk of seizures in young children, concerning research found today.

Scientists in South Korea, analysed data on kids who had visited an emergency department with a seizure.

They discovered those prescribed medications, dubbed 'first generation' antihistamines' were 22 per cent more likely to suffer the medical episode.

This risk stood at 31 per cent among kids aged between six months to two-years-old.

Experts today warned medics should be cautious when prescribing these anti-allergy drugs, often used for colds in young children.

Scientists in South Korea , analysed data on kids who had visited an emergency department with a seizure. They discovered those prescribed medications, dubbed 'first generation' antihistamines' were 22 per cent more likely to suffer the medical episode

Antihistamines decrease the production of histamine, a substance that leads to a runny nose, watery eyes, and sneezing.

Some cold and cough remedies also contain antihistamines.

Older first generation drugs, unlike newer antihistamines, can often make users feel sleepy as they pass easily from the blood to the brain.

Under NHS guidance, only children over six should be prescribed diphenhydramine, one type of first generation antihistamines.

The study identified 11,729 children, born between 2002 and 2005, who had visited an emergency department with a seizure.

Researchers from the CHA University School of Medicine in South Korea, found of these, 3,178 kids had taken antihistamines in the period before a seizure, suggesting the drugs increased the risk.

A third (31 per cent) of seizures observed were in children between six moths old and two years, and less than half (45 per cent) were in children just over two years to six.

The scientists also found children were also most at risk if they had been prescribed the drugs up to 15 days before.

Writing in the journal JAMA, they said: 'Because first-generation antihistamines can cross the blood brain barrier, their effects may extend beyond somnolence [sleepiness] and drowsiness to markedly influence brain wave activity.

'Thus, caution is advised when prescribing these antihistamines to children younger than two years, an age group for whom drug safety data are lacking and first-generation antihistamines are generally not recommended.'

They also suggested that children under six are more vulnerable to seizures than older age groups due 'to the developing blood brain barrier, which continues to evolve in this age group.'

The scientists added: 'In infants, incomplete formation of the blood brain barrier leads to increased permeability and a higher risk of drug penetration into the brain tissue.

'Therefore, antihistamines, which are relatively harmless to adults and older children, might markedly affect infants in a negative manner.'

Although researchers did find an increased risk of seizures in children who took the antihistamines, used in cold and flu medicine, study authors suggest further research is needed.

'The benefits and risks of antihistamine use should always be carefully considered, especially when prescribing H1 antihistamines to vulnerable infants,' they said.

'Further research is needed to elucidate associations between antihistamine prescriptions and seizure risk,' they added.
A woman in Georgia has been 'practically paralyzed' from the waist down after falling sick with mosquito-borne infection as Anthony Fauci.

Anne Dillard, from Atlanta, was rushed to the ER after she collapsed at home this month and found herself unable to stand up.

She was diagnosed with West Nile Virus  which hospitalized Dr Fauci earlier this month said she also suffered from a rash that spread from her stomach to the rest of her body.

It comes amid a spate of concerns over mosquito-carried illnesses in the US, with cities across several states now spraying streets to kill off the blood suckers.

Anne Dillard, from Atlanta, Georgia, revealed that she had been 'practically paralyzed' by her West Nile Virus infection

She spoke to local news outlets from her hospital bed in Emory University Hospital, Georgia

Among those to have died from infections was a healthy 41-year-old man from New Hampshire who was diagnosed with the mosquito-carried Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE).

Her diagnosis came shortly after that of Dr Anthony Fauci (pictured)

Ms Dillard revealed her case to local station 11Alive after being inspired by Dr Fauci, telling her story over Zoom from her hospital bed.

Revealing her reaction to the diagnosis, she said: 'The whole thing is just completely crazy.

'I get bit by mosquitoes constantly over the summer, my whole life, but I never thought a thing about it.'

She added: 'From my mid-core down, I'm practically paralyzed. I can feel it, but the muscle strength is gone. I can't sit up, stand or walk.'

Ms Dillard believes she got infected after suffering from a mosquito bite near her home in the metro Atlanta area.

The above graph shows West Nile Virus ases by year from 1999, when it first appeared in the US

Shown above are all the counties where West Nile Virus has been detected so far this year

Her symptoms also included lethargy and not wanting to eat much in the days before she collapsed.

Ms Dillard added that she found out she had West Nile Virus just 10 minutes after Dr Fauci announced his own diagnosis.

West Nile Virus arrived in the US in 1999 in New York City, and has since become the nation's most common mosquito-borne disease and spread to every state of the US.

About 2,200 people are seriously sickened by the disease every year, estimates suggest, while 180 people die annually from the infection.

Approximately 80 percent of people who are infected suffer no symptoms, and about one in five suffer from a fever, headache or body ache before it subsides.

Fewer than one in 150 patients suffer from a serious illness which is caused by the disease affecting the central nervous system.

Warning signs include muscle weakness, numbness, paralysis and, in more serious cases, convulsions.

Those over 60 years old or with underlying conditions are more at risk from the disaese.

There are no specific medications for West Nile Virus, with patients instead treated via rest, fluids and over-the-counter pain medications.

Doctors say fatigue or weakness caused by the disease can last for weeks or months before someone recovers, and that most patients do not fully recover from paralysis.
Five more people have died from a food poisoning bug after consuming popular deli meats sold nationwide.

The victims were from Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico and South Carolina and had all consumed Boar's Head products contaminated with the bacteria listeria.

In total eight people have died during the outbreak, the largest since 2011 linked to cantaloupe, and 57 have been hospitalized, with nearly 4,000 tons of meat recalled.

The CDC is urging people to check inspection labels before consuming any Boar's Head products, since some have sell by dates up to October 2024.

In total eight people have died during the outbreak and 57 have been hospitalized, with nearly 4,000 tons of Boar's Head deli meat recalled

Recalled products have the codes EST. 12612 or P-12612 inside the USDA mark of inspection on the product labels.

The CDC recommends people who bought the affected products throw them away or contact stores about returns.

Customers are urged to clean their refrigerators, containers, and surfaces that may have touched sliced deli meats.

The health agency previously recommended not eating deli meats unless they were reheated to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit - a temperature high enough to kill the bacteria.

Keeping the meats cold does not eliminate listeria.

The bacteria can persist on surfaces for weeks and get into slicing tools and countertops that are not deep-cleaned regularly.

Listeria  which kills about one in five of those it infects  is particularly dangerous for the elderly, pregnant women and those with underlying health conditions.

These individuals have weaker immune systems, meaning they may be less able to fight off an infection.

Symptoms can start a few days to 10 weeks after infection, and initially begin as fever, chills, stomach cramps and diarrhea.

But as the infection progresses patients can also suffer from convulsions, loss of balance and confusion.

The bacteria may prove fatal if it spreads into the blood and causes sepsis  where organs start to shut down  or infects nerves and the lining of the brain causing encephalitis  inflammation of the brain's lining.

Infections can be treated using antibiotics, which are given intravenously and can kill off the bacteria.

One victim of the outbreak was 88-year-old father-of-three and Holocaust survivor Gunter 'Garshon' Morgenstein.

Gunter 'Garshon' Morgenstein, a father-of-three from Newport, Virginia, is pictured above with his wife Peggy. He died after suffering from a listeria infection

Sue Fleming, 88, and her husband Patrick, 76, are suing deli meats manufacturer Boar's Head and the shop where they purchased the meat after Ms Fleming became 'deathly ill' from listeria

Last month, days after eating a Boar's Head sausage, he became fatigued and started to have trouble breathing  and was rushed to the hospital.

Doctors said he was infected with listeria, and had developed meningitis as a result, causing deadly brain inflammation.

Another woman from Missouri fell 'deathly ill' after eating a common deli sausage linked to a nationwide listeria outbreak.

Now, Sue Fleming, 88, who lives with her husband Patrick, 76, is suing its manufacturer.

In June, Ms Fleming ate a Boar's Head liverwurst after buying it from her local grocery store.

But in the days that followed she says she developed nausea, diarrhea and stomach cramps, before suffering from shaking and whole-body aches.

She was rushed to hospital, where tests confirmed a listeria infection  according to the lawsuit. She spent nine days in intensive care and 11 in rehab, but claims she still suffers from neurological symptoms and is yet to regain her full strength.

The couple are now suing Boar's Head for more than $25,000 to cover medical and legal costs, and damage to 'enjoyment of life' and their marital relationship.
Firms of all kinds offer courses, from Amazon to HSBC and the British Army

With GCSE and A-level results now out, 16 and 18 year-olds across the country will be preparing to embark on their next journey.

Some will have found that they didn't make the grades for their chosen university course or college, leaving them with little choice but to enter clearing, or look for an alternative.

Others will have decided long ago that carrying on in academia isn't for them, and will be preparing to make their first steps into the world of work.

For those who are keen to learn on the job, an apprenticeship can be the key to getting ahead - and it is no longer just for those looking to get into the manual trades.

Next step: Thousands of employers offer apprenticeships in a vast range of sectors

Big four accountants, Government departments and retail and hospitality giants all have their own apprenticeship schemes, with household names such as Amazon, the BBC and the Home Office all named among the top providers.

Here's what they entail - and how to bag a place.

Which big companies offer apprenticeships?

A number of large firms and organisations have apprenticeship and training courses available at all education levels.

Unsurprisingly these can vary considerably, with everything from a level two LGV driver apprenticeship with Travis Perkins, to a level six risk and compliance apprenticeship at Deloitte.

With such a wide spread of available courses, there are apprenticeships that suit most skill levels and chosen career paths.

However, knowing where to look to find these can be difficult.

Luckily, the Department for Education compiles a list each year of the top 100 apprenticeships, as well as the top 50 apprenticeships at small and medium-sized companies.

Ranked on the number of apprenticeships available, their diversity and the number of apprentices that complete their courses, the larger employers list places the British Army in the top spot.

The force offers upwards of 40 different apprenticeship courses, in everything from animal care to business administration.

Top 50 apprenticeship employers Rank Employer Sector Apprenticeships offered % of Employees New Starts 2023-24 1 The British Army Armed Forces 2, 3, 4, 6 16.00% 4,344 2 BT Technology 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 1.60% 423 3 Royal Navy Armed Forces 2, 3, 4 22.60% 1,816 4 Royal Air Force Armed Forces 2, 3, 4, 5 14.30% 1,212 5 London Ambulance Service Health & social care 3, 4, 5, 6 16.00% 545 6 BAE Systems Engineering & industrial 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 9.70% 1,154 7 The Go-Ahead Group Transport, travel & logistics 2, 3, 4, 5 5.40% 1,066 8 Mitchells & Butlers Hospitality 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 3.50% 1,299 9 Tops Day Nurseries Childcare 2, 3, 5 16.50% 99 10 PwC Professional services 4, 6, 7 8.10% 713 11 Department for Work & Pensions Public sector 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 2.80% 1,179 12 Deloitte Professional services 4, 6, 7 8.70% 774 13 Caroola Professional services 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 27.80% 77 14 BDO Professional services 2, 3, 4, 7 12.20% 559 15 Forvis Mazars Professional services 3, 4, 7 23.80% 324 16 Home Office Public sector 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 2.80% 1,172 17 RSM Professional services 3, 4, 7 19.50% 410 18 EY Professional services 4, 6, 7 9.50% 562 19 Amazon Retailing 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 2.10% 865 20 Grant Thornton Professional services 4, 6, 7 18.80% 363 21 North West Ambulance Service Health & social care 3, 4, 6, 7 8.50% 359 22 Buzzacott Professional services 3, 4, 7 24.00% 70 23 Yorkshire Ambulance Service Health & social care 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 8.90% 400 24 Whitbread Hospitality 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 5.80% 1,276 25 BUPA Health & social care 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 4.40% 834 26 West Midlands Ambulance Service Health & social care 2, 4, 6, 7 7.40% 271 27 Bishop Fleming Professional services 4, 7 40.90% 70 28 Specsavers Retailing 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 2.70% 725 29 Network Rail Engineering & industrial 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 3.90% 570 30 Tesco Retailing 2, 3, 4, 5 0.60% 873 31 John Lewis Partnership Retailing 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 1.90% 835 32 Hays Travel Transport, travel & logistics 2, 3, 4 10.40% 250 33 Ministry of Defence Public sector 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 3.90% 796 34 GXO Logistics Transport, travel & logistics 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 3.50% 811 35 Moore Kingston Smith Professional services 4, 7 22.10% 143 36 Busy Bees Nurseries Childcare 2, 3, 5 10.00% 695 37 Armstrong Watson Professional services 3, 4, 7 20.20% 61 38 Travis Perkins Trade supplier 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 5.90% 690 39 Kids Planet Day Nurseries Childcare 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 14.40% 501 40 Babcock International Engineering & industrial 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 5.70% 429 41 Howdens Trade supplier 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 4.00% 359 42 Northumbria Police Public sector 3, 4, 6 19.50% 97 43 The Best Connection Group Business services 2, 3 7.00% 60 44 Greene King Hospitality 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 3.20% 773 45 Price Bailey Professional services 4, 7 26.00% 47 46 Kreston Reeves Professional services 7 21.90% 48 47 BBC Media 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 3.50% 348 48 HSBC Banking & finance 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 2.80% 546 49 The Old Station Nursery Group Childcare 2, 3, 5 10.40% 136 50 AESSEAL Manufacturing 2, 3, 4 14.20% 39 Source: Department for Education

The army also offers the opportunity to study to become an officer straight after finishing your A-Levels, with the opportunity to study for degree level apprenticeships later in your career.

To join as an officer, you just need 72 UCAS points, which is equivalent to three Ds at A Level. Soldiers earn more than 28,000 when they start their officer training, rising to 34,000 when they commission.

The Royal Navy and Royal Airforce also offer similar apprenticeship opportunities.

On the other hand, a military life might not be for you.

If you are still keen on public service, however, apprenticeships are also available from many local ambulance and police services, as well as Government departments such as the Department for Work and Pensions or HMRC.

Meanwhile, a number of accountancy firms make their way into the list, with three of the big four (EY, Deloitte and PwC) making appearances.

There are also apprenticeships offered in the hospitality, banking, media and engineering industries.

There are, of course, other routes that might not be viewed as apprenticeships in the traditional sense. For example, heading to flight school could see your career take off and land you in a well-paying career as a commercial pilot.

'I fly planes at 24 after Easyjet training scheme'

Marco, 24, decided against attending university and instead joined a training course with EasyJet, which offered a job upon completion.

He said: 'I chose to go into pilot training as it had been my dream job for as long as I can remember.

'I managed to pass the selection process for one of the few pilot cadet programmes operating at the time, which was one of the very few opportunities where you were guaranteed a job upon completion.

'I contemplated going to university but having been given an opportunity to obtain my dream role, I decided to pursue this route instead.

'Having visited many friends at their universities, I sometimes felt like I was missing out, particularly on the social aspect. Having said that, I had a lot of fun at flying school and made lifelong friends. Equally, the job has given me so many experiences that, in my view, more than compensate for choosing this path instead of university.'

Since qualifying, Marco has progressed to a career with British Airways.

He told This is Money: 'I joined British Airways in January this year as a first officer, flying the Airbus a320 family of aircraft from London Heathrow. I've also had the added bonus of flying to and exploring some amazing places, such as Nice, Venice and Barcelona, to name a few.

'When you leave school, it can feel like everyone around you is going to university and has their careers planned out. I know from my personal experience that university wasn't the right option for me, and it's great to see the number of alternative pathways and programmes now available.'

British Airways offers a fully funded training course with its Speedbird Pilot Academy, offering 200 places for cadets, and a conditional job offer upon completion.

Other airlines such as Ryanair and Easyjet also offer similar courses, such as the Multi-crew Pilot License course that Marco completed.

Bespoke service: Adam's business specialises in making and fitting custom kitchens

Don't brush off small businesses

Choosing an apprenticeship at a smaller firm, while not giving you a big name for your CV, can help you to develop your skills more quickly and take on new responsibilities.

Adam, 32, chose such a company after studying for a National Diploma in Carpentry and Joinery instead of A-Levels, opening the way for him to get an apprenticeship as a joiner.

Adam told This is Money: 'The bench joinery course allowed me to get an apprenticeship as a bench joiner. The course I did was the best suited for me as I was more interested in fine furniture and joinery rather than site carpentry.

'I chose my apprenticeship because I always enjoyed doing practical things from a young age, seeing how things worked and enjoyed making things.

'I took woodwork at school and enjoyed the feeling of achievement from taking a pile of timber to a finished piece of furniture.'

Enrolling on this apprenticeship eventually allowed Adam to establish his own company, AH Joinery & Kitchens, something he had always dreamed of doing.

Top 50 SME apprenticeship employers Rank Employer Sector 1 DJH Professional services 2 Roe Brickwork Construction 3 LB Group Professional services 4 Lee Marley Brickwork Construction 5 Rosedene Nurseries Childcare 6 Smailes Goldie Professional services 7 Nurture Support Services Childcare 8 PM+M Professional services 9 Hopscotch Children's Nurseries Childcare 10 Darke & Taylor Construction 11 Bodystreet Sport & fitness 12 Connect Scaffolding Construction 13 Dogs Play Daycare Animal care 14 James Cowper Kreston Professional services 15 Less Than Zero Barbers Hairdressing 16 Zenopa Recruitment services 17 Malcolm Murphy Hair Hairdressing 18 The Rainbow Nursery Childcare 19 Lander Tubular Products Manufacturing 20 Daniel Galvin Hairdressing 21 Walter Dawson & Son Professional services 21 Adopstar Advertising 23 Complete Fixing Solutions Construction 24 Monahans Professional services 25 Westcotts Professional services 26 HB Accountants Professional services 27 Lyons & Annoot Construction 28 Contemporary Salons Hairdressing 29 Intelect Engineering & industrial 30 Westcliffe Pharmacy Health & social care 31 Brambles Outdoor Nursery Group Childcare 32 Troup Bywaters + Anders Engineering & industrial 33 Hungry Caterpillar Day Nurseries Childcare 34 Francesco Hair Salon Hairdressing 35 Bright Futures Nursery Childcare 36 Derry Building Services Construction 37 Sutherland & Co Law Professional services 38 Sure Solutions Engineering & industrial 39 Cherry Tree Kennels & Cattery Animal care 40 Ed's Hair Hairdressing 41 Ihsan Children's Centre & Nursery Childcare 42 Energus Business services 43 PJCO Accountants Professional services 44 Rockley Watersports Leisure 45 Collinge & Co Hairdressing 46 Little Learners Day Care Childcare 47 ACS Group Business services 48 The Real Outdoor Xperience Leisure 49 Western Counties Roofing Construction 50 The Temple Practice Health & social care Source: Department for Education

He said: 'The apprenticeship is where I learnt most of what I know, including a wide range of skills where I grew in confidence to move up in roles within companies. It also allowed me to take my skill trade abroad to further my career focusing on cabinet making.

'It was always a goal of mine to run my own company and help clients design their own furniture. Covid allowed me to take advantage of an abundance of work as everyone was renovating their homes.

'Since then the company has grown and moved into a workshop with employees which allows us to design, manufacture and install bespoke furniture.'

'It definitely helped me grow in confidence to get me to where I am now. It's a great way to learn whilst earning money and helping the trades continue to grow.'

Apprenticeships are an essential part of growth for small businesses like Adam's, and like the firm he began his career with.

Offering this training allows smaller companies to both train future employees and plug gaps in the operations, without recruitment costs becoming overwhelming.

Much like apprenticeships offered by large firms, smaller businesses offer courses in a variety of sectors.

Amongst the top firms are DJH, LB Group and Smailes Goldie, which all offer accountancy apprenticeships, as well as construction firms like Roe Brickwork, Lee Marley Brickwork and Darke & Taylor.

Three childcare companies, Rosedene Nurseries, Nurture Support Services and Hopscotch Children's Nurseries all make their way into the top ten employers.

Skills bootcamps

People above the age of 19 who may have taken a year out, or are unsure of their next step, can take advantage of Government skills bootcamps in a range of sectors such as HGV driving, the digital sector and the green sector.

These courses are free, though may require some qualifications, and take up to 16 weeks in a flexible format.

Some of the courses will also give you a qualification upon completion, as well as helping you to get a job at the end of the course.

Skills courses can be accessed via the National Careers Service.
Hobbycraft has been sold to an investment group for an undisclosed sum.

Modella Capital bought the arts and crafts seller from the equity firm Bridgepoint which has owned it since 2010.

Hobbycraft  which has around 2,000 employees and 124 stores across the UK  has been on sale since February.

On the block: Private equity firm Bridgepoint has sold arts and crafts seller Hobbycraft, which has 124 stores across the UK, after owning it since 2010

Founded in 1995, the chains products range from baking supplies to sewing kits to paints.

Hobbycraft chief executive Dominic Jordan said Modella Capital was an ideal partner.

He said they have a deep understanding of the retail sector, shared vision and cultural values, combined with significant reserves of growth capital.

The retailer made 216million in sales and 10.4million in profits last year.

There are plans for seven shops in 2025, which will create around 105 jobs.

Modella Capital has previously invested in High Street names such as stationery chain Paperchase, which collapsed in February 2023 before Tesco bought its brand.

The announcement came as figures from lobby group, the CBI, revealed that retail sales volumes dropped for the third month in a row in the year to August.

And 25 per cent of retailers said they expect their business situation to deteriorate over the next three months compared to 17 per cent who said this in May.

But Joseph Price, managing director at Modella Capital, said they would back Hobbycrafts real commitment to bricks and mortar retail.
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.
John Wood Group is set to raise net proceeds of around $165million after agreeing the sale of two business units.

The FTSE 250 oilfield services firm told investors on Wednesday it had agreed to sell CEC Controls Company and its stake in its Ethos Energy Group joint venture with Siemens Energy.

Wood Group, which plunged to a $899million loss in the first half, is undergoing a disposal programme of non-core businesses amid an efficiency drive.

Wood Group has agreed to sell stakes in EthosEnergy and CEC Controls

It follows the collapse of a deal that would have seen Wood Group snapped up by Dubai-based engineering business Sidara for 1.6billion.

Wood Group said it would sell its 51 per cent stake in rotating equipment specialist EthosEnergy to private equity firm One Equity Partners, which will buy the whole business after also coming to an agreement with Siemens Energy.

It expects net cash proceeds of $95million upon completion of the deal at the end of this year, subject to regulatory approval, as well as the repayment of $42million of loan notes plus interest upon maturity in around five years' time.

The joint venture employs roughly 3,600 people globally and contributed $34million of adjusted earnings before nasties to Wood's results last year.

Industrial and process control systems business CEC Controls and its affiliated entity in Mexico will be sold to German industrial group SCIO Automation Group for a cash consideration of $30million, Wood said.

The business, which employs around 20 people globally and is headquartered in Michigan in the US, generated $66million of revenue and $6million of adjusted earnings before nasties last year.

Wood expects to generate net cash proceeds of around $29 million upon completion, subject to working capital adjustments

Chief strategy officer Jennifer Richmond said: 'The sale of these two non-core businesses is further evidence of progress of our strategy.

'We continue to review Wood's portfolio in line with our strategic priorities to be selective in our markets and capabilities and steadfast in our commitment to simplify Wood and deliver greater cash flexibility.'
Some expat pensioners living in the EU will remain eligible for the winter fuel allowance, while millions of people living in Britain will go without.

Last month, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that pensioners in England and Wales who are not on pension credit or other means-tested benefits will no longer get winter fuel payments worth between 100 and 300. The changes kick in next month.

Labour has claimed the move will save around 1.4billion a year.

Due to the Brexit withdrawal agreement, some pensioners living in the EU will still be able to claim winter fuel allowance, even if their wealth breaches Reeves' newly imposed thresholds for England and Wales.

The winter fuel allowance is not available for British expats in all EU countries. For example, it is not available to British expats living in France or Spain.

Disparity: Expat pensioners living in the EU will remain eligible for the 300 winter fuel allowance, while millions of people living in Britain will go without under Rachel Reeves' plan

British expats living in the EU, or Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland are guaranteed the allowance thanks to the Brexit withdrawal agreement.

According to The Telegraph, approximately 35,000 retirees on the Continent are in line to get the winter fuel allowance payout.

On Friday, Ofgem revealed that a typical household's annual energy bill will rise by 149 in October under the new price cap.

People using an average amount of gas and electricity will pay 1,717 a year, representing a 10 per cent increase.

On Tuesday, Sir Keir Starmer said the decision to axe universal winter fuel payments, was necessary to repair what he claimed was a 22billion 'hole' in the public finances.

He said the move was 'necessary to repair the public finances.'

Reeves also defended the move, stating this week: 'It was a decision that I had to make in incredibly challenging circumstances to put our public finances on a firm footing.'

Energy bosses have been called in for talks by the Government today on helping vulnerable households during winter months.

Bosses from Centrica, EDF, E.On, Octopus Energy, Scottish Power, Good Energy, Rebel Energy, Ovo, So Energy, Ecotricity and Utility Warehouse are meeting at the roundtable event with the Government.

Citizens Advice, Energy UK and Ofgem bosses are also attending the roundtable event.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said restricting the winter fuel payment to those on pension credit or other benefits was 'reckless and wrong' and 'spells disaster for pensioners on low and modest incomes.'

Age UK said it planned to fight the decision and has launched a petition on the matter.

Citizens' Advice boss Dame Clare Moriarty has called for a 'social tariff' in the form of discounted bills for those least able to afford them.
The world's most dangerous country is far from being top of most travellers' must-visit lists - but three years on from the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, the tourism trade is booming.

After decades of conflict, the hardline Islamist regime's grip on power is now largely unchallenged, allowing them to fully impose their interpretation of Sharia Law, which includes public executions, floggings and almost zero rights for women.

But a quick search on TikTok and Instagram would suggest a very different situation in the country - with pictures showing smiling tourists posing next to beautiful lakes, mountains and vibrant markets.

Critics, including exiled Afghans, have condemned what might seem like harmless posts as actually 'normalising' the Taliban regime, and even doing their work for them as they seek to boost revenue from tourism.

Travel influencers, exposed to only the very surface of what life is like for locals, are being used as a PR weapon by the Taliban - and are heading to the country in their droves despite the detentions and even deaths of tourists in recent years.

Content creator Geenyada Abdi has been slammed by women's activists in Afghanistan, who have branded the image she presents of the terrorist organisation as 'appalling'

'Solo female traveller' Geenyada Abdi said visiting the war-ravaged nation was a 'dream come true' as she posed smiling next to AK-47-toting terrorists

Danger tourist Miles Routledge, aka 'Lord Miles', smiles as he poses for a selfie with his Taliban captors last year

Earlier this year, authorities publicly executed two men convicted of murder by machine-gunning them through the back in front of a crowd of spectators (pictured, an alleged murderer is executed in Kabul in 1998)

Taliban gunmen soak up the sun on duck boats as they ride around on Ban e-Amir lake in Bamyan province in 2022. The region is now being touted as a tourism hotspot

Westerners taken on tours by local guides have gushed about the country's beauty, and often skim over the fact that the only local people visible in their videos and pictures are men.

Female foreign visitors are able to enter most establishments with their male tour guides, including the Band-e Amir national park, markets and restaurants.

Yet local women, who in most cases had full lives as students and professionals just a few years ago, are almost completely confined to the home, and forbidden from interacting with any men who are not their husbands or relations.

In their latest step towards completely stripping Afghanistan's women of their rights last week, the Taliban issued a ban on women showing their faces or making their voices heard in public as part of their so-called 'virtue laws'.

The announcement came after they confirmed earlier this year that sickening public humiliations and executions would be conducted across the country.

In a broadcast on the Taliban-controlled Radio Television Afghanistan in March, supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada said: 'We will flog the women we will stone them to death in public [for adultery].

'You may call it a violation of women's rights when we publicly stone or flog them for committing adultery because they conflict with your democratic principles,' he said, adding: '[But] I represent Allah, and you represent Satan.'

It marks a return to the darkest days of the 1990s, according to Safia Arefi, a lawyer and head of the Afghan human rights organisation Women's Window of Hope.

'With this announcement by the Taliban leader, a new chapter of private punishments has begun and Afghan women are experiencing the depths of loneliness,' Arefi told The Guardian.

'Now, no one is standing beside them to save them from Taliban punishments. The international community has chosen to remain silent in the face of these violations of women's rights.'

Strikingly, more than 7,000 foreign tourists visited Afghanistan last year - up from 691 in 2021, and more than triple the number who went in 2022.

Abdi has travelled across the world on her own, visiting Somalia, Malaysia and India among others. Pictured: In Egypt

This is despite the country being named the most dangerous in the world for the sixth year in a row, according to the Global Peace Index.

The Foreign Office advises against all travel to Afghanistan, saying the security situation is 'volatile' and travel in the country is 'extremely dangerous'.

It adds that its ability to help British travellers who find themselves in difficulty in the country is 'extremely limited and support in person is not possible'.

Western tourists have recently been killed in the country - with three Spanish travellers gunned down in May when attackers opened fire on a group of international visitors and Afghans in Bamiyan.

The killings were claimed by Islamic State - a major rival of the Taliban government.

The terror group earlier claimed responsibility for an attack on a popular tourist hotel in central Kabul in 2022, which saw five Chinese nationals injured.

But these threats haven't stopped British and American tourists from going to Afghanistan, nor have they deterred content creators from promoting the country in a way which is favourable to the Taliban.

US tourist and content creator Eli Snyder visited Taliban-controlled Afghanistan despite State Department advice warning against travelling there

American tourist Eli Snyder, 25, posted a video on TikTok revealing what tourists must do in order to 'safely' visit Afghanistan

Mohammad Saeed, who is in charge of the Taliban's Tourism Directorate, said earlier this year that he dreamed of Afghanistan becoming a tourist hotspot.

'The growth of the tourism industry has a positive effect on the country's economy,' a spokesperson for the Ministry of Culture declared.

Dr Farkhondeh Akbari, whose family fled the Taliban in the 1990s, told the BBC that 'unethical' tourists are exploiting her home country, while she is unable to return and her female relatives there are unable to live freely.

'We are talking about 50 per cent of the population who have no rights We are talking about a regime which has installed gender apartheid.

'And yes, there is a humanitarian crisis: I'm happy that tourists might go and buy something from a shop and it might help a local family, but what is the cost of it? It is normalising the Taliban regime.'

Taliban soldiers ride a duck boat - with their guns aboard - at Band-e Amir national park in August 2022

Last week, a solo female traveller from the US was slammed for 'fangirling' the Taliban after an 'appalling' Instagram post about her trip to Afghanistan.

Geenyada Abdi said visiting the war-ravaged nation was a 'dream come true' as she posed smiling next to AK-47-toting terrorists in a post that is now pinned to the top of her social media.

Captioning one clip, she said: 'I walked around Kabul, and the people were incredibly friendly. Though it's mostly men everywhere, they showed me great respect.

'They were curious about this Black Muslim girl so, they came to talk to me. Afghan people are hospitable; despite the language barrier, we still managed to laugh and interact.'

Responding directly to fury following her photo with the Taliban, she added: 'I ended up asking for a photo and I did take a photo with them and I posted it on Twitter and it's just outrage - like people are going crazy, "shame on you, you're against women's rights, women's education, women's jobs".

'That's not the case - this photo was just to simply say this is my experience, this is what I saw, this is how they treated me.

'I am for all women's rights and I would love to see one day women getting educations and working and everything and I do understand my privileges, you know, but please don't take everything out of context.

'I'm posting so many beautiful things about Afghanistan, the culture, the people - don't judge me for one photo.'

Dr Akbari, now a postdoctoral researcher at Monash University in Australia, told the BBC: '[Tourists think] it is just this backward part of the world, and they can do whatever they want - [they] don't care.

'[They] just go and enjoy the landscape and get [their] views and likes. And this hurts us a lot.'

She added that 'unethical tourism with a lack of political and social awareness', allows the Taliban to gloss over the realities of life now they are back in power.

Another content creator who courted fury for the content he shared was danger tourist Miles Routledge was lucky to escape the country the first time he was there - airlifted out as the Taliban swept to power in August 2021.

Taliban gunmen - including one seemingly snapping a selfie - riding a boat on the Qargha dam outside Kabul in 2021

A Taliban fighter looks on as he stands at the city of Ghazni, Afghanistan August 14, 2021

A self-professed fan of 'dark' and 'extreme' tourism, the foolhardy traveler returned in March 2023, but was soon detained.

He went on to spend months in prison after saying he had been captured by the Islamists.

The 24-year-old proudly boasted that he had become 'best mates' with the Taliban's top commanders, enjoying 'picnics and dinners with higher ups', and described his detention as being like 'a lovely holiday'.

The YouTuber, who calls himself 'Lord Miles', shared a selfie bragging that the 'lovely lads treated me as a guest' and claimed to have had the 'best adventure I've had yet'.

A friend who took over his X account while he was in detention tweeted: 'Miles is in a guesthouse and not an actual prison so he's very comfortable.'

A man hangs from a balcony as he tries to escape from a gun attack at the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul in 2018

The anonymous friend added the 'prison' is more like a hotel, as Routledge had access to an Xbox, ordered takeaways and even had a 'servant'.

His experience of the Taliban 'justice' system is in stark contrast to the hell that awaits Afghan men and women accused of crimes.

Thousands have been arrested, tortured, and even killed on various, often false, charges, which are often done merely to intimidate the population, according to observers.

Taliban judges have threatened punishments including cutting hands and legs off thieves and toppling walls on gay men as a form of execution.

Earlier this year, authorities publicly executed two men convicted of murder by machine-gunning them through the back in front of a crowd of spectators.

Women also continue to be stoned to death, with a woman sentenced to a public stoning as recently as last week for allegedly having 'extramarital affairs'.

New laws, which have been approved by supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, say that it is compulsory for all women to cover their bodies in public and that face coverings are essential to 'avoid temptation and tempting others' (pictured: Burqa-clad Afghan women walk on a road in Kandahar, Afghanistan)

Meanwhile Afghan prisoners face dire conditions, with inmates kept in overcrowded and unsanitary cells and subjected to physical and psychological torture.

Raw accounts of life inside a Taliban jail have also come from British national Kevin Cornwell, who languished in an Afghan prison for nine months.

The 54-year-old had been working for the UN refugee agency when he was arrested in January last year.

The ex-British soldier was arrested by secret police who had searched his room and found a pistol, for emergency use, in his safe.

Even though he had a government-issued licence for the weapon, they marched him away with a bag over his head and locked him up in solitary confinement for 11 days before even questioning him.

He went on to spend three months in a cell with extremist inmates who he said tried to 'radicalise' him ten hours a day.

'I didn't think I was coming out of there. At one point I thought I was going to be there and I wasn't going home,' he said.

Footage allegedly from 2015 shows the Taliban stoning a women to death, six years before their return to power in Afghanistan

He said that during the short amount of time he was allowed to speak to his wife Kelly on the phone, he was put 'under duress' and 'told what to say.'

'The rest of the time I just ignored them and said what I wanted to say to Kelly, just in case it was the last phone call that I had,' he told the BBC.

He was taunted with the prospect of going home, and said he did not know until 'the last minute' that he would be freed as prisoners are often given false hope.

Mr Cornwell was eventually freed in October, along with Routledge, with friends saying the aid worker had suffered with sepsis multiple times during his time in jail, fuelling 'very real' fears that he might not make it home.

Mr Routledge (pictured) claimed to live in luxury while a prisoner of the Taliban

Despite the very real threats to their safety and the dire situations faced by locals, extreme tourists have defended visiting the country, arguing that it is better to witness what is going on with their own eyes than 'ignore' the people of Afghanistan completely because of a regime many did not choose.

Three years after it retook control of Afghanistan, the Taliban remains a pariah on the world stage, not formally recognised by any world power.

It is now seeking to project a new image, one which moves the focus away from the brutal repression of its citizens and onto the 'peace' they claim to have brought to the country - with influencers proving the perfect PR tool to help them do this.

'Our pains and our sufferings are being whitewashed,' Dr Akbari said, 'brushed with these fake strokes of security the Taliban want.'
For as far as the eye can see there is nothing but brown border fence, red dirt, low-lying desert shrubs and the occasional sweatshirt, water bottle or children's toy. The trash is new and fresh footprints can be seen in the dust - people were just here.

This stretch of the Arizona border near a small hamlet called Sasabe is part of the Tucson Sector of Border Patrol's map of operations, and it's one of the busiest areas in the country for crossers not wanting to be caught.

Arizona cattle rancher John Ladd told DailyMail.com the situation at the border is not just bad, 'this is the worst it's ever been.'

His family has operated a beef operation on the border since homesteading the property in the 1890s. Ladd says he must regularly must repair cut fence wire and recapture escaped cattle due to illegal migrant activity as they cross his property.

He estimates that his 16,000-acre ranch that butts up to over 10 miles of border wall has been the preferred path for an estimated at least 500,000 migrants in the last three decades after counting himself and discussing with Customs and Border Protection.

Rancher John Ladd, 68 whose family has a 127 year legacy ranching 16,000 acres on the border with Mexico speaks out about the issues facing his livelihood and to a greater extent the country regarding the cartel run people trafficking operation

And an election year executive order from the Biden-Harris administration to secure the border through 'safe and orderly pathways' has not significantly slowed the flow of migrants, Ladd told DailyMail.com.

'As soon as Biden got elected, it just opened the door. It's, you know, it's deliberate to let them in,' said the lifelong desert dweller.

Still, recent numbers from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) show that encounters have dropped along the border since the White House imposed new immigration restrictions in June, limiting the number of asylum seekers allowed into the country.

In July, there were just over 58,000 encounters, CBP data shows.

That massive number, although less than previous months, is evidence of the Mexican cartels' soaring business, Ladd told DailyMail.com.

'The cartel is making about three and a half million a day on the fees that the illegals are paying them to get in the country, and you can't get in the country without the cartel's blessing.'

And the criminal smugglers have turned the crossing of people into the U.S. into a well-run and efficient enterprise, the rancher said.

'They adapted. They were full camo,' he said. 'We don't have asylum seekers. We got run 'n gunners.'

'They have carpet shoes and wear baklavas, and they're being guided by a cell phone from the scouts.'

Some of those camo-clad cartel smugglers - also known as 'coyotes' - were spotted by DailyMail.com out at a rural stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border wall where it ends just before a Native American reservation.

Apparent cartel human smugglers 'coyotes' stand guard on the Mexico side of the U.S.-Mexico border waiting for an opportunity to drop migrants into the U.S. at an area where the massive border wall ends in rural Pima County, Arizona

A group of migrants and smugglers set up shop just yards from a hole in the border wall

Some of the camo-clad cartel smugglers - known as 'coyotes' - were spotted along a rural stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border wall where it ends just before a Native American reservation.

They were joined by a group of migrants that appeared to have set up cross right at the huge hole in the wall

They were joined by a group of migrants that appeared to have set up cross right at the huge hole in the wall where it ends just before a Native American reservation.

Aid workers were spotted filling up pre-set tents with snacks and waters.

They also checked on a Starlink wifi box, set up on the edge of the border - and civilization for that matter - to provide recent migrants with internet connection.

One worker was spotted approaching a young boy on the other side of the border where the hole before the reservation was. A coyote was close by monitoring the interaction.

The workers were from the Tucson Samaritans and Doctors Without Borders and were there to provide humanitarian aid.

Both groups denied to comment for this report.

The cartels, meanwhile, have been busy and have been warring with each other over the stretch of land surrounding Sasabe, including its lucrative crossing routes, Ladd said.

The massive hole in the border wall before the reservation can be seen across from the pre-set shelters

As DailyMail.com looked on to the migrant camps, some there watched backed

The road along the border from Sasabe, Arizona, to the end of the border wall near the reservation was dozens of miles, a perilous journey for any recent migrant crossers

He explained a conflict has been ongoing there for the past three months that has led to many deaths and buildings being burnt down.

And one man with over 20 years of experience in the Tucson Sector is saying the illicit crossings in the area are booming.

The Tucson Sector is currently the busiest in encounters and gotaways, migrants whose footprints or tracks were found but never apprehended, Art Del Cuerto, Executive Board of the National Border Patrol Council told DailyMail.com.

He said that there have been estimates of more than 2 million gotaways since Biden took office.

And the patrol workforce there is stretched thin as many agents have been assigned processing duty where they check migrants's asylum claims.

As for the June executive order, it has not done much for the reality for locals on the ground, he said.

'That's a political stunt, and it's slowed down only because, you know, we're in our summer rainy season, and it's been hot, and we get floods and thunderstorms, and so it's down a little bit.'

Clothes - including those for children - discarded by migrants on the U.S. side of the wall

Humanitarian aid workers paint a tent with a red cross at the hole in the border wall east of Sasabe

An abandoned aid tent lies dormant just yards from the U.S.-Mexico border

Ladd is not against immigration reform, though, and noted that he has sponsored the citizenship for three men himself.

'We need people to come to America to do the labor that Americans don't want to work anymore, but do it legally,' Ladd said.

'It doesn't matter if you're from Mexico or Russia, you get vetted. You come to America, and that's fine, but don't sneak in the back door and don't depend on politicians to give you amnesty.'
New energy vehicles from S China's Guangxi gain firmer foothold overseas

People's Daily Online) 14:41, August 28, 2024

Small and nimble new energy vehicles (NEV) are a common sight on the streets of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. With a length of just around 2 meters, these vehicles are half the size of a regular car, making them a convenient mode of transportation for shopping or picking up children from school.

The NEVs, developed and manufactured by Chinese automobile manufacturer SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW) in Liuzhou city of Guangxi, have reached overseas markets, in particular gaining popularity in the Southeast Asian market.

Photo shows small and nimble new energy vehicles developed and manufactured by Chinese automobile manufacturer SAIC-GM-Wuling in Liuzhou city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Fu Huazhou)

The automobile industry is an important pillar industry in Guangxi. In the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, the region's automotive industry is seizing opportunities, further deepening reform, and placing equal emphasis on innovation and cooperation in an effort to achieve innovative, high-quality and sustainable development.

Over the years, SGMW has been expanding its presence in the overseas market. For example, the company attended the GAIKINDO Indonesia International Auto Show in July. SGMW received widespread acclaim and was one of the highlights of the show, with local companies signing contracts to purchase the company's NEVs in bulk. Efforts like this have allowed SGMW's total export volume to reach 1 million. In 2023, the company exported 24,094 NEVs, increasing 165 percent year on year.

The company's rich product portfolio and strong competitiveness are a result of its intelligent manufacturing strength, which is essential for upgrading and innovating industrial capabilities.

By breaking free from the limitations of traditional assembly line models, SGMW's "smart island" factory, based on lean and modular manufacturing, has revolutionized the manufacturing process.

"The 'smart island' factory, with the production line, software and hardware independently developed and designed by us, can automatically adapt its production program to different vehicle models and configurations. This allows us to better cater to the evolving market demands of producing multiple varieties in small batches," said Xiao Xiao, SGMW's "smart island" factory's engineering director of intelligent manufacturing.

Photo shows a "smart island" factory at SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW) in Liuzhou, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Lei Qijun)

SGMW embarked on the development of NEV technology in 2012. In the first 12 years, the company was able to obtain over 700 patents. However, just from 2023 to today the company managed to double the total number of patents to 1,650.

Of the 1,650 patents, most are in areas such as intelligent connected vehicles, the motor, battery and electric control system, and dual model hybrid technology.

SGMW of course isn't the only Guangxi automotive company using innovative practices and technology.

In 2023, Guangxi Automobile Group, with decades of experience in the traditional automobile industry, rose to the challenge and continuously upgraded its products, achieving breakthroughs in the production of core components for NEVs.

The development and production of the co-axial electric drive axle took the company less than a year and obtained 10 patents, making the company the first of its kind in the country to mass produce such a product for NEVs.

Photo shows a co-axial electric drive axle developed by Guangxi Automobile Group. (People's Daily Online/Qin Xin)

"Core technology has opened up overseas markets for us," said He Hongyong, general manager of the chassis division at Guangxi Automobile Group. Today, the company's automotive components have reached markets in India, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

The emergence of new quality productive forces has also injected new vitality into Guangxi's automobile industry.

In Liuzhou, an NEV industrial chain targeting the ASEAN market is rapidly being established. Additionally, the capital city of Nanning is prioritizing the development of the new energy battery industry as a core and leading industry.

Over the past two years, Nanning has emerged as a hub for the new energy battery industry. Companies like BYD have established themselves as key players.

Nanning ranked 36th on the Hurun Research Institute's 2023 list of the top 50 cities in China with the highest concentration of new energy companies.

In early August, a complete automobile production line by Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor Co., Ltd., was exported from Liuzhou to Cambodia. This marked the first time that Liuzhou exported a complete automobile production line.

Prior to this, the company had received a multitude of inquiries from clients overseas, seeking assistance in establishing complete vehicle production lines for local assembly.

Deepening reforms and expanding openness have always been the guiding principles and foundations for the development of China's automotive industry. Leveraging innovation to drive industrial transformation, Guangxi's automotive industry is rapidly growing, and the blueprint for cultivating an internationally competitive NEV industry cluster is gradually becoming a reality.

Photo shows the production workshop for commercial vehicles at Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor Co., Ltd., located in Liuzhou, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Fu Huazhou)

(Web editor: Xian Jiangnan, Liang Jun)
EXCLUSIVE

A 'sweet and loving' puppy was shot in the face 'execution-style' and left for dead but has somehow made a miraculous recovery, as cops launch a manhunt for the mystery attacker.

Chunky Baby, a five-month-old Kelpie Cross, went missing from his home in Bogan Gate, a village with a population of just 300 in NSW's Central West, between 11am and 3pm on Wednesday last week.

The 'tiny and vulnerable' puppy was found, by another dog walker, unresponsive with a small wound between his eyes around 3pm the following day outside grain silos around five minutes from his home.

Chunky Baby was taken to Lachlan Valley Vets where his temperature was recorded at a dangerously high 42.5 degrees.

The vet's examination showed the dog had been 'intentionally' shot between the eyes with a rifle.

The bullet narrowly missed Chunky Baby's brain, with the bullet now lodged in a lung, but with fragments peppered through his skull.

'It's so unimaginably horrific,' Chunky Baby's owner, Maidie Wood, told Daily Mail Australia.

'He's a tiny, vulnerable animal who would have been so scared, and to think they must have gone up to him and shot a little caring puppy in the face. What a sick, unsafe person to have in the community.'

Chunky Baby, a five-month-old Kelpie Cross (pictured), went missing from his home in Bogan Gate, a village with a population of just 300 in NSW's Central West, between 11am and 3pm on Wednesday last week

The 'tiny and vulnerable' puppy was found by another dog walker completely unresponsive with a small wound between his eyes around 3pm the following day outside a set of grain silos around five minutes from his home

Farmers are lawfully allowed to kill dogs if they reasonably believe the animal may injure or kill livestock on their property.

But Chunky Baby's owner said the puppy was found nowhere near cattle and, even if he had been near livestock, he would pose no threat because he would 'run into a corner if you just said "boo".'

'It's extremely troubling. He's a puppy. He's five months old and a very timid dog,' she said.

'If you raise your voice even because you're excited, he gets nervous. All he wants to do is hug you. Who would do something like that?'

Ms Wood, 42, is currently in a trauma ward in a Sydney hospital where she has been receiving treatment for the past six weeks for an unrelated episode of PTSD linked to a historical workplace injury.

The former global marketing head left Chunky Baby along with her Irish Wolfhound Cross called Barnaby, and her cat George, in the care of a house-sitting friend.

'Last Wednesday, I got a text from the gentleman staying at my house saying that Chunky Baby's missing and he was completely devastated and he didn't know how to tell me, that he'd been looking all night for him,' Ms Wood added.

The vet was horrified to discover the dog had been 'intentionally' shot between the eyes with a rifle (pictured)

incredibly, the bullet narrowly missed Chunky Baby's brain, with fragments now peppered through his skull and the bullet lodged in his lungs (pictured: white spot in bottom right of picture)

Ms Wood said the news was distressing in her already fragile state but she contacted the local RSPCA, dog pounds and posted a lost notice on social media.

A local dog walker later discovered Chunky Baby lying 'totally unresponsive' by a set of grain silos across the road from the Bogan Gate pub.

He was rushed to the vets where they feared he had been exposed to toxins because his temperature had soared to 42.5 degrees which carried a risk of brain damage.

Thankfully, his temperature dropped off quickly.

'But then the vet noticed a flap of skin on his nose, between his eyes, which she realised was a hole,' Ms Wood added.

'She did an X-ray and could see a bullet had entered the hole. But she said that whoever shot him had misjudged the angle.'

Instead of going into the brain, the bullet had passed down the path of the airways and lodged in a lung.

'When she told me I screamed. I said: "What do you mean?" and she said, "He's been shot with a gun intentionally in the face". The prognosis was absolutely woeful so I braced myself for the worst.'

The incident has left Ms Wood shaken - and she fears the attacker might be someone who wishes her personal harm

The vet is unable to remove the bullet fragments because it requires specialist surgery at a major veterinary hospital in either Sydney or Canberra

Yet, against all odds, Chunky Baby started blinking and moving his legs again the following day.

On Saturday she was sent a picture of him sitting up, which at first she thought was faked; a sick joke.

But it was from the vet who was equally as shocked by the speed of Chunky Baby's recovery.

She had been so sure of the dog's demise that she had contacted police in Forbes, with expectation of a criminal investigation.

'The vet said, "the only diagnosis I can give is that this is a miracle. This is just inexplicable",' Ms Wood added.

Incredibly, Chunky Baby is now eating solids and walking on his own.

'He's extremely exhausted and pretty slow so there's obviously some damage there,' Ms Wood said.

'But it seems that he will survive this incident. The partners in the vet's practice have renamed him "Miracle Baby".'

Bogan Gate is a village with a population of just 300 in NSW's Central West

Pictured: Chunky Baby and Ms Wood's other dog, George

Ms Wood, who moved to Bogan Gate from Sydney in June last year, was full of praise for the vets who she described as 'miracle workers'.

Grace Ranger, a veterinary nurse at Lachlan Valley Vets, said the team had 'never seen anything like it'.

You dont expect an animal to survive something like that,' she said.

He's got gunshot pellets and fragments throughout the skull and yet he's walking, eating and seems to be very with it, which is very surprising.

Ms Ranger said police had looked at the X-ray and thought that Chunky Baby had been shot with a 0.22 calibre rifle, which are common for stock control and protection among graziers.

'There's only about 100 people in Bogan Gate itself, and then lots of farming alongside so whether he just wandered onto someone's property and obviously farmers have guns for feral pests,' she said.

'Maybe they shot him because they thought he was a fox potentially or thought he was a wild dog. Obviously somebody wasnt very happy and decided to shoot him.

'But the location of the bullet is strange because its right between the eyes. It looks like an execution. If it was a random shot youd think it would be in the body or the legs.'

The local vet is unable to remove the bullet fragments, with that surgery only able to be done at a major veterinary hospital in either Sydney or Canberra.

Ms Wood is currently raising money on GoFundMe to pay for Chunky Baby's ongoing care.

The incident has left her shaken - and she fears the attacker might be someone who wishes her personal harm.

'I moved to Bogan Gate for a new start so that I'd have peace and feel safe in a totally new surrounding,' she said.

'I'm in the middle of nowhere with no one that I know. And now I don't feel particularly safe.'

She added: 'It's been pointed out to me that it must be someone who knows me or knows of me. In a small place like Bogan Gate, everyone knows whose dog belongs to who.'

She added: 'I'm obviously scared for my own safety, but I'm going to be really terrified about dogs.

'It's actually really horrible because what was meant to be my little peaceful, quiet place is now actually terrifying.'

Despite the vet's police report, Ms Wood only heard from law enforcement after this publication started investigating the story.

A spokesperson for NSW Police said: 'Officers attached to Central West Police District have commenced an investigation after reports a dog with a bullet wound from Bogan Gate was taken to a local vet in Forbes on Friday 23 August 2024, the dog is alive and well.

'As investigations continue, anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.'
The owner of a $1.8million Hamptons vacation home where two sisters were killed after it went up in flames has pleaded guilty to two counts of negligent homicide in an emotional court hearing.

Peter Miller, 56, and wife Pamela, 55, turned up in court Monday dressed in matching dark blue shirts, right down to the buttons and collars

Both were charged in the deadly August 2022 blaze that claimed the lives of university students Jillian and Lindsay Wiener, aged 21 and 19, who were on a final family vacation with their terminally ill father, their mother and brother.

Miller told the court that he had done the electrical work at the house himself and had not had it inspected for safety.

Peter Miller, 56, and wife Pamela Miller, 55, consult with their attorney Edward Burke Jr. in court in Riverhead, New York

Jillian Wiener, 21, (left) and her sister Lindsay, 19, of Potomac, Maryland, became trapped upstairs after a blaze broke out at the rental home over night

No smoke detectors were working and a barbecue inside an illegal outdoor kitchen was enclosed in a wooden frame that blocked its vents, they admitted under oath.

The fire started in that kitchen. When asked about the grill, he answered: 'I built it myself.'

'You are aware that you overloaded the electrical system?' prosecuting attorney Sheetal Shetty asked him.

Biting his lip, he said that he was.

The couple appeared in Suffolk County Court, in Riverhead, New York, on Monday where Peter, the owner of the home, pleaded guilty to two felony counts of criminally negligent homicide.

Pamela, who managed the rental property, pleaded guilty to a lesser misdemeanor charge of reckless endangerment.

The Millers still face 58 charges in Southampton Town Justice court related to the illegal activity that led to the fire.

That case is expected to be resolved via a separate plea deal next week.

The sisters had been vacationing at the home with their parents Lewis, then 59, and Alisa, 56, and their 23-year-old brother Zachary, when the house caught fire, trapping them upstairs.

The Millers were charged by Southampton Town authorities with violating various building codes, such as faulty smoke alarms and illegal construction on the property.

In a half hour of testimony before they entered their guilty pleas, both admitted, repeatedly, under oath, that the house was illegally and dangerously wired.

Peter Miller, the owner of the home, pleaded guilty to two felony counts of criminally negligent homicide, while wife Pamela, who managed the rental, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of reckless endangerment

Pamela and Peter Miller were arraigned weeks after the fire in August 2022 after the rental home was discovered to have violated various building codes

The home caught fire around 3.30am on August 3, 2022 and quickly spread without enough time for the two girls to escape

Alisa, Zachary, Lewis, Jillian and Lindsay Weiner. The family was on what they thought was a final family vacation as Lewis knew he was dying from pancreatic cancer

Peter, a restaurateur, admitted that he had done the illegal construction and electrical work on the house he and his wife bought in 2016.

His wife admitted to being the manager of the illegal short term rental property, which had been rented to the victims' family through rental company HomeAway.

Lewis Wiener, a former federal prosecutor who knew he was dying from pancreatic cancer, paid $8,000 to rent the house for what he thought would be a final one-week family vacation in the area of the Hamptons known as Noyack.

He died in April this year, aged 61.

The parents, who were sleeping on the first floor of the house, were woken at 3:30am on August 3, by the sound of glass shattering from the intense heat of the inferno that left the house a charred ruin.

They made it outside, then realized that their children were trapped on the second floor, where they had been sleeping.

Zachary escaped the blaze by crawling out on to a rooftop and jumping off it, while Lewis bravely attempted to rescue his daughters, but could not get past the wall of flames. The first firefighters to arrive were also unable to rescue them.

Multiple Hamptons fire companies responded to battle the blaze, which took hours to fully contain.

Only after firefighters began to bring the flames down were they able to reach the two women, but it was too late.

Jillian, who was about to start her senior year at the University of Michigan, and Lindsay, a sophomore at Tulane University, were rushed to Stony Brook University Hospital, where both were declared dead.

The parents and Zachary were also taken to the hospital where they were treated and released.

Peter admitted that he had done the illegal construction and electrical work at the home, while his wife said she was aware that work had not been inspected

Neighbors of the family in Potomac, Maryland, said they are beloved in the community. Father Lewis Wiener was an attorney and president of Washington Hebrew Congregation

Shetty asked Pamela, as the property manager, whether she was aware that the kitchen, grill and electrical system was illegal.

'Yes,' she replied. 'I am now aware. Yes. Yes. Yes.'

Sentencing is scheduled for November 7.

The surviving Wiener family members are expected to be given the opportunity to make victim impact statements, before sentence is pronounced by Judge Richard Horowitz.

The survivors are currently suing the Millers in Federal Court for their roles in the death of the two young women.

They also attempted to sue HomeAway, part of Vrbo, but that was thrown out by a judge last year.

In that lawsuit, the family said: 'Rather than fond memories of a week's vacation on Long Island's east end, the Wiener family is left with a nightmare from which they cannot wake.

'Defendants' greed, corner-cutting, and willful failure to give any thought to the safety of the occupants of the premises led to the deaths of Jillian Rose Wiener and her sister Lindsay Eliza Wiener.'
A Sussex seaside town has been left divided over fresh plans to open a new Gail's branch - as the upmarket bakery chain is welcomed by independent businesses but faces a revolt from locals.

Some residents have raised fears that the planned bakery within a conservation area of Worthing, West Sussex, is out of keeping with the historic setting, but local cafes say the town 'needs all the help it can get'.

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 while owners of some family-run cafes warned existing local businesses were 'struggling as it is' and could lose custom or even be forced to close for good, others say it will 'bring more people to the street'.

Despite the backlash, Gail's is 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.

People walk along Warwick Street in Worthing, West Sussex, where a Gail's is set to open soon

Aaron Coleman and Emily Attwood, business partners at tapas restaurant Vudu, are optimistic about the restaurant's arrival

Local businessman Costa, who runs the Fiordilatte restaurant, also believes the trendy bakery chain will bring much-needed footfall to the town centre

Worthing has a high street adorned with cute pavement cafes and restaurants - but locals say it nevertheless could use a boost in footfall

Local jeweller Jeremy Silverthorne is all for Gail's, telling MailOnline: 'Worthing needs all the help it can get'

Local bar manager George Sutherland says the arrival of Gail's, combined with a recent opening of a Pret a Manger, showed big firms were taking Worthing seriously

The temporary Gail's frontage tells locals staff will be 'baking here soon' - and features a QR code advertising jobs

The outlet is on Warwick Street in Worthing's South Street Conservation Area (file picture)

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.

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.'

But Emily Atwood, 22, and Aaron Coleman 32, who are business partners at the Vudu restaurant, were more positive.

Emily told MailOnline: 'I'm in favour as it'll bring more people to the street because it's a well known business. It is obviously competition but it'll be friendly competition. They might steal a few costumers, but we're positive about it.'

And Aaron quipped: 'We'll just have to stop selling croissants!'

Many were hopeful that the addition of Gail's could help increase footfall.

Sav Mela, the owner of G-Lite, a local authentic Italian known for gelato, said: 'More people coming to the road will bring more business, which is what we need.

'There is not much foot traffic at the moment. There are often more businesses than people. We are artisan, they are a chain, so we are different.'

And Costa, who runs the family-run Fiordilatte Pizza Restaurant, said: 'I don't mind that they're a chain. The opening will bring more people to the street, which we need.'

Plumber Martin Cook, 58, also said it was 'good for the town', adding: 'That place has been empty for a long time.

'I like Gail's, it has the best buns and it's a good treat.'

And Brian Kemp-Potter, 84, who has lived in the area all his life and works for timber merchants Wenban Smith which has been in his family since the 1870s, said: 'Let's have it, we don't want empty shops.

'It'll bring the town up, it's what it needs.

'I would love to see the town to get better, and it'll be wonderful to have more decent places.'

George Sutherland, the manager of Wenban Smith, said: 'We've seen Trading Post and Pret open in the last 6 months which shows big corporations are looking at Worthing more seriously.'

'Gails is better than Pret, it's a much smaller company and reasonably priced.'

The 22-year-old added: 'All the local businesses around here run on returning customers, I'll never not go to Finch (a local business).'

Jeremy Silverthorne, 56, who runs an independent jewellers with his namesake, said: 'I'm absolutely in favour, I see no problem with it. Worthing needs all the help it can get.

'An upmarket brand lifts a town, and more high end companies attract people. It's like when there's a majestic in a town, it improves the town.

'It's important to support local, I have breakfast at local businesses often. But there's room for both local and chain brands in Worthing.

'I hope it'll work out, but I'm ultimately not sure.'

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'.

Business partners Sav Mela, Max Piazza and Ben Cocchiarella from the neighbouring G-Lite restaurant - who say Gail's could bring more foot traffic

Retired businessman Brian Kemp-Potter says the opening of a Gail's in Worthing is better than leaving an empty unit languishing

The West Sussex seaside town of Worthing - where Gail's is planning its new branch

Gail's has submitted plans for the proposed shopfront elevation for its new Worthing branch

Gail's has submitted a series of drawings to Adur and Worthing Councils for its new branch

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.

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.
Ryanair staff are stopping Brits flying to Ibiza taking water onboard as passengers were filling their bottles with vodka, the airline boss has revealed.

Michael O'Leary, who runs Europe's largest airline, last night said he was pushing for a two-drink limit at airports after a rise in boozed passengers' bad behaviour.

He said that cabin crew were now dealing with brawls on flights weekly as travellers are indulging in more alcohol than they should before boarding.

Mr O'Leary said staff had even been forced to start searching passengers cabin bags before the jumped on flights to the likes of Ibiza and other party destinations.

He said this came after travellers started filling their water bottles up with vodka and sneaking it onboard.

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary says cabin crew are now stopping Brits taking water onboard flights when they're jetting to party destinations as they were sneaking in alcohol (stock photo)

Some Brits had even taken to social media to share how they got alcohol on planes - like TikTok user @Roxreviews

Mr O'Leary claimed that drugs were playing a part, too.

The Times reported the boss 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.'

But he said the issue with boozed travellers wasn't isolated to Ibiza, but the likes of other beach destinations like the Greek Islands - and even Liverpool, Glasgow, Manchester and Edinburgh, too.

However, SkyNews reported he said: 'Ibiza is by far and away the worst destination for it.'

Passengers aren't shy when it comes to their drinking.

Ryanair staff were experiencing issues with boozed passengers at least once a week, the boss said (stock)

Many have taken to the likes of TikTok in recent times, sharing their 'tips and tricks' on how to get alcohol on board.

Some passengers posted themselves pouring glasses of wine they'd bought at airport bars into their water bottles, coffee cups and whatever other vessels they had on hand.

In the footage they looked merry as they then board the plane, and showed how they'd got the booze on board.

Others recorded themselves filling up water or soft drink bottles with booze they'd snagged in duty free, before heading through the gates onto their flights.

Mr O'Learly last night said there had 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 Irishman, who started the budget carrier in 1984, revealed Ryanair was dealing with assault cases on a weekly basis.

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.








Pavel Durov was home alone when the heavies came calling one day in 2011. The techie known as Russias Mark Zuckerberg had refused to remove opposition politicians accounts from his social media site VKontakte and the Kremlin had lost patience.

The monitor that allowed him to screen visitors before opening the door of his St Petersburg apartment showed a group of men in camouflage gear accompanied by what looked like a civilian investigator.

They had guns and they looked very serious, Durov, 39, recalled later. They seemed to want to break the door.

He decided the best course of action was to ignore them and, after an hour or so, they gave up and left. But during the stand-off with the SWAT team, Durov called his brother and it was then that he had his lightbulb moment.

Pavel Durov was arrested at Pariss Le Bourget airport on Saturday evening after flying in from Azerbaijan by police

I realised I dont have a safe means of communications with him, he said. Thats how Telegram started.

Today, Telegram, an encrypted messaging platform similar to WhatsApp, has more than 950million users and has made Durov a fortune estimated at 12billion.

But it is his success in creating an app that allows users to communicate confidentially that has proved his undoing.

Disembarking from his private jet at Pariss Le Bourget airport on Saturday evening after flying in from Azerbaijan, Durov was arrested by police enforcing a warrant that accused him of failing to moderate illegal content and cooperate with law enforcement agencies over investigations into drug trafficking, child pornography and fraud.

His arrest sparked howls of outrage from free speech warriors such as Elon Musk, the multibillionaire owner of X/Twitter, who tweeted the hashtag #FreePavel alongside a short clip of Durov speaking with Right-wing US commentator Tucker Carlson.

It also became the subject of feverish speculation after it emerged that nothing had been heard from Julia Vavilova, a social media influencer believed to be Durovs girlfriend, since he was taken into custody. Like Durov, the 24-year-old Russian blonde is based in Dubai, and she had been accompanying him on a whirlwind tour of former Soviet republics, including Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as Azerbaijan.

Indeed, some observers reckon it was her posts on sites such as Instagram  complete with geolocation data  that alerted the French authorities to his movements and enabled them to be waiting when he touched down.

This has led conspiracy theorists to speculate that Vavilova is a Mossad agent, on a honey-trap mission to deliver him into the hands of Western intelligence agencies.

After all, gaining back-door access to the Telegram app would enable them to extract information that could prove invaluable in tracking down miscreants from terrorists to money-launderers.

Durovs love life has been a subject of intense interest ever since he recently claimed on his personal Telegram channel that he had fathered more than 100 children via sperm donation in 12 nations since 2010.

He is also believed to be the father of five other children conceived naturally: a daughter and son with ex-partner Daria Bondarenko, who is now based in Barcelona, and a daughter and two sons with Irina Bolgar, 44, a Russian based in Switzerland.

Durov, a teetotal vegetarian who wont touch recreational drugs, fast food or even caffeine, is also said to undertake six-day, water-only fasts to improve his creativity. And he has built up quite a following online by posting pictures of himself bare-chested that reveal a sculptured physique.

His ascetic lifestyle is matched by a self-professed aversion to the accumulation of personal possessions.

In my days in Russia, I visited some very rich guys, he said in 2014. I visited big ships, private airplanes, houses and I know for sure I dont want this for myself.

Home is a 15,000 sq ft, five-bedroom villa in Dubai, but he doesnt own it, instead renting it for $1million a year.

For the moment, however, he must reconcile himself to the rather less salubrious surroundings of a French detention centre, as the police  having held him for the statutory 24 hours  successfully applied to hold him for a further 72 hours, a period that will run out tonight.

If Durov is convicted of 12 charges against him, he could face up to 20 years in prison.

It represents quite a reversal of fortune for a man who was marked for great things in childhood.

Durov was introduced to computer programming by his older brother Nikolai, a budding mathematician.

By 11, he was coding his own versions of games like Tetris, the hugely successful video game. When a classmate who had studied in the US showed him Facebook, he got the idea of creating a Russian social network. VKontakte, or VK, was born in 2006.

The personable Pavel, then just 21, took on the role of chief executive, while Nikolai took responsibility for coding.

By May 2012, things were going so well that they were in a position to reward one vice president of the company with a substantial cash bonus.

We began to congratulate him: Youre a rich guy now, Durov said. But the recipient of his largesse turned out to be as unmaterialistic as Durov claims to be.

I dont work for money, he insisted. Money is completely not important to me. The idea is whats important to me.

When Durov suggested his vice president throw the money away, the man started tossing cash out of the upstairs window of their St Petersburg office onto the citys main thoroughfare.

Dont throw your money from the window like that, protested Durov. You have to do it in a creative way.

And with that, he demonstrated how to fold the 5,000 rouble notes (then worth around 102 each) into tiny paper planes. As the folded notes spiralled down onto the busy street below, passers-by reacted first with stupefaction and then desperate greed. Fights broke out, with one witness observing that people began behaving like animals.

Realising that things were getting out of hand, Durov and co called a halt to their informal philanthropy  but not before more than 3,000 had been distributed.

The incident had a lasting significance because, when Durov launched Telegram a year later, he chose as its logo a paper plane because it symbolised freedom.

The storm clouds of repression were gathering, however. Russias President Vladimir Putin had long viewed the internet as a CIA project, that acted as a channel for illicit agitation and protest. And nothing was more calculated to incur his wrath than Durovs Russian version of Facebook.

And so Moscows successor to the KGB, the FSB, made plans to acquire it via an email service called Mail.ru that was controlled by tame oligarchs. Unfortunately for them, Durov still hadnt got the message and posted a picture of himself extending his middle finger, a gesture he described as his official response to the Kremlin-backed bid.

However, four months after eventually selling his stake in VK in December 2013, Durov submitted his resignation to the board.

True to his mischievous persona, Durov chose April Fools Day to announce his departure, signing off with a quote from science fiction comedy The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy: So Long and Thanks for All the Fish.

Even the companys own spokesman initially refused to confirm the chief executives resignation, writing on Twitter that the press service is not commenting on the words of the chief executive.

A link posted on Twitter to the official press statement sent anyone who clicked on it to the famous Rickrolling internet meme, a video of British pop star Rick Astley singing his 1980s classic Never Gonna Give You Up. Durov later said his resignation had been a joke but, in the end, there was only ever going to be one winner.

When he refused to block the page of celebrated Russian dissident Alexei Navalny  who died in mysterious circumstances earlier this year  and declined to hand over the personal data of Ukrainian protesters involved in the 2014 demonstrations against pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych, he was dismissed.

Durov left Russia, announcing that he had no plans to go back and that the country is incompatible with internet business at the moment.

But he did have a few hundred million dollars in his pocket and, in the months that followed, he lived a nomadic existence, moving from country to country every few weeks with a small group of fellow programmers.

One day, the Telegram founder  in his distinctive all-black wardrobe  would be found in Paris or London, then perhaps San Francisco or Singapore. In time, he set up Telegrams headquarters in Berlin, before moving it to its current base in Dubai in 2017.

There, without political battles to distract him, Durov turned Telegram into an internet behemoth. In countries run by repressive regimes, it became a lifeline for freedom-loving citizens, who were free to share their heresies online, safe in the knowledge that their communications were secure from prying eyes.

Julia Vavilova, a social media influencer believed to be Durovs girlfriend, had been accompanying him on a whirlwind tour of former Soviet republics

As a result, in a delicious irony that wont have escaped Durov, it is today one of the most popular messenger apps in Russia. Indeed, following Moscows invasion of Ukraine in 2022, it became both sides preferred method of communication.

Telegrams biggest market is India and it also does well in autocracies such as Iran.

But in the democratic West, particularly Europe, the very functionality that made it so popular in dictatorships has attracted sinister forces. As the Russian opposition politician Maxim Katz said on Monday: In Russia, Telegram is a safe haven [from] the governments fight against civil society. In Europe, Telegram is a safe haven for criminals.

Its end-to-end encryption  that prevents third parties accessing data  makes it an attractive option for anyone, from drug dealers to terrorists, keen to avoid being eavesdropped on by the forces of law and order. Groups such as ISIS, for example, have used Telegram to publicly claim responsibility for attacks.

No wonder the likes of the CIA, FBI, and MI5  not to mention Israels Mossad  are so keen to gain access to its digital records. As Durov made clear in his interview with Tucker Carlson, he has turned down numerous demands from Western intelligence agencies to be given access to his app.

But it is Telegrams light-touch moderation that appears to be responsible for Durovs current plight. The irony is that the country that has turned on him is the very one that granted him citizenship three years ago.

According to French daily Le Monde, Durov became a French citizen through a rare procedure under which a French-speaking foreigner who contributes through his or her outstanding work to the influence of France and the prosperity of its international economic relations can be awarded citizenship at the governments initiative.

Precisely what led Durov to obtain this status was not made public and its hard to see when he could have found the time to become fluent in French.

Maybe it was a favour from the man at the top. After all, Frances president Emmanuel Macron is said to be a big fan of Telegram and uses it to this day.

But an Elysee Palace spokesman said this week that the decision to grant Durov citizenship had been made by the foreign affairs ministry not Macron. For its part, the foreign ministry said it does not communicate on individual citizenship procedures.

Naturally, the Russians are delighted by this turn of events. Having been condemned for cracking down on Telegram in 2018 (before relenting two years later), the country has wasted no time in exploiting Durovs incarceration for its own ends.

Suggesting that his arrest could be politically motivated, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov yesterday urged Paris to provide evidence to support its allegations against Durov.

The charges are very serious indeed, he told reporters. They require a no less serious basis of evidence. Otherwise they will be a direct attempt to limit freedom of communication.

Telegram itself slammed the arrest of its chief executive in a statement: Telegram abides by EU laws... 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.

Meanwhile, Telegram fans around the world organised protests to show support for Durov and for freedom of speech.

But it may take a lot more than that to gain the freedom of a man who fled an autocratic regime only to find himself put behind bars in one of the capitals of the free world.
It's an all-too-common tale. A father and daughter who live in the same city but might as well be a million miles away, having drifted apart for whatever reason.

Yet this particular domestic fissure is suddenly now more poignant, as the daughter in question is the Vice President of the United States  and in the running for the top job.

And while Kamala Harris campaigns from her West Wing office, her 86-year-old father, Donald J. Harris, owns a home less than a mile away.

Despite the proximity, however, there is no record of Donald meeting his famous daughter in the White House.

His name does not appear in any of the publicly available visitor logs from her three-and-a-half years in office.

While Kamala Harris campaigns from her West Wing office, her 86-year-old father, Donald J. Harris (right), owns a home less than a mile away.

Despite the proximity, however, there is no record of Donald meeting his famous daughter (pictured in his arms, aged one) in the White House.

Nor are there any recent public photographs of the pair together.

It is of course possible that the VP has privately hosted her father in her government-provided home  at the United States Naval Observatory in DC  where visitor records are not public.

But it is perhaps more likely that Donald has kept a deliberate distance, determined to stay away from what he has described as the 'political hullabaloo' surrounding his daughter, whose controversial comments he once criticized as 'a travesty'.

For her part, Harris has previously described their relationship as 'not close'.

And at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last week, as Harris formally accepted the party nomination  she made a brief but perhaps telling mention of her father.

After telling the crowd that her father had encouraged her to be 'fearless', she added: 'It was mostly my mother who raised us.'

And as the cameras panned to her self-described 'big, blended family' in the audience  including her stepchildren, husband Doug, and even Doug's ex-wife  Donald Harris was glaringly absent.

It was not clear if he'd been invited, or whether he chose not to come.

But Kamala would've had good reason to hope he stayed away.

Her father, who turned 86 the day after his daughter gave the biggest speech of her life, is a former professor of economics whose politics do little to persuade the Democrats' critics that Kamala is not a proponent of hard-left beliefs.

Forged in 1960s academia, his aggressively Marxist outlook makes him a lightning rod for attacks by Republicans.

Donald has also used his qualifications in later life by offering economic advice to the systemically corrupt Jamaican government  something that his daughter's campaign will no doubt see as unfortunate.

But whatever the true reasons, Donald Harris remains strangely missing from the public story of his daughter's life.

And, even if she wins the election in November and he becomes the 'first father', theirs is a relationship that's unlikely to mend.

The rupture between them dates back to Kamala's early childhood.

Donald used his academic qualifications in later life as an economic advisor to the systemically corrupt Jamaican government.

In 1962, he met Shyamala Gopalan (pictured left), a 19-year-old cancer researcher from India. They married the following year and had Kamala in 1964 while living in Oakland.

Born in 1938 in Browns Town, in Jamaica's Saint Ann parish  the birthplace of Bob Marley  Donald went on to study in London, before earning a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley.

It was there that, in 1962, he met Shyamala Gopalan, a 19-year-old cancer researcher from India. They married the following year and had Kamala in 1964 while living in Oakland (her sister Maya arrived three years later).

Prestigious teaching positions followed for Donald at two colleges in Illinois, where the family moved.

But if he was enjoying professional success, his family life was starting to unravel.

According to Kamala's 2019 memoir, her parents 'stopped being kind to each other' around this time and, when she was just five, they split.

Donald remained in Illinois while Shyamala and the two girls moved back to California. They officially divorced when Kamala was seven.

By Donald's account, he wasn't happy with the arrangement.

In a 2018 essay for 'Jamaica Global' website, he recalled how the 'early phase of interaction with my children came to an abrupt halt in 1972.'

He blamed the court system in California, writing: 'After a hard-fought custody battle in the family court [] the context of the relationship was placed within arbitrary limits imposed by a court-ordered divorce settlement based on the false assumption by the State of California that fathers cannot handle parenting.

'Nevertheless, I persisted, never giving up on my love for my children or reneging on my responsibilities as their father.'

Donald also gushed about his daughters in another piece for Jamaica Global.

Alongside a photograph of them together, he wrote: 'So, here we are now. All grown up now, Kamala is carving a way for herself in America and Meena is doing the same by her own route (as is her mother Maya).'

Yet this particular domestic fissure is suddenly now more poignant, as the daughter in question is the Vice President of the United States - and in the running for the top job.

Donald taught as a professor at Stanford. One of his published Communist works was dedicated to his daughters.

But it wasn't long before those warm feelings seemingly soured.

Later that same year, Donald made his only public intervention in his daughter's political career to date  brutally scolding her for comments she'd made about marijuana.

While promoting her memoir, the then-Senator rejected the idea she was opposed to legalizing pot, saying in a podcast interview: 'That's not true. And look, I joke about it, half joking  half my family's from Jamaica, are you kidding me?'

That 'half of her family' is her father's side and Prof Harris was not amused by the apparent reference to a marijuana-smoking stereotype.

In a statement to a Jamaican news outlet, he raged: 'My dear departed grandmothers, as well as my deceased parents must be turning in their grave right now. Speaking for myself and my immediate Jamaican family, we wish to categorically dissociate ourselves from this travesty.'

There was no public response from his daughter or her campaign team. But the familial broadside was shocking. Soon enough, Prof Harris was forced to walk back his anger.

In a statement to Politico, he said: 'I have decided to stay out of all the political hullabaloo by not engaging in any interviews with the media.'

Kamala's true feelings for her father remain opaque. In 2021, the Vice President told the Washington Post that they were on 'good terms'.

Two years later, a statement to the San Francisco Weekly was more nuanced. 'My father is a good guy, but we are not close,' she said.

Donald, like his daughter, has enjoyed professional success.

He taught for more than two decades as a professor at Stanford, where one of his published works  'Capital Accumulation and Income Distribution'  was dedicated to his daughters.

In 1974, the Stanford student paper described him as a a political 'radical' and 'magic pied piper who leads students astray from neoclassical economics'.

In 2009, Kamala suffered a personal blow when her mother (pictured in 1970 with daughters), with whom she was particularly close, died of colon cancer aged 70.

It is not clear if he was paid for his additional work as an adviser to the Jamaican government on economic policy, but Donald retired early in 1998.

In 2009, Kamala suffered a personal blow when her mother, with whom she was particularly close, died of colon cancer aged 70.

Despite then being her only surviving parent, there's no record that Donald was present when Kamala took her vice-presidential oath of office at Joe Biden's 2020 inauguration.

Today, Donald's second wife lives at the same Washington property as Professor Harris, according to public records.

Prof Harris's remaining relatives in Jamaica told DailyMail.com that he no longer has a home on the island but continues to visit.

Clearly proud of Kamala's success, her relatives told the Mail they'd watched her acceptance speech together at their hilltop property in Browns Town above Harris Quarry  which they have run for two generations producing crushed limestone and bricks.

Sherman Harris, Donald's first cousin, said: 'We're very proud of Kamala  and can't wait for her to get into the White House.'

Whether her father would be similarly congratulatory in November seems unlikely at best.
Urgent weather warnings have been issued for five Australian states with large areas of the country set to be hammered by damaging winds.

Western Australia, NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania are all in the firing line of hazardous conditions on Wednesday, with rain also on the horizon.

Severe weather warnings for damaging winds have been issued by the Bureau of Meteorology for Australia's south-east with possible wind gusts of up to 130km/h.

The gusty conditions are a result of one of the coldest fronts of the year moving across the south-east.

The conditions are expected to be so bad that Victoria's SES chief Tim Wiebusch issued an urgent warning to residents on Tuesday.

'Victorians need to act and prepare now for what might be the strongest weather system we've seen this winter crossing our state,' he said.

'Ensure that you're driving to the conditions, be alert on our roads to the risk of fallen trees and debris that may be there over the next 36 hours.'

In NSW, a severe weather warning for damaging winds has been issued for Sydney, Illawarra and parts of the Metropolitan, South Coast, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, Snowy Mountains and Hunter Forecast Districts.

Urgent weather warnings have been issued for five Australian states as most of the country is set to be hammered by damaging winds

Damaging winds averaging 60 to 70km/h with peak gusts of around 100km/h are likely for parts of the Blue Mountains and western Sydney.

Winds averaging 70 to 80km/h with peak gusts of around 110km/h are likely for the Illawarra region, easing by early evening.

Similar warnings have been issued in Victoria for the Central, East Gippsland, South West, West and South Gippsland, and parts of North Central, North East, Wimmera and Northern Country Forecast Districts.

Horsham, Warrnambool, Maryborough, Ballarat, Geelong, Melbourne, Traralgon and Bairnsdale are all set to be impacted, with gusts of up to 110km/h forecast.

Mount Buller, in eastern Victoria, recorded wind gusts of 128km/h early on Wednesday morning, while Mount Hotham saw winds of 111km/h.

In South Australia, Mount Gambier, Naracoorte, Burra, Robe, Millicent and Lucindale are all expected to cop the worst of the windy conditions, with gusts of up to 90km/h possible.

Meanwhile in Tasmania, winds of up to 100km/h are set to wreak havoc across suburbs of Devonport, Burnie, Whitemark, Strahan, Queenstown and Dover.

Severe weather warnings for damaging winds have been issued by the Bureau of Meteorology for Australia's south-east, with wind gusts of up to 130km/hour possible (stock image)

BOM meteorologist Sarah Scully said the cold front would bring 'really windy conditions and gusty showers and storms' to parts of Australia's south-east.

'For NSW it's generally dry but it's going to be a really windy day, with showers developing about the southern ranges,' she said.

'It'll be noticeably windy particularly for Sydney and the Illawarra region.

'For Victoria, it's also going to be a really windy day while for South Australia it'll be a windy start to Wednesday but those winds will ease by early afternoon.'

Weatherzone meteorologist Ben Domensino said Tasmania will be the 'hardest hit' by the weather system.

'The strongest winds will occur in western, southern and eastern Tasmania, where gusts are expected to reach up to about 110km/h in low-lying areas and above 125km/h about elevated terrain and along parts of the state's east coast,' he said.

Another cold front is set to move across Western Australia on Wednesday night, bringing gusty winds and showers to the west coast.

These windy conditions come amid unseasonably warm temperatures for some parts of the country with Brisbane set to be 8C warmer than average on Wednesday reaching a top of 31C.

On Monday, a scorching 41.6C was recorded in Yampi Sound, in north-west Western Australia - the highest ever winter temperature recorded in Australia.

The Bureau predicts the increased temperatures will last throughout the week, with some areas seeing highs about 11C greater than the average for the end of winter.

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 29C

The windy conditions come amid unseasonably warm temperatures for some parts of the country with Brisbane set to be 8C warmer than average on Wednesday reaching a top of 31C

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 50km/h turning westerly early in the morning then decreasing to 20 to 30km/h in the evening. Min 13C Max 18C

Thursday: Cloudy. Medium chance of showers. Winds west to northwesterly 20 to 30km/h tending north to northwesterly 25 to 40km/h during the day. Min 10C Max 17C

Friday: Cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Winds northerly 35 to 50 km/h turning westerly 25 to 40km/h during the morning then tending west to northwesterly 20 to 30km/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 25km/h becoming light in the evening then becoming north to northwesterly 15 to 20km/h in the late evening. Min 16C Max 31C



Thursday: Sunny. Light winds becoming north to northwesterly 15 to 20km/h during the day then becoming light during the evening. Min 19C Max 33C

Friday: Sunny. Light winds becoming northwest to northeasterly 15 to 20km/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 25km/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 40km/h during the morning then decreasing to 15 to 25km/h during the evening. Min 15C Max 21C

Friday: Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Winds westerly 20 to 30km/h. Min 11C Max 18C

Adelaide

Wednesday: Cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the early morning. Winds westerly 30 to 45km/h decreasing to 15 to 25km/h in the evening. Min 13C Max 17C

Thursday: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower. Winds west to northwesterly 15 to 25km/h tending north to northwesterly 25 to 35km/h during the morning. Min 11C Max 22C

Friday: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers. Winds northwesterly 25 to 35km/h turning westerly 30 to 45km/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 35km/h tending westerly 30 to 45km/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 40km/h turning north to northwesterly 15 to 25km/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 35km/h turning westerly during the morning then tending northwesterly 20 to 30km/h during the evening. Min 10C Max 15C

Canberra

Wednesday: Partly cloudy. Winds northwesterly 30 to 45km/h turning westerly 35 to 50km/h in the middle of the day then decreasing to 25 to 35km/h in the evening. Min 8C Max 18C

Thursday: Partly cloudy. Winds westerly 15 to 25km/h turning northwesterly 20 to 30km/h during the afternoon then decreasing to 15 to 20km/h during the evening. Min 4C Max 16C

Friday: Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers. Winds northwesterly 20 to 30km/h increasing to 30 to 45km/h during the morning then turning westerly 15 to 25km/h during the afternoon. Min 5C Max 21C

Darwin

Wednesday: Sunny. Light winds becoming easterly 15 to 25km/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 25km/h during the morning then tending northwest to northeasterly 15 to 20km/h during the evening. Min 23C Max 24C

Friday: Mostly sunny. Light winds becoming northwest to northeasterly 15 to 25km/h during the day then tending west to northwesterly during the afternoon. Min 23C Max 33C
Two Delta Airlines workers killed when a tire suddenly exploded were identified as a navy veteran and a young father-of-two.

Mirko Marweg, 58, and Luis Aldarondo Jr, 37, died when the tire blew up as it was being changed at the Atlanta International Airport just after 5am on Tuesday.

A third worker was seriously hurt, but the extent of their injuries, the cause of the explosion, and how the workers died was unknown.

Marweg served in the military, following generations of his family over the past century, including his father, sister, brothers, nephew, son, and granddaughter.

Mirko Marweg, 58, (pictured with his daughter at her graduation) was one of the two Delta Airlines workers killed by a tire explosion at Atlanta Airport

Luis Aldarondo Jr, 37, was the order worker killed. He is pictured with his wife, young son and daughter, and another family member

He was a US Navy enlisted seaman, as was his son Andre Coleman, and his granddaughter Nikki Coleman, 20, enlisted in 2021.

After he was discharged, he worked in maintenance for the Atlanta Metropolitan Rapid Transit Authority for 26 years until 2020, before joining Delta.

Aldarondo had a young son and daughter with his wife Sonia, and is close with his mother Juliet Perez.

The explosion occurred in the maintenance area of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Aldarondo had a young son and daughter with his wife Sonia (pictured together), and is close with his mother Juliet Perez.

Marweg with his wife in a recent photo

Marweg served in the military (pictured in his navy uniform), like generations of his family over the past century, including his father, sister, brothers, nephew, son, and granddaughter

Delta TechOps is responsible for the maintenance of all the airline's planes, and Atlanta is the global headquarters, servicing more than 200 routes around the world.

It is understood the Boeing 757 arrived in Atlanta from Las Vegas on Sunday night.

Flight Radar tracking data reveals the plane had completed four short-haul trips on Sunday between Tampa, Atlanta, and Las Vegas.

The incident was months after another Delta Boeing lost its nose wheel while attempting to take off from the same airport.

Two people have died after a Delta airplane tire exploded while it was being changed at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

John Laughter, the President and Chief of Operations of Delta TechOps, issued a note to staff on Tuesday morning acknowledging the tragedy is 'heartbreaking for us all.'

He said: 'Im deeply saddened to share that three TechOps team members were involved in an accident that took place early this morning in Atlanta... Wheel & Brake Shop.

'Please know your safety and wellbeing comes first  always, and that your leaders are here for you. Please continue to take good care of yourself and one another.

'Were all in this together, and well get through this by supporting each other.'

Laughter said resources will remain onsite to assist for as long as required, and directed distressed staff to the HR department, while also offering a 24/7 counseling service.

Delta Air Lines 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 at the Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility.

'We have extended our full support to family members and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time.

Delta Air Lines 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 at the Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility'

'The Delta family is grateful for the quick action of first responders and medical teams on site.'

Flights in and out of the airport have not been impacted by the tragedy.

Delta has vowed to work with local authorities as an investigation is launched to determine what went wrong.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens issued a statement on Tuesday morning confirming the tragedy and issuing his condolences to the loved ones of those involved.

He 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. AFRD, APD, and HJAIA teams are on the scene, working diligently to address the situation.'

The tragedy comes just months after a Delta plane flying out of the same airport lost the nose tire as it attempted to take off.

Delta TechOps is responsible for the maintenance of all the airline's planes, and Atlanta serves as the global headquarters

The Boeing 757 was set to take off from HartsfieldJackson Atlanta to Bogota, Colombia in January but was delayed because of the incident.

According to the FAA, the nose wheel came off and rolled down the hill as during the line up and wait to take off.

It also marks the latest in a string of concerning incidents involving Boeing planes.

Just last month, a Boeing 737 suddenly plummeted to less than 500 feet off the ground over Oklahoma, terrifying residents who feared the jet was going to crash.

One of the more scary incidents involved a door plug blowing out on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 at 16,000 feet this January.

Boeing executives last month accepted a $243.6million plea deal that would see the company avoid a criminal trial over two deadly 737 Max crashes.

Under the agreement, Boeing will plead guilty to a criminal fraud charge stemming from the fatal crashes in Indonesia in October 2018 and in Ethiopia less than five months later that killed a combined 346 people.
The deck would take up 30sqm of a public park

A trendy Sydney Mexican restaurant has been ordered to stop building a small deck in a public park due to community backlash, despite receiving council approval.

Comedor was mostly welcomed by residents when it opened in July at a 100-year-old warehouse that backs onto Camperdown Memorial Rest Park in Newtown.

But things turned sour when the restaurant began building a deck for eight chairs on a 30-square-metre area of the park, despite having a 12-month agreement with the council to operate there.

Neighbours and councillors soon voiced their concerns, arguing that the deck would 'commercialise' the park and contribute to the suburb's gentrification.

On Tuesday morning the council had reversed its decision, ordering Comedor to stop building the deck, even though the restaurant had already paid a $5,500 security deposit and an annual hiring fee.

Deputy Mayor Chloe Smith said that a formal community consultation would now take place and that 'no installation or trading would take place until this process had been completed'.

'It's clear there was a significant misstep in the process here, and I'm really pleased we've been able to rectify this quickly,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Tom Patterson, who lives next to the restaurant, said the deck could 'get stuffed'.

Comedor was mostly welcomed by residents when it opened at a 100-year-old warehouse on Australia Street in Newtown, in the city's inner west, in July

Locals were divided after the restaurant announced plans to build a deck for eight chairs (pictured) on 30 square metres of Camperdown Memorial Rest Park in Newtown

'There's this really big push to get Sydney more vibrant, and I'm absolutely for that. But Newtown doesn't need to be more vibrant,' he said.

'It must be one of the most vibrant neighbourhoods in the world. What makes a great community is the contrast.

'You can have amazing nightlife, and you can have a wonderful park.'

Outgoing Inner West councillor Dylan Griffiths said he would have expected widespread community consultation on the proposed deck.

'I believe this is effectively privatisation of 30msq of well-used and much-loved public space as it will see exclusive use by a for profit entity during prime usage hours. Its an enclosure of the commons,' he wrote on Facebook.

'Camperdown Park is an important third space for our diverse community, including young people and disadvantaged residents. Not everyone can hangout at home, or afford to spend time in Newtown's private spaces. Its an extremely active park.'

Comedor is a newly opened restaurant in the trendy suburb of Newtown

The deck would take up just 30sqm of Camperdown Memorial Park (pictured)

The plans were discussed at a community forum on Tuesday night and will be an agenda item at next week's council meeting.

Inner West Council Mayor Darcy Byrne said 'describing this use of a very small section of the park as "privatisation" is over the top'.

He added that while community consultation should have taken place, residents had welcomed new cafes and bars in public spaces since Covid times.

An Inner West Council spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: 'The Cafe was approved by the Land and Environment Court (LEC) in 2021.

'The cafe seeks to serve food and drink from a bifold window into the park. The cafe backs onto Camperdown Memorial Rest Park which is classified as Community Land.

'As part of their concept, they sought permission from Council to construct a platform that could cater for 4 or 5 tables due to the unevenness of the ground.

Inner West Council Mayor Darcy Byrne (pictured) said 'describing this use of a very small section of the park as "privatisation" is over the top'

'Council has provided a Hirers Agreement and the Parks Access permit for construction of the platform without engaging the community around the concept of serving food and drink in the park.

'This engagement would usually form part of the license to operate a business on community land which is an approval required under the Local Government Act.

'Realising this Local Government Act approval process had not taken place, Council has informed the proprietor of the cafe that all the permissions required have not been issued and that the approval process has been halted to enable proper community consultation and engagement to occur.

'Council apologises for this error in process.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Comedor for comment.
A self-made millionaire has unleashed on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's new 'right to disconnect' laws that restrict employers' out-of-hours contact with staff.

From Monday, it is illegal for staff to be penalised for not responding to communication from bosses outside of work hours, under reasonable circumstances, with large fines imposed on businesses that break the new rules.

In a video to social media, Rami Ykmour, the co-founder of restaurant chain Rashays, called on Mr Albanese to 'tell us the truth and what the real problem is'.

Mr Ykmour built up Rashays from one Sydney location, that he opened with his wife whom he met while working at Pizza Hut, to now having more than 30 restaurants along Australia's east coast.

'Mr Prime Minister are you so happy with this law because no-one can call you after five o'clock now? Is that why you're bringing it to our attention?' he said.

'God love our beautiful country and our Prime Minister (but) this is how he's trying to get brownie points, he made a whole TikTok for it.

'Yes we want people to spend time at home with their family and people's mental health to be in the right place, but Mr Prime Minister let me tell you something: we have bigger issues my friend.

'We have a cost-of-living crisis, there are people who are homeless, people who can't afford to pay their bills, people who can't afford the basics in life. How about you tell us the truth and what the real problem is. Wake up, Mr Prime Minister.'

Rashays co-founder Rami Ykmour took aim at Anthony Albanese's new 'right to disconnect' laws that prevent bosses contacting staff out of working hours

The business owner built up his restaurant chain into a successful franchise with more than 30 locations

Mr Albanese supported the new rules saying that they will be good for businesses as well as employees.

'For many Australians, they're getting frustrated that they're expected to be on their phones, their emails, all of that, for 24 hours a day,' he told ABC Radio.

'When people are actually loyal to their employer and focused on what they should be doing and not being distracted during 24 hours a day, but focused on eight hours a day, or if they're working longer hours than that, longer, you will get a more productive workforce.

'The idea that you should be on call at 10 o'clock at night if you work a 9-to-5 job isn't reasonable.'

Under the laws employees can refuse to monitor, read, or respond to their employers' calls, texts or emails outside work hours unless that refusal is deemed 'unreasonable'.

Some Latin American and European countries such as France, Spain and Belgium already have similar rules in place.

Unions welcomed the legislation, saying it gave workers a way to reclaim some work-life balance.

'Today is a historic day for working people,' said Michele O'Neil, president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions.

'Australian unions have reclaimed the right to knock off after work,' she said.

One worker said clear boundaries would help them focus.

'I have a very hard time disconnecting and even though I may not necessarily be logged on, my brain is constantly working overtime,' not-for-profit worker Karolina Joseski told AFP.

'So getting that after-hour call from my boss doesn't necessarily help.'

Mr Albanese said the new rules would boost productivity for businesses in work hours

But the reform was slammed by the Australian Industry Group, which described the laws as 'rushed, poorly thought out and deeply confusing'.

'At the very least, employers and employees will now be uncertain about whether they can take or make a call out of hours to offer an extra shift,' it said.

The Business Council of Australia also took aim at the rules.

'These laws put Australia's competitiveness at risk by adding more cost and complexity to the challenge of doing business, and that means less investment and fewer job opportunities,' BCA chief executive Bran Black said.

Employment Minister Murray Watt said he wanted to bring back 'clocking off' from a job.

'Many workers feel pressured to remain connected to their emails and calls long after they have finished their workday.

'It should not be controversial that workers shouldn't be required to do unpaid overtime.

'The right does not prohibit employers or employees contacting one another. It just means, in most circumstances, an employee does not need to respond until they are back at work.'

The law is in effect for medium-sized and large companies as of Monday and smaller firms with fewer than 15 employees will be covered from August 26, 2025.

Any disputes would be umpired by the Fair Work Commission.

Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth, said people should take a 'commonsense approach' to applying the new law.

The question of what is reasonable will 'depend on the circumstances', the Fair Work Ombudsman said in a statement.

Deciding factors may include the reason for the contact, the nature of the employee's role, and their compensation for working extra hours or being available, it said.
Australians have been warned to be on the lookout for snakes as rising temperatures bring the reptiles out into the open.

Experts say the unusually warm spring weather has lead to an increase in snake sightings, including the deadly brown snake which is responsible for most snake bite fatalities around the country.

'Typically, snakes do not come out of brumation until September. However, due to the unseasonably warm weather, experts warn that snakes could be active much earlier this year,' Australian Reptile Park operations manager Billy Collett said.

Cold-blooded reptiles like snakes often seek out cool, hidden places to escape the heat.

To prevent unexpected encounters with snakes, it's important to take some precautions.

'All households to keep grass areas around their house mowed and well maintained; also avoid piling up leftover firewood or accumulating stick piles,' Mr Collett said.

'Tin sheets or any household items like these that are piled up can draw in heat providing a perfect man-made habitat for snakes. These areas provide a safe house for snakes as they sit in stealth mode awaiting prey to feed, and if startled they will defend through biting.

Smaller snakes are more prone to hide between thick shrubs as they heat up during the day and keeps the cold-blooded reptile warm during the night.

Snakes are not naturally aggressive and prefer to retreat. The only time they attack people is if they are attacked themselves, provoked, or captured.

'It's important that all Australians know that do not go out of their way to harm people,' Mr Collett said.

Mr Collett added that people should steer clear of any encounter with a snake, no matter what species.

About 140 different species of snakes call Australia home, but 100 of them are venomous, and only 12 species are likely to kill you if bitten.

The Coastal and Outback regions of the Northern Territory, Queensland, and New South Wales are particularly dangerous, as they harbor some of the country's most venomous snakes.

Experts have warned Aussies of potentially deadly snakes (pictured, eastern brown snake) awaking from their winter brumation early this year due to an unseasonable heatwave

Experts have warned Australians that there already has been an increase in snake sightings which they say is 'out of the ordinary'

Among these are the Coastal Taipan  ranked as the second most venomous snake in the world  the Eastern Brown Snake, and the Mainland Tiger Snake.

'Snake bites mostly occur when people are trying to catch or kill the snake, so if you don't do either of those things, there's a greater chance that you'll be okay,' he said.

In the event of a bite, the victim must remain 'calm and immobile' while emergency services are contacted so they can receive treatment.

A bandage should also be wrapped tightly around the bite site and surrounding limb while all jewellery must be removed.

'By applying the pressure-immobilisation bandage, the venom cannot easily spread through the body, slowing down the envenomation process by buying the bite victim more time to seek medical attention at the hospital,' Mr Collett said.

'Depending on the species of venomous snake, a bite could destroy blood cells, cause blood clots, or excessive bleeding and destroy tissue.

'If not correctly treated with first aid immediately, a fatality can be as quick as 30 minutes.'
A fisherman who was knocked out when hit by the tail of a whale has been left incapacitated with spinal injuries, as family and friends rally around to help his recovery.

Jordan Mainstone was fishing from a 'tinnie' small boat with a friend about 1km off the northern NSW town of Tweed Heads on Sunday when a whale surfaced under the boat and hit him directly with its tail.

Mr Mainstone was knocked unconscious and was taken to hospital where he remained for well over a week being treated for spinal injuries.

Water police and paramedics jumped into the tinnie with Mr Mainstone to help bring it ashore.

'They didn't want to take him off the boat because they thought he had neck injuries,' John Murray from Marine Rescue NSW said.

Nearby jetskiers Brady and Adam Bell watched the amazing episode unfold.

'It was pure, unlucky, bad timing - the boat came, whale popped up, and it was just unavoidable,' Adam said.

The pair said anyone in the ocean needed to be aware they were in the 'whales' playground'.

Jordan Mainstone (pictured, left) was fishing from a tinnie on Sunday August 18 with a friend about 1km off the northern NSW town of Tweed Heads when a whale surfaced under the boat and hit him with its tail

A Gofundme page has been created to help Mr Mainstone with medical and other costs as he recovers,

'Jordan was out fishing with a mate off the Tweed bar which they had done on numerous occasions when unexpectedly a whale popped up under the boat with its tail hitting Jordan in the face & knocking him unconscious,' the page states.

'He was rushed to GCUH (Gold Coast University Hospital) & has been in ICU for the past 9 days with his wife Rebecca by his side.

'He has a long road to recovery with an uncertain time frame of when he will be able to return to work.

'Rebecca has also been unable to work during this time & depending on Jordan's recovery requirements/time, may also not be able to return to work for some time.'

Authorities said the incident was extremely rare but those out on the ocean had to be aware of whale activity

The page, created by Samantha Johnson, had raised over $2,000 of its $10,000 goal by Wednesday morning.

Authorities said it was an extremely rare event but reminded those taking to the water that whales were often surfacing along their migratory routes at this time of year.

'I've been doing this for 22 years and I've never heard of a whale actually hitting someone on a stationary boat,' Mr Murray said.

'We've had boats come in contact with whales before but not actually a person sitting in a boat.'
An Oregon high school principal sent a surprising message to parents about a teacher's gender transition.

Scott Gragg, the principal of McNary High School in Keizer, recently shared a message from Diesel Technology teacher Tristan Thiel, who announced that she transitioned over the summer and asked the public to accept her new identity.

'I'm confident that our McNary family will do an amazing job of supporting her in this journey,' Gragg wrote in the notice to parents and students, obtained by the popular Libs of TikTok X account.

'Thank you in advance for your care and support of Tristan.'

Gragg, a former NFL player, went on to share Thiel's email she sent to her own students, in which she says she is 'happy to announce that I have decided to transition my gender identity from male to female.'

McNary High School Diesel Technology teacher Tristan Thiel announced that she transitioned over the summer and asked the public to accept her new identity

She asked parents or guardians who have concerns to send them to the school's administration

'This letter is meant to inform students, their parents and guardians that I have decided to return to school identifying as my authentic self, the woman (she, her, miss) I truly am,' Thiel wrote in the letter shared on social media.

She noted that 'transitioning is a deeply personal journey for all and I ask for your understanding and respect during this time of change.

'For students, I want you to know that I am still the same teacher who is dedicated to your growth, learning and well-being. My passion for education and my commitment to helping you succeed remain unchanged,' Thiel said.

'I am here to support you and ensure that you feel safe and valued in our classroom.'

She then went on to thank the parents and guardians for their 'continued support of your child's education.

'I understand you may have questions or concerns, please direct them to the McNary Admin team, and we will do our best to address them.'

Scott Gragg, the principal of McNary High School, shared the news to the public

Thiel also insisted her 'intent is to not push my views or personal ideas onto others, but to share my passion for Diesel Technology with my students, here at McNary.'

She added: 'Your understanding and support mean the world to me, and I am committed to working with the school district to ensure a smooth transition for everyone involved.'

But many online viewers who saw the email correspondence users were stunned by Thiel's announcement, and the principal's support.

'Only in Oregon,' one mother wrote.

Podcaster Gideon 6ix also claimed 'there is nothing "authentic" about what this person is doing. It's sad.

'It's ridiculous that this person is trying to force others to play pretend.'

William Ward also wrote on Facebook that Thiel is holding 'children's abilities to learn a trade hostage dependent on the stipulation that they are forced [to] accept your mental instability or get suspended/expelled from school if they don't.

'You know any child that doesn't accept it [will] be threatened with some form of punishment for misgendering or dead-naming a mentally ill person,' he claimed.

Many on X were appalled by Thiel's announcement, and the principal's support

Others, meanwhile, suggested Thiel's transition is emblematic of the Oregon school system.

'I pulled my kid from Oregon public schools,' an X user wrote. 'Highly recommend. They're weird.'

Another claimed that the 'public school system in Oregon is a lost cause.

'The Oregon Department of Education is [run] by a bunch of radical progressives,' she wrote, suggesting that parents instead 'homeschool your kids or find a good private school.'

Still, there were some who supported the message.

'I'm so glad that district supports its teachers,' one woman commented on the Libs of TikTok post.

Under Oregon law, gender-affirming care is restricted to those 15 and older.

DailyMail.com has reached out to McNary High School and Salem-Keizer Public Schools for comment.
Screenshots of texts between a woman accusing a married Democrat of sexual assault and her friend have seemingly cast doubt on her claims.

The development comes from newly filed court documents in the sex assault lawsuit against 47-year-old Nathan Fletcher, who served as chair on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors from 2021 to 2023.

His accuser, former Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) public relations specialist Grecia Figueroa, 36, sued him in San Diego Superior Court for sexual assault, harassment and battery in March 2023, claiming he groped and kissed her.

Texts included in the documents filed by Fletcher's lawyers instead show their interactions in a different light, referring to a steamy 'make out session' and claims from Figueroa that she was 'f****n in love.'

Another appeared to show the city staffer's intent to wreck Fletcher's marriage, reading, 'I'll just show him how smart I am and hopefully he will divorce his wife and realize he just met the love of his life.'

newly filed court filings in the sex assault lawsuit against 47-year-old Nathan Fletcher - seen here with wife Lorena Gonzalez - have cast down on his accuser's claims

His accuser, former Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) public relations specialist Grecia Figueroa, 36, sued him in San Diego Superior Court for sexual assault, harassment and battery in March 2023

Sent to Figueroa's friend Danielle Radin after the pair's alleged first encounter on May 12, 2022, Figueroa wrote, 'Brooooo It's happening I'm gonna meet up with him But something casual Like hidden,' the filing revealed.

Radin, a television journalist and self-professed domestic violence counselor, in turn responded, 'GOOD LUCK!!!! LMK how it goes,' the filing showed.

Figueroa, a Peruvian-American who moved to the US when she was 13, replied: 'Omg So if I want to have sex with this man  I can.'

This came after Fletcher - then the chair of the MTS Board - 'convinced' her to visit him at his hotel and led her to a stairwell where he confessed he had a crush on her before propositioning 'a few drinks', her original complaint claimed.

Figueroa initially said she was 'shocked and confused' and 'powerless' by the politician's advances, due to his position.

She also said Fletcher, who has been wed to his second wife Lorena Gonzalez since 2017, made advances toward the end of the evening, 'put[ting] his hands on her and kissed her,' the complaint said.

Radin then texted back, 'Well, yeah I could have told you that lol,' Fletcher's filing indicated.

Hour later, while with Fletcher, Figueroa texted back.

The documents contain dozens of texts that indicate the romantic interactions between the pair were consensual

The texts were sent to Figueroa's friend Danielle Radin. The pair are seen here together in 2022

Previously, Radin wrote in a court declaration filed two weeks ago that her communications with Figueroa were solely related to her work as an investigative reporter for CBS Los Angeles and domestic abuse counselor. She has also worked for Fox 5 and NBC 7 in San Diego

'I told him no, no kissing. We are gonna be working with each for another two years at least, we can't go there,' the filing showed

Radin, after hearing Fletcher tried to kiss her, responded 'I thought you guys would kiss haha,' the filing revealed.

Later that night, Figueroa wrote how she held back for three hours before finally kissing Fletcher, telling her friend, 'I feel like I just came out of the wildest dream I could have had, and idk how to feel about it.

'Omg it was great but at the same time it felt sooooo wrong,' she said.

'I have no words,' the filing further showed.

She went on to blame the '3 f***** beers' the two drank before the interaction, while confirming to her friend, 'We made out.'

Other texts detail a supposed second encounter with the transit boss, which occurred in June of that year.

At the time, the transit boss allegedly told Figueroa to meet him in a conference room at MTS' San Diego office.

Figueroa, a Peruvian-American who moved to the US when she was 13, claims the politician who ended his senate bid last year because of her lawsuit groped and kissed her.

Once inside, Fletcher 'put his mouth against hers, and began to grab her breasts through her clothes,' the complaint claimed.

In a text afterward, Figueroa told Radin 'Hahahaa, I just hugged him and congratulated him  and then we moved to the corner of the room, away from the window and kissed.'

'Having a make out session was not in my plans today,' she added. '[B]ut hey..what do I know anymore.'

Radin responded by writing back, 'OMG hahaha  that is like so hot though,' Fletcher's filing showed.

Again, the narrative seen in the correspondence differed greatly from that of Figueroa's complaint, where she wrote she rebuffed Fletcher during the interaction.

She further claimed she told him he 'was not comfortable having this type of encounter with him, especially at MTS headquarters' - something not seen in the filing.

The texts also show discrepancies during a supposed third encounter on December 1, 2022, after which Figueroa sent a text to Radin that day with five 'OMGs'.

Fletcher's lawyer on Friday said the newly unveiled messages 'all but eviscerate Plaintiff's allegations against [his client]', who back in March of last year acknowledged he had participated in inappropriate behavior, and underwent treatment for alcohol abuse and PTSD

They were followed up by her admission that she and Fletcher had 'just had a heavy, heavy make out sesh,' along with the acronym expressing confusion 'Wtf.'

Previously, Radin wrote in a court declaration filed two weeks ago that her communications with Figueroa were solely related to her work as an investigative reporter for CBS Los Angeles and domestic abuse counselor.

'In the course of my investigative work, I uncovered information regarding Mr. Fletcher's conduct that was of significant public interest,' Radin wrote on August 13.

'The severity of the allegations related to sexual misconduct and abuse of power made it imperative for me, as a journalist, to continue monitoring the situation through direct communication with the source herself, Ms. Figueroa.'

It added that 'Any information I may have about Nathan Fletcher would have been obtained solely as a result of my role as a domestic violence counselor or in my capacity as a journalist reporting on related matters.'

Radin previously worked for Fox 5 and NBC 7 in San Diego.

Fletcher's lawyer on Friday said the newly unveiled messages 'all but eviscerate Plaintiff's allegations against [Fletcher]', who back in March of last year acknowledged he had participated in inappropriate behavior, and underwent treatment for alcohol abuse and PTSD related to the time he spent as a Marine.

He also called it quits for his campaign for state senate, all because of Figueroa's lawsuit.

On Tuesday, Fletcher's wife Lorena took a victory lap while touting the texts in her husband's lawyers' new filing, writing on X: 'Things arent always as they first appear.

On Tuesday, Fletcher's wife Lorena took a victory lap in the wake of the texts in the new filing, writing on X: 'Things arent always as they first appear'

As of writing, the case remains ongoing. Figueroa initially said she was 'shocked and confused' and 'powerless' by the politician's advances, due to his position

'Im sickened but grateful that truth is finally coming out, slowly.

'Funny how they seemed to also find footage of her that wasnt her decade-old glamour shot,' she added, referring to her spouse's accuser's recent appearances in court used in an NBC San Diego story reporting on the development.

The case remains ongoing.
Neglected youngsters don't have enough services to help them, the vast majority of professionals who work with children have told a survey.

The NSPCC said 83 per cent of staff in healthcare, the police, children's social care and education felt this way, while many also felt that poverty was a key factor in a rise in cases.

Of 700 professionals polled, 54 per cent said they had seen an increase in neglect cases.

Some 90 per cent of those felt the rising cost of living and poverty rates were driving factors, while 76 per cent said a drop in community support to parents had contributed.

The NSPCC said neglect, defined as a persistent failure to meet a child's physical and psychological needs, had, according to those polled, become normalised and there were limited resources, specialised professionals or interventions to help.

Neglected youngsters don't have enough services to help them, the vast majority of professionals who work with children have told a survey (Stock photo)

The charity has called for a national neglect strategy and better guidance for dealing with neglect, as well as plans to eradicate child poverty.

The independent panel which commissions reviews of serious child safeguarding cases said the NSPCC report's findings echoed its own data which had shown that in more than half the cases it looked into where a child had died or been seriously harmed, there had been neglect beforehand.

The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel's most recent annual report had also shown that in the year to March 2023, a quarter of serious safeguarding incidents where neglect was recorded as a risk factor occurred in the 10 per cent most deprived areas in England and that eight children had died because of extreme neglect.

The panel's chairwoman, Annie Hudson, said their own report's 'shocking figures demonstrate that neglect remains one of the most challenging areas of child safeguarding practice; it is often undetected, misunderstood, and overlooked'.

She added: 'Today's report chimes with many of our early findings, and highlights the importance of agencies working seamlessly together to identify and respond to child neglect.'

Of 700 professionals polled, 54 per cent said they had seen an increase in neglect cases (Stock photo)

Anna Edmundson, head of policy at the NSPCC, said: 'Resources and early help services that would help support children and families where neglect is a concern are at an all-time low, while economic pressures on families are at an all-time high. This combination is proving disastrous for children and families.

'The new Labour Government can turn this around by focusing their attention on measures that would make a difference to addressing neglect, particularly in the context of the cost-of-living crisis and increasing child poverty.

'We want to see a national strategy to tackle neglect rolled into the Children's Wellbeing Bill and work to address child poverty delivered at the earliest opportunity.'

The NSPCC said it spoke to 100 social workers, 200 police, 200 frontline healthcare professionals and 200 teachers.
Builders demolishing a column at London's National Gallery have uncovered a 34-year-old letter from the rich donor who paid for it and revealing he hated the pillar.

The late John Sainsbury and his two brothers backed the construction of the 30million wing and it was named after the family of supermarket moguls in 1990.

But the former Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover secretly loathed the concept of a 'false column' so much that he inserted a note into the structure.

It was found last year by demolition workers inside the columns which served no purpose in holding up the structure, it has only now been revealed.

Builders demolishing a column at London 's National Gallery have uncovered a 34-year-old letter from the rich donor who paid for it and revealing he hated the pillar

The former Lord Sainsbury died in 2022, aged 94. He secretly loathed the concept of a 'false column' so much that he inserted a note into the structure

The Sainsbury's Wing in the National Gallery. The note was hidden inside a false column in the foyer

It congratulated the workers on the decision to get rid of the column - signed by the Lord and typed in block capitals on Sainsbury's-headed notepaper.

According to The Art Newspaper, it read: '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 letter has now been deposited in the gallery's archive as an historic document.

The former Lord Sainsbury died in 2022, aged 94.

His widow Anya, a former ballerina, was there when the note was removed and told The Art Newspaper: 'I was so happy for John's letter to be rediscovered after all these years and I feel he would be relieved and delighted for the gallery's new plans and the extra space they are creating.'

The National Gallery's Sainsbury Wing was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and is undergoing a major development

The Sainsbury Wing was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and is undergoing a major 35million development.

But the gallery is facing mutiny from conservation groups which say the wing should be protected from any changes at all to the structure.

The reconstruction work has also been vehemently opposed by one of its architects, Denise Scott Brown.

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has also condemned the 'insensitive' plans for the wing, which is a Grade I-listed building.

It is being redesigned by the architect Annabelle Selldorf, whose plans may undo some of the 'crypt-like' features.

The Venturi design was only chosen after King Charles decried the original design in 1984, branding it a 'monstrous carbuncle'

Charles sent shock waves through the architecture world in 1984 when he used a speech to the 150th anniversary of the Royal Institute of British Architects to lambast modern design.

He described the towering extension to the National Gallery as a 'monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend'.
This is the moment a 'Robin Hood'-style supermarket thief scatters cash across a supermarket to share with shoppers in the latest brazen raid on Britain's stores.

Shocking scenes show Tesco workers in Stratford, east London, standing helpless as the masked thug raids their tills.

Rifling through the store's money behind the protective glass, the yob appears to be carrying a bulging 'bag for life' - filled with tobacco and cigarettes.

Wearing a grey hooded jumper and red jogging bottoms, a person behind a phone rushes over to them and shouts 'yo' in admiration.

Another can be heard repeatedly urging, 'Give me a tenner!', while the raid continues - and as the thief pulls cash from the till, their shouts are rewarded as he throws some through the gap.

At least five 5 notes spill onto the shop's floor - a total of 25 - prompting squeals of delight from onlookers.

Rifling through the store's money behind the protective glass, the yob appears to be carrying a bulging 'bag for life' filled with tobacco and cigarettes

And as the thief pulls cash from the till, onlookers' shouts of 'give me a tenner' are rewarded as he throws some through the gap

At least five 5 notes spill onto the shop's floor, prompting delight from onlookers

Social media users were quick to support the thug as they saw the video of his theft.

One dubbed him 'Robin Hoodie', while another quipped: 'Sharing is caring.'

A third laughed, 'Every little helps', with another adding: 'The workers ain't dying for Tesco.'

It comes as Britain's shoplifting epidemic has reached its worst level since records began in 2003.

Almost 444,000 crimes were recorded by forces in England and Wales in the year to March, up from 342,428 in the previous 12 months.

But industry figures say underreporting means shoplifting is even more endemic than currently thought, with many store owners not bothering to report offences to overwhelmed police and criminal gangs operating without any fear of being caught.

Separate data from the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) estimates retailers have recorded more than 5.6million incidents of theft over the last year.

Just 17 per cent of the 417,582 shoplifting offences recorded in 2023/24 that were assigned an outcome resulted in a charge or summons.

Shocking scenes show Tesco workers in Stratford, east London, standing helpless as the masked thug raids their tills

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

Wearing a grey hooded jumper and red jogging bottoms, the person behind the phone rushes over to them and shouts 'yo' in admiration

It comes as Britain's shoplifting epidemic has reached its worst level since records began in 2003

And 58 per cent of investigations closed with no suspect identified, up from 55 per cent the previous year, according to Home Office data.

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 told MailOnline last month: '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.'

Tesco and the Metropolitan Police have been contacted for comment.
She has now accused him of toxic name-calling

A Teal MP who posted a vicious meme calling Peter Dutton 'toxic potatohead' has accused him of engaging in 'personal attacks' and 'name-calling'.

Monique Ryan, the independent member for the inner-Melbourne seat of Kooyong, fired off a Facebook post in 2018 with a photo of mashed potato and the caption: 'Peter Dutton reveals his softer side.'

She also wrote on the post: 'Toxic Potatohead.'

Mr Dutton was immigration minister at the time, but he was trying to smooth his public image ahead of a leadership spill from then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

The post was one in a string of anti-Liberal memes uploaded to Dr Ryan's Facebook page featuring politicians she didn't like, but they were removed when she was elected to Parliament in 2022.

Mr Dutton and deputy opposition leader Sussan Ley have since pointed the finger at Dr Ryan and other Teal MPs, accusing them of 'betraying' their traditionally conservative electorates by aligning with Labor and the Greens.

Dr Ryan in particular previously described herself as a 'small-L liberal' and a political 'cleanskin', before it was revealed she was a member of the Labor Party from 2010.

On Monday, Dr Ryan told the Today Show the Coalition wouldn't win her Kooyong seat back by engaging in 'toxic negativity' and 'name-calling'.

Peter Dutton (pictured on Monday) and members of the Coalition accused Teals of aligning with Labor and the Greens

'I'm not bothered by Peter Dutton calling me names, it seems to be his go-to,' she said.

'With Sussan Ley and Peter Dutton getting into these personal attacks all the time - this toxic negativity, it just doesn't work.'

She said her constituents were concerned about the cost of living, affordable housing and education, and accused the Coalition of failing to properly address those issues.

'If all Peter Dutton's got is sticks and stones, he's not going to win back seats like Kooyong,' she said.

Dr Ryan uploaded a clip of her interview on all her social media platforms, with the caption: 'Peter Dutton and Sussan Ley are good at calling people names.

'Not so good at coming up with policies for how to address the cost-of-living crisis and housing affordability and availability.

'Australia deserves better than their unrelenting negativity.'

The meme Teal MP Monique Ryan shared about Peter Dutton in 2018 is pictured. She called him 'Toxic Potatohead'

Some social users pointed out that Zali Steggall, the Teal member for Warringah in Sydney, called Mr Dutton 'racist' during Question Time earlier in August.

She was responding to his call to ban Palestinian refugees from seeking asylum in Australia.

'Pot, meet kettle,' one X user said.

Former Liberal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg held the seat of Kooyong until he lost to Dr Ryan in 2022.

Name-calling from all sides of politics comes ahead of the forthcoming election, which will be called before next May.

The Coalition will try to claw back the seats it lost to the Teals.

Dr Ryan refused to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia.
An Amazon delivery driver was allegedly caught on camera slamming into a mother walking with her four-month-old and dog - before fleeing the scene.

Disturbing footage obtained by WPLG shows the unidentified 30-year-old mother pushing her son in a stroller and walking her dog on the crosswalk at Northeast 7th Avenue and Northeast 191st Street in Miami shortly after 8.30am on August 22.

As the woman is about halfway through the intersection, a gray SUV could be seen barreling toward her and dragging the screaming mother.

The impact of the crash also knocked the stroller - with the infant still inside - onto the ground, Miami police report.

The suspect, who police have identified as 45-year-old Sarah Naybeth Parra Ovalles, was later seen walking over to the toppled stroller, picking it up so that it was upright in the intersection, and leaving.

Sarah Naybeth Parra Ovalles, 45, has been arrested for allegedly slamming into a 30-year-old mother and her four-month-old son before fleeing the scene

Ovalles was seen crying in court as she faced criminal charges for the hit-and-run

Police now say Ovalles arrived at the Isles Estate neighborhood and identified herself as an Amazon driver at the gate.

A security guard then took photos of her license and her license plates before letting her into the gated community, CBS News reports.

Ovalles then made several deliveries before allegedly swerving into the wrong lane and striking the mother and her child.

'She hit the lady. She dragged the lady for about 10 seconds,' one neighbor told WSVN.

Cassie Kress, another neighbor, recounted how she heard the infant 'screaming.'

'It was very intense. Then we heard a horn,' she said.

Kress - a nurse - said she ran over to help the mother and child before Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials arrived on the scene and transported them to a local hospital.

The mother was treated for a skull fracture, bruising and a brain bleed, while her son suffered a cut to his forehead, NBC Miami reports.

Shocking video shows a gray SUV slamming into a woman and her baby in a stroller

The mother was crossing the intersection of Northeast 7th Avenue and Northeast 191st Street in Miami shortly after 8.30am on August 22

Police said they were ultimately able to identify Ovalles as the perpetrator after they interviewed the gate guard and a witness, who said she was inside her ome when she heard the child crying and a vehicle's horn.

The witness said she then looked out her window and saw a woman wearing an Amazon Prime vest standing next to a gray SUV and looking around.

Just a few seconds later, the witness said she saw the woman get back into the SUV and drive away.

The next day, Miami-Dade police asked Ovalles to come into the station for an interview, during which time she admitted she making deliveries in the neighborhood and saw the victims.

But, she claimed, she was just driving next to them and saw that the mother seemed 'out of it' and 'placed her hands on her hood.'

Ovalles said she asked the woman if she was OK, the mother nodded and she drove away.

Then when police showed her the video of the crash, Ovalles denied being the driver and invoked her right to an attorney.

The suspect was later seen returning to set the stroller upright before fleeing the scene

Ovalles is now facing two counts of leaving the scene of a crash, one causing serious bodily injury.

She was seen in court crying as she faced the charges, but she has since been released after posting bond, WSVN reports.

'This is a terrible incident and our thoughts are with this family,' a spokesperson for Amazon said in the aftermath, noting Ovalles 'is no longer delivering on behalf of Amazon.'

Meanwhile, the infant is back home - but his mother remains in the hospital, with neighbors saying she is in a lot of pain.
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has been accused of 'rewriting history' after denying she stopped a gold mine dead in its tracks by making a controversial ruling on Indigenous heritage.

Earlier this month, Ms Plibersek decided to protect land deemed to have significant Aboriginal heritage value from being dug up for a wastewater dam required for the proposed McPhillamys gold mine near Blayney in central west NSW.

Mine developer Regis Resources said scuttling the plans for a tailings (mine byproducts) dam at the headwaters of the nearby Belubula River made the whole project financially unviable by setting it back five to 10 years.

However, Ms Plibersek said claims she had killed off the mine were 'misinformation'.

'Lets be very clear here, I have said that the gold mine can go ahead but that the company needs to find a new site for the tailings dam,' Ms Plibersek told the Daily Telegraph on Wednesday.

Her argument did not impress Sydney radio station 2GB morning talkback host Ben Fordham.

'For nearly two weeks its been reported across the country that Tanya Plibersek had blocked the gold mine from happening,' Fordham said.

'She didnt correct it. She seemed to be proud of the fact.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has been accused of 'rewriting history' after she denied a decision to stop a tailings dam being developed on a plot of land would make a gold mine project near the NSW central west town of Blayney unviable

'In fact she was boasting on social media about using her powers as environment minister to protect an Aboriginal heritage area.'

On the weekend Ms Plibersek gave an interview to the left-leaning Saturday Paper about her decision that appeared under the headline 'Tanya Plibersek halts goldmine on Indigenous heritage grounds'.

In that interview she again said Regis only had to find another nearby dam site to pursue the project.

'Theres actually nothing to stop the mine going ahead,' she said.

'They just need to find a new location for the tailings dump that is not on a culturally significant site for Wiradjuri people.

'Theyve got 2500 hectares of land they already own. Ive made a declaration over 400 hectares of that. Theyre free to use the other 2100 hectares.'

Fordham scoffed at this attempt to portray the dam decision as just a modest setback for the project.

'This is a ridiculous argument,' Fordham said.

'The gold mine can not go ahead until the site of the tailings dam is secured and approved by bureaucrats and that takes years.'

Fordham questioned why Ms Plibersek had declared the area of cultural significance when the NSW government thought otherwise.

'The NSW department of planning comprehensively considered Aboriginal heritage on this site and after three years of consideration the independent planning commission ruled "the department considers that that the projects impacts on Aboriginal cultural heritage are acceptable under NSW government policy",' Fordham said.

The proposed area just outside of Orange, NSW, was to have an open pit, processing plant and tailings dam (pictured)

'So, is Tanya Plibersek saying she doesnt trust the NSW government?'

There has been division among local Indigenous bodies over the gold mine.

The Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council, which are the statutory Indigenous body governing the area, support the mine and all its works going ahead.

However, the application to preserve the site came from the Wiradyuri Traditional Owners Central West Aboriginal Corporation, which Ms Plibersek partially accepted.

Last week Roy Ah-See, descendant of the Wiradjuri Nation and former chairman of the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council, raised questions over the credentials of Wollongong-born artist, Nyree Reynolds, who submitted a statement of significance document calling on Ms Plibersek to block the proposed entrails dam on the Belubula river.

NSW Labor Premier NSW Premier Chris Minns said on Monday he was 'disappointed' by Plibersek's decision with the mine set to create 200 jobs and contribute about $200million in royalties for NSW.

The state's Minister for Natural Resources Courtney Houssos continues to work with Regis Resources to find an alternative site for the tailings dam.

Fordham accused Ms Plibersek of 'tying herself in knots with all this spin' trying to deny she stopped the dam dead in its tracks.

'Chris Minns isnt having a bar of it, Anthony Albanese is running a million miles from it,' Fordham said of her claims.

'Tanya Plibersek is on her own.'
A preacher on the FBI's most wanted list - accused of sexual abuse and human trafficking - is believed to be hiding in a secret bunker, 30 metres underground.

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr deployed 2,000 police officers at the weekend to find and arrest the influential pastor who is a longtime friend of the country's former president.

Police think Apollo Quiboloy, a self-proclaimed 'owner of the universe' and 'appointed son of God', is hiding in a bunker at the sprawling compound owned by his church, the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), in the southern city of Davao.

Quiboloy is wanted on charges of child and sexual abuse and related allegations of human trafficking. He denies wrongdoing.

He is followed by millions of people in the Philippines, where church leaders hold heavy sway in politics.

Police think Apollo Quiboloy, a self-proclaimed 'owner of the universe' and 'appointed son of God', is hiding in a bunker

nti-riot police rest outside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Davao city

Anti-riot police block supporters of religious leader Apollo Quiboloy

Hundreds of police officers backed by riot squads raided a vast religious compound in search of the pastor on Saturday, with officers even bringing in drilling equipment.

A supporter of the group, called Kingdom of Jesus Christ, reportedly died due to a heart attack during the massive police raid that started at dawn in the group's compound in Davao city, livestreamed online by a local TV network owned by the group, police said, adding that the death was not related to the police operations.

Officers brought equipment that could detect people behind cement walls.

But by mid-afternoon, they found no sign of Quiboloy in the compound - some 30 hectares (75 acres) that includes a cathedral, a school, a living area, a hangar and a taxiway leading to Davao International Airport.

Quiboloy and his lawyer have denied the criminal allegations against him and his religious group, saying these were fabricated by critics and former members, who were removed from the religious group after committing irregularities.

Quiboloy's followers, many filming the police raid with their cellphones, yelled at the police, questioning the legality of the raid and pronouncing the innocence of Quiboloy, who was a close supporter and spiritual adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr deployed 2,000 police officers at the weekend to find and arrest the influential pastor who is a longtime friend of the country's former president

Anti-riot police block supporters of religious leader Apollo Quiboloy as they stage a protest rally outside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound in Davao city, Davao del Sur province

Duterte had criticized previous attempts by large numbers of police to arrest Quiboloy as overkill.

Quiboloy claims to be the appointed son of God. In 2019, he claimed he stopped a major earthquake from hitting the southern Philippines.

But he allegedly had sex with women and underage girls who faced threats of abuse and 'eternal damnation' unless they catered to the self-proclaimed 'son of God.'

Marcos said Saturday's police deployment aimed at ensuring the area around the church premises was safe and secure.

'And considering that this is a 30-hectare (74-acre) compound, you really need plenty of people, not just a dozen police,' Marcos said.

His remarks follow criticism over the handling of the case by former President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte.

The pair, who used to be allies of Marcos but have become rivals, have accused police of rights violations and abuse of power.

'These acts are not only a blatant violation of constitutionally protected rights but a betrayal of the trust that we, Filipinos, place in the very institution sworn to protect and serve us,' Sara Duterte said in a statement.

Quiboloy's followers blocked the gate of the compound to prevent hundreds of shield-carrying police from enforcing a court order to arrest the evangelist preacher, a police spokesperson said.

The police 'have turned the Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound into a garrison', Israelito Torreon, Quiboloy's lawyer, told ANC news channel on Tuesday.

Sara Duterte, whose recent exit from Marcos' cabinet sealed the break-up of the alliance they forged in a 2022 election, said in her statement she regretted persuading members of Quiboloy's church to vote for Marcos two years ago.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) are searching the 30-hectare Kingdom of Jesus Christ Church for the pastor, where supporters are being held back by anti-riot police

Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III, who led the raid, said officers wanted to serve warrants for the arrest of Quiboloy for various criminal cases, including child abuse and human trafficking.

He justified the large deployment, saying there were more than 40 buildings and structures to be searched in the religious compound, where large numbers of Quiboloy's followers heckled and opposed the raid noisily.

'We won't leave here until we get him,' Torre told reporters as sirens blared in the background.

'We have no-bail warrants for Quiboloy and four others for very grave crimes, including human trafficking, child abuse and other cases.'

In 2021, United States federal prosecutors announced the indictment of Quiboloy for allegedly having sex with women and underage girls who faced threats of abuse and 'eternal damnation' unless they catered to the self-proclaimed 'son of God'.

Quiboloy and two of his top administrators were among nine people named in a superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury and unsealed in November 2021.

The superseding indictment contained a raft of charges, including conspiracy, sex trafficking of children, sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, marriage fraud, money laundering, cash smuggling and visa fraud.

Quiboloy's group said then that he was ready to face the charges in court, but he went into hiding after a Philippine court ordered his arrest and several others for child and sexual abuse.

The Philippine Senate has separately ordered Quiboloy's arrest for refusing to appear in committee hearings that was looking into criminal allegations against him.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has urged Quiboloy to surrender and assured him of fair treatment by authorities.

When he was mayor of Davao city and later as president, Duterte appeared on Quiboloy's news programme to promote his police-enforced drug crackdowns, which left thousands of mostly poor suspects dead.

Duterte and his police officials have denied authorising extrajudicial killings of drug suspects, but he openly threatened drug dealers with death when he was in office.

The International Criminal Court has been investigating the widespread killings under Duterte's campaign against illegal drugs as a possible crime against humanity.
Fox News host Jesse Watters was last night in desperate damage-control mode after a comment he made about Kamala Harris was slammed by his female co-hosts and viewers.

Watters faced calls to resign after stating Harris would be 'paralyzed' by generals who 'would have their way' with her in the White House Situation Room.

The panel was discussing Harris' strategic abilities when Watters said: 'You have a lot of impact there, as Commander in Chief. We don't know who she is, we don't know what she believes.

'She's going to get paralyzed in the situation room while the generals have their way with her.'

Now, there are growing calls for him to resign.

Fox News pundit Jesse Watters has insisted a comment he made about Kamala Harris wasn't 'wasn't suggesting anything sexual' after widespread backlash

Dana Perino, shocked by the remark, was the first to call him out during Monday night's show.

'Jesse Watters,' she scolded him.

Jeanine Pirro added: 'Ooh, Jesse. I don't like that. Take it back.'

Watters, standing by his remarks, hit back: 'Have their way with her - control her. Not in a sexual way.

The crisis deepened Tuesday as Watters was denounced by both sides of the aisle with Doug Emhoff's ex-wife Kerstin and Republican Congresswoman Barbara Comstock voicing anger over the comments.

Watters, who has repeatedly attracted controversy - not least by cheating on his first wife with a junior Fox colleague - refused to apologize on The Five last night as he frantically tried to clarify the remarks.

'There has been some attention to comments made on the show yesterday about VP Harris. People are misconstruing my comments to mean something inappropriate.,' he said.

'I wasn't suggesting anything of a sexual nature. I was expressing my opinion that VP Harris' current leadership style could be an issue if elected.'

Tortured analogy

Watters was discussing foreign policy and criticizing Harris' perceived lack of credentials when he dropped the controversial comment.

'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 said.

'She's gonna get paralyzed in the situation room while the generals have their way with her.'

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

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.'

Watters, who left his first wife for a producer 14 years his junior, then married her, shook his head.

'Figuratively,' he quickly added.

'Have their way with her! Control her... Not in a sexual way.'

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?' he said.

'What is her foreign policy?' the Fox host asked of Harris

Kerstin Emhoff with ex-husband Doug Emhoff and daughter Ella. Doug Emhoff is married to Vice President Kamala Harris

Fierce backlash

Despite Watters' attempt to move past the blunder, viewers were stunned with the Fox's host's unusual choice of words.

Kerstin Emhoff, the ex-wife of Harris' husband Doug Emhoff, was among them.

'There are many things to worry about, but Kamala being manhandled in the situation room is not one of them,' she wrote on Twitter.

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.

Republican Congresswoman Barbara Comstock even weighed in on the controversy, calling Watters the 'dumbest and most obnoxious man on Fox.'

'When even Fox Hosts cant abide the intentional misogyny against @KamalaHarris by the dumbest and most obnoxious man on Fox, Jesse Watters,' she wrote on X.

'The brain worms that have "their way in this boys head '

Multiple social media users called for the Fox News host to be fired for it, calling his remark appalling, misogynistic, sexist, disgusting and repulsive.

Watters, 41, and his ex-wife Noelle Watters, 42, finalized their divorce after 10 years of marriage in March 2019

After Watters started dating DiGiovine, he reported the consensual relationship to Fox and she was moved to The Ingraham Angle, another show on the network. The two continued to date after her job shift

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.

'You watched it. So you know he said he didn't mean it sexually, so why are you going there?' another asked.

Fox News did not immediately return a request for comment.

Watters' World

Watters' crude attack against Harris was just the latest scandal for the pundit.

In his personal life, he infamously had an affair in 2017 with Emma DiGiovine, an associate producer on his show Watters' World who he later married.

He admitted to cheating on his wife Noelle, and they finalized their divorce in March 2019. Watters and DiGiovine married just months later in Naples, Florida.

Watters attempted to brush off the awkward moment and return to his main point: Harris' unsophisticated foreign policy

Watters first became known through his work on The O'Reilly Factor, where he was featured in a recurring segment, also called Watters' World.

One segment from New York City's Chinatown was widely criticized for openly mocking elderly Chinese people who couldn't speak English. The piece also played on dated and unamusing racial stereotypes.

In April 2017, while appearing on The Five, he made what many viewed as a crude sexual joke about Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka.

Watters moved his hand towards his mouth and said: 'So, I don't really get what's going on here, but I really liked how she was speaking into that microphone.'

The backlash was similar to his comment about Harris, and he claimed he just meant she looked like a DJ.

He then abruptly announced he was going on holiday.

Watters was criticized over comments he made about Ivanka Trump in 2017

Watters caught flack from his own colleagues when he 'mansplained' to sexual abuse victims after allegations emerged against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

'I would suggest that women - and I've gotten in trouble for saying this before - you slap the man in the face. And you do it immediately,' he said.

Julie Roginsky, with whom Fox News settled a lawsuit in 2017 over claims she was sexually harassed by chairman Roger Ailes, was particularly scathing.

'If the women got violent with the harasser their career would be over. Many are bound by forced arbitrations and NDAs at the start of their jobs,' she said.

'They couldnt tell their stories. The better suggestion from Jesse is to put the onus on his fellow men to not harass women.'

Rising star

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.
A new airline is set to open in Australia that will potentially bring down ticket prices as it competes with Virgin, Qantas and the national carrier's budget arm Jetstar.

Koala Airlines has revealed its management team and logo, with the Melbourne-based airline hoping to soon hit the skies, with a render showing that could be in a fleet of Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft.

Australia is currently down to just two carriers between major city routes after Rex and Bonza both went into administration this year and air travellers are paying the price, with a report finding the cost of domestic flights has since been climbing.

Rex and Bonza join a group of airlines that have tried to establish themselves in the Australia-wide market but have been permanently grounded including Compass, Impulse, Ansett and OzJet.

Koala claims it will avoid the same fate by 'carving out a unique niche that enhances the industry landscape' without trying to directly compete head-to-head with Qantas and Virgin.

'Koala will fundamentally differ from previous entrants in a domestic market which has been long dominated by two major airlines since the Australian government first introduced the Two Airline Policy in 1952.'

From that year only two airlines were allowed to fly major routes until the rules were relaxed in 1990 though, with the exception of Virgin, all carriers who have tried since have not lasted.

Koala said while those entrants focused primarily on cheaper fares, it's 'innovative' approach would put customer experience at the forefront, though simply having a third domestic carrier would increase consumer choice and likely drop prices.

Koala has revealed its management team and logo, with the Melbourne -based airline hoping to soon hit the skies in what could be a fleet of Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft based on this render

The new airline will offer an alternative to travel routes already dominated by Qantas (stock image)

A report released this week by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found the average airfare dropped by 25 per cent when Rex entered the intercity route market in 2021.

According to the domestic airline competition in Australia report, since both Bonza and Rex left the market airfares on some routes have risen again, with the Melbourne to Gold Coast route seeing the steepest price increase of 38 per cent.

'More competition means lower airfares, it's as simple as that,' Australian Airports Association Head of Policy Natalie Heazlewood said.

'The ACCC's latest report provides solid evidence to support this and when an airline exits, passengers pay the price.

'Unfortunately as we've seen with Rex and Bonza, there are a number of difficult obstacles facing challengers to Australia's airline duopoly.'

Monash University professor and 'Up in the Air' author Greg Bamber agreed and said Virgin and Qantas would increase their fares with fewer challengers.

'That's what generally happens when there's less competition - the dominant players put up their prices,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

Koala Airlines already has its Air Operators Certificate (AOC) which allows it to run a commercial airline.

The AOC came through the acquisition of Desert Air Safaris in 2019.

It is is in the process of upgrading its AOC for the 787 MAX aircraft.

Koala claims it will take a new approach by 'carving out a unique niche that enhances the industry landscape' without trying to directly compete head-to-head with the major players (pictured, Sydney Airport)

Desert Air Safaris was founded by aviator Dick Lang and ran for five decades offering flights to remote regions in Australia, PNG and the Pacific Islands.

Koala said it would continue that 'rich heritage' under its new branding.

The new airline's management team have a combined 300 years experience with founding CEO Bill Astling working in the industry for 45 years.

He has had roles with Singapore Airlines, Air India, Angel Airlines, Merpati Indonesia, Sri Lankan Airlines, Jes Air, Antonov Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, Lao Aviation, Vietnam Airlines, Sahara Airlines and various Chinese Airlines starting flights to Australia.

He was also the aviation consultant to the China Chamber of Commerce in Australia.
EXCLUSIVE

A heartless aged-care nurse laughed as she reduced a traumatised dementia patient to tears by bashing a therapy doll's head against a table - knowing the elderly woman believed it was a real-life baby.

Sudiksha Ahuja then attempted to cover-up her brutal baby-killing 'prank' by trying to convince a junior colleague who witnessed the sick joke to lie about what she had seen.

NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal this week found the young enrolled nurse guilty of 'callous and deplorable' professional misconduct and is now facing calls to revoke her registration.

Despite the gravity of the findings, Ahuja - known as 'Sudi' to friends - insists she has been 'too busy' caring for vulnerable patients at her new job to read the judgement against her.

'This is my first day back at work from holidays today actually,' she told Daily Mail Australia when contacted at Pearl Home Care - Mornington Peninsula on Wednesday.

'I haven't had a chance to read the decision yet. I will do that later today if I have time. Please don't call here again.'

Ahuja had been working as an enrolled nurse in the Residential Aged Care facility at the Junee Multipurpose Service centre when she pulled her cruel prank in late 2021.

Sudiksha Ahuja pretended to cave in a baby's head by bashing a therapy doll's face against a table - knowing that a distressed dementia patient watching on believed it was all real

The sick 'baby-killing' stunt unfolded while Ahuja was working at the Junee Multipurpose Service centre near Wagga Wagga in the NSW Riverina

The aged-care facility - about 30 minutes' drive north of Wagga Wagga in the NSW Riverina - is home to about 30 elderly residents.

It provides 'Doll Diversion Therapy' for a number of its patients who are suffering from various stages of dementia.

'Doll Diversion Therapy is used to help those women reminisce about the time they were mothers, and this assists to calm them thinking that they are holding their baby and looking after them,' the Tribunal noted in its judgement on Monday.

It heard Ahuja was aware one of her patients - an 82-year-old suffering from advanced dementia - 'believed that the dolls were real babies' and that she liked to 'dress them nicely and tuck them into bed' at night.

According to an 'incident report' filed by a fellow nurse, 'Sudi Ahuja was seen tormenting' the patient after allegedly being egged on by a colleague in the centre's dinning room a little after 3pm on December 9, 2021.

'(The patient) loves to "take care" of the dolls in the dining room, as she believes they are babies and loves them,' the colleague noted in her report.

'The two staff were intentionally making (the patient) watch as they bashed the dolls' head against the table.

'They knew this would elicit a response from (the patient) who was clearly upset and distressed and asking them to stop repeatedly.

'I asked them to stop three times, while they continued to do it and laugh at (the patient's) response.'

Another witness recalled watching on in horror as Ahuja 'grabbed the doll around the back of the neck... then walked over to the table in the dining room, lifted the doll up and slammed it hard, face first on the table.'

The patient was so traumatised by the callous act she began to cry, and later continued to visit the dining room in her nighty to check 'the babies were safe'.

The elderly dementia patient believed the therapy doll was her real-life newborn baby

Despite a total of six witnesses giving evidence against her, Ahuja told the Tribunal they had all misread the situation.

Ahuja claimed it was the elderly dementia patient who had created a scene after accidentally dropping one of her cherished dolls on the ground.

The nurse insisted she had only been laughing in an attempt to cheer up the 82-year-old as she tried to fix the broken doll for her.

The Tribunal rejected Ahuja's explanation and found she deliberately 'banged' the doll against the table for her own amusement, having worked at the home long enough to know her dementia patient 'regarded the dolls as her babies'.

'(Ahuja) did so knowing that (the patient) believe that the dolls were real babies and with the intention of eliciting a response,' the Tribunal said its judgement.

'(She) engaged in this conduct for the purpose of amusing herself and (her colleague) at the patient's expense.

'There is no doubt that (Ahuja) and (her colleague) were laughing during the conduct they were embarking on.

'We do not accept that this laughing was to try and reassure (the patient) or lighten her mood, or cheer her up.

'She thought the situation was humorous and was laughing at the patient's distress.'

The Tribunal said Ahuja's 'attempt to collude' with one of the witnesses by contacting her on Snapchat and unsuccessfully trying to convince her to lie about the incident to avoid responsibility 'compounds her culpability'.

It found her guilty of both unsatisfactory professional conduct and professional misconduct.

Ahuja, who finished up at the Junee centre less than two months after the incident, moved interstate in the wake of the scandal and has been working as a case manager at the Pearl Home Care facility in the town of Mornington, about an hour south of Melbourne.

The nurse did not reply when asked whether her new employers - which boast 'we treat ageing Australians with dignity and care' on its website - were aware of the investigation into her conduct at her old workplace.

The Health Care Complaints Commission, which prosecuted Ahuja's case, has asked for her nursing registration to be cancelled - and that she be banned from providing a health service - with a non-review period of between six and twelve months.

The Tribunal will determine an appropriate sentence following a further hearing on October 14.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has claimed more than one million names of ineligible voters have been purged from the state's voter rolls since the enactment of Senate Bill 1 in 2021.

The purged names include those of individuals who have moved out of Texas, those who have passed away, and non-citizens, among other criteria. The governor's office has indicated that this removal process is still underway.

According to a release from the governor's office, this process is still ongoing.

'Election integrity is essential to our democracy,' Abbot said in the statement. 'I have signed the strongest election laws in the nation to protect the right to vote and to crackdown on illegal voting.

'Illegal voting in Texas will never be tolerated. We will continue to actively safeguard Texans sacred right to vote while also aggressively protecting our elections from illegal voting.'

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has revealed that since the enactment of Senate Bill 1 in 2021, more than 1 million names of ineligible voters have been purged from the state's voter rolls

Back in March, Abbot had rejected serving as Donald Trump 's running mate for 2024 in favor of remaining in his state to deal with the border crisis . The governor warned the US is in 'imminent danger' due to an 'invasion' of 'known and unknown terrorists, who cross every single day'

The governor's office reported that, since the signing of SB 1 three years ago, over 1 million names have been removed from the voter rolls.

More than 6,500 people were removed from not being citizens. Of that number, 1,930 has a previous record of voting.

The Secretary of States Office is currently forwarding these records to the Attorney Generals Office for investigation and 'potential legal action.'

More than 457,000 were the names of deceased people, and more than 134,000 confirmed they no longer lived in Texas.

In addition, over 6,000 people who have a felony conviction were removed as well as 463,000 voters who were on the suspense list.

According to the Texas Secretary of States Office, a person is typically put on a situation list when counties are unsure of a resident's address or believe they have moved. This often happens when mail, such as a voter registration card or jury summons, is returned as undeliverable.

More than 65,000 voters who failed to respond to a notice of examination while another 19,000 people had requested to cancel their voter registration.

Abbott emphasized that the Secretary of State and county voter registrars 'ongoing legal requirement' to review the voter rolls, remove ineligible voters, and refer any suspected illegal voting cases to the Attorney Generals Office and local authorities.

Back in March, Abbot had rejected serving as Donald Trump's running mate for 2024 in favor of remaining in his state to deal with the border crisis.

The governor warned the US is in 'imminent danger' due to an 'invasion' of 'known and unknown terrorists, who cross every single day'.

The governor's office reported that, since the signing of SB 1 three years ago, over 1 million names have been removed from the voter rolls

He said he could best aid Trump, 'by being a great governor of Texas'.

The presidential hopeful had previously touted Abbott as a possibility for his vice president, saying he was 'absolutely' on his shortlist.

But Abbott bluntly squashed any suggestion of running in an interview with 60 Minutes, by saying 'no' when asked if he wanted to be on the Republican ticket with the former president.

Abbott also defended using the word 'invasion' to describe the thousands of migrants flooding across the southern border and into Texas each day at a record-setting pace.
She is now recovering in hospital

A young mum is in hospital with injuries all over her body after she was allegedly tortured, assaulted, burnt and scalded by a couple who were staying in her home.

Sally-Anne Edmondstone, 29, was allegedly attacked in her unit in Benalla, a rural town in Victoria's High Country region, on the afternoon of August 12.

Mother Wendy Schultz says her daughter is in 'excruciating pain' after she was allegedly tortured - before she managed to escape through a window and flee to a neighbour's home for help.

Ms Edmondstone was airlifted from Wangaratta to Melbourne with burns to her head, neck, arms, hands, and chest, after boiling water was allegedly poured over her, as well as fractures to her ribs, upper spine, and temple.

Her mother revealed Sally-Anne had let the homeless couple stay in her unit several times over the past year before the alleged attack.

She allegedly escaped by bolting through a bedroom window while the couple were in the kitchen to allegedly boil the kettle for a third time during the sustained ordeal.

She had to use scissors to cut through electrical cord that had been wrapped around her throat to escape.

'She said they had her trapped in her bedroom,' said her mother in a GoFundMe appeal.

Sally-Anne Edmondstone, 29, was allegedly attacked in her unit in Benalla, a rural town in Victoria's High Country region, in the afternoon of August 12 (she is pictured in The Alfred hospital)

The 29-year-old (pictured) was rushed to Wangaratta Airfield where she was airlifted to The Alfred hospital in Melbourne's CBD for treatment

'When they both went into the kitchen, and were boiling the kettle for the third time, she managed to escape out her bedroom window and get to a neighbour for help.

'With the injuries she had already sustained, survival instinct kicked in and she knew it was her only chance to get out of there.

'I am so proud of her for pushing through excruciating pain which has more than likely saved her life.

'Sally has had to have skin grafts in which they used her own skin from her thigh and will now be scarred for life in many places and will most likely need to acquire a wig.

'She is so traumatised from it all and does not want to return to her home. She has a long road of recovery ahead of her.'

A Victoria Police confirmed two people have been arrested in relation to the alleged assaults.

'Police arrested a man and a woman following alleged assaults in Benalla on 12 August,' said a spokesman.

'Investigators have been told the pair assaulted a woman at an address in Ballintine Street about 3.30pm before leaving the address and assaulting a man at a property in Jenson Court.

'Investigators believe all of those involved are known to each other.

'A 34-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman, both of no fixed address, were charged with assault related offences.

'They were remanded to appear at Shepparton Magistrates Court on November 7.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Wendy Schultz for comment.
Girl With A Pearl Earring, a 1999 novel by Tracy Chevalier, explored the life of the girl depicted in Johannes Vermeer's famous portrait.

It was made into a film starring Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth in 2003 and also adapted into a play by David Joss Buckley in 2008, featuring Adrian Dunbar as Vermeer.

Peter Greenaway's 2007 film Nightwatching, starring Martin Freeman, was inspired by Rembrandt's painting The Night Watch, which supposedly identified a murderer.

Sunday In The Park With George, a musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, was inspired by the painting A Sunday Afternoon On The Island Of La Grande Jatte, by pointillist artist Georges Seurat.

The musical, which premiered in 1984, focuses on the painter, his great-grandson and his search for artistic inspiration.

Pictured: Johannes Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring

As the song goes: 'There are worse things than staring at the water as you're posing for a picture being painted by your lover, in the middle of the summer.'

Susan Jones, Abersoch, Gwynedd

QUESTION What 'trendy' words had already become obsolete by the time they were included in major dictionaries?

The OXFORD English Dictionary has an uncanny knack of picking Words Of The Year that become obsolete as quickly as they've been awarded the title.

Their selection for 2023 was 'rizz', a word signifying sexual charisma that I've never heard anyone use, not even my teenage kids. Likewise, 2022's 'goblin mode'  unapologetically self-indulgent behaviour  is rarely used. 2021's 'vax' is hopefully on its way out.

They didn't bother in 2020 but 2019's 'climate emergency' is a useless piece of hyperbole and earlier entries 'youthquake' and 'bovvered' are equally ephemeral.

Other mercifully forgotten terms are 'bae' (one's other half) and 'yeet', which as an exclamation means 'amazing, cool'.

The OXFORD English Dictionary has an uncanny knack of picking Words Of The Year that become obsolete as quickly as they've been awarded the title (stock photo)

However, I quite like 'stan', an over-enthusiastic fan, which is a blend of stalker and fan and influenced by the rapper Eminem's 2000 song of the same name.

Charles Watt, Glasgow

QUESTION Does anyone remember Elmo stores? Are there other defunct supermarkets?

Elmo founder Morris Harris 'Mossy' Vanger (1909-2004) was the nephew of Sir Jack Cohen, who established the Tesco brand in 1924.

Tomorrow's questions

Q: Who is Lana Del Rey referring to in her album Norman F****** Rockwell? Carrie Wooley, Shifnal, Shropshire Q: Does anyone remember a TV programme where the likes of Daley Thompson and Geoff Hurst competed in a series of sporting challenges? Tim Washington, Leeds Q: What is the farthest a rifle shot has been fired to hit a given target? Ronnie Starkey, Norwich, Norfolk Advertisement

Mossy worked for his uncle before establishing his own chain after the war. The 'Mo' in Elmo came from Mossy and the 'El' from his wife Elkie. The business grew into a chain of 28 stores across East Anglia and the south of England.

Elmo was purchased by South African retailer O.K. Bazaars in 1962 before being sold to Fine Fare for 1 million. Eventually, through various buyouts, Elmo went full circle and became part of Tesco.

Another of Cohen's nephews, Sidney Ingram, founded Anthony Jackson Foodfare before that too became part of Tesco. Cohen also helped his family friend, Michael Kaye, start the Pricerite supermarket chain which was later bought by British American Tobacco (BAT).

Wallis, founded by Francis J. Wallis of Rainham, Essex, had over 100 stores which were also sold to BAT in 1977 and became part of their International Stores chain.

Argyll Foods plc was the fourth biggest supermarket operator in Britain by 1987, through its acquisitions of several small supermarkets including Presto, Hintons and Supervalu. That year, it also acquired Safeway Inc's UK subsidiary, a merger which led to Argyll Foods plc being renamed Safeway plc.

Pauline Scott, Ipswich, Suffolk

It was 1967. I had finished A-levels and had a holiday job at the Elmo supermarket in Newmarket. It was a great change after the stress of the exams: I liked stacking shelves and occasionally being on the tills. I was also allowed to drive a small delivery van, which I called the 'Elmobile'.

On Mondays, a huge delivery truck would arrive to re-stock the warehouse. The driver would stand in the back of the van and hurl cardboard boxes full of cans of beans, soup, etc, to a member of staff who would then throw the box across the pavement, trying to avoid passing pedestrians.

In most cases, the person catching the boxes would have bruised forearms. I only recall one accident, though, with a box of vinegar bottles. The smell lingered for ages.

Elmo's own-label products were called 'Pot O' Gold'. The store name was later changed to Fine Fare.

Kevin Ames, North Shields
Ten years ago mum-of-four Carrissa Kaye Scholten was raising money to care for her disabled daughter Tiffani. Now she is behind bars for allegedly murdering her.

The 36-year-old was charged with the murder of 12-year-old 'Tiffy' two years after the child's 'extremely emaciated' body was removed from her Gold Coast home.

Police say the state of the child's body - found at the family home on the night of Easter Monday in 2022 - was 'confronting'.

Police have also laid a murder charge against Aaron Paul Richardson, 37, who is Scholten's long term partner, but not the biological father of Tiffani or her other children.

The accused couple faced Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday, where they were remanded in custody.

Queensland Police child protection unit detectives have been investigating Tiffani's death since paramedics were called to the pair's home at Bellagio Crescent, Coomera, at 8pm on April 18, 2022.

They found the girl 'unresponsive' and declared the home a crime scene.

Detective Inspector Paul Fletcher, of the Gold Coast district vulnerable persons unit, said Tiffani's case had been one of his most difficult he had been involved in.

Carrissa Scholten has been charged with the murder of her 12-year-old daughter two years after the child's 'extremely emaciated' body was found at home in a state police found 'confronting'

Police found Tiffani Scholten, 12, 'unresponsive at the Coomera home where the child lived with her mother, Carrissa Scholten (right) and her stepfather, Carrissa's de facto partner,. who has also been charged with murder

'The investigation into the death of this young girl has been one of the most heart-wrenching and complex we've had to conduct,' he said this week.

Tiffani suffered from the rare chromosomal disorder Retts Synrome and epilepsy, which made it difficult for her to eat, and had been fed through a stomach tube when young.

Eight years to the day before Tiffani was found dead, Scholten and Tiffani's birth father started the public fundraiser 'Help Get Tiffy Walkin'.

The Scholtens said the money raised would be used to buy a special baby walker harness called an 'Upsee Kit', that straps to an adult's legs and allows the child to walk with them.

Police, (above) outside the Bellagio Crescent, Coomera house in 2022, have taken more than two years to charge Tiffani's mother and her de facto partner with the girl's alleged murder

Tiffani (left) suffered from a rare disorder, Rett Syndrome, that made it difficult to eat. She was found dead at home in April 2022 and her mother, Carrissa Scholten (right) has been charged with her alleged murder and bail refused

At the time, in April 2014, Tiffani was just shy of her fifth birthday and had gained weight after beginning to eat orally, having weighed just 5kg at the age of three.

On Facebook at the time, Scholten thanked generous donors, and people posted responses saying 'how lucky she is to have you as her mummy' and what 'a wonderful mother you truly are'.

Scholten responded by posting a photo of herself, her husband, their four kids, saying 'A BIG THANKYOU from our family'.

She appears to have moved to Coomera - the Gold Coast's theme park capital and location of Dreamworld, Movie World and Wet'n'Wild - in 2016.

She and Aaron Richardson lived in a duplex on Bellagio Crescent, and then the four-bedroom, three-bathroom house where Tiffani's body was later found.

Carrissa Scholten, pictured with Tiffani (right) and her three children, posted a big thank you on Facebook in 2014 when generous donors helped her raise money for a special baby walker for the then four-year-old

Police say the state of Tiffani's remains, in the house at Coomera which they declared a crime scene, was 'confronting' and that she had allegedly died from 'insufficient care'

Detectives formed Operation Uniform Zoysia to investigate the vulnerable girl's death and appealed to 'direct eyewitnesses' who saw Tiffani between December 2021 and April 2022.

Along with people who may have seen Tiffani in public at that time, they also asked for anyone - including children - who may have visited the home or interacted with the family over the previous years.

A former cleaning and cosmetics salesperson, Scholten was listed as 'unemployed' on court papers filed this week, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.

Richardson was listed as living at Redland Bay, southeast of Brisbane.

Police allege the death of Tiffani, a former Southport Special School student, was as a result of insufficient care.

Scholten and MrRichardson have both been charged with a single count of murder and will next appear in Southport court on November 8.
A nationwide AT&T outage has prompted users across the United States to dial 911, as dispatch centers are reporting widespread failures.

The outage seemed to have begun Tuesday afternoon, with a spike in reports at around 6pm and 9pm, according to Down Detector - a website that monitors outages.

The states that seem to be the most affected so far are California, Texas, Alabama, Kentucky, Ohio, Florida, and Georgia - though more are starting to report problems, Nick Sotor said.

AT&T blamed the issue on a critical failure at one of its switching center, which has resulted in a cascade of problems - including service delays and a complete loss of network connectivity, according to The Mobile Report.

The issue is primarily affecting iPhone users, and has even affected emergency services, with officials in Seminole County, Florida urging those with an issue to contact its non-emergency line.

A nationwide AT&T outage has prompted users across the United States to dial 911, as dispatch centers are reporting widespread failures

Many customers have since turned to X to share their frustrations with the hours-long outage, as they seek answers from the phone company.

'Nice of AT&T to have a national mobile outage with zero public acknowledgement,' one user wrote.

'Just thousands wondering why theyre in SOS mode with no outage in their area. Ridiculous company gets hacked, then a massive national outage and the hits just keep coming,' he said, urging the Federal Communications Commission to take action.

'AT&T pisses me off with all these outages. Its no reason why I [can't] be out and about and my phone says SOS. Like wtf,' another wrote.

Many AT&T customers have taken to X to express their frustrations

One customer even urged the federal government to take action

When customers were fortunate enough to get through to AT&T support, the company acknowledged there is an outage but offered little reassurance.

There is currently no work around and the company has not provided an estimated time that the issue may be resolved.

Making matters worse, most of the company's senior technical support staff have gone home from their shifts for the day - leaving the issue unresolved, according to The Mobile Report.

Still, AT&T officials say they are working to fix the issue - which they insist is only affecting a 'limited number of our customers.

'We are working to address a software issue that may affect the ability of a limited number of our customers to connect to our wireless network,' a spokesperson told DailyMail.com.

'Keeping our customers connected is our highest priority, so we appreciate their patience as we work to resolve this issue.'

By around 11.20pm EST a spokesperson for the company contacted DailyMail.com with an update about the situation.

'Weve resolved a software issue that disrupted the ability of a limited number of our customers to connect to our wireless network,' a spokesperson said.

'We apologize for the inconvenience and we appreciate our customers patience as we worked to resolve this issue.'

The outage came the same day the FCC announced that AT&T would pay a $950,000 fine for failing to notify call centers about a similar outage in 2023 that affected police stations in Illinois, Kansas, Texas and Wisconsin.
The Greens are eyeing off a hit list of big Australian businesses to slug with new profits taxes if Labor needs the support of the minor party to govern after the next election.

Greens leader Adam Bandt will demand his new taxes on mining companies, big banks and retailers become law as the price for guaranteeing supply to a minority Labor government in the event of a hung parliament after the next election.

The ransom demands create a nightmare scenario for both businesses and the Australian economy. But Labor insiders say the biggest nightmare is reserved for the impact the move might have on the Labor Party's chances at the next election.

Anthony Albanese's government currently has a wafer thin majority, and opinion polls suggest it won't be able to retain that majority after the next election, which is due before May next year. The PM has privately told people he expects Labor to be reduced to minority government after the next election.

The nightmare of this new scenario created by the Greens is the damaging impact such a radical policy shift would have on the economy if it ever got enacted and of course, the chances of that increase if Labor is re-elected.

Labor must now decide how to politically manage the new approach being taken by the Greens, so that it doesn't reduce its chances of re-election.

If it rejects the minor party's push entirely it risks looking like a pale imitation of the Greens to ideologically left-wing voters.

If Labor shows any sympathy for the agenda the Greens are advocating it will lose the political centre. Not to mention come across as too risky to support for mainstream swinging voters.

Pulling Labor's strings: The Greens are demanding higher taxes as the price of their support of a Labor government

Greens Leader Adam Bandt (pictured) won't support a minority Labor government without policy concessions

If Team Albo tries to position itself on the right to ward off criticisms it will jump into bed with the Greens after the next election, it probably just comes across as a pale imitation of the Liberal Party to ideologically right-leaning voters.

While the PM will probably deny he would ever give in to the Greens' demands, Australians know that Labor does deals with the Greens when election outcomes are tight.

It did so federally in 2010 and has done so regularly in Tasmania following state elections. In Tasmania the Greens and Labor have governed in coalition at regular intervals in recent decades, with Greens MPs even serving as ministers.

It is possible Brandt will want to extract similar concessions from a minority Albanese government if the parliament is hung, so that Greens ministers in a coalition government with Labor can enact policies the minor party supports.

The challenges for Labor following the Greens new radical policy announcement are therefore many and varied.

Voters in inner-city Labor held seats will be enticed by the policy script the Greens are advocating, which puts Labor at risk of losing more seats to the minor party on its left flank in inner-city areas of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

Labor will also face criticisms from the Coalition that voting for it carries greater risks now than had previously been the case. Peter Dutton will argue that Labor might enact policies out the other side of a close election that it denies supporting in the lead up to the election once it becomes dependent on the Greens for political survival.

Anthony Albanese (pictured) will be beholden to the Greens radical policy agenda if he loses his majority at the next election

Expect this to become a key election theme for the Coalition and one that dominates its political advertising.

Remember, Albanese already has form when it comes to saying one thing before an election and doing something very different after it. Labor backflipped on its superannuation and stage three tax cut promises made before the 2022 election.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers recently described the broken stage three tax cuts promise as his 'proudest moment' in politics. When a politician identifies a broken promise as their proudest moment, voters have a right to lose trust in what they might promise to do or not do going forward. Their word is no longer their bond.

So it isn't a stretch for swinging voters to now assume that supporting Labor risks empowering the Greens and their new radical policy agenda, given the new strategy Bandt is embarking on.

Albanese's government has been badly wedged by Bandt's move, which is likely to be electorally successful for the minor party which (unlike Labor) only needs to appeal to a narrow voter base to achieve its electoral goals.

It is hard to see a consistent way through this political curve ball thrown Albo's way. Traditional left-wing voters are already lamenting the failures of the Labor Party on everything from Gaza to emissions reductions to standing up for higher education and social security funding.

Yet when it comes to debates within the mainstream, Labor is struggling to hold the centre ground on issues such as the economy and national security. The Coalition is targeting failures in areas including housing and immigration, including claiming ministerial scalps in the recent reshuffle.

Solutions that might satisfy mainstream swinging voters cause disillusionment amongst Labor's left-wing base, sending them the Greens way come election time.

Fears in all of these strategic areas are growing within the upper echelons of Team Labor.

The empowered stand the Greens are now flagging in the event the next parliament is hung puts Albo and Labor in a very invidious position.
Elizabeth Wilson is an intern on the breaking news team. She is a rising senior at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo majoring in journalism with a minor in political science. She has lived in San Francisco for the past decade and is excited to join the breaking news team. Wilson was most recently a fellow for the CalMatters College Journalism Network, where she covered higher education policy. She previously interned at the San Luis Obispo Tribune. At her campus paper, Wilson is a data and investigations reporter. Her award-winning reporting has focused on student experiences with campus safety. In her free time, she enjoys walking around the city, watching nostalgic TV shows and finding new music.
An out-of-control grass fire in Sydney's south-west has triggered an emergency warning, with some residents being warned it is 'now too late to leave' and instead encouraged to seek shelter.

Fire crews were called to the blaze on Camden Valley Way, Horningsea Park just before 2pm on Wednesday.

The NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) issued an emergency warning an hour later.

It is now warning residents in the Talarna Hill Drive to Jardine Drive area of Edmondson Park that it is 'too late to leave', advising them instead to seek shelter inside a solid structure such as a house.

'Crews are getting the upper hand to the west of Winburg Drive and Diamond Hill Circuit,' the RFS website says.

'People in the area are still advised to seek shelter. It is too late to leave.

'Embers will be blown long distances ahead of the main fire front starting spot fires, these may impact your home earlier than the main fire front.

'Firefighters and waterbombing aircraft are working in the area to slow the spread of the fire.'

Fire crews were called to the blaze on Camden Valley Way, Horningsea Park just before 2pm on Wednesday (pictured)

'Crews are getting the upper hand to the west of Winburg Drive and Diamond Hill Circuit,' the RFS website says. 'People in the area are still advised to seek shelter. It is too late to leave'

Authorities have closed Camden Valley Way and Bringelly Road between Talana Hill Drive and Skyline Crescent.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area and use an alternative route, while trains are not running between Glenfield and Leppington on the T2 Inner West and Leppington line.

It comes after the scorching winter heatwave combined with gusts of wind up to 100km/h have triggered a series of bushfires across NSW, as fire chiefs issue an urgent warning to rural property owners.

Over a dozen bush and grass fires have ignited along the southern coast of NSW on Wednesday, with the Illawarra and Shoalhaven regions in the state's south-east particularly affected.

The unseasonably hot temperatures combined with high winds of over 100 km/h have fuelled the fires, as the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) has urged landlords to pause any planned burns.

'Bush and grass fires can happen at absolutely any time of the year but today we are seeing very strong and gusty winds, particularly in the greater Sydney and sort of Illawarra, Shoalhaven areas,' a spokesperson for the RFS told Daily Mail Australia.

Over a dozen bush and grass fires have ignited along the southern coast of NSW on Wednesday, with Illawarra and Shoalhaven in the state's south-east particularly affected (pictured)

The unseasonably hot temperatures combined with high winds of over 100 km/h have fuelled the fires, as the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) has urged landlords to pause any planned burns (pictured: residents defend a property from a bushfire at Hillsville near Taree, 350km north of Sydney on November 12, 2019)

Thats why you're seeing a little band of fires on the coast down there - Shoalhaven, particularly, has been quite busy since even late last night.

Trees and powerlines are down and weve had a few instances of private landholder hazard reduction burns reigniting under the winds.'

The spokesperson urged landowners to hold off lighting any any 'private hazard reduction burns'.

'This is at the time of year traditionally where we do see a lot of landholders doing work, which is great.

'But on days like today, we are urging you to hold off, don't light up because the last thing we want to see is those fires get away from you and get out of control and potentially threaten your home or your neighbour's property as well.'

All fires are currently under control and there are no emergency warnings, according to the RFS website.

It comes as urgent weather warnings have been issued for five Australian states with forecasters predicting large areas of the country are set to be hammered by damaging winds.

Western Australia, NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania are all in the firing line of hazardous conditions on Wednesday, with rain also on the horizon.

Severe weather warnings for damaging winds have been issued by the Bureau of Meteorology for Australia's south-east with possible wind gusts of up to 130km/h.

The gusty conditions are a result of one of the coldest fronts of the year moving across the south-east.

The RFS spokesperson urged landowners to hold off lighting any any 'private hazard reduction burns' (pictured: a woman looks down her street as the sky turns red from the fires on January 4, 2020 in Bruthen in East Gippsland, Victoria)

The conditions are expected to be so bad that Victoria's SES chief Tim Wiebusch issued an urgent warning to residents on Tuesday.

'Victorians need to act and prepare now for what might be the strongest weather system we've seen this winter crossing our state,' he said.

'Ensure that you're driving to the conditions, be alert on our roads to the risk of fallen trees and debris that may be there over the next 36 hours.'

In NSW, a severe weather warning for damaging winds has been issued for Sydney, Illawarra and parts of the Metropolitan, South Coast, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, Snowy Mountains and Hunter Forecast Districts.

Damaging winds averaging 60 to 70km/h with peak gusts of around 100km/h are likely for parts of the Blue Mountains and western Sydney.

Winds averaging 70 to 80km/h with peak gusts of around 110km/h are likely for the Illawarra region, easing by early evening.

Urgent weather warnings have been issued for five Australian states as most of the country is set to be hammered by damaging winds

The windy conditions come amid unseasonably warm temperatures for some parts of the country with Brisbane set to be 8C warmer than average on Wednesday reaching a top of 31C

Similar warnings have been issued in Victoria for the Central, East Gippsland, South West, West and South Gippsland, and parts of North Central, North East, Wimmera and Northern Country Forecast Districts.

BOM meteorologist Sarah Scully said the cold front would bring 'really windy conditions and gusty showers and storms' to parts of Australia's south-east.

'For NSW it's generally dry but it's going to be a really windy day, with showers developing about the southern ranges,' she said.

'It'll be noticeably windy particularly for Sydney and the Illawarra region.

'For Victoria, it's also going to be a really windy day while for South Australia it'll be a windy start to Wednesday but those winds will ease by early afternoon.'

These windy conditions come amid unseasonably warm temperatures for some parts of the country with Brisbane set to be 8C warmer than average on Wednesday reaching a top of 31C.

On Monday, a scorching 41.6C was recorded in Yampi Sound, in north-west Western Australia - the highest ever winter temperature recorded in Australia.

The Bureau predicts the increased temperatures will last throughout the week, with some areas seeing highs about 11C greater than the average for the end of winter.
Disturbing footage has emerged of a cop shooting dead a family dog in front of its horrified owners - just one month after he ran over and killed another pet.

Ethan Bock is seen opening fire on the animal after it ran across the yard and jumped up at him outside the home in Davenport, Iowa on August 21.

Two young children and their mother are heard shrieking in horror as their black retriever-mix called Myst writes around in agony beside the front porch.

A few weeks before, the same officer struck and killed another man's unleashed dog with his police cruiser. In body-worn camera footage after the smash, Bock tells the owner: 'That's why you gotta have your dog on a leash bro.'

Davenport Police Department confirmed to Our Quad Cities News they were conducting an internal review of the incident.

Disturbing footage shows how a police officer shot and killed a family dog on their lawn last week

Pictured, one of the boys seen in the clip, Maverick, and his beloved two-year-old Myst, who is now dead

'We are aware of the information circulating on social media and are sensitive to the concerns of our community,' the local police department said of the footage last week.

'At this time, it would be premature to speculate on the results of the internal review, but the department is committed to sharing more information to include additional video once the review has been completed.'

A later statement offered more detail, confirming the incident involved 'an officer discharging his firearm in an encounter with a dog, as family members are present.'

Offered up days after the tragedy as the clip gained traction on the internet, the statement specified the shooting happened on August 21, 'at approximately 7:20pm.'

The officer in the footage, identified by Myst's owners as San Diego native Bock, arrived to the home on North Pine Street after receiving 'a report of four dogs at large, appearing aggressive.

'The caller stated the dogs were attempting to get over a fence to reach their dog,' the statement claimed.

'While the officer was following-up to the call in the alley of 2100 Telegraph Road, a dog ran out of a yard in the officer's direction,' it added of the scream-filled encounter in the now viral footage.

The incident happened on August 21 in Iowa , and the surveillance video shows Davenport Police Officer Ethan Bock (pictured) pulling the trigger

The footage, meanwhile, shows the dog run up to the officer before darting back toward the woman and the kids

The officer proceeds to fire two shots, despite the mother being just a few feet from the line of fire.

The barrage leads the two-year-old dog to collapse and die slowly on the ground, all as the mom, identified as Brandy Russell, and the two elementary school-aged children look on

'The officer is seen on the public video slowly backing up while the dog advances,' it further claimed.

'The dog's behavior became aggressive, resulting in the officer discharging his firearm at the dog. The dog died as a result of its injuries.'

The footage, meanwhile, shows the dog run up to the officer before darting back toward the woman and the kids, later revealed to be one of the dog's owners, her son, and his cousin.

The officer proceeds to fire two shots, despite the mother being just a few feet from the line of fire.

The barrage leads the two-year-old dog to collapse and die slowly on the ground, all as the mom, identified as Brandy Russell, and the two elementary school-aged children look on.

The father of Russell's son, Don Hesseltine, insisted the dog merely barked at the officer, and shared the footage along with another clip recorded from a different angle as proof.

Both were shared by the outraged father on social media, who was able to make out Bock's identity from one of the clips.

One appears to show Bock's police vehicle approach Hesseltine's son, his son's cousin and the dog just before the shooting, while the boys were riding bicycles in the alley behind Hesseltine's home.

A few weeks before, the same officer stuck and killed another man's unleashed dog with his police cruiser, in an incident not caught on camera. Instead, Bock's body-warn camera began filming seconds after the smash took place

Lacindra Spears' dog Muneca was struck and killed by the officer's squad car in the alleyway behind her home, where her brothers were walking him off-leash

'I needed that dog,' Spears told Our Quad Cities News, revealing the police department offered $1,700 as compensation for the killing on July 30

Bock reportedly went on to roll down the window to tell the boys know they had to put Myst on a leash, Hesseltine said - an exchange that caused the boys to drop their bikes in the alley and begin walking toward the house alongside the dog, the footage showed.

Bock is then seen exiting the car while staring at the boys, after which Myst runs back toward him, barking.

A young officer who joined the force last year, Bock is seen bending town to meet the dog who responds by briefly stopping barking, before beginning again.

Bock then reaches for his hip and extends his hand before letting off the two shots, leading Myst to run back through the yard toward the house before falling over.

Hesseltine, after starting a petition that seeks retribution for the murdered mutt, told Our Quad Cities News of the encounter: 'The kids drop their bikes, walk down my sidewalk, up the back porch there, and the cop slowly creeps down the alley, stops his car, and for whatever reason decides to get out.

'The cop steps out and the dog starts in the police officer's direction,' he continued. 'With that being said, the dog is barking at the officer. He decides to pull out his sidearm and kill my dog.'

Responding to the statement claiming his dog had been aggressive, the Army vet who served in Afghanistan said, 'It wasn't even my dog they were looking for,'

'And your best course of action is to pull out a gun and execute my dog?'

Maverick's father Don, seen with Russell here, insisted the dog merely barked at the officer, and shared the footage along with another clip recorded from a different angle as proof

Adding fuel to the furor is another incident involving Bock that occurred the night of July 13, where Lacindra Spears' dog Muneca was struck and killed by the officer's squad car in the alleyway behind her home.

'I needed that dog,' Spears told Our Quad Cities News, revealing the police department offered $1,700 as compensation for the killing on July 30.

The offer came shortly after she first spoke to the paper that same day, after a week of the department allegedly giving her and her family differing stories about what happened.

Spears was supposedly told her witnesses were 'not credible.' as her brother, C'edward Spears, was taking out the trash at about 10 p.m. to the alleyway behind buildings when he encountered Bock.

At the same time, another brother was taking Muneca out to do her business, creating a perfect storm that culminated with Muneca's death.

'He comes speeding down, so I stepped in front of the police car, I say, 'stop' so the dog can come out so he stops,' C'edward Spears told the local paper.

'The dog goes out into the field and a few seconds go by, and another police car, he comes up speeding as well, and by this time the dog has used the bathroom already and is on the way back.

'I step out again. I'm like, 'stop  the dog.' So he stops. He acknowledges me. Then he speeds up and he goes.'

As for the more recent incident, The Davenport Police Department said in its statement that is committed to taking the time to ensure all standards, policies and procedures of the department were followed. Bock is seen being sworn in to the force last year

The 17-minute body camera video from Bock, meanwhile, begins with him getting out of the car to approach the already dead dog lying on the ground.

'God dammit,' he said before speaking into his radio for backup.

The two brothers, meanwhile, stood in the alley, the video shows - one with his hands clasped over his forehead and another with his hands on his hips.

'Let me get on with a sergeant all right?' Bock tells them, after which C'edward Spears can be seen walking over to Muneca's body with his hand over his mouth in shock.

'That's why you gotta' have your dog on a leash bro,' Bock tells him.

He is heard telling his comrades over the radio: 'Hey, I'm 10-2. Some frickin' dog just ran out here, and I smoked it.'

A person off camera asked Bock to get his badge, a paper, and pen and make a report.

The video was only released after it was requested by the Times through a Freedom of Information Act request.

The dad said of Bock, 'Thanks to the coward murderer cop who shot and killed the family dog in front of the kids. I hope the memory that my child will forever have of this moment haunts your punk a**'

It does not show the moment the police officer's vehicle struck the dog, supposedly because the vehicle's emergency red and blue lights were not on, and did not trigger its dash camera to record.

At a point, a sergeant who arrives is heard admonishing Bock, telling him: 'You've gotta say that different on the radio.'

'Say what different?' Bock asks in reply.

'You said you smoked a dog,' the sergeant says.

'Oh I did?' Bock responds.

'Yeah,' the sergeant replies.

The Spears family paid $200 for Muneca to be cremated, and the Davenport Police Department said of the incident in an August 26 email to the Times: 'This incident was resolved with the help of Ms. Spears.'

As for the more recent incident, The Davenport Police Department said in its statement that is committed to taking the time to ensure all standards, policies and procedures of the department were followed.

The Hesseltines, meanwhile, have since put Myst to rest with a burial, with Don sharing a Photshopped photo of the two boys who witnessed the dog's death, son Maverick and nephew Ezra, paying their respects

'Davenport Police are investigating the incident. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.'

The Hesseltines, meanwhile, have since put Myst to rest with a burial, with Don sharing a photo of the two boys who witnessed the dog's death, son Maverick and nephew Ezra, paying their respects.

Took Maverick and Ezra to see Myst yesterday. We put up a cross and planted flowers. I told Maverick Myst would always be by his side. He said, 'I know, Dad. I can still feel him.'

He added in a seperate post to social media, in which he tagged the Davenport Police Department: 'Thanks to the coward murderer cop who shot and killed the family dog in front of the kids.

'I hope the memory that my child will forever have of this moment haunts your punk a**. RIP Myst - you were our best friend dude.'

As of writing, his petition calling for Bock to face repruscussions has received nearly 2,000 signatures. The investigation into the incident remains underway.
Reports of an armed person inside a major hospital sparked a 'code black' lockdown at the facility before police were able to find the man who triggered the alert and neutralise the situation.

Multiple police crews were called to Logan Hospital, about 30km southeast of Brisbane's CBD in Queensland, at about 11.20am on Wednesday.

Queensland Police confirmed the man who had been the subject of the calls had been located at 12.50pm.

It is understood the man was not armed with a gun.

The lockdown was lifted at 1.15pm with no injuries reported.

People were locked in rooms for almost two hours while the incident unfolded.

A witness earlier claimed they had seen a man armed with a rifle.

'A guy came up the ramp with a rifle. Everyone rushed in and got taken out of the waiting room to behind the solid door,' they wrote on social media.

Queensland Police were called to Logan Hospital, southeast of Brisbane, at 11.20am following reports a man armed with a gun was inside (the hospital is pictured)

'The hospital is on code black. The gunman is outside. We've been in lockdown for almost an hour.'

Reylien Wessling had been discharged just moments before the lockdown.

'We were under lockdown for 45 minutes. It was very scary I am still shaking,' she told the Courier Mail.

'My husband was coming to pick me up but he couldn't until the lockdown had been lifted.'

Logan and Beaudesert Health Service executive director Anne Coccetti confirmed the hospital had reopened.

'An incident was managed by the Queensland Police Service (QPS) earlier today, but it has now been resolved. The safety of our patients, staff, and the community is our top priority,' Ms Coccetti said.

'During the incident, ambulances were temporarily diverted to nearby hospitals, and a small number of appointments were delayed.'

A police spokesperson said: 'Police were called to Logan Hospital at around 11.20am following reports of an armed person.

'As a precaution, access to the hospital was restricted and members of the public were asked to avoid the area if possible.

'Following a thorough search of the area, police located a male and no threat was detected. Officers have spoken with the man and there will be no further action taken by police.'
Summer road trips are a great way to explore the country, but beware of a new scam targeting travelers: toll smishing.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a warning about the dangers of unpaid toll text scams.

These scams, often referred to as "smishing," are designed to trick individuals into revealing their personal information.

The scam works like this: You receive a text claiming you have unpaid tolls on your account.

The message may include a fake toll amount and a threat of late fees. To avoid these penalties, the text instructs you to click on a link to settle the balance.

An urgent warning has been issued a clever text scam called 'smishing' targeting travelers

However, clicking on the link will lead you to a fraudulent website designed to steal your personal information, such as your credit card number, driver's license information or passwords.

The FBI said they have received more than 2,000 complaints since March.

Wolfgang Goerlich, a cybersecurity researcher at Boston-based IANS Research, has highlighted the growing popularity of smishing scams. According to Goerlich, the shift from phone calls to texting in everyday life has made smishing scams more effective.

Given our familiarity with text updates for flight itineraries or upcoming payments, a text about unpaid tolls can easily appear legitimate and non-threatening. Goerlich emphasizes the importance of remaining vigilant and cautious when responding to suspicious text messages.

Michael Scheumack, the chief innovation and marketing officer of IdentityIQ, a leading identity theft protection service, has warned of the tactics used by scammers in toll road scams.

These criminals often create a sense of urgency to pressure victims into paying up quickly. In the FBI example mentioned earlier, scammers threaten late fees for non-payment.

If a victim clicks on the link in the scam text, they may be led to a fake website designed to collect sensitive information. This could include driver's licenses, credit card details, usernames, passwords, or even malware that can infect their smartphone.

By providing personal information, victims may expose themselves to the serious risk of identity theft. Scheumack emphasizes the importance of being cautious and avoiding clicking on links in suspicious text messages.

It's important to remember that toll agencies typically don't send text messages about unpaid tolls. Instead, they will send you a notice by mail, according to Dr. Zulfikar Ramzans chief scientist and EVP of product and development.

It's important to remember that toll agencies typically don't send text messages about unpaid tolls. Instead, they will send you a notice by mail, according to Dr. Zulfikar Ramzans chief scientist and EVP of product and development

If you receive a suspicious text, it's likely a scam.

Ramzan also said you should be skeptical of the links in the messages.

He advises that if you suspect the link is legitimate, hover over it to inspect the URL before clicking. A mismatched or suspicious URL is a strong indicator of a scam.

Its also important to watch out for typos or awkward phrasing - a telltale sign of a toll scam.

If you believe you have fallen for a toll road scam, be sure to contact your card issuer, freeze and check your credit reports, and sign up for identity theft protection.

The FTC says to not delete the fraudulent message before reporting the scam.

'Use your phones report junk option to report these unwanted texts to your messaging app or forward them to 7726 (SPAM),' the agency says.
The so-called 'Deadpool killer' who brutally murdered two women in 2019 had a morbid last request to the court after being sentenced to death.

Wade Wilson, 30, showed no emotion on Tuesday as Florida County Circuit Judge Nicholas R Thompson ruled he would be sentenced to death for the murder of each of his two victims Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43.

But as the judge asked if there were any other matters to discuss before dismissal, a member of Wilson's defense team spoke up to advise the judge of his client's final chilling request.

'I understand he has other cases pending here and elsewhere... but Mr Wilson asked me to ask the court within whatever authority you have to get him to death row as soon as possible,' his lawyer said.

The cases referenced are unrelated to his murder case and include attempted escape from jail as well as drug charges. The outcome in those matters will not impact his sentencing relating to his murder trial.

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'

The judge advised the earliest the court could move forward with the pending cases would be September 16. His date of execution is yet to be decided.

The request varied from his lawyer's early plea to the judge to spare his life when the court was reminded 'he is a loving son to his adoptive parents'.

During a press conference immediately following his sentencing, State Attorney Amira Fox said, 'I've been doing this 34 years, and I have to say I have never seen someone as evil as Wade Wilson, and I have never been so stunned to see some people in the community that actually think it's a good idea to support somebody so evil and monstrous.'

The families of the victims vowed they would see Wade Wilson again at his execution after putting them through 'five years of agony'.

'I didn't get to say I love her,' said Ruiz's father through tears after hearing the verdict, who said he would be at Wilson's execution.

Wilson was previously convicted in June of the two first-degree murder counts, whom he strangled within hours of each other on October 6, 2019 in Cape Coral.

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.
The 21-year-old Rice University student who was gunned down in a murder-suicide on the first day of classes has been pictured.

Andrea Rodriguez Avila was a junior political science and pre-law major from Maryland who had just transferred to Rice University from the Community College of Baltimore County in the spring.

She had a promising future, her friends and colleagues say, as a deputy parliamentarian of the Rice Student Association, a peer academic advisor at her residential hall and a member of the university's Honor Council, FOX News reports.

Avila was also active in many organizations at the Baltimore community college, including a college-wide student programming board, the Multicultural Student Association, Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society and the First Year Experience mentor program, according to Click 2 Houston.

But Avila's life was tragically cut short when she was discovered dead in her dorm by Rice University police at 4.30pm CT on Monday, after her family members asked for a wellness check and officers saw she missed classes that day.

Andrea Rodriguez Avila, 21, was discovered dead in her dorm by Rice University police on Monday

Police believe she was killed in a murder-suicide committed by an unidentified 22-year-old from Florida, with whom she was in a relationship.

He was found dead next to Avila with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

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.'

The release of his identity is pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.

Police believe she was killed in a murder-suicide committed by an unidentified 22-year-old from Florida, with whom she was in a relationship

A police crime scene unit vehicle sits parked after the apparent murder suicide on Monday

Meanwhile, Avila's death has shocked the school community.

'The whole department is really, really shocked about it,' Pamela DeLa Cruz, a PhD student in the same department told ABC 13.

'There are grad students who say they felt terrible when they saw her name, that they had taught her last year.'

The Community College of Baltimore County also released a statement, saying: 'We are deeply saddened by the loss of Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a beloved member of the CCBC class of 2023.

'Andrea was a passionate leader, an exceptional scholar, and a mentor to many. Her infectious smile and unwavering determination inspired all who knew her.

'The CCBC community extends its deepest sympathies to Andrea's family during this difficult time.'

Rice University in Texas was put into a nearly two-hour lockdown as students attended their first day of classes after the tragic discovery

Avila's family arrived in Houston on Tuesday morning, and are requesting privacy as they mourn.

'[Avila's family] is receiving support from the university's leadership team during this profoundly challenging time,' Rice University officials said.

'They have requested privacy as they mourn their loss but are deeply appreciative of the outpouring of thoughts and prayers from the community.'

Rice University in Texas was put into a nearly two-hour lockdown as students attended their first day of classes after the tragic discovery.

School then remained closed on Tuesday, as the Rice University Police Department continues to investigate the murder-suicide with the help of the Houston Police Department.
A woman who was waiting for a flight at Newark Liberty International Airport was stabbed in the face, cops said.

Melissa Mauldin, 36, was waiting for her friend to come back from the bathroom when Xiong Jin, 54, allegedly assaulted her with a knife Sunday evening - in plain view of Port Authority police.

They quickly cuffed the suspect who was later found to be a repeat offender, as well as a complete stranger to the victim, who was visiting from North Carolina.

The attack happened at the Terminal A departures level in the New Jersey airport around 5 pm, cops said - eight days after the suspect finished a nearly three-year prison sentence for an aggravated assault first reported by The New York Post.

Now in custody, he's expected to face an upgraded charge of attempted murder, after being first charged with aggravated assault and unlawful possession of a weapon, Port Authority cops said. As of writing, he is being held in Essex County Jail.

Scroll down for video:

Melissa Mauldin, 36, was waiting for her friend at Newark Liberty International Airport Sunday when she was stabbed in the face, cops said.

Her attacker, repeat creiminal Xiong Jin, 54, allegedly assaulted her with a knife in plain view of Port Authority police - reportedly eight days after being released from a three-year prison bid for assault. He has a range of other violent offenses as well, The New York Post reported

'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 told the Post of how she wants her attacker to be prosecuted to the fullest

'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.'

Showing photos of the wound on her face that required 14 stitches, Mauldin said had been visiting New Jersey for a wedding, and was on her way home when she was 'violently attacked' from behind .

'I actually travel for a living,' she told ABC 7, the first to report the story. 'I've traveled to all different countries, I've been to almost every state in the United States. I've never not felt secure.

'I was telling my fiance, Max, last night I feel like all that security has been stripped from me and I didn't even do anything to deserve it.'

She told the news station that she was also treated for a fractured nose and cheekbone.

Xiong, meanwhile, was said to be homeless, and remained in jail Wednesday morning ahead of a soon-to-be scheduled court hearing.

The Union County Prosecutor's Office told the Post they were expecting his charges to be updated before then.

Moreover, if found guilty, Jin would be sentenced for his third stabbing, after allegedly jabbing a New Jersey corrections officer in the neck with a sharpened pencil in 2009, the Post found.

She told the news station that she was also treated for a fractured nose and cheekbone. Xiong, meanwhile, was said to be homeless, and remained in jail Wednesday morning ahead of a soon-to-be scheduled court hearing. He is expected to be charged with attempted murder

Two years before, he allegedly stabbed two people after they being invited to their homes, and also was once accused of trying to stab the owner of a Chinese restaurant, according to law enforcement insiders who spoke to the paper.

A state corrections viewed by the Post reportedly showed how Jin had served at least three separate sentences in the years since, between 2009 and 2024.

He was most recently released on August 17 for the unkown aggravated assault offense, which was also first reported by the Post.

As for the more recent incident, Port Authority cops credited the suspect's arrest to the heroics of officer Ryan Mangold, who quickly cuffed Jin - likely saving Mauldin in the process.

'Our officer did an excellent job, which started with him simply being in the right place at the right time, walking his foot-post,' Port Authority Police Department boss Frank Conti said in a statement.

'His immediate actions prevented further injury and possibly saved the victim's life... yet another example of police work many would like to downplay or pretend does not exist.'

The department's investigation into the altercation remains ongoing. Prosecutors are already involved.
Barbie's influence on modern culture reached new heights in 2023 when the box-office smash film captivated audiences across the world.

But now the much-loved doll is being used to try and break Generation Z's addiction to their smart phones through the re-introduction of a very basic flip phone.

The pink device, manufactured by HMD, has no front camera, one game and limited access to the internet.

In a throwback to 'brick' phones from the noughties, youngsters cannot receive anything more than text messages on the mirror-fronted phone, which has no app store or touch screen.

It comes amid growing calls from concerned parents and campaigners to limit the time children spend on smartphones - or even ban the devices completely.

The very pink basic device - which has no front camera, only one game and a very limited access to the internet - has been launched in the UK and Europe

The Barbie doll's aura is being used to try and break Generation Z's addiction with their smart phones (pictured: The new and old versions of the classic Barbie dolls)

Gen-Z texters would however be able to 'ghost' or ignore friends and family with greater ease, as the devices do not have a read receipt function.

However, many may struggle to send messages quickly as they adjust to the numbers and letters keypad.

There is also an opportunity to play the iconic Nokia game snake, which HMD have given a pink glow-up to and re-named Malibu Snake.

The devices will be way cheaper than their smartphone counterparts with a launch price of 99 in the UK  twice what you would pay for a non-branded Nokia feature phone.

There are plenty of other similar phones on the market - but none have been given the Barbie makeover.

'Brick' phones - which can only receive texts and calls - have already been introduced to pupils at 20,000-a-year Eton College, as schools across the country look to take action and help young people.

Britain's most famous fee-paying school says it wants to 'balance the benefits and challenges that technology brings to schools.'

Concerns about smartphone use ranges from the suspicion children will end up with shorter attention spans, to the fear that they might be exposed to harmful or illegal content.

This week, mobile network EE advised parents not to allow their under-11s smartphones at all.

The devices will be way cheaper than their smartphone counterparts with a launch price of 99 in the UK

HMD, which also makes phones for Nokia, is manufacturing the phones amidst growing calls from parents and campaigners to limit the time children spend on smartphones, or even ban the devices completely

Lars Silberbauer, a senior executive at HMD, told the BBC: 'We've seen this surge which started in the US coming to Europe, that more and more people actually want to not be having a digital experience all the time.'

Some experts suggest that withdrawing smartphones is no real solution and instead children need to be taught how to use them in a healthy and safe way.

Ben Wood, a phone expert who has his own museum of devices, said: 'I'd imagine quite a few people will be tempted to buy it as a bit of fun, but in reality, everyone is so dependent on their smartphones that anything more than the odd day of detox will be a stretch.'

But Mr Wood's firm CCS Insight estimates that around 400,000 Barbie devices will be sold in the UK this year.

Mr Silberbaum added: 'Do I want the smartphone with all the bells and whistles, or do I want to have something that can actually help me have a more considered approach to digital? That's the choice we want to deliver.'
Pupils as young as five years old are being subjected to random searches and knife-style metal detectors in a crackdown on mobile phones.

Teachers are able to stop and search children using handheld scanners normally used to screen for weapons in a bid to keep the distracting devices out of the classroom.

Dozens of primary and secondary schools have updated their mobile phone and screening policies and have told pupils phones should be 'powered down' and kept in their bags.

Notley High School in Essex is using 'screening' wands - ordinarily used by police officers and security guards to scan for knives - in order to carry out the checks.

One policy document, updated in December and seen by The Telegraph, allows the random searches to 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'.

Shockingly, some primary children are being screened for phones using metal detectors with staff at a Suffolk school being allowed to search the youngsters using handheld metal detectors, with the policy citing common law.

Does YOUR child's school have a strict mobile phone policy? Email matt.strudwick@mailonline.co.uk

Pupils as young as five years old are being subjected to random searches and knife-style metal detectors in a crackdown on mobile phones

Teachers are able to stop and search children using handheld scanners normally used to screen for weapons in a bid to keep the distracting devices out of the classroom (A stock picture of a metal detecting wand)

The document stated 'staff have the power to search a pupil for any item if the pupil agrees'.

According to The Telegraph, Cowley International College in Merseyside updated its guidance in June so pupils can be 'taught the benefits of environments free from distraction'.

'Random and targeted searches' are being carried out every day to catch children carrying phones in their pockets, which are then being confiscated.

'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 former Tory government issued new guidance to schools in February, with then education secretary Gillian Keegan urging head teachers to ban the use of smartphones in schools, including during break periods.

A study by the Policy Exchange think tank warned in May that only one in 10 secondary schools have an 'effective ban' that physically prevents children from using their phones.

These schools either ban them from the premises or insist that phones are shut away in dedicated lockers or pouches for the entire school day.

MailOnline has contacted Cowley International College and Notley High School for comment.

Meanwhile, this week EE urged against giving children aged under 11 smartphones in new guidance to parents.

At one seconday school, 'random and targeted searches' are being carried out every day to catch children carrying phones in their pockets, which are then being confiscated

Meanwhile, this week EE urged against giving children aged under 11 smartphones in new guidance to parents

The telecommunications firm is the first to suggest that children should have restricted access to social media and 'inappropriate sites'.

It recommends that they instead be given 'brick' phones with only basic capabilities such as calling and texting.

Furthermore, parents of children under 16 should use parental controls in order to manage their access to inappropriate online content, the company has said.

The Telegraph reported that staff at the firm are being trained in the new guidance, which comes in the wake of growing criticism that tech giants are not doing enough to protect children from harmful content.

Data from regulator Ofcom in February showed that nine out of 10 11-year-olds already had a smartphone, with 99% of children spending time online.

Although most social media platforms have a minimum age of 13. as many as six in 10 children aged between 8 to 12 have their own account, the research found.

And three in five school children had reported being contacted online in a way that made them feel uncomfortable.

In an international survey of 10,000 parents, including 2,000 in the UK, over half said they regretted giving their children a smartphone.

The government has come under pressure from online campaigners and bereaved parents to ban the devices for those under 16, a move so far resisted by Sir Keir Starmer, who has instead suggested that there should be stronger controls in place to restrict harmful content.

Does YOUR child's school have a strict mobile phone policy? Email matt.strudwick@mailonline.co.uk
Dy Nguyen tears up after speaking about possible school closings while hugging her child, Mazzi, 8, during an SFUSD school board meeting on Tuesday. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

At its first meeting with a new member as well as a new president, San Francisco's school board sought to reassure families angry about proposed school closures, while also grilling the superintendent on what the district gains from the painful and disruptive decision.

Tuesdays meeting was the first presided over by new Board of Education President Matt Alexander, whom the board voted to take over from Lainie Motamedi after she resigned abruptly Friday for health and personal reasons. The board also chose Lisa Weissman-Ward as vice president.

Public education administrator Phil Kim, appointed by Mayor London Breed, stepped into Motamedis spot. Tuesday was Kims first meeting as a sitting commissioner.

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San Francisco Unified faces a tumultuous school year ahead, with the release of the list of proposed school closures looming on Sept. 18. The board will vote on the list in December, and if approved, closures and mergers would take place in the 2025-26 school year.

Unions representing SFUSD educators protest before a school board meeting in San Francisco on Tuesday. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

Commissioners discussed the closures Tuesday, pledging that the district would support families through the process. District officials said letters would be sent directly to affected families and staff and that staff would be on hand Sept. 18 to support families and answer questions.



Frankly, we do not have a good track record of school closures in this district, Alexander said Tuesday, describing previous closures as racist and acknowledging parental concerns. We need to center families in whatever will come out of this plan.

Reasons for the closures include declining enrollment in the district, staffing shortages and budget shortfalls so severe that state advisers now have veto power over the districts spending decisions. The closures are supposed to help San Francisco Unified shift its resources, although they will not save significant amounts of money in the short term.

Were not presenting this as solving our budget problem, said Superintendent Matt Wayne. What this is a solution to is, How do we use our resources to best support our students?

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One way in which the district hopes school closures will help shift resources is by making sure every school is properly staffed, Wayne said.

The school district started engaging families on school closures in March, but parents and educators who spoke Tuesday urged the board not to close schools, emphasizing the stress to families and potential negative effects.

Audience members holds signs during the SFUSD school board meeting on Tuesday. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

"Im asking you to be responsible to the children in this district, said Alondra Agron, a parent with San Francisco Community School. What are the alternatives? What can we do as a community to be involved to prevent school closures? What can we do to make sure these school closures cannot happen?

Three main criteria are informing which schools would close: equity, excellence and effective use of resources, with equity weighted more heavily than the other categories. Under those three categories, issues such as teacher turnover, student enrollment and academic performance for each school will be considered. The district is also in the process of completing an equity audit in partnership with Stanford University to make sure no community is disproportionately impacted by the closures.

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Officials also proposed giving families in closed schools priority if they dont want to send their children to the site theyre assigned and instead choose a different, high-demand school. The board will vote on that part of the plan on Sept. 10.

Commissioners asked questions about why school closures were chosen over other alternatives, with some members expressing hesitancy over the plan.



Commissioner Kevine Boggess said he felt like Tuesdays presentation and prior briefings didnt include enough information, saying that he has a lack of confidence that hell be able support what comes forward.

United Educators of San Francisco President Cassondra Curiel speaks as unions representing SFUSD educators protest before a school board meeting on Tuesday. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

In addition to struggling with closures, the district is also grappling with a budget crisis that means district officials need state sign-off before hiring. Dozens of San Francisco union members and educators protested before the meeting, demanding that state advisers lift bureaucratic barriers that would allow the district to hire more staff, citing staffing shortages.

Currently, there are 104 classroom vacancies due in part to a hiring freeze and state advisers having veto power over the districts budget. Last year, the district started with over 140 vacant teacher positions.

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Yajaira Cuapio, a social worker with the district, said she was excited to hire 14 school social workers, but because of hiring barriers, she only secured four of those hires.

We have eight school sites without a school social worker, Cuapio said, This is a direct attack on our students and families who deserve to have fully staffed classrooms, who deserve to have fully funded schools.

Tuesdays protesters emphasized the importance of filling positions to support student mental health.

Its day seven of the school year, and we have so many unmet student needs, Cassondra Curiel, president of United Educators of San Francisco, told the Chronicle. We should be able to start a school year fully staffed.

Curiel also said that the teachers union has been in contact with state regulators and that while the state, union and district share the same values, its the teachers and students who face the brunt of the staffing issues.

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Theyre legitimate concerns, and theyre not reasons for students not to receive services, Curiel said.

Laura Dudnick, spokesperson for the district, said in a statement that the district continues to work collaboratively with fiscal advisers and labor partners to hire for unfilled spots.

We all share the goal of returning SFUSDs budget to local control, Dudnick said.
A body has been found off a Dutch beach in the search for a British teenager who went missing while swimming with her friends.

Four swimmers got into difficulty while swimming in the North Sea off the seaside resort of Scheveningen in The Hague at around 8.30pm on Sunday evening.

Three were rescued but a fourth, reported to have been a 18-year-old woman from the UK, was not found.

Rescuers said there was little hope that she would be found alive after they searched for two hours and failed to locate her.

Although investigations are ongoing, it is believed that the person found last night is likely to be the missing British teenager, according to local media.

Picture shows the search for the missing swimmer in the sea near Scheveningen, Netherlands

Emergency teams search for the missing swimmer in the sea near Scheveningen, Netherlands

It is believed that the three people who were rescued on Sunday had tried to save the teenager, before getting into difficulties themselves.

An eyewitness who saw the the drama unfold said that two of the boys had injuries to the legs and were covered in blood.

They added that there was an older woman there who was apparently the mother of one of the kids who was 'panicking and screaming'.

The local person said the boys would have had no chance to save the teenager, as the water was too wild and impassable. 'The boys barely survived,' they said.

It is believed the injuries were caused when they were swept against the rocky pier that forms the harbour that separates the Ijduin and Scheveningen Beaches in The Hague.

According to The Hague's fire department, the group had been near Zuidelijk Havenhoofd, a green lighthouse and popular tourist spot on the southern pier.

A body was found at sea last night, Regio15 reports, and a lifeboat was called to recover it.

Police were also on the scene after reports of the discovery came in at around 7pm.
Photos have emerged of a nine-month-old baby moments before and after a stranger poured boiling coffee over him, causing burns to 60 per cent of his body and leaving his mother traumatised.

The young bub was at a picnic with his mum and friends at Hanlon Park in Coorparoo in Brisbane when an unknown man approached the group at about midday on Tuesday.

He poured a thermos of coffee over the baby before fleeing the scene. He remained on the run on Wednesday night.

A photo taken shortly before the incident shows the baby sitting on a rug happily playing with a toy truck.

Heartbreaking footage has also emerged of the baby in hospital afterwards, wrapped in bandages and screaming in pain.

The baby's mother became emotional as she relived the harrowing ordeal.

'It's torture and I'm supposed to be his protector and I couldn't protect him,' she told Nine News.

'I'm just having flashbacks all the time about what happened and I wish that he had poured the coffee over me.

'I don't know who would think it is okay to harm a little, innocent baby.'

A nine-month-old baby (pictured) has burns to 60 per cent of his body after a stranger threw scalding coffee over him

Queensland Police are working to identify an unknown man (pictured) who was seen running from the Brisbane park after the attack

The mother of the baby (pictured with her partner) said she has repetitive 'flashbacks' of the moment the man poured the coffee over her baby

Family friend Zara Mazza was sitting alongside the baby and his mother when the stranger attacked.

Ms Mazza fought back tears on The Project on Wednesday night as she recalled how she attempted to chase down the assailant but tripped.

'As I ran back I picked up my water bottle and dumped it over him... we laid him down on the picnic rug and we peeled his clothes away, which revealed the peeling of his skin - his skin had started to blister,' she said.

'Some really lovely onlookers came over and filled up water bottles and kept pouring it over him.'

Ms Mazza added that the boy's mother is struggling as a result of the ordeal.

'She's got a lot of anxiety right now. She's not been able to sleep very well, if at all,' she said.

'Bub is in a stable condition. He's had burns to his face, neck, chest and arms, and they say that he'll need regular dressing changes under anaesthetic over the next few weeks.'

An off-duty nurse reportedly heard screams from her nearby residence and ran to the park to help the boy.

She told 7News his mother was yelling 'my baby, my baby'.

The baby (pictured before the attack) was rushed to hospital where he underwent emergency surgery

The nurse took the boy back to her apartment and kept him under a cold shower until paramedics arrived.

The baby was then rushed to the Queensland Children's Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.

The nine-month-old suffered serious but non-life-threatening burns to 60 per cent of his body, including his face, upper body and arms.

Ms Mazza has set up a GoFundMe fundraiser to raise money for the baby's medical expenses.

'This was a callous, random attack on my friend's baby. He does not deserve this pain and suffering,' she wrote.

'[He] is currently in hospital and is [expected] to stay for a while, while he is treated for severe burns.

'He has a long recovery ahead of him which will include further doctors', specialists' [and] hospital appointments.

'[I] would love to raise some money towards any medical or household costs to help ease the pressure off of my friend and her family while they take the time to be home and help their beautiful boy heal.'

The young boy (pictured) was in a stable condition on Wednesday morning and remains at Queensland Children's Hospital

Footage released by police on Wednesday showed the alleged attacker running from the park.

He's described as aged 30-40 with a proportionate build, tanned skin and wore a black hat, glasses, a shirt and shorts.

Detective Inspector Paul Dalton on Wednesday said the baby was in a stable condition.

He described the attack as 'callous and cowardly' as well as 'completely unprovoked'.

'When you look at the circumstances, particularly for us who are parents, going through a park on a beautiful winter's day in Brisbane, enjoying time with your baby... to be approached like this and attacked in this way must be terrifying,' Dalton said.

'In 35 years of being a police officer, I've never come across a job where a child this young, in these circumstances, has been attacked. It shouldn't happen.

'Everyone has a right to feel safe in our community.

'This sort of behaviour will not be tolerated and we've thrown all our resources that we can possibly (spare) to it at this stage to hold this person accountable.'

A family friend said the baby (pictured) 'has a long recovery ahead of him which will include further doctors', specialists' and hospital appointments'

The nine-month-old boy (pictured before the attack) remains at Queensland Children's Hospital

The baby was with his family enjoying a picnic at Hanlon Park in Coorparoo in Brisbane (pictured) when an unknown man approached the group

Inspector Dalton also reassured Brisbane parents his officers are 'working around the clock' to find the perpetrator.

Anyone who recognises the man pictured fleeing the scene, or who has any information that can assist investigations, is urged to contact Policelink on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers.
Two British crew members working on the 30million Bayesian superyacht when it sank off the coast of Sicily and left seven people dead have been placed under investigation.

Six passengers, including British tech billionaire Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, drowned in the August 19 tragedy. The yacht's on-board chef Recaldo Thomas also died.

Italian prosecutors are investigating Tim Parker Eaton, who was in charge of the engine room on the night of the sinking, a judicial source told Reuters today.

Investigators are also said to be probing another British crew member, Matthew Griffith, who was keeping watch on deck, as well as Tijs Koopmans, 33, the Dutch first officer.

It comes after the boat's captain, James Cutfield was placed under investigation for manslaughter and shipwreck on Monday. His lawyers have revealed how he was too 'shaken up' to answer questions during his first formal interrogation yesterday.

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

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

The British-flagged Bayesian superyacht (pictured) was owned by tech magnate Mike Lynch

Recaldo Thomas, chef on the Bayesian, was the first person to be recovered after the yacht sunk on Monday

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

Aldo Mordiglia, one of the lawyers representing the 51-year-old New Zealander, had claimed that the captain wanted to co-operate with the investigation. But he later revealed that his client had 'exercised his right to remain silent'.

'There were two reasons,' Mordiglia told The Times. 'He is understandably very shaken up, and secondly us lawyers were only appointed yesterday and we need to acquire information we do not have in order to defend him.'

Prosecutors in Italy have previously questioned Cutfield, who they said had been 'extremely cooperative'. Other crew members on the 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged luxury yacht remained in Italy voluntarily to assist the investigation.

Under Italian laws, being under investigation doesn't imply any guilt, and doesn't necessarily lead to criminal charges.

Cutfield, Parker-Eaton and Griffith were among 15 survivors of the August 19 tragedy that killed Mr Lynch, Hannah, Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy Bloomer, Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo.

The body of Canadian-Antiguan national Mr Thomas was recovered at the scene of the sinking, while the other bodies were found in the days after by divers.

Who died in the Sicily yacht disaster? Jonathan Bloomer, the chairman of investment bank Morgan Stanley and past chairman of Mike Lynch's software firm Autonomy

Judy Bloomer, Jonathan's wife and a lifetime psychotherapist

Christopher Morvillo, a partner at law firm Clifford Chance and Mike Lynch's lawyer

Neda Morvillo, Christopher's wife and a jewellery designer

Mike Lynch, British tech tycoon who had just been cleared of fraud charges in the United States

Hannah Lynch, Mike Lynch's 18-year-old daughter

Recaldo Thomas, a chef working on board the Bayesian yacht Advertisement

Their bodies were taken to the nearby village of Porticello, about 11 miles from Sicilian capital Palermo.

The victims' bodies were tragically found in 'tight spots' with furniture on top of them and brought ashore one-by-one by dive teams last week, who had carried out 120 trips to the wreck on the seabed.

Fifteen of the 22 people on board the ship - including Hannah's mother Angela Bacares, 57 - managed to escape in a liferaft.

Italian prosecutors have admitted they did not conduct alcohol and drug testing on the vessel's crew - all but one of whom survived - because they needed treatment and were in shock. They have vowed to question the sailors intensively.

Chief prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio, who's 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 yacht's manufacturer.

The coastguard says no tornado warning had been issued that night, contrary to previous reports, and the ship's captain Mr Cutfield reportedly told Italian newspaper La Repubblica of the sudden weather change: 'We didn't see it coming.'

Mr Cartosio previously said he thought it was 'probable that offences were committed' surrounding the sinking of the yacht.

He opened a case of shipwreck and manslaughter that was not initially directed at any individuals. Mr Cutfield is now being investigated for shipwreck and manslaughter.

Mr Cutfield (pictured) is now being investigated for shipwreck and manslaughter

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Search vessels returning to shore on Friday after Hannah Lynch's body was discovered

According to a live translation provided by the BBC, Mr Carosio told reporters that the sinking could have been the responsibility of the captain, crew, individuals in charge of supervision, the ship-builder, or others.

He added: 'We will establish each element's responsibility - that will be done by the inquiry, so we can't do that prematurely.

'For me, it is probable that offences were committed - that it could be a case of manslaughter - but we can only establish that if you give us the time to investigate.

'Media timing is completely different from that of a prosecutor. We need a minimum amount of time to come to a proper scientific conclusion.'

Mr Cartosio, while stressing that enquiries remain at an early stage, appeared to suggest there were questions for the crew to answer.

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

He added that it would be 'painful' if, theoretically, 'this tragedy, this terrible tragedy, was caused by behaviours that were not perfectly in order with regard to the responsibility that everybody had to have (on) the ship.'

He added: 'Individuals or people would potentially be culpable, negligent, lack of prudence, lack of responsibility... We can't just deal with this quickly.'

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 localised, powerful wind that descends from a thunderstorm and spreads out rapidly upon hitting the ground.

The Bayesian will be raised from the seabed after 18,000 litres of fuel have been removed from its tank.
Temperatures could hit 29C (84F) in parts of Britain today as health officials issued a heat warning amid concerns over a heightened risk of death for the vulnerable.

The Met Office said the South East of England would see the best of the weather this afternoon, although the mercury would return to highs of 24C (75F) tomorrow.

And the UK Health Security Agency issued a yellow heat health alert for London, South East, East and East Midlands - running from 1am today until 9am tomorrow.

The warning said: 'Minor impacts are probable across the health and social care sector, including increased use of healthcare services by the vulnerable population.'

It added that there would be an 'increase in risk of mortality amongst vulnerable individuals and increased potential for indoor environments to become very warm'.

People walk across Millennium Bridge in London in the warm summer sunshine this afternoon

Low-lying tinted clouds are seen on an overcast morning at Dunsden in Oxfordshire today

Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said: 'There's a bit of a mix in our weather across the UK - yes, there's some hot sunny weather towards the South East.

'But elsewhere it's a bit cloudy and there will be some rain at times - partly due to the same front that brought the rain through yesterday for many places.

'That's clearing away and then we will have showers towards the North and West on Thursday before an area of high pressure becomes more dominant as we go towards the end of the week and into the weekend and this will settle our weather down.

'So, turning largely dry - not necessarily totally dry, but nonetheless it is going to be a relatively quiet period as we go into the weekend.'

The outlook is slightly cooler between tomorrow and Sunday with highs of between 23C (73F) and 26C (79F) in London each day, but conditions will remain settled and dry.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a yellow heat health alert for London, South East, East and East Midlands, running from 1am today until 9am tomorrow

Explaining more about today's conditions, Mr Burkill said a weather front would bring cloud and rain across the North and South West of England and Wales this morning, before pushing further northwards.

Wales and the South West should turn mostly dry by the afternoon while in the East and South East it will be a 'pretty dry day - not as much sunshine as there was yesterday perhaps, but nonetheless largely fine'.

Mr Burkill continued: 'Across Scotland and Northern Ireland though, some showery rain coming in from the West - and some of this could be quite heavy and could bring some more persistent spells for a time.

'In the North West temperatures aren't really too far away from average for the time of year - high teens, just about getting into the low 20Cs perhaps towards some eastern parts of Scotland.

Sunseekers on Hive beach at Burton Bradstock on the Jurassic coast in Dorset yesterday

'But ahead of the front towards the South and East, here we have some hot air and so temperatures are going to be a little bit higher than they were yesterday - highs of around 27C, 28C, perhaps even a bit higher than this. So, feeling hot for some in any sunshine towards the South East.'

This evening, the front should clear away towards the North East along with most of the showery rain, so it should be dry and clear for most areas overnight.

However, Mr Burkill continued: 'That being said, some further showers will then push into parts of Western Scotland - perhaps some for the far west of Northern Ireland, England and Wales as we go towards dawn on Thursday.

'But many places (are) holding on to the dry and clear weather and, with fresher air coming in behind that front, it is going to be a bit of a cooler night this coming night than it was last night.

'Not especially chilly - most towns and cities holding up in double figures - but away from the more built-up areas, it will just about drop into single figures for some of us.'

Lyme Regis in Dorset was packed with sunbathers enjoying the weather on Monday

Tomorrow will bring a fresher start than this morning, with showers in western Scotland which then become more widespread north of the border.

Mr Burkill said: 'Plenty of showers also for Northern Ireland and some developing across parts of northern England and a few for Wales but towards the South and the East of England it's actually looking largely dry.

'I'm not really expecting any showers to push through here - it should be a fine day. Yes, some decent sunshine, but again because of that fresher air that's coming in temperatures aren't going to be as high as today.

'So we're looking at highs of around 23C, 24C towards the South East - so feeling pleasantly warm in the sunshine. And further north and west, mid to high teens really at best.'

He added that there would be more showers towards the end of the day tomorrow - but high pressure would become more dominant through Friday and into the weekend, 'so things are really going to settle down - lots of dry weather to come'.

There are currently no signs in the forecast for temperatures to get near those recorded on the UK's hottest day of the year so far, which was August 12 when Cambridge hit 34.8C (94.6F).
A Tamil asylum seeker has died in horrific circumstances after dousing himself in petrol and setting himself alight during a protest against the federal government's refugee policies.

Mano Yogalingam, 23, suffered burns to 80 per cent of his body in Melbourne's Dandenong region on Tuesday night and was rushed to The Alfred Hospital. He died hours later on Wednesday.

The Tamil Refugee Council said Mr Yogalingam's death highlighted 'the devastating impact of the government's refugee policies under newly appointed Home Affairs minister Tony Burke.

Spokesperson Rathy Barthlote was by his side when he died.

'Mano was just 23 years old and had his whole life ahead of him,' she said.

'But the psychological torment inflicted by the Australian government's cruel and inhumane policies, compounded by personal challenges, drove him to a point where he believed he had nothing left to live for.'

Mr Yogalingam, a Christian from Sri Lanka's Puttalam region of Sri Lanka, was 11 when he and his family arrived in Australia by boat from India in 2012.

His parents and their five children had fled their home country due to alleged threats from the Sri Lankan military.

Mano Yogalingam (pictured), 23, suffered burns to 80 per cent of his body and died from his injuries at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne on Wednesday

The family were detained for several months upon arrival in Australia before they were freed into the community.

'Mano had been waiting for over 12 years to learn if he could stay in Australia and escape the persecution he feared in Sri Lanka,' Ms Barthlote said.

'He was acutely aware of the statements made by the Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke, expressing intent to deport asylum seekers who have fallen victim to the fast track process.'

Mr Yogalingam's mental health deteriorated under the strain of visa uncertainty, according to Ms Barthlote.

She said many Tamil asylum seekers told her they would rather die in Australia 'than be sent back to face torture in Sri Lanka.

'I had always hoped these were just words. Tragically, it seems that's not the case,' she said.

The advocate claimed that 'countless refugees lose their lives while waiting for permanent visas.

The Tamil Refugee Council said Mr Yogalingam's death highlighted 'the devastating impact of the Government's refugee policies' under Home Affairs minister Tony Burke (pictured)

'Now, we mourn the loss of another young man who, like so many other young Tamils on bridging visas, woke up every day wondering if it would be the day he'd be forced to return to the persecution he fled,' Ms Barthlote said.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Burke for comment.

If you or someone you know needs support, call Lifeline 13 11 14, Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467 or Kids Helpline (for young people aged up to 25) 1800 55 1800.
Travellers are being tempted to smuggle suitcases stuffed full of cannabis into British airports under the false pretence they won't get caught.

Police have seen an 'exponential' rise in so-called 'cannabis couriers' who are brazenly trying to flood the UK with drugs hidden in luggage and even children's cases.

Passengers are being tricked into thinking UK authorities will go soft on them and let them off with just a fine - but instead land themselves with hefty prison sentences.

Footage released by the National Crime Agency (NCA) - Britain's answer to the FBI - showed one female drug mule being apprehended after attempting to smuggle two suitcases full of cannabis into Heathrow.

Chelsea Allingham, a 40-year-old Canadian national, had just got to her hotel bar to enjoy a celebratory drink for her troubles when NCA officers swooped in and arrested her in May. She was jailed for 10 months.

A dramatic video shows a female drug courier casually standing at Heathrow with a bulging green bag on her back before she is arrested by NCA officers

A huge haul of cannabis, bagged up after it was seized at Manchester Airport. Spanish national Fernando Mayans Fuster, 51, was stopped with eight suitcases containing 158 kilos of cannabis, after flying in from LA in May

'Brazen' drug mules are walking through British airports with suitcases stuffed full of cannabis

And in May this year, 51-year-old Spanish national Fernando Mayans Fuster was caught at Manchester Airport with eight suitcases containing 158 kilos of the drug.

He had arrived on a flight from Los Angeles and it is believed the haul is one of the largest passenger seizures of its kind at the airport.

He was jailed on July 19 for three years and four months.

This month alone, 11 British passengers travelling from Thailand were arrested at Birmingham airport when Border Force officials allegedly found 510 kilos of cannabis in their bags.

Law enforcement believe decriminalisation of cannabis abroad could be behind the huge rise in cannabis couriers after the amount of marijuana seized at airports tripled in the past year.

They also fear passengers are being tricked into thinking Britain has relaxed drug laws which could see them left off with just a fine.

But the NCA's deputy director Charles Yates warned today that the reality is very different, with 378 arrests for importing cannabis this year and 15 tonnes of cannabis with a street value of 150 million being seized.

Authorities urged travellers to 'think very carefully' before running the risk of a 'life-changing prison sentence', with convicted traffickers facing up to 14 years behind bars.

Tim Kingsbury, regional director of Border Force south, today issued a stark warning to would-be smugglers: 'You will get caught.'

Border officials have already seized 15 tonnes of cannabis with a street value of 150 million 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.

Drug couriers have been caught returning from countries such as the US, Canada and Thailand, where cannabis is easier to obtain legally.

Organised 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.

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.

Mayans Fuster had arrived on a flight from Los Angeles. He was jailed on July 19 for three years and four months

One of the suitcases stuffed full of marijuana that Fernando Mayans Fuster tried to smuggle into the country

Mr Yates continued: '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.
A British tourist has drowned while swimming at a Spanish beach while the red flag was raised.

A 77-year-old man who went into the sea at Raco beach in Cullera on Tuesday was later pulled out of the water unresponsive, according to reports.

Emergency services were alerted at 11.30am and paramedics rushed to the scene, where they performed CPR on the man for 30 minutes, but were unable to save him.

Lifeguards in the beach resort, which is south of Valencia, are said to have warned holidaymakers not to go into the sea due to strong currents.

Two other swimmers have drowned in the popular tourist resort this summer, local media reports, while another two have had to be rescued.

A 77-year-old man who went into the sea at Raco beach in Cullera on Tuesday was later pulled out of the water unresponsive (file image shows the area)

A 56-year-old man died on August 1 on Raco while another person drowned on the nearby San Antonio beach on July 13.

The area is said to be known for its dangerous currents.

Red flags are put out due to strong currents, high waves, or other hazardous conditions. Anyone ignoring them and entering the sea in Spain could face a fine.
A collection of signed Salvador Dali prints which spent 50 years gathering dust in a garage are set to fetch thousands at auction after being found during a clear-out.

The ten forgotten lithographs by the renowned Spanish surrealist were found in the garage of a house in Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London.

They were bought for 500 from an art gallery at a closing down sale during the 1970s and could now fetch 5,000 when they go under the hammer next month.

The seller was having a clear-out while preparing to move house abroad when he discovered the 'treasure trove' of artwork recently.

The haul also includes five lithographs by French painter, engraver, illustrator and sculptor Theo Tobiasse.

A collection of signed Salvador Dali prints which spent 50 years gathering dust in a garage are set to fetch thousands at auction after being found during a clear-out

The ten forgotten lithographs by the renowned Spanish surrealist were found in the garage of a house in Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London

The Dali prints are expected to fetch 300-500 and the Tobiasse works 100-300 when they are sold by Hansons Richmond in London on September 30.

Salvador Dali: An icon of surrealism Catalonia-born surrealist Salvador Dali (1904-1989) received his formal education in fine arts in Madrid. He became increasingly attracted to avant-garde movements and joined the Surrealist group in 1929, soon becoming a leading exponent. One of the most prolific artists of the 20th century, he's renowned for his technical skill and bizarre images. Influenced by Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro and Sigmund Freud, his repertoire included paintings, sculpture, film, graphic art, animation, fashion and photography. Salvador Dali Advertisement

Antiques expert Chris Kirkham, associate director of Hansons Richmond, said: 'It was an amazing find.

'I was invited to assess some antiques at a client's home.

'During the visit the vendor took me to his garage and, lo and behold, out came this treasure trove of surrealist lithographs - all 15 of them.

'They'd been tucked away and forgotten about for around 50 years. It felt quite surreal. You never know what you're going to uncover on a routine home visit.

'The buyer paid a modest 500 for the lithographs, all unframed, in a closing down sale at a central London gallery in the 1970s.

'He purchased them with a view to framing them for his home in Berkeley Square but never got round to it. So the prints ended up in his garage.

'They were rediscovered because the seller has been having a clear out.

'He's looking to retire and move abroad, so now his lithographs will finally see the light of day at auction.

'Dali and Tobiasse are highly regarded and anything connected to them is sought after.

'These lithographs provide an inexpensive way to own a signed print.'

Catalonia-born surrealist Salvador Dali (1904-1989) received his formal education in fine arts in Madrid.

He became increasingly attracted to avant-garde movements and joined the Surrealist group in 1929, soon becoming a leading exponent.

One of the most prolific artists of the 20th century, he's renowned for his technical skill and bizarre images.

Influenced by Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro and Sigmund Freud, his repertoire included paintings, sculpture, film, graphic art, animation, fashion and photography.

They were bought for 500 from an art gallery at a closing down sale during the 1970s and could now fetch 5,000 when they go under the hammer next month

Theo Tobiasse (1927-2012) was born in Jaffa, Mandatory Palestine, in 1927, to Jewish parents.

The family moved to Paris in 1931 where his typographer father found work in a Russian printing press.

Tobiasse's first canvases were exhibited at the Salon des Peintres du Sud-Est in 1960.

In 1961 he won a prize for 'Young Mediterranean Painting' and the Dorothy-Gould Prize.

In 1962 he exhibited at Paris's Galerie du Faubourg Saint-Honore and decided to devote himself solely to visual arts.
Labour has decided to cancel an 'immediate justice' scheme which saw shoplifters and those who commit antisocial behaviour forced to do unpaid work in their community.

Home secretary Yvette Cooper removed funding for the programme because it did not provide value for money, according to The Times.

The Home Office pointed to bad shape of public finances as a reason for the move but it has been slammed as 'short-sighted' by policing leaders.

The immediate justice scheme is said to have provided authorities with an effective solution to punishing low-level crime as the rest of the criminal justice system is plagued by backlogs.

It comes after figures revealed that police have largely stopped punishing shoplifters as the number of offences rises to record levels.

Labour has decided to cancel an 'immediate justice' scheme which saw shoplifters and those who commit antisocial behaviour forced to do unpaid work in their community

Home secretary Yvette Cooper removed funding for the programme because it did not provide value for money

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

Ten police force areas were part of the initial immediate justice scheme trial which was part of Rishi Sunaks plan to tackle antisocial behaviour.

Those who committed low-level offences were punished by being made to do unpaid work that included cleaning up graffiti, weeding, repairing fences and working in charity shops.

The Home Office planned to provide funding for 33 police forces in England and Wales for the scheme with each receiving around 1million from October.

But Labour has decided to axe it following their election victory last month.

'The previous governments immediate justice pilots demonstrated that it takes significant time to get projects up and running, and only six months of funding was available to other police forces new to the scheme,' a Home Office spokesman said.

'This would not have been an effective nationwide programme for tackling antisocial behaviour, nor would it offer value for taxpayer money  even more so in the light of the state of public finances which this government has inherited.'

However, the move has been criticised by police leaders across the country.

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne insisted the immediate justice scheme helped reduce the reoffending rate with participants.

'This government has made a lot of noise about cracking down on crime but the reality is that their actions just dont fit the rhetoric,' she told The Times.

'They claim that antisocial behaviour is a top priority, yet the first action they take is to cancel the funding for immediate justice in all police force areas.

'This is both disappointing and shortsighted, especially as our pilot in Sussex is working.

Almost 444,000 shoplifting offences were recorded by forces in England and Wales in the year to March

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

'Weve applied immediate justice to over 230 cases so far, with an 85 per cent compliance rate and over two thirds of offenders not reoffending after six months.

'Given that the government are now releasing prisoners whove served just 40 per cent of their jail sentence, how on earth do they expect police to tackle the levels of antisocial behaviour which are bound to rise  is this what they mean when they warn that our lives will become more miserable?'

The funding helped extend an existing scheme called Putting it Right which was established after local businesses grew frustrated at the lack of action against shoplifters in Brighton.

It was made up of two parts, mediation for offenders and a 'giving back' session which saw them work at Oxfam unpaid.

There were 57 offenders in the scheme in its first year and only two people reoffended within 12 months which is well below the national reoffending rate of 23-30 percent.

Kent police and crime commissioner Matthew Scott said the move to pull the funding was 'disappointing' and that he would still set up an immediate justice scheme.

'I am naturally disappointed with the decision that the Home Office has chosen to make,' he said.

A shoplifter empties the shelves of a Greggs store in south east London into a giant holdall last month

'This is not the time to be scaling back schemes that will reduce reoffending and prevent crime.

'That said, I will not be deterred from my commitment to Kent residents to take the action that is needed to make those causing antisocial behaviour pay back to our neighbourhoods.

'I am working with a number of groups on an immediate justice and reform programme so that perpetrators are held to account for their behaviour. I will announce my plans later this year.'

It comes after new figures revealed 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.

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.
An east London restaurant has warned customers to stay vigilant after a man allegedly walked up to a table and distracted diners with a piece of paper before swiping a phone from right under their noses.

Adana Turkish with Fusion, in Bethnal Green, shared CCTV of the alleged thief brazenly entering the restaurant and targeting a table-of-three just before 10pm on Bank Holiday Monday.

Different angles of the footage shows the man, who was wearing a cap, approaching a table positioned close to the restaurant door with a piece of paper.

He then hovered the paper above a phone on the table before swiping the device away without the customers noticing.

The restaurant said that the man wrote something about 'needing help' on the paper, using it as a way to get the attention of customers.

This is the man who walked into the Adana Turkish with Fusion, in Bethnal Green, just before 10pm on Bank Holiday Monday

He approached a table by the door. The phone he takes is visible next to a handbag on the table

The man is seen using a sheet of paper to distract the customers before taking the phone from under their noses

After taking the phone, he then walked out of the restaurant before allegedly being picked up and driven away in a car that had been 'waiting outside' for him.

Adana has asked for social media users to share the footage to make people aware of thieves operating in the area.

Describing the incident, the restaurant said: 'Last night a man came into our restaurant and stole a customer's phone.

'He distracted the customer with a piece of paper which read something along the lines of he needs help etc.

'He had a car waiting outside and as soon as he exited the shop, he got in the car and drove off.

'This was fully organised and they must be doing it regularly.

'Please be vigilant and mindful of your belongings and please share with friends and family.'

MailOnline has contacted the Met Police for comment.
Workers remove the controversial Early Days statue, one of five statues that make up the Pioneer Monument, at Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco in 2018. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle 2018

San Francisco is about to begin evaluating its nearly 100 statues and monuments to figure out which ones no longer represent the citys values and should be removed from view, relocated or reinterpreted with explanatory plaques.

The debate over the citys monuments began in 2018 with the removal of the Early Days sculpture from the Pioneer Monument in Civic Center because it represented a Native American seated before a Spanish Catholic missionary. The effort gathered steam amid the racial justice movement in 2020 that followed the murder of George Floyd. That year, crowds toppled statues throughout the country that glorified Confederate Civil War leaders, which critics said paid homage to the countrys racist past.

The survey of San Franciscos civic art collection  funded by a $3 million Mellon Foundation grant  will be conducted by an outside firm and should be completed by January.

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The project, called Shaping Legacy, was discussed at an Arts Commission meeting last week when senior project manager Angela Carrier explained that looking at San Franciscos monuments and memorials as a whole shows a concentration that talks about power, privilege, white supremacy, patriarchy and colonialism.

These monuments no longer represent the values that we say the city stands for, she added.

The monuments and memorial were listed in an inventory last updated in June 2023. They range from Lottas Fountain installed on Market Street in 1875 to the bust of George Moscone at City Hall to a dozen or more statues of explorers and war heroes in Golden Gate Park. The most recent addition is a 9-foot bronze sculpture of Maya Angelou being installed at the Main Library in September. It, too, will be subject to review. The entire Civic Art Collection consists of 4,000 objects valued in excess of $100 million.

The projects mission statement says its goal is to confront the inequities of the past to confront the inequities of the present.

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The overall effort is a $250 million undertaking called the Monuments Project, which seeks to remake the public art landscape, and its all funded by Mellon.

San Francisco is one of nine cities to receive grants. The city saw its share of monuments destroyed in 2020 when bronze statues of Junipero Serra, Ulysses S. Grant and Francis Scott Key were all knocked off their pedestals by protesters in Golden Gate Park. The city removed the statue of Christopher Columbus at Coit Tower to avoid a similar fate. All four statues are now secured in storage.

The statue of Francis Scott Key hits the ground after a group of more than 100 protesters used ropes to pull it down in Golden Gate Park in 2020. Jungho Kim/Special to the Chronicle 2020

In the aftermath of the vandalism, Mayor London Breed formed the 13-person San Francisco Monuments and Memorials Advisory Committee that issued its final report in 2023, recommending the equity audit now being undertaken.

What the audit will do is decide which monuments are considered offensive today, and if so, what should replace them, said Dorka Keehn, a former arts commissioner, who chaired the Visual Arts Committee in 2020 when the Columbus and part of the Pioneer statues were removed. A broader question is, How long should any monument be in existence?

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Opponents decry the removal of Civil War monuments and statues of historic figures whose actions or views are now deemed offensive, saying it is an attempt to erase history that disrespects the nations heritage. Some Southern states legislatures moved to restrict or prohibit the removal of public monuments after the 2020 toppling incidents.

Historical memory is inevitably political, Stanford history professor James T. Campbell told the Chronicle this week, with debates over monuments and memorials often serving as proxy wars for other disputes and grievances. Given the highly polarized times in which we live, Campbell added, such battles rarely reach consensus, but they can still be constructive, creating opportunities for dialogue not only about the past but also about the present and future.



While praising San Franciscos professed commitments to openness and inclusivity, Campbell also stressed the need for historical humility.

To me, the real danger of these kind of exercises is not so much historical erasure as self-congratulation, with all of us pointing accusatory fingers at our benighted forbears and patting ourselves on the back for our own superior moral wisdom, he said. Its worth asking what San Franciscans a hundred years from now might say when they audit us.

The consultant, HR&A Advisors, will hold three public workshops in October in advance of a final report due in January. The Arts Commission will recommend next steps toward removal or relocation based on the recommendations in the report. Public testimony and input from Mayor Breed and the Board of Supervisors will be included in the process.

As part of this phase, five artists will be commissioned for temporary installations at locations to be determined. The commissions, which could include monuments and memorials, will be installed in 2026 but will not replace existing monuments or memorials.

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We are forefronting the voices of artists to think about what monuments and memorials look like in the future for San Francisco, said Mary Chou, San Franciscos director of public art and the Civic Art Collection.

The final phase of Shaping Legacy will involve more public input to determine whether to commission replacement artwork for monuments that are removed, along with other actions. That phase could run into 2026.

We will engage communities that have historically been excluded from the discussion, Carrier told the committee. The work of reckoning, repair and healing is not easy work.

Reach Sam Whiting: swhiting@sfchronicle.com
Israel has launched a major new offensive across the occupied West Bank, with at least four cities targeted in what security forces are calling a 'counterterrorism operation to thwart terror'.

At least 11 Palestinians have been killed, according to local health officials, including five in an air strike on the al-Far'a refugee camp, and six in a drone strike and armed clashes in Jenin.

Palestinian reports say that the main roads into Jenin have been closed off, while Tulkarm, Nablus and Tubas have also been targeted.

Israel has carried out near-daily raids across the West Bank since Hamas' October 7 attacks sparked the war in Gaza, but this is thought to be the most widespread and coordinated operation of its kind in years.

Palestinian militant groups said they were exchanging fire with the Israeli military with reports that they have entered a hospital and stormed a number of refugee camps.

It comes after Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah launched hundreds of strikes on each other's territory on Sunday in the biggest exchange of fire between the two sides since fresh conflict broke out following Hamas' October 7 attacks.

Israeli military vehicles drive down a road during a raid in northern city of Tulkarm in the occupied West Bank

An Israeli soldier is seen near armoured vehicles during a raid in the Nur Shams refugee camp

Israeli soldiers operate during a raid in the Nur Shams camp for Palestinian refugees near the city of Tulkarem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank

Palestinians assess the damage of a car during a military operation by Israeli forces near Jenin in the Israeli-occupied West Bank

The Israeli military today confirmed it was operating in the West Bank cities of Jenin and Tulkarem but did not provide further details.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had been 'operating with full force since last night in the Jenin and Tulkarm refugee camps to dismantle Iranian-Islamic terror infrastructures established there'.

The governor of Jenin, Kamal Abu al-Rub, said on Palestinian radio that Israeli forces had surrounded the city, blocking exit and entry points and access to hospitals, and ripping up infrastructure in the camp.

An Israeli air strike is reported to have hit a vehicle in a village near Jenin at dawn, with pictures showing people inspecting a car with its windows blown out.

At least 652 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli fire since the war in Gaza began over 10 months ago, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Most have died during such raids, which often trigger gunbattles with militants.

Israel says the operations are required to dismantle Hamas and other terrorist groups and to prevent attacks on Israelis, which have also risen since the start of the war.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said the bodies of seven people were brought to the hospital in Tubas, another West Bank city, and another two were brought to the hospital in Jenin. The ministry identified two killed in Jenin as Qassam Jabarin, 25, and Asem Balout, 39.

Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three for a future state.

Israeli soldiers walk down a street during a raid in the al-Faraa camp near Tubas city

Israel has built scores of settlements across the West Bank, which are home to over 500,000 Jewish settlers.

They have Israeli citizenship, while the three million Palestinians in the West Bank live under Israeli military rule, with the Palestinian Authority exercising limited control over population centers.

The war in Gaza erupted on October 7, when Hamas-led terrorists stormed into southern Israel and rampaged through army bases and farming communities, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250.

The militants are still holding some 110 hostages, around a third of whom are believed to be dead, after most of the rest were released during a November cease-fire.

An Israeli military vehicle drives down a road during a raid in northern city of Tulkarm in the occupied West Bank on August 28, 2024

Israel responded with an offensive that has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many were militants.

Around 90 per cent of Gaza's population has been displaced, often multiple times, and Israeli bombardment and ground operations have caused vast destruction.

Israeli strikes in Gaza overnight and into Wednesday killed at least 16 people, including five women and three children.

Most of the strikes were in or near the southern city of Khan Younis, which has come under heavy bombardment over the last two months. Associated Press reporters at two hospitals confirmed the toll.

The United States, Qatar and Egypt have spent months trying to mediate a cease-fire that would see the remaining hostages released.

But the talks have repeatedly bogged down as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed 'total victory' over Hamas has demanded a lasting cease-fire and a full withdrawal from the territory.

There was no sign of a breakthrough after days of talks in Egypt, and the negotiations move to Qatar this week.
A former captain of the doomed Bayesian superyacht has broken his silence on the tragedy that left seven dead off the coast of Sicily last week.

Stephen Edwards, who previously captained the ship between 2015 to 2020, shared his theory on the 'limitations' of the yacht that could have contributed to its sinking in a storm - as investigators look to uncover what happened that fateful morning.

Writing on the Scuttlebutt website yesterday he said he was 'one hundred per cent' sure the hull would not have been left open at night, adding that there are no opening windows or portholes on board.

While avoiding 'contributing to the wild speculation' around the incident, he assured that the vessel was 'sound and seaworthy by design, and to my knowledge well maintained as such'.

Heeling the vessel to more than 45 degrees could have resulted in flooding 'and subsequent loss if [it] could not be controlled', he suggested, and weather conditions could have created 'extreme circumstances' with little time to react.

Former captain of the Bayesian Stephen Edwards shared his 'notes' on the tragic sinking

A handout photo made available on August 19 by Perini Navi Press Office shows the 'Bayesian' sailing boat, in Palermo, Sicily, Italy

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

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

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, the former skipper wrote in a post on the sailing news website.

Heeling is a technical term referring to how a vessel 'leans' or is tipped to one side, usually caused by the force of wind on the sails.

'The downflooding angle for Bayesian was around 40-45 degrees much less than the Angle of Vanishing Stability [whereby the vessel cannot return to the upright].

'So, unless the vent dampers are closed (which with HVAC systems and generator running they would NOT be as they need to be open for that), the vessel will start to flood rapidly if heeled more than the downflooding angle.'

He added that poor weather conditions 'could have created these extreme circumstances' that can occur with 'very little warning' and 'being so localised are difficult to prepare for, leaving a very short time for the crew to react'.

The Bayesian only had one shell door in the hull, he added, noting that it could only be opened in 'flat calm conditions', meaning it was certainly 'not open at night'.

Edwards noted that the mast and rig were 'presented structural challenges in construction and ongoing life', but that it was ultimately 'a robust and well controlled rig... that performed well, within the limits of the design'.

'The vessel is delivered with a set of sailplan recommendations that for a range of wind strengths will cause the vessel to sail within the structural limits of the rig and heeling limits of the hull,' he said.

'How the vessel came to be taken outside her operation limits is what the investigators will need to determine, which Im sure they will,' Edwards concluded.

Recaldo Thomas, chef on the Bayesian, was the first to be recovered after the yacht sank

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

Conditions underwater were described as 'complex' and 'prohibitive' for the divers who - called in from across Italy to help - searched for the bodies of those who were on the ship

Divers could only go down 10 minutes at a time due to the 50m depth which is far deeper than most recreational divers are qualified to reach

The comments came as James Cutfield, the captain of the Bayesian when it sank on August 19, underwent his first formal interrogation by an Italian magistrate on Tuesday.

Cutfield's lawyers said he was still too 'shaken up' to give a statement, after he was placed under investigation on Monday for culpable shipwreck and multiple manslaughter.

Who died in the Sicily yacht disaster? Jonathan Bloomer, the chairman of investment bank Morgan Stanley and past chairman of Mike Lynch's software firm Autonomy

Judy Bloomer, Jonathan's wife and a lifetime psychotherapist

Christopher Morvillo, a partner at law firm Clifford Chance and Mike Lynch's lawyer

Neda Morvillo, Christopher's wife and a jewellery designer

Mike Lynch, British tech tycoon who had just been cleared of fraud charges in the United States

Hannah Lynch, Mike Lynch's 18-year-old daughter

Recaldo Thomas, a chef working on board the Bayesian yacht Advertisement

Under Italian laws, being under investigation doesn't imply any guilt, and doesn't necessarily lead to criminal charges.

Alba Mordiglia, representing Cutfield, said the captain wanted to co-operate with the investigation, but later said he had used his right to stay silent.

'There were two reasons,' Mordiglia told The Times. 'He is understandably very shaken up, and secondly us lawyers were only appointed yesterday and we needed to acquire information we do not have in order to defend him.'

On Saturday, chief prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio confirmed that the 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.

Seven people, including six passengers and a member of the crew, drowned in the tragedy during a powerful storm.

Among the passengers were British tech tycoon Mick Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah.

Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, described how she held her one-year-old baby above the waves to save her from drowning before she was rescued with 14 others, including Cutfield.

Her company, Revton Ltd, owned the Bayesian.

Dr Lynch with his wife Angela, who managed to escape from the disaster

Hannah was a pupil at Latymer Upper school in West London and had earned a place at Oxford to study English Literature

A life raft belonging to the yacht Bayesian at the scene in Porticello harbour

Fire service dive team returns to port on the fourth day of the search and recovery operation

Salvage experts say investigators may now look to raise the vessel in an estimated 13mn operation that could take six to eight weeks to gather vital information.

Nick Sloane, who led the operation to recover the Costa Concordia after it sank in 2012, told Italian paper La Repubblica it would have to be completed by mid-October, without specifying the reasons for the timing.

'The ship has to be recovered as it is, in one piece, trying to keep it intact as much as possible.'

Such an operation could require cranes and as many as 40 divers - but could provide clues as to the sequence of events before the tragedy unfolded.

But conditions underwater already have been described as 'complex' and 'prohibitive' for the divers who searched for the bodies of those who were on the ship.

The British-flagged 180ft Bayesian was built in 2008 by Italian shipyard Perini Navi and had been refitted in 2020.
This is the shocking moment a Spanish Civil Guard police boat runs over a migrant dinghy, sending its occupants flying into the water.

In a video taken on Horcas Coloradas beach on Sunday in Melilla, Spain, a small motorboat said to be carrying four African migrants - including a girl - can be seen being pursued by a border vessel.

After refusing to comply with warnings from the Royal Marine Gendarmerie patrol to stop, the Spanish Civil Guard motorboat veers to the right, driving over the top of the dinghy.

It causes the migrants' boat to capsize, throwing at least one person into the sea. The Government Delegation in Melilla - a Spanish enclave of Melilla in northern Morocco - has since confirmed no one was injured, RTVE Noticias reports.

Local reports suggest the migrants were attempting to travel from Morocco to Melilla.

Footage shows the moment a Spanish Civil Guard police boat races after a migrant boat

As the migrant dinghy - carrying four occupants - turns, the border vessel matches its movements

The Spanish Civil Guard boat can then be seen driving over the top of the small motorboat

Melilla and Ceuta, Spain's other tiny North African enclave, have the European Union's only land borders with Africa, making them a magnet for migrants

A Moroccan NGO has already requested an investigation, while the Melilla government delegation maintained the Civil Guard carried out a 'normal procedure' to prevent the arrival of migrants to the coast.

It comes after dozens of sunbathing tourists watched in shock as 20 suspected migrants disembarked from a dinghy onto a packed beach in the Spanish islands earlier this month.

The vessel pulled into the cove and stopped on the shoreline in Cala Gran Santanyi, Mallorca, Spain, on Tuesday around 6pm.

Video shared on social media shows how roughly 20 people - mostly young men - got off the boat and dodged beach towels as they walked in single file across the sand.

The Ministry of the Interior for Spain has also decided not to launch an internal investigation into the boating incident, Public report, which has been widely criticised by left-wing political parties EH Bildu and Sumar.

The maneuver by the border patrol sends at least one of the small boat's occupants flying into the air

One of the migrants, who are believed to have been travelling from Morocco, can be seen crashing into the water

The Melilla government delegation has confirmed that no one was injured

The Interior Ministry has confirmed the four occupants of the boat have already been returned to Morocco.

Sumar's deputy spokesperso Aina Vidal described the incident as a 'human disaster' and 'unacceptable tragedy'.

'The disaster we have seen in Melilla is totally unacceptable, it is unacceptable, it is a human disaster and, as such, we are undoubtedly waiting for explanations from the competent minister,' he said.

In 2022, a migrant made history by becoming the first documented person to paraglide across Spains southern border with Morocco and make it onto European soil.

Two locals driving along the double fence inside Spains North African enclave of Melilla filmed the astonishing scene before calling police.

But the unidentified migrant had fled by the time officers arrived and had yet to be found.

In the same year at least 24 people died in a human stampede as migrants tried to scale the enclave's heavily-fortified border fence. .

Many undocumented migrants who reach Melilla come from as far afield as Sudan and use it as a stepping stone to get to the European mainland after being transferred from crowded temporary stay centres.

The heavily-guarded Melilla-Morocco border is one of only two land borders between the EU and an African country. The other is Ceuta which is also a Spanish enclave.

The two parallel border fences in Melilla by the road the paraglider was filmed crossing are between 20 and 32 feet high and 7.5 miles long.

Previous attempts by migrants to get into the Spanish enclave have seen them hide inside car bumpers and specially-adapted spaces under passenger seats of vehicles.

They have also risked their lives by using lorry tyres to try to cross by sea.
A New Zealand father has woken from a medically induced coma after battling the same deadly virus that claimed his wife's life a month earlier.

John Leonard contracted influenza A shortly after his wife Maria Packe-Leonard, 53 died on July 21 - just ten days after initial symptoms developed.

A registered nurse, the mother-of-two was admitted to hospital on July 20 but was discharged later that day before her condition rapidly deteriorated and succumbed to the virus hours later.

Mr Leonard was airlifted from Wellington to Auckland for specialist care and surgery after the virus ravaged his lungs and he almost died several times.

He remains in intensive care but has started communicating with his young sons - Jed, 15, and Sam, 14.

Ms Packe-Leonard's brother recently launched a Givealittle campaign to support the family and share regular updates.

'John is a fighter alright, he has come back from very close to death on several occasions,' the latest update on Tuesday states.

'Currently he is still in ICU so still very sick but is on the mend.

John Leonard (left) began suffering from influenza A soon after his wife Maria Packe-Leonard (right) died on July 21

Mr Leonard (pictured with his wife and sons) remains in intensive care unit but is able to communicate with his teenage sons

'We have to limit the visitors so he can rest but he can read your kind words of support on his phone.'

Since waking from a coma a fortnight ago, Mr Leonard has since come off the ventilator and transferred back to Wellington, where he remains in intensive care.

More than $76,000 has been raised to support the family.

Proceeds will go towards living expenses.

'The donations have been much appreciated along with your kind words. John will not be able to work for a while while he gets stronger,' Mr Packe added.

He revealed that his brother-in-law began cracking jokes with his sons as soon as he woke from the coma.

'The first thing he said to the boys was 'I've got a square bum',' Mr Packe told the New Zealand Herald.

The family has decided to delay Ms Packe-Leonard's funeral until her husband is well enough to attend. Pictured is Mr Leonard with his family

It's not known how long Mr Leonard (pictured with his two sons) will remain in hospital

The family has delayed Ms Packe-Leonard's funeral until her husband is well enough to attend.

It's not yet known how long he will remain in hospital.

'At times it didn't seem like it might work out that way but it looks now like he's going to recover and we can have a funeral with him there and with him being part of the planning, which will be very special,' Mr Packe said.

He added that his nephews are doing well, despite almost losing their dad while mourning the death of their mum.
A black sales worker who sued for discrimination after colleagues asked about her hair, name and the food she was eating was told by an employment judge that they were not being racist and only showing a 'genuine interest' in her.

Gifty Robinson launched legal action over a series of 'humiliating' incidents at Smile Publications, the publishing firm where she worked in Essex.

The former sales caller claimed examples of discrimination included when her boss asked whether Gifty was her real name, whether she ate food with a fork or her fingers, and whether she wore a wig.

Judge Paul Housego criticised Ms Robinson for being so 'acutely sensitised' that there was 'almost literally nothing' white colleagues could say to her without them being accused of racism.

He dismissed her claims and ruled that colleagues were displaying a 'genuine interest' in her culture, within the context of a 'warm working relationship'.

The tribunal, held at East London Hearing Centre, was told Ms Robinson is of Canadian and Ghanian heritage and describes herself as black.

Gifty Robinson launched legal action over a series of 'humiliating' incidents at Smile Publications - the publishing firm where she worked in Essex (pictured)

A tweet from Smile Publications in Braintree, Essex where Gifty Robinson worked as a telephones sales worker in 2022

Ms Robinson started work at Smile Publications in Braintree, Essex, as a telephone sales worker on October 3, 2022 but she was sacked just a month later because her sales technique was 'not good enough'.

The worker, who represented herself at the tribunal, alleged that she was the 'only non-white person in a team of six' and had endured a 'series of humiliations' during her tenure.

She said towards the end of her employment, she had made a good sale and this 'made the others jealous'.

In light of her dismissal, she made several claims relating to racism.

The former sales worker said towards the end of October, her boss Jane Watkins said 'It's too dark in here' which Ms Robinson alleged 'was a reference to her skin colour'.

Ms Robinson's account was that this comment was made more than once as she walked into the room.

She said the others 'giggled or hid their heads' which would mean it must have been 'a comment poking fun at her'.

But Ms Watkins said they had only recently moved into a new office so she was just commenting on how the room was 'gloomy' as autumn was approaching.

Ms Robinson also alleged it was racist for Ms Watkins to ask whether Gifty was her real name or a nickname.

Again, this was disputed by Judge Housego who said: 'There is simply nothing racist about this - it is an unusual name.

'There is nothing inherently invasive about asking about someone's name, nor is it linked to race.'

The sales worker said Ms Watkins and an unnamed colleague had asked her whether she eats with a fork or her hand in relation to a portion of jollof - a popular rice dish from West Africa - she had brought in.

It was heard Ms Robinson was eating the jollof with cutlery, while also using her fingers, so the allegation was a 'distortion' of what happened.

Judge Paul Housego (pictured) criticised Ms Robinson for being so 'acutely sensitised' that there was 'almost literally nothing' white colleagues could say to her without them being accused of racism.

The sales worker said Ms Watkins and an unnamed colleague had asked her whether she eats with a fork or her hand in relation to a portion of jollof - a popular rice dish from West Africa (pictured)

'This was no more than [Ms Robinson] bringing in an unusual (for her colleagues) appetising Ghanaian dish and them asking about it,' the judge said.

Ms Robinson described to the tribunal an incident in November when Ms Watkins allegedly asked her 'Is that your own hair or a wig?'.

It was heard the staff had 'no idea' that Ms Robinson habitually wore a wig until the subject of the Christmas party came up.

The sales worker said she was planning on wearing a different wig to the festivities and claimed her colleagues made the comment and touched her hair.

Notably, the wig matters were denied completely by Ms Watkins.

The sales worker said her dismissal was 'abrupt, unprofessional and inhumane'.

She complained that she was the 'token' non-white employee for the company and said the business had a policy of having a black employee who would be 'recycled' by dismissal after a short period.

This was rejected by the judge, who said 'this makes no sense'. The panel noted her 'sensitivities are heightened' towards matters relating to race.

Her claims of race discrimination were dismissed.

In the tribunal's conclusions, Judge Housego said Ms Robinson is 'acutely sensitised to racism' and 'her evidence is what she thinks she heard'.

Judge Housego said: '[Ms Robinson's] view is that there is almost literally nothing that a white person can ask a black person about themselves without it being racist.'

They said Ms Robinson asked the panel to google '50 things you cannot say to a black person' yet said to Smile Limited's counsel 'You need to get some black friends, honey' which was both 'stereotypical and inappropriate'.

The tribunal, held at East London Hearing Centre (pictured), was told Ms Robinson is of Canadian and Ghanian heritage and describes herself as black

The panel remarked: 'What occurred in the workplace was no more than genuine interest in someone else's life and culture, in the context of a warm working relationship.'

On the 'it's dark in here' comment, the judge said while it could 'easily be found a racist comment' - this would depend on the context.

Judge Housego said: 'In this friendly environment and given the circumstances of season and location and context the Tribunal decided otherwise.'

Other claims made by Ms Robinson were dismissed.
This is the dramatic moment Ukrainian air forces shot down another of Putin's 15million fighter jets in the latest blow to Russia's stumbling war effort.

A Sukhoi SU-25 attack aircraft is seen exploding in a fireball as it flies over Ukrainian positions around Kramatorsk, Ukrainian sources claimed.

The plane was forced to release flares to distract heat-seeking missiles while flying low with another aircraft in eastern Ukraine, but was reportedly struck before plummeting to the ground.

Anti-aircraft gunners of the 28th separate mechanised brigade took down the latest Su-25 scalp with a man portable air defence missile, the sources said.

Russia has launched devastating attacks inside Ukraine since Kyiv's shock incursion into the Kursk region earlier this month - but damage has been limited by American-supplied F-16s now on hand to destroy foreign rockets, President Zelensky has claimed.

A Ukrainian jet appears to chase down one of Putin's SU-25 fighters over eastern Ukraine

The SU-25 appears to deploy flares in a bid to divert a Ukrainian missile attack

But video then ostensibly shows the jet erupting in flames, unable to shake off the attacks

File photo shows a Sukhoi SU-25 fighter jet

Russian attacks inside Ukraine have intensified in recent days, with several Ukrainian regions targeted by a mix of missile and drone attacks.

At least five people have been killed, including two when a hotel was 'wiped out' by a missile in central Kryvyi Rih, according to local officials.

Three people died during an attack in Zaporizhzhia.

Zelensky has vowed to retaliate and pleaded with allies to bolster Ukraine's munitions to keep up momentum as Kyiv pushes back into Russian territory.

The downing of an SU-25 marks another recorded Ukrainian success that may encourage Ukraine's backers to continue supplying Kyiv with weapons.

The fate of the crew is still unknown, but we know for sure that our infantry has one less problem, reported the 28th brigade on social media.

In total, during the invasion of Ukraine, the Russians have lost at least 33 Su-25 attack aircraft, according to calculations by OSINT project Oryx, which documents losses in equipment on both sides of the conflict.

Other analyses suggest Putin has seen as many as 43 Su-25s in the war prior to this loss.

Moscow has not officially acknowledged the loss of another Su-25.

Still, Russia is making gains in the Donbas rust belt of eastern Ukraine.

But Kyivs forces are holding 100 settlements inside Russia in Kursk region, and are also seeking to smash their way into Belgorod region, forcing Putin to move troops from Donbas and Crimea to defend his own territory.

During a war briefing this week, Zelensky called for more F-16 jets and more training for pilots as he revealed some were used to shoot down Russian missiles during the attacks inside Ukraine this week.

He also shared that Ukraine had tested its first domestically produced ballistic missiles, adding that he could not provide further details at this stage.

Ukraine has been aiming to develop its own missiles and adjacent hardware to reduce dependency on Western aid as the war rages on.

Separately, Zelensky announced the use of the Palianytsia missile-drone over the weekend, claiming it had been used successfully already.

While Ukraine has capacity to produce between 1.5 million and two million drones this year, he warned the country currently still lacks the funding.

Western support has bolstered Ukraine to resist Russia's assaults since the reopening of the Kharkiv offensive in May.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy answers media questions standing against the background of Ukraine's Air Force's F-16 fighter jets on August 4

The F-16 fighter jets that have been delivered to Ukraine by Western countries will be flying sorties in Ukrainian skies and helping the country's current fleet of Soviet-era jets to counter Russia's invasion

Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Astrakhan region governor Igor Babushkin during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, August 27

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 soldiers fire an AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher towards Ukrainian positions at an undisclosed location in the Russian Kursk region

Ukrainian servicemen ride a military vehicle, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the Russian border in Sumy region, Ukraine August 11, 2024

Russian attacks saw some of Kyiv's backers grant more flexibility in how Ukraine uses its donated weapons.

Since then, Ukraine has been able to stage an assault into the Kursk and Belgorod regions of Russia while destroying key infrastructure and plants supplying the Russian military.

This hinders Russia's ability to launch cross-border assaults into Ukraine.

Zelensky said this week that the incursion into Kursk was partly considered to pre-empt and Russian offensive into Sumy or Chernihiv oblasts.

He added that it was part of a plan to find a lasting solution to the conflict that preserved Ukraine's territorial integrity.

An aide to Putin has said there can be no peace talks with Ukraine amid its foray into Kursk, however.
Marina Fogle has revealed her and her husband Ben were once wrongly reported to social services for 'shouting at their children'.

Revealing the news amid the row over Kirstie Allsopp and her son's interrailing trip, the Countryfile presenter's wife said she understands what Ms Allsopp will have experienced as she and her family went through a similarly traumatising ordeal when raising their children.

Location, Location, Location presenter Ms Allsopp last week became embroiled in a row over allowing her 15-year-old son to go travelling across Europe, with social services now probing the incident.

Writing for The Times, Mrs Fogle said she could relate to 'feeling of nausea' Ms Allsopp likely felt when social services contacted her.

She said: 'I know the feeling of nausea that would have welled in her stomach and the fury of being accused of failing your children because the same thing happened to me.'

Marina and Ben Fogle pictured with their son Luda and daughter Iona and family dog Storm at their home in west London in 2018

Presenter Kirstie Allsopp has found herself in a row over her parenting style. The mother praised her 15-year-old son for travelling across Europe but it has been met with criticism from parents who believe it amounts to neglect

She told of her own shock to return home from a family holiday in the summer of 2013 to find a letter from social services. Mrs Fogle was convinced this was delivered in error, but was left trembling when social services turned up at her door that same morning.

It turned out, a neighbour had reported her and her husband for supposedly 'shouting' at their children - 'the kind of sustained verbal abuse that was simply unacceptable.'

Upon providing proof that the family were away on holiday on the date of the supposed incident, and following further questioning, social services agreed that there was no issue.

While acknowledging many tip-offs are real and necessary in safeguarding children who are at harm, Mrs Fogle says she felt 'tarnished' by the experience.

She said: 'Even though I was completely innocent, my interaction with social services rocked me.

'My husband, Ben, was so shocked that anyone even knew this was possible, combined with the fact that we are very much not a shouty household, that he suspected it might have been someone wanting to cause trouble.'

Mrs Fogle has revealed her ordeal of when social services turned up at her door after they had returned from a family holiday

The mother-of-two said she was left 'trembling' after someone had reported her and her husband for 'shouting' at their children. Social services agreed there was no issue after visiting the household

Mrs Fogle said that her children grew up in a household where risk was 'embraced', with a father who climbed Everest and completed the world's toughest row, and so is 'grateful' they still have a healthy attitude to risk that hasn't been diminished by the incident with social services.

The extraordinary Allsopp episode began last Monday when the 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.'

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.'

Mr and Mrs Fogle declined to make further comment when approached by MailOnline.
Would you know Peggy from Anais if you had to point them out in a photo? Could you name which Oasis song was a hit when they first ever stepped foot onto the stage at Glastonbury? Do you know which massive name was backing vocals for Wonderwall?

If so, take our quiz below. But remember, no matter how you get on here, Don't Look Back In Anger...

Liam and Noel Gallagher sent fans into a meltdown this week when they announced their iconic Britpop band was returning next year with a reunion tour.

Fans are 'preparing to go to war' as tension builds ahead of Saturday's ticket release for the fourteen Oasis shows currently lined up in July and August.

The legendary Manchester rock band will reunite for 14 shows in Cardiff, London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Dublin - with gigs outside of Europe set to be added at a later date.

Announcing the tour at 8am yesterday, the band said: 'The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.'

The news sparked a row among between Gen Z and middle-aged fans who claimed the younger generation should be barred from attending their shows.

The older generation took umbrage with some, saying they refuse to miss out on a ticket to a 'Wonderwall warrior' as they 'didn't live through' the band's prime in the nineties and 2000s.

Well now is your chance to find out how much you really know about all things Oasis. Take MailOnline's ultimate quiz below with 50 questions that will really test your knowledge.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Liam and Noel Gallagher caused pandemonium following their huge 8am announcement yesterday that iconic Britpop band Oasis was returning next year with a string of summer shows

Well now is your chance to find out just how much you really know about all things Oasis

Do you know who was the original drummer for Oasis? (Hint: he is not pictured here)

These are the shows that Oasis will be performing at. It's understood Glastonbury is not on the cards

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.

Tickets will be sold through Ticketmaster, Gigs and Tours and See Tickets, all of whom will be bracing for a frenzy when tickets go on sale.

The Oasis website crashed immediately after their announcement yesterday, indicating just how many people will be battling it out for tickets.

Those in the music industry say demand is set to rival or even exceed that of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, which saw the popstar sell out 92,000-seater Wembley eight times.

Music insiders believe the band will announce even more dates soon as the current crop of tickets will 'sell out in less than three minutes'.

More than four million 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'.

'The Oasis family has really come back together. Bonehead is ecstatic,' the source said, adding: 'Noel has brought in some of his band too.'

Ahead of the ticket release date, fans have been warned not to wait until Saturday morning to register to ensure you have an account set up with all the correct billing and delivery information.
A group of parents have rallied round to save a beloved nursery destroyed in the Dagenham tower block blaze, opening a GoFundMe to get it 'back up and running'.

The 'fantastic' Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery was located on the ground floor of Spectrum House on Freshwater Road in Dagenham, east London, which was destroyed in a blaze in the early hours of Monday morning.

Around 40 fire engines and 225 firefighters battled the fire which saw more than 80 people evacuated and two people taken to hospital.

Fire crews responding to the Dagenham blaze saw 'burning cladding falling from the building, a union leader said yesterday.

The nursery is 'no longer fit for purpose' and the 'rooms where our children learn and play are completely gutted', according to devastated parent Claire Moore who set up the GoFundMe.

'The owner and management team are working to try and find an alternative provision to set up a temporary nurturing nursery, so they can continue to provide care for our children,' Ms Moore wrote.

The Dagenham tower block went up in flames in the early hours of Monday morning

Around 40 fire engines and 225 firefighters battled the fire which saw more than 80 people evacuated and two people taken to hospital

Ms Moore continued: 'This will allow us parents to return to work as usual and also provide work for their staff. This is not going to be an easy task given ALL of the children's toys and learning resources have been completely destroyed by the fire.

'As a parent of the nursery, I would like to try and help raise funds to help the nursery get back up and running to the amazing, safe space it is for many of the B&D community.'

Ms Moore confirmed that all funds will be used to 'replenish the nursery environment'.

The London Fire Brigade (LFB), which was called at 2.44am on Monday morning, declared a major incident after the ground floor, roof and parts of the scaffolding surrounding the building, were set alight.

First responders arrived to find a fire that was 'far worse than expected', the Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack said.

On Tuesday, Mr Wrack spoke to the PA news agency outside the tower block on Freshwater Road that was visibly charred on each of its seven storeys.

He said there were 'bits of burning cladding falling from the building as they were trying to access it, large numbers of residents trying to escape'.

Mr Wrack added: 'What shouldn't be happening is the fire spreading across the entire building, as it has done, clearly, here - that's because, for whatever reason, we have allowed, authorities have allowed people to wrap buildings in flammable material.

'If you ask any member of the public if that makes sense, I think everybody would say it's a stupid, ludicrous, frankly criminal idea.

'I've seen images of the whole side of the building on fire, and burning material falling from the building.'

There are 'thousands' of other buildings in the country with other 'major fire safety failings', Mr Wrack said.

These include cladding, fire doors and fire lifts that do not work, and windows 'that aren't appropriate', he said.

'This is a national scandal and it needs addressing,' Mr Wrack added.

The Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery at Chadwell Heath was located on the ground floor of the Spectrum House on Freshwater Road

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.

Parent Claire Moore (pictured) set up a GoFundMe to help get the nursery 'back up and running'

Those who fled the building have 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 cause of the blaze, which saw thick plumes of smoke billow into the sky, is not yet known. Some residents on the sixth floor claimed that they did not hear any fire alarm go off. Others in the block said they did not see water sprinklers.

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.

The distraught young mother 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.

More than 100 people were evacuated from a high-rise block of flats which became engulfed in flames in the middle of the night

Firefighters work hard to try and put the terrifying blaze out after a fire broke out in the night

Breaking into tears while holding her daughter, she told Sky News: '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.'

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.

'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?'

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?'

Barefoot residents, including children, were seen fleeing the building wrapped in sheets

Some 40 fire engines and around 225 firefighters were sent to battle the blaze on Freshwater Road, which has left two people in hospital

The tower block, called Spectrum House, has a 'number of fire safety issues known to London Fire Brigade'. Work was also underway to remove 'non-compliant cladding' on the building, which is why it was covered in scaffolding.

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.'

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 said: '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.

Grenfell United - a group of survivors and bereaved families from the 2017 disaster - have condemned the 'painfully slow process of remediation' in the UK and a 'lack of urgency' for building safety.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner visits the charred tower block in Dagenham, east London on Tuesday, August 27

Damage from the terrifying blaze was visible on Monday morning, with firefighters still at the scene

Firefighters search Spectrum House after a devastating fire swept through the building

The smoke and flames are seen rising from a a charred block of flats with blackened windows, smoke-stained walls in Dagenham

Shocking photos show the burnt out building with smoke billowing out of the top

The group described the Dagenham fire as a scenario they have warned authorities about for 'seven years'.

Grenfell United's statement reads: 'When 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 June 14 2017.

'We expect the Labour government to take action to speed up remediation on unsafe buildings, where their predecessors failed.'
A bungling masked thug, who ignited a terrifying blaze in a corner shop after dousing the floor with fuel, felt the wrath of instant karma when he accidentally set himself alight.

Three thugs stormed their way into the quiet GoLocal store on Butler Street in Manchester at around 5.40pm on Sunday.

Shocking CCTV footage shows two arsonists drenching the shop floor with petrol as frightened customers flee the scene.

The duo then spark the smoking blaze as two shop assistants bravely race to put out the fire, whilst another masked yob films the ordeal.

However, karma came around quickly for one assailant who also set fire to himself whilst committing the crime.

Three brazen thugs stormed their way into a GoLocal store on Butler Street in Manchester, dousing the floor with petrol and ignited a terrifying blaze

However the wrath of karma was instantly felt by one assailant who mistakenly set himself alight in the process (Pictured)

Exterior footage of the corner shows the thug struggling to extinguish the blaze as they ran away with their two accomplices.

The owner, who only wanted to be known as Zaf, 39, doesn't know who the arsonists are but believes they may be far-right thugs.

Zaf said: 'We've got no indication [who it could be].But the police mentioned that this has been happening recently.

'We don't know if it's something to do with all the riots that were going on. We don't know if it's personal.

'We're a big part of the community. When the incident happened, the majority of the estate came to the shop saying, "Are you alright? Is everything alright?"'

'We're a well-known shop in the Manchester area, and we've got a lot of love out there, and we don't know what could have caused it.

He added: 'I'm just shocked myself and my head's a bit baffled.'

Despite the damage to his store, Zaf was relieved that no one had been injured in the attack.

Shocking CCTV footage which has emerged from the store shows the two masked thugs setting the shop alight last Sunday as one yob filmed

Customers quickly fled the scene as the owner's brothers raced to get mop buckets to put out the blaze

The owner, who only wants to be known as Zaf, (Pictured in the store) is grateful no one was harmed in the horrifying ordeal

'Thank god no one was hurt and we didn't have any customers in the store,' he continued.

'Thank god that the lady who was the customer before the incident - the blonde one - got out of the shop.

'Stock, we got insurance for, it can come back, but people can't come back.'

The businessman also revealed that his two brothers were manning the Manchester shop at the time and bravely raced to extinguish the fire with mop buckets.

Zaf said: 'The lads behind the counter, they are my brothers, and it was just a normal day.

'One of the lads was waiting near the door and then all of a sudden, those three lads come up, they've thrown the petrol on the floor.

'At first, [the arsonists] couldn't even put the fire on, and then they ended up burning the shop, and burnt themselves.'

Zaf said his two brothers thankfully managed to extinguish the blaze before it engulfed the entire building.

'They ran straight to the stock room and with their quick thinking, they got water,' he said.

'They had mop buckets in the stock room, they got them out and got the fire out really quickly.'

Despite his sibling's quick action, the store floor, ceiling and fridges were all damaged in the attack, raking up to around 15,000 worth of damage.

However the businessman has since remarkably re-opened the store.

Greater Manchester Police said it was being investigated and treated as arson, however there is nothing on the log to suggest the incident was race related.

A spokesperson from Greater Manchester Police said: 'Officers are investigating an arson at a business on Butler Street in Manchester.

His brothers quickly put out the blaze however Zaf revealed the shop has still sustained 15,000 worth of damage

He has no clue who the arsonists were but believes far-right thugs may be behind the attack (Pictured: The exterior of the Go Local store)

The shop has since reopened as police continue to investigate the incident. Greater Manchester Police are treating the incident as arson (Pictured: Inside the GoLocal store)

'At around 5:40pm on Sunday 25 August 2024, three unknown men entered the shop and poured a small amount of petrol on the shop floor.

'The fire was extinguished and thankfully, no one was injured and all occupants were safely evacuated.

'Detectives from North Manchester CID are investigating the incident and although no arrests have been made so far, enquiries are ongoing into locating the three men.'

Police are urging anyone with any information to call 101 quoting the log number 2238 of 25/08/24.

Alternatively, people can also anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111or online via their website.
A woman is fighting for life after she was pulled from the water unconscious at a popular island tourist resort.

Emergency services were called to Green Island in the Great Barrier Reef in far north Queensland just before 1pm on Wednesday.

She was treated at the scene by paramedics and rushed to Cairns Hospital, 28km away on the mainland, in a critical condition.

The woman aged in her 50s was snorkelling near the jetty on the island when she got into difficulty.

Surrounded by a coral reef, Green Island is a popular day trip destination for Cairns tourists.

The island is also home to a luxury resort.

In May, a Dutch tourist died after collapsing while snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef.

The 51-year-old woman had just returned to a boat from the water at Norman Reef, about 60km north-east of Cairns, when she lost consciousness.

A woman in her 50s is fighting for her life after being pulled from the water at Green Island (pictured) in the Great Barrier Reef on Wednesday afternoon

Green Island (pictured) is a coral cay located in the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Cairns

Last November, Adrian Meyer from Angaston in South Australia died after he and a group of snorkellers were swept away by a strong current while on the reef.

The 71-year old was with his son Nicholas Meyer, and daughter Angela Henson about 60km off the coast of Cairns when disaster struck.

The family had travelled to Cairns to see the world heritage reef as part of a belated 70th birthday present.
The first January 6 rioter to enter the Capitol after he jumped through a broken window has been sentenced to four years in prison.

Michael Sparks was part of the mob who entered the building after another protestor smashed a window near the Senate Wing Door open with a riot shield.

A police officer then sprayed Sparks in the face as he hopped through the shattered glass.

The officer said in court on Tuesday that Sparks' actions were a 'catalyst' and acted like a 'green light' for everybody behind him to follow.

The Senate that day recessed less than one minute after Sparks jumped into the building as he then joined other rioters in chasing police officer Eugene Goodman up flights of stairs.

Michael Sparks, the first January 6 rioter to enter the Capitol, has been sentenced to four years in prison

A police officer sprayed Sparks in the face as he hopped through the shattered glass

Sparks pictured leaving federal court on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, in Washington

Before learning his sentencing, Sparks told the judge that he still believes the 2020 presidential election was marred by fraud and 'completely taken from the American public.'

'I am remorseful that what transpired that day didn't help anybody,' Sparks said. 'I am remorseful that our country is in the state it's in.'

US District Judge Timothy Kelly, who sentenced Sparks to four years and five months, told him that there was nothing patriotic about his prominent role in what was a 'national disgrace.'

'I don't really think you appreciate the full gravity of what happened that day and, quite frankly, the full seriousness of what you did,' the judge said.

Federal prosecutors recommended a prison sentence of four years and nine months for Sparks, a 47-year-old former factory worker from Cecilia, Kentucky.

Defense attorney Scott Wendelsdorf asked the judge to sentence Sparks to one year of home detention instead of prison.

A jury convicted Sparks of all six charges that he faced, including a felony count of interfering with police during a civil disorder. Sparks didnt testify at his trial in Washington, D.C.

The officer who pepper sprayed Sparks (pictured in the Capitol) said in court on Tuesday his actions were a 'catalyst' and acted like a 'green light' for everybody behind him to follow

After jumping into the building, Sparks then joined other rioters in chasing police officer Eugene Goodman (left) up flights of stairs

Sparks (left) standing with Jacob Anthony Chansley, also known as the QAnon Shaman, on the second floor of the US Capitol

The Senate that day recessed less than one minute after Sparks jumped into the building as he then joined other rioters in chasing police officer Eugene Goodman (pictured) up flights of stairs

In the weeks leading up to the Jan. 6 attack, Sparks used social media to promote conspiracy theories about election fraud and advocate for a civil war.

'Its time to drag them out of Congress. Its tyranny,' he posted on Facebook three days before the riot.

Sparks traveled to Washington, D.C, with co-workers from an electronics and components plant in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. They attended then-President Donald Trumps 'Stop the Steal' rally near the White House on Jan. 6.

After the rally, Sparks and a friend, Joseph Howe, joined a crowd in marching to the Capitol. Both of them wore tactical vests. Howe was captured on video repeatedly saying, 'were getting in that building.'

Off camera, Sparks added: 'All its going to take is one person to go. The rest is following,' according to prosecutors. Sparks' attorney argued that the evidence doesn't prove that Sparks made that statement.

'Of course, both Sparks and Howe were more right than perhaps anyone else knew at the time - it was just a short time later that Sparks made history as the very first person to go inside, and the rest indeed followed,' prosecutors wrote.

Dominic Pezzola, a member of the far-right Proud Boys extremist group, used a police shield to break a window next to the Senate Wing Door. Capitol Police Sgt. Victor Nichols sprayed Sparks in the face as he hopped through the shattered glass.

Nichols testified that Sparks acted 'like a green light for everybody behind him, and everyone followed right behind him because it was like it was okay to go into the building.'

More than 1,400 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes following the attack on the Capitol

Approximately 950 riot defendants have been convicted and sentenced

Nichols also said Sparks actions were 'the catalyst for the building being completely breached.'

Undeterred by pepper spray, Sparks joined other rioters in chasing Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman as he retreated up the stairs and found backup from other officers near the Senate chamber.

'This is our America!' Sparks screamed at police. He left the building about 10 minutes later.

Sparks' attorney downplayed his client's distinction as the first rioter to enter the building.

'While technically true in a time-line sense, he did not lead the crowd into the building or cause the breach through which he and others entered,' Wendelsdorf wrote.

'Actually, there were eight different points of access that day separately and independently exploited by the protestors.'

But the judge said when and where Sparks entered the Capitol was an important factor in his sentencing.

Pro-Trump supporters storm the Capitol following a rally with then-President Donald Trump on Wednesday, January 6, 2021

'I think it's undeniable that the first person' to enter the Capitol 'would have an emboldening and encouraging effect on everyone who was at least in your vicinity,' Kelly told Sparks.

'To say it wasn't a material, key point in the mob's taking of the Capitol, I think, is just ignoring the obvious.'

Sparks was arrested in Kentucky less than a month after the riot. Sparks and Howe were charged together in a November 2022 indictment.

Howe pleaded guilty to assault and obstruction charges and was sentenced last year to four years and two months in prison.

More than 1,400 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. Approximately 950 riot defendants have been convicted and sentenced.

More than 600 of them have received terms of imprisonment ranging from a few days to 22 years.
Three teenage girls obsessed with exploring abandoned buildings have appeared in court after being caught red-handed inside a dilapidated farmhouse.

Sarah Waltham, now 20 but 19 at the time, Shannon Fowler, 18, and Emily McGhee, 19, broke into a former farmhouse undergoing renovation as part of an online trend.

Urban exploring - or 'urbanex' - sees people accessing buildings and locations not usually accessible to the public.

It has become an increasingly popular hobby with participants often posting photos or videos of their adventures online.

All three girls had travelled to Hill Farm House in Rackheath, Norfolk after seeing it listed on a website dedicated to so-called urban exploring.

Three teenage girls appeared in court charged with burglary after being spotted inside a dilapidated farmhouse. Emily McGhee, 19, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of vagrancy

Sarah Waltham, now 20 but 19 at the time, had admitted burglary but magistrates agreed to vacate her guilty plea in favour of the alternative charge

They were arrested when the homeowner called police after spotting light from a torch inside the property on January 24.

Rose Edwin, prosecuting at Norwich Magistrates' Court, said: 'The owner of the property resides nearby with his wife and son whilst renovations were being completed and had ensured the main house was locked and secured.

'He noticed a torchlight coming from the kitchen window and investigated. Entry was gained by smashing a window and a glass panel.'

The teenagers were initially charged with burglary.

But Fowler, of Grosvenor Road in Wisbech, and McGhee, of Prince Henry Place in Downham Market, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of vagrancy.

Waltham, of Paradise Road in Downham Market, had admitted burglary but magistrates agreed to vacate her guilty plea in favour of the alternative charge.

A Google street view of Hill Farm House in Rackheath, Norfolk

The three girls were arrested when the homeowner called police after spotting light from a torch inside the property on January 24

What is a vagrancy charge? Created in 1824, the Vagrancy Act sets out a framework for dealing with a range of offences related to disorderly behaviour. Historically, it was an act which punished an 'idle' or 'disorderly' person, or 'Rogues or Vagabonds' who moved from place to place without a means of subsistence. Under the law, people can be punished for being found in any 'deserted or unoccupied building' not fit for habitation, such as derelict buildings and barns. People could also be punished for sleeping in the 'open air' or 'under a tent'. The law, which is over 200 years old, is considered by many as being archaic and outdated as it criminalises homelessness. The government conducted a review of the law, and in April 2022 parliament voted to repeal the act. However, the scrapping of the law has been delayed until the government brings in replacement legislation. Advertisement

Maya Lal, for Fowler, said: 'She has a hobby of touring abandoned buildings and likes looking around them. They got information from a website called UrbanXplor and obtained information and coordinates for this property.

'There was never any intention to steal or commit other offences.'

James Burrows, for Waltham, said: 'This was a misadventure. There was a trust they put in this website.'

Michael Cole, for McGhee, said: 'To run such a site is wholly irresponsible and encourages people to unintentionally commit such offences.'

Magistrates gave all three a conditional discharge for six months.

There has been a dramatic rise in 'urban exploration' in the UK in recent years, which sees young people 'exploring' buildings which are abandoned or undergoing building work.

'Urban explorers' usually climb or break into these man-made structures and take photos and videos which are often then uploaded to social media.

The practice comes with the risk of arrest or punishment as, while the act itself is not illegal, in some cases it may violate local laws or be considered as trespassing, invasion of privacy, or in this case vagrancy.

While trespassing is not a criminal matter, the landowner could take civil proceedings against the trespasser. There is also a risk of urban explorers having criminal charges brought against them if they are caught breaking and entering, causing criminal damage or stealing.

It also comes with physical dangers, as 'urban explorers' often climb on buildings or visit derelict structures which are not stable.
Newly released video has revealed the haunting conditions of an underground lair in the Philippines where women were allegedly held against their will and subjected to abuse and exploitation by a religious cult.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) shared footage of officers navigating a sprawling maze of rooms inside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound on Saturday in search of wanted preacher Apollo Quiboloy.

Video cut between the squalid conditions of rows of beds, bare concrete walls and debris littering the floors, and the contrasting neon-lit corridors believed to have housed vulnerable women.

In footage obtained by the local Daily Tribune, police sweep a room ostensibly linked to 'Amanda', a key whistleblower who has helped expose alleged abuses within the church claiming as many as six million followers.

The underground network of rooms is understood to span three levels, two reserved for the 'most attractive' women, kept near FBI Most Wanted preacher Apollo Quiboloy as 'offerings' - and the third reportedly used to confine other women.

Hundreds of officers backed by riot squads were involved in the dramatic raid on Saturday as police close in on the preacher, a self-proclaimed 'appointed son of God', who is still believed to be hiding in the Davao compound.

Quiboloy (pictured) has denied the criminal allegations against him and his religious group

Haunting footage shows a room still full of personal belongings in the underground bunker

Police scoured some of the rooms downstairs but only found vacated beds and personal items

From above: the Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound in Davao City, in the Philippines

Some rooms are filled with bunk beds, while others are designated as single rooms

The KOJC claims on its website that 'evil people' are 'after Pastor Apollo Quiboro' (pictured)

Video showed some of the dingy corridors inside the underground bunker as police swept through in the early hours of August 24.

Police appear to be in the basement of the compound, leading to a flight of stairs and decorated interior walls.

Debris including piles of wooden planks lay spread out on the ground as police conduct their search.

In another room, various furniture items can be seen left out, unpositioned.

A large, unlit room contains what appear to be rows and rows of wooden beds, raised slightly off the floor.

Clothes can still be seen left out to dry amid the apparent living quarters.

Pillows and water bottles show signs of life inside the enclosure.

Shoes still line cupboards outside the rooms, and personal belongings appear around another large, vacated room.

Video then cuts to what appears to be another floor, decorated with industrial metal counters and cupboards.

Corridors are illuminated with built-in overhead lights, revealing more rows of decorated private quarters.

Doorframes are lit up with blue LED lights, creating an eerie ambience through the hallways.

Police go on to reveal a mix of bunk beds and single rooms, some more decorated than others.

One single room has plants, posters and a dresser besides a neatly-made bed.

Others feature as many as six beds in a room, with more plain decoration.

Another room is shown to have at least two double beds, a sofa and a television mounted on the wall.

It is unclear for what purpose these rooms were used.

Amanda, the whistleblower, testified that she was one of many women held after being coerced into a sexual relationship with Quiboloy 'at a young age', presented as a 'special privilege' reserved for a chosen few, according to the Daily Tribune.

The early morning raid on August 24 received terrifying backlash from KOJC members, who were met by a force of approximately 2,000 police officers.

One person is understood to have suffered a heart attack and died in the clashes outside the compound in Davao city.

Police said the death was not related to their operations.

The PNP's air unit claimed that members of the KOJC also targeted one of its helicopters with military-grade lasers and drones to distract and harass its pilots.

At least 18 members were detained for resisting police dispersal, and some were injured.

Police gather in one of the corridors, leading to more decorated rooms of bunkbeds

They stand in stark contrast to the gloomy unlit corridors of the basement hallways

Police believe Quiboloy was holding women captive across three floors in the compound

The church claims the pastor (centre) is being pursued because 'the Devil... will try to eliminate a good man... who lays down his life for his fellowmen, who are oppressed by evil, at all costs'

Officers brought equipment that could detect people behind cement walls to the raid as they searched in vain for Quiboloy.

But by mid-afternoon, they found no sign of the preacher in the compound  some 30 hectares (75 acres) that includes a cathedral, a school, a living area, a hangar and a taxiway leading to Davao International Airport.

Quiboloy and his lawyer have denied the criminal allegations against him and his religious group, saying these were fabricated by critics and former members, who were removed from the religious group after committing irregularities.

Quiboloy's followers, many filming the police raid with their cellphones, yelled at the police, questioning the legality of the raid and pronouncing the innocence of Quiboloy, who was a close supporter and spiritual adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte had criticized previous attempts by large numbers of police to arrest Quiboloy as overkill.

Reports have also claimed media personnel have been harassed and intimidated since the raid.

Supporters have continued to gather in protest in recent days, blocked by anti-riot police.

Police Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, who led the raid, said officers wanted to serve warrants for the arrest of Quiboloy for various criminal cases, including child abuse and human trafficking.

He justified the large deployment, saying there were more than 40 buildings and structures to be searched in the religious compound, where large numbers of Quiboloy's followers heckled and opposed the raid noisily.

'We won't leave here until we get him,' Torre told reporters as sirens blared in the background.

'We have no-bail warrants for Quiboloy and four others for very grave crimes, including human trafficking, child abuse and other cases.'

Anti-riot police block supporters of religious leader Apollo Quiboloy as they stage a protest rally outside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Davao on August 26

Anti-riot police rest outside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Davao city

Quiboloy claims to be the appointed son of God. In 2019, he claimed he stopped a major earthquake from hitting the southern Philippines.

In 2021, United States federal prosecutors announced the indictment of Quiboloy for allegedly having sex with women and underage girls who faced threats of abuse and 'eternal damnation' unless they catered to the self-proclaimed 'son of God'.

Quiboloy and two of his top administrators were among nine people named in a superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury and unsealed in November 2021.

The superseding indictment contained a raft of charges, including conspiracy, sex trafficking of children, sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, marriage fraud, money laundering, cash smuggling and visa fraud.

Quiboloy's group said then that he was ready to face the charges in court, but he went into hiding after a Philippine court ordered his arrest and the arrest of several others for child and sexual abuse.
TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp has revealed she was 'frankly shocked' that her local council had time for a social services investigation into her 15-year-old son's Europe trip just days before the London borough hosted the Notting Hill Carnival.

The Location, Location, Location host claimed a 'malicious complaint' had been made to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) after she revealed that she allowed her teenage son to go on an interrailing trip with a 16-year-old friend.

She was called by the council last Thursday, three days before the Carnival began - which this year saw the Metropolitan Police arrest 349 people over the two days.

Allsopp had told her X followers in a post on Monday last week that her son Oscar, now 16, had gone on an European interrailing trip to celebrate his GCSEs.

The 52-year-old was then called by the council last Thursday but did not answer the phone because she was packing up her house and did not know the caller.

Location, Location, Location host Kirstie Allsopp said a 'malicious complaint' had been made

Allsopp allowed her teenage son Oscar (pictured) to go on an interrailing trip with a friend

She sent a reply saying she would look at a text, and they replied saying it was a children's services worker wanting to speak to her about a referral about her son.

Speaking to Talk presenter Mike Graham today, Allsopp explained what happened when she was contacted by social services.

She said: 'Luckily they didn't come round. They rang me, I was busy packing up my house so I didn't answer the phone, obviously I didn't know it was then.

'And then I sent a reply saying: 'packing up the house, but I will look at texts.' And I got a text saying: 'This is the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea social services. We've had a referral about your son  we'd like to speak to you'.

'So I rang up and I was quite cross, as you can imagine, because obviously it's a malicious referral. You can't be concerned about the welfare of a child who has returned safe and sound.

'If this is someone who knew me, as they're alleging, they would have known that Oscar had gone and they would have run three weeks ago, four weeks ago, when he first set off. So it's obviously a malicious complaint.'

Kirstie Allsopp spoke to Talk's Mike Graham today about her experiences with social services

Asked what happened during the conversation, Allsopp continued: 'I said, 'Have you opened a file on my child?' because I was obviously horrified by that concept and they said 'yes'. I said, 'Why are you calling? What is it that you want to know?'

'They said, 'We want to know what safeguards were put in place for Oscar's journey.' And I just said, 'But he's back, and it's the Thursday before the bank holiday weekend of Notting Hill Carnival, which is an RBKC event and a very busy time for the borough.

'And I was frankly shocked that they had the time to ring the parent of a child who was 15, who's now 16, who was safe and well.

'And the suggestion that somehow it's neglectful to let your child go travelling is as far as I'm concerned completely absurd and a frightening indication of where we're going as a country.'

The case has sparked accusations of a 'nanny state' and shows how councils can open probes into neglect on the basis of 'vexatious' complaints.

Kirstie Allsopp and her children at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland in London in November 2014

Sir Alec Shelbrooke, a Conservative MP and former minister, said: 'This is the nanny state gone mad. Any parent thinking of allowing their teenagers to travel will be terrified by this Orwellian development.

'Surely, these council officials must have better things to do than intimidate a mother who knows best how she can trust her son?'

Dame Karen Bradley, a Tory MP and the mother of sons aged 18 and 20, added: 'It seems like the worst kind of box-ticking and a waste of effort and time by council officials who should be focused on children who are at genuine risk.

'Kirstie knows her son and what he is capable of and took the same decision that many other parents would take for a child who wants to celebrate the end of his exams.'

A referral takes place when someone contacts children's services because they are concerned about a child's safety and wellbeing.

Police officers stand in riot gear at the Notting Hill Carnival on 'Family Day' on Sunday

Thousands of people pack the streets of West London for the Notting Hill Carnival on Monday

Coram, a children's charity, says on its website that anyone can make a referral and that children's services then have 24 hours 'to determine what type of or response is required'.

It says that the 'majority of cases' will begin with a social worker carrying out an assessment, which must be completed in 45 days, to 'analyse the needs of the child as well as the nature and level of any risk of harm'.

Allsopp, who has two sons and two stepsons, was not told how the referral had been made or by whom.

The social worker insisted that every referral must be looked into and confirmed this meant a file had been opened on Oscar.

The council says it is 'standard practice' for records to be retained until 'a child's 25th birthday' but residents 'can request for this to be removed from our records'.

An RBKC spokesman said: 'Safeguarding children is an absolute priority. We take any referral we receive very seriously and we have a statutory responsibility for children under 18 years of age.'
Notting Hill locals who fled their homes for the weekend to escape the Carnival returned this week to still find carnage on their street.

'Disgusted' residents have shared snaps of women's underwear, smashed bottles and even human excrement scattered outside their homes.

They say their usually 'lovely' area stinks, food and packaging is still strewn all over footpaths and they feel unsafe.

One local Olivia, 27, said she booked a trip out on town for the August Bank Holiday weekend to make sure she was nowhere near her West London home when the festival was on.

But she says she was shocked to come back yesterday to find 'carnage' on her doorstep.

Notting Hill locals say they arrived home from an escape to find trash and women's underwear on the streets after the Carnival at the weekend

A woman named Olivia, who would not give her last name, said she snapped photos of rubbish strewn on the street yesterday

The Nothing Hill Carnival clean up took place on Monday night after two million revellers partied in the area

Olivia, who did not give her surname, said: 'I have come back from a weekend away to avoid Notting Hill Carnival and come back to carnage.

'It is so awful. I have lived here for two years now so this is my second carnival. The first time was bad, but this is just awful.

'There is urine everywhere. It stinks, the whole street stinks. There is human poo right next to our bedroom window.'

She said the mess had left her feeling 'really vulnerable and disgusted'.

Olivia continued: 'It just makes you feel really upset. This is my home.

'It is such a lovely area most of the time, but it really does make you feel quite unsafe.

'The neighbours have got two young children, and this is hazardous waste.'

Snaps showed a woman's bra laying across a footpath, pieces of glass everywhere, and litter riddled the streets.

 Slide me  In the aftermath of the celebrations, 200 operatives and 30 waste trucks cleared 330 tonnes of rubbish - 30 more than last year

 Slide me  Workers in hi viz jackets were seen out on the streets of West London in the early hours of Tuesday morning

 Slide me  The clean-up took place after police revealed they had arrested at least 330 people in connection with incidents at the Carnival

Yesterday 330 tonnes of rubbish was picked up from the streets of Notting Hill by around 200 people and 30 waste trucks.

Olivia hailed those who helped clear much of the roads, but said 'it could be better organised from the outset'.

However, she added: 'There should be more loos and support for people who can't afford to board up their properties.'

Others admitted fleeing for the weekend - but say they're not completely against the Carnival.

Locals John and Pamela Smith, 64 and 61, said they jetted off on holiday for the weekend and got back yesterday morning.

Pamela said: 'But that's not because we have anything against it.

'I just don't really like big crowds so I find it a bit overwhelming. But I know people love it. A lot of our neighbours go - they say it's a good time.'

John added: 'It's an event that a lot of people love. We don't have any issues with it. We just enjoy our holiday. '

Local cafe owner Ronaldo Papa, 44, revealed he closes early to avoid the evenings when the Carnival become more 'hectic'.

He said: 'It can be stressful but everything is well organised. The police in particular handle things really well.

Mountains of food packages, drinks cans and laughing gas canisters which were dumped on the streets after the Notting Hill Carnival

Bins were seen overflowing with rubbish and the roads were covered in trash after the bank holiday party

Kensington and Chelsea Council (RBKC) said around 30 per cent of the rubbish collected will be recycled, with waste from toilets being composted

As part of the a free council service, waste crews will also spend the coming days cleaning basements and removing graffiti left during the carnival.

Notting Hill is one of the longest-running street parties in the UK and celebrates Caribbean culture with vividly costumed performers taking part in a parade through the streets with dancing and music

'There were a few incidents - someone using substances collapsed outside here - but the ambulance was here almost immediately.

'We stay open until around 1pm - and that's good for us. It's a nice event. People are enjoying themselves.'

Ronado said they could make about 2,000 more if they stayed open later, 'but it's not worth it'.

And while some locals have issues with the Carnival, other residents love it.

Audrey, who has lived in the area for 50 years, also praised the atmosphere that Carnival creates.

The 60-year-old said: 'It's amazing. It's great for community spirit. I've seen so many generations of people come and enjoy themselves - including my kids and their kids.

'We all had a good time this year and everyone we saw was in good spirits. I do hope it continues. Because the area is becoming more gentrified.'

Anna Stark, 86, who has lived just off Ladbroke Grove for 15 years, said: 'Personally, I really enjoy Carnival.

'My family comes here and we make a weekend of it - enjoying the music and the atmosphere.

'Sometimes I watch from my window, and sometimes I go out and join in.'

The OAP said she loves to 'see young people having fun'.

She continued: 'The police are brilliant - and the cleanup is always efficient.

'I know there have been some stabbings this year - which is always worrying. But I don't feel unsafe.'

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council said it provides a free cleaning service for residents who live in the Carnival footprint.

Cllr Kim Taylor-Smith, lead member for Culture, said: 'We are immensely proud to host Carnival in our borough and to welcome almost two million people who want to join us in celebrating Caribbean culture at Europe's biggest community event.

'Clearing up when the music stops and the crowds head home is a huge task for us and our partner SUEZ, and I am grateful to the 200 unsung heroes who were out overnight on Sunday and Monday to clear hundreds of tonnes of rubbish.

'Their hard work means that our residents and businesses in Notting Hill woke up on Tuesday morning to find their streets restored to normal just hours after the end of this year's Carnival.'

It comes as a man is today set to appear in court charged with the attempted murder of a mother who was stabbed in front of her young child at the festival.
As convicted double murderer Wade Wilson, dubbed the 'Deadpool Killer', appeared in court to be sentenced to death, he showed off his vast array of white supremacist tattoos that he did not have just five years ago.

But while the now-30-year-old killer did have several tattoos across his neck and arms when he was arrested in 2019 after he slaughtered Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43, his face was completely clear of markings.

But as he silently smirked as he was sentenced to death for the women's deaths, the sickening tattoos, made up of swastikas, threats of violence and movie quotes, only added to the weight of his sinister crimes.

His lawyer, Kevin Shirley, told Newsweek that Wilson 'created his appearance while in custody awaiting trial', despite tattooing being against prison policies in Florida. Shirley added: 'He has never expressed his reasons.'

Anti-Defamation League Research Fellow Christopher Magyarics told Newsweek that while none of the blatantly white supremacist tattoos could specifically tie him to any one gang, court evidence suggests that he got in with white supremacist prison gang The Unforgiven during his time in Lee County Jail in Fort Myers, Florida, where he was being held.

Wade Wilson (pictured yesterday in court) came out of five years of prison with several sickening face tattoos

He had no face tattoos when he was arrested in 2019 for his sick murders

Several swastikas can be seen across his face and head. One was spotted under his right eye, while past pictures showed him with a large swastika tattooed on the right side of his scalp.

As the symbol of Adolf Hitler's Nazi party, it has been one of the most 'significant and notorious hate symbols, anti-Semitism and white supremacy for most of the world', according to the ADL.

Magyarics told the outlet: 'There is the number 14 on the right side of his neck for the white supremacist mantra known as the 14 words: "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children".'

The mantra was coined by David Lane, an American white supremacist who died in prison in 2007, and is often followed by a secondary slogan which reads:

'Because the beauty of the White Aryan woman must not perish from the earth.'

The 14 Words are seen as a reflection of the Great Replacement theory, a key tenet of many white supremacist ideologies, which wrongly claims that white people in the West are set to go 'extinct' in the face of a surge of ethnic minorities, in a plot that they claim is put forward by Jewish people.

Magyarics added: 'He also has the number 88 on the left side of his neck which is the numeric code for the 8th letter of the alphabet, H, 2 times = HH for 'Heil Hitler".

The 14 Words and the number 88 are often put together in a sick combination, which for adherents to white supremacy acts as a general endorsement of their racist ideals.

The combination is so ubiquitous that many online will use them in online email addresses and social media usernames. According to the ADL, 'Some white supremacists will even price racist merchandise, such as t-shirts or compact discs, for $14.88.'

Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43, both seen in undated photos, were murdered by Wilson 'for the sake of killing'

Several Swastikas, linked to Adolf Hitler's Nazi party, can be seen across his face and head in this court appearance in June 2024

On the left side of his face, a large skeletal figure can be seen saying the words 'Why so serious', referencing Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker in Christopher Nolan's 2008 film The Dark Knight (Seen here on August 27 in court)

Several other tattoos can be seen across his face and neck that indicate a white supremacist stance.

One across his forehead that reads 'TTG' stands for either 'Time To Go' or 'Trained To Go', 'as in ready to fight', Magyarics said.

He also has the words 'Bred for war' underneath his chin, which again indicates his willingness to get violent, the expert added.

Other tattoos, however, are less directly indicative of white supremacy but speak to his propensity for violence.

On the left side of his face, a large skeletal figure can be seen saying the words 'Why so serious', referencing Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker in Christopher Nolan's 2008 film The Dark Knight.

In the film, Ledger's next line after this is: '[My father] sticks the blade in my mouth and says "let's put a smile on what face".'

Wilson was also convicted with the battery of his ex-girlfriend Melissa Montanez, pictured testifying against him at his trial (Seen at his trial in June)

Kristine Melton's (Seen in undated photo) cousin said she always dreamed of being a mother, and said in a victim impact statement she 'will never experience motherhood, a role she was born to play'

Ruiz (seen here in an undated photo) was described as having a 'magnifying' personality' who 'always had everybody's back'

His lawyer said Wilson, seen here in June, got his tattoos while he was in prison

Wilson was sentenced to death for his sick crimes

His tattooed face was stony as the judge told him he would die for his crimes. 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.

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.
A council has approved plans to chop down 'beautiful' lime trees at a military base, citing 'national security' as their reason to do so.

Plymouth City Council approved the felling of seven mature trees at the Regimental Training Building on Lambhay Hill Road to create a new security fence - much to the disapproval of eco-conscious local residents.

The controversial application was submitted by Vivo, which manages assets for the Ministry Defence.

And although the council said the decision was 'regrettable', it approved the application stating 'national security must come first.'

Planners said: 'The current fence has deteriorated, and it does not meet the security standards required at the site - given that it is an active military facility.

The seven lime trees stand outside the Regimental Training building on Lambhay Hill Road in Plymouth, Devon

Plymouth City Council has approved plans to fell the trees on the to build a new security fence

'The proposed replacement fence is a requirement for the site given its security status - so Officers need to balance the needs of the application (and ultimately national security) with the need to ensure that mature trees in a conservation area are not needlessly felled or, at least, not suitably replaced.

'Officers recognise the need for the replacement fence and, therefore, regrettably agree that the trees need to be felled.'

But residents have been left fuming at the loss of the seven trees and claimed a different solution should have been reached.

A total of 12 official objections were registered but the scheme was approved under delegated powers without being considered by a committee.

One woman stated: 'The loss of trees would most certainly lead to a significant biodiversity net loss and the suggested replacement planting would be far from adequate to compensate for this loss.

'The plan should be amended to incorporate the existing trees, especially in a city ward that has some of the lowest canopy cover.'

The woman described hoe she passes the trees 'almost daily' to hear 'blackbirds, wrens and robins.'

She said: 'I hope that you will reject this application in its current form, as there is no justification for the removal of healthy trees that are a valuable asset to our local community.'

Another woman said in her official objection: 'Please build around the trees, whilst keeping them intact.

'I believe they are more important than a new proposed boundary perimeter, to wildlife, to the residents of Plymouth which enjoy their benefits, and to visitors who enjoy the sights of these impressive trees in green spaces in beautiful parts of the city.'

Local residents claim a different solution should have been reached. Pictured: A red mark on a lime tree indicating its felling

The military base is located on Lambhay Hill

Locals told of how they pass the trees daily and hear birds singing from them

Plymouth City Council said it made the 'regrettable' decision to chop down the trees, stating 'national security must come first'

Plymouth City Council said seven new trees would be planted at the site, and 29 others would be planted on council ground nearby. But these would be significantly smaller than the current limes.

Another objector said the replacements proposed would be 'inadequate' compensation.

They said: 'This site is a wildlife haven. The area brings mental health benefits and is a calming influence in a largely urban situation.'

Another woman added: 'In the midst of a climate emergency there is no justification to allow the unnecessary felling of mature trees, particularly in a ward with such low canopy cover. Plans can be changed to allow the trees to remain in situ.'
At least six people have died and dozens more were injured after drinking rogue moonshine tainted with toxic chemicals in Thailand.

The customers reportedly bought the illegal liquor contaminated with methanol and isopropanol from street stalls in Bangkok before suffering dizziness, breathing difficulties, and vomiting - telltale symptoms of alcohol poisoning.

Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin said that as of August 27, four people had died from drinking the bootleg liquor while 34 more individuals aged between 22 to 69 were hospitalised.

Fifteen of the injured were on respirators, 22 required kidney dialysis, and 21 had blurred vision. Eight have already been discharged from the hospital.

Authorities traced the source of the rotgut to the house of a woman named Phatrasa in the Saphan Sung district of the Thai capital.

At least six people died and dozens more were injured after drinking rogue moonshine in Thailand

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has urged those who have consumed moonshine from any of the 18 locations announced to see a doctor immediately

Methanol, also known as wood alcohol, is highly toxic if ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin

Phatrasa claimed she and her family had been selling herbal liquor for decades without any problems by using a recipe developed by her late father. She said that the recipe only used natural ingredients and did not include methyl alcohol.

Speaking at a police press conference on August 26, she said: 'A year ago, I hired two men, who were brothers, to make rice whiskey for me. The batches they made tasted normal, so I continued ordering from them.

'However, last week, my customers reported that the flavour of the liquor had changed. They said it tasted weaker and fizzier, and seemed to have a lower alcohol content.

'I called the brothers to ask if they had changed the ingredients, but they refused to tell me, only saying they had improved it.

'When I tasted the latest batch of liquor, I had a little diarrhoea, but it wasn't serious. Later, I found out that someone had died from drinking it and I was very shocked.

'I couldn't believe it could happen. I didn't understand how it could happen because I had been doing it for a long time. I felt guilty and sorry.

'I didn't want to kill anyone. I want to help the victims because one of the deceased was my friend.'

Police said they have also arrested the brothers, Surasak Insam, 46, and Surachai Insam, 44, who allegedly admitted to diluting the moonshine with ethyl alcohol 'to reduce its alcohol volume'.

However, they claimed to have no idea how the batch sold to Phatrasa ended up containing methyl alcohol.

Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin said that as of August 27, four people had died from drinking the bootleg liquor

It has also been revealed that 34 individuals aged between 22 to 69 were hospitalised

Fifteen of the injured were on respirators, 22 required kidney dialysis, and 21 had blurred vision

Police Major General Kiatikul Sonthinen, commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau Division 3, said: 'Phatrasa will be charged with negligently causing death and severe injury to others, and violating the Excise Act by producing and selling liquor without permission.'

Police were also investigating a factory owner in Samut Prakan province who allegedly sold a large bulk of chemicals to the Insam brothers.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has urged those who have consumed moonshine from any of the 18 locations announced to see a doctor immediately without worrying about being arrested.

Methanol, also known as wood alcohol, is a simple type of alcohol used as an industrial solvent, antifreeze, and fuel. It is highly toxic if ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin.

Isopropanol or isopropyl alcohol, is a colorless, flammable chemical compound commonly used as a disinfectant, antiseptic, and solvent.

It is widely used in households and medical settings for cleaning and sanitizing, but it can be toxic if ingested in large quantities.
A blonde prison teacher accused of having a 'month-long fling' with Zara Aleena's murderer has appeared in court alongside the killer.

Hayley Jones, 33, is alleged to have had an 'inappropriate relationship' with Jordan McSweeney, who is currently serving a minimum term of 33 years for the murder of the aspiring law graduate.

McSweeney killed Ms Aleena as she walked home from a night out in Ilford, east London, in the early hours of June 26 2022 - just nine days after he was released from prison.

The 31-year-old appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court via video-link, alongside Jones, who attended court in person wearing a grey cardigan and a black t-shirt, with her blonde hair tied in a pony tail.

Jones, of Strood, Kent, is accused of acting in a way 'which amounted to an abuse of the public's trust' during relationship with McSweeney at HMP Belmarsh between March 6, 2023 and April 7, 2023.

McSweeney has also been charged with encouraging or assisting an offender between the same dates.

Hayley Jones (pictured), 33, is accused of acting in a way 'which amounted to an abuse of the public's trust' during a relationship with Jordan McSweeney

Jordan McSweeney, 31, is serving at least 33 years in HMP Belmarsh for the murder of Ms Aleena

McSweeney was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 38 years at the Old Bailey in December 2022 after admitting sexually assaulting and murdering Ms Aleena (pictured). In November 2023, he won a Court of Appeal bid to reduce the minimum term of his life sentence to 33 years

McSweeney has since been moved to HMP Long Lartin, another Category A prison in Worcestershire.

This morning District Judge Andrew Sweet deemed the case too serious to be dealt with at a magistrates court. The case was adjourned until September 25 2024 where Jones will appear at Woolwich Crown Court.

Sat in the dock, emotionless Jones spoke only to confirm her name and address.

McSweeney, who wore a grey sweatshirt, placed his chin on his hand with his other arm folded as he spoke quickly to confirm his date of birth.

Jones is accused of wilfully and without reasonable excuse or justification misconducting herself in a way which amounted to an abuse of the publics trust  by engaging in an inappropriate relationship with Jordan McSweeny.

McSweeney is accused of participating in an act or acts which were capable of encouraging or assisting Jones' offence by engaging in an inappropriate relationship with the defendant while she worked as a prison workshop instructor at HMP Belmarsh.

Jones is accused of misconduct in a public office between March 6 2023 and April 7 2023

Jones was granted conditional bail and must not contact McSweeney or visit the prison where he is being held.

Judge Sweet said: 'Your case has got go to the Crown Court and your date for next hearing at Woolwich will be 25 September.

'You now have conditional bail, not to contact directly or indirectly Jordan McSweeney and you must not go to any prison in which he's incarcerated.'

The case comes after a jury inquest ruled in June that failures 'across multiple agencies' contributed to Zara's death.

Prolific criminal McSweeney, who had 28 convictions for 69 crimes prior to Ms Aleena's murdeer, 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 the law graduate.

Prolific criminal McSweeney, who had 28 convictions for 69 crimes prior to Ms Aleena's murdeer, had been released from prison on licence just nine days before the killing

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 Ms Aleena and punched her in the back of the head before dragging her 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 innocent woman lay dying, the brute sexually assaulted her before grabbing 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, a court heard.

McSweeney was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 38 years at the Old Bailey in December 2022 after admitting sexually assaulting and murdering Ms Aleena.

In November 2023, he won a Court of Appeal bid to reduce the minimum term of his life sentence to 33 years.
An evacuation line forms on Highway 50 in South Lake Tahoe on Aug. 30, 2021, during the Caldor Fire. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle

For years, Tahoe-area officials have estimated it would take less than four hours to clear out a swath of California communities on the lakes northwest edge  from Kings Beach to Tahoe City  in the event of a major encroaching wildfire.

But a new independent analysis, employing artificial intelligence and a consulting agency specializing in fire emergencies, estimates that it could take nine to 14 hours  or more  to clear the tourist-laden area, as drivers gather on roads that may be jammed or closed.

The possible public safety impact of increased evacuation times is significant, said Doug Flaherty, a retired battalion chief in the city of Orange and a former San Luis Obispo fire marshal. Technology has allowed for more accurate analyses. Many assumptions stated in community emergency plans are based on subjective and dated information.

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Flaherty, the president of the nonprofit Tahoe Sierra Clean Air Coalition, which commissioned the evacuation study set to be released Tuesday morning, called the new estimates conservative. He said the analysis simulates one or two road closures. The reality is that there will most probably be many more.

The study could intensify an existential debate in Tahoe that has only grown since the pandemic, touching on development rules and Airbnb rentals: Has the famed destination become too overrun with visitors?

The new study also found that in the Washoe Tahoe area  primarily Incline Village and Sand Harbor State Park  an evacuation of people in an estimated 13,151 vehicles would take roughly seven to nine hours, depending on road closures. Washoe County, in 2022, estimated it would take a minimum of six hours to evacuate 3,842 vehicles out of Incline Village.

Longtime Tahoe-area resident Mel Smothers plays his violin while being stuck in traffic on Highway 50 after evacuation orders were issued to all of South Lake Tahoe due to the approaching Caldor Fire, on Aug. 30, 2021. Alvin A.H. Jornada/Special to the Chronicle

In 2021, Tahoe dodged a catastrophe when the Caldor Fire tore through the Highway 50 corridor, threatening much of the Tahoe Basin, destroying more than 1,000 structures and creating gridlock for evacuating residents. Photos emerged of fleeing residents stuck in traffic for hours  one man even pulled out a violin to play as he waited.

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That fire, as well as other deadly blazes that prompted frustratingly slow evacuations, renewed concerns over Lake Tahoes plan for future escapes. The Sierra Nevada jewel presents some unique challenges: The region is a major recreational hub, bringing in 60 million visitors annually with a summer apex coinciding with peak wildfire season.

The Tahoe Basin also faces jurisdictional hurdles. The lake and its communities include two states, five counties, federal forest land and a city. This complicates a cohesive, regional plan, critics claim.

There is no more important Tahoe land use question today than this, said Pamela Tsigdinos, an Incline Village resident who volunteered in the evacuation analysis effort. How many people can the Tahoe basin safely accommodate and evacuate in a geographically constrained, pine-forested, mountainous area with few exits and tens of millions of visitors, many unfamiliar with the terrain?

An official with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency said she could not comment on the findings without seeing the methodology and data, but said Tahoe Basin fire chiefs and its police and emergency management agencies were working to coordinate evacuations at a regional level.

In recent community meetings, Tahoe Basin emergency responders emphasized that incidents requiring evacuations are dynamic and when and how to direct people during an evacuation depends on the specific circumstances, said Kimberly Caringer, deputy director of the agency. Estimates of how long it would take to evacuate are based on many factors, including the type of incident, location of the ignition, wind direction, weather patterns, moisture conditions, etc.

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She pointed to the Caldor Fire and early evacuations of 30,000 residents with no loss of life. Caringer said reducing fuels has been a top priority, with authorities conducting more than 75,000 defensible-space inspections on private property since 2008. The agency received $1.7 million to improve communications and transportation infrastructure during emergencies, she said, and has worked to identify Tahoes most vulnerable residents.

A Washoe County spokesperson said she could not comment on the new analysis because the county had not seen the data, but acknowledged the six-hour time frame to clear out Incline Village cited by the county relied on outdated data.

At the time the plan was written it was accurate, but our community has grown and has more visitors, spokesperson Bethany Drysdale said. However, each incident is assessed in the moment by trained first responders responsible for making critical life-safety decisions. Those first responders always err on the side of caution and will evacuate accordingly.

Drysdale said Washoe County Emergency Management was updating its regional evacuation plan, but that the work was dependent on funding.

Our funding was cut significantly, which halted our ability to carry out any studies, she said. Still, she said, the Nevada county has held an evacuation drill in Incline Village and piloted a website to provide real-time updates, among other wildfire preparations. The county hopes to hire a third-party vendor to complete an evacuation study of its most critical areas.

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Elise Soviar, a Placer County Sheriffs Office spokesperson, said the agency couldnt comment on the study without reviewing the findings. We do not know what data was used by the AI firm to come up with the time estimates, she said.

A screenshot of an artificial intelligence model by Ladris Technologies showing a simulation of a fast-moving wildfire approaching the Placer Tahoe area from the east near the California-Nevada border, requiring the closure of Nevada state Route 28 toward Incline Village at the state line. With an estimated 17,577 vehicles evacuating, the study estimated it would take 9 hours and 44 minutes to leave the area.

She said her department holds annual training sessions in the Tahoe Basin with police agencies and fire districts to coordinate wildfire response and evacuations in the North Tahoe region.

The analysis was completed by the consulting group PyroAnalysis and AI disaster modelers from Ladris Technologies, who said they conducted more than 400 evacuation simulations, testing out highway and feeder-road limitations and possible road closures that could create choke points.

In addition, the models take into account factors including variances in alert systems, evacuee behavior, cell tower reliability, loss of power, evacuations of hikers and cyclists, challenges with vulnerable populations, and social media misinformation.

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The models focused on a no-notice evacuation, an event caused by a wildfire with immediate threat to human life and one that has historically overwhelmed emergency officials and infrastructure.

The consultants plan to finish additional studies next month on Douglas Tahoe, El Dorado South Shore Tahoe (including Meyers and Fallen Leaf Lake) and El Dorado West Shore.

The Placer County model estimates a nine to 14-plus-hour evacuation time depending on road closures. The group estimated that 17,577 vehicles would flee the area, taking nine hours if Highway 89 was shut down northbound, and up to 14 hours if Highway 28 eastbound and Highway 267 northbound were shut down.

The last evacuation estimate for this part of Placer County came in the countys 2016 California Environmental Impact Statement, which estimated 3.7 hours. In the 2017 Placer County Tahoe Basin Area Plan, the agency acknowledged that emergency evacuation would overwhelm roadway capacities under any scenario and at any hour.

With all roads open in the Incline Village area, the new study predicts a seven-hour evacuation of 13,151 vehicles. However, with simulations of road closures at one specific spot  either state Route 28 at Stateline, state Route 431 at Fairview, or state Route 28 at Sand Harbor  the estimate rises to around nine hours.

Residents and stakeholders have been clamoring for a new comprehensive evacuation study for years.

Last year, seven retired firefighters wrote a letter to Placer County supervisors opposing changes to the Tahoe general plan for that county that would increase allowable building density and heights, among other changes.

They recommended an evaluation of potential significant impacts in population safety, under a variety of potential wildfire behavior scenarios. They warned that previous studies failed to look at possible choke points during a sudden surge, and that panicked visitors unfamiliar with the area might turn around due to heavy traffic and flee into the cold lake waters  similar to last years Lahaina tragedy in Maui.

Flaherty said that, for years, government entities tasked with evacuation planning had used subjective and dated time estimates to push forward new development. From a life safety standpoint this is dangerous, irresponsible and not sustainable, he said.
A Spanish anti-tourism group has been condemned as 'vile' and 'sick beyond belief' after mocking the death of a British teenager who fell from the sixth floor of an Ibiza hotel.

Law student Emma Ramsay, 19, from Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, died in the early hours of Tuesday last week after plunging around 80ft from the balcony of her holiday hotel.

MailOnline can reveal that the tragedy is believed to have happened after she tried to climb from one balcony to another at the Vibra District Hotel in the party town of San Antonio.

Her death has since been mocked by an anti-tourist group which runs a horrific league table of tourist deaths in balcony falls, according to their nationality, in the Balearic islands.

The so-called Balconing Balearic Federation uses the word 'balconing' to describe the dangerous act of climbing between balconies or jumping down into pools below.

Emma Ramsay, from Hamilton, was on holiday with friends in the party island's San Antonio region when she fell from the balcony at Hotel Vibra District

The tragedy happened at around 3am on Tuesday at Hotel Vibra District (pictured)

The group posted a link to a news article about Miss Ramsay's death on the day she died with a heading, saying: 'Comeback'.

A Scottish minister is now demanding that the website and its social media accounts are shut down.

Christina McKelvie, MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse and the minister for drugs and alcohol policy, said: 'This is utterly vile and my heart goes out to the loved ones of anyone who has been targeted by this organisation.

'It is reprehensible that anyone would seek to exploit and use tragic deaths in such a cruel manner.

'The sooner the organisation is shut down the better, and social media organisations should take any action they can to remove such deplorable content from their sites.'

A guest at the Vibra District Hotel where Miss Ramsay died added: 'This website and X account is sick beyond belief. It needs to be shut down for good.

'The people behind it should be prosecuted. How they can get away with taunting the families of people who have died?'

MailOnline has passed on details of the website which says it is based in Paisos, Catalonia, to Spain's Guardia Civil police.

A reporter's message to the group's X account, demanding to know why they thought it appropriate to joke about the death of a 19-year-old girl, went unanswered.

MailOnline first revealed the existence of the website in June this year, and told how it offers two points for a death and one point for an injury.

Spanish police have confirmed they are treating the death of Miss Ramsay as an 'accident', and that alcohol was involved.

An owner of a local business near the hotel where she died said: 'I have heard that she fell while climbing from one balcony to another.

'I think she wanted to see her friends in another room, and she somehow slipped. It happened at the side of the hotel and she fell to the pavement. It is a terrible tragedy.'

Paramedics rushed to help her after she fell at around 3am, but she was declared dead at the scene.

Two of her traumatised friends who were on holiday with her were said to have been given 'emotional support' by the Spanish authorities.

The student from Strathclyde University had been enjoying a night out with friends just hours previously at the Hi Ibiza night club

A look at the front of the Hotel Vibra District in San Antonio, Ibiza, where the student fell

Miss Ramsay who was about to start her third year studying law at Strathclyde University posted a series of TikTok videos showing her happily dancing with friends in Ibiza nightclubs in the days before her death.

Her mother Barbara Smith paid tribute to her 'angel Emma' in a social media post, saying: 'I don't even know where to begin.

'You are my daughter, my best friend in the whole world and I am going to miss you more than words will ever express. Rest in peace my sweet angel and sleep tight, mummy loves you so, so much.'

Susana Gomes-Selles, a spokesperson for the Vibra Hotels chain, said: 'We wish to convey our deepest condolences to the family in these difficult times.

'We also want to convey that our company complies with all the legislation related to safety and security.

'Also, all the information we have is what has been provided by the police after the statement of the friends who accompanied and shared rooms with (Emma).

'We understand it is a very sad situation for everyone and especially for the family.

We will not make any comments on other's behaviours, nor publishings.'

Lorna Lawson, headteacher of St John Ogilve High School, where Emma used to be Head Girl, said: 'We are shocked and saddened at the heartbreaking news of the sudden passing of our former Head Girl, Emma Ramsay.

'Emma was an incredibly kind, hardworking, bright and talented pupil who contributed a great deal to our school community.

'Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends during this incredibly difficult time. Emma will be missed and will forever hold a special place in our school.'

Monica Lennon, the Labour MSP for Central Scotland and a family friend of Miss Ramsay, said that people in Hamilton were devastated by her death.

She said: 'It shows how one vibrant life can touch so many others. People are still in shock and will feel this loss for a long time to come but for her family, and especially her parents, people just feel so desperately sad. For any parent, it is your worst nightmare.'

The Balconing Balearic Federation which also sells merchandise launched in 2022, and now has more than 55,000 followers on its X account.

It has morbidly labelled Britons as 'masters and lords of this sport', and has referred to victims who have died as 'dead athletes', saying: 'Congratulations to everyone who made it possible.'

MailOnline can reveal that the tragedy is believed to have happened after she tried to climb from one balcony to another at the Vibra District Hotel

Her death has since been mocked by an anti-tourist group which runs a horrific league table of tourist deaths in balcony falls

The group which describes itself as being 'Darwinistically touristophobic' claims it is making 'social criticism' about issues with tourism.

When a landmark of 100 deaths on the islands - including Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza - was reached, a post crowed: 'Dear fans, we are celebrating.'

A recent spate of German balcony deaths was described as a 'hat trick of boxes' and a 'new technical-tactical exhibition'.

Friends who have paid tribute to Miss Ramsay include Paris Mcgoldrick who posted: 'I don't even know where to begin with how perfect our Emma was. I loved everything about you and I forever will.

'Heaven just gained the most beautiful angel they will ever get and I'm forever grateful to call you my friend. I will forever cherish the moments we shared together, Em.

'I love you forever my girl, you will never be forgotten.'

Ella Redfearn shared a picture of herself and Emma sitting on the edge of a lake, and wrote: 'Rest easy my girl. A total ray of sunshine and the kindest soul, you will be in my heart forever.'

Another friend, Kimberly Barrie, added: 'Rest in peace my girl. Emma Ramsay, thank you for allowing me to get to know the purest and most beautiful soul. I love you forever.'

Niamh Anderson said: 'Our Beautiful Angel. I'll be forever grateful that I get to call you my friend. You'll be forever young my girl, never goodbye just a see you later.

'The biggest ray of sunshine to walk the earth and the biggest blessing heaven has ever received.'

Another wrote: 'The most beautiful girl with the purest soul. You are genuinely one of a kind and I am going to miss you so much.'

A fellow student said: 'So tragic. Emma was in my class at uni and she was very welcoming to all.'

They added that she was 'always willing to go the extra mile for others'.

A spokesman for the University of Strathclyde described Emma as a 'much-loved member of our student community'.

He said: 'We are shocked and saddened by her death. Everyone at the university offers our deepest condolences to Emma's family and all those affected by this terrible incident.'
READ MORE: Woman who allegedly threw her dog to its death off a cliff denies abusing the animal

A mother-of four who cruelly threw her emaciated dog off a cliff because she couldn't afford to euthanise the pet will spend at least seven months behind bars.

Kaylah Jade Williams, 34, showed little emotion as Magistrate Mark Douglass handed down the sentence in Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday.

She previously pleaded guilty to torturing and causing the death of 13-year-old bulldog Zoe after she trapped the pooch in a kennel and threw her over the edge near Clive Bissell Drive at Mount Keira near Wollongong, south of Sydney in January 2023

Magistrate Douglass acknowledged on Wednesday that Williams was unable to pay to euthanise Zoe after the dog got a tumour and became emaciated.

But he said that her 'callous indifference to a living creature' warranted prison time and sentenced the Horsley woman to 12 months jail, with a non-parole period of seven, the Illawarra Mercury reported.

'To intentionally board a dog inside a kennel, transport it in a box trailer to the area ... then tip the kennel over the edge of what is a very steep incline offends our community's basic sense of humanity and decency,' he told Williams.

Magistrate Douglass described her behaviour as torturous and rejected Williams' claim that she had placed Zoe at the bottom of the cliff, hoping someone would help the pet.

He remarked that it defied logic that someone would put the dog in that spot if they hoped she would be found.

Wollongong mum-of-four Kaylah Jade Williams (pictured) was jailed on Wednesday

The court heard that area was not remote, but it was not somewhere that could be readily seen.

The bulldog was found by a runner who heard her yelping from within the escarpment the next day.

He called the police when he saw that Zoe was trapped in the kennel.

SES crews rescued Zoe, who was unable to lift her body up and had a large tumour with an open wound.

She was so ill that she had to be euthanised by a vet to put her out of her pain.

An investigation found that Zoe had been desexed in 2015 with Williams' partner's details on a vet's records.

Kaylah Jade Williams showed little emotion as she was sentenced on Wednesday

An SES crew (pictured) took the pet from the area and found she was unable to lift her body up and had a large tumour with an open wound

A neighbour said she saw a distressed bulldog in a filthy kennel at 5am on January 21, but when she checked the next day, the dog was gone.

CCTV obtained by the police showed a silver Honda CRV with a kennel on its trailer reversing out of Williams' partner's property two hours later, the court heard.

When the car came back an hour later, there was no kennel on the trailer.

Following a 15-month investigation, Williams was arrested in April and later pleaded guilty to torturing, beating or causing the death of an animal.

Kaylah Williams (pictured) took her bulldog Zoe to a cliff and threw the dog, who was trapped in a kennel over a cliff near Wollongong in January 2023

Williams' lawyer Lewis Etheredge told the court that his client had good prospects of rehabilitation and her focus is on her four young children.

He said Williams had no mental health issues and was fully rehabilitated from previous drug issues.

Magistrate Douglass factored in the length of time the dog suffered, the extent of her injuries and the level of distress Zoe was in when he handed down the sentence.
Oasis fans waiting for their pre-sale ballot confirmation have been told to be patient after an 'unprecedented' number signed up for the reunion tour tickets.

Millions of people are set to 'go to war' for tickets this weekend after Noel and Liam Gallagher put their 15-year feud behind them to announce a mammoth comeback tour across the UK and Ireland next summer.

The band's devoted followers have until 7pm tonight to register for a pre-sale ballot on their official website, ahead of the official ticket release on Saturday at 9am for the UK shows and 8am for the Dublin performances.

Those who want the pre-sale link must correctly answer questions about Oasis' history and huge numbers are still anxiously waiting to receive a confirmation email ahead of what many are calling the 'ticket bloodbath of the century'.

On Wednesday, the band's official social media page said it was 'aware' that many were still waiting for the email and 'rest assured they are on their way'.

Liam and Noel Gallagher yesterday confirmed that Oasis have reformed for a mammoth tour around the UK and Ireland. They are pictured here together for the first time in several years

On Wednesday, the band's official social media page said it was 'aware' that many were still waiting for the email and 'rest assured they are on their way'

These are the shows where Oasis will be performing. The band will kick off in Cardiff and end in Dublin

In a post, the band wrote: 'We are aware that many of you are still waiting on a confirmation email. Rest assured they are on their way, as we process an unprecedented volume of entries.

'Everyone who has filled out the ballot form by 7pm BST today, Wednesday 28th August, will receive an email where they can confirm their entry in the ballot.'

Those entering the ballot are being asked who the band's original drummer is, and are offered the options of Chris Sharrock, Alan White and the correct answer, Tony McCarroll, who drummed with the band from their formation until 1995.

Entrants are also being asked how many times they have seen the band.

The legendary Manchester rock band will reunite for 14 shows in Cardiff, London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Dublin - with gigs outside of Europe set to be added at a later date.

Announcing the tour at 8am yesterday, the band said: 'The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.'

The 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.

The UK dates will be sold through Ticketmaster, Gigs and Tours and See Tickets, all of whom will be bracing for a frenzy when tickets go on sale. The Oasis website crashed immediately after their announcement yesterday, indicating just how many people will be battling it out for tickets.

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.'

The Oasis website crashed instantly after the comeback tour was announced at 8am this morning

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

Those in the music industry say demand is set to rival or even exceed that of Taylor Swift's 'The Eras Tour', which saw the global pop star sell out several concerts across the UK.

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

Music insiders believe the band will announce even more dates soon as the current crop of tickets will 'sell out in less than three minutes'.

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'.

'The Oasis family has really come back together. Bonehead is ecstatic,' the source said, adding: 'Noel has brought in some of his band too.'

Ahead of the ticket release date, fans have been warned not to wait until Saturday morning to register to ensure you have an account set up with all the correct billing and delivery information.

Fans have also been urged to make sure their accounts are verified, which can be done by adding your phone number and confirming a one-time passcode.

Those hoping to secure a ticket for the comeback tour should also make sure their card details are already saved to avoid last-minute panic.

Your devices, such as phones and laptops, should be well charged in advance of the deadline. Meanwhile, ticket success could come down to how strong your internet connection is and what device you are using.

Joshua Houston, an appliance expert at Household Quotes said: 'Oasis have been away for 15 years, and in that time a whole new generation of their fans have formed who are yet to see them live.

Liam and Noel Gallagher are pictured at the Knebworth Festival in 1996. They will be performing again next summer

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'

Oasis are pictured in Withington, Manchester, in 1993. (L-R) Paul McGuigan, Noel Gallagher, Tony McCarroll, Paul Arthurs and Liam Gallagher

Fans have also been urged to make sure their accounts are verified, which can be done by adding your phone number and confirming a one-time passcode.

Those hoping to secure a ticket for the comeback tour should also make sure their card details are already saved to avoid last-minute panic.

Your devices, such as phones and laptops, should be well charged in advance of the deadline. Meanwhile, ticket success could come down to how strong your internet connection is and what device you are using.

Joshua Houston, an appliance expert at Household Quotes said: 'Oasis have been away for 15 years, and in that time a whole new generation of their fans have formed who are yet to see them live.

'Millions will attempt to get tickets but only a few will succeed.

'So follow these tips to increase your chances, those that can go into the online queue first will get the tickets and part of this is down to how good your internet connection is.'

Ticketmaster says that there is usually a waiting room which opens 15 minutes before the sale. Once the queue opens, you will be told exactly where you are in line.

Ticketing sites warn that refreshing the page won't move you further up the queue and that the page updates itself automatically.

Fans will be able to purchase a maximum of four tickets per transaction and you will not be able to sell them for more than you bought them for. The price of tickets has not been revealed but the Manchester Evening News reports it will exceed 100.
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Vice Presidential hopeful J.D. Vance is finally addressing his awkward encounter with a donut shop worker in Georgia.

He also shockingly told Vice President Kamala Harris to 'go to hell' during a campaign rally in Erie, Pennsylvania on Wednesday afternoon after a nasty spat over the Afghanistan withdrawal.

Meanwhile, a top election forecaster has shifted the potential result in North Carolina from 'lean Republican to a 'toss up' as Kamala Harris narrows the gap with Donald Trump.

Polling averages have Trump and Harris in a dead heat with the VP set to give her first interview alongside running mate Tim Walz on Thursday night.

Follow DailyMail.com's live blog for all the updates from the presidential race.
A lorry driver who killed three people while trawling adult dating sites behind the wheel has met the daughter of his victims.

Ion Nicu Onut ploughed into stationary traffic on the A1 near Country Durham in July 2021, fatally hitting the vehicles of Paul Mullen and couple David Daglish, 57, and Elaine Sullivan, 59.

The Romanian had been looking at profiles and editing his own on sites S**g Today and Mystic Match over a period of 40 minutes leading up to the smash.

His last interaction on his phone was in the seconds before the collision and he was 'utterly oblivious' to the stationary vehicles ahead, the court was told. Onut did not brake before driving into the line of traffic at 58mph.

Over two-and-a-half years later, David and Elaine's daughter Marie Johnson met with the man who killed her parents.

Recalling what she told Onut at the meeting, Ms Johnson said: 'If my mum and dad were here now, they would have given you a cuddle. They would want us to do this and they would have forgiven you as well.'

David and Elaine's daughter Marie Johnson met with Ion Nicu Onut - the man who drove his lorry into the back of their car in July 2021

Ms Johnson said it was like 'having a conversation with a friend' rather than her parent's killer

She added: 'I shouldn't want to make him feel better but also I didn't want him to carry this burden with him.

'I wanted to see for myself whether he was being true.'

Ms Johnson revealed that her partner questioned why she wanted to meet the man that killed her parents - but she didn't see him as the 'man that killed my parents'.

She said it was like 'having a conversation with a friend about what you'd been through'.

Onut was sentenced to eight years and ten months in prison after admitting three counts of death by dangerous driving at Durham Crown Court in January 2022.

He first hit the back of the Vauxhall Crossland containing Mr Daglish, 57, and Ms Sullivan, 59, then smashed 51-year-old Mr Mullen's Toyota Hilux under another lorry before carrying on along the road, injuring three others.

One of those injured and hospitalised was Molly Smith, a physiotherapist who was 26-weeks pregnant at the time.

Ms Smith was buying presents for her dog for his birthday when the traffic started slowing down due to an early incident. She stopped her car like other drivers but Onut did not stop.

She told the BBC: 'I just felt this impact from behind [while driving the red car, which is seen being hit in the footage].

'I just remember hearing all of a sudden the crashing sounds of metal.

'And then all of a sudden being stopped on the A1(M) with a load of fire all around me.'

She added at first she froze before moving away from the fire as she did not if more cars were going to 'explode'.

The physiotherapist has since given birth to a healthy daughter.

Onut, who agreed to be interviewed in prison as part of a BBC documentary titled Deadly Browsing: The Lorry Driver, wept and acknowledged he could have travelled several hundred yards while looking at his phone.

Onut said: 'The phone was a distraction, it was a really bad choice.'

He continued that after seeing the footage of him ploughing into cars he is really 'disturbed' that he caused the 'tragic and sad' deaths of three people.

'I have to pay for my mistake,' he said.

Ion Nicu Onut ploughed into stationary traffic on the A1 near Country Durham in July 2021

Lorry driver Ion Onut was looking at sex sites on his phone when he caused a multi-vehicle smash which killed three people including David Daglish (left) and Elaine Sullivan (right)

Ion Onut (left) was driving a 3.5 tonne Scania LGV at almost 60mph when he 'ploughed' into queueing traffic near junction 61 at Bowburn, County Durham, on July 15, last year, killing three people including Paul Mullen (right)

Molly Smith, a 26-weeks pregnant physiotherapist, (pictured with her baby) was hospitalised after the crash

Onut who agreed to be interviewed in prison as part of a BBC documentary titled Deadly Browsing: The Lorry Driver wept and acknowledged he could have travelled several hundred yards while looking at his phone

Onut answered 'no comment' when he was interviewed by police after being arrested for driving

Asked if he had a message for the bereaved families, he sighed and replied: 'There's a million things I could tell people. I want to apologise. I want to say I'm really sorry, because I feel really bad for what happened.

'I feel bad for the people who lost loved ones, people injured who have to suffer with back flashes (flashbacks) and injuries for the rest of their lives.

'It's really hard to accept that, living for the rest of your life with that in your head is not easy either.'
Oasis fans were infuriated today by 'rip-off' hotels amid an extraordinary scramble for accommodation among those desperate to see the band on their reunion tour.

The Manchester band yesterday announced their first run of gigs since 2009, with 14 concerts in London, Manchester, Cardiff, Dublin and Edinburgh next summer.

But those trying to secure a hotel room ahead of tickets for the Oasis Live 25 tour going on sale this Saturday have faced skyrocketing prices and high demand.

Research by MailOnline today has established 99 per cent of hotels on Booking.com in Cardiff on July 4 and 5, the dates of the band's first gigs, are already sold out.

There is also intense demand in Manchester, with 98 per cent booked on the night of the city's first concert on July 11 and only 23 now remaining. One of the priciest options is the Townhouse Hotel, where rooms are 1,388 - or 119 two weeks later.

And the Maldron hotel chain was accused by furious customers of cancelling bookings coinciding with Oasis gigs in the city then reselling the rooms for triple the price - but the business later claimed this was due to a series of technical issues.

A new photograph of Liam and Noel Gallagher as they confirmed that Oasis have reformed

Greater Manchester's night-time economy adviser Sacha Lord later urged Maldron Hotels to 'do the right thing' after he received numerous complaints.

Oasis Live 25 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, Murrayfield

9th - Edinburgh, Murrayfield

16th - Dublin, Croke Park

17th - Dublin, Croke Park Advertisement

In a post on X, he wrote: 'Hey @MaldronHotels. I'm being contacted by several people who booked your hotel for the Oasis concert, to say their rooms have just been cancelled and are now back up for three times the price.

'I'm sure this is a 'computer error'... easy to correct. Do the right thing.'

A number of disgruntled customers posted screenshots on X of an email appearing to be from Maldron Hotels, stating that 'due to a technical error, you have received a confirmation for a booking that was not successfully made'.

Recipients were told they will be sent a 'cancellation request' and asked to 'accept promptly'.

Among those angered by what happened was Oasis fan Lily Stroud from Newcastle, who said she 'took a risk ' by reserving rooms on two weekends at the hotel in July 2025 amid speculation about dates online before the official announcement.

But the 26-year-old's bookings were then cancelled by the hotel after the tour announcement due to a 'technical error'.

Manchester City councillor Pat Karney confirmed that trading standards will now investigate.

He told BBC Radio Manchester: 'If this is the case then they have let themselves down and they've let Manchester down.

'We're not daft, we know prices are going to be high, so long as people in hotels are fair about it. There's no justification for ripping off people.'

Customers booking for the Maldron Hotel Manchester City (above) had their rooms cancelled

Customers who had booked for the Maldron received an email asking them to cancel the room

The company operates two hotels in Manchester. This morning, they both had no rooms available from the start of July next year onwards.

Oasis are playing at Manchester's Heaton Park on July 11, 12, 19 and 20.

Maldron Hotels said in a statement: 'Due to a technical error with our booking system on 26 and 27 August, substantially more rooms were booked than were available for the nights of the Oasis concerts on 11, 12, 19 and 20 July 2025 at Maldron Hotel Manchester City and Maldron Hotel Cathedral Quarter.

'As a result, we are unable to honour all bookings made on these dates, and we are actively engaging with customers regarding their bookings.

'The hotels are currently not taking any bookings while we investigate the issue.

'This is not an attempt to resell rooms at inflated prices, rather an overbooking issue due to a technical error with our booking systems.

Booked The Maldron Hotel Manchester yesterday for 11-13th & 18-20th before gigs were announced.



Conveniently they have cancelled our bookingsdue to a technical error. Obviously done it so they can resell for ridiculous prices.



TERRIBLE @oasis @bookingcom @MaldronHotels  Lil (@LilyStroud_) August 27, 2024

Hey @MaldronHotels.



I'm being contacted by several people who booked your hotel for the Oasis concert, to say their rooms have just been cancelled and are now back up for three times the price.



I'm sure this is a "computer error"... easy to correct.



Do the right thing.  Sacha Lord (@Sacha_Lord) August 27, 2024

'Additionally, due to the same technical error, a small number of customers were able to book the rooms at a higher price later that evening.

'We will also be unable to accommodate these bookings. We will be honouring all bookings made prior to 26 August. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused.'

Premier Inn, the UK's biggest hotel brand, only has available rooms in Manchester at the city's airport on the nights of the Oasis concerts.

Another major hotel chain, Travelodge, has rooms at its Oldham Chadderton site - five miles from Heaton Park - priced from 190 for those dates.

Rooms at the same hotel on July 26 - a week after the gigs - are available for nearly half the price, at 97.

In London, rooms are not quite as scarce where hotels are 95 per cent booked on the night of the first Wembley gig on July 25 with 684 remaining.

Oasis have announced a series of dates in London, Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Dublin

Liam Gallagher teased an official reunion during his set at Reading Festival on Sunday night

But Edinburgh hotels on August 8 are 98 per cent booked with 31 remaining  including the Britannia Hotel which is 599, compared to 199 two weeks later.

And in Dublin, hotels are 96 per cent booked on August 16 with July 17 left  including the Dylan at 532, compared to 304 two weeks later.

In addition, of 12 high-end Dublin hotels with rooms for the night of the first gig on Kayak.com, a third had doubled their prices from the previous week.

Irish Labour finance spokesman Ged Nash has criticised the price hikes ahead of the concerts next summer, saying they will cause thousands 'to look back in anger'.

Mr Nash said: 'People will be crying their heart out when they see the outrageous greed at play by hotels in Dublin ahead of the Oasis gigs.'

The lowest supply of rooms can be found in Cardiff, where one of just two remaining hotels is the four-star Radisson Blu. A standard room for two adults sharing there is 797 for each night  compared to 495 two weeks later.

(From left) Gem Archer, Noel Gallagher, Andy Bell and Liam Gallagher pose for a photo in 2006

The only other hotel still available in the city is the three-star Manor Parc Hotel which is 250 for the gig nights, or 150 two weeks later.

The Welsh government said yesterday that concerts there would attract thousands of visitors to Cardiff, and provide a substantial economic boost to its hospitality, retail and transport businesses, bringing in millions of pounds.

'It's great news that Oasis will be kickstarting their comeback in Cardiff,' a spokesman said.

Whitbread, whose Premier Inn hotel chains are close to the British venues, is already seeing strong demand across all the planned dates and locations, it said.

'There's no definitely 'maybe' about it, like music fans everywhere we're mad for the news Oasis are to reunite and are expecting it to be one of our most popular events of all time,' the Whitbread spokesman said.

Noel and Liam Gallagher on the 'Che Tempo Che FA' TV Programme in Italy in November 2008

It comes as Oasis said they had received 'an unprecedented volume' of entries to a ballot for tickets to their reunion tour.

The band have told fans they will receive a confirmation email if they entered the ballot, which launched last night.

A post on their page on X read: 'We are aware that many of you are still waiting on a confirmation email. Rest assured they are on their way, as we process an unprecedented volume of entries.

'Everyone who has filled out the ballot form by 7pm BST today, Wednesday, August 28, will receive an email where they can confirm their entry in the ballot.'

It comes after Spotify reported a 690 per cent increase in Oasis streams globally, along with a 'significant increase' in UK streams.

Oasis brothers Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher are pictured performing on stage in 2001

The band's album tracks and lesser known songs saw a 'huge increase' in streams, with The Shock Of The Lightning, Bag It Up and Turn Up The Sun seeing some of the biggest increases.

Announcing the tour yesterday, Oasis said on X: 'The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.'

UKHospitality's Kate Nicholls said the industry expects to see huge demand from fans, both from the UK and from abroad, and the tour 'will no doubt deliver a multi-million-pound' boost to the British hospitality sector next year.

** Have you shelled out for a hotel room? Please email: tips@dailymail.com **
This is the British chief engineer who is facing investigation after the tragic sinking of the superyacht Bayesian, it emerged today.

Tim Parker-Eaton, 56, from Bedfordshire, and fellow Briton Matthew Griffiths, 22, join Kiwi skipper James Cutfield on the official list of those warned they are being formally investigated for shipwreck and multiple manslaughter.

Being investigated does not equate to being charged and is a procedural step.

Seven people died when the 30m yacht went down in a storm off the village of Porticello, near Palermo, Sicily in the early hours of August 19, including tech tycoon Mike Lynch, 59, and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah.

Mr Parker-Eaton, from Clophill, Beds, was the ship's engineer while deckhand Mr Griffiths is said to have been on the night watch when disaster struck at around 4am.

Data from the superyacht shows it was hit by a violent storm downburst at 3.50am 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, according to local reports.

Pictured here is Tim Parker-Eaton, 56, who has been the Bayesian chief engineer since 2013

Mr Parker-Eaton (pictured) is facing investigation after the tragic sinking of the superyacht Bayesian

Seven people died when the 30m yacht went down in a storm off the village of Porticello, near Palermo, Sicily. Pictured: Mr Parker-Eaton (left)

A handout photo made available on August 19 by Perini Navi Press Office shows the 'Bayesian' sailing boat, in Palermo, Sicily, Italy

Mr Parker-Eaton, 56, from Bedfordshire, and fellow Briton Matthew Griffiths, 22, join Kiwi skipper James Cutfield (pictured) on the official list of those warned they are being formally investigated for shipwreck and multiple manslaughter

One of the key questions prosecutors are addressing is how all but one crew survived the disaster whereas six passengers died.

Who died in the Sicily yacht disaster? Jonathan Bloomer, the chairman of investment bank Morgan Stanley and past chairman of Mike Lynch's software firm Autonomy

Judy Bloomer, Jonathan's wife and a lifetime psychotherapist

Christopher Morvillo, a partner at law firm Clifford Chance and Mike Lynch's lawyer

Neda Morvillo, Christopher's wife and a jewellery designer

Mike Lynch, British tech tycoon who had just been cleared of fraud charges in the United States

Hannah Lynch, Mike Lynch's 18-year-old daughter

Recaldo Thomas, a chef working on board the Bayesian yacht Advertisement

Along with Mike and Hannah Lynch, the ship's chef, Antiguan-Canadian Recaldo Thomas, Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy, Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda all lost their lives.

The body of the chef was found floating in the water on the day the yacht went down. The other bodies were found days later by specialist divers in two cabins inside the yacht.

Mr Parker-Eaton is believed to have formerly lived in Bedfordshire where his elderly parents are both believed to be dead.

Yesterday, the familys home, which still belongs to Tims mother Dororthy, according to Land Register records, was empty with a sold sign.

His father Bob Parker-Eaton, OBE, who died aged 83 in 2014, was also a former RAF wing commander in the 1950s and went on to join the board of Brttannia Airways, once the worlds largest holiday airline, which ceased operations in 2005.

Mr Cutfield's lawyer Aldo Mordiglia, who is based in Genoa, said that 'as far as he knew', his client and the other members of the crew who had been staying in a hotel near Porticello following the disaster so they could questioned by authorities had 'been allowed to leave and go home'.

Mr Cutfield, 50, is thought to have returned to his home on the Spanish island of Majorca while Mr Parker-Eaton, is also though to live there, while Mr Griffiths' residence is not known.

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

The British-flagged Bayesian superyacht (pictured) was owned by tech magnate Mike Lynch

Recaldo Thomas, chef on the Bayesian, was the first person to be recovered after the yacht sunk last Monday

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

Officials are also said to be considering placing the first officer, Dutchman Tijs Koopmans, 33, under formal investigation.

No charges have officially been brought against any of the crew, and under Italian law being placed under investigation does not necessarily mean that an indictment will follow, as it will be for an examining magistrate to decide once the file is presented if there is enough evidence to go to trial.

A defence source told MailOnline: 'This investigation will take many, many months and for a start it will have to wait until the Bayesian is raised from the seabed which may not happen until October.

'Even that will be a laborious operation so it will be a long time before we know anything for sure against any of those who have been placed under formal investigation by the prosecutors in Palermo.'

Mr Cutfield and the other crew members have been allowed to leave Italy for the time being, according to local media reports.

Mr Eaton-Parker, pictured for the first time, has long been associated with the 2008-built Bayesian, serving as its chief engineer from 2013, when it was known as Salute.

In 2014, the boat was purchased by a company owned by Mike Lynchs wife Angela Bacares and the name was changed to Bayesian.

He was closely involved in the installation of its 75m (246ft) aluminium mast, The Times reported last week.

Mr Cutfield (pictured) is now being investigated for shipwreck and manslaughter

Your browser does not support iframes.

Search vessels returning to shore on Friday after Hannah Lynch's body was discovered

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

Following the tragedy, Giovanni Costantino CEO of Italian Sea Group, which owns the Bayesian's builders Perini Navi, claimed 'human error' had led to the sinking with the crew failing to be 'prepared' for the storm and 'hatches being left open'.

There are also reports that the retractable keel of the Bayesian - which helps maintain stability - was not fully deployed.

The 56m Bayesian - which was famous for its 76m aluminium mast - is currently lying at a depth of 165ft just off Porticello and there are also growing concerns for more than 18,000 litres of fuel onboard which could cause an environmental disaster.

Mr Cutfield and the surviving crew were expected to fly out of Palermo later today on an executive jet that was due to land from Majorca.

The news came as a crowdfunding campaign was launched in Majorca, where many of the Bayesian crew lived, and had raised more than 5,000 for their expenses and immediate needs.

He and others based on the Spanish island had been staying temporarily at a hotel with other survivors near Palermo while being questioned.

The departure of the survivors back to their base had been delayed as they lost their passports when the Bayesian sank earlier this month.

According to reports in Italian media, Mr Parker-Eaton was placed under investigation by judicial authorities because an engineer should have supervised the "closing of hatches" but this had allegedly not been carried out.

Mr Griffiths, who is believed to also have French as well as British nationality, was under investigation, it was claimed because as he was allegedly on watch when the storm was approaching.

Meanwhile an environmental ship has arrived on the scene ready to deploy flotation booms should there be a leak from the Bayesian's fuel tanks.
A drunk-driving mother who allowed her kids to walk into traffic on a busy freeway to collect a bag that had fallen from the roof of their vehicle wept in court and begged a judge for mercy as she was sentenced.

Sandra Ortiz, 34, pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Tuesday to three years and four months in state prison.

The tragedy occurred in June 2023, when her two children were killed on a California freeway after leaving their SUV to 'retrieve bags, which had flown off' their vehicle.

Ortiz wept in court as she pleaded with Judge Saba Sheibani and apologized.

'I want to say sorry to my kids,' Ortiz said. 'I made a huge mistake by drinking and driving. I should have never done that; it was a stupid mistake. I love my kids dearly.'

Sandra Ortiz, 34, pleaded guilty and was sentenced Tuesday to three years and four months in state prison. She was pictured weeping to the judge as she as she was sentenced for a horrific drunk-driving mistake that cost her two children their lives

Two of her children entered the freeway to retrieve the fallen item when an oncoming vehicle struck them, killing her 10-year-old son, Alan, and 16-year-old daughter, Amy

'I'm just asking you, I'm begging you, please Judge, give me a chance,' Ortiz pleaded in the courtroom.

The incident occurred on California's state Route 78 when Ortiz pulled over after a piece of luggage fell from the family's vehicle in June 2023.

Two of her children entered the freeway to retrieve the fallen item when an oncoming vehicle struck them, killing her 10-year-old son, Alan, and 16-year-old daughter, Amy.

Prosecutors revealed evidence showing the mother's blood-alcohol level was at a 0.14 percent, nearly twice the legal limit, two hours after the crash.

They also noted that she lacked a valid driver's license at the time of the incident.

Video footage reveals Ortiz crying in handcuffs as she handcuffed by officers in preparation to start her sentence.

During the sentencing, the children's grandmother appealed for leniency.

Speaking through a translator, Ortiz's mother-in-law pleaded with the judge.

'We need her ... I don't want the other children's lives to be ruined. They need their mother very much,' she said.

The mother had previously pleaded guilty to child endangerment and DUI charges. She faced a potential sentence ranging from probation to over 10 years in prison.

'It is very clear that society failed Sandra Ortiz in a number of ways,' Deputy Prosecutor Marnie Lyon said in court.

The incident occurred on California's state Route 78 when Ortiz pulled over after a piece of luggage fell from the family's vehicle in June 2023. The mother's blood-alcohol level was at a 0.14 percent, nearly twice the legal limit, two hours after the crash

'When you are dealing with a case like this, there are no good outcomes,' Lyon to ABC 10. 'There's nothing that's going to bring those children back,'

'It is very difficult when the person who is responsible for the outcome as tragic as this, the death of two children, that that person is a parent,' she continued.

Ortiz was originally arrested for DUI, gross vehicular manslaughter and child endangerment.

In July, Ortiz was jailed for violating her supervised release three times in three weeks - after pleading not guilty to child endangerment and DUI charges.

Prosecutors said at the time that Ortiz violated her release by drinking alcohol, leaving San Diego County and leaving her monitor not charged for extended periods of time, CBS8 reported.

A GoFundMe for the grieving family has raised $34,725 toward its $24,000 goal

'It really is a privilege to be released on your own recognizance, supervised after a serious case like this,' Deputy District Attorney Stephanie DeJesus said after Ortiz's arrest.

'That's why it's very important that the court admonish the defendant that there are strict conditions that they need to abide by to remain out on their own recognizance and if you fail to abide by those conditions, you will be remanded back to custody.'

A GoFundMe for the grieving family has raised $34,725 toward its $24,000 goal.

'The Aguilar family is composed of Miguel, the grieving father; their loving Grandmother, who has been a pillar of strength; and four younger siblings who are struggling to comprehend the loss of their older brother and sister.'

'This unexpected tragedy has left the family emotionally shattered and financially unprepared for the costs associated with laying two young souls to rest.'
A whistleblower has won more than half a million pounds after he reported his employer for asking him to get a visa for an alleged Chinese spy, a tribunal heard.

Bharat Bhagani, a former compliance officer for the UK subsidiary of foreign exchange brokerage firm Goldenway Global Investments, said he blew the whistle on the Hong Kong-based company over the entry into the UK of an 'espionage agent'.

Mr Bhagani told a tribunal he ended up being 'interrogated' by British authorities and that the alleged spy was deported.

He then informed the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), making other allegations against Goldenway Global Investments including money laundering.

A general view of Goldenway Global Investments UK ltd's office in the City of London

The tribunal heard 'significant' issues arose in December 2020 when Mr Bhagani froze a 'multi-million sum' in the accounts of the firm's parent company, Goldenway PM, based in Hong Kong. (Stock photo of a general view of Hong Kong)

Mr Bhagani has won 564,672 in compensation after the employment tribunal ruled he had been unfairly dismissed due to his whistleblowing.

It comes amid a growing roster of espionage cases between the UK and China.

Earlier this month, Beijing accused the UK of instructing the head of a foreign consulting firm to spy on China and recruit agents for British intelligence.

The hearing in central London was told that as compliance director, Mr Bhagani had to ensure the foreign exchange brokerage complied with FCA rules.

The tribunal heard 'significant' issues arose in December 2020 when Mr Bhagani froze a 'multi-million sum' in the accounts of the firm's parent company, Goldenway PM, based in Hong Kong.

'Experienced' Mr Bhagani suspected the payment was illegal as it involved a company in the tiny Pacific island of Vanuatu called GWFX Global.

Mr Bhagani said the company did not appear to have a bank account and that he was repeatedly told by directors in Hong Kong to allow the transfer but refused.

In February 2022, a director resigned which meant Mr Bhagani was Goldenway's sole director in the UK.

Two Hong Kong-based directors, Andrew Luen and Feng Liu were chosen to become the new directors in the UK, however Mr Bhagani challenged it.

He pointed out that under FCA rules, companies can't appoint directors without FCA approval.

Mr Bhagani said he faced significant pressure to cooperate in the move which would violate FCA rules but refused and eventually called in the FCA.

He said to Mr Luen: 'You are neither an employee or director. I have asked the regulators to come in.

'Please stop all communication with London staff. You will prejudice the regulators investigation.

'I have called in the regulators and I am certainly not stepping down. I represent the FCA.'

He blew the whistle to the FCA in July 2022 and also raised concerns about the Chinese spy.

He alleged Goldenway's 'corporate owner had caused him to assist in gaining a UK visa for a Chinese espionage agent who was subsequently deported'.

Mr Bhagani said although it was not in the FCA's remit to deal with 'spying', he argued 'this is about the conduct of the company, its fitness and propriety when it is applying for approval for two Hong Kong-based directors'.

He told the tribunal: 'I was the buffer for unregulated activity.'

He was fired on July 26, 2022, for gross misconduct.

Employment Judge Mark Emery found that his sacking was unfair because he blew the whistle on the company, and said it was 'reasonable' that Mr Bhagani suspected the company of wrongdoing.

Judge Emery said: 'We accept Mr Bhagani's evidence on the issue of the alleged Chinese espionage agent, that he was contacted by the authorities and informed this individual had been deported on this ground.

'The company's witnesses had no knowledge of this issue. Mr Bhagani's evidence was not seriously challenged.

'Given what Mr Bhagani was told about this individual, we conclude that Mr Bhagani had a reasonable belief at the date he made his disclosure to the FCA that the company had attempted to recruit a Chinese espionage agent.

'We accept when Mr Bhagani wrote to the FCA that he had a reasonable belief that he was doing so in the public interest.'

The judge found Mr Bhagani also had a 'reasonable' belief that the company tried to launder money and that 'his dismissal as director was designed to expedite the transfer of these funds'.

Judge Emery concluded: 'We conclude that the main significant issue in the respondent's mind when it decided to dismiss [Mr Bhagani] was their knowledge that he had made a complaint to the FSA

'In making it clear he had complained to the FSA, we conclude that [Mr Bhagani] was seen as a threat and no longer an asset, that had he remained in post and continued to make these disclosures to the FCA he would have caused the [company] significant regulatory difficulties.

'We conclude that [he] was justified in his actions in not doing what Mr Liu and Mr Luen instructed him to undertake; we accept the characterisation of his regulator role as sometimes being required to say 'no' to directors or shareholders.'

The Chinese Embassy in the UK said: 'The so-called 'Chinese espionage agent' related to an employment dispute case, is completely based on hearsay evidence and also is created out of nothing. We firmly oppose any malicious slander against China.'

According to the FSA's website, Goldenway Global Investments (UK) is no longer authorised.
Liz Truss has denied explosive reports she considered scrapping all cancer treatment on the NHS in a bid to repair economic damage after her 'mini-Budget'.

The ex-prime minister hit back at allegations she contemplated the drastic action amid the economic turmoil that accompanied her time in Downing Street.

A new biography of Ms Truss by historian Sir Anthony Seldon, considered to be Britain's leading political biographer, has revealed the extraordinary claims.

In his new book, Truss at 10: How Not to Be a Prime Minister, it is said Ms Truss and her chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, made frantic attempts to find spending cuts.

The ex-premier and Mr Kwarteng desperately tried to restore calm following the market chaos prompted by their disastrous 'mini-Budget' in September 2022.

This saw them unveil 45billion worth of tax cuts but spook markets by not setting out how they would be funded.

According to the biography, one of Ms Truss's senior advisers 'was told that Truss and Kwarteng were thinking they could still sort out the black hole with severe cuts'.

Liz Truss has denied explosive reports she considered scrapping all cancer treatment on the NHS in a bid to repair economic damage after her 'mini-Budget'

In his new book, Truss at 10: How Not to Be a Prime Minister, it is said Ms Truss and her chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, made frantic attempts to find spending cuts

In a report of a meeting of senior No10 aides, Jamie Hope and Shabbir Merali, the book says: 'At that point, they were joined by fellow special adviser Alex Boyd, who was told that Truss and Kwarteng were thinking they could still sort out the black hole with severe cuts.

''We've been told that they're looking at stopping cancer treatment on the NHS,' they told him. 'Is she being serious?' Boyd asked.

'She's lost the plot,' they replied. 'She's shouting at everyone  at us and officials that we've 'got to find the money!' When we tell her it can't be done, she shouts back, 'It's not true. The money is there. You go and find it.'

A source dismissed the claims as 'nonsense' and blamed 'silly season' while Parliament is in recess for the summer.

Mr Kwarteng told the Independent, which first published the details of Sir Anthony's new book, that he 'wasn't involved in any conversations about restricting healthcare, but that doesn't mean the prime minister and her team didn't discuss this'.

A spokesman for Ms Truss said: 'It is completely untrue that she ever considered it.'

Ms Truss lasted just 49 days as PM and, last month, was kicked out of the House of Commons by voters as she lost her South West Norfolk seat at the general election.
This image released by Maxar Technologies shows an overview of the center camp of the Burning Man 2024 festival on Sunday in Black Rock City, Nev. Associated Press This image released by Maxar Technologies shows an overview of the Burning Man 2024 festival on Sunday in Black Rock City, Nev. Associated Press

No foul play is suspected in the death of an attendee at the 2024 Burning Man festival in Nevadas Black Rock Desert, authorities have reportedly confirmed.

Kendra Frazer, 39, was found unresponsive on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. Her place of residence was not disclosed.

Pershing County Sheriffs Sgt. Nathan Carmichael told the Reno Gazette Journal on Tuesday that the investigation is continuing, but foul play had been ruled out.

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The investigation is being led by Pershing County Sheriff Jerry Allen, whose jurisdiction is about 45 miles from the festival site, with the Washoe County medical examiner conducting an autopsy.

The cause of death may take months to determine.

Burning Man 2024: Woman dies on opening day of 2024 festival

The Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority informed the Reno Gazette Journal that five individuals have been airlifted from the festival due to medical emergencies in the past three days, including a cardiac incident, burns and head trauma.

There have been several arrests for charges ranging from aggravated assault to narcotics possession, according to the Pershing County Law Enforcement Association. Burning Mans policy strictly prohibits illegal substances, including marijuana, at Black Rock City, the temporary city hosting the festival.

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Law enforcement at the event is overseen jointly by the Pershing County Sheriffs Office and the federal U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

Despite criticisms from Lawyers for Burners, an advocacy group for attendees, who describe law enforcement at the festival as out of control, officials expect around 70,000 people at Black Rock City this year, down from 74,000 in 2023 and 75,000 in 2022.

This year marks the first time since 2011 that the festival did not sell out.

Burning Man will continue through Monday.
A dam has been shut down after being identified as the source of so-called 'forever chemicals' which have contaminated the water supply of 41,000 Sydney residents.

WaterNSW on Wednesday revealed the presence of the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the Blue Mountains water supply came from Medlow Dam at Medlow Bath, west of Sydney.

In 2023, the World Health Organization declared perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which is one of the roughly 14,000 known variants of PFAS, to be a class one human carcinogen.

PFOA was one of the forever chemicals detected in Medlow Dam.

'This dam does not supply raw water directly, but as a precautionary measure has been disconnected from supply while further investigations are conducted,' a WaterNSW statement read.

Water from Medlow Dam joins water from other sources in supplying the Cascade water filtration plant.

A WaterNSW spokesperson told the Sydney Morning Herald that the water supplied from the Cascade plant to local communities is safe to consume and meets Australian drinking water guidelines.

But the amount of PFAS allowed in drinking water are the subject of new limits in the US, where the laws are far more restrictive than in Australia.

On Wednesday WaterNSW revealed the presence of the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the Blue Mountains water supply came from Medlow Dam (pictured) in Medlow Bath, 108km from Sydney

Earlier this month, a senior policy advisor for the International Pollutants Elimination Network claimed that Australia is falling behind other countries rgearding drinking water safety.

'Australia cannot continue to use drinking water guidelines that are an international embarrassment,' Dr Mariann Lloyd-Smith told ABC's Radio National.

'Australian standards  are out of date, out of touch and totally are not usable for protecting human health. We really do need to move on these chemicals quickly.

'And particularly when it's in drinking water, something that everybody has to consume. It just is totally unacceptable.'

WaterNSW has been working for months to find the source of elevated PFAS levels in the Cascade filtration plant, which provides drinking water to the millions of people who visit the world heritage area every year, as well as Blue Mountains locals.

The levels found in the plant were about 300 times higher than that of Warragamba Dam - Sydney's main drinking water source.

The sampling results released on Wednesday showed the contaminants' source is probably high levels of PFAS in Medlow Dam, which exceeded national safety standards.

WaterNSW said all dams will be monitored and that preliminary sampling indicated Medlow Dam is the only one in its network with elevated readings.

'WaterNSW will keep the community informed as the investigation progresses and work closely with NSW Health and Sydney Water to ensure drinking water remains safe,' the statement added.

In Australia, PFAS chemicals have been used widely in firefighting foam in Defence Force bases due to their resistance to heat and flames.

Developed in the 1940s and 1950s, the chemicals are also known for their resistance to water and stains and are used in products such as rain coats and non-stick frying pans.

Dr Nick Chartres, of the University of Sydney's medicine and health faculty, said they are 'the most mobile, persistent and toxic chemicals in the world'.

Dr Lloyd-Smith cautioned against buying bottled water to use instead of tap water, though. Stock image

'We know that they can get into the Arctic ice caps, they can get into the ice in Antarctica, they get into the deep-sea floor soil sediment. They basically travel everywhere,' he said.

PFAS' in drinking water led to the new, stricter regulations in the US.

Most Australians are likely to already have very low levels of PFAS in their bodies from using sunscreen and cosmetics.

But prolonged exposure, which could happen through drinking contaminated water over a long period, can lead to immune and heart problems, and can also affect fetal and infant growth.

Dr Chartres said the US Environmental Protection Agency found 'based on the best available evidence that we have  there is actually no safe level (of exposure to PFAS)'.

'So if you get exposed across a lifetime, at any level, your risk of these diseases starts going up incrementally based on the level of exposure.'

He said that the US law change should be a wake-up call for Australia.

'We now have to look to that and say, how do our standards (compare)?  And if there's any type of divergence with the Australian (laws), why is there a divergence?'

In the US, the maximum level allowed for PFOA and another variant, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), in drinking water is four parts per trillion.

But in Australia, PFOS and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) - yet another PFAS variant - are allowed up to a level of 70 parts per trillion.

PFOS and PFHxS were both also found in Medlow Dam.

Dr Lloyd-Smith cautioned against buying bottled water to use instead of tap water, though.

'We've found PFAS in bottled water too, so that's not the solution,' she said.

Filtration systems can lower PFAS levels in drinking water, but they are expensive and unaffordable for many people.

Dr Lloyd-Smith said people should try to reduce their exposure to PFAS beyond its presence in drinking water.

She advised people to check labels and read the ingredients in the make-up products they use.

People should also research how their clothes, food and food packaging are made, and what chemicals they could contain.

'Australia must ... assess (PFAS) as a class and aim to restrict and eliminate all uses of PFAS,' Dr Lloyd-Smith said.
A former Biden administration appointee and aspiring Texas lawmaker has been accused of running four fake social media accounts that were harassing him and his campaign.

Taral Patel, 30, was arrested in June and charged with online impersonation and a Class A misdemeanor after he allegedly staged racist attacks against himself in an attempt to gain sympathy.

The Democratic candidate for Fort Bend County commissioner is now accused of running several fake accounts - including one where he impersonated a real district judge, as reported by ABC 13.

Patel allegedly used images of real people to create the fake Facebook accounts, which he used to abuse himself online - possibly to gain the public's sympathy.

Court records show that current Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers requested police open a probe into the racist comments against Patel last October.

Taral Patel, 30, was arrested in June and charged with online impersonation and a Class A misdemeanor after he allegedly staged racist attacks against himself

Meyers believed that one of the names belonged to an account called 'Antonio Scalywag,' who he said had also previously harassed him online.

As a result of a subpoena to Facebook and Google, Scalywag was traced back to Patel, and the Democrat was subsequently arrested.

Prosecutors say Patel used a photo of a Needville man's family for the account, which he supposedly use to send hate to himself.

Patel is also accused of impersonating a Fort Bend County employee and creating a fake Facebook under the name of real District Court Judge Surendran Pattel.

Detectives say they also linked Patel to the email address 'theonlydangerdog@gmail.com,' which he used to open a Facebook account with the name of 'Jane Donnie' and the picture of a real Pennsylvania realtor.

Patel has not addressed the claims since he was bailed out of jail in June, and remains a candidate for Fort Bend County Precinct 3.

Last September he wrote a long Facebook post that he paired with a collage of nearly a dozen disparaging posts that attack his race, ethnicity, religion, and political affiliations

Patel has not addressed the claims since he was bailed out of jail in June, and remains a candidate for Fort Bend County Precinct 3

He has, however, published several tweets following his arrest, one of which reads: 'Good morning to everyone except Texas sized mosquitoes.'

Last September he wrote a long Facebook post that he paired with a collage of nearly a dozen disparaging posts that attack his race, ethnicity, religion, and political affiliations.

The collage featured comments that appeared to come from accounts that extolled conservative Christian virtues, and railed against immigrants - the names attached to most of the comments are blurred or otherwise obscured in the image.

Patel is also accused of impersonating a Fort Bend County employee and creating a fake Facebook under the name of real District Court Judge Surendran Pattel (pictured)

Patel, a rising Democrat, is seen with Barack Obama

Patel's long-winded statement about the comments reads in part, 'I am always open to criticism of my policy positions and stances on issues. However, when my Republican opponents supporters' decide to hurl #racist, #anti-immigrant, #Hinduphobic, or otherwise disgusting insults at my family, faith community, colleagues, and me - that crosses a line.

'Fort Bend County's diversity has made us all stronger, and these hateful images (a small sample attached here) are from a place of deep and misguided fear - incited by people like former President Donald Trump and todays extremist Republican Party fear that immigrants are "taking their jobs" and setting out to hurt our own communities.'

In 2021, Patel was appointed as a White House liaison addressing housing, urban development, and disaster recovery and resilience.
Convicted double-murderer Wade Wilson was today sentenced to death for the 2019 killings of two Florida women.

Dubbed the 'Deadpool Killer' as he shares a name with the Marvel character, 30-year-old Wilson went viral for his 'remorseless' demeanor in court.

He slaughtered Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43, during an hours-long crime spree in October 2019 in Cape Coral.

Wilson also drove to Fort Myers in Melton's car and attacked Melissa Montanez, his ex-girlfriend.

In June, a jury found him guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of first-degree meditated murder in the deaths of the two women and voted in favor of the death penalty.

Tattooed face killer Wade Wilson was sentenced to death for the 2019 slayings of two Florida women

Who is 'Deadpool Killer' Wade Wilson?

Wilson is the tattooed face double murderer who caused a storm on social media for appearing 'smug' and 'smirking' while on trial.

He was convicted of murdering Melton and Ruiz on October 6, 2019 and was described by prosecutors as 'killing for the sake of killing.'

His heavily tattooed look caught the attention of a number of lovesick women who pleaded with the judge to give him lighter sentence.

When he was arrested in 2019 his face was completely clear of markings but gained a vast array of white supremacist tattoos while in jail.

Anti-Defamation League Research Fellow Christopher Magyarics told Newsweek that while none of the blatantly white supremacist tattoos could specifically tie him to any one gang, court evidence suggests that he got in with white supremacist prison gang The Unforgiven during his time in Lee County Jail.

Who was Kristine Melton?

Melton, 35, was raised in Illinois then moved to Cape Coral with a friend where she worked as a waitress, reported the News-Press.

She lived in a duplex, owned a cat, was a godmother and her favorite holiday was Halloween, her cousin Samantha Catomer testified during the trial.

Kristine Melton, 35, was strangled by Wilson in her sleep after meeting him at a bar

She lived in a duplex in Cape Coral, owned a cat, was a godmother and her favorite holiday was Halloween

Melton was described as a quick-witted and kind person who dreamed of becoming a mother.

'Kristine will never experience motherhood, a role she was born to play,' Catomer said.

Who was Diane Ruiz?

Ruiz, 43, was a mother of two, engaged to be married and working as a bartender at the time she was killed.

Her son told Fox4 that his mother lived for her family and was a dear friend to so many.

Zane Romero, 19, one of Ruiz's two sons, said in his victim impact statement that his mother was murdered just days before he was set to debut in his school marching band, which he said she was looking forward to.

Diane Ruiz, 43, was killed by Wilson after he asked her for directions then forced her into his car, strangled her then ran her over with is car

Ruiz was a mother of two, engaged to be married and working as a bartender

'I never got to see her in the crowd,' Romero said. 'My mom will never get to see me get married.'

Ruiz worked at the Moose Lodge and was remembered by her colleagues as 'the heartbeat of the bar,' who never missed a shift for over five years.

How did Wade Wilson murder them both?

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.

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.

Wilson's father said he called him after the killings and described killing Ruiz as 'running her over until she looked like spaghetti'

In testimony from Wilson's father Steven Testasecca, 46, 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 Montanez, his ex-girlfriend.

Wilson's father said in his testimony that Wilson reached out to him on October 7 after he killed Melton and Ruiz.

After the call, an apparently bloodied Wilson then went to a restaurant owned by an acquaintance and told them of the killings. When the owner threatened to call 911, Wilson is said to have fled, later breaking into the home of Fanny and Kent Amlin, a retired couple who were out of town.

Court documents obtained by Newsweek said that Wilson 'showered, ate popcorn drank five White Claws, and stole the victim's clothes, which he was wearing when arrested.'

What were Wade Wilson's motives?

Wilson's defense team argued he was impaired by drugs at the time of the killings.

His attorney 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.

Dubbed the 'Deadpool Killer' as he shares a name with the Marvel character, 30-year-old Wilson went viral for his 'remorseless' demeanor in court

Wilson's defense team argued he was impaired by drugs at the time of the killings and had a brain injury

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.'

What was Wade Wilson's sentence?

On August 27, Florida County Circuit Judge Nicholas R Thompson ruled Wilson would be sentenced to death for the murder of each of his two victims.

He was 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.

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.

When the judge asked if there were any other matters to discuss before dismissal, a member of Wilson's defense team spoke up to advise the judge of his client's final chilling request.

'I understand he has other cases pending here and elsewhere... but Mr. Wilson asked me to ask the court within whatever authority you have to get him to death row as soon as possible,' his lawyer said.

When he was handed down the death penalty, Wilson has to be taken to death row as soon as possible

The families of Melton and Ruiz celebrated the verdict.

They vowed they would see him at execution, with Melton's cousin Samantha said 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.
A desperate manhunt is underway for an elderly California couple who vanished from the 'family friendly' nudist ranch where they live.

Stephanie Menard, 73, her husband, Daniel Menard , 79, and their dog Cuddles, were last seen at leaving their home at the Olive Dell nudist ranch in Colton, near San Bernardino, early on August 24.

The pair were reported missing to the Redlands Police Department by a friend the next day after failing to return.

As deputies began their search, the discovered the couple's unlocked car down the street from where they lived.

Officials have launched a manhunt for Stephanie Menard, 73, her husband, Daniel Menard , 79, after they went missing early August 24 morning

Officials also found Stephanie's purse and both of their cellphones inside their house.

According to ABC7, the couple are currently involved in a possible lawsuit against the nudist ranch over alleged harassment.

The pair are also very active church members and in the Olive Dell community.

In a missing persons Facebook post, authorities also noted that Daniel suffers dementia and diabetes.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Olive Dell nudist ranch for a comment.

Sandy Marinelli, a friend recalled: 'There's just nothing. Not even anything to go off of right now. It's very concerning because this is not normal for them at all.

'I just want them back. They don't deserve this. They're just good people. They go to church. They don't deserve any of this.

She further added that a neighbor first noticed the pair were missing after they did not show up for Sunday church.

As deputies began their search, the discovered the couple's unlocked car down the street from where they lived as well as Stephanie's purse and both of their cellphones inside their house

The pair were last seen at leaving their home at the Olive Dell nudist ranch. The ranch is comprised of RVs and small homes

'[They] went inside their home to see if they would be OK inside and they didn't find them in there.

'But, they found Stephanie's purse was in there, [her]cane was in there. [The] TV was left on, [the] computer was left on. It was just very suspicious for them to be gone,' she told CBS News.

Another friend of the couple, Tammie Wilkerson noted that there was 'no way' the couple walked away from their car and left their stuff behind.

'There's no way that Stephanie or Dan could have walked away from that car. She has a cane. It was at home, her purse, their cellphones - things they would never have left at home.

'They're very sweet people. There's not a mean bone in their body at all, which makes this very confusing,' she said.

In a missing persons Facebook post, authorities also noted that Daniel suffers dementia and diabetes

The couple's dog, Cuddles has also been missing since last week

The incident has left other residents in the area uneasy and worried about their own safety.

'I'm terrified. I haven't slept since this happened. I'm terrified that I'm gonna be next,' Wilkerson noted.

Police are yet to confirm whether any foul play is suspected.

Carl Baker, spokesperson for the City of Redlands said: 'I can't really speak to that; we're certainly investigating every avenue.

'We did have search dogs from Riverside Sheriff's Office and a helicopter from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office.'

The Southern California based nudist ranch describes itself as an 'ideal spot to enjoy the nudist/naturist lifestyle'.

Surrounded by miles of hiking trails, the RV Park boasts of being family-friendly and claims to provide ample privacy among the mountains.

The Olive Dell also welcomes snowbirds from all over the country to rent camping spaces or cabins.
Council tenants are defrauding the British taxpayer of 244million per year by illegally renting out their properties on Airbnb.

As many as 5,800 social homes are being marketed as short-term lets on online platforms, according to the Tenancy Fraud Forum.

It is a criminal offence to rent out social housing and councils could prosecute tenants for doing so - although it is more likely they will face eviction.

A Barking and Dagenham council audit revealed that one tenant was evicted in July after their council-owned property was found listed on Airbnb.

In the nearby borough of Islington, 43 council properties are illegally listed on AirBnb, according to a pilot programme for the National Fraud Initiative.

One sneaky woman pocketed 12,000 by renting out her social housing and put a Right to Buy application on the property. But a council source told The Telegraph that her application was dismissed - even though she paid 10,000 in legal costs.

It is illegal for council tenants to list their properties on online platforms such as Airbnb (Stock Image)

Developments in Barking and Dagenham are managed by council-owned company B&D Reside. With a mixture of shared-ownership and affordable rent homes to choose from, average rents are 60 per cent of the local market rate.

But the council-owned company advised that renters who sublet their properties would be in breach of their tenancy agreement.

Only those with full ownership of their property are allowed 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. It's not worth risking losing your home.'

But flats in the Barking and Dagenham development continued to be listed on letting websites for as much as 290 per night with owners potentially earning up to 9,482 per month.

Michael Westbrook, managing director of B&D Reside, told The Telegraph, '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.'

Vice chair of the Tenancy Fraud Forum and housing investigator for Islington Council Stephanie Toghill said local authorities were struggling to prosecute offending tenants as booking platforms were refusing to release necessary data.

The campaigner said: 'It's really frustrating, because there are other bodies that do it all the time.'

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea teamed up with Airbnb in 2022 to help gain access to critical information that could be used to identify fraudsters.

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.

Vice chair of the Tenancy Fraud Forum and housing investigator for Islington Council Stephanie Toghill (pictured) said local authorities were struggling to prosecute offending tenants as booking platforms were refusing to release necessary data

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.'

In 2019 a council tenant was evicted and handed a 100,000 fine for sub-letting his flat on Airbnb.

Toby Harman, 37, had been advertising his 'cosy studio apartment' with a hot tub in London to holidaymakers on the short-term lettings website since 2013.

Westminster City Council said Mr Harman had promoted the social housing flat under the name Lara  but it discovered mentions of his real name amid hundreds of reviews from people who had stayed at the home in Victoria.
An iconic Los Angeles deli that just celebrated its 77th anniversary is on the brink of closure because the area has been overrun with homelessness and drugs, its frustrated owner says.

Langer's Deli owner Norm Langer, 79, has given the city a week to clean up MacArthur Park across the street from his restaurant, where he says gangs, drugs, trash and street vendors run rampant.

Although his deli, home to what one diner called 'the best pastrami sandwich I've ever had,' has a steady flow of customers daily, Langer has become fed up with the problems plaguing his business.

The nearby Metro plaza - where street vendors and the homeless used to dwell - was recently restricted by the city, leaving them to take over the park Langer once spent hours in as a child.

'I grew up in the park. I'd play in the park, go for boat rides, take naps. There was this whole area on the 7th Street side where older people played shuffleboard, backgammon, gin, all kinds of card games,' Langer told the Los Angeles Times.

Langer's Deli could close its doors soon as the area around it has been consumed by homelessness, drug use, trash, violence and street vendors

Langer's Deli owner Norm Langer, 79, (right) has given the city a week to clean up MacArthur Park across the street

But now, the frustrated owner doesn't recognize the green space anymore.

'I need the park cleaned up. I need 7th Street cleaned up,' Langer told KABC.

Street vendors aren't the only issue affecting Langer.

'It's the issue of the gangs collecting rent,' he said.

'It's the issue of, I'm not going to say fentanyl or any other drug. It's the drugs period.'

Langer said he is 'seriously considering' shutting his doors for good.

'One week. I either see some things happening within the week, or I'll lock it up,' he said.

'People walking around here taking their clothes off, walking around naked. You know, it's nuts,' he told FOX 11.

'I don't want to spoil anybody's appetite, but you've got a problem with defecation on sidewalks, for somebody was strung out on drugs. There's something. They're trying to make a score on fentanyl.

Langer said he is 'seriously considering' shutting the doors for good (Pictured: Encampments in MacArthur Park)

The restaurant counts fans including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who said she is working on a 'strategy' to save the deli

'They're passed out on the sidewalk, and the city is lame and doing something about it.'

The restaurant counts fans including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who said she is working on a 'strategy' to save the deli.

'I have spoken to Mr. Langer a couple of times and look to be meeting with him soon,' she told KABC.

'We need an overall strategy and approach for MacArthur Park because there are a multitude of issues that take place right there,' Bass, a Democrat, said.

Andrew Wolff, the president of the MacArthur Park Neighborhood Council, told KABC the city is working on cleaning up its act.

'I think more and more things are coming. I think initially it was a little slower than maybe we would have liked. We felt that we were in a crisis over the past two years, especially,' Wolff said.

The council has also been in contact with Los Angeles City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez to address the issue.

Hernandez is 'coordinating a multi-agency approach to address the crisis,' her office told KABC.

Although he said both his employees and customers are '100% safe,' Norm wants the city to 'get their act together' in order for him to consider staying

California has spent roughly $24 billion under state Gov. Gavin Newsom's leadership to clean up streets and house people. (Pictured: An encampment in MacArthur Park)

'She is committed to seeing this through and is calling on leaders at every level of government to join her in this urgent work,' a statement form Hernandez's office said.

The MacArthur Park Neighborhood Council has been in contact with Los Angeles City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez (pictured) to help address the issue

The program will provide vendors free booths and 'a safe space to operate,' a spokesman for Metro, which is partnering with the Community Power Collective (CPC) on the program, told DailyMail.com.

The new vending program will launch when the plaza reopens, though Metro did not offer a date.

Langer explained exactly why he's dedicated so much of his life to the deli his parents ran since he was a child.

'Every man needs two things. He needs a place to go when he gets up in the morning, and he needs people who are dependent on him,' he told the Los Angeles Times.

'I've had lung cancer five times. I've had the tops of both lungs removed. I've had prostate cancer. I've had 45 radiation treatments. I've had both knees replaced.

'But Im here... I should be laying down somewhere, but I'm not. Why? Because I have a place to go. And I have people who need me.'

California is home to roughly one-third of the nation's population of homeless people, a problem that has dogged Gov. Gavin Newsom since he took office

California is home to roughly one-third of the nation's population of homeless people, a problem that has dogged Governor Gavin Newsom since he took office.

There are thousands of tents and makeshift shelters across the state that line freeways, and fill parking lots and public parks.

The state has spent roughly $24 billion under Newsom's leadership to clean up streets and house people.

That includes at least $3.2 billion in grants given to local governments to build shelters, clear encampments and connect homeless people to services as they see fit, Newsom said.

Last month, Newsom issued an executive order that mandated state agencies and communities to remove homeless encampments.

He even took the streets himself and started to clear out a homeless encampment in Los Angeles at the beginning of August.
Almost 400,000 people have been left without power in Michigan amid extreme heat and severe storms.

Power went out in homes across two dozen counties on Tuesday night, and according to poweroutage.us, some 340,476 customers are still impacted as of Wednesday morning.

The bulk of the homes impacted are connected to DTE Energy, based in Detroit, prompting fierce backlash from customers.

Extraordinary videos show the storm destroying power lines and downing trees as heavy winds and intense rain hammers parts of the state.

One video shows lightning strikes lighting up a highway, appearing almost directly on top of a motorist, while photos show cars crushed by trees which have fallen across residential streets.

Almost 400,000 people have been left without power in Michigan amid extreme heat and severe storms

One video shows lightning strikes lighting up a highway, appearing almost directly on top of a motorist

'Tuesday's storm caused many downed wires in Southeast Michigan,' the company said in a statement to X.

'Nearly 800 additional contract crews are on their way to Michigan to assist with restoration and restoration updates will be added to the DTE outage map once they are available.'

Furious customers have raised questions about why it is taking so long to restore power.

One said: 'You legitimately can't take 2 f***ing days to repair it, all our groceries are gonna spoil and we won't have air conditioning, you HAVE to get it done quicker.'

Others said it was ironic that DTE was still emailing customers their bills, while they were enduring an outage.

Photos show cars crushed by trees which have fallen across residential streets

Extraordinary videos show the storm destroying power lines and downing trees as heavy winds and intense rain hammers parts of the state

'200,000+ people have been without power for over 12 hours now. WHY IS THE NUMBER NOT DECREASING????????? Our food is spoiled. People cant work from home. No fans or A/C when its in the mid 80s and humid. Our pets are suffering.'

'They charge every user a fee every month for a "power recovery charge" which is so when outages happens they can fix it, at least that's their explanation, so why am I without power for 5 hours?'

DTE acknowledged 'how frustrating power outages can be, especially today, when were all so reliant on electricity to live, work and play' and assured customers crews are working tirelessly to restore power.

Some 116,000 customers with Consumers Energy are also still without power.

Power went out in homes across two dozen counties on Tuesday night

One video showed a transformer exploding in the distance

Extraordinary videos show the storm destroying power lines and downing trees as heavy winds and intense rain hammers parts of the state

The company has urged customers near Larkin Township Hall or Courtland Township Hall to 'stop by for water and ice at 1pm' and said people impacted by the outages should consider 'enjoying time at your local library.'

'Many of our neighbors around Michigan are waking up in homes without electricity this morning.

'Yesterdays weather packed a big punch, with wind gusts reaching 75 mph in many locations.'

Crews have since restored power to 30 per cent of their impacted network, and there are 350 more teams at sites around the state continuing to work to fix the problem.

'Our efforts to restore power will continue until everyone affected has their lights back on.

'If you or a loved one is without power today, please take precautions to stay cool. Wear loose fitting clothing. Drink lots of water.'

The outages have prompted several schools, including Farwell Area Schools, Pine River Area Schools and Clare Public Schools to cancel classes on Wednesday.

The region is grappling with an intense heatwave expected to last several more days.
An elderly woman has opened up about her harrowing ordeal with a romance scammer and the horrifying moment she realised she'd been conned.

Perth widow Maggie Ayres admitted she lost tens of thousands of dollars last year to a love-bombing criminal who used the fake name 'Brian'.

She bravely came forward this week to warn Aussies to be wary of trusting people they meet online as part of Scam Awareness Week.

Ms Ayres had just moved to Australia from South Africa to be closer to her children following the death of her husband of 46 years and desperate for companionship, she turned to online dating.

She received her first email from Brian in July 2023, and was surprised by his immediate 'love' for her - which she now recognises as a 'red flag'.

'He showered me with love and compliments, calling me 'love' and 'honey' very soon,' she said.

'I found that his kindness and patience grew on me, making me feel safe, appreciated and loved.'

Brian initially backed off after Ms Ayres told him that she was in a relationship but got back in touch five months later.

Perth woman Maggie Ayres (pictured) admitted she lost tens of thousands of dollars to a love-bombing criminal named 'Brian'

He claimed to be a geological engineer from Sydney who was working on an oil rig in The North Sea near Scotland.

To back up his story, he showed Ms Ayres his contract, passport and ID - which were all created using AI and deepfake technology.

She would regularly video chat with Brian which, although the calls were often distorted and planned in advance, gave reassurance that she wasn't being scammed.

Brian initially said he would soon return to Australia but an apparent power failure on the rig left him financially responsible to replace machinery.

He promised to pay back Ms Ayres with interest, which rang alarm bells for her children.

Nevertheless, Ms Ayres loaned Brian the money and sent more funds when he needed to cover expensive shipping taxes for the parts to be sent from America.

'Every time there was something else. He started blaming me because I took too long to send the money,' she recalled.

Brian's web of lies eventually came undone during a video call with Ms Ayres.

The scammer had been using deepfake technology to appear the same as the fake photos he had emailed her.

However, during their chat, his filter glitched - revealing his true identity.

The scammer was 'sitting in a cupboard, covering with a blanket but so that I could see his face and his mouth'.

Brian (pictured) claimed to be a geological engineer from Sydney who was working on an oil rig in The North Sea near Scotland

The scammer immediately disconnected the call, leaving Ms Ayres with the horrible realisation she'd been swindled.

'The impact this experience had on me emotionally and psychologically is destructive,' she said.

'I went through the darkest days of my life. How could I have been so blind?

Ms Ayres is now totally dependent on her children after being conned thousands.

'Scammers get away with trails of broken hearts, destroyed dreams, empty promises and bank accounts without being tracked down,' she said.

'I've not only lost my companion, but also my independence, my self confidence and my value,' Ms Ayres said.

Western Australians alone have already lost $2.9million to 26 romance scams this year. The total for 2023 was $3.7million.

WA Commerce Minister Sue Ellery described romance scammers as the 'worst of the worst' who represent the worst of humanity.

Western Australians alone have already lost $2.9million to dozens of romance scams this year (stock image)

'Their victims lose thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars, are left feeling shattered emotionally, as well as suffering from the financial loss,' she said.

'Our advice is to be incredibly vigilant, to be cautious.'

Australians who believe they've been conned are urged to report it to Scamwatch.

The government agency works to help stop scams, share warnings and offer support.
Wetherspoon's Tim Martin has gone head to head with Ryanair chief Michael O'Leary over his calls for a two-drink limit at airports.

The airline boss wants a change at pubs before the boarding gates after a steep rise in drunken passengers' bad behaviour.

But Sir Tim, the chairman of the pub chain which owns seven airport venues, claims travellers are getting drunk on the flights - as opposed to while they're waiting to board.

He also said his airport pubs had stopped offering 'shooters' and 'double up' deals, which he claims are still offered on flights.

The Wetherspoon boss told MailOnline: 'We have had no complaints about our pubs from the airport authorities or airlines, that I'm aware of, in recent years.

Wetherspoon boss Sir Tim Martin has slammed the idea of a two-drink limit in airports (stock photo)

Pictured: Pubgoers at the Wetherspoon's pub in Stanstead Airport earlier this month

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary demanded the change last night, claiming passengers were getting drunk in the terminal then causing chaos onboard (stock photo)

There are seven Wetherspoon pubs in airports across the UK, including the Windmill in Stansted

'Some years ago Wetherspoon stopped selling "shooters" at airports, as well as "double-up" offers, which some airlines, including Ryanair, do still offer.

'Our own understanding was that most problems then arose from incoming flights, possibly indicating less controls abroad.'

Footage has emerged of chaos is recent years, with a Ryanair hostess telling of the time she was taunted by 'drunk' Man United fans who chanted sexist songs at her during flight to Barcelona.

Chloe Harrison said she had only been in the job for three months when she was forced to deal with the lewd gaggle of supporters - with one even inviting her into the toilet with them.

Ryanair boss O'Leary yesterday said cabin crew were now dealing with brawls on flights weekly because travellers are indulging in more alcohol than they should before boarding.

He called for 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.'

Pictured: Chaos broke out on a Ryanair flight in February last year, and an air hostess said she was taunted by 'drunk' Manchester United fans

The Wetherspoon, one of three of Sir Tim's pubs in Gatwick airport (stock)

Some Brits had even taken to social media to share how they got alcohol on planes - like TikTok user @Roxreviews

But Sir Tim said this was not the case in his airport Wetherspoon, and claimed that in the past four weeks just one third of their sales at their busiest terminal pub was booze.

He said two thirds of sales are non-alcoholic - with food taking up almost 40 per cent of sales, soft drinks almost 20 per cent and coffee 6.7 per cent.

Sir Tim continued: 'Our pubs, in common with other airport venues cooperate with airport initiatives such as "One Too Many" which warn passengers of the consequences of drinking too much before boarding their flight, including heavy fines and not being allowed to travel.

What airports have Wetherspoon pubs? - London Stansted - The Windmill - London Heathrow - The Crown Rivers - London Gatwick - The Flying Horse - London Gatwick - The Beehive - London Gatwick - The Red Lion - Birmingham Airport - Wetherspoon - Edinburgh Airport - The Sir Walter Scott Advertisement

'Mr O'Leary refers to genuine problems and flight safety is of course paramount, but Wetherspoon airport pubs provide supervised consumption in a controlled environment, with attractive non-alcoholic options and a wide food menu.

'There is no perfect solution, but in working with airports and airlines and the licensing authorities , Wetherspoon believes it has struck a reasonable balance for outbound flights.'

Meanwhile, the Ryanair boss also revealed crew are now stopping Brits flying to Ibiza taking water onboard as passengers were filling their bottles with vodka.

Mr O'Leary said said staff had even been forced to start searching passengers cabin bags before the jumped on flights to the likes of Ibiza and other party destinations.

The boss said this came after travellers started filling their water bottles up with vodka and sneaking it onboard.

Mr O'Leary claimed that drugs were playing a part, too.

The Times reported the boss said: 'We used to only allow them to take bottles of water on board, not realising that they were full of vodka.

'Now we don't even allow them to take those.'

Break down of sales at 'Spoons busiest pub Sir Tim Martin, the Wetherspoon boss, said: 'In order to provide perspective on the issue, we have reviewed Wetherspoon sales in the last four weeks at our busiest airport pub. 'Approximately two thirds of sales are non-alcoholic: food is 39.8%, soft drinks 19% and coffee 6.7%. 'Coffee volumes, for example, which include free refills, approximately match lager volumes at our airport pubs.' Advertisement

'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. It's the mix.

'You get much more aggressive behaviour that becomes very difficult to manage. And it's not directed just at the crew. Passengers fighting with each other is now a growing trend on board the aircraft.'

But he said the issue with boozed travellers wasn't isolated to Ibiza, but the likes of other beach destinations like the Greek Islands - and even Liverpool, Glasgow, Manchester and Edinburgh, too.

However, SkyNews reported he said: 'Ibiza is by far and away the worst destination for it.'

Passengers aren't shy when it comes to their drinking.

Many have taken to the likes of TikTok in recent times, sharing their 'tips and tricks' on how to get alcohol on board.

Some passengers posted themselves pouring glasses of wine they'd bought at airport bars into their water bottles, coffee cups and whatever other vessels they had on hand.

In the footage they looked merry as they then board the plane, and showed how they'd got the booze on board.

Others recorded themselves filling up water or soft drink bottles with booze they'd snagged in duty free, before heading through the gates onto their flights.
Los Angeles has joined a growing list of US cities to push for eye-popping slavery reparations payouts to black residents, even without plans for where the money will come from.

The Reparations Advisory Commission released a 56-page report on Tuesday that does not propose a full cost for reparations, but suggests it could run into hundreds of trillions of dollars in America's second-biggest city.

Black Angelenos typically own just $30,000 in assets  far less than the $335,000 of their white neighbors, says the report.

Levelling up the city's 332,000 black residents could therefore cost many trillions of dollars, which is far beyond even the plans of the most radical advocates of racial justice.

It far exceeds the city council's budget, which this year stands at $12.8 billion, and even then faces a multimillion dollar deficit.

Black residents of Manhattan beach who were among the Californians's to suffer under racist property laws

Los Angeles has announced its own plans for slavery reparations in a 40-page report that calls for payouts

Researchers instead says reparations payouts are a possible answer to the injustices of the past, and could flow directly from federal, state, and local coffers.

It also suggests that black Angelenos could get carve-outs on income taxes and have their debts wiped away.

Poll Do you support a federal reparation policy directed at the descendants of slaves? Yes No Not sure Do you support a federal reparation policy directed at the descendants of slaves? Yes 559 votes

No 17652 votes

Not sure 172 votes Now share your opinion





'Without exceptional government intervention, it is likely that the wealth gap will continue to grow until the dreams of a life of safety, comfort, and freedom from financial ruin are limited to all but a few,' says the report.

The study, called An Examination of African American Experiences in Los Angeles, was only an executive summary of the full 400-page report that is set to come out next month.

It involved researchers from California State University, Northridge, polling black LA residents about their experiences, and original historical research on the period from 1930 to 2022.

At the launch, Capri Maddox, head of the city's Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department, revealed public concerns for reparations for payouts in a city and state with no history of slavery.

California was admitted to the United States in 1850 as a free state and fought on the Union's side in the Civil War.

The segregation practiced in the South through the 1960s did not exist in California.

'A lot of people say, `What's slavery have to do with Los Angeles? What do reparations have to do with Los Angeles?',' Maddox told reporters.

'The dehumanization of people by Jim Crow and other policies like red lining led to some of the challenges we have today in Los Angeles.'

The report identifies a dozen harms black Angelenos have endured, such as impacts from slavery, racial terror, mental and physical injury and neglect.

They've also suffered from racism in environmental policies, a biased legal system, housing segregation, stolen land, lost opportunities, poor schools, political disenfranchisement, and a wealth gap, it adds.

'The effects of historical injustices stemming from slavery have impacted opportunities and outcomes for generations of black people in Los Angeles,' says the document.

Researchers described how the city was a hub for Ku Klux Klan activity in the 1920s and 1930s, with support from the LA Police Department officers and city politicians.

Los Angeles long-time resident, Walter Foster, holds up a sign at a state reparations task force meeting

Capri Maddox, general manager of the Los Angeles civil rights department, says black Angalenos faced 'dehumanization'

The commission's vice chair Khansa Jones-Muhammad, better known as Friday Jones, details Los Angeles' racist history

A ceremony for compensating black residents of Manhattan Beach for racist property laws

By the 1950s, drug wars in the city disproportionately hurt black neighborhoods, escalating police harassment and arrests, said the commission's vice chair Khansa Jones-Muhammad, according to MyNewsLA.

Researchers found that black Angelenos faced barriers to housing and home ownership that set them back by $7.2 billion between 1970 and 1990.

The commission recommended that LA issue an official 'acknowledgement and apology' for the injustices of slavery and Jim Crow policies, as well as to document the history of slavery in the city.

They referred to a survey of black and mixed-race households that found 76 percent of respondents supported 'monetary payments.'

Reductions in income taxes for black residents and debt forgiveness were also popular by huge margins, according to the survey of 618 adults.

Researchers did not address who in LA could be eligible for any payouts  which is a divisive issue among reparations activists.

Some campaigners say benefits should flow to those descended from slaves, while others say blacks who migrated to the US in recent decades and others also suffered and deserve compensation.

Los Angeles is among a number of cities, including San Francisco, Boston, and Evanston, Illinois, to launch their own reparations studies.

States such as New York and California have their own initiatives.

California's Legislature is weighing plans to issue a formal apology for its role in perpetuating discrimination against black residents, to create an agency to administer payouts, and to identify families whose property was unjustly seized.

From left, State Sen. Steven Bradford, Secretary of State Shirley Weber, task force member Lisa Holder and Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer hold up a final report of the California reparations task force last year

The reparations movement gathered momentum across the US amid the race protests over the police killing of George Floyd in 2020, but progress has stalled more recently.

Campaigners say it's time for America to repay its black residents for the injustices of the historic Transatlantic slave trade, Jim Crow segregation and inequalities that persist to this day.

The sums are eye-watering  black lawmakers in Washington seek at least $14 trillion for a federal scheme to 'eliminate the racial wealth gap' between black and white Americans.

Critics say payouts to selected black people will inevitably stoke divisions between winners and losers, and raise questions about why American Indians and others don't get their own handouts.

Reparations are popular among the black people who stand to benefit from them, but unpopular among the whites, Asians, and others who would foot the tax bill without themselves benefiting.

Fully 74 percent of blacks support the US government reparations for slavery and its legacy, compared with just 26 percent of whites, according to a Reuters/Ipsos survey from last year.

Reparations are much more popular among Democrat voters than with Republicans.

From the 15th to the 19th century, at least 12.5 million Africans were kidnapped, forcibly transported by European ships and merchants and sold into slavery.

Those who survived the brutal voyage ended up toiling on plantations in the Americas, including in Brazil, the Caribbean, and the United States, while others profited from their labor.
Berkeley police said they confiscated multiple guns from a man accused of a fatal shooting in a homeless shelter. Berkeley Police Department

Berkeley police arrested a man suspected of shooting and killing a man at a West Berkeley homeless shelter on Sunday, according to a statement.

Police arrested Mark Christopher Dowling, 62, on Monday morning after locating him parked in his vehicle near Fourth Street and Camelia Street. Officials searched his vehicle and allegedly found several guns and ammunition.

The Alameda County District Attorneys Office charged Dowling with murder on Tuesday.

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A 37-year-old man died after a shooting inside Ursula Sherman Village, a shelter for homeless disabled adults at 711 Harrison St., just before 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. The victim was not immediately identified.

The man succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident marked Berkeleys fourth homicide of 2024 and the citys third involving gun violence.

We will never tolerate violence in our community, and it is an ever-present concern for our Department, Berkeley police said in a statement. We are grateful for the communitys continued support and thankful that we were able to bring this suspect to justice.
A bogus taxi driver who raped a vulnerable young woman after a night out collapsed in court yesterday as he was jailed for seven years.

Mohamad Sabbagh slumped in the dock at the High Court in Edinburgh as he was sentenced for attack of his intoxicated victim, prompting an emotional outburst by a female relative.

After a brief adjournment the judge, Lady Ross, returned to the bench to complete her sentencing as he stood in the dock.

The 40-year-old was placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely and banned from contacting or attempting to contact his victim.

The court had heard how Sabbagh drove the 25-year-old victim to a secluded spot in Edinburgh before demanding that she has sex with him and raped her in his unlicensed taxi.

Mohamad Sabbagh, a Syrian man living in Edinburgh, was jailed for seven years for raping a vulnerable woman in his unlicenced taxi

She later told her mother that shed begged him to take her home, but was subjected to the predatory sexual assault at a car park in the citys Niddrie area.

He had earlier picked up the woman and her friend after they went for a night out in the city. But once hed dropped of the pal, he carried out the attack on the stranger.

Sabbagh, who is originally from Syria but now lives in Edinburgh, had earlier denied raping the woman on May 1 in 2022 claiming she consented to sex and had seduced him.

However, the jury unanimously convicted him of rape whilst operating as an unlicensed taxi driver in an unlicensed taxi.

Lady Ross told Sabbagh: The complainer got into your car believing you would take her home. She was a stranger to you in need of help and vulnerable. You exploited her vulnerability.

She continued: She was intoxicated and she was in no position to consent to have sex with you.

In her own words she was drifting in and out of consciousness and she was scared. She just wanted to go home.

Lady Ross pointed out: You continue to deny responsibility, maintaining the position that what took place was consensual and indeed initiated by the complainer and in that sense you seek to blame the victim,

The judge said the crime had a serious impact on the victim and added: Although you have not previously served a custodial sentence the nature and seriousness of your offence means there is no alternative to a prison sentence.

This is necessary to fulfil the relevant sentencing purposes of punishment, the expression of societys concern about sexual offending of this kind and the public interest in deterring such offending,' said the judge.

A further charge of operating a taxi without a licence was withdrawn during the trial.

Defence counsel Kenneth Cloggie said Sabbagh has been in Scotland since 2018.

He came from Syria originally but moved to Egypt with his wife and three children in 2013 before coming to the UK.

He told the court that Sabbagh was assessed as posing a moderate risk of reoffending.

Scotlands Procurator Fiscal for High Court Sexual Offending, Katrina Parkes said: Mohamad Sabbagh is a predatory individual who poses a danger to women.

The bravery of his victim has resulted in this conviction, and he will now face the consequences of his depraved behaviour.

Police Scotland Detective Inspector Arthur McEwan added: Sabbaghs behaviour was abhorrent.

The victim believed he was a taxi driver, and she would be taken to her destination safely but instead she was put through an extremely traumatic ordeal.

She has shown tremendous strength during this case.
A well-known Colorado dog breeder was found murdered in a wooded area and at least 10 of his Doberman puppies are still missing.

Paul Peavey, 57, of Idaho Springs, was found by a search group of around 50 people that one of his closest friends, Bruce Boynton, organized on Saturday.

'It sucks we had to go find our friend,' Boynton, who owns Pickaxe Pizza, told 9 News. '[He] was tossed over the hill and covered up with sticks and stones and debris.

'[It's] nothing anyone wants to see in their life. Its something that would haunt you for the rest of your life.'

Clear Creek County Sheriff Matthew Harris said the body was found off an embankment and out of plain sight, and its condition suggested the death was suspicious in nature. It is unclear if Peavey was killed so his murderer could steal the puppies, with cops yet to make any arrests or share a possible motive.

Boynton, alongside some of his customers, went out to search for the local breeder days after Boynton reported him missing after law enforcement failed to investigate, according to 9 News. They found Peavey's body within three minutes of searching.

Paul Peavey, 57, of Idaho Springs, was found by a search group of around 50 people that one of his closest friends, Bruce Boynton, organized on Saturday

'[He] was tossed over the hill and covered up with sticks and stones and debris,' his friend said. '[It's] nothing anyone wants to see in their life. Its something that would haunt you for the rest of your life'

'Customers would have been in here enjoying music and pizza and maybe a cold beer, but we had something more important things to do,' he told the outlet.

'Half the people that showed up don't even know Paul,' he told Denver 7.

Boynton began to worry about Peavey after a mutual friend called him and asked if he had seen him. He had recently seen the breeder, but didn't think anything of his friend's silence as he knew Peavey was busy.

He normally saw the dog breeder twice a week when he would come into his pizza shop for food. The last time the breeder had been heard from was August 19, according to police.

On Wednesday, after going to his property on Two Brothers Road, Boynton found some of his friend's valuable items missing and 13 of his Doberman dogs.

'His puppies are missing, his equipment is missing, anything of value is gone, the doors are wide open, and no one [was there],' he told 9 News. 'I felt that my friend was either in danger or worse. And we were right.'

Clear Creek County Sheriff Matthew Harris said the body was found off an embankment and out of plain sight, and its condition suggested the death was suspicious in nature

He couldn't stand to watch his friend's mysterious disappearance go on, so he set up the search party.

'It should not have been us. The authorities should have listened to us from the very beginning and acted on it, but they did not,' he criticized the Sheriff's Office. 'Theyre on our side now, but we had to prove what wed been telling them for days.'

The Sheriff's Office has since opened an investigation into Peavey's death, but Harris defended the law enforcement agency, telling 9 News that a missing person's report does not necessarily indicate a person is in danger and deputies have limited resources.

'We have a small staffA lot of complaints that come in, and we have to triage that in order of importance,' he told the outlet. 'If the situation and the information we learned suggested that a person was endangered, certainly we would have a larger team here.'

Police do not believe the public is in danger.

'His dogs were his life,' Boynton said. He had been through some things in life, and the dogs were his therapy. We're going to miss him'

However, it does believe up to 10 puppies are still missing and encourages Central Colorado residents to check if their new Doberman puppies are microchipped if they recently adopted one, it said in a Facebook post.

They've received several tips regarding the missing pups, including about an ad on Craigslist that they eventually determined was 'legitimate.'

'The breeder for that site was cooperative with investigators and is in no way involved in this case,' it said.

'His dogs were his life,' Boynton told Denver 7. 'He had been through some things in life, and the dogs were his therapy.

'We're going to miss him.'

A coroner is still working to determine Peavey's cause of death.
An 11-year-old child has become one of the youngest people to be arrested over the UK riots after he was detained over disorder in Middlesbrough.

Cleveland Police confirmed it had arrested 14 people aged between 11 and 43 after it sent out 10 teams from its headquarters early on Wednesday to carry out a series of raids.

All of the arrests relate to the widespread trouble seen in Hartlepool and Middlesbrough this summer, marking some of the worst disorder to sweep the nation in recent memory.

The force also issued a stark warning to troublemakers, saying: 'The message is "You haven't got away with it".'

Riots spread across major towns and cities following the murder of three little girls at a Taylor Swift inspired dance class in Southport on July 29.

Days of disorder followed after false messaging on social media wrongly identified the suspected killer as an Islamist migrant.

Police vowed to catch anyone responsible for joining in the disorder earlier this month after strike teams carried out a series of raids on Teesside

All of the arrests relate to the widespread trouble seen in Hartlepool and Middlesbrough this summer, marking some of the worst disorder to sweep the nation in recent memory

Days of disorder followed after false messaging on social media wrongly identified the suspected killer as an Islamist migrant

As of last week, more than 520 people have been charged in relation to the week-long disorder in towns and cities across the UK, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Before the strike teams set out in Middlesbrough this morning, Superintendent Marc Anderson briefed them, saying: 'I was Silver Commander on Sunday August 4 and never in my 30 years' service have I seen anything like that in Middlesbrough.

'What the community had to put up with that day was completely unacceptable.'

He warned officers to take their personal safety seriously and to secure the addresses they were raiding, given that suspects will know the courts have handed out hefty sentences for disorder.

One strike team arrested two people - a man aged 23 and his 43-year-old mother - on suspicion of violent disorder.

After the raids were successfully completed, Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Robinson, in charge of the operation to catch the Middlesbrough disorder suspects, said: 'The message is 'You haven't got away with it'.

'We can identify you and we will arrest you, you will be arrested and you will be put before the courts.

'Behind every crime there is a victim and some of the stories that we have been told have been really harrowing.

Hundreds of people have appeared in court this month following the far-right riots that swept the UK.

Yobs attacked strangers in the streets, targeted asylum hotels and assaulted police officers in disgraceful scenes fuelled by lies peddled online.

Dozens have since been convicted of crimes for their roles in the mayhem.

Riots spread across major towns and cities following the murder of three little girls at a Taylor Swift inspired dance class in Southport on July 29 (pictured: A car burns after it was set alight by far-right activists holding a demonstration in Middlesbrough)

Cleveland Police confirmed it had arrested 14 people aged between 11 and 43 after it sent out 10 teams from its headquarters early on Wednesday to carry out a series of raids

Riots, such as the ones seen in Middlesbrough (pictured) devastated towns and cities across the UK since July 30

Yobs attacked strangers in the streets, targeted asylum hotels and assaulted police officers in disgraceful scenes fuelled by lies peddled online (pictured: Protestors battle police in Hartlepool)

On Wednesday, a man who tried to instigate a 'riot' in Huddersfield has been jailed for nine months.

Harvey Gardner, 20, pleaded guilty to encouraging violent disorder over social media posts urging people to gather at the West Yorkshire town's train station and promising 'it's not going to be peaceful'.

Leeds Crown Court heard the proposed disorder on August 5 did not materialise, but police and local businesses were forced to prepare for it.

Gardner's 'widely shared' posts came against the backdrop of 'widespread violent disorder' across the country.

A judge heard he wrote on Facebook and X, formerly Twitter, a post that read: 'Riot in Huddersfield on Monday. Meet at the train station at 1pm. Everyone come show your support. It's not going to be peaceful.'

The court heard he also tried to post the same message on a Facebook group called Huddersfield Community, but the moderator stopped him.

Hundreds of people have appeared in court this month following the far-right riots (such as the one pictured in Hartlepool) that swept the UK

Harvey Gardner, 20, pleaded guilty to encouraging violent disorder over social media posts urging people to gather at the West Yorkshire town's train station and promising 'it's not going to be peaceful'

When Gardner, of Queens Way, Kirkburton, was arrested he said he had 'the right to protest', it was said.

In mitigation, the court heard Gardner had no previous offences and was 'deeply regretful' over the fact he had 'jumped on the bandwagon'.

Sentencing Gardner to nine months in custody, Judge Guy Kearl KC said: 'There can be no doubt you were inciting others to engage in violent disorder, otherwise why post the comments?

'No violent incident took place, but the effect of your posts was that local businesses and police had to cater for disorder.

'Your intention was to instigate and incite an incident involving serious violence.'
Donald Trump and his team are hitting back at claims that his trip to Arlington National Cemetery included an altercation with a member of the staff there.

A member of Trump's team and staffer at the cemetery clashed over the presence of a photographer in Section 60, the area of the cemetery where American troops who were killed in recent wars are buried, according to reports.

An official with the cemetery tried to 'physically block' members of Trump's team, according to Steven Cheung, a Trump campaign spokesman.

'The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trump's team during a very solemn ceremony,' Cheung said in the statement.

He threatened to release footage backing up his claim. That footage has yet to be released.

Former U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Kelsee Lainhart and Donald Trump lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery

The clash came to light after an NPR report about a 'verbal and physical altercation' between Trump and cemetery staff over the presence of a photographer and videographer from Trump's team.

Arlington National Cemetery said that federal law prohibits political campaigning or 'election-related' activities within Army cemeteries, including by photographers.

'We were granted access to have a photographer there,' Cheung countered.

He posted a screenshot of an email saying that 'only former President Trump may have an official photographer or videographer outside of the main media pool.'

His campaign later posted a video of the visit to Trump's TikTok account.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump shared a statement from the family members of the fallen soldiers expressing their approval for photos and video to be taken.

'We had given our approval for President Trump's official videographer and photographer to attend the event, ensuring these sacred moments of remembrance were respectfully captured and so we can cherish these memories forever,' the families said.

'The president and his team conducted themselves with nothing but the utmost respect and dignity for all of our service members, especially our beloved children,' the statement noted.

Visitors have long taken graveside photographs in Arlington National Cemetery, including in Section 60.

But the cemetery seemed to think Trump's visit was different.

It said it 'reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants' which includes 'photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidate's campaign.'

Trump was invited by the families to visit the cemetery to pay tribute to the 13 Americans killed three years ago in a bombing outside the Kabul airport during the Afghanistan evacuation.

The former president laid a series of wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and then paid a private visit to section 60, the area of the cemetery where those killed in Afghanistan are buried.

He was joined by family members of some of the U.S. soldiers who were killed in a bombing at Abbey Gate. He was also was accompanied by two Marines who were injured in attack: Cpl. Kelsee Lainhart, who was paralyzed in the attack and now uses a wheelchair, and Sgt. Tyler Vargas-Andrews, who lost his right arm and left leg.

Arlington National Cemetery is considered hallowed ground in the U.S. military and is managed by the Army.

The media were not allowed to accompany Trump to Section 60, the final resting place for those who died fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan - a place regularly visited by spouses and family members of the fallen.

Trump had posed for photos with the family and laid flowers at the tombs of some soldiers who died, according to images posted on social media by his team.

Gov. Spencer J. Cox, Republican of Utah  who visited the cemetery with Trump  shared a photo from Section 60 on social media, with the former president and others in a 'thumbs-up' pose around the grave of Staff Sergeant Hoover.

The families of the fallen released a statement backing Trump and his team

The White House took a swipe at Trump's visit to the cemetery, seeming to indicate it was merely for the television cameras.

'There are many ways that we as a nation and our leaders can observe the third anniversary of Abby 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 fans,' White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.

'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' every 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, had the support that they need,' he added.

As president, Trump struck a deal with the Taliban that set a timetable to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan.

But he criticized the ultimate exit during the Biden presidency, saying the execution was botched.

President Biden lays flowers at the tomb of SSG Ryan Knauss

Arlington National Cemetery is considered sacred ground and run by the U.S. Army

Over 100 Afghanistan locals and the 13 U.S. troops were killed when a suicide bombing took place at Hamid Karzai International Airport.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Monday's visit enabled Trump to tie his rival Kamala Harris to what he calls 'the most embarrassing moment in our history.' Trump has repeatedly criticized President Joe Biden's handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Biden was in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on Monday, starting the second week of his summer vacation.

The visit also allowed Trump to counter reports he doesn't respect veterans and has previously referred to slain World War II soldiers as suckers and losers, reports Trump has denied.

'This is the third anniversary of the BOTCHED Afghanistan withdrawal, the most EMBARRASSING moment in the history of our Country,' Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday.

'Gross Incompetence  13 DEAD American soldiers, hundreds of people wounded and dead, AMERICANS and BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT LEFT BEHIND.'
You know somethings very wrong when Waitrose is accused of pulling a fast one. But earlier this month the middle class favourite was caught stealthily reducing the size of its toilet rolls. Waitrose own brand pack of nine has dropped in price from 5 to 4, but the size of each roll has plummeted from 240 sheets to 190 and shrunk in weight by 40 per cent.

The embarrassing moment was exposed when suspicious shopper David Winskill got his rolls home and realised they felt significantly lighter than usual.

I wasnt about to start counting them, so I weighed them, said the 68-year-old. It makes no sense as because they are smaller they will run out more quickly  so the reduced cost is meaningless. Were paying less, to get less, and being told it is a better product.

Waitrose own brand pack of nine has dropped in price from 5 to 4, but the size of each roll has plummeted from 240 sheets to 190 and shrunk in weight by 40 per cent

While the 20 per cent sheet shrinkage is in line with the 1 price drop, Davids sleuthing appears to show the paper sheets in the rolls have also reduced in size as theyre 40 per cent lighter.

Fellow shoppers have flooded the Waitrose website with more than 1,300 complaints to date and given the product the lowest possible rating. One fumed: Suddenly, the rolls are much smaller and the tube is bigger... A change this drastic should not be sold as the same product.

But its not the only supermarket trying to fool the shopper.

At Sainsbury's, McVities Digestive Biscuits have reduced their pack size by 10%

As our guide shows, shrinkflation  the practice of reducing the size of a product without a matching drop in price  is now rampant.

Shrinkflation, which we call the mugs eye ful, is the exact opposite of what shoppers value  transparency and authenticity, says consumer expert Kate Hardcastle. I understand why producers do it. The cost of everything from ingredients to labour has risen dramatically over the last few years and we dont like paying more. So the obvious solution is to shrink the product and hope shoppers dont notice. They call it re-engineering or price management and it happens most easily in products with a lot of packaging, making it easy to disguise the shrinkage.

But no-one wants to be taken for a fool and thats what it feels like, and its happening more and more.

Which? magazines senior editor, Ele Clark, wants the Government to urge retailers to make unit pricing clearer. She says: Supermarkets and manufacturers must be more upfront with consumers about any changes in the size or ingredients of their products. They should also ensure that unit pricing is prominent, legible and consistent so that shoppers can easily compare prices across different brands and pack sizes.

So far British politicians are unwilling to act. In fact, in April, during a parliamentary inquiry into fairness in the food supply, leading UK retailers and brands denied the need for any further shrinkflation regulations and instead justified the practice.

Its contrary to whats happening elsewhere. For example, since July, French supermarkets have been obliged to display when food and consumer goods have been shrunk. Information must stay in place for two months. The French finance minister declared shoppers deserve transparency and slammed shrinkflation as a rip-off.

So what can we do to help ourselves?

As with the Waitrose loo roll, some examples are subtle - the Mail found that in some multi-packs of chocolate, not only is there one less bar (in line with the price change), but the weight of the remaining bars has dropped by up to 20 per cent.

At Tesco, for a bar of Galaxy chocolate you're now paying 36p more for 10g less

The practice has proved so successful its not going to disappear, but consumers do have the power to force change, says Hardcastle. Rejecting a brand or product if you feel ripped off will have a serious impact.

Meanwhile its worth knowing some key products and what unit size youre looking for and shopping away from that brand if its subject to shrinkflation. It really does pay to be vigilant.

From Waitrose to Tesco, Sainsburys to Ocado, follow our shrinkflation-busting guide to ensure youre not short-changed on your weekly shop...
Kamala Harris is facing pushback from Republican strategists for decision to bring along her sidekick Tim Walz for her first sit-down interview since her astonishing move to become the Democratic presidential nominee.

'I think its incredibly weak, weak sauce to show up with your running mate,' former George W. Bush White House official Scott Jennings told CNN, where he serves as a commentator. He said the move showed a 'troubling lack of confidence in her political ability.'

'The fact that they don't have enough confidence in her to let her sit herself, the actual top of the ticket and do a single interview,' he continued, speaking on Anderson Cooper's evening program on the network. 'In fact, I think the handwringing and the gyrations over this, over the last month show a troubling, lack of confidence in her political ability,' he added.

'I think Republicans are going to think it's pretty week to show up with effectively someone to take up half the time,' he said.

Harris had been under increasing pressure to answer sustained questions about her plans since President Joe Biden stepped back from his own reelection bid July 21. Then, as the weeks passed without such an event, she faced demands to do so with an outlet that would subject her to rigorous questioning.

Team effort: Vice President Kamala Harris is being criticied for bringing along her running mate Tim Walz in her sit-down interview with CNN, her first since Joe Biden ended his campaign

After promising to do an interview by the end of the month, Harris' campaign settled on an interview airing Thursday night on CNN with the network's chief political correspondent and anchor Dana Bash.

Although some commentators have called the venue friendly territory, former President Donald Trump has praised the questioning by moderators Jake Tapper and Bash during the June debate that helped push Biden out of the race.

Trump told supporters he shouldn't knock the network because 'they treated me very fairly last' at the debate. 'Very professional, both of them,' he added.

Conservative commentators who had pushed Harris to go on camera pounced at the format. '"LOL, a joint interview. She simply cannot be left unattended, wrote Jeff Behar of the National Review.

Jennings' co-panelist Maria Cardona disputed his analysis, saying the selection reflected a 'compressed time frame' and said viewers wanted to hear from Walz.

'Doing an interview alongside her alongside her vice presidential nominee is going to give voters the chance that they want, I believe, to not just listen to her but to listen to the vice presidential nominee, and what will they do as a team,' she said.

Harris is holding the interview while riding a jump in the polls since taking over from Biden as the candidate. She holds narrow leads in a string of national polls, but is yet to be seen what kind of 'bounce' she got from her convention and whether it will linger.

She has also seized narrow leads in some of the battleground states and pushed others into the 'toss-up' column. The Cook Political Report on Tuesday moved North Carolina over into toss-up status, the latest indication of how Harris has expanded the battlefield compared to Biden.

Vice President Harris and Gov. Tim Walz will sit with CNN for their first joint interview Thursday. @ScottJenningsKY, @MariaTCardona and @AsteadWH weigh in on the stakes for Harris. pic.twitter.com/GN8Nq4vOwd  Anderson Cooper 360 (@AC360) August 28, 2024

Republican strategist Scott Jennings called the move 'weak sauce' in his own appearance on CNN

Host Anderson Cooper quizzed commentators, including Democratic strategist Maria Cardona, about the move, which has not ended calls for Harris to conduct a solo interview

Some top prognosticators are already predicting that bounce will fade within weeks.

In that environment, Harris runs the risk of upsetting what has been a successful strategy and a gain from her convention if she veers off script, as she did in her 2021 interview while fielding questions from NBC's Lester Holt about about whether she would go to the border.

'We've been to the border,' she told him as he pressed, adding: 'And I haven't been to Europe.'

It isn't just Harris who can use Walz as a shield. Walz faces potential questions on how he has described his 24-year stint in the National Guard and his decision to retire to run for Congress months before his unit was deployed to Iraq. And although he spent a dozen years in Congress, he hasn't been immersed in all of the national policy fights and Harris' still evolving agenda.

The two traveled together before the Democratic convention in Chicago, and get ack on the campaign trail today in Savannah, Georgia  another state that Democrats believe is back in play with Harris and Walz on the ticket.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the Harris camp on the format and whether she will sit for a solo interview in the future.
Michigan officials have requested a warrant for a relative of a teen accused of killing an 18-year-old star swimmer in a horror crash - as the victim's parents demand the driver's mom be held accountable for the tragedy.

Flynn MacKrell was killed instantly last November when then-16-year-old Kiernan Tague lost control of his mother's BMW while going over 100mp in a 25mph residential zone in Grosse Pointe.

The MacKrells say their son's death could have been prevented by Kiernan's mother Elizabeth Puleo-Tague, a campus minister at a Jesuit high school who allegedly knew Kiernan had a speeding habit but failed to keep him away from her BMW.

The Wayne County prosecutor's office told DailyMail.com on Wednesday that Gross Pointe police has requested a warrant for a relative of Kiernan, though they could not confirm that it was for his mother Elizabeth.

'He had no regards for his passenger's safety, no regard for pedestrian safety, and the mother knew it,' Flynn's father Thad Mackrell told Good Morning America on Wednesday.

The Wayne County prosecutor's office told DailyMail.com on Wednesday that Gross Pointe police has requested a warrant for a relative of Kiernan, pictured

Elizabeth Puleo-Tague has been 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

'Any reasonable person would have done something very, very simple - they would have taken the keys away, and she didn't do it, and our son is dead.'

Kiernan has been charged with second degree murder over his friend's death, but the MacKrells say they want his mother held responsible, too.

'Every day we wake up in shock and disbelief that our beloved Flynn is gone,' said the star swimmer's heartbroken mother Anne Vanker.

Flynn MacKrell, pictured, was killed instantly last November when then-16-year-old Kiernan Tague lost control of his mother's BMW while going over 100mp in a 25mph residential zone

The MacKrells are pointing to the case of Oxford shooter Ethan Crumbley, whose parents were convicted of involuntary manslaughter in a landmark case earlier this year for providing the gun that he used to kill four people.

Kiernan 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 his mother's BMW X3 M and killed Flynn, a standout swimmer at the University of Dayton.

Kiernan escaped with his life but is now out on bond awaiting trial after being charged with second-degree murder in March. His trial is set for February, 2025.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Elizabeth for comment on this story.

Elizabeth's employer, University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy refused to comment when reached by DailyMail.com on Wednesday.

As previously reported, 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 previously 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.'

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.

'He had no regards for his passenger's safety, no regard for pedestrian safety, and the mother knew it,' Flynn's father Thad Mackrell told Good Morning America on Wednesday

Parents of teen killed in a car crash demand justice, saying the mom of the speeding driver knew her son was driving too fast. @EvaPilgrim reports. pic.twitter.com/eIW1Vfhmsh  Good Morning America (@GMA) August 28, 2024

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.

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

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 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.

Kiernan 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.

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

It read: 'Will you pick up a bottle of wine??  Please!' to which Kiernan 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 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.

'I simply asked you to take your car... yet you refused. Now I'm running late and we have a broken table,' Kiernan texted on Nov. 3, 2023, according to the report viewed by the Free Press.

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 Kiernan 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 [Kiernan] was yelling and throwing items within the house because his mother refused to get him an American Express Gold Card.'

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 Mackrells 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.
The second British crew member being probed by Italian prosecutors after the sinking of the Bayesian has been pictured for the first time.

Matthew Griffiths, 22, joins fellow Brit Tim Parker-Eaton, 56, and Kiwi skipper James Cutfield, 51, on the official list of those being formally investigated for shipwreck and multiple manslaughter.

Being investigated does not equate to being charged and is a procedural step.

Seven people died when the 30m vessel went down in a 'black swan' storm off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of August 19.

It claimed the lives of British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, 59, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah, Morgan Stanley boss Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy, Clifford Chance partner Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda, and on-board chef Recaldo Thomas.

Deckhand Mr Griffiths is said to have been on the night watch when disaster struck around 4am, while Mr Parker-Eaton, from Clophill, Bedfordshire, has been the ship's chief engineer since 2013.

Data from the superyacht shows it was hit by a violent storm downburst at 3.50am 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, according to local reports.

Matthew Griffiths is the second British crew member under investigation after the 30m Bayesian sunk off the coast of Sicily last week

Tim Parker-Eaton, 56, has been the Bayesian chief engineer since 2013

Skipper James Cutfield (pictured) is also being formally investigated for shipwreck and multiple manslaughter

A handout photo made available on August 19 by Perini Navi Press Office shows the 'Bayesian' sailing boat, in Palermo, Sicily, Italy

According to Italian media, Mr Parker-Eaton was placed under investigation by judicial authorities because an engineer should have supervised the 'closing of hatches' but this had allegedly not been carried out.

Who died in the Sicily yacht disaster? Jonathan Bloomer, the chairman of investment bank Morgan Stanley and past chairman of Mike Lynch's software firm Autonomy

Judy Bloomer, Jonathan's wife and a lifetime psychotherapist

Christopher Morvillo, a partner at law firm Clifford Chance and Mike Lynch's lawyer

Neda Morvillo, Christopher's wife and a jewellery designer

Mike Lynch, British tech tycoon who had just been cleared of fraud charges in the United States

Hannah Lynch, Mike Lynch's 18-year-old daughter

Recaldo Thomas, a chef working on board the Bayesian yacht Advertisement

Mr Griffiths, believed to have French as well as British nationality, was under investigation, it was claimed because as he was allegedly on watch when the storm was approaching.

Meanwhile an environmental ship has arrived on the scene ready to deploy flotation booms should there be a leak from the Bayesian's fuel tanks.

One of the key questions prosecutors are addressing is how all but one crew survived the disaster whereas six passengers died.

The body of Mr Thomas was found floating in the water on the day the yacht went down. The other bodies were found days later by specialist divers in two cabins inside the yacht.

Mr Parker-Eaton is believed to have formerly lived in Bedfordshire where his elderly parents are both believed to have passed on.

Yesterday, the family's home, which still belongs to his mother Dororthy, according to Land Register records, was empty with a sold sign.

His father Bob Parker-Eaton, OBE, who died aged 83 in 2014, was a former RAF wing commander in the 1950s and went on to join the board of Brttannia Airways, once the world's largest holiday airline, which ceased operations in 2005.

Mr Cutfield's lawyer Aldo Mordiglia, who is based in Genoa, said that 'as far as he knew', his client and the other members of the crew who had been staying in a hotel near Porticello following the disaster so they could questioned by authorities had 'been allowed to leave and go home'.

Mr Cutfield, 50, is thought to have returned to his home on the Spanish island of Majorca and Mr Parker-Eaton, is also thought to live there, while Mr Griffiths' residence is not known.

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

Seven people died when the 30m yacht went down in a storm off the village of Porticello, near Palermo, Sicily. Pictured: Mr Parker-Eaton (left)

The British-flagged Bayesian superyacht (pictured) was owned by tech magnate Mike Lynch

Recaldo Thomas, chef on the Bayesian, was the first person to be recovered after the yacht sank on Monday

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

Officials are also said to be considering placing the first officer, Dutchman Tijs Koopmans, 33, under formal investigation.

No charges have officially been brought against any of the crew and under Italian law being placed under investigation does not necessarily mean that an indictment will follow as it will be for an examining magistrate to decide once the file is presented if there is enough evidence to go to trial.

A defence source told MailOnline: 'This investigation will take many, many months and for a start it will have to wait until the Bayesian is raised from the seabed which may not happen until October.

'Even that will be a laborious operation so it will be a long time before we know anything for sure against any of those who have been placed under formal investigation by the prosecutors in Palermo.'

Mr Cutfield and the other crew members have been allowed to leave Italy for the time being, according to local media reports.

Mr Parker-Eaton has long been associated with the 2008-built Bayesian, serving as its chief engineer from 2013, when it was known as Salute.

In 2014, the boat was purchased by a company owned by Mike Lynch's wife Angela Bacares and the name was changed to Bayesian.

He was closely involved in the installation of its 75m (246ft) aluminium mast, The Times reported last week.

Mr Cutfield (pictured) is now being investigated for shipwreck and manslaughter

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Search vessels returning to shore on Friday after Hannah Lynch's body was discovered

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

Following the tragedy Giovanni Costantino CEO of Italian Sea Group, which owns the Bayesian's builders Perini Navi, claimed 'human error' had led to the sinking with the crew failing to be 'prepared' for the storm and 'hatches being left open'.

There are also reports that the retractable keel of the Bayesian - which helps maintain stability - was not fully deployed.

The 56m Bayesian - which was famous for its 76m aluminium mast - is currently lying at a depth of 165ft just off Porticello and there is also a growing concerns for more than 18,000 litres of fuel onboard which could cause an environmental disaster.

The news came as a crowdfunding campaign was launched in Mallorca, where many of the Bayesian crew lived, and had raised more than 5,000 for their expenses and immediate needs.

Mr Cutfield and the surviving crew were expected to fly out of Palermo later today on an executive jet that was due to land from Majorca.

He and the others are based on the Spanish island and had been staying temporarily at a hotel with other survivors near Palermo while being questioned.

The departure of the survivors back to their base had been delayed as they had lost their passports when the Bayesian sank earlier this month.
A would-be passenger was arrested at an airport in Chile after taking a hammer to equipment an American Airlines check-in counter, authorities said.

The man flew into a destructive rage at Santiago International Airport on Tuesday after reportedly learning he had been scammed and sold a fake airplane ticket to Miami, where he was planning to fly on his way to Haiti.

Police said that after arguing with airline staff, he took a hammer out of his backpack and began smashing items at the counter.

Videos showed the man striking multiple computers and mounted screens as witnesses looked on in shock.

A Haitian man who discovered he had been sold a fake airline destroyed an American Airlines check-in counter at Santiago International Airport in Chile

Authorities estimate that the man caused about $22,000 in damages after destroying five computers and six screens

The man then walked over to a luggage trolley and began to wheel it away before a woman approached to confront the attacker.

He was placed under arrest and was scheduled to appear before a judge on Wednesday.

The would-be passenger took a hammer and began smashing computers and mounted screens

A woman confronted the man moments after he destroyed computers and screens at the check-in counter

Six screens displaying flight information at Santiago International Airport were destroyed by a Haitian national, who was angered because he claimed he was scammed and sold a fake ticket

'During the course of the afternoon, a Haitian national who had problems boarding a flight he had purchased realized that this flight had never been reserved,' Western Santiago Prefecture Patrol Lieutenant Manuel Narvaez said, according to El Dinamo.

Narvaez said the man flew into a rage after finding out he was scammed.

Authorities estimate that the man caused at least 20 million Chilean pesos, or about $22,000, in damages to the five computers and six screens.

'Local law enforcement responded to the airport lobby area at Santiago de Chile (SCL) due to a disruptive individual,' American Airlines said in a statement. 'We thank our team for their professionalism and apologize to our customers for the inconvenience.'
Telegram tycoon Pavel Durov has been released from police custody ahead of a court appearance after four days of questioning over allegations that his platform is being used for illegal activities.

The 39-year-old billionaire is set to appear in front of a judge this afternoon to face possible charges of failing to curb extremist and illegal content on the popular messaging app following his arrest at the weekend.

The Russian-born tech boss was detained on Saturday at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of a judicial inquiry opened last month involving 12 alleged criminal violations.

The Paris prosecutor's office said: 'An investigating judge has ended Pavel Durov's police custody and will have him brought to court for a first appearance and a possible indictment.'

Other allegations against Durov, who is a French citizen, include that his platform is being used for child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, fraud and abetting organised crime transactions, and that Telegram refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.

Telegram tycoon Pavel Durov has been released from police custody ahead of a court appearance in France

A general view of The Office National Antifraude (ONAF), or National Anti-Fraud Office, building in Ivry-sur-Seine, south of Paris, where Pavel Durov was being held

The Telegram founder had been in custody for 96 hours - the maximum amount of time someone can be held under French law

An investigating magistrate will decide whether to press charges against Durov, and the judiciary would then rule on whether he will be remanded in custody or allowed to go free, possibly under judicial control with restrictions on his movements.

Two police cars with flashing blue lights cars sped out of the anti-fraud office outside Paris this afternoon, video shows, with reports suggesting Durov might be travelling in one.

The Telegram founder had been in custody for 96 hours - the maximum amount of time someone can be held under French law before being charged.

In a rare intervention by a French leader into judicial matters, President Macron on Monday said the decision to bring charges against Durov was 'in no way political'.

His detention sparked a row between Paris and Moscow, which demanded consular access to its former citizen, according to Russian media.

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 blasted Macron in the furore and said his country's relationship with France is at its 'lowest level'.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he hoped that Durov 'has all the necessary opportunities for his legal defence' 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,' Mr Peskov said.

In addition to France, Durov is also a citizen of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Caribbean island nation of St Kitts and Nevis.

The UAE Foreign Ministry said on 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'.

Durov founded Telegram along with his brother Nikolai in 2013, saying the absence of any secure form of communication in Russia gave rise to the idea.

It has since garnered more than 950 million users, making it one of the world's biggest social media platforms after Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok and WeChat.

In 2013, Duvrov sold his stake in VKontakte - a social media site he also founded known as Russia's Facebook.

A very different-looking Durov seen in his 20s. He set up VK, dubbed the 'Facebook of Russia', when he left university at 21

The company came under pressure during the Russian government's crackdown following mass pro-democracy protests that rocked Moscow at the end of 2011 and 2012.

Durov had said 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.

Durov was detained on Saturday at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of a judicial inquiry opened last month involving 12 alleged criminal violations

Western governments have often criticised Telegram for a lack of content moderation, which experts say opens up the messaging app for potential use in money laundering, drug trafficking and the sharing of material linked to the sexual exploitation of minors.

In a statement posted on its platform after Durov's 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,' Telegram's post said.

'Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as means of communication and as a source of vital information.

'We're awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all.'
Further 'enlarging economic pie' key to addressing population aging: demographer

14:43, August 28, 2024 By Liu Caiyu ( Global Times

How to "enlarge the economic pie" and provide a solid wealth reserve for all public policies addressing population aging and negative population growth is the fundamental solution to the population challenges facing China, a renowned Chinese demographer told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The issue of the elderly people is not just a concern of an aging society, but also a comprehensive issue that involves the entire population, economy, and social development system, and it is about how to fairly share the benefits of economic and social development, Yuan Xin, a professor from the School of Economics at Nankai University, told the Global Times.

Yuan further explained that seeking new demographic opportunities to enable the healthy, coordinated, and sustainable development of the population, economy, and society is critical.

A study session held by the State Council on Monday emphasized the need for more proactive efforts to tap into the human resources of the elderly and to foster new growth drivers in response to population aging.

The study session stressed that the new development opportunities that aging presents should be recognized.

Yuan told the Global Times that "with the deepening of China's economic and social reform, although the aging society is intensifying, the Chinese society is actually getting rich as the population ages."

Refuting claims that China is facing a dilemma: growing old before growing rich, Yuan said that the accusation refers to the insufficient accumulation of wealth in the society, the incomplete social security system, and the lack of economic and social preparation for a rise in the number of senior citizens. However, this is not the reality.

As the aging population continues to grow, the increasing wealth of the economy and society is advancing in sync, presenting a dynamic evolution of the country "getting richer as the population ages," Yuan said.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
Jose Centeno, 57, of Rohnert Park was found guilty by jury of three counts of kidnapping for financial gain, three counts of torture and nine counts involving the sexual abuse of a child. Associated Press

A Sonoma County man who tortured his three adoptive children for years while collecting state adoption assistance benefits was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to the Sonoma County District Attorneys Office.

Jose Centeno, 57, of Rohnert Park was found guilty by a July jury of three counts of kidnapping for financial gain, three counts of torture and nine counts involving the sexual abuse of a child.

He was sentenced Tuesday to six consecutive sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole, three consecutive life sentences, and an additional 39 years in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

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In 2006, Jose and Gina Centeno adopted three siblings ages 2, 3 and 4 years old and enrolled them at John Reed Elementary School. In 2010, after a school staff member filed a report to Child Protective Services on suspicion of physical abuse, the Centenos pulled the children out of school and hid them in captivity.

The Centenos told neighbors and extended family that the children had been given back to the state and were not living in their home. In reality, the Centenos confined the three children in an upstairs bedroom with a boarded-up window and chained them to their beds.

At one point, the oldest sibling, Kaya, lost consciousness from the abuse. Her siblings were told that Kaya had been sent away, and they never saw or heard from her again.

For years, one of the remaining siblings was not allowed to leave the upstairs bedroom except when Jose Centeno would take her to another room and sexually abuse her.

In late 2018 or early 2019, Jose Centeno took the two younger siblings to live with family members in Mexico.

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All the while, the Centenos told state officials that the children were still in their care and received hundreds of dollars each month through the Adoption Assistance Program. They collected these benefits until their crimes were discovered in 2020.

After the two younger siblings told people in Mexico about their abuse, Mexico CPS in July 2020 alerted Sonoma County CPS, kicking off a criminal investigation.

Jose and Gina Centeno were arrested in August 2020. Gina Centeno was charged as well but died before the trial commenced.

Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Troye Shaffer sentenced Jose Centeno to the maximum potential sentence for his charges.

The oldest sibling, Kaya, still has not been found. Based on witness statements, she is believed to have disappeared in 2012, when she was 10 years old.

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While appropriate that Mr. Centeno will be spending the rest of his life in prison, our two brave victims are still missing their sister Kaya, said District Attorney Carla Rodriguez. Though justice has absolutely been served in this case, Kaya will always be in our thoughts.
There is a row brewing at Jeremy Clarkson's newly opened pub as the price of food and drink divides fans, with some claiming he is 'ripping people off'.

The Farmer's Dog in Asthall, Oxfordshire officially opened on Friday last week, with thousands of Clarkson fans queuing for up to fours hours in an attempt to get into the 1million venue - which will undoubtedly feature on the next season of his Amazon series Clarkson's Farm.

People waited patiently for a taste of his 6 pint of Hawkstone beer or the chance to tuck into an 18 plate of sausage and mash.

One disgruntled Instagram user slammed the prices as 'sick' and said: 'Really necessary to charge those prices? Absolutely ripping people off because it's on TV.'

But Clarkson defended the prices and said: 'Every single thing was grown by British farmers, even the black pepper and sugar!'

The Grand Tour presenter pictured pouring 6 pints. Clarkson defended the pricing by saying: 'Every single thing was grown by British farmers, even the black pepper and sugar!'

Clarkson holds girlfriend Lisa Hogan's hand amid the chaos of opening day at The Farmer's Dog in Asthall, Oxfordshire

People queued for four hours last Friday to get inside the pub

A sign outside The Farmer's Dog stated that everything the pub serves is 'grown or raised or produced' in the UK. It warned customers that they don't serve ketchup

The TV star said using only British produce meant that profit margins would be much lower at The Farmer's Dog.

He explained using pork from his Diddly Squat farm would cost more to turn into a sausage than imported pig meat.

Clarkson said: 'It costs us 0.74p to get a sausage into here, but if I buy imported pig meat it is 0.18. There is something wrong with the food system in this country.'

But buying directly from local producers and guaranteeing fair pay for British farmers means an increase in price for pub customers.

Hawkstone IPA, Hawkstone Premium, Hawkstone Hedgerow Cider, and Hawkstone Cider all come in at 6 a pint, a half-pint will set punters back 3.10.

Hawkstone Session Lager comes in at the fractionally cheaper cost of 5.50 per pint, which is the same price for a Hawkstone Pils, Hawkstone Breeze, and cask ale - halves of which are 2.90.

The pub also sells cans of alcohol-free Hawkstone Spa lager for 3.10.

Along with steak pie and mash (19), other main courses include gammon steak (19), sausages and mash (18), as well as a vegetable and cheddar crumble (15).

Puddings cost around 8 with both apple crumble and cheesecake on the menu.

The menu at The Farmer's dog includes chicken liver pate on toast, steak pie or the 'sausage of the day' with mash. Desserts include apple crumble or strawberry meringue

People queuing outside Jeremy Clarkson's new pub, The Farmer's Dog, for its opening day

People stand inside The Farmer's Dog waiting to be served

People wait to be served at Clarkson's pub on its opening day

Customers could buy Diddly Squart Farm exfoliating hand soap for 6.80 or a mushroom growkit

Another product on offer was the 'This Smells Like My B*******' candle for 22

Diddly Squat Farm selling Jeremy's Hot Seed Beer Mustard for 6 per jar

Customers could also treat themselves to Wet Perfume for 38 a bottle

Clarkson spotted carrying mushrooms on the opening day of his new pub - which proved to be stressful

Other produce from Diddly Squat Farm is also available to purchase, with Clarkson's Hot Seed Beer Mustard priced at 6.

Meanwhile, his interestingly-titled 'B*****s candle' is priced at 22 for one or you can buy two for 39.

As some punters grumbled over the eye-watering prices, others have jumped in to defend the Grand Tour presenter.

One staunch Clarkson defender said: 'Please stop complaining about the prices. You can't compare them to a "normal" pub, where food is sourced by huge national wholesalers.'

They continued: 'Worth a few extra quid in my book, as is the experience in visiting.'

Another Clarkson fan put it plainly and said: 'If you don't like the prices, don't go! It's really that simple!'
A man who threw a coffee cup at Nigel Farage during his General Election campaign trail has been spared jail.

The Reform UK leader was on top of a party battle bus in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, when Josh Greally, 28, launched a cup and another object at the politician.

Greally has now been sentenced to six weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, after a district judge said the offence was serious enough to merit a jail term, but there was a 'realistic prospect of rehabilitation'.

Greally, who wore a black face mask throughout the hearing, pleaded guilty to a public order offence over the incident on June 11 in Barnsley town centre, where he flung a cup at Mr Farage, who was making a speech from the open top deck of his bus.

Josh Greally, 28, who threw a coffee cup at Nigel Farage during his General Election campaign trail has been spared jail

Farage had been campaigning on top of a party battle bus in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, when Greally launched a cup and another object at the politician

Greally, pictured launching a coffee cup at Farage before then reaching for another object

Greally was sentenced to six weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, after a district judge said the offence was serious enough to merit a jail term, but there was a 'realistic prospect of rehabilitation'

Barnsley Magistrates Court heard Greally then reached into a bin and took out another object, which he also threw towards the bus.

Neither of the objects hit the Mr Farage, who was elected MP for Clacton.

The court heard Greally then ran away despite members of the public attempting to apprehend him, but was chased and found by police a short time later.

He had travelled to the event as part of a group and played a 'prominent role', a judge said.

District Judge James Gould said Greallys target had been a politician campaigning 'in our democratic country'.

He told the defendant: 'Politicians know they will face robust opposition, but that must never spill over into violence or intimidation.

'That is not the pursuit of free speech, it is an attempt to silence voices of opposition.'

Greally is understood to have travelled to the event as part of a group and played a 'prominent role'

The 28-year-old ran away despite members of the public attempting to apprehend him, but was chased and found by police a short time later

Police officers escorting Greally after he launched the cup. He has been given a suspended prison sentence and ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work

In mitigation, the court heard Greally, who has no previous convictions, had attended protests before but 'this seems to be the first time he has stepped over the line and found himself in trouble with the authorities'.

The court heard he currently worked in a bar but had a Master's degree and an interest in film and television, and writes reviews for a website.

In a character reference submitted to the judge, a former lecturer described Greally as 'compassionate and caring'.

In addition to the suspended sentence, Greally, of Damsbrook Drive, Clowne, Derbyshire, was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work, 20 rehabilitation activity days and pay 85 court costs and a surcharge of 154.

Mr Farage, speaking while campaigning in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire at the time, said the incident was 'pretty nasty'.

But, he vowed not to be 'bulled or cowed' after the incident in which he said he thought he had been pelted with wet cement.

Following the incident, politicians from other parties joined Mr Farage in condemning 'violence' towards general election candidates.

Former Home Secretary James Cleverly said: 'There must be no place for violence and intimidation in our politics and these actions should be condemned by everyone.'

It comes after an OnlyFans model Victoria Thomas-Bowen, 25, accused of throwing a banana milkshake at Farage during the general election campaign denied assault by beating and criminal damage in court in July.

Victoria Thomas-Bowen appearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court in July

Farage had a banana milkshake thrown at him in Clacton - after being mobbed by crowds in what he described as the 'most patriotic' town in Britain

Thomas-Bowen, who was arrested for allegedly throwing a milkshake over Farage, is an OnlyFans model

She pleaded not guilty to the charges after the Reform UK leader was drenched with the McDonald's drink as he left the Moon and Starfish Wetherspoons pub in Clacton-on-Sea in Essex on June 4.

The 25-year-old claims she has pocketed 40,000 from extra subscribers to her channel since she was arrested.

The blonde bombshell, though, denies it was a publicity stunt and says she only plotted to chuck milkshake over Mr Farage an hour before he exited the pub.

The former catholic school student and mother-of-one appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on July 16 in a tight black dress and leather jacket, with her blonde hair down in waves and sunglasses on top of her head.
A woman has been charged after a man was allegedly stabbed to death.

Emergency services were called to a home in Maddington, 21km south-east of Perth's CBD at about 8.20pm on Tuesday night following reports of an altercation.

Police will allege the man was knifed in the leg before the woman allegedly fled the scene.

Police conducted CPR on the critically injured man until paramedics arrived, The West Australian reported.

He was rushed to Armadale Hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

The woman, 49, was arrested near the scene a short time later.

Dunnell St in Maddington remained cordoned off on Wednesday after a man was allegedly stabbed to death

Police allege the pair were known to each other.

One shocked witness told Seven News that the man tried to stem the bleeding from the wound with his hands before he collapsed.

The Collie woman from the state's south-west was charged with one count of murder.

She will appear in Perth Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Homicide Squad detectives spent much of Wednesday at the scene located at the end of a cul-de-sac, for hours after the alleged murder.

Homicide detectives have spent many hours at the scene (pictured) since Tuesday night

Both ends of the street were cordoned off as forensic officers scoured the scene.

Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

1800 RESPECT
Thames Water has plans to hike bills to an average of 666.50 a year in the next six years - which could see Brits have to splash out 200 more than they already are.

The water company's proposal would see costs rise by a massive 52 per cent by 2030 - but there's a chance they could shoot up even further.

Thames Water's new business plan could see bills skyrocket 59 per cent in the same period, which could see them hit 696.

It comes at a time when the water company is trying to combat more than 15billion of debt.

In its response to Ofwat's draft determination on water companies' plans, Thames proposed raising average yearly water bills to 666.50 per customer by 2030, a 52 per cent rise.

Thames Water is proposing hiking bills to an average of 666 in the next six years (stock photo)

But that could rise to 696, a 59 per cent increase, if it is given extra spending allowances by the regulator.

The average bill over the five-year period from 2025 to 2030 would be 638 under the proposal.

Average bills in 2023 to 2024 were 433.

The proposal is an increase on Ofwat's plan of raising bills by 23 per cent over the period, which the regulator put forward in July.

It is also more than Thames' previous planned increase of 44 per cent, submitted to the regulator in April.

Thames Water said Ofwat's proposed cap 'is not tenable and renders our plan uninvestible'.

The water company is locked in a funding crisis and said in July that it only has enough money to continue trading until the end of May 2025.

Bosses have been battling to land a cash injection in the hopes of keeping afloat.

The company has also held talks with both existing shareholders and outside investors.

Thames Water said the main driver of the latest increase is 'due to an update to our customer numbers which sees a customer reduction from our original plan', as well as previously forecast increases in spending.

The company said it wants to invest 20.7bn in its services over the period, including upgrading its ageing infrastructure.

It also proposed 3bn in extra spending under so-called 'gated mechanisms'.

The company would then would qualify for the cash by meeting performance goals.

In July, Ofwat proposed capping bills increases at 23 per cent - and spending at 16.9bn.

It has also said that it intends to appoint an independent monitor to Thames Water who will watch over the company's turnaround plan and report back to the regulator.

Chris Weston, chief executive of Thames Water, said: 'We want to deliver a considerable increase in investment in our infrastructure, with total expenditure of 20.7bn in our core plan and a further 3bn through gated mechanisms.'

He added: 'The money we're asking for from customers will be invested in new infrastructure and improving our services for the benefit of households and the environment.

'They are not being asked to pay twice, but to make up for years of focus on keeping bills low.'

Sarah Bentley, Thames Water's previous chief executive, has previously said the firm had been 'hollowed out' by 'decades of underinvestment'.

It comes after a water industry body warned that Ofwat's plans to cap water bills could create a 'material risk' that suppliers may fail to raise enough cash to invest in stopping sewage leaks.

Industry trade association Water UK said Ofwat's draft plans to limit the rise in household water bills to 19 a year on average will hold back firms' ability to improve their services.

In a letter to Ofwat chief executive David Black on Wednesday, the group also warned that the bill cap will drive away investors needed for a multibillion-pound spending plan to bring Britain's water infrastructure up to scratch.

Water UK boss David Henderson wrote: 'Ofwat's approach would make it impossible for the water sector to attract the level of investment that it needs and will reduce the UK's attractiveness to international investment.'
A mother has warned of the dangers of using a portable fireplace after her head went up 'like a firework' when her partner attempted to refill it during July 4 celebrations.

Rachel Kerr, 52, was sitting out on her decking with her 14-year-old son and her partner Mike Stone when the ethanol fireplace, often marketed as a s'mores maker, 'exploded'.

Mr Stone, 47, went to relight the small fireplace, but as he refilled the container with alcohol, Ms Kerr claims a 'wave of flames' shot towards the beauty educator and set her hair alight.

The mother-of-two was drenched in buckets of water by Mr Stone before an ambulance arrived and took her to the Regional Burn Center at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Horrifying photos showed the skin falling away from her face and neck leaving bright red, raw flesh underneath - and she was left with second degree burns.

She claimed she was 'lucky to be alive' after medics were forced to scrape the dead tissue away from the wounds which she said was more agonizing than childbirth.

Rachel Kerr, 52, (pictured before the accident) was sitting out on her decking with her 14-year-old son and her partner Mike Stone when the ethanol fireplace, often marketed as a s'mores maker, 'exploded'

Horrifying photos showed the skin falling away from her face and neck leaving bright red, raw flesh underneath - and she was left with second degree burns

The mother of two claimed she was 'lucky to be alive' after medics were forced to scrape the dead tissue away from the wounds which she said was more agonizing than childbirth

Now she has shared her ordeal on social media where she said the incident 'lit her up like a firework' in a bid to warn others to be careful when using them.

The 52-year-old mom had bought the portable fireplace from Amazon three years prior and said she used it often with her family.

Ms Kerr, from Lynnwood, Washington, US said: 'We had the tabletop fireplace, just a little concrete block with a hole in it basically.

'Usually when it burns out that is when we're like "do we wanna go inside and go to bed?"

'This particular night it was 4th of July, nobody had to go to work the next day so we were like "let's stay out for another hour".

'We got the alcohol, the accelerant, to refill it. My partner took the cap off and went to refill it. The fire was completely out when we poured more fuel in.

'As he refilled it, we have no idea what happened. It literally just exploded.

'It was like a wave of flames that just flew at me. It was a jet stream of wind, that was like how the flames shot at me.

'As the heat started coming towards my face, I had just enough time to turn my head away from the flame.

Ms Kerr, from Lynnwood, Washington, in hospital after the burns accident

The family were using the portable fire which looks like a little concrete block with a hole in it

Ms Kerr pictured before the burns accident pictured with partner Mike Stone, 47

The accident was caused when Mr Stone (pictured with his partner after the accident) went to relight the small fireplace, but as he refilled the container with alcohol. Ms Kerr claims a 'wave of flames' shot towards the beauty educator and set her hair alight

Ms Kerr three weeks after the accident. She had tried to roll after she caught fire but the flames would not go out

Ms Kerr five weeks after the burns accident. Her partner repeatedly dumped water over her head until the ambulance arrived

The chair which Ms Kerr was sitting on caught fire after the portable fireplace from Amazon went up in flames

'I mean I still had my eyebrows and eyelashes and everything [burnt] off. I put one of my hands up and it got one of my hands really bad.

'It was a rush of flames. All of a sudden I kept seeing flames and I couldn't quite understand what was happening. Then I realised my hair was on fire.

'[When it lit me up like a firework,] in that moment, all I really felt was heat.

'I was in disbelief and just [felt] sheer terror.'

After trying to put the fire out by rolling on the floor, Mr Stone called 911 and was told by paramedics to pour water on Ms Kerr.

When the ambulance arrived, they cut her shirt and jewellery off before taking her into the emergency room to begin the process of debriding.

Debriding is the process of 'scraping' dead tissue from wounds that Ms Kerr claims was more agonizing than childbirth.

Ms Kerr said: 'I kind of jumped into action. I stood up and we rushed into the bedroom.

'Mike was yelling at me 'get on the floor, roll'. I tried to roll and the flames would not go out. Mike was patting me on my head and back.

An online screenshot of the portable Amazon tabletop fire which went up in flames

Ms Kerr eating a meal in hospital after the burns accident

Ms Kerr has now shared her ordeal on social media where she said the incident 'lit her up like a firework' in a bid to warn others to be careful when using them

Ms Kerr suffered second degree burns on seven percent of her body, concentrated on her face, neck, chest and one of her hands

Since then, she said her recovery has been 'intensely' painful, including 'skin-crawling' dressing changes

'We got the pitcher from the back of the sink and he just started dumping water over my head until the ambulance got there.

'I didn't start to feel the pain of it until the fire was out and I was smouldering, then I started really feeling the pain.

'We got to the emergency room and they started this process called debriding which [meant] they basically were scraping all of my burned areas. [It] was just insane.

'Even with as much pain meds as I had in me, I was thinking in my brain I would rather have three more children with no meds than go through what I was going through.'

Ms Kerr suffered second degree burns on seven percent of her body, concentrated on her face, neck, chest and one of her hands.

Since then, her recovery has been 'intensely' painful, including 'skin-crawling' dressing changes, while she has also been dealing with the emotional pain of looking in the mirror as her hair had to be cut off.

Ms Kerr said: 'The first week I couldn't shower by myself, my partner Mike was changing my dressings for me and feeding me.

'For someone like me, it was just life-changing because I'm extremely independent.

Ms Kerr said when her partner was dressing her wounds, it made her skin crawl due to how painful it was, despite being on medication from the hospital

The most recent picture of Ms Kerr following the accident

'The pain was so intense. When he was dressing my wounds, it made my skin crawl how painful it was and this is with medication from the hospital.

'The nerve pain in my neck, every once in a while my neck will seize up on me as they're repairing themselves. It stops me in my tracks as it's extremely painful.

'I lost all my hair so I had to cut all my hair off and so it's a struggle looking in the mirror sometimes in the morning, so you have that emotional pain as well.'

Ms Kerr, who feels 'lucky to be alive', now hopes to warn others about the 'dangers' when using tabletop ethanol fireplaces as they often seem like an 'easy and convenient' option.

Ms Kerr said: 'Luckily, I was sitting probably three feet away from it. I think that if I would have been sitting any closer, it would be a completely different story.

'Sitting six inches closer, I don't know that I'd be here today honestly. The pictures we got from the very next day, I'm extremely lucky to be alive.

'I don't know if it could have happened any time in the three years prior, we have zero idea what was different this time.

'Just be careful or don't use them. We've done research on this and it's not something that is uncommon. I've had people reach out who have had similar stories.

'I think these new little contraptions make it seem very convenient and very easy, but they're very dangerous.'
A cult leader accused of horrifying sex and trafficking crimes is now believed to be hiding in a subterranean bunker with dozens of die-hard fanatics underneath his sprawling 75-acre complex in the Philippines following a dramatic raid by some 2,000 police officers over the weekend.

Apollo Quiboloy, a self-proclaimed 'owner of the universe' and 'appointed son of god', vanished after protesting his innocence, leaving some of his six million claimed supporters to clash with police on the fringes of his complex in Davao City.

But with radar technology, police believe they have found signs of life deep underground the surface - and claim to have already rescued two women they believe are the victims of a coordinated sex trafficking operation.

Already, police have uncovered a maze of rooms inside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) lair, revealing in haunting video rows of beds, bare concrete walls and debris on the lower floors, with personal belongings still left out in empty dorms.

Elsewhere, neatly-decorated rooms with made beds, pot plants and televisions line the corridors of a shiny, modern hallway. Three separate floors span the huge compound, allegedly divided to confine women based on their attractiveness.

Unsettling footage appears to show a recently vacated compound - with plants still alive and laundry still hanging from furniture. But revelations are expected to follow as police attempt to search deep below the surface.

The church claims the pastor (centre) is being pursued because 'the Devil... will try to eliminate a good man... who lays down his life for his fellowmen, who are oppressed by evil, at all costs'

From above: the Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound in Davao City, in the Philippines

Haunting footage shows a room still full of personal belongings in the underground bunker

Anti-riot police block supporters of religious leader Apollo Quiboloy as they stage a protest rally outside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Davao on August 26

'Considering that this is a 30-hectare (74-acre) compound, you really need plenty of people, not just a dozen police,' President Ferdinand Marcos Jr told reporters on Tuesday as officers continued to try to secure the colossal site in Davao City.

From above, the KOJC compound is a huge, almost unnavigable site - bordering Davao's international airport and a 75,000-capacity 'cathedral' dome for hosting events - as large as Old Trafford.

Covering such a large area, police still believe Apollo Quiboloy could be hiding with some of his loyal supporters inside a bunker within the compound owned by his church.

The 74-year-old pastor, who heads the church in the Philippines, is among the FBI's Most Wanted for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, the sex trafficking of children, bulk cash smuggling and various other alleged crimes.

Prosecutors allege that Quiboloy threatened women and underage girls with 'eternal damnation' if they refused to have sex with him.

He has denied all wrongdoing, claiming the allegations and testimony against him has been made up by former members and critics.

Indeed his website has been updated, claiming he is being pursued by 'evil people' because 'the Devil... will try to eliminate a good man... who lays down his life for his fellowmen, who are oppressed by evil, at all costs'.

As police clashed with supporters outside the compound over the weekend, officers raided what is believed to be an underground lair where women were held.

They say two people - who they believe to be victims of human-trafficking - were rescued during the raid.

Haunting footage obtained by local outlet The Daily Tribune showed what appear to be rows and rows of wooden beds, raised slightly off the floor.

Police appear to be in the basement of the compound, leading to a flight of stairs and decorated interior walls.

Debris including piles of wooden planks lay spread out on the ground as police conduct their search.

In another room, various furniture items can be seen left out, unpositioned.

A large, unlit room contains what appear to be rows and rows of wooden beds, raised slightly off the floor.

Clothes can still be seen left out to dry amid the apparent living quarters.

Pillows and water bottles show signs of life inside the enclosure.

Shoes still line cupboards outside the rooms, and personal belongings appear around another large, vacated room.

Officers brought equipment that could detect people behind cement walls to the raid as they searched in vain for Quiboloy.

They claim that their radar equipment detected the presence of some 20 to 30 people around 30 metres below the ground.

But police are yet to find clues leading back to the preacher.

Quiboloy (pictured) has denied the criminal allegations against him and his religious group

Police scoured some of the rooms downstairs but only found vacated beds and personal items

Some rooms are filled with bunk beds, while others are designated as single rooms

Anti-riot police rest outside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Davao city

'We are having a few difficulties because the signal we are monitoring using the ground-penetrating radar is moving,' said Police Colonel Jean Fajardo.

'We won't leave here until we get him.' police chief Nicolas Torre III, who led the raid, said.

Video cuts to what appears to be another floor, decorated with clean metal counters and cupboards.

Corridors are illuminated with built-in overhead lights, revealing more rows of decorated private quarters.

Doorframes are lit up with blue LED lights, creating an eerie ambience through the hallways.

Police go on to reveal a mix of bunk beds and single rooms, some more decorated than others.

One single room has plants, posters and a dresser besides a neatly-made bed.

Others feature as many as six beds in a room, with more plain decoration.

Another room is shown to have at least two double beds, a sofa and a television mounted on the wall.

It is unclear for what purpose these rooms were used.

Police reportedly also swept a room ostensibly linked to 'Amanda', a key whistleblower who has helped expose alleged abuses within the church claiming as many as six million followers.

Amanda testified that she was one of many women held after being coerced into a sexual relationship with Quiboloy 'at a young age', presented as a 'special privilege' reserved for a chosen few, according to the Daily Tribune.

The underground network of rooms is understood to span three levels, two reserved for the 'most attractive' women, kept near FBI Most Wanted preacher Apollo Quiboloy as 'offerings' - and the third reportedly used to confine other women.

Quiboloy, the self-described 'appointed son of God' , is on the FBI's most wanted list

The KOJC claims on its website that 'evil people' are 'after Pastor Apollo Quiboro' (pictured)

Supporters of religious leader Apollo Quiboloy help a woman who fainted during a protest rally outside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound on August 26

Supporters of religious leader Apollo Quiboloy stage a protest rally outside the compund

Anti-riot police stand in formation outside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Davao city on August 26

The early morning raid on August 24 received terrifying backlash from KOJC members, who were met by a force of approximately 2,000 police officers.

One person is understood to have suffered a heart attack and died in the clashes outside the compound in Davao city.

Police said the death was not related to their operations.

The PNP's air unit claimed that members of the KOJC also targeted one of its helicopters with military-grade lasers and drones to distract and harass its pilots.

At least 18 members were detained for resisting police dispersal, and some were injured.

But by mid-afternoon, they found no sign of the preacher in the compound  some 30 hectares (75 acres) that includes a cathedral, a school, a living area, a hangar and a taxiway leading to Davao International Airport.

Quiboloy and his lawyer have denied the criminal allegations against him and his religious group, saying these were fabricated by critics and former members, who were removed from the religious group after committing irregularities.

Quiboloy's followers, many filming the police raid with their cellphones, yelled at the police, questioning the legality of the raid and pronouncing the innocence of Quiboloy, who was a close supporter and spiritual adviser of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte had criticized previous attempts by large numbers of police to arrest Quiboloy as overkill.

Reports have also claimed media personnel have been harassed and intimidated since the raid.

Supporters have continued to gather in protest in recent days, blocked by anti-riot police.

Police Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, who led the raid, said officers wanted to serve warrants for the arrest of Quiboloy for various criminal cases, including child abuse and human trafficking.

He justified the large deployment, saying there were more than 40 buildings and structures to be searched in the religious compound, where large numbers of Quiboloy's followers heckled and opposed the raid noisily.

'We have no-bail warrants for Quiboloy and four others for very grave crimes, including human trafficking, child abuse and other cases,' Torre told reporters.

Police gather in one of the corridors, leading to more decorated rooms of bunkbeds

They stand in stark contrast to the gloomy unlit corridors of the basement hallways

Police believe Quiboloy was holding women captive across three floors in the compound

Quiboloy claims to be the appointed son of God. In 2019, he claimed he stopped a major earthquake from hitting the southern Philippines.

In 2021, United States federal prosecutors announced the indictment of Quiboloy for allegedly having sex with women and underage girls who faced threats of abuse and 'eternal damnation' unless they catered to the self-proclaimed 'son of God'.

Quiboloy and two of his top administrators were among nine people named in a superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury and unsealed in November 2021.

The superseding indictment contained a raft of charges, including conspiracy, sex trafficking of children, sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, marriage fraud, money laundering, cash smuggling and visa fraud.

Quiboloy's group said then that he was ready to face the charges in court, but he went into hiding after a Philippine court ordered his arrest and the arrest of several others for child and sexual abuse.
Self-described misogynist Andrew Tate has claimed that 'the highest echelons of power and finance' are 'coming to enslave us all', amid an investigation into claims of 'sex with a girl aged 15.'

The new investigation involves a total of 35 alleged victims, including a woman who was just 15 at the time. The alleged victims were all said to have been in an 'obvious state of vulnerability'.

The pair were among six people arrested during house raids on four homes in Bucharest, Romania, and nearby Ilfov county last week.

Both of the brothers were placed under house arrest last week, with prosecutors asking for them to be held for 30 days. Tristan has been placed under judicial control, which typically involves geographical restrictions and reporting periodically to the police.

They appeared today at a courthouse in Romania's capital, in an attempt to fight the court order. Outside the Bucharest courthouse, the elder Tate, speaking for himself and his brother, said:

'In the UK, they're locking people up for a simple tweet. We're getting to a point where you're not allowed to say anything or have a differing opinion from the official narrative.

The Tates, pictured outside a Bucharest courthouse, were among six people arrested during house raids on four homes in Bucharest

Andrew Tate boards a vehicle after a hearing at the Bucharest Tribunal in Bucharest, Romania

Self-described misogynist Andrew Tate has claimed that 'the highest echelons of power and finance' are 'coming to enslave us all'

'We all know how that worked during COVID. They intend on locking us all back in our houses and taking all of our money away. Anybody with a brain understands that.'

'I love Romania, it's beautiful. I like the castles and the vampires. It's the gorgeous place.

'Why should I leave Romania? There's 3200 video chat studios in here, in this country. How many have been raided for human trafficking? Isn't it funny that they didn't care about me doing video chat or anyone doing video chat?'

Days ago, Romanian authorities towed a fleet of luxury vehicles from their Bucharest compound.

The motors towed included a Ferrari, a Lamborghini, a Mercedes-Benz, McLaren and a more humble-looking classic red Lada.

But the brothers' lawyer, Ioan Gliga, told reporters in Bucharest today: 'Our clients are not the actual owners of the goods seized and there are serious legal problems regarding these measures, and we hope to convince the court of these things.'

Later photographs showed this Mercedes S Class - worth more than 120,000 being taken away

Police also got a Ferrari 812 Competizone - which has German plates - from inside Tate's compound - worth 450,000

As well as the cars, investigators took a motorbike, laptops, cash and data storage devices

The Tate brothers, both former kickboxers and dual British-US citizens, are already awaiting trial in Romania in a separate human trafficking case along with two Romanian women. Romanian prosecutors formally indicted all four last year.

In the new case, Romania's anti-organised crime agency DIICOT said it is investigating allegations of human trafficking, including the trafficking of minors, sexual intercourse with a minor, forming an organised criminal group, money laundering, and influencing statements. The alleged crimes date between 2014 and 2024.

Andrew Tate, who has 9.9 million followers on the social media platform X, is known for expressing misogynistic views online and has repeatedly claimed that prosecutors have no evidence against him and that there is a political conspiracy to silence him.

He was previously banned from various social media platforms for misogynistic views and hate speech.

During the police raids on Wednesday, which also involved scouring the Tate brothers' large property near Bucharest, authorities seized 16 luxury vehicles, a motorbike, laptops, thousands of dollars in cash, luxury watches, and data storage drives.

The latest case against the Tates adds to a litany of legal woes against them.
An eight-month pregnant woman was put in a chokehold and dragged around her house by an intruder in Houston.

Lily Garza, 31, was sleeping inside her East Houston home around 4pm on August 15 when she awoke to find a strange man standing in her room, who pushed her down on the bed when she tried to get up, she told KHOU 11.

'He just told her to like: "Don't do anything stupid, to lay down, don't move,"' her husband Cesar told the outlet.

Instead, she ran downstairs screaming: 'I'm pregnant! I'm pregnant! I'm pregnant!' before the armed man, who has not been identified, grabbed her, put her in a chokehold, and dragged through her home as her two dogs ran around, surveillance footage shows.

He was seen violently dragging her through her living room, jostling chairs before slamming her into the ground.

'Even though you can see my belly, he wasnt listening,' she told KHOU 11. 'He didnt care, he didnt care at all.'

Lily Garza, 31, (right) was sleeping inside her East Houston home around 4pm on August 15 when she awoke to find a strange man (left) standing in her room, who pushed her down on the bed when she tried to get up

He was seen violently dragging her through her living room, jostling chairs before slamming her into the ground. Garza's baby was not injured in the fall

The intruder then left the home through the backdoor, jumping on the transformer box and hopping the fence. He was later seen running through a parking lot.

He gained access to the home through a window, surveillance footage released by Houston Police shows.

Garza's baby was not injured in the fall, she told the local outlet. She is due any day now.

'Baby is good, baby is good,' she said.

The suspect has been described a short Hispanic man in his 40s or 50s.

The suspect has been described a short Hispanic man in his 40s or 50s. He gained access to the home through a window (pictured)

Garza believes he picked her home thinking it was empty and suspects he's responsible for other crimes

The intruder then left the home through the backdoor, jumping on the transformer box and hopping the fence. He was later seen running through a parking lot. He stole Garza's wedding ring, as well as, other jewelry pieces and her phone

He stole Garza's wedding ring, as well as, other jewelry pieces and her phone.

'I really want him to get caught because the fact that he did it in broad daylight and the fact that he wasn't afraid to put his hands on a pregnant woman, you wouldn't know what he would do to someone who isn't pregnant,' she told the outlet.

She believes he picked her home thinking it was empty and suspects he's responsible for other crimes.

Houston CrimeStoppers are offering a $5,000 reward for information. He's wanted for aggravated home robbery.

Garza now says she felt safer in El Salvador than she does in Houston.

'I was safer, felt safer in El Salvador than how I felt that day in my own house,' she said.
America's top anti-racism scholar has been accused of ripping off the work of two Asian-American colleagues.

Robin DiAngelo, author of the seminal text White Fragility, allegedly plagiarized multiple scholars, including minority writers, in her 2004 doctoral thesis.

A complaint filed with the University of Washington and shared with the Washington Free Beacon found 20 examples of DiAngelo lifting material from other papers without proper attribution.

This included material from two Asian-American professors, University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Stacey Lee and Northeastern University professor Thomas Nakayama.

The allegations are particularly damaging for DiAngelo, 67, who has spoken of the need to credit and attribute other people's work, especially for minorities who are often overlooked.

Robin DiAngelo, author of the seminal text White Fragility, allegedly plagiarized multiple scholars in her doctoral thesis.

She rose to prominence with the publication of her 2018 New York Times bestseller book White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism.

'It is never appropriate to use the secondary source without acknowledging it, and even worse to present it as one's own words,' Peter Wood, president of the National Association of Scholars, told the outlet.

'That's plagiarism.'

DiAngelo, Nakayama, Lee, and the university did not answer The Mail's requests for comment.

The complaint spotlighted DiAngelo's dissertation, titled Whiteness in Racial Dialogue: A Discourse Analysis,' which was the basis of her doctorate in education.

It highlights large excerpts from her work alongside the text she is accused of copying, with the similarities highlighted in yellow.

The University of Washington says plagiarism is 'borrowing the structure of another author's phrases or sentences' without credit, or citing a source but copying their words without quotation marks.

The scholar uses the title Dr. DiAngelo earned from that essay and calls herself an affiliate associate professor of education at the university.

She also charges tens of thousands of dollars for running sessions as an anti-racism consultant.

The report highlighted how DiAngelo's website stressed the importance of giving credit to black, indigenous, and people of color (Bipoc) individuals and to promote their work.

'Promote the work and services of BIPOC people,' says DiAngelo's site.

'Channel work to BIPOC people. Seek out and choose BIPOC-owned businesses and service providers. Co-lead paid work with BIPOC people when possible.'

Northeastern University professor Thomas Nakayama is one of the scholars whose work was allegedly lifted.

Another Asian-American academic, University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Stacey Lee, also had her words pilfered, it is claimed

The Washington Free Beacon showcased the text that DiAngelo allegedly ripped off

It adds: 'Always cite and give credit to the work of BIPOC people who have informed your thinking. When you use a phrase or idea you got from a BIPOC person, credit them.'

DiAngelo rose to prominence with the publication of her 2018 New York Times bestseller book White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism.

The book rails at the ongoing failure of white people to account for and redress past injustices against minorities, and how they become defensive and fragile when challenged about it.

It gained renewed interest and become a more mainstream concept during the summer of 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in Minneapolis.

The phrase 'White fragility' came from DiAngelo's dissertation.

'White fragility is a state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive moves,' DiAngelo wrote.

'These moves include the outward display of emotions such as anger, fear and guilt, and behaviors such as argumentation, silence, and leaving the stress-inducing situation.'

The revelations followed several plagiarism allegations against top Ivy League academics.

Most notably, the Free Beacon reported on dozens of claims against then-Harvard President Claudine Gay in 2023, who was forced to resign in January.
A thug who carried a St George's flag at a riot in Bolton and hurled a missile at a police officer has been jailed for more than two years.

Nigel Simpson said he didn't intend to riot when he went to the town centre and was just 'picking items up off the ground'.

Appearing on videolink from HMP Hewell, the 57-year-old was jailed for over two years after footage captured him during the protests on August 4.

At one stage he charged at counter protesters before running away whilst holding an England flag.

He was seen with a group who were hurling various items in the direction of the police, before he bent down and 'collected' items from the ground.

Simpson then launched a missile at the cops, hitting one who turned round to see where it came from.

Nigel Simpson said he didn't intend to riot when he went to the town centre and was just 'picking items up off the ground'

Police officers stand guard during an anti-immigration protest in Bolton on August 4

Police officers stand guard as counter-protesters push against the cordon on the day of a protest against illegal immigration in Bolton

Police officers stand guard during an anti-immigration protest in Bolton on August 4

A man waves Union Jacks outside a police cordon as protesters were kept apart from counter protesters in Bolton

After, he retreated with others, Bolton Crown Court heard. He previously pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

Shocking scenes in Bolton, Greater Manchester, in early August saw violent clashes between protesters and police broke out, with footage showing the activists pushing against officers who had formed a human barricade.

Greater Manchester Police gave extra powers to cops after Section 60 and Section 60AA were authorised across Bolton until 10pm, following an early Section 34 dispersal notice.

Huw Edwards, prosecuting, said that at around 2pm officers were deployed to Nelson Square where opposing groups were facing off.

'There were around 250 people per side that needed separating and officers were deployed to act as a human barrier,' he said.

CCTV footage from the Dragonfly pub was played to the court which showed Simpson run towards a group of counter protesters, before they retreated as mounted officers approach.

He was also seen carrying an England flag.

Minutes later, while other members of the group were throwing items at police and the opposing faction, Simpson 'collected' a number of items from the floor before throwing a 'black object' in the direction of counter protesters.

Officers stand guard as counter-protesters push against the police cordon - where one man angrily gesticulates

Enough is Enough protesters and Counter Protesters took to the streets of Bolton, kept separate by a wall of officers

Police officers stand with batons at the ready in Bolton as they form a wall between protesters and counter-protesters

'It hits an officer and he turns to look at where it came from as the defendant retreats,' Mr Edwards said.

Interrupting the opening, Simpson said over the videolink: 'I was picking things up, officer.' He was later identified through a CCTV appeal.

Simpson had 10 previous convictions for 13 offences including drunk and disorderly conduct and an assault on a police officer.

Bradley Mather, mitigating, said: 'He tells me he was in Bolton town centre on the day. He said he didn't intend to get involved in this incident - he was there and accepts he shouldn't have been.

'He tells me he was just in the town centre.'

Judge Martin Walsh, who presided over the case, interjected: 'With a flag of St George?'

Mr Mather responded: 'Yes. He said he thought he was attending a peaceful protest. He accepts he should not have got involved.'

He added that Simpson was unemployed and was previously a full time carer for his mother who passed away last year, which had a significant impact on his mental health.

Harvey Gardner, 20, urged people to gather at Huddersfield's train station and promised 'it's not going to be peaceful'

Protesters gather in the centre of Bolton on August 4 as Officer stand ready to repel violence

The court heard he was also suffering with alcohol issues at the time.

Judge Walsh jailed Simpson, of Deerfold, Chorley, for 28 months.

Addressing him, the judge said: 'Greater Manchester Police had a challenge to protect the public and a dispersal order was put in place after 2pm. Subsequently there were a number of protesters and counter-protesters in the town centre.

'Many attended to engage in peaceful protest but others attended to engage in violence. At some stage you attended for this purpose.

'It was not accidental, you clearly attended having made a decision to engage in the violence. Much of the violence by those attended was to push a grotesque, racist and far right agenda.'

Another man was jailed for nine months today, after pleading guilty to encouraging violent disorder in Huddersfield over social media.

Harvey Gardner, 20, urged people to gather at the West Yorkshire town's train station and promised 'it's not going to be peaceful'.

Leeds Crown Court heard the proposed disorder on August 5 did not materialise, but police and local businesses were forced to prepare for it.

Police hold back protesters who had gathered in Bolton on August 4 amid nationwide anti-immigration protests

Gardner's 'widely shared' posts came against the backdrop of 'widespread violent disorder' across the country.

A judge heard he wrote on Facebook and X, formerly Twitter, a post that read: 'Riot in Huddersfield on Monday. Meet at the train station at 1pm. Everyone come show your support. It's not going to be peaceful.'

The court heard he also tried to post the same message on a Facebook group called Huddersfield Community, but the moderator stopped him.

When Gardner, of Queens Way, Kirkburton, was arrested he said he had 'the right to protest', it was said.

In mitigation, the court heard Gardner had no previous offences and was 'deeply regretful' over the fact he had 'jumped on the bandwagon'.

Sentencing Gardner to nine months in custody, Judge Guy Kearl KC said: 'There can be no doubt you were inciting others to engage in violent disorder, otherwise why post the comments?

'No violent incident took place, but the effect of your posts was that local businesses and police had to cater for disorder.

'Your intention was to instigate and incite an incident involving serious violence.'
Richard Lyons, the new chancellor of UC Berkeley, takes a selfie with students. Lyons says he can turn UCs financially troubled jewel into a model of fiscal health with increased investments and intellectual property licensing. Minh Connors/The Chronicle

UC Berkeleys new chancellor walked among students arriving on campus by the hundreds the other day, vigorously shaking hands, posing for photos and sharing wisdom about how to settle in at the sprawling public university.

But what most energized Richard Lyons on move-in day wasnt the warm sunshine or students surprise at seeing the campus chief stroll by in jeans and sneakers. It was the chance to spread the gospel that helped the former business school dean land the top job in the first place.

What if we could build UC Berkeley into a model of financial strength? Lyons challenged a knot of students outside the Unit 3 residence on Durant Avenue. With his face aglow and his fingers spread as if embracing the concept, he said, We may be able to do that for the first time in decades. Thats part of my job.

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Lyons didnt get into other parts of his job: ensuring that political divisions dont flood the campus with tension as they did last school year, when pro-Palestinian students set up a vast tent encampment behind Sproul Plaza and many Jewish students said they felt marginalized for supporting Israel.

He didnt discuss UC Berkeleys epic challenges with housing  symbolized by its battle last school year with neighbors over developing historic Peoples Park, two blocks away.

Richard Lyons greets freshman Steadman Serarcie during a walk through the campus on move-in day, Aug. 20. Nanette Asimov / The Chronicle

Nor did the chancellor mention the uncomfortable specifics behind the schools finances. UC Berkeley faces an extraordinary $79 million budget deficit that threatens to exhaust its central reserves by spring.

One of the students listening to Lyons ventured a hesitant comment.

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I feel like we dont understand, like, you know  began Chayne Zavisza-Hollis, a second-year urban studies major from San Jose.

Lyons cut in. Its a big black box, right? he said, launching into a discourse on licensing agreements, intellectual property and portfolio negotiations before concluding triumphantly: We have a new cylinder in our financial engine!

The students stared at him blankly, as Lyons seemed to realize that having undergraduates tinker with the universitys motor before theyve had a chance to make their beds was asking too much.

Richard Lyons, UC Berkeleys new chancellor, talks with students on campus. Minh Connors/The Chronicle

The chancellor relaxed. We could do a teach-in, he shrugged.

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Lyons, 63, became the 12th chancellor of UCs flagship campus on July 1, a job that pays $946,450 a year. Hes as new to the role as the first-years are to theirs, yet Lyons history with UC Berkeley goes back to his own freshman year there in 1979.

A business major, he went on to intern with the Federal Reserve, teach at the Columbia Business School and spend a couple of years as chief learning officer at Goldman Sachs in New York.

He has also been a professor at UC Berkeleys Haas School of Business since 1993, earning teacher of the year six times and snagging the universitys highest teaching award in 1998. Hes a guy who can easily toss the word asymptote into conversation.

Lyons spent a decade as dean of Haas before Chancellor Carol Christ  who stepped down this summer after seven years  tapped him as chief innovation officer in 2020.

One innovation is the cylinders hes adding to UC Berkeleys faltering financial engine.

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Richard Lyons listens to the marching band after addressing the freshman class at the Haas Pavilion in Berkeley. Minh Connors/The Chronicle

The university is more than a cluster of classrooms for brainy undergrads, Lyons suggests. Its researchers gave the world medical discoveries, from vitamin E to CRISPR gene editing. They developed the atomic bomb and identified chemicals that cause cancer. From the minds of its graduates emerged world-shaking companies such as Apple, Intel and Scharffen Berger chocolate.

UC Berkeley is one of societys most valuable assets, Lyons said during a sit-down in his new office, where books like Managing Credit Risk and Exchange Rate Economics are within reach.

Yet its $3.6 billion annual budget and $7 billion endowment have not prevented cracks and leaks in campus infrastructure and in the spirit of some professors.

Faculty have never been more demoralized, leaders of the Berkeley Faculty Association told Lyons in an open letter when he was appointed last spring. You will inherit a campus that is close to breaking point.

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The progressive faculty group pointed to dirty, cramped, poorly ventilated, poorly heated and inadequately equipped classrooms, labs and offices. They said the loss of 400 staff jobs over the last decade means faculty have to do more administrative work, pay their own phone bills and even clean their offices.

The Berkeley Faculty Association also condemned efforts by past chancellors who placed high hopes on philanthropy, tuition hikes and cost-cutting  even as rising expenses outpaced taxpayer support.

Students roll their belongings as they move into Unit 1, a residential complex on Durant Street, part of which was blocked off to accommodate the newcomers. Nanette Asimov / The Chronicle

Lyons said the group doesnt represent all faculty, as does the Academic Senate. But its correct, he said, that the core of the university  including libraries and labs  is deteriorating.

The group is also right that philanthropy alone wont solve the problem, even though the campus raised a record $1.3 billion last year alone, he said. And its unlikely and maybe naive to believe the state will come to the rescue. UC Berkeleys budget office reports that just 14% of its funding now comes from the state, versus 50% in the mid-1990s.

So Lyons has ideas. Ten, to be precise, that will let UC Berkeley participate more in the economic value it creates and produce unrestricted, $100 million cash flows for our operating budget in the next 10 years, he said.

In 10 to 15 years, UC Berkeley will be financially thriving based on these booster rockets, he said, slipping in another engineering metaphor.

One such rocket is the intellectual property developed at the school  gene editing tools, computer processing designs and immunotherapies, for example  that generate royalties from companies that license the products.

Oski, UC Berkeleys Golden Bear mascot, hugs Richard Lyons as the new chancellor greets students on move-in day, Aug. 20. Nanette Asimov / The Chronicle

Lyons idea is to negotiate lower royalty rates in exchange for, say, a 2% or 4% stake in companies that use the universitys inventions.

When you have a portfolio of over 100 of those, it gets very, very interesting, he said, noting that the campus already owns positions in more than 100 startups.

Another booster rocket, or maybe engine cylinder: what about a 10% return from a venture capital portfolio? UC Berkeley has set up eight such contracts in five years with people connected to campus, and those returns are all going to come to Berkeley, Lyons said, his eyes lighting up.

He shared another: donations that double, triple or even quadruple over roughly a decade. Initially, the money goes into a venture capital fund. But when its released years later, the expanded payout could be hundreds of millions of dollars that the campus can spend freely.

We need to fund research in the humanities, the chancellor said. We need to fund our doctoral students. We need to fund deferred maintenance in our research facilities. We need to fund our libraries.

An 85-day student occupation of the anthropology library in 2023 protesting its threatened closure partly succeeded  and served as a dramatic illustration of campus money woes.

Lyons acknowledged that his strategies could take a decade to make a difference. Provost Benjamin Hermalin said they offer hope.

All investing comes with risk, Hermalin said, yet venture capital funds are good performers. If we hold a portfolio of such funds, we can expect them to do quite well.

Environmental science professor Alastair Iles, co-chair of the Berkeley Faculty Association, said the group is studying Lyons approach and isnt ready to comment.

The Academic Senate hasnt considered it yet, either. But its chair, public health professor Amani Nuru-Jeter, is on board.

Im incredibly excited and support Chancellor Lyons new and innovative thinking, Nuru-Jeter said, adding that its especially welcome because were feeling the squeeze. All of our faculty have to teach more students.

UC Berkeley houses just 22% of its nearly 46,000 students, the lowest rate across all UC campuses. The goal is to house all first-years for two years, and transfer and graduate students for one year. The campus is about 8,000 beds short.

On his walk, Lyons shook hands with Fatima Gordon, a data science major who heads the Residential Hall Assembly, which advocates for students living on campus.

Gordon lives across from Peoples Park and had to be escorted home by armed guards three times in January when UC Berkeley sent hundreds of police into the park, then ringed it with shipping containers to keep out protesters.

Lyons addresses the freshman class at the Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Aug. 22. Minh Connors/The Chronicle

Im hopeful that Richard Lyons will consider other (housing) options that are not culturally significant, she said.

Yet Peoples Park is moving forward and will house 1,100 upperclassmen when it opens in three years. A sparkling new residence for 772 transfer students opened last week, as did a 761-bed site for graduate students in Albany. Its UC Berkeleys first building with an Indigenous name, xucyun ruwway, pronounced HOOCH-yoon ROO-why, in the Ohlone language Chochenyo.

Two other sites are planned, and six more face legal and other hurdles.

Student housing isnt a challenge that has university leaders questioning whether the job is right for them. But Gaza war protests are, pitting students, employees and politicians against one another. At least four university leaders have quit since Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7, triggering the war.

Last week, UC President Michael Drake announced a system-wide ban on protest encampments and identity-hiding masks. Yet Nuru-Jeter of the Academic Senate said divisions will remain.

These issues are so polarizing and deeply felt by so many different people, she said. Things are tense.

Asked why anyone would want the top job during such an arduous time, Lyons smiled.
Parents are fuming at Britain's 'most expensive ice cream van' which is selling a cone for up to 6, leaving children 'crying' when their family can't afford the sweet treats.

The Mr Whippy van in Wythenshawe Park, south Manchester has sparked complaints from families who say they simply can't afford the prices being charged.

A price list for the van was shared on Facebook as a warning to other parents to 'steer clear with the kids'.

With prices starting from 3.95 for a basic 99 cone, up to 5.95 for a 'Knickerbocker Sunday' and 6.95 for a 'King Cone', hundreds of people responded, slamming the seller for the 'unbelievable' prices.

A Mr Whippy van in Wythenshawe Park, south Manchester has sparked complaints from families who say they simply can't afford the prices being charged

Parents are fuming at Britain's 'most expensive ice cream van' which is selling a cone for up to 6, leaving children 'crying' when their family can't afford the sweet treats

A A price list for the van was shared on Facebook as a warning to other parents to 'steer clear with the kids'

'We seen so many kids the other day crying as their mum just couldn't afford it and didn't have it,' said one resident.

'Everyone is out to make a bit of profit but this is taking the p***.'

'I understand they have a fee to pay for having that spot and need to cover that, but come on that is like festival prices and not even worth it,' said another.

A third added: 'How are families meant to go on cheap days out with them prices. Daylight robbery!!! He should be ashamed of him/herself.'

One customer said they visited the van, which is parked up next to the children's playground, and 'had the shock of my life' when the bill came to 11.25 for two ice creams.

One customer said they visited the van, which is parked up next to the children's playground, and 'had the shock of my life' when the bill came to 11.25 for two ice creams

The ice cream on offer at the Mr Whippy van are displayed on the window

The price list slammed as 'daylight robbery' in full: Baby 99 - 2.50 (2) 99 - 3.25 (2.75) Twin 99 - 3.95 (2.95) Smoothie 99 - 3.50 (3) Oreo 99 - 3.50 Unicorn 99 - 3.75 Rainbow 99 - 3.75 Sherbet 99 - 3.75 King Cone - 6 Medium Waffle 99 - 4.75 Two Ball Screwball - 3.25 (2.75) Tub Sunday - 3.25 (2.75) Knickerbocker Sunday - 3.95 (3.45) Boat Sunday - 3.95 The full price list (in brackets is without Flake) Advertisement

Manchester City Council said it was 'engaging with the operator' of the Royal Ices van, 'addressing concerns' that have been raised.

On Monday, prices had been lowered and it cost 7 for two standard waffle cone 99s.

A standard 99 was reduced to 3.25, or 2.75 without a Flake, the Knickerbocker Sunday to 3.95 and the King Cone to 6.

A spokesman for Manchester council said: 'Affordability is a key strand of our assessment process for the procurement of partners. Through the contracting process we will work with operators to make sure their prices are fair and affordable for our residents.'

In July, it was reported that Britons' pockets are being hit by the price of popular ice creams such as Cornetto and Solero, which have soared by more than a third in just two years.

Consumer group Which? found Cornetto's six pack of strawberry ice cream cones had the biggest jump in price of 38 per cent from 2.57 to 3.55 from 2022 and 2024.

Meanwhile, the cost of family favourite classic cones surged by a similar amount from 2.57 to 3.48.

Other popular products found in the supermarket freezer aisle to see a hike in price included the three-pack of Solero Exotic lollies.

They saw a 35 per cent price increase from 2.03 to 2.75, while a four pack of Feast chocolate ice creams jumped by 28 per cent from 2.42 to 3.11, and a six pack of Fab strawberry fruity lollies rose by 23 per cent from 1.97 to 2.43.
Namibia is planning to cull 723 wild animals, including 83 elephants, to distribute meat to people struggling to feed themselves because of a severe drought.

The slaughter will take place in parks and communal areas where authorities believe animal numbers exceed available grazing land and water supplies, the environment ministry said.

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.

The country also plans to cull 30 hippos and 60 buffalo, as well as 50 impala, 100 blue wildebeest, 300 zebra and 100 eland.

Namibia is planning to cull 83 elephants to distribute meat to people struggling to feed themselves because of a severe drought. Pictured: Elephants walk near a carcass of an elephant at a watering hole inside Hwange National Park, in Zimbabwe

Namibia also plans to to cull 30 hippos and 60 buffalo, as well as 50 impala, 100 blue wildebeest, 300 zebra and 100 eland. Pictured: elephants and giraffes walk in Zimbabwe

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 is 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.

It comes after entire herds of endangered hippos were left stranded and unable to move in drying-up ponds as a drought ravaged Botswana earlier this year.
A Kinahan 'cartel leader and associates' are due to go on trial next month over an alleged plot to acquire firearms and ammunition which they could reveal to police in a bid for a lesser sentence.

Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh, 56, was arrested along with Shaun Kent, 38, and Daniel McLoughlin, 37, as part of an investigation by the National Crime Agency  dubbed Britain's FBI.

Kavanagh's brother-in-law Liam Byrne, 43, was also charged in relation to the plot after being extradited to the UK from Spain.

Bespectacled Kavanagh and Byrne, both from Dublin, along with McLoughlin, appeared at the Old Bailey today over video-link from maximum security HMP Belmarsh.

Kent appeared in court from HMP Forest Bank in Manchester.

Judge Philip Katz, KC, also appeared on a remote link from Lewes Crown Court in Sussex.

Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh, 56, (pictured) was arrested along with Shaun Kent, 38, and Daniel McLoughlin, 37, as part of an investigation by the National Crime Agency

He confirmed the trial would remain listed for 2 September with jury selection likely to take place a week later ahead of prosecutor Tom Forster opening the case on 11 September.

Mr Forster said: 'The Crown would welcome this trial to stay in the list next week and hopefully open it the week after.'

McLoughlin denies conspiracy to possess a firearm without a certificate, conspiracy to possess ammunition without a certificate, conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon and conspiracy to possession prohibited ammunition.

Kent denies two counts of conspiracy to possess a firearm without a certificate, two counts of conspiracy to possession ammunition without a certificate, two counts of conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon, two counts of conspiracy to possess prohibited ammunition and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Kavanagh is charged with the same offences as Kent but has not yet entered pleas.

Kavanagh and Byrne, both from Dublin, along with McLoughlin, appeared at the Old Bailey (pictured) today over video-link from maximum security HMP Belmarsh

Kent denies three counts of conspiracy to possess a firearm without a certificate, three counts of conspiracy to possession ammunition without a certificate, three counts of conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon and two counts of conspiracy to possess prohibited ammunition.

The charges relate to messages harvested from Encrochat, the encrypted messaging platform used by crime gangs and infiltrated by law enforcement.

The conspiracy to pervert the course of justice charge against Kent alleges he conspired with with Byrne and others to do a series of acts to come into possession of firearms 'and thereafter to hide them and then reveal their whereabouts to the NCA to enable Thomas Kavanagh to receive a lesser sentence.'
Megyn Kelly unleashed a shockingly foul-mouthed attack on CNN journalist Kaitlan Collins.

During a Tuesday night episode of The Megyn Kelly Show, the commentator held nothing back when discussing Collins with radio producer Stu Burguiere and podcaster Stephen L. Miller.

Kelly, a former Fox News and NBC anchor, called Collins 'biased,' but said the anchor's 'biggest sin' is that 'she's extremely boring with no personality.'

'I have a pro tip for her: Smile. Try smiling. Try not to be in your delivery like such a cold-hearted b***h all the time, because it gives people nothing to bond to,' Kelly said.

The trio went on to critique Collins' Friday appearance on Bill Maher's late night show, where the host tore into her about the left-wing network's 'gushing' over Vice President Kamala Harris at the Democratic National Convention.

On Tuesday night, Megan Kelly branded Kaitlan Collins 'extremely boring' and a 'cold-hearted b***h'

Kelly also said that Collins 'is biased' with 'no personality,' which makes it's hard for people to 'bond' with her. (pictured: Collins in New York at the US Open on Monday)

'I'm sorry, but she's only a star with the leftists,' Kelly said of Collins, while also touching on the anchor's 'Alabama roots' that she discussed with Maher.

'I'm from Alabama. I'm from a very red state. I have a very conservative family. A lot of them are Trump voters,' Collins said on Friday.

'They watch my show every night, and I think they know they can trust me, that, you know, we call bulls**** on every side, not just whatever leaning our audience may be, and I think that's something that people actually want more of.'

Kelly strongly disagreed with Collins and said that her statement only let viewers know that 'Donald Trump is evil.'

'What's happening here is that Donald Trump is evil - that's what you really need to know,' Kelly said.

The trio critiqued Collins' Friday appearance on Bill Maher's l ate night show, where the host tore into her about the left-wing network's 'gushing' over Vice President Kamala Harris at the Democratic National Convention

'And she was actually on there suggesting that CNN is fair in its coverage, and that you can trust CNN, you heard her making that claim earlier.'

Kelly then shared a compilation of CNN's coverage featuring Collins and her colleagues.

'But CNN is nothing but fair, "nothing but fair" guys,' Kelly said sarcastically to Burguiere and Miller.

Miller jumped in and brought up yet another awkward moment Collins had on a recent episode of Stephen Colbert's show, where his audience laughed after he referred to the network as 'objective.'

The podcaster said that although Collins has claimed that the network 'speaks to lawmakers from both sides,' she did not touch on 'how she treats people from both sides differently .'

The podcaster said that although Collins has claimed that the network 'speaks to lawmakers from both sides,' she did not touch on 'how she treats people from both sides differently '

'How she's combative with Ted Cruz, or you know, how she'll cut off an interview if somebody says something about COVID or something like that.

'She's cut off Republicans and she's never cut off a Democrat,' Miller added.

Kelly jumped back in and said that 'people are sick of this sh**,' and 'can't stand being force fed this nonsense by these mainstream media outlets.'

The host then took the opportunity to note 'a point of pride' for The Megyn Kelly Show recently reaching more than one billion views on YouTube.

She proceeded to mention how her show has 'beat' other media outlets, including CBS News and NBC News, among others.

'Even [beating] CNN, which has a very large and successful YouTube feed,' Kelly said.

In June, Kelly labeled CNN host Kasie Hunt 'weak' following her meltdown over claims that the network's upcoming presidential debate moderators may be 'biased.'

Kelly said Hunt embarrassed womankind' with her public outcry.

'She embarrassed female journalists, and she embarrassed CNN,' Kelly said. 'Her timidity rang through loud and clear, she was shaking.'

Kelly's remarks came days after Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt was unceremoniously booted off of Hunt's show when she argued moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash won't treat Trump 'fairly' during a debate.

The CNN anchor took offense to Leavitt bringing up past instances of Tapper and Bash appearing to side against Trump in their coverage.

Leavitt was hastily cut off the air as she weighed in, leaving her to note afterwards that the incident 'just proves our point that President Trump will not be treated fairly' in the debate.

'CNN cutting off my microphone for bringing up a debate moderator's history of anti-Trump lies just proves our point that President Trump will not be treated fairly in Thursday's debate,' she said at the time.

'Yet President Trump is still willing to go into this 3-1 fight to bring his winning message to the American people, and he will win.'

Collins faced widespread criticism for her town hall with Donald Trump in 2023, where the former president repeated claims about the 2020 presidential election

Last year, Kelly slammed Collins over the CNN anchor's 'train wreck' town hall with Trump, saying she was 'ill-equipped' to deal with the former president.

'It failed on every front except one,' Kelly said on her podcast at the time. 'It was wildly successful in giving Donald Trump an hour of free airtime to make his case without laying a glove on him. Congrats, CNN.'

Collins faced widespread criticism for the town hall, where Trump repeated claims about the 2020 presidential election, and mocked E. Jean Carroll, who won $5 million in damages just the day before, when a jury found Trump sexually abused her in 1996.

Even CNN star anchor Anderson Cooper blasted his own network for the interview - and said viewers have the right to 'never watch this network again'.
The family of a New York City college student left comatose after brain surgery is fighting to stop a hospital from taking the young woman off life support.

Amber Ebanks, 23, a business student at Monroe College, suffered an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) rupture back in February, according to the family GoFundMe.

She went in for a scheduled surgery at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx to stop the bleeding on July 30 but suffered a major stroke during the operation and was put into a medically induced coma.

The hospital declared her brain dead and wanted to pull the plug, but the Ebanks family is fighting in civil court to keep her on life support until she can be transferred to a care facility.

'They [Montefiore Hospital] are some of the cruelest people I have ever known,' her sister Kay Ebanks told ABC 13.

Amber Ebanks suffered an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) rupture back in February and went in for a scheduled surgery to embolize the vessel that was bleeding on July 30

Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx declared her brain dead, but the Embanks family is in a legal battle to stop them from pulling the plug

'She was perfectly fine and it's unbelievable the condition she is in right now and they to take her off the life support in not even a month.'

The family's attorney Chauncey Henry told DailyMail.com they have been able to obtain a temporary restraining against the hospital to keep Amber on life support.

After Amber suffered the AVM rupture, she was able to return to life as normal. She drove herself to the scheduled surgery and recorded advice doctors gave her.

AVMs are abnormal tangles of blood vessels which can cause irregular connections between the arteries and veins - which often develop in the spinal cord and brain.

Amber's surgery was planned to embolize the vessel - a medical procedure designed to prevent or stop hemorrhaging.

They family said they have not been given a reason as to why the hospital was so eager to end Amber's care.

'When you have someone who hasn't woken up yet, how can you decide that?' Henry said.

'When it comes to brain injuries, time is needed. There shouldn't be a rush to judgement.

The family's attorney Chauncey Henry told DailyMail.com they have been able to obtain a temporary restraining against the hospital to keep Amber on life support

They family said they have not been given a reason as to why the hospital was so eager to end Amber's care

The family has been able to obtain a temporary restraining against Montefiore (pictured) to keep Amber on life support

'Like any muscle the brain takes time to heal, it's only been three weeks.'

Amber's father lives in Jamaica - where Amber is from - and is currently trying to obtain a visa to come see his daughter.

New Beginnings, a Long Island care facility, has agreed to take over Amber's care.

'Everybody needs hope. You can't just give up. Can't just take them off life support when she needs more time,' New Beginnings Founder Allyson Scerri told the local news station.

A hospital spokesperson told DailyMail.com it could not comment due to patient privacy laws.

'Due to HIPAA and patient privacy rules, we are not able to provide any specifics regarding individual patients. Montefiores decisions are guided by both government regulations and a commitment to upholding the highest standards of care for our patients,' the spokesperson said.
A couple died after they desperately jumped from their seventh-floor flat with their baby son in an attempt to flee an inferno.

Luiz Evaldo Lima, Graciane Rosa de Oliveira and their two-month-old son Leo Oliveira de Lima 'died instantly' yesterday while trying to escape the blaze that broke out at their residence in Brazil.

The cause of the fire in the block of flats in Valparaiso de Goias, near Brasilia, is under investigation. But according to an anonymous witness, the flames spread 'very quickly and violently'.

The fire brigade evacuated residents from the block and 15 people were taken to local hospitals with smoke inhalation symptoms.

Two other people, including Graciane's mother, were rescued from the couple's flat on Tuesday morning. The other individual is believed to be an upholsterer.

Luiz Evaldo Lima, (left) Graciane Rosa de Oliveira, (right) and their two-month-old son Leo Oliveira de Lima (not pictured) 'died instantly' yesterday after they desperately jumped from their seventh-floor flat in Valparaiso de Goias, near Brasilia, Brazil, in an attempt to flee an inferno

The cause of the fire in the block of flats in Valparaiso de Goias, near Brasilia, is under investigation. But according to an anonymous witness, the flames spread 'very quickly and violently'

Felipe Ferreira, who lives in the neighbouring building, recalled: 'We saw a couple with a child at the seventh-floor window.

'We started shouting for them not to jump, but the flames quickly engulfed them.

'In the end, they jumped and died instantly.'

Capt Fabio Jose Rodrigues of the Goias Fire Department told local media: 'They died out of desperation.'

Maj. Mauricio Correia of the Goias Fire Department speculated: 'It could have been something that exploded and affected the gas pipes.'

Graciane, 35, (left) was an eyelash technician and Luiz, 28, (right) was a waiter. The couple first met in 2019 at the wholesaler where Luiz worked at the time

Graciane, 35, was an eyelash technician and Luiz, 28, was a waiter, as reported by NeedToKnow.

The couple first met in 2019 at the wholesaler where Luiz worked at the time.

Graciane also had a seven-year-old daughter, who was at school when the fire ripped through the building's seventh floor. She is now with her grandparents.
North Koreans could face up to six months of labor sentences for sporting 'rooster' hairstyles or see-through sleeves under new fashion ban regulations.

The latest restrictions were unveiled in video lecture where individuals caught with prohibited hairstyles were forced to shave their heads, a resident of the North Hamgyong province told Radio Free Asia.

North Korea has a long list of prohibited fashion items including sleeveless shirts, jeans, hair dye, non-creased pants, T-shirts with foreign lettering, shoulder bags, shorts and tight-fitting tops.

Citizens are also banned from having hair the falls below the waistline, imitating the hairstyle of ruler Kim Jong Un and sporting the 'rooster' style, a term used to describe a high-ponytail with a side-swept fringe that covers the forehead and one eye.

The banned fashion list, which seemingly prohibits clothing styles typically worn in rival South Korea, reportedly restricts items that 'obscure the image of a socialist system', sources have claimed.

North Korea has a long list of prohibited fashion items including sleeveless shirts, jeans, hair dye, non-creased pants, T-shirts with foreign lettering, shoulder bags, shorts and tight-fitting tops

Residents are banned from imitating the hairstyle of ruler Kim Jong Un, pictured above in 2017

Residents are reportedly frustrated by the fashion bans, which they allege do not seem to apply to those close to Kim Jong Un.

His daughter Kim Ju Ae recently made a public appearance in a blouse with semi-transparent sleeves, Free Radio Asia reported.

Similarly, Hyon Song Wol, the deputy department director of the ruling Korean Workers' Party, has also worn the 'rooster' hairstyle.

Citizens, seemingly angered by the double standard, are understood to be protesting the restrictions.

'Residents protested, saying, 'You can't wear hair in a bun, you can't cover your forehead and eyes with your bangs. Are people machines?' one local said.

Another recalled: 'Even the leader's daughter appeared wearing see-through clothes. People protested and asked why wearing them would be anti-socialist.'

The North Korean government regulates even the most trivial aspects of daily life - an integral part of its strategy to maintain societal homogeneity and quash any signs of dissent.

Trousers that imitate Kim Jong Un's wide pants, seen in a photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on August 26, 2024, are also banned

Residents are frustrated by the fashion bans, which they allege do not seem to apply to those close to Kim Jong Un. His daughter Kim Ju Ae (left, with Kim Jong Un in May 2024) has reportedly made at least one public appearance in a blouse with semi-transparent sleeves

Similarly, Hyon Song Wol, (pictured in April 2018) the deputy department director of the ruling Korean Workers' Party, has also sported the 'rooster' hairstyle

Haircuts, arguably the most visible symbol of one's personal identity, are subject to strict state approval in North Korea. Citizens must select their hairstyles from a list of roughly 15 government-approved options.

Men are expected to keep their hair short, while women have a slightly broader range of choices - though all must conform to conservative styles devoid of any hint of rebellion.

Those found sporting unauthorised hairstyles risk punishment, including fines, forced labour, or even imprisonment.

The limited trims on offer in North Korean salons were revealed by Finnish journalist Mika Makelainen, who in 2017 captured images of posters displaying the regulated hairstyles during a tightly controlled press visit to Pyongyang to cover the Day of the Sun - a celebration of 105 years since the nation's founder Kim Il-sung was born.

'Equality in North Korea: Both sexes have 15 approved haircut models. You can forget about dyeing your hair though,' he quipped at the time.

Dress codes in North Korea further exemplify the state's obsession with uniformity and are used as a social engineering tool.

Traditional attire, known as 'Choson-ot,' is often mandated for official events and public gatherings, promoting a sense of national identity and pride in Korean heritage.

Citizens must select their hairstyles from a list of roughly 15 government-approved options

But even beyond ceremonial occasions, citizens are expected to adhere to a drab dress code that reflects modesty and austerity.

Western fashion trends are largely forbidden as they are perceived as symbols of capitalist decadence and cultural infiltration.

Last year, after an addition to North Korea's Rejection of Reactionary Thought and Culture Act, officials declared that any woman who wears clothing that does not reach below the knee line flouts the principles of 'socialist etiquette'.

Women caught flouting regulations are also liable to be slapped with all manner of disproportionate punishments.
An American man who allegedly faked his own death to avoid rape charges was wheeled into court on a wheelchair after being extradited from Scotland.

Nicholas Rossi, also known as Nicholas Alahverdian and his alleged alias Arthur Knight, is facing two rape charges dating back to 2008, with one being heard in Utah court in a trial that began this week.

Prosecutors allege Rossi raped a former girlfriend, 26, in Salt Lake County back in 2008. He's accused of raping another woman, 21, that same year in Ohio, and is suspected of several other attacks.

His appearance in court came as a Utah judge ruled that prosecutors had presented adequate evidence for Rossi to be tried for first-degree rape, days after another Utah judge came to the same conclusion for the second rape charge.

Rossi made headlines after he was arrested in Scotland in December 2021 while being treated for Covid-19 under the name Arthur Knight. He was exposed when his fingerprints were found to match those of Rossi, who had been sought by cops for a variety of crimes but was reported dead.

Alleged rapist Nicholas Rossi was wheeled into court Tuesday, where he was ordered to stand trial for a 2008 rape charge in Utah

Rossi made headlines in 2021 when he was accused of faking his own death the year before to flee rape charges, leading to a legal battle that led to his extradition from Scotland in 2023 (pictured that year)

Rossi maintained that his arrest was a case of mistaken identity since being apprehended in 2021.

But his attorneys finally dropped that fiction on August 22 as the first order for him to stand trial this month was made.

At a hearing on Tuesday, Rossi was wheeled into the courtroom in a blue prison jumpsuit, handcuffs and an oxygen mask.

The charges in this case stemmed from an alleged 2008 sex attack in Utah on a 21-year-old woman. Prosecutors said Rossi's DNA was matched to an untested sexual assault kit that was only tested in 2018.

In Tuesday's hearing, Orem Police Lt. Karalee Johnson testified that the re-testing of the kit was a match for Rossi, as she identified Rossie as the suspect in the courtroom wearing the oxygen mask, reports KSL.

Rossi's alleged victim did not testify, however she was represented by a victim advocate who testified about the woman's statement submitted to the judge.

Prosecutors allege Rossi raped a former girlfriend, 26, in Salt Lake County back in 2008. He's accused of raping another woman, 21, that same year in Ohio

The alleged serial rapist has been locked up in Utah since his extradition from Scotland, however Rossi's attorney said Tuesday that she intends to call witnesses to argue that he should no longer be kept in Utah County Jail.

While that hearing on Rossi's bail is set for October 16, this month he was also ordered on August 22 to stand trial on another first-degree rape charge for an alleged attack in Salt Lake City in 2008.

Following the alleged attacks in Utah, prosecutors said Rossi moved to Rhode Island, where he grew up in the state's foster care system.

In 2020, reports surfaced that he had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and died, however authorities were quick to question the legitimacy of his death as no death certificate could be found.

In July 2020, DNA allegedly linked him to a 2008 rape in Utah which is ultimately what led to his discovery in Scotland.

Mr. Rossi also goes by the aliases Nick Alahverdian, Nick Alan, Nicholas Brown and Arthur Brown. He was pictured in 2011, when he was campaigning against the state's welfare system

Under the guise of Arthur Brown, Rossi is believed to have met his wife, Miranda Knight, in Bristol in 2019 and married her in early 2020, assuming the name Arthur Knight.

They moved to Glasgow shortly afterwards but in 2021, Rossi became so ill with Covid that he had to be hospitalized at the city's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

He stirred up confusion during his first court appearance in the US in January as he continued to speak in a British accent throughout the hearing and sported an oxygen mask that made it difficult to understand what he was saying.

Rossie is next scheduled for a bail hearing in the Salt Lake County case on October 16, the day before his bail hearing in Utah County.
This is the moment police arrested 14 riot suspects in early morning raids, which included an 11-year-old child and a mother and her son.

Cleveland Police has now arrested 110 people following the widespread disorder which broke out across Hartlepool and Middlesbrough almost a month ago.

The force invited the media to accompany some of the 10 teams which set out from its Middlesbrough headquarters early on Wednesday to carry out a series of raids.

Police said 14 people aged between 11 and 43 were arrested today.

Before the teams set out, Superintendent Marc Anderson briefed them, saying: 'I was Silver Commander on Sunday August 4 and never in my 30 years' service have I seen anything like that in Middlesbrough.

'What the community had to put up with that day was completely unacceptable.'

He warned officers to take their personal safety seriously and to secure the addresses they were raiding, given that suspects will know the courts have handed out hefty sentences for disorder.

An 11-year-old child became one of the youngest person to be arrested over the UK riots after he was detained today  the second time the force has held an 11-year-old over disorder.

A boy aged 11 was arrested on suspicion of arson on August 1 after a police car was set alight in Hartlepool during the disorder in the town.

One strike team arrested two people  a man aged 23 and his 43-year-old mother  on suspicion of violent disorder, from an address in St Catherine's Court, Middlesbrough.

Cumberland Police escorting what looks like a teenager they have arrested in Middlesbrough today during an early morning raid

Media joined Cumberland Police on their early morning raids this morning as 14 riot suspects were arrested

Cleveland Police officers raid a home in Middlesbrough during a day of action

Cleveland Police officers during a briefing Middlesbrough ahead of raiding homes of rioters

Police officers escort a women they've arrested in Middlesbrough

Police escorting a suspected rioter they have arrested in Middlesbrough today

Fourteen people aged between 11 and 43 were arrested today

Neighbours looked on in shock as the officers banged on the suspects' door before they were led away, with the man covering his face with a hoodie.

The arrested woman yelled at the media to stop filming her as she was escorted to a police van.

The team then moved on to an address in Limerick Avenue, Stockton, Teesside, where a 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder.

He swore at the media as he was filmed being led to the police van, calling reporters 'muppets' and saying: 'Go and get some proper news.'

After the raids were successfully completed, Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Robinson, in charge of the operation to catch the Middlesbrough disorder suspects, said: 'The message is 'You haven't got away with it'.

'We can identify you and we will arrest you, you will be arrested and you will be put before the courts.

'Behind every crime there is a victim and some of the stories that we have been told have been really harrowing.'

Cleveland Police has vowed to catch anyone who was responsible for joining in the violent disorder earlier this month which took place across the country.

Riots spread across major towns and cities following the murder of three little girls at a Taylor Swift inspired dance class in Southport on July 29.

Days of disorder followed after false messaging on social media wrongly identified the suspected killer as an Islamist migrant.

Police vowed to catch anyone responsible for joining in the disorder earlier this month after strike teams carried out a series of raids on Teesside

All of the arrests relate to the widespread trouble seen in Hartlepool and Middlesbrough this summer, marking some of the worst disorder to sweep the nation in recent memory

Days of disorder followed after false messaging on social media wrongly identified the suspected killer as an Islamist migrant

As of last week, more than 520 people have been charged in relation to the week-long disorder in towns and cities across the UK, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Before the strike teams set out in Middlesbrough this morning, Superintendent Marc Anderson briefed them, saying: 'I was Silver Commander on Sunday August 4 and never in my 30 years' service have I seen anything like that in Middlesbrough.

'What the community had to put up with that day was completely unacceptable.'

He warned officers to take their personal safety seriously and to secure the addresses they were raiding, given that suspects will know the courts have handed out hefty sentences for disorder.

One strike team arrested two people - a man aged 23 and his 43-year-old mother - on suspicion of violent disorder.

After the raids were successfully completed, Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Robinson, in charge of the operation to catch the Middlesbrough disorder suspects, said: 'The message is 'You haven't got away with it'.

'We can identify you and we will arrest you, you will be arrested and you will be put before the courts.

'Behind every crime there is a victim and some of the stories that we have been told have been really harrowing.

Hundreds of people have appeared in court this month following the far-right riots that swept the UK.

Yobs attacked strangers in the streets, targeted asylum hotels and assaulted police officers in disgraceful scenes fuelled by lies peddled online.

Dozens have since been convicted of crimes for their roles in the mayhem.

Riots spread across major towns and cities following the murder of three little girls at a Taylor Swift inspired dance class in Southport on July 29 (pictured: A car burns after it was set alight by far-right activists holding a demonstration in Middlesbrough)

Riots, such as the ones seen in Middlesbrough (pictured) devastated towns and cities across the UK since July 30

Yobs attacked strangers in the streets, targeted asylum hotels and assaulted police officers in disgraceful scenes fuelled by lies peddled online (pictured: Protestors battle police in Hartlepool)

On Wednesday, a man who tried to instigate a 'riot' in Huddersfield has been jailed for nine months.

Harvey Gardner, 20, pleaded guilty to encouraging violent disorder over social media posts urging people to gather at the West Yorkshire town's train station and promising 'it's not going to be peaceful'.

Leeds Crown Court heard the proposed disorder on August 5 did not materialise, but police and local businesses were forced to prepare for it.

Gardner's 'widely shared' posts came against the backdrop of 'widespread violent disorder' across the country.

A judge heard he wrote on Facebook and X, formerly Twitter, a post that read: 'Riot in Huddersfield on Monday. Meet at the train station at 1pm. Everyone come show your support. It's not going to be peaceful.'

The court heard he also tried to post the same message on a Facebook group called Huddersfield Community, but the moderator stopped him.

Hundreds of people have appeared in court this month following the far-right riots (such as the one pictured in Hartlepool) that swept the UK

Harvey Gardner, 20, pleaded guilty to encouraging violent disorder over social media posts urging people to gather at the West Yorkshire town's train station and promising 'it's not going to be peaceful'

When Gardner, of Queens Way, Kirkburton, was arrested he said he had 'the right to protest', it was said.

In mitigation, the court heard Gardner had no previous offences and was 'deeply regretful' over the fact he had 'jumped on the bandwagon'.

Sentencing Gardner to nine months in custody, Judge Guy Kearl KC said: 'There can be no doubt you were inciting others to engage in violent disorder, otherwise why post the comments?

'No violent incident took place, but the effect of your posts was that local businesses and police had to cater for disorder.

'Your intention was to instigate and incite an incident involving serious violence'.

An 11-year-old child has become one of the youngest person to be arrested over the UK riots after he was detained over disorder in Middlesbrough.

Cleveland Police confirmed it had arrested 14 people aged between 11 and 43 after it sent out 10 teams from its headquarters early on Wednesday to carry out a series of raids.

All of the arrests relate to the widespread trouble seen in Hartlepool and Middlesbrough this summer, marking some of the worst disorder to sweep the nation in recent memory.

The force also issued a stark warning to troublemakers, saying: 'The message is "You haven't got away with it".'

Riots spread across major towns and cities following the murder of three little girls at a Taylor Swift inspired dance class in Southport on July 29.

Days of disorder followed after false messaging on social media wrongly identified the suspected killer as an Islamist migrant.

Police vowed to catch anyone responsible for joining in the disorder earlier this month after strike teams carried out a series of raids on Teesside

All of the arrests relate to the widespread trouble seen in Hartlepool and Middlesbrough this summer, marking some of the worst disorder to sweep the nation in recent memory

Days of disorder followed after false messaging on social media wrongly identified the suspected killer as an Islamist migrant

As of last week, more than 520 people have been charged in relation to the week-long disorder in towns and cities across the UK, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Before the strike teams set out in Middlesbrough this morning, Superintendent Marc Anderson briefed them, saying: 'I was Silver Commander on Sunday August 4 and never in my 30 years' service have I seen anything like that in Middlesbrough.

'What the community had to put up with that day was completely unacceptable.'

He warned officers to take their personal safety seriously and to secure the addresses they were raiding, given that suspects will know the courts have handed out hefty sentences for disorder.

One strike team arrested two people - a man aged 23 and his 43-year-old mother - on suspicion of violent disorder.

After the raids were successfully completed, Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Robinson, in charge of the operation to catch the Middlesbrough disorder suspects, said: 'The message is 'You haven't got away with it'.

'We can identify you and we will arrest you, you will be arrested and you will be put before the courts.

'Behind every crime there is a victim and some of the stories that we have been told have been really harrowing.

Hundreds of people have appeared in court this month following the far-right riots that swept the UK.

Yobs attacked strangers in the streets, targeted asylum hotels and assaulted police officers in disgraceful scenes fuelled by lies peddled online.

Dozens have since been convicted of crimes for their roles in the mayhem.

Riots spread across major towns and cities following the murder of three little girls at a Taylor Swift inspired dance class in Southport on July 29 (pictured: A car burns after it was set alight by far-right activists holding a demonstration in Middlesbrough)

Cleveland Police confirmed it had arrested 14 people aged between 11 and 43 after it sent out 10 teams from its headquarters early on Wednesday to carry out a series of raids

Riots, such as the ones seen in Middlesbrough (pictured) devastated towns and cities across the UK since July 30

Yobs attacked strangers in the streets, targeted asylum hotels and assaulted police officers in disgraceful scenes fuelled by lies peddled online (pictured: Protestors battle police in Hartlepool)

On Wednesday, a man who tried to instigate a 'riot' in Huddersfield has been jailed for nine months.

Harvey Gardner, 20, pleaded guilty to encouraging violent disorder over social media posts urging people to gather at the West Yorkshire town's train station and promising 'it's not going to be peaceful'.

Leeds Crown Court heard the proposed disorder on August 5 did not materialise, but police and local businesses were forced to prepare for it.

Gardner's 'widely shared' posts came against the backdrop of 'widespread violent disorder' across the country.

A judge heard he wrote on Facebook and X, formerly Twitter, a post that read: 'Riot in Huddersfield on Monday. Meet at the train station at 1pm. Everyone come show your support. It's not going to be peaceful.'

The court heard he also tried to post the same message on a Facebook group called Huddersfield Community, but the moderator stopped him.

Hundreds of people have appeared in court this month following the far-right riots (such as the one pictured in Hartlepool) that swept the UK

Harvey Gardner, 20, pleaded guilty to encouraging violent disorder over social media posts urging people to gather at the West Yorkshire town's train station and promising 'it's not going to be peaceful'

When Gardner, of Queens Way, Kirkburton, was arrested he said he had 'the right to protest', it was said.

In mitigation, the court heard Gardner had no previous offences and was 'deeply regretful' over the fact he had 'jumped on the bandwagon'.

Sentencing Gardner to nine months in custody, Judge Guy Kearl KC said: 'There can be no doubt you were inciting others to engage in violent disorder, otherwise why post the comments?

'No violent incident took place, but the effect of your posts was that local businesses and police had to cater for disorder.

'Your intention was to instigate and incite an incident involving serious violence.'
Police have launched a murder investigation after a young mother was found dead in a flat in Glasgow.

Brodie MacGregor, 23, was found inside a property on Elmvale Street, in the Springburn area, on Monday and pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers launched a murder inquiry following a post-mortem examination and have now arrested a 52-year-old man in connection with her death.

Police Scotland are supporting Ms MacGregor's family as they continue to probe the circumstances surrounding her death.

The force has set up an online portal and is encouraging people to submit information that could aid in their ongoing investigation.

Brodie MacGregor, 23, was found inside a property on Elmvale Street, in the Springburn area of Glasgow, on Monday around 10.15am. She was pronounced dead at the scene

Police officers at the scene in Elmvale Street in the Springburn area of Glasgow. Officers launched a murder inquiry in MacGregor's death following a post-mortem examination

Detectives are particularly keen to speak to anyone who was in the area between 4.30am and 10.30am on Monday August 26 and saw anything suspicious.

Detective Chief Inspector Lynsey Watters said of the Major Investigation Team said: 'Our thoughts remain with Brodie's family and friends at this very difficult time.

'We are providing them with support as our investigation continues to establish the full circumstances of what happened.

'We would again urge anyone who may have any information to get in touch. Any information, no matter how small, could be vital in establishing what happened to Brodie.

'A police presence remains in the Springburn area as our inquiries continue and I would encourage anyone with information or concerns to speak with these officers.'

The force has set up an online portal and is encouraging people to submit information that could aid in their ongoing investigation. Pictured are investigators at the scene

The Major Incident Public Portal on which the form can be found is a website that gives the public access to a form so they can send information directly to the major incident teams based at the Scottish Crime Campus.

Tips can also be reported by calling police on 101 and quoting incident number 0879 of Monday, August 26, 2024. Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous can call independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Proposition A on the November ballot asks San Francisco voters to approve $790 million in school bonds for infrastructure upgrades. Daymond Gascon/The Chronicle

San Francisco Unified School District is staring down challenges that at times feel insurmountable.

Faced with a potential state takeover stemming from big projected budget deficits, the district soon will be forced to close schools to save money due to shrinking student enrollment. With those closures will come a shakeup of the districts enrollment policy  one that rolls back a lottery system to determine which school a child attends in favor of them going to one in their neighborhood. The district will have to enact these politically fraught changes as it continues to repair its reputation stemming from a $34 million payroll fiasco that left many teachers and other staffers unpaid and without medical insurance, and years of chaos surrounding its school board. And the district will have to do so without its thoughtful school board president, Lainie Motamedi, who abruptly stepped down for personal reasons on Friday.

Amid these uncertainties, Proposition A on the November ballot asks San Francisco voters to approve $790 million in school bonds for infrastructure upgrades.

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Suffice it to say, its not an easy time for the district to make this request of voters. Yet theres virtually no hope for the district to work its way through its crises without Prop A.

We support its passage.

Money is needed to repair even basic necessities, such as bathrooms, electrical outlets and old roofs. Schoolyards and dining spaces need to be modernized, and security systems are overdue for upgrades.

Phil Halperin, co-chair of the bond measure campaign, told the editorial board that work to maintain the districts portfolio of more than 100 schools is like the Golden Gate Bridge, which always needs painting.

The measure will also pay for the construction of an ambitious new central food hub, where fresh meals will be cooked, drastically improving the quality and healthfulness of school lunches and ultimately saving the district operating costs; SFUSD holds an expensive contract with an off-site provider of prepackaged meals.

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Vitally, no bond funds will be allocated to schools designated for closure.

Despite the districts recent troubles, history shows its school bonds have been managed well, with money doled out to construction projects in a timely manner and within budget. There are strong accountability measures in place, in the form of quarterly reports and a citizens bond oversight committee. And despite its hefty price tag, the bond will not increase taxes beyond what city residents are already paying due to the expiration of previous school bonds.

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.

If the measure doesnt pass, the school district will be forced to pay for repairs out of its operating budget, a crisis scenario that will certainly lead to even fewer resources for students. It could also prevent the district from tapping matching funds from the state school infrastructure pot.

All of San Franciscos kids deserve beautiful, functional schools. The imperative to live up to that mandate has arguably never been more urgent.
A California man, known as the 'Tesla road rage guy,' who was sentenced to five years in prison last year for a string of road rage incidents that left many of its female drivers terrorized is scheduled to be released today.

Nathaniel Walter Radimak, 36, was sentenced in January 2023 to five years in prison, but a bombshell report has revealed that Radimak is on parole.

A court granted him 424 days of pre-sentence credit for time served while awaiting sentencing, ABC 7 News previously reported.

Radimak, who drove a black Tesla, used a metal pipe to bash in the cars of his victims in the unprovoked attacks that took place between 2022 to 2023.

He was found guilty of criminal threats, vandalism, assault, and elder abuse.

He also had a previous road rage arrest in which steroids, and more than $30,000 in cash was found in his car, according to the office of the DA.

Nathaniel Walter Radimak, 36, was found guilty of criminal threats, vandalism, assault, and elder abuse but could be released as early as this month

Radimak would use a metal pipe (pictured) to smash the side of the cars

When he was sentenced, Radimaks first possible parole date was July 2025, but the decision was made without the victims input, as per a report from MSN.

At least 10 of the women from different cities across LA county were victimized by Radimak while driving. Two of the victims were not informed about his sentencing at the time, as per the news outlet.

Radimak was sent to prison in October 2023 and was being held at the Sierra Conservation Center, state prison records revealed, MSN reported.

According to court records, he was given credit for 424 days served and awaiting sentencing, 212 for actual days in jail and another 212 days for good behavior.

On Wednesday afternoon, attorney Gloria Allred held a press conference with three victims and their reactions to Radimak's early release from prison.

'His early release has shocked and disappointed many of the victims whom I represent,' she said.

'It is also unsettling to them that the notice that they received about his release came from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and on the form which was sent to them, under Inmate proposed community of release, it states "Unknown."

Pictured: One of the victims, who chose to remain anonymous

Pictured: A second victim who spoke during Wednesday's press conference about Radimak's release

'Many of the victims are 'terrified that Mr. Radimak will retaliate against them.'

She also said many of the victims were never consulted about the plea deal and were never given a chance to speak at the sentencing, as was their right under Marsys Law.

One of the victims, identified as Jane Doe one, called out the Los Angeles D.A., saying he 'let many of the victims of Nathaniel Radimak down.'

'He plays an essential role in prosecuting crimes and ensuring offenders are held accountable for their actions, but this did not happen,' she said.

'Our constitutional rights were violated and were not followed by the D.A.s office. He did not properly represent our rights.

She added: 'In November, lets hold the D.A. accountable for his failure to protect victims like us.'

A third victim who spoke at the Wednesday press conference

DailyMail.com reached out the Los Angeles District Attorney's office to find out more details about Radimak's release.

Video footage shows Radimak during one of the violent attacks in January 2023, swinging his bat repeatedly battering a Chevy pick-up truck with a pipe on on the southbound lanes of Highway 2 near York Boulevard in Glendale.

The Chevy driver captured the disturbing incident on their cell phone, which also showed Radimak return to his charcoal-colored 2022 Tesla Model X with no license plates and drive away from the scene.

Radimak is cuffed and taken away by Cailfornia Highway Patrol

Radimak seen wearing a scarf to partially conceal his face standing on the side of the California highway about to swing his metal pipe

Allred said before the press conference that she had 'a message for Mr. Radimak.'

'Even though you are released on parole, a condition of parole is that you must obey all laws.

'If you violate any law and threaten any person or damage their property or both, your parole may be revoked, and you may then be sentenced to time in prison for the remainder of your original sentence.'

'If you have not learned your lesson from the time you have spent in custody, another judge will teach you the lesson you should have learned from the time that you have spent there.

'All potential violations of the law involving my clients will be reported, and you will be held accountable. Consider yourself warned. We will not be intimidated by you, and we will not be deterred from seeking justice.'
A Tennessee teenager died suddenly while he was out jogging in extremely high temperatures, according to officials.

The Sycamore High School student, 15, died on Tuesday night in Pleasant View, which is about a 30-minute drive from Nashville.

Authorities have not identified the student as of Wednesday.

A cause of death remains unknown pending an autopsy, but officials said temperatures reached more than 100 degrees in Middle Tennessee on Tuesday.

Officials said medical examiners will determine if the heat played a role in the tragedy.

The Sycamore High School student, 15, died on Tuesday night in Pleasant View, which is about a 30-minute drive from Nashville

The school district issued a statement about the boy's death, calling it an immeasurable loss.

'The Cheatham County School District is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of a Sycamore High School student,' the statement read, as reported by WKRN.

'Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to the students family and friends during this difficult time. The impact of such a loss is immeasurable.

'Counseling support is being provided this week at Sycamore High School to assist those affected during this grieving process.'

DailyMail.com has reached out to the Pleasant View Police Department for comment on this story.
A 39 year-old jewelry designer has been identified as the woman who died on the first day of Burning Man.

Kendra Frazer was found unresponsive at the Nevada desert festival site, known as Black Rock City, on Sunday.

EMTs were unable to revive her and she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators have yet to determine what killed Frazer, of Tukwila in Washington, with an autopsy and toxicology tests both pending. Foul play is not suspected, Pershing County Sheriff's Office told the Reno Journal-Gazette.

Kendra Frazer, 39, died on the opening day of this year's Burning Man festival

Frazer, who used the surname 'Saurus' online, owned an Etsy shop which created pretty resin jewelry and psychedelic souvenirs.

Her Facebook biography also described her as a 'Black Rock Ranger', in an apparent nod to the festival.

She appears to have been a regular at Burning Man, sharing snaps of herself enjoying the famous party in 2021, 2017, 2016, 2015 and 2014.

Frazer is pictured attending Burning Man 2015 with a friend. Her cause of death has not been disclosed, but foul play has been ruled out

Frazer is pictured with boyfriend Sean Lupher at Burning Man 2014. The tragic reveler was a regular at the annual festival, held at a temporary city constructed in Nevada's Black Rock Desert

Frazer was joined at past festivals by boyfriend Sean Lupher, 34. The couple shared a home just south of Lake Washington, close to Seattle-Tacoma Airport.

Burning Man, which runs from August 25 to September 2, is notorious as a hotbed of sex, drug-taking and hedonism.

Last year a 32 year-old California man died of a suspected drug overdose during the party.

And in 2017, Aaron John Mitchel, 41, killed himself by running into a burning effigy whose annual incineration marks the end of the festival.

Around 57,000 people are expected to attend this year's Burning Man. The event has long been one of the most famous and talked-about festivals on the planet.

A satellite image shows Burning Man 2024, with around 60,000 set to attend this year's event

Each year, Black Rock City is temporarily erected in the desert, with a series of stunning art displays and performances staged for festivalgoers' enjoyment.

The searing heat combined with the alcohol and drugs taken by many revelers have resulted in frequent hospitalizations.

As of Tuesday, five people have been airlifted from Burning Man since the festival kicked off. Reasons include a heart incident, burn and head injury.

Burning Man did not sell out this year, for the first time since 2011.

Last year's festival was marred by rain and poor weather, with thousands stuck in a huge bottleneck as they tried to leave.
A man on a mobility scooter has been stabbed to death with a machete in a suspected London street fight - with family and friends now paying tribute to him.

Met Police officers were called at 3.38pm today to reports of a fight in Rushmore Road, Clapton, with suggestions that a machete was used in the gruesome attack.

Emergency services, including ambulance service and air ambulance workers, found a man in his 30s with stab wound injuries in the residential area but despite their best efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

He has now been named as Jade Anthony Barnett, 38, whose sister has described him as a 'cheerful and caring man'.

A crime scene was put in place and police confirmed two men aged 28 and 21 have been arrested, with enquiries ongoing.

A discarded scooter on the scene where a man was stabbed to death in a suspected London street fight today

The scene tonight after emergency services rushed to the scene to try and save him

The forensics tent at the cordoned-off scene on Rushmore Road tonight

A crime scene is in place on Rushmore Road (pictured) and police confirmed two men have been arrested, but enquiries are ongoing

Video posted on social media - claiming the man was stabbed with a 'machete' - shows an air ambulance flying over the residential area

The victim's Simone Barnett, 45, from Hackney, told the PA news agency that her brother was 'jolly, cheerful, caring' - adding: 'He never took nothing too seriously, he laughed everything off'.

He used to live in Clapton with his mother but his friends said he had moved to the Stratford area and also that he lost his leg in a motorcycle accident in 2007.

Ms Barnett added: 'He comes around here (Clapton) all the time, everyone knew my brother - young, old, mothers, fathers, everybody knew my brother.

'Everybody is family, he's just that character.'

Video posted on social media - claiming the man was stabbed with a 'machete' - shows the road blocked off with police tape and an air ambulance flying over the residential area.

A local butcher described the victim as a 'good guy' who has lived in the area for about nine years.

A woman who was among those gathering at a police cordon after the death and who did not want to be named, said: 'He was always funny, making jokes, friendly with everybody, always had a smile on his face, and always pleasant.

'There's not a bad thing I could say about him. I know him from long time, he's a nice guy, very nice guy, always see him, he's always pleasant.

'You never expect (an incident like this) at all, to be honest, but to him, least of all - he's just nice, always, always a pleasure to see him, he's upbeat.'

A man who knew Mr Barnett, but also did not want to be identified, said he was 'a young guy, good spirit, no enemies, no guns, no crime, no gangs'.

Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway, responsible for policing in Hackney and Tower Hamlets, said: 'Our investigation is still in the early stages and my detectives are working hard to establish the circumstances of what has happened this afternoon.

A forensics officer sits on the ground and works by torchlight tonight

A local butcher described the victim as a 'good guy' who has lived in the area for about nine years. Pictured is the crime scene tonight

A forensics officer works at the crime scene following a knife attack in Clapton

'If anyone has any information about this tragic incident I urge them to come forwards and speak to us, or you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously with any information.

'A number of streets have been cordoned off as our investigation continues at pace and I am grateful for the patience of the local residents of Clapton.

'Our thoughts are with the family of the victim at this difficult time. The public can expect to see continued and significant police activity in the local area as we continue with our rigorous investigation.'

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or message @MetCC on X quoting CAD 4793/28AUG.
The son of one of two Delta workers killed by an exploding tire at the Atlanta airport says his body was left 'unrecognizable.'

Mirko Marweg, 58, was among two workers who died while wheel components were being disassembled for maintenance at Delta's TechOps Tire and Maintenance facility near the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

His son Andre Coleman told Atlantas 11Alive news station that his family was forced to rely on Marweg's tattoos and a Mississippi State lanyard to identify him.

Coleman added that he wanted to see his father because he didnt believe he was dead. But a medical examiner told the family the body was unrecognizable.

Marweg, who lived in Stone Mountain, Georgia, worked for Delta for more than 20 years and was planning to retire in a few months, according to 11Alive.

Mirko Marweg, 58, (pictured with his daughter at her graduation) was one of the two Delta Airlines workers killed by a tire explosion at Atlanta Airport

Marweg's son Andre Coleman told Atlantas 11Alive news station that his family was forced to rely on Marweg's tattoos and a Mississippi State lanyard to identify him

Coleman said his father was a loving man who just Sunday had helped change the oil in his motorcycle.

'Thats the kind of dad he was. He was always there,' Coleman said.

Marweg served in the military, following generations of his family over the past century, including his father, sister, brothers, nephew, son, and granddaughter.

Aldarondo, on his part, had a young son and daughter with his wife Sonia, and is close with his mother Juliet Perez.

The Clayton County Medical Examiners Office identified the second victim as Luis Aldarondo, 37, of Newnan, Georgia. The worker who was seriously injured remained under medical care Wednesday, Delta spokesperson Samantha Moore Facteau said in an email.

Delta said previously the wheel parts that were being disassembled when the explosion occurred were not attached to a plane at the time.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration said it opened an investigation. The cause of the explosion has not been released.

Marweg with his wife in a recent photo

The facility where the explosion 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.

John Laughter, the President and Chief of Operations of Delta TechOps, issued a note to staff on Tuesday morning acknowledging the tragedy is 'heartbreaking for us all.'

He said: 'Im deeply saddened to share that three TechOps team members were involved in an accident that took place early this morning in Atlanta... Wheel & Brake Shop.

'Please know your safety and wellbeing comes first  always, and that your leaders are here for you. Please continue to take good care of yourself and one another.

'Were all in this together, and well get through this by supporting each other.'

Marweg served in the military (pictured in his navy uniform), like generations of his family over the past century, including his father, sister, brothers, nephew, son, and granddaughter

Luis Aldarondo Jr, 37, was also killed. He is pictured with his wife, young son and daughter, and another family member

Two people have died after a Delta airplane tire exploded while it was being changed at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Laughter said resources will remain onsite to assist for as long as required, and directed distressed staff to the HR department, while also offering a 24/7 counseling service.

Delta Air Lines 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 at the Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility.

'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.'
Donald Trump's would-be assassin Thomas Crooks spent months planning an attack at a mass gathering and saw the Butler rally on July 13 as a 'target of opportunity', the FBI said on Wednesday.

FBI officials released new photos of the AR rifle he used to shoot the former president in the ear and the homemade bombs he had in the trunk of the car.

The release also included images of the air conditioning unit he climbed on to get onto the roof from where he opened fire, even after law enforcement deemed him suspicious.

The bureau revealed the 20-year-old had a fixation on political figures and also looked for the dates of the Republican and Democratic party conventions when devising his plot.

He searched more than 60 times for information about the Republican presidential candidate and his then-rival, Democratic President Joe Biden, before registering for the Trump rally.

Crooks pictured at the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13 before he opened fire on the crowd and former president

FBI officials released new photos of the AR rifle he used to shoot the former president in the ear

Photos show the backpack Crooks used and the rifle broken down

Images of the homemade explosives found in the trunk of his car were also released

But the bureau insisted they are still not able to fully determine his motive, and said their investigation found he wasn't right or left wing.

More than 1,000 interviews have been conducted in the last six weeks.

The FBI said there wasn't a second a shooter and no evidence that he was backed by a foreign entity, throwing doubt on theories that he had help.

DailyMail.com revealed earlier this week that Crooks' father has hired a team of powerhouse attorneys during the FBI investigation.

His parents face questions from the bureau over how much they knew before their son opened fire on the former president.

The development comes as one family member shared with DailyMail.com that the FBI, 'still very much has questions' regarding how much the killer's parents knew  while revealing that his father Matthew Crooks, 53, is a gun enthusiast who has sold firearms to relatives in the past.

The FBI revealed that the rifle was an semi-automatic A-15 rifle manufactured by DPMS Panther Arms that used a 5.56x45mm/.223 caliber bullet. The rifle also had a AEMS 'Red Dot' optics attached to a precision attachment rail as well as a Magpul extendible rear stock.

The FBI also detailed the autopsy and toxicology report on Crooks, concluding that he was killed by a single shot to the head from Secret Service counter snipers and that there were negative results 'for alcohol and drugs of abuse.'

Speaking to DailyMail.com, the family member who asked not to be named said, 'The FBI still very much has questions about how much they knew and how he [Thomas] slipped through the net.'

Donald Trump's would-be assassin Thomas Crooks spent months planning an attack at a mass gathering and saw the Butler rally on July 13 as a 'target of opportunity', the FBI said on Wednesday

Trump took a bullet to his ear during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13. With blood streaked across his face, Secret Service agents corralled the former president off the stage

The idea that someone may have assisted Thomas Crooks was given new credence on Thursday by Florida US Rep. Mike Waltz. In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com he questioned whether Crooks acted alone.

The parents' choice of law firm suggests that they are bracing for possible criminal charges as well as potential civil action from the families of their son's other victims.

Quinn Logue, the Pittsburgh-based law firm that Matthew Crooks and his wife Mary, 53, have retained, describe themselves as trial attorneys who specialize in both criminal defense and civil suits including wrongful death and personal injury
Multi-award winner and WAVE news anchor John Boel has announced that he will be retiring in early 2025.

The beloved Kentucky journalist took to Instagram earlier today to declare the culmination of his 40-year long career and how he intends to continue to help people.

Between his time at WLKY and WAVE, Boel has won a record 106 Emmys for his investigative work - with four this year alone.

Additionally, he has also won 17 Edward R. Murrow Awards and two Eclipse Awards in his career.

Multi-award winner and WAVE news anchor John Boel has announced that he will be retiring in early 2025

While he has spent years behind a camera, Boel is most known for his efforts to help people on the path of addiction recovery.

The longtime triathlete went into rehab back in November 2010 and since recovering, has shared his story to help other sufferers.

Boel has authored two books titled 'On the News ... In the News: A Journalist's Own Story of Recovery and Self-Discovery,' and 'Cast Away: Five Generations of Family Fish Stories' - with the former going in deep detail about his addiction journey.

In his announcement, the revered journalist wrote: 'When I got to rehab in Nov 2010, I thought my life & career were over. Couple days after arriving, a counselor at Hazelden handed me the St Paul Pioneer Press because it had an article he wanted me to read. It happened to be about a guy I idolized in college named Don Shelby- a legendary anchor & I-Team leader at WCCO-TV. The guy I wanted to be like.

While he has spent years behind a camera, Boel is most known for his efforts to people in the world of addiction recovery.

The longtime triathlete went into rehab back in November 2010 and since making recovery, has shared his story to help other addiction sufferers

'The story was news to me. It detailed the plunge he suffered because of alcoholism. But hed gone to treatment, turned around his life, and was happily retiring after a career fulfilled.

'They handed me that story to give me hope. But I sat there and wept because it all seemed so unreachable & impossible at that point in my crashed life.

'A wonderful thing happened after that. People encouraged me while at the same time delivering honest blows about my character defects- a long list. They told me I could get there too if I did what I was told and put it in the hands of a higher power.

The beloved Kentucky journalist took to Instagram earlier today to declare the culmination of his 40-year long career and how he intends to continue to help people

Boel has also authored two books named 'On the News... In the News: A Journalist's Own Story of Recovery and Self-Discovery,' and 'Cast Away: Five Generations of Family Fish Stories' - with the former going in deep detail about his addiction journey

In the same post, he revealed that his last telecast will be aired on February 28, 2025

'I got the same kind of encouragement, support & honesty from countless people after the plane landed back in Louisville and thereafter.

'One thing led to another. An offer from WAVE. Job promotions. Incredible coworkers. Paid off debt. Journalism achievements. Better family life. Successful kids. Growth as a person. And now - Im happy to announce my own retirement.

'Ive spent 40 years in this biz trying to help people. But there are some others back in WI who need my help. Im looking forward to doing that as a son/brother/dad/grandpa - instead of journalist.'

In the same post, he revealed that his last telecast will be on February 28, 2025.

Boel shares two daughters, Kelsey and Brianna and a dog named Durango with his wife Brenda.
John Swinney has told his party to redouble its push for independence despite its general election rout for failing to fix broken public services.

The First Minister admitted the SNP suffered an incredibly tough result in July, losing 39 of 48 seats as fed-up voters switched to Labour.

But the leader said activists should now talk even more about the constitution.

At the same time, he said his government was laser focused on peoples priorities.

Opposition parties said the SNP had learned nothing from its trouncing.

John Swinney, pictured here on a recent visit to a children's music initiative in Stirling, has been accused of being 'delusional' after urging SNP members to redouble their efforts to campaign for independence

Mr Swinney made the comments in his introduction to the delegate handbook for this weekends SNP conference in Edinburgh, the partys 90th such gathering.

Scottish Conservative constitution spokesman Meghan Gallacher said: When will the penny drop with the SNP that the public have had enough of their relentless independence obsession?

Youd have thought their huge losses at the General Election might have done the trick, but its clear delusional John Swinney wont take no for an answer.

The Scottish public want the SNP government to focus on their real priorities - like growing our economy and fixing our crisis-ridden public services - which is why the negligent Nationalists deserve to be turfed out at the next Holyrood election.

Mr Swinney also claimed the SNP was uniting and coming together, despite the vicious civil war triggered by its worst electoral reversal since 1979.

He said: As a party, this conference is a time for us to redouble our efforts to persuade those who are yet to be convinced that independence is the best future for Scotland and build the levels of support that are necessary for us to achieve independence.

We know how much more we could do with the full powers of a normal independent country.

We must convince others of how we can build a fairer, wealthier, happier, greener, more equal nation - but only with the full powers that independence brings. Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: It doesnt seem like the SNP learned anything from the election. A leopard cant change its spots.

If John Swinney went out and spoke to some ordinary voters, he would learn that they want him to focus on driving down long waits for NHS treatment, tackling the violence in our schools and getting the sewage out of our rivers. Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie added: The SNP is completely bereft of ideas and out of touch with Scotlands priorities. The Scottish Tories also accused the SNP of running scared of its own record by keeping crisis hit services off the conference agenda.

The three-day gathering does not include a main hall debate on education despite a slump in exam passes and a worsening attainment gap this year.

Scottish Conservative constitution spokesman Meghan Gallacher says the SNP deserve to be 'turfed out' at the next Holyrood election

Nor will delegates debate transport in spite of SNP ministers delaying the dualling of the A9 by 10 years since the party last met, ScotRail fare hikes and endless CalMac ferry problems.

Scottish Tory chairman Craig Hoy said: The SNP may wish to run from their dismal record at their party conference, but they wont be able to hide from it come the Scottish Parliament elections in 18 months.

Without mentioning his failed predecessor Humza Yousaf by name, Mr Swinney also said in his introduction: A lot has happened since we last gathered - a change of leadership and an incredibly tough Westminster election. This conference will mark a new chapter in our partys history - a chapter that sees us coming together, uniting, and dedicating ourselves to a better future for people across Scotland. Pleading for open and respectful dialogue in our party after recent feuding, he said: We gather this weekend to debate, to listen, to find common ground about how best we go forward so we can be the party Scotland needs just now.

As First Minister, my SNP government will be laser focused on delivering on the priorities of the Scottish people including eradicating child poverty, promoting economic growth, tackling the climate emergency and making our public services sustainable.
The Biden administration was dealt another major blow by the Supreme Court, which denied its request to reinstate a major student loan forgiveness plan.

The high court declined to allow Biden's $160 billion Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan to move forward.

It comes after two federal judges last month sided with several Republican-led states and stopped Biden from moving forward with the debt cancellations.

The plan, announced in June 2023, was designed to lower monthly payments and speed up loan forgiveness for millions of Americans by tying monthly payments to the income and family size of a borrower.

The administration has already canceled more than $168 billion in debt for some 4.8 million borrowers.

President Biden speaking about efforts to cancel student loan debt during an event in Madison, WI on April 8

In addition, it was reported that over eight million people have already used the SAVE measure to bring over half of their payments down to $0.

Last year, the Supreme Court overturned the Democratic president's first try at loan cancellation.

Since then, the Biden administration has been rolling out new loan forgiveness plans, including SAVE, that they believe skirts around the court's rules.

At the end of July, the Biden administration announced it will begin moving forward with next steps in canceling student loan debt for tens of millions of borrowers this fall.

The Education Department started emailing borrowers who have at least one federal student loan with an update on the potential student loan debt forgiveness available to them under the rule changes being finalized this fall.

It is the latest move in an a massive effort by President Biden to wipe out billions in student loan debt.

The rules if finalized would bring the total number of borrowers eligible for student loan debt cancelation to more than 30 million, including those who have already had debt wiped out since Biden took office.

The Education Department estimated the changes would cost $150 billion, but an estimate by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget put it between $250 billion to $750 billion.

Critics argue the administration is unfairly burdening taxpayers with a massive transfer of debt, and some Republicans have even accused the president of trying to buy votes ahead of the November election.

The Education Department will provide additional information to borrowers once the rules are finalized, but the emails this week will let borrowers know they have until August 30 to opt out if they do not want the upcoming forgiveness.

'Today, my Administration took another major step to cancel student debt for approximately 30 million Americans,' Biden said in a statement.

'By providing more information to borrowers on how they can take advantage of our upcoming debt relief programs, borrowers will be prepared to benefit swiftly once the rules are final,' he continued.

'Despite attempts led by Republican elected officials to block our efforts, we wont stop fighting to provide relief to student loan borrowers, fix the broken student loan system, and help borrowers get out from under the burden of student debt.'

In April, the Biden administration announced a set of rules giving the Education Secretary the ability to cancel student loan debt for tens of millions of borrowers.

It was part of the administration's ongoing effort using the lengthier rulemaking process after the Supreme Court in June 2023 blocked their original $400 billion plan to cancel debt for some 40 million borrowers.

Protesters outside the U.S. Supreme Court on June 30, 2023. In a 6-3 decision, the court struck down President Biden's original plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student loan debt for millions of borrowers

The rules if finalized would impact multiple groups of borrowers including those who owe more on their loans now than when they started repaying them due to additional interest piling up. The administration estimated this change would impact nearly 23 million borrowers.

The rules also address borrowers who have been in repayment for decades. Those who have been paying undergraduate loans for more than 20 years would be eligible as well as those with graduate loans who have been in repayment for at least 25 years.

Other rules deal with borrowers who are eligible for loan forgiveness under other plans but have not yet applied such as the Income Driven Repayment (IDP) plan and for those who were enrolled in programs that were deemed to be of low-financial value for not meeting Education Department standards.

For borrowers who do want to opt out of student loan forgiveness under the rules being finalized, they will have to contact their student loan servicer. The Education Department said those borrowers will not be able to opt back in.

Biden announced efforts through the regulatory process to cancel student loan debt for more than 30 million borrowers on August 8, 2024

The latest steps by the Biden administration this week come after an appeal court earlier this month blocked the implementation of the administration's separate Saving a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan.

The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in Missouri blocked all aspects of the plan from going forward for now. It is not yet clear whether the court will issue a final ruling in the case.

The ruling was in response to one of two lawsuits filed by more than a dozen Republican-led states in response to the Biden administration launching the SAVE Plan last summer.

The SAVE plan was expected to lower payments for millions of borrowers while those who had been in repayment were expecting to see debt wiped out after ten years.

More than eight million borrowers had enrolled in the program, according to the White House. Some 400,000 borrowers had already had debt forgiven under the plan.

After the ruling, the Education Department said borrowers who were enrolled in the SAVE Plan would be put in interest-free forbearance until the legal case was resolved.
Scots are being warned to expect painful cuts across the board when Shona Robison sets out her plan to address a 1billion budget black hole next week.

The SNP Finance Secretary is due to give a brutal fiscal update at Holyrood on Tuesday as soon as MSPs return to parliament after the summer break.

A Scottish Government insider told the Mail that really tough and unpopular decisions were imminent as the public finances currently dont add up.

Mr Robison recently imposed emergency spending controls for the 2024/25 financial year, only authorising extra money for legal obligations or to cope with or avert a disaster.

There is now a hiring freeze on all but essential front posts, such as blue light services.

SNP Finance Secretary Shona Robison is expected to impose brutal spending cuts across services in Scotland

She has also abandoned plans for a universal winter fuel payment for pensioners, reinstated peak fares on nationalised ScotRail and shelved free iPads for school pupils.

Ms Robison has tried to blame decisions by the new Labour Government at Westminster and its Conservative predecessor.

However economic experts say the SNPs financial problems are largely self-inflicted.

Agreeing public sector pay rises far above the 3 per cent initially budgeted for, and spending ever more on devolved benefits, are key factors in the cash now running out.

In a sign of how grave the problems are, Mr Robisons statement will take precedence over the Governments legislative plans, the set-piece start to the parliamentary year.

John Swinney will announce his Programme for Government the following day instead.

It was reported yesterday that the Scottish Governments private forecasts were bleak.

An insider said: All departments are being squeezed - the health, justice and education directorates are facing particular headaches to balance the books.

Weve had years of ignoring problems or putting things off and theres now not any space to delay any further, so were looking at an incredibly difficult situation.

A senior source also told the Mail that officials in all departments would be confronting their ministers with a menu of difficult decisions.

The SNP's lavish spending on devolved benefits and public sector pay rises has contributed to the cash running out in Scotland

The insider said: Inevitably people directly affected will not like some of these decisions. They are going to be really tough but they are also completely unavoidable.

The public finances currently dont add up and we have to balance our books by the end of the year.

Ms Robinsons room for manoeuvre is limited by her need to find immediate in year savings without incurring new costs that cancel out any benefit.

Axing building projects or services based on signed contracts could trigger cancellation fees, for instance.

While getting rid of workers could mean long and costly redundancy schemes.

For this reason, reports of ministers scrapping free university tuition are understood to be premature.

Besides being politically explosive, it would require primary legislation at Holyrood and only apply to future students and so would not save any money in the short-term.

Realistic options include squeezing local government and withholding money pledged to various schemes which has yet to leave the building.

Ms Robison has already done the latter by letting councils use 10million intended to give digitally excluded families laptops and iPads to part-fund pay rises instead.

The Government is also withholding 6.6million promised to Creative Scotland, forcing the arts quango to shutter its Open Fund for individual artists.

In a taste of the backlashes to come, Scottish musicians and bands including The Proclaimers, Paolo Nutini and Franz Ferdinand yesterday warned the country faces a cultural catastrophe as a result.

In an open letter to the First Minister, more than 170 music industry figures said it had sparked the worst crisis that Scotlands music and wider arts sector has ever faced.

The Scottish Government said difficult choices were being made after Chancellor Rachel Reeves declared there was a Tory-driven 22billion hole in this years UK budget.

Ms Robison faces questions on the state of Holyroods finances at the SNP conference this weekend.

She is due to lead an hour-long policy discussion on public services on Saturday.

The Scottish Governments director-general for health and social care, Caroline Lamb, recently told officials her department faced a 1.1billion black hole.

Warning of a tipping point as money ran short, she said changes could involve income generation and ending some of the universal benefits across Scotland.
A container is lowered from the top of a construction site of a new residential building at 555 Bryant St. in San Francisco. The California Environmental Quality Act is often blamed for delays in building housing in California. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

Regarding White House slams San Francisco for its unnecessary and onerous housing approvals (San Francisco, SFChronicle.com, Aug. 23): The White House statement calling for housing reform cited delays in the state from environmental review lawsuits, which could be interpreted as a call to weaken the California Environmental Quality Act.

Arguing that protecting the environment, public health and the climate is too great a burden to place on our policymakers and developers gets our states priorities backward and is irresponsible.

The law, known as CEQA, does not stop development; it makes development better and healthier, enhancing the quality of life for Californians. Scapegoating CEQA will not change market forces that undermine housing production. Notably, tens of thousands of housing units in San Francisco are approved to be built but have not been for economic reasons.

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Lawmakers in recent years have adopted numerous CEQA exemptions for housing. Yet we still have a housing crisis because, as multiple studies have demonstrated, other factors are the root cause.

Policymakers should focus on the actual cause of the states affordability crisis and housing shortage. California can produce needed housing without decimating its foremost environmental justice law.

Reina Tello, community organizer, People Organizing to Demand Environmental and Economic Rights, San Francisco

DA mishandles grant

Regarding S.F. DA Brooke Jenkins ceases work with major foundation on criminal justice reform (Politics, SFChronicle.com, Aug. 23): I was dismayed, but not surprised, that the San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins turned down the remainder of a MacArthur Foundation grant meant to support criminal justice reform.

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You would hope that the grants goals (from the foundation website) would be acceptable for any DA: to address over-incarceration by reducing jail misuse and overuse and disparities in jail usage.

These goals and the grants strategies are built on decades of research showing that incarceration does not deter crime or reduce reoffending; accountability can come in many effective forms that keep people out of jail.

Monifa Willis, Jenkins chief of staff, suggested that reducing jail numbers means abandoning accountability. Somehow she manages to include the concept of trauma-informed strategies  absurd given the traumatic impact of even short periods of incarceration.

If the DAs office disagreed with the grants goal or strategies, the time to bow out was 2023 when the grant was renewed.

Instead, it took more money, failed to deliver on reporting and other goals, and is now blaming MacArthur for reminding it of the grants requirements.

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Kate Hellenga, San Francisco

Red state blues

Regarding Denigrating red states widens political divide (Letters, August 25), Letter writer Gregory Condes asserts that different isnt always wrong. True.

About Opinion Guest opinions in Open Forum and Insight are produced by writers with expertise, personal experience or original insights on a subject of interest to our readers. Their views do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Chronicle editorial board, which is committed to providing a diversity of ideas to our readership. Read more about our transparency and ethics policies

However, our countrys longtime divisions continue to be professionally manipulated and amplified. Our countrys differing values result in huge areas with starved-out health care, poor education and abandoned employment opportunities, not to mention the violent bullying of people deemed other.

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These are values and results that I will never learn to appreciate. Blue states (including California) certainly have a lot of work to do, but there are good reasons that research shows that people who live in red states have shorter average lifespans.
Robert Telles, the Las Vegas politician accused of fatally stabbing a journalist who wrote unflattering articles about him, has been found guilty of first-degree murder at his blockbuster trial.

Telles, 47, looked somber in court as he donned a gray suit, white shirt and yellow tie Wednesday as a jury of seven women and five men found him guilty of fatally stabbing Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German, 69.

German was found dead in September 2022 after writing a series of stories about Telles, a former Clark County Public Administrator, including reporting on an alleged affair between him and a staffer.

Telles was arrested after his DNA was found under German's fingernails. He maintained his innocence throughout his two years in custody and claimed he was framed. He had pleaded not guilty.

During the eight-day trial, jurors listened to testimony from dozens of witnesses, detectives, forensic experts, and Telles himself. His attorney, Robert Draskovich told the Review-Journal that the multi-day deliberation was 'clearly to benefit the defense.'

Robert Telles, the Las Vegas politician accused of fatally stabbing a journalist, was found guilty of first-degree murder at his blockbuster trial

German was found dead in September 2022, after writing a series of stories about Telles, a former Clark County Public Administrator, including reporting on an alleged affair between him and a staffer

German had published a series of articles accusing Telles, a father-of-three, of having an affair with staffer Roberta Lee-Kennett, 45, and for facilitating a toxic workplace.

According to prosecutors, Telles walked into German's side yard at 11:18am on September 3 and waited five minutes before the reporter emerged from his home.

When German walked out, he was immediately attacked and stabbed to death.

Police say they discovered Telles' DNA in German's fingernails, spotted his car near the victim's home and collected clothing that matched the description of the killer inside Telles' home.

Those clothes - namely tennis shoes and a straw hat - had been cut up by the time they were recovered from Telles' home.

Police say they uncovered Telles' DNA from German's fingernails, spotted his car near the victim's home and collected clothing which matched the description of the killer inside Telles' home

Surveillance footage showed a suspect wearing gray shoes and a straw hat, which were later found at Telles' home. Telles claims all the evidence was planted

Surveillance footage showed a suspect wearing gray shoes and a straw hat, which were later found at Telles' home. Telles claims all the evidence was planted

German had published a series of articles accusing Telles, a father-of-three, of having an affair with staffer Roberta Lee-Kennett, 45, (pictured) and for facilitating a toxic workplace

Lee-Kennett told police that Telles was 'very upset and angry' with German over his reporting, with his re-election campaign nearing its end.

Telles insisted that he was framed in a 90-minute plea to the jury last week, adding that the ordeal had 'been a nightmare, frankly.'

'Unequivocally, I am innocent,' he said. 'I did not kill Mr. German.'

'I'm a little nervous. This is a day I've been waiting for for nearly two years,' Telles told the jury last Wednesday.

Telles had to be told by the judge to stick to his 'personal knowledge and the facts' rather than express theories and opinion.

He argued that German's injuries, based on what he saw in the photos, must have been the result of someone 'with some kind of training'.

During his testimony, Telles maintained that he was framed in a 90-minute plea to the jury last week, adding that the ordeal had 'been a nightmare, frankly.' (Pictured: German (left) and Telles in May 2022)

In a 90-minute plea to the jury, Telles said: 'Unequivocally, I am innocent'

'I'm not personally combat trained,' Telles said.

Telles argued he was 'set up,' and that he 'started to get really scared' when the thought of being framed first occurred to him.

One of the first similarities he said he noticed was the cars. Telles' car - a red GMC - matched the vehicle seen on surveillance near the victim's home.

After the incident, Telles was seen outside of his home washing his car.

Speaking to the jury last week, he said his decision to wash his cars was 'just to take his mind off things.'

He said the surveillance image police released of the car in question had different rims than his, meaning it was 'clearly not my vehicle.'

In a dramatic moment in court, prosecutor Christopher Hamner asked Telles to read aloud a chilling three-word text message that his wife, Mae Ismael, sent to him at 10:30 am on September 2, 2022 - the exact time security footage showed a vehicle matching Telles' near the murder scene. 'It says, "Where are you?" ' Telles admitted to the jury.

The bombshell text, discovered on Telles' wife's Apple Watch, was absent from phone records presented by the defense. Telles revealed that it's possible he could have deleted the text, but did not admit that he had done so.

Telles lost the primary election for a second elected term after German's stories were published in May and June 2022, the Associated Press reported.

Telles is an attorney who practiced civil law before he was elected in 2018. After he was arrested, he was stripped of his legal license.

German spent 44 years covering courts, crime and corruption in Las Vegas and a number of his family members were present at the trial. They declined to comment.
Five Animal Rebellion activists who hurled fake blood over the Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace have been convicted of criminal damage.

Christopher Bennett, 33, Riley Ings, 27, Louis McKechnie, 23, Claire Smith, 26 and Rachel Steele, 48, defaced the white marble statue in a protest against hunting on August 26, 2021.

The protesters threw red liquid over the memorial and let off flares, Southwark Crown Court heard.

The prosecution said the dye not only turned the water red, but stained the stonework of the fountain as well.

CCTV footage also showed a number of the protesters dyeing their hands red and then leaving prints on the stonework of the fountain.

Louis McKechnie pictured after throwing red dye into the fountain of the Queen Victoria Memorial

Extinction Rebellion protesters stand in the fountain at the Queen Victoria Memoria

Rachel Steele at the protest carried out by a group of Animal Rebellion protesters in August 2021

The five activists from Animal Rebellion, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion, denied the charges but were convicted by the jury of causing 7,080 worth of damage to the memorial.

Judge Gregory Perrins bailed them ahead of sentencing October 18.

Ailsa McKeon, prosecuting, said: 'Within a short time, both the water and the stone work had been stained.

'All five defendants were arrested and several red bottles were found.

'Some matters in this case are not in dispute, it is understood the defendants do not deny they were present, what is disputed is whether they actually caused damage.

'These defendants are not being prosecuted for having expressed these opinions but what they are being prosecuted for is causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.'

Statues and fountains event team leader Luke Cooper said in a statement read to the court: 'Upon investigation we established that the substance had soaked deep into the marble.'

'The entire system needed to be fully drained and cleaned.'

Mr Cooper said a 'steam system' was needed to get rid of the red dye.

'The dye had soaked deep into the marble we were unable to remove it immediately,' he added.

Giving evidence Ings said: 'The general atmosphere of the climate crisis. The science is pretty clear on the consequences of allowing us to continue like this.

'The reason is because the Crown was trying to make itself exempt from climate carbon emissions targets. They were trying to relinquish responsibility to make those changes.'

Ings said they had wanted to create 'bloody handprints' on the fountain.

Police officers remove protesters from the fountain at the Queen Victoria Memorial, which they covered in red paint

The five activists from Animal Rebellion, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion, denied the charges but were convicted by the jury of causing 7,080 worth of damage to the memorial

'It was part of the protest to create the visual effect of bloody handprints on the side of the fountain.'

Giving evidence McKechnie also told the court: 'I attended the protest because I believe that the royal family has blood on their hands.

'What mattered most to me was the metaphorical meaning. Primarily the fact that in central London one third of children live in food poverty, yet the royals are the biggest landowners in the country.

'Food poverty is going to get worse. How many are going to die? How many are going to starve? How many of the royals will?'

'I understood the dye to be non-toxic, non-harmful. I could drink it if I wanted to. It was designed to be non-harmful. If it was going to damage a living thing then that group is not going to want any part in it.'

McKechnie said that the water in the fountain was 'filthy', adding: 'It looks like most of the time it is not very well kept.'

The 23-year-old said after the conviction today: 'The result in court today wasn't ideal, but it was expected. The justice system in this country isn't actually organised around actual justice, it's organised around continuation of the status quo.

'It's insane to me that three years have passed since the protest and in that time we've had 40 degree heatwaves but no discernable action from our government.

'We have no choice but to keep going until we get a plant-based food system, anything else would be a betrayal of our generations and the generations to come.'

Steele said the aim of the protest was 'a simple, dramatic looking visual to get attention for the reasons that we have been talking about - the fact that the royal family is trying to navigate carbon emissions targets and to get media attention.'

Eco activist Louis McKechnie is arrested as he and other activists from Just Stop Oil blocked the filling station at Cobham Services on the M25 in Surrey in 2022

Louis McKechnie is carried off the pitch after tying himself to a goalpost during a Premier League match in 2022

McKechnie was handed a six-week prison sentence for the stunt

'How long did you think the water would stay red?', asked Laura Stockdale, defending.

Steele replied: 'A week, max. Bright red for a day. and then it would gradually fade.'

She said she knew the dye was not harmful.

'We are a loving, vegan activist group. If dye exists, why would this group use something that wasn't?'

She claimed she had not read a label on the dye warning not to allow the substance to come into contact with stone.

'I was only going to put it in the water. I wasn't researching its effect on stone.'

McKechnie was jailed for six weeks for aggravated trespass in September 2022 after he tied himself to a goalpost at Everton's Goodison Park stadium during a Just Stop Oil protest.

He had entered the pitch at the Gwladys Street end of the ground at the beginning of the second half in the match against Newcastle United.

McKechnie was also jailed for three weeks in November 2022 for gluing himself to the frame of a 70m Van Gogh painting in the London's Courtauld Gallery.

Days after that JSO protest on June 30, 2022, McKechnie, with four other eco-zealots disrupted the 2022 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

They denied but were found guilty of causing a public nuisance risking 'serious harm' to drivers and race marshals during the track invasion.

McKechnie and the four other activists in that case have since challenged the conviction in the Court of Appeal and await the ruling.
Atlanta's International airport is being slammed after it published a poor-taste social media post after two Delta workers were killed by an exploding tire.

Mirko Marweg, 58, and Luis Aldarondo, 37, were killed while wheel components were being disassembled for maintenance at Delta's TechOps Tire and Maintenance facility near the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The airport's post addressing the matter included Delta's slogan - angering many social media users, who deemed it inappropriate and disrespectful to the workers' families.

'We send condolences to our partners as they continue to "Keep Climbing" during this difficult time,' the airport said in a now-deleted X post.

Social media users quickly responded to the airport's post, sharing their outrage as what they saw as a lack of sensitivity.

The airport's post addressing the matter included Delta's slogan - angering many

Steve Staeger said on X: 'Yikes. 2 employees are dead. Maybe not the best time to throw in branding.'

Gabe Lugo, a communications expert, said: 'PIO (Public Information Officer) pro tip: Dont be an idiot. Using your corporate slogan when people died is a WILD choice.'

Varun Solanski replied: 'I'm sorry but it is highly inappropriate to put a slogan right next to the condolence message. If you're this lazy, at least a chatgpt check would have saved you.'

DailyMail.com has reached out to the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for comment on this story.

Marweg's son Andre Coleman told Atlantas news station that his father's body was left unrecognizable- and family was forced to rely on Marweg's tattoos and a Mississippi State lanyard to identify him.

Marweg, who lived in Stone Mountain, Georgia, worked for Delta for more than 20 years and was planning to retire in a few months, according to 11Alive.

Social media users quickly responded to the airport's post, sharing their outrage as what they saw as a lack of sensitivity

Coleman said his father was a loving man who just Sunday had helped change the oil in his motorcycle.

'Thats the kind of dad he was. He was always there,' Coleman said.

Aldarondo, on his part, had a young son and daughter with his wife Sonia, and is close with his mother Juliet Perez.

Delta said previously the wheel parts that were being disassembled when the explosion occurred were not attached to a plane at the time.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration said it opened an investigation. The cause of the explosion has not been released.

The facility where the explosion 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.

Mirko Marweg, 58, (pictured with his daughter at her graduation) was one of the two Delta Airlines workers killed by a tire explosion at Atlanta Airport

Luis Aldarondo Jr, 37, was the order worker killed. He is pictured with his wife, young son and daughter, and another family member

John Laughter, the President and Chief of Operations of Delta TechOps, issued a note to staff on Tuesday morning acknowledging the tragedy is 'heartbreaking for us all.'

He said: 'Im deeply saddened to share that three TechOps team members were involved in an accident that took place early this morning in Atlanta... Wheel & Brake Shop.

'Please know your safety and wellbeing comes first  always, and that your leaders are here for you. Please continue to take good care of yourself and one another.

'Were all in this together, and well get through this by supporting each other.'

Laughter said resources will remain onsite to assist for as long as required, and directed distressed staff to the HR department, while also offering a 24/7 counseling service.

Delta Air Lines 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 at the Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility.

'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.'
A group of electrocuted birds sparked a Colorado wildfire that scorched nearly 16 acres of land and prompted evacuations.

The brush blaze broke out near the Denver water treatment plant in Roxborough Tuesday afternoon.

Douglas County Sheriff's Office issued voluntary evacuation orders for the area as over 40 firefighters combated the blaze.

Video shows plumes of smoke rising from the ground as flames torched the vegetation and crews worked to contain the fire.

'The fire was caused by a group of birds that were electrocuted by power equipment, caught fire and then fell to the ground, igniting the dry grass below,' West Metro Fire said.

A group of electrocuted birds sparked a brush fire broke out near the Denver water treatment plant in Roxborough on Tuesday

The blaze scorched nearly 16 acres of land and prompted voluntary evacuations

A Douglas County helicopter crew assisted in putting out the fire as firefighters hosed down the flames.

The fire department said the blaze was contained after burning through 16 acres of land.

After the fire was contained and the evacuation was lifted, officials advised residents may still see smoke because small pockets of vegetation could be smoldering.

Despite being an usual cause, it is the third time this year a bird hitting electrical equipment has sparked a fire in Colorado according to 9News.

'It's not a common cause of wildfires because really 90% of wildfires are human-caused,' Ronda Scholting, Public Information Officer for West Metro Fire, told the local news station.

'So this is nature causing the fire. So it's not as often that this happens as you might think. Obviously, there's lots of birds, you see lots of birds on power lines, but it just happened in this case that a bird started the fire.'

A Douglas County helicopter crew assisted in putting out the fire

After the fire was contained and the evacuation was lifted, officials advised residents may still see smoke because small pockets of vegetation could be smoldering

On July 21, a fire that burned through three acres near The Fort restaurant in Jefferson County, according to West Metro Fire.

'This fire was caused by a bird that was electrocuted by overhead power lines, caught on fire, and fell to the ground, where it ignited the grass and brush below,' the department said.

On July 13, a bird that caught fire after coming into contact with electrical equipment sparked a blaze that burned more than 1,100 acres in Byers.

The fire destroyed one home and at least seven outbuildings, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriffs Office.

Investigators believe that a small bird contacted energized electrical equipment, caught on fire, then fell to the ground and ignited the vegetation.
An 11-year-old boy collapsed and died from a heart attack while waiting to get on a slide at a waterpark.

The devastated family of Richard Weinert-Soto confirmed his passing at Adventure Park in Visalia, central California, on Saturday evening.

'Richard's heart stopped while enjoying time at Adventure Parkhe was having fun, running aroundand being a normal kid,' his relatives wrote in a heart-breaking fundraiser for his parents.

The little boy was born with a heart and lung condition which left him vulnerable.

His mother, Maria Velasco, described the moment her son died at the waterpark, as police confirmed what happened in a statement.

Eleven-year-old Richard Weinert-Soto (pictured) has collapsed and died from a heart attack while waiting to get on a slide at a waterpark in California, police have said

'Richard's heart stopped while enjoying time at Adventure Parkhe was having fun, running aroundand being a normal kid,' his relatives wrote in a heart-breaking fundraiser

The devastated family of Richard Weinert-Soto confirmed his passing at Adventure Park (pictured) on Saturday evening in Visalia, central California

'This little girl comes and she tells me, 'I think your little boy is laying up there' and so I ran up there and he was blue and purple,' Velasco told ABC30.

Velasco said Adventure Park staff performed CPR on her son until paramedics arrived at around 5pm and took him to Kaweah Health by ambulance.

But Richard passed away in the hospital. 'He fought until the end and left many beautiful memories behind,' his family wrote on GoFundMe.

'He was the happiest, most loving, and kind boy,' they added. 'He enjoyed singing at his church, talking about Gods love and making his friends and family laugh.'

'He was amazing. He was special. Everyone who knew him knew that,' Richard's father Christopher Weinert also told ABC30.

Richard's family described him as 'the happiest, most loving, and kind boy'

'He fought until the end and left many beautiful memories behind,' his family wrote

'He was amazing. He was special. Everyone who knew him knew that,' Richard's father Christopher Weinert also told ABC30

His sister, Graciela Munoz Soto paid tribute to him on her Facebook page.

'I will love and miss you forever, fly high baby boy and dance up in the sky .. going to miss all your laughter, jokes, and smiles at home,' she wrote.

The family also gave more detail about the medical conditions Richard battled throughout his short life.

They said he suffered with both a heart condition and chronic lung failure.

He underwent six open heart surgeries after being born with his heart on the wrong side of his body and flipped backwards.

Richard's relatives thanked the staff at Adventure Park, Kaweah Health, Visalia PD, Life Star and Visalia Fire Department, who all tried their best to save him.
A New York City landlord who was arrested and charged with assault after defending himself against a homeless man wielding a wooden bat has shared his ordeal after spending 20 hours in jail lock-up.

Brian Chin, 32, of Manhattan, was arraigned on second and third-degree assault charges in Manhattan Criminal Court, after being accused of beating a homeless man. He says the charges are uncalled for.

Surveillance footage from outside of Chin's apartment building on Chrystie Street in the Lower East Side shows the landlord trying to help the man, who is believed to have been under the influence, outside of the Grand Street subway station.

The man woke up, went ballistic and attacked him with a piece of plywood that had nails in it. Chin eventually saw a moment to charge at the man, grabbing the wood with both hands and tugging it out of his grasp.

But when police eventually showed up, he was arrested and whisked off to jail.

Now, he says he's been driven out of his Harvard fellowship program.

Brian Chin, 32, of Manhattan, was arraigned on second and third-degree assault charges in Manhattan Criminal Court, after being accused of beating a homeless man - but he says the charges are uncalled for

Surveillance footage caught outside of Chin's apartment building on Chrystie Street in the Lower East Side shows the landlord trying to help the man, who is believed to have been under the influence, outside of the Grand Street subway station

He says the charges are unwarranted, and that the NYPD is targeting the wrong man.

In video of the attack, obtained by DailyMail.com, the man was seen banging a chair around, the pieces flying all over the street.

Eventually, the man gets back up and is seen heavily leaning over newspaper boxes while the NYPD investigates the situation. He eventually knocks one of the boxes over, which sends him flying back into the subway gate and injuring his head in front of officers.

Chin, who is known in the community to help those in need, told DailyMail.com that it took more than an hour for police to arrive at the scene.

Chin later gets arrested and charged on Saturday after voluntarily going to the 5th Precinct.

He was taken to Central Booking, where he sat for 20 hours, he told DailyMail.com.

The man wakes up and goes ballistic, grabbing a piece of plywood with nails in it and starts swinging at Chin, the footage, obtained by DailyMail.com, shows

Eventually, the man gets back up and is seen heavily leaning over newspaper boxes while the NYPD investigates the situation

He did not have enough money to afford a private attorney and had to wait for his arraignment at 9:30 am in order to be released on his own recognizance.

He has given police the surveillance footage, hoping the DA's Office will see that he was defending him, he told DailyMail.com.

Chin said had recognized the homeless man as he has seen him panhandling in the Grand Street station before.

The homeless man eventually knocks one of the boxes over, which sends him flying back into the subway gate and injuring his head in front of officers (pictured: his blood on the subway gate)

He sustained a eight to nine-inch gash on his head from his fall

Chin is known in the neighborhood to help those in need

Chin is due back in court on October 10.

In 2022, one of his tenants, Christina Yuna Lee, 35, was knifed to death after a man followed her into the apartment building.

Assamad Nash, 27, followed her into the building where he stabbed her more than 40 times. Authorities said he was mentally ill and he pleaded guilty to his crimes.
President Joe Biden appeared in public for the first time in three days, joining his wife Jill Biden on the beach near their vacation home in Rehoboth, Delaware.

The first ladys two sisters and her senior adviser Anthony Bernal joined them on the hot, sunny day.

The group sat under two blue umbrellas. Some passers-by waved at them as they walked the beach.

It's day nine of the president's two-week vacation. He often sits on the beach when he's in Rehoboth.

He had a blue bag with him and was seen removing a file folder stacked with papers.

President Joe Biden joined first lady Jill Biden and her two sisters on the beach

President Joe Biden in his swim trunks

Biden arrived in Rehoboth Beach on Sunday after spending a week at an 8,000-acre ranch in Santa Ynez, California.

Hell be in Rehoboth until Monday, when he joins Kamala Harris in Pittsburgh for a campaign event.

He's preparing to get back into the swing of things.

He'll hit the road next week, heading to Wisconsin on Thursday to talk about his administration's push to lower costs for Americans.

Wisconsin in a critical battleground state for Democrats in the 2024 election. Biden is no longer on the ballot but can talk about what he and Kamala Harris have done to help the country.

Democrats consider Wisconsin a must-win state.

Meanwhile, the White House has defended Biden's two-week break, saying he is in charge and running the country from his vacation locations.

'The president is on vacation, but you can never unplug and from a job like that. Nor does he try to,' National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Monday in a zoom briefing with reporters.

'He's very much in command,' he noted of Biden.

He pointed out Biden spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday and talked to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday as proof the president is working.

Passers-by wave at President Biden as he sits on the beach

President Biden takes papers out of his bag

Secret Service agents surround President Biden as he enjoys some beach time

The White House has long argued Biden can perform the duties of president where ever he goes.

When the president travels, a staff member on the National Security Council travels with him to keep him briefed on foreign affairs and a staffer in the chief of staff's office is with him to keep him updated on domestic matters.

Biden is on his 114th visit to Delaware spanning all or part of 328 days, according to journalist Mark Knoeller who tracks presidential travel.

That is much more when compared to Donald Trump at a similar point in office: he spent 51 visits and 240 days at either of his estates in Mar-a-Lago, Fla., or Bedminster, N.J.

It's the second week in a row of downtime for the Bidens.

They jetted off to Santa Ynez, California, on Monday night after Biden addressed the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

The couple - along with their children and grandchildren - stayed at a California ranch owned by Democratic donor billionaire Joe Kiani.

The property sits about three hours north of Los Angeles in Santa Barbara wine country.

Kiani has been a major donor to Biden's campaigns and a friend to the family. Hunter Biden paid a visit to the $50 million vineyard property last year.

Dubbed the 'Kiani Preserve,' the 8,000 acres has its own private vineyard, donkeys and a cattle herd.

The vineyard on the property produces bottles of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, among other wines. The president doesn't drink but the first lady is known to enjoy a glass or two of wine.

Biden exited the presidential race on July 21 after his terrible debate performance against Donald Trump, which led to concerns about his mental abilities.

'Over the next six months, I'll be focused on doing my job as president,' Biden said in his July 24 Oval Office address.
Telegram tycoon Pavel Durov has been charged with allowing criminal activity on his message app and barred from leaving France pending further investigation.

The 39-year-old billionaire was detained on Saturday at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of a sweeping judicial inquiry which opened last month involving 12 alleged criminal violations.

He was released earlier today after four days of questioning.

Investigative judges filed the preliminary charges on Wednesday night and ordered him to pay 5 million euros bail and to report to a police station twice a week.

Allegations against the Russia-born Durov, who is a French citizen, include that his platform is being used for child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking  and that Telegram refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.

Telegram tycoon Pavel Durov has been charged with allowing alleged criminal activity on his message app and barred from leaving France

Durov was detained on Saturday at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of a judicial inquiry opened last month involving 12 alleged criminal violations

Durov's arrest in France has caused outrage in Russia, with some government officials calling it politically motivated and proof of the West's double standard on freedom of speech.

The outcry has raised eyebrows among Kremlin critics because in 2018, Russian authorities themselves tried to block the Telegram app but failed, withdrawing the ban in 2020.

In Iran, where Telegram is widely used despite being officially banned after years of protests challenging the country's Shiite theocracy, Durov's arrest in France prompted comments from the Islamic Republic's supreme leader.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei weighed in with veiled praise for France for being 'strict' against those who 'violate your governance' of the internet.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that Durov's arrest wasn't 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.'

In a statement posted on its platform after Durov's arrest, Telegram said it abides by EU laws, and its moderation is 'within industry standards and constantly improving.'

Durov's (pictured) arrest in France has caused outrage in Russia, with some government officials calling it politically motivated

A general view of The Office National Antifraude (ONAF), or National Anti-Fraud Office, building in Ivry-sur-Seine, south of Paris, where Pavel Durov was being held

'It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform,' Telegram's post said.

'Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as means of communication and as a source of vital information. We're awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all.'

In addition to Russia and France, Durov is also a citizen of the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

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.'

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry 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.

Telegram was founded by Durov and his brother in 2013 after he himself faced pressure from Russian authorities.

It has since garnered more than 950 million users, making it one of the world's biggest social media platforms after Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok and WeChat.

In 2013, he sold his stake in VKontakte, a popular Russian social networking site which he launched in 2006.

A very different-looking Durov seen in his 20s. He set up VK, dubbed the 'Facebook of Russia', when he left university at 21

The company came under pressure during the Russian government's crackdown following mass pro-democracy protests that rocked Moscow at the end of 2011 and 2012.

Durov had said 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.

Western governments have often criticized Telegram for a lack of content moderation, which experts say opens up the messaging app 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 Telegram's 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.
Terrified outdoor diners at a high-end eatery were left terrified after a huge boulder suddenly toppled from above and crashed to the ground inches from where they were sitting.

Customers at Ottomenzo Cafe, in plush Kensington in west London, feared for their lives as a huge block of masonry fell from the Grade II listed building after a huge gust of wind.

The heavy block crashed to the ground just millimeters from a young woman's head - bashing into the leg of her chair - with a bang that onlookers said was like an 'earthquake'.

The woman, who survived unharmed, stayed standing at the scene for an hour after the incident which left one nearby dog covered in dust and her fellow customers stunned.

Emma Baxter-Wright, who went to the eatery for a drink with a friend who works around the corner, was told to move from vacate their table close to the building as staff feared more masonry could fall.

The fashion writer and stylist said: 'My God, it could have killed someone. We were on the table and they said, 'Ladies, you're just not allowed to do that. You could be dead.'

Diners at Ottomenzo Cafe, in plush Kensington in west London, feared for their lives as a huge block of masonry fell from the Grade II listed building after a huge gust of wind

The heavy block crashed to the ground just millimeters from a young woman's head - bashing into the leg of her chair - with a bang that onlookers said was like an 'earthquake'

Pictured: Where the huge piece of masonry had been before it crashed to the ground

A dog named Bingo was left covered in dust after the block smashed into the pavement next to him, leaving a crater in the stone slabs

Emma Baxter-Wright (right), who went to the eatery for a drink with a friend who works around the corner, was told to move from vacate their table close to the building as staff feared more masonry could fall

'They said if we sat there we were taking our lives in our hands.'

A fire engine was rushed to the scene, arriving within ten minutes, as they quickly worked to make the area safe, with officers left stunned by the 'substantial' boulder.

Where the boulder fell a crater had been left in the stone slabs, as the surrounding pavement was left covered in dust.

The owner of the cafe Francesco Cicoria, 58, said that he was in shock after the masonry crashed to the ground.

He told MailOnline: 'Luckily there were not many people around. But it was very scary.

'I didn't expect it - there was no sign of it. It just came from above. It was unexpected. A shock.

'People were very relaxed - of course the person sitting there was a bit shocked. Now, you're looking up watching out every time you walk. He said it's very rare it happens. One in a million.

'I was there - I was talking outside. I was sitting there 20 minutes before it. I was lucky the lady came and she wanted a table so I stood up. But if I hadn't otherwise... It's scary stuff.'

The establishment has been open since 1995, run by Francesco and his brother Emidio in the heart of Kensington - a short walk from the homes of stars including Sir Lewis Hamilton, David Beckham and Robbie Williams.

The owner of the cafe Francesco Cicoria, 58, said that he was in shock after the masonry crashed to the ground

The huge piece of masonry crashed into the leg of a young woman's chair as it plummeted to the pavement

A fire engine was rushed to the scene, arriving within ten minutes, as they quickly worked to make the area safe, with officers left stunned by the 'substantial' boulder

The Italian eatery continued trading after the horror incident - as customers enjoyed the warm summer evening with an Aperol spritz

One lady - who had been sitting opposite the girl who narrowly escaped being hit - said that she would have certainly died had her seat been inches to the left

The Italian eatery continued trading after the horror incident - as customers enjoyed the warm summer evening with an Aperol spritz.

Coco Cottam, 22, had gone for a drink alongside her dog Bingo, 10, when the masonry fell from the sky.

She had been sitting opposite the girl who narrowly escaped being hit - and said that she would have certainly died had her seat been inches to the left.

She explained: 'It was quite scary. My dog was covered in dust. It was a big gust of wind and a small bang.

'There was a girl who was sitting there and it went into the leg of her chair. She was sitting right next to it.

'If it had been a foot over she'd have been dead, for sure. You can see the hole in the pavement. It's not ideal.

'All's well that ends well, but had it been a tiny bit over...

'Everyone acted really differently. The lady who nearly got killed stood here for about an hour - without a drink. She just stood there.

Coco Cottam, 22, had gone for a drink alongside her dog Bingo, 10, (pictured) when the masonry fell from the sky

The waitresses who work at the cafe were left horrified as they reacted to the huge noise outside their work. Pictured: Goska, Gokce and Tosia

Where the boulder fell a crater had been left in the stone slabs, as the surrounding pavement was left covered in dust

'The lady over there who was way out of danger was very upset. The dog is totally relaxed! She did not care. She came out covered in dust but she didn't realise what it meant.'

The waitresses who work at the cafe were left horrified as they reacted to the huge noise outside their work.

One, called Goska, said: 'I heard a noise, like something heavily broke. I thought an umbrella had collapsed. It was such a hard noise, such a horrible noise.

'It was close. Imagine if that had happened to you - you are sitting having a drink and there's like this massive bang.

'We were just shocked at first. Somebody could be dead.'

Tosia, who came to the UK from Poland to visit her aunt, who works at the cafe, said she was scared to sit outside after the boulder fell.

She said: 'It was like an earthquake. I was like - every day in London, things like this happen?'

And Gokce, who was sat with the pair, quipped that they were 'celebrating life' as they drank in the evening sun.

Tosia's aunt was standing right next to the woman when the boulder fell.

She added: 'I was just serving a table next to it. I'm still in shock.

'I'm not even joking. I'm still in shock. Especially as it's my niece, it's the first day she's come to London.

'It just shows you that every day you are millimeters from death.

'The people who were involved, they have gone now but they were fine.'

A Kensington and Chelsea Council spokesperson said: 'Our building control inspectors have been to the site and determined that the remaining structure is in a stable condition and our health and safety team is now investigating what happened.

'We take building safety very seriously and this is a stark reminder that businesses should undertake regular condition surveys to ensure their premises are safe for customers.'
Australia's most wanted man, senior Hells Angels Angelo Pandeli, has been reportedly detained in the Middle East.

It's understood the 52-year-old was held in Dubai in the last 24 hours but it remains unclear whether he will be charged.

Pandeli is considered a major player on the international drug scene and one of Australia's biggest importers of cocaine and methamphetamine.

The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission said in 2021 that he was part of a syndicate bringing drugs worth $1.5billion into Australia every year.

Pandeli left Australia in 2018 but has remained under the close eye of authorities as he travelled through the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

He is one of a series of high-profile Australian crime figures who have chosen to buy property and settle down in Dubai with their families

The 52-year-old is credited with bringing leaders of different gangs together to do dealings using Dubai as their base, the Herald Sun reports.

In a photo taken during a family boat day, Pandeli poses with this wife and children with the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel behind them.

In a photo taken during a family boat day, Pandeli poses with this wife and children with the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel behind them (pictured)

It's understood Pandeli (pictured leaving a Sydney court in 2017) was arrested in Dubai in the past 24 hours but it remains unclear whether he will be held or charged

The major development comes just days before the accused kingpin was due to travel to Cancun in Mexico for a major Hells Angels meet.

Senior members were expected to discuss drug importations into Australia and celebrate links with the Nomads, another Australian bikie group.

Pandeli was due to be joined by Hells Angels bikies based in Thailand, Canada, the Netherlands, Russia and eastern Europe.

It is unclear whether he will attend the gathering, which will most likely be held at a multi-storey clubhouse in Cancun and kick off on September 5.

The meet was also expected to attract leaders from other motorcycle gangs interested in doing business with the Hells Angels.

In 2017, Pandeli was cleared of tax fraud after he allegedly failed to lodge tax returns for the 2014-2015 financial year and ignored a notice from the Australian Tax Office.

His accountant said that while he had lodged a tax return for Pandeli, his software failed to alert him when it was not sent properly.

Pandeli's tax fraud charges were part of Operation Morpheus; the largest multi-agency operation against outlaw motorcycle gangs in Australia's history.

In April, high-ranking Hells Angels member Jason Fahey (pictured with model and influencer Chaye Connelly) was arrested during a raid on his waterfront home in Sydney

Operation Morpheus is a national initiative designed to crackdown on organised crime, including outlaw motorcycle gangs.

Pandeli's sprawling home was raided in 2018 over suspicions of a plot to import $250million worth of ice to Australia in a light plane.

He became a Hells Angels in the 2000s and rose from the ranks to national president when he moved from Adelaide to Sydney.

In April, high-ranking Hells Angels member Jason Fahey was arrested during a raid on his waterfront home in Five Dock in Sydney's inner west.

He was formerly the national president of the Bandidos - but 'patched over' to the Hells Angels last year.

The Hells Angels are the world's largest bikie gang, with almost 4,000 members across an estimated 475 chapters in more than 60 countries.
Josh Green is using his grandfather Mark Greens Czechoslovak Republic roots to become a citizen of Slovakia. Courtesy of Josh Green

When I heard that I was about to become a Slovak citizen, I wondered what my grandpa Mark, dead for 30 years, might have said on hearing the news.

Whatd you do that for? he might say, and wed laugh about it. I heard from a family member that my grandfather said he never wanted to return to the place of his birth. Can I blame him? Shortly after he and his family left, a collaborationist Slovak government worked with the Nazis to deport 70,000 Slovak Jews to Polish concentration camps. Most of those people, some of them family members I would never meet, perished in Auschwitz. In northern Slovakia today there are few signs that Jews ever lived there, exactly the kind of complete erasure the Nazis intended.

Yet I used my grandfathers birthright and his 100-year-old Czechoslovak passport to obtain a second citizenship that he never desired.

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Why link myself legally to a small Eastern European country that I had never visited and knew little about?

I dont have a simple answer. But there are thousands of people in the U.S. who are seeking out new ways to write their own stories. Reclaiming lost citizenship seems a natural first step.

We crave more knowledge about the events and people that serendipitously converged to make us who we are. Genealogy sites are booming  Ancestry.com now boasts 25 million members in its DNA database, one of the largest in the world.

Its estimated that nearly 40% of all Americans  132 million people  are eligible for dual citizenship status, but only about 3% have it. Thats due in part to the cost, time and bureaucratic hurdles that stand in the way.

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Here are a few reasons I applied for Slovak citizenship. Perhaps some will resonate with those wondering about your overseas roots.

Citizenship is an empowering reclamation of what was taken. Immigration, the bedrock of American growth and success, is also a kind of loss. In the name of assimilation, previous generations tucked away old country stories and thought only of opportunities in the new one. But in many cases, this cultural history was taken by force or the tragedy of war. Why not take back some of what was lost? Many victims of the Holocaust chose secrecy over transparent storytelling, not wishing the generations who came after them to be burdened by the horror. But its our generations turn to reclaim those stories that were never told.

Citizenship opens retirement doors that are still bureaucratically closed to Americans. Those who can afford to think about living somewhere other than the U.S. are often dissuaded by laws and regulations designed to keep foreigners from easily migrating. A European Union passport, or one of another color, can be a retirement ticket to a country with a national health care system and other services that support seniors better than we do here.

Citizenship offers a refuge for political flight. The Bay Area rivals only New York and Washington, D.C., as the locus of Donald Trump-second-term anxiety. Theres an old saying among the Jews of Europe: Live near the boats. Meaning that a quick exit might be needed at any moment, given extremely volatile politics and well-documented scapegoating of Jews.

About Opinion Guest opinions in Open Forum and Insight are produced by writers with expertise, personal experience or original insights on a subject of interest to our readers. Their views do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Chronicle editorial board, which is committed to providing a diversity of ideas to our readership. Read more about our transparency and ethics policies

Many believe that a second Trump administration could bring disastrous results to what we understand as normal American life. Living near the boats seems like a good idea in 2024. Im not getting on the boat yet, but its nice to have one in the port.

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A Florida elementary school teacher has been arrested after she allegedly held a three-year-old autistic child in chokehold between her legs.

Vilma Otero, 59, has been charged with child abuse after a paraeducator witnessed the incident in her classroom at Forest Lake Elementary School in Volusia County.

The paraeducator told deputies that Otero was reading to the children when she heard the boy scream and cry.

As she looked around the room, the witness saw the student 'between her legs being held down in a choke hold manner', according to the arrest affidavit obtained by Law&Crime.

Vilma Otero, 59, has been charged with child abuse after she allegedly held a three-year-old autistic child in chokehold between her legs

The report stated that the young child's face was 'turning red as he was crying and screaming while attempting to free himself from Oteros legs'.

The horrified witness was able to capture a picture of the moment, which she later submitted to the police.

Deputies reportedly also spoke to the victim who told them he got into trouble and that 'she hurt me'. They also found slight redness on the child's neck.

According to Fox35, the accused denied restraining the boy in the manner of a chokehold, even after being shown the photo.

She was taken to the Volusia County jail and has since been placed on administrative leave

The incident occurred at the Forest Lake Elementary School in Volusia County

Otero has been a teacher for the past 36 years and deals mostly with special needs children

She was taken to the Volusia County jail and has since been placed on administrative leave.

In a statement, Volusia County Schools said: Volusia County Schools is aware of the recent arrest of a Forest Lake Elementary teacher. VCS is committed to the safety and well-being of all of our students and is taking this situation very seriously.

'As such, our Professional Standards department is currently conducting a thorough investigation to determine the appropriate next steps. The teacher is currently on administrative leave.'

Otero has been a teacher for the past 36 years and deals mostly with special needs children.
A Massachusetts police detective has been charged with strangling a pregnant woman and framing her death as suicide in a bid to prevent her from revealing the extent of their relationship.

Matthew Farwell, 38, is accused of killing 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore in February 2021, within weeks of her telling him she was pregnant with his child.

Police allege Farwell embarked on a sexual relationship with Birchmore when she was just 15. He would have been 26 at the time.

The federal indictment, seen by DailyMail.com, accuses Farwell of beginning that relationship when he was an instructor for the Stoughton Police Departments Explorers Program, which was dedicated to teaching young people about careers within law enforcement.

Birchmore joined the program in 2010, when she was 12. Throughout her time in the program, Farwell was her instructor.

Police allege Farwell, who is married with children, was motivated to kill her in order to prevent her from speaking out about the relationship, exposing not only a years-long extramarital affair, but alleged criminal conduct too.

A Massachusetts police detective has been charged for the strangling death of pregnant woman Sandra Birchmore (pictured)

Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy on Wednesday said: 'Sandra Birchmore survived years of grooming, statutory rape and then sexual violence, all at the hands of Matthew Farwell, who was employed throughout the relationship as an officer and then detective for the Stoughton Police Department.'

The former cop was arrested by an FBI SWAT team on Wednesday morning and federally indicted a short time later.

The 23-year-old Birchmore was three months pregnant when she was found dead inside her home in 2021.

Her death was initially believed to be a suicide, but a pathologist who was hired by her family disagreed with that assessment and argued that she had been murdered.

Police now allege Farwell 'staged her body and apartment to make it appear as if Birchmore committed suicide.'

Police allege Farwell had a sexual relationship with Birchmore since she was 15 years old

'Farwell allegedly used his authority and access to groom, sexually exploit and ultimately sexually abuse Birchmore when she was 15 years old and continued to have sex with her when she became an adult,' the US Attorney's Office said in a statement.

In the statement, Farwell is accused of engaging in 'sex acts with Birchmore while on duty as a Stoughton police officer.'

Police have since revealed he also has a 'spouse and children' who he lives with in North Easton, Massachusetts.

'To conceal this activity, it is alleged that Farwell falsely represented that he had worked certain hours, when in fact he was not working but engaging in sex acts with the then-minor victim.

Police claim Birchmore had told loved ones prior to her death that Farwell 'became violent' when she revealed she was pregnant with his child

'Farwells sexual contact with Birchmore continued until her death on Feb. 1, 2021,' the statement reads.

Farwell served as a police officer for more than a decade. The alleged crime took place when he was still working for Stoughton Police Department.

Police claim Birchmore had told loved ones prior to her death that Farwell 'became violent' when she revealed she was pregnant with his child.

The police statement said: 'At one point while she was pregnant, Farwell allegedly held Birchmore in a headlock and told her that he wished she were dead.'

Police claim Birchmore's friend called the Stoughton Police Department on January 20 and disclosed the sexual relationship between the 23-year-old and Farwell.

The former cop was arrested by an FBI SWAT team on Wednesday morning and federally indicted a short time later

Farwell was allegedly outraged and sent furious text messages to Birchmore and, several days later, asked her to provide him a key to her apartment - and to keep it a secret.

Police allege Birchmore became increasingly uncomfortable with Farwell's actions, making Farwell increasingly suspicious that she planned to disclose the nature of their relationship.

In a motion urging the state to keep Farwell in pre-trial detention, investigators on the case said: 'There are no conditions of release that will protect the community from a defendant whose conduct reveals such an indifference to human life.

'Farwell faces a mandatory life sentence for killing Birchmore. The weight of the evidence is overwhelming.'
The number of Channel small boat arrivals has passed 6,000 since Labour came to power.

Figures from the Home Office, published yesterday, showed 526 migrants reached the UK from northern France on Tuesday.

Some 613 arrivals are also believed to have crossed the Channel yesterday. It brings the total since the General Election to a reported 6,858  and 20,433 overall since the start of the year.

This year's running tally has already surpassed the amount who had arrived by the same point last year  19,801.

But it is down on the 25,065 who had arrived by the same point in 2022.

Some 613 arrivals are also believed to have crossed the Channel yesterday. It brings the total since the General Election to a reported 6,858  and 20,433 overall since the start of the year

Migrants wave to a smuggler's boat in an attempt to cross the English Channel, on the beach of Gravelines, near Dunkirk, northern France on April 26, 2024

Taxpayer faces extra 4bn for asylum costs The taxpayer faces footing another 4billion in top-up asylum costs this year, a report warns today. Projected 6.4billion net costs for asylum mean the Home Office needs 4billion more from the Treasury, the Institute for Fiscal Studies said. In the previous three financial years the Home Office's asylum spending was 7.6billion more than it budgeted. But the IFS warned Treasury reserves can no longer cover asylum costs. The Home Office has already had a 1.5billion top-up for this year, it added. The research institute added the way asylum budgets had been handled was 'unsatisfactory', and called for change. Advertisement

One of Labour's first acts in office was scrapping the Tories' Rwanda scheme, which was meant to save lives by deterring migrants from crossing the Channel.

Sir Keir Starmer's plan to deal with the crisis involves creating a Border Security Command, which will bring together existing immigration units and equip them with 'counter-terrorism style' powers, as well as seeking returns agreements with other countries.

Tuesday's arrivals were the first to reach the UK for a week before more than 600 migrants crossed the Channel yesterday, according to GB News.

The group, which included children, were intercepted in the Channel by Border Force vessels Defender and Volunteer, and brought into the Port of Dover.

Last week it emerged the number of migrants winning permission to remain indefinitely in Britain has quadrupled but efforts to increase deportations have stalled.

More than 25,300 Channel migrants were granted asylum or another type of humanitarian protection in the year to June, Home Office data showed.

It compared with about 6,600 in the previous 12 months.

Across all types of asylum claims, the number granted last year hit an all-time high of 76,176,  more than triple the previous year's figure.

The increases were due to a backlog-clearing exercise launched by Rishi Sunak which aimed to eliminate 'legacy' asylum claims by the end of 2023.

Sir Keir Starmer's (pictured on August 28) plan to deal with the crisis involves creating a Border Security Command, which will bring together existing immigration units and equip them with 'counter-terrorism style' powers, as well as seeking returns agreements with other countries

Migrants are brought into Dover Port after being picked up in the English Channel by the Border Force on May 8, 2024

An inflatable dinghy carrying apparent migrants makes its way towards the UK in the Channel on August 6, 2024

But the data showed just 3 per cent of migrants who have arrived since the start of the Channel crisis have been deported. Only 3,788 of the 127,834 who have crossed since 2018 have been sent home.

A Home Office spokesman said: 'We all want to see an end to dangerous small boat crossings, which are undermining border security and putting lives at risk.

The spokesman added the Government 'is taking steps to boost our border security, setting up a new Border Security Command which will bring together our intelligence and enforcement agencies, equipped with new counter-terror-style powers and hundreds of personnel stationed in the UK and overseas, to smash the criminal smuggling gangs making millions in profit.'
Vice Presidential hopeful J.D. Vance pointedly told Vice President Kamala Harris to 'go to hell' during a campaign rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday afternoon.

Vance reacted to criticism after former President Donald Trump attended a memorial at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday in honor of the slain 13 Americans service members who lost their lives during the disastrous exit from Afghanistan.

Democrats criticized the Trump campaign for taking photos and video at the cemetery. And campaign staff reportedly clashed with a cemetery official who tried to stop them.

But Donald Trump and his team are hitting back at claims that his trip included an altercation.

An official with the cemetery tried to 'physically block' members of Trump's team, according to Steven Cheung, a Trump campaign spokesman.

JD Vance criticized critics of President Donald Trump's visit to Arlington cemetary

'The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trump's team during a very solemn ceremony,' Cheung said in the statement.

Trump supporters booed a reporter from CNN who asked Vance about the controversy on Wednesday at the campaign stop.

'To have those 13 Americans lose their lives and not fire a single person is disgraceful...Kamala Harris is so asleep at the wheel that she won't even do an investigation into what happened but wants to yell at Donald Trump for showing up. She can go to hell!' Vance said.

He then addressed the controversy around the alleged clash with the cemetery official.

'The altercation at Arlington cemetery is the media creating a story where I don't think there is one,' Vance said.

Donald Trump visits Arlington Cemetery to pay tribute to the 13 servicemembers killed during the Afghanistan evacuation.

Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump lays a wreath alongside Marine Cpl. Kelsee Lainhart (Ret.), who was injured at the Abbey Gate Bombing

Vance said the campaign had received approval to have a photographer on site and that the families of the slain service members invited President Trump to be there.

'That's not an insult to the memories of their loved ones, they wanted Donald Trump to be there and thank God we have a president who wants to stand with our veterans instead of one who wants to runaway from them,' Vance concluded.

He added that veterans and their families probably cared more about former President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris failing to hold the military accountable after those 13 service members lost their lives.

Trump supporters applauded and cheered Vance loudly, chanting 'U-S-A! U-S-A!.'

JD Vance campaigned in Erie, Pennsylvania on Wednesday where he was asked about the Arlington cemetery controversy

Democratic presidential nominee and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and vice presidential nominee Tim Walz arrive at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Savannah, Georgia,

The Harris campaign did not immediately react with a response.

Harris traveled to Georgia on Wednesday to launch a bus tour in rural areas to win over support from voters to make the state more competitive for Democrats.

She plans to record an interview with CNN's Dana Bash on Thursday afternoon while she is in Georgia with her running mate Gov. Tim Walz.
Sir Keir Starmer left the door open to the return of free movement for under-30s yesterday as he launched a bid to 'reset' Britain's relationship with Europe.

On a visit to Berlin, the Prime Minister promised a 'bright new future' between the United Kingdom and Germany, with closer ties designed to boost trade between the two countries.

But while insisting he is not 'reversing Brexit', Sir Keir refused to rule out introducing a 'backpackers and baristas' scheme allowing 18- to 30-year-olds from across the EU to move to the UK for work, travel or study for a number of years.

It is a key demand of European allies in exchange for a closer trading relationship, leading to accusations from critics that Sir Keir will undo the terms of the Brexit agreement.

The PM, speaking at a press conference at the German Chancellery yesterday, said he had 'no plans' for such a scheme, but then refused to completely rule it out when pressed by reporters.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz shakes hands with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer

Sir Keir Starmer left the door open to the return of free movement for under-30s yesterday as he launched a bid to 'reset' Britain's relationship with Europe

He said: 'In relation to youth mobility, obviously, we've been really clear  no single market, no Customs Union, no free movement, no going back into the EU.

'So the discussion about a close relationship within the EU or with the EU is in that context and within those frameworks.

'I'm convinced that we can have a close relationship, and I think you heard from the [German] chancellor himself, notwithstanding those clear red lines that we've got and we've always had.'

Labour has made no secret of the fact it wants closer ties with the EU, but failure to move on Brussels' proposals for a youth mobility scheme could hamper negotiations.

In a joint press conference yesterday in Berlin, German chancellor Olaf Scholz pointedly said that 'contact' between Germans and Britons has 'declined massively after Brexit and the Covid 19 pandemic'.

'We share similar views on this, and this is why we want to intensify the exchanges between Germany and the UK,' he said.

On a visit to Berlin, the Prime Minister promised a 'bright new future' between the United Kingdom and Germany

In a joint press conference yesterday in Berlin, German chancellor Olaf Scholz pointedly said that 'contact' between Germans and Britons has 'declined massively after Brexit and Covid

It came after Nils Schmid, Mr Scholz's foreign affairs spokesman, suggested a youth mobility deal would be the price of closer ties.

He told BBC Radio 4 it was a 'major feature of our wish list', and not about 'opening the walls of labour migration', but about facilitating a student exchange.

But last night Sir Keir's comments provoked a backlash, with warnings that he was trying to put Britain 'under the control of Brussels by the backdoor'.

Tory former home secretary Dame Priti Patel told the Mail: 'The Prime Minister, who constantly argued for a second referendum, cannot be trusted to protect Brexit.

'He's always wanted to bring us closer into the EU's orbit and put us under the control of Brussels by the backdoor.

'Labour's plans to relax migration controls with the EU would start a slippery slope towards closer alignment and the return of freedom of movement.

'Given his feeble track record in negotiations and rolling over so readily to his trade union paymasters, Keir Starmer cannot be trusted to safeguard something as precious as our sovereignty.'

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (right) and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (left) hold a joint press conference at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany on August 28

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz attends a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after talks at the Chancellery on August 28

And former Conservative Brexit minister David Jones said: 'Keir Starmer notoriously tried to stop Brexit by calling for a second referendum, when the wishes of the British people had already been made clear.

'People will therefore, entirely reasonably, always be suspicious about his motives where Europe is concerned.

'He should make very clear that, in all our dealings with the EU, British sovereignty will be the overriding consideration. His equivocation today gives no comfort at all in that respect.'

Sir Keir was in Berlin for talks with Mr Scholz to launch negotiations on a major new treaty between the UK and Germany.

Describing the treaty as a 'once in a generation' chance to deliver for working people in both countries, the Prime Minister said it would result in 'deeper links on science, technology, development, people, business, culture' and 'a boost to our trading relations'.

The two leaders also discussed how to tackle smuggling gangs, and agreed to develop 'a joint action plan to tackle illegal migration'.

Following the two-day visit to Berlin, Sir Keir flew to Paris for the Paralympic opening ceremony and today will hold talks with French president Emmanuel Macron

Asked about his discussions with Mr Scholz, the Prime Minister confirmed a returns agreement with Germany 'wasn't discussed today'.

But he said he hoped the joint action plan could help to intercept small boats, which are used in the English Channel, as they transit through Germany.

Following the two-day visit to Berlin, Sir Keir flew to Paris for the Paralympic opening ceremony and today will hold talks with French president Emmanuel Macron.
A minister was left squirming on TV as he failed to defend Labour over a No10 security pass given to a party peer.

In an awkward encounter, James Murray insisted that Prime Minister Keir Starmer was committed to cleaning up politics and following the correct procedure in appointments.

But he was told that his boss was not doing a good job of it, given the growing allegations of party donors and employees being given jobs in the supposedly impartial civil service.

While peer Lord Alli was given an access- all-areas security pass for Downing Street after giving Sir Keir almost 20,000 towards new clothing.

It came after it emerged that a Labour Party press officer for Wes Streeting had been made senior media relations officer in the Department of Health.

During an interview on BBC s Newsnight on Tuesday, junior Treasury minister James Murray (pictured) was asked by host Victoria Derbyshire : Is cronyism bad under a Conservative government but OK under a Labour government?

It came after it emerged that a Labour Party press officer for Wes Streeting (pictured) had been made senior media relations officer in the Department of Health

Joe Davies, a former journalist, worked for the party for three months before joining the civil service, the Guido Fawkes blog revealed.

During an interview on BBC's Newsnight on Tuesday, junior Treasury minister Mr Murray was asked by host Victoria Derbyshire: 'Is cronyism bad under a Conservative government but OK under a Labour government?'

He replied: 'Cronyism is something which Keir Starmer has made very clear he wants to drive out of Government.' Ms Derbyshire shot back: 'He's not doing a good job so far, is he?'

Mr Murray insisted that 'process and procedure' is important to the PM.

But Ms Derbyshire said: 'I thought you said you were going to be better than the Conservatives and things were going to be different. You have been giving civil service jobs to Labour supporters and Labour donors.'

Mr Murray was reminded that Sir Keir had promised a total crackdown on cronyism yet had given a No 10 pass to Lord Alli 'who paid for Keir Starmer's spectacles and chinos during the election campaign'.

Ms Derbyshire said: 'That is the definition of cronyism, isn't it?' Mr Murray could only reply: 'Well look, I'm not going to comment on individual cases because it's not appropriate for me to comment on the process that was gone through in individual cases.'

Mr Murray insisted that 'process and procedure' is important to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, pictured on August 28, 2024

Victoria Derbyshire (pictured) said: 'I thought you said you were going to be better than the Conservatives and things were going to be different. You have been giving civil service jobs to Labour supporters and Labour donors'

Last night shadow paymaster general John Glen said: 'Labour ministers are now being sent out to defend the indefensible. No matter how much they squirm, there is no denying this is a cronyism scandal with many murky questions still left unanswered.'

It comes as a More In Common poll found 63 per cent of people believe Sir Keir's Government is only interested in helping its allies, while 53 per cent say Labour is 'very' or 'somewhat' corrupt. Even 23 per cent of Labour supporters think the party is corrupt.

Yesterday, Sir Keir was asked about the perception that the Lord Alli furore has made it look like he is putting party before country. However, he insisted: 'I will always put country first and party second  that is the way in which I make decisions.'
A 21-year-old international student was found shot to death in her home in Houston Monday.

A suspect has been pictured - in surveillance stills of him leaving the scene of the crime Saturday night.

The victim was identified as Muna Pandey, an only child from Nepal who had been studying nursing overseas in the Texas. She was taking classes at Houston Community College and worked at a local phone store.

This is the second college student to be found murdered in Houston this week.

Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a junior at Rice University, was found dead inside her dorm room alongside her boyfriend barely an hour before. Cops said Avila was the victim of a murder-suicide.

Muna Pandey, a 21-year-old international student from Nepal, was studying nursing in Houston

A suspect has been pictured in surveillance stills of him leaving Pandey's apartment Saturday. He has not been identified

Cops released images of Pandey's suspected killer and asked the public to help identify him.

'Homicide detectives are searching for this male in the fatal shooting of a woman at 6363 West Airport Blvd. on Monday,' the Houston Police Department said in a statement Wednesday.

'We demand justice for Muna Pandey, my dear friend and former roommate, who was tragically taken from us,' added Muna's former roommate Orusha Niraula, in a post to Facebook.

'She was shot in her own home in Houston... the pain of losing her in such a violent way is unbearable.'

Cops said they arrived at the woman's rented apartment on West Airport Boulevard around 5:35pm, after receiving an anonymous tip reporting a body in the unit.

The caller was not identified.

Family sources, meanwhile, reportedly revealed Pandey was in a relationship with a white American man, and had expressed concerns about the relationship's stability.

She aired those concerns to her mother Anita, reported a nonprofit that covers stories on Nepalis based out of New York.

She also said Muna's mobile phone was unreachable for three days before she was found, with the surveillance still released by Houston PD taken at around 9:48pm Saturday.

Pictured, the apartment complex where Pandey was found shot to death following an anonymous tip

'HPD patrol officers responded to a "person down" call and found the victim with multiple gunshot wounds inside an apartment,' cops added Wednesday in an accompanying press release.

'Paramedics pronounced her deceased at the scene.

'The apartment complex staff told officers that prior to calling 911, they received an anonymous call about a body inside the apartment. At this time, there is no known motive.'

Her body, riddled with gunshot wounds, has been sent for autopsy, they added, as the person suspected to be responsible is now being sought.

'We will not rest until those responsible for this senseless act are brought to justice,' said Niraula of the search on social media.

'Muna deserves to be remembered for the incredible person she was, and we will continue to fight for the justice she deserves.'

She added that the nursing student had been 'like a sister to [her],' and was always 'full of life, kindness, and joy.

'Her bubbly personality and infectious laughter made every moment brighter,' she added.

Family sources, meanwhile, reportedly revealed Pandey was in a relationship with a white American man, and had expressed concerns about the relationship's stability. She reportedly aired those concerns to her mother Anita

It comes after Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a Junior at Rice University, was found shot to death inside her dorm room in Houston an hour before. He was found dead with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. A note was reportedly found

'It's heartbreaking that someone so wonderful was taken from us so cruelly.'

Police said no weapon was found at the murder scene, and have yet to name a suspect.

The man in the footage, as of Wednesday evening, remained at-large and unidentified.

He is, however, being considered a suspect, as his name and whereabouts remain unknown.

At 4:30 pm Monday, Andrea Rodriguez Avila, a 21-year-old Junior at Rice University, was found shot to death inside her dorm room with a man believed to be her boyfriend.

He was found dead with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. A note was reportedly found.
The Chelsea Pensioners have been saved from becoming casualties of Labour defence policies.

The MOD's plans to axe the yearly 13million grant to the Royal Hospital Chelsea have been scrapped after intervention by the Daily Mail pressured the Government into an 'incredible' about-turn.

Had it pushed through with the proposals to withdraw funding from the home for nearly 300 iconic veterans, famous for their resplendent scarlet uniforms, the building may well have been forced to close.

The controversial move was part of an urgent Ministry of Defence directive to slash costs, which includes cutting cash for front line training and purchasing ammunition.

A senior official at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, which opened in 1692, earlier this week revealed: 'We have been told by the MoD that as of next month the grant will be withdrawn.

The Chelsea Pensioners have been saved from becoming casualties of Labour defence policies. Pictured: The 332nd Annual Founders Day Parade in June

Chelsea pensioners during the Royal Hospital Chelsea's Founders Day ceremony last year, to celebrate the founding of the Royal Hospital by King Charles II

Princess Anne reviews the Chelsea Pensioners at the 332nd Annual Founders Day Parade at The Royal Hospital Chelsea

'It will put us in a difficult situation. We also convened a meeting of staff and residents to discuss how to move forward.'

The grant-in-aid payment covers the welfare needs of the veterans and the upkeep of the historic hub on the banks of the River Thames in the capital.

The 13,668,000 sum, paid in monthly instalments, is also by far the hospital's largest revenue stream, making up just over half its overall annual income.

When the Mail approached the MoD for comment, officials repeatedly requested more time to look into the matter.

Eventually, hours later, they claimed the move had not received ministerial approval and, as a result, the grant would remain in place.

A senior source at the hospital described the MoD's turnaround as 'incredible'.

Lord Dannatt, former Head of the British Army, last night said: 'This would have been a huge blow to the Chelsea Pensioners had MoD not opted to rethink.

Members of the Chelsea Pensioners lifts their hats during the annual Founder's Day Parade

Chelsea pensioners attend the National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph last year

Chelsea Pensioners parade during the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph on Whitehall in central London

'Well done to the Daily Mail for stopping the cutback in its tracks. The hospital would have been denied a very significant part of its funding.

'And to have compensated for this loss through private donations would have been very difficult at this time.'

The hospital's annual report makes clear the costs of 'fuel, lighting, food, furniture, clothing, medical care for CPs and staff costs' are met from the grant.

The hospital's financial reserves of around 6million would have lasted only until the end of this financial year.

Despite MoD denials as it sought to quash the story, the Royal Hospital Chelsea confirmed in an official statement last night that talks had taken place about a funding cut that could have resulted in closure.

The spokesman said: 'There was a conversation around the scoping of a cut to our grant in aid, which, were this to have happened, would have been difficult for us to accommodate.'

The Ministry of Defence has launched a desperate bid to save money so it can afford a pay-rise for troops, costing over 400million. Exercises that provide crucial opportunities for soldiers to practise battlefield skills are being cancelled or scaled back.

Chelsea pensioners ahead of the Royal Hospital Chelsea's Founders Day ceremony this year

Chelsea Pensioners near the Guards Memorial on the day of the National Service of Remembrance last year

Princess Anne salutes the members of the Chelsea Pensioners during the annual Founder's Day Parade at Royal Hospital Chelsea on June 6

Meanwhile, the Government has signed off more than 1billion in pay rises for junior doctors and train drivers.

Labour has already come under fire over its refusal to set out a timetable for significant increases in defence spending.

It will not commit to a deadline to follow the Tories' lead for boosting investment in the Armed Forces to 2.5 per cent of GDP.

The Mail wants significant rises in investment in the Armed Forces as part of our Don't Leave Britain Defenceless campaign.

And there are also questions about Labour's commitment to the military community after it removed the post of Veterans Minister from the Cabinet.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman last night said: 'The funding for the Royal Hospital Chelsea is not in doubt and there has not been, and will not be, any reduction from MoD.'
A husband accused of murdering his wife and hiding her body allegedly made incriminating internet searches before she disappeared.

Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28, a pediatric nurse from Manassas Park, Virginia, was last seen on July 28, even missing her daughter's first birthday, and is presumed dead.

Her husband Naresh Bhatt, 37, has been charged with concealing a body, but though prosecutors said he did it, they have not yet charged him with murder.

Naresh in April searched for 'how long does it take to get married when spouse die' and 'what happen to debt died spouse', prosecutors alleged in court on Monday.

Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28, a pediatric nurse from Manassas Park, Virginia , was last seen on July 28, even missing her daughter's first birthday, and is presumed dead

Her husband Naresh Bhatt, 37, has been charged with concealing a body, but though prosecutors said he did it, they have not yet charged him with murder

He used his work computer to make the searches, and the US Secret Service, to whom he has ties and a security clearance, gave police the search history.

Prosecutors also revealed Naresh sold his Tesla days before his arrest on August 22, but police managed to track it down at a local dealership and are searching the car's computer.

Naresh also tried to sell the family home, and police found he had packed up their possessions when they arrived, including passports for him and his daughter.

Police used blue light to find bloodstains all over the couple's bedroom and bathroom that had been cleaned, and evidence a body was dragged through the house.

Defense lawyers claimed in court the blood was from a nosebleed.

Mamta was last seen at her job at UVA Health Health Prince William Medical Center on July 27, and spoke to a friend on the phone on July 28, police said.

She also posted a video to her TikTok of her daughter climbing up the stairs the same day.

Mamta's husband, Naresh Bhatt was named a person of interest in the case, and had not been cooperating with the investigation, police said. Today, he was marched out of their home in handcuffs

The couple in front of their Virginia home when Mamta was expecting

Police visited the house on August 2 for a welfare check after she didn't show up to work and colleagues became concerned.

Naresh told them he last saw his wife on July 31 and didn't want to report her missing because she was with family in Texas.

However, Mamta, who is of Nepalese descent, has no family in the US, according to prosecutors and friends.

Naresh finally reported her missing three days later, and made a tearful public appeal for her to come home.

But police believe he lied about the timeline and Mamta was already dead by July 31.

Prosecutors also told the court about domestic violence allegations Mamta made against her husband.

She claimed to Manassas Park Police that Naresh destroyed her phone and refused to hand over her passport and other important documents.

Naresh claimed she destroyed her own phone, but prosecutors said it continued receiving messages and and calls until August 1, when it died.

The court heard friends told police they saw bruises on her body and offered to help her get out of the allegedly abusive marriage.

Bhatt's shock arrest comes days after he made an emotional TV appeal for his wife's safe return

Officers search the contents of the home and are in the back of he house

In February, Mamta posted in the Facebook group 'Separated, Divorced, Single Moms of Virginia, Maryland and DC' that she has a six-month-old baby and in the process of a separation.

'I work 2 days a week and my husband is not helping to take care of baby. He is saying, that if I leave baby with him he will send child to custody. Is it possible? I need help for child care,' she said.

'I need help from social worker and need some advice.'

Robin Kuppusamy, the missing mom's friend, shared in a post on August 12 expressing her concerns for her friend.

'Multiple women and myself have been talking to her on our separation divorce group on Facebook to find her help since she was leaving her spouse until she dropped off the radar,' Kuppusamy wrote.

She added, 'she would have never left her daughter behind.'

Mamta also shared that her and her husband were still living together but that she no longer has any money. She wrote, in part, 'I don't have money now too he withdraw all money from joint account'

Social media posts reveal Mamta had pleaded for help from other mothers in the area

The City of Manassas Park Chief of Police Mario Lugo said at a press conference on Wednesday they have a few people of interest in the case including, Bhatt. He added that he is 'not cooperating with them in their investigation.'

Earlier in the day, a search warrant was executed at the family home. During the presser, Lugo confirmed that Mamta's husband was not cooperating with the investigation,' local Fox5 DC reported.

Since she went missing, the police chief said he and his team have been actively searching for the young mother, and following up on every lead.

So, far he said there have been more than 100 leads, and they have executed more than 10 search warrants. Forensics is involved as well.

He explained that detectives have also been in touch with the Nepalese community.

On August 14, Bhatt was present during an unplanned press conference with community leaders and concerned neighbors held outside of the police department.

At the time, he expressed gratitude to the community for their help. He said, 'I need your help in a positive way. Thank you for doing what you are doing, keep doing what you are doing during this difficult time.

She asked one of the women in the post that she doesn't have money as he withdrew it all from a joint account

He also told the news outlet that his wife's disappearance has taken a toll on him and his 11-month-old daughter.

'I'm really tired. Tired, exhausted  physically, mentally, economically. I'm suffering,' he told the news outlet. 'I'm suffering a lot.'

That same day, nearly a dozen volunteers searched the Blooms Park Trail, where Matma often went to with her baby daughter.

Her husband was reported to have not have participated.

Sammy Choudhary, a friend and neighbor of the missing woman, who helped organize the search grew emotional while speaking to Fox5 DC.

'If anything happened to her. I want her to get justice. I dont think anybody should go through this. There is a person missing.'
Military families who rely on boarding schools fear they will be priced out by Labour's VAT hike.

From January, 20 per cent VAT will be placed on private school fees, potentially wreaking havoc during the academic year.

But military families who rely on government support to fund boarding school fees are still in the dark over whether they will have to cover the higher costs.

The Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) helps with the fees for service children whose parents frequently relocate.

It is reviewed annually by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), but the Government is refusing to say whether they will uplift the allowance in January to account for the VAT hike.

Military families who rely on boarding schools fear they will be priced out by Labour's VAT hike

King Charles III and Prince William stand in front of an Apache helicopter during the official handover in which King Charles III passes the role of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army air corps to Prince William on May 13, 2024 in Stockbridge, Hampshire

Many Forces parents, whose salaries start at 25,000, have no option but to send their children to boarding schools so they have stability during their education.

A spokesman for support group the Army Families Federation said: 'Many military families are asked to move every couple of years to do their jobs and some choose to use independent boarding schools to give their children a stable education experience.

'They rely on the allowance to do this and are asking for information on whether it will now be reviewed in time for the planned increase in fees.

'Some service personnel, particularly those serving in locations outside the UK, cannot immediately find alternatives for their children and are concerned about how they will afford the fee increases.'

Conservative peer Lord Kempsell has asked the Government whether it will exempt the children of UK Armed Forces personnel and diplomats who receive sponsorship for private education from the VAT hike.

He said: 'It is nothing less than shameful that the Government is failing to exempt or support these families given the sacrifices they make for the UK. I am calling for immediate measures to be put in place to mitigate the effects on service families.'

A Government spokesman said: 'Ending tax breaks on private schools will help to raise the revenue needed to fund our education priorities for next year, such as recruiting 6,500 new teachers. We will monitor closely the impact of these policy changes on affected military and diplomatic families.'
A cyclist rides on a street in East Palo Alto. Prosecutors of a San Jose killer repeatedly mentioned his East Palo Alto roots, a potential proxy for race that could have influenced the jurys guilty verdict. East Palo Alto has a reputation for being unsafe ... and other negative connotations, the defendants lawyer said in a later filing. Ethan Swope/The Chronicle 2022

At Jermaine Howards murder trial for a fatal shooting in San Jose, the prosecutor repeatedly asked the Black defendant about his childhood in East Palo Alto, a community known for its minority population and reputation for violence. That was enough, a state appeals court ruled Tuesday, to support a claim of potential bias under Californias Racial Justice Act.

Courts have recognized that a persons place of residence may serve as a proxy for race, said the 6th District Court of Appeal.

The court did not say Howards trial had been affected by racism, but ordered a Santa Clara County Superior Court judge to hold a hearing where both sides could present evidence on the issue. If the judge finds that the verdict may have been influenced by racial bias  whether intentional or not  Howard would be entitled to a new trial.

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Howard, who owned a food truck business in San Jose, fatally shot an Oakland man identified by the court as Reinol H.M. at a San Jose nightclub in February 2021. Howard testified that he was afraid of Reinol, who was armed, and shot him in self-defense, but a jury convicted Howard of second-degree murder, and he was sentenced to 19 years to life in prison.

The Racial Justice Act, which took effect in 2021, goes further than previous state or federal laws by invalidating convictions that were influenced by racial bias or discriminatory language used by anyone in the case  the judge, lawyers for either side, an expert witness or a juror  even if the bias was unintentional or unconscious.

Another state appeals court upheld the law last October, saying the Legislature had the power to set new and more demanding standards for bias-free trials. The state Supreme Court denied review and left the ruling intact.

Howards jury was obviously aware of his race as he sat in the witness box. The question before the court was whether the conduct of the trial, and particularly the prosecutors cross-examination of Howard, called undue attention to his race, or implied that it was a cause of the murder, in a way that could have appealed to prejudice among any of the jurors.

After Howard testified that he was raised between Menlo Park and San Jose, the prosecutor asked him several times about his upbringing in East Palo Alto. African Americans were once the citys largest racial or ethnic group, but Latinos make up about two-thirds of the current population of 30,000.

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The subject had not been raised by any other witnesses at the trial, and after the verdict, Howards lawyer accused the prosecution of trying to bias the jury. In addition to its minority population, attorney Joseph Doyle said in a court filing, East Palo Alto has a reputation for being unsafe, violent, gang-related, and other negative connotations.

The district attorneys office replied that the evidence was relevant to Howards identification, and Superior Court Judge Robert Hawk found no reason to believe the trial had been affected by racial bias. The appeals court agreed Tuesday that the prosecutors questioning was relevant to Howards identity and credibility but said it may also have been an appeal, intentionally or not, to racial bias.

In view of East Palo Altos historical reputation and demographics, and the recognized connection between a persons place of residence, racial group, and negative stereotypes, we conclude that Howard produce (d) facts that, if true, establish that there is  more than a mere possibility  that the prosecutor used racially discriminatory language  or otherwise exhibited (racial) bias, Justice Allison Danner wrote in the 3-0 ruling.

Another issue involved the racial slur known as the n-word. During closing arguments, the prosecutor told jurors that Reinols use of that word before Howard shot him was not offensive in Mr. Howards world.

The appeals court said it would not decide whether the prosecutors reference to the word could have been an appeal to racism, because Howards lawyer did not raise the issue before Judge Hawk. But Danner said the defense could add the argument to its case when it returns to Hawks court.

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Doyle, Howards lawyer, said the courts have treated the case conscientiously and with an awareness of the long history of racial bias in our nations courtrooms. He said he hopes that his client will be able to reach a just resolution to his case.
Sir Keir Starmer was yesterday accused of plotting to strip pensioners of their cold weather payments long before last month's general election.

The Tories' energy spokesman Claire Coutinho said the Prime Minister effectively deceived the public by failing to mention the issue in Labour's manifesto.

By contrast, the party pledged to maintain winter fuel payments for the vast majority of pensioners in its previous four manifestos.

It came as the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was accused of deliberately making the official form which allows pensioners to keep their payments 'inaccessible'.

Pensioners face having to answer 243 questions, including: 'Does your partner agree to your application?'

Sir Keir Starmer (pictured) was yesterday accused of plotting to strip pensioners of their cold weather payments long before last month's general election

The Tories' energy spokesman Claire Coutinho said the Prime Minister effectively deceived the public by failing to mention the issue in Labour's manifesto

Ms Coutinho posted on X, formerly Twitter: 'Starmer says he 'didn't want to means-test the winter fuel payment'. But look at past Labour manifestos: In 2010, 2015, 2017 & 2019 they mention the WFP. In 2024 they were silent.

'They planned this before the election. They chose not to give pensioners time to prepare.'

Labour's manifesto ahead of last month's election simply said: 'The last Labour government lifted over half a million children and over a million pensioners out of poverty.

'That progress transformed life chances and ensured security in retirement. The next Labour government will build on that legacy of pursuing opportunity and social justice.' But it did not specifically mention winter fuel payments.

In 2010 its manifesto pledged to 'continue to provide help to pensioners, with the winter fuel payments'.

In 2015 the party said it would cut the payments for only 'the richest 5 per cent' but keep them for most pensioners, while in 2017 and 2019 it 'guaranteed' to keep them as 'universal' benefits.

Sir Keir's administration has been hit with a major backlash, including from within his own party, over its plans, which would see as many as ten million pensioners stripped of the support payments.

Some 11.4million pensioners receive winter fuel payments ranging from 100 to 300. Under Labour's means-testing approach, which will kick in from this winter, only those who qualify for pension credit and similar benefits will still be able to claim it.

Sir Keir's administration has been hit with a major backlash, including from within his own party, over its plans, which would see as many as ten million pensioners stripped of the support payments (Stock image)

Former PM Rishi Sunak and the Tories' Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho on June 17

It comes just as energy bills go up by around 150 for the average household this winter.

Campaigners have warned that there are as many as two million pensioners who narrowly don't qualify for pension credit and who will be forced to choose between 'heating or eating' this winter.

On Tuesday the PM said he didn't want to scrap the winter fuel allowance to save an estimated 1.5billion a year. But he claimed he was given no choice because the Tories left a 22billion 'black hole' in the economy.

Yesterday campaigners said the 22-page form which pensioners must fill out to apply for pension credit was 'challenging', putting people off making claims.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director of Age UK, said: 'The form has 243 boxes to navigate. It is not particularly long or complex as claim forms go, but completing it would still pose a challenge for many of us, including many older people with no one to help them.'

Joanna Elson, chief executive of Independent Age, told The Daily Telegraph: 'Some older people are put off claiming due to the inaccessibility and length of the form.'

A Government spokesman said: 'We are committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement.

'But given the dire state of the public finances we have inherited, it's right that we target support to those who need it most.'
Aspinal of London has secured a special place as one of the Royal Family's favourite accessory brands.

Established in 2002 by British entrepreneur Iain Burton, the firm is renowned for its distinguished handbags, which have been seen on the arms of royal women including Kate Middleton.

Kate's most-loved design, the Midi Mayfair, exemplifies the British label's exceptional craftsmanship and timeless vintage elegance.

Burton expressed to MailOnline his delight at having such prominent admirers, saying: 'All of us at Aspinal are hugely honoured and proud that the Royal Family have given their support to Aspinal over the years.

'Princess Catherine is one of the most loved, hugely respected and iconic women in the world.'

Kate Middleton's favourite design is the Midi Mayfair, which she introduced in 2018 and has repeated throughout the years

The Midi Mayfair, priced at 595, is crafted from full-grain Italian leather and features Aspinal's signature shield lock and logo

He added: 'Everyone in the fashion industry watches what she wears, and it's reported on fervently worldwide.'

Burton previously co-founded the now-defunct independent music label Fanfare Records with Simon Cowell.

He was initially known for inventing and supplying audio guides through his company, Antenna Audio, to some of the world's most renowned museums, including the National Gallery, the Louvre and the Vatican.

This collaboration evolved into Aspinal becoming the supplier of bespoke leather accessories and stationery to museum gift shops.

His vision of establishing a heritage brand, characterised by exquisite craftsmanship, luxurious materials, bold colours and contemporary design, has garnered global acclaim.

The Princess of Wales has carried four bags by Aspinal of London, since debuting her first - an Eaton Clutch - at a friend's wedding in 2011.

Kate's favourite style appears to be the Midi Mayfair, which she introduced in 2018 and has repeatedly worn since.

'The Mayfair is the personification of quintessential refined English elegance, which we believe perfectly suits the Princess's style and grace,' Burton proudly said.

'The association of Princess Catherine with our Mayfair bag in particular, has of course given invaluable support to building Aspinal's profile and reputation, as well as benefitting sales of the Mayfair worldwide.'

Available in 26 colours with smooth, textured and patterned finishes, the classic vintage-inspired design has timeless appeal

The Midi Mayfair is the perfect size for holding everyday essentials, with three internal compartments and a back slip pocket for easy organisation and access

The Midi Mayfair, priced at 595, is crafted from full-grain Italian leather and features Aspinal's signature shield lock and logo.

Available in 26 colours with smooth, textured and patterned finishes, the classic vintage-inspired design has timeless appeal.

As well as being carried by royals, it is also popular with a host of A-list celebrities.

However, today's design has significantly evolved from the original version launched 17 years ago.

'Our Mayfair is perhaps the brand's most prolific design, worn by celebrities and royals, although you would hardly recognise the original Mayfair from 2007 to the famous Mayfair we have today,' Burton explained.

'The Mayfair's celebrated style developed over time, step-by-step from the original concept design through to the now recognised silhouette, led by the iconic Midi Mayfair.

'Over the years, myself and Mariya Dykalo, our Artistic Executive Designer, have reiterated and reinvented the size and proportions to create a bag that we hope personifies understated quiet luxury... a blend of "modern yet classic, cool yet vintage style", really the perfect bag for day, night and any occasion.'

Currently, the Mayfair is sold in three sizes, ranging from mini to large.

Discussing the design process, Burton revealed that the first stage was to create the iconic shield lock.

'The design and creation of our Mayfair shield lock is an interpretation of the Aspinal shield seen in our logo,' he says.

'Why a shield logo? Because the Aspinal shield is a heraldic emblem of strength, trust, quality, service and of course age-old craftsmanship.'

The Midi Mayfair is the perfect size for holding everyday essentials, with three internal compartments and a back slip pocket for easy organisation and access.

In addition to her black croc version, Kate owns a now-discontinued lilac colourway, debuted in 2018.

For both bags, she opts to remove the detachable shoulder strap, instead carrying them by the top handle.

Zara Tindall is also fond of the Midi Mayfair and have both been seen carrying the burgundy croc version

Zara impressed with the 750 Mayfair 2, which was released in 2023 to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of its predecessor, at Cheltenham Festival

Queen Camilla and Zara Tindall are also fond of the Midi Mayfair and have both been seen carrying the sophisticated burgundy croc version.

In March, Zara further impressed with the Mayfair 2, which was released in 2023 to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of its predecessor.

She showcased the 750 black and red ombre croc style at Cheltenham Festival, adding a striking touch to her race day attire.

The updated design features a sleeker silhouette, chunky chain handle and contemporary feel, while retaining Aspinal's charming aesthetic.

'The Mayfair we hope has become a "forever" bag; a rare English icon that stands the test of time, surpassing fads, trends and fast fashion, being worn by celebrities time and time again over the years,' says Burton.

'Forbes magazine recently said of the design, "Think Jane Birkin, with undertones of English charm. The Mayfair Bag is a vintage favourite" - I am happy with that.'

Zara has an extensive collection of Aspinal bags, including the 550 Ella Crossbody bag, the 350 Raffia Crossbody bag and the 395 Micro Lottie Crossbody bag.

Meanwhile, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie have both sported the iconic Hat Box in bordeaux croc on numerous occasions during the festive period.

And Queen Camilla's affinity with the brand has remained strong for several years.

She first carried the 450 Letterbox Saddle Bag to a literature festival at Peterborough Cathedral in 2016, marking the start of her ongoing love affair with Aspinal of London.

Zara has an extensive collection of Aspinal bags, including the 350 Raffia Crossbody bag (left) and the 395 Micro Lottie Crossbody bag (right)

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie have sported the iconic Hat Box bag in bordeaux croc on numerous occasions during the festive period

Timeless, long-lasting and responsible luxury are at the forefront of this company.

It is consciously developing its sustainability strategy, Bee Aspinal, which details its commitments under the headers of 'Product', 'Planet', 'Partnership' and 'People'.

Aspinal has removed single-use plastic and only uses ethically-sourced raw materials.

'I am immensely proud that Aspinal is still guided by its original brand values, respecting both customer and product,' Burton said.

'We strive continuously to create the highest quality products, handmade by dedicated, artisan craftspeople.

'Using premium leather, materials and components, we handmake our beautiful designs that offer exceptionally good value to our customers.

'This ethos has established Aspinal as the home of superior quality and the go-to gifting destination for quality personalised gifts that last forever.'

The brand's future business plan is clear, as it remains committed to delivering high-quality products and upholding ethical practices.

Burton added: 'As Aspinal continues to grow and expand, both in the UK and internationally, our team understands exactly who we are, what we stand for and what we are trying to achieve.

'Aspinal customers can continue to expect the highest quality materials, artisan craftsmanship and timeless style, delivering fair, honest old fashioned brand values to the luxury market.'
He was the 'merry monarch', the King who loved nothing more than a romp in the hay and a booze-fuelled party.

King Charles II is believed to have fathered at least 12 illegitimate children and had numerous lovers - but he never produced an heir with his wife, Catherine of Braganza.

His favourite mistresses included Barbara Villiers, actress Nell Gwynn and Welsh beauty Lucy Walters.

Now, the 17th-century monarch's relationship with those three women is being explored in the fifth episode of new Daily Mail podcast Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things.

Mail columnist and royal biographer Robert Hardman and his co-presenter Professor Kate Williams examine whether Charles was Britain's most promiscuous monarch.

Mr Hardman says of Charles: 'This week, we're turning our attention to someone who can only be described as one of the most prolific womanizers in royal history.

'A man who was an early fashion innovator, a scientific innovator, a man who ushered in a new era of hedonism and partying.

'A man whose illegitimate children numbered at least a dozen, and whose sexual appetite saw him compared to a racehorse.'

Listen to the latest episode: Was King Charles II Britain's most sex-mad monarch?

King Charles II's extraordinary promiscuity is examined in the latest episode of Daily Mail podcast Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things. Above: Rufus Sewell as the monarch alongside Emma Pierson as mistress Nell Gwynn in 2003 BBC series Charles II: The Power and the Passion

King Charles II (pictured) was born at St James's Palace on May 29, 1630 and was the eldest surviving son of Charles I

NEW PODCAST: Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things New episodes every Wednesday DON'T MISS your favourite new history podcast. Each week we'll bring you the biggest and most shocking royal scandals, from who really killed the husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, to the most sex-mad British monarch of all time. Listen wherever you get your podcasts now. Advertisement

Barbara Villiers, the Countess of Castlemaine, was perhaps Charles' best-known mistress.

Known as a sensational beauty, she gave birth to five of of the King's illegitimate children.

She had joined Charles's court when he was still in exile in Holland. So by the time he became the King when the monarchy was restored in 1660, Barbara had a firm place in his affections.

Charles got her pregnant even before he got married to Catharine of Braganza, and then appointed Barbara as his wife's lady of the bedchamber.

She ultimately fell out of favour when the King turned his affections to actress Nell Gwynn, who had worked her way up from selling oranges on Drury Lane.

The Duke of Buckingham, keen to usurp Barbara's dominant position at court, had presented the beautiful Nell to the King in the hope he would be enamoured.

The King became so besotted by her that he kept a naked portrait of her in a secret compartment in his bedroom.

She too gave birth to his children and was given money and titles. The King even ensured that she would be provided for after his death.

And he made her son the Duke of St Albans after being horrified at the way she referred to him as a 'little b******' in front of him.

Charles had lost his virginity to his former wet nurse, Christaballa Wyndham, when he was 15 and she was in her late 30s.

But his first mistress was - when he was 18 and in exile - Lucy Walter.

His relationship with the Welsh beauty led to the birth of James, who the King made the Duke of Monmouth.

But within two years of their relationship starting, Charles had left the continent for Scotland, where he had hoped to regain his birthright.

The fifth episode of new Daily Mail podcast, Queen's Kings and Dastardly Things, airs from today

The podcast is presented by Mail columnist and royal biographer Robert Hardman and historian Professor Kate Williams

Barbara Villiers, the Countess of Castlemaine, was perhaps Charles' best-known mistress

Actress Nell Gwynn, who had worked her way up from selling oranges on Drury Lane

Charles' first mistress was Welsh beauty Lucy Walter. His relationship with her led to the birth of James, the Duke of Monmouth

Lucy refused to give up on their romance and was persuaded by the King's friends to return to England in exchange for a yearly allowance.

But Oliver Cromwell - then ruling England as Lord Protector - had her arrested and put in the Tower of London.

She was then freed and, now penniless, was sent back to the Netherlands.

Professor Williams calls her treatment 'murky' and questions why Lucy was sent to England when Charles' friends knew that Cromwell would suspect her.

As she and Mr Hardman reveal in the podcast, her association with the King did not have a happy ending.

Her son, the Duke of Monmouth, would go on to launch a rebellion against Charles's successor and brother, King James II.

Meanwhile, as the King was cavorting with his mistresses, his wife had been marginalised.

Artist Kitty Shannon's depiction of King Charles II with his mistresses Nell Gwynn, Louise de Kerouaille and Hortense Mancini

The Portuguese queen had tried to stop mistress Barbara from becoming her lady of the bedchamber, but the King insisted and even cruelly sent her Portuguese ladies in waiting home.

Professor Williams says: 'So it's a very hard life. And on top of that, she knows that people don't like her because she's Catholic.

'She knows that people think that she's an influence on the King because she's Catholic.'

Mr Hardman adds: 'It is interesting Kate to think of these two sides of Charles II. There's the fun loving, carousing monarch, but he's also got a very dark side, too.'

France's Louis XIV - well aware of the King's libido - sent the beautiful Louise de Kerouaille to influence his rival.

She was tasked with promoting the interests of France and Catholicism while lying with the King.

But on one debauched night with Louise and two other mistresses in 1685, the King fell seriously ill and had to be treated by royal doctors.

George Sanders as King Charles II alongside Linda Darnell as character Amber St Clair in the 1947 film Forever Amber

But the 'cures' the medics administered did not help their charge, instead causing him great agony.

The King died four days later, on February 6, 1685. He was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Leaving no heir, his brother James II succeeded the throne.

To hear the experts' overall verdict on Charles, listen to episode five of Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things - which is released today - wherever you get your podcasts.

Robert Hardman is the author of books including Queen of Our Times: The Life of Elizabeth II and Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story.

Professor Kate Williams is the author of the recent book The Royal Palaces: Secrets and Scandals, along with many other works.
Mark Zuckerberg's bombshell letter to Congress this week calling the Biden administration's censorship campaign 'wrong' may signal yet another rightward shift in his politics.

The Facebook founder, a major Democratic donor who once backed former President Barack Obama, has spent more recent years appearing on right-leaning podcasts, mingling with MAGA-supporting UFC fighters and calling former President Donald Trump a 'badass.'

The billionaire tech mogul has even struck up a friendship with Trump's longtime ally UFC president Dana White  who introduced Trump at this year's 2024 Republican convention and still dreams of hosting a charity cage match between Zuckerberg and his billionaire rival Elon Musk.

Trump himself, in fact, has claimed that the Meta CEO has called him 'a lot' during this election cycle for candid, private talks.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who once praised President Barack Obama's education policy in a 2011 town hall, has spent more recent years taking up mixed-martial arts over activism and calling former President Donald Trump a 'badass.' Above, Zuckerberg this July

Above, Zuckerberg shares the stage with then-president Barack Obama during the 2016 Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) at Stanford University in California

While the 40-year-old tech billionaire has expressly declined to endorse a candidate in the 2024 US presidential race, his actions have left many questioning his stances.

Whatever the truth behind that speculation, Zuckerberg's political donations for 2024 have dropped dramatically, as his once generous interest in giving to progressive causes and candidates wanes.

The apparent shift in his politics has coincided with a tough, physical makeover, with Zuckerberg trading his comfortable dorm-room hooded sweatshirts and Adidas flip-flops for sun-kissed Gen Z curls, and fitted shirts with gold chains.

Zuckerberg has also become more eager in mixed-martial arts training, training with past MMA champions and regularly attending live UFC events where Trump is also a regular attendee.

Zuckerberg pictured training with UFC stars Israel Adesanya (left) and Alexander Volkanovski (right) last year

In a letter to the House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan on Monday, Zuckerberg said he 'regrets' that Facebook and the other social apps owned by its parent company Meta 'were not more outspoken' in their opposition to censorship.

The Biden administration, he wrote, was 'wrong' to demand that Facebook censor alleged 'COVID misinformation' during the pandemic, among other posts.

The White House, according to the Meta CEO, '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.'

'We made some choices that, with the benefit of hindsight and new information,' Zuckerberg continued, 'we wouldn't make today.'

The comments  the Meta CEO's most direct criticism of the White House yet  came just weeks after Zuckerberg's comments lauding Trump's resilience in the face of last July's assassination attempt in Pennsylvania.

'Seeing Donald Trump get up after getting shot in the face and pump his fist in the air with the American flag is one of the most badass things I've ever seen in my life,' Zuckerberg, 40, said during an interview with Bloomberg at Meta's HQ in Menlo Park, California.

'On some level as an American, it's like hard to not get kind of emotional about that spirit and that fight,' the Facebook founder added.

'And I think that that's why a lot of people like the guy.'

But Zuckerberg stopped short of any endorsement, emphasizing, 'I'm not planning on doing that this time, and that includes not endorsing either of the candidates.'

Above, Zuckerberg testifies during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on online child sexual exploitation at the US Capitol, in Washington DC on January 31, 2024

Above, candid photo of Zuckerberg during the nascent days of Facebook. Tim Sparapani, Facebook's first public-policy director, once said Zuckerberg was 'completely apolitical'

Zuckerberg has also made plain that, this election cycle, he would not repeat anything like the $400 million in non-profit contributions he made during the last cycle to combat election fraud and help make polling places safe amid COVID.

Those funds were quickly recast as partisan by Republicans who said they saw a pattern in the districts where the money was spent.

'My goal is to be neutral and not play a role one way or another  or to even appear to be playing a role,' Zuckerberg said this year. 'So I don't plan on making a similar contribution this cycle.'

Speculation on the Facebook founder's quiet politics have been rife for over a decade, including a 2013 essay in center-leaning liberal magazine The Atlantic, which asked if Zuckerberg was a 'Secret Republican?'

Above, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan at a UFC event

Above, Trump welcoming Zuckerberg to the Oval Office of the White House on Sept. 19, 2019

The article pointed to a fundraiser for then-New Jersey Republican governor Chris Christie, which appears to have been tied mostly to Zuckerberg's charitable efforts toward reforming education in Newark, New Jersey.

That initiative also saw Zuckerberg praising the city's Democratic Mayor and now NJ Senator Cory Booker.

A long-standing interest in educational charities also prompted the Facebook founder's most overtly partisan event, hosting a townhall with then-President Obama in 2011.

'I think that the Race to the Top stuff that you guys have done is one of the most under-appreciated and most important things that your administration has done,' Zuckerberg told the Obama, in a rare outing where tech mogul wore a suit and tie.

Good government groups, who monitor big money in politics, have long noted that Zuckerberg gives both to Republican and Democratic candidates alike.

Zuckerberg (center), with wife Priscilla Chan enjoying a UFC bout with Trump fan and UFC president Dana White during the UFC Fight Night event on October 01, 2022 in Las Vegas

Above, UFC President Dana White delivers remarks during the last day of the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 18, 2024

During the 2014 midterm elections, for example, Zuckerberg donated to Senator Booker (D-NJ), Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), then-House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), then-House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), then-Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), and then-Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL).

While his charitable work through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which he manages with his wife Priscilla Chan, has donated more to progressive and left-leaning causes, this has not kept the CEO from protecting conservative views at Facebook.

According to one Wall Street Journal report, Zuckerberg lectured Facebook's liberal staff about the need to appreciate that the site's user base leans conservative.

He then went so far as to defended decisions not to remove posts made by Trump that Facebook's own content moderators said violated Facebook's rules.

The policy alienated Democratic leaders, some of whom, like former Obama administration official David Plouffe, have worked for the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

Tim Sparapani, an attorney who specializes in technology issues, who served as Facebook's first public-policy director, had his own insight into the ideological character hidden beneath Zuckerberg's reserved demeanor.

'He was completely apolitical,' Sparapani said of Zuckerberg during those early years. 'His political views had to be coaxed out of him.'
As calls for a re-analysis of the Shroud of Turin mount, more research claims to support the theory it may have actually been the very cloth Jesus was buried in.

A study quietly published by researchers in Italy saw the team digitally restore parts of the body depicted on the fabric's imprint, revealing never-before-seen details.

They found the right-hand thumb in an unnatural position, indicating that the hand was likely in a 'stressed' position that may have resulted from nerve damage caused by crucifixion.

They say their findings suggest 'important indirect proof that the Turin Shroud wrapped the body of a man who was crucified alive.'

A 2017 study digitally restored the hands region of the Turin Shroud imprint, revealing the unnatural position of the right hand's thumb that may have been caused by crucifixion

The Shroud of Turin is a 14-foot-long piece of linen featuring a faint image of the front and back of a man who Christians believe to be Jesus.

The cloth was first presented to the public in the 1350s when it was exhibited in the small collegiate church in Lirey, a village in northern France.

Christians believe those wounds were miraculously imprinted on the burial shroud after Jesus was resurrected from the dead, scorched into the fibers by a burst of energy when he came back to life.

Experts have long debated the legitimacy of this claim, with a landmark 1988 study dating its creation to the middle ages, hundreds of years after the birth of Christ.

But recent studies have raised doubts about the accuracy of those findings and offered indirect evidence in the other direction.

The little-known Italian study was published in 2017 in the Journal of Cultural Heritage but was not publicized at the time.

The research team from the Institute of Crystallography performed an 'intensity histogram transform' - a type of digital analysis that improves the quality of an image - to restore and analyze the hands region of the Shroud's imprint.

This brought new anatomical details into focus, and revealed that the right hand's thumb was in an 'unnatural' position, lying adjacent to the palm of the hand but positioned below it.

Consequently, the thumb is almost completely missing from the imprint except for its protruding end.

This is important because scientists consider the absence of the thumbs to be one of the main indirect proofs that the Shroud was used to wrap the body of a man who was crucified alive, the researchers stated in their report.

That's because crucifixion would have caused injury to the hands' median nerves, forcing the thumbs into this an unnatural, hidden position.

But crucifixion isn't the only possible explanation for the missing thumbs.

The absence of the thumbs from the Turin Shroud imprint is considered one of the main indirect proofs that the Shroud was used to wrap the body of a man who was crucified

The Shroud of Turin is a 14-foot-long piece of linen featuring a faint image of the front and back of a man who Christians believe to be Jesus

Other experts believe that the thumbs are not visible in the imprint simply because their natural position is in front of and slightly to the side of the index finger, which would create more distance between the thumbs and the Shroud.

That would mean that the imprint could have been made by a body lying in a relaxed, supine position - no crucifixion necessary.

But based on their analysis, the study authors state that the thumb does not appear to be in its natural position.

Rather, it appears in a non-relaxed inside the palm of the hand and almost fully hidden by the index finger except for its end - strong evidence for injuries consistent with crucifixion.

But still, many believe the Shroud is not actually a biblical relic.

A landmark 1988 UK study determined with '95 percent confidence' that the Shroud was made sometime between 1260 and 1390 AD, long after the time of Christ's resurrection.

This suggests that the Shroud is actually a Medieval piece of artwork.

The conclusion was reached after analyses performed on a corner of the ancient fabric by three different labs - at the universities of Arizona, Zurich and Oxford.

But a more recent analysis has brought their results into question, reigniting the theory that the Shroud's biblical significance could be legitimate.

A new review by researchers from France and Italy has revisited those 30-year-old findings and claims to have discovered discrepancies in the data which were not made public and raise doubts about the definitiveness of the results.

Graphic designer Otangelo Grasso created a progression of what Jesus may have looked like based on the shroud image

Tristan Casabianca, a French independent researcher, who made the find, told DailyMail.com that his findings do not confirm the shroud is older or the burial cloth used to lay Jesus to rest.

But Casabianca - who was an atheist until he began investigating the shroud 20 years ago - said those factors could not be ruled out 'without a re-analysis.'

After obtaining the raw data from the 1988 study, Casabianca found that the results varied by decades.

One of Zurich's estimates in the Nature study said the cloth was up to 733 years old, but 595 years in the raw data.

Oxford's shroud sample was between 730 and 795 years old, but the raw data featured estimates that were off by up to 55 years.

Arizona's linen was between 591 and 701 years old, with the raw data showing a difference of up to 59 years.

Even though that would still places the cloth in the Middle Ages, hundreds of years after Jesus, Casabianca said it raises doubts.

He continued to explained that 'the lack of precision seriously affects the reliability of the 95 percent,' suggesting it was no more than 41 percent.

What's more, an engineer from the University of Padua in Italy recently used modern technology to reanalyze samples taken from the cloth in the 1970s, and found tiny blood particles showing signs of organ failure, trauma, disease and radiation.

This would be consistent with the agonizing story of Jesus' crucifixion from the bible, which details how he endured severe beatings, punctures and nails driven into his hands and feet.

Materials that were typical in ancient Jerusalem were also said to be discovered, suggesting that the shroud may have originated in the region and not in Europe where many skeptics think it was created as a medieval forgery.

This growing body of evidence has raised doubts about skeptics' claims that the Shroud is fake, reawakening a long-standing debate about one of the most significant relics in biblical history.
A scenic hiking trail has been discovered to be dangerously contaminated with radiation.

New tests have discovered that Acid Canyon  a popular hiking and biking trail near the birthplace of the atomic bomb, Los Alamos, New Mexico  is still radioactive today at level's akin to the site of the Soviet Union's Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

The shocking contamination data, collected in an effort led by biochemist Michael Ketterer, has galvanized public calls for posting official warnings across the trail.

'I've never seen anything quite like it in the United States,' Ketterer, a professor emeritus at Northern Arizona University, told reporters. 'This is an unrestricted area.'

Above, a bucolic winter image surveying Los Alamos, New Mexico on the left and center, the Omega Bridge in the middle and the Los Alamos National Laboratories on the right

This July 22, 2024, image provided by biochemist Michael Ketterer shows jars of water samples from Acid Canyon in Los Alamos, New Mexico

'It's just an extreme example of very high concentrations of plutonium in soils and sediments,' the biochemist noted. 'It's hiding in plain sight.'

Pushing back on the alarming new recordings of this 'super weapons grade plutonium,' the US Department of Energy (DOE) released a statement claiming that the levels were 'very low and well within the safe exposure range.'

While outdoor enthusiasts may not be in immediate danger while traveling through Acid Canyon's pine tree-lined trail, Ketterer emphasized that New Mexico state and local officials should warn visitors to avoid coming in contact with water in the area.

The contamination, per his measurements, exceeded the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) safety threshold by over 72 percent.

Water samples along the trail contained radioactive measurements as high as 86 picocuries-per-liter (pCi/L) compared to the accepted USEPA levels below 50 pCi/L.

'All four water samples exceed the federal Environmental Protection Agency's relevant gross alpha standard,' Ketterer said, 'and draw attention to an egregious water contamination problem mandating prompt USEPA and/or State intervention.'

The biochemist also noted that high concentrations of plutonium in the canyon's water posed wider environmental risks to communities and habitats downstream.

'Under monsoon storm flow conditions, Pu [plutonium] laden water and sediment flow through Acid Canyon and into Los Alamos Canyon and ultimately, the Rio Grande,' he noted in his presentation for the group Nuclear Watch New Mexico.

'This is one of the most shocking things I've ever stumbled across in my life,' as the biochemist told the Guardian of his find.

Radioactive plutonium in ground water, Ketterer noted, can also be absorbed by plants where it enter the food chain via local veggie-eating herbivores, or spread as airborne ash following increasingly common wildfires.

Ketterer partnered with Nuclear Watch New Mexico, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, to gather samples this past July, during a rainy season that often results in isolated downpours and storm water runoff coursing through canyons and otherwise dry arroyos.

This July 21, 2024 photo shows vegetation from Acid Canyon and lower Los Alamos Canyon near Los Alamos, N.M., after being milled as part of a radiation testing and sampling project

Above, a glimpse of the Acid Canyon trail courtesy of the US National Park Service

Major General Leslie Groves (right), Chief of Manhattan Engineering District in which the first Atomic Bomb was developed, and Dr. J.R. Oppenheimer, Director of top secret project discussing the secret program that led to the plutonium pollution still present on site today

The water their team ultimately tested was flowing through Acid Canyon when these samples were taken.

The work followed mapping done by the group earlier this year that was based on a Los Alamos National Laboratory database including plutonium samples from throughout the area.

Nuclear Watch's director, Jay Coghlan, said that this plutonium contamination at the heart of Los Alamos is not just a historical concern.

Labs at the site  under the direction of Congress, the Energy Department and the National Nuclear Security Administration  are right now gearing up to produce on the next generation of plutonium pits to update the US nuclear weapons arsenal.

'Cleanup at Los Alamos is long delayed,' according to Coghlan.

He noted that the that annual spending for the new plutonium pit work has shot up to nearly $2 billion in recent years, while the comparatively scant cleanup budget for Los Alamos's legacy waste is scheduled to decrease in the next fiscal year.

The DOE's Environmental Management Los Alamos Field Office issued a statement to the Associated Press this month hoping to minimize the severity of the new findings.

DOE asserted that the information presented by Ketterer and Nuclear Watch is consistent with department data that has been publicly available for years.

The canyon's trails, they said, remains safe for unrestricted use by the public.

This local field office, said DOE, 'continues to collect and monitor sediment and water samples in the Acid Canyon area and the results have consistently shown the levels of plutonium remain very low and well within the safe exposure ranges.'

Ketterer, who has long specialized in tracking the chemical fingerprints of radioactive materials, described the problem as not only a serious one but a contamination issue that cannot be fixed simply or cheaply.

He advised that, at the very least, local residents and visitors would appreciate being made aware of the facts and their own risk.

'This warrants immediate postings and efforts by State/local agencies to warn people and their pets away from contacting Acid Canyon water,' he said.

In this March 1999 photo, the first load of nuclear waste arrives at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site in Carlsbad, New Mexico from Los Alamos National Laboratory

New tests have discovered that Acid Canyon - a popular hiking trail near the birthplace of the atomic bomb in Los Alamos, New Mexico -is still radioactive today at level's akin to the site of the Soviet Union's Chernobyl nuclear disaster. (Above, abandoned signage near Chernobyl)

Above, a March 17, 2024 photo of the abandoned town of Pripyat where thousands of people who once worked at the infamous nuclear power plant had lived, near Chernobyl, Ukraine

From 1943 to 1964, liquid wastes from nuclear research at Los Alamos National Lab was piped into Acid Canyon, which is one of several tributaries that pass through San Ildefonso Pueblo lands on their way to the Rio Grande.

While the federal government began a clean up of the canyon in the late 1960s, it eventually transferred the land to Los Alamos County.

Government officials determined in the 1980s that conditions within the area met DOE standards and were protective of human health and the environment.

The DOE's environmental management field office pointed reporters to a 2018 DOE study that estimated the radiation dose to a person who might recreate in the canyon is less than 0.1 millirem-(mrems)-per-year.

According to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the annual average dose per person from all natural and man-made sources is about 620 mrems.

A total of 223 user reviews on the popular hiking app AllTrails currently gives the Acid Canyon trail a score of 4.3 out of 5.

'Awesome trail,' once cyclist reported this past April. 'The trail is in good shape with no problems.'

'The trail markers are nonexistent!' wrote one of many hikers who found the site to be lacking in even basic directional signage. 'I would not have been able to stay on this trail without checking my map every so often.'

'Otherwise,' they said, 'it was a good hike with beautiful views!'
AT&T customers across the US suffered yet another service outage Tuesday  just one day after the company was fined nearly $1 million by a government watchdog.

A software issue crashed service last night and left customers seeing 'SOS' instead of the usual bars on their phones and disrupted 911 services.

AT&T spokesperson Jim Kimberly has since stated that the issue has been resolved - but it marks the fifth outage or data breach for the firm in 2024 alone.

On Monday, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) slapped the company with a $950,000 fine for an outage that occurred in August 2023 and prevented customers from being able to call 911.

AT&T customers across the US hit with another outage that prevented them from completing calls, sending texts or accessing the internet from their iPhones.

The FCC said AT&T failed to notify emergency call centers of the outage in a timely manner.

The company - which has 115m wireless subscribers - has had more outages of late than any other cell service provider, comms expert Harold Feld told DailyMail.com.

This most recent outage prevented AT&T customers across the US from placing or receiving calls, sending texts or accessing the internet on their iPhones.

Customers began flooding AT&T's Help channel on X (formerly Twitter) and the Downdetector site with outage reports around 5pm ET on Tuesday.

They also took to social media to share their frustration over the carrier's repeated technical issues.

'Im boutta switch my cell phone service cuz AT&T got me f***** up with all these outages & data breaches,' TawnyT. said on X, formerly Twitter.

The outage lasted several hours and left customers' iPhones in Emergency SOS via Satellite Mode, which only allows them to make emergency calls via satellite.

Still, some government entities across the country released statements that the outage was or could prevent AT&T customers from calling 911, including in Tennessee, California, Arkansas and Florida.

It's too early to say whether this most recent outage led to any preventable harms or deaths, but it's certainly possible, according to Feld.

'The need for 911 is 24 hours a day, seven days a week. So even an outage that takes place in the early morning hours can interfere with the smooth operation of 911 and lead to preventable deaths,' he said.

The outage was not nationwide, but it appeared to span a broad geographic range.

The cities most affected were Dallas, Charlotte, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago and New York City, according to Downdetector.

'Our customers expect and deserve reliable connectivity. When service disruptions occur, our team of network experts work to restore service as quickly as possible,' an AT&T spokesperson told DailyMail.com in a written statement.

'We value our customers and keeping them connected is our top priority.'

This week's FCC fine isn't AT&T's first FCC penalty. The carrier was previously fined $5.25 million for two 911 outages that affected over 15,000 emergency calls in 2017.

It does appear that AT&T is experiencing more outages than other cell service providers, but it's still a very small number of outages, Feld said.

Still, the company has been marred by major technical issues this year, leading customers to question it's reliability.

In February, AT&T's network went down for 11 hours due to an internal error, preventing customers from calling, texting, or accessing the internet from their cell phones.

Just a few weeks later in March, a data leak that included personal information from 73 million customers was released to the 'dark web,' raising security concerns.

In June, another outage prevented some AT&T customers from completing calls between carriers.

And just last month, a massive security breach leaked call and text message data from mid-to-late 2022 of tens of millions of AT&T customers.

It's not yet clear whether the FCC will investigate Tuesday's outage. But Feld thinks that it will take more than short-term assessments to determine whether AT&T is truly reliable.

'FCC really ought to do not just a short term assessment for each individual outage, but ought to do long term assessments to look at carrier history and see if there are patterns of neglect, he said.
A field researcher working in the Peruvian Amazon stumbled upon a dead tarantula infected by 'zombie fungus' and captured the nightmarish sight on video.

The zombie fungus, formally known as Cordyceps, seizes control of the mind and motor functions of its host before eating away at its body and sprouting from within.

'It took over his nervous system and forced him to come to this location, said wildlife researcher Chris Ketola, who posted the video on his Instagram.

'And then as he died, the fungus sprouted out of his body, allowing the spores to spread to another unsuspecting tarantula.'

If this sounds familiar, it's because Cordyceps was the inspiration for the hit video game and TV drama The Last of Us, in which humans struggle to survive after an infectious fungus begins turning people into zombies.

A field researcher working in the Peruvian Amazon stumbled upon a dead tarantula infected by Cordyceps - aka 'zombie fungus' - and captured it on video.

Each species of Cordyceps infects a different type of invertebrate. The type that targets tarantulas is rare - this was only the third Cordyceps-infected tarantula that Ketola had ever seen.

'This is a truly horrific but also incredible thing for our our team to have found tonight,' Ketola said.

When an insect host becomes infected with Codryceps, the fungus begins draining its body of nutrients - feeding on the insect from within.

Next, it fills the host's body with spores that will allow the fungus to reproduce, then hacks into the insect's mind.

The Cordyceps spores compel the insect to move to a higher location where more sunlight and warmth create the perfect conditions for the fungus to reproduce.

When the host finally dies, the fungus bursts forth from its body and releases more spores that will infect more insects.

Scientists aren't sure exactly how Cordyceps manages to take over its host's mind and motor functions.

Cordyceps, also known as the zombie fungus, was the inspiration for hit video game and drama series The Last of Us. But don't worry - this fungus can't actually infect humans.

But recent studies have detected chemical signals from the fungi inside infected insects. Some of these signals, which are likely secreted proteins, may target the host's behavioral systems

In The Last of Us, a fictitious, mutated form of Cordyceps infects and takes over the minds of humans, turning them into violent zombies.

But in real-life, Cordyceps can't infect people.

Each one of these fungal species are highly specialized, meaning that they've evolved to only infect a few select hosts.

Some fungal pathogens can make the transition from animals to humans, but Cordyceps is not one of them, experts say.
If you're set for a road trip but want to beat the crowds, two dads who have collectively visited 48 U.S. states have shared their best picks that are off the beaten path.

Florida-based Chris and Rob Taylor launched the first LGBTQ family travel blog with their site 2TravelDads and plan to hit all 50 states.

With their two young children in tow, their aim is to visit lesser-known destinations so they can all learn something new from the experience.

Speaking with Business Insider, Rob ranks Alaska as one of his favorite hidden gems.

After living in the 49th state, he recommends ditching the popular route on the Parks Highway that runs from Anchorage to Fairbanks and opting for a stretch of rougher road which takes you towards Palmer and on to Hatcher Pass.

Florida-based Chris and Rob Taylor pride themselves on launching the first LGBTQ family travel blog with their site 2TravelDads. Above, pictured at Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska

Rob Taylor's top recommendations for little-known spots Driving the Hatcher Pass in Alaska

Venturing to the eastern side of Glacier National Park in Montana

Exploring Canyonlands National Park in Utah, or Capitol Reef

Having a city break in Columbia, South Carolina

Heading to the Maine Highlands for the wildlife Advertisement

He said of this route: 'There's the whole scenic side of the state that people pass over because everybody drives on the Parks Highway.

'On the other side, you can drive through the wilderness and experience the tundra. It's not a mainstream destination... [and] it's well worth the detour.'

Some of the family-friendly activities include bird watching, moose watching, and there is also a mining tour touching on some of the area's history.

If you're headed to Montana, then Rob recommends visiting Glacier National Park but approaching it from the east side where it has 'far fewer people' and you can have a 'detached-from-the-rest-of-the-world experience.'

Over in Utah, if you are limited for time, the avid traveler advises skipping Zion National Park for its lesser-visited neighbor, Canyonlands.

He describes the scenery there as 'very red and orange and gold,' with lots of 'canyons and washouts' to explore.

Capitol Reef - which gets around a quarter of the traffic Zion does - could be another option, with 'really large monoliths of sandstone' and 'natural bridges' being among the lures.

Hopping to the East Cost, Rob serves up Columbia in South Carolina as a top city break.

The metropolis has 'lots of wonderful history in terms of civil rights and civil war reconstruction history,' while Conagree National Park is a short drive away.

Commenting on the area of natural beauty, Rob says: 'It's an incredible Cypress swamp full of snakes and alligators and birds and fireflies.

'It's beautiful, it's creepy, and it's squishy. It's a unique park visit with kids.'

Finally, instead of going to the coast of Maine - which quickly packs out in warmer weather - Rob prefers heading to the Highlands.

If you're headed to Montana, then Rob recommends visiting Glacier National Park but approaching it from the east side

He says of the picturesque spot: 'It's really a wonderful place for wildlife, and you get to see what the northeast was like before all the cities were booming.'

The Visit Maine tourism website notes that the Highlands are home to 'more than 200 waterfalls, countless miles of hiking trails, great hunting, and some of the best snowmobiling trails anywhere.'

Via their website, the Taylors offer advice on trips across the U.S., along with a number of international destinations.

They estimate that they clock up about 4,000 miles every year in their vehicle.

In terms of their mission statement, they say: 'Our mission is to normalize non-traditional families and promote acceptance of loving, caring people no matter the family makeup.

'Our goal is to encourage families like ours to be visible in the world, traveling beyond their comfort zone in safety, and to pave the way for the next generation of LGBTQ people to be confident is creating the family thats right for them wherever they are.'
From Wolf Halls long-awaited final act to a riotous Jilly Cooper romp, these are the upcoming television treats you wont want to miss. Our expert has rounded up the 20 most exciting dramas, thrillers, comedy and true crime shows coming to screens this autumn. So if you're going to be after something new to watch as the nights draw in, look no further...

DRAMAS AND THRILLERS

A VERY ROYAL SCANDAL

Amazon Prime Video, 19 September

That never-to-be-forgotten meeting between Prince Andrew and Emily Maitlis is brought to life by Michael Sheen and Ruth Wilson. The three-part drama follows the prince and the journalist in the run-up to the 2019 interview, re-creates the exchange, then assesses the impact it had on both of them. Sheen, who has also played Tony Blair and David Frost, is mesmerising as Andrew. Will it be as good as Netflixs Scoop, which told the tale from a different perspective?

MOONFLOWER MURDERS

BBC1, Coming soon

Amateur sleuth Susan Ryeland is back on the trail of a killer in this six-part sequel to writer Anthony Horowitzs hugely successful Magpie Murders. Now living quietly in Crete, former book editor Susan becomes intrigued by a murder that took place at a British country hotel eight years ago and is determined to find the real killer. Mum star Lesley Manville returns as Susan and Timothy McMullan is also back as the clever and compassionate detective Atticus Pund.

NIGHTSLEEPER

BBC1, Coming soon

Passengers on an overnight train from Glasgow to London are in danger when the rail network comes under attack  and only a cyber expert and an off-duty cop can save them. This pulsating six-part series takes place in real time, with police officer Joe (Gangs Of London star Joe Cole) and security specialist Abby (Killing Eves Alexandra Roach) having to put aside their mistrust of one another to try to prevent a catastrophe.

PLAYING NICE

ITV1 and ITVX, Coming soon

Its the stuff of nightmares for a parent: to discover that your child was switched at birth and that youve been bringing up somebody elses. James Norton and Niamh Algar play Pete and Maddie, a couple who need to decide the best way forward when faced with precisely this extraordinary situation. They agree on a solution with the couple who have been bringing up their birth son, but it soon becomes clear that hidden motives are at play. The chilling four-part thriller has been adapted from JP Delaneys novel of the same name by Grace Ofori-Attah, a former doctor and creator of ITV medical thriller Malpractice.

THE DAY OF THE JACKAL

Sky Atlantic and Now, 7 November

The Jackal is a brilliant assassin, prowling the world in search of his next hit. But he may finally have met his match in Bianca, an MI6 agent determined to track him down  whatever the personal cost. This is a lavish, no-expense-spared version of Frederick Forsyths 1971 novel of the same name, starring Lashana Lynch as Bianca and Eddie Redmayne in the title role. Filmed in Croatia, Austria and Hungary, the cast also includes Charles Dance and Lia Williams, who played Paula Vennells in Mr Bates Vs The Post Office. Can it match 1973s brilliant film starring Edward Fox?

THE HARDACRES

Channel 5, Coming soon

This epic six-part series, based on CL Skeltons novels, chronicles the rags-to-riches story of a working-class family beginning in 1890. The Hardacres climb the ladder of success from a grimy fish dock in North Yorkshire to a country estate, all thanks to a radical business venture. The drama, starring Ridleys Julie Graham as the matriarchal Ma, is made by Playground, the company behind the hugely popular reboot of All Creatures Great And Small.

THE WIVES

Channel 5, Coming soon

Sisters-in-law Sylvie, Natasha and Beth rely upon their annual trip to Malta to recharge their batteries, but theres little chance of that on their latest getaway. Sylvies marriage has collapsed, Natasha is broke, Beth is on the verge of a breakdown and they think their other sister-in-law, Annabelle, was murdered. The trio turn detective to find out the truth about her death in a six-part thriller starring Tamzin Outhwaite, Angela Griffin and Jo Joyner.

THE LISTENERS

BBC1, Coming soon

Beware The Hum, an apparently innocuous sound that actually ruins lives in this thriller based on a novel by Jordan Tannahill. Rebecca Hall, daughter of theatre legend Sir Peter, stars as Claire, a teacher driven to distraction by the noise she can hear but her husband cant. She forms an intimate friendship with one of her students, who can also hear the sound, and falls in with Omar and Jo, neighbours who believe theyre lucky to hear The Hum, that they are members of the chosen few.

WOLF HALL: THE MIRROR AND THE LIGHT

BBC1, Coming soon

An all-star cast has come together to tell the final part of Hilary Mantels acclaimed trilogy about Thomas Cromwell, chief minister to King Henry VIII. Mark Rylance returns as Cromwell, as does Damian Lewis as the king, leading a stellar cast that also includes Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Wolsey. The six-part series comes nine years after the BBCs sumptuous Wolf Hall and charts the final four years of the life of Cromwell, as he tries to avoid the wrath of the volatile Henry.

RIVALS

Disney+, 18 October

Jilly Coopers steamy novel about life among the rural super-rich gallops onto our screens, being brought vividly to life by a top cast including Aidan Turner, Katherine Parkinson, David Tennant and Danny Dyer. Set in fictional Rutshire in the 1980s, the rivalry between Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and Lord Tony Baddingham (Tennant) is at the heart of the eight-part series.

MR LOVERMAN

BBC1, Coming soon

Sharp suits, including a dazzling three-piece cream ensemble, and a secret love life will surely make Barrington Jedidiah Walker one of the most memorable characters on TV this autumn. Played by The Walking Dead star Lennie James, Barrington, the main character in this heartwarming eight-part drama, lives in Londons Hackney and is suspected by his wife Carmel of being a love cheat. He is, but not in the way she imagines.

RETURN TO PARADISE

BBC1, Coming soon

Death In Paradise spawns another spin-off  this one set in Australia. Mackenzie Clarke (Anna Samson) has been booted out of the Met in London for allegedly tampering with evidence and finds herself back home in Dolphin Cove, trying to solve a murder. She had left the cove under a cloud, after ditching her fiance at the altar  and some of the locals are reluctant to forgive her even now.

COMEDY

LUDWIG

BBC1, September

David Mitchell was first choice to play the original detective in Death In Paradise but turned down the role for personal reasons. Now he finally gets a chance to be a sleuth! Mitchell stars in this six-part comedy drama as John Taylor, who pretends to be his twin brother, a detective, in order to solve the mystery of his disappearance. While John is used to a puzzle  he designs them for a living under the pseudonym Ludwig  he has his work cut out as hes a loner who never leaves home.

GENERATION Z

Channel 4, Coming soon

When an Army convoy overturns outside a care home in the fictional town of Dambury theres a chemical leak  with devastating consequences. Old people such as Janine, played by ex-EastEnders legend Anita Dobson, are turned into zombies and start attacking young adults on the streets and in their houses. Sue Johnston plays Cecily, leader of the bloodthirsty boomers, in a six-part comedy horror set in post-Brexit Britain.

APOCALYPSE SLOUGH

U & Gold, September

The latest murder mystery to feature tour-guides-turned-detectives Terry and Gemma Bremmer (Johnny Vegas and Sian Gibson) is set at a rugby club, where the team harbours many secrets. The intrepid couple investigate the killing of two property developers, found impaled on the top of a set of rugby posts, before the body count rises.

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS: INSIDE OUT

U & Gold, October

Joanna Lumley, Jennifer Saunders, Julia Sawalha and Jane Horrocks reunite for the first time since 2016 to look back at the ground-breaking sitcom which first hit our screens in the early 1990s. The documentary features never-before-seen moments from the rehearsal room and anecdotes about filming from the actresses. Saunders, who created Ab Fab and starred in it as PR guru Edina Monsoon, describes the programme as an exclusive rampage down Memory Lane.

BAD SISTERS

Apple TV+, 13 November

Grace Garvey literally got away with murder in the first series of this BAFTA-winning Irish black comedy, and she and her four sisters are still living life on the edge two years on. The new eight-episode run examines the fallout from Graces killing of her abusive husband John Paul and the cover-up carried out by the siblings. Anne-Marie Duff, a BAFTA-winner for her performance in series one, is back as Grace, as is Sharon Horgan as her sister Eva.

TRUE CRIME

UNTIL I KILL YOU

ITV1 and ITVX, Coming soon

It started off as a friendly encounter in a pub, turned into romance and then became a nightmarish chapter in Delia Balmers life. The terrifying true tale of the woman who found herself dating a serial killer and later had to face him in court is told in four parts. Shaun Evans (the young Inspector Morse in Endeavour) plays evil John Sweeney, while the role of Delia is taken by Line Of Dutys Anna Maxwell Martin.

JOAN

ITV1 and ITVX, September

The incredible true story of Joan Hannington, a petty thief who escaped a violent marriage  once her husband was jailed for armed robbery  and became a criminal mastermind in 1980s London. Game Of Thrones star Sophie Turner plays the fiery woman dubbed The Godmother by crooks in the underworld, in a six-part drama based on Hanningtons 2004 memoir I Am What I Am: The True Story Of Britains Most Notorious Jewel Thief.



BLACK WIDOW

Sky Documentaries, Coming soon

Fraudster, bigamist, murderer, deceiver  and destroyer of lives. This fascinating three-part series follows the case of London-born Dena Thompson, a woman dubbed The Black Widow after she was arrested in 2000. It shows how she used Lonely Hearts columns to lure husbands and lovers, coercing them into giving up their money, homes and even their families with bizarre but convincing stories.
Kenia Briseno carries her belongings as she departs from an RV she was sleeping in near Carroll and Ingalls streets in San Francisco on Aug. 21. The Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood saw the biggest increase in unsheltered homelessness in the city over the past two years. Minh Connors/The Chronicle

Kenia Briseno was renting an apartment in Bayview-Hunters Point and working for San Francisco Bay Ferry three years ago when she said everything collapsed at once.

Briseno, 40, said she got divorced, lost her job, became homeless and shortly thereafter, began using methamphetamine.

Its been a tough situation, she said. I want to get out of the streets, but its difficult to get back when youre starting from zero.

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Briseno, who sleeps most nights in a friends tent or RV, is one of more than 1,000 unhoused people estimated to be living without shelter in San Franciscos District 10, which includes the neighborhoods of Bayview-Hunters Point, Potrero Hill and Dogpatch on the southeastern edge of the city.

San Francisco officers attempt to check registration with an RV owner during an encampment sweep near Carroll and Ingalls streets on Aug. 21. The Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood saw the biggest increase in unsheltered homelessness in the city over the past two years. Minh Connors/The Chronicle

Over the past two years, unsheltered homelessness  people sleeping in tents, informal structures, sleeping bags or vehicles  doubled in the district. Thats in contrast to a steep decline that occurred in the area between 2019 and 2022. District 10 now has the largest portion of unsheltered people in the city, about one in every four of the citys homeless. The majority are living out of vehicles, including large recreational vehicles, vans and trailers, according to city data stemming from a one-night snapshot of the homelessness crisis.

Interviews with unhoused people, as well as city officials and community leaders, indicate that those living without shelter in District 10 come from a mix of backgrounds and have a range of reasons for landing in this pocket of the city rather than more central neighborhoods such as the Tenderloin and South of Market or residential areas.

Some, like Briseno, were living in the community before they lost their housing. Others were drawn to the area for its industrial areas, which come with looser parking restrictions and fewer neighbors who may file complaints.

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Those living in vehicles and tents include working immigrants, unemployed people with substance use disorders, people who consider their RVs home and are uninterested in moving into a shelter, and families who are eagerly awaiting housing, according to interviews conducted by the Chronicle.

Lydia Chriss, left, and her husband, Dave Plummer, sit while her brother, Raymond Bouchillon, center left, and her son, Nicholas Chriss, set up tents after an encampment sweep near Carroll and Ingalls streets in San Francisco on Aug. 21. Minh Connors/The Chronicle

Lydia Chriss has been living out of a tent and van in the Bayview with her husband, three children and four dogs for about nine months, she said. The family had been living paycheck to paycheck in Reno and moved to the area in hopes of getting Chriss better medical care after a series of injuries and infections left her unable to walk and jobless.

The family runs a generator to charge Chriss medical equipment and the familys other devices. They prefer the industrial buildings and bus storage lots in the Bayview to residential areas in other parts of the city. Chriss said the family is on wait lists for housing but has not received any placement.

I really want to be inside, she said. My obstacle to housing is not mental health. Its not an addiction. Its that I cant walk and I dont have money.

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The proliferation of unsheltered homelessness in Bayview-Hunters Point comes as other parts of the city known for encampments and open-air drug markets are seeing declines. In Districts 5 and 6, which include the Tenderloin and South of Market neighborhoods, the number of homeless people living on the streets or in vehicles dropped by 20% and 23%, respectively, over the past two years, according to the new data. The city overall reported a 7% increase in its homeless population over the past two years, but a 1% dip in those living on the streets without shelter.

A tow worker throws canisters from the roof of an RV before towing it away during an encampment sweep near Carroll and Ingalls streets in San Francisco on Aug. 21. Minh Connors/The Chronicle

James Bouquin, chief executive officer of the Bayview Hunters Point Foundation for Community Improvement, which runs one of the shelters in the area and provides addiction counseling, said that District 10 needs more of everything.

We need more permanent supportive housing, more congregate shelter, more safe parking and definitely more residential behavioral health facilities, he said.

Bayview-Hunters Point has long struggled with poverty and pollution  from its early history as a slaughterhouse district to the contaminated Hunters Point Naval Shipyard to cement production and diesel bus storage sites. The area is one of the lowest-income parts of the city, with a median household income of $80,000, according to census data. It has one of the citys heaviest concentrations of industrial zoning and a high concentration of substandard and poorly maintained housing, according to a Department of Public Health report.

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Historically home to the citys largest Black community, Bayview-Hunters Point is now made up of about 40% Asian American residents, 27% Black, 22% Latino and 9% white.

Ronald Ward pets his dog Nay Nay during an encampment sweep near Carroll and Ingalls streets in San Francisco on Aug. 21. Ward has been living in a vehicle for more than a year. Minh Connors/The Chronicle

Although the city has significantly expanded housing and shelter in District 10 in recent years, Bayview-Hunters Point does not have enough resources to meet its needs. The district has 17.6% of the citys homeless population, yet just 5.7% of its shelter and permanent supportive housing beds.

San Francisco in January 2022 opened a safe parking site at Candlestick Point that officials said would hold up to 155 vehicles. But lack of electricity and the use of polluting diesel generators has hampered the site, which now serves just 33 vehicles. The city spends about $140,000 a year per spot.

Emily Cohen, spokesperson for the citys Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, said the site will be hooked up to electricity in October  nearly two years after it opened. Its unclear whether the city will expand the site to full capacity after that.

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In February, the city plans to open a tiny cabin and safe parking community in the district. The site, located at 2177 Jerrold Ave., will consist of 60 tiny cabins and 20 safe parking spots, serving up to 95 people at a time.

The new site is a welcome addition to the citys shelter stock but still far from meeting the need, especially for those living in RVs. Over the past two years, people sleeping in vehicles in San Francisco increased from 1,049 to 1,442, a spike of 37%, according to the citys latest point-in-time count. The majority of that growth occurred in District 10, where an estimated 800 people are living in about 545 vehicles.

Aris Aguilar, 48, works as an auto mechanic and lives in an RV with his family on Barneveld Avenue, tucked between auto repair shops, construction companies and corporate warehouses. Aguilars RV is one of more than a half dozen in what he calls his neighborhood made up of immigrants from Colombia, El Salvador and Mexico.

Aguilar said he tries to stay out of the way of others  moving his RV when the city comes by for street cleaning  and that he recently filled out a housing application in hopes of moving into an apartment.

We dont have problems with no one, he said. If this was residential, I could see maybe there would be a problem. But were living in peace.

William Lopez guides a tow truck to haul off a camper during an encampment sweep near Carroll and Ingalls streets in San Francisco on Aug. 21. Minh Connors/The Chronicle

Sam Dodge, director of the citys street response coordination, said many of the RVs in District 10 are bad health hazards because of mold and deteriorating roofs, among other issues. But many vehicle dwellers dont consider themselves homeless, so they are often opposed to moving into shelter or permanent supportive housing that requires them to pay a third of their income to rent.

Its just daunting what were undertaking, he said about addressing the problem.

As other parts of San Francisco introduce parking restrictions that effectively ban RVs, some worry more may be drawn to Bayview-Hunters Point. San Francisco officials for years have promised to establish a safe parking site for RVs on the west side of the city, but nothing has come to fruition.
Acclaimed comedy Acapulco has been renewed by Apple TV+ for a fourth season after it was hailed 'supremely feel good'.

The series centres around a man in his 20s, Maximo Gallardo, who clinches his dream job of working as a cabana boy at a resort in Acapulco, Mexico.

Executive producer Eugenio Derbez announced the renewal on Tuesday, as he gushed over the show's success and Latino representation.

The third season of Acapulco, which has a whopping Rotten Tomatoes score of 95 per cent, saw Maximo as both his younger and older self as he tries to make his career successful and reminisces over good times.

'Having Apple order a fourth season of Acapulco is beyond thrilling,' said star and executive producer Eugenio Derbez. 'I'm incredibly grateful to our amazing partners, the talented cast and crew, and especially to the audience, whose love and support have made this journey possible.

Acclaimed comedy Acapulco has been renewed by Apple TV+ for a fourth season after it was hailed 'supremely feel good'

'It's rare for shows centered on Latino stories to make it this far, and that makes this milestone even more meaningful.

'Representation matters, and continuing to share these vibrant stories on a global stage is something Ben Odell and I are deeply proud of. Thank you for helping us break barriers and celebrate our culture.'

'We can't wait to dive back into Las Colinas for more fun, laughter, and heart with all of you!'

Fans of the show - which stars Glee actor Chord Overstreet - rejoiced over its renewal, as they took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their delight.

They wrote: 'One of the best and my favorite show on Apple TV+,'; 'OMG, this made my day! So excited ,';

'I didn't think we might get a second season, much less a 4th. Fantastic news. Such an underrated gem,';

'YES! amazing news and so well deserved! So happy! Thank you @AppleTV,';

'Awesome. Binged all 3 seasons a few weeks back. Great show!'; 'YES THE NEWS I WAS WAITING FOR!!! Such an awesome show!

The series centres around a man in his 20s, Maximo Gallardo, who clinches his dream job of working as a cabana boy at a resort in Acapulco, Mexico

Fans of the show - which stars Glee actor Chord Overstreet (right) - rejoiced over its renewal, as they took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their delight

The third season of Acapulco, which has a whopping Rotten Tomatoes score of 95 per cent, saw Maximo as both his younger (pictured) and older self as he tries to make his career successful and reminisces over good times

'Thank you Apple! This show is pure gold! What TV should be. Please, please do a US press campaign for it. More people here would love it if they knew!';

'Acapulco is actually adorable how have I never heard of this show?!? Damn it Apple TV you've done it again!!!!!'

The synopsis for the beloved show reads: 'In 1984, Maximo Gallardo's dream comes true when he gets the job of a lifetime at Acapulco's hottest resort, Las Colinas.

'But he soon realises that working there will be far more complicated than he ever imagined.'

Showrunner and executive producer Sam Laybourne said of the renewal: 'Getting to a fourth season only happens when a show has an incredible team of actors, crew members and producers.

Fans wrote: 'One of the best and my favorite show on Apple TV+,'; 'OMG, this made my day! So excited ,'

The synopsis for the beloved show reads: 'In 1984, Maximo Gallardo's dream comes true when he gets the job of a lifetime at Acapulco's hottest resort, Las Colinas

'We couldn't be more excited to get back to Las Colinas and collaborate again with such a talented, hard-working and kind group of people.'

In the most recent third season of Acapulco, older Maximo finds himself returning to a Las Colinas he no longer recognises.

While in 1985, younger Maximo continues climbing up the ladder of success while potentially jeopardising all the relationships he's worked so hard to build.
David Hasselhoff was accustomed to saving beachgoers from rip tides and shark attacks as lifeguard Mitch Buchannon on Baywatch.

And now the star, 72, has claimed he single handedly saved the show from tanking after one season thanks to his performance on the Berlin Wall.

The beloved series first premiered in 1989 on NBC, but it was axed due to low ratings and high production costs.

However, after Hasselhoff proved popular in Germany with his hit track Looking for Freedom, the show started to enjoy success through syndication after the rights were purchased for just $10.

In fact, the song became one of the soundtracks to Germany's 1989 revolution, eventually leading to the star belting it out to one million people on both sides of the Berlin wall during an iconic New Year's Eve concert that year.

David Hasselhoff has revealed how his popularity in Germany resulted in Baywatch continuing after it was canceled after just one season

The hit show first premiered in 1989 on NBC but it was axed due to low ratings and high production costs - however, it was able to continue thanks to financing from syndication

Reflecting on the impact of his success in the new Hulu docuseries, After Baywatch: A Moment in the Sun, Hasselhoff said: 'Without my performance on the Berlin wall, without Looking For Freedom, there would be no Baywatch'.

During the first episode of the ABC News documentary series, it was revealed that Hasselhoff went back to touring his music in Europe when Baywatch got canceled by production studio GTG.

Distribution company Freemantle noticed that the show was being well received in countries like Germany and convinced GTG to sell the show for $10, in exchange for a percentage of royalties on profits made through syndication.

'I got a call from one of the producers that said, "We think we do the show with the foreign financing but we have to do it with you",' Hasselhoff recalled.

Looking For Freedom became a number one single amid the revolution in Germany, and Hasselhoff found himself faced with an unexpected offer.

'The phone rang and they said, "Would you like to sing on the Berlin wall?" And I said itll never happen,' he recalled. 'But they got two Prime ministers to agree to it and called me back.

'So I performed in 1989, the first American to perform on the free Berlin wall.'

Co-star Nicole Eggert - who played Roberta 'Summer' Quinn - added: 'The Berlin wall came down and it was a really big deal and David H was like the face of it almost.'

At the time, Hasselhoff won the hearts of many Germans with his hit track Looking for Freedom - which he went on to perform on the Berlin Wall on New Year's Eve 1989

In the new docuseries, After Baywatch: A Moment in the Sun, Hasselhoff claimed: 'Without my performance on the Berlin wall, without Looking For Freedom, there would be no Baywatch'

Fellow Baywatch star Billy Warlock - who played Eddie - said: 'The Hoff branded it in all of Europe.'

With his fresh wave of influence, Hasselhoff took the opportunity to get Baywatch the financing that it needed.

He said: 'I called the distributors in Germany and they asked if I had more Knight Rider. I said, "No but I have a new show called Baywatch".

'They said, "Is there a car? I said no. They said, "But youre in it? Okay we buy it". So then we had a big chunk of money.'

Co-star Parker Stevenson - who played Craig Pomeroy - said: 'David was the one that really popped up in the show. He was the one who was in the center, the anchor for the show the whole time.'

Documentary director Matthew Felker added: 'He embodied the American dream. I have friends from Germany who literally moved to California because of Baywatch, because of David Hasselhoff and they will tell you that.'

Baywatch eventually became the most-watched television series in the world, with a weekly audience of over 1.1 billion viewers.

The Berlin Wall struck fear in the hearts of many Germans over almost three decades.

Construction of the wall by the German Democratic Republic began in August 1961.

Once completed, it completely cut off West Berlin from the surrounding East Germany and East Berlin.

According to the the Eastern Bloc the wall was built to protect the population from fascist who wanted to prevent the 'will of the people.'

However, in truth, the wall's purpose was to prevent the massive emigration and defection which marked Germany and the communist Eastern Bloc following the Second World War.

Between 1961 and 1989, around 5,000 people attempted to escape over the wall, with an estimated death toll of over 600.

Following a series of political changes in the Eastern Bloc in 1989 the East German government announced on November 9 that all its citizens could visit West Germany and West Berlin.

Huge crowds of people crossed and climbed on the wall in scenes which were previously unthinkable and were broadcast by television crews around the world.

By 1990, the wall itself was mainly destroyed. However, parts of it still remain in the city today.

Hasselhoff campaigned to preserve one of the last sections back in 2013.

Baywatch eventually became the most-watched television series in the world, with a weekly audience of over 1.1 billion viewers

After Baywatch: Moment In The Sun is a four-part project giving fans 'a nostalgic and insightful exploration of Baywatch, the cultural phenomenon that defined an era, and an unprecedented look into the stars who brought the worlds most famous lifeguards to life.

Produced and directed by Matthew Felker, the docuseries features exclusive interviews with over 35 cast members and the shows creators, including Nicole Eggert, Carmen Electra, Billy Warlock, Alexandra Paul, Gregory Alan Williams, David Chokachi, Jeremy Jackson and Erika Eleniak.

The series also unveils a never-aired interview with Pamela Anderson and over a decade's worth of never-before-seen home videos shot by the cast themselves to help offer viewers a unique glimpse into the real dynamics, struggles, friendships and moments that happened off-camera.

After Baywatch: Moment In The Sun is on Hulu
As Jeff and Freddie Brazier set off on the latest leg of their journey on Celebrity Race Around The World tonight, its only fair to wonder how they will get on. Only a couple of episodes in, the father and son relationship has sometimes made for uneasy viewing.

As they reach Salvador, on the coast of Brazil, to visit the Farol da Barra lighthouse, its Mothers Day - a terrible reminder of Jade Goodys death on Mothers Day 2009. Both speak movingly of their loss.

Freddie was only four years old when his reality TV star mother died of cervical cancer, leaving her partner Jeff to care for two little boys  Freddie and his older brother Bobby, who was just five.

Tonights episode is one of those heartbreaking TV moments  remembering Goody as the sun sets, they head out for a swim together.

That was always going to be a difficult day, Jeff said. Freddie felt a bit uncomfortable so we got in the sea and we just swam. The waves were really big and it was really cool. We just played and it was a really important, significant moment for us.

Jeff and Freddie Brazier on Celebrity Race Across The World. The pair are due to reach Salvador on the coast of Brazil in the latest episode

Freddie's mum Jade Goody died after a battle with cervical cancer on Mothers Day in 2009

Freddie, 19, admits he doesnt remember his larger-than-life mum: A lot of my memories that I have of my mum have come from watching a documentary, YouTube clips, newspapers. They are not my memories.'

He adds that since Goody died, aged just 27, which was really hard, he has tended to keep his feeling bottled up: I dont really like showing my emotions. I dont even speak to my dad much about my mum either. I just avoid it. I dont want to feel like Im a burden to them.

But he added, perceptively perhaps, that in making this epic trip with his father that maybe Mums pushing us in the direction of where we need to go'.

There have indeed been hints - more than hints - that there are cracks in the father-and-son relationship.

In the opening episode of Celebrity Race Around The World earlier this month, Jeff was seen walking away after Freddie claimed their family dont speak openly to each other.

Jeff was also said to be fearful of how the two men would get on before they signed up for the series. In one scene, as they struggled to navigate the first leg through Brazil, both lost their tempers and Jeff stormed off.

Freddie told the cameras: Part of me came on this race to open up with my Dad and already hes storming off. Thats not good. He might not like what I say, Im just trying to talk to him really but its hard.

But today the Mail can reveal a family feud between the pair has its roots, not in the usual parental squabbles over getting home late or disagreements over unsuitable girlfriends, but something that runs significantly deeper.

In fact, family friends say fallouts between the two can be so bad that Freddie will flee former reality television star Jeffs 1million Essex mansion to go and stay with his grandmother, Jades mum Jackiey Budden.

It is at her two-bedroom flat in Bermondsey, east London, that he seeks solace.

Freddie will often turn up on the doorstep, sometimes very unhappy, and wanting to see his nan, a source said. He and Jeff often argue, the rows can be bad, things go really, really pear shaped between them and thats it, he leaves.

Freddie has got so much love to give but he doesnt feel like he gets it back off of his father.

While Jackiey has her issues - and will be the first to admit she isnt the most perfect or archetypal grandmother - he can share his feelings with her which is something he cant do at Jeffs. He has had a terribly sad life but he feels he cant talk about it.

Jeff, for his part, talks movingly on Celebrity Race about having to step up to help his sons after Jades death: I think when the boys lost their mum I really doubled down on putting all of my time, effort, attention, focus on the children.'

In the opening episode earlier this month, Jeff was seen walking away after Freddie claimed their family dont speak openly to each other

Jade with her sons and her husband Jack Tweed, who Freddie is said to spend time with often

Though a source close to the family confirms what he says, it has not been enough to cement his relationship with Freddie: Jeff took the boys in when Jade died, he took them away from the limelight and did his best to bring them up amid such difficult circumstances but sadly Freddie just cant see eye to eye with him.

There are, Im told, stand up rows.

The problems began around five years ago when Freddie turned 14. Living in Bobbys shadow as his younger brother, Freddie is said to have felt lost.

Jeff, who found fame in the early noughties on Channel 4 reality show Shipwrecked, had just married Kate Dwyer, a public relations executive, and despite all parties trying hard, as with many blended families, things were fractious.

As Bobby, 21, began to carve out a career - landing a role on BBC One soap EastEnders in 2022 and dancing up a storm on the last years Strictly Come Dancing - Freddie struggled.

So just what has driven the wedge between Jeff and his son?

Friends say the heart of it is Freddies relationship with Jackiey and the poor relationship between Jackiey and Jeff.

He is furious at the idea that Freddie goes to her house after they have a row, he is cross at the idea of him going to seek solace there.'

But, whether he likes it or not, Im told Freddie loves nothing more than to put one of Jades exercise DVDs on in the bedroom that she grew up in, stand on the bed and follow her workout.

Jeff and Jackiey had a fall out some years ago and it really is the salt in the wound, said a family member. Freddie has to hide seeing his Nan, so does Bobby, but they will never, ever make up.

Another issue which is said to particularly rile Jeff, 45, is that Freddie often spends time with actor Jack Tweed, his late mothers husband. They married just a week before she died.

Following Jades death, contact was rare between Freddie, Bobby and Jack, but as Freddie has got older, and therefore able to have his own relationship with him, they have become closer.

The family source said: Freddie loves to go out with Jack and also James Argent [former star of reality show The Only Way Is Essex] whom he knows well. When Jeff got the boys, he wanted to shield them from as much heartache as he could, but in reality what Freddie wants is to remember his mum.

Being around Jack is something Freddie enjoys. He knows how happy Jack made his mum and there is something comforting about that.

And right now, it seems, Freddie is keen to keep reminding himself of his mother. That comes across loud and clear on Celebrity Race Across The World.

The question is whether, ultimately, it will bring Freddie and his father together - or tear them apart.
Olivia Attwood has revealed she feared the contestants would walk out of her new dating show Bad Boyfriends after the men were lured to Greece by ITV under false pretences.

The former Love Island star, 33, is the host of her first ever dating show which airs on Sunday.

Olivia told MailOnline that having her at the helm of the show works because 'she loves airing her dirty laundry' and her honesty about her previous relationships allows viewers to relate.

Eight unsuspecting boyfriends - from serial cheaters, lazy lovers, commitment, phones and man-children - are flown out to a Greek Island under the premise of filming a series about manhood and bromance on a lads' holiday.

But their girlfriends make a shock arrival after which Olivia announces their wild partying days are on hold to reveal they are on a show designed to whip them into better boyfriend shape.

Olivia Attwood has revealed she feared the contestants would walk out of her new dating show Bad Boyfriends after the men were lured to Greece by ITV under false pretences

The former Love Island star is the host of her first ever dating show which airs on Sunday

But speaking to MailOnline, Olivia said she could not sleep before the show for fear the sting would result in all the boyfriends angrily leaving the show.

She said: 'It was like a military operation getting this off the ground. It took a year in the planning of consenting and NDAs and all the rest of it.

'And, you know, at the end of the day, you can't make anyone do anything. So there was a really real chance that we could have revealed the real show and lost every one.

'That was a conversation that was had many times. And the night before I went in, I didn't sleep at all.'

A huge welfare and production team were hired by ITV to ensure the show went ahead as its format harps back to the 'old school reality television format' of handheld cameras and arguments on the driveway of the villa.

Across 11 episodes, the boys will compete in a series of challenges, designed to rectify their ways and battle it out to become the most improved boyfriend.

Olivia continued: 'I was watching them for the first two days from the gallery and they had no idea I was there. So Im watching them have the time of their lives and getting really stuck in.

'And I'm thinking the more fun they're having, the more I'm thinking this is going to absolutely go down like a s*** sandwich.

Olivia told MailOnline that having her at the helm of the show works because 'she loves airing her dirty laundry' and her honesty about her previous relationships allows viewers to relate (pictured with husband Bradley Dack)

Eight unsuspecting boyfriends - from serial cheaters, lazy lovers, commitment, phones and man-children - are flown out to a Greek Island under the premise of filming a series about manhood and bromance on a lads' holiday

But their girlfriends make a shock arrival after which Olivia announces their wild partying days are on hold to reveal they are on a show designed to whip them into better boyfriend shape

But speaking to MailOnline, Olivia said she could not sleep before the show for fear the sting would result in all the boyfriends angrily leaving the show

She said: 'It was like a military operation getting this off the ground. And, you know, at the end of the day, you can't make anyone do anything. So there was a really real chance that we could have revealed the real show and lost every one'

'So, yeah, it became very real once they all were there and I was seeing them, you know, cheering it up with the lads.

'But then my role was really different from that of a normal presenter as I saw them every day. I would check in with them off camera and I became really close to a lot of them.'

There will be eliminations across the series as the least improved boyfriends deemed incapable of improving are voted out, resulting in one boy being crowned the most improved boyfriend but left facing a huge dilemma
Australian radio host Amy Gerard has revealed she's had surgery to remove cancer from her face.

Gerard, best known from KIIS FM's Chris Page & Amy Gerard in the Morning, dropped the bombshell in her Instagram Stories on Tuesday.

In a series of posts, the mother-of-three showed the graphic process of having basal cell carcinoma cut out of her forehead.

In a post-surgery image, Gerard revealed 'this is the 5th [basal cell carcinoma] I've had cut out and I never used to even put my face in the sun'.

Another photo showed a long row of stitches across Gerard's forehead.

In a later video, Amy revealed the surgery had dramatically altered her appearance by tightening her forehead skin.

'I shouldn't laugh, but this is my normal face,' said the author while fighting back tears of laughter.

'I look so concerned,' she said, explaining the surgeon had pulled her skin tight while stitching her up.

Australian radio host Amy Gerard has revealed she's had surgery to remove cancer from her face. Pictured last week pre-surgery

The procedure had raised her eyebrows, giving Gerard a permanently worried expression.

'Let's hope it settles. It's very tight.'

The health update comes weeks after Gerard detailed how she received a mum-shaming remark on Instagram.

One of her followers had privately messaged her in June to tell her they thought it was 'inappropriate' and 'unhygienic' that she kisses her kids on the lips.

In a later video, Amy revealed the surgery had dramatically altered her appearance by tightening her forehead skin. Pictured post-surgery

Amy - who is a mother to three young kids, Charli, Bobby and Kobe - read out the message live on-air as she didn't hold back in her response to the judgmental fan.

The message read: 'Hi Amy, I love your videos with your kid but I think it's really inappropriate that you kiss your kids on the lips. Don't you think it sends the wrong message and it's also so unhygienic?'

In response, Amy - who is married to husband Rhian - firmly shut down the troll as she told how it is 'healthy' for parents to show their children affection.

'I look so concerned,' she said, explaining the surgeon had pulled her skin tight while stitching her up

'Firstly, it's my kid and I will kiss him wherever I want on the face,' she replied.

'And secondly, he's four years old, not 18. And as a mum who has carried him and given birth to him, breastfed him, that is my God-given right to smooch his adorable little face on the lips.'

'And I'm going to do it until he goes, "Mum, you're embarrassing", and that's exactly what happened to my other two kids.

'There's nothing unhygienic, in fact, it is so healthy for parents to show their kids affection.
Jax Taylor previously said that he's not a believer in divorce, amid news Tuesday that his wife Brittany Cartwright has filed paperwork to end the couple's five-year marriage.

The Shelby Township, Michigan-born reality star, 45, and Cartwright, 35 - who are parents to son Cruz Michael Cauchi, three - spoke with People about their views on maintaining a healthy marriage nearly a year-and-a-half ago.

'I don't believe in divorce,' Taylor said of his marriage to Cartwright, which began in June 2019. 'I don't believe in that. Marriage is work. I'm not saying every day is amazing.'

After Cartwright said that she felt every day was 'amazing,' Taylor, who spent time at an inpatient facility earlier this summer, said he felt there was a give-and-take aspect to a healthy marriage.

'There's good days and there's bad days, but that's marriage, and that's what makes your relationship stronger,' she said. 'We love hard. We fight hard. It's amazing.'

Jax Taylor, 45, previously said that he's not a believer in divorce, amid news Tuesday that his wife Brittany Cartwright, 35, has filed paperwork to end the couple's five-year marriage. The estranged couple was pictured in March of 2023 appearing on Watch What Happens Live

Taylor, pictured in April in Washington, D.C., said, 'I don't believe in divorce. I don't believe in that. Marriage is work. I'm not saying every day is amazing'

Taylor cited his parents - late father Ronald Cauchi and estranged mother Marie Cauchi - in providing details about his values when it comes to marriage.

'My parents didn't get divorced,' Taylor said in the March 2023 interview.

In the exchange, Taylor said he and Cartwright, one-time costars on Vanderpump Rules, had been 'best friends,' adding that she's the 'only one' who was able to 'put up' with him.

Taylor said: 'We have a lot of fun with each other. I honestly can't imagine my life with anybody else. Like I said, she's the ying to my yang, a little.'

In the interview, Taylor said that Cartwright had the requisite 'patience' and understanding to complement his personality, which could be difficult at times, by his admission.

'I'm a tough guy to be around, so it takes a certain person to deal with my crap,' Taylor said. 'Even through all this, and even though my life is a lot better now, I'm still tough to handle.

'I think she's the only one that can put up with me really.'

In the People interview, Cartwright said that parenting was also a key component of keeping the marriage united: 'I think becoming parents made us stronger too because I love seeing him as a dad ... it just makes you love him more.'

Taylor cited his parents - late father Ronald Cauchi and estranged mother Marie Cauchi - in regards to his values when it comes to marriage, saying, 'My parents didn't get divorced'

Cartwright said she and Taylor separated January 24. Pictured in Las Vegas last year

Cartwright said in the 2023 interview that people had underestimated their ability to stay with one another.

'We would always hear when we got married, people were like, "They'll be together for one year," or whatever,' Cartwright said. 'Now we've been together for eight years, almost married for four. We're trucking through.'

Cartwright acknowledged that she and Taylor had separated in a February 29 edition of the estranged couple's podcast When Reality Hits.

'I know on my last podcast, I alluded to many marriages go through rocky times,' Cartwright said. 'Yes, marriages in general are very hard and I've had a particularly rough year this past year.

'Jax and I are taking time apart and I made the decision to move into another home to take some space for the sake of my mental health.'

Cartwright, in court docs reviewed by Dailymail.com, said that 'irreconcilable differences' were the reason behind her decision to file for divorce Tuesday.

Cartwright, who said that she and Taylor separated January 24, asked the court for primary legal and physical custody of their son, adding that she would not oppose Taylor to have visits with the child.
Jenna Johnson flaunted her figure with her husband, Val Chmerkovskiy, and their little boy, Rome, during a family getaway to the Caribbean.

The Dancing With The Stars pro, 30 - who revealed Jason Kelce would be a 'dream' partner on the competition series - joined Val, 38, on their first family trip with the one-year-old.

The group was also joined by Chmerkovskiy's parents at the Beaches Resort in Turks and Caicos during the memorable, summer vacation.

Johnson - who welcomed their first child last year in January - showed off her toned physique in a white, strapless bikini top with pink floral details embroidered on the fabric.

She additionally wore matching bottoms as both she and her family cooled down in a large fountain located at the scenic resort.

Jenna Johnson, 30, flaunted her figure with her husband, Val Chmerkovskiy, 38, and their little boy, Rome, during a family getaway to the Caribbean

The group were also joined by Chmerkovskiy's parents at the Beaches Resort in Turks and Caicos during the memorable, summer vacation

The professional dancers had a blast and struck poses while showcasing a few fun dance moves as water splashed around them

Her brunette locks were parted in the middle, and flowed down naturally past her shoulders.

Val soaked up the hot sun in a pair of blue swim trunks while also sporting a pair of black shades.

The professional dancers had a blast and struck poses while showcasing a few fun dance moves as water splashed around them.

Later in the day, the family ventured to the sandy shore to take a dip in the ocean, and the couple strolled through the shallow water.

Their son, Rome, had a blast playing in the sand with buckets and other toys as Jenna and Val sat nearby. At one point, Chmerkovskiy laid a gentle kiss on his wife's head, causing her to flash a small smile.

Johnson has previously opened up about her fertility struggles and when announcing that she was expecting baby number one, she called their son a 'miracle.'

Jenna, Val and their little boy had the chance to also venture around and explore the resort. The trio were seen stopping by a bush and picked a yellow flower to show Rome.

Also during the vacation, the family dressed up while spending time on the beach. The mother-of-one wowed in a sleeveless, black satin dress with lace details.

Later in the day, the family ventured to the sandy shore to take a dip in the ocean, and the couple strolled through the shallow water

She additionally wore matching bottoms as both she and her family cooled down in a large fountain located at the scenic resort

Jenna, Val and their son had the chance to also venture around and explore the resort. The trio were seen stopping by a bush and picked a yellow flower to show Rome

Also during the vacation, the family dressed up while spending time on the beach. The mother-of-one wowed in a sleeveless, black satin dress with lace details

The lovebirds were seen flashing cheerful grins as they held their son's hands while walking along the warm sand

On a separate excursion, the family was also joined by Val's parents, Aleksandr and Larisa as they walked around the resort once the sun had started to set

Chmerkovskiy - who was born in Ukraine - donned a pair of black trousers as well as a plain, white tank top and brown shirt that was left unfastened at the front.

The lovebirds were seen flashing cheerful grins as they held their son's hands while walking along the warm sand.

Jenna and Val also paused to take a loving photo together as they cozied up together on the shore.

On a separate excursion, the family was also joined by Val's parents, Aleksandr and Larisa, as they walked around the resort once the sun had started to set.

During an interview with People, the family gushed about the 'perfect' getaway to the Caribbean.

'Family is everything to us. The chance to celebrate and relax in the gorgeous Turks and Caicos with Rome and my parents is truly a gift. My parents love our son and love spending every possible minute with him,' Val told the outlet.

When it comes to bringing their son on a plane, the couple revealed that their little one is a 'smooth' traveler.

'We travel quite a bit for work and we've taken Rome everywhere with us. He's quite a traveler already and we feel very comfortable with him coming along.'

During an interview with People, the family gushed about the 'perfect' getaway to the Caribbean

In one post, Johnson turned heads in a light pink bikini and added a straw hat on top of her long locks. She posed on the shore as the ocean stretched out behind her

She also took a few pictures with her husband as the group enjoyed the summer season which is slowly coming to a close

Another carousel of images showed the family once again having a blast while on the beach. She could be seen relaxing in the shallow water as Rome took a few steps into the ocean

'Roma takes Turks and Caicos,' Jenna wrote in the caption, followed by a crab emoji

The pair added, 'We didn't want parenthood to stop us from enjoying ourselves, it's just now we enjoy ourselves with Rome. It's the best.'

In regards to what excited them most about the trip, Jenna and Val explained that they were all 'most looking forward to the water park that Beaches is known for' and 'to just relax all together.'

The two chose the Beaches Resort for the first family trip due to it being 'a quality resort that is also kid-friendly. Now that we are a family of three, it was a perfect place to go where we can all have a good time.'

In 2018, Jenna and Val announced that they were engaged - and tied the knot the following year in April 2019.

The couple revealed that they were expecting their first child in July 2022 - and Jenna gave birth to Rome on January 10, 2023.

During the vacation, she also jumped to her main Instagram page to share memorable snaps of her own for her fans and followers.

In one post, Johnson turned heads in a light pink bikini and added a straw hat on top of her long locks. She posed on the shore as the ocean stretched out behind her.

She also took a few pictures with her husband as the group enjoyed the summer season which is slowly coming to a close.

Val also joined in on a couple photos and Johnson later took a quick selfie while sporting a cap that had 'N.Y.C.' printed on the front

She wowed in a strapless minidress dress that clung to her frame and contained a cutout on the front as well as hues of green, blue and white

Jenna and Val posed for pictures with Rome as they stood on a wooden boardwalk that led to the sandy shore. His parents also jumped in for a few candid snaps

In the caption, Jenna penned, 'On island time,' followed by an emoji with a cowboy hat.

Another carousel of images showed the family once again having a blast while on the beach.

She could be seen relaxing in the shallow water as Rome took a few steps into the ocean.

Val also joined in on a couple photos and Johnson later took a quick selfie while sporting a cap that had 'N.Y.C.' printed on the front.

'Roma takes Turks and Caicos,' Jenna wrote in the caption, followed by a crab emoji.

Jenna later uploaded photos on Monday as the family ventured around the resort during a relaxing evening.

She wowed in a strapless minidress dress that clung to her frame and contained a cutout on the front as well as hues of green, blue and white.

Her hair was parted in the middle and styled into a sleek up do, preventing any loose strands from falling onto her face.

Jenna and Val posed for pictures with Rome as they stood on a wooden boardwalk that led to the sandy shore. His parents also jumped in for a few candid snaps.

After the sun had set, the trio stopped for more photos together and Val layered his look with a long-sleeved, white shirt to stay warm in the cooler, night temperatures

'An unforgettable trip for our family,' the dancer wrote. 'So far we have had 'milestone' moments spent and both @sandalsresorts and @beachesresorts'

After the sun had set, the trio stopped for more photos together and Val layered his look with a long-sleeved, white shirt to stay warm in the cooler, night temperatures.

'An unforgettable trip for our family,' the dancer wrote. 'So far we have had 'milestone' moments spent and both @sandalsresorts and @beachesresorts.'

'First celebrating our honeymoon in St. Lucia in 2019, (secretly) celebrating our pregnancy in Curacao in 2022, and now having our first ever family of 3 getaway here in Turks and Caicos.'

Jenna concluded, 'I cannot thank these beautiful resorts for allowing us to have some of our favorite memories as a family!! Forever grateful.'
Georgia Harrison turned heads on Tuesday as she enjoyed a girls' night out and sweetly sang a man Happy Birthday in London.

The Love Island star, 29, looked incredible as she put on a very leggy display in a pink satin mini wrap-skirt.

Showcasing her tanned and toned midriff, Georgia teamed the stylish skirt with a white Miu Miu designer vest top which boasted a pink sparkly branding at the chest to match her skirt.

She added inches to her frame with a pair of white court stiletto heels and toted her essentials around in a cross-body bag.

To complete her going-out look, Georgia opted for a flawless palette of makeup and styled her locks into loose bouncy curls.

Georgia Harrison turned heads on Tuesday as she enjoyed a girls' night out and sweetly sang a man Happy Birthday in London

The Love Island star, 29, looked incredible as she put on a very leggy display in a pink satin mini wrap-skirt

The beauty appeared in high spirits as she chatted and laughed with a person on the phone.

It comes after Georgia revealed she'd been the victim of a mugging in broad daylight outside the swanky Nessa restaurant in London's Soho earlier this month.

Taking to her Instagram, Georgia made a desperate plea to return her stolen handbag which she claimed included an 'irreplaceable necklace' and her passport.

Georgia shared snaps of the eye-catching hot pink accessory embellished with the word 'Guccify' and begged for help ahead of her travels abroad.

Writing: 'To whoever just stole my bag in London it has so much in it that I care about please return it.'

Then alongside a snap of the restaurant, she said: 'I was outside this restaurant @nessasoho so if anyone saw anything please let me know as it's a very noticeable bag but the cctv couldn't pick it up there was an irreplaceable necklace in there so if you were involved just return it.'

'If anyone hears of anyone trying to sell this just know it's mine.'

'My passport was in there too and I'm flying next Friday am I going to be able to get a replacement on Monday as it's only giving me options for a 1 week fast track?'

Showcasing her tanned and toned midriff, Georgia teamed the stylish skirt with a white Miu Miu designer vest top which boasted a pink sparkly branding at the chest to match her skirt

She added inches to her frame with a pair of white court stiletto heels and toted her essentials around in a cross-body bag

To complete her going-out look, Georgia opted for a flawless palette of makeup and styled her locks into loose bouncy curls

The beauty appeared in high spirits as she chatted and laughed with a person on the phone

She showed her fun down-to-earth side as she sweetly sang a stranger Happy Birthday

It comes after Georgia revealed she'd been the victim of a mugging in broad daylight outside the swanky Nessa restaurant in London's Soho earlier this month

She later shared a snap of herself holding the bag at a concert with the words 'Isn't life funny'.

After fans believed she'd had the items returned, Georgia was forced to clarify it was an old image and is still dealing with a whopping 1K worth of damage as a result of the theft.

She cleared up: 'Just to confirm I didn't get it back that was a pic the night before it was stolen, I'm still in the process of getting breakdown cover to get me a new key, changing my locks and trying to get a new passport.'

'Over 1K of damage control let alone the price of the bag and belongings in it. London's crazy watch your stuff guys cause it's just not safe.'
Home and Away fans have shared their wild theory on a twist involving two popular characters on the show.

The plot line involves Jessica Redmayne's character Harper, who is pregnant to Tane, played by actor Ethan Browne.

Photos taken recently on set reveal Jessica flaunting a 'baby bump' while filming scenes at Palm Beach, NSW.

However, in a major twist, fans are claiming a pregnancy is 'usually' a sign that a character is soon to be axed.

'Tane, Dana and Harper  yes, she is still filming [while visibly] pregnant. We see this in five to six months,' a fan posted on the Home and Away Spoilers and Gossip Facebook page.

'It's crazy as they are dragging Harper's pregnancy out longer than the other characters' pregnancies.'

'We know once [characters] have a baby they normally leave the show. Harper still has two years [on her] contract left I believe, and Tane - he signs new contracts often as he's already done his three-year contract, so not sure when he is going to leave!'

The fan then went on to explain that 'baby characters' are costly for producers, since up to four 'baby actors' are needed to 'play' a single character.

Home and Away fans have shared their wild theory on a twist involving Jessica Redmayne's (pictured) character Harper who is pregnant to Tane played by actor Ethan Browne

Summer Bay may be in for a shock. Picture: Ada Nicodemou in Home and Away

This is due to strict regulations relevant to using infants for filming.

More evidence was also shared to the Home and Away Spoilers and Gossip fan page showing Harper on set.

The clip, which was filmed by CelebTime, shows the characters of Tane, Dana, Mackenzie (Emily Weir) and Mali (Kyle Shilling) sharing drinks and 'celebrating'.

'Looks like the baby has been born,' they posted.

'Video from filming last week shows Tane, Mac, Dana and Mali having celebratory drinks on [the] Salt balcony.

'Bad sound but I did hear something like, ''Dana was there'', Tane when leaving said he was off to see Harper. Filming time would be about right for [a] February birth.'

Fans on the Home and Away Gossip and Spoilers Facebook group have suggested that Harper's pregnancy is a major twist for the soap, since a pregnancy is 'usually' a sign that a character is soon to be axed

It comes after Home and Away fans were left devastated when fan-favourite character Felicity Newman, played by Jacqui Purvis, passed away on the show.

After leaving fans in tears following her character's death, the actress, 33, has broken her silence on her heartbreaking final episodes.

The Aussie star, who is looking to make it big in Hollywood, posted to Instagram on Tuesday a touching tribute to her fans and the show which made her famous.

'What a life! Thank you to @homeandaway for an incredible three years. Had an absolute blast,' she wrote alongside a montage of her behind-the-scenes antics.

Jacqui's final scenes aired last week when Felicity's brother Cash (Nicholas Cartwright) made the heartbreaking decision to switch off her life support.

'We know once [characters] have a baby they normally leave the show. Harper still has two years [on her] contract left I believe, and Tane - he signs new contracts often as he's already done his three-year contract, so not sure when he is going to leave!' one fan wrote

The soap star told Yahoo Lifestyle on Tuesday: 'I've had an incredible time on the show. Some of the best years of my life.

'However, I knew I wanted an international career, so, I had to make the decision to leave and take the plunge.

'I owe so much to the show, [and] because of it, I feel confident and ready to take on the international stage.'

Jacqui intends to jet off to Hollywood soon in pursuit of worldwide fame, following in the footsteps of ex-soap stars Chris Hemsworth, Isla Fisher and Samara Weaving.
Australian DJ Fisher will lead a huge international lineup for Wildlands Festival 2025.

The ARIA Award-winning tunesmith will be joined by US rapper Ice Spice at the top of the festival bill that will kick off in Brisbane on New Years Eve before heading to Perth and Adelaide.

UK drum and bass duo Chase & Status, who were Down Under in April, are also headed back for the three-date electro-pop festival.

Also featured at this year's festival is Berlin based rave-king Marlon Hoffstadt, Sydney duo Royel Otis and R&B American pop star Tinashe.

UK Garage deck-spinner Sammy Virji will also appear at the Brisbane and Perth events alongside US rapper RL Grime.

The first lineup announcement for the 2024 festival also includes Believe Me Now? hitmaker Becky Hill, plus Horsegirl, Wilkinson, Confidence Man, Joy (Anonymous) and Lola Young.

BARKAA, Melugi, Sam Alfred, Hannah Laing, Issey Cross, MESSIE, Little Fritter, 1tbsp, SAMMYTHESINNER, Moss, Djanaba, and UK-Dutch popsters GIRLTHING roudn out the huge lineup.

The first Wildlands lineup is a great chance for punters who can't make it to the popular Lost Paradise festival in New South Wales' Glenworth Valley or the Victorian Beyond the Valley festival, with many acts also appearing on those bills.

Australian DJ Fisher will lead s huge lineup for this year's Wildlands Festival

Wildlands kicks off in Brisbane on December 31 before heading to Perth on January 4 and Adelaide on January 5.

The flurry of summer festivals comes after a string of recent event cancellations including the long-running Bluesfest in Byron Bay, Splendour in the Grass, Groovin the Moo and ValleyWays.

Music promoter Danny Grant shared a TikTok video in March explaining that the iconic acts slated for the axed Splendour In The Grass festival were too 'diverse'.

'They have had a nightmare three years and were trying to diversify too much,' the promoter, who runs the Hello Sunshine Festival, said in the video.

US rapper Ice Spice (pictured) is also at the top of the festival bill that will kick off in Brisbane on New Years Eve before heading to Perth and Adelaide

Also featured at this year's festival is Berlin based rave-king DJ Marlon Hoffstadt, Sydney duo Royal Otis and R&B American pop star Tinashe (pictured)

'They went from Kylie Minogue to [American rapper] Future and they were probably aiming at crowds that didn't want to see each other.'

He added: 'I don't think there was much of a crossover. It did the opposite of what they were hoping for.'

Australian rapper Illy also weighed in and claimed the issue is 'more cultural than cost of living'-based as people aren't going to pay money to see acts they aren't interested in.

'Australian music CULTURE is broken,' he wrote on X.

'Yes Falls, Groovin, and now Splendour (not to mention countless smaller ones) go under, but Pink just did 20 stadium shows, Taylor Swift did 600,000+ tix, Fred again 100,000+ in a day.. it's both, but it's more cultural than cost of living.'

Illy also claimed Australian music has 'suddenly got worse' as people won't spend 'money to go see acts they don't want to'.

UK electronic duo Chase & Status, who were Down Under in April, are also headed back for the three-date electro-pop fest
A sex worker walks down 20th Street toward Shotwells Saloon in San Francisco last Monday. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

A year after San Francisco officials put up bollards to deter sex work on Capp Street in the Mission District, residents say the activity hasnt disappeared  it has just migrated a couple of blocks east.

Now, Shotwell Street is the Missions epicenter for the illicit sex trade, and all the noise and bumper-to-bumper traffic that comes with it. And frustrated neighbors are suing.

Hiding these problems or pushing them around is not the solution, said Ayman Farahat, the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit filed this past week in San Francisco Superior Court. The suit aims to force city officials to eliminate what the plaintiffs describe as a public nuisance.

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Instead of solving the problem, the city simply moved the nuisance to Shotwell between 19th and 21st streets, the lawsuit said. It claims that leaders have failed to enforce laws against sex trafficking and other irritants, including public urination and intoxication at Jose Coronado Playground on Shotwell and 21st streets.

The suit, a salvo fired after months of community meetings with the local police captain and leaders from City Hall, underscores how tense public safety issues have become leading up to the November election. It also lays bare a quandary for city leaders who are under pressure to crack down on street conditions, even as they struggle to address their root causes.

Sex work, like homelessness or drug addiction, is a complicated social issue that has plagued San Francisco for decades. With its snug residential streets and easy access to Highway 101, Shotwell Street has long been a popular draw for sex workers and their clientele rolling in from out of town. Still, several recent visits to the street late at night showed that business has ticked up.

Sex worker Rene, 20, of Oakland talks to a potential customer on Shotwell Street in San Francisco last Monday. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

As she stood on Shotwell near 19th Street Monday night in see-through pants and spike heels, 20-year-old Rene said she was mystified at why residents could be so irritated at her and her fellow sex workers.

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Look, we try to be respectful of the people living here, and stay away from doorsteps people ask us to stay away from, she said. This is a good street. Quiet. Safe. Way better than Oakland, where I live.

Ive got two kids to support, and I can make $1,000 a night here. A regular job dont pay that.

A black sedan rolled up alongside her, and she leaned in the window. Cien dolares ($100), she told the Spanish-speaking customer, and he shook his head. He circled the block, came back and nodded as he pushed the door open. Si, he said.

Rene and the dozen other sex workers strolling Shotwell at 10 p.m. didnt have to wait more than 10 minutes for a customer either walking up or pulling through slowly in a car.

Locals said the commotion repeats every night, and they refuse to put up with it any longer.

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Tuesdays lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal challenges intended to force San Francisco leaders to respond to quality-of-life concerns. Five months ago, a group of residents and businesses in the Tenderloin filed a similar suit in federal court, accusing the city of tolerating crowded encampments and open-air drug markets. The communications consultant for that group, Jess Montejano, works as a consultant for mayoral candidate Mark Farrell, who has highlighted conditions at Jose Coronado Playground  the one cited as a hub of vice in the Shotwell lawsuit  during his campaign. Farrell rolled out a series of public safety proposals in March that included curfew hours for Jose Coronado and other parks.

Montejano now runs communications for the Shotwell group on their lawsuit.

Staff in Mayor London Breeds administration said that over the past year they have tried to work with residents to tackle sex work and other disturbances on Shotwell Street. They plan to meet with the community again on Wednesday to roll out three new strategies: pan basher traffic barriers to block off the street, which could gut the bottom of any vehicle that drives over them; security cameras to monitor the roads and sidewalks; and Dear John letters to be sent to motorists suspected of cruising for or purchasing sex.

The city and my office have taken this issue very seriously for quite a long time, said Supervisor Hillary Ronen, whose district encompasses the Mission. We are constantly interacting with the neighbors to come up with ideas to improve the situation, she added.

Yet the citys solutions failed to sway Farahat, who said he and others have lost trust in the authorities.

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Weve heard so many stories, and nothing materialized, Farahat said. Why would this meeting (on Wednesday) be different from ones we had a year ago?

Police Department spokesperson Evan Sernoffsky pointed out that officers have carried out 20 special operations centered around Shotwell since early May, arresting a total of 72 suspected sex workers and their clients.

Our Mission Station has been paying more attention in recent months, he said, noting that that station is also having to step up efforts on illegal vending in the district. Chasing a migrating criminal trade from one location to another in the city is not new, he said, and ideally the number of offenders lessens with the crackdowns, but it takes prolonged efforts.

Similar scenes to Shotwells played out vividly last year on Capp between 18th and 22nd streets, prompting the city to cordon off the four-block strip with yellow bollards meant to make it harder for would-be customers in cars to navigate the area. Neighbors later placed beds of geraniums and other foliage alongside them. Once those barriers went up, the noise and bumper-to-bumper traffic shifted over to Shotwell, residents say.

Capp Street, in stark contrast to its neighbor, seemed quiet and idyllic as dusk loomed on a recent afternoon. Mitchell McNamara, who was in a driveway tinkering under the hood of his sedan, acknowledged that he seldom sees sex workers any more  unless they step in front of his car while hes circling the blocks in search of a parking spot.

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Shotwells Saloon on Shotwell Street in San Francisco on Aug. 26. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

Yeah, now its more that direction, McNamara said, gesturing toward Shotwell with a sheepish smile.

Four blocks away, at Shotwells Saloon on 20th and Shotwell streets, owner David Hall flinched when asked about the nightly activity. Its horrible, horrible, he said  so bad that he now closes the bar at midnight to protect his customers from solicitation or harassment.

Advocates of helping, rather than arresting, sex workers say pushing them off Shotwell might give the locals some relief like Capp Street got, but it wont solve the larger problem. The areas reputation as a lucrative sex-trade spot is so widespread it has drawn people from as far away as Seattle  which is where 21-year-old Maryanna was walking the streets until last week.

Customers up north were too edgy, she said, and then a friend told me Theres this place called Shotwell Street in San Francisco where business is good, you can make good money.

Shes right, Maryanna said the day after she arrived in San Francisco, strolling Shotwell to scope out the nights work. I like it here. Its more intense, but theres good money. Ill stick around awhile.

Its not one of those things that will be cured by just moving them from one part to the other, said Toni Eby, executive director of San Francisco SafeHouse, a resource center for sexually exploited women. You block off Shotwell, theyll move to Folsom. The solution is not to just do that. The solution is to have more resources for this population.

Eby was a sex worker on Capp and Shotwell streets from 2000 to 2007. She left the sidewalks through housing support and other services at San Francisco SafeHouse, which led to a masters degree in social work and, eventually, her current job, she said.

SafeHouse is now trying to develop a building it owns into a 22-unit housing complex for survivors of sex trafficking, so I do think theres some movement toward helping the problem, she said. But its not enough.

Lyon-Martin Community Health Services sends a van to Shotwell two nights a week, offering condoms and other sex-work supplies along with aid references. And though some locals resent that as enabling, Lyon outreach director Celestina Pearl says it is life-saving.

Nobody is pro-trafficking, and yes we do want better lives for these women, Pearl said. But the better solution is not to vilify, stigmatize and criminalize. If people really want to solve the problem I would love to see them advocate for decriminalization of sex work, so these women can move indoors where its more dignified and safer and more peaceful for the residents.

While looking for a sex worker, Gregory stands at the corner of 20th and Shotwell streets in San Francisco last Monday. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

Twenty-five-year-old Gregory, who gave only his first name, was seeking out sex workers for hire Monday night at 20th and Shotwell streets on a break from his music engineering job, and he said he wouldnt mind the business moving indoors. But he didnt see anything wrong with the way it is now.
Jackie 'O' Henderson has revealed the popular hobbies among men that turn women off the most.

During Wednesday's The Kyle & Jackie O Show, the hosts were discussing the pastimes, which included magic tricks, collecting figurines, and online trolling.

'I'm sorry I would much rather my man played video games than be an online troller,' Jackie, 49, said.

'Gambling is right up there... and taxidermy, comic book collecting and bird watching make out the list,' the radio queen added.

However, after a producer found a list of hobbies popular with women that turned men off, the tables turned on Jackie.

'I just found the most unattractive hobbies that men see in women,' the producer said, before announcing the top of the list was 'astrology weirdos.'

The studio then erupted in laughter and co-host Kyle Sandilands began making fun of Jackie for her alternative spiritual practices.

'I saw a photo of you and your other "spiritual" friends walking around chuffing ciggies down by the beach on your way to Pilates,' said Kyle, 53.

Jackie 'O' Henderson (pictured) has revealed the hobbies popular with men that turn women off the most, which included magic tricks, collecting figurines, and online trolling

'It was the best Pilates class I've ever done,' Jackie replied.

Kyle then quipped that 'chicks who talk about Pilates' should be added to the most unattractive hobbies that men see in women.

It comes after Jackie was left 'mortified' when she realised she was having stereotypical 'rich people conversations' at dinner.

The studio then erupted in laughter and co-host Kyle Sandilands (pictured above) began making fun of Jackie for her alternative spiritual practices

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.

It comes after Jackie was left 'mortified' when she realised she was having stereotypical 'rich people conversations' at dinner

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 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.

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.
The heated debate between Gen-Z and Gen-X appears to be continuing following the long-awaited Oasis reunion tour announcement.

Millions of fans flocked to social media to share their excitement after Liam and Noel Gallagher announced their comeback tour.

But old school fans are fuming that Gen-Z are even thinking about getting tickets to their reunion shows, with some Gen-X supporters claiming they shouldn't be allowed into the concert.

Some fans on TikTok joked those who only know one or two Oasis songs should be banned from getting tickets.

One post read: 'How is everyone in their dog suddenly an Oasis fan as soon as these rumours came out? I'm sorry I am not losing tickets to a Wonderwall warrior'.

The heated debate between Gen-Z and Gen-X appears to be continuing following the long-awaited Oasis reunion tour

Millions of fans flocked to social media to share their excitement after Liam and Noel Gallagher announced their comeback tour

Another penned: 'Everyone suddenly becoming Oasis fans this morning when really they know two songs.'

Some middle-aged fans believe younger listeners shouldn't be allowed to go if they 'didn't live through' the band's prime in the nineties and 2000s.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter) Brits of all ages quipped their thoughts, with some insisting that tickets should to 'over 40s only' and others arguing that you can't 'gatekeep' Oasis.

Fans wrote: 'Wincing at all the under 25s jumping on the Oasis bandwagon. If you didnt live through it the first time youve got to sit this one out for the dads and the aging indie kids. Sorry I dont make the rules.'

'Imagine waiting 15 years for Oasis to reform only to lose out on tickets to Chloe, 21 from Stockport who just wants to hear Wonderwall live #oasisreunion.'

'Why are you gatekeeping Oasis LMAO.'

'First dibs at Oasis tickets should go to the over 40s only. What do you reckon?'

Oasis is tipped to announce even more dates for their long-awaited reunion tour, which music insiders say will 'sell out in less than three minutes'.

But old school fans are fuming that Gen-Z are even thinking about getting tickets to their reunion shows, with some Gen-X supporters claiming they shouldn't be allowed into the concert

Some fans joked those who only know one or two Oasis songs should be banned from getting tickets

Some middle-aged fans believe younger listeners shouldn't be allowed to go if they 'didn't live through' the band's prime in the nineties and 2000s

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 (pictured together in October 2008)

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

The band, rejoined by their 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. A presale will be held on Friday for certain fans that will be selected from a ballot pool.

More than 4 million 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. Liam and Noel Gallagher reportedly 'both wanted him in the fold' after he was 'one of the drivers of the reunion'.

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'.

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.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter) Brits of all ages quipped their thoughts, with some insisting that tickets should to 'over 40s only' and others arguing that you can't 'gatekeep' Oasis

Liam and Noel confirmed Oasis's long-awaited reunion with a worldwide tour in 2025 and also alluded to past tensions in the tour announcement on Tuesday.

'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.
Liam Hemsworth and Laura Dern will star as a couple in an age-gap romance in Netflix's upcoming film Lonely Planet.

The streamer released first look images of the Big Little Lies star, 57, and The Hunger Games actor, 34, in their May-December romance on Tuesday.

The movie follows Dern  who recently spoke about being forced to drop out of UCLA  as Katherine, a reclusive novelist who arrives at a prestigious writers retreat in Morocco.

Instead of finding a cure for her writer's block, she unexpectedly falls for a young man.

In one image, Dern is seen leaning on a black motorcycle, wearing a white linen shirt and a colorful skirt, and gazing at Hemsworth who stands beside her in a button-up and blue jeans.

Liam Hemsworth, 57, and Laura Dern, 34, will star as a couple in an age-gap romance in Netflix's upcoming film Lonely Planet; they are seen in a still from the movie

Another photo captures them engaged in a conversation, smiling at each other.

The third image shows them strolling together down a picturesque blue street in Morocco.

Hemsworth revealed that he was honored to work with the Oscar winner.

'Sharing scenes with Laura Dern was an absolute privilege. She has this remarkable talent for drawing you in, making every moment feel intimate and real,' he said, as per Tudum.

Meanwhile, Dern said Liam 'was pure magic' to work with.

'He became not only a buddy and a confidant through our Moroccan adventure, but our shared longing [for] honesty and intimacy in all relationships was very moving to me. We were very aligned, so getting to tell this story together meant the world... and he is friggin hilarious, so I laughed the entire time,' she stated.

The actress also revealed she was intrigued by how the film examined identity and self-esteem, 'especially in a world as intellectually charged as the literary scene.'

'The dynamic between the younger man and the older, established writer intrigued me because its not just about romance  its about finding someone who truly sees and understands you, which is something deeply human and relatable.'

The streamer released first look images of the Big Little Lies star and The Hunger Games actor in their May-December romance  set to be released on Netflix on October 11  on Tuesday

The film follows Dern as a reclusive novelist who arrives at a prestigious writer's retreat in Morocco. Instead of finding a cure for writer's block, she unexpectedly falls for a young man

'Sharing scenes with Laura was an absolute privilege. She has this remarkable talent for drawing you in, making every moment feel intimate and real,' Liam said of working with the star, as per Tudum; seen in July

Meanwhile, Dern said Liam 'was pure magic' to work with, adding, 'our shared longing [for] honesty and intimacy in all relationships was very moving to me'; seen August 8 in LA

Oscar winner Dern has starred in several blockbuster franchises, including Jurassic Park and Jaws. Liam has not had a massive blockbuster role since 2014's The Hunger Games: Mockingjay; Dern seen in 2020

The film was written and directed by Susannah Grant, best known for her work on films like Ever After, Erin Brockovich, 28 Days, Catch and Release and In Her Shoes.

She recently served as showrunner for Netflix's series Unbelievable.

Also starring in the movie are Diana Silvers, Younes Boucif, Rachida Brakni, and Adriano Giannini.

The film will be released on Netflix on October 11.

Dern  who is the offspring of Oscar nominees Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd  has starred in several blockbuster franchises, including Jurassic Park and Jaws.

She won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance in Marriage Story (2020) and has received a total of three Academy Award nominations in her career.

She also found success in TV after co-staring alongside Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman in two seasons of HBO's drama series Big Little Lies.

A third season is currently in pre-production.

Age-gap romances are trending in Hollywood. After the success of Todd Haynes' May December last year, Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson star in the upcoming film Babygirl, where she plays an executive having an affair with her much-younger intern (pictured)

While Liam has not had a massive blockbuster role since 2014's The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, he has worked steadily ever since.

He appeared in action films Poker Face and Land of bad in 2022 and 2024, and has taken over the starring role in Netflix series The Witcher following Henry Cavill's exit in 2022.

Age-gap romances have certainly been a trend heating up the screens as of late.

Following the success of Todd Haynes' 'May December' last year, Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson are starring in 'Babygirl', a new A24 film directed by Halina Reijn, which explores a an affair between a CEO and her younger intern, and is set to for a Christmas Day release.
Brittany Cartwright appears to be celebrating the end of her five-year marriage to Jax Taylor after she officially filed for divorce on Tuesday.

The Vanderpump Rules alum, 35, had alcohol delivered to the Los Angeles Airbnb she's been staying at since announcing she and Taylor, 45, had separated in February.

Wearing a white towel over a blue bathing suit, Brittany came to her front door to collect a glass bottle in a black plastic bag from an Uber Eats delivery person.

Missing from her left hand was her wedding ring, which she has not worn publicly since June.

Brittany flashed a smile as the delivery person checked her ID before driving away from her residence.

Brittany Cartwright appears to be celebrating the end of her five-year marriage to Jax Taylor after she officially filed for divorce on Tuesday

The Vanderpump Rules alum, 35, had alcohol delivered to the Los Angeles Airbnb she's been staying at since announcing she and Taylor, 45, had separated in February

Missing from her left hand was her wedding ring, which she has not worn publicly since June

The makeup-free reality TV star appeared to be enjoying a boozy pool day just hours after her shock divorce filing.

After the news broke, Brittany broke her silence by sharing a sexy selfie to Instagram with a pointed message suggesting she's moved on from her marriage to Taylor.

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.

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.

She was seen wearing a white towel over a blue bathing suit

Brittany came to her front door to meet her Uber Eats delivery person

She collected a glass bottle in a black plastic bag from the delivery person

The makeup-free reality TV star appeared to be in the midst of enjoying a pool day just hours after her shock divorce filing

Brittany flashed a smile as the delivery person checked her ID before driving away from her residence

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.'

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.

Brittany cited irreconcilable differences as her reason for ending her five-year marriage to Taylor on Tuesday; the couple seen in 2021

After the news broke, Brittany broke her silence by sharing a sexy selfie to Instagram with a pointed message suggesting she's moved on from her marriage to Taylor

The star wore hot pink and sported a glamorous make-up look in the snap captioned: 'Getting my sparkle back'

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.

'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.

As per court docs, Brittany has requested primary legal and physical custody over the couple's three-year-old son but she 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

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; seen in February 2024

'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.

'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.

The former couple married at the Kentucky Castle in the Cartwright's home state in June 2019

They welcomed their son Cruz in 2021

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.
Former Married At First Sight star Bella Frizza has announced she's walking away from a decade-long radio career for a surprising new role.

The 39-year-old Sea FM announcer took to Instagram to reveal she was leaving her full-time radio gig to become a 'professional network marketer' for haircare company Monat.

Monat, or Monat Global Corp is a US-based company that is headquartered in Doral, Florida.

The company operates on the controversial multi-level marketing business model, which relies on marketing partners who both sell and advertise products online and on social media.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Bella said that her decision was based on a desire to spend more time watching her son Finn, two, grow up.

'I think I just realised I wanted to spend the time with him before he goes to school,' she said.

'I was looking to see what would kind of work [I could do] and I came across Monat.'

Bella added that she was attracted to the lifestyle and benefits the company promises.

Former Married At First Sight star Bella Frizza (pictured) has announced she's walking away from a decade-long radio career for a surprising new role

'I loved everything about it' she said. 'You can earn a Range Rover, you can earn trips overseas - it's very glamorous.'

'I just thought I'd jump in and give it a go to see where I can take it. And, you know, I'm doing really well, I've got a beautiful team working with me and I just love it.'

Bella said that she didn't believe her change in career was controversial, despite the business model the company employs.

'I don't really think it's controversial,' she said.

'I mean, there's other companies in the past that are in the network marketing sphere that have been controversial, but Monat itself is such an incredible business model, especially for mums and women who want to be at home with their kids,' she said.

The 39-year-old Sea FM announcer took to Instagram to reveal she was leaving her full-time radio gig to become a 'professional network marketer' for haircare company Monat

'I don't see anything controversial at all,' she added. ' I just think it's a really good thing and an opportunity to have an uncapped salary.'

Bella said that while she felt invigorated after the career change, she didn't rule out an eventual return to TV or radio.

'I love it and you know, never say never,' she said. 'I'll probably be back one day because I'm addicted to the media.'

Bella, who appeared on season 3 of Married at First Sight, announced her career change alongside a sweet video of her playing with toddler Finn on a bed.

'To be able to tell my baby boy that I no longer have to go to work anymore. We don't have to be up at 5.30am, rush out the door to get to kindy drop off, then sit in 45 mins traffic to get to work and miss him all day,' she wrote in the heartfelt post.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia Bella said that her decision was based on a desire to spend more time watching her son Finn, two, grow up

'Now we can wake up, have slow mornings, go for walks in the sun, talk about our dreams and create magic together. All whilst making money from my phone.'

Before encouraging her fans to jump on board the Monat bandwagon she continued saying that she wants to help give mums across the country the chance to work and spend more time at home with the kids.

'I know why I've been called to do this now, so I can help all the mummas be at home with their toddlers, to enjoy the best days of our lives watching our babies grow,' Bella said.

'Whatever you're doing can wait, this time with our babies. Time goes by and every minute they grow more and more.'

Bella concluded by saying that having children had forced her to re-assess her priorities in life.

'When I became a mama my values changed and career went from number one with family replacing it,' she said.

Bella said that she didn't believe her change in career was controversial, despite the business model the company employs

Another post announcing Bella's departure from the airwaves revealed that she was 'terrified' at the prospect of a career change.

'I'm scared. I'm excited. I'm happy. I'm sad,' she wrote.

'I'm terrified but most of all I know I'm doing the right thing for myself and my family.'

The post was met with a flurry of comments from fans with many commenting with shock over the announcement.

'Noooooo Bella!! But proud of you,' one fan wrote.

'You will just have to continue sending me voice messages so I can fill the void of not hearing your voice on air!'

Anrother chimed in with a similar: 'You will be so missed listening to on air Bella. I loved hearing you voice when I was in the car it was like a breath of fresh air when you were on air.

'The radio station have really lost another good host that's 3 this year now what a shame. Can't wait to see your next chapter babe .'
Eddie Redmayne will reportedly bag '1million' per episode for Sky's gritty new adaptation of The Day Of The Jackal.

The new 10-part series sees the actor, 42, play the elusive lone assassin known as the Jackal, originally played by Edward Fox in the classic 1973 film.

And according to The Mirror, Eddie will receive a huge payout while the thriller has become Sky's most expensive series to date.

The Oscar winner will bag 10million overall for his role as the titular character, who makes his living carrying out hits for the highest fee.

The publication reports that the industry insiders say the budget for the series, which also stars Captain Marvel actress Lashana Lynch, is set at a whopping 100million.

Eddie Redmayne will reportedly bag '1million' per episode for Sky's gritty new adaptation of The Day Of The Jackal

The new 10-part series sees the actor, 42, play the elusive lone assassin known as the Jackal, originally played by Edward Fox in the classic 1973 film

The series is being made by Carnival Films and was commissioned by Sky Studios, who will then air the anticipated series across the UK and much of Europe, as well as US streaming service Peacock.

The Mirror reports that the huge wage was the 'highest ever paid to a star', but that is now becoming the 'norm' when big money companies such as Netflix, Apple and in this case Peacock, are involved.

A source said: 'Many TV companies and broadcasters are struggling with budgets being squeezed but not with high-end drama for a global audience involving the streamers.

'If you can do a deal with one of them, you can absolutely break the bank.'

MailOnline have contacted representatives of Eddie for comment.

Originally a novel by Frederick Forsyth the story follows the story of the trained killer who is hired to assassinate French president Charles de Gaulle.

However, the Jackal meets his match in a tenacious British intelligence officer (Lashana, 36) who starts to track him down in a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase across Europe, leaving destruction in its wake.

Also starring are Guardians Of The Galaxy's Chukwudi Iwuji, Game Of Thrones' Charles Dance, and Money Heist's Ursula Corbero.

According to The Mirror, Eddie will receive a huge payout while the thriller has become Sky's most expensive series to date

It's said the huge wage was the 'highest ever paid to a star', but that is now becoming the 'norm' when big money companies such as Netflix, Apple and in this case Peacock, are involved [Eddie pictured with wife Hannah Bagshawe]

The publication reports that the industry insiders say the budget for the series, which also stars Captain Marvel actress Lashana Lynch [pictured] , is set at a whopping 100million

It was adapted for the small screen by Ronan Bennett, the creator and writer of the critically acclaimed English crime drama Top Boy.

The Day Of The Jackal was directed by Brian Kirk whose credits include Game Of Thrones and Luther.

The series is produced by Carnival Films, which is part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Eddie serves as an executive producer, Lashana as a co-executive producer, and author Frederick as the consulting producer.

Fellow executive producers Gareth Neame and Nigel Marchant, who both worked on Downton Abbey, spoke to GQ about the project.

Gareth said: 'We both loved the book, and we saw the film when we were kids  Ive seen the film many times through my life, and always really respected it.'

Originally a novel by Frederick Forsyth, the story follows the story of the trained killer who is hired to is hired to assassinate French president Charles de Gaulle (Edward Fox pictured in the 1973 movie version)

The Jackal meets his match in a tenacious British intelligence officer (Lashana, 36) who begins tracking him down in a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase across Europe, leaving destruction

Frederick Forsyth's story will be told by Sky and Peacock in 10 parts. It was adapted for the small screen by Ronan Bennett, creator of critically acclaimed English crime drama Top Boy

While they were at first cautious to tackle source material that carries with it such esteem, to expand the story across episodic TV seemed too good an opportunity to turn down.

'Its such an iconic, gripping story, that to revisit that in a contemporary context, with all the benefits of a multi-episodic show  we thought that would be really interesting to take this much-respected IP and develop it this way.'

Nigel agreed: 'I think that [this] kind of title is in so many people's consciousness  And then yeah, whats the benefit of telling this with a bigger canvas?'

Answering the main question of why the series is set in the 2020s as opposed to the '60s of the book and the film, Gareth simply said: 'If wed stayed in the past, why do it? You cant better the film.'
Actor Nick Offerman parodied the Lee Greenwood song God Bless the USA for a new song in support of Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign titled Proud to Be a Kamala Man.

The 54-year-old actor uses the lyrics of the parody of the 1984 Greenwood song - which Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump has used as his entrance music for events - to skewer Trump over a number of scandals he's been involved in.

The Joliet, Illinois native introduced the clip while standing in a woodsy area, clad in a gray shirt baring an image of a bald eagle.

The Parks and Recreation alum saying that the song was penned to be from the perspective of a Republican voter who can no longer support the party's candidate amid his numerous controversies.

'I'm very enthusiastic to be supporting the presidential campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz,' said Offerman, who won an Emmy last year for his work on HBO's The Last of Us. 'For obvious reasons, there are a lot of Republicans that are very Kamala-curious.

Actor Nick Offerman, 54, parodied the Lee Greenwood song God Bless the USA for a new song in support of Vice President Kamala Harris ' presidential campaign

The Joliet, Illinois native introduced the clip while standing in a woodsy area, clad in a gray shirt baring an image of a bald eagle

'Let me offer you a song that's from the point of view of one of these Republicans, one of these good citizens, who formerly was blinded by misinformation and has now found a way to see clear to decency.'

Offerman said that 'there are all these organizations of Republicans for Kamala, and it's very exciting.'

The chorus of the parody is, 'I'm proud to be a Kamala man, who's quit the GOP/ I just can't stick with the man convicted of 34 felonies.'

The chorus continues: 'It's time to stand up and face the facts after all the scams and tricks/ He's a half-a**ed Putin wannabe, yes, Trump's a f***ing d***.'

Another lyric references allegations Trump kept classified documents in random rooms at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida.

'Kamala's got momentum, and that lady she's no quitter/Plus, she never hid nuclear secrets in the Mar-a-Lago s****er,' the song says.

The music video featured a number of clips of Trump's more controversial moments, from his remarks on the war service of late Sen. John McCain to his mocking of a disabled reporter to his socializing with late convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

On Offerman's YouTube page, in which the song was posted, the actor penned a description of the song parody.

The Parks and Recreation alum saying that the song was penned to be from the perspective of a Republican voter who can no longer support the party's candidate amid his numerous controversies

The chorus of the parody is, 'I'm proud to be a Kamala man, who's quit the GOP.' Pictured last week at the DNC in Chicago

Offerman uses the lyrics of the parody of the 1984 Greenwood song to skewer Trump over a number of scandals he's been involved in

Offerman said in the clip, 'I'm very enthusiastic to be supporting the presidential campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz'

'A rousing anthem about a former Republican voter awakening to the crapulent, unelectable qualities of the GOP ticket and instead seeing his way clear to voting for the decency on offer with our charismatic and powerful VP Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Governor and Top Man Tim Walz,' he wrote.

He added, 'Let this (probably) award-winning ballad salve the open wounds of right-wing hate and disinformation, and welcome you to the team of acceptance that comprehends were all sharing Mother Natures creation.'

Offerman wrapped up in encouraging people to donate to Harris' campaign, saying, 'Join me in goosing the joy and positivity of the Harris-Walz campaign with any filthy lucre you can spare.'

Offerman joins a large group of celebs who have endorsed Harris following President Joe Biden's exit from the race last month. Stevie Wonder, Pink, John Legend and Lil Jon took the stage at the Democratic National Convention last week.
Aussie fans of UK band Oasis have gone wild after a new reunion tour was confirmed by the iconic British rock duo.

After weeks of growing speculation, Manchester brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher finally put their 15-year feud on ice to announce they will be performing together again, 34 years after their first gig.

The brothers, who disbanded in 2009 after a backstage brawl, have sensationally confirmed that Oasis have reformed for a mammoth tour around the UK and Ireland.

But shortly after the band made their announcement, fans flocked to X to beg the duo to add Australia to their tour.

'Phuck I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! YOUR BIGGEST FANS ARE IN AUSTRALIA BRO, WE ARE WAITING FOR OASIS IN SYDNEY & MELBOURNE,' wrote one excited fan.

'You gonna come to Australia the big fellas?' asked another keen Oasis admirer.

'I really hope you guys record a new album and come to Australia for a tour,' wrote someone else.

'Australia!!!! Please, please come to Australia!!!' insisted another X user.

Aussie fans of UK band Oasis have gone wild after a new reunion tour was confirmed by the iconic Britpop duo. Pictured: original lineup of Oasis, left-to-right Paul Arthurs, Liam Gallagher, Noel Gallagher, Tony McCarroll, Paul McGuigan

After weeks of growing speculation, Manchester brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher have finally put their 15-year feud on ice to announce they will be performing together again

Another begged, 'Please come back to Australia,' while one added 'Hoping they'll bring the party to Australia.'

The 14-show UK and Ireland-based 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.

But shortly after the band made their announcement, fans flocked to X to beg the duo to add Australia to their tour

However, plans are under way 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 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'

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.

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.

The Oasis website crashed immediately after the announcement as fans were sent into a frenzy

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.

According to The Sun, the pair reunited for a 'top secret' photoshoot to promote the comeback shows.
Bella Hadid's boyfriend Adan Banuelos shared that the pair did not live in an average love nest at the beginning of their romance.

The 27-year-old model's cowboy partner, 35, said she 'happily' moved into his 5th-wheel trailer, while appearing on the Along For the Ride podcast earlier this month.

'She did do the 5th wheel, happily. It was badass,' the Mexican-American horseman gushed while talking about his lady love.

He emphasized the importance of Hadid  who has since moved into her own house in Texas  understanding his lifestyle before they progressed further.

'It was cool because I really wanted that to be a part of our relationship. You know, you start having feelings for somebody and you start thinking things like, "Man, maybe this is the rest of my life here" and knowing that she is that simple of a human being [and] that the material things arent important  or the most important thing.'

Bella Hadid's, 27, boyfriend Adan Banuelos, 35, said she 'happily' moved into his 5th-wheel trailer at the start of their romance; the pair seen May 3 in NYC

The equestrian also joked that having Hadid living in the trailer made it feel like a mansion.

'That 5th wheel has always felt small and then you get, you know, somebody that you enjoy spending time with and that 5th wheel went from a 5th wheel to a f*****g mansion.'

Adan expressed how impressed he was with Bella's down-to-earth attitude, revealing she would wake up at '2:30 in the morning' to bring everyone breakfast during competitions.

'Being that consistent and that uplifting and positive and warm to everybody she meets and helping with horses and stuff like that it's just freaking amazing,' he stated.

Though the duo enjoyed trailer living for a while, Bella recently went on to purchase her own home in Texas.

Adan explained: 'I'm working on building a home [but] it's gonna take me a little bit but she bought something that was a good investment for her.'

He added that they will determine their primary residence when the time comes.

Adan further gushed about the Vogue cover girl, saying, 'Man, I can't tell you how happy I am. I can't tell you how fortunate I am.'

'It was badass,' the cowboy shared on the Along For the Ride podcast, emphasizing he wanted her to understand his lifestyle before they progressed further; seen in March

'You start having feelings for somebody and you start thinking things like, "Man, maybe this is the rest of my life here" and knowing that she is that simple of a human being [and] that the material things arent important  or the most important thing,' he said

Adan expressed how impressed he was with Bella's down-to-earth attitude, revealing she would wake up at '2:30 in the morning' to bring everyone breakfast during competitions

Though the duo enjoyed trailer living for a while, Bella recently went on to purchase her own home in Texas. Adan explained: 'I'm working on building a home [but] it's gonna take me a little bit'

Banuelos further asserted that Hadid's external beauty 'is nowhere near compared to what she's like as a human being'

'This young lady is one of the kindest, biggest-hearted and sweet person Ive [ever met]. I mean I didnt know God made em like that.'

Banuelos further asserted that Hadid's external beauty 'is nowhere near compared to what she's like as a human being.'

He said she 'deserves the best' and is his number one 'priority.'

The pair's initial encounter occurred at a horse exhibition in Fort Worth, Texas, a year and a half ago, where they bonded over their love of horses.

'From there it went in a positive direction and she puts up with me and she loves me and I'm head over heels for her. It's been absolutely awesome.'

Banuelos is a successful horse rider and notably became one of the youngest individuals to be inducted into the NCHA Hall of Fame back in 2017.

Bella is also an avid equestrian and has competed in events, taking home two rodeo buckles in April - which her mother Yolanda proudly documented at the time.

She notably moved to Fort Worth and purchased a home in a rural neighborhood, TMZ reported earlier this March, but is 'close enough to urban amenities.'

The couple went Instagram official in February, after first meeting at a horse exhibition in Fort Worth, Texas, a year and a half ago, where they bonded over their love of horses

Bella is also an avid equestrian and has competed in events, taking home two rodeo buckles in April - which her mother Yolanda proudly documented at the time

She moved to Fort Worth and purchased a home in a rural neighborhood in the city, TMZ reported earlier this March, but is 'close enough to urban amenities'

She opened up about her life in Texas and her friendships in the state during an interview with Allure back in April. 'We have the best time, and I never feel like I need to do too much.'

'For the first time now, I'm not putting on a fake face. If I don't feel good, I won't go. If I don't feel good, I take time for myself. And I've never had the opportunity to do that or say that before.'

'Now when anybody sees me in pictures and they say, I look happy, I genuinely am. I am feeling better; my bad days now were my old good days,' Bella continued.

Last year, the star notably took a hiatus from modeling due to her battle with Lyme disease.
Heidi Klum was smiley as she headed to work on the America's Got Talent set in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The 51-year-old superstar  who recently stunned in a bejeweled bikini  put on a busty display in a V-neck denim dress from Gap.

The sleeveless number fell below her knees and boasted a modest slit at the front.

The fashionista teamed the outfit with a quilted denim Chanel purse that she draped over her shoulder.

Her ensemble was punctuated by a pair of studded, sky-high Christian Louboutin heels.

Heidi Klum was smiley as she headed to work on the America's Got Talent set in Los Angeles on Tuesday

The 51-year-old superstar put on a busty display in a V-neck denim dress from Gap. The sleeveless number fell below her knees and boasted a modest slit at the front

Klum, who is married to Tokio Hotel musician Tom Kaulitz, wore her long blonde locks in a center part.

The strands were freshly blown out and fell over her chest in a sleek, straight style.

She accessorized with a pair of frameless, rectangular sunglasses and flaunted a long, nude-toned manicure.

Earlier this month the bombshell returned to her work schedule after enjoying a European vacation with her spouse.

Throughout the idyllic getaway she was often seen relaxing topless on the beach.

The former Victoria's Secret Angel also shared topless content with her 12.2 million Instagram followers.

She called her choice to go without a top in St. Barts 'no big deal.'

The talent judge told DailyMail.com that she 'grew up with a lot of nudity' and encourages others to strip off on the beach.

The fashionista teamed the outfit with a quilted denim Chanel purse that she draped over her shoulder

Her ensemble was punctuated by a pair of studded, sky-high Christian Louboutin heels

Klum wore her long blonde locks in a center part

'It's so funny how many people talk about that,' she said of the reaction to her recent photos. '[They] should try it sometime.'

She also noted that she was in a place where beach nudity isn't scandalous.

'Even though I am American, I'm also very much European, so I grew up with a lot of nudity on the beach,' the multihyphenate explained.

'So for me, this would be no big deal. Plus I was on a French island, and if you look around, most girls are topless, so it's just a very common thing,' Heidi emphasized.

The Project Runway alum reiterated: 'So it's not like I'm doing something weird... and I always go to a beach when there's not a lot of people there.

'So I feel like I get into those things when no one is around.'
A pedestrian walks past the technology startup Scale AI office in San Francisco. The San Francisco artificial intelligence firm valued at nearly $14 billion reportedly laid off a significant number of contract workers with little warning this week. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

Scale AI, a San Francisco artificial intelligence firm valued at nearly $14 billion, laid off a significant number of contract workers this week with little warning.

The affected workers were notified via email on Monday by HireArt, the third-party human resources software vendor used by Scale. The message, obtained by Inc., stated that employees no longer need to report to work, and advised them to expect their final paychecks by Friday.

 Tech layoffs: Here are the job cuts impacting Bay Area workers.

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Despite initial social media reports suggesting that 1,300 employees were affected, a Scale spokesperson clarified that the number is substantially lower.

Over the past year, Scale has worked on different projects with different onboarding and oversight needs, the spokesperson said. Last week, less than 65 people were laid off. We built up this contracted workforce and scaled it to appropriate sizing as our operating model evolved over the past nine months, less than 500 have been laid off in the United States.

Scales operations heavily rely on freelancers to refine generative AI systems  a process called tasking that involves annotating and classifying datasets, including images, video and text. Freelancers, who often work with Scales subsidiaries such as Outlier AI and Remotasks, are paid hourly.

Remotasks recently faced allegations of nonpayment to contractors in the Philippines and Africa, while Outlier AI was similarly accused of withholding payments from U.S. contractors. In May, Scale closed its Austin, Texas, office, resulting in additional job cuts.

The same month, the company took over a major portion of the San Francisco office formerly occupied by Airbnb.

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The company spokesperson said the recent reduction was due to a shift in business strategy and did not affect full-time employees. Affected contractors received severance and COBRA coverage through HireArt.

On Reddit, impacted workers expressed frustration. One user said, I am one of the unlucky team leaders who was laid off earlier today. Everything happened so fast, and I didnt say goodbye to my team. Another remarked, Absolutely abysmal how they treated us today.

Scales founder, Alexandr Wang, earlier this year regained the title of youngest self-made billionaire on Forbes billionaires list, after announcing that Scale AI had raised $1 billion in investments, raising its valuation to $13.8 billion. He owns a 14% stake in the company.

I think the entire industry expects that AI is only going to grow, the models are only gonna get bigger, the algorithms are only going to get more complex and, therefore, the requirements on data will continue growing  we want to make sure that were well-capitalized, Wang, 27, told Fortune.

Meanwhile, Brave, a San Francisco company known for its web browser and search services, has cut 27 jobs across multiple departments, TechCrunch reported.

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Brave confirmed the layoffs but didnt disclose a reason for the workforce reduction. PitchBook estimates that the company employs around 191 people, which means about 14% of workers were let go.
TV presenter Barry Du Bois has broken his silence one week after sharing his family's bullying heartbreak to social media.

The Living Room star, 64, recently shared a gut-wrenching post to Instagram, in which he revealed he's struggling to find a way to help his 12-year-old daughter Arabella, who is being bullied at school.

The veteran presenter then urged his followers to give him some advice on how he could help alleviate his daughter's turmoil.

This prompted an outpouring of support and advice from other dads, including from some of his celebrity followers, in the comments section.

And on Tuesday, Barry revealed some sage parenting advice once imparted upon him, alongside a photo of his heels dug into the sand at Bondi Beach.

'My beautiful mum used to say, "leave your worries in your pockets and I will get them out in the wash",' he captioned the post.

'That was always followed with a warm hug. I will try a wash and rinse in the salty water of Bondi.'

Parents flocked to the comments to praise the advice and to wish Arabella the best.

The Living Room star, 64, said that the experience had made him reflect on the advice his own mum used to give him in hard times

'With your permission I'm borrowing that for my boy,' Australian journalist and ABC Mornings co-host Virginia Trioli wrote.

In his original post, Barry made a vulnerable admission about the helplessness parents feel when their child is the victim of school bullying.

'I just watched my little girl walk out the gate of our home, a place where I know she is safe and feels a sense of security and belonging,' Barry began.

'She is heading to a place that doesn't offer that same security, her school. As a parent, I'm supposed to protect and guide her through difficult times, but this morning, I am lost.

'Yesterday, Arabella came home from school claiming she was sick. This isn't the first time it has happened. She wasn't actually sick but is instead being bullied again.'

Barry then made the painful admission he didn't know how to help her and asked his followers for some advice.

'What do you say to a child when you've already said, "Don't let them upset you. Just keep being kind. You are not the horrible things they say".'

'She said, "I don't want to be special; I just want to be liked",' Barry added.

TV presenter Barry Du Bois (right) has shared a heartbreaking post to social media, in which he revealed the helplessness he feels as a parent struggling to help his bullied child

He also admitted he felt 'weak, angry, confused and a little fearful'.

Several of Barry's celebrity friends took to the comment section to offer their advice on how to resolve the situation.

'My mate sent his daughter to Jiu Jitsu after being bullied. She fell in love with it and gained another level of confidence,' wrote The Bachelor Australia star Tim Robards.

'Bullying is not okay, we need to go to the bottom of the problem, who has done it and why. Speak to their parents and take action, we can't allow behaviour like this,' added celebrity chef Miguel Maestre.

'Sometimes you've just got to go up to the parents and say, "your kid bullies mine",' added Married At First Sight's Ryan Gallagher.

The Living Room star, 64, shared the gut-wrenching post to Instagram on Tuesday, where he described how his 12-year-old daughter Arabella (left) was being picked on at school

Barry shared a heart-wrenching post to social media and asked his followers to comment their suggestions on how to help

According to a 2020 OECD report, Australian schools have some of the highest bullying rates in the world.

To effectively address schoolyard bullying, schools should promote a positive culture, implement clear anti-bullying policies, educate students and staff and provide support for victims.

The veteran presenter star shares his twins Bennett and Arabella with wife Leonie, who he married in 1999.
A grand Gold Coast mansion that has played host to some of Hollywood's biggest names has gone up for sale.

The lavish five-bedroom property in Ashmore, which has housed the likes of Jude Law and Amber Heard, is set to go under the hammer at auction next month.

The home is no stranger to high-profile guests and has also hosted billionaire Elon Musk and Aussie film director Baz Luhrmann in recent years, according to The Courier Mail.

It is not the first time the sprawling riverside pad has been up for grabs as it is believed to be the third time it has hit the market since December 2022.

The grand seven-bathroom home failed to find a buyer after it was listed in March this year and is currently being leased for a whopping $6,000 per week.

Though no guide price has been listed for the high-value auction, the palatial spread was last sold in 2005 for an eye-watering $3.1million.

The luxury home, which was build in 2009, is located on a 5,000-square-metre block amidst the secluded surrounds in Ashmore, just 6km from the CBD.

Designed by architect Ewald de Weerd in a glamorous 'old country home' style, construction elements include 180-year-old reclaimed timber, natural stone, Calacatta marble and Tuscan tiles.

A grand Gold Coast mansion that has played host to some of Hollywood's biggest names has gone up for sale (pictured)

The five-bedroom home, which has housed the likes of Amber Heard (pictured with her ex Johnny Depp in 2014), is set to go under the hammer at auction next month

Other impressive features include a sprawling living room with chandeliers, a vaulted ceiling and cosy stone fire place.

There's also a sunken formal dining room, a library with ladder and a lavish room dedicated to 'present wrapping'.

Constructed right on the banks of the Nerang River, the estate has its own 'beach', with a boat ramp, ski hut and pontoon.

Other impressive highlights include a gourmet kitchen with butler's pantry and a powder room.

Designed for luxury fun, there's also extensive timber decking, and a 25-metre pool with its own 'house' and BBQ fire pit.

The private and secluded estate also features a separate guest house, which boasts two bedrooms.

Located on a 5,000 square metre block amidst secluded surrounds in Ashmore, 6kms from the Gold coast CBD, the luxury home boast seven-bedrooms and five-bathrooms (Pictured)

Though no guide price has been listed for the high-value auction, the palatial spread was last sold in 2005 for an eye-watering $3.1million

Built in 2009 and designed by architect Ewald de Weerd in a glamorous 'old country home' style, construction elements feature 180-year-old reclaimed timber and Calacatta marble

The home is no stranger to high-profile guests and has also hosted actor Jude Law (pictured), billionaire Elon Musk and Aussie film director Baz Luhrmann in recent years

The extensive grounds include a pond and a copper carving, adding some further luxury touches to the pad.

There is also a 600-bottle subterranean temperature-controlled wine cellar on site and a spacious outdoor entertaining area.

The property reportedly failed to sell when it was first listed in December 2022 and has had another big marketing push in March 2024, ahead of its auction.

The mansion will go to auction on September 21 through the Amir Prestige Group.
Hannah Neeleman, who has nearly 20 million followers on Instagram and TikTok as Ballerina Farm, relinquished her Mrs. American Crown Tuesday.

The Utah-based beauty queen and 'Trad Wife' influencer, 34, was seen on social media as she was in Las Vegas at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino to turn over her title to Heidi Stephens, who is Mrs. Washington.

'As Mrs American, I am filled with gratitude and joy to have been able to be a part of this journey,' Neeleman said in a clip that aired during the event, according to People. 'What a year it has been.'

Neeleman, a ballet dancer who was trained at New York City's famed The Juilliard School, expressed her gratitude toward her spouse Daniel Neeleman and eight children in her statement.

'I am deeply and forever grateful for the unwavering support of my husband Daniel and our children, Henry, Charles, George, Francis, Lois, Martha, Mabel and Flora,' said Neeleman, who recently defended her traditional lifestyle and marriage. 'Your love and encouragement has been my greatest strength.'

Hannah Neeleman, 34, who has nearly 20 million followers on Instagram and TikTok as Ballerina Farm, relinquished her Mrs. American Crown Tuesday

The Utah-based beauty queen and 'Trad Wife' influencer was seen on social media as she was in Las Vegas to turn over her title

In an Instagram Stories clip on Mrs. American's official Instagram account, Neeleman spoke about her agenda for the occasion, clad in a red gown with her crown and Mrs. America sash.

'OK, tonight is the night that I will be crowning the new Mrs. American,' Neeleman said. 'Big day today.'

Neeleman said that the festivities she was slated to attend included the swimsuit competition, evening gown competition, state costume competition, naming of the top 15 finalists and crowing of the winner.

In a post on her Instagram account earlier Tuesday, Neeleman shared a montage of clips from the past pageant and her current trip to Las Vegas.

Neeleman, who represented the state of South Dakota in the victory, captioned the post, 'Tonight I will be handing off the title as Mrs American. What a year.'

Stephens, representing Washington state, won first place in the pageant, while contestants from Colorado and Utah finished in second and third respectively, the magazine reported.

Neeleman made her initial return to the Mrs. American pageant in Vegas on Saturday, a year after winning the title while 20 weeks pregnant with her eight child.

Over the weekend, Neeleman took to her Instagram Stories to share her journey as she prepared for the pageant where she would crown her successor.

Neeleman said in a clip on Instagram Stories, 'OK, tonight is the night that I will be crowning the new Mrs. American ... big day today'

In a post on her Instagram account earlier Tuesday, Neeleman shared a montage of clips from the past pageant and her current trip to Las Vegas

Neeleman, who represented the state of South Dakota in the victory, captioned the post, 'Tonight I will be handing off the title as Mrs American. What a year'

Neeleman expressed her gratitude toward her spouse Daniel Neeleman and eight children as she prepared to hand off her crown

Neeleman in 2023 won the title while 20 weeks pregnant with her eight child

Heidi Stephens, who is Mrs. Washington, was crowned the winner at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino

Neeleman started off the day fresh-faced while getting ready for rehearsal and shared a clip while holding one of her babies as she documented the process of getting glam for the day.

'Today is just rehearsal, so we're going to do a very fresh face, glowy, beautiful,' Neeleman said.

The next clip saw her in her final look, wearing full glam, a white button-up top, a gold pleated skirt, as well as a 'Mrs. American' sash and her crown; she wrote over the video, 'And I'm off...'

Neeleman then shared a sweet video with her baby Flora, as she touched her face, writing, 'Trying to figure out the "mom with parent makeup."'

Another clip showed Neeleman joined by her baby, her two daughters, as well as her mom, while going for a shopping trip. She also shared a photo of a souvenir yearbook featuring her stunning image as Mrs. American.

Neeleman went on to re-share a clip posted by makeup artists Kelly Tull showing the back of an incredible gown she wore on day one.

Despite all the glam, Neeleman admitted that being a mom was her favorite 'look' of the week.

The influencer posted a snap of herself with her baby strapped to her chest writing, 'Out of all the "looks" I have this week.... This one is always my favorite. Just a mom, ya know?'

Neeleman made her return to the Mrs. American pageant in Vegas on Saturday, a year after winning the title while 20 weeks pregnant with her eight child

The entrepreneur famously won the 2023 Mrs. American pageant, in which married state title holders from across America compete for the top title

The popular 'Trad Wife' influencer and Ballerina Farm founder took to her Instagram Stories to share her journey as she prepared for the pageant where she would crown her successor

'Today is just rehearsal, so we're going to do a very fresh face, glowy, beautiful,' she stated

Her final in her final look for the day consisted of a white button-up top, a gold pleated skirt, as well as a 'Mrs. American' sash and her crown

The entrepreneur famously won the 2023 Mrs. American pageant, in which married state title holders from across America compete for the top title.

At the time she was 20 weeks pregnant with her eighth child, daughter Flora Jo.

She later went on to compete in Mrs. World 12 days after giving birth to Flora.

Earlier this week she shared a montage video from the last pageant, writing, 'A night I will never forget.

'This year has flown by. Heading to Las Vegas next week to crown my successor! I was 20 weeks pregnant with miss Flora Jo during this pageant,' she added.

The video shows her in a sequin mini dress, as struts down the runway. Her husband, JetBlue heir Daniel Neeleman joins her, escorting her across the stage.

She later wears a plunging swimsuit and platform heels, then a glittering ball gown. The video concludes with her being crowned the winner.

Hannah recently defended her traditional farming lifestyle and marriage after a Times of London article scrutinized it.

Hannah went on to re-share a clip posted by makeup artists Kelly Tull showing the back of an incredible gown she wore on day one

She later shared a photo of a souvenir yearbook featuring her stunning image as Mrs. American

She effortlessly balanced motherhood with her work

She introduced her youngest child Flora to another glamorous contestant

She also posted a sweet video with Flora, as she touched her face, writing, 'Trying to figure out the "mom with parent makeup"'

Readers were in shock over the in-depth piece, which detailed moments of her husband speaking over her, and revealed she was left so exhausted from her hectic lifestyle that she was bedridden for days.

Fans took to social media to share their thoughts, with many declaring they must 'save her.'

In a recent Instagram clip, Hannah addressed the Times article, admitting she and her husband were 'shocked' when they read it.

'A couple of weeks ago, we had a reporter come into our home to learn more about our family and business,' the beauty pageant competitor began. 'We thought the interview went really well.

'We were taken [aback], however, when we saw the printed article - which shocked us, and shocked the world by it being an attack on my family and my marriage,' she added.

She added that she was inaccurately portrayed as 'oppressed, with my husband being the culprit.'

'This couldn't be further from the truth,' she clarified, noting she believes the profile's angle was predetermined.

'Together we have built a business from scratch,' she affirmed. 'We've brought eight children into this world, and have prioritized our marriage all along the way.'

Hannah was once an aspiring ballerina, moving to New York City at 17 to study at Juilliard. She met her now-spouse Daniel shortly after.

Another clip showed her joined by her baby, her two daughters, as well as her mom, while going for a shopping trip

Despite all the glam, Neeleman admitted that being a mom was her favorite 'look' of the week

Hannah also famously competed in Mrs. World, just 12 days after giving birth to Flora

The influencer recently defended her traditional farming lifestyle and marriage to JetBlue heir Daniel Neeleman after a Times of London article scrutinized it

Readers were in shock over the in-depth piece, which revealed she was left so exhausted from her hectic lifestyle at times that she was bedridden for days

The couple - who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - often share glimpses of their idyllic life on social media, posting under the handle @BallerinaFarm, the name of their shared company.

They launched their brand, which sells an array of products made from their livestock including meat, desserts and produce, in 2019.

The homemaker has amassed millions of followers on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube from her 'Trad Wife' content, a term short for 'traditional wife.'

It refers to a woman who carries out conventional domestic duties like cooking, cleaning and raising children.

At the end of her video, the blonde beauty assured viewers, 'We are co-parents, co-CEOs, co-diaper changers, kitchen cleaners and decision makers, we are one.'
EXCLUSIVE

Gold Logie-winning presenter Larry Emdur remains 'totally focused' on work despite allegedly being stalked by an obsessed fan after he scooped the top gong at this month's TV night of nights.

Concerned viewers spotted the Channel Seven stalwart was missing from The Morning Show on Wednesday as news broke that NSW Police had been forced to take out an AVO to protect him from an allegedly obsessed fan.

However, Daily Mail Australia can reveal the Seven star is still at work and was on a pre-arranged break from the program as he films the next season of his hit game show, The Chase Australia.

Network insiders reassured Daily Mail Australia the tireless entertainer remained in good spirits and was hoping to 'get on with the job' with minimal distractions.

NSW Police were called to Seven's Eveleigh headquarters at about 11.15am last Thursday after Victorian man Rodney Pearce, 52, allegedly attempted to enter 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.

Pearce was arrested and taken to hospital for assessment before he was then taken to Surry Hills Police Station.

Larry Emdur collected the coveted Gold Logie at the TV industry awards night last week

The Seven star's wife, Sylvie, helps him celebrate the win at the TV Week Logie Awards

He was charged with trespass and possession of a prohibited drug.

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 coming 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.

After four decades on the screen, the television personality finally took home the top award.

Network Seven did not comment as the matter is before the court.

The incident allegedly unfolded at Seven's Eveleigh headquarters in Sydney's south
Chrishell Stause showed off her incredible figure as she joined her spouse G Flip for a relaxing day at the beach in Mykonos, Greece, on Monday.

The Selling Sunset star, 43, and the Aussie drummer, 30, put on a very loved-up display as they enjoyed a dip in the sea during their sun-soaked holiday.

The couple, who tied the knot in May last year, were also joined by Kim Kardashian's hairstylist pal Chris Appleton for the fun-filled day out.

Chrishell put her toned physique on display in a skimpy white sequinned bikini while she shielded her eyes with a pair of metallic shades.

G Flip, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, sported a black two-piece and black sunglasses which showed off their intricate tattoos.

Chris, who is a hairstylist to the stars, showed off his muscular frame as he went shirtless in white board shorts for the beach day.

The trio all appeared to be in jovial spirits as they were all seen laughing and joking together during the outing.

Chrishell and G Flip have been relaxing at the One & Only Resort on Kea Island in Greece.

Chrishell Stause showed off her incredible figure as she joined her spouse G Flip for a relaxing day at the beach in Mykonos, Greece, on Monday

The couple, who tied the knot in May last year, were also joined by Kim Kardashian's hairstylist pal Chris Appleton for the fun-filled day out

The Selling Sunset star, 43, looked incredible as she relaxed on the beach and enjoyed a dip in the sea during their sun-soaked holiday

The couple first tied the knot in Las Vegas in May 2023 and had another wedding in Australia last month to renew their vows.

G Flip recently shared intimate new details about the special day during the launch of Instagram's new podcast series, Off The Handle.

Speaking with host Rudy Jean Rigg in early August, the talented musician opened up about their unique approach to wedding celebrations and their heartfelt vows.

G Flip revealed that they wanted to have another celebration after some of their loved ones were unable to make their spontaneous first nuptials.

'If you do it really last minute, a lot of people can't make it, and then they can come to the next one. It's like a birthday party, you celebrate your birthday every year, we reckon you should celebrate your love every year,' they explained.

Chrishell put her toned physique on display in a skimpy white bikini while she shielded her eyes with a pair of metallic shades

She styled her caramel locks in a loose fashion cascading over her shoulders as she relaxed on the golden sands

Chrishell showed off her signature style as she opted for a glitzy sequinned bikini for the beach day

G Flip, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, sported a black two-piece and black sunglasses which showed off their intricate tattoos

Chris, who is a hairstylist to the stars, showed off his muscular frame as he went shirtless in white board shorts for the beach day

G Flip and Chris were seen smiling as they both cooled off with a dip in the ocean during the balmy holiday

The trio all appeared to be in jovial spirits as they were all seen laughing and joking together during the outing

They continued, 'Next year, you know, because so many people didn't make it. There's a new fresh group of people who are like, "Oh, I want to come."

'And then it's like, "Ah, so yeah, a yearly wedding." And like, don't put too much thought into it. Cause like, we never want to be stressed. So we just had it in a bar.'

Reflecting on their first impromptu wedding in Las Vegas, G Flip added: 'This one had to be the most planned, because when me and Chrishell got married in Vegas, my family were filthy that they weren't invited.

'It was literally... it was 3pm and we decided we're going to get married at midnight.

'My best mate put effort into it and it surprised me. We were both like, "Wow, this is the most official wedding of all the weddings, but we're on a wedding world tour".'

G Flip teased that they might have another wedding next year, adding: 'We might be like randomly in Italy and then we'll decide tonight we should get married again, renew some vows and then we'll just pick random people in the bar.'

Chrishell and G Flip looked as loved-up as ever as they chatted and laughed on the beach together
Francis Ford Coppola is doubling down on his decision to cast a controversial group of actors for his new movie Megalopolis.

The renowned film director, 85, admitted he purposefully included 'canceled' actors in his movie, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

The filmmaker  who was caught up in controversy himself recently after he was accused of unprofessional behavior and kissing women on set  explained that he wanted the diverse and divisive group to be 'all working on one film together.'

'That was interesting, I thought,' he told Rolling Stone in an interview published on Sunday.

The controversial cast for his movie includes Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman.

Francis Ford Coppola is doubling down on his decision to cast a controversial group of actors for his new movie Megalopolis. The renowned film director, 85, admitted he purposefully included 'canceled' actors in his movie, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May

'What I didn't want to happen is that we're deemed some woke Hollywood production that's simply lecturing viewers,' he said.

'The cast features people who were canceled at one point or another,' he told the outlet.

'There were people who are archconservatives and others who are extremely politically progressive,' he said. 'But we were all working on one film together. That was interesting, I thought.'

He also explained that he wanted to 'start a conversation' with the movie and redirect people to 'really look at why this country is so divided right now.'

He went on to share what he respected about each of the 'canceled' stars, who have at one point or another been involved in newsworthy controversies.

LaBeouf, 38, was publicly accused in 2020 of assaulting former girlfriends.

FKA Twigs filed a lawsuit, claiming her ex put her through 'relentless' sexual battery, physical assault, and emotional abuse.

Voight, 85, is an outspoken conservative and staunch supporter of Donald Trump.

The controversial cast for his movie includes Shia LaBeouf and Jon Voight. Coppola explained that he wanted the diverse and divisive group to be 'all working on one film together.'

Dustin Hoffman, 87, is also a part of the controversial cast. He allegedly assaulted his former co-stars  specifically, seven women accused him of sexual and harassment in 2017; seen in July

Coppola went on to share what he respected about each of the 'canceled' stars, who have at one point or another been involved in newsworthy controversies. LaBeouf, 38, was publicly accused in 2020 of assaulting former girlfriends; seen in May

Voight, 85, is an outspoken conservative and staunch supporter of Donald Trump; seen in February 2022

Hoffman, 87, allegedly assaulted his former co-stars  specifically, seven women accused him of sexual and harassment in 2017.

For LaBoeuf, Coppola said he respected his extreme method acting.

'I did a weird thing with Megalopolis because I could only rehearse with about a third of the cast, maybe a little more. I had Aubrey Plaza. I had Nathalie Emmanuel. I didn't have Adam [Driver]. But I had given everybody understudies like it was a play, and I said, "What I'll do is, I'll do the rehearsal, and regarding the actors I don't have, I'll use the understudies. It was a very creative, interesting week of rehearsals. You could see the actors find the characters. Shia really took to it.'

'I had no experience working with him prior to this, but he deliberately sets up a tension between himself and the director to an extreme degree,' he said.

'He reminds me of Deniss Hopper, who would do something similar, and then you'd say, "Just go do anything," and then they go off and do something brilliant.'

On Voight, Coppola admitted that even though they have different political beliefs, they still worked well together.

'This steers me toward politics, and my publicist will yell at me if I start talking about politics. This movie won't cure our ills. But I honestly believe that what will save us is the fact that we've got to talk about the future.'

'We want to be able to ask any questions we have to ask in order to really look at why this country is so divided right now, and that's going to provide an energy that will defeat those people who want to destroy our republic,' he said.

Coppola explained that he wanted to 'start a conversation' with the movie and redirect people to 'really look at why this country is so divided right now'; seen in March 2022

Megalopolis, which stars Adam Driver among many others, will be out in theaters on September 27

'I made this film to contribute to that,' he continued. 'And all I want is for this movie to start a conversation.'

Coppola said: 'You can't have a utopia without a conversation.'

Megalopolis, which also stars Giancarlo Esposito, Grace VanderWaal and Chloe Fineman among many others in addition to the aforementioned actors, is a Roman epic set in an imagined Modern America.

The logline for the upcoming science-fiction drama reads: 'The city of New Rome is the main conflict between Cesar Catilina (Driver), a brilliant artist in favor of a utopian future, and the greedy mayor Franklyn Cicero (Esposito). Between them is Julia Cicero (Emmanuel), her loyalty divided between her father and her beloved.'

Megalopolis will premiere in theaters on September 27.
NRL star Victor Radley looked thrilled to be embracing fatherhood on Tuesday as he visited Bronte Beach in Sydney with his wife Taylah and their newborn son Vinnie.

The 26-year-old Roosters player went shirtless for the outing and showcased his chiseled physique while enjoying the sun-soaked day.

He exuded fatherly pride as he doted on his baby and shared precious moments with his partner.

Victor could not wipe the smile off his face as his son sat on his shoulders.

Meanwhile, partner Taylah turned up the heat in a racy black bikini which showcased her slender frame and flawless skin.

The couple's chemistry with undeniable as they enjoyed some downtime at the family friendly beach.

Later in the day, Radley donned a navy tee and white shorts.

NRL star Victor Radley looked thrilled to be embracing fatherhood on Tuesday as he visited Bronte Beach in Sydney with his wife Taylah and their newborn son Vinnie. All pictured

The 26-year-old Roosters player went shirtless for the outing and showcased his chiseled physique while enjoying the sun-soaked day.

He exuded fatherly pride as he doted on his baby and shared precious moments with his partner

Victor could not wipe the smile off his face as his son sat on his shoulders

The lovebirds looked smitten with each other as they soaked up the sun and had a fun day out with their son, who they welcomed in January.

Victor, who has been playing with the St. George Roosters club since 2017, went public with Taylah in 2022.

The beauty works as a model and business partner for luxury resort wear brand Kiyomii.

The couple's chemistry with undeniable as they enjoyed some downtime at the family friendly beach

Later in the day, Radley donned a navy tee and white shorts

The lovebirds looked smitten with each other as they soaked up the sun and had a fun day out with their son, who they welcomed in January

Earlier this year, Radley - who made his NRL debut with the Roosters in 2017 - re-listed his lavish home in Sydney's east, with a price guide of over $4million.

Located in Waverley, just 8km from the CBD, the four-bedroom, three-bathroom pad was bought by Radley in 2021 for $2,999,000.

The two-time premiership winner has since renovated the property, and chose to put the home on the market as he is seeking a larger house for his expanding family.
Pip Edwards looked tanned and fresh faced on Tuesday when she arrived back at her Rose Bay home in Sydney after a long luxury getaway to Europe.

The P.E Nation co-founder, 44, was spotted outside her house with a mystery man as she donned a very summery outfit.

She flaunted her slim pins in a pair of very mini jean shorts and slipped into an oversized green button-down she tied off at the waist.

Rocking a very bronzed complexion after her overseas sojourn, Pip opted for a very colourful pair of sandals to elevate her ensemble.

She also donned a pair of designer shades and a few staple pieces of jewellery, stacking several rings on her fingers.

Without a lick of makeup in sight, Pip highlighted her genetically blessed features as she pulled back her short blonde tresses into a bun tied off with a scarf.

Meanwhile, the mystery man she was spotted with kept things thing casual in a khaki coloured T-shirt and black shorts, along with a cap worn backwards.

It comes after Pip took to Instagram last Thursday to show off some sun-filled snaps of her trip to Spain.

Pip Edwards, 44, (pictured) looked tanned and fresh faced on Tuesday when she arrived back at her Rose Bay home in Sydney after a long luxury getaway to Europe

The fashion designer flaunted her stunning beach body in a gallery of photos as she enjoyed some downtime with friends in Majorca.

In one snap the ultra-fit entrepreneur could be seen posing on a rock in a skimpy fleshed coloured two-piece that showed off her amazing figure.

The popular designer tied her hair back for her day in the sun and sea, captioning her post: 'Another magical day in Mallorca.'

The P.E Nation co-founder was spotted outside her house with a mystery man as she donned a very summery outfit

She flaunted her slim pins in a pair of very mini jean shorts and slipped into an oversized green button-down she tied off at the waist

Rocking a very bronzed complexion after her overseas sojourn, Pip opted for a very colourful pair of sandals to elevate her ensemble

She also donned a pair of designer shades and a few staple pieces of jewellery, stacking several rings on her fingers

Without a lick of makeup in sight, Pip highlighted her genetically blessed features as she pulled back her short blonde tresses into a bun tied off with a scarf

Meanwhile, the mystery man she was spotted with kept things thing casual in a khaki coloured T-shirt and black shorts, along with a cap worn backwards

Pip added a touch of style to her look with a delicate necklace, gold earrings and a pair of bangles.

Another pictured showed Pip sporting designer shades while hitching her barely there bikini bottoms over her hips.

The mother-of-one also shared a snap that showed off her physical prowess.

In the photograph, the designer could be seen taking a perfectly formed dive into the water from a rocky outcrop.

Pip was all smiles as she rocked a very summery look

The mystery man appeared to be checking out Pip's utilities

Pip kept her locks out of her face with a blue and white scarf
KIIS FM allocated millions of dollars to promote The Kyle and Jackie O Show to Melbourne audiences to coincide with its April premiere.

The top rating Sydney show debuted in Melbourne on April 29 and hosts Kyle Sandilands, 53, and Jackie 'O' Henderson, 49, made the bold prediction it would become the cities number one breakfast show.

On Wednesday, The Daily Telegraph reported that ARN budgeted close to $3million to market Kyle and Jackie O in Melbourne, and told shareholders they anticipated a 40 per cent increase in listener share.

Further, ARN released a statement on the Australian Stock Exchange in which they detailed their internal findings as to why Kyle and Jackie O would be a success in the city.

In the lead up to Kyle and Jackie O's Melbourne premiere, promotional billboards and posters were prominently displayed throughout the city, and KIIS FM enlisted the help of celebrities such as Guy Sebastian to promote the show.

The media company also reportedly told the ASX they were confident the show would eventually attract a whopping 10 per cent audience share, but cautioned that it, 'takes time to build a new show in a new market'.

According to the newly released 5th radio ratings survey results for 2024 from GFK, 491,000 Melbourne listeners have recently been tuning into The Kyle and Jackie O Show.

However, their former station mates turned rivals Jason 'Jase' Hawkins and Lauren Phillips are now Melbourne's most listened to breakfast show on Nova.

KIIS FM allocated millions of dollars to promote The Kyle and Jackie O Show to Melbourne audiences to coincide with its April premiere: Pictured: Sydney radio royalty Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson

In the lead up to Kyle and Jackie O's Melbourne premiere, promotional billboards and posters were prominently displayed throughout the city, and KIIS FM enlisted the help of celebrities such as Guy Sebastian to promote the show

Earlier this week, the dumped KIIS FM stars 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, was 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.

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.'

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.

The Jase and Lauren Show, which now airs on rival network Nova FM , was crowned Melbourne's most listened to breakfast program. (Pictured: Jason 'Jase' Hawkins and Lauren Phillips)

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.
Nancy Dell'Olio broke down in tears during a heartbreaking Good Morning Britain interview on Wednesday, as she emotionally recalled her final conversation with 'love of her life' Sven-Goran Eriksson before his death.

The lawyer, 63, reflected on her relationship with the England manager, sharing that they tried to make plans to meet up for dinner before his death, but failed to do before his passing on Monday.

Sven passed away on Monday morning aged 76 following his battle against pancreatic cancer.

He and Nancy met in 1998 when he was manager at Rome club Lazio and began their romance, three years before he got the job as England manager.

During the moving interview, Nancy shared that she and Sven stayed in touch after she learned he was battling cancer.

Nancy Dell'Olio broke down in tears during a heartbreaking Good Morning Britain interview on Wednesday, as she emotionally recalled her final conversation with Sven-Goran Eriksson

The lawyer reflected on her relationship with the England manager, sharing that they tried to make plans to meet up for dinner before his death, but failed to do before his passing

She said: 'I just said he was trying to put in the effort to say that he was fine on the phone because most of the time he was not answering or at treatment.

'I never thought that he was about to die. I always believed there would be some sort of miracle.'

Breaking down, Nancy apologised, with host Richard Madeley then ending the interview.

Speaking about their contact while Sven battled his illness, Nancy said he would always sound 'relaxed' and 'laughing', and he would try and reassure her concerns.

She said: 'It was hard, but he sounded so relaxed and we were laughing and he would just say 'I feel okay'.

'It was quite difficult to even be talking but I tried to be fearless and see how he was. I wanted to get together for another dinner.'

Nancy also admitted she still loved Sven and that he was 'a kind person' saying: 'I find it difficult being here talking about Sven knowing that he is not here with us anymore.

'He was loveable, when you love someone you will love them forever. He was a very kind person. He is more reserved and that is why the opposite always got attention.

She said: ' I just said he was trying to put in the effort to say that he was fine on the phone because most of the time he was not answering or at treatment'

Sven and Nancy met in 1998 when he was manager at Rome club Lazio and began their romance, three years before he got the job as England manager (pictured in 2006)

She moved with Sven to London after he got the top job, but it wasn't long before he embarked on an affair with Ulrika Jonsson (pictured in 2021) at the start of 2002

Nancy stuck by Sven, but he then had another affair in 2004 with the then Football Association secretary Faria Alam (pictured in 2005)

'We connected he would say when he saw me the first time that he thought I was the one. For me, it was not the same as I was married, and it happened months later.'

Nancy moved with Sven to London after he got the top job as England boss, but it wasn't long before he embarked on an affair with Swedish television presenter Ulrika Jonsson at the start of 2002.

Nancy stuck by Sven, but he had another affair in 2004 with the then Football Association secretary Faria.

But she said on GMB in her first interview since his death: 'I made an important choice. I didn't want to regret the decision I made (to leave her husband).

'He admitted himself that he was very stupid and he told me immediately the flings meant nothing to him.'

It comes after she hastily amended her tribute to her ex earlier this week after accidentally referring him to her 'husband' in a heartfelt post after his death.

The pair previously had a ten year relationship and were thought to have never married, but Nancy referred to him as her husband as she reflected on their years together in the heartfelt post.

Nancy took to her Instagram to share a slew of previously unseen photos of the pair of them together and in the caption she called Sven her 'ex-husband' and reflected on the ups and downs of the relationship, but insisted that 'love never truly fades'.

However, she's since backtracked on her words and changed the post to refer to Sven as her 'ex-partner' instead.

The glamorous Italian - who left her husband Giancarlo Massa for the coach - was a constant by his side and pictured with him at several tournaments.

One loved-up snap saw her sitting in Sven's lap laughing, as he wrapped his arms around her waist, while another saw the pair gazing adoringly into each other's eyes.

It comes after she hastily amended her tribute to her ex earlier this week after accidentally referring him to her 'husband' in a heartfelt post after his death

Nancy also told how she was able to move past Sven's infidelities with Ulrika Jonsson and Faria Alam after he branded them 'stupid mistakes'

Nancy initially wrote: 'It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of my ex-husband, Sven. Though our relationship had its ups and downs, I choose to remember the good times we shared and the moments that brought joy to our lives.

'I will always hold onto those cherished memories and extend my deepest condolences to his family, as well as his beloved children, Lina and Johan.

'When you love someone, that love never truly fades. Rest in peace, Sven. You will be missed.'

She later changed the first line to: 'It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of my ex-partner Sven.'

Several of Nancy's followers took to the comments to write messages of condolence, including WAG Rebekah Vardy who shared red heart emojis.

Despite the media storm around his infidelities, Nancy chose to stay with Sven and when he led England to the World Cup in Germany in 2006, flamboyant Nancy, dressed in designer outfits, organised parties for the WAGS in their base at Baden Baden.

Speaking on a Amazon Prime documentary about his life, Sven spoke candidly about his affairs, but insisted that 'sex is one of the good things in life for all of us', he wasn't married and didn't break any hearts

However, the couple eventually went their separate ways in August 2007 after a decade together.

Writing about their relationship in her book My Beautiful Game, Nancy gushed: 'I'm proud to have talked about the beautiful love story that linked me to Sven, it's one of the two great love stories of my life.'

Speaking on a Amazon Prime documentary about his life, Sven spoke candidly about his affairs, but insisted that 'sex is one of the good things in life for all of us', he wasn't married and didn't break any hearts.

Talking about when his fling with Ulrika emerged, he said: 'Sex is one of the good things in life for all of us. She was not married. I was not married.

'Probably I was stupid but I think I didn't do anything criminal. I didn't really disturb anyone.'

He explained how Nancy had wanted to leave him, but changed her mind, saying: 'She loved it. The tension. She was a lady from the upper classes in Rome. She liked to go out with important people.

'In the beginning I didn't react very much. But you don't change people at a certain age. It was not peace in my house always.'

Nancy also appeared on the documentary, and admitted she loved Sven, saying: 'The first impression that I had about Sven, people in power always have extra, extra sex appeal. I felt in love.

'It wasn't something that I was looking for. I was married and I left my husband to start my journey with Sven.

'We were Sven and Nancy since the first date. I was the first lady of English football and there was never going to be another one after me.'

Faria Alam had an affair with Sven and FA chief executive Mark Palios. She was forced to resign but gave a series of kiss and tell interviews.

Speaking to the documentary she said: 'The Noughties were just that, they were naughty.

'You could do so many things. I'll be honest, I was a beautiful girl and I attracted a lot of attention.

'He said, "Tell your story, go and tell them everything. Make some money, why not?".'

Reports at the time suggested she may have made 300,000 from deals with newspapers.

Describing their relationship she said: 'He didn't have the mindset of a super-rich man. He talked to me about poetry, he talked to me about art.

'He was saying how he did yoga and things like that.

'And I just fell in love with him, I guess. And that lit the fuse for all this to explode'.

But she was angry at being painted as a 'gold digger' when the story broke, adding: 'I'm the person that's the bad person, and I was the scapegoat for them to be relieved of any responsibility'.

Sven revealed in January that he had 'best case a year' to live following his pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

After his announcement, Nancy called the news 'devastating', saying she 'knew he was ill' but had no idea of the extent of his condition.

The Italian also shared her devastation at Sven's diagnosis when she made an appearance on Loose Women at the start of the year and admitted she had no idea that Sven had 'at best a year to live'

At the time she told MailOnline: 'I didn't think 2024 would open with more bad news. I knew that Sven was ill, but it hurts so much to hear this.

'It's a really negative moment. In September my mother died and I can't get over this loss. It's like having an open wound that instead of healing keeps getting worse.

'Sven's announcement was devastating. I knew he wasn't well, but hearing his words really. Life can be cruel.'

Nancy also revealed that she and Sven were due to get married, but said that life had got in the way.

When asked about reports they had been due to tie the knot she said: 'Yes but it never happened.

'Life never knows what awaits you, changes have occurred, difficult days have arrived and many trials to face.'

The Italian also shared her devastation at Sven's diagnosis when she made an appearance on Loose Women at the start of the year and admitted she had no idea that Sven had 'at best a year to live'.

She confessed she was feeling 'very emotional' after she learned he had cancer.

Nancy told the panel: 'I learned a year ago. I knew it was serious. I was very pleased that he decided to go public because he received such support and I think he made the right decision.

'I was shocked when I learned he was seriously ill but I learned from the press that he only had a year. I didn't know. I find it so difficult to cope with the idea you only have a year. It's not 90 minutes yet. I do believe in miracles.'

Sven became the first foreign manager of the England national team in 2001, taking charge of 67 matches until 2006. He led the talented squad to quarter-finals of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, and at the 2004 European Championships.

Leading the tributes after his death was the Prince of Wales, who tweeted: 'Sad to hear about the passing of Sven-Goran Eriksson. I met him several times as England manager and was always struck by his charisma and passion for the game

Prince William is pictured with Sven Goran-Eriksson in 2006 during an England training session

Meanwhile, David Beckham shared a heart-breaking tribute to Sven on Instagram - featuring what appears to be his final meeting with the ex-England manager

Eriksson managed a 'golden generation' of players with England, including David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard.

He also managed Swedish, Portuguese and Italian clubs, winning major trophies in the 1980s and 1990s before taking on the England job.

Bo Gustavsson, an agent in Sweden who worked with Eriksson, said in a statement issued on Monday: 'Sven-Goran Eriksson has passed away.

'After a long illness, SGE died during the morning at home surrounded by family.

'The closest mourners are daughter Lina; son Johan with wife Amana and granddaughter Sky; father Sven; girlfriend Yanisette with son Alcides; brother Lars-Erik with wife Jumnong.

'The family asks for respect for their wish to mourn in private and not be contacted. Condolences and greetings can be left on the website www.svengoraneriksson.com.'

Leading the tributes after his death was the Prince of Wales, who tweeted: 'Sad to hear about the passing of Sven-Goran Eriksson. I met him several times as England manager and was always struck by his charisma and passion for the game.

'My thoughts are with his family and friends. A true gentleman of the game. W.'

Meanwhile, David Beckham shared a heart-breaking tribute to Sven on Instagram - featuring what appears to be his final meeting with the ex-England manager.

Becks' social media post features a silent clip of him and the late Swede, 76, walking, talking and laughing at what appears to be Eriksson's home in Sunne on an unspecified date.

Beckham wrote: 'We laughed, we cried & we knew we were saying goodbye.

'Sven thank you for always being the person you have always been , passionate , caring, calm & a true gentleman.

'I will be forever grateful for you making me your captain but I will forever hold these last memories of this day with you and your family.

'Thank you Sven and in your last words to me: 'It will be ok'.'
Veteran Channel Seven weather presenter Liz Cantor announced her resignation from her position on Wednesday, after 17 years with the network.

The charismatic TV host, 41, shared the shock news in a statement, and revealed she would be making the move over to rival network Channel Ten.

'I was a seven, now I'm a ten,' Cantor was reported to have told the Courier Mail.

'I feel honoured to be part of the return of local news to Queensland. I'm really excited to take weather out into our community,' Cantor added in a statement.

In a surprising move, Liz will be presenting on 10 News First Queensland alongside another former Channel Seven reporter, Sharyn Ghidella, who also left the network earlier this year.

Cantor, who will start her new role on Monday, took to Instagram to pay tribute to her former colleagues and share her excitement at the career move.

Alongside a gallery of precious photos of her working at the network, Liz wrote some heartfelt words: 'I just want to use this space to take a moment and jump in to say thank you to my 7News colleagues.

'I cherish the friendships, experiences, lessons and growth I've experienced while running alongside you all, over the past 17 years.

'You're the most incredible, hard working bunch of inspirational people. I count my lucky stars I got to share such an influential part of my life with you all.'

Veteran Channel Seven weather presenter Liz Cantor (pictured) announced her resignation from her position on Wednesday, after 17 years with the network

The shock news comes after Sharyn Ghidella, 57, also confirmed her exciting new job after her shock axing from Seven.

The Queensland-based news presenter was sacked from 7News last month after 17 years with the network amid a string of media job cuts.

She later confirmed she will be joining Network 10 to anchor the 5pm Queensland news bulletin.

Her move to the network will also bring the 10 News First show back to its Brisbane studios after years of it being read from Sydney.

The charismatic TV host, 41, shared the shock news in a statement, and revealed she would be making the move over to rival network Channel Ten. (Pictured L - R: Veteran presenters Rod Young, Kay McGrath, Cantor and Rohan Welsh)

Sharyn described her new job as a 'full-circle moment' as she returns to Network 10 after beginning her metro news career with the channel back in 1990.

10 News First's current presenter Sandra Sully will hand over the reins, saying she is 'thrilled' Sharyn is taking on the role.

There has been a cost-cutting bloodbath at Seven as the network's news division comes under new management.

Other major names to go include veterans Robert Ovadia, Andrew Frampton and seasoned Melbourne crime reporter Cameron Baud.
Renee Zellweger was pictured trekking through the woods as she filmed some gloomy scenes for Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy.

The actress, 55, who has played the titular character since 2001, shot footage for the fourth instalment in Keswick in the Lake District National Park last week.

Production company, Working Title, confirmed earlier this month that the movie will hit cinemas on Valentine's Day next year and said that filming had finally wrapped.

However, it seems that there were still some more shots to finish, as Renee embarked on a rainy school camping trip with her teacher love interest, played by Marvel star Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Bridget traversed around the woodland in a waterproof jacket and bucket hat before telling the children stories around the fire.

Renee Zellweger was pictured trekking through the woods as she filmed some gloomy scenes for Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy

The actress, 55, who has played the titular character since 2001, shot footage for the fourth instalment in Keswick in the Lake District National Park last week

The fourth instalment in the acclaimed franchise is based on the book of the same name by Helen Fielding.

It follows Bridget as she battles motherhood alone following the tragic death of husband Mark, who was played in the previous films by Colin Firth.

In the last movie, Bridget Jones's Baby, she is seen attending the memorial of her other on-off love Daniel Cleaver, played by Hugh Grant, who is presumed dead after a plane crash. He is later found alive.

The much loved character enjoys a fling with a hunky toyboy named Rockstar, who is played by One Day star Leo Woodall, 27, after the pair meet on social media.

As well as her love affair with Rockstar, the lovable diarist will also explore a romantic connection with her son's PE teacher Mr Walker, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, while also reviving her on-off relationship with Hugh Grant's Daniel.

Production company, Working Title, shared an update to X on August 9 after filming for the next instalment wrapped and confirmed that it will hit cinemas on Valentine's Day.

A photo uploaded to their account shows a director's chair in front of the iconic character's Borough Market home with The Globe Tavern seen in the background.

'That's a wrap. See you on Valentines Day,' they captioned.

Production company, Working Title, confirmed earlier this month that the movie will hit cinemas on Valentine's Day next year and said filming had finally wrapped

However, it seems that there were still some more shots to finish, as Renee embarked on a rainy school camping trip

She was joined by her teacher love interest, played by Marvel star Chiwetel Ejiofor

Bridget traversed around the woodland in a waterproof jacket and bucket hat before telling the children stories around the fire

At one point mud covered Bridget was seen rolling around on the ground while taking some photos

The character was seen in dirty denim dungarees and a pink top

Production company, Working Title, shared an update to X on August 9 after filming for the next instalment wrapped and confirmed that it will hit cinemas on Valentine's Day

The fourth instalment in the acclaimed franchise is based on the book of the same name by Helen Fielding

It follows Bridget as she battles motherhood alone following the tragic death of husband Mark, who was played in the previous films by Colin Firth

However, filming soon resumed with Renee seen back on set with Leo on August 26 outside Borough Market.

The pair were seen walking past Bridget's iconic flat above The Globe Tavern, where the character lived in the first films.

The street outside was famously the site for the iconic fight between Mark Darcy and Daniel Cleaver in the first film as they vied for Bridget's affections.

The Mail on Sunday previously revealed that Bridget will give up her famous bachelorette pad in favour of a family home in leafy Hampstead, North London, where many scenes have been filmed in the past few months.

It was also revealed Colin Firth's Mark Darcy is to be reunited with Bridget Jones after all.

When the actor's name was absent from the cast list, fans feared his character had been killed off.

In Helen Fielding's novels after he marries Bridget, he later dies while working abroad as a human rights lawyer.

However, in exclusive photographs from the set of Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, Renee is seen lovingly interacting with her co-star Colin.

Fielding's Mad About The Boy novel had Bridget navigating life as a widow four years after Darcy's death, his return is a huge surprise, which film bosses were desperate to keep under wraps.

A source said: 'Colin was always going to appear in the movie but it was supposed to be a secret.'

The much loved character enjoys a fling with a hunky toyboy named Rockstar, who is played by One Day star Leo Woodall, 27, after the pair meet on social media

As well as her love affair with Rockstar, the diarist will also explore a romantic connection with her son's PE teacher Mr Walker, while also reviving her relationship with Hugh Grant 's Daniel

Last week, the first poster for the upcoming film was unveiled, much to the delight of fans

Fans will have to be patient to find out whether Darcy will be so lucky, or is simply appearing in a dream sequence.

Last week, the first poster for the upcoming film was unveiled, much to the delight of fans.

Posing with her diary and pen, the poster reads: 'New decade, New diary'.

Unveiling the snap, film production company Working Title captioned the post: 'Bridget Jones is back and ready for the next chapter'.




An Oasis original who was there in the early days of the band's career said she always knew a reunion was 'inevitable' despite Liam and Noel Gallagher's ongoing feud.

Katrina Russell was instrumental in how the band was managed while working at Creation Records, which helped shoot Oasis into stardom around 30 years ago.

She is the best friend of Meg Matthews, Noel's first wife, and also dated Robbie Williams and Steve Coogan before settling for a quieter life in Cornwall after being a famous 'It girl' in the 90s.

Despite having a front-row seat of the band's split and the pair's bitter feud, Ms Russell always knew they would reform.

Katrina Russell with Alan McGee, co-founder of Creation Records that signed Oasis

Katrina Russell and Megan Mathews pictured together. They are still best friends today after being famous 'It girls' in the 1990s

In an interview with her local paper in 2020, Ms Russell said she was sure fans would get a reunion but it may not be a world tour.

'The fans will get a reunion at some point, blood is thicker than water, they're brothers,' she told CornwallLive.

'It doesn't matter what the wives and the journalists say, what they went through together you can't underestimate.

'I don't think it'll be a world tour but you'll get a big gig.'

Ms Russell was 18 years old, living in London and DJ Paul Oakenfield was her boyfriend when she met Meg Matthews.

At this time, Ms Matthews was running dance nights, which is where the pair met, and they instantly hit it off.

Ms Russell said: 'The next thing Meg and Noel Gallagher got together just as Oasis were getting somewhere.

'It was instantly obvious that the band were something else; that they were going to be unbelievable.

''I'll always remember where I was when I first heard Live Forever. I sat down and thought, 'this is the future'.

Milla Magee pictured with mum Katrina Russell. The Newquay lifeguard is now reigning Miss England

Group portrait of British rock band Oasis at Nomad Studios in Manchester in November 1993

'I said to Meg, get me a job at the record label and I literally went there and started working for nothing.'

Ms Russell met Alan McGee, Scottish music producer and co-founder of Creation Records who had just signed Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine and the Jesus and Mary Chain to his label and soon he would take on Oasis.

The pair instantly hit it off and Ms Russell was offered a job on reception.

Soon afterwards, she was given promotion after promotion until she became Mr McGee's PA, which she puts down to being such good friends with Meg and Noel.

She added: 'The reason I was able to get on so well at Creation was because I was so involved with Meg and Noel, always with them at their house, Supernova Heights.

'You couldn't believe the people that were there, the parties that went on. Just the most amazing and wild time to be around.'

She partied with some of the biggest names in music such as U2 and Massive Attack.

Also, A-list movie stars such as Ewan McGregor and Jonny Lee Miller were regular at Noel Gallagher's parties, which would reportedly go on for days.

Ms Russell became vital to the running of Creation Records as her boss Alan was battling a drug problem.

She claims her boss almost died and had to be stretchered off a plane when the band got their big break.

The former PA said at one point she was having to mediate between her boss and the band, which she described as being 'off their t**s'.

By the time of Oasis' second album, (What's The Story) Morning Glory, the label needed two big buildings, one for Oasis and the other for the rest of the acts.

Because of her close relationship with the Gallagher brothers, she had insight into their legendary fights which she confirms are genuine.

Speaking of Liam and Noel's infamous bust-ups at the height of their fame, Ms Russell added: 'You had to hide under the desks sometimes when they were kicking off, but that was part of the charm.'

Ms Russell is also the mother of Miss England Milla Magee, 23, who is goddaughter of Meg Matthews and Alan McGee.

Ms Magee's best friend is Anais Gallagher, Noel and Meg's daughter, who is also said to be 'over the moon' with news of the reunion.

The reigning Miss England said her mother had reassured her that Oasis would definitely get back together one day despite a war of words lasting 15 years and a reunion looking unlikely.

Noel Gallagher performs live at the Astoria in London, on August 19 1994

Liam and Noel Gallagher Oasis at the Knebworth Festival in August 1996

Ms Magee, a lifeguard from Newquay, said: 'My mum just always knew it was going to happen, it was more a case of when that was going to be.

'She was so confident about it and knew it was inevitable and would say blood is thicker than water and they will eventually come round to the idea.

'My mum worked so hard, as did Meg, to make Oasis into what they were in the 90s.

'They were both absolute powerhouses at the time as was my godfather Alan McGee. They all deserve for this to happen.

'My mum is obviously delighted - as is the whole world is it seems. I can't wait.

'I love them to pieces and I think this is what the world needs right now.'

Milla Magee took the Miss England crown after wearing an iconic 1990s Meg Matthews dress on the catwalk in May this year.

She grew up in the world of Britpop and celebrity culture in London surrounded by the likes of Kate Moss, Ray Winston and Jason Statham.

Her dad Brenhan Magee also owns the bar where Made In Chelsea was filmed.

Liam Gallagher of Oasis performs on stage at Glastonbury in 1994

Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher are pictured performing live on stage in 2001

She added: 'I cannot wait to go to one of the Oasis gigs, just to relive for two hours a tiny bit of what my mum and Meg would have lived in the 90s.

'The energy and excitement of those times, it feels like it has come full circle.

'I think a whole new generation is about to be exposed to Brit pop culture and what real music is all about.

'Personally I just heard all of my mum and Meg's stories but that's all they were, just stories. Now I can experience it for real.

'I haven't spoken to Anais about it yet but I know she'll be over the moon it's finally happening too.

'With the world as divided as it is, I think this is what everybody needed to bring people back together.'

Ms Magee said she was bullied at school as a 14 stone teenager but has now had the last laugh.

She became the first 'plus-size' woman to take home the Miss England crown after she beat competition from 39 other beauty queens.

She said she suffered with body image issues in the past but has now embraced her size and is confident in her own skin.
The Block contestants Ricky and Haydn were forced to fire their builder during Wednesday night's episode in one of the renovation show's most shocking scenes to date.

The Melbourne mates were left red-faced after foreman Dan inspected their property and told them their builder's waterproofing work did not meet building standards.

After being told it would need to be redone, the furious Yellow Team then confronted their manual labourer, Miller, and bluntly told him his services were no longer required.

'The way the last week or two has panned out has been a f***ing disaster. That wall situation is a disgrace, it is not on,' Ricky and Haydn told him.

'I don't know how we recover from here, Miller. How do we recover?' they asked him, before the builder attempted to blame another subcontractor for not consulting with him.

This led to Ricky and Haydn firing Miller from the project in a tense on-air confrontation.

'You've broken the trust twice in a few days, so it's done. It's done. I dont think I can recover from here,' Ricky told the tradesman.

'There was a lack of ownership that really needed to be taken. At a time when major building errors and decisions were made, it would've been really nice to hear some ownership,' Ricky later told the cameras.

The Block contestants Ricky and Haydn were forced to fire their builder during Wednesday night's shock episode, after they had enough of his sub-standard work. Both pictured

The Melbourne best mates were left red-faced after foreman Dan inspected their property and told them their builder's waterproofing work did not meet building standards and would have to be redone

Unfortunately, the setback meant they will be unable to present a completed room to the judges this week, hurting their chances of eventually winning the show.

Many viewers quickly took to social media to voice their support towards the boys and applaud them for making the tough decision to fire Miller.

'We feel sorry for you both' one person wrote and a second added: 'Omg poor Ricky! I feel so sorry for him and Haydn.'

'Ricky and Haydn are great blokes,' a third person chipped in.

It comes after a show insider revealed it was the most 'hectic' year for hiring and firing and hinted at tension behind the scenes between the cast and their tradies.

As well as Ricky and Haydn, Daily Mail Australia previously confirmed that Jesse and Paige, and Courtney and Grant also all kick off their tradies.

A long-standing producer confirmed that the show's tradesmen were forced to deal with 'poor communication and some childish behaviour' across the board.

'The tradies this year will tell you that House One (Paige and Jesse), House Two (Courtney and Grant) and House Three (Ricky and Haydn) were the most difficult to work with,' they claimed.

The furious Yellow Team then confronted their builder, Miller (right), and bluntly told him his services were no longer required

Many viewers quickly took to social media to voice their support towards the boys and applaud them for making the tough decision to fire Miller

'There were ongoing issues throughout those builds in Phillip Island. With tradesmen pointing out "poor communication and some childish behaviour".'

'The builders were treated quite poorly and you could tell it affected the mood on set,' they added.

One tradie claimed the workmen mostly walked away 'disappointed' with their experiences on the show and shed light into exactly how much they are paid.

It was claimed they have a set wage which is agreed on at the start of every season, with experienced builders earning $75 per hour this year while apprentices worked for as low as $25 per hour.

Builders are believed to pay for their own travel and accommodation to be on the show, with some reporting that it actually costs them money to be there.

They can work six days a week and be on task for 12-hour days, with 'tools down' usually falling at 6pm, with some earlier finishes at 4pm due to council restrictions.

It was also claimed that builders are not allowed to be tagged in social media posts, meaning their businesses are getting 'less exposure than in previous seasons'.
Jackie 'O' Henderson and Pip Edwards stole the show at a Louis Vuitton event in Sydney on Wednesday night.

The besties, who are often pictured spending time together, shared some snaps of their designer ensembles to Instagram.

Opting for a very edgy but feminine look, the radio star, 49, paired a black corset top with a bright pink Louis Vuitton skirt worth a shocking $10,100.

The tiered frock tumbled to her ankles and highlighted the black pumps which matched the media personality's designer handbag.

Letting her blonde tresses fall in soft curls, Jackie opted for minimal accessories, slipping on a chunky bangle and hoop earrings for the exclusive event.

Meanwhile, P.E founder Pip, 44, opted for an attention stealing beige halter top, also by Louis Vuitton, which featured a beaded bust.

She paired the unique piece with leather slacks and a set of loafers encrusted with diamantes.

Slicking back her blond locks into a tight bun, Pip elevated her outfit with a simple gold necklace and chunky earrings.

Jackie 'O' Henderson, 49, (right) and Pip Edwards, 44, (left) stole the show at a Louis Vuitton event in Sydney on Wednesday night

Their outing comes just a few days 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 $50million, played a viral TikTok by an American creator live on her KIIS FM show, 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.

The besties, who are often pictured spending time together, shared some snaps of their designer ensembles to Instagram, with Jackie wearing a $10,100 Louis Vuitton skirt

Meanwhile, P.E founder Pip opted for an attention stealing beige halter top, also by Louis Vuitton, which featured a beaded bust

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.

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.

She paired the unique piece with leather slacks and a set of loafers encrusted with diamantes
James Norton looked stylish as he headed out to grab a take-a-way lunch in London on Tuesday.

The Happy Valley star, 39, who has been busy filming for The House Of Guinness, dressed casually for his walk to the shop.

He layered an oversized brown knitted jumper over the top of a grey T-shirt and teamed it with a pair of cargo trousers.

James completed his off-duty look with white trainers and accessorised with a silver necklace.

Filming for his latest project, by Steven Knight, began last month, with the actor seen on set in Liverpool while filming fight scenes.

James Norton, 39, looked stylish as he headed out to grab a take-a-way lunch in London on Tuesday

The Happy Valley star, who has been busy filming for The House Of Guinness, dressed casually for his walk to the shop

Netflix has now announced who will join James in the cast of the hotly anticipated show, The House Of Guinness.

The Happy Valley actor will be joined by famous faces including Jack Gleeson who played Game of Thrones villain Joffrey Baratheon, and Fionn O'Shea who starred in Normal People as Daisy Edgar Jones' love interest Jamie.

Others who have already been announced as part of the cast of the new series, written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, include Olivia Rodrigo's boyfriend Louis Partridge.

The star-studded cast also contains Masters of the Air star Anthony Boyle, Emily Fairn who recently starred opposite Martin Freeman in The Responder, Niamh McCormack, Seamus O'Hara and Irish actress Dervla Kirwan.

Michael McElhatton and Danielle Galligan are also set to star with David Wilmot, who was cast alongside Florence Pugh in The Wonder, and Hilda Fay to complete the line up.

The show's creator said he was delighted with the star-studded cast.

He said: 'I am thrilled that we have such an exceptional cast and such an exceptional team to tell this story inspired by an exceptional family'

House Of Guinness was written by Steven Knight, who is currently also working on the Peaky Blinders film.

Filming for his latest project, by Steven Knight (pictured), began last month, with the actor seen on set in Liverpool while filming fight scenes.

Netflix announced the series - which will explore the history of the family behind the famous brewery - back in March.

The series will chronicle the extraordinary success of the family behind the famous Irish brewery, which was founded back in 1759 by Arthur Guinness.

But behind the story of wealth and prosperity lies a tragic tale of seemingly endless misfortune for the family.

From Tara Browne, who died following a car crash in South Kensington, to scandalous affairs and divorces and the tragic drowning of Honor Uloth aged just 19 in 2020, the family seems to have been dealt a series of devastating blows.

The personal losses faced by the Guinnesses have become so infamous that the company is thought to be 'cursed', despite holding a fortune of over 900million today.

Lord Moyne, Walter Edward Guinness was an Anglo-Irish politician and businessman - but for many he marks the true start of the Guinness curse.

The Guinness family member was a close friend of Winston Churchill, with the two becoming political allies.

He served as the British minister of state in the Middle East until November 1944, when he was assassinated by the terror group the Stern Gang in Cairo.

Lady Henrietta Guinness jumped off a bridge in Umbria, Italy, in 1978 after never recovering from an Aston Martin car crash in the French Riviera.

The series will chronicle the extraordinary success of the family behind the famous Irish brewery, which was founded back in 1759 by Arthur Guinness

She is known to have said once: 'If I had been poor, I would have been happy,' seeming to reference the idea that the lives of the Guinnesses have been marred by misfortune and tragic circumstance.

The legacy of Henrietta's death was followed by another example of the curse that same year - as four-year-old Peter Guinness tragically died in a car crash.

Creator Steven commented: 'The Guinness dynasty is known the world over  wealth, poverty, power, influence, and great tragedy are all intertwined to create a rich tapestry of material to draw from.

'I've always been fascinated by their stories and am excited to bring the characters to life for the world to see.'
It's the 890 Victoria Beckham dress that has been worn from A listers ranging from Spain's Queen Letizia to Bridgerton's Phoebe Dynevor.

And now the Mail can reveal it has been the fashionista's secret to doubling the revenues of her once troubled label, posting today an impressive 52 per cent rise in her sales.

Victoria, who turned 50 in April, is said to be 'thrilled' at her turnover this year and the frock has sold so well that she has put it all down to the Bella - a gathered waist midi dress which comes in multiple colours including black, royal blue, red, ivory. There is also a 'mini dress' option.

Coined her 'cult item' the dress has been flying off the shelves since it launched in her spring/summer 2023 show.

In fact, one in ten of her the former Spice Girl's online sales is the outfit.

Victoria Beckham's fashion label has doubled its revenue after Queen Letizia and Phoebe Dynevor were spotted wearing one of her 890 dresses (pictured in 2022)

Supermodel Kendall Jenner, 28, wore the midi for a party at Nobu in Dubai, (left)

And actress Phoebe Dynevor, 29, wore a cream version of the Spice Girl's creation for the BAFTA Tea Party in Los Angeles

Amanda Holden, 53, sported a purple version on at Ascot last year which she paired with a purple beret, clutch and matching shoes

A source close to fashion designer said: 'Victoria has worked so hard on her label, it has been tough at times but she is so happy it is now going from strength to strength. It is so lovely that it has happened in what is such an exciting year for her, what with her turning 50 and celebrating 25 years of marriage. It's all so joyous.'

While Victoria is always a staunch ambassador for her own brand and has worn the Bella frock numerous times, in May 2023 Queen Letizia of Spain, 51, wore it to a Buckingham Palace reception on the eve of King Charles's Coronation.

American supermodel Kendall Jenner, 28, wore the midi for a party at Nobu in Dubai, styling it exactly as her friend Bella Hadid, 27, wore it on the runway, with black leather gloves.

And in January this year Pheobe, 29, wore a cream version for the BAFTA Tea Party in Los Angeles, while Amanda Holden sported a purple one at Ascot last year.

It is the first time Victoria's clothing has been praised for its success. When her accounts were published in December they showed that it was her popular makeup item, the 30 Satin Kajal Liner and her 1,050 Chain Pouch Bag which were said to be behind the label's impressive results.

Launched in 2008, despite its famous founder, the brand has struggled to make any money.

Auditors had warned that it risked going bust without further financial support from shareholders, which include the Beckhams and private equity firm Neo Investment Partners.

The luxury label has borrowed more than 30million from other parts of the Beckham business empire over the past 15 years.

King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia attending a reception at Buckingham Palace

The presenter was seen enjoying herself in the 890 dress with her longtime friend Alan Carr

However, last year's results mark a turning point where the group became profitable.

In 2023 the delivered its third consecutive year of high double-digit growth as revenues rose by over half, to 89.1million in 2023 from 58.8million in 2022

With its flagship store in Mayfair, London, the former Spice Girl has displayed much of her work at Fashion Weeks with the most recent one being in Paris in March.

In an interview with Vogue France in October 2023, she revealed the brand had turned a profit saying 'this is just the beginning, I have lots of ambitions and I work hard to achieve my goals.'

She went on: I never wait for things to just fall into my lap. It's such an exciting time. This year, we made a profit! This takes time, especially for an independent brand. My perfume isn't a license - I own it.

'Now that I have laid down the groundwork for the house, the real work can begin.'

In 2020, it was revealed by The Mail on Sunday that Victoria was to use the government's furlough scheme to pay her staff during the pandemic - despite her and husband estimated 360million fortune.

However, after much criticism, she did a U-turn, meaning UK tax payers were saved from funding her employees' salaries.

In accounts submitted in 2021, auditors warned of 'significant doubt' about Victoria's fashion company's ability to continue operating when it was reported the company had racked up debts of more than 46million since it launched.

Bella Hadid, 27, wore it on the runway, with black leather gloves and matching shoes when it made its Paris Fashion Week debut in 2023
Noel Gallagher has been pictured for the first time since it was announced Oasis will be reuniting for a string of shows, 15 years after their sensational split.

The musician, 57, paid homage to the city from which he hails with an I Love Manchester keyring as he headed to his recording studio in north London on Wednesday.

Noel cut a casual figure as he emerged for the first time since fans were sent into meltdown by the news that he and his brother Liam will be reuniting in 2025.

The pair are expected to earn a huge 50 million payday from the shows, with the first show set to take place in Cardiff on July 4.

Oasis is tipped to announce even more dates for their long-awaited reunion tour, which music insiders say will 'sell out in less than three minutes'.

Noel Gallagher, 57, has been pictured for the first time since it was announced Oasis will be reuniting for a string of shows, 15 years after their sensational split

The musician paid homage to the city from which he hails with an I Love Manchester keyring as he headed to his recording studio in north London on Wednesday

Noel cut a casual figure as he emerged for the first time since fans were sent into meltdown by the news that he and his brother Liam will be reuniting in 2025

The band, rejoined by their 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. A presale will be held on Friday for certain fans that will be selected from a ballot pool.

More than four million 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.

Liam and Noel Gallagher reportedly 'both wanted him in the fold' after he was 'one of the drivers of the reunion'.

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 '.

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'.

After their dramatic fallout in 2009, Noel and Liam have agreed to reuniting for a series of concerts around the UK and Ireland

The pair are expected to earn a huge 50 million payday from the shows, with the first show set to take place in Cardiff on July 4

Oasis is tipped to announce even more dates for their long-awaited reunion tour, which music insiders say will 'sell out in less than three minutes'

More than four million fans are expected to be vying for the 1,066,888 tickets available across the 14 gigs

Liam and Noel confirmed Oasis's long-awaited reunion with a tour in 2025 and also alluded to past tensions in the tour announcement on Tuesday

'These shows will sell out in less than three minutes. Extra dates will be added for sure,' an insider told The Sun.

Liam and Noel confirmed Oasis's long-awaited reunion with a tour in 2025 and also alluded to past tensions in the tour announcement on Tuesday.

'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'.

Liam and Noel are expected to pocket about 50million each, which will go a long way to raking back the money they lost during bitter divorce battles and reigniting their rock and roll lifestyle which peaked in the 90s.

The eight-figure sum is said to have persuaded Noel - who once said 'I liked my Mum until she gave birth to Liam' - to bury the hatchet with his younger brother. Liam has also opened up about money being 'tight', including moaning about how he now has to make his own teas.

It was first reported over the weekend that Oasis were set to announce a reunion tour, with Liam hinting at the news while headlining Reading Festival on Sunday

Noel's divorce from Sara MacDonald last year after 12 years cost him 20million of his rumoured 53million fortune.

His net worth is believed to be far larger than Liam's rumoured 6million, as Noel wrote most of the Oasis songs and continues to collect the lion's share of royalties.

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.

Formed in 1991, the Britpop group rose to fame with hits like Wonderwall, Don't 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 Gallagher's High Flying Birds.
Gemma Collins enjoyed a wild ride across the sea in Greece on Tuesday after saying she was 'lucky to have survived' the storm in Sicily.

After jetting off to Crete this week, the former TOWIE star, 43, quoted Oasis saying, 'you gotta roll with it' and she brushed aside her recent boating experience.

Sharing an update to Instagram, she was pulled across the water with her partner Rami Hawash and his son.

Gemma captioned: 'YOU GOTTA ROLL WITH IT when people say to me what am I gonna do I say well you gotta roll with it #lifemottostoliveby #oasis.'

Last week she said she was 'very lucky to have survived' after getting caught up in the terrifying storm that hit Sicily.

Gemma Collins enjoyed a wild ride across the sea in Greece on Tuesday after saying she was 'lucky to have survived' the storm in Sicily

Gemma took to Instagram to send her 'heartfelt condolences' to those affected by the storm

The TV personality and her nephew Hayden, 15, were onboard a luxury ship when the Bayesian superyacht sank nearby, killing British tech billionaire Mike Lynch, his daughter, Hannah, and five others last week.

Gemma said she was left shaken after being stranded at sea for four hours near Porticello.

In an update shared to Instagram, she wrote: 'Holiday update. My heartfelt condolences to the people involved in the tragic disaster at sea in Sicily.'

'I was very lucky me and my nephew to have survived the storm at sea.'

'I am shaken and returning to the UK tomorrow god was on our side today we was stuck for 4 hours can you imagine what was going through my mind. Thank you @bluediamondcruise for getting us back safely.'

Six passengers - including Mr Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah - died alongside chef Recaldo Thomas after the British-flagged pleasure yacht capsized and came to rest on its side 164ft below in the early hours of last Monday.

It is believed the ship sank after its mast - one of tallest in the world at an enormous 246ft-high - snapped during the brutal incident and keeled over, taking the hull beyond the 'down-flooding angle', according to nautical experts.

Specialist divers involved in the search operation said on Tuesday that the 30million vessel, called the Bayesian, have come to rest on the seabed with 'virtually everything intact', with furniture blocking attempts to get inside.

After jetting off to Crete this week, the former TOWIE star, quoted Oasis saying, 'you gotta roll with it' and she brushed aside her recent boating experience

Gemma captioned: 'YOU GOTTA ROLL WITH IT when people say to me what am I gonna do I say well you gotta roll with it #lifemottostoliveby #oasis'

It capsized after being hit by a waterspout at around 5am, with the captain of the doomed vessel saying 'we didn't see it coming' after he and 15 others were rescued from the water.

Tornado-speed winds flipped the superyacht so quickly there was no time for those on board to raise the alarm or call for help before they were left swimming for their lives, with those who made it off stranded in the pitch black water as the storm raged around them.

Italian prosecutors held a press conference on Saturday, where it was revealed the victims were unable to escape as they may have been asleep.

They had scrambled to one side of the ship in search of air pockets in a desperate attempt for survival, with Hannah - who had won a place at the University of Oxford - dying alone in a cabin.

The victims' bodies were tragically found in 'tight spots' with furniture on top of them and brought ashore one-by-one by dive teams last week, who had carried out 120 trips to the wreck on the seabed.

Fifteen of the 22 people on board the ship - including Hannah's mother Angela Bacares, 57 - managed to escape in a liferaft.

Italian prosecutors have admitted they did not conduct alcohol and drug testing on the vessel's crew - all but one of whom survived - because they needed treatment and were in shock. They have vowed to question the sailors intensively.

Last week she said she was 'very lucky to have survived' after getting caught up in the terrifying storm that hit Sicily

Six passengers - including Mr Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah - died alongside chef Recaldo Thomas after the yacht capsized and came to rest on its side 164ft below (pictured in 2019)

Gemma and her nephew Hayden, 15, who were onboard another luxury ship, were left shaken after being stranded at sea for four hours

In an update, she wrote: 'My heartfelt condolences to the people involved in the tragic disaster at sea in Sicily. 'I was very lucky me and my nephew to have survived the storm at sea'

She shared a video showing how the boat's staff helped Gemma and her nephew get back to shore safely

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Lynch had invited family and friends onto the yacht to celebrate his 'second life' after being acquitted of all charges in a US fraud trial, and in an extraordinary twist his co-defendant Stephen Chamberlain - who was also cleared of the charges - has also died after being hit by a car while running in England over the weekend.

Inspector Marco Tilotta, leading the Palermo Fire Brigade's diving unit, has likened the grim search operation to the Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster in 2012 which claimed the lives of 33 people.

Eerily, the specialist cave divers called in for the search and rescue operation found 'virtually everything intact' on board, with little sign of damage, and 'no rips in the side, no signs of impact,' he told MailOnline.

The whirlwind has been defined as 'extremely intense, sudden and very localized', the Inspector told Il Messaggero.

Survivors of the tragedy were taken to various hospitals on the island of Sicily and began recounting their terrifying ordeal.

Among the 15 rescued was one-year-old baby Sofia, who was kept afloat by her mother, 36-year-old Charlotte Golunski.

Golunski, an Oxford graduate and senior associate at Mike's company Invoke Capital, told of her fight to prevent her child from drowning.

'For two seconds I lost my baby in the sea, then I immediately hugged her again in the fury of the waves,' Ms Golunski said.

'I held her afloat with all my strength, my arms stretched up to keep her from drowning,' she added.

Lynch was once hailed as the UK's king of technology and is frequently referred to as 'Britain's Bill Gates'.

He was cleared in June of fraud and conspiracy charges in a US federal trial related to Hewlett Packard's $11 billion takeover of his company, Autonomy Corp.

The yacht trip appeared to be something of a celebration after Lynch's acquittal, with guests including members of his legal team as well as friends, family and witnesses who stood by Lynch throughout the trial.
Colin Farrell showcased his muscular form by going shirtless after enjoying a yoga class in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The Batman star, 48 - who recently opened up about his son James' Angelman Syndrome diagnosis - could be seen holding a lighthearted conversation with a pal shortly after the session came to an end.

The Irish-born actor opted to remove his shirt while making his way through a parking structure, and donned a pair of black and gray-checkered pajama bottoms.

Farrell additionally slipped into a pair of black, slip-on shoes while adding a blue headband on top of his head for a finishing touch.

Colin was spotted holding a black top in his right hand before heading to his next destination for the day.

Colin Farrell, 48, showcased his muscular form by going shirtless after enjoying a yoga class in Los Angeles on Tuesday

The Banshees Of Inisherin star has previously admitted his love for yoga during a past interview with The Guardian in 2012.

'Life moves in cycles. I'm not going to say there was a particular day or time [when things changed], or even that I'm a different man,' he explained at the time.

'I enjoy the work more, I enjoy being a dad more, I enjoy doing things that I never thought I'd enjoy.' When asked what he does enjoy, Farrell replied with, 'Like yoga.'

Colin has recently gotten candid about his eldest son, James, and his diagnosis of a rare neurogenetic disorder called Angelman Syndrome.

While talking to People earlier this month, the actor discussed The Colin Farrell Foundation that he launched in honor of his son.

He shares James, 20, with ex Kim Bordenave, and is father to another son, Henry, 14 - whom he welcomed with ex Alicja Bachleda-Curus in 2009.

Colin also opened up about how James inspired his sobriety journey and expressed, 'James was about two when I got clean, got sober.'

'He was a big, big part of me putting the bottle down because I was in no condition to be the father of a child with such exacting needs.'

The Irish-born actor opted to remove his shirt while making his way through a parking structure, and donned a pair of black and gray-checkered pajama bottoms

Colin has recently gotten candid about his eldest son, James, and his diagnosis of a rare neurogenetic disorder called Angelman Syndrome

'If it wasn't for my sobriety, I wouldn't be able to be there for James and join in the marvels of his life and support him in the way that I can.'

He added, 'I don't want to paint a picture of me being the perfect dad. I f*** up right, left and center. But you have to be present...I'm around.'

James was born in 2003 in Los Angeles, and Farrell recalled he, 'was a very silent baby. He didn't coo. He didn't make any sounds at all. I just thought I'd hit the lottery, and he was chill - and he's anything but.'

'If James had been my second child and not my first, I would've known sooner, because when Henry was born and I heard him cooing, I was like, "A baby's supposed to coo?"'

'But then he wasn't hitting benchmarks. He couldn't sit up. He wasn't crawling. He couldn't stay up on his legs, so we knew something was up.'

The Lobster actor revealed how his eldest son was misdiagnosed in the past with cerebral palsy, 'because he had a lot of the same characteristics. And that was a downer for sure.'

At one point, a pediatric neurologist recommended that James be tested for Angelman Syndrome.

'One of the characteristics of Angelman syndrome is outbreaks of laughter. And the doctor saw that James was laughing a lot and doing this movement [he waves his hands].'

Elsewhere in the interview, the father-of-two gushed that James, 'has worked so hard all his life, so hard'; James seen with mother, Kim Bordenave

Colin then remembered the questions he had asked with tests for Angelman Syndrome had come back positive.

'I remember the first two questions I asked were, "What's the life expectancy and how much pain is involved?" And the doctor said, "Life expectancy, as far as we can tell, is the same for you and for me, and pain, no."'

Farrell also expressed that 'parents struggle' with one of the symptoms of the rare disorder: seizures.

'Thankfully, James hasn't had a breakthrough seizure now in about 10 or 11 years, but I've been in the back of ambulances, I've been in the hospital with him...'

His foundation is, 'committed to transforming the lives of individuals and families living with intellectual disability through education, awareness, advocacy, and innovative programs,' per the official website.

'This is the first time I've spoken about it, and obviously the only reason I'm speaking is I can't ask James if he wants to do this,' Farrell said.

The star added he has, 'wanted to do something in the realm of providing greater opportunities for families who have a child with special needs, to receive the support that they deserve, basically the assistance in all areas of life.'

Elsewhere in the interview, the father-of-two gushed that James, 'has worked so hard all his life, so hard.'

Farrell is also father to son, Henry, 15, whom he shares with ex Alicja Bachleda-Curus; Colin and Henry seen in March in Hollywood

Farrell has been keeping busy, and is preparing for the release of his upcoming series - The Penguin - which is slated to premiere on HBO Max next month on September 19

'Repetition, repetition, balance, his jerky gait. When he started feeding himself for the first time, his face looks like a Jackson Pollock by the end of it. But he gets it in, he feeds himself beautifully.'

'I'm proud of him every day, because I just think he's magic.'

Farrell has been keeping busy, and is preparing for the release of his upcoming series - The Penguin - which is slated to premiere on HBO Max next month on September 19.

The show is a spinoff based on the 2022 film, The Batman, and Colin is reprising his villainous role of The Penguin (Oswald Cobblepot).
Molly-Mae Hague was greeted with a parking ticket as she stepped out during the rainy weather in Altrincham on Wednesday.

The Love Island star, 25, who broke her social media silence on Tuesday in the wake of her split from Tommy, cut a solo figure as she headed out for the day.

But while Molly-Mae was greeted by two fans, who she happily posed for a snap with, she was greeted with an unwelcome addition to her car in the form of a parking ticket.

The outing comes after after Milla Corfixen, 20, the Danish woman who has been at the centre of the Tommy cheating scandal, fell victim to a fake pregnancy announcement.

A photo of an ultrasound scan with a due date of 2025 has been shared by a fake account for Milla, one of a number of profiles she last week asked her followers to report.

Molly-Mae Hague was greeted with a parking ticket as she stepped out during the rainy weather in Altrincham on Wednesday

The Love Island star who broke her social media silence on Tuesday in the wake of her split from Tommy, received an unwelcome surprise during her outing

The outing comes after after Milla Corfixen, 20, the Danish woman who has been at the centre of the Tommy cheating scandal, fell victim to a fake pregnancy announcement

Jewellery assistant Milla, 20, stated in an interview that 'nothing happened' with the boxer when she met him on holiday earlier this year, but a fake Instagram account also falsely claimed earlier this week that she she did kiss him.

Tommy jetted abroad for a holiday in Ohrid, North Macedonia earlier this year where he reportedly kissed a blonde woman in a nightclub, leading his fiancee Molly-Mae to announce their split after five years together.

An Instagram Stories post shared on a fake account for Milla on Monday read: 'I've had to delete all my posts due to the hate and nasty comments, as stated in the news story I have gave [sic]! I didn't do anything with Tommy Fury....'

'I didn't even no [sic] who he was we only shared a kiss nothing else happened. And if I'd of [sic] known about Molly-Mae I would never have kissed him back'.

Milla previously stated she would delete her social media posts due to intense trolling in the comments. Her official page currently has no posts.

Last week Milla denied smooching the Love Island star and insisted: 'He was a proper gentleman', despite onlookers claiming the boxer 'didn't seem to care' who saw him brazenly kiss the blonde as he downed vodka and partied at a nightclub at 2am.

Speaking to The Sun, she said she was shocked when she found out about Tommy and Molly-Mae's split and insisted she will try and talk to the Influencer to share her side of the story.

Milla also revealed she had a boyfriend, while Tommy has previously denied he has cheated on Molly.

'I am the girl but nothing happened. We just had fun,' she explained. 'I dont know what hes been doing but someone else must have kissed him.'

Jewellery assistant Milla, 20, stated in an interview that 'nothing happened' with the boxer when she met him on holiday earlier this year

The ultrasound scan has been shared by a fake account, one of a number of profiles Milla last week asked her followers to report

Tommy jetted abroad for a holiday in Ohrid, North Macedonia earlier this year where he reportedly kissed a blonde woman in a nightclub

It comes after it was reported that, following their shock split, a devastated Molly-Mae was 'bracing herself' for more girls to come forward with claims her ex-fiance Tommy 'cheated on her'.

Molly-Mae is convinced more women will speak up and claim 'Tommy cheated on her with them'.

A source told The Sun: 'Molly-Mae isn't just worried about it, she's expecting it.

'She thinks girls will come forward and claim Tommy cheated with them. She's devastated.'

MailOnline have contacted Molly-Mae and Tommy's representatives for a comment.

Molly-Mae broke her social media silence on Tuesday, sharing a low-key photo of herself to her Instagram grid, her first post since announcing she had split from Tommy

While Molly-Mae was fearful of more cheating claims, Tommy's messaging scandal took a shock twist as another woman who accused him of sending her flirty DMs has claimed she was 'catfished' by an imposter.

Last week, a woman called Kay Keogh accused Tommy of 'messaging her after spotting her on a night out in Manchester' while engaged to Molly-Mae.

At the time, she took to TikTok to share a screenshot of a message from an account which was allegedly Tommy's, which read: 'Are you in Manchester?'

However, she's since returned to the platform to confess she was duped by a fake account and says it wasn't Tommy who messaged her at all.

Sharing a video, Kay told how she'd received a message from someone who told her that they were behind the messages and not the Love Island star.

She claims to have fell for the messages after being at an event in Manchester with someone who 'could've passed for' Tommy, adding that she was 'really confused'.

Speaking in the clip, she says: 'I obviously got catfished. Someone was basically, definitely trolling me because another fake account has messaged me and they've literally said to me "you actually thought that was him? that was me."

Last week, a woman called Kay Keogh accused Tommy of 'messaging her after spotting her on a night out in Manchester' while engaged to Molly-Mae

Molly-Mae broke her social media silence on Tuesday, sharing a low-key photo of herself to her Instagram grid, her first post since announcing she had split from Tommy.

The mother-of-one looked downcast as she peered over a balcony which sat over a pond.

She penned: 'Thank you for being the best online friends I couldve ever wished for'.

Fans quickly took to the comments to share supportive messages with the Love Island star.

Amid the drama, Molly-Mae has been supported by her friends and loved ones, who have been rallying around her at her 3.5million Cheshire mansion.

Molly and Tommy met on Love Island in 2019 (pictured) and went on to get engaged last year after welcoming their little girl in January 2023

It was previously revealed that the social media star had grown tired of Tommy 'gallivanting around the world while she was looking after their child'.

In recent months Tommy has travelled to Germany, Hungary, Dubai and Macedonia.

Friends of the former couple say the split was a 'long time coming' as Molly-Mae grew tired of his lifestyle while she looked after Bambi, The Mirror revealed this month.

A source said: 'Problems had been growing for a while. Increasingly, it seemed like they were living two very different lifestyles.'

On August 7, just seven days before their split, Molly-Mae posted a YouTube video in which she said she had been 'struggling' and 'solo parenting' Bambi.
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You can forget The Beatles, because Wednesday evening conjured up a different kind of Fab Four as this year's Venice Film Festival opened with the premiere of eagerly anticipated fantasy sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Gen Z poster-girl Jenna Ortega - the film's leading lady - led the glamour as she joined the equally stunning Cate Blanchett, Winona Ryder and Monica Bellucci on the red carpet.

The young actress, 21, who stars as Astrid Deetz in the movie, looked incredibly glamorous in the ruffled thin-strapped ensemble and wore a striking swipe of red lipstick.

Meanwhile, Australian star Cate exuded glamour in a dazzling gold gown as she joined Jenna on the star-studded red carpet.

The actress, 55, looked sensational in an elegant strapless ensemble, adorned with glitzy embellishments around the bustier.

Cate - who joined the likes of Taylor Russell, Izabel Goulart and Poppy Delevingne - teamed her stunning look with towering silver court heels.

Jenna Ortega, 21, put on a daring display in a red cut-out gown as she led the stars on the red carpet at the Beetlejuice 2 premiere in at the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday evening

Harry Styles' ex-girlfriend Taylor, 30, put on a very risque display, slipping into a see-through corset dress as she posed for snaps

Actress Monica Bellucci, 59, made a jaw-dropping arrival on the red carpet, donning a dramatic puff-sleeve plunging gown.

Star of the film Winona Ryder, 52, who plays main character Lydia in the movie, wowed in a ruffled skirt with a quirky suit jacket.

Bettlejuice Bettlejuice's onscreen mother-daughter duo Jenna and Winona complimented one another with black and red contrasting skirts.

Monica - who plays Delores in the movie - arrived alongside her partner Tim Burton, who is the director of the movie.

Harry Styles' ex-girlfriend Taylor put on a very risque display, slipping into a see-through corset dress as she posed for snaps.

Featuring a long white trail with lace detailing, Taylor made sure to flash plenty of skin in the stylish number as she graced the red carpet.

Meanwhile Brazilian model Izabel joined shortly behind Cate and Taylor, turning heads in an all black ensemble with a glitzy skirt.

The stunner, 39, opted for a strapless black dress which featured a high leg split which showed off a sparkly underlayer.

Jenna flashed her long legs in the semi-sheer mesh skirt as she struck a pose on the red carpet during Wednesday's premiere

The cast of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice descended onto the carpet (pictured L-R: Catherine O'Hara, Willem Dafoe, Michael Keaton, Monica Bellucci, Tim Burton, Winona Ryder, Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux and Arthur Conti)

Jenna sweetly waved to fans on the sidelines as she graced the carpet with co-star Winona Ryder on Wednesday evening

The young actress lifted her skirt up for one photo

Jenna wowed in the backless garment while posing for pics on the carpet

Jenna looked the epitome of chic as she gracefully turned around for a photo with her team

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice onscreen mother-daughter duo Jenna and Winona complimented one another with black and red contrasting skirts

Winona shared a sweet hug with director of Beetlejuice Tim Burton

She arrived with her doting husband Scott Mackinlay Hahn

Cate Blanchett looked sensational in an elegant strapless ensemble, adorned with glitzy embellishments around the bustier

Cate opted out of accessorises to allow her dress to shine

Elsewhere amongst the star-studded turnout, Cara Delevingne's older sister Poppy, 38, arrived at the premiere in a satin plunging suit.

American actress and film producer Sigourney Weaver, 74, showed off her age-defying beauty in a low-cut sequin cardigan and black skirt.

Catherine O'Hara, 70, looked incredibly glamorous in a aztec-style ensemble, adorned with flower motifs and a stylish black clutch bag.

She arrived alongside her supportive production husband Bo Welch, 72, who sported a dapper black three-piece suit.

Willem Dafoe, 69, cut a dapper display in a navy and black suit as he beamed on the red carpet with his arms in the air.

He looked more than loved-up as he walked along the carpet holding hands with his beloved wife Giada Colagrande.

Monica Bellucci nearly suffered a wardrobe malfunction in her plunging gown

Monica - who plays Delores in the movie - arrived alongside her partner Tim Burton, who is the director of the movie

The couple looked more than loved-up as they arrived hand-in-hand

Featuring a long white trail with lace detailing, Taylor made sure to flash plenty of skin in the stylish number as she graced the red carpet

The actress made sure to flash plenty of skin in the stylish number, which featured an elaborate skirt featuring lace detailing

Taylor commanded attention in her stunning red carpet attire

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice review: Tim Burton's sequel is unable to pull off the same camp, vampy spirit as its predecessor, writes BRIAN VINER Rating: How dispiritingly apt it is in this cinematic universe of sequels and franchises that the picture chosen to open the world's most venerable film festival should be Tim Burton's follow-up to his 1988 hit Beetlejuice, long-awaited by just about nobody. Nobody I know, anyway. The 81st Venice Film Festival opened last night with an impressive cluster of stars on the red carpet, but the movie they were here to celebrate  Beetlejuice Beetlejuice - is not quite worthy of the honour. The 1988 original was a comedy-horror classic, which to paraphrase the title of one of the decade's best-known songs, showed that some ghouls just want to have fun. It was a further indication after Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (1985) that Burton, then still in his mid-twenties, had an outsize imagination. And a couple of years later the point was reinforced by the gloriously weird Edward Scissorhands (1990). But the first Beetlejuice was very much of its time: a camp, vampy, Reagan-era mickey-take of yuppies and consumerism. Hard as screenwriters Alfred Gough and Miles Millar strain to imbue this sequel with the same spirit, they don't really pull it off. Advertisement

Winona who starred in the original movie in 1988 when she was 16-years-old, has reprised her role as Lydia in Tim Burtons Beetlejuice sequel.

Previously Winona admitted she found it 'hard to imagine' a sequel of the hit movie as she had imagined her character being 'alone' in an 'attic'.

She told Slash Film: 'I think certainly, I never pictured Lydia either having children or in any type of relationship. I just always thought she was just probably in her own world as she got older. Just sort of in the attic and happy, but alone.'

Winona and her onscreen daughter struck up a close bond on set with Jenna previously gushing of working with Winona: 'She was so warm and welcoming and kind and inviting right from the jump, and I couldn't be more grateful,' she told 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.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is opening the Venice Film Festival on Thursday.

Sigourney Weaver meanwhile will receive the prestigious Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement award during the festival.

Izabel Goulart blew kisses to the crowd on the star-studded red carpet after arriving in a strapless black dress

Poppy Delevingne opted for a sophisticated ensemble, slipping into a chic satin black suit which she teamed with dazzling Boucheron jewellery

The model cheekily flashed her cleavage and went braless in the oversized unbuttoned blazer

American actress and film producer Sigourney Weaver (left) showed off her age-defying beauty in a low-cut sequin cardigan and black skirt, while Catherine O'Hara (right) looked glamorous in a aztec-style ensemble, adorned with flower motifs

She arrived alongside her supportive production husband Bo Welch, who sported a dapper black three-piece suit

Willem Dafoe, 69, cut a dapper display in a navy and black suit as he beamed on the red carpet with his arms in the air

He looked more than loved-up as he walked along the carpet holding hands with his beloved wife Giada Colagrande

Amy Jackson looked sensational in a dazzling gown as she attended the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice premiere

She showed off her amazing figure in the black and silver strapless gown which boasted a netted neckline and an eye catching semi-sheer long skirt

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. 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 in 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.

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.

Earlier in the day, Cate made sure all eyes were in her as she gave a sweet wave to fans while arriving into the film festival

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.

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.
Armie Hammer revealed to his fans on Tuesday that he is selling his truck and 'can't afford gas anymore' - but some expressed their doubt over the disgraced actor's claims.

The Call Me By Your Name star jumped to his main Instagram page just one day before his 38th birthday on August 28 and explained he purchased a 'tiny' hybrid vehicle due to being unable to 'afford' his truck.

Following accusations that he was a 'cannibal' and sexual abuse controversy - which came to light in 2021 - Hammer's once promising career in Hollywood came to an abrupt end.

Despite his family's staggering net worth of millions, they have notably been plagued by money woes and alleged crimes.

But Armie - whose great-grandfather was oil tycoon Armand Hammer - reportedly was 'cut off' from the family's funds. His late father, Michael, inherited an $180 million fortune upon Armand's passing.

Armand, the head of Occidental Petroleum, who was estimated to be worth $800 million at the time of his death.

Fans soon took to X to share their thoughts, with some not believing his financial struggles.

Armie Hammer, 38, revealed to his fans on Tuesday that he is selling his truck and 'can't afford gas anymore' - but some followers expressed their doubt over the disgraced actor's claims; seen in 2019 in L.A.

One social media user on X penned, 'armie hammer of the very wealthy hammer family wants me to believe that he can't afford gas? armie hammer the abuser wants me to care?'

Another typed out, 'You come from a millionaire family,' followed a confused GIF.

Others jumped to the comment section of Hammer's Instagram video, with one fan sharing, 'Isn't he part of the Hammer dynasty??? I mean the super rich Hammer dynasty.'

'How is that possible?' one wrote. 'You've made millions from this. Did you not invest? Haha.'

One follower typed out, 'He should beg his rich family for forgiveness & get that inheritance money.'

Back in 2022, at the height of Hammer's abuse and cannibalism scandal, a source told People that the star was selling timeshares in the Cayman Islands 'because he needs the money.'

'His dad won't help him anymore and he's been cut off, so he got to work,' the insider further revealed at the time. Michael later passed away at age 67 in November 2022 following a battle with cancer.

And last month in July, Armie made an appearance on Bill Maher's Club Random podcast and claimed that he was 'broke' - but is 'happier than ever.'

The Call Me By Your Name star jumped to his main Instagram page just one day before his 38th birthday on August 28 and explained he purchased a 'tiny' hybrid vehicle due to being unable to 'afford' his truck

Fans soon took to X to share their thoughts, with some not believing his financial struggles

Another typed out, 'You come from a millionaire family,' followed a confused GIF

Others jumped to the comment section of Hammer's Instagram video, with one fan sharing, 'Isn't he part of the Hammer dynasty??? I mean the super rich Hammer dynasty'

'The good place only comes from walking through hell. It was a brutal experience,' Hammer said of the cannibalism and abuse controversy.

Last year in May, the Los Angeles County District Attorney announced that the disgraced actor would not face any charges in the sexual assault case due to 'insufficient evidence.'

'Someone might look at me and go, "Yeah, but financially you are in a very different position that you've ever been in your entire life."'

'And I look at that and I go, 'Yeah, and you know what, it's taught me is that I don't need that because I've never been happier than I've ever been in my entire life.'

After entering rehab for his drug, alcohol and sex addictions, the star revealed that he has reached sobriety.

'Therapy for me has been a life changer. I needed an adjustment. There was some s*** going on. Here's what I think would have happened had none of this gone on and like the cataclysmic tectonic shift in my life wouldn't have happened.'

Armie added, 'My life would have kept going exactly as it was, and I know that would ultimately only lead in one place and that's death.'

'I experienced an ego death, a career death, a financial death  all of these things, right? And [Carl] Jung talks about this. Joseph Campbell talks about this.'

'His dad won't help him anymore and he's been cut off, so he got to work,' the insider further revealed at the time; Michael Hammer seen in 2016 in L.A.

'You've got to die, and once you die you can then be reborn. A phoenix isn't going to rise if there's no ashes.'

On Tuesday, the day before his 38th birthday, Hammer took to Instagram with a video of himself explaining what he has been up to since his acting career was upended due to his scandals.

The update came one month after he said he was 'grateful' for the allegations of cannibalism, sexual misconduct and an accusation of rape that imploded his career three years earlier.

The actor, who has not been working in Hollywood since the allegations were raised against him, told his fans that he got a new, 'tiny' hybrid car since he can't afford the truck anymore in a video he filmed in a CarMax parking lot.

He began the clip by explaining that he has been back in Los Angeles for 'a couple of weeks now,' and plans to sell his truck so he can start his 38th year with 'a new car, in a new apartment, in a new life.'

'This is my truck,' he said, introducing the vehicle he has owned for seven years. 'I bought this for myself in 2017 as a Christmas gift for myself.'

He continued: 'I have loved this truck intensely and taken it camping and across the country multiple times and on long road trips and I've taken it on one last road trip... to CarMax.'

He clarified that his video was 'not an ad' and he was only filming an update 'because I'm selling my truck.'

And last month in July, Armie made an appearance on Bill Maher's Club Random podcast and claimed that he was 'broke' - but is 'happier than ever'; seen in 2020 in Santa Monica

He began the clip by explaining that he has been back in Los Angeles for 'a couple of weeks now,' and plans to sell his truck so he can start his 38th year with 'a new car, in a new apartment, in a new life'

'Since being back in L.A., I have put about $400 or $500 worth of gas in it and I can't afford it,' he admitted. 'I can't afford the gas anymore.'

'I mean, this truck, it took the kids home from the hospital and all that stuff,' Hammer added. 'Amazing trips, but you know what, that's okay.'

He explained that he already purchased a new, 'tiny' car.

'I've got a new car. It's tiny. It's a hybrid,' he said. 'I'm probably going to put about 10 bucks of gas in it a month and this is it. Here's to new beginnings.'

He also noted that it was the day before his birthday, and he wanted a fresh start. 'It's my birthday tomorrow. So, August 28, I will be starting my birthday in a new car, in a new apartment, in a new life in Los Angeles.'

Then, he addressed his car and told the inanimate object: 'Thank you very much. You have gotten me a long way and I appreciate it all. I hope you take as good of care of the next person.'

He concluded, 'I just keep telling myself that parking is going to be easier and gas is going to be cheaper.'

A few months earlier in June, he appeared on the Painful Lessons podcast and spoke about being accused of rape in a case that ended up in no charges.

He said he was 'grateful' for the experience of being cancelled.

The star, who previously denied any criminal wrongdoing in the past, said: 'Whatever it was that people said, whatever it was that happened, I'm now at a place in my life where I'm grateful for every single bit of it.'

'I've got a new car. It's tiny. It's a hybrid,' he said. 'I'm probably going to put about 10 bucks of gas in it a month and this is it. Here's to new beginnings'

Armie was previously married to Elizabeth Chambers from 2010, but they split in 2020, with the divorce being finalized in 2023. The former couple share two children: Harper, nine, and Ford, seven

Hammer continued, 'I'm actually now at a place where I'm really grateful for it, because where I was in my life before all of that stuff happened to me, I didn't feel good. I never felt satisfied. I never had enough.'

'I never was in a place where I was happy with myself.' He said he learned invaluable lessons and gained a new perspective following the scandal.

'I'm able to look at it with a sense of distance and perspective and be like, "That's hilarious." People called me a cannibal, and everyone believed them. They're like, "Yep, that guy ate people." They're just like... What? Like, what are you talking about?'

Armie was previously married to Elizabeth Chambers from 2010, but they split in 2020, with the divorce being finalized in 2023. The former couple share two children: Harper, nine, and Ford, seven.
Tori Spelling revealed her 'lazy' hack to getting her youngest child to school on time during Tuesday's episode of her MisSPELLING podcast.

While chatting with fellow actress, Debbie Gibson, the Beverly Hills, 90210 alum, 51, revealed that she dresses her son, Beau, seven, in his school clothing the night before to save time in the morning.

'It's so bad. I've gotten so lazy with my youngest one because there's so many, that at night I put him in his clothes for the next day,' she admitted to listeners. 'And convinced him that it's cool to do that.'

The reality star, who filed for divorce from Dean McDermott after 18 years of marriage in April, went on to explain how she's 'rationalized' the new routine.

'So, he has dinner, he takes his bath  sometimes but then I'll be like, "Hey, dude. It will save an extra five minutes if we get dressed now and then you can sleep later."'

Tori Spelling revealed her 'lazy' hack to getting her youngest child to school on time during Tuesday's episode of her MisSPELLING podcast

In response to the suggestion, Spelling noted that her little boy was totally on board and now 'sleeps in his clothes.'

After making the confession, the mother-of-five jokingly asked: 'Am I a bad mom?'

In June, the performer shared photos of Beau's end of the year Kindergarten party.

'Beau Beau is officially a 1st grader,' she captioned a sweet snap of them together at his elementary school.

The unconventional hack of putting a child to bed in their school clothes does spark some concern among experts.

Dr. Natalie Blum told Sleep.com that 'the safety of pajamas vs daytime clothing is the most dangerous part of wearing clothes to bed.'

For example, the the Consumer Product Safety Act, which regulates childrens sleepwear, requires that 'pajamas that arent very tight fitting must contain flame retardants.'

Others concerns include how decorative items, like sequins, buttons and zippers, on day clothing can be choking hazards.

While chatting with fellow actress, Debbie Gibson, the Beverly Hills, 90210 alum, 51, revealed that she dresses her son, Beau, seven, in his school clothing the night before to save time in the morning

Blum also pointed out that 'bedtime and morning rituals are a part of healthy child development.'

'Typically, for best sleep hygiene, we recommend doing the exact same bedtime and morning routine daily,' she told the outlet. '[Changing into pajamas] just helps separate day from night, especially for younger children who are still setting up routines.'

Another factor is how daytime clothing can irritate sensitive skin overnight.

In addition to Beau, Spelling and her estranged husband share Liam, 17, Stella, 16, Hattie, 12, and Finn, 11.

In addition to Beau, Spelling and her estranged husband, Dean McDermott, share Liam, 17, Stella, 16, Hattie, 12, and Finn, 11 (seen all together in 2023)

Spelling and McDermott tied the knot back in May of 2006 in Fiji.

Their nuptials were documented on the couple's cancelled reality show Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood, which was on air from 2007 to 2012.
Teresa Giudice posed up a storm with daughter Milania, 18, while enjoying a pool day in Tampa, Florida.

Milania is set to start college at the University of Tampa and mom Teresa, 52, dropped her off at her new city ahead of her freshman year.

Teresa captioned the slideshow: 'Milania's new home Tampa,' adding a heart.

The mother-daughter duo posed up a storm in swimsuits as they enjoyed a day at the pool at a Tampa area hotel.

Teresa sported a black lace up bathing suit with her long brunette locks in waves around her, adding sunglasses, a bracelet and a ring.

Teresa Giudice posed up a storm with daughter Milania, 18, while enjoying a pool day in Tampa, Florida

Milania is set to start college at the University of Tampa and mom Teresa, 52, dropped her off at her new city ahead of her freshman year

Milania opted for a white bikini, adding vintage inspired sunglasses, a necklace, rings and bracelet.

The duo posed by a hotel pool before heading to the beach rocking coordinating trousers over their swimsuits.

They were posing on a large blue chair on the beach in the clip.

Teresa's post comes two days after she officially dropped Milania off at college - and her new home.

The teenager is set to start her freshman year of college at the University of Tampa this fall.

On Monday, Teresa shared a slideshow of snaps after the big move - and after her and husband Luis Ruelas helped her move into her new dorm.

The mother-daughter duo posed up a storm in swimsuits as they enjoyed a day at the pool at a Tampa area hotel

They were posing on a large blue chair on the beach in the clip

Teresa's post comes two days after she officially dropped Milania off at college - and her new home

In the slideshow, Milania is snapped posing in her new room at her dorm, as well as in a video hugging her mom goodbye while getting emotional.

Another clip shows Milania hugging stepdad Luis goodbye - with a final clip showing her waving goodbye to her mom in the dorm hallways.

Milania is the daughter of Teresa and Joe Giudice.

Teresa and Joe share four children (all daughters): Gia, 23, Gabriella, 19, Milania and Audriana, 14.

Teresa and Joe were married in 1999, separating in 2019 after 20 years of marriage.

In the slideshow, Milania is snapped posing in her new room at her dorm, as well as in a video hugging her mom goodbye while getting emotional

Another clip shows Milania hugging stepdad Luis goodbye

With a final clip showing her waving goodbye to her mom in the dorm hallways

She began dating Luis in 2020, and got engaged om 2021, tying the knot the following year.

Teresa and Luis just celebrated their second wedding anniversary on August 6.
Katie Holmes cut a casual figure as she stepped out in NYC on Wednesday - days after it emerged ex Tom Cruise was paying their daughter Suri's college fees.

The actress, 45, who is now an empty nester as Suri, 18, settles into life at Carnegie Mellon University, sported damp tresses and went make-up free as she took a phone call.

The star wore a white blouse and blue slacks - accessorizing with a tan leather handbag.

She looked in great spirits as she walked during some rare downtime.

The sighting comes aa the mother of one settles into her empty nest after Suri moved to Pittsburgh for college.

Katie Holmes cut a casual figure as she stepped out in NYC on Wednesday - days after it emerged ex Tom Cruise was paying their daughter Suri's college fees

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 sighting comes aa the mother of one settles into her empty nest after Suri moved to Pittsburgh for college

The actress, 45, who is now an empty nester as Suri, 18, settles into life at Carnegie Mellon University, sported damp tresses and went make-up free as she took a phone call

Tom, whom Suri is estranged from, won't be visit her at college, 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 - seen November 2006

Holmes and Suri Cruise at the American Ballet Theater Spring Gala in New York City in 2018

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.
Baywatch alum Nicole Eggert claimed the actors only earned $3,500 an episode while starring in the No. 1 show in the world among other revelations in Matthew Felker's four-part docuseries After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, which premiered Wednesday on Hulu.

Erika Eleniak - who played lifeguard Shauni McClain from 198992 - recalled: 'I remember freaking out seeing my first paycheck after the taxes were taken out...how am I gonna live on this money?'

Billy Warlock - who played lifeguard Eddie Kramer from 198992 - added: 'There's not one rich actor on Baywatch. Everybody was disposable and if you didn't fit into their brand at the price they were paying you, you were gone.'

Alexandra Paul - who played Lieutenant Stephanie Holden from 199297 - noted: 'The Baywatch budget was so much smaller than all the other shows that were filming at the time.'

Several members of the cast reportedly had to take pay cuts when the NBC show was saved from cancellation in syndication, but David Hasselhoff - who produced and starred as lifeguard Mitch Buchannon from 19892000 - enriched himself off the rerun royalties.

Baywatch alum Nicole Eggert (L) claimed the actors only earned $3,500 an episode while starring in the No. 1 show in the world among other revelations in Matthew Felker's four-part docuseries After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, which premiered Wednesday on Hulu

'We are blessed to be in this business. We are blessed to have this job. We are blessed to be doing this interview. Why am I doing this documentary?' the 72-year-old veteran TV actor said.

'We're doing this documentary because Baywatch is the gift that keeps on giving. It's given me an incredible life.'

One way Baywatch producers cut costs was by padding each episode full of their gratuitous montages full of hard bodies in tiny swimsuits on the beach.

Speaking of which, the actresses' small red one-piece swimsuits got skimpier throughout the 12 seasons of Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. Bonann's action drama.

'For me, that's when my comfort level went [down],' Eleniak lamented.

'The second year, I felt like necklines plunged.'

Kelly Packard - who played lifeguard April Giminski among other roles between 199199 - added: 'It was ridiculous. You couldn't even function in it.'

The Baywatch ensemble were all instructed 'to stay within your weight' as they couldn't gain or lose 5lbs during filming.

Erika Eleniak - who played lifeguard Shauni McClain from 198992 - recalled: 'I remember freaking out seeing my first paycheck after the taxes were taken out...how am I gonna live on this money?'

Billy Warlock - who played lifeguard Eddie Kramer from 198992 - added: 'There's not one rich actor on Baywatch. Everybody was disposable and if you didn't fit into their brand at the price they were paying you, you were gone'

Alexandra Paul - who played Lieutenant Stephanie Holden from 199297 - noted: 'The Baywatch budget was so much smaller than all the other shows that were filming at the time'

Several members of the cast reportedly had to take pay cuts when the NBC show was saved from cancellation in syndication, but David Hasselhoff (M) - who produced and starred as lifeguard Mitch Buchannon from 19892000 - enriched himself off the rerun royalties

The 72-year-old veteran TV actor said: 'We are blessed to be in this business. We are blessed to have this job. We are blessed to be doing this interview. Why am I doing this documentary?We're doing this documentary because Baywatch is the gift that keeps on giving. It's given me an incredible life'

'I was considered curvy back there. I just had a behind on me. Everyone else were these teeny-tiny skinny things,' Nicole - who played lifeguard Summer Quinn from 1992-94 - recalled.

'I'm sure Baywatch had an influence on girls wanting bigger lips, bigger boobs, smaller weight. When I was 20, I modified my body, I put implants in my body.'

Traci Bingham - who played lifeguard Jordan Tate from 199698 - added: 'The whole look was huge boobs, the bigger the better.'

Angelica Bridges - who played lifeguard Taylor Walsh from 199798 - said: 'We had to stay fit, we couldn't get cellulite. There was a lot of pressure.'

At least one actor - Alexandra - 'didn't conform to what people thought of as Baywatch' since she had a strong swimmer's body and a short haircut.

Speaking of which, the actresses' small red one-piece swimsuits got skimpier throughout the 12 seasons of Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. Bonann's action drama

Eleniak lamented: 'For me, that's when my comfort level went [down]. The second year, I felt like necklines plunged' (pictured Monday)

Kelly Packard - who played lifeguard April Giminski among other roles between 199199 - added: 'It was ridiculous. You couldn't even function in it'

The Baywatch ensemble were all instructed 'to stay within your weight' as they couldn't gain or lose 5lbs during filming

Nicole - who played lifeguard Summer Quinn from 1992-94 - recalled: 'I was considered curvy back there. I just had a behind on me. Everyone else were these teeny-tiny skinny things. I'm sure Baywatch had an influence on girls wanting bigger lips, bigger boobs, smaller weight. When I was 20, I modified my body, I put implants in my body'

Traci Bingham - who played lifeguard Jordan Tate from 199698 - added: 'The whole look was huge boobs, the bigger the better'

Angelica Bridges - who played lifeguard Taylor Walsh from 199798 - said: 'We had to stay fit, we couldn't get cellulite. There was a lot of pressure.'

At least one actor - Alexandra - 'didn't conform to what people thought of as Baywatch' since she had a strong swimmer's body and a short haircut

The 61-year-old triathlete recalled: 'No matter what I do, I'm never gonna do that sexy thing as well as the other actresses. So I said I'm gonna be more me. So cutting my hair, my body became more sinewy and strong, I realized just being yourself is so empowering' (pictured Monday)

Even Jeremy Jackson - who played lifeguard Hobie Buchannon from 199199 - hired a trainer to 'drag him out of bed' when he was 'prodded by producers and stuff about my appearance, skinny arms, and chubby belly'

A total 35 cast members and creators took part in After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, which also features 'over a decade's worth of never-before-seen home videos shot by the cast themselves'

'No matter what I do, I'm never gonna do that sexy thing as well as the other actresses. So I said I'm gonna be more me,' the 61-year-old triathlete recalled.

'So cutting my hair, my body became more sinewy and strong, I realized just being yourself is so empowering.'

Even Jeremy Jackson - who played lifeguard Hobie Buchannon from 199199 - hired a trainer to 'drag him out of bed' when he was 'prodded by producers and stuff about my appearance, skinny arms, and chubby belly.'

A total 35 cast members and creators took part in After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, which also features 'over a decade's worth of never-before-seen home videos shot by the cast themselves.'
Ben Affleck looked tense as he arrived at his LA office on Wednesday - - amid his divorce from Jennifer Lopez and rumored new romance with Kick Kennedy.

The Oscar-winner, 52, flashed his ring free hand as he drove into a parking lot as speculation runs rampant over his dating life in the wake of the shock split.

The star was typically dapper in a blue suit and white shirt - paired with shades.

He sported a light smattering of stubble while looking pensive ahead of his day at the office.

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 looked tense as he arrived at his LA office on Wednesday - - amid his divorce from Jennifer Lopez and rumored new romance with Kick Kennedy

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 Oscar-winner, 52, flashed his ring free hand as he drove into a parking lot as speculation runs rampant over his dating life in the wake of the shock split

The star was typically dapper in a blue suit and white shirt - paired with shades

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; the pair seen in February

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

'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.'

'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.
Elizabeth Chambers revealed that she is 'packing and moving' with her two children for the 'fifth time' in nearly five years in a video shared to her Instagram stories on Tuesday.

The TV personality, 42 - who said she is 'fiercely protecting' her kids who have 'no idea' about their father Armie Hammer's cannibalism scandals - also shared to her followers that her family only has a few more nights in the Cayman Islands.

Chambers was previously married to the disgraced Hollywood star, 38, from 2010 until they split in 2020. The former couple - whose divorce was finalized in 2023 - share daughter Harper, nine, and son Ford, seven.

The mother-of-two uploaded a black and white clip while preparing for the big move - as the track, Misses, by Dominic Fike played in the background.

While her son could be seen sitting at a long table, Elizabeth's daughter also made an appearance as she stepped towards the camera while talking to her mother.

Elizabeth Chambers, 42, revealed that she is 'packing and moving' with her two children for the 'fifth time' in nearly five years in a video shared to her Instagram stories on Tuesday

In text added towards the bottom, the media personality wrote, 'packing and moving my kids and me for the fifth time in almost 5 years.'

Chambers added, 'beyond grateful for my lai, my extraordinary bf, and for these extraordinary people @jojordan10 not pictured bc she's handling business @birdbakery.'

She has been dating wellness therapist, Ricardas Kazinec, since September 2022. Later that same year, Elizabeth uploaded a snap of the pair and wrote, 'He's the cutest and makes me very happy...'

Also on Tuesday, she shared a picture of Kazinec and gave a special shout out to her partner for helping out with the moving process.

Chambers added a heart over the photo and typed out, 'the amount of hours he has spent at fedex. this one getting me through it.'

The Bird Bakery founder also uploaded a photo to her Instagram stories that showed her daughter, Harper, standing on a low wall near the ocean. '3 more sleeps,' Elizabeth wrote.

A source recently told People that Chambers and her family are moving to Los Angeles, adding that she had always intended to return to California with her kids.

Following the move, the insider further expressed that Elizabeth does not have plans to return to the Cayman Islands.

The mother-of-two uploaded a black and white clip while preparing for the big move - as the track, Misses, by Dominic Fike played in the background

In text added towards the bottom, the media personality wrote, 'packing and moving my kids and me for the fifth time in almost 5 years'

Chambers added a heart over the photo and typed out, 'the amount of hours he has spent at fedex. this one getting me through it'

The Bird Bakery founder also uploaded a photo to her Instagram stories that showed her daughter, Harper, standing on a low wall near the ocean. '3 more sleeps,' Elizabeth wrote

Her ex-husband, Armie Hammer, has also returned to L.A. and opened up about his struggles to afford gas in a video uploaded on Tuesday to his Instagram page - one day before his 38th birthday on August 28.

Following accusations that he was a 'cannibal' and sexual abuse controversy - which came to light in 2021 - Hammer's once promising career in Hollywood came to an abrupt end.

He stated that he has been back in L.A. for 'a couple of weeks now,' and is ready for 'a new car, in a new apartment, in a new life.'

Hammer filmed a sleek, black vehicle and explained, 'This is my truck. I bought this for myself in 2017 as a Christmas gift for myself.'

'I have loved this truck intensely and taken it camping and across the country multiple times and on long road trips and I've taken it on one last road trip... to CarMax.'

Armie explained that, 'Since being back in L.A., I have put about $400 or $500 worth of gas in it and I can't afford it. I can't afford the gas anymore.'

He has now moved on with a 'tiny' hybrid car and later stated, 'I'm probably going to put about 10 bucks of gas in it a month and this is it. Here's to new beginnings.'

Earlier this year in April, Chambers explained that she is 'fiercely protecting' her kids during an episode of Grand Caymans: Secrets In Paradise.

Her ex-husband, Armie Hammer, has also returned to L.A. and opened up about his struggles to afford gas in a video uploaded on Tuesday to his Instagram page - one day before his 38th birthday on August 28

Earlier this year in April, Chambers explained that she is 'fiercely protecting' her kids during an episode of Grand Caymans: Secrets In Paradise

Elizabeth discussed her relationship with Armie following their divorce. 'Things are fabulous. My sister said it best. She said, "Every single day somebody just taps you on the shoulder, reminding you of the most painful time of your life."'

'But also, I am fiercely protecting my children, which is why we're still here, and they have, thank God, no idea about what is going on.'

'My children are blissfully happy. They should think that their dad is a superhero, and to be fair, he has been to them. He's been the best he can be,' she added.

In a separate confessional during the episode, Chambers said of Hammer, 'I don't speak negatively about him in the press.'

'I don't speak negatively about him to my children, because nobody wants a daughter with daddy issues and nobody wants a son with daddy issues. They should think their dad is a superhero.'

During the divorce proceedings, the former couple agreed to shared custody of their two children.

And last year in May, the Los Angeles County District Attorney announced that the disgraced actor would not face any charges in the sexual assault case due to 'insufficient evidence.'

Elizabeth's business partner, Frank Schilling, previously opened up to DailyMail.com in April about her co-parenting relationship with Armie.

'It was evident that they have come to terms where they're able to co-exist in the same area,' Schilling continued

'I've watched them go through that whole process. For Elizabeth, it's always been about the kids,' he stated.

At the time, Frank recalled, 'I was playing with my son at the school playground and I saw Armie and Elizabeth together.'

'I almost thought it was a boyfriend or something. Then I realized, "Oh, no that's Armie." They were together but not holding hands or canoodling.'

'It was evident that they have come to terms where they're able to co-exist in the same area,' Schilling continued.
Monica Bellucci and Tim Burton looked happier than ever as they attended the Beetlejuice sequel premiere during Venice Film Festival on Wednesday evening.

The couple, who have been dating since October 2023, dressed to impress as they coordinated their all black outfits and donned large sunglasses as they posed for photos together.

Tim, who has directed the second movie, looked dapper in a suit and tie which he teamed with a pair of trainers.

Meanwhile Monica, who portrays Delores in the sequel, looked glamorous in an off the shoulder plunging gown.

The Italian star showed off her incredible figure in the maxi dress which boasted dramatic puff sleeves.

Monica Bellucci and Tim Burton looked happier than ever as they attended the Beetlejuice sequel premiere during Venice Film Festival on Wednesday evening

The couple, who have been dating since October 2023, dressed to impress as they coordinated their outfits and donned large sunglasses as they posed for photos together

She added a pop of colour to the ensemble with a large necklace and toted her belongings in a coordinated black clutch.

The actress wasnt in the original film, Beetlejuice, made 35 years ago, but Tim has a habit of casting his lovers in his films  like Helena Bonham Carter  and she plays Delores, the ex wife of Michael Keatons Beetlejuice in this film.

The character is like a 'stitched up doll,' she says.

Speaking ahead of the premiere, Monica said: 'Im so honoured to be part of this film and to come into Tims world.

'Tim is an artist and he knows how to make situations that are fantastic and horrific and comic and emotional all at the same time.

'He helped me so much to create this monster, more than a monster, she is a creature. She is mean but also charming.

'She is a metaphor of life. Tim told me about the character and said he thought of me, and he showed me what he thought.

'Tim loves Italy and he loves Italian films and he has showed me so many many films. I have discovered Mario Bava (director of the 1957 horror classic I Vampiri) thanks to him.'

Tim, who has directed the second movie, looked dapper in a suit and tie which he teamed with a pair of trainers

Meanwhile Monica, who portrays Delores in the sequel, looked glamorous in an off the shoulder plunging gown

The Italian star showed off her incredible figure in the maxi dress which boasted dramatic puff sleeves

The actress wasnt in the original film, Beetlejuice, made 35 years ago, but Tim has a habit of casting his lovers in his films  like Helena Bonham Carter  and she plays Delores, the ex wife of Michael Keatons Beetlejuice in this film

Tim revealed he had considered retiring from film-making after the disappointing reception of his live-action big budget Dumbo film for Disney.

But he was reinvigorated after making Wednesday, the Addams family spin-off, for Netflix last year.

Wednesday star Jenna Ortega has joined the Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice film as Astrid, the daughter of Lydia Deetz, played by Winona Ryder.

The director said: 'The past few years I got a bit disillusioned with the film industry you might say. I just realised if I want to do anything else again I will do it from my heart, it has to be something that I want to do.

'Winona and Michael and I would talk every few years, talk about doing Beetlejuice but I did get re-energised with Wednesday. Walking the Carpathian mountains in Romania does something to a person.'

He added that he had not watched the original film before starting to film the sequel, but had hoped to stay true to its spirit.

Jenna Ortega said that she had joined a 'team of giants' on the film and added: 'For me it was about making sure that I wasnt ripping off Winonas work back in the day, and making something new.'

Winona said: 'I was so thrilled to be with everyone again. It was such a special experience. My love and trust for Tim runs so deep. There is a sense of playfulness where you try things and you know that if its bad, he wont use it.'

The cast of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice descended onto the carpet (pictured L-R: Catherine O'Hara, Willem Dafoe, Michael Keaton, Monica Belluci, Tim Burton, Winona Ryder, Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux and Arthur Conti)

A synopsis of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice reads: 'Three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River after an unexpected family tragedy'

Tim and Monica 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.'
EQS-Ad-hoc: LEG Immobilien SE / Key word(s): Issue of Debt/Issue of Debt

LEG Immobilien SE announces the successful placement of EUR 500 million convertible bonds



28-Aug-2024 / 16:48 CET/CEST

Disclosure of an inside information acc. to Article 17 MAR of the Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, INCLUDING THE INFORMATION INCLUDED HEREIN, IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH, OR TO PERSONS IN ANY JURISDICTION TO WHOM, SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT AN OFFER OF SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION.

LEG Immobilien SE announces the successful placement of EUR 500 million convertible bonds

Duesseldorf, August 28, 2024 - LEG Immobilien SE ("LEG" or the "Company") announces the successful placement of guaranteed senior unsecured convertible bonds due 2030 in an aggregate principal amount of EUR 500 million (the "Bonds"). The Bonds will be issued by LEG Properties B.V. (the "Issuer"), a wholly-owned Dutch subsidiary of LEG, will be guaranteed by LEG, and will be convertible into 4.3 million new and/or existing ordinary registered shares of the Company, representing approximately 5.7% of the Company's current outstanding share capital. The pre-emptive rights of the Company's shareholders (Bezugsrechte) have been excluded.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the issuance of the Bonds to refinance existing indebtedness and general corporate purposes.

The Bonds will be issued at their principal amount and bear a coupon of 1.00% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrear. Unless previously converted or repaid, repurchased and cancelled, at maturity on September 4, 2030, the Bonds will be redeemed at their accreted redemption amount (principal amount plus redemption premium) equal to 106.34% of their principal amount. The initial conversion price amounts to EUR 117.4748, representing a conversion premium of 37.5% above the reference share price of EUR 85.4362, set as the volume-weighted average price of the Companys share on XETRA between launch and pricing of the Bonds. In light of the accreted redemption amount at maturity, the effective conversion price of the Bonds is c. EUR 124.92 at maturity.

Settlement of the Bonds is expected to take place on or around September 4, 2024, and admission to trading on the Open Market segment (Freiverkehr) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange is expected shortly thereafter.

The Issuer will be entitled to redeem the Bonds at their accreted redemption amount (plus accrued interest) at any time (i) on or after September 25, 2028, if the value of the Shares underlying a Bond is equal or exceeds 130% of the then prevailing accreted redemption amount over a certain period or (ii) if 20% or less of the aggregate principal amount of the Bonds remain outstanding.

The Bonds were offered only to institutional investors in certain jurisdictions outside the United States via a private placement.

As part of the offering, the Issuer and the Company have agreed to a lock-up period of 90 days, subject to customary exemptions and waiver by the Joint Global Coordinators.

Contact:

Frank Kopfinger, CFA

Head of Investor Relations & Strategy

Tel. +49 2 11 / 45 68 550

Mob. +49 1 72 / 173 9339

******

IMPORTANT NOTICE

This announcement and the information contained herein is restricted and may not be published, distributed or released, directly or indirectly, in the United States of America (including its territories and possessions), Australia, Japan, South Africa or any other jurisdiction where such publication, distribution or release would be unlawful. The publication, distribution or release of this announcement may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions and persons who are in possession of this document or other information referred to herein should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. Further, this announcement is for information purposes only and is not an offer of, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase, sell or subscribe for, securities in any jurisdiction. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This announcement has not been approved by the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

This announcement is an advertisement within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129, as amended (the "EU Prospectus Regulation") and the Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of United Kingdom ("UK") domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (the "EUWA") (the "UK Prospectus Regulation"), and does not constitute an offer of, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase, sell or subscribe for, any securities of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries in the United States of America, Australia, South Africa, Japan or any other jurisdiction in which offers of, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase, sell or subscribe for, securities would be prohibited by applicable law. Neither this announcement nor anything contained herein shall form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, an offer or offer to purchase, sell or subscribe in any jurisdiction. The Bonds, the guarantee issued in relation thereto and the Shares offered or offered to be purchased, sold or subscribed for will not be and have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or with any securities regulatory authority of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States and may not be offered, sold, pledged, taken up, exercised, resold, renounced, transferred or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States, except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and in compliance with any applicable securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States. The securities referred to herein have not been approved, disapproved or recommended by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, any state securities commission in the United States or any other U.S. regulatory authority, nor have any of the foregoing authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the securities referred to herein. No public offering of, or solicitation of an offer to purchase, sell or subscribe for, securities of the Company is being made in the United States or any such other jurisdiction.

No reliance may be placed for any purpose on the information contained in this announcement or its accuracy or completeness. No prospectus will be prepared in connection with the offering of, or solicitation of an offer to purchase, sell or subscribe for, the securities referred to herein. The securities referred to herein may not be offered, and no solicitation of an offer to purchase, sell or subscribe for, such securities may be made, to the public in any jurisdiction in circumstances which would require the preparation or registration of any prospectus or offering document relating to the securities referred to herein in such jurisdiction.

In the UK, this announcement is only directed at "qualified investors" within the meaning of the UK Prospectus Regulation who (i) are investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended) (the "Order") or (ii) are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, etc. (all such persons together being referred to as "Relevant Persons")). This document must not be acted on, or relied upon, by persons who are not Relevant Persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available only to Relevant Persons and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons.

In member states of the European Economic Area the placement of, and invitation to submit any offer to purchase, sell or subscribe for, any securities described in this announcement is directed exclusively at persons who are "qualified investors" within the meaning of the EU Prospectus Regulation.

Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended ("MiFID II"); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local implementing measures (together, the "MiFID II Product Governance Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Bonds have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that: (i) the target market for the Bonds is eligible counterparties and professional clients only, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) all channels for distribution of the Bonds to eligible counterparties and professional clients are appropriate. Any person subsequently offering, selling or recommending the Bonds (a "distributor") should take into consideration the manufacturer's target market assessment; however, a distributor subject to MiFID II is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Bonds (by either adopting or refining the manufacturer's target market assessment) and determining appropriate distribution channels. The target market assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual or legal selling restrictions in relation to any offering of the Bonds and/or the underlying Shares. For the avoidance of doubt, the target market assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any action whatsoever with respect to the Bonds.

The Bonds are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the EEA or the UK. For these purposes, a "retail investor" means (a) in the EEA, a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2016/97 (as amended, the "Insurance Distribution Directive"), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of article 4(1) of MiFID II, and (b) in the UK, a person who is one (or more) of (i) a retail client within the meaning of Regulation (EU) no 2017/565 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the EUWA or (ii) a customer within the meaning of the provisions of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 of the UK (the "FSMA") and any rules or regulations made under the FSMA to implement Directive (EU) 2016/97, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client, as defined in point (8) of Article 2(1) of regulation (EU) No 600/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the EUWA.

Consequently, no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (the "EU PRIIPs Regulation") or the EU PRIIPS Regulation as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the EUWA (the "UK PRIIPS Regulation") for offering or selling the Bonds or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA or the UK has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the Bonds or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA or the UK may be unlawful under the EU PRIIPs Regulation and/or the UK PRIIPS Regulation.

No action has been taken that would permit an offering or an acquisition of, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase, sell or subscribe for, the securities or a distribution of this announcement in any jurisdiction where such action would be unlawful. Persons into whose possession this announcement comes are required to inform themselves about and to observe any such restrictions.

This announcement does not constitute a recommendation or advice concerning the placement of, or invitation to submit any offer to purchase, sell or subscribe for, any securities. Investors should consult a professional advisor as to the suitability of the placement of, or invitation to submit any offer to purchase, sell or subscribe for, any securities for the person concerned.

This announcement may contain forward looking statements, estimates, opinions and projections with respect to anticipated future performance of the Company ("forward-looking statements"). These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms "targets", "plans", "aims", "projects", "believes", "estimates", "anticipates", "expects", "intends", "may", "will", "would", "could" or "should" or, in each case, their negative, or other variations or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include all matters that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on the current views, expectations and assumptions of the management of the Company and involve significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. Any forward-looking statements included herein only speak as at the date of this release. We undertake no obligation, and do not expect to publicly update, or publicly revise, any of the information, forward-looking statements or the conclusions contained herein or to reflect new events or circumstances or to correct any inaccuracies which may become apparent subsequent to the date hereof, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. We accept no liability whatsoever in respect of the achievement of such forward-looking statements and assumptions.

The Joint Bookrunners are acting exclusively for the Company and no-one else in connection with the Offering. They will not regard any other person as their respective clients in relation to the Offering and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to their respective clients, nor for providing advice in relation to the Offering, the contents of this announcement or any transaction, arrangement or other matter referred to herein.

In connection with the Offering of the Bonds, the Joint Bookrunners and any of their affiliates may take up a portion of the Bonds in the Offering and/or may acquire ordinary shares as a principal position and in that capacity may retain, purchase, sell, offer to sell for their own accounts such Bonds, ordinary shares and other securities of the Company or its group or related investments in connection with the Offering or otherwise. In addition the Joint Bookrunners and any of their affiliates may enter into financing arrangements (including swaps, warrants or contracts for differences) with investors in connection with which the Joint Bookrunners and any of their affiliates may from time to time acquire, hold or dispose of Bonds ordinary shares and/or other securities or derivate positions in such securities. The Joint Bookrunners and their affiliates do not intend to disclose the extent of any such investment or transactions otherwise than in accordance with any legal or regulatory obligations to do so.

None of the Joint Bookrunners or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, affiliates, advisers or agents accepts any responsibility or liability whatsoever for or makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the truth, accuracy or completeness of the information in this announcement (or whether any information has been omitted from the announcement) or any other information relating to the Issuer, its subsidiaries or associated companies, whether written, oral or in a visual or electronic form, and howsoever transmitted or made available or for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith.
Willem Dafoe and wife Giada Colagrande looked happier than ever as they posed on the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice red carpet during Venice Film Festival on Wednesday.

The actor, 69, who portrays Wolf Jackson in the Tim Burton sequel, cosied up to his wife of 19 years Giada, 48, as they posed for photos.

Willem cut a dapper figure for the evening in a navy suit which he teamed with a black satin tie and shiny matching shoes.

Meanwhile Giada looked sensational in a burgundy halterneck gown which boasted a black chunky belt and silver glittering edging.

Showing off her amazing figure in the number, Giada added inches to her frame in a pair of towering heels and styled her dark tresses in neat braids.

Willem Dafoe and wife Giada Colagrande looked happier than ever as they posed on the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice red carpet during Venice Film Festival on Wednesday

The actor, 69, who portrays Wolf Jackson in the Tim Burton sequel, cosied up to his wife of 19 years Giada, 48, as they posed for photos

The couple were all smiles as they posed for photos together before Willem beamed alongside his co-stars ahead of the premiere.

Although they keep their relationship relatively low-key, Willem - who married Giada just one year after they met - previously shared details of his romance with the Italian beauty in an article written for The Guardian.

The lovestruck actor explained: 'I met my wife on the street in Rome in 2004. I knew of her because I'd seen her films and we had some mutual friends.

'Getting married was very impulsive and romantic. We were having lunch and I said: "Do you want to get married tomorrow?" I called up City Hall and they said: "If you get here in the next couple of hours, you can register and then you can get married tomorrow." So we ran down there.

'We married the next day with just two witnesses, our best friends: my manager and her editor.'

It comes as Winona Ryder passed the baton to Jenna Ortega as they posed together at they also posed at their latest film premiere Beetlejuice 2.

The Stranger Things actress, 52, who starred in the original movie in 1988 when she was 16-years-old, has reprised her role as Lydia in Tim Burtons Beetlejuice sequel while Wednesday actress Jenna, 21, portrays her daughter Astrid Deetz.

Tim Burton's Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is opening the festival on Thursday.

Willem cut a dapper figure for the evening in a navy suit which he teamed with a black satin tie and shiny matching shoes

Meanwhile Giada looked sensational in a burgundy halterneck gown which boasted a black chunky belt and silver glittering edging

The cast of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice descended onto the carpet (pictured L-R: Catherine O'Hara, Willem Dafoe, Michael Keaton, Monica Belluci, Tim Burton, Winona Ryder, Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux and Arthur Conti)

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 in 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.

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.

A synopsis of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice reads: 'Three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River after an unexpected family tragedy'

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.

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.
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis were spotted on a dinner date in Los Angeles this week.

The longtime spouses  Ashton, 46, and Mila, 41  were dressed differently, however.

For his part, Kutcher was clad in a white T-shirt, blue trousers, and matching blue and white sneakers.

The father-of-two, who shares nine-year-old daughter Wyatt and seven-year-old son Dimitri with Kunis, added a white ball cap and debuted a moustache.

Meanwhile, Mila looked chic as she sported a black tank top and loose-fitting orange and black striped trousers.

Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis were spotted on a dinner date in Los Angeles this week. The longtime spouses - Ashton, 46, and Mila, 41 - were casually dressed for the outing, keeping low-key

The Ukraine-born actress pulled her dark hair into a messy topknot bun and she wore lightly-tinted sunglasses.

She layered two gold necklaces, wore a watch on her left wrist, and slipped her feet into a pair of gold thong sandals.

Mila and Ashton met while starring on That 70s show as teenagers.

They now both appear on a spinoff show called That 90s Show, which streamed on Netflix.

They celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary on July 4.

Ashton was previously wed to actress Demi Moore from 2005-2013 and Mila dated actor Macaulay Culkin for eight years.

Kutcher and Kunis' LA outing comes nearly one year after they were slammed for writing letters to the judge in the case of convicted rapist Danny Masterson.

Following the backlash, they responded to criticism with a joint video post shared online.

Mila and Ashton met while starring on That 70s show as teenagers; pictured in 2023

The couple married in 2015 and currently star in That 90s Show together

'We are aware of the pain that has been caused by the character letters we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson,' Ashton began in a short video shared on Instagram after it was revealed that he and his wife had vouched for their former That 70s Show co-star and friend, 48.

'We support victims,' Mila added. 'We have done this historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future.'

The comments on the post were disabled.

Critics were quick to take to X to unleash their dismay over the 'lawyered' apology.

Journalist Yashar Ali wrote on the site, 'Its important to note that the letters werent just character letters youd write for a friend. The letters, which contained a great deal of Scientological phrasing, were intended to undermine the victims who were drugged by Danny.'

Kutcher and Kunis' LA outing comes nearly one year after they were slammed for writing letters to the judge in the case of convicted rapist Danny Masterson, prompting them to issue a public apology

After he was found guilty of raping two women, the Hollywood A-listers pleaded for leniency; Danny Masterson pictured in 2016

Masterson was handed a 30 years to life sentence in September 2023 after a jury found him guilty of raping two women in the early 2000s.

Ashton informed viewers in the clip, 'A couple months ago, Dannys family reached out to us and they asked us to write character letters to represent the person that we knew for 25 years so that the judge could take that into full consideration relative to the sentencing.'

Mila went on to say, 'The letters were not written to question the legitimacy of the judicial system or the validity of the jurys ruling.'

'They were intended for the judge to read. And not to undermine the testimonies of the victims or re-traumatize them in any way.

'We would never want to do that. And we are sorry if that has taken place,' Ashton emphasized.

'Our heart goes out to every single person that has ever been a victim of sexual assault, sexual abuse or rape,' Mila said to conclude their statement.
Jeff Goldblum showered his wife with affection as they attended the photocall for dark-comedy series KAOS in London on Wednesday.

The American actor, 71, who plays Zeus in the upcoming drama, seemed more loved-up than ever as he sweetly posed with his wife Emilie Livingston, 41, whom he married in 2014.

The Jurassic Park star cut a dapper figure in a black and gold Versace printed shirt as he arrived at the event.

He teamed a pair of black tailored trousers with the jazzy shirt and sported a pair of smart black leather shoes.

Meanwhile, his wife Emilie looked nothing short of sensational in an orange summer dress with pink floral prints.

Jeff Goldblum seemed more loved-up than ever as he was joined by his wife Emilie Livingston, whom he married in 2014, at the KAOS photocall in London

The actor cut a quirky figure in a black and gold Versace shirt as he attended the photocall for dark-comedy series KAOS in London on Wednesday

The beauty flashed a glimpse of her ample cleavage as she further accessorised with a gold chain necklace.

To complete her red carpet look, Emilie styled her brunette tresses in mermaid waves and showed off her natural beauty with a minimal palette of makeup.

Jeff was also joined by his co-star Janet McTeer, 63, who plays the role of Hera in the series.

The actress looked nothing short of sensational in a white cropped belted blazer and a satin skirt.

She elevated her height with a pair of white court heels and further accessorised with a diamond statement necklace.

The streaming service recently debuted the first trailer for the series, which puts a contemporary spin on the gods and goddesses of Greek mythology.

The show follows Zeus, long entrenched as the King of the Gods, who wakes up one day and sees a wrinkle on his forehead.

He believes that wrinkle is a sign that an ancient prophecy foretelling his downfall is coming to fruition.

The Jurassic Park star teamed a pair of black tailored trousers with the jazzy shirt and sported a pair of smart black leather shoes

Jeff was also joined by his co-star Janet McTeer, 63, who plays the role of Hera in the series

Katie Carpenter, Nabhaan Rizwan, Jane Featherstone, Jeff, Misia Butler, Aurora Perrineau, Charlie Covell, Killian Scott, Janet, Suzy Eddie Izzard, Leila Farzad, Billie Piper, and Chris Fry also attended (pictured L-R)

The photocall comes after Billie looked worlds away from her glamorous self as she was seen for the first time in the trailer for the upcoming Netflix series

Also seen for the first time was Suzy who cut a glamorous figure in a plunging white gown in a scene where she seemingly judged a talent show

Jeff (pictured) will portray the King of the Gods himself, Zeus, alongside Janet as Hera and David Thewlis as Hades

The eight-episode series from creator Charlie Covell (The End of the F***ing World) debuts on Netflix August 29 (Janet McTeer pictured)

The official synopsis reads: 'Having long enjoyed his status as king of the gods, Zeuss reign has never been truly threatened. That is until he wakes up one morning and discovers a wrinkle on his forehead'.

'Believing it to be the harbinger of an ancient prophecy which foretells his destruction, neurosis sets in: Zeus becomes convinced his fall is coming. As his paranoia takes hold, the god of gods - seeing signs everywhere - starts to dangerously self-destruct.'

'And hes right to be worried. Zeuss one-time friend and now prisoner, Prometheus, is orchestrating a plan to bring him down. The plan involves three disparate humans, all of whom are totally unaware of their cosmic significance or the part they must play in saving the world. No pressure. (Some pressure.)'

According to Get Your Comic On, the first episode of Kaos is more than enough to hook viewers and leave them eager for more.
What does it take to make a dress a smash hit?

Ask Victoria Beckham, who has produced a dress that ticks so many boxes it's becoming as famous as the Herve Leger bandage dress was in the Noughties. Only a lot more versatile.

The cult dress seems to suit women of all ages  thanks to VB's five-point formula.

Point one is the ruched long waist. Ruching or gathering from waist to hip is as flattering as it is forgiving, and adds movement and interest to a very simple silhouette  not to mention it disguises any lumps and bumps.

Point two is a clean, uncomplicated, feminine silhouette. The dress is cut like a gently flared, midi-length tea dress, so it's elegant, flattering and eminently wearable.

Victoria in her dress and David Beckham in New York City, 2022

King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia of Spain attend a reception at Buckingham Palace

Other fashionable followers include model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, 37, seen in Paris

This is partly thanks to the third point (a crucial one if you're over the age of 50)  the draped tulip sleeves.

These cunningly have it both ways: they're long enough to disguise any trace of bingo wings and, at the same time, split to the shoulder so the look is lighter and fresher.

Point four: the miracle dress comes in six plain block colours, so it has all the advantages of a floral dress, plus modernity and striking power.

Naturally Victoria took her catwalk bow wearing the black version, which will no doubt be the LBD on the social circuit this autumn.

Which brings us to point five of the winning formula: you can dress it up or down, and wear it year round. Not much more you can ask from a dress really.

850 dress fit for a queen that's behind Posh's best ever year

As far as rags to riches go, it seems Victoria Beckham's label has one 'rag' to thank in particular.

For this 850 dress has driven profits at Posh Spice's once troubled fashion brand  with sales soaring by 52 per cent last year.

A-list fans already include Queen Letizia of Spain, 51, and influencer Kendall Jenner, 28, who have both worn the 'parrot green' version of the midi-dress.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw seen in the Victoria Beckham Show in Paris Fashion Week, 2023

Influencer Kendall Jenner, 28, has worn the 'parrot green' version of the midi-dress

Other fashionable followers include model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, 37, and actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw, 41.

Even Ms Beckham, 50, has worn various colours of the dress which has come to be dubbed her 'cult item'.

One in ten of her online sales is said to be the outfit  which was launched in her spring/summer 2023 show on supermodel Bella Hadid.

A source said the former Spice Girl was 'thrilled' at the turnover, adding: 'Victoria has worked so hard on her label. It has been tough at times but she is so happy it is now going from strength to strength.'

The brand, which was launched in 2008, has reportedly borrowed more than 30 million to stay afloat over the years. However last year saw revenues soar from 59 million to 89 million  its third consecutive year of growth.
Charlie Sheen's ex-wife Brooke Mueller was involved in the law enforcement probe that led to five arrests earlier this month in connection with actor Matthew Perry's fatal overdose.

Mueller, 47, 'aided in the police investigation' into Perry's death last October, TMZ reported on Wednesday, as she was affiliated with both Jasveen Sangha, 41, and Erik Fleming, 54.

Both were arrested in connection with Perry's death last October, as prosecutors said Sangha - nicknamed 'The Ketamine Queen' - sold Perry the drugs that killed him, and Fleming had brought them to him.

The Ellenville, New York-born actress is mother to twin sons Bob and Max Sheen, 15, with the Two and a Half Men alum, 58, who she was wed to from 2008 to 2011.

Mueller at one time had been in a Los Angeles-area drug rehabilitation facility with both Sangha and Friends star Perry, who was 54 at the time of his death on October 28, 2023.

Charlie Sheen's ex-wife Brooke Mueller, 47, pictured in LA in 2019, was involved in the law enforcement probe that led to five arrests earlier this month in connection with actor Matthew Perry's fatal overdose

Mueller had been in an LA-area drug rehabilitation facility with both Jasveen Sangha, 41, and Perry, who was 54 at the time of his death on October 28, 2023. Pictured in LA last April

In legal docs reviewed by the AP, prosecutors said that Sangha had been distributing substances such as ketamine from her North Hollywood, California home, including the drugs that led to Perry's death.

She has been charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine, and five counts of distribution of ketamine.

Sangha - who faces 10 years to life in prison if convicted - has entered a not guilty plea in connection with the allegations, but a magistrate judge said she should remain in custody.

Mueller and Fleming were 'super close' with one another, the outlet reported, and she had also been 'extremely close' with Perry for years, meeting Sheen at one of Perry's parties.

Fleming, 54, who was a friend of Perrys, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death.

Prosecutors said Fleming would procure ketamine from Sangha and give it to Perrys live-in personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa.

Fleming - who faces up to 25 years in prison - delivered 50 vials of ketamine for Perrys use, including 25 handed over four days before the actors death, prosecutors said.

Mueller's phone and computer were seized by authorities probing Perry's death this past March while she was at a rehab facility, TMZ reported.

The Ellenville, New York-born actress is mother to twin sons Bob and Max Sheen, 15, with the Two and a Half Men alum, who she was wed to from 2008 to 2011. Pictured in LA in 2018

Jasveen Sangha, 41, is accused of distributing substances such as ketamine from her North Hollywood, California home, including the drugs that led to Perry's death

Authorities had been able to obtain a search warrant of Mueller's property last spring after demonstrating probable cause of a crime to a court, the outlet reported.

Mueller has not been arrested in connection with the case, TMZ reported, with one insider informing the outlet that she hasn't testified in front of a grand jury, and wasn't granted immunity prior to speaking with law enforcement.

Mueller 'cooperated with authorities and helped their investigation,' a source told the outlet, noting that information she provided led to Fleming's indictment.

The three other people arrested earlier this month in connection with Perry's death include Iwamasa, 59, who has has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death, facing up to 15 years in prison.

Dr. Salvador Plasencia was arrested August 15 and charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records related to the federal investigation

Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, has entered a guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Chavez sold ketamine that he had previously obtained by writing a fraudulent prescription to Plasencia, who then sold it to Iwamasa.
Marilyn Manson is appealing the dismissal of his defamation lawsuit against ex-fiancee Evan Rachel Wood - claiming she forged an FBI Ietter as part of a scheme to falsely accuse him of sexual assault.

In March 2022 Manson sued Wood over the 'malicious falsehood' of the abuse allegations she made against him and alleged the actress 'derailed his successful music, TV and film career' by accusing him and allegedly encouraging others to do the same.

Wood, 36 - who dated Manson, 55 between 2006-2011 - accused the musician of sexual abuse and misconduct in 2021 - Manson has denied all the allegations.

In new legal documents obtained by TMZ Manson has argued his lawsuit against the actress should never have been thrown out - and claims he has proof she and on-off romantic partner Illma Gore forged an FBI letter that accused the rocker of being under investigation for sexually abusing women.

Including the allegedly forged letter in his filing, Manson claims Wood only filed a declaration that she herself did not forge the letter and did not deny that it was a forgery.

Marilyn Manson is appealing the dismissal of his defamation lawsuit against ex-fiancee Evan Rachel Wood - claiming she forged an FBI Ietter as part of a scheme to falsely accuse him of sexual assault - pictured 2007

He also claims Wood 'spread falsehoods' about him, solicited information from his ex employees, manufactured fictitious emails and 'swatted' him at his home to spread her claims.

Manson claims the lower court judge in the case 'did not take into consideration' that one of his accusers recanted her allegations of abuse and claimed she felt pressured by Wood into lying about Manson.

DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Evan Rachel Wood and Marilyn Manson for comment.

Manson's original suit accused Wood and Gore, real name Ashley Gore, of impersonating an FBI agent to distribute a forged letter to 'create the false appearance' that Manson's alleged victims and their families were in danger.

The performer also claimed Wood and Gore created a fake email address to make it look as if Manson sent her 'illicit pornography' and that the pair orchestrated a swatting incident at his LA home last month.

The complaint also stated that Wood - who has accused of Manson of abuse and sexual assault - and Gore provided checklists and scripts listing specific acts of abuse for prospective accusers to claim against Manson, including that he filmed the sexual assault of a minor.

Wood has previously said Manson 'brainwashed and manipulated into submission' and that he 'started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years.' She also claimed the musician 'coerced [her] into a commercial sex act under false pretenses' and 'essentially raped [her] on-camera'.

In March 2022 Manson sued Wood over the 'malicious falsehood' of the abuse allegations she made against him and alleged the actress 'derailed his successful music, TV and film career' by accusing him and allegedly encouraging others to do the same

In new legal documents obtained by TMZ Manson claims he has proof she and on-off romantic partner Illma Gore forged an FBI letter that accused the rocker of being under investigation for sexually abusing women. - Gore pictured 2017

Manson's suit claimed Wood, with the help of Gore, fabricated her allegations against Manson in effort to 'provide more manufactured content' for Phoenix Rising, which both women worked on.

Wood and Gore were accused of recruiting, coordinating and pressuring women into making false accusations against Manson.

In addition to alleging the women provided Manson accusers with scripted responses and a 'checklist of 21 fabricated acts of abuse,' the complaint also states that Gore solicited prospective accusers by phone, text message, email, and/or social media, with the following message:

Manson also accused the pair of distributing fictitious letters 'attributed to a real-life federal agent and included a forged signature and fake phone number for that agent' warning his accusers of being endangered.

The complaint states the FBI agent listed on the letter confirmed she did not author or approve the note and claimed she had no knowledge of its existence.

Manson's counsel claims a text exchange between Gore and Wood, using the nickname Alabama, confirms they penned the letter together.

It also alleged Wood submitted the forged letter in a California custody proceeding as supposed evidence for why she should be able to move her son, Jack Matfin Bell, to Tennessee.

Wood has testified that Manson threatened that he would 'f**k' Bell - which he denied.

Manson first learned of the alleged accounts and emails in November 2021.

The complaint also accused Gore of hacking into Manson's computer, phone and email account, obtaining his passwords and social security number.

The artist is accused of using information she obtained as part of her alleged hacking scheme to 'orchestrate and promulgate false accusations against Warner'.

Including the allegedly forged letter in his filing, Manson claims Wood only filed a declaration that she herself did not forge the letter and did not deny that it was a forgery

Manson also claims Gore orchestrated a swatting incident against him on February 3, 2021 by sending police to look into him under false pretenses. This was shortly after Wood came forward with her abuse allegations.

On that date, Los Angeles police were notified by the FBI that Gore, identifying as a friend of Manson, had expressed concern for the musician's safety after she had reportedly been unable to reach him.

Police responded to the alleged 'emergency' and, when Manson did not answer the door, additional officers were called to the scene, the suit argues, noting a LAPD helicopter circled his home and shone a spotlight into his windows.

Officers reportedly returned to the property multiple times before entering the residence and 'determin[ing] there was no evidence of any trouble.'

'[Gore's] report was false. [Manson] was at home with his wife and a guest and not in any danger. Gore knew her report was falseshe and Warner have never even met. She has never been Warners friend, and had no basis to believe Warner posed any risk of danger to himself,' the complaint states.

The Westworld star was linked with Manson from 2006 until 2011

Additionally, the rockstar has accused Gore of slander.

Wood in 2018 appeared in front of Congress in support of the nationwide implementation of the Sexual Assault Survivors' Bill of Rights Acts, delivering testimony about past sexual abuse she had suffered without naming Manson at the time. She later publicly identified him as her alleged abuser.

The Westworld star was linked with Manson from 2006 until 2011. In the first installment of Phoenix Rising, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2023, she said that the Beautiful People artist had violated her in 2007 during the filming of his music video Heart-Shaped Glasses.

Wood also said she was 'scared' to expose Manson's alleged wrongdoings, and that it had taken her a 'really long time' to cease blaming herself for what had happened.

King issued a statement denying Wood's accusations about the video shoot.

Manson emerged as a musical star in the mid-1990s, known as much for courting public controversy as for hit songs like The Beautiful People and hit albums like 1996's Antichrist Superstar and 1998's Mechanical Animals.

Several women have sued Manson in recent years with allegations of sexual and other abuse. Most have been dismissed or settled, including a suit filed by Game of Thrones actor Esme Bianco.
Daisy May Cooper has revealed she was 'rushed to hospital' when her waters broke on set after son Benji arrived 'earlier than expected'.

The actress, 37, was filming series two of Am I Being Unreasonable? when her waters broke back in June, explaining that she will have to redo the scene.

Speaking on hiding her bump, Daisy told Heat magazine: 'There was one scene where I am just wearing a giant bin bag with a hole cut out for the head and two holes cut out for the arms, so that hid my bump. And also we did shots where you just see me from the tits up.'

She added: 'We started filming, it was all going really well, and then I ended up being rushed to hospital because my waters broke and Benji came, so I've got to go back and redo that.

'Bit annoying, because I think I've already been paid for it, and I hate doing work that I've already been paid for, because I've already spent that money on Boohoo clothes that are probably too big, which I'm not going to return.'

Daisy May Cooper has revealed she was 'rushed to hospital' when her waters broke on set after son Benji arrived 'earlier than expected'

The actress, 37, was filming series two of Am I Being Unreasonable? when her waters broke back in June, explaining that she will have to redo the scene

It comes after Daisy gave a health update as she said her newborn son Benji is 'doing brilliantly' after he arrived 'earlier than expected' last month.

The actress took to Instagram to say that she was very grateful to everyone for their 'beautiful messages'.

The comedy star shared a picture of herself cradling Benji in her arms while still in the hospital along with a comical update.

She wrote: 'Update: ignore the dinner plate sized areola... little benji is doing brilliantly. Thank you so much for all your beautiful messages xx.'

Daisy had revealed her third child had arrived 'a bit earlier than we expected ' on social media on Thursday.

'What a bloody week...' she began her post alongside a video of mother and baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

'You came a bit earlier than we expected and gave me the worst post op constipation that i nearly had to phone the samaratins but my god you are perfect.'

'I cannot thank @deliverysuitegrh enough. The way you looked after us through such a scary time was above and beyond. you are all bloody superstars. I am so blessed. Welcome to the world little Benji, ya nutter Born 06/06/24.'

Speaking on hiding her bump, Daisy told Heat magazine : 'There was one scene where I am just wearing a giant bin bag with a hole cut out for the head and two holes cut out for the arms, so that hid my bump'

It comes after Daisy gave a health update as she said her newborn son Benji is 'doing brilliantly' after he arrived 'earlier than expected' last month

In her video she was seen being pushed by a nurse into the neonatal unit where she broke down in tears when she saw her little one.

She was seen crying 'hi bubba' as she reached into his incubator to touch him.

She then shared sweet snaps holding her newborn and giving skin to skin while in hospital.

Benji is Daisy's first child with her boyfriend Anthony Huggins - who was also seen cradling their little one after the birth.

Her celebrity pals were quick to offer their congratulations under the post, including from Holly Willoughby, Laura Whitmore and Sian Welby.
Vicky Pattison and new husband Ercan Ramadan tied the knot in a legal ceremony at Marylebone Town Hall, in front of 150 guests, on Saturday.

And following the ceremony, the couple and their guests headed off to a fun Greggs-inspired reception, where a personalised food truck was waiting with their dinner.

The former Geordie Shore star, 36, looked sensational as she opted for a white mini dress, while Ercan, 30, looked smart in a classic black wedding suit and bow tie as they posed for loved-up snaps.

The couple, who jokingly combined their surnames for the wedding, calling themselves the Patti-Rams, had specially printed paper food bags for guests that featured the word Pastyrams, along with the slogan: 'He loves her more than Steak Bakes.'

Vicky and Ercan chose their favourite Greggs treats for the truck as one photo showed a sign which read 'His order: steak bake,' 'Her order: Cheese & onion bake,' and 'Our order: sausage roll.'

Vicky Pattison and new husband Ercan Ramadan tied the knot in a legal ceremony at Marylebone Town Hall, in front of 150 guests, on Saturday

Following the ceremony, the couple and their guests headed off to a fun Greggs-inspired reception, where a personalised food truck was waiting with their dinner

Vicky and Ercan's dogs Max and Milo also joined them at the wedding reception.

Sharing photos of the pop-up on her Instagram, Vicky wrote: 'Meet the PASTY-RAMS... I mean Patti-Rams.

'Being a proud geordie girl, there was only one option for who would cater our wedding... the one and only @greggs_official. The Greggs van was the most amazing surprise for our guests and we LOVED IT!!! Thankyou so much for making our wedding fun and a night EVERYONE will remember.'

The pair were joined by Pete Wicks who led the famous faces as he hugged Vicky after taking on the duties of flower girl.

The TOWIE star, 36, scrubbed up well for the occasion as he donned a charcoal suit which showed off his neck and chest tattoos.

Vicky has kept her followers fully involved in her wedding preparations after Ercan first popped the question while on holiday in Dubai in February 2022.

And after a summer of hen do's and a sensational Sten, a joint hen and stag do, Vicky looked delighted to be enjoying her big day.

Sharing a smooch in front of the crowd the pair were fully loved up as Vicky clutched her stunning white flower bouquet.

The pair tied the knot at the Marylebone Town Hall which has become known as the 'Rock & Roll Wedding' venue.

The former Geordie Shore star, 36, looked sensational as she opted for a white mini dress, while Ercan, 30, looked smart in a classic black wedding suit and bow tie as they posed for loved-up snaps

The couple, who jokingly combined their surnames for the wedding, calling themselves the Patti-Rams, had specially printed paper food bags for guests that featured the word Pastyrams, along with the slogan: 'He loves her more than Steak Bakes.'

Vicky and Ercan chose their favourite Greggs treats for the truck as one photo showed a sign which read 'His order: steak bake,' 'Her order: Cheese & onion bake,' and 'Our order: sausage roll.'

Sharing photos of the pop-up on her Instagram, Vicky wrote: 'Meet the PASTY-RAMS... I mean Patti-Rams'

The pair tied the knot at the Marylebone Town Hall which has become known as the 'Rock & Roll Wedding' venue

Sir Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell, Liam Gallagher and Nicole Appleton, and Antonia Banderas and Melanie Griffith have all said 'I do' among its plush surroundings at the Marylebone Town Hall.

While the weather in London wasn't quite what Vicky may have had in mind, the wedding party were undeterred by the rain as they stood outside with their umbrellas.

However the pair aren't just celebrating with their London nuptials.

They will also soon be jetting off to her lavish Italian wedding in Puglia.

The reality star previously shared her 'heartbreak' over the amount of money she has forked out to pay for her and Ercan's 'dream wedding'.

She revealed that the eye-watering price she splashed out on both weddings costs 'the same price as a house' - but it still 'wasn't enough budget' for what she wanted.

From purchasing four wedding dresses to wear on her big day, to two stunning locations and a jaw-dropping welcome dinner, Vicky is certain to pull off a once in a lifetime day.

While she tried to be a little sensible in places - by lowering her budget for flowers - Vicky was adamant she wanted to change into four dresses for a big day.

She previously teased that she would be wearing a sixties-inspired gown for her UK wedding and said she loved the short veil and big sunglasses look.

The reality television star tied the knot in front of 150 of her friends and family, before jetting out to Puglia for another lavish ceremony which will air on Channel 4 on new show Vicky Pattison: Destination Wedding

Vicky shared a sweet throwback snap of her first date with with Ercan as she prepared to marry her fiance on Saturday

Preparing ahead of her nuptials on Saturday morning, Vicky shared a sweet throwback snap of her first date with with Ercan.

And before saying 'I Do' to her love, Vicky was in a nostalgic mood as she shared a look at the day they first met, with the star noting on Instagram that despite being initially hesitant to attend the date, she soon realised he was 'the one'.

The image in question sees Vicky looking stunning in a red gown as she shares a giggle with a dapper Ercan - who on Friday was seen stocking up on booze and supplies from a wholesalers ahead of their wedding celebrations.

Captioning her loved-up snap, she penned: 'Our first date... I wanted to post this picture of our first ever date so it sits right next to our first one as man and wife.

'I almost didn't go on this date, I wasn't in the best place and wasn't sure if it was right to be dating again when I didn't feel fully healed. But there was something special about Ercan... So I went.

'And we chatted and laughed and had the BEST first date ever, it was like we'd known each other years.. But it was more than just getting on with each other and fancying him (ALOT).. there was a kindness to erc aswell, I felt very safe.

'Anyway, I remember he went to the toilet and I messaged all my pals in the group chat and said 'lasses, he's the one. Buy a f**king hat!' 

'And here we are, nearly 6 years later... I knew @erc_ram, from the very first date, I just knew I'd be your wife. See you at the altar today petal... I'll be the one in white.'

Before Ercan, Vicky was previously engaged to John Noble [pictured], but she was left devastated after learning he cheated on her just weeks before their wedding

Vicky's message was met with a plethora of supportive messages from fans, with many wishing her the best of luck for the big day.

Before Ercan, Vicky was previously engaged to John Noble, but she was left devastated after learning he cheated on her just weeks before their wedding.

John, who proposed to Vicky in July 2017, was filmed at Dubai nightclub Billionaire Mansion getting close to a blonde woman identified as part-time model Poppy Owen, as well as two other unidentified ladies.

At the time of the scandal, Vicky had already bought her dream wedding dress and organised the venue. She was also filming a documentary about the nuptials.

John's proposal was Vicky's second, after her Geordie Shore co-star Ricci Guarnaccio proposed to her during a Cancun MTV special in 2012.
Liberty Mutual is discontinuing its fire insurance for around 17,000 policyholders in California.

Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Company, a subsidiary of the major insurer, is in the process of canceling the cover, which will be completed in November.

California is in the midst of a crisis which is seeing increasing numbers of insurers flee the state.

But rather than blaming losses, Liberty Mutual said technology issues were the reason for the non-renewals.

The company said it is retiring the 'antiquated' technology it uses to manage the policies, 'and it is not feasible to create a new system to support this product in California,' The San Francisco Chronicle reported.

The policies are for 'dwelling fire insurance,' which is different to a typical homeowners policy.

Liberty Mutual is discontinuing its fire insurance for around 17,000 policyholders in California (Pictured: The Park Fire burns in Tehama County on August 7)

The main purpose of the coverage is to cover fire damage to the structure of a home itself, rather than for the belongings inside.

Dwelling fire policies are often bought by people who do not live in their homes full time, such as landlords or vacation homeowners.

The old technology is being retired across the company, which is also affecting policyholders in other states, a company spokesperson told the SF Chronicle.

San Francisco resident Beth Brown was told by Liberty Mutual in March that the fire insurance for her property would not be renewed.

Brown, who had been with the insurer for decades, told the outlet she makes frequent renovations to her home to keep it up to date.

The nonrenewal was 'sort of like a boyfriend who breaks up with you and can't really tell you why,' she said.

Liberty Mutual, through several subsidiaries, made up just shy of 10 percent of California's fire insurance market.

It comes as a growing list of companies have limited or stopped doing business entirely in the Golden State - many citing the intensifying risk of climate disasters.

As a result, over half of Californians say they have been affected by rising premiums for property coverage or have been dropped by their insurer in the last year, according to stark data from Redfin.

In July and August, the Park Fire, which started when a burning car was pushed into a gully, has consumed over 429,000 acres.

The blaze, which is the fourth-largest wildfire in state history, has now damaged over 700 structures and damaged 54 more.

As of July this year, more than 3,500 wildfires had eaten up at least 219,247 acres across the state, according to California fire officials.

The company said it is retiring the 'antiquated' technology it uses to manage the policies, 'and it is not feasible to create a new system to support this product in California'

A growing list of companies have limited or even stopped doing business entirely in the Golden State - many citing the intensifying risk of climate disasters (Pictured: Blue Ridge Fire in 2020)

The typical annual premium for Americans will rise to $2,522 by the end of 2024, according to predictions from insurance comparison platform Insurify

Jeff Waack said he 'nearly fell of his chair' when he saw how much the insurance premium had risen this year for a West Hollywood condo building

Rising premiums for property insurance are affecting residents across the state, even those who are not in high fire risk areas.

Jeff Waack, the board treasurer for a condo in West Hollywood, told DailyMail.com earlier this year how the annual cover for the building has increased 400 percent this year from approximately $23,000 to $116,000.

'Our management company sent out proposals to 12 different insurance companies this year and every single one declined to give us a policy,' he said.

West Hollywood is an urban area, and is not at particular risk of wildfires, hurricanes or flooding, Jeff added.

He has lived in the building for decades, and says the last claim he remembers the board filing was 18 years ago.

As a last resort, the condo was forced to take coverage from a non-California admitted company, which means it sells policies which are not backed by the state.
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.
Discussions for the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between India and Oman are at an advanced stage and both sides hope to conclude the pact early, Indian Ambassador to Oman Amit Narang said on Tuesday.

The pact will give a significant push to bilateral trade and investment ties between the two countries, he said.

The pact, officially known as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), is expected to boost Indian exports to the west Asian country by eliminating duties, especially on petroleum products, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, machinery, and iron and steel.

Discussions for a bilateral CEPA with Oman are at an advanced stage. We hope to conclude these discussions early and once this is done, this will be a significant push to bilateral, not just trade, but also bilateral investment ties, Narang said.

Addressing an event organised by Ficci here, the Indian Ambassador to Oman also highlighted the significant potential for enhancing direct shipping links between the two nations as a large part of Indian exports to Oman come not directly but through the UAE.

He said the India-Oman bilateral trade, which crossed USD 12 billion in 2022-23, has moderated and settled at USD 8 billion in FY24.

Between 2021 and 2023 the bilateral trade between India and Oman more than doubled... We went from USD 5 billion to cross USD 12 billion.

In the past financial year, the bilateral trade has moderated a little bit, it has settled to USD 8 billion... Moderation is mainly on account of over dominance of hydrocarbons in the bilateral trade, Narang said.

India imports a lot of oil and fertilisers from Oman and this decline in the value terms of the trade this year is a reflection of the decline in values of these two commodities globally, Narang said.

He pointed out that a large part of Indian exports to Oman come not directly but through the UAE and these are not reflected in the India-Oman bilateral trade but in Indias trade with the UAE, adding that there is potential for enhancing direct shipping links.

Currently, I understand that there are two shipping lines... There is therefore huge potential for direct shipping to reduce cost of bilateral trade and that will have a significant impact in further improving our bilateral trade figures, Narang said.

Addressing the event virtually, Indian Ambassador to the UAE Sunjay Sudhir said India will soon upgrade its political engagement with the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) as a whole in the very near future.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) brings together six Arab countries  Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
Kabul has long stood as a symbol of Afghanistan's resilience but conduct of many of its leaders like Hafizullah Amin remains shrouded in mystery and contention

Kabul, situated over a mile above sea level, is complemented by the Paghman Hills to the west, traditionally a retreat for Kabul's elite. Paghman, known for its pleasant climate and historical significance, was also the site of significant events, including King Amanullah's struggle for independence and the 1920 asylum of the Amir of Bukhara. The town symbolises Afghanistan's resistance to foreign dominance.

Hafizullah Amin, born in Paghman in 1929, rose to prominence as a staunch opponent of superpower influence. His brief tenure as leader, lasting only 104 days, ended with his assassination in 1979, marking a pivotal moment in Afghan politics. Amin's early education in Kabul and further studies at Columbia University, interrupted by political turmoil, solidified his political engagement. His relationship with Noor Mohammad Taraki and his subsequent return to Afghanistan via Moscow shaped his radical stance and political trajectory.

However, the accusation that Amin was a CIA agent, levied with equal fervour from the left, has been eagerly embraced by Babrak Karmal as a means to legitimise his own rule. Despite Karmal's claims of having known about Amin's alleged CIA ties since the 1950s and his assertion of possessing documentary proof, he has yet to present any credible evidence. Some foreign socialists privately dismiss this claim, suggesting that the new regime's intent was to tarnish Amin's reputation, particularly among the unassuming Afghan peasantry, by branding him as an American agent. A more nuanced explanation from a Karmal sympathiser posits that the Afghan populace, repelled by Amin's policies which they viewed as detrimental to the revolution, resorted to the CIA agent narrative as a simplistic justification. Although the USSR propagated this narrative domestically in an early 1980 film on Afghanistan, it has been notably cautious in its international communications.

An article on CIA interference in the Third World, published in International Affairs, notably omits any reference to Amin. As one commentator noted, "The uncomfortable reality for both Russians and Americans is that Amin resisted manipulation from either side." If Amin's portrayal as a genocidal dictator, a Soviet puppet, or a CIA operative is unsupported by evidence, what then is the truth? What was Amin's actual role in the Afghan revolution, and why did the Soviet Union deem it so crucial to eliminate him?

In August 1978, Noor Mohammad Taraki addressed the Islamic protest movement with a defiant stance, denouncing capitalist and reactionary forces for using religion to undermine his progressive agenda. He believed these tactics, driven by imperialistic ambitions, were outdated and doomed to fail. Despite his confidence, Taraki faced significant internal strife, particularly with Hafizullah Amin, whose ambitions threatened his leadership. Taraki's reliance on Soviet support proved insufficient as his political blindness and failure to address social realities created opportunities for extremist groups.

Taraki's plan to correct his previous mistakes and form a new government with Babrak was thwarted by Amin's swift action. Despite Taraki's efforts to arrest Amin and align with Babrak for national reconciliation, the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan necessitated external military intervention. Amin's quick consolidation of power and Taraki's subsequent political struggles illustrate the volatile and precarious nature of Afghan politics during this tumultuous period.

Hafizullah Amin was widely suspected of using Marxism as a political tool rather than adhering to its principles, while publicly presenting himself as a strict religious person. Despite his significant position as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, he faced substantial opposition, particularly from the Parcham faction. This internal discord delayed his rise to a full member of the PDPA's political committee. Amin's ability to navigate these challenges and become a prominent figure in Afghan politics, including his role in the Moscow friendship treaty, marked his personal success amidst a turbulent environment.

In September 1979, Taraki's visit to Cuba and subsequent meeting with his rival Babrak Karmal in Moscow remains enigmatic.

There is speculation that Taraki sought to reconcile with Babrak to remove Amin and redistribute power, though Soviet influence likely played a crucial role in these negotiations. The depth of the animosity between Taraki and Babrak suggests that Soviet intervention was necessary to facilitate any form of political reconciliation, particularly given Taraki's longstanding hatred for Babrak and Amin's role as a significant obstacle to his power.

The political instability within the Khalq and Parcham factions weakened Afghanistan's administration, making it vulnerable to extremist support. With the security situation deteriorating and the Afghan army struggling, Taraki saw the need for Soviet intervention to restore order. Despite plans to arrest Amin and form a new government with Babrak, Taraki's efforts faltered, and Amin swiftly resolved his political predicament. The complexities of this period highlight the challenging dynamics of Afghan politics and external influences shaping its trajectory.

In early December 1979, Yuri Andropov alerted Leonid Brezhnev to Amin's covert activities, his pro-Western inclinations, and the potential end of communist rule in Afghanistan, which could threaten Soviet influence. Andropov emphasized the need for military aid to support Babrak Karmal and his allies, though he did not explicitly propose a full-scale Soviet invasion. However, Andropov's primary goal was to finalize plans for the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan.

Following this, key figures including Andropov, Dmitriy Ustinov, Andrei Gromyko, and Boris Ponomarev, convened with Brezhnev and secured approval for Soviet military action. The Politburo authorized these officials to manage the invasion's execution in utmost secrecy. The documents related to the plan were handwritten by Politburo members, and even typists were excluded from the process. Marshal Akhromeyev and the General Staff Operations Group established their base near the Afghan border, while KGB operatives traveled to Kabul to oversee Amin's removal, marking the commencement of Operation Agate.

The KGB's secrecy surrounding the assassination plan was intense. A covert team, including a chef planted in Amin's palace, was tasked with administering poison.

The same toxicology laboratory that had been involved in previous assassinations, like that of Georgi Markov, handled the preparation of the poison. Talebov, an Azerbaijani operative, infiltrated Amin's kitchen and poisoned the food, ensuring the execution of the assassination plan without arousing suspicion.

On December 13, 1979, Babrak Karmal and key members of his future government secretly flew from Moscow to Bagram Air Base, positioning themselves to take control of Afghanistan immediately after Amin's removal.

Meanwhile, on December 17, Asadullah Amin, Hafizullah Amin's son-in-law and head of the security service, fell gravely ill from food poisoning and was rushed to Moscow for treatment. The meal that led to his illness had been prepared for Hafizullah Amin, indicating that the poisoning attempt, orchestrated by Talebov, had not gone as planned. Despite Talebov's efforts, Amin's cautious behavior, including frequent changes in his food and drink, thwarted the poisoning plot.

(The writer is a journalist and author. Views expressed are personal)
Conflicts have been an inevitable part of human experience throughout history. Each of us faces them in our own unique way at different points in life

We face conflicts and dilemmas many times in our lives. We resolve a few of those, avoiding others to avoid confrontation.

We went through some fascinating times recently. We cast our votes to elect the next central government. The excitement of the crowd at the polling booth was palpable even early in the morning. There was another major event, which was at our society level. We also had elections for the governing body of our residents' welfare association.

I realised that the two elections mirrored each other. New alliances were formed, and old ones were discarded. Sworn foes smiled at each other with a warmth not unlike the hot Delhi summers. There were many heartbreaks too if friends vied for the same position. Two of the prospective candidates for a position went about venting their frustration when told by well-meaning friends about the intent of the other. I suggested a mutual tete-a-tete. The conflict was resolved.

I faced a dilemma as an adolescent half a century back. One afternoon, I had an argument with a friend, which went a little overboard, and I punched him. He was taller than me and did not take kindly to my aggression. He punched me back. It did not erupt into a full-blown fist fight only because I had already rationalised his punch a little before it had connected with my soft abdomen. After all, I had started the battle; he was entitled to retaliate.

Many of us hesitate to ask for personal favour, apprehensive of facing rejection. It is also a dilemma, albeit in our minds. I had no say in the allotment of the zonal railways after the completion of our railway probation training. I did get an opportunity to express my hearts desire, when my senior asked me if I had any preference for the place of posting. I was diffident and I gave a convoluted reply, Anywhere, though my preference would be Mughalsarai. This was a small town in my native state. He took the first part of my statement at face value. I was posted at Sealdah, the other end, and a long way from my hometown  physically, linguistically, and culturally.

I understood much later in life the importance of plain speaking, however unpalatable it might be. It may cause initial bitterness, but the relationship would be stronger eventually. The self-realisation still did not give me the courage to upbraid a junior colleague for his tardiness. I chose to walk away from confrontation by not allocating him any responsibilities.

I envy those who have mastered sugar-coating the bitter pill. It softens the blow, yet hits the person equally hard. But it might even convey a wrong meaning. During a recent conversation, my wife and her friend contemplated conveying a rather difficult sentiment to another friend through a message. A small phrase was added to be polite. I felt that this changed the intent to something entirely different. They did not agree and chose not to send the message. Yet, the friend had not hesitated to upbraid another friend a few days earlier over a trivial issue. I saw conflict in the two situations, she did not.

Conflicts have been a part of our lives since ages. I would not like to be the Arjun who faced the biggest challenge of his life. I am a mere mortal. I have my follies. It is not for me to preach to be perfect. I would look at the words of author Jo Coudert to give me strength, Every life is a dilemma that must be solved by the person living it.

(The author is an electrical engineer with the Indian Railways and conducts classes in creative writing; views are personal)
CHETNA@40-Nurturing Dreams, Empowering Destinies, chronicles four decades of transformative work in women's health and community empowerment across India

When Julkiben, a dai or a traditional birth attendant (TBA), received a call from a pregnant woman, she immediately swung into action. First, she dialled 108, the number of the state government emergency ambulance. After she reached the pregnant woman's house, she cut a clean cloth into pieces to be used at the hospital and kept an empty lota (water container) ready to fetch and store water. But when the woman's labour pains increased and it became impossible for her to climb down the hillock to reach the ambulance, Julkiben summoned young men from the neighbourhood to make a sling from a bed sheet and carry the pregnant women to the ambulance. They had barely reached the hospital labour room when the woman delivered. Julkiben's presence of mind and timely action helped to save the lives of mother and child.

It was not just TBAs like Julkiben but women, their families and community members in 60 villages in Vansada and Chikhali, two tribal blocks of Gujarat's Navsari district, who learnt that maternal deaths could be prevented by accessing the public health system's maternal healthcare services. In fact, the three-year initiative in these two blocks by the Centre for Health Education Training Nutrition and Adolescents (CHETNA), the Ahmedabad-based not for profit working to empower women, adolescents and children, led to remarkable changes. There was an increase in institutional deliveries from 58% to 82% in Vansada block. More importantly, of the 776 deliveries that took place during the last phase of the intervention, not a single maternal death was registered in the area.

How was this achieved? What was done differently that brought about behavioural change? Could this success be replicated in other districts with poor health indicators for women?

Answers to all these questions and more have been given in the recently published coffee table book to mark their milestone of turning forty. Titled 'CHETNA@40-Nurturing Dreams, Empowering Destinies', the book chronicles the organization's four decades of collective efforts, its distinctive approaches and the impact made by its innovative communication strategies that transformed countless lives and communities in 78 districts, 124 blocks and 439 villages in seven states.

One of the biggest reasons behind its ability to make a difference has been its focus on incorporating a gender lens to all its work, says Pallavi Patel, co-founder and Director, CHETNA. Being the country's first all-women health initiative helped make CHETNA a trendsetter in women's health, nutrition and gender. It's pioneering approaches and impactful communications material gave it an edge over others. The popularity of their resources can be gauged by the fact that in 2022-2023 alone, over 2,77,981 copies of CHETNA's materials were sought by various government and NGOs based in 11 states.

The book unpacks their hands on, people-centred strategies to tackle not just the challenges in dealing with child birth complications in remote tribal areas with minimal health facilities in Rajasthan and Gujarat, but widespread nutritional anaemia in Gujarat, Rajasthan and MP. It also reveals how CHETNA fostered a change in behaviour in getting 70 schools certified tobacco free in Ahmedabad as well as in mindsets especially in Mehsana, Gujarat, one of the districts with the worst child sex ratio (CSR) in the eighties and nineties. The deeply entrenched son preference psyche and practice of placing the blame on the woman when a girl was born was addressed through saas-bahu meetings, engaging with caste panchayat leaders and innovative dal-chawal games to explain the role of the X and Y chromosomes in determining the sex of the child.

At the centre of these efforts has been CHETNA's ability to be adaptable, flexible and, creative. Besides out of the box thinking, health messages have been tweaked according to local needs, traditions and practices. Their innovative anaemia kit has undergone several adaptations as has their unique and highly popular cloth aprons with several flaps that are worn by male and female trainers to show the reproductive organs in the two sexes. Songs, games and animation films have been created to share knowledge on child care, nutrition, puberty, menstruation, adolescent health, anaemia and contraception.

The book details how CHETNA, which works under the symbiotic umbrella of the Nehru Foundation for Development set up in 1966 by the eminent scientist Vikram Sarabhai, strategically used their scientific and inventive health communications to make a lasting impact. Whether it has been to break the silence on menstruation, or creating an enabling environment for girls, CHETNA has shown that the dream it began with 40 years ago, of making women the mistress of their own destinies, was not an impossible one.

(The writer is a journalist writing on development and gender. The views are expressed are personal
As Arvind Kejriwal remains behind bars, Sunita Kejriwal steps up to bridge the gap between her husband and the party, taking on the mantle of leadership in his absence

Whoever thought the low-profile Sunita, wife of Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal, would emerge as an acceptable leader in the Aam Admi Party? Her increasing involvement is particularly significant after her husband has been jailed for a liquor scam since March. She has become a crucial link between her husband and the Party.

The recent Lok Sabha and Assembly elections provided her an opportunity to demonstrate her potential. It is still unclear whether she will continue working for the Party after Kejriwal is released on bail.

Women from political families often enter politics as substitutes for their relatives. One successful example is Sonia Gandhi. She was the power behind the throne. Rabri Devi, the wife of former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, served as the Chief Minister of Bihar from 2000 to 2005. Lalu had to resign due to his alleged involvement in a scam. Rabri was merely a rubber stamp while her husband was the de facto chief minister.

She may be a novice in politics, but Sunita brings a wealth of experience and a solid professional background. Her 22-year tenure in the income tax department, ending as I-T commissioner at the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), showcases her competence.

Sunita supported her husband, Kejriwal, keeping a low profile, even during India Against Corruption, when he became a political leader and activist. Kejriwal projected himself as a family man and campaigned with Sunita during the polls.

Sunita's increasing involvement in the Aam Admi Party, particularly after Kejriwal's imprisonment, demonstrates her commitment and determination. Kejriwal is the only incumbent chief minister in Indian history who refused to resign his chief ministership even after his arrest. Speculations about her possibly succeeding Kejriwal if he resigns have been doing the rounds.

Secondly, Sunita's leadership is crucial. She has arrived at a when the Aam Admi Party grapples with a crisis. The Assembly elections in Haryana will be held next month, and Delhi polls are due in January 2025. Many senior leaders are facing allegations of corruption charges. The recent arrest of Kejriwal has added to the Party's challenges. The Centre gave him a long rope and did not dismiss his government based on a constitutional breakdown.

Manish Sisodia, Kejriwal's deputy, says Sunita's role in the Party will end when Kejriwal is out of jail. Sisodia was also arrested last year in connection with an excise policy case. AAP MP Sanjay Singh claims Sunita's role as Kejriwal's messenger is growing. Still, Kejriwal says Sunita has no interest in politics.

While Sunita may be seen as a stop-gap replacement, her growing influence in the Party makes it challenging to sideline her. Sunita's role in the Party will remain significant even if Kejriwal returns.

Fourthly, the Party faces a crisis of leadership. With the upcoming Haryana and Delhi polls, AAP needs a credible leader and a good campaigner. Sunita's role as a morale booster is to fill the gap and give pep talk.

Fifthly, the AAP members have accepted Sunita as the link, though Sunita holds no official position in AAP. She has campaigned during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and has just begun campaigning in Haryana. She has been hard-hitting on the Modi government and the BJP. Her line of defence was that some political forces were involved in discrediting her husband.

The opposition coalition INDIA has acknowledged Sunita's increasing involvement and acceptability. She was seated in a prominent position alongside Sonia Gandhi at a recent rally in Ramlila Maidan.

Sunita has launched her campaign with five "Kejriwal's Guarantees" for the upcoming Haryana Assembly polls. They include free electricity, medical treatment, education, $1,000 monthly aid for women, and youth employment. She lauded the AAP government for its initiatives and urged people to vote for AAP. SUnita has some downsides. Despite Kejriwal's political success, she is untested. Whether she can

keep the Party intact is still being determined. Her limited purpose is to convey Kejriwal's message from prison and campaign for the upcoming elections.

Sunita is in talks with other parties like the Nationalist Congress Party and has gained access to top opposition leaders. Her strategy for selecting candidates and forming coalitions depends on the Aam Admi Party's future alliances. Overcoming anti-incumbency as AAP seeks a third term in Delhi is challenging.

When Kejriwal returns, he must ensure that the Party is under control And that his image in public is not tarnished. He must also keep an eye on Punjab, where Aap is ruling. He must ensure a chain of command between the Party and the government. He must develop a second line of leadership, as he has not allowed any leader to emerge.

He needs to keep his team united and realistically evaluate his promises of benefits. The results of the upcoming elections in Haryana and Delhi could significantly shape Delhi's future political landscape. The results will show whether Sunita succeeds.

(The writer is a popular columnist; views expressed are personal)
In a judgment having significant implications, the Supreme Court on Wednesday reiterated that the principle of bail is the rule and jail is the exception applied even to money laundering cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) while granting bail to one Prem Prakash, an alleged aide of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in a money laundering case. This comes a day after the Supreme Court granted relief to Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavitha, who was arrested in March in a money laundering case linked to Delhi's now-scrapped liquor policy. Earlier this month, AAP leader Manish Sisodia was also granted bail in the same case.

A Bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan held that liberty of individual is always the rule and deprivation of the same by procedure established by law, is the exception. The Bench made it clear that the stringent conditions for bail under PMLA will override this principle. The appeal is allowed and impugned order dated 22.03.2024 of the High Court of Jharkhand at Ranchi is quashed and set aside, the Bench said in its 44-page order.

the appellant has satisfied the twin conditions under Section 45. Inasmuch as from the material on record, this Court is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the appellant is not guilty of the offence of money laundering as alleged under Sections 3 and 4 of the PMLA and the Court is further satisfied that the appellant is not likely to commit any offence if enlarged on bail, it said.

The Bench referred to the August 9 verdict in the money laundering and corruption cases involving former Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia to say that liberty of the individual is always the rule and deprivation of it by procedure established by law is the exception.

The Bench said, "Relying on the judgment in Manish Sisodia case, we have said that even in PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act), bail is a rule and jail the exception.

The Bench referred to Section 45 of the PMLA that mentions twin conditions for bail  there should be prima facie satisfaction that the accused has not committed the offence and that he is not likely to commit any offence while on bail. All that Section 45 specifies, the court said, is the conditions to be met for bail. "Liberty of the individual is always the rule and deprivation, by procedure established by law, the exception. Twin test does not take away this principle," it added. The bench clarified that any incriminating statement made by an accused in custody in a PMLA case before an investigating officer will not be admissible in court. "It will be extremely unfair to make such statements admissible as it will be against all canons of justice."

In a 13-page judgement on BRS leader K Kavitha, uploaded on the apex court website on Wednesday, a bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan reiterated the well-established principle that bail is the rule and refusal is an exception. Referring to various judgements, including in the case of Manish Sisodia, a former Delhi deputy chief minister and a co-accused, the verdict said, "The prolonged incarceration before being pronounced guilty of an offence should not be permitted to become punishment without trial.""We had further observed that the fundamental right of liberty provided under Article 21 of the Constitution is superior to the statutory restrictions (of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act)," the judgement said.

The 'bail is the rule, and jail is the exception' principle was first used in the 1977 landmark judgment of the 'State of Rajasthan vs Balchand alias Baliya' case. In 2019, the court granted bail to P Chidambaram in the INX Media case, despite the seriousness of economic offenses, affirming that the fundamental jurisprudence of bail remained unchanged. In November 2020, the Supreme Court extended interim bail to journalist Arnab Goswami, highlighting the critical nature of personal liberty and the principle of bail as the norm.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) consisting of women IPS officers commenced its probe into allegations of sexual abuse made by Malayalam film actresses against senior artistes like Mukesh, Siddique, Babu Raj, Manian Pilli Raju, Jaayasooorya and movie maker Ranjith (who quit as chairman of Kerala Chalachitra Academy, the Kerala Government-run institution for holding International Fim Festival of the State) .

Sources in the SIT told The Pioneer that they would ask Mukesh and Ranjith to present themselves before the team for questioning. Bengali film actress Sreelekha Mitra has lodged a complaint against Ranjith by e-mail with the SIT about the harassment meted out to her by the movie maker in 2009.

Minu Muneer, Sonia Malhotra and Revathi Sampath are the other artists who have complained against their male co-artists alleging rape, physical assault and violation of modesty. Muneer said in her complaint that Mukesh, who is a CPI(M) MLA asked her to sleep with him for a positive response to her application for the membership of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), a stepping stone to the filmdoms welfare programme.

Meanwhile Mukesh accused Muneer of blackmailing him and demanded a lakh of rupees for her silence. There is a complaint filed by Geeth Vijayan, a star of the yesteryears that she was molested by movie makers in 1991.

Minu Muneer alleged to the media that she has been receiving threat calls in her phone and the police had identified that the calls were made from Andhra Pradesh. Though Wednesday was by and large peaceful from the film fraternity, a silent war of nerves is going on among various camps of AMMA. Actor Jagadeesh said that the decision of AMMA office bearers to quit en masse following the disclosures made by the actresses was shocking. They should have shown courage and presence of mind to tackle the situation, he told reporters.

Joy Mathew, a Leftist movie artist , demanded strong action by the law enforcing agencies against the perpetrators of the crime. But Shanthivila Dineshan, movie maker with more than three decades of professional experience in the movie industry told The Pioneer that there was noting new in the allegations or disclosures made by the female artists. They should have resisted the move then and there itself. Had they opposed the move, such incidents would not have happened, said Dinesh who further stated that these allegations would continue in future too.

A total of 17 cases of rape and molestation have been registered by the SIT till Wednesday 8 PM.
The Uttar Pradesh Government has come up with a new social media policy that will not only regulate content on platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and X but also encourage influencers to promote the State Government initiatives. Under the policy, posting objectionable, anti-national content will be considered a serious offence that carries penalties. The State Government will also pay up to Rs 8 lakh per month to influencers and holders of these accounts on different social media platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube depending on their followers and subscribers. Yogi Adityanath's cabinet approved the Uttar Pradesh Digital Media Policy, 2024, prepared by the State's Information Department, on Tuesday.

"In case of uploading objectionable content on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and YouTube, legal action has been arranged against the concerned agency/ firm as per rules. Under no circumstances should the content be indecent, obscene and anti-national," stated the Press note signed by Principal Secretary Sanjay Prasad. The police will also help create jobs, the statement noted.

According to the digital media policy, posting anti-national content is a serious offence that will carry severe consequences including penalties ranging from three years imprisonment to life term. Earlier, such actions were addressed under Sections 66E and 66F of the Information Technology (IT) Act, which deal with privacy violations and cyber-terrorism, respectively.

Under the new policy, digital mediums like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and YouTube will also be encouraged to display content, videos, tweets, posts, reels based on the schemes and achievements of the State Government by listing the related agencies or firms and issuing advertisements.

"With the release of this policy, the residents of the State who are residing in different parts of the country and abroad will be ensured to get employment in large numbers," it said.

For listing, each of X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube has been divided into four categories based on subscribers and followers, it said. "The category-wise maximum payout limit for payments to account holders or operators or influencers of X, Facebook, Instagram has been fixed at Rs 5 lakh, Rs 4 lakh, Rs 3 lakh and Rs 2 lakh per month respectively.

"The category wise maximum payout limit for videos, shorts, podcast payments on YouTube has been fixed at Rs 8 lakh, Rs 7 lakh, Rs 6 lakh and Rs 4 lakh per month, respectively," it added.

While the BJP lauded the policy, saying it was an "innovative move" of the Yogi Adityanath-led government by creating employment and also checking rumour-spreading on social media, the opposition parties called it an attempt to curb freedom of expression on social media and misuse of public funds. BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said, "The Yogi Adityanath government moves forward with innovations. It pays attention to the changes happening in society. Digital media policy will create new jobs. "Those who play with law and order by spreading rumours on social media will be strictly punished. UP's social media policy will become an example across the country," he said.

The opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress said the state government's move is aimed at stifling freedom of expression. "The BJP/ Yogi government has brought a provision to give lakhs of rupees of public money to those who falsely praise the government and to give jail/life imprisonment to those who raise public problems on social media. "What else will the public expect from a scared government? The public will strongly oppose this BJP plan to curb freedom of expression," Samajwadi Party Media Cell posted on X.

UP Congress' social media chairperson Pankhuri Pathak said through this policy, social media influencers and companies which publicise and promote the BJP government will get financial support from the state. "Along with this, if social media influencers put forward any views that are not liked by the government or deemed objectionable by it, then they will be punished. That means, once again, an attempt is being made by the Uttar Pradesh government to stifle freedom of expression," Pathak alleged.

She claimed that the financial support which would be given to the influencers would come from the money of the taxpayers who give it to the government for public welfare.

"But the BJP government would give this money to social media influencers for its own publicity," Pathak claimed, adding the government can take action against any content, be it related to women safety or poor condition of state-run schools, if it does not like it.
Himachal Pradesh Education Minister Rohit Thakur on Wednesday informed the Vidhan Sabha that 419 government schools in the state with five or less students have been merged with nearby schools,



The move was taken to rationalize the deployment of teachers, Thakur said while responding to a question of BJP member Vipin Parmar, which was asked by his party colleague Rakesh Jamwal in his absence during the 'Question Hour'.



A total of 361 primary schools with less than five students have been merged with other schools within a 2 km radius, while 58 middle section schools have been merged with schools within a 3 km distance, the minister said. The enrolment of students in government schools dropped in the last two decades, Thakur said, citing parents' inclination towards private schools and the opening of private schools in the vicinity of existing government schools.



Further, the rising migration of people from rural to urban areas is also a factor for low enrolment in government schools located in rural areas, he added. Sharing figures on the declining trend, the education minister said the number of students in primary schools (up to Class 5) was 90 lakh in 2003, but it dropped to 2.99 lahks in 2023, while the strength in middle schools (Classes 6 to 8) reduced from 3.81 lahks to 2.50 lakh in the same period.



In government senior secondary schools, the number of students dipped from 1.84 lakh to 1.34 lakh from 2003 to 2023, Thakur said, adding that the situation could turn worse in the next ten years. He said that as per the latest Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), Himachal Pradesh has slipped to 21st position and students of Class 8 are now unable to read the books of Class 2.

In a cabinet meeting on July 25, the state cabinet decided to close 89 government primary schools (GPS) and 10 government middle schools (GMS) with zero enrolments and approved the merger of GPS and GMS with five or fewer students within two and three-kilometer radius.





OVER 1400 PEOPLE TO GET JOB ON COMPASSIONATE GROUNDS IN 9 MONTHS: CM SUKHU

Dependents of more than 1,400 government employees who died in harness would be given jobs on compassionate grounds in the next nine months, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu told the state assembly on Wednesday. Replying to a query in the House, Sukhu said 1,415 cases of job on compassionate grounds are pending before the government. He also said his government gave jobs to 180 people on compassionate grounds in the past 20 months.



The government would also consider giving class III jobs on compassionate grounds and a cabinet sub-committee headed by Education Minister Rohit Thakur would submit its report to the government in the next six months. During the BJP government tenure, only class IV jobs were given on compassionate grounds, the CM added. Intervening in the reply, Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said his government gave jobs to 4,500 people on compassionate grounds.



COMPENSATION TO FAMILIES OF SNAKEBITE VICTIMS TO BE CONSIDERED: CM



Himachal government would consider compensation to the families of people who die due to snakebites, Chief Minister Sukhu announced in the state assembly on Wednesday. He also said the government will make necessary amendments in the Relief Manual. Intervening in the reply to a calling attention motion of Kewal Singh Pathania (Congress), Sukhu said the cases of snakebites rise during rains in areas along rivers and khuds and he has asked the revenue minister to study the issue.

Replying to the calling attention motion, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dhani Ram Shandil said the patients of snakebites would be given immediate treatment and anti-venom injections provided to the Primary Health Centres and Community Health Centres. Besides, these injections would also be available in ambulances, Shandil said. At present, 473 anti-venom vials are available in the district store in Dharamshala and doctors, nurses and pharmacists have been trained for anti-venom vaccination, he added. Pointing at the shortage of doctors, Pathania raised the issue of two snakebite deaths at Lanj and Harchakian villages in Shahpur and demanded compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the affected families.
August 28, 2024: In July 2024 Germany agreed to purchase another 105 Leopard 2A8 tanks and send them to Ukraine. It will take five more years to manufacture those tanks. Germany has already sent Ukraine 18 Leopard 2 tanks and they have served well against Russian tanks, smaller armored vehicles and troops.

As of early 2024, Ukraine has received 70 Leopard 2 tanks and expects to receive at least a hundred more from many NATO nations. These came from Germany, Poland, Norway, Canada, Spain and Sweden. Leopard 2 tanks cost a lot more than American M1s. Used 62-t0n Leopard 2A6 tanks cost six million dollars. New Leopard A7+tanks cost $14 million while the latest Leopard 2A8 costs over $30 million. Equivalent M1s cost about 20 percent less than Leopard 2s. So far 3,600 Leopard 2s have been built compared to three times as many M1s. The first of 31 M1 tanks did not arrive in Ukraine until September 2023. So far Ukraine has lost ten of its M1s in Ukraine compared to 21 of its more numerous Leopard 2s. It was obvious that the Leopard 2s did about as well as the M1. This was the first sustained combat experience for the Leopard 2 and it has done as well as the combat veteran M1s.

In early 2024 the United States sent 31 M1 tanks to Ukraine. These tanks began arriving in September 2023 and were put to work, but not in ways that the mass media was able to understand or report on accurately. In the combat zone the Ukrainians quickly figured out how to best use their impressive new tanks. The Ukrainian crews had been trained before the tanks arrived and praised the efficient internal layout of the tanks and the number of useful capabilities of the M1. The battlefield in Ukraine is unlike any the M1 had ever operated in. Within a year at least five Abrams tanks were lost in combat, with another three damaged.

The Ukraine War has seen an unprecedented use of drones for reconnaissance, surveillance, and attacks from above. All tanks are more vulnerable to attacks from above. Sending dozens of quadcopter type drones against tanks turned out to be a decisive weapon if the tank was not equipped with signal jammers to cause some or all of the s to lose their control signals and fall to the ground or fly around aimlessly. If a tank was not prepared for drone attack it was soon immobilized as its engine was damaged and disabled. That was because armor is thin or nonexistent over the engine compartment behind the turret. Normally the engine compartment was not vulnerable to attack. The extensive use of drones changed that. To make matters worse there were a lot of anti-vehicle mines used in Ukraine, which could damage or destroy a portion of the tracklaying system that tanks rely on for movement and mobility. Bust a track and the tank is immobilized until the crew or someone else can fix the track. This is a laborious process that can take over an hour and cannot be done while the tank is under attack by drones or just rifle and machine-gun fire.

The war in Ukraine has made it easier for the U.S. Army to get all the money wanted for upgrades to the American M1 tank force. The problem was few of those upgrades protected tank from drones.

The army had already developed and scrutinized a new SEP System Enhancement Package update called SEPV4 for its M1 tanks. SEPV3, the previous upgrade ,entered service in 2020 after years of testing. The new upgrade contains lots of incremental improvements of features the SEPV3 tanks already have. This includes upgrades to the gunners sight and a meteorological sensor that collects data on weather conditions to improve accuracy of the main gun. The U.S. Army has led the world in tank gun accuracy for decades and the SEPV4 features offer small improvements. In Ukraine the 120mm gun was rarely used because the Russians had few tanks left after they lost so many in the first year of the war.

Since the 1980s there have only been these incremental improvements for use against opponents who largely use T-72 upgrades that have not closed the wide effectiveness gap with the M1 and a few other similar tanks like Leopard 2, Challenger, LeClerc and Merkava. A major advantage of the M1 is that it has more combat experience than any other tank, especially its primary opponent: improved T-72/90 models. The most recent combat experience for these tanks has been in Ukraine, when the most modern Russian tank failed in a spectacular fashion against modern Western portable anti-tank weapons. These infantry weapons have a long history of success and to capitalize on that Poland has obtained lots of them and even built its own versions.

Noting the similar success of the M1, in 2021 Poland ordered 250 M1A2SEP3 tanks for $6 million each. These will be new tanks, not upgrades of older models, and all will not be delivered until 2026. The M1A2SEP3 is also known as the M1A2C and is currently the most advanced version of the M1. The Poles consider this tank the best option to deal with any new Russian tank developments. The 66-ton M1A2C also includes the Israeli Trophy ADS (active defense system) which has proved itself in combat and is capable of defeating ATGMs (anti-tank guided missiles) and RPGs (rocket propelled grenades). Deliveries began in late 2022 and were completed in about four years.

The 250 Polish M1A2s will complement the 240 used German Leopard 2A4s Poland obtained at bargain prices since 2002, along with a license to upgrade them to the 2A6 standard as the 62-ton Leopard 2PL. Poland is also upgrading over a hundred of its 380 older Russian T-72 tanks, most of them built in Poland during the Cold War and 225 PT-91s, a much-improved T-72 variant designed and built locally since 1995. Poland plans to retire its remaining T-72s as the M1A2s arrive and the experience of these tanks in the Ukraine fighting will accelerate the retirement process. Poland has also ordered a thousand modern K-2 tanks from South Korea, most of them to be built in Poland.

Currently the most advanced Russian tank in service is the T-72B3, which is considered as good as the T-90, a 48-ton T-72 upgrade introduced in 1993 as the T-72BU but had a marketing name change to T-90. Over 3,200 were built and most were exported to India where they were produced under license. The 45-ton T-72B3 is cheaper and considered by Russian commanders and crews as equal to the more expensive T-90. Russia used to have about 2,000 T-72B3s, with most of its 590 T-90s in storage and T-72B3 used for active-duty units. Russia lost most of those T-72B3s in Ukraine since February 2022 along with many of the T-90s brought out of storage. Poland sees its M1 order as a prudent and successful investment.

Russia has a new tank design, the T-14, that improves on the T-72 but has not been in combat and is too expensive to purchase in large quantities. The 48-ton T-14 is a radical new design that appears quite impressive but has so far proved too complex and too expensive to mass produce. Mass production was supposed to have started in 2015 but technical problems and shrinking defense budgets halted that until 2020 when covid19 restrictions again delayed production until 2022. The war in Ukraine meant further delays. Russia has fewer than thirty development and pre-production T-14s which have been undergoing field tests with tank units since 2016. The T-14 has a three-man crew and a fully automated turret with the three crew all in an armored capsule under the turret.

The T-14 relies on a lot of new techs, some more advanced than any other Western tank has installed. Getting all that tech to work reliably has been a major problem. Getting all these problems fixed has made the T-14 more expensive, at about $4 million each. Thats twice what the reliable T-72B3 costs and Russian combat commanders and crews will have to be convinced that the T-14 works and is not just as reliable as the T-72B3, but also better at surviving in combat. Mass production to build less than two hundred more T-14s was supposed to begin in 2022. At the moment it looks like the Polish M1A2Cs will be the first American tanks to meet the T-14 in combat if Russia ever tries to make a move on Poland and has any new tanks to do it with. The Russians considered sending some T-14s to Ukraine but the list of known and potential defects made it obvious that T-14s in combat would be an embarrassment. There are major problems with the engine and electronics and now Russia cant afford the money needed to deal with those problems.

The M1A2C tank is considered the best combat proven tank in the world. But there are many different models of M1s, which vary considerably in their combat capability. The earliest model is only about half as capable as the 2013 M1A2SEP2 model. The M1 is an old design with the first of 3,273 M1 tanks produced in 1978. This version had a 105mm gun. The first of 4,796 M1A1s with a 120mm gun and depleted uranium armor were produced in 1985. Another 221 were built for the U.S. Marines, 555 co-produced with Egypt and another 200 M1A1s sent to Egypt. Production of the M1A2 with its improved fire control system began in 1986, with 77 for the US Army, 315 for Saudi Arabia, and 218 for Kuwait. Another 600 M1s were upgraded to M1A2 standards. Deliveries of these upgrades began in 1998. In 2001 the army began to upgrade 240 M1A2 tanks as part of an ongoing SEP program with better thermal imaging and fire control equipment as well as communications and computer equipment that would allow tanks to operate a full color battlefield internet with each other, as well as headquarters and warplanes with similar equipment. By 2013 the army had upgraded 700 tanks to the M1A2SEP2 standard and built another 240 new M1A2SEP2 vehicles. The goal was to get at least 2,000 upgraded to M1A2SEP2 or higher in the 2020s.

So far over 10,000 American M1 tanks have been produced and most of them subsequently updated at least once, mainly in the 1990s. The army is planning to maintain and upgrade its M1 tank fleet of 7,000 vehicles into the 2030s. The M1 has already been in service since the 1980s and may become the first MBT (main battle tank) design to stay in service for half a century. Technically, some World War II tanks achieved that dubious goal but not in the service of a major power.

The SEP3 entered service in 2020 after being introduced for testing in 2017. SEP3 includes more improvements in the previous TUSK armor and RWS remote weapons station machine-gun upgrades, improved electricity generation and distribution for all the electronic gadgets that need recharging (or whatever), upgraded communications and networking and installation of VHMS Vehicle Health Management System and the use of LRMs Line Replaceable Modules to make it easier to upgrade or repair problems. The new communications features include ADL (Ammunition Datalink) to use airburst rounds. There is also an improved counter-IED improvised explosive device armor package, an upgraded FLIR night vision heat sensor and an APU Auxiliary Power Unit under armor to run electronics while stationary instead of using its fuel-thirsty turbine engine. The final addition was the Trophy ADS.

The SEPV2/3 upgrades also expanded on MVP Multifunction Vehicle Protection features which includes external cameras that let the crew see what is going on outside at all times, day, or night and in bad weather.

The SEP program is continuous, upgrading existing M1A2 tanks to the new SEP3 standard as well as upgrading more M1A2SEPs to the SEP2 level. These upgrades keep the M1, or at least some of them, competitive with more recently designed and built tanks. The U.S., mainly the army, has over a thousand of the SEPV2 upgraded M1A2s and is getting as many of those upgraded to SEP3 as the budget allows.

The original M1A2SEP was developed in the late 1990s by upgrading protection and a few other minor fixes. These were followed after 2003s combat experience in Iraq with TUSK Tank Urban Survival Kit and evolved into the SEPV2 upgrade. TUSK was installed on hundreds of tanks headed for Iraq as well as several hundred more M1s that had battle damage repaired and TUSK upgrades installed at the same time.

TUSK entered service in 2007 with reactive armor panels for the side and rear of the tank, to provide added protection from RPGs. A slat armor panel protects the engine exhaust outlet of the tank from RPGs. A 1.5-ton belly armor kit, which can be installed in two hours, provides additional protection from mines and large bombs. Enhancements also include night vision for all crew members. There is also a telephone added to the side of the tank, so that infantry can more easily communicate with the crew when the tank is buttoned up with all hatches closed. The complete TUSK kit costs about $500,000 per vehicle and requires about twelve hours to install all the components. Later additions to TUSK included a rear-view camera for the driver and RWS so the commanders' 12.7mm machine-gun can be operated from inside the tank. This is particularly useful if the tank is taking a lot of small arms fire. This led to providing all-round vidcam views of what was going on outside the tank.

The M1A2 SEP V2 made most of the TUSK items standard and added more improvements like the RWS for the 12.7mm machine-gun as standard, as well in computer hardware, including color flat screen displays for the crew and software, including a new operating system along with improved TUSK ERA explosive reactive armor, making the external phone standard and upgrading the transmission to make it more reliable.

The electronics on the M1 have undergone several upgrades so far, in addition to new ammo types for the main gun. A major enhancement was depleted uranium armor, which made the M1 virtually invulnerable from the front.

The one remaining item in need of major improvement is the 1,500-horsepower gas turbine engine. Past improvements here included electronic monitors on many engine components, an electronic logbook to record all pertinent engine activity, and a maintenance program that makes the most of all this data. If the engine is monitored closely and constantly, it's possible to carry out maintenance in a timelier (before something fails) manner. The army would also like to develop an improved (more efficient and less expensive to maintain) engine, but that is also a costly item they can't afford at the moment.

MVP can also link to audio sensors that work with video sensors to automatically detect where enemy fire is coming from. The United States tested MVP on their M2 IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle). New anti-tank weapons are always being developed and the army wants to at least be able to afford new gear to deal with new threats. One threat that is currently ignored is top attack warheads that put a shaped charge type attack against the thin top armor. There are also new types of mines and electronic threats. If the M1 is to survive for half a century it will have to evolve, as well as endure. The M1A2C is an evolutionary design compared to the T-14 which is a revolutionary design with a lot of new techs introduced at once.

M1A2C entered service in 2020 after years of testing. The new upgrade contains lots of incremental improvements of features the SEPV3 tanks already have. This includes upgrades to the gunners sight and a meteorological sensor that collects data on weather conditions to improve accuracy of the main gun. The American Army has led the world in tank gun accuracy for decades and the SEPV4 features offer small improvements. In Ukraine the 120mm gun was rarely used because the Russians had few tanks left after they lost so many in the first year of the war.

Since the 1980s there have only been these incremental improvements for use against opponents who largely use T-72 upgrades that have not closed the wide effectiveness gap with the M1 and a few other similar tanks like Leopard 2, Challenger, LeClerc and Merkava. A major advantage of the M1 is that it has more combat experience than any other tank, especially its primary opponent: improved T-72/90 models. The most recent combat experience for these tanks has been in Ukraine, when the most modern Russian tank failed in a spectacular fashion against modern Western portable anti-tank weapons. These infantry weapons have a long history of success and to capitalize on that Poland has obtained lots of them and even built its own versions.

Noting the similar success of the M1, in 2021 Poland ordered 250 M1A2SEP3 tanks for $6 million each. These will be new tanks, not upgrades of older models and all will not be delivered until 2026. The M1A2SEP3 is also known as the M1A2C and is currently the most advanced version of the M1. The Poles consider this tank the best option to deal with any new Russian tank developments. The 66-ton M1A2C also includes the Israeli Trophy ADS active defense system which has proved itself in combat and is capable of defeating ATGMs and RPGs. Deliveries began in late 2022 and be completed in about four years.

The 250 Polish M1A2s will complement the 240 used German Leopard 2A4s Poland obtained at bargain prices since 2002, along with a license to upgrade them to the 2A6 standard as the 62-ton Leopard 2PL. Poland is also upgrading over a hundred of its 380 older Russian T-72 tanks, most of them built in Poland during the Cold War and 225 PT-91s, a much-improved T-72 variant designed and built locally since 1995. Poland plans to retire its remaining T-72s as the M1A2s arrive and the experience of these tanks in the Ukraine fighting will accelerate the retirement process. Poland has also ordered a thousand modern K-2 tanks from South Korea, most of them to be built in Poland.

Currently the most advanced Russian tank in service is the T-72B3, which is considered as good as the T-90, a 48-ton T-72 upgrade introduced in 1993 as the T-72BU but had a marketing name change to T-90. Over 3,200 were built and most were exported to India where they were produced under license. The 45-ton T-72B3 is cheaper and considered by Russian commanders and crews as equal to the more expensive T-90. Russia used to have about 2,000 T-72B3s, with most of its 590 T-90s in storage and T-72B3 used for active-duty units. Russia lost most of those T-72B3s in Ukraine since February 2022 along with many of the T-90s brought out of storage. Poland sees its M1 order as a prudent and successful investment. Russia has a new tank design, the 48-ton T-14, which proved to be an expensive failure and is not going into production because it is not an improvement over the latest T-72 models.

The M1A2C tank is considered the best combat proven tank in the world. But there are many different models of M1s, which vary considerably in their combat capability. The earliest model is only about half as capable as the 2013 M1A2SEP2 model. The M1 is an old design with the first of 3,273 M1 tanks produced in 1978. This version had a 105mm gun. The first of 4,796 M1A1s with a 120mm gun and depleted uranium armor were produced in 1985. Another 221 were built for the U.S. Marines, 555 co-produced with Egypt and another 200 M1A1s sent to Egypt. Production of the M1A2 with its improved fire control system began in 1986, with 77 for the US Army, 315 for Saudi Arabia, and 218 for Kuwait. Another 600 M1s were upgraded to M1A2 standards. Deliveries of these upgrades began in 1998. In 2001 the army began to upgrade 240 M1A2 tanks as part of an ongoing SEP program with better thermal imaging and fire control equipment as well as communications and computer equipment that would allow tanks to operate a full color battlefield internet with each other, as well as headquarters and warplanes with similar equipment. By 2013 the army had upgraded 700 tanks to the M1A2SEP2 standard and built another 240 new M1A2SEP2 vehicles. The goal is to get at least 2,000 upgraded to M1A2SEP2 or higher in the 2020s.

So far over 10,000 American M1 tanks have been produced and most of them subsequently updated at least once, mainly in the 1990s. The army is planning to maintain and upgrade its M1 tank fleet of 7,000 vehicles into the 2030s. The M1 has already been in service since the 1980s and may become the first MBT (main battle tank) design to stay in service for half a century. Technically, some World War II tanks achieved that dubious goal but not in the service of a major power.

The one remaining item in need of major improvement is the 1,500-horsepower gas turbine engine used by the M1. Past improvements here included electronic monitors on many engine components, an electronic logbook to record all pertinent engine activity, and a maintenance program that makes the most of all this data. If the engine is monitored closely and constantly, it's possible to carry out maintenance in a timelier, before something fails, manner. The army would also like to develop an improved, more efficient and less expensive to maintain engine, but that is also a costly item they can't afford at the moment.

MVP can also link to audio sensors that work with video sensors to automatically detect where enemy fire is coming from. The United States tested MVP on their M2 IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle). New anti-tank weapons are always being developed and the army wants to at least be able to afford new gear to deal with new threats. One threat that is currently ignored is top attack warheads (that put a shaped charge type attack against the thin top armor). There are also new types of mines and electronic threats. If the M1 is to survive for half a century it will have to evolve, as well as endure. The M1A2C is an evolutionary design compared to the T-14 which is a revolutionary design with a lot of new techs introduced at once.
The family of Nirmal Singh Bhangoo, the principal figure behind the staggering Rs 45,000 crore Pearl Group scam who passed away on Sunday, issued a public notice vowing to return the money to investors. The announcement came in the wake of Bhangoos recent death, which has intensified the spotlight on the extensive financial scandal. Bhangoo, whose funeral took place in Mohali on Wednesday, passed away on the night of August 25 at Delhis DDU Hospital after his health deteriorated.

The public notice was issued by Bhangoos daughter Barinder Kaur Bhangoo, who is also a prominent member of the Pearl Group. This communication aimed at addressing investors concerns and assure them of the familys commitment to rectifying the situation. The notice highlighted that Nirmal Singh Bhangoos life was dedicated to repaying the investors, and the family remains steadfast in fulfilling this promise even after his death.

Bhangoo had founded the Pearl Group, which included Pearl Golden Forest (PGF) and Pearl Agro Tech Corporation Limited (PACL), and began its operations in 1980, initially mirroring the structure of the fraudulent Golden Forest India Limited. Bhangoos schemes involved enticing investors with promises of high returns on investments in tree plantations and other ventures. By the 1990s, Bhangoo had amassed billions of rupees from over five crore investors, creating a vast financial empire that spanned both domestic and international markets.

However, Bhangoos empire was exposed as a massive Ponzi scheme. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested him in January 2016, following extensive investigations into his fraudulent activities. Bhangoo was detained at Tihar Jail in Delhi, where he remained until his health problems necessitated a transfer to DDU Hospital. Despite his incarceration, Bhangoo continued to be a focal point of numerous investigations, including those by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which further revealed the scale of his financial misconduct.

The public notice issued by Barinder Kaur asserted that the family is committed to upholding her fathers legacy by ensuring that investors receive their due returns. It emphasized that the Supreme Court of India is overseeing the repayment process through two dedicated committees  the Lodha Committee and a Special Committee. These committees are tasked with managing the distribution of funds to investors of PACL Limited and PGF Limited, ensuring that the repayment process is handled with transparency and accountability.

Punjab Government, under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has also taken steps to address the crisis. In May 2023, the Chief Minister initiated the seizure of Pearl Group properties to facilitate the return of investors' money. The legal process for seizing these assets is underway, aiming to recover funds for defrauded investors. Additionally, in September 2023, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau arrested Bhangoos wife Prem Kaur for her alleged involvement in the misappropriation of the Group's assets. She was accused of violating Supreme Court orders and transferring properties to a close relative to evade legal scrutiny.

The Bhangoo family's public notice reassured investors of their unwavering commitment to resolving the financial issues caused by the fraudulent schemes. Barinder Kaur has pledged to cooperate fully with judicial and semi-judicial authorities to ensure that her fathers promise of investor repayment is honoured. The notice also reflected the familys determination to restore investor trust and rectify the financial wrongs, underscoring their dedication to addressing the fallout from the scam.
In a fiery address during an event in Gamharia, CM Hemant Soren launched a blistering attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing the saffron party of orchestrating a campaign to destabilize his government in the State.

Soren alleged that the BJP has been actively plotting to unseat his administration by "calling leaders from neighbouring states and using every possible tactic to create unrest and discord in Jharkhand." He claimed that these actions are part of a larger conspiracy by the BJP to regain power in the state by undermining the democratically elected government.

"The BJP has been conspiring for the last five months, bringing in leaders from Assam and Chhattisgarh to disrupt the peace and harmony of our state," Soren stated. "They are using money power and government agencies to topple our government, which was elected by the people of Jharkhand to serve their interests, not the BJP's agenda."

Soren also pointed to the BJP's alleged lack of support for tribal communities and other marginalized groups, contrasting it with his government's efforts to uplift these communities through various welfare schemes. "While the BJP tries to divide us, our government is focused on uniting the people of Jharkhand and ensuring their prosperity," he asserted.

He was addressing the Jharkhand Mukhyamantri Mainiya Samman Yojana event. The Chief Minister transferred a substantial amount of 57 crore 38 lakh 99 thousand to the bank accounts of women aged 21 to 50 from three districts in the Kolhan division, demonstrating his administrations commitment to supporting women and boosting their economic status.

In his address, Soren highlighted the benefits of the scheme, which aims to empower women across the state. To date, 5,73,899 beneficiaries have been identified in the three districts, and the scheme is set to continue, ensuring ongoing support for eligible women. He emphasized, "This scheme is a boon for the women of Jharkhand," underscoring the governments efforts to uplift marginalized communities and support womens livelihoods.

In the first phase, the first installment of funds was distributed: 24 crore 77 lakh 28 thousand to 2,47,728 women in East Singhbhum, 18 crore 23 lakh 36 thousand to 1,82,336 women in West Singhbhum, and 14 crore 38 lakh 35 thousand to 1,43,835 women in Saraikela-Kharsawan.

Soren highlighted his administrations efforts in providing support to the states marginalized communities, including pension schemes, job guarantees, and agricultural support. "The previous government could only provide pensions to 15 lakh people in five years, but our coalition government has reached 40 lakh people in just four and a half years," he stated. He also announced future plans to waive off electricity bills and farmers' loans, reinforcing his governments commitment to economic justice.

The Chief Ministers remarks also included a bold promise to the people of Jharkhand, declaring that if his government is re-elected, every family in the state would receive 1 lakh per month. "No government has done this before. They only want to divide us along religious lines, but our government is focused on inclusivity and economic support for all," he promised, signaling his commitment to transformative policies aimed at social welfare and economic growth.

Health Minister Banna Gupta along with other party leaders also addressed the gathering.
The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has hit back at the allegations of spying on Champai by the BJP. JMM General Secretary Vinod Pandey has said that by telling lies, the BJP leaders have ruined the entire country. The BJP, whose tactics, character and face are that of cheating, lying and rioting, has been exposed. The BJP leaders should apologize to the country.

He said that the statement issued by the Police Headquarters has made it clear that two SIs of the Special Branch of Jharkhand Police in Delhi were detained due to misunderstanding during the execution of this task, who were later released. The policemen were posted for security. They were not spying on any particular person.

He said that throughout the day, BJP's big leaders including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, state president Babulal Marandi, MP Deepak Prakash, Leader of Opposition Amar Bauri and many others have spread baseless information about Champai Soren's spying only and only for deception. Babulal has also been a Chief Minister like Himanta, he would also know very well that Champai Soren is covered with high security category, police officers of the Special Branch were discharging their duties there.

Traditionally, intelligence gathering on political, economic, social issues related to Jharkhand in Delhi and other states is done directly and indirectly. Special Branch also contributes in the security of dignitaries.

The work of BJP leaders is unforgivable. The common psyche of Jharkhand understands that when Champai Soren himself has announced to join BJP. He went from Kolkata to Delhi. He was constantly seen in the media in Delhi. His every activity has been in front of the people. Then why and who would spy on him.

He said that BJP leaders have lost their balance after seeing the popularity of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and are making absurd statements. They could not find any fault in Hemant's work and got defeated in the political arena, so now they are trying to sail their boat with the help of lies. The nefarious designs of BJP leaders will never be fulfilled on the land of Jharkhand. Only the people of the state will give a befitting reply to BJP on this land of heroes.
PSPCL AO suspended for blackmailing, demanding bribe from PSPCL AE

Chandigarh: Punjab Government has suspended a PSPCL official for alleged misconduct. An Accounts Officer Amit Setia, field stationed in Faridkot, has been placed under immediate suspension following accusations of blackmail and bribery. Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO on Wednesday revealed that Setia was demanding a bribe from a PSPCL Assistant Engineer or Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO). The allegations came to light after the SDO submitted a video clip and complaint detailing Setias demands. The investigation confirmed that Setia sought the bribe to prevent SDO from being implicated in an unauthorized electricity use case. No official, regardless of rank, will be exempt from scrutiny if found engaging in corrupt practices, said the Minister.

Bains congratulates Punjab teachers selected for national award

Chandigarh: Punjab School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Wednesday congratulated the states teachers, who have been selected for the National Teachers Award-2024, stating that they have brought laurels for the state. Their selection for the prestigious awards will uplift the morale and inspire the other teachers of the government schools to work harder, he said. Notably, the list of National Teachers Awards, to be given on the Teachers' Day-2024 by the Union Ministry of Education, has been released wherein Pankaj Kumar Goyal of GSSS Girls, Barnala; and Rajinder Singh of Government Primary School Kothe Indra Singh, Goniana Mandi, Bathinda ware selected to receive the coveted award.

Retired BDPO, Panchayat Officer, secretary, others arrested for fraudulently withdrawing grants

Chandigarh: Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) on Wednesday apprehended a retired Block Development and Panchayats Officer (BDPO) Suresh Kumar, Panchayat Officer at block Bhunga, in Hoshiarpur Rajesh Kumar, Panchayat Secretary at block Tanda in Hoshiarpur district Lucky Thakur, and a private person Dhiraj Kumar Gill  a resident of Mukerian in Hoshiarpur district. Spokesperson said these accused have been arrested after enquiry of a complaint lodged by Dinanagar-resident Chander Shekhar who accused them of wrongfully withdrawn government grants amounting to over Rs 10 lakhs, which were intended for the villages of Chota Bianpur and Chechian Chhaurian in Gurdaspur district.

Rs 39.69-cr released for free textbooks to SC students

Chandigarh: Punjab Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur on Wednesday announced that the State Government has released Rs 39.69 crore for the provision of free textbooks to the SC students across the State. The Minister said that the amount has been released under the Free Textbooks Scheme for Scheduled Caste students from Class I to X, and will be utilized strictly for the intended purpose as specified in the scheme.

Punjab Speaker condoles demise of a young journalist

Chandigarh: Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on Wednesday expressed deep sorrow over the unfortunate demise of a journalist Jashandeep Singh Chauhan. A resident of Bhag Singh Wala village in Faridkot district, Jashandeep was associated with Zee Punjab Haryana Himachal News Channel. The Speaker conveyed deep sadness over the loss of a young journalist, noting his prolonged illness. Chauhans impactful work in the journalism realm will be perpetually remembered, he said, while praying to the Almighty to grant eternal peace to the departed soul and to provide strength to the family.
In a sharp criticism of the opposition, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath claimed on Wednesday that the Congress and Samajwadi Party, driven by Jinnahs spirit, are attempting to divide society in the same manner.

Speaking at a district-level mega employment fair in Aligarh, the chief minister remarked, Jinnah committed the grave sin of dividing the nation, which led to his suffocating demise. Congress and SP are committing a similar sin by dividing society.

During the event, Chief Minister Yogi distributed appointment letters to the youth and inaugurated as well as laid the foundation stones for 305 projects worth Rs 705 crore.

He further stated that as the country reaches new milestones in development, some people are working to fragment society. Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in 2014, the nation has been advancing. Meanwhile, the opposition is fostering anarchy by sowing seeds of caste discord in society, he said.

Targeting the SP, Yogi remarked, Those who achieved nothing during their tenure and were known only for their kaarname (misdeeds), are unsettled by the rule of law in the state. These are the same SP individuals who once justified misconduct with the excuse ladke hain, aur ladkon se galti ho jaati hai (they are boys and boys make mistakes). They were responsible for compromising the safety of their daughters.

The chief minister asserted that in the double-engine government, those who jeopardise the safety of daughters and businessmen face a path to Yamlok.

He criticised SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, saying he has no right to comment on womens safety. His silence on incidents in Ayodhya, Kannauj and Kolkata speaks volumes, Yogi said.

Chief Minister Yogi criticised the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party for undermining social cohesion whenever they were in power. He accused them of using appeasement strategies to divert society from the path of development.

Emphasising that under Prime Minister Modis leadership, India is on track to become the worlds largest economy, Yogi stated, Congress has disrespected national heroes such as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Maharaja Mahendra Pratap Singh. The BJP is dedicated to honouring these great figures, as evidenced by the university established in Maharaja Mahendra Pratap Singhs name, he said.

He criticised Congress and the SP, accusing them of focusing solely on their own interests.

Yogi asserted that the double-engine government practices non-discrimination and will not tolerate anarchy, disorder or hooliganism.

Chief Minister Yogi noted that prior to 2017, Uttar Pradesh was grappling with an identity crisis.

Today, UP is recognised as one of the leading states in the country. Therefore, we must ensure that this progress continues, as the Samajwadi Party, if given the chance, would bring about riots, looting and anarchy, he said.

He emphasised that development is indispensable and employment naturally follows from it, with security being its cornerstone. Good governance cannot be achieved without security, he added.

Chief Minister Yogi highlighted that employment fairs, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are being held across the state, providing youth with opportunities in the private sector.

Meanwhile, Basic Education Minister Sandeep Singh asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party is committed to a robust agenda of development, contrasting this with the SP, INDI Alliance, and the entire opposition, which, he claimed, engage in destructive propaganda.

He emphasised that only the BJP can honour Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar and safeguard the Constitution he crafted. The minister noted that Chief Minister Yogi is guiding the younger generation and attributed the current sense of security among Uttar Pradeshs youth to his vision.

He also mentioned that development projects are in progress in the Aligarh region and will continue.

At the event, Chief Minister Yogi performed the annaprashan ceremony for two infants. He also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 305 projects totaling Rs 705 crore, aimed at advancing the overall development of Aligarh district.

Additionally, during this district-level mega Rozgar Mela, over 63 companies and firms issued appointment letters to more than 5,000 youth across various positions. Loans exceeding Rs 35 crore were granted to eligible individuals and MSME units through various schemes. Moreover, tablets and smartphones were distributed to over 1,500 students under the Swami Vivekananda Yuva Sashaktikaran Yojana.

Under the Yogi government, over six and a half lakh youth have secured government jobs in the past seven and a half years. Additionally, more than 3.75 lakh youth have been connected to employment through contracts. The private sector and MSMEs have provided jobs to two crore people. Furthermore, loans exceeding Rs 1.08 lakh crore have been distributed to the states youth through various schemes, including Pradhan Mantri Swarojgar Yojana, Mudra Yojana, Startup, ODOP, MSME and Mukhyamantri Swarojgar Yojana.

Cane Development Minister Chaudhary Laxmi Narayan, Basic Education Minister Sandeep Singh, Skill Development and Vocational Education Minister Kapil Dev Agarwal, MP Satish Gautam, Anoop Pradhan, MLA Jaiveer Singh, Ravindra Pal Singh, Rajkumar Sahayogi, Anil Prasar and other dignitaries were present with Chief Minister Yogi in the programme.
A delegation of Delhi BJP MPs met with the Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Wednesday and submitted a memorandum concerning various issues related to the rural areas of Delhi.

The delegation included Northeast Delhi BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, South Delhi BJP MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, West Delhi BJP MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat and North West Delhi BJP MP Yogendra Chandolia. The Lieutenant Governor acknowledged the memorandum submitted by the BJP MPs and assured them that appropriate action would be taken.

The Delhi BJP MPs raised issues regarding mutation being stopped in villages. It said that about five to six years ago, 89 villages were declared urbanised, which led to the cessation of land reforms in these areas, and the villages were handed over to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for development.

As a result, mutations were stopped. Consequently, farmers are not able to sell their land, nor can agricultural land be transferred to their legal heirs, causing significant difficulties for farming families. We request your immediate intervention to resolve this issue, they said.

Further they raised the issue of alternate plots where in they alleged that in 2002-03, the Delhi government acquired agricultural land in Delhis villages.

According to the governments acquisition policy, farmers were to be compensated with monetary compensation, an alternative residential plot and a shop for employment. However, even after 20 years this provision has not been fulfilled, the BJP MPs stated.

Until 2016, the Delhi government recommended the allocation of alternative plots, and DDA was allocating plots based on this recommendation. However, in 2019, farmers applications for alternative plots were rejected based on the 2011 Supreme Court ruling in the Delhi Administration vs. Jai Singh Kanwar case, they said.

The delegation further claimed that in some instances, one brother received a plot under the same award, while anothers application was rejected, and the farmers were not provided with a copy of the order.

In 2022, through the efforts of the committee, some farmers were able to obtain a copy of this order under another name, but many farmers still do not have it. The committee also demanded an investigation into the conspiracy against farmers by the government, but no investigation was conducted. We request you to take cognizance of this matter and issue an order for the allocation of alternative plots and shops as per the Delhi governments policy in the interest of farmers, they claimed.

Further, they raised the issue of DDA No Objection Certificate (NOC) for Electricity Meters infront of Saxena and said, As you are aware, under the Master Plan 2041 for Delhi and to prevent the creation of new colonies, the DDA, in a meeting with electricity companies on 26 June 2023, directed them to demand NOC from DDA for new electricity meter applications.

As a result, new houses being constructed in the 1,671 unauthorised colonies are not being provided with new electricity meters by BSES due to the NOC issue.

They claimed that is also affecting houses that already have meters and are applying for new connections. Additionally, due to the non-availability of DDAs NOC, electricity connections are not being provided in Lal Dora villages and 20-point plots. We request you to take note of this issue and resolve it promptly so that people are not deprived of basic amenities like electricity, they said.

The BJP MPs requested Saxena to conduct a re-survey of the remaining areas under the PM Uday scheme and include them in the scheme.
Delhi Universitys Dyal Singh Evening College has signed an agreement with the Nam Can Tho University in Vietnam to foster academic and cultural exchange. According to an official statement, this collaboration aims to attract more Vietnamese students to the university.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Principal of Dyal Singh Evening College Bhawna Pandey and Vice Rector of Nam Can Tho University Tran Thi Thu.

The agreement was signed at the Indian Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City on August 26 during the Namaste Vietnam Festival.

Under the MoU both institutions plan to promote academics and research in economics, business, and information technology, the statement said.

The agreement also includes provisions for developing and exchanging educational resources, curriculum, best practices, joint research initiatives, academic publications, and technology transfer, it added.

During the event, Consul General of India, Ho Chi Minh City, Madan Mohan Sethi highlighted that every year, around 2,00,000 Vietnamese students seek educational opportunities abroad. This collaboration aims to attract more Vietnamese students to the Delhi University, he said.

The Namaste Vietnam Festival was started in 2022 to strengthen ties between India and Vietnam through educational and cultural exchange. This years event saw participation from 28 universities in India and 17 universities in Vietnam.

Dyal Singh Evening College was the sole representative from the University of Delhi at the event and one of only two institutions to sign an MOU with a Vietnamese university, according to the statement.
Following a court order, Ranka Police registered an FIR against Dudhwal Panchayat Mukhiya Izhar Ansari, Nadeem Ansari and Sultana Parveen in the case of rape and forced religious conversion of a tribal woman.

Police have registered a case under sections 376, 315, 323, 295A, 298, 504, 506 34 of the Indian Penal Code. On the victim filing a complaint in the court, Judicial Magistrate First Class Anulika Kumar had ordered a case against the accused.

The police have registered a case in the matter and intensified the raids to arrest the accused. The victim had lodged a complaint that in the year 2003, the accused Izhar raped her at gunpoint by showing the fear of Naxalites. At that time she was only 14 years old. Since then, he continued to forcefully have physical relations with her. He had physical relations with her for about 20 years till October 2023. During this time, he made her abort three times. After that, he started pressuring her to convert to Islam.

The victim has said that the accused threatened that if she did not do so, he would push her into prostitution. On March 31, 2022, he gave the victim in writing that she should marry in Hindu religion of her own free will. After that, on November 5, 2023, she married a young man in Kudrum village.

Later, he also separated her husband from her by threatening him. He continued to pressurize her to convert. Ranka Police Station Incharge Praveen Kumar said that on the basis of complaint letter number- 972/2024 received from Court Garhwa, Ranka Police Station Case No. 142/24 dated 28/08/24 has been registered under Section- 376/315/323/295A/298/504/506 /34 IPC and investigation has been started. Police are conducting raids to arrest the accused.
Punjabs former Cabinet Minister Sunder Sham Arora on Wednesday rejoined the Congress, ending a short-lived association of two years with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Arora announced his return on Wednesday, sharing images with Punjab Congress in-charge Devender Yadav, signaling his recommitment to the party.

Arora, a two-time MLA from Hoshiarpur, previously served as the Industries and Commerce Minister in Capt Amarinder Singhs government. His switch to the BJP followed the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections, a short-lived move due to various controversies surrounding his tenure.

Aroras political career faced significant turbulence due to legal issues. He was arrested by the Vigilance Bureau for allegedly attempting to bribe an Assistant Inspector General in a case related to disproportionate assets and an industrial plot transfer scam. Although he was granted bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the charges have tainted his reputation and contributed to his decision to return to Congress.

The speculation around Arora's return gained momentum after recent visits from senior Congress leaders, including Partap Singh Bajwa and former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. Despite his brief stint with the BJP, Arora maintained connections with Congress leaders and was frequently seen alongside his mentor Sunil Jakhar during BJP events.

His absence from crucial BJP rallies, such as Prime Minister Narendra Modis event in Hoshiarpur, indicated his growing dissatisfaction with the party. Aroras decision to rejoin Congress is also seen as a response to the partys ongoing leadership crisis, exacerbated by the defection of Chabbewal MLA Raj Kumar to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Arora expressed regret over his previous decision to join the BJP, stating, I believed the BJP would benefit Punjab, but I was mistaken. Only Congress can efficiently manage the state. He pledged to work under Rahul Gandhis leadership to strengthen the Congress party and contribute positively to Punjabs development.

Aroras return is expected to bolster Congress's position in Hoshiarpur, especially in the wake of impending assembly bypoll in Chabbewal segment, and potentially influence the party's prospects in upcoming electoral contests.
In a sensational broad daylight loot, five masked men stormed a jewellery store at Chowk Clock Tower in Sultanpur and looted gold jewellery worth Rs 2 crore and Ts 5 lakh in cash at gunpoint on Wednesday.

The robbers swiftly filled two bags with jewellery before escaping the scene.

CCTV footage of the incident has surfaced, capturing the entire heist as the miscreants executed the brazen act.

Local authorities, led by Superintendent of Police Somen Burma have reviewed the footage and assured the public that efforts are underway to apprehend the culprits.

IG Ayodhya Range, Praveen Kumar, also visited the spot and claimed that besides the Crime Branch, Special Operation Group, five more teams have also been formed to track down the criminals involved in the incident and arrest them.

He said the police had got 10 vital clues and hoped to arrest the culprits and recover the entire looted jewellery.

According to reports, a jewellery market, Sonar Mandi, is situated in Majorganj area, barely 100 metres away from Kotwali, from where local jewelers purchase ornaments. Bharat Soni also owns Bharatji Jewellers in the market.

At about 10 am on Wednesday, Soni reached the shop along with his son and opened it. Two customers later reached the shop and Bharats son started showing them jewellery.

The CCTV footage showed that around noon, one youth with his face covered entered the shop and immediately took Bharat Soni at gun-point. Later one more miscreant entered the shop with a black bag followed by three more and they took all others in the shop at gun-point and warned them, saying they would kill anyone who raised an alarm.

While two miscreants had covered their faces with cloth, the other three were wearing helmets. While two remained with pistols in their hands, the other three started to stash the ornaments and cash kept in the shop in the bag. The speed at which they looted the shop indicated that they were aware of all the lockers of the shop.

Within just 5 to 7 minutes they looted raw gold and jewellery along with Rs 5 lakh in cash and escaped from the spot. They were seen fleeing on two motorcycles in the CCTV footage installed outside the shop and in other adjoining showrooms in the market. They probably fled towards Pratapgarh.

The news of the loot spread like a wildfire and within no time, all jewellery traders reached Bharat Sonis shop and demanded arrest of the miscreants.

Soon after learning about the loot, senior officers sealed the city boundaries and Circle Officer (City) Shivam Mishra and Station House Officer (City Kotwali) AK Dwivedi reached the spot followed by SP Sultanpur, Somen Verma and ASP Arun Chandra. They also summoned sniffer dogs to get some clues but failed. The forensic team also visited the spot.

The cops collected the names of all the present and past staff of the shop, including those working in adjacent shops, and are examining whether they could have provided the inputs leading to loot.

Presidents of the Sultanpur Jewellers Association, Devi Prasad Soni, also reached the spot and raised the issue of safety of the members of the community and the manner in which the miscreants executed the crime in the heart of the city that too during the busy hours. He claimed that in September 2023, a similar loot took place in Baba Bhushan Jewellers owned by Abhinav Seth which was also recorded in CCTV, but the police failed to work it out.
August 28, 2024: The war in Ukraine isnt over yet but Russia is already working on needed reforms so, they hope, that the next time Russian troops are in combat they perform better and perhaps even win. There have been several rounds of unsuccessful military reforms since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. One of the major causes of that collapse was their unaffordable and largely ineffective armed forces. In post-Soviet Russia there were far fewer restrictions on criticizing the military. Most Russians had a very negative attitude towards conscription and the reforms underway because of the Ukraine War disaster are typical of several previous efforts to remedy problems that continue to resist any fundamental change. President Vladimir Putin ordered all these reform efforts and is dismayed that they failed. Putin never served in the military but joined the KGB secret police in 1975. Since then Putin did what he could to punish domestic enemies, especially those calling for actions against his corrupt officials.

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 the KGB became, after many reforms and dismissal of incompetent or disloyal personnel, the FSB (Federal Security Bureau). By 1998 Putin was head of the FSB. At this point Putin declared that communism was a failed doctrine and proposed that democracy replace it. Putin worked hard to control the voting and the counting of votes so that he and his cronies could stay in power.

The FSB reforms were still underway when Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022. The losses were heavier than expected and a new plan called for a massive training program to replace all the officers lost in the first few months of the 2022 fighting. The immediate problem was that all the officer instructors were sent to the front in March and April 2022 where they too became casualties. Next was that military and political leaders are still unable to restore one crucial aspect of an improved military: NCOs (Non-Commissioned Officers, sergeants in the army, petty officers in the navy). A century ago, Russia abandoned a long tradition of NCOs. Instead, junior officers would try to do everything NCOs handled. That never worked. Providing adequate training for new combat troops is something else that never had a high priority, and still doesnt after 30 months of war with Ukraine. The prewar reforms were supposed to change that. There have been similar efforts in the past and none lasted long.

There is another serious problem that few want to discuss, corruption. Even in wartime, and especially during the Ukraine war, corruption was still a staggering problem. Officers and other government officials continued to put their own financial gain above the need to equip the troops with what they needed to survive and win. The difficulty here is that the militarys corruption is rooted in political corruption at the highest levels with Putin and his cronies grabbing whatever they could for almost 20 years. This inevitably drifted downward until even supply sergeants routinely stole back and sold gear issued to new troops when they were outside their barracks just before leaving for the front. Russia is descending into a Third World state known as a resource kleptocracy but run by a for-real gangster confederacy. Only with nuclear and biological weapons from before it fell apart. All this enthusiasm for military reform was thought to have been taken care of in 2022, on the eve to the invasion of Ukraine. As before, it was discovered that previous reforms had not worked, generally from not being implemented at all.

Those who had followed the history of failed efforts to reform the Russian army since the 1990s were not surprised at what happened to Russian troops when they encountered their Ukrainian counterparts. Before the invasion, most Russians believed that the Ukrainian troops were no match for Russian soldiers. Russians also found it hard to believe that the Ukrainians, who were part of the Soviet Union until 1991, had managed in less than a decade after Russias first invasion in 2014 to implement many fundamental reforms. Some of these reforms were far more ambitious than any Russia ever attempted. After a few months of fighting in Ukraine it was painfully obvious that Russian troops were no match for their Ukrainian adversaries. Before that, Russians believed that their dismal reform efforts had magically worked as nearly half their combat units assembled on the Ukrainian border.

Reports from the Russian capital, which Ukrainian military leaders believed, indicated the decision had been made to invade despite obvious defects in the training, morale and equipment of Russian units. The reality of the differences between Russian and Ukrainian forces was soon made clear as the advance was stopped short of its goals and suffered heavy casualties in the process. Copies of the attack plan, which were only distributed to a few senior commanders leading the attack, showed that the Russians believed they could quickly reach and take the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and replace the government with a pro-Russian one and declare the war over. At that point the rest of Ukraine was supposed to surrender and get used to being Russian once more.

Many Russians, especially recent veterans or parents of sons approaching conscription age, knew the truth and were perplexed at the decision to invade when so many soldiers were poorly trained and suffering from low morale. Conscripts supposedly prohibited by law from service in a war zone were sent in anyway.

Much of the Russian population continues to cope with the continuing use of conscription, something that has been unpopular since the end of World War II. The post-1991 government goal of having an all-volunteer force failed because it cost more than the government could afford and not enough young Russians were willing to voluntarily serve, even as better paid and treated contract soldiers.

Even though over half of Russian military personnel are now volunteers (serving on contracts) or career officers, the ability of the military to hold onto those contract, or contrakti soldiers was always weakened if there are a lot of casualties or too much chance of being sent to a combat zone. Volunteering to be a contract soldier used to be considered a smart move because the Russian economy had been increasingly weak over the last decade. After the fighting began in Ukraine, the contract soldiers suffered as much as the conscripts and junior officers did.

The result of this was contract troops refusing to renew contracts. Most of the combat units sent into Ukraine were composed of contract troops who were killed in large numbers. When the survivors got back to Russia, either because of wounds or because many combat battalions returned because of heavy losses, there was a sudden shortage of contract soldiers. That was because most contract troops were near the end of their two-to-three-year contracts and refused to renew. The army had signed up many soldiers for the new, since 2016, short term six to twelve month contracts for former soldiers. Conscripts willing to try it found that there were far fewer veteran soldiers who were willing to sign these short contracts because so few recent short-term contract soldiers had survived service in Ukraine. The government tried to solve this reluctant contract soldier problem by changing the contracts so that contract soldiers had to remain in the army for as long as the fighting continued. Realizing that it was a death sentence if they were sent back to Ukraine, many contract soldiers simply refused to go. There were so many men refusing to go that the government backed off from threats to prosecute the reluctant contrakti.

Soldiers with time left on their contracts were a liability because they told anyone who would listen that the Ukraine Special Operation had been a disaster for Russian troops because they were determined and well-armed, especially with modern anti-tank weapons. The Ukrainians constantly ambushed columns of Russian armored vehicles and soon destroyed most of them. While Russian troops were forbidden to take cell phones with them into Ukraine, the Ukrainians still had them to take photos and videos of the aftermath of these battles, and these were getting back to Russia where Russian veterans of the fighting confirmed they had seen the same grisly evidence of Russian losses or even survived one of these battles.

Russia played down these losses but the Ukrainian military maintained and published daily updates of Russian losses in terms of soldiers killed, wounded or captured as well as equipment losses. After thirty days of fighting the Ukrainians were claiming that over a third of Russian troops sent into Ukraine had been killed, wounded or captured with even larger quantities of vehicles and weapons lost. After six weeks the Russian military admitted that losses were heavier than previously acknowledged but would not give exact figures. In part that was because an accurate count was not possible until most of the combat units, especially BTGs (Battalion Task Groups), had returned or been confirmed as destroyed.

Few BTGs were wiped out but many were reduced to half or a third of their original size of about 800 troops and several hundred vehicles. BTG survivors were assigned to other BTGs. Communications, even for BTG or brigade commanders, were unreliable inside Ukraine because of defective radios. That meant senior commanders of Russian armies, which controlled over a dozen BTGs and many support units, were always using outdated data on unit strengths, capabilities and locations. This was reported back to Russia and declared a state secret.

In fact, Russia is making a major effort to keep Ukrainian reports on the fighting from spreading on the Russian Internet. That has been difficult because the Ukrainian after-action reports are all Russians can get as their own government refuses to release much data on casualties. Moreover, the Ukrainian data appears accurate because it often includes pictures and identities of the dead Russian troops and details on the losses individual units suffered. The Ukrainians had better access to where these battles took place and proved it with photos and videos showing destroyed vehicles, some of them identifiable as belonging to a particular Russian unit.

Without a lot of contract soldiers Russia could not replace losses. Replacing lost tanks and other vehicles also proved to be more difficult than expected. On paper Russia had thousands of fully armed and equipped tanks and other armored vehicles in reserve for quickly replacing combat losses. Not surprisingly those reserve vehicles were often in bad shape, having been poorly maintained by conscripts and larcenous civilians who made a lot of money by taking key items from these vehicles and selling them on the black market. These missing items were usually not reported missing until troops received these vehicles, which were generally mobile enough to be driven onto a railroad flatcar for transportation to units needing them. Once received these reserve vehicles were found missing equipment and in need of extensive repairs to make them combat-ready. This was nothing new and has been common since the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991 and the mighty Red Army lost 80 percent of its personnel strength but few of its ships, aircraft, vehicles and heavy weapons. Most of these ships and vehicles were placed in reserve although many were found abandoned throughout Russia, and new groups of these resting vehicles are still being found in forests while known concentrations of these vehicles or aircraft have been picked clean of saleable parts.

Conscription was in even worse shape, with the number of conscripts available declining each year. In April 2018 the Russian military only ended up with 128,000 conscripts during the semi-annual draft call. This was the lowest since 2006, a year when there were more young men available as well as more deferments and rampant draft dodging. In the years since 2018 the decline was reversed by issuing fewer deferments, punishing more draft dodgers and enforcing laws against conscripts serving in combat zones. The one exception was if the fighting was in Russia, which was the excuse the government used as it claimed they were not invading Ukraine but reuniting Ukraine with Russia. The Ukrainians as well as Russian conscripts and their families disagreed with this interpretation of the invasion.

Other reasons for fewer conscripts are that there were fewer young men to conscript because of lower birth rates and more young men who were in poor physical shape, or addicted to drugs, or had a police record and were considered more trouble than they are worth if conscripted. Young men in politically favored areas, generally a zone extending from St. Petersburg to Moscow are generally, but unofficially, exempt from conscription while all those in disfavored areas (generally rural) are scooped up in very disproportionate numbers. All this was expected but since the 1990s Russia has been seeking solutions and finding none that work well enough to keep the military up to strength.

As early as 2012 a duma (parliament)-ordered investigation found that the army was short a third of the privates, who were the lowest ranking troops, that they were supposed to have. The Russian military, mainly the Army and Interior Ministry paramilitary units are supposed to have a combined total of million personnel. But officials admitted in 2011, off-the-record, that the real number was closer to 800,000 and slowly but relentlessly declining. A subsequent investigation confirmed this. In 2021 it was still no more than 800,000. Since 2012 the military has come up with a growing list of solutions for the problem but all these efforts do is slow the decline of military manpower numbers, not reverse it. The most recent fix before the 2022 attack on Ukraine involved calling up reservists for a brief period to test the system, but instead of letting the reservists quickly return to civilian life, the military kept many for six months or more. This was one reason for the less than 12 month short-term contract. Doing this too often made reservists refuse to appear when recalled. The economic recession since 2014, because of low oil prices and western sanctions, was supposed to encourage more Russians to volunteer but that did not happen and there was less money for increasing the pay for contract soldiers. Recruiting foreigners had minimal impact and so the Russian military keeps fading away.

The military had 220,000 officers, also on contracts, and many veteran contract personnel who provided technical experts and other senior enlisted personnel. These are higher paid contract soldiers, some with a decade or more of service, who often become the long-absent Russian NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer, or sergeants) but there are not enough of these NCOs to make a difference. Conscripts still made up nearly half of the military in late 2021 and after the invasion it got harder and harder to find enough people to conscript or willing to sign a contract. This means there are two classes of Russian military personnel. Most, about 70 percent, are much less capable, with most of them conscripts in for one year of service or new contract soldiers on two or three-year contracts. These are supervised by inexperienced junior officers, a few surviving career NCOs and a splattering of senior contractors. A third of the military are more enthusiastic volunteers and conscripts. These staff the elite special operations, airborne, security and specialist units. In other words, while the government claims to have a million military personnel on duty, the reality is that there are only about 200,000 troops on active duty who are good at what they do and want to be in the military.

Conscripts are inducted twice a year, in April and October. In 2011, the April intake was nominally 220,000 but fewer than that actually made it into uniform. In 2018 the April draft was 128,000. In 2011 only about 75 percent of the men who showed up were considered fit to take. In 2018 standards of fitness for military service became much less strict and the military had to cope with a lot more recruits who are of marginal use.

By 2012 the military reluctantly accepted the fact that they would not be able to obtain more than 270,000 conscripts a year needed to reach the official strength of a million personnel. In the last six years maintaining anything close to that number meant taking less willing and able men. Senior leaders now accept that they will never command a million-man force.

Lowering their standards in order to make their annual quotas just fills the ranks with more troublesome people, who cause more of the good troops to get out. In the last few years, the military has quietly stopped accepting many volunteers or conscripts from Moslem areas, especially the Caucasus area of Chechnya and Dagestan. The wisdom of this was made clear when Russian intelligence reported that the most effective Russian Moslems who joined and fought for Islamic terrorist groups were military veterans. In contrast, Russian Moslems who had not served in the military were less likely to become Islamic terrorists and if they did, they were used as suicide bombers or support staff, not as long-term fighters. Moreover, commanders continued to report that if more than a few percent of their troops were Moslem there would be morale problems or worse.

The basic recruiting problem is twofold. First, military service is very unpopular and potential conscripts are increasingly successful at dodging the draft deliberately or otherwise. Second, the area of Russia with the highest per capita income and best educated young men, from St. Petersburg to Moscow, is generally exempt from conscription for political reasons. In other words, Putin is afraid of being overthrown if he antagonizes them. And the corruption of conscription officials has reached staggering levels. But the biggest problem is that the number of 18- year-olds is rapidly declining each year. By 2009 all draftees were born after the Soviet Union dissolved. That was when the birth rate went south year after year. Not so much because the Soviet Union was gone but more because of the economic collapse caused by decades of communist misrule that precipitated the collapse of the communist government. The number of available draftees went from 1.5 million a year in the early 1990s to less than half that by 2023. Less than half those potential conscripts are showing up and many have criminal records or tendencies that help sustain the abuse of new recruits that have made military service so unsavory.

With conscripts now in for only a year, rather than two, the military is forced to take a lot of marginal, as in sickly, overweight, bad attitude, and drug user recruits in order to keep the military and Ministry of Interior units up to strength. This worked during the cold war because conscript service was three years for elite units. With one-year conscripts, elite airborne and commando units using some conscripts find that these eager conscripts take a year to master the skills needed to be useful and then they are discharged. Few choose to remain in uniform and become career soldiers. That's primarily because the Russian military is seen as a crippled institution and one not likely to get better any time soon. With so many of the troops now one-year conscripts, an increasing number of the best officers and NCOs get tired of coping with all the alcoholics, drug users, and petty criminals that are taken in just to make quotas. With combat casualties, the exodus of the best leaders and a growing proportion of ill-trained and unreliable conscripts, the Russian military is more of a mirage than an effective combat or even police organization.

The peacetime military was unpopular for conscripts mainly because of the brutal treatment they received. This has not been getting better and hazing incidents are still increasing each year. This is a serious issue. There are a lot of reasons for not wanting to be in the Russian Army but the worst of them is the hazing. One year conscription was supposed to solve this but new conscripts are tormented by conscripts who have been in a few months longer. It was thought that this sort of thing would speed the demise of conscription in Russia once the Cold War ended in 1991. That didn't work out. The government found that, even among the contract soldiers, the old abuses lived on and that most of the best contract soldiers left when their contract was up. It was because of the brutality and lack of discipline in the barracks. The hazing is most frequently committed by troops who have been in six months or so against the new recruits. But this extends to a pattern of abuse and brutality by all senior enlisted troops against junior ones. It remains out of control. The abuse continues to exist in part because of the growing animosity against troops who are not ethnic Russians and especially against those who are Moslem. Because of higher birth rates among the Moslem populations, nearly 15 percent of eligible conscripts are Moslems and that is seen as more of a problem than a solution.

This hazing originally developed after World War II, when Russia deliberately avoided developing professional NCOs. They preferred to have officers take care of nearly all troop supervision. The Soviets failed to note that good NCOs were the key to effective troops. The Soviets felt that officers were more politically reliable, as they were more carefully selected and monitored. The NCOs that did exist were treated as slightly more reliable enlisted men but given little real authority. Since officers did not live with the men, slack discipline in the barracks gave rise to the vicious hazing and exploitation of junior conscripts by the senior ones. This led to very low morale, and a lot of suicides, theft, sabotage, and desertions. This hazing has been one of the basic causes of crimes in the Russian armed forces, accounting for 20 to 30 percent of all soldier crimes. This caused a military suicide rate that is among the highest in the world. Poor working conditions in general also mean that Russian soldiers are nearly twice as likely to die from accidents, or suicide, then American soldiers. Long recognized as a problem, no solution to the hazing ever worked.

Conscription itself, and the prospect of being exposed to hazing, produced a massive increase in draft dodging starting during the Soviet period. Bribes and document fraud were freely used. Few parents, or potential conscripts, consider this a crime. Avoiding the draft is seen as a form of self-preservation. The government has cracked down on parent-backed draft dodging with little effect. Thats because there is still so much corruption in Russia and evading conscription is seen by many as not really criminal, especially when the parents can afford to pay a bribe to keep their only son and often an only child out of the Russian military.

The Russian lack of praporshchiki, as they call sergeants, has been difficult to fix. Just promoting more troops to that rank, paying them more, and telling them to take charge, has not done the job. So going back to look at how Western armies do it, the Russians noted that those foreign armies provided a lot of professional training for new NCOs and more of it as the NCOs advanced in rank. But this is a long-term process and takes years before benefits will be felt. By 2022 there were more veteran NCOs available and they probably made a difference. But the losses were so heavy in Ukraine that it may never be known how good Russian professional NCOs had become.

All this is in sharp contrast to the old days. When the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, it had five million troops in its armed forces. Now it's less than 800,000 in just Russia, which had about half the population of the Soviet Union but most of the territory. Although the Russian armed forces lost over 80 percent of its strength by the end of the 1990s, a disproportionate number of officers remained. This problem was solved after encountering much resistance from officers in general and, after a series of reforms, the number of officers was reduced by over 50 percent.

The Russian military has an image problem that just won't go away easily. This resulted in the period of service for conscripts being lowered to one year from two in 2008. That was partly to placate the growing number of parents who were encouraging, and assisting, their kids in avoiding military service.

Putin, in part because he never served in the army, and instead served in the elite KGP and post-Soviet FSB, always worked with carefully selected and well trained secret police operatives. He had a hard time appreciating how bad the situation was among army troops.

All this came after more than a decade of reforms in the armed forces, particularly the army. Poor discipline, low morale, and incompetent performance are all legacies of the 1921-1991 Soviet-era Russian commanders, envious of the success of all-volunteer Western forces, have long studied their former foes and decided to adopt a lot of Western military customs. For example, one recent reform ordered that Russian troops would not be confined to their barracks most of the time. In the Soviet era, the conscripted troops were treated like convicts and their barracks were more like a prison than the college dormitory atmosphere found in troop housing for Western military personnel. Russian conscripts are now free to leave the base on weekends and work only a five-day week. All barracks have hot showers (a recent achievement) and troop accommodations are the best they have ever had. Things like this help a bit but not enough.

Russia tried to change public attitudes towards the armed forces by publicizing all the new changes and programs. But word got around that most of these efforts failed. Blame that on the Internet. Polls consistently show that most military age men do not want to serve in the military and the main reason is the hazing and prison-like conditions in the barracks.

As a result of all these factors, prospects of a revival of the traditional large Russian armed forces continues to fade. The casualties and defeats in Ukraine have not helped.
When the government is determined, transformation is not just a possibility but a reality. Kushinagar district stands as a testament to this under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Located in Purvanchal, near the Bihar border, Kushinagar was once plagued by severe underdevelopment. The district was notorious for widespread iodine deficiency, causing goitre among its residents. Over the last four decades, thousands of children lost their lives, or were left physically and mentally disabled in Kushinagar, due to encephalitis. Floods from the Narayani and Gandak rivers wreaked havoc annually, and the terror of jungle bandits added to the regions woes.

Poverty was so extreme that some residents resorted to eating rats, earning them the name Musahar. To make matters worse, the ration mafia regularly siphoned off their food supplies.

Today, these dark times are a distant memory. The Yogi governments dedicated efforts have nearly eradicated encephalitis and its associated deaths. To shield the district from floods, the government has invested Rs 600 crore in flood protection over the past seven years.

Kushinagars fertile land, once home to several sugar mills and known for its abundant banana and turmeric crops, is now on the path to revitalisation. The Yogi government has significantly boosted Kushinagars agricultural sector by designating bananas as the districts product under the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme and is promoting their cultivation.

Sugarcane farmers have also reaped the benefits of a revamped sugar policy, while local youth have found new employment opportunities. Additionally, in collaboration with Tata Trust and the Azim Premji Foundation, the government is actively promoting the cultivation of turmeric and seed spices in the district, with support from the National Research Centre for Seed Spices, Ajmer.

To further empower farmers, the Yogi government is establishing an agricultural university in Kushinagar, where they can learn and implement modern farming techniques to enhance yield and income. The Krishi Vigyan Kendra, affiliated with the Indian Agricultural Research Institutes Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, also encourages the cultivation of vegetables alongside traditional crops.

The Musahar community, once plagued by extreme poverty, is now benefiting from the governments unwavering support. Yogi Adityanath, who had been a vocal advocate for the Musahars in Parliament during his tenure as an MP, has continued his mission as chief minister, transforming their lives much like he did for the Vantangi community.

A permanent solution to Kushinagars flood problem is now within reach. During his recent visit, Chief Minister Yogi announced the construction of a bridge over the river Narayani. It will connect Kushinagar and Maharajganj. This bridge will benefit thousands of residents from around 18 villages across both districts, saving them time and resources in their daily commute.

Kushinagar international airport is set to become a key milestone for the regions future development. It will significantly enhance the travel experience for tourists from Buddhist countries visiting the site of Tathagatas Parinirvana, making their journey more accessible, safer and faster. Additionally, the airport will serve as a hub for exporting local products, further driving economic growth in the area.
In a novel initiative to protect villagers from wild animals at night, the Uttar Pradesh government is installing street lights in sensitive villages surrounding the Dudhwa, Pilibhit, Amangarh and Ranipur tiger reserves.

This effort is being supported by a memorandum of understanding between the state government and Bharat Cares, which is managing the installation of the street lights through its CSR fund.

The street lights are being provided by Signify. Installation work has already begun in the highly sensitive villages near the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, with marking and survey work underway in other areas.

This initiative by the Yogi Adityanath government is expected to significantly reduce conflicts with wild animals entering the villages at night and enhance overall security.

Street lights are being installed in the highly sensitive villages near the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve to address human-wildlife conflicts, particularly with animals such as tigers and leopards.

Divisional Forest Officer at Pilibhit, Manish Singh, stated that this initiative began on August 12, funded by Bharat Cares CSR contributions.

Over 200 street lights have been installed across 50 villages, and the installation of more than 750 additional lights is progressing rapidly, he said.

Manish Singh further explained that streetlights are being installed in villages like Pandri, Bhairon, Goyal Colony, Mala Colony, Jamunia and Mandari. To date, more than 16 lights have been installed in Mandari, and work in other areas is also progressing fast, he remarked.

LED street lights will be installed in over 60 villages near the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. Additional Chief Forest Conservator Lalit Kumar Verma stated that the company has opted to use solar lights for this project.

Surveys are currently underway in villages such as Udhav Nagar, Bashi, Ashok Nagar, Semri, Dharmapur, Amba, Jhala, Golbojhi, Pachpeda, Khambhari, and Raghunagar.

The company will soon begin survey work in more than 20 additional villages, including Sakrauha, Kamarha, Elha and Sakra, which are also highly sensitive due to human-wildlife conflicts near the Ranipur Tiger Reserve. Following the surveys, installation of the street lights will commence shortly. This initiative aims to prevent wild animals from entering the villages at night and to enhance the safety of the residents.

A survey will be conducted to determine the locations for installing street lights in 20 highly sensitive villages near the Amangarh Tiger Reserve. The villages will include Rehad, Fatehpur Dhara, Rani Nangal, Muraliwala and Jamunwala.

Rajat Singh, senior project associate at Bharat Cares, which is overseeing the street light installation funded by CSR, stated, An MoU was signed with the UP government last month for this initiative. Under this agreement, LED lights will be installed in over 100 forest villages, with solar lights added as needed. Currently, under the Har Ghar Roshan scheme, lights are being installed in Pilibhit. These lights are being provided by Signify. After completing the marking and survey, installations will proceed in the villages around Amangarh and Dudhwa.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that the ongoing Investors Summit in Gwalior will prove to give the best outcome than all the Investors Summits held so far.

The results of the Investors Summit being organized in different parts of the state to encourage industrial activities at the regional level have been encouraging. Industry groups and investors have expressed confidence in the Madhya Pradesh government, and the state government is committed to living up to their expectations.

It is heartening to note that industrialists and investors are expressing confidence in the policies and arrangements being implemented in the state to promote industrial activities. Chief Minister Yadav said this while discussing with media representatives on the AIIMS campus, Bhopal.

Yadav said that the Investors Summit will play an important role in generating more employment opportunities in the state. Our effort is that the industrialists of the state should also expand their activities and the youth of the state should come forward as entrepreneurs. The state government is ready to provide them all possible support.

Activities are being taken up constantly under the special campaign launched by the state government to encourage youth in industry and entrepreneurship. The summit will also contribute significantly to increasing GDP. The summit covered all sectors including education, MSME, heavy industry, and agricultural engineering.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that favorable policies, supportive environment and administrative cooperation have helped industries grow well in Madhya Pradesh. Industrial units are being established with a positive mindset.

Yadav inaugurated and laid the foundation for 47 new industrial units in the state involving a cost of Rs. 1586 crore at Regional Industry Conclave at Gwalior today. T his conclave is focused on the theme of heritage, history, and industry. Land allocation letters were handed over to 5 industrial units.

Yadav paid homage to Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia at the Agriculture University campus and visited an exhibition focused on the development prospects of the micro, small, and medium enterprise sector.

It was announced to open 8 district-level industry facilitation centers in the Gwalior-Chambal region. These centers have started functioning from today in Gwalior, Morena, Bhind, Sheopur, Shivpuri, Datia, Guna, and Ashoknagar. Representatives from Mexico and Zambia also attended the conclave.

The CM said that a huge private hospital will be established in Gwalior. He encouraged industrialists to see for themselves state's unique features and make decisions regarding industrial establishment.

Dr. Yadav emphasized that entrepreneurship development is possible in a favourable environment. He said that Gwalior belongs to land of sages and musicians and has been a major industrial center. He said that the state government has ensured the payment of dues to the workers of the Hukamchand Mill in Indore. He highlighted that issues related to sick industrial units saying that they should be resolved, and decisions will be taken for similar cases. The problem of JC Mill in Gwalior will also be addressed in a manner similar to that of Hukamchand Mill.

Dr. Yadav further said that the lives of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna inspire us to work towards good governance, duty, and righteousness. He announced establishment of a private sector hospital in Gwalior. A police station will be set up in Sitapur and a fire station in the industrial area will also be initiated.

Union Minister for Communications and Northeast Region Development, Jyotiraditya Scindia, said that Chief Minister Dr. Yadav has awakened Gwalior to industrial growth. Infrastructure and investment initiatives in the Gwalior region began years ago. Yadav has worked hard to bring the state's potential onto the national stage. He is the first Chief Minister to initiate a Regional Industry Conclave. Scindia remarked that an investment of Rs. 1.84 lakh crore in just six months is a big achievement. The arrival of new industries will undoubtedly change the scenario of Gwalior-Chambal region. He also highlighted the potential for industrial development in different sectors.

Stae Assembly Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's stature has increased over the past decade. A holistic approach to development has been adopted. India is currently the fifth-largest economy in the world, and efforts are underway to become the third-largest. Speaker Tomar emphasized that organizing this conclave on the sacred soil of Gwalior is significant.

Chief Minister Yadav is dedicated to balanced and comprehensive development. In a democratic system, working for all sectors is a must. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav is concerned about villages, the poor, and women, as well as the development of industries and businesses. The Madhya Pradesh government is actively addressing the challenge of strengthening employment and the economy.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that favorable policies, supportive environment and administrative cooperation have helped industries grow well in Madhya Pradesh. Industrial units are being established with a positive mindset.

Yadav inaugurated and laid the foundation for 47 new industrial units in the state involving a cost of Rs. 1586 crore at Regional Industry Conclave at Gwalior today. T his conclave is focused on the theme of heritage, history, and industry. Land allocation letters were handed over to 5 industrial units.

It was announced to open 8 district-level industry facilitation centers in the Gwalior-Chambal region. These centers have started functioning from today in Gwalior, Morena, Bhind, Sheopur, Shivpuri, Datia, Guna, and Ashoknagar. Representatives from Mexico and Zambia also attended the conclave.

Yadav said that a huge private hospital will be established in Gwalior. He encouraged industrialists to see for themselves state's unique features and make decisions regarding industrial establishment.

He emphasized that entrepreneurship development is possible in a favourable environment. He said that Gwalior belongs to land of sages and musicians and has been a major industrial center. He said that the state government has ensured the payment of dues to the workers of the Hukamchand Mill in Indore. He highlighted that issues related to sick industrial units saying that they should be resolved, and decisions will be taken for similar cases. The problem of JC Mill in Gwalior will also be addressed in a manner similar to that of Hukamchand Mill.

Yadav further said that the lives of Lord Rama and Lord Krishna inspire us to work towards good governance, duty, and righteousness. He announced establishment of a private sector hospital in Gwalior. A police station will be set up in Sitapur and a fire station in the industrial area will also be initiated.

Stae Assembly Speaker. Narendra Singh Tomar said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's stature has increased over the past decade. A holistic approach to development has been adopted. India is currently the fifth-largest economy in the world, and efforts are underway to become the third-largest. Speaker Tomar emphasized that organizing this conclave on the sacred soil of Gwalior is significant. Chief Minister Yadav is dedicated to balanced and comprehensive development. In a democratic system, working for all sectors is a must. Chief Minister Yadav is concerned about villages, the poor, and women, as well as the development of industries and businesses. The Madhya Pradesh government is actively addressing the challenge of strengthening employment and the economy.

Minister for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, Chaitanya Kashyap, observed that the conclave would help achieve the goal of industrialization. The youth are being made entrepreneurs in every district. Madhya Pradesh is the state that provides the highest grants to industries.

Karan Adani of the Adani Group said that the conclave in Gwalior will boost economic progress. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, new industries are emerging in various sectors. The Adani Group will start two new industrial units: one in Shivpuri, costing Rs. 2500 crore, focused on the defense sector; and another in Guna, costing Rs. 500 crore, which will be a cement grinding unit. Additionally, a jacket manufacturing unit will be established in Badarwas, which will provide employment opportunities for women. These jackets will be distributed globally.

Vivek Taneja, Vice President of Reliance Group, said that the group is considering investments in the biogas and energy generation sectors. Puneet Dower, MD of Tropo Light, provided details on a proposed investment in the food processing sector. He praised Chief Minister Yadav's initiative in organizing investor summits and industry conclaves from Bengaluru to Gwalior, which have been beneficial for job growth. He also noted the prompt resolution of industrialists' issues and shared insights. Dower announced a planned investment of Rs. 100 crore, which will create around 500 jobs for women.

Principal Secretary for Industrial Policy and Investment Promotion, Raghvendra Kumar Singh informed that Chief Minister Yadav has conducted 121 meetings across the state. Preparations are underway for the Global Investors Summit to be held in Bhopal on February 7-8, 2025. Investments are coming into the state. The Chief Minister has recently launched 51 industrial units virtually, which will create approximately 8300 jobs.

Chief Minister Yadav has also engaged in discussions with industrialists from Jabalpur, Gwalior, and Chambal. Principal Secretary provided detailed information on industry-friendly policies, revised labour policies and the potential for industrial progress in Gwalior and Chambal divisionss.

Principal Secretary for Tourism, Sheoshekhar Shukla informed that the state has 14 UNESCO sites, 3 are in permanent list. Spiritual tourism, water structures like the Narmada River, wildlife sanctuaries, and national parks are major attractions. The state government is committed to developing these sites, with approximately 20 major religious sites also being developed. The tourism sector in Madhya Pradesh saw growth in 2023, positively impacting the economy. Shukla also provided information on concessions and provisions for the tourism industry, including a 30% subsidy for ultra-mega projects over Rs. 100 crore. Key tourism centers such as Kuno, Chanderi, Hanumantiya, Mandu, and Gandhi Sagar are being developed. Tourism facilities in Omkareshwar and Ujjain are being maximised.

Principal Secretary of Mining Sanjay Shukla provided an update on the state of coal, limestone, copper, and other minerals. He noted that annual coal production has increased from 119 million tons to 159 million tons. Madhya Pradesh ranks first in diamond, copper, and manganese production. The Gwalior region also holds potential in the minerals sector. The state produces one-sixth of the total cement production in India and ranks fourth in the country for coal production. Shukla said that policies and resources are industry-friendly.

Principal Secretary of Information Technology, Sanjay Dubey said that progress in the IT sector has been 43%. Out of 15 IT parks in the state, 7 are operated by the government. The IT sector supports the development of other sectors as well. The government provides incentives and other benefits for IT sector investments. Compared to other states, popular TV web series like Panchayat and Stree-2 have been filmed in Madhya Pradesh. Startups are being encouraged, leading to investments coming to Madhya Pradesh.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav inaugurated 47 new industrial units, laid their foundations, and completed their inaugurations. These units will create 4,752 jobs, with a total investment of Rs. 1,586 crore. Dr. Yadav discussed the inauguration of these units with local representatives at six locations in the Gwalior-Chambal region and congratulated them.

Land Allocation for Industrial Units

Letters of intent were issued for 120 industrial units, with 268 acres of land allocated. This will involve an investment of over Rs. 1,680 crore and provide 6,600 jobs. Under the MSME department, the inauguration and foundation laying of 19 units were completed, involving an investment of over ?265 crore and creating approximately 1,000 jobs. Dr. Yadav symbolically provided land allocation intent letters to 5 units and also inaugurated the Jai Vilas entrance gate. He also paid tribute to Bharat Ratna former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The inauguration session was attended by Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Shri Prahlad Patel, Micro and Energy Minister Shri Pradyumna Singh Tomar, Social Justice and Disabled Welfare, and Horticulture Minister Shri Narayan Singh Kushwaha, Culture Minister of State Shri Dharmendra Lodhi, MPs Sushri Sandhya Rai, Shri Bharat Singh Kushwaha, and Shri Shivmangal Singh Tomar, State Minister for Village Industries Shri Dilip Jayaswal, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Adal Singh Kanshana, Water Resources Minister Shri Tulsi Ram Silawat, and Public Works Minister Shri Rakesh Shukla.
At least 40 people were injured after the wall of a house collapsed on them in Bihar's Patna district on Wednesday, police said.

The incident occurred at 2 pm in Shripalpur area on the outskirts of Patna when a religious function was going on there, a senior officer said.

The majority of the injured are women.

"At least 40 people were injured when the wall of a house collapsed on them in Shripalpur under the Punpun Police Station limits. The house belongs to Neeraj Kumar of Shripalpur area. When the incident took place, a religious function was going on in Kumar's residence," Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Rajeev Mishra told PTI.

Around 100 people, mostly women, had gathered there to attend the religious function, he said.

Senior police officials immediately reached the spot and took all the injured people to a local medical facility, the SSP said.

Some of the injured were admitted to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) as their condition was serious, the officer said.

"The wall collapse incident is being examined. Senior officials of the district administration also reached the spot," he said.

Local police officials said villagers informed them that Kumar's family organises the religious function every Wednesday.
Demanding enactment of stricter anti-rape laws by the Centre, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said he will move a private member's bill in the Lok Sabha.

The TMC national general secretary said that if the Centre "fails" to enact a stricter law that would ensure quick trial and sentencing of those found guilty, he will lead protests in Delhi.

"Our only demand is stricter anti-rape legislation," the TMC MP said, addressing a Trinamool Congress students' wing rally on its foundation day, here.

He said that the TMC will take to the streets if the Centre does not enact a new law to ensure a time-bound trial and sentencing of the accused found guilty of rape charges.

"If the central government does not enact this law, I will move a private member's bill for the new law," he said.

Banerjee said that the TMC was demanding justice and quick trial and sentencing in the rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor in R G Kar Medical College and Hospital.

He said that if this government could impose lockdown or notebandi in a day, why cannot they introduce stricter anti-rape laws.

The TMC leader said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had herself said that the probe into the rape-murder of the postgraduate trainee doctor would be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation if the Kolkata Police could not deliver within a specified period, but the agency has not been able to deliver so far despite being handed over the case by the Calcutta High Court on August 13.

Abhishek Banerjee claimed that the CBI has "failed" to bring to book the criminals in the probes it was already holding in the state, starting from the theft of the Nobel medal of Rabindranath Tagore in 2004.

He asked why the CBI has not been able to arrest Sandip Ghosh, who was the principal of R G Kar Medical College when the rape-murder took place on August 9.

Ghosh has been called to the CBI office for questioning for 11 consecutive days till Tuesday.

Banerjee claimed that the BJP workers had indulged in violence in the name of protests on Tuesday.

He claimed that the people of Bengal rejected the BJP's bandh call, maintaining that the TMCP rally had a record turnout on Wednesday.

"Do we have to learn about women's security from BJP?" he asked, stating that the Chief Minister of Manipur, in whose state several incidents of atrocities on women took place, should resign.

He also pointed to alleged incidents of atrocities on women at Unnao and Hathras in Uttar Pradesh, stating, "Those who are seeking the resignation of Mamata Banerjee, should ask for Yogi Adityanath's resignation.

Banerjee urged the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad leadership to ensure that in the next student body elections in the colleges in the state, 55 per cent seats be reserved for women candidates.
Former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren on Wednesday asserted that his decision to join the Bharatiya Janata Party was taken in the interest of Jharkhand and he will resign from the JMM and as minister.

The senior tribal leader made it clear that he is not afraid of any situation.

Soren who met Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi earlier this week and announced joining the saffron party reached Ranchi on Wednesday along with his son and was greeted by a large number of his supporters.

"My decision (to join BJP) is in the interest of Jharkhand... I am used to struggles," Soren said.

Asked about the allegation that he is under "surveillance", the former CM said he is not afraid of any situation and indicated that he will resign from JMM and as minister later on Wednesday.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma earlier in the day alleged that Champai Soren had been under surveillance of his own government's police for the last five months.

Two sub-inspectors (SIs) of Special Branch of Jharkhand Police were caught by Soren's people in a Delhi hotel while they were keeping watch on the ex-chief minister, Sarma claimed.

Champai Soren had assumed office as the 12th chief minister of Jharkhand on February 2, shortly after his predecessor Hemant Soren resigned just before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.

On Tuesday Champai Soren had asserted that he is joining the BJP to save tribal identity and existence, which is at stake in the state's Santhal Pargana region due to rampant infiltration from Bangladesh.

The senior JMM leader, who briefly held the chief minister's post after Hemant Soren's resignation, said only the saffron party seems serious over the issue of tribals, while others are indulging in vote bank politics.

"Today, Bangladeshi infiltration has become a big problem in Santhal Pargana, the holy land of (freedom fighters) Baba Tilka Manjhi and Sido-Kanhu. What can be more unfortunate than the fact that these infiltrators are occupying the land of the descendants of those heroes who never accepted slavery from the British... The dignity of our mothers, sisters and daughters is in danger," Champai Soren said in a post on X.

These intruders are causing economic and social harm to the local people, and if they are not stopped, the existence of "our society in Santhal Pargana will be in danger", he said.

In many areas including Pakur and Rajmahal, the number of infiltrators has become more than that of tribals, Soren claimed.

Only BJP seems serious on this issue and other parties are ignoring it for the sake of vote bank politics, he said, explaining why he decided to join the saffron party.

The veteran politician had earlier said he experienced "bitter humiliation" as chief minister, which compelled him to seek an alternative path. He alleged that all his government programmes in the first week of July were abruptly cancelled by the party leadership without his knowledge.

The JMM leader had said he was left with three options  quit politics, float a party or join hands with a like-minded outfit.

"The people of Kolhan region stood by me at every step, and they rejected the option of taking sanyas'. 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 said on Tuesday, apparently referring to JMM supremo Shibu Soren under whose leadership he participated in the movement for a separate Jharkhand.

"Your cooperation is expected in this new chapter of struggle for the issues and rights of the tribals, natives, Dalits, backward classes, poor, labourers, farmers, women, youth and common people of Jharkhand," the former CM said.
The opposition on Tuesday stepped up its attack on BJP MP Kangana Ranaut over her remarks on farmers' protests with the Himachal Pradesh Assembly adopting a Congress-backed resolution to condemn her comments and AAP holding protests at several places in Haryana.

The MP from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh had posted a clip of her interview with Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar 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 as the House adopted 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.

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi too hit out at Kangana expecting her to apologise for the remarks and the BJP to express regrets over it.

"Kangana Ranaut has not apologised for her statement against farmers. BJP's statement expresses no regret about the charges made by her against farmers. She is a BJP member & MP, if no action taken against her it's fair to say that BJP is only paying lip service to the farmers," she said in a post on X.

In the Himachal Assembly, as soon as the opposition BJP staged a walkout over the rejection of its adjournment motion on the law and order situation, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said the remarks of Kangana are insulting to 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 were personal and it is not the view of the party.

The BJP had on Monday denounced the film actor for her disparaging remarks on the farmers' agitation, as it expressed disagreement with her views and made it clear that she is neither permitted nor authorised to comment on the party's policy matters.

Thakur said the BJP is with the party's high command and said according to the convention, discussions cannot be held on a person who is not present in the House.

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.

Kuldeep Singh Rathore of the Congress said Kangana is habitual of making ridiculous remarks.

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.

Kangana had defeated Vikramaditya in the Lok Sabha election from Mandi.

Vikramaditya, in a statement, said, "Her baseless allegations questioning the role of USA and China in the farmer unrest are ludicrous, not grounded in reality, and showcase her intellectual bankruptcy... As a member of the treasury benches and an elected representative of the Mandi parliamentary segment, Kangana Ranaut should be restrained while speaking on such sensitive issues.

"It is noteworthy that the Union Government, particularly the Ministry of External Affairs, should respond to her claims, which undermine the nation's foreign policy," he said.

The minister said such statements against a particular segment of society, namely farmers, are an insult to their struggles and sacrifices and added that the statement is especially unacceptable given that the "black laws" have been rolled back by the prime minister.

"We demand an apology from her for her insensitive and divisive remarks," he said.

Himachal Pradesh Congress president and former MP Pratibha Singh said even though the BJP has expressed disagreement with Kangana's remarks in one of its statements, the party's refusal to apologise to the farmers of the country for the "insulting statement exposes its double standards".

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.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said Ranaut's comments were "deliberate" and would be used as a "shield" so that the top leadership of the BJP is not blamed for its imminent defeat in the Haryana Assembly polls.

"This is the BJP's script, which is being read out by an actress as dialogue on the instructions of a top director. When an ordinary politician understands that using abusive language about the farmers' movement in a farmers' state will harm their prospects, the BJP's Chanakya does not understand this?" Yadav, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister, said in a post in Hindi on X.

"The real truth of this episode is that such a thing must have been said deliberately so that the statement of the actress can be cited as the reason for the defeat that has already been decided in Haryana and the top leadership is not blamed for it. This is not a statement but a 'word shield' to protect someone," he added.

Thousands of farmers from Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and other places had held an agitation at Delhi's borders for several months over the now-repealed farm laws.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said nearly 1.2 lakh people in the state have been identified as 'D' (Dubious or Doubtful) voters and of which 41,583 have been declared as foreigners.

In a written reply to a query by Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia, Sarma said a total of 1,19,570 people were marked as D-voters till date.

"Out of the disposed cases, 76,233 have been declared as Indians and 41,583 have been identified as foreigners," he added.

Sarma, who holds the Home portfolio, said 522 people who have been in detention camps for two years and 273 people who have been there for three years have been released on bail, following Supreme Court directions.

"The country concerned is carrying out nationality verification of those declared foreigners. After issuance of travel permits by their country, they will be sent back," he added.

The process of deleting or regularising a D-voter's status is carried out based on orders of the Foreigners Tribunals and subsequent judgments by higher courts.

"From 2001 to August 1 this year, a total of 1,00,076 cases were registered at the FTs," Sarma said.

The concept of 'D' voters was introduced in Assam in 1997 by the Election Commission which prepared a list by including those who allegedly could not provide evidence in favour of their Indian nationality. It does not exist anywhere in India.

The issue of D-voters is a highly contentious topic in Assams political and social discourse. Several elections have been influenced by the debate over illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, who are initially marked as D-voters if their names appear on the electoral rolls. If the legal system determines an individual to be a foreigner, their name is removed from the electoral rolls. Conversely, if a D-voter is confirmed as an Indian citizen by the judiciary, the 'D' prefix is removed from their name.
Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das on Wednesday said efforts are on to make UPI and RuPay "truly global", as he outlined focus areas of the central bank going forward.

Speaking at the Global Fintech Fest 2024, the governor said the Reserve Bank's focus is on financial inclusion, deepening digital public infrastructure (DPI), consumer protection and cyber security, sustainable finance and global integration of financial services.

India is engaged actively in international fora and bilateral agreements to foster economic cooperation with many countries going forward, and strengthening financial infrastructure, including cross-border payment systems, will be the RBI's key focus areas, he added.

Das said India, with its tech talent and evolved financial fintech ecosystem, holds the potential to serve as a global hub for digital innovation and fintech startups, building and strengthening strategic partnerships, reinforcing commitment to international cooperation, and developing institutions of excellence.

"We are now focusing on making the UPI and the RuPay truly global," Governor Das said.

He further said that notable progress in this direction has already been made with countries like Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, the UAE, Mauritius, Namibia, Peru, France and a few others for acceptance of RuPay cards and payments through the UPI network.

These endeavours, he said, underscore collaborative efforts for the adoption of India's initiatives across the globe.

Referring to the fintech sector, he said the segment attracted about USD 6 billion in investments in the last two years.

Addressing the gathering, Das said India is now a fast-growing economic powerhouse and stressed that financial institutions and fintech must swiftly adopt a robust framework to capitalise on new opportunities and mitigate risks.

The governor further said digital financial inclusion has unique advantages of scalability and cost-effectiveness.

New trinity of JAM-UPI-ULI will be a revolutionary step forward in India's digital infrastructure journey, he added.

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is an instant real-time payment system to facilitate inter-bank transactions through mobile phones, while RuPay is domestically designed global card payment network.
AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN  Get Free Report) major shareholder Edward S. Lampert sold 500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $182.06, for a total value of $91,030.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 3,825,338 shares in the company, valued at approximately $696,441,036.28. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Large shareholders that own more than 10% of a companys shares are required to disclose their transactions with the SEC.

AutoNation Price Performance

Shares of AN stock traded down $3.02 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $179.34. The companys stock had a trading volume of 161,883 shares, compared to its average volume of 420,769. The company has a quick ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 0.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.65. AutoNation, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $123.81 and a fifty-two week high of $197.18. The company has a market capitalization of $7.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.50, a PEG ratio of 3.48 and a beta of 1.21. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $169.66 and its 200-day simple moving average is $162.81.

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AutoNation (NYSE:AN  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 31st. The company reported $3.99 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $4.31 by ($0.32). AutoNation had a net margin of 2.93% and a return on equity of 36.50%. The firm had revenue of $6.48 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.72 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $6.29 EPS. The companys revenue was down 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts forecast that AutoNation, Inc. will post 17.67 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On AutoNation

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of AN. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in AutoNation by 1.2% during the 2nd quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,436 shares of the companys stock worth $866,000 after buying an additional 65 shares during the period. Sei Investments Co. lifted its holdings in AutoNation by 0.5% during the 2nd quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 15,130 shares of the companys stock worth $2,413,000 after buying an additional 72 shares during the period. Fifth Third Bancorp lifted its holdings in AutoNation by 45.1% during the 1st quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 238 shares of the companys stock worth $39,000 after buying an additional 74 shares during the period. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in AutoNation by 1.9% during the 4th quarter. SummerHaven Investment Management LLC now owns 4,061 shares of the companys stock worth $610,000 after buying an additional 74 shares during the period. Finally, Retirement Systems of Alabama lifted its holdings in AutoNation by 0.3% during the 1st quarter. Retirement Systems of Alabama now owns 32,570 shares of the companys stock worth $5,393,000 after buying an additional 84 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.62% of the companys stock.

AN has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Guggenheim increased their target price on AutoNation from $169.00 to $187.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, May 17th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on AutoNation from $164.00 to $187.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Thursday, August 1st. Bank of America increased their target price on AutoNation from $210.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, July 22nd. Evercore ISI raised their price objective on AutoNation from $200.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, June 10th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on AutoNation from $155.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 6th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $187.71.

View Our Latest Analysis on AN

About AutoNation

(Get Free Report)

AutoNation, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates as an automotive retailer in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Domestic, Import, and Premium Luxury. It offers a range of automotive products and services, including new and used vehicles; and parts and services, such as automotive repair and maintenance, and wholesale parts and collision services.

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Flughafen Wien Aktiengesellschaft (OTCMKTS:VIAAY  Get Free Report)s stock price hit a new 52-week low during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $11.92 and last traded at $11.92, with a volume of 0 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $11.92.

Flughafen Wien Aktiengesellschaft Stock Performance

The companys fifty day simple moving average is $11.86 and its 200 day simple moving average is $12.52. The stock has a market capitalization of $4.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.07 and a beta of -0.50.

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Flughafen Wien Aktiengesellschaft (OTCMKTS:VIAAY  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 20th. The transportation company reported $0.20 EPS for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $299.34 million during the quarter.

Flughafen Wien Aktiengesellschaft Increases Dividend

About Flughafen Wien Aktiengesellschaft

The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 24th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, June 11th were issued a dividend of $0.2292 per share. This is an increase from Flughafen Wien Aktiengesellschafts previous dividend of $0.13. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, June 11th.

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Flughafen Wien Aktiengesellschaft, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the construction and operation of civil airports and related facilities in Austria. The company operates through five segments: Airport, Handling & Security Services, Retail & Properties, Malta, and Other. It manages the Vienna airport.

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Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals (NYSE:VGM  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest during the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 16,200 shares, a decline of 61.5% from the July 31st total of 42,100 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 136,300 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.1 days.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. CENTRAL TRUST Co purchased a new position in Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals during the first quarter worth about $29,000. Comerica Bank boosted its position in shares of Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals by 661.9% in the first quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 4,000 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 3,475 shares during the last quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. purchased a new stake in Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals in the first quarter valued at approximately $56,000. SageView Advisory Group LLC acquired a new position in Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals during the first quarter worth approximately $92,000. Finally, Kingswood Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals during the second quarter worth approximately $107,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 38.13% of the companys stock.

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Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals Stock Performance

Shares of VGM traded up $0.01 on Tuesday, hitting $10.39. 122,473 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 148,878. Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals has a 1 year low of $8.15 and a 1 year high of $10.52. The stocks 50 day moving average is $10.32 and its two-hundred day moving average is $10.00.

Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals Announces Dividend

Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals Company Profile

The firm also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 16th will be paid a dividend of $0.0646 per share. This represents a $0.78 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.46%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 16th.

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Invesco Trust for Investment Grade Municipals is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Invesco Ltd. The fund is co-managed by Invesco Advisers, Inc, INVESCO Asset Management (Japan) Limited, INVESCO Asset Management Deutschland GmbH, INVESCO Asset Management Limited, Invesco Canada Ltd., Invesco Hong Kong Limited, and INVESCO Senior Secured Management, Inc It invests in the fixed income markets of the United States.

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Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:IJR  Free Report) by 4.5% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 67,650 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after acquiring an additional 2,901 shares during the quarter. iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF comprises approximately 1.1% of Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLCs holdings, making the stock its 15th biggest holding. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLCs holdings in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF were worth $7,216,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Wells Fargo & Company MN lifted its position in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 16,552,313 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,791,788,000 after acquiring an additional 88,472 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 12.3% during the 4th quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 10,427,455 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,128,772,000 after buying an additional 1,141,026 shares during the period. UBS Group AG lifted its holdings in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 3.6% in the 4th quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 10,130,084 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,096,582,000 after buying an additional 352,841 shares in the last quarter. Raymond James & Associates grew its stake in shares of iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 2.3% during the second quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 9,771,036 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $1,042,179,000 after acquiring an additional 222,707 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First Command Advisory Services Inc. grew its stake in shares of iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 1.0% during the second quarter. First Command Advisory Services Inc. now owns 8,681,654 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $926,212,000 after acquiring an additional 84,327 shares in the last quarter.

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iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF Stock Performance

Shares of NYSEARCA:IJR traded down $0.72 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $115.69. The companys stock had a trading volume of 2,554,107 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,873,423. iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF has a fifty-two week low of $87.32 and a fifty-two week high of $120.74. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $110.81 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $108.50. The company has a market capitalization of $83.93 billion, a PE ratio of 12.95 and a beta of 1.16.

iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF Profile

iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF, formerly iShares S&P SmallCap 600 Index Fund, seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Standard & Poors SmallCap 600 Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of publicly traded securities in the small-capitalization sector of the United States equity market.

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Mn Services Vermogensbeheer B.V. trimmed its position in shares of Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR  Free Report) by 2.2% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 277,500 shares of the conglomerates stock after selling 6,300 shares during the period. Mn Services Vermogensbeheer B.V.s holdings in Danaher were worth $69,333,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Cape Investment Advisory Inc. acquired a new stake in Danaher in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Tsfg LLC lifted its stake in Danaher by 733.3% in the 1st quarter. Tsfg LLC now owns 100 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 88 shares in the last quarter. CarsonAllaria Wealth Management Ltd. acquired a new stake in Danaher in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Danaher in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, Richardson Financial Services Inc. acquired a new stake in Danaher in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $42,000. 79.05% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their target price on shares of Danaher from $297.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. SVB Leerink boosted their price target on shares of Danaher from $275.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. TD Cowen upped their target price on shares of Danaher from $290.00 to $310.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on shares of Danaher from $225.00 to $250.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. Finally, Robert W. Baird upped their price objective on shares of Danaher from $271.00 to $278.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Danaher currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $276.88.

Danaher Stock Up 0.6 %

DHR traded up $1.65 during trading on Friday, reaching $269.48. 1,464,013 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,820,898. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a current ratio of 1.43. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $258.72 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $254.38. Danaher Co. has a twelve month low of $182.09 and a twelve month high of $281.70. The stock has a market cap of $199.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 45.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.62 and a beta of 0.83.

Danaher (NYSE:DHR  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The conglomerate reported $1.72 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.57 by $0.15. Danaher had a return on equity of 11.06% and a net margin of 16.94%. The business had revenue of $5.74 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.59 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.05 earnings per share. Danahers revenue for the quarter was down 2.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that Danaher Co. will post 7.59 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, SVP Brian W. Ellis sold 9,600 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $275.16, for a total transaction of $2,641,536.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 20,230 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,566,486.80. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other news, SVP Brian W. Ellis sold 9,600 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $275.16, for a total transaction of $2,641,536.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 20,230 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,566,486.80. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Rainer Blair sold 9,007 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $280.00, for a total value of $2,521,960.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 97,983 shares in the company, valued at $27,435,240. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 38,707 shares of company stock worth $10,786,944 in the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 11.10% of the companys stock.

Danaher Company Profile

(Free Report)

Danaher Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets professional, medical, industrial, and commercial products and services worldwide. The Biotechnology segments offers bioprocess technologies, consumables, and services that advance, accelerate, and integrate the development and manufacture of therapeutics; cell line and cell culture media development services; cell culture media, process liquids and buffers for manufacturing, chromatography resins, filtration technologies, aseptic fill finish; single-use hardware and consumables and services, such as the design and installation of full manufacturing suites; lab filtration, separation, and purification; lab-scale protein purification and analytical tools; reagents, membranes, and services; and healthcare filtration solutions.

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National Bank of Canada (OTCMKTS:NTIOF  Get Free Report)s share price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $89.55 and last traded at $89.19, with a volume of 71274 shares. The stock had previously closed at $89.31.

National Bank of Canada Price Performance

The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $82.42 and a 200 day simple moving average of $81.98. The stock has a market capitalization of $30.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.49 and a beta of 1.08.

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National Bank of Canada (OTCMKTS:NTIOF  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 29th. The financial services provider reported $1.87 EPS for the quarter. The business had revenue of $2.09 billion during the quarter. National Bank of Canada had a net margin of 15.65% and a return on equity of 16.91%.

National Bank of Canada Increases Dividend

About National Bank of Canada

The company also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 31st. Investors of record on Tuesday, June 25th were given a dividend of $0.8067 per share. This is a boost from National Bank of Canadas previous dividend of $0.78. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 24th. This represents a yield of 4.17%. National Bank of Canadas dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 45.10%.

(Get Free Report)

National Bank of Canada provides financial services to individuals, businesses, institutional clients, and governments in Canada and internationally. It operates through four segments: Personal and Commercial, Wealth Management, Financial Markets, and U.S. Specialty Finance and International. The Personal and Commercial segment offers personal banking services, including transaction solutions, mortgage loans and home equity lines of credit, consumer loans, payment solutions, and savings and investment solutions; various insurance products; and commercial banking services, such as credit, and deposit, investment solutions, international trade, foreign exchange transactions, payroll, cash management, insurance, electronic transactions, and complimentary services.

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Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC raised its position in iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF (NYSEARCA:IJJ  Free Report) by 4.2% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 41,373 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 1,666 shares during the quarter. iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF comprises about 0.7% of Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 25th largest position. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC owned about 0.06% of iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF worth $4,694,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Evensky & Katz LLC boosted its stake in shares of iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF by 3.0% in the 2nd quarter. Evensky & Katz LLC now owns 624,072 shares of the companys stock valued at $70,807,000 after purchasing an additional 18,069 shares in the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC lifted its stake in shares of iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF by 36.1% in the 2nd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 547 shares of the companys stock valued at $62,000 after acquiring an additional 145 shares during the last quarter. AMG National Trust Bank boosted its holdings in shares of iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF by 3.8% during the 2nd quarter. AMG National Trust Bank now owns 11,905 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,351,000 after acquiring an additional 434 shares in the last quarter. Heritage Wealth Management Inc. CA grew its position in iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF by 2.9% during the 2nd quarter. Heritage Wealth Management Inc. CA now owns 12,857 shares of the companys stock worth $1,459,000 after acquiring an additional 363 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Oldfather Financial Services LLC increased its holdings in iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF by 2.6% in the 2nd quarter. Oldfather Financial Services LLC now owns 52,984 shares of the companys stock worth $6,012,000 after purchasing an additional 1,358 shares in the last quarter.

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iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF Stock Down 0.3 %

Shares of IJJ stock traded down $0.42 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $121.85. 62,603 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 165,253. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $116.59 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $114.92. iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF has a 1-year low of $92.79 and a 1-year high of $124.03. The company has a market cap of $7.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.35 and a beta of 1.08.

About iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF

iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF, formerly iShares S&P MidCap 400 Value 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 Value Index (the Index). The Value Index measures the performance of the mid-capitalization value sector of the United States equity market and consists of those stocks in the S&P MidCap 400 Index exhibiting the strongest value characteristics.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IJJ? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF (NYSEARCA:IJJ  Free Report).

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Bank of Ireland Group plc (OTCMKTS:BKRIY  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decrease in short interest in the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 2,800 shares, a decrease of 86.7% from the July 31st total of 21,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 70,500 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.0 days.

Bank of Ireland Group Stock Performance

Shares of OTCMKTS:BKRIY traded down $0.11 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $11.54. 20,352 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 38,075. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $10.88 and its 200 day simple moving average is $10.54. Bank of Ireland Group has a 52-week low of $8.38 and a 52-week high of $11.73.

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Bank of Ireland Group Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

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Bank of Ireland Group plc provides various banking and financial products and services. It provides current and savings accounts, and business deposits and accounts; personal, car, home improvement, graduate, motor finance, and student loans, as well as overdrafts; and business and farming loans, green business, insurance premium finance, invoice finance, hire purchase, and leasing services.

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AustralianSuper Pty Ltd lowered its position in shares of Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST  Free Report) by 61.8% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 87,443 shares of the companys stock after selling 141,224 shares during the quarter. AustralianSuper Pty Ltds holdings in Vistra were worth $7,518,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Mather Group LLC. acquired a new position in Vistra during the first quarter worth $26,000. Lindbrook Capital LLC boosted its stake in shares of Vistra by 64.4% during the 4th quarter. Lindbrook Capital LLC now owns 840 shares of the companys stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 329 shares in the last quarter. New Covenant Trust Company N.A. purchased a new position in Vistra in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $32,000. EdgeRock Capital LLC acquired a new position in Vistra during the second quarter worth $34,000. Finally, Riverview Trust Co purchased a new stake in Vistra during the first quarter worth $39,000. 90.88% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Vistra Trading Down 0.3 %

Shares of VST stock traded down $0.29 on Tuesday, reaching $84.59. 2,948,244 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 6,659,247. Vistra Corp. has a 1-year low of $29.84 and a 1-year high of $107.24. The stock has a market cap of $29.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.07 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.89. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $82.16 and a two-hundred day moving average of $76.23.

Vistra Increases Dividend

Vistra ( NYSE:VST Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 8th. The company reported $0.90 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.59 by ($0.69). Vistra had a return on equity of 21.05% and a net margin of 4.61%. The firm had revenue of $3.85 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.04 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.03 earnings per share. On average, research analysts anticipate that Vistra Corp. will post 4.86 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, September 20th will be given a dividend of $0.2195 per share. This represents a $0.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.04%. This is a boost from Vistras previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 20th. Vistras dividend payout ratio is 53.37%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have issued reports on the stock. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on shares of Vistra from $79.00 to $109.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, May 10th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Vistra from $109.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday. Guggenheim upgraded Vistra to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 7th. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Vistra from $85.00 to $110.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, May 9th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $87.83.

Read Our Latest Report on VST

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Lisa Crutchfield purchased 335 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, June 10th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $89.46 per share, for a total transaction of $29,969.10. Following the acquisition, the director now directly owns 32,186 shares in the company, valued at $2,879,359.56. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 1.42% of the companys stock.

Vistra Company Profile

(Free Report)

Vistra Corp., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated retail electricity and power generation company. The company operates through six segments: Retail, Texas, East, West, Sunset, and Asset Closure. It retails electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, and industrial customers across states in the United States and the District of Columbia.

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Westhaven Gold Corp. (OTCMKTS:WTHVF  Get Free Report) saw a large increase in short interest during the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 94,600 shares, an increase of 622.1% from the July 31st total of 13,100 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 256,900 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.4 days.

Westhaven Gold Price Performance

Westhaven Gold stock traded up $0.01 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $0.15. The stock had a trading volume of 8,367 shares, compared to its average volume of 62,650. Westhaven Gold has a twelve month low of $0.09 and a twelve month high of $0.23. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $0.12 and its 200 day simple moving average is $0.15.

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About Westhaven Gold

(Get Free Report)

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Westhaven Gold Corp., a junior exploration company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of resource properties in Canada. The company primarily explores for gold and silver deposits. Its flagship project is the Shovelnose project, which consists of 32 contiguous mineral claims covering approximately 17,625 ha located in the Spences Bridge Gold Belt in British Columbia, Canada.

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Callan Family Office LLC acquired a new stake in FedEx Co. (NYSE:FDX  Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund acquired 2,528 shares of the shipping service providers stock, valued at approximately $758,000.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of FDX. Catalyst Financial Partners LLC increased its position in shares of FedEx by 10.2% in the second quarter. Catalyst Financial Partners LLC now owns 851 shares of the shipping service providers stock worth $255,000 after purchasing an additional 79 shares during the period. IMA Advisory Services Inc. grew its stake in FedEx by 156.1% during the second quarter. IMA Advisory Services Inc. now owns 1,775 shares of the shipping service providers stock worth $532,000 after buying an additional 1,082 shares in the last quarter. Wedgewood Investors Inc. PA bought a new position in FedEx in the second quarter valued at approximately $346,000. Highland Capital Management LLC raised its position in FedEx by 1.5% during the second quarter. Highland Capital Management LLC now owns 51,504 shares of the shipping service providers stock valued at $15,443,000 after purchasing an additional 754 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Independence Bank of Kentucky lifted its stake in FedEx by 282.9% during the second quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky now owns 670 shares of the shipping service providers stock worth $201,000 after purchasing an additional 495 shares during the last quarter. 84.47% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Robert B. Carter sold 16,010 shares of FedEx stock in a transaction on Friday, June 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $294.48, for a total transaction of $4,714,624.80. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 59,884 shares in the company, valued at approximately $17,634,640.32. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, EVP Robert B. Carter sold 16,010 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $294.48, for a total transaction of $4,714,624.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 59,884 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $17,634,640.32. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CAO Guy M. Erwin II sold 116 shares of FedEx stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $299.24, for a total transaction of $34,711.84. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 930 shares in the company, valued at approximately $278,293.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 32,944 shares of company stock valued at $9,882,355. Insiders own 8.73% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on FDX. UBS Group decreased their price target on FedEx from $340.00 to $333.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, May 21st. Stephens reissued an overweight rating and set a $325.00 target price on shares of FedEx in a research note on Wednesday, June 26th. TD Cowen initiated coverage on shares of FedEx in a research note on Thursday. They issued a buy rating and a $334.00 price target on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on shares of FedEx from $275.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 26th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of FedEx from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and raised their target price for the company from $296.00 to $359.00 in a research report on Wednesday, June 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and nineteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $313.96.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on FedEx

FedEx Stock Up 0.1 %

NYSE:FDX traded up $0.22 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $297.40. 771,586 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,828,435. FedEx Co. has a one year low of $224.69 and a one year high of $313.84. The company has a quick ratio of 1.32, a current ratio of 1.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73. The company has a market cap of $73.18 billion, a PE ratio of 17.26, a PEG ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 1.18. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $289.60 and its 200-day simple moving average is $268.88.

FedEx (NYSE:FDX  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, June 25th. The shipping service provider reported $5.41 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $5.34 by $0.07. FedEx had a net margin of 4.94% and a return on equity of 16.70%. The company had revenue of $22.11 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $22.04 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $4.94 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up .8% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts predict that FedEx Co. will post 20.94 earnings per share for the current year.

FedEx Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 1st. Investors of record on Monday, September 9th will be issued a dividend of $1.38 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 9th. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.86%. FedExs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 32.04%.

FedEx Profile

(Free Report)

FedEx Corporation provides transportation, e-commerce, and business services in the United States and internationally. It operates through FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, and FedEx Services segments. The FedEx Express segment offers express transportation, small-package ground delivery, and freight transportation services; and time-critical transportation services.

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Smallwood Wealth Investment Management LLC reduced its position in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO  Free Report) by 21.1% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 7,022 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,876 shares during the period. Smallwood Wealth Investment Management LLCs holdings in Altria Group were worth $320,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of MO. Atomi Financial Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 46.4% during the 2nd quarter. Atomi Financial Group Inc. now owns 8,715 shares of the companys stock worth $397,000 after buying an additional 2,762 shares during the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its stake in Altria Group by 4.5% during the second quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 616,899 shares of the companys stock worth $28,100,000 after acquiring an additional 26,795 shares during the last quarter. Summit Securities Group LLC raised its position in Altria Group by 208.6% in the second quarter. Summit Securities Group LLC now owns 82,400 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,753,000 after purchasing an additional 55,700 shares during the period. AlphaStar Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Altria Group by 7.5% in the 2nd quarter. AlphaStar Capital Management LLC now owns 7,869 shares of the companys stock valued at $358,000 after purchasing an additional 546 shares during the last quarter. Finally, First Command Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Altria Group in the 2nd quarter valued at $147,000. 57.41% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Altria Group Stock Up 0.6 %

Altria Group stock traded up $0.30 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $53.01. 4,667,187 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 10,422,079. Altria Group, Inc. has a twelve month low of $39.06 and a twelve month high of $53.08. The company has a market cap of $91.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.09, a P/E/G ratio of 3.07 and a beta of 0.66. The company has a fifty day moving average of $48.70 and a 200-day moving average of $45.20.

Altria Group Increases Dividend

Altria Group ( NYSE:MO Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 31st. The company reported $1.31 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.35 by ($0.04). The company had revenue of $6.21 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.39 billion. Altria Group had a net margin of 42.25% and a negative return on equity of 232.55%. The firms revenue was up 14.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.31 earnings per share. Equities research analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 10th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 16th will be paid a $1.02 dividend. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.70%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 16th. This is a boost from Altria Groups previous quarterly dividend of $0.98. Altria Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 82.01%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts recently issued reports on MO shares. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $50.00 to $54.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Argus raised shares of Altria Group to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, May 31st. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $37.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Wednesday, August 14th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Altria Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, June 28th. Finally, Bank of America upped their price target on Altria Group from $47.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 10th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Altria Group presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $47.08.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Altria Group

About Altria Group

(Free Report)

Altria Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells smokeable and oral tobacco products in the United States. The company offers cigarettes primarily under the Marlboro brand; large cigars and pipe tobacco under the Black & Mild brand; moist smokeless tobacco and snus products under the Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal, and Husky brands; oral nicotine pouches under the on! brand; and e-vapor products under the NJOY ACE brand.

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Shares of Amcor plc (NYSE:AMCR  Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $11.30 and last traded at $11.26, with a volume of 315843 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $11.16.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have weighed in on AMCR. Stifel Nicolaus started coverage on Amcor in a research report on Tuesday, July 9th. They issued a hold rating and a $10.80 target price for the company. Robert W. Baird raised their price target on shares of Amcor from $10.00 to $11.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Friday, August 16th. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of Amcor from $10.00 to $11.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 20th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Amcor from $9.80 to $10.50 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, August 16th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Amcor from $10.00 to $11.10 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 13th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Amcor currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $10.73.

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Amcor Price Performance

The company has a current ratio of 1.29, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. The firm has a market cap of $16.30 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.80, a P/E/G ratio of 4.64 and a beta of 0.86. The company has a 50 day moving average of $10.21 and a 200 day moving average of $9.75.

Amcor (NYSE:AMCR  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, August 15th. The company reported $0.21 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.21. Amcor had a net margin of 4.75% and a return on equity of 24.66%. The business had revenue of $3.54 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.30 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.19 earnings per share. The firms revenue was down 3.8% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts predict that Amcor plc will post 0.7 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Amcor Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 26th. Shareholders of record on Friday, September 6th will be given a dividend of $0.125 per share. This represents a $0.50 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.43%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 5th. Amcors payout ratio is 111.11%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Riverview Trust Co bought a new position in Amcor in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Quent Capital LLC grew its holdings in Amcor by 51.8% during the second quarter. Quent Capital LLC now owns 3,638 shares of the companys stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 1,241 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in Amcor by 132.8% in the 1st quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 4,416 shares of the companys stock valued at $39,000 after buying an additional 2,519 shares during the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. boosted its holdings in Amcor by 38.7% during the 2nd quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 4,656 shares of the companys stock worth $46,000 after acquiring an additional 1,299 shares during the last quarter. Finally, ORG Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Amcor in the 2nd quarter worth $47,000. 45.14% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Amcor Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Amcor plc develops, produces, and sells packaging products in Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, and the Asia Pacific regions. The company operates through two segments, Flexibles and Rigid Packaging. The Flexibles segment provides flexible and film packaging products in the food and beverage, medical and pharmaceutical, fresh produce, snack food, personal care, and other industries.

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Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in Capital Group International Focus Equity ETF (NYSEARCA:CGXU  Free Report) by 8.3% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 744,792 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 56,998 shares during the period. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. owned approximately 0.80% of Capital Group International Focus Equity ETF worth $19,156,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Cetera Investment Advisers increased its holdings in shares of Capital Group International Focus Equity ETF by 2,140.2% in the first quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 830,455 shares of the companys stock valued at $21,409,000 after purchasing an additional 793,385 shares during the last quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors increased its stake in shares of Capital Group International Focus Equity ETF by 8.5% in the 1st quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 7,850,958 shares of the companys stock worth $202,398,000 after acquiring an additional 612,632 shares during the last quarter. Simplicity Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Capital Group International Focus Equity ETF during the 1st quarter worth $14,682,000. Koshinski Asset Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Capital Group International Focus Equity ETF by 3,614.0% during the 1st quarter. Koshinski Asset Management Inc. now owns 482,083 shares of the companys stock valued at $12,428,000 after acquiring an additional 469,103 shares during the last quarter. Finally, OLD Mission Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Capital Group International Focus Equity ETF in the first quarter valued at about $9,342,000.

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Capital Group International Focus Equity ETF Price Performance

NYSEARCA:CGXU opened at $26.82 on Wednesday. The companys 50-day moving average is $25.90 and its two-hundred day moving average is $25.67. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.27 and a beta of 1.03. Capital Group International Focus Equity ETF has a 1-year low of $20.80 and a 1-year high of $27.05.

Capital Group International Focus Equity ETF Profile

The Capital Group International Focus Equity ETF (CGXU) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in total market equity. The fund actively invests in stocks of non-US companies that the adviser believes have high growth potential. CGXU was launched on Feb 22, 2022 and is managed by Capital Group.

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Checchi Capital Advisers LLC boosted its position in shares of Nokia Oyj (NYSE:NOK  Free Report) by 39.0% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 13,911 shares of the technology companys stock after purchasing an additional 3,900 shares during the quarter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLCs holdings in Nokia Oyj were worth $53,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of NOK. Cerity Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Nokia Oyj by 104.8% in the 4th quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 37,582 shares of the technology companys stock worth $129,000 after purchasing an additional 19,231 shares in the last quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund acquired a new stake in shares of Nokia Oyj in the 4th quarter worth $121,000. Russell Investments Group Ltd. boosted its position in shares of Nokia Oyj by 89.6% in the 4th quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 882,030 shares of the technology companys stock worth $3,017,000 after purchasing an additional 416,791 shares in the last quarter. Mission Wealth Management LP lifted its position in Nokia Oyj by 15.9% during the 4th quarter. Mission Wealth Management LP now owns 70,714 shares of the technology companys stock worth $242,000 after acquiring an additional 9,711 shares during the period. Finally, First Trust Direct Indexing L.P. lifted its position in Nokia Oyj by 6.2% during the 4th quarter. First Trust Direct Indexing L.P. now owns 81,070 shares of the technology companys stock worth $277,000 after acquiring an additional 4,761 shares during the period. 5.28% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, StockNews.com raised Nokia Oyj from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 21st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating, two have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Nokia Oyj has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $3.89.

Nokia Oyj Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE NOK traded down $0.04 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $4.18. 7,007,206 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 13,916,038. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $3.87 and its 200 day simple moving average is $3.73. The stock has a market cap of $23.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.38, a PEG ratio of 4.79 and a beta of 1.12. Nokia Oyj has a 12-month low of $2.94 and a 12-month high of $4.22. The company has a current ratio of 1.82, a quick ratio of 1.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13.

Nokia Oyj (NYSE:NOK  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 18th. The technology company reported $0.06 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.05 by $0.01. Nokia Oyj had a return on equity of 7.98% and a net margin of 1.95%. The business had revenue of $4.81 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.12 billion. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Nokia Oyj will post 0.37 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Nokia Oyj Company Profile

(Free Report)

Nokia Oyj provides mobile, fixed, and cloud network solutions worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Network Infrastructure, Mobile Networks, Cloud and Network Services, and Nokia Technologies. The company provides fixed networking solutions, such as fiber and copper-based access infrastructure, in-home Wi-Fi solutions, and cloud and virtualization services; IP networking solutions, including IP access, aggregation, and edge and core routing for residential, mobile, enterprise and cloud applications; optical networks solutions that provides optical transport networks for metro, regional, and long-haul applications, and subsea applications; and submarine networks for undersea cable transmission.

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Cohen Investment Advisors LLC decreased its holdings in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS  Free Report) by 5.1% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 7,718 shares of the investment management companys stock after selling 414 shares during the quarter. The Goldman Sachs Group accounts for about 2.4% of Cohen Investment Advisors LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 9th biggest position. Cohen Investment Advisors LLCs holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group were worth $3,491,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. SlateStone Wealth LLC raised its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 5.2% in the 2nd quarter. SlateStone Wealth LLC now owns 7,212 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $3,262,000 after acquiring an additional 357 shares during the last quarter. Rational Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 139.8% during the 2nd quarter. Rational Advisors LLC now owns 434 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $196,000 after acquiring an additional 253 shares during the period. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC lifted its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 1.2% in the 2nd quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 4,445 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $2,010,000 after buying an additional 53 shares in the last quarter. Catalyst Financial Partners LLC lifted its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 13.1% in the 2nd quarter. Catalyst Financial Partners LLC now owns 1,323 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $598,000 after buying an additional 153 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bristlecone Advisors LLC purchased a new position in The Goldman Sachs Group in the 2nd quarter valued at about $201,000. Institutional investors own 71.21% of the companys stock.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Thomas K. Montag sold 10,000 shares of The Goldman Sachs Group stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $505.04, for a total value of $5,050,400.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 12,450 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,287,748. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, insider Brian J. Lee sold 3,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $505.99, for a total value of $1,770,965.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 12,095 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,119,949.05. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Thomas K. Montag sold 10,000 shares of The Goldman Sachs Group stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $505.04, for a total value of $5,050,400.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 12,450 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,287,748. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 4,013,500 shares of company stock valued at $32,181,365 in the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.54% of the companys stock.

The Goldman Sachs Group Trading Down 0.3 %

Shares of GS traded down $1.55 on Monday, hitting $507.87. 1,083,585 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,293,963. The company has a quick ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97. The firm has a market capitalization of $163.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.83, a P/E/G ratio of 0.99 and a beta of 1.37. The stocks 50 day moving average is $481.53 and its two-hundred day moving average is $441.40. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a 1 year low of $289.36 and a 1 year high of $517.26.

The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, July 15th. The investment management company reported $8.62 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $8.52 by $0.10. The Goldman Sachs Group had a net margin of 9.36% and a return on equity of 10.26%. The company had revenue of $12.73 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.60 billion. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 36.74 earnings per share for the current year.

The Goldman Sachs Group Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a dividend of $3.00 per share. This is a positive change from The Goldman Sachs Groups previous quarterly dividend of $2.75. This represents a $12.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.36%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. The Goldman Sachs Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 46.86%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have recently commented on GS shares. Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $460.00 to $485.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 16th. UBS Group boosted their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $490.00 to $535.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 9th. Royal Bank of Canada restated a sector perform rating and issued a $500.00 price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a research note on Tuesday, July 30th. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $513.00 to $561.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 30th. Finally, Barclays boosted their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $493.00 to $565.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 16th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $495.94.

Check Out Our Latest Report on GS

The Goldman Sachs Group Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in financing under securities to resale agreements.

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Roth Capital upgraded shares of EnerSys (NYSE:ENS  Free Report) to a strong-buy rating in a report released on Tuesday morning, Zacks.com reports.

ENS has been the subject of a number of other research reports. BTIG Research lowered shares of EnerSys from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, May 24th. Roth Mkm began coverage on EnerSys in a research note on Tuesday. They set a buy rating and a $120.00 price target for the company. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of EnerSys from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Thursday, August 22nd. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, one has assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, EnerSys has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $118.00.

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Read Our Latest Report on EnerSys

EnerSys Stock Performance

ENS opened at $98.94 on Tuesday. EnerSys has a 1-year low of $83.27 and a 1-year high of $112.53. The company has a market capitalization of $3.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.67 and a beta of 1.28. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $102.04 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $97.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 2.46 and a quick ratio of 1.50.

EnerSys (NYSE:ENS  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 7th. The industrial products company reported $1.98 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.97 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $852.90 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $877.52 million. EnerSys had a return on equity of 20.21% and a net margin of 7.51%. The companys revenue was down 6.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.89 EPS. Research analysts predict that EnerSys will post 8.74 EPS for the current fiscal year.

EnerSys Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 16th will be paid a dividend of $0.24 per share. This is a boost from EnerSyss previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 16th. This represents a $0.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.97%. EnerSyss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 14.77%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On EnerSys

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. bought a new stake in EnerSys in the second quarter valued at $25,000. UMB Bank n.a. grew its holdings in shares of EnerSys by 36.2% in the 2nd quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 354 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 94 shares during the last quarter. Covestor Ltd increased its position in shares of EnerSys by 231.6% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 378 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 264 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its position in EnerSys by 141.8% in the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 382 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $40,000 after buying an additional 224 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board bought a new stake in EnerSys during the second quarter worth about $41,000. 94.93% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

EnerSys Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

EnerSys engages in the provision of stored energy solutions for industrial applications worldwide. It operates in four segments: Energy Systems, Motive Power, Specialty, and New Ventures. The Energy Systems segment offers uninterruptible power systems (UPS) applications for computer and computer-controlled systems, as well as telecommunications systems; switchgear and electrical control systems used in industrial facilities and electric utilities, large-scale energy storage, and energy pipelines; integrated power solutions and services to broadband, telecom, data center, and renewable and industrial customers; and thermally managed cabinets and enclosures for electronic equipment and batteries.

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Salomon & Ludwin LLC cut its holdings in shares of Capital One Financial Co. (NYSE:COF) by 54.0% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,012 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 1,187 shares during the quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLCs holdings in Capital One Financial were worth $140,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. IMA Advisory Services Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Capital One Financial by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. IMA Advisory Services Inc. now owns 13,627 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,887,000 after buying an additional 144 shares during the period. Addison Capital Co raised its position in shares of Capital One Financial by 14.9% during the 2nd quarter. Addison Capital Co now owns 6,323 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $875,000 after buying an additional 821 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Stockton raised its holdings in shares of Capital One Financial by 28.6% in the 2nd quarter. Bank of Stockton now owns 3,238 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $448,000 after purchasing an additional 720 shares in the last quarter. LRI Investments LLC raised its holdings in shares of Capital One Financial by 1,304.8% in the 2nd quarter. LRI Investments LLC now owns 2,360 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $327,000 after purchasing an additional 2,192 shares in the last quarter. Finally, EdgeRock Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Capital One Financial during the second quarter valued at approximately $68,000. 89.84% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages recently commented on COF. Bank of America boosted their price objective on shares of Capital One Financial from $158.00 to $161.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. Royal Bank of Canada reissued a sector perform rating and issued a $150.00 target price on shares of Capital One Financial in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Evercore ISI dropped their target price on Capital One Financial from $155.00 to $154.00 and set an in-line rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, June 25th. BTIG Research started coverage on Capital One Financial in a report on Friday, June 7th. They issued a neutral rating for the company. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised Capital One Financial from a hold rating to a buy rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $145.00 to $165.00 in a research report on Thursday, June 6th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have issued a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $145.89.

Insider Buying and Selling at Capital One Financial

In other news, CEO Kevin S. Borgmann sold 61,532 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $132.86, for a total transaction of $8,175,141.52. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 40,934 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,438,491.24. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, CEO Kevin S. Borgmann sold 61,532 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $132.86, for a total transaction of $8,175,141.52. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 40,934 shares in the company, valued at $5,438,491.24. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Robert M. Alexander sold 30,742 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $150.00, for a total value of $4,611,300.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 73,734 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,060,100. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 1.30% of the companys stock.

Capital One Financial Stock Down 0.5 %

COF stock traded down $0.78 on Monday, reaching $141.76. 653,757 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,493,738. Capital One Financial Co. has a one year low of $88.23 and a one year high of $153.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 1.00 and a quick ratio of 1.00. The company has a market cap of $53.90 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.16, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.45. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $140.14 and a 200-day simple moving average of $139.90.

Capital One Financial (NYSE:COF  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The financial services provider reported $3.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $3.28 by ($0.14). The firm had revenue of $9.51 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.57 billion. Capital One Financial had a return on equity of 9.31% and a net margin of 9.01%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $3.52 earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that Capital One Financial Co. will post 13.17 earnings per share for the current year.

Capital One Financial Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 23rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 12th were given a dividend of $0.60 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 12th. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.69%. Capital One Financials dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 18.79%.

Capital One Financial Profile

(Free Report)

Capital One Financial Corporation operates as the financial services holding company for the Capital One, National Association, which engages in the provision of various financial products and services in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. It operates through three segments: Credit Card, Consumer Banking, and Commercial Banking.

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WPP plc (NYSE:WPP  Get Free Report) saw a large decrease in short interest during the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 256,600 shares, a decrease of 35.7% from the July 31st total of 398,800 shares. Approximately 0.1% of the companys stock are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 174,900 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 1.5 days.

Institutional Trading of WPP

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Mondrian Investment Partners LTD lifted its holdings in shares of WPP by 46.5% during the 1st quarter. Mondrian Investment Partners LTD now owns 3,350,015 shares of the business services providers stock worth $158,791,000 after acquiring an additional 1,062,708 shares during the period. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of WPP by 40.5% during the 4th quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 1,155,648 shares of the business services providers stock worth $54,974,000 after buying an additional 332,914 shares during the period. Brandes Investment Partners LP boosted its stake in WPP by 7.0% in the 2nd quarter. Brandes Investment Partners LP now owns 652,269 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $30,232,000 after buying an additional 42,690 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its position in WPP by 24.5% in the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 321,973 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $14,759,000 after acquiring an additional 63,363 shares during the period. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. grew its position in WPP by 15.9% in the second quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 199,110 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $9,115,000 after acquiring an additional 27,384 shares during the period. 4.34% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently commented on WPP shares. StockNews.com lowered shares of WPP from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday. Citigroup upgraded shares of WPP to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $46.00.

WPP Price Performance

NYSE:WPP opened at $47.91 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09. WPP has a 1 year low of $41.13 and a 1 year high of $54.21. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $46.69 and its 200 day simple moving average is $47.99.

WPP Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a Semi-Annual dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, October 11th will be issued a $0.954 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 11th. This is an increase from WPPs previous Semi-Annual dividend of $0.24. This represents a yield of 5.7%.

WPP Company Profile

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WPP plc, a creative transformation company, provides communications, experience, commerce, and technology services in North America, the United Kingdom, Western Continental Europe, the Asia Pacific, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Central and Eastern Europe. The company operates through three segments: Global Integrated Agencies, Public Relations, and Specialist Agencies.

Further Reading

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ZIM Integrated Shipping Services (NYSE:ZIM  Get Free Report) had its price target upped by Bank of America from $12.20 to $13.70 in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an underperform rating on the stock. Bank of Americas price target suggests a potential downside of 31.43% from the stocks current price.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently weighed in on ZIM. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $22.00 price target on shares of ZIM Integrated Shipping Services in a research note on Monday, August 19th. Citigroup downgraded ZIM Integrated Shipping Services from a neutral rating to a sell rating and upped their price objective for the company from $11.60 to $13.00 in a research report on Thursday, June 6th. Finally, Barclays lifted their price objective on ZIM Integrated Shipping Services from $12.50 to $15.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Friday, August 23rd. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $14.59.

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Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on ZIM

ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Trading Up 0.7 %

NYSE:ZIM opened at $19.98 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $2.40 billion, a PE ratio of -0.94, a P/E/G ratio of 0.07 and a beta of 1.85. ZIM Integrated Shipping Services has a 52-week low of $6.39 and a 52-week high of $23.82. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $19.60 and its 200 day moving average price is $15.94. The company has a quick ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.41.

ZIM Integrated Shipping Services (NYSE:ZIM  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Monday, August 19th. The company reported $3.08 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.07 by $1.01. ZIM Integrated Shipping Services had a negative net margin of 32.81% and a positive return on equity of 2.89%. The business had revenue of $1.93 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.71 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned ($1.37) earnings per share. On average, research analysts anticipate that ZIM Integrated Shipping Services will post 7.97 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On ZIM Integrated Shipping Services

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC grew its holdings in shares of ZIM Integrated Shipping Services by 92.3% during the 4th quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 3,335 shares of the companys stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 1,601 shares during the period. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its stake in shares of ZIM Integrated Shipping Services by 2,341.8% in the 2nd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,929 shares of the companys stock valued at $43,000 after acquiring an additional 1,850 shares during the period. Scarborough Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in ZIM Integrated Shipping Services during the 4th quarter worth $58,000. Russell Investments Group Ltd. increased its holdings in ZIM Integrated Shipping Services by 1,431.1% in the 1st quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 6,063 shares of the companys stock valued at $61,000 after purchasing an additional 5,667 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mather Group LLC. purchased a new position in ZIM Integrated Shipping Services in the second quarter valued at about $96,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 21.42% of the companys stock.

ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Company Profile

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ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, provides container shipping and related services in Israel and internationally. It provides door-to-door and port-to-port transportation services for various types of customers, including end-users, consolidators, and freight forwarders.

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Labour unions pushing for massive pay rises for train drivers and staff as well as GPs have enjoyed a bumper time by being awarded grotesquely high pay rises for already high salaries by Two-tier Kier Starmer. Pensioners meanwhile have been robbed of their winter fuel payments and their pensions are now taxed.

Alfie Fowkes, 84, from Grimsbury, Lancashire, praised the PM on his Labour policies.

I rent a council flat sublet from an Eastern European couple who sublets 23 council flats, and they live in a luxury villa in Romania built from the proceeds. I rarely see them, but when they sometimes turn up in their top of the range S-class Mercedes, they make me pay the rent in cash and threaten me with kneecapping if I dont pay on time. Sometimes they send one of their boys around with a bat. I tried moving but cannot afford it. Its thanks to Labours immigration policies that these people were able to come to the UK to exploit our hospitality and benefits system.

The winter fuel payments really did help me in the cold months, and it meant I could just about afford to eat some food. I could put the heat on for 15 minutes and enjoy the warmth for those few minutes. For food, I now mainly buy canned food, although this has shot up in price as well. On most days, I survive on a piece of dry toast and a cup of tea.

When Labours Rachel Reeves took away my winter fuel payments and taxed my pension, I just thought to myself, I worked my entire life and served my country in the armed forces to be treated like a fifth class citizen. I am now seriously considering borrowing my next door neighbours computer to go on Twitter to say something on mass immigration that will get me arrested by the Thoughtpolice of Two-tier Kier. At least in prison, they keep the heat on 24-7 and prisoners get three solid meals a day.

In preparation for winter, lifetime Labour voter Mr. Fowkes was indeed arrested by the Two-tier Kier Thoughtpolice on Tuesday after voicing his opinion about illegal and legal mass migration on social media. He will be able to survive for a little more time, thankfully, after being sentenced to a six-year stretch at Belmarsh prison. He has been labelled by the left-wing media and Labour Party as a far-right racist bigot.
Theres a good reason why arch Remainers in the previous Conservative government purposefully killed off the Tory Party and lost the election  Labour. As everyone knows, Labour is completely anti-Brexit and anti-Democratic, and the Remainer Tories knew this was their best bet for rejoining the EU. This is why the Tory Party was essentially torn apart and dismantled. Operation Reset is the initial introductory phase and the first step for incorporating the Labour agenda to reverse Brexit.

Cue the election, et voila, the Labourite anti-Brexiteers were in and the Operation Reset strategy to undo Brexit was now a very real thing.

This is why Starmer is now in Germany, which is the heart and engine of the EU Fourth Reich. Keir Starmer needs Olaf Scholz of Germany to carry out his plan to undo Brexit and return the UK into the waiting arms of the EU.

Naturally in Brussels the EU hierarchy are watching and listening with eagerness to everything, and no doubt salivating at the mouth at the very thought of a UK coming back to the EU bloc with its tail firmly between its legs. The EU knows that to reverse Brexit things will have to be conducted slowly and with care so that the Brexiteers in the UK are not alerted to the entire process.

The EU does not do anything without the other side capitulating to its ever-increasing demands, and Starmer will gladly hand over any hard-won sovereignty to the EU without blinking a false eyelash. Brexit will be reversed drip by drip and the Operation Reset strategy is the beginning phase in a long process that will take years to achieve.

Now is the time to act as Labour sees it, as the Brexiteers in parliament have been either incapacitated completely or neutered.

Nigel Farage, and his two or three members in the House of Commons may start barking their discontent, but essentially they have little or no power against the entire political and corporate institutions which are effectively a Remainer construct. There is too much money involved for the Remainers to stop selling out the UK and its sovereignty as well as its freedom.
Excellence in academics, student experience, and research

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Faculty of Science students are encouraged to grow their strengths and passion for science into a university experience rich with exploration, experimentation, skill-building and scientific knowledge.
Step onto our vibrant campuses where youll find everything you need including libraries, late-night study spaces, on-campus jobs, residence housing, and delicious food options.

Join a sports team, take in a game, watch a theatre production, volunteer, connect with like-minded students and make new friends.
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base welcomed a new breed of electronic fighter on August 23rd, 2024, as the Air Force took delivery of its first training-focused EA-37B Compass Call aircraft. This delivery marks a significant step in modernizing the Air Forces electronic attack capabilities and signals a shift towards countering increasingly sophisticated adversaries.

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The EA-37B is a heavily modified Gulfstream G550 business jet that boasts advanced electronic warfare systems developed by BAE Systems. Unlike its predecessor, the aging EC-130H Compass Call, the EA-37B leverages a cutting-edge platform to deliver a potent blend of speed, range, and technological superiority.

A Pilots Dream: Delivering Cutting-Edge Capability

General Kenneth Wilsbach, head of Air Combat Command, piloted the EA-37B on its maiden voyage from L3Harris Technologies facility in Waco, Texas, to its new home at Davis-Monthan. For a pilot, theres nothing better than picking up a brand-new aircraft from a factory and delivering it to the warfighters, remarked General Wilsbach. It flies like a dream, and for those of you who are going to get to fly it  its going to be amazing.

Training the Next Generation of Electronic Warfare Airmen

There is a lot of excitement surrounding the EA-37B because this new aircraft represents a generational leap in electronic warfare technology. With its enhanced speed and altitude capabilities, the EA-37B can operate at greater distances and for longer durations, allowing it to target a broader spectrum of enemy activities than the EC-130H.

While the EA-37B will eventually be deployed in real-world operations, its initial focus will be training the next generation of electronic warfare aircrews. The aircraft will be instrumental in honing the skills of pilots and electronic warfare officers from the 43rd Electronic Combat Squadron, who will be responsible for operating and maintaining this advanced platform.

The EC-130 has served its purpose for years, but this new airframe and its delivery mean that we have a combat-credible threat, stated Colonel Mark Howard, 55th Wing commander. The EA-37B, with its increased range, speed, and agility, will allow Airmen onboard the aircraft to make real-time, adaptive, agile decisions for airpower.

Maintaining the Edge in an Era of Great Power Competition

The arrival of the EA-37B is timely, given the evolving geopolitical terrain. With the rise of near-peer adversaries, the ability to dominate the electromagnetic spectrum has become paramount. The EA-37B, with its sophisticated jamming and electronic attack capabilities, will be crucial in disrupting enemy communications, radar systems, and command-and-control networks, effectively blinding and confusing adversaries in a conflict.

The EA-37B is the right choice right now because as we continue to pivot toward Great Power Competition, we have adversaries that are developing long-range kill chain ecosystems and anti-access area denial capabilities, explained Lieutenant General Thomas Hensley, Sixteenth Air Force commander. The Compass Call will allow us to do things in the non-kinetic spectrum as well as the electromagnetic spectrum to give us the advantage and not them.

A New Chapter at Davis-Monthan AFB

The arrival of the EA-37B ushers in a new chapter for Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, long associated with the EC-130H. The base will receive a second EA-37B for training by the end of 2024, advancing its role as a central hub for the Air Forces electronic warfare capabilities.

As we look to take on the growing threat, the bottom line for the Airmen of Davis-Monthan and the 55th Electronic Combat Group is we are ready today to face that threat, asserted Colonel Scott Mills, 355th Wing commander. With the EA-37B, the Air Force is replacing an aging platform and investing in a force multiplier to maintain its electromagnetic spectrum edge.
Huanren county in Liaoning province, a gem in the rugged landscape of Northeast China, shines brightly thanks to its thriving ginseng industry. My journey here, to explore the secrets behind this burgeoning niche business, led me to an unforgettable story  that of an entrepreneur from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region named Chen Ruoqing. Over a decade ago, Chen made the bold decision to leave the bustling metropolis of Hong Kong, venturing thousands of miles to the unique and captivating lands of the northeast. During our interview, this accomplished entrepreneur spoke with a quiet resolve that belied the intensity of her mission. Chen told me that her sole objective is to convey the distinct allure and invaluable worth of forest-grown ginseng to the world, ensuring that more people will recognize the unique charm and value of Huanren's ginseng industry. Though her voice was gentle, it was imbued with a steely determination, and this blend of passion and persistence has allowed her to carve out a new life and business in this distant land. Here in Huanren, dubbed the "home of Chinese ginseng", I have witnessed the solid foundation of an industry that is bringing new opportunities to traditional Chinese medicine. The county boasts a fully integrated industrial chain, where the fusion of the three major sectors  cultivation, processing and distribution  has transformed the medicinal herb into a cornerstone of local prosperity. Huanren's vast forested areas, ideal for the cultivation of forest-grown ginseng, have turned this humble plant into a major industry that is lifting the local population into wider prosperity, turning the small county into a new trade hub of vigorous business vitality. We also visited local processing companies, where the synergy between modern techniques and traditional craftsmanship was on full display. Despite the challenges, these enterprises continue to push boundaries, all while laying out plans for future development. The county government has also provided clear and robust policy support for the industry's sustainable growth, ensuring that Huanren's ginseng sector remains on a path of high-quality development. Liu Minggang, Party secretary of Huanren, shared with us the future plans for strengthening the sector. Liu emphasized the need to enhance quality and efficiency across the entire production chain, increase investments in technological innovation and develop high-value-added products. Furthermore, he said there are also ongoing efforts to integrate cultural tourism with the TCM industry, as well as to expand into both domestic and international markets. Our journey, however, was not without a few challenges. A sudden typhoon brought torrential rains, turning the forest trails into muddy passages. The conditions were so difficult that we even considered abandoning the assignment. Yet, the responsibility of sharing this intriguing development story rekindled our determination. After the storm passed, our team rallied together and coordinated our efforts once again to ensure the completion of the task. The local government also provided tremendous support throughout our visit. From the very beginning, they actively coordinated resources, provided us with accurate information and data, and arranged our itinerary, ensuring that our interviews were conducted efficiently and effectively. Their commitment to advancing the ginseng industry was evident, and it left us with a deep appreciation of their dedication. This assignment has been incredibly rewarding  not only did we gain a deep understanding of the ginseng sector, but we also reaffirmed our commitment to sharing the stories of other standout industries with the world. The ginseng sector in Huanren is a microcosm of the broader development of TCM. Through our reporting, we aim to showcase to the world how a small root has grown into a major industry, and how China's unique regional resources and cultural heritage are going to amaze the rest of the world.
SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan said the Executive must provide urgent clarity for pensioners on whether the decision to restrict the Winter Fuel Payment to only those on Pension Credit, will apply in Northern Ireland.

The Foyle MLA said: When plans to restrict the Winter Fuel Payment for pensioners was announced by the UK Chancellor, I wrote to the Communities Minister to ask what this would mean for pensioners in the North, I await his response.

Every year, these payments are issued from November onwards- there is a notable turn in the weather and with the colder months on the horizon, people need to know if the can continue to access this support.

"It is unacceptable that two months out, pensioners here dont know where they stand. The Winter Fuel Payment is lifeline for so many households, one that is eagerly and anxiously awaited year on year. Ive appealed to the Communities Minister to retain this support, warning of the major implications the cut will have on societys most vulnerable cohort.

"Not only will people be forced to consider the heating or eating dilemma but this truly is a matter of life and death. Fuel poverty and the effects of a cold home on the older population can have dire consequences.

The Executive must consider the regional impact of this policy decision in Northern Ireland which as of February 2024 had 24% households in fuel poverty compared to 13% of households in England. A decision on this situation must be provided as a matter of urgency.
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A vigil will be held tomorrow night (Thursday) in Derry's Guildhall to commemorate the lives of Montserrat Martorell and Sophie Watson and to call for an end to violence against women.

The vigil is set to take place at 6.00pm at Guildhall Square.

Montserrat Martorell was the 22nd woman to be killed in Northern Ireland since 2020, and the second death in the north west within the past week.

Sophie Watson, 57, was found dead at her Magherafelt home on Sunday, 18th August. She had suffered a number of stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 43-year-old man has been charged with her murder and is currently remanded in custody.

Last Saturday a murder investigation was launched after the body of 65-year-old Montserrat Martorell was found following a horrific attack and a fire at a flat in Harvey Street in the city.

A 28-year-old man has been charged to appear in Derry Magistrates Court tomorrow morning (Thursday).

In addition to a charge of murder, the man has been charged with rape and arson with intent to endanger life.

Women's Aid NI have expressed their deepest condolences to the loved ones of both women.
A fire at a church in east Belfast is being investigated as a racially motivated hate crime.

Police said an angle grinder-type tool was used to cut a hole in shutters at the premises in Templemore Street on Tuesday night before a fire was started.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze, which caused damage to the shutters and front hall of the building, which is used by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG).

The church, first founded in Brazil in 1977, has congregations across the world, including 45 in the UK. It has been present in Northern Ireland since 2012 and at the site on Templemore Street since 2018. Its congregation has been described as diverse.

On Wednesday morning, workmen were at the church assessing damage to the building.

In a statement, the East Belfast Churches Network said their members unequivocally condemn the arson attack on the UCKG HelpCentre last night.

Network chairman Rev Sammy Robinson said: Let us be clear, racism has no place in our community.

We are deeply saddened that this has happened, especially to a church and organisation which seeks to help people regardless of race or creed here in East Belfast.

The action of a few will not be allowed to tarnish the good name of ordinary, everyday people of east Belfast who would stand with us in condemning this attack.

We would implore anyone with any information to co-operate with the police in their investigation, and we send our unwavering support, prayers and love to those involved in UCKG HelpCentre Belfast.

Rev Mervyn Gibson, of the nearby Westbourne Presbyterian Church, condemned the incident, saying all arson attacks are wrong.

I condemn it unreservedly, he said.

If those misguided people who did this did it in the name of racism or against immigration, it should be condemned. The people of East Belfast do not want to see racist attacks against their neighbours.

Sinn Fein MLA Deirdre Hargey said those behind the attack must face the full force of the law.

She said: It is absolutely sickening that yet another racist attack has occurred in our city.

This attack on a church premises is the latest in a series of disgusting, violent racist acts which are not reflective of the majority in our society who embrace the huge positives of diversity.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said the attack was deeply dispiriting.

He told the BBC: I want to encourage those within the community, not only commend them last night for contacting police and the fire service, but to encourage them further still to give information to the police to make sure that those who are responsible for this attack are apprehended.

SDLP councillor Seamas de Faoite said: This is a disgusting attack on a place of worship, and I hope those responsible are apprehended and successfully prosecuted.

Alliance MLA for East Belfast Peter McReynolds called the incident completely unacceptable and said: This attack is truly appalling and must be robustly condemned by all political parties.

There is no place in our community for such hatred and discrimination.

He added: The repeated hate and race-fuelled attacks we have witnessed across Northern Ireland recently are extremely concerning and deeply unsettling for communities.

A PSNI spokesman said two masked males, wearing dark-coloured track suits, arrived at the premises shortly before 9.30pm.

An angle grinder-type tool was then used to cut a hole in the shutters before a flammable substance was thrown inside and set alight.

Fire service personnel attended and extinguished the fire, which caused damage to the shutters and the front hall of the building, with further smoke damage caused inside the building.

East Belfast arson investigation underway. Details here:https://t.co/N65ewDUzXd pic.twitter.com/qK5JFTWNlx  Police East Belfast (@PSNIBelfastE) August 28, 2024

Both males are believed to have run off along Templemore Street after the incident, which is being treated as a racially motivated hate crime.

Police have issued an appeal to anyone with any information about the incident or who may have doorbell, CCTV or dashcam footage from the area that might help the investigation to call the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 1852 27/08/24.

A report can also be submitted online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/.
HIGHLIGHTS While his arrest is making headlines, theres an interesting fact about Telegram CEO Pavel Durov that might surprise many. Despite never having been married, Durov has over 100 biological children. It all started when his friend asking him to donate sperm.

Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, has recently captured global attention after being arrested by French authorities on Saturday evening. Durov was detained at Le Bourget airport near Paris. The arrest of Pavel Durov is linked to an investigation into criminal activities on the messaging platform.

While this arrest is making headlines, theres an interesting fact about Durov that might surprise many: despite never having been married, he has over 100 biological children. This extraordinary fact adds a unique twist to his already high-profile story.

How Telegram CEO Pavel Durov fathered over 100 kids?

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov recently revealed a surprising aspect of his personal life: he has fathered over 100 children. This revelation comes from his past involvement in sperm donation, an act he initially undertook at the request of a friend facing fertility challenges.

Fifteen years ago, a friend of mine approached me with a weird request. He said that he and his wife couldnt have kids due to a fertility issue and asked me to donate sperm at a clinic for them to have a baby, Durov wrote in a post on his Telegram Channel.

Also read: Telegram CEOs arrest linked to drug sales, money laundering and other criminal activities on the platform

The clinic, facing a shortage of high quality donor material, convinced him to donate more sperm.

My past donating activity has helped over a hundred couples in 12 countries to have kids. Moreover, many years after I stopped being a donor, at least one IVF clinic still has my frozen sperm available for anonymous use by families who want to have kids, he revealed.

Durov also said that he plans to open-source his DNA to facilitate connections among his biological children. Of course, there are risks, but I dont regret having been a donor. The shortage of healthy sperm has become an increasingly serious issue worldwide, and Im proud that I did my part to help alleviate it, he added.
Rapidus pursues US$690 million loan to achieve 2nm chip production by 2027

Rapidus, aiming to begin mass production of 2-nanometer chips in Japan by 2027, is seeking significant financial support for its trial production and eventual mass production.

The company is in talks with a trio of major Japanese banksMUFG Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and Mizuho Bank alongside Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) for a loan of approximately JPY 100 billion (US$690 million). Rapidus is also seeking additional investment from its existing backers, including Toyota.

Filling in the chips funding gaps

According to sources cited by Kyodo News, the four banks Rapidus is currently negotiating with have all previously provided substantial financing to support the Japan-based Kioxia. Their efforts helped stabilize the finances of the NAND Flash manufacturer to remain competitive in the market.

Rapidus was established in 2022 with JPY 7.3 billion in joint funding from eight Japanese companies, including Toyota, Sony, NTT, NEC, SoftBank, Denso, Kioxia, and MUFG Bank. Additionally, the Japanese government has pledged subsidies totaling JPY 920 billion over three years, which has enabled Rapidus to construct its first factory in Chitose, Hokkaido.

However, Rapidus estimates that trial production of the 2-nanometer chips by 2025 will require JPY 2 trillion, with an additional JPY 3 trillion needed for mass production by 2027. This forecast reveals a funding gap of over JPY 1 trillion for the trial production phase alone, prompting Rapidus to seek loans and additional investment from Toyota and other stakeholders.

Despite these efforts, challenges remain in successfully mass-producing 2-nanometer chips, particularly in terms of technology and securing a sufficient customer base. This has led to cautious attitudes among corporations and financial institutions regarding financing or further investment in Rapidus.

There is no guarantee that Rapidus will secure the loans from the four banks. The Japanese government, under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, is considering legal revisions that would allow the government to provide guarantees to assist Rapidus in securing private financing.

However, with Kishida set to step down by late September or early October 2024, it remains uncertain whether the government will expedite the legal changes to support Rapidus before the next prime minister takes office.
Samsung maintains gaming monitor market edge with innovative glasses-free 2D/3D monitor

Samsung Electronics attended Gamescom 2024, held in Cologne, Germany. With an alleged largest-ever exhibition hall of about 800 square meters, Samsung unveiled its new gaming monitor, the Odyssey 3D.

According to the Korean news outlet, Maeil Business Newspaper, Samsung has developed the Odyssey 3D, a gaming monitor that can show 3D visuals without needing to wear 3D glasses. With the usage of a lenticular lens on the front panel, images can be switched from 2D to 3D.

The Odyssey 3D incorporates eye tracking and view mapping technology. Its built-in stereo camera tracks the user's vision in 3D space while view mapping adjusts the image into 3D. Aside from 3D mode, the product also supports 2D mode, and users can freely switch between the two.

The Odyssey 3D comes in 37-inch and 27-inch sizes, both featuring 4K resolution display, 1ms gray-to-gray (GTG) response time, and a 165 Hz refresh rate, allowing gamers to enjoy the visuals without ghosting artifacts. This product has received the Best of Innovation award at CES 2024.

Samsung plans to release three new Odyssey OLED monitors in 2024 and expand sales in places including North America, Europe, and Australia. The Odyssey OLED incorporates Samsung's proprietary OLED Safeguard, minimizing reflections.

Samsung stated that in order to take the lead in the high-end gaming monitor market, more new technology will be developed. IDC's data shows that Samsung has ranked first for five consecutive years since 2019 among monitors with a refresh rate of over 144Hz in the gaming monitor market.
Taiwan's undervalued defense sector: a missed opportunity in the global arms race

After taking office, President Lai Ching-te identified five key industrial chains for development, with the defense sector among them.

Yu-Jiu Wang, Chairman and CEO of Tron Future Tech, highlighted the emergence of new warfare forms driven by the latest industrial revolution, which has accelerated a global arms race. He cited research suggesting that the defense and aerospace markets may outpace the semiconductor industry in growth, though Taiwan's defense sector remains undervalueda missed opportunity, in his view.

Wang noted that the gap between China's defense industry and those of the US and Russia is narrowing. Due to its lower production costs, China is becoming increasingly competitive, especially in the lower-end product segment.

The Russia-Ukraine war has unexpectedly showcased the military potential of drones, revealing that traditional fighter jets, which can cost billions, are ineffective against these new combat technologies. This has prompted major Western powers to shift their military investments, focusing on strategic industries better suited for future battlefields.

This shift is opening doors for the industry. Historically, the global defense sector has been dominated by large companies, making it challenging for startups like Tron Future Tech to break in. However, the conflict has created new opportunities in the drone market, and the company has gained significant attention from international clients during recent exhibitions abroad.

The company's core strength lies in its proprietary lightweight radar technology, which is integrated into anti-drone systems and low-orbit satellite communication platforms.

Wang also remarked that while global interest in the defense industry is surging, it remains relatively underdeveloped in Taiwan. Whether Taiwan can elevate its defense sector to a world-class strategic industry will depend on the ability of local companies to expand beyond Taiwan and carve out a unique competitive edge in the global defense and aerospace markets.
Oasis have issued a statement squashing rumours that they might play Glastonbury or Electric Picnic as part of their reunion tour.

The Britpop band, who split nearly 15 years ago and released their chart-topping album Definitely Maybe around three decades ago, have announced a series of dates which includes two concerts at Croke Park in Dublin next August.

The UK and Ireland tour will also visit Manchesters Heaton Park, Londons Wembley Stadium, Edinburghs Murrayfield Stadium and Cardiffs Principality Stadium next summer.

However the brothers since announced that these dates won't include any festival appearences next summer.

"Despite media speculation, Oasis will not be playing Glastonbury 2025 or any other festivals next year," they said in a statement.
Opponents to the proposed Dundalk-Carlingford Greenway are planning a convoy of vehicles, from Cooley to County Hall in Dundalk, this Friday morning, to hand in a petition of names of people in the Cooley Peninsula who are opposed to the local authority's plans.

The convoy, which will be stopping at Cooley Kickhams GFC, St Pats GFC, and at Londis in Bellurgan, will include landowners, farmers and local residents, who say they do not want the proposed greenway to go through their property.

Louth County Council, with the support of Transport Infrastructure Ireland, is currently developing proposals for the Dundalk Bay to Carlingford Greenway 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, 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.

On the Protect Cooley Peninsula Facebook page, organisers of the protest say that "we are a community-driven group dedicated to opposing the proposed greenway routes that threaten to cut through our properties & land".

The date for making submissions in relation to Public Consultation No.2 for the greenway has been extended to 6 September. Details in relation to making submissions can be found at www.dundalkcarlingfordgreenway.ie
Louth has among the lowest number of second hand homes for sale across Ireland according to new research by property consultants Savills Ireland.

The analysis looked at the number of second-hand properties for sale across the 26 counties, adjusting the number of properties for population. Savills says that its analysis shows that Louth has the fifth lowest number of houses available, at 18 homes per 10,000 people.

The data was collected on the 19th of August. Across Ireland, there were 24.2 properties for sale per 10,000 population, Monaghan had the lowest number of properties for sale on an absolute numerical basis (81), but also on a population adjusted basis (12.2 per 10,000), which is almost half the national average.

Monaghan was followed by Meath, with 13.4 homes per 10,000 people, then Kildare (14.3 homes) and Carlow (17.7 homes). Savills says in its analysis that "what ties these counties together is that they are all commuter counties to Dublin, suggesting that the higher prices in Dublin are leading to stiff competition for homes for sale within striking distance of the capital".

Savills added in its report that "it should also be noted that availability across the country is down significantly, with a recent Daft report noting that just 11,400 homes were for sale in Ireland compared to an average of 24,700 between 2015-2019."
Collective action by workers within their communities is crucial to facing down the spread of far-right hate and misinformation, SIPTU Organiser, Brian Condra, told the Rally Against Racism organised by Dundalk Communities United, in Earl Street, Dundalk, last Sunday.

Addressing the event, Mr Condra, said: The labour movement begins in your workplace but it does not end there. It must also be on our streets, in our houses and in our communities. The labour movement is based on the power of the collective, the politics of hate and division are directly opposed to that.

He continued: In Ireland, our history has told us what the power of the collective can do in the face of an overwhelming colonial power and disaster. James Connolly the forefather of the trade union movement of this land, was himself the child of migrants, who knew the hatred and the fear that came with that.

"He spent most of his life outside of Ireland. In the US he once made the observation that Ireland must become the beacon of freedom to the oppressed, we should be that beacon.

He added: It is not enough to just be anti-racist, we must be anti-intolerance of all kinds. As a collective, that is how we will build a better Ireland. The far-right has been thoroughly rejected by the local community in Dundalk, it is you through the power of the collective which has removed them from our streets.

The Rally Against Racism was a family-friendly event which included an interactive art piece under the theme If your table's too small make it bigger and live performances by local musicians. The rally was called in opposition to recent far-right rallies in Dundalk.
An Bord Pleanala has given the go ahead for a new Primary Care Centre at the former Carroll Village Shopping Centre in Dundalk, following an appeal by Carroll Village Retail Management Services Limited against Louth County Council's decision to grant planning permission for the development last year.

Louth County Council granted conditional planning permission in June 2023 to Aviva Life and Pensions Ireland DAC for the development, which proposed partial demolition of the existing shopping centre building and the construction of a new four storey Primary Care Centre.

The planned development includes a General Practitioners Surgery, Pharmacy Unit and HSE accommodation, with planned works also including car parking and set down area; erection of access control barriers; new totem sign; general wall mounted signage; and new elevational treatment to north facade.

Carroll Village Retail Management Services Limited had appealed Louth County Council's decision, raising issues including, lack of legal entitlement to use the existing car park; lack of strategic vison (masterplan) for the overall site; inadequate parking provision; and negative impact on the development potential of the remainder of the site.



In granting planning permission for the development, An Bord Pleanala said that "the Board agreed that the matter of car parking is adequately addressed by condition requiring the provision of adequate carparking as per the requirements and calculations of the PA in respect in respect of the County Development Plan, in advance of commencement of development."

It also said that, "the Board agreed with the Planning Authority that the revised drawings, details and information showing the public realm space integrated and considered in conjunction with the public footpath at the southern boundary and the activation generated by the development at this location would help animate the street which would adequately support the D1 Regeneration Zoning objective for the site."
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MBABANE  Government has been advised to target specific industries and sectors with a higher multiplicative drive for investment expansion, while at the same time creating a sustainable livelihood for everyone.The Southern Africa Research Foundation for Economic Development (SARFED) Regional Coordinator and Senior Policy Adviser, Dr George Choongwa, said this must be done to create sustainable livelihoods, especially for the youth, who are also currently faced with high level of unemployment, as statistics are at about 53 per cent.



Considered



Dr Choongwa said traditionally, investment policies and practices have been considered drivers for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but the new twist of things has gained many grounds in the advancement of both private and public investment using the SDG pathway. He said the 17 sustainable development goals are not only human-focused but interrelated, bringing together all four predominantly development sectors, namely; environment, social, economy and culture. It is, therefore, a critical stance that should be taken by government to develop and implement innovative policies for quick and sustainable economic viability, he said.



The economist said the sustainable development paradigm should enhance what could be termed the big push for a robust and resilient SDG investment chain, which should strengthen the interconnectedness of all strategic partners with government.He said it was no longer the old school of working in silos; government should now embrace the relevance of strategic partnership as a critical aspect for sustainable development.Dr Choongwa added that, however, efficiently channelling investment, both private and public, towards the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development requires a more deliberate and strategic approach in all sectors of society. He said this should be more inclusive than the traditional one-way approach. He said it involves the preparation of specific, often government-initiated, investable SDG projects to be promoted, as well as targeted outreach mechanisms directed at potential financing partners that go beyond traditional investors.



Result



He said the merit of having a collective approach would result in the realisation of a shared common future, regardless of individual functionality in the economy.Dr Choongwa further highlighted that according to the action plan suggested by the World Investment Report, government would identify some of the private sectors strategic approaches and areas of low cost, but with high value benefits as a means of re-engineering and consolidating the SDG investment chain for the country.The benefit of low costing is that of cushioning relatively high-risk investments due to high domestic and global market uncertainties; for example, government would establish specified policies and regulations to support relatively small private investments with high multiplicative potential as drivers for small and medium-sized enterprises as well as promoting employment creation, he said.Dr Choongwa said SDGs are the building blocks for both the present and future global economic system.



Embracing



He said government should embrace the sdgs for the advancement of the nations sustainable development agenda in all sectors, namely social, environmental, economic, and cultural, among other interlocking themes.He said this could only be achieved by using both private and public investment as key functions for capital formation to advance both the present and future generations. Therefore, SDGs should not be considered as ends but as means to a sustainable end, which is also defined by having a viable and inclusive investment agenda, he said.He said, however, that in order to successfully attract ideal, cost-effective and sustainable investment portfolios in the country, government should continue to create incentives for green investment, as it would give a new horizon for sustainable growth through innovative initiatives and policy governance practices. Dr Choongwa said if these incentives were strategically defined to address certain sectors of the economy and to benefit certain target groups, such as the youth in this case, it would be beneficial for the country not only in the short-term, but in the long-term as well, as labour capacities would have ideally been successful.






MBABANE - The build-up to the African Carnival after party includes parades that will be joined by special guests from other African countries arriving today.This was mentioned by the African Carnival Eswatini Chairman, Emmanuel Ofori-Abrokwah. This years carnival will be the biggest of all the others we have hosted before, as we have friends from other African countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa and Cameroon, he said.The chairman also detailed some of the interesting activities that they will engage in during the carnival. Today some of the guests will arrive in the country. We will have a parade on Friday, and we will be moving from Ezulwini to Manzini. On Saturday morning, we will also be at the International Trade Fair, where Their Majesties will be officially opening the trade fair. We will be displaying some of the traditional foods from the other countries and also their traditional dances with our stakeholder, the Arts and Culture Council. Abrokwah said.

Collaboration

Stanley Dlamini, the Eswatini National Council of Arts and Culture Chief Executive Officer (CEO), confirmed the collaboration. During the official opening of the trade fair, our culture troupe will also be there, where other nations will also be showcasing their talents, Dlamini said.After the festivities of the day at Mavuso, they have also organised the Africa Fest after party, which will be held at Sibebe Resort. The after party will be headlined by South African musicians A-Reece, Sun-el musician, and Mas Musiq. The headlining acts will be supported by a number of local acts featuring the likes of Young Zesh, Trend Twins, Itsallblaq, Selby and Sgitha, to mention a few.



DJ Selby, a local Deep House musician, said that he was very excited about the show. Since it is a daytime vibe, I have prepared a unique chilled set that will accommodate everybody, even if one is not a fan of Deep House, for they will be accommodated. I am so humbled and honoured to share the stage with grown-ups from the neighbouring country; it is a dream come true for me and for such, it really has a huge influence on my performance; a mark will be left, he said.
Two new dual-branded hotels featuring over 200 rooms are set to open in Cork next month.

The new properties, the Moxy and Residence Inn by Marriott, announced they will open their doors to guests in mid-September, subject to fire and safety inspections.

Situated on Camden Quay in the city centre, the Moxy and Residence Inn properties will feature smart technology, onsite amenities, and communal spaces.

The Moxy will feature 153 rooms, round-the-clock food and beverages, and an on-site cocktail bar that doubles as a check-in desk.

The Residence Inn will offer 53 suites, each with fully equipped kitchens and separate living space.

It will also have working and sleeping zones, as well as a complementary breakfast service, a grocery delivery service, and access to a modern fitness centre.

A spokesperson for the hotels said that both properties are committed to using sustainable practices, integrating eco-friendly initiatives such as energy-efficient lighting, water-saving fixtures, and locally sourced materials.

The projects were delivered in the city by the British hospitality group JMK.

JMK Group director Sonia Kajani said: Our goal is to offer a unique blend of stylish comfort and playful experiences that resonate with both short-term and extended-stay guests.

Corks dynamic spirit aligns perfectly with our vision, and we look forward to welcoming travellers from around the world, said the director of the hotels group.
Fianna Fail will be fighting for two seats in Cork North-Central, delegates attending the selection convention for the constituency were told by the first nominee to the party ticket, sitting TD Padraig OSullivan, on Monday.

The TD  who was first elected in a late 2019 by-election before retaining his seat in the 2020 general election  defeated the only other nominee to put his name before the convention, Cork City North West ward councillor Tony Fitzgerald, by a comfortable margin.

Two other candidates, Colm Kelleher, who is a member of Cork City Council representing the party in the South West ward, and Gearoid Murphy, a Mallow-based county councillor, had been nominated to go before the convention, but withdrew their names when the Fianna Fail head office had directed that only one candidate be selected at convention, with a possibility for one or two running mates to be added afterwards.

Mr Fitzgerald, Mr Murphy, and Mr Kelleher all indicated to the convention that they wanted to be considered as potential running mates.

In his remarks to delegates following his selection, the sitting TD said the party needed to be ambitious in Cork North-Central, given that it would be a five-seater in the next general election, having been a four-seater in the current Dail.

I firmly believe we will be fighting for two seats in Cork North-Central if we get the strategy right and if we get our candidate selection right, he said.

The TD thanked delegates for their support and set out a list of his priorities for the coming terms, which included making further progress on projects that are already in train.

On the infrastructural side of things, I want to see major structures like the Cork-Limerick road, the Mallow Relief Road, and the Northern Ring Road progress, he said.

He added that he would also be pushing for the completion of the hospital in Glanmire as well as primary care centres in Mallow, Glanmire, Mayfield, and Blarney.

Mr OSullivan, who is also Fianna Fail spokesman on special education, said he wanted to see the continued rollout of autism classes and that the pilot scheme for the restoration of therapists to special schools is fully rolled out.
The signing of a 29.5m contract to begin works next month on a twin track for the existing 10km train line between Midleton and Glounthane will be a game-changer for commuters in east Cork, local Fine Gael TD David Stanton has said.

The Cork East TD was speaking after Iarnrod Eireann confirmed that works would commence on the project in September and will be complete by 2026.

Along with works on a new through platform at Kent Station, and new signalling across the full Cork commuter network, the twin-tracking will facilitate the proposed capacity and service frequency increases, with the potential to triple existing service frequency to a 10-minute frequency on all Cork commuter routes in the future.

Other associated elements included track turnout and crossover works at Glounthane, Carrigtwohill, and Midleton; new sidings and a turnback facility at Midleton; works at level crossings; and new cable containment routes.

The work is being carried out under the Cork Area Commuter Rail programme, a series of inter-related projects to enhance the quality of the Cork commuter rail network. The contract was awarded to BAM Ireland and is scheduled to be completed in 2026.

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme was the largest capital injection in Cork rail infrastructure in the history of the State.

Irish people like rail, he said. We have seen that whenever we put in good public transport, and particularly good rail services, people flock to it.

The minister of state at the Department of Transport, James Lawless, said the project would be crucial to enable further frequency and reliability improvements on the line.

Mr Stanton said the project would improve the service to Midleton dramatically. The ambition is that the service will be every 10 minutes and that will result, actually, in a five-minute service to Glounthane, because they will be linking with the Cobh service, he said.

Midleton-based Social Democrats councillor Liam Quaide said the progress being made since the project was first mooted had been remarkable, and he welcomed the latest announcement.

This only adds to the argument for the line to be extended to Youghal which would eventually be linked up with light rail in the city, he said.

While the works are scheduled to begin in September, Iarnrod Eireann is advising customers that some evening services will be impacted over an 18-month period.

The final train from Cork to Midleton on Mondays to Wednesdays will be at 7.15pm, while the last service in the other direction will be at 7.45pm. Bus transfers will operate between Glounthane and Midleton for later evening services. This will last from September 23 to December 18.

Advice regarding further works, as well the associated impacts in 2025 and early 2026, will be given at a later stage.

Iarnrod Eireann has also advised that separate essential maintenance works will take place in the Cork Tunnel in September and October. This will result in bus transfers from Mallow to Cork from 10pm onwards between Monday, September 9, and October 31.
A landmark celebration of the craft community will come to an end this weekend as Cork Craft Month wraps up a highly successful showcase of exhibitions, workshops and talks which have been underway for over four weeks.

The month-long festival this year marked its 15th anniversary and it has been a hectic four weeks of crafty collaboration and connection, according to director Ava Hayes. This festival is a fun and interactive occasion for the entire family, from toddlers to teens, parents to grandparents, said Ms Hayes.

Our programme is curated to emphasise the connection between traditional and contemporary crafting, inspiring the next generation of makers and supporting the local community.

A key event during the month has been the annual showcase exhibition, entitled Glimmers, at Kinsale Library, which itself celebrated its first year since opening with a new space which has won many architectural plaudits for its innovate design. Another focus has been supporting new makers and designers which is fundamental to the ethos of the event, according to Cork Craft Month chairperson, Mary Palmer. The Emerge exhibition is one of the focal points of this support and has benefitted from a substantial award sponsored by the Friends of the Crawford Gallery.

This kind of support is instrumental to the confidence and development of new craft and design enterprises which are vital to our local communities, she said.

The Cork Craft Month home has been the Douglas Woollen Mills for the past eight years and, writing in the Craft Month Brochure, Ms Palmer said the historical connection to the woollen trade is an important touchstone for Cork Crafts creative community.

This year, for the first time, the Craft Month hosted a pop-up shop in the Douglas Court Shopping Centre. And if you miss the Craft Month events in Cork, you can catch up by visiting the exhibition Cork Craft and Design which is open in the National Design and Craft Gallery in Kilkenny, until the end of October.
Kinsale RNLI welcomed the RNLI scroll as part of the Connecting our Communities relay event to mark the RNLIs 200 years of saving lives at sea.

The event sees a scroll, bearing the RNLI pledge, being passed through RNLI communities  lifeboat stations, shops, lifeguard units and fundraising branches  around Ireland and the UK to be signed by representatives at each location on its route.

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.

Volunteers in Kinsale to sign the scroll in recent days were Nick Searls from the lifesaving operations team, Gail Swanton from fundraising and Gerard Quinn from water safety.

Between them, Nick, Gail and Gerard have over 70 years of volunteering with the RNLI.

Ford has supplied a specially designed all-electric E-Transit van to transport the 5m long scroll from one RNLI community to the next for signing.

The last signature to be added will be the patron of the RNLI, King Charles III.

On the scroll is the pledge, which 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 everyone we can. It's what makes every one of us a lifesaver. Beneath the pledge, printed in seven languages (English, Irish, 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.
A new report from FRS recruitment has revealed that 22% of employees in Cork did not make full use of their annual leave last year.

Two-thirds of Cork employees also said that they would support the introduction of a four-day work week, even if it impacted their salary, higher than the national average of 56%.

The FRS Recruitment Annual Leave Report, which provides regional breakdowns for each county in Ireland, shows that 3% of people didnt use one day of leave last year, 9% didnt use two days, 19% didnt use three days and 20% didnt use five days or more.

Cork was among the counties with the highest percentage of people taking all their annual leave, almost half of the national average of 42%, with just seven out of 26 counties having a figure of 22% or less not taking all their leave.

65% of employees in Offaly say they did not make full use of their annual leave last year, and the figure was over 50% in Meath, Westmeath, Kerry and Galway.

For 25% of Cork people, their unused leave is carried into the following year, 16% receive payment in lieu and 22% say their leave is lost if unused.

72% took leave for foreign travel last year, 56% for domestic travel, 24% for family reasons, 4% due to illness and 20% for personal reasons, 23% took sick leave, 11% took maternity/ paternity leave, 7% took care leave, 4% took leave due to bereavement and 8% took study leave.

The report also looked at the notice period required for leave in Cork and found that just 18% only have to give one week or less notice, 44% must give two weeks notice and 35% must give one months notice.

For 6% of people, their longest period of leave last year was less than a week, 42% took one week, 40% took two weeks and 12% took more than two weeks.

Speaking about the research, Lynne McCormack, General Manager with FRS Recruitment said that after salaries, holidays and annual leave entitlements are arguably one of the main points of negotiation between employees and employers.

Yet despite their importance, an increasing number of these sought after days of leave are going unused by employees.

Ms McCormack continued, A majority of people would also be interested in a four-day work week, even if it had an impact on their salaries. These findings are particularly interesting in the context of the high percentage of people who didnt use their annual leave last year.
More than 56,000 applicants were given an offer of a college place on Wednesday afternoon.

The Central Applications Office (CAO) issued 83,369 round one offers to a total of 56,571 applicants  split across courses at Level 8 or Level 7/6.

These consist of 51,934 Level 8 offers and 31,435 Level 7/6 offers, with many applicants receiving offers at both levels.

Some 56% of Level 8 offers are for the applicants first preference course, while 83% of Level 8 offers are for a course in the applicants top three preferences.

Ninety-two percent of Level 7/6 offers are for the applicants first preference course while 99% are one of their top three preferences.

First round offers must be accepted by 3pm on Tuesday, while second round offers will be available at 2pm on September 9.

There were a total of 83,543 applicants to the CAO this year, including 7,365 mature applicants.

It means 67.7% of all applicants were offered some course in the first round of offers.

Cork students who might be disappointed by their CAO offers have been urged not to lose heart and to remember that there are multiple routes to higher education.

Some Cork teachers have told The Echo that while not getting the offer you had hoped for can seem devastating, it is important to remember that other avenues remain open.

Cyril Desmond, principal of Ballincollig Community School, said he would strongly encourage anyone who was disappointed with their CAO offer to keep a cool head.

As the principal of a secondary school in Cork, I want to emphasise that the CAO system is not the only pathway for young people.

There are numerous opportunities and alternative routes to explore and tap into your potential, Mr Desmond said.

Every student has unique talents and strengths and its important to remember that success can be achieved through various avenues beyond traditional college education.

Aaron Wolfe, principal of Colaiste Eamann Ris, said it was really important that young people remember that they are not defined by their Leaving Certificate results or by a CAO offer.

There are lots of other avenues into courses even if you do miss out this time, and you need to keep that in your mind, Mr Wolfe said.

When youre 17 or 18, you think this is all there is to life, but its not life, life is so much bigger and this is just one of the milestones, so you need to keep optimistic.

When you look back on life, in years to come, its not really anything to get too upset about, because there really are so many other routes into higher education.
Tom Tuite

A mother has been charged with attacking her partner, who died after suffering a fatal fractured skull injury at their home in Balbriggan, Dublin.

Olesja Hertova, 48, a Czech national, the long-term partner and carer for father of four, and grandfather James Ryan, wept when she appeared before Judge Monika Leech at Dublin District Court on Wednesday.

Mr Ryan, a grandfather in his 60s and former member of the defence forces, suffered from Parkinson's Disease and COPD. He died a day after he was injured on August 10th, the court was told.

Ms Hertova is accused of causing him serious harm at their home in Hastings Lawns on August 10th and had bail set at 15,000.

She was brought to court after gardai obtained directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions to charge her with the offence.

Detective Garda Stephen Hughes said she made no reply when charged, and a file is to be submitted to the DPP for instructions about further charges.

Visibly upset family members of the deceased watched the proceedings from the public gallery.

Ms Hertova did not address the court and applied for bail through her barrister, Marc Thompson, who proposed that the court could impose stringent conditions.

Objecting to bail, Detective Garda Hughes cited the seriousness of the case, flight risk and witness interference concerns.

He claimed that on August 10th, "The accused was in his house when her partner returned, and a physical altercation took place during which her partner received fatal injuries and passed away on the 11th of August."

The court also heard they had one child together, and the accused had been Mr Ryan's partner for just over 16 years.

The detective said Mr Ryan's injuries were "directly attributable to the altercation", and he alleged that "The accused pushed the injured party, knocking him on the floor and fracturing his skull".

He said the entire incident was captured on CCTV and witnessed by neighbours.

Cross-examination

The detective also said the accused got drunk and visited the home of a witness, resulting in gardai being called and the accused being "guided away".

Cross-examined by counsel, the garda agreed the video evidence had been seized under warrant, and the witnesses who provided the footage were unnecessary.

The detective claimed that a few days after the incident, she went to Balbriggan Garda station asking for the return of her passport and that she had told a family liaison she intended to return to the Czech Republic.

The court heard the accused had no prior convictions, and counsel said she could abide by conditions and have no contact with witnesses.

Pleading for bail, Mr Thompson said she had "no means" and had just 45 on her, and was receiving a social welfare payment and a carer's allowance.

The deceased man's daughter, Karen Ryan, told the hearing the accused had been and had called to her Balbriggan home just after 11 pm, August 15th.

She agreed she told her to leave and claimed the accused had to be "guided away" from her house and was shouting.

The court heard an eyewitness had been staying with Ms Ryan.

Mr Thompson said Ms Hertova could live at a different address, perhaps in an alternative town. He suggested she could be told only to leave her accommodation to visit her doctor, collect her social welfare and go shopping every Friday.

The barrister said his client would have to move into homeless hostel accommodation if she had to leave her current address.

He added that there was no evidence of threats to witnesses and pointed out that she had faced a lengthy time until her trial.

Judge Leech held there was no witness intimidation evidence, but the request for her passport caused the court grave concern.

However, she noted the defendants had no prior convictions and set bail in her bond of 5,000. However, she also ordered approval of an independent surety of 10,000 before Ms Hertova could be released.

The judge said that when bail is taken up, she must have no contact with witnesses, including by social media, sign on regularly at a garda station, obey a 10 pm to 6 am curfew, and not leave her home unless she notifies Detective Garda Hughes.

Judge Leech remanded in custody with consent to bail to appear again via video link on September 4th and granted her legal aid.

The charge is under section four of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.
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.

United States Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced on Tuesday that protections against oil and gas development  including mining claims  across 28 million acres of federal lands in Alaska will remain intact.

Many of Alaskas Native Tribes, Tribal entities and Native Corporations have said the lands are crucial for safeguarding important natural, subsistence and cultural resources, a press release from the Department of the Interior (DOI) said.

The action by DOI was in response to the unlawful decision of the previous administration to remove longstanding protections  withdrawals  without conducting a sufficient analysis of potential impacts on subsistence and other essential resources, appropriate consultation with Tribes and other legal requirements. The sweeping move would have allowed millions of acres to be opened to extractive development activities and taken away the federal subsistence priority for millions of acres.

The decision had been put on hold so that these potential impacts could be given full consideration, as well as to allow time for engagement with Alaska Native communities and the public.

Tribal consultation must be treated as a requirement  not an option  when the federal government is making decisions that could irrevocably affect Tribal communities. I am grateful to the team at the Bureau of Land Management for taking the time to ensure that we approached this decision with the benefit of feedback from Alaska Native communities, and to the Tribal leaders who shared with us the impact that a potential revocation of the withdrawals would have on their people, Haaland said in the press release.

During the public process, Alaska Native Tribes and Corporations, urban and rural communities and the public gave their input during 19 community meetings. The public comment period revealed overwhelming support for the retention of the withdrawals. Roughly 15,000 public comments were received by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on the Environmental Impact Statement draft.

The BLM analyzed a set of alternatives ranging from partial to full revocation. The BLMs analysis found that revoking any of the protections would likely harm subsistence hunting and fishing in communities that would lose federal subsistence priority over certain lands, ranging from 44 to 117 communities, depending on the alternative. The analysis also found that lifting all or even some of the withdrawals could have lasting negative impacts on wildlife, vegetation and permafrost, the press release said.

The announcement builds on the current administrations conservation actions for millions of acres of Alaskas lands and waters. These include protecting roughly 2.8 million acres in the Beaufort Sea so that new oil and gas leases are prohibited in the whole of the U.S. Arctic Ocean, implementing maximum protections for 13 million-plus acres in Special Areas of the western Arctic and preventing irreversible harms to permafrost and Tribal subsistence uses by rejecting the proposed Ambler Road at the base of Brooks Range.

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, Haaland said.

The withdrawals were established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and stretch across East Alaska, the Bering Sea-Western Interior, Kobuk-Seward Peninsula, Ring of Fire planning areas and the BLMs Bay.

The landscapes covered by the action are vital for wildlife, including three of the largest caribou herds in North America and 5,000 miles of Alaskas salmon streams, a press release from Sierra Club said. These lands provide essential migration corridors for animals, connecting them with other wildlife habitat conservation areas.

This is a big deal for the communities and wildlife who call Alaska home. 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. These 28 million acres are some of the last truly intact wildlands in the United States, said Dan Ritzman, Sierra Club Conservation campaign director.
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.

Speaking from Tonga on Tuesday, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a global SOS, urging governments to increase climate action to Save Our Seas.

Guterres called for international leaders to slash global greenhouse gas emissions, rapidly phase out fossil fuels and boost investments in climate adaptation to protect people from future and current risks, UN News reported.

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 said in a sea level rise press conference in Nukualofa, Tongas capital. But if we save the Pacific, we also save ourselves. The world must act and answer the SOS before it is too late.

Guterres emphasized that average sea levels worldwide are rising at rates not seen in the last 3,000 years.

The reason is clear: greenhouse gases  overwhelmingly generated by burning fossil fuels  are cooking our planet. And the sea is taking the heat  literally, he said.

In the last 50 years, Earths seas have absorbed 90-plus percent of global heating. As water temperatures rise, water expands. Meanwhile, melting ice sheets and glaciers have increased the volume of the ocean, causing it to overflow.

Two new UN studies throw the situation into sharp relief, the UN chief said.

A World Meteorological Organization (WMO) study, State of the Climate in the South-West Pacific, along with a UN Climate Action Team report, Surging seas in a warming world, show that changes to the ocean are accelerating, with devastating impacts, Guterres said.

The two reports illustrate how sea surface temperatures across the globe are continuing to break monthly records. Meanwhile, marine heat waves are lasting longer and becoming more intense. Since 1980, they have doubled in frequency. Rising sea levels are making the severity and frequency of coastal flooding and storm surges more pronounced as well.

Todays reports confirm that relative sea levels in the Southwestern Pacific have risen even more than the global average  in some locations, by more than double the global increase in the past 30 years, Guterres said.

Guterres explained that, as the average elevation of the Pacific Islands is barely above sea level, they are uniquely exposed. Roughly 90 percent of the islands inhabitants are within 3.1 miles of the coast, with half of infrastructure within 0.3 miles of the coastline.

Without drastic cuts to 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, Guterres warned.

The UN chief highlighted the findings of emerging science, which suggest that a rise of two degrees Celsius in the average global temperature above pre-industrial levels could mean the collapse of the West Antarctica and Greenland ice sheets, essentially condemning future generations to unstoppable sea level rise of up to 20 metres  over a period of millennia.

Currently the planet is on course for a three-degree temperature increase above pre-industrial levels, which would lead to sea level rise occurring much faster, causing catastrophic conditions in Tonga and other low-lying island nations.

Surging seas are coming for us all  together with the devastation of fishing, tourism, and the Blue Economy, Guterres said.

He pointed out that approximately a billion people on the planet live in coastal regions, including megacities like Los Angeles, Dhaka in Bangladesh, Shanghai, Mumbai and Lagos, Nigeria.

Coastal flooding and other extreme events would occur more frequently with rising seas, the UN chief said. A temperature increase of 2.5 degrees Celsius could up the rate of these disasters from once a century to once every five years by 2100.

The economic damage could reach trillions of dollars without new protection and adaptation measures, and Guterres urged world leaders to take action to prevent this immediately.

He emphasized the necessity of limiting worldwide temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius by cutting global emissions 43 percent compared to 2019 levels by 2030, and 60 percent by 2035.

The secretary-general called on governments to provide new Nationally Determined Contributions  climate action plans  by 2025, which they promised to do at last years UN COP28 climate conference.

Guterres urged G20 nations, which are the biggest emitters in the world, to lead efforts to reduce fossil fuel emissions. He also highlighted the need to massively increase finance and support for vulnerable countries. We need a surge in funds to deal with surging seas.

He also pointed out the importance of making significant contributions to the Loss and Damage Fund to support vulnerable countries, like those in the Pacific Islands.

Finally, we need to protect every person on Earth with an early warning system by 2027, the UN chief said. That means building up countries data capacities to improve decision-making on adaptation and coastal planning.
LUDZIDZINI - Imbali has been warned against engaging in same sex relations during the course of the Reed Dance.The annual Reed Dance, know as Umhlanga, is an annual event where maidens from all four regions of the country assembly in one place, for the fetching of reed from swamps, with instruction from His Majesty King Mswati III. The reed is then used to cover enclosures (emaguma) in the countrys royal residences and royal kraals. During the event, which is aimed at encouraging the girl child to preserve her purity, the young girls are afforded the opportunity to showcase their chastity before Their Majesties and the entire world. The event is not limited to emaSwati, but open to other African tribes with the same belief. The maidens were yesterday warned against engaging in the act, upon arrival to register for the event at Ludzidzini Royal Residence. You are warned against engaging in same sex relationships during the course of the event. War unto those who will be found to have engaged in same sex relations here, said one of the tindvuna repeatedly.



Lilahle



Akukabhekeki kutsi bese nitsandzana nebebulili bunye. Lotawutfolakala asente njalo, nalo lilahle kuye, said the indvuna in vernacular. The young girls were also warned against singing vulgar songs during the event. They were further warned against artificial hair and urged to maintain natural hair.The indvuna went on to warn the maidens against wearing leggings, sun shades and miniskirts, as well as going to other events, such as the Trade Fair.You are strictly warned against loitering. No one is expected to be found at the Gables without valid reasons. You are also warned against littering, warned the indvuna.



Relations



The young girls were also warned against engaging in sexual relations during the course of the event. They were reminded that they are expected to sleep separately from tindvuna.Akukabhekekeki kutsi kube khona losavuka elawini, said the tindvuna in vernacular, loosely translated to mean: No one is expected to wake up in a mans house.

The young girls were urged to remain in their camps, pending orders of each day. They were also informed about bathing at intervals. The maidens will assembly at Ludzidzini Royal Residence today, pending their dispersal by The Queen Mother. They would then march to Ngabezweni Royal Residence, where they would be commissioned by the King to fetch the reed today.








The company is attending PCIM Asia for the first time

Wise-integration, a French pioneer in digital control of gallium nitride (GaN) and GaN ICs for power supplies, announced the launch of a subsidiary based in Hong Kong to help Chinese customers achieve their power- performance/cost goals and accelerate its growing business in China.

In addition to serving as the companys financial hub for regional transactions and boosting its presence generally in the Asian market, the subsidiary will enable the company to take advantage of business opportunities in China, a large and receptive market for its GaN-based power electronics solutions with digital control.

Wise-integration Ltd. is our gateway for tapping into the vast Chinese market, said Thierry Bouchet, Wise-integrations CEO. As our recent announcements have shown, Asian companies are interested in partnering with Wise-integration to integrate our novel power-control technologies. With this Hong Kong-based subsidiary, we will focus on new opportunities in China, especially the premium consumer SMPS, light industrial, motor-control, light e-transportation and e-automotive markets.

Since its launch in 2020, the fabless company has established itself as an award-winning innovator in the power electronics industry, building a portfolio of more than 10 patent families with two product lines. WiseGan encompasses GaN power integrated circuits designed to maximize the benefits of GaN technology, including higher power density, efficiency and reduced heat generation. WiseWare is a 32-bit, MCU-based, AC-DC digital controller optimized for GaN-based power supply architectures. It offers simplified system design, a lower bill of materials and improved power density and efficiency.

In the past two years, Wise-integration announced partnerships with companies in South Korea and Taiwan to help bring its technologies to those markets. The companys product markets include consumer electronics and industrial applications like robotics, as well as data centers and electric vehicles. All of its solutions address the increasing demands for miniaturization, electrification and efficient power management.

Led by James Ho, as China business development director, Wise-integration Ltd. is based in HKSTP (the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park), a world-renowned center of innovation and technology with more than 2,000 companies.

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As millions of young people head back to school, Snap wants to help educators have a better understanding of how teens use Snapchat, and be aware of the safety resources and protections that are available. The Educators Guide to Snapchat features videos that detail features that schools can employ, as well as safeguards for young people.

The guide offers educators materials they can pass along to parents and counselors to help students navigate serious online risks such as bullying, mental health concerns and sextortion. Through a new form , Snap is also seeking feedback from educators directly about how the app is used in school communities.

Snap's aim is to help educators stay connected with their students, and having a working knowledge of online platforms plays an important role in that. A toolkit that the company developed in partnership with Safe and Sound Schools provides educators with information on how to better support the online safety and wellbeing of their students. There is, of course, an onus on explaining how Snapchat works.
The game that could destroy the world. Or at least your work break.

As a regular reader of TMA, you might have picked up on regular references to the addictive card-game-that-isnt-a-card-game, Balatro. If you want to get technical, its a single-player poker-themed rogue-like deck builder game where you build and modify your decks with powerful joker cards to overcome scores that increase in each round. (I am aware of how boring that makes it sound, but trust me: Its amazing)

If youre not playing it yet, get on it. The makers have announced a collaboration with a handful of games, introducing new themed decks based on The Witcher, Vampire Survivors (another addictive game recently added to Apple Arcade), Dave the Diver and Among Us.

These themed decks are seemingly the only twist. There are no super-powered new jokers, but a new challenge is welcome. Now, wheres that mobile version? According to the creator of Black Mirror, it could end humanity.

 Mat Smith

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There are 12 charges in total.

French authorities have arrested Telegram boss Pavel Durov on charges that include money laundering and distributing child pornography. The charges reportedly come from a judicial investigation opened in July against an unnamed individual. The arrest has sparked debate around how much responsibility platform owners have for content on their platforms. Telegram denies the charges, while Elon Musk (ugh) has called for Durovs release. French President Emmanuel Macron defended the arrest, stating France is committed to upholding the law.

Continue reading.

A capable AI PC but issues with Windows on Arm.

The XPS 13 is a capable and stylish Copilot+ PC, but its still slower than the Intel model, at times. On top of that, it doesnt run some games and apps. Sadly, battery life is also surprisingly average. With an NPU capable of 45TOPS, the laptop is better equipped for future AI features.

Continue reading.

Its set to launch in October.

HMDs Barbie Phone finally has pricing and release info. The Mattel-sanctioned hot pink flip-phone launches in October  only 15 months after Greta Gerwigs movie hit theaters!  for $129. Better late than never? Or just never?

Continue reading.
Solar Landscape will put down millions of square feet of solar panels on sun-exposed spaces in 46 states and Puerto Rico.

Electrek reports that a solar energy company is renting 8.5 million square feet of roof space from the National Storage Affiliates Trusts (NSA) buildings for its newest solar panel project.

The commercial and community solar developer Solar Landscapes new rooftop solar panel grid on the NSAs 1,052 self-storage facilities and properties across 42 states and Puerto Rico are expected to produce at least 100 megawatts of solar capacity. The NSA, headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado, is one of the nations largest self-storage operators with brands like iStorage, Move It, Northwest and SecurCare.

These solar energy panels wont just generate power for the NSAs facilities. The panels will also provide clean power to nearby businesses and homes for a discounted price.

One of the challenges of implementing solar energy is finding enough space for the solar panels. These panels can take up a lot of space, like the Noor Abu Dhabi solar plant that set a world record in 2019 with 3.2 million solar panels taking up over 3 square miles of space.

Solar Landscape and the NSA may have found an interesting solution to solar panel projects space problem. If this partnership is successful, it could inspire similar deals for other communities looking to benefit from solar power technology.
Mark Zuckerberg says he regrets that Meta gave in to pressure from President Joe Biden's administration to censor certain content related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Monday, the Meta chairman and CEO discussed what he described as interference from the Biden administration in a letter to the House Judiciary Committee amid its investigation into content moderation on online platforms.

According to Zuckerberg, senior administration and White House officials "repeatedly pressured" his teams for months to suppress some COVID-19 stories and posts, including humor and satire, back in 2021.

The billionaire wrote that these officials "expressed a lot of frustration" with Meta when his company initially refused to comply.

In his letter, Zuckerberg said that while taking certain content down and making COVID-19-related changes to their policy were ultimately his company's decision, he believes that the government pressure they faced in 2021 was "wrong."

He added that he now regrets that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, had not been more outspoken about the issue.

"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," Zuckerberg wrote in the letter.

The tech mogul went on to admit that Meta downplayed content about Hunter Biden and his laptop in the run-up to the 2020 election.

He said that at the time, Meta received a tip from the FBI about potential Russian disinformation around President Biden's son and the Ukrainian firm Burisma.

As a result of the warning, Zuckerberg said his team temporarily demoted a New York Post story alleging Biden family corruption while fact-checkers reviewed it.

However, Zuckerberg said that "it's since been made clear that the reporting was not Russian disinformation" and expressed regret over demoting it in the first place.

He noted in his letter that Meta has since made changes to its policy to ensure that this never happens again.

The White House responded to Zuckerberg's letter, defending the Biden administration's approach to COVID-19 information at the time.

"When confronted with a deadly pandemic, this Administration encouraged responsible actions to protect public health and safety," a White House spokesperson said in a statement obtained by CNN.

The statement continued, "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."

Meanwhile, House Judiciary Committee Republicans, led by Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, called Zuckerberg's letter a "big win for free speech" in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Actress Adele Heather Taylor is countersuing her estranged husband, Roberto Orci, after Orci filed a lawsuit against her in June alleging domestic abuse.

Roberto Orci, known for his work on 'Star Trek,' 'Transformers,' and 'Hawaii Five-0,' is accused of physically and sexually abusing his estranged wife in a lawsuit.

Taylor's countersuit, filed Monday, details alleged multiple instances of what she describes as Orci's "violent conduct" from March 2018. She accuses him of "abusive behavior," including physical assaults that left her bruised, sexual violence, and verbal degradation.

Taylor claims that in May 2022, Orci pursued her around their Los Angeles residence, restrained her on the ground, and threatened her with rape. The 'Blacklist' actress alleges that the following month, Orci assaulted her again, taunting her with the remark, "You enjoy being raped."

Additionally, Taylor's lawsuit reveals that she was arrested for domestic violence in April 2020 after Orci, 51, called the police during a confrontation where she was defending herself from his attack. Orci later admitted on tape that the arrest was meant to undermine Taylor's credibility and discourage her from reporting his abuse.

According to the lawsuit, Taylor separated from Orci in December 2022 after another reported assault. During this incident, she recorded Orci's threats, including a statement where he allegedly said, "I'll beat the s**t out of you right now just to make you compliant enough to get you thrown out the front door."

Orci subsequently filed a restraining order against Taylor before she could obtain legal protection. Orci's attorney, Daniel Paluch, has denied all allegations, asserting that the matter will be resolved in court. Taylor's countersuit seeks to hold Orci accountable for his alleged abuse and for failing to fulfill his financial obligations to her.

Orci's initial lawsuit also accused Taylor of severe abuse, including tasing, pepper-spraying, and choking him, alongside claims of financial manipulation. He admitted to struggling with alcohol and addiction, noting his history of treatment and rehab.

In Taylor's lawsuit, she deemed her estranged husband a bipolar alcoholic who "seldom takes his medication" who belittles her with insults, according to 'The Wrap.'

The court documents read: "Adele's anguish over Bob's sexual assault and rape on these two occasions was compounded by the pain she still carried from being raped twice as a teenager. Now, Adele felt like a shell of herself. She was traumatized and terrified, and the violence continued."
Fans of 'Beverly Hills, 90210' remember the romance between Donna Martin and David Silver, portrayed by Tori Spelling and Brian Austin Green. Their characters even ended up married in the series finale.

However, the actors themselves lost touch for about 18 years after the show's conclusion in 2000.

Spelling and Green, who also had a romantic relationship during their time on '90210,' per 'TODAY,' discussed their long separation on the August 26 episode of the 'Old-Ish' podcast, which Green co-hosts with fiancee Sharna Burgess and Spelling's brother, Randy Spelling.

In the first part of their two-part special, the actors reflected on their feelings when the Fox series ended. Green described how he tried to maintain their friendship, but Spelling began distancing herself.

Spelling, now 51, recalled their last conversation with sadness. "I was crying. I remember crying that we were going to lose touch because we were so close," she said.

Spelling likened the end of the show to a breakup, explaining, "Like, time to move on. But also like I'm losing that human I'm with every day." She remembered Green's promise that they would stay in touch and even vacation together.

"We're gonna always be together. We're even all gonna go on vacations together," she called him saying, but it was the last time they spoke for nearly two decades.

The two actors also noted how they were not fond of each other's romantic partners. Spelling was seeing Vincent Young, while Green, now 51, was involved with Vanessa Marcil, who is the mother of his son Kassius.

Green attempted to keep their friendship alive, visiting Spelling even when he was with Marcil. "It was just this thing of like, 'She just doesn't want to be my friend,' " he said. Spelling noted her relationship with Young wasn't ideal and felt Green was not supportive, leading her to distance herself.

Spelling also mentioned how Green's relationship with Marcil made it difficult for her to maintain a genuine connection.

The pair's reunion happened years later at a '90210' DVD release party, where Spelling was with her then-husband Dean McDermott, and Green was with Megan Fox. Green recalled Spelling's aloofness at the event, feeling that he had tried his best to reconnect without success.

Spelling confirmed Green's account, acknowledging that their reunion was overdue. They now celebrate their renewed friendship, with Green calling Spelling a "sister" and expressing joy at their rekindled relationship.

"We won," he said. "It's a victory lap that we get to take."
Second Amendment activists are celebrating a change in Hawaii gun laws this year after a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision. And they're doing so by brandishing swords, axes and knives in public.
The 10th Chinese Exposition of Museums and Relevant Products and Technologies (referred to as "Expo") was held in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. The theme of this year's Expo is "High-Quality Development of Museums: Emphasizing Both Research and Education, Integrating Digital and Physical Approaches," co-hosted by the Chinese Museums Association and the Hohhot Municipal Government, with support from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Department of Culture and Tourism. Founded in 2004, the Expo is the most influential event in China's cultural and museum sector and also the largest professional museum exhibition in Asia. This year's Expo saw the participation of 552 museums and related companies, with an exhibition area exceeding 50,000 square meters. Guided by the Anhui Provincial Department of Cultural Heritage and led by the Anhui Museum Association, the "Anhui Pavilion" covered an area of 225 square meters. The Anhui delegation organized the participation of nearly 30 museums, including the Anhui Museum, Huangshan City Museum Association, and Fuyang City Museum Alliance, among 12 units, in this grand event. Each museum brought along their distinctive high-quality cultural and creative products, conducting a variety of exhibits and public educational activities. This Expo also hosted the Board of Directors meeting of the Chinese Museums Association, main forums, and 8 academic conferences. In addition, there were 40 public events including specialized lectures, experiential activities, and public displays. The participants from our province actively engaged in related activities, fully exchanged ideas with other participating museums, earnestly studied and drew from new technologies, innovative ideas, and achievements in the cultural museum sector. They strived to explore new models for the protection and inheritance of excellent traditional cultures, while actively promoting Anhui's voice and sharing Anhui's experiences. Selected by the organizers of the Expo, the Anhui Museum Association received the Best Organization Award at the 10th Expo, and the Anhui Museum won the Best Exhibition Gold Award (Museum category).

Source: anhuinews.com
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says senior Biden administration officials pressured Facebook to censor some COVID-19 content during the pandemic. He vowed that the social media giant would push back if it faced such demands again.
Nine Palestinians were killed after Israel launched a major military operation in the north of the occupied West Bank. Israel says all nine killed are militants and that the operation is aimed at preventing attacks on Israeli civilians. Palestinian health officials say the Israeli operations into Jenin and Tulkarem have blocked off access to hospitals and ripped up roads and infrastructure.
Ukraine first lady wants country's kids to see themselves as 'generation of winners' not war victims

Ukraine first lady wants country's kids to see themselves as 'generation of winners' not war victims
Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (RFK Jr) has done the unthinkable. He has spoken a powerful truth about the Democratic Party that has been heard around the world.

Truth comes with costs. Not only did RFK, Jr defy the Democratic Party leadership by launching an independent campaign for the presidency, but he has also committed the unforgivable sin of endorsing Donald J. Trump. What he has done requires great courage and fortitude. He has become one of the profiles in courage that his late Uncle John F. Kennedy wrote about all those years ago in 1955.

Let me wax nostalgic for a moment. As children of the 1960s, both Kennedy and I share a lot in common. We are baby boomers whose 1954 birthdates are less than two months apart. Our age was the age of political protest, civil rights, and patriotism.

We both had front row seats to the birth of social movements that empowered women, gays, blacks, and environmentalists. We witnessed the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (1963), Malcom X (1965), Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (April 1968) and Robert F. Kennedy, SR (June 1968). Although the assassinations left us stunned, we grew up at a time when it was common for children to believe that we lived in the greatest country on earth and that being an American was something special to cherish.

Most significantly, we both grew up in an era that had us wanting to serve our nation. Many of us remember that powerful line from his late uncles presidential address: Ask not what your country can do for youask what you can do for your country. Those words meant something powerful for the generation old enough to reflect on the meaning of the words.

As RFK Jr pointed out in his speech announcing he was suspending his campaign, the national Democratic Party of the 1960s were perceived as being champions of the Constitution and civil rights. Kennedy said:

The Democrats stood against authoritarianism, against censorship, against colonialism, against imperialism, and against unjust wars. We were the party of labor, of the working class.

However, todays Democratic Party is unrecognizable. It has rejected everything that made America great in the world. It has turned against the competitive election of candidates who compete and debate each other for its presidential nomination. Instead, it now installs hand-picked candidates that the media anoints.

While it decries racism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia, and other great evils, the Democratic Party has a pattern of using members of identity groups to help it advance its own goals, even though those goals are often against the best interests of the American people, including members of the identity groups it purports to represent.

Democrats today are the party of elitism, wealth, big money, big pharma, and judicial activism that uses lawfare to punish its political opponents, even if this means passing laws to invent crimes that were not recognized as crimes until the party perceives an interest in taking down an opponent.

According to Kennedy, what alarms him most is the Partys, resort to censorship, media control, and weaponization of federal agencies. When a U.S. president colludes with, or outright coerces, media companies to censor political speech, its an attack on our most sacred right of free expression. And thats the very right upon which all of our other constitutional rights rest.

Indeed, propaganda and control of the media have robbed Americans of open and honest debate associated with free societies. As evil as that is, it gets even worse.

The Democrats have a plan for destroying the U.S. Supreme Courts autonomy by stacking the courts with liberal justices expected to render decisions long sought by progressives who would like to turn America into a socialist nation. To get the simple majority needed to change the size of the court, the Democrats are willing to promise the moon.

Americans who are struggling are being enticed with promises of free to solve their problems: free housing, free healthcare, free education, free transportation, pretty much anything they desire. Of course, if this were to happen, America would go the way of Venezuela, Cuba, and other failed national experiments.

I left the Democratic Party in the early 2000s and like RFK Jr, I became an independent until 2009. As it has for RFK Jr recently, it dawned on me many years ago that the Democratic Party wasnt truly for freedom. That spurred my evolution. (You can read about my journey in my free e-book, From Democrat to Republican: A Southern Black Womans Journey to Freedom, available through Be the People News.. I wrote being black, Christian, and Democrat was as natural as breathing for me.

My journey away from the Democratic Party came in stages and was closely related to the Christian conversion experience I had in the late 1990s. Coming into Christianity marked a natural progression that took me from Democrat, to independent, to Republican.

As part of this journey, I earned political appointments from both George W. Bush and Barack Obama during my time as an independent, and later as a Republican from President Trump to his short-lived 1776 Commission where I served as vice-chair for less than a month.

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I visited North Carolina State University last week to attend their first ever AI in the Textiles & Fashion Industries conference. The event was a good mix of showcasing some...

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UPDATE on August 27, 2024 @ 6:02 p.m.:

Kalispell Police Department have issued an update regarding an investigation into bullet holes discovered on Aug 26 that had showed up in multiple businesses overnight.

KPD says that after hours of investigation and reviewing surveillance footage they have arrested Lewis Anthony Crooks, a 25-year-old man from Kalispell, in relation to this incident.

Lewis will be held at Flathead County Detention Center and has been charged with Criminal endangerment.

In announcement, Kalispell Police said, "This arrest is a great example of community and police partnerships being critical to public safety."

KPD investigation says the investigation is still ongoing. Anyone with additional information potentially related to this shooting is asked to contact KPD Detective Shane Lidstrom at (406)758-7780.

Original Coverage on August 26, 2024 @ 11:01 a.m.:

KALISPELL, Mont. - The Kalispell Police Department is investigating bullet holes that showed up in multiple businesses overnight.

On August 26, at approximately 9 a.m., officers with KPD responded to a suspicious circumstances complaint in the 300 block of South Main St.

Upon arrival, officers discovered suspected bullet holes in multiple businesses. As a precaution, officers temporarily shut down traffic in the area to search for potential evidence. Normal traffic flow has since resumed.

Currently, there is no evidence that anyone was hurt during the incident. The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information about this suspected shooting is encouraged to contact KPD Detective Chad Sweigart at (406) 758-7791.
If you hunted the internet for grain commentary this week, like I do regularly, the theme of all writers is similar: Somewhere ahead lies the bottom. We dont know when it will come, but we know it is a long way from breakeven.

It has long been said that misery loves company. There is a lot of company to be had this week, exemplified by one article I saw about frustration in the heart of one Illinois farmer.

She was frustrated with working hard pulling a certain noxious week out of soybean fields at the same time she was discouraged about the price levels she sees. Her father was encouraging her by telling her how that is part of the business, and the family and farmers in general have to hang tough.

Writing about discouraging prices below the cost of production always reminds me of I Corinthians 9:10, which says that the farmer ought to plow in hope. Again, in II Timothy 2:6 we are told that The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.

I remember the plaque Squeeze gave me that said, Pray for a good crop, but keep on hoeing!

Unfortunately, I remember too many years when I did not have hope after the crop budget projected negative returns. My biggest hope involved seeing what was left after I covered fixed costs and realizing that the first share went to Farm Credit.

This is turning out to be another year when we are struggling with I Timothy 5:18: You shall not muzzle the ox while it is threshing. That is a picture of the ox not being allowed to eat the grain it is threshing, and it reminds me a lot of the 1980s in my part of the world. The worst thing about these Scriptures is that they remind us that farming, in principle, has not actually changed much in the last few thousand years.

There is little doubt that, if it were easy to get in and out of grain production, a lot of farmers would be at the exits this year. If we look hard enough, we can see sunlight in axioms being created this year, like, Happy is the cattle feeder who buys his grain instead of raising it!

Corn

It should not surprise us, as we hunt for the bottom, that the spec funds added to short corn positions this week. They sold 3,500 corn contracts, according to the Commitment of Traders report. However, they bought 5,000 soybean contracts in the same time. I dont know if this is proof of bottom picking or just a reaction to a little bullishness in soybean markets from good export news.

After the fund position report Aug. 26, we had a pop in soybeans of 8 cents in the November futures contract. This was because of technical buying, which is a common term for the fact that some traders saw something on the charts that was more than just stirred chicken entrails.

At the same time, the corn had technical selling according to some sources. The market knocked a nickel off corn prices Aug. 26.

Levels of drought

If you are looking for a fundamental reason for the corn selling, as I always am, you can point to the amazing U.S. Department of Agriculture estimate that we will have a national average yield of 183.1 bpa this year. That is being helped by the forecast of up to .75 inches of rain coming to the Upper Midwest, and the fact that only 7% of the corn crop is in areas affected by drought. Of course, the same article that gave me that statistic also said that 21% of the corn acres were affected by dry weather, just not actual drought.

Put Ohio in the drought column. We are told that 59% of the crop in Ohio is being affected by dry conditions. This would be why I got a call from a Somerset, Ohio farmer last week in which he mentioned the corn was being hurt by drought there.

On the whole, however, the eastern states are showing yield potential greater than the USDA predicted, according to the Pro Farmer Crop Tour that finished last week. There, participants noted that some Corn Belt acres were worse than predicted, but the eastern states were better.

Notable, according to them, was Minnesota. They say the crop there is struggling and looks rough, but USDA says they will have as good a crop as last year. Pro Farmer puts the nations crop at 181.1 bushels, lower than USDA, but not by a lot. Their yield would result in a production of just under 15 billion bushels. That yield would get carryout below two billion bushels.

Pro Farmer puts the soybean crop at 4.74 billion bushels, from a yield of 54.9 bpa. That would add 140 million bushels to ending stocks. In this case, the Pro farmer numbers were bearish to soybeans, but prices actually went up Aug. 26.

Trading

Chicago wheat traded a close below $5, at $4.98 last week. That means we are trading all three major commodities below the nice round numbers that we used to think were price floors. December corn futures were at $3.87 late Aug. 26, and November soybeans were at $9.80 3/4.

It is a little scary that the most optimistic piece I read this week was from a farmer glad that she followed a disciplined marketing plan. Early, when she prepaid some fertilizer, she sold some grain at what she hoped was just a starting place. It ended up being the only grain sold at a decent profit.

The award for best article of the week should go to Bruce Knorr with Farm Progress. He went into detail about the difference in price trends between election years and all other years. Additionally he charted price trends that showed when we could expect some trend changes.

His thesis was that election years brought the uncertainty of tariffs, taxes and trade, based upon policy changes. His charts indicated that corn futures tended to continue lower into December, but that in election years, the turn tended to come in October. In soybeans, the trend change seems to come as early as October.

The same article talks about the October surprises that we have seen on Wall Street in the years of 1869, 1929, 1987 and 2008. This week, we set a new record for the Dow, well above 14,000.

In 1970, I lived in India with a small investor. If I remember one Michelob moment correctly, he was struggling with the idea that the Dow might get to 3,000. Surely, I could have found a few backs along the way to invest in the last 55 years!
TOLEDO, Ohio  The Farmer Veteran Coalition Ohio Chapter is hosting a Small Ruminant Workshop for veteran farmers Sept. 21 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Wallace Family Boers, 3574 County Road 660, Gibsonburg, Ohio.

Farmers will learn what you need to know about selling small ruminant products, small ruminant nutritional needs, internal parasite and FAMACHA training and with then tour a goat and hay farm. The presenters include Dr. Sherrie Nuttle, Ohio Department of Agriculture Division of Meat Inspection Regional Veterinarian; Brooks Warner, Ohio State University Agriculture and Natural Resource Extension educator; Nellie Rowland, Central State University Agriculture and Natural Resource Extension Educator; and Bill Wallace, farm owner and host.

The workshop is open to veteran farmers and beginning farmers interested in ruminant production, but space is limited to the first 30 registrants. Lunch will be provided. Register at https://forms.office.com/r/CEFGXhWMPV. For more information, contact Isabel Montez, at imontez2640@gmail.com.
Tehran, Aug 27 (UNI) Mohammad Javad Zarif, who had resigned from his new post as Iranian vice president for strategic affairs earlier this month, withdrew his resignation on Tuesday.

Writing in a post on social media platform X, Zarif said he will continue to perform his duties as vice president for strategic affairs after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's "prudent" follow-ups and consultations and with his written directive.

Zarif said the first meeting between with Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Pezeshkian's administration earlier in the day, which included the highest presence of female, ethnic and religious representatives, proved Pezeshkian's "honesty and courage" in honoring his election campaign promises.
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio  Jackson DeWitt and Mailynne Rudnicki, of Global Impact STEM Academy, have qualified for the regional agriscience fair competition hosted by The Big E in West Springfield, Massachusetts this September.

Out of the 36 state winners from Ohio, only six student projects were selected to advance to the regional event. DeWitts research project, titled Seed Varietal Impact on Soybean Yield, examined four different soybean seed varieties commonly used in Ohio. His goal was to determine which seed variety produced the greatest yield, emphasizing the importance of optimizing agricultural land by planting the most productive seeds. Rudnickis experiment, The Effect of Wheel Track Type on Soil Bulk Density, utilized robot model tractors with various wheel and treaded track configurations to measure soil compaction. She applied a soil bulk density formula to calculate which wheel or track type resulted in the least soil compaction. Rudnickis project seamlessly integrated her passion for mathematics with her knowledge of soil science, structure and porosity gained from her agriculture classes.

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio  Six students from the Global Impact STEM Academy FFA have been named national finalists this year in the National FFA Agriscience Fair that will take place during the National FFA Convention & Expo from Oct. 23-26 in Indianapolis.

In the Environmental Services and Natural Resource Systems category, Mailynne Rudnicki will compete in Division 1 and Elise Hess will compete in Division 3. In the Plant Systems category, Joseph Antinori will compete in Division 1 and Jackson DeWitt will compete in Division 3. In the Power, Structural and Technical Systems category, Levi Webster will compete in Division 1 and Phoebe Green will compete in Division 5.



WEST SALEM, Ohio  The Northwestern-Wayne FFA chapter attended the Wayne/Ashland County Dairy Service Unit Twilight Tour located at the Wayne County Fairgrounds on July 16. Members of the chapter were able to dump the trash, serve ice cream and cheese, check people in and restock the water and milk. The Twilight Tour products were showcased by the local producers from all over Ohio and the Wayne County area. The members that were present at the 2024 Twilight tour were Chet McNeil, Triston Flinn, Emma Connelly, Makenna Connelly, Brooke Hershey, Mallory Gilbert and McCullough Porter. The Dairy Twilight Tour is an event hosted each year for members of the community wishing to learn more about the dairy industry while enjoying dairy products.

WEST SALEM, Ohio  Northwestern FFA participated in the parade to celebrate the 175th Wayne County Fair. Members of the chapter took time the week of Aug. 15 to begin constructing the float for this celebration. The theme for the float was production agriculture, depicting topics learned and discussed in the classroom. The chapter enjoyed passing out agriculture activity booklets, stickers and squishies.

WEST SALEM, Ohio  The officers of the Northwestern-Wayne FFA chapter gathered for the 2024-2025 officer retreat from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Aug. 14 at Northwestern High School. The officers worked together to create personal and team goals and also decided to choose a word to look back on throughout the year. The team chose the word PLANT  Plan, Lead, Act, No one left behind, Teamwork. After this, the team defined its responsibilities and expectations for the year before reflecting on last years activities, selecting which to continue and which to remove. The officer team wrapped up the retreat by creating a monthly planning calendar that will help the organization throughout the year.

WEST SALEM, Ohio  Mallory Gilbert of the Northwestern FFA chapter was among the students traveling to D.C this summer to attend the Washington Leadership Conference to engage with legislators, hone civic engagement and leadership skills and create community impact projects to take back to their cities and towns.

Gilbert attended the conference June 18-26 and spent the week under the guidance of professionals, counselors and FFA staff. In workshops, seminars and small groups, members focused on identifying and developing their personal strengths and goals while undergoing comprehensive leadership training that will help them guide their local FFA chapters. The capstone of the event was a civic engagement activity where participants applied what they had learned to a hands-on activity.

The students participating analyzed the needs of their communities, developed wide-ranging and high-impact community service initiatives and implemented their plans with the help of their FFA chapters upon returning home.

Students in recent years have promoted agricultural literacy, brought attention to abuse, collected and distributed shoes to individuals in Haiti, created a hunger awareness plan and more.

FFA members were able to experience the history of our nations capital and tour landmarks, including the Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol building, the White House, Fords Theatre, Arlington Cemetery, the Smithsonian museum and the WWII, Vietnam and Hiroshima memorials. Each day of the conference focused on a different principle taught through the context of our nations capital: exploration, encouragement, advocacy and service.

The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 1,000,000 student members as part of 9,163 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The mission of the FFA is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
Concerns have been raised over the future stability of the Welsh beef sector after new half-yearly data shows a 'serious shrinkage' in cattle supply.

There were 213,200 calf birth registrations in Wales during the first six months of 2024, a decrease of over 10,000 calves year-on-year and a fall of 4% compared to Jan-June 2023.

This is according to new figures by British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS), which mark the lowest number of half-year calf registrations recorded in Wales in several years.

The stark figures show that this is well below the peak of nearly 230,000 head in 2021.

This decline also mirrors trends across the rest of Britain, with English registrations also 4% down and 2% for Scotland.

Analysing this, Hybu Cig Cymru-Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) said there would now be 'serious concerns' for many in the Welsh red meat sector.

Glesni Phillips, HCCs analysis insight executive, said: As cattle numbers in key age brackets fall, there are concerns around the critical mass needed to promote and maintain industry stability, which presents an overall concerning outlook for beef production."

The BCMS data reveals the number of calves that could be available for beef production has fallen to 173,600 head, its lowest level in several years.

Although some of the beef females will be retained as suckler replacements in the herd, this figure is 4% lower - thats 7,400 head- than the number available during the first half of 2023.

Ms Phillips warned that this would likely have 'significant implications' for the future of beef supply in Wales.

HCC's own analysis offers a more detailed breakdown of the figures. Short-term cattle supply across GB is expected to remain relatively stable, with the number of cattle aged 12-30 months down just 0.3% year-on-year.

However, looking ahead, the number of cattle in the 012-month age bracket is significantly lower, down by 4%, suggesting that future beef supply across GB could be constrained.

Female dairy calf registrations in Wales between January and June decreased by 6% compared to the same period in 2023.

Male dairy calf numbers were down by 14%, resulting in an overall decline of eight per cent, or nearly 5,100 head in the number of dairy calf registrations.

Beef calf registrations were down 3% -or 4,600 head- to nearly 158,100 head in this half-year period, some 2% lower than 2022 and the lowest figure since 2019.

Ms Phillips said: Both beef female and male calf registrations saw similar year-on-year declines of 3%, while the gender distribution remained relatively stable.

"Beef registrations made up 74% of total calf registrations in Wales, up from 70% in 2021.

"This shift in the balance between dairy and beef within the Welsh herd could change the future supply of beef if this trend continues."
A group of farmers are looking to turn back the clock on microplastic pollution by wrapping hay bales in biodegradable twine instead of single-use plastics.

Farmers from 12 sites across Britain are wrapping bales using twine from sisal, a cactus-like plant that was widely used before plastic became popular.

Plastic net wrap is used on farms across the UK, but it sheds microplastics that pollute water and soil and end up getting eaten by livestock.

Researchers say is a major environmental issue, with the UK producing an estimated 135,000 tonnes of agricultural plastic waste annually.

Field lab coordinator Stuart Oates, who is taking part in the Innovative Farmers trial, farms cattle on Rosuick Organic Farm on Cornwalls Lizard peninsula.

Experimenting with sisal, he aims to remove all plastics from his farm, and eventually replace fossil fuels entirely.

He said: Plastic net wrap is a nightmare material. Its almost impossible to cut off without small pieces falling into the hay, which then spread into the environment and get eaten by our animals.

This can build up quickly as we process thousands of bales a year. The effects of ingesting microplastics on animal and human health is only now starting to be understood, and none of it is good."

Sisal requires few chemical inputs to grow, is easy to use in existing farm equipment and contains no toxic microplastics so can be safely composted.

The one-year trial will compare 5,000 bales, half using sisal twine and half in plastic net wrap, stored in barn conditions ranging from dry to exposed.

The bales will be lab-assessed next year in March and November for protein and sugar content, and to compare the dryness of the material under different conditions.

It is hoped sisal will keep the bales secure and dry, giving farmers a nature-friendly alternative that saves on vet bills and plastic tax.

Mr Oates added: Our early experiments have shown that sisal is incredibly strong and quick to process, so its a win for us and the environment.

Small steps can lead to huge change  we want to see if this can be applied on a larger scale, so were encouraging farmers to join the trial and see how sisal can work for them.

The farmers are now planning how to scale up production, working with contractors to discuss costs.

If the advantages turn out to be significant, they say it could benefit all UK livestock farmers.
The public has raised more than 1,000 for a 'heartbroken' sheep farmer after half of his flock was stolen by thieves.

Around 40 sheep were stolen from James Burns's field in Fareham, Hampshire between 9pm on the 10 August and 2pm the next day.

The stolen livestock include 18 Beulah Speckled Face ewes and 22 Suffolk/Hampshire cross Beulah Speckled Face Lambs.

A JustGiving page was created in response to the incident, which has already raised over the initial goal of 1,000.

The funds will go toward replacing the sheep and the electric fencing that was cut, as well as new CCTV.

"Lets help a British farmer," the page says, "Being a farmer is tough, with the ever growing costs of running a farm but even more when nearly half of your livestock is stolen and your property is damaged.

"We are aiming to raise 1,000 to help with the financial impact from the loss of the sheep."

James Burns, who is a tenant farmer, told ITV News that he was worried about the welfare of his sheep.

You're stressed to where they have gone and whats happened to them and the welfare of them," he said.

"Thats why we spend so long looking for them. You just get worried and the financial hit it will have on the farm as well."

According to the latest figures from NFU Mutual, livestock theft remained high in 2023, at an estimated cost of 2.7m across the UK.
A new 38m UK-wide centre is set to research alternatives to animal proteins, particularly from plants, fungi, algae and meat grown in labs.

The National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC) has a mission to develop "acceptable and planet-friendly alternatives to animal proteins".

Funding has come from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Innovate UK, as well as three universities and the James Hutton Institute.

A statement by the organisations said supplementing traditional agriculture with alternative protein sources was "critical if we are to meet increasing demands sustainably".

Alternative proteins are derived from sources other than animals and include terrestrial and aquatic plants, insects, proteins derived via biomass or precision fermentation and cultured meat.

Over 30 researchers from the institutions will work with the farming industry, regulators, investors, and policymakers to create a "vibrant alternative protein innovation ecosystem".

The organisations said: "Animal agriculture is estimated to produce up to a fifth of planet-warming emissions, and with the global population projected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050, the demand for protein is expected to rise significantly.

"Some sources, such as the UN Environment Programme, estimate meat consumption alone could grow up to 50 percent by 2050.

"We need to find more sustainable sources of protein and thankfully there is a huge biodiversity in non-animal sources of protein, and weve barely scratched the surface of this."

The organisations will also produce a roadmap for the development of a national protein strategy for the UK.
The start dates for the 2024-2025 sugar beet harvest campaign have been announced today by British Sugar.

As this years sugar beet harvest approaches, the processor has shared details of the campaign start dates for each of its four factories.

The beet intake opens on the following dates: Bury St Edmunds - 16 September; Wissington - 16 September; Newark - 23 September; Cantley - 7 October.

Sugar beet growers, hauliers and industry partners have been advised of beet intake times at the factories by email and via the online portal, My British Sugar.

Dan Green, the processor's agriculture director said: As we look ahead to this years campaign, we look forward to working together with growers, harvesters and hauliers.

"Wed like to wish everyone across the British beet sugar industry all the best for a safe and successful campaign.

British Sugar is the sole processor of the UKs beet sugar crop, working with around 2,300 growers in the East of England, East Midlands and Yorkshire.

The processor's four factories can produce up to 1.2 million tonnes of sugar annually.
Kharge, Rahul ask party leaders to help flood affected people in Gujarat

New Delhi, Aug 28 (UNI) Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday termed the flood situation in Gujarat as 'extremely worrying' and asked party leaders to provide all possible support to help the affected people.



On his social media handle X, Mallikarjun Kharge said, The flood situation in Gujarat is extremely worrying as several people have lost their lives and are missing. Our heartfelt condolences to the families of those who have lost their loved ones. Our thoughts are with the affected people, who are in need of urgent food and medical assistance.
Armie Hammer is selling his truck because he "can't afford the gas anymore".

Armie Hammer is selling his truck because he can't afford to fill it up anymore

The 38-year-old actor has revealed he bought himself the GMC pickup as a Christmas present and he "love it intensely" but he's now decided the time has come to swap it for a "tiny" hybrid because filling up was starting to cost too much money.

In a video posted on Instagram, he showed off his beloved vehicle and explained he's putting it up for sale. Armie said: "So, Ive been back in L.A. for a couple of weeks now, this is my truck.

"I bought this for myself in 2017 as a Christmas gift for myself.

"I have loved this truck intensely and taken it camping and across the country multiple times and on long road trips, and I took it for one last road trip to CarMax [used car store].

"[This is] not an ad for CarMax. This is because Im selling my truck. Since being back in L.A., I have put about 4 or 500 dollars worth of gas in it, and I cant afford it. I cant afford the gas anymore."

The 'Death On The Nile' star - who is dad to daughter Harper, nine, and son Ford, seven, with his ex-wife, Elizabeth Chambers - admitted he has fond memories of the truck but is looking forward to a fresh start.

He added: "I mean, this truck, it took the kids home from the hospital and all that stuff. Amazing trips, but you know what, that's okay.

"I've got a new car. It's tiny. It's a hybrid. I'm probably going to put about 10 bucks of gas in it a month and this is it. Here's to new beginnings. Its my birthday tomorrow.

Armie insisted he will be starting his birthday "in a new car, in a new apartment, in a new life in Los Angeles".

It comes after Armie recently admitted his Hollywood career imploded after he was hit by a string of allegations in 2021, including emotional abuse, manipulation, and rape  and the infamous accusation he harboured fantasies of cannibalism.

The actor - who denied the claims against him - explained his career slump during an appearance on the 'Painful Lessons' podcast, saying: "It killed me, it killed my ego, it killed all the people around me that I thought were my friends that werent - all of those people, in a flash, went away.

But the buildings were still standing. Im still here, I still have my health, and Im really grateful for that."
Ben Platt dumped Noah Galvin in the early days of their romance because he was worried they would "ruin" their friendship.

Ben Platt worried he'd ruin his friendship with Noah Galvin

The Broadway stars got engaged in November 2022 and the Tony Award-winning actor has recalled how they started "hooking up" in 2019 while workshopping the musical 'Alice by Heart', only for him to "panic" about the future.

Speaking to Jesse Tyler Ferguson on his 'Dinner's On Me' podcast, Ben said: "We would go to the stairwell during break and make out in the stairwell."

Ben Platt and Noah Galvin

But after a few months, Ben "panicked" and sent Noah a "text that's so long that it has an arrow at the bottom to go to the rest of it."

He recalled: "I sent him a dissertation, and it was like, 'Oh, feel like we're gonna be friends for our whole lives,' and like, 'I'm, I'm worried if we jump into something, it's gonna ruin our chance to be friends.' "

He ultimately declared he wanted them to just be friends, leaving Noah unimpressed as he told him "I hate you".

But Ben admitted: "Basically, now I can tell in hindsight, like, [I] met someone who, like, actually we saw each other and it freaked me out."

The pair - who first met in 2015 through mutual pals - retained a friendship for some time and occasionally ran into one another at events before things eventually turned romantic again.

The 'Book of Mormon' star recently discussed his wedding plans and admitted his only concern is to keep people dancing.

He told People magazine: For me, the only real judge of how the vibe is how many people are on the dancefloor.

Were going to have a band at one point and a DJ at a different point. So thats my focus. Im not someone who needs to focus on the place settings like, beyond food, Im chilling."

Ben previously admitted he and Noah had "skated around" getting into a relationship for a long time.

He told Kelly Clarkson: We were friends for five years, and right before the pandemic, we finally decided to really give it a shot.

We kind of skated around it for a long time.

The actor added in an interview with Out magazine he had finally found a partner that I really love.

He said: (Noah) has a really unique ability to help me to be present where I am and to make the life thats happening day to day too wonderful to not want to be on the ground for it.
Carole King rapped the chorus of Taylor Swift's 'Shake It Off' at the Swifties for Kamala Rally.

Carole King rapped to Shake It Off at the Swifties for Kamala Rally

The 82-year-old music legend hailed the 34-year-old Grammy winner my musical and songwriting granddaughter" at the fundraiser for Kamala Harris' bid to become president on Tuesday (27.08.24) - which has raised more than $100,000.

Carole praising Taylor comes after the 'Cruel Summer' hitmaker inducted the former into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021.

Speaking at the rally - which was not affiliated by Taylor herself - the 'You've Got A Friend' hitmaker said: Im excited about Kamala, because so many people are excited about Kamala.

I have admired her, the idea that this happened, and the stars lined up, and Joe Biden did a really gracious, hard thing to do, and Im so proud of him.  But this is about you. This call is about you.

The iconic songwriter used the platform to encourage people to follow in her footsteps and volunteer to be door knockers to help the 59-year-old Democrat.

She said: Ive been a political activist for years. Ive been a volunteer, Ive been a door knocker, even as a famous person.

Im telling you all this because if any of you are thinking of volunteering to be door knockers or phone callers, but youre a little nervous about what you might say, please believe me: there is nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Taylor has yet to voice her support for Kamala's presidential run, but she did support former president Joe Biden and deputy Kamala in the 2020 election.

However, the group insist its not necessary for the All Too Well hitmaker to speak up.

Swifties for Kamalas Social media manager Rohan Reagan told Cosmopolitan: We are not waiting on Taylor to show her support for Kamala Harris.

We are doing this outside of her, using the platform of Swifties as a way to get people involved in the election. Taylor did throw her support toward Joe Biden during the 2020 election, so it is possible that shell show her support again. But Swifties for Kamala arent waiting for her to do that.

Recently, Kamala's rival in the race, Donald Trump, 78, used fake AI-generated images of people donning Swifties for Trump shirts to falsely claim the pop megastar had endorsed him.
Carrie Underwood has vowed to be kind on American Idol.

Carrie Underwood is the newest judge on American Idol

The Before He Cheats hitmaker has replaced Katy Perry as a judge on the talent show and though the 41-year-old star  who shot to fame when she won the fourth series of the programme in 2005  has pledged to be honest with her feedback to the contestants, she doesnt want to crush their dreams.

Speaking during a surprise appearance at SiriusXMs Music Row Happy Hour in Las Vegas, she said: "I think I can be honest and constructive, but still kind. And I think thats the whole point, because people are coming in and its dreams. Youre part of somebodys story from that moment on."

Despite her country music background, Carrie believes her career has shown enough versatility over the years for her to be credible in commenting on many other genres.

She said: I feel like Ive been so blessed to obviously be so rooted in country music, but Ive been able to be a part of many other genres or music as well.

"I mean, Ive got a song with Papa Roach right now. Its a lot of fun.

"I like to think that I am versatile. And, hopefully, when I listen to people come and audition, I can have any lens I need to put on in terms of what music Im thinking."

Fellow judge Lionel Richie recently praised Carrie as a great addition to the panel.

He told E! News: "It makes a lot of sense. Its not someone we have to get used to. And the fact that she has a great story, she came from American Idol.

"What a great judge, now we don't have to explain anymore, 'We know how you feel.' As artists, we know how you feel, but we've never been in that oval that says, 'American Idol.' She's been there, done that."

Meanwhile, third panelist Luke Bryan joked Carrie will need to up her therapist as a result of working with them.

Asked what advice he has for Carrie, the 48-year-old star said in a TikTok video: "Up her therapist. If she has a therapist, shes probably going to have to double to deal with me and Lionel."

Luke subsequently joked that he was happy to assist his new co-star.

Luke quipped: "Do therapists do gift cards where I can call her therapist and gift her a voucher?"
Channing Tatum has people quote his famous '21 Jump Street' line every time he's at the airport.

Channing Tatum revealed the one movie quote people shout at him whenever he's at the airport

The 44-year-old actor says 'My name is Jeff' isn't "even that funny" but it doesn't stop fans shouting it at him whenever he's catching a flight.

Channing - who starred alongside Jonah Hill as undercover police officers Jenko and Schmidt in the flick - told CinemaBlend: Its weird what happens in pop culture like that, you know? Same with My name is Jeff. Its such a small moment in the movie.

I remember we did a table read and it wasnt even that funny at the table read. It was like whatever. And all of a sudden, man.

He continued: Ive never went through TSA without somebody saying, My name is Jeff.'

Almost every single time I go through TSA.

Channing recently admitted he would "love" to make '23 Jump Street' with Jonah.

The duo starred together in '21 Jump Street' in 2012 and reunited for its sequel '22 Jump Street' two years later, with a third movie initially put into development a decade ago with plans for a 'Men In Black' crossover with James Bobin directing from Rodney Rothman's script, but it never came to fruition.

He told ComicBook.com: "There is a project that was written and its still the best script that Ive ever read for a third movie."

However, the 'Fly Me To The Moon' actor insisted the project never got off the ground due to decisions made higher up the Hollywood food chain.

He said: "A lot of bureaucracy, kind of above the line stuff. Its really hard to get it made and weve been trying to get it done.

The 'Magic Mike' star would still "love" to reunite with Jonah on the long-awaited sequel, and his co-star is also keen on the project.

He added: "You know what, Im going to put some good juju out there and Im going to say I would love to see '23 Jump Street'.

I would love to do it with Jonah, and Jonah I know wants to do it. We would love to just get to go play again.
Glen Powell has defended Ryan Gosling after a producer claimed his appeal is "limited to females".

Glen Powell has defended Ryan Gosling

The 'Twisters' actor has responded after an unnamed Hollywood producer described him as the biggest up-and-coming movie star "in the sense that audiences now go to movies to see him", while taking a thinly veiled shot at the 'Barbie' star.

Speaking to The Wrap, the anonymous producer added: "Unlike an actor like Ryan Gosling whose appeal is mostly limited to female audiences, Glen appeals to both females and males."

Referencing Ryan's role as Ken in 'Barbie', Glen replied on X: "Gosling is a legend. I'm just Glen."

The 'Anyone But You' actor is making waves in Hollywood, with upcoming roles in the likes of Edgar Wright movie 'The Running Man', and Hulu comedy series 'Chad Powers'.

George Clooney recently insisted that major studios have shifted how they work in a way which limits Hollywood's ability to make A-list movie stars.

He told GQ magazine: "They havent developed stars the way the studio system used to.

[Brad Pitt and I] kind of were at the very end of that, where you could work at a studio and do three or four films, and there was some plan to it.

"And I dont think thats necessarily the case anymore. So its harder for you to sell somebody something on the back of a star.

The actor-turned-director, 63, is still one of Hollywoods most bankable stars and has helmed a string of critically acclaimed movies, and he recently jokingly hit out at Quentin, 61, who said some s*** about his Hollywood status.

George  who starred alongside Quentin in Robert Rodriguezs 1996 vampire comedy-horror From Dusk Till Dawn  told the September issue of GQ magazine: Quentin said some s*** 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 (Brad Pitt), 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****** career.
China exported apparel worth $3.687 billion to African countries during the first half of the current year. The continent was the fourth-largest region for Chinese apparel exports, with a share of 5.19 per cent of China's total exports of $71.086 billion during the same period. Trade data indicates that Africa became the fourth-largest market in 2023, after being ranked fifth for shipments from the partner nation in previous years.

The continent was lagging behind the Asia-Pacific, North American, and European markets, whose combined share was over 85 per cent of Chinese apparel exports in the first six months of this year. China's shipments to African countries were noted at $4.704 billion in the first half of 2023, when Africa's share was 6.38 per cent. Last year, shipments to the continent were valued at $8.959 billion, which was 5.75 per cent of China's total apparel exports of $155.830 billion for the same period. Africa was the fourth-largest market for the country, according to Fibre2Fashion's market insight tool TexPro.

China's apparel exports to Africa reached $3.687 billion in H1 of current year, making Africa the 4th largest market for Chinese apparel. This marks a rise from 5th place in previous years. In 2023, Africa accounted for 5.19 per cent of China's total apparel exports of $71.086 billion. Africa trails behind Asia-Pacific, North American, and European markets.

The continent was ranked fifth in 2022 when China exported 4.69 per cent of its apparel (in value) out of a total apparel shipment of $167.746 billion. Its outbound apparel trade with Africa amounted to $7.874 billion in the same year. Africa remained the fifth-largest market in 2022 and in previous years, as the Middle East was ahead of it.

As per TexPro, China's apparel exports to Africa were noted at $8.241 billion in 2021, which was 5.37 per cent of its total apparel exports of $153.403 billion. The shipment to Africa was noted at $6.900 billion (5.55 per cent share) in 2020 and $7.015 billion (5.32 per cent share) in 2019. Chinese apparel exports totalled $124.343 billion and $131.949 billion respectively in these two years.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)
The European Union (EU) balance for trade in goods was 40.4 billion ($45 billion) in the second quarter (Q2) this year, down from 55.3 billion ($61.72 billion) in the previous, according to Eurostat.

The trade balance showed a surplus for four consecutive quarters, following a period of deficits from Q4 2021 to Q2 2023, primarily due to a high deficit for energy offsetting surpluses in other product categories.

The EU balance for trade in goods was $45 billion in Q2 2024, down from $61.72 billion in the previous. The balance showed a surplus for four consecutive quarters, following deficits from Q4 2021 to Q2 2023. In Q2 2024, goods imports from non-EU nations to the EU increased by 3.4 per cent compared with the previous quarter, while exports were almost steady.

In Q2 2024, imports of goods from non-EU countries to the EU increased by 3.4 per cent compared with the previous quarter, while exports were almost steady, rising by 0.7 per cent quarter on quarter.

Imports grew after having declined for six consecutive quarters, while export levels continued to go up for the third quarter in a row, an Eurostat release said.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
G20 merchandise export growth flattened in the second quarter (Q2) of 2024, measured in current US dollars, following a rise in the previous quarter, according to the latest data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). This slowdown was largely attributed to a decline in exports from the European Union (EU), which impacted overall growth figures.

Despite the stagnation in exports, G20 merchandise imports grew by 1.2 per cent in Q2 2024, marking a recovery after seven consecutive quarters of negative growth. This increase was primarily driven by strong import activity in the US and the EU, as per OECD.

In North America, merchandise export growth stagnated in the US during Q2 2024, partly due to reduced exports of industrial supplies and materials. Canada experienced a decline in exports. However, both countries saw an increase in imports.

The EU reported a 0.9 per cent decrease in exports, mainly driven by a downturn in Germany, where sales of chemicals and other manufactured goods were reduced. Nevertheless, the EU recorded positive import growth of 0.2 per cent, marking the first positive quarter since Q2 2022.

In the UK, exports fell by 2 per cent, while imports surged by 8.3 per cent, fuelled by increased demand for machinery and transport equipment.

East Asia presented a mixed picture, with robust merchandise export growth in China and Korea. Conversely, Japan's exports declined by 2.1 per cent, partly due to the impact of a weak yen. After experiencing negative import growth in Q1 2024, imports in China, Korea, and Japan rebounded in the second quarter.

G20 merchandise export growth stalled in Q2 2024, largely due to a decline in EU exports, while imports rose by 1.2 per cent after seven quarters of decline, driven by strong activity in the US and EU. The UK saw a 2 per cent export drop and 8.3 per cent import surge. In East Asia, China and Korea's exports grew, while Japan's exports fell by 2.1 per cent.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DP)
French Lawmakers reject no confidence vote in govt of new PM 09 Oct 2024 | 12:00 AM Paris, Oct 8 (UNI) Deputies of the French National Assembly rejected a no confidence vote in the government of new Prime Minister Michel Barnier, put forward by the left-wing New Popular Front bloc, the results of the vote showed on Tuesday. see more..

Putin invites CIS leaders to BRICS outreach summit in Kazan 08 Oct 2024 | 10:44 PM Moscow, Oct 8 (UNI) Russia will be happy to see the leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) at the BRICS outreach meeting, which will be held on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in the Russian city of Kazan in October, President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday. see more..

Norway raises terror threat level to second highest 08 Oct 2024 | 10:12 PM Oslo, Oct 8 (UNI) The Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) raised the national terror threat level from moderate to high on Tuesday, the second-highest level in the country. In response to the heightened threat, police across Norway will be armed. see more..

iPhone 16 not yet allowed to enter Indonesian market 08 Oct 2024 | 8:02 PM Jakarta, Oct 8 (UNI) Indonesian Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said Tuesday that the Southeast Asian country had yet to allow Apple's newly-released mobile phone product, iPhone 16, to enter the market as the U.S.-based company had not met the import requirement. see more..
The Kerala police has filed a rape case against well-known actor Siddique after a young woman, who once aspired to join the Malayalam film industry, came forward with serious allegations. The complaint surfaced in the wake of the Hema Committee report, which exposed widespread sexual abuse in the industry. Following the allegations, Siddique was forced to resign as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA).







The complaint, registered under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation), claims the crime occurred in 2016 at a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram. The police have assigned a special investigation team to handle the case, as more accusations emerge following the committee's findings. The womans complaint has triggered widespread discussions, reflecting ongoing concerns about gender injustice in the industry.







In response, Siddique approached the police, alleging a criminal conspiracy to defame him and the Malayalam film industry. He urged the authorities to investigate those he believes are behind these allegations. Meanwhile, the police have also registered a separate case against director Ranjith, based on a similar complaint by a Bengali actor.
Police are investigating the death of a 19-year-old Arkansas Tech University student following a shooting at an off-campus residence over the weekend.

Jack Poole, a nursing major, died from a gunshot wound at the scene, according to the Russellville Police Department.

Initial findings suggest the shooting was accidental, though the investigation remains ongoing.

"Arkansas Tech University expresses its condolences to the family and friends of Jack Poole," ATU President Dr. Russell Jones said in a statement on Sunday. "There are no words that can adequately bring comfort at a time like this. Our university community will be present and ready to assist in the grieving process for those close to Jack."

The ATU Health and Wellness Center is providing counseling services to students in need. They can be reached at 479-968-0329 or via email at hwc@atu.edu.
Zeus North America Mining Corp. (formerly Umdoni Exploration Inc.) (CSE:ZEUS)(OTCQB:ZUUZF)(FRA:O92) (the "Company" or "Zeus") announces the Plan of Arrangement dated for reference August 26, 2024 (the "Arrangement") to spin out its Chlore Property located in the Omineca Mining Division of North-Central British Columbia to Zeus' subsidiary Kelso Mining Inc. ("Kelso").

Under the terms of the Arrangement, Zeus' shareholders will be issued one share of Kelso with respect to every 150 shares of Zeus owned on the share distribution record date (the "Share Distribution Record Date"), which will be determined by Zeus's Board of Directors and announced by a news release in advance.

Holders of Zeus options and warrants, who exercise their options and/or warrants before the Share Distribution Record Date, will also be entitled to receive one share of Kelso with respect to every 150 shares of Zeus. The Chlore Property will be transferred to Kelso.

Upon completion of the Arrangement, Zeus shareholders will ultimately own shares in two public companies: Zeus, which will be focused on its properties in the State of Idaho known as the Cuddy Mountain, Selway and Great Western properties and Kelso, which will focus on the Chlore Property.

Completion of the Arrangement is subject to a number of conditions, including the following:

the approval by the shareholders of Zeus by a special resolution at a special meeting (the "Meeting" );

the approval of the Supreme Court of British Columbia; and

the acceptance of the Arrangement by the Canadian Securities Exchange.

The Arrangement cannot be completed until all the above conditions are met. A copy of the Arrangement will be posted on www.sedarplus.ca under the profile of the Company.

Additional details regarding the Arrangement will be included in the information circular of the Company, which will be mailed to the shareholders of Zeus prior to the Meeting.

On behalf of the board of directors.

"Dean Besserer"

President and CEO

For more information, please contact the Company at info@zeusminingcorp.com

FOR INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT:

Kin Communications Inc.

Ph: 604-684-6730

ZEUS@kincommunications.com

About Zeus North America Mining Corp.

The Company is in the business of mineral exploration. The Company is focused on its exploration properties in the state of Idaho known as the: Cuddy Mountain; Selway; and Great Western properties, respectively. The Idaho properties consist of 82 (Cuddy Mountain), 57 (Selway) and 38 (Great Western) lode mining claims respectively and cover a cumulative area of approximately 3822.1 acres. The Company's flagship Cuddy Mountain Property is adjacent to Hercules Metal Corp's Leviathan Copper Porphyry discovery.

Forward Looking Statements

When used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of their respective officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the parties can give no assurance that such statements will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements and information in this news release include, amongst others, the Company's plans regarding the Arrangement and exploration plans. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company. There are risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements or implied by such forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others: currency fluctuations; limited business history of the parties; disruptions or changes in the credit or security markets; results of operation activities and development of projects; project cost overruns or unanticipated costs; shareholder, court and regulatory approvals; and general development, market and industry conditions.

The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of its securities or its financial or operating results (as applicable). The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. The Company does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws.

The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

SOURCE: Zeus North America Mining Corp.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Kupfer wird oft als das Gold der Energiewende bezeichnet, weil es aufgrund seiner hervorragenden elektrischen Leitfahigkeit eine zentrale Rolle in vielen Technologien spielt, die fur nachhaltige Energiesysteme entscheidend sind. Experten gehen aufgrund der Angebotsknappheit von einem Superzyklus aus.

Korrektur als Einstiegschance

Nach Hochststanden im Mai korrigierte das rote Metall stark. Die Abwartsspirale verstarkte sich in den vergangenen Tagen aufgrund schwacher Konjunkturdaten aus den USA und China. Langfristig konnte sich die aktuell laufende Korrektur als exzellente Einstiegsmoglichkeit herausstellen.

3 Kupferaktien mit hohem Potential

Im neuen, kostenlosen Spezialreport stellen wir drei aussichtsreiche Unternehmen vor, die bei einem weiteren Anstieg uberproportional profitieren konnten.

Handeln Sie jetzt und sichern Sie sich Ihren kostenfreien Report!
Mesquite, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - Oberg Injury Law Firm has announced the expansion of its personal injury attorney services in Mesquite, Texas. This move aims to serve the growing needs of the community better, particularly with increasing cases attributed to car crashes and industrial equipment catastrophes.

Oberg Injury Law Firm Expands Personal Injury Services in Mesquite, Texas

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/220781_2a67c10a54722b37_002full.jpg

While each state in the US has the authority to select how negligence-based cases are handled, Atty. Gregg cited that Texas is one of those that follow the modified comparative negligence rule, which enables plaintiffs to recover damages as long as they are less than 50% at fault for their accident.

"In other words, in Texas, injured clients may still get compensation as long as they are not more than 50% at fault. It's important to have a personal injury lawyer when dealing with this since the final amount a client receives is affected by the percentage assigned to them," noted Atty. Gregg.

In recent years, Oberg Injury Law Firm, composed of top-notch Texas car accident lawyers, has helped hundreds of injured clients.

The team assists clients hurt in car accidents, motorcycle accidents, rideshare accidents, or catastrophic injuries, which happen when another party causes someone or their loved one to become "catastrophically injured." The team of Texas Car Accident Lawyers also provides personal injury representation in bus accidents, boat accidents, and even slip-and-fall cases, which are very common and need to be supported by strong evidence.

"I only represent people and families who were injured or killed as a result of someone else's negligence," stated Atty Gregg, a board-certified personal injury trial lawyer himself.

The Texas-based law firm has also scaled up its services to provide first-party insurance claim services, where its team represents clients whose insurance claims were unfairly denied.

"Many clients have faced challenges in claiming compensation from their insurance companies, which start to ignore them after an accident. If someone files a legitimate first-party insurance claim and is denied, we help them assert their rights and fight back," noted Atty. Gregg.

Those who want to contact Oberg Injury Law Firm and its Texas car accident lawyers may visit https://www.oberglawoffice.com/ for more information.

About Oberg Injury Law Firm:

Oberg Injury Law Firm is a US-based company dedicated to personal injury cases in Mesquite, Texas. From car to truck and motorcycle accidents, it helps clients get the compensation they deserve.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/220781

SOURCE: Plentisoft
Bryanston, South Africa--(Newsfile Corp. - August 27, 2024) - Following the announcement, Geotheta, an expert tailings company with over 100 completed design projects in the last nine years, is now expanding its services as designers, construction supervisors, and Engineers of Record for clients throughout Africa, Oceania, Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East. In delivering its services, the group collaborates with owners to assist with and optimise tailings storage solutions.

More information can be found at https://www.geotheta.com/.

S. Africa Consulting Engineer Geotheta Expands TSF Design, Management Services

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/220779_e4ba5aaad4bb7818_002full.jpg

As a result of the services expansion, Geotheta's team is now better positioned to provide storage solutions tailored to the specific needs of the site in question, increasing the safety, efficiency, and economics of the project for clients in Africa, Oceania, and the Middle East, among other regions.

Geotheta's professional engineers and scientists work to ensure that the facilities align with regulatory requirements. This is key as the mining industry faces increased attention regarding TSFs.

The team has experience with various types of TSFs and designs facilities for different mineral residues and deposition methods. Their capabilities include slurry deposition techniques, such as cycloning and day-wall construction, as well as paste, filtered, and dry-stacked tailings management. Geotheta adapts its services to the needs of each mining operation based on the site, the meteorology in the area, the minerals being extracted, and the deposition method used.

As part of its service expansion, Geotheta assesses each facility according to the principles and requirements outlined in the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM). Following their assessment, the team assists in developing risk-reduction and TSF enhancement plans to guide mining companies toward compliance with GISTM standards, thereby minimising risk and impact on life and the environment.

Geotheta emphasises that TSFs require ongoing management throughout their lifecycle. By working with professionals who can provide oversight, mining companies can work towards maintaining functional, safe, and compliant facilities from construction through to closure.

Ian Hammond, a principal tailings and geotechnical engineer with over 38 years of experience in the field, said: "We have the knowledge and experience you need to keep your tailings storage facilities compliant with appropriate legislation, regulations, and standards by following best practice techniques. Our team works together with you, in an open and honest manner, to build a successful and long-lasting partnership."

Interested parties can learn more at https://www.geotheta.com/

Website: https://www.geotheta.com/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/220779

SOURCE: Plentisoft
WARSAW, Poland, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Flipster, one of the leading crypto derivatives trading platforms, is excited to announce its partnership with Orderly Network. This partnership combines Flipster's strengths in derivatives trading and Orderly Network's expertise in DeFi, with the goal of enhancing user engagement and offering exclusive rewards.

As part of this partnership, Flipster has launched a series of rewarding campaigns, including the ORDER Launch Airdrop, ORDER Launchpool, and an upcoming ORDER Trading Competition.

The ORDER Launch Airdrop, held from August 23 to August 25, 2024, attracted significant participation from the community. Participants had the opportunity to win a guaranteed 6+ USDT and up to 1,000 USDT in position airdrops by collecting chips and maintaining a net balance of 50 USDT or more. Building on the momentum of the successful airdrop, Flipster is now launching the ORDER Launchpool, another exciting opportunity for users to earn rewards.

1. ORDER Launchpool

Total prize pool: 40,000 USDT

Daily rewards: Win a share of the daily 8,000 USDT rewards by staking ORDER tokens. Additionally, users can boost their rewards by participating in trading activities or making their first deposit during the campaign period.

Campaign dates: 28 August 00:00 UTC to 2 September 00:00 UTC

2. ORDER Trading Competition

Details to be confirmed, event scheduled for September

This competition will allow traders to showcase their skills and compete for exclusive prizes. More details will be announced soon, so stay tuned for updates.

About Flipster

Flipster is among the fastest-growing crypto derivatives trading platform, offering lightning-fast perpetual futures listings on the latest cryptocurrencies. The easy-to-use platform provides users with an all-in-one trading experience with leverage of up to 100x on over 250 tokens with high liquidity and zero trading fees. For media enquiries or interview requests with the team, please reach out to pr@flipster.io .

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/flipster-announces-partnership-with-orderly-network-302232459.html
R&S Group Holding AG / Key word(s): Miscellaneous

R&S Group further increases free float by broadening shareholder base



28-Aug-2024 / 06:30 CET/CEST

Release of an ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR

R&S Group further increases free float by broadening shareholder base

Veraison sold 1,764,706 shares in R&S Group Holding AG, exiting its position in full

Veraison's stake was sold to Swiss and international long-only investors not subject to any lock up

Free float of R&S Group thus increases further

28 August 2024 - R&S Group Holding AG (SIX: RSGN) acknowledges the sale of 1,764,706 shares in R&S Group Holding AG ("R&S Group") by Veraison SICAV in Liquidation ("Veraison") to a group of Swiss and international long-only investors not subject to any lock up. Heinz Kundert, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of R&S Group, also participated in the transaction by buying 54,370 shares.

The trade, which took place yesterday, corresponds to 6.1% of R&S Group's share capital. After the transaction, Veraison will no longer have any shareholding in R&S Group. Thus, the free float of R&S Group shares increased as a result of removal of lock-up on traded shares.

Both the sale by Veraison and the purchase by Heinz Kundert will be disclosed to SIX Swiss Exchange as per SIX Exchange Regulations (SER).

Calendar 2024

11 September 2024 half-year report 31 October Capital Markets Day

Contact Investor and Media Relations



Doris Rudischhauser

Phone: +41 79 410 81 88

Email: investors@the-rsgroup.com

About R&S Group

R&S Group Holding AG's ("R&S Group", the "company") operating headquarters are located in Sissach/BL, Switzerland. With six manufacturing facilities in Switzerland, Italy, Poland and the Middle East, R&S Group serves its domestic and various European export markets with small and medium power and distribution transformers and other components in the utility, infrastructure and industrial sectors. The company has been successfully positioned to benefit from the accelerating demand for energy production and distribution, driven by the global trend towards decarbonization. R&S Group has been listed on SIX Swiss Exchange on 13 December 2023 under the ticker symbol RSGN following its successful business combination with VT5 Acquisition AG, a previously Swiss-listed Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC).

Further information about the R&S Group can be found at www.the-rsgroup.com .



Disclaimer

This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning R&S Group Holding AG and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of R&S Group Holding AG to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. R&S Group Holding AG 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.
Verified Air Travel Awards Will Debut October 22

ATLANTA, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Forbes Travel Guide ("FTG")-the world's leading authority on luxury hospitality-will launch the inaugural Verified Air Travel Awards on Oct. 22 based on input from the world's top luxury travel advisors and elite global travelers.

An invitation-only panel of 5,000 highly qualified travel advisors, FTG's jet-setting incognito inspectors and globe-trotting Learning & Development experts will vote on more than 20 categories including Best Airlines, Best Airports, and Best Private Jet Services. The survey will be validated by the experts at FTG, known for the integrity and objectivity of its 66-year-old Star Ratings system.

"Too many travel industry awards are the result of a somewhat suspect popularity contest. The Verified Air Travel awards are important because the metrics are based on real-world experience and real-world accountability," said Peter Greenberg, Emmy Award-winning travel journalist and host of "Eye on Travel" on CBS Radio. "In a world experiencing an explosion of luxury brands, it's not about pretty pictures or mission statements, but the unbiased opinions of veteran travelers coupled with reliable facts that lead to a credible and relevant definition of excellence."

Jeff Arnold, Forbes Travel Guide Chairman of the Board, emphasized a holistic approach to luxury travel: "In today's luxury travel landscape, the quality of both air and hotel experiences is inseparable for a seamless journey. Our Verified Air Travel Awards are a natural extension of FTG's commitment to excellence, ensuring discerning travelers can trust the highest standards of service and comfort from takeoff to landing."

Nominated large airlines include Air France, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, Japan Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic. Nominated small airlines include Beond, BermudAir, Cape Air, La Compagnie, Starlux. Nominated private jet services include Flexjet, NetJets, Tradewind Aviation, VistaJet, Wheels Up.

Winners will be celebrated at The Summit in Monaco in February 2025, FTG's annual event dedicated to luxury brands and luxury travel.

While supported by FTG's expertise, the Verified Travel Awards will operate independently from Forbes Travel Guide's Five-Star, Four-Star and Recommended Ratings, which are awarded only to hotels, restaurants, spas, and ocean cruise ships globally based on rigorous, anonymous, in-person inspections.

The Verified Air Travel Awards will be revealed on ForbesTravelGuide.com on Oct. 22.

Connect with Forbes Travel Guide:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/ForbesTravelGuide

X: www.twitter.com/ForbesInspector

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ForbesTravelGuide

About Forbes Travel Guide:

Forbes Travel Guide is the only global rating system for luxury hotels, ocean cruises, restaurants and spas. Our anonymous professional inspectors evaluate based on hundreds of exacting standards to help discerning travelers select the world's best experiences. The only way to get a Five-Star, Four-Star or Recommended rating is by earning it through our independent inspections. Learn more at ForbesTravelGuide.com. For more about The Summit, visit Summit.ForbesTravelGuide.com.

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BERMUDA, August 28, 2024 - Avance Gas Holding Ltd (OSE: AGAS) ("Avance Gas" or the "Company") today reports unaudited results for the second quarter 2024.

HIGHLIGHTS

The average Time Charter Equivalent (TCE) rate on a discharge-to-discharge basis was $50,100/day, compared to $60,900/day in the first quarter of 2024. For reference our guidance was 83% of days booked at $48,000/day.

TCE/day on a load-to-discharge basis was $46,700/day, compared to $78,800/day in the first quarter of 2024. The adjustment related to load-to-discharge was negative $3.7 million, or $3,400/day in TCE/day for the second quarter, compared to a positive adjustment of $20.9 million, or $17,900/day, in the first quarter.

For the second quarter, we had Time Charter (TC) coverage of ~25% at an average TCE rate of $50,100/day and spot voyages covering ~75% at $49,100/day, resulting in an average fleet TCE of $49,300/day, excluding Forward freight Agreements (FFA) gains of $1 million or $800/day.

Daily operating expenses (OPEX) were $8,100/day, compared to $8,200/day in the first quarter of 2024.

Net profit for the second quarter was $60.6 million or earnings per share of $0.79.

Net profit for the first half of 2024 was $207 million or earnings per share of $2.70, our highest ever half year results.

During the second quarter, the Company distributed $2.15 per share in cash, totalling $165 million. This distribution consisted of $0.99 in return of capital and $1.16 in dividends for the first quarter of 2024.

The Company successfully completed the sale of Avance Pollux (2024) during the second quarter for a cash consideration of $120 million, less broker commission. This sale resulted in a gain of $36 million and net cash proceeds of $62.0 million after debt repayment and transaction costs. This was the fourth vessel sale completed in 2024, bringing the total gain from vessel sales to $120.9 million and net cash proceeds to $188.6 million for the first half of 2024.

On August 15, 2024, the Company announced the sale of its Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC) fleet to BW LPG Ltd for $1,050 million. Total gain on sale is expected to be approximately $315 million of which $305 million will be recorded as gain on sale and ~$10 million lower depreciation expense. According to the accounting standard, the VLGC fleet will be reclassified from long term assets to current assets presented as assets held for sale with effect from the announcement date. The deal will be settled with approximately $585 million in cash, the novation of about $132 million in debt obligations under two sale and leaseback agreements, and the remaining amount through 19.282 million shares in BW LPG, valued at $17.25 per share, totalling $333 million. The transaction and delivery of the ships are scheduled to occur between September 15 and December 31, 2024. Following the completion of this transaction, Avance Gas will own four dual fuel medium-sized gas carriers (MGC) capable of transporting full ammonia cargoes, hold a 12.77% shareholding in BW LPG, and a substantial cash holding.

The Board declared a dividend of $1.35 per share or $103 million for the second quarter 2024.

For the third quarter of 2024, we have booked 79% of capacity at an average TCE/day of approximately $41,000 on a discharge-to-discharge basis. The load-to-discharge adjustment is expected to be +/- $1,000.

ystein Kalleklev, Chief Executive Officer of Avance Gas Holding Ltd., commented:

"2024 has been a transformative year for Avance Gas with several key events. In the first half of the year, we sold four VLGCs with a combined profit of $121 million, which, together with strong trading results, contributed to our highest ever half-year results of $207 million. Due to the strong results, we paid out $165 million or $2.15 per share for the first quarter alone. That amount matched the dividend paid out for the entire 2023. With only 12 VLGCs left in the fleet, we concluded that it was in the best interest of our shareholders to pursue a sale of the remaining ships. This decision was mostly driven by a somewhat subscale operation; it's difficult to compete with a smaller fleet, while at the same time, second-hand prices for VLGCs are at a historical high level, making it attractive to sell our ships.

On August 15, we concluded the sale of the remaining 12 VLGCs for $1.050 billion to BW LPG, where the 12 ships are sold under separate MoAs for delivery to the buyer by year-end. As part of the transaction, Avance Gas will receive 19.282 million shares in BW LPG and thus become their second-largest shareholder. We will also receive $585 million in cash and novate two sale-and-leaseback debt obligations, which were $132 million at the end of Q2. We think a combination of the VLGC fleet of BW LPG and Avance Gas makes perfect sense both from a strategic and industrial point of view. With the transaction, BW LPG adds scale while at the same time renewing their fleet. For Avance Gas, we benefit financially by selling our ships at a very attractive price, which will allow us to return significant capital to our shareholders.

Expected profit from the transaction is about $315 million, $305 million in book gains, and a $10 million effect from the fact that we stop depreciating our ships from August 15 until delivery of the ships to BW LPG, which will boost our earnings in H2-24. Following the transaction, we will have sold 16 VLGCs this year with a profit of approximately $436 million. In addition, we have also generated healthy earnings from normal operations, resulting in a pro-forma result of $522 million for the first half of 2024 when taking into account the profit from the BW LPG transaction subsequent to quarter-end.

As we have a cash balance of $268 million at the end of Q2 and will receive $585 million in cash settlement for the sale of the 12 VLGCs prior to year-end, the Board has decided to declare a dividend per share of $1.35 or a total of $103 million. The combined dividend for H1-24 is thus $3.50 or $269 million, which represents about 30 percent of the current market cap. Once we have closed the transaction with BW LPG, we will distribute the remaining capital to our shareholders in a timely manner. The exception is the required equity capital for the four MGC newbuilds we contracted last year. As we have already paid $43 million in yard instalments for these ships as of the end of Q2-24, we expect the remaining equity contribution to be around $50 to $75 million if we finance the remaining capex commitments with traditional bank financing.

We are also pleased to deliver second-quarter results in line with guidance. On a discharge-to-discharge basis, we delivered TCE of $50,125/day vs. guidance of 83% booked at $48,000/day. We guided $3-5,000/day lower load-to-discharge numbers due to increasing rates during Q2 and delivered $46,700 on such measure, i.e., also in line with guidance. As we also sold DF VLGC newbuild #6 for $120 million in May, we booked $36 million in gain from that sale and thus ended up with a net profit of $61 million or $0.79 per share for Q2-24.

Improvements in slot availability in the Panama Canal during the summer have resulted in shorter sailing distances and more vessel availability, which has negatively impacted freight rates during Q3 despite elevated product arbitrage levels. Freight rates hit cash break-even levels of around $20,000/day by end July/early August before rebounding by the middle of August, where rates are now in the low $40,000s/day for AG-Japan and ~$45,000/day for USGC-Japan with ballast Cape of Good Hope and laden leg through Panama. Hence, due to a softer market, we have booked 79% of Q3 at $41,000/day and expect actual TCE for Q3 to be at this level on a discharge-to-discharge basis. As we will be able to trade our ships until year-end, we are well-positioned to improve our trading results in Q4 as the freight forward rates for this quarter are hovering at around mid $50,000s. This is significantly below the record rates seen last year but should in any case provide a satisfactory trading profit, if realized.

With the sale of all our VLGCs, we are left with four MGC newbuilds for delivery in Q4-25 to Q4-26. The Company is now in the process of evaluating the best way forward for maximizing the value of these assets. Since we contracted the ships last summer, the newbuilding price for such vessels has increased by approximately 15 percent while delivery slots have moved from 2025/2026 to 2027. Hence, we are confident that we will also generate attractive returns from these assets either by 1) contracting them on TCs, 2) selling the ships, or 3) developing Avance Gas into an MGC/ammonia company by actively engaging with other owners with similar assets with the aim of developing a company with sufficient scale."





PRESENTATION AND WEBCAST

Avance Gas will host an audio webcast and conference call to discuss the company's results for the period ended 30 June 2024 on Wednesday, 28 August 2024, at 14:00 CEST. There will be a Q&A session following the presentation.

The presentation and webcast will be hosted by:

Mr. ystein Kalleklev - CEO

Mrs. Randi Navdal Bekkelund - CFO

The presentation will also be available via audio webcast, which can be accessed at Avance Gas' website www.avancegas.com or using the link: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/tgju86bc

Guests can log into the conference call using the following link:

https://register.vevent.com/register/BI1592112ff29a4499a8a88cfd9f9d8d0a

For further queries, please contact:

Media contact: ystein Kalleklev, CEO

Tel: +47 23 11 40 00

Investor and analyst contact: Randi Navdal Bekkelund, CFO

Tel: +47 23 11 40 00



ABOUT AVANCE GAS Avance Gas operates in the global market for transportation of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The Company is one of the world's leading owners and operators of very large gas carriers (VLGCs) and owns sixteen LPG ships consisting of twelve VLGCs on water as well as four dual fuel MGCs for delivery in 2025 and 2026. For more information about Avance Gas, please visit www.avancegas.com

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

For further queries, please contact: Media contact: ystein Kalleklev, Chief Executive Officer Investor and Analyst contact: Randi Navdal Bekkelund, Chief Financial Officer Tel: +47 23 11 40 0



Attachments
BERLIN, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Laifen, a pioneering lifestyle-tech brand, is set to break new ground in oral care with the launch of the Laifen Wave Electric Toothbrush Titanium at IFA Berlin 2024. This marks Laifen's third appearance at IFA, reflecting its rapid growth and consistent commitment to the global market. Since its inception in 2019, Laifen has empowered over 11 million users worldwide with its innovative personal care appliances.

The World's First Titanium Electric Toothbrush

The new model incorporates high-end aerospace-grade titanium materials into an electric toothbrush for the first time. Titanium is a biocompatible metal renowned for its non-toxicity and antibacterial properties, widely used in the medical field for applications.

Integrating titanium into personal dental care offers several key advantages. It not only meets stringent food-grade standards ensuring safety and skin-friendliness, providing peace of mind for oral hygiene, but also significantly enhances product quality, aesthetics, and durability.

Another highlight of the Wave Titanium toothbrush is its packaging, which is made entirely from 100% biodegradable materials. By eliminating plastic altogether, Laifen demonstrates its strong commitment to environmental responsibility.

Innovation that Benefits Everyday Life

Since its inception, Laifen has been committed to the belief that "Great technology benefits all, enhancing everyone's quality of life." The Wave Electric Toothbrush Titanium exemplifies Laifen's dedication to bringing high-end technology into everyday life.

As Hongxin Ye, founder and CEO of Laifen, says, "At Laifen, we believe technological innovation should improve everyone's daily life, it is not just a concept for scientists. Our product development philosophy perfectly aligns with the 100th edition of IFA's theme, 'Innovation for All.'"

At IFA Berlin 2024, Laifen will unveil its new Wave Electric Toothbrush Titanium alongside two brand-new hairdryer products. Media and the public are invited to explore and experience Laifen's innovative products at booth Hall 9, 203 from September 6th to 10th.

Mr. Ye expressed high hopes for the show: "IFA is an indispensable event for Laifen to connect with European and global consumers, partners, and industry leaders. It's a platform to showcase our products and capabilities, build relationships, and explore new avenues. Laifen is committed to innovation and delivering exceptional user experiences."

For more information on Laifen, please visit www.laifentech.com.

About Laifen

Laifen is a lifestyle-tech company founded in 2019, with years of experience in R&D and manufacturing. Currently, its personal care appliances can be found in over 11 million households worldwide. Laifen challenges industry standards and is committed to developing new technologies that enhance everyday living and provide exceptional user experiences, believing in making advanced technology accessible and beneficial for everyone.

CONTACT:

Laifen PR team

media@laifentech.com

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Circus wins Mangal Kebab and Lukas Podolski for the targeted deployment of 2,400 autonomous food robots in Germany and Europe from 2025 onwards

The world's first AI robotics-based project in this sector with an estimated cumulative revenue potential of around EUR 400 million for the Circus Group

Mangal x LP10 aims to launch a flagship store as the world's first fully autonomous kebab shop in 2025

Circus SE (Xetra: CA1), a leading AI robotics company specializing in autonomous kitchen systems, has signed a multi-stage initial agreement with Mangal x LP10, Germany's best-known kebab franchise chain, for the planned rollout and operation of up to 2,400 CA-1 food robots. In an initial implementation phase, Mangal x LP10 plans to integrate the technology into several flagship stores in the Cologne/Duesseldorf area in 2025.

The objective is to secure a cooperation that will deploy over 1,600 autonomous Circus Group robots in Germany and 800 units in Poland within the next few years, driven by Mangal's successful achievement of its growth targets.

This would be a significant milestone for both companies, which aim to transform the fast-food industry with the world's first fully autonomous food franchise concept using state-of-the-art technology. A successful collaboration has the potential to generate around EUR 400 million in cumulative revenue from hardware sales alone for Circus over the coming years.

Mangal x LP10 aims to expand its offering with a new brand and culinary concept inspired by traditional Turkish flavors made possible by Circus Group's advanced robotics and its CA-1 autonomous food production robot. This collaboration is expected to enable Mangal x LP10 to operate fully autonomous stores, making it the first fully autonomous food franchise in the world. Mangal x LP10 aims to be the first global automated food franchise to meet the massive consumer demand in a market with over 40,000 independent kebab shops in Germany alone.

The first flagship store is scheduled to open in Cologne/Duesseldorf in 2025, where customers will experience the seamless integration of automation and culinary expertise. The robots will enhance the authentic Mangal x LP10 experience, delivering consistently high-quality food with increased efficiency and hygiene.

Metin Dag, Founder and Managing Director of Mangal x LP10 Doner, comments: "We researched the market and chose the most advanced solution with Circus' CA-1. We are now delighted to be working with Circus Group to shape the future of fast food with the launch of fully autonomous kebab stores. At Mangal x LP10, our goal has always been to offer authentic Turkish flavors of the highest quality. By integrating Circus Group's cutting-edge AI robotics, we are not only staying true to our culinary offerings but also setting a new standard for innovation in the restaurant industry."

"Mangal x LP10 Kebab, our first global customer in the food franchise sector, shares our vision for scalable robotic solutions in fresh food production, and their commitment to redefining Turkish cuisine aligns perfectly with our goals. We look forward to working together and combining tradition and innovation to set a new benchmark in the franchise industry," adds Nikolas Bullwinkel, founder and CEO of Circus Group

Circus Group is a pioneer in AI robotics, developing solutions that are transforming the global food service market. Its proprietary autonomous kitchen systems can produce freshly prepared meals without human intervention, taking up minimal space while ensuring maximum operational efficiency.

Mangal x LP10 Doner's move into automation underscores the company's commitment to innovation while staying true to its roots. By utilizing autonomous systems, the company aims to maintain its leadership position in the industry while setting a benchmark for the future of food franchising worldwide.

Note to editors: Images can be downloaded HERE.

About Circus Group

The Circus Group (XETRA: CA1) is the leading AI robotics company, specializing in the translation of the fine art of cooking into full autonomy. On its mission to fuel humanity, Circus provides global access to balanced nutrition, for everyone, anytime. The company developed the world's first commercially viable food production robot, Circus Autonomy One. Circus employs talents in AI, robotics engineering and food service across three locations and is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany.

About Mangal x LP10 Doner Stores

Mangal x LP10 Doner is one of Germany's leading doner kebab chains, known for its authentic Turkish cuisine and popular offerings across the country. With this new venture into fully autonomous stores, Mangal x LP10 aims to redefine quick-service dining with technology while staying true to their culinary heritage.

Language: English Company: Circus SE Hongkongstrasse 6 20457 Hamburg Germany E-mail: ir@circus-group.com Internet: https://www.circus-group.com/for-investors ISIN: DE000A2YN355 WKN: A2YN35 Listed: Regulated Unofficial Market in Frankfurt, Munich (m:access)

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240827794739/en/

Contacts:

Investor Relations:

Maximilian Hartweg

Head of Corporate Development

ir@circus-group.com



Circus Group Press Office:

Florian Anders

Head of Corporate Communications

press@circus-group.com
A Georgia man has filed a lawsuit against Emory University Hospital, accusing it of negligence after losing a portion of his skull during a medical procedure, which led to additional surgeries, an infection, and a $19,000 bill for a synthetic replacement.

Fernando Cluster, 62, was admitted to Emory University Hospital Midtown on Sept. 30, 2022, to treat a brain bleed. As part of the treatment, surgeons removed a piece of his skull, referred to as a "bone flap," which was intended to be re-implanted after Cluster recovered, the lawsuit states.

However, on Nov. 11, 2022, as Cluster was being prepared for the re-implantation surgery, Emory staff could not locate the bone flap.

The lawsuit, filed Aug. 8, claims that when hospital personnel attempted to retrieve the bone flap, they found "several bone flaps with incomplete or missing patient identification" and could not determine which, if any, belonged to Cluster.

As a result, the surgery was delayed, and a synthetic implant was created and used instead. Cluster alleges that this synthetic flap later became infected, requiring further surgery and an extended hospital stay, ultimately costing $19,000.

Cluster and his wife, through their attorney, expressed shock and dismay over the hospital's actions.

"It is shocking that a medical provider like Emory would lose part of one of its patient's skulls and then refuse to accept responsibility," they said in a statement to Law&Crime. "We now have to live with the consequences of Emory's negligence, including daily fear about another infection in my head and medical costs."

The couple has requested a jury trial and is seeking damages for physical and emotional pain, medical expenses totaling over $146,000, and additional costs related to the incident.

Emory representatives told Channel 2 Action News that they are "committed to providing high-quality, compassionate care for patients and those we serve in our communities. We do not comment on pending litigation."
BUCHAREST, Romania, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- One United Properties (BVB: ONE), Romania's leading green developer of residential, mixed-use, and office real estate, recorded a 10% increase in the profitability of the company's key segments, which comprise the net income from residential properties and net rental income, while consolidated revenues reached EUR 140.6 million in the first half of 2024. Gross profit stood at EUR 53.2 million, while net profit reached EUR 46 million.

"The combined 10% increase in profitability of our two core segments, to 49.1 million euros, underscores the strength and resilience of our business model, based on performant residential and office divisions. The dedication of our sales and leasing teams has been crucial to our solid results, which will be reflected in future revenue and net profits in line with our revenue recognition policy. Despite industry challenges, our commitment to offering the highest quality residential and office spaces remains our winning strategy, enabling us to maintain strong financial stability and a positive outlook," said Victor Capitanu, Co-CEO of One United Properties.

Revenue from the residential segment reached EUR 105.4 million, a 14% YoY decrease. However, net income from residential properties increased by 6% YoY to EUR 38.3 million. This growth was driven by the new developments initiated between 2022 and the first half of 2024, where significant construction progress paired with strong sales and pre-sales of residential units led to improved results. Notably, the net margin from residential sales rose from 29.5% in H1 2023 to 36.3% in H1 2024, reflecting the impact of ongoing construction progress.

Rental income, which includes revenue from the commercial division and tenant services, increased by 18% YoY to EUR 15.1 million in H1 2024. Net rental income saw a 25% YoY rise, reaching EUR 10.8 million. In the first half of 2024, One United Properties successfully leased and pre-leased 8,100 square meters of office space and signed multiple contract extensions totaling 6,770 square meters. The financial impact of these new leases will be reflected in future revenues.

"The first half of 2024 marked a high level of activity for One United Properties as we expanded our iconic One Community and advanced our construction projects. With 12 developments underway, including the transformative One Athenee and One Gallery developments, our work will leave a lasting impact on the city of Bucharest. While the market presents challenges, the scale of our operations is unparalleled, and we are confident that the results of this immense effort will be evident in our financial performance in the coming quarters as we begin delivering high-quality residential units and office spaces to our customers," said Andrei Diaconescu, Co-CEO of One United Properties.

As of June 30, 2024, One United Properties had 12 developments under construction, encompassing 4,041 residential and commercial units and nearly 45,000 square meters of office and commercial space. Despite significant development activity, which led to a 20% decline in the cash position, the Group maintained a solid cash reserve of EUR 67.5 million. Notably, as of the end of H1 2024, the loan-to-value ratio stood at 30%, a 2 percentage-point increase since the end of 2023. Net debt remained low at EUR 170.5 million, representing 16% of total assets.

Amounts to be received under contracts concluded with customers as of June 30th, 2024, will total 331 million euros in additional cash by 2026.

ONE UNITED PROPERTIES (BVB: ONE) is the leading green investor and developer of residential, mixed-use, and commercial real estate in Bucharest, Romania. One United Properties is an innovative company dedicated to accelerating the adoption of construction practices for safe, energy-efficient, sustainable, and healthy buildings, and has received numerous awards and recognitions for its superior sustainability, energy efficiency, and wellness. The company is publicly traded on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, and its shares are included in multiple indices such as BET, STOXX, MSCI, FTSE, ROTX and CEEplus.

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Kunstliche Intelligenz hat spatestens nach dem Raketenstart von Chat GPT das Leben aller verandert. Doch der Superzyklus steht nach Meinungen von Experten erst am Anfang. Wahrend Aktien wie Nvidia von der ersten Aufwartsentwicklung stark profitieren konnten, versprechen aussichtsreiche Player aus der

zweiten Reihe noch enormes Aufwartspotenzial.



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HONG KONG, Aug 28, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - The Hong Kong Institute of Directors ('HKIoD') welcomes(1) The Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited ("the Exchange")'s proposal to mandate directorship training for first-time directors and require all directors to undergo continuing professional development ('CPD') training. To further uphold corporate governance standards and director professionalism, HKIoD thinks the Exchange can go further.Dr Christopher To, Chairman of HKIoD, said, 'HKIoD welcomes the Exchange's latest regular exercise to review and update the Corporate Governance Code and related Listing Rules. Although we do not agree with every element of the Exchange's proposals, we certainly support the notion of making continuing professional development mandatory for all directors.'According to HKIoD, to make true the purpose and effect of continuing training, a board should have a suitable professional development policy for its directors. Continuing training is important for directors to keep up, but it must be distinguished from initial training. For those who do not have directorship training nor experience whatsoever, undergoing initial training on effective directorship and corporate governance is prudent. First-time directorship training should be a prerequisite prior to the director coming on board, however. 'The Exchange should go further by encouraging individuals to have become ready for a board seat prior to appointment, rather than to start acquainting themselves with the demands of directorship post-appointment.' Dr To commented.Dr Carlye Tsui, CEO of HKIoD, supplemented, 'We believe all company directors, when they first assume their posts, should have a firm grounding of the skills, knowledge and qualities required to meet the corporate governance demands of today. HKIoD long advocates the importance of corporate governance training, and we want to emphasise that proper initial training for first-time directors is one key aspect of the total quality of corporate governance training.'The Institute believes that attaining HKIoD Diploma level credential (or higher) should qualify as initial training now proposed for First-time Directors by the Exchange. The Institute also recommends transition course(s) for credentialed/experienced directors from other markets to help them become familiar with the Hong Kong market. HKIoD will gladly work with the Exchange to design and offer such programmes, and an accreditation regime for directorship training in Hong Kong.On proposals around time commitment and tenure of Independent Non-Executive Director ('INED'), Mr Henry Lai, Past Chairman of HKIoD and current Chairman of the Institute's Corporate Governance Policies Committee, said, 'The emphasis should be on whether the INED and the issuers involved have made an honest assessment as to the ability to devote sufficient time, not a broad-brush requirement on the director to limit the number of INED positions one may hold. Particularly, we do not agree with the Exchange's proposal which only seeks to limit INED positions one may hold among Hong Kong issuers.' As to the question of how long is too long for an INED, Mr Lai added, 'the answer ought to be 'it depends'. It is the independence of mind that matters, not tenure.'The Exchange would also want issuers without an independent board chair to designate a Lead INED. Due to the many constraints and practical realities now exist in the Hong Kong market, HKIoD believes there are alternatives that can be more effective. 'We do not tend to have majority INED in our market. The Lead INED will be chosen from a small group anyway. We should rather empower and encourage all INEDs to collectively perform, to bring the results that are sought under the Lead INED concept. Meetings with shareholders and stakeholders can be set up for all INEDs to take part. There can be an INED report section in the annual report,' Mr Lai commented.'Maybe we should encourage more issuers to have an independent board chair. An independent board chair working together with all the other INEDs can be more helpful,' Mr Lai continued.HKIoD has early on advocated the benefit of moving towards a majority INED, which can make INEDs collectively better able to perform their director roles. With INEDs comprising the majority, their active involvement in board matters becomes more necessary and their time commitment more valued. It should also allow much more room for meaningful rotation and refreshment through careful succession planning.Apart from the above, the Institute expressed support for many changes proposed by the Exchange including mandating board performance review, maintaining a board skills matrix, mandating the annual reviews of the effectiveness of the issuer's risk management and internal control systems, disclosure of the issuer's policy on payment of dividends and the board's dividend decisions, and disclosures in respect of issuers' modified auditors' opinion.(1)The full response: HKIoD Response to HKEX ConsultationAbout The Hong Kong Institute of Directors ('HKIoD')The Hong Kong Institute of Directors ('HKIoD') is Hong Kong's premier body representing directors working together to advance corporate sustainability in creating long-term value for companies, their owners, stakeholders, humankind and Planet Earth through advocacy and standards-setting in corporate governance and director professionalism.Led by Founder Chairman Dr The Hon Moses Cheng, HKIoD was founded in 1997. Throughout the years, HKIoD is honoured to have the Chief Executive of HKSAR as the Institute's Patron. Membership of HKIoD comprises of directors from diverse industries and corporate types and includes Executive Directors, Non-Executive Directors and Independent Non-Executive Directors. With multi-culturalism and international perspectives, HKIoD organises activities that cover director training, seminars and forums, collective director voice, guideline establishment, public education, Award Series for Director Excellence, assessment of Corporate Governance Scorecard for listed companies etc.As a member body of the Global Network of Director Institutes ('GNDI'), HKIoD is committed to global collaboration in promoting good corporate governance and director professionalism. HKIoD is the appointed Host of the Hong Kong Chapter of Climate Governance Initiative, a global network that collaborates with the World Economic Forum in actively promoting directors' address of the risks and opportunities of climate change.For details please visit:http://www.hkiod.com | http://www.gndi.org | https://climate-governance.org/Media Enquiries:Strategic Public Relations GroupBrenda Chan,+852 2114 4396 / brenda.chan@sprg.com.hkThe Hong Kong Institute of DirectorsWing Wong,+852 2889 1414 / wing.wong@hkiod.com- End -Source: The Hong Kong Institute of DirectorsCopyright 2024 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
ARIS, FRANCE AND MONTREAL, QUEBEC / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / Tribun Health, a leading provider of digital pathology solutions, today announced a strategic partnership with Ibex Medical Analytics (Ibex), the leader in AI-powered cancer diagnostics. Through this collaboration, Ibex's suite of AI-powered diagnostic tools will be available from Tribun Health's award-winning CaloPix Information Management System (IMS), bringing cutting-edge AI capabilities to healthcare providers worldwide.

Tribun Health and IBEX Partnership

Tribun Health and IBEX Logos

Under the terms of the agreement, Tribun Health will offer Ibex's product line, which supports multiple tissues including prostate, breast, and gastric, as part of the CaloPix IMS platform. These AI solutions leverage advanced deep learning algorithms to assist physicians in detecting and diagnosing various types of cancer with improved accuracy and efficiency.

The integration of Ibex's AI tools into Tribun Health's Best in KLAS CaloPix IMS will enable pathologists to access these powerful diagnostic tools within their existing clinical workflows. Cases will be automatically sent to Ibex's AI and results will be accessible in CaloPix to define intelligent case triage and slide review. This partnership addresses the growing demand for intelligent, AI-driven solutions that can enhance diagnostic precision, streamline patient care, and improve overall healthcare outcomes.

"We are excited to partner with Ibex and bring their cutting-edge AI diagnostic solutions to our customers," said Jean-Francois Pomerol, CEO at Tribun Health. "This collaboration aligns with our commitment to delivering innovative technology that empowers healthcare providers and improves patient care. It illustrates the opportunities and impactful developments in terms of care thanks to AI that the digitization makes possible to embrace."

"We are thrilled to collaborate with Tribun Health and leverage their expertise in healthcare IT deployment and workflow optimization," said Joseph Mossel, CEO at Ibex. "Together, we can deliver intelligent diagnostic solutions that integrate into existing clinical practices, driving better patient outcomes and improving the overall healthcare experience."

The partnership between Tribun Health and Ibex represents a significant step forward in the adoption of AI-driven solutions in healthcare. By combining their respective strengths, the two companies aim to advance cancer diagnostics through the offering of their joint solution in Canada, the European Union, and the United States.

The integration aligns with Tribun Health's overarching AI strategy built on three core pillars: proprietary algorithms optimized for workflow efficiency and diagnostic precision, strategic collaborations with AI leaders like Ibex, and a generic API enabling seamless integration of any third-party and customer-developed algorithms. This multifaceted approach ensures pathology laboratories have access to a comprehensive AI-powered ecosystem tailored to their unique needs.

Join us at the 36th European Congress of Pathology in Florence, Italy, from September 7-11, 2024. You can find Tribun Health at Booth #11 and Ibex at Booth #13.

Contact Information:

Andreia Beyer

VP, Global Marketing & Managing Director, North America

abeyer@tribun.health

+1 (416) 565-0474

SOURCE: Tribun Health

View the original press release on newswire.com.
UTRECHT, Netherlands, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Vitestro, a pioneer in the field of medical robotics, is proud to announce that its innovative automated blood drawing device has received CE marking. This marks a significant milestone for the company, acknowledging that the device meets the requirements of the European Medical Device Regulation (MDR) and is now approved for commercial use across the European Union. Vitestro is the first company ever to achieve CE marking for an autonomous blood drawing device.

The CE marking underscores the safety, efficacy, and quality of Vitestro's innovative technology, which is set to revolutionize the way blood samples are collected. Through a combination of advanced imaging technology and robotics, the device enables hospitals and labs to provide accurate autonomous blood draws, reducing the need for manual handling and improving patient and clinician satisfaction. Vitestro has managed to automate the missing step in total lab automation. This is critical as clinical laboratories are experiencing a severe staffing shortage.

Co-founder and CEO, Toon Overbeeke, expressed his enthusiasm about the achievement: "While this CE marking represents a major step forward for Vitestro, it also marks a transformational moment for healthcare at large. This innovation introduces a completely novel type of medical device-one that allows European hospitals to use autonomous technology to perform invasive medical procedures independently. We believe this technology is foundational, setting a new global standard that will benefit patients and help hospitals prepare for a challenging future."

Several devices have already been ordered by leading European hospitals and clinical laboratories. With the CE marking secured, Vitestro plans a limited market release at these selected hospitals in the next 12 months. Production will be scaled up afterwards, adhering to Vitestro's demonstrated Quality Assurance processes.

Maxine Moor, VP of Commercial Europe "Vitestro has been interacting with clinical labs throughout Europe for the past years. They confirmed the huge need for phlebotomy automation and couldn't wait for this innovation! We are eager to start the implementation of our devices in hospitals and laboratories in the coming 12 months. While we will start within the Netherlands and Denmark, we have huge, broader international ambitions. With the CE mark, we are also meeting regulatory demands for the UK market."

About Vitestro

Founded in 2017, Vitestro is committed to improving the blood draw experience for patients and clinicians. With its revolutionary autonomous blood draw technology and a team of more than 80 highly skilled specialists in medical robotics, artificial intelligence, imaging software, and healthcare commercialization, Vitestro is transforming the blood draw industry globally. Vitestro is based in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

For more information, visit https://vitestro.com.

Regulatory status

The Vitestro blood draw device received a CE mark in July 2024. It does not have FDA approval and is therefore not available for sale in the US.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2490674/Vitestro.jpg

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/vitestro-achieves-ce-marking-for-autonomous-blood-drawing-device-302231953.html
Features include a free connection assessment tool to provide data-backed recommendations for improving marketing communications across multiple channels

STOCKHOLM, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sinch (Sinch AB (publ) - XSTO: SINCH), which is pioneering the way the world communicates through its Customer Communications Cloud, today announced that its new Customer Connections hub, an online resource center designed to support customer experience (CX) professionals and marketers, will now be available in Europe across all digital channels. The hub is designed to support European marketers at more than 150,000 businesses worldwide that partner with Sinch, helping them build lasting customer relationships by delivering exceptional experiences across every customer channel.

"The importance of understanding the unique needs of your audience to enhance their experience with a brand is critical for any business to succeed,"?said Nicklas Molin, Executive Vice President, EMEA, Sinch. "With the Customer Connections Hub, Sinch empowers our clients with top tier omnichannel marketing communications capabilities, enabling their marketers to personalize seamless customer experiences and deepen brand relationships. Additionally, the Hub allows businesses to evaluate and adjust the optimal, mix of digital communications channels at any point across the customer journey."

The hub's standout feature is the connection assessment tool that serves as a battle-test for existing cross-channel campaigns. Based on internal data from more than 400,000 Sinch users, the test evaluates communication optimization across 9 different channels. After completing a short four question survey to gauge effectiveness, participants receive a personalized assessment outlining strengths, weaknesses, and improvement suggestions for delivering the ultimate customer experience.

The Customer Connections hub will also offer the latest information and insights to keep marketers informed on the ever-evolving digital landscape and help them build stronger customer connections. The hub features marketing communications-related content, including trend research, testimonial videos, case studies, and useful guides designed to help visitors create successful omnichannel customer experiences.

Stay informed and sharpen your competitive edge by bookmarking the Sinch Customer Connections hub, visit connections.sinch.com

For more information:

Janet Lennon

Director of Global Communications

janet.lennon@sinch.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/sinch-ab/r/sinch-launches-customer-connections-resource-hub-in-europe,c4029126

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Erinnern Sie sich, als Moderna und BioNTech von unbekannten Unternehmen zu globalen Marktfuhrern wurden und fruhzeitige Investoren reich belohnt haben?



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JAKARTA, Indonesia, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (Indosat or IOH), the most preferred digital telco of Indonesia, in cooperation with global ICT solution provider Huawei, has finalized a large core network consolidation project in Jakarta, to create a milestone for their extensive cooperation and further propel Indosat in the course of the advancement and innovation in mobile communication technologies. With the massive scale of over 100 million users and 26 core locations across Indonesia, the completion of the consolidation and transforming to the cloud core within 14 months is unprecedented.

The project significantly improves the network experience for Indosat's users across Indonesia, especially those living in rural and remote areas. Residents of Kalimantan will enjoy a faster average downlink speed by 15% while the average round trip time (RTT) will be reduced by 11% for Facebook usage. Meanwhile, according to renowned third party report, customers in Central Java are also experiencing a better performance while using the Internet for games and live videos.

Desmond Cheung, Director and Chief Technology Officer of Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, expressed, "We're humbled to create another benchmark for the telecommunications industry. The core network consolidation project is a testament to our commitment to delivering a world-class digital experience to our customers. With the completion of this initiative, we believe we can consistently deliver a marvelous experience to our customers while paving the way towards our mission of connecting and empowering every Indonesian."

George Gao, President of Huawei Cloud Core Network Product Line, expressed, "Thanks to our close and in-depth cooperation, we are very pleased to witness a great achievement in completing such a large-scale and complex network consolidation in a short period of time. Huawei will continuously support Indosat to enhance network connectivity, accelerate service innovation, and create industry value in digital transformation, achieving greater business success."

The project is a testament of both parties' technological strengths, hard work, courage, determination, as well as team spirit, in tackling a multitude of challenges. As core network is most critical part of a mobile network, both Indosat and Huawei teams worked around the clock to conduct thorough analysis and review to determine corresponding solutions for network consolidation must adhere to "the first-time-right" philosophy.

By adopting the leading telco cloud-native technology, Indosat and Huawei commercialize both bare metal container and innovative dual-engine container solution, which supports large-scale commercial use of 5G core networks. The dual-engine container solution leverages cutting-edge technologies to manage both virtual machines (VMs) and containers in a unified infrastructure platform, that enables Indosat seamlessly introduce containers through capacity expansion, significantly reducing the time needed for service rollout and reducing the time-to-market (TTM).

In the intelligent and digital era, Indosat has also increased its requirements for intelligence and ultra experience. Both Indosat and Huawei have collaborated to deploy future-proof core networks that can adapt to the 5G-A intelligent and hyper-distributed architecture. It meets current network needs and furthermore, paves the way for introducing 5G new features and services increasingly diversified for toC and toB users.

Going forward, Indosat and Huawei will continue working together to build a more intelligent, efficient, and secure mobile communication network and provide better service experience for Indonesian users. They will jointly address industry challenges and promote continuous development and innovation of Indonesia's mobile communication technologies.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2491231/Indosat_Ooredoo_Hutchison.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/committed-to-deliver-marvelous-experience-to-indonesians-indosat-ooredoo-hutchison-complete-the-worlds-first-large-ps-core-network-consolidation--transformation-302232666.html
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 28, 2024) - Saudia Group has announced its remarkable contributions to the success of Hajj Season 1445H through its integrated ecosystem that includes aviation, cargo, logistics, catering, ground services, and maintenance. Saudia transported over 1 million pilgrims on more than 5 thousand flights spanning four continents and more than 100 destinations, accumulating 20 thousand flight hours. The Group's low-cost carrier, flyadeal, contributed significantly by transporting more than 70 thousand pilgrims and operating 440 flights.





To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9108/219242_075a3381.jpg

The success of Saudia's flights was attributed to its highly skilled crew, totaling 1.8 thousand Captains and First Officers, and 6.1 thousand cabin crew members, adhering to the highest industry standards. Across the 74-day Hajj operations, Saudia operated at full capacity, ensuring operational efficiency with its fleet of 144 aircraft, as well as 14 additional aircraft dedicated to Hajj flights. The pilgrims' spiritual journey was enriched through a seamless digital booking, diverse meal options, prayer announcements, and informative inflight content.





To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9108/219242_075a9696.jpg

Saudia Cargo played a pivotal role, leveraging innovative cargo services and a modern fleet, capitalizing on the Kingdom's strategic location to connect continents together and execute digital transformation plans. During the Hajj season, Saudia Cargo operated 717 flights, transporting 98.9 thousand tons across 44.6 thousand export air waybills.

Saudi Logistics Services (SAL), the primary cargo handler for various airlines at the Kingdom's air terminals, provided essential logistics solutions and intermodal transport connections during the Hajj Season operations. SAL managed 3.4 million cargo shipments, totaling 76 million kg in weight, and operated 14.2 thousand flights, serving 59 airlines.

Saudi Ground Services (SGS), renowned for ground handling and airport solutions, contributed to the successful Hajj season, serving 12.7 thousand flights and 2.2 million guests, and managing 4.6 million pieces of luggage during arrival and departure.

CATRION, specialized in luxury hospitality and airline catering, served more than 7.7 million meals onboard.

Saudia Technic played a crucial role in ensuring operational excellence through aircraft maintenance, repair, and renovation services. Their operations spanned across 21 stations, with 22.6 thousand spare parts provided, 4.5 thousand maintenance hours logged, and 134 technicians deployed.

Amer Alkhushail, CEO of Saudia Hajj and Umrah, said: "We will continue advancing pilgrim services, evaluating feedback to enhance their spiritual experiences with cutting-edge digital technologies. We aim to provide the best solutions to facilitate procedures, making the Hajj journey smoother from start to finish. Additionally, we're expanding our flight network to accommodate more pilgrims, supported by our comprehensive seat retrofit program." He added, "As the current Hajj 1445H season concludes, we have immediately commenced the planning for the upcoming Hajj 1446H season."

-The End-

About Saudia Group

Saudia Group is one of the largest aviation conglomerates in the MENA region. The Group drives industry development with its 12 strategic business units, and offers world-class air transport, cargo services, ground services, logistics, maintenance, catering, private aviation, real estate, training, and medical services.

The mission of Saudia Group is to inspire people to go beyond borders with a purpose that is rooted in unlocking human potential and connecting the world in ways never thought possible. The group is committed to reshaping the aviation ecosystem in the MENA region and beyond, by embracing innovation and a customer-centric approach.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/219242

SOURCE: SAUDIA
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."
SHENZHEN, China, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- August 26 marks the 14th anniversary of the establishment of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. On the same day, the Action Plan for Comprehensively Deepening Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cooperation to Build the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneur Hub (E-Hub) into an Innovation and Entrepreneurship Platform with International Influence and New Quality Productive Forces (hereinafter referred to as the "Action Plan") was released along with a series of projects, showcasing the strong entrepreneurial appeal of Qianhai, Shenzhen.



The Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone noted that according to the Action Plan, Qianhai will build the "1510" development model for the E-Hub. Specifically, the plan will uphold the primary task of cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, and establish the high-quality industrial space of the 1 Yuan Innovation Hub, where eligible Hong Kong teams, upon passing the review, can settle in for a service fee of just 1 yuan per square meter per month. 500 million yuan will be invested in establishing the E-Hub Fund, gathering the ten key innovative elements, and providing industrial space covering 100,000 square meters.

When asked about the feelings of starting up businesses and living in Qianhai, a Hong Kong youth and President of Chuangbohui Liu Jia said: "I have been in Qianhai for nearly 10 years and kind of witnessed its development. It has also witnessed my growth. I have settled in Shenzhen."

"Qianhai is becoming increasingly vibrant," said a lawyer of a foreign-invested law firm who works and lives in Qianhai when talking about the changes here over the years in an interview. "A growing number of people from Hong Kong and Macao or overseas are coming to Qianhai to seek opportunities and establish organizations. We can truly feel the innovation, vitality, and a high level of internationalization in this land," he added.

Just as those entrepreneurs in Qianhai felt, Qianhai has acted an important role in helping Hong Kong integrate into the overall development of the country and also an ideal choice for entrepreneurs.

With the opening of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link this year, Qianhai embraces new development opportunities. In this mega-project, Qianhai has made a balance between ecological conservation and urban construction through technological innovation, process innovation, and management innovation. Meanwhile, Qianhai is also accelerating the construction of an ecological portal and a multi-interface ecological bond at the Qianhai section of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link, aiming to improve the quality of life and entrepreneurship for new Qianhai residents from multiple dimensions such as transportation, environmental protection, smart cities, and livability.

The development philosophy of creating an ideal place for working and living has continuously infused vitality into Qianhai. Latest statistics show that Qianhai achieved a regional GDP of 246.4 billion yuan in 2023, with a year-on-year increase of 15%. In the first half of this year, the total import and export volume in Qianhai reached 325.4 billion yuan, increasing by 55.8% and demonstrating an increasingly strong development momentum.

From a stretch of mudflats to a prosperous area, Qianhai has showcased its unique charm and offering new perspectives for China's high-quality regional development. "Qianhai is sure to get better, and I hope more young people will find new opportunities in this hub of technology and entrepreneurship," said Liu Jia.

Source: The Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone
GENEVA, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its Healthcare investment platform, LIAN Group, an innovative owner- operator, announces the acquisition of Scientis, a pioneering Swiss Cosmeceutical company. This acquisition strengthens and expands LIAN's growing footprint in the healthcare industry, where it focuses on investing in the build-out of companies with leading solutions that address evolving needs.

Scientis is a Swiss dermatology company dedicated to skin pigmentation with its flagship product Cyspera. The Cyspera product line, contains the proprietary Cysteamine Isobionic-Amide Complex , a clinically proven pigment corrector. Its unique formula features powerful antioxidant properties, and positions Cyspera as the first topical product to harness these benefits for uneven skin tone and discoloration. The company is ready for global market penetration, building on a strong established presence in Asia and the US.

"We are thrilled to welcome Scientis to LIAN Group's healthcare platform. With our hands-on approach, we are committed to accelerating Scientis' growth and sales in new markets. We will support management by leveraging our network, expertise and resources to expand into new markets, streamline operations, develop innovative products and services, and empower patients and healthcare professionals with high-quality solutions." says Fiorenzo Manganiello, Managing Partner of LIAN Group.

This acquisition signifies LIAN Group's commitment to expanding its healthcare platform into the beauty and wellbeing sectors, where further acquisitions are planned and ready to be executed. The dedicated LIAN team will work hand-in-hand with Scientis to unlock the true potential of the company and grow into a leader in the Cosmeceutical industry.

About: LIAN Group is an investment firm building and funding successful companies, in the most impactful industries, while collaborating closely with accomplished entrepreneurial leaders. We generate value by investing not just money but also our time and expertise, with a focus on opportunities in Healthcare, and Digital Assets and Infrastructure.

Media Contact: Laura Gonzalez-Valdizan; +41779937307; lg@liangroup.io

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/lian-group-expands-healthcare-platform-with-strategic-acquisition-of-scientis-1-dermatologist-recommended-solution-for-hyperpigmentation-302232745.html
CHANGSHA, China, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This year marks the 50th anniversary of the archaeological excavation of Mawangdui Han Tombs. To fully showcase the fruitful results in the preservation, research, and utilization of the archaeological excavation of Mawangdui Han Tombs and raise the global clout of Chinese civilization, the opening ceremony of the international academic seminar kicked off in Changsha on the morning of August 18. Hosted by the People's Government of Hunan Province, the ceremony was undertaken by the Publicity Department of the Hunan Provincial Committee, the Hunan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, and the Cultural Heritage of Hunan, with other participating units including the Hunan Museum. Mao Weiming, Deputy Secretary of the Hunan Provincial Committee and Provincial Governor, and Li Qun, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China and Director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, delivered speeches at the opening ceremony. Present at the event were leaders including Yang Haodong, a member of the Standing Committee of the Hunan Provincial Committee, and Minister of the Publicity Department of the Hunan Provincial Committee.

At the opening ceremony, the China Central Newsreel & Documentary Film Studio (Group) donated academic HD video footage of the Mawangdui Han Tombs archaeological excavation sites to the Hunan Museum. The bamboo slips and silk manuscripts unearthed from the Mawangdui Han Tombs and textiles from Han Tomb No.1, along with new research findings on these artifacts, were unveiled. The documentary Mawangdui's Immortal Years, which captures the excavation, preservation, research, and exhibition of Mawangdui Han Tombs, also premiered. Additionally, the Hunan Museum signed agreements with six institutions, including the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and the Dunhuang Academy, to launch collaborative interdisciplinary projects.

For half a century, generations of dedicated guardians have poured immense effort and wisdom into preserving and studying the Mawangdui Han Tombs, leading to significant research achievements. A comprehensive inventory of the artifacts unearthed from the tomb revealed a total of 26,937 items. The human remains specimens, including the well-preserved body of Lady Xin Zhui, have been effectively safeguarded through a three-tiered protection approach at the holistic, cellular, and molecular levels. This method has successfully mitigated the dissolution of proteins and the loss of calcium ions in the bones. Other artifacts, such as silk manuscripts, textiles, and lacquer and wooden artifacts, have also received fundamental and highly effective preservation. To date, 948 artifacts have been captured in high-resolution digital formats, encompassing 7,779 images and 285 3D models, laying the foundation for the Mawangdui Han Tombs artifact knowledge base.

The future goal is to achieve 100% digitization, including all fragments, to create a comprehensive knowledge graph of the Mawangdui Han Tombs artifacts. The 2-day academic seminar, with its theme focused on "Mawangdui Han Tomb Relics, Han Culture, and Contemporary China", consists of four sub-seminars devoted to Han Dynasty archaeology and Sino-foreign cultural exchange research, Han Dynasty art and ideological history research, Han Dynasty bamboo slips and silk manuscripts research, and Han Dynasty medical research respectively. The participating experts and scholars shared and discussed innovative ideas, perspectives, and achievements in the preservation and inheritance of cultural relics.

The international academic seminar, arousing wide concern at home and abroad, is attended by more than 300 experts and scholars from over 100 universities, research institutes, and museums from 8 countries. The Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports, and the Representative Office of UNESCO in China, among other institutions, as well as renowned scholars, sent congratulatory letters and videos to the event.

The Mawangdui Han Tombs marks where Li Cang, the Chancellor of the Changsha Kingdom during the Western Han Dynasty, and his three family members were buried. The tomb is renowned for the remarkable preservation of Lady Xin Zhui (the wife of Li Cang), a female corpse that has remained intact for over two millennia, the discovery of an ancient Chinese gown as thin as a cicada's wing, and over 130,000 words of silk manuscripts, some containing lost texts. It has gained wide recognition as one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the 20th century, not only in China but globally.

Source: Hunan Museum

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a6c5c3a5-f362-4278-bb27-3a99c5328bcc
Singapore, Singapore--(Newsfile Corp. - August 28, 2024) - Colle AI (COLLE), a leading Web3 and AI-driven NFT platform, has announced plans to launch a new Marketplace Rating System aimed at enhancing the user experience. This upcoming feature will provide transparent, community-driven ratings for NFTs, artists, and transactions within the Colle AI ecosystem.

Unlocking new opportunities for creators through innovative AI and blockchain technology.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8833/221358_95_7.jpg

The Marketplace Rating System will allow users to rate and review NFTs and their creators, fostering trust and building a more informed community. By leveraging AI technology, the system will aggregate user feedback and generate ratings that help guide collectors and traders in making more informed decisions. This initiative aims to empower users with the knowledge they need to navigate the fast-paced world of NFTs with greater confidence.

In addition to benefiting collectors and traders, the rating system will also support artists and creators by providing valuable feedback on their work. This feedback loop is expected to enhance visibility for top-rated creators while encouraging continuous improvement within the community. Colle AI's goal is to create a more engaging and supportive environment where both creators and collectors can thrive.

The introduction of the Marketplace Rating System aligns with Colle AI's mission to democratize access to NFTs and improve the overall user experience. By incorporating community-driven ratings, Colle AI aims to maintain a trusted space for digital art creation, trading, and collection.

About Colle AI

Colle AI leverages AI technology to simplify the NFT creation process, empowering artists and creators to easily transform their ideas into digital assets. The platform aims to make NFT creation more accessible, fostering innovation in the digital art space.

Social Media

Instagram

Twitter

Visit Colle AI for future updates.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221358

SOURCE: Kaj Labs
Der Goldpreis haussiert und schwingt sich von Hoch zu Hoch. Getrieben von geopolitischen Unsicherheiten sowie der Aussicht auf eine lockere Geldpolitik der FED gehen Experten aktuell von weiter steigenden Notierungen bis sogar in den Bereich von 3.000 US-Dollar je Unze Gold aus.



Im Schatten des Basispreises notieren Goldproduzenten aus der zweiten Reihe sowie Explorationsunternehmen noch weit weg von ihren historischen Hochststanden entfernt und bieten dadurch erhebliches Aufholpotential.



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CAMBRIDGE, Mass., ROTTERDAM, Netherlands and SUZHOU, China, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Harbour BioMed ("HBM", or the "Company"; HKEX: 02142), a global biopharmaceutical company committed to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel antibody therapeutics focusing on oncology and immunology, today announced its interim results for the six months ended June 30, 2024.

Dr. Jingsong Wang, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Harbour BioMed, commented, "In the first half of 2024, Harbour BioMed remained profitable, demonstrating the Company's remarkable resilience and adaptability in challenging market conditions. Our global operations continue to open new avenues for future growth. Our outstanding performance has validated the feasibility of the Two-Engine strategy, driven by Harbour Therapeutics and Nona Biosciences. We are confident in our ability to enhance value creation and drive sustainable growth by fully unlocking the tremendous potential of our core innovation engine."

The Company reported revenues of US$23.7 million for the first half of 2024, achieving an overall profit of approximately US$1.4 million, with a solid cash balance exceeding US$183 million.

Harbour Therapeutics: Robust Portfolio and Differentiated Pipeline

The Company has a robust and diversified pipeline with potentially differentiated drug candidates in immuno-oncology and inflammatory and immunology diseases. Key products include HBM9161, HBM4003, HBM9378 and HBM1020. The Company aims to deliver at least one IND submission generated from the discovery engine each year.

Batoclimab (HBM9161) is a novel, fully human anti-FcRn (neonatal fragment crystallizable receptor) monoclonal antibody which has the potential to be a breakthrough treatment option for a wide range of autoimmune diseases. In June 2023, the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China accepted the BLA of batoclimab for the treatment of gMG, while in December 2023, the Company voluntarily planned to include additional long-term safety data and re-submitted the BLA for batoclimab to the NMPA in June 2024, which was shortly accepted in July 2024. According to the analysis of the Open-Label extension clinical trial up to November 2023, the data demonstrated consistent efficacy and safety of batoclimab in long-term disease management. Its clinical results were published in JAMA Neurology in March 2024.

Batoclimab received the "Breakthrough Therapy Certificate" from the NMPA in 2021 and achieved a positive outcome in the proof-of-concept study for treating Chinese gMG patients in July 2021. The positive topline results of its Phase III clinical trial were announced in March 2023.

In October 2022, the Company entered into an agreement with NBP Pharma, a wholly owned subsidiary of the CSPC Group, to co-develop batoclimab in Greater China. The Company believes that the collaboration with CSPC Group enables the Company to optimize the market potential and advance the clinical development of batoclimab, so as to further maximize the value of batoclimab in Greater China.

Porustobart (HBM4003) is a next-generation, fully human anti-CTLA-4 antibody targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4). It is the first internally developed molecule generated from HCAb Harbour Mice platform. Porustobart is the first fully human heavy chain only anti CTLA-4 antibody entered into clinical development worldwide, and has favourable properties compared with conventional anti-CTLA-4 antibodies in pre-clinical settings. Notably, porustobart exhibits unique, favourable properties including significant Treg cell depletion and optimized pharmacokinetics for improved safety. While increasing the potential to selectively deplete intratumoral Treg cells via enhanced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) strategy, the Company believes porustobart will be able to break the significant immune-suppressive barrier of anti-cancer immunotherapies in solid tumors. Porustobart has great potential to overcome the efficacy and toxicity bottleneck of the current CTLA-4 therapies, positioning it as a key product in cancer immunotherapy.

The Company has implemented a global development plan for porustobart across multiple solid tumor types, with adaptive treatment designs. Positive data on efficacy and safety have been read out from the monotherapy trial targeting advanced solid tumors, as well as the trials of combination treatment with PD-1 inhibitor for melanoma, NEN, and HCC. In January 2024, patient enrolment for combination therapy with a PD-1 inhibitor for advanced colorectal carcinoma was initiated.

HBM9378 is a fully human monoclonal antibody targeting thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), developed from H2L2 Harbour Mice platform. It inhibits the TSLP-mediated signalling pathway by blocking the interaction between TSLP and its receptor. TSLP plays important roles in DC cell maturation, T helper 2 (Th2) cell polarization, and inflammation, particularly in both eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic inflammation asthma. HBM9378 features fully human sequences, which reduce the risk of immunogenicity and improve bioavailability compared to other TSLP-targeting competitors. Its optimized long half-life and outstanding biophysical properties provide dosing and formulation benefits.

HBM9378 has entered the clinical development stage in collaboration with Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Kelun-Biotech). In February 2022, HBM9378 received IND approval from the NMPA for the treatment of severe asthma and initiated the Phase I trial in China. In October 2023, HBM9378 completed the Phase I clinical trial, and the initiation of its Phase II clinical trial is now ongoing. The Company is also preparing the IND application for a second indication, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), for HBM9378.

HBM1020 is a first-in-class, fully human monoclonal antibody generated from Harbour Mice platform, targeting B7H7/HHLA2. As a newly discovered member of the B7 family, B7H7/HHLA2 expression is found non-overlapping with PD-L1 expression in multiple tumor types, suggesting it may play a key role for tumor cells to escape immune surveillance beyond PD-L1 mechanisms. HBM1020 is the first product targeting B7H7/HHLA2 in clinical stage globally. With its excellent product design and target features, the Company believes that HBM1020 has significant potential to address unmet medical needs in the treatment of solid tumors, particularly in patients with low PD-L1 expression and those resistant to PD-(L)1 therapies. The Company initiated a Phase I clinical trial in the U.S. in May 2023 and has since completed multiple dose levels. The latest progress of HBM1020 will be presented at the ESMO Congress 2024.

Engaged in the discovery and development of differentiated antibody therapeutics in the areas of immuno-oncology and immunology, the Company are also exploring and developing multiple programs, including novel and challenging antibody therapeutics across various disease areas.

In oncology field, alongside monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) such as HBM1022 (CCR8) and HBM9014 (a LIFR-targeting mAb), the Company is also generating bispecific antibodies from the HBICE platform, featuring innovative designs and differentiated mechanisms such as HBM7020 (BCMAxCD3), HBM9027 (PD-L1xCD40), and HBM7004 (B7H4xCD3). In addition, leveraging the advantages of the Harbour Mice platform and utilizing the XDC platform, the Company is exploring more therapeutic modalities in oncology, including HBM9033 (a MSLN-targeted ADC) and other ADC/RDC programs in early stages.

In the inflammatory and immunology field, the Company has built a robust preclinical pipeline, encompassing bispecific and multi-specific antibody programs in targeting Type 2 pathways and for other inflammatory and immunology conditions.

Nona Biosciences: An Efficient Value Creation Engine

As a pioneer in innovative antibody platform technology, the Company continues to empower the innovators in the industry and support its collaborators from I to ITM (Idea to IND) through Nona Biosciences. By leveraging flexible business models and robust internal discovery capabilities, Nona Biosciences is maximizing platform value by combining the strengths of the Company with those of its collaborators. To fully utilize the unique platform technologies, Nona Biosciences continues to explore the expansion of platform technology applications, generating impactful values for the Company. The Company has established partnerships with over 25 industry pioneers and academic researchers, further expanding its collaboration network both in China and globally.

In February 2024, Nona Biosciences entered into a collaboration agreement with Boostimmune, a biotech company dedicated to developing next-generation anti-cancer therapies via modulating immune systems. The collaboration aims to leverage Nona Biosciences' proprietary H2L2 Harbour Mice to accelerate the development of ADCs against novel targets.

In May 2024, Nona Biosciences entered into a license agreement with Astra Zeneca for preclinical monoclonal antibodies that will be used to create targeted therapies in oncology. Under the terms of the agreement, Nona Biosciences shall receive US$19 million upon completion of the transaction, is eligible to receive an additional US$10 million in potential near-term milestone payments and up to US$575 million upon achieving specified development, regulatory, and commercial milestones, as well as tiered royalty payments on net sales. In addition, Nona Biosciences is eligible to receive payments for the option programs should Astra Zeneca exercise these options.

In July 2024, Nona Biosciences entered into a collaboration agreement with Alaya.bio, a biotechnology company developing a novel polymeric delivery platform, to precisely target and reprogram cells in situ and thus to significantly simplify the way CAR-T cell therapies are being developed, manufactured and administered.

Nona Biosciences continuous to optimize, upgrade and further develop its technology, establishing a robust antibody discovery platform, protein engineering platform, conjugation technology platform, HCAb-CAR screening platform and delivery technology platform to use mRNA-encoding target gene as immunogen to tackle difficult targets. These platforms enable the Company to address more novel and challenging drug targets globally.

About Harbour BioMed

Harbour BioMed (HKEX: 02142) is a global biopharmaceutical company committed to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel antibody therapeutics focusing on immunology and oncology. The Company is building its robust portfolio and differentiated pipeline through internal R&D capability, collaborations with co-discovery and co-development partners, and select acquisitions.

The proprietary antibody technology platforms Harbour Mice generates fully human monoclonal antibodies in two heavy and two light chains (H2L2) format, as well as heavy chain only (HCAb) format. Building upon the HCAb antibodies, the HCAb-based immune cell engagers (HBICE) bispecific antibody technology is capable of delivering tumor-killing effects unachievable by traditional combination therapies. Integrating Harbour Mice, and HBICE with a single B cell cloning platform, our antibody discovery engine is highly unique and efficient for the development of next-generation therapeutic antibodies. For further information, please visit www.harbourbiomed.com

SOURCE Harbour BioMed
All amounts are in Canadian dollars and are based on financial statements presented in compliance with International Accounting Standard 34 Interim Financial Reporting, unless otherwise noted. Effective November 1, 2023, we adopted IFRS 17 Insurance Contracts (IFRS 17). Comparative amounts have been restated from those previously presented. Our Q3 2024 Report to Shareholders and Supplementary Financial Information are available at http://www.rbc.com/investorrelations and on https://www.sedarplus.com/.



Net income

$4.5 Billion

Up 16% YoY Diluted EPS1

$3.09

Up 13% YoY Total PCL2

$659 Million

PCL on loans ratio3

down 14 bps4 QoQ

ROE5

15.5%

Up 60 bps YoY CET1 ratio6

13.0%

Above regulatory

requirements Adjusted net income7

$4.7 Billion

Up 18% YoY Adjusted diluted EPS7

$3.26

Up 15% YoY Total PCL8

$659 Million

PCL on loans ratio9

down 14 bps4 QoQ Adjusted ROE7

16.4%

Up 100 bps YoY LCR10

126%

Down from 128% last

quarter

TORONTO, Aug. 28, 2024 /CNW/ - Royal Bank of Canada 11 (RY on TSX and NYSE) today reported net income of $4.5 billion for the quarter ended July 31, 2024, up $626 million or 16% from the prior year. Diluted EPS was $3.09, up 13% over the same period. Higher results in Personal & Commercial Banking, Capital Markets and Wealth Management were partially offset by lower results in Corporate Support and Insurance. The inclusion of HSBC Bank Canada (HSBC Canada) results12 increased net income by $239 million. Adjusted net income7 and adjusted diluted EPS7 of $4.7 billion and $3.26 were up 18% and 15%, respectively, from the prior year.

Results also reflected the impact of the specified item relating to HSBC Canada transaction and integration costs (Q3 2024: $160 million before-tax and $125 million after-tax; Q3 2023: $110 million before-tax and $84 million after-tax) and amortization of acquisition-related intangibles (Q3 2024: $154 million before-tax and $116 million after-tax; Q3 2023: $81 million before-tax and $61 million after-tax).

Pre-provision, pre-tax earnings7 of $6.0 billion were up $820 million or 16% from last year. The inclusion of HSBC Canada results increased pre-provision, pre-tax earnings7 by $412 million. Excluding HSBC Canada results, pre-provision, pre-tax earnings7 increased 8% from last year, mainly due to higher net interest income reflecting higher spreads and solid average volume growth in Canadian Banking. Higher fee-based revenue in Wealth Management reflecting market appreciation and net sales, as well as higher Corporate & Investment Banking revenue in Capital Markets, also contributed to the increase. These factors were partially offset by higher expenses driven by higher variable compensation on improved results and continued investments in our franchises.

Compared to last quarter, net income was up 14% reflecting higher results in Personal & Commercial Banking, Corporate Support and Wealth Management, partially offset by lower results in Capital Markets. Adjusted net income7 was up 13% over the same period. Pre-provision, pre-tax earnings7 were up 3% as higher revenue more than offset expense growth. The PCL on loans ratio of 27 bps decreased 14 bps from the prior quarter mainly reflecting the prior quarter's 9 bps impact of initial PCL on performing loans purchased in the HSBC Canada transaction. The PCL on impaired loans ratio13 was 26 bps, down 4 bps from the prior quarter.

Our capital position remained robust, with a CET1 ratio6 of 13.0%, up 20 bps from the prior quarter. On June 10, 2024, we announced that the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions had approved our normal course issuer bid to purchase, for cancellation, up to 30 million of our common shares. In Q3 2024, we repurchased 0.5 million shares for $73 million.

"Our Q3 results demonstrate that RBC continues to operate from a position of strategic and financial strength with solid revenue growth and momentum underpinned by a strong balance sheet, robust capital position and prudent risk management. Combined with our recently announced changes to the executive leadership team and business segments, RBC is better positioned than ever to accelerate our next phase of growth and deliver long-term value to clients, communities and shareholders."

- Dave McKay, President and Chief Executive Officer of Royal Bank of Canada

____________________________________________________ 1 Earnings per share (EPS). 2 Provision for credit losses (PCL). 3 PCL on loans ratio is calculated as PCL on loans as a percentage of average net loans and acceptances. 4 Basis points (bps). 5 Return on equity (ROE) is calculated as net income available to common shareholders divided by average common equity. For further information, refer to the Key performance and non-GAAP measures section on pages 4 to 5 of this Earnings Release. 6 This ratio is calculated by dividing Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) by risk-weighted assets (RWA), in accordance with Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions' (OSFI) Basel III Capital Adequacy Requirements (CAR) guideline. 7 These are non-GAAP measures. For further information, including a reconciliation, refer to the Key performance and non-GAAP measures section on pages 4 to 5 of this Earnings Release. 8 Allowance for credit losses (ACL). 9 ACL on loans ratio is calculated as ACL on loans as a percentage of total loans and acceptances. 10 The liquidity coverage ratio (LCR) is calculated in accordance with OSFI's Liquidity Adequacy Requirements (LAR) guideline. For further details, refer to the Liquidity and funding risk section of our Q3 2024 Report to Shareholders. 11 When we say "we", "us", "our", "the bank" or "RBC", we mean Royal Bank of Canada and its subsidiaries, as applicable. 12 On March 28, 2024, we completed the acquisition of HSBC Canada (HSBC Canada transaction). HSBC Canada results reflect revenue, PCL, non-interest expenses and income taxes associated with the acquired operations and clients, which include the acquired assets, assumed liabilities and employees with the exception of assets and liabilities relating to treasury and liquidity management activities. For further details, refer to the Key corporate events section of our Q3 2024 Report to Shareholders. 13 PCL on impaired loans ratio is calculated as PCL on impaired loans as a percentage of average net loans and acceptances.



Q3 2024

Reported:

Adjusted 15:



Compared to  Net income of $4,486 million - 16%  Net income of $4,727 million - 18% Q3 2023  Diluted EPS of $3.09 - 13%  Diluted EPS of $3.26 - 15%

 ROE of 15.5% - 60 bps  ROE of 16.4% - 100 bps

 CET1 ratio14 of 13.0% - 110 bps





Q3 2024

 Net income of $4,486 million - 14%  Net income of $4,727 million - 13% Compared to  Diluted EPS of $3.09 - 13%  Diluted EPS of $3.26 - 12% Q2 2024  ROE of 15.5% - 100 bps  ROE of 16.4% - 90 bps

 CET1 ratio14 of 13.0% - 20 bps





YTD 2024

 Net income of $12,018 million - 13%  Net income of $12,991 million - 8% Compared to  Diluted EPS of $8.34 - 10%  Diluted EPS of $9.03 - 6% YTD 2023  ROE of 14.4% - 30 bps  ROE of 15.6% - 40 bps

___________________________________________________ 14 This ratio is calculated by dividing CET1 by RWA, in accordance with OSFI's Basel III CAR guideline. 15 These are non-GAAP measures. For further information, including a reconciliation, refer to the Key performance and non-GAAP measures section on pages 4 to 5 of this Earnings Release.



Net income of $2,490 million increased $356 million or 17% from a year ago. The inclusion of HSBC Canada results increased net income by $198 million. Excluding HSBC Canada results, net income increased $158 million or 7%, primarily driven by higher net interest income reflecting higher spreads and average volume growth of 10% in deposits and 6% in loans in Canadian Banking, partially offset by higher PCL.

Compared to last quarter, net income increased $439 million or 21%. The inclusion of HSBC Canada results increased net income by $259 million, as the current quarter includes a full quarter of net income and the prior quarter reflected the initial PCL on the performing loans purchased in the HSBC Canada transaction. Excluding HSBC Canada results, net income increased $180 million or 9%, primarily driven by higher net interest income reflecting average volume growth of 2% in Canadian Banking, the impact of two more days in the current quarter and higher spreads in Canadian Banking. These factors were partially offset by higher staff-related costs.

Net income of $862 million increased $199 million or 30% from a year ago, mainly due to higher fee-based client assets reflecting market appreciation and net sales, which also drove higher variable compensation. Higher transactional revenue and lower PCL also contributed to the increase. The prior year also included the gain on the sale of RBC Investor Services operations.

Compared to last quarter, net income increased $93 million or 12%, primarily due to higher fee-based client assets reflecting market appreciation, which also drove higher variable compensation.

Net income of $170 million decreased $45 million or 21% from a year ago, largely due to lower insurance investment result from lower favourable investment-related experience, partially offset by lower capital funding costs. This was partially offset by higher insurance service result, largely attributable to improved claims experience in life retrocession and business growth across the majority of our products. The results in the prior period are not fully comparable as we were not managing our asset and liability portfolios under IFRS 17.

Compared to last quarter, net income decreased $7 million or 4%, largely due to lower insurance investment result from lower favourable investment-related experience. This factor was largely offset by higher insurance service result, mainly due to business growth across the majority of our products.

Net income of $1,172 million increased $223 million or 23% from a year ago, primarily driven by higher revenue in Corporate & Investment Banking, primarily due to higher municipal banking activity, higher loan syndication activity in the U.S., higher debt origination in North America and the impact of foreign exchange translation. Lower PCL also contributed to the increase. These factors were partially offset by higher taxes reflecting changes in earnings mix and higher compensation on increased results.

Compared to last quarter, net income decreased $90 million or 7% from record levels, mainly due to lower M&A activity in the U.S., partially offset by lower PCL on impaired loans in a few sectors.

Net loss was $208 million for the current quarter, primarily due to the after-tax impact of the HSBC Canada transaction and integration costs of $125 million, which is treated as a specified item. Unallocated costs also contributed to the net loss.

Net loss was $309 million in the prior quarter, primarily due to the after-tax impact of the HSBC Canada transaction and integration costs of $282 million, partially offset by the after-tax impact of management of closing capital volatility related to the HSBC Canada transaction of $112 million, both of which are treated as specified items. Unallocated costs also contributed to the net loss.

Net loss was $101 million in the prior year, primarily due to the after-tax impact of the HSBC Canada transaction and integration costs of $84 million, which is treated as a specified item.

Capital - As at July 31, 2024, our CET1 ratio16 was 13.0%, up 20 bps from last quarter, mainly reflecting net internal capital generation, partially offset by RWA growth (excluding FX).

Liquidity - For the quarter ended July 31, 2024, the average LCR17 was 126%, which translates into a surplus of approximately $81 billion, compared to 128% and a surplus of approximately $83 billion in the prior quarter. Average LCR17 remained relatively stable from the prior quarter reflecting loan growth and an increase in on-balance sheet securities, largely offset by growth in retail deposits.

The Net Stable Funding Ratio18 (NSFR) as at July 31, 2024 was 114%, which translates into a surplus of approximately $136 billion, compared to 111% and a surplus of approximately $105 billion in the prior quarter. NSFR increased compared to the previous quarter, mainly due to higher available stable funding driven by an increase in the weighted value of retail deposits and wholesale funding.

________________________________________________________________________ 16 This ratio is calculated by dividing CET1 by RWA, in accordance with OSFI's Basel III CAR guideline. 17 The LCR is calculated in accordance with OSFI's LAR guideline. For further details, refer to the Liquidity and funding risk section of our Q3 2024 Report to Shareholders. 18 The NSFR is calculated in accordance with OSFI's LAR guideline. For further details, refer to the Liquidity and funding risk section of our Q3 2024 Report to Shareholders.



Credit Quality

Q3 2024 vs. Q3 2023

Total PCL of $659 million increased $43 million or 7% from a year ago, mainly reflecting higher provisions in Personal & Commercial Banking, partially offset by lower provisions in Capital Markets and Wealth Management. The PCL on loans ratio of 27 bps decreased 2 bps. The PCL on impaired loans ratio of 26 bps increased 3 bps.

PCL on performing loans of $42 million decreased $78 million or 65%, mainly due to favourable changes to our scenario weights, partially offset by unfavourable changes to our macroeconomic forecast and credit quality.

PCL on impaired loans of $623 million increased $124 million or 25%, mainly due to higher provisions in our Canadian Banking portfolios, partially offset by lower provisions in Capital Markets.

Q3 2024 vs. Q2 2024

Total PCL decreased $261 million or 28% from last quarter, primarily reflecting lower provisions in Personal & Commercial Banking and Capital Markets. The PCL on loans ratio decreased 14 bps. The PCL on impaired loans ratio decreased 4 bps.

PCL on performing loans decreased $202 million or 83%, mainly reflecting higher provisions in the prior quarter driven by the initial PCL on performing loans purchased in the HSBC Canada transaction.

PCL on impaired loans decreased $49 million or 7%, mainly due to lower provisions in Capital Markets and Wealth Management, partially offset by higher provisions in our Canadian Banking commercial portfolio in a few sectors, including the real estate and related sector.

Performance measures

We measure and evaluate the performance of our consolidated operations and each business segment using a number of financial metrics, such as net income and ROE. Certain financial metrics, including ROE, do not have a standardized meaning under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and may not be comparable to similar measures disclosed by other financial institutions.

Non-GAAP measures

We believe that certain non-GAAP measures (including non-GAAP ratios) are more reflective of our ongoing operating results and provide readers with a better understanding of management's perspective on our performance. These measures enhance the comparability of our financial performance for the three and nine months ended July 31, 2024 with the corresponding periods in the prior year and the three months ended April 30, 2024. Non-GAAP measures do not have a standardized meaning under GAAP and may not be comparable to similar measures disclosed by other financial institutions.

The following discussion describes the non-GAAP measures we use in evaluating our operating results.

Pre-provision, pre-tax earnings

We use pre-provision, pre-tax earnings to assess our ability to generate sustained earnings growth outside of credit losses, which are impacted by the cyclical nature of the credit cycle. The following table provides a reconciliation of our reported results to pre-provision, pre-tax earnings and illustrates the calculation of pre-provision, pre-tax earnings presented:





For the three months ended

For the nine months ended





July 31



April 30

July 31





July 31



July 31

(Millions of Canadian dollars)



2024



2024

2023 (1)





2024



2023 (1)



Net income

$ 4,486

$ 3,950 $ 3,860



$ 12,018

$ 10,673



Add: Income taxes



887



976

736





2,629



3,604



Add: PCL



659



920

616





2,392



1,748

Pre-provision, pre-tax earnings (2)

$ 6,032

$ 5,846 $ 5,212



$ 17,039

$ 16,025







(1) Prior period amounts have been restated from those previously presented as part of the adoption of IFRS 17, effective November 1, 2023. Refer to Note 2 of our Condensed Financial Statements for further details on these changes. (2) For the three months ended July 31, 2024, pre-provision, pre-tax earnings excluding HSBC Canada results of $5,620 million is calculated as pre-provision, pre-tax earnings of $6,032 million less net income of $239 million, income taxes of $90 million, and PCL of $83 million.



Adjusted results

We believe that providing adjusted results as well as certain measures and ratios excluding the impact of the specified items discussed below and amortization of acquisition-related intangibles enhances comparability with prior periods and enables readers to better assess trends in the underlying businesses.

Our results for all reported periods were adjusted for the following specified item:

HSBC Canada transaction and integration costs.

Our results for the nine months ended July 31, 2024 and the three months ended April 30, 2024 were adjusted for the following specified item:

Management of closing capital volatility related to the HSBC Canada transaction. For further details, refer to the Key corporate events section of our Q3 2024 Report to Shareholders.

Our results for the nine months ended July 31, 2023 were adjusted for the following specified item:

Canada Recovery Dividend (CRD) and other tax related adjustments: reflects the impact of the CRD and the 1.5% increase in the Canadian corporate tax rate applicable to fiscal 2022, net of deferred tax adjustments, which were announced in the Government of Canada's 2022 budget and enacted in the first quarter of 2023.

The following table provides a reconciliation of our reported results to our adjusted results and illustrates the calculation of adjusted measures presented. The adjusted results and measures presented below are non-GAAP measures or ratios.

Consolidated results, reported and adjusted





As at or for the three months ended

As at or for the nine months ended (Millions of Canadian dollars, except per share, number of



July 31



April 30

July 31





July 31



July 31

and percentage amounts)



2024



2024

2023 (1)





2024



2023 (1)



Total revenue

$ 14,631

$ 14,154 $ 12,977



$ 42,270

$ 38,779



PCL



659



920

616





2,392



1,748



Non-interest expense



8,599



8,308

7,765





25,231



22,754



Income before income taxes



5,373



4,926

4,596





14,647



14,277



Income taxes



887



976

736





2,629



3,604

Net income

$ 4,486

$ 3,950 $ 3,860



$ 12,018

$ 10,673

Net income available to common shareholders

$ 4,377

$ 3,881 $ 3,800



$ 11,780

$ 10,499

Average number of common shares (thousands)



1,414,194



1,412,651

1,393,515





1,411,044



1,388,217

Basic earnings per share (in dollars)

$ 3.09

$ 2.75 $ 2.73



$ 8.35

$ 7.56

Average number of diluted common shares (thousands)



1,416,149



1,414,166

1,394,939





1,412,644



1,389,857

Diluted earnings per share (in dollars)

$ 3.09

$ 2.74 $ 2.73



$ 8.34

$ 7.55

ROE (2)



15.5 %



14.5 %

14.9 %





14.4 %



14.1 %

Effective income tax rate



16.5 %



19.8 %

16.0 %





17.9 %



25.2 %

Total adjusting items impacting net income (before-tax)

$ 314

$ 309 $ 191



$ 1,254

$ 426



Specified item: HSBC Canada transaction and integration costs (3), (4)



160



358

110





783



177



Specified item: Management of closing capital volatility related to the

































HSBC Canada transaction (3), (5)



-



(155)

-





131



-



Amortization of acquisition-related intangibles (6)



154



106

81





340



249

Total income taxes for adjusting items impacting net income

$ 73

$ 61 $ 46



$ 281

$ (957)



Specified item: HSBC Canada transaction and integration costs (3)



35



76

26





158



42



Specified item: Management of closing capital volatility related to the

































HSBC Canada transaction (3), (5)



-



(43)

-





36



-



Specified item: CRD and other tax related adjustments (3), (7)



-



-

-





-



(1,050)



Amortization of acquisition-related intangibles (6)



38



28

20





87



51

Adjusted results (8)

































Income before income taxes - adjusted

$ 5,687

$ 5,235 $ 4,787



$ 15,901

$ 14,703



Income taxes - adjusted



960



1,037

782





2,910



2,647



Net income - adjusted



4,727



4,198

4,005





12,991



12,056



Net income available to common shareholders - adjusted



4,618



4,129

3,945





12,753



11,882

Average number of common shares (thousands)



1,414,194



1,412,651

1,393,515





1,411,044



1,388,217

Basic earnings per share (in dollars) - adjusted (8)

$ 3.26

$ 2.92 $ 2.83



$ 9.04

$ 8.56

Average number of diluted common shares (thousands)



1,416,149



1,414,166

1,394,939





1,412,644



1,389,857

Diluted earnings per share (in dollars) - adjusted (8)

$ 3.26

$ 2.92 $ 2.83



$ 9.03

$ 8.55

ROE - adjusted (8)



16.4 %



15.5 %

15.4 %





15.6 %



16.0 %

Effective income tax rate - adjusted (8)



16.9 %



19.8 %

16.3 %





18.3 %



18.0 %







(1) Amounts have been restated from those previously presented as part of the adoption of IFRS 17, effective November 1, 2023. Refer to Note 2 of our Condensed Financial Statements for further details on these changes. (2) ROE is calculated as net income available to common shareholders divided by average common equity. ROE is based on actual balances of average common equity before rounding. (3) These amounts have been recognized in Corporate Support. (4) As at July 31, 2024, the cumulative HSBC Canada transaction and integration costs (before-tax) incurred were $1.2 billion and it is currently estimated that an additional $0.3 billion will be incurred, for a total of approximately $1.5 billion. (5) For the nine months ended July 31, 2024 and the three months ended April 30, 2024, we included management of closing capital volatility related to the HSBC Canada transaction as a specified item for non-GAAP measures and non-GAAP ratios. For further details, refer to the Key corporate events section of our Q3 2024 Report to Shareholders. (6) Represents the impact of amortization of acquisition-related intangibles (excluding amortization of software), and any goodwill impairment. (7) The impact of the CRD and other tax related adjustments does not include $0.2 billion recognized in other comprehensive income. (8) See the Glossary section of our interim Management's Discussion and Analysis dated August 27, 2024, for the three and nine months ended July 31, 2024, available at https://www.sedarplus.com/, for an explanation of the composition of these measures. Such explanation is incorporated by reference hereto.

Additional information about ROE and other key performance and non-GAAP measures and ratios can be found under the Key performance and non-GAAP measures section of our Q3 2024 Report to Shareholders.

CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

From time to time, we make written or oral forward-looking statements within the meaning of certain securities laws, including the "safe harbour" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and any applicable Canadian securities legislation. We may make forward-looking statements in this document, in other filings with Canadian regulators or the SEC, in reports to shareholders, and in other communications. In addition, our representatives may communicate forward-looking statements orally to analysts, investors, the media and others. Forward-looking statements in this document include, but are not limited to, statements relating to our financial performance objectives, vision and strategic goals and the expected impacts of the HSBC Canada transaction, including transaction and integration costs, and includes statements made by our President and Chief Executive Officer. The forward-looking statements contained in this document represent the views of management and are presented for the purpose of assisting the holders of our securities and financial analysts in understanding our financial position and results of operations as at and for the periods ended on the dates presented, as well as our financial performance objectives, vision, strategic goals and priorities and anticipated financial performance, and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as "believe", "expect", "suggest", "seek", "foresee", "forecast", "schedule", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "goal", "commit", "target", "objective", "plan", "outlook", "timeline" and "project" and similar expressions of future or conditional verbs such as "will", "may", "might", "should", "could", "can" or "would" or negative or grammatical variations thereof.

By their very nature, forward-looking statements require us to make assumptions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific in nature, which give rise to the possibility that our predictions, forecasts, projections, expectations or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that our assumptions may not be correct, that our financial performance, environmental & social or other objectives, vision and strategic goals will not be achieved and that our actual results may differ materially from such predictions, forecasts, projections, expectations or conclusions.

We caution readers not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements as a number of risk factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. These factors - many of which are beyond our control and the effects of which can be difficult to predict - include, but are not limited to: credit, market, liquidity and funding, insurance, operational, regulatory compliance (which could lead to us being subject to various legal and regulatory proceedings, the potential outcome of which could include regulatory restrictions, penalties and fines), strategic, reputation, legal and regulatory environment, competitive, model, systemic risks and other risks discussed in the risk sections of our 2023 Annual Report and the Risk management section of our Q3 2024 Report to Shareholders, including business and economic conditions in the geographic regions in which we operate, Canadian housing and household indebtedness, information technology, cyber and third-party risks, geopolitical uncertainty, environmental and social risk (including climate change), digital disruption and innovation, privacy and data related risks, regulatory changes, culture and conduct risks, the effects of changes in government fiscal, monetary and other policies, tax risk and transparency, and our ability to anticipate and successfully manage risks arising from all of the foregoing factors. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations in such forward-looking statements can be found in the risk sections of our 2023 Annual Report and the Risk management section of our Q3 2024 Report to Shareholders, as may be updated by subsequent quarterly reports.

We caution that the foregoing list of risk factors is not exhaustive and other factors could also adversely affect our results. When relying on our forward-looking statements to make decisions with respect to us, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events, as well as the inherent uncertainty of forward-looking statements. Material economic assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained in this document are set out in the Economic, market and regulatory review and outlook section and for each business segment under the Strategic priorities and Outlook sections in our 2023 Annual Report, as updated by the Economic, market and regulatory review and outlook section of our Q3 2024 Report to Shareholders. Such sections may be updated by subsequent quarterly reports. Assumptions about costs related to post-close consolidation and integration activities were considered in the estimation of transaction and integration costs. Except as required by law, we do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf.

Additional information about these and other factors can be found in the risk sections of our 2023 Annual Report and the Risk management section of our Q3 2024 Report to Shareholders, as may be updated by subsequent quarterly reports. Information contained in or otherwise accessible through the websites mentioned does not form part of this document. All references in this document to websites are inactive textual references and are for your information only.

ACCESS TO QUARTERLY RESULTS MATERIALS

Interested investors, the media and others may review this quarterly Earnings Release, quarterly results slides, supplementary financial information and our Q3 2024 Report to Shareholders at rbc.com/investorrelations.

Quarterly conference call and webcast presentation

Our quarterly conference call is scheduled for August 28, 2024 at 8:00 a.m. (EST) and will feature a presentation about our third quarter results by RBC executives. It will be followed by a question and answer period with analysts. Interested parties can access the call live on a listen-only basis at rbc.com/investorrelations/quarterly-financial-statements.html or by telephone (416-340-2217 or 866-696-5910, passcode 3369122#). Please call between 7:50 a.m. and 7:55 a.m. (EST).

Management's comments on results will be posted on our website shortly following the call. A recording will be available by 5:00 p.m. (EST) from August 28, 2024 until December 3, 2024 at rbc.com/investorrelations/quarterly-financial-statements.html or by telephone (905-694-9451 or 800-408-3053, passcode 3148244#).

ABOUT RBC

Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 100,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our more than 18 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.

We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact.

 Registered Trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada.

SOURCE Royal Bank of Canada

Media Relations Contacts: Gillian McArdle, Vice President, Corporate Communications, [email protected], 416-842-4231, Fiona McLean, Director, Financial Communications, [email protected], 437-778-3506; Investor Relations Contacts: Asim Imran, Senior Vice President, Head of Investor Relations, [email protected], 416-955-7804; Marco Giurleo, Senior Director, Investor Relations, [email protected], 437-239-5374
Leveraging Infosys Topaz, the initiative will focus on key areas to drive innovation and accelerate enterprise AI adoption

BENGALURU, India, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Infosys (NSE: INFY) (BSE: INFY) (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, today announced that it is collaborating with the Stanford University Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (Stanford HAI), an organization dedicated to guiding and building the future of artificial intelligence (AI), to help accelerate AI research initiatives by becoming a member of Stanford HAI's Corporate Affiliate Program.

Infosys will engage with Stanford HAI faculty and researchers on topics such as:

Responsible AI and helping enterprises navigate the complex technical, policy, and governance challenges.

Enhancing efficiency and effectiveness of business process value chain through usage of AI and Machine Learning

Optimizing AI models for cost and scale efficiency through a narrow transformer-based approach which allows AI models to be developed with minimal data.

James Landay, Stanford HAI Co-Director, said, "We are excited to welcome Infosys to the Stanford HAI Corporate Affiliate Program. At HAI, we focus on building and deploying human-centered artificial intelligence that benefits humanity. Together, we hope to push the boundaries of AI research and develop solutions that are ethical, trustworthy, and impactful."

Mohammed Rafee Tarafdar, CTO, Infosys, said, "We are thrilled to collaborate with Stanford HAI, marking a significant milestone in our AI-first journey. Through this collaboration, Infosys will support the development of cutting edge thought leadership and research that will help enterprises accelerate their AI journey in a responsible manner. By incorporating the latest AI research and proven practices into Infosys Topaz, we aim to drive innovation and deliver transformative AI solutions for our clients and industry."

About Infosys

Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. Over 300,000 of our people work to amplify human potential and create the next opportunity for people, businesses and communities. We enable clients in more than 56 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer clients, as they navigate their digital transformation powered by cloud and AI. We enable them with an AI-first core, empower the business with agile digital at scale and drive continuous improvement with always-on learning through the transfer of digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. We are deeply committed to being a well-governed, environmentally sustainable organization where diverse talent thrives in an inclusive workplace.

Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next.

Safe Harbor

Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, or our future financial or operating performance, are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding the execution of our business strategy, increased competition for talent, our ability to attract and retain personnel, increase in wages, investments to reskill our employees, our ability to effectively implement a hybrid work model, economic uncertainties and geo-political situations, technological disruptions and innovations such as Generative AI, the complex and evolving regulatory landscape including immigration regulation changes, our ESG vision, our capital allocation policy and expectations concerning our market position, future operations, margins, profitability, liquidity, capital resources, our corporate actions including acquisitions, and cybersecurity matters. Important factors that may cause actual results or outcomes to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements are discussed in more detail in our US Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law.

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CHICAGO, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Fuel Additives Market by Type (Deposit Control, Cetane Improvers, Lubricity Improvers, Cold Flow Improvers, Stability Improvers, Octane Improvers, Corrosion Inhibitors), Application (Diesel, Gasoline, Aviation Fuel) - Global Forecast to 2029", size was USD 6.7 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 8.0 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 3.6%, between 2024 and 2029.

The automotive industry is undergoing substantial change due to the growing awareness of vehicle maintenance among the customers, and fuel additives are crucial in this regard. Fuel additives help to improve the overall combustion process along with maintaining the engine clean. The production of toxic pollutants, a reduction in power output, and decrease in fuel efficiency may arise from incomplete combustion. Certain fuel additives increase the fuel's combustion properties, ensuring that the engine operates more effectively. Examples of these additives include, cetane improvers for diesel engines and octane improvers for gasoline engines. These factors are likely to drive the fuel additives market as a crucial part of vehicle maintenance.

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Lubricity Improvers segment is projected to register the highest CAGR, in terms of value, of the global fuel additives market during the forecast period.

Lubricity improvers segment is the fastest growing segment in the fuel additives market during the forecast period. The key objective of these additives is to improve the lubricating qualities of the fuel, offering adequate safety against wear and tear for vital engine parts including fuel injectors and pumps. With the world moving towards cleaner, low-sulfur diesel fuels, the need for these additives has increased. Diesel engines are naturally lubricated to some extent by the sulfur compounds in the fuel. However, the natural lubricity of diesel has diminished due to stricter regulations, with the usage of minimum to zero level of sulfur in some regions. This factor has necessitated the growing use of lubricity improvers.

Gasoline is estimated to be the second-largest application of fuel additives market, in terms of value, during the forecast period.

The gasoline segment is estimated to be the second-largest application in the fuel additives market, in terms of value, during the forecast period. Gasoline is still the primary source for a majority of the world's vehicle fleet, especially in regions like Europe, North America and Asia Pacific, despite the increasing popularity of diesel engines and the slow transition to electric vehicles. Thus, the gasoline segment holds a significant share of the fuel additives the market, largely due to the sheer volume of gasoline consumed worldwide.

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Middle East & Africa is projected to register the second highest CAGR, in terms of value, during the forecast period in the fuel additives market.

Middle East & Africa is projected to register the second highest CAGR in the fuel additives market, in terms of value, during forecast period due to several factors. The rapid urbanization and economic development in the MEA countries owing to their extensive infrastructural development is one of the primary drivers of the high growth rate of fuel additives market. The need for fuel additives rises as these nations develop their industrial bases, make investments in transportation infrastructure, and support non-oil industries. Fuel additives play a crucial role in bolstering these rapidly growing sectors by improving the performance and efficiency of fuels, ensuring enhanced engine performance, minimized emissions, and optimal fuel usage overall.

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Market Players

The key players profiled in the fuel additives market report include Innospec Inc. (US), Infineum International Limited (UK), Chevron Oronite Company LLC (US), Afton Chemical Corporation (US), BASF SE (Germany), The Lubrizol Corporation (US), Evonik Industries AG (Germany), LANXESS AG (Germany), Dorf Ketal Chemicals LLC (India), and Clariant AG (Switzerland) and others.

Browse Adjacent Market: Specialty Chemicals Market Research Reports

Related Reports:

Synthetic Fuels Market - Global Forecast to 2030

Epoxidized Soybean Oil Market - Global Forecast to 2028

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's best management consulting firms by Forbes, as per their recent report.

MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. We have the widest lens on emerging technologies, making us proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients.

Earlier this year, we made a formal transformation into one of America's best management consulting firms as per a survey conducted by Forbes.

The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing.

Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we work with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies - helping them stay relevant in a disruptive ecosystem. Our insights and strategies are molded by our industry experts, cutting-edge AI-powered Market Intelligence Cloud, and years of research. The KnowledgeStore (our Market Intelligence Cloud) integrates our research, facilitates an analysis of interconnections through a set of applications, helping clients look at the entire ecosystem and understand the revenue shifts happening in their industry.

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CHICAGO, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Building Integrated Photovoltaic Market in terms of revenue was estimated to be worth $12.49 billion in 2024 and is poised to reach $27.41 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 17.0% from 2024 to 2029 according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets.

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Crystalline silicon, by technology, is expected to be the largest-growing segment during the forecast period.

Based on technology, the segment is bifurcated into two types such as Crystalline silicon and thin film. The crystalline silicon technology is expected to drive the market. This is due to the efficiency rates of crystalline silicon solar cells are higher, especially for the monocrystalline types, than those for thin-film technologies. This makes it more efficient at transcribing light into electricity and better at providing energy output in a small area, as available on building surfaces. Crystalline silicon is an established technology applied widely in the solar industry. Its long history of reliability and performance record gives it an edge over other newer or less well-proven technologies like thin film, which would make it a more secure option for large-scale BIPV projects. Global crystalline silicon solar panel production capacity is far higher than that of thin film technologies. Such broad availability ensures better access to c-Si products and makes it possible to produce them in quantity, thus meeting growing demand in the BIPV market.

Roofing, by Application, is expected to be the largest-growing segment during the forecast period.

The Application segment is further bifurcated into 3 types: Roofing, Facades and Externally Integrated Systems. The Roofing segment is expected be the largest growing market. In this aspect, since many building codes and regulations require or recommend renewable energy systems, roofing is more likely to be the easiest and most compliant area for: BIPV systems are easy to retrofit onto an existing building, making it practical for older structures to utilize renewable energy capabilities without much structural alteration. Installing BIPV roofing might be more affordable than installing facades or externally attached systems because the expense for traditional roofing materials is replaced with solar technology, lowering the overall building cost. Enthusiasm for more green and sustainable buildings has led to an interest in BIPV roofing in which this roofing solution makes a significant contribution to a variety of different energy efficiency and sustainability targets.

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Asia Pacific is expected to be the Fastest growing region during the forecast period.

Most countries in this region have very good climatic conditions in terms of solar energy, with most parts receiving high levels of radiation. This makes BIPV a very viable and efficient way for the generation of renewable energy directly from building surfaces. This simply implies that the demand for BIPV systems forming part of smart building designs in smart city development across the Asia Pacific, enshrining the goals of energy efficiency and sustainability, is on the rise. With robust economic growth in the Asia Pacific region, investments in sustainable infrastructure and renewable energy projects, inclusive of BIPV in commercial, industrial, and residential building applications, will keep on increasing. Countries in the Asia Pacific are increasingly adopting green building standards and certifications, such as China's Green Building Evaluation Standard and India's GRIHA. These standards encourage the integration of renewable energy solutions like BIPV. Countries such as China and India, situated in the Asia Pacific region, have rapid urbanization. On the other hand, the growth of urban areas increases construction activity accordingly, within which BIPV is integrated into new buildings and infrastructure projects.

Key Players

Some of the major players in the Building Integrated Photovoltaic Market are LONGi (China), JinkoSolar (China), JA SOLAR Technology Co.,Ltd. (China), AGC Inc. (Japan), and Canadian Solar (Canada) among others. The major strategies adopted by these players include new product launches, acquisitions, contracts, agreements, partnerships, joint ventures, collaborations, investments, and expansions.

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Solar Encapsulation Market by Material (EVA, PVB, PDMS, Ionomer, TPU, Polyolefin), Technology (Crystalline Silicon, Thin-film Solar), Application (Ground-mounted, Building-integrated Photovoltaic, Floating Photovoltaic) & Region - Global Forecast to 2028

Photovoltaics (PV) Market by Component (Modules, Inverters, BOS), Material (Silicon, Compounds), Installation Type (Ground Mounted, BIPV, Floating PV), Application (Residential, Commercial & Industrial, Utilities), Cell Type and Region - Global Forecast to 2028

Get access to the latest updates on Building Integrated Photovoltaic Companies and Building Integrated Photovoltaic Industry Growth

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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MarketsandMarkets INC.

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Northbrook, IL 60062

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HONG KONG, Aug 28, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - HONG KONG, Aug 28, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - Nissin Foods Company Limited ('Nissin Foods' or the 'Company', together with its subsidiaries, the 'Group' Stock code: 1475) has announced its interim results today for the year ended 30 June 2024.The Group recorded revenue at HK$1,822.5 million. Gross profit was HK$637.5 million, with gross profit margin increased by 0.9 percentage points to 35.0% in 2024 from 34.1% in 2023. The increase in gross profit margin was mainly attributable to the easing of key raw material costs.Profit attributable to owners of the Company recorded HK$169.5 million, representing the net profit margin from 8.9% to 9.3%. The Group's basic earnings per share for the reporting period recorded 16.24 HK cents. Adjusted EBITDA increased by 1.5% to HK$300.3 million compared with HK$295.9 million for the corresponding period of 2023, representing an increase of adjusted EBITDA margin to 16.5% from 15.3%. The above increase in adjusted EBITDA indicated an improvement in underlying profitability and operating businesses of the Group.Review & Prospects of Instant Noodles and Non-Noodles BusinessesDuring the reporting period, revenue from the Hong Kong and other Asia operations for the year was HK$705.9 million. The segment results was at HK$36.9 million due to an increase in depreciation expenses for the new automated and labour-saving smart production lines and a decrease in product sales of the non-noodle business. For the Mainland China operations, revenue of HK$1,116.6 million was recorded for the reporting period, and its segment results increased by 8.0% to HK$173.5 million, mainly attributable to the easing of raw material costs and the implementation of cost-efficient marketing activities.The Group adhered to its premiumisation strategy during the reporting period and launched new products to expand its portfolio to drive the growth of its instant noodles business. The Group continued to promote its signature brands 'Cup Noodles' and 'Demae Iccho' through the provision of exclusive products to certain key accounts and collaboration with Japanese anime such as 'BLUE LOCK' . The Group launched various new flavours under the 'Nissin Raoh', 'Nissin U.F.O', 'Fuku' and 'Doll' brands to further enrich the instant noodle portfolio, and collaborated with a Japanese anime named 'Cyberpunk' for a crossover involving Cup Noodles and Nissin U.F.O in Mainland China. In addition, Nissin Vietnam achieved a good performance during the reporting period.The Group has continued to diversify its product portfolio into non-noodle business to enhance the Company's overall competitiveness. During the reporting period, the Group extended its focus on its premium frozen food products, offering a wider product range of premium products and further expanded its exposure via various sales channels to drive sales volume. The distribution business in Hong Kong continued to record growth as a result of the revival of inbound tourism during the first half of 2024.The Group also continued to expand the sales channels of the 'KAGOME' business in different regions. Meanwhile, 'Nissin Granola' continued to gain traction with customer's support due to their advocacy of health and wellness. Also, the Group has enriched the product range by launching new flavours in the low-fat 'Nissin Yogurt' series. 'Nissin Koikeya Potato Chips' achieved an outstanding performance as the distribution channels continued to expand. 'Nissin Crisp Choco', the baked corn flakes chocolate snack, continued to receive a positive response from the market. The Company's green juices series successfully attracted the attention of health-conscious customers with vending machines availability further increasing product exposure.Mr. Kiyotaka ANDO, Executive Director, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nissin Foods, said, 'The global economic landscape improved in the first half of 2024, but persistent challenges remained and reshaped global supply chains and consumer consumption patterns in the regions that we were operating.''We believe that premiumisation and diversification strategies are the keys to achieving growth amid a turbulent and volatile market. Our premiumisation strategy is driving momentum in the Vietnam market. Meanwhile in mainland China, more flexibility is needed in arranging promotion campaigns for our premium products in order to reach out to more target consumers, given the uncertain economic situation. To stay agile in different markets, we strived to enhance and refine our product quality, food safety and innovation capabilities for delivering greater taste experiences to consumers.''Looking ahead, we remain cautiously optimistic about the long-term development of our businesses and continue to control costs and improve operational efficiency. We will pursue further diversification on our non-noodles business, enriching our product lines to broaden the income base, while entering new markets such as Vietnam, Taiwan and Korea. We will continue to build on our solid foundation to deliver continuous revenue and earnings growth for our customers and shareholders.'- End -About Nissin Foods Company LimitedNissin Foods Company Limited ('Nissin Foods', together with its subsidiaries, the 'Group' Stock code: 1475) is a renowned food company in Hong Kong and Mainland China, with a diversified portfolio of well-known and highly popular brands, primarily focusing on the premium instant noodle segment. The Group officially established its presence in Hong Kong in 1984 and is the largest instant noodle company in Hong Kong. The Group primarily manufactures and sells instant noodles, high-quality frozen food products, including frozen dim sum and frozen noodles, and also sells and distributes other food and beverage products, including retort pouches, snacks, mineral water, sauce and vegetable products under its two core corporate brands, namely 'NISSIN' and 'DOLL' together with a diversified portfolio of iconic household premium brands. The Group's five flagship product brands, namely 'Cup Noodles', 'Demae Iccho', 'Doll Instant Noodle', 'Doll Dim Sum' and 'Fuku' are also among the most popular choices in their respective food product categories in Hong Kong. In the Mainland China market, the Group has introduced technology innovation through the 'ECO Cup' concept and primarily focuses its sales efforts in first-and second-tier cities. In addition, Nissin Foods operates business in other Asian regions including Vietnam, Taiwan and Korea markets.Nissin Foods is a constituent of five Hang Seng Indexes, namely: Hang Seng Composite Index, Hang Seng Composite SmallCap Index, Hang Seng Composite Industry Index - Consumer Staples, Hang Seng SCHK Consumption Index and Hang Seng SCHK Consumer Staples Index. Nissin Foods is eligible for trading under Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect. For more information, please visit www.nissingroup.com.hk.Source: Nissin Foods Co LtdCopyright 2024 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
TOKYO, Aug 28, 2024 - (JCN Newswire) - Hitachi High-Tech Corporation ("Hitachi High-Tech") and Gencurix, Inc. ("Gencurix") have entered a strategic partnership (the Partnership) in the field of cancer molecular diagnostics(1). The Partnership aims to develop a testing service for the cancer molecular diagnostics by combining Hitachi High-Tech's core expertise in R&D and manufacturing of in vitro diagnostic products and digital technology, and Gencurix's technology and experience in biomarker(2) discovery for cancer diagnosis and development of molecular testing service. As a part of the Partnership, both companies concluded a Feasibility Study (FS) agreement to examine the feasibility of the business and completed the checkpoints defined in this FS agreement in June 2024. As the next step, Hitachi High-Tech and Gencurix are planning commercialization of testing services in Japan.In recent years, cancer treatments have begun to offer "personalized medicine," in which genes and proteins are examined in detail for precise diagnosis and treatment selection, and the treatment is tailored to the individual patient. As treatment modalities evolve, doctors and patients are facing with increasing opportunities to choose treatment, and clinical testing is becoming more important in supporting that choice. In the field of cancer diagnosis, where new drugs and treatments are rapidly being developed, there is a need to discover appropriate biomarkers, establish testing methods, and use digital technology to provide reports promptly with high medical value.Under these circumstances, Hitachi High-Tech, strengthening its molecular diagnostics business, and Gencurix, being specialized in biomarker discovery technology, will join forces to develop highly reliable testing services for cancer diagnosis.In April 2024, Hitachi, Ltd.("Hitachi") and Hitachi High-Tech consolidated Hitachi's Healthcare Business Division (radiation therapy, digital healthcare, etc.) to Hitachi High-Tech to promote the healthcare business based on "Diagnosis x Therapy x Digital" and create healthcare innovation. Especially in area of in vitro diagnostics area, we have contributed to improve quality and efficiency of testing with a product lineup that includes in vitro diagnostic equipment that analyzes blood and other specimens to support the diagnosis of diseases, and DNA sequencers. This Partnership is part of Hitachi High Tech's growth strategy of strengthening this molecular diagnostics business. Towards creating "a society without fear of cancer," Hitachi High-Tech aims to contribute to the improvement of people's QoL (Quality of Life) through "personalized medicine" and "sophisticated diagnosis of intractable diseases."Gencurix is a leading life science company established in 2011 in Seoul, Korea, engaged in the discovery of biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, the provision of testing services, and the sale of testing kits. Gencurix provides molecular diagnostic solutions across the cancer care process, from early detection to prognosis, companion diagnostics(3) and recurrence monitoring. Gencurix operates in Korea, Europe, and other countries around the world, and promotes joint development with pharmaceutical companies.Hitachi High-Tech and Gencurix will jointly develop cancer diagnostic tests required in clinical practice to promote personalized medicine in the oncology field and aim to provide highly reliable testing service solutions using digital technology. We will first jointly launch a testing service business in Japan and then in other countries.(1) Molecular diagnostics: Molecular diagnostic involves measuring biomolecules such as DNA, RNA, and protein contained in tissues and blood (body fluids) and provides information necessary for diagnosis or selection of therapeutic drugs to healthcare professionals.(2) Biomarker: A biomarker is a test item or biological substance that is an indicator of the presence or absence of a certain disease, a change in a disease status, or a therapeutic efficacy. Biomarkers are becoming increasingly important and enabling personalized medicine in specific disease areas such as cancer. In addition to being used as indicators to measure therapeutic efficacy, biomarkers are also expected to be used as indicators for disease prevention in the future.(3) Companion diagnostics: In vitro diagnostics to test the indication of a specific drug to improve the efficacy or safety of the drug.About GencurixGencurix is a molecular diagnostics company for cancer that provides digital PCR-based products and testing services based on a liquid biopsy, biomarker discovery and commercialization platform. Under the motto "Best in Class," Gencurix strives to solve clinical unmet needs with new technologies and testing products.Key products include GenesWell BCT, a breast cancer prognostic test, and Droplex's line of companion diagnostics for a wide range of cancers, including lung, colorectal and endometrial cancers. Gencurix has developed early diagnostic tests for major cancers, including liver and colorectal cancer, and is promoting clinical research. As written, Gencurix provides molecular diagnostic solutions across the cancer care process, from early detection to prognosis, companion diagnostics and recurrence monitoring.For further information, visit https://www.gencurix.com/About Hitachi High-TechHitachi High-Tech, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is engaged in activities in a broad range of fields, including manufacture and sales of clinical analyzers, biotechnology products, radiation therapy systems, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, analytical instruments, and analysis equipment. Also, we provide high value-added solutions in industrial fields such as mobility, connected, environment and energy, etc. Through business based on our core Observation, Measurement and Analysis technologies, we will contribute to the realization of a sustainable society by solving social issues.The company's consolidated revenues for FY2023 were approx. JPY 670.4 billion. For further information, visit https://www.hitachi-hightech.com/global/en/Contact:Business Development Dept., Diagnostic System Business Strategy Planning Div.,Diagnostic System Business, Healthcare Business Group,Hitachi High-Tech Corporationwww.hitachi-hightech.com/global/en/contactus/sec-2Source: Hitachi, Ltd.Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / Torq Resources Inc. (TSXV:TORQ)(OTCQB:TRBMF) ("Torq" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed its non-brokered private placement of equity securities, the terms of which were announced on May 7, 2024 (the "Offering"). In the second and final tranche of the Offering, which was extended on July 26, 2024, the Company issued 850,000 units (each, a "Unit") at an offering price of $0.10 per Unit for gross proceeds of C$85,000. The proceeds from the Offering will be used for working capital.

The Company has also drawn down a further $300,000 under its July 11, 2022 credit facility bringing to total amount owed to $2,800,000. The lender under the facility, 191010 Investments Limited, will be issued 3.75 million common share purchase warrants exercisable at $0.08 each until the repayment due date under the credit facility, July 11, 2025. The issuance of the warrants is subject to customary TSX Venture Exchange acceptance. The warrants are subject to an exercise limitation which limits the exercise to circumstances where the total holding of Torq voting securities owned or controlled by the lender and its joint actors, including any convertible securities exercisable within 60 days, to 9.99% of the Company's then issued voting securities. The loan proceeds will also form part of working capital.

In accordance with applicable securities laws, the securities issued under the Offering are subject to a statutory four-month and one-day hold period from the date of issuance in Canada. Final approval by the TSX Venture Exchange will follow upon filing standard documentation.

Insiders of the Company acquired all 850,000 Units in the Offering which constituted a "related party transaction" as described under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). Such participation is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of the securities acquired by the insiders was less than 25% of the Company's market capitalization.

None of these securities will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States without registration under the U.S. Securities Act and all applicable state securities laws or else in compliance with the requirements of an applicable exemption therefrom.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD,

Shawn Wallace

CEO & Chair

For further information on Torq Resources, please visit www.torqresources.com or contact the company at (778) 729-0500 or info@torqresources.com.

About Torq Resources

Torq is a Vancouver-based copper and gold exploration company with a portfolio of premium holdings in Chile. The Company is establishing itself as a leader of new exploration in prominent mining belts, guided by responsible, respectful and sustainable practices. The Company was built by a management team with prior success in monetizing exploration assets and its specialized technical team is recognized for their extensive experience working with major mining companies, supported by robust safety standards and technical proficiency. The technical team includes Chile-based geologists with valuable local expertise and a noteworthy track record for major discovery in the country. Torq is committed to operating at the highest standards of applicable environmental, social and governance practices in the pursuit of a landmark discovery. For more information, visit www.torqresources.com.

Forward-Looking Information

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking information in this release are statements that relate to final approval of the Offering by the TSXV, use of proceeds, plans for future exploration programs, which are dependent on raising additional capital. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different (either positively or negatively) from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by some of the principal forward-looking statements. See Torq's Annual Information Form filed April 29, 2024, at www.sedarplus.ca for disclosure of the risks and uncertainties faced in this business.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) assumes any responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Torq Resources Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Acquisition facilitates StatLab's plans to expand the scope of its business throughout Europe.

StatLab Medical Products ("StatLab"), a leading global developer and manufacturer of medical diagnostic supplies and equipment, today announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire Diapath S.p.A. ("Diapath"), a prominent Italian manufacturer of histology and cytology products and equipment. The integration of Diapath, with its highly innovative equipment offerings, manufacturing capabilities, and established customer base across Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America, positions StatLab to expand its market access, unlocking significant potential for growth and enhancing its global leadership.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240828096902/en/

Diapath's equipment portfolio, which includes tissue processors, stainers, embedding centers, and microtomes, is underpinned by its innovative development process and cutting-edge Italian design and quality, resulting in a differentiated product set that resonates with customers. (Photo: Business Wire)

The transaction is expected to close during the third quarter of 2024, subject to regulatory approvals. Upon closing, Diapath founder Vladimiro Bergamini will transition to a senior advisor role at StatLab, and Chief Operating Officer Alberto Battistel will join StatLab's executive leadership team and help steer the Diapath business unit as its Managing Director.

"This combination is a pivotal milestone in our strategy to manufacture the full array of products supporting the entire anatomic pathology workflow," said Sung-Dae Hong, CEO of StatLab. "Our partnership with Diapath will provide an opportunity to expand their equipment brand throughout global markets, including the U.S. The combination will also enhance StatLab's European market access for slides, cassettes, and printers, driving our product innovation and manufacturing excellence to the next level. I'm excited to welcome Alberto and the talented Diapath team to StatLab and continue to build upon the legacy Vladimiro and his family have developed over the past three decades."

Headquartered in Martinengo, near Bergamo, Italy, Diapath was founded in 1997 by Vladimiro Bergamini. Over the past 27 years, focused investments have enabled the business to expand beyond consumables manufacturing and into the design, development, and production of a variety of core histology instruments.

Diapath's equipment portfolio, which includes tissue processors, stainers, embedding centers, and microtomes, is underpinned by its innovative development process and cutting-edge Italian design and quality, resulting in a differentiated product set that resonates with customers. The Diapath Donatello automatic tissue processor won a prestigious A'Design Award for Scientific Instruments, and the T-Filler Automatic Formalin dispenser protects technicians from chemical exposure while ensuring specimens receive the correct ratio of formalin. In addition to their strong Italian presence, Diapath's subsidiaries support focused growth of Diapath products to laboratories in Germany and France.

"The decision to join StatLab is driven by our shared commitment to growth and innovation to meet customer needs," said Vladimiro Bergamini, CEO President of Diapath. "Our combined company will be uniquely positioned to further expand Diapath's brand and business, together transforming the anatomic pathology market through innovative development and manufacturing. I'm looking forward to the work my team will do with Dae and StatLab to leverage our combined global manufacturing capabilities to capture new business opportunities."

About StatLab Medical Products

StatLab Medical Products has been dedicated to helping anatomic pathology laboratories provide the best possible patient care since 1976. We offer an extensive portfolio of self-manufactured consumables and labeling and tracking equipment from eight manufacturing sites in the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany. Our global operational footprint powered by over 600 mission-driven colleagues delivers a dependable and resilient supply chain of high-quality products and solutions, and a customer-centric approach inspires us to deliver reliability, innovation, and quality in every interaction. Learn more at StatLab.com.

About Diapath

Diapath is a leading Italian company specializing in the design, development, and manufacturing of advanced histology and cytology instruments and consumables. With nearly three decades of experience, Diapath is committed to innovation and excellence, offering cutting-edge solutions that redefine laboratory processes to ensure increasingly reliable diagnostics for better cancer care. Our products, distinguished by their Italian design and quality, range from processors and stainers to embedding centers and more, supporting the entire anatomic pathology workflow. Dedicated to enhancing histological research and diagnostics, Diapath continues to set industry standards with a focus on quality and innovation. Learn more at Diapath.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240828096902/en/

Contacts:

Jessica Baer

jbaer@statlab.com

630-346-1659
Odevo, a tech-enabled residential property management company with leading positions in Europe and USA, today announces that CVC funds ("CVC") have agreed to join the group of investors led by Swedish firm Fidelio and its existing management team. This deal comes after Odevo has expanded rapidly in recent years. Adding CVC's experience and global relationships will strengthen the company's international growth strategy and ongoing drive to innovate its service offering for homeowners.

Odevo has built an organisation which, supported by a bespoke tech-platform, helps residential property owners manage all aspects of their building, ranging from accounting, administration, invoicing and on-site services to renovations. The company was founded in Sweden in 2018 by the investment firm Fidelio and the current management team. Through organic growth and joining forces with more than 50 successful entrepreneurs across Europe and USA, Odevo has expanded the business more than 50x, now managing 1.4 million homes with more than 7,000 employees and an annual turnover of EUR 650 million. By welcoming CVC to the group of investors, Odevo takes yet another step on its international growth journey.

"For most people, the home is their greatest investment and our services are designed to simplify everyday life for those people, a responsibility we take seriously. Odevo was founded on the principle of combining the power of people and technology and from the start, we have focused on simplifying living by delivering end to end solutions for an industry that traditionally has been slow in innovation. I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished but am also excited for the untapped potential still out there. Fidelio has been a true partner to us and we look forward to continuing our collaboration, now also welcoming CVC with their global network and vast experience of supporting growing businesses like ours," says Daniel Larsson, CEO, Odevo.

CVC will be represented on the Board by Sren Vestergaard-Poulsen, Lave Beck-Friis and John Zacharias.

"We are highly impressed with Odevo's ability to build a leading international player and provide outstanding service to its over 25,000 customers. Odevo's decentralised approach, which empowers local management to run their businesses independently while benefiting from the support and opportunities of being part of a global group, aligns perfectly with our philosophy. We look forward to working together with the team at Odevo and Fidelio on further service innovation and international expansion," says Lave Beck-Friis, Managing Director, CVC.

Fidelio remains a long-term partner and will work together with CVC to support the team at Odevo on their journey to grow organically and through welcoming additional entrepreneurs in existing and new markets.

"What has truly stood out about Odevo has been their ability to grow into a global market leader while maintaining an entrepreneurial energy and fast-paced culture. It's been a pleasure working with Daniel and the entire Odevo team over the years, and we're excited to continue supporting them in the future, now alongside CVC," says Martin Erleman, Partner, Fidelio Capital.

CVC is investing out of CVC Capital Partners Fund IX, its most recent fund that closed at EUR 26 billion in 2023 and brings substantial experience of investing in leading companies in the Nordics and globally, and closing is expected to take place in Q4 2024 pending regulatory approvals.

About Odevo

Established in 2018, Odevo is a fast-growing international company challenging the property management industry, not least through its focus on technology innovation. The Odevo Group consists of more than 7,000 employees and has an annual revenue of EUR 650 million. The average growth between 2019 and 2023 was 71% per year, about 14% of which was organic. Odevo plans to continue its strong growth and invites more companies to join their journey to transform the homeowner experience all over the world.

For more information visit https://odevo.com

Follow us on Linkedin

About Fidelio

Fidelio combines the professional and active ownership model of traditional private equity, with an entrepreneurial, flexible, and long-term approach to investing. Since inception in 2010, the team has invested in almost 200 companies in more than 20 countries, and the success is built from partnering with entrepreneurs, management teams and fellow co-owners to create global niche market leaders. Together with its partners, Fidelio builds outstanding businesses through the possibilities that come from not having a predetermined investment horizon or geographical restrictions. In addition to the team at Fidelio, capital is provided by a supportive group of successful entrepreneurs and families from Europe and North America. Fidelio has offices in Stockholm and London. Previous and current investments include Vimian, Odevo, Keyto, iBinder, AniCura and Lyko.

For more information, please visit: www.fideliocapital.com

Follow us on Linkedin

About CVC

CVC is a leading global private markets manager with a network of 29 offices throughout EMEA, the Americas, and Asia, with approximately 193 billion of assets under management. CVC has seven complementary strategies across private equity, secondaries, credit and infrastructure, for which CVC funds have secured commitments of approximately 235 billion from some of the world's leading pension funds and other institutional investors. Funds managed or advised by CVC's private equity strategies are invested in over 130 companies worldwide, which have combined annual sales of approximately 155 billion and employ more than 600,000 people.

For further information about CVC please visit: https://www.cvc.com/

Follow us on Linkedin

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240828689721/en/

Contacts:

For CVC

Nick Board

Director, Communications

nboard@cvc.com
2024 GEMINI EXPLORATION PROGRAM



Phase III: Diamond Drilling - commenced in late August and is designed to test for expansion areas at Gemini Mineralized Zone (" GMZ "), as well as targeting highly prospective regional target areas (Figure 3).



GMZ Expansion - designed to expand the footprint of mineralization targeting the down-dip extents of GMZ, along with parallel structure immediately to the east of the GMZ;

Gemini East Target Area - situated approximately 3 km northeast of the GMZ and hosts a shallow multi-convergence geophysical anomaly with high conductivity, gravity and magnetic lows, and coincident ANT low-velocity anomaly; and Gemini West Target Area - situated approximately 2.5 km northwest of the GMZ and hosts a shallow multi-convergence geophysical anomaly with high conductivity, a magnetic low, and coincident ANT low-velocity anomaly.



commenced in late August and is designed to test for expansion areas at Gemini Mineralized Zone (" "), as well as targeting highly prospective regional target areas (Figure 3).

2024 ANGILAK EXPLORATION PROGRAM

ATHA's diamond drill exploration program at its Angilak Project, located in Nunavut, continues to successfully expand the mineralizing footprint along the Lac 50 trend.

The Company is on track to complete the program by early September.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ATHA Energy Corp. (TSX.V: SASK) (FRA: X5U) (OTCQB: SASKF) ("ATHA" or the "Company"), holder of the largest uranium exploration portfolio in two of the highest-grade uranium districts in the world, is pleased to provide a summer update on its 2024 Exploration Program.

At ATHA's 100%-owned Gemini Project located in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, the Company has commenced Phase III of its Gemini exploration program, which is designed to expand the footprint of mineralization at depth as well as targeting a parallel structure immediately east from the high-grade GMZ discovery. Additionally, the Company intends to test two regional target areas with multi-convergence geophysical anomalies.

At ATHA's 100%-owned Angilak Project located in Nunavut, the Company is pleased to report the program remains successfully on-track, continuing to expand mineralization along the Lac 50 trend. The Angilak exploration program is scheduled to be complete in early September, at which point the Company intends to communicate radioactivity results from the remaining drill holes.

GEMINI PROJECT

In April of 2024, ATHA Energy gained 100%-ownership in the Gemini Project through its transaction with 92 Energy. Subsequent to the acquisition, ATHA interpreted data from a ground gravity survey completed by 92E in February 2024, along with results from Fleet Space's Exosphere ANT (Ambient Noise Tomography) survey completed in Q2 2024. Both surveys - in addition to previously collected electromagnetic and magnetic surveys - form the basis for the identification of the regional multi-convergence geophysical anomalies the Company will be testing during the 2024 Gemini Exploration Program.

The Gemini Project is located 31 km northeast of Cameco's Key Lake Mine, along the southeastern margin of the uranium rich Athabasca Basin (Figure 2) and hosts the high-grade uranium Gemini Mineralized Zone ("GMZ"). The GMZ is a shallow (mineralization begins at <60 m depth) basement hosted, high-grade uranium discovery, which remains open at depth and along strike. The new discovery shares similarities with Cameco's Rabbit Lake Trend (203MM lbs of uranium concentrate production), which are demonstrated by:

The visual scale and nature of hydrothermal alteration;

The interpreted structural control on mineralization;

Mineralization hosted within meta-sediments (Hidden Bay assemblage within the upper Wollaston Domain) lithologies with associated alteration halos typical of high-grade uranium deposits within the Athabasca Basin; and

Uranium mineralization discovered along parallel conductor within the GMZ Trend and newly identified geophysical targets along strike to the north.

Successive diamond drilling exploration programs at the GMZ conducted between 2021 through to 2023 are highlighted by high-grade drillhole intersections, such as:

GEM22-025 intersected 43.0 m grading 0.62% U 3 O 8 , including 18.0 m grading 1.16% U 3 O 8.

, including GEM23-061 intersected 5.0 m grading 1.47% U 3 O 8 , including 1.5 m grading 4.69% U 3 O 8 and another sub-interval of 9.66% U 3 O 8 over 0.5 m.





Figure 1: Uranium mineralization intersected by hole GEM23-061 in winter 2023 at the GMZ discovery





Figure 2: ATHA Energy - 2024 Exploration Program's Geophysical Surveys in the Athabasca Basin





Figure 3: 2024 Gemini Project Exploration Program Area of Focus

Troy Boisjoli, CEO added: "ATHA's 2024 exploration program has already demonstrated that its exploration-at-scale approach can be successfully implemented across numerous projects and jurisdictions. We are excited to continue to advance that strategy with the kickoff of drilling at Gemini, while the Company continues its Angilak exploration program. At Angilak, our program was designed to expand the footprint of the mineralized system. The Company has fully achieved that objective and will be releasing radioactivity results for the remainder of the holes in early September. ATHA's objective for its Gemini exploration program is similar, expansion at the high-grade GMZ Discovery, and testing of regional targets along highly prospective trends. From my experience, this is a property that has all of the indicators of a district scale Basin play, and our team is ready to unlock its value."

Cliff Revering, VP Exploration added: "As we continue to execute the 2024 exploration strategy and program we designed earlier this year, we are very excited with the results obtained to date. We have been successful in expanding the mineralization footprint at our Angilak Project, and are now commencing drilling at our Gemini Project, and GMZ mineralized corridor. Given the scale and nature of hydrothermal alteration with the GMZ mineralized corridor and observed similarities with Cameco's Rabbit Lake Trend, we are very excited to start testing the high-priority targets identified within this prospective trend."

CORPORATE UPDATE

During the Company's August 2024 board meeting, the Company's CEO, Troy Boisjoli, was appointed as a Director to the Board of ATHA Energy.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release have been reviewed and approved by Cliff Revering, P.Eng., the Vice President, Exploration of ATHA, who is a "qualified person" as defined under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About ATHA

ATHA is a Canadian mineral company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, and development of uranium assets in the pursuit of a clean energy future. With a strategically balanced portfolio including three 100%-owned post discovery uranium projects . 1,2,3

For more information, please contact:

Troy Boisjoli

Chief Executive Officer

Email: info@athaenergy.com

www.athaenergy.com

Historical Mineral Resource Estimates

All mineral resources estimates presented in this news release are considered to be "historical estimates" as defined under NI 43-101, and have been derived from the following (See notes below). In each instance, the historical estimate is reported using the categories of mineral resources and mineral reserves as defined by the CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Reserves, and mineral reserves at that time, and these "historical estimates" are not considered by ATHA to be current. In each instance, the reliability of the historical estimate is considered reasonable, but a Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as a current mineral resource, and ATHA is not treating the historical estimate as a current mineral resource. The historical information provides an indication of the exploration potential of the properties but may not be representative of expected results.

Notes on the Historical Mineral Resource Estimate for the Angilak Deposit:

This estimate is considered to be a "historical estimate" under NI 43-101 and is not considered by any of to be current. See below for further details regarding the historical mineral resource estimate for the Angilak Property. Mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by geology, environment, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing or other relevant issues. The quality and grade of the reported inferred resource in this estimation are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define these inferred resources as an indicated or measured mineral resource, and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading them to an indicated or measured resource category. Contained value metals may not add due to rounding. A 0.2% U3O8 cut-off was used. The mineral resource estimate contained in this press release is considered to be "historical estimates" as defined under NI 43-101 and is not considered to be current. The "historical estimate" is derived from a Technical Report entitled "Technical Report and Resource Update For The Angilak Property, Kivalliq Region, Nunavut, Canada", prepared by Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geol. of APEX Geosciences, Robert Sim, B.Sc., P.Geo. of SIM Geological Inc. and Bruce Davis, Ph.D., FAusIMM of BD Resource Consulting Inc., dated March 1, 2013 for ValOre Metals Corp. As disclosed in the above noted technical report, the historical estimate was prepared under the direction of Robert Sim, P.Geo, with the assistance of Dr. Bruce Davis, FAusIMM, and consists of three-dimensional block models based on geostatistical applications using commercial mine planning software. The project limits area based in the UTM coordinate system (NAD83 Zone14) using nominal block sizes measuring 5x5x5m at Lac Cinquante and 5x3x3 m (LxWxH) at J4. Grade (assay) and geological information is derived from work conducted by Kivalliq during the 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 field seasons. A thorough review of all the 2013 resource information and drill data by a Qualified Person, along with the incorporation of subsequent exploration work and results, which includes some drilling around the edges of the historical resource subsequent to the publication of the 2013 technical report, would be required in order to verify the Angilak Property historical estimate as a current mineral resource. The historical mineral resource estimate was calculated in accordance with NI 43-101 and CIM standards at the time of publication and predates the current CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (May, 2014) and CIM Estimation of Mineral Resources & Mineral Reserves Best Practices Guidelines (November, 2019). A thorough review of all historical data performed by a Qualified Person, along with additional exploration work to confirm results would be required to produce a current mineral resource estimate prepared in accordance with NI 43-101.



Notes on the Historical Mineral Resource Estimate for the Moran Lake Deposit:



Jeffrey A. Morgan, P.Geo. and Gary H. Giroux, P.Eng. completed a NI 43-101 technical report titled "Form 43-101F1 Technical Report on the Central Mineral Belt (CMB) Uranium Project, Labrador, Canada, Prepared for Crosshair Exploration & Mining Corp." and dated July 31, 2008, with an updated mineral resource estimate for the Moran Lake C-Zone along with initial mineral resources for the Armstrong and Area 1 deposits. They modelled three packages in the Moran Lake Upper C-Zone (the Upper C Main, Upper C Mylonite, and Upper C West), Moran Lake Lower C-Zone, two packages in Armstrong (Armstrong Z1 and Armstrong Z3), and Trout Pond. These mineral resources are based on 3D block models with ordinary kriging used to interpolate grades into 10 m x 10 m x 4 m blocks. A cut-off grade of 0.015% U3O8 was used for all zones other than the Lower C Zone which employed a cut-off grade of 0.035%. A thorough review of all historical data performed by a Qualified Person, along with additional exploration work to confirm results, would be required to produce a current mineral resource estimate prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 standards.

3. Notes on the Historical Mineral Resource Estimate for the Anna Lake Deposit:

The mineral resource estimate contained in this table is considered to be a "historical estimate" as defined under NI 43-101, and is not considered to be current and is not being treated as such. A Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources. A qualified person would need to review and verify the scientific information and conduct an analysis and reconciliation of historical drill and geological data in order to verify the historical estimate as a current mineral resource. Reported by Bayswater Uranium Corporation in a Technical Report entitled "Form 43-101 Technical Report on the Anna Lake Uranium Project, Central Mineral Belt, Labrador, Canada", prepared by R. Dean Fraser, P.Geo. and Gary H. Giroux, P.Eng., dated September 30, 2009. A 3-dimensional geologic model of the deposit was created for the purpose of the resource estimate using the Gemcom/Surpac modeling software. A solid model was created using a minimum grade x thickness cutoff of 3 meters grading 0.03% U3O8. Intersections not meeting this cutoff were generally not incorporated into the model. The shell of this modeled zone was then used to constrain the mineralization for the purpose of the block model. Assay composites 2.5 meters in length that honoured the mineralized domains were used to interpolate grades into blocks using ordinary kriging. An average specific gravity of 2.93 was used to convert volumes to tonnes. The specific gravity data was acquired in-house and consisted of an average of seventeen samples collected from the mineralised section of the core. The resource was classified into Measured, Indicated or Inferred using semi-variogram ranges applied to search ellipses. All resources estimated at Anna Lake fall under the "Inferred" category due to the wide spaced drill density. An exploration program would need to be conducted, including twinning of historical drill holes in order to verify the Anna Lake Project estimate as a current mineral resource.



Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology 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 state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". These forward-looking statements or information may relate to ATHA's proposed exploration program, including statements with respect to the expected benefits of ATHA's proposed exploration program, any results that may be derived from ATHA's proposed exploration program, the timing, scope, nature, breadth and other information related to ATHA's proposed exploration program, any results that may be derived from the diversification of ATHA's portfolio, the prospects of ATHA's projects, including mineral resources estimates and mineralization of each project, the prospects of ATHA's business plans and any expectations with respect to defining mineral resources or mineral reserves on any of ATHA's projects, and any expectation with respect to any permitting, development or other work that may be required to bring any of the projects into development or production.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management at the time, are inherently subject to business, market and economic risks, uncertainties and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Such assumptions include, but are not limited to, assumptions that the anticipated benefits of ATHA's proposed exploration program will be realized, that no additional permit or licenses will be required in connection with ATHA's exploration programs, the ability of ATHA to complete its exploration activities as currently expected and on the current anticipated timelines, including ATHA's proposed exploration program, that that ATHA will be able to execute on its current plans, that ATHA's proposed explorations will yield results as expected, the synergies between ATHA, 92 Energy and Latitude Uranium's assets, and that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner. Although ATHA 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 information 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 information.

Such statements represent the current view of ATHA with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by ATHA, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to the following: inability of ATHA to realize the benefits anticipated from the exploration and drilling targets described herein or elsewhere; in ability of ATHA to complete current exploration plans as presently anticipated or at all; inability for ATHA to economically realize on the benefits, if any, derived from the exploration program; failure to complete business plans as it currently anticipated; overdiversification of ATHA's portfolio; failure to realize on benefits, if any, of a diversified portfolio; unanticipated changes in market price for ATHA shares; changes to ATHA's current and future business and exploration plans and the strategic alternatives available thereto; growth prospects and outlook of the business of ATHA; any impacts of COVID-19 on the business of ATHA and the ability to advance the Company projects and its proposed exploration program; risks inherent in mineral exploration including risks related worker safety, weather and other natural occurrences, accidents, availability of personnel and equipment, and other factors; aboriginal title; failure to obtain regulatory and permitting approvals; no known mineral resources/reserves; reliance on key management and other personnel; competition; changes in laws and regulations; uninsurable risks; delays in governmental and other approvals, community relations; stock market conditions generally; demand, supply and pricing for uranium; and general economic and political conditions in Canada and other jurisdictions where ATHA conducts business. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the filings of ATHA with the Canadian securities regulators which are available on ATHA's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. ATHA does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/82b34cd3-07c1-4a8c-ab2e-d1e62b03e54f

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f0ca72ad-e654-40b4-b92a-83c8046912aa

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/56717d00-8c7c-4d96-9b87-169c33bebf87
HONG KONG, Aug 28, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - - The 9th Belt and Road Summit, co-organised by the HKSAR Government and the HKTDC, will return on 11 and 12 September (Wednesday to Thursday)- This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. As part of celebration activities, the Summit is themed Building a Connected, Innovative and Green Belt and Road. It will gather over 80 key officials and business leaders from Belt and Road countries and regions to explore cooperation opportunities- A brand-new Green Chapter is added this year, aligning with the Summit theme to feature a variety of thematic sessions on green development and innovationThe Belt and Road Summit, co-organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), will take place on 11 and 12 September.Themed Building a Connected, Innovative and Green Belt and Road, the Summit will bring together over 80 key officials and business leaders from Belt and Road countries and regions, they will be engaged in discussions on leveraging Hong Kong's unique advantages to jointly explore Belt and Road markets and uncover cooperation opportunities.The Summit is a key platform for Hong Kong to promote the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), closely aligned with the eight major steps announced by President Xi Jinping last year to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.The Opening Session will feature welcome remarks by Dr Peter K N Lam, Chairman of the HKTDC and opening remarks by John Lee, Chief Executive of the HKSAR. Nurlan Baibazarov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan, will give a keynote address.Algernon Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR Government, said: "As our country's Belt and Road Initiative enters its next golden decade and the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has proposed improving the mechanism for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, Hong Kong, with the solid support of the nation, will continue to capitalise on our unique advantages under one country, two systems to play a more active role by leveraging its strengths as a two-way global investment and trade hub, a hub for technological innovation and green development and an international cultural exchange centre. The Belt and Road Summit will deepen international business cooperation and consolidate Hong Kong's position as the preferred business platform for the Belt and Road Initiative, fully demonstrating Hong Kong's important functions and positioning in global finance, business cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, innovation and technology development, guiding enterprises to explore new business opportunities."Dr Peter K N Lam, Chairman of the HKTDC, said: "With the support of its global network of 50 offices, the HKTDC organises business delegations and outreach activities to Belt and Road countries and regions, promoting tripartite cooperation among Mainland Chinese and Hong Kong professional service providers, investors and Belt and Road project owners. The HKTDC also enables businesses to leverage their own strengths to help Hong Kong play the role of superconnector, linking China with the world. We will continue to seize the opportunities at this year's Belt and Road Summit to strengthen connections with ASEAN and Belt and Road countries. We will also set up new consultant offices in Dhaka of Bangladesh and Phnom Penh of Cambodia, further expanding our network along the Belt and Road."Seizing opportunities and deepening networks in emerging marketsThe ASEAN region is Hong Kong's second-largest trading partner and the world's fifth-largest economy. Last year, the bilateral trade value reached US$144.6 billion, accounting for nearly 13% of Hong Kong's total foreign trade. The development potential is enormous. Last month, John Lee, Chief Executive of the HKSAR, led a HKTDC delegation to Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, the three ASEAN countries. The visit was highly fruitful, with 55 cooperation MoUs signed, further expanding Hong Kong's network in the region. Seven of these MoUs were signed between the HKTDC and relevant chambers of commerce, governments, and organisations in the three countries, further strengthening Hong Kong's ties with the regions for future Belt and Road development.Following the recent fruitful ASEAN mission to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam led by Mr Lee, the Summit will focus on ASEAN and emerging markets in the Policy Dialogue and Business Plenary on day one, with the participation of ministerial-level officials and business heavyweights. The second day's Business Plenary will cover the Middle East and adjacent regions.In May this year, a Mainland-Hong Kong business delegation led by the Department of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs of the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China and the Belt and Road Office of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau of the HKSAR Government, co-organised by the HKTDC and the China International Contractors Association, visited Hungary and Kazakhstan to explore Belt and Road business opportunities. Senior officials and business leaders from these two countries will attend the Summit, to strengthen their ties with Hong Kong. Among the speakers, Nurlan Baibazarov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan, will deliver a keynote address, while Peter Fekete, Group CEO of 4iG, will participate in the second day's Business Plenary.Debut Green Chapter to showcase Hong Kong advantages in greentech and financeHong Kong's green finance development has been thriving, with the scale of green financing continuing to expand. In 2023, the total amount of green and sustainable debt issued in Hong Kong surpassed US$50 billion. Among this, the total amount of green and sustainable bonds arranged for issuance in Hong Kong ranked first in the Asian market, accounting for 37% of the total. This has attracted a wealth of green capital and financial products, giving Hong Kong a significant advantage in developing into an international green technology and finance centre. Additionally, the Clean Air Plan for Hong Kong 2035 covered six major areas - green transport, liveable environment, comprehensive emissions reduction, clean energy, scientific management, and regional collaboration- reflecting Hong Kong's determination to proactively address the challenges of climate change.In view of the growing global focus on green development and the tremendous strides Hong Kong continues to make in that regard, the Summit will debut the Green Chapter, featuring thematic sessions on green construction, innovation, finance and more, enabling participants to explore how to leverage the Hong Kong platform to make their business greener. The co-organising institutions include the China International Contractors Association, HSBC and HKMA Infrastructure Financing Facilitation Office.As the BRI continues to drive regional development, the Business Plenary on the first day of the Summit, themed Capturing Belt and Road Business Opportunities, will explore promising prospects from rapidly rising ASEAN, building on concrete achievements in the past years. The focus will be on Hong Kong's role in facilitating multilateral business cooperation as well as the strategies global enterprises are adopting under the latest global landscape.The session will be moderated by K C Chan, Chairman of WeLab Bank. Speakers will include Clara Chan, CEO of Lee Kee Group; Dato' Seri Cheah Cheng Hye, Co-Chairman and Co-Chief Investment Officer of Value Partners Group; Ding Yanzhang, Chairman of Power Construction Corporation of China; and Shinta Widjaja Kamdani, CEO of Sintesa Group.The Business Plenary on the second day will be themed Tapping the Markets of New Opportunities. The session will be moderated by Ronnie C. Chan, Honorary Chair of Hang Lung Properties Limited. H.E. Mohamed Abduljabbar Alkoheji, Second Vice Chairman of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce & Industry; Bonnie Y Chan, CEO of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited; Peter Fekete, Group CEO of 4iG; Eric Ip, Group Managing Director of Hutchison Port Holdings Limited; and Iqbal Khan, CEO of Fajr Capital, will explore arising opportunities in the Middle East and other markets along the Belt and Road.This year, the Summit will feature two new thematic sessions: Multi-dimensional Connectivity under the Belt and Road Initiative and People-to-People Exchanges through Business and Cultural Collaboration. In the former session, experts from industries such as shipping, ports, airports, logistics and trade will jointly discuss and delve into the progress and development potential of connectivity among transportation networks. The latter session, co-organised by Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited, aims to explore ways to enhance interconnectivity, mutual understanding and friendly relations among countries within the Belt and Road Initiative through economic and trade cooperation, as well as cultural exchanges.Other thematic breakout sessions include Mainland-Hong Kong Trade In Services Symposium co-organised with the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China as well as a session on legal cooperation co-organised with the Department of Justice of the HKSAR Government.As part of the Finance Chapter, co-organised with the Insurance Authority, Financial Services Development Council, Bank of China (Hong Kong), HKMA Infrastructure Financing Facilitation Office and Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited, four sessions will analyse opportunities of leveraging Hong Kong's financial services. For the Youth Chapter, young business leaders will share how they seize opportunities under the BRI.Connecting global enterprises to facilitate business matchingThis year's Summit will continue to offer investment and business matching. Business matching meetings will provide a full range of services in both physical - 11 and 12 September - and online - 16 and 17 September - forms.More than 280 investment projects are expected to me matched, with more than 800 one-to-one project matching meetings taking place. The deal-making service includes one-to-one business matching meetings and project investment sessions. Business matching meetings connect participants based on investment preferences and business expertise to facilitate collaboration opportunities.Project investment sessions enable project owners from different countries to present projects, giving investors and service intermediaries a comprehensive understanding of the investment opportunities in different sectors. Project investment sessions will focus on four main areas: energy, natural resources and public utilities; innovation and technology; urban development; and transport and logistics infrastructure.The Summit's exhibition area will gather over 100 exhibitors across the Hong Kong Zone, Global Investment Zone and InnoTech Zone. The Hong Kong Zone will showcase the services and business advantages of Hong Kong service providers, while the Global Investment Zone will present large-scale investment projects, cultural and technological developments as well as global investment opportunities. The InnoTech Zone will feature cutting-edge innovations, AI, technologies and solutions from exhibitors around the globe.The 9th Belt and Road SummitDate 11 to 12 September 2024Venue Hall 5B-E, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition CentreRemarks Video and audio recordings at the Forum should be used only in the context of mediareportingMedia Please contact awong@yuantung.com.hk or lsong@yuantung.com.hk for media registrationRegistrationWebsites Belt and Road Summit: https://www.beltandroadSummit.hk/conference/bnr/enProgramme:https://www.beltandroadsummit.com/conference/bnr/en/programmeSpeaker list: https://www.beltandroadsummit.com/conference/bnr/en/speakerMedia representatives who would like to conduct interviews with the speakers, please submit interview requests to awong@yuantung.com.hk or lsong@yuantung.com.hk by 6 September.Photo download: https://bit.ly/4g2t70HThe 9th Belt and Road Summit will be held on 11-12 September at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Summit will bring together over 80 government officials and business leaders from around the world to share their insights and expertiseMedia enquiriesYuan Tung Financial Relations:Anson Wong Tel: (852) 3428 3413 Email: awong@yuantung.com.hkLouise Song Tel: (852) 3428 5691 Email: lsong@yuantung.com.hKHKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs Department:Clayton Lauw Tel: (852) 2584 4472 Email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.orgAgnes Wat Tel: (852) 2584 4554 Email: agnes.ky.wat@hktdc.orgHKTDC Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.comAbout HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.Source: HKTDCCopyright 2024 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Icreon, a Leading Digital Experience Consultancy, Announces the Acquisition of the Salesforce Consultancy, Revolve Softech.

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / Icreon, a leading digital experience consultancy that helps Fortune 500 brands achieve digital velocity to maximize value across the customer journey, announced today that it has acquired Revolve Softech, an IT consultancy specializing in Salesforce. This acquisition comes at a period of remarkable expansion for Icreon, marked by the recent acquisition of ChangeCX, a fast-growing digital commerce consultancy, and the appointment of a new Chief Growth Officer earlier this year.

Icreon acquires Salesforce consultancy

Icreon Announces the Acquisition of Salesforce Consultancy, Revolve Softech.

Icreon, headquartered in New York with offices in London and New Delhi, specializes in serving Fortune 500 clients, including industry leaders like Acrisure, Jets.com, Mason Companies, Army & Air Force Exchange Service and ASTM. Revolve Softech, with offices in Houston, Texas, and Noida, India, is a rapidly growing firm that has earned a reputation for Salesforce multi-cloud excellence. Their expertise spans Sales Cloud, Marketing Cloud, Revenue Cloud, Data Cloud and Personalization.

The acquisition of Revolve Softech represents a significant addition to Icreon's service offerings which include experience transformation, composable commerce, digital product innovation and data & AI.

"By combining Icreon and Revolve Softech, Icreon expands its capabilities to deliver on the diverse digital business needs of Fortune 500 clients," said Himanshu Sareen, Icreon's Founder and CEO. "The growing demand for Salesforce consulting services is substantial. This acquisition strengthens our ability to meet client needs by combining Icreon's digital strategy and multi-platform engineering expertise with Revolve Softech's extensive Salesforce experience."

As a certified consulting Salesforce partner, Revolve Softech expands Icreon's strategic technology partnerships by adding a wide array of Salesforce ecosystem products to Icreon's content, commerce and cloud service offerings.

"We are excited to join forces with Icreon, a company that shares our commitment to digital innovation and customer excellence," said Saurabh Singh, CEO of Revolve Softech. "Together, we combine deep engineering skills and software partnerships to deliver large-scale implementations and back-end system integrations creating a unified customer experience for our clients."

With the acquisition of Revolve Softech, the recent acquisition of leading composable commerce consultancy ChangeCX, and the appointment of a new Chief Growth Officer earlier in the year, Icreon is charting an exciting course to help brands design and architect their digital business for real-time adaptability and resilience in the evolving business and customer experience landscape.

###

About Icreon:

Founded in 2000 and headquartered in New York City, Icreon helps brands achieve digital velocity by building new digital solutions at the right direction and speed for their business through digital strategy consulting and engineering at scale. It provides deep expertise in experience transformation, composable commerce, digital product innovation, and data & AI. Trusted by Fortune 500 enterprises to growing brands and non-profits, Icreon helps industry leaders navigate the complex digital landscape and build digital experiences to maximize value across the customer journey. Learn more at Icreon.com.

About Revolve Softech:

Revolve Softech is a Salesforce consulting company offering a one stop solution for all Salesforce ecosystem products. With a team of certified Salesforce experts, Revolve Softech brings extensive experience in delivering personalized, user-centric solutions that drive business growth and digital transformation for industry-leading companies.

Contact Information

Benjamin Powell

VP of Marketing

ben.powell@icreon.com

(706) 714-7006

SOURCE: Icreon Holdings LLC

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 28, 2024) - Optimi Health Corp. (CSE: OPTI) (OTCQX: OPTHF) (FSE: 8BN) ("Optimi" or the "Company"), a GMP-compliant, Health Canada-licensed manufacturer of psychedelics pharmaceuticals specializing in botanical psilocybin and MDMA, is pleased to announce the receipt of a No Objection Letter (NOL) from Health Canada. This authorization permits the use of the Company's GMP natural psilocybin extract capsules in a Phase 2 clinical trial, conducted in collaboration with ATMA Journey Centers LTD. ("ATMA").

Advancing Clinical Validation in Canada

The approval to initiate this Phase 2 clinical trial represents a pivotal moment in the clinical development of Optimi's GMP natural psilocybin extract capsules. Building on its established status as a treatment option for patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in Australia, this trial will provide a rigorous evaluation of the capsules in 200 participants within a controlled clinical environment in Canada. The study is scheduled to commence in the coming months, and is expected to yield valuable insights that will contribute to the broader understanding of psilocybin as a potential therapeutic option within the Canadian healthcare system.

Pathway to Further Clinical Development

This Phase 2 trial, focused within Canada, is designed to assess the safety, efficacy, and therapeutic potential of Optimi's psilocybin extract capsules. The results of this study will be crucial in advancing the clinical understanding of natural psilocybin's role in treating mental health conditions, with the ultimate goal of integrating this therapy into clinical practice through official registration of the drug in Canada.

"We are deeply grateful to Health Canada for approving our GMP psilocybin extract for this pivotal Phase 2 trial," said Bill Ciprick, CEO of Optimi. "This approval not only propels our clinical validation efforts in Canada but also underscores our unique position in the global psychedelics industry. We are thrilled to be partnering with ATMA on this groundbreaking study, which complements our ongoing collection of Real World Evidence (RWE) from patients in Australia."

Ciprick added that Optimi is now among the very few companies worldwide that can both clinically validate a drug in a controlled setting and gather real-world data across diverse patient populations. "As a GMP-compliant, end-to-end manufacturer, we are uniquely positioned to access and leverage this comprehensive data set, ensuring our products meet the highest standards of quality and efficacy on a global scale."

Unique Focus on Frontline Mental Healthcare Workers

A distinguishing feature of this trial is its focus on improving the mental health of frontline mental healthcare workers. The Phase II study, titled A Phase II Study Assessing the Efficacy of Psilocybin-assisted Psychotherapy when Administered to Frontline Mental Healthcare Workers Suffering from Major Depressive Disorder related to COVID-19, will evaluate the effectiveness of psilocybin in treating COVID-19-related Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in 200 frontline healthcare workers. The trial will also explore the potential of psilocybin to enhance the professional capacities of these workers, particularly in the context of psychedelic therapy.

Background and Importance of the Study

Psychological illness imposes a significant global burden, with one in five adults experiencing mental health disorders annually, and nearly a third facing such issues in their lifetime.1 Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is particularly prevalent and is expected to become the leading cause of disease burden by 2030.2 The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these challenges, especially for frontline healthcare workers who have endured increased stress, hazardous conditions, and stigmatization. These factors have led to heightened mental health concerns, often resulting in long-term consequences like burnout, anxiety, and depression.3

Frontline healthcare workers, already disproportionately affected by mental health issues compared to the general population, have seen these challenges worsen due to the severe circumstances of the pandemic. Occupational burnout, characterized by emotional exhaustion, detachment, and decreased job satisfaction, contributes to serious outcomes such as PTSD, increased suicide rates, and reduced quality of care. Traditional pharmacotherapies for mental health disorders often come with limitations, including variable efficacy and undesirable side effects, highlighting the need for novel treatments with better safety profiles and more rapid, sustained effects.4

Psilocybin, a compound derived from certain mushrooms, has shown promise as a potential breakthrough treatment for conditions like MDD, treatment-resistant depression, and anxiety. Recent studies have demonstrated its efficacy and safety, leading to growing interest in its therapeutic potential. This trial will investigate psilocybin's effectiveness in treating COVID-19-related MDD in frontline mental healthcare workers, while also exploring its impact on enhancing their professional capacities, particularly in the realm of psychedelic therapy. This research could provide crucial insights into new treatment options for those most affected by the pandemic's mental health challenges.

About Optimi Health Corp.

Optimi Health Corp. (CSE: OPTI) (OTCQX: OPTHF) (FSE: 8BN) is a leading psychedelics pharmaceutical manufacturer licensed by Health Canada. Specializing in controlled substances such as botanical psilocybin and MDMA, Optimi is dedicated to supplying safe, top-tier GMP-grade products and APIs to researchers, drug developers, and authorized patients worldwide. Optimi's facilities in Princeton, British Columbia, are purpose-built to develop proprietary formulations under strict GACP and GMP conditions, ensuring unparalleled quality and reliability. The Company is committed to being the most trusted supplier of safe psychedelic drug candidates globally.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements") that relate to Optimi's current expectations and views of future events. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as "will likely result," "are expected to," "expects," "will continue," "is anticipated," "anticipates," "believes," "estimated," "intends," "plans," "forecast," "projection," "strategy," "objective," and "outlook") are not historical facts and may be forward-looking statements. These statements may involve estimates, assumptions, and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct, and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release.

Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Optimi's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Optimi undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Optimi to predict all of them or assess the impact of each factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Any forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For more information, please visit www.optimihealth.ca.

1 National Institute of Mental Health

2 Nature

3 National Library of Medicine

4 Ibid

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221268

SOURCE: Optimi Health Corp.
HONG KONG, Aug 28, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - - Some 40 leaders of business and academia explored Hong Kong-Jiangsu collaboration in finance, I&T, sustainable development, culture and creativity- Exhibition showcased Hong Kong's professional services, creative designs and I&T projects. Some 400 business matching meetings were facilitated- Some 30 Hong Kong pitched to Jiangsu investors, while 60+ Hong Kong exhibitors highlighted their diversified services and advanced scientific researchSmartHK, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and co-organised by the Department of Commerce of Jiangsu Province as well as Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of Jiangsu Provincial People's Government, concluded in Nanjing today.Centred around innovative collaboration for high-quality development, some 40 leaders of business and academia explored Hong Kong-Jiangsu collaboration in the areas of financial services, innovation and technology (I&T), sustainable development, culture and creativity.The opening ceremony was officiated by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government Financial Secretary Paul Chan, Jiangsu Provincial People's Government Vice Governor Fang Wei and HKTDC Chairman Dr Peter K N Lam.In his welcome remarks, Dr Lam said Jiangsu's development positioning of one centre, one base, one hub and Hong Kong's eight centres lay the foundation for the two places' complementary growth. Jiangsu enterprises are encouraged to leverage Hong Kong's professional services for business transformation and international expansion.'The HKTDC has proactively facilitated business and trade collaboration between Jiangsu and Hong Kong, in particular through the Jiangsu-Hong Kong Cooperation Joint Meeting. We have strengthened trade-related cooperation in the areas of manufacturing and supply chains, modern service industries and two-way investment. Our collaboration has now been extended to the areas of I&T, green development, culture and talent exchange. At this year's SmartHK, we discussed finance, I&T, sustainable development, culture and creativity to showcase Hong Kong's strengths. By focusing on I&T project matching, we've explored new modes of bilateral collaboration.'Mr Paul Chan said in his opening remarks: 'Jiangsu and Hong Kong have a long history of cooperation, given strong bilateral economic and trade ties and frequent cultural exchanges. Many Hong Kong entrepreneurs invest and start businesses in Jiangsu. As of last year, they have invested in more than 35,000 projects. Nearly 2,300 Jiangsu businesses have set up in Hong Kong, while more than 100 Jiangsu companies are listed in our city, with a market value of more than HK$660 billion. The trade volume between Jiangsu and Hong Kong exceeded CNY85 billion in 2023, a nearly 35% increase year-on-year. Over the years, cooperation between Jiangsu and Hong Kong in finance, innovation and technology, education, culture and youth exchange, among others, has continued to deepen.'Mr Fang Wei said: 'Technological innovation is key to driving high-quality development. Jiangsu's market and industrial advantages and Hong Kong's scientific research and financial advantages can accelerate the pace of innovation across industries and enable China to be self-reliant in the area of science and technology. As super connector, Hong Kong can link Jiangsu with global markets. Leveraging our respective strengths, we look forward to deepening our cooperation in trade and investment, work together to explore Belt and Road markets, among others, and accelerate national development.'Henry Tang, Chairman of The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority Board; Nancy Ip, President of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST); Gilbert Lee, Head of Strategy & Planning and Chief of Staff to the Chief Executive of Hang Seng Bank Limited, Non-executive Director of Hang Seng Bank (China) Limited, and Chairman of Hang Seng Indexes Company Limited; Roger Chen, Managing Director of China of CLP Holdings Limited; and Chen Shu, President of Jiangsu Soho Holdings Group, discussed the roadmap for Hong Kong-Jiangsu development. They shared their insights about the cultural industry, I&T, cross-border green finance, sustainable energy and success stories from previous collaborations between Hong Kong and Jiangsu.The HKTDC joined hands with InvestHK, HKSAR Innovation and Technology Commission, the Federation of Jiangsu Community Organisations, Jiangsu Development and Reform Commission, Jiangsu Provincial Department of Science and Technology, Industry and Information Technology Department of Jiangsu, Department of Ecology and Environment of Jiangsu Province, Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, Jiangsu Provincial Financial Regulatory Administration, Jiangsu Federation of Industry and Commerce, Jiangsu Youth Federation as well as Jiangsu Sub-council of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade to host four thematic sessions. Industry experts discussed business opportunities in financial services, I&T, sustainable development, culture and creativity.Green development was a key topic for this year's SmartHK. The 'Green and Sustainable Development' thematic session, exclusively sponsored by Hang Seng Bank Limited, SmartHK's Diamond Sponsor and Cross-Boundary Green Finance Partner, focused on exploring the green and sustainability development needs and cooperation opportunities between Hong Kong and Jiangsu.Ryan Song, Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive of Hang Seng Bank (China) Limited, delivered opening remarks for the session. Dr. Shelley Zhou, Head of Corporate Sustainability of Hang Seng Bank Limited, delivered a keynote speech titled on market trends and international standards of green finance and sustainable development'.Chan Pui-cheong, CEO of the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency; Arthur Lam, Co-Founder and CEO of Negawatt Utility Limited; Angus Wong, Managing Director for Wholesale Client Coverage of Hang Seng Bank Limited; Christopher Lau, Executive Director of Gold Peak Technology Group Limited; and Liu Changliang, Director of Sustainability of the Nanjing Iron and Steel Company Limited, discussed other topics including 'Green and Development Certification Services and the Importance of ESG Information Disclosure in the International Market' 'Achieving Carbon Neutrality with the Help of Green Technologies' 'Business Expansion with the Help of Sustainable Financing' 'Green Transformation of Hong Kong Manufacturing Industry' and 'Jiangsu Enterprises' Green Finance and Green Businesses' Needs'. The panel speakers also explored Hong Kong-Jiangsu cooperation opportunities in green finance and sustainable development.Some 30 start-ups from HKUST, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong and InnoClub, co-created by the HKTDC and Hang Seng Bank Limited, took part in a Smart+ pitching session to present their latest innovative solutions to Jiangsu investors and partners.To foster collaboration opportunities, a hallmark of HKTDC events, some 400 business matching meetings were facilitated to connect Jiangsu and Hong Kong companies.An exhibition of over 60 enterprises and start-ups showcased Hong Kong's latest I&T products and services.WebsitesSmartHK: https://smarthk.hktdc.com/Photo download: https://bit.ly/3AER6D5SmartHK was held in Nanjing on 28 August.Jiangsu Provincial People's Government Vice Governor Fang Wei (front, fourth from the right) and HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong (front, fourth from the left) attended the 12th Jiangsu-Hong Kong Cooperation Joint Meeting.Hong Kong SAR Government Financial Secretary Paul Chan (front, sixth from the left), Jiangsu Provincial People's Government Vice Governor Fang Wei (front, seventh from the left), HKTDC Chairman Dr Peter K N Lam (front, fifth from the left), and HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong (front, fourth from the left) attended SmartHK.Hong Kong SAR Government Financial Secretary Paul ChanHKTDC Chairman Dr Peter K N LamJiangsu Provincial People's Government Vice Governor Fang WeiChairman of The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority Board Henry Tang discussed cooperation opportunities between Jiangsu and Hong Kong in the areas of culture and creativity.(Starting second from left) Nancy Ip, President of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Gilbert Lee, Head of Strategy & Planning and Chief of Staff to the Chief Executive of Hang Seng Bank Limited, Non-executive Director of Hang Seng Bank (China) Limited, and Chairman of Hang Seng Indexes Company Limited; Roger Chen, Managing Director of China of CLP Holdings Limited; and Chen Shu, President of Jiangsu Soho Holdings Group, discussed the roadmap for Hong Kong-Jiangsu development.The Green and Sustainable Development thematic session was exclusively sponsored by Hang Seng Bank Limited, SmartHK's Diamond Sponsor and Cross-boundary Green Finance Partner, focusing on green and sustainable development needs of and cooperation opportunities between Hong Kong and Jiangsu.Some 30 start-ups from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong and InnoClub, co-created by the HKTDC and Hang Seng Bank Limited, took part in a pitching session to present their latest innovative solutions to Jiangsu investors.Media enquiriesPlease contact:Xinhua Daily (PR agency)Li Jiawei Tel: (86) 15995295632 Email: 1360342750@qq.comYu Yan Tel: (86) 13584019845 Email: 422791094@qq.comThe HKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs Department (Headquarters, Hong Kong):Jane Cheung Tel: (852) 2584 4137 Email: jane.mh.cheung@hktdc.orgSam Ho Tel: (852) 2584 4537 Email: sam.sy.ho@hktdc.orgThe HKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs Department (Shanghai):Sun Ping Tel: (86) 21-63528488 Email: p.sun@hktdc.orgMedia Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.comAbout HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.Source: HKTDCCopyright 2024 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Wysopal and Wessling will help lead the company through its next phase of market evolution and further support customers as they buy, build and implement secure software

Veracode, a global leader in application risk management, today announced the appointments of co-founder Chris Wysopal as Chief Security Evangelist and Jens Wessling as Chief Technology Officer (CTO).

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240828594728/en/

Chris Wysopal (left) named Chief Security Evangelist and Jens Wessling (right) promoted to Chief Technology Officer (Photo: Business Wire)

Brian Roche, Chief Executive Officer at Veracode, said, "Developers and security teams turn to Veracode to help them build and maintain secure software as the broad adoption of AI increases security debt and exacerbates an unmanageable security backlog. As the leader in application risk management, we have the most effective solution on the market today to secure the software supply chain. Developers face a significant challenge in finding the right security platform among a sea of options, many of which are not equal. Chris Wysopal, a pioneer in the industry, will help us cut through the noise and amplify Veracode's voice and value. Through Chris' and Jens' leadership, we will continue to advance our solutions, deliver innovation, educate the market, and further support our customers and partners around the globe."

As co-founder of Veracode, Wysopal helped shape the application security testing space and will continue to educate and train the wider tech community on cybersecurity best practices. In his new role as Chief Security Evangelist, he will leverage his 25 years' experience to influence and advocate for Veracode's products and services, impacting customers, prospects, influencers, analysts and policy makers. As a seasoned cybersecurity expert and trusted voice in the market, he will also spend time mentoring the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.

Wysopal said, "Chief Security Evangelist is a natural evolution of my role and fulfills my passion for ensuring security is at the heart of software development, deployment and maintenance. This is a perfect fit for me as I am passionate about helping security professionals at every level solve their most pressing cybersecurity challenges. I am equally proud to hand over the CTO reigns to Jens, who has a strong track record of driving technical excellence, so Veracode can deliver even more innovation and secure the software supply chain."

Wessling has been promoted to Chief Technology Officer after serving as Vice President and Chief Architect since he joined the company in March 2024. Wessling came to Veracode with more than 25 years' experience in cloud computing, data engineering and software development to architect Veracode's increasingly interconnected solutions. In his new role as CTO, he will define and shape Veracode's global technology strategy, in addition to leading the company's research and product security teams.

Wessling said, "I am honored to expand my leadership role at Veracode-a company that has always been at the forefront of software security. Software supply chain security is one of the biggest challenges in cybersecurity, and I look forward to contributing even more as we help organizations build, buy and implement secure software."

To learn more, watch the interview with Chris and Jens-broadcast live on Thursday August 29, 2024, at 11.30am Eastern Time and available afterward on demand.

About Veracode

Veracode is a global leader in Application Risk Management for the AI era. Powered by trillions of lines of code scans and a proprietary AI-assisted remediation engine, the Veracode platform is trusted by organizations worldwide to build and maintain secure software from code creation to cloud deployment. Thousands of the world's leading development and security teams use Veracode every second of every day to get accurate, actionable visibility of exploitable risk, achieve real-time vulnerability remediation, and reduce their security debt at scale. Veracode is a multi-award-winning company offering capabilities to secure the entire software development life cycle, including Veracode Fix, Static Analysis, Dynamic Analysis, Software Composition Analysis, Container Security, Application Security Posture Management, and Penetration Testing.

Learn more at www.veracode.com, on the Veracode blog, and on LinkedIn and X.

Copyright 2024 Veracode, Inc. All rights reserved. Veracode is a registered trademark of Veracode, Inc. in the United States and may be registered in certain other jurisdictions. All other product names, brands or logos belong to their respective holders. All other trademarks cited herein are property of their respective owners.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240828594728/en/

Contacts:

For more information, please contact:

Katy Gwilliam

kgwilliam@veracode.com


EQS Newswire / 28/08/2024 / 19:52 UTC+8

Achieved Record High Revenue of HK$273.6M and Net Profit of HK$67.4M Further Penetration to Osteoporosis, Ophthalmology, and Medical Aesthetic Device Markets (28 August 2024 - Hong Kong) A fully integrated biopharmaceutical company - Uni-Bio Science Group Limited ("Uni-Bio Science", together with its subsidiaries referred to as the "Group", stock code: 0690.HK), is pleased to announce its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2024 (the "Period"). Key Accomplishments in the First Half of 2024 During the Period, the Group achieved a spectrum of accomplishments, for both of its marketed products and innovative biologics. The key highlights include: The Group's revenue achieved an increase of 9.5% year-on-year ("YoY") to approximately HK$273.6 million, whilst improving gross profit margin by 4.7 percentage points to 84.3%. Sales of Pinup performed well, registered an increase of 12.8% YoY. The Group's newly launched product Bogutai achieved sales of HK$18.8 million in just four months, exceeding initial expectations. The Group achieved a record-breaking profit of approximately HK$67.4 million for the Period, representing a significant increase of 71.0% YoY, underscoring the Group's effective strategies and operational efficiency. In January 2024, the China National Medical Products Administration ("NMPA") granted official approval for Bogutai's marketing launch, marking a pivotal milestone for the Group in orthopedic disease management. Sales of Bogutai commenced in the first half of 2024. With its superior safety profile and competitive pricing, Bogutai promises to revolutionize global drug administration, making it more accessible and patient-friendly. In January 2024, the NMPA accepted the marketing application for Diquafosol Sodium eye drops, marking a significant advancement for the Group's ophthalmology drug portfolio. Diquafosol Sodium is anticipated to receive marketing approval in the first quarter of 2025, complementing the existing ophthalmic drug portfolio and becoming one of the first BFS Diquafosol products to be listed. The Group officially launched its first advanced skincare raw material product, Skbrella FN, with sales contributions expected to begin in the second half of 2024. The Group is leveraging endorsements from key opinion leaders (KOLs) in dermatology and capitalizing on the synergistic effects of Skbrella FN and EGF to enhance the brand's professionalism and market appeal. The Group is dedicated to the research and promotion of isavuconazonium sulfate, providing more effective antifungal treatment options for patients worldwide and improving their quality of life. During the Period, the Group completed the pharmaceutical research and is preparing to conduct pre-Bioequivalence studies, with the official market launch expected in the first half of 2027. In May 2024, the Group cooperated with Great Bay Bio (GBB) and Pebble Accelerator, a subsidiary of Tigermed to joint development of innovative weight reduction drugs, aiming to revolutionize the treatment of obesity. Through this collaboration, we seek to establish a comprehensive ecological industry chain, spanning from target discovery to antibody generation, druggability verification, process development, clinical pipeline, and ultimately, commercialization. Interim Results For the Period, the Group recorded revenue of approximately HK$273.6 million, representing an increase of 9.5% YoY. The increase in revenue was mainly attributable to the sales growth of Pinup and the Group's newly launched product Bogutai. Pinup recorded an increase of 12.8% in revenue from approximately HK$124.8 million to approximately HK$140.9 million for the Period. The increase was attributable to the successfully re-selected for the centralized procurement and the procurement validity period is set for two years. The Group launched Bogutai in March 2024 and it made an immediate financial contribution, achieving sales of HK$18.8 million in just four months. During the Period, revenue generated from GeneTime was approximately HK$91.3 million, representing a decrease of 4.8% YoY, mainly due to the more cautious procurement strategies adopted by public hospitals due to stricter governance. Yet, the Group continues to diversify its sales channel, such as e-commerce platforms, online hospitals and pharmacies. GeneSoft recorded a decrease in revenue from approximately HK$22.3 million to approximately HK$18.9 million, representing a decrease of 15.4% YoY. During the Period, revenue from Boshutai declined from approximately HK$6.9 million to approximately HK$3.8 million, representing a decrease of 45.7%. Gross profit was approximately HK$230.6 million, representing an increase of 16.0% as compared with approximately HK$198.9 million for the first half of 2023. Gross profit margin increased by 4.7 percentage points YoY to 84.3%, which was attributable to the Group's ongoing efforts in optimizing its supply chain and effectively lowering the procurement cost of API. The Group kept a tight rein on general and administrative expenses, which only accounted for 8.7% of revenue for the Period as compared with 9.4% for the same period last year. Selling and distribution expenses for the Period also decreased to 42.8% of revenue from 50.5% that of the same period last year, mainly due to the marketing expenses of Pinup decreased and the Group's further optimization of its salesforce. The R&D expenses increased by 77.9% YoY to approximately HK$20.9 million and the amount was in step with the Group's product research status. The Group achieved a record-breaking profit of approximately HK$67.4 million for the Period, representing a significant increase of 71.0% YoY. The substantial profit increase, driven by the launch of a new drug, the organic growth of marketed drugs, effective marketing strategies, strict cost control and ongoing supply chain optimization. This indicates that the Group is on the right path for sustainable profit growth. Prospects With advancements in biotechnology and strong governmental backing, the pharmaceutical landscape in China is poised for significant growth with a compound annual growth rate ("CAGR") of 7.5% from 2024 to 2032, according to Imarc Group. Alongside traditional pharmaceuticals, the aesthetic medical sector is gaining prominence in the market. Forecasts indicate that the aesthetic medical market is set to sustain a CAGR growth of 10% to 15% between 2024 and 2027, primarily attributing to the increasing emphasis on beauty standards and the increased spending in this domain, particularly by individuals with moderate to high incomes. The two sectors are the Group's focus, showcasing massive expansion opportunities for the Group. Looking forward, Mr. Kingsley Leung, Chairman of Uni-Bio Science said, "We are committed to establishing a highly commercial-driven and specialized boutique R&D platform where we tightly integrate research and production under one roof. Our focus is on growing our existing products and launching new high value generic and aesthetic medical products, which we believe will continue to provide strong cash flow in the short term and support the Group's ongoing R&D on proprietary biopharmaceutical products. This includes expanding into new areas, such as best-in-class biologics for ophthalmology and obesity. In early July 2024, we have partnered with Chongqing Minji Medical Device Co., Ltd. to tap into the medical aesthetic device sector. This collaboration grants us exclusive distribution rights for their premier products and allows us to co-develop medical device products leveraging the Group's patented core ingredient, Skbrella FN. This joint initiative aims to introduce China's first batch of class II medical devices utilizing fibronectin, bolstering the Group's leadership in skincare and medical aesthetics. We expect to generate over RMB30 million annually in revenue from the aesthetic medical segment within the next two to three years. To boost product awareness and market shares, we have implemented an omnichannel strategy by collaborating with internet hospitals, establishing an official GeneTime flagship store on JD.com and partnering with over 200 online distributors. In terms of offline efforts, we have partnered with top national chain stores and retailers renowned for strong brand presence and customer trust, as we believe this provides additional opportunities for the Group to engage more potential customers. These efforts aim to further bolster product sales and establish a robust foundation for the future launch of upcoming products. To support our upcoming sales and diversified product range, our new factory in Dongguan, Guangdong, has completed construction. The factory is expected to produce up to 19 million units per year of the Group's signature products, GeneTime and GeneSoft, representing an annual output value exceeding RMB 1 billion. This factory also features a BFS packaging line for the production of single-dose GeneSoft and Diquafosol Sodium Eye Drops. The BFS packaging research and archival filing are expected to conclude by 2025, with the launch of GeneSoft and Diquafosol Sodium Eye Drops in BFS packaging anticipated in 2026." About Uni-Bio Science Group Limited Uni-Bio Science Group Limited is principally engaged in the research and development, manufacture and distribution of pharmaceutical products. The research and development centre is fully equipped with a complete system for the development of genetically-engineered products with a pilot plant test base which is in line with NMPA requirements. The Group also has two GMP manufacturing bases in Beijing and Shenzhen. The Group also has a highly efficient commercialization platform and marketing network. The Group focuses on the development of novel treatments and innovative drugs addressing the therapeutic areas of endocrine such as diabetes and osteoporosis, ophthalmology and dermatology. Uni-Bio Science Group Limited was listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on November 12, 2001. Stock code: 0690. For further information, please contact: ir@uni-bioscience.com 28/08/2024 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



Media archive at www.todayir.com


Designed for work and built to last.



LOGAN, Utah, Aug. 28, 2024is now available and shipping worldwide. The Archer 4 is an Android handheld that gives mobile workers a rugged and reliable device for their data collection and work needs.

"We are thrilled that the Archer 4 is now available and in the hands of users worldwide," said Tim Royer, Archer 4 product manager at Juniper Systems. "We set out to design a device that is modern, rugged, and that meets the connectivity and operating system needs of our customers."

Archer 4 was built to deliver a mobile platform that offers robust connectivity options, durability for any environment, and Android support well into the future. Featuring 5G cellular and Android 14, with updates through Android 18, the Archer 4 offers a modern device designed to stay compatible with future hardware, software, and operating systems. This means that Archer 4 customers can expect years of reliable use.

"Archer 4 was designed to be Juniper Rugged," Royer said. "We pride ourselves on providing devices that are as rugged as the environments they are being used in. Archer 4 is built to military standards and carries an IP68 rating. We designed the device to feature Juniper's signature bumpers to mitigate damage from accidental drops."

The Archer 4 is available with two primary battery sizes: a standard 4500 mAh battery or an expanded 8300 mAh battery. Because the Archer 4 also has a standard internal 300 mAh battery that allows for hot-swapping the primary batteries, the device will stay running while batteries are swapped in the field.

Another unique feature of the Archer 4 is its expansion pods that connect to the back of the device using a series of contact pads. The initial pods available for the device include a barcode scanner and a GNSS receiver that offers sub-meter accuracy out of the box and RTK accuracies achievable with an RTK solution coming post-launch.

"Archer 4 offers users the ability to customize their device to meet their daily tasks," Royer said. "Need more battery run time? You can choose the extended battery. Need to perform mapping in the field? Grab the GNSS pod and an extended battery for all-day mapping. Users aren't limited to a fixed configuration."

The Archer 4 is now available through Juniper Systems and our Premier Dealer network. Please visit our websitefor more information.

About Juniper Systems

Founded in 1993, Juniper Systems, Inc. is a leading manufacturer and supplier of ultra-rugged tablets, handheld computers, GPS receivers, mapping software, and field computing solutions. Professionals utilize Juniper Systems' innovative mobile computers in natural resources, utilities and public services, geospatial, agriculture, industrial, and military markets. In addition, the company's HarvestMaster brand makes solutions for agricultural applications.

Juniper Systems Inc. is based in Logan, Utah, USA, and has an office in the United Kingdom that provides sales and services to EMEA regions. HarvestMaster is also based out of Logan with an office in Austria that provides sales and service to Europe.

Visit us online at www.junipersys.com.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/31d3e436-2691-4d4b-8199-973096ee5f9c
The executive has more than 30 years of experience in leading large finance, consulting and technology multinationals.

Flecha de Lima takes on the challenge of generating value for the company through innovative and disruptive solutions in the Customer Experience market.

SAO PAULO, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Atento Luxco 1 ("Atento" or the "Company"), one of the largest global providers of customer relationship management and business transformation outsourcing (CRM/BTO) services and an industry leader in Latin America, announced the appointment of Joao Pedro Flecha de Lima as the new Vice President of the Brazilian unit. Flecha de Lima will have the mission of leading the commercial team and leveraging his experience in contributing to market expansion. In addition he will introduce new services and optimize sales and marketing strategies.

A Civil Engineer who graduated from the University of Brasilia with an MBA from Columbia University in New York, Flecha de Lima has more than three decades of leadership experience in the areas of marketing, sales, new business and innovation, and has worked with companies such as Huawei, Samsung, ABN Amro Bank and Pactual. He is an advisor to RecifeCo (Datacenter and Cabo Submarino) and a founding partner of Partners Club, a business platform that provides and implements B2B solutions to boost sales.

At Atento, Flecha de Lima will support CEO Angelo Guerra in the command of the company in Brazil. "Joao Pedro's broad strategic and marketing vision will contribute to consolidating Atento at the highest level of the CX market. From his unique knowledge of strategy and business, we will grow with a focus on offering impactful solutions to our customers, in a technological environment of constant change", says Guerra.

Among the main challenges facing the new vice president is the expansion of Atento's business into new markets, increasing the company's ability to achieve sustainable growth, in line with the global business strategy of revenue diversification, and operational excellence and transformation supported by technology with a human touch. "Atento is an extraordinary company that for 25 years has been building a legacy of technological innovation and excellence in customer service. I'm thrilled to be part of a company that employs 150,000 people, more than 40,000 of them in Brazil alone", comments Joao Pedro.

Flecha de Lima will also assist the company in managing relations with stakeholders, in line with good corporate governance practices, with a focus on transparency, social responsibility and protection of the interests of customers, employees, shareholders and investors. "Atento has stood out as one of the 25 best companies in the world to work for, which reflects the commitment to its employees to maintain an organizational culture of excellence. We need to show our clients that, being an extension of their home, they will find in Atento not only technological excellence, but also the best ESG practices," adds Flecha de Lima.

About Atento

Atento is the largest provider of customer relationship management and business process outsourcing ("CRM BTO") services in Latin America and one of the world's leading providers. Atento is also one of the leading providers of nearshoring BTO CRM services to companies operating in the United States. Since 1999, the company has developed its business model in 17 countries, employing approximately 120,000 people. Atento has more than 400 clients, to whom it offers a wide range of BTO CRM services through multiple channels. Atento's clients are mostly leading multinational companies in the telecommunications, banking and financial services, health, retail and public administration sectors. In recent years, the company has been recognized for its excellence by various industry analysts in different regions, including Everest (named a "star performer" in 2021), Gartner (recognized as a leader in Customer Service BPO in the Magic Quadrant since 2021), Frost & Sullivan (named a leader in CX Outsourcing in Latin America in 2022) or Forbes (selected as one of the 100 best companies to work for in 2023 in Spain). For more information, visit www.atento.com.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2400520/Atento_logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/joao-pedro-flecha-de-lima-joins-atento-brasil-as-vice-president-302232838.html
Track and trace solutions provider to help businesses meet NAFDAC regulations

MUMBAI, India, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ACG Inspection, a leading track and trace solutions provider for the pharmaceutical industry, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a Certificate of Accreditation as a GS1 solution provider, meeting the GS1 Nigeria criteria and conforming to its set of standards.

As an official Gold Partner of GS1 Nigeria, ACG can assist businesses in ensuring that they are NAFDAC compliant in time for the deadline in December 2024.

The regulations established by the Nigerian National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) prohibit the sale of counterfeit, fake drugs and unwholesome processed foods. The law also prohibits the sale and distribution of counterfeit, adulterated, banned, substandard or expired drugs1.

ACG's Verishield advanced serialisation, aggregation and anti-counterfeiting solutions track and protect pharmaceutical products all the way through the supply chain, and into the hands of those who need them. They also comply with regulatory requirements worldwide.

Shine Vijayan, CTO at ACG, said, "We have worked tirelessly to bring the highest quality track and trace solutions to the market, and are delighted to have been recognised as a Gold Partner by GS1 Nigeria. Our aim is to elevate industry standards when it comes to patient safety through End-To-End Supply chain visibility. We look forward to continuing to support the company to help prevent the infiltration of counterfeit drugs into the Nigerian healthcare supply chain."

1 https://www.nafdac.gov.ng/about-nafdac/nafdac-laws/

About ACG

For over 60 plus years, ACG has been innovating the production solutions for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical companies, that help make people better.

As the world's most integrated provider of oral dosage products and services, we produce capsules, barrier packaging materials, manufacturing machinery, and visual inspection and traceability solutions. All fully compliant with international standards.

Today, ACG fosters long-term collaborative partnerships with customers in 138 countries across six continents.

Together, we share a common purpose: to solve the world's greatest health challenges and make it better for everybody we serve.

For more information, please contact the ACG media relations team: madhurima.chakraborty@acg-world.com

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2406433/ACG__Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/acg-inspection-awarded-gs1-nigeria-gold-partnership-302232870.html
Novotech, a global full-service clinical Contract Research Organization (CRO), proudly announces its continued recognition as a Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (EOCGE) in 2024. This marks another milestone in Novotech's ongoing commitment to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace.

The EOCGE certification is a prestigious accolade in Australia's business landscape, acknowledging organizations that demonstrate exceptional dedication to achieving gender equality. This voluntary program recognizes employers who go above and beyond in creating an environment where all employees, regardless of gender, can thrive and succeed.

Novotech is one of only 81 companies that have held this award continually since 2023. Employers aiming to achieve the certification must demonstrate what they are doing to close their own gender pay gap, and through employee consultation, create policies and strategies to prevent sex-based harassment and discrimination, while setting targets for improving gender equality outcomes. They must account for their progress every two years.

Dr. John Moller, CEO of Novotech stated: "Receiving this re-certification in 2024 is a testament to our unwavering dedication to diversity and inclusion. It reflects the collective effort of our entire organization to champion these values. As we expand globally, we're committed to extending these best practices across all our operations, aiming to inspire positive change throughout our industry."

Angela Edwardson, Chief People Officer of Novotech added: "Our journey towards gender equality is an ongoing process deeply embedded in our corporate culture. The initiatives we've implemented as a WGEA Employer of Choice are not just policies on paper; they shape our daily operations, influence our strategic decisions, and contribute to a workplace environment that nurtures talent irrespective of gender."

Mary Wooldridge, CEO of WGEA: "In taking action to improve gender equality, EOCGE employers unlock enormous benefits for their business. Employees are more likely to join and to stay in organizations that prioritize a culture of equality and inclusion. Research also shows that businesses with greater gender balance in leadership roles are more profitable and productive."

Novotech stands out among the select group of Australian employers in maintaining this prestigious citation, showcasing its sustained commitment to gender equality. As the company continues to grow and evolve, its dedication to creating an inclusive, diverse, and equitable workplace remains at the forefront of its organizational values, positively impacting the lives and careers of our employees.

The WGEA Employer of Choice for Gender Equality citation reaffirms Novotech's position as a leader in workplace equality. It not only sets a benchmark for the biotech and CRO sectors in Australia and internationally but also inspires others to follow suit, making us all proud to be a leader of this positive change in our industry.

About Novotech Novotech-CRO.com

Founded in 1997, Novotech is a global full-service clinical Contract Research Organization (CRO) focused on partnering with biotech companies to accelerate the development of advanced and novel therapeutics at every phase.

Recognized for its industry-leading contributions, Novotech has received numerous prestigious awards, including the CRO Leadership Award 2023, the Asia Pacific Cell Gene Therapy Clinical Trials Excellence 2023, the Asia-Pacific Contract Research Organization Company of the Year Award since 2006.

The Company offers a comprehensive suite of services including laboratories, Phase I facilities, drug development consulting, regulatory expertise, and has experience with over 5,000 clinical projects, including Phase I to Phase IV clinical trials and bioequivalence studies. With a presence in 34 office locations and a dedicated team of 3,000+ professionals worldwide, Novotech is a trusted end-to-end strategic partner of choice.

For more information or to speak to an expert team member visit www.Novotech-CRO.com

Background: The WGEA EOCGE citation

Criteria for the citation cover leadership, learning and development, gender pay gaps, flexible working and other initiatives to support family responsibilities.

The criteria also ask employers about employee consultation, policies and strategies to prevent sex-based harassment and discrimination, and targets for improving gender equality outcomes.

Employers must demonstrate what they are doing to close their own gender pay gap by conducting an annual analysis of what's driving their gender pay gap and following up on this by setting targets and identifying actions to reduce it. They must account for their progress every 2 years.

The Agency's certification process also requires employee confirmation that there's a zero-tolerance approach to gender-based harassment and sexual harassment, and that managers genuinely create environments within their teams that support equality for all employees.

The criteria are regularly strengthened to reflect best practice.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240826774489/en/

Contacts:

Media

Toyna Chin

mediacontact@novotech-cro.com

USA: +1 415 364 8135
 Progress on Second Multilateral Well: Successfully completed 50% of the drilling on its second multilateral well located on the Company's heavy oil property

 Efficient Drilling Operations: Contractor crews, led by Precision Drilling, are progressing efficiently and are expected to complete drilling by August 30, 2024. Completion operations are scheduled to follow in early September.

Trans Canada Gold Corp. (TSXV:TTG)(OTCQB:TTGXF) ("Trans Canada" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has now successfully completed 50% of the drilling on its second Multilateral well on the Company's heavy oil property situated near Lloydminster, Alberta. Croverro Energy Ltd., under the terms of the agreement, will be Operator.

Precision Rig 145

The Contractor crews, headed by Precision Drilling, continue to efficiently drill and are expected to be completed by August 30, 2024, with completion operations to follow in early September. The lands for the well are currently controlled by a partnership led by Croverro, with the Company holding a 18.75% interest. This second multilateral horizontal well is based on well control and newly processed seismic data. The new multilateral well is now planned for 8 lateral legs in the GP sand.

The Company has acquired additional lands inside the Area of Mutual Interest ("AMI"), which will allow additional opportunity for multilateral wells. The lands are contiguous with our existing lands. The newly acquired lands, together combined with our existing lands have the oil resource potential in both the Sparky and GP producing zones.

Commented Tim Coupland, "Both weather and drilling conditions have been ideal, and we are excited to be finishing drilling our second multi-leg Multilateral well, and look forward to the additional opportunities that may be available in the immediate area."

The Company continues to explore additional exploration drilling opportunities in Canada and the United States.

ABOUT TRANS CANADA GOLD CORP. - OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION/REVENUE PRODUCING WELLS

The Company is a discovery focused Oil & Gas Resource Development and Mineral Exploration Company that is currently focused on developing and drilling its' production of conventional heavy oil exploration properties, increasing production capabilities, and increasing future oil production revenues through responsible exploration. The Company identifies, acquires and finances with its working interest partners, the ongoing development of oil and gas assets primarily situated in Alberta Canada. The Company has qualified Senior exploration management and Geological teams of professionals, seasoned in exploration production, field exploration and drilling. The Company currently works with Croverro Energy Ltd., who has demonstrated proficiency, expected of an experienced oil and gas technical team that has proven oil production, and revenue success with large multi-lateral wells currently under their supervision. The Company has the necessary manpower in place to develop its natural resource properties and manage its production properties. The Company is committed to minimizing risk through selective property acquisitions, and responsible exploration drilling, and maximizing long term petroleum and natural gas resource assets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Tim Coupland, President and CEO

Trans Canada Gold Corp.

Tel: (604) 681-3131

astar@telus.com

www.transcanadagold.com

or

Christian Timmins, Director

Trans Canada Gold Corp.

Tel: (403) 597-3410

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider, (as the term is defined in the Policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.



Contact Information

Chris Timmins

Director

ctimmins29@gmail.com

403-597-3410



Tim Coupland

CEO

astar@telus.com

604-681-3131



SOURCE: Trans Canada Gold Corp.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Detroit, Michigan--(Newsfile Corp. - August 28, 2024) - Dunamis Charge, Inc., a designer and manufacturer of intelligent electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions, today announced the appointment of Bennie Fowler Jr. to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective immediately, reporting to Natalie King, Founder and CEO of Dunamis Charge, Inc. Fowler, a seasoned automotive industry executive with over 40 years of experience at Ford, Chrysler, and GM, brings a wealth of expertise in global operations, quality improvement, and business transformation to the company.

Bennie Fowler Named COO at Dunamis Charge, Inc.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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Fowler is renowned for his leadership in international expansion, new product launches, and successful turnaround and restructuring efforts. His transition from the automotive industry to the energy sector underscores the increasing convergence of these two fields in the era of electric vehicles and sustainable energy solutions.

"We are thrilled to welcome Bennie to the Dunamis Charge team," said Natalie King, Founder and CEO of Dunamis Charge, Inc. "His exceptional track record in driving quality improvements, operational efficiency, and business transformation aligns perfectly with our company's vision for growth and innovation in the energy sector."

Fowler's experience spans the entire value chain of the automotive industry, from plant manager to chief operating officer to group vice president. During the Great Recession, he was one of eleven executives selected to restructure Ford, resulting in eight consecutive years of profits totaling $65 billion.

During his tenure at Ford Motor Company, a $165 billion enterprise, Fowler achieved numerous notable accomplishments as Group Vice President of Quality and New Model Launch, including:

Successfully launching 900 vehicle and powertrain programs while improving product quality worldwide.

Overseeing the launch of 18 new vehicle assembly and powertrain plants in China, Russia, and India.

Implementing an enterprise-wide quality and productivity plan that reduced warranty reserves by over $3 billion, positioning Ford as an industry leader.

Leading process improvements that resulted in over $5 billion in cost improvement projects throughout the enterprise.

In his role as COO at Dunamis Charge, Fowler will oversee day-to-day operations, streamline processes, and drive operational excellence across all departments. His expertise in implementing fact-based, knowledge-driven systems and maximizing productivity through effective teamwork will be instrumental in Dunamis Charge's continued growth and success.

"I am excited to join Dunamis Charge and contribute to its mission of revolutionizing the energy industry," said Bennie Fowler, Chief Operating Officer of Dunamis Charge, Inc. "The skills and strategies I've developed throughout my career in the automotive sector are directly applicable to the challenges and opportunities in the energy field. I look forward to working with the talented team at Dunamis Charge to achieve our ambitious goals and drive sustainable growth."

Fowler's appointment comes at a crucial time for Dunamis Charge as the company continues to expand its operations and innovate in the electric vehicle infrastructure space. His experience in navigating changes in consumer and regulatory landscapes will be invaluable as Dunamis Charge positions itself at the forefront of the global transition to electrification.

Fowler holds a bachelor's degree in business management from Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, and an MBA in operations management from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. He has served on the Board of Celanese Corporation and Beaumont Hospital's Board of Directors. Fowler was also appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to the Board of Overseers for the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program at The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

About Dunamis Charge, Inc.

Headquartered and expertly crafted in Detroit, the city that put the world on wheels, Dunamis Charge combines top-notch, safe, and reliable hardware and software solutions to deliver the smoothest EV charging experience. We connect and communicate with our users in a precise and straightforward manner, ensuring the most efficient electric vehicle charge that saves both time and money. Our management team boasts decades of expertise in clean energy and engineering, which enables us to perfect our holistic design and provide round-the-clock customer support and maintenance services, making the transition to EVs much easier. Please visit our corporate website at www.dunamischarge.com for additional information. To be added to the Company's email list for future updates, please click here.

# # #

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221350

SOURCE: Dunamis Charge, Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 28, 2024) - Forge Resources Corp. (CSE: FRG) (OTCQB: FRGGF) (FSE: 5YZ) ("FRG" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the completion of the pilot hole drilling to guide underground development of it's 170-meter decline and other key advancements at its fully licensed coal project located in Colombia.

Successful Pilot Drilling Completion

The pilot hole drilling to guide the development of the decline has been successfully completed by Logan Drilling. The drilling reached a total depth of 175 metres, with all geological and geotechnical data logged and sampled by GFD Negocios Mineros. A total of 19 samples have been sent to a certified laboratory for analysis. This phase is important to understanding the ground conditions, which will guide decisions on the most appropriate equipment for future development. Topographer Sebastian Areiza was engaged to ensure precise georeferencing during the drilling process. This will ensure the accurate direction and incline of the tunnels, a critical factor for the project's success.

Cole McClay, CEO of Forge Resources, states: "Aion Mining Corp, backed by Forge Resources, is swiftly progressing with its Colombian metallurgical and thermal coal project. The primary focus is on securing a valuable bulk sample, a key milestone that will yield essential data for informed decision-making and contribute to the project's overall success"

Engineered Site Preparation

Finalized design for the site layout considering the placement of essential infrastructure (Figure # 1 and 2).

Civil Engineer Luis Carlos Herrera has designed and implemented drainage systems and selected vegetation to alleviate the effects of seasonal weather patterns on the newly created works yard plateau.

Civil Engineer Luis Alfredo Marquez has completed ground studies at the slope and portal area. This work is important to ensure stability in the area surrounding the portal and decline.

Contractor Paisajismo & Zonas Verdes SAS has completed trenching and hydroseeding over 1,000 square metres of the terrace slope (Figure # 3).

Enhancement of water management systems with the installation of geotextile and energy dissipators across 445 linear metres of constructed ditches.

Planted 2,400 stolons of specially selected Vetiver grass to provide reinforcement of the terrace slope to work in conjunction with trenching and hydroseeding.

Planted 489 trees in compliance with environmental regulations.

Camp Construction

Completion of the cafeteria kitchen and communal areas, preparing for the next phase of project development (Figure # 4).

Land has been cleared and leveled in preparation for development of additional crew accommodations.

Strategic Technical Team Expansions

To strengthen the project's execution, Forge Resources Corp has contracted two highly experienced professionals:

Enrique Estrada - Senior Mining and Metallurgical Engineer with over 35 years of experience in the mining industry, specializing in underground coal, copper, and gold mines. His expertise includes production engineering, quality control, and operations management. Throughout his career, he has held various leadership roles, including Operations Manager and Independent Consultant, providing advisory services to improve mining operations. Estrada has managed large teams and complex projects, often implementing advanced mining methods. He holds a degree in Mining and Metallurgical Engineering from Universidad Nacional de Colombia and has pursued additional studies in project management and resource management in Australia.

Luis Carlos Herrera - a Senior Civil Engineer with more than 25 years of experience in civil engineering, water management, and surface engineering projects. Herrera will guide the surface works required to prepare the commencement of the bulk sampling program.

Figure # 1 - Project Development Map

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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Figure # 2 - Overhead site orientations

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Figure # 3 - Enhancement of water management systems and slope control

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Figure # 4 - Camp kitchen construction nearing completion

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Qualified Person

Lorne Warner, P.Geo, and President of Forge Resources Corp. is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release.

About Forge Resources Corp.

Forge Resources Corp. is a Canadian-listed junior exploration company focused on exploring and advancing the Alotta project, a prospective porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum project located 50 km south-east of the Casino porphyry deposit in the unglaciated portion of the Dawson Range porphyry/epithermal belt in the Yukon Territory of Canada.

In addition, the Company holds a 40% interest in Aion Mining Corp., a company that is developing the fully permitted La Estrella coal project in Santander, Colombia. The project contains eight known seams of metallurgical and thermal coal.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain of the statements made and information contained herein may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, information concerning the Company's intentions with respect to the development of its mineral properties. Forward-looking information is based on the views, opinions, intentions and estimates of management at the date the information is made, and is based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected in the forward-looking information (including the actions of other parties who have agreed to do certain things and the approval of certain regulatory bodies). Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of the Company and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws, or to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Company, its financial or operating results or its securities. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. We seek safe harbor.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221360

SOURCE: Forge Resources Corp.
Nuvay Pressure-Redistributing Foam Mattresses ?Designed to Help Patients Rest, Heal During Hospital Stays

HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / Hospitals across the country are moving to US Med-Equip's new pressure-redistributing foam mattresses, specially designed to provide multiple layers of support and relief to improve the way patients rest and heal during their hospital stays.





Nuvay Blue, a tri-layer foam mattress, features the newly engineered Serene foam for temperature regulation and easier patient repositioning, a soothing middle layer for patient comfort and a firm base layer to prevent bottoming out. The top cover is fluid-resistant, antimicrobial and antifungal. Nuvay Arctic, a four-layer foam mattress, includes all the features of the Nuvay Blue, plus a layer of Elate memory foam, which helps provide added patient pressure relief and is infused with antimicrobial copper, silver and graphite.

Known for its top customer service and commitment to quality, US Med-Equip partners with hospitals across the nation to provide the highest-quality movable medical equipment, beds and therapeutic surfaces for patients in their care. The company's Nuvay mattresses are designed to help clinicians improve patient outcomes and decrease incidents of pressure injuries.

"Our hospital partners are continuously looking for new ways to enhance patient care while maximizing resources. Nuvay mattresses support this mission by helping these healthcare heroes provide patients the highest level of comfort and care, all while making the most of every dollar," US Med-Equip CEO Greg Salario said.

These durable foam mattresses are available exclusively through US Med-Equip and come with its industry-leading No Worry Warranty: 10 years on the Nuvay Arctic foam core, seven years on the Nuvay Blue foam core and a 1-year warranty on the cover for both.

For more information on Nuvay foam mattresses and to experience the future of patient comfort and safety, visit USME.com/Nuvay.

About US Med Equip

US Med-Equip partners with top hospitals across the nation to provide the highest-quality movable medical equipment, beds and therapeutic surfaces for patients in their care.

Contact Information

Buse Kayar

buse.kayar@issuerdirect.com

Related Images

SOURCE: US Med-Equip

View the original press release on newswire.com.
ISELIN, NJ / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / ApTask is proud to announce that Mike Lapidow, a seasoned and highly capable business owner, has joined our network as a franchisee in his home state of New Jersey. With a rich background in the staffing industry, Mike brings a wealth of experience and a strong entrepreneurial spirit that aligns perfectly with ApTask's mission of delivering exceptional staffing solutions.





Mike Lapidow

Bio





Mike, originally from Hillsborough Township in Central New Jersey, graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) with a degree in Sociology/Criminology. He has since built a remarkable career in the staffing industry, becoming a leader in recruiting and business development.

At ApTask, Mike is focusing on developing our specialization in IT, infrastructure, technology, and power-supporting technology staffing. His team is dedicated to service excellence, providing top-tier IT professionals, engineers, electricians, building automation specialists, low-voltage system integration technicians, and renewable energy professionals. With a deep understanding of construction management and engineering leadership recruitment, Mike champions the growth and development of both clients and candidates. This commitment to specialized staffing solutions is a significant value proposition that sets Mike and ApTask apart in the industry.

The ApTask Franchise Program is designed for driven entrepreneurs like Mike, offering a proven model that combines the freedom to build their own staffing businesses with the support of ApTask's comprehensive resources. From recruiting and collections to legal and operational support, ApTask ensures that our franchisees can focus on what they do best - building successful businesses.

We congratulate Mike on his journey so far and are excited to see the continued growth and success he will achieve as part of the ApTask family. His expertise and dedication make him an invaluable addition, and we look forward to supporting him in delivering unparalleled staffing solutions.

For more information on the ApTask Franchise Program, visit our website at https://www.aptask.com/franchise/.

Contact Information

Media Relations

mediarelations@aptask.com

7323558000

SOURCE: ApTask

View the original press release on newswire.com.
COCONUT CREEK, FL / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / New Wave Endo-Surgical Corp. announced that it has been named to the 2024 Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest-growing companies. The company achieved an impressive rank of 472nd among all industries, marking a significant milestone in its rapid ascent within the medical device sector, making it the #1 fastest-growing surgical device company in the list. This recognition reflects the swift adoption of New Wave Endo's flagship product, the M-Close Kit, by the surgical community. The M-Close Kit, a multifunction system designed for laparoscopic and robotic procedures, is celebrated for bringing cost savings to hospitals, superior functionality to surgeons, and improved outcomes for patients. The device's innovative design and nerve block kit allows for precise closure of port sites and delivers targeted anesthesia, reducing postoperative pain and promoting an opiate-free recovery.



M-Close

M-Close animation



"Being named to the Inc. 5000 list is a great honor for New Wave Endo. It is a recognition of our great team's hard work and dedication and a true testament to the benefits our innovative and revolutionary M-Close Kit has brought to surgeries across the U.S. and worldwide," said Alex Gomez, co-founder and CEO of New Wave Endo. "With nearly 1,000% percent growth over the last three years, we have firmly established the significant value and impact of our devices across a wide array of minimally invasive procedures."

By bringing cost savings to hospitals, superior functionality to surgeons, and improved patient outcomes, the M-Close Kit is on its way to becoming the standard of care in all laparoscopic and robotic surgical procedures.

Find New Wave Endo on Inc. here: https://www.inc.com/profile/new-wave-endo-surgical

About Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Inc. is one of the world's most trusted business media brands, offering entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month. The Inc. 5000 list, produced yearly since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States.

About New Wave Endo-Surgical Corp.

New Wave Endo-Surgical Corp is a U.S.-based company located in Coconut Creek, Florida. We develop, manufacture and sell patented technologies for laparoscopic, endoscopic, and robotic surgeries. New Wave Endo has a mission to deliver technologies that improve surgical outcomes, reduce complications, and decrease postoperative pain to help eliminate the need for opiates after surgery. New Wave Endo's innovative approach, particularly through products like our patented suture delivery system M-Close Kit, is setting new standards for safety, speed, and consistency in surgical procedures, helping surgeons close their port sites and deliver targeted anesthesia to the port site to reduce pain and help allow for opiate-free recovery for patients.

To learn more about New Wave Endo and the M-Close Kit, please visit us at www.NewWaveEndo.com.

Contact Information

Theo Dienes

Vice President

theo.dienes@newwaveendo.com

2126710047

SOURCE: company

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Karpowership has announced a partnership with the World Bank's Women in Energy Network Africa initiative (WEN-Africa) to increase female employment in Africa's energy sector.

ISTANBUL, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --This new partnership aims to advance gender equality within Africa's energy sector, bolstering employment opportunities for women across at least ten countries and fostering a more inclusive and sustainable future.

Aligned with the World Bank's 2024-2030 Gender Strategy, this initiative focuses on four key pillars: enhancing female employment, promoting professional development and retention, advocating for policy reforms, and strengthening STEM education for girls.

Zeynep Harezi Yilmaz, Karpowership's Chief Commercial Officer, said: "We are excited to partner with the World Bank to expand opportunities for women and to strengthen our social impact. This collaboration underscores our commitment to gender equity, and we must address gender-specific barriers which hinder women's involvement in business, by increasing the number of women studying and creating pathways for women to thrive professionally."

"We are pleased to officially partner with Karpowership and join together on our mission to accelerate gender equality and promote inclusive economic growth by enhancing women's participation in Africa's energy future," said Fowzia Hassan, Task Team Leader of WEN-Africa and Senior Energy Operations Officer at the World Bank.

Under the partnership, Karpowership has committed to several targets across the four pillars, ranging from providing career counselling sessions for female staff, internships, vocational training and scholarship programs for female students, and gender-inclusive staff policies.

About Karpowership

With over 25 years of experience in the floating power plant industry, Karpowership is a leading provider of fast, flexible, cleaner and reliable energy solutions worldwide. With a global installed capacity exceeding 7,000 MW and operating across 19 countries, including 10 in Africa, Karpowership delivers energy security through its signature Powerships and onshore plants, alongside a fleet of floating LNG infrastructure.

About World Bank WEN-Africa

WEN-Africa is an initiative launched under the World Bank's 2024-2030 Gender Strategy, focused on increasing female representation in Africa's energy sector. It aims to establish a robust women's network, facilitate policy discussions, and empower women in technical and leadership roles.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2491622/Karpowership_Ghana.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2404491/Karpowership_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/karpowership-partners-with-world-bank-to-close-gender-gap-in-africas-energy-sector-302232935.html
To date, nearly 350 international workshops have trained over 14,000 people in Juncao technology, with introductory papers now available in 18 languages for global use. "The experimental results were very promising," Professor Lin Zhanxi said. "Juncao is the grass of happiness, a gift from China to all." by Xinhua writers Liu Bowei, Sun Hao KIGALI/FUZHOU, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- It was pleasantly warm and dry in Rwanda in early August, and young farmers in Southern Province were celebrating a bountiful harvest. Their hands were not bunched with corn or rice but with mushrooms, cultivated with the help of a technology transferred from a country far away to this "land of a thousand hills" in Africa. Joining the celebration was Professor Lin Zhanxi. Since the 1980s, the octogenarian scientist has led a research team on Juncao technology in China's southeastern Fujian Province. The hybrid grass technology enables fungi to grow on grass-based substrates instead of felled trees, a solution to the mushroom industry's threat to forests. The plant's name means "mushroom" and "grass" in Chinese. Its versatility is a key feature, allowing it to grow edible mushrooms, provide livestock feed and help battle desertification. Thanks to the active and visionary promotion by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Juncao is thriving in and beyond China, improving livelihoods and fostering sustainable development in developing nations across the Asia-Pacific, Africa and Latin America. A WAY OUT OF POVERTY Before known as "the father of Juncao," Lin grew up in the impoverished rural mountains of Fujian. His personal experiences with poverty profoundly shaped his commitment to Juncao technology. After decades of work, Lin and his team succeeded in selecting and breeding a type of high-yield, drought and salinity-resistant herbaceous plant that can be used as a substitute for wood to grow edible and medicinal mushrooms. At the ninth Aid-for-Trade Global Review Conference held by the WTO in Geneva in June, Lin reflected on how Juncao technology began its global journey. It was back in 1992 when Lin first presented Juncao to widespread acclaim at an international exhibition on inventions, also in Geneva. There in Switzerland, Lin received many calls to learn more about the technology. Lin recalled how Xi has passionately supported using scientific and technological means to combat poverty. In 1997, Xi, then deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China Fujian Provincial Committee, listed Juncao technology as part of the province's poverty reduction efforts with the northwestern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Upon receiving the assignment, Lin immediately took his team, as well as grass and fungus seeds, to Xihaigu, a poverty-stricken region in Ningxia. Today, Juncao technology is used in 31 provinces across China and has significantly contributed to ending poverty and revitalizing rural areas. With Xi's support, a pilot project to introduce Juncao technology in Papua New Guinea was launched in 2000, becoming one of the first applications of Juncao technology overseas. Fuelled by their dedication and pioneering spirit, Lin and other Chinese researchers have since introduced the technology to 106 countries and regions across the globe. With a mission to end poverty around the world, Chinese scientists have applied Juncao technology to some challenging environments. In Papua New Guinea's Eastern Highlands, they witnessed tribes still practicing slash-and-burn agriculture. In Rwanda, families without access to cattle or tractors labored in muddy fields using only hoes. In the Central African Republic, they observed the devastating impact of post-conflict famine. Throughout these years, Lin has faced gunpoint robberies, malaria, altitude sickness and long periods in remote outposts without electricity or water. Witnessing extreme poverty in developing countries further strengthened Lin's commitment to Juncao. "We go to the poorest places with a genuine intent to help the people," Lin stated. A PLANT OF PROSPERITY Agnes Ayinkamiye is the first coordinator of the Juncao project in Rwanda. "One of the things that made me especially happy was how we helped people. The project was well-received, and we trained many people, particularly women's cooperatives and youth groups," she said. "I enjoyed my work immensely and was thrilled to collaborate with experts." "People can earn money through Juncao technology, and it's become quite popular," Ayinkamiye added. Lin noted that around 4,000 Rwandan households have benefited from the technology, with some experiencing their incomes double or even triple over the years. "Juncao technology is affordable ... This technology is applied in such a way that makes it affordable for people at a very local level, which I believe is the key benefit," said Earle Courtenay Rattray, chef de cabinet to the United Nations Secretary-General. Seruwaia Kabukabu, an entrepreneur in Serea Village of Fiji's Naitasiri Province, is one of the women trained at the Juncao demonstration center in Nadi, Fiji's third-largest city. "After the training, every one of us received mushroom substrate bags for free from the center. Under the guidance of technical experts, we began to harvest and sell mushrooms within 7-10 days, earning money for our family," Kabukabu said. The income from the Juncao project allowed her to improve her family's living standards by purchasing essential appliances, building a concrete toilet and bathroom, and even contributing to a clean water project in her community. "Fiji faces numerous problems ranging from geographical isolation, susceptibility to natural disasters due to climate change that hinders agricultural, and sustainable development and food security," Kabukabu said. Over the past decade, over 2,400 people in Fiji have received training on Juncao technology, with the Juncao cultivation area in Fiji exceeding 2,000 hectares. "Simple to learn and effective to implement," said Lin, emphasizing that Juncao technology should lower its technical application threshold abroad "so that even the poorest farmers can get involved." To date, nearly 350 international workshops have trained over 14,000 people in Juncao technology, with introductory papers now available in 18 languages for global use. NEVER-ENDING EXPERIMENT Apart from cultivating mushrooms, Juncao technology has continued to innovate, expanding its production to include feed and fertilizer. Since using Juncao as fodder, Tahiya Massawe, a farmer in Bumbwi Sudi, Tanzania, has observed improved milk density and nutrition and increased milk production. "It has also saved money for me," she told Xinhua, "because the budget I previously spent on other feed is now saved by using this grass." Farmers multiply Juncao and use it on their farms. Many testimonials show that farmers have accepted the technology simply because the feeds are rich, said Makame Kitwana, director of Planning, Policy and Research at Tanzania's agriculture ministry. "In a number of ways, scientifically, it has (been proven) that the protein content, as well as carbon content, is high, making cattle more satisfied when consuming Juncao grass compared to other grasses," he said. Juncao can also help with ecological management. Soil erosion has been a serious problem in countries such as Rwanda. Rwandan officials used to worry that if the soil problem could not be resolved, Rwanda would have no land to cultivate. Lin always kept their concerns in mind. He still remembers the experimental data in Rwanda during his visit over a decade ago. On one day the rainfall for two and a half hours reached 51.4 millimeters. All the rain was captured by the giant (Juncao) grass, and it was very effective in water conservation and soil retention. In February in Fiji, Lin also worked on applying Juncao technology to saline soil management, aiming to seek additional solutions to combat climate change for developing countries, including Pacific island nations. "The experimental results were very promising," Lin said. "Juncao is the grass of happiness, a gift from China to all."
Sackville, New Brunswick--(Newsfile Corp. - August 28, 2024) - Beal University Canada today unveiled a new brand identity that reflects the institution's evolution and unwavering commitment to shaping the future of post-secondary education. Earlier this year Beal University Canada launched a groundbreaking 30-month Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) Program designed to meet the unique needs of the Atlantic region. The new brand identity, including a refreshed logo and brand colours, signifies Beal University Canada's dedication to providing students with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in a changing world.

"We are dedicated to moulding valuable, responsible, and well-prepared members of healthcare teams," said Holly McKnight MSW MITE, President of Beal University Canada. "Our new brand identity reflects our commitment to ensuring that Beal University Canada remains at the forefront of higher education for generations to come."

The new Beal University Canada logo features a shield that incorporates water waves symbolizing Atlantic Canada's rivers, lakes, and maritime identity as well as Canada's iconic maple leaf. The brand's new colour palette of blue, deep red, and a bronze-yellow accent speaks further to the natural beauty of New Brunswick and adjacent provinces.







"We are excited about the future of Beal University Canada," said Holly McKnight. "Our new brand identity and strategic initiatives underscore our commitment to providing our students with the resources and support they need to succeed in their chosen field."

About Beal University Canada

Beal University Canada is a private institution of higher education that offers an accelerated BScN program for students aspiring to the nursing profession. The university is committed to providing students with a quality education that prepares them for successful careers.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221271

SOURCE: Pinion Partners
CHICAGO, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The test and measurement equipment market are expected to reach USD 47.01 billion by 2029 from USD 38.91 billion in 2024, at a CAGR of 3.9% during the 2024-2029 period according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. Various companies are investing in test and measurement equipment which gives an opportunity for growth in the test and measurement equipment market. The test and measurement equipment market are continuously developing, with the presence of multiple players. Currently, the Asia Pacific region is contributing significantly to the growth of the test and measurement equipment market. Similarly, North America, Europe, and RoW regions are expected to be the growing market for the forecasted period.

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=116452716

Browse in-depth TOC on "Test and Measurement Equipment Market"

186 - Tables

64 - Figures

254 - Pages

Test and Measurement Equipment Market Report Scope:

Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2024 $ 38.91 billion Estimated Value by 2029 $ 47.01 billion Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 3.9% 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 Automated Test Equipment, Product Type, Service Type, Vertical and Region Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of World Key Market Challenge Keeping pace with rapid technological advancements and managing technological obsolescence Key Market Opportunities Rising demand for high-speed and high-bandwidth testing Key Market Drivers Stringent government rules and regulations pertaining to product safety and environmental protection



The rising application of Al and machine learning in test and measurement equipment is increasing the market's demand.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are revolutionizing the manner in which data analysis and testing is done as well as methods of equipment maintenance to optimality within test and measurement field operations.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning improve business performance in terms of data analysis as it helps in better and faster analysis of big data. Due to the sophisticated computations that are incorporated into these technologies, it is capable of spotting minute variations that might be non-detectable through conventional approaches and, hence, better decisions and outcomes. Artificial intelligence and machine learning based predictive maintenance can identify the likely equipment failure before it takes place, and so reduces the time a machine is out of service for maintenance.

Artificial intelligence-based test automation helps in the reduction in the overall cycle time, brings down the chances of errors. The use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in the test and measurement equipment is opening up huge opportunities for the firm that deal in the development and provision of solutions which has Al integration. Since industries continuously aspire for higher level and time-saving testing procedures, there exists a growing market for highly developed test and measurement equipment with integration of these technologies. The emergence of such change has many effects, not only creating breakthrough technologies but also providing fresh opportunities for business development and being a source of competitive advantage in the test and measurement sector.

Product type segment to have the higher market share compared to service type segment of test and measurement equipment market during the forecast period.

The test and equipment market, based on product type, has been segmented into general-purpose test equipment and mechanical test equipment.

This sub-segment provides an in-depth view of the market based on product type. The market for test and measurement equipment by product types includes oscilloscopes, signal generators, spectrometers, and network analyzers. Test and measurement equipment is essential for constructing or building industrial tools, components, and machinery, as well as for the smooth functioning of wireless internet connectivity, desktop computers, aircraft, and electrical infrastructure.

Among all types considered under the general-purpose test equipment segment automated test equipment, oscilloscopes, and modular instruments are projected to hold a major market share between 2024 and 2029. Additionally, modular instruments are also projected to witness the highest CAGR in the market under study during the forecast period. The increased production and consumption of automobiles, rapid advancement of 5G technology in the IT & telecommunication sectors and enhanced adoption of smart solutions by industry players are the key reasons behind the growth of the market.

NDT is an important quality control tool in manufacturing as it enables the early detection of surface and subsurface defects in finished and work-in- progress (WIP) goods. NDT techniques and services have become essential in industries to maintain product quality standards and customer perception toward a brand. Regulatory policies imposed by various governments also help increase the use of NDT for the early detection of defects in industries such as oil & gas, power generation, and aerospace, where equipment failure could lead to major disasters.

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Test and measurement equipment market for the Asia Pacific region is projected to have the highest market size and the fastest growing market between 2024 and 2029 forecast.

Market size and growth rate of the test and measurement equipment industry in the Asia Pacific region is anticipated to be the highest between the years 2024 and 2029 of the forecast period due to the economic growth of the countries such as China, Japan, India, South Korea and others. The Asia Pacific region comprises of Japan, China, India, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, India and other Asia Pacific countries. The increasing demand for test and measurement equipment is fueled by the rising adoption of electronic devices such as smartphones, wearables etc. and evolving standards for next-generation telecommunications devices. Additionally, supportive regulatory policies for new semiconductor technologies in developed regions are attracting foreign companies to expand their presence in Asia Pacific. Some Asia Pacific based test and measurement equipment players are Yokogawa Electric Corporation (Japan), Advantest Corporation (Japan), and Anritsu (Japan). The increasing demand for automated electronic products acts as an opportunity to grow the test and measurement equipment market in Asia Pacific. For instance, United Nations Development Program on August 2022 said that many countries in the Asia Pacific region have already started focusing on e-mobility and decarbonization in the transportation sector as a part of their NDC (Nationally Determined Contributions) implementation processes. The market in the region is competitive due to the presence of various local players offering specialized solutions. Furthermore, increasing penetration of wireless communication standards is boosting its demand in the IT & telecommunications sector.

Key Players

The companies of test and measurement equipment companies include Keysight Technologies (US), Fortive (US), AMETEK.Inc. (US), Rohde & Schwarz (Germany), NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS CORP. (US), Teledyne Technologies (US), VIAVI Solutions Inc. (US), Anritsu (Japan), Yokogawa Electric Corporation (Japan), Advantest Corporation (Japan), EXFO Inc. (Canada), Fujian Lilliput Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd (OWON) (China), IKM Instrutek (Norway), Uni-Trend Technology (China) Co., Ltd. (China), Particle Measuring Systems is a Spectris Company (US), Mextech Technologies India Private Limited (India), RIGOL TECHNOLOGIES, Co. LTD. (China), Good Will Instrument Co., Ltd. (Taiwan), ADLINK Technology Inc. (Taiwan), Leader Electronics Corporation (Japan), Crystal Instruments Corporation (US), Astronics Corporation (US), Vaunix Technology Corporation (US), DS Instruments (US), Saluki Technology (Taiwan), and Insplorion (Sweden).

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Top Four Conveyor Car Wash Opens 19th Brand-New Florida Location

THOMASTON, GA / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / Tidal Wave Auto Spa, one of the nation's fastest-growing express car wash companies, is proud to announce the grand opening of their brand-new Clermont, FL, location at 2395 E Hwy 50.





Tidal Wave Auto Spa Logo





To celebrate the grand opening, the newest Tidal Wave location is offering eight days of free car washes from August 28-September 4. This limited-time promotion provides an opportunity for car owners to experience Tidal Wave's premium wash option, Graph-X4, at no cost. Additionally, any new customer that joins a Clean Club unlimited wash membership plan during Grand Opening week will enjoy their first month of unlimited washes for only $9.97 - saving up to $40.

"We're proud to open our 19th location in the Sunshine State this week," said Founder and CEO, Scott Blackstock. "We opened our first Florida location in 2020 and have been growing our footprint throughout the state ever since. Our team is excited to share our easy, efficient and enjoyable car wash experience with the Clermont community and looks forward to providing the highest standard of clean and shiny cars to our customers for many years to come."

Clermont, FL Location: 2395 E Hwy 50, Clermont, FL 34711

Nearby Locations: Kissimmee (Coming Soon), Belleview, Ocala - Canopy Oaks, Ocala - SW College Rd

Tidal Wave Auto Spa is committed to providing every customer with an exceptional car wash experience through industry-leading car care technology, clean and attractive locations, and friendly customer service at every location. Stop by for a single wash or join Tidal Wave's Clean Club for the ultimate experience. Members can wash every day of the month for one convenient monthly payment and save time with exclusive club member wash lanes - plus, memberships can be used at any Tidal Wave location. For those needing to wash multiple cars, Tidal Wave offers discounted monthly family plans and fleet plans for businesses with five or more vehicles.

Tidal Wave currently operates 19 express wash locations in Florida, with plans for continued growth throughout the state. In the coming months, the company will open additional brand-new locations in Lantana, Pensacola, Crestview, Kissimmee, and more. The company proudly serves customers at 280 express wash locations in 28 states across the South, Midwest and Northern United States. For additional information, including upcoming locations, fundraising, fleet plans, and more, please visit: https://www.tidalwaveautospa.com/.

About Tidal Wave Auto Spa

Tidal Wave Auto Spa is an industry-leading conveyor car wash company founded in 1999 by Scott and Hope Blackstock in Thomaston, GA. Tidal Wave is committed to providing cutting-edge car care technology and exceptional customer service at each of their 280 locations sprawling 28 states across the South, Midwest, and Northern United States. In 2020, Tidal Wave partnered with Golden Gate Capital to facilitate their accelerated growth across the country. Tidal Wave is one of the top five conveyor car wash companies in the country and has been included in the Inc. 5000 list for America's Fastest Growing Companies since 2020. The company was recognized as a 2023 Champion of Charity Honoree by Professional Carwashing & Detailing and has raised over $3 million dollars for organizations in their communities.

Contact Information

Heather Coleman

Marketing Manager

media@tidalwaveautospa.com

Andrea Traylor

Senior Director of Digital Marketing

andrea.traylor@tidalwaveautospa.com

2058212220

SOURCE: Tidal Wave Auto Spa

View the original press release on newswire.com.
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Trianz, a digital transformation technology solutions company, today announced that it entered into a comprehensive Strategic Collaboration Agreement (SCA) with Amazon Web Services (AWS), aiming to transform the landscape of cloud migrations, modernization, management, and maximization. This collaboration integrates Trianz' cutting-edge Concierto platform with AWS's cloud infrastructure and services, promising to deliver unparalleled velocity, simplicity and highly cost-effective cloud adoption. Concierto is a hyper-automated, zero code, multi-lingual SaaS platform which covers an organization's end-to-end cloud journey under one umbrella. It enables lightning-fast migrations to the cloud; PaaS modernization; hybrid cloud management and maximizes the cloud through 360-degree observability and automated, artificial intelligence (AI)-based anomaly remediations.

The collaboration addresses the growing complexity of cloud adoption and management, offering a software-powered approach which significantly accelerates digital transformations. Key elements of this strategic collaboration include:

Collaborative Innovation: Trianz and AWS will work together on joint roadmaps, combining their expertise to develop advanced solutions that streamline cloud migrations and modernization efforts. This will make cloud management more efficient, accessible, and economical for organizations of all sizes. Global FREE Access to Concierto Migrate: In a move set to democratize cloud migration capabilities, AWS will make Trianz' Concierto Migrate solution licenses available free of charge for AWS Migration Competency Partners and customers worldwide. This initiative removes financial barriers to AWS adoption, utilizing state-of-the-art Concierto Migrate solutions, enabling more and more organizations to benefit from automated, efficient cloud transitions. Trianz is also offering FREE training to customers and partners on Concierto Migrate. Easier and Cost-efficient Hybrid Cloud Operations: Concierto Manage enables customers to manage their cloud and on-premise infrastructure from a single pane of glass. Hybrid cloud ops on Concierto is easier than managing platforms like VMware and does not require cloud specific skills. AWS and Trianz are jointly reducing the financial burden in transitions by subsidizing the costs of Concierto Manage software, training and certification for customers and their operations partners. Enhanced Professional Services: AWS Professional Services will work hand-in-hand with Trianz to deliver expedited and cost-effective migrations leveraging Concierto to customers across the globe. This collaboration combines the strengths of both organizations to provide comprehensive support throughout the migration journey. Accelerated Migration Incentives: Through the AWS Migration Acceleration Program (MAP), and Rapid Migration Offer (RMO), customers and partners will receive additional incentives for adopting a Concierto software-powered approach to cloud migration. This program underscores the commitment of both AWS and Trianz to facilitating rapid and cost-effective cloud adoption. MSP Ecosystem Enhancement: AWS and Trianz will actively engage with AWS Managed Service Provider (MSP) Program Partners to help them consolidate their fragmented toolsets into the unified Concierto Manage platform. In addition, Trianz will provide free Concierto Manage training & certification to customers and AWS MSP Partners so that they are able to run hybrid cloud operations with ease. This initiative aims to enhance service delivery efficiency, enabling AWS MSP Partners to offer more streamlined and cost-effective services to their customers.

Sri Manchala, CEO of Trianz and author of Crossing the Digital Faultline, shared his perspective on the collaboration's transformative impact: "Cloud technology stands as a cornerstone of digital transformation. Without it, no company can transform, let alone utilize next gen technologies like AI to make decisions predictively, transform customer value or reimagine their futures. Complexities associated with migration and ongoing management have long been formidable barriers for most organizations even as transformation windows have rapidly shrunk. Our Concierto platform, now supercharged through this global collaboration with AWS, effectively dismantles these obstacles by fast-tracking the journey to the cloud and making its subsequent management remarkably simpler than legacy on-prem formats.

"The best part is the human element- we have very deliberately designed Concierto to enable personnel who have long managed on-prem environments, operate the hybrid cloud with ease. This enables organizations to upskill with their existing and experienced teams- as opposed to having to hire expensive talent anew. By combining Trianz' innovative software solutions with AWS's robust infrastructure and services, we are not just facilitating cloud scaling - we're revolutionizing it."

Jahid Khandaker, Chief Information Officer at GE HealthCare, commented, "Concierto Migrate positively changed the migration process across our global IT and organizational environment with its high levels of automation, ultimately simplifying our team's involvement, accelerating our migrations, and providing predictability. This is an exciting collaboration to bring much needed and timely cloud solutions to customers."

Trianz's collaboration with AWS marks a pivotal moment in the mission to revolutionize, simplify, democratize, and accelerate digital transformations. Rima Olinger, Managing Director of North America Partners at AWS, added, "The collaboration between Trianz and AWS will provide our joint customers and partners globally with an accelerated path to migrate, modernize, and manage critical workloads on AWS."

In order to educate organizations worldwide on the path to migrating diverse sets of workloads including VMware, AWS and Trianz have jointly released an e-book titled 'Accelerate your legacy workload migrations with Trianz | Concierto.' Download instantly from here.

About Trianz

Trianz simplifies and accelerates digital evolutions through technology platforms and excellence in execution. Powered by research, technology, and experience, we enable customers transition to a digital enterprise by leveraging new Cloud, Analytics, Digital, Infrastructure and Security adoption and management platforms. With over 2,000 employees worldwide, offices in Silicon Valley, Washington DC Metro, Chicago, Austin, Boston, Seattle, New York, Dubai, Singapore and technology centres in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai, Trianz and its partners serve Fortune 1000 and emerging organizations across industries globally. For more information about Trianz, visit www.trianz.com.

Concierto is a hyper-automated, zero code and SaaS platform that offers cloud migrations, management, modernization, and maximization under one umbrella. Besides Concierto professional services, the platform is available to customers directly or through approved partners. For more information on the Concierto platform, visit www.concierto.cloud. To become a partner, visit www.concierto.cloud/partners.

About Amazon Web Services

Since 2006, Amazon Web Services has been the world's most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud. AWS has been continually expanding its services to support virtually any workload, and it now has more than 240 fully featured services for compute, storage, databases, networking, analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), mobile, security, hybrid, media, and application development, deployment, and management from 108 Availability Zones within 34 geographic regions, with announced plans for 18 more Availability Zones and six more AWS Regions in Mexico, New Zealand, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, and the AWS European Sovereign Cloud. Millions of customers-including the fastest-growing startups, largest enterprises, and leading government agencies-trust AWS to power their infrastructure, become more agile, and lower costs. To learn more about AWS, visit aws.amazon.com.

About the book - Crossing the Digital Faultline

Crossing the Digital Faultline is a book on leadership that examines why only 7% of companies across industries succeed in digital transformations despite enormous leadership efforts, financial investments, and technology implementations. Combining data from 5,000+ companies and his 25+ years of experience in the technology industry, Sri Manchala explains what is driving digitalization and what makes a small percentage of leaders successful. The book is available on Amazon here.

For more information, please contact:

Prashant Bhavaraju

Vice President

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QINGDAO, China, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- This is a news release from the Information Office of the People's Government of Shandong Province: On August 28, the Fifth Qingdao Multinationals Summit opened in Qingdao, Shandong province. More than 550 representatives from 451 multinational companies attended the summit, including 99 multinational companies participating in the summit for the first time.

Zhang Qingwei, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, attended the meeting and delivered a speech, pointing out that multinational corporations are powerful promoters of globalization. This summit is the first event featuring MNCs after the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. We hope to work with MNCs to enhance mutual trust in open development, share new opportunities such as a unified large market, new quality productive forces development, comprehensive green transformation, and institutional opening-up, and jointly write a new chapter in cooperation between China and MNCs

Lin Wu, Secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee, said in his speech that we are willing to work with the majority of MNCs to share major strategic opportunities, jointly cultivate a modern industrial system, jointly expand a broad consumer market, jointly promote green and low-carbon transformation, and jointly create an open cooperation ecology. Shandong will continue to create a market-oriented, legal, and internationalized first-class business environment, and provide all-round services for the majority of multinational corporations to invest and start businesses in Shandong, so that everyone can truly feel at home and have friendship in Shandong.

Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao said that the Ministry of Commerce will continue to support Shandong in leveraging its own advantages, deepening international economic and trade cooperation, further comprehensively deepening reforms and promoting high-level opening up. The Qingdao Summit is a high-level platform for multinational corporations to understand and invest in China.

The Ministry of Commerce's International Trade and Economic Cooperation Research Institute released a research report titled "Multinational Corporations in China: Sharing New Opportunities of Chinese-style Modernization".

This summit continues to use the theme of "Multinationals and China". During the summit, a series of activities will be held, including the opening ceremony and the Multinational Corporation Development Forum, the Multinational Corporation Investment and Cooperation Conference, China's Policy Interpretation Closed-door Meetings, themed promotions for functional zones and provinces.

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Outland Youth Employment Program in Quesnel, BC kicks off this summer

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / Sabre-Anne Elkins, then 17, was scrolling through her Facebook feed in the summer of 2021 when she spotted an ad, encouraging her to join a summer program and get paid.

The only requirement? She needed to identify as an Indigenous youth. A proud member of the Williams Lake First Nation band, she immediately signed up along with her 16-year-old brother.

"A paid training experience with certification - that's what caught my eye. Plus, I get to be somewhere new," Elkins said.

Dexterra Community Initiatives' Outland Youth Employment Program (OYEP) delivers this annual six-week summer program for Indigenous youth in British Columbia and across Canada. The program provides a variety of certifiable training experience like first aid, chainsaw operation, trail building, and forest fire suppression.

Elkins achieved her certifications after her first year in the program.

"It's empowering," she says. "My brother and I came from poverty and have faced many struggles in our lives. So being able to graduate from that program, knowing that we worked hard and accomplished something, was really rewarding."

Besides earning while learning, participants also get high school credits and a chance to build lasting friendships with their peers.

"Everybody becomes a family out there. They talk to each other all year long-both the participants and the staff," says Brittany McCoy, OYEP Western Program Manager. "Other than the quantifiable outcomes, we see a huge development in the youth's confidence levels, which is a big plus."

Elkins returned to the program the next two summers. Up to 95% of participants also join the following year's program, mainly because it's not only providing a summer camp-like experience but a chance to get a full-time job. Participants are full-time employees, working five to eight hours with pay, plus a pay increase for the next year they come back to the program. In addition to free room and board, each participant can earn approximately $3,000 over the six-week program.

"This allows youth to get those first-job jitters out in a comfortable, healthy, and safe setting. We hope to set them up for the best possible success when they enter the workforce and take those first steps toward their careers," McCoy adds.

This year, OYEP is hosting its BC summer program in Quesnel from July 16 through Aug. 24. On Aug. 7, Enbridge will host a day of training, career talks and a site visit at a Westcoast Energy compressor station, located south of Quesnel. The company is a proud partner of this national program, contributing $50,000 through a Fueling Futures grant.

Applications for the summer program is available through the OYEP website. However, all applications from June 1 are waitlisted, pending funding availability.

This summer, Elkins will skip the summer program for a good reason.

"I'm a full-time cook now, thanks to my previous experience as a kitchen assistant at OYEP. Being there opened up doors for me - and my employer recognized my breadth of experience and training from the program."

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Enbridge on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Enbridge

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Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Enbridge

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 28, 2024) - AJN Resources Inc. (CSE: AJN) (FSE: 5AT) (AJN or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has granted an aggregate of 500,000 incentive stock options (Options) to two of its directors in accordance with AJN's omnibus equity incentive compensation plan. These Options have a two-year term and an exercise price of $0.15 per common share, and vest immediately.

About AJN Resources Inc.

AJN is a junior exploration company. AJN's management and directors possess over 75 years of collective industry experience and have been very successful in the areas of exploration, financing and developing major mines throughout the world, with a focus on Africa, especially the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The information in this news release may include certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward-looking statements. Although AJN Resources Inc. believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, AJN Resources Inc. disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221385

SOURCE: AJN Resources Inc.
HONG KONG, Aug 28, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - Yunkang Group Limited ("Yunkang" or the "Group" Stock Code: 2325), a leading medical operation services provider in China, has announced its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2024 (the "Reporting Period"). In the first half of 2024, the Group continued to deeply implement its overall business philosophy of 'in-depth services and lean operations'. On the one hand, the Group constantly deepened the model of diagnostic testing services for medical institution alliances, rapidly replicated the joint innovation platform for diagnostic testing, created a new model for innovative medical centers, and focused on 'Artificial Intelligence ('AI') + medical care' to achieve remarkable results in product innovation + model innovation and promote high-quality development of the industry. On the other hand, it leveraged on the fast-growing digital technologies, while adhering to reduce costs and increase benefits to continuously build lean operation capabilities.During the Reporting Period, due to the challenges brought by the macro environment, the in-depth changes in the medical service market and the fierce market competition, the Group's short-term results did not meet expectations, recording a total revenue of RMB379.9 million, of which, revenue from diagnostic testing services for medical institution alliances, diagnostic outsourcing services and diagnostic testing services for non-medical institutions amounted to RMB182.3 million, RMB179.6 million and RMB18.1 million, respectively. If excluding the impact of revenue from phased testing and screening services nationwide at the beginning of 2023, the diagnostic testing services segment provided by the Group for medical institution alliances continued to maintain high-quality growth, contributing approximately 48.0% of the revenue, making it the largest source of revenue for the Group. The Group's gross profit was RMB128.2 million and loss attributable to owners of the Company was RMB126.1 million.The innovative model of diagnostic testing for medical institution alliances has achieved remarkable results, empowering the development of hospitals through in-depth servicesDriven by the continuous increase in favorable national policies, the market demand for medical institution alliances has been gradually released. Leveraging the overall advantages of the Group's professional, standardized and digitally intelligent solutions for the construction of regional medical institution alliances, the Group's innovative business model - the provision of diagnostic testing services to medical institution alliances has maintained high-quality and healthy development for many years. As at the end of the Reporting Period, the Group had successfully provided professional diagnostic services for more than 1,500 medical institutions in collaboration with medical institution alliances under over 430 jointly constructed on-site diagnostic centers for medical institution alliances across the country and had created a number of benchmark joint projects, so as to facilitate the rapid development of medical institution alliances. Apart from developing customers of the joint construction business with medical institution alliances, the Group also attached importance to the deep cultivation of existing clients and lean operations. The Group not only provided '3+1' (i.e. tumor, infection, genetics and reproduction + precision medicine) technical system support but also provided support to the in-depth service system to empower the demand and long-term development of hospitals with in-depth services.Disease- and clinical-oriented to persistently enhance product competitivenessThe Group has always adhered to the 'disease and clinical' oriented service concept and built a series of high and new technology platforms including PCR, protein high-throughput sequencing, gene chip, molecular diagnosis, cytogenetic, digital remote pathology and ultramicro pathology. The technology platforms can provide over 3,500 testing items, and the annual testing specimen volume exceeds 10 million. It also has developed diversified and targeted solutions and services for clinical application scenarios in different regions and different kinds of medical institutions. In recent years, the Group has continuously increased its investment in product research and development. In the first half of 2024, the Group has launched more than 500 new testing projects, which are far ahead of its peers. New projects launched during the Reporting Period with clinical needs as the core include 12 key featured products represented by dried blood spot vitamin D, allergy gene V2.0, urinary and fungal tNGS, as well as new projects such as targeted sequencing of 158 respiratory pathogens, targeted sequencing of 265 common pathogens, intestinal flora detection (16srDNA sequencing), congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) gene detection (third generation sequencing), and deafness gene screening (321 sites), which have been widely recognized by the market.The joint innovation platform for diagnostic testing was replicated rapidly, with product innovation + model innovation entering the harvest stageIn recent years, the Group pioneered the creation of 'joint innovation platform for diagnostic testing', which has successfully developed detection products for different infection syndromes in various fields such as respiratory tract infections and central nervous system infections. During the Reporting Period, the Group continued to deepen its cooperation with many top hospitals such as Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital with which the Group has contracted and continued to develop new products and technologies and promote them to the market, which was widely acclaimed by clinicians. At the same time, the Group attached great importance to the continued development of the joint innovation platform for diagnostic testing, it has so far cooperated with dozens of top domestic medical institutions in this innovative model. By giving full play to the top hospitals' technological leadership, as well as leveraging on the Group's platform foundation and innovative integration advantages in cutting-edge biotechnology, AI, cloud computing, big data and other advanced digital technologies, it will jointly explore scientific research and achievement transformation in various clinical specialty areas. During the Reporting Period, the innovative products developed based on the joint innovation platform for diagnostic testing have exceeded the annual level of the previous year in terms of testing volume and testing revenue, which has injected new momentum into the Group's long-term high-quality growth.Create a new model of innovative medical center, promote the development of medical technology industryIn terms of innovation in the medical technology industry, the Group joins hands with various partners and lays emphasis on policy guidance, clinical development, technological breakthroughs, industrial services and application promotion in a bid to explore a new cooperation model for joint innovation and cooperation with medical schools, local governments and medical institutions. Subsequent to the Reporting Period, the Group has signed strategic cooperation agreements with the People's Government of Ouhai, Wenzhou City and Wenzhou Medical University. In the future, all parties will focus on the core areas of the biopharmaceutical industry to orderly promote the establishment of several key projects such as joint innovation and transformation platforms, public service platforms, and medical big data research platforms, regional diagnosis sharing centers and innovative talents training base to promote the rapid transformation and industrial application of scientific research results. The Group will fully support Wenzhou Medical University and its affiliated hospitals, promote the transformation of scientific research results into practical applications, and strengthen the development of clinical disciplines and superior specialties, so as to truly improve the regional medical level.Focus on 'AI + medical care' to empower high-quality development of the industryThe Group has continuously improved its medical testing technology research and development and digital application, further explored cutting-edge medical fields such as remote pathology, digital pathology and AI, and built a professional service platform 'AI + medical care'. Combining with its top ten digital 'cloud' operation systems, the Group helps partner hospitals to accomplish remote guidance, consultation, training and other services, and accelerate the interconnection of information within the medical institution alliances. As at the end of the Reporting Period, the remote pathology consultation platform, a digital IT platform independently developed by the Group which owns all intellectual property rights thereon, covers more than 600 medical testing items and has provided standardized and intelligent professional pathology technical services to nearly 300 medical institutions. It is one of the leading remote pathology platforms in China with the most access to hospitals, and it assists medical institutions nationwide to improve examination quality and diagnosis efficiency.In terms of the application of AI-assisted diagnosis, the Group adheres to the strategy of 'introducing one project once it is mature' and has successfully introduced projects such as pathological DNA polyploid AI-assisted diagnosis, cervical liquid-based cell AI-assisted diagnosis, and chromosome AI analysis, leading to the great enhancement of diagnostic efficiency. In addition, through the perfect combination of pathological AI-assisted diagnosis and remote pathology diagnosis platform, the Group has also realized the upgrade of the human-machine remote mode of 'preliminary screening by AI and review by pathologist', significantly improving the efficiency of film reading.Lean operations to reduce costs, increase benefits and improve the operation efficiencyDuring the Reporting Period, the Group launched Phase II of the Robust Project, aiming to continue to deepen the results of Phase I of the Project, to consolidate the foundation of the Group's lean operations and management, and further improve the efficiency of the Group's use of resources to reduce costs and increase benefits through minimizing operating costs and optimizing operation platform. Through the perseverance and efforts of the entire Group, Phase II of the Robust Project has achieved various outcomes such as improving the establishment of various operating rules and systems, optimizing the core operation and management processes, further standardizing the process supervision mechanism, and improving supervision efficiency; supported by the Group's 'cloud' system, a structured operation data support system established through IT-based means. Through lean management, the Group will comprehensively reduce costs and increase benefits from all aspects of corporate operations such as marketing, laboratories, supply chain, logistics and human resources, the outcomes of which will be seen in the second half of the year.In the future, under the Group's business philosophy of 'in-depth services and lean operations', the Group will continue to adhere to the principles of innovation and service orientation and actively promote the development of new quality productivity in the medical and health field by leveraging on its strong technology research and development capabilities and profound industry knowledge, thereby empowering the construction of medical institution alliances and the improvement of public healthcare system. Meanwhile, the Group will proactively enhance in-depth customer services, foster lean operation management and digital empowerment, follow national policies directions, and seize the opportunities in the medical testing service market, in order to provide the public with better and more efficient, more accurate and more competitive diagnostic testing products and services, thereby contributing to the realization of the blueprint for Healthy China 2030.- End -Yunkang Group LimitedStock Code: 2325Yunkang Group is a leading medical operation service provider in China, which started to provide standardized medical diagnostic services to medical institutions at all levels as early as 2008. Leveraging its own professional diagnostic capabilities and the nationwide service network of integrated healthcare systems, Yunkang has gradually grown to become a medical operation service platform. Meanwhile, Yunkang is a medical operation service provider in China offering a full suite of diagnostic testing services which are diagnostic outsourcing services and diagnostic testing services for medical institution alliances. Yunkang provides diagnostic services through on-site diagnostic centers to collaborative hospitals in the integrated healthcare systems in China and assists them in improving their clinical diagnosis capabilities through co-developing diagnostic centers. As of June 30, 2024, Yunkang has successfully provided professional services to over 430 medical institution alliances and the hospitals it collaborated with were located across 31 provinces and municipalities in China.Media InquiriesYunkang Group LimitedE-mail:ir@yunkanghealth.comWebsite:www.yunkanghealth.comSource: Yunkang Group LimitedCopyright 2024 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
BEIJING, CHINA and SEVILLE, SPAIN / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / Hygreen Energy ("Hygreen" or "the Company"), a global electrolyzer manufacturer, and Coxabengoa, a vertically integrated global water and energy utility, have signed a strategic agreement to collaborate on hydrogen technology advancement, market expansion for electrolyzer solutions in Europe, and production capacity expansion that will accelerate European hydrogen project development.

The President of the Junta de Andalucia, Juanma Moreno, accompanied by Enrique Riquelme, Executive President of Coxabengoa, and a Spanish delegation from Andalusia, attended the signing of the Strategic Agreement between Hygreen Energy and the Andalusian-based Coxabengoa, at the office of Hygreen Energy in Beijing. The strategic agreement outlines many initiatives to jointly expand hydrogen generation in Europe, including the development of a European industrial platform where the two companies will advance hydrogen technologies, local production, and supply hydrogen production systems from Andalusia in Spain.

The agreement, which has been in the works for more than a year between the parties. and where the Junta de Andalucia has played a prominent role, is an important step to Coxabengoa's commitment to sustainable development based on the use of renewable energies, and more specifically, green hydrogen. Concurrently, this agreement enables Hygreen Energy to rapidly increase its industrial prowess within the European market as it repositions for global growth, while broadening its commercial reach and expanding its innovation across hydrogen technologies.

Hygreen Energy is an innovative global electrolyzer OEM, and a world leader in the design and manufacturing of hydrogen production systems across multiple electrolysis technologies including alkaline, PEM and AEM. With more than 17 years of experience in the sector, over 300 completed projects across 5 continents, and a manufacturing capacity of 2 GW as of 2024, Hygreen Energy sees Coxabengoa as a strategic partner to expand its markets in Europe with Coxabengoa's market position in Europe across renewable technologies.

The agreement will leverage Coxabengoa's capabilities in production and integration of components and products, and Hygreen Energy's extensive expertise in electrolyzer solutions, to offer the European market a competitive pathway to electrolyzer and green hydrogen adoption. This collaborative relationship will also enable a broader regional hydrogen economy and numerous skilled jobs for the region of Andalusia, aligning with the strategy of the Andalusian government to integrate the entire value chain in this region.

Javier Romero, Board Director at Hygreen Energy, emphasized the long-term value that this strategic partnership will generate for Hygreen Energy, Coxabengoa, Andalusia, and across Europe. "The agreement between Hygreen Energy and Coxabengoa will significantly advance the hydrogen economy across Europe, by leveraging both companies' strengths to advance electrolyzer technology, expedite market adoption, and capture the rapid growth of green hydrogen."

Enrique Riquelme of Coxabengoa has highlighted the strategic importance of this alliance: "This agreement, which enables innovative technologies and global market synergies, is a good example of the leadership that Andalusia holds in the green hydrogen sector and how it drives international avant-garde projects of enormous scope, such as the one we have signed today."

About Hygreen Energy

Hygreen Energy is a world leading electrolyzer manufacturer that offers comprehensive solutions to green hydrogen production. Specializing in Alkaline and PEM technologies, Hygreen electrolyzers are rigorously tested and proven with extensive in-field usage, and we continue to advance our technologies with the development of AEM electrolyzers. With over 17 years of experience and over 300 electrolyzer projects under its belt, Hygreen engineers are some of the world's most experienced experts in supporting EPCs and hydrogen project developers. By reshaping the electrolyzer industry with an unmatched combination of efficiency, safety, cost, durability and modularity, Hygreen Energy is enabling our clean energy transition with electrolyzers that are now in use by customers worldwide. Say hello to a greener future with Hygreen Energy. Visit us at www.hygreenenergy.com.

Source: Hygreen Energy

About Coxabengoa

Coxabengoa is a vertically integrated global water and energy utility that applies innovative technological solutions for sustainable development. The company is a world leader in the conservation and efficient management of water resources, specialized in desalination, reuse and treatment technologies, as well as a major player in the generation and transmission of green energy, circular economy and new energy vectors.

Hygreen Energy Media Inquiries:

Ethan Hugh | Global Marketing Director | ehugh@hygreenenergy.com

Coxabengoa Media Inquiries:

Luis Herrero | Marketing and Communications Director | luis.herrero@coxabengoa.com

SOURCE: Hygreen Energy

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Regulatory News:

Teleperformance (Paris:TEP), a global leader in digital business services, announced today significant changes to its governance in order to accelerate its growth and foster innovation.

Its Board of Directors has decided to adopt a new structure to meet these three main objectives:

integrate best governance practices by differentiating the powers of the Board of Directors from those of management; strengthen the DNA of the Teleperformance Group, in particular as it relates to entrepreneurship and its business development culture; strengthen top management and implement a succession plan managed by an Ad Hoc Committee.

For these purposes, the Board of Directors has decided:

to appoint Mr. Moulay Hafid Elalamy, Chairman of the Board of Directors;

to reaffirm its full support in Mr. Daniel Julien, confirming him as CEO of the Teleperformance Group;

to appoint Mr. Thomas Mackenbrock, Deputy CEO of the Teleperformance Group, starting October 1st, 2024, succeeding Mr. Bhupender Singh who has left his position within the Group in order to pursue new professional opportunities.

Thomas Mackenbrock will work alongside Daniel Julien, whom he is expected to succeed, according to a schedule that will be set by the Ad Hoc Committee, which is responsible for monitoring the succession in conjunction with the Remuneration and Appointments Committee. The Ad Hoc Committee is composed of the President, Moulay Hafid Elalamy, the Group CEO, Daniel Julien and the Group Deputy CEO, Thomas Mackenbrock.

Furthermore, the Board of Directors:

Confirmed Mr. Olivier Rigaudy in his role as Deputy CEO in charge of finances;

Appointed Mr. Agustin Grisanti (COO, Core Services) and Mr. Scott W. Klein (CEO, Specialized Services) as members of the CEO office. Along with the Group CEO, the Group Deputy CEO, and the Deputy CEO in charge of finances, they will actively participate in the Group's development strategies.

Teleperformance's aim is to accelerate its development and increase its results. The group's management confirms the 2024 guidance and anticipates an acceleration of its momentum in 2025.

Speaking on this occasion, the new chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Moulay Hafid stated: "I had the pleasure of contributing to the establishment of Teleperformance's new governance. It is now more agile and compliant with the best standards. Mr. Daniel Julien built this Group into a global leader. I am looking forward to participating, in close collaboration with Mr. Julien and Mr. Mackenbrock, in building the future of the company and its management.

Together, we want to make Teleperformance an even more prosperous company, for the benefit of its clients, its investors and its employees."

Mr. Daniel Julien said: "Teleperformance has an amazing profitable growth potential and strengthening its leadership and governance was essential to successfully and sustainably write our next chapters. No one could contribute better to the future of Teleperformance than the highly respected professionals who are joining the strategic governance of our Group. It will be a pleasure for me to continue building our Group with the support of this dream team."

Mr. Thomas Mackenbrock said: "It is an honor for me to return to the Teleperformance family in this capacity. I am very excited about the prospects of the company and look forward to working closely with Moulay Hafid, Daniel and the exceptional team at Teleperformance."

About Mr. Moulay Hafid Elalamy:

64 years old, Moroccan entrepreneur, businessman and politician. An emblematic figure in the business world in Africa and the Middle East.

Since 1995: Founder and President of the Saham Group, a key Teleperformance's shareholder owning 4% of the Group's capital Creation, development and sale of a leading pan-African group in financial services, with a specialization in insurance. Business development in the services sector, particularly in health and education. Ongoing acquisition of the bank Societe Generale Maroc.

2006-2009: President of the Moroccan Employers' Association.

2014-2022: Minister of Industry, Trade, Investment and Digital Economy (Morocco).

2024: Member of the Executive Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce.

About Mr. Thomas Mackenbrock:

48 years old, CEO of the Majorel group from 2019 to 2023, leading the company from its creation in 2019, until its IPO in 2021, and its acquisition by Teleperformance at the end of 2023.

Before Majorel, he worked for over 12 years at Bertelsmann, a global leader in media and services, in various senior management positions internationally. He began his professional career with McKinsey in 2000.

About Teleperformance Group

Teleperformance (TEP ISIN: FR0000051807 Reuters: TEPRF.PA Bloomberg: TEP FP), is a global leader in digital business services that consistently seeks to blend the best of advanced technology with human empathy to deliver enhanced customer care that is simpler, faster, and safer for the world's biggest brands and their customers. The Group's comprehensive, AI-powered service portfolio ranges from front-office customer care to back-office functions, including operations consulting and high-value digital transformation services. It also offers a range of specialized services such as collections, interpreting and localization, visa and consular services, and recruitment process outsourcing services. The teams of multilingual, inspired, and passionate experts and advisors, spread across nearly 100 countries, along with Group's local presence allow it to be a force of good in supporting communities, clients, and the environment. In 2023, Teleperformance reported consolidated revenue of 8,345 million (US$9 billion) and net profit of 602 million.

Teleperformance shares are traded on the Euronext Paris market, Compartment A, and are eligible for the deferred settlement service. They are included in the following indices: CAC 40, STOXX 600, S&P Europe 350, MSCI Global Standard, and Euronext Tech Leaders. In the area of corporate social responsibility, Teleperformance shares are included in the CAC 40 ESG since September 2022, the Euronext Vigeo Euro 120 index since 2015, the MSCI Europe ESG Leaders index since 2019, the FTSE4Good index since 2018, and the S&P Global 1200 ESG index since 2017.

For more information: www.teleperformance.com Follow us on X (Twitter): @teleperformance

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240828438006/en/

Contacts:

FINANCIAL ANALYSTS AND INVESTORS

Investor relations and financial communications department

TELEPERFORMANCE

Tel: +33 1 53 83 59 15

investor@teleperformance.com

PRESS RELATIONS

Europe

Karine Allouis Laurent Poinsot

IMAGE7

Tel: +33 1 53 70 74 70

teleperformance@image7.fr

PRESS RELATIONS

Americas and Asia-Pacific

Nicole Miller

TELEPERFORMANCE

Tel: 1 629-899-0675

tppublicaffairs@teleperformance.com
REYKJAVIK, Iceland, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Lucinity has been mentioned in the recent 2024 Gartner Banker's Guide to AML Tools for Productivity report, released on August 13th, 2024 by Pete Redshaw. As stated by Gartner in this report, "Banks' biggest opportunity with AML tools lies in greater productivity and efficiency. Bank CIOs should not fall into the trap of focusing exclusively on improved risk scoring at the expense of more effective AML case investigations." Gartner mentions Lucinity as a tool used for orchestration and business process management and as an AML vendor cited by third-party partners.

Gartner's report highlights key findings, which states, "Banks' primary drivers for anti-money-laundering (AML) replacements are increasing the productivity of case investigators and reducing the total cost of ownership (TCO) for AML." The recommendation by Gartner states, "TCO: Calculate the extent to which a replacement AML system could boost your case investigators' productivity, accuracy and consistency. Gartner's view is that raising the productivity for your AML workforce by just a few percentage points, within the case management capability, will likely outweigh all the additional license and usage costs paid to the new AML vendor." Lucinity's platform is designed with this in mind as an AI-powered FinCrime operating system that takes investigations from hours to minutes.

Gartner also recommends in its holistic approach to "Source more of the AML suite from a single vendor. This approach will be more convenient (a single point of contact when things need fixing), as well as more effective, as the vendor is likely to be better integrated at a technical level and a process level." Lucinity addresses this need by offering a unified case manager that seamlessly integrates AML, fraud, and sanctions cases into one comprehensive system.

Gartner observes that "AML vendors are increasingly using machine learning (ML) and generative AI (GenAI) to improve their offerings' effectiveness (detection rate and accuracy ratio) and efficiency (automation, AI assistants and workflow)." Lucinity's AI-powered copilot, Luci, is a prime example of this trend, automating routine tasks, guiding investigators through complex workflows, and minimizing errors to expedite investigations. Additionally, the Luci AI Studio enables teams to configure their AI to their specific needs, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.

Gartner further stresses the need for explainable AI in AML systems, advising to, "Apply AI methods to augment risk scoring only where it is explainable to regulators." We believe this aligns with Lucinity's commitment to transparency, as every AI-driven decision within its platform is meticulously documented, providing a clear audit trail that meets rigorous regulatory requirements.

Gumundur Kristjansson, CEO of Lucinity, reflected on the report, stating, "It's very insightful to see how closely the challenges in the market align with the pain points we address at Lucinity. We believe this alignment drives our commitment to delivering innovative AI solutions that unlock productivity and cost savings for financial institutions."

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.

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.

Media contacts:

Celina Pablo

celina@lucinity.com

+354 792 4321

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2208676/4881394/Lucinity_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/lucinity-mentioned-in-the-2024-gartner-bankers-guide-to-aml-tools-for-productivity-302233142.html
Lonza Group AG / Key word(s): Bond

Lonza Prices EUR 1.2 Billion Dual-Tranche Straight Bonds



28.08.2024 / 18:31 CET/CEST





Basel, Switzerland, 28 August 2024 - Lonza Finance International NV, a wholly owned company of Lonza Group Ltd, Basel ("Lonza"), announced today the pricing of its dual tranche EUR 1.2 billion straight bonds. The bonds have a maturity of six and ten years with coupons of 3.25% and 3.50% respectively.



The issuer is Lonza Finance International NV and the bonds will be guaranteed by Lonza. Lonza will apply for the listing of the bonds on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange (Regulated Market). The proceeds of the bonds will be used for general corporate purposes, including the financing of acquisitions and refinancing of existing debt.



Lonza's issuer rating is currently BBB+ (S&P Global Ratings) with a stable outlook.



A consortium comprising of BofA, Citibank, HSBC, JP Morgan and UBS were mandated to place the bond as Joint Active Bookrunners.



Key Data

Six Year Tranche Ten Year Tranche Issue Size EUR 600 million EUR 600 million Expected Payment Date 04 September 2024 04 September 2024 Maturity 04 September 2030 04 September 2034 Issue Price 99.448 percent 98.361 percent Redemption Price 100 percent 100 percent Coupon 3.25 percent p.a. 3.50 percent p.a.

About Lonza

Lonza is one of the world's largest healthcare manufacturing organizations. Working across five continents, our global community of around 18,000 colleagues helps pharmaceutical, biotech and nutrition companies to bring their treatments to market. United by our vision to bring any therapy to life, we support our customers with a combination of technological insight, world-class manufacturing, scientific expertise, process excellence and innovation. Our work enables our customers to develop and commercialize their therapeutic discoveries, allowing their patients to benefit from life-saving and life-enhancing treatments.

Our business is structured to meet our customers' complex needs across four divisions: Biologics, Small Molecules, Cell & Gene, and Capsules & Health Ingredients.Our company generated sales of CHF 3.1 billion with a CORE EBITDA of CHF 893 million in Half-Year 2024. Find out more at www.lonza.com

Follow @Lonza on LinkedIn

Follow @LonzaGroup on X

Lonza Contact Details

Victoria Morgan

Head of External Communications

Lonza Group Ltd

Tel +41 61 316 2283

victoria.morgan@lonza.com

Daniel Buchta

Head of Investor Relations

Lonza Group Ltd

Tel +41 61 316 2985

daniel.buchta@lonza.com

Additional Information and Disclaimer

Lonza Group Ltd has its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, and is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. It has a secondary listing on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited ("SGX-ST"). Lonza Group Ltd is not subject to the SGX-ST's continuing listing requirements but remains subject to Rules 217 and 751 of the SGX-ST Listing Manual.

Certain matters discussed in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations and estimates of Lonza Group Ltd, although Lonza Group Ltd can give no assurance that these expectations and estimates will be achieved. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainty and are qualified in their entirety. The actual results may differ materially in the future from the forward-looking statements included in this news release due to various factors. Furthermore, except as otherwise required by law, Lonza Group Ltd disclaims any intention or obligation to update the statements contained in this news release.

All trademarks belong to Lonza and are registered in CH, US and/or EU, or belong to their respective third-party owners and are used only for informational purposes.

Privacy Policy link

To immediately delete all the data

End of Media Release


Oceana condemns Coke's failure to increase reusable packaging and calls for the company and its bottlers to outline plan to meet the company's reuse goal

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 2024that the percentage of total beverage volume that it sold in reusable packaging in 2023 was just 14%, unchanged from the 14% reported by Coca-Cola for 2022. This update comes over two years after Coca-Cola pledged to reach 25% reusable packaging by 2030 and follows the company, last year, reporting a 2-percentage point decrease in reuse from 2020 to 2022 (from 16 % to 14%). Earlier this year, most of the company's largest bottlers reported declining sales of beverages in reusable packaging. In light of this lack of progress and commitment by the company's bottlers, Oceana is calling on Coca-Cola to disclose its plan for how the company will meet its reuse goal by its 2030 deadline.

Coca-Cola's reported lack of progress follows the company's issues at the Paris 2024 Olympics where, for the first time, drinks were served in reusable cups on a large scale. Due to reported operational considerations and other decisions made by the company, millions of servings of beverages were poured into these cups from single-use plastic bottles, which resulted in widespread criticism of the companyand its partners at the Olympic Games.

"The numbers in the company's recent "Environmental Update" make it clear - Coca-Cola is not on track to meet its reuse goal, which is terrible news for the oceans," said Oceana's Senior Vice President Matt Littlejohn. "The company has failed to make progress and none of its largest bottlers have made the commitments needed to reach this goal. It's time for the company to disclose to its investors and customers exactly how it will meet its 25% goal by 2030. More reusable packaging means less single-use plastic. The oceans can't afford to have the world's largest plastic polluter, according to recent reports, break this promise."

Oceana estimates that if Coca-Cola meets its commitment to reach 25% reusable packaging, the company could avoid producing the equivalent of over 100 billion 500ml single-use plastic bottles and cups. Based on global rates of aquatic plastic pollution from a recent peer-reviewed study, Oceana estimates that approximately 8.5 to 14.7 billion plastic bottles and cups could be prevented from reaching our waterways and seas. Coca-Cola, according to the Break Free From Plastic Brand Audit, has been the world's top plastic polluter for the last six years. Refillable bottles, the dominant form of reusable packaging used by Coca-Cola and its bottlers, are reused up to 50 times, depending on what material they are made of (plastic or glass). Each use replaces the need for a single-use plastic bottle that would otherwise be thrown away or littered, with either pathway possibly leading to the oceans.

Almost all the company's major bottlers - which account for nearly half of everything sold by the company - reported reusable packaging (as a percentage of their total volume of sales) at levels below what they sold when the company first made its commitment in 2022. None of Coca-Cola's top five bottlers have made an ambitious commitment to increase reusable packaging. Instead, the two largest bottlers of refillable bottles in the Coca-Cola system, Arca Continental and Coca-Cola FEMSA, have now adopted goals below their original percentage shares reported when Coca-Cola first made its pledge.

Coca-Cola FEMSA accounted for nearly one-quarter of all reusable sales by Coca-Cola worldwide in 2023. It reported that the reusable share of its total sales declined from 34% (https://coca-colafemsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/KOF-IR-2021-english-FS_3.pdf) in 2021 to 32% (https://coca-colafemsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/KOF-AR-2023-ENG.pdf) in 2023. In addition, Coca-Cola FEMSA stated in its most recent integrated annual report (https://coca-colafemsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/KOF-AR-2023-ENG.pdf) that the company has adopted a goal to reach 25% reusable packaging by 2030 which would be a nearly 10-percentage point decrease from when Coca-Cola's pledge was first made.

Arca Continental, which accounted for more than 10% of all reusable sales by Coca-Cola in 2023, reported that its reusable share declined from 26% (https://www.arcacontal.com/media/381587/integratedannualreport2021.pdf) in 2021 to 22.7% (https://www.arcacontal.com/media/402626/integrated_annual_report_2023.pdf) in 2023. Arca Continental has adopted a goal (https://www.arcacontal.com/media/402626/integrated_annual_report_2023.pdf), in support of the Coca-Cola pledge, of also having 25% of all its sales be in reusable packaging - one percentage point lower than the share of reusable packaging it sold in 2021.

Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (Coca-Cola HBC), which accounted for more than 5% of all reusable sales by Coca-Cola in 2023, reported that its reusable share, excluding recently acquired operations in Egypt, was 13.6% in 2021 and 13.3% (https://www.coca-colahellenic.com/en/investor-relations/2023-integrated-annual-report) in 2023.

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) - the largest bottler of Coca-Cola products in the world - reported that its share of reusable packaging grew slightly from 10.4% (https://www.cocacolaep.com/assets/Sustainability/Documents/2021/2021-Corporate-Data-Approach-Methodology.pdf) in 2021 to 11.4% (https://www.cocacolaep.com/assets/Sustainability/Documents/2024/2023-Sustainability-group-data.pdf) in 2023. CCEP has made no public commitment to increase reusable packaging.

Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one-quarter of the world's wild fish catch. With more than 300 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, oil and plastic pollution, and the killing of threatened species like turtles, whales, and sharks, Oceana's campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that 1 billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world. Visit?Oceana.org?to learn more.??

Contacts: Gillian Spolarich, Anna Baxter | email: gspolarich@oceana.org, abaxter@oceana.org
Intelligent media supply chain Connect AI provides new ways to reach audiences; plus GPU-powered Ateliere Live lowers environmental impact by more than 70%

Ateliere Creative Technologies , a leading GenAI media software solutions company, invites IBC2024 attendees to learn more and experience the latest in generative AI (GenAI) media supply innovation and live production best practices for sustainable , cost-effective remote workflows that reach more platforms and audiences at the Ateliere stand (5.C24) and across the RAI in a number of special presentations and panels.

Ateliere IBC technology innovation showcase

Attendees can book a one-on-one appointment to discuss how Ateliere's boundary-breaking GenAI media supply chain, Connect AI, and live production solution, Ateliere Live, can enhance operational efficiency, optimize monetization, and put them on a path to sustainability at https://www.ateliere.com/events/ibc-2024 .

The intelligent media supply chain

Connect AI is the industry's first end-to-end GenAI media supply chain that transforms content workflow management from capture to consumer, enabling customers to significantly improve supply chain efficiencies and monetization opportunities using intuitive "smart agent" interactions and continuous learning algorithms.

Connect AI runs on Amazon Web Services (AWS) and integrates cutting-edge generative, multimodal AI and machine learning technologies into the market-leading, cloud-native media supply chain platform, Ateliere Connect . Intelligent capabilities include AI-driven content identification, automation and optimization for inventory organization, content discovery, metadata creation and enrichment, content delivery, and monetization. Connect AI is commercially available today.

Live events that reach more audiences, sustainably and cost-effectively

Ateliere Live is a cloud-based live production and editing platform that offers cost-efficiency and eco-friendliness compared to traditional systems. It integrates production editing, mixing, graphics and effects on one software platform. Proxy contribution feeds and synchronized proxy-master feed timing for remote production workflows enable geographically dispersed teams to maintain frame-accurate camera selections. Ateliere Live also allows quick setup of a new production pipeline on public or private cloud for an event, eliminating the need for capital investments in static studios and editing suites.

The innovative design streamlines creating multiple production versions for various viewing platforms like Twitch, TikTok and YouTube. It utilizes market-leading GPU technology to cut compute power and latency. Ateliere Live is currently used by top broadcasters, delivering technology cost savings of over 50% per hour of live TV compared to traditional broadcast suites, along with at least a 70% reduction in carbon footprint.

Exclusive Event: Embracing Radical Collaboration and AI-Driven Transformation in the User-Centric Era with Evan Shapiro

Thriving in today's media landscape requires the integration of radical collaboration and cutting-edge technology. Media Cartographer and thought leader Evan Shapiro will lead a panel of visionary M&E leaders at IBC, focusing on how the media can leverage AI-driven strategies to revolutionize industry practices. CEO Dan Goman will introduce a thought-provoking roundtable conversation with industry leaders from Fremantle, Sveriges Television (SVT), and the Royal Television Society (RTS) and an open discussion with attendees. The event is by invitation and will take place on Saturday, 14 September at the RAI from 16.00 to 19.00 hrs. Inquiries can be sent to marketing@ateliere.com .

Where to see Ateliere at the RAI!

In addition to offering one-on-one meetings on the stand, IBC attendees can hear from Ateliere executives and industry experts at the following special demonstrations and presentations:

AWS and NVIDIA Innovation Village (14.A13)

Join Ateliere and Swedish public service broadcaster Sveriges Television (SVT) in the AWS and NVIDIA Innovation Village for a technical demo highlighting how SVT uses Ateliere Live. The special presentation will take place on Saturday, 14 September, at 11:15.

On the IBC Innovation Stage (3.B01)

On Sunday, 15 September from 12:00-12:20 in Hall 3, on the Innovation Stage?, Senior Vice President of Enterprise Solutions Architecture Zeenal Thakare ? will discuss Ateliere's vision for an AI-driven interactive chat and recommendation service.

The Future of Content Viewing - Women in Streaming Media (RAI Room E10)

Join Ateliere's Senior Vice President of Enterprise Solutions Architecture Zeenal Thakare at the Women in Streaming Media Panel discussing "The Future of Content Viewing." Content consumption is evolving with new players in live sports, younger generations embracing different streaming forms, and creators adjusting to changing audience preferences. As viewing moves towards mobile, how can we enhance content appeal? Find out on Saturday, 14 September from 13:30-14:15 at RAI Amsterdam, Room E10.

Daily - Ateliere Live talk show (5.C24)

Similar to your favorite late night talk show, Ateliere's Johan Bolin will livestream daily from the show floor (Ateliere stand 5.C24) in a series of fun interviews from exotic locales using Ateliere Live.

Commitment to sustainability

Ateliere is proud to be the headline sponsor of The Flint Green Line . This unique media industry networking event takes place in a dedicated Eurostar carriage heading to IBC from London's St. Pancras Station. IBC attendees can enjoy low-carbon, direct travel to Amsterdam accompanied by an afternoon of networking with fellow industry professionals interested in improving their sustainability practices.

Press briefings at IBC2024

Members of the press are invited to connect with Ateliere for a private demonstration of these new technologies. Press attending the show can book a media briefing by contacting Kristin Canders at kristin@grithaus.agency .

About Ateliere

Ateliere Creative Technologies is a leading cloud-native media technology company that empowers media companies and content creators to reach consumers on a global scale. Ateliere is part of the AWS Partner Network and AWS Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Accelerate program. The Ateliere suite of SaaS solutions leverages GenAI and incorporates cutting-edge workflows and formats to make the vision for a studio in the cloud a reality. Ateliere Connect delivers core competencies in IMF, parallel scaling, and geographically distributed workflows. Ateliere Live is a cloud-native live production and editing software platform that enables remote live production without the need for hardware. Ateliere is built by a team of experts with decades of combined experience at companies such as Amazon, Netflix, and Microsoft.

Find out more at www.ateliere.com , and follow us on Twitter , Instagram , LinkedIn , and Facebook .

Media Contact

Kristin Canders

Grithaus Agency

kristin@grithaus.agency

+1 (207) 974-7744

SOURCE: Ateliere Creative Technologies

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 28, 2024) - Vizsla Royalties Corp. (TSXV: VROY) ("Vizsla Royalties" or the "Company") advises that it has elected to halt trading of its warrants (the "Warrants") on the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX-V") under the symbol "VROY.WT", due to an inconsistent application of its previously-announced consolidation (the "Consolidation") which resulted in a discrepancy of information in the market regarding the Warrants.

The bulletin issued by the TSX-V on August 22, 2024 applied the Consolidation with respect to the Warrants. The Company understands that the advisory bulletin issued by CDS Clearing and Depository Services Inc. ("CDS") on August 26, 2024 did not apply the Consolidation with respect to the Warrants.

The trading halt will continue until the Consolidation of the Warrants is consistently applied, and updated bulletins are issued by the TSX-V and CDS.

The Company continues to examine this matter and will consider any legal or other measures as are appropriate on behalf of its shareholders. In the meantime, the Company reserves all of its rights.

About Vizsla Royalties Corp.

Vizsla Royalties Corp. is a precious metals focused royalty company. The Company's principal asset is a Net Smelter Return Royalty on Vizsla Silver Corp.'s (TSXV: VZLA) (NYSE: VZLA) flagship Panuco Project located in Mexico. Panuco is a world-class silver and gold development project actively advancing towards production. Panuco currently hosts an estimated in-situ indicated mineral resource of 155.8 Moz AgEq and an in-situ inferred resource of 169.6 Moz AgEq (please refer to Vizsla Silver's Technical Report on Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Panuco Ag-Au-Pb-Zn Project, Sinaloa State, Mexico, by Allan Armitage, Ben Eggers and Peter Mehrfert, dated February 12, 2024).

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release includes certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "plan", "forecast", "may", "would", "could", "schedule" and similar words or expressions, identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information relate to, among other things: the issuance of updated bulletins by the TSX-V and CDS and the resumption of trading in the Warrants.

Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information relating to any future mineral production, liquidity, enhanced value and capital markets profile of Vizsla Royalties, future growth potential for Vizsla Royalties and its business, and future exploration plans are based on management's reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the price of silver, gold, and other metals; no escalation in the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic; costs of exploration and development; the estimated costs of development of exploration projects; Vizsla Royalties' ability to operate in a safe and effective manner and its ability to obtain financing on reasonable terms.

These statements reflect Vizsla Royalties' respective current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of other assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information and Vizsla Royalties has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: the Company's dependence on one mineral project; precious metals price volatility; risks associated with the conduct of the Company's mining activities in Mexico; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to reliance on the Company's management team and outside contractors; risks regarding mineral resources and reserves; the Company's inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; the ability of the communities in which the Company operates to manage and cope with the implications of COVID-19; the economic and financial implications of COVID-19 to the Company; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; the Company's interactions with surrounding communities and artisanal miners; the Company's ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; litigation risk; and the factors identified under the caption "Risk Factors" in Vizsla Royalties' management discussion and analysis. Readers are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Although Vizsla Royalties 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 anticipated, estimated or intended. Vizsla Royalties does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements or information, other than as required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221420

SOURCE: Vizsla Royalties Corp.
All Residents in Student Living Communities Owned or Managed by The Michaels Organization are Invited to Apply for Post-Secondary Education Grants

CAMDEN, NJ / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation announced today that its scholarship application process for its Student Living Scholarship program for the 2024-2025 academic year is now open. The program is specifically designed for students who reside in on- or off-campus student living communities that are owned or managed by The Michaels Organization. Undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate students are eligible to apply.





Michaels Student Living Scholar

A Scholar holds her big check celebrating her educational grant from the Michaels Educational Foundation.





Applications for the Michaels Student Living Scholarship Program are available now on Michaels' website. The application process will remain open until October 15, 2024. All applicants will be notified of the outcome status of their application by November 22, 2024.

"Supporting our residents through their academic journeys is a great honor," said Mark Morgan, CEO of The Michaels Organization. "Michaels is committed to giving back to our residents, not only through the beautiful living-learning environments that our student communities create but also by ensuring they have the resources they need to thrive in every aspect of their lives."

The Michaels Student Living Scholarship Program, now in its ninth year, is offered through The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation, a non-profit affiliate of The Michaels Organization, established to administer scholarships to Michaels residents. Since its inception in 1991, the Foundation has awarded more than $16 million in scholarships to scholars residing at Michaels-owned and managed communities. Earlier this year, $2 million was awarded to residents living in Michaels' affordable and military communities.

All Educational Foundation funds are raised through voluntary contributions by companies and private individuals throughout The Michaels Organization's business network. All donations are then matched $2 for every $1 by The Michaels Organization's founder and chairman, Michael Levitt, and his wife, Pat Levitt.

Important dates and deadlines:

October 15, 2024: Final deadline for all parts of the application for a 2024 Michaels Student Living Scholarship Grant. Mail the grade transcripts to Dr. Bruce W. Johnson, Michaels Student Living Scholarship Program, P.O. Box 740, Washington Crossing, PA 18977

November 22, 2024: All applicants will be notified of the outcome status of their application.

December 13, 2024: Scholarship checks, made payable to post-secondary institutions, will be sent directly to the post-secondary institution via U.S. mail on behalf of the scholarship recipient to help pay for the student's 2024-25 school year costs.

About The Michaels Organization

Michaels is a national leader in residential real estate, offering full-service capabilities in development, property management, construction, and investment, and asset management. Serving more than 200,000 residents in more than 600 communities across 39 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Michaels is committed to crafting housing solutions that jumpstart education, civic engagement and neighborhood prosperity, and to creating Communities That Lift Lives.

About The Michaels Educational Foundation

The Michaels Educational Foundation is a non-profit affiliate of The Michaels Organization, established to administer scholarships to Michaels residents. The scholarship program was the first of its kind in the affordable housing industry when it was created and since its inception, the program has expanded to include residents of Michaels' military and student living communities and is monumental to The Michaels Organization's mission of Creating Communities that Lift Lives.

Contact Information

Laura Zaner

Vice President, Michaels Corporate Marketing

lzaner@tmo.com

856-988-5983; 856-630-1540

SOURCE: The Michaels Organization

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 28, 2024) - Trojan Gold Inc. (CSE: TGII) (OTC Pink: TRJGF) (FSE: KC1) ("Trojan" or the "Company ") announces that further to our April 25, 2024 press release with respect to the assignment of 50% interest in the Paulpic-Wascanna gold property from Tashota Resources Inc. ("Tashota") to Trojan, the Company is pleased to announce that J.D. Barnes Limited, a leading geomatics firm specializing in Surveying, Planning, Mapping and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), has been commissioned to perform a Land Survey of the mining claim which covers the Wascanna Shaft, in support of the application for a Mining and Surface Rights Lease of that claim. The companies are contemplating making an application for an Advanced Exploration Permit, including possible future underground development on the Wascanna Shaft site. Advanced Exploration activities can only be carried out on land with Leased mining rights. The application for a Lease is in addition to an application for an Early Exploration Permit, currently being reviewed by the Ministry of Mines, which covers proposed surface diamond drilling, partially moving and sampling the stockpile of broken gold-bearing rock from underground developments between 1917 and 1938, and channel sampling or trenching of currently unexposed parts of the Wascanna vein system.

The Paulpic-Wascanna gold property lies within the Beardmore-Geraldton-Tashota greenstone belt, approximately 80 km northwest of the town of Geraldton and 240 km northeast of the City of Thunder Bay in Northwestern Ontario. The property, which currently comprises four mining leases and twenty-five mining claims, covers two significant gold deposits as well as several under-explored gold occurrences.

Technical Information

Scientific and technical content of this press release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Collin Bowdidge, P. Geo. for Trojan Gold, who is a "Qualified Person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Dr. Bowdidge is a consultant who is considered independent.

About Trojan Gold Inc.

Trojan is an active Ontario-based prospect generator junior exploration company, led by a team of professionals having exploration, engineering, project financing and permitting experience. Trojan has accumulated land positions in the Hemlo Gold Camp and Shebandowan Greenstone Belt which in management's view represent mineral exploration potential. For further information on the Company, please visit www.trojangold.com. Trojan is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol (CSE: TGII) and the OTC PINK Market under the ticker symbol TRJGF.

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 these 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. Forward-looking information contained in this press releases includes, but is not limited: matters relating to the proposed Transaction described in this press release, including the potential alternatives for the structure of such Transaction and the entering into of a definitive agreement evidencing the final terms and structure of the Transaction; and to future exploration potential and success of exploration activities on the Company's mineral properties.

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. Such assumptions include, without limitation, that: the Company will receive all necessary approvals to complete the Transaction on the terms as currently contemplated or at all; the Company and Tashota will be able to agree on definitive terms relating to the proposed Transaction; and sufficient capital, personnel and other resources will be available to the Company that will allow it to undertake exploration activities on its properties.

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: the risk that the Company and Tashota will not be able to come to reach an agreement on the terms of the proposed Transaction; the risk that the Company and/or Tashota will not receive all necessary approvals relating to the proposed Transaction; the potential for the proposed Transaction to not be completed for reasons outlined above or due to other factors; the impact of the recovery post COVID 19 pandemic, including but not limited to its impact on precious metals and the mining industry generally; the Company not having access to the resources it needs in order to carry out its proposed exploration activities as currently contemplated or at all; risks and uncertainties inherent to any junior mining company; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; future gold and other metal prices; accidents, labour disputes and shortages; environmental risks; and other risks relating to mining industry, including the risks set out in the Company's public disclosure documents that can be found on its profile page at www.sedarplus.ca.

Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements and the forward- looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained 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 or any forward-looking statements contained in any other documents whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required under applicable securities law. Readers are cautioned to consider these and other factors, uncertainties, and potential events carefully and not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221415

SOURCE: Trojan Gold Inc.
2024 Second quarter and first half results

Regulatory News:

TotalEnergies EP Gabon (Paris:EC):

Main Financial Indicator

Q2 24 Q1 24 Q2 24 vs. Q1 24 H1 24 H1 23 H1 24 vs. H1 23 Average Brent Price $/b 85.0 83.2 +2% 84.1 79.7 +6% Average TotalEnergies EP Gabon crude price (1) $/b 81.4 81.9 -1% 81.6 75.1 +9% Crude oil production from fields operated by TotalEnergies EP Gabon kb/d (2) 17.4 17.2 +1% 17.3 16.0 +8% Sales volumes (3) Mb (4) 1.44 1.42 +1% 2.86 2.66 +8% Revenues (5) M$ 124 120 +3% 244 212 +15% Funds generated from operations (6) M$ 90 95 -5% 185 121 +53% Net investments M$ 20 18 +11% 38 49 -22% Net Income M$ 28 25 +12% 53 39 +36%

(1) The crude price calculation excludes profit oil reverting to the Gabonese Republic as per production sharing contracts, these barrels being handed over in kind to the host state. (2) kb/d: Thousand barrels per day (excluding gas production). (3) Sales volume excludes profit oil reverting to the Gabonese Republic as per production sharing contracts, these barrels being handed over in kind to the host state. (4) Mb: Million of barrels. (5) Revenue from hydrocarbon sales including profit oil reverting to the Gabonese Republic as per production sharing contracts. (6) Funds generated from operations are comprised of the operating cash flow, the gains or losses on disposals of assets and the working capital changes.

2024 Second quarter and first half results

Selling price

During the second quarter 2024, the average Brent crude price amounted $85.0 per barrel ($/bbl), up 2% compared to the first quarter 2024 ($83.2 /bbl). The average selling price of the crude oil grade marketed by TotalEnergies EP Gabon was $81.4 /bbl in the second quarter 2024, light decrease compared to first quarter 2024 (81.9 $/b), due to less favourable market conditions for Mandji quality crude.

In the first half 2024, the average selling price of the crude oil grade marketed by TotalEnergies EP Gabon ($81.6 /bbl) increased by 9% compared to the first half of 2023 ($75.1/bbl), higher than the evolution of Brent over the period.

Production

TotalEnergies EP Gabon crude oil production amounted 17.4 kb/d in second quarter 2024, light up compared to the first quarter 2024 (17.2 kb/d).

In the first half 2024, TotalEnergies EP Gabon crude oil production amounted to 17.3 kb/d, up 8% compared to first half 2023 (16.0 kb/j). This significant production increase is driven by the facilities availability improvement and by the results of well interventions that compensate the natural decline of fields.

Revenues

The 2024 second quarter revenues amounted to $124 million, up 3% compared to first quarter 2024 ($120 million).

In the first half 2024, revenues reached $244 million, up 15% compared to first half 2023 helped by the combined effects of improvement of the average selling price of the crude oil grade marketed by TotalEnergies EP Gabon (+9%) and increase of the production level and volumes of crude oil sold by the Company (+8%).

Cash flow from Operations

Cash flow from operations amounted $90 million in the second quarter 2024, against $95 million in the first quarter 2024. It is impacted negatively by the increase of under lifting position and receivables associated with crude oil delivered for the domestic market obligation at the end of the second quarter.

During the first six months of 2024 year, cash flow from operations reached $185 million, up 53% compared to first half 2023 ($121 million). It is positively impacted by the increase of prices and volumes of crude oil sold (+$24 million), the effort to reduce operating expenditures (+$6 million), higher interests on cash deposits (+$9 million) and improved working capital requirement (+$21 million) between the two compared periods.

Net investments

Net investments amounted to $20 million in the second quarter 2024, slight increase (+$2 million) compared to first quarter 2024.

In the first half 2024, petroleum investments amounted to $38 million, down compared to first half 2023 ($49 million). In 2024, it primarily cover workovers campaign, integrity works on the sites, operations and studies aiming at reducing direct greenhouse gas emission from our activities. In 2023, the higher investments in the first half of the year, also included preparation costs for the five-year shutdown of the Anguille site.

Net Income

The net income of the second quarter 2024 amounted to $28 million, in progression of 12% compared to first quarter 2024 ($25 million).

In the first half of 2024, net income was $53 million, compared to $39 million in the first half of 2023. It is positively impacted by the revenues increase (+$32 million), operating expenditures decrease (+$6 million) and the interests on cash deposits (+$9 million) increase. These positive effects are partially offset by the increases of tax production, amortization and income tax (-$33 million) between the two periods.

Highlights since the beginning of second quarter 2024

Corporate governance

TotalEnergies EP Gabon's ordinary shareholders' meeting was held on May 30th, 2024, in Port-Gentil and approved the payment of a net dividend of $22.22 per share referring to the financial year 2023, representing $100 million.

This dividend was paid on June 28th, 2024, in an equivalent amount of 20.55 per share based on the European Central Bank's rate of $1.08 for one euro on May 30th, 2024.

Additional information

The Tax Administration continues the mission started on November 20th, 2023, for the general audit of the Company's accounts for the 2019 to 2023 financial years. For the 2019 financial year, the Administration's Inspectors-Auditors provided the Company with their response to the taxpayer's observations (ROC) on May 13th, 2024.

In response to the notification received and the collection notice attached to it by the Administration, the Company has submitted in accordance with the provisions of the General Tax Code, an application for the suspension of the collection notice, in order to pursue with the Administration the clarifications on the tax required reassessments.

The review by the Inspectors-Auditors of the Accounting Administration for the financial years 2020 to 2023 is continuing in parallel.

About TotalEnergies EP Gabon

TotalEnergies EP Gabon is 58.28% owned by TotalEnergies SE, 25% by the Gabonese Republic and 16.72% by the public.

About TotalEnergies

TotalEnergies is a global integrated energy company that produces and markets energies: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables and electricity. Our more than 100,000 employees are committed to provide as many people as possible with energy that is more reliable, more affordable and more sustainable. Active in about 120 countries, TotalEnergies places sustainability at the heart of its strategy, its projects and its operations.

TotalEnergies on social media

X: @TotalEnergies

LinkedIn: TotalEnergies

Facebook: TotalEnergies

Instagram: TotalEnergies

Cautionary Note

The terms "TotalEnergies", "TotalEnergies company" or "Company" in this document are used to designate TotalEnergies SE and the consolidated entities that are directly or indirectly controlled by TotalEnergies SE. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" may also be used to refer to these entities or to their employees. The entities in which TotalEnergies SE directly or indirectly owns a shareholding are separate legal entities. TotalEnergies SE has no liability for the acts or omissions of these entities. This document may contain forward-looking information and statements that are based on a number of economic data and assumptions made in a given economic, competitive and regulatory environment. They may prove to be inaccurate in the future and are subject to a number of risk factors. Neither TotalEnergies SE nor any of its subsidiaries assumes any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information or statement, objectives or trends contained in this document whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Information concerning risk factors, that may affect TotalEnergies' financial results or activities is provided in the most recent Registration Document, the French-language version of which is filed by TotalEnergies SE with the French securities regulator Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF), and in the Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240828976799/en/

Contacts:

TotalEnergies EP Gabon

actionnariat-epgabon@totalenergies.com

Media Relations: +33 (0)1 47 44 46 99 l presse@totalenergies.com l @TotalEnergiesPR

Investor Relations: +33 (0)1 47 44 46 46 l ir@totalenergies.com
Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 28, 2024) - BluMetric Environmental Inc. (TSXV: BLM) ("BluMetric" or "the Company"), a full-service environmental consulting and engineering cleantech firm, announces its financial results for the third fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2024.

Financial Highlights

Revenue for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, was $8.1 million compared to $6.9 million for the same period in 2023.

for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, was $8.1 million compared to $6.9 million for the same period in 2023. Gross margin for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, was 44% compared to 35% (as restated; see note below) for the same quarter in the previous year.

for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, was 44% compared to 35% (as restated; see note below) for the same quarter in the previous year. EBITDA (see definition below) for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, was $0.3 million, compared to a net loss of $0.7 million in the same quarter of the previous year.

(see definition below) for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, was $0.3 million, compared to a net loss of $0.7 million in the same quarter of the previous year. Net earnings for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, was $0.0 million compared to a net loss of $0.7 million in the same quarter of the previous year.

for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, was $0.0 million compared to a net loss of $0.7 million in the same quarter of the previous year. Working capital (see definition below) as at June 30, 2024 was $11.3 million, compared to $10.4 million as at June 30, 2023.

(see definition below) as at June 30, 2024 was $11.3 million, compared to $10.4 million as at June 30, 2023. Net cash (see definition below) as at June 30, 2024 was $1.7 million, compared to net cash of $3.9 million at June 30, 2023.

"We continue to drive incremental improvements in our overall performance as we invest in our cleantech expansion and deliver new units from production," stated Scott MacFabe, CEO at BluMetric Environmental Inc. "Although sales and delivery cycles are longer for cleantech, we continue to showcase our technology to a growing market. We are proud of the new capabilities we have developed and expect these investments will pay off in due time."

Business Outlook

BluMetric experienced revenue growth and significant improvements in profitability over last year's quarter which was impacted by the Northern Canada wildfires and other one-time expenses.

Management continues its commitment to sustainable profitability as showcased by its consecutive quarters of positive net earnings and EBITDA generation. However, the Company has incurred higher costs and overhead to build its cleantech sales team and manufacturing capabilities to support an anticipated higher revenue run rate.

These capabilities will be necessary to deliver on the Rheinmetall contract in fiscal 2025. The contract is in the final stages of field-testing, after which it will proceed to full production.

BluMetric continues to assess potential acquisitions in technology or professional services that will align with and strengthen its sales, operations, and product offerings.

The Company believes that its strong financial position provides flexibility to execute on its long-term strategy to scale cleantech products and services, expand geographically and execute on potential M&A.

Financial Table



Three Months Ended

June 30, 2024 Three Months Ended

June 30, 2023 Nine Months Ended

June 30, 2024 Nine Months Ended

June 30, 2023



(restated1)

(restated1)

($000) ($000) ($000) ($000) Revenue 8,115 6,941 23,773 24,833 Gross profit 3,550 2,458 10,197 8,606 Gross margin 44% 35% 43% 35% Operating expenses 3,436 3,319 9,440 8,536 Operating profit (loss) 115 (861) 757 71 Finance costs 61 14 165 56 Earnings (loss) before provision for income tax 53 (875) 600 15 Income tax expense (recovery) 27 (146) 216 208 Net earnings (loss) 26 (729) 384 (194) Earnings (loss) per share - basic and diluted 0.00 (0.02) 0.01 (0.01) EBITDA2 302 (675) 1,304 563 Free cash flow3 204 (981) 856 (81) Working capital4



11,300 10,360 Net cash (debt)5



1,722 3,920

Note 1: During the preparation of the financial statements for the period ended December 31, 2023, the Company determined that the indirect labour costs that do not contribute to revenue generating projects should be reclassified as overhead expenses under the Sales, general and administrative caption. The Company had previously accounted for the amounts under the Cost of sales caption. There is no effect on basic or diluted net earnings per share.

Note 2: EBITDA represents net income before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation of property and equipment, and amortization of intangible assets. The Company uses this measure as part of assessing operating performance. There is no direct comparable IFRS measure for EBITDA.

Note 3: Free cash flow is a non-IFRS measure and is calculated as operating cash flows less net capital expenditures and net payment of lease obligations.

Note 4: Working capital is a non-IFRS measure and is calculated by subtracting current liabilities from current assets. There is no directly comparable measure under IFRS.

Note 5: Net cash (debt) is a non-IFRS measure and is calculated as cash less total funded debt excluding lease liabilities. The Company uses this measure as part of assessing liquidity. There is no directly comparable measure under IFRS.

The full results are available at sedarplus.ca.

Pursuant to the Company's Board compensation policy, BluMetric has granted options of 567,000 common shares to Employees and Executives of the Company. These options are granted effective August 28, 2024, vest over two years, and are exercisable into common shares of BluMetric at a price of $0.50 per share for a period of seven years.

BluMetric to Host Investor Conference Call

BluMetric will host a conference call on Friday, August 30, 2024, at 1:00 PM ET (10:00 AM PT) to discuss the results. To join the conference call without operator assistance, enter your details and phone number at https://emportal.ink/3vNao6M for an instant callback. While we recommend joining closer to the start time, participants can join up to 30 minutes early, connecting to the call with hold music until the scheduled start.

You can also dial directly at 1-888-664-6392 (Toll-Free North America) or 1-416-764-8659 (International Toll) to be entered into the call by an Operator.

About BluMetric Environmental Inc.

BluMetric Environmental Inc. is a publicly traded environmental consulting and engineering company with expertise across professional and trade disciplines and technologies that allow for the design, fabrication and delivery of sustainable solutions to environmental and water challenges. BluMetric has more than 200 employees operating in ten offices and over 45 years of expertise. Headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, BluMetric's team of industry experts serves Commercial and Industrial, Military, Mining and Government clients.

For more information, visit www.blumetric.ca or please contact:

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements in this press release, including those relating to the Company's quarterly and annual results, future products, opportunities and cost initiatives, strategies, and other statements that are predictive in nature, that depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or that include words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "estimates", or similar expressions, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the information concerning possible or assumed future results of operations of the Company. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the Company's expectations, estimates, and projections regarding future events. By their nature, forward-looking statements require us to make assumptions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. We caution readers of this news release not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements as a number of factors could cause actual results or conditions to differ materially from current expectations. Please refer to the risks set forth in the Company's most recent annual MD&A and the Company's continuous disclosure documents that can be found on SEDAR+ at http://www.sedarplus.ca/. The Company does not intend, and disclaims any obligation, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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/221449

SOURCE: BluMetric Environmental Inc.
Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has agreed to acquire consus.health, a Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany-based healthcare management consultancy.

The amount of the deal was not disclosed. Completion of the acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions.

With the acquisition, Accenture will enhance its ability to help healthcare providers and hospitals across Germany, Austria and Switzerland improve their quality of care.

Led by CEO Dr Djordje Nikolic, consus.health offers services ranging from medical strategy and patient management to procurement and logistics, infrastructure management and construction planning services to help clients manage costs and protect revenues. They also advise on improving the infrastructure, logistics and energy efficiency of hospitals as well as on optimizing their construction. Part of their portfolio is the consus healthcare akademie that offers more than 90 training courses for all levels of healthcare professionals.

consus.healths team of 140 experts will join Accentures Health Strategy & Consulting practice in Germany.

FinSMEs

28/08/2024
Bland AI, a San Francisco, CA-based provider of a platform automating phone calls for the enterprise using hyper-realistic AI agents, raised $16M in Series A funding.

The round was led by Scale Venture Partners. Other investors included Y Combinator and angel investors Max Levchin the founder of Paypal, Piotr Dabkowski the CTO of Eleven Labs CTO, Jeff Lawson the founder of Twilio, and others.

The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its development efforts.

Led by CEO Isaiah Granet, Bland AI provides a conversational AI platform that automates phone calls for businesses using hyper-realistic AI agents. The solution allows enterprises to build, test, and deploy their own AI phone calling agents. Customers start by choosing a voice and creating a conversational pathway, a tree of prompts that dictates how the AI might respond to any given response from a customer. Once a pathway is built out, the AI agent can traverse the pathway to figure out the right response, allowing it to always stay on track and help the customer, regardless of what the AI encounters. Aspects of the platform include:

Integrations into any other system, knowledge retrieval from documents, and the ability to transfer to a human when necessary.

Transcripts of calls, post call analytics, and the ability to train the AI on own phone calling data.

Voice cloning, multi-language support, an AI testing system, and infinite calling scalability.

FinSMEs

28/08/2024
Cantata Health Solutions, a Lakeway, TX-based provider of healthcare technology solutions, acquired Geisler IT Services, a Harrison, OH-based provider of a solution that enables MCOs (Managed Care Organizations) to collaborate with service providers to enroll clients, confirm eligibility, submit, process and adjudicate claims, and receive funding for services.

The amount of the deal was not disclosed.

With the acquisition, Geislers GOSH System becomes Cantatas MCO solution. The entire Geisler IT Services team will join Cantata Health Solutions, bringing their industry knowledge and experience to the Cantata team.

Led by CEO Alan Tillinghast, Cantata Health Solution provides the Arize care management platform that features an EHR, a billing and revenue cycle management solution, and an extensive array of client engagement tools. Arize offers clinicians, executives, back-office staff, and clients a collaborative view of the health record.

FinSMEs

28/08/2024
Cribl, a San Francisco, CA-based data engine company for IT and security, raised $319M in Series E funding, at $3.5 Billion valuation.

The round was led by GV (Google Ventures) with participation from GIC, CapitalG, IVP, and CRV. GVs General Partner and former GitLab CRO Michael McBride joined Cribls Board of Directors.

The company intends to use the funds to accelerate its continued growth by accelerating product development, extending global presence, and strengthening infrastructure to support its rapid expansion.

Founded in 2018 and led by Clint Sharp, CEO, Cribl is a data engine company for IT and security that empowers organizations to to analyze, collect, process, and route all IT and security data from any source or to any destination, delivering the control, and flexibility required to adapt to their needs. Its product suite, which is used by Fortune 1000 companies globally, is purpose-built for IT and Security, including Cribl Stream, an observability pipeline, Cribl Edge, an intelligent vendor-neutral agent, Cribl Search, the industrys first search-in-place solution, and Cribl Lake, a data lake.

This funding follows the company surpassing $100 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) in less than four years.

FinSMEs

28/08/2024
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, August 28th, 2024, Chainwire

Fordefi brings institutional-grade security to the Sui Network

Sui, the Layer 1 blockchain offering industry-leading performance and infinite horizontal scaling, announced that it has joined forces with Fordefi, a company that employs multiparty computation (MPC) technology to deliver a secure institutional wallet platform for DeFi.

Fordefis comprehensive platform and Web3 gateway provide an enterprise grade solution enabling builders, traders, and operators to self-custody their private keys, seamlessly connect to thousands of decentralized applications (dApps) across any blockchain, and manage digital asset operations with granular policies and a unified interface.

Fordefis integration with Sui enables institutional users to securely self-custody their private keys and connect to thousands of dApps across various blockchains, ensuring complete control over their digital assets, enhancing operational efficiency, and dramatically simplifying digital asset management. The platform also offers customizable policies to protect workflows and consolidates all digital asset operations into a unified interface, providing a comprehensive and user-friendly asset management solution.

Suis scalable, secure platform is uniquely suited to meet the demands of institutional users, said Gap Kim, Global Head of Marketing for Sui Foundation. By providing a secure, institutional-grade custody solution and seamless access to DeFi features, Fordefi empowers asset managers, trading firms, and exchanges to fully leverage Suis capabilities, enhancing the Sui ecosystem and driving further adoption.

With this collaboration Fordefi becomes the first institutional-grade custody solution to offer convenient access to DeFi functionalities on the Sui blockchain. This integration benefits asset managers, trading firms, exchanges, and other institutional entities by providing a reliable and secure wallet-as-a-service.

We are excited to add support for Sui Network, said Josh Schwartz, CEO and Co-Founder of Fordefi. Enabling our MPC wallet on Sui Network ensures that institutional clients can now benefit from secure self-custody and seamless dApp integration, while accessing Sui DeFi. We look forward to the evolution of this partnership.

Contact

Sui Foundation

[email protected]
Hibu, a Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based provider of technology-enabled digital marketing solutions to small- and medium-sized businesses across the United States, completed the acquisition of RevLocal, a Columbus, OH-based digital marketing partner to SMBs and multi-location brands across the United States.

The amount of the deal was not disclosed.

With the acquisition, Hibu will expand its offerings. RevLocal has been a digital marketing partner to SMBs and multi-location brands across the United States.

Led by CEO Kevin Jasper, Hibu serves over 70,000 SMBs with a focus on established businesses in high-value, non-discretionary industries such as home repairs/services, auto repair, legal and medical. The companys subscription-based offering provides SMBs with an integrated, all-in-one outsourced digital marketing solution including digital presence services (websites, listings, reviews, and reputation management), performance marketing (mobile, social, SEO, SEM, and display), and customer relationship management tools (marketing automation, email, and text messaging).

Commenting on the news, Kevin Jasper said: We are thrilled to welcome the talented team and loyal customers of RevLocal to Hibu. Digital marketing is rapidly changing and becoming increasingly complex, which creates real challenges for SMBs. Combining these two great companies will further expand our reach to local businesses that will benefit from working with a single provider that integrates and optimizes core digital marketing services on one platform. RevLocals customers, local market presence, products, and teams complement our expansion plans as we continue to grow our reach into our target market.

Hibu is a portfolio company of H.I.G. Capital.

FinSMEs

27/08/2024
Voters in Maricopa County could play a key role in choosing who the next US president will be. The county, which makes up 62 per cent of Arizonas population with 4.5 million residents, is the second-largest voting jurisdiction. Previously a solid Republican bastion, the results might be more uncertain due to the steady increase in residents who are not affiliated with either Democrats or Republicans read more

This combination photo shows Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an event, August 15, 2024, in Bedminster, N.J., left, and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris at a campaign event in Raleigh, N.C., August 16, 2024. AP File

Voters in Maricopa County, the largest in the US swing state of Arizona, could play a key role in choosing who the next president will be  and they could also determine which major party controls the White House after the November presidential elections this year.

Here are five key facts about the county:

The hottest city in the US

Maricopa County is home to Phoenix, the state capital of Arizona, where four months of the year have average high temperatures above 37.7 degrees Celsius.

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Founded on the remnants of an ancient native civilisation, the sun-drenched metropolis was given its name in the late 19th century. The little town in the northern Sonoran Desert had a post-Civil War value of only $550.

With the aid of irrigation, Phoenix transformed from a peaceful frontier hamlet with saguaro cacti to a hub for citrus, cattle, and cotton.

Later on, tuberculosis patients were drawn to it because of its hot, dry atmosphere.

The neighbourhood saw a sharp increase in population following World War II as a result of the arrival of air conditioning, as well as the influx of immigrants, pensioners, and young families looking for affordable housing and pleasant weather.

Phoenix has surpassed Philadelphia to become the fifth-largest city in the US by population. The hub for industrial and financial services is home to more than 1.6 million Americans, per the most recent US Census.

Maricopa County makes up 62 per cent of Arizonas population with 4.5 million residents. It is also the countrys second-largest voting jurisdiction.

Previously a Republican bastion

The county was, until recently, a solid Republican bastion.

The real significant election, I think, was in 2016 when Trump took the county just by three percentage points. Four years earlier, it was taken by Mitt Romney by 11 points, David Berman, professor emeritus of political science at Arizona State University, told AFP.

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In 2020, President Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in Maricopa County by over 45,000 votes, helping him end the Republican Partys nearly eight-decade winning streak in Arizona.

Berman said Trumps right-wing agenda has alienated some Arizonans who prefer more centrist Republicans, such as late US senator John McCain.

The growing Hispanic community

Based on the most recent census, the Hispanic community in Maricopa County has increased to over one-third of the total population.

This shift is a part of a broader pattern that has been influenced by increased immigration.

Arizonas Hispanic population grew by 16 per cent between 2010 and 2020, outpacing the states overall population growth.

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There has been a concentrated effort to bring out the Hispanic vote as well as the Native American vote, Berman said of the groups, which tend to vote Democratic.

He added that there have also been some gains for Democrats as people seeking cheaper housing and better job opportunities continue to move to Arizona from more traditionally liberal states such as California.

A red state with purple spots

More than a third of Maricopa County citizens are not associated with any party, despite Arizonas history of Republican voting and recent Democratic breakthroughs.

As to the latest data from the county, roughly 34 per cent of registered voters identify themselves as other, which is higher than the percentage of Democrats at 28 per cent and comparable to that of Republicans at 35 per cent.

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The results of the countys elections are now more uncertain due to the steady increase in that proportion during the last few years.

Maricopa County still has quite a bit of red in it, and these swing voters will generally opt for more traditional Republicans, rather than Trumps hard-right brand, said Paul Bentz, senior vice president at Phoenix-based public affairs firm Highground.

We are not a purple state, he said, referring to an area evenly mixed between Republican red and Democratic blue.

We are a red state with purple spots.

Early voting dominates

In 2020 and 2022, almost 80 per cent of the countys voters cast early ballots, following a statewide pattern that began prior to the coronavirus pandemic.

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Weve been doing it for over three decades. Republicans are really the ones that brought early voting to the state of Arizona, Bentz said.

The practice became easily available in 1991 when the state legislature permitted voters to obtain an absentee ballot for any reason.

After a decade, Arizona developed a system that provides voters with an automatic ballot for every election that is scheduled.

Voter verification and counting now take several days due to the increase in mail-in ballots since the outbreak.

In 2020, the majority of US news networks took over a week to declare their support for Biden.

With inputs from AFP
Bangladeshs caretaker government has freed Jashimuddin Rahmani, the chief of the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a terror outfit affiliated with Al Qaeda. Rahmani, who has been accused of inciting terrorism through his sermons, was convicted for abetting the murder of blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider in 2013. Experts say the ABT has been attempting to form a jihadi network in India and that New Delhi should be concerned read more

Jashimuddin Rahmani is the so-called spiritual guru of the ABT. @Dream71_BD

Bangladesh has released Jashimuddin Rahmani, the chief of the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a terror outfit affiliated with Al Qaeda.

Rahmani was convicted for abetting the killing of blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider in 2013.

The ABT is a homegrown extremist group which is behind the killings of several bloggers, writers and gay rights activists in Bangladesh.

But who is Rahmani? Should India be worried?

Lets take a closer look:

What do we know about Rahmani?

Rahmani is the so-called spiritual guru of the ABT.

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As per The Print, the ABTs earliest members drew inspiration from Al Qaedas Anwar al-Awlaki.

al-Awlaki, an Islamist preacher, was killed in Yemen in 2010.

The outfit in 2012 began a recruiting push  mainly youths.

Its members were said to be more tech savvy and used technology to push their ideology and train members how to commit terror attacks.

Rahmani is an outspoken supporter of Al-Qaeda and its offshoot Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).

Rahmani, until his release this week, had been lodged in the Gazipurs Kashimpur High Security Central Jail since 2013.

Rahmani in 2015 was convicted for abetting the murder of Haider.

He has been accused of inciting terrorism through his sermons.

Haider, 35, was hacked to death near his home in Dhaka in 2013, days after he helped in launching a campaign against Islamist leaders accused of committing crimes against humanity by siding with Pakistani troops during the countrys 1971 liberation war.

Police had charged Rahmani and seven students from North South University, as per the Daily Star.

The students had vowed to kill atheist bloggers after reading Rahmanis books and listening to his sermons, the investigation officer said on the charge sheet.

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According to The Print, Rehmani in his Friday sermons would claim it is legal to kill atheists or those against Islam and Prophet Mohammed.

Rahmani and the students had pleaded not guilty and demanded justice after Judge Ruhul Amin of the Third Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judges Court read out the charges to them.

Rahmani was given a five-year jail term.

He was also behind bars pending trials in five other cases linked to terrorism, as per the outlet.

The ABT under Jashimuddin Rahmani has claimed credit for the murders of several bloggers and writers between 2013 and 2016 including Avijit Roy, Oyasiqur Rahman Babu, Ananta Bijoy Das, and AKM Shafiul Islam, a professor of Rajshahi University.

This included the July 1, 2016, attack on a Dhaka cafe which left 22 people dead including an Indian girl.

However, as per Dhaka Tribune, Rahmani has been granted bail in one case, while all the other cases against him have been withdrawn.

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Rahmanis books were easily accessible on the internet until some years ago.

As per The Print, the ABT under Rahmani had claimed credit for the murders of several bloggers and writers between 2013 and 2016 including Avijit Roy, Oyasiqur Rahman Babu, Ananta Bijoy Das, and AKM Shafiul Islam, a professor of Rajshahi University.

The ABT was banned in 2016 by the then Sheikh Hasina government terrorist and anti-state activities.

As per India Today, the party attempted to reform under the new name Ansar al-Islam.

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However, it was banned again in 2017.

Akayed Ullah, the Bangladeshi-origin New York City bomber, was said to be inspired by Rahmani.

Ullahs wife told investigators that Ullah used to encourage her to read books by the convicted Islamist outfit chief and that he appeared to have been radicalised over the internet after moving to the United States.

She said he used to tell her to read the books of Rahmani to learn about religion or Islam. We are reviewing the information provided by his wife and other relatives, a police officer said.

Should India be worried?

Experts say New Delhi should be concerned.

As per India Today, the ABT has been attempting to form a jihadi network in India.

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India has also arrested a number of ABT terrorists.

In May, the Assam Police arrested Bahar Mia and Rarely Mia  two terrorists with links to the ABT  at Guwahati railway station.

Sources told the outlet that the ABT had linked up with the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) to carry out terror attacks in Indias North East.

The Pakistan-based terror groups collaboration with the ABT goes back to 2022 when they established a base in Bengal with the aim of launching attacks in India, sources added.

The outlet quoted intelligence inputs from 2022 as saying that around 50 to 100 ABT cadres were planning to infiltrate Tripura.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has claimed that ABT members are using highly encrypted devices to evade authorities.

With inputs from agencies
More than 260 dinosaur footprints have been found by palaeontologists in Brazil and Cameroon, which are currently located more than 6,000 kilometres apart on different sides of the Atlantic Ocean. The Early Cretaceous period trackways provide a window into the environment of the Gondwana supercontinent during the dinosaur era read more

While dinosaur fossils give unique insights into the kind of animals that walked on the Earth, their footprints offer further windows into their past behaviours. Representational Image/Pixabay

Dinosaurs have long captured scientists and the publics imagination.

In a latest fascinating discovery, an international team of scientists have found matching sets of footprints in Africa and South America, indicating that dinosaurs once travelled along a type of highway about 12 crore years ago before the two continents split apart.

Lets take a closer look.

Dinosaurs tracks discovered

More than 260 dinosaur footprints have been found by palaeontologists in Brazil and Cameroon, which are currently located more than 6,000 kilometres apart on different sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

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The Early Cretaceous period trackways provide a window into the environment of the Gondwana supercontinent during the dinosaur era.

Later, the landmass was divided into South America and Africa, each of which still contains fossils from distinct dinosaur species.

The footprints reveal details on the size and gait of these ancient animals, as well as their behaviour and the types of environments they lived in.

Left: Theropod footprint from Sousa Basin, Lower Cretaceous of Northeastern Brazil. Right: Theropod tracks from the Koum Basin in Cameroon. Image Courtesy: SMU

The study was published on Monday by the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science.

According to CNN, lead author and Texas Southern Methodist Universitys seasoned palaeontologist, Louis L Jacobs, first discovered the dinosaur tracks in Cameroon in the late 1980s.

He reported on them at the First International Symposium on Dinosaur Tracks and Traces, which was convened by palaeontologist Martin Lockley, in 1986.

According to Jacobs, who described the traces, there are dinosaur footprints across continents, suggesting that a large family of predators may have inhabited both Africa and the Americas.

We determined that in terms of age, these footprints were similar. In their geological and plate tectonic contexts, they were also similar. In terms of their shapes, they are almost identical, Jacobs said, as per Wion News.

While most of the fossilised prints were created by three-toed theropod dinosaurs, some likely belonged to lumbering four-legged sauropods with long necks and tails or ornithischians, which had pelvic structures similar to birds, CNN quoted study co-author Diana P Vineyard, research associate at SMU.

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Also read: A Jurrasic World: Do dinosaurs still exist?

The whole story

Africa and South America began to drift apart about 14 crore years ago.

Rifts in the Earths crust were caused by the separation, and the new oceanic crust was formed by magma in the Earths mantle as the tectonic plates beneath both continents moved apart.

The void separating the two continents was eventually filled in by the South Atlantic Ocean.

The dinosaur footprints were discovered in the northeastern Brazilian region of the Borborema and the northern Cameroonian Koum Basin, both of which showed evidence of those significant occurrences.

Both regions have half-graben basins, which are geologic formations created during rifting as the Earths crust splits and faults arise. These basins hold sediments from historic rivers and lakes, as per Phys.org.

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According to Jacobs, the footprints were preserved in mud and silt along extinct rivers and lakes in Gondwana, which split off from the main Pangean landmass.

He also mentioned that, before the two continents gradually drifted apart, northern Brazil and Cameroon had constituted a small land bridge that allowed animals to cross between Africa and South America.

One of the youngest and narrowest geological connections between Africa and South America was the elbow of northeastern Brazil, nestled against the present-day coast of Cameroon along the Gulf of Guinea, explained Jacobs, according to Wion.

The two continents were continuous along that narrow stretch so that animals on either side of that connection could potentially move across it, he added.

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The tracks tell us that these dinosaurs were moving through an environment that was changing drastically, said Diana P Vineyard, who is a research associate at SMU and a co-contributor to the study.

These regions, now so far apart, were once part of the same landscape, filled with rivers, lakes, and thriving ecosystems, he added.

Proof of dinosaurs behaviour

While dinosaur fossils give unique insights into the kind of animals that walked on the Earth, their footprints offer further windows into their past behaviours.

Dinosaur tracks are not rare, but unlike the bones usually found, footprints are the proof of dinosaur behaviour, how they walked, ran or otherwise, who they walked with, with what environment they walked through, what direction they were going, and where they were when they were doing it, Jacobs said.

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However, it is difficult to tell the specific species of dinosaurs that travelled along the basins.

With inputs from agencies
Namibia is facing the worst drought in decades. The country has exhausted 84 per cent of its food reserves. To feed its population, it is now restoring to culling hundreds of wild animals read more

As many as 83 elephants are supposed to be culled to provide food for the drought-stricken people, Namibia environment ministry has informed. Pixabay

Namibia is facing one of its worst droughts in decades, leaving a large part of the population without food. Now, the government has planned to cull wild animals to distribute meat among the people in areas worst hit.



The country already exhausted 84 per cent of its food reserves last month, according to the United Nations. Food insecurity is expected to reach high levels in the coming months.

As per the environment ministry, the government will cull 83 elephants among 723 animals in parks and communal areas. It will take place in parks and communal areas where authorities believe animal numbers exceed available grazing land and water supplies.

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To this effect, 83 elephants from identified conflict areas will be culled, (and) meat will be allocated to the drought relief programme, the 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.

What is culling?

It is the process of selecting animals from their tribe group and killing them to reduce their size by removing certain individuals, mostly those weaker than the others.

One hundred and fifty-seven animals have already been hunted by professional hunters and companies contracted by the government, yielding more than 56,800 kilogrammes of meat.

Botswana lost 300 elephants to drought last year, according to its environment ministry. Pixabay

This exercise is 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.

Why is the drought a yearly occurrence in Africa?

The El Nino event of 2023-24 led to extensive drought conditions throughout southern Africa, marked by delayed rainfall, prolonged mid-season dry periods, and exceptionally high temperatures. El Nino usually causes increased heat and dryness in southern Africa, but this season experienced unprecedented dry conditions in numerous regions.

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Last year, as many as 23 out of 28 districts in Malawi were hit by the El Nino conditions and a preliminary assessment by the government estimated that up to two million farming households and 44 per cent of the national cropping area have been affected. In Zambia, one million hectares of the 2.2 million hectares planted with maize were affected.

Villagers fetch water from a makeshift borehole in Zimbabwe. AP

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, this is the worst drought the region has seen in 100 years.

Why hundreds of elephants died in Africa last year?

Southern African countries, home to the largest elephant population in the world, fear a rise in animal deaths in the coming months as food and water sources dwindle following a severe drought.

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Botswana lost 300 elephants to drought last year, according to its environment ministry. Others like Zambia have also confirmed deaths of elephants in its national parks, with Minister of Environment Rodney Sikumba describing the drought as devastating.

In the absence of water and food, you will see carcasses dotted around the parks. The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (Zimparks) said it had received $3 million from the countrys disaster fund to boost water supply in national parks, but its director general Fulton Mangwanya said this was not enough to save wildlife.

With inputs from Reuters
Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed, a 29-year-old from Perth has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for orchestrating one of the most chilling sextortion cases ever recorded. Posing as a teenage YouTuber, Rasheed targeted 286 victims across 20 countries, coercing them into performing degrading sexual acts on camera through threats and manipulation read more

Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed will be eligible for parole in 2033, when he will be years of age. X/toot5000

A predator masquerading as a popular teenage YouTuber has been sentenced to 17 years in prison in Australia after blackmailing hundreds of girls worldwide into performing sexual acts on camera. Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed, 29, has been described as the perpetrator behind one of the worst sextortion cases in history.

His actions impacted nearly 300 victims across 20 countries, leading to a global investigation that ultimately resulted in his conviction.

What was his predatory scheme?

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Rasheeds modus operandi was chillingly calculated. Pretending to be a 15-year-old American social media influencer, he targeted vulnerable young girls by initiating seemingly innocent conversations.

Once trust was established, Rasheed would steer the discussions toward sexual fantasies, coercing his victims into sharing explicit content by threatening to expose their messages and images to their loved ones.

The Perth court heard that Rasheeds sinister tactics were methodical and relentless. He demanded that his victims, many of whom were under the age of 16, perform increasingly degrading sexual acts, sometimes involving family pets or younger siblings.

Rasheeds blackmail was ruthless  he would set a countdown timer, warning his victims that he would share their compromising content if they did not comply with his escalating demands.

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. Instead, it was the Perth man, who asked her a series of sexually explicit questions before sending edited screen shots of the conversation that depicted the victim liking his sexual fantasies.

The callous disregard this man had for his victims around the world and their distress, humiliation, and fear make it one of the most horrific sextortion cases prosecuted in Australia, said Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner David McLean.

What was the scale of his crime?

The sheer scale of Rasheeds crimes is staggering. He pleaded guilty to 119 charges, relating to 286 victims, most of whom were children. The charges covered more than 550 incidents over an 11-month period. In sentencing him, Judge Amanda Burrows stated that the magnitude of Rasheeds offences was unparalleled in Australia, saying, There is no comparable case I can find in Australia.

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Two-thirds of Rasheeds victims were under 16, and many were left severely traumatised by the abuse. Despite some of his victims expressing suicidal thoughts and sending images of self-harm, Rasheed continued his blackmail, showing no empathy or remorse.

The court also revealed that Rasheed frequently invited other paedophiles to watch live streams of the abusive acts, amplifying the trauma inflicted on the children.

Rasheed was first apprehended after Australian authorities were alerted by Interpol and US investigators. He was charged in 2020 following a police raid on his Perth home. Rasheed was already serving a five-year sentence for sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl at a Perth park during the same period he was conducting his online offences.

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The victims will forever live with the fear that the recordings you made of them will be [further] disseminated, Judge Burrows remarked while handing down the sentence.

What did the investigation comprise?

The investigation into Rasheeds activities was a massive international effort. Australian Federal Police (AFP), in collaboration with the US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Interpol, worked tirelessly to identify and support the victims, who were scattered across 20 countries, including the UK, US, Japan, and France.

A Perth man who coerced 286 victims - including 180 children - from 20 different countries into performing sexually explicit acts on camera or video, has been sentenced to 17 years imprisonment.https://t.co/9UMiEf6Sst  AFP (@AusFedPolice) August 27, 2024

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Rasheed had used multiple social media accounts to manipulate his victims, many of whom were led to believe they were interacting with a well-known YouTuber.

The AFPs Western Australia Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team (WA JACET) played a crucial role in piecing together the evidence against Rasheed. They meticulously reviewed thousands of jumbled text conversations, images, and videos to ensure that every offence was accounted for.

This involved separating and analysing data from Rasheeds various social media accounts, a process that required extensive coordination with international law enforcement agencies.

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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, Assistant Commissioner McLean said.

HSI attache Ernest Verina echoed this sentiment, stating, HSI will always stand with Australia on a global scale to hold accountable those who commit these heinous crimes against our children.

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.

What may have led Rasheed to commit these crimes?

Rasheeds disturbing behavior was not a sudden development but rather the culmination of years of escalating deviance. According to a psychiatric report presented in court, Rasheeds sexual interest in pubescent children and his coercive sexual sadism disorder made him a high risk for reoffending.

His involvement in misogynistic incel communities online, where women are viewed as inferior and as objects of male gratification, further fueled his predatory actions.

The court heard that Rasheed, originally from Pakistan, had a strict and conservative upbringing. He attended an all-boys private school in Australia, where he and his brothers were the only Muslim students, leading to feelings of social isolation.

He began accessing child exploitation material in 2018, which eventually led to direct offending in 2019 when the material alone no longer satisfied his perverse desires.

You began to see women and girls as objects of gratification rather than people. These ideas were amplified in the forums  you visited, the psychiatric report detailed.

Despite his participation in a sex offenders treatment program while in prison, Rasheed remains a significant threat, with experts assessing him as having a well above average risk of reoffending.
Israeli forces rescued Farhan Al-Qadi, a 52-year-old Bedouin Israeli, from Hamas tunnel network in Gaza on Tuesday. Held hostage for nearly a year, Al-Qadis return has been hailed as miraculous by his family and community. This operation is the first to retrieve a hostage alive from within the tunnels read more

A handout image released on August 27, 2024 by the Israeli army to show hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, inside a helicopter after he was recovered. IDF via Reuters

Israeli forces successfully rescued Farhan Al-Qadi, a 52-year-old Bedouin Israeli citizen, from the depths of Hamas sprawling tunnel network beneath Gaza on Tuesday. Al-Qadi, who had been held hostage since October 7, was found alone and in a stable condition.

His rescue has been hailed as miraculous, with his family and the broader Israeli community celebrating his return as nothing short of extraordinary.

How did Israeli forces rescue Al-Qadi?

Israeli special forces, guided by precise intelligence, combed through the intricate network of tunnels in southern Gaza, where they discovered Al-Qadi. He was found without his Hamas captors, leading some to speculate that they may have fled upon realising Israeli troops were near.

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In this photo released by Israeli Defense Forces on August 27, 2024, Israeli soldiers walk with Farhan Al-Qadi toward a military helicopter during the rescue operation. IDF

The operation, described as daring and courageous by Israeli Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant, is the first to have reclaimed a hostage alive from within Hamas tunnel network, adding to the eight hostages rescued in four separate operations since the war began.

Watch:

Body cam footage from the moment Qaid Farhan Alkadi was rescued by IDF troops: pic.twitter.com/YTK3DavEOw  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 27, 2024

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally spoke with Al-Qadi after his rescue, expressing his relief and satisfaction: Farhan, I am so happy to talk to you. I want you to know that we do not forget anyone, just as we did not forget you. Al-Qadi responded, Im happy too. Ive been waiting for this moment.

   .



    .     ,    . pic.twitter.com/6w69lwEp8s  Benjamin Netanyahu -   (@netanyahu) August 27, 2024

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Suddenly, I heard someone speaking Hebrew outside the door, I couldnt believe it, I couldnt believe it, he recounted during his phone call with Netanyahu.

Who is Farhan Al-Qadi?

Farhan Al-Qadi is a 52-year-old Israeli citizen from Rahat, a village in southern Israel. Al-Qadi, a Muslim and member of Israels Bedouin community, was working as an unarmed guard in a small Israeli kibbutz at the time of his abduction during Hamass attacks on October 7.

His family, devastated by his kidnapping, had been desperately hoping for his safe return. Al-Qadi is a father of 11 children, making his rescue a moment of immense relief and joy for his large family.

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Farhan Al-Qadi, a Bedouin Israeli hostage who was kidnapped in the deadly October 7 Hamas attack, uses his phone as he is reunited with loved ones after being rescued from Gaza by Israeli forces, at Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, Israel, in this handout photo from August 27, 2024. AP

Bedouins, a semi-nomadic, ethnically Arab group, form about 20 per cent of Israels population. While many Bedouins identify as Bedouin Israelis, others see themselves as Palestinian citizens of Israel.

Despite being a minority, some Bedouins volunteer for military service in specialised units, such as the Gadsar 585 battalion, which operates in the Negev desert, where most Bedouins originate.

The plight of the Bedouin community

Al-Qadis rescue has also highlighted the unique challenges faced by Israels Bedouin community. Despite their service in specialised military units, such as the Gadsar 585 battalion, many Bedouins live in unrecognised villages with limited access to basic services, making them particularly vulnerable during conflicts.

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Before Israel was established in 1948, the Negev region had a population of 92,000 Bedouins. However, the Arab-Israeli war that followed left only 11,000 Bedouins in the area, according to Minority Rights Group.

A poster of Farhan Al-Qadi, a Bedouin Israeli hostage who was kidnapped in the deadly October 7 Hamas attack, and then rescued by Israeli forces, is displayed on the street in Tel Aviv, Israel, August 27, 2024. Reuters

The organisation reports that those who remained faced harsh treatment, were repeatedly displaced, and were forced into reservations. Today, nearly 250,000 Bedouins live in Israel, as reported by the National Library of Israel, with many residing in towns that still lack official recognition or in unincorporated villages.

The Bedouin community has been deeply affected by the ongoing violence, with at least 17 Bedouins killed during the October 7 attacks and many others losing their livelihoods. Al-Qadis brother Jumaa expressed pride that not a single drop of blood was shed during the rescue, reflecting the communitys values and the significance of this peaceful outcome.

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What has Al-Qadis family reacted to his rescue?

Al-Qadis rescue has brought immense joy to his family, who had endured nearly a year of uncertainty and despair. His brother Jumaa Al-Qadi, overwhelmed with emotion, described the moment as if his brother had been brought back to life.

He shared that Al-Qadi, who had been shot in the leg during the initial Hamas attack, had not expected to survive his captivity. He was dead and is now brought back to life, Jumaa said, adding that his brothers leg had been poorly treated and operated on without anesthesia, likening it to the treatment of animals.

In this photo released by the Israel Prime Minister Office on August 27, 2024, Farhan Al-Qadi, 52, right, who was held hostage by Hamas in Gaza sits in a room at the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, Israel. AP

The reunion at the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba saw hundreds of friends and relatives gathered, with Al-Qadis brothers and 11 children preparing for his return to their village of Tarabin in the Negev desert.

His mother, Alya El-Sanae, who had been kept in the dark about her sons fate for months, described the news of his release as unbelievable. She said, My heart flew with joy.

What did Al-Qadi go through in captivity?

The 11 months Al-Qadi spent in captivity were marked by brutal conditions. According to his brother Jumaa, Al-Qadis experience was harrowing, with constant darkness and no exposure to daylight.

Another former mayor of Rahat, Ata Abu Madighem, who visited Al-Qadi in the hospital, recounted how Al-Qadi had witnessed another hostage die next to him early in his captivity. Al-Qadi was also reported to have lost a significant amount of weight, with family members noting that he had shed at least 20 kilograms during his time in captivity.

Farhan Al-Qadi, a Bedouin Israeli hostage who was kidnapped in the deadly October 7 Hamas attack, is greeted by a loved one after being rescued by Israeli forces at Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, Israel, in this handout photo from August 27, 2024. Soroka Medical Center via Reuters

Al-Qadis return has reignited discussions about the ongoing hostage situation in Gaza. Currently, 104 hostages from the October 7 attack remain in captivity, with 34 presumed dead, according to the Israeli Prime Ministers office and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

The forum, while celebrating Al-Qadis return, stated that military operations alone cannot secure the release of the remaining hostages, who have been held captive now for more than 326 days.

WATCH the first moments of rescued hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi back on Israeli soil on his way to reunite with his family after 326 days in Hamas captivity. pic.twitter.com/XH0F6Qb8SV  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 27, 2024

With Al-Qadis rescue, the number of hostages still held from the October 7 attack stands at 104, according to data from the Israeli prime ministers office and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. Among these, 34 are presumed dead.

Also Watch:

With inputs from agencies
Vijaya Lakshmi Gali, 48, disappeared into a sinkhole in Malaysias capital of Kuala Lumpur after a pavement collapse on 23 August. As search and rescue operations enter day six, authorities are now flushing manholes around the area and using high-powered jets to remove debris blocking access to the sewers. Meanwhile, a second sinkhole has also opened up around 50 metres away from the first  raising fears about whether or not the area is safe read more

Arvend Applasamy, a special officer to the deputy prime minister, has said that the government is extending all possible support to the family of the victim. Image courtesy: @hcikl

The search for the Indian woman who fell into a sinkhole in Malaysia continues.

Vijaya Lakshmi Gali, 48, disappeared into a sinkhole in Malaysias capital of Kuala Lumpur after a pavement collapse.

But what is a sinkhole? What happened? And how is the search and rescue operation going?

Lets take a closer look:

What is a sinkhole?

As per NDTV, a sinkhole is basically a hole which seemingly appears in the ground out of nowhere.

However, it only looks like it has sprung up suddenly.

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The process of a sinkhole being created happens over a period of time.

Sinkholes begin to form when a cavity begins to grow underground.

Though they become bigger over time, the surface soil remains strong enough for a ceiling to take shape over the cavity.

However, the surface soil at some point grows weak and collapses under its own weight.

This is when the hole reveals the cavity that was hidden underneath the entire time.

The cavity can be caused by acidic rainwater and underground erosion  when groundwater removes soil from the area.

The greater the size of the cavity, the more water that fills in and the greater the chance of the sinkhole opening up.

But humans can inadvertently create sinkholes too.

A leaking underground pipe, for example, can make erosion worse and increase chances of a sinkhole being created.

What happened?

As per Moneycontrol, Vijaya Lakshmi came to Malaysia on vacation around two months ago.

She was accompanied by her husband and several friends.

They were set to return home on Saturday.

As per Straits Times, Vijaya Lakshmi was walking to a temple for breakfast when the incident occurred on 23 August.

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Vijaya Lakshmi, who hailed from Andhra Pradeshs Kuppam, suddenly disappeared as the ground gave way under her.

She fell eight feet into the hole and vanished.

The road was repaired and reopened to traffic in July, as per Moneycontrol.

An initial 17-hour search only turned up her slippers.

The road was repaired and reopened to traffic in July. Image courtesy: @hcikl

The six scuba divers that were sent down to search for Vijaya Lakshmi were stymied by the fierce flow of the water.

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A piece of the concrete sewer pipe was broken.

Officials think she may have fallen into it.

How is search and rescue going?

Search and rescue operations were temporarily called of on Tuesday (27 August) due to heavy rain.

However, the efforts to find her resumed today.

As per CNA, rescuers are now flushing the manholes surrounding the area.

The Pantai Dalam treatment plant, which is around seven kilometres away  where the sewer ends  is also being searched.

Authorities are also using high-powered jets to remove debris blocking access to the sewers.

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We feel there is something behind the heavy debris, Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman, the local police official overseeing the rescue operations, told SCMP.

Sulaiman said the rescuers were using a technique of blasting and disintegrating the objects.

So far, we have yet to uncover any clues to the whereabouts of the victim, he said.

Officials have also placed 100 sandbags around the sewer lines  to try to stop the influx of rainwater.

The newspaper quoted Arvend Applasamy, a special officer to the deputy prime minister, as saying that the government was extending all possible support to the family of the victim.

Applasamy said their visas had been extended by a month and the government had appointed a counsellor to help them navigate their grief.

Of course the family is sad, Applasamy said. But it is my understanding that they have accepted fate and they told me that they do not expect anything and would only want to see her face.

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I have also expressed to them that the government is committed to the search.

Search and rescue operations were temporarily called of on Tuesday due to heavy rain. However, efforts to find the victim resumed today. @hcikl

Meanwhile, a second sinkhole has also opened up around 50 metres away from the first.

As per Straits Times, the new sinkhole opened up around 2.30 am today after a storm.

The newspaper reported that an official from Malaysias Mineral and Geoscience Department was seen scanning the street with a ground-penetrating radar.

The official stood at the location between the two sinkholes before stomping on the ground and jumping up and down.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) in a statement said it had blocked off the road.

Area is safe

We have taken quick action, together with Indah Water Konsortium (IWK, the waste management company serving Kuala Lumpur), to inspect the sewerage pipe at the location and its surrounding areas, DBKL said.

Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof has insisted that the area is safe.

He said the government would do an integrity audit in the area after the victim is found.

For now, it (Jalan Masjid India) is safe. We must conduct an integrity audit because there have been new developments (around the area). We need to find out the source (of the sinkholes). The public should be safe as long as they follow City Halls instructions, he said.

Professor Jeffrey Chiang Choong Luin, president of the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia, told the newspaper there could be a link between the two sinkholes.

There could be a service pipe that has been compromised running underground. If it has been compromised, this would affect the soils integrity and the water seepage would erode the soil, said Chiang.

A staff member of the Palace Hotel in Jalan Masjid India told the newspaper this wasnt the first time a sinkhole had claimed a life in the area.

Its not the first time this has happened. There was a sinkhole a few months ago, there was another one last month and then the sinkhole that took the tourist and now this one. I am just cautious when I walk around, and I avoid pavements that are sunken, said Jamal.

As for the hotel, Im confident of its foundation, since the building has been around for four decades.

Interestingly, a third sinkhole opened up on Tuesday in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Kampung Kerinchi, as per CNA

The incident occurred over a collapsed drain.

Thankfully, no casualties or injuries were reported.

CNA quoted Kuala Lumpur mayor Maimunah Mohd Sharif as saying that the city remains safe unless proven otherwise by studies.

She said a task force comprising the Department of Minerals and Geosciences, Kuala Lumpur City Hall, the Royal Malaysia Police and the Public Works Department has been established to examine safety of development in the capital.

With inputs from agencies
The US National Federation of Republican Assemblies (NFRA) has sparked controversy by citing the infamous 1857 Dred Scott Supreme Court ruling to argue that US Vice President Kamala Harris is ineligible to run for president. The NFRA claims that Harris, along with Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy, does not meet the natural-born citizen requirement outlined in the US Constitution read more

Democratic presidential nominee and US Vice President Kamala Harris takes the stage on Day 4 of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, US, August 22, 2024. File Image/Reuters

The National Federation of Republican Assemblies (NFRA), a 90-year-old conservative organisation, has ignited a firestorm of controversy by invoking the 1857 Dred Scott v. Sandford US Supreme Court ruling in its argument that US Vice President Kamala Harris is not eligible to run for president of the United States.

The NFRAs platform and policy document assert that the US Constitutions requirements for presidential eligibility disqualify Harris, Nikki Haley, and Vivek Ramaswamy, arguing that these candidates do not meet the definition of a natural-born citizen.

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What is NFRAs argument?

According to the NFRA, The Constitutional qualifications of 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.

The organisation interprets this to mean that to be a natural-born citizen, one must be born on US soil to parents who are both US citizens at the time of the childs birth.

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?!



h/t @LorenCollins pic.twitter.com/9LZsDfWdlM  Andrew Fleischman (@ASFleischman) August 23, 2024

The NFRAs interpretation draws on an originalist and strict constructionist view of the Constitution, aligning with the judicial philosophies of late US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and Justice Clarence Thomas.

Their platform document cites six Supreme Court cases to bolster their argument, including the Dred Scott decision, which held that enslaved people could not be considered US citizens and therefore had no standing to sue in federal court.

This decision, which is widely regarded as one of the worst in the history of the Supreme Court, was a key factor in pushing the nation toward the Civil War.

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The NFRA argues that the natural-born citizen requirement has been ignored by several states, candidates, and political parties, including in the cases of Harris, Haley, and Ramaswamy.

The groups document states, 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.

What was the Dred Scott decision?

The Dred Scott v. Sandford decision, delivered by the US Supreme Court in 1857, is one of the most infamous rulings in American history. The case involved Dred Scott, an enslaved African American man who sued for his freedom on the grounds that he had lived in free territories where slavery was prohibited.

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Scott argued that his residence in these territories, where slavery was outlawed, made him a free man. However, the US Supreme Court ruled against Scott, holding that African Americans, whether free or enslaved, were not US citizens and therefore had no right to sue in federal court.

The decision also stated that Congress had no authority to prohibit slavery in federal territories, effectively nullifying the Missouri Compromise, which had sought to balance the interests of slave and free states.

The ruling intensified sectional tensions and is often cited as one of the key events leading to the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.

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The Dred Scott decision was later overturned by the 13th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution, which abolished slavery and established that all persons born in the United States are citizens, regardless of race or parentage.

The NFRAs decision to cite the Dred Scott ruling in the context of Kamala Harriss eligibility has been met with widespread criticism. The US Archives describes the Scott v. Sandford ruling as considered by many legal scholars to be the worst ever rendered by the Supreme Court. The decisions central tenets were effectively nullified by constitutional amendments passed in the aftermath of the Civil War.

Who was Dred Scott?

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Dred Scott was born into slavery around 1799 in Southampton County, Virginia. His life and legal battle would eventually lead to one of the most notorious Supreme Court decisions in US history.

Scott was originally owned by Peter Blow, who moved him to Alabama in 1818 and then to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1830. After Blows death in 1832, Scott was sold to Dr. John Emerson, an army surgeon. Emerson took Scott to Illinois, a free state, and then to Fort Snelling in the Wisconsin Territory, where the Missouri Compromise had banned slavery.

Today I learned: the National Federation of Republican Assemblies is challenging Kamala Harris eligibility for President based onget thisDred Scott. They are claiming that the Supreme Court ruled anyone with one drop of African ancestry cant be a citizen, so shes ineligible. pic.twitter.com/agMKLJB6Eg  franklin veaux (@franklinveaux) August 24, 2024

During his time in Wisconsin, Scott married Harriet Robinson, another enslaved person, in a rare civil ceremony. The couple lived in Wisconsin for several years before Emerson moved back to Missouri, a slave state, taking the Scotts with him. After Emersons death in 1843, Scott attempted to purchase his freedom from Emersons widow, Irene, but she refused.

In 1846, Scott took the bold step of suing for his freedom in the Missouri courts, arguing that his residence in free territories had made him a free man. The case, which initially seemed straightforward, eventually made its way to the US Supreme Court after a decade-long legal battle.

The Courts 1857 decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford ruled against Scott, stating that African Americans could not be citizens and that Congress lacked the authority to prohibit slavery in the territories.

Scott was eventually granted his freedom in May 1857, shortly after the Supreme Courts decision, when he was manumitted by the family of his original owner, Peter Blow. Tragically, Scotts freedom was short-lived; he died of tuberculosis just over a year later, in September 1858.

How is NFRAs argument flawed?

The NFRAs use of the Dred Scott decision to challenge Kamala Harriss eligibility has been widely condemned as legally flawed and racially insensitive. Legal experts argue that the NFRAs interpretation of the natural-born citizen requirement is overly narrow and inconsistent with established legal precedents.

For example, the 1939 Supreme Court case Perkins v. Elg explicitly stated that A child born here of alien parentage becomes a citizen of the United States, directly contradicting the NFRAs claims.

The NFRA and GRA claim multiple US 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 child's birth.



This is WILDLY false.https://t.co/PbgIXvttQb pic.twitter.com/DnRab9rlYi  Loren Collins (@LorenCollins) June 18, 2024

Moreover, the US Constitutions requirements for presidential eligibility have been broadly interpreted to mean that anyone born on US soil is a natural-born citizen, regardless of their parents nationality. This interpretation has been upheld in numerous legal cases and is widely accepted by legal scholars.

Critics also point out that the NFRAs interpretation would have disqualified several early US presidents, including George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison, from holding office.

These founding fathers were born to parents who were British subjects before the United States existed, meaning they would not meet the strict standards outlined by the NFRA.

Despite these criticisms, the NFRA has remained steadfast in its position. Alex Johnson, the groups president, defended their stance in a statement to The Independent, saying, The medias suggestion that referencing a court case in a 30+ page document equates to endorsing every aspect of the case is inherently dishonest and misleading.

The NFRA claims Haley, Harris & Ramaswamy are not natural-born citizens because of their parents citizenship.



What Dred Scott ACTUALLY SAYS about parents and citizenship is that one born in the US may not be a citizen if he belongs to an inferior and subordinate class.



 pic.twitter.com/QHL1enZNXa  Loren Collins (@LorenCollins) June 18, 2024

He further argued that Kamala Harris should not hold office for a variety of reasons, including what he described as the Democratic Partys divisive tactics on race and class.

We firmly believe that faux Democrat Ms. Harris should never hold office for any of the many reasons people choose to highlight, including her partys tactics on dividing people by race and class, which mirror those that have led nations like Venezuela, Cuba, and North Korea into totalitarian regimes, Johnson stated.

These policies have historically resulted in widespread suffering, economic collapse, and the erosion of individual freedoms. The Democrat Party preys on the ignorance of voters.

What is NFRAs political motive behind this move?

The NFRAs use of the Dred Scott ruling to challenge the eligibility of Kamala Harris and other candidates is not just a legal argument but also a political tactic.

The organisation officially endorsed former US President Donald Trump at their October 2023 convention, further fuelling speculation that their actions are motivated by a desire to discredit Harris and other potential rivals in the 2024 presidential election.

In the event that the NFRA attempts to scrub their Dred Scott-citing resolution from their website, heres video evidence that it was there today: pic.twitter.com/wotjW8EMEK  Loren Collins (@LorenCollins) August 23, 2024

The legal basis for the NFRAs claims is tenuous at best. The US Supreme Courts ruling in Dred Scott v. Sandford was effectively nullified by the 13th and 14th Amendments, which abolished slavery and established birthright citizenship. The interpretation of the natural-born citizen clause that the NFRA advocates is not supported by the majority of legal scholars or by historical precedent.

Moreover, the NFRAs invocation of the Dred Scott ruling has been criticised as racially charged, given the historical context of the case and its association with one of the darkest periods in American history. By using this ruling to challenge the eligibility of a woman of colour to run for president, the NFRA has been accused of engaging in a form of racial dog-whistling that seeks to undermine the legitimacy of minority candidates.

With inputs from agencies
Amid scrutiny over the rape and murder of a young doctor in a state-run Kolkata hospital, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has said she will introduce a bill in the Assembly, ensuring capital punishment for rapists in seven days. Heres what Indias rape laws state about the death penalty read more

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has vowed to bring a bill to the state Assembly to ensure capital punishment for rapists within seven days of the crime. Addressing the foundation day event of the West Bengal Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, the student wing of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Banerjee said she will call a special session next week to introduce the anti-rape law.

Next week, we will call an Assembly session and pass the Bill within 10 days. We will send this Bill to the Governor (CV Ananda Bose). If he doesnt pass, we will sit outside Raj Bhavan. This Bill must be passed and he cannot evade accountability this time, the Bengal CM was quoted as saying by News18.

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Her remarks come in the wake of the brutal rape and murder of a young trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. Banerjee, whose TMC government is facing flak over its handling of the case, previously said she would demand the death penalty for the culprits involved in the heinous crime. The prime accused, Sanjay Roy, has been arrested and the case is being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

With a reforms-first approach, GoWB will call for a special session next week to bring in a Bill demanding capital punishment for rapists!



Will @BJP4India dare to ask PM @narendramodi to push for this Bill like all those who are demanding justice? Or will they choose to pic.twitter.com/3A3fh7nqZG  All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) August 28, 2024

How have Indias rape laws evolved over the years? What is the current punishment for the crime? Lets understand.

How Indias rape laws evolved

Rape was first defined in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in 1860. Section 375 of the criminal code penalised sex by a man with a woman if it was done against her will or without her consent.

Sex with a girl under 18 years of age also came under rape. However, marital rape was not considered an offence.

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Rape attracted a punishment of seven years of jail term to life imprisonment.

In 1972, the custodial rape of a young Adivasi girl named Mathura in Maharashtra triggered outrage across the country after the Supreme Court dropped the rape charges. The case led to amendments to the existing rape laws in India.

Section 114A was added to the Indian Evidence Act of 1872, which states that cases where sexual intercourse by the accused is proved and the question is whether it was without the consent of the woman alleged to have been raped and such woman states in her evidence before the court that she did not consent, the court shall presume that she did not consent. This applied to custodial rape cases.

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The 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case in Delhi prompted stricter punishment for the offence. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act passed in 2013 expanded the definition of rape and made punishment more stringent, as per The Hindu.

The Act increased jail sentences in most cases of sexual assault. It also called for capital punishment in rape cases that cause the death of the victim or leaves her in a vegetative state.

Gang rape was now punishable by 20 years to life imprisonment from the previous 10 years to life term.

The 2013 Act made stalking a criminal offence with up to three years in jail. The jail term for acid attacks was increased to 10 years.

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Acts such as unwelcome physical contact, words or gestures, asking for sexual favours, showing pornography against the will of a woman or making sexual remarks were made punishable offences.

Using criminal force on a woman with intent to disrobe, voyeurism and stalking were also considered offences.

The rape laws were amended again following the abduction, rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl by several men near Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir in 2018.

The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018 introduced capital punishment for the rape of a girl under 12 years, with the minimum sentence in such cases being 20 years in jail. The rape of girls below 16 years of age would lead to imprisonment of 20 years to life term.

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The minimum jail term for rape was also increased from seven to 10 years, as per The Hindu report.

What BNS says about rape

Last December, the Lok Sabha passed three Criminal Law Amendment Bills to replace the colonial-era IPC, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Indian Evidence Act.

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which took the place of the IPC, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Act (BSA) came into effect on July 1.

The BNS defines rape under the section Of offences against woman and children. The punishment for rape, laid out under Section 64 of the new criminal law, is ten years in jail, which can be extended to life imprisonment.

The punishment for rape of girls under 16 years of age is the same as under the IPC.

Section 65 (2) of the BNS states, Whoever, commits rape on a woman under twelve years of age shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than twenty years, but which may extend to imprisonment for life, which shall mean imprisonment for the remainder of that persons natural life, and with fine or with death.

The offence of rape that causes the death of the woman or leaves her in a persistent vegetative state is punishable by a minimum of 20 years in jail term or death penalty.

Rape is punishable by 10 years in jail in India. Representational Image

The punishment for gang rape remains the same. The death penalty has been provided for the gang rape of all minor girls under 18 years of age.

Under BNS, the age of consent for a married woman has been increased from 15 to 18 years. The new law also fails to criminalise marital rape.

One of the biggest criticisms of the BNS is that does not punish the rape of men and transgender persons.

Section 377 of the IPC dealt with the rape of a man, transgender person or an animal but the provision or a similar one is absent in the BNS.

With the removal of Section 377 from the BNS, and no alternative law in place, men or transgender persons will not have that legal protection against rape, advocate Karuna Nundy told The Hindu in June.

Section 18 of the Transgender Bill pertains to sexual abuse with the jail term ranging from six months to two years. This is far less than the punishment for the offence under Section 377 of the IPC which included a jail term of 10 years to life imprisonment.

Section 96 of the BNS uses the word child to cover the offence of sexual exploitation of people below 18 years of age, making the law gender-neutral.

Why rape laws dont curb crimes

Despite robust laws, India has failed to prevent crimes against women. A pervasive rape culture and misogyny plagues the country. The Kolkata case further highlighted how just making anti-rape laws is not enough.

As Vrinda Shukla, an IPS officer serving as SP Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, wrote for Indian Express, Mens brutalising of women continues to be rampant because of the laxity in laws surrounding other equally heinous crimes, such as dowry, domestic violence, stalking and harassment.

The ease of bail in lesser offences against women is also problematic. The lax bail norms pose a serious impediment to correcting and curbing the criminal instincts of the accused before they graduate to committing bigger crimes, she wrote.

There is a crying need to develop a criminal justice system equipped to investigate and try cases of crimes against women in a fast-track mode. Where protracted trials remain a stubborn challenge, a long enough incarceration, depending on the severity of the particular crime, is the only available tool to instil a fear of the law, Shukla wrote in the piece.

With input from agencies
Years after Malaysian Airlines flight MH370s disappearance, an Australian scientist claims to have found the perfect hiding place for the missing plane. As per a new theory, MH370 was deliberately plunged the plane into a deep trench at the eastern end of the Broken Ridge in the Southern Indian Ocean read more

The jet is believed to have crashed somewhere in the Indian Ocean, but it hasn't turned up despite a ten-year, multi-national search that cost over 100 million pounds and covered 46,300 square miles Image Courtesy AP

The disappearance of the Malaysian Airlines flight, MH370, in 2014 sparked the biggest search in aviation history.

However, the whereabouts of the jet, which had 239 people on board, continue to be a mystery.

Years after its disappearance, an Australian scientist claims to have found the perfect hiding place for the missing plane.

Heres all we know about the fresh theory.

Where is MH370?

The University of Tasmanias adjunct researcher, Vincent Lyne, said in a post on LinkedIn that MH370 is believed to be located where the longitude of Penang airport intersects with a flight path from the pilot-in-commands home simulator.

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In a post titled Mystery of MH370 Solved by Science, he wrote that the track was previously dismissed as irrelevant by the FBI and other officials.

This site is situated in a deep 6,000-metre trench at the eastern end of the Broken Ridge in the Southern Indian Ocean, an area characterised by its rugged and dangerous ocean environment renowned for its wild fisheries and new deep-water species, he said.

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.

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!

Whats the new theory?

Knowing the area, Lyne contended that Zaharie Ahmad Shah, the pilot of the tragic aircraft, deliberately plunged the plane into that location.

He said that the planes damage to its wings, flaps, and flaperon suggested that it was involved in a controlled ditching.

The researcher said, This work changes the narrative of MH-370s disappearance from one of no-blame fuel starvation at the 7th arc, high-speed dive, to a mastermind pilot executing an incredible perfect disappearance in the Southern Indian Ocean.

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.

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What do experts believe?

Cardiff University researchers also noted that the aircraft was in the southern Indian Ocean when it made its final leg of the journey, and they think they detected a signal from an underwater microphone, or hydrophone.

Dr Usama Kadri, a reader at the university, was quoted by The Independent, Our analysis shows clear pressure signals from previous aircraft crashes were detected on hydrophones, even at distances exceeding 3,000 kilometres.

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.

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MH370s disappearance

On March 8, 2014, a Malaysia Airlines aircraft carrying 239 passengers, the majority of whom were from China, disappeared while travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

The aircraft made an unexpected U-turn from its intended course.

The largest-ever search in aviation history, spearheaded by Australia, was suspended in January 2017 after no sign of the plane was discovered in the 120,000 square kilometres (46,000 square miles) of the Indian Ocean.

The jet most certainly crashed somewhere off the coast of Western Australia in the southern Indian Ocean, according to an analysis of satellite data. Two extensive searches, though, produced no notable outcomes.

Thirty-three pieces of what appear to be aircraft debris have been discovered in six countries since 2014, including Madagascar and South Africa. However, only three wing parts from MH370 were identified.

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The United States robotics company Ocean Infinity conducted a comprehensive search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in 2018 throughout an area of nearly 50,000 square miles using autonomous underwater vehicles. However, the search yielded no results.

Though authorities were unable to identify the culprit, a 495-page report stated that the Boeing 777s controls were likely intentionally altered to cause it to go off course.

The report also pointed out errors made by the air traffic control centres in Ho Chi Minh City and Kuala Lumpur and provided suggestions to prevent the recurrence of the incident.

Before his aircraft disappeared under eerily similar circumstances, Shah, the flights pilot, is reported to have trial flown routes out into the isolated southern Indian Ocean using an advanced home-made flight simulator.

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A part of a Malaysian police probe into the pilots last days, New York magazine accessed the confidential paper. The publication said that there is compelling evidence to support the theory that MH370s disappearance was the result of a planned mass murder-suicide rather than an accident.

With inputs from agencies
Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, who are stuck on board the International Space Station, will now return to Earth only in February 2025. This is much much longer than their expected stay of eight days. Do they have enough supplies to survive? Will their health take a hit? read more

Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore's brief stay on the International Space Station has now been extended until February 2025. Image Courtesy: @NASA/X

On June 5, two US astronauts  Barry Butch Wilmore and Sunita Suni Williams  left Earth for the International Space Station (ISS) aboard Boeings Starliner as part of its inaugural crewed flight test, expecting to return to Earth within a week.

But as they say, the best-laid plans of mice and men oft go awry.

The two astronauts are now stuck on the ISS with Nasa announcing last Saturday (August 24)  almost 12 weeks after their departure  that they would remain there through early 2025 and will return home with rival SpaceXs Crew Dragon capsule.

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So what exactly will Williams and Wilmore do for another five or six months in space? How will they survive?

Stuck in space until 2025

On June 5, the veteran astronauts took off on what was planned to be an eight-day mission by Boeing. The aim of the mission was to demonstrate the spacecrafts capability to safely carry people to and from the ISS. Boeing saw it as a critical mission to join Elon Musks SpaceX in offering regular crew transportation services to Nasa, the US space agency.

However, the Starliner experienced problems on its way to the ISS, including leaks of helium, which pushed fuel into the propulsion system. Several thrusters also did not work properly. Moreover, multiple issues with a valve responsible for regulating the flow of oxidisers were also detected. The valve is essential for propulsion.

Scientists and experts carried out multiple tests  both in space and back on Earth  to determine the cause of the problem and rectify it. However, even after much diagnosis and efforts, the problems remained unsolved, forcing Williams and Wilmore to continue living on the ISS.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams walk at NASAs Kennedy Space Centre, ahead of Boeings Starliner-1 Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission in Cape Canaveral, Florida. What was supposed to be a short mission will now drag until next year. File image/Reuters

On Saturday (August 24), Nasa administrator Bill Nelson announced that the duo will return to Earth in February 2025, while Starliner will return uncrewed. Space flight is risky even at its safest and even at its most routine, Nelson told reporters. A test flight, by nature, is neither safe nor routine.

He added the decision to keep the astronauts on the ISS and return the Starliner uncrewed is the result of our commitment to safety, adding, Our core value is safety.

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Under the new plan, the SpaceX Crew-9 mission will take off in late September  after the Starliner has headed earthward, freeing a docking port on the ISS  but it will carry only two passengers instead of the originally planned four. The SpaceX vehicle in February will bring back its own crew members plus the two stranded astronauts  Williams and Wilmore.

Life aboard the ISS

So, what will the next six months look like for Williams and Wilmore? Nasa has said the two will seamlessly integrate with Expedition 71, the international crew of seven astronauts serving as the space stations official staff.

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This will see them take up typical crew tasks, such as conducting spacewalks outside the space station, maintaining the orbiting laboratory and carrying out a tight schedule of science experiments.

Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore have already fallen into a daily schedule at the ISS. Nasa says they have used their time so far for space station upkeep, inspecting hardware, organising cargo, performing checks on Starliner, and assisting with science experiments. Image Courtesy: @NASA/X

And it seems that the veteran astronauts have already fallen into a daily schedule. Nasa says they have used their time so far for space station upkeep, inspecting hardware, organising cargo, performing checks on Starliner, and assisting with science experiments and tech demonstrations.

Last Friday, Wilmore helped configure a new airlock, built by US-based company Nanoracks, that will serve as a new doorway to help deploy satellites, experiments and other equipment.

But what about food and other supplies? Nasa has assured that there is no immediate danger to the astronauts, stating that the ISS has sufficient provisions to support the crew for the additional time. The space station tends to have about four months of food and water reserves on board for the ISS crew. Moreover, the space station recently received two spacecraft  one carrying 8,200 pounds of food, fuel, supplies and another carrying three tonnes of cargo.

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When it comes to oxygen, the ISS is equipped with systems to generate oxygen and manage waste.

However, its not all fine and dandy. The two have to share space with others. As astrophysicist Dr Brad Tucker explained, The space stations about the size of a large six-bedroom house. So theres room, but a lot of that room is taken up with equipment.

The issue of having extra people on board the ISS is how much air can it process and purify, and how quickly can it recycle the water? However, Nasa has assured that the astronauts have all that is required  minus their personal clothes.

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Thats because Nasa opted to take their luggage off the spacecraft to make room for a much-needed pump to fix a malfunctioning toilet aboard the space station. However, the shortage of clothes is also not an issue as the ISS keeps a supply of undergarments, socks, T-shirts and other clothing items on board.

Concerns abound for Williams and Wilmores health

Despite Nasa assuring all that the two astronauts are physically healthy, there are concerns about their extended stay and the impact it will have on their physical as well as mental well-being.

Medical experts note that the extended stay on the International Space Station could lead to rapid decrease in both muscle mass and bone density, resembling osteoporosis. Without the constant pull of gravity, astronauts experience muscle atrophy and significant bone density loss  sometimes losing as much as one per cent of bone mass per month. This can further increase the risk of fractures.

There are concerns about Williams extended stay and the impact it will have on her physical as well as mental well-being. Image Courtesy: @NASA

Another concern for Williams and Wilmore is fluid redistribution, which results in facial puffiness and decreased fluid volume in the legs. These changes can disrupt cardiovascular function and complicate blood pressure regulation.

Experts have also flagged the issue of space anaemia. This refers to a condition where astronauts experience a reduction in red blood cells while in space. This phenomenon occurs because the body destroys red blood cells at a faster rate than it can produce them when exposed to the microgravity environment of space. A study published in Nature Medicine revealed that the bodies of astronauts were destroying 3 million red blood cells per second  54 per cent more than a typical space flight.

Experts have also noted that an extended stay in space can have an impact on Sunita Williams mental health. Image Courtesy: NASA/Flickr

Long-term space stays like the one that Williams will have to now endure can also lead to vision issues. Astronauts often suffer from whats known as Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS), a condition where fluid shifts in the body cause pressure on the optic nerve, leading to changes in eyesight. Sunitas vision might be temporarily impaired.

Sunita Williams has also been exposed to higher levels of radiation, which can damage DNA, increase the risk of cancer and other health issues down the line.

And this is only the physical aspect. Long periods of isolation can also affect ones mental well-being. It will also change their perception of time.

Hindu priests and villagers attend a yagna during a special prayer meeting held for the safe return of US astronaut Sunita Williams inside a temple at her native village Jhulasan in Gujarat, India. Reuters

Extended stays in space

But Suni and Butch, as they are fondly called, can take solace in the fact that they are not in a unique position. Space stays are often extended.

Nasa astronaut Frank Rubio has spent a whopping 371 days in space. He was slated to spend about six months aboard the International Space Station for his inaugural trip to low-Earth orbit that kicked off in September 2022. However, he then spent more than a year there following the discovery of a coolant leak coming from his original ride  a Russian Soyuz capsule  while docked at the orbiting outpost.

With this, he ended up setting a US record for the most continuous days spent in orbit.

However, Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov still holds the all-time record for the most days spent in space in one go. He was on board Russias Mir space station for 437 continuous days in orbit between 1994 and 1995.

With inputs from agencies
Wade Wilson, also known as the Deadpool Killer has been sentenced to death for killing two women. The 30-year-old, who shares his name with the Marvel antihero, ran over a victim repeatedly until she looked like spaghetti read more

In 2019, Wade Wilson killed two women, Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43, by strangulation. Image Courtesy: @PercapitalNshit/X

A Florida man, who was convicted of killing two women earlier this year, has been sentenced to death.

Wade Wilson, also known as the Deadpool Killer, showed no emotion as Lee Circuit Judge Nicholas Thompson delivered his death penalty.

Heres all we know about him.

The Deadpool Killer

In 2019, Wade Wilson killed two women, Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43, by strangulation.

He became known as the Deadpool killer for having the same name as the comic book antihero.

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According to the NY Post, the 30-year-old tattooed killer was found guilty on June 12 of two charges of first-degree murder.

Wilson was found guilty of other counts, including grand theft, burglary, violence, and petit theft, in addition to his murder convictions.

The double murderers attorneys contended that because of his drug addiction and adoption as a child, he had abandonment issues and brain damage.

During his five years in prison, Wilson received thousands of fan mail, love letters and X-rated photos from admirers during this time in jail. A few even wrote to the judge, pleading for mercy and asserting that Wilsons behaviour had changed while taking medicine.

For those uninitiated, this abnormal trend is not new; among the dangerous inmates who have garnered this kind of interest are renowned serial killers Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Richard Ramirez, according to Hindustan Times.

The gruesome murders

On October 7, 2019, then 25 years old, Wilson met Kristine Melton and her friend Stephanie Sailors at a bar in Floridas Cape Coral, which is about two hours south of Tampa.

Once the Sailors left, Wilson viciously choked and strangled Melton while she slept, taking her car as well, according to The Sun.

The trio spent their last night together in Meltons house.

Wilson lured Diane Ruiz into Meltons car later that morning after seeing her strolling down a street, then battered and strangled her.

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As Ruiz looked like spaghetti, he shoved her out of the car and drove her over almost 20 times, Wilsons father, Steven Testaccca, testified in court.

Unsettling security footage captured shortly after Wilson brutally murdered Melton and Ruiz reveals him driving wildly into a parking lot.

Wilson parks his car, gets out, and walks into one of the shops, disappearing from the view of the camera.

He then confessed to killing someone as soon as he walked into the store, the store owner later testified in court, according to The Sun.

Melissa Montanez, Wilsons ex-girlfriend, called the Fort Myers police earlier that day.

Wilson, according to Montanez, attacked her in Mila Spas parking lot.

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She told police that Wilson stole her car from a bar the night before, and she wanted it back.

Wilson was seen sitting in Montanezs car when police arrived at Joes Crab Shack after receiving a tip that he was there.

The judgement

According to the NY Post, Judge Thompson called the murders heinous, atrocious, and cruel, adding that the second murder was cold, calculated, and premediated.

In court earlier, Wilsons actions were criticised by Assistant State Attorney Andreas Gardiner, who stated, This case was about killing for the sake of the killing. Strangulation is the epitome of life slipping through someones hands.

The jury decided on June 25 to execute the two murderers, voting 9-3 and 10-2 in favour of the punishment. Wilsons legal team filed a motion on July 3, asking for a new trial or acquittal on the murder charges. But on August 15, the motion was turned down.

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Wilson was supposed to be sentenced by Judge Nicholas Thompson on July 23. However, the sentencing was postponed due to a defence motion.

According to NDTV, his adoptive parents also pleaded for mercy, stating they believed the human is still in there and asking the court not to impose the death penalty.

In a letter, the parents stated that the human is still in there. Please see it in your heart not take our son, they wrote.

According to reports, Meltons cousin Samantha Kelly, who requested to remain anonymous, claimed that the period of time between the deaths and the sentencing felt like five years of agony.

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Felix Ruiz, the father of Ruiz, stated that he would want to witness Wilsons death.

I didnt get to say I love her. I miss her, Felix said, according to The News-Press.

With inputs from agencies
On Monday, Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden held a telephone discussion. In the readouts that were then released, New Delhi mentioned that the ongoing Bangladesh crisis was also spoken of. However, the White House version made no mention of Dhaka. Heres what happened and why read more

Following his Ukraine visit, PM Modi and US President Joe Biden held a telephone conversation during which they spoke about various issues. The Indian readout stated that the two spoke on Ukraine as well as the Bangladesh crisis. However, the US readout skipped the Bangladesh topic. File image/PTI

After making a historic visit to Ukraine last Friday (August 23), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held a telephone conversation with US President Joe Biden about several global and regional issues.

Following the phone call, as per protocol, both sides issued a readout of the conversation that the two world leaders had. New Delhis readout of the conversation stated that Modi discussed the situation in Ukraine with Biden over the phone. The two leaders  Modi and Biden  also discussed the situation in Bangladesh and the ongoing tumult.

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Meanwhile, the White House issued a separate statement, saying Biden commended Modis 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.

Do you see the difference here? One mentioned Bangladesh explicitly, while the other didnt. What happened? Why are there two separate readouts of the same conversation? We explain.

Two readouts, one call

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden had a meaningful conversation about several issues pertaining to the world and the region. Modi posted online that he discussed the situation in Ukraine with Biden over the phone and reiterated Indias full support for early return of peace and stability.

The phone call came after Modi visited Ukraine  a first by an Indian prime minister. During his visit, PM Modi urged President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to sit down for talks with Russia to end the war and offered to help bring peace.

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

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Modi said the two leaders also discussed the situation in Bangladesh where protests continue to take place even after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Reports state that several attacks against Hindus have been perpetrated in the protests, an issue that Modi has also taken up with Muhammad Yunus, the chief of the interim government. New Delhi has been pressing for the safety and security of minorities in the neighbouring country.

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On the other, the readout of telephonic conversation issued by the White House said that Biden commended Modis visit to the two European nations 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.

In a post on 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, Biden said.

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Joe Biden commended PM Modi for his visit to Ukraine during which he urged President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to sit down for talks with Russia to end the war. File image/AP

Buzz over Bangladesh silence

Soon after both sides issued their statements on the phone call between the two world leaders, people noted the US silence on the issue of Bangladesh, with some speculating that it was an indication of unease in ties between the White House and Dhaka.

Congress leader Pawan Khera questioned, Why does the press release from the White House not mention Bangladesh while our press note does?

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?

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Derek J Grossman, a senior defence analyst at RAND Corporation, also questioned the difference in the two readouts, writing on X, Washington neglects to mention Bangladesh.

India clarifies

As the issue started getting traction on social media, Kanchan Gupta, a government advisor, sought to clear the matter. In a post on X, he 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.

He further explained, 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.

To say that any issue that may be missing in either of the press releases was not discussed is inaccurate and avoidable, he wrote in conclusion.

Students walk past a defaced mural of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, father of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Many are speculating that US silence on the Bangladesh crisis is an indication of tensions between the two countries. File image/AP

Experts speak

While the Indian side has sought to explain the issue away, there are others who believe theres more than meets the eye.

Some geopolitical experts note that the US readout of the phone call exhibits its growing unease with Bangladesh. Strategic thinker Brahma Chellaney explained that this was a sign that Washington not on the same page with India regarding Bangladesh.

He wrote on X, 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 neighbourhood extending from Myanmar to the Pakistan-Afghanistan belt, American interests do not align with core Indian interests, Chellaney added.

Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Centre think-tank in Washington, had another explanation. Explaining the omission of Bangladesh in the US readout, he said, I suspect thats because the main US motivation for the call (placed by Biden) was 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.

Kanwal Sibal, the former foreign secretary to the Government of India, also noted US omission of Bangladesh. He said: In the White House readout there is no mention of Bangladesh at all, much less the issue of the safety and security of minorities, particularly Hindus. The US has missed again an occasion to express or share concern about the Hindu minority in Bangladesh. They are only concerned about minorities in India. Difficult to comprehend the US position. Clearly, they buy or promote the BD narrative that the Hindu minority is either safe or reports on their plight are exaggerated.

It is hard to miss that since chaos ensued in Bangladesh, prompting Hasinas ouster and quick getaway from the country, the US has been relatively silent on the issue. In fact, amid these developments, Bangladeshi media reported parts of an undelivered speech by Hasina in which she accused the US of pressuring her to allow the establishment of a naval base on St Martins Island. She stated in that apparent speech that if she had handed over St Martins Island to the US, her government would have survived.

However, Sheikh Hasinas son, Sajeeb Wazed, refuted any such speech.

With inputs from agencies
On its 10th anniversary, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana stands as a testament to Indias commitment to financial inclusion read more

(File) Women queue up without practicing social-distancing in front of a Customer Service Point to collect Rs 500 under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana at Bagan Para in Baksa district of Assam on April 21, 2020. PTI

On August 28, 2024, India celebrates a decade of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), a landmark initiative in financial inclusion spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Launched in August 2014, PMJDY was designed as a National Mission for Financial Inclusion, aiming to integrate the vast unbanked population into the formal financial system. The primary objectives of this scheme were to provide every citizen with access to banking services, enhance financial literacy and ensure that the benefits of economic growth reached even the most marginalised communities.

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Objectives and features of PMJDY

The core objectives of PMJDY include the enhancement of financial inclusion, provision of basic financial services to every household and the empowerment of economically weaker sections. The scheme focuses on four main principles: banking the unbanked, securing the unsecured, funding the unfunded and serving the underserved. To achieve these goals, PMJDY offers a range of features such as zero-balance accounts, free RuPay debit cards with accident insurance, overdraft facilities and access to various government schemes.

Milestones and achievements

As of August 14, 2024, PMJDY has reached several significant milestones. The scheme has successfully opened 53.13 crore bank accounts, marking a substantial increase in banking penetration across India. Among these accounts, 29.56 crore have been opened by female beneficiaries, highlighting the schemes role in promoting gender equality in financial access. The total deposits in these accounts have surged to Rs 2,31,236 crore, demonstrating the growing trust of beneficiaries in the formal banking system. Additionally, 36.14 crore RuPay debit cards have been issued facilitating cashless transactions and providing accident insurance coverage.

In 2018, the scheme was extended to focus on every unbanked adult rather than just every household, reflecting a renewed commitment to reaching the most marginalised sections of society. This extension has helped deepen the impact of PMJDY by ensuring that the benefits of economic growth are accessible to all.

Benefits and services

PMJDY offers a suite of benefits aimed at improving financial security and inclusion. Key features include:

Basic Savings Bank Deposit Account (BSBDA): This account type does not require a minimum balance making it accessible to everyone. Account holders can use bank branches, ATMs and Banking Correspondents (BCs) for transactions, though cash withdrawals are limited to four times a month.

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Small Account/Chota Khata: These accounts, which do not require legal documents, are valid for twelve months. If proof of applying for official documents is provided, the account can be extended.

RuPay debit card with inbuilt accident insurance: Beneficiaries receive a free RuPay debit card with accident insurance coverage of Rs 2 lakh (or Rs 1 lakh for accounts opened before August 28, 2018), enabling cashless transactions and financial protection.

Overdraft facility: Beneficiaries can access an overdraft facility up to Rs 10,000, providing emergency funds for unforeseen expenses.

Business Correspondents (BCs)/Bank Mitras: These retail agents offer banking services in areas with limited access to branches or ATMs, ensuring that even remote communities can engage in financial transactions.

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Eligibility for additional government schemes: PMJDY accounts are integrated with Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and other schemes like Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Atal Pension Yojana (APY) and the Micro Units Development & Refinance Agency Bank (MUDRA) scheme.

Impact and global comparisons

The success of PMJDY has garnered international attention. The scheme has been praised by organisations like the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for its role in reducing poverty and enhancing financial stability. Countries such as Bangladesh and Kenya have implemented similar financial inclusion strategies, inspired by the principles of PMJDY. In Bangladesh, mobile banking and microfinance initiatives reflect similar goals, while Kenyas M-Pesa service complements PMJDY by extending banking through mobile technology.

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Challenges and future directions

Despite its achievements, PMJDY faces challenges, including the need for improved financial literacy among beneficiaries, infrastructure limitations in remote areas and concerns about fraud and misuse. Addressing these challenges is crucial for maintaining the schemes effectiveness and ensuring that it continues to serve its intended purpose.

The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana has significantly transformed Indias financial landscape over the past decade. By opening over 53 crore accounts, empowering millions and integrating financial services with government schemes, PMJDY has made substantial progress in promoting financial inclusion. As India looks to the future, the scheme provides a strong foundation for continued economic growth and inclusivity, with a focus on overcoming existing challenges and deepening its impact across all sectors of society.
Local MLA Renikton Tongkhar raised the issue during a call attention motion, referencing a newspaper report that highlighted how the villagers of Domtynrong have been deprived of food grains for more than a decade and have also been excluded from government schemes for over 20 years read more

A village with over 50 households in Meghalayas South West Khasi Hills district has not received foodgrains under the public distribution system for over 13 years, local MLA Renikton Tongkhar told the Assembly on Wednesday.

Tongkhar raised the issue during a call attention motion, referencing a newspaper report that highlighted how the villagers of Domtynrong have been deprived of food grains for more than a decade and have also been excluded from government schemes for over 20 years.

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In response, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Comingone Ymbon acknowledged the issue, explaining that Domtynrong was inadvertently excluded from the states public distribution system due to an error in the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) of 2011.

In 2011, Domtynrong village was mistakenly classified as uninhabited leading to its exclusion from the NFSA beneficiary list, Ymbon said.

The SECC 2011 data serves as the Centres database for identifying fixed beneficiaries of the NFSA allotted for Meghalaya - 77.79 per cent for rural and 50.87 per cent for urban areas, he said.

According to the Minister, attempts were made to rectify this error but the government of India maintains that any discrepancies in the database will only be resolved in the next SECC which is overdue since 2021.

I understand that this exclusion has had a significant impact on the residents of Domtynrong, depriving them of their rightful entitlements, Ymbon said. He also mentioned that the state is expecting an increase in food grain supply to meet the demands of the growing population, which is projected to be approximately 38.16 lakh in 2023, compared to 29.17 lakh recorded in the 2011 SECC.

The Food and Civil Supplies Minister also informed that the state government will continue to engage with the Centre to reconsider revising the coverage limits to accommodate the leftout beneficiaries like those of Domtynrong.
Indian students are increasingly pursuing global education opportunities, but their ambitions are met with rising barriers as key study destinations impose stricter restrictions and higher costs read more

In recent years, there has been a marked increase in the number of Indian students choosing to pursue higher education abroad. According to the Bureau of Immigration of the Ministry of Home Affairs, by October 2023, approximately 765,000 Indian students had studied abroad, a figure expected to surpass 900,000 by 2024. This surge in outbound student mobility is driven by a range of factors, from a quest for global education to enhanced career prospects and exposure to diverse cultures. However, this growing trend is juxtaposed against increasing barriers imposed by key study destinationsAustralia, Canada and the UKcreating a complex landscape for aspiring students.

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Reasons behind the surge

The rising trend of Indian students seeking education overseas can be attributed to several key factors:

Pursuit of quality education: Many Indian students are attracted to the high academic standards and global recognition of universities abroad. Institutions in countries like the USA, UK, Canada and Australia often feature in global rankings, offering cutting-edge research facilities, diverse academic programmes and renowned faculty. This quality of education is a significant draw for students aiming to gain a competitive edge in their careers.

Career opportunities: Studying abroad often provides students with better career opportunities. Graduates from prestigious international institutions frequently benefit from expansive professional networks, internship opportunities and exposure to global job markets. Many students view international education as a gateway to lucrative career paths and higher earning potential.

Cultural exposure and global perspectives: Exposure to different cultures and perspectives is another compelling reason for studying abroad. Indian students seek to broaden their horizons, develop a global mindset and experience diverse ways of life. This cultural enrichment not only enhances personal growth but also adds value to their professional profiles.

Advanced research and innovation: Students pursuing higher education in foreign universities often have access to advanced research facilities and innovative methodologies. This access is particularly appealing to those interested in fields such as technology, science and engineering, where cutting-edge research can significantly impact their future careers.

Language and communication skills: Studying in English-speaking countries helps students improve their language proficiency and communication skills. This linguistic advantage is highly valued in the global job market and can be crucial for career advancement.

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Challenges and policy shifts in major destinations

Despite the rising number of Indian students opting for education abroad, several countries have recently implemented measures that complicate this pursuit. These policy shifts reflect a broader trend of tightening immigration controls and adjusting to domestic challenges.

Australias reduced intake

Australia has traditionally been a favoured destination for Indian students, with over 122,000 currently enrolled. However, the Australian governments recent decision to cap international student numbers at 270,000 by 2025 represents a significant reduction from previous years. This policy aims to address Australias housing crisis and high living costs, which have been exacerbated by a surge in migration. The new cap, along with a near-doubling of the visa fee from AUD 710 to AUD 1,600, creates significant hurdles for prospective Indian students. Punjab, a major contributor of students to Australia, faces particularly severe implications, with limited opportunities and increased financial burdens now on the horizon. According to an NDTV report, this move is part of a broader strategy to address the countrys housing crisis and manage record levels of migration.

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Canadas shifting immigration policies

Canada has long been perceived as a welcoming destination for Indian students, offering a combination of high-quality education and favourable post-graduation work opportunities. However, recent changes in immigration policies are beginning to cast a shadow over this reputation. The introduction of new restrictions on the temporary foreign workers programme and a reduction in permanent residency nominations have sparked protests among international students, particularly those from India. These measures are part of Canadas broader strategy to address rising unemployment rates and prioritise local employment. The rollback of the temporary foreign workers programme, which saw a dramatic increase in permits from 183,820 in 2023 (an 88 percent rise from 2019), reflects a shift towards mitigating employment concerns and reducing the reliance on foreign labour.

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UKs stricter visa policies

The UK has historically been one of the top destinations for Indian students, known for its prestigious universities and the Graduate Route visa (GRV), which allows work post-graduation. However, recent policy changes are beginning to discourage Indian students from applying to UK universities. According to the Hindustan Times, the UK Home Office data indicates a 23 per cent drop in Indian students pursuing higher studies in the UK. This decline is attributed to stricter visa restrictions, including a ban on bringing dependent family members and increased scrutiny on visa applications. Additionally, the uncertainty surrounding the GRV and potential future restrictions, such as those suggested by former prime minister Rishi Sunak, add to the unpredictability, further diminishing the appeal of UK universities for Indian students. The financial impact on UK universities, which rely heavily on international student fees, is also significant, potentially leading to a reevaluation of their dependence on foreign student revenues.

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New reality of global education

The evolving landscape of global education presents a stark contrast between the increasing aspiration of Indian students to study abroad and the rising barriers in host countries. These policy changesdriven by domestic economic concerns and a desire to manage immigrationcreate a more competitive, costly and uncertain environment for international students.

Indian students, who have traditionally viewed countries like Australia, Canada and the UK as gateways to superior education and career advancement, now face a challenging reality. The combination of rising costs, stricter immigration controls and policy shifts in these countries reflects a broader shift in the global education landscape. As Indian students navigate this complex terrain, they must adapt to new realities that challenge their aspirations and require careful consideration of their educational and professional goals.
In recent years, many high-profile persons have been denied bail for a long time in cases of money laundering being pursued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) read more

In an order that may have wide-ranging implications, the Supreme Court has said the bail is the rule even in money laundering cases.

The SC said that the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which is one of the laws under which the Enforcement Directorate (ED) pursues cases, does not remove the legal principle that bail is the norm and jail is an exception.

In recent years, many high-profile persons, such as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Manish Sisodia and Arvind Kejriwal, have been denied bail for a long time in cases of money laundering being pursued by the ED.

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PMLAs Section 45 doesnt rewrite bails principle: SC

A Supreme Court bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan said that Section 45 of the PMLA, which lays down the twin test for bail, does not rewrite the legal principle which says bail is the norm and jail exception, according to The Indian Express.

The order came in a case of money laundering against one Prem Prakash, an alleged aide to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, in a PMLA case.

Section 45 of the PMLA practically shifts the responsibility for proving onces innocence on the accused instead of making it the prosecutors job to prove the accuseds guilt.

Previously, Supreme Court advocate Tushar Agarwal told The Economic Times, In PMLA, Section 45 mandates Twin Conditions for bail, firstly the prosecutor should be given adequate opportunity to oppose the bail and secondly the accused has to prove prima facie by placing the evidence on record establishing that he is not guilty.

In the current order, the SC said that none of this takes away the principle that liberty of a person is the rule and deprivation exception.

Relying on the judgment in Manish Sisodia, we have said that even in PMLA, bail is a rule and jail the exception. All that S 45 specifies is the conditions to be met for bail. Liberty of the individual is always the rule and deprivation, by procedure established by law, the exception. Twin test does not take away this principle, said the SC, as per Bar & Bench.

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The SC further said that the confession of an accused under the PMLA to an investigating officer (IA) will not be ordinarily admissible as evidence, according to The Express.
As the police, BJP and TMC workers clash on the streets, reports of detentions and injuries emerge, while the fear of further violence looms large for both participants and bystanders read more

The Bengal Bandh called by the BJP in West Bengal began at 6 am on Wednesday (August 28). PTI

The 12-hour Bengal Bandh called by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal began at 6 am on Wednesday (August 28).

The West Bengal police and BJP and ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) partys workers have been active on the streets trying to enforce or disrupt the Bengal Bandh.

The 12-hour Bangla Bandh, a call given by the BJP, has begun in West Bengal.



Restrictions in the state will remain in place from 6 am until 6 pm, to protest police action on protesters during the Nabanna Abhijan on August 27. #BanglaBandh #WestBengal #Bandh pic.twitter.com/E3OFeoH2s5  Vani Mehrotra (@vani_mehrotra) August 28, 2024

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Why is the Bandh happening?

After a large-scale violence during the students Nabanna Abhijan march in Kolkata and adjacent Howrah that disrupted the calls for justice for the RG Kar hospital victim on Tuesday afternoon, the BJP condemned the polices action on protesters and called for a 12-hour Bengal bandh.

Protesters responded with continuous pelting of stones and glass bottles at the police at several locations where their progress was hindered.

The police resorted to large-scale lathi-charge, used water cannons, and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the aggressive crowd that had gathered from multiple converging points at Nabanna.

According to reports, fifteen personnel of the Kolkata Police and 14 from the state police force were injured in the clashes. Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari alleged that over 160 protesters, including 17 women, suffered injuries in the police action.

Latest developments in West Bengal

In preparation for the Bandh, Kolkata state bus drivers were seen sporting helmets while driving. A bus driver told ANI that the helmets had been provided by the police for their safety. With both the parties involved, the fear of violence and attacks exists for those following the Bandh, as well as those refusing to adhere to it.

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#WATCH | BJP's 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh': Drivers of Government bus in Howrah seen wearing helmets



A bus driver says, "Today is bandh, so we are wearing helmets..." pic.twitter.com/b5GHHD4Ocq  ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2024

The state police detained protesting BJP workers in Alipurduar. A video of the incident shows people waving BJP party flags and sloganeering being rounded up by the police and being filled into a bus.

Elsewhere in the North 24 Parganas district, TMC workers protested against the Bengal Bandh, according to ANI. The ruling partys workers also visited shops in the airport area, urging people not to observe the Bandh and let daily services continue for common people.

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With inputs from agencies
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the BJP was playing divisive politics to defame the state as it had lost seats in the state in the Lok Sabha elections read more

As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) waged statewide protests in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday issued a stark warning.

If Bengal burns, the fire will also reach Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Delhi, said Mamata amid criticism as allegations of use of excessive force by her police during the two days of protests mount.

The BJP called for a 12-hour strike across West Bengal on Tuesday and carried out demonstration in protest against yesterdays use of force against demonstrators who were marching to the state secretariat in a protest related to the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata. The police had used water cannon and tear canon on the demonstrators in addition to baton-charging them.

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BJP slams Mamatas threat

Following Mamatas warning, the BJP lodged a strong protest. BJP state chief Sukanta Majumdar wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and dubbed Mamatas comments as anti-national and said she was threatening violence across the states.

Citing her remarks in the letter, Majumdar wrote that Mamata was endorsing revenge tactics.

This isnt the voice of someone holding a constitutional position; its the voice of an anti-national. Her statement is a clear attempt to threaten, incite violence, and sow hatred among the people. She no longer deserves to hold such an important position. She must resign immediately. It is the fundamental duty of every public servant, especially someone in a position of such high authority, to promote peace and discourage any form of violence. The Chief Ministers stance during the meeting is alarming and undermines the safety and security of the citizens of West Bengal and the integrity of the state, said Majumdar.

I have written to Hon'ble Union Home Minister Shri @AmitShah to apprise him of the alarming law and order situation in WB. CM Mamata Banerjees recent anti-national remarks, threatening unrest across states, are deeply concerning. #MamataResign pic.twitter.com/teBOk28Nm1  Dr. Sukanta Majumdar (@DrSukantaBJP) August 28, 2024

Separately, the BJP also alleged that Mamatas Trinamool Congress (TMC) cadres attacked BJP leaders and workers during the protests earlier in the day. BJP leader and West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari shared a video in which a man appears to be firing at the car from which the video was being made. He alleged that the purported shooter was a TMC worker firing at the car of fellow party leader Priyangu Pandey.

TMC goon opening fire on eminent BJP Leader Priyangu Pandeys vehicle at Bhatpara. The driver of the vehicle is shot. This is how Mamata Banerjee & TMC are trying to force BJP off the street. (sic), said Adhikari in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

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TMC goon opening fire on eminent BJP Leader Priyangu Pandey's vehicle at Bhatpara. The driver of the vehicle is shot.

This is how Mamata Banerjee & TMC are trying to force BJP off the street. The Bandh is successful and people have supported it wholeheartedly. The toxic cocktail pic.twitter.com/mOGsLnk9jh  Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) August 28, 2024

Separately, Adhikari also alleged that BJP leaders and cadres were also at the receiving end of excessive force of police.

Sharing photos of injured persons on X, Adhikari wrote, Bharatiya Janata Party member Diptarup Mandal, Yuva Morcha General Secretary Abhik Mandal and other Karyakartas have been seriously injured in the brutal attack by TMC goons and Mamata Police at Ballavpur; Asansol South Assembly Constituency.

Brute force is being unleashed to attack peaceful demonstrators and agitators. Police brutality is official recognition of the success of the state wide Bandh. (sic)

Bharatiya Janata Party member Diptarup Mandal, Yuva Morcha General Secretary Abhik Mandal and other Karyakartas have been seriously injured in the brutal attack by TMC goons and Mamata Police at Ballavpur; Asansol South Assembly Constituency.

Brute force is being unleashed to pic.twitter.com/tywGAbfUg1  Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) August 28, 2024

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In a separate post on X, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma slammed Mamata for her marks.

Didi, how are you threaten Assam? Dont show us your angry eyes. Dont try to burn India with your politics of failure. It does not suit you to speak divisive language, said Biswa in a post in Hindi.

Mamata salutes the police, fires shots at BJP

Even as the BJP alleged brutality at the hands of the police a day after police launched water cannons at marching people, Mamata saluted the police and slammed the BJP.

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We dont support this bandh. BJP never demanded the resignations of the CMs of UP, MP and even Manipur. We saw pictures from yesterday (Nabanna Abhiyan rally), I salute the police for handling the situation well, said Mamata, as per The Times of India.

Mamata went on to say that her government will pass a law mandating death penalty for rape within 10 days and will lead protests if the governor would not approve those laws.

Next week, we will call an Assembly session and pass a Bill within 10 days to ensure capital punishment for rapists. We will send this Bill to the Governor. If he doesnt pass the bill, we will sit outside Raj Bhavan. This Bill must be passed and he cannot evade accountability this time, said Mamata, as per ToI.

Separately, Mamata nephew Abhishek Banerjee said that he will lead protests in Delhi if the Centre does bring in harsher laws soon.

If a time-bound legislation pertaining to the crimes against women is not passed by the Centre in the next 3-4 months, then Trinamool Congress will hold a big movement in Delhi, said Abhishek, as per the newspaper.

Separately, Mamata also said that the BJP was trying to defame the state with the protests.

They have lost all the seats that were previously theirs, and now they resort to divisive politics, said Mamata, as per Times Now.
Until now, the BJP had relied on friendly parties not aligned with either the NDA or the Oppositions INDIA bloc to get its legislative agenda cleared in the Rajya Sabha read more

For the first time since 2014, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has a majority in the Rajya Sabha.

Until now, the BJP had relied on friendly parties not aligned with either the NDA or the Oppositions INDIA bloc to get its legislative agenda cleared in the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of the Parliament. Now, thats no longer the case as it has a majority of its own.

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In the Rajya Sabha bypolls scheduled for September 3 for 12 seats, the NDA has won 11. While the BJPs nine candidates won unopposed, two candidates of allies one each of Rashtriya Lok Morcha and NCPs Ajit Pawar faction also won.

In the 245-member Rajya Sabha, while the majority-mark is 123, the magic number is currently 119 as four seats from Jammu and Kashmir and nominated members are vacant.

Prior to the bypolls, the BJP had 87 MPs and the broader NDA had 105. The eight members nominated by the government, who are almost always aligned with the government of the day, took the number to 113. Now, as 11 members of the NDA including nine from the BJP have won, the NDAs numbers are effectively 124 and well past the majority-mark.
West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said the driver of party leader Priyangu Pandeys vehicle was shot read more

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has shared a video purportedly showing the car of a party leader being fired at.

The BJP on Wednesday is organising statewide protests in West Bengal amid a call for a 12-hour statewide strike. The protest and strike are a response to police actions on demonstrators on Tuesday who were marching to the state secretariat in Kolkata in protest against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees stance in the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College.

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BJP leader and West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) in which he said people are seen firing at the vehicle of party leader Pryangu Pandey. He said the attackers belonged to the states ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Adhikari further said that the driver of the vehicle was shot in the attack.

TMC goon opening fire on eminent BJP Leader Priyangu Pandey's vehicle at Bhatpara. The driver of the vehicle is shot.

This is how Mamata Banerjee & TMC are trying to force BJP off the street. The Bandh is successful and people have supported it wholeheartedly. The toxic cocktail pic.twitter.com/mOGsLnk9jh  Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) August 28, 2024

Injuries to protesters have been reported in West Bengal amid alleged police excesses. In a separate post, Adhikari alleged that two party functionaries and other workers suffered serious injuries in violence of the police and TMC cadres. He said the incident happened at Ballavpur.

Brute force is being unleashed to attack peaceful demonstrators and agitators. Police brutality is official recognition of the success of the statewide bandh, said Adhikari.

Bharatiya Janata Party member Diptarup Mandal, Yuva Morcha General Secretary Abhik Mandal and other Karyakartas have been seriously injured in the brutal attack by TMC goons and Mamata Police at Ballavpur; Asansol South Assembly Constituency.

Brute force is being unleashed to pic.twitter.com/tywGAbfUg1  Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) August 28, 2024

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In the rape-murder of the doctor in Kolkata, the BJP has alleged that the state government was engaged in a cover-up.

Mamata Banerjees administration is in overdrive to cover up the rape and murder of a resident doctor in RG Kar MCH. Kolkata Police has apparently arrested a civic volunteer for the crime, when as per media reports, the body of the deceased had 11 grievous injuries, with even her eyes bleeding. It seems, even forensic experts have opined that she was raped for a long time before being murdered, said BJP leader Amit Malviya earlier this month.

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Following criticism over the handling of the case, the Calcutta High Court had transferred the case from the state police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Despite knowing that Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugtis martyrdom day usually draws symbolic attacks against the state, security and intelligence agencies in Pakistan remained callous read more

Eighteen years after Nawab Akbar Bugtis killing, on August 26, 2006, Baloch insurgents undertook a series of dastardly attacks on August 26-27, 2024, spanning widespread areas in the north-east, central, and southern parts of Balochistan, killing at least 23 civilians, mostly petty Punjabi labourers and fruit dealers, in just one incident where passengers were made to get down from a bus, their identity cards checked, and Punjabis were summarily executed.

They also attacked security pickets of the Frontier Corps in Bela, Mastung, and Turbat. Road blockades were enforced for almost 20 hours on the Coastal Highway and other roads, including towards the Iran border. As many as 35 trucks burned, and an old railway bridge on the Quetta-Sukkur-Multan-Lahore rail link, built in British times, was blown up near Kolpur, Bolan (south-east of Quetta), disrupting train and road links between the province and the rest of Pakistan.

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The targeted attacks, codenamed Op Haruf, which occurred uncomfortably close to the Punjab border, were claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and its `Majeed Brigade, led by Mahal Baloch, also known as (aka) Zalan Kurd, and Rizwan Baloch, aka Hammal, both of Gwadar.

Reprisals by Pakistans security forces ensued swiftly enough in Musakhail, Kalat and Lasbela. The death toll was estimated by Reuters at 73, including 38 civilians, but at least 14 security personnel were martyred.

These incidents cast considerable egg on the face of the heavily securitised XII Corps. The extent and reach of the militants while preparing for and executing these actions could not be anticipated. Despite knowing that Bugtis martyrdom day usually draws symbolic attacks against the state every year in a festering insurgency, these are intelligence lapses of herculean dimensions on part of the Inter Services Intellelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI) complements in Balochistan, and the civilian Intelligence Bureau (IB).

Apart from the Corps reserve, the XII Corps led by Lt Gen Rahat Nasim Khan (Frontier Force Regiment) has three Infantry Divisions of between 10,000 and 15,000 forces each: the 41 Div at Quetta (Maj Gen Nisar ul Haq), the 33 Div at Khuzdar (Maj Gen Jawwad Ahmed Qazi), and the newly formed 44 Div at Gwadar (Maj Gen Adnan Sarwar Malik), tasked with exclusive responsibility to protect Chinese personnel deployed to execute unfinished projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

In addition, there are at least two Independent Infantry Brigades at Turbat and Gwadar (strength around 5,500 each) and an Independent Armoured Brigade at Khuzdar. The Inspector General, Frontier Corps (Balochistan South-Headquarters in Turbat) (Maj Gen Bilal Sarfaraz), whose units at Bela and Mastung were attacked and held on to by the militants for some hours, is equipped with 7 infantry regiments (1,000 strong each) with two or more battalion-sized wings (strength 400 each). There is also an IGFC (Balochistan NorthHeadquarters in Quetta) (Maj Gen Amir Ajmal), which was not attacked in this operation.

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It remains to be seen whether any accountability will be enforced against these lapses.

Not only do these attacks suggest that Baloch militants have intensified their violent campaign against the state and security forces, they emphasise again that sheer superior military force cannot be enough to solve the problem, as long as the reasons behind this wave of disaffection that have led young middle-class men and women to protest continue; they pertain to human rights violations, poor socio-economic conditions, and the denial of political rights. These factors provide a fertile recruiting ground for terrorist groups on the lookout for angry, frustrated elements to join their ranks. The missing persons issue also resonates, accounting for the popularity and international acclaim attracted by agitating female protagonists like Mahrang Baloch.

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Yet, politicians at the provincial level, including the Peoples Party Chief Minister, Sarfaraz Bugti, and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, have talked only of firm-handed reprisals and cautioned that the states actions should not be construed as weakness. No one is mentioning earlier initiatives like the Aghaz e Huqooq package of social and economic measures undertaken, albeit half-heartedly in the past, under the stewardship of former Chief Ministers Abdul Malek (20132015) and Akhtar Mengal (199798).

Once the present damage is contained, the civil and security leadership must look deeper into the Balochistan question, however unpalatable the exercise, and identify the factors that have intensified the tension between the Baloch and the state, eventually forcing the Federal government to change tack, stop ignoring Baloch voices, and move, even haltingly, towards peace and genuine efforts for change.

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The writer is a former special secretary, Cabinet Secretariat. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
With only a few months of Bidens presidency left and amid a polarised, riskier world, reaching at least some understanding with China can add constructive value to his legacy read more

US NSA Jake Sullivans visit to Beijing is a step to have stable ties and substantial and constructive talks amid differences on geopolitical issues and competition in the global market

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan began his three-day China visit on Tuesday, becoming the first US NSA to visit Beijing since 2016. Sullivan met Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi in Beijing, which, as per analysts, is aimed at setting the stage for the final Biden-Xi summit before the American president leaves office in January 2025.

Before the closed-door talks, Wang described the US-China relations as critical, which have taken twists and turns but have a bearing on the world, while Sullivan said that the agreements and the disagreements between the two largest economies need to be managed effectively and substantially.

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In this visit, Sullivan would push for a resumption of theatre-level military-to-military talks while raising US concerns about Chinas increased military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan, and hear Chinas assessment of the situation in the Middle East.

The meeting is in line with a series of senior Biden administration members visiting the Chinese capital after the ties dipped post the Chinese Spy-Balloon incident in the early months of 2023, followed by the Biden-Xi summit in November of the same year. Both Treasure Secretary Janet L Yellen and Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Beijing in April 2024.

As per experts, in the final months of his presidency, Joe Biden has pushed for direct diplomacy and aims to stabilise the otherwise rocky ties. Many Republicans led by Donald Trump have called this approach too soft. Remarkably, it was under Trumps presidency that the trade war kicked off between Washington and Beijing in 2019.

However, the tariff war was not reversed under Bidens presidency and was in fact aggravated when he imposed steep duties upon China-made electric cars, solar panels, and steel. And Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris asserts that America, and not China, will win the 21st century. The fact that Biden saw merits in diplomacy is praiseworthy, but Washingtons support for the Tibetan cause and the independence of Taiwan will not be overlooked by Beijing, which considers breaching One-China policy as a diplomatic red line. Also, Beijing is critical of US tariffs on a range of manufactured goods and export controls targeting Chinese chip makers.

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Sullivan has been Bidens point person in dealing with Communist Party leaders and the Washington-China divide; it was he and Wang in Vienna in May 2023 that the two countries launched a delicate process of putting relations back on track.

This visit in the same vein is a step to have stable ties and substantial and constructive talks amid differences on geopolitical issues and competition in the global market.

It is also a continuation of what Biden and Xi agreed at the summit last November to have their teams speak on military matters, artificial intelligence, and curbing illicit fentanyl production (fentanyl and related substances have contributed to a dramatic rise in drug overdose deaths in the US).

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Also, the recent tensions in the South China Sea remain a big conundrum for both trans-Pacific global powers  China and the US. The Philippines (a member of a new security initiative in the Indo-Pacific  Squad  having Australia, Japan, and the US as fellow members) and China have frequent scuffles here.

The US presidential election is approaching, with campaigns reaching their final stage, and with President Biden withdrawing from the race for his second term, it is a time when his term will be assessed. Whatever ones political disposition, it cannot be denied that the world today is at an unpredictable crossroads, certainly more uncertain than the time when Biden ascended to the presidency. War in Ukraine started in his presidency, and despite being the Vice President when the Iran-nuclear deal was signed, tensions in West Asia have only risen in his presidential tenure, with the Israel-Hamas war having the potential to spillover to a larger regional or even global conflict.

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Under these circumstances, if the Biden administration at least reached some understanding with China, despite the aforementioned issues, it would add constructive value to Bidens legacy as the 46th president of the worlds only superpower. Biden would not want to be remembered as an American president under whose tenure the world became more polarised, riskier. As for China, Beijing knows whatever be the results of US elections, Sino-American issues will be there, so it continues its cautious moves.

Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov could be subject to measures such as house arrest or a travel ban, if he is charged. It should be noted that Macron had previously invited Durov to relocate Telegrams headquarters from Dubai to Paris during a 2018 lunch meeting read more

Macron had previously invited Durov to relocate Telegrams headquarters from Dubai to Paris during a 2018 lunch meeting. Macron also discussed the possibility of granting French citizenship to Durov. Image Credit: Reuters, Reuters

Pavel Durov, the CEO of the popular messaging app Telegram, was detained on Saturday at Le Bourget airport near Paris. This arrest is part of a judicial investigation into several serious allegations, including complicity in the sale of child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking, fraud, and involvement in organized crime.

Additionally, Durov is accused of failing to provide the required information and documents to investigators.

French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the situation on Monday, clarifying that the arrest was not politically motivated but a result of an independent legal inquiry.

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President Macron emphasised that while France is committed to upholding freedom of expression, this freedom operates within a legal framework designed to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights.

However, there is more to the story than meets the eye, particularly in regards to what President Macron claims.

Reports emerged that Durov was scheduled to have dinner with Macron on the night of his arrest. According to a report by Russian state-owned media outlet Sputnik, based on information from French investigative newspaper Le Canard Enchaine, Durov told Paris Police that he was set to meet President Macron for dinner on the day of his arrest.

This has led to accusations from some quarters that the arrest might be politically motivated. Florian Philippot, leader of the Les Patriots Party, criticised President Macron, suggesting that the arrest was a deceitful act to target defenders of freedom of expression.

However, Macrons office has denied all of these claims.

It should be noted that Macron had previously invited Durov to relocate Telegrams headquarters from Dubai to Paris during a 2018 lunch meeting. Macron also discussed the possibility of granting French citizenship to Durov.

However, Durov declined the offer. The timing of these past discussions and the current investigation has led to speculation about potential connections between them.

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In addition to the arrest, there are concerns that Durov may face restrictions on leaving France if he is charged. Financial Times reported that, according to a Paris-based lawyer, Durov could be subject to measures such as house arrest or a travel ban if charged. The lawyer noted that investigators might seek additional information from Durov or extend his detention to apply pressure.

Durov, who holds multiple citizenships including French, was reportedly detained at the National Anti-Fraud Units facility in the Paris suburbs. This unit is handling the investigation into his case. If charged, Durov could face up to 20 years in prison for the alleged crimes linked to his app.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will present a four-stage victory plan to US President Joe Biden at the UN General Assembly in September. The plan includes military, strategic, diplomatic, and economic components, while Russia has dismissed the initiative and vows to continue its military operations in Ukraine read more

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has outlined a four stage plan for Ukraines victory and aims to discuss it with US President Joe Biden during their scheduled meeting at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

Zelenskyy, who will be attending the assembly, pressed on the crucial role of US support in the success of this plan at a press conference in Kyiv, Tuesday.

Given the uncertainty surrounding the future US presidency and the need to ensure that the plan can proceed regardless of who is in office, Zelenskyy intends to discuss the plan with both presidential candidates in US: Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

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Here are the four key stages of the plan:

Incursion into Kursk Region

Zelenskyy revealed that the first stage of his plan involved a cross-border incursion into Russias Kursk region, which he described as already done. He stressed the importance of this move, stating, The 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.

Strengthening Ukraines Global Security Role

The second part of Zelenskyys plan focuses on enhancing Ukraines strategic position within the global security framework. He described this as crucial for reinforcing Ukraines role on the international stage.

Diplomatic Pressure on Russia

The third component involves a diplomatic effort to compel Russia to end the conflict. Zelenskyy stressed that this stage includes a powerful package designed to bring about a resolution through negotiations rather than military means.

Economic Strategy

The fourth and final element of the plan pertains to economic strategies, although Zelenskyy chose not to provide specific details on this aspect at this time.

Zelenskyys plan highlights a comprehensive approach to achieving Ukraines objectives, combining military, strategic, diplomatic, and economic measures. The success of this multi-faceted strategy, he indicated, largely hinges on continued support and resources from the United States.

The Kremlin, meanwhile, on Wednesday dismissed Zelenskiys talk about the plan he has to end the war and said Russia would continue what it calls its special military operation in Ukraine.

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This is not the first time that we have heard such statements from representatives of the Kyiv regime. We are aware of the nature of this Kyiv regime, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about Zelenskiys plan.

We are continuing our special military operation and will achieve all of our goals.

Russia is currently engaged in repelling the Ukrainian incursion that began on Aug 6, and is pressing ahead with its own offensive in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.

Peskov also said that Russia supported Indias view on the need for a peaceful settlement, but said it was more than obvious that there was no basis for talks right now.

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that he had told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call that he backed an early, peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict, days after Modi held talks with Zelenskiy in Kyiv.

With inputs from agencies
Mohamed Muizzu fears coup in the Maldives, barely 11 months after winning the presidential election. He said the Maldivian central banks move to restrict payment in dollars was a coup attempt read more

The Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has ordered a probe into the Bank of Maldives (BML) recent decision to suspend US dollar payments from MVR (Maldivian rufiyaa) accounts, a move later revoked. Muizzue described it as an attempted coup against the government.

According to reports, BML decided over the weekend to stop debit card transactions and allowed a maximum monthly credit card spend of $100 for online transactions.

The police says, there have been no demonstrations but scathing criticism of govt on the internet. Hundreds of bot accounts have been used to encourage people to take to the streets to overthrow govt and incite public unrest.

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The bank said the changes, which they have since rescinded, came in response to the escalating usage of foreign currency spend on cards and the static sale of foreign currency to the bank.

Speaking at a gathering of the ruling Peoples National Congress (PNC) on Monday night, Muizzu said the BML decision was against his advice.

What was done, anyone with common sense would know that all these dots are connected, what was done is, just as Shiyam [Minister Shiyam] also pointed out, it was an attempted coup, by whoever was behind it, he said.

Here are 5 key aspects behind Muizzus decision to call it a coup:

Probe the bank

President Muizzu announced that an investigation into the banks decision would be launched. He stressed that the government would not interfere with the investigation, ensuring it remains independent. I will not hesitate to carry out the verdict after an independent investigation. That is justice, Muizzu stated.

Opposition involvement?

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has firmly denied any involvement in the alleged coup attempt. Fayyaz Ismail, MDP Chairperson, condemned the allegations, stating, It is very lowly to claim that a coup is being attempted every time our Admiral Ameer gives a press conference. He stressed that the MDP does not engage in coups but seeks to hold the government accountable.

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Governments stake in the Bank

Muizzu has raised concerns about the composition of BMLs Board of Directors, noting that although the board includes four government members, the remaining five are not associated with the government. This composition, according to Muizzu, undermines claims that the banks decision was influenced by government interests. In fact, he accused the directors of being more loyal to the previous government.

Sheer timing of the move

The controversy was further fueled by the timing of a press conference held by former Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer, which coincided with BMLs announcement of the transaction limit. Critics have questioned whether this timing was intended to influence or provoke political reactions. However, Fayyaz Ismail argued that such claims are baseless and that the MDPs actions are within their rights as an opposition party.

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What happens now?

Muizzu has accused the opposition of attempting a coup in line with recent events in neighboring countries. The president has pledged to use all constitutional powers to prevent any illegal attempts to alter the government. Meanwhile, Ismail has suggested that the situation reflects internal government turmoil, with Muizzu potentially facing challenges to his presidency. Were witnessing President Muizzu lose his footing, Ismail commented, hinting at possible internal political strife.
UK PM Keir Starmer is visiting Berlin and Paris this week to initiate talks on a major bilateral treaty with Germany and to strengthen ties with Europe post-Brexit. His diplomatic mission, involving meetings with Chancellor Scholz and President Macron, aims to enhance business, trade, and defense cooperation while addressing issues like illegal migration read more

UK PM Keir Starmer is undertaking a pivotal diplomatic trip to Berlin and Paris this week, marking a significant moment in the post-Brexit era for Britain.

His trip will seek to reinforce and reshape the UKs relationships with key European allies through high-level meetings and strategic negotiations. Here are five key things about his trip:

Meeting with Chancellor Scholz: On Wednesday, Starmer will sit down with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin. This meeting is crucial as it marks the beginning of discussions on a groundbreaking bilateral treaty between the UK and Germany.

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The proposed treaty aims to bolster business and trade ties, enhance defense and security cooperation, and address common challenges. The agreement is envisioned as a major step forward in strengthening the UKs relationship with one of its most important European partners.

Recalibrating Brexit Relations: Starmer is placing a strong emphasis on moving past the Brexit referendum of 2016, which continues to shape UK-EU relations. His visit to Berlin is intended to signal a renewed commitment to improving ties with Europe.

Starmers approach focuses on resetting the relationship with key European nations, highlighting a desire to build positive partnerships and foster collaborative efforts on various fronts.

European Diplomatic Push: The trip to Berlin and Paris is part of a broader European charm offensive by Starmer and his Labour government. Starmers meetings with Chancellor Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron underscore his administrations strategic focus on engaging with European leaders to enhance bilateral relations.

This diplomatic effort aims to demonstrate the UKs readiness to play a proactive role in addressing European and global issues.

Strategic Objectives: The new bilateral treaty being discussed is expected to tackle several important areas. These include joint action on illegal migration, which remains a pressing issue for both the UK and its European neighbors.

Additionally, the treaty aims to boost economic growth through increased trade and business opportunities and to deepen defense and security cooperation. The UK government is aiming to finalise this partnership by early 2025, setting a clear timeline for negotiations.

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Political and Timing Considerations: Starmers visit comes at a politically sensitive time. Scholzs SPD party is facing challenging polling figures, which could impact his tenure as Chancellor. The urgency of the negotiations reflects the need to capitalise on the current political climate and secure meaningful agreements before potential changes in German leadership.

In addition to the political discussions, Starmer will also attend the Paralympics Opening Ceremony in Paris on Wednesday evening, before continuing to Paris for talks with President Macron on Thursday.
Since Hamass October 7 attack, Israeli troops or settlers have killed more than 650 Palestinians in the West Bank, according to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry figures read more

Israels army said Wednesday its forces killed nine Palestinian militants during an ongoing operation in the occupied West Bank, which was launched overnight.

The Israeli forces began a counterterrorism operation in Jenin and Tulkarem overnight, the army said in a statement.

It specified that three terrorists were killed in an aerial strike in Jenin, two others eliminated in Jenin and Tulkarem and four more eliminated in an aerial counterterrorism operation in the area of Faraa in the Jordan Valley.

At the moment, there are no injured soldiers on our side, military spokesman Nadav Shoshani told reporters.

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We have met explosives already in the first hours, and we have met real-time fire exchanged with terrorists engaging in battle.

He declined to say how long the operation would last or how many troops were involved.

It was targeting a mixture of terror groups and terror cells, Shoshani said.

In Jenin, Israeli forces apprehended five wanted suspects and located and confiscated weapons including rifle parts and ammunition, he said.

Additionally, the forces exposed and dismantled explosives that were planted under the roads in the area and were intended to be detonated in attacks against the security forces operating in the area, he said.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said at least 10 were killed in the operation which involved air strikes, ground forces and bulldozers.

The operation was triggered by a significant rise in terrorist activity in the past year emanating from the targeted areas, Shoshani said.

This included over 150 shooting and explosive attacks from these areas alone, he said.

Since Hamass October 7 attack, Israeli troops or settlers have killed more than 650 Palestinians in the West Bank, according to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry figures.

During the same period, at least 19 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks, according to Israeli officials.
The release of these photos coincides with new details provided by FBI officials about 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks internet searches leading up to the shooting, according to a report read more

Secret Service agents whisk away Donald Trump, who raises his fist in the air after being shot in a foiled assassination bid. AP File

The FBI on Wednesday released new photos, including images of the gun and explosives found in the shooters car, from its investigation into attempted assassination of former US president Donald Trump during a July rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

According to a CNN report, the release of these photos coincides with new details provided by FBI officials about 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks internet searches leading up to the shooting.

Investigators are examining these searches to better understand Crooks mindset at the time, added the report.

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The photos reveal the firearms collapsible stock, which investigators believe may have been used to conceal the rifle at the rally site.

According to CBS News, the FBI said that the investigation into the shooting on July 13 remains ongoing and the bureau has still not identified a motive or evidence that Crooks worked with any others.

Kevin Rojek, head of the FBIs Pittsburgh field office, told reporters during a briefing that investigators believe Crooks had engaged in detailed attack planning.

Rojek said Crooks became hyper-focused on Trumps campaign rally in Butler once it was announced.

When this event was announced, the Trump rally was announced, early in July, he became hyper-focused on that specific event and looked at it as a target of opportunity, CBS News quoted Rojek as saying, adding, the FBI discovered a mixture of ideologies linked to Crooks.

After firing eight shots, Crooks was killed by a Secret Service sniper. Trump was injured by a bullet that struck his ear, two rally attendees were wounded, and one person was killed in the shooting.

Rojek said in late September 2023, an online account tied to Crooks was used to search for Trump campaign events scheduled in Pennsylvania. From April 2024 through July 12, the gunman searched for information on campaign events for both Trump and President Biden. Once the Trump rally was announced in Butler, he searched for specifics about that venue, including Butler farm show podium, CBS News reported.

About a month before the attack, the shooter searched for topics related to Trump and Biden, including the dates for the Democratic and Republican conventions.

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As early as 2019, accounts tied to Crooks searched for explosive devices including detonating cord, how to make a bomb from fertilizer and how do remote detonators work, Rojek said.

FBI officials have determined that some antisemitic comments online are tied to an account associated with Crooks and they are working to determine if he himself posted that language, according to Rojek.

With inputs from agencies
The investigation by the WFPs Office of the Inspector General (OIG) comes as the U.N.s food-aid arm is struggling to feed millions of people in war-plagued Sudan, now suffering one of the worlds most severe food shortages in years read more

The U.N. World Food Program is investigating two of its top officials in Sudan over allegations including fraud and concealing information from donors about its ability to deliver food aid to civilians amid the nations dire hunger crisis, according to 11 people with knowledge of the probe.

The investigation by the WFPs Office of the Inspector General (OIG) comes as the U.N.s food-aid arm is struggling to feed millions of people in war-plagued Sudan, now suffering one of the worlds most severe food shortages in years.

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As part of the probe, investigators are looking at whether WFP staff sought to hide the alleged role of Sudans army in obstructing aid amid a brutal 16-month war with a rival paramilitary for control of the country, according to five of the sources who spoke to Reuters.

One of those being examined in the inquiry is the WFPs deputy country director in Sudan, Khalid Osman, who has been given a temporary duty assignment outside Sudan, a de facto suspension, according to six sources.

A second senior official, WFP area manager Mohammed Ali, is being investigated in connection with the alleged disappearance of more than 200,000 liters of the U.N. organizations fuel in the Sudanese city of Kosti, according to four sources. Reuters could not confirm whether Ali remains in his role.

Osman and Ali declined to comment when contacted by Reuters, referring the news agency to the WFPs media office.

Asked about the probe by Reuters, the WFP said that allegations of individual misconduct related to irregularities in pockets of our operation in Sudan are under urgent review by its inspector generals office. It declined to comment on the nature of alleged wrongdoing or the status of specific employees.

The U.S. governments aid agency, USAID, told Reuters in a statement that it was notified by the WFP on Aug. 20 of potential incidents of fraud affecting WFP operations in Sudan. USAID says it is the single largest donor to the WFP, providing nearly half of all contributions in a typical year.

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These allegations are deeply concerning and must be thoroughly investigated, the USAID statement said. USAID immediately referred these allegations to the USAID Office of the Inspector General."

The investigation comes at a critical time for the WFP, which describes itself as the worlds largest humanitarian organization. It won the 2020 Nobel peace prize for its role in combating hunger and promoting peace.

The WFP is battling severe hunger on many fronts. It is seeking $22.7 billion in funding to reach 157 million people, including some 1.3 million on the brink of famine, mostly in Sudan and Gaza, but also in countries such as South Sudan and Mali. In addition to distributing food itself, the WFP also coordinates and provides logistical support for large-scale emergencies globally for the wider humanitarian community.

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In recent years, however, its operations have been rocked by diversion and theft of aid in countries including Somalia and Yemen. The WFP and USAID last year temporarily suspended food distribution to Ethiopia following reports of the widespread stealing of food aid there.

More than half a dozen humanitarians and diplomats told Reuters they are worried that mismanagement at the heart of the WFPs Sudan office could have contributed to the failure so far to deliver enough aid during the war between Sudans army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has been raging for more than 16 months.

The investigation at the WFP comes weeks after the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), an international technical group tasked with measuring hunger, determined that famine had taken hold in at least one site in Sudans Darfur region. The IPC has classified 13 other areas across the country as being at risk of famine. And it says that more than 25 million people, or over half Sudans population, face crisis levels of hunger or worse.

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Reuters reported in April that in some parts of the country, people were forced to survive by eating leaves and soil. In June, a Reuters analysis of satellite images showed that cemeteries were expanding fast as starvation and disease spread.

Aid workers say they have struggled to deliver relief, partly because of logistical constraints and fighting. But they also allege that army-linked authorities have hindered access by withholding travel permits and clearances, while RSF troops have looted aid supplies. Both factions deny impeding the delivery of humanitarian relief.

One focus of the investigation involves suspicions that senior WFP staff in Sudan may have misled donors, including U.N. Security Council member states, by downplaying the Sudanese armys alleged role in blocking aid deliveries to areas controlled by the RSF, according to four people with direct knowledge of the matter.

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In one instance in June 2024, two people with knowledge of the probe said, WFP deputy country director Osman allegedly hid from donors that authorities aligned with the army in Port Sudan had refused to give permission for 15 trucks to carry life-saving aid to Nyala in South Darfur, an area that includes communities at risk of famine. The trucks waited for seven weeks before they finally were granted permission to proceed.

Osman, who was promoted within the WFPs Sudan office with unusual speed, had high-level army connections, according to eight sources. He exercised control over which WFP colleagues gained visa approvals to enter Sudan, allowing him to limit access and scrutiny of the armys management of aid, according to three people familiar with the system.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm the allegations against Osman or what possible motive he may have had in misleading donors.

In its written response to Reuters, the WFP said it had taken swift measures to reinforce its work in Sudan due to the scale of the humanitarian challenge and following the IPCs confirmation of famine in Darfur. WFP has taken immediate staffing actions to ensure the integrity and continuity of our life-saving operations, it added.

The war in Sudan broke out in April 2023. It has driven more than 10 million people from their homes, causing the worlds largest internal displacement crisis as well as worsening hunger, a spike of severe acute malnutrition among children, and outbreaks of disease such as cholera. The United States and rights groups have accused both sides of war crimes, which the combatants deny.

U.N. agencies have been operating out of Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast, where the army-aligned government relocated after losing control of most of the capital city of Khartoum early in the war.

The WFP and other U.N. agencies have complained that lack of access contributed to their inability to reach people in need, mostly in areas under RSF control such as Khartoum and the Darfur and Kordofan regions. But the aid agencies have largely avoided blaming either of the warring parties publicly.

In response to a request for comment about the militarys role in the hunger crisis, Sudanese armed forces spokesman Nabil Abdallah said the army is doing all it can to facilitate aid to alleviate the suffering of our people.

In response to questions, an RSF spokesperson said that the probe was a good step and that it should cover all humanitarian aid.

On Aug. 1, the IPCs Famine Review Committee said that the war and the subsequent restrictions on aid deliveries were the main drivers of the food crisis in Sudan.

Some aid officials said they feared making public statements assigning blame, worrying the army could expel them from Port Sudan and they could lose access to army-controlled areas where hunger is acute.
Jamaat-e-Islami, the countrys largest Islamist party, was banned on August 1, just four days before the dramatic ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The party is now free to participate in public activities read more

Bangladeshs interim authorities on Wednesday (August 28) lifted a ban on the countrys largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, which had been imposed during the final days of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas rule.

The government order, effective immediately, reverses the ban enacted on August 1, which barred the party from holding public gatherings.

Jamaat-e-Islami, with millions of supporters, had been banned from contesting elections since 2013 after a court ruled that its charter violated the secular constitution of the Muslim-majority nation.

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The party was excluded from the 2014, 2018, and 2024 elections, with Hasina winning her fifth term in January amid accusations of a rigged and discredited electoral process with no real opposition.

Why was Jamaat banned?

In July, Hasinas government accused opposition parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, of hijacking student protests protests against a quota legislation in Bangladesh to create unrest. Obaidul Quader, the general secretary of Hasinas ruling Awami League, stated at the time that the decision to ban Jamaat and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, was based on their past and present activities.

Just days before her ouster, Hasinas administration officially banned Jamaat under an anti-terrorism law. The ban, however, was lifted by the interim government on Wednesday, citing no specific evidence of involvement with terrorism and violence. The order also restored Jamaats ability to hold public gatherings.

Forced disappearances being investigated

The interim government has also launched an investigation into hundreds of enforced disappearances allegedly carried out by security forces during Hasinas tenure. Human Rights Watch reported last year that more than 600 enforced disappearances had occurred since Hasina came to power in 2009, with nearly 100 individuals still unaccounted for. Many of those detained were from Hasinas rivals, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jamaat-e-Islami.

Jamaat-e-Islami remains one of Bangladeshs major political forces, alongside the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. The future of Hasinas once-dominant Awami League, however, is now uncertain following her dramatic exit from power.

With inputs from AFP
President Bidens $230 million Gaza pier project was opposed by US Agency for International Development (USAID) from the get-go since it would detract focus from opening much more efficient land routes. Biden, however, pressed ahead with it read more

The Gaza pier was supposed to support the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and partners to receive and deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Fime image/AP

President Joe Biden ordered the construction of a temporary pier to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza despite concerns that the project would undermine advocacy for opening up of more efficient land crossings, according to a recent watchdog report.

Biden had first announced the plan regarding the pier during his State of the Union address in March. According to US Agency for International Development (USAID) inspector generals report, the president pressed ahead with $230 million military-run Gaza pier in spite of opposition.

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Opposition to the Gaza pier

Biden was advised against the Gaza pier project primarily due to concerns from USAID staff that the focus on this temporary and complex project would detract from more efficient and proven methods of delivering aid, such as opening land crossings.

Staff believed that land routes were better suited for the sustained and effective transportation of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

AP quoted a US official as saying that the USAID staffer concerns about the project undercutting overall aid efforts were raised early in the process. USAID responded by adding enough staffing for the agency to address both the pier and the land routes simultaneously, the official said.

Breaching WFPs trust: A matter of location

The Biden administration breached the World Food Programs (WFP) trust by promising that the pier would be placed in North Gaza, where the need for aid was greatest, but ultimately positioning it in Central Gaza.

This decision was reportedly made by the Pentagon, which prioritised the security of the pier and the military over the initial humanitarian objective.

There was another issue. WFP had asked the US to have a UN member nation provide security for the pier. That step was meant to safeguard WFPs neutrality among Gazas warring parties, the watchdog report said.

The US agreed to the condition. However, since the US military was unable to find a neutral country willing to do the job, Israels military ultimately provided the security.

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The final straw was an Israeli rescue operation to whisk away hostages in an area nearby. UN World Food Program ended cooperation with the pier project after this move raised concerns about whether its workers would be seen as neutral and independent in the conflict.

The failure of the Gaza project

USAIDs apprehensions regarding the pier came true when it ran into further problems.

First, repeated high waves and bad weather damaged the temporary pier, severely limiting its operational capacity.

The project fell short of its goal, delivering enough food to feed about 450,000 people for a month, far less than the intended 1.5 million people for 90 days.

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By July, Aid groups pulled out of the project and ended the project a global embarrassment for the Biden administration.

With inputs from AP
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Wednesday said that they have recovered the body of an Israeli soldier, who was abducted and killed by Hamas on October 7, from the southern Gaza Strip in an overnight operation, according to a report read more

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Wednesday said that they have recovered the body of an Israeli soldier, who was abducted and killed by Hamas on October 7, from the southern Gaza Strip in an overnight operation.

According to a Times of Israel report, following the overnight operation, 103 of the 251 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of 33 confirmed dead by the IDF.

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During a weeklong truce in late November, Hamas released 105 civilians, and an additional four hostages were freed before that. Troops have rescued eight hostages alive and recovered the bodies of 31 hostages, including three who were accidentally killed by the military while attempting to escape.

Hamas is also holding two Israeli civilians who entered the Gaza Strip in 2014 and 2015, as well as the bodies of two IDF soldiers killed in 2014.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed condolences to the family of the slain soldier.

Netanyahu also thanked the security forces who took part in the operation to bring the body back to Israel.

Israel will continue to do all it can to return hostages home, those who are alive and those who have fallen, Times of Israel quoted Netanyahu as saying.

In a post on X, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant also commended security forces for the operation.

I commend the IDF and ISA forces who conducted a bold operation to retrieve the body of a fallen soldier from Gaza, and brought him home for burial in Israel. The soldier fell in combat during the Hamas attack on October 7th, posted Gallant.

I commend the IDF and ISA forces who conducted a bold operation to retrieve the body of a fallen soldier from Gaza, and brought him home for burial in Israel. The soldier fell in combat during the Hamas attack on October 7th.



This operation reflects our commitment to bringing    - Yoav Gallant (@yoavgallant) August 28, 2024

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This operation reflects our commitment to bringing all the hostages home, he added.

With inputs from agencies
Chile is considered a key partner for India in the Latin American region. India has been actively pursuing closer relationships with Latin American nations, primarily through bilateral trade arrangements read more

India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar met his Chilean counterpart Alberto van Klaveren in New Delhi on Wednesday (August 28). Image source: Screengrab from DD

Chiles Foreign Minister Alberto van Klaveren is in New Delhi for a two-day official visit. He is participating in the second India-Chile Joint Commission Meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

The visit, scheduled from August 27-29, is aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation and strengthening ties between the two nations.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) shared a post on its X account, welcoming Klaveren. Jaishankar shared his opening remarks at the summit on the social media platform as well. He thanked Chile for their support of Indias permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

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My opening remarks at the 2nd India-Chile Joint Commission Meeting in Delhi today.



 

https://t.co/oexlfmgzTF  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) August 28, 2024

In addition to his participation in the Joint Commission Meeting, Klaveren, along with Chilean Agriculture Minister Esteban Valenzuela, will attend the Chile-India Business (Agriculture) Summit in New Delhi.

Following this, the delegation will depart for Mumbai to continue their visit.

On the heels of Agri ministers meet

Klaverens visit comes a day after Valenzuela engaged in high-level bilateral discussions with Indias Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ramnath Thakur. The meeting, held in New Delhi on Tuesday (August 27), focused on critical areas of mutual interest, particularly in the agricultural sector.

Key topics of discussion included the implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Agricultural Cooperation, the development of the Horticulture Action Plan, and the introduction of e-certification for phytosanitary certificates.

India and Latin American countries

Chile is considered a key partner for India in the Latin American region. India has been actively pursuing closer relationships with Latin American nations, primarily through bilateral trade arrangements.

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According to the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), India largely imports extractive and agricultural products from Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) nations. In 2022, four major product groupscrude and petroleum products, pearls and precious stones/metals, vegetable oils, and oresaccounted for nearly 86 per cent of Indias total imports from the LAC region.

Conversely, India predominantly exports manufactured commodities to LAC nations, including motor vehicles, chemical products, and organic chemicals, along with extractive products such as mineral fuels, mineral oils, aluminum, iron, and steel. In 2022, manufactured and extractive commodities together made up nearly 78 per cent of Indias total exports to the LAC region.

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With inputs from agencies
Russia has recently been advancing towards Pokrovsk and has regularly announced that it has taken control of nearby villages read more

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that the situation around the eastern city of Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub in the Donetsk region, was now extremely difficult.

Russia has recently been advancing towards Pokrovsk and has regularly announced that it has taken control of nearby villages.

Pokrovsk and other areas in the Donetsk region are extremely difficult: the key Russian efforts and the largest forces are concentrated there, Zelenskyy said in his evening address, citing a report by army chief Oleksandr Syrsky.

Ukraines General Staff said in an update on Wednesday afternoon that the situation is the hottest in the Pokrovsk sector.

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It said there was fierce fighting in a number of villages close to the city.

So far, the enemy has made 38 attempts to storm Ukrainian positions. Combat is still ongoing in 14 locations, the General Staff said.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is in Beijing for high-level talks aimed at easing tensions between the two superpowers before the U.S. election. Discussions will address contentious issues including Taiwan, trade, and military cooperation, while China plans to voice concerns over U.S. tariffs and export controls read more

US President Joe Bidens national security adviser Jake Sullivan started his second day of meetings with top Chinese officials in Beijing on Wednesday, aimed at quieting tensions between the two superpowers ahead of the Nov. 5 U.S. election.

Sullivan, Chinas top diplomat Wang Yi and others are meeting for 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.

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The two continued talks after meetings and a dinner on Tuesday night at a lush resort on the northern outskirts of the Chinese capital.

Over the past few years, bilateral relations have gone through twists and turns, Wang told reporters on Tuesday.

Well delve into a wide range of issues, including issues on which we agree on and those issues on where there are still differences that we need to manage effectively and substantively, said Sullivan.

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 Novembers 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 Chinas increasingly assertive foreign policy.

Sullivan wants to expand military-to-military talks down to the theatre 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.
The revised textbooks will focus on President Xi Jinpings political philosophy, Xi Jinping Thought, and will also highlight traditional Chinese culture and national security, according to a report, citing a Ministry of Education official read more

New Chinese school textbooks will give more importance to national security and traditional culture as part of Beijings latest effort to enhance ideological propaganda and control.

According to a South China Morning Post report, citing state broadcaster CCTV, starting next week, primary and junior high school students will receive updated textbooks for Chinese language, history, and morality and law.

Previously known as ideology and politics until 2016, morality and law is a compulsory subject that reinforces the Communist Partys ideology.

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The revised textbooks will focus on President Xi Jinpings political philosophy, Xi Jinping Thought, and will also highlight traditional Chinese culture and national security, added the report, citing a Ministry of Education official.

According to the report, citing CCTV, all Chinese nationals receive nine years of compulsory education, six in primary school and the rest in junior high. The new textbooks will initially be used in the first and seventh grades, and will be extended to all nine grades within three years.

The new morality and law textbook would introduce the main content and historical status of Xi Jinping Thought, the report added.

Officially called Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Xi Jinpings political philosophy was enshrined in Chinas constitution in 2018.

It has since broadened to encompass economic, diplomatic, military, environmental, legal, propaganda, and party discipline aspects. This year, the study of Xis ideas was made a top priority for all party organisations, which are required to hold regular meetings on his speeches and directives.

The updated history textbooks will now cover significant events such as the 1962 border war between China and India and the 1979 China-Vietnam conflict, where Chinese troops intervened to support the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.

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This conflict, which Beijing called a self-defense war, caused heavy casualties but remains largely uncommemorated.

The new curriculum aims to emphasise national security as a key priority and promote the concept of a unified Chinese nation, introduced by Xi in 2014 to enhance ethnic integration.

In addition to history, Chinese language textbooks will feature ancient literature, revolutionary stories, and advancements in technology, including Chinas Five-hundred-metre Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) and the deep-sea submersible Jiaolong.

Compiled over two years, the new textbooks have already been tested in over 550 schools with more than 100,000 students before their nationwide rollout, according to CCTV.

With inputs from agencies
The Bayesian, a British flagged 56-metre (184-feet) superyacht, was anchored off the port of Porticello, near Palermo, when it sank during a severe and sudden weather event read more

A fishing boat sails past a finance police vessel and a coast guard vessel operating in the sea to search for the missing, including British entrepreneur Mike Lynch, after a luxury yacht sank off the coast of Porticello, near the Sicilian city of Palermo, Italy, August 20, 2024. Reuters

The sinking of a luxury yacht on Aug. 19 off the northern coast of Sicily left seven people dead, including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, his daughter Hannah and Morgan Stanleys Jonathan Bloomer.

Here is what we know about the incident.

Violent storm

The Bayesian, a British flagged 56-metre (184-feet) superyacht, was anchored off the port of Porticello, near Palermo, when it sank during a severe and sudden weather event.

Prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano said the event was most likely a downburst, a downward wind that is intense but relatively frequent at sea, rather than a waterspout which involves rotating winds like a tornado.

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The coast guard said given the weather forecast, there was nothing amiss about the Bayesian being moored offshore rather than sheltering at port. Another yacht anchored nearby emerged from the storm unharmed.

Twenty-two people were on board, and 15 survived, including Lynchs wife, whose company owned the Bayesian. Survivors were found on a life raft.

Three crew members under investigation

Prosecutors in the town of Termini Imerese, near Palermo, have so far placed three crew members under investigation: Captain James Cutfield, ship engineer Tim Parker Eaton and night watch duty sailor Matthew Griffith.

They are suspected of manslaughter and shipwreck, but being investigated in Italy does not imply guilt and does not mean formal charges will follow. Prosecutors have said the investigation would take time and require salvaging the wreck.

The Bayesian sent its last signal before sinking via the tracking Automatic Identification System (AIS) at 0206 GMT, according to the MarineTraffic website. It is now lying on its right side at a depth of around 50 metres (164 feet).

Termini Imerese 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.

Puzzling

The swift descent of the Bayesian underwater has puzzled seafarers and nautical engineers, who say the vessel should have taken hours to fill up with enough water to sink it.

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There have been suggestions that one or more portholes, windows or other openings may have been left open, or were broken or smashed by the storm, letting in water.

The yacht was capable of tilting to around 75-90 degrees, depending on whether its keel was up or down, and still revert to upright position, former captain Stephen Edwards wrote on his Linkedin profile.

He said the Downflooding Angle, at which water could start entering the vessel via the engine room or ventilation ducts, was 40-45 degrees, and once surpassed, would have put the yacht in serious trouble.

Experts have questioned if the yacht had been moored with its keel up, potentially compromising its stability, but Edwards said that under the boats operating rules, the keel was not required to be down while at anchor.

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The keel is a fin-like stabilising structure under the hull, which can be lifted to reduce the depth of the boat in shallow waters or harbours. In the Bayesian, it could reduce the yachts below-water surface from around 10 to 4 metres.

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 (236 feet).

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.

He alleged that the sinking was due to a chain of human errors, given that the storm was expected. He made his assertions partly based on data from the Automatic Identification System.

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If the crew had shut all doors and hatches, turned on the engine, lifted the anchor, lowered the keel and turned the yacht to face the wind, it would have suffered no damage, Costantino said.

Reuters was not able to confirm his assertions.

The captain and other crew members have not spoken publicly about the disaster and attempts by Reuters to reach them have been unsuccessful.
Jose Ruben Zamora, 68, a stark critic of the government of former right-wing president Alejandro Giammattei, was sentenced to six years in jail in May 2023 for money laundering read more

A group of UN experts said Wednesday that a prominent Guatemalan journalist who has been in prison for more than two years was being kept in inhumane conditions that may amount to torture and put his life in danger.

Jose Ruben Zamora, 68, a stark critic of the government of former right-wing president Alejandro Giammattei, was sentenced to six years in jail in May 2023 for money laundering.

That case has since been overturned and a new trial ordered, but he has yet to be released due to another pending charge of obstruction of justice brought against him by the prosecutors office.

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Zamora has reportedly been subjected to nearly twenty months of solitary confinement in almost constant darkness. Such treatment would amount to torture, a panel of independent experts reported, according to a statement from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

It is further alleged that he has endured different forms of inhuman or degrading treatment, including being deprived of sleep, forced nudity, arbitrary cell searches and a failure to respond to a mite infestation in his cell, the statement said.

The journalist has been held in a prison inside a military barracks in the capital since July 29, 2022.

Described as a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International, Zamora maintains the charges against him were trumped up in retaliation for his newspapers reporting on alleged government corruption under Giammattei.

The conditions of his detention improved after social democrat President Bernardo Arevalo came to power in January in a country wracked by corruption, inequality, and violent crime.

Arevalo recently slammed an abuse of power by the attorney general and prosecutors with whom he has been locked in dispute after accusing them of an attempted coup detat over legal efforts to block him from taking power.

Attorney General Consuelo Porras, who is under US and EU sanctions for corruption, has repeatedly refused to resign.

The UN panel of experts also raised concerns about alleged violations of Zamoras due process and reported irregularities in court proceedings.

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We are equally concerned that the charges against him are connected to his work as an investigative and anti-corruption journalist and that such tactics create a chilling effect on other journalists in the country, the statement said.
The White House on Wednesday said that the US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, who is on a three-day visit to China, conveyed to Beijing that the US would defend its regional allies, after Japan and the Philippines blamed China for stoking tensions read more

Wang Yi, right, the director of the Communist Party's Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office, gestures to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, before their talk at Yanqi lake in Beijing, on Tuesday. AP

The White House on Wednesday said that the US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, who is on a three-day visit to China, conveyed to Beijing that the US would defend its regional allies, after Japan and the Philippines blamed China for stoking tensions.

Mr Sullivan reaffirmed the United States commitment to defending its Indo-Pacific allies, AFP quoted the White House as saying after he met Chinas top diplomat Wang Yi.

He also expressed concern over destabilising Chinese maritime operations against the Philippines, added the White House.

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After their meeting, Chinese state media reported that Wang cautioned Washington against supporting the Philippines in the disputed South China Sea.

The United States must not use bilateral treaties as an excuse to undermine Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity, nor should it support or condone the Philippines actions of infringement, AFP quoted Wang telling Sullivan, citing state broadcaster CCTV.

On Monday, Beijing said it had taken control measures against two Philippine Coast Guard ships that illegally entered an area of disputed reefs and waters.

Manila said the Chinese vessels had prevented Philippine ships from resupplying their own coast guard vessels in the area, blasting the move as aggressive and calling Beijing the biggest disrupter of peace in Southeast Asia.

According to CCTV, Wang emphasised to Sullivan that China is firmly committed to safeguarding its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights over the South China Sea islands.

Tokyo meanwhile accused Beijing of violating its airspace on Monday, with a two-minute incursion by a surveillance aircraft off the Danjo Islands in the East China Sea.

It said the first confirmed incursion by a Chinese military aircraft into its airspace was a serious violation of its sovereignty and accused Beijing of becoming increasingly active.

Sullivan arrived in Beijing on 27 August for a new round of strategic talks ahead of the US presidential elections in November.

Sullivans trip, his first to China, builds on previous engagements with Wang Yi in Vienna, Malta, and Bangkok.

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The trip highlights ongoing efforts to keep communication channels open and address rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.

As President Joe Biden nears the end of his term without having visited China, Sullivans meeting with Wang Yi gained added importance.

Ahead of the meeting, speculation was rife that Sullivans trip to Beijing might set the stage for Bidens first visit to China.

However, some analysts remain skeptical, suggesting that while a pre-war scenario could make such a visit more plausible, it remains unlikely that Biden will visit China before leaving office.

If Biden departs without making this trip, he will join Ronald Reagan as one of the only two US presidents who did not visit China during their tenure.

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In this light, Sullivans visit is being viewed as a crucial stand-in.

With inputs from agencies
Since Syrias civil war erupted in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in the country, mainly targeting army positions and Iran-backed fighters, including from Hezbollah read more

Smoke billows following an Israeli airstrike in the southern Lebanese village of Adaisseh near the border with Israel. AFP

The Israeli military said Wednesday it killed a significant Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative in a strike in the Syria-Lebanon border area, while a monitor of Syrias conflict reported four dead in the incident.

The Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad, said in a statement that three of its fighters from the Syrian arena were killed, while Lebanons Hezbollah issued a statement saying a fighter was killed, without specifying where.

The Israeli air force struck and eliminated a significant terrorist in the Islamic Jihad terrorist organisations operations division, in the area of the Syrian-Lebanese border, an Israeli military statement said.

The operative was responsible for the development of the Islamic Jihads operational plans in Syria and Lebanon, the statement said, adding he had played a central role in recruiting Palestinians for Hezbollah, which is also an ally of Palestinian militant group Hamas.

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Additional Islamic Jihad terrorists who were on their way from Syria to carry out terrorist activities in Lebanon for Hezbollah were also eliminated in the strike, the statement said.

Since Syrias civil war erupted in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in the country, mainly targeting army positions and Iran-backed fighters, including from Hezbollah.

Israeli authorities rarely comment on individual strikes in Syria, but have repeatedly said they will not allow arch-enemy Iran to expand its presence there.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitor of the countrys civil conflict, said four people were killed in the incident.

The Britain-based Observatory, which relies on a network of sources inside Syria, said the attack occurred Wednesday morning near a Syrian regime checkpoint on the Damascus-Beirut road as it was heading towards Lebanon.

Syrian state media have yet to report the incident.

The Israeli military statement said that Hezbollah has been systematically recruiting Palestinian operatives to advance and direct terrorist activity against Israel from Lebanon.

Strikes claimed by or blamed on Israel have targeted vehicles in the Syria-Lebanese border area several times since Hamass October 7 attack on Israel sparked the Gaza war.

A Lebanese security source had said an overnight Israeli air strike hit a lorry loaded with Hezbollah missiles in eastern Lebanon near the Syrian border.

The Israeli military did not claim the strike.

Hezbollah has a strong presence in east Lebanons Bekaa valley, which borders Syria, and in south Lebanon, where it has been launching near daily attacks on Israeli positions since October in support of ally Hamas.
Russia fired a wave of attack drones and missiles at Ukraine on Monday and Tuesday, killing at least 11 people and battering the countrys already weakened energy grid read more

NATO countries on Wednesday condemned indiscriminate heavy Russian strikes across war-battered Ukraine, the Western military alliance said, after a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council in Brussels.

Russia fired a wave of attack drones and missiles at Ukraine on Monday and Tuesday, killing at least 11 people and battering the countrys already weakened energy grid.

NATO members reaffirmed their commitment to stepping up their military aid to Ukraine, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said, following the meeting of ambassadors with Ukrainian officials at Kyivs request.

We must continue to provide Ukraine with the equipment and munitions it needs to defend itself against Russias invasion. This is vital for Ukraines ability to stay in the fight, Stoltenberg said in a statement.

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Several NATO countries also called for lifting restrictions on Kyivs use of weapons supplied by Western allies, especially long-range missiles, to help Ukraine better defend itself against deadly strikes, a diplomatic source said.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov briefed allies about the situation on the ground, NATO said.

The Ukrainian army is struggling in the east, where Russian troops have been steadily advancing for several months.

The Russian army has captured several towns and villages in recent days, even as Moscow scrambles to fight off a Ukrainian counterattack into its western Kursk region.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for European air forces to help Kyiv down drones and missiles in the future.

In our various regions of Ukraine, we could do much more to protect lives if the aviation of our European neighbours worked together with our F-16s and together with our air defence, Zelenskyy said.

The air attacks on Ukraine are some of the largest in recent weeks, with 15 Ukrainian regions targeted by a total of 236 missiles and drones, Kyiv said, of which it claimed it shot down 201.
Donald Trump confronts a newly revised indictment focused squarely on his post-election actions as a presidential candidate instead of as president after the Supreme Courts ruling on presidential immunity read more

A new indictment has been filed against Former US president Donald Trump in the election interference case. Reuters

Former US President Donald Trump faced a revised federal indictment on Tuesday, accusing him of attempting to overturn his 2020 election loss through illegal means.

The charges, though similar to those previously brought against him, have been narrowed in response to a recent Supreme Court ruling that grants former presidents broad immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken while in office.

The updated indictment, which continues to allege a multi-part conspiracy to block the certification of Trumps election defeat, now centers on his actions as a political candidate rather than his role as president at the time.

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The Supreme Courts July 1 decision, which suggests Trump is presumptively immune from prosecution for actions within his constitutional powers as president, led prosecutors to revise their approach.

Focus on Trumps actions as a candidate

Notably, the revised indictment omits previous claims that Trump sought to pressure the US Justice Department to overturn the election results after the high court found that Trump could not be prosecuted for that conduct.

The indictment retains allegations that Trump urged then-Vice President Mike Pence to use his position during the January 6, 2021 congressional certification to reject electoral votes from key battleground states.

The indictment also leans heavily on testimony from witnesses outside the federal government, such as former Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers, who reportedly faced pressure from Trump and a co-conspirator to convene a special legislative session based on unfounded claims of voter fraud.

Trumps response

In response, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to call the new indictment a witch hunt and an attempt to interfere with the elections. He said the Supreme Courts immunity ruling should lead to the entire case being thrown out, saying, Smith rewrote the exact same case in an effort to circumvent the Supreme Court Decision.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to the initial charges, labeling them as politically motivated attempts to block his return to power.

US District Judge Tanya Chutkan is expected to rule in the coming weeks on which aspects of the case might be dismissed due to the Supreme Courts immunity decision.

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With inputs from agencies
Australias Pacific Policing Initiative, agreed upon at a summit in Tonga, aims to establish regional training centers and a multinational crisis force, potentially limiting Chinas security influence in the region. However, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands have expressed concerns that the plan could exclude China from Pacific security partnerships read more

Tonga's Crown Prince Tupouto'a Ulukalala (centre L), United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (centre R) and leaders attend the Pacific Islands Forum in Nukualofa on August 26, 2024. AFP

Australia said Pacific Island leaders meeting at a summit in Tonga had agreed to a contentious regional policing plan Wednesday, a move seen as trying to limit Chinas security role in the region.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said leaders had agreed to the Pacific Policing Initiative, which would create up to four regional training centres and establish a multinational crisis reaction force.

It would reportedly create a force of some 200 officers that would be dispatched to regional hot spots and disaster zones as needed.

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This demonstrates how Pacific leaders are working together to shape the future that we want to see, said Albanese, hailing the agreement.

But representatives from Vanuatu and Solomon Islands  among Beijings closest allies in the region  have voiced concern that the policing plan represents a geo-strategic denial security doctrine designed to box out China.

Australia has historically been the regions go-to security partner, leading peacekeeping missions in Solomon Islands and training in Nauru, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

Policing, however, has increasingly become a cornerstone of Beijings efforts to build Pacific influence.

China has been plying under-resourced Pacific police forces with martial arts training and fleets of Chinese-made vehicles.

It already maintains a small but conspicuous police presence in Solomon Islands, sending a revolving cadre of officers to train locals in shooting and riot tactics.

The creation of such a force could seriously hamstring Chinas efforts to ink policing and security agreements with Pacific states.

Papua New Guineas Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko told AFP on Wednesday that his country was keen to work together with Australia to implement the proposal.

But top Solomon Islands diplomatic official Colin Beck told AFP that Honiara would have domestic discussions about the plan before anything is finalised.

We have a national process that we have to dive into it, said Beck, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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We are basically reviewing our national security strategy and everything, so it will be part of the conversation.

The matter is still going on. The forum is not yet done.
So many of the leaders of the left, and I hate to be so personal about this, but theyre people without kids trying to brainwash the minds of our children, that really disorients me and disturbs me, Vance is heard saying in a clip from 2021 read more

In newly resurfaced remarks from 2021, Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance attacked his opponents and teachers who do not have children.

Unearthed audio: JD Vance says teachers who do not have biological children disorient and really disturb him: She should have some of her own [children] pic.twitter.com/Rqx2PLfjT5  Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) August 27, 2024

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According to The Guardian report, in the resurfaced clip, Vance, who was speaking at a forum held by the Center for Christian Virtue, is heard attacking leaders on the left and Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, for not having children.

So many of the leaders of the left, and I hate to be so personal about this, but theyre people without kids trying to brainwash the minds of our children, that really disorients me and disturbs me, The Guardian quotes Vance as saying saying in the clip.

Randi Weingarten, whos the head of the most powerful teachers union in the country, she doesnt have a single child. If she wants to brainwash and destroy the minds of children, she should have some of her own and leave ours the hell alone, Vance added.

Responding to Vances resurfaced comments, Weingarten in a post on X called Vances comments gross.

Gross! JD Vance's comments are sad and insulting to millions of modern families, and school teachers including Catholic nuns, none of whom should be targeted for their family decisions. https://t.co/diVEQEHH2b  Randi Weingarten  (@rweingarten) August 27, 2024

Gross! JD Vances comments are sad and insulting to millions of modern families, and school teachers including Catholic nuns, none of whom should be targeted for their family decisions, wrote Weingarten.

Teachers who are in back-to-school mode right now help other peoples children every single day. Those who virtuously serve our communities should be lauded, not vilified.  to our nations educators.  Randi Weingarten  (@rweingarten) August 27, 2024

Teachers who are in back-to-school mode right now help other peoples children every single day. Those who virtuously serve our communities should be lauded, not vilified, added Weingarten, whose union endorsed Kamala Harris for president in July.

The remarks that resurfaced on social media this week have quickly circulated online, with Kamala Harriss campaign also sharing the clip on Tuesday.

According to The Guardian, a spokesperson for Vance did not immediately comment, but Taylor Van Kirk, his spokesperson, said Vance will continue to loudly call this crap out to defend our kids.

There is no bigger threat to American children than the leftwing indoctrination being peddled in our schools by radicals like Randi Weingarten, with the support of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, The Guardian quoted Van Kirk as saying in a statement to NBC News.

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These comments come shortly after Vance faced backlash for a 2021 clip where he referred to leading Democrats as a bunch of childless cat ladies.

The comments, resurfacing after Vance was selected by Donald Trump as his 2024 running mate, sparked outrage and were denounced by many Democrats, celebrities, and some Republicans.

With inputs from agencies
Maria Luis Albuquerque, 56, was in charge of putting public accounts on a sound footing between 2013 and 2015 as finance minister after the 2011 bailout and her name is associated in Portugal with painful austerity measures such as salary and pension cuts read more

Portugals centre-right government proposed on Wednesday former finance minister Maria Luis Albuquerque, who led the countrys austerity efforts a decade ago following an international bailout, for a post on the new European Commission.

Albuquerque, 56, was in charge of putting public accounts on a sound footing between 2013 and 2015 as finance minister after the 2011 bailout and her name is associated in Portugal with painful austerity measures such as salary and pension cuts.

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Its important that each member state makes some of its best people available to work for the good of all Europeans, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro told reporters when announcing Albuquerques candidacy.

He did not say which role Portugal would like Albuquerque to have in the new Commission but an economic portfolio is likely.

Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, reelected in July by EU lawmakers for a second five-year term, is now choosing her new team, which will consist of a commissioner from each of the blocs 27 member states.

Opposition politicians in Portugal responded negatively to Montenegros nomination of Albuquerque for commissioner.

Opposition Socialist lawmaker Pedro Delgado Alves said Albuquerque was directly responsible for a series of severe measures for the country.

Fabian Figueiredo, parliamentary leader of the Left Bloc, considered Albuquerque an agent of the troika, referring to the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank which together provided the 78 billion-euro rescue package after Portugal nearly defaulted on its debt.

The unpopular previous centre-right government collapsed in 2015 and was replaced by a Socialist administration, which stayed the course of budget consolidation and achieved solid economic growth. It has posted several budget surpluses while bringing the public debt below 100% of national output.

In March Montenegro led his centre-right alliance to an election victory but it has no parliamentary majority, making it difficult to approve legislation. The governments big survival test will be the 2025 budget vote later this year.

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Portugals representative in the outgoing EU Commission is Elisa Ferreira, who held the cohesion and reforms portfolio.
Among the 92 were The Wall Street Journals editor-in-chief Emma Tucker and her deputy Charles Forelle. The Journals Ukraine bureau chief James Marson was also listed read more

Firefighters work at the site of a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa region, on August 26, 2024. Reuters

Russia said Wednesday it had banned another 92 US citizens from entering its territory, listing officials and journalists from the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Washington Post.The foreign ministry said it was responding to Washingtons sanctions against Russians.

It was not possible to immediately verify whether all those Russia added to its blacklist held US nationality.

Among the 92 were The Wall Street Journals editor-in-chief Emma Tucker and her deputy Charles Forelle. The Journals Ukraine bureau chief James Marson was also listed.

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Several US Treasury officials were listed, as were military commanders from the United States Space Force.

In response to the Russophobic course pursued by (US President Joe) Bidens administration entry to the Russian Federation is permanently closed for 92 US citizens, the foreign ministry said in a statement accompanying the list.

We remind the current US authorities of the inevitability of punishment for hostile actions, it continued.

The announcement comes less than a week after Washington unveiled sweeping new sanctions against almost 400 individuals and companies tied to Russias offensive in Ukraine.

Biden also announced a new round of military aid for Kyiv last week, including air defence missiles and ammunition for frontline soldiers.
Invoking the threat of nuclear weapons, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said considering allowing deep strikes inside Russia was like playing with fire read more

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that the Chinese peace plan for the Ukraine war is the most reasonable one so far. Source: Reuters

As Western nations consider permitting Ukraine to strike deeper inside Russian territories, Russia has warned the United States of World War III.

Invoking the threat of nuclear attacks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters in Moscow that such considerations were like playing with fire.

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, said Lavrov, as per Reuters.

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Lavrov further invoked the possibility of World War III and said it would not be just limited to Europe.

Americans unequivocally associate conversations about Third World War as something that, God forbid, if it happens, will affect Europe exclusively, said Lavrov.

Lavrovs remarks come amid calls for allowing Ukraine to use weapons provided by partners to strike deeper into Russian territories. So far, Ukraine is allowed to use missiles provided by the United States and European partners defensively and in border regions of Russia in a very limited manner. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly urged for permission to strike deeper inside Russia as Russia continues to strike non-combatant targets inside Ukraine.

This is not the first time that Russia has made nuclear threats amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict. In June, Russian President Vladimir Putin said it was wrong to think that Russia will never use nuclear weapons.

For some reason, the West believes that Russia will never use it. You cant take this lightly, superficially, said Putin, as per NBC News.

Separately, Russian presidencys spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said that supplying weapons to strike inside Russia cant remain without consequences.

In May, top Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia was practising the deployment of nuclear weapons to respond to any attack on its soil aided by the West. He further said any response will not be limited to Ukraine.

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Under certain circumstances the response will be delivered not only to Kiev and it wont contain plain explosives but special ammunition as well. And to drill the response to such attacks is the aim of the planned military exercise. Even the semiliterate Imbeciles of His Royal Majesty should understand that, said Medvedev at the time, the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council and a former President (2008-12) and Prime Minister (2012-20) of Russia.
Energy Minister Albert Roesti said the government would submit a proposal to amend nuclear legislation by the end of 2024 so it can be debated in parliament next year read more

Swiss energy company BKW's Muehleberg nuclear power plant and the fog-covered Aare river are seen in Muehleberg near Bern, Switzerland, on April 6, 2018. Reuters File

The Swiss government said on Wednesday it plans to overturn a ban on building new power plants to strengthen local energy supply at a time of increased geopolitical tension.

Energy Minister Albert Roesti said the government would submit a proposal to amend nuclear legislation by the end of 2024 so it can be debated in parliament next year.

Over the long term, new nuclear power plants are one possible way of making our supply more secure in a geopolitically uncertain time, Roesti told a press conference.

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Failure to retain the option could be seen as a betrayal by future generations, Roesti argued.

Switzerland decided to phase out atomic energy after the 2011 nuclear accident in Fukushima, Japan.

In 2017, Swiss voters approved a government plan that included a ban on building new nuclear power stations.

At the end of 2019, the Muehleberg nuclear power station came off the grid. Three more nuclear stations remain.

Roesti also reiterated the government felt it was meeting its commitments to tackling climate change, responding to a European court ruling in April that had ordered it to do more.

KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz, which with Greenpeace brought the case to the court, dismissed this and said that Switzerland was still failing to uphold its obligations.
Shortly after he was released from police custody in France, Telegram founder and chief Pavel Durov was headed to court in Paris Wednesday where he could be formally charged read more

Shortly after he was released from police custody in France, Telegram founder and chief Pavel Durov was headed to court in Paris Wednesday where he could be formally charged.

The Russian-born 39-year-old was arrested at the French capitals Le Bourget airport late Saturday on suspicion of failing to act against illicit content on 900-million-user social network Telegram, allegations the company itself has denied.

According to a CNN report, Durov exited the anti-fraud office outside Paris in what appeared to be a police vehicle on Wednesday afternoon.

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The Paris prosecutors office said he would now face initial questioning and possible indictment at a court in the French capital, added the report.

Durov is under fire for his app, known for its minimal content moderation, being used by terrorist groups and far-right extremists.

He was detained for up to 96 hours, the maximum duration permitted under French law before formal charges are filed.

Durovs arrest has sparked a debate over free speech and raised concerns in both Ukraine and Russia, where the app is highly popular and serves as a crucial communication tool for military personnel and civilians amid Moscows conflict with Ukraine.

On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron said the decision to pursue charges against Durov was in no way political, marking a rare direct intervention by a French leader in a judicial issue.

Launched in 2013 by Durov and his brother Nikolai, Telegram now boasts over 950 million users, according to a recent post by Durov, making it one of the most widely used messaging platforms globally.

With inputs from agencies
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and French aerospace giant Dassault have a deal for the supply for 80 Rafale fighter planes 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

Following the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has suspended the deal with France for 80 warplanes, according to a report.

Durov was arrested in France over the weekend in relation to an ongoing investigation into his messaging platform Telegram. The case is related to the platforms failure to check illicit activities on it such as drug trafficking and distribution of child porn. Durov is a Russia-born dual-citizen of France and UAE. It is not known if he retains Russian citizenship or has renounced it.

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Now, it has been reported that the UAE has responded angrily to Durovs arrest.

The UAE has suspended the deal with France for the purchase of fighter planes, according to a report by Irans Mehr News agency quoting Avia.pro website.

The UAE and French aerospace giant Dassault have a deal for the supply for 80 Rafale fighter planes. That deal is now in jeopardy, as per the report.

The portal further reported that considering the possibility of a complete blockade of military-technical cooperation with France over Durovs arrest.

The UAE has already sought consular access to Durov.

As of Tuesday, Durov had not been charged. The Associated Press has reported that Durov may be held in custody till Wednesday when a judge will either press charges on him or order release.
The alliances spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah recently confirmed that the meeting would be held at the ambassadorial level. Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov is expected to brief Nato allies via video link, providing updates on the battlefield situation and outlining Ukraines priority needs read more

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg shake hands following a press conference at the NATO summit in Washington, July 11, 2024. AP

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) and Ukrainian officials will meet on Wednesday (August 28) at Kyivs request after a series of heavy Russian airstrikes across Ukraine, the Western military alliance announced.

Russian aerial assault on Ukraine

Russia launched a wave of drone and missile attacks on Monday and Tuesday, targeting multiple regions across Ukraine. The strikes left at least 11 people dead and further strained the countrys already fragile energy grid. Ukraines electricity grid operator imposed emergency blackouts on Tuesday to alleviate pressure on the system.

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Kyiv reported that 15 regions were hit by a total of 236 missiles and drones in one of the largest aerial assaults in recent weeks. Ukrainian forces claimed they shot down 201 of the incoming threats. The attacks drew sharp condemnation from the United States as well as Ukraines allies in Europe.

Moscow stated that the strikes were aimed at infrastructure linked to the Ukrainian military. Meanwhile, Nato member Poland reported a violation of its airspace, likely by a drone, during the barrage.

Ambassadorial-level meeting

The alliances spokesperson Farah Dakhlallah recently confirmed that the meeting would be held at the ambassadorial level. Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov is expected to brief Nato allies via video link, providing updates on the battlefield situation and outlining Ukraines priority needs, particularly in air defence.

Ukraines critical need for enhanced air defenses will be a central topic of discussion, according to a diplomatic source.

Zelenskyys appeal for air support

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged European air forces to assist Kyiv in countering Russian drones and missiles. He emphasized that joint efforts with Ukraines F-16s and air defense systems could significantly improve the protection of Ukrainian lives.

Zelenskyy previously announced that Ukraine had deployed Western-supplied F-16 fighter jets to repel the Russian strikes and successfully tested a domestically produced ballistic missile.

With inputs from agencies
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 read more

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo, left, and Philippines military chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., during an international military conference organized by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Manila, Philippines. AP

The US military is open to consultations about escorting Philippine ships in the disputed South China Sea, the head of US 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 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 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 US Indo-Pacific Command, at which Chinas increasingly assertive actions in the South China Sea were spotlighted. Military and defense 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, 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.
Its been a fortnight since Bangladeshs caretaker government took over the reins of power following a deadly youth agitation, but former PM Khaleda Zia party wants a clear timeline from Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. It fears a repeat of military-backed delay beyond the mandated 90 days. read more

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus salutes to the attendees upon arrival at the Bangabhaban on August 8 to take oath as the head of the interim government. Image courtesy: Reuters

The political turmoil is not over yet in Bangladesh. The caretaker Muhammad Yunus government that helms the affairs following the weeks-long violence and more than 600 deaths during protests has one specific, though onerous, task to do  hold election for a democratically elected government.

The Awami League of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was thrown out of power through a youth agitation within eight months of its election. The next biggest party in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BMP)  of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia who remained imprisoned or sidelined for a decade and her son and BNPs acting chairperson Tarique Rahman still lives in exile in London  is pressing for holding early elections, while Yunus has indicated that the polls will be delayed.

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How long can the Yunus government delay holding the parliamentary election?

Fifth caretaker government since 1990

This is not the first caretaker government that Bangladesh has seen since 1990, when the first such arrangement was made to conduct the parliamentary election. The arrangement came up to end the military rule of General Hussain Arshad as the rival political parties announced the 1990 Joint Declaration, providing for a caretaker government to ensure free and fair elections.

The first caretaker government was formed without a legal, parliamentary or constitutional backing. However, once the new government came in, the provision was ratified by Bangladeshs legislature in 1991. But sharp differences emerged between the two main parties, the BNP and the AL, leading to the delay in a concrete law on it.

The next election of 1996 was held under a caretaker government led by a former chief justice of Bangladesh. And the next year, the Begum Khaleda Zia-led government used its majority to get a law enacted for caretaker-government monitored elections. Sheikh Hasina was opposed to the idea.

The third caretaker government came up in 2001 for holding another parliamentary election, and the fourth one was formed in 2006 at the end of the tenure of the Begum Zia government. But this turned into a major problem as the military-backed caretaker government exceeded its brief of holding the election within 90 days.

This caretaker government not only delayed the parliamentary election and stayed in power for two years, it also took policy decisions. Incidentally, the BNP leaders are now referring to the same political overreach by a caretaker government while demanding an early parliamentary election now.

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Why BNP is growing impatient

When Yunus took over the caretaker government as Bangladeshs chief advisor, he promised free, fair and participatory election once the reforms had been carried out.

However, he refused to provide any timeline for the polls and instead emphasised that he has the mandate of first carrying out vital reforms in the country.

The BNP), a key political group, has urged the interim government to initiate talks with political leaders to hold the national election within a reasonable time. The party has intensified its pressure on Yunus, the Nobel Prize-winning economist who heads the new administration.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the BNPs secretary general, told a Bangladeshi news outlet earlier this week, People want to vote. There should be a dialogue between the political parties for the election.

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Islam asserted that the people of Bangladesh might not wait for more than three months as he also referred to the 1996 experience, Probably, reasonable time should be given to the interim government, but not unreasonable time, like in the past  two or three years. I dont think they [the people] will accept that.

The BNP appears to be wary of the prospects of a repeat of the past, when the army-controlled caretaker government exceeded mandated three months and delayed the voting by about two years. That delay had brought Sheikh Hasina back to power.

Hasinas government brought an amendment and rescinded the caretaker system in 2011. And she continued to be in power until the recent youth agitation that began over the question of quota system in hiring for government jobs but ended up ousting her from power. Before that Hasina won four consecutive parliamentary elections  none was held under a caretaker government.

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What Yunus says about election

Bangladeshs constitution mandates that the parliamentary election must be held within 90 days of the fall of a government. But Yunus has not yet given a clear timeline, more than a fortnight after he became the chief advisor.

In a televised address on Sunday, Yunus said the government is preparing to hold ideal elections, but when the election will be held is entirely a political decision, not ours.

Yunus said, The countrymen will decide when we should leave. We came here, responding to students calls. They are the ones who appointed us and the people of the country supported our appointment. We will constantly remind everybody of this issue so that the question does not suddenly arise when we should go.

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This statement has angered the BNP. Islam, though acknowledging the need for reforms to the Election Commission, said, Its a vague, totally a vague statement.

Emphasising that Yunus should invite the political parties to discuss the election roadmap, Islam said, Hes well respected in Bangladesh as well as in the entire world. But hes not a politician. A state is run by politicians. A government is run by politicians.

Its true that the new government must act as per the desire of the people. But what is the desire of the people and what is the way? How do you know the people? What do people want to say? We think that Parliament is the only place where these things can be decided, Islam, who was in jail when the last national election was held in January this year, said.

Hasina resigned and fled to India on August 5 after her appeal for help was rejected by the Bangladesh Army. Deadly protests by students ended with Yunus as the head of the interim government, which has the backing of the military that is not alien to ruling the country.
Celebrated on taking office in 2014 for his humble roots and lack of ties to Indonesias elites, Jokowi has faced wider scrutiny in recent years as critics accused him of building his own political dynasty, a claim he has denied read more

Indonesias anti-graft agency plans to ask the youngest son of President Joko Jokowi Widodo to clarify his use of a private jet on a recent overseas trip as well as who paid for the travel, its deputy chief said on Wednesday.

The comments come days after nationwide protests led parliament to shelve plans for legislation that critics said would weaken opponents of Jokowi and also allow his son, 29-year-old Kaesang Pangarep, to run in regional elections.

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An officials son went on a trip using a private jet, the agency official, Alexander Marwata, told Reuters. The people want to know whether the facilities used had something to do with his parent, as a state official.

Details of the trip, some in social media posts by Kaesangs wife, have sparked public anger.

If those facilities have something to do with his parents job, that should be reported as receiving improper gifts, Marwata added, referring to rules that ban officials from receiving gifts. If they dont, theres no problem.

Kaesang did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was not immediately clear when he would be questioned.

The presidents office declined to comment. Celebrated on taking office in 2014 for his humble roots and lack of ties to Indonesias elites, Jokowi has faced wider scrutiny in recent years as critics accused him of building his own political dynasty, a claim he has denied.

His eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, 36, was elected as vice president in February and will be inaugurated on October 20, alongside President-elect Prabowo Subianto.
Iran hacked the Republican nominee Donald Trumps campaign and attempted to hack the Democratic nominee Kamala Harris campaign in the 2024 election read more

While it was Russia in the 2016 presidential election, its Iran in 2014.

The US officials have confirmed that Iran hacked the Republican nominee Donald Trumps campaign and, separately, the Democratic nominee Kamala Harris campaign also said it was subjected to cyberattacks but the hackers could not get through.

Such announcements were a sharp departure from 2016 when Russia had carried out such attacks but officials remained quite about it. The issue became politicised and remained a political flashpoint for years as it was argued that the leakage of the then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clintons emails boosted Donald Trumps chances.

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The Associated Press has reported that the shift is a result of lessons learnt from the 2016 episode when officials tasked with protecting elections from foreign adversaries were criticised by some for holding onto sensitive information and were slammed for its politicisation.

Suzanne Spaulding, a former official with the Department of Homeland Security, told the AP that US agencies realise that releasing information can help thwart the efforts of US 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 (CSIS).

The FBI along with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), said in a statement to AP 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, recognise the tactics, and protect their vote.

The ODNI told AP that the US governments response to such attacks has now changed. The new assessment arose from a process for notifying the public about election threats that brings together representatives from several intelligence and national security agencies.

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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. For this notification, the IC had relevant intelligence that prompted a nomination, said ODNI.

Even as the Iranian attacks this time appear to have been foiled, the threat is still looming. Sen. Mark Warner, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, even though he is pleased with the governments work lately, he is concerned that the greatest threat is still ahead of them.

The bad guys are not going to do most of this until October. So we have to be vigilant," said Warner.
Japan faces a severe pilot shortage amid a surge in tourism, with a projected need for 1,000 additional pilots by 2030. Efforts to address the shortfall include converting foreign pilots licenses and extending pilot working ages, but challenges such as low salaries and local opposition persist read more

As Japan experiences a surge in tourism, the country faces a significant pilot shortage that threatens to impact its aviation industry. Currently, Japan has approximately 7,100 pilots, but the government anticipates needing an additional 1,000 pilots by 2030 to support its goal of attracting 60 million tourists annually.

To address this shortfall, the transport ministry is considering measures to expedite and reduce the cost of converting foreign pilots licenses to Japanese ones.

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Despite these efforts, attracting pilots from abroad presents several challenges. Local unions oppose the influx of foreign pilots, and Japanese airlines typically offer lower salaries compared to their international counterparts.

Furthermore, many Japanese airline captains are expected to retire by 2030, exacerbating the shortage.

Major airlines will have to revise their internal operational processes to accommodate non-Japanese speaking pilots, noted Nobuhito Abe, a partner at Kearney. He stressed that Japanese carriers have traditionally maintained very domestic operational procedures.

The salary disparity is another significant issue. Captains at Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) earn about 25 million ($172,900) annually. In contrast, pilots with similar experience at Delta Air Lines or American Airlines can earn between $453,000 and $480,000.

An influx of foreign pilots might also create tensions among local staff, who may feel that their career prospects could be negatively affected. In Japan, many pilots view their roles as lifelong careers.

Traditionally, pilots are either recruited directly by ANA or JAL or graduate from the government-funded Civil Aviation College, which admits around 100 students annually.

Currently, foreign pilots are rare in Japans aviation sector. JAL, which employs about 2,000 pilots, has only a few non-Japanese pilots, while ANA, with approximately 2,400 pilots, employs very few foreign staff. In contrast, airlines like Cathay Pacific and Emirates have diverse pilot teams from numerous nationalities.

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JAL has stated it is temporarily hiring contract-based foreign pilots to address the upcoming shortage but plans to continue focusing on hiring and training new pilots as permanent employees. ANA has declined to comment on its hiring practices.

To tackle the pilot shortage, the expert panel set up by the transport ministry is also exploring ways to extend the working age of pilots beyond 65 and to attract more female pilots.

Kentaro Fujibayashi of the Civil Aviation Bureau said the government is committed to increasing the number of pilots in Japan. Its a goal that we strive for and were going to do our best to achieve, he said.

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If Japan cannot ensure a steady supply of pilots, it risks missing out on the economic benefits of increased tourism. Kotaro Toriumi, an independent airline and travel analyst, warned that failing to meet the pilot demand could jeopardize the countrys ambitious tourist targets.
A US military ad warning against armed conflict, displayed on Tinder, has drawn criticism for its unconventional platform choice and questionable effectiveness. The ad, part of a broader psychological operations campaign, was swiftly removed by Tinder for breaching its policies on violent and political content read more

Screengrabs of the ads placed by US centcom on Tinder. Source: X

A recent U.S. military advertisement, warning against armed conflict with the United States and its allies, has appeared on Tinder, sparking considerable debate and raising questions about the choice of platform for such a sensitive message.

As per reports, the ad, which featured images of U.S. warplanes and a direct warning not to take up arms against the U.S. or its partners, was part of a broader psychological operations campaign by Central Command (Centcom).

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The aim was to influence perceptions and counter what the US government considers misleading narratives from Iranian and other adversaries in the Middle East.

The decision to place such an explicit military message on Tinder, a dating app known for its social and casual interactions, has surprised many observers.

Tinder, which popularised the phrases swipe right (to approve a match) and swipe left (to reject), was an unconventional choice for a military information campaign.

The ad, which included a warning that the U.S. military was fully prepared to respond with F-16 and A-10 aircraft if necessary, was quickly removed by Tinder for violating its policies on violent and political content.

The ads appearance on Tinder underscores a broader effort by the U.S. military to use digital platforms to reach specific audiences. The goal was to dissuade young, disaffected men in the Middle East from supporting or engaging in violence against US interests and allies.

Experts, however, have criticised the approach. Timothy Kaldas, Deputy Director of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, questioned the ads effectiveness and the decision-making process behind it, suggesting it might be more of an in-your-face tactic rather than a well-thought-out strategy.

Background and Broader Context

This ad is part of a larger campaign by the U.S. militarys psychological operations or military information support operations, which aim to influence foreign audiences and counteract adversarial narratives. These operations are designed to bolster US strategic objectives by shaping perceptions and disrupting the influence of rival powers.

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In recent years, the US military has faced scrutiny over its information operations. In 2022, a Pentagon review of clandestine military psyops revealed the use of fake social media accounts to spread misinformation, including some linked to Central Command.

These activities were part of a broader attempt to counteract foreign influence, but they led to tighter regulations and increased oversight. The review resulted in stricter policies governing the use of covert operations and required higher-level approvals for such campaigns.

Criticism and analysis

Critics argue that placing a military ad on a dating app like Tinder might not be the most effective way to reach its intended audience. Gittipong Eddie Paruchabutr, a retired Army psyops officer, pointed out that Tinder might not be the optimal venue for this type of message.

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Instead, he suggested targeting platforms more frequented by the intended demographic, such as private Facebook groups or Telegram channels. Paruchabutr also stated the importance of integrating such campaigns into a continuous, long-term strategy rather than relying on one-off ads.

The Pentagon has stated that its information operations must comply with US laws and Department of Defense policies. The militarys approach to information campaigns has evolved, with recent efforts focusing on improving accountability and oversight.

The Tinder ad, with its clear Centcom branding and direct message, contrasts with the more covert operations previously employed.
Xinhua News Agency: Former Deputy Country Director of the United Nations Development Programme and Kenyan economist Hannah Ryder in a recent interview said that in cooperation with China, African countries are not forced to change their own policies and that a defining feature of such cooperation is that it is driven by Africas need. She also noted that this has influenced Western countries and other partners outside the continent to consider more about Africas need and establish equal-footed partnerships with Africa. The National Interest, an American magazine, published an article saying that China is winning the Global South as a provider of a large amount of public goods for developing countries, including African ones. Whats your response?

Lin Jian: In its cooperation with Africa, China always follows the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests, and always bears in mind the fundamental interest of both Chinese and African people. The underlying feature of China-Africa cooperation has always been sincerity and equality, mutual benefit, fairness and justice, and openness and inclusiveness. We are committed to advancing Africas development through our development and promoting Africas modernization through our own modernization.

In our effort to grow ties with Africa, theres no selfish agenda, but only profound friendship; theres no zero-sum game, but only solid steps; theres no empty promise, but only sincerity and tangible result. We always bear in mind the welfare and the need of the African people, treat Africa with respect and as equals, and never impose our will onto others, still less seeking selfish gains.

It is the common responsibility of the international community to support Africas development. As a natural member of the Global South, China never seeks to win the Global South, but is committed to helping Global South partners, including African countries, truly realize development and prosperity. China never engages in geopolitical games in Africa either, but is glad to see concrete contribution from all countries to Africas development. We would be happy to see other countries pay greater attention to Africa and increase investment there just like China, and we hope they will view China-Africa relations and cooperation with an open mind. We stand ready to engage in tri-party and multi-party cooperation on the basis of respecting Africas will to jointly contribute to Africas development and prosperity and bring benefit to the African people.

AFP: The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Tuesday that on Xinjiang, many problematic laws and policies remain in place. What is Chinas comment?

Lin Jian: China always puts the people front and center in all our work, views respecting and protecting human rights as an important part of governance, and has made historic achievements in this aspect. The Chinese people now enjoy a growing sense of fulfillment, happiness and security. This is a simple fact that anyone without bias can see. People of all ethnic groups in China are equal and their legitimate rights and interests are fully protected. Xinjiang today enjoys social stability and economic growth and the people there live a happy life. It is at its best in history where people of all ethnic groups are working together for a better life.

China stands ready to have constructive exchange and cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on the basis of mutual respect. We believe that the OHCHR needs to fulfill its mandate in a just and objective manner, respect countries sovereignty, respect facts, conduct constructive dialogue and cooperation with countries, reject acts that politicize human rights or stoke division and confrontation, and refrain from being used by political forces aiming at containing and vilifying China.

Shenzhen TV: We noted that recently Western media and organizations such as The New York Times and Human Rights Watch issued disinformation about Xizang to bring up again so-called human rights issues in the region, claiming that Chinas measures aimed at economic growth harm the way of life and ecoculture of people in Xizang. Some politicians of other countries are using this as a pretext to interfere in Chinas internal affairs. However, many foreign scholars and media workers who have actually visited Xizang noted that the many supporting measures by Chinas central government have enabled sound political, economic and social development in Xizang, which is completely different from the narrative in some Western media. What is your comment?

Lin Jian: We strongly oppose relevant politicians, media and organizations distorting facts and spreading lies.

Chinas position on Xizang-related issues is consistent and clear. Xizang affairs are Chinas internal affairs which brook no interference by any external forces. Over the years, Xizang has seen continued and sound economic growth, social harmony and stability, sound preservation of its cultural heritage, and significantly better life for its people. This is a fact that has the wholehearted recognition of people of all ethnic groups in Xizang and is seen by many in the international community.

The development and progress in Xizang would not have been possible without the care from the central government and the support and assistance from people across the country. Thanks to effort under the guidelines of the CPC for governing Xizang in the new era, Xizang has entered a historical era in which greater development and bigger changes have been made and more benefits delivered to the people than in the past. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the program of national pairing assistance to Xizang. The Xizang Autonomous Region held the Achievement Exhibition for the 30th Anniversary of National Pairing Assistance to Xizang. We welcome more foreigners to visit Xizang to gain first-hand experience of the region and its development.

AFP: Australia said today that leaders of Pacific Island countries have agreed to set up a multinational Pacific police force. What is Chinas comment?

Lin Jian: China believes that various parties should make joint effort to promote the development and prosperity of Pacific Island countries.

CCTV: Its reported that head of the water authority for Red Sea state in eastern Sudan said in a message on August 26 that the collapse of Arbaat Dam in the state on August 25 left 60 dead and hundreds missing. Whats your comment?

Lin Jian: We noted the reports. We express deep condolences over the lives lost, and heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured.

AFP: Its said that a Chinese military plane intruded into Japans territorial airspace on Monday. Has the Chinese side confirmed it? Whats Chinas response to this incident?

Lin Jian: There is ongoing communication between China and Japan on this incident. Let me reiterate that Chinas military airplane has no intention to intrude into any countrys airspace.
USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) has announced the launch of the USB-IF Conformity to IEC 62680 (USB) Specifications Program, aimed at helping Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and Original Device Manufacturers (ODMs) meet the European Unions (EU) Common Charger Directive requirements.

This directive, approved in 2022, mandates standardized charging technology for portable battery-powered devices and laptops in the EU, effective January 1, 2025, for portable devices, and in 2026 for laptops.

Key Areas Addressed

The USB-IF Conformity to IEC 62680 (USB) Specifications Program focuses on critical aspects of the EU directive:

Portable Battery-Powered Devices: Ensures devices comply with required charging standards.

USB Type-C Components: Covers USB Type-C receptacles, cables, and connectors.

External Power Supplies (EPS): Verifies compliance with power requirements.

USB Power Delivery (USB PD) Protocol: Targets devices advertising over 15 Watts of power.

Simplified Compliance Process

This program streamlines the compliance process for OEMs and ODMs. Manufacturers can have their USB Type-C products tested by USB-IF authorized independent test labs (ITLs), and successful testing results in documentation that proves conformity to the IEC 62680 (USB) specifications for EU submission.

Key steps include:

Registration and Testing: OEMs register products and submit test results through ITLs.

Defined Testing Requirements: A minimum set of tests demonstrates baseline conformity.

Review and Approval: USB-IF reviews test submissions and provides official approval.

Tracking and Identification: A Vendor ID (VID) and Test ID (TID) are used for tracking.

Ensuring Regulatory Compliance

Abdul Ismail, USB-IF Chief Technology Officer and Chairman of the Board, emphasized that the program ensures products meet EU requirements through thorough testing, enabling manufacturers to confidently demonstrate compliance.

Distinction from USB-IF Compliance Program

The USB-IF Conformity to IEC 62680 program differs from the broader USB-IF Compliance Program, which offers more extensive testing for data performance, reliability, and interoperability. Products passing full certification can use the Certified USB Logo, a trusted symbol for consumers.

USB-IF President and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Ravencraft noted that while the program doesnt fully certify USB technologies, it provides a formal pathway for OEMs and ODMs to quickly test products, helping the industry meet conformity standards and maintain EU market access.

Speaking about the program, USB-IF President and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Ravencraft said,
"China has always been supporting the decolonization program and the independence movements of different African countries," said Victor Gao, vice president of the Center for China and Globalization. BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- China treats Africa, a forgotten continent for the West, as a reliable friend and sincere partner, Victor Gao, vice president of the Center for China and Globalization, a Beijing-based non-governmental think tank, has said. "Once the European colonists were driven out of Africa, they forgot about Africa for many decades," Gao said during a recent interview with Xinhua. "China and African countries look at each other as equals. We are brothers and sisters," he added. "China has always been supporting the decolonization program and the independence movements of different African countries," Gao said, stressing that China even fought with the African brothers and sisters together to help them to achieve independence from colonial rule. A case in point is the China-aided Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA), a huge connectivity project by the standard of the 1970s at a time when China itself was not very well-developed and didn't have a lot of financial resources. "But China did it as an amazing thing. And the TAZARA, which has been called a 'road of freedom' and 'road of friendship', really boosted China-African confidence," Gao said. Having transported millions of tons of goods and innumerable passengers since it was put into operation, the Tanzania-Zambia Railway has greatly contributed to Africa's prosperity. The success of the railway and other projects highlighted the importance of connectivity in China-Africa cooperation. "Because without connectivity in terms of highways and roads of all kinds, you really cannot generate greater productivity and efficiency in your economic endeavor. Since then, China has been focusing on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)." China and African countries have also put much emphasis on manufacturing. "Because without manufacturing, you really cannot command a higher premium for the goods, the commodities and the raw materials you come up with," Gao said. "It is eventually through manufacturing, high level of industrialization, and now aided by high-tech of all kinds that you can really expect to uplift the people out of poverty in Africa." Gao said agricultural cooperation between China and Africa is also of great significance. "Because from the Chinese perspective, if the African countries can really get their acts together and cooperate with major countries like China and several others, Africa can achieve self-sufficiency in food production." As the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) approaches, Gao voiced confidence that all these, from connectivity, manufacturing to agricultural cooperation, will be discussed within the China-Africa cooperation framework and there are high expectations among African countries for future cooperation with China. "Between China and Africa, we respect each other, and we respect our differences. We see these differences as what make us so strong together and why we cooperate with each other. So I think all these set China apart from many other countries," Gao said.
A chieftain of the Labour Party, LP, Hon Linus Okorie, has warned against what he called the deployment of internal security and police by the federal government against the National President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero.

Okorie, who represented Ohaozara, Onicha, and Ivo federal constituency of Ebonyi State in the lower chamber, expressed dismay over the action against Ajaero.The party chieftain was the LPs 2023/ 2024 Ebonyi South Senatorial candidate.This was contained in a statement he issued on Tuesday and made available to DAILY POST in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.According to him,

Quote

There is typically little or no distinction between the law and the exercise of political power by the executive, and the deployment of internal security and police forces play a heightened role in governance.



A police state is a characteristic of authoritarian, totalitarian or illiberal regimes (contrary to a liberal democratic regime). Such governments are typically one-party states, but a police state may emerge in a democracy.



Another authority defined a police state as a totalitarian state controlled by a political police force that secretly supervises the citizens activities.



During the recent national hunger protests, complaints of police brutality leading to alleged fatalities were rampant.



It was so much so that Amnesty International issued a state statement indicating that 13 persons were killed in the first day of the nationwide protests, and calling for a probe.



Other notable individuals and organizations had also raised concerns about the same allegations indicting the Nigeria police of extreme force against unarmed protesters. One of such organizations was the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) led by Comrade Joe Ajaero.



This also included the Presidential Candidates of the PDP and LP in the 2023 Presidential elections, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, respectively. It is noteworthy that the NLC had since July 2024 been facing pressures over the nationwide protest that eventually took place in the month of August.



Prior to this time, and arising from burgeoning leadership crisis in the Labour Party (LP), which the NLC is the legally recognized institutional promoter, the Congress had convened an expansive stakeholders meeting in April 2024 to midwife a National Transition Committee (NTC) to manage the affairs of the LP in a post-Abure era, given that the tenure of the partys National Working Committee (NWC) was set to expire on July 9, 2024.



Beginning from that date, and given the intransigence of the Abure team on sitting tight, events suggestive of coordinated blackmail and assaults on the NLC and its leadership crept in from several seen and unseen sources.



They were, obviously, all targeted at frustrating the noble efforts of the LP-NTC to birth a formidable LP, as the viable alternative political platform for the majority of yearning Nigerians.



First, the police was innocuously used to frustrate the LP-NTCs effort to take over the National Secretariat of the LP, as its rightful operational hub on July 13, 2024.



This was later explained away as a sincere effort to ensure peace and avert a breakdown of law and order; even though the police team bias against the LP-NTC was all too clear during the event.



Then on July 7, 2024, security agents conducted a night raid on the NLC national secretariat in Abuja. According to the NLC spokesperson, Benson Upah, the operatives burst into the building at about 8.30 pm and arrested the security guards, forcing them to hand over keys to the offices on the second floor.



The police, which later took responsibility for the operation, said it was aimed at uncovering incriminating documents that could help build a case against an international subversive figure considered a threat to Nigerias democracy.



This explanation was promptly rejected by the NLC and the Congress went ahead to demand the prompt release of its arrested members and seized documents.



Following quickly from the unexplained raid of the NLC secretariat, the allegation by Arabambi was seen as a kite being flown by the unseen conspirators clearly intent on blackmailing and intimidating the NLC and its leadership into abandoning the charted course to a new and vibrant LP.



This is why the sudden and unexplained police letter dated August 19, 2024 to Joe Ajaero inviting him for questioning over alleged criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion and cybercrime in which he was mentioned is not only curious, but suspect.



It is also on record that Joe Ajaero was in November 2023, during a protest in Owerri, allegedly singled out by the police accompanied by thugs.



In a joint press release then, the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) said that police accompanied by thugs inflicted heavy injuries and blows to his [Mr Ajaeros] head and body, kicking him in the process while dragging him on the ground.



NLC spokesman Benson Upah also alleged that police continued to assault Mr Ajaero after taking him away, causing injuries that shut his right eye.



He was later released and immediately went to receive medical treatment for facial injuries.



For a man whose public profile is so well known and who cannot suddenly disappear from circulation, even if he wanted to, the abruptness with which the police wants him to appear within 24 hours to answer to such high crimes without prior accusations, rankles the brain.



This also calls to question if citizens rights to fair hearing guaranteed under section 36 of the 1999 constitution (as amended) still means anything to our security agencies; especially the Police.



It is, therefore, heartwarming that Femi Falana, SAN, has offered his revered self and services in defense of citizen Joe Ajaero.



He has rightfully requested a shift in date and more importantly particulars- nature and detail of the criminal allegations of criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion and cybercrime leveled against him.



It is hoped that the police authorities will allow this due process to operate, and abide by it, in accordance with the laws of the land.



But the more important concern is what happens to the millions of ordinary Nigerians who do not have access to and capacity for the representation of Femi Falana, as Joe Ajaero now has?



How many have suffered indignities and other negative consequences for fly by the night allegations wrapped around their necks for reasons that may never be explained? How many more shall suffer same?
Chances are growing that recreationists enjoying the lower portion of Palisade Plunge Trail will one day do so while taking in views of Plunge Mesa and Plunge Point.

The Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board this week unanimously supported the idea of giving the names to two unnamed features on federal Bureau of Land Management land outside Palisade.

Their recommendation now goes to Gov. Jared Polis, who will decide whether to make the same recommendation to the federal Board on Geographic Names. That board is in charge of naming and renaming geographic features. It accepts naming proposals, including from the general public, and then looks for input from the public and entities such as state and local governments, tribes, land management agencies and others before making decisions.

The proposed names were suggested in 2021 by Glenn Hayes, a longtime Palisade resident and photography enthusiast who enjoys taking sunrise pictures of the mesa. He was inspired by the name of the Palisade Plunge mountain bike trail, which recently had opened and drops down from Grand Mesa to the Colorado River.

In Hayes application to the federal board, he said that with the opening of the trail, the name Plunge will be forever associated with Palisade.

The mesa and point lie about a mile east of the trail and just southwest of Rapid Creek. The narrow, ridge-like mesa is about a mile long. The 6,805-foot-high point is at the northwest end of it.

No opposition to the naming proposals has surfaced. Anna Stout, who is the state advisory boards chair and a Grand Junction City Council member, told the board this week that a BLM official has told her that he doesnt think the BLM would be taking a position on the issue. She said Mesa County commissioners havent taken formal action on the matter and dont plan to unless requested by the advisory board but are generally supportive of it.

In an advisory board meeting earlier this year Stout spoke to the noncontroversial nature of the proposal, which she noted doesnt entail renaming something thats already named. She also mentioned the regional collaboration that was behind getting the Palisade Plunge trail built and its benefit as a tourism attraction.
Officials a Cortez man allegedly threatened before his arrest last week included Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, her office said.

The FBI detained Teak Brockbank, 45, on the allegation of threats in interstate commerce. He is accused of making multiple, specific threats on social media sites to harm law enforcement, Colorado Elections Official-1, Arizona Elections Official-1, the Montezuma County judge that presided over his previous DUI cases, and four Colorado Supreme Court justices over their decision to remove Donald Trump from Colorados primary ballot (a decision reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court).

The federal indictment does not identify the officials by name. Griswolds office confirmed to the Daily Press that she is the Colorado elections official who was allegedly targeted. The office had no other statement Tuesday. The Montezuma County court executive said he could not comment on who the alleged target was there.

Brockbank should remain in federal custody pending trial, the United States Attorneys Office argued in a Tuesday motion for continued detention. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus Chung argued Brockbank poses a danger to the officials and the public, based on the violent content of the communications, his ready access to firearms despite a felony conviction, and proximity to drugs, since Brockbank reportedly had a marijuana grow at his home.

Post-arrest, Brockbank reportedly told the FBI he was not really a vigilante, but just wanted to wake people up. He did not, however, deny ownership of the social media accounts from which the allegedly threatening communications had been posted, and even told agents he did not think anyone else would have been posting from his accounts, according to information in Chungs motion.

As presented in the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Brockbank threatened to shoot the judge in Cortez; swore violence against federal agents if they came to his home, and also opined that Colorado Election Official-1 should hang by the neck till she is Dead Dead Dead.

According to Chungs motion, Brockbank called the FBI scum and hung up on agents when they contacted him in 2023 about the allegedly threatening posts. He was also said to be in possession of multiple firearms until a search warrant was served on Aug. 23, despite a felony conviction in Utah for theft by receipt of stolen property. As recently as November of last year, Brockbank stated he doesnt go anywhere without a firearm, the USAO said.

Because defendant is a dangerous threat to the community  to public officials, law enforcement, and others  the court should detain him pursuant to (U.S. Code), Chung wrote in the detention motion.

After his arrest, Brockbank reportedly admitted to having the social media accounts on which the communications in question were posted, saying he did not think someone else could have posted from his account. According to the detention motion, Brockbank stated: If its talking about accountability for corrupt people, I did it. You dont see me on there saying that good people should be shot in the head by firing squad, do you?

WANTED TO WAKE PEOPLE UP

He also reportedly stated he was not a vigilante and that he hoped his posts would just wake people up. Brockbank further said the only thing keeping him from buying firearms was unpaid fines and that he had a misdemeanor; this was false, the governments motion states.

The government detailed other posts it says show Brockbank was fixated on holding officials accountable by personally executing them. Among the cited posts attributed to Brockbank was one referring to Arizona Elections Official-1: Death For her and all those that are in it with her there is no other solution she hast to die!! (Sic) We have to kill all these people and remove them and remind those that wanna be like them there is punishment for their actions. Permanent punishment!!!

THREATS OVER PETERS PROSECUTION

As recently as last month, Brockbank allegedly continued threatening Colorado Election Official-1, this time on Truth Social, over her role in the prosecution of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters. Peters was convicted earlier this month of seven of 10 charges filed against her related to a 2021 election system breach in Mesa County  three counts of attempting to influence a public official; conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation; official misconduct; violation of duty and failure to comply with an order of the Secretary of State.

Brockbanks alleged threats against federal agents prompted the FBI to arrest him at a location other than his home. During his post-arrest interview, Brockbank allegedly said: The only reason you guys didnt come to my house is because you knew I would have fought  You guys only kick peoples doors in that you know wont fight back. the only reason you dont go after people like me (is) because you know we wouldnt leave, we couldnt go with you.

The USAO also detailed text messages in which Brockbank reportedly expressed disdain for the legal system, a vow to never go to jail again, and a belief his time is running short. Ive had the feeling for sometime that my life here on earth is limited and Im running out of time  I think about it often and what I should do about it  the motion for detention states.

There is no bail condition or combination of conditions that can assure public safety, the USAO argued.

The nature and circumstances of the offense here are extremely serious and demonstrate that defendant is a danger to public officials and officers as well as to the community at large. For years, defendant has communicated death threats toward election officials, state judges, federal law enforcement, and others. These threats have been vicious and terrifying, and have resulted in multiple reports to federal law enforcement, Chung wrote.

  Here, the fact that defendants posts were made on the internet could have rendered them more terrifying for victims, particularly given that defendant would have remained anonymous had the government not ascertained his identity.

Chung said Brockbanks attachment to guns only amplifies the physical danger he poses to others.

Chung also said the governments ability to prove its case is strong. The government does not have to prove Brockbank ever intended to carry out the threats, only that: he knowingly sent a communication that contained a true threat to injure any person and did so for that purpose, with the knowledge it would be understood as a threat, and in conscious disregard for the risk that the communication would be seen as a real threat. The government must also prove the communication was transmitted in interstate commerce.

In our country, there are countless appropriate vehicles to communicate frustration, dissent and anger with politicians and decision makers.  But defendants communications were far, far beyond the line. The weight of the evidence against him is strong, Chung said.

CRIMINAL BACKGROUND

The USAO also highlighted Brockbanks criminal history, including the Utah conviction that appears to have been followed by multiple violations of probation, and four DUIs. In addition to a history that points to misuse of alcohol, Brockbank was allegedly growing a sizable amount of marijuana next to his home. Marijuana is legal in Colorado, up to a certain amount, but it remains illegal federally.

Brockbank poses a significant danger, federal prosecutors contend. The defendant has targeted public officials for years  a threat heightened by the current election season  and he poses a threat to judges as he reenters the criminal justice system, they said. If released, Brockbank might have to be rearrested if he does not show up for arraignment and that would place federal agents in harms way.

Although the loaded weapon by his door may no longer be in his home, the court cannot ensure that defendant (who somehow has amassed numerous weapons despite his status as a prohibited person) will not obtain access to new weapons, Chung said.
EXCLUSIVE: Arrest of Chinese dissident on spy charges leaves trail of broken trust

A democracy activist is accused of spying for China. His ex-wife works for the US government.

By Jane Tang for RFA Investigative 2024.08.27 -- The FBI came to Jen Salen's door on Wednesday afternoon. Shocked would not even come close to describing her astonishment.

"I cried a lot on Wednesday, and I've been crying a lot [since]," she told RFA.

Earlier that day, Yuanjun Tang, a well-known Chinese dissident in New York who had been married to Salen until June of this year, had been arrested on charges of secretly spying for Beijing.

Salen, 55, is not named in the filings against him and is not accused of any wrongdoing.

But there was a complication: throughout their marriage, she has worked for the Congressional Executive Committee on China, or CECC.

The commission organizes hearings and publishes annual reports advising Congress and the White House on human rights and rule of law issues in China.

The FBI had questions.

Salen said that she had spoken to the FBI for the first time on Wednesday, and that she had been placed on a paid leave by the CECC two days after Tang's arrest. By Monday, the laptop she used to do her work sat inert on her desk, switched off and awaiting to be sent back to the U.S. government.

Despite the dizzying turn of events, Salen told RFA: "You can certainly say that I still care very deeply about him," adding that an accused person is innocent until proven guilty.

Indeed, in speaking to over a dozen sources close to the case, what emerges is a deeply paradoxical and tragic story of murky allegiances and personal betrayals.

But the revelation of Tang's family ties to the U.S. government, as well as allegations that he was directed by Chinese agents to keep close tabs on specific U.S. political goings-on, raises uncomfortable questions about how deeply Chinese intelligence can penetrate American democracy.

When first contacted by RFA last week and asked if she was concerned that her work for the government could have been compromised by Tang, Salen gave a long pause before declining to answer.

A shock arrest

On Aug. 21, Tang was arrested at his office in Flushing, New York, after being charged with acting as an unregistered foreign agent, conspiracy and making false statements.

According to prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, Tang - who had been an active participant in the 1989 Tiananmen Square democracy protests - had been passing sensitive information on U.S.-based dissidents as well as a U.S. congressional candidate to a handler at the Chinese Ministry of State Security, or MSS, from 2018 until 2023. He was questioned by the FBI last July.

Tang and Salen were married from March 2012 to June 2024, though they only lived together during parts of that time, according to Salen and public records of their registered addresses.

Repeated calls to Tang's lawyer were not answered. Tang declined to be interviewed but clarified to RFA through an intermediary that he never informed his then-wife of his alleged contacts with the MSS.

Although work done by the CECC does not involve classified information, and Salen would not have had access to government papers deemed classified or confidential, access to contacts and knowledge of its working would still be of value to Beijing.

Staffers often interact with members of the Chinese diaspora, and the commission organizes hearings and meetings that put government officials, Chinese dissidents and civil society members together, sometimes behind closed doors.

RFA gave CECC a detailed list of questions, including when it became aware of the situation regarding Tang, how this could affect the work Salen was doing for the commission, what security protocols were in place, and what was being done to fairly protect staff and sources for the CECC, as well as Salen.

A spokesperson for the commission said in an email: "While this is a confidential personnel matter, and law enforcement has given us no indication that our staffer was involved in, or had knowledge of, Mr. Tang's alleged activity, the extraordinary circumstances, and nature of the allegations regarding Mr. Tang lead us, out of an abundance of caution, to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of the Commission's data and the privacy of its staff. We continue to work with the appropriate entities in their investigations and for the protection of the CECC's mission."

They said the commission only became aware of the situation after Tang's arrest.

That "abundance of caution" appears to be warranted.

In an earlier interview discussing the verdict of another recent Chinese spy case, Peter Mattis, who was staff director at the CECC from 2019 to 2021, told RFA: "We need to think about intelligence not as being the collection of classified information. Intelligence is information to inform decision making, and not all decisions are about national defense and national security, right?"

"Some of them are, at least in the CCP. They're about political control. They're about controlling thought. They're about controlling overseas diaspora communities or being able to mobilize them effectively in support of national objectives." (The case he was referring to also involved a dissident secretly spying for Beijing)

Mattis, who is now head of the non-profit Jamestown Foundation and no longer works in U.S. government, said he also only learned of Tang's alleged activities after his arrest.

Political interests

Among the other allegations made by U.S. prosecutors is that Tang had transmitted photographs of a congressional candidate, information about a campaign strategy meeting for the candidate, and photos of members of Congress to the MSS through one of six phones seized by the FBI.

One of these phones appeared to have surveillance software installed onto it, the complaint said.

Although he is not named in the complaint against Tang, the congressional candidate he allegedly surveilled is Yan Xiong, a dissident who ran in the Democratic primary for New York's 10th congressional district in 2022.

Xiong told RFA: "That's me in the complaint a the 'congressional candidate' Tang allegedly passed information [about] to the MSS." He said that although the FBI never contacted him, he recognized himself from the details and descriptions in the complaint.

Xiong faced significant harassment during his 2022 campaign, including fake claims of child pornography and tax evasion. He noted that he faced harassment during the campaign and that it placed a significant strain on his family. "I am still suffering from the consequences," he said. He has no plans to return to politics.

He said he had no suspicions about Tang at the time. "Campaigns require a lot of help, so I asked him to assist. I was never suspicious of him."

Xiong learned of Tang's arrest from the news and was surprised by the details. "I trust the U.S. Department of Justice, but I also believe Tang's story is a tragedy. He broke the law, but he is also a victim of the CCP," he said, adding: "I'll still pray for him."

Betrayals and understandings

The arrest has sent shockwaves through the U.S.-based Chinese pro-democracy community - a tight-knit group of dissidents, many of whom were participants or leaders in the 1989 protest that triggered a global outcry and an exodus of young intellectuals and liberals from China.

The protest likewise shaped the views of a generation of young people in the West. "You know, in some ways, I'm also of the 1989 generation," Salen (who is not of Asian descent herself) told RFA.

"I was a sophomore in college. I had just started taking Chinese history classes, and what happened in China in 1989 was part of my motivation to eventually study Chinese language and clearly feel that people have the right to freedom of expression, to publish with what they think ... have their own right to religious belief, all those things that we take for granted here."

Sources who spoke to RFA universally said they admired Salen's commitment to promoting Chinese democracy and the dissident community, through which she met Tang at a dumpling-making party in the mid-2000s.

Tang, now 67, was a young factory worker at the time of the Tiananmen protests. He later defected by swimming to Taiwan from a Chinese fishing boat. He eventually came to the U.S. and was granted asylum.

Another dissident, who asked for anonymity to speak openly about a sensitive issue, recalled meeting him some 20 years ago when he first arrived. "He was a spirited young man, full of ideals. You know, he had been imprisoned in China, then fled to Taiwan, and later came to the U.S.," they said.

Despite meeting his wife and settling in the U.S., Tang had a difficult time and exile had been "a very, very painful experience" for him, the person said.

"He was very filial, and he cared deeply about his mother. We all knew he wanted to return to China in 2018 (when she fell ill). His brother is disabled. Later, his mother and brother both passed away.

"I later saw him a few times in Flushing, sometimes on the street. He looked very down and out," the person told RFA.

Prosecutors allege that Tang began working for the MSS in 2018 in exchange for being allowed to go back to China to visit his family. His orders included taking pictures and videos of people of interest to the intelligence service and passing information about their whereabouts to a handler. The MSS paid Tang's family in mainland China, prosecutors said.

He is also alleged to have invited an MSS agent to a chat group he set up for dissidents - including some seeking asylum in the U.S. - and to have passed information about asylum-seeking to a handler.

Younger dissidents close to Tang - some of whom were recently arrived from China - told RFA they had looked up to him as almost a mentor figure who regaled them with tales of being jailed by the Chinese government and promised to help them navigate the U.S. asylum process.

His arrest has left them worried, said Chao Xu, 32, who came to the United States in the summer of 2023.

"I'm really worried now because every time we went to protests or demonstrations against the CCP, Tang would take photos and videos of us up close. China could use facial recognition to quickly identify us and our families back home. Of course, I'm scared," he said.

Another dissident, Kuijun Wu, 30, who also arrived in the U.S. last year, told RFA that there is widespread panic among a group of over 50 newcomers. They had provided Tang with their personal information, including their addresses in China, when they joined the party he led.

"We risked our lives to come to the U.S., and now our leader is a spy. What are we supposed to do?" he said.

Tang has been under house arrest since being released on an unsecured $100,000 bond. Since then, he has privately expressed remorse to friends, telling close associates that he was sorry for letting America down and particularly regretted affecting his former partner, several sources told RFA.

Salen referred most of RFA's questions about Tang to his lawyer, but did offer a thought on one matter.

"I noticed that a lot of reports on him are saying he was 'a former democracy activist.' I think 'former' is incorrect. He still is a democracy activist," she said. "I think the [Chinese] exile community is very complex. Everyone knows the exile community is very complex, and also there's a lot of debate and dissension."

Nick Eftimiades, a former CIA analyst who has worked extensively on Chinese intelligence cases, told RFA that while it remains to be seen whether there is wider cause for concern given Tang's family tie to U.S. government work, the extent of China's reach could be likened to the Stasi in East Germany, where a third of the population was pressed into this kind of service.

"It destroyed families and relationships as people were recruited to spy on each other and other targets of the regime. I think we're seeing the same thing here," he said. "The question now is, can the United States and so many European countries keep their populations safe from the CCP, which strikes at the very heart of their sovereignty?"

The Department of Justice declined to comment on the case.

Edited by Boer Deng

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Vietnam cracks down on social media users who criticize the state

Authorities use what rights groups say is vague wording of Articles 117 and 331 to quash dissent.

By RFA Vietnamese 2024.08.26 -- Authorities in Vietnam are pressing on with a crackdown on social media users who are seen as critical of the government, using two articles of the Criminal Code that rights groups say are too vague, to punish those "opposing" the state and the ruling Communist Party.

After seven months in pre-trial detention, authorities in Hanoi have announced plans to prosecute Facebooker Phan Van Bach under Article 117 of the Criminal Code for "making, storing, spreading information, materials, items for the purpose of opposing the State of Socialist Republic of Vietnam."

Bach, 49, has been an active campaigner for more a decade. He took part in protests against China's territorial claims in the South China Sea in 2011, the Green Trees environmental demonstrations in 2015, and the protests against pollution caused by Formosa Plastics in 2016.

According to an indictment issued on July 19 and recently shared by his family, Bach is accused of using his personal Facebook account to post 12 articles and six video clips between 2018 and 2022 with content said to "distort the Party's policies and guidelines, defame the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, deny the leadership role of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and disseminate edited images that defame state leaders and incite the masses."

Bach was detained on Dec. 29, 2023, but his wife Nguyen Thi Yeu wasn't allowed to see him until June 4.

"I didn't recognize him at all. He was no longer the same person as when he left," she told Radio Free Asia. "He was thin and had scabies all over his body."

Her husband told her he had diarrhea as soon as he was taken to the detention camp. When he asked to go to the hospital for treatment, he was given medicine, which made him constipated.

He was put in a 40 square meter (431 square foot) cell with more than 30 other inmates, where he developed scabies.

RFA called the investigator who handled Bach's case several times but he did not answer the telephone.

'Propaganda against the state'

In 2017, Bach joined independent YouTube channel CHTV, reporting on Vietnam's socio-economic issues.

Three members of the channel, Vu Quang Thuan, Le Van Dung and Le Trong Hung, are serving prison sentences ranging from five to eight years for the crime of "propaganda against the state."

Bach often hosted live talks criticizing Vietnam's one-party regime but in 2018 he announced he was leaving CHTV.

His Facebook page shows that in recent years he has only focused on his labor export business.

In another case in which Article 117 was used, the People's Court of Ha Tinh province on Tuesday sentenced Phan Dinh Sang, 57, to six years in prison and two years probation, according to state-controlled media.

Prosecutors said that from 2016 to 2023, Sang created, managed, and used five Facebook accounts to participate in "reactionary" and "opposition" groups.

Vietnamese media said that, "during his time living and working in Laos, due to his dissatisfaction with the Vietnamese regime, the subject posted, distributed, and shared many articles, images, and videos with propaganda content, distorting history, and defaming the government."

Since the beginning of the year, Vietnam has detained at least eight people and sentenced at least six others to prison under Article 117, according to RFA statistics.

'Abusing freedom'

International human groups have accused Vietnam of using the vague wording of Articles 117 and 331 of the Criminal Code to quash dissent.

"Both Article 117 and 331 violate Viet Nam's international human rights obligations and should be repealed or substantially amended to comply with the rules set out under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Vietnam is a state party, and other standards," international human rights group Amnesty International said in 2021.

In a trial on Aug. 21 and 22, a court in Tuyen Quang province used Article 331 to charge another social media poster, Le Phu Tuan, with "abusing freedom and democracy to infringe upon the interests of the state and the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and individuals," state-controlled media reported.

The 52-year-old was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison.

Prosecutors said that from September to December 2023 Tuan used his Facebook account to livestream and post 21 videos.

Details about the content of his posts were not immediately available but prosecutors said they were unverified, unofficial, and violated the interests of the state, the rights and legitimate interests of a number of local agencies and many individuals.

The indictment said the contents were shared many times and attracted numerous comments, souring public opinion, undermining trust in the state and lowering the prestige of government agencies.

According to RFA statistics, since the beginning of the year, at least 11 people have been arrested and eight have been convicted under Article 331.

Translated by RFA Vietnamese. Edited by Mike Firn.

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U.S. Senate Committee staff member visits new APS-2 worksite in Poland

By Cameron Porter, 405th AFSB Public Affairs Officer August 27, 2024

POWIDZ, Poland -- A professional staff member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations conducted a site visit to the newest, most modern Army Prepositioned Stocks worksite in the world Aug. 22 in Powidz, Poland.

Ryan Pettit, who previously served in civil affairs with the Marine Corps for over nine years, visited the Powidz APS-2 worksite to observe operations and tour the Army's premier APS-2 storage and maintenance complex.

As a former member of the Council of Foreign Affairs and a U.S. Senate senior advisor for national security, Pettit was interested in learning more about the state-of-the-art Army APS-2 worksite and the 405th Army Field Support Brigade's APS-2 program.

Guiding Pettit through the worksite and briefing him on its operational capabilities was the commander of Army Field Support Battalion-Poland, Lt. Col. Omar McKen, along with AFSBn-Poland's senior enlisted leader, Sgt. Maj. Olimpia Valdez, and George Palmer, the Powidz worksite director. Accompanying Pettit on his visit to the site was Maj. Benjamin Cohen, an Army legislative liaison with the Secretary of the Army Financial Management-Budget Liaison.

The Powidz APS-2 worksite is comprised of 650,000 square feet of humidity-controlled warehouse space and a vehicle maintenance facility as well as supporting facilities. It houses and maintains a modernized Armored Brigade Combat Team's worth of APS-2 equipment to include several dozen M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks, and nearly 200 other armored combat vehicles, plus more. To learn more about the Powidz APS-2 worksite, watch this video.

The worksite was designed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to meet the security and construction standards of the host nation with a variety of building types, such as open bay warehouses, wash racks and a fueling facility. Also, there is a 58,000 square foot earth-covered munitions storage area nearby.

The Powidz APS-2 worksite demonstrates the commitment and investment of the U.S. and the host nation with NATO through enduring agreements to posture resources for rapid deployment and deter potential adversaries.

The 405th AFSB's APS-2 program helps reduce deployment timelines, improves deterrence capabilities and provides additional combat power for contingency operations. APS-2 equipment may also be drawn for use in training and exercises like U.S. Army Europe and Africa's DEFENDER series of exercises.

There are six APS-2 worksites across Europe located in five countries under the command and control of the 405th AFSB. Each APS-2 site has the capability to house and maintain about an Armored Brigade Combat Team's or a Sustainment Brigade's worth of equipment as well as engineer, artillery, military police, and medical capabilities.

The 405th AFSB's APS-2 program enhances U.S. Army Europe and Africa's capability to support the warfighter while simultaneously promoting stability and security in the region. Additionally, it helps to assure NATO partners and allies that the U.S. is fully committed to the collective defense of Europe.

By providing turn-key power projection APS-2 packages ready to employ at a moment's notice, the APS-2 program is a key component of U.S. Army Europe and Africa's power projection and warfighter readiness missions.

The 405th AFSB is assigned to U.S. Army Sustainment Command and headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany. The brigade provides materiel enterprise support to U.S. Forces throughout Europe and Africa - providing theater sustainment logistics; synchronizing acquisition, logistics and technology; and leveraging U.S. Army Materiel Command's materiel enterprise to support joint forces.

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National Guard division uses partnerships to build interoperability

By Maj. Benjamin Pimpl August 27, 2024

FORT RILEY, Kansas -- The 35th Infantry Division conducted a combined command post exercise with the 1st Infantry Division at the Mission Training Center, Fort Riley, Kan. August 9-23. Key components to a successful training event include the interoperability of not only the warfighting function's fighting systems but also the training partners that help facilitate an environment that is conducive for learning and growing as a staff. The Army National Guard's Mission Command Training Support Program (MCTSP) and observers from 1st Army were two partners who assisted with the 35th Inf. Div. commander's training guidance.

MCTSP provides units with mission command training collectively up to a division level entity. This training aids commanders in achieving their mission command objective requirements through doctrinal academics, training development, information system operator training, and simulation-supported exercises for staff, communication, command post, and field training.

"[MCTSP] is a guard bureau program that enables the training of really the entire national guard," said Robert Marshall, MCTSP training partner and subject matter expert in fires, fire support planning, and fires execution. "So, it brings a variety of capabilities that are available for commanders to integrate into their training."

Marshall explained that "one of the objectives of this CPX was to give the division staff the opportunity to increase their doctrinal knowledge with the use of the MDMP process, which is important to practice frequently because it is a perishable skill. Another goal was to give the 35th Inf. Div. an opportunity to conduct a CPX with another division headquarters."

In fact, this CPX - at the division level between two different components of the United States Army, or COMPO 1 and COMPO 2 - is historical for 35th Inf. Div. The United States Army is composed of three components; COMPO 1 - the regular Army; COMPO 2 - the Army National Guard; and COMPO 3 - the Army Reserves. Typically, the Army plans training for divisions on a singular, rotational schedule. So this CPX is rare not only because two divisions are training together, but because those two divisions are from different Army components and from the same state.

In addition to MTCSP, another training partner, 1st Army East, observed the CPX. Col. Reginald Williams, commander of 177 Armor Brigade, 1st Army, observed training during the course of action development brief during the MDMP process with 35th Inf. Div. staff members.

"I was taken aback...really blown away and impressed," said Williams "We talk about total Army and partnership training, and execute real world missions. It was the first time in my Army career in where I've seen a training event, without being dictated by Army Forces Command, where you have two divisions that mutually agreed to support one another in a CPX."

First Army Division East partners with, advises, and assists the reserve components to establish the conditions for generating total Army readiness.

"This CPX serves a dual purpose: It allows your staff to look over the shoulder in side-by-side training with the 1st Inf. Div. in order to develop a relationship as well as develop your own staff, and it is an opportunity to test some of the systems that [the 35th Inf. Div.] will use in your future CPXs," said Williams. "At the conclusion of this CPX, the key takeaway that the commander should have is where the staff is. It should set a foundation and set an azimuth or a glidepath going forward."

For two weeks, 35th Inf. Div. staff conducted operations using the military decision-making process (MDMP) to include a combined arms rehearsal with elements from 1st.Inf. Div. Then, through digital simulations, conducted joint decisive operations from their command post.

As the 35th Inf. Div. completes this first of its kind training with 1st Inf. Div., the staff will update their tactical standard operating procedures based on the lessons learned from this exercise. The many partners, like MCTSP and 1st Army, continue to help build readiness at the state and national level for a total Army force.

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August 27, 2024

Transcript

Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder Holds a Press Conference

PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER: All right. Well, good afternoon, everyone. Welcome back. Good to see you again. Just a few items at the top and then I'll be happy to take your questions.

First, we continue to monitor the situation in the Middle East and remain postured to support the defense of Israel and protect US troops and assets in the region. In two calls with his Israeli counterpart, Minister Gallant, this past weekend, Secretary Austin underscored the United States's ironclad resolve to support Israel's defense against threats from Iran and its regional partners and proxies.

As many of you are tracking, in support of this, the Secretary ordered our two carrier strike groups, the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group and the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, to remain in the region. As we have been from the start, we remain intently focused on de-escalating tensions in the Middle East while also remaining focused on securing a ceasefire as part of a hostage deal to bring all of the hostages home and to end the war in Gaza.

Turning to the Red Sea, last week on August 21st, the MV Delta Sounion, a Greek-flagged, Greek-owned oil tanker carrying approximately one million barrels of crude oil was attacked by Iranian-backed, Houthi-crewed vessels. As reported by the Greek shipping ministry, the MV Delta Sounion was sailing from Iraq to Greece with a crew of two Russian and 23 Filipino sailors. The crew has since evacuated the ship with the assistance of a partner nation vessel.

The MV Delta Sounion now sits immobilized in the Red Sea, where it is currently on fire and appears to be leaking oil, presenting both a navigational hazard and a potential environmental catastrophe. Although the Houthis have claimed that they're conducting these attacks in support of the Palestinian people, their actions prove to the contrary.

In fact, these are simply reckless acts of terrorism which continue to destabilize global and regional commerce, put the lives of innocent civilian mariners at risk, and imperil the vibrant maritime ecosystem in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the Houthis own backyard. US Central Command continues to actively monitor the situation and is coordinating with other maritime partners in the region to determine how best to assist the vessel and mitigate the potential environmental impact.

Shifting gears, in a display of an enduring and robust defense partnership, the United States and the Indonesian National Armed Forces kicked off the 2024 Super Garuda Shield exercise yesterday with an opening ceremony at an Indonesian military base at Juanda Naval Air Base Surabaya.

Super Garuda Shield is the largest annual US-Indonesian training exercise, and this year service members from the US, Indonesia, Australia, Canada, Japan, Singapore and the United Kingdom will engage in various training opportunities, including airborne operations, amphibious operations and interoperability information exchanges, as well as academic exchanges, professional development workshops, command and control exercises, and a joint field training exercise culminating in a live fire event.

Sponsored by US Army Pacific, the exercise will last through September 6th and involves around 3,000 combined armed forces, including approximately 1,800 US personnel. It enhances interoperability through training and cultural exchanges, solidifying the US-Indonesia Major Defense Partnership and supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific. For more information on Super Garuda Shield, I'd refer you to US Army Pacific.

Finally, on behalf of all who have served here in the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, I wanted to take the opportunity to congratulate our very own Mr. Taft Phoebus on his 40 year milestone of federal service in the Defense Press Operations Office. Always the early bird, in early and out late, Taft humbly and selflessly plays a foundational role here at OSD-PA, supporting the Pentagon press corps and ensuring they have the support they need to do their jobs effectively.

Anyone who has had the good fortune of working alongside Taft is familiar with the wisdom and professionalism he brings to the job every day. So, once more, congratulations, Taft, and thank you for your service. Here's to 40 more.

And with that, I will take your questions. Yeah. [Applause] I know Taft also likes all the attention. So, all right. [Laughter] All right, with that, we'll go to Associated Press first, who I believe is on the phone today. Lita?

Q: Thank you, Pat. And congratulations to Taft. He's a huge help, as always. I have a quick follow up on the ship and then I have a Ukraine question. On the ship in the Red Sea that's on fire, can I assume that what you're saying is that, at this point, neither the US nor any of the other allies have been able to do anything to stop the fire, or to do something actual to address the ship's condition right now? Is that accurate?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: Yeah. Thanks, Lita. As I highlighted, CENTCOM continues to monitor and assess the situation. We are aware of a third party that attempted to send two tugs to the vessel to help salvage, but they were warned away by the Houthis and

threatened with being attacked, which again demonstrates their blatant disregard for not only human life but also for the potential environmental catastrophe that this presents.

So, again, CENTCOM continues to monitor and look at, you know, and assess the situation, and we'll keep you updated on that front. Then you said you had a question on Ukraine.

Q: Yes. Does Secretary Austin expect to meet with Mr. Umerov this week? And can you provide any update on whether the US has seen much movement by Russians out of other parts of Ukraine to go to Kursk? Thank you.

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: In terms of the secretary meeting with Minister Umerov, I don't have anything to announce. As you know, he regularly speaks  Secretary Austin regularly speaks with Minister Umerov, and so I would foresee them speaking again in the near future. But again, I don't have anything to provide from the podium today.

In terms of Kursk, again, we continue to keep an eye on this. As we've said previously, we have seen the Russians divert some forces to the Kursk region. Largely, they have used forces that are already there and as they put together a defense, a hasty defense, but nothing large scale that I've seen at this point. But again, I'd refer you to the Russians to talk more about their operations and I'll just leave it there.

Jennifer?

Q: General Ryder, the US doesn't have any naval warships in the Red Sea right now. Do you think that, if there had been the USS Cole or other destroyers in  or an aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, that they could have prevented this Houthi attack on this vessel that's now on fire?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: Well, you know, at this point, the fact is is that there is a vessel that's on fire. And as you know, we've been patrolling those waterways for a while and have been able to intercept and mitigate the vast majority of Houthi attacks. And so, we'll continue to stay focused on that. But the reality is right now we have this situation. And so, again, CENTCOM will continue to assess. We'll keep you updated on any potential involvement there.

Q: And how long do you expect that there won't be an aircraft carrier strike group in the Indo-Pacific? Isn't it risky right now not having an aircraft carrier strike group there?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: Well, look, you know, as we look at global force management and as we look at requirements around the world in support of our national security interests, we're always taking great care to make sure that we can cover those commitments, to include in our priority theater, which is the Indo-Pacific region. And so, we have a significant amount of capability there, to include a large naval presence.

And so, in the case of the Middle East, as I highlighted, the Secretary wanted those two carrier strike groups to remain in the region for now to be able to provide us with additional capability and capacity to protect our forces, support the defense of Israel, and also be ready for a variety of contingencies.

Q: But how long do you expect to have this carrier gap?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: You know, look, I'm not going to get into deployment timelines for operational security reasons. But the bottom line is we can walk and chew gum at the same time.

Carla?

Q: Thank you, Pat. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said yesterday that there should be no restrictions on the range of weapons for Ukraine. He's said this before, but he added that the terrorists, referencing Russia, have no such restrictions. Does the Pentagon agree with that statement?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: Well, look, I won't speak for President Zelenskyy. Clearly, he's made his views and perspective well known both publicly and privately. From a US perspective, we're going to continue to consult closely with our Ukrainian partners as well as our allies and partners around the world on how best to support Ukraine towards the, you know, ultimate end state of ensuring a free and sovereign Ukraine that can deter future aggression from Russia.

Q: And so, are there still restrictions on Ukrainian weapons provided by the United States?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: So, our policies haven't changed. You've heard us say that the Ukrainians can use US security assistance to defend themselves from cross-border attacks, in other words counterfire. But as it relates to long-range strike, deep strikes into Russia, our policy has not changed. Let me go back out to the phone here. JJ Green, WTOP.

Q: Thanks, General. Question regarding Israel and Hamas. The Pentagon has said for quite a while now that one of its stated goals was to prevent this conflict from spreading. So based on what happened over the weekend between Israel and Hezbollah, how does the Pentagon view that? Does this seem to be an expansion because they've done attacks against each other, but these attacks, these were much bigger and seemingly had much more impact? How does that impact the Pentagon's view of whether this is expanding or not?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: Yeah. Thanks, JJ. So again, just to put this into context, when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th, you heard us say that we deployed a significant amount of additional capability into the Middle East region and the EUCOM (European

Command) region in order to send a very clear message of deterrence and to prevent this from becoming a wider regional conflict.

Right now, we still assess that the conflict between Israel and Hamas is contained to Gaza. You have seen the cross-border strikes between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah since October 8. What you saw over the weekend of course was a much larger scale than what we've seen previously, but it is, in our view, not a wider regional conflict at this stage.

And so we're going to continue to stay very focused on de-escalation of tensions in the region as I highlighted and preventing it from becoming a wider regional war. Thank you. Tony.

Q: (On) Afghanistan, you were pilloried this week about the third anniversary of not only the Abbey Gate tragedy but also the Friday is going to mark the 30th anniversary of our withdrawal. You've been criticized quite a bit by conservatives, Republicans and Trump yesterday. You saw that. I wanted to get, what is the perspective of Pentagon leadership at this point, three years later, to the criticisms?

The word chaotic is the most widely used adjective to describe it. Three years later, what's the perspective here in terms of how you guys' view what happened?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: Yeah. Thanks, Tony. Well, as I'm sure you can appreciate, I'm not going to be able to comment on any remarks from any political candidates.

Q: Understand.

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: But separately, Secretary Austin has spoken many times about the withdrawal from Afghanistan and his pride in the tremendous work of the men. And women of the US military.

So I would point you to some of his previous statements to include in April of 2023, which reads in part and if you disallow me here, quote, over the course of 20 years of war in Afghanistan, our service members and their families served bravely, selflessly and with compassion. As the Secretary of Defense and as a veteran of the Afghanistan War, I am proud of and deeply grateful for the men and women who stood up to serve after al-Qaeda attacked us on September 11th, 2001. We remember the 2,461 American service members and personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice in this war. Even on the hardest days, including August 26th, 2021, when we tragically lost 13 of our finest, our force performed admirably under incredibly challenging conditions, end quote.

And in regards to the withdrawal, he's also underscored that no other military in the world could have accomplished what we and our allies and partners did in such a short time

span. And that this is a testament not only to our forces' capabilities and courage, but also to our relationships and the capabilities of our allies and partners.

Q: Can I ask you too, hunting down the perpetrators the enablers of the Abbey Gate attack, Chris Maier, your commander-in-chief, talked to reporters on Friday and he talked a little bit about the network was degraded. But from the podium, can you give a feel for that? President Biden said at the time we will hunt you down. So what's the status of the hunt today?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: Yeah. Well, as Assistant Secretary of Defense Maier highlighted, we are laser-focused on defending our citizens from terrorist threats that could emanate from Central Asia or anywhere else around the globe. We know that we can't turn a blind eye to the threats from organizations such as Isis-K and that we must keep a relentless focus on counterterrorism, counterterrorism and we're doing that. We have and continue to invest in and deploy modern capabilities to keep Americans safe.

We're working closely with the intelligence community, as well as to deepen our cooperation with allies and partners to address evolving threats. I know that Mr. Maier addressed this as well in terms of how we've been able to foil plots and disrupt terrorist networks to include ISIS-K by sharing information and intelligence and enabling allied and partner nations to be the ones conducting arrests or taking actions.

And you've seen that demonstrated here recently with some high-profile news coverage of a foiled terrorist plot in Europe, for example. But we've also demonstrated our ability to reach anywhere in the world when there is a threat, including in Central Asia or in the Middle East. We've shown that we will not hesitate to take action to keep America safe, as evidenced by CENTCOM's recent strike in Syria, which killed the senior leader of an al-Qaeda associated group.

Thank you very much. Janne.

Q: Thank you, General, two occasions. North Korean Kim Jong Un announced that it would fully deploy suicide drones for the world. What concerns does the United States have about this, and what is the US response to North Korea's asymmetric power?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: I'm sorry, Janne, to its what?

Q: What is the US's response to North Korea's asymmetric power?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: On your first question, I've seen the press reporting. Certainly it's something that we're keeping an eye on. I do find it interesting that everywhere else it's known as one-way attack drone. But for some reason when North Korea says it, it's suicide

drone, interesting. But we clearly want to take that threat seriously and it's something that we'll keep an eye on.

I know that our South Korean allies are also keeping an eye on it and monitoring that. And I'll 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.

In terms of North Korea and its capabilities, look, they have a long history here of destabilizing rhetoric and activities. Again, our focus in the region is defensive in nature, and I'm working with allies and partners to promote regional security and stability and to be prepared for any threats that North Korea presents.

Obviously, don't want conflict with North Korea and we continue to call for diplomatic communication, but so far, they have not been willing to take that olive branch.

Q: Can you predict the possibility that suicide drone, drones, mass produced with tactical support from Russia and Iran will be used on the battlefield of Ukraine and Middle East?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: Yeah. I don't have anything on that, nor do I want to predict. So thank you. Yes, ma'am.

Q: Thank you, sir. Nazira Karimi Afghan journalist. As you said something about Afghanistan, Afghan people are also concerned about Daesh activity, based off your opinion, Daesh [inaudible] increase in Afghanistan and Taliban concerned about their activity too. And what is the difference between Taliban and Daesh?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: How much time do you have? I mean, look, first of all, as you well know, the Taliban currently is the government in Afghanistan, and I'll use that term loosely. And so as the so-called ruling entity in there, clearly there is a difference between that ISIS-K, but there are many other terror groups that that are resident right now in Afghanistan.

So we're continuing to keep an eye on that region writ large. Ultimately, at the end of the day, our focus continues to be, broadly speaking, on working with allies and partners throughout the world and to include Central Asia, as I highlighted, on Promoting Regional Security and stability and safeguarding US national security interests to include the counterterrorism efforts and nonproliferation.

So just leave it there. Thank you very much.

Q: Thank you, General. The US provided intelligence and ISR support to Israel in order to deal with the attack from Hezbollah. What is your assessment of that attack, and do you

think it failed or succeeded in achieving some of the goals that were declared by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: Yeah, thanks for the question. I'm going to refrain from putting a label on it and just, it was. It was a large scale attack. The Lebanese Hezbollah had essentially previewed that they intended to retaliate and by all accounts, they did. And so, you know, Israel was well prepared to respond and defend themselves. But I'll let the leaders from each of those  you know, from Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah speak to the nature of that.

From a US standpoint, we were very focused, again, on supporting the defense of Israel as well as ensuring that this did not escalate into a wider regional conflict, and that continues to be our focus.

Q: And on the threats from Iran to retaliate against Israel, do you see Iran still poised to attack Israel or, in light of the weekend events between Hezbollah and Israel, there has been some changes in what you observe vis-a-vis Iran?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: You know, I'm not going to go into intelligence. But, again, you know, as I've said previously, Iran has made those threats and has said that they intend to retaliate, and so we have to take that very seriously. And so, we will continue to remain postured, and we are well postured, to be able to support the defense of Israel as well as protect our own forces. Thank you.

Noah?

Q: Admiral Paparo said recently that the US could escort Filipino vessels during resupply missions, that this would be within the bounds of the Mutual Defense Treaty. I wanted to know if that's consistent with the secretary's thinking.

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: Yeah. Thanks, Noah. 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 modernize the Philippine military. And so, as allies, we continue to stand with the Philippines, given especially the PRC has consistently prevented them from executing lawful maritime operations in the South China Sea.

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.

Q: So, you're saying that, if they requested such military support, that that could be on the table for consultation, that that wouldn't be an immediate closed door?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: Well, again, without getting into hypotheticals, I think as allies it would require any type  it would require consultation between our two nations. Thank you.

Courtney, you're sitting way in the back there today.

Q: Yeah.

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: All right.

Q: Several Russian officials have spoken out recently about the US being involved in the Kursk incursion. The deputy foreign minister said consequences for the United States could be much harsher than those they are already experiencing. They know where and in what areas we are reacting in practical terms. What does  do you know, what does that  I guess what are the areas that they are reacting that the US knows about? And I guess do you have any comment to their  Lavrov also spoke out, saying that the US is complicit in this Kursk incursion.

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: So, truth in advertising, I'm not a Kremlinologist, so I'm not going to pretend to be able to translate for Russian bureaucratese. What I will say is that, as we've said previously, we did not have advance notification of Ukraine's intent and operations to go into Kursk.

Certainly, again, you've heard President Zelenskyy say that their efforts there are to create a buffer zone. And so, we continue to have conversations with them about what that means, but more broadly speaking, how the US can support Ukraine's efforts to preserve its sovereignty and deter future Russian aggression.

Q: But specifically on this allegation that the US knows that the consequences are going to be harsher than previously, have you seen any indications of consequences against the United States?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: I don't know what that means. Again, we're not at war with Russia. We're not seeking conflict with Russia. We are simply supporting a democratic nation who was invaded two and a half years ago and enabling them to protect themselves. Thank you.

Last question. Yes, sir?

Q: The Iranian commander of IRGC says Iran, with Islamic resistance in Iraq and elsewhere, will take retaliation. But how does the Pentagon see the involvement of proxies in Iraq in the existing war between Israel and Hamas?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: Well, kind of taking a step back, you know, there have definitely been actions by Iranian backed groups in Iraq and Syria as it relates to attempting to conduct rocket attacks against Israel, largely unsuccessful, but, you know, we've seen that. We've also seen those groups attack US forces that are in Iraq and Syria in support of the enduring defeat of ISIS' mission.

So, you know, what they may do in the future, I can't predict. But we take that threat seriously, and we'll continue in the  you know, just like we're going to continue to support the defense of Israel, we will stay very focused on ensuring that our forces are protected as well. And we won't tolerate any attacks against our forces.

And to purposely belabor the point, if we are threatened or attacked, we will always respond in a time and manner of our choosing.

Q: Thank you.

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: Thank you. Thank you very much, everybody. Oh, last one, yeah.

Q: Just one domestic question related to a Justice Department plea that came down last night against one of the Navy's top shipbuilders, Austal Limited. They pleaded guilty to product substitution and fraud, accounting fraud. What steps is the DOD general counsel taking with the Navy to review whether they are a responsible contractor to keep getting federal contracts or face debarment?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: Yeah. Thanks, Tony. We've seen the press reporting on it. However, I'm going to have to refer you to the Department of Justice for details and then to the Navy for any action that they're undertaking as a result. I just don't have any more to provide.

Q: You don't have any more? Can you also check on the status of the Boeing review you were asked about, like, a month and a half ago, in terms of their plea. I mean, you guys said at the time there's a review of what steps Boeing is taking to be a responsible contractor. Can you take that as a question in terms of the status?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: Yeah, I'll take the question, I don't know that we'll have much more to provide, but I'll take that question.

Q: Thank you.

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: Okay, thanks. Oh, Luis, seriously? You walk in, like, last minute. All right, only because it's ABC, Luis Martinez.

Q: Thank you. And congratulations to Taft.

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: Oh yeah. Okay. [Laughter] Taft was on time, but  just saying.

Q: Right. Going back to the JLOTS, that it was announced last week, I think, that that last cargo shipment had left Cyprus. Is there an update? Has it been offloaded? What's happened since?

MAJOR GENERAL RYDER: So, what I'm tracking, Luis, is that essentially the ship is in the queue waiting for its turn to dock in Ashdod and unload its contents, but as of right now still at sea. But that's the latest update I have. Okay. Thank you.

Thanks very much, everybody. Appreciate it.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3886761/

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August 27, 2024

By Jim Garamone, DOD News

U.S. Postured to Defend Israel if Needed, Protect U.S. Forces, Assets

U.S. forces continue to stand ready in the Middle East, should Iran or its proxies attempt to attack Israel, Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said today.

U.S. Central Command continues to monitor the situation in the Middle East and U.S. naval and air forces are "postured to support the defense of Israel and protect U.S. troops and assets in the region," Ryder said.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III has made two calls this week to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to reiterate America's "ironclad" resolve to defend the country, the general said.

There are now two U.S. carrier strike groups in the region centered around the USS Theodore Roosevelt and the USS Abraham Lincoln. There is also a squadron of F-22 Raptors deployed and the missile submarine USS Georgia is also sailing to the region.

These forces will remain in the region as long as they are needed. "We remain intently focused on de-escalating tensions in the Middle East, 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," Ryder said.

In the Red Sea the Greek-flagged oil tanker MV Delta Sounion carrying a million barrels of crude oil was attacked by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists. The ship was sailing from Iraq to Greece with a crew of two Russian and 23 Filipino sailors when it was attacked and caught fire. The crew has evacuated, with the assistance of a partner nation vessel.

"The MV Delta Sounion now sits immobilized in the Red Sea, where it is currently on fire and appears to be leaking oil, presenting both a navigational hazard and a potential environmental catastrophe," the general said. "The Houthis have claimed that they are conducting these attacks in support of the Palestinian people. Their actions prove to the contrary. In fact, these are simply reckless acts of terrorism which continue to destabilize global and regional commerce, put the lives of innocent civilian mariners at risk and imperil the vibrant maritime ecosystem in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden  their own backyard."

Centcom is working with allies and partners to determine how best to assist the vessel and mitigate the potential environmental impact, he said.

"We are aware of a third party that attempted to send two tugs to the vessel to help salvage [it], but they were warned away by the Houthis and threatened with being attacked, which again demonstrates [the Houthi's] blatant disregard for not only human life, but also for the potential environmental catastrophe that this presents," he said.

Ryder said the deployment of U.S. military capabilities to the region has sent a clear message of deterrence with the idea of preventing a wider regional conflict. "Right now, we still assess that the conflict between Israel and Hamas is contained to Gaza," he said. "You have seen the cross-border strikes between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah since Oct. 8. What you saw over the weekend, of course, was [on] a much larger scale than what we've seen previously, but it is, in our view, not a wider regional conflict at this stage, and so we're going to continue to stay very focused on de-escalation of tensions in the region."

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August 27, 2024

By Matthew Olay, DOD News

Brown Visits Israel Despite Increased Hostilities in Region

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., on Sunday, followed through with plans to travel to Israel despite an exchange of live fire in the north earlier in the day between the Israeli Defense Forces and Lebanese Hezbollah.

Brown, who had been planning to go to Israel as part of a three-country visit throughout the Middle East, said that he still wanted to make sure he could travel to Tel Aviv, regardless of the day's earlier combative activity in the region.

"I wanted to make sure we had options to still go to Israel. The exchange occurred pretty early in the morning, so we monitored the situation throughout the day, and I talked to my Israeli counterpart," Brown told reporters on Monday.

"I factored everything that was going on in real time. It's no different than what I do in my day-to-day schedule in the Pentagon," he added.

Having already traveled between Jordan and Egypt during the weekend to meet with his counterparts and other high-level officials, Brown then proceeded to Tel Aviv that evening, where he met with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, according to a statement from the chairman's office.

"The leaders reaffirmed the importance of the U.S.-Israeli strategic partnership while also discussing the most recent engagement across [Israel and Lebanese borders] and the need to de-escalate tensions to avoid a broader conflict," the statement reads.

"They also discussed the chairman's recent engagements with regional partners; Israel having the means to defend itself; the vital need for humanitarian assistance to reach Gaza residents and to minimize civilian casualties; and the importance of preventing the conflict from broadening," the statement continues.

This was Brown's second trip to Israel since he became chairman of the Joint Staff in October of 2023. His first visit was with Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III in December that year.

Brown said that his decision to go to Israel in spite of the day's earlier exchange of fire demonstrated the United States' commitment to the region.

"The fact that I still went  I think from a timing perspective  I thought was important," Brown said.

"The message I carried coming into the region was to deter a broader conflict," he continued, "and I think by going to all three countries  particularly by going to Israel after the day's events  it sends a pretty strong message."

Along the lines of messaging, Brown was asked how the value of trust  what Brown views as the foundation of the United States' military profession  ties into his work with regional counterparts to achieve strategic goals.

"[Trust] is as much a priority for me," he replied.

"I really believe that I learn more by listening; by going in, listening to what our partners have to say and trying to understand their perspective," Brown said. "And, also, by sharing my perspective  that's what helps to build that trust."

After having completed his three-country visit to the Middle East  where the chairman experienced everything from celebrating 75 years of successful diplomatic relations with Jordan, to being the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to visit Egypt since 2016, to having to make a crucial, real-time decision as to whether to visit Israel on a day of armed escalation  Brown was asked about the importance of showing up in the region, in-person, rather than conducting foreign relations from the comfort and safety of Washington.

"Anytime I can get out and engage with our partners ... and engage with other members of their staff ... I think there's great value in that," Brown replied.

"That's how you build trust: by being present."

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August 27, 2024

By Jim Garamone, DOD News

Chief Details Shifting Special Ops Emphasis; Progress on Preventing Civilian Casualties

U.S. special operators are shifting their focus to support the National Defense Strategy to "fill the gaps" of conventional forces as the world faces new challenges and threats, said Christopher Maier, assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low intensity conflict.

But the old threats have not gone away, and special operators still need the expertise they displayed in the counterinsurgency fight, Maier told the Defense Writers' Group last week.

"If you compare where I think we're going versus where we have been in the past in the counterterrorism fights, [special operations forces] were generally in the lead and a lot of the rest of the conventional military was supporting SOF," he said. "That's very much reversed now."

China is the pacing challenge to the U.S. military and the Indo-Pacific is the prime theater. "As we think of the Indo-Pacific, we are focused on finding areas where the comparative advantage that the SOF enterprise brings can help enhance what the conventional forces are doing," he said.

He called it the "Swiss Army Knife approach" to defense. Special operations forces are interspersed around the Indo-Pacific working with allies and partners across the vast region, he said. These teams help train allies and partners and also have the cultural knowledge to sense the environment. If the country or region were to have a crisis or conflict, special operators would be invaluable to senior leaders on the operational challenges they could face, Maier said.

In many cases, special operators will be able to capitalize on the fact that they have generational military relationships in those nations. "Many of our senior and even mid-level [leaders] have worked for years with allies and partners in a very integrated way," he said.

Special operators are "just going to have a better understanding of that kind of human environment," Maier said. "That is already highlighted in some of the places where we are investing in capabilities, be those decision advantage or the ability to push more remote advise-and-assist capabilities farther forward."

But even this will change, he said. "We're fundamentally going to be still working with allies and partners, but we may not be as proximate. It may not be that classic hand on the shoulder that we've had in places like Syria and Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia."

"What [special operations forces] does is not principally focused on, in all cases, conducting combat operations," he said. "We're trying to shape the environment. Our biggest value is ... kind of 'left of boom.' If we're going to go to large scale combat operations, 'may the odds be in your favor, right?' And those odds are going to be set in days, weeks, months, years ahead of time."

Special operations forces' persistent engagement is key to setting those odds. Special operators work with allies and partners to improve their military capabilities and familiarize them with U.S. tactical and operational thinking, Maier said. "Improving their warfighting capabilities is incredibly important because I don't think anybody who is thinking about this seriously, thinks the United States is going to go to war just by ourselves: We're going to go with our allies and partners. We need to make sure that we've conveyed as much of our expertise to them, and they've done the same back to us."

Maier also discussed the progress made on DOD's comprehensive action plan to reduce instances of civilian casualties. DOD has long taken civilian harm mitigation as a key tenant of how the United States conducts war. Reducing civilian casualties is morally right, the assistant secretary said. The imperative to do this is built into U.S. professional military education as part of all military exercises and it is important to the strategic environment.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III ordered these changes in the policies and Maier has responsibility for "operationalizing" them. "In conjunction with our national defense strategy, we realized we needed to look at this problem set more holistically and probably more diligently," he said.

This is necessary because the tactics in any conflict will probably change. In counterterrorism operations, special operators were able "to look at individual targets for long periods of time and make decisions at a different tempo than today," Maier said. Large-scale combat operations will not allow that luxury of time. There may be thousands of kinetic actions in an hour, where in the past, conducting six operations a day seemed like a lot.

At the same time, U.S. experts are also looking at the lessons to be learned from Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine. "We were watching, before our very eyes, what happens when you have what we often call the Russian way of war, which is to be as brutal as one thinks it is," Maier said.

The Russians, in effect, target civilian populations and civilian infrastructure, he said.

DOD looked holistically across the department on what needed to be done. "First off, [civilian harm mitigation] is often an additional duty for combatant commanders' staffs," he said. "We are building up to give commanders more capability to think about in a strategic context, the environment they're operating in, and looking not only at whether they should or shouldn't conduct a particular strike or particular operational action but looking at in the strategic environment."

"What we've done across the department is provide not only additional instructions and additional tradecraft, to looking at the civilian environment and then mitigating the harm associated with any military actions but also put people after this," Maier said. "We've put almost 170 people that have been resourced across the combatant commands, across the intelligence enterprise and across elements of the joint staff and the office of secretary of defense."

These are people who are "experts in this space" but can also relate to the commanders and the missions they are told to execute. These civilian harm mitigation response officers  called CHMROs  are experts in security cooperation and will also help commanders to work with partners.

The CHMROs understand the longer-term implications of a proposed action. "It may look like a target is valid and very important at the time, but if you don't have somebody helping to think through the longer-term strategic implications, you may do things that have short-term benefits but result in longer-term challenges," Maier said. "We also have folks that are working in targeting cells, and this has been a key piece of what the secretary of defense has asked us to do, which is not put restrictions. This isn't about constraining our military. It's about building in more expertise to understand the operating environment."

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Austal USA LLC Agrees to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Involving Navy Ships

Tuesday, August 27, 2024

For Immediate Release

Office of Public Affairs

Austal USA LLC (Austal), a Mobile, Alabama, based company, has agreed to pay $811,259 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly supplying valves that did not meet military specifications.

Austal manufactures numerous ships for the United States, including the Independence Class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). The United States' settlement alleges that, under a 2011 Navy contract, Austal invoiced for military grade high performance butterfly valves and triple offset butterfly valves it installed on five LCS hulls when it knew the valves had not met the testing requirements to be deemed military grade.

"It is essential to the safety and operational readiness of our Navy fleet that contractors comply with applicable military specifications," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department's Civil Division. "We will continue to hold accountable those who knowingly supply equipment to the U.S. military that fails to meet contract specifications."

"We cannot and will not tolerate companies who cut corners and misrepresent the products they provide to our military," said U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee for the Southern District of Mississippi. "This office is committed to protecting taxpayer dollars and will pursue fraud wherever we find it."

"Supplying nonconforming parts to the Department of Defense (DoD) compromises military systems and potentially endangers the lives of U.S servicemembers," said Special Agent in Charge Darrin K. Jones of DoD Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. "DCIS and our law enforcement partners are fully committed to ensure the safety of our military personnel and protecting the integrity of the DoD supply chain."

"Product substitution risks degrading warfighter capability and wastes U.S. taxpayer dollars," said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Navy Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. "I want to thank our investigative partners for their collaboration in working with NCIS to protect the integrity of the Department of the Navy procurement process."

DCIS, NCIS and the Defense Contract Audit Agency's Office of Investigative Support investigated the case

Senior Trial Counsel Art J. Coulter of the Civil Division's Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Deidre Lamppin Colson for the Southern District of Mississippi handled the case.

The claims resolved by the settlements are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.

Settlement

Topic: False Claims Act

Component: Civil Division

Press Release Number: 24-1064

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U.S. Navy Shipbuilder Pleads Guilty to Financial Accounting Fraud Scheme and Obstructing a Defense Department Audit

Tuesday, August 27, 2024

For Immediate Release

Office of Public Affairs

Austal USA LLC (Austal USA), a Mobile, Alabama-based shipbuilder that constructs vessels for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, pleaded guilty today and has agreed to pay $24 million to resolve an investigation by the Justice Department related to an accounting fraud scheme and efforts to obstruct the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) during a financial capability audit. Austal USA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Austal Limited, an Australian company that is publicly traded on the Australian Securities Exchange and was traded over-the-counter in the United States via American Depositary Receipts.

The Justice Department's criminal resolution was coordinated with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Separately, Austal USA also entered into a False Claims Act settlement with the department's Civil Division to resolve claims that it knowingly provided non-compliant parts to the U.S. Navy.

"Austal USA, a shipbuilder for the U.S. military, engaged in a years-long scheme to illegally inflate its profits on ships the company was building for the U.S. Navy, reporting false financial results to investors, lenders, and its auditors," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. "The investing public, the U.S. Navy, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency relied on Austal USA to tell the truth about its financial condition and its performance on U.S. Navy contracts. Today's guilty plea underscores the Department of Justice's commitment to holding U.S. government contractors accountable for their criminal misconduct and ensuring that they engage honestly with the U.S. government."

"Maintaining our national security and military infrastructure cannot come at the cost of the integrity of our contracting processes," said U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello for the Southern District of Alabama. "Today's actions ensure accountability and promote the rule of law in this critical arena."

According to court documents, from at least in or around 2013 through at least in or around July 2016, Austal USA and its co-conspirators conspired to mislead Austal Limited's shareholders, independent financial statement auditors and the investing public about Austal USA's financial condition. Specifically, Austal USA artificially suppressed an accounting metric known as an "estimate at completion" (EAC) in relation to multiple Littoral Combat Ships that Austal USA was building for the U.S. Navy. Suppressing the EACs had the effect of falsely overstating Austal USA's profitability on those shipbuilding efforts and Austal Limited's earnings reported in its public financial statements. Austal USA and its co-conspirators manipulated the EAC figures in part by using so-called "program challenges," which were false plug numbers to hide growing shipbuilding costs that should have been incorporated into the company's financial statements. Austal USA did this to maintain and increase the share price of Austal Limited's stock. When the higher costs were eventually disclosed to the market, Austal Limited wrote down over $100 million, and the stock price was significantly negatively impacted.

"Defense contractors that engage in fraud erode the public's trust in our Armed Forces," said Director Omar Lopez of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). "NCIS and our investigative partners are determined to hold those accountable whose actions erode that trust. We are committed to rooting out economic crime that negatively impacts the readiness of the Department of the Navy."

"This case is a direct result of the superb dedication of the investigative and prosecution teams," said Director Kelly P. Mayo of the Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). "These committed professionals' efforts send a clear message to DoD contractors of our unwavering resolve to investigate and prosecute fraud, corruption, and efforts to circumvent compliance measures that reduce our combat effectiveness."

The department reached this resolution with Austal USA based on a number of factors, including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense and the pervasiveness of the misconduct at the most senior levels of Austal USA. Austal USA received credit for affirmative acceptance of responsibility and limited credit for its cooperation with the department's investigation, which included facilitating interviews with current and former employees, enabling the department to promptly produce records in a related court case, and making a timely disclosure of all relevant facts and documents pertaining to an unrelated matter. However, Austal USA's cooperation was limited in a number of respects, including: Austal USA did not provide to the department any relevant facts relating to this conduct until two years after learning of the department's investigation; Austal USA produced certain relevant documents after significant delay; Austal USA was delayed in responding to certain requests from the government, and often required follow-up requests from the government before responding; and Austal USA did not at all times demonstrate a commitment to full and timely cooperation.

Austal USA also engaged in remedial measures, but those remedial measures were untimely and incomplete, including that Austal USA did not begin disciplining employees involved in the misconduct until more than two years after Austal USA learned of the government's investigation and did not undertake any independent steps to make restitution to the victims of its securities fraud scheme. Austal USA has begun remediating weaknesses in internal controls that allowed the company's misconduct to occur, but Austal USA's remediation of its controls is still ongoing and requires additional improvements and testing.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, which still must be accepted by the court, Austal USA pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud and one count of obstruction of a federal audit. Based on application of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, the department determined that the appropriate criminal penalty is $73,572,680.10. However, due to Austal USA's demonstrated inability to pay the criminal fine, Austal USA and the department agreed, consistent with the department's inability to pay guidance, that Austal USA would pay a criminal fine of $24 million and restitution of up to $24 million for losses to Austal Limited shareholders. The department has agreed to credit all of the criminal fine and restitution against amounts Austal USA will pay to resolve an investigation by the SEC for related conduct.

Austal USA has also agreed to retain an independent compliance monitor for a period of three years, and Austal USA and Austal Limited have agreed to continue to implement a compliance and ethics program at Austal USA designed to prevent and detect fraudulent conduct throughout its operations. Austal USA and Austal Limited have also agreed to continue to cooperate with the Justice Department in any ongoing or future criminal investigations relating to this conduct. In addition, Austal USA will serve three years of probation.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Nov. 25.

Three former Austal USA executives, Craig Perciavalle, Williams Adams, and Joseph Runkel, were indicted on March 30, 2023 on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud affecting a financial institution, five counts of wire fraud, and two counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution. They await trial.

NCIS and DCIS are investigating the case. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs and authorities in Australia, as well as DCAA's Office of Investigative Support, provided valuable assistance in the matter.

Assistant Chief Kyle Hankey and Trial Attorneys Laura Connelly and Spencer Ryan of the Criminal Division's Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Bodnar for the Southern District of Alabama are prosecuting the case.

If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section's Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov. Victims can find case updates and additional information at www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-vns/case/austal-usa-llc.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, the SEC would handle the distribution of funds to harmed investors. Investors harmed as a result of the misconduct of defendant should watch the SEC's Harmed Investors page

for further developments regarding the SEC's distribution of funds to harmed investors.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Components: Criminal Division

Criminal - Criminal Fraud Section

Press Release Number: 24-1066

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Nicaragua: Statement by the Spokesperson on the closure of over 1,500 Non-Governmental Organisations

European External Action Service (EEAS)

27.08.2024

EEAS Press Team

The recent decision of the Nicaraguan authorities to close over 1,500 non-governmental organizations, including religious groups, and to confiscate their assets, is deeply concerning.

The EU reiterates its call for fundamental freedoms to be restored in Nicaragua, including the release of all political prisoners and the return of international human rights organizations. We reiterate the need to put an end to restrictions on civic space and respect the right to dissent.

We call on the Nicaraguan authorities to engage in a genuine and inclusive dialogue with all relevant stakeholders in Nicaragua to address their legitimate demands.

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Expert predicts Philippine airdropping on China's Xianbin Jiao after failed maritime supply attempts

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun Published: Aug 27, 2024 09:35 PM

It is likely for the Philippines to attempt to airdrop supplies to its quasi-grounded coast guard vessel at China's Xianbin Jiao in the South China Sea and claim success to deceive its domestic audience and the international community, a Chinese expert warned on Tuesday.

China's on-site restriction measures have been strict and powerful, and if the Philippines opts to conduct an airdrop, it will only expose its exhaustion of tricks, the expert said.

Ding Duo, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at China's National Institute for South China Sea Studies, made the predication after the Philippines failed to send supplies in three separate attempts on August 19, August 25 and August 26 to the Philippine Coast Guard ship MRRV-9701, which has been anchored in the lagoon of Xianbin Jiao since April.

The Philippines has attempted to send supplies to its coast guard ship illegally anchored in the lagoon of Xianbin Jiao but without success, and this is the result of China's forceful management and control, Ding told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Given the Philippines' past approaches in sending supplies to its warship illegally grounded at China's Ren'ai Jiao, it is very likely for the Philippines to send supplies to the MRRV-9701 at Xianbin Jiao via airdrop, Ding said.

This shows that the Philippines has run out of tricks and has to rely on political shows, Ding said, noting that the Philippine government pays little attention to its personnel on board the MRRV-9701, and is attempting to make the Xianbin Jiao a second Ren'ai Jiao.

After an aerial supply mission, the Philippines may boast its success, but this is nothing more than self-deception and spreading fake information to deceive its domestic audience and the international community, analysts said.

China's maritime forces have undertaken comprehensive measures and made powerful responses to the Philippines' repeated trouble-stirrings, and has greatly deterred the Philippines by showing China's firm will and strong capabilities in safeguarding its territorial sovereignty, observers said.

China's multidimensional management and control measures will eventually force the Philippines to withdraw the MRRV-9701 from Xianbin Jiao, they said.

The Philippines' challenge of China's bottom line on territorial sovereignty issue will face countermeasures from China, Ding said.

China's measures have been restrained and mild, but if the Philippines insists on making provocations, the country will be met with stricter restrictive measures, Ding said, urging Manila to withdraw its ship as soon as possible.

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EU Statement on latest restrictions imposed by the Taliban on the people

Government Offices of Sweden - Ministry for Foreign Affairs

27 August 2024

Afghanistan: Statement of the High Representative on behalf of the EU on latest restrictions imposed by the Taliban on the people.

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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Iraqi resistance launches drone attack on vital target in Haifa

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Aug 27, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Islamic Resistance of Iraq, in the continuation of the attacks on the targets of the Zionist regime, announced a drone attack on a vital target in the city of "Haifa" located in the occupied Palestine.

According to Al-Ahd news site, the Islamic resistance of Iraq announced that it attacked a vital target in Haifa.

In the statement of the Islamic Resistance of Iraq, it is stated: In continuation of our approach to resist the occupying regime and support the people of Gaza, as well as in response to the crimes committed by the usurping regime against Palestinian civilians, including children, women and the elderly, the fighters of the Islamic Resistance targeted a vital target with a drone in the occupied territories.

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Hezbollah destroys spying equipment of Zionist regime

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Aug 27, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Hezbollah movement once again announced the destruction of the Zionist regime's spying equipment around barracks.

According to al-Mayadeen news network, the Hezbollah movement announced that the new spying equipment of the Zionist regime, which was installed in a crane around the Doveif barracks, was targeted by an offensive drone.

The statement of this movement states: "Our fighters managed to directly target this new equipment, which caused its destruction. Earlier, Hizbollah announced that the Israeli spy equipment was targeted in Ramya base in a drone attack."

Hezbollah also announced an attack on several buildings where the Zionist regime's soldiers are stationed in the town of "Natua" with suitable weapons.

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Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli minister's provocative remarks about Al Aqsa

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Aug 27, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Foreign Ministry of Saudi Arabia has condemned the latest remarks made by an Israeli minister about Al Aqsa Mosque, stressing the importance of respecting the holy historical site.

On its X account on Tuesday, the Saudi Foreign Ministry emphasized that Zionist officials should be held accountable for violating international laws.

Riyadh once again calls on the international community to stop the humanitarian tragedy faced by Palestinians, according to the statement.

Itamar Ben-Gvir, an extremist Israeli minister, has stated his intention to build a synagogue in place of Al Aqsa Mosque.

In a related development, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry censured Ben-Gvir's controversial remarks, announcing Jordan's decision to pursue such offences at the international courts.

Additionally, Qatar has commented on these remarks, warning that such provocations will have negative impacts on efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.

To follow their approach, the Zionists have been excavating Al Aqsa for years to facilitate the destruction of the holy site.

1483**9417





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Israeli genocide in Gaza most horrific in modern era: Hamas

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Aug 27, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas says the recent brutal attacks by the invading Zionist forces on Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip have been one of the most terrible forms of genocide humanity has seen in the modern era.

According to IRNA, Hamas issued a statement on Monday night highlighting the ongoing Israeli atrocities in Gaza, especially in the city of Deir al-Balah.

Displacing Palestinians under heavy bombardments and forcing them to go to a small area without human services and making Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital out of service are other forms of genocide committed by the Zionist occupation just like Nazi Germany, the statement said.

Hamas once again urged the international community, the United Nations and its related institutions to stop the genocide in Gaza and oblige the occupying regime to stop the crimes against Palestinian civilians.

The international community should help send fuel and necessary medical equipment so that Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital resume its operation and take immediate action to prosecute and punish Israeli war criminals, it added.

The statement followed the Zionist regime's evacuation order for people living in neighborhoods in the northeast of Deir al-Balah and the closure of the city's only government hospital.

International aid groups and the UN have also sounded the alarm over the forced displacement of nearly 250,000 Palestinian citizens and the closure of 25 shelters in Deir al-Balah as well as 4 new wells that supplied the water needed by 70% of the people there.

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Israeli statements on Al-Aqsa Mosque increase tensions: UN

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Aug 27, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The United Nations has condemned the recent statements by far-right Israeli Itamar Ben-Gvir regarding the construction of a synagogue inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied al-Quds.

According to IRNA's Tuesday morning report, UN spokesman Stephen Dujarric told reporters at a news conference that such statements have a negative impact and risk escalating a situation that is already very tense.

Emphasizing the sensitivity of the holy places in al-Quds, Dujarric said that agreement reached by the parties must be respected by all.

He called for adherence to the past agreement as well as public and prevent making statements that further escalate tensions.

Ben-Gvir, who is known for his extremism, said in a recent statement that the regime's policy allows Zionist to pray in Al-Aqsa Mosque and that he plans to build a synagogue there.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, in response to statements, announced that there have been no changes in the status quo of Al-Aqsa Mosque but Ben-Gvir along with Zionist hooligans backed by troops often storm into the mosque.

Jordan which is the custodian of Islam's third holiest site has said that it will take the necessary measures to stop attacks on holy places and prepare legal cases for action in international courts against Israel's violations.

Under the 1967 agreement, non-Muslims, including Jews are not allowed to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform their rituals. Visitors are only allowed to enter the complex on specific days and time.

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Zionist raid on West Bank refugee camp leaves several dead

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Aug 27, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Palestinian Health Ministry has reported the killing of five civilians in an attack by Zionist regime forces on the Nur Shams refugee camp in the occupied West Bank city of Tulkarm.

According to IRNA, citing some media reports on Monday night, the video images also show that a column of smoke has covered the area.

Reports indicate that several people were also injured in the attack, but the exact number of the injured has not been published.

Simultaneously, the Zionist forces opened fire in the city of Idhna in also the West Bank, injuring two people. Several people inhaled gas and suffered from breathing problems after troops fired sound bombs and tear gas at the people.

Simultaneously with the start of Al-Aqsa Storm operation, Israel forces and settlers have also intensified their attacks on Palestinians, increasing destruction and creating restrictions for the people of the West Bank.

Meanwhile, Channel 14 of the Zionist regime announced that an offensive brigade will be deployed to the West Bank region in the coming days.

According Al-Mayadeen citing the Zionist media on Tuesday morning said that reinforcement will help strengthen the army's operations in the occupied region.

According to reports, the Israeli occupying forces arrested 15 more Palestinians, including several, in the attack on various areas of the West Bank.

More than 640 Palestinians have been killed across the occupied territories since the Zionist regime launched its genocidal war on Gaza back in October 7, last year.

4399

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PM Netanyahu Speaks with Farhan al-Qadi and Issues Statement

Israel - Prime Minister's Office

Press Releases

The 37th Government

27.08.2024

PM Netanyahu Speaks with Farhan al-Qadi and Issues Statement

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Farhan al-Qadi, who was rescued from being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.

The Prime Minister congratulated al-Qadi and told him that the entire people of Israel was moved by his being freed.

Prime Minister Netanyahu made it clear that he would continue to do everything to return all of our hostages home.

Prime Minister Netanyahu also issued the following statement [translated from Hebrew]:

"Welcome home Farhan Qadi.

I commend the IDF and the ISA for another successful rescue operation. We are working relentlessly to return all of our hostages.

We are doing this in two main ways: Negotiations and rescue operations. The two of these together require our military presence on the ground, and constant military pressure.

We will continue to act until we return all of them home."

"And your children shall return to their own border" (Jeremiah 31:16)

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Ribbon - cutting ceremony of the NATO Multinational Brigade infrastructure to take place at Military Base "Adazi"

Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Defence

08/27/2024 - 16:53

In Latvia

International cooperation

Capabilities

Information prepared by Media Relations Section

On Wednesday, 28 August, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Atis Svinka and Ambassador of Canada to Latvia Brian Szwarc will participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the NATO Multinational Brigade Latvia infrastructure organised by the Task Force Latvia at the Military Base "Adazi".

Further to the establishment of the NATO Multinational Brigade Latvia, Canadian-funded Armoured Vehicle storage and maintenance facilities will be opened at the Military Base "Adazi". They will be used to house the Brigade's tanks and other armoured vehicles, as well as provide sheltered areas for their required maintenance.

The ceremony will also mark the completion of projects funded by Canada and Spain, which has improved the infrastructure of each country's respective compounds within the military base "Adazi" by adding a new warehouse, tent facilities, security perimeter and a concrete road.

The investments of Canada and Spain in construction of these facilities amount to more than 7 million. Latvia provided construction supervision to ensure the success of the projects. Both construction projects started in 2023 and were completed in about a year.

Investments in the development of the Military Base "Adazi" demonstrate Canadian, Spanish and NATO's long-term commitment to Euro-Atlantic security. This infrastructure will allow Allies who contribute to the Canadian led Multinational Brigade the opportunity to bring more equipment and personnel into Latvia as the Brigade develops its combat capability.

As reported earlier, in July this year, a ceremony was held to highlight the launch of the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence Latvia Battle Group to brigade level and the establishment of the new NATO Multinational Brigade in Latvia, which will be comprised of more than 3,500 troops.

In November 2024, the Brigade will conduct its first large - scale field training exercise and demonstrate its integration into the NATO higher command structure.

The brigade is expected to reach full combat readiness by 2026.

NATO Multinational Brigade Latvia has Canada as a Framework nation, along with forces of contributing nations: Albania, Czech Republic, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. Sweden is also expected to join the new NATO Multinational Brigade in Latvia.

The ribbon - cutting ceremony of the NATO Multinational Brigade Latvia infrastructure at the Military Base "Adazi" will also be attended by representatives of the National Armed Forces, NATO Multinational Brigade Latvia, NATO Multinational Division Headquarters "North" and the State Defence Military Facilities and Procurement Centre.

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The President in Moldova: Lithuania's EU membership has become a success story, I wish the same for Moldova

President of the Republic of Lithuania

August 27, 2024

President Gitanas Nauseda, together with the Latvian and Estonian Presidents, participated in Moldova's Independence Day celebrations in Chisinau on Tuesday. Gitanas Nauseda addressed the Moldovan people, wishing them a successful integration into the European Union, which has brought progress and prosperity to Lithuania.

In his address the President underlined that Moldova is now standing at the crossroad where its future will be decided, and it is up to the people of the country to decide what it will be. President Gitanas Nauseda said that Lithuania saw this chance and went for it, choosing the European Union, NATO, and the great Euro-Atlantic family of freedom-loving countries.

"Lithuania's European Union membership has become a real success story, and I wish for Moldova to take this chance too. 20 years on, Lithuania has undergone a radical transformation in many ways. We made a huge leap forward and became more prosperous, innovative and stronger. Today, while being a proud member of the European Union family Lithuania also remains Lithuanian. A better, stronger version of itself. An independent state that is not indifferent to the well-being of our neighbours and friends," the Lithuanian leader spoke.

The Head of State encouraged the people of Moldova to stay on the European path, to implement the necessary reforms and to make their country stronger.

"Lithuania is here to help you. We are ready to share our expertise and provide solutions that have already proven right. We will also continue to support you in the field of security and defence. Why are we doing this? The answer is simple: Lithuania wants Moldova to succeed and prosper. We know that Moldova belongs in Europe," the President underlined.

In October this year, Moldova will hold a referendum on its membership in the European Union.

The President's Communication Group

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The Presidents of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia signed a declaration in support of Moldova's European integration

President of the Republic of Lithuania

August 27, 2024

President Gitanas Nauseda continues his working visit to Moldova, where, on Tuesday, alongside the Presidents of Latvia and Estonia, he signed a joint declaration supporting Moldova's accession to the European Union.

In the declaration, the Presidents of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia underline their support for Moldova's European integration, highlight Moldova's significance for the security and stability of the region, and affirm their commitment to expanding bilateral relations with Moldova.

"Twenty years ago, the Baltic States joined the European Union. This was a pivotal moment in our history, leading to a transformation in all spheres of life. EU membership has strengthened the rule of law and democracy in our countries, increased security, and enriched the lives of our people. It has brought economic growth and development, modernization of infrastructure, social development and cultural prosperity to our countries," the declaration by the Baltic leaders reads.

In their joint declaration, the Presidents of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia expressed their unity with Moldova and their support for the country's aspirations for European integration.

"Moldova has made significant progress on its path to European integration. We commend the efforts of the Moldovan people and the leadership of political authorities in implementing democratic reforms, strengthening the rule of law, and ensuring human rights," the declaration states.

The full text of the declaration is available here.

The President's Communication Group

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The President in Moldova: The path towards EU integration is not easy, but it is worth the effort

President of the Republic of Lithuania

August 27, 2024

On Tuesday, President Gitanas Nauseda is paying a working visit to Moldova. Together with the Presidents of Latvia and Estonia, the Head of State met with the Prime Minister of Moldova, Dorin Recean. The Baltic leaders and the Moldovan Prime Minister discussed Moldova's integration into the European Union and ongoing reforms, the situation in the regions, and the forthcoming referendum on EU membership.

At the meeting, the Lithuanian leader emphasized that the opening of negotiations on Moldova's EU membership is a significant achievement for Moldova and a recognition of the country's reform efforts. The President noted that the EU accession negotiations are a long and complex process that requires political focus. According to President Gitanas Nauseda, it is important for Moldova to fully implement reforms in the areas of the rule of law, fundamental rights, and freedoms, to transpose EU legislation into national law, and to pay close attention to strengthening institutional and administrative capacity.

"The path to EU integration is not an easy one, but it is worth the effort. Lithuania stands ready to assist Moldova on this path by sharing its experience, expertise, and support in implementing reforms. We have valuable experience in countering hybrid threats, working on strategic communication, and countering disinformation. This is an area where our countries could cooperate successfully," the President said.

The Lithuanian leader expressed support for the EU-Moldova Security & Defense Partnership aimed at strengthening Moldova's resilience and capacity to ensure its security. President Gitanas Nauseda underlined that Lithuania will continue to support Moldova in the areas of security and defense, both bilaterally and through the European Peace Facility (EPF).

The President pointed out that as the elections and the referendum on EU membership approach, Russia will undoubtedly intensify its efforts to spread disinformation and propaganda in Moldova and undermine the country's further integration into the EU by other means. The Head of State stressed that the support of the democratic world is crucial for Moldova in this period, especially in countering hostile narratives, manipulation, and disinformation.

The Lithuanian leader also stated that it is of utmost importance to continue supporting Ukraine in every way until victory is achieved. According to President Gitanas Nauseda, this is essential for ensuring the security of the entire region.

The President's Communication Group

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DFA Welcomes Secretary General of Permanent Court of Arbitration, Cites PCA's Significant Contributions to Peaceful Settlement of Disputes

Republic of the Philippines - Department of Foreign Affairs

27 August 2024

MANILA 27 August 2024 -- Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo welcomed Secretary General of the Permanent Court Arbitration (PCA), Dr. Marcin Czepalak, who is undertaking a visit to the Philippines in line with the PCA's customary visits to Member States in efforts to further promote its services in the peaceful resolution of international disputes.

Dr. Czepelak called on Secretary Manalo at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Pasay City on Tuesday morning, to kick off his visit to the Philippines. The visit, which forms part of the PCA's activities this year on the occasion of its 125th year anniversary, is the first official visit by the PCA Secretary General to the country.

In his call on Secretary Manalo, Dr. Czepelak recognized the Philippines' support for the international organization, including with the role of Philippine Ambassador to the Netherlands J. Eduardo Malaya as acting President of the PCA Administrative Council, the PCA's policymaking body, for term 2023-2024.

Secretary Manalo congratulated Dr. Czepelak on the PCA's 125-year milestone. "The Philippines appreciates the PCA's significant contributions to the peaceful settlement of disputes and the development of international law. The adoption via consensus by the U.N. General Assembly of a resolution in August last year welcoming the PCA's 125th anniversary reflects the high regard the international community has for the organization," he said. The Philippines was the penholder of the resolution which was co-sponsored by 122 UN member-states. In addition to offering dispute resolution services, arbitration, conciliation, mediation, commissions of inquiry, and other peaceful means of dispute resolution, the PCA outreach to the Philippines seeks to promote the organization as a center for legal scholarship and education, participating in and hosting seminars, workshops, and conferences on international law and dispute resolution.

During the visit, Dr. Czepelak will meet with the country's arbitration community in a forum hosted by the Philippine Dispute Resolution Center, and speak before law practitioners, the academe and students at a forum at the Ateneo School of Law. The PCA is the oldest existing international organization devoted to the peaceful settlement of disputes, having been established in 1899 by the Convention on the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes. In operations for the last 125 years, the PCA has developed into a modern, multi-faceted arbitral institution well situated to meet the evolving dispute resolution needs of the international community. It has one of the heaviest caseloads of all international courts and tribunals, supporting in 2023 alone a record 218 registry cases. The PCA is composed of 124 Member States, with the Philippines joining it in 2010.

Dr. Czepelak is joined in his outreach visit to the Philippines by Senior Legal Counsel Julian Bordacahar (the PCA Representative in Argentina/Latin American region), and Legal Counsel Neil Nucup (the PCA Representative in Vietnam/ Southeast Asian region). END

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USCG: Chinese ramming 'unprofessional,' highlights 'bullying' in SCS

Philippine News Agency

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora

August 27, 2024, 4:58 pm

MANILA -- The act of ramming vessels is not in any way professional and is a violation of the international law to prevent collision at sea, a United States Coast Guard (USCG) official said Tuesday, chastising the contradiction in China's statement on its latest actions in the Sabina Shoal.

In a virtual conference, USCG Pacific Area Deputy Commander Rear Admiral Andrew Sugimoto said no law-abiding country which conducts safe and professional operations would ram other ships.

"It's a little astounding to say that 'I'm going to break the law in order to uphold the law.' It just doesn't make sense, and I think most nations out there see that as unsafe and unprofessional conduct, which only highlights and further emphasizes the bullying that is going on," he said.

Last Aug. 25, multiple Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels and People's Liberation Army Navy ship 626 harassed and tried to encircle the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ship BRP Datu Sanday while it was traveling from Hasa-Hasa Shoal to Sabina Shoal.

Near Sabina Shoal, the CCG vessel 21551 rammed the Filipino ship, which at that time was also carrying journalists onboard.

The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said the Chinese vessels "made close perilous maneuvers" that resulted in ramming, blasted horns, and launching of water cannons against the BFAR ship that led to the latter's engine failure.

In a statement following the incident, the Chinese Foreign Ministry defended its actions as "professional, restrained and appropriate".

Noting this, Sugimoto reiterated that ramming ships and flooding it by firing water cannons are not examples of safe and professional operations.

"I just want to highlight that part in the context of the statement itself - how disconnected that seems from reality, and go back to that is exactly what we want to prevent happening from this world," he said.

Meanwhile, he lauded how Manila responded to China in a "professional and truly safe way".

"It really demonstrates that this nation, the Philippines, do stand for the conduct that we all recognize is what we want in this world and not that of the other individual that keeps bullying smaller nations," he said.

Sugimoto said Washington DC would continue its work to strengthen the capacity of the Philippine Coast Guard, including through training and support on maritime domain awareness (MDA).

"We are looking for whatever the Philippine Coast Guard wants us to help them with. That's what we are here for in training, capacity building, legal structures, building out the laws necessary to support them, MDA, any of those things," he said.

Hasa-Hasa Shoal is located approximately 60 nautical miles from mainland Palawan, while Sabina or Escoda Shoal is about 110 nautical miles away, both well within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

A number of foreign missions have also expressed concern and called out China over these acts in the West Philippine Sea, including the embassies of South Korea, Australia, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, and the European Union Delegation in Manila. (PNA)

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China deploys 'excessive force' of 40 ships vs. PCG resupply mission

Philippine News Agency

By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz

August 27, 2024, 4:08 pm Updated on August 27, 2024, 4:31 pm

MANILA -- The China Coast Guard (CCG) deployed a force of 40 ships in Escoda Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and blocked two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels on a resupply mission Monday.

In a statement Tuesday, PCG spokesperson for the WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela said the two PCG vessels - BRP Cabra and BRP Cape Engano- were on a humanitarian mission to deliver food and supplies to the BRP Teresa Magbanua that was on an extended patrol in Escoda Shoal.

"Unfortunately, during this mission, the People's Republic of China deployed an excessive force of 40 vessels including six CCG vessels, and three People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships, in an attempt to obstruct our lawful humanitarian operation," Tarriela said.

In addition to the CCG and PLAN vessels, there were 31 Chinese maritime militia vessels in the waters of Escoda Shoal.

"Such actions resulted in our two 44-meter Multi-Role Response Vessels (MRRVs) being unable to safely deliver essential supplies, including a special ice cream treat from the Commandant in honor of National Heroes' Day," Tarriela said.

He called on the CCG 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."

"The PCG remains steadfast in our commitment to uphold national interests and ensure the safety and security of our waters," he said.

Biggest peace disruptor

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., meanwhile, said China's attempt to break up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will not succeed as leaders of the region are well aware of its efforts.

"(And) yet what is China trying to do, trying to break us apart and that fortunately will not happen because I believed firmly that our leaders realize that in this region, China although without saying it, and I'll say it for you, is the biggest disruptor of international peace in the ASEAN region," Teodoro said in his speech at the 35th International Military Law and Operations Conference (MILOPS 24) at The Manila Hotel on Tuesday.

Teodoro also said Beijing should not be allowed the define what ASEAN centrality means.

"We should get together in ASEAN and protect each other's sovereign rights and sovereign while settling our internal disputes between and amongst ourselves within the context of ASEAN," the defense chief stressed.

He also said China is trying to create a new world order.

"This new world order will mean it will be China-led and does this have any trust and credibility worldwide when you have them appropriating all of the South China Sea without any basis whatsoever, even their historical basis is questionable," he added. (with Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)

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PH Navy: More Chinese warships spotted in WPS

Philippine News Agency

By Priam Nepomuceno

August 27, 2024, 2:33 pm

MANILA -- More Chinese warships were spotted in features of the West Philippine Sea (WPS), the Philippine Navy (PN) said Tuesday.

In its update, the PN said the number of Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels seen in these areas climbed to 18 from Aug. 20 to 26, from only 13 vessels during the Aug. 13 to 19 monitoring period.

In the same report, the Navy disclosed that 16 China Coast Guard Vessels (CCGVs) were also sighted, a slight decrease from the previous week's 18 vessels.

Also sighted were 127 Chinese Maritime Militia Vessels (CMMVs), higher than the 98 spotted last time.

Meanwhile, two Chinese Research and Survey Vessels (CRSVs) were spotted during this period compared to none last week.

Six Chinese warships were sighted in Sabina Shoal (also known as Escoda Shoal); three in Bajo de Masinloc; two in Pagasa Island; two in Lawak Island, and one each in Ayungin Shoal, Parola Island, Kota Island, Panata Island, and Patag Island.

Of the 16 CCGVs spotted in the WPS, seven were seen in Sabina Shoal; five in Bajo de Masinloc; three in Ayungin Shoal; and one in Pagasa Island.

Of the 127 CMMVs, 40 were spotted in Sabina Shoal; 32 in Pagasa Island; 19 in Ayungin Shoal; 17 in Iroquois Reef; nine in Bajo de Masinloc; seven in Kota Island; two in Panata Island; and one in Lawak Island.

One CRSV was spotted in Bajo de Masinloc while another was seen in Likas Island.

No yielding in Ayungin Shoal

Meanwhile, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said Manila would continue to maintain its presence in Ayungin Shoal, where the BRP Sierra Madre (LS-57) is stationed and manned by Filipino soldiers despite China's increasing aggression.

He said the country is adopting a three-pronged strategy in dealing with the South China Sea issue.

"First, is that we have to establish our effective and sustainable presence in the WPS. A lot of people have been asking on why we have to insist on being in the Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin Shoal) with the BRP Sierra Madre and our answer is because we have to assert our sovereignty and our sovereign rights," he said during the 35th International Military Law and Operations Conference (MILOPS 24) held at the Manila Hotel on Tuesday.

Brawner said the military, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources are working together to sustain Manila's presence in Ayungin Shoal.

He said the continued activities of fisherfolk in the area also contribute to this effort.

"Second is while we are doing these, we are modernizing the AFP, trying to develop that capability in order for us to reach that deterrence (capability) that we want to achieve and third is to develop stronger relations, ties with our allies and partners," he added.

On Monday, CCG vessels blocked two PCG vessels, the BRP Cabra and the BRP Cape Engano, which had to cancel their rotation and resupply mission to the BRP Teresa Magbanua in Escoda Shoal in the WPS. (PNA)

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Iran slams Israeli scheme to build synagogue within Al-Aqsa Mosque

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 27 August 2024 7:18 PM

Iran has condemned in the strongest terms remarks by an Israeli minister regarding a plan to construct a synagogue inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied East al-Quds.

In a statement on Tuesday, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kana'ani slammed Israel's Itamar Ben-Gvir, who announced the plan a day earlier.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque is Islam's third holiest site and a symbol of Palestinian identity.

"The cabinet of the criminal Zionist regime is determined to carry out its sinister agenda regarding the Al-Aqsa Mosque to the extent that it shamelessly declares its malevolent intention to build a synagogue within the Al-Aqsa Mosque," Kana'ani stated in a post on X.

It was the first time for the Israeli minister to openly speak about building a synagogue inside the complex, strengthening the narrative that the Muslim holy site and Palestinian national symbol is under threat from the occupying regime.

"If I could do anything I wanted, I would put an Israeli flag on the site," Ben-Gvir said in an interview with Israel's Army Radio. When asked by the interviewer whether he would build a synagogue within the site if it were up to him, he replied: "Yes."

Ben-Gvir has repeatedly visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, despite a longstanding ban on Jews praying at the site.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran, while strongly condemning such statements and schemes, warns against any infringement on the sacred boundaries of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and new provocations by the Zionists crossing the red lines of the Islamic Ummah," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman underscored.

Various countries and international organizations also reacted to the remarks by the Israeli minister.

The United Nations cautioned that his statement risks escalating the already tense situation.

Jordan vowed to pursue international legal measures to protect the holy site, while Qatar urged the international community to take immediate action

"In light of the awakening of pure human conscience and global hatred against crimes committed by Zionists, today Muslims and freedom-loving people around the world are united in their call to support Palestine and the Al-Aqsa Mosque and to prosecute the criminal Zionists," Kana'ani stated.

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Patients with treatable conditions face death in Gaza: UN agency

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 27 August 2024 6:11 PM

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has waned that the Palestinians with treatable conditions in Gaza cannot be cured amid the Israeli regime's campaign of genocide.

"There are so many people dying in Gaza from things that can be treated, people can be saved, but we do not have the means to do this for them. We do not have the means to operate to our best ability," UNRWA spokesperson Louise Wateridge said on Tuesday.

Wateridge said Israel's latest evacuation orders in Gaza have forced UN staff over the past 48 hours to move and "reconfigure operations."

She, however, said UN operations have not stopped despite the huge challenges created by the Israeli forces.

"It is nothing short of a struggle to provide what people need here because we don't have enough aid. We don't have enough supplies coming in; we don't have enough access to distribute to people."

Israel issued five new evacuation orders for Gaza neighborhoods within six days last week.

UNRWA earlier said nine out of 10 people across Gaza had been "forcibly displaced." The agency says life is a "never-ending tragedy" for the Palestinians in Gaza.

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.

Gaza's civil defense on Tuesday accused Israel of systematically displacing civilians through violent means, including firing guns, as people flee the newly declared red zones.

The policy, the civil defense says, has killed or wounded hundreds of Palestinians trying to reach safety and blocked emergency responders from reaching the victims.

A vast majority of the Palestinian population in Gaza has been driven from homes, fleeing multiple times across the territory.

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Iraqi resistance hits Israeli military site in support of Palestine

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 27 August 2024 5:27 PM

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq says it has struck "a vital target" during a retaliatory attack on an Israeli position in the occupied territories.

In a statement on Tuesday, the group said its fighters launched drone attacks on the port city of Haifa on Monday evening in support of the people of Palestine.

The Iraqi resistance group promised its strikes on the occupied territories would continue in support of the people of the Gaza Strip and Palestinian resistance groups as well.

Resistance groups across the region have started to target the positions of Israeli military forces since the regime launched its campaign of genocide in the besieged Gaza Strip in October 2023. They have so far managed to target several military bases in the occupied territories.

Iraq's resistance group has also stepped up its retaliatory attacks against the United States military bases across Iraq and neighboring Syria. Washington, a staunch ally of Tel Aviv, has sent 50,000 tons of arms and ammunition to Israel since October 7.

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EU's Borrell urges 3-day ceasefire to enable polio vaccination in Gaza

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 27 August 2024 2:11 PM

The foreign policy chief of the European Union Josep Borrell calls for an immediate three-day ceasefire in Gaza to allow children to be vaccinated against poliovirus, the quick spread of which threatens hundreds of thousands of children in the besieged Palestinian territory.

Borrell warned about a quick spread of the highly infectious virus that had identified in sewage samples collected by UNICEF from Khan Younis and Deir al Balah.

He said in a message on X that the disease, which can cause deformities and paralysis, "threatens all children in Gaza, already weakened by displacement, deprivation & malnourishment."

Borrell urged "an immediate 3-day humanitarian ceasefire to enable vaccination by WHO and UCICEF - independent of wider negotiations."

"Our humanity demands it," the EU's top diplomat said.

After six sewage samples taken in Gaza in late June tested positive for the virus, the World Health Organization warned that it was "just a matter of time" before the disease reached thousands of Palestinian children.

At the time, cases of acute flaccid paralysis had been flagged in the area where the samples were taken. Just weeks later, the first polio case in 25 years was confirmed in an unvaccinated 10-month-old baby in Gaza.

Now more than 1.2 million oral polio vaccines have arrived in the Gaza Strip, with millions more expected in coming days.

WHO is joined in the vaccination effort by the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees and other partners. The aim is to vaccinate virtually 640,000 children under the age of 10 with two doses each.

The organizations have emphasized that a ceasefire  what they are calling a "polio pause"  is crucial.

They have warned that without a ceasefire, children in Gaza will continue to become paralyzed, and the deadly disease will spread to the broader region and beyond.

The Gaza Health Ministry has urged "international organizations to work and pressure the occupying authorities to stop the continuous aggression against our people in the Gaza Strip so that medical teams can vaccinate children and prevent the spread of the polio virus."

Aid groups have called for seven days to safely administer the vaccines.

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas said in a statement on August 16 that it supports a ceasefire for a polio vaccination.

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Sudan flooding crisis: Death toll climbs to 132, thousands displaced

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 27 August 2024 11:12 AM

The death toll from flooding in war-torn Sudan has risen to 132 as heavy rains, exacerbated by a dam collapse, continue to ravage the country, according to a report from the Health Ministry.

Sudan's Health Ministry reported on Monday that the death toll climbed to 132, following a severe rainy season that began last month, leading to intermittent torrential flooding primarily in the northern and eastern regions of the country.

The recent report indicates that some 12,420 homes have been completely destroyed and an additional 11,472 have suffered partial damage as a result of the recent rains, with the majority of the devastation in Sudan's Northern and River Nile states.

It added that ten states have been impacted by the floods, with 31,666 families displaced and approximately a total of 129,650 individuals affected.

Heavy rainfall on Saturday inundated Arbaat region, 25 miles (40km) north of Port Sudan, leading to the collapse of the Arbaat Dam and the destruction of entire villages.

This reservoir serves as a crucial water supply for Port Sudan, the Red Sea city that became the administrative capital following the outbreak of conflict in Khartoum.

Rain is unusual for this time of year, as the region usually experiences rainfall in November and March.

The collapse of the Arbaat dam swept away villages, houses and cars, and left dozens missing and feared dead, according to local media.

"The area is unrecognizable. The electricity and water pipes are destroyed," Omar Eissa Haroun, head of the water authority for Red Sea state, said in a message to his staff.

Local volunteers helping with relief efforts told AFP that "13 people have been found dead, including women and children, while the search continues for 210 others who remain missing."

A UN report released early Tuesday said a government delegation at the site reported the homes of about 50,000 people had been affected by the incident, and they were in need of water, food and shelter, adding that the number only accounted for the area west of the dam as the area east was inaccessible.

It also added that damage to the telecommunication network has made it difficult to gather more accurate information on the situation.

Even before the outbreak of conflict in April last year between the Sudanese army led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, led by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, Sudan's infrastructure, including dams, roads, and bridges, was already in a state of disrepair.

According to the UN refugee agency, about 25 million people, or half of Sudan's population, are in urgent need of humanitarian aid and protection, as the nation struggles with severe shortages of food, water, medicine, and fuel, alongside a deadly cholera outbreak.

The ongoing conflict has triggered the world's largest displacement crisis, with over 10.7 million people displaced and more than 2 million fleeing to neighboring countries, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

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Israeli minister's proposal to build synagogue inside Aqsa Mosque escalates tensions, warns UN

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 27 August 2024 10:44 AM

Global condemnations have poured in after the remarks by far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir about his plan to build a synagogue at the Al-Asqa Mosque compound in the occupied Old City of al-Quds.

The United Nations roundly denounced the remarks, with spokesman Stephane Dujarric saying, "These types of statements are highly counterproductive, to say the least. They risk inflaming a situation which is already bone dry."

At a news conference on Monday, Dujarric highlighted the sensitivity surrounding the status of holy sites in the city of al-Quds, stating, there is a status quo agreed to the parties for the holy sites in the city "that must be respected by all."

He urged adherence to the agreement, in actions as well as public statements, to avoid further escalation of tensions.

The UN joined Qatar, Jordan and Saudi Arabia in publicly denouncing Ben-Gvir.

Earlier, the far-right Israeli minister claimed that Jews have the right to pray at al-Aqsa Mosque, saying that he would build a synagogue at the site.

"If I could do what I wanted, a synagogue would also be established on the Temple Mount," the extremist Israeli minister, who has a long record of making inflammatory statements, told Israel's Army Radio on Monday morning.

OIC condemns Ben-Gvir's remarks

Meanwhile, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has condemned in the strongest terms the statements made by Ben Gvir regarding plans to establish a Jewish synagogue inside the al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

The OIC said in a statement that it considers the "statements of the extremist minister" and the "continued storming and desecration of the courtyards of the blessed al-Aqsa Mosque" by Israeli settlers and ministers to be "a flagrant violation of the Geneva Conventions and international law."

"The city of al-Quds is an integral part of the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967, and the capital of the State of Palestine," the intergovernmental organization noted, emphasizing that "all decisions and measures taken by the occupying Israeli regime aimed at Judaization of the occupied city of al-Quds have no legal effect".

The OIC also said it held Israel "fully responsible" for any fallout from Ben-Gvir's remarks and Israel's "systematic violations and attacks that constitute a provocation to the feelings of Muslims all over the world."

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site for Muslims.

Under an agreement signed between Israel and the Jordanian government in the wake of the regime's occupation of al-Quds in 1967, non-Muslim worship at the holy compound is prohibited. But the ban is a mere phrase and, in action, circumstances have been against Muslims.

Ben-Gvir's controversial remarks about the al-Aqsa Mosque compound come as the regime keeps its bloody war machine running in the Gaza Strip.

Israel has killed at least 40,476 Palestinians in Gaza since early October. Another 93,647 Palestinians are also injured.

The barbarous campaign began after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas launched an unprecedented military operation into the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories near Gaza.

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US main obstacle to Gaza ceasefire agreement, says senior Islamic Jihad official

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 27 August 2024 6:42 AM

A high-ranking official of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad resistance movement says the United States is the main obstacle to a Gaza ceasefire agreement as Washington exerts no pressure on the occupying Tel Aviv regime to accept a permanent truce in the territory.

"[Israeli prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu does not want a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to be established. We checked with the fellow Hamas group whatever happened during the course of truce negotiations in Cairo. Our national position was the same as what Hamas declared in the Egyptian capital," Islamic Jihad Deputy Secretary General Muhammad al-Hindi said on Monday evening.

He added that Netanyahu's insistence on Israeli control and presence in the so-called Philadelphi Corridor - a narrow 14.5-kilometer-long (9-mile-long) stretch of land along Gaza's southern border with Egypt, is politically-motivated and has nothing to do with purported security concerns.

"Control of the Rafah border crossing is an internal Palestinian matter, and no party can dictate how it should be managed," the senior Islamic Jihad official noted.

Hindi described the United States as the main obstacle to a Gaza ceasefire agreement, stressing it would be in the White House's best electoral interests that a ceasefire deal is struck in Gaza.

He also reiterated the need for free movement of Palestinians between the northern and southern sectors of the Gaza Strip.

"The Zionist enemy is backtracking on what it had previously agreed upon for partisan and political goals. The regime's occupation of Gaza crossings enables its continued control over the movement and lives of Palestinians in the territory," Hindi pointed out.

He underscored that Palestinian resistance fighters, through daily operations, are sapping the Israeli military's strength and forcing the occupation forces to withdraw from Gaza.

Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7 last year after Palestinian resistance groups carried out a surprise retaliatory operation into the occupied territories.

Concomitantly with the war, the regime has been enforcing a near-total siege on the coastal territory, which has reduced the flow of foodstuffs, medicine, electricity, and water into the Palestinian territory into a trickle.

So far during the military onslaught, the regime has killed at least 40,435 Gazans, most of them women, children, and adolescents. Another 93,534 Palestinians have sustained injuries as well.

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Aug 26: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 27 August 2024 5:46 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 Monday, August 26, are as follows:

Al-Qassam Brigades' operations on Aug 26:

Targeted Israeli military sites in the settlements of "Kissufim", "Nirim" and "Ein HaTel" with a number of 114mm Rajoom rockets.

Executed a well-planned ambush that targeted an Israeli force fortified in one of the houses in the Al-Qarara area, northeast of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, with a TBG anti-fortification shell and anti-personnel shell.

Al-Quds Brigades' operations on Aug 26:

Targeted a position of Israeli soldiers and military vehicles east of the central governorate with a number of mortar shells.

Martyr Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades' operations on Aug 26:

Targeted Israeli military forces east of Deir Al-Balah city and Al-Masdar village with 60 mm mortar shells and 107 mm rockets.

Targeted Israeli military gatherings east of Deir Al-Balah city and Al-Masdar village with 60mm mortar shells and a rocket salvo.

Hezbollah's operations on Aug 26:

Targeted surveillance equipment at the "Ramia" site with an attack drone.

Launched an aerial attack with a swarm of attack drones on the newly established headquarters of the 146th Division in the "Shraga" barracks, targeting the positions of its officers and soldiers.

Launched an aerial attack with a swarm of attack drones on the newly established headquarters of the 91st Division in "Ayelet HaShahar," targeting the positions of its officers and soldiers.

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8 Palestinians killed in fresh Israeli raids across occupied West Bank

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 27 August 2024 2:27 AM

As many as eight Palestinians have been killed in raids carried out by the Israeli regime's military and illegal settlers across Tel Aviv-occupied West Bank.

On Monday, an Israeli drone strike targeted a house in the al-Manshiya neighborhood at the Nour Shams refugee camp near the city of Tulkarm in northwestern West Bank, resulting in the death of seven Palestinians there, Resistance News Network, a Telegram channel, reported.

The official Palestinian Wafa news agency said the fatalities included two teenagers, whom it identified as 15-year-old Adnan Ayser Jaber and 16-year-old Muhammad Ahmad Muhammad Alian.

It also named another one of the victims as Jibril Ghassan Jibril, who was freed from Israeli captivity in a truce deal that was implemented between the regime and the Gaza Strip-based resistance movement Hamas last November.

The regime had accused Jibril of carrying out a number of shooting operations following his release, and subjected his family to numerous arrests to pressure him to turn himself in.

A number of others were also wounded during the raid, which saw the Israeli aircraft releasing several missiles against the targeted residence, Wafa added, citing its correspondent.

The Israeli military, however, alleged that it had struck "an operational center."

Reacting to the massacre, Hamas called it "a new Zionist assassination operation" and "a desperate attempt to uproot the thorn of resistance that inflicts pain on the occupation through its qualitative operations."

"We affirm that this fierce war waged by the occupation against our land and people will not bring the occupation security and stability. Instead, it will ignite the ground with fire under the feet of its soldiers and settlers," the group added.

The Islamic Jihad, Hamas' fellow Gaza-headquartered resistance movement, also said the bloodletting marked an effort by the regime to "shift the focus of its operations" from the coastal sliver to the West Bank.

It also said, "The increasing brutality and ferocity of Zionist crimes in the West Bank come as part of the [occupying] entity's attempt to cover up its failures" in Gaza and elsewhere.

Also on Monday, armed Israeli settlers attacked the village of Wadi Rahhal near the city of Bethlehem, killing a 37-year-old Palestinian, named as Khalil Salem Ziada, and wounding four others.

The deaths took to 651, the number of the Palestinians, who had been killed as a result of Israeli aggression across the West Bank since October 7, when the regime began bringing Gaza under a genocidal war.

At least 40,435 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been killed and 93,534 others wounded as a result of the war that was launched following a retaliatory operation staged by the Gaza's resistance groups.

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US soldier who entered North Korea will plead guilty

Facing disciplinary action, Travis King suddenly sprinted across the border from South Korea.

By Alex Willemyns for RFA 2024.08.27 -- The American soldier who suddenly sprinted into North Korea from a border area in South Korea in July 2023 will plead guilty to charges of desertion, assault and disobeying an officer, his lawyer said.

In exchange, the U.S. Army will withdraw charges including possession of sexual images of a child, according to an Associated Press report.

In a statement posted to X on Monday, a lawyer for Travis King, who was a 23-year-old private when he crossed the demilitarized zone, said he would plead guilty to five of 14 charges at a Sept. 20 hearing.

"U.S. Army Private Travis King will take responsibility for his conduct and enter a guilty plea," said the attorney, Franklin Rosenblatt.

"Travis's guilty plea will be entered at a general court-martial. There, he will explain what he did, answer a military judge's questions about why he is pleading guilty, and be sentenced," he 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."

The spokesperson for the U.S. Army's Office of Special Trial Counsel, Michelle McCaskill, said in a separate statement that army prosecutors had agreed to the plea deal, but that a judge still needed to approve it.

"If Pvt. King's guilty plea is accepted, the judge will sentence King pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement," McCaskill said in the statement. "If the judge does not accept the guilty plea, the judge can rule that the case be litigated in a contested court-martial."

Facing disciplinary action, King in July 2023 suddenly sprinted across the Military Demarcation Line in Panmunjom, where both North and South Korean soldiers mark the line of control between the countries.

A witness at the time recalled King shouting out "ha ha ha" before suddenly running and disappearing behind some buildings.

North Korean officials later expelled him from the country, with the U.S. ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, meeting him on the border between North Korea and China. He was then repatriated to the United States, where he was charged with 14 crimes, including desertion.

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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US coordinator highlights Tibet's role as regional freshwater source

Uzra Zeya spoke to a global water security conference about China's recent hydropower and water diversion projects.

By Tenzin Dickyi and Tenzin Pema for RFA Tibetan 2024.08.27 -- A U.S. official who handles Tibetan issues has called for information sharing about environmental changes taking place in Tibetan areas of China to help scientists prepare for climate change.

Uzra Zeya, the U.S. special coordinator for Tibetan issues, emphasized the critical role of the Tibetan Plateau in advancing global water security in virtual remarks given on Saturday to the World Water Week 2024 conference in Stockholm.

Zeya highlighted the negative effects of the increase in Chinese hydropower and water diversion projects in Tibet, including their impact on the Brahmaputra, Indus, and Mekong rivers for South and Southeast Asian nations.

The projects have been carried out without input from the 6 million Tibetans living in China, she said as part of a panel of speakers on water security.

"Opaque governance institutions and infrastructure development without inclusive public input exacerbate the impact of warming temperatures," Zeya said.

The glaciers, alpine lakes and waterfalls of the vast Tibetan Plateau are water sources for many of Asia's largest rivers.

But the region's warming climate is causing quicker melting and evaporation, threatening the plateau's freshwater reserves. Industrial activity, deforestation and mining have also affected the quantity and quality of Tibet's water sources.

These factors could lead to water scarcity in the future, scientists say.

Displaced by dams

Nevertheless, the Chinese government has increasingly sought to manage and control Tibet's water resources for its own benefit, building dozens of hydropower dams on rivers originating upstream in the Tibetan Plateau.

In some cases, the projects have been met with anger by Tibetans facing displacement and loss of agricultural and grazing land.

In February, over 300 Tibetans in Dege county of Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan province staged a rare protest against China's plans to build the 1,100-megawatt Gangtuo hydropower dam on the Drichu River.

The project was expected to displace residents of at least two villages and destroy several monasteries with religious and historical significance, including the Wonto and Yena monasteries.

A video shared exclusively with Radio Free Asia by a source who recorded it in early July shows that nothing remains of the religious structure, with the monastery's main prayer halls and the many stupas that surround it completely razed to the ground.

RFA was able to independently verify the authenticity of the video with two sources from Tibet and in exile.

In April, Chinese authorities began relocating another 19th-century Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Dragkar county, or Xinghai in Chinese, in Qinghai province due to the expansion of the Yangqu hydropower station on the Yellow River  known as the Machu River among Tibetans.

By July, authorities had demolished the Atsok Dechen Choekhorling Monastery, with video shared exclusively with RFA showing that nothing remained of the religious structure.

'Preserve these majestic glaciers'

Zeya, who is also U.S. under secretary for civilian security, democracy and human rights, highlighted the need for data sharing on climate changes taking place in Tibet.

"Scientists also struggle to obtain and verify data from Tibetan areas of China, which has vast implications for research and policy development," she said in her address.

"Without transparent information on areas like snowpack melt, regional partners are hindered from preventing, preparing for, and adapting to our changing climate," Zeya said.

Earlier this month, Chinese scientists warned that global warming is causing the rate of glacier evaporation in Tibet to outpace the rate of precipitation, and could result in the permanent disappearance of some low-elevation glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau.

"The Himalayan Region and Tibetan Plateau and their fragile ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to climate change," Zeya said.

"As increased temperatures imperil this frozen cache of freshwater high in the mountains, we are reminded of the imperative to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions ... to help preserve these majestic glaciers," she said.

Stretching across the southern border of the Tibetan Plateau, the Himalayan Mountain region includes over 100,000 square kilometers (38,600 square miles) of glaciers, is one of the largest stores of frozen water in the world, and serves as crucial sources of freshwater for those in the region as well as for over 1.8 billion people downstream, said Zeya, noting that the U.N. General Assembly has declared 2025 as the "Year of International Glaciers' Preservation."

World Water Week 2024, which runs Aug. 24-29, explores the theme "Bridging Borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future."

The event highlights the critical role of water cooperation in fostering peace and security across communities and nations.

Additional reporting by Yangdon for RFA Tibetan. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Matt Reed.

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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Georgian President Calls October Polls A 'Choice Between Europe And Russia

By RFE/RL's Georgian Service August 27, 2024

TBILISI -- Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has called the country's upcoming parliamentary elections a "choice between Europe and Russia" for the South Caucasus nation.

Zurabishvili's statement came after she signed a decree announcing October 26, the last Saturday of October, as the day for the parliamentary polls, saying that voters will have to "chose between war and peace" in the election.

"The day of the decision, the day of choice, the day of survival is coming," Zurabishvili said, stressing that the election will be "existential" for the former Soviet republic and will "define the country's destiny for many years to come."

"Nobody in Georgia wants a war, and nobody is planning it.... The choice will be between being Russia's slave or cooperation with Europe," Zurabishvili added.

Despite Georgia's longtime aspiration to join NATO and the European Union, the government's relationship with the West has been going downhill in recent years amid Tbilisi's visible turn toward Russia.

Brussels has paused ongoing EU accession negotiations with Tbilisi and the United States has undertaken a "comprehensive review" of relations with Georgia over the controversial "foreign agent law" that was recently adopted by the Georgian government -- which is ruled by the Georgian Dream party of billionaire former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili -- amid fierce protests.

"The choice will be between obedience to Russia via miserable concessions and actual selling the soul to Russia and being an equal state in Europe, promoting our identity, history, talents, and opportunities -- Georgia's adequate representation in a free and peaceful environment. There will not be a second chance," Zurabishvili said.

Georgia's civil society has for years sought to move the country away from the influence of Russia, which still maintains thousands of troops in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two breakaway Georgian regions that Moscow recognized as independent states following a five-day war with Tbilisi in 2008.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/salome-zurabishvili-parliamentary- election-october/33094630.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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Wider Europe Briefing: Autumn In Brussels, Unpacked

By Rikard Jozwiak August 27, 2024

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 Germany's 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 Kallas's case, that is the Foreign Affairs Committee, whose members also will sink their teeth into the next EU enlargement commissioner, whoever that may be.

I've 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 bloc's enlargement supremo. Accused by many diplomats of putting Budapest's 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 don't rule out the possibility that it drags out longer than that.

Not So Hawkish After All

None of the EU officials I've 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 don't 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 EU's 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 wouldn't 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 don't 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 commission's 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 bloc's 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 he'll 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 won't hear it this autumn, but there are persistent fears that it's the EU itself that isn't 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 don't 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. Don't rule out Montenegro closing some negotiation chapters, something it hasn't 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 hasn't 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 Belgrade's 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 it's hard to see the bloc doing anything concrete about it.

Expect both issues to arise once the bloc's 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 Orban's surprise trips to Moscow and Beijing in early July.

Two other Hungary-related issues that will also be worth following this autumn: First, there's Budapest's 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 I've spoken to is that no new sanctions packages will be proposed because Hungary, which has on numerous occasions questioned their effectiveness, won't 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 Ukraine's 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. I'll be there for all three days and will share my impressions in the next edition of this newsletter on September 3.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-wider-europe-jozwiak-autumn- lookahead/33093104.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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UNHCR scales up emergency aid in Alkufra, Libya, in response to Sudanese refugee influx

UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

27 August 2024

TRIPOLI -- As a result of the worsening crisis in Sudan, an increasing number of refugees are fleeing to Libya. Some 97,000 individuals have now sought refuge in the country since the beginning of the conflict.

Alkufra, a key entry point to Libya for Sudanese refugees, is now overwhelmed, receiving around 350 new arrivals from Sudan each day. Recent flooding in the region has also impacted critical local infrastructure, with some refugees forced to take temporary shelter in schools.

Many refugees are living in makeshift tents in farms on the outskirts of Alkufra. Lacking adequate water and sanitation facilities, and safe shelters, they are exposed to extreme weather and health hazards.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, fears that without adequate support, women, children, and others with specific needs will be exposed to heightened risks of violence. Precarious living conditions are exposing women and children to higher protection risks, while children face increased threats of malnutrition, disease, and loss of education.

To respond to the crisis, UNHCR and partners have scaled up emergency aid operations in the east of Libya. This scale-up has been made possible with the cooperation of Libyan authorities, who have facilitated access to affected areas, allowing UNHCR and partners to deliver critical aid to those in need.

Since the onset of the conflict, UNHCR has reached over 8,000 refugees in Alkufra with essential aid, including blankets, mattresses, tarpaulins, and personal care supplies. UNHCR has also equipped Alkufra General Hospital with vital medical supplies such as medicine, hospital beds, wheelchairs, electrocardiographs, and critical prenatal care tools.

"Women and children continue to pay the highest price in this crisis," said Aseer Al Madaien, UNHCR Chief of Mission in Libya. "As we continue to witness a relentless flow of refugees, fleeing from unimaginable circumstances, we call on the international community to stand by Sudanese refugees who have been generously hosted by countries in the region and to support the response".

UNHCR's response is part of a broader strategy to integrate protection through coordinated UN actions and other measures that are underway to assist local authorities in responding to the immense needs.

Under the 2024 Regional Refugee Response Plan for Sudan, UNHCR, together with UN agencies and NGOs, aim to assist 195,000 Sudanese refugees and Libyan host communities. US$48 million is urgently needed to provide life-saving assistance including food, healthcare, clean water and temporary shelter.

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In Gaza, evacuation orders threaten to uproot UN's aid hub once again

By Daniel Johnson and Dominika Tomaszewska-Mortimer

27 August 2024 - The plight of Gaza's 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.

In an update, OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke rejected any suggestion of stopping the lifesaving aid operation, despite the multiple challenges linked to the war and ongoing fighting, sparked by Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel on 7 October.

"There's been no decision to halt, there never has been, we've been there for 10 months, so [it is] ongoing where feasible. I want to remind you that only 11 per cent of the territory of the Gaza Strip is not under evacuation orders...so we're trying to work with that number and keep the operation going."

Evacuation peril

Mr. Laerke noted that a total of 16 evacuation orders have been issued for the month of August alone, creating upheaval for Gazans already uprooted multiple times.

The same orders have also encompassed the UN's aid hub in the central city of Deir Al-Balah.

Previously, the UN and partners' main humanitarian response had been in based in Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah, close to Egypt, but the Israeli military operation that began there in early May resulted in an exodus of almost all of those sheltering in and around Rafah to the continually shrinking humanitarian zone at the coast.

According to OCHA, since last Friday, the Israeli military has issued three new evacuation orders for over 19 neighbourhoods in northern Gaza and in Deir Al- Balah. More than 8,000 people sheltering in these areas have been impacted.

There is particular concern about the evacuation order issued on Sunday affecting part of Deir Al-Balah used by humanitarians, the OCHA spokesperson told journalists during a scheduled briefing in Geneva: "It affected 15 premises hosting UN and NGO aid workers, four UN warehouses, Al Aqsa hospital, two clinics, three wells, one water reservoir and one desalination plant....[these evacuations happened] "at very short notice and in dangerous conditions".

Mr. Laerke added that "it effectively upends a whole lifesaving humanitarian hub that was set up in Deir Al-Balah after its earlier evacuation from Rafah back in May...And that, of course, severely impacts our ability to deliver essential support and services."

Even basic needs not met

According to UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestine refugees, ongoing military operations in Deir Al-Balah have left only three of the area's 18 water wells still functioning.

Apart from the daily challenge of securing water and food in the enclave, the UN health agency insisted on the urgent need to conduct a polio vaccination campaign, now that some 1.2 million vaccines have reached the enclave, in coordination with the Israeli authorities. A full 95 per cent of children under 10 years old need to be vaccinated for the campaign to be successful.

The virus was discovered in sewage water there in June. Last week, one case of polio was confirmed in Gaza, contracted by a 10-month-old child who developed paralysis in one of their legs. It was the first such case of polio in 25 years, according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO).

"The vaccines have arrived in the Strip and the cold chain equipment - the technical bits and pieces - are in place," said WHO spokesperson Dr Margaret Harris, who added that training for health care workers and vaccinators was due to conclude on Tuesday.

But she insisted that key issue of agreement with the Israeli authorities over how the vaccination campaign would be conducted successfully "with full safety and full access - that's still something that's not been made clear".

Hospitals impacted

Regarding the impact of evacuation orders on hospitals and their patients, OCHA issued an update quoting NGO Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) which reported on Monday that many people had chosen to flee from Al Aqsa Hospital in close proximity to the area designated for evacuation in Deir Al-Balah. According to the Gazan health authorities, from around 650 patients, only 100 now remain in the hospital.

WHO's Dr. Harris stressed that when health facilities are abandoned "a lot of looting occurs".

"A lot of the equipment, things like the generators, the solar power, all the things that we have spent a lot of work to put back in - it's taken every time," she said. "It's not just that the hospital itself doesn't function, but that the hospital is often very much damaged by the experience of the evacuation order."

OCHA also said that delivering fuel and medical supplies to health facilities is "extremely challenging" amid repeated evacuation orders, recalling that last week, the Kamal Adwan and Indonesian hospitals in northern Gaza renewed appeals for the "urgent" provision of diesel to keep electricity generators functional.

Gaza's health sector remains barely functional compared to how it was before 7 October when Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel sparked the war. As of 20 August, WHO recorded 505 health attacks in the Strip, resulting in 752 people killed, 982 injured and 32 hospitals and 63 ambulances damaged.

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UN upholds safety and efficacy of Gaza polio vaccine

27 August 2024 - The United Nations has upheld the safety of the polio vaccine that will be administered to more than half a million Palestinian children during an inoculation campaign in Gaza.

Dire conditions brought on by the war have caused the disease to resurface after more than two decades. Last week, a case was confirmed in a 10-month-old.

Countering vaccine misinformation

During his daily media briefing from New York on Tuesday, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric noted that there had been misinformation surrounding the vaccine.

"I want to make the following clear: the safest and most effective way to protect children against the polio virus, regardless of the variant, is to vaccinate them," he said.

Several news stories have appeared online in Israel and the United States, quoting two Israeli scientists falsely asserting that the polio vaccine due to be used in Gaza is "experimental" and a danger to citizens in both Palestine and Israel.

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees, UNRWA, are preparing to launch the campaign, which will be conducted in two rounds.

More than 640,000 children under the age of 10 will receive two drops of oral polio vaccine type 2.

"This vaccine is safe, it is effective, and it offers top quality protection," said Mr. Dujarric. "It is a vaccine globally recommended for variant type two polio virus outbreaks by the World Health Organization."

He said the vaccine was rolled out in March 2021, and since then more than 1.2 billion doses have been used to protect children in over 40 countries.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently appealed for a humanitarian pause to allow for the extensive vaccination campaign.

Gaza had a high level of vaccination coverage prior to the escalation of hostilities last October but routine immunization coverage has dropped, increasing the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases to children, including polio.

Israeli evacuation orders latest threat to Gaza aid workers

Meanwhile, evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military have impacted the safety of humanitarians delivering aid in the Gaza Strip, the head of the UN's Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) said on Tuesday.

"Mass evacuation orders are the latest in a long list of unbearable threats to UN and humanitarian personnel," Under-Secretary-General Gilles Michaud said in a statement.

Mr. Michaud underlined the UN's determination to stay in Gaza, where life-saving aid continues to be distributed, which he called "a tremendous feat given that we are operating at the upper-most peripheries of tolerable risk."

Running out of safe spaces

He said this past weekend, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) gave the UN just a few hours' notice to move more than 200 personnel out of their offices and living spaces in Deir Al-Balah, a crucial humanitarian hub.

"Like most Palestinians in Gaza, we are running out of safe spaces for our own staff," he said.

Furthermore, "the timing could hardly be worse," he added, as UN agencies are set to begin the massive polio vaccination campaign next week, which requires large numbers of staff to enter the enclave.

Caught in the crosshairs

"However, the IDF's actions this weekend compound existing security threats and seriously impact the pace at which we can deliver, safely. These constraints are beyond our control," he continued.

Mr. Michaud said "humanitarians have been in the crosshairs" throughout the Gaza crisis - by far the deadliest on record for the UN.

"In line with international humanitarian law, our ability to provide assistance rests on the responsibility by parties to conflicts to do everything in their power to keep our colleagues safe," he said.

Stressing that "the women and men who risk their lives to deliver humanitarian aid need a safe and consistent place from which to work," he called for all parties "to respect international law and their commitments under the UN Charter to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and premises."

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First ACC EA-37B delivered to Davis-Monthan AFB

Published Aug. 27, 2024

By Capt. Barrett Schroeder

Air Combat Command

JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. (AFNS) -- Air Combat Command received its first EA-37B Compass Call, aircraft 19-5591, for pilot training Aug. 23, at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.

The EA-37B, a wide-area airborne electromagnetic attack weapon system using a heavily modified version of the Gulfstream G550 airframe, was delivered by Gen. Ken Wilsbach, ACC commander, along with Lt. Gen. Thomas Hensley, Sixteenth Air Force commander, and Col. Mark Howard, 55th Wing commander.

"For a pilot, there is nothing better than picking up a brand new aircraft from the factory and delivering it to the warfighters. For those of you who are going to get to fly it, it's going to be amazing," Wilsbach said. "We are on the cusp of delivering advanced capability, especially in electronic combat, and today is an exciting day for Air Combat Command."

Aircraft 19-5591, now assigned to the 55th Electronic Combat Group, will be flown by the 43rd Electronic Combat Squadron and maintained by the Contractor Logistics Support Aircraft Maintenance team at Davis-Monthan AFB. The aircraft will give ACC aircrews their first opportunity to begin pilot mission planning and training.

Although located at Davis-Monthan AFB, the 55th ECG reports to the 55th Wing at Offutt AFB, Nebraska. The group is the sole operator of Compass Call aircraft in worldwide contingency operations.

"The EC-130 has served its purpose for years, but this new airframe and its delivery mean that we have a combat-credible threat," Howard said. "The EA-37B, with its increased range, speed and agility, will allow Airmen onboard the aircraft to make real-time, adaptive, agile decisions for airpower."

The aircraft sustains joint force military advantage in the electromagnetic battlespace and builds a more lethal force by modernizing electromagnetic attack capabilities to deny peer competitors' tactical networks and information ecosystems.

Additionally, the aircraft denies, degrades and disrupts adversary communications, information processing, navigation, radar systems and radio-controlled threats. It also employs offensive counter-information and electromagnetic attack capabilities in support of U.S. and coalition tactical air, surface and special operations forces.

"The EA-37B is the right choice right now because as we continue to pivot toward Great Power Competition, we have adversaries that are developing long-range kill chain ecosystems and anti-access area denial capabilities," Hensley said. "The Compass Call will allow us to do things in the non-kinetic spectrum as well as the electromagnetic spectrum to give us the advantage and not them."

As the Air Force's newest electromagnetic attack platform, the EA-37B will replace the legacy EC-130H as a more modern, and cost-effective, commercial derivative aircraft. Nine of 14 EC-130H aircraft have been divested to date.

"The EC-130 has been one of the flagships of Davis-Monthan since the early 1980s, and the arrival of the EA-37B along with the stand up of 11th Air Task Force shields a new era for Davis-Monthan AFB," said Col. Scott Mills, 355th Wing commander. "As we look to take on the growing threat, the bottom line for the Airmen of Davis-Monthan and the 55th Electronic Combat Group is we are ready today to face that threat."

Wilsbach also extended his gratitude to the citizens of Tucson.

"This community is so supportive of Davis-Monthan and our mission here, and I can't let a ceremony like this pass without thanking you," Wilsbach said. "You make it special for the Airmen and the families that serve here, and certainly you make it capable for us to work on our readiness, to train, and to be prepared for whenever we get called."

A second aircraft is expected to be delivered for training to Davis-Monthan AFB by the end of 2024.

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U.S. Second Fleet Completes Operation Nanook 2024 with Multinational Partners

US Navy

27 August 2024

NORFOLK, Va. -- Operation NANOOK 2024, an annual exercise led by the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and supported by the U.S. 2nd Fleet and U.S. Coast Guard, successfully concluded on August 26, 2024.

The exercise, which is the largest of its kind in the Arctic, highlighted the ability of multinational forces to interoperate effectively in the challenging northern environment, further strengthening the long-standing partnership between Canada and the United States.

Vice Adm. Doug Perry, Commander of U.S. 2nd Fleet, emphasized the importance of this partnership, stating, "Our partnership with Canada is built on a foundation of mutual respect and shared interests, particularly when it comes to securing the Arctic region. OP NANOOK demonstrated the strength of our collaboration and our shared commitment to maintaining stability in these strategic waters."

Perry added, "The challenges posed by the Arctic environment require us to be adaptable and resilient. This year's exercise has shown that our combined forces are more than capable of meeting those challenges head-on."

OP NANOOK has consistently served as a critical platform for enhancing polar interoperability among Allied forces, and this year was no different. The exercise saw participation from the Royal Canadian Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Navy, and the Royal Danish Navy. These forces engaged in a variety of complex maritime operations, including Maritime Interdiction Operations, gunnery exercises, search and rescue simulations, and fleet maneuver drills in the frigid waters near Nuuk, Greenland.

"This exercise is a testament to the strength and unity of our alliances," said Perry. "Each year, OP NANOOK brings our nations closer together, enhancing our ability to operate effectively in the Arctic and ensuring that we are prepared for any contingency."

The participation of the U.S. 2nd Fleet in OP NANOOK underscores the fleet's commitment to Arctic operations as part of a broader strategy to ensure homeland defense and security in the northern regions. Earlier this year, the 2nd Fleet demonstrated its global readiness during Arctic operations in Steadfast Defender 2024, further solidifying its role as a key player in Arctic defense.

"Training in the North is particularly crucial as it increases our understanding of the unique operational and sustainment challenges experienced in the Arctic. By seizing every opportunity to train in this environment, we also further solidify our partnership among NATO allies while ensuring our readiness for future operations" emphasized Royal Canadian Rear Adm. David Patchell, Vice Commander of U.S. 2nd Fleet. "The importance of interoperability and shared experiences between NATO countries cannot be overstated. Through regular joint exercises in the Atlantic and Arctic regions, we continuously enhance our capabilities and strengthen our bond."

As the Arctic continues to gain strategic importance, the U.S. Navy remains committed to working closely with its Arctic allies to ensure environmental stewardship and maintain stability in the region. The completion of OP NANOOK 2024 has provided participating forces with invaluable experience and has further reinforced the collective deterrence capability of allied and partner nations.

Participating units included the Royal Canadian Navy's Harry DeWolf-Class Offshore Patrol Vessels, HMCS Margaret Brooke (AOPV 431) and HMCS Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430); the Royal Danish Navy's Knud Rasmussen-Class Patrol Vessel, HDMS Lauge Koch (P572); the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter, USCGC Northland (WMEC 904); and the U.S. Navy's USS Delbert D. Black (DDG 119).

With the conclusion of OP NANOOK 2024, participating units have returned to their respective homeports, better equipped to face the evolving challenges of the Arctic and to continue protecting shared interests in this increasingly vital region.

U.S. 2nd Fleet, reestablished in 2018 in response to the changing global security environment, develops and employs maritime forces ready to fight across multiple domains in the Atlantic and Arctic in order to ensure access, deter aggression and defend U.S., allied, and partner interests.

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In 2014, when Priyasha Sharma first arrived in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, from India to study at Shenzhen University, she had no inkling that she would still be living in the city 10 years later and calling it home. Shenzhen, a pioneer model of China's reform and opening-up, was designated as the nation's first special economic zone in 1980. It transformed from a small fishing village into a leading global technology center within just a few decades. "Shenzhen is often referred to as China's Silicon Valley, and it's home to Chinese tech majors like Huawei and Tencent," Sharma said. After completing her master's degree from Shenzhen University in 2022, the now 28-year-old Sharma chose to pursue a career in a technology-focused supply chain firm. Though Sharma spoke Chinese fluently, she had to cope with some cultural differences as the company's first foreign employee, but the open and supportive atmosphere empowered her to express her views and provided her with equal opportunities for career advancement. Today, she holds a top managerial position in the company, helping foster its growth and bring about more international influence. "Shenzhen's residents embrace newcomers, blending different perspectives into a cohesive local identity," she said. The Shenzhen government offers services, policies and incentives to assist foreign residents, expatriate startups and established businesses, Sharma added. For instance, there are expatriate centers in every district of Shenzhen, offering services such as language learning, legal consultation, employment and internship platforms, as well as business networking events for international residents. More importantly, these services and events are provided free of cost, with ongoing surveys conducted to enhance support for expats. A popular saying in Shenzhen, "Once you come here, you are a Shenzhener", deeply resonates with Sharma. She finds that the city's openness to new ideas and its focus on entrepreneurial spirit cultivate a profound sense of belonging and inclusion. "For many, including myself, living and working in Shenzhen often feels like being part of a large, diverse community where the local identity is shaped by a blend of cultures, backgrounds and experiences," she said. As China's opening-up has widened, like Shenzhen, many cities have been drawing in international talents to live, work, invest and establish businesses. Among them is Yiwu, a renowned small commodities trading hub in East China's Zhejiang province. According to data from the Yiwu Administration for Market Regulation, 162 new foreign-funded enterprises have been established in the city this year, marking a 34 percent increase compared to the previous year. Kirill Kravtsov, a 23-year-old Russian student at Peking University, visited Yiwu recently. He discovered that many young entrepreneurs from around the world have started their businesses in the city. Some of them have lived there for over 10 years, witnessing and being part of the city's economic progress and infrastructure enhancement. "Yiwu is undoubtedly a business-friendly city, as it has been launching a lot of initiatives to attract international talents and make it easier for them to live and work there," Kravtsov said. Kravtsov met a young entrepreneur from Kyrgyzstan who moved to Yiwu and started her own accessories business, which she successfully expanded globally to numerous countries. She told Kravtsov that Yiwu provides favorable policies for foreign startups, including a points system. Foreign entrepreneurs who meet specific requirements, such as clearing the HSK 6, the Chinese-language proficiency test's highest level, and possessing a master's degree, among other qualifications, can accumulate a high score, which makes it easier for them to obtain a long-term work visa. "Chinese cities are striving to be more open to the world, and I believe Yiwu is an exemplary case," Kravtsov said. Melina Gisela Weber, a 31-year-old from Germany, shares a similar perspective. She traveled to the Hainan Free Trade Port in South China's Hainan province in July and observed that the island is creating platforms for collaboration with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative in fields including culture and education. A prime example of this is the Hainan Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences, the pioneering higher education institution in the Chinese mainland established independently by an international university. According to Weber, the university offers mechanical engineering and German language courses for students, who are taught in English and follow the German education system. "I consider this a great example of cross-border education," Weber said. Weber's connection with China began in 2015 during her one-semester study at the Ocean University of China, located in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province. The experience touched her deeply and aroused her curiosity, and she has been traveling between Germany and China since. In 2019, Weber started sharing videos on Chinese social media platforms, showcasing her life in both countries. She has now amassed over 2 million followers on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. In May, Weber launched her own business in Beijing as a content creator, focusing on making videos that promote cultural exchanges. "The Belt and Road Initiative has increased trade flows between Germany and China, as well as people-to-people exchanges," she said. Kravtsov, with a bachelor's degree in Asian and African studies, perceives the significant impact of the BRI on enhancing trade relationships among the involved nations. "These trade relations have changed the way the world is structured," he said, explaining that he has observed a notable shift from traditional trade partnerships among Western nations to a more diversified landscape in recent times. Kravtsov also noticed that China has been organizing various intercultural events and programs in recent years. "These activities encourage global youth to visit China in person and see with their own eyes how China has developed and the benefits it can bring to the world," he said. mengwenjie@i21st.cn
Republic of Korea, U.S. Navy and Marine Corps to Conduct Exercise Ssang Yong 2024

US Navy

27 August 2024

From Maj. George McArthur,

POHANG, South Korea -- The Republic of Korea and U.S. Navy and Marine Corps will conduct Exercise Ssang Yong 24 from August 26 to September 7 along the east coast and around the Pohang area, to strengthen the ROK-U.S. Alliance's combat readiness and improve interoperability.

Since 2012, the ROK and U.S. Navy and Marine Corps have regularly conducted Ssang Yong to enhance defensive posture on the Korean Peninsula while improving naval and amphibious capabilities. This year's exercise will involve division-level Marine Corps landing forces, the ROK Navy large transport ships Dokdo (LPH-6111) and Marado (LPH-6112), the U.S. amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 5), and more than 40 ships including the ROK landing ships Ilchulbong, Cheonjaebong, and Cheonwangbong (LST-II), frigates, and minehunters. Additionally participating in Ssang Yong 24 will be more than 40 ROK-U.S. aircraft including U.S. F-35B Lightning II fighter jets, ROK amphibious mobile helicopters (MUH-1), and Air Force C-130 transport aircraft, as well as over 40 Korean Amphibious Assault Vehicles.

Furthermore, the United Kingdom Commando Force will participate in Ssang Yong for the second consecutive year.

This year's exercise will feature the prototype formation of a combined ROK-U.S. Marine Corps staff group afloat. The combined staff group will board the ROKS Marado to command amphibious operations and test the integration of command and control capabilities.

Ssang Yong 24 will proceed through a series of phases: pre-departure coordination, loading troops and equipment according to stages of landing operations, landing forces approaching the target area under escort operations, rehearsal, and decisive action including amphibious and air assaults to secure objectives for follow-on operations.

During the decisive action phase in early September, ROK-U.S. combined and joint forces will conduct large-scale maneuvers from sea and air to showcase the overwhelming power of the alliance and its capability to carry out combined amphibious operations.

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Israel rescues another hostage held by Hamas in Gaza

By VOA News August 27, 2024

Israel said Tuesday it has rescued another of the 250 hostages Hamas militants captured in their shock attack on Israel last October.

The Israel Defense Forces said they found 52-year-old Qaid Farhan Alkadi during "a complex operation in the southern Gaza Strip" as fighting rages on in the 10 -month war. The military said he had been rescued from a tunnel but gave no further details.

Alkadi was identified as part of Israel's Arab Bedouin minority who was working as a guard at a packing factory in Kibbutz Magen, one of several farming communities attacked on October 7. He has two wives and is the father of 11 children.

"He is in a stable medical condition and is being transferred for medical checks at a hospital," Israel said.

Israel's Channel 12 showed Alkadi's family members running through the hospital where he was brought after they received the news that he had been rescued.

A White House National Security Council spokesman said it welcomed Alkadi's release and "remains determined to see all hostages held by Hamas, including American citizens, freed and reunited with their families."

"We will continue to work tirelessly to finalize the cease-fire and hostage release deal through ongoing talks in Cairo and Doha," the spokesman said in a statement sent to VOA.

Hamas-led militants abducted the hostages while killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to local health officials. Israel's military says the death toll includes several thousand Hamas fighters.

Israel says Hamas is still holding about 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 weeklong cease-fire last November.

Israel has rescued 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.

The war is continuing as Israel and Hamas have been unable to reach a cease-fire to halt fighting and free the remaining hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians jailed by Israel. The United States, Egypt and Qatar have spent months trying to negotiate an end to the fighting and release of the hostages.

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.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters Monday that working groups in Cairo are continuing 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.

Meanwhile, 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.

Major General Pat Ryder, the Pentagon spokesman, told journalists, "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."

U.S. Joint 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 Gaza battlefield.

"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 spokesman 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.

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.

VOA's Patsy Widakuswsara contributed to this report. Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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Mpox outbreak in Africa poses risks for refugees, displaced communities

By Lisa Schlein August 27, 2024

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 Congo's 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 DRC's 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 Monday's 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."

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Former finance minister who called Eritrea leader 'dictator' dies in prison

By Abraham Zere August 27, 2024

A former Eritrean finance minister who was arrested in 2018 after calling Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki a dictator has died in prison, his family told VOA Horn of Africa Service.

The Eritrean government remained silent on the death of Berhane Abrehe, who was the country's finance minister from 2001 to 2012. The reason for his death has not been announced, but the government allowed his burial in Asmara on Aug. 22.

"He died while in prison after being held incommunicado [in] detention for about six years, despite his fragile health conditions," said Ephrem Berhane, Berhane Abrehe's son, who lives in the eastern U.S. state of Maryland.

Berhane was neither charged nor allowed family visitations, despite being in frail health, according to his Maryland-based nephew Solomon Habtom, who initially facilitated the publication of Berhane's controversial book critical of the Eritrean government.

"During the final days before his death, they allowed his wife to visit him in the air force hospital where he died," Solomon said.

Berhane fell out with the Isaias administration in 2012 following a disagreement on its handling of the country's finances. In 2018, he was arrested shortly after publishing two-volume book outside the country while living in Eritrea.

Before his arrest, he called Isaias a "dictator" and called on him to step down. In a widely circulated audio tape, Berhane challenged Isaias to debate him publicly.

His family paid tribute to a "principled and a family man, who very much cared about the public good," Solomon said.

The U.S. State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor condemned Berhane's long detention.

"Saddened to hear of the death in prison of former Eritrean finance minister Berhane Abrehe," the post on the social media platform X said. "He was apprehended in 2018 after publishing a book on the state of governance in his country, Eritrea. We call on the [Eritrean] government to respect its citizens' fundamental freedoms and release all those unjustly detained."

The Eritrean government has not acknowledged Berhane's arrest in 2018. The state media, which in the past announced the deaths of high-profile people, also did not broadcast news of his death. Yet supporters flocked to his funeral, said Solomon, who received the information from sources inside the country.

VOA has not received a comment from the Eritrean government despite several attempts.

In an honor bestowed only to people in active duty and an unusual move by the Eritrean government, Berhane's body was laid to rest in Martyrs' Cemetery in Asmara.

This story originated in VOA Horn of Africa's Tigrigna Service.

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Aid groups fear Gaza operations on brink of collapse

By Margaret Besheer August 27, 2024

More than two dozen international aid groups warned Tuesday that the humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip is at risk of "imminent collapse" due to Israel's continued operational restrictions and the shrinking of its so-called safe zone for Palestinian civilians.

"Humanitarian efforts in Gaza are stretched to the breaking point, leaving thousands without basic services," Camilla Dogliotti, Humanity & Inclusion/Handicap International's Palestine country manager, said in a statement.

"No place is safe, as people live in constant fear of forced evacuations and new attacks," she said. "We must protect the so-called humanitarian zones and ensure the safety of aid workers so they can continue to provide essential relief to those in desperate need."

Several international aid agencies, including Save the Children, Mercy Corps, the Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam, Project HOPE and War Child, said they have seen staff members displaced, warehouses put out of reach and aid operations interrupted by the latest round of Israeli evacuation orders issued Sunday.

The United Nations also reported on Monday that its humanitarian operations had been mostly halted as it had just hours to move the command center for its operations.

On Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces issued new evacuation orders for parts of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. According to the United Nations, it was the 16th such evacuation order this month.

The U.N. and several other aid agencies had moved their operational command centers to Deir al-Balah in May, after Israeli orders to evacuate Rafah in southern Gaza.

Israel's military says the evacuations are necessary as it continues its operations to eliminate Hamas militants in parts of Gaza.

The group of aid agencies said Tuesday that the repeated evacuation orders have displaced more than 260,000 civilians and severely disrupted their access to aid.

"Israel is demanding civilians move into even smaller areas of Gaza which offer them no safety from the conflict, and this is coupled with other escalating restrictions," Lilu Thapa, regional director for the Danish Refugee Council, said in a statement. "If this continues on its current trajectory, it will severely impede aid operations to the point where delivering essential aid to civilians in Gaza will become impossible."

The U.N. estimates that about 86% of Gaza is under Israeli evacuation orders, pushing more than 2 million people into a small, overcrowded area with few basic services.

Gilles Michaud, U.N. undersecretary-general for safety and security, said Tuesday that the organization is "operating at the upper-most peripheries of tolerable risk."

"This weekend the IDF gave just a few hours' notice to move more than 200 U.N. personnel out of their offices and living places in Deir al-Balah, a crucial humanitarian hub," he said in a statement. "Like most Palestinians in Gaza, we are running out of safe spaces for our own staff."

A U.N. official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, said Monday that with the short notice to move, some staff were forced to sleep in a warehouse. Vital equipment was left behind. The official said the U.N. is looking for a safe place where it can reset its operations.

The evacuations also jeopardize the launch of a massive polio vaccination campaign this Saturday.

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.

More than 1,000 medical workers and volunteers are aiming to reach 640,000 children under age 10 in Gaza with double doses of the vaccine over a two-week period.

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Russo-Ukraine War - 27 August 2024 - Day 916

Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that In total, 125 combat clashes have taken place since the beginning of this day. Ukrainian defenders continue to decisively interrupt the Russian attempts to advance into the depths of Ukrainian territory, giving him a fiery impression.

The hottest situation remains in the Pokrovsky direction.

Russian zagarbniki launched two strikes on the territory of Ukraine, launching nine missiles, and 64 air strikes, dropping 72 cabins. In addition, 558 kamikaze drones were involved for an impact and carried out more than 2800 shelling at the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.

Eight battles were sharpened in the Kharkiv direction. Defense forces repelled the Russian attack near Vovchansk. The Russian attack is still going on.

In the Kupyans komu direction during the day, 16 battles took place. Russian forces attacked near synkivka, novoselivka, kolisnikivka and stelmahivka. There are currently four Russian attacks.

In the Lyman direction Russian zagarbniki carried out assault actions near Druzhelyubivka, Nevsky and Novosadovoye. Seven fights completed, two to be continued.

In the Siversky direction, defenders of Ukrainian land repelled a Russian attack in the area of Verkhnyokamiansky.

In the direction of Kramators komu, 12 battles near Grigorivka, Ivanivs kogo, Andriyivka and Klis iivka. At this moment, one Russian assault action is in progress. The situation is under control of Ukrainian troops.

16 boezitknen  took place in the Torets komu direction. Russians attacked the positions of Ukrainian units near New York and Toretsk. Defense forces stopped all Russian attacks of the zagarbnikiv.

In the Pokrovsky direction, since the beginning of this day, 36 battles have been sharpened in the areas of settlements of Suha Balka, Vozdvizhenko, Green Field, Novooleksandrivka, Mirolyubivka, Novogrodivka, Mykhailivka and Selidove. Ukrainian defenders have repelled 30 offensive actions, six are still continuing.

Today 266 invaders were defecated in this direction, 110 of them - irrevocably. Also destroyed a howitzer, a grenade launcher, three BPLs and a special equipment unit. In addition, an infantry fighting vehicle, a combat armored vehicle, one artsistema and four vehicles were damaged.

In the kurakhivs komu direction, the Russian enemy 15 times attacked the positions of ukrainians near karlivka, krasnogorivka, georgiiivka and staromihajlivka. Ten fights completed, five are still going.

In the Vremivs komu direction, Russian forces made six unsuccessful attempts to push Ukrainian units out of the occupied borders of defense near Vugledar, Vodyany and Prechistivka.

In the Orihivsky direction, Russian forces also failed during four offensive actions near Malaia Tokmachka and Robotiny.

In the pridniprovsk direction, twice attacking the positions of Ukrainian troops, Russian forces suffered defeats.

In other directions - without much change.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that last night, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation launched a group strike with long-range airborne precision weapons, including Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles, and attack UAVs against critical airfield infrastructure of Ukraine. All the assigned targets been engaged.

The units of the Sever Group of Forces in Liptsy and Sumy directions have engaged the 22nd Mechanised Infantry Brigade, 101st and 118th territorial defence brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Chervonoye, Vorozhba, Baranovka, Pustogorod (Sumy region), and Liptsy (Kharkov region).

Three counter-attacks launched by AFU assault detachments have been repelled.

The AFU losses were up to 115 troops, three motor vehicles, and one Anklav-N electronic warfare station.

The units of the Zapad Group of Forces have improved the tactical situation and delivered strikes at manpower and hardware of the 4th Tank Brigade of the AFU, the 12th Special Operations Brigade, 104th, 110th, and 114th territorial defence brigades near Kolesnikovka, Boguslavka, Tabayevka (Kharkov region), and Serebryansky forestry.

Four counter-attacks launched by assault detachments of AFU 43rd and 63rd mechanised brigades have been repelled.

The AFU losses were up to 490 troops, two U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, two armoured fighting vehicles, four motor vehicles, two UK-made 155-mm FH-70 howitzers, one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery warfare radar as well as Anklav-N and Kvertus electronic warfare stations.

The units of the Yug Group of Forces have taken more advantageous lines and positions, defeated manpower and hardware of 54th, 93rd mechanised, 110rd assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the 119th Territorial Defence Brigade near Kuzminovka, Verkhnekamenskoye, and Katerinovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

One counter-attack launched by the AFU 5th Assault Brigade has been repelled.

The AFU losses were up to 780 troops, one German-made Leopard tank, one armoured fighting vehicle, four motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155-mm M198 howitzer, one 152-mm Msta-B howitzer, two 122-mm D-30 howitzer, and one Anklav-N electronic warfare station.

Three AFU field ammunition depots have been destroyed.

The units of the Tsentr Group of Forces have liberated Orlovka (Donetsk People's Republic), defeated units of 53rd, 110th mechanised, 25th air assault brigades of the AFU, and the 109th Territorial Defence Brigade near Vozdvizhenka, Rozovka, Novgorodskoye, and Sergeyevka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Seven counter-attacks launched by AFU 150th and 151st mechanised brigades have been repelled.

The AFU losses were up to 530 troops, one tank, four armoured fighting vehicles, six motor vehicles, one 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and two 122-mm D-30 howitzers.

The units of the Vostok Group of Forces have improved the situation along the front line and hit manpower and hardware clusters of the AFU 72nd Mechanised Brigade close to Vodyanoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

Russian troops have repelled one counter-attack launched by assault detachments of the 128th Territorial Defence Brigade.

The AFU losses were up to 145 troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, seven motor vehicles, one 152-mm D-20 howitzer, and one electronic warfare station.

The units of the Dnepr Group of Forces have defeated units of the AFU 35th Marine Brigade and the 124th Territorial Defence Brigade close to Ivanovka and Tokarevka (Kherson region).

The AFU losses were more than 85 troops, four motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 gun, one 155-mm Paladin self-propelled artillery system, one U.S.-made 105-mm M119 howitzer as well as one Anklav-N electronic warfare station.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 142 areas during the day.

Air defence facilities have shot down four Tochka-U tactical missiles, three French-made Hammer aerial guided bombs, and 31 unmanned aerial vehicles.

In total, 640 airplanes and 283 helicopters, 30,564 unmanned aerial vehicles, 575 air defence missile systems, 17,586 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,425 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 13,690 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 25,262 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation also reported that the 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. In addition, Russian troops have thwarted attempted attacks in the direction of Krasnooktyabrskoye, Olgovka, and Cherkasskoye Porechnoye. The Armed Forces of Ukraine losses were up to 65 troops killed and wounded as well as one armoured personnel carrier and eight armoured fighting vehicles.

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue reconnaissance and search operations in forestry areas to locate and eliminate enemy small sabotage groups attempting to get to the depth of the Russian territory.

Aviation and artillery together with troops have engaged AFU manpower and hardware clusters of 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.

Operational-Tactical Aviation has struck concentration areas in Sumy region of reserve manpower and military hardware of 41st and 54th mechanised, 80th and 82nd air assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the 1st Ukrainian National Guard as well as 101st, 103rd, and 107th territorial defence brigades close to Atinskoye, Belopoloye, Baranovka, Vorozhba, Glybnoye, Katerinovka, Orlovka, Pokrovka, Pervomaiskoye, Pustogorod, Pershetravnya, and Esman.

The AFU losses were up to 400 troops and 30 armoured vehicles, including one infantry fighting vehicle, one armoured personnel carrier, 28 armoured fighting vehicles, 13 motor vehicles, three artillery guns, two multiple-launch rocket system, including one U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS and two mortars.

Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk region, the AFU losses were over 6,600 troops, 73 tanks, 34 infantry fighting vehicles, 62 armoured personnel carriers, 432 armoured fighting vehicles, 201 motor vehicles, 45 artillery guns, 13 multiple-launch rocket system launchers, including four HIMARS MLRS and one MLRS, five SAM launchers, nine electronic warfare stations, two counter-battery warfare radars, one air defence radars, five engineering vehicles as well as two counterobstacle vehicles and one UR-77 mine clearing vehicle.

The operation to neutralise the AFU units is in progress.

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Russo-Ukraine War - 28 August 2024 - Day 917

Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

The UK Ministry of Defence reported that on 17 August 2024, Russian media reported that President Vladimir Putin had promoted the daughter of his cousin (often referred to as his niece) Anna Tsivileva to be State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence. Tsivileva was previously appointed a Deputy Defence Minister, a role which she retains, in June 2024. As State Secretary Tsivileva is elevated above ordinary Deputy Defence Minister (of whom there are an additional seven) and is responsible for the MOD's relationship with the legislature and other government bodies.

Before 2023, Tsivileva had no known background or relationship to defence matters. She trained as a psychiatrist before making money in a number of medical supply companies. In 2023 she became Chairperson of the State Foundation for Support for Participants in the "Defenders of the Fatherland" Special Military Operation, which organised voluntary donations in support of the War in Ukraine. Tsivileva is married to Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev.

Tsivileva's original appointment in June drew muted criticism from the Russian press for the nepotism that tested even Russian tolerance for corrupt practice. There is a realistic possibility that her further elevation is indicative of the increasing insularity of the Russian elite.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that The Defense Forces of Ukraine continue to withhold the pressure of the Russian occupation troops. The situation in the Pokrovsky direction remains tense - Russia is focusing the main offensive efforts there. In addition, the Russian occupiers are actively attacking the Kupans komu, Kurakhivs komu and Torets komu directions.

Also, on certain shades of the front, Ukrainian units were taking active actions to improve their position.

So far, there have been 182 combat clashes. Today, the Russian state made two missile strikes with two rockets, 61 air strikes, dropping 66 CABs. In addition, Russian forces used 516 kamikaze drones for strikes and carried out about 3,000 shells on the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.

In the Kharkiv direction, Russian terrorists twice unsuccessfully stormed the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of Vovchansk and Liptsiv.

23 times Russian forces attacked Ukrainian positions in the kupans komu direction. Near settlements, Sinkivka, Kolisnikivka, Stelmakhivka and Kruglyakivka units of the Defense Forces repelled 21 attacks. The situation is tense, two confrontations are ongoing.

In the Lyman direction today, Russian troops have attacked Ukrainian defenders 13 times in the areas of six different settlements. Near Druzelubivka and Novosadovy, the most fighting occurred, three and four respectively.

Russian forces four times with assault actions tries to push Ukrainian defenders out of positions in the areas of Bilogorivka and Spirny in the Siver direction. The fights are going on.

In the Kramators komu direction Ukrainian warriors fought off 11 attempts of zagarbnikiv to move forward. Russian forces concentrated the effort, supported by assault aviation, near Grigorivka, in also, without air support, in the areas of Ivanivsky and Klishchievka.

In the Toretsky direction, where the Russian forces attacked Ukrainian positions near New York 20 times, Nelipivka, Toretsk and Friendship - 15 clashes are already completed. The fights are ongoing near New York and Nelipivka.

The main efforts of the Russian forces continues to put in the Intercession Direction, here, throughout this day, the aggressor 59 times attacked Ukrainian positions. In the areas of Novogrodivka and Hrodivka, more than half of all the fights occurred. According to preliminary estimates, today the occupiers in this direction lost 135 soldiers killed and 177 wounded. Three cars and a BTR destroyed. Also Ukrainian defenders have caused significant damage to two more artsistemam and two cars.

In the kurakhiv direction zagarbniki are also pretty active - at this time of the day 30 Russian attacks are recorded. And half of them are going on. Mainly fighting take place near Karlivka. Also, the Russian occupiers are actively trying to advance near Konstantinivka and Georgievka. The losses will be taken.

In the Vremivsky direction today, Russian forces six times stormed the front edge of Ukrainian defense in the direction of Vugledara, near Vodyany and Konstantinivka. The fighting is underway.

In the orihivs komu direction, two assaults of Russian zagarbnikiv, near robotinyogo and novodanilivka.

In the Gulyaipil and Pridniprovsky directions, Russian units did not carry out offensive actions.

Today we celebrate the soldiers of the 25 separate airborne Sycheslav Brigade of the Airborne Assault Troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for effective combat work.

Defense Forces of Ukraine continue operations in the Kursk direction.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the Sever Group of Forces units in Volchansk and Liptsy directions defeated formations of the 36th Marine Brigade, 113th Territorial Defence Brigade, and 13th National Guard Brigade near Alisovka, Liptsy, and Volchansk (Kharkov region).

The enemy losses amounted to up to 165 troops, nine motor vehicles, one 152-mm D-20 gun, and one 122-mm D-30 howitzer. One AFU fuel depot was neutralised.

The Zapad Group of Forces units improved tactical situation, inflicted losses on manpower and materiel of 14th and 44th mechanised brigades, 4th Tank Brigade of the AFU, 1st National Guard Brigade near Petropavlovka (Kharkov region), Torskoye, Serebryanka (Donetsk People's Republic), Stelmakhovka and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic). The Russian troops repelled five counter-attacks of 67th Mechanised Brigade, 23rd Rifle Battalion of the AFU, 3rd National Guard Brigade, and 12th Special Forces Brigade of the Azov.

The enemy suffered losses amounting to up to 490 troops, one tank, one armoured fighting vehicle, and three motor vehicles were neutralised. In the course of the counter-battery warfare, Russian troops eliminated four 155-mm howitzers including one U.S.-made M777 and three UK-made FH-70 howitzers, one 152-mm Msta-B howitzer, one 122-mm D-20 gun, one Croatian-made RAK-SA-12 MLRS launcher, and one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-36 radar counter-battery station.

The Yug Group of Forces units took more favourable lines, engaged manpower and materiel of 24th, 30th, 54th, 69th, 93rd mechanised brigades, 56th Motorised Infantry Brigade, 4th Tank Brigade, 143rd Infantry Brigade near Grigorovka, Chasov Yar, Krasnogorovka, Zaliznyanskoye, Stupochki, Karpovka, and Konstantinovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 690 troops, 21 motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer, two 152-mm Msta-B howitzers, three 122-mm D-30 howitzers, three U.S.-made 105-mm M119 guns, and one Bukovel-AD EW station. In addition, three AFU ammunition depots were destroyed.

Tsentr Group of Forces units have liberated Kamyshchevka, Donetsk People's Republic, and go on advancing to the depth of the hostile defence.

The Russian troops engaged 44th, 53rd, 100th mechanised brigades, 68th Jaeger Brigade, and 95th Air Assault Brigade of the AFU, 15th National Guard Brigade near Rozovka, Druzhba, Grodovka, Dzerzhinsk, Karlovka, Galitsynovka, Lesovka, and Mikhailovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The Russian troops repelled seven counter-attacks of the 144th Infantry Brigade, 25th Airborne Brigade of the AFU, 37th Marines Brigade, 15th National Guard Brigade, and Lyut Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian National Police.

The enemy lost up to 475 troops, one U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carrier, two motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer, one 152-mm Msta-B howitzer, two 152-mm D-20 guns, two 122-mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, and one 122-mm D-30 howitzer.

The Vostok Group of Forces units improved tactical situation, inflicted losses on manpower and materiel of 65th and 72nd mechanised brigades, 58th motorised infantry brigade of the AFU near Vodyanoye, Ugledar, and Shakhterskoye (Donetsk People's Republic). Russian forces repelled three counter-attacks of 118th and 125th territorial defence brigades.

The enemy lost 115 troops, six motor vehicles, one Polish-made 155-mm Krab self-propelled artillery system, one 122-mm D-30 howitzer, and one 100-mm Rapira anti-tank gun.

The Dnepr Group of Forces defeated formations of the AFU 128th Mountain Assault Brigade, 37th Marine Brigade, and 123rd Territorial Defence Brigade near Zherebyanka, Kamenskoye (Zaporozhye region), Dneprovskoye, Udarnik (Kherson region).

The AFU losses are as follows: up to 50 troops, nine motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer, one 152-mm Giatsint-B gun, and 122-mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery gun. One AFU ammunition depot was destroyed.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Groups of Forces of the Russian Armed Forces engaged a foreign mercenaries camp, as well as a cluster of manpower and materiel in 148 areas.

Air defence systems have shot down one French-made Hammer guided aerial bomb, three U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, and 49 unmanned aerial vehicles.

In total, 640 airplanes and 283 helicopters, 30,613 unmanned aerial vehicles, 575 air defence missile systems, 17,589 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,426 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 13,720 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 25,312 units of support motor vehicles have been destroyed during the special military operation.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation also reported that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to repel an AFU attempt to invade the territory of the Russian Federation.

The Sever Group of Forces supported by Army Aviation and artillery thwarted eight attacks launched by enemy's assault detachments towards Borki, Korenevo, Kremyanoye, and Malaya Loknya.

In addition, Russian troops thwarted the enemy's attempts to launch attacks in the direction of Spalnoye, Olgovka, and Russkaya Konopelka. As a result, the Armed Forces of Ukraine has lost up to 75 troops killed and wounded, and one tank and eight armoured fighting vehicles have been neutralised. Five AFU servicemen surrendered.

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue reconnaissance and search operations in forestry areas to locate and eliminate enemy small sabotage groups attempting to get to the depth of the Russian territory.

Avation and artillery strikes together the troops engaged manpower and hardware of the AFU 22nd, 61st, and 115th mechanised brigades, 82nd and 92nd airborne assault brigades close to Apanasovka, Borki, Viktorovka, Kruglenkoye, Krasnooktyabrsky, Lyubimovka, Malaya Lokna, Mirny, Novoya Sorochina, Obukhovka, Plekhovo, Sverdlikovo, Sudzha, Snagost, and Yuzhny.

Operational-Tactical Aviation has struck in Sumy region concentration areas of reserve manpower and military hardware of 41st and 54th mechanised brigades, 80th Air Assault Brigade, and 69th Separate Rifle Battalion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the 1st Ukrainian National Guard Brigade as well as 101st, 103rd, and 107th territorial defence brigades close to Atinskoye, Belopoloye, Boyaro-Lezhachi, Glukhov, Iskriskovshchina, Masenzovka, Mikhailovskoye, Pervomaiskoye, Pustogorod, Solyaniki, Shalygino, Ugroyedy, and Esman.

The AFU losses amounted to more than 380 troops and 30 units of armoured vehicles, including one tank, one infantry fighting vehicle, and 28 armoured fighting vehicles as well as six artillery guns, three mortars, and nine motor vehicles.

Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk region, the AFU losses were over 7,000 troops, 74 tanks, 35 infantry fighting vehicles, 62 armoured personnel carriers, 460 armoured fighting vehicles, 210 motor vehicles, 51 artillery guns, 13 multiple-launch rocket system launchers, including four of HIMARS MLRS and one of MLRS, five SAM launchers, 10 electronic warfare stations, two radar counter-battery stations, one air defence radar, five engineering vehicles as well as two counterobstacle vehicles and one UR-77 mine clearing vehicle.

The operation to neutralise the AFU units is in progress.





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Operation Render Safe Solomon Islands

Issued by Defence Media

27 August 2024

A multinational contingent led by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has arrived in Solomon Islands to safely dispose of dangerous explosive remnants of war under Operation Render Safe.

At the invitation of the Government of Solomon Islands, the ADF is leading a joint team of experts from Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the UK and US.

The multinational team will work with explosive ordnance disposal experts from the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) to dispose of explosive remnants of war in Western Province until mid September.

This iteration will feature up to 250 personnel and is the largest ever land-based Operation Render Safe. In the lead-up to the operation, the ADF has been working with the RSIPF Explosive Ordnance Disposal Department to significantly bolster its capability with new equipment and advanced training.

Operation Render Safe is the longstanding ADF-led operation supporting Pacific nations to dispose of remaining World War II explosives in the region. The operation occurs annually, or in response to an urgent request from a Pacific Island nation.

Quotes attributable to Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral Justin Jones AO, CSC, RAN

"Ammunition and explosives from World War II continue to pose a real danger to local communities in the Pacific, including Solomon Islands.

"More than 500 explosive remnants of war have already been identified in Solomon Islands' Western Province and we expect this operation will discover and dispose of even more.

"We are proud to conduct this operation alongside key partners, including the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, who are regional leaders in explosive ordnance disposal."

"The safe disposal of explosive remnants of war provides communities with access to more land for agriculture and infrastructure, and helps to improve the conditions for economic development in the future."

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Nuclear-powered sub training on track

By Lieutenant Commander John Thompson

27 August 2024

AUKUS has taken another significant step forward with the graduation of three Royal Australian Navy officers from the Royal Navy's (RN) Nuclear Reactor Course in Portsmouth UK.

Lieutenant Commander James, Lieutenant Stephen and Lieutenant Isabella have completed the intensive nine-month course alongside 14 RN officers, described as one of the Royal Navy's most demanding courses. All three Australians finished among the top of the class, with Lieutenant Isabella coming first.

"It was an excellent course that really stretched me but made much easier being surrounded by a great bunch of fellow students. I particularly appreciated being able to apply our learning on the simulators to better understand how nuclear-powered submarines work," she said.

"I was a weapons engineer, but nuclear engineering is a completely different ball park. I wanted a challenge, something interesting. It's been fascinating and much more interesting than conventional engineering," Lieutenant Stephen said.

Lieutenant Commander James is an experienced submarine and marine engineer.

"I was doing staff work, so when the advert went out for nuclear engineers, I volunteered - I wanted to keep myself busy and active. And it's been very worthwhile."

Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond and the Director General of the Australian Submarine Agency, Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead, were both on hand for the graduation.

Vice Admiral Hammond praised the "exceptional dedication" of the trailblazing trio for their success, and the Royal Navy for the "world-class training" it has provided.

"I am incredibly proud of all three of our remarkable officers for their achievements. Lieutenant Commander James, Lieutenant Stephen and Lieutenant Isabella have demonstrated exceptional dedication and effort to reach this milestone.

"Their achievements demonstrate the outstanding skillset and knowledge of our people undertaking this unique training from the Royal Navy - a long-standing partner and friend to the Royal Australian Navy," Vice Admiral Hammond said.

Vice Admiral Mead says the graduation marks a significant milestone in the development of Australia's nuclear-powered submarine program.

"The incredible training opportunities we are accessing through our AUKUS partners, including here in the UK, will ensure we can safely operate and maintain our sovereign fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.

"We are grateful for the support of the Royal Navy and their commitment to help us build a highly skilled and capable submarine workforce," Vice Admiral Mead said.

The graduation ceremony marked the end of the shore-based requirements for the newly trained Australian nuclear-trained submariners.

They underwent six months of academic learning to understand how a nuclear reactor works and how to control it, covering diverse, complex subjects including nuclear physics, metallurgy, advanced mathematics, thermodynamics and nuclear safety management.

That was followed by three months of practice, learning the inner workings of nuclear systems and control room simulators to correctly respond to possible incidents and emergencies.

The three will now begin practical training, deploying alongside Royal Navy sailors, in the UK Astute-class submarines based at His Majesty's Naval Base Clyde in Faslane, Scotland. When they return to Australia they will form a core of nuclear submarine engineers helping to develop Australia's new capability.

They will be followed by more Australian submarine engineers who will go through the same program at HMS Sultan. As part of the AUKUS arrangements with the United States, 20 engineers are currently undergoing similar training with the US Navy.

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China hosts international counter-terrorism forum with a focus on unmanned technology

Global Times

China's contribution in fighting new forms of terrorism highlighted

By Zhao Yusha Published: Aug 27, 2024 09:19 PM Updated: Aug 27, 2024 11:19 PM

The Great Wall-2024 International Forum on Counter-terrorism kicked off in Beijing on Tuesday with a focus on unmanned technology in combating terrorism. The forum has been widely praised by participants for highlighting China's active role and contribution toward global efforts to combat new forms of terrorism.

The Great Wall-2024 International Forum on Counter-terrorism is being held in Beijing from Tuesday to Friday. Hosted by China's armed police force, the four-day event has brought together over 170 delegates from more than 50 similar foreign armed forces, as well as over 150 Chinese representatives.

The forum is themed on unmanned anti-terrorism operations. It involved discussions on equipment, tactics and training and talent cultivation for unmanned anti-terrorism operations.

Compared to previous forums, this year's forum is larger in scale and higher in level, with more participating countries.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Wang Chunning, commander of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force, said that emerging forms of terrorism in recent years have witnessed the use of new technologies such as online promotion of terrorist ideology, using unmanned technologies to attack and using intelligent methods as well as digitized information.

In response to the increasing trend of terrorism becoming more automated and intelligent, we should keep up with the changes and build on effective anti-terrorism experiences and practices, and share anti-terrorism combat experience, General Wang said.

Throughout the forum, attendees will also observe training courses and unmanned equipment demonstrations.

Launched in 2016, the forum, now in its fifth edition, is dedicated to fostering consensus, enhancing communication and promoting collaboration in order to combat terrorism across the globe.

"This forum is a very great initiative of China. There are some things in the world that we cannot fight alone. It is very important that we get together... Nowadays, some terrorists are [well] equipped, well trained, and they have the knowledge. So when we share with symposium like this, we share the information, we share this knowledge, and then we can do a great thing against them," Jayant Bidesie, acting permanent secretary of Ministry of Defense of Suriname, who participated in the forum, told the Global Times.

All countries are now focused on developing unmanned technologies, and China is one of the most advanced countries in this area in this world, Igor Grcic, assistant commander of Gendarmerie of Ministry of Interior of Serbia, told the Global Times, noting that Serbia is willing to enhance cooperation with China on unmanned technology in fighting terrorism.

"It's a good step to get together those countries, and they have experience in counter-terrorism. We will exchange our experience together," said Colonel Nabil Haj-Hassan, head of Lebanon's regional office.

Haj-Hassan said compared with European unmanned equipment, Chinese products are more effective and cheaper.

"Unmanned technology in fighting terrorism is completely a new technology to us. That's why we'd like to know what is unmanned counterterrorism equipment, what China is going to show us," Colonel Syed Asaduzzaman, general secretary of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence of Bangladesh, told the Global Times.

"We need to prepare ourselves or train ourselves according to the new development of terrorism... We also need to be with the advancement of the world and know what other countries are doing," said Asaduzzaman.

In terms of unmanned technology, China is endowed with the most complete and advanced technology, Fu Xiaoqiang, vice president of China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times.

China has strengthened export controls on drones that exceed certain standards, which has made a significant contribution to international security.

For example, China has adjusted export controls on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), a spokesperson with the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said last month.

The adjustment includes the revision of management standards for certain important components of UAVs, such as infrared thermal-imaging devices and target-indicating lasers, according to an MOC statement.

Furthermore, the adjustment prohibits the export of all civilian drones that are not subject to export controls but are for use in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, terrorist activities or military purposes, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

China has also used its unmanned technology to enhance current counter-terrorism technologies, according to Fu. Our unmanned technology standards, including standards for counter-terrorism drones, may play an active role in helping establish international standards in the future. By promoting international cooperation in drone counter-terrorism, China can take a leading role and contribute to global security, the expert said.

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UN rights chief renews call for Chinese movement on abuses documented in Xinjiang

Rights groups welcome show of UN concern, but want concrete actions to overcome Beijing's stonewalling.

By RFA 2024.08.27 -- Two years after the U.N.'s human rights chief said China's repression of Uyghurs in Xinjiang may constitute "crimes against humanity," her successor on Tuesday called for a full investigation into the charges, while rights groups called for more pressure on Beijing.

On Aug. 31, 2022, in a long-awaited report issued on her last day on the job, then U.N. High Commissioner of Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said that "serious human rights violations" were committed in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) in the context of the Chinese government's application of counter-terrorism and counter-extremism strategies.

Her successor, Volker TArk, has repeatedly called on China to address concerns documented in the damning, 46-page Bachelet report, including China's arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and the separation of children from their families. UN efforts, however, have met angry denunciations and stonewalling by Chinese diplomats.

On Tuesday, TArk's office in Geneva repeated its call for action.

"On Xinjiang, we understand that many problematic laws and policies remain in place, and we have called again on the authorities to undertake a full review, from the human rights perspective, of the legal framework governing national security and counter-terrorism and to strengthen the protection of minorities against discrimination," the office of UN rights chief said in a statement Tuesday.

"Allegations of human rights violations, including torture, need to be fully investigated," said Ravina Shamdasan, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland.

"We are also continuing to follow closely the current human rights situation in China, despite the difficulties posed by limited access to information and the fear of reprisals against individuals who engage with the United Nations," added Shamdasan.

The statement also urged Beijing to "take prompt steps to release all individuals arbitrarily deprived of their liberty, and to clarify the status and whereabouts of those whose families have been seeking information about them."

The new statement was welcomed by human rights groups and experts, but they also urged more pressure to overcome Chinese resistance that had prevented progress on the issue since the August 2022 report.

"Two years ago, we welcomed OHCHR's report on the human rights situation facing the Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in China. Since then, sadly, we have seen little else to raise awareness of, or improve, their plight," said Kat Cosgrove of the U.S. watchdog group Freedom House.

"The United Nations has a responsibility to continue to use all the tools at their disposal to push the CCP to end their persecution and repression, including allowing independent investigators full access to Xinjiang," Cosgrove, Freedom House's deputy director of policy and advocacy, told RFA Uyghur.

The International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), a human rights advocacy group, also gave a guarded welcome to the High Commission's statement, but urged concrete actions from the UN agency, including setting up a monitoring and reporting outfit to "put an end to China's exceptionalism."

The ISHR, based in Geneva and New York, quoted Uyghur human rights lawyer Rayhan Asat, as saying the new statement that TArk's office was "committed to tangible change in China is heartening."

"Yet, China has not implemented any OHCHR recommendations, and independent investigations are still limited or blocked," she added.

Luis Fernando Cohn Pelaez of UN Watch, a human rights watchdog based in Geneva that monitors the UN, said Bachelet was "weak" and moved too slowly on the Uyghur rights crisis.

"The UN was too late to take measures against China. The UN's weakness contributed to the current deterioration of the Uyghur situation," he told RFA.

The U.S. government has since 2021 accused Beijing of carrying out a campaign of "genocide" against Uyghurs and other Muslims in far-west Xinjiang, including by sterilizing women, banning the exercise of culture and imprisoning many Uyghurs in high-security internment camps.

The UN and Western governments have remained steadfast in their condemnation of China over its harsh policies affecting Uyghurs, Tibetans and Hongkongers, though Beijing has angrily denied accusations of abuses and continued maintaining an iron grip on them.

Uyghur exile and advocacy groups believe that the United Nations and individual states have failed to take concrete measures to punish China for severe rights violations in Xinjiang, including mass detentions, torture, cultural genocide, forced labor and the forced sterilization of Uyghur women.

China denies it has committed rights abuses against the 11 million Uyghurs, a mostly Muslim, Turkic-speaking group that refers to Xinjiang -- the vast mountainous and desert region traversed by the Silk Road -- as East Turkestan.

Reporting by Gulchehra Hoja for RFA Uyghur. Translated by Alim Seytoff. Editing by Paul Eckert.

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China launches military exercises on Myanmar border

The drills follow spillover from fighting in Shan state that has unsettled Beijing.

By RFA Burmese 2024.08.27 -- China's People's Liberation Army kicked off a three-day joint air and ground military exercise along its southern border with Myanmar on Tuesday as part of what its defense ministry called a bid to shore up border security and stability.

The exercises come as an alliance of three rebel factions has pushed forces controlled by Myanmar's ruling junta out of major towns in Shan state. Last week, the Kachin Independence Army, or KIA, took control of a strategically important township in neighboring Kachin state on the border with China.

The junta has responded with airstrikes that have unsettled Beijing, prompting China to fire warning shots at junta jets.

In a statement on Tuesday, China's defense ministry said live-fire drills are being conducted in four locations outside of Ruili city in Yunnan province, along the border with Myanmar's northern and eastern Shan state to test the military's "multidimensional blockade and joint firepower strike" capabilities, as well to "maintain border security and stability."

A Myanmar national working in Ruili, who like others interviewed for this report, spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, told RFA Burmese that the Chinese army was patrolling with tanks and airplanes near the border.

"In the past, China hasn't conducted military exercises in this area," he said. "However, as the fighting in Myanmar has intensified, it has dispatched its troops along with its tanks. They are also conducting military exercises. Chinese helicopters are deployed, which has never been seen here before."

KIA spokesperson Colonel Naw Bu told RFA that the assumption is China is conducting the exercise as a warning to both the junta troops and the armed opposition.

He said he believes that Beijing is sending a message that it will "protect its people from artillery fire and ensure stability in its border area."

In addition to the Aug. 15 junta airstrike on the headquarters of the KIA in Lai Zar, a junta artillery attack on KIA positions landed across the border in March.

'A preemptive strike'

Hla Kyaw Zaw, an expert on China-Myanmar affairs, told RFA that China is conducting military exercises as a precaution due to the fierce fighting in Myanmar.

"They [Beijing] have said that they won't tolerate either the junta or the ethnic armies causing any explosions in their country," he said. "China calls it 'a preemptive strike.' This is a preventive measure and strategy, as the junta's planes have occasionally entered their airspace."

After the Three Brotherhood Alliance alliance of ethnic armies launched an offensive known as Operation 1027 against the junta in Shan state in late October, China held three military exercises along the border. Tuesday's drills mark the fourth time it has done so.

When RFA contacted the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar for more information on the military exercises, a representative replied with an email quoting Tuesday's statement by Senior Col. Tian Junli, the spokesman for the PLA's Southern Theater Command, which said that the drills aim to test reconnaissance and early warning capabilities.

Additionally, the statement said, the exercises will test the PLA's ability to respond to emergencies, "resolutely safeguarding national sovereignty, border stability, and the people's lives and property."

Preventing Western involvement

Than Soe Naing, a political commentator, suggested that China has been conducting frequent military exercises to "prevent the possible involvement of western nations in Myanmar's conflict."

After the first wave of Operation 1027, ethnic army representatives held a meeting with the former Counselor of the U.S. Department of State Derek Chollet on March 28, and with the current counselor, Tom Sullivan, on Aug. 15.

China's exercises also follow a meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and junta chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Myanmar's capital Naypyidaw on Aug. 14.

In a statement following that meeting, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Beijing supports Myanmar's independence, sovereignty, political reconciliation and democratic transitions. It also said that China opposes instability and armed conflicts, as well as interference by foreign countries.

Translated by Aung Naing. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster.

Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content 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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EXCLUSIVE: China to transfer 2 ships and pier to Cambodian navy

Analysts suspect the transfer is part of a deal giving China special access to the Gulf of Thailand base.

By RFA Staff 2024.08.27 -- China is expected to soon hand over to the Cambodia navy two warships, a deep-draft pier long enough to accommodate aircraft carriers and facilities it has developed at a base on Cambodia's coast, Cambodian sources with knowledge of the matter told Radio Free Asia.

About 100 Chinese naval personnel have been "working day and night" at a section of the Ream naval base in Sihanoukville province on the Gulf of Thailand preparing for the transfer to Cambodian control, which is likely to happen at the end of September, said the sources.

The section of the base has been off-limits to Cambodian staff, the sources added, but the facilities -- all funded and developed by China -- will soon be handed over.

In return, analysts say it is likely that the two countries have reached an agreement giving the Chinese navy privileged access to the new base, where until now no foreign vessels have been allowed to dock.

Two People's Liberation Army Navy, or PLAN, warships can be seen berthed at the new pier, next to an area being developed, an RFA reporter saw on a recent visit to the area.

Construction cranes and trucks are visible as are new-looking buildings.



Two Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Type 056 Corvettes and structures are seen at Cambodia's Ream naval base in August 2024. (Graphic by Paul Nelson/RFA; Analysis by RFA; Images by RFA and Planet Labs)

The two warships, which RFA identified as PLAN's Type 056A missile corvettes with hull numbers 630 and 631, will be transferred to the Cambodian navy together with the new facilities, said the sources, who declined to be identified given the sensitivity of the issue.

The Chinese navy has been training Cambodian naval personnel how to operate the ships since December, when two vessels of the same class arrived in Ream. RFA was the first foreign media to report on their arrival.

Several military analysts, including Collin Koh, senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, previously told RFA that Cambodia likely had granted access for differential, such as rotational, deployment of Chinese ships at Ream "that's strictly speaking not a basing arrangement" in order to avoid contravening its constitution.

Thomas Shugart, adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security in Washington, said that there would be an at least semi-permanent logistical presence of the Chinese navy at the base to support visiting warships.

According to satellite images, the new pier is estimated to be roughly 300 meters (1,000 feet) in length and "it ought to be able to accommodate any ship in the PLA Navy's fleet, including its new Type 003 aircraft carrier," Shugart told RFA.

The naval base has seen a rapid expansion and extensive upgrade over the past year, according to satellite images. On-site observation by RFA staff confirmed that besides the new pier, it now has a dry dock, a wharf and several sets of big buildings including offices and barracks.

RFA contacted the Cambodian Ministry of Defense for comment on the handover of the facility and the two ships but did not receive a response.

US concerns

China and Cambodia began developing the Ream naval base with Beijing's funding in June 2021 to the alarm of the United States and some of Cambodia's neighbors worried about China's growing military presence so close to the disputed waters of the South China Sea.

The United States expressed its "serious concerns" about China's apparent control over parts of the Cambodian naval facility.

Several U.S.-funded facilities including a Tactical Headquarters of the National Committee for Maritime Security and the Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat Maintenance Facility were demolished or relocated from the base in 2020.

In 2021, a facility built by the Vietnamese called the "Joint Vietnamese Friendship" building was also removed from the base, reportedly to avoid conflicts with Chinese personnel.

Cambodia has repeatedly denied that China has been given exclusive military access to the base, saying that would be a violation of Cambodia's constitution.

Chinese officials also said that assistance in upgrading and renovating the Cambodian naval base was aimed at enhancing Cambodia's ability to maintain maritime territorial integrity and combat maritime crime, not securing a potential military base.

Foreign analysts question the continuous presence of the two Chinese warships at the base - which in their opinion indicated that China was establishing a permanent foothold on the Gulf of Thailand.

RFA's analysis, however, has confirmed that the two vessels seen at Ream this month are different from the two that in early December last year became the first foreign warships allowed to dock at the base.

The ships there earlier were the Wenshan (hull number 623) and Bazhong (hull number 625), which, beside training Cambodian sailors, took part in the joint Golden Dragon exercise in May with Cambodian naval vessels.

The ships at the base this month are the Aba (hull number 630) and Tianmen (hull number 631), both commissioned in January 2021.

The 300-foot (90-meter) Type 056A corvette is similar to the U.S.-built littoral combat ship, suitable for mid-range and littoral missions and equipped for anti-submarine warfare. The Chinese navy's South Sea Fleet, which is responsible for activities in the Southeast Asia region, has 20 such vessels.

China discontinued building the Type 056A in 2019 following the construction of the Aba.

Cambodian defense ministry's spokesperson Gen. Chhum Socheat said in May that Phnom Penh was planning to acquire such ships to serve its needs. It is unclear whether and how much Cambodia will pay for the two corvettes at next month's expected transfer.

RFA also saw first-hand the area in Ream National Park near the naval base that has been assigned to the Cambodian defense ministry to develop an air defense command and general headquarters, as well as a naval radar system. Work has begun at the site on a hill, where trees have been cut down to clear the ground and build roads.

Edited by RFA staff

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Once a safe haven, Hong Kong is now 'exporting its own refugees'

Exiled political activist Nathan Law says the city was once a 'place of hope' for refugees like his father.

By Chen Zifei for RFA Mandarin, Alice Yam for RFA Cantonese 2024.08.27 -- The ongoing crackdown on political dissent in Hong Kong has turned the city, where millions once took refuge from Chinese Communist Party rule, into an "exporter of refugees," according to exiled former pro-democracy lawmaker Nathan Law.

Law, who had his passport revoked in June along with other "wanted" overseas activists, said his father was a refugee who settled in Hong Kong after fleeing Communist Party rule in mainland China.

Now, the former British colony that once acted as a safe haven for Law Sr. and millions like him is seeing its own residents flee in the hundreds of thousands amid an ongoing crackdown on all forms of political opposition, Law told a book launch event in democratic Taiwan on Monday.

"Under Chinese Communist Party rule, somewhere that was once a place of hope for all those who wanted to escape from China has become an exporter of its own refugees," Law, the youngest person to ever be elected to Hong Kong's Legislative Council, told guests attending the launch of his book, When the Wind Blows: The Struggle for Freedom in Hong Kong.

"This has seen a lot of people deprived of hope, sent to prison, and has forced many young people and people with ideals to leave," Law said. "It really shows how totalitarian rule can ruin somewhere that used to be free."

Law said he is launching his book in Taiwan because it's no longer possible to have it published in Hong Kong.

"It shows how the entire political situation has collapsed in Hong Kong, where we have lost even the right to publish along with our freedom of expression," he said.

'Violence and lies'

Security was tight at the event, with at least seven private security guards on patrol amid growing concerns over "long-arm" law enforcement by agents and supporters of the Chinese state.

Law's book hopes to focus attention in the Chinese-speaking world on the experience of Hong Kongers in exile, as well as reminding them of the plight of its political prisoners, who have been jailed in their thousands under public order charges in the wake of the 2019 protests, with hundreds of arrests under two draconian security laws criminalizing public criticism of the authorities.

Chip magnate Robert Tsao, who in 2022 announced his return to Taiwan to help fight the threat from the Chinese Communist Party, said Hong Kong had been a wake-up call to the rest of the world, and Taiwan, which is claimed by Beijing but has never formed part of the People's Republic of China, in particular.

"The whole world knows that the Chinese Communist Party is an authoritarian regime built on violence and lies," Tsao told the book launch, citing the July 21, 2019, attacks on passengers and passers-by in Yuen Long MTR station by unidentified, stick-wielding thugs in white T-shirts.

"The Chinese Communist Party actually instigated these hooligans ... to beat up Hong Kong citizens indiscriminately," he said, adding that the attacks triggered his decision to return to Taiwan.

"Taiwan is the last refuge for Chinese-speaking people, and we mustn't allow it to fall," said Tsao, who told RFA Cantonese in a 2022 interview (in Chinese) that a Chinese official from Beijing's Central Liaison Office in Hong Kong had told him they planned to "get some gangsters and police to beat [the protesters] up, then they'll behave themselves."

Political commentator Lai I-Chung said Hong Kong's freedoms and way of life were destroyed when Beijing imposed the 2020 National Security Law on the city, taking many by surprise.

"Every investor whose opinion we respect was telling us that nothing would happen in 2019, and that the Chinese government wouldn't dare do anything to Hong Kong, because they need it too much, and they would lose their own money if they strangled it," Lai said. "Today, we know that all of these people were wrong."

"A lot of assumptions are wrong when you are dealing with a newly totalitarian regime," he said, in an apparent reference to the leadership of Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping since 2012.

"The normal rules of logic and common sense may not apply," Lai warned.

Translated by Luisetta Mudie.

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Top White House official in Beijing for talks with foreign minister

National security adviser Jake Sullivan and Wang Yi meet amid regional protests about Chinese incursions.

By RFA Staff 2024.08.27 -- U.S. President Joe Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan arrived in China on Tuesday on a three-day trip that includes talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and comes after complaints from China's neighbors about what they see as its territorial intrusions.

Sullivan and Wang "will hold a new round of China-U.S. strategic communication," according to China's foreign ministry, exchanging views on bilateral relations, "sensitive issues" and "major international and regional hotspots."

A senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters on Friday that Sullivan and Wang would discuss a range of topics including areas of disagreement, such as Taiwan, Ukraine and the Middle East.

The visit comes amid protests by U.S. allies Japan and the Philippines about what they say are Chinese incursions.

Japan said a Chinese Y-9 reconnaissance plane entered Japanese airspace for two minutes on Monday, which Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi described as "utterly unacceptable."

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Tuesday China was trying to verify the report, adding that its military had "no intention of intruding" into any country's airspace.

Meanwhile, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said on Tuesday that China was "the biggest disrupter" of peace in Southeast Asia.

His comments came after a clash on Sunday between Philippine and Chinese vessels near a disputed reef in the South China Sea.

Sullivan was greeted at Beijing's Capital Airport by the Chinese Foreign Ministry's North American and Oceanian department head Yang Tao, and U.S. ambassador Nicholas Burns.

His trip is the first official visit to China and the first by a national security adviser since Susan Rice went to Beijing under the Obama administration in 2016.

Sullivan and Wang have met in Washington, Vienna, Malta and Bangkok over the past 18 months.

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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China: UN rights office reiterates need to review national security framework

27 August 2024 - China still has "many problematic laws and policies" regarding the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region two years after the UN human rights office, OHCHR, published a report on serious violations against the Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim communities, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.

The 31 August 2022 report stated that violations had taken place in the context of the Government's assertion that it was targeting terrorists among the Uyghur minority with a counter-extremism strategy, involving the use of so-called Vocational Educational and Training Centres (VETCs), or re-education camps.

Detailed exchanges and dialogue

In an update to reporters, OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and his Office have had detailed exchanges with the Government of China on critical issues.

Topics included counter-terrorism laws and policies, criminal justice, and other policies of concern that impact the human rights of ethnic and religious minorities, including in Xinjiang and the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Equality and non-discrimination, as well as national security and human rights concerns in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region were also addressed.

Ms. Shamdasani highlighted that a UN human rights team had visited China in June and engaged in dialogue with the authorities, specifically on counter-terrorism policies and the criminal justice system.

Review laws, investigate allegations

"In particular, on Xinjiang, we understand that many problematic laws and policies remain in place, and we have called again on the authorities to undertake a full review, from the human rights perspective, of the legal framework governing national security and counter-terrorism and to strengthen the protection of minorities against discrimination. Allegations of human rights violations, including torture, need to be fully investigated," she said.

OHCHR hopes to continue active engagement with the Chinese Government, as well as civil society, "to seek tangible progress in the protection of human rights for all in China," she added.

The Office also continues to closely follow the current human rights situation in the country "despite the difficulties posed by limited access to information and the fear of reprisals against individuals who engage with the United Nations."

"We have continued to raise with the Government individual cases of particular concern, calling on the authorities to take prompt steps to release all individuals arbitrarily deprived of their liberty, and to clarify the status and whereabouts of those whose families have been seeking information about them," she said.

Commitment to engage

Meanwhile, advocacy continues in connection with China's implementation of these and other recommendations by OHCHR and other human rights mechanisms.

Ms. Shamdasani concluded by saying the UN human rights chief Volker TArk "is committed to sustained engagement with the Government of China and to advocating on behalf of victims - always guided by the goal of helping improve human rights protections for the people on the ground."

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Sullivan's China visit expected to set stage for Biden-Xi final meeting

By Bo Gu August 27, 2024

U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan met Tuesday in Beijing with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in an attempt to manage tensions between Washington and Beijing ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November.

Sullivan's visit, which ends on Thursday, also aims to set the stage for President Joe Biden to hold his final summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping before Biden leaves office in January, analysts say.

Before holding the closed-door talks, Wang told reporters that China-U.S. relations were "critical," of great importance to the world, but have taken "twists and turns." He said he hoped the relationship between the two countries would become healthy and stable.

Sullivan said the two sides would discuss areas of agreement and disagreement that "need to be managed effectively and substantively."

U.S. officials say the main purpose of Sullivan's visit is to maintain mutual communication that has been severely disrupted over trade tensions, rights concerns and Beijing's increasingly close relations with Moscow since its invasion of Ukraine.

At a press briefing last week, a senior administration official said on background that Sullivan and Wang are expected to spend about 10 to 12 hours over two days discussing bilateral, global, regional and cross-strait issues.

"It bears repeating that U.S. diplomacy and channels of communication do not indicate a change in approach to the PRC [People's Republic of China]. This is an intensely competitive relationship. We are committed to making the investments, strengthening our alliances and taking the common steps a common sense steps on tech and national security a that we need to take. We are committed to managing this competition responsibly, however, and prevent it from veering into conflict," the official said.

The official added that Sullivan would raise U.S. concerns about China's support for Russia's defense industrial base, the South China Sea and other global issues such as North Korea, the Middle East, Myanmar and the Taiwan Strait.

The visit is not expected to produce a major breakthrough, but media reports noted it could set the stage for Biden to hold his final summit with Xi before leaving office in January.

Although neither the Chinese Foreign Ministry nor the U.S. State Department has confirmed it, Biden and Xi could meet at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Peru from Nov. 10 to 16, or at the G20 summit in Brazil on Nov. 18 and 19.

With the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 5, Biden, who is not seeking reelection and is a "lame duck," has waning influence on U.S. policy. Nonetheless, Chinese leaders are interested in meeting the U.S. president, said Wesley Alexander Hill, lead analyst and international program manager at the International Tax and Investment Center.

"Because there is such an unusual bipartisan agreement and skepticism about China, I really wouldn't think that the lame-duck period is going to be a significant factor in terms of meeting with Biden or talking with Biden," Hill told VOA.

"Because with China, the theme to stress is continuity in terms of America's foreign policy. Even with Trump and his, let's say, very direct mannerisms and his hostility towards China, the Biden administration hasn't reversed course on the fundamentals of Trump's policies."

The senior administration official said at the press briefing last week that Sullivan's trip shouldn't be associated too closely with the election.

"This meeting will be focused on the topics and the issues that we are dealing with now. There is a lot we can get done before the end of the year in terms of just managing the relationship," the official said.

Neysun Mahboubi, director of the Penn Project on the Future of U.S.-China Relations at the University of Pennsylvania, told VOA that regardless of who becomes the next U.S. president, the last meeting between Biden and Xi will not be just a formality.

Mahboubi said Chinese leaders, elites and ordinary people are very interested in the U.S. presidential election but said they don't have a consensus on which candidate would be more helpful to U.S.-China relations.

"I'm sure that there's a sense that for China, the trade war was particularly damaging. There would be an understanding that [a] Trump presidency is likely to pursue that approach with even more vigor. On the other hand, the Biden administration has been very effective in invigorating allies, including in Europe, including in the Asia Pacific, in a way that the Trump administration really has not done," he said.

Last week, the United States imposed sweeping sanctions on nearly 400 individuals and companies a 42 of them Chinese a for helping Russia circumvent U.S. sanctions and contributing to Moscow's war on Ukraine.

China's Commerce Ministry on Sunday said the U.S. action "undermines international trade order and rules, obstructs normal international economic and trade exchanges, and affects the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains."

At a briefing for diplomats ahead of Sullivan's arrival in Beijing on Tuesday, China's special envoy for Eurasian affairs Li Hui reiterated those sentiments, calling sanctions on Chinese entities "illegal and unilateral" and "not based on facts." China calls US sanctions over Ukraine war 'illegal and unilateral."

Adrianna Zhang contributed to this report. Some information for this story came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse.

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China, US hold new round of strategic communication

Global Times

'Dialogues help prevent uncertainty, further stabilize ties in remainder of the year'

By Yang Sheng and Liu Xin Published: Aug 28, 2024 12:54 AM Updated: Aug 28, 2024 01:01 AM

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan arrived in Beijing on Tuesday to kick off a three-day visit to China, making him the first US national security advisor to visit China in eight years. Experts said that the visit showed that the two sides are trying to prevent uncertainty and further stabilize bilateral ties in the remainder of the year.

Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, held a new round of China-US strategic communication with Sullivan in Beijing on Tuesday, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China-US relations not only matter to both countries but also the whole world. Over the past few years, the relationship between the two countries has been full of twists and turns, according to Yuyuantantian, a media arm of China Media Group.

It is the common responsibility of China and the US to implement the consensus reached at the San Francisco summit between the two heads of state, and it is also the main task of this strategic communication, Wang said.

It is hoped that the two sides will have in-depth communication on this in the next two days, so as to push China-US relations, following the vision of San Francisco summit, to overcome disturbances and remove obstacles, and truly achieve stable, healthy and sustainable development, Wang stressed.

Sullivan said that this is his first visit to China as the president's National Security Adviser, and he thanks the Chinese side for its thoughtful arrangements. President Biden is committed to managing the US-China relationship responsibly, avoiding competition from turning into conflict, and cooperating in areas of common interest, Sullivan said.

Sullivan said the US side looks forward to having fruitful dialogue with the Chinese side on a wide range of issues through this strategic communication and implementing the consensus reached by the two heads of state, according to Yuyuantantian.

Chinese experts said that China and the US have maintained frequent communication via different channels in the year, and Sullivan's visit showed that the US wants to maintain this kind of communication. China can also use this as a chance to help the US to be more reasonable and rational when handling bilateral ties.

China and the US still have many problems and frictions, and if China clearly identifies the US as a partner that can be cooperated with while the US sees China as a competitor, this will make bilateral ties unstable. As the world is still in turbulence, cooperation between the two major powers is highly expected by the international community, analysts said.

LA Xiang, an expert on US studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday rather than focusing on long-term issues, the talks will largely center around pragmatic and hot spot issues.

China is also looking for stable rather than intensified bilateral relations with the US, in at least the second half of this year, and this is the common ground shared by both sides, LA said.

Redline not to be crossed

One of the key topics will be the Taiwan question, and the US will be urged to stop playing its old tactic of using the "Taiwan card" to pressure China before holding dialogues, analysts said.

China will focus on raising serious concerns regarding the Taiwan question, addressing development rights and strategic security in discussions with the US during Sullivan's visit to Beijing, China's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

Despite China's opposition, the US has continued exchanges with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities of Taiwan. For example, the head of the external affairs authority of Taiwan island, Lin Chia-lung and secretary-general of Taiwan's security council Wu Jaushieh, recently traveled to the Washington, DC area for talks in a mechanism known as the "special channel" with the US side, the Financial Times reported.

DPP secretary-general Lin Yu-chang is reportedly to visit the US on August 31. Previously, Taiwan media und.com reported that Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te intended to transit through the continental US to visit "allies," but the US is reluctant to allow a high-profile stopover due to its domestic elections and will only permit Lai to transit through Hawaii.

The Taiwan question is a critical redline in US-China relations. By arranging visits of high-level DPP officials to the US before Sullivan's trip to China, the US seeks to signal support for the DPP and exert pressure on China. However, China remains steadfast and uncompromising on the Taiwan question, Xin Qiang, director of the Taiwan Studies Center at Fudan University, told the Global Times.

In US strategy, Taiwan is viewed as a pawn whose significance depends on US foreign policy needs. When the US seeks to pressure China, it will take provocative actions regarding the island, while if it deems closer relations with China are necessary, it will restrict the island of Taiwan's actions to avoid escalating tensions, Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times.

While Taiwan may perceive itself as crucial in international affairs, its importance is relatively minor in US strategic calculations, Li said.

"We hope the US will align its actions with its statements, genuinely respect China's core interests, particularly regarding Taiwan island, and work together to stabilize bilateral relations as both sides look forward to this round of strategic dialogue," Li said.

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Talks between Senior Economic Officials of DPRK and Russia Held

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- There were talks between Yun Jong Ho, minister of External Economic Relations of the DPRK, and Roman Chekushov, vice-minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, on a visit to the DPRK as head of a Russian expert delegation, on Tuesday.

Present there from the DPRK side were Kim Hwa Sik, vice-minister of Chemical Industry, and other officials concerned, and from the Russian side were leading members of the expert delegation and Vladimir Topeha, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Russian embassy.

The talks discussed the issues of further developing the economic cooperation between the DPRK and the Russian Federation.

The talks proceeded in a comradely and friendly atmosphere. -0-

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DPRK Premier Meets Russian Delegation

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- Kim Tok Hun, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, vice-president of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and premier of the Cabinet, met with leading members of the Russian expert delegation headed by Roman Chekushov, vice-minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, who paid a courtesy call on him at the Mansudae Assembly Hall on Tuesday.

Present there were Yun Jong Ho, minister of External Economic Relations of the DPRK, officials concerned, and Vladimir Topeha, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Russian embassy.

They had a talk in a friendly atmosphere. -0-

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Prime Minister speaks with the President of the Russian Federation

India - Ministry of External Affairs

August 27, 2024

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had a telephone conversation today with the President of the Russian Federation, H.E. Mr. Vladimir Putin.

2. Prime Minister recalled his successful visit to Russia last month to participate in the 22nd India-Russia Bilateral Summit.

3. 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.

4. They also exchanged views on a range of regional and global issues of mutual interest.

5. 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.

6. The two leaders agreed to remain in touch.

New Delhi

August 27, 2024

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INDIAN NAVAL SHIP TABAR REACHES MALAGA, SPAIN FOR A TWO DAY VISIT

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

Posted On: 27 AUG 2024 9:30AM by PIB Delhi

Indian Navy's frontline stealth frigate, INS Tabar commanded by Captain MR Harish arrived at Malaga, Spain on 25 Aug 24 for a two day visit to enhance the existing bilateral relations between India and Spain. Diplomatic 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. The visit by INS Tabar further aims to strengthen these bonds and also to explore newer avenues of bolstering the relationship in the maritime domain.

During the two days of stay at Malaga port, the ship's crew will undertake a number of professional interactions with the Spanish Navy. Later, upon 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 two navies and will also offer an opportunity to both sides to observe and imbibe the 'Best Practices' from 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. The ship is part of the Indian Navy's Sword Arm Fleet which is based at Mumbai under the Western Naval Command.

****

VM/SPS



(Release ID: 2049200)

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Ex-FM Zarif returns to his role as Iran's presidential deputy for strategic affairs

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Aug 27, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Former Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has returned to his role as the deputy president for strategic affairs in the newly-elected administration of President Masoud Pezeshkian.

In a post on his X page on Tuesday, Zarif said that he will continue to serve as deputy for strategic affairs nearly two weeks after he resigned from the post.

Zarif said he was happy that almost 70% of the ministers and deputy presidents appointed in Pezeshkian's cabinet were people nominated by a taskforce that he led after Pezeshkian won the runoff presidential elections in July.

He had previously expressed discontent at a list of ministers proposed by the president for a vote of confidence in the parliament.

2050**4261

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Iran still ready to retaliate against Israel: US

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Aug 27, 2024

New York, IRNA -- The US National Security Council spokesman has said the Islamic Republic of Iran is still ready to carry out attack against Israel and its threats to retaliate against Tel Aviv have not decreased.

According to IRNA, John Kirby told reporters on Monday night local time that the US administration believes Iran is fully prepared to launch an attack against Israel.

Earlier, the spokesman for the US Department of Defense also said that the Pentagon continues to assess that even after the events of the weekend, there is a threat of attack by Iran and resistance groups against Israel.

Patrick Ryder said on Monday local time was referring to Hezbollah's missile and drone launches toward Israeli positions in the occupied territories a day before in retaliation for the martyrdom of one of its top commanders.

"I'm referring 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," Ryder told reporters.

The Pentagon spokesman added that the US forces remain "fully prepared to protect themselves in the event of an attack, in addition to contributing to Israel's defense capability."

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered two warships to remain in the region to support Israel, he added.

The anxiety of the Israeli regime and its backers, especially the US is increasing day by day as Iran has pledged repeatedly to avenge the assassination of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Also Lebanon's Hezbollah has warned of a harsh response to the regime in the near future over the recent assassination of its senior commander Fuad Shukr.

Iranian authorities and senior officials of the Axis of Resistance have announced that they would take revenge for the blood of these martyrs, without giving exact time and date.

On Sunday, Iran's foreign minister reiterated his country's pledge to punish the Zionist regime in a telephone call with his Italian counterpart, Antonio Tajani and said that "Iran's reaction to Israeli terrorist attack in Tehran is definitive and will be measured and calculated".

4399





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President Appoints Iran's First-Ever Sunni Cabinet Member

By RFE/RL's Radio Farda August 27, 2024

Iran's pro-reform President Masud Pezeshkian has appointed lawmaker Abdolkarim Hosseinzadeh as his deputy for rural development and underprivileged areas.

The appointment, announced late on August 26, makes Hosseinzadeh the first-ever Sunni cabinet member in an Iranian government since the Islamic republic came to power in 1979.

In his decree, Pezeshkian said he tapped Hosseinzadeh for the job because of his "commitment and valuable experiences."

Pezeshkian tasked his deputy with enhancing the living conditions in villages and "improving the indicators of rural development."

Hosseinzadeh, 44, has been representing the northwestern cities of Naqadeh and Oshnavieh in parliament since 2012.

Sunni Muslims make up around 5-10 percent of the population in Shi'ite-majority Iran, according to government estimates. They have very rarely held key posts since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

After winning the July 5 runoff presidential election, Pezeshkian said he sought to form a "national unity" government. Members of his team later said that included naming a relatively young cabinet which represented Iran's ethnic and religious diversity.

But Pezeshkian came under fire for failing to include members of underrepresented groups, including Sunni Muslims, in his proposed ministerial picks earlier this month.

All 19 ministerial nominees were approved by the conservative-dominated parliament last week in a move not seen since 2001.

Ahead of the vote of confidence in the cabinet, Pezeshkian told lawmakers that he had selected its members in "coordination" with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This led many to conclude that Pezeshkian's cabinet had been picked by the supreme leader and lamented what they said were the limits of the president's powers in Iran.

Pezeshkian's cabinet also includes three women, including Roads Minister Farzaneh Sadeq, who is only the second woman in the Islamic republic's history to be named a minister.

The other two women are Zahra Behruz-Azar, Pezeshkian's deputy for women and family affairs, and Shina Ansari, a deputy to the president and head of the Department of the Environment.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-rare-sunni-appointment- government-pezeshkian/33094191.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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NATO and Iraq launch high-level political dialogue

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

27 Aug. 2024

Building on their long-standing partnership, NATO and Iraq have launched a political dialogue process. Earlier today, a delegation of high-level Iraqi officials led by the National Security Advisor, Qasim al-Araji, visited Alliance Headquarters for discussions with senior NATO officials.

"Since 2018, at the request of the Iraqi authorities, our non-combat advisory and capacity building mission, NATO Mission Iraq, has advised Iraqi security institutions helping them to shore up their nation's security, fight terrorism and prevent the return of Daesh; we work hand-in-hand every day to enable Iraq to build more sustainable, transparent, inclusive and effective armed forces and security institutions that can restore long-term stability to its people, and we undertake these efforts with full respect for Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity," said Tom Goffus, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Operations.

"Today, we held important meetings with the North Atlantic Council, as well as with the NATO Assistant Secretary General for Operations and the NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Southern Neighbourhood," Iraq's National Security Advisor, Qasim al-Araji, pointed out. "We reaffirmed to NATO the true, long term partnership between Iraq and NATO to assist in achieving security and stability for Iraq, through the provision of advice and capacity building to the Iraqi Security Forces. NATO Mission Iraq is a non-combat advisory mission and Iraq has agreed with NATO to continue our positive dialogue; our partnership is not against any one; rather it is for the sake of a safe and stable Iraq," he added.

"Today we further build on this successful practical cooperation by launching a political dialogue; both NATO and Iraq have an interest in a stable and secure Middle East, and so it is only natural that we discuss how we can work on this together," said Javier Colomina, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy and Special Representative of the NATO Secretary General for the southern neighbourhood.

NATO's Special Representative for the southern neighbourhood will serve as NATO's focal point for the region. He will be responsible for coordinating and enhancing the visibility of NATO's efforts in the south and will strengthen engagement with partners.

At the Washington Summit, Allies agreed on an action plan that will increase NATO's engagement in the Middle East, North Africa and the Sahel regions. The appointment of the Special Representative is part of this plan.

During their visit, the Iraqi officials met with NATO Permanent Representatives and members of NATO's International Staff. They exchanged views on the NATO-Iraq partnership, the prospects for long-term cooperation, as well as on topics of mutual interest, including regional security.

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Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Foreign Ministry Liu Jinsong Holds Consultations with the Japanese Side

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: August 27, 2024 10:30

On August 26, 2024, Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Foreign Ministry Liu Jinsong held a new round of institutionalized consultations between the director-generals of the departments of Asian affairs of the foreign ministries of China and Japan with Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Hiroyuki Namazu in Tokyo. Both sides had an exchange of views on China-Japan relations and issues of mutual interest and concern. The two sides mainly had an in-depth and constructive communication on properly handling the discharge of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water into the sea. Liu reiterated China's solemn position on issues related to Taiwan, history, and maritime affairs.



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Human Rights Watch Urges Astana To Stop Unjustified 'Financing Terrorism' Restrictions

By RFE/RL August 27, 2024

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused authorities in Kazakhstan of violating international human rights law by "misusing" extremism and terrorism legislation to target peaceful government critics and others.

The rights group said in a 29-page report issued on August 27 that that those placed on Kazakhstan's Financing Terrorism List face financial restrictions that cause them "significant hardship" and lead to "violations" of their guaranteed rights.

The situation "is particularly egregious when the prosecutions are for alleged nonviolent "extremist" or "terrorist" crimes, that should not be considered crimes in the first place," it added.

"If you participate in peaceful antigovernment protests in Kazakhstan, not only can the government prosecute you as an 'extremist,' but it can cut you off financially," HRW's senior Central Asia researcher Mihra Rittman said in the report.

"Kazakhstan should immediately end its pernicious use of extremism and terrorism laws against peaceful critics and others and remove anyone currently on the Financing Terrorism List who has been convicted of nonviolent crimes."

According to HRW, the tightly controlled former Soviet republic's laws do not distinguish between violent and nonviolent extremism and multiple articles in the Criminal Code relating to extremism and terrorism are vaguely worded and overly broad.

The Central Asian nation's authorities automatically place on the list of groups or individuals financing terrorism or extremism any person convicted on charges that they deem to be "extremist" or "terrorist" regardless of whether the person instigated, took part in, or financially supported violence.

"Kazakhstan authorities should revise the criminal code's provisions on extremism and terrorism so that they have sufficient precision to guarantee legal certainty. Kazakhstan also should not criminalize legitimate exercise of freedoms of speech, expression, and association, or violate other rights protected by international law, HRW's statement said.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/human-rights-watch-hrw-kazakhstan- extremism-terrorism-legislation/33094188.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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EXPLAINED: Why is a group in Myanmar seeking to try the junta in the Philippines?

The case rests on the principle of universal jurisdiction.

By Joshua Lipes and RFA Burmese 2024.08.27 -- An ethnic Chin minority human rights group said Monday that it plans to appeal a rejection by the Department of Justice in the Philippines of its complaint alleging war crimes against civilians by Myanmar's ruling junta.

The complaint, submitted by the Chin Human Rights Organization, or CHRO, and five Chin people in October, was brought against 10 senior junta officials - including junta chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing - for war crimes they say were committed in Chin state's Thantlang township since 2021, when the military seized power in a coup d'etat.

It alleges that the junta killed people, destroyed their bodies, burnt down hundreds of civilian buildings, and blocked access to humanitarian aid.

According to the CHRO, the Department of Justice rejected the complaint in May on the basis that the plaintiffs were not residents of the Philippines and that the crimes occurred outside of the country. But the group contends that the Philippines is compelled to take action under international humanitarian law, regardless of whether the events involved Philippines nationals or took place on Filippino soil.

Why is this group seeking to file this case outside of Myanmar?

Myanmar's judicial system has been disrupted by civil war. But even if the country's courts were functioning regularly, they are controlled by the ruling junta, making a fair trial unlikely.

The lawyers filing the complaint argue that a 2009 Philippine law protecting human rights obligates the Philippines to prosecute war crimes based on the principle of universal jurisdiction.

Universal jurisdiction is a legal principle enabling a state to prosecute individuals responsible for mass atrocity crimes regardless of where they were committed or the nationality of the perpetrator or victims. The principle is typically applied for crimes deemed so severe that they represent offenses against the entire international community.

How effective is it to bring an atrocity crimes case to a third-party justice system?

Getting a domestic court to take on a case of universal jurisdiction can be difficult because they typically lack the resources needed to handle an investigation into a complex foreign case, particularly when the alleged perpetrators of the crimes are not in custody.

Furthermore, third governments are often reluctant to take foreign perpetrators into custody, even if they have the capacity to do so.

In November 2021, courts in Argentina agreed to investigate allegations of genocide and crimes against humanity against Myanmar's leaders under the universal jurisdiction principle

In October 2023, Germany's federal public prosecutor general refused to take up a similar complaint. While the federal prosecutor's office did not publicly state the reason for the rejection, complainant Fortify Rights said that the decision "underscored the absence of Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing and other named perpetrators in Germany as a decisive factor."

What other efforts are underway to hold Myanmar's leaders accountable for atrocity crimes?

The Chin complaint is the latest international effort to hold the junta accountable for atrocity crimes. Others include cases at the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, and the universal jurisdiction case in Argentina for crimes committed against the Muslim Rohingya community during a 2017 military crackdown in western Myanmar's Rakhine state - all brought in 2019. In the latter case, eyewitnesses gave accounts to the court in June 2023, and lawyers involved in the case hope the court will make a decision this year.

In July 2023, the International Court of Justice at The Hague rejected all of Myanmar's objections to a case brought against it by Gambia that accuses the country of genocide against the Rohingya, clearing the way for the court to move on to the merits phase of the process and consider the factual evidence against Myanmar - a process that could take years.

In the meantime, Myanmar's shadow National Unity Government and armed opposition groups are compiling evidence of the junta's crimes, which they say will be used to punish its leadership, should they remove the military regime and reestablish a federal democracy.

Translated by Aung Naing. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster.

Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content 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 rebels say victory is near after battle near Bangladesh border

The group says 100 junta soldiers were killed and dozens captured in three-day battle.

By RFA Burmese 2024.08.27 -- Ethnic minority insurgents in western Myanmar killed more than 100 junta troops and captured dozens in a three-day battle that has brought them close to victory in the region on the Bangladesh border, the force said.

The Arakan Army, or AA, has been fighting to take control of Rakhine state from the junta that seized power in a coup three and a half years ago. But fears have been mounting for the fate of the state's persecuted Rohingya Muslim minority caught up in the fighting.

The AA, which draws its support from the state's ethnic Rakhine Buddhist majority, has been making significant gains against junta forces since abandoning a ceasefire late last year.

The latest battle took place in Maungdaw, on the border with Bangladesh, with the AA saying they were close to capturing all of the military's positions in the town where more than 100 junta soldiers were killed from Saturday to Monday.

"Only a few junta defense positions remain," the group said in a statement. "These junta areas will soon be under the complete control of the AA."

"Dozens of military junta soldiers and junta-armed Muslim militias were captured during the fighting," it said.

The AA gave no details about casualties on its side.

RFA contacted Rakhine state's junta spokesperson, Hla Thein, and the AA's spokesperson, Khaing Thu Kha, for information about the fighting but neither returned calls by the time of publication.

Residents told Radio Free Asia that as of Monday, the junta's last stronghold in the township was Border Guard Post No. 5.

The junta's defeat in Maungdaw would be a significant blow for the military which is facing setbacks at the hands of other, allied insurgent factions in several other parts of the country.

'Serious rights violations'

Aid organizations have warned of dire conditions in Maungdaw with the fighting and junta blockades making the delivery of help impossible.

Since fighting surged in early August, about 23,000 civilians have fled from the town and surrounding villages, according to residents' estimates, seeking safety deeper in Rakhine state, or over a border river in Bangladesh.

But as many as 200 Rohingya civilians hoping to flee to Bangladesh have been killed this month, most of them in attacks that survivors have blamed on the AA.

Rohingya Muslims have been denied citizenship and faced persecution in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar for years. Some 750,000 of them fled to Bangladesh in 2017 after the Myanmar military launched a crackdown on Muslim rebels.

This year, they have become caught up in the fighting between the AA and the junta, particularly after the junta began recruiting Rohingya to its ranks.

The AA has denied attacking Rohingya civilians but international rights group and U.N. officials have expressed growing alarm in recent days.

The International Crisis Group said on Tuesday there was evidence to justify those fears.

"There is significant evidence to back claims by Rohingya and human rights investigators that the Arakan Army is responsible for serious rights violations, including extrajudicial killings and indiscriminate attacks on civilians," the think tank said in a report.

The group Fortify Rights called for the International Criminal Court to investigate the AA's "indiscriminate and disproportionate" attacks on Rohingya fleeing Maungdaw, in particular on Aug. 5-6 when witnesses said scores of people were killed in bombings as they waited to cross the Naf River to Bangladesh.

"Arakan Army commanders found responsible for these attacks on civilians should be held criminally accountable," the group's chief, Matthew Smith, said in a statement.

Khin Maung, the director of the Rohingya Youth Association in Bangladesh's Thinkhali Refugee Camp, said Rohingya facing severe hardships and being murdered by both sides.

"The Rohingya are the fodder between the two warring sides," he said.

"I'm calling on the international community to provide enough aid for everyone in need."

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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Seven years of crisis for Rohingya refugees

UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch - to whom quoted text may be attributed - at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

27 August 2024

As the world marks the seventh anniversary of the large-scale forced displacement of Rohingya refugees, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is again calling for sustained commitment from international partners to support and protect nearly one million Rohingya hosted by Bangladesh, and to help secure solutions to end their plight.

Seven years ago, on 25 August 2017, some 700,000 Rohingya men, women and children were forced to flee Myanmar and seek protection in Bangladesh. The generous support from Bangladesh and the international community has been critical in meeting the refugees' most basic needs and providing protection.

However, new security concerns and funding uncertainties now undermine all but the most critical and life-saving assistance.

In Myanmar's Rakhine state, the escalated conflict has only worsened conditions for the Rohingya: internal displacement is at an all-time high, with more than 3.3 million people displaced within the country. Among them, at least 128,800 are in northern Rakhine in Buthidaung, Rathedaung and Maungdaw Townships. The fighting can be heard by Bangladeshi communities living close to the border.

As the conflict in Myanmar continues unabated, UNHCR is closely monitoring the situation at the border, providing life-saving assistance, and advocating with the Bangladesh authorities for access to asylum for civilians fleeing Myanmar.

Dignified, voluntary and sustainable return to Myanmar remains the primary solution to this crisis and UNHCR calls on the international community to demonstrate the political will to make this possible.

UNHCR also welcomes the renewed commitment to the refugees, made by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor of Bangladesh's Interim Government, on 18 August. We call for continued solidarity from the international community through consistent financial support so Rohingya refugees can eventually be repatriated to Myanmar, with safety, dignity and full rights.

Until that happens, the refugees need immediate assistance and help to build for the future: 52 per cent of the refugees are under 18 years old, and many were born in asylum or spent their first years in refugee camps.

In 2024, humanitarian agencies appealed for $852 million to assist some 1.35 million people, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshis in surrounding communities. This appeal remains inadequately funded.

Underfunding has severely hampered humanitarian efforts to support refugees and hosts in Bangladesh. As a result food rations have been reduced in the first half of 2024; health centres face shortages of medical personnel, specialized equipment and medicine; water quality has declined, leading to an upsurge in cholera and hepatitis; and vocational training and income-generation opportunities have reduced.

Bangladesh is also facing catastrophic flash floods affecting millions of its citizens. Here, UNHCR has immediately made available water purification tablets, hygiene kits, jerrycans and tarpaulins from its existing humanitarian stockpiles to support communities hosting refugees. Two inflatable rescue boats have also been deployed in Feni, in south-eastern Bangladesh. The country cannot be left to shoulder this crisis alone.

More systematic and sustained global support is needed for countries like Bangladesh which are exposed to extreme weather conditions and natural disasters that are becoming more frequent due to climate change.

We urge donors and private actors to step up funding to the Rohingya refugee response in a timely manner. Without sustained financial backing, including addressing the needs of new arrivals, a broader humanitarian crisis may be around the corner. The Rohingya people deserve our support, as do the generous people of Bangladesh.

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'Digital terrorism' spurs debate on social media use in Pakistan

By Iftikhar Hussain, Malik Waqar Ahmed August 27, 2024

Pakistan's 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 country's 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 Khan's fall from power in 2022. Many online campaigns have argued against the military's 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 isn't 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 country's army leadership.

"The Pakistani army chief's 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 China's 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 Taliban's takeover in Kabul.

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Meeting with Governor of the Astrakhan Region Igor Babushkin

Vladimir Putin held a working meeting with Governor of the Astrakhan Region Igor Babushkin.

August 27, 2024

13:55

The Kremlin, Moscow

The Governor updated the President on the region's socioeconomic status. In his presentation, he said that as part of the Education National Project, the region built seven schools and 18 kindergartens, and another five were expected to be completed by the end of the year. This effort eliminated waiting lists for children over 18 months old whose parents want to enrol them in pre-school institutions. One third of the region's population benefits from social support, receiving various benefits and allocations. In 2023, 12 billion rubles went towards paying out these disbursements. The region has been proactively working with the federal Government to draft new national projects and align them with regional initiatives.

Igor Babushkin went on to talk about efforts to support special military operation participants and their families. The region provides 59 measures of support, and has earmarked 2.2 billion rubles for direct payments. It also sends humanitarian aid to combat units under its supervision, along with hardware and unmanned aerial vehicles, while school students write letters to the military personnel, which has also been an important factor. The Governor talked about his personal meetings with special military operation participants, Vladimir Putin noted that the Governor probably did not have a problem connecting with the fighters considering his experience of serving in one of the combat units.

When asked by the President about the challenges the region was facing, Igor Babushkin said that young people tend to relocate from remote regions to the federal centre and major cities. To address this issue, the authorities have been creating the necessary conditions to persuade young people that the region has significant strategic development potential and can offer them the opportunities they need to unlock their talents.

The Governor also said that the Arkhangelsk Maritime Cadet Corps won the national contest among cadet corps last year and received the Presidential Banner. The region has drafted a project to expand this institution. In this context, Igor Babushkin asked the President to instruct the Government to factor funding for this project into the next budget cycle, and the President approved this initiative.

Vladimir Putin reminded the Governor that the issue of relocating people from sub-standard housing remains urgent for the region. Igor Babushkin elaborated on this matter and explained why the region was falling behind in its efforts to build blocks of flats.

The Volga-Caspian Canal was also discussed. According to the Governor, cargo handling is on the rise, with expectations of handling five million tonnes through the Arkhangelsk ports this year. This increase is largely attributed to the efforts to achieve a navigable depth of 4.5 metres, as directed by the President.

The Governor also reported on fleet modernisation efforts, noting that shipbuilding enterprises have secured work for the next two years, with a loan portfolio of around 50 billion rubles. Additionally, eight dry cargo ships will soon enter the Caspian Sea, and construction is underway for a container cargo fleet and a dredging fleet.

Vladimir Putin mentioned that during his recent visit to Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev expressed concern about the Caspian Sea becoming shallow. He also spoke very positively about cooperation with the Astrakhan Region. The head of state requested Igor Babushkin to prepare and send him a formal appeal, asking for a scientific analysis of the developments in the Volga and Caspian Sea region to determine the necessary actions to support the Caspian Sea. The President added that he would issue corresponding instructions to the Government.

Igor Babushkin said that he would promptly prepare the report. The President requested that this be done as quickly as possible.

The Governor also noted that the Arkhangelsk Region represents Russia in the Caspian space, with efforts focused not only on economic, transport, and logistics sectors but also on strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties.

Igor Babushkin noted that the 9th Caspian Media Forum was recently held, attracting over a thousand participants. A classical art festival is also underway, bringing together cultural figures and musicians from across the Caspian region, with participants from Belarus and Uzbekistan joining as well. In September, the final of the Children of Russia Sing competition will take place for the third time, gathering 400 finalists selected from over 10,000 participants. All the finalists will come together to form a single choir in the Astrakhan Kremlin.

In closing the meeting, Vladimir Putin emphasised to the Governor that while some challenges are unavoidable, like the Caspian Sea's shallowing or the desertification of pastures, others require administrative and financial responses through appropriate measures. Beyond the resettlement of residents from sub-standard housing, the President highlighted the importance of focusing on regional and municipal roads. He urged the Governor to stay focused on these issues and, if needed, to reach out to the federal Government to ensure their alignment with relevant programmes.

Overall, the President acknowledged that the region is developing steadily and at a good pace.

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Telegram CEO's Detention In France Extended As Moscow Cries Foul

By Current Time August 27, 2024

The detention of Pavel Durov, the Russian-born co-founder and CEO of the Telegram messaging app, has been extended by a French investigative judge until August 28 as Moscow expressed outrage over what it said appeared to be "a direct attempt to restrict freedom of communication."

Durov, a billionaire who holds citizenships from Russia, France, the United Arab Emirates, and the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis, was detained at Le Bourget airport outside Paris on August 24 and held for questioning. The Paris prosecutor's office said late on August 26 that Durov's detention order was extended for 48 hours, meaning he must be charged or set free by August 28.

France's OFMIN, an office tasked with preventing violence against minors, has reportedly 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.

Telegram has said that Durov "has nothing to hide" and that it is "awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation."

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on August 27 that the allegations against Durov were "very serious" and that "they require evidence that is just as serious" to erase the suspicions of many that the billionaire's 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.

French President Emmanuel Macron has tried to allay such suspicion, saying on August 26 that Durov's arrest was solely part of an independent investigation.

In a post on X, Macron said 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."

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," Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, a Ukrainian lawmaker from the opposition Holos party and the chairman of the Committee on Freedom of Speech in Ukraine's parliament, said August 26.

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. 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.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/durov- telegram-paris/33093898.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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Taiwanese military sending more gear to units amid complaint

ROC Central News Agency

08/27/2024 05:44 PM

Taipei, Aug. 27 (CNA) The Taiwanese military said on Tuesday that it has been distributing military equipment and armaments to local field units following a complaint by a group of military officers that they lack the equipment and human resources needed to train one-year conscripts.

Taiwan reinstated year-long military service this January to meet the rising threat posed by China.

The first group of 3,500 conscripts serving have already completed weeks of boot camps and been assigned to field units to undergo required specialty training, the Chinese-language United Daily News (UDN) reported earlier Tuesday.

These 13 weeks of training will begin in September, according to the report.

However, at least four military officers from field units said they do not have enough communication equipment, armored vehicles and fire trucks. These were all required for their units to pass the necessary exams to complete compulsory training, UDN reported.

There were also not enough military officers to run the training sessions, it said.

These servicepersons have tried to complain to the Ministry of National Defense (MND) but the issue remained unresolved, leading to their decision to take the issue to lawmakers, the UDN report said.

In response, the MND said on Tuesday that the military has been allocating equipment and human resources to meet the needs of field units in upcoming training sessions.

The Army Command Headquarters has also been allocating funds to ensure enough equipment in the years ahead, the MND added.

Compulsory military service in Taiwan was upped to one year from four months effective Jan. 1, 2024. The measure applies to conscripts born on or after Jan. 1, 2005.

The MND previously said it expects to enroll 9,127 conscripts in compulsory military service this year.

Taiwan's military is currently a mainly volunteer force, with conscripts serving in a supporting role.

(By Matt Yu and Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/kb

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China push to ban Taiwan from Pacific Islands Forum 'regrettable': MOFA

ROC Central News Agency

08/27/2024 03:57 PM

Taipei, Aug. 27 (CNA) A rumored push by China and the Solomon Islands to exclude Taiwan from the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is "regrettable," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Tuesday.

The MOFA statement was released following a Monday report in the Australian newspaper, which claimed the Solomon Islands would table a motion at this year's forum in Tonga to strip Taiwan of its "development partner" status.

According to an anonymous source cited by the Australian, the Solomon Islands had received explicit instructions from Beijing to prevent Taiwan's attendance at the 2025 summit of PIF countries in the Solomon Islands' capital Honiara.

Asked to comment, MOFA said in a statement Tuesday that Taiwan has made contributions to the PIF partners via financial aid and scholarship programs since participating in the organization over 20 years ago.

Taiwan's participation in the PIF has always been conducted under the principles of "diversity and inclusion," MOFA added.

The ministry said it was "regrettable" that "a certain country, based on selfishness" has been trying to create disunity in the Pacific.

MOFA, however, thanked Taiwan's remaining diplomatic allies and like-minded nonmember countries participating in the PIF's activities for their continuous support.

Taiwan has held "development partner" status in the PIF and participated in the group's annual summit since 1993.

Nonmembers China, the United States, Japan, Canada and the European Union also participate in the annual forum and other PIF events as "dialogue partners."

Since abandoning its long-held diplomatic recognition of Taipei in 2019, the Solomon Islands has become a staunch regional ally of China, receiving significant development aid and striking a secretive bilateral security pact in 2022.

A MOFA source told CNA that even if the Solomon Islands were to table a motion challenging Taiwan's participation in the PIF, it is unlikely to pass given that decisions by the forum are made by verbal consensus rather than vote.

Currently, three members of PIF -- Palau, the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu -- maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

(By Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/ASG

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Taiwan condemns China for disrupting regional peace

ROC Central News Agency

08/27/2024 10:04 PM

Taipei, Aug. 27 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly condemned China on Tuesday after a Chinese aircraft infringed on Japanese airspace earlier in the day.

The action seriously violated Japan's sovereignty and heightened regional tensions, MOFA said in a statement.

Chinese military aircraft and ships have continuously intruded into Taiwan's and Japan's air defense identification zones and exclusive economic zones, MOFA said.

Furthermore, China has partnered with Russia to frequently carry out military exercises in the East China Sea and South China Sea, in attempts to change the status quo through military prowess. Their expanding military actions have posed serious threats to countries in the Indo-Pacific region, said MOFA.

MOFA called for China to exercise restraint and refrain from disrupting peace in the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan will also strengthen its self-defense and work with like-minded countries to stop the expansion of authoritarianism, MOFA said.

(By Yang Yao-ju and Wu Kuan-hsien)

Enditem/kb

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PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan

ROC Ministry of National Defense

2024/08/27

PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan

1.Dateis

6 to 6 a.m. (UTC+8) Monday to Tuesday, Aug. 26-27

2.PLA activitiesis

15 PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN vessels and 3 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 9 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's northern, central, southwestern, and eastern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities.

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PM meeting with Prime Minister of Bahrain: 27 August 2024

The Prime Minister welcomed His Royal Highness Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain, to Downing Street today.

27 August 2024

The Prime Minister welcomed His Royal Highness Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain, to Downing Street today.

His Royal Highness noted the significance of the Prime Minister's speech today, and both agreed that growth was essential to ensure prosperity.

The Prime Minister set out his personal commitment to the UK-Bahraini bilateral relationship, and the leaders looked forward to strengthening areas of shared cooperation, including trade, investment and security and defence.

Turning to the situation in Middle East, the Prime Minister thanked His Royal Highness for Bahrain's efforts to protecting shipping in the Red Sea and his commitment to wider regional security.

The Prime Minister underscored the urgent need for a ceasefire, the return of hostages and an immediate increase in the volume of humanitarian aid reaching civilians.

Both leaders agreed that regional security was paramount, and the Prime Minister reiterated the necessity for restraint from all parties to prevent further escalation.

They looked forward to working closely and agreed to stay in touch.

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Fabricating 'China responsibility theory' in Russia-Ukraine crisis unacceptable: Chinese envoy

Global Times

By Zhao Juecheng and Du Qiongfang Published: Aug 27, 2024 11:52 PM

Certain countries are taking advantage of the Russia-Ukraine crisis to fabricate the "China responsibility theory" and use illegal unilateral sanctions to threaten countries that engage in normal trade with Russia, which are unacceptable for the international community, Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Eurasian Affairs Li Hui said on Tuesday during a press briefing about the fourth round of shuttle diplomacy on the Ukraine crisis.

Li briefed on the in-depth exchanges with all parties during his visits to Brazil, South Africa and Indonesia between July 28 and August 7 on the current situation of the Ukraine crisis, efforts to cool the situation, and the next phase of the peace talks process.

In terms of the background and reasons for the visit to the three countries, Li said that the international community is widely concerned about further escalation and spillover of the Ukraine crisis. More and more countries believe that the urgent priority is to de-escalate the situation.

According to Li, the three countries are representatives of the Global South and serve as important forces in promoting world peace and development. The three countries' position on the Ukraine crisis corresponds to that of China, and they maintain communication with both Russia and Ukraine. They uphold an objective and fair stance and are committed to resolving the issue through political dialogue and negotiation.

According to Li, there is widespread concern about the risk of escalation and spillover of the Ukraine crisis, as well as the deeper causes of the prolonged crisis. All parties believe that the prolonged crisis not only rests on Russia and Ukraine; the conflict is manipulated by the global war system represented by certain military-industrial complexes.

Li said all parties agree with China's view that certain countries are taking advantage of the crisis to rally allies, shift the blame, and are even attempting to fabricate the "China responsibility theory." These countries also use illegal unilateral sanctions to threaten countries that engage in normal trade with Russia. The words and actions of these countries are entirely out of selfish interests and distorting the truth, which will never be accepted by the international community.

China and Brazil jointly issued the six common understandings on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis in May, calling on all relevant parties to observe three principles for de-escalating the situation.

According to Li, all three countries highly praised the significance of the six common understandings, believing it provides a valuable path to promote a resolution to the crisis.

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Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Eurasian Affairs Li HuiaHolds a Briefing onathe Fourth Round of Shuttle Diplomacy on the Ukraine Crisis

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: August 27, 2024 17:24

On August 27, 2024, Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Eurasian Affairs Li Huiaheld a briefing to diplomatic envoys to China and representatives of Chinese and foreign media on the recent fourth round of shuttle diplomacy on the Ukraine crisis.

Li Hui briefed on the in-depth exchanges with all parties during his visits to Brazil, South Africa, and Indonesia on the current situation of the Ukraine crisis, efforts to cool down the situation, and the next phase of the peace talks process.aLi Hui said that all parties are generally concerned about the risk ofaescalation andaspillover of the conflict, concerned about the deep-rooted reasons for the protracted crisis,aand highly appreciated the sixacommon understandingsaissued by China and Brazil, which provide a valuable path for promoting the resolution of the crisis.aAll parties have put forward their own ideas on the peace process and look forward to strengthening exchanges with China to promote a fair and just solution to the crisis.

Li Hui stressed that the situation has recently become more complex, but the more difficult the timeais, the moreaimportant it is not toagive up hope for peace.aChina will continue to promote peace talks in its own way and contributeaChina'sawisdom and solutions to the political settlement of the crisis.

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Zelenskiy Says Kyiv Test-Fired Its First Ukraine-Made Ballistic Missile

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, RFE/RL's Russian Service and Current Time August 27, 2024

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Kyiv has conducted its first test of a domestically produced ballistic missile as Russia unleashed a second day of deadly strikes on across Ukraine.

Zelenskiy also said at a news conference following a forum in Kyiv on August 27 that the war with Russia would eventually end in dialogue, but that Kyiv had to be in a strong position.

Zelenskiy said he hoped to go to the United States in September to attend the UN General Assembly in New York and meet U.S. President Joe Biden and present a plan to end the war. Kyiv's incursion into Russia's Kursk region is part of that plan, but it also includes other steps on the economic and diplomatic fronts, he said.

"The main point of this plan is to force Russia to end the war," he said, adding that he wants it to be fair for Ukraine.

He did not elaborate on the next steps but said he would also discuss the plan with Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate running for president, and probably also with former U.S. President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate.

His announcements came as Ukraine has been pleading with its Western allies to remove their ban on Kyiv using weapons they supplied to attack military targets deep inside Russia in order to prevent Moscow's forces from destroying civilian and energy infrastructure.

Ukraine has also said it is working on developing the Hrim-2 short-range ballistic missile system, which is designed to combine the features of a tactical missile system and a multiple rocket launcher.

Last weekend Zelenskiy also confirmed the existence of the domestically produced Palianytsia missile, which he called a "new class" of weapon for Ukraine.

Zelenskiy spoke hours after at least five people were killed and several more were wounded in a second massive drone and missile attack by Russia on Ukraine in as many days.

In Russia's Kursk, where fighting has been under way since August 6 when Ukrainian forces launched a shock incursion into Russian territory, Rafael Grossi, the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear agency, visited the Kurchatov nuclear plant amid fears about the atomic installation's safety.

Grossi said after the visit that there was a risk of "nuclear incident" at the plant, where the situation was serious.

The Kurchatov plant is situated some 60 kilometers from the Ukrainian border on the banks of the Seym River, where there has been heavy fighting for the past three weeks.

Separately, the Ukrainian military's top commander, General Oleksandr Syrskiy, said that his forces now control 1,294 square kilometers and 100 settlements in Kursk. He also said Ukrainian troops have taken a total of 594 Russian prisoners during the ongoing operation in Kursk.

As Russia launched another wave of strikes, the Ukrainian Air Force said it had shot down a total of 60 drones and 5 missiles early on August 27.

The fresh wave of attacks prompted an all-out air-raid alert declared for the whole of Ukraine.

Ukrainian aviation expert Valeriy Romanenko told RFE/RL that the recent massive air strikes that Russia has launched are meant to exceed the capabilities of Ukraine's antiaircraft missile systems.

Rockets fly in a "bunch" and appear to air-defense systems be just one rocket, Romanenko said. The air-defense system launches a single rocket, but there is not one but five or six to shoot down.

Romanenko also pointed out that the Russians are using X-101 missiles, which have a range of almost 5,500 kilometers.

"The Russians take advantage of this and plan trajectories in such a way as to avoid the positions of antiaircraft missile systems as much as possible," he told Current Time, the Russian-language network run by RFE/RL. They also use variations in the terrain where possible, programming the rockets to pass undetected behind hills and other topography and make many turns without losing the target.

In the latest wave of Russian missiles strikes, a hotel in Kryviy Rih in the southern region of Dnipropetrovsk was hit. Governor Serhiy Lysak said on Telegram that a man and a woman had been killed and five people were wounded.

Local officials also said that two people had been killed in overnight Russian strikes in the southern region of Zaporizhzhya.

In the northeastern region of Kharkiv, a Russian missile killed one person and wounded another five, regional Governor Oleh Synyehubov said on Telegram.

In the Khmelnytskiy region, eight Russian drones were shot down, but a person was wounded during the attack, regional Governor Serhiy Tyurin said on Telegram.

Air defense systems shot down all 15 drones that attacked Kyiv, the administration of the Ukrainian capital said, adding that a fire broke out due to falling debris in a forest park in the city's Dnipro district.

Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor or Russia's Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, claimed early on August 27 that the situation was challenging but manageable in the area amid an attempted incursion by Ukrainian troops.

"According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the situation on the border remains difficult, but under control. Our military is carrying out planned work. I ask you to remain calm and trust only official sources of information," Gladkov wrote on Telegram. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on Gladkov's claim.

With reporting by Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-ballistic-missile-first- test-zelenskiy/33094387.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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Several Killed, Missing After Russian Strike On Ukraine Hotel

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, RFE/RL's Russian Service and Current Time August 27, 2024

At least 4 people were killed while several others were either wounded or missing on August 27 in a second massive drone and missile Russian attack on Ukraine in as many days that included a strike on a hotel in Kryviy Rih, in the southern region of Dnipropetrovsk.

The fresh wave of attacks came as Rafael Grossi, the chief of the UN nuclear agency, was expected to visit the Russian nuclear plant in Kursk, where fighting has been under way since August 6, when Ukrainian forces launched a shock incursion into Russian territory.

Dnipropetrovsk Governor Serhiy Lysak said on Telegram on August 27 that a man and a woman had been killed in the overnight missile attack on the Kryviy Rih hotel. "5 were wounded, a 43-year-old woman is in a severe state," Lysak said, adding that the fate of two more people was unknown, and they could still be under the rubble.

Lysak said that four high-rise buildings and several shops were also damaged in the attack. He said that Nikopol has also come under attack.

Local officials also said that two people had been killed in overnight Russian strikes in the southern region of Zaporizhzhya.

Air defense systems shot down all 15 drones that attacked Kyiv, the administration of the Ukrainian capital said, adding that a fire broke out due to falling debris in a forest park in the city's Dnipro district.

The August 27 attack prompted an all-out air-raid alert declared for the whole of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Air Force said it had shot down a total of 60 drones and 5 missiles early on August 27.

Reports of drone and missile attacks have also come from Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskiy, and other regions.

In the Khmelnytskiy region, eight Russian drones were shot down, but a person was wounded during the attack, regional governor Serhiy Tyurin said on Telegram.

Grossi, the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said on Twitter that he was going to the Kursk nuclear plant to assess the situation there.

"Given the serious situation, I'm personally leading tomorrow's IAEA mission to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in Russia," Grossi said on X.

The plant is situated some 60 kilometers from the Ukrainian border on the banks of the Seym River, where heavy fighting has been under way for the past three weeks.

On August 26, Russian forces launched more than 200 drones and missiles at Ukraine's territory, killing at least seven people and damaging energy infrastructure.

The August 26 attack was condemned by U.S. President Joe Biden as "outrageous."

Following the August 26 attacks, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on Ukraine's global allies to take "decisive action" and allow Ukraine to strike military targets deeper inside Russia with Western-provided weapons.

"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."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/missile-drone- kryviy-rih-kyiv/33093880.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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Russian Defence Ministry's briefing on Ukraine and the United States violating international treaties banning chemical and biological weapons

27.08.2024

Materials on Ukraine and the United States violating international treaties banning chemical and biological weapons

The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation has been analysing activities of the United States of America and Ukraine violating international treaties banning chemical and biological weapons.

We have repeatedly noted that Washington retains a strong interest in acquiring biomaterials from citizens of Russia, Ukraine, and other post-Soviet states.

Evidence of large-scale collection and transportation of biomaterials has already been revealed by the Russian Ministry of Defence. The USA and its allies had managed to export at least 16,000 biosamples out of Ukraine before the special military operation started. As part of the UP-8 Project alone, blood samples have been taken from 4,000 Ukrainian soldiers. Simultaneously, dangerous pathogens and their vectors (over 10,000 samples) were exported.

The biological material was transported directly, without the use of one-day companies or intermediary companies. Samples of human blood and tissue were routed from Center for Public Health of Ukraine to Pentagon-related Western research laboratories. Later, they were used in biological warfare research, including to select biological agents most dangerous to the population of a given region.

The USA is reportedly continuing its efforts to develop bioagents capable of selectively targeting different ethnic groups.

According to available information, the United States has started to actively involve Moldova and Romania in biomaterial logistics systems with the use of their own controlled organisations.

Such tactics can conceal the final recipient and divert suspicion away from the U.S. government agencies and the U.S. biological warfare programme.

Consider the pattern of the biomaterials' movement. It was found that dangerous goods from the Ukrainian side to Moldova are exported by BioPartners, a subsidiary of an American company of the same name.

Q2 Solution, a subsidiary of one of the Pentagon's largest suppliers, is also involved in the logistics process. We have evidence of the company's fulfiling contracts worth more than $22 million under the U.S. Department of Defence Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) programmes.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that logistics companies Gamma Logistics and Aerotranscargo, controlled by the President of Moldova, Maia Sandu, as well as by the Chisinau medical institutions and Western mediation organisations, provide escort to biological cargoes from Ukraine.

More than two thousand biomaterial samples were officially transported through Moldova between August 2022 and May 2024.

Thus, the inclusion of Moldova and Romania in the transportation programme could be seen as the beginning of a large-scale programme to change the logistics chains involved in the mass export of biological materials to the USA.

I would like to refer to those working for Ukrainian and U.S. companies directly involved in exporting biomaterials.

Among them were Andrei Gorkavchuk and Svetlana Stefanenko, directors of the Kiev office of BioPartners, which supplied the USA with cryocontainers of biological material from Ukrainian citizens.

Marianna Gredil and Lyudmila Gorodnyaya, employees of the American branch of the same company, specialise in providing legal support for the export of biomaterials in circumvention of legislation. They supervised collaboration with U.S. organisations and Big Pharma companies within clinical trials of experimental drugs.

Kakhaber Zaalishvili oversees the collection of clinical and pathoanatomical material and is involved in organisation of clinical trials in Ukraine.

Thanks to the actions of these officials, the U.S. Department of Defense was able to use Moldova as a transit point for the export of biological material from Ukrainian citizens. American pharmaceutical companies, carrying out dubious medical and clinical trials and affiliated with the Pentagon, were the end beneficiaries.

We have previously noted that the Kiev regime, aided and abetted by the West, regularly violates the Chemical Weapons Convention. More than 400 cases of toxic chemicals used by the Ukrainian side were recorded during the special military operation. These include scheduled compounds such as BZ, prussic acid, chlorine cyanide, and riot-control chemical agents, including those produced by the United States.

I would also like to remind you that our specialists have found a laboratory with chemical equipment close to Avdeyevka. The premises contained a semi-industrial rotary evaporator, a filtrating exhaust system, chemical reactors, carbon dioxide bottles, and scaffolding storing laboratory dishes and reagents. Wipe-samples from laboratory equipment and the exhaust system were selected in accordance with CWC requirements and sent to a laboratory accredited by the Russian Ministry of Defence for detailed testing.

Analytical tests revealed the presence of sodium cyanide, sulphuric acid, and trace amounts of cyanide anion in the samples. This clearly indicates that the laboratory found was producing toxic substances with a capacity of up to 3 kg per day (equivalent to more than 40,000 lethal inhalation doses for humans).

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the evidence of Ukraine's violating the Convention has been submitted by the Russian Federation to the OPCW Technical Secretariat. So far, there has been no clear response from the organisation.

This is because the decision-making process within the OPCW is completely controlled by the United States of America. In order to settle scores with undesirable states, Washington has created a mechanism within the Organisation to investigate the use of chemical weapons in Syria.

At the same time, we would like to ask the OPCW whether Ukraine is providing information to the Organisation on the procurement of hundreds of tonnes of toxic chemical precursors scheduled by the Convention.

This is approximately 500 tonnes of triethanolamine, a compound that can be used in the production of a nitrogen mustard agent.

In July 2024 alone, Reagent, a Ukrainian company, imported more than 160 tonnes of triethanolamine. At the same time, there is no publicly available evidence that the goods have not been used for illegal purposes. In addition, the only tender in which Reagent participated for the supply of triethanolamine to Ukrainian companies, in particular PJSC Sumykhimprom, is dated 5 July 2023.

It is recalled that Syria's acquisition of such chemicals provoked high indignation in the Western countries, culminating in the OPCW adopting recommendations in December 2023 for a complete ban on the export of dual-use chemical products to the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic.

Another risk factor is the import of dangerous chemical waste and spent nuclear fuel into Ukraine, which can be used to make a dirty bomb and stage false-flag chemical provocations. In a recent briefing, we noted that the shipments were organised through Poland and Romania and were supervised by Andrei Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian presidential administration.

In this regard, we once again call on the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to conduct a genuine and impartial investigation into the use of toxic chemicals by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, taking into account the evidence provided by Russia, and to inform the States Parties to the Convention of the results as soon as possible.

The available information on Ukraine importing chemical agents and protective equipment does not exclude that Kiev is preparing further provocations with toxic chemicals in the special military operation zone.

For example, on 13 July 2024, information was received on the AFU 3rd Airmobile Battalion receiving chemical irritant ammunition.

In the course of operational activities in August 2024, ready-to-use agents, containing a mixture based on thallium nitrate, were found in one of the AFU's caches. Let me remind you that, thallium compounds are potent toxicants. They affect the central and peripheral nervous systems and the gastrointestinal tract. Their use for sabotage and criminal purposes is well-documented.

Tactical mixtures of irritant agents listed in Schedule 3 of the CWC were also found on the site.

Given the many provocations with toxic chemicals and the attempted attacks on officials of Russia's new regions, we cannot rule out similar incidents with these samples.

Operational data confirm that AFU troops are being trained to use chemical ammunition with Western artillery systems. Consider the captured documents that were found in the abandoned Ukrainian positions: a manual for handling chemical artillery ammunition.

We believe that the international community should pay close attention to these issues and that the relevant organisation, the OPCW, should take urgent steps to verify Ukraine's compliance with the provisions of the Convention and to prevent the development, production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons.

Department for Media Affairs and Information

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Lockheed Martin Offers to Repair F-16 Jets Supplied to Ukraine in Poland

Sputnik News

20240827

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - 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.

"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.

A Sputnik

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Russian Forces Liberate Orlovka Village in Donetsk People's Republic - MoD

Sputnik News

20240827

Units of Battlegroup Tsentr have liberated the settlement of Orlovka in the Donetsk People's Republic, destroying up to 530 Ukrainian armed forces fighters overnight, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

"As a result of an offensive, units of Battlegroup Tsentr liberated the settlement of Orlovka in the Donetsk People's Republic, struck formations of the 53rd and 110th Mechanized as well as 25th Airborne Brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the 109th Territorial Defense Brigade in the area of the settlements of Vozdvizhenka, Rozovka, Novgorodskoye, and Sergeyevka in the Donetsk People's Republic. Seven counterattacks by units of the 150th and 151st Mechanized Brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were repelled," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Units of the Battlegroup Sever repelled three counterattacks by Ukrainian Armed Forces assault groups during the day, the enemy lost up to 115 servicemen, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Russian air defenses shot down four Tochka-U missiles, three Hammer bombs and 31 drones launched by Ukraine over the past 24 hours, the ministry said.

Units of the Battlegroup Yug have taken more advantageous lines and positions during the day, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 780 servicemen, a Leopard tank and an armored combat vehicle, the ministry said.

Over the give period, Battlegroup Tsentr has repelled 7 counterattacks, eliminating up to 530 Ukrainian troops, the statement read, adding that Battlegroup Zapad has eliminated up to 490 Ukrainian troops.

The Russian armed forces have also launched a massive strike on critically important objects of the Ukrainian airfield infrastructure, the ministry said, adding that all targets have been hit.

A Sputnik

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Safeguarding Children from Forced Transfers and Deportation: the Bring Kids Back UA International Task Force Presented the White Paper

President of Ukraine

27 August 2024 - 21:37

The Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak took part in the presentation of the White Paper "Safeguarding Children from Forced Transfers and Deportation". This is the first document developed by the Bring Kids Back UA International Task Force.

"The fourth point of the Peace Formula and the Bring Kids Back UA initiative launched by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy both have a clear goal - to bring home every abducted child. Without conditions. Without exception. This is not just a state initiative - it is our duty to our children and future generations," Andriy Yermak said.

More than 15 international experts and organizations working in the field of international law developed the White Paper. This document reveals the systematic nature of deportation and forced relocation of children by the aggressor state. It clearly documents all the evidence.

Andriy Yermak urged the participants of the meeting to join efforts to bring Ukrainian children home and to encourage countries to develop effective tools for protecting children's rights, based on the recommendations of the White Paper.

"Today we are not just presenting a document. We are calling for action. We are urging the international community to strongly condemn these crimes and to do everything possible to bring our children back. After all, by protecting their future, we are protecting the future of all humanity," the Head of the Presidential Office concluded.

Daria Herasymchuk, Advisor and Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Children's Rights and Rehabilitation, noted: from the very beginning, Ukraine has been saying that Russia is abducting Ukrainian children to destroy the future of our country.

"This White Paper is part of a broader effort to protect the rights of children and their return to Ukraine. We will continue acting to ensure that these children are reunited with their families," she stressed.

Andriy Kostin, Prosecutor General, stated that all those involved in this crime - from soldiers to the highest Russian officials - must be held accountable.

Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, added that the legal framework established by the White Paper will help Ukraine secure the support of its partners in implementing the fourth point of the Peace Formula.

Sharanjeet Parmar, Senior Transitional Justice Advisor at the Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine, emphasized that Russia is using children as a tool for its political purposes, violating international law.

The presentation was also attended by members of the Bring Kids Back UA International Task Force, representatives of member countries of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, Members of Parliament, and representatives of Ukrainian and international human rights organizations. The event was moderated by Dariia Zarivna, Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine and Chief Operating Officer at Bring Kids Back UA.

The development of the White Paper was supported by the Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine.

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Work on Developing a Joint Plan for Implementing the Peace Formula Continues - Andriy Yermak

President of Ukraine

27 August 2024 - 14:14

It would be appropriate for the second Peace Summit to take place in one of the Global South countries. This was stated by Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak during a panel discussion at the "Ukraine 2024. Independence" forum.

He emphasized that the core of the Peace Formula is the effort to compel Russia to adhere to international law.

According to Andriy Yermak, immediately after the conclusion of the first Peace Summit, preparations began for thematic conferences involving working groups and representatives from Global South countries.

"I believe that in a few months, we will complete this work, resulting in the development of a joint plan to implement President Zelenskyy's Peace Formula. We want - and it would be appropriate - for the second Summit to be held in one of the Global South countries," said the Head of the President's Office.

Andriy Yermak also reminded that Ukraine has already signed 25 bilateral security agreements, and the work continues.

"This is a new security ecosystem that will further evolve towards Ukraine's full membership in the EU and NATO," he added.

The Head of the President's Office stressed that Ukraine is making every possible effort to bring home the children abducted by Russia. Forty countries have already joined the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children.

Andriy Yermak also highlighted ongoing efforts regarding sanctions pressure: sanctions are in place, but they could be more effective. This includes targeting Russian propagandists, the oil sector, nuclear energy, and preventing the "gray" import of electronics to Russia, especially for missile production.

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Ukraine claims control of wide swath of Russia's Kursk region

By VOA News August 27, 2024

Ukraine's army chief claimed Tuesday that Kyiv's forces have gained control of nearly 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russia's 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."

Syrskyi's 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 Moscow's 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 a about 6,600 troops either killed or injured a 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, Ukraine's air force said the country's 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

Russia's 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.

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Modi tells Putin he supports early end to Ukraine war

By Anjana Pasricha August 27, 2024

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.

Modi's 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.

Modi's visit to Kyiv came amid criticism from Western allies that New Delhi has not condemned Russia's 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 Modi's 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 Modi's 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, India's 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 Russia's continued isolation could push Moscow into a tighter embrace with New Delhi's arch rival, China, say analysts.

"India does not want Russia and the West's 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 Modi's trip to Ukraine will have no bearing on India's warm relationship with the Kremlin. Before he visited Kyiv, India's foreign ministry had said that India has "substantive and independent ties with both Russia and Ukraine, and these partnerships stand on their own."

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New York, United States , Aug. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Automotive Tire Pressure Monitoring System Market Size is to Grow from USD 8.19 Billion in 2023 to USD 27.01 Billion by 2033, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.67% during the projected period.

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The tire pressure monitoring system uses tire pressure sensors to keep track of the air pressure in the tires. When this system detects that one or more tires are not at the proper pressure, it illuminates or flashes the tire pressure monitoring system lights. A tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is a vehicle safety device that constantly monitors tire pressure. When tire pressure drops below prescribed levels, the tire pressure monitoring system alerts the driver with a warning light or aural signal, helping to avoid accidents, boost fuel economy, and extend tire life. A tire pressure monitoring system sensor is an electronic component that monitors the air pressure and temperature of car tires, alerting drivers of underinflated tires or other current safety hazards. The creation of vehicle tire pressure monitoring systems is driven mostly by the desire to improve fuel efficiency. A tire pressure monitoring system closely monitors tire pressure and contributes to increased fuel efficiency by ensuring that tires are appropriately inflated. Inadequate tire pressure increases the resistance to rolling and needs more energy to propel the vehicle, resulting in higher fuel consumption. Furthermore, sensors used in tire pressure monitoring are expensive, and replacement prices are high, which may limit market growth. When the sensor battery on one tire expires, the three sensors on the other tires break also, requiring users to replace all four sensors, this may be inconvenient and impede market expansion.

Browse key industry insights spread across 288 pages with 100 Market data tables and figures & charts from the report on the " Global Automotive Tire Pressure Monitoring System Market Size, Share, and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Vehicle Type (Passenger vehicles and Commercial Vehicles), By Type (Direct TPMS and Indirect TPMS), By Sales Channel (OEM and Aftermarket), and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa), Analysis and Forecast 2023  2033."

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The passenger vehicles segment holds the largest market share of the automotive tire pressure monitoring system market during the projected timeframe.

Based on the vehicle type, the automotive tire pressure monitoring system market is divided into passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles. Among these, the passenger vehicles segment holds the largest market share of the automotive tire pressure monitoring system market during the projected timeframe. Automotive tire pressure monitoring systems are commonly used in passenger vehicles, where tire pressure is a critical safety factor. Furthermore, rising demand for passenger vehicles in the automotive sector, and also low-cost safety features such as tire pressure monitors, help to drive market expansion.

The direct TPMS segment holds the highest market share of the automotive tire pressure monitoring system market during the projected timeframe.

Based on the type, the automotive tire pressure monitoring system market is divided into direct TPMS and indirect TPMS. Among these, the direct TPMS segment holds the highest market share of the automotive tire pressure monitoring system market during the projected timeframe. This is assisted by features such as delivering precise pressure for each tire, no compromise of tire pressure information, sensor batteries that frequently last the life of the vehicle, and the ability to monitor spare tires. The direct system contains a sensor within each wheel that provides exact warnings and alerts the driver promptly when the pressure in any tire drops below the specified value owing to abrupt air loss caused by an injury or other circumstances, in addition to detecting steady air loss over time.

The OEM segment is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR of the automotive tire pressure monitoring system market during the projected timeframe.

Based on the sales channel, the automotive tire pressure monitoring system market is categorized into OEM and aftermarket. Among these, the OEM segment is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR of the automotive tire pressure monitoring system market during the projected timeframe. When purchasing a new vehicle, automobile owners are increasingly looking for advanced safety features including TPMS. OEMs are getting in on this development by including TPMS in standard and optional safety packages. Furthermore, technological advancements in TPMS, such as the development of intelligent and interconnected systems that provide real-time tire pressure information and warnings, are driving OEM adoption.

North America is expected to hold the largest share of the automotive tire pressure monitoring system market over the forecast period.

North America is expected to hold the largest share of the automotive tire pressure monitoring system market over the forecast period. The North American market for tire pressure monitoring systems is primarily governed by secure government rules and safety standards. Furthermore, customers' growing awareness of vehicle safety and the benefits of maintaining optimum tire pressure, such as improved fuel efficiency and tire longevity, has increased demand for tire pressure monitoring. Some major car manufacturers and a strong aftermarket sector in North America contribute to the growth of the TPMS market in this region. Furthermore, North America dominates the vehicle TPMS market due to strict safety regulations requiring automotive tire pressure monitoring system market installation in automobiles.

Asia Pacific is predicted to grow at the fastest pace in the automotive tire pressure monitoring system market during the projected timeframe. Rising premium car market share, rapid automotive industry expansion, stringent safety standards, and more safety installations per vehicle all contribute to increased demand for automotive pressure monitoring systems. Furthermore, advances in technology in the region have reduced the expense of integrating, making it more affordable to an expanding middle class. Furthermore, the region's premium and mid-segment vehicle sales are expanding, accelerating the adoption of a tire pressure monitoring system technology.

The European tire pressure monitoring systems market is fueled by severe regulations and a significant emphasis on vehicle safety and environmental standards. The European Union's ECE-R64 legislation compels all new passenger cars to incorporate TPMS, resulting in widespread adoption of TPMS across the region. Furthermore, European consumers are becoming more mindful of their automobiles' environmental impact, and proper tire pressure is viewed as an important factor in cutting CO2 emissions and increasing fuel efficiency. The existence of automobile OEMs and a well-established automotive industry infrastructure help to drive the growth of the TPMS systems market in Europe.

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Competitive Analysis:

The report offers the appropriate analysis of the key organizations/companies involved within the global market along with a comparative evaluation primarily based on their product offering, business overviews, geographic presence, enterprise strategies, segment market share, and SWOT analysis. The report also provides an elaborative analysis focusing on the current news and developments of the companies, which includes product development, innovations, joint ventures, partnerships, mergers & acquisitions, strategic alliances, and others. This allows for the evaluation of the overall competition within the market. Major vendors in the automotive tire pressure monitoring system market are Delphi Automotive, DENSO Corporation, Continental AG, NXP Semiconductors, NIRA Dynamics AB, Valor TPMS, Pacific Industrial, ZF Friedrichshafen AG, ATEQ, Sensata Technologies, Inc., Infineon Technologies AG, Knorr-Bremse AG, Bendix Commercial Vehicles Systems LLC, DUNLOP TECH GmbH, and others.

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Recent Developments

In June 2024, Bridgestone, an international leader in premium tires and sustainable mobility solutions, revealed the availability of its EV-ready Turanza All Season 6 ENLITEN tire with DriveGuard Run-Flat Technology (RFT). Bridgestone's current addition to its portfolio is a hassle-free tire solution that allows drivers to maintain control of their vehicles and travel safely at speeds of up to 80km/h following a puncture.

Market Segment

This study forecasts revenue at global, regional, and country levels from 2020 to 2033. Spherical Insights has segmented the automotive tire pressure monitoring system market based on the below-mentioned segments:

Global Automotive Tire Pressure Monitoring System Market, By Vehicle Type

Passenger Vehicles

Commercial Vehicles

Global Automotive Tire Pressure Monitoring System Market, By Type

Direct TPMS

Indirect TPMS

Global Automotive Tire Pressure Monitoring System Market, By Sales Channel

OEM

Aftermarket

Global Automotive Tire Pressure Monitoring System Market, By Regional Analysis

North America US Canada Mexico

Europe Germany UK France Italy Spain Russia Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Australia Rest of Asia Pacific

South America Brazil Argentina Rest of South America

Middle East & Africa UAE Saudi Arabia Qatar South Africa Rest of the Middle East & Africa



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Viridien releases latest phase of Gulf of Mexico Carbon Storage Study to support upcoming lease rounds

Paris, France  August 28, 2024

Viridien has released phase 2 of its GeoVerse Carbon Storage Screening Study of the Gulf of Mexico after the successful delivery of phase 1 last year. The final product complements Viridiens multi-client seismic data to provide comprehensive subsurface data coverage over the US Gulf of Mexico shallow waters and coastal areas. Its timely delivery will accelerate the screening process to identify the high-potential areas on offer in the upcoming Texas General Land Office and School Land Board Request for Proposals for several carbon sequestration leases.

Both phases of the screening study are available for licensing now. The full product provides a unique integrated package of interactive ArcGIS-compatible screening maps, digitized well data and merged legacy seismic data across the attractive shallow water shelf of the Gulf of Mexico basin where several large-scale aquifer stores are available throughout the stratigraphic section.

Dechun Lin, EVP, Earth Data, Viridien, said: This new Gulf of Mexico study is located over a key area of interest for the CCUS industry with a number of licenses already offered for carbon storage and more licensing rounds to come. With our growing footprint of screening studies in the worlds most promising regions, we are helping to address the global industry challenge of accelerating CCUS with our subsurface data, data science and geoscience expertise. Viridien is committed to helping operators to identify the areas with the most potential by providing a robust and globally consistent approach to carbon storage screening.

Request a brochure about Viridiens Gulf of Mexico Carbon Storage Study here.

About Viridien:

Viridien (www.viridiengroup.com) is an advanced technology, digital and Earth data company that pushes the boundaries of science for a more prosperous and sustainable future. With our ingenuity, drive and deep curiosity we discover new insights, innovations, and solutions that efficiently and responsibly resolve complex natural resource, digital, energy transition and infrastructure challenges. Viridien employs around 3,500 people worldwide and is listed as VIRI on the Euronext Paris SA (ISIN: FR001400PVN6).

Contacts

Investor Relations

Jean Baptiste Roussille

Tel: + 33 6 14 51 09 88

E-Mail: jean-baptiste.roussille@viridiengroup.com





Attachment
ICG Enterprise Trust plc (the Company)

28 August 2024

Transaction in Own Shares

The Company announces that on 27 August 2024 it bought back 15,000 of its own shares, to be held as treasury shares, at an average price of 1266 pence per share.

Further details are set out below:

Number of shares held as treasury shares following settlement of this purchase: 7,593,133.

Total shares in issue excluding treasury shares following settlement of this purchase: 65,319,867.

The Company has bought back these shares under the authority granted by shareholders at its Annual General Meeting in June 2024, which permits the Company to repurchase a maximum of 14.99% of its ordinary shares. The actual number of shares repurchased by the Company will depend on market conditions. This authority lasts until the next shareholder authority granted (expected to be at the Annual General Meeting in 2025), or until expressly revoked by shareholders.

No maximum consideration payable has been determined by the Company, but the Company is unable to pay a price for any shares pursuant to the buyback which would equate to a premium to the net asset value. It is the Companys current intention to hold any shares bought back in treasury.

The Company has instructed Numis Securities Limited (trading for these purposes as Deutsche Numis) as its broker in respect of its buyback transactions. This arrangement is in accordance with the UKLA Listing Rules and the Companys general authority to repurchase shares.

Analyst / Investor enquiries:

Chris Hunt

Shareholder Relations, ICG

+44 (0) 20 3545 2020

Andrew Lewis

Company Secretary, ICG

+44 (0) 20 3545 1344

Media:



Catherine Armstrong

Corporate Communications, ICG

+44 (0) 20 3545 1850
Paris, 28 August 2024

The Air France-KLM Group completes acquisition of a non-controlling stake in the share capital of SAS AB. Extensive commercial cooperation to begin September 1, 2024

The Air France-KLM Group today announced that it has successfully completed the acquisition of a 19.9% non-controlling stake in the share capital of SAS AB. This operation follows the receipt of regulatory approvals in Europe and the United States.

In parallel to the financial transaction and as previously announced, Air France-KLM and SAS have signed far-reaching interline and codeshare agreements to connect their hubs and networks. These agreements, which cover reciprocal loyalty program benefits, will enter into force as early as September 1, 2024. On the same day, SAS will join the Skyteam alliance, of which Air France and KLM are founding members.

Benjamin Smith, The Air France-KLM Group CEO said: We are pleased to have completed this strategic transaction. SAS will enhance the Groups footprint in the Scandinavian markets. SAS, Air France and KLM customers will now have a larger number of destinations via codeshares. Skyteam will immediately gain a new strategic member.

This transaction was concluded by the Air France-KLM Group as part of a consortium of investors which also includes Castlelake L.P. on behalf of certain funds or affiliates, Lind Invest ApS, and the Danish State.

The members of the Consortium now effectively hold an aggregate 86.4% stake in the share capital of the reorganized SAS AB (exclusive of the recovery by the Danish State in its capacity as a creditor of SAS and pursuant to SASs restructuring plans), having invested $1.2 billion USD in the company, by subscribing for $475.0 million USD of common shares and by purchasing $725.0 million USD of senior secured convertible notes.

The Air France-KLM Group itself invested a total of $144.5 million USD in SAS AB, by subscribing for $109.5 million USD of common shares and by purchasing $35.0 million USD of senior secured convertible notes.

Specific provisions have been agreed upon between the members of the Consortium, whereby Air France-KLMs stake could be increased such that Air France-KLM may become a controlling shareholder, after a minimum of two years, subject to among other things, certain regulatory conditions and financial performance.

This investment is a component of Air France-KLMs strategic roadmap. It was already considered in the Groups financial trajectory for the year 2024 and has no impact on its medium-term outlook.

Commercial cooperation already well underway

As announced by the Air France-KLM Group on July 11, 2024, Air France, KLM and SAS have signed codeshare and interline agreements with the aim of providing their respective customers with extended travel options.

Beginning September 1, 2024, Air France and KLM customers will gain access to 33 destinations in Northern Europe beyond SASs hubs in Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm. SAS customers will gain access to 33 destinations in Europe beyond Air France and KLMs hubs at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport and Amsterdam Schiphol airport.

These agreements also cover reciprocal loyalty program benefits for Flying Blue and EuroBonus, thereby enabling members to earn and spend Miles/Points on flights operated by SAS and the Air France-KLM Groups airlines.

In addition, on September 1, 2024, SAS will join the SkyTeam alliance, of which Air France and KLM are founding members. From that date, eligible EuroBonus members will be able to enjoy SkyTeam services and benefits, including SkyPriority and lounge access around the world.

Investor Relations

Michiel Klinkers Marouane Mami

michiel.klinkers@airfranceklm.com marouane.mami@airfranceklm.com

Website: www.airfranceklm.com

Attachments
Nrresundby, Denmark, 28 August 2024

Announcement no. 42/2024









Q3 SHOWS INCREASE IN REVENUE BUT CHANGES IN MARKET DYNAMICS AND VERY SHORT

ORDER HORIZONS REDUCE VISIBILITY FOR THE OUTLOOK.

The Q3 results align with our expectations, achieving sales of DKK 142 million and reducing inventory by DKK 9 million compared to Q2 2023/24. We observed an increase in order intake this quarter, although not at the level we had anticipated in original guidance for the year. Our customers remain cautious with reorders, and due to short order horizon, our outlook visibility continues to be limited.

In late June, we provided an updated financial outlook for 2023/24, reflecting that our order book and deliveries could not meet our original outlook. The revised outlook now anticipates revenue of DKK 500-510 million (down from DKK 580-630 million) and EBITDA of DKK 0-10 million (reduced from DKK 45-60 million).

HIGHLIGHTS

Revenue in Q3 2023/24 reached DKK 142 million, which is higher than the communicated DKK 130 million, due to additional shipments end of Q3 instead of start Q4.





Q3 2023/24 shows increase in new orders compared to previous quarter, however still with short horizon and lower than anticipated.





EBITDA reached DKK 9 million for the quarter compared to DKK 1 million in Q2 2023/24.





Inventory decreased by DKK 9 million during Q3 2023/24.





Q3 2023/24 showed an increase in cash positions of DKK 13 million, including DKK 5 million spent on the share buyback programme.





OUTLOOK

On June 30, RTX announced an adjusted outlook, due to postponed orders and lower demand, in particular in the ProAudio segment, but also for one of our major customers in the Enterprise segment.

Revenue DKK 500 to 510 million (from DKK 580-630 million)

EBITDA DKK 0 to 10 million (from DKK 45-60 million)

EBIT DKK -40 to -30 million (from DKK 5-20 million)





RTX A/S

PETER THOSTRUP PETER RPKE

Chair President and CEO

Investor and analyst conference call

On Wednesday, 28 August 2024 at 13:30 CET, RTX will hold a conference call for investors and analysts hosted by Danske Bank.

To register for the conference call, please e-mail vonh@danskebank.dk.

Enquiries and further information:

CEO Peter Rpke, tel +45 96 32 23 00

CFO Mille Tram Lux, tel +45 96 32 23 00

RTXs homepage: www.rtx.dk

Attachment
Dublin, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Online Food Delivery & Takeaway Market by Food Price Range (High, Low, Mid), Food Type (Non-veg, Veg), Product Type, Distribution Channel, Application - Forecast 2024-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Online Food Delivery & Takeaway Market grew from USD 26.10 billion in 2023 to USD 28.55 billion in 2024. It is expected to continue growing at a CAGR of 9.46%, reaching USD 49.15 billion by 2030. This market operates through various business models, including traditional restaurants offering online ordering, third-party aggregators, and cloud kitchens.





The market caters to a broad range of customers seeking convenience, diverse cuisine options, and quick service. The market's growth is propelled by technological enhancements, shifting work-life dynamics, expanding internet penetration, and a richer mix of culinary offerings. It holds significant potential in embracing futuristic technologies, implementing subscription services, adopting green practices, and forming strategic alliances.

However, the market faces challenges, such as intense competition, operational bottlenecks, regulatory constraints, and the need for constant innovation to ensure customer commitment. Focal areas for business expansion and research include drone deliveries, AI analytics, wholesome menu options, and immersive ordering experiences, all geared towards improving customer satisfaction and streamlining service delivery.



Regional Insights



The online food delivery and takeaway market is substantially transforming as it adapts to the changing consumer lifestyles and preferences globally. The market is soaring in the Americas, with consumers demanding convenience alongside healthy and gourmet meals. Big industry players are strengthening their positions through mergers and acquisitions, while tech startups inject innovation with personalized AI-driven experiences and advancements like drone deliveries.

Contactless and subscription-based services are part of the evolving trends in line with consumer demands. Meanwhile, in Canada, the industry has mirrored resilience against the backdrop of the pandemic, with a noticeable shift towards supporting local platforms and embracing smart technology, improving customer experiences and addressing the call for sustainability. Moving over to the EU, a fragmented yet growing demand for quick and convenient services characterizes the market, where the rights of gig economy workers and sustainability measures, including electric vehicle deliveries, are shaping the industry.

Contrastingly, the Middle East is fueled by a young and tech-savvy demographic, propelling investments in mobile app development and luxury dining experiences, while Africa's market is burgeoning, bolstered by local innovators overcoming unique regional challenges. Asia Pacific is excelling, driven by immense markets such as China and India, where integration with social media and payment platforms and a mobile app usage surge influence the industry.

Recent Developments

Just Eat Takeaway.com to Trial New In-Car Food Ordering Service



Just Eat Takeaway.com, a provider of online food delivery and takeaway services, has announced plans to initiate an innovative in-car food ordering trial in Europe, slated to commence in the first half of 2024. This cutting-edge service aims to enhance customer convenience by integrating a seamless food ordering system within vehicles, allowing patrons to place orders directly from their cars' interfaces.



Aldi Launches Takeaway Pizza Delivery Service



Supermarket chain Aldi has strategically entered the competitive online food delivery market by unveiling its inaugural takeaway pizza delivery service. This initiative represents Aldi's adaptation to evolving consumer demands and harnesses the potential of the burgeoning online food ordering sector. By partnering with the delivery start-up Deliveroo, Aldi offers a selection of its most popular fresh pizzas directly to customers' doorsteps, thereby diversifying its business model beyond traditional in-store shopping experiences.



PizzaExpress Partners With Uber Eats to Launch New Delivery Platform



PizzaExpress announced a partnership with Uber Eats. to capitalize on the burgeoning online food delivery and takeaway market, which has seen significant growth in recent years. Through this alliance, PizzaExpress intends to offer its culinary specialties to a wider audience, leveraging Uber Eats's vast and efficient delivery network.

Key Attributes:

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 189 Forecast Period 2024 - 2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $28.55 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $49.15 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 9.4% Regions Covered Global



Market Insights

Market Segmentation Analysis

Food Type: Rising demand for veg and non-veg food on online food delivery applications

Distribution Channel: Expanding demand for online delivery in fast-food chain restaurants

Market Drivers

Increased Penetration of Internet and Smartphones

Convenience Provided by Food Ordering Platforms

Increasing Hectic Work Schedule and Congested Metropolitan Cities

Market Restraints

Inability to Keep up with Ordered Volume and Consistency of Food Delivery

Market Opportunities

Presence of Large and Well-Organized Food Service Sector

Continuous Innovation in the Food Ordering and Delivery Segment

Economic Growth and High Urbanization Rate with Higher Disposable Income

Market Challenges

Unavailability of Skilled Delivery and Logistics Staff

Industry Insights

Market Disruption Analysis

Porter's Five Forces Analysis

Value Chain & Critical Path Analysis

Pricing Analysis

Technology Analysis

Patent Analysis

Trade Analysis

Regulatory Framework Analysis

Key Company Profiles

Blue Apron, LLC

Deliveroo plc

Delivery Hero SE

Domino's Pizza, Inc.

DoorDash, Inc.

Grubhub Inc. by Just Eat Takeaway.com N.V.

Hellofresh SE

Instacart

Just Eat Takeaway

LimeTray

McDonald's Corporation

Meituan Waimai

Mobo Innovations Ltd.

Ola Foods by ANI Technologies Pvt. Ltd

Papa John's International, Inc.

Pizza Hut, LLC

Pop Meals

Rebel Foods Private Limited

Restaumatic

Roofoods Ltd

Swiggy by Bundl Technologies Private Limited

Tillster, Inc.

Uber Technologies, Inc.

Zomato Media Pvt. Ltd.

Market Segmentation & Coverage



Food Price Range

High

Low

Mid

Food Type

Non-veg

Veg

Product Type

Client App

Courier Side App

Restaurant Side App

Distribution Channel

Fast-Food Chain Restaurants

Independent Restaurants

Online Channels

Application

B2B

B2C

Region

Americas

Argentina

Brazil

Canada

Mexico

United States

California

Florida

Illinois

New York

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Texas

Asia-Pacific

Australia

China

India

Indonesia

Japan

Malaysia

Philippines

Singapore

South Korea

Taiwan

Thailand

Vietnam

Europe, Middle East & Africa

Denmark

Egypt

Finland

France

Germany

Israel

Italy

Netherlands

Nigeria

Norway

Poland

Qatar

Russia

Saudi Arabia

South Africa

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/hiooju

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Attachment
Dublin, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Cheese Powder Market by Product (American Cheese, Blue Cheese, Cheddar), Application (Bakery & Confectionery, Dressings & Spreads, Ready Meals & Dairy Food), End-User, Distribution Channel - Forecast 2024-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Cheese Powder Market size was estimated at USD 666.59 million in 2023, USD 736.45 million in 2024, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.57% to reach USD 1.34 billion by 2030.





It has wide applications in numerous food products, including snacks, bakery items, ready-to-eat meals, sauces & dips, dressings & seasonings, and confectionery. The increasing demand for convenience foods, the shift towards extended shelf life products, and growing awareness about health benefits associated with dairy product consumption increased the need for cheese powder.

Stringent government regulations regarding food safety and quality control measures and fluctuating prices of raw materials such as dairy ingredients affect production costs. Furthermore, the increasing development of organic and clean-label cheese powder products for enhanced nutritional value and the introduction of novel flavors and blends to appeal to various regional palates are estimated to generate lucrative opportunities for cheese powder market in the upcoming years.



Regional Insights



The American cheese powder market is driven by convenience, innovation, and the growing snack food industry. Consumers continue to seek out innovative flavors and demand healthier options, which has led to an increase in cheese-based product launches, such as alternative protein sources, low-fat alternatives, and functional snacks. Europe, the Middle East, and African countries have a long history of cheese production and consumption, creating a high presence of key players in the global cheese powder market.

EU countries are major producers of traditional cheeses for manufacturing premium cheese powders tailored to emerging consumer preferences. The APAC region, due to its large population and growing urbanization rates, represents a rise in convenience food consumption. Manufacturers in the APAC are also investing in research and development (R&D) efforts to create innovative cheese powder products tailored to specific regional preferences, further creating growth opportunities for the cheese powder market in the APAC.

Recent Developments

The Bel Group Partners with Climax Foods to Create Plant-based Cheese



The Bel Group partnered with biotech startup Climax Foods Inc. to develop plant-based cheese using data science and artificial intelligence (AI). Leveraging predictive analytics and AI technology, Climax Foods aims to create plant-based alternatives that closely mimic the texture, flavor, and nutritional density of animal-based products. The collaboration between Bel and Climax Foods represents a significant step toward meeting the growing demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly food options.



Britannia Industries And French Cheese Maker Bel Group's Joint Venture To Offer World-Class Cheese Products To Indian Consumers



Britannia Industries Ltd. and Bel, the French cheese maker, joined forces to establish a collaborative venture to provide a wide range of cheese products to Indian consumers. The joint venture, Britannia Bel Foods Private Limited, offers products featuring the co-branded trademarks Britannia and the Laughing Cow. This strategic partnership between Britannia and Bel Group focuses on expanding the rapidly growing cheese category by introducing innovative products.



Kraft Heinz to sell powdered cheese business to Kerry Group for USD 107.5M



Kraft Heinz has agreed to sell its business-to-business powdered cheese manufacturing business to Kerry Group for USD 107.5 million. As part of this acquisition, Kerry Group took over Kraft Heinz's powdered cheese manufacturing facility in Albany, Minnesota, ensuring a smooth transition. This strategic move is in line with Kraft Heinz's portfolio tailoring strategy, which aims to focus on core businesses while allowing Kerry Group to expand its ingredients offerings.

Key Attributes:

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 196 Forecast Period 2024 - 2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $736.45 Million Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $1347.13 Million Compound Annual Growth Rate 10.5% Regions Covered Global



Market Dynamics

Market Segmentation Analysis

Product: Wide use of mozzarella cheese powder in food manufacturing

Application: Extensive use of cheese powder in bakery and confectionery sector

End-User: Growing applications of cheese powder in the industrial sector for consistent product quality

Distribution Channel: Increasing penetration of cheese powder in convenience stores and supermarkets

Market Drivers

Rapid growth of the ready to eat meal and fast food industry

Increase in consumer spending and rapid urbanization leads to demand of convenience -based food

Innovative product offerings under cheese segment

Market Restraints

High cost associated with the product

Market Opportunities

Advancement in cheese manufacturing methods

Growing innovations in cheese blends and combination of natural flavours

Market Challenges

Increase obesity and heart disease incidences

Industry Insights

Market Disruption Analysis

Porter's Five Forces Analysis

Value Chain & Critical Path Analysis

Pricing Analysis

Technology Analysis

Patent Analysis

Trade Analysis

Regulatory Framework Analysis

Key Company Profiles

Aarkay Food Products Ltd.

All American Foods Inc.

Aum Agri Freeze Foods

Commercial Creamery Company

Dairy Farmers of America Inc.

Hoosier Hill Farm LLC by Saco Foods Holdings, LLC

Kanegrade Ltd.

Kerry Group P.L.C.

LAND O'LAKES, INC

Rogue Creamery

Saipro Biotech Private Limited

Southwest Cheese Company, LLC

Uhrenholt A/S

Market Segmentation & Coverage



Product

American Cheese

Blue Cheese

Cheddar

Mozzarella

Parmesan

Application

Bakery & Confectionery

Dressings & Spreads

Ready Meals & Dairy Food

Sauces, Dips & Condiments

Sweet & Savory Snacks

End-User

Household

Industrial

Distribution Channel

Retailers

Convenience stores

Dollar stores

Supermarkets

Wholesalers

Region

Americas

Argentina

Brazil

Canada

Mexico

United States

California

Florida

Illinois

New York

Ohio

Pennsylvania

Texas

Asia-Pacific

Australia

China

India

Indonesia

Japan

Malaysia

Philippines

Singapore

South Korea

Taiwan

Thailand

Vietnam

Europe, Middle East & Africa

Denmark

Egypt

Finland

France

Germany

Israel

Italy

Netherlands

Nigeria

Norway

Poland

Qatar

Russia

Saudi Arabia

South Africa

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/k2v06

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
Orlando, FL, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ashton Woods , the nations largest private homebuilder, announced today that it has promoted building-industry veteran Dan Fitzpatrick to Florida Regional President. Fitzpatrick, currently president of Ashton Woods Orlando Division, will now oversee operations across Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville and work with local leadership teams to drive the companys continued growth in the state of Florida.



Dans leadership experience in the homebuilding industry and his vast knowledge of the Florida market made him an obvious choice to lead the Orlando division when he assumed the role of Division President four years ago, said Ryan Lewis, COO of Ashton Woods. In his tenure with Ashton Woods, Dan has expanded the division footprint and built a substantial land pipeline to fuel future growth in the Florida market.

Ashton Woods has been a dominant presence in Florida for over 20 years, beginning in Orlando and expanding into Tampa, building under both the Ashton Woods and Starlight Homes brands. The company expects to hold a grand opening for its first Jacksonville community in 2025.

I am proud of all we have achieved in Orlando and honored to play a larger role in Ashton Woods success throughout Florida, said Fitzpatrick. From Ashton Woods focus on serving the design-forward buyer looking for thoughtfully curated designer touches to Starlight Homes mission to make the dream of home ownership a reality for first-time homebuyers, we have a great story to tell and a range of options to deliver on the needs of homebuyers across the Florida market.
TORONTO, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Purpose Investments Inc. (Purpose Investments) today announced a change to the risk rating of one of its funds effective immediately.



The change in risk rating is the result of the implementation of the standardized risk classification methodology pursuant to National Instrument 81-102  Investment Funds and is not the result of any change to the investment objectives, strategies or management of the fund.

Fund Current New Purpose Structured Equity Growth Fund Low to Medium Medium

Please consult your advisor and read the simplified prospectus or fund facts of the fund before investing.

About Purpose Investments Inc.

Purpose Investments is an asset management company with approximately $20 billion in assets under management. Purpose Investments has an unrelenting focus on client-centric innovation and offers a range of managed and quantitative investment products. Purpose Investments is led by well-known entrepreneur Som Seif and is a division of Purpose Unlimited, an independent technology-driven financial services company.

For further information, please contact:

Keera Hart

Keera.Hart@kaiserpartners.com

905-580-1257

Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees, and expenses may all be associated with investment fund investments. Please read the prospectus and other disclosure documents before investing. Investment funds are not guaranteed; their values change frequently, and past performance may not be repeated. There can be no assurance that the full amount of your investment in the fund will be returned to you. If the securities are purchased or sold on a stock exchange, you may pay more or receive less than the current net asset value. Investment funds are not guaranteed; their values change frequently, and past performance may not be repeated.
TORONTO, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Red Pine Exploration Inc. (TSXV: RPX, OTCQB: RDEXF) (Red Pine or the Company) announces an updated independent Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), inclusive of an open pit and underground Mineral Resource, prepared by WSP Canada Inc. (WSP) for the Companys 100% owned Wawa Gold Project in Ontario.

Highlights (Table 1 and Figures 1 to 2)

The updated MRE has added significantly to the previous 2019 MRE, with an Indicated Mineral Resource of 14.7 million ( M ) tonnes grading 1.8 grams per tonne gold ( g/t Au ) containing 842,000 ounces of gold and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 16.2 M tonnes grading 1.6 g/t Au containing 843,000 ounces of gold, inclusive of both open pit and underground: Open Pit: Indicated Mineral Resource of 14.3 M tonnes grading 1.7 g/t Au containing 794,000 ounces of gold for the Jubilee deposit; and Inferred Mineral Resource of 14.7 M tonnes grading 1.4 g/t Au containing 665,000 ounces of gold. Underground: Indicated Mineral Resource of 299,000 tonnes grading 5.0 g/t Au containing 48,000 ounces of gold (including the Jubilee and Minto deposits); and Inferred Mineral Resource of 1.5 M tonnes grading 3.8 g/t Au containing 179,000 ounces of gold.

) tonnes grading 1.8 grams per tonne gold ( ) containing 842,000 ounces of gold and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 16.2 M tonnes grading 1.6 g/t Au containing 843,000 ounces of gold, inclusive of both open pit and underground: The open pit Mineral Resource is constrained within a pit shell above a 0.40 g/t Au cut-off and the underground Mineral Resource is constrained above a 2.0 g/t Au cut-off for Jubilee and 2.4 g/t Au cut-off for Minto.

The deposit is highlighted by continuous gold mineralization starting from surface and extending up to 1,200 metres down dip thus providing optionality for potential future open pit and underground development scenarios: High-grade mineralization will be the focus of the near-term exploration program, specifically the down dip and down plunge extensions of the Jubilee and Minto deposits as part of an underground mining scenario. The updated MRE shows clear potential for expansion of lower grade mineralization located in the hanging wall of the Jubilee Shear and in the northern extension of the Jubilee Shear that would occur within an open pit scenario.

The updated MRE comprises a small portion of the Companys land holdings and there remain numerous historic zones and high priority targets elsewhere on the Wawa Gold Project property.

Michael Michaud, President and CEO of Red Pine commented: We are thrilled to see this increase of approximately 150% in total ounces of gold in the updated MRE. This significant increase validates the approximately 65,000 metres of strategic exploration drilling completed over the past several years. The updated MRE not only shows a material increase in the size of the deposit, but it also significantly increases our confidence in the data and the quality of the deposit and reinforces our vision for a potential high-quality open pit and sizeable higher-grade underground mine. This will provide optionality for any future potential development scenarios.

We believe the Mineral Resource we have defined today is just the beginning. The latest drill results not only highlight the potential of the Jubilee Shear to host significant gold mineralization over thick sections, but drilling has also confirmed that gold mineralization remains open laterally to the north, and both down dip and down plunge. Any future discoveries in these areas can add substantial value to the Wawa Gold Project, and as such, is a priority for near-term exploration drilling program.

There also remains numerous exploration targets across the Wawa Gold Project property that remain untested. We plan to include a portion of future drilling programs to test new targets with the intention of making new discoveries to further demonstrate the Wawa Gold Project propertys mineral wealth.

Mineral Resource Estimate

Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves, and do not demonstrate economic viability. There is no certainty that all, or any part, of this Mineral Resource will be converted into Mineral Reserve. Inferred Mineral Resources are considered too speculative geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as Mineral Reserves.

The updated MRE is set out in Table 1 below.





Notes:

1) The updated MRE described above has been prepared in accordance with the CIM Standards (Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum, 2014) and follows Best Practices outlined by the CIM (2019).

2) Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. There are no Mineral Reserves for the Wawa Gold Project.

3) The "qualified person" (for purposes of National Instrument 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101")) for the updated MRE is Brian Thomas, P.Geo., an employee of WSP and is "independent" of the Company within the meaning of Section 1.5 of NI 43-101.

4) The effective date of the updated MRE is August 28, 2024.

5) A minimum thickness of 3 metres was used when interpreting the mineralized bodies.

6) The updated MRE is based on sub-blocked models with a main block size of 3 metres x 3 metres x 3 metres.

7) The pit-constrained Mineral Resources are reported at a 0.40 g/t Au cut-off grade considering an Operating Expense (OPEX) of CDN $28.95 / tonne ($2.70/t mining, $19.00/t processing, $3.10/t G&A, $3.80/t transport to mill, $0.35/t rehabilitation)

8) The Jubilee underground constrained Mineral Resources are reported at a 2.00 g/t Au cut-off and a minimum of 2,000 tonnes of contiguous material contained within a 1.60 g/t envelope. The 2.0 g/t cut-off assumes underground long hole mining with an OPEX of CDN $146.65 / tonne ($90.00 mining, $37.50 milling, $15.00 G&A, $3.80/t transport to mill, $0.35/t rehabilitation).

9) The Minto underground constrained Mineral Resources are reported at a 2.40 g/t Au cut-off and a minimum of 2,000 tonnes of contiguous material contained within a 2. 00 g/t envelope. The 2.40 g/t Au cut-off grade assumes underground long hole mining with an OPEX of CDN $176.65 / tonne ($120.00 mining, $37.50 milling, $15.00 G&A, $3.80/t transport to mill, $0.35/t rehabilitation).

10) A bulk density factor of 2.77 tonnes per cubic m (t/m3) was applied for the MRE.

11) A gold price of $CDN2,632 (US$1,950) per ounce as used, and a USD/CDN exchange rate of 1.35.

12) Mill recovery of 90.3% was assumed.

13) Royalty of 2.5% (reduced from 3.5% assuming expected re-purchasing of 1.5% of NSR from previous joint venture partner for $CDN1.75 million and option to purchase an additional royalty of 0.5% by Franco-Nevada upon completion of feasibility study).

14) As required by reporting guidelines, rounding may result in apparent summation differences between tonnes, grade, and metal content.

Technical Discussion

The Wawa Gold Project hosts several gold-bearing structures that, combined, form the Wawa Gold Corridor, a structure that extends for more than 6 kilometres. Since the last MRE in 2019, more than 65,000 metres of drilling has been completed to test near surface mineralization and to better define and extend the higher-grade portions of the Jubilee and Minto deposits. There is now more than 283 km of drilling completed on the Wawa Gold Project that includes resource definition drilling and the limited drill testing of the other exploration targets that are not included in the updated MRE.

Red Pine completed comprehensive data analysis to build high quality lithology, alteration, and structural models which fed the Companys updated MRE domains and which will guide future exploration programs. The results support a robust open-pit and underground mine plan. The proportion of Indicated to Inferred Mineral Resources has increased substantially, as has our confidence in the data and updated MRE.

Future opportunities include additional metallurgical analysis to optimize mill recoveries as well as geotechnical analysis of core to determine the slope of the open pit walls to minimize waste development. Additional drilling has the potential to define near surface, lower-grade mineralization adjacent to, and in the hanging wall of, the Jubilee Shear to lower waste development in any open pit scenario.

Widely spaced gold intersections in both the Minto and Jubilee Shears, beyond the footprints of the updated MRE, indicate that the structures extend at depth and laterally, that they remain mineralized, and that additional drilling could further expand the Mineral Resource (Figures 1 and 2).

The Wawa Gold Corridor also includes many other gold-bearing structures and historic mines that remain under-explored, including Hornblende/IRG, Mackay Point Mine and northern extension of the Jubilee Shear, Parkhill-Van Sickle, Grace-Darwin, Copper-Ganley, Mariposa, etc. (Figure 3).

Conference Call

The Company will host a conference call at 10:00 a.m. E.T. on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, at which time Michael Michaud, President and Chief Executive Officer of Red Pine will present the findings set out in this press release.

The conference call can be accessed as follows:

Topic: Red Pine Exploration Webinar to Discuss Consolidated Mineral Resource

When: September 4, 2024 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83894001082?pwd=y4VFL6EwnK0VEGPexbXgGLnbXTVYKe.1

Passcode: 160005

Or One tap mobile :

+17193594580,,83894001082#,,,,*160005# US

+17207072699,,83894001082#,,,,*160005# US (Denver)



Or Telephone:

Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):

+1 719 359 4580 US

+1 720 707 2699 US (Denver)

+1 253 205 0468 US

+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)

+1 305 224 1968 US

+1 309 205 3325 US

+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

+1 360 209 5623 US

+1 386 347 5053 US

+1 507 473 4847 US

+1 564 217 2000 US

+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)

+1 646 931 3860 US

+1 669 444 9171 US

+1 689 278 1000 US



Webinar ID: 838 9400 1082

Passcode: 160005

International numbers available: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kejxkZ9fvj

Qualified Person

Brian Thomas, P.Geo. of WSP, is the qualified person, as defined by NI43-101, responsible for the preparation of the updated MRE. Jean-Francois Montreuil, P.Geo. Vice President, Exploration of Red Pine, also a qualified person, as defined by NI43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release.

About Red Pine Exploration Inc.

Red Pine Exploration Inc. is a gold exploration company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Company's shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "RPX" and on the OTCQB Markets under the symbol RDEXF.

The Wawa Gold Project is in the Michipicoten Greenstone Belt of Ontario, a region that has seen major investment by several producers in the last five years. Its land package hosts numerous historic gold mines and is over 7000 hectares in size. Red Pine is building a strong position as a mineral exploration and development player in the Michipicoten region.

For more information about the Company, visit www.redpineexp.com

Or contact:

Michael Michaud, President and CEO, at (416) 364-7024 or mmichaud@redpineexp.com

Or

Carrie Howes, Director Corporate Communications, at (416) 644-7375 or chowes@redpineexp.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 Information

This news release contains statements which constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company with respect to future business activities and operating performance.

Forward-looking information is often identified by the words may, would, could, should, will, intend, plan, anticipate, believe, estimate, expect or similar expressions. Forward-looking information contained in this news release includes, but may not be limited to, the deposit providing optionality for potential future open pit and underground development scenarios; high-grade mineralization being the focus of the near-term exploration program; the potential for expansion of lower grade mineralization that would occur within an open pit scenario; the Companys vision for a potential high-quality open pit and sizeable higher-grade underground mine that would provide optionality for any future potential development scenarios; future discoveries adding substantial value to the Wawa Gold Project; the Companys plan to include a portion of future drilling programs to test new targets with the intention of making new discoveries to further demonstrate the Wawa Gold Project propertys mineral wealth; future opportunities including additional metallurgical analysis to optimize mill recoveries as well as geotechnical analysis of core to determine the slope of the open pit walls to minimize waste development; the potential of additional drilling to define near surface, lower-grade mineralization adjacent to, and in the hanging wall of, the Jubilee Shear to lower waste development in any open pit scenario; and the potential of additional drilling further expanding the Mineral Resource.

Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflects managements expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Such opinions, assumptions and estimates are inherently subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information are: the Company's expectations in connection with the projects and exploration programs being met, the impact of general business and economic conditions, global liquidity and credit availability on the timing of cash flows and the values of assets and liabilities based on projected future conditions, fluctuating gold prices, currency exchange rates (such as the Canadian dollar versus the United States Dollar), variations in ore grade or recovery rates, changes in accounting policies, changes in the Company's mineral reserves and resources, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, changes in project development, construction, production and commissioning time frames, the possibility of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, higher prices for fuel, power, labour and other consumables contributing to higher costs and general risks of the mining industry, failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, unexpected changes in mine life, seasonality and weather, costs and timing of the development of new deposits, success of exploration activities, permitting time lines, government regulation of mining operations, environmental risks, unanticipated reclamation expenses, title disputes or claims, and limitations on insurance.

This information contained in this news release is qualified in its entirety by cautionary statements and risk factor disclosure contained in filings made by the Company, including the Companys financial statements and related MD&A for the year ended July 31, 2023, and the interim financial reports and related MD&A for the periods ended October 31, 2023, January 31, 2024 and April 30, 2024, filed with the securities regulatory authorities in certain provinces of Canada and available at www.sedar.com.

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law.

Figure 1: Longitudinal section (looking west) of the Jubilee Shear showing grade block model and open pit shell.





Figure 2: Vertical Cross section (looking north) of the Jubilee Shear showing grade block model and open pit shell.





Figure 3: Plan view of the property showing area of the Mineral Resource and other known gold zones.





A table accompanying this announcement is available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4f4efb53-c8e9-4557-92c2-f819e6735c69

Figures accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/249ea11f-d020-4911-bb40-dd89efbb720c

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3fc086d8-7561-481b-9a1b-a5f4e9af5508

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3c1c8074-4d19-46f7-8c51-ad48f3636b5b
Covina, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to Prophecy Market Insights, the global renewable energy storage market size and share value is projected to grow from USD 59.3 Billion in 2024 and is forecasted to reach USD 221.4 Billion by 2034, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.6% during the forecast period (2024 - 2034).

Renewable Energy Storage Market Report Overview

Renewable Energy Storage is a critical component of the global transition to sustainable energy systems. As the world increasingly relies on renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydroelectric power, the need for efficient and reliable energy storage solutions has become paramount.

These storage systems are designed to capture excess energy generated during peak production periods and release it when demand is high or when renewable sources are not generating power. This capability is essential for maintaining grid stability, ensuring a continuous power supply, and maximizing the use of renewable energy.

Download a Free Sample Research Report with Latest Industry Insights: https://www.prophecymarketinsights.com/market_insight/Insight/request-sample/5435

Our Free Sample Report includes:

Overview & introduction of market study

Revenue and CAGR of the market

Drivers & Restrains factors of the market

Major key players in the market

Regional analysis of the market with a detailed graph

Detailed segmentation in tabular form of market

Recent developments/news of the market

Opportunities & Challenges of the Market

Competitive Landscape:

The Renewable Energy Storage Market is characterized by rapid growth, technological innovation, and fierce competition. Companies are expanding their global presence, focusing on sustainability, and diversifying their service offerings to stay competitive.

Some of the Key Market Players:

General Electric

Delta Electronics, Inc.

Hitachi Ltd.

Siemens AG

Toshiba

Trina Solar

NextEra Energy Resources, LLC

EVLO Energy Storage Inc

ABB

HERO FUTURE ENERGIES

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Analyst View:

The target market growth is poised for substantial growth, driven by the increasing adoption of renewable energy sources and the urgent need to enhance grid reliability and resilience.

Market Dynamics:

Drivers:

Decentralization of Energy Systems

The demand for localized energy storage solutions has surged as more homes and businesses use distributed energy resources (DERs), such as small wind turbines and rooftop solar panels. By allowing users to store extra energy produced by their distributed energy resources (DERs) for future consumption, these storage systems improve energy resilience and independence.

Request for FLAT 30% Discount on this Report @ https://www.prophecymarketinsights.com/market_insight/Insight/request-discount/5435

Market Trends:

Hybrid Energy Storage Systems

The rise of hybrid energy storage systems, which integrate various storage technologies to maximize efficiency, is a noteworthy development in the renewable energy storage market. Lithium-ion batteries and flow batteries or supercapacitors, for instance, can be combined to balance the advantages and disadvantages of each technology and provide high power and long-duration energy storage.

Segmentation:

Renewable Energy Storage Market is segmented based on Source, Technology, Application, and Region.

Source Insights

This industry includes the following: Wind, Hydropower, Solar, and Bio Energy. The market growth for solar is anticipated to be dominant as solar energy has seen explosive growth globally, driven by declining costs of photovoltaic (PV) panels and an increasing emphasis on clean and sustainable energy sources.

Technology Insights

Battery energy storage is anticipated to boost the growth of the target market as battery energy storage systems are highly adaptable and can be used across a wide range of applications, from residential solar storage to large-scale grid stabilization projects.

Application Insights

Industrial is anticipated to boost the growth of the target market as this sector often operates with high energy demands, which makes it crucial to have efficient energy storage systems in place. These systems help manage energy loads, reduce peak demand charges, and ensure that renewable energy generated on-site or through power purchase agreements (PPAs) is utilized efficiently.

Request FREE Unlimited Customization on this Report @ https://www.prophecymarketinsights.com/market_insight/Insight/request-customization/5435

Recent Development:

In July 2024, India's largest tendor, SECI, is offering a 1,000MW/2,000MWh standalone BESS tender. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) with a 1,000MW/2,000MWh total output and capacity are up for bid from SECI. Through the tender, the state-owned company offers to sign Battery Energy Storage Purchase Agreement (BESPA) contracts, which is anticipated to be India's largest tender for standalone BESS resources. Electricity-buying organizations around the country have expressed interest in employing "on-demand" energy storage devices, according to SECI, to help them manage their energy use during peak and off-peak hours.

Regional Insights

North America: The United States and Canada are leading the way with substantial commitments to reduce carbon emissions and increase the share of renewable energy in their energy mix.

The United States and Canada are leading the way with substantial commitments to reduce carbon emissions and increase the share of renewable energy in their energy mix. Asia Pacific: The market in this region is characterized by a growing focus on cost-effective and scalable storage solutions, such as lithium-ion batteries and advanced flow batteries, to support the integration of renewable energy sources into the grid.

Browse Detail Report on "Renewable Energy Storage Market Size, Share, By Technology (Wind, Hydropower, Solar, Bio Energy), By Technology (Pumped Hydroelectric Storage, Battery Energy Storage, Flywheel Energy Storage, Compressed Air Energy Storage, Thermal Energy Storage, Hydrogen Energy Storage), By Application (Residential, Commercial, Industrial), and By Region - Trends, Analysis, and Forecast till 2034" with complete TOC @ https://www.prophecymarketinsights.com/market_insight/agricultural-nanotechnology-market-5534

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Prophecys expertise area covers products, services, latest trends, developments, market growth factors, and challenges along with market forecasts in various business areas such as Healthcare, Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, Information Technology (IT), Automotive, Industrial, Chemical, Agriculture, Food and Beverage, Energy, and Oil and Gas. We also offer various other services such as, data mining, information management, and revenue enhancement suggestions.

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Rosh Pina, Israel, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IR-MED Inc., (IR-MED or the Company) (OTCQB:IRME), developer of a noninvasive artificial intelligence (AI) driven spectrographic analysis technology platform to address significant healthcare needs, announced today that Mr. Ran Ziskind has joined the Company as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective September 1, 2024. Mr. Ronnie Klein, who had been serving as Interim CEO, continues to serve as the Companys Chief Technology Officer.



Mr. Ziskind is a highly experienced high-tech innovator and company leader with two decades of expertise in launching, developing, and expanding pioneering enterprises that were later acquired by leading firms in their fields. Throughout his career, Mr. Ziskind has been instrumental in the success of numerous companies playing a key role in every stage of the business value chain, from ideas, to IP portfolio management, to development, manufacturing, and commercialization of products that have become established industry standards.

Mr. Ziskind was co-founder and CEO of Galatea Ltd., a groundbreaking startup in diamond manufacturing from 2004 to 2023. Under his leadership, Galatea developed a pioneering electro-optics technology that became the industry gold standard, driving significant innovations in the field. His role encompassed a broad range of responsibilities, including spearheading research and development, managing intellectual property with a global patent portfolio, defining product specifications, and leading the company through challenging global conditions, including the 2007-2008 financial crisis, ultimately resulting in its acquisition by Sarin Technologies, the worlds leading company in the field. Prior to this, Mr. Ziskind was an engineer at Lithotech Ltd., where he contributed to the development of medical technologies, and at Eurika Ltd., where he worked on various engineering projects. Mr. Ziskind has dual degrees in mechanical engineering and management from Tzur University.

IR-MEDs platform technology is highly compelling for its potential to substantially improve healthcare outcomes through early, non-invasive detection of skin, tissue, and blood vessel related conditions. With the first product, PressureSafe, ready to launch and several other indications in the pipeline, IR-MED is well poised to rapidly capture market share and set new standards for detection and diagnosis. Im very excited to lead the company into its growth trajectory, Mr. Ziskind stated.

Executive Chairman of the Board, Oded Bashan, commented, We are very pleased to welcome Ran to IR-MED and are confident in his leadership abilities. His track record of advancing and successfully commercializing optics-based and medical technologies will be a great asset to IR-MED as we enter our commercial phase while continuing to innovate and build out our IP portfolio.

About IR-MED

IR-MED Inc., is developing a noninvasive spectrographic analysis technology platform, allowing healthcare professions to detect, measure and monitor, in real time, different molecules in the blood, in human tissue, and in body fluids without invasive procedures. PressureSafe, the first product planned to be launched, is a handheld optical monitoring device that is being developed to support early detection of pressure injuries (PI) to the skin and underlying tissue, regardless of skin tone as it calibrates personally to each patients skin.

IR-MEDs technology is being developed to allow accurate readings of biomarkers in a non-invasive method, that may provide caregivers the optimal decision support-system in cases where uncertainties disturb physicians in their decision processes.

IR-MED holds patents protecting its technology and innovations in the noninvasive tissue analysis, and in the modeling and analysis of subcutaneous tissue.

PressureSafe is currently undergoing usability studies at multiple medical centers.

Safe Harbor Statement / Forward-Looking Statements

Statements included in this press release, which are not historical in nature, are forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For example, IR-Med is using forward-looking statements when it discusses the Companys platform potential to substantially improve healthcare outcomes through early, non-invasive detection of skin, tissue, and blood vessel related conditions and its ability to rapidly capture market share and set new standards for detection and diagnosis. Statements relating to the future performance of IR-Med are subject to many factors including, but not limited to, the sufficiency or working capital and our ability to raise the capital needed to fund our development efforts, completion of the development and design of PressureSafe device, results of clinical/useability studies and trials, timing of product development, FDA approval/clearance of products in development, customer acceptance of our products in the market, the introduction of competitive products, the impact of any product liability or other adverse litigation, commercialization and technological difficulties, and the other risks identified in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K filed on March 29, 2023 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof, and we do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of future events, new information, or otherwise.

Contact:

Sharon Levkoviz, Chief Financial Officer

Tel: +972 (0) 4 6555054

Attachment
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A three-judge panel of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals just ruled that TikTok is not entitled to limitless, sweeping immunity under the terms of the highly controversial Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act. The ruling, and a stinging concurring opinion, was issued yesterday in the case of Estate of Nylah Anderson v. TikTok, Inc. et. al., Case No. 22-3061 (on appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in Case No. 2:22-cv-01849).



Ten-year-old Nylah Anderson, of suburban Philadelphia, died of asphyxiation at home December 12, 2021, while attempting the Blackout Challenge, which she had seen on her TikTok For You Page. Tawainna Anderson, Nylahs mother, represented by Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky, filed a lawsuit in 2022 to hold TikTok accountable for its dangerous actions that caused her daughters preventable death. TikTok defended the claims arguing that they were fully immune from the harm they caused pursuant to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Yesterday, the appellate court definitively ruled that TikTok was entitled to no such protections.

Ms. Andersons attorneys said the Third Circuits ruling confirms that the courthouse doors are open to Tawainna Anderson in her unwavering pursuit of justice on behalf of her late daughter.





Jeffrey Goodman, partner at Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky, who argued on behalf of the Anderson family in the Third Circuit, asserted, Big Tech just lost its get-out-of-jail-free card.

This ruling ensures that the powerful social media companies will have to play by the same rules as all other corporations, and when they indifferently cause harm to children, they will face their day in court.

In his concurring opinion, Judge Paul Matey stated, in part, Nylah, still in the first year of her adolescence, likely had no idea what she was doing or that following along with the images on her screen would kill her. But TikTok knew that Nylah would watch because the companys customized algorithm placed the videos on her For You Page.

The Anderson Family, while still grieving the loss of Nylah, welcomed the Courts ruling, stating through counsel, Nothing will bring back our beautiful baby girl. But we are comforted knowing that  by holding TikTok accountable - our tragedy may help other families avoid future, unimaginable suffering. Social Media companies must use their technology to prevent dangerous content from being consumed by young children; theyve got to stop exploiting children in the name of profit.

Samuel Dordick, partner at Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky, who worked alongside Mr. Goodman, added, For decades, Big Tech companies like TikTok have used Section 230 to protect them from accountability for their egregious and predatory conduct. This resounding ruling has decisively stated Section 230 does not extend that far.

NOTE: Any interview requests should be directed to Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky. The Courts Opinion, as well as the court papers can be found on the firms website: www.smbb.com.

Contacts:

Jeffrey P. Goodman / 215-840-6450 / jgoodman@smbb.com

Steph Rosenfeld / 215-514-4101 / steph@idadvisors.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a20d1cbc-2979-439a-9aa3-ce838e55a6b6
CHARLESTON, S.C., Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In collaboration with WASH AI, Global Water Center (GWC) is developing an artificial intelligence system that will support engineers and technicians in over 15 languages as they learn how to design, build, and maintain solar powered water systems for rural communities.

Partnering with WASH AI allows us to integrate Generative AI technology into our training platforms, enhancing our ability to support rural water professionals, to design, install and maintain e.g. solar powered water solutions, said Benjamin Filskov, GWCs Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives and Collective Impact.





Multilingual WhatsApp assistant

By utilizing cutting-edge techniques, GWC and WASH AI are working together to bring state-of-the-art, reliable, and technically accurate AI-assisted tools to the water sector. Olivier Mills, the founder of Baobab Tech and WASH AI stated, With GWC, we are applying the latest advancements in AI. Beyond your simple bot, we are innovating and building agentic AI systems that specialize in subject matter, enabling us to reach more practitioners in their own language and with varying levels of background knowledge.

Specifically, GWC will integrate Generative AI in the following areas across its learning and technical support services:

An AI-powered website assistant to support basic knowledge on various WASH topics

An AI-powered training assistant to help GWC scale and provide support to participants

A multilingual WhatsApp assistant that can answer technical questions about solar powered water systems

A training participant follow-up system to provide personalized engagement with WASH engineers and technicians to continue their learning journey.

With a shared vision of innovation and professionalization within the rural water sector, GWC and WASH AI are pioneers in employing specialized Large Language Models for technical support and training in the WASH sector.

Using AIs strengths, we provide contextualized technical support and learning at an unprecedented scale, making a significant impact on building knowledge and skills to address the global water crisis, Olivier said.

To learn more about Global Water Centers technical and learning services, go to https://globalwatercenter.org/learn-with-us/.

About Global Water Center

Global Water Center believes everyone deserves access to safely managed water. We provide education, innovation, and collaboration to equip leaders to solve the global water crisis together. As the go-to resource for the rural water sector, our safe water resources have reached people in 131 countries. In addition to education, we also use innovative technology to make water projects more effective and reliable. All of our efforts are rooted in collaboration with non-profits, governments, and other entities. Together, we are solving the global water crisis.

About WASH AI

WASH AI is an initiative born out of the challenges of the sector to provide effective data, information, knowledge, products, and services that truly meet the needs of Water, Sanitation & Hygiene practitioners locally, from CBOs, Governments, INGOs, and other private sector actors. WASH AI provides a suite of AI-powered systems that can be integrated with organizations' internal and external knowledge bases to provide multi-lingual, reliable information services to their clients.

Media Contact: Alyson Rockhold

Director of Global Engagement

Global Water Center

+1 346.273.9148 arockhold@globalwatercenter.org

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0e00612a-1e12-40a7-9379-bcb3b8b7dc3c
CHESAPEAKE, Va., Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Roc Solid Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides kids across the country who are fighting cancer with backyard playsets, will kick off their annual Play Defeats Cancer Tour September 11-13. The tour, which takes place during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, will complete an ambitious goal of gifting and building close to 80 playsets and playhouses to deserving families of pediatric cancer patients across the country. The goal of the tour, and the organization, is to build hope for families through play and to create some normalcy for families whose regular activities have been replaced with doctors appointments and treatments.

Roc Solid identified close to 80 families to receive either the Backyard Discovery Woodland Swing Set or the Timberlake Playhouse thanks to the leaders in outdoor play  Backyard Discovery. Each playset and playhouse will be built by a group of volunteers joining to rally the community around the families and provide them with an unforgettable day. People anywhere can also support the foundation by donating any amount at www.playdefeatscancer.org.

Eric Newman, the Founder and CEO of Roc Solid, is a pediatric cancer survivor himself and started the organization in 2009 to make a positive impact on kids fighting cancer and their families.

When a child is diagnosed with cancer, they usually cannot play in public spaces due to their compromised immune systems during treatment, said Newman. Backyard playsets not only provide kids with safe, germ-free places to play, but they also provide an escape from their harsh reality of fighting cancer. We are so excited for this years campaign where we have the lofty goal of impacting close to 80 families in just three days.

This years national tour is taking place during September which is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, one in 285 children will be diagnosed with cancer before their 20th birthday and every day, 42 families learn their child has cancer. Roc Solid Foundation hopes to one day reach every child diagnosed.

We are so grateful to the sponsors and volunteers who help make this program possible year after year, said Newman. The impact we are able to make by building playsets for children fighting cancer is only because of the donations we receive throughout the year and the communities that rally around our families with support.

In addition to building playsets, Roc Solid Foundation also offers hospital Ready Bags to families of pediatric cancer patients. Ready Bags are distributed through partnerships with more than 160 childrens hospitals throughout the country. They include everything that a family might need for their unexpected hospital stay including toiletries, a blanket, a journal, a tablet and more. Roc Solid plans to distribute at least 5,000 Ready Bags in 2024.

This years Play Defeats Cancer Tour is being made possible by sponsors including Amazon, Backyard Discovery, Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, Shady Rays, Hunt Brothers Pizza and Manganaro Building Group. For more information on the Play Defeats Cancer Tour please visit www.playdefeatscancer.org. For information on how to get involved or support Roc Solid Foundation, please visit www.rocsolidfoundation.org or follow them on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and on Linkedin.

About Roc Solid Foundation

Roc Solid Foundation builds hope for kids fighting cancer nationwide through the power of play. The organization distributes Ready Bags to families just after they hear the devastating news that their child has cancer, and also provides backyard playsets to kids during treatment. They currently have partnerships with more than 160 children's hospitals and have provided playsets to kids fighting cancer in almost every state across the U.S. For more info, visit www.rocsolidfoundation.org.

Contact:

Jennifer Podkasik

Arrowhead Communications

630.347.9338

jen@arrowheadcommunications.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/512def30-3dbc-44d1-962a-0b7da0153b17
GREENWOOD, S.C., Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recommended that all new school buses be equipped with Automatic Fire Suppression Systems (AFSS) in their engine compartments. This recommendation was sent to school bus manufacturers and state governors. The increasing number of school bus fires making headlines nationwide emphasizes this urgent need almost daily.



Firegator Logo

Children's safety is paramount, and the recent spate of bus fires highlights the critical need for improved safety measures. While Hawaii has joined Georgia in requiring AFSS on special needs buses, the majority of states have yet to take any action. The NTSB's recommendation is a crucial step forward in ensuring that all children are protected on their way to and from school.

One of the largest school bus manufacturers in the country has recently announced that it will begin installing seatbelts as a standard feature on all new buses. Seat belts, while life-saving, also require additional evacuation time during emergencies. When a fire or smoke is present, panic can set in, making rapid evacuation even more challenging.

In the past, states and school districts have cited various reasons for not installing these life-saving fire safety systems. However, with the NTSBs clear guidance and the proven effectiveness of AFSS, the time for inaction has passed. FireGator, a leading provider of fire suppression technology, has been at the forefront of advocating for the adoption of AFSS in school buses. The companys relentless efforts have made it clear that there is no longer any valid reason for manufacturers and school districts to deny children the protection they deserve.

This is a call for all parents, educators, and concerned citizens to take action. Reach out to your states governor, school board members, and district superintendent to demand that these vital systems be installed on all school buses. Children's safety is a non-negotiable priority, and its time for leaders on both sides of the political aisle to come together in support of this crucial cause.

For more information, visit www.fire-gator.com .

Media Contact:

Brian T. Lyons

FireGator LLC

blyons@fire-gator.com

864.992.1123

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6622310e-aed6-495b-8a2d-f173865004ff
A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PRSA Silicon Valley , a community-driven organization focused on empowering communications professionals in Silicon Valley, has awarded four Bay Area undergraduate students $2,500 each in funding to support their education. For the past four years, the Chapter has awarded financial support to diverse students making an impact in the communications field, furthering the Chapters commitment to closing the gap between talent and opportunity and nurturing a more diverse workforce

The Chapter recognized Lamiya Cotton, University of San Francisco; Sneha Maiti, San Jose State University; Kylie Silvia, California State University, Monterey Bay; and Denae Rivera, Santa Clara University.

Meghan Fintland, president of PRSA Silicon Valley and head of global PR at Rubrik, said, By empowering these students, PRSA Silicon Valley is not just building a new workforce, but a workforce that truly understands the value of diverse minds, experiences, and cultures. I look forward to watching these individuals' career stories and their positive impact on our industry.

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) is not a nice-to-have , it is a critical component of a successful and growing company. Recent research emphasizes a timeless truth  that teams must mirror the societal diversity of the audiences they are working to impact. Therefore, marketing communications teams  and leaders  must empathize and relate to their audiences in order to have the best creativity and engagement with them. In a 2021 Deloitte survey , young respondents aged 18 to 25 years old took greater notice of inclusive advertising when making purchase decisions. And 57% of consumers are more loyal to brands that commit to addressing social inequities in their actions.

Most importantly, the research found that high-growth brands (defined as those with annual revenue growth of 10% or more) are more frequently establishing key performance metrics for DE&I objectives than their lower-growth competitors. Diversity matters. PRSA Silicon Valley has and will continue to invest in up-and-coming professionals from backgrounds and experiences previously overlooked, in its mission to foster growth, innovation and creativity in the field of communications.

Below are quotes from the 2024 Diversity and Multicultural Scholarship winners:

Public relations professionals have the responsibility of addressing inequalities and continuously supporting inclusivity in their practices, said Lamiya Cotton. When people can come together and work on problems with their diverse sets of knowledge, backgrounds, and experiences, it allows for everyone in the industry to be aware of how important it is to address all groups of people.

Diversity is not just a buzzword but an imperative aspect of the job, said Denae Rivera. As the world evolves, the industry must adapt and leverage the power of diversity to remain relevant and successful in the years to come.

I live in one of the most diverse areas in our nation. Promoting inclusion, respect, and understanding across different cultural and gender groups is of the utmost importance to me in my community, within my home, and in the classroom with my fellow classmates and professors, said Kylie Silvia. Integrating diversity in everyday communications practices takes everyone to make the broadest impact, but it starts with me!

Diversity in the communications sector has ethical implications in addition to strategic ones, said Sneha Maiti. Public opinion and societal views are greatly influenced by the communications sector. It is our duty to see to it that this power is used to advance social justice, inclusion, and representation.

Thank you also to our judges for this years decisions:

Jazmin Eusebio, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Program Manager & Public Relations Manager, Highwire

Alannah McDermott, Account Supervisor, ICR Lumina and DEI & Mentorship Co-Lead, PRSA Silicon Valley

Rochelle Nadhiri, Communications Executive

Deidre Wright, Public Relations Director at Airship and Communications & Consultant at Strategic Stories

Recent DEI Initiatives

This year, PRSA Silicon Valley launched a Share the Love Matching Campaign to double the impact, matching donations to the fund up to $5,000. And in December 2023, PRSA Silicon Valley donated 100% of the proceeds from the Chapters annual Media Predicts event to the Diversity and Multicultural scholarship, resulting in a direct increase in funding for each of the above students. The ability to expand the reach and financial support is due largely because of the generosity of Media Predicts sponsors and attendees.

To learn more about the upcoming Media Predicts event on December 10, 2024, at the Hiller Aviation Museum, and how you can partner with the Chapter to invest in next years scholarship program and boost awareness of your agency or business, visit here .

To learn more about the scholarship and PRSA Silicon Valleys commitment to DE&I, visit here .

Make sure to follow PRSA Silicon Valley on LinkedIn , X , Facebook and Instagram for the latest news and updates.

About PRSA Silicon Valley

PRSA Silicon Valley is a community-driven organization focused on empowering communications professionals looking to cultivate their best careers. A regional chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, PRSA Silicon Valley is part of a national network of more than 20,000 communication professionals focused on connecting and supporting individuals at all stages of their careers. PRSA Silicon Valleys newly renewed 2023 mission focuses on DE&I, mentorship, and networking. Membership is open year-round. To join PRSA Silicon Valley, visit this link .

The photos are the property of their respective owners, the students in each of them.

Contact

Michelle McIntyre, VP of Marketing

PRSA Silicon Valley

michelle@michellemcintyrecommunications.com
NEWARK, Del, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global automotive cylinder liner market size is projected to reach USD 5,182.9 million in 2024. It is predicted to rise at a CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period to reach a value of USD 9,884.3 million by 2034.



The global automotive cylinder liner market is witnessing steady growth, driven by the ongoing demand for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, especially in emerging markets. Cylinder liners, also known as cylinder sleeves, are critical components in engine design, providing a protective barrier between the piston and the engine block, reducing friction, and ensuring efficient engine performance. Despite the gradual shift towards electric vehicles (EVs), the automotive cylinder liner market remains robust, supported by the continued production of ICE vehicles and the aftermarket demand for replacement parts.

The market is also influenced by advancements in manufacturing technologies, such as the development of high-performance materials and coatings that enhance the durability and efficiency of cylinder liners. These innovations are crucial as automakers seek to comply with increasingly stringent emission norms and fuel efficiency standards. The rising popularity of lightweight and high-performance engines, particularly in passenger cars and commercial vehicles, is further boosting the demand for advanced cylinder liners.

Geographically, the market is witnessing significant growth in Asia-Pacific, particularly in countries like China and India, where the automotive industry is expanding rapidly. The region's strong demand for both new vehicles and aftermarket services is driving the need for high-quality cylinder liners. Additionally, the presence of major automotive manufacturers and a well-established supply chain in this region are contributing to the market's expansion.

Drivers and Opportunities:

The primary driver of the automotive cylinder liner market is the sustained demand for internal combustion engine vehicles, especially in regions where the transition to electric vehicles is gradual. The growing automotive production in emerging markets, coupled with the increasing vehicle fleet size, is creating a substantial demand for cylinder liners.

Technological advancements in engine design and materials science are presenting new opportunities for market growth. The development of lightweight, wear-resistant, and thermally efficient cylinder liners is enabling automakers to produce more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly engines. Additionally, the adoption of advanced manufacturing processes, such as centrifugal casting and plasma spraying, is enhancing the quality and performance of cylinder liners.

The aftermarket segment offers significant growth potential, as the need for engine repairs and replacements continues to drive demand for cylinder liners. The increasing average age of vehicles, particularly in developed regions, is leading to higher maintenance and replacement activities, further supporting market growth. Moreover, the trend towards engine downsizing, which requires high-performance cylinder liners to maintain engine efficiency, is expected to create additional opportunities for market players.

The Automotive Cylinder Liner Market is poised for significant growth as the demand for durable and efficient engine components continues to rise. With advancements in engine technology and stricter emission regulations, high-quality cylinder liners are becoming essential for enhancing engine performance and longevity. - says Nikhil Kaitwade, Associate Vice President at Future Market Insights (FMI).

Full Market Assessment: Comprehensive Report! https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/automotive-cylinder-liner-market

Key Takeaways from the Market Study:

The global automotive cylinder liner market is growing steadily, driven by the ongoing demand for internal combustion engine vehicles and aftermarket services.

Advancements in materials and manufacturing technologies are enhancing the performance and durability of cylinder liners, supporting market growth.

Asia-Pacific is the leading region in the market, with significant contributions from China and India due to their expanding automotive industries.

The trend towards lightweight and high-performance engines is increasing the demand for advanced cylinder liners.

The aftermarket segment presents significant growth opportunities, driven by the need for engine repairs and replacements in an aging vehicle fleet.



Company Overview:



Several key players dominate the global automotive cylinder liner market, including companies like MAHLE GmbH, Federal-Mogul LLC (Tenneco Inc.), ZYNP Corporation, TPR Co., Ltd., and Darton International, Inc. These companies are known for their extensive product portfolios, which cater to a wide range of vehicles, from passenger cars to heavy-duty commercial vehicles. They are also recognized for their focus on innovation, continuously developing new materials and manufacturing processes to improve the performance and efficiency of their products.

These companies are expanding their global footprint by establishing manufacturing facilities and distribution networks in key automotive markets, particularly in Asia-Pacific. They are also investing in research and development to stay ahead of industry trends, such as the shift towards lightweight and environmentally friendly engine components. Collaboration with automakers and OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) to develop customized solutions is another key strategy employed by these market leaders.

Recent Developments:

MAHLE GmbH recently launched a new series of lightweight cylinder liners made from a proprietary alloy that offers enhanced wear resistance and thermal conductivity, targeting high-performance engines in passenger cars and commercial vehicles.

recently launched a new series of lightweight cylinder liners made from a proprietary alloy that offers enhanced wear resistance and thermal conductivity, targeting high-performance engines in passenger cars and commercial vehicles. Federal-Mogul LLC (Tenneco Inc.) announced the expansion of its manufacturing facility in China to increase production capacity and meet the growing demand for cylinder liners in the Asia-Pacific region.

announced the expansion of its manufacturing facility in China to increase production capacity and meet the growing demand for cylinder liners in the Asia-Pacific region. ZYNP Corporation introduced a new line of eco-friendly cylinder liners with reduced carbon emissions, aligning with global sustainability initiatives and stricter emission norms.

introduced a new line of eco-friendly cylinder liners with reduced carbon emissions, aligning with global sustainability initiatives and stricter emission norms. TPR Co., Ltd. has been focusing on the development of high-precision, plasma-sprayed cylinder liners that offer superior durability and efficiency, catering to the needs of modern, downsized engines.

has been focusing on the development of high-precision, plasma-sprayed cylinder liners that offer superior durability and efficiency, catering to the needs of modern, downsized engines. Darton International, Inc. has strengthened its aftermarket presence by launching an online platform for direct sales of high-performance cylinder liners, targeting automotive enthusiasts and professional engine builders.



Key Segmentations of Market Report

By Liner Type:

In terms of liner type, the industry is segregated into dry liners and wet liners.

By Material Type:

Cast iron, aluminum alloy, steel, and titanium alloy are the material types.

By Vehicle Type:

Light-duty vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles are the two vehicle types.

By Application:

Automotive cylinder liners have applications in diesel engines and gasoline engines.

By Region:

The sector is spread across North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, East Asia, South Asia and Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa.

Authored By:

Nikhil Kaitwade (Associate Vice President at Future Market Insights, Inc.) has over a decade of experience in market research and business consulting. He has successfully delivered 1500+ client assignments, predominantly in Automotive, Chemicals, Industrial Equipment, Oil & Gas, and Service industries.

His core competency circles around developing research methodology, creating a unique analysis framework, statistical data models for pricing analysis, competition mapping, and market feasibility analysis. His expertise also extends wide and beyond analysis, advising clients on identifying growth potential in established and niche market segments, investment/divestment decisions, and market entry decision-making.

Nikhil holds an MBA degree in Marketing and IT and a Graduate in Mechanical Engineering. Nikhil has authored several publications and quoted in journals like EMS Now, EPR Magazine, and EE Times.

Have a Look at Related Research Reports on Automotive

The lightweight automotive body panels market size is projected to be valued at USD 122,054.9 million in 2023 and is expected to rise to USD 191,369.2 million by 2033.

The global Automotive Cast Iron Cylinder market was valued at around USD 5.9 Billion in 2021. With a projected CAGR of 5.6% for the next ten years.

By end of the 2033, the Automotive Gas Cylinder Market is estimated to be worth USD 2.4 Billion. Automotive Gas cylinders are used for gas storage purposes under desired pressure conditions.

The global automotive clutch slave cylinder market totaled USD 1.4 Billion in 2021. The demand for automotive clutch slave cylinders is estimated to reach USD 1.5 Billion in 2022.

The demand for automotive interior leather is extensively increasing due to rising demand for vehicles with premium interior looks and flexibility among consumers in Korea.

The demand for automotive interior leather in Japan is worth USD 3,020.5 million in 2023 and is expected to be valued at USD 4,198.4 million by 2033.

The automotive wiring harness market is expected to grow at a considerable CAGR of 8% through 2033. The market is expected to hit a valuation of USD 119.31 billion by 2033.

The global automotive turbocharger market size, as reported by Future Market Insights (FMI), reached USD 12.5 billion in 2018.

The global automotive active safety system market size is anticipated to reach USD 45.69 billion by 2034.

The automotive wheel bearing aftermarket is projected to be valued at USD 1,446.20 million in 2023. The market research report anticipates a growth of USD 2,147.80 million by 2033.

About Future Market Insights (FMI)

Future Market Insights, Inc. (ESOMAR certified, recipient of the Stevie Award, and a member of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce) offers profound insights into the driving factors that are boosting demand in the market. FMI stands as the leading global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, consulting, and events for the Packaging, Food and Beverage, Consumer Technology, Healthcare, Industrial, and Chemicals markets. With a vast team of 400 analysts worldwide, FMI provides global, regional, and local expertise on diverse domains and industry trends across more than 110 countries.

Join us as we commemorate 10 years of delivering trusted market insights. Reflecting on a decade of achievements, we continue to lead with integrity, innovation, and expertise.

Contact Us:
TRAVERSE CITY, MI, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With a solid business development background in technology, professional services, software sales, and consulting services, David Rozanski will now apply his deep industry experience to take client sales to the next level as a Fractional CSO for Chief Outsiders. Recently, Rozanski joined Chief Outsiders team of more than 120 Fractional Chief Sales Officers (CSOs) and Fractional Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs).

David is an exceptionally proactive leader who is skilled at managing others effectively to produce outstanding results, said Slade Kobran, Midwest Region Managing Partner, Chief Outsiders. Were excited to add his professional services and technology industry experience to our team of battle-tested fractional sales executives.

Highly skilled at building organizations from the ground up into industry leaders, Rozanski turns around under-performing teams to propel sales revenues and spearheads new product development and launches while focusing on Fortune 500 accounts. A proactive leader and change agent, he brings a high level of enthusiasm and passion for driving strategic growth.

Professional Services and Technology Industry Sales Leadership

At Chief Outsiders, Rozanski works with CEOs of early-stage and mid-market Professional Services and Technology companies to make big things happen. Before joining Chief Outsiders, he was Vice President of Sales for Konica Minolta, where he launched a Professional Services Sales organization, delivering $60 million in revenue and a 40% margin business. In addition, he launched a national video security practice, which drove $5 million in revenue in the first year.

Before his 12 years at Konica Minolta, he secured multiple contracts with Fortune 500 and Public Sector accounts as a Professional Services Engagement Manager for Dell Inc. As Director of Corporate Programs at Quicken Loans, he built a new line of business focused on Fortune 1000 accounts, which delivered $190 million in new revenue.

Rozanski also exceeded revenue objectives and led his team in securing multiple projects with several large retail accounts as Vice President of Sales for CrossCom National. Prior to his successful sales leadership career, he earned a BSBA from Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, with a Major in Marketing and a Minor in Communications.

About Chief Outsiders

Chief Outsiders, the nations leading Executives-as-a-Service firm, helps CEOs identify and deploy the fractional marketing and sales executives they need to accelerate growth. The firms cohesive team of more than 120 fractional executives act as Strategic Operators to achieve results. They blend insight, strategy, and execution to deliver revenue engines that drive long-term profitable growth for businesses.

Chief Outsiders fractional executives drive growth strategy and execution plans by offering instant access to talent with highly customized and flexible engagements. Having served on the executive teams of more than 2,000 client companies, each Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Sales Officer has led marketing or sales at a diverse set of large corporations, including many Fortune 500 firms. Inc. Magazine has recognized Chief Outsiders for ten consecutive years as one of the 5,000 fastest growing privately held companies in the US. The company was also recognized as a Forbes Small Giant in 2019.

The Growth Gears: Using a Market-Based Framework to Drive Business Success, is an Amazon #1 best-seller for business owners and CEOs co-authored by Chief Outsiders CEO Art Saxby and Principal Pete Hayes. For additional information about the companies and CEOs who trust Chief Outsiders as their premier source for business growth acceleration, visit us at www.chiefoutsiders.com.

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Washington, D.C., Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On September 25, the Prevent Cancer Foundation will hold its 30th Annual Gala to support cancer prevention and early detection programs. Over the last three decades, funding from this Gala has led to breakthroughs in cancer research and innovative technologies, including the development of new screening methods and early detection tools that have significantly improved patient outcomes. The Gala has also funded public education campaigns that have educated millions about the importance of cancer prevention and early detection.

The 2024 Gala event will pay tribute to the United Kingdom, honoring The British Ambassador, Her Excellency Dame Karen Pierce DCMG and Sir Charles Roxburgh KCB. With every Gala since 1994, the Foundation has honored a country that shares its commitment to ending cancerpast honorees include South Korea, Australia and, most recently, Jordan. This years event, themed, An Indispensable Friendship, will feature an evening of lively music and inspiring personal stories while highlighting some of the United Kingdoms special splendor.

The 2023 Gala raised over $2 million for cancer prevention and early detection efforts, and this years event is on track to surpass that number. Proceeds from the Gala support the Foundations programs, including research grants and fellowships and community grants. Funds will also support the Foundations public education campaigns, including Early Detection = Better Outcomes, launched in 2023 to educate U.S. adults on the routine cancer screenings they need and encourage them to schedule appointments, and Too Young for This Sh*t, which increases awareness of the alarming rise of colorectal cancer in young adults.

Continuing with tradition, the Foundation will present the annual Cancer Champion awards. The Prevent Cancer Foundation will recognize Senator Thom Tillis and Representative Anna Eshoo for their significant contributions to increasing access to prevention and early detection services.

Sen. Tillis, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2021, has been open about his own cancer journey to raise awareness about the importance of prioritizing routine screenings. He successfully passed an amendment to expand veterans access to breast cancer screenings and is a supporter of multi-cancer early detection technology, evidenced by his co-sponsorship of the Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act.

Alongside Sen. Tillis, Rep. Eshoo is a co-sponsor of the bipartisan Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act. She has also provided instrumental leadership on the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act, Reconstructive Breast Surgery Benefits Act, Breast Cancer and Cervical Treatment Act and Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act. Rep. Eshoo is a member of the Congressional Caucus on the Deadliest Cancers, working on behalf of cancer patients and their families to raise awareness about the deadliest forms of cancer (defined as those with a five-year survival rate below 50%).

The Prevent Cancer Gala is recognized as one of Washingtons premier events and is ranked among top Washington charity events, attracting more than 1,000 guests, including members of Congress and the administration; the diplomatic community; and leaders in business, government, medical, sports, media, social and philanthropic communities.

D.C. media is invited to attend and report on the Gala:

What: Prevent Cancer Annual Gala

When: Wednesday, September 25

Where: National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001

Dress: Business or formal attire

If you plan to attend, please RSVP to kyra.meister@preventcancer.org by Monday, September 23. Please note that members of the press will not be seated for dinner.

A silent auction benefitting cancer research fellowships and community outreach will be held the evening of the event. Bids can be placed online beginning Wednesday, September 11. Learn more about the Prevent Cancer Annual Gala.

The 2024 Prevent Cancer Gala thanks its top sponsors:

Presenting Sponsor:

Exact Sciences

Emerald Sponsor:

Gilead

Diamond Sponsors:

Amgen

Community Oncology Alliance

Daiichi-Sankyo

Grail

Johnson & Johnson

Merck

Midtown Group

Pfizer

Shure Family Charitable Foundation

Walmart

Platinum Sponsors:

Cencora

Pharmacosmos Therapeutics

PhRMA

###

About the Prevent Cancer Foundation

The Prevent Cancer Foundation is the only U.S.-based nonprofit organization solely dedicated to cancer prevention and early detection. Through research, education, outreach and advocacy, we have helped countless people avoid a cancer diagnosis or detect their cancer early enough to be successfully treated. We are driven by a vision of a world where cancer is preventable, detectable and beatable for all.

The Foundation is rising to meet the challenge of reducing cancer deaths by 40% by 2035. To achieve this, we are committed to investing $20 million for innovative technologies to detect cancer early and advance multi-cancer screening, $10 million to expand cancer screening and vaccination access to medically underserved communities, and $10 million to educate the public about screening and vaccination options.

For more information, please visit www.preventcancer.org.

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Atlanta, GA., Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (The King Center) announced it will host its annual Beloved Community International Expo on September 7th, 2024, from 11am to 5:30 PM ET. This is a free event for the whole family with over 30 booths representing different countries throughout the world! This years Expo, presented in collaboration with the Martin Luther King Jr., National Historic Park and the Atlanta Consular Corps will take place in-person on The King Centers Campus and portions of Auburn Ave. between Jackson Street and Boulevard.

This years Expo celebrates global culture by showcasing live new performances from more than six different countries, international food trucks, music, dance, a youth village, contests, and unique creative works from societies around the world!

Since 2018, the Expo has served as an all-encompassing experience for global citizens to unite in celebration of Dr. Kings love-centered vision of the Beloved Community, where peace and harmony for all cultures can be achieved through Nonviolence.

We are excited to host our annual Beloved Community International Expo. Each year we are able to open up our campus to provide the community with a space where they are able to expand their world view and develop a deeper appreciation for the interrelatedness of humanity by exposing people to many of the diverse nationalities, ethnicities, and cultures in our World House. This exposure equips and empowers people to understand, value, and respect others who may not look, think or speak like them. At The King Center, we will continue our mission to create safe spaces where love prevails, and injustices cease to exist. I truly believe this Mission is Possible! said Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO of The King Center and daughter of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Mrs. Coretta Scott King.

Join us on September 10th, from 11:00AM to 5:30 PM for an experience you and your family will not forget!

A special thank you to our partners, sponsors, and food vendors!

Food Vendors: Negril Restaurant, Pelicans Snowball, Taco Supreme

Partners and Services: Atlanta Consular Corps, Atlanta Greater Urban League, Atlanta Mayor's Office of International Affairs, GA Coalition for the People's Agenda, Georgia Chalk Artist Guild, Latino American, Martin Luther King Jr., National Historic Park National Center for Civil Human Rights

Sponsors: Atlanta Dream, Fulton County Arts and Cultures, Orange Barrell Media

About The King Center

The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (The King Center) is a 501(c) (3) organization established in 1968 by Mrs. Coretta Scott King. The King Center is the official living memorial and programmatic nonprofit organization committed to educating the world on the life, legacy, and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The King Center serves to inspire new generations to carry forward his unfinished work, strengthen causes and empower change-makers who are continuing his efforts today. The King Centers premiere educational initiative, Nonviolence365, is based on Dr. Kings nonviolent philosophy and methodology. His teachings engage participants from various sectors of society, including emerging and next generation leaders, in modules and exercises that enhance communication, leadership, interpersonal and conflict reconciliation skills.

For more information, please visit www.thekingcenter.org.

###

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NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HII (NYSE: HII) hosted Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su and Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro today at the companys Newport News Shipbuilding division where they recognized the efforts of the Hampton Roads Workforce Council (HRWC).



Su and Del Toro were joined by Rep. Robert C. Bobby Scott, D-Va., and Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones for an event at HIIs Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School focused on workforce development and national security.

We can and should be building the ships that make us secure, make us strong, right here in the United States, right here in Newport News, because we have the talented people to do it, Su said.

Wednesdays tour highlighted how The Apprentice School is vital to the construction of the most technologically advanced U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and submarines at NNS. The Department of Labor presented $6 million in Apprenticeship Building America grants to HRWC during the event. The grants will enhance the pathways for employment in the Hampton Roads region, connecting people to jobs. HRWC runs the Hampton Roads Regional Workforce Training System, of which NNS is a member.





Photos accompanying this release are available at: https://hii.com/news/secretary-of-the-navy-secretary-of-labor-visit-hii.

We have forged partnerships with workforce and economic development stakeholders, business and industry leaders, education and training providers, and community-based organizations, with the shared opportunity of investing in human infrastructure, strengthening our workforce development system and promoting the good jobs principle, said Shawn Avery, Hampton Roads Workforce Council president and CEO. Its a holistic approach that we are putting together in Hampton Roads to ensure we are meeting the needs of businesses and industry.

The Apprentice School is part of our nations opportunity infrastructure, Su said. Its a part of the opportunity infrastructure right here in this community too. What it does is it creates a debt-free pathway for individuals with hunger and with drive to get a good job right here in their community.

Funded by HII to train and develop the next generation of shipbuilders, The Apprentice School offers four- to eight-year, tuition-free apprenticeships in 19 trades and eight optional advanced programs.

Accredited by the Council for Occupational Education, The Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School is certified to offer associates degrees of applied science in maritime technology in 26 educational programs. Through partnerships with Virginia Peninsula Community College, Tidewater Community College and Old Dominion University, the Apprentice Schools academic program provides the opportunity to earn associate degrees in business administration, engineering and engineering technology and bachelors degrees in mechanical or electrical engineering.

About HII

HII is a global, all-domain defense provider. HIIs mission is to deliver the worlds most powerful ships and all-domain solutions in service of the nation, creating the advantage for our customers to protect peace and freedom around the world.

As the nations largest military shipbuilder, and with a more than 135-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities extending from ships to unmanned systems, cyber, ISR, AI/ML and synthetic training. Headquartered in Virginia, HIIs workforce is 44,000 strong. For more information, visit:

HII on the web: https://www.HII.com/

HII on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamHII

HII on X: https://www.twitter.com/WeAreHII

HII on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/WeAreHII

Contact:

Todd Corillo

Todd.T.Corillo@hii-co.com

(757) 688-3220

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d2f04232-b57f-44a9-bdbd-74bae56b96a9
Los Angeles, CA, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Southwestern Law School has joined Lawyers for America (LfA), becoming only the second law school in the nation to participate in the Lawyers for America Fellowship Program. Originating at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, LfA is designed to provide law students with practical training during their final year of law school and a service year post-graduation while expanding access to legal services in nonprofit and government agencies.

Through the collaboration with LfA, Southwestern students will complete a year-long externship during their final year of law school at partnering organizations. Following graduation and the bar exam, they will return to these employers for a full year of paid service, offering critical legal assistance while further developing their practical skills.

Elena D'Agustino, Solano County Public Defender, shared her experience with the program: "The Solano County Public Defender has worked with Lawyers for America since 2015, and it has been enormously beneficial for us. Working with a third-year law student for a full school year allows us to provide substantial training, and the student gets real-world experience that is unlike any other. After the bar exam, the fellow is now prepared to hit the ground running with more experience than many of our new attorney hires."

"This collaboration allows Southwestern to provide our students with a unique opportunity to gain substantial real-world experience while contributing to the important work of public service organizations," said Sami Jarbawi, Program Director of Lawyers for America at Southwestern Law School.

The Lawyers for America Fellowship Program was created to address the significant gap in access to legal services, particularly in public law offices and nonprofits, by placing law students in these sectors to gain hands-on experience. This "medical-model" approach, recognized by Bloomberg Law as an innovative way to train new lawyers, not only helps bridge the justice gap but also ensures that graduates enter the profession well-prepared for their careers.

Southwestern Law School is committed to providing students with both strong academic training and practical experience. By taking part in the Lawyers for America program, the school helps students meet the demands of the legal profession and contributes to efforts to improve access to justice.

About Southwestern Law School:

Since 1911, Southwestern Law School has been at the forefront of legal education, shaping the next generation of lawyers and advocates. Dedicated to promoting inclusion, equity, and justice, Southwestern empowers students to reach their potential and serve society with excellence. Learn more at swlaw.edu.

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Independence, Ohio, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recently, Redwood Living, Inc. joined together with representatives from Perkins Township and the Greater Sandusky Partnership to celebrate the opening of Redwood Sandusky.

Guests gathered to cut the ceremonial ribbon, take tours and welcome residents to the latest option in rental living in the Sandusky area.

Developed and managed by Independence-based Redwood, the neighborhood includes 136 single-story apartment homes ranging in size from 1,294 to 1,620 square feet.

Residents of Redwood Sandusky can choose from four floor plans, each with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and an attached two-car garage. Ten apartment homes feature extended garages, offering residents more space for storage and parking.

Redwoods signature single-story design combined with unique amenities and thoughtful accommodations help create the feeling of living in a single-family home, said Aryn Derryberry, regional manager at Redwood. We are excited to officially open our doors to Sandusky and invite residents to come experience what living in a Redwood Neighborhood is all about.

Residents of Redwood Sandusky can also expect:

Spacious, eat-in kitchens with large pantries

Open floor plans

Large closets

Washer and dryer hookups

Full-size appliances

Vaulted ceilings

Upgraded finishes and features

Extra living space, commonly used for an at-home office or personal gym

Pet-friendly accommodations  residents are permitted up to three pets

Green-centric neighborhood settings

An attentive, on-site property management and maintenance team

Housing is a major issue in our community, explained Patrick Shepherd, director of membership and engagement for Greater Sandusky Partnership. We had a study through our Firelands Forward program that indicated theres over 99 percent occupancy which means less than 1 percent vacancy in this region. We thank Redwood for bringing this apartment community to Perkins Township. Thank you to Trustee Coleman and all the trustees who helped make this happen.

Since 1991, Redwood has been reinventing the traditional apartment rental experience. The company has developed 18,000+ single-story apartment homes and manages 150 neighborhoods throughout the Midwest and Carolinas.

Interested residents can learn more and begin the leasing process online.

About Redwood

Redwood Living, Inc. (Redwood) is an innovative development and property management company with neighborhoods in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Nebraska. The success of Redwood's approach to construction, development and property management continues to be validated in new and existing markets. Redwood is a company that believes in its mission, product and amazing people. It creates a simplified, relaxed lifestyle for residents, and offers a rewarding atmosphere for its employees. For more information, visit www.byredwood.com.

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Investors can contact the law firm at no cost to learn more about recovering their losses



LOS ANGELES, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Portnoy Law Firm advises Ford Motor Company. ("Ford" or the "Company") (NYSE: F) investors of a class action representing investors that bought securities between April 27, 2022 and July 24, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Ford investors have until October 7, 2024 to file a lead plaintiff motion.

Investors are encouraged to contact attorney Lesley F. Portnoy, by phone 310-692-8883 or email: lesley@portnoylaw.com, to discuss their legal rights, or click here to join the case. The Portnoy Law Firm can provide a complimentary case evaluation and discuss investors options for pursuing claims to recover their losses.

According to the Complaint, the Company made false and misleading statements to the market. Ford failed to maintain appropriate quality assurance practices in vehicle models since 2022. The Company experienced higher warranty costs. The Company's warranty reserves were not adequate and did not reflect the quality issues in recent vehicles. Based on these facts, the Company's public statements were false and materially misleading throughout the class period. When the market learned the truth about Ford, investors suffered damages.

Please visit our website to review more information and submit your transaction information.

The Portnoy Law Firm represents investors in pursuing claims against caused by corporate wrongdoing. The Firms founding partner has recovered over $5.5 billion for aggrieved investors. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Lesley F. Portnoy, Esq.

Admitted CA and NY Bar

lesley@portnoylaw.com

310-692-8883

www.portnoylaw.com

Attorney Advertising
Toronto, 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
Perth, Aug. 28, 2024 - Perth, Western Australia/August 28, 2024/African focused gold producer Perseus Mining Ltd. (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.
Paradigm for Parity honors impactful female leaders on Women's Equality Day

Newmont Corp. (NYSE: NEM, TSX: NGT, ASX: NEM, PNGX: NEM) today announces Lori Douglas, Newmont's Head of Productivity for North America, has been honored as one of Paradigm for Parity's Women on the Rise for 2024. This recognition, in acknowledgement of Women's Equality Day, highlights Lori's exceptional leadership, commitment to advancing women in the workplace and continued efforts to promote diversity and inclusion.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240827356045/en/

Newmont's Lori Douglas Honored as a 2024 Paradigm for Parity Woman on the Rise (Photo: Business Wire)

"Lori is a leader who has consistently worked to advance and inspire colleagues around the business," said Jennifer Cmil, Newmont's Chief People Officer. "Through her thoughtful leadership initiatives at the Cripple Creek and Victor mine, she has championed IDE practices while also helping to drive important cultural shifts to improve employee experience in the workplace. This recognition is a powerful testament to her commitment to cultivating an innovative and equitable workplace, particularly in a historically male-dominated industry."

The "Women on the Rise" award celebrates women who are not only rising stars in their companies but are also striving to be catalysts for change. Recipients of the award embody leadership qualities such as courage, innovation, authenticity, creativity, and a dedication to fostering environments where diversity and inclusion thrives, and where women can excel.

"The issue of gender parity feels more urgent than ever before, and these honorees have gone above and beyond to catalyze change and continue moving our mission forward," said Nadine Bullock-Pottinga, Paradigm for Parity CEO. "We look forward to seeing the contributions that these powerful women make in their workplaces and beyond."

In addition to her role as Head of Productivity for North America, where she oversees productivity improvements across seven sites, Lori has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to driving change. As the executive sponsor of the Cripple Creek & Victor mine's Women and Allies Business Resource Group, she has spearheaded efforts to break down barriers for women, ensuring that opportunities in mining are accessible and equitable for all. Her leadership has been instrumental in fostering a workplace where diverse voices are not only heard but also can contribute to the organization.

Paradigm for Parity is dedicated to addressing systemic barriers to close the gaps in gender and racial parity and transforming corporate culture to ensure all individuals can thrive. As a proud founding member of the coalition in 2016, Newmont joined as a reflection of its commitment to closing the gender gap and creating a supportive and inclusive work environment for all.

To learn more about the fight for gender parity and the 2024 Women on the Rise nominees, please visit Paradigm for Parity.

About Paradigm for Parity

As a nonprofit founded by a group of women executives in 2015, the Paradigm for Parity coalition supports its 150+ member companies around the world in achieving gender parity including racial equity in their corporate leadership within 15 years of joining the coalition. The organization develops and promotes actionable strategies that transform corporate culture, so that women of all races, cultures and backgrounds have equal power and opportunity.

About Newmont

Newmont is the world's leading gold company and producer of copper, zinc, lead, and silver. The company's world-class portfolio of assets, prospects and talent is anchored in favorable mining jurisdictions in Africa, Australia, Latin America & Caribbean, North America, and Papua New Guinea. Newmont is the only gold producer listed in the S&P 500 Index and is widely recognized for its principled environmental, social, and governance practices. Newmont is an industry leader in value creation, supported by robust safety standards, superior execution, and technical expertise. Founded in 1921, the company has been publicly traded since 1925.

At Newmont, our purpose is to create value and improve lives through sustainable and responsible mining. To learn more about Newmont's sustainability strategy and initiatives, go to www.newmont.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240827356045/en/

Contact

Media Contact:

Jennifer Pakradooni

globalcommunications@newmont.com

Investor Contact:

Neil Backhouse

investor.relations@newmont.com
VANCOUVER, Aug. 28, 2024 - Vizsla Silver Corp. (TSXV: VZLA) (NYSE: VZLA) (Frankfurt: 0G3) ("Vizsla" or the "Company") is pleased to report results from twenty-two new drill holes targeting the Copala resource area at its 100%-owned, flagship Panuco silver-gold project ("Panuco" or the "Project") located in Mexico. The reported drilling, designed to infill near-surface Indicated Mineral Resources, has confirmed high-grade mineral continuity where initial mining is likely to occur during the first two years of production at Copala central.

Highlights

CS-24-381A returned 6,270 grams per tonne (g/t) silver equivalent (AgEq) over 6.25 metres true width (mTW) (3,698 g/t silver and 41.20 g/t gold) Including 10,634 g/t AgEq over 3.22 mTW (6,304 g/t silver and 69.47 g/t gold)





CS-24-375 returned 1,212 g/t AgEq over 14.20 mTW (978 g/t silver and 4.56 g/t gold) Including 2,447 g/t AgEq over 0.41 mTW (1,775 g/t silver and 11.80 g/t gold) And, 1,911 g/t AgEq over 0.57 m TW (1,500 g/t silver and 7.74 g/t gold) And, 6,983 g/t AgEq over 1.42 m TW (5,894 g/t silver and 22.97 g/t gold) And, 1,850 g/t AgEq over 0.37 m TW (1,580 g/t silver and 5.85 g/t gold)





CS-24-377 returned 1,083 g/t AgEq over 10.00 mTW (895 g/t silver and 3.81 g/t gold) Including 4,669 g/t AgEq over 2.00 mTW (3,915 g/t silver and 15.69 g/t gold)





CS-24-380 returned 2,554 g/t AgEq over 13.30 mTW (1,861 g/t silver and 12.20 g/t gold) Including 6,037 g/t AgEq over 4.36 mTW (4,463 g/t silver and 28.02 g/t gold) And, 4,863 g/t AgEq over 1.14 mTW (3,190 g/t silver and 27.80 g/t gold)



"Infill drilling at Copala continues to highlight excellent precious metals continuity," commented Michael Konnert, President & CEO. "Our recent infill campaign focused on upgrading resources within the area designated for the first two years of potential production. Not only has this program been successful in demonstrating continuity of high grades but has also expanded the local high-grade footprint closer to surface. Based on these results, we have commenced an additional +5,000 metre program designed to both extend resources outboard of the current MRE and to upgrade additional inferred resources at Copala. This additional drilling is expected to be completed in late September."

The precious metals dominant Copala structure, located in the western portion of the Panuco district, is situated ~800 m to the east of the Napoleon Vein. Copala currently hosts Indicated Resources of 83.3 Moz AgEq at 573 g/t AgEq and Inferred Resources of 48.3 Moz AgEq at 476 g/t AgEq within a broad envelope of vein-breccia interlayered with host rock, up to 82 metres thick (please refer to our Technical Report on Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Panuco Ag-Au-Pb-Zn Project, Sinaloa State, Mexico, by Allan Armitage, Ben Eggers and Peter Mehrfert, dated February 12, 2024 and to Vizsla's press release dated January 8, 2024). Interpretations by Vizsla geologists indicate Copala has an average dip of ~46 to the east (~35 in its northern sector and steepening to ~65 in the southern sector).

Exploration and Resource drilling at Copala has traced mineralization along ~1,770 metres of strike length and ~400 metres down dip. The recently completed infill program at Copala central consisted of 10,172 metres in 33 holes. The program was designed to convert near surface indicated mineral resources in the central portion of the main Copala structure into the measured resource category. The twenty-two infill holes reported herein were drilled at approximately 25 metre centers from pre-existing holes and successfully confirm high-grade precious metals continuity along the main Copala structure. Based on recent mapping with the aid of LiDAR, Vizsla discovered a historic mine adit on surface at Copala central. This, in combination with 3D interpretations of drilling data, supports the potential for resource expansion up dip from the previously reported CS-24-356 hole containing visible gold (see press release dated June 26, 2024). This prospective area for resource expansion is estimated to measure approximately 120 x 200 metres and hosts the possibility for additional near-surface target areas located along strike of Copala and above the intersection between the Copala and Cristiano veins. To test this target, Vizsla has commenced an additional +5,000 metre drill program designed to both expand resources outboard of the current MRE and to convert inferred resources into higher confidence categories (see press release dated August 21, 2024). The +5,000 metre expansion-infill program is expected to be completed in late September.

Drillhole From To Downhole

Length Estimated

True width Ag Au AgEq Vein







(m) (m) (m) (m) (g/t) (g/t) (g/t)



CS-24-365 346.50 352.50 6.00 4.10 395 2.37 527 Copala



Includes 351.00 352.50 1.50 1.03 1,160 6.77 1,533





CS-24-365 360.00 361.30 1.30 1.15 1,950 9.08 2,415 Copala



CS-24-368 340.90 342.30 1.40 1.40 2,372 9.06 2,797 Copala 3



Includes 340.90 341.70 0.80 0.80 3,950 15.60 4,694





CS-24-368 349.90 351.65 1.75 1.75 567 2.64 702 Copala 3



CS-24-368 363.00 364.40 1.40 1.40 171 0.76 209 Copala



CS-24-368 367.20 368.50 1.30 1.30 175 0.80 216 Copala



CS-24-369 318.75 319.75 1.00 0.90 94 0.66 132 Copala 3



CS-24-369 334.00 342.00 8.00 5.80 493 2.14 599 Copala



Includes 334.00 334.40 0.40 0.29 950 4.76 1,200





Includes 339.25 340.20 0.95 0.69 2,701 10.03 3,165





CS-24-370 196.50 198.00 1.50 1.40 191 1.02 245 Copala



CS-24-371A 218.80 225.25 6.45 4.60 235 1.45 317 Copala



CS-24-372 300.00 307.70 7.70 7.50 517 2.45 644 Copala



Includes 303.00 304.40 1.40 1.36 1,821 6.23 2,096





CS-24-372 311.20 314.40 3.20 3.00 1,166 5.12 1,422 Copala



CS-24-373 185.05 189.00 3.95 2.75 435 2.96 605 Copala



Includes 185.05 186.00 0.95 0.66 941 6.66 1,326





CS-24-374 198.90 201.70 2.80 2.30 532 3.92 761 Copala



Includes 200.05 201.00 0.95 0.78 1,120 8.78 1,638





CS-24-375 290.85 308.35 17.50 14.20 978 4.56 1,212 Copala



Includes 291.70 292.20 0.50 0.41 1,775 11.80 2,447





Includes 294.00 294.70 0.70 0.57 1,500 7.74 1,911





Includes 304.20 305.95 1.75 1.42 5,894 22.97 6,983





Includes 307.90 308.35 0.45 0.37 1,580 5.85 1,850





CS-24-376 221.70 226.65 4.95 4.00 627 4.32 875 Copala



Includes 224.10 225.50 1.40 1.13 1,500 6.84 1,847





CS-24-377 280.10 292.10 12.00 10.00 895 3.81 1,083 Copala



Includes 289.70 292.10 2.40 2.00 3,915 15.69 4,669





CS-24-378 211.95 216.15 4.20 3.95 1,663 12.09 2,366 Copala



Includes 214.15 216.15 2.00 1.88 2,988 22.02 4,271





CS-24-379A 209.50 213.15 3.65 3.40 592 4.20 835 Copala



Includes 211.90 213.15 1.25 1.16 1,280 8.96 1,796





CS-24-380 278.10 293.80 15.70 13.30 1,861 12.20 2,554 Copala



Includes 281.75 286.90 5.15 4.36 4,463 28.02 6,037





Includes 290.65 292.00 1.35 1.14 3,190 27.80 4,863





CS-24-381A 219.60 226.50 6.90 6.25 3,698 41.20 6,270 Copala



Includes 220.60 224.15 3.55 3.22 6,304 69.47 10,634





CS-24-382 309.70 320.60 10.90 10.20 438 2.64 584 Copala



Includes 312.00 312.55 0.55 0.51 1,970 11.70 2,618





Includes 314.35 316.70 2.35 2.20 910 5.26 1,199





CS-24-383 No Significant Values Copala



CS-24-384 252.95 254.40 1.45 1.40 460 2.41 589 Copala



CS-24-385 337.05 338.20 1.15 1.10 558 6.00 931 Copala 3



CS-24-385 348.70 354.00 5.30 5.00 426 2.01 529 Copala



Includes 348.70 349.40 0.70 0.66 2,090 9.58 2,577





CS-24-385 359.65 370.40 10.75 9.70 349 1.86 449 Copala



Includes 369.00 370.40 1.40 1.35 1,235 5.40 1,505





CS-24-386 257.00 257.55 0.55 0.55 152 1.16 220 Copala



CS-24-387 314.65 315.50 0.85 0.85 332 2.58 484 Copala



CS-24-388 No Significant Values Copala 3



CS-24-388 352.75 361.45 8.70 6.40 396 1.44 462 Copala



Includes 352.75 353.55 0.80 0.59 688 3.11 845





Includes 354.95 355.25 0.30 0.22 5,920 17.85 6,646







Note: AgEq = Ag g/t x Ag rec. + (Au g/t x Au Rec x Au price/gram)/Ag price/gram. Metal price assumptions are $24.00/oz silver and $1,800/oz gold and metallurgical recoveries assumed are 91% for silver and 94% for gold. Gold and silver metallurgical recoveries used in this release are from metallurgical test results of the Copala vein (see press release dated August 16, 2023).

Table 1: Downhole drill intersections from the holes reported for Copala and Copala 3 veins.

Drillhole Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip Depth CS-24-365 404,844 2,586,892 653 275.6 -66.3 372.0 CS-24-368 404,912 2,586,771 680 261.4 -54.0 387.0 CS-24-369 404,834 2,587,004 596 236.1 -64.0 349.5 CS-24-370 404,744 2,586,875 615 251.1 -55.1 223.5 CS-24-371A 404,744 2,586,875 615 253.3 -69.8 240.0 CS-24-372 404,834 2,587,004 596 255.6 -66.8 330.0 CS-24-373 404,701 2,586,892 595 280.2 -73.9 196.5 CS-24-374 404,702 2,586,892 595 288.4 -78.6 216.0 CS-24-375 404,834 2,587,004 596 251.8 -62.5 336.0 CS-24-376 404,724 2,586,986 595 222.7 -67.4 249.0 CS-24-377 404,834 2,587,004 596 250.8 -57.9 318.0 CS-24-378 404,724 2,586,986 594 239.0 -68.0 237.0 CS-24-379A 404,724 2,586,986 594 256.6 -64.6 231.0 CS-24-380 404,843 2,587,004 596 258.8 -55.7 304.5 CS-24-381A 404,724 2,586,986 594 242.1 -73.2 237.0 CS-24-382 404,834 2,587,004 596 244.8 -66.7 343.5 CS-24-383 404,758 2,587,035 597 249.8 -52.4 271.5 CS-24-384 404,759 2,587,035 597 257.0 -55.0 271.5 CS-24-385 404,912 2,586,770 680 269.7 -47.9 381.0 CS-24-386 404,759 2,587,035 597 250.8 -59.0 277.5 CS-24-387 404,848 2,587,120 573 244.0 -42.4 331.5 CS-24-388 404,843 2,586,892 653 239.1 -60.1 372.0

Table 2: Drillhole details for the reported drillholes. Coordinates in WGS84, Zone 13.

About the Panuco Project

The newly consolidated Panuco silver-gold project is an emerging high-grade discovery located in southern Sinaloa, Mexico, near the city of Mazatlan. The 17,856.5-hectare, past producing district benefits from over 86 kilometres of total vein extent, 35 kilometres of underground mines, roads, power, and permits.

The district contains intermediate to low sulfidation epithermal silver and gold deposits related to siliceous volcanism and crustal extension in the Oligocene and Miocene. Host rocks are mainly continental volcanic rocks correlated to the Tarahumara Formation.

On January 8, 2024, the Company announced an updated mineral resource estimate for Panuco which includes an estimated in-situ indicated mineral resource of 155.8 Moz AgEq and an in-situ inferred resource of 169.6 Moz AgEq (please refer to our Technical Report on Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Panuco Ag-Au-Pb-Zn Project, Sinaloa State, Mexico, by Allan Armitage, Ben Eggers and Peter Mehrfert, dated February 12, 2024 and to our Companys press release dated January 8, 2024).

About Vizsla Silver

Vizsla Silver is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company headquartered in Vancouver, BC, focused on advancing its flagship, 100%-owned Panuco silver-gold project located in Sinaloa, Mexico. To date, Vizsla Silver has completed over 380,000 metres of drilling at Panuco leading to the discovery of several new high-grade veins. For 2024, Vizsla Silver has budgeted +45,000 metres of resource/discovery-based drilling designed to upgrade and expand the mineral resource, as well as test other high priority targets across the district.

Quality Assurance / Quality Control

Drill core samples were shipped to ALS Limited in Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico and in North Vancouver, Canada for sample preparation and for analysis at the ALS laboratory in North Vancouver and rock samples were shipped to SGS Lab in Durango Mexico for sample preparation and analysis. The ALS Zacatecas, North Vancouver facilities and SGS lab are ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 certified. Silver and base metals were analyzed using a four-acid digestion with an ICP finish and gold was assayed by 30-gram fire assay with atomic absorption ("AA") spectroscopy finish. Over limit analyses for silver, lead and zinc were re-assayed using an ore-grade four-acid digestion with AA finish.

Control samples comprising certified reference samples, duplicates and blank samples were systematically inserted into the sample stream and analyzed as part of the Company's quality assurance / quality control protocol.

Qualified Person

In accordance with NI 43-101, Jesus Velador, Ph.D. MMSA QP., Vice President of Exploration, is the Qualified Person for the Company and has reviewed and approved the technical and scientific content of this news release.

Information Concerning Estimates of Mineral Resources

The scientific and technical information in this news release was prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 which differs significantly from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The terms "measured mineral resource", "indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource" used herein are in reference to the mining terms defined in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Standards (the "CIM Definition Standards"), which definitions have been adopted by NI 43-101. Accordingly, information contained herein providing descriptions of our mineral deposits in accordance with NI 43-101 may not be comparable to similar information made public by other U.S. companies subject to the United States federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.

You are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral resources will ever be converted into reserves. Pursuant to CIM Definition Standards, "inferred mineral resources" are that part of a mineral resource for which quantity and grade or quality are estimated on the basis of limited geological evidence and sampling. Such geological evidence is sufficient to imply but not verify geological and grade or quality continuity. An inferred mineral resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an indicated mineral resource and must not be converted to a mineral reserve. However, it is reasonably expected that the majority of inferred mineral resources could be upgraded to indicated mineral resources with continued exploration. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of "contained ounces" in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures.

Canadian standards, including the CIM Definition Standards and NI 43-101, differ significantly from standards in the SEC Industry Guide 7. Effective February 25, 2019, the SEC adopted new mining disclosure rules under subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "SEC Modernization Rules"), with compliance required for the first fiscal year beginning on or after January 1, 2021. The SEC Modernization Rules replace the historical property disclosure requirements included in SEC Industry Guide 7. As a result of the adoption of the SEC Modernization Rules, the SEC now recognizes estimates of "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources". Information regarding mineral resources contained or referenced herein may not be comparable to similar information made public by companies that report according to U.S. standards. While the SEC Modernization Rules are purported to be "substantially similar" to the CIM Definition Standards, readers are cautioned that there are differences between the SEC Modernization Rules and the CIM Definitions Standards. Accordingly, there is no assurance any mineral resources that the Company may report as "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources" under NI 43-101 would be the same had the Company prepared the resource estimates under the standards adopted under the SEC Modernization Rules.

Website: www.vizslasilvercorp.ca

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.

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release includes certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "plan", "forecast", "may", "would", "could", "schedule" and similar words or expressions, identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information relate to, among other things: the exploration, development, and production at Panuco, including plans for resource/discovery-based drilling, designed to upgrade, and expand the maiden resource as well as test other high priority targets across the district.

Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information relating to any future mineral production, liquidity, enhanced value and capital markets profile of Vizsla Silver, future growth potential for Vizsla Silver and its business, and future exploration plans are based on management's reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the price of silver, gold, and other metals; no escalation in the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic; costs of exploration and development; the estimated costs of development of exploration projects; Vizsla Silver's ability to operate in a safe and effective manner and its ability to obtain financing on reasonable terms.

These statements reflect Vizsla Silver's respective current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of other assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information and Vizsla Silver has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: the Company's dependence on one mineral project; precious metals price volatility; risks associated with the conduct of the Company's mining activities in Mexico; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to reliance on the Company's management team and outside contractors; risks regarding mineral resources and reserves; the Company's inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; the ability of the communities in which the Company operates to manage and cope with the implications of COVID-19; the economic and financial implications of COVID-19 to the Company; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; the Company's interactions with surrounding communities and artisanal miners; the Company's ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; litigation risk; and the factors identified under the caption "Risk Factors" in Vizsla Silver's management discussion and analysis. Readers are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Although Vizsla Silver 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 anticipated, estimated or intended. Vizsla Silver does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements or information, other than as required by applicable law.



SOURCE Vizsla Silver Corp.







Contact

Contact Information: For more information and to sign-up to the mailing list, please contact: Michael Konnert, President and Chief Executive Officer, Tel: (604) 364-2215, Email: info@vizslasilver.ca


Almonty Industries Inc. ("Almonty" or the "Company") (TSX: AII / ASX: AII / OTCQX: ALMTF / Frankfurt: ALI.F), through its wholly-owned South Korean subsidiary, Almonty Korea Tungsten Corporation ("AKTC"), is pleased to announce that it has recently hosted a delegation from the United States Geological Survey ("USGS") at its Sangdong Mine in Yeongwol County, Gangwon Province, to assess the ongoing redevelopment of our tungsten mine. The visit marks a significant milestone in the resurgence of Korea's position as a key player in the global tungsten market.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240828495866/en/

Nathaniel Bernardo, Chief Geologist (left) AKTC, is using UV mineral light to observe the tungsten orebody, with and Jamie L. Brainard, Physical Scientist from the U.S. Geological Survey. (Photo: Business Wire)

Sean Xun, Assistant Chief at the National Minerals Information Center ("NMIC") of the US Geological Survey, led a team of four mineral resource scholars to the site. During their visit, they conducted an extensive review of the progress made in the resumption of tungsten concentrate production, the development of the underground galleries, the processing plant under construction, and of Almonty's planned tungsten oxide plant in Yeongwol. The NMIC plays a crucial role in gathering and analyzing data on the production and supply chain of critical minerals worldwide. In addition, the USGS will be making a significant update and upgrade on the Company's Sangdong Mine in its 2025 Report due out during the first quarter of 2025.

Since 2018, tungsten has been designated and managed as a critical mineral by the United States. A representative from the NMIC emphasized the urgent need for the Sangdong Mine to resume production, highlighting that Korea's re-entry into the tungsten market would significantly mitigate the Western world's dependence on tungsten produced within China. China currently controls nearly 80% of the global tungsten market, making the resumption of production at the Sangdong Mine in South Korea a strategic necessity for diversifying supply chains and enhancing global resource security.

The further expansion of the Sangdong Mine processing plant and the completion of the tungsten oxide plant in Yeongwol is projected to produce 4,000 tons of tungsten oxide annually, with an exceptional purity level of 99.99%. This development is expected to completely eliminate the Korean semiconductor and secondary battery industries' dependence on Chinese tungsten oxide, which currently exceeds 95%. According to the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources ("KIGAM"), South Korea imported 3,272 tons of tungsten oxide in 2022, underscoring the strategic importance of this project.

Almonty: The Global Leader in Non-Chinese Tungsten Mining

Almonty is internationally recognized as the leading expert in tungsten mining outside of China, with a proven track record of maintaining successful tungsten operations where others have failed. The Korean government has recognized the immense challenges associated with tungsten mining. This is why the Korean government has been so supportive of the redevelopment of Almonty's Sangdong Mine project based on the importance of securing critical minerals and establishing a lasting and reliable supply chain to the domestic market.

The Company's leadership and expertise have garnered support from the German and Austrian governments, alongside the strong backing of the Korean regional government and community. As a proudly-Korean company, born from the legacy of Korea Tungsten, AKTC is committed to ensuring that Korea benefits from its tungsten operations. Lewis Black, the CEO of AKTC said, "as part of the project financing loan conditions with KfW IPEX-Bank, the German state-owned bank, 45% of the concentrate production will be exported to the United States under a long-term supply contract. The remaining 55% output will be directed to Korean consumers, with up to 100% of the tungsten oxide reserved for Korea. Korea will always have most favored nation status in our tungsten operations."

Almonty's ongoing projects in Korea are not just about resource extraction; they represent a strategic partnership with the Korean government and industries to secure the country's place in the critical mineral supply chains of the future. As the world looks to diversify away from Chinese dominance in tungsten, Korea's re-emergence as a major producer, led by Almonty, is a significant step forward for the global free world's supply chain resilience.

About Almonty

The principal business of Toronto, Canada-based Almonty Industries Inc. is the mining, processing and shipping of tungsten concentrate from its Los Santos Mine in western Spain and its Panasqueira mine in Portugal as well as the development of its Sangdong tungsten mine in Gangwon Province, South Korea and the development of the Valtreixal tin/tungsten project in northwestern Spain. The Los Santos Mine was acquired by Almonty in September 2011 and is located approximately 50 kilometres from Salamanca in western Spain and produces tungsten concentrate. The Panasqueira mine, which has been in production since 1896, is located approximately 260 kilometres northeast of Lisbon, Portugal, was acquired in January 2016 and produces tungsten concentrate. The Sangdong mine, which was historically one of the largest tungsten mines in the world and one of the few long-life, high-grade tungsten deposits outside of China, was acquired in September 2015 through the acquisition of a 100% interest in Woulfe Mining Corp. Almonty owns 100% of the Valtreixal tin-tungsten project in north- western Spain. Further information about Almonty's activities may be found at www.almonty.com and under Almonty's profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

Legal Notice

The release, publication, or distribution of this announcement in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore persons in such jurisdictions into which this announcement is released, published, or distributed should inform themselves about and observe such restrictions.

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.

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information

When used in this press release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. These statements and information are based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and reflect Almonty's current expectations.

Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Almonty to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: any specific risks relating to fluctuations in the price of ammonium para tungstate ("APT") from which the sale price of Almonty's tungsten concentrate is derived, actual results of mining and exploration activities, environmental, economic and political risks of the jurisdictions in which Almonty's operations are located and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, forecasts and assessments relating to Almonty's business, credit and liquidity risks, hedging risk, competition in the mining industry, risks related to the market price of Almonty's shares, the ability of Almonty to retain key management employees or procure the services of skilled and experienced personnel, risks related to claims and legal proceedings against Almonty and any of its operating mines, risks relating to unknown defects and impairments, risks related to the adequacy of internal control over financial reporting, risks related to governmental regulations, including environmental regulations, risks related to international operations of Almonty, risks relating to exploration, development and operations at Almonty's tungsten mines, the ability of Almonty to obtain and maintain necessary permits, the ability of Almonty to comply with applicable laws, regulations and permitting requirements, lack of suitable infrastructure and employees to support Almonty's mining operations, uncertainty in the accuracy of mineral reserves and mineral resources estimates, production estimates from Almonty's mining operations, inability to replace and expand mineral reserves, uncertainties related to title and indigenous rights with respect to mineral properties owned directly or indirectly by Almonty, the ability of Almonty to obtain adequate financing, the ability of Almonty to complete permitting, construction, development and expansion, challenges related to global financial conditions, risks related to future sales or issuance of equity securities, differences in the interpretation or application of tax laws and regulations or accounting policies and rules and acceptance of the TSX of the listing of Almonty shares on the TSX.

Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to, no material adverse change in the market price of ammonium para tungstate (APT), the continuing ability to fund or obtain funding for outstanding commitments, expectations regarding the resolution of legal and tax matters, no negative change to applicable laws, the ability to secure local contractors, employees and assistance as and when required and on reasonable terms, and such other assumptions and factors as are set out herein. Although Almonty has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results, level of activity, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and even if events or results described in the forward-looking statements are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, Almonty. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and are cautioned that actual outcomes may vary.

Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. Almonty cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on Almonty's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events.

Almonty has also assumed that material factors will not cause any forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors.

THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF ALMONTY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD- LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE ALMONTY MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240828495866/en/

Contact

For further information:

Lewis Black

Chairman, President and CEO

Telephone: +1 647 438-9766

Email: info@almonty.com
VANCOUVER, August 28, 2024 - Element79 Gold Corp. (CSE: ELEM) (OTC: ELMGF) (FSE: 7YS) ("Element79", the "Company") today announced the addition of Mr. Warren Levy to the Board of Directors. Mr. Levy was appointed to the Company's Advisory Board in March.

Mr. Levy's career is marked by exceptional sustainability leadership, including several senior roles where he has left an indelible mark, notably in the energy and resources sector. Mr. Levy has guided multiple companies with foreign operations both as an advisor and board member, leveraging his expertise in sustainability, operational efficiency and capital raising while fostering positive relationships with local communities.

Throughout his career, Mr. Levy has demonstrated the ability to cultivate high-performance teams across diverse cultural landscapes. His strategic guidance has propelled the expansion of numerous companies in sectors spanning petroleum, mining, and high-tech industries in Latin America and Asia. Author of multiple publications on Latin American energy policy, Mr. Levy has contributed to the discourse on energy and natural resource development in the region, offering insightful perspectives on energy policy and the pivotal role of sustainable development in poverty reduction. Mr. Levy has run regional oilfield and mining service companies with significant operations in Peru, and most recently was the CEO of Jaguar Exploration and Production, the largest private natural gas operator in Mexico, leading it from startup through to becoming the recognized leader in sustainable natural gas production. He managed the company through to the successful sale to a major Mexican conglomerate.

The Company further announces Mr. Antonios Maragakis' resignation from his position as a director but is pleased to advise that he has accepted a position on the Company's Advisory Board.

James Tworek, CEO, noted "We could not be more pleased to have Mr. Levy on as a member of the Board of Directors as his worldwide experience and operational know-how will offer critical insights as we define the Company's strategic path, promoting sustainable growth and leading the way with innovative practices." He further stated "We are extremely pleased that Antonios has agreed to stay on as an advisor as his expertise and insights are invaluable, we thank him for all his past contributions and look forward to his continued support."

Element79 also announces that unfortunately the OTCQB uplisting on announced earlier this week has been postponed. The listing is tentatively scheduled to be effective in the first week of September. We apologize for any confusion on the dates.

About Element79 Gold Corp.

Element79 Gold's focus is on exploring developing its past-producing, high-grade gold and silver mine, the Lucero project located in Arequipa, Peru, with the intent to restart production in the near term.

The Company holds a portfolio of five properties along the Battle Mountain trend in Nevada, and the projects are believed to have significant potential for near-term resource development. The Company is currently reviewing the Battle Mountain portfolio for exploration and development or sale.

The Company also holds an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Dale Property, 90 unpatented mining claims located approximately 100 km southwest of Timmins, Ontario, and has recently announced that it has transferred this project to its wholly owned subsidiary, Synergy Metals Corp, and is advancing through the Plan of Arrangement spin-out process.

For more information about the Company, please visit www.element79.gold

Contact Information

For corporate matters, please contact:

James C. Tworek, Chief Executive Officer

E-mail: jt@element79.gold

For investor relations inquiries, please contact:

Investor Relations Department

Phone: +1.403.850.8050

E-mail: investors@element79.gold

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Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "expect", "potential", "believe", "intend" or the negative of these terms and similar expressions. Forward-looking information in this press release are based on certain assumptions and expected future events.

These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements.

Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further 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 placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated.

Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect the Company's expectations as of the date hereof and are subject to change thereafter. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward- looking information, except as required by applicable law.

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The eyes may be the windows to the soul, but the mouth is an indicator of overall health. Poor oral health has been linked to serious problems like cardiovascular disease, worsening diabetes, osteoporosis and premature birth. Regular dental care is, therefore, a key component in reducing costs associated with the care of those chronic diseases.But dental care is hard to come by in underserved areas of the country. Try finding a dentist in the remotest rural or deepest urban pockets of the land, and for blatantly economic reasons, they just arent there. Thats why states are looking to fix the problem by creating a so-called mid-level dental provider. Much like a nurse practitioner (NP) or physician assistant (PA) is to a doctor, this provider would be educated and licensed to perform basic dental services -- routine checkups, cleanings, filling cavities and extracting teeth -- under the supervision of a fully trained dentist. These providers would be charged with providing care in underserved areas.Yet in much the same way that the American Medical Association fought against the creation of NPs and PAs, the American Dental Association (ADA) and its state chapters are lobbying hard to thwart state legislatures as they work to create this new level of dental care providers, who are common and well liked in other parts of the world. Legislatures in 10 states, including Connecticut, Kansas, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Washington, are all debating such bills, but so far only Minnesota has succeeded in enacting legislation. In 2009, a controversial bill establishing the creation of dental therapists and advanced dental therapist providers was signed into law.The bill was pushed by the Minnesota Health Care Safety Net Coalition, which was formed under the aegis of a lobbying group called the Law, Policy and Consulting Alliance. Sharon Oswald, a consultant with the alliance, says that the bill had bipartisan legislative support, but the Minnesota Dental Association (MDA) objected all the way to the end. Publicly their main objection is safety issues, Oswald says. They tried to discredit the model, saying the therapists were not trained to the same level as dentists. In reality, all the research around the world shows that [mid-level providers] provide as good, if not better, care. Every time they stated safety as a factor, we asked for research, which they didnt have. The unstated objection, she says, is the fear of losing business.The MDA says it ultimately agreed to the bill when it was assured the new providers would be part of an integrated dental team, with dentists as the leader of that team, says Dr. Michael Flynn, president-elect of the association. But the ADA remains opposed to mid-level providers, and the Minnesota group remains skeptical. We are still concerned whether this will really address the issue of access, Flynn says. Everyone agrees we have a lot of barriers to care, and creating a new workforce worker doesnt necessarily reduce the barriers. I hope it does work, but it requires more than just dental therapists.Still, its a start, says Judy Lee, a North Dakota state senator who is just beginning to look into the issue (with the help of Oswalds firm). She knows that dentists in her state will oppose the issue, and she understands why. They fear loss of control and lower-quality care, which I get, says Lee, chair of the states human services committee. But she says that this is one way to get dental care into underserved communities where dentists refuse to go, and Id rather have someone looking in that mouth than no one looking in that mouth.
Any study of the history of plagues and pandemics teaches us one great truth: we are immensely fortunate to live in the time we do. We have an advanced science of epidemiology and a global infrastructure to address the disease. We understand infection and contagion. We know what causes pandemics. We know how a virus works in the human body. We have ways to test people for the virus. We understand the concept of vaccines and we have incredibly sophisticated laboratories that can produce them, and indeed mass produce them. We have efficient global distribution networks. We have the Internet, including social media, to get important information into the hands of most of the people on earth more or less simultaneously. This differentiates us from almost every previous epidemic and gives us an enormous comparative advantage.Much of the terror of previous epidemics was caused by ignorance. Those afflicted with the disease did not know what it was, who or what caused it, where it came from, how to prevent it or how to treat it. It felt (as this coronavirus does for each of us at times, no matter what our rational intelligence tells us) like a visitation from the gods or an angry God.

We also have the capacity to get on top of modern pandemics fairly quickly, if not to nip them in the bud, as with the Ebola outbreak of 2014, at least to prevent them from becoming the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 (50-70 million dead) or the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia in 1793 (one in 10 dead). We should all bow down to the Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment, and their aftermath.

The smallpox epidemic of 1837-38 among the Mandan Indians of what is now North Dakota is a chilling case in point.

Prelude  The First Catastrophe: 1781-1782

The first great smallpox epidemic on the Great Plains occurred in 1781-82, well before white people arrived among the Mandan and Hidatsa Indians of what is now North Dakota. Think of this. Smallpox  brought to the New World by white men  got to the Upper Missouri region before the first white explorers and traders arrived! Disease travels fast. Apparently an individual or individuals of a tribe that lived in the vicinity of St. Louis (founded 1764) got the infection and inadvertently took it back to their tribe, from which it moved tribe by tribe up the Missouri River from what may have been incidental contact.

It has been estimated that the 1781-82 epidemic killed 13,000 Mandan, Arikara, and Hidatsa, some 68 percent of their whole population. The disease was much more devastating to the Mandan, Arikara, Pawnee, and Hidatsa, who lived in semi-permanent earthlodge villages, than to other tribes that practiced a more nomadic lifestyle. Population density coupled with sedentary lifestyles proved to be a particularly deadly combination.When Lewis and Clark arrived at their first aggregation of earthlodge villages in what is now northern South Dakota in early October 1804, they found evidence of catastrophe. Several of the villages they saw from their boats were abandoned. When the captains visited the mounded semi-subterranean lodges of several of these villages, they found evidence of hasty evacuation: squash still growing in the fields, mats, baskets, and bullboats in and around the lodges. What Lewis and Clark could not know, but sensed, was that the smallpox epidemic of 1781-82 had shattered Arikara life.

Historians estimate that as many as 75 percent of the Arikara had perished in the epidemic. From approximately 18,000 in as many as 18 villages stretching over 200 miles of Missouri River frontage, the Arikara had been reduced to perhaps a thousand individuals living in just three villages. The survivors had found each other like refugees in a post-apocalyptic film. Lewis and Clark discovered that some of the people living in the three inhabited villages near the mouth of the Grand River were suffering from post-traumatic social breakdown: the Arikara dialects were sufficiently different to cause linguistic confusion and incomprehension; there were great tensions among the remaining leaders (chiefs), because the people of many previous villages were now jumbled into three, and men formerly held in the highest esteem had to compete for a limited number of leadership positions. As historian James Ronda put it, the waves of disease so shattered the ranks of chiefs, elders, bundle holders, and important women as to make future intervillage leadership highly unlikely. . . intense factionalism flared between dozens of once powerful chiefs and warriors.

The Mandan Indians lived in semi-subterranean dwellings called earth lodges. They were semi-sedentary, not nomadic, and therefore more susceptible to epidemics.

Lewis and Clark were not quite sure what had happened to decimate the Arikara sevenfold. They hastened on to the Mandan and Hidatsa villages in central North Dakota where things seemed better. After 1782, the Mandan had abandoned a dozen or so villages at the mouth of the Heart River near todays Bismarck, N.D., and relocated themselves in two villages at the mouth of the Knife River, 100 miles north, near their cultural and linguistic cousins the Hidatsa.

Round Two: The Shattering of the Mandan Nation

In the late spring of 1837, the steamboatwas on its way from St. Louis to Fort Union in what is now northwestern North Dakota, carrying trade goods to distribute among American Fur Company trading forts on that 1,900-mile stretch of the Missouri River. Steamboat traffic on the Missouri River was just five years old in 1837. The AFCs boat visited each upriver village twice each summer: once, filled with trade goods, mail, old newspapers, whiskey and agency personnel in May or June, and a second time as it returned to St. Louis with peltries, artifacts and discharged employees of the company.

Thearrived in Fort Leavenworth (todays Kansas) on April 29. A deckhand exhibited signs of smallpox at that time. Although the captain of the boat knew that smallpox was far more devastating to Native Americans than to white people, he neither removed the infected individual nor paused long enough for the contagion to run its course among his crew. Somewhere farther upriver, thetook on board three Arikara women, each of whom had been infected, to return them to their home villages in todays North Dakota.

At 3 p.m. on Monday, June 19, thearrived at Fort Clark on the south bank of the Missouri River at the base of the Mandan and Hidatsa villages. Attempts to keep the Native Americans of the area away from the boat failed. It was the annual arrival of industrial trade goods, which were now a vital part of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara economies, and eager individuals flocked to the dockside. As the trade goods were unloaded, there was much Frolicking at Fort Clark that night. It was just then that the second great smallpox epidemic came to the Mandan people. As historian Elizabeth Fenn has written, We may never know the precise moment or mechanism that launched the virus into circulation. But one thing is clear: The stage was set for disaster. The next day, Tuesday, June 20, 1837, thecontinued its journey to Fort Union near todays Williston, N.D.

It took a little over two weeks for the epidemic to overcome its incubation period and touch off the death rattle of the Mandan nation. The factor at Fort Clark, American Fur Company employee Francis Chardon, kept a running tally of the dead in his company journal. It is the best account we have of the smallpox epidemic. It is a horrifying document to read. I quote here only a fraction of his journal entries:

Friday, July 14, 1837: A young Mandan died to day of the Small Pox  several others has caught it. Monday, July 17: An other case of the small pox broke out to day at the Village. Tuesday, July 25: Several Young Men arrived from the dried Meat Camp they say that the small pox has broke out at the Camp. Wednesday, July 26: The 4 Bears (Mandan) has caught the small pox, and got crazy and has disappeared from camp  he arrived here in the afternoon. The Indians of the Little Village all arrived in the evening well loaded with dried Meat the small pox has broke out among them, several has died. Thursday, July 27: The small pox is Killing them up at the Village, four died to day. Friday, July 28: This day was very Near being my last  a Young Mandan came to the Fort with his gun cocked, and secreted under his robe, with the intention of Killing me, after hunting me in 3 or 4 of the houses he at last found me, the door being shut, he waited some time for me to come out, just as I was in the act of going out, Mitchel caught him, and gave him in the hands of two Indians who conducted him to the Village. The Mandans & Rees gave us two splendid dances, they say they dance, on account of their Not having a long time to live, as they expect to all die of the small pox. Saturday, July 29: Several more Mandans died last night. Two Gros Ventres [Hidatsa] arrived from their dried Meat Camp, it appears that it has no broke out among them as yet. Sunday, July 30: [The Gros Ventres] threaten Death and Distruction to us all at this place, saying that I was the cause of the small pox Making its appearance in this countryOne of our best friends of the Village (The Four Bears) died to day, regretted by all who Knew him. Saturday, August 5: News from the Gros Ventres, they say that they are encamped this side of Turtle Mountain [the Killdeer Mountains], and that a great many of them have died of the small poxseveral chiefs among them. They swear vengeance against all the Whites, as they say the small pox was brought here by the S.B. [steamboat]. Monday, August 7: Six more died to day. Tuesday, August 8: Four More died to daythe two thirds of the Village are sick, to day I gave six pounds of Epsom salts in doses to Men, Women, and children, the small pox has broke out at the Little Mandan Villagethree died yesterday, two chiefs. Thursday, August 10: All the Rees that were encamped in the Mandan lodges, except a few that are sick, Moved down to the Island hopeing to get rid of the small poxthe Mandans talk of Moveing to the other side of the river, 12 or 15 died to day. Friday, August 11: Mandans all crossed to the other side of the river to encampleaveing all that were sick in the Village, I Keep no a/c [account] of the dead, as they die so fast that it is impossible. Sunday, August 13: an Old fellow who has lost the whole of his family to the Number of 14, harrangued to day, that it was time to begin to Kill the Whites, as it was them that brought the small pox in the Country. Monday, August 14: The Rees [Arikara] are Makeing Medicine for their sickness. Some of them have made dreams, that they talked to the Sun, others to the Moon, several articles has been sacrifised to them boththe Principal Cheif of the Mandans died to dayThe Wolf Cheif)An other dog, from the Little Village came to the Fort naked with his gun cocked, to Kill one of us, We stopped him. Wednesday, August 16: Several Men, Women, and Children that has been abandoned in the Village, are laying dead in the lodges, some out side of the Village, others in the little river not entered, which creates a very bad smell all around usA Ree that has lost his wife and child threatened us to dayWe are beset by enemies on all sidesexpecting to be shot every Minute. Thursday, August 17: the Indians dying off every dayW[h]ere the disease to stop, I Know notWe are badly situated, as we are threatened to be Murdered by the Indians every instant, however we are all determined, and Prepared for the worst I have hoisted the Black flag. Friday, August 18: An old Ree started this Morning to pay a visit to the Gros Ventres, the Soldiers would not let him enter the Village, they have made a quarantine and they will permit no one from this place to come near them. . . Nothing but an occasional glass of grog Keeps me alive as I am worried almost to death by the Indians and Whites, the latter (the men) threaten to leave me. Saturday, August 19: a Mandan and his Wife Killed themselves yesterday, to not Out live their relations that are deadI was in hopes that the disease was almost at an end, but they are dying off 8 and 10 every dayand new cases of it dailyW[h]ere it will stop God only Knows. Sunday, August 30: Three more died in the Village last nightThe Wife of a young Mandan that caught the disease was suffering from the pain, her husband looked at her, and held down his head, he jumped up, and said to his wife, when you was young, you were hansome, you are now ugly and going to leave me, but no, I will go with you, he took up his gun and shot her dead, and with his Knife ripped open his own bellyA young Ree that has been sick for some time with the small pox, and being alone in his lodge, thought that it was better to die, than to be in so much pain, he began to rub the scabs until blood was running all over his body, he rolled himself in the ashes, which almost burnt his soul out of his bodytwo days after he was perfectly well, it is a sever operation, but few are disposed to try ithowever it proved beneficial to him. Tuesday, August 22: The disease still Keeps ahead 8 and 10 die off daily, Thirty five Mandans have died, the Women and children I Keep no account ofA Ree that has the small pox, and thinking that he was going to die, approached near his wife, a young woman of 19and struck her in the head with is tomahawk, with the intent to Kill her, that she might go with him in the Outer Worldshe is badly wounded, a few Minutes after he cut his throat, a report is in Circulation, that they intend to fire the FortStationed guards in the Bastion. Friday, August 25: An other Mandan cheif died to day(The long fingers) total Number of Men that has died50. I have turned out to be a first rate doctor St. Grado, An Indian that has been bleeding at the Nose all day, I gave him a decoction of all sorts of ingredients Mixed together, enough to Kill a Buffaloe Bull of the largest size, and stopped the effusion of Blood I done it out of experiment, and am content to say that it proved effectual, the Confidence that an Indian has in the Medicine of the whites, is half the cure. Sunday, August 27: News from the Gros Ventres of the disease breaking out amongst them. Tuesday, August 29: Last Night I was taken very sick with the Fever, there is six of us in the Fort that has the Fever, and one the small poxAn Indian Vaccinated his child, by cutting two small pieces of flesh out of his arms, and two on the bellyand then takeing a Scab from one, that was getting well of the disease, and rubbing it on the wounded part, three days after, it took effect, and the child is perfectly well. Wednesday, August 30: All those that I thought had the small pox turned out to be true, the fever left them yesterday, and the disease showed itself. I am perfectly well, as last night, I took a hot whiskey punch, which made me sweat all last night, this Morning I took my daily Bitters as usual. Thursday, August 31: Month of August, I bid you farewell with all my heart, after running twenty hair breadths escapes, threatened every instant to be all murdered, however it is the wish of humble servant that the Month of September will be more favorable, the Number of Deaths up to the Present is very near five hundredThe Mandans are all cut off, except 23 young and Old Men. Friday, September 1: This Morning two dead bodies, wrapped in a White skin, and laid on a raft passed by the Fort, on their way to the regions below, May success attend them. Monday, September 4: a young Mandan that was given over for dead, and abandoned by his Father, and left alone in the bushes to die, came to life again, and is now doing well, he is hunting his Father, with the intent to Kill him, for leaveing him alone. Thursday, September 7: The disease not yet over, five and six die off daily. Friday, September 15: Two men arrived late last Night in a Canoe from Fort Union. The disease has broke Out at the Assinneboines and Black feet, several had died. Tuesday, September 19: I was visited by a young fellow from the little Village, he assures Me that there is but 14 of them liveing, the Number of deaths Cannot be less than 800What a band of RASCALS has been used up. Friday, September 22: My youngest son died to day. Saturday, September 30: Two More Rees died to day, with the Small Pox, several More are sick at the Village. All the Rees and Mandans, Mens Womens and Children, have had the disease, except a few Old Ones, that had it in Old times, it has distroyed the seven eights of the Mandans and one half of the Rees Nations, the Rees are encamped With the Gros Ventres have just Caught it. No doubt but the one half of them will die alsoas they talk of removeing down to this place. Tuesday, October 17: all the Indians have decamped, except one lodge, that has lately Caught the disease. Sunday, December 31: the rest of the Lodges are scattered, on the Little Missohe has had No News of them, for two Months, in all probability they are all Dead, the last News that he had form them was, that 117 had died, and the disease was still rageing. Saturday, January 27, 1838: The Small Pox still ravageing.

In his revisionist history,, Ward Churchill argued that the U.S. Army distributed blankets infected with smallpox to the Mandan to wipe them out. He provided no proof of his assertion, which makes no sense for at least two reasons. First, the Mandan had a longstanding reputation as good Indians in white mans circles. They had befriended Lewis and Clark and provided food, horses, and other supplies to Fort Mandan, which was built just across from the lowest of the Mandan villages, Mituntanka. Thereafter, Mandan had been uniformly hospitable to white traders, trappers, explorers, and army personnel. It would have been perverse to punish Native people who were known as friendlies.

Second, the American Fur Company depended on the large concentrations of population at the earthlodge villages to prosper in the fur trade. The AFC would not have wanted one of its prime customer bases to be impaired, nor would the Army have contemplated an attack on the Mandan without consulting with the white individuals and businesses that had a physical presence on the Upper Missouri. Still

Even if the smallpox epidemic was not deliberately introduced among the villager Indians as germ warfare, the responsibility lies with the white traders and transport crew, who chose profit over precaution after smallpox was discovered aboard the St. Peters as far down the Missouri River as northern Kansas. Just as we have learned to distinguish open from structural racism, so, too, we can differentiate deliberate genocide from appalling indifference that has genocidal ramifications. If the crew of the St. Peters had waited in Nebraska until all possibility of contagion was over, they might have been unable to ascend the Missouri River after the summer rise was over and thus lost a good deal of money, but they would have saved thousands of lives.

The Mandan routinely created these stark monuments to the dead on the margins of their villages.

Instead, they reckoned they could deliver the steamboat all the way to Fort Union, and somehow keep native peoples from getting close enough to the vessel to become infected. It was a cynical throw of dice representing life and death for Missouri River Indians, born of a sense of cultural superiority so deeply rooted that the steamboat crew could not see Native Americans as worthy of special precautions. As professor Fenn concludes, it represented willful neglect of staggering proportions.

In fact, this catastrophe was preventable in several ways. The previous year a smallpox vaccination crew had been dispatched by the U.S. Army up the Missouri River. It had considerable success in vaccinating Native Americans in the Missouri corridor, but an early winter stopped the teams upriver progress before they reached the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara villages. Over the winter of 1837-38, the U.S. Army decided not to continue the vaccination program, and openly declared that the Mandan and their cousins were no longer central enough to the trade economy to merit vaccination. If the previous winter had come later or if the U.S. Army had continued its vaccination program, thousands of Native Americans, including the overwhelming majority of the Mandan, could have been saved. You cannot read accounts of this plague without becoming sick with grief and shame.The Mandan people were sophisticated. They had no idea of what smallpox was and how the contagion worked, but they knew it came from white men. The best estimates are that the Mandan had a population of around 2,000 at the time of the 1838 epidemic. If so, more than 93 percent of the Mandan died in the epidemic.

A leader of Mituntanka known to whites as Four Bears, but whose name was Mato-Tope, fell ill with the disease on July 26. Four days later, horribly disfigured and dying, he delivered his death speech, which was recorded by Francis Chardon in his journal.

My Friends one and all, Listen to what I have to sayEver since I can remember, I have loved the Whites, I have lived With them ever since I was a Boy, and to the best of my Knowledge, I have never Wronged a White Man, on the Contrary, I have always Protected them from the insults of Others, Which they cannot deny. The 4 Bears never saw a White Man hungry, but what he gave him to eat, Drink, and a Buffalo skin to sleep on, in time of Need. I was always ready to die for them, Which they cannot deny. I have done every thing that a red Skin could do for them, and how have they repaid it! Wth ingratitude! I have Never Called a White Man a Dog, but to day, I do Pronounce them to be a set of Black harted Dogs, they have deceived Me, them that I always considered as Brothers, has turned Out to be My Worst enemies. I have been in Many Battles, and often Wounded, but the Wounds of My enemies I exhalt in, but to day I am Wounded, and by Whom, by those same White Dogs that I have always Considered, and treated as Brothers. I do not fear Death my friends. You Know it, but to die with my face rotten, that even the Wolves will shrink with horror at seeing Me, and say to themselves, that is the 4 Bears the Friend to the Whites Listen well what I have to say, as it will be the last time you will hear Me. think of your Wives, Children, Brothers, Sisters, Friends, and in fact all that you hold dear, are all Dead, or Dying, with their faces all rotten, caused by those dogs the whites, think of all that[,] My friends, and rise all together and Not leave one of them alive. The 4 Bears will act his Part.

Six years later, the ornithologist John Jacob Audubon added haunting details to the story. A great chief who had been a constant friend to the whites, having caught the pest, and being almost at the last extremity, dressed himself in his fineries, mounted his war-steed, and, fevered and in agony, rode among the villages, speaking against the whites, urging the young warriors to charge upon them and destroy them all.

Mato-Tope died within hours of delivering his farewell address. Such Mandans as survived did not seek retaliation against the white men who occupied their homeland.

The great Mandan leader Mato-Tope (Four Bears) cursed his former white friends as he died of the smallpox.

It is true that Mato-Tope had been a steady friend to white trappers, traders, and explorers. He was painted by both Karl Bodmer in 1834 and George Catlin in 1832. He was universally regarded in white circles as an extraordinary man, warrior, and Mandan leader. George Catlin wrote, an extraordinary man, though second in office, [he] is undoubtedly the first and most popular man in the nation. Free, generous, elegant and gentlemanly in his deportment---handsome, brave and valiant; wearing a robe on his back, with the history of his battles emblazoned on it; which would fill a book of themselves, if properly translated . . . I looked out of the door of the wigwam, and saw him approaching with a firm and elastic step, accompanied by a great crowd of women and children, who were gazing on him with admiration, and escorting him to my room. No tragedian ever trod the stage, nor gladiator ever entered the Roman Forum, with more grace and manly dignity than did Mah-to-toh-pa enter the wigwam.

Mato-Tope had gone out of his way to offer protection to white visitors even when some members of his tribe were suspicious or threatened violence. He is still regarded by the Mandan people as one of their greatest leaders. A bridge across the Missouri River and a resort and casino complex on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation are named after him.

Conclusion

In two waves of smallpox on the Upper Missouri, separated by 56 years, the Mandan had been reduced from a proud nation of more than 15,000 individuals to a pathetic remnant of 145. The legendary Mandan were now hovering on the brink of extinction. The Mandan were regarded as Native Americans of a special status, often fair-skinned, culturally sophisticated (with zoning in their earthlodge villages), polite, hospitable, superb traders, and invariably generous to white people in spite of a long series of depredations, exploitations, and provocations.

Thomas Jefferson met their leader Sheheke-shote at the White House in the last days of 1806. Jefferson, like some others, wondered if they were descendants of Madoc the Welsh traveler who was said to have come to America long before Columbus. Lewis and Clark regarded them as among the finest Natives they met in their 28 months of transcontinental exploration. By 1838 they were nearly extinct through no fault of their own. They have never fully recovered.

Somehow the survivors held on. It is difficult now to provide any accurate population estimates of the Mandan today, because extensive intermarriage with their cousins the Hidatsa and other tribes have clouded their tribal lineage. We do know that the last full-blooded Mandan woman, Mattie Grinnell, died in 1975 at the age of 108. Grinnell was a remarkable woman, a civil rights leader who marched with Martin Luther King Jr. in Washington, D.C. The current population of the Three Affiliated Tribes (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara) is 15,000. Many tribal members live on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in west-central North Dakota, one of the sweet spots of the Bakken shale oil field.

Elizabeth Fenn concludes, The epidemic of 1837-38 stands with the epidemic of 1781 as one of the greatest catastrophes ever to strike the peoples of the northern plains. Compared to this, the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, while serious, is comparatively benign thanks to science, global networking, and political vigilance.
Two Italian races in F1 difficult in future

Stefano Domenicali admits it will be "difficult" for both Monza and Imola to survive on the Formula 1 calendar beyond the venues' respective 2025 contracts.

Carlos Sainz, Italian GP 2023

 Ferrari

The sport is now setting up at Monza for the Italian GP, where teams and F1 personnel will find a range of facility improvements at the fabled circuit.

After too many years focused on the past, Monza has begun a process of updating towards what for us had become essential, F1 CEO Domenicali told La Repubblica.

Now we need to continue in this direction by modernising what is above ground - the stands, paddock areas and hospitality, he added. "And it should be done within defined times.

The government at the central level and the (Italian) automobile club know the importance of the impact of the Italian GP also at an economic level, said Domenicali. "In the next few weeks we will be able to reach a conclusion.

F1 cannot ignore Monza, he insisted, but that doesn't mean anything is permanent. Instead, it means taking on responsibilities and commitments.

But what about F1's other Italian venue at Imola? "We need to understand if the system in the country is able to support both initiatives, or if one of the two promoters is able to raise investments at a private level - difficult but not impossible.

There are no prejudices, the Italian, who was actually born in Imola, insisted. "It is a topic that we want to clarify within the year.

What is clear is that we cannot think of a Formula 1 without an Italian GP.

(GMM)
CHANGCHUN - 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.
OnePlus launched the Buds Pro 3 last week, and now it looks like these might also get an alternate life wearing Oppo clothing.

According to the prolific Chinese leakster Digital Chat Station, Oppo will soon release the Enco X3 true wireless earbuds, and these will be identical to the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 in everything but the name.

That shouldn't be very surprising seeing as how the OnePlus Buds Pro 3 are tuned by Dynaudio - the Oppo Enco line has been partnering with the Danish brand for years.

It's unclear if the Enco X3 will be sold in the same markets as the OnePlus Buds 3, but we assume there will in fact be some overlap. The Enco X3 will be announced in October alongside the Find X8 series, and apparently they will come with some "exclusive functions" compared to the OnePlus version, but what those are hasn't been detailed yet.

Source (in Chinese)
The vivo Y300 Pro will arrive next week, revealed Jia Jingdong, President of vivo and GM of Brand and Product Strategy.

The phone will be introduced in China on September 5, and the executive wrote a long post on Weibo, explaining all the new key features like a big battery and quad-curved display and why they are important for the company.

The Y series is the best-selling lineup of vivo phones in China, and Jia explained the company wants to bring flagship features to its more affordable handsets. That's why the new phone will have a Silicone-Carbon battery  the same technology used in the vivo X Fold3 and Fold3 Pro. However, here the capacity will be greater, and the Y300 Pro will have a 6,500 mAh cell - the first mainstream phone to reach such capacity in 2024.

The new battery technology with its higher density enables vivo to still build a thin phone with that capacity - it will only be 7.69 mm thick. On top of that, the company is bringing 80W fast charging and reverse charging, and promises the battery will be able to keep its capacity for five years.

The screen is advertised as quad-curved, and this is the first time vivo goes for this design, saying it would create a "fully symmetrical" appearance. On top of that it will have 5,000 nits peak brightness, SGS certification for blue light filtering and anti-flicker.

The Y300 Pro will be dustproof and "all-weather rainproof," which could mean anything from IP53 to IP68, but we don't expect to see an official IP rating, as the company usually doesn't bother certifying its devices for the Chinese market.

The camera island on the back resembles the flagship X100 series, following the "360-degree sun design." It will be a dual-camera setup, with the main shooter having a 50 MP sensor. The selfie cam will have a 32 MP imager.

There are seven days until the official launch. We expect vivo to tease more specs about the Y300 Pro in the following days.

Source (in Chinese) | Via
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ATLANTA (AP)  A federal appeals court Monday cleared the way for Florida to enforce a ban on gender-affirming care for minors, blocking a lower court order against the ban while the matter is appealed.

The 2-1 decision was issued by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta. The law revived by the ruling prohibits transgender minors from being prescribed puberty blockers and hormonal treatments, even with their parents permission. It also required that transgender adults only receive treatment from a doctor and not from a registered nurse or other qualified medical practitioner. Adults who want the treatment must be in the room with the physician when signing the consent form.

U.S. District Judge Judge Robert Hinkle had blocked the law in June.

Floridas attorneys had conceded during the district court trial that the state cannot stop someone from pursuing a transgender identity, but said it can regulate medical care.

For minors, the only treatments at issue are puberty blocking treatments and cross-sex hormones  giving testosterone to someone assigned female at birth, for example. Those who were undergoing treatment when the law was adopted in May 2023 were allowed to continue. Surgery, which is rare for minors, was still blocked.

At least 26 states have adopted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, and most of those states face lawsuits. Federal judges have struck down the bans in Arkansas and Florida as unconstitutional, though a federal appeals court has stayed the Florida ruling. A judges order is in place temporarily blocking enforcement of the ban in Montana.

The states that have passed laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.




Haiti - FLASH : First major joint operation Kenya / PNH





Early Tuesday morning, August 27, 2024, Prime Minister Garry Conille, accompanied by Me Carlos Hercule, Minister of Justice and Public Security, held discussions at the Operations Center of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) on the strategy of the ongoing operation with Normil Rameau, the Acting Director General of the PNH, Derby Guerrier, the General in Chief of the Armed Forces of Haiti (FAdH) and the Kenyan Commander of the Multinational Support Mission in Haiti, Godfrey Otunge.



On Tuesday, August 27, 2024, one day after the arrival and receipt of new MaxxPros armored vehicles from the United States, a joint special operation involving the special forces of the Kenyan contingent and the PNH was conducted.



More than 15 armored vehicles were deployed in this major police operation, during which several bandits were reportedly fatally injured. Three SWAT officers were slightly injured during the clashes.



This carefully planned operation, led by Acting Commander Normil Rameau of the PNH and Godfrey Otunge, Commander of the Multinational Support Mission, began in the early hours of the morning and targeted the areas of Bel-Air and Solino, neighborhoods close to Delmas, a neighborhood controlled by Jimmy Cherizier, alias "Barbecue". The National Police has not yet published an official report on the results of this ongoing operation but promises to publish one shortly.



As this was the first large-scale joint operation, the population was notified.



The Prime Minister, the DG of the PNH and the Commander of the Mission, while closely following the progress of the ongoing operations, reiterated their commitment to ensuring the return of Peace and normality to Haiti. The trio warned gang members that this operation was just the beginning unless they laid down their weapons, surrendered and were prepared to face justice for the atrocities they had committed. They affirmed that subsequent security operations would continue and that the Haitian government would deploy all its resources to support the joint operations.



The PNH calls on members of the population to remain calm during police interventions, assuring them that these are carried out in a professional manner and continues to solicit their frank collaboration.



SL/ TB/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





Update with Air Caraibes

The Embassy of Haiti in France had an important working meeting on August 22, 2024, with Christine Ourmieres-Widener, President and CEO of the airline Air Caraibes. The discussions focused in particular on the operation of the Paris/Port-au-Prince air link, the need to promote and market Haitian products on board Air Caraibes flights, as well as the grievances expressed by the Haitian community in France against this airline.



Pastor Jeremy Lemec dies

On Tuesday, August 27, 2024, Pastor Jeremy Lemec, Director of the Haitian Adventist Media Center, which includes "Radio Voix de lEsperance" and "Hope Media Haiti", died at the age of 54 at the Adventist Hospital in Diquini, following a stroke.



Haiti requests the files of sanctioned persons

On Tuesday, August 27, Mr. Carlos Hercule, Minister of Justice, announced that he had written on behalf of the Government to the ambassadors of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Dominican Republic, asking them to transfer to Haiti the list of sanctioned persons as well as the charges and evidence on which these sanctions are based. Minister Hercule said, "Some countries have been imposing sanctions for quite some time. We believe that this issue must be addressed by the Government in order to examine what the regime of these sanctions is and their scope, so that the necessary measures can be taken at the national level." A formal request for uncertain answers... to be continued...



Follow-up of the PM's tour in the North

Prime Minister Garry Conille brought together the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Public Works and Agriculture to follow up on the files relating to the Government's tour in the North and North-East departments last week. "The development of the regions must be an integral part of the Government's strategy and comprehensive action plan", insisted Prime Minister Conille during this meeting.



3 presidential advisors heard by the ULCC

Tuesday, August 27, following the accusations of the former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Credit Bank (BNC) relating to the scandal of 100 million gourdes https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42866-haiti-flash-3-presidential-advisers-in-turmoil-scandal-or-conspiracy.html the presidential advisors Smith Augustin, Emmanuel Vertilaire and Louis Gerald Gilles, accompanied by their lawyers answered questions from investigators from the Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC). Let's recall that these three advisors before this hearing denied these accusations and denounced a plot...



Gary Victor one of the 5 finalists of the Prix Ivoire

The Haitian writer Gary Victor with his novel "Le violon d'Adrien", is one of the 5 finalists in the running for the Ivory Prize for African Literature of Francophone Expression.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















When Ajay Sahini returned to his native village, Mirzapur, in Indias Bihar state, about three years ago, he was determined never to migrate again. Although he is a political science graduate, he had been working in Hyderabad as a migrant laborer for several years, returning once after he lost his job during the COVID-19 lockdown but leaving again just three months later to continue earning income for his family.

Migration is a way of life and livelihood for most men in Ajays village, and in Bihar more broadly. Seeking work in a city can offer opportunities for steady income when rural communities cannot, and Ajay had felt he had no other option. But migration such as this also has its challenges, Ajay explained.

Many migrant workers are barely able to make ends meet, he said, and they do not earn enough to save in most cases. They may have to mortgage their assets, like mobile phones, or borrow money just to buy return tickets and manage other travel expenses. In addition, most migrants must return for good as they age and find it difficult to continue hard physical labor.

Having himself returned a second time to be with his family after his younger brother had a fatal accident, Ajay and his family agreed this time he would stay in Mirzapur.

It was not an easy decision to live and work locally. Ajays family needed money more than ever now as they had sold their farmland and almost all their assets to provide medical care for Ajay's brother.

A New Beginning

At the time, the only physical asset the family had remaining was their two buffaloes. But another asset Ajay had  and still cherishes today  was the phenomenal support he received from his extended family and community.

Goliya Devi with one of the family's goats. With Heifer's support, goat farming has become a new opportunity for Goliya and Ajay to earn a stable livelihood in their village of Mirzapur. Photo courtesy of Heifer India.

He vividly remembers how Rupam, a social worker associated with Heifers work in India, extended much needed support to him and his family during their difficult time; Ajays mother, Goliya Devi, and his wife, Arati Devi, were participants of Heifers Bihar Sustainable Livelihood Development project.

Goliya received support to start her goat farm from Heifer and, on a plot of land about 1/5 an acre, Ajay, Goliya and the rest of their family started raising goats. They began with 20, eventually growing their herd to 35. To feed their animals, they cultivated janera, a type of goat fodder. The income from these goats allowed them to rent farmland where they could grow grains for their household consumption instead of relying on sharecropping, which required a portion of yields as payment for using the land.

Goliya and Ajay. Photo courtesy of Heifer India.

While their food security has improved, they still struggle to manage regular expenses that depend on consistent cash flow, such as childrens school fees and books, clothing for the family and medical care. Usually, they will sell a goat or borrow money and repay it later when they are short on income.

Though managing without regular cash flow has not been easy, Ajay has decided against migrating again for work. He is inclined to work hard right in his village where, he believes, he is destined to return in any case. He is convinced that if he works hard now, he and his family can own a profitable goat farm and even offer employment to youth in his village.

A Farm for the Future

Ajay has been visiting other goat farms and attending trainings offered by the renowned Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University  popularly known as Pusa Agricultural University  which is not far from his native village of Mirzapur. He is also aware of government policies aimed at promoting goat farming, including subsidies and loans through the government of Bihar and how they support goat farmers.

Ajay is planning to apply for a small loan of about 150,000 rupees, about $1,787, to expand his goat farm. His household fulfills all criteria to apply: The family earns about 120,000 rupees per year, and they already have 35 goats, green fodder and a decent goat shed. Ajay is quite confident that his family will get the loan and will be able to earn a good income after expanding their farm.

He never had this confidence as a migrant laborer, he said.

Expanding their goat farm paves the way for Ajay's family to earn more income for school fees and other essential expenses. Photo courtesy of Heifer India.

Ajay derives this confidence from his extensive research on goat farming as an agribusiness and understanding of the economics, with demand that increases significantly during festival and marriage seasons. Ajay wants to show how a successful goat farm can work and encourage the youth of his village to consider goat farming or other such safe and profitable agribusiness right in their village.

He believes people will come see for themselves once he starts earning a decent income from his goat farm.

An Advocate for Opportunity

Ajay is aware of the high unemployment in his village and also of the prevalence of migration. He sees goat farming as a promising livelihood opportunity for a state like Bihar.

While sharing his recommendations, Ajay emphasized the need for more investment in micro, small and medium enterprises. If invested in properly and strategically, goat farming could be developed into a profit-making company, he argued. Apart from training and credit access, Ajay also thinks that goat farmers could benefit remarkably if they start rearing a varied range of goats in their farms.

Currently, Ajay is only rearing the Black Bengal goat breed. The maintenance cost of this breed is very low, but so is its pace of growth. On the other hand, breeds like Totapuri or Surjapuri goats require more care but grow at a comparatively faster pace; these goats attain desirable weight sooner and the farmer can earn more frequently.

Today, Ajay is working hard and is confident he and his family will not only be able to earn a decent income from their goat farm but also employ youth in their village.

Goat farmers in Bihar bring their animals to a Heifer-supported animal health camp to receive vaccinations. With the right resources and investment, goat farming can have widespread economic benefits for farmers in the region. Photo by Pranab K. Aich/Heifer International.

If Heifer had not helped us to start our goat farm, I would have been working as a daily wage laborer, loading and unloading stones in the ... summers of Hyderabad and Jaipur," he said. He believes Heifers support saved him and his ability to dream; it encouraged him to transcend from a wage laborer to an entrepreneur.

Ajay is keen to share his story and pass on the gift of knowledge about livestock-based livelihood opportunities to the migrant workers who want to return and earn a reliable income in or around their homes. He advocates for goat farming specifically because he finds it to be a relatively low-cost business with minimal risk and, as he and his family are on the pathway to earning a dignified income with their own farm, he believes in the prospect of rearing goats to help his entire village achieve a better living.
This order is an important milestone for the future of Finnish shipbuilding and the maritime industry, Tim Meyer , the managing director of Meyer Turku, said in a press release on Tuesday.

MEYER TURKU on Tuesday announced it has signed an agreement for building the fourth cruise ship in the Icon Class for Royal Caribbean Cruises. The agreement also includes an option for a fifth and sixth cruise ship in what is the largest-ever class of cruise ships, each with a price tag of about 1.5 million euros.

The Turku, Southwest Finland-based shipyard handed over the first ship in the class, Icon of the Seas, to Caribbean Cruises in 2023. Meyer stated that the shipbuilding effort, undertaken in collaboration with numerous partners, has elevated shipbuilding, energy efficiency and customer experience to a completely new level.

The second and third cruise ships in the class are scheduled for delivery in 2025 and 2026, respectively.

Icon of the Seas is something entirely different than what the world has seen before, and we are only getting started, stated Michael Bailey, the CEO of Royal Caribbean International.

The fourth ship in the class is to be handed over to the cruise line in 2027. Meyer Turku has estimated that the shipbuilding effort will have an employment impact of approximately 13,000 person-years.

News of the agreement was received with delight in Finland.

This is great news for Finland, rejoiced Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP). Royal Caribbeans commitment to and investments in Finland tell a lot about the strength of our marine cluster and our world-class shipyards.

His views were echoed by Elina Andersson, the managing director of Finnish Marine Industries: This great news tells about the high-level expertise we have in Finland.

Meyer Werft, the Germany owner of Meyer Turku, has drifted into seriously rough waters financially. According to Reuters, the German government and Lower Saxony intend to temporarily acquire at least 80 per cent of shares in the shipbuilding conglomerate to guarantee its solvency. The news agency reported that the conglomerate needs a minimum of 2.3 billion euros in working capital and 400 million euros in share capital to avoid capsizing.

Meyer Werft and Meyer Turku are separate entities legally.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT
Riikka Purra , the chairperson of the Finns Party, on Tuesday stated that she doubts that the ruling party will participate in the years-long campaign, which can be traced back to public controversy about her and her party comrades past racist statements in mid-2023.

SENIOR MEMBERS of the Finns Party have distanced the populist right-wing party from a newly launched government campaign to combat racism in Finland, reports Helsingin Sanomat.

The controversy nearly toppled the four-party ruling coalition only weeks after it had taken office.

Jani Makela, the chairperson of the Finns Party Parliamentary Group, appeared to refer to the campaign in his opening remarks at the summer meeting of the Finns Party in Kouvola on Tuesday. The Finns Party, he claimed, came under fire for no reason last year during a controversy that was concocted abroad in an attempt to oust the party from power.

Were still carrying the consequences with us in the form of different publicity campaigns, he added, stopping short of naming the anti-racism campaign.

Harri Vuorenpaa, the party secretary of the Finns Party, told Helsingin Sanomat on Tuesday that the party will mull over whether or not to make some sort of a commitment to the campaign, called We Speak with Action.

The statements were met with surprise and frustration by Otto Andersson, the chairperson of the Swedish Peoples Parliamentary Group. There should be nothing unclear about this. All parliamentary groups and ministerial groups have committed to this programme and declaration against racism, he stressed to the newspaper on Tuesday.

I find it rather peculiar that the [parliamentary] group would be committed but the party wouldnt be.

He took particular issue with the remarks by Makela. This is a document that can be likened to the government programme. Without the declaration against racism this government wouldnt be standing, and our starting point is that this is clear to all of our coalition partners.

The campaign has got off to a bumpy start.

The Trade Union for Public and Welfare Sectors (JHL) withdrew from the campaign last week, calling it a disgraceful attempt to cover up policy decisions that undermine equality.

Unfortunately the governments actions blatantly conflict with the objectives of the campaign, commented Mari Keturi, the CEO of JHL. We speak with action, and therefore we cancel our participation in this campaign. If the government parties commit to taking action instead of being evasive, we will be happy to get involved.

Keturi pointed, for example, to the government decision to scrap individual equality promotion plans from early-childhood education and care units as evidence of the incompatibility between government words and actions.

Also opposition parties have refused to participate.

Oras Tynkkynen, the newly elected chairperson of the Green Parliamentary Group, estimated that the campaign has revealed where the government truly stands in regards to combating racism.

I believe the Finns Party has kindly taken off the fig leaf that the government has used to try to shield itself amid the racism debate. The leaf has exposed the governments position in all its grimness, he was quoted saying at the summer meeting of the party in Lappeenranta on Wednesday by Helsingin Sanomat.

Already the name of the campaign is contradictory given that rhetoric that is racist and oppressive to human rights has repeatedly been employed within the government while we have yet to see any concrete action to weed out racism, on the contrary, added Fatim Diarra (Greens). The governments policies have been hostile to foreigners, immigration policy racist and one campaign will not change that.

The campaign was characterised as an attempt to embellish the governments reputation also by Mikkel Nakkalajarvi, the party secretary of the Social Democrats, in an interview with Iltalehti.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT
Finland, which is famous for its high standards of living and its tech-savvy population, has shown us intriguing insights into these trends.

Recently weve seen payment habits across Europe change a lot to reflect larger trends that have swept across the continent. These include the technologies available, consumer preferences, and a rise in convenient ways to pay.

Here, we explore where Finlands payment methods and habits stand when compared to its European neighbours, with some insights across some of the key industries that use them.

Norway

First up, we have Norway, which is Finland's close neighbour, that enjoys advanced digital infrastructure, which is why many Norwegians are big fans of using mobile apps and contactless payment solutions to settle transactions.

When it comes to online services like eCommerce sites, streaming services, and online casinos, Norwegians tend to look for convenience. For the latter especially, given the restrictions in local options, players in Norway have been increasingly turning to offshore sites, many of which accept cryptocurrency as a payment method. According to crypto expert Christian Roupe, Bitcoin is preferred for its fast transactions and privacy protections in the iGaming industry.

While these kinds of Bitcoin transactions are growing more popular for online payments, most in the country prefer using payment apps for in-person purchases and payments. However, in general, Norways payment habits mostly revolve around the use of direct bank transfers, and electronic wallets.

Sweden

Another Nordic country that is famous for its progressive approach of utilising cashless transactions at a rate that is even more pronounced than Norways is Sweden. What has led to this is that the country is aiming to become a cashless society, which is why a large portion of the transactions in Sweden get settled through banking apps, mobile payments, and sometimes even cryptocurrencies.

Germany

Unlike the countries weve mentioned, Germany is still known for its reliance on cash transactions, but this country is also gradually embracing digital payments. This is especially true for smaller transactions, where mobile payments and contactless cards are used frequently.

France

France is also lagging when it comes to utilising new payment methods, but the country has a more balanced approach than Germany. Modern digital payment solutions and traditional options now share almost equal popularity levels.

Weve seen that in how mobile payments are on the rise in France, and in how contactless cards are used widely. However, many French citizens still have a strong preference for cash and card payments in some regions and for settling smaller transactions.

Finlands Payment Landscape

Firstly, as in many Nordic countries, digital payments are very popular in Finland, as the countrys citizens have a strong preference for mobile payments and contactless transactions. In fact, some even favour secure Bitcoin payments.

Thats why most Finnish citizens regularly use applications on their smartphones that are linked to their bank accounts to make payments, which shows us the countrys high adoption rates of digital technologies.

However, what has drawn many Finnish consumers to these payment solutions is that they also utilise biometric authentication systems, such as facial and fingerprint recognition, which keep their funds safe and make transactions convenient.

HT
Duke Endowment celebrates centennial in Western North Carolina

Crossnore Communities for Children CEO Brett Loftis attended the Duke Endowment centennial community celebration at the North Carolina Arboretum along with nearly 180 other guests.

The Duke Endowment recently hosted a centennial community celebration at the North Carolina Arboretum to honor the work of local grantees and partners from across Western North Carolina.

View the Slideshow

The event Monday at the arboretum in Asheville featured speakers from the endowment and from Crossnore Communities for Children, one of North Carolinas largest and most innovative child welfare and behavioral health organizations.

Crossnore CEO Brett Loftis told those gathered for the celebration that Crossnore would not be where it is now without the willingness of the endowment to invest in innovative ideas and take risks.

With support from the endowment, Crossnore built upon its trauma-focused model to establish The Center for Trauma Resilient in 2018. CTRC is a national model that supports individuals, organizations and communities as they recognize the often unspoken, long-term wounds of adversity and trauma. CTRC has trained nearly 10,000 people in 12 states to build trauma resilience. Gaining trauma resilience means people who are called to help can do so without being hurt in the process, according to a press release from the endowment.

Other speakers included Endowment President Rhett Mabry, Endowment Board Chair and Duke family descendent Charles C. Lucas III and Biltmore Farms President and CEO John F.A.V. Cecil, who is also an endowment trustee.

Cecil welcomed the nearly 180 guests gathered at the arboretum, applauded their work and thanked them for all they do in their communities while Lucas provided a history of the Duke family.

Mabry explained the endowments relevance for a modern world. Our responsibility is not merely to manage assets, but to be stewards of a legacy built on the principles of enriching lives and strengthening communities, the press release quoted Mabry as saying.

Guests also watched a video showcasing the Summer Literacy Initiative. The endowment began working through the initiative with rural congregations in North Carolina in 2012 to combat learning loss in their communities through evidence-informed summer literacy programs for rising first through third graders.

When industrialist and philanthropist James Buchanan Duke established The Duke Endowment on December 11, 1924, he committed through his Indenture of Trust, to nurture children, promote health, educate minds and enrich spirits in North Carolina and South Carolina. Since its inception, the Charlotte-based foundation has invested $4.8 billion across the Carolinas, with more than $249 million invested in Western North Carolina, according to the press release. Although the endowment shares a name with Duke University and Duke Energy, all are separate organizations.

Throughout 2024, the endowment will hold centennial celebrations across the Carolinas to spotlight the impact of its grantee partners. To learn more, visit 100years.dukeendowment.org.
Washington, D.C.  Today, United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a Surgeon Generals Advisory on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Parents, highlighting the urgent need to better support parents, caregivers, and families to help our communities thrive.

Over the last decade, parents have been consistently more likely to report experiencing high levels of stress compared to other adults. 33% of parents reporting high levels of stress in the past month compared to 20% of other adults. When stress is severe or prolonged, it can have a harmful effect on the mental health of parents and caregivers, which in turn also affects the well- being of the children they raise. Children of parents with mental health conditions may face heightened risks for symptoms of depression and anxiety and for earlier onset, recurrence, and prolonged functional impairment from mental health conditions.

Parents have a profound impact on the health of our children and the health of society. Yet parents and caregivers today face tremendous pressures, from familiar stressors such as worrying about their kids health and safety and financial concerns, to new challenges like navigating technology and social media, a youth mental health crisis, an epidemic of loneliness that has hit young people the hardest. As a father of two kids, I feel these pressures too, said U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. With this Advisory, I am calling for a fundamental shift in how we value and prioritize the mental health and well-being of parents. I am also outlining policies, programs, and individual actions we can all take to support parents and caregivers.

There are approximately 63 million parents living with children under the age of 18 in the United States, and there are millions of additional caregivers who hold the primary responsibility for caring for children. This population experiences a range of unique stressors that come with raising children; including common demands of parenting, financial strain and economic instability, time demands, concerns about childrens health and safety, parental isolation and loneliness, difficulty managing technology and social media, and cultural pressures. In addition to the common stressors listed above, mental health conditions disproportionately affect some parents and caregivers, including those facing circumstances like family or community violence, poverty, and racism and discrimination, among others.

The work of parenting is essential not only for the health of children but also for the health and future of society. Better supporting parents will require policy changes and expanded community programs that will help ensure parents and caregivers can get paid time off to be with a sick child, secure affordable child care, access reliable mental health care, and benefit from places and initiatives that support social connection and community.

This Surgeon Generals Advisory calls for a shift in culture, policies, and programs to ensure all parents and caregivers can thrive. The American public can do more to support parents and caregivers by shifting norms to foster a culture that values, supports, and empowers parents/caregivers and addresses stressors that can impact their mental health and well-being. This Advisory builds on the Biden-Harris Administrations critical steps to ensure families have the support they need, pushing for increased access to paid family leave, improving early childhood education and childcare, and delivering historic investments in mental health care.

The Surgeon Generals Advisory also provides recommendations for several stakeholders that can help reduce stress for and better support the mental health and well-being of parents and caregivers through policy changes, community programs, and individual actions. These stakeholders include national, territorial, state, local and tribal governments; employers; communities, community organizations, and schools; health and social service systems and professionals; researchers; family and friends; and parents and caregivers.

Surgeon Generals Advisories are public statements that call the American peoples attention to a critical public health issue. Advisories are reserved for significant public health challenges that require the nations immediate awareness and action. As the Nations Doctor, the 21st Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Murthy, has issued Surgeon Generals Advisories on Firearm Violence, Loneliness and Isolation, Social Media and Youth Mental Health, Youth Mental Health, Health Worker Well-Being, and a Framework on Workplace Well-Being.

You can read the full Advisory here. For more information about the Office of the Surgeon General, please visit www.surgeongeneral.gov/priorities.


Wednesday August 28, 2024

By Abdi Sheikh and Giulia Paravicini





A handout picture released by the Egyptian Presidency shows Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) welcoming Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, at Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo, on January 21, 2024. (Photo by Egyptian Presidency / AFP)



MOGADISHU, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Egypt delivered its first military aid to Somalia in more than four decades on Tuesday, three diplomatic and Somali government sources said, a move likely to deepen strains between the two countries and Ethiopia.



Egypt and Somalia have drawn closer together this year after Ethiopia signed a preliminary deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland to lease coastal land in exchange for possible recognition of its independence from Somalia.





Egypt, at odds with Ethiopia for years over Addis Ababa's construction of a vast hydro dam on the headwaters of the Nile River, has condemned the Somaliland deal. It signed a security pact with Mogadishu earlier this month and has offered to send troops to a new peacekeeping mission in Somalia.Somalia has previously threatened to kick out Ethiopia's up to 10,000 troops, who are there as part of the peacekeeping mission and under bilateral agreements to fight al Shabaab militants, if the deal is not cancelled.Two Egyptian military plans arrived at Mogadishu airport on Tuesday morning with weapons and ammunition, two diplomats and a senior Somali official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.A video shared on social media and verified by Reuters showed the planes on the airport tarmac.One of the diplomats said that Somalia was "playing with fire" by importing the Egyptian arms and antagonising Ethiopia.Somalia and Egypt's foreign ministries, and a spokesperson for the Ethiopian government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Egypt's offer to contribute troops to a new peacekeeping mission to be launched next year in Somalia was announced in an African Union communique earlier this month. Cairo has not commented on the matter publicly."If the Egyptians put boots on the ground and deploy troops along the border with Ethiopia, it could bring the two into direct confrontation," said Rashid Abdi, an analyst with the Sahan Research think-tank."The threat of a direct shooting war is low, but a proxy conflict is possible."Turkey has hosted two rounds of indirect talks since July between Somalia and Ethiopia over the Somaliland deal, which is yet to be finalised. A third round is expected next month.Landlocked Ethiopia says it needs access to the sea. Mogadishu insists that Somaliland, which has not obtained international recognition despite enjoying practical autonomy for more than 30 years, is part of Somalia.Reporting by Giulia Paravicini, Feisal Omar, Abdi Sheikh, Nafisa Eltahir and Dawit Endeshaw; Writing by Hereward Holland; Editing by Aaron Ross and Angus MacSwan
Battlelines are drawn for the first phase of the much-awaited assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) in which 24 of the 90 seats will go to the polls on September 18. It is clear that the first such election in a decade will be a multi-cornered contest in most segments and could throw up unpredictable results.

Delimitation of seats has contributed to the contests being multi-cornered. Groups such as the banned outfit Jamaat-e-Islami and independent candidates representing separatist ideologies are in the fray, adding to the air of uncertainty in pre-poll calculations.

The Jamaat and separatist leaders have a history of boycotting elections and terming those who participate in the electoral process as collaborators or those who were opposed to azadi or to their cause of separatism. But the situation is different in 2024 when every party is hoping to be represented in the assembly.

Polling is being conducted in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, while the counting of votes will take place on October 4.

Will the NC-Congress alliance work?

The Congress and the National Conference, part of the INDIA bloc formed in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, sealed the deal on seat-sharing last week with the NC bagging 51 seats and the Congress 32; two seats were left for allies CPI(M) and Panthers Party.

Leaders of both the NC and the Congress were enthusiastic about the alliance, particularly after Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge visited NC chief Farooq Abdullah and vice-president Omar Abdullah at their home. It remains to be seen whether this understanding translates into collaboration at the level of the party cadres. There are murmurs of discontent over ticket distribution and the parties are engaged in a friendly contest in five assembly segments.

This is the first time such a vibrant alliance has taken place in Jammu and Kashmir. Despite some shortcomings, the alliance will succeed in achieving its target, Congress general secretary, Ghulam Ahmad Mir, who is contesting from Dooru-Anantnag, said.

His views were echoed by Nasir Aslam Wani, the NC provincial chief. The alliance will be successful because they represent the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. We want to get back what has been taken away from us. People are fed up with the BJP and their proxies.

Though the Congress does not have a significant presence in Kashmir, the alliance with the NC could help it in pockets of the Jammu division, where party leaders are hopeful of a turnaround. The sense at the ground level is that this alliance will be productive for both the parties, said Congress spokesperson Sheikh Amir.

Pradeep Singh, a Jammu-based political analyst, said such political alliances are more successful in assembly elections than in parliamentary polls. At present, the BJP is facing infighting and for the first time, there have been protests by cadres in Jammu against the leadership. Many leaders are feeling neglected as turncoats have been awarded tickets. If the BJP fails to overcome this resentment, it will be an advantage for the NC-Congress alliance. The BJP wants to improve its performance compared to the 2014 assembly elections when it had fallen short of only three seats in becoming the single largest party, he said.

New challenger

With many candidates in the fray including influential independents who have already started campaigning, the elections could throw up a fragmented mandate. Being cadre-based parties, the NC, the Congress and the BJP will have an edge over rivals. The NC-Congress alliance could also attract fence-sitters.

In the Lok Sabha elections, the campaign of jailed legislator and Independent candidate Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, changed the poll dynamics of north Kashmir, resulting in the defeat of two powerful leaders, NCs Omar Abdullah and Sajjad Lone from Peoples Conference.

Rashids Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), which is now contesting in more than 50 of the 90 assembly segments, could throw a challenge to the established political parties. If he is released on bail, his partys campaign could get a fillip. Im hopeful Engineer Rashid will be released from Tihar Jail. That can prove to be a big game-changer... across Kashmir, said former legislator and AIP candidate Shoaib Lone.

Jamaat factor

Jamaat-e-Islami candidates are fighting the polls this time. For the first phase, five candidates have filed their nominations and over a dozen are expected to take part in the next two phases. In several constituencies, they will support independent candidates.

Despite being banned, the Jamaat-e-Islami is a strong cadre-based party with a presence across Kashmir. The Jamaat has a support base in several pockets of Kashmir. The party-backed candidates are contesting after 35 years and if their cadres come out, they can win a few seats, said Anjum Ahmad, a former Jamaat member.

Traditional strongholds

The strength of the NC-Congress alliance will be tested in the Jammu region. In the last assembly election, the NC could win only two seats from the Jammu division and the Congress also did not fare well in the region. Though the BJP won both the Lok Sabha seats in the Jammu region, apparent internal bickering against the policies of the Centre could give the NC-Congress alliance an edge. However, it also depends on how forcefully the BJP campaigns in the Hindu belt, its traditional support base.

In the Lok Sabha election, the new parties, including the Apni Party, the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) and the Peoples Conference, which were dubbed as proxies of the BJP by the NC, failed to make any impact. However, all these parties have several potential winners who could wrest their strongholds like they did in past assembly elections and thats likely the biggest worry for the alliance leadership.
On August 20, Lopez filed for divorce from Affleck after two years of marriage, coinciding with the second anniversary of their Georgia wedding. The timing also aligned with a cathartic full moon in Aquarius, which had a significant impact on both their birth charts. (FILES Jennifer Lopez 'seems relieved' after her divorce from Ben Affleck.(Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)(AFP)

How Leo's energy can cause struggle in Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's relationship?

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck both have their Sun and Mercury in Leo, a sign known for creativity, passion, and natural leadership. Lopez, born on July 24, 1969, and Affleck, born on August 15, 1972, both share the warmth and charisma typical of this Fire sign, which thrives in the spotlight. It's no wonder their magnetic personalities connected on the set of Gigli, a film where their chemistry shone through.

Lopez once told PEOPLE, "Ben and I are both Leos  like a male and female lion," highlighting their shared energy. Along with their Sun sign's passion and loyalty, having Mercury in Leo suggests they may also share similar thinking styles and humour.

Also Read Mercury Retrograde August 2024: Here's how this cosmic event may impact your zodiac sign

However, Leo's intensity can sometimes cause struggles, as this sign's pride and strong will make compromise difficult when egos clash. Their fiery passion can be both a source of connection and conflict.

How the same moon sign is affecting Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's relationship?

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have their Moon signs in Scorpio, which in astrology represents their emotional world and deepest feelings. Scorpio is a Water sign known for its emotional depth, intensity, and desire for deep connections. People with a Scorpio Moon crave profound emotional bonds, seeking to connect with others on a soul level. They are highly private and prefer intimate, genuine relationships over superficial ones.

This emotional intensity is evident in Lopez and Affleck's relationship. Despite their initial breakup just before their wedding, they reconnected decades later, suggesting a strong, enduring emotional bond. Lopez has been open about the pain of their separation in 2004, describing how she felt like she lost not only her partner but her best friend. Her reflections show the depth of their connection and the long-lasting impact it had on her.

However, Scorpio's intense nature can bring challenges, such as trust issues, possessiveness, jealousy, and holding grudges. These emotions, while passionate, can complicate relationships if not managed carefully. Despite these challenges, the mutual desire for privacy and deep emotional connection has played a significant role in their bond.

(Disclaimer: Reader's discretion is advised).
Aries: Chores may be the focus of the day, and this may put pressure on your love life. Your busy schedule may not allow you to spend much time with your partner and thus challenges the work-life balance. But do not let distance bring about emotional barriers. Use technology to your advantage; a simple text message or even a short video call can do a lot to keep the flame alive, as your partner will feel wanted. Daily Love and Relationship Horoscope 2024: Find out love predictions for August 28.

Taurus: Today, your heart is divided between needing to be with someone and being alone. This internal conflict may make you uneasy and unsure of your romantic decisions. Spend some time to think about what is important to you in the long run. If one is attached, express these feelings to your partner; truthfulness may result in better understanding and a more accommodating schedule.

Gemini: A spiritual awakening paints your picture of romance today. It may make you feel that you have something to do in this life or prepare your dear one for a discussion of similar values. A prayer or spiritual conversation may bring the two of you closer. For singles, this spiritual energy may compel you to look for a partner with a similar view of life as you have. But do not forget to respect other peoples opinions and not try to impose your own on them.

Cancer: The stars blur your affection today, and you may not be sure what you feel is real. You may be confused about whether the feelings you have towards someone are real love or just the need for love and affection. This confusion means there is a need for reflection before making any major decisions. Spend time pondering over your reasons and future goals. Evaluate your emotional requirements and whether or not they are compatible with your partners.

Leo: You will be creative in your love life today, and your relationships will be playful and passionate. This is a good mood to embrace and allow your imagination to run when expressing love. For those in a relationship, this is the time to make things spicy and do creative things together. Singles might consider the non-conventional methods of dating. Remain natural, and do not try to be someone you are not during the flirting process.

Virgo: The day advises against playing with peoples emotions because it can lead to spectacular failure. If you are in a relationship, be careful of what you say and do to avoid causing your partner pain or giving them the wrong signal. As for singles, do not play with someones feelings or try to manipulate them, even if you think that it is harmless. Be truthful and straightforward. Take time to reason.

Libra: You are charming, and your social schedule is filled with great prospects. The stars are out to increase your self-esteem and make you a knockout in social events. When among friends, try to notice a possible romantic interest. There may be a fascinating person with whom you want to spend time among the noise. If you are already in a relationship, try to spice up your love life by visiting a new tourist attraction point.

Scorpio: Your romantic life might require you to have a different approach. The stars indicate that flexibility and compromise can be headline news in your relationships now. It is possible to subordinate ones needs to the partners or make compromises to avoid conflict. While this may feel like a lot to bear initially, do not forget that it is the basis of any relationship. It may result in better understanding and relations.

Sagittarius: It is about time you altered your behaviour and became more diplomatic. Your assertiveness, and sometimes even what can be considered bullheadedness, may not be as helpful when it comes to love as it may make you appear unfriendly and unresponsive. One should, therefore, learn to manage the level of assertiveness to be kind and considerate. If single, this is a day to be a little more open to people interested in you.

Capricorn: The universe tells you to listen to your instincts as they will lead to a significant shift in your love life. A situation or a relationship that is dear to you may be in the process of a radical change. Do not overthink, and be ready for the moment when inspiration will come to you. This could be the time youve been anticipating to make a big leap and make the change youve always wanted. You are likely to find yourself in a new and innovative situation.

Aquarius: Today, the planets are shifting to improve the flow of communication and enhance understanding between you and your partner. This may be seen as a slow but progressive enhancement of how you interact and communicate with each other. Some of the issues that may have led to friction in previous interactions will start to fade away, making the interactions more effective and with more understanding.

Pisces: The stars are conspiring to introduce a pleasant influence in the area of your love life. You will likely meet someone whose intelligence and humour match yours, and you will immediately hit it off. It is fun to have this person make you laugh, but there is also the possibility of something more  a connection. This shared joy could be the basis of a constructive relationship. If you are attached, be receptive to the humour.

----------------------

Neeraj Dhankher

(Vedic Astrologer, Founder - Astro Zindagi)

Email: info@astrozindagi.in, neeraj@astrozindagi.in

Url: www.astrozindagi.in

Contact: Noida: +919910094779
Pisces  (19th February to 20th March) Daily Horoscope Prediction says, you believe in sharing emotions Look for pleasant moments in the relationship. Consider new tasks at work that also demand special attention. Spend money wisely and health is good today. Pisces Daily Horoscope Today, August 29, 2024: Spend money wisely and health is good today.

Be sensitive towards the lover and prove your potential at the office. Your attitude in the love affair matters today. Minor financial issues will be there. But your health will be good today.

Pisces Love Horoscope Today

Be sensitive towards the feelings of your partner. Your partner will take care of your requirements and you both will share more time. Spend more time together but avoid discussions that may emotionally hurt the lover. Single male natives looking for love will be successful in approaching a new person to express their feelings. Married Pisces natives must stay away from office romance as your spouse will find this out today evening.

Pisces Career Horoscope Today

In case you want to quit the job, the second part of the day is the best to put down the paper. You can also expect a transfer of jobs to a different location. Be diplomatic in team meetings. The first half of the day will be a little troublesome Students will clear examinations while artists will find good openings to express their talent. Businessmen may face issues in the partnership. Trust is a major factor in a partnership and the chances of you missing it in the relationship are high.

Pisces Money Horoscope Today

Do not blindly trust anyone in financial affairs. Some businessmen may have troubles in partnerships causing issues in raising funds. A financial dispute may also happen today. Today is not good to lend a big amount to someone. However, you may go ahead with the plan to renovate the house or buy electronic appliances. You may also succeed in clearing all pending dues.

Pisces Health Horoscope Today

Those who have diabetes need to be careful in the evening hours of the day. Some children may develop a cold, viral fever, or sore throat. Take all fatty items off the plate. Fill the menu with salads and green leafy vegetables. Those with nerve and acidity issues need to be extremely cautious. Females may also develop menstrual complaints in the first half of the day.

Pisces Sign Attributes

Strength: Conscious, Aesthetic, Kind-hearted

Weakness: Sentimental, Indecisive, Unrealistic

Symbol: Fish

Element: Water

Body Part: Blood Circulation

Sign Ruler: Neptune

Lucky Day: Thursday

Lucky Color: Purple

Lucky Number: 11

Lucky Stone: Yellow Sapphire

Pisces Sign Compatibility Chart

Natural affinity: Taurus, Cancer, Scorpio, Capricorn

Good compatibility: Virgo, Pisces

Fair compatibility: Aries, Leo, Libra, Aquarius

Less compatibility: Gemini, Sagittarius

By: Dr. J. N. Pandey

Vedic Astrology & Vastu Expert

E-mail: djnpandey@gmail.com

Phone: 91-9811107060 (WhatsApp Only)
The family office of actor Amitabh Bachchan picked a small stake in quick commerce giant Swiggy, Economic Times reported. Details of the financial transaction remain undisclosed but significant, the report claimed. This comes amid increased interest in quick-commerce industry owing to growing demand for faster delivery services. Actor Amitabh Bachchan while meeting fans at his residence 'Jalsa', in Mumbai.(PTI)

This comes after reports that the company is aiming for an initial public offering (IPO) targeting a valuation of $15 billion. Amitabh Bachchans family office picked up the stake by purchasing shares held by the companys employees and early investors.

The report further stated that Motilal Oswal Financial Services chairman Raamdeo Agrawal picked a stake in Swiggy. Raamdeo Agrawal picked a stake in quick-commerce firm Zepto as well through its $665 million funding. These secondary share sales are believed to have happened by assigning a valuation of around $10-11 billion to the company, the report claimed.

Swiggy IPO

Swiggy is targeting a valuation of approximately $15 billion for its upcoming IPO to raise $1-1.2 billion, news agency Reuters reported citing sources. This would make it one of the largest Indian initial public offerings this year at a time when Swiggy is competing fiercely with Zomato in India's online food delivery sector and has also ventured into the quick commerce market, delivering groceries and other products in 10 minutes.
Banking services are likely to be affected nationwide today (August 28) as the All India Bank Employees Association has called for a nationwide strike. The strike is to protest against the action of Bank of India in charge-sheeting all the thirteen office bearers of the Bank staff union.

All India Bank Employees Association's nationwide strike today may impact banking services, protesting Bank of India's charge-sheeting of all 13 union office bearers.
The Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) is not a compulsion for states since they are capable of making their own decisions, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, but added that she hoped most states would adopt it as it has a lot of benefits for employees. Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman hopes most states would adopt the UPS (Ajay Aggarwal/HT)

Also Read: Elon Musk's email to X staff says they'll get their stock option grants, but with a catch: Report

What is the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS)?

The Union Cabinet on Saturday, approved the UPS for over 2.3 million central government employees, offering assured pension of 50% of the average basic pay over the last 12 months prior to the superannuation, for a minimum 25 years of qualifying service.

The scheme also includes two more components, which is family pension and assured minimum pension.

Also Read: Swiggy had zero orders on first ever day, CEO Sriharsha Majety says

The employees' family will receive 60% of the pension upon their demise and the UPS also assures a minimum pension of 10,000 per month upon superannuation after 10 years of service at minimum.

The pension amount would be proportionate for shorter service periods, down to a 10-year minimum.

The expenditure for arrears will be 800 crore with an annual cost increase of about 6,250 crore in the first year.

Why was the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) brought in?

The UPS is an attempt to improve the existing National Pension System (NPS)," Sitharaman said in her first official comments on UPS during a select media briefing here. "There is no rollback or U-turn by introducing assured pensions under UPS.

Benefits under the UPS will be given on a pro-rata basis if the service period is less than 25 years. Tax treatment will also remain unchanged.

Also Read: AI's impact on Philippines, the world's call center capital shows what's to come
Bengaluru, A court here on Tuesday extended till September 30 the judicial custody of Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa along with his friend Pavithra Gowda and others, who are accused in the Renukaswamy murder case. All the 17 accused, including Darshan and Pavithra, were produced before the 24th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court through video conferencing from various prisons across the state, where they are lodged, as their judicial custody ended today. The police presented some technical evidence related to the case to the court. Police on September 4 submitted to the court a 3,991-page preliminary charge sheet in the case. The 47-year-old actor is currently lodged in Ballari prison. He was shifted there from the Parappana Agrahara Central jail here by obtaining court permission, after a photograph of him hanging out with three others, including a rowdy-sheeter, on the lawns of the jail had gone viral, sparking an uproar. 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. The court had also permitted shifting of other co-accused in the murder case to various prisons in the state. Other accused Pawan, Raghavendra and Nandish are now lodged in Mysuru, Jagadish and Lakshmana in Shivamogga, Dhanraj in Dharwad, Vinay in Vijayapura, Nagaraj in Kalaburagi/Gulbarga Jail, and Pradosh in Belagavi Jail. Three accused ' Pavithra Gowda, Anukumar, and Deepak continue to remain at Parappana Agrahara Central Jail here. Four accused Ravi, Karthik, Nikhil and Keshavamurthy were earlier shifted to Tumakuru prison and they continue to remain lodged there. Nine prison officials, including the Chief Superintendent of the Parappana Agrahara jail, were suspended over their "lapses" after a preliminary probe into "special treatment" to Darshan. Also, three FIRs were registered, including against Darshan, under sections of the Prisons Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. According to police sources, 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a fan of the actor, had sent obscene messages to Pavithra, which enraged Darshan, allegedly leading to his murder. His body was found near a stormwater drain next to an apartment in Sumanahalli here on June nine. Raghavendra, one of the accused who is part of Darshan's fan club in Chitradurga, had brought Renukaswamy to a shed in R R Nagar here, on the pretext that the actor wanted to meet him. It was in this shed that he was allegedly tortured and murdered. According to the post-mortem report, Renukaswamy, a native of Chitradurga, died due to shock and haemorrhage as a result of multiple blunt injuries. Police sources said Pavithra, who is accused number one, was the "major cause" for Renukaswamys murder, claiming that it has been proved from the probe that she instigated other accused, conspired with them, and took part in the crime.

HT Image
A team from Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) visited Bengaluru to discuss the inter-state metro line between Bengalurus Bommasandra and Tamil Nadus Hosur, reported Money Control. This is the first step for South Indias first inter-state metro connection, which is expected to enhance public transportation in the tech capital. Bengaluru - Hosur metro line to have 12 stations, officials discuss feasibility: Report(X/@bykarthikreddy)

Also Read - Bengaluru man jumps on metro track of Purple Line, suffers head injury

According to the report, the officials discussed the feasibility of the project. This metro line will cover the length of 23 km, out of which 11 km fall in Tamil Nadu and 12 km in Karnataka. A total of 12 metro stations are planned in the route.

Meanwhile, a DFR (Detailed Feasibility Study Report) is being prepared for the better understanding of challenges in the project and it is reportedly nearing the completion.

Also Read - Bengaluru man jumps on metro track of Purple Line, suffers head injury

In 2022, the then Basavaraj Bommai-led government approved the proposal to extend the RV Road - Bommasandra line to Hosur City, which falls under the Namma Metro's Phase 2 project. However, the state government's approval was not enough to start construction work and authorities in Karnataka joined hands with Tamil Nadu government for their cooperation.

There are many techies who work at Electronic City and travel to Hosur on daily basis as it offers less cost of living. This metro line is expected to help all those people and migrations to Hosur are also likely to increase due to better public transport system.
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 52,000 crore per year on their five guarantees scheme. Karnataka spending  52,000 cr annually, on five guarantee scheme for equitable growth: CM Siddaramaiah(ANI )

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."

Also Read - Mysuru Dasara will be celebrated with grandeur this year: K'taka CM Siddaramaiah

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 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 170 per person due to grain shortages. This benefits over 12 million families.

Also Read - Bengaluru's Purple Line metro services partially disurpted after doors fail to open

Shakti- Free bus travel for all women residents, with over 280 crore trips taken so far, Yuva Nidhi- Monthly stipends of 3,000 for graduates and 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)
The only cheetah from Namibia, to survive wilderness in Madhya Pradeshs Kuno National Park was found dead on Tuesday morning with officials suspected drowning as the cause of death. This is the second cheetah death in August. (File photo)

The cheetah, named Pawan, was found lying near the edge of a swollen stream at around 10:30am on Tuesday.

The preliminary cause of death seems to be drowning. Further details will be provided once the post-mortem report is received, said Uttam Sharma, field director Kuno National Park.

A closer inspection by veterinarians revealed that the front half of the cheetahs carcass, including the head, was inside the water. No external injuries were seen anywhere on the body, said Sharma in the statement released after death.

An officer of MP forest department said, He was the only free-range cheetah. His location was being traced regularly. The tracking team on Tuesday got alerted when he was not seen moving. The team found him dead.

Also Read: Ecostani | Two years of Project Cheetah: More pitfalls than success

This is the second cheetah death in August. On August 5, a cub born to cheetah Gamini died in the enclosure. Now, the park has 24 cheetahs, including 12 adults and as many cubs.

Pawan had fathered at least seven out 16 cubs born in Kuno in the past one-and-half-years.

Six-year-old Pawan had explored the forest of 300km in Sheopur, Shivpuri, Guna and Morena districts since he was released into the wild a year ago and had evaded an encounter with a tiger at Madhav National Park for over a week in 2023.

A senior forest officer, who was associated with Cheetah Project, said, Pawan was one of the examples of successful translocation of Cheetah from Namibia to India. His death is shocking for us.

An environment activist Ajay Dubey said, Cheetah can swim, so how it is possible that Pawan could have died of drowning i.e., in a drain. The forest department should clarify the cause of death.
Former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader from Gidderbaha, Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon, joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the presence of chief minister Bhagwant Mann at a function in Muktsar on Wednesday. Former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader from Gidderbaha, Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon, joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Muktsar on Wednesday.

A former aide of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, Dhillon quit the party on Sunday and had said he was open to joining the AAP.

Manns cabinet minister Aman Arora and Gurmeet Khudian are among those present at the event in the Gidderbaha assembly segment, which is awaiting a byelection that Dhillon hopes to contest.

After a meeting with his supporters on Monday, Dhillon said that his supporters were unanimous on the decision to join the ruling party in Punjab in the larger interest of the constituency that is struggling for development.

I am definitely keen to contest the byelections. This is the reason I am considering joining the AAP. I have demands for the constituency and if I am assured of development funds for Gidderbaha, I will take a decision accordingly, Dhillon had said on Monday.

His announcement came on a day when Sukhbir publicly appealed to him to rejoin the party. Sukhbir said he would wait for 10 days to get a reply from Dhillon before taking any decision on Gidderbaha.

A transporter and politician, Dhillon unsuccessfully contested from the politically significant seat of Gidderbaha for two consecutive times since 2017 on the SAD ticket. The Gidderbaha seat fell vacant after state Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring quit as an MLA after being elected from the Ludhiana Lok Sabha seat.

In the 2022 assembly polls, Dhillon lost by 1,349 votes in a neck-and-neck contest, while AAP candidate Pritpal Sharma finished third.

Dhillon worked with the SAD for 38 years. Before quitting the party, he reiterated that Sukhbir had kept him in the dark about his future from Gidderbaha and he sensed that Sukhbir was supporting former finance minister and cousin Manpreet Singh Badal from the segment and might even field him in the byelection.
The Uttarakhand Police has written to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to launch a probe against Haldwani violence main accused Abdul Malik over allegations of running a fake institution, suspicious transactions, sale and purchase of the land using forged stamp, illegal possession and construction on government land. ITBP and Uttarakhand Police personnel stand guard on a road on February 12, 2024, during a curfew in Haldwanis Banbhoolpura area following incidents of violence. (PTI File Photo)

The development comes after the Nainital district administration wrote to the state government recommending the state police to write to the ED.

An official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that suspicious transactions were detected from Maliks institute in Nainital, and several benami properties in other states have been associated with him. It also suggests violation of the PMLA Act, the official said.

I had written a letter to the Enforcement Directorate in this regard but cant recall when, Uttarakhand director general of police Abhinav Kumar said.

Nainital senior superintendent of police Prahlad Narayan Meena said the letter to the government was sent by the district administration as the issue concerns government land.

Violent clashes erupted in Banbhoolpura area of Haldwani on the evening of February 8, when civic authorities razed two structures  Masjid Mariam (mosque) and Abdul Razzaq Zakaria madrasa  alleging that they were illegally built on state government (nazool) land.

As workers from the Haldwani Municipal Corporation and Nainital administration razed the 20-year-old structure, residents of the area set afire several vehicles, a police station and hurled stones at the demolition team as well as police personnel.

Four FIRs were registered in connection with the violence, three of them under sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapon), 307 (attempt to murder), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to public servant), 353, 333, 427, and others, of the Indian Penal Code, and sections of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act at Banbhulpura police station.

The fourth case was registered on the complaint by Haldwani Municipal Corporation assistant commissioner Ganesh Bhatt on February 22.

Six people  Abdul Malik, his wife Safia Malik, Akhtari Begum, Nabi Raza Khan, Gaus Raza Khan and Abdul Latif  were named in the FIRs. According to the police, the names of Abdul Maliks son Abdul Moid, and Babu Raza came up during investigation.

The Nainital police had also attached the properties of six absconding accused, including Moid and his father, for their alleged role in the violence, a senior police official said.

The properties were seized under section 83 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (attachment of property of person absconding).
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and workers hit the streets early morning on Wednesday, blocking roads and railway tracks across West Bengal to implement the 12-hour state bandh called by the party. A student covers her face after security personnel fired tear gas shells to disperse protesters in Kolkata on Tuesday. (PTI Photo)

This comes on a day when the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) is scheduled to hold a rally to celebrate the foundation day of the partys student wing.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who is likely to address the rally, dedicated the foundation day to the Kolkata rape-murder victim.

Today, I dedicate the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad Foundation Day to our sister whose tragic loss at the RG Kar Hospital a few days ago we all mourned. Our heartfelt condolences to the family of the sister who was brutally tortured to death...we seek speedy justice. My heart also goes out to all the women of all ages across India who have been subjected to such inhumane acts. Sorry, Banerjee wrote on X on Wednesday.

BJP workers blocked trains in at least 28 places across the state, including Murshidabad, Berhampore, Bongaon, Konnagar, Singur, Katwa, Rampurhat, Barrackpore, Shantipur. In most places, the number of protestors was between 30 and 50.

The 12-hour statewide bandh was called by the BJP to protest against the police action against protestors who marched towards the state secretariat on Tuesday demanding the resignation of the chief minister and justice for the trainee doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital earlier this month.

BJP legislator Agnimitra Paul was seen requesting people with folded hands at Bhowanipore in south Kolkata, considered to be the backyard of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, to return home and support the bandh.

Roads were blocked in several places such as Birbhum, Malda, Belda in West Midnapore and Nandigram, with police trying to disperse agitators. In some places scuffles broke out between the police and protestors.

At Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas, a clash broke out between BJP and TMC workers over the bandh. Allegations also surfaced of a few rounds of bullets being fired by unidentified goons.

Meanwhile a public interest litigation (PIL) has been moved before the Calcutta high court challenging a 12-hour strike called by the BJP. The court is likely to hear the matter on Wednesday.

The TMC government has called the bandh unlawful and ordered all schools and government offices to remain open.

If the bandh is unlawful, then was the lathi charge by police on protestors who were peacefully marching towards the state secretariat on Tuesday lawful? The government cannot throttle our voices. The Supreme Court had allowed peaceful protests, Paul told the media.
LUCKNOW: Chief secretary Manoj Kumar Singh on Friday highlighted the need for a security audit of medical institutions, including medical colleges and hospitals, based on footfall. Uttar Pradesh Chief secretary Manoj Kumar Singh. (File)

During a video conference with commissioners and district magistrates, he mandated that CCTV cameras be fully operational in all hospitals and that proper lighting be maintained throughout the premises. He also stressed the importance of having an adequate number of stretchers and wheelchairs available in hospitals.

The chief secretary called for immediate action by local police in the event of any incidents and highlighted the need for improved coordination between the police and medical institutions. He also advised the police and health departments to ensure compliance with all standard operating procedures (SOPs) related to recruitment exams.

Meanwhile, the principal secretary (health) advised implementing a pass system for hospital entry, improving parking facilities, and ensuring police verification of outsourced staff.

The CS also reviewed preparations for the upcoming police recruitment exams on August 30 and 31, emphasising the importance of maintaining stringent security measures.

He instructed that all cameras in and around the treasury rooms must be operational 24/7, with appropriate lighting and backup power supplies such as generators or inverters. He also stressed that district magistrates (DMs) should be present during the retrieval of question papers to ensure the correct sets are used.

DGP Prashant Kumar reiterated the governments commitment to conducting a foolproof and leak-proof recruitment process, urging all officials to adhere to the provided guidelines. He emphasized heightened vigilance, particularly in major cities and at transport hubs like railway and bus stations.
KANPUR The families of two Dalit teenagers, whose bodies were found hanging from a tree in UPs Farrukhabad, demanded a murder probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the sensational case on Wednesday, rejecting the local polices claim that the girls died by suicide. DM VK Singh and SP Alok Priyadarshi reach the site after two girls allegedly committed suicide in Bhagautipur village in Farrukhabad on Wednesday. (ANI Photo)

The families refused to perform the last rites for several hours and rejected the post-mortem report, raising a string of troubling questions about the police investigation and the medical process.

The two girls  aged 15 and 18  were found hanging from a tree in a mango orchard on Tuesday morning, bringing back memories of the grisly deaths of two sisters in Badaun a decade ago. The two girls were neighbours and close friends, and their bodies were found hanging from the same dupatta.

The post-mortem report suggested that the girls died of ante-mortem asphyxia, or hanging. Based on this, the police said the case appeared to be one of suicide.

But the families rejected this theory. I will not allow the bodies to be cremated until a proper investigation is conducted. The post-mortem report is not credible, and I do not believe they could have committed suicide using one dupatta, said the father of the younger girl. The other girls father, however, relented and agreed to the cremation.

The father of the younger girl insisted that the cremation be withheld until the circumstances of the deaths were fully investigated. Our daughters were murdered, and the suicide theory is unbelievable. The bodies will not be moved unless a CID (Crime Investigation Department) or CBI probe is ordered, said the aunt of the younger girl.

The girls were happy and had no reason to take an extreme step. The marks on their backs indicate it is a case of murder, said another female relative of the older girl.

The coffins carrying the bodies were placed in Bhagautipur village amid protests from both the families and other locals. For two hours, the police and administration officers persuaded the families to proceed with the cremation.

The bodies were eventually cremated at Ataina Ghat on the Badaun border after sub-divisional magistrate Ravindra Singh and circle officer Jitendra Singh Tomar assured the families of a transparent investigation.

According to the post-mortem report, it appears to be a case of ante-mortem asphyxia, which means that the death of girls was due to hanging. Besides, there are no external injuries on the bodies. The police are investigating the case with an open mind and pursuing various leads, said Farrukhabad superintendent of police Alok Priyadarshi.

Priyadarshi said the families had so far not lodged any complaint of murder. We have not received any such complaint till now...we will act accordingly, if a complaint is filed, he added.

Near the tree, where the bodies were hanging, the police found a mobile phone and SIM card hidden in the younger girls innerwear. This phone belonged to the son of the maternal uncle of the elder girl.

The girls father has confirmed that the phone belongs to her cousin, who lives in the same village. It was left at his house for charging after a power outage, said a police officer.

The SIM card found with the younger girl was issued in her fathers name, but he claimed to have no knowledge of it.

The investigation revealed that the two girls became friends a year ago when the younger one moved to live with her father in this village. Her mother had passed away when she was a year old, and she was raised by her paternal aunt in a different village. The father decided to bring her back because he struggled with cooking for himself after his son, who was an electrician, left for work in Delhi, said police.

Being neighbours, the girls had a close bond and were often seen together, particularly in the past three months, according to villagers.

The case also sparked a political controversy. The silence of the BJP government in the case is disturbing. Perhaps there are two reasons for this, one is the BJPs anti-women thinking and attitude and the other is their being Dalits. The Samajwadi Party (SP) will send a delegation in this regard to offer condolences as well as raise voice for justice, party chief Akhilesh Yadav said in a post on X.

State BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said: The police is probing the case and as per the post-mortem report, prima facie it appears to be a case of suicide. Akhilesh Yadav must remember his tenure (as CM) when crimes against women were at its peak. In the Yogi Adityanath government, no criminal will be spared.

Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh criticised the government and called for greater focus on womens safety.

Priyanka slams police for hurried cremation

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday slammed the Farrukhabad police and administration for the hurried cremation of the girls bodies.

She wrote on X : Following the harrowing incident involving two Dalit girls in Farrukhabad, a father is now questioning why he has to struggle to uncover the truth about how his daughter was treated. Shouldnt a grieving father have the right to know full details of what happened to his daughter? Why is there a rush from the authorities to cremate the bodies?

Priyanka added that the administrations handling of this case raised several questions. Similar patterns of neglect and cruelty have been observed in past cases, such as those in Hathras and Unnao. The repeated occurrence of such incidents prompts a broader question: Should Dalits, marginalised communities, the poor, and women resign themselves to lack of justice and remain hopeless? she wrote.

Five questions raised by the fathers of two deceased

1. Why did the police not wait for the forensic team to arrive at the spot? Why was a knife brought from home to cut the dupatta to bring down the bodies, which were packed hurriedly.

2. The bodies were found 15ft above the ground. Given the older girls weight, her body should have been lower than the younger ones (while hanging). Instead, the younger girls body was found lower.

3. Both girls appeared normal and happy before the incident. What could have happened to make them allegedly commit suicide, as claimed by the police? We have no reason to believe the suicide theory.

4. The police claimed there were no external injuries on the bodies, but both had red marks on their backs, which seem like injuries. We have photos and videos of these marks.

5. We have lodged a murder complaint with the police, but no case has been registered yet. Why is this?
AGRA: Launching a scathing attack on the Congress and Samajwadi Party, Chief minister Yogi Adityanath alleged that, driven by the spirit of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, these parties are engaged in dividing society. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath conducts 'Annaprashan' of a child during a programme in Aligarh on Wednesday. (PTI)

Addressing a gathering on the school premises in Khair town in Aligarh on Wednesday, the chief minister reiterated his governments commitment to ensuring law and order in the state and warned that those disrespecting women would be sent to the home of Yamraj.

He also attended the district-level mega employment fair (Rojgar Mela) and inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 305 projects totalling 705 crore, aimed at advancing the overall development of Aligarh district.

During this fair, over 63 companies issued appointment letters to more than 5,000 youths, while loans exceeding 35 crore were granted to eligible individuals and MSME units through various schemes. Additionally, tablets and smartphones were distributed to over 1,500 students under the Swami Vivekananda Yuva Sashaktikaran Yojana.

It appears that the spirit of Jinnah has entered the Congress and Samajwadi Party, which are dividing the nation on the grounds of caste and damaging social order. Jinnah was someone who committed similar crimes and died a disrespectful death for his deeds, Yogi said.

The chief minister further stated that as the country reached new milestones in development, some were working to fragment society. Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014, the nation has been advancing. Meanwhile, the opposition is fostering anarchy by sowing seeds of caste discord in society, he said.

Targeting the Samajwadi Party, Yogi Adityanath remarked, Those who achieved nothing during their tenure and were known only for their karname (misdeeds) are unsettled by the rule of law in the state. These are the same Samajwadi Party individuals who once justified misconduct with the excuse, ladke hain, aur ladkon se galti ho jaati hai (they are boys and boys make mistakes). They were responsible for compromising the safety of daughters.

Reiterating his commitment to the law-and-order situation in the state, the chief minister said, Those who jeopardise the safety of daughters and businessmen face a path to Yamlok. CM Adityanath also attacked Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, asserting that he has no right to comment on womens safety. His silence on incidents in Ayodhya, Kannauj, and Kolkata speaks volumes, Yogi said.

Emphasising that under PM Modis leadership, India is on track to become the worlds largest economy, Yogi Adityanath stated, Congress has disrespected national heroes such as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, and Maharaja Mahendra Pratap Singh. The BJP is dedicated to honoring these great figures, as evidenced by the university established in Maharaja Mahendra Pratap Singhs name.

He criticised Congress and the Samajwadi Party, accusing them of focusing solely on their own interests. Yogi asserted that the double-engine government practices non-discrimination and will not tolerate anarchy, disorder, or hooliganism.

CM Yogi noted that prior to 2017, Uttar Pradesh was grappling with an identity crisis. Today, UP is recognized as one of the leading states in the country. Therefore, we must ensure that this progress continues, as the Samajwadi Party, if given the chance, would bring about riots, looting, and anarchy.
Mumbai:The collapse of a statue depicting Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji has ignited a fierce political dispute between Maharashtra's ruling alliance and the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The MVA has announced plans to protest against the Eknath Shinde-led government over the incident. 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)

On Wednesday, the MVA accused the three-party government of corruption and compromising Maharashtra's pride. The opposition coalition plans to stage a protest march at the Gateway of India on September 1, followed by a statewide 'Jode Maro' (slipper them) agitation beginning September 2.

These decisions were made during a meeting at Uddhav Thackeray's residence in suburban Bandra, attended by Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, and state Congress president Nana Patole.

Pawar placed the blame squarely on the state government. 'It is the responsibility of the state government as no statue can be constructed without its permission', he told reporters after the meeting. Thackeray labelled the government as 'anti-Maharashtra and anti-Shivaji Maharaj'.

Both Pawar and Thackeray alleged corruption in the statue's installation.

According to MVA insiders, the three parties have decided to target the alliance government over the statue issue, as it has already evoked strong reactions across the state. This comes at a time when the government is grappling with the Maratha reservation demand, which significantly impacted its performance in the recent Lok Sabha election. Shivaji Maharaj is revered by the people of the state, particularly the Maratha community.

The MVA's agitation coincides with protests against the Shinde government over the Badlapur school girls sexual abuse incident.

Since Monday, the MVA has been staging demonstrations across Maharashtra over the statue collapse. On Wednesday, the opposition coalition held protests in Malvan, Baramati and Sambhaji Nagar.

Meanwhile, tensions flared as followers of Bharatiya Janata Party MP Narayan Rane clashed with Shiv Sena (UBT)-MVA workers when MVA leaders visited Rajkot fort in Malvan, the site where the statue collapsed on Monday. The simultaneous presence of Rane and Thackeray at the fort led to a skirmish between their respective supporters.

Thackeray was accompanied by NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil, opposition leaders in the state assembly and council, Vijay Wadettiwar and Ambadas Danve. The site is now under heavy police deployment.

Commenting on the agitation by BJP workers, Patil said, 'To cover up the sins of the ruling alliance and corruption in the statue work, the ruling party is playing such tactics'.

Thackeray dismissed the BJP workers' agitations as childish and criticised the ruling alliance for failing to construct a sturdy statue. 'I have told my party workers not to get involved in the politics of the ruling alliance. This is not the place for such things. But ruling party workers' behaviour is childish and reflects their upbringing. The ruling alliance made money from the statue work of Shivaji Maharaj', he said.

A metal statue of the Maratha warrior king at Malvan seashore, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last December during Navy Day celebrations, collapsed entirely on Monday. The state government attributed the collapse to strong coastal winds. A first information report has been lodged against the contractor and sculptor.
MUMBAI: As the stock market booms, market-related frauds are not far behind. The Mumbai police have registered 355 investment-related frauds in May this year, arrested 91 people and are investigating 76 cases. According to the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), people across the country lost 7,061.51 crore to cyber frauds in just four months this year, with the lions share of 1,420.48 crore going to scamsters luring people to invest in the stock market. Stock investment frauds using celebrity names on the rise

Police officials said most of the rackets originated in Cambodia, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Dubai and Laos. The web applications used in these crimes are written in Mandarin, thus raising the high possibility of a Chinese link to the major cyber crimes affecting India.

Most of the scams are pig-butchering ones, where the accused pose as stock market experts and promise guaranteed returns. These scamsters approach victims mostly via social media or WhatsApp and Telegram messages. They pay the social media platforms higher rates to ensure that their advertisements appear prominently.

A 54-year-old real estate consultant from Vile Parle was cheated of 2.25 lakh by someone using the name of Pune-based finfluencer Rachna Ranade, said a police officer. The victim saw some deep fake videos of Ranade on a social media platform. When he clicked on the link, he was connected to some WhatsApp and Telegram channels on which members had posted messages, announcing the huge profits they had earned by investing in the stocks recommended by experts.

Believing that Ranade was giving the tips, the complainant downloaded the app and invested 2.25 lakh. Soon after, the app started showing 68 lakh credited to his account, said the police officer. However, when he tried to withdraw some of it, he could not. A 71-year-old-man from Sion lost 1.1 crore in a similar scam.

Ritesh Bhatia, a cyber security expert, said that frauds dropped names like Ranade, P R Sundar, Varun Malhotra, journalist and economist Udayan Mukherjee, Zee Business managing editor and stock expert Anil Singhvi and value investor and YouTuber Pranjal Kamra. People are directed to WhatsApp groups or Telegram channels which share false narratives of huge profits and fabricated profit screenshots, he said.

A report by cyber security firm CloudSEK said there was a huge surge in fraudulent ads on social media platforms, and the firm had identified around 29,000. There are over 81,000 fake investment groups on WhatsApp and the same number of fake handles on X masquerading as legitimate financial entities.

As a significant amount of time is lost in realising that one has been duped, the Golden Houran hour after loss of moneyis lost in such cases and the money has already been transferred to other bank accounts and to the group handlers across borders via either crypto currency or USDT.

When I learnt about the fraud happening in my name, I approached the Colaba police, said Udayan Mukherjee. I am not present on any social media and therefore I asked my friends to warn people. Ranade has posted on X and Instagram, warning people about the fraudulent ads using her name and photo. Zee Business managing editor Anil Singhvi said he had lodged a complaint with the cyber police but nothing much happened and people were still being cheated.

Ajay Kejriwal, CEO of Choice Equity Broking, said protecting oneself from such fake stock market apps required a combination of vigilance, scepticism and proactive research. Download apps only from trusted app stores like Google Play or Apple App Store, he said. Ensure that the app uses SSL encryption (Https in the URL). Also, never transfer funds to anyones personal bank account. If an app or service promises unusually high returns with little or no risk, its likely a scam.

Kejriwal said that investors should also check the regulatory registrations or licenses of the firms with financial regulatory bodies such as the SEBI, NSE, BSE, MCX, NCDEX, CDSL, NSDL and RBI on their websites. Look at the apps reviews in the app store, he said. Be wary of apps with few reviews, overly positive feedback or generic comments. Be cautious of unsolicited investment offers, especially those that come through email, sms or social media.

Datta Nalawade, deputy commissioner of police, Crime Branch, advised people not to click on suspicious links or download unauthorised apps from social media platforms. Think twice before investing through such applications which are a copy of the original with some minute changes, he said. Nalawade added that the Mumbai cyber police had frozen around 100 crore belonging to cyber fraud victims this year in various bank accounts.

Whom to Contact

In case of any cyber-related offence, victims are advised to lodge complaints on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (www.cybercrime.gov.in) or call the cyber-crime helpline, 1930.
The Badlapur police have arrested a 35-year-old man in connection with the alleged rape of an 11-year-old girl at a construction site in June this year. The girl, the daughter of a security guard, is reported to be pregnant. Thane, India - August 27, 2024: Govinda is seen holding a placard calling for death sentence for the accused in the Badlapur girls sexual assault case at the Dahi Handi festival in Thane at Sanskruti yuva Pratishan Dahihandi vartak nager in Thane. ( Praful Gangurde /HT Photo )

The police were unable to locate the accused, identified as Nagesh Shande alias Naresh, for the past two months, as he had fled from Badlapur. A police team tracked him to Telangana from where he was arrested on August 27 and brought to Badlapur. He was produced in the court on August 28 which remanded him to police custody till August 31. Naresh is a repeated offender and has a case registered against him under section 307 (attempt to murder), according to the police.

HT had reported this case on August 23, when the accused was on the run and police did not have concrete information about his whereabouts. However, during this time too, the accused was using his henchmen to threaten the survivors family to withdraw the case. Even their home was vandalised. The scared father, who worked as a security guard at the construction site where the crime took place and where the accused worked as a building contractor, took the decision to take his family back to Nepal, their country of birth.

The 11-year-old girl was allegedly raped by the accused while she was returning home from a friends house. She was dragged to an isolated spot at the construction site and later threatened not to tell anyone about the rape. Only after she complained of pain, she was taken to a clinic on July 18 by her parents, where she was prescribed medicine for stomachache. But as her condition worsened, she was taken to Central Hospital in Ulhasnagar, where doctors confirmed she was five weeks pregnant. The shocked family then reported the incident to the police on July 20, and an FIR was filed under relevant sections of IPC and POCSO.

It was then that the threats started coming, leading to the family fleeing to Nepal. In this case, too, senior police inspector Subhada Shitoles name has surfaced. The family has claimed that despite knowing about the accuseds identity and of his threats, no arrest was made, prompting them to flee due to safety concerns. Shitoles name is doing the rounds in the recent case of the school toilet molestation case for tardiness in the investigation. Reportedly, she was previously suspended in another case for negligence of duty.
The office of the Registrar General of India (RGI), under the Union ministry of home affairs, has asked the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to release the locked biometrics of 9,35,682 residents of Assam. An Indian woman gets her biometric scans done during the registration process for Aadhaar cards. (AFP File Photo)

The biometrics of these people were locked during the updation process of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in 2019, and the order was finally issued on August 27 after several appeals by the Assam government, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

According to the RGI order, the decision was taken following the advice of the Solicitor General of India through the Ministry of Law and Justice if there is any legal impediment in issuing Aadhaar cards to these affected persons.

The card was stopped by UIDAI due to NRC draft exercise related to biometric capturing or for administrative reasons mentioned in the proposal, if such persons are otherwise eligible. However, as per the Solicitor General, there is no legal impediment in issuing Aadhaar cards in Assam to affected persons whose Aadhaar number/Aadhaar, the order read.

Deputy Director General of RGI, Biswajit Das, said, Keeping the purpose and intent of the Aadhaar Act in mind and following the view of the Solicitor General, the Unique Identification Authority of India is requested to issue Aadhaar to these affected persons in Assam.

The Assam CM welcomed this on Wednesday and said that the decision will help many indigenous people in the state.

We initially thought that the biometrics of 2.7 million people were locked but the UIDAI authorities told us that only 9,35,682 genuine Indians are facing this issue. Now they will be allowed to apply for Aadhaar registrations, Sarma said.

According to the CM, the biometrics were locked between February and August 2019 and many people whose names appeared in the drafts of NRC were accidentally locked.

The government of India suddenly merged the Aadhaar and NRC in the same offices and the officials locked all the names that came as applications during those five months. After examining the process thoroughly, we realised that Aadhaar and NRC were not directly related, Sarma said.

He said the Assam cabinet later formed a committee to examine the matter, and they also talked to the groups like All Assam Students Union to understand if the state government could appeal to the Centre for these biometrics.

After getting the detailed report by the cabinet committee and positive responses from various organisations, we made an appeal to the central government. They asked the Assam government to send an official appeal and on July 29 this year we sent it, he said.

Regarding the 19 people excluded from NRC, Sarma said they will have to go through the Foreigners Tribunals once the NRC gets approval from the RGI.

Opposition leaders have criticised the government, with Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev, who had filed a petition before the Supreme Court regarding this matter in 2021, accusing the BJP of again trying to fool the people of Assam.

You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time, Dev wrote on X.
AIBE 18: The Bar Council of India (BCI) on Tuesday informed that the Certificate of Practice (COP) for the 18th All India Bar Examination (AIBE) have been dispatched to the state bar councils. Candidates who have qualified in AIBE XVIII or AIBE 18 can collect the COP from their respective state bar councils. AIBE 18: BCI issues Certificate of Practice (COP) for the 18th All India Bar Examination(HT Photo)

AIBE 18 certificates have been released for all state bar councils, except for Karnataka.

For any queries or assistance regarding the collection process, please contact your respective State Bar Councils directly. Please note that the COP for candidates under the Karnataka State Bar Council will be released soon. A separate notification will be issued once they are available, the BCI said.

Read the notification here

Also read | AIBE 18 result 2024: Top 5 benefits that all AIBE qualifiers are entitled to, important details here

The COP, awarded to those who pass the bar examination, is an essential component of legal practice. It enables advocates to practice, and represent clients in Indian courts.

About AIBE 18 exam

The result of the 18th All India Bar Examination was announced on March 23.

Seven questions asked in the exam were withdrawn and the result was prepared based on 93 questions instead of 100.

After the change, the pass marks for the general and OBC categories were calculated as 45 per cent or 93 marks, which rounded up to 42 marks.

For SC, ST and disabled category candidates, the pass mark were calculated as 40 per cent marks which was 37 marks.
Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS) Pilani is inviting applications from interested industry professionals who would like to join the institute as Professors of Practice (PoP) to align its students to face and resolve real-world problems. Applicants need to note that the last date to apply is September 10, 2024. (Image Courtesy BITS Pilani)

Applicants need to note that the last date to apply is September 10, 2024.

Post Details:

" The Professors of Practice are expected to play key pedagogical and leadership roles in the development of BITS Pilanis advanced research and study programs across the Institute which includes developing facilities and labs, courses and programs, engaging with students and faculty, incubate applied research engagement leading to credible publications and patents by reaching out to industries. Candidates will also contribute to activities and design projects, facilitate novel pedagogical practices by promoting active learning, creativity, and innovations, and teach graduate and undergraduate courses at BITS Pilani. These individuals would ideally provide students with a deeper understanding of the practical applications in a particular field of study and serve as liaison between the industry, the government and the institute in identifying teaching and research opportunities that support public interest and societal needs. They will also facilitate an environment for students and faculty colleagues alike to nurture entrepreneurship and start-ups," mentioned the official website.

Eligibility Criteria:

Professionals such as CEO, CTO, vice president, Principal Scientists, Senior Research Scientists with at least a Masters degree in engineering, science, humanities, or a related field can be considered for the position of Professor of Practice.

A PhD is desirable but not mandatory.

Individuals with an appropriate Bachelor's degree but having exceptional footprints in the area of entrepreneurship and start-ups may also be considered as PoP.

Compensation:

The compensation of a Professor of Practice will depend on the nature of the appointment and the expertise he/she brings in and the market trend for such expertise but normally be at par with a Professor Scale for any full-time appointment, mentioned the official website.

For more information, visit the official website of BITS Pilani.

Also Read: BITS Pilani opens new Bengaluru Center in HSR Layout, aims to develop budding entrepreneurs and researchers
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) along with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), organised the "Say No to Drugs and Yes to Life" campaign at Modern School, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi. Students, parents and teaching fraternity attended the program in offline mode as well as via live streaming on the CBSE YouTube channel.

The campaign was organised to raise awareness among the students about drug abuse and also to promote a healthier, drug-free lifestyle.

Himanshu Gupta, Secretary, CBSE, Neeraj Kumar Gupta, Deputy Director General, Narcotics Control Bureau, N Mrinal, Additional Director, NCB, Vibha Khosla, Principal, Modern School, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi and other senior dignitaries attended the campaign and highlighted the importance of combating substance abuse.

Also Read: CBSE student with learning disabilities scores 97% in Class 10 exams, proves where there is a will, theres a way

Students, parents and teaching fraternity attended the program in offline mode as well as via live streaming on the CBSE YouTube channel. The campaign saw the participation of more than 7000 students and attendees were engaged in presentations and interactive sessions that explained the causes, effects, and prevention strategies regarding drug abuse. Queries were resolved through an interactive question-and-answer session.

 The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, enacted in 1985, is India's main legal framework for combating drug abuse and illegal trafficking. It imposes strict penalties, including life imprisonment or the death penalty for severe offenses involving large quantities of drugs. Additionally, the Act promotes the treatment and rehabilitation of drug-dependent individuals. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) enforces the Act, coordinating with various agencies, and classifies penalties based on the quantities involvedsmall, intermediate, and commercial. Special provisions also allow for the forfeiture of properties linked to drug trafficking, while the PITNDPS includes stringent measures for detaining individuals to prevent illicit drug trade. The penalties vary vis a vis offences covered under various sections of this Act, informed the official press release.

The Board has plans to sign an MoU with NCB to promote awareness of drug abuse in all the CBSE-affiliated schools, informed CBSE.

Also Read: CBSE, ISTM join forces to launch 2-day Training of Trainers certification course for teachers and heads
The S P Jain Group announced its acquisition of California Miramar University (CMU), marking a strategic expansion into the United States. At the San Jose location, CMU will offer cutting-edge undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Artificial Intelligence, including an MBA and MS in Artificial Intelligence.(File Photo / Reuters)

Through the acquisition, students have the opportunity to study across campuses in Singapore, Dubai, Sydney, India, London, and the United States. Additionally, students will have the option to graduate with a US degree.

At the San Jose location, CMU will offer cutting-edge undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Artificial Intelligence, including an MBA and MS in Artificial Intelligence. These programs are accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) and approved by the US Department of Education. Graduating students will be eligible to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Curricular Practical Training (CPT).

The new CMU campus, strategically located in San Jose, Silicon Valley, offers proximity to world-leading tech companies, providing students with opportunities for industry engagement and hands-on experience in AI and related fields. Students gain access to cutting-edge AI tools and technologies, enhancing both their learning experience and job placement prospects. These benefits extend to S P Jain students as well, informed S P Jain Group.

S P Jain Group and CMU also introduced groundbreaking AI tutor technology. Developed in Silicon Valley, this AI tutor works alongside expert faculty to deliver a comprehensive educational experience and also offers 24/7 support tailored to each student's needs, creating customised education plans, providing instant feedback, and bridging the gap between academic learning and industry requirements, mentioned the official press release.

This acquisition marks a pivotal moment in our global education strategy. By bringing CMU into the S P Jain family, we're not just expanding our geographical reach; we're embracing the innovation hub of Silicon Valley and strengthening our commitment to AI-driven education, said Nitish Jain, President of S P Jain Group.

Joining forces with the S P Jain Group opens up exciting possibilities for our students and faculty. Our shared vision of AI-first education and global perspectives will create unparalleled opportunities for the next generation of leaders, said Dr Chitpasong Vazquez, President and CAO of California Miramar University.

For more information about the new programs and admissions, visit the official website.

Also Read: BITS Pilani invites applications to join the institute as Professors of Practice, details inside
In recent years, the conversation around STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education has evolved into a broader and more inclusive framework known as STEAM, where 'A' represents the integration of the Arts. The shift from STEM to STEAM is not just a trend; it reflects a deeper understanding of what students need to thrive in a rapidly changing world. The inclusion of the Arts in the STEM curriculum nurtures creativity, innovation, and emotional intelligence, which are crucial for problem-solving and adapting to new challenges. In India, while the focus still remains largely on STEM education, you can see parents becoming more accepting of their children opting for Arts. The inclusion of the Arts in the STEM curriculum nurtures creativity, innovation, and emotional intelligence, which are crucial for problem-solving and adapting to new challenges.

The power of imagination in driving innovation

Recent research highlights that creativity is not just a desirable skill but a necessity in the 21st-century workforce. A report by the World Economic Forum in 2023 listed creativity as one of the top three skills needed for future jobs. The ability to think creatively allows individuals to approach problems from different angles, leading to innovative solutions that might not emerge through traditional STEM disciplines alone.

For decades, all you would have heard was parents wanting their children to become a doctor, engineer, or a lawyer. Any other profession did not hold equal value, leading children to stick to the path their parents would guide them towards. But as times have changed, students have more access to what the market has to offer leading them to choose different/unconventional careers. This has also lead to students opting for Art, yet going into professions of critical and analytical thinking.

Moreover, according to a study published in the *International Journal of STEM Education* in 2022, integrating the Arts into STEM fosters a learning environment where students can explore complex concepts in more engaging and relatable ways. This interdisciplinary approach not only enhances cognitive skills but also encourages emotional and social development.

The role of emotional intelligence in building meaningful connections

Arts contribute significantly to the development of emotional intelligence (EI), a critical factor in teamwork and leadership. In the collaborative settings typical of STEAM education, students learn to navigate social dynamics, understand diverse perspectives, and express ideas clearly and empathetically. These skills are increasingly valued in workplaces, where teamwork and communication are essential for success.

Arts provides a medium through which students can express emotions, engage with complex ethical questions, and develop a sense of empathy, all of which contribute to a well-rounded education.

Bridging the gap between theory and practice

STEAM education also emphasises the application of knowledge in real-world contexts. The integration of art with science and technology encourages students to see the practical implications of their learning. For example, design thinking, a concept rooted in the arts, is now widely used in engineering and technology fields to create user-centered products and solutions. This cross-disciplinary approach ensures that students are not only technically proficient but also capable of designing solutions that meet human needs.

Furthermore, the shift to STEAM supports continuous learninga concept that is becoming increasingly important as industries evolve. The STEAM framework encourages students to remain curious, adaptable, and open to new experiences, which are essential traits for lifelong learning. According to a 2023 research by *National Institutes of Health*, students who engage in STEAM activities are more likely to develop a habit of continuous learning, driven by both intrinsic motivation and a clear understanding of how their skills can be applied in various contexts.

Preparing for the Future

As we look to the future, the need for an education system that prepares students for the complexities of the modern world has never been more urgent. Since this is the need of the hour, it has to be inculcated from a young age to help students navigate better. STEAM education, by blending analytical and creative skills, provides a comprehensive framework that meets this need. In the "era of intelligence," where technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and virtual reality are reshaping industries, a STEAM-based approach ensures that students are equipped not just with technical skills but also with the creative and emotional intelligence needed to innovate and lead.

While STEM education has laid a strong foundation in science and technology, the inclusion of the Arts through STEAM represents a crucial evolution in education. As schools begin to introduce a wider horizon of subjects such as hydroponics, they prepare students not only to be proficient in their fields but also to be harmonious, creative, empathetic, and adaptabletraits that are essential for success in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

(Author Geeta Jayanth is Head of School at Chaman Bhartiya School. Views expressed are personal.)
Two-part modern classic Gangs of Wasseypur will re-release in theatres on August 30, director Anurag Kashyap announced on Tuesday. The 2012 intergenerational revenge saga starred Manoj Bajpayee in the lead, along with the then-budding actors Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Richa Chadha, Huma Qureshi, Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi and Jaideep Ahlawat. (Also Read: Is Gangs of Wasseypur 3 in the making? Anurag Kashyap breaks silence) Gangs of Wasseypur franchise will re-release in cinemas this week

Re-release

Gangs of Wasseypur received critical acclaim upon its release with mostly positive reviews and also emerged as a commercial success.

Kashyap shared the update on his official Instagram page. "In three days the Gang will be back... GOW back in cinemas (sic)" he wrote.

According to a poster shared by the filmmaker, Gangs of Wasseypur will be available for theatrical viewing from August 30 to September 5. Tickets are available at the official website of Miraj Cinemas.

Original release

Set in Wasseypur, a small town near Dhanbad in Jharkhand, the film series chronicles the story of the coal mafia spread across three generations of a family entangled in crime, extortion and murder.

Co-written by Kashyap and Zeishan Quadri, the first part of Gangs of Wasseypur released on June 22, 2012 and the second part hit the screens on August 8, 2012. The soundtrack was composed by Sneha Khanwalkar and Piyush Mishra with lyrics penned by Mishra and Varun Grover.

Varun took to his X handle on Tuesday to repost the re-release announcement. He wrote in the caption, GOW-2 didnt get a run at theatres the first time (just 5 days), as next Wednesday EK THA TIGER released. Hopefully people see it this on a big screen this time. The second part featured Nawazuddin in the lead. It was taken down from the screens soon after release, thanks to the premiere of Kabir Khan's Ek Tha Tiger, starring Salman Khan and Katrina, which set the foundation of Aditya Chopra's ongoing blockbuster YRF Spy Universe.

Gangs of Wasseypur was screened in its entirety at the 2012 Cannes Directors' Fortnight, becoming one of the only Hindi-language films to achieve this feat and received overwhelming response at various film festivals across the globe.
Kangana Ranaut reacted strongly at the recent reports on the Hema Committee's report on the extreme discrimination and sexual exploitation that women face while working in the Malayalam cinema. In her new interview with India Today, Kangana said that she has been talking about these topics from long ago, but no one took any notice of it. She also shared her disappointment at the women in the industry for promoting item songs and not taking onus of their work. (Also read: Kangana Ranaut says Emergency can be compared with Nolan's Oppenheimer: It is so much like Macbeth) Bollywood actor and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kangana Ranaut.(ANI)

What Kangana said

When Kangana was asked about the rape culture of the Kerala industry, and whether it is true for every film industry, she said, I have nothing to say about the industry, it is a hopeless place. I have put everything at stake from my career to my choices. I have two cases on me. I have started the MeToo movement which did not go anywhere by the way. I started the parallel feminist cinema but these women attacked me! These women who get to do these films for me because I actively fought for pay parity. I didn't do Khan films, Kapoor films, Kumar films. When my film Emergency does well they are in hiding. Ten years ago, you can see mine and Aamir Khan's episode of Satyamev Jayate. I am calling them out for their screenplays where girl is saying No, no, no! but boy is saying Yes, yes, yes! I am calling out the rape culture, item numbers.

Maine sab ko dushman bana liya apna

She continued, Maine sab ko dushman bana liya apna (I have made everyone my enemy). Where do we end up now? Same kind of sexist cinema, promoting violence on women is doing better than ever! So about this report about Kerala, I have been talking about it for so long. Where did it go? It did not go anywhere. It is a hopeless place. I think I have wasted so much of my time trying to bring changes. It brought changes in my life maybe I have come to a very safe and secure place as a woman. But I am sorry I am very disappointed in girls who promote and do these item numbers, who do not take onus on sexualization of young women. I am very disappointed in women who do not promote other women's work. I am very disappointed in women who tell me that why you have so many fights, they don't understand who am I fighting for? Am I fighting for myself? I have only lost on opportunities, on money, on brands, on everything! I am very disappointed in them.

Kangana will be seen next in Emergency, where she will play former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The film has been directed as well as written by her. It also stars Anupam Kher, Mahima Chaudhary, Milind Soman, Shreyas Talpade, Vishak Nair, and the late Satish Kaushik. It releases in theatres on September 6.
Actor Swara Bhasker has penned a long note after reading the Hema Committee report. The report revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry. Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, Swara has called the findings 'heartbreaking because it is familiar'. In her note, she added that showbiz has always been a "male-centric industry, a patriarchal power set-up". The actor also questioned if "other language industries in India even talking about such things". (Also Read | Nani says Hema Committee report is bothering him; he's scared to scroll online: Situation was much better 20 year ago) Swara Bhasker talked about The Hema Committee report.

Swara praised 'brave women'

She wrote, "I finally got around to reading about the findings of the Hema Committee Report. Before anything else, a big big hug and gratitude to the brave women of the Women In Cinema Collective (WCC) who have consistently raised their voice against sexual harassment and violence, who demanded that an expert committee examine the working conditions of women in their industry and suggest solutions, who testified before the Hema Committee, who've held the hands of and provided solace to each other and to all women who have suffered sexual harassment and violence in the industry. You are heroes and you are doing the work that people in positions of greater power ought to have done already. Respect and solidarity with you!"

Actor says 'showbiz is a patriarchal power set-up'

"It has been heartbreaking to read the findings of the committee. More heartbreaking because it is familiar. Maybe not every detail and not every nitty gritty but the larger picture of what the women have testified to is all too familiar. Showbiz is and always has been a male-centric industry, a patriarchal power set-up. It's also deeply perception-sensitive and risk-averse. Every day of production - shoot days but also pre and post-production days - are days when the meter is running and money is being spent. No one likes a disruption. Even if the disruptor has raised her voice for what is ethically correct. It's so much more convenient and financially practical to just carry on," she added.

Swara shares how silence is the convention

Swara added, "Showbiz is not just patriarchal, it's also feudal in character. Successful actors, directors and producers are elevated to the status of demi-gods and anything they do goes. If they do something unsavoury, the norm for everyone around is to look away. If someone makes too much noise and doesn't let an issue drop, label them 'trouble-makers' and let them bear the brunt of their overenthusiastic conscience. Silence is the convention. Silence is appreciated. Silence is practical and silence is rewarded."

Swara on showbiz and predatory atmosphere

"This happens everywhere in the world. This is how sexual harassment in showbiz is normalised and this is how a predatory atmosphere becomes 'the way things are.' Let's be clear, when power equations are so skewed, newcomers and other women who accept these conditions cannot be blamed for working within a framework they have not created. Accountability must always be sought from those who hold the reins of power and who create conditions where women have no choice if they want work," the actor wrote.

Swara questions other language industries

"The Hema Committee Report details experiences of women from the Malayalam film industry but that's only because the horrific case of sexual assault of an actress allegedly orchestrated by superstar Dileep opened a Pandora's box for them. And these women of the WCC and their well wishers did something unprecedented: they banded together to demand justice and equal treatment. Are other language industries in India even talking about such things? Until we don't face the uncomfortable truths we all know exist all around us, the brunt of existing abuses of power will continue to be borne by those who are vulnerable," the actor concluded her note.

She captioned the post, "Ive just got down to reading the findings of the redacted Hema Committee Report and the findings are heartbreaking and familiar! Here are some thoughts..#sexualharassment #genderviolence #hemacommitteereport."

About The Hema Committee report

The Hema Committee report prompted calls for action against the guilty. There was an uproar over the sexual abuse allegations made against a number of male professionals by women actors over the past few days. Many women actors have gone public with allegations of sexual harassment against some of the well-known faces of Malayalam cinema, including eminent director Ranjith and actors Siddique and Mukesh, in the wake of the Justice K Hema Committee report that shed light on workplace harassment in the Malayalam film world.

Many celebs including Tanushree Dutta, Lakshmi Manchu, Prithviraj Sukumara, Tovino Thomas and Parvathy Thiruvothu among others have reacted to the report.
Angelina will be receiving the TIFF Tribute Award in Impact Media at the upcoming film festival, reports Variety.

All about the special honour

The Oscar-winning actor will be honoured on September 8 at the TIFF fundraiser. The honour, presented by Anne-Marie Canning, recognises efforts in cinema and social work. Previous award winners include Pedro Almodovar, Mira Nair and Alanis Obomsawin.

Angelina will be recognised alongside Amy Adams, Cate Blanchett, Durga Chew-Bose, David Cronenberg, Clement Ducol and Camille, Jharrel Jerome, Mike Leigh and Zhao Tao, with Sandra Oh serving as the inaugural Honorary Chair of the fundraising gala.

Angelina Jolie is a multifaceted talent who has entertained audiences for decades while consistently using her platform to champion important causes, said Cameron Bailey, CEO of TIFF.

Were honoured to present her with the 2024 TIFF Tribute Award in Impact Media. This award recognises 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, Cameron added.

More about the gala

In addition to this, her latest film, Without Blood, will also have its world premiere at the film festival.

Written, directed and produced by Angelina, Without Blood is a war drama based on the Alessandro Baricco novel of the same name. It narrates the story of a girls quest for revenge and healing during a time of conflict. It stars Salma Hayek Pinault and Demian Bichir in lead roles.

Her outing at the fest will mark her return to TIFF following the success of her features, First They Killed My Father, which she wrote and directed; and The Breadwinner, which she executive produced. Both films were TIFF selections in 2017.
Armie Hammer, who has moved back to Los Angeles, has revealed that he has to sell his beloved truck due to rising gas prices. In an Instagram video, Hammer revealed that he has now gotten a new apartment in Los Angeles, and has taken the truck he loved on one last roadtrip. The destination is Carmax. Armie Hammer takes his beloved truck on one final roadtrip ahead of a new life(REUTERS)

Ive been back in LA for a couple of weeks now. This is my truck. I bought this for myself in 2017 as a Christmas gift for myself, because Ive had pickup trucks for a long time, and I have loved this truck intensely, the disgraced actor said of the black vehicle, which can be seen parked in a Carmax parking lot.

This is not an ad for Carmax, the Call Me by Your Name actor said. This is because I am selling my truck.

Since being back in LA, I have put about four or five hundred dollars worth of gas in it, and I cant afford it. I cant afford the gas anymore, he added.

Starting my birthday in a new car in a new apartment in a new life in Los Angeles

Hammer added that he was emotionally attached to the truck as he has taken it camping and across country multiple times and on long road trips. He also revealed that this was the truck in which he brought his children home from the hospital after they were born.

But ya know what? Thats okay, Hammer said. Thats okay. I got a new car. Its tiny. Its a hybrid. Im probably going to put about 10 bucks a gas in it a month and this is it.

So I have to clean all of this stuff out you know all kinds of st. But thats okay, he added.

Hammer said that his decision to sell the truck was connected to his 38th birthday on Wednesday, August 28. I will be starting my birthday in a new car in a new apartment in a new life in Los Angeles, he said.

The Death on the Nile actor added that his children are not happy about him selling the truck as they have various memories tied to it. But two things Hammer is now planning to focus on are, Parking is gonna be easier, and gas is gonna be cheaper.
Not in for comparison

Recently, he was compared to Ryan on X, formerly known as Twitter. An unnamed Hollywood producer called Glen the biggest up-and-coming movie star in Hollywood.

The unnamed producer spoke to The Wrap and said that Glen is officially a movie star in the sense that audiences now go to movies to see him. Unlike an actor like Ryan Gosling whose appeal is mostly limited to female audiences, Glen appeals to both females and males, the producer said.

He downplayed it by playfully sidestepping the compliment.

Gosling is a legend. Im just Glen, Glen said in response. It was a note from Ryans iconic Im just Ken dialogue from Barbie. The response garnered attention on the social media platform with 100,000 likes and counting.

I need you and ryan gosling to make a movie together, wrote one user, with another adding, Your job is tornado.

I see what you did there, Glen, shared one user, with one posting, I have a man crush on both Glen and Ryan so I'm not sure who wrote this article but they're wrong. We love both of them. And they should be in a buddy cop movie together.

About Glens work

He got popular with his breakout role in Set It Up. His star power reached new heights in recent years with films such as Top Gun: Maverick, Anyone But You and Twisters. Up next, Glen has several anticipated projects on the horizon, including Edgar Wrights The Running Man and the comedy series Chad Powers. Some time back, he had shared that he was headed back to real college to finish his degree at the University of Texas.
BUENOS AIRES, - Every night in Buenos Aires, cozy clubs and cavernous halls fill with dancers from around the world who cling to one another in the embrace of Argentine tango, gliding in sync to plaintive tunes of nostalgia, loss and love. World tango stars take the stage at Argentine competition

Tango's spotlight moved to the stage this week, as several hundred competitors vied for the world's top titles at the annual Buenos Aires Tango Festival and Competition, which was attended by 10,000 spectators on Tuesday's closing night.

With a record 750 couples from 53 countries, the competition showcased the universal appeal of a dance style that originated among sailors and immigrants in the ports of Argentina and Uruguay around the early 1900s, with roots also in African rhythms.

"Tango unifies everything," said one of the event presenters. "In times of global division, what is better than embracing one another?"

Argentina is revered as the world's Mecca for tango music and dancing, both in social clubs and in glitzy stage shows.

The participants hailed from places as far flung as Brazil, Colombia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Korea, the United States and Ukraine.

But the top honors went to Argentineans.

Ayelen Morando broke into tears and her partner Sebastian Martinez fell to his knees as their names were called as winners of the show tango category.

"This is years of effort, of work, of dreaming, and not giving up," Morando later told reporters, still in the black velvet dress and bejeweled collar she had performed in.

Fatima Caracoch and Brenno Marques fiercely hugged as they won for salon tango.

"It's a mix of feelings, of happiness, of ecstasy, and of achieving an incredible dream," Marques said.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
As West Bengal comes to a standstill with the still-persisting protests against the brutal rape and murder of a female Kolkata doctor, Kerala has birthed, in what is shaping up to be, it's very own #MeToo wave  and it feels like it's here to stay. Women's safety and dignity has for decades been a sore point of discussion but not many revelations and surges could achieve what Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey did with their Hollywood expose in October 2017. The Hema Committee report, whose findings were made public earlier this month on August 19, appears to be having a similar localised effect for the Malayalam film industry. Mohanlal is coming under fire after a 2019 video of his comments on #MeToo have resurfaced, soon after his AMMA resignation

Exposal of the systemic abuse perpetuated against women in Mollywood has in quick succession led to several high-profile resignations. Actor Siddique resigned as the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists' (AMMA) general secretary on August 25, followed by Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith's resignation as chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy the same day. FIRs have been filed against both with Siddique even having gone ahead with a counter-complaint.

Yesterday, on August 27, AMMA's entire executive council elected for 2024-2027, including president Mohanlal, collectively resigned leading to a de facto (temporary) dissolution. The primary reason cited for this was 'moral responsibility'.

Many had been perplexed with the silence being wielded by Mohanlal and other heavyweights of his stature like Mammootty. Specifically, more eyes had been on Mohanlal owing to the major position he bore as the AMMA president. The mass resignation did bring some empathetic respite for the veteran actor. However, a Gulf News Dubai interview from 2019 which resurfaced on the internet almost immediately after has left most appalled at his dismissive stance on the core sentiment of #MeToo.

What did Mohanlal say?

An excerpt from the 2019 interview has been doing the rounds of the internet in which Mohanlal was specifically asked to comment on the then-raging, global #MeToo movement. He responded, "We can also come out with #MeToo. Gender wise, we should also start #MeToo" followed by a laugh. When asked to elaborate what he meant, Mohanlal doubled down on his stance, adding, "Nothing. I don't know. See, I cannot make a comment on that because when you experience, then only you will have to talk about that. Otherwise just giving a comment is not a right thing". Despite the global expanse of the movement, Mohanlal very candidly admitted not knowing much about it either. In the same interview, when specifically asked about AMMA's conduct, presumably in relation to the 2017 sexual harassment scandal in which actor Dileep was implicated, his response again was "I don't know", followed by filler statements about "coming up with big things" in the near future.

A separate excerpt from the same Gulf News interview, not captured in the resurfaced video, sees Mohanlal refer to #MeToo as a passing phase with people only taking to it because it was 'fashionable' in the moment. The excerpt reads, "Theres no big problem in the Malayalam industry  You shouldnt think of the #MeToo as a movement actually. Its a fad and its turning into something of a fashion. Anything like that will have a lifespan for a bit".

Fast forward to 2024, it is safe to say that unlike most things, this too shall NOT pass.

What is the internet saying?

Most comments under the video, now being circulated, express how Mohanlal's mammoth legacy and acting prowess amount to nothing if these are his views when it comes to something so pressing. Some reactions expressing this read: "@Mohanlal It definitely sounds like you are one of them. You just destroyed everything you have ever earned. Please disappear. You are not needed anymore" and "His body language, smirk and repeated denial of ghastly sexual misconduct against his women colleagues are proof enough to make him equally culpable of the crimes. His acting chops can take a backseat".

Another evident theme, among how people have received his responses, is sheer shock at his rather lax nature in addressing the topic. Some specimens read: "Disgusted by Mohanlal's indifference", "What is that callous response from an industry stalwart like Mohan Lal So disappointing" and "Ghatiya aadmi. The meltdown men experience when asked a moral question is telling. The rot is really deep".

There were also a few who were genuinely hurt upon hearing the actor's stance on the movement in general. One such comment read, "Hurts on many levels to hear those words from Mohanlal. I have adored him from childhood. But what an absolute monster".

Coming back to what is going on in the present, all is not lost when it comes to country-renowned acting icons. Actors like Nani, Prithviraj Sukumaran as well as Vikram have on separate occasions voiced their disappointment and disgust when it comes to the Hema Committee report findings and its aftermath.

Mohanlal is yet to address this newly unravelling fiasco.
Guwahati: Eighteen opposition parties in Assam, under the banner United Opposition Front Assam (UOFA), lodged a police complaint against chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at the Dispur police station in Guwahati on Wednesday over his alleged communal statements made by him recently. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma (File Photo)

The complaint, which HT has seen, stated that Sarma was trying to promote enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion and race. It alleged that the CM and other Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders were part of a criminal conspiracy to create a riot-like situation in the state.

Mr Sarma has a history of making provoking statements targeting a particular community. One year back he had implored people to evict people belonging to a religious community (he termed them as Miya) from Guwahati, the police complaint read.

On Tuesday, 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, Sarma said he would take sides and will not let Miya (a pejorative term used to describe Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam) Muslims take over the state.

Again on Wednesday, Sarma promised a white paper by April-May next year on demographic changes in Assam with the increase in Muslim population and decrease in the number of Hindus.

Earlier this week, he claimed that there is a pattern in which first one or two persons enter and set up their houses in a village, then they start eating beef in their homes and neighbours, uncomfortable with it, start leaving the area.

The opposition forum, which comprises 18 national and regional parties including Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Aam Admi Party, Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), Raijor Dal, and Assam Jatiya Parishad, alleged that Sarmas claims are unfounded.

Such continuous rants in public have the potential to create disharmony between different communities...If such a person is not restrained and arrested immediately, he can create any riot-like situation in the state for getting political mileage out of it, the complaint read.

While the opposition parties claimed to have filed a first information report against Sarma, police officers who asked not to be named said they have accepted the complaint from UOFA but are yet to lodge a case.
Two Dalit girls aged 15 and 18 were found hanging from a tree in Uttar Pradeshs Farrukhabad district on Tuesday morning, police said, bringing back memories of the grisly deaths of two sisters in Badaun a decade ago. Representative photo (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The two girls were neighbours and close friends, the police said, adding that the bodies were found in a mango orchard in a village near Kayamganj in Farrukhabad district.

Initial findings indicate that the two girls were neighbours and close friends. One body was found hanging from one end of a dupatta, and the other from the opposite end, said superintendent of police (SP) Alok Priyadarshi.

The police suggested that the two girls might have died by suicide  a theory strongly contested by their families and experts.

It appears they might have committed suicide by hanging from the tree, but the police are investigating the case thoroughly, Priyadarshi said.

Both were murdered, and their bodies were hanged with a dupatta, said the father of one of the victims.

Senior criminal lawyer Danish Qureishi said it is highly unusual and rather suspicious for two girls to commit suicide using a single dupatta. A dupatta is usually about two metres long, and making a noose would use up more than half of its length. So, it raises questions about how they could have used it to hang from the branch, he said.

The post-mortem report confirmed that the two girls died due to hanging, but a detailed autopsy report on the possibility of murder or sexual assault was awaited at the time of going to print.

The deceased belonged to the Jatav caste. No case has been filed so far since the police are awaiting a formal complaint from the family, officials said.

Priyadarshi said the two girls went missing from the village temple, where they had gone to see the Sri Krishna Janmashtami tableau, around 9pm on Monday night and did not return home. The SP said the girls families searched for them extensively throughout the night but could not find them.

On Tuesday morning, the bodies were found hanging from a tree. The SP, who also visited the scene of the incident, added that a mobile phone was found near the tree, and a SIM card was found among the belongings of one of the girls. An investigation is underway, he said.

The father of one girl said the two went out together, first at 7.30pm on Monday and came back, then again at 9pm to the temple. When they didnt return, he went to his sisters nearby house to check if his daughter was there. Not finding them there, he searched the whole village and surrounding areas.

Around 5am, my sister-in-law, who had gone to attend natures call, came rushing and told me about two bodies hanging from a tree. I rushed and found one was my daughter and the other was my neighbours daughter, said the father. He also alleged that his daughter was murdered.

The families of the deceased are part of the farming community.

Farrukhabad chief medical officer (CMO) Dr Avanindra Kumar said the post-mortem report findings confirmed ante-mortem asphyxia, which meant that the death of girls was due to hanging. He said no sexual assault was confirmed in the initial report, and no injuries were found on the bodies of the two girls. He said slides were prepared for further detailed examination of the possibility of sexual assault. The CMO said the post-mortem of the two bodies was videographed.

The developments come amid a nationwide tumult over womens safety after the rape and murder of a young doctor in Kolkata three weeks ago, and sweeping protests across the nation.

The case also brings back memories of 2014, when two cousins were found hanging from a tree in Badaun, triggering allegations that they were gang-raped. The local polices investigation garnered controversy amid charges that officers were going slow and attempting a cover-up amid speculations of a hate crime. The case was eventually transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which concluded that there was no gang rape and that it was a case of suicide. But a court later rejected the CBIs closure report in the case.
Amid the ongoing Bangla Bandh by BJP in West Bengal, Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday gave a deadline to the Centre to implement a law pertaining to crimes against women. According to the TMC leader, if the central government fails to do so in the next three to four months, the party will hold a big movement in Delhi. Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. (Samir Jana/ Hindustan Times)

If a time-bound legislation pertaining to the crimes against women is not passed by the Centre in the next three to four months, then Trinamool Congress will hold a big movement in Delhi, Banerjee said while addressing a rally on the 27th foundation day of West Bengal Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, the student wing of the TMC.

Banerjee further opposed BJP's Bangla Bandh in the city.

We oppose the 12-hour 'Bangla Bandh' called by BJP, he said.

This comes a day after the TMC leader demanded a stringent anti-rape law that ensures trials and convictions within 50 days of the crime. He also posted a chart on X showing the rapes and atrocities against women in the last 15 days after the RG Kar Hospital incident.

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, he wrote in the post.

He also asserted that anything else other than a stringent law is futile and merely symbolic and ultimately ineffective.

Bangla Bandh

The BJP on Wednesday called for a 12-hour Bangla bandh in protest against the brutal police action against peaceful protesters during the Nabanna Abhijan rally. The 'Bangla Bandh', which began at 6 am, affected people in various parts of the state.

Several BJP workers demonstrated in support of the bandh at the Bongaon station in North 24 Parganas, Gocharan station in South 24 Parganas, and Murshidabad station.

During the demonstrations, BJP workers clashed with the police at several places across the state. Meanwhile, BJP leaders, including former Rajya Sabha MP Roopa Ganguly and MLA Agnimitra Paul, were detained for blocking roads and railway tracks in the city.

The bandh was called a day after several members of the new unauthorised student body Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj and other organisations held a Nabanna Abhijan rally in Kolkata to protest against the rape and murder of the 31-year-old trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The rally was held despite the state police terming it as illegal and unauthorized, citing concerns over potential violence and public disorder.

During the rally, clashes erupted between police and protesters, leading the police to resort to opening lathi-charge and lobbing tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.
NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha in the Delhi excise policy case, while delivering a stern reprimand to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over the fairness of their investigation and questioning the agencies for basing their entire case on inferences rather than solid, incriminating evidence. BRS leader K Kavitha speaks to the media after being released from Tihar Jail on Tuesday. (IANI)

A bench of justices Bhushan R Gavai and KV Viswanathan granted bail to Kavitha on grounds that the investigation was complete, the trial was likely to be delayed due to the extensive number of witnesses and documents, and that, as a woman, she was entitled to special treatment under Section 45(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Investigation is complete and charge sheet has been filed. The custody of the appellant (Kavitha) is not necessary. She has been behind bars for five months. The likelihood of trial being concluded in near future is impossible. As said in various pronouncements of this court, under-trial custody should not turn into a punishment, the bench said in its order.

Kavitha, an MLC and daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was arrested by ED on March 15 and by CBI almost a month later in connection with the alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy of 2021-22. The case had drawn significant political attention, with Kavitha being accused of playing a central role in paying an alleged bribe of 100 crore to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its leaders, including Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, in lieu of receiving benefits for private liquor businessmen from the southern part of India  a consortium termed the South Group.

The reprieve for Kavitha came a fortnight after the same bench granted bail to Sisodia by a judgment that held that the former deputy CMs long incarceration of 17 months and his continued detention in a case where there was no hope of trial ending anytime soon impinged on his fundamental right to liberty and speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Kavitha had referenced Sisodias judgment in her plea. Pertinently, a different bench in the top court is seized of petitions by Kejriwal, seeking invalidation of his arrest by CBI on June 26 and the grant of bail. The petition by Kejriwal, who has been granted interim bail by the Supreme Court in the ED case but remains incarcerated due to his continued detention in the CBI case, has also relied extensively on the reasoning of the top court in Sisodias case.

BRS working president KT Rama Rao thanked the SC for granting bail to his sister and party MLC, Kavitha. Thank You Supreme Court. Relieved. Justice prevailed, he posted on X.

Questioning the agencies selective approach in treating some accused as approvers to build a prosecutable case, the bench on Tuesday commented: The prosecution has to be fair. Someone who incriminates himself has been made a witness and others are being prosecuted based on his statement...Tomorrow you pick anyone as you please? You cannot pick and choose any accused...You are not being fair. The court was referring to a statement of Sharat Chandra Reddy, who was initially arrested as an accused, but he later turned approver and claimed that he participated in the Delhi liquor business under the new policy on Kavithas assurances.

Referring to Arun Pillai, a key witness who retracted his statement, the bench further pointed out that the agencies were relying on his previous, self-incriminating statement while ignoring his retraction. You cannot pick and choose statements that suit your case, it said.

The court further questioned the prosecutions reliance on negative inferences, particularly regarding the allegations that Kavitha had destroyed evidence by formatting her mobile phones. You are making a negative inference without any substantive proof. People do delete messages. It is normal human conduct, remarked the bench, adding that the agencies needed to present solid evidence rather than speculative conclusions.

While additional solicitor general (ASG) SV Raju, representing the agencies, read out statements of witnesses and other evidence to persuade the bench against granting bail to Kavitha, the courts criticism reached a peak as it warned the ASG that continued arguments could lead to the court making formal observations on the impartiality of the investigation.

If you argue further, we will have to comment on the unfair conduct of your investigating agency, cautioned the bench, compelling Raju to backtrack.

Denying bail to her on July 1, the Delhi high court had referred to certain incriminating statements of other witnesses, including Reddy in the case. It also held that Kavitha, being well-educated and of significant political stature, did not qualify for the exemption from rigorous bail standards under PMLA typically afforded to vulnerable women.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday decisively rejected the high courts reasoning, describing it as perverse and likely to set a dangerous precedent that could bind future cases in the wrong direction.

If this Delhi high court order is allowed to remain, these perverse observations would mean no educated woman can ever get bail. It would apply at least to all courts within the jurisdiction of Delhi. What is this? On the contrary, we say that courts should not differentiate between an MP and a common man, but here the high court is finding an artificial discretion not there in the statute, said the bench.

The hearing before the bench was marked by intense scrutiny of the prosecutions case. Senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi, representing Kavitha, argued that she had been unjustly held in custody for over five months despite a lack of direct evidence linking her to the alleged crime. He pointed out the enormity of the case files, which include 493 witnesses and 50,000 pages of documents, making it clear that the trial would not conclude anytime soon.

Rebutting, ASG Raju said that there were sufficient documentary evidence to refuse bail to Kavitha owing to her pivotal role in a conspiracy to manipulate the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy of 2021-22 to benefit private liquor retailers. The law officer also tried to argue that she was a person of influence, prompting the high court to deny her the benefit under Section 45(1) of the PMLA.

But the bench questioned the rationale behind denying bail to Kavitha, particularly given that the investigation had been completed in both the CBI and ED cases, and the charge sheets had been filed. It further noted that the Delhi high court had denied her bail by distinguishing between vulnerable women and women of higher stature  a distinction that the statute does not have between women. A woman is a woman. The law does not distinguish between vulnerable women and others, it observed.

During the proceedings, the bench expressed concern over the prosecutions approach, particularly the selective treatment of individuals based on their statements and the lack of independent evidence to corroborate the allegations. You cannot start your case on inferences. There has to be independent evidence to connect your inferences with criminality, said the court, rejecting the agencies plea to reject her bail plea.

Quashing the high court order, the bench ordered Kavithas immediate release on bail, subject to the fulfilment of conditions including the submission of a 10 lakh bail bond in the two cases, surrender of her passport and a commitment not to tamper with evidence or influence witnesses. The court underscored that its observations were limited to the bail proceedings and would not impact the merits of the trial.

The Supreme Courts harsh words for CBI and ED are likely to have significant implications, not only for the ongoing prosecution in the excise policy case but also for the broader conduct of the agencies in high-profile cases, especially in relation to the selective treatment of witnesses and reliance on inferences rather than direct evidence.

Moreover, the Supreme Courts stance on the interpretation of Section 45(1) of the PMLA, concerning the rights of women accused, could serve as a corrective measure, ensuring that statutory protections for women are upheld without arbitrary distinctions.
Three army personnel died and many others were injured after a truck skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in Subansiri district, Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday, reported ANI. The accident which took place in Subansiri, Arunachal Pradesh cost three army personnel their lives and caused many others to be injured (Representational Image)

Army sources identified the deceased as Havildar Nakhat Singh, Naik Mukesh Kumar and Grenadier Ashish Kumar.

Also Read: Tripura floods: NDRF deploys additional teams to aid relief; schools to remain shut

The accident took place on Tuesday at 6 am on the trans-Arunachal highway located near Tapi village. The army truck was part of a convoy transporting personnel and was headed towards Basar in Leparada district from Daporijo, when the accident happened, a police officer told ANI.

Also Read: Jaishankar slams China over its new list renaming places in Arunachal Pradesh

Locals immediately responded and helped rescue those who were injured. They also helped in retrieving the bodies of the deceased.

Also Read: Activists raise concerns over major dam push in Arunachal Pradesh

In a post on X, the Army's eastern command said, "Lt Gen RC Tiwari and all ranks express deepest condolences on the sad demise of Bravehearts Hav Nakhat Singh, Nk Mukesh Kumar and Gdr Ashish who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty in Arunachal Pradesh. Indian Army stands firmly with the bereaved families."

Chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu also mourned the death of the three personnel.

In a post on X, he said, I am deeply pained by loss of lives of three ADGPI personnel - Havildar Nakhat Singh, Naik Mukesh Kumar and Grenadier Ashish Kumar - in a tragic accident near Tapi in Upper Subansiri district. Their service to the nation and supreme sacrifice will be remembered with the highest regards.

He also gave his condolences to the bereaved families, adding, "I pray to Lord Buddha for the peace of brave souls. Om Mani Padme Hum."
The Assam assembly will on Thursday take up for discussion a bill introduced in the House two days earlier to make registration of Muslim marriages and divorces compulsory even as the Opposition opposed the move saying a 1935 law governing these matters remained in force and has to be repealed first for the new legislation. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. (PTI)

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday asked Muslim lawmakers to support the Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriage and Divorce Bill and future legislation on banning child marriages. Issues between Hindus and Muslims would not get resolved by suppressing each other or not allowing the other to speak. It will only get sorted through reconciliation and legislators from both communities must work towards that.

The new bill provides for government-appointed officials to register all Muslim marriages and divorces and to curb child marriages. It is expected to be passed easily as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led coalition has the required numbers.

The new legislation will replace the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorce Registration Act, 1935, which allows registration of marriages and divorces through government-authorised Qazis or Islamic legal experts but is not mandatory. It allowed the registration of marriages and divorces of minors on the applications of their guardians. On August 22, the government tabled a bill to abolish the 1935 law to pave the way for the new legislation.

The Opposition All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) opposed the tabling of the new legislation calling it illegal as the 1935 legislation was still in force and needed to be repealed first. Discussion on the bill to abolish the 1935 law is to be discussed in the assembly. Even before that happened, the state government tabled the new legislation, which is not proper and that is why we opposed it, said AIUDF lawmaker Aminul Islam.

On the day the new bill was tabled, the Opposition parties on Tuesday accused Sarma of making communal and unconstitutional statements and urged President Droupadi Murmu and Assam governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya to remove him.

The United Opposition Forum Assam, comprising 18 national and regional parties including Congress, Raijor Dal, and Assam Jatiya Parishad, planned to lodge a case against Sarma in Guwahati.

Assam Jatiya Parishad chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi called Sarma belligerent and said Assam was unsafe in his hands. He has made the future of the states younger generations uncertain with his utterances and is trying to create disturbances among Hindus and Muslims.

In the assembly, Sarma on Tuesday reiterated that the demographic change in the state due to an increase in the Muslim population and the decrease in Hindus could lead to disaster. He called it the biggest issue in Assam and urged a debate on it. The demography in lower Assam districts is changing at such a fast pace that it seems headed for an unprecedented human disaster. There are several factors behind this. One is the high rate of birth among Muslims, and another is fleeing of Hindus from areas in lower and central Assam while there has been no such thing recorded among Muslims, Sarma said.

As per the 2011 census, Assam had a population of 31.2 million. Hindus comprised a little over 19 million (61.47%), Muslims 10.6 million (34.22%), Christians 1.1 million, Sikhs around 20,000, Buddhists 54,000, Jains 25,000.

Sarma said Assams Muslim population was 22% in 1947. It was 24.68% in 1951 and 30.9 in 2001. The highest increase [in the Muslim population] was recorded between 2001 and 2011. There is a demographic shift in all districts.

Sarma said there has been a rise in the population of Muslims in Hindu-majority areas of upper Assam. If this trend continues, it will lead to an Assam Agitation-like situation in coming years, he said, referring to the agitation between 1979 and 1985 for the detection and deportation of undocumented immigrants

He called it the responsibility of the House to ensure that such a thing does not happen again. Sarma urged Muslim lawmakers to ensure the protection of Hindus residing in their constituencies and discourage underaged girls from getting married before turning 18. Sarma said his government was planning legislation to ban polygamy and urged Muslim lawmakers to support the move.
Granting relief to Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren's aide in an illegal mining-related case registered by the Enforcement Directorate, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said even in money laundering cases, bail is the rule. The Supreme Court of India. (HT photo)

A bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan that even in cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), "bail is the rule and jail is an exception."

The court said no individual should be deprived of his/her liberty. The court said that section 45 of the Act does not rewrite the principle to mean that deprivation of liberty is the norm.

Referring to the August 9 verdict in the money laundering cases linked to former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, the court said that the liberty of the individual is always the rule and deprivation of it by the procedure established by law is the exception.

"Twin test under section 45 of the PMLA does not take away this principle," the bench held.

The court granted bail to a man named Prem Prakash, who is reportedly a close aide of Hemant Soren.

What the Supreme Court had said in Manish Sisodia's case?

Earlier this month, Manish Sisodia was granted bail after an incarceration of 17 months in the Delhi excise policy case.

The Supreme Court ruled it would be unjust to force Manish Sisodia to seek bail from lower courts.

The court stressed that bail should be the rule, not jail.

Sisodia, the former Delhi deputy chief minister, was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023, for alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22.

Also read: Jharkhand high court grants bail to Hemant Soren in land scam case

The bench, comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan, noted that Manish Sisodia has been in custody for 17 months without the trial starting, which has deprived him of his right to a speedy trial.

Hemant Soren was also arrested by the Enforcement Directorate earlier this year. He was released on bail in June.

With inputs from PTI
A BJP leader claimed on Wednesday that Trinamool Congress workers attacked his car in West Bengal's Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district. Bengal Bandh; The car of the BJP leader.(ANI)

"This morning, I left my house to reach Arjun Singh's residence at around 8.15 am. Just three minutes after leaving the house, the road was blocked by a jetting machine. Around 50-60 people targeted my vehicle and hurled bombs. After that, 6-7 rounds of bullets were fired," he told PTI.

The attack came amid the BJP's 12-hour Bengal Bandh call to protest against the police's use of force during the former's 'Nabanna Abhijan' protest rally.

BJP leader Arjun Singh told ANI that seven bullets were fired at the car. He claimed the attack took place in the presence of a senior Bengal police officer.

Singh claimed it was an attempt on Pandey's life.

"Priyangu Pandey is our party leader. Today his car was attacked...and firing was done...The driver has been shot...7 round firing was done...This was done in the presence of the ACP...Planning was done to kill Priyangu Pandey...TMC is left with no issue therefore they are doing these kinds of things...Two people are injured, one among them is serious," he said.

Arjun Singh accused Trinamool leaders Tarun Sau and MLA Somnath Shyam of being behind the attack, alleging that the miscreants were brought in from Kakinara.

The BJP has been protesting against the Trinamool government in the state over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

The West Bengal police have made massive security arrangements to prevent violence in the state.

Dendup Sherpa, additional superintendent of police (SP), Uttar Dinajpur, told ANI, "Police personnel are deployed everywhere to maintain Law and Order in the state."

The state administration has instructed drivers and conductors of government buses in Kolkata to wear helmets.

Many drivers of North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) buses wore helmets across the state.

"We are wearing helmets because of the bandh today...The department has given us the helmets," a driver told the news agency.

On Tuesday, clashes broke out in the streets in Kolkata, with security personnel throwing tear gas shells, unleashing water cannons and resorting to lathi-charge to disperse protestors on the Howrah Bridge.

The protesters had been marching towards the West Bengal State Secretariat Nabanna amid a row over the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for 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 BJP called chief minister Mamata Banerjee a dictator.

With inputs from ANI
The Bharatiya Janata Party state president Sukanta Majumdar called for a Bengal bandh on Wednesday, August 28, after clashes between protesters and Kolkata Police during a Nabanna Abhijan rally on August 27. Activists wrecking barricades set up by the police during a rally on Tuesday (AFP)

Nabanna Abhijan or march to secretariat was organised to demand chief minister Mamata Banerjee's resignation for mishandling a case related to the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

Also Read: CBI starts probe into RG Kar Hospital scams; raids on in Kolkata, Howrah

As protestors overturned barricades, police personnel resorted to lathi charges, using water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd. While the ruling Trinamool Congress blamed the protest for not being peaceful and suggested that the BJP had been behind the violence in the protest.

The BJP national president JP Nadda responded on X, highlighting the violence being enacted by the Kolkata police in the situation as the main issue.

Also Read: Arrest man threatening Abhishek Banerjees daughter: Bengal commission to police

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, he said.

Sukanta Majumdar calls for Bangl bandh

BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar rallied against the detaining of students from the march to Nabanna and was part of a protest outside Kolkata police headquarters in Lalbazar on Tuesday.

Also Read: Kolkata rape-murder case: No one entered cordoned off seminar room area, says police

Majumdar announced through a statement that he would call for a 12-hour Bengal Bandh on Wednesday. He also 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... Our demand is simple: the students who have been arrested by the police should be released.

Timings

The 12-hour bandh will begin at 6am on August 28.

The West Bengal government had said that the administration will ensure that people are not affected by the strike.

What's open and what's closed?

Schools, colleges, government offices and banks are likely to stay open but may be disrupted due to the Bandh affecting traffic.

Essential services like medical care, drinking water, public transport, rail services, and electricity are also likely to function normally.

The BJP has reportedly called on business organisations to keep markets closed. However, the West Bengal government has said normalcy will be maintained and nothing will be officially closed due to the strike called by the opposition.
BJP leaders met with Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Tuesday to request action against Priyank Kharge, accusing him of misusing his position to benefit his familys trust at the expense of Scheduled Caste (SC) entrepreneurs. The state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called for the dismissal of cabinet minister Priyank Kharge. (ANI)

The state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called for the dismissal of cabinet minister Priyank Kharge, alleging favouritism over the allotment of land to a trust associated with his family, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.

The controversy centres around the allocation of five acres of land by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) to the Siddhartha Vihar Trust under the SC quota. The land, located in the Hitech Defense Aerospace Park, near Bengaluru, is part of a 45.94-acre area designated for civic amenities (CA). The trusts trustees include several members of the Kharge family.

Chalavadi T Narayanaswamy, Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council, submitted a letter to the Governor during the meeting, describing the land allocation as a criminal breach of trust against SC entrepreneurs. it is a case of criminal breach of trust from the Kharges towards the fellow Schedule Caste entrepreneurs, and I am of the opinion that this amounts to the breach of oath taken as the minister in the Karnataka Government, he added.

He claimed that the Kharge familys involvement in the trust represented a conflict of interest and asked the Governor to remove Priyank Kharge from his ministerial position. Narayanaswamy questioned how the Kharges, who are not known as aerospace entrepreneurs, were able to secure such a valuable land allotment. How did the department approve this allotment? Was the Industries minister compelled by the chief minister to grant the land? he asked, suggesting undue influence in the decision-making process.

The BJP has also pointed out that the trust is registered in Kalaburagi for the purpose of establishing a Buddha Vihara, but the land in question has been allotted for research and development purposes at an aerospace park, raising further suspicions about the allotments legitimacy.

Narayanaswamy insisted that this was a clear case of nepotism and demanded Priyank Kharges resignation, comparing the situation to the alleged Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land scam involving chief minister Siddaramaiah.

Reacting to BJPs allegations, Siddaramaiah defended the land allotment, asserting that it was done legally. The trust is eligible for the land, and the allocation was made in accordance with the law, the CM said.

He also questioned the BJPs criticism, noting that during their tenure, the previous government had allotted land to several organizations, including Prerana Trust and Chanakya University.

Priyank Kharge, who serves as the minister for electronics, IT/BT, and rural development and Panchayat Raj, strongly refuted the accusations. He clarified that the land was not an industrial plot but a civil amenities site intended for educational purposes. According to Kharge, the trust plans to establish a multi-skill development center on the site, which aligns with its educational mission.

There is no subsidy or reduced cost for the land allotted to SC/ST organizations like our trust. The trustees have a proven track record of running quality educational institutions, Kharge said, adding that the trusts chairman has extensive experience working at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.

In a social media post, Priyank Kharge also dismissed the notion that the land allotment involved any form of favouritism or relaxation of payment terms. He criticized BJP MP Lahar Singh Siroya, who had questioned the Kharge familys eligibility for the KIADB land, suggesting that Siroyas comments were based on misinformation. Little knowledge is dangerous, Sri @LaharSingh_MP avare. The site allotted is not for industrial purposes but for education. Is setting up a multi-skill development center wrong? Kharge asked.

Siroya, however, has continued to raise concerns about the issue, questioning when the Kharge family became aerospace entrepreneurs and whether the land allocation constitutes a misuse of power and nepotism. The controversy comes at a time when the Karnataka government is already facing scrutiny over land allotment practices, including the MUDA scheme, for which the Governor has recently granted permission to prosecute chief minister Siddaramaiah.
The Supreme Court admonished the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi excise policy case on Tuesday, questioning the fairness of their probe. Shortly after granting bail to BRS leader K Kavitha, who had been in jail since mid-March, the court made critical observations over a witness, saying the prosecution has to be fair. The Supreme Court of India. (ANI Photo)

The court said it was "sorry to see this state of affairs".

Referring to statements made by one of the witnesses, the court said: You will pick and choose anyone?

The court further commented that a person who incriminated himself had been made a witness.

"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.

"Tomorrow you will pick up anyone as you choose and leave anyone as you choose as an accused? Very fair and reasonable discretion," it added.

When additional solicitor general SV Raju, appearing for the CBI and ED, referred to some witnesses who alleged the BRS leader's involvement in the alleged scam, the court told him that it would be compelled to make observations about the fairness and impartiality of the probe agencies.

"If you want those observations, you argue more," the court added.

Earlier, Kavitha's lawyer, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, said she should be released on bail because the probe against her was complete and the charge sheet was filed.

The agency's lawyer, however, claimed she had destroyed her mobile phone which was tantamount to tampering with evidence.

Rotatgi called the charge bogus. He claimed the politician had given her old phones to her staff and she upgraded to new equipment.

K Kavitha was arrested on March 15. She was released last night.

With inputs from PTI
Raipur: The Chhattisgarh police have recovered only 21.5% of the automatic weapons looted by the Maoists since 2001 in the Bastar region, according to weapon recovery data from districts in the region, implying the challenge to the security forces in South Bastar. (Representative Photo)

According to the data, of the total 516 automatic weapons looted from the security forces between the years 2001 and 2024 in the Maoist-infested Bastar division, the security forces managed to recover only 111 automatic weapons, which is around 21.5% of the total looted automatic weapons.

Officials said recovery of automatic weapons in the past six months of 2024 has been the highest in the last 20 years.

According to the officials privy to the development, most of these automatic weapons are with Battalion 1 and the Central Regional Company (CRC) of the Maoists, which generally move together and are localised near the Bijapur-Sukma border. All major attacks on security forces in South Bastar were allegedly planned and executed by Battalion number 1, which has around 170 armed cadres, officials said.

Since 2001, at least 184 AK-47s have been looted from the security forces, and only 23 were recovered by the security forces, the data stated. Similarly, the 159 self-loading rifles known as SLR were looted from the forces in the same timeframe, and police have recovered only 40 of them from Maoists. Of the total 168 INSAS rifles looted by Maoists, the security forces could only recover 37 between the years 2001 and 2024, the official data showed.

The forces were, however, also to recover close to 80% of the looted pistols9 mm and 4 mm. The number of looted pistols was eight and six, respectively. The data showed that the security forces also recovered four light machine guns, 17 BGL launchers, and a total of 1,947 locally made weapons in a little over the last two decades.

The largest number of weapons looted in Bastar was on March 15, 2007, when Maoists looted 145 weapons, including 125 automatic rifles, after allegedly killing 55 police personnel at Rani Bodali in Bijapur. The lowest number of weapons looted in a year in the last two decades was three in 2001.

According to the data, in the last 10 years, most weapons were looted in 2017 during the Burkapal attack in Sukma, in which 25 security personnel were killed. In total, 35 weapons were looted by Maoists, of which 21 were AK-47 rifles. In 2020, the Maoists in two operations looted 32 weapons.

Senior police officials of Chhattisgarh believe that the presence of more than 400 automatic weapons looted from security forces by Maoists poses a challenge to wipe out Maoism from the state by 2026, as declared by home minister Amit Shah on August 24, 2024.

There is a grave challenge in front of security forces in Bastar, with most of the automatic weapons being with battalion 1 and CRC (central regional company) of Maoists, which generally move together and are localised near the Bijapur-Sukma border and pose a great threat to security forces. Most of the big incidents and losses to security forces have been done by them, said a senior police officer posted in the region.

He said the recovery and loot ratio of automatic weapons is an important parameter to monitor and gauge the success of anti-Maoist operations.

This ratio has become positive (automatic weapons recovered more than automatic weapons lost) for the first time this year and shows dominance of the security forces in Bastar in the past 6 months, the officer said.

The officer expressed concerns over the surrenders by left-wing extremists and said there has been hardly any Maoist surrender with automatic weapons.

Surrender with automatic weapons should be encouraged, and a higher monetary incentive or job incentive should be given to Maoists surrendering with automatic weapons, the officer added.

Another senior security official posted in Bastar for a long time said the Maoists are lacking ammunition for these automatic weapons, which helps security forces.

There is no authentic confirmed information regarding in-house manufacturing of bullets of automatic weapons by Maoists yet. Hence, a shortage of ammunition is one of the main reasons that Maoists have to make a strategic retreat while in direct combat with security forces in the jungle, the officer said.

The officer further claimed that earlier they were pilferage or leakage from weapon factories, but it has decreased tremendously in the last few years due to the active role of the Intelligence Bureau, the National Investigation Agency, and other intelligence agencies.

Experts believe that the recent recovery of automatic weapons is a positive sign for security forces.

The recovery of automatic weapons increases with the increase in casualties among the senior Maoist cadres. The percentage of recovery of automatic weapons in the last six months is encouraging and also a positive sign for security forces, said RK Vij, former special director general of police.

Inspector General of Police (IPS) (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P said that in the recent months police had a decisive operational outcome both in the form of neutralization of hardcore Maoist cadres as well as recovery of grade weapons.

In general, the hardcore cadres, who normally carry regular graded weapons, manage to escape from the spot by using the lower-level cadres as shields. This was a major challenge for the security forces to reach up to the hideouts of the senior hard-core cadres during search operations, ultimately resulting in less apprehension of senior cadres and fewer recoveries of graded weapons. But now the table is turning around, and the security forces have adopted better fieldcraft and tactics to reach up to the core of the menace, said Sundarraj P.
Former chief minister Champai Soren on Wednesday resigned from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) saying he was forced to take such a step as he was aggrieved by the party's present style of functioning and policies. Former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren arrives days after meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, at Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi, Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024.(PTI)

In a resignation letter to party supremo Shibu Soren, Champai Soren expressed deep sorrow over the state of the party, stating that the JMM had strayed from the ideals that he and other party workers had fought for under Shibu Soren's guidance.

Also Read | Jharkhand Polices intelligence wing spied on Champai Soren: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Soren, who is scheduled to join the BJP soon, said his struggle for the cause of tribals, Dalits and backwards would continue.

"Today I resigned from the primary membership and all posts of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. My struggle will continue on the issues of tribals, Dalits, backward and common people of Jharkhand will continue," Soren said.

Also Read | Can Champai, the Kolhan Tiger eat into JMM vote bank?

He lamented that the party, once like a family to him, had lost its way, forcing him to make the painful decision to leave. He also mentioned that with Shibu Sorens ill health keeping him away from active politics, there was no platform within the party to voice his concerns.

Due to this, I am resigning from the primary membership and all the posts of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. Under your guidance, during the Jharkhand movement and even after that, I have had the opportunity to learn a lot in life. You will always remain my guide, he added.

Earlier in the day, Champai Soren asserted that his decision to join the Bharatiya Janata Party was taken in the interest of Jharkhand.

"My decision (to join BJP) is in the interest of Jharkhand... I am used to struggles," Soren said.

Asked about the allegation that he is under "surveillance", the former CM said he is not afraid of any situation and indicated that he will resign from JMM and as minister later on Wednesday.
Amid the political row over the collapse of a 35-foot Chhatrapati Shivaji statue in Maharashtra, the Congress party attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking if he would apologise to the Maratha empire founder for putting his own personal ambitions above the Maharaj's legacy. 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)

The opposition parties in Maharashtra have been attacking the ruling government over the collapse of a huge statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji in Rajkot Fort on Monday. The statue was inaugurated by PM Modi on December 4 last year as part of Navy Day festivities.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared a video on X in which the country's first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru is seen inaugurating a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Pratapgad on November 30, 1957. Ramesh said in his post, 67 years later, the statue still stands tall and undamaged.

Congress general secretary K C Venugopal attacked PM Modi and the Maharashtra administration for hurriedly constructing the Shivaji statue so that it is inaugurated by the prime minister before the Lok Sabha elections.

Venugopal wrote in an X post, In true Modi fashion, the priority was to hurriedly construct a statue on 3 months notice, so that it is inaugurated by the PM just before elections. Whats more, this shoddy work cost Rs. 236 crores! Will PM Modi apologise to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for putting his own personal ambitions above Maharajs legacy?

"Will the PM come clean on the rampant corruption that we saw in the hasty inauguration spree that we saw prior to the 2024 elections?" he asked. The Congress leader further claimed all structures inaugurated by PM Modi for election purposes is not crumbling.

"Here are just some examples of infrastructure that the BJP launched in haste, only for them to collapse soon after: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Statue at Sindhudurg Fort: Inauguration: December 2023, Collapse: August 2024; Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link: Inauguration: January 2024, cracks appear: June 2024; Mumbai Coastal Road: Inauguration: March 2024, Leakage: May 2024; Jabalpur Airport: Inauguration: March 2024, roof collapse: June 2024; Sudarshan Setu Bridge (Gujarat): Inauguration: February 2024, potholes appear: July 2024," he said.

Meanwhile, Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said that the MVA will hold a protest march against the state government over the Shivaji statue collapse incident, and said that the Eknath Shinde administration should be ashamed for blaming high winds for the incident.

(With inputs from PTI)
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday lashed out at his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee over her remarks on the BJP-sponsored 12-hour shutdown which was marked by sporadic instances of violence, accusing her of spreading unrest and divisive politics across India. TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee shouts slogans during TMC Chhatra Parishad foundation day celebrations, in Kolkata, Wednesday, August 28, 2024. (PTI)

Didi, how dare you threaten Assam? Sarma posted on X.

Don't show us red eyes. Don't try to set India on fire with your politics of failure. It does not suit you to speak divisive language, he added.

Sarma's sharp remarks came after Banerjee attacked the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the violence during the bandh.

Speaking at the foundation day event of the Trinamool Congress's (TMC) student wing, Banerjee said, Some people think this (agitation) is similar to the protests in Bangladesh. I love Bangladesh, they speak like us (Bengal). Our culture is also the same. However, Bangladesh is a different country.

The West Bengal chief minister was referring to the student-led protests in Bangladesh which led to the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

"PM Modi, you are trying to create unrest in Bengal through your people. But remember, if you burn Bengal, Assam, the North-East, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Delhi will also burn," Banerjee said.

Banerjee also remarked that her previous slogan of badla noy, badal chai (no revenge, only change) needed to be updated to reflect changing times and situations.

Also Read | Enough is enough: Full text of President Murmu's statement on Kolkata rape-murder case

Bengal Bandh

The bandh was marked by incidents of violence and widespread disruption across West Bengal. The most severe clash occurred in Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district, where BJP leaders alleged that TMC supporters fired shots at the car of a local BJP leader, Priyangu Pandey. Although Pandey escaped unhurt, his driver and a party worker sustained injuries and were hospitalised.

Throughout the day, several BJP leaders, including former MPs Roopa Ganguly and Locket Chatterjee, Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya, and MLA Agnimitra Paul, were detained for attempting to enforce the bandh.

Also Read | Bengal govt deaf: BJP slams CM Mamata Banerjee for mishandling protests

In Kolkata, the shutdown had a mixed impact, with reduced public transport and many private vehicles staying off the roads. Markets and shops largely remained open, but schools and offices saw lower attendance.

In the northern parts of the state, BJP workers disrupted railway services by blocking tracks at several stations, leading to delays in suburban train services. Similar disruptions were reported in South 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Nadia, and Murshidabad districts.
New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu, in her first public statement on the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkatas RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, said she is dismayed and horrified and called for an honest self-introspection in light of horrific crimes against women. President Droupadi Murmu (File Photo)

The gruesome incident of rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata has left the nation shocked, Murmu said in a statement to the news agency PTI on Wednesday.

Also Read: West Bengal bandh: BJP workers block roads, railway tracks across state

What is more depressing is the fact that it was not the only incident of its kind; it is part of a series of crimes against women, she added.

A 31-year-old trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered inside the seminar hall of the hospital early on August 9. Her body was found the next day. Main accused Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer with the police, and several others have been arrested in connection with the incident. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing the case.

Murmu shared her hopes for womens empowerment, saying, I consider myself an example of that spectacular journey of women empowerment in India. However, she admitted to feeling deeply anguished about ongoing brutality against women.

Murmu recounted her interaction with schoolchildren at Rashtrapati Bhavan, who asked if they could be assured of no future incidents like the Nirbhaya case. She replied, The state is committed to protecting every citizen, but also talked about the importance of training in self-defence and martial arts for girls. She noted, however, that this is not a guarantee for their security, as womens vulnerability is influenced by many factors.

Addressing the root causes of violence, Murmu called for honest, unbiased self-introspection, saying, The time has come when we as a society need to ask ourselves some difficult questions. She highlighted that, despite constitutional guarantees of equality and various initiatives, social prejudices as well as some customs and practices have always opposed the expansion of womens rights.

Also Read: Kolkata protest turns violent, cops use force

Acknowledging that efforts have been made, Murmu said, Plans and strategies were devised, and these initiatives did make a difference to an extent. However, she said that the task remains unfinished as long as any woman feels unsafe. She noted, In the twelve years since that tragedy in the national capital, there have been countless tragedies of similar nature, and questioned if lessons were learned, pointing out that incidents often fade from public memory.

She criticised this collective amnesia, saying, History often hurts, and urged society to confront and address these issues rather than resort to collective amnesia. Murmu called for a comprehensive approach to tackle this problem, saying, We should not let amnesia prevail over the memory of such criminality.

The president said that there is a need to honour the victims and cultivate a social culture of remembering them to ensure vigilance and progress. We owe it to our daughters to remove the hurdles from their path of winning freedom from fear, she said, urging society to collectively declare, Enough is enough.
Former IAS officer Puja Khedkar, whose candidature was cancelled by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) earlier this year over allegations of exam fraud, has submitted before the Delhi high court that the panel had no power to act against her. UPSC had also filed an FIR against Puja Khedkar. (File photo)(HT_PRINT)

In her response to the Delhi high court, she argued that the UPSC didn't have the power to disqualify her candidature after she was selected for the civil services and appointed as a probationer.

Puja Khedkar said only the Department of Personnel and Training had the power to take action against her.

"DoPT (Department of Personnel and Training) alone can take action under the All India Services Act, 1954 and the Probationer Rules as per Rule 19 of the CSE 2022 Rules," Khedkar said, per India Today.

UPSC, which conducts the civil services exams every year, cancelled Puja Khedkar's provisional candidature and banned her from appearing in any exam conducted by it.

The decision was taken after she was found guilty of faking her identity and misusing her powers. The panel also filed an FIR against her.

Earlier this month, she moved the Delhi high court against the UPSC's move.

On the allegation that she faked her identity, she said the UPSC had verified her biometric data before her appearance in the exam.

It further said that all documents had been verified by the commission during her "personality test" in 2022.

Puja Khedkar has been granted anticipatory bail.

In its recent reply filed in court, the Union Public Service Commission said Khedkars custodial interrogation was necessary to unearth the magnitude of the fraud that could not have been done without the help of other individuals.

The gravity of the fraud committed is unprecedented in nature having been committed against not only a constitutional body -- the complainant -- whose traditions are untrammelled and unparalleled but also against the public at large, including the citizens of this country who have utmost faith upon the credibility of the UPSC as well as persons who could not be appointed despite being duly eligible and qualified due to illegal means employed by the applicant to seek appointment, it said.

With inputs from PTI, ANI
President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday issued her first statement on the horrific rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata which sparked nationwide outrage. President Murmu urged the country to wake up to the perversion of crimes against women, expressing her dismay over the case. President Droupadi Murmu (File Photo)(HT_PRINT)

The hard-hitting article, titled Womens Safety: Enough is Enough, is the first time the president issued a statement on the Kolkata rape-murder case, which sent shockwaves across the nation and sparked protests by students and doctors.

President Murmu's statement: Full text

The gruesome incident of rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata has left the nation shocked. I was dismayed and horrified when I came to hear of it. What is more depressing is the fact that it was not the only incident of its kind; it is part of a series of crimes against women. Even as students, doctors and citizens were protesting in Kolkata, criminals remained on the prowl elsewhere. The victims include even kindergarten girls. No civilised society can allow daughters and sisters to be subjected to such atrocities. The nation is bound to be outraged, and so am I.

On the occasion of Womens Day last year, I had shared my thoughts and hopes about womens empowerment in the form of a newspaper article. I remain an optimist, thanks to our past achievements in empowering women. I consider myself as an example of that spectacular journey of women empowerment in India. But I myself feel deeply anguished when I hear about brutality against women in any part of the country.

More recently, I was in a unique predicament when some schoolchildren who had come to celebrate Rakhi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan asked me innocently if they could be assured that there would be no recurrence of the Nirbhaya-type incident in future. I told them that though the State is committed to protect every citizen, training in self-defence and martial arts is essential for all, particularly girls, to make them stronger. But thats not a guarantee for their security as womens vulnerability is influenced by many factors. Obviously, the full answer to that question can come only from our society.

For that to happen, what is needed first of all is honest, unbiased self-introspection. The time has come when we as a society need to ask ourselves some difficult questions. Where have we erred? And what can we do to remove the errors? Without finding out the answer to that question, the half of our population cannot live as freely as the other half.

To answer it, let me explain it right at the beginning. Our Constitution granted equality to all, including women, when it was only an ideal in many parts of the world. The State then created institutions to establish this equality, wherever needed, and promoted it with a series of schemes and initiatives. Civil society came forward and supplemented the States outreach in this regard. Visionary leaders in all spheres of society pushed for gender equality. Finally, there were exceptional, feisty women who made it possible for their less fortunate sisters to benefit from this social revolution. That has been the saga of womens empowerment.

Yet, this journey has not been without its obstacles. Women have had to fight for every inch of ground they have won. Social prejudices as well as some customs and practices have always opposed the expansion of womens rights. This is a rather deplorable mindset. I wont call it a male mindset, because it has little to do with the gender of the person: there are many, many men who dont have it. This mindset sees the female as a lesser human being, less powerful, less capable, less intelligent. Those who share such views then go further and see the female as an object.

It is this objectification of women by a few that is behind the crimes against women. It is ingrained deeply in the minds of such people. Let me also note here that, regrettably, this is the case not only in India, but across the world. Difference between one place and the next is more of a degree than kind.

Countering this mindset is a task for both the State and the society. In India, over the years, the two have fought hard to change the wrong attitude. There have been laws and there have been social campaigns. Yet, there is something that continues to come in the way and to torment us.

In December 2012, we had come face to face with that element when a young woman was gang-raped and murdered. There was shock and rage. We were determined not to let another Nirbhaya meet the same fate. We made plans and devised strategies. These initiatives did make a difference to an extent. Yet, our task remains unfinished as long as any woman feels unsafe in the environment where she lives or works.

In the twelve years since that tragedy in the national capital, there have been countless tragedies of similar nature, though only a few drew nationwide attention. Even these were soon forgotten. Did we learn our lessons? As social protests petered out, these incidents got buried into a deep and inaccessible recess of social memory, to be recalled only when another heinous crime takes place.

This collective amnesia, I am afraid, is as much obnoxious as that mindset I spoke of.

History often hurts. Societies scared to face history resort to collective amnesia to bury their heads in the sand like the proverbial ostrich. Now the time has come not only to face history squarely but also to search within our souls and probe the pathology of crime against women.

I am of the firm belief that we should not let amnesia prevail over the memory of such criminality. Let us deal with this perversion in a comprehensive manner so as to curb it right at the beginning. We can do this only if we honour the memory of the victims by cultivating a social culture of remembering them to remind us of our failures in the past and prepare us to be more vigilant in future.

We owe it to our daughters to remove the hurdles from their path of winning the freedom from fear. Then we can collectively give a firm answer to the innocent query of those children in the next Raksha Bandhan. Let us collectively say enough is enough.
The government plans to add another 30 million underprivileged citizens in the pool of over 531 million active bank accounts in the worlds biggest financial inclusion programme -- the Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana -- in the current financial year as it has shifted its focus from every household to every unbanked adult, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on the eve of PMJDYs 10th anniversary. Jan-Dhan accounts are basic no-frill accounts without any minimum balance requirement. (Facebook | Nirmala Sitharaman)

The scale of Indias financial inclusion through Jan-Dhan accounts is globally acknowledged with astonishing results in direct transfer of benefits to the beneficiaries, she said.

The scheme is striving to achieve saturation as it is an ongoing programme which will continue to include unbanked adults every year.

Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 28, 2014, the scheme 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, she said. Now focus is shifted from every household to every adult, she added.

Also Read: Strengthen local networks, enhance banking services: FM to regional rural banks

According to official data, as on August 14, 2024, out of total 531.30 million PMJDY accounts, 295.60 million (55.6% of total accounts) belong to women account holders. About 99.95% of all inhabited villages have access to banking facilities within a 5km radius through banking touch points such as including bank branches, ATMs, banking correspondents (BCs), and Indian Post Payment Banks.

The number of such accounts jumped to 531.30 million now from 147.20 million in March 2015 and total deposits under PMJDY has jumped from 15,670 crore in March 2015 to over 2.31 lakh crore in August 2024, according to the latest data. The average balance in these accounts has jumped from 1,065 in March 2015 to 4,352 as on August 16, 2024, with about 80% of accounts are operative.

Jan-Dhan accounts are basic no-frill accounts without any minimum balance requirement. It offers free RuPay debit card, with in-built accident insurance cover of 2 lakh, access to overdraft facility of up to 10,000 (subject to eligibility conditions), and there are no account opening charges or account maintenance charges.

PMJDY is the foundation of Jan-Dhan, Aadhaar and mobile (JAM Trinity) that allows direct transfer of subsidies to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries, eliminating middlemen. The JAM trinity has given a boost to the direct benefit transfer (DBT) program and expanded its coverage from partial to ubiquitous, the finance ministry said in a statement.

Today the last mile delivery of government services happens with the click of a mouse in seconds, it said.

Jan-Dhan accounts played a pivotal role in Indias robust digital public infrastructure (DPI), built on the India Stack, a comprehensive digital identity, payment, and data-management system. The IMF in 2021 lauded the India Stack. The G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion document prepared by the World Bank also lauded transformative impact of DPIs in India over the past decade. It said India has achieved in just six years what would have taken about five decades. The JAM Trinity propelled the financial inclusion rate from 25% in 2008 to over 80% of adults in the last six years, a journey shortened by up to 47 years because of DPIs, the statement said. In the last decade, India built one of the worlds largest digital government-to-person (G2P) architectures leveraging DPI, which supported transfers amounting to about $361 billion directly to beneficiaries from 53 central government ministries through 312 key schemes, it added.
New Delhi: The government may launch about a dozen industrial parks covering the entire country in a quadrilateral to attract over Rs.1.50 lakh crore investments, boost manufacturing, and create employment opportunities, people aware of the development said, adding that the approval is expected in the Cabinet today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds Cabinet meeting (Representative Photo)

The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has taken up the proposal to set up multi-crore infrastructure projects to attract investments and boost the economy, they said, requesting anonymity.

The government will make a formal announcement later in the afternoon while briefing the media about the cabinet decision, they said.

The proposed industrial parks would focus on creating regional manufacturing hubs across the country. It would promote sectors such as food processing, specialised textiles, logistics, tourism, and electric vehicles, the first person said. Projects can kick off without delay as land acquisition is already done and basic regulatory clearances have been obtained.

While presenting the Union Budget for 202425, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman spoke about the parks. Our government will facilitate the development of investment-ready plug and play industrial parks with complete infrastructure in or near 100 cities, in partnership with the states and private sector, by better using town planning schemes, she said in her Budget speech on July 23.

Twelve industrial parks under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme also will be sanctioned, she said that day.

According to the people mentioned above, the proposed parks would be located in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab, and Uttarakhand.
Several regions in Gujarat were facing acute flood situation as heavy rainfall lashed parts of the western state for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday, with Vadodara city being the worst-affected urban pocket where some areas were submerged under 10 to 12 feet of water. The alarming situation, especially in Vadodara, prompted the state government to rope in the help of Indian Army for relief and rescue operations, officials said. A flooded area after heavy rainfall in Vadodara on Tuesday. (PTI)

Also Read | Red alert in Gujarat: IMD warns of more exceptionally heavy rainfall

Rain-related incidents have claimed at least 28 lives in Gujarat in the last three days, while around 40,000 people have been evacuated from flood-affected areas to safety, state relief commissioner Alok Kumar Pandey told HT.

Making the monsoon fury worse is the latest forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which has issued a red alert for extremely heavy rains in isolated parts in various districts in Saurashtra region on Thursday.

Though there was a pause in rainfall in Vadodara, the city grappled with severe flooding in a large swathe of low-lying areas after the swollen Vishwamitri river, flowing through the city, breached its banks and entered residential localities, inundating buildings, roads and vehicles. The river breached its danger mark of 25 feet on Tuesday morning following torrential rainfall and release of water from the Ajwa Dam.

Also Read | Vadodara man loses 50 lakh Audi to heavy rain: Nothing left to live for

States health minister and government spokesperson Rushikesh Patel, who rushed to Vadodara on Wednesday to take stock of the situation, said some low-lying parts of the city were submerged under 10-12 feet of water while some areas experienced 4-5 feet of flooding.

With the Ajwa Dams water level reaching a critical 213.8 feet, officials have shut its gates to stop more water from flowing into the already overflowing Vishwamitri river. The river, now at 37 feet, has crossed its danger level, causing it to overflow and flood large parts of the city, Patel said, adding that over 5,000 people were evacuated and another 1,200 rescued so far in Vadodara.

Amid flood-like situation prevailing in several parts of Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up chief minister Bhupendra Patel to take stock of the situation, and assured the Centres support in tackling the natural disaster.

The chief minister, meanwhile, sought mobilisation of five additional National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and four Army columns to address the flood situation in Vadodara, the state government said in a release. Rescue boats from Ahmedabad and Surat have been dispatched to Vadodara, officials said.

At least 28 people have died in rain-related incidents in the last three days, with the deaths being reported from Rajkot, Anand, Mahisagar, Kheda, Ahmedabad, Morbi, Junagadh and Bharuch districts.

The deceased include seven of the eight people who went missing after the tractor trolley they were travelling in was swept away while crossing an overflowing causeway near Dhavana village under Halvad taluka of Morbi district on Sunday. Their bodies have been recovered, a police officer said, adding the whereabouts of a six-year-old girl who went missing in the incident are yet unknown.

At least nine people died in rain-related incidents, such as collapse of walls and drowning, in different parts of the state on Tuesday, while seven deaths were reported in similar incidents on Monday. Three members of a family drowned after their car got swept away in floodwaters in Rajkot on Wednesday, police said.

With the latest spell of heavy showers, Gujarat has so far received 934.49 mm or 105% of its average annual rainfall, the state emergency operations centre (SEOC) said.

On Wednesday, districts in the Saurashtra region such as Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Rajkot and Porbandar received between 50mm and 200 mm rainfall in 12-hour period ending 6 pm. Thirteen out of the states 251 talukas received more than 200 mm rainfall, and another 39 over 100 mm showers during this period.

At least 14 people were airlifted during the rescue operation in Porbandar district on Wednesday, with the district administration saying that villages had converted into islands following heavy rain and the release of Bhadar dam water.

According to officials, 140 reservoirs and dams, and 24 rivers in the state were flowing above the danger marks. Rains also disrupted the movement of traffic and trains as roads and railway lines were flooded. Out of 206 dams, 122 were put on high alert due to sharp rise in their water levels, officials said.

The flooding has severely impacted transportation, with railway tracks getting submerged, forcing cancellation of 48 trains. Another 14 trains were partially cancelled, six short-terminated while 23 others were diverted to alternative routes, the Western Railways Ahmedabad division said.
Heavy rain for the past two days has led to severe waterlogging in Gujarat's Vadodara causing a flood-like situation. Gujarat was put on red alert by the India Meteorological Department for extreme rainfall till August 30. A flooded road in Vadodara on Tuesday after heavy rainfall caused waterlogging in the city (PTI Photo) (PTI)

According to the weather department Vadodara received 26 cm of rainfall on Monday. The constant downpour had led to severe inundation and caused traffic issues in several parts of the city.

Residential areas in Vadodara are experiencing intense waterlogging due to the Vishwamitri River overflowed. People were seen wading through knee-deep water, reported news agency ANI.

Due to the heavy rainfall, water from Ajwa Reservoir and Pratappura Reservoir was released into Vishwamitri River, causing the water to overflow and flood the city.

Also Read: Ahmedabad professor stranded on Tejas Express shares frustrating experience as heavy rain hits Gujarat

A resident told ANI, Water has entered houses since Monday evening in low-lying areas. People are shifting to other safe locations. There is a shortage of food. People are facing a lot of difficulty.

The Kashi Vishwanath Mahadev Temple complex in Vadodara was also submerged under water due to the extreme rainfall and the temple premises had to be shut on Tuesday.

Gujarat has been experiencing intense rainfall due to a deep depression moving from east Rajasthan towards the Saurashtra region. The state has been put on red alert with hundreds of people being displaced and stranded by the overflowing water.

In Vadodara a thousand people had to be relocated due to being stranded by the flooding waters. The air force was key in helping displaced people in the city.

The NDRF, SDRF and armed forces are collectively carrying out rescue and relief operations across the state.

Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel conducted a review meeting from the State Emergency Operation Center (SEOC) in Gandhinagar on Tuesday to review the relief and rescue efforts across the state, according to a press release.

The review meeting revealed that in the past 24 hours, rainfall was recorded in 251 talukas across 33 districts of the state, with the highest rainfall of 347 mm in Tankara taluka of Morbi district.

Over 15 rivers, 21 lakes, and reservoirs in the state have overflowed due to the heavy rainfall. CM Patel issued orders that no individual should approach these overflowing rivers, streams, or lakes.

It was reported that 206 reservoirs had received 72.33 per cent of their water storage capacity, with 76 reservoirs being completely filled, 96 placed on high alert, and 19 on alert.

The meeting also revealed that 23,871 people had been relocated to safer places, and 1,696 individuals had been rescued.

The chief minister requested the public to avoid going outdoors unless absolutely necessary and to stay indoors.

Till now, seven people have died in rain-related accidents in the state - such as wall collapses, drowning, and falling trees.
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday promised a white paper by April-May next year on demographic changes in Assam with the increase in Muslim population and decrease in the number of Hindus. He said this was being done for people to understand the challenges. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. (PTI)

...will bring out a comprehensive white paper on how the number of Muslims is increasing in the area with the Hindu majority...there is no report of communal violence and the two communities are living peacefully. But a reverse situation is happening on the other front, he said.

Sarma, who has been accused of deepening the religious divide, insisted he was trying to secure communal harmony and peace. The white paper will have interesting facts. You will be surprised at the changes that are taking place. Demographic changes have taken place in 19,000 out of 28,000 polling booths in the state.

Sarma appealed to Opposition Congress to take up this issue as it was not about politics. Everybody should fight unitedly. Nobody should be disturbed. ...people should be able to live peacefully in areas where they are residing at present.

Sarmas comments on Tuesday that he would not let Miyas, a pejorative term for Bengali-speaking Muslims, take over the state triggered an uproar against the backdrop of an ultimatum asking the community to leave nine districts of Upper Assam within a week. He doubled down on taking sides when the Opposition accused him of being partisan.

The Opposition on Tuesday accused Sarma of communal and unconstitutional statements and urged President Droupadi Murmu and Assam governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya to remove him. The United Opposition Forum Assam, comprising 18 national and regional parties including Congress, Raijor Dal, and Assam Jatiya Parishad, planned to lodge a case against Sarma.

Assam Jatiya Parishad chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi on Tuesday called Sarma belligerent and said Assam was unsafe in his hands. He has made the future of the states younger generations uncertain with his utterances and is trying to create disturbances among Hindus and Muslims.

On Wednesday, Sarma also said the government was not working towards bringing a comprehensive Uniform Civil Code (UCC), or common laws for personal matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and succession for all citizens, on the lines of the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Uttarakhand. Our job is limited to curbing child marriages and empowering women, he said months after saying UCC will be introduced in Assam too.

Sarma insisted he has nothing against any religion per se. He referred to a bill tabled in the state assembly on Tuesday regarding compulsory registration of Muslim marriages and divorces. Sarma said once it is passed, they will bring a law banning polygamy. He added the government was also looking at regulating inter-religion marriages. Sarma said steps were being taken to protect the identity and culture of the states indigenous people. The five years of the present government will be remembered as a period when a last-ditch attempt was made to protect Assam from invaders.

Sarma said two bills on the registration of Muslim marriages and divorces and protection of heritage sites and tribal lands were on the legislative agenda. He said they were examining three to four bills to ban polygamy, regulate inter-religion marriages, and reserve some jobs only for domiciles. Before my tenure is over [in May 2026] everything will be in place.

Sarma claimed there was an increase in Bangladeshi Muslim and Rohingya infiltration into Assam in the aftermath of the political turmoil and violence in the neighboring countries. Contrary to the fear the Hindus from the neighbouring nation may enter India, there has been an influx of Bangladeshi Muslims. ...they said that they were fleeing as many textile industries were closing and they were out of jobs. Instead of political refugees, economic refugees are coming to India.

Sarma said police deployments in border areas and railway stations have been increased to nab undocumented entrants. He said nearly 50 Bangladeshis who entered Assam following the political turmoil in Bangladesh have been sent back. Most of these people were headed to Coimbatore. I request the government of Tamil Nadu to check the backgrounds of those who recently got jobs in the textile industry in Coimbatore. I will write a letter to Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin.
On the morning of August 14, Arun Pathak, a revenue officer from the block land and land reforms office (BL&LRO) at Dhupguri in West Bengals Jalpaiguri district, was on a routine duty to check challans of vehicles carrying boulders extracted from rivers.

Illegal mining of sand and river bed material (RBM), which comprises boulders, gravel, and sand, are going on rampantly across West Bengal. (HT Photo)
New Delhi: India on Wednesday expressed its concern at the escalating situation in West Asia and emphasised restraint, dialogue, and diplomacy during foreign office consultations with Israel in New Delhi. India foreign secretary Vikram Misri with Yaakov Blitshtein with Israels foreign secretary Vikram Misri during foreign office consultations in New Delhi (X/@ReuvenAzar)

The Indian side reiterated its condemnation of the October 7 terror attacks on Israel by Hamas and called for a ceasefire, the immediate release of all hostages, and continued humanitarian assistance, according to a statement from the external affairs ministry.

The Indian side at the consultations was led by foreign secretary Vikram Misri, while the Israeli delegation was led by Yaakov Blitshtein, director general of the foreign ministry.

Misri shared Indias concern at the escalating situation in West Asia and emphasised restraint, dialogue, and diplomacy, the statement said.

Reiterating Indias strong and unequivocal condemnation of the October 7 terror attacks on Israel, the Foreign Secretary called for the unconditional and immediate release of all hostages, ceasefire, the need for continued humanitarian assistance, and adherence to international humanitarian law, it said.

The two sides also discussed issues of bilateral interest and reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral endeavours. They also exchanged views on the situation in the Indo-Pacific.

India initially expressed solidarity with Israel in the wake of the attacks on Israel by Hamas. Following concerns expressed by Indias partners in the Arab world, New Delhi adopted a more nuanced position and called for a return to the path of dialogue to find a lasting solution. It also reiterated its support for a two-state solution.

Indias concerns have also grown at the mounting death toll in Gaza because of the Israeli offensive, which has resulted in more than 40,000 deaths.
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the European Union on Wednesday launched a joint funding initiative to foster research cooperation under a programme named after Marie Curie that supports research and innovation. European Union flags outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. (Reuters file photo)

The initiative will be under the Marie Skodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) staff exchanges, which is part of Horizon Europe, the EUs research and innovation programme. The CSIR will top up selected MSCA staff exchanges projects, enabling its institutes to engage in joint research with European and international partners.

The new partnership will strengthen research and innovation ties between Europe and India and drive scientific and technological progress by enhancing bilateral institutional cooperation, collaborative research and researcher exchanges under Horizon Europe, the EU said in a statement.

CSIR scientific and technical staff will be seconded to European research organisations for knowledge-sharing and research activities. This will promote balanced researcher mobility and long-term collaborations, the statement said.

Also Read: Develop tech that reduces human intervention in agri: Brajesh Pathak

The funding, for the period 2025-2027, will be open to any CSIR institution involved in successful projects that are selected under the upcoming staff exchanges calls.

Through its staff exchanges scheme, the MSCA promotes collaborative research, knowledge transfer and innovation by supporting the secondment of research and innovation staff within international consortia of organisations based in the EU, countries associated to Horizon Europe and third countries.

EU ambassador Herve Delphin said the co-funding initiative marks a watershed moment in EU-India research cooperation. The initiative will support the political commitment to enhancing scientific excellence and people-to-people connectivity, as outlined in the EU-India joint roadmap 2025.

Facilitating exchanges between our most brilliant researchers will turbocharge joint innovation in all domains and pool our expertise to better address global challenges that impact our economies and societies, he said.

CSIR director general N Kalaiselvi said: We are excited to join forces with the EU on this transformative initiative. The Marie Skodowska-Curie Actions staff exchanges co-funding programme will not only boost the exchanges of our researchers but also forge stronger institutional ties and foster groundbreaking research collaborations.

CSIR is Indias premier research and development organisation, comprising 37 national laboratories and a dedicated team of more than 8,000 scientific and technical staff. The MSCA is the reference programme for doctoral education and postdoctoral training. It supports researchers, doctoral training and postdoctoral fellowship programmes and collaborative research in all domains.

Since 2014, the MSCA has supported 182 research and innovation projects involving Indian organisations. India ranks first among non-European countries in terms of participation of individual researchers, with more than 2,800 Indian beneficiaries over the past 10 years.
The transition from fossil-fuelled vehicles to battery-powered EVs is a complex process that involves prioritising an auto segment that cuts emissions the most, formulating regulatory frameworks and incentives, ensuring economic viability and a just transition, providing adequate infrastructure to run these zero-emission vehicles, and generating green jobs and propelling economic growth in the process. Kodjak said India has one of the worlds largest markets and a substantial manufacturing base for motor vehicles. (HT photo)

Drew Kodjak, executive director of non-profit organisation International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), took a sabbatical last year to work in the Biden administrations White House climate policy office. He shared his insights on this transition in an interview with Hindustan Times. Edited Excerpts:

How fast is the EV transition happening worldwide?

Historically, its been Europe, the United States and China (leading the transition). To a lesser extent, but catching up fast, is India.

Its now well-recognised amongst financial markets and manufacturers in the US that the future will be electric. So, its gone from a situation of will this happen to a situation of yes, it is happening. The only question is how fast. Its an interesting combination of government policy driven by climate change and oil security, and now being taken over by interest in economic development, green industrial transition, and domestic jobs. It is driven not only by altruistic factors but also by nationalistic concerns about industry.

India has one of the worlds largest markets and a substantial manufacturing base for motor vehicles and vehicle components. Theres a fair amount of exports, particularly in vehicle components. So, India stands to lose or gain depending on how well it manages this transition.

Also Read:On offer: Cost-effective measures to rid India of air pollution

India also imports a significant amount of oil. Thats been a longstanding issue, and EVs would address it. India is considering a suite of policies, including updating and expanding FAME  Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India  and supply-side regulations.

How would you rate the electrification of buses in India?

India did a great job. It set the international best practice for driving the electrification of transit buses. First was the standardisation of bus types. This is a challenge because every city wants a different-coloured bus, with various heights and different-sized windows. In the United States, this drives up the cost dramatically. India was very wise in requiring only four different types of buses. Within that, it also required that the manufacturers not only bid the price of the new vehicle but also the ten-year operational cost, because of which the electric buses were the lower cost bids on the contract. It signalled to cities across India that battery electric buses are the way to go if you are interested in lower-cost technology for your buses. It was an eye-opener for the world. I was impressed by Niti Aayogs creativity and thoughtfulness in that policy. This catapulted Indian electric bus production and market forward.

Electrifying freight should be prioritised because trucks are the most polluting road vehicles. However, the EV transition worldwide is much faster in the car segment.

The US and Europe have finalised regulations requiring medium and heavy-duty vehicles to transition to zero-emission vehicles over time, starting now and continuing until 2035 and 2040.

Regarding fuel consumption from the transportation sector in the US, Europe, and Japan, 75-80% is from passenger cars and 20-25% from trucks. The numbers may have changed slightly from 5-10 years ago. In India, China and Brazil, heavy-duty vehicles account for more than half of the (total) fuel consumption. Its a big chunk of the emissions. So, if you are interested in dealing with climate change and oil security, trucks make the most sense or more sense in India than in the United States.

Studies show that battery-electric trucks will be significantly cheaper to operate over time than diesel or natural gas trucks. This matters a great deal because these are businesses, not consumers. Most big truck manufacturers recognise that their customers will eventually want electric trucks to be competitive economically. Also, because electric trucks have fewer moving parts  just a battery, an electric motor, and a CPU  they dont have transmission or engine controls, so they are far less complicated. The maintenance requirements should also be lower, and so is the cost of fuel and maintenance. Ideally, the reliability will increase as well.

That said, it is important to see which segment of heavy-duty vehicles to consider. Urban delivery vehicles have a less demanding duty cycle than long-haul tractor-trailers. They have smaller batteries and a limited range. They can be recharged at night. Well see electrification moving from urban delivery vehicles to longer-range tractor-trailers.

The trucking business in India has many problems. Ownership is an issue. Traffic and road conditions are bad. Truck overloading affects fuel efficiency. Will these factors impact the EV transition?

None of these things are necessary to fix before you transition to electric vehicles. In the US, where the roads are in better shape, and trucks move faster, starting in 2010, we improved efficiency with better tyres, aerodynamic retrofits, side skirts, etc. You wont have those benefits in India because trucks are going slower, and the roads are more congested. However, you will improve efficiency by changing from a diesel engine to an electric vehicle.

How important is it to have a regulatory framework for this transition?

Regulations are essential because this is a very complicated transition. Having the government set the pathway allows many actorsbattery manufacturers, mine (industry), and the supply chainto align with it. The utilities need to know how much power they need to provide and where to upgrade their transmission lines.

I spent a year at the White House helping finalise two major regulations that were completed earlier this year. These regulations will be the cornerstones of the transition in the US and set the pace of change for light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles from 2027 to 2032.

And subsidies?

Subsidies are important -- not forever, but until there is cost parity. Subsidies for (buying) vehicles and creating incentives for manufacturing plants so that you have the jobs that come with the transition are also important.

Europe has set targets for electrification of up to 100%. The US has not done that, but it got close. Europe set standards and required each member state to develop a certain amount of electric charging infrastructure for light and heavy-duty vehicles. Thats a relatively good policy. The United States is doing it through incentives.

You have to figure out the best policy package for India that deals with the regulatory standards and supply-side standards that set the pace of the transition. Second, what are the consumer incentives during this transition period so electric vehicles are at the same cost (as EVs), and eventually, the EVs become cheaper? The government doesnt have to build the infrastructure, but they should guide where it should be built, how to do it, how to standardise the plugs, etc. Also, theres a need to support manufacturing all EV components in India, including batteries.

Do you think decarbonisation will continue if there is a change in the government in the US?

It is difficult for me to speculate on what another government would do. Donald Trump has been very vocal in his opposition to electric vehicles. But I can tell you that the auto industry is very committed to the targets finalised by the Biden administrationso much so that they joined in favour of the government when other states challenged the government standards.

During the last Trump administration, there was a lot of chaos around the standards. So, its not clear to me what will happen with an administration that claims to oppose electrification.

Is there a way of keeping politics out of the decarbonisation agenda?

The industry can always build the vehicles. They dont need government support or permission to do so. And theres a tremendous amount of investment there, even when you look at the battery investments in the United States.

Recently, for example, Politico published articles stating that 18 representatives, both in the House and in the Senate, signed to support the Biden administrations Inflation Reduction Act (mandating huge investments in the US economy, energy security, and climate), signalling that they would not support rolling those back, mainly because many of the benefits go across the country. People are seeing the benefits of all the jobs in new industries. The answer is that the more it becomes economically valuable for a broad swathe of the population, the more ingrained it is, and the more difficult it is to roll things back.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday claimed two officers of Jharkhand Polices intelligence wing allegedly spying on Champai Soren during his visits to New Delhi ahead of the latters induction into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were detained and admitted to be working at the behest of a senior person holding a constitutional post in their state. Champai Soren met Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi late on Monday. (ANI)

He said a woman was also with the two and added there could have been a plan to trap Soren. Sarma added the two were taking photographs of Sorens hotel room in the national capital when the former Jharkhand chief ministers aides caught them and handed them over to Delhi Police. It was revealed that they are sub-inspectors of the Jharkhand [Police] special branch who were allegedly entrusted to follow Soren and track his movements, said Sarma, who is the BJPs co-in charge for poll-bound Jharkhand.

Sarma said the sub-inspectors told their interrogators that they flew to Delhi on the same flight as Soren from Kolkata and stayed in a room close to that of the Jharkhand leader at the hotel in the national capital. They admitted that they had been following Soren for some time with instructions from a very senior person in Jharkhand holding a constitutional post.

Sarma said a former chief minister governments was spying on him and called it unprecedented. I suspect even his phone may have been tapped. Is Soren an extremist? He is a very senior adivasi [tribal] leader.

Sarma attacked Jharkhands ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress coalition and said they always talk about protecting the Constitution. Is this the kind of thing expected from such parties?

Soren this week announced he would join the BJP, ending a week-long suspense ahead of assembly polls in Jharkhand. His defection was speculated since August 20 when he criticised the JMM leadership.

Champai Soren claimed he was removed disrespectfully as the chief minister when he handed over the reins to Hemant Soren on July 3 after the latters release on bail after five months.

Champai Soren, who remained a member of the Hemant Soren Cabinet, met Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi late on Monday. Sarma was also present at the meeting.

He said he was making a new beginning after thinking of retiring from politics. Champai Soren added after talking with his supporters, he also thought of forming a new party. He cited the time factor and the prevailing situation in Jharkhand and added he decided to join the BJP drawing inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shahs leadership.
A 15-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by two men on premises of the government-run Mahatma Gandhi Hospital at Jodhpur in Rajasthan, police said on Tuesday, adding two suspects have been detained. Jodhpur minor gang-raped on govt hospital premises, 2 held

Deputy commissioner of police (west) Rajarshi Raj Verma said the incident occurred hours after the girl left her home in anger on Sunday evening after being scolded by her mother. When the family could not locate her till late Sunday night, they filed a missing persons report at the Soorasagar police station.

On Sunday night, the two accused approached the girl after finding her alone on the hospital premises. They engaged her in a conversation and led her to a secluded area behind the hospitals biomedical waste dumpyard, where they allegedly raped her, the DCP said.

Verma said that on Monday evening the police received information about a girl wandering around unattended in the hospital, following which a team was sent to the hospital. When the police reunited the girl with her parents, she narrated her ordeal to the family and the police.

After recording her statement, an investigation was launched and the girl underwent a medical examination, the DCP said. On Tuesday morning, a forensic team visited the hospital premises to collect evidence from the scene.

On Tuesday afternoon, the police detained two suspects for questioning after identifying them through the CCTV footage from the hospital, Verma said. The victims statement will be recorded before a magistrate, after which an identification parade will be conducted to confirm the suspects. Based on the results of this process, the suspects will be formally arrested, the DCP said, adding both suspects were employed with the hospital as contractual cleaners.

A case of gang rape under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act has been registered, the officer said.

Dr Fateh Singh Bhati, the superintendent of the Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, said the hospital staff have been directed to check the lighting in the area where the incident occurred. Measures are being taken to enhance security, including installing additional lights, Bhati said.

The incident, which came amid a nationwide outrage over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor at the West Bengal government-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, has triggered a political uproar, with the Opposition Congress attacking the Rajasthan government over increasing rape cases in the desert state.

The gang rape of a minor girl at Mahatma Gandhi Government Hospital in Jodhpur is yet another example of the growing lawlessness in Rajasthan, senior Congress leader and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot said in a post on X. It seems neither the public representatives nor the police in Jodhpur are paying any attention to law and order, which is emboldening criminals day by day.

Gehlot accused the ruling BJP of misgovernance, saying it has ruined Jodhpur, a city known for its peaceful and crime-free environment.

Reacting on the incident, BJP spokesperson Mukesh Pareek said: It is an unfortunate incident. The government will take necessary step against the culprits. We are also putting efforts to reform the law-and-order situation which was completely devastated during the Congress rule.
The Himachal Pradesh assembly has adopted a Congress-backed resolution to condemn remarks made by Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Mandi Kangana Ranaut for her recent comments on farmers' protests. BJP MP Kangana Ranaut made comments against the farmers protests alleging that they could have led to a Bangladesh type situation (PTI Photo/Kamal Singh) (PTI)

Kangana Ranaut had posted a clip of her interview with Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar 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 Ranaut's remarks triggered heated exchanges in the assembly of her Congress-ruled home state as the House adopted a resolution condemning the remarks.

Thousands of farmers from Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and other places had held an agitation at Delhi's borders for several months over the now-repealed farm laws.

As Haryana will go to polls on October 1, the opposition hit out at the BJP MP over the issue. AAP's Haryana president Sushil Gupta said that this highlighted BJP's mindset towards farmers. AAP held several protests in Haryana as well.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also spoke out against Kangana Ranaut, demanding an apology.

She posted on X, Kangana Ranaut has not apologised for her statement against farmers. BJP's statement expresses no regret about the charges made by her against farmers. She is a BJP member & MP, if no action taken against her it's fair to say that BJP is only paying lip service to the farmers.

In the Himachal Assembly, parliamentary affairs minister Harshwardhan Chauhan called Kangana Ranaut's remarks an insult to the entire farm community of the country. After the BJP members returned to the House from a walkout they had staged, he asked them to clear their stand on the issue.

Members from both sides of the House started raising slogans as Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said Kangana's remarks were personal and did not reflect the views of the party.

The BJP had already distanced themselves from the actor-turned politician's remarks on Monday, expressing disagreement with her views and clarifying that she was neither permitted nor authorised to comment on the party's policy matters.

Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu supported the resolution and said the BJP should discussed the issue with the House themselves. Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri added that farmers were enraged due to Kangana Ranaut's remarks and the BJP should seriously consider its conduct.

Revenue minister Jagat Singh Negi even suggested that an FIR should be registered against the Mandi MP as her remarks could create a law and order situation.

Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav said Kangana Ranaut's remarks comments were "deliberate" and would be used as a "shield" so that the BJP had someone to blame for its future defeat in the Haryana Assembly polls.
Bangla bandh news updates: The Bharatiya Janata Party has called for a 12-hour Bangla bandh (strike in West Bengal) on Wednesday, August 28, in protest against brutal police action against peaceful protesters during the Nabanna Abhijan' or march to state secretariat in Kolkata on Tuesday. Police use water canons to disperse protesters carrying national flag as they march towards the state secretariat demanding the resignation of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee amid protests against the rape and murder of a doctor.(AFP)

The BJP has announced Bangla bandh from 6am to 6pm on August 28.

The protesters were attempting to reach Nabanna to demand the resignation of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee over the alleged rape-murder of a doctor at state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9.

The streets of Kolkata were gripped by violence and chaos following a protest rally that took a wrong turn in Kolkata. Following the incident, Union minister and West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumder called for a 12-hour bandh in the state.

Also Read | BJP calls for Bengal bandh today: What's open? What's closed? Timings and more

BJP president JP Nadda slammed the Kolkata Police's alleged highhandedness in handling protesters saying in Didi's West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued.

On Tuesday, the Nabanna Abhijan was organised 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.

The rally began from the College Square in Kolkata amid heightened security around the West Bengal state secretariat with protesters gathering at the Santragachi area in Howrah.

Responding to BJPs 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.

Bangla bandh today over Nabanna Abhijan clashes: 10 points

Clashes erupted between police and protesters at different parts of Kolkata and its neighbouring Howrah on Tuesday, as the agitators tried to make their way through barricades to march towards the West Bengal secretariat Nabanna. While the BJP called for a general strike on Wednesday, the ruling Trinamool Congress denounced the decision claiming it was aimed at creating chaos. Over 200 people were arrested in connection with the Nabanna Abhijan rally. 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. News agency PTI reported that 126 members and supporters of Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj were arrested. Out of them, 33 were women. The Kolkata Police had resort to lathi charge, used 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. Later, 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. 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. Earlier a BJP procession led by Majumdar was stopped from advancing towards Lal Bazar. Taking a swipe at chief minister Mamata Banerjee, JP Nadda 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. Accusing the Kolkata Police of repressing people's voice for justice, JP Nadda said Mamata Banerjee has chosen to maintain silence in the face of the ghastly crime against a woman and the way her parents were misled. Senior Bengal 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.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI)
Kolkata rape-murder case highlights: The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) observed a 12-hour Bangla Bandh in West Bengal today to protest police action against protesters who participated in the 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally on Tuesday. Daily life was partially affected across the state as BJP workers tried stopping rail and bus services leading to police action. Schools and colleges remain open, though attendance has fallen....Read More

TMC workers organised a counter-protest at several places to oppose the bandh called by the BJP, leading to a scuffle between the two party workers.

Several BJP leaders including Locket Chatterjee, Rahul Sinha, and Roopa Ganguly were detained by the police for their protest. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari joined the protesters in Nandigram. He said the party would stall West Bengal if the police 'repression' doesn't stop immediately.

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.

Over 200 people were arrested and several injured in several parts of Kolkata city after police cracked down on protesters attempting to proceed towards the state secretariat to press for the resignation of Mamata Banerjee. The rally was organised by a new student body, Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj to protest against the alleged rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor inside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9.

The CBI will seek the opinion of medical experts from AIIMS Delhi, to ascertain if the main accused Sanjay Roy was the only accused who committed the crime. He is currently under judicial custody. The agency is investigating the rape and murder alongside financial irregularities against the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh.

In addition to the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken cognisance of the CBI's first information report (FIR) and launched a money laundering probe against Dr. Ghosh.
Kolkata doctor rape-murder: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sought permission from a Kolkata court to conduct a polygraph test on Kolkata Police assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Anup Dutta. The CBI said the test will be conducted after obtaining his consent. ASI Anup Dutta seen sprinting towards CBI office to avoid questions from the media.

The central agency is trying to figure out whether Anup Dutta helped the main accused Sanjay Roy to cover up the rape and murder of the 31-year-old woman postgraduate trainee doctor inside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. The CBI is investigating the rape and murder alongside financial irregularities against the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh.

Who is Anup Dutta?

Anup Dutta is believed to be a close associate of Dr Sandip Ghosh during his tenure at the medical college. He has been under the CBI's radar after he was spotted alongside Ghosh in photos found on social media.

The ASI has been facing allegations that he helped the main accused Sanjay Roy to gain access to police quarters and a police motorcycle, though he is not entitled to any such perks as a police civic volunteer.

Anup Dutta is also a member of the Kolkata Police Welfare Committee, to which Sanjay Roy was attached and was assigned to visit police personnel and their relatives admitted across various hospitals.

Investigators believe, this access to be the main reason why Sanjay Roy was able to enter the premises, but are trying to find out how he was able to enter the third-floor seminar hall, where the victim's body was found. Outsiders are not allowed to enter any hospital ward at such hours.

Visuals of Dutta running away from reporters went viral across social media during the early days of the CBI investigation.

Polygraph test

Meanwhile, the CBI completed polygraph tests on Sandip Ghosh. He was also subject to the Layered Voice Analysis test. It detects the subject's reaction to a lie but does not identify it. The technology identified stress, cognitive processes, and emotional cues in different voice properties.

A polygraph test can help assess inaccuracies in the statements of suspects and witnesses. By monitoring their psychological responses such as heart rate, breathing patterns, sweating, and blood pressure etc, the investigators can determine discrepancies in their responses.

However, these are not admissible evidence during the trial and can only be used to get further leads in a case.

(With inputs from PTI)
President Droupadi Murmu has voiced her deep dismay and horror in her first public remarks regarding the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata earlier this month. Speaking to PTI, the President expressed her anguish over the crime saying "enough is enough" and urging society to confront the chronic issue of violence against women. President Droupadi Murmu said no civilised society can allow daughters and sisters to be subjected to such atrocities.(ANI)

The President's remarks come as nationwide protests continue in the wake of the discovery of the 31-year-old doctor's body at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. The case has ignited widespread outrage, with citizens from various walks of life joining the demonstrations.

President Murmu condemned the continued threat posed by criminals, even as the nation rallies in support of justice.

Even as students, doctors and citizens were protesting in Kolkata, criminals remained on the prowl elsewhere, PTI quoted President Murmu as saying.

"No civilised society can allow daughters and sisters to be subjected to such atrocities," she added, stressing the need for "honest, unbiased self-introspection" within society to address the root causes of these heinous acts.

Also Read | Mamata Banerjee makes 'hang till death' demand, accuses BJP of 'derailing' Kolkata doctor rape-murder probe

Murmu slams 'collective amnesia'

The President also spoke out against the "deplorable mindset" that often sees women as lesser beingsless powerful, less capable, and less intelligent. She lamented the "collective amnesia" that has plagued Indian society in the years since the 2012 Nirbhaya case, highlighting that countless rapes have been forgotten over time.

"This collective amnesia is obnoxious," she said, urging the nation to face its history of violence against women squarely.

Let us deal with this perversion in comprehensive manner to curb it right at the beginning, President Murmu said.

Also Read | Abhishek Banerjee sets deadline for Centre to implement anti-rape law

The Kolkata incident has sparked renewed criticism of the government's handling of crimes against women, with many questioning the efficacy of existing measures.

A civic volunteer has been detained in connection with the Kolkata case, but the victim's family alleges that the crime was a gang rape involving multiple perpetrators.

The Supreme Court has since ordered a national task force to investigate how security for healthcare workers can be bolstered, describing the incident as one that has shocked the conscience of the nation.

With PTI inputs
Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders on Thursday welcomed the bail granted by the Supreme Court to party leader and Telangana state legislative council member Kalvakuntla Kavitha in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha shows victory signs as she gets released from Tihar Jail, in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI)

The Congress, however, described the development as an outcome of a secret understanding between the BRS and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while the BJP alleged that it was the Congress which had bailed Kavitha out of jail.

BRS working president T Rama Rao took to X to thank the Supreme Court for granting bail to his sister. Thank you, Supreme Court. Relieved. Justice prevailed, he said.

KTR, who is presently in Delhi along with a host of BRS lawmakers and senior leaders, will be accompanying Kavitha to Hyderabad on Wednesday morning. A grand welcome is being arranged for her by the party leaders.

BRS spokesperson Dasoju Sravan, in a statement, said the granting of bail to Kavitha comes after months of what the party claims to be politically motivated allegations against her.

Expressing relief over the Supreme Courts decision, Sravan described it as a triumph of truth and justice. He emphasized that the courts observations during the hearing were crucial in highlighting the unfair treatment meted out to Kavitha. It is a vindication of Kavithas integrity and a clear signal that justice will prevail over politically motivated actions, he said.

Telangana Congress working president B Mahesh Kumar Goud said the bail granted to Kavitha was a clear indication of a prospective BRS merger with the BJP. He alleged that KTR and his nephew T Harish Rao had held a series of negotiations with BJPs top leaders in Delhi to bail her out and alleged that the Enforcement Directorate cooperated with them.

If we go by the sequence of developments leading to Kavitha getting bail, it is pretty clear that the process for BRSs merger with the BJP has commenced, he said, adding that the two parties have come together to create problems for the Congress government in the state.

However, the BJP claimed that it was Congress, which had helped Kavitha get bail from the Supreme Court

Former Telangana BJP president and Union minister of State Bandi Sanjay posted on X: 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.

He added: 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 (K Chandrashekar Rao) 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.

Sanjay was referring to senior Supreme Court advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who had argued for Kavitha in the court. Incidentally, Singhvi, a Congress leader, on Tuesday was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Telangana.

KTR, however, reacted sharply to Sanjays sarcastic comments on X. He said it was highly unbecoming of Sanjays position as a Union minister. The BRS leader urged the Supreme Court to take note of the remark and initiate contempt proceedings.

Youre a Union Minister in charge 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 said in reply to the post.
Kochi: Senior Malayalam actor Siddique was booked for rape and criminal intimidation by the Museum police in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday based on the complaint of a woman actor to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the sexual assault allegations against prominent figures in the Malayalam film industry. Siddique with actors Jomol and Ananya addressed the media on the Justice Hema Committee report, in Kochi (PTI Photo)

He has been accused of raping an actress at a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram in January 2016 after calling her there on the pretext of discussing a non-existent film project.

Also Read: Mohanlal, Mammoottys silence over the Hema Committee report is perplexing: Everything that has transpired so far

Police said that a first information report (FIR) has been registered against Siddique under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Since the alleged assault took place in 2016, sections of the IPC have been filed instead of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita (BNS). Both are non-bailable sections.

The probe will be led by the SIT, an officer at the Museum police station told HT.

This is the second FIR being registered in connection with the slew of MeToo sexual assault allegations raised by women actors and technicians against prominent male industry figures in the wake of the Hema committee report, which pointed to alleged systemic abuse of women in the industry.

On Monday, an FIR was registered at the Ernakulam North police station against filmmaker Ranjith for misbehaviour on the complaint of a Bengali actress.

Siddique, 61, who acted in over 350 films predominantly in Malayalam, had on August 22 resigned from the post of general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), following the allegations. After the alleged assault, he is alleged to have threatened the actress as well, according to the FIR.

Meanwhile, Siddique has maintained innocence and has filed a complaint with the state police chief, alleging an agenda behind the actress allegations.

I was a young entrant in the industry at the time. He (Siddique) invited me into a hotel on the pretext of discussing a film project. Such a movie did not exist. It was a trap. He sexually abused and raped me. He also physically assaulted me. I had to give up my dreams, my time, and I went through a lot of mental trauma, the actress had told media persons last week.

On Tuesday, AMMA president Mohanlal resigned, and the 17-member executive committee was dissolved in the wake of sexual allegations against Siddique and other members of the influential film body.
Kolkata doctor's rape-murder case: West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday dedicated the party's student wing Trinamool Chhatra Parishad foundation day to the woman trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata earlier this month. Mamata Banerjee also expressed grief over the incident, saying that she is deeply sad. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (PTI)

Today, on the foundation day of Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, I am dedicating it to our sister, whom we mourned the tragic loss of at RG Kar Hospital a few days ago. Expressing our heartfelt condolences and seeking immediate redress for that incident. Our hearts go out to all the women of all ages who have been victims of inhuman incidents. We are deeply sad, Mamata Banerjee said in a post on X in Bengali.

The Trinamool Congress supremo further emphasised that the students and youth have a great social role.

It is the task of student society to give the dream of a new day by keeping the society and culture awake and to inspire everyone around with the bright vows of a new day. My appeal to all of them today, be encouraged in this effort, and stay committed. My dear students, stay well, stay healthy, stay committed to a bright future, she added.

Mamata Banerjee has been under intense scrutiny over the incident, with students, doctors, and BJP leaders demanding her resignation.

On Tuesday, several members of the new student body Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj and other organisations held a Nabanna Abhijan rally in Kolkata to protest against the rape and murder of the 31-year-old trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The rally was held despite the state police terming it as illegal and unauthorized, citing concerns over potential violence and public disorder.

During the demonstration, clashes erupted between police and protesters in various areas of Kolkata and Howrah as the protesting members tried to breach barricades to march towards the West Bengal secretariat. The protestors also dragged away police barricades, and police resorted to opening lathi-charge and lobbing tear gas shells to disperse them.

The Kolkata police have arrested over 200 people in connection with the rally.

Bangla Bandh

Meanwhile, the BJP has called for a 12-hour Bangla bandh in protest against the brutal police action against peaceful protesters during the Nabanna Abhijan rally. The 'Bangla Bandh', which began at 6 am, affected people in various parts of the state.

Several BJP workers demonstrated in support of the bandh at the Bongaon station in North 24 Parganas, Gocharan station in South 24 Parganas, and Murshidabad station.

CBI probe underway in Kolkata rape-murder case

The body of the trainee woman doctor was found in a semi-naked state in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College on August 9. A day after the incident, the Kolkata police arrested the main accused, Sanjay Roy, after he was seen entering the building around the estimated time of the crime in a CCTV footage, and his Bluetooth headphones were found near the crime scene.

The CBI, who took over the probe recently, conducted polygraph tests of Roy, and six others - former RG Kar Medical College and Hospital principal Sandip Ghosh, four doctors, and one civic volunteer.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said there is only one apt punishment for crimes like the Kolkata doctor's rape and murder  hang till death. She also accused the opposition BJP of trying to derail the probe into the grisly murder. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.(File)

"For this, there is only one punishment  to hang till death," she said.

Mamata Banerjee pointed out that the Bengal government wanted to conclude the probe within 7 days but the CBI hasn't cracked the case till now.

Banerjee said the Bengal government will pass a new bill on the anti-rape law in the state assembly.

Mamata Banerjee alleged that the new criminal code BNS doesn't have stringent measures against rapes.

She claimed the BJP had been using artificial intelligence to spread misinformation about the crime.

Mamata Banerjee was addressing a gathering on the 27th foundation day of West Bengal Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, the student wing of the TMC.

Mamata Banerjee alleged that the Centre doesn't want justice for the family of the doctor who was raped and killed in Kolkata's RG Kar hospital on August 9.

She demanded that the CBI must reveal what they have found during their investigation of the case.

She also urged the protesting doctors to resume work.

"I don't want to arrest any protester...We want to create more doctors," she said.

She said the Bengal government doesn't support the BJP's Bandh call.

"We don't support this bandh... the BJP never demanded resignations of the CMs of UP, MP and even Manipur. We saw pictures from yesterday (Nabanna Abhiyan rally). I salute the police for handling the situation well," she said, referring to the use of force by the police during the BJP's agitation.

"We have dedicated this day to the RG Kar doctor. We want justice but the BJP today called for a bandh. They don't want justice, they are only trying to defame Bengal," she added.

She said the BJP had been plotting to derail the probe.

"BJP's bandh is aimed at defaming Bengal, it is plotting a conspiracy to derail the probe into the RG Kar hospital rape-murder case," she said.

With inputs from PTI, ANI
Top Malayalam actor Mohanlal on Tuesday quit as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) and the 17-member executive committee of the influential body also resigned en masse, taking moral responsibility after a spate of sexual abuse allegations against male professionals engulfed the Kerala film industry following the Justice Hema Committee report last week. The film body said that a new committee will be formed after an election in two months. (Facebook | Mohanlal)

AMMA also dissolved the executive committee and said a new panel will be elected within two months to innovate and strengthen the film body.

According to people aware of the details, the decision on the resignations was taken at a hurriedly convened online meeting by Mohanlal to discuss the unprecedented dilemma being faced by the association amid a barrage of allegations against some of its members and criticisms for failing to act against the accused.

In a statement, AMMA announced the mass resignation of its office-bearers, including president Mohanlal, and said the current administrative panel quit as such, taking moral responsibility for the allegations.

Within two months, a general body will be convened and a new executive committee will be elected. The dissolved committee will act as an ad hoc arrangement to take care of the delivery of monthly pensions and other benefits to elderly members, the film body said.

We are optimistic that the new committee will be able to innovate and strengthen AMMA. We thank everyone for criticising us and correcting us, it added.

The development was welcomed by several actors, especially women.

Actor Shwetha Menon said she welcomed the executive panels decision and wished that the outfit would get new leaders who are capable of continuing its various ongoing programmes.

Another senior actor, Usha, said AMMA as an outfit was really good, but some of its members on its executive panel were troublemakers.

In its landmark report on the working conditions of women movie professionals in Kerala, which was released on August 19, the Hema Committee said that women artistes and actors were routinely asked for sexual favours in exchange for opportunities, told to compromise, dealt with force exhibited by their male colleagues and threatened with bans if they attempted to sue.

The report was released roughly four-and-a-half years after it was submitted to the Kerala government, and recounted stark revelations about sexual harassment and abuse women faced within the industry, a powerful all-male lobby, unauthorised banning of artistes, poor treatment of junior artistes, and absence of legal remedies to address grievances.

After the report was released, several women actors, including a Bengali actress, went public with allegations of sexual harassment against some of the well-known faces of Malayalam cinema, including director Ranjith and actors Siddique and Mukesh. On Sunday, the Kerala government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), comprising top IPS officers, to probe the claims even as Siddique and Ranjith stepped down as AMMA general secretary and Kerala Chalachitra Academy, a state-run institution, respectively.

Joy Mathew, a member of the now-dissolved executive committee of AMMA, said the decision was a unanimous one and taken on moral grounds. We are not resigning from the membership of AMMA and running away from responsibilities. If we continued in those roles, those on the outside would say we are clinging on to power. We dont want to give that message. We will remain inside AMMA and fight for changes, Mathew said.

Membership of AMMA ensures health care support, pension, aid for senior artistes, apart from networking within the fraternity.

Following the resignations, the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), an outfit comprising women actors and technicians on whose demand the Hema Committee was convened by the state government, said on Facebook: We have a shared duty to forge a future of justice and dignity for everyone... Rethink, reshape, rebuild Lets create this new revolution.

Meanwhile, two women actors, who levelled allegations of sexual abuse against a host of male actors, filed complaints with the SIT probing the matter.

I spoke to the woman IPS officer leading the probe panel over the phone. She asked me to send the complaints, which I did via email. I have sent seven complaints against actors Mukesh, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, Edavela Babu, advocate Chandrasekharan and production controllers Noble and Vichu. It was the Hema committee report that propelled me to come out with my experience, one of them said.

Actor Mukesh, also a CPI(M) MLA from Kollam, rejected the allegations and said the complainant was trying to blackmail him.

He claimed the woman first approached him in 2009 in search for career opportunities in the film industry and even visited his home. After that, she did not appear again until 2022, he said.

This time, she called me and asked for a huge financial favour. When I said I couldnt pay, she said she needed only 1 lakh. After a few days, a man identifying as her husband called me to ask for money. This group of people, who repeatedly tried to blackmail me, have now smelt an opportunity to attack me. I am revealing this information backed by evidence of the messages she sent me, he said, stressing that he would welcome any investigation.

Gopi told reporters in Thrissur: Let the court decide. They (allegations) are the creation of the media. I understand that this issue is your feed on which you are chomping. You can make money off it. But understand that you are upending a big system. The court has the wisdom and the logic to decide on these issues.
The Malayalam film industry, Mollywood, has been shaken to it's core as 17 cases of sexual harassment were registered following complaints lodged by victims in the wake of the release of the Justice Hema Committee report, reported NDTV. Mahila Congress activists stage a protest after several Malayalam film industry actresses come forward with sexual harassment allegations (PTI Photo)(PTI)

On Tuesday, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) was dissolved after a 235-page report by the Justice Hema committee was released in it's redacted form last week. The association said the decision was made in light of allegations made by some actors against some of the committee".

The report which had been filed in 2019, was not available for public release until now, unleashing a flood of allegations against some of the drivers of the Malayalam film industry. Several film stars and filmmakers are likely to be questioned in connection with these cases.

The latest complaint has been registered by actress Sonia Malhar, who alleged that an unnamed actor molested her in 2013 on a film set, reported NDTV. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Kerala government in the wake of multiple allegations, is looking into her case among others.

Malhar has also asked people to not speculate and include Jayasurya into her allegations.

Actress Minu Muneer who had alleged harassment on film sets at the hands of M Mukesh, Jayasurya , Maniyanpilla Raju and Idavela Babu has also spoken up about receiving threats after going public with her experience.

Minu Muneer told NDTV that AMMA secretary Idavela Babu had called her to his flat under the pretense of helping her get an AMMA membership and proceeded to physically abuse her.

Recounting a traumatising experience on set she said, I had a bitter experience while shooting for a film. I had gone to the toilet and when I came out, Jayasurya hugged me from behind and kissed me without my consent. I was shocked and I ran out.

She alleged that he had offered her work if she was willing to be with him. Muneer said that in a similar experience, actor Mukesh, now a CPM MLA as well, had denied her AMMA membership after she rejected his untoward advances.

There is a lot of exploitation in the Malayalam film industry. I am a witness and victim. When I moved to Chennai, nobody reached out to me, asking me what had happened? she added.

The actor in question, Mukesh, has welcomed a thorough investigation into the charges levelled against him, claiming that Muneer had been trying to blackmail him and had sought financial aid from him.

Bengali film actor Sreelekha Mitra has also accused director Ranjith of molestation, telling NDTV that the harassment of women in the industry was an open secret.

"The system is such that you have to comply or let go. Everyone knows about it. It's not something new. In this industry, it is rampant. The problem is it has been normalised," she said.

The Hema committee report revealed a "power nexus" in the industry that consisted of a handful of producers, directors, actors and production controllers.

The committee was originally constituted in 2017 by the Kerala government after a sexual assault case came to light involving actor Dileep and another actress.

The state's women's commission has stated that based on suggestions in the committee report, the government will take steps to ensure grievance redressal committees as per the POSH Act in shooting sets.
Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday said his government is aiming to transform the state into a $2-trillion economy by 2047 by targeting 15% annual growth rate of gross state domestic product (GSDP), as part of its Viksit Andhra Pradesh-2047 action plan. Naidu aims at making Andhra $2 trillion economy by 2047

Naidus remarks came during his meeting with representatives of the NITI Aayog  the apex policy think tank of the Centre  at his chambers in the state secretariat in Amaravati. The meeting was called to discuss the modalities of formulating Viksit Andhra Pradesh document, on the lines of Viksit Bharat (developed India) agenda of the Union government.

Andhra Pradesh chief secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad has already conveyed that the state government is planning to get the vision document for Viksit AP unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 2, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

The Viksit Andhra Pradesh-2047 will be an integral part of the Viksit Bharat-2047 initiative of the Centre, Prasad had said on August 21 during a meeting with special chief secretaries, principal secretaries and heads of departments.

Naidu told the NITI Aayog members that the vision document would contain the strategies for eradication of poverty and overall development of the state. We are adopting the macro-to-micro method to achieve the objectives. While there would be a broad strategy at the state-level, vision documents would be brought out at the district-level and then at the mandal-level (block level), he told NITI Aayog members.

These district-level vision documents would become a provisional document for the development of the districts. We shall prepare five-year vision documents at the district level, he added.

The chief minister told the NITI Aayog members that his TDP-BJP-JanaSena alliance government would transform Andhra Pradesh into a hub for high-value agri-processing, industries, logistics and renewable energy. An action plan is being prepared to enhance the skills of the youth and make them employment-ready, he added.

Naidu also disclosed his plans to make Andhra Pradesh an international tourist destination. Different districts of the state would be developed into growth centres and efforts are on to create modern medical facilities to the people, the CM said, adding that steps would be taken to transform Andhra Pradesh into a role model for other states in digital governance and economic development.
The only free-ranging cheetah at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh has died, officials said on Tuesday, suspecting that the six-year-old cheetah, Pawan, drowned. Namibian cheetahdies at Kuno due to drowning

Pawan, the Namibian cheetah initially named Oban, was found near the edge of a swollen stream at around 10.30am on Tuesday.

A forest department official said, His location was being traced regularly. The tracking team on Tuesday got alerted when he was not seen moving. The team found him dead.

The preliminary cause of death seems to be drowning. Further details will be provided once the post-mortem report is received, said Uttam Sharma, field director Kuno National Park.

Veterinarians were informed, and a close inspection disclosed that the front half of the cheetahs carcass, including the head, was inside the water, Sharma said. No external injuries were seen on his body, he said.

This is the second cheetah death this month. On August 5, a cub born to Gamini died in the enclosure. So far, eight cheetahs and five cubs have died in Kuno since they were brought there in two tranches on September 17, 2022 and in February 2023. Now, the park has 24 cheetahs, including 12 adults and as many cubs.
The Assam government has sought from the Union environment ministrys Forest Advisory Committee, the regularisation of its illegal diversion of forest land in the states Hailakandi and Geleky divisions. NGT has already suo motu taken up the matter against alleged illegal diversion of 44 hectares of protected forest to set up the Assam Polices Commando Battalion located near the Assam-Mizoram border in Hailakandi district. (Representative/AP File Photo)

Apart from applying for ex-post facto forest clearance for these two diversions , the state government has also appealed that MK Yadava, former principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF), Assam who allowed diversion of these lands in violation of the law, be condoned, and that imposition of all penal provisions on the official be withdrawn.

The Forest Advisory Committee considered the two contentious proposals among others on Tuesday. These forests have already been diverted and most constructions have come up. In 2023, MK Yadava, the then principal chief conservator of forests and head of the forest force in Assam, approved the construction of these commando battalions without prior forest clearance under the Forest Conservation Amendment Act.

HT reported on March 24 that Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote to Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav on April 13, requesting that the ministry accord post facto forest clearance to the construction of a commando battalion unit in a protected forest. Sarma and Yadav both did not comment on the contents of the letter then.

The agenda for the FAC meeting which took place on Tuesday, available on Parivesh website states that Assam government has requested the Centre to condone the inadvertent mistake, if any, of the PCCF and HoFF who acted on behalf of the State Govt. in the interest of the forest protection only and not otherwise, and also do away with the imposition of provisions of section 3A and 3B (Punishment for violation of FC Act), as the diversion was resorted to by the Forest Department only for protection of forest, possibly to sacrifice 40 odd hectares of degraded land devoid of tree cover to save thousands of hectares of the remaining forests from undergoing further degradation. T

Yadava was appointed special chief secretary (forests) by the Assam government following his retirement in February.

The Assam government has also appealed that the Centre do away with imposition of net present value (NPV), which is the cost of forests lost, and Penal NPV on the proposed diversion.

HT reported on May 25 that the Union environment ministry has issued a show cause notice to Yadava for allegedly diverting forest land without proper clearance to build a police commando battalion camp.

The main argument by Assam government for seeking ex-postfacto clearance for these projects is that there is rampant construction of pitched roads, bridges, police battalion camps, illegal settlements and encroachments from Mizoram side inside Inner Line Reserved Forest (ILRF) measuring over 3,000 Ha of forest land and entering as far as 6-10km into ILRF by taking advantage of the disputed interstate boundary. As per the proposal, there are also reports that Rohingyas are being settled by inimical forces within ILRF. Assam government further stated that it is a matter of national securityand it was recommended that the area already broken and levelled of 11.45 ha on which permanent concrete structures were constructed or in process of being established, may be regularized under the process of Forest (conservation) Act.

An FAC member on condition of anonymity said the meeting was held on Tuesday and decisions will be updated in the minutes of the meeting.

Its important to note that NGT has already suo motu taken up the matter against alleged illegal diversion of 44 hectares of protected forest to set up the Assam Polices Commando Battalion located near the Assam-Mizoram border in Hailakandi district. Thereafter environment and RTI activist, Rohit Choudhary filed an application in NGTs eastern bench against illegal diversion of forest land at Geleky Reserved Forest.

It is not for the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Assam to a take a decision on whether the construction of a police battalion meant for 800 personnel with arms, ammunitions and sophisticated weapons would impact forest conservation or not, the National Green Tribunal had held on August 9.

Post-facto approvals undermine the very essence of the Van Adhiniyam 1980. If the MoEFCC routinely regularises such fait accompli projects, it risks eroding the Ministrys own credibility and the authority of the law itself. This practice creates a perverse incentive where violating forest laws becomes more advantageous than adhering to them, said Debadityo Sinha, Lead- Climate & Ecosystems, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said President Droupadi Murmu's "disappointment" over the rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata reveals "utter indifference and unpardonable insensitivity" of West Bengal government towards the women's safety. Prez's disappointment over Kolkata rape shows Bengal's utter indifference to women safety: UP CM

The chief minister's reaction came after President Murmu, in an exclusive signed article for PTI, spoke out for the first time on the Kolkata rape-murder and expressed her anguish at continuing crimes against women.

Declaring that "enough is enough", Murmu said it is time for India to wake up to the "perversion" of crimes against women and counter the mindset that sees women as "less powerful, less capable, less intelligent".

Adityanath took to social media and said the "disappointment" expressed by the President on the "gruesome" incident that happened with the lady doctor in Kolkata reveals the "utter indifference and unpardonable insensitivity" of Mamata Banerjee government of West Bengal towards the safety of women.

"The authoritarian, anti-women behaviour of the TMC government is undoubtedly a disgrace to democracy, an insult to humanity and a shame to civilized society," the chief minister said in Hindi on X.

"The government of 'Amar Sonar Bangla', the holy land which holds the culture of goddess worship, which has completely failed in protecting the women power, should immediately apologise to the entire women power and the country," he added.

Murmu's hard-hitting and personalised article, titled "Women's Safety: Enough is Enough", is the first time the President has articulated her views on the August 9 Kolkata incident that has once again shaken the conscience of the nation and led to widespread, continuing protests.

The President gave the article after a detailed conversation on topical issues with a team of PTI senior editors, who called on her at Rashtrapati Bhavan to mark the 77th anniversary of the news agency's founding on August 27, 1947.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
KOLKATA, - Protesters blocked train tracks, stopped buses and shouted slogans in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal on Wednesday, the latest in a series of protests that have rocked the state since the rape and murder of a trainee doctor. Protesters block train tracks, buses in eastern India

Police fired tear-gas and water cannon to disperse protesters marching towards the state secretariat on Tuesday, prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party , which is in opposition in the state, to call for a 12-hour state-wide strike on Wednesday, to protest against what it said were police atrocities.

Thousands of protesters, most of them BJP workers, blocked roads and railway tracks and forced shops to shut down on Wednesday, while authorities braced for more protests through the day.

A top police official said 5,000 police personnel were deployed to quell any violence across West Bengal.

The protesters on Tuesday, many of them university students, were demanding the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, a staunch opponent of Modi, for her handling of Aug. 9 rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor in a government-run hospital in the state capital, Kolkata.

The attack on the 31-year-old doctor has caused nationwide outrage, similar to the widespread protests witnessed after a 2012 gang-rape of a 23-year-old student on a moving bus in New Delhi, with campaigners saying women continue to suffer from high levels of sexual violence despite tougher laws.

A police volunteer has been arrested for the crime and the federal police have taken over the investigation.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
KOLKATA - Protesters blocked train tracks, stopped buses and shouted slogans in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal on Wednesday, the latest in a series of protests that have rocked the state since the rape and murder of a trainee doctor. Protesters block train tracks, buses in eastern India

Police fired tear-gas and water cannon to disperse protesters marching towards the state secretariat on Tuesday, prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party , which is in opposition in the state, to call for a 12-hour state-wide strike on Wednesday, to protest against what it said were police atrocities.

Thousands of protesters, most of them BJP workers, blocked roads and railway tracks and forced shops to shut down on Wednesday, while authorities braced for more protests through the day.

A top police official said 5,000 police personnel were deployed to quell any violence across West Bengal.

The protesters on Tuesday, many of them university students, were demanding the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, a staunch opponent of Modi, for her handling of Aug. 9 rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor in a government-run hospital in the state capital, Kolkata.

The attack on the 31-year-old doctor has caused nationwide outrage, similar to the widespread protests witnessed after a 2012 gang-rape of a 23-year-old student on a moving bus in New Delhi, with campaigners saying women continue to suffer from high levels of sexual violence despite tougher laws.

A police volunteer has been arrested for the crime and the federal police have taken over the investigation.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Qatari authorities on Wednesday handed over to the Indian embassy in Doha two copies of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhism, that were taken from an Indian national in a case related to running a religious establishment without approvals. The external affairs ministry thanked the government of Qatar. (HT PHOTO)

The seizure of the scriptures in Qatar last week generated a controversy in India. The Indian side had taken up the issue with Qatari counterparts in view of the sensitivity of the matter. We thank the government of Qatar for the same, the external affairs ministry said in a brief statement regarding the handing over of the copies of the Guru Granth Sahib. We also appeal to all Indian citizens residing in Qatar or other countries to scrupulously follow local laws and regulations in all matters.

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On August 23, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal referred to reports of demands by the Sikh community for the release of the copies of the Guru Granth Sahib seized by Qatari authorities. The Indian government had taken up the matter with the Qatari side and the Indian embassy in Doha kept the Sikh community informed about developments, he said.

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Jaiswal also pointed out that the two copies of the Guru Granth Sahib were taken by Qatari authorities from individuals and groups charged with running a religious establishment without the approval of the government of Qatar.

The Qatari side had given an assurance that the other holy scriptures would be treated with respect.

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Qatar is home to 835,000 Indian nationals, the largest expatriate community in the country. Some of the Indians are professionals in medicine, engineering, education, finance, and business, and there are a large number of blue-collar workers. As in most West Asian countries, Qatar has strict regulations for operating religious establishments.
Ahmedabad, Rain-related incidents claimed nine more lives in Gujarat, taking the death toll to 16 in two days, while another 8,500 people were relocated and rescued from flood-affected areas with rains continuing to lash some parts of the state for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday, officials said. Authorities are carrying out relief and rescue operations involving the National Disaster Response Force , its state counterpart SDRF, the Army, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Coast Guard, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to take stock of the situation and to ensure Centre's support in the crisis. A total of nine persons died in rain-related incidents, such as collapse of walls and drowning, in different parts of the state on Tuesday, an official release said. On Monday, seven persons died in similar incidents in the state. Three persons died after a wall collapsed in Anand district on Tuesday. Two others died in Mahisagar district, and one each in Kheda and Ahmedabad districts due to wall collapse incidents. One person each drowned in Junagadh and Bharuch district, it said. A total of 169 persons, a majority from Kheda and Morbi district, were rescued on Tuesday, officials said. Another 8,460 were evacuated and shifted to safer places, it said. These included around 3,000 from Navsari and around 1,000 each from Vadodara and Kheda. With this, over 15,000 people have been evacuated in two days - Monday and Tuesday. The death toll in rain-related incidents has risen to 16 in these two days, the officials said. CM Patel said in a post on X, "Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modiji had a telephonic conversation with me about the heavy rain situation in Gujarat and got details of the relief and rescue operations." PM Modi provided guidance on protection of lives and livestock, and assured all necessary support and assistance from the central government, he said. "Hon'ble Prime Minister is constantly monitoring the situation by showing concern about Gujarat. He has a deep affection in his heart for the people of Gujarat. During natural calamities and whenever needed, he always stands by Gujarat and the people of the state, providing warmth and invaluable guidance," Patel added. Several districts of Saurashtra region, especially Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Porbandar and Rajkot received very heavy rainfall in 24 hours ending 6 am on Wednesday, the State Emergency Operation Centre data showed. Khambhalia taluka of Devbhumi Dwarka district alone received 454 mm rainfall, followed by Jamnagar city with 387 mm rainfall, and Jamjodhpur taluka in Jamnagar with 329 mm rainfall. As many as 13 out of the state's 251 talukas received over 200 mm rainfall, and another 39 over 100 mm rainfall during this period, throwing life out of gear and inundating low-lying areas. While rains took a pause in Vadodara, flooding in Vishwamitri rivers caused several low-lying areas of the city inundated with the NDRF, SDRF and other agencies carrying out rescue and relief operations. As many as five columns of the army were deployed in Morbi, Anand, Devbhumi Dwarka, Rajkot and Vadodara each to carry out relief and rescue operations, officials said. As per an official release, 137 reservoirs and lakes, and 24 rivers in the state were flowing above the danger marks, causing flooding in low-lying areas. Rains also disrupted the movement of traffic and trains as roads and railway lines were flooded. As many as eight trains, including Mumbai-bound Vande Bharat Express, were cancelled and 10 other trains partially cancelled, the Western Railway said in an update. With the latest spell, Gujarat has so far received 105 per cent of its average annual rainfall, with Banaskantha being the most rain-deficient among all 33 districts. Banaskantha has recieved 73 per cent of average annual rainfall, the SEOC said.

Rains claim 9 more lives in Gujarat, flood-like situation in many areas; PM holds talks with CM
Gujarat is grappling with a flood-like situation as relentless rainfall continues to batter the state, with authorities warning of more downpours in the coming days. The deep depression over Saurashtra and Kachchh, currently centred 50 km north-northwest of Bhuj, is expected to intensify as it moves towards the northeast Arabian Sea, bringing further heavy rainfall across the region. A family wades through a flooded road following heavy rainfall in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. (AP Photo)

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for several districts in Gujarat, including Vadodara, Chhotaudepur, Narmada, Bharuch, and Surat, among others.

IMD scientist Ramashray Yadav said the deep depression is moving at a speed of 12 kmph and is expected to cause "extremely heavy to exceptionally heavy" rainfall in the Saurashtra and Kachchh regions. The situation is likely to persist, with heavy rainfall warnings extending over the next four days.

In Vadodara, the situation is particularly dire. The city has been submerged under several feet of water for two consecutive days, with some areas reportedly inundated by up to 12 feet. The Vishwamitri River, which flows through Vadodara, has swelled to 37 feetwell above the danger markafter heavy rainfall and the release of water from the Ajwa dam. This has resulted in severe flooding across the city, prompting the state government to call in the Army to assist in relief and rescue operations.

The state health minister, Rushikesh Patel, described the situation in Vadodara as alarming. The local administration has already evacuated over 5,000 residents to safer locations and rescued nearly 1,200 stranded individuals.

Patel said that additional Army columns, along with National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams, have been deployed to expedite relief efforts.

Despite these measures, large parts of the city remain underwater, with crucial areas like Siddharth Nagar, Akota, and Fatehgunj among the worst affected.

How many deaths reported in rain-related incidents in Gujarat?

Across Gujarat, the situation remains critical, with rain-related incidents claiming 16 lives over the past two days. Thousands more have been displaced as the state faces its fourth consecutive day of heavy rainfall.

Patel said the government is exploring long-term solutions to mitigate the flooding, including a proposal to divert water from the Ajwa Dam into the Narmada canal, rather than allowing it to flow into the already swollen Vishwamitri River.

"The plan has been discussed with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel," he said.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday emphasised the principle that constitutional courts should exercise restraint while reviewing decisions of specialised tribunals, particularly in matters requiring technical expertise and sectoral knowledge. Supreme Court of India. (ANI Photo)

A bench of justices PS Narasimha and Pankaj Mithal ruled in favour of a restrictive scope of appellate jurisdiction in cases involving specialised tribunals and statutory regulators, highlighting the importance of allowing these bodies the freedom to develop sectoral laws through a consistent and principled approach.

The restrictive scope of appellate jurisdiction is a product not only of statutory preconditions but also a necessary measure to enable freedom to statutory regulators and tribunals to develop sectoral laws through a principled and consistent approach, the judgment, authored by justice Narasimha, stated.

The top courts judgment reinforces the judiciarys recognition of the need for specialised bodies to interpret and apply laws in a manner that promotes clarity, consistency and the systematic evolution of sector-specific legal frameworks. By limiting the scope of its appellate jurisdiction, the top court ensures that statutory regulators and tribunals have the necessary space to evolve legal principles and develop consistent approaches within their respective domains.

The case before the Supreme Court involved a dispute arising from the extension of the scheduled commissioning date under a 2015 power purchase agreement (PPA). The central question was whether the extension was justified under the force majeure clause of the PPA, and consequently, whether the reduction in the tariff payable to a famer categorised as a solar power developer and his special purpose vehicle was appropriate.

The solar power developer faced delays in the commissioning of their project, which they attributed to external factors beyond their control, including delays by government bodies in providing necessary approvals. The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) initially ruled in 2018 that the delay was attributable to the power developers own negligence. However, the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) in 2021 overturned this decision, finding that the delays were due to factors outside the respondents control and that the force majeure clause was applicable.

Bangalore Electricity Supply Company, a power distribution entity, challenged APTELs decision before the Supreme Court, arguing that the tribunal had erred in its appreciation of the facts and that the delay should not have been excused under the force majeure clause.

The court, in its judgment, upheld APTELs decision, noting the limited scope of its appellate jurisdiction under Section 125 of the Electricity Act, 2003. It emphasised that the courts jurisdiction under this provision is confined to cases that involve a substantial question of law.

Drawing parallels with previous rulings, including the interpretation of Section 15Z of the SEBI Act that governs the Supreme Courts appellate jurisdiction in cases arising from the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT), the judgment highlighted the necessity of allowing tribunals like APTEL the autonomy to interpret and apply the law within their specialised fields, ensuring the consistent and coherent development of sectoral laws.

Holding that APTEL had correctly reappreciated the evidence in the present case, considering additional factors such as delays caused by government authorities in granting necessary approvals, the bench concluded that the tribunals findings were reasonable and justified, and therefore, there was no substantial question of law warranting interference by the Supreme Court.

The judgment also addressed the appellants contention regarding the direction to pay a late payment surcharge to the solar power developer, affirming APTELs decision on the ground that the surcharge was explicitly rooted in the terms of the PPA and aligned with the intention of the parties involved.

The court asserted that it would not interfere with the factual findings of specialised tribunals unless there is a clear legal error or a substantial question of law arising from the tribunals decision.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed a government order of July 1 that controversially ended the requirement for manufacturers of Ayurveda, Siddha or Unani drugs to seek prior licensing permission before publishing advertisements. The Supreme Court of India. (HT PHOTO)

A bench headed by justice Hima Kohli took serious exception to the Centre issuing a notification that flew in the face of repeated court orders seeking to strengthen the legal mechanism against misleading advertisements of health and medicinal products as they affect the well-being of citizens.

Pulling up the Centre for taking this rule off the statute book, the bench, also comprising justice Sandeep Mehta said, In our opinion, the notification (of July 1) flies in the face of the order passed by this court.

The order was passed in a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) against misleading advertisements by Patanjali Ayurved in violation of the various laws and rules governing the field. The court permitted the Centre to file its affidavit explaining the stand for issuing the July 1 notification, and said, Till further orders, the notification dated July 1 omitting Rule 170 shall stand stayed. In other words, Rule 170 of the 1945 Rules shall remain in the statute book till further orders. 

The July 1, 2024 notification issued by the Union Ayush (ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, unani siddha, and homoeopathy) ministry omitted Rule 170 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 that was introduced to curb misleading advertisements. Under this rule, manufacturers of Ayush drugs could not directly issue any advertisement relating to the use of the drug for diagnosis, cure etc. of diseases without obtaining a unique identification number from the state licensing authority. It also contained a provision for the suspension or cancellation of licenses of drug manufacturers and rejection of advertisements if they carried vulgar and obscene content or photographs of celebrities endorsing the product.

The court, on May 7, directed the Centre that Rule 170 of the 1945 Rules cannot be put on hold so long as it remains enforceable in law. These observations were made in the context of an August 29, 2023 letter issued by the ministry of Ayush to all states and Union territories directing them to not take any action against manufacturers under Rule 170.

Additional solicitor general (ASG) KM Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, told the court that the letter has since been withdrawn. He pointed out that the letter was issued based on the decision of the Ayurvedic Siddha and Unani Drugs Technical Advisory Board (ASUDTAB), which recommended deletion of Rule 170. The ministry filed an affidavit on August 22explaining that the letter was issued following an order of the Delhi high court on May 1, 2023 in a batch of petitions asking the Centre not to act upon the recommendations of ASUDTAB as an interim arrangement.

The bench on Tuesdaytold Nataraj, What you have withdrawn is the Rule, not the letter, pointing out that the withdrawal of letter had no meaning if Rule 170 stood effaced. Instead of withdrawing the letter, for reasons best known to the Ministry of Ayush, a notification has been issued to delete Rule 170, which is in the teeth of this courts order. We do not accept this. What you have withdrawn is the rule, not the letter.

Senior advocate Shadan Farasat, assisting the court as amicus curiae, said that the Centre must also clarify whether there is requirement for clinical trials for approving Ayush drugs. He informed the court that the aspect advertising of Ayush drugs is intrinsically connected to the scientific basis for the claims made in respect of these drugs. An affidavit by the Ayush ministry filed on August 22 clarified the position and said that the pilot studies required for proving the effectiveness of Ayush drugs will not mean full-fledged clinical trial. However, Farasat said that only clinical trial will prove the efficacy and safety of a drug.

The bench directed the Centre to issue a clarification to avoid any ambiguity on this aspect after ASG Nataraj assured the court that the government does not intend to dilute the Rule in any manner. The matter was posted for further hearing on October 15.

In its earlier hearing on July 30, the top court passed a slew of directions asking various ministries under the Centre seeking action on misleading advertisements received by the ministry of information & broadcasting and the ministry of consumer affairs. The court proposed having a centralised dashboard for convenience of citizens to access progress on their complaints.

Nataraj informed the court that the Centre is still in the process of consulting stakeholders, including states and Union territories on the dashboard. The court granted time for completing this exercise by September 26 and directed that an affidavit to be filed by end of next month.

In May, the top court, in its attempt to address the problem of misleading ads, directed all advertisers and advertising agencies to submit a self-declaration certificate before publishing or broadcasting any advertisement. The self-declaration certificate is to affirm that the advertisement does not contain misleading claims and complies with all relevant regulatory guidelines.

Following the court order, the ministry of information & broadcasting introduced a new feature on the Broadcast Seva Portal for TV and radio advertisements and on Press Council of Indias portal for print and digital/Internet advertisements. However, the ministry informed the court on Tuesday that the Centre is exploring the possibility of having a unified portal in this regard.

IMA president RV Asokan, who is facing the ire of the court for giving an interview to a news agency on the ongoing court proceedings, said that he had published an apology in 20 editions of Hindi newspapers. The court directed him to produce physical copies of the printed matter as with the scanned images, the court was unable to make out the dimensions of the printed matter.

Asokans lawyer said that his interview was published online and not by any newspaper to which the bench said, It was put out to all media...It has damaged you wherever it went. We will not hear you a bit until you show the physical copy of newspapers where you published the apology. The court sought physical copy of the advertisements containing the apology as it observed, The excerpt of the apology filed before us is illegible in as much as the font is miniscule, the court said.

Senior advocate PS Patwalia appearing for him offered apologies on his behalf. The court replied, He is not obliging anyone by tendering an apology.

Asokan faced the heat for an interview given in May, when he termed the comments made by the court against the medical fraternity as unfortunate after the court questioned doctors for endorsing health care products without facing any accountability.

The matter will be next heard on October 15.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday slammed the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government over the collapse of a 35-foot Shivaji Maharaj statue at Rajkot fort earlier this week. Thackeray said that the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will take out a protest march against the statue collapse on September 1 in Mumbai. A 35-foot statue of Shivaji Maharaj collapsed in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg (HT/Yogesh Naik)

The former Maharashtra chief minister hit out at Maharashtra minister Deepak Kesarkar for saying that something good might come out of Shivaji Maharaj's statue collapse. He also said, Claiming that statue of Shivaji Maharaj at Malvan fort collapsed due to wind is height of shamelessness.

A 35-foot statue of the 17th century Maratha empire founder, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg on December 4 last year, collapsed on Monday afternoon.

Opposition parties attacked the Maharashtra government for poor quality of work and maintenance of the statue after preliminary reports showed that it collapsed due to heavy rains and gusty winds over the last few days in the Sindhudurg district.

"Those creating obstructions in the MVA's morcha today in Malvan against the collapse of Shivaji Maharaj's statue are betrayers of the warrior king," Uddhav Thackeray said while addressing a press conference in Mumbai alongside NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole.

He was referring to a clash between the workers of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and BJP MP Narayan Rane after an MVA delegation went to Rajkot Fort. Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and MP Rane reached the site of the collapse at the same time on Wednesday.

Rane and his son were seen arguing with the police as Thackeray was inside the premises, eventually leading to a clash breaking out between the supporters of the ruling government and the opposition.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut alleged a scam in the construction of the structure and demanded chief minister Eknath Shinde's resignation over the collapse.

We need the resignation of the chief minister for hurting the feelings of (the people of) Maharashtra. Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Ravindra Chavan should be sacked. They did not even spare Shivaji Maharaj and indulged in corruption, he said.

(With inputs from agencies)
The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday filed a cyber crime complaint with the Delhi Police against a social media handle that impersonated the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and sought money for a cab fare. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud.(PTI file)

The complaint was filed after CJI Chandrachud took note of the screenshot of a message that went viral on social media on Sunday. Following this, the Supreme Court's security department took note of CJI's complaint and registered a first information report with the cyber crime department.

What did the scammer's message say?

In the post, the scammer, who used CJI's name as its handle and his picture for the display image, sought 500 from an X user, identified as Kailash Meghwal, to avail a cab to attend a Collegium meeting. The scammer also promised Meghwal that he would return the money once he reached the Supreme Court.

According to the screenshot of the post, the impersonator was stranded at Connaught Place (CP) in Delhi.

Hello, I am CJI and we have urgent meeting of the collegium and I am stuck at Cannaught Place can you send me 500rs for cab?, the scammer wrote in the message.

To make the text look even more real, the fraudster added sent from iPad at the end of the message.

Scammer impersonates CJI DY Chandrachud(Twitter)

In another incident in March this year, a 42-year-old man was arrested for allegedly impersonating a Delhi Police crime branch inspector and duping two people of 4 lakh on the pretext of selling luxury cars and costly cellphones auctioned through Delhi courts at throwaway prices. According to the police, the accused, identified Ayub Khan, was arrested following an investigation into a cheating case registered at the Subzi Mandi police station in January.

The police recovered a forged identity card of Delhi police from Khan.

Khan was previously involved in four similar cheating cases, which were registered at Kamla Market, Daryaganj, Hari Nagar and Parliament Street police station in Delhi, the police said. After cheating people, Khan used the money to live a lavish life and also spent it at nightclubs in Delhi and Mumbai, they added.
New Delhi: Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek OBrien has written to JP Nadda, the leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, expressing concern over the delay in the reconstitution of Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees (DPSCs). TMC Rajya Sabha floor leader Derek OBrien (HT Photo)

The letter references the secretariats request, dated 9 July 2024, for party nominations to be submitted by 17 July 2024, ahead of the monsoon session. Despite assurances given in the Rajya Sabha that the committees would be formed within the session, the reconstitution remains pending, TMC Rajya Sabha MP stated.

The letter states that the All India Trinamool Congress sent in their nominations to the secretariat on 12th of July 2024.

When we met in the Rajya Sabha, I had verbally brought this up. You had verbally assured me that the committees would be formed within the duration of the monsoon session. Unfortunately, even as August slips by, the parliamentary committees have still not been constituted, said Obrien in the letter to Nadda.

In the letter, he stated that only 13% of the Bills passed in the Rajya Sabha between 2014 and 2024 were referred to parliamentary committees for thorough scrutiny, indicating a sharp decline as compared to previous years.

The 17th Lok Sabha saw just 16% of Bills being sent for further scrutiny by standing committees, it read.

OBrien listed that the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Bill, 2023, the Farm Bills, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023, were important legislation passed without detailed committee review.

There are currently 16 department-related standing committees in the Lok Sabha and eight in the Rajya Sabha. However, the final decisions on the appointments of committee chairs have yet to be made, with the responsibility resting on Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

Even as the monsoon session of the parliament has officially begun, the reconstitution of the DPSCs is delayed, OBrien said.

The TMC leader also pointed out that Parliament has seen a reduction in the number of working days. The duration of parliamentary sessions is a very limited time to consult stakeholders and get into the intricacies of the matters discussed in the House, he added.

Given that DPSCs provide more time for members to engage in detailed discussions, there is eagerness among Members to commence with these committees, the letter read.

I urge you to consider the importance of this issue and to ensure that the parliamentary process is adhered to. Bills of significant consequence must be referred to the relevant committees for examination, giving the much needed reassurance that due diligence is being conducted, OBrien stated.

I look forward to you constituting the DPSCs immediately. Enough precious time has been lost, the TMC Rajya Sabha MP added.
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 actualized assassinations. US NSA terms Nijjars killing assassination

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 with New Delhi describing 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 United States, 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 although it maintains that this has nothing to do with the Nijjar matter.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday welcomed his Chilean counterpart Alberto van Klaveren for the India-Chile Joint Commission meeting and said that the two nations have a lot to discuss. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar meets Chile Foreign Minister Alberto Van Klaveren, in New Delhi.(PTI)

"It's really a great pleasure to have you all here for the meeting of the second India-Chile Joint Commission meeting," Jaishankar said in his opening remarks at the India-Chile Joint Commission meeting.

Jaishankar also highlighted Chile's active participation in the Voice of Global South Summit, held in August, where Chilean President Gabriel Boric delivered insightful remarks.

"We very much value the participation of Chile in the Voice of Global South Summit," Jaishankar said, underscoring India's appreciation for Chile's continued support, including its endorsement of India's bid for permanent membership in the Expanded Security Council.

Jaishankar acknowledged Chile's involvement in the upcoming Trade and Economic Ministers meeting in November 2023, further cementing economic ties between the two countries.

"We heard your President, he gave a very very insightful set of remarks at the summit in August. We also thank you very much for your support for our permanent membership in the expanded Security Council. Your own participation in the Trade and Economic Ministers meeting in November 2023 is also something we appreciate very deeply. I think today we have a lot to discuss," Jaishankar said.

The meeting was expected to cover a wide range of topics, with representatives from various Indian ministries in attendance to discuss areas of mutual interest.

Jaishankar concluded his remarks by inviting Foreign Minister Klaveren to share his opening statements.

Foreign Minister Klaveren arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday for an official visit aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation. Following the Joint Commission meeting, he is scheduled to participate in the Chile-India Business (Agriculture) Summit before departing for Mumbai.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) previously described Chile as a "key partner of India in the Latin American region," emphasizing that the visit would provide an opportunity to review and expand bilateral relations.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday imposed a fine of 908 crore on DMK MP S Jagathrakshakan and his family in a FEMA violation case. The central agency also seized assets worth 89 crore belonging to the DMK MP in the case. DMK MP S Jagathrakshakan (PTI photo)

ED, Chennai had conducted investigation under FEMA against Jagathrakshakan, a businessman from Tamil Nadu and Member of Parliament, his family members and related Indian entity. The properties worth Rs. 89.19 Crore which was seized in terms of Section 37A of FEMA was also ordered for confiscation, and penalty of Rs.908 Crore (approx.) is levied vide Adjudication Order passed on 26/08/2024, the Enforcement Directorate said in its statement.

Over the past few months, ED and the Income Tax department raided multiple properties and the residence of the Arakkonam MP. Over 40 properties of the former Union Minister were searched in relation to the illegal transaction case filed against him and his family.

Who is S Jagathrakshakan?

DMK leader S Jagathrakshakan is a Tamil businessman and Lok Sabha MP from the Arakkonam. He has been elected thrice from this seat since 1999. He is the chairman of Shree Balaji Medical College and Hospital and the owner of Dr Rela Hospital and Institute.

The businessman-politician has been at the centre of controversy due to his exponential growth in assets over the span of just two years. In 2009, Jagathrakshakan declared assets worth 5 crore, and then in 2011, he reported assets worth 70 crore, recording the highest percentage rise of assets among all ministers in the central cabinet.

He was also accused of being involved in the coal scam in Tamil Nadu in 2012, for allegedly granting illegal coal allocations to his company in 2007. Years later, a sting operation also exposed that his medical college was demanding inflated fees from MBBS students.

In 2019, Sri Lanka's Board of Investments announced a multi-billion dollar plan to open an oil refinery in Hambantota, with the DMK MP's two children and wife listed as the board of directors of the company making the investment. It was also stated that Jagathrakshakan's firm is funding 70 per cent of the project, prompting an ED investigation on the source of the funds and FEMA violations.
Bengaluru-based BCD Group has appointed Ashwinder R Singh as vice chairman and CEO, and elevated Angad Singh Bedi to chairman and managing director, the company said in a statement on August 28. BCD Group appoints Ashwinder R Singh as vice chairman and CEO; elevates Angad Singh Bedi to chairman and MD(BCD Group)

With Ashwinder joining our ranks, we are set to push the boundaries of innovation, scale, and market leadership. His expertise brings a strategically transformative perspective, positioning us for a future of sustained growth, said Angad Singh Bedi, the newly appointed chairman and managing director of BCD Group.

Also Read: BCD Group partners with ArisUnitern to fast-track real estate projects

The company statement said that Singh has worked across segments of the real estate sector, managing demand, funding, and supply. Previously, Singh has served as the CEO at Bhartiya Urban and property consultancy JLL. He also co-founded ANAROCK. Singh has also held leadership roles at Citibank, Deutsche Bank, ICICI Bank and Bajaj Housing Finance.

Real estate is entering an era of transformation, driven by changing consumer behaviors, technological advances, and a push for sustainable development. BCD Group is well placed to lead this change, and I am eager to steer our growth initiatives that will set new standards in the industry, Singh said.

Also Read: Brigade Group to develop 8-acre housing project worth 1,100 crore in Bengaluru

Singh also serves as co-chair of CIIs NR committee on real estate and is a board member of CIIs NR Committee on startups and entrepreneurship.

Order book



BCD Group has delivered more than 150 million square feet of commercial and residential real estate over a span of 70 years. The Groups expertise spans turnkey development, EPC, design, and facilities management.

The companys current order book entails development projects to the tune of 1,500 crore across Bengaluru.

Also Read: Bengaluru tops housing sales and launches pan India in Q2 2024, 1-3 crore homes capture 63% of new launches
Curated Living Solutions Pvt Ltd (CLSPL) has partnered with Shree Banbai Nenshi Trust (BNMV) for a 10-year lease on a student living project in Mumbais Juhu area. Curated Living Solutions Pvt Ltd (CLSPL) have partnered with Shree Banbai Nenshi Trust (BNMV) Trust for a 10-year lease on a student living project in Mumbais Juhu area. (Representational photo)(Pixabay)

The purpose-built girls' hostel by BNMV Trust has a total of 325 beds spread across a built-up area of 1 lakh sq ft. The facility is located in the Juhu - Ville Parle area, said a statement by JLL.

Real estate consultant, JLL facilitated the collaboration between CLSPL and BNMV Trust.

Located on Gulmohar Road, Juhu, the student housing facility is expected to meet the demand for student housing around educational institutions such as NMIMS and Mithibai College, the statement said.

Also Read: Student housing provider The Hive Hostels raises 11.5 crore in pre-IPO funding round

CLSPL has expertise in designing, developing, and operating student housing accommodations and will operate this girls' hostel. The market is predominantly surrounded by unorganised PG assets.

The newly built girls-only hostel will have 325 beds and addresses the challenges faced by female students in finding affordable, safe, and comfortable accommodations near their educational institutions, it said.

Jaikishan Challa, founder and CEO of CLSPL said, The Ivy League House, Juhu-Vile Parle, is a testament to our commitment to providing exceptional student housing. This landmark deal signifies a new era of off-campus student living, not only in JVPD, Vile Parle but across the country."

Also Read: KKR to buy $1.64 bln student housing portfolio from Blackstone's REIT

Ramesh Chheda, Managing Trustee of BNMV Trust, said We understand the challenges that girls students face when it comes to finding affordable, safe, and comfortable accommodation near their colleges or universities. Our hostel will offer an exemplary living experience for girl students in a safe and empowering environment who are pursuing their educational dreams in the city.

This deal is the tipping point for off-campus student housing projects. Student living solutions such as the Ivy League House are the need of the hour in today's rapidly changing education ecosystem. The increasing number of students who migrate for higher education to cities such as Mumbai are constantly on the lookout for sustainable living solutions, said Karan Singh Sodi, Senior Managing Director  Mumbai MMR & Gujarat, and Head - Alternatives, India, JLL.

Student housing market



The market for student housing is poised to grow despite there being a deficit of over 7 million beds. With student enrolments slated to rise to over 70 million in higher education and migrant students share to be over 40%, the need for formal student housing options beyond installed hostel capacity in institutions will require substantial investments, JLL said in a statement.

Student housing rentals have also seen a steady increase in the post-pandemic period, with an annual growth rate of 10-15%, it said.

Also Read: MHADA slashes prices of 370 affordable homes in Mumbai by 10% to 25%, extends registration deadline to September 19
Maharashtra Housing Area Development and Authority (MHADA) has announced that it is reducing prices of 370 affordable homes, that are part of the ongoing housing lottery, by 10% to 25%. As many as 2,030 apartments are on sale in prime locations in Mumbai such as Malad, Powai, Vikhroli, Goregaon and Wadala. MHADA has received several representations for the housing draw and has decided to decrease the prices to ensure that maximum number of buyers can afford a house, said Maharashtra Housing Minister Atul Save

MHADA has also decided to extend the registration deadline to September 19. The application process for the ongoing lottery was earlier scheduled to close on September 4.

The authority has received several representations for the housing draw and has decided to decrease the prices to ensure that maximum number of buyers can afford a house, Maharashtra Housing Minister Atul Save said on August 28.

Also Read: MHADA plans to conduct two housing lotteries annually, create stock of 50,000 affordable homes over the next five years

MHADA had started accepting applications for the housing lottery from August 9.

"With the decreased prices, we are passing a benefit of over 100 crore to the homebuyers," said Sanjeev Jaiswal, CEO and VP of MHADA.

The price of the costliest apartment is now 6.82 crore instead of 7.57 crore, according to MHADA.

MHADA lottery 2024 applications

The MHADA had started accepting applications for the housing draw from August 9 and the last date is now September 19.

Since August 9, MHADA has received more than 30,000 applications and several applicants have also paid the required earnest money deposit (EMD) in order to apply for the preferred apartment.

MHADA received more than 1 lakh applications for the MHADA Mumbai lottery 2023. However, the number of applications received in the first week cannot be considered a benchmark as most applications are received in the last one week or say the last 10 days. We still have more than 15 days until the lottery applications window closes," an official said.

Apartment prices

MHADA lottery 2024 has on offer apartments in the price range of 29 lakh to 6.82 crore. Most units in the higher income group (HIG) are being offered in the range of 1 crore and 6 crore plus.

Also Read: MHADA lottery 2024: Apartments worth 29 lakh to 7.58 crore up for sale in Mumbai draw

The costliest among them is a unit worth 6.82 crore in south Mumbai's Tardeo area measuring over 1,500 sq ft. This apartment is located on a higher floor, is ready-to-move, and the building overlooks the Mahalaxmi Racecourse and faces the sea.

How to apply for the MHADA lottery 2024?

According to MHADA officials, the application procedure for MHADA lottery 2024 is completely online and homebuyers can keep a track of lottery related updates on https://housing.mhada.gov.in/

Also Read: MHADA lottery 2024: Divorced applicants to face additional scrutiny while applying for 2,030 affordable homes in Mumbai
Student housing operator, The Hive Hostels, has raised 11.5 crore from investors, including Shriram Madhav Nene, who is Bollywood actor Madhuri Dixits husband and a doctor by profession. The Hive Hostels raises  11.5 crore in pre-IPO funding round(The Hive Hostels)

The Hive Hostels said it has "completed a pre-IPO funding round, securing 11.5 crore investment" from investors.

The pre-IPO fundraising round saw participation from marquee investors including serial venture investor Ritesh Malik, Shriram Madhav Nene, MD and CEO of Max Estates Sahil Vachani, Ankit Mittal and his family office Sixth Sense Ventures Partners, Anmol Sood and Rohit Kothari-backed Anchorage Capital Fund, among others, the company said.

Also Read: Prop-tech startup HouseEazy raises $7 million from Chiratae Ventures, others

According to the company statement, Kyro Capital Private Limited led by Aman Maheshwari, served as the investment banker for The Hive Hostels during this round.

The Hive Hostels is gearing up for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) slated for the back half of 2025.

Funds raised to be channeled towards extension of the brand

According to the company, the funds raised will be channeled towards the development of Aurus, the luxury extension of the brand, designed to offer exclusive and high-end student residences.

The company also announced its entry into a new vertical - Hive Campus Living - which will focus on managing in-house hostel operations for universities.

Also Read: Smartworks raises 168 crore in funding round from a consortium of investors including Keppel Ltd

Founded by Bharat Agarwal and Siddharth Agarwal in 2019, The Hive Hostels has expanded its presence to over 10 cities today, including Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Bengaluru with 20 properties.

"We see a huge demand for high-quality student accommodations and are committed to meeting this need with our innovative solutions. Our upcoming IPO and the launch of Hive Campus Living are key steps in expanding our impact and enhancing the student experience," said Bharat Agarwal.

Also Read: Co-working firm Incuspaze bags $8 million from India Inflection Opportunity Fund, others

Prior to this funding round, The Hive Hostels was a bootstrapped and profitable enterprise. The company is on track to achieve a revenue of 60 crore in the ongoing fiscal year, the statement said.

The Hive is a Mumbai-based, luxury student housing brand. It has a presence in Delhi, Mumbai, Indore, Dehradun, Bengaluru, Noida, Greater Noida, Ahmedabad and Jaipur.
Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of RTX, recognises the role Indian aviation talent will play in shaping the future of aerospace advancements. With a history of powering Indian aviation for over seven decades, Pratt & Whitney's engines have been important to the country's aviation journey, from iconic aircraft like the 707s and 747s to the modern-day C-17 III Globemaster and C-295 used by the Indian Air Force, as well as commercial and regional fleets such as the A320neos, ATRs, and Dash-8s. Pratt & Whitney has invested over $40 million in its Centers of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.

Beyond powering more than 600 aircraft in India today, Pratt & Whitney aims to extend significant investments in talent and aerospace growth in India. Their India Customer Training Center in Hyderabad, established in 2015, is a step towards strengthening the aim. The center has provided specialised training on advanced engines, delivering over 15,000 student days of instruction to more than 60 operators.

In recent years, Pratt & Whitney has invested over $40 million in its Centers of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, focusing on engineering, digital transformation, supply chain operations, and customer service. These CoEs are co-located with Collins Aerospace and RTX Enterprise Services, enhancing the company's presence in India.

Pratt & Whitney plans to increase its sourcing from India to nearly $150 million annually by 2030.

In 2023, the India Engineering Center (IEC) was inaugurated in Bengaluru, followed by the establishment of two new centers of excellence in 2024  the India Digital Capability Center (IDCC) and the Customer Service Center (CSC). The IDCC will support Pratt & Whitney's global digital initiatives, including areas like data analytics, Industry 4.0, cybersecurity, and application development. The CSC provides a range of services for turboprop and business jet fleets, including maintenance, repair, operations (MRO) support, spare part management, and engine reliability analysis.

Pratt & Whitney plans to increase its sourcing from India to nearly $150 million annually by 2030, reflecting its focus on strengthening the country's aerospace supply chain. Collins Aerospace is working with around 200 suppliers in India and is gradually expanding its network. Additionally, Collins Aerospace is investing $200 million to enhance its R&D and production facilities in India, including building a test facility in Bengaluru for local qualification and certification.

With commercial aviation in India growing rapidly, the need for efficient and sustainable engines is increasing.

More than 6,000 RTX employees in India are involved in supporting various aviation technologies. Collins Aerospace's Bengaluru sites work across all six of the company's portfolios, including avionics, interiors, advanced structures, and connected aviation solutions. Collins Aerospace was also among the first Indian entities to locally produce and export an aviation product to the United States.

With commercial aviation in India growing rapidly and airlines securing over 2,000 aircraft for the next two decades, the need for efficient and sustainable engines is increasing. Pratt & Whitney, known for its engines for single-aisle aircraft, is working on sustainability advancements, expecting that Indian aviation talent will play a key role and benefit from these efforts.

Disclaimer: This article is a promotional feature and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times.
Individuals seeking quick decisions on citizenship by investment programme are turning to St. Kitts and Nevis. As per industry experts, under the Sustainable Island State Contribution, also known as the Fund Option, decisions are reportedly made within just 10 weeks. Global Elites

The fast-track processing has made the St. Kitts passport a top choice for High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs). Whereas, Eurozone nations are still on top for standard of living.

Although there are currently five active citizenship by investment programmes in the Caribbean, including Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Grenada, what sets Saint Kitts and Nevis apart is its distinction as the pioneer of economic citizenship programmes as it was the first country to introduce the CBI Programme in 1984not just in the Caribbean, but globally.

The 2023 CBI Index highlights the strong performance of St Kitts and Nevis, which has secured the top spot with an impressive score of 86%. This is attributed to the implementation of the 'Six Principles,' which include enhanced due diligence and increased minimum investment thresholds.

The country also achieved top scores in pillars such as Due Diligence, Freedom of Movement, and Ease of Processing, underscoring its commitment to maintaining a robust and attractive Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme.

Other countries have also excelled in various pillars. For instance, Austria and Malta lead the rankings in the Standard of Living pillar, reflecting the highest quality of life in these Eurozone nations, with scores of 9 out of 10.

A broader comparison of the CBI programmes reveals that other Caribbean nations like Dominica and Grenada continue to offer strong competition. Dominica, with a score of 83%, ranks second overall and is noted for its efficient processing times and contribution to sustainable development.

Grenada, scoring 80%, stands out for its stringent due diligence processes and the flexibility it offers to investors, particularly in the real estate sector. Meanwhile, Malta and Austria, although not top-ranked overall, are recognized for their significant advantages in specific pillars like Freedom of Movement and Standard of Living, making them appealing options for investors with different priorities.

This comprehensive comparison shows that while St Kitts and Nevis is a leader, other jurisdictions offer unique strengths that can cater to diverse investor needs.

Over 40 years ago, the twin-island Federation introduced the worlds first-ever citizenship by investment programme, paving the way for many other nations, including those in Europe, to follow its lead.

Over the years, St. Kitts and Nevis has remained the most expensive option in the region. However, discerning investors are willing to commit higher investments for the unmatched prestige and benefits that come with this programme compared to others in the region.

The St. Kitts and Nevis passport is akin to a bespoke luxury itemmuch like a limited-edition timepiece or a private jetit symbolizes prestige, exclusivity, and a high status within the elite class.

Just as a handcrafted watch signifies timeless sophistication and precision, the St. Kitts passport represents unparalleled access, security, and a legacy of distinction, making it a coveted asset among discerning global citizens.

St. Kitts and Nevis set the standard for rigorous due diligence in citizenship by investment programmes, ensuring only reputable and trustworthy applicants are granted citizenship.

The Federation employs a multi-layered vetting process involving international due diligence firms, law enforcement agencies, and financial intelligence units to thoroughly assess each applicant.

Within the St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment programme, there are three different investment options to choose from: Sustainable Island State Contribution (SISC), Public Benefit Fund, and Real Estate. Each investment option offers similar citizenship benefits.

However, industry experts say that upon comparison, the SISC has been proven to be the most straightforward and fast because the other options involve lengthy documentation owing to the involvement of a property.

Moreover, CBI agents often avoid pitching the Sustainable Island State Contribution to potential investors due to low commissions, overshadowing swift features.

St. Kitts and Nevis: Platinum Standard of the Investment Migration Industry

Investment migration is a competitive and cutthroat industry, where only the best manage to flourish. Investors looking into acquiring alternative citizenship have become increasingly mindful of choosing the programme that fits their needs best.

Several reports say that St. Kitts and Nevis is among the most trusted economic passports. They have maintained this reputation for almost four decades. The programme has been the first choice of investors despite the comparatively high minimum investment threshold.

As the oldest Citizenship by Investment Programme in the world, the standards set by St. Kitts have remained top-notch. The nation offers one of the most sought-after and trusted programmes in this sector.

The Federation has cultivated its goodwill through significant efforts over the years. Transparency, due diligence, commitment to safety and standards, fast application processing timelines, and more form enough reasons for investors to continue to pick St. Kitts above all else, despite its high cost.

Commitment to Evolution

One of the major contributors to the programmes popularity is its commitment to evolving with time. In the past few months, Saint Kitts and Nevis has solidified its position in the CBI industry. This includes the establishment of a Continuing International Due Diligence (CIDD) Unit and transitioning the citizenship by unit into a body corporate, managed by a chairperson and board of governors.

The constant changes have resulted in a clear and clean picture of the Saint Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme to international partners. This shows that the Federation is not only bringing investors but is also committed to adhering to global standards to ensure the safety and security of all involved.

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.
Veteran investor Jim Rogers says he learned a lot about gold and silver from Indian markets. I would go to Indian markets and I would see Indian women wives with unbelievable amounts of silver and gold. I learned, I learned, the Singapore-based American millionaire told NDTV Profit. Commodities trading guru and hedge fund manager Jim Rogers (Reuters Photo)

Rogers, 81, was dismissive of the view that gold in lockers is wasted capital. Instead, he pointed to the mental peace and security that having gold can bring in times of financial difficulties.

During the course of Rogerss comments on silver and gold in India, interviewer Tamanna Inamdar pointed out: Jim, the way we look at it here, its a huge waste of capital to have large amounts of silver and gold locked away in your cupboards or hanging on your wrists, instead of putting it to work.

I know, I know how you and the Indian government view it. And many governments view it that way. But when a problem arises, youre very happy you have some gold in the closet, Rogers replied.

Youre happy you have some silver under the bed, he continued. I hope problems never arise but when problems arise - Im an old peasant, and us old peasants know we better have some gold and silver when problems arise.

You can watch the full interview here.

On the success of gold this year, Rogers said he owns gold and silver, and has owned them for many years. Im not buying now, but if I were, Id be buying silver, he said. Silver is down a lot from its all-time high, so if I were buying today I would buy silver, he explained.

Who is Jim Rogers?

Jim Rogers is the chairman of Beeland Interests and co-founder of the Quantum Fund along with George Soros. His net worth is estimated at around $300 million.

In his interview with NDTV Profit, the veteran investor admitted that he was embarrassed to have missed the Indian stocks rally.

I'm embarrassed because I've invested in my life and here Delhi finally has the right attitude and I missed it, he said.
The Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government introduced several safety measures for women at workplaces amid the ongoing protest over the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. After the announcement about the safety measures, numerous individuals, including Shark Tank judge and CEO of Sugar Cosmetics, Vineeta Singh, posted their views on it. Vineeta Singh, co-founder and CEO of Sugar Cosmetics shared her thoughts on safety measures for women at workplaces.

In the post, Singh begins to talk about the West Bengal guidelines for doctors, where she cites that night duty may be avoided for women to a possible extent. She further elaborates on it and expresses how this puts more restrictions on women as "boys will be boys".

"This is NOT the change women are seeking! Parents of daughters are already paranoid and protective as they live in fear. Can we not add to that burden with institutional curbs on girls? Every additional restriction is a subtle message to young girls that for their own survival, they should not even expect to be treated equally and that freedom and opportunities will always be discounted for them," wrote Singh in her post. (Also Read: Kolkata doctor rape-murder case Highlights: Mamata govt shaken by Nabanna rally call, says Bengal LoP)

Further, she spoke on how she's a mother of two boys and it's necessary to raise boys as "as kind humans who understand the true meaning of equality, respect and consent".

Take a look at her entire post here:

This post was shared a few days ago. Since being posted, it has gained more than 10,000 likes. Many people took to the comments section of the post to share their reactions.

Here's what people had to say about it:

An individual wrote, "In every state and country, the government should create a healthy environment for both women and men. Additionally, people should be educated about humanity rather than creating a divide-and-rule situation."

Another Instagram user, Sarita Singh, shared a horrifying experience of her daughter and said, "Dear Vineeta, I really wish the parents of boys are more responsible. Last week, my girl was kicked up by four older boys, and the father says my daughter must have provoked their boys to behave this way. I am just shocked when parents of boys will act more responsibly."

"Well said. Our society and government as a whole need to change their approach to the issue. In our villages, there are many more curbs imposed on girls. Hope all this changes soon," commented user Surendra Mohanty.
A Tamil Nadu doctor took to X to share a post claiming that she faced discrimination due to her husband's religion. She said that a policeman who came to her house refused to drink tea or coffee in the same vessels her family uses, saying that it was because she belonged to a different religion than his. She also claimed that while leaving, he misbehaved with her brother-in-law. A Tamil Nadu doctor wrote that her interaction with a policeman shocked her. (Unsplash/Manki Kim)

Had a #policeofficer come to my house for police verification for passport. We offered coffee or tea, but he said he cannot eat in the vessels we eat. You're #muslims right? he asked. So my mother in law got him a slice in a glass bottle we don't drink from, Christianez Ratna Kiruba wrote.

This was the first discriminatory experience that I have witnessed. I think South India has coddled me too much. The North really shows the inequalities of India. He left some Slice in the bottle and asked my brother in law to finish the leftover Slice, before he left, she added. The doctor further posted that it was very shocking and traumatic for her.

Christianez Ratna Kiruba who is a Christian married to a Muslim said, I don't mind him not having tea, that's his right to refuse. I had an issue with him asking my brother-in-law to finish the leftovers, which is not something he must have said.

Take a look at the entire post here:

A Tamil Nadu doctor's post on facing discrimination. (X/@NezMeds)

With over one million views, the post has gone viral. It has resonated with many, who shared stories of their own.

What did X users say about this doctors share?

An individual wrote, Society has changed now. Just a couple of years ago my colleagues visiting Vaishno Devi would bring packed prasad packets and I brought dates from Hajj. Nothing was taboo. During my college days I used to meet my friend on Tuesday evening who would offer Hanumanji's Prasad.

Another added, I bet they don't discriminate while asking for a bribe. A third posted, Poor him, I think he fails to understand that the people who work in the factory that manufactured the Slice, the one who handled it until it reached hand, might be the same people who he considers untouchables!

According to her LinkedIn profile, Christianez Ratna Kiruba is an Internal Medicine doctor who graduated from CMC Vellore. She is also a freelance health writer.

What are your thoughts on this post shared by the doctor about facing discrimination due to her religion?
Journalist Aarti Tikoo Singh recently called out Vistara for labelling all in-flight vegetarian meals as Hindu meals and chicken meals as Muslim meals, accusing the airline of communalising food. Vistara's meal codes have sparked a row online (Representational image via airvistara)

Who told you that all Hindus are vegetarian and all Muslims are non-vegetarian? she asked the Indian full-service carrier. Tikoo accused Vistara of thrusting food choices on people as she asked: Are you now going to communalise vegetables, chicken and passengers on a flight too?

Tikoo said she was so shocked by Vistaras pathetic behaviour that she booked both meal options. She shared a screenshot of her ticket from Srinagar to Jammu, which shows that she booked one Hindu meal and one Moslem meal for the short duration flight.

The explanation

Several social media users informed Tikoo that airline meal codes are not decided by Vistara, but are standardised across the industry. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) provides standardised meal codes to help airlines, catering services, and ground staff manage and communicate meal requirements efficiently and to ensure some uniformity across airlines.

FYI in general aviation parlance, a Hindu Meal (HNML) is NOT necessarily a Veg meal - it could be a Non Veg meal that is not Halal, wrote Sanjay Lazar, CEO of Avialaz Consultants. Similarly a Moslem meal (MOML) is a Non Vegetarian meal that is HALAL, he explained.

Aviation veteran Sanjiv Kapoor, the former CEO-designate of Jet Airways, also shared a similar explanation while acknowledging that the meal codes may be outdated.

These are standard international meal codes used globally across GDS-based airlines, not just by Vistara. However I do think IATA or whoever needs to update / modernize these outdated and at times somewhat puzzling meal codes, wrote Kapoor.

Vistaras website does not mention Hindu or Muslim meals. Instead, its extensive list of vegetarian options includes the Vegetarian Vegan Meal (VGML) which does not contain animal products, animal by-products, eggs or any dairy products, Vegetarian Jain Meal (VJML) which has no animal products, animal by-products, any root, or bulbous vegetables, and Vegetarian Lacto-ovo Meal (VLML) which may contain eggs and dairy.
Dhaka Bangladeshs interim government on Wednesday lifted a ban that was imposed on Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, the countrys largest Islamist party, and its student wing Bangladesh Islami Chhatrashibir by the previous Sheikh Hasina regime. People participate in a protest march against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government to demand justice for the victims killed in the recent countrywide deadly clashes, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on August 3. (AP)

The home ministry issued a gazette notification withdrawing the ban on the party and all its affiliated organisations with immediate effect.

The notification, issued in Bengali, said the ban was being lifted because no specific evidence was found of the involvement of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its affiliated organisations in acts of terrorism and violence. It further stated that the interim government believes that Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its affiliated organisations are not involved in any terrorist activities.

Four days before former premier Sheikh Hasina stepped down and fled to India, her government had banned the party and its affiliated organisations through an executive order issued on August 1. At that time, Hasinas government had accused the Jamaat of being involved in violent protests across the country.

The protests in July, which were spearheaded by students, were launched to oppose a controversial quota in government jobs. Though the quota was struck down by a court, the protests were transformed into a movement for the ouster of Hasina.

Bangladeshs Election Commission had revoked the registration of the Jamaat in 2013 after a high court verdict. Later, Jamaat appealed against the high courts verdict. However, the appellate division of the Supreme Court upheld the verdict and dismissed the Jamaats appeal in 2023.

The party, earlier known as Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, has been banned four times since its founding in 1941 in pre-partition British India under the leadership of Syed Abul Ala Maududi. After the establishment of new constitutions in Pakistan in 1959 and 1964, and in independent Bangladesh in 1972, the Jamaat was banned along with all other religious parties.

The Jamaat was a key ally of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), with its members holding ministerial positions in coalition governments during 2001-05. Reacting to the lifting of the ban on Wednesday, BNP secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir expressed his partys opposition to the banning of any political party. We are not in favour of banning any political party. The Constitution permits people to support any party, but it must support freedom and sovereignty, he told journalists.

Hasinas government had charged several Jamaat leaders with crimes during Bangladeshs war of independence in 1971. Between 2013 and 2016, five Jamaat leaders, including party chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, were convicted and hanged.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman told PTI that his party seeks harmonious and stable ties with India but New Delhi needs to reconsider its foreign policy for the neighbourhood. Rahman also said the Jamaat supports close India-Bangladesh relations but also wants Bangladesh to have strong and balanced ties with Pakistan, China and the US.

Rahman claimed Indias perception of the Jamaat as an anti-India party is mistaken and said the party is not against any country. We are pro-Bangladesh and are solely interested in safeguarding the interests of Bangladesh, he said.
Sarah Rahanuma, a newsroom editor at Bangladesh's Gazi TV, a Bengali-language satellite and cable television channel, was found dead in a lake in Dhaka. Sarah Rahanuma

The local media reported that her body was found floating in Hatirjheel Lake in the country's capital on Wednesday.

Inspector Bachchu Mia, in charge of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) police outpost, confirmed the recovery of her body.

Pedestrians pulled the body out from the lake and took it to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where the doctor declared her dead.

Ahead of her death, Sarah had posted a message on Facebook on Tuesday night.

"It was nice having a friend like you. God bless you always. Hope, you'll fulfil all your dreams soon. I know we had a lot of planning together. Sorry, I can't fulfil our plans. May god bless you in every aspect of your life," she wrote. In an earlier post, she wrote: "It is better to die than to live a life akin to death."

The police are investigating the case.

Meanwhile, ousted Bangladesh ex-PM Sheikh Hasina's US-based son, Sajeeb Wazed, said it was another brutal attack on the freedom of expression.

He wrote on X that the channel she worked at was a secular media house owned by Golam Dastagir Gazi who was arrested recently.

"Rahmuna Sara Gazi TV newsroom editor was found dead. Her body was recovered from Hatirjheel Lake in Dhaka city. This is another brutal attack on freedom of expression in Bangladesh. Gazi TV is a secular news channel owned by Golam Dastagir Gazi who was arrested recently," he posted on X.

Per her husband Sayed Shuvro, she went to work but didn't return home. At 3 am, he was informed she had jumped into the lake.

With inputs from PTI, ANI
Toronto: Canadian law enforcement has warned of a threat to the life of an associate of slain pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Canadian law enforcement alerts on threat to associate of Nijjar

The duty to warn notice was verbally conveyed to Inderjeet Singh Gosal, as associate of Nijjar as well as Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) general counsel Gurpatwant Pannun. The warning was given earlier this week by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), in collaboration with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), to Gosal, who resides in Brampton in the Greater Toronto Area.

Gosal has been among the principal organisers of the so-called Khalistan Referendum in Canada, which is being held by SFJ. Gosal said, Ive been informed by Canadian officials about the threats to my life. He added that his commitment to the secessionist Khalistan movement remains unwavering.

Pannun accused the Indian Government of being behind the threat as part of its policy of transnational repression.

In the early hours of February 12 this year, shots were fired at a home owned by Gosal in Brampton. Police have yet to make any arrests in that incident or attribute any motive for it. However, Gosal had linked it to the fact he was organising a protest outside the Indian Consulate in Toronto on February 17.

The notice to Gosal comes days after a car carrying another organiser of the Referendum in Canada, Satinder Pal Singh Raju, was targeted by unknown persons on a highway in California on August 11. Raju was among the main organisers of the referendum in Calgary in Alberta on July 28.

According to an incident report of the California Highway Patrol, seen by the Hindustan Times, there were reports of 4-5 shots fired while the vehicle was in Woodland in Yolo county. The Sacramento office the Federal Bureau of Investigation or FBI is supporting the California Highway Patrol in the investigation. The incident occurred in Yolo County and its deputy sheriff, Lieutenant Don Harmon had confirmed it to the Hindustan Times.

Nijjar, SFJs principal figure in the province of British Columbia, was killed in Surrey, British Columbia on June 18 last year. Three months later, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated in the House of Commons that there were credible allegations of a potential link between Indian agents and the murder, leading to the rupture of relations between the two countries. India described those allegations as absurd and motivated.

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.
New Delhi: New Chinese history textbooks to be rolled out for school students next month includes information about the 1962 India-China war, media reports said on Wednesday as Beijing focusses on strengthening a sense of national security among its citizens and pushes to embed President Xi Jinpings political and economic philosophy in society. Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru addresses Jawans in Ladakh in 1962. (HT)

The textbooks  which also contain a rare mention of the 1979 China-Vietnam war  will be distributed from the upcoming autumn semester in Chinese schools to students in the first and seventh grades, a report in the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP) said, citing national broadcaster, China Central Television (CCTV).

The new history textbooks will include the brief but bloody border war in 1962 between China and India, which ended with Indias defeat after four weeks, the SCMP report said without sharing details about what and how much information about the war will be in the books.

A Chinese education ministry official said the new content would allow students to deeply understand that national security is a top priority and that everyone has a responsibility to safeguard it.

Inclusion of information on the 1962 war comes in the backdrop of the ongoing border tension between the two Himalayan neighbours in the western sector, triggered after a standoff between border troops in May, 2020, followed by a deadly clash in eastern Ladakhs Galwan Valley in June that year.

The clash along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) left 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers dead, plunging bilateral ties to the lowest level since the 1962 war. Several rounds of diplomatic and military talks have failed to fully resolve the ongoing tension and both sides continue to deploy thousands of troops and heavy weaponry along the LAC in eastern Ladakh.

To be sure, China rarely brings up the 1962 war in official narratives though it has intermittently allowed the ongoing tension, especially videos of the brutal Galwan Valley clash, to be circulated on social media.

In October 22, Chinese authorities played Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) footage of the Galwan Valley clash at the Communist Party of Chinas 20th national congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

The SCMP report said the 1979 China-Vietnam conflict will feature in the new history books. Some 300,000 Chinese troops entered Vietnam to prevent Hanoi from overthrowing the Beijing-backed Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides.

Like with India, China has a border dispute with Vietnam. It claims nearly the entire South China Sea, a claim disputed by several maritime neighbours including Vietnam, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia besides Taiwan.

Among topics highlighted in the new textbooks on language, morality and law is Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, enshrined in Chinas constitution in 2018, the SCMP report added.
Israeli security forces have launched an operation in the north of the occupied West Bank, a military spokesman said early Wednesday, with the Palestinian health ministry reporting two deaths in the city of Jenin. Mourners react during the funeral of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, at Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.(REUTERS)

"Security forces have now launched an operation to thwart terrorism in Jenin and Tulkarm," army spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a joint statement on Telegram with Israel's Shin Bet security service.

Also read | Israel and Hamas fail to agree on ceasefire in Cairo; process to continue

The Palestinian health ministry said that two men aged 25 and 39 had been killed by Israeli forces in Jenin.

The operation comes two days after Israel said it carried out an air strike on the West Bank that the Palestinian Authority reported killed five people.

Also read | Families flee after new Israeli evacuation orders in Gaza as ceasefire hopes dim

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 been killed in Palestinian attacks during the same period, according to Israeli officials.
MOSCOW, - The Kremlin on Wednesday dismissed talk by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy about a plan he has to end the war and said Russia would continue what it calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine. Kremlin, dismissing Zelenskiy's talk of plan to end war, says Russia will keep fighting

Zelenskiy said on Tuesday he would present his plan - full details of which he did not publicly disclose - to U.S. President Joe Biden and his two potential successors.

Zelenskiy, addressing a news conference, said Kyiv's three-week-old incursion into Russia's Kursk region was part of his plan, but that it also comprised other steps on the economic and diplomatic fronts.

The idea, said Zelenskiy - who is pressing Washington to allow his forces to use long-range U.S.-supplied arms to strike deep inside Russia - was to force Moscow to end the war.

"This is not the first time that we have heard such statements from representatives of the Kyiv regime. We are aware of the nature of this Kyiv regime," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about Zelenskiy's plan.

"We are continuing our special military operation and will achieve all of our goals."

Russia is currently engaged in repelling the Ukrainian incursion that began on Aug. 6, and is pressing ahead with its own offensive in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.

Peskov also said that Russia supported India's view on the need for a peaceful settlement, but said it was "more than obvious" that there was no basis for talks right now.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that he had told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call that he backed an early, peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict, days after Modi held talks with Zelenskiy in Kyiv.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
, paragraph 3) Libya's oilfield closures spread in standoff over central bank

By Ayman Al-Warfali

BENGHAZI, Libya, - Libya's oilfield closures spread on Wednesday as the Sarir field almost completely halted output, two field engineers told Reuters, amid a political dispute over control of the central bank and oil revenue.

Authorities in the east, where most of Libya's oilfields lie, declared on Monday that all production and exports would be halted.

Sarir was producing about 209,000 barrels per day before output was reduced, the engineers said.

Force majeure had already been announced on exports at the 300,000 bpd Sharara oilfield and this week Reuters has reported disruptions at El Feel, Amal, Nafoora and Abu Attifel.

In July, Libya, an OPEC member, was producing about 1.18 million barrels of oil per day.

The move to shut off Libya's main source of revenue comes in response to the Tripoli-based Presidency Council sacking Central Bank of Libya chief Sadiq al-Kabir, prompting rival armed factions to mobilise.

Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, installed through a U.N.-backed process in 2021 and head of the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity, said this week that oilfields should not be allowed to be shut "under flimsy pretexts".

On Tuesday, U.S. Africa Command General Michael Langley and Charge d'Affaires Jeremy Berndt met Khalifa Haftar, the head of a force called the Libyan National Army that controls the country's east and south.

"The United States urges all Libyan stakeholders to engage constructively in dialogue," with support from the United Nations Support Mission in Libya and the international community, the U.S. Embassy in Libya said on social media platform X.

Oil prices were little changed on Wednesday. They rallied on Monday partly due to the planned production halt in Libya.

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By Joshua McElwee Pope Francis says refusing aid to migrants a 'grave sin'

VATICAN CITY, - Pope Francis on Wednesday strongly decried the treatment of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to enter Europe, saying it was a "grave sin" not to offer aid to migrant vessels.

"There are those who work systematically and with every means to reject migrants," the pontiff said during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square.

"And this, when done with conscience and responsibility, is a grave sin," he said.

The pope has spoken frequently about the treatment of migrants over his 11-year papacy. But his words on Wednesday, invoking Catholic terminology for one of the worst kinds of sin, were especially strong.

Migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea in simple crafts or home-made dinghies from northern Africa and the Middle East have been the subject of

intense debate

across Europe over the past decade.

The International Organization for Migration estimates that more than 30,000 migrants crossing the Mediterranean have gone missing since 2014.

In Italy, a rescue ship operated by the Doctors Without Borders charity was issued a 60-day detention order on Monday. Authorities said the vessel, which had conducted several rescue operations on Aug. 23, failed to properly communicate its movements.

Doctors Without Borders refuted those claims. "We have been sanctioned for simply fulfilling our legal duty to save lives," it said in a statement.

Francis on Wednesday called for expanding access routes for migrants and a "global governance of migration based on justice, brotherhood and solidarity." The pope said the issue would not be resolved through the "militarization of borders".

In recent weeks, the pope had been offering a series of reflections about Catholic spiritual matters in his weekly audiences.

At the beginning of Wednesday's remarks, the pope said he was postponing that series this week, to consider "people who are crossing seas and deserts to find a place where they can live in peace and security".

Wednesday's audience was the last before Francis, aged 87, embarks next week for an ambitious four-country visit across Southeast Asia from Sept. 2-13. It is the

longest trip

yet by the pontiff, who now regularly uses a wheelchair due to knee and back pain.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
By John Revill Swiss court convicts two executives over $1.8 billion 1MDB fraud

BELLINZONA, Switzerland -The Swiss Federal Criminal Court convicted on Wednesday two executives at an oil exploration company for embezzling more than $1.8 billion from Malaysia's state investment fund 1MDB.

Swiss-British national Patrick Mahony and Swiss-Saudi Tarek Obaid were also ordered to pay back more than $1.75 billion to the fund, which was at the centre of an international kleptocracy scandal.

The difference between the two amounts was interest payments the fraudsters paid back to 1MDB during the scam.

The verdict was the latest episode in the 1MDB affair, a complex tale of international corruption that has buffeted a slew of financial institutions and individuals across the globe since allegations of wrongdoing first surfaced in 2015.

Prosecutors alleged that Mahony and Obaid had helped to set up a joint venture with 1MDB by creating the impression that their company, PetroSaudi, was backed by the Saudi government.

This was not in fact the case, but the accused managed to persuade 1MDB's board into signing up to the scheme in 2009 before going on to defraud the fund, prosecutors said

"The accused deceived the members of the 1MDB board of directors into believing that Petrosaudi had links with the Saudi Arabian government and that PetroSaudi would contribute significant oil assets to the joint venture," the court said.

"These statements were false, and the accused knew this very well."

According to the indictment, the two executives defrauded the wealth fund of $1.8 billion to enrich themselves, with Obaid getting at least $805 million and Mahony at least $37 million

They were both convicted of fraud, criminal mismanagement and money laundering by the court in the southern Swiss city of Bellinzona.

Obaid was sentenced to seven years in prison, while Mahony received a sentence of six years. The court said the sentences differed because Obaid had enriched himself more than Mahony.

"The court took into account the very high amounts involved, the intensity of the criminal activity, the selfish motive," it said.

The two men had denied any wrongdoing. Obaid's lawyer said his client had immediately filed an appeal against the verdict.

"Mr. Obaid has always contested the commission of any offense," said Daniel Zappelli. "The reasoning of the court has not taken into consideration very numerous factual and legal aspects that we had brought before it."

Mahony's lawyer did not respond to a request for comment.

Prosecutors said the two men created the fraudulent scheme with fugitive Malaysian financier Jho Low, an adviser to former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, who is already in prison over his role in the multi-billion dollar scandal.

Initially extracting $1 billion from 1MDB so it could buy a stake in their venture, the accused took a further $830 million from the fund between 2010 and 2011 as part of an Islamic loan that followed on from their tie-up, prosecutors said.

Between September 2009 and at least July 2015 the accused arranged for bank accounts to be opened in Switzerland to help launder the millions, prosecutors said.

They used the money to buy real estate in Switzerland and London, jewellery and private equity, as well as to develop the PetroSaudi business from which they received a sizeable income, and to maintain "a lavish lifestyle", prosecutors said.

Malaysian and U.S. investigators estimate a total of $4.5 billion was siphoned away from 1MDB following its inception in 2009, implicating figures including Razak, Goldman Sachs staff and high-level officials elsewhere.

1MDB, the former sovereign wealth fund which is currently trying to recover its stolen assets, welcomed the judgment.

"We welcome today's verdict.... which means that Patrick Mahony and Tarek Obaid will face justice for their role in embezzling and defrauding the people of Malaysia," a spokesperson said.

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A French judge put Telegram boss Pavel Durov under formal investigation on Wednesday as part of a probe into organised crime on the messaging app, but he can avoid pretrial detention by making a 5 million euro bail payment, reporting twice a week to police and not leaving French territory. Demonstrators with a icon stylised painting depicting Telegram's founder Pavel Durov protest against the blocking of the popular messaging app in Russia. (AFP)

The judge's decision came four days after Russian-born Durov was arrested at an airport near Paris.

Being placed under formal investigation in France does not imply guilt or necessarily lead to trial, but indicates that judges consider there is enough to the case to proceed with the probe. Investigations can last years before being sent to trial or shelved.

Durov's arrest has put the spotlight on the criminal liability of messaging app providers and fuelled debate on where freedom of speech ends and enforcement of the law begins.

Durov's arrest has also spotlighted the uneasy relationship between governments and Telegram, which has close to 1 billion users.
Aug 28 - Ukraine's drones set several oil tanks on fire at the Glubokinskaya oil depot in Russia's Rostov region, several Russian Telegram channels reported on Wednesday. Ukraine's drones set oil depot in Russia's Rostov ablaze, Russian Telegram channels say

Rostov's governor, Vasily Golubev, said in a Telegram post that four Ukraine-launched drones were destroyed over the region, but made no mention of an attack on an oil depot.

The Baza Telegram channel, which is close to Russia's security services, said that three tanks were burning after two drones fell on the territory of the oil depot.

Reuters could not independently verify the reports. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.

The attack comes while tanks were still on fire at another Rostov's oil depot, in the Proletarsk district, some 10 days after the depot was attacked, Russian Telegram channels report.

Separately, Alexander Gusev, the governor of the Voronezh region that also borders Ukraine said that debris from a Ukraine-launched drone over the region sparked a fire "near explosive objects." Gusev added that there was no detonation.

The fire has since been extinguished, Gusev said on Telegram, and residents from two settlements who were temporarily evacuated were returning to their homes.

Russian officials often do not disclose the full extent of damage inflicted by Ukrainian attacks.

Both sides deny targeting civilians in the 30-month-old war that Russia launched with a full-scale invasion on its smaller neighbour. Kyiv says that its air attacks aim to destroy energy, transport and military infrastructure that's key to Moscow's overall war effort.

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DHAKA, Bangladesh  Bangladesh's interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday lifted a ban on the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party that was imposed by the former prime minister who was ousted in nationwide protests against her rule. Bangladesh's interim government led by Yunus lifts ban on the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party

Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India on Aug. 5, had banned the party as a militant and terrorist organization and blamed its student wing and other associate bodies for inciting chaos over a quota system for government jobs. The weeks of violent protests and Hasina's crackdown left more than 600 people dead, according to U.N. estimates.

The Ministry of Home Affairs repealed the ban on Wednesday, paving the way for the party to resume its activities. It still needs to register with the Election Commission to contest polls.

There was no immediate reaction from the party leadership. Jamaat-e Islami has been banned from taking part in elections since 2013, after the Election Commission canceled its registration, a decision upheld by the High Court, which ruled that the partys charter violated the constitution by opposing secularism.

Bangladeshs Law Affairs Adviser Asif Nazrul said that Hasinas ban was politically motivated and not based on ideology.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary-general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Hasina's rival, also had blamed Hasinas government for the ban that he said was meant to divert attention from the violence in which security officials were accused of using excessive force and causing deaths among protesters.

The Yunus-led government has been struggling to restore political stability and order as police forces and other government sectors are demoralized after attacks by protesters. Compounding the crisis was a devastating flash flood that ravaged the countrys eastern and other regions, killing at least 27 people.

Under Hasina, who was criticized as an authoritarian, thousands of opposition leaders and activists were arrested before the January election that returned her to power for the fourth consecutive term. Human rights groups blamed her for using security forces and courts to suppress the opposition, the charge she denies.

Jamaat-e-Islami was founded during the British colonial rule in 1941 by a controversial Islamist scholar and campaigned against the creation of Bangladesh as an independent state during the war of independence from Pakistan in 1971.

In 2013, a mass uprising in Dhaka led by youth groups, civil society organizations and secular political parties called for the execution of the party leadership for their role in 1971 war crimes.

Most of the senior leaders were hanged or jailed since 2013 after they were convicted of crimes against humanity including killings, abductions and rapes in 1971. The party had formed militia groups to help the Pakistani military during the nine-month war. Bangladesh won independence on Dec. 16, 1971, with the help of neighboring India.

Bangladesh says 3 million people died, 200,000 women were raped and nearly 1 million people fled to India during the war.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
A dangerous and highly contagious disease, known as Deadly Sloth Fever, is spreading rapidly across Europe and the United States, posing a serious threat to public health worldwide. In a recent development, over 20 individuals returning to the United States from Cuba have been diagnosed with Oropouche virus the pathogen behind this outbreak. Brazil has reported its first-ever deaths from the Oropouche virus, a rare disease spread by midges and mosquitoes.(Pixabay)

With a rapidly increasing number of cases reported across these regions, virologists and health officials are racing to understand the nature of the disease and develop effective countermeasures.

How is the Oropouche virus spreading?

The Oropouche virus also referred to as Deadly Sloth Fever, is mainly spread by the bites of midges and certain mosquitoes. This virus is naturally found in areas with dense forests and warm climates, especially the Amazon rainforest. The first instance of a human being infected with the Oropouche virus was recorded in 1955 in the town of Oropouche, Trinidad and Tobago.

Surprisingly, the virus was initially found in a sloth in Brazil five years after the first human case, earning it the name sloth fever.

Also read: Fact Check: Zuckerberg's 'doctored' Covid vaccine video goes viral after his claims against Biden-Harris

More about Oropouche virus

Scientists believed that sloths played a key role in transmitting the virus between insects and animals. In humans, the virus is spread by the bites of flies called midges and certain types of mosquitoes. Reportedly humans have contracted the virus while visiting forested areas and are thought to have helped the virus reach towns and cities, although direct person-to-person transmission has not yet been documented, according to the AP.

Also read: Elon Musks bizzare new rule for X employees sparks concerns after promotion delays: 'justify your eligibility'

What are the symptoms?

Deadly Sloth Fever shares a lot of symptoms with other tropical illnesses like dengue, Zika, and malaria. You might feel feverish, get headaches, and have muscle pain. Some people might also get diarrhoea, feel sick to their stomach, throw up, or develop rashes.

Reportedly, in really bad cases, the illness can cause bleeding, brain inflammation, or swelling of the brain.

Is there any death recorded from the Oropouche virus

While deaths from the Oropouche virus are rare, two recent cases in Brazil this year involving young and otherwise healthy individuals have raised concerns. This is the first time fatalities have been associated with the virus, and there's now evidence suggesting that it can be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus, potentially causing harmful birth outcomes.

Is there a vaccine available for the Oropouche virus

There are no immunisations to stop illnesses and no drugs accessible for managing the signs as of now.

Regions affected

Cases Reported: Since late last year, over 8,000 locally acquired cases have been reported in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, and Peru.

Cubas Spread: Health officials in Cuba began reporting cases in May, with the virus spreading rapidly from rural areas to urban centres, including Havana.

European Cases: Between June and July 2024, the European Union recorded 19 cases: 12 in Spain, 5 in Italy, and 2 in Germany. No deaths have been reported in Europe.

U.S. Situation: There is no current evidence of the virus spreading in the United States.

Advisory: U.S. officials are advising doctors to monitor travellers from Cuba and South America for signs of the virus.
Donald Trump has promised that if he retakes the Oval Office, his demand on Day 1 would be the resignation of "every single official" responsible for the "Afghanistan calamity." Donald Trump reveals what he would demand on day 1 if he retakes office (REUTERS/Go Nakamura)(REUTERS)

"The voters are going to fire Kamala and Joe on Nov. 5, we hope, and when I take office I will ask for the resignation of every single official. We'll get the resignations of every single senior official who touched the Afghanistan calamity to be on my desk at noon on Inauguration Day," Trump said, speaking to a crowd at the National Guard Association in Detroit on Monday, September 26.

"You know, you have to fire people," the GOP presidential nominee continued. "We never fire anybody. You got to fire them, like on The Apprentice. You're fired. You did a lousy job.

"You did a terrible, terrible disservice to our country. You get fired when that happens. Nobody got fired," Trump said of the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal. "Nobody ever gets fired in this administration. It's amazing, all the bad things that have happened. Nobody ever gets fired."

Monday marked three years since the suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in 2021. The attack killed 13 American service members and over 100 Afghans. Islamic State terrorists claimed responsibility for the bombing.

About four months before the attack, Kamala Harris confirmed in a CNN interview that she was the last person in the room before president Joe Biden made the decision to pull US troops out of Afghanistan. CNN anchor Dana Bash asked, "Afghanistan, were you the last person in the room?"

"Yes," Harris replied.

"And you feel comfortable?" Bash asked, to which Harris replied, "I do."

When Joe Biden was blasted by Gold Star families

Biden was blasted by Gold Star families last month after he claimed during the CNN Presidential Debate that he is the "only president this century, this decade, that doesn't have any troops dying anywhere in the world."

Darin Hoover, Gold Star father of Marine Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover, who was one of the 13 American service members who died in Kabul, later said in an interview with Fox News Digital, You know, the stumbling, bumbling buffoon that we have in the White House had the audacity to say that, under his watch, that no military members have died.

"The rage, the absolute disgust that I got from hearing him say that. I started yelling back at the TV just out of frustration. He's never acknowledged, not one time, any of our kids. He's never said their names. Even to this day, I doubt very seriously that he even knows their names, the Gold Star dad added.
Elon Musk's latest announcement at X has raised eyebrows and sparked concern among employees. The tech mogul has introduced a new rule that requires staff to "justify" their eligibility for stock options before they can access them. This comes on the heels of an internal meeting in June where Musk informed employees that promotions would be delayed and a new evaluation process would be implemented with lighter-weight check-ins. Elon Musk attends the Breakthrough Prize awards in Los Angeles, California, US.(Reuters)

Elon Musk tells X staff to write a one-page summary

Looks like Musk is tying stock rewards to the impact you maketime to impress and not just guess! According to The Verge, the Tesla tycoon has rolled out a new policy thats more throwback than tech forward.

Musk In a late-night email sent to the employees, announced that stock options at X will now be handed out based on employee impact. Workers will need to submit a one-page summary of their contributions to cash in on these options.

Musk's new order comes after his 2022 powerful message where he pushed his team to really go all-in on building Twitter 2.0. He made it clear that this meant working super hard and for a long time. In that email, Musk said, Only outstanding performance will be deemed acceptable, and emphasised that this would require long hours at high intensity.

Also read: Trumps disgraceful thumbs-up and flashing smile at soldiers graves slammed by netizens: I have no words

This setback is just another blow to a team already seeing departures, with some employees leaving due to the challenges of working under Musks leadership. As X, formerly known as Twitter, continues to navigate turbulent waters, employees have been anticipating the possibility of layoffs. Initially, Musk promised stock options for everyone, but now it seems he's pulled an UNO reverse on them.

Elon Musks leadership under scrutiny

Elon Musk has been in the headlines recently, both for business and political reasons. His companies have faced a wave of departures, and Tesla's sales have been declining.

In the past, Musk has also faced legal troubles due to allegations of denying benefits to former Twitter/X employees. Since acquiring Twitter (now X) in October 2022, Musk has laid off thousands of employees, reducing the workforce by a massive margin. This led to a lawsuit from former executives who claimed that Musk refused to pay them severance pay after firing them without cause.

Also read: Trump golfing and whining all day over Harris's presidential bid; Internet says; He has stopped trying

Lately, a former VP at Tesla, who left after 11 years, shared how tough it was to work with Musk. Despite her 11-year tenure and positive experiences, Sreela Venkataratnam admitted that working at Tesla was "not for the faint of heart." The departure follows a trend of other senior Tesla employees leaving the company in recent months, including Drew Baglino and Rohan Patel.
Elon Musk poked fun at Boeing on Tuesday, mocking the SpaceX rival over the Starliner mishap. In a hilarious exchange with Tesla investor John Hanna, the 53-year-old businessman on X, formerly Twitter, the 53-year-old businessman quipped about a potential collaboration between the two companies he founded. This comes after NASA announced that astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will be returning to Earth in SpaceX Crew-9 next February. Elon Musk threw shade at Boeing after NASA confirmed that Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will return to Earth on SpaceX Crew-9 next year(REUTERS)

Elon Musk throws shade at Boeing with potential Tesla/SpaceX collaboration

The South African-born American investor joked on his social media platform on Tuesday, Potential Tesla/SpaceX collab: ride hailing works even if youre in space! Musk's remark came in response to Hanna's tweet, Who would have guessed that SpaceX would beat Tesla to market with a ride hailing service? His response quickly went viral, garnering 37.6 million views at the time of writing.

Netizens also joined in on the fun, with American actor and film producer Kevin Sorbo commenting, Alright fine I'll go to space. Meanwhile, 18-year-old social media personality Bo Loudon, who is friends with Donald Trump's youngest son Barron, wrote, Elon, you will go down in history as the man who: SAVED FREE SPEECH! HELPED SAVE AMERICA! STOOD UP TO EVIL AND WON! I have your back, sir!

ALSO READ: Trump and Harris reach agreement for ABC debate, ex-prez says in fiery Truth Social post

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore to return next year

The space agency confirmed last week that Williams and Wilmore, who have been stranded in space for over two months now, will return to Earth in February 2025. NASA has decided that Butch and Suni will return with Crew-9 next February, and that Starliner will return uncrewed, NASA administrator Bill Nelson said while explaining that their return to Earth was delayed after Boeing spacecraft Starliner experienced problems with its thrusters.
Just over a month after an assassination attempt on Donald Trump, a former Secret Service agent has warned there may be another such attempt before the election. Dan Bongino, a former Secret Service agent, warned that an attempt on Donald Trump's life wasn't the last attempt.(X)

In July, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire at Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania and since then both Trump and his vice president candidate JD Vance have taken part in outdoor rallies that are surrounded by bulletproof glass.

Dan Bongino, radio talk show host and podcaster, spoke at a forum on the assassination attempt alongside five Republican members of Congress - Chip Roy of Texas, Matt Gaetz and Cory Mills of Florida, Andy Biggs and Eli Crane of Arizona.

He was also joined by Erik Prince, the creator of Blackwater, a private military contractor, and Ben Shaffer, a SWAT operator in Washington who helped with security on July 13.

[If] you think this is the last incident, you're out of your mind, he stated, adding, I pray to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that I'm wrong.

Also Read: Barron Trump to have secret service agent by his side as he starts college this fall

Bongino blasts Kim Cheatle and interim head of the Secret Service

According to Bongino, the leadership of the Secret Service was the primary cause of the problems stemming from that particular event.

Bongino suspects politics may be involved with Trump's security team and feels the agency was not being operated properly.

If you can explain it, then good luck, because that's not the agency I worked for, he stated in miffed voice.

Kim Cheatle, the Secret Service boss, stepped down from her post shortly after testifying before Congress in the wake of Trump's assassination attempt.

Speaking on her resignation, Bongino stated she wasn't even fired, but she was allowed to resign.

He speculated that she will get some cushy job somewhere and mentioned that her deputy got promoted.

Bongino blasted Ronald L. Rowe Jr., the interim head of the Secret Service, stating that he is no better than Cheatle.

Rowe, according to Bongino, stands for the same people who were in command on July 13 during the assassination attempt on Trump.

The former President has boosted his security following an attempt on his life. He held his first outdoor rally speech since the shooting behind protective glass at the Aviation Museum & Hall of Fame in Asheboro, North Carolina on August 21.
The gunman in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump searched online for events of both Trump and President Joe Biden, repeatedly looked up information about explosives and saw the Pennsylvania campaign rally where he opened fire last month as a target of opportunity, a senior FBI official said Wednesday. Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures with a bloodied face while he is assisted by U.S. Secret Service personnel after he was shot in the right ear during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S., July 13, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo(REUTERS)

Investigators who have conducted nearly 1,000 interviews do not have a motive for why 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks shot at Trump during a July 13 campaign rally but they believe that he conducted extensive attack planning," including looking up campaign events involving both the current president and former president, particularly in western Pennsylvania.

The FBI analysis of his online search history reveals a sustained, detailed effort to plan an attack on some event, meaning he looked at any number of events or targets, Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Pittsburgh field office, told reporters Wednesday.

Once a Trump rally was announced for July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, He became hyper-focused on that specific event and looked at it as a target of opportunity, Rojek said. Crooks' internet searches in the days leading up to the rally included queries about the grounds where the rally was held, Where will Trump speak from at Butler Farm Show? Butler Farm Show podium and Butler Farm Show photos."

The new details add to an emerging portrait of Crooks as a man who investigators say had taken an eerie interest in explosives, major events and prominent political figures, but whose internet searches across major parties have frustrated efforts to assign a simple motive.

We have a clear idea of mindset, but we are not ready to make any conclusive statements regarding motive at this time, Rojek said.

The FBI has confirmed that Trump was struck in the ear by a bullet during the attack. Crooks, who was positioned on the roof of a nearby building, fired eight shots before being killed by a Secret Service counter sniper.

We have a clear idea of mindset, but we are not ready to make any conclusive statements regarding motive at this time, Rojek said.
SAVANNAH, Ga.  Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, kicked off a two-day bus tour in Georgia on Wednesday that snakes through rural areas in the southern part of the state before culminating in a big rally in the coastal city of Savannah. Harris and Walz kick off a 2-day bus tour in Georgia that will culminate in Savannah rally

The Democratic ticket will meet with supporters, campaign staff, small business owners and voters. Campaign officials believe that in order to win the critical battleground state over Republican Donald Trump in November, they need more than Atlanta and the suburbs that delivered for Joe Biden in 2020 and must also make inroads, however small, in GOP strongholds.

The Georgia trip is a makeup visit from earlier in the month when the duo was set to embark on a seven-state swing tour introducing the new Democratic ticket. The North Carolina and Georgia legs of the trip got scrapped as Tropical Storm Debby battered the region.

Walz met Harris on the tarmac in Savannah and greeted students from Savannah State University before the duo set off in their bright blue bus with red and white accents, Harris Walz emblazoned in big letters on the side along with the phrase A New Way Forward. The custom bus is armored  and belongs to the U.S. Secret Service.

In addition to the bus tour and the Thursday rally, Harris and Walz will be sitting down with CNN anchor Dana Bash for their first joint interview. The interview will air Thursday night.

The Democratic strategy to peel off votes in Republican parts of the state has had some success before. Raphael Warnock, Georgias first Black senator, won reelection in 2022 by nearly 3 percentage points  while Joe Biden carried Georgia by only a quarter percentage point about two years earlier  in part by venturing into the deepest red areas, driven in part by operatives who are now on Harris campaign team.

Harris has another campaign blitz on Labor Day with President Biden in Detroit and Pittsburgh with the election just over 70 days away. The first mail ballots get sent to voters in just two weeks.

In Georgia, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp seems to have moved past Trump's blistering attacks against him at a rally in the state just a few weeks ago, saying it was a small distraction that's in the past.

On the eve of Harris' visit, Kemp told Fox News: Im not sure exactly what happened going into the rally. Ive seen a lot of different stories and peoples explanations of what happened.

At the rally, Trump tore into the governor, blaming him for his narrow 2020 loss in the state. In a roughly 10-minute tirade, Trump railed against Kemp for not giving in to his false theories of election fraud. He also blamed the governor for not stopping a local district attorney from prosecuting him and others for their efforts to overturn the results in the state.

Trump changed his tune last week, thanking the governor in a social media post for all his "help and support in Georgia, where a win is so important to the success of our Party and, most importantly, our Country.

Kemp said on Fox that Republicans "need to be telling people why they should vote for us, what were going to do to make things better than they are right now. And theres a host of issues that I think you could contrast Kamala Harris and her record."

To me, thats what we need to stay focused on, not some dustup from two or three weeks ago.

Meanwhile, the Harris campaign launched a new ad across the battleground states, seeking to tie Trump to the conservative Project 2025."

The first ad asserts that Trump is out for control over voters, juxtaposing Trump quotes with ominous screenshots of the plan. Its part of Harris $370 million in digital and television ad reservations between Labor Day and Election Day.

Led by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, Project 2025 is a detailed 920-page handbook for governing under the next Republican administration, including ousting thousands of civil servants and replacing them with Trump loyalists and reversing the Food and Drug Administrations approval of medications used in abortions.

Trump has tried to distance himself from Project 2025, though it was drafted by longtime allies and former officials of the Trump administration. Last month, he posted on social media that he had not seen the plan, had no idea who is in charge of it, and, unlike our very well received Republican Platform, had nothing to do with it.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
The EB-5 Investor Visa Programme serves as an opportunity for those seeking to earn a US Green Card. It grants permanent resident status to investors who satisfy certain criteria. The visa, which was first introduced in 1990, may also allow the applicants spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 to obtain a Green Card. Here's all you need to know about the investor visa programme: Indian investors may obtain a US Green Card via the EB-5 Investors Visa Programme

How does the EB-5 Investor Visa Programme work?

To participate in the programme, the applicant must invest in a US project that generates at least 10 jobs in the country. Investors are guided by asset managers at regional centres recognised by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). These RCs provide developers with low-cost funding options. While direct investment is possible, it is best avoided due to the high risk factor it carries, experts told Mint.

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, Arindam Sengupta of Edufund told the outlet.

ALSO READ: Elon Musk throws shade at Boeing as SpaceX set to rescue Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore

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, the EB-5 consultant continued.

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.

Under the 2022 investors visa programme, the revised cost of participation is $800,000. However, Indians can remit up to $250,000 per year under the Reserve Bank of Indias Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS). There is an added bonus for married couples as they can combine their remittances to reach $1 million by making transfers in March and April.

ALSO READ: Trump and Harris reach agreement for ABC debate, ex-prez says in fiery Truth Social post

The funds can also be transferred to a childs account in the US as a gift, allowing the child to invest in an EB-5 project, the outlet adds. Once the project is approved, the applicant may apply for a conditional Green Card under Form I-485 or DS-260 if the child is not a US resident.

Meanwhile, the child may also be eligible for a temporary work and travel permit while awaiting the I-526E approval. The applicant can apply for an unconditional Green Card within two years should the project generate at least 10 jobs. Once obtained, the applicant can redeem the investment.

It is important to note that the total cost of participating in the EB-5 Investors Visa Program may increase by an additional $50,000 to $100,000 depending on legal fees. Moreover, the applicant must also pay 20% Tax Collected at Source (TCS) on the remitted funds.

However, the TCS can be adjusted against the individual's tax liability or may be claimed as a tax refund upon filing the Income Tax Return (ITR). Hence, the total cost for the EB-5 program amounts to $1.1 million or (9 crores Indian Rupees), according to the outlet.
Fox News host Jesse Watters was forced to resort to desperate damage control tactics last night following allegations that he made a sexist remark about US Vice President Kamala Harris. Jesse Watters facing calls for resignation after stating that Harris would be paralyzed by generals who would have their way with her in the Situation Room at the White House.(AP)

He is facing calls for resignation after stating that Harris would be paralyzed by generals who would have their way with her in the Situation Room at the White House.

The 46-year-old defended his remarks against the US VP and rejected allegations that he made any sexual remarks about her even after being criticised live on air by his The Five co-hosts Dana Perino and Jeanine Pirro. At the time, Watters asserted that he was merely speaking figuratively, and not in a sexual way.

Tuesday saw Watters come under fire from both political parties, with Republican Congresswoman Barbara Comstock and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff's ex-wife Kerstin expressing their outrage at his remarks. Blasting the Fox News anchor, Comstock claimed Watters' misogyny toward Harris was intentional.

Also Read: Trump and Harris reach agreement for ABC debate, ex-prez says in fiery Truth Social post

Jesse Watters refuses to issue apology amid resignation calls

In the past, Watters received flak on multiple occasions, including for cheating on his first wife with a junior Fox colleague. He refused to issue an apology last night on The Five, but he attempted to justify his comments.

There has been some attention to comments made on the show yesterday about VP Harris. People are misconstruing my comments to mean something inappropriate, he stated during the show.

I wasn't suggesting anything of a sexual nature. I was expressing my opinion that VP Harris' current leadership style could be an issue if elected, the Fox News host added.

Watters made the contentious remark while talking about foreign policy and critiquing Harris for what he saw as a lack of qualifications.

Several social media users denounced the Fox News host's comment as awful, sexist, misogynistic, offensive and filthy, and demanded that he should be fired.

American writer Yashar Ali shared a video of the incident on social media, asking, 'Would Watters use this sexualized language when describing a straight man? He likely wouldn't!

After Tucker Carlson was fired in July of last year, Watters was given the 8 p.m. primetime slot. He is known for making divisive remarks regarding women.

In 2019, he alleged that women journalists sleep with sources all the time. Later in 2022, he claimed Harris was experiencing a typical female problem in her role as vice president.

Fox News is yet to issue any official statement on his remarks amidst growing calls for his resignation.
LAS VEGAS  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. Jury ends second day deliberating in trial of former elected official in killing of Vegas reporter

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.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Kamala Harris' campaign targeted Donald Trump for making weird remarks in a recent interview with Dr. Phil McGraw in Las Vegas, where he implied that he would win California if Jesus tallied the votes. Donald Trump claimed he was unaware of how dangerous the job of the president could be until Secret Service officials urged him not to stand at the Arizona border because of possible threats.(AFP)

During the one-hour conversation that was posted on Dr. Phil's X account, Trump talked about the dangers of becoming president and recapped his experience of escaping an assassination attempt during an election campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Trump highlights risk of being president

Trump claimed he was unaware of how dangerous the job of the president could be until Secret Service officials urged him not to stand at the Arizona border because of possible threats.

During the one-hour conversation, the Republican presidential nominee asserted that God's hand was involved in saving him from dying during the assassination attempt last month. He added that God allowed him to preserve both America and the entire world.

In addition, Trump continued his baseless attacks on his Democratic rival, calling Harris a Marxist. He expressed concerns about mail-in voting, saying it ought to be outlawed because it permits ballot tampering, especially in California where he said Democrats take advantage of the system.

Trump claims he would win California if.

The GOP leader went on to say he would win California if the votes were counted fairly, pointing to what he perceives to be strong support from Latino voters. In addition, he said that despite California's historical Democratic leanings  as demonstrated by President Joe Biden's 64 percent victory in the 2020 election  he sees a lot of Trump signs in the state.

If Jesus Christ came down and was the vote counter, I would win California, OK? Trump stated. In other words, if we had an honest vote counter, a really honest vote counterI do great with Hispanics, great, I mean at a level no Republican has ever donebut if we had an honest vote counter, I would win California.

Harris campaign reacts

In a harsh reaction to Trump's interview, the Harris campaign ridiculed his performance. They highlighted Trump's seeming delusions and poor interviewing skills, implying that his visit on Dr. Phil was just another chance for him to vent his frustrations and act erratically.

Prior to the interview, Trump declared that he and Harris had arrived at an understanding over the guidelines for their first debate on September 10
Months after Florida teen Madeline Soto was allegedly murdered by her mothers boyfriend, her cause of death has been revealed. The body of Soto, 13, was found in a secluded wooded area. Florida teen Madeline Soto's cause of death revealed months after murder by mom's boyfriend (Orange County Sheriffs Office)

Documents obtained by WKMG revealed that Sotos death was ruled a homicide by strangulation. She was first reported missing on February 26 after she failed to turn up for class at her Orlando middle school. Her body was discovered in the woods in Osceola County four days later. Orange County Sheriffs Department said that Soto was possibly already dead before the search for her started.

Stephan Sterns, who was dating Sotos mother Jenn Soto at the time of the crime, has been charged with murder in the teens death. The 37-year-old was confirmed to have been the last person to see Soto before she disappeared.

I dropped her off [at school] early, I could have waited longer. She looked okay she was walking towards the school, Sterns told a local news channel in February before being arrested. He was later arrested and initially charged with sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material. He was later charged with first-degree murder.

Stephan Sterns allegedly began sexually abusing Madeline Soto in 2022

An arrest affidavit filed in Osceola County revealed that Sterns allegedly began sexually abusing Soto in 2022, when she was 11. On February 26, Soto disappeared after Sterns dropped her off at Peace United Methodist Church on Town Loop Boulevard. This was a few blocks away from Hunter's Creek Middle School, which Soto attended.

Sterns also faces 40 counts of Unlawful Possession of Materials Depicting Sexual Performance by a Child Ten or More Images, five counts of Sexual Battery with a Child 12-18, Seven counts of Lewd or Lascivious Molestation, and eight counts of Sexual Battery on a Child Under 12, according to WKMG. He is scheduled to appear in court on October 14 for a status hearing.
Melania Trump has shared a cryptic post about New York as she remains missing from her husband Donald Trumps rallies. New York is also where their son Barron is set to attend college this fall. However, Barrons chosen college still remains a mystery. Melania shares cryptic post about New York where Barron will attend college(AP)

New York City captivated my heart the moment I arrived, 28 years ago today. This electrifying town isn't just my home; it's a colorful canvas where dreams come alive. New Yorks iconic skyline and vibrant culture inspire me every day, Melania posted on X, alongside an aerial photo of New York. Notably, the former first lady marked her 28th anniversary as a New Yorker with the post.

It is unclear what Melanias emotive post exactly signifies, but it could be an ode to Barron, 18, who is set to begin college as a freshman. It could also be some kind of signal to Trump, or simply a walk down memory lane  it is hard to tell with certainty.

Melania has notably remained missing from her husbands campaign rallies. She was only seen briefly appearing at the GOP convention in Milwaukee in July.

However, despite her absence from Trumps events, her support for her husband is clear. In fact, Trump revealed that Melania was watching live when he survived an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally and thought the worst had happened.

She cant really even talk about it, which is OK, Trump said. That means she likes me.

I see you as a very sensitive and artistic woman

Melanias post on New York drew some positive comments from supporters. I see you as a very sensitive and artistic woman, and I hope that we see more of this side of you in your next ter as First Lady! Maybe you could inspire the little young artists in our country? one user commented on the post. You are an inspiration to all legal immigrants. Congratulations on your incredible journey and I cant wait to read more about it in your memoir, one user said, while another wrote, You are the most beautiful First Lady America has ever had. The only thing more beautiful than your face is your heart. I can't wait for you to be our First Lady Again. We love you.

Bet youre dropping Barron at school. Praying for the transition to be an easy one! wrote one user. Another said, You are beyond gracious considering how much that city has and still is putting your family through. I also arrived in NYC 28 years ago around this time to go to school. What a great time to be in NYC in the 90s! one user said.
Following the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi blasted Donald Trump, stating that hes got to pay a price for that. In a newly released video, Nancy Pelsoi was also heard blasting Donald Trump over January 6 riot, saying, I just feel sick about what he did to the Capitol and the country today. Hes got to pay a price for that."(AFP)

HBO provided the unreleased footage taken on Jan. 7, 2021 to the Republican-led House Committee on Administration this week, according to Politico. The committee is carrying out a probe aimed at undermining the findings of the Jan. 6 select committee.

Alexandra, Pelosi's filmmaker daughter, shot the video for an HBO documentary. She has produced several documentaries on HBO. In 2022, Alexandra released a documentary on her mother.

Pelosi targeted Trump over Capitol riot: I just feel sick

Drew Hammill, Pelosi's top aide, was reading the speaker a draft of her opening remarks over the phone as she drove to the Capitol. The statements included a demand that Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund should resign from the post, as per the video footage. However, Pelosi interrupted Hammill to say, I think our focus has to be on the president. Lets not divert ourselves.

She was also heard saying, I just feel sick about what he did to the Capitol and the country today. Hes got to pay a price for that.

When Hammill informed her that the press was concentrating on the police chief, she remarked: I don't want to have it on par with the insurrection and impeachment and the rest of that.

The newly released public footage provides an even closer look at the speaker's gestures and immediate response to the Capitol attack.

The clip shows Alexandra capturing the tumultuous moments following the then-speaker's swift fleeing from the House floor by Capitol Police officers and her hasty walk through the Capitol tunnels to her SUV. HBO admitted that the 10-minute video of Pelosi's evacuation had been edited to omit a few off-color remarks made by her minor grandson, who accompanied her during the evacuation.

Also Read: Nancy Pelosi sparks wild speculations after mystery item falls out of her pants at DNC: Was it a toilet paper?

Pelosi scolded security officials for forcing her evacuation

As they moved towards the SUV, Pelosi asked if Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell at the time had given his approval for a request for the National Guard. Terri McCullough, her chief of staff, confirmed that he had. Shortly thereafter, Pelosi was notified by a security staffer beside her that the crowd supporting Trump had already breached the Capitol.

She then questioned why the National Guard had not been called earlier and why security personnel failed to foresee the degree of violence that occurred on January 6. How many times did the members ask, Are we prepared? Are we prepared? Were not prepared for the worst, Pelosi stated.

She scolded security officials for forcing her evacuation, Politico reported, before becoming enraged at Capitol security officials for failing to anticipate the attack.

I feel responsible, she told McCullough while calling the whole incident ridiculous.

Former US President Trump has stated on multiple occasions that he intends to pardon the January 6 rioters should he win the presidency in November.
A New Jersey woman has alleged that a stranger sexually assaulted her on an American Airlines flight, and has blamed her carrier for not being able to stop the attack. Documents filed in federal court last week revealed that the incident took place during a nighttime flight from Charlotte, NC, to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on August 26, 2022. NJ woman alleges she was sexually assaulted on American Airlines flight (Photo by Kena Betancur / AFP - representational image)(AFP)

The incident

The lawsuit alleges that the woman fell asleep shortly after the plane took off, and later awoke to find the Perpetrators left arm inside her pants and his right hand forcing her hand onto his penis, according to New York Post. During the two-hour flight, the victim was seated between a friend and the unknown male passenger.

The suit alleges that the suspect covered himself and the victim with his black puffer jacket and digitally penetrated her as she slept. The woman was left frozen in a state of shock and panic when she woke up.

The man then climbed on top of the woman, attempting to penetrate her with his penis, which he was partially able to do, the lawsuit says. Plaintiff gathered the courage to push Perpetrator away, at which point he quickly returned to his seat, the suit claims.

When the suspect noticed a flight attendant nearby, he pretended as if nothing happened. He asked the victim if she wanted water while forcibly holding her hand, the suit alleges.

The woman woke her friend and they reported the incident to a flight attendant. The womans seat was switched for the rest of the flight.

The man was escorted off the plane when the flight landed. Authorities went on to take reports from the victim and other witnesses to the attack, but as per the suit, it is unknown whether the Perpetrator was taken into custody and/or ever charged with the sexual assault of Plaintiff.

The lawsuit asserts that the airline industry is well aware of the rising cases of sexual assaults on flights, and stresses that the victim did nothing to cause or contribute to the cause of the assault she suffered. It adds that American Airlines owed a duty of care to ensure her safety during the journey.

American Airlines breached its duty of care by failing to properly monitor the cabin, failing to prevent the sexual assault, and failing to promptly intervene when the assault occurred, the lawsuit claims.

The womans lawyer, Brian Andris, told New York Post on Monday, September 26, As alleged in the complaint, we look forward to seeking justice on behalf of our client to remedy this terrible injustice for all that she has suffered.
OLYMPIA, Wash.  The city of Olympia, Washington, will pay $600,000 to the family of a Black man shot and killed by police in a settlement that also stipulates that officers will be banned from personalizing any of their work equipment. Police in Washington city banned from personalizing equipment in settlement over shooting Black man

Lawyers on Monday announced the details of the settlement of a wrongful death tort claim filed by the family of Timothy Green, who was shot and killed in 2022.

The settlement stops the display of symbols on city police equipment such as the thin blue line on an American flag. The symbol has become associated with Blue Lives Matter, a term which has been used by some police supporters in response to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Officers had displayed Blue Lives Matter emblems and a sticker reminiscent of the yellow Gadsden flag, with its rattlesnake and Dont Tread on Me message on items at the time Green was shot.

The police department is required to update its policy within one year to prohibit officers from decorating their equipment, no matter the subject matter.

Additionally, Olympia Police Chief Rich Allen, his deputy and assistant chiefs and the four officers involved in Greens death must complete state training on the historical intersection between race and policing. The city also agreed that all Olympia police officers will receive more crisis intervention training.

An Olympia Police Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.

Greens family members were prepared to file a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city if their training and policy 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, Olympia civil rights attorney Leslie Cushman told The Seattle Times.

Cushman, along with Seattle attorney Gabe Galanda, represented the family and crafted 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.

While overall use of force by Olympia Police Department officers is down 24% since 2022, 83% involved people in crisis, according to data from the Olympia Police Departments auditor.

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.

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 2023. The family has additionally 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 multiple times before his death.

Officer Joseph Anderson and Sgt. Joseph Bellamy 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 not been taking his medications.

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. Callers reported a man screaming and banging around inside the store.

Green was overheard saying he wanted to kill everyone in the town and said, Call the cops.

When Joseph Anderson arrived, Green was punching the ground near the store. The dispatchers noted Green's mental health diagnoses, and Anderson acknowledged that Green was the same person from the previous call.

Bellamy, a supervisor, determined that Green could be arrested for misdemeanor disorderly conduct and pedestrian interference. While Bellamy went to get a 40-mm less-lethal projectile launcher, the other officers moved to surround Green, according to reports.

Green became frightened and dumped the contents of a backpack on the ground, retrieving a softcover Bible and a folding knife, according to the claim. 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 used a Taser on him but they failed to incapacitate him. Joseph Anderson then shot him three times, according to the claim.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Prince Harry, who recently concluded a successful four-day trip to Colombia with wife Meghan Markle, is set to embark on next tour. However, this will be a solo visit and the Duchess of Sussex will not accompany him. Prince Harry's visit in the Big Apple will coincide with his estranged brother Prince William's Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit, which is scheduled to take place on September 24.(AP)

According to his spokesperson, Harry will visit New York in September during the UN General Assembly High-level Week and Climate Week.

A look at Prince Harry's schedule

Harry will arrive in New York to advance a number of his patronages and philanthropic initiatives, according to a statement released on August 27.

He will take part in initiatives with African Parks, The HALO Trust, The Diana Award, and Travalyst. In addition, he will be expanding the work of The Archewell Foundation, the nonprofit organisation that he and Meghan co-founded.

While High-level Week will take place from September 23 to September 27, Climate Week will be held from September 22 to September 29.

The Duke's visit in the Big Apple will coincide with another major event. His estranged brother Prince William's Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit is scheduled to take place on September 24.

The future King started the competition in 2020 in an effort to promote sustainable solutions to some of the planet's most pressing environmental challenges such as conservation, combating deforestation, and dealing with climate change.

The Prince intends to distribute 1 million Earthshot Prizes in five different categories as part of the annual competition until 2030. Prince William may not make the in-person appearance at the summit like last year. Therefore, it is high unlikely that Harry will cross paths with William.

Also Read: King Charles still loves Prince Harry, has faith that youngest son could

Prince Harry's last NY trip

Prince Harry's last New York trip took place in October 2023 after he attended The Archewell Foundation Parents' Summit: Mental Wellness in a Digital Age.

The summit was held just months after the Sussexes were engaged in a car chase across Manhattan in May 2023.

While specifics regarding Harry's forthcoming journey are still unknown, the Duke is expected to be under greater surveillance in the wake of his and Markle's alleged near catastrophic vehicle chase.

After the Royal couple left the Ziegfeld Theater in Midtown with Markles mother, paparazzi followed them around, failing to capture a picture of them together.

Were involved in a near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi, the couple's spokesman claimed.

The family moved to a yellow cab in an attempt to stop the paparazzi from following them. However, law enforcement sources said the chase only lasted for an hour.
Sean Kingston and his mother Janice Turner have pleaded not guilty before the court after being sued for fraud of over $1 million. Last month, the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of Florida announced that a Miami grand jury charged Kingston and Turner with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and multiple counts of wire fraud. They are accused of using fake documents to trick sellers into giving them expensive vehicles, jewellery, and other items. FILE - Sean Kingston and his mother sued for fraud of over $1 million. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)(Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Also Read: Who is the Deadpool Killer? Wade Wilson sentenced to death for atrocious and cruel murders of 2 Florida women

Sean Kingston and his mother pleads not guilty

At a court hearing in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, on Monday, August 26, Broward Circuit Judge Ernest Kollra approved the pleas made by Kingston (whose real name is Kisean Anderson) and Turner. Their lawyers also requested that the case be tried by a jury and asked for all evidence that the State plans to use in the trial, as reported by People.

Their earlier bond of $90,000 has not been waivered, as reported by AP. One of Kingstons attorneys, Robert Rosenblatt said, Once the true facts come out we are confident of vindication.

The US attorneys office alleged that Kingston and Turner unjustly enriched themselves by falsely representing that they had executed bank wire or other monetary payment transfers" as payment for good. However, the fact is, that no such bank wire or other monetary payment transfers had been executed by the purported banks."

The mother-son duo are looking at a prison sentence of 20 years on each count.

Also Read: Madeline Soto murder: Florida teen's cause of death revealed months after being killed by mom's boyfriend

What are the charges against Kingston and Turner?

The arrest warrants released by the Broward County Sheriffs office alleged that Kingston and Turner stole jewellery worth approximately $500,000, an Escalade deal worth $160,000 and $86,000 from a customised bed maker among others. The US attorneys office said, Through the execution of this scheme, the defendants obtained in excess of $1 million in property.
Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, two NASA astronauts, arrived at the International Space Station on 5 June on Boeing's Starliner spaceship. They are expected to stay there until February 2025, when SpaceX is scheduled to bring them back to Earth. Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, two NASA astronauts, arrived at the International Space Station on 5 June on Boeing's Starliner spaceship. They are expected to stay there until February 2025, when SpaceX is scheduled to bring them back to Earth.(HT/File Photo)

They both were scheduled to return to Earth in the same spacecraft in 8-10 days. However, their arrival was delayed and they remained stuck at the International Space Station (ISS) following helium leaks and thruster issues.

NASA administrator Bill Nelson declared that while Starliner will return without crew, the two will come back to Earth in February aboard a SpaceX capsule.

Nelson informed reporters that space flight is risky even at its safest and even at its most routine.

On being asked about the decision to keep them on the ISS, he said the move to return the Starliner without Williams and Wilmore is the result of our commitment to safety, as our core value is safety.

Also Read: How will Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore survive in space till 2025? Details

This undated handout picture from Nasa released on July 2, 2024 shows NASAs Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts (from top) Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams inside the vestibule between the forward port on the International Space Stations Harmony module and Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. (AFP)

Sunita Williams' husband and mom await safe return of astronaut

While Williams and Wilmore prepare for the long haul, the former's family has opened up about her delay in return to Earth from space.

Her husband, Michael J. Williams, and astronaut mom, Bonnie Pandya, appeared to be less worried about how Sunita is faring while up in space.

That's her happy place, stated Michael in an interview to the Wall Street Journal in August 2024.

Meanwhile, Bonnie Pandya stated she is unbothered if her daughter is taking longer than expected to return to Earth, stating that Wilmore and Williams are both working hard at their jobs at the ISS.

In an interview with NewsNation host Andrew Cuomo on CUOMO, Pandya called her daughter a seasoned astronaut.

I dont give her any advice. She knows what to do. She is a seasoned astronaut. Shes been up for over 400 days in space, the proud mother stated.

Pandya, who spoke to her daughter two days back, stated that Sunita told her not to worry about her, ensuring that everythings going to be fine.
A senior US general accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday of undermining the democratic will of Venezuela's people following July's disputed presidential election, and said it was an example of how democracy was under attack around the world. Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro Maduro and officials from his administration have scoffed at international critiques, citing recent election scandals in the United States and Brazil as evidence of what they say is Western hypocrisy towards Venezuela.

Venezuela's electoral council has proclaimed Maduro, in power since 2013, as the winner of the July 28 election, but has not published complete voting tallies. Venezuela's opposition has published its own tallies showing a landslide win for its candidate.

Some Western countries - nearly all democracies - as well as international bodies such as a United Nations panel of experts have called for Venezuela to release full tallies, with some alleging outright fraud by the socialist leader's ruling party.

The U.S. government has cited overwhelming evidence that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez received the most votes.

Democracy and its fundamental values remain under attack globally and we don't have to look any further than Venezuela, where Nicolas Maduro continues to undermine the democratic will of the Venezuelan people, said Army General Laura Richardson, commander of the U.S. military's Southern Command.

Speaking in Chile's capital, Santiago, at a gathering of military leaders from across Latin America, Richardson directly blamed Maduro for causing the flight of millions of Venezuelans.

She also spoke more broadly about global threats to democratic values, including disinformation campaigns to undermine the fabric of democratic societies.

Maduro and officials from his administration have scoffed at international critiques, citing recent election scandals in the United States and Brazil as evidence of what they say is Western hypocrisy towards Venezuela.

Both the opposition and the ruling party have encouraged their supporters to attend rallies on Wednesday to mark the one-month anniversary of the vote.

Also speaking at the conference in Santiago was Chilean Defense Minister Maya Fernandez, the granddaughter of socialist former President Salvador Allende, who was overthrown in a bloody military coup in the 1970s by General Augusto Pinochet.

That coup marked the start of a series of right-wing, U.S.-friendly dictatorships that governed much of South America well into the 1980s and were characterized by mass arrests, torture and disappearances.

Fernandez didn't cite Venezuela explicitly but spoke of the need for respect for the self-determination and sovereignty of each country. But Chile's leftist administration has taken a strong line on Venezuela, with President Gabriel Boric earlier this month branding Maduro's government as "a dictatorship that falsifies elections."

U.S. Air Force General C.Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also addressed the forum in Santiago, underscoring the need to work to preserve democracy in the region.

This is a group committed to upholding an international system that respects democracy and national sovereignty, Brown said, without specifically citing Venezuela.

Venezuelan representatives did not attend the event.
Two members of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's campaign staff had a "verbal and physical altercation" with an Arlington National Cemetery official during a visit by Trump this week, NPR reported on Tuesday. Donald Trump looks on during a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on August 26, 2024 in Arlington, Virginia. Monday marks three years since the August 26, 2021,(Getty Images via AFP)

Trump on Monday participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery honoring the 13 servicemembers killed during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

Later in Detroit, Trump blamed Vice President Kamala Harris, his Democratic rival for the White House, and President Joe Biden for what he termed a "catastrophic" withdrawal.

Citing an unnamed source, NPR reported that when a cemetery official tried to prevent Trump campaign staffers from filming and photographing in an area where servicemembers are buried, the Trump staff "verbally abused and pushed the official aside."

Trump campaign rejects defamatory claims

Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung disputed the report. There was no physical altercation as described and we are prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made, Cheung said.

The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trump's team during a very solemn ceremony.

Arlington National Cemetery confirmed in a statement that an incident had occurred and that a report was filed.

Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidate's campaign, the cemetery said.

It did not respond to requests for a copy of the report or an explanation of why the Trump campaign was allowed to visit the cemetery as part of his campaign.
Aug 27 - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 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. US CDC reports 21 Oropouche cases among travelers returning from Cuba

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.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
As the countdown to the United States general election begins, the nation is immersed in a whirlwind of political debates, campaign rallies, fundraisers, endorsements, and relentless social media chatter, all aimed at determining the next occupant of the White House. US election process explained as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald to take on Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris in one of the tightest contests ever.(AP)

While former President Donald Trump is confident about reclaiming the White House throne, Vice President Kamala Harris is proving to be a formidable obstacle, making the race more intense than ever. As the political noise reaches a crescendo, heres a breakdown of how the United States will elect its next president.

The Road to the White House: The timeline

The U.S. presidential election process is a complex journey divided into several key phases: primaries and caucuses, national conventions, the general election campaign, and the Electoral College vote.

1. Understanding Primaries and Caucuses: January to June

The journey to the White House began in early 2023, with various candidates announcing their intentions to run for president. Joe Biden emerged as the most prominent Democratic contender, while Donald Trump faced a crowded Republican field, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, and Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

The primaries and caucuses, were then held in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. These events were essential in determining the presidential nominees for the two major political parties: the Democrats and the Republicans.

Trump, who had maintained a strong lead in the polls since 2020, confidently skipped all GOP debates, believing his nomination was secure. Nikki Haley gained some momentum in late 2023, but none of Trumps challengers could match his polling numbers, leading most to eventually withdraw from the race.

During primary elections, registered voters cast ballots for their preferred candidate, while states like Iowa used caucuses, which involve local meetings where party members vote on their preferred candidates.

The results of these primaries and caucuses determined how many delegates each candidate would have at their partys national convention. Delegates are representatives who pledge to support a specific candidate at the convention.

2. National Conventions: July to August

After the primaries and caucuses, the Democratic and Republican parties hold their national conventions, usually in the summer before the general election. These conventions are major political events, featuring speeches, rallies, and the official nomination of each partys candidate for president and vice president.

This year months before the national convention Joe Biden and Donald Trump enjoyed full support and majority to be the candidates, however Biden had to end his race amidst widespread concerns over his age and mental ability to contest. Soon after his disastrous performance during presidential debate against Donald Trump Biden decided to step aside and handover the baton to Kamala Harris.

Within weeks before the national convention Kamala surged unopposed to become the parties presidential candidate with endorsements from Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Clintons and majority Democrat members.

Before the conventions the presidential candidates announced their running mates, Kamala Haris picked Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Donald Trump opted for senator JD Vance.

At the conventions, delegates formally casted their votes for their candidate who then secured a majority of delegates becomes the partys nominee. Traditionally the outcome of the conventions has been largely a formality, as the presumptive nominees typically secure enough delegates during the primaries.

3. The General Election Campaign: September to October

Once the nominees are confirmed, the general election campaign kicks into high gear. This phase involves intense campaigning across the country, with candidates making their case to the American people through rallies, debates, advertisements, and social media. The general election campaign is characterized by several key elements:

Presidential debates, often held between September and October, are crucial moments in the campaign. This year Trump and Kamala have agreed for presidential debate on ABC News on 10 September. Whereas vice presidential candidates Vance and Walz will debate on CBS News on October 1.

Campaigns invest in extensive voter outreach efforts, including grassroots organizing, phone banking, and get-out-the-vote drives, to mobilize their supporters.

4. US Election Day: November 5, 2024

Election Day, held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, is when voters across the country cast their ballots for the presidential candidates. This year it falls on November 5, 2024. However, unlike in many other democracies, the U.S. president is not elected directly by the popular vote. Instead, the Electoral College plays a decisive role.

Understanding The Electoral College: A Unique System

The U.S. Electoral College is a unique and sometimes controversial aspect of the American election process. Each state is allocated a certain number of electors based on its representation in Congressthis includes the number of Senators (always two) and the number of Representatives (which varies by state population). There are 538 electors in total, and a candidate needs a majority of 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.

5. Electoral Vote: Counting in December, 2024

After Election Day, electors meet in their respective states in December to cast their electoral votes. These votes are then sent to Congress, where they are counted in early January. The candidate who receives a majority of the electoral votes is officially declared the next president of the United States.

What Happens if No Candidate Wins a Majority?

In the rare event that no candidate wins a majority of the electoral votes, the election is decided by the House of Representatives. Each state delegation in the House gets one vote, and the candidate who receives a majority of the votes becomes president. The Senate selects the vice president in a similar process.

6. Presidential Inauguration Day: January 20

The final step in the election process is the inauguration, held on January 20th of the year following the election. On this day, the president-elect takes the Oath of Office, administered by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and officially begins their four-year term.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday kept on hold the latest multibillion-dollar plan from the Biden administration that would have lowered payments for millions of borrowers, while lawsuits make their way through lower courts. (FILES) US President Joe Biden speaks at an event marking the 12th anniversary of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) at the White House in Washington, DC, on June 18, 2024. A Texas judge on August 26, 2024 ordered a temporary pause on a policy that would streamline the process for spouses of US citizens to obtain legal status in the country, a blow to one of US President Joe Biden's biggest immigration reform policies. (Photo by Drew ANGERER / AFP)(AFP)

The justices rejected an administration request to put most of it back into effect. It was blocked by 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

In an unsigned order, the court said it expects the appeals court to issue a fuller decision on the plan with appropriate dispatch.

The Education Department is seeking to provide a faster path to loan cancellation, and reduce monthly income-based repayments from 10% to 5% of a borrowers discretionary income. The plan also wouldnt require borrowers to make payments if they earn less than 225% of the federal poverty line  $32,800 a year for a single person.

Last year, the Supreme Courts conservative majority rejected an earlier plan that would have wiped away more than $400 billion in student loan debt.

Cost estimates of the new SAVE plan vary. The Republican-led states challenging the plan peg the cost at $475 billion over 10 years. The administration cites a Congressional Budget Office estimate of $276 billion.

Two separate legal challenges to the SAVE plan have been making their way through federal courts. In June, judges in Kansas and Missouri issued separate rulings that blocked much of the administrations plan. Debt that already had been forgiven under the plan was unaffected.

The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling that allowed the department to proceed with a provision allowing for lower monthly payments. Republican-led states had asked the high court to undo that ruling.

But after the 8th Circuit blocked the entire plan, the states had no need for the Supreme Court to intervene, the justices noted in a separate order issued Wednesday.

The Justice Department had suggested the Supreme Court could take up the legal fight over the new plan now, as it did with the earlier debt forgiveness plan. But the justices declined to do so.
Last week, former president Donald Trump announced that his son, Barron Trump will attend university in New York. Barron ditched his family's 60-year-old Ivy League legacy of attending the University of Pennsylvania when he chose to study in NY. Trump told the Post that his son is all set in a certain school thats very good and they will soon make an official announcement. However, no revelations have come through since this statement while all the schools in the Empire State have begun their freshman orientation programmes. Barron Trump and his security entourage is MIA from orientation programs at all schools in New York. Photographer: Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg(Bloomberg)

Also Read: Donald Trump reveals what he would demand on day 1 if he takes office: I will ask for the resignation of every

No Barron Trump or his very good university in sight

The 18-year-old has remained absent from being spotted at any schools in New York nor were his mother, Melania Trump or his security entourage in sight. According to the US News and World Reports list, Columbia and Cornell share the position of top universities in New York.

The universities rank at #12 overall while New York University is ranked at the number #35. According to the reports by Daily Beast in April, Barrons priority school was NYU in lower Manhattan which is also situated close to the Trump Tower at 3.5 miles.

In June, Trump said that the rioting on campuses due to the Hamas terror attack on Israel that killed 1,200 influenced the teenagers final decision. The former president said on Fox and Friends, Colleges six months ago, you look at a college and you want a certain college, and then you see all of these colleges are rioting. And maybe you want to go to a different kind of a college because theres plenty of colleges that we also like that are different and they dont riot.

There were social media posts about Barron being spotted at Cornell in Ithaca but The Cornelia Daily Sun reported that he does not appear in the student directories of Cornell, Columbia and New York University. Registered first-year students at Cornell are typically listed.

Also Read: Trumps disgraceful thumbs-up and flashing smile at soldiers graves slammed by netizens: I have no words

Trump praises son Barrons academic achievements

While Trump has been secretive about his academic records and threatened any school to do so, he frequently boasted about his sons college prospects and where he would enrol for months. In June, on Fox and Friends Weekend, he said, He's amazing actually in a certain way. Hes a tall, good-looking guy. Hes a very good student, and hes applied to colleges and gets into everywhere he goes. Hes very sought-after from the standpoint hes a very smart guy. Hes a very tall guy and hes a great kid. Hes cool. Hes pretty cool, Ill tell you.

Trump graduated from Wharton in 1968 after transferring from Fordham, which he initially attended but didn't prefer. He had hoped to go to the University of Southern California to study film but was rejected. Despite often highlighting his Wharton degree, he seldom mentions his time at Fordham. His childrens educational paths vary with Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka, and Tiffany graduating from UPenn, while Eric graduated from Georgetown.

Melania attended the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia briefly to study design but dropped out to pursue her modelling career in Europe.
Wade Wilson, known as the Deadpool Killer, was sentenced to death on Tuesday, August 27, for brutally murdering two Florida women for the sake of killing. The 30-year-old tattooed killer, of Fort Myers, appeared stoic as Lee Circuit Judge Nicholas Thompson sentenced him to death. Wade Wilson sentenced to death for atrocious and cruel murders of 2 Florida women (Law&Crime Network screenshot/YouTube)

The evidence shows the murders were heinous, atrocious and cruel. and that the second murder was cold, calculated and premeditated, Circuit Judge Nicholas Thompson told the courtroom, according to New York Post.

Back in June, Wilson was found guilty of killing Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43, during an October night in 2019. The jury had recommended that he should be awarded the death penalty.

Who is Wade Wilson?

Wilson shares a name with the Marvel anti-hero that Ryan Reynolds made famous. On the fateful night, he first strangled Melton in her home after a drug-fueled sexual encounter with her, according to prosecutors. He then stole Meltons car and called his girlfriend, 41-year-old Melissa Montanez, using the victims phone. He later went on to assault her, but she refused to enter the car.

Wilson then came across Ruiz, who was asking for directions in Cape Coral. He invited Ruiz into the car, and strangled her and threw her out of the vehicle. He later returned and ran Ruiz over until she looked like spaghetti, according to testimony from the trial.

This case was about killing for the sake of the killing, Assistant State Attorney Andreas Gardiner previously told the court. Strangulation is the epitome of life slipping through someones hands.

During Wilsons five years in prison, he received thousands of X-rated photos and love letters. This bizarre trend isnt uncommon, as notorious serial killers Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer and Richard Ramirez were among violent people who received such attention while in prison.

In Wilsons case, the judge received several letters urging him to look past Wilsons inked face because, as many believed, he was a different person while on medication. Wilsons attorneys claimed that he suffered brain damage from drug addiction and even had abandonment issues as his biological parents had given him up for adoption.

The killers adoptive parents urged the court not to give him the death penalty. In a letter, the parents stated that the human is still in there. Please see it in your heart not take our son, they wrote.

Additionally, Wilson was found guilty of grand theft, burglary of a dwelling, battery and petit theft.

Melton's cousin, who asked to be identified as Samantha Kelly, reportedly said that the time between the deaths and the sentencing felt like "five years of agony." Ruiz's father, Felix Ruiz, said he would want to be present at Wilson's execution. "I didn't get to say I love her," Felix said, according to The News-Press. "I miss her."
AUSTIN, Texas  A series of raids in Texas on the homes of Latino campaign volunteers has outraged civil rights groups who want federal action after officers seized electronics and documents as part of a state investigation into alleged election fraud. What to know after Texas authorities searched the homes of Latino campaign volunteers

No charges have been filed against those who had their homes searched this month around San Antonio. The targets of the raids, including an 87-year-old campaign volunteer, and their supporters say they did nothing wrong and have called the searches an attempt to suppress Latino voters.

Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose office is leading the investigation, has said little beyond confirming that agents executed search warrants.

Here's what to know: Why were the homes searched?

Paxton has said his office's Election Integrity Unit began looking into the allegations after receiving a referral from a local prosecutor.

He said that the investigation involved allegations of election fraud and vote harvesting and that a two-year probe provided sufficient evidence to obtain a search warrant.

"Secure elections are the cornerstone of our republic, Paxton said in a statement last week. We were glad to assist when the District Attorney referred this case to my office for investigation

Last week agents entered the homes of at least six people associated with the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC one of the nation's oldest civil rights groups. Among them were Cecilia Castellano, a Democratic state House candidate, and Manuel Medina, a San Antonio political consultant. What was taken?

Medina told reporters that agents searched his home for several hours and seized numerous documents, computers and cellphones. Castellano also had her phone taken.

Lidia Martinez, who instructs older residents on how to vote, said nine investigators rummaged through her home for more than two hours and took her smartphone and watch.

Martinez, 87, said officers told her they were there because she filed a complaint that seniors weren't getting their mail ballots. The search warrant ordered officials to confiscate any election-related items.

They sat me down and they started searching all my house, my store room, my garage, kitchen, everything, Martinez said at a news conference Monday.

She also said officers interrogated her about others who are associated with LULAC, including Medina.

Im not doing anything illegal, Martinez said. All I do is help the seniors. What's next?

LULAC has asked the Justice Department to investigate. CEO Juan Proano said Wednesday that the group has been in contact with the department blocking further search warrants and potentially pursuing criminal and civil charges against Paxton's office.

Spokespersons for the Justice Department did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

A Texas district judge has granted Medina a protective order to stop authorities from sifting through his records. A hearing on the matter is set for Sept. 12. Texas' pursuit of alleged election fraud

In recent years the state has tightened voting laws and toughened penalties that Democrats and opponents say are attempts to suppress minority turnout. Republican lawmakers deny that and say the changes are necessary safeguards.

Paxton, whose failed effort to overturn the 2020 election based on false claims of fraud drew scrutiny from the state's bar association, has made prosecuting voter fraud cases a top priority. He campaigned against judges who stripped his office of the power to prosecution election fraud without permission from local district attorneys.

Earlier this year, a state appeals court overturned a woman's voter fraud conviction and five-year prison term for casting a ballot in 2016 while on probation for a felony conviction, which she did not know was illegal.

Lathan 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.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Dhaka: Sarah Rahanuma, a journalist with a private television channel, was found floating in lake in the capital Dhaka early on Wednesday. Sarah Rahanuma was a journalist with a private television channel in Bangladesh. (Supplied photo)

Passers-by spotted Rahanuma, 32, in the lake after midnight and rushed her to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where the doctor on duty declared her dead.

Rahanuma was the newsroom editor of GTV and she was found at Hatirjheel Lake, police officials said.

The cause of her death was not be immediately confirmed by authorities. The hospitals police office in-charge, Mohammad Bachchu Miah, told journalists the body has been kept in the morgue and the matter has been reported to the concerned police station.

Pedestrian Mohammad Sagar first spotted Rahanuma and helped take her to the hospital. He told reporters people had seen a woman floating in the waters of Hatirjheel Lake. The office ID card was found on her and her identity was established from it, Sagar told reporters.
IHG Hotels & Resorts announces a partnership with Roxy-Pacific Holdings Pte Ltd - a real estate and hospitality leader in Asia Pacific - to introduce its Vignette Collection brand to the Maldives.

The conversion deal will see Noku Maldives, Vignette Collection, a 50-key private villa resort on the idyllic island of Kudafunafaru, join IHG's Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio, one of the world's largest, in December 2024 after refurbishment under the Vignette Collection brand - a family of one-of-a-kind properties unique in their identities, yet united by the vision to offer a more authentic way to travel and backed by the reassurance of IHG's trusted reputation and leading loyalty offer.

Noku Maldives, Vignette Collection is a 45-minute seaplane ride from Male International Airport or a 40-minute flight to Maafaru Domestic Airport, followed by a 15-minute speed boat ride to the island.

With a land area of almost 90,000 square metres, it features 30 overwater villas and 20 beachfront villas, most of which have a private pool. With the smallest villa at 175 square metres, the property boasts some of the largest villas in the Maldives - perfect for couples, friends and families to enjoy unforgettable stays.

Facilities include two restaurants and bars, outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre, spa, retail outlet and a diving and watersports centre offering access to a rich diversity of marine life, including grey reef sharks, stingrays and sea turtles.

Hotel website
Ennismore, the fastest-growing lifestyle and leisure hospitality company, and Alfasi Group, a design-driven property developer, are delighted to announce the signing of The Hoxton in Melbourne as part of the Matchworks Precinct located at 560 Church Street, Cremorne. Set to open in 2027, the hotel will bring The Hoxton's imitable style to Australia for the first time, marking a huge milestone for the brand's global growth.

The hotel will feature 198 guestrooms in the classic Hoxton categories, including Cosy, Roomy, and Biggy. Known for its vibrant, open-door lobbies, the hotel will celebrate its locality through art, design, retail and eclectic programming, with interiors taking inspiration from the building's history and creative local community and surroundings. An inviting space for all, not just hotel guests, The Hoxton will have three exciting food and beverage outlets: an all-day dining destination, cafe, bar, and signature restaurant. Other features include The Apartment, the brand's hybrid event spaces centred around a communal pantry, and a gym for those looking to continue their wellness journey in their home away from home.

Located in Melbourne's historic Cremorne suburb, The Hoxton's new neighbourhood is a melting pot for creativity and innovation and is a natural fit for the brand. Dotted with Victorian terraces and repurposed warehouses, it has become one of the most exciting areas in the city and is fast becoming home to some of the city's best restaurants, wine bars and cafes. Ideally positioned on the eastern fringe of Melbourne's CBD, The Hoxton will enjoy excellent connectivity to the wider city with easy access to Melbourne's public transport network, major arterials and bike paths.

The Hoxton is a series of open-house hotels rooted in culture and community, located in key cities across the UK, Europe and North America. Each hotel is a reflection and extension of its neighbourhood, inspired by the diversity and originality of its surrounding streets. Vibrant, welcoming public spaces and exciting dining concepts mean every Hoxton is as much a destination for the local community as it is for guests. Today, The Hoxton operates 16 hotels, including recent openings in Charlottenburg (Berlin), Brussels, a second hotel in Amsterdam, and Vienna. The Hoxton is due to open soon in Edinburgh and Florence, and Ennismore recently announced the brand's first signing in Scandinavia, with The Hoxton Oslo.

This exciting signing adds to Ennismore's growing pipeline of projects in Australia, including Mondrian Hotel and Residences Gold Coast, Hyde Perth and 25hours The Olympia Sydney.

Hotel website
IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG), one of the world's leading hotel companies, proudly announces the return of its InterContinental Hotels & Resorts brand to Serbia after 20 years, in partnership with Delta Holding.

Expected to open by the end of 2026, InterContinental Belgrade will feature 203 rooms, including 28 Premium Rooms, 15 Junior Suites, 2 Superior Suites, 2 Executive Suites and a Presidential Suite with panoramic views of the city, providing luxury stays designed for both leisure and business guests.

The hotel's timeless architecture and unique features will include a breathtaking sky pool, rooftop restaurant and bar, and terrace complete with fine dining. Visitors can also enjoy its spa and wellness centre, ballroom, lobby lounge, cafe, patisserie and meeting spaces.

InterContinental Belgrade will be ideally in the 'Delta District', a new mixed-use development in Belgrade's business and financial centre, offering direct connections from the city's newly renovated Sava Centar, which is the largest convention and exhibition space in the region.

IHG operates three open properties in Serbia, all located in the capital: Hotel Indigo Belgrade, Crowne Plaza Belgrade and Holiday Inn Belgrade, and has an additional two Holiday Inn Express properties in development. InterContinental Belgrade will also join a growing portfolio of nearly 20 open and pipeline properties across the Balkans in Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia and Northern Republic of Macedonia.

*Numbers as at 30 June 2024
Songtsam Hotels Resorts & Tours, an award-winning luxury boutique hotel collection located in the Tibet and Yunnan Provinces of China, is opening its 18th property, Songtsam Lodge Yading. Located in Yading Village in China's Sichuan Province, this 40-room property is surrounded by picturesque mountains, specifically the Three Sacred Mountains of Daocheng, known for representing wisdom, compassion, and courage among locals.

Songtsam Lodge Yading purposefully faces southeast, the direction of the rising sun, providing each room with a breathtaking view of the region's snow-capped mountain range as well as of the "golden sunrise" every evening. The resort is also made up of three separate houses, appropriately named Yangmaiyong, Xia'nodorjee and Xiannairi, after the Three Sacred Mountains.

Led by the founder of Songtsam, Mr. Baima Duoji, and Songtsam's in-house engineering team, each house was purposefully designed to look and feel as traditional "Black Zang Houses," where each is made of natural stone and adorned with by wooden black doors and windows. This design style, and choice of materials and colors reflects Khamba tradition, typically found in Eastern Tibet.

The interior decor of the hotel echoes its natural landscape and commemorates the local culture and history of the region through what past explorers have experienced before. For instance, in 1928, American explorer Joseph Rock crossed through Yading twice and made the village known to the world. Inspired by this, British writer James Hilton wrote Lost Horizon. Through the design's color combinations of white, red, green, and blue, as well as the selection of cortical and metallic materials, Lodge Yading depicts the integration of Chinese and foreign cultures from Locke's perspective, while gently echoing its local nomadic culture.

For those looking to explore and properly immerse themselves in Yading Village's culture during their stay will have access to the resort's experienced travel guides that will take guests to must-see places in the region while providing key insight on its culture. Guests can expect to hike along the Three Sacred Mountains of Yading while learning about the region and its history by hearing local tales and by seeing what explorers such as Joseph Rock once saw years ago. Additionally, within each of Songtsam Lodge Yading's three houses lives a local Sichuan family, providing guests the opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of Yading Village and the Songtsam staff an authentic perspective that's invaluable when welcoming visitors from around the world.

Songtsam Lodge Yading offers authentic culinary experiences through its onsite dining options that include a Hot Pot restaurant as well as Horizon, a restaurantspecializing in rustic Tibetan cuisine using quality local ingredients abundant in the area such as tsampa (Tibetan and Himalayan staple meal made of roasted flour), yogurt, locally made hot pot broth, and yak meat. The resort will soon open Lock Theme Cafe and Songtsam Kitchen, where guests can enjoy local specialties and fast-food snack options while on property.

Guests will also have access to Songtsam SPA, a Himalayan spa brand under Songtsam Resorts where guests can indulge in wellness experiences only offered in the region. Based on unique geographical conditions and the core of Tibetan spiritual culture, Songtsam's SPA culture integrates healing elements from Tibet, India, Nepal and other Asian countries to offer guests the opportunity to embark on a journey of physical and mental exploration.

In addition to the property, Songtsam Resorts is also set to open culture centers near the resort in the coming months, which will include the Shambhala Culture Museum, Yading Gallery, and Intangible Heritage Experience Center; each showcasing how Yading came to be, its culture, and artistic heritage. When all three have completed construction, a long scroll depicting Shambhala culture will be jointly presented by Songtsam Lodge Yading and its "neighbors".

About Yading: Three Sacred Mountains

In Tibetan, Yading means "the place facing the sun". The world-famous Three Sacred Mountains of Daocheng sit nearby and are the embodiment of wisdom, compassion and courage. According to legend, the merit of circling around the sacred mountain once is equivalent to chanting the Mantra 100 million times. On your journey to the sacred mountain, don't miss Chonggu Temple, which faces the sacred mountain and backs onto the canyon, quietly guarding the secrets of Shambhala. Near Chonggu Temple, the River Zhuomalatso, known as the "Pearl Sea," reflects the image of Xian Nairi. The tranquil snow-capped mountains, open meadows, winding River Gongga and wooden houses among green grass are the epitome of idyllic pastoral beauty. For an adventurous hike, visit the Milk Sea Luorongtso and the Sea of Five Colors Nakatsomu, both above 4,500 meters.

Hotel website
Raffles Doha and Fairmont Doha have announced the appointment of Mirah Marhaendra as their new cluster director of marketing communications and digital strategy.

She is tasked with enhancing the brand presence of both Raffles Doha and Fairmont Doha, developing strategic partnerships, and driving digital innovation.

Marhaendra's expertise includes an in-depth knowledge of food and beverages, as well as hotel marketing and communications. Before arriving in Doha, Marhaendra spent five years at Raffles Jakarta. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto and has a certificate in leadership from Cornell University.

Marhaendra said she was excited to have joined both the Raffles Doha and Fairmont Doha families.As director of marketing and communications at Raffles Jakarta, Marhaendra launched successful initiatives that garnered accolades and enhanced digital engagement with her social media and F&B focus creative campaigns. She led the activations for LVMH Champagne, Veuve Clicquot and Moet Chandon. In 2022, Mahaendra received an Accor Global Bernaches Award for her outstanding contributions which embody the company's spirit and values.
Ottawa, Ontario - The Emily Morgan San Antonio  a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel is gearing up to host hoteliers attending The Hospitality Show in October. Located just three blocks from the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center, the historic hotel is preparing to install Navigator 2.0 in-room tablets from Hotel Communication Network (HCN) to give guests mobile access to services and amenities and provide local area and event information.

Recognized by the Historic Hotels of America, our AAA four-diamond hotel is the second most photographed building in San Antonio. As the Official Hotel of the Alamo, we are a great choice for history buffs and leisure travelers wanting to sightsee along the San Antonio River Walk, and for business travelers needing to be close to the Convention Center. While history is a big part of our story, we still rely on modern technology to deliver a memorable and engaging experience that keeps guests coming back. Thats why we chose HCNs Navigator 2.0 tablets. These mobile devices are not only convenient and comfortable for customers to use, but they will help our operations teams connect interdepartmentally and improve guest-request response times. Once installed, Navigator 2.0 will become our digital directory, a 24 hour room service menu and ordering platform, and the place where guests can request late check out, activate do-not-disturb alerts, opt out of daily room cleaning, and much more. General Manager Kole Siefken

All-In-One Digital Device

The cloud-based Navigator 2.0 platform features real-time language translation to make two-way communication effortless. Its a modern approach to guest engagement and revenue enhancement, giving operators the ability to update and self-manage content as often as needed throughout the day. With a Netflix-inspired user interface, the look of the content is compelling and draws people in to click around, discover on-premises services and amenities, and spend more money on site. Tablets sit on a Bluetooth pairable speaker base featuring high-quality sound, USB A&C charging points, and stunning HD graphics. The speaker base can also serve as a voice assistant, enabling guests to request services and amenities, and report problems by voice command.

The design of the Navigator 2.0 is fantastic, Siefken said. It will look great in our rooms, and it integrates with our hotels property-management system. We plan to start small with tablet programming, keeping functionality at a minimum, but we plan to add more features over time.

Personalized Welcome Video

One such tablet feature of future interest to the Emily Morgan Hotel  a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel is HCNs Welcome Messaging. Via pre-recorded video, the General Manager or an AI Avatar can personally welcome each guest to the hotel and upsell property services and amenities. With the Avatar, the GM can change the welcome message at any time and even target the message to welcome specific groups with an exciting, personalized message that will differentiate the arrival process and set them above properties that don't have this technology. Its a digital option to the traditional welcome letter that pops up on screen the moment a guest touches the tablet for the first time. Based on historical data, when guests see the welcome message, 85%+ will pick up the tablet and use it to search for hotel information.

All Navigator 2.0 tablets can immediately replace in-room electronics, including inconvenient and time-consuming TV applications, costly voice solutions, outdated alarm clocks, and rarely used bedside phones. They can also be used to eliminate room clutter from printed compendiums and QR code table tents and inconveniently placed and easily damaged stickers promoting marketing messages and digital tipping.

We look forward to bringing the Emily Morgan Hotel  a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel online soon and demonstrate to management and staff just how easy it is to communicate effectively and drive ancillary revenues. Neil Schubert, HCN Chief Product Officer

About The Hotel Communication Network (HCN)

Founded in 2008, with headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, The Hotel Communication Network has built on years of research and development to provide an innovative high-value guest amenity that keeps each guest connected to their hotel, city and each other. For more information, visit www.hcn-inc.com.

Barbara Worcester
The perks of gig work in the online food delivery sector are clear  pick up work whenever suits you, go at your own pace and never lack opportunities. Yet there is a darker side to online catering platforms, which stand accused of exploiting workers  a charge that has been amplified since the COVID-19 pandemic. As argued by Dr Pearl Lin and Mr Wilson Au of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and co-authors, simply raising a red flag is not enough. Hence, Chinas government resolved in 2021 to protect workers through regulating the marketplace and ensuring labour welfare. Their study investigated the impacts of this all-too-recent system, and their rich insights will help online catering platforms strike a balance between cost-effectiveness and respect for gig workers and human rights in the post-pandemic era.

The pandemic dealt a devastating blow to the hospitality and tourism industry, with hotel rooms vacant and restaurants deserted. Of course, those would-be guests were instead hunkering down at home, replacing the dining experience with a take-away meal delivered direct to their door. Deliveroo, an online catering platform in Hong Kong, reported that the companys sales and orders doubled in the first quarter of 2020, report the authors. Where other services in the industry fell by the wayside, online catering platforms thrived.

As one of the rare winners during the COVID-19 pandemic, the online catering platform sector has since experienced a steady boom in restaurant partners and demand. In 2020, the Chinese food delivery sector contributed to more than one third of global revenue. Accordingly, the number of individuals employed by online catering platforms  gig workers  has also increased exponentially. In 2020, it was reported that there was a 150% rise in gig workers in the USA, and the story is similar in China. Myriad workers in China are engaged in on-demand work, and this proportion is rising, say the researchers.

Hiring on-demand gig workers, such as food delivery drivers, is cheap and convenient for online catering platforms. By capitalising on work flexibility, human resource allocation can be optimised and more money made. The pandemic acted as a catalyst for this labour structure shift, with more gig workers than ever in hospitality. It is therefore no surprise that, as the authors write, more than 32% of organisations plan to replace their full-time employees with contingent workers as a cost-saving measure. However, cost-effectiveness should not take precedent when human resources and well-being are in the mix. Those gig workers also desperately need to be protected from exploitation.

From the employee perspective, getting a gig is easy in todays world, where ordering meals online is a matter of habit. However, their working conditions are far from ideal. Gig workers have irregular schedules based on customer demand, often need to self-supply work materials such as vehicles and mobile phones, and receive salaries at a piece rate. These workers find themselves in high-stress settings facing heavy workloads, long hours, low job security and limited socialisation, state the researchers. Clearly, there has been a stark lack of attention to gig workers welfare.

Whilst online catering platforms have enjoyed a booming market share and revenue, no such advantages have been felt by the unsung gig workers themselves. To add insult to injury, unethical practices have become the norm, such as the collection of big data to calculate performance indices. This might indeed stimulate performance and increase efficiency in the short term, but it could also lead to immense feelings of powerlessness and pressure among gig workers. These stringent standards violate the principles of humanity, write the researchers. This is certainly not a good look for the brand value and social image of online catering platforms.

Online catering platforms costprofit nature leaves gig workers welfare concerns untouched until government interventions, explain the researchers. Thus, in 2021, seven Chinese governmental departments issued a governance system named Guides on Implementing the Responsibilities of Online Catering Platforms for Effectively Protecting the Rights and Interests of Food Delivery Personnel (the Guides). The Guides institutional governance protects gig workers labour welfare and well-being in seven major areas: guaranteeing labour income, ensuring labour safety, maintaining food safety, improving social security, optimising the work environment, strengthening organisational construction and providing conflict resolution mechanisms. However, the real-life implications of the Guides have yet to be determined.

In an ambitious study, the researchers aimed to clarify how the Guides impact both online catering platforms and gig workers. To achieve truly in-depth insights, a mixed-methods qualitative design was employed. This involved two major steps: first, a series of focus groups, and second, the Delphi technique survey-based framework. The focus groups were crafted to foster dynamic discussions and hear various perspectives on the impact of the Guides. The participants comprised panels from five universities and five institutions related to Chinas food delivery sector. All were familiar with the Guides. The Delphi technique involved three rounds of questionnaires with four scholars and four food delivery practitioners, which enabled the researchers to identify consensus on the items.

The scholars identified the direct, indirect and derived impacts of the Guides. Regarding direct effects, the Guides ensure that online catering platforms offer remuneration that meets the local minimum payment threshold. Furthermore, the Guides stipulate that the onus is on online catering platforms and third-party agents to cover gig workers social security insurance. The Guides, which online catering platforms should implement, protect on-demand workers legal status and boost gig workers motivation to continue participating in the sharing economy, say the authors.

The panellists also reached a consensus on the indirect impacts of the Guides. For instance, the Guides forbid the use of algorithmic rating indices that calculate performance scores based on delivery numbers, time limits, punctuality rate and 5-star reviews. Online catering platforms are also obligated to improve the order-scheduling mechanism, optimise delivery routes, and put reasonable limits on the amount of labour. In other words, say the researchers, online catering platforms technological advantages have taken a backseat in favour of more humane labour.

Finally, the main derived impacts of the Guides were determined. As a key point, the Guides promote online catering labour unions. Such unions seek to negotiate labour rights and interests and improve job security for gig workers, which could work to increase gig workers bargaining power. By cultivating more productive relationships with co-workers, supervisors and family, such labour unions are also likely to enhance gig workers well-being  something that has long been overlooked. Whilst this may compromise online catering platforms focus on profit and bring adverse short-term consequences, the demand for food delivery remains high enough to support online catering platforms long-term survival, the authors point out.

The researchers findings shed light on what institutional governance can offer gig workers and how online catering platforms can strike a healthy balance between cost-effectiveness and upholding workers rights and interests. The future labour structure must attend to gig workers welfare and implement mutually beneficial measures in the sharing ecosystem, conclude the authors. Undeniably, the Guides short-term impact on online catering platforms operating costs will probably affect the industrys cost advantages, but long-term advantages can only be achieved by creating fair labour conditions for gig workers. In particular, it is vital to avoid turning gig workers into what the researchers describe as extrinsically motivated machines, lacking any inherent sense of purpose in their work.

With this in mind, there is a clear need for governance that can balance business competitiveness with gig workers welfare.

Lin, Pearl M.C., Peng, Kang-Lin, Au, Wai Ching Wilson, and Baum, Tom (2023). Labor Market Transformation in the Hospitality Gig Economy in a Post Pandemic Era: Impacts of Institutional Governance. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 35, Issue 4, 1490-1510.
Accor, Australias largest hotel operator, has signed partnership renewal agreements for more than 40 hotels, comprising 5,500 keys, across Australia, underscoring the Groups strong partnerships with some of the countrys most influential hotel owners.

Accor Pacific partners have also invested more than $450 million in hotel renovations and refurbishments since the beginning of 2022.

This significant investment is a direct commitment to our brands. It is a clear and strong affirmation of our partners confidence and trust in the quality and value of our brands. Accor Pacific Chief Operating Officer PM&E, Adrian Williams

Marking its 40th renewal, Accor recently solidified its partnership with Silversea Investments through a long-term franchise agreement that will see significant investment to refurbish Novotel Sydney Parramatta and Mercure Sydney Parramatta, which will be rebranded to Novotel Sydney Rosehill upon completion of the renovation. Now managed by Trilogy Hotels, the importance of these hotels will grow even further as Parramattas massive infrastructure development continues and the new Western Sydney Airport launches in 2026.

The Sunshine Coasts premier five-star hotel, Sofitel Noosa Pacific Resort, also recently extended their partnership with Accor for this flagship Sofitel. The resort will soon announce its renovation plans to enhance further its luxury positioning on Noosas prestigious Hasting Street.

Accor Pacific Chief Operating Officer PM&E, Adrian Williams, said Accors network of more than 350 hotels in Australia had been built on the strength of the Groups well-established relationships with international and local hotel owners.

Accor has been operating in Australia for over 30 years now, and a feature of our outstanding relationships with owners is our commitment to ensure their hotels remain at the forefront of the market through elevated guest services, facilities and satisfaction. We are privileged to have many long-term owner relationships, and our team is continually working with their hotels to ensure they deliver above-market performance. While owners may initially be attracted to Accor because of the strength of our global brands, loyalty and distribution channels, the level of local on-the-ground support has been an equally powerful incentive for owners to renew partnership agreements with us.

We recently invested in providing even more operational support for our hotels, growing the number of operational leaders based in key cities across the Pacific region so that decisions can be made more quickly and resources allocated to where they are most needed.

Weve developed the largest hotel management platform in the Pacific with more than 300 above property team members to help support and drive performance for over 200 managed hotels. We are the only operator to have dedicated operational teams with heads of operations based in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Launceston, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Cairns, Auckland and Fiji.

Separate to our managed network, we have developed the largest dedicated hotel franchise platform, with the largest franchise support team in the market, allowing us to work with franchise owners or third-party operators in a way that suits their business and investment strategies. We have over 30 years of franchising experience, and that really counts for owners operating in such a highly competitive market. Accor Pacific Chief Development Officer, Lindsay Leeser

From luxury to economy, Accor operates 19 international brands and 400+ hotels across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and French Polynesia, such as Sofitel, MGallery, Art Series, Pullman, Swissotel, Movenpick, Grand Mercure, Peppers, The Sebel, Mantra, Handwritten Collection, Novotel, TRIBE, Mercure, BreakFree, ibis, ibis Styles and ibis budget, as well as Ennismores SO/. Visit ALL.com

About Accor, a world-leading hospitality group

Accor is a world leading hospitality group offering experiences across more than 110 countries in 5,700 properties, 10,000 food & beverage venues, wellness facilities or flexible workspaces. The Group has one of the industry's most diverse hospitality ecosystems, encompassing more than 45 hotel brands from luxury to economy, as well as Lifestyle with Ennismore. Accor is committed to taking positive action in terms of business ethics & integrity, responsible tourism, sustainable development, community outreach, and diversity & inclusion. Founded in 1967, Accor SA is headquartered in France and publicly listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and on the OTC Market (Ticker: ACCYY) in the United States. For more information visit group.accor.com or follow us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok.

Naomi Hammond

Communications Manager - Pacific

+61(0) 434 738 380

Accor
As 2024 progresses, the Food & Beverage (F&B) sector in Asia shows signs of steady recovery, offering a glimpse of strategic opportunities for investors and hotel operators. A detailed comparison of profit margins from 2019, 2023, and 2024 year-to-date (YTD) reveals critical trends in key markets across the region.

 Source: HotStats Limited

Marginal Gains Signal Stability in Australia. The countrys F&B profit margins have edged up from 8.4% in 2023 to 8.5% in 2024, reflecting a stable market. While the margin increase is slight, consistency suggests that the sector is on firm footing. Investors may see this as a signal of reliability in a market that has weathered the post-pandemic storm well.

Challenges persist in Hong Kong and Japan. The two countries in contrast to Australia, present a less optimistic picture. Both markets have seen their profit margins stagnate or decline compared to pre-pandemic levels. Hong Kong's F&B margin remains flat at 23%, while Japans margin slightly increased to 24%, yet both are far below their 2019 levels. This suggests that recovery in these regions may be slower, requiring cautious optimism and perhaps a more long-term investment approach.

Vietnam and Thailand continue to be bright spots in the region. Both countries show strong and stable profit margins, with Vietnam at 38.2% and Thailand at 32.3% in 2024. These figures are consistent with or even exceed their 2019 levels, signaling recovery and growth. For hotel operators and investors, these markets represent significant opportunities for expansion and investment.

Singapore and Indonesia have demonstrated gradual but steady improvements in their F&B profit margins. Singapores margin rose from 26.6% in 2023 to 27.5% in 2024, while Indonesias margin increased to 38.5% in 2024. These trends suggest that both markets are on a positive trajectory, making them attractive for those looking to capitalize on growth potential in Southeast Asia.

The Philippines and the Maldives show signs of stability, with F&B profit margins holding steady. The Philippines saw a slight increase to 37.7%, while the Maldives experienced a modest rise to 40.3% in 2024. This stability is a positive indicator for these markets, suggesting that they have navigated the recovery phase effectively and are now positioned for future growth.

The overall picture of F&B profit margins in Asia highlights a region in recovery, with varying degrees of progress across different markets. Focusing on these markets with strong recovery signals could yield substantial returns even while maintaining a cautious approach in regions requiring more time to stabilize. This strategy positions stakeholders to capitalize on the ongoing recovery and future growth in Asia's dynamic hospitality industry. As the F&B sector continues to rebound, strategic investments in the markets that show strong recovery signals could yield substantial returns while remaining cautiously optimistic about other markets which may require more time to stabilize, positioning stakeholders to benefit from the ongoing recovery and future growth in Asia's hospitality industry.

About HotStats

HotStats is a global data benchmarking company offering specialized performance analysis and a benchmarking tool that helps analyze financial and operational data from a diverse range of hotels globally. This provides hotel owners, operators, and investors with valuable insights into the financial performance of their properties against their competition  an invaluable resource for weighing options and evaluating investment opportunities. For a quick demo, email us at [email protected] or visit www.hotstats.com.

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In todays fast-paced digital world, social media has become an indispensable tool for hotels to connect with guests, build their brand, and drive bookings. With the increasing focus on paid social media advertising, many hoteliers might wonder if organic social media still holds value, especially when marketing budgets are tight. At Lodging Interactive, we firmly believe that organic social media posting remains a powerful and effective strategy for hotels, regardless of your budget for paid posts. Heres why.

Building Authentic Connections

One of the most significant advantages of organic social media is its ability to foster genuine, authentic connections with your audience. While paid ads can target specific demographics, theyre usually sales-related and often lack the personal touch that organic posts offer. When your hotel shares content organically, its not just about selling roomsits about telling your story, showcasing your unique character, and engaging with your community in a meaningful way.

For instance, posting photos of a beautiful sunrise from your hotels rooftop, sharing a guests glowing review, highlighting a local event your hotel is involved in, or even featuring a picture of your airport shuttle bus driver can resonate deeply with your audience. These posts create a sense of authenticity that paid ads often struggle to replicate. Over time, this builds trust and loyalty among your followers, which can translate into direct bookings and repeat visits.

The Viral Potential of Organic Posts

One of the most compelling reasons to invest in organic social media for your hotel is the potential for your content to go viralwithout spending a dime. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram, both owned by Meta, offer anyone the opportunity to post content for free. If that content resonates well with your guests and potential guests, it can organically reach a much broader audience, exponentially increasing your visibility and engagement.

Viral content often stems from posts that evoke strong emotions, whether theyre awe-inspiring photos of your property, heartwarming guest stories, or even humorous moments captured at your hotel. When guests feel a connection to your content, they are more likely to share it with their own networks. This ripple effect can quickly extend your reach far beyond your immediate followers, introducing your hotel to a new audience who might not have encountered your brand otherwise.

Creating Viral-Worthy Content

Creating content with viral potential doesnt necessarily require a large budget or professional equipment. Whats most important is creativity, relevance, and a deep understanding of what resonates with your audience. Here are a few strategies to increase the chances of your organic posts going viral:

Showcase Unique Experiences: Highlight what makes your hotel special. Whether its an unusual architectural feature, a signature dish from your restaurant, or an exclusive event, these unique aspects can capture the attention of both your current followers and new audiences.

Highlight what makes your hotel special. Whether its an unusual architectural feature, a signature dish from your restaurant, or an exclusive event, these unique aspects can capture the attention of both your current followers and new audiences. Leverage User-Generated Content: Encourage guests to share their experiences at your hotel by tagging your property in their posts. Reposting this user-generated content not only builds a sense of community but also shows potential guests authentic experiences that could inspire them to visit.

Encourage guests to share their experiences at your hotel by tagging your property in their posts. Reposting this user-generated content not only builds a sense of community but also shows potential guests authentic experiences that could inspire them to visit. Use Engaging Formats: Experiment with different content formats such as videos, reels, stories, or even interactive polls. Videos, in particular, have a higher likelihood of being shared, especially if they tell a compelling story or showcase something visually stunning.

Experiment with different content formats such as videos, reels, stories, or even interactive polls. Videos, in particular, have a higher likelihood of being shared, especially if they tell a compelling story or showcase something visually stunning. Tap into Trends: Stay current with social media trends and challenges that are relevant to your brand. Participating in popular trends or using trending hashtags can increase the visibility of your posts, making it easier for them to go viral.

Stay current with social media trends and challenges that are relevant to your brand. Participating in popular trends or using trending hashtags can increase the visibility of your posts, making it easier for them to go viral. Encourage Sharing: Sometimes, the simplest way to boost the viral potential of your content is to ask your followers to share it. Phrasing your captions in a way that encourages sharing, such as Tag a friend who needs a getaway! or Share this post if you love [local attraction]! can prompt more interaction.

Amplifying Your Reach Through Engagement

Organic social media is not just about broadcasting your messageits about starting conversations. When guests comment on your posts, share their experiences, or tag your hotel in their content, theyre amplifying your reach beyond your immediate followers. This user-generated content (UGC) is incredibly valuable as it acts as a form of social proof, showcasing real guest experiences and encouraging others to book with you.

Encouraging your guests to share their experiences and interact with your content can significantly expand your hotels visibility. Every like, comment, and share increases your organic reach, bringing your hotel into the feeds of potential guests who might not have discovered you through paid ads alone.

Cost-Effective Marketing

For hotels with limited marketing budgets, organic social media offers an invaluable opportunity to promote your property without additional costs. While paid social media campaigns can be effective, they require a financial investment that not all hotels are prepared to make regularly. Organic posts, on the other hand, allow you to maintain a consistent online presence without dipping into your budget.

Consistency is key in organic social media marketing. Regularly posting high-quality content that aligns with your brands voice and values can keep your hotel top-of-mind for your followers. Whether its daily updates, weekly highlights, or monthly features, maintaining a consistent posting schedule ensures that your audience stays engaged with your brand, even if youre not running paid campaigns.

Leveraging Local and Niche Audiences

Organic social media is particularly effective for reaching local and niche audiencesthose who might be overlooked by broader, paid campaigns. By focusing on content that resonates with your local community or specific guest segments, your hotel can build a loyal following that values the unique experiences you offer.

For example, if your hotel is located in a region known for its outdoor activities, you can organically post content that highlights nearby hiking trails, local wildlife, or seasonal events. This type of targeted content appeals directly to travelers interested in those experiences, making them more likely to book a stay at your hotel when planning their visit.

Enhancing Your Hotels Brand Identity

Your hotels social media presence is an extension of your brand identity. Through organic posts, you can shape and refine how your hotel is perceived by the public. Are you a luxury property known for exceptional service? A boutique hotel with a quirky, artistic vibe? A family-friendly resort with tons of activities? Whatever your unique selling proposition, organic social media allows you to consistently convey your brands personality and values.

By sharing content that reflects your brands identitywhether its featuring a behind-the-scenes look at your staff, showcasing your sustainable practices, or highlighting your culinary offeringsyoure reinforcing your hotels unique position in the market. This not only attracts guests who align with your brand but also strengthens your overall brand presence in the competitive hospitality industry.

Adapting to Changing Algorithms

Social media algorithms are constantly evolving, often prioritizing content that generates genuine engagement over paid promotions. This means that even with a modest budget for paid ads, your posts might not reach as wide of an audience if theyre not resonating with users. Organic social media encourages hotels to focus on creating content that truly engages their audience, which is increasingly important as platforms like Instagram and Facebook continue to prioritize meaningful interactions.

By staying attuned to what your audience responds towhether its interactive polls, video content, or engaging storiesyou can adapt your organic strategy to maximize your reach and engagement. This adaptability is crucial in maintaining a strong social media presence, regardless of how much youre spending on ads.

Complementing Paid Strategies

While organic social media stands strong on its own, it also complements paid strategies in powerful ways. When used together, organic and paid social media can create a robust online presence that drives both immediate and long-term results. For example, organic posts can build brand awareness and engage your audience, while paid ads can target specific demographics to drive bookings during peak seasons or promote special offers.

Moreover, organic content can serve as a testing ground for paid campaigns. By analyzing which organic posts perform well, you can refine your paid strategies to focus on content that resonates most with your audience, ensuring that your advertising dollars are spent more effectively.

The Free Reach of Viral Content

The beauty of viral content is that it doesnt require a paid boost to reach thousands or even millions of people. When a post starts gaining traction through shares, comments, and likes, Metas algorithms take notice. These algorithms are designed to prioritize content that generates high engagement, which means your viral post could be shown to a much wider audienceeven to users who dont follow your hotels account.

This kind of free reach is invaluable, particularly for hotels looking to maximize their marketing efforts without increasing their budget. A single viral post can lead to a significant uptick in followers, website visits, and ultimately, bookings. The key is to consistently produce content that not only showcases your hotels offerings but also resonates emotionally with your audience.

The Enduring Value of Organic Social Media

Organic social media remains a vital component of any hotels marketing strategy. It offers a cost-effective way to build authentic connections, amplify your reach, and enhance your brand identityall while complementing your paid efforts. At Lodging Interactive, we believe that no matter the size of your budget, investing time and creativity into your organic social media presence can yield significant returns. The potential for organic posts to go viral and reach a vast audience for free underscores the enduring power of organic social media. So, whether youre just starting out or looking to refine your social media strategy, remember that organic posts still matterand they always will.

About Lodging Interactive

Since its founding in 2001, Lodging Interactive has provided digital marketing services to hotels worldwide, including select service, full-service, and luxury properties.

The Company's social media marketing and guest reviews response division, CoMMingle:Engage, serves a range of hospitality businesses, including hotels, restaurants, spas, and management companies.

Additionally, the Company provides subscription-based website development and digital marketing services. The subscription-based service is based on a 'pay-as-you-go' model and requires little upfront investment on the part of the hotel.

The Company continues to innovate by introducing supportive services that enhance its primary business lines. Recently, it launched Commingle360 and Social Media Amplified, custom landing page services aimed at driving direct bookings through social media content posts.

Lodging Interactive has received numerous awards, including the HSMAI Adrian Award and accolades from the International Academy of Visual Arts, Interactive Media Awards, Horizon Interactive Awards, Web Marketing Association, Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts, and Travel Weekly's Magellan Awards.

For more information, email [email protected], call 877-291-4411 ext. 704, or visit the company's website.

DJ Vallauri

President & Founder

+1 877 291 4411

Lodging Interactive

View source
The Hoxton in Melbourne - Image Credit Ennismore

Ennismore and Alfasi Group announced the signing of The Hoxton in Melbourne as part of the Matchworks Precinct located at 560 Church Street, Cremorne. Set to open in 2027, the hotel will bring The Hoxton's imitable style to Australia for the first time, marking a huge milestone for the brand's global growth.

The hotel will feature 198 guestrooms in the classic Hoxton categories, including Cosy, Roomy, and Biggy. Known for its vibrant, open-door lobbies, the hotel will celebrate its locality through art, design, retail and eclectic programming, with interiors taking inspiration from the building's history and creative local community and surroundings. An inviting space for all, not just hotel guests, The Hoxton will have three exciting food and beverage outlets: an all-day dining destination, cafe, bar, and signature restaurant. Other features include The Apartment, the brand's hybrid event spaces centred around a communal pantry, and a gym for those looking to continue their wellness journey in their home away from home.

Located in Melbourne's historic Cremorne suburb, The Hoxton's new neighbourhood is a melting pot for creativity and innovation and is a natural fit for the brand. Dotted with Victorian terraces and repurposed warehouses, it has become one of the most exciting areas in the city and is fast becoming home to some of the city's best restaurants, wine bars and cafes. Ideally positioned on the eastern fringe of Melbourne's CBD, The Hoxton will enjoy excellent connectivity to the wider city with easy access to Melbourne's public transport network, major arterials and bike paths.

Sharan Pasricha, Founder & Co-CEO of Ennismore, said, "We are delighted to bring The Hoxton to Australia for the first time. As free-spirited as it is sophisticated, Melbourne has been in our sights for a long time for The Hoxton, and Cremorne is a perfect fit for the brand. Our guests and brand followers have long been asking for a Hoxton in Australia, and we're thrilled to finally make it happen in a brilliant building steeped in history and started life as a matchstick factory. We look forward to making our guests feel at home while discovering the very best of our new neighbourhood."

Gill Dvir, Managing Director of Alfasi Group, said: "Alfasi Group is thrilled to partner with Ennismore as the hotel operator at 560 Church Street, Cremorne. We are committed to preserving the rich history of this site while adapting its historically significant buildings for retail and hospitality uses that the community can enjoy. With its strong focus on community and neighbourhood, The Hoxton perfectly aligns with our vision for this world-class precinct."

The Hoxton is a series of open-house hotels rooted in culture and community, located in key cities across the UK, Europe and North America. Each hotel is a reflection and extension of its neighbourhood, inspired by the diversity and originality of its surrounding streets. Vibrant, welcoming public spaces and exciting dining concepts mean every Hoxton is as much a destination for the local community as it is for guests. Today, The Hoxton operates 16 hotels, including recent openings in Charlottenburg (Berlin), Brussels, a second hotel in Amsterdam, and Vienna. The Hoxton is due to open soon in Edinburgh and Florence, and Ennismore recently announced the brand's first signing in Scandinavia, with The Hoxton Oslo.

This signing adds to Ennismore's growing pipeline of projects in Australia, including Mondrian Hotel and Residences Gold Coast, Hyde Perth and 25hours The Olympia Sydney.
Superintendent Barbara Malkas tells a group touring Brayton School last week that the third-floor atrium gets so hot it throws of the heating system in the adjacent classrooms. Classrooms on the first floor are below grade and have smaller or no windows and issues with moisture, mildew and mold. Stained ceiling tiles in the cafeteria. New tiles were installed throughout the school including entire classrooms. PreviousNext

School Officials Review Brayton Issues in School Project Info Session



The city is proposing a $65 million new Greylock School to replace Brayton and the current Greylock schools. NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  The halls of Brayton Elementary School are ready for students  the tile floors are shining, the carpets freshly shampooed, the walls painted and the classrooms in stages of preparation.

It's a far cry from 70-year-old Greylock Elementary, which feels tired and dingy and decaying.

But officials say Brayton's bright and clean exterior hides infrastructure issues that will take millions to fix.

"Nice big spaces, lots of storage. Those were the things they were thinking about as this school was being built," said Superintendent Barbara Malkas to a group of 40 or so who took a tour of the building. She noted the layout was very "industrial" and not conducive to the needs of the prekindergarten through Grade 2 children in the building.

"The grade reconfiguration allowed us to use more of the space here, but you'll see when we go downstairs, we have a lot of classrooms that are going to end up becoming storage because they're subterranean and they do not have any windows."

The tour of Brayton last week was the second information session held by school officials for the new Greylock School project. Voters will decide on a debt exclusion in October that would allow the $65 million project to move forward and replace the 30-year-old Brayton and the now closed old Greylock. The cost to the city will be about $20 million.

The most pressing issues at Brayton are the heating, ventilation and air conditioning and the need for a stable climate throughout the school; the lack of a sprinkler system (not required when the school was built); electrical system upgrades; natural light; and security issues. With the relocation of the prekindergarten to Brayton, there's also a need for size-appropriate accessible bathrooms.

The building has three floors, with the first floor below grade. It has fewer windows and natural light and problems with moisture  including a mold outbreak in one classroom this summer.

"It has been mitigated for mold. All of these rooms on this level were painted this summer," Malkas told the group. "There's no sense of mildew, there's no sense of mold."

She said the room was disinfected and mild resistant paint used, and that there are two dehumidifiers running in each room. The district was able to buy additional portable air filtration systems during the pandemic and is increasing the air exchange rate.

But, she said, pointing to the original carpets in the hallway, "I would love to say there is no mold or mildew. However, I don't know what's under this carpet, and I'm not really sure I ever want to find out."

Maintenance also had to clean up and disinfect mats and equipment in the first-floor therapy rooms last week because of mildew issues, Malkas told the School Committee on Tuesday. She said she is getting a quote for removing the carpet and installing tile.

The discolored ceiling panels have been switched out with new, with some classrooms having the ceilings completely replaced. The sunlit atrium on the second floor and the first floor are often "tropical zones" that raise havoc with the HVAC system. The concrete is spalling around the foundation.

The superintendent credited the facilities department with maintaining the school  keeping it painted, shampooing the three-decade-old rugs every break, and keeping up with patching on a roof that's beyond its lifespan.

The price tag on Brayton just to fix what's wrong is tallied at $45 million, money that won't be reimbursed by the state. An estimate on replacing the outdated HVAC system is $11 million, upgrading the electric $600,000, replacing the roof and skylight $2.6 million, installing a sprinkler system $1.2 million (not required when the school was built) and replacing the carpeting and asbestos vinyl tiles, $1.4 million.

The two major objections to the project were again raised at this forum: cost to the taxpayers and declining enrollment.

The city's share of $20 million is expected to cost the average homeowner $270 in the highest year of the loan. It was pointed out that the city is still paying off a $7.5 million loan on Colegrove Park Elementary and there is a need for a public safety building.

The Massachusetts School Building Authority has an accelerated repair program but officials thought it would be difficult to get that funding if the vote failed. Attendees pointed to the possibility of grants and waivers for funding.

Enrollment as projected by the Massachusetts School Building Authority is flat through 2030, despite a downward trend previously. Some residents suggested leaving the students in Brayton on the assumption that the number of children will eventually fit into one school. Right now, enrollment is more than 700 at Colegrove Park and Brayton schools, including some 91 in prekindergarten. The Greylock project would be built for 240 children plus the preK.

One attendee asked what would happen if the vote failed. Mayor Jennifer Macksey said the city couldn't fix all the problems at Brayton at once and that its infrastructure and mechanicals are at the end of their lifespans.

"We'd have to do it through the school budget piece by piece," she said. "I know some I'll never convince you it's good project but if feel very strongly it's a good project ...

"It's really important we think not about today not about this administration but the future of our kids. I'm encouraged about this project and I think it's the best option moving forward ... I know that there are some people we're never going to change their minds but this is for the children."
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Armie Hammer has revealed that hes selling his beloved pickup truck because he cannot afford the gas anymore.

The Call Me By Your Name actor, whose Hollywood career was derailed by accusations of rape and abuse that he has consistently denied, shared the news with his followers in an Instagram video posted on Tuesday (August 27), the day before his 38th birthday.

So Ive been back in LA now for a couple of weeks now, Hammer began.

This is my truck. I bought this for myself in 2017 as a Christmas gift for myself, he said, panning over to his 2017 GMC Sierra Denali. I have loved this truck intensely and taken it camping and across the country multiple times and on long road trips, and I took it for one last road trip to CarMax.

This is because Im selling my truck, he explained. Since being back in LA, I have put about 4 or 500 dollars worth of gas in it, and I cant afford it. I cant afford the gas anymore.

Recalling additional memories, including that he brought his kids home from the hospital and other amazing trips, he said: But you know what? Thats okay. I got a new car. Its tiny. Its a hybrid. Im probably gonna put about 10 bucks of gas in it a month, and this is it.

Looking ahead, Hammer said: Heres to new beginnings. Its my birthday tomorrow.

I will be starting my birthday in a new car, in a new apartment, in a new life in Los Angeles.

Thanking the vehicle for all the memories, he shared that his children are also unhappy about him having to sell the truck.

So I havent told them yet, but Ill tell them, and theyll be fine; kids are adaptable, he added. I just keep telling myself that parking is going to be easier and that gas is going to be cheaper.

Armie Hammer says he can no longer afford the gas for his truck ( Armie Hammer Instagram )

Hammer shares daughter Harper, nine and son Ford, seven, with his ex-wife Elizabeth Chambers, who filed for divorce in July 2020 months before direct messages allegedly sent from Hammer detailing graphic sexual desires and cannibalistic fetishism surfaced on Instagram.

He was subsequently accused of rape and sexual violence. Hammer has consistently denied any criminal wrongdoing and was not charged with sexual assault after an investigation. His attorney has repeatedly stated that all of his relationships with women were consensual.

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During an interview with Piers Morgan last month, Hammer was confronted about the cannibalism and rape claims.

Asked bluntly if hes ever eaten human flesh, the actor responded, saying its not a question I thought Id have to answer.

Addressing one of the messages he had allegedly sent to a former girlfriend detailing his desire to own her and cut off one of [her] toes and keep it with me in my pocket, he confessed: This was a very intense [affair] very sexually-charged, between two people Different people have different sexual fantasies.

But I dont think thats any different than when someone looks at a baby and goes, Oh my God, look at those cute little fat legs, I just want to eat you up.

Of the wider allegations of abuse, Hammer claimed: None of those people were hurt or upset because I pushed any sexual boundaries.
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A new Netflix film has earned an enviable score of 100 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes  but has thus far failed to crack the streaming services Top 10 charts.

Daughters, a documentary following four prisoners who bond with their daughters while in jail, was released on Netflix on 14 August.

Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator website, has compiled more than 50 reviews of the film, all of which are positive  landing it a rare Fresh score of 100 per cent.

On social media, viewers have praised the film, with one person writing: Dont watch the Daughters Netflix documentary unless you like crying.

Trigger warning! #daughters on #netflix will have you in tears! cautioned another. Its a documentary that follows inmates in their families as they prepare for a father-daughter dance in a DC jail.

Someone else commented: Daughters on Netflix broke my damn heart. This should be required viewing upon entry for men with daughters. Aint no way you cant understand the pain youre causing your children after watching this. I hope Aubrey learns to hope and love again. God bless these families.

Back in January, the film was acquired by Netflix following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

open image in gallery One of the subjects of award-winning documentary Daughters ( Netflix )

Actor Kerry Washington, who worked as an executive producer on the film, shared a post celebrating the news on her birthday.

Happy Birthday to ME! I received the best birthday present in the world yesterday. Daughters going to be coming to Netflix!!!! she wrote. I am so beyond thrilled for all of the amazing people who worked to bring this beautiful project to life and for all of YOU who will now get to see it!!!!!

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Despite the acclaim lavished on Daughters, however, the film is yet to crack the Netflix charts.

Currently, the most watched film in the streaming services UK catalogue is The Union, an original action-thriller starring Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry that has a paltry score of 36 per cent in comparison.

The film follows a New Jersey construction worker whose life is upended when he encounters his high school sweetheart after 20 years apart.

Also on the Top 10 charts are the 2014 Cameron Diaz romcom The Other Woman, true crime documentary The Murder of Air McNair, and inlaw comedy Why Him?.

Daughters can be streamed now on Netflix in the UK and Ireland.

If youre travelling abroad and want to stream Daughters then you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help: get the best VPN deals on the market.
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Sigourney Weaver was brought to tears at the suggestion that her body of work  specifically her Alien character Ellen Ripley  has empowered women.

During a recent press conference at the Venice Film Festival, the Avatar star, 74, was asked by a female journalist about whether she thinks her roles as strong characters had any influence in mak[ing] it possible that a woman like Kamala Harris could become President of the United States.

Noting that she loved the question, Weaver said: Were all so excited about Kamala, and to think for one moment that my work would have anything to do with her makes me very happy.

Audibly choking up, she added: Its true, I have so many women who come and thank me.

She quickly apologized before reaching for her water, quipping: Sorry, I need my vodka.

Bringing her point back to Vice President Harriss historical presidential nomination, Weaver said: Its been difficult since 2016, and were all very grateful about her.

She then addressed her character of Ripley in the horror sci fi franchise, saying: You dont see her having to be girly or womanly, or any of these other ideas  which are also great, because women can be everything  but I got to play what I realized was simply a person.

She explained she takes inspiration from what I see as actual women.

I just play women  and women are strong, she said. And women dont give up. You know why? Because we cant. We have to do it.

open image in gallery Sigourney Weaver said shes so excited for Vice President Kamala Harris ( Getty Images )

Weaver was awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the festivals opening ceremony on Wednesday (August 28).

She is well known for her breakout role as Lieutenant First Class Ripley in the first 1979 Alien movie, directed by Ridley Scott. She went on to reprise her role in its 1986, 1992 and 1997 sequels, the first of which landed her a Best Actress Oscar nomination.

She later voiced the character in the 2014 video game Aliens: Isolation, based on the hit movie series.

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The newest Aliens sequel, Alien: Romulus, helmed by Uruguayan director Fede Alvarez, was released in theaters last week.

Starring Cailee Spaeny, Industrys David Jonsson, Isabela Merced and Aileen Wu, the movie follows a group of space colonizers as they come face to face with a terrifying life-form in the universe while searching the deep ends of a dilapidated space station.

Alien: Romulus has faced middling reviews from critics, with The Independents Clarisse Loughrey calling it a semi-great sequel that becomes absurd and ethically problematic in her three-star review.
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The estate of ER creator Michael Crichton is suing Warner Bros Television, accusing their upcoming show The Pitt of being an unauthorized reboot of the hit emergency room drama.

Crichtons estate, led by his widow Sherri, say they were in discussions with the studio about rebooting ER but failed to reach an agreement.

They have accused executive producer John Wells of a personal betrayal, arguing in the lawsuit that he and star Noah Wyle, who played Dr John Carter in ER, dreamed up The Pitt after the Crichton estate blocked plans to bring back the original show.

The lawsuit states: The Pitt is ER. Its not like ER. Its not kind of ER. Its not sort of ER. It is ER with the exact same executive producer, writer, star, production companies, studio and network as the planned ER reboot.

Warner Bros Television quickly responded to the suit, calling it baseless.

The lawsuit filed by the Crichton Estate is baseless, as The Pitt is a new and original show, the studio said in a statement to Variety. Any suggestion otherwise is false, and Warner Bros. Television intends to vigorously defend against these meritless claims.

open image in gallery Noah Wyle, pictured promoting ER in 2001, is set to lead new hospital series The Pitt' ( Warner Bros International/Getty Images )

The Pitt will be set in Pittsburgh, while ER was set in Chicago. Along with Wells and Wyle, showrunner R Scott Gemmill is also an ER alum. All three are named as defendants in the suit.

Crichton, who died from cancer in 2008, was a wildly successful writer who also created Jurassic Park and Westworld. This track record enabled him to secure a frozen rights provision in his contract for ER, which prohibits Warner Bros from making sequels, remakes or spinoffs without the consent of his estate.

In a statement to The Associated Press, a spokesperson for Sherri Crichton said: If Warner Bros can do this to Michael Crichton, one of the industrys most successful and prolific creators who made the studio billions over the course of their partnership, no creator is safe.

While litigation is never the preferred course of action, contracts must be enforced, and Michael Crichtons legacy must be protected.

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The Crichton estate filed the lawsuit on Tuesday (August 27) in Los Angeles Superior Court, and is asking the judge to issue an injunction that would force the studio to halt production on The Pitt. They are also seeking punitive and compensatory damages.
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A new Netflix series follows the hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight in December 1999 that took seven days to resolve, remaining the longest seizure of an aircraft in Indian aviation history.

Adapted from the book Flight Into Fear by Captain Devi Sharan, the pilot on board the hijacked flight, IC814: The Kandahar Hijack delves into the crisis from various perspectives  the politicians and bureaucrats in Delhis War Room to the terrified hostages on board.

Five masked men hijacked the aircraft on 24 December 1999, 40 minutes after it took off from the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, bound for New Delhi.

Sharan was forced to fly the plane into Pakistani airspace, where he did not receive clearance to land, despite the Indian High Commission in Pakistan making repeated requests. The plane then landed in Amritsar a little before 7pm, with barely 10 minutes worth of fuel left.

open image in gallery The hijacked Indian Airlines Airbus A300 (left) sits parked on the tarmac, at Kandahar airport in southern Afghanistan on 26 December 1999 ( AFP via Getty Images )

In Amritsar, the Indian authorities were tasked with delaying the refuelling of the plane for as long as possible. But at the same time, the hijackers wanted the plane back in the air, with permission to land in Pakistan.

Please get permission to land at OPLA (Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore)... otherwise they are ready to crash anywhere ... they have already selected 10 people to kill, Sharan said to the Indian Air Traffic Control, according to India Today.

Chaos ensued, as he made contact with the ATC again, telling them that the hijackers had begun to kill hostages. Soon after, at 750pm, he took off.

We are all dying, he told the ATC.

The hijackers forced Sharan to fly the plane to Lahore, where the pilot made a desperate landing despite not getting permission from Pakistans ATC, which turned off all lights and navigational aids at the airport.

After refuelling, the plane once again took off from Lahore and attempted to land in Dubai. After being refused permission there as well, the flight landed at the Al Minhad Air Base in the UAE. Here, the hijackers released 27 of the 176 passengers, including the body of 25-year-old Rupin Katyal, who had been fatally stabbed by the hijackers.

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open image in gallery A hijacker holding a pistol climbs down a ladder from beneath the Indian Airlines aircraft cockpit in Kandahar, on 30 Afghanistan December 1999 ( AFP via Getty Images )

After this, the plane finally landed in the hijackers original destination, Taliban-controlled Afghanistans Kandahar airport.

It was here that the remaining hostages waited for the next six days, while the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayees Bharatiya Janata Party-led government negotiated with the terrorists who wanted India to release 36 prisoners in exchange for the hostages.

The five Pakistani hijackers were identified as Ibrahim Athar, Shahid Akhtar Sayed, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim, and Shakir, and belonged to Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), a Pakistan-based Islamist terror group.

Their demands were simple: they wanted the release of HuM members Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and Masood Azhar, and Pakistan-backed Kashmiri militant, Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar.

After intense negotiations and internal handwringing, on 30 December the Indian government managed to convince the hijackers to release all hostages for three terrorists.

I must have slept around 3 am. I woke up at 8 am. The usual Afghan bread was served for breakfast. I did not feel like eating. I was worried that the millennium would end in hours and I would be missing the celebrations. I was thinking of many things, reads the account of 41-year-old merchant navy captain Kollattu Ravikumar, one of the hostages on the flight.

All three terrorists who were released have since been implicated in terror attacks, including the attack on parliament of India in New Delhi in 2001, the terror attacks in Mumbai in 2008, the kidnapping and murder of The Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in 2002.

Once the hostages were freed, Indian authorities assumed that the Taliban officials would arrest the hijackers and secure the released terrorists. Instead, the Taliban drove them across the border, towards Quetta in Pakistan.

open image in gallery Afghan Taliban militia head towards a hijacked Indian Airlines Airbus AC-814 at Kandahar Airport on 27 December, 1999 ( AFP via Getty Images )

The BJP government faced severe criticism over failing to resolve the crisis sooner, and especially over allowing the flight to leave Indian territory.

AK Doval, the 64-year-old former Intelligence Bureau Chief who led the four-member negotiating team to Kandahar, described it as a diplomatic failure and a bloody disgrace for India.

There was a diplomatic failure on our inability. When we know that the US is totally against the terrorists, they are against the Taliban, they had total hold over the UAE, we could not leverage this thing. Our Ambassador could not even get inside the airport (in Abu Dhabi), he said to news agency Press Trust of India.

open image in gallery Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh (left) and his Afghan counterpart Wakil Ahmad Mutawakel addresses a joint press conference at Kandahar airport after the end of the Indian Airlines hijacking crisis on 31 December, 1999 ( AFP via Getty Images )

The series has an ensemble cast, and is created by Anubhav Sinha and Trishant Srivastava.

Trishant, the writer, and I dived in thinking most of the information is available online. Documentaries and vlogs have been made, articles have been written, so we wanted to sink our teeth deeper for a more succulent bite, Sinha told Variety.

We met officials engaged in running the rescue mission from Delhi, and passengers and the crew told us the story inside the aircraft. Adrian Levy, an eminent journalist, author and filmmaker from London came on board and an all-new international canvas unfolded before us.

open image in gallery A group of hostages disembark from a plane at New Delhis international airport on 31 December 1999 ( AFP via Getty Images )

What went on across those seven days turned out to be a compelling story that cuts through chilling and thrilling tactical and diplomatic manoeuvres that had to be told. The viewers must know this story that has never been told inside out before with a cast I dont know if I can put together again.

IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack will be available to stream on Netflix from 29 August.
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Typhoon Shanshan, now downgraded to a tropical storm, continued to bring record rainfall and cause havoc in several parts of the country.

As of Sunday morning, the death toll stands at six, with over 130 injured, and one missing person, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

The storm is expected to bring heavy downpours in Tokai, Kinki, and Kanto-Koshin till Monday morning, reported Japan Times.

Some areas like Tokai and Hokuriku are expected to see heavy rainfall through Tuesday morning as well.

The meteorological agency has warned residents to be alert for landslides and flooding in low-lying areas and swollen rivers, along with lightning strikes and violent gusts of wind. The Tokyo, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, and Saitama prefectures still have active landslide alerts.

On Saturday, Shanshan caused long extended periods of rainfall in central Japans Shizuoka Prefectures Atami City, which saw a record 654mm of rain in 72 hours  over three times the average rainfall the area saw for all of August.

People wade through a flooded street as the city was hit by heavy rain in Ogaki, central Japan ( AP )

Ebina city in the Kanagawa Prefecture also received 439mm of rain, over 2.7 times the normal rain for August.

Both Atami and Ebina have recorded their highest rainfall since record keeping began in 1976.

The rains also caused part of a hillside behind a temple in Shizuoka city to collapse, damaging a cemetery and nearly 50 graves in it, footage from NHK showed.

Around 3:30pm yesterday, we were informed by a temple member that the mountain had collapsed and mudwater was cascading like a waterfall, said the head priest.

We plan to contact the temple members and consider our response carefully.

I built a grave here 60 years ago. Its too dangerous to get close, so Im not sure if the grave has been washed away, a local resident told NHK.

Flood debris is seen piled on the bank of the Yoshino river in Tokushima, southern Japan ( AP )

Shizuoka city recorded 730mm of rain since Monday, and the rains caused by Shanshan added to the damage.

Another landslide triggered by the rainfall from the storm struck a mountain on the grounds of a strawberry farm in Shizuokas Suruga Ward.

Footage from NHK showed a huge portion of the mountainside that had fallen, with several agricultural greenhouses appearing to be damaged.

The farm reported that it had 22 greenhouses for cultivating strawberries, all of which have been completely destroyed.

The entire greenhouse and strawberry fields were swept away. We were stunned and dumbfounded when we saw the damage. I dont think we will be able to grow strawberries anymore, said the farm owner.

High speed rail Tokaido Shinkansen suspended all trains between Mishima and Nagoya stations on Sunday, and resumed operations between the Tokyo and Mishima stations later in the morning with reduced frequency.

People walk in front of closed ticket gates for the Tokaido Shinkansen as train operations between Tokyo and Nagoya are suspended, in Tokyo Station ( AFP via Getty Images )

The Sanyo Shinkansen rail too ran with reduced trains on Sunday, and has said they will run as usual from Monday morning.

Major airline carriers like Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways were operating normally on Sunday, though they have both said inclement weather may result in flights being delayed or cancelled.

Parts of the expressways were closed on Saturday, and remain so on Sunday as well, with the meteorological agency asking motorists to check updates before travelling.
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The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, returned to the headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile in northern India on Wednesday after undergoing a knee replacement surgery in New York.

Hundreds of followers in colorful, flowing robes, waving scarves and flowers, cheered the Dalai Lama at the airport and his residence. Several of them beat drums and performed traditional dances. Tibetan and Buddhist flags adorned poles and railings.

The Dalai Lama, 89, flew to Dharamshala after weeks of recovery at the Nappi Farmhouse in Syracuse, New York, following the surgery on June 28.

open image in gallery ASI-GEN INDIA-DALAI LAMA ( AP )

open image in gallery ( AP )

Dr David Mayman, chief of the adult reconstruction and joint replacement service at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, said after the surgery that the Dalai Lama was recovering well and was expected to continue improving over the next six to 12 months.

Dr Tsetan D Sadutshang and Dr Tsewang Tamdin, physicians to the Dalai Lama, said last month that the surgical incision had completely healed without any complications. The physiotherapists said they were happy with the speed of his improvement.

The Dalai Lama has made Dharamshala, the hillside town in northern India, his headquarters since fleeing Tibet after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. Representatives of a Tibetan government-in-exile also reside there.

open image in gallery ( AP )

open image in gallery ASI-GEN INDIA-DALAI LAMA ( AP )

The Dalai Lama formally relinquished his political and administrative powers in 2011 and handed his political responsibilities to the communitys elected leadership. But he has remained the spiritual leader of the Tibetan community.

His followers see him as capable of uniting and mobilizing Tibetans inside and outside China.

open image in gallery ( AP )

open image in gallery ( AP )

Over 100,000 Tibetan refugees live in India, Nepal and Bhutan, according to Tibetan organizations. Their number in India is estimated at around 85,000, while many have also moved to countries such as the US, Canada, Germany and Switzerland.

China exercises rigid control over all religions and, in recent years, has stepped up a campaign of cultural assimilation targeting Tibetans, Turkic Muslim Uyghurs and other minority groups.

China castigates the Dalai Lama as an advocate for Tibetan independence and has not had direct contact with his representatives for more than a decade.

The Dalai Lama says he merely advocates for Tibets substantial autonomy and protection of its native Buddhist culture.
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India is witnessing an alarming rise in lightning-related deaths, driven in part by the effects of climate change, according to a new study.

Researchers say that lightning strikes have become increasingly deadly in the South Asian country, with over 101,000 deaths recorded between 1967 and 2020  nearly 1,900 each year.

Even though increasing awareness and urbanisation are expected to protect more people, the study shows that the last decade alone has seen a sharp uptick in fatalities.

This disturbing trend positions lightning as one of the leading climate-induced disasters in India.

While the total number of strikes wasn't directly measured, the data on fatalities paints a grim picture of lightning activity becoming more unpredictable and frequent across the country.

The average number of deaths per state has risen from 38 per year between 1967 and 2002 to 61 per year from 2003 to 2020, coinciding with Indias population growth to 1.4 billion people, the study, led by researchers at Fakir Mohan University in Odisha, says.

Monsoon season, stretching from June to September, typically brings much-needed rain to the subcontinent but also heightens the risk of lightning strikes, which are becoming increasingly unpredictable, the study says.

Scientists say that rising global temperatures contribute to this increase by creating conditions more conducive to lightning.

Higher temperatures lead to more water vapour in the atmosphere, which cools at higher altitudes and generates the electrical charges that spark lightning. This has made lightning strikes more common and more deadly.

Indias rural population is disproportionately affected. Most of the victims are working-class individuals, often sheltering under trees or in open fields when storms hit.

The lack of effective early warning systems and public awareness about lightning safety exacerbates the problem.

open image in gallery Lightning strikes over residential apartments during a thunderstorm on the outskirts of the Indian capital Delhi ( AFP via Getty Images )

Despite advancements in meteorological technology, such as the installation of 129 lightning-detection sensors across the country, many of these systems fail to deliver timely warnings to those in harms way.

The states of Jharkhand and Bihar, in eastern and central India, are among the hardest hit by lightning strikes. These regions experience unique climatic conditions where hot, dry air from the northwest meets moist easterly currents, creating an environment ripe for lightning.

Earlier research also suggests that air pollution may also play a role in increasing lightning activity. Aerosols, such as dust and pollution particles, may enhance the friction between particles that generate lightning, leading to more frequent strikes.

In response to the growing threat, 16 of India's 36 states and union territories, including Bihar and Jharkhand, have classified lightning strikes as state disasters.

This designation allows for compensation payments of 400,000 rupees (about $4,766) to the families of those killed. While this financial support helps, it does little to prevent the loss of life in the first place.

Researchers say there is a pressing need for improved safety measures, better early warning systems, and increased public awareness to mitigate the impact of lightning in India.

A study showed that a degree of rise in temperature can lead to a 12 per cent increase in lightning strikes.
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The bodies of two Dalit teens found hanging from a tree in India triggered an outcry at a time when women in the country have been protesting against gender-based violence.

The two girls, 18 and 15, were from one of Indias most oppressed castes. They were found on Tuesday in a village in the northern and most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, which is governed by prime minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The police said the deaths appeared to be suicide  a claim refuted by the families of the teenagers, who suspect foul play. "Prima facie it seemed that the girls had done it by themselves," Farrukhabad superintendent of police, Alok Priyadarshi, said, adding that there were no visible injuries.

Indias 200 million Dalits, formerly untouchables, are placed on the lowest rung of a caste hierarchy and often the targets of discrimination though India abolished untouchability in 1955.

An autopsy of both girls found asphyxia to be the cause of death, according to reports. The district's chief medical officer, Avanindra Kumar, ruled out sexual or physical assault.

The victims' families alleged the girls, both neighbours and friends, went missing on Monday after leaving home to watch Janmashthami event (a festival celebrating the birth of Hindu deity Krishna) event at a temple not far from the house.

"They had gone to the temple, about 250m from my house, to celebrate the festival at 7.30pm. They returned around 9pm and shortly after left to attend the tableau procession," the father of one of the victims told reporters.

When the girls did not return at night, the families assumed they were staying the night at their aunt's house near the temple. "A woman from our village told us in the morning that someone was found hanging from a tree in the mango orchard. We went there and saw they were our daughters, he added.

"It is a case of murder... but the police are trying to simplify the case by calling it suicide," he was quoted by The Telegraph as saying.

The father of the minor said they were being questioned by the police "as if we are criminals".

"Is this how they are going to solve the case," he asked.

The families alleged that they were being pressured to cremate the bodies as soon as possible. We are not demanding anything, we just want to know the truth.

Police have formed a special team to investigate the deaths after the families filed official complaints on Tuesday.

The police found one mobile phone near the scene of the incident and a SIM card that reportedly belonged to one of the girls.

Akhilesh Yadav, the chief of the opposition Samajwadi Party, sought an "impartial" probe.

"Who hanged them? Why? Nobody knows anything. This state has become a crematorium for women," he said.

The incident took place nearly two years after two minor Dalit sisters were raped and hanged from a tree in the same state. The state administration under chief minister Yogi Adityanath faced criticism for handling the attack in which four upper caste Hindu men were accused.

In 2021, the gangrape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit girl in the states Hathras district brought national and international condemnation for Mr Modis party.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
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Japan is on high alert as powerful Typhoon Shanshan edges closer, with high waves and wind prompting flight cancellations, train suspensions, and factory shutdowns.

The storm is expected to hit southern Kyushu on Thursday, with winds reaching up to 155mph (250kph) at its centre, strong enough to topple houses.

On Wednesday, the storm was 70km south-southwest of Yakushima Island, moving slowly northward off the countrys southwest coast, bringing extreme winds and heavy rain.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has issued emergency warnings for storms and high waves in Kagoshima Prefecture, excluding the Amami region, as the typhoon threatens flooding and landslides.

The agency has issued a rain forecast of up to 23.6in (600mm) over the next 24 hours.

No damage or injuries have been reported so far but two people were rescued in Aichi Prefecture in central Japan on Wednesday morning after a landslide struck their home, the public broadcaster NHK reported. Two other residents have also been rescued.

As the typhoon approached, dozens of domestic flights were cancelled.

Japan Airlines announced the cancellation of some Wednesday flights scheduled to arrive or depart from airports in central Japan, including Osaka Kansai Airport, one of the countrys largest.

All Nippon Airways, Japan's largest airline, said that the storm is expected to impact flights at Osaka airport.

Japans high-speed rail network, the Shinkansen, began canceling some services on Tuesday, with further cancellations anticipated on Wednesday and Thursday, according to its operators.

Japan Railway has announced that most bullet trains and local services on Kyushu will be suspended. Similar steps may be taken on the main island of Honshu until Sunday.

Postal and delivery services in the region have been halted, and many stores are planning to close early.

The JMA has warned that the risk of disaster could increase suddenly as the storm progresses.

Officials urged residents, especially older adults, to take shelter immediately if they feel unsafe.

To protect your life and the lives of your loved ones, please flee to evacuation areas specified by local authorities and secure your safety, said Satoshi Sugimoto, an official at the weather agency, speaking at a news conference on Wednesday afternoon.

A Level 5 emergency warning  the highest and rarely issued  has been declared for Mishima village in Kagoshima Prefecture, which has 369 residents across 202 households. The alert refers to an imminent life-threatening situation and urges residents to take immediate protective actions, even if safe evacuation is no longer possible.

Level 4 evacuation orders have also been issued in parts of Kagoshima, Miyazaki, Aichi, and Shizuoka. This includes 27 cities in Kagoshima Prefecture and the entire city of Miyazaki, which has a population of over 400,000.

The government has also cancelled its annual earthquake drills to ensure disaster response resources are available for the typhoon.

Localized heavy rain is also impacting other regions of Japan, including the Tokai region, where rain is intensifying as warm, moist air flows in.

The city of Shinshiro in Aichi Prefecture has already recorded about 12in (304.5mm) of rain in 48 hours, the highest for August since record-keeping began in 2003.
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Traders in Pakistan went on strike Wednesday, shutting down their businesses in all major cities and urban areas to protest a rise in electricity costs and new taxes imposed on shop owners.

The government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has steadily raised electricity prices since Pakistan last month struck a deal with the International Monetary Fund for a new $7 billion loan. The higher cost of living and price hikes have triggered widespread discontent and drawn protests.

Most of the public markets across Pakistan were closed on Wednesday, though pharmacies and grocery stores selling basic food items remained open. Kashif Chaudhry, a strike leader, said those were not closed so as not to inconvenience the general public.

Pakistan Strike ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Pakistan Strike ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Stores were shuttered in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, the nearby garrison city of Rawalpindi, as well as in the city of Lahore, the country's culture capital, and the main economic hub of Karachi.

The strike was called by Naeem-ur-Rehman who heads the religious Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan party and endorsed by most of the various traders unions and associations.

However, traders in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the southwestern Balochistan provinces observed a partial strike, keeping some stores open while closing others.

Pakistan Strike ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Pakistan Strike ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

The strike is aimed at forcing the government to reverse the recent hikes in power bills and the controversial tax that followed the recent talks with the IMF, which wants to see Pakistan broaden its tax base.

The July deal was Pakistan's latest turn to the global lender for help in propping up its economy and dealing with its debts through big bailouts. Earlier this year, the IMF approved the immediate release of the final $1.1 billion tranche of a $3 billion bailout to Pakistan.
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Malaysian authorities are using powerful water jets to remove debris from underground sewers as they race against time to find an Indian tourist who vanished into a sinkhole a week ago.

Vijaya Lakshmi Gali, the 48-year-old tourist, fell into the 8m-deep sinkhole at 8.22am on 23 August as she was walking to a nearby temple in Kuala Lumpurs Masjid India district.

The police official in charge, Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman, said: We feel there is something behind the heavy debris and said that they are employing a technique of blasting and disintegrating the objects to clear the obstruction.

On viewing the sewer line with trawl cameras, we found heavy objects and debris blocking the flow underground, he was quoted as saying by The Star.

Using the technique of blasting and disintegrating the objects, we can dislodge the blockage and have everything, including any remains, drained out.

So far, we have yet to uncover any clues to the whereabouts of the victim, he said.

The Kuala Lumpur City Hall has placed over 100 sandbags around the exposed sewer lines to protect them from the disruptive flow of rainwater. Earlier, heavy rains had added to the difficulty of the search, posing dangers to the lives of the divers themselves.

open image in gallery Relatives of an Indian woman who fell into an eight-metre-deep sinkhole wait for news near the accident site ( EPA )

In that hole, there is a sewage drain and other drains; its really deep, fire operation officer Alimaddia Bukri was quoted as saying by The Straits Times. He added that the rescuers had been diving deep into the sewer amid strong currents and zero visibility.

Meanwhile, the victims family has been granted a visa extension and provided with counselling. The family members do not expect anything and would only want to see her face.

I have also expressed to them (the victims family) that the government is committed to the search, senior government officer Arvend Applasamy said.

open image in gallery Malaysia Fire and Rescue Department officers inspect the site where a woman fell into a sinkhole and vanished ( EPA )

Kuala Lumpurs mayor has, meanwhile, reassured the public of the citys safety, stating that daily routines should continue unless evidence suggests otherwise. A task force has been established to assess the safety of structures around the sinkhole area.

In my view, Kuala Lumpur remains safe, the mayor said. Maimunah Mohd Sharif was speaking in defence of the citys safety after a 2015 social media post went viral calling it the most unsafe place in Malaysia with a possibility of a giant sinkhole opening at any time.

We will only consider it unsafe if there are studies that provide evidence to the contrary, especially given the alarming media reports.

The Malay Mail reported on Wednesday that a new sinkhole has appeared on Jalan Masjid India, about 50m from where the tourist vanished.
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Meghan Markle has recalled how her experience as a senior working royal changed her style.

The 43-year-old Duchess of Sussex addressed how her clothes and accessories  worn both before and after she left the royal family  have made headlines during a recent interview with The New York Times. She specifically recalled that after she wore a bag from Scottish brand Strathberry  during a public appearance with Prince Harry in 2017  the purse sold out online within minutes.

She noted that when she learned how her look boosted sales for the Scottish brand, it made a big impact on her approach to fashion. [It] changed everything in terms of how I then looked at putting an outfit together, Meghan said.

Meghan acknowledged her gratitude for how her public appearances and outfits have helped small businesses.

Times where I know there is a global spotlight, and attention will be given to each detail of what I may or may not be wearing, then I support designers that I have really great friendships with, and smaller, up-and-coming brands that havent gotten the attention that they should be getting, she said. Thats one of the most powerful things that Im able to do, and thats simply wearing, like, an earring.

Throughout her time in the royal family, Meghans fashion sense has undoubtedly influenced her fans. In 2018, the so-called Meghan Effect struck once again, with her entire outfit at the Audi Polo Challenge in Ascot, Berkshire selling out in a matter of days. At the time, Meghan sported a gingham shirt dress, teamed with leather sandals and a white Panama hat. Her summer dress, which retailed for $393, was designed by trendy NYC label Shoshanna.

Meghans impact on the fashion world has continued since leaving the royal family in 2020. For example, JC Crews website crashed in September 2023 after Meghan wore a white blazer from the brand during the Invictus Games in Germany. During the event, she matched her blazer with dainty gold jewelry, classic Chanel Mary Jane ballet flats, a black tank top, and a pair of Staud white linen shorts.

During her new interview with The New York Times, Meghan announced her newest investment in Cesta Collective, which specializes in basket bags that are handwoven by women in Rwanda and finished in Italy. According to the Duchess, she first discovered this company when doing some of her own online shopping.

I spend a lot of time just googling, looking for brands, she said. When people are online looking for things or reading things, Im trying to find great new designers, especially in different territories.

As noted by the outlet, Mehgan herself first publicly wore one of the bags from Cesta Collective in May 2023, while she and Harry went on a dinner date, with Cameron Diaz and her husband, Benji Madden, and Gwyneth Paltrow and her husband, Brad Falchuk.

Meghans investment in Cesta Collective came months after she announced her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. While details about the company are scarce, some of the items her company will reportedly sell include cookbooks, food, and kitchenware.

However, earlier this month, it was reported that several items intended to be sold by the luxury brand including yoga mats and picnic labels were incorrectly labeled and needed to be corrected. The error, identified by the United States Patent and Trademark Office in July, will cost an estimated $11,382 to fix.
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Molly-Mae Hague has broken her silence to thank her fans for their support since announcing her split from Tommy Fury.

The former Love Island star posted a photo of herself on Instagram on 27 August along with a caption saying: Thank you for being the best online friends I couldve ever wished for.

The couple met on ITV dating show Love Island and were the runners up on season five in 2019. They got engaged in July 2023 and have a daughter together.

On 14 August, Hague, 25, took to her Instagram Story to share the news of their breakup.

Never in a million years did I think Id ever have to write this, Hague began the statement. After five years of being together I never imagined our story would end, especially not this way.

I am extremely upset to announce that mine and Tommys relationship has come to an end, she continued. I will forever be grateful for the most important thing to me now and always, my beautiful daughter. Without us there would be no her, she will always be my priority.

Ill be back when it feels right, she concluded, signing off the statement with Molly-Mae x.

Fury shared a separate statement of his own regarding the split on social media.

I am heartbroken to share that Molly and I have decided to end our relationship, he said. The past five years have led to us having our beautiful baby girl, Bambi, and I will be forever thankful to Molly for making me a dad. Bambi is our priority. Please respect our privacy, and our families privacy, as we navigate our way through this difficult time.

open image in gallery The couple got engaged in July 2023 and have a daughter together ( Molly-Mae Hague/Instagram )

Hague provided no reason for their split, but a day later sources claimed to The US Sun that Fury was unfaithful, which he denied via a representative.

On 26 August, a 20-year-old jewellery assistant named Milla Corfixen, who vacationed in Ohrid, North Macedonia, at the same time as Fury, 25, confirmed that she kissed the Fury in a nightclub.

The Danish native, who has since deleted all her posts on Instagram due to hate and nasty comments, explained she only shared a kissing nothing else with Fury.

If Id known about Molly-Mae, I would never have kissed him back, she said.
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One of Chile's most powerful lawyers was ordered detained Tuesday pending trial on money laundering and tax fraud charges in a case that has rocked the country's corporate and political elite.

After five days of hearings, a court in the capital accepted the prosecution's request to transfer criminal lawyer Luis Hermosilla to state custody.

It was the latest development in a high-profile corruption scandal that blew up last November when leaked audio recordings appeared to show Hermosilla telling a former client about bribes he planned to pay officials at Chile's two main market regulators.

Hermosilla has denied all charges, but he isn't disputing the authenticity of the recording. His lawyer this week said he was manipulated into discussing the illicit payments.

The wider investigation has entangled judges, politicians and prominent businessmen, shocking a country consistently ranked among the least corrupt in the region and threatening to stain Chiles long-standing reputation as a darling of international finance institutions.

Also on Tuesday, the court charged another Chilean lawyer, Maria Leonarda Villalobos, and her husband, Luis Angulo, with money laundering and tax crimes in the same case. Both deny the allegations.

The judge ordered Hermosilla and Villalobos to be held pending trial, citing a serious and well-founded suspicion that the accused might obstruct the investigation. Angulo was placed under nightly house arrest.

The audio recording was first revealed by the investigative news outlet Ciper Chile, which said it was made during a meeting earlier last year involving Hermosilla, Villalobos, then an unknown lawyer, and businessman Daniel Sauer. The latter's brokerage firm was under investigation for fraud by Chile's financial regulator.

The conversation focused on the possible payment of bribes to officials at Chiles tax authority and financial regulator as a way to resolve Sauer's legal problems.

Here we are doing something stupid that is a crime, Hermosilla can be heard saying at one point in the hourlong conversation.

Sauer, his brother and his business partner were charged with fraud earlier this year in the case. They have denied wrongdoing.

The snowballing scandal led to investigations into Chiles tax authority and Treasury, resulting in the indictment of two officials on bribery charges last week for allegedly receiving payments from Villalobos.

The prosecution claims that Hermosilla, Villalobos and her husband, Angulo, benefited from their former client's ill-gotten wealth, receiving millions of dollars from companies belonging to the Sauer brothers and their business partner. Prosecutors also accuse them of evading some $900,000 in taxes.

Until the scandal broke last year, Hermosilla, 68, was perhaps the country's most influential lawyer, with several high-profile Chileans among his clients, including Miguel Crispi, chief adviser to current leftist President Gabriel Boric.

He also served as an adviser to Andres Chadwick, an interior minister under former right-wing President Sebastian Pinera.

Transparency International, an anticorruption watchdog, ranks Chile as the second-least corrupt country in Latin America, just behind Uruguay. However, a string of high-profile graft cases involving powerful businessmen and officials in recent years has sapped public trust in Chile's political establishment.
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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 has been adamant in maintaining she is innocent. She entered pleas of not guilty to all 11 counts on Tuesday.

The second morning of her preliminary hearing centered around an additional attempted murder charge filed in March that accused her of slipping fentanyl into her husbands favorite sandwich on Valentines Day, causing a severe but nonfatal reaction.

Summit County Prosecutor Brad Bloodworth defended the attempted murder 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.
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More than 20 new cases of sloth fever were reported in the United States this week.

Some 21 travelers returning from Cuba were found to have the disease, officially known as Oropouche virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Only one case was reported in New York, and the remaining 20 in Florida. Three of the travelers were hospitalized.

The virus was first detected in 1955 in Trinidad and Tobago, and nicknamed sloth fever after scientists found it in a three-toed sloth.

The virus is typically found in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean and primarily spread to humans by the infected bite of midges or mosquitoes. But it has also been passed along by sloths, primates, domestic and wild birds, and rodents to people. There is currently no evidence of transmission in the U.S. by insects.

Sloth virus spreads through the bite of infected midges like this one. Oropouche virus was first detected in 1955. ( CDC )

Sloth fever symptoms include fever, headache, chills, muscle aches and pains, and stiff joints. It also causes vomiting, sensitivity to light, dizziness, diarrhea, extreme abdominal pain, and hemorrhaging.

Patients may be hospitalized following infection, but typically recover without lasting symptoms. While there are no vaccines or medicines available to treat sloth fever, there have been very few deaths from the virus. It was first detected in 1955.

It can be mistaken for other viruses spread by insects, like Zika virus, dengue, and malaria.

Sloth fevers incubation period lasts three to ten days, and symptoms typically occur for less than a week. However, in as many as 60 percent of cases, the symptoms can reoccur days or weeks later.

An adult pale-throated sloth hangs from a tree. Sloth virus spreads through the bite of infected midges (pictured). Oropouche virus was first detected in 1955. ( (Alamy/PA) )

In the recent spate of cases from Cuba, the CDC says that most of those infected did not become severely ill but at least three people saw symptoms return after their initial infection.

The virus can also cause neuroinvasive disease, leading to inflammation around the brain and membranes of the spinal cord. Approximately 4 percent of patients will develop neurologic symptoms after their initial fever.

So far this year, more than 8,000 cases of the virus have been reported across Latin America and the Caribbean including in Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, and Cuba. Sloth fever was behind the deaths of two healthy, young Brazilians, and travel-associated cases have been reported in Europe, after people returned from Cuba and Brazil.

In July, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an alert about cases in Brazil that were associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including fetal deaths and birth defects.

Last month, the CDC issued an advisory to alert U.S. public health authorities of an increase in the virus in the Americas region.

The best way people can protect themselves from the disease is to prevent insect bites. People who are pregnant are advised to consider deferring travel to areas with outbreaks.

With reporting from The Associated Press
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Two journalists who led a now-shuttered Hong Kong online news outlet will hear a verdict in their sedition case on Thursday, in a trial that's seen as an indicator for press freedom in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

The trial of Stand News ' former editor-in-chief Chung Pui-kuen and former acting editor-in-chief Patrick Lam began almost two years ago. It's Hong Kong's first sedition case involving media since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

The journalists were charged with conspiracy to publish seditious materials under a colonial-era law that's been increasingly used to target dissent as part of a crackdown that followed huge anti-government protests in 2019.

Here is what you need to know:

What was Stand News?

Stand News was one of the last remaining openly critical media outlets in Hong Kong following the shuttering of the Apple Daily newspaper in June 2021.

It was founded as a non-profit by businessman Tony Tsoi and media veterans Yu Ka-fai and Chung in December 2014, promising to uphold independent editorial standards and writing in a founding message that the responsibility of media is to keep power in check.

During the massive 2019 anti-government protests, Stand News gained prominence for its live-streaming coverage from the front lines and attracted many democracy supporters for its critical reporting against the authorities.

The citys secretary for security Chris Tang and its police criticized the outlet, saying some of its reports were misleading, while Hong Kong residents surveyed by the researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong rated it among the most credible outlets in the city in 2019.

How did the journalists wind up on trial?

In 2021, Hong Kong witnessed the shutdown of dozens of civil society groups under the shadow of a Beijing-imposed national security law, with many prominent activists arrested. In June that year, authorities arrested members of Apple Dailys top management and froze its assets. The newspapers founder Jimmy Lai is now fighting collusion charges and faces up to life in prison if convicted.

On Dec. 29 2021, police raided Stand News office. The same day, they arrested Chung and Lam alongside four former board members and Chung's wife Chan Pui-Man, a former Apple Daily editor. Assets worth about 61 million Hong Kong dollars ($7.8 million) were also frozen, forcing Stand News to close down.

Of the seven people arrested, only Chung and Lam were later charged in connection to Stand News. Chan was charged in the Apple News case and later pleaded guilty.

Whats the bigger picture for civil liberties in Hong Kong?

Days after Stand News shut down, independent news outlet Citizen News announced it would cease operations, citing the deteriorating media environment and the potential risks to its staff.

The shuttering of Apple Daily, Stand News and Citizen News within months dealt a blow to the citys once vibrant press scene.

The shutdowns were widely seen as the casualties during the political crackdown on the civil society. Many activists were prosecuted, silenced or forced into self-exile after the 2020 security law took effect. The Hong Kong government in March enacted a new, home-grown security law that critics fear would further curtail the city's civil liberties.

The delivery of the verdict for the editors has been delayed several times, including once for awaiting the appeal outcome of another landmark sedition case.

Eric Lai, a research fellow at Georgetown Center for Asian Law, said the case is significant because it was the first sedition case the Hong Kong government brought against news editors and a media outlet since the 1997 handover. Lai said the British colonial government had stopped using the sedition law in its final decades.

But the Hong Kong government insists the city still enjoys these freedoms, as guaranteed by its mini-constitution, and the exercise of them may be subject to restrictions that are provided by law.

What are the journalists accused of?

The sedition law outlaws the promulgation of seditious publications, among other acts, and defines seditious intent include aiming to incite hatred or contempt against the Chinese central government, the Hong Kong government or the judiciary.

The prosecution accused Chung and Lam of conspiring to publish and reproduce seditious articles, calling Stand News a political platform.

The prosecutions case is based on 17 articles published between July 2020 and December 2021, including stories featuring pro-democracy ex-lawmakers Nathan Law and Ted Hui, who are among a group of overseas-based activists targeted by Hong Kong police bounties and interviews with three participants in a primary election organized by the pro-democracy camp in 2020. The trio were convicted in a separate national security case.

If convicted, the defendants could face up to two years in prison and a fine of 5,000 Hong Kong dollars (about $640) for a first offense. They have the right to appeal against the ruling.

What happened at the trial?

The trial was initially expected to last 20 days but ran over to some 50 days.

The government lawyers said some of the articles helped promote illegal ideologies, as well as smearing the security law and law enforcement officers.

During the trial, Chung, who pleaded not guilty, denied that Stand News was a political platform, and stressed the importance of freedom of speech.

Freedom of speech should not be restricted on the grounds of eradicating dangerous ideas, but rather it should be used to eradicate dangerous ideas, he said.

Lam, who also pleaded not guilty, chose not to give testimony.

Best Pencil (Hong Kong) Ltd., the holding company for Stand News, faces the same charge but had no representatives as the trial began in October 2022.
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An 11-year-old child is now thought to be the youngest person to have been arrested over far-right riots in the UK.

Cleveland Police said they had detained the child as a part of a series of raids over riots in Middlesbrough.

The force have now arrested 110 people following the widespread trouble in Hartlepool and Middlesbrough, which was some of the worst seen in recent memory.

The teams arrested 14 people aged 11 to 43 during a series of raids, in which some members of the media accompanied them on Wednesday.

A car burns during a riot in Middlesbrough (Owen Humphreys/PA) ( PA Wire )

Before the teams set out, Superintendent Marc Anderson briefed them, saying: I was Silver Commander on Sunday August 4 and never in my 30 years service have I seen anything like that in Middlesbrough.

What the community had to put up with that day was completely unacceptable.

He warned officers to take their personal safety seriously and to secure the addresses they were raiding, given that suspects will know the courts have handed out hefty sentences for disorder.

One strike team, followed by the PA news agency, arrested two people  a man aged 23 and his 43-year-old mother  on suspicion of violent disorder, from an address in St Catherines Court, Middlesbrough.

Neighbours looked on in shock as the officers banged on the suspects door before they were led away, with the man covering his face with a hoodie.

Cleveland Police officers escort a man they've arrested in Middlesbrough during a day of action following the recent disorder. ( Owen Humphreys/PA Wire )

The arrested woman yelled at the media to stop filming her as she was escorted to a police van.

The team then moved on to an address in Limerick Avenue, Stockton, Teesside, where a 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder.

He swore at the media as he was filmed being led to the police van, calling reporters muppets and saying: Go and get some proper news.

After the raids were successfully completed, Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Robinson, in charge of the operation to catch the Middlesbrough disorder suspects, said: The message is You havent got away with it.

We can identify you and we will arrest you, you will be arrested and you will be put before the courts.

Behind every crime there is a victim and some of the stories that we have been told have been really harrowing.
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A man who threw a coffee cup at Reform UK leader Nigel Farage while he was campaigning during the general election has been handed a suspended sentence.

The paper cup containing liquid narrowly missed the Clacton MP, who was standing on the top deck of his battle bus while visiting South Yorkshire.

Josh Greally, 28, was arrested in Barnsley and pleaded guilty to a public order offence for throwing two items at the politician.

Josh Greally pleaded guilty to a public order offence (Danny Lawson/PA) ( PA Wire )

Shaven-headed Greally did not answer questions from reporters as he left the court building shortly after admitting using threatening, abusive or insulting words and behaviour with intent to cause fear or provoke unlawful violence.

Prosecutor Kirsty Pearson said the fact the incident happened during a General Election campaign makes it much more serious.

Greally threw the object from a fenced-off construction workers area as the Reform UK campaign bus was parked in the town centre.

He was caught on video by a number of people as he was quickly arrested by police.

Mr Farage had been addressing supporters from the front of the top deck of the bus, but had been interrupted by a loud demonstration by people who opposed him.

The former MEP was standing at the top of the stairs of the open-top bus when he was alerted by a thud and ducked, along with a number of his supporters and journalists.

Greally was caught on camera throwing the paper cup ( Danny Lawson/PA Wire )

Later that day, Mr Farage described the incident as pretty nasty and what happened was condemned by politicians of all parties.

Greally was sentenced to six weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, after a district judge said the offence was serious enough to merit a jail term, but there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

District Judge James Gould said Greallys target had been a politician campaigning in our democratic country.

He told the defendant: Politicians know they will face robust opposition, but that must never spill over into violence or intimidation.

That is not the pursuit of free speech, it is an attempt to silence voices of opposition.

In mitigation, the court heard Greally, who has no previous convictions, had attended protests before but this seems to be the first time he has stepped over the line.

In addition to the suspended sentence, Greally, of Damsbrook Drive, Clowne, Derbyshire, was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work, 20 rehabilitation activity days and pay 85 court costs and a surcharge of 154.
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A mother is in a coma and may lose her leg after being stabbed in Notting Hill Carnival in front of her three-year-old daughter.

Cher Maximen, 32, is fighting for life in hospital after she tried to stop a fight breaking out at the street festival, a court heard.

Shakiel Thibou, 20, appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday charged with attempted murder.

Crowds on Ladbroke Grove, London, during the Notting Hill Carnival ( PA )

The court heard the victim had attended Notting Hill Carnival with her young daughter and other family and friends on Sunday and was stabbed in the groin in broad daylight.

Ms Maximen suffered a cardiac arrest and remains in a life-threatening condition following the incident.

She is in a coma after losing 20 units of blood, one of her lungs has collapsed and she may need to have her leg amputated, the court heard.

A police officer takes a photo for partygoers at Notting Hill Carnival ( Reuters )

Shakiel Thibou is also charged with possessing a knife in a public place and violent disorder.

He appeared alongside his two brothers, Sheldon Thibou, 24, and Shaeim Thibou, 21, who are both charged with violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker, while Sheldon Thibou faces an additional charge of possessing a stun gun.

All three brothers wore grey tracksuits and spoke to confirm their name, date of birth and address as they sat in the dock together at the hearing.

Dancers prepare to take part in the Notting Hill Carnival ( PA )

Shakiel Thibou, of Masbro Road, Hammersmith, west London, and Sheldon Thibou, of Star Road, Hammersmith, gave no indication of pleas, while Shaeim Thibou, of Charleville Road, Fulham, southwest London, indicated a not guilty plea.

District Judge John Zani denied all three defendants bail and remanded them into custody to next appear together for a hearing at the Old Bailey on 25 September.

Ms Maximen is among the eight people to be stabbed over two days, with one 41-year-old man also in critical condition after sustaining a head injury during an assault in Queensway on Monday evening.

Police made 349 arrests, with 72 of those being for possession of an offensive weapon while three firearms were recovered.

A total of 61 police officers were injured during the event, with assaults mostly involving kicks, punches or pushes.

There were four incidents where officers were spat at, two where officers were headbutted and two where officers had glass bottles thrown at them.

Organiser Notting Hill Carnival said it worked closely with the Metropolitan Police and many dedicated partners, adding there is no excuse for violence and that is not carnival.

Commander Charmain Brenyah, the Mets spokesperson for the event, 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.

Around 1 million people attend the festival each year, which has taken place since 1966 and celebrates Caribbean culture.
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A man has been charged with attempted murder after a 32-year-old mother was stabbed at Notting Hill Carnival on Sunday.

The woman, who is understood to have been attending the two-day festival with her child, remains in a critical condition in hospital.

Shakiel Thibou, 20, was arrested at an address in Hammersmith and Fulham on Tuesday morning and has been charged with attempted murder, violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon.

He was charged alongside his brothers Sheldon Thibou, 24, and Shaeim Thibou, 22.

Sheldon was charged with violent disorder, possession of a stun gun and assaulting an emergency worker, while Shaeim was charged with violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker.

Eight people were stabbed over the course of the two-day event (Lucy North/PA) ( PA Wire )

All three have been remanded to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The Met Police previously said the woman was fighting for her life after attending the west London event to have fun with her young child.

She is among the eight people to be stabbed over the course of two days, with one 41-year-old man also in a critical condition after sustaining a head injury during an assault in Queensway on Monday evening.

Police made 349 arrests, with 72 of those being for possession of an offensive weapon while three firearms were recovered.

A total of 61 police officers were injured during the event, with assaults mostly involving kicks, punches or pushes.

The carnival is Europes biggest street party and is billed by organisers as the greatest community-led event on the plane' ( Jeff Moore/PA Wire )

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.

Organiser Notting Hill Carnival said it worked closely with the Metropolitan Police and many dedicated partners, adding there is no excuse for violence and that is not carnival.

Commander Charmain Brenyah, the Mets spokesperson for the event, 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.

Around one million people attend the festival each year, which has taken place since 1966 and celebrates Caribbean culture.
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Ben Fogles wife Marina has revealed that she was once falsely reported to social services for child abuse in the wake of the Kirstie Allsopp backlash.

The TV star, 52, found herself at the centre of a social media debate after she shared that her son, 15, had just returned from three weeks of interrailing around Europe with his friend, 16.

While some saw nothing wrong with the revelation, others argued that the Location, Location, Location presenters teen was too young to have been allowed to travel extensively by himself.

Ben Fogle and his wife Marina with their son Luda and daughter Iona and family dog Storm at their home in west London ( Kirsty O'Connor/PA Archive )

Allsopp subsequently received a message from social services and was questioned about what safeguards had been put in place for the trip, the Mail on Sunday reported.

She refused to provide this information and was told that 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.

Recalling her similar experience in The Times, Mrs Fogle wrote that she returned from holiday in 2013 to a letter from social services saying that there had been a report of verbal abuse at our address.

Her first thought was that the letter had been sent in error, but before she had a chance to contact authorities, they came to her home to have a chat about my children.

[Someone] had reported us for supposedly shouting at our children, they said, the kind of sustained verbal abuse that was simply unacceptable, she explained.

Ben Fogle and his wife Marina with their son Luda and daughter Iona and family dog Storm at their home in west London. ( Kirsty O'Connor/PA Archive )

Mrs Fogle, who married TV star Ben, 50, in 2006, said she was so shaken by the realisation that she was left trembling.

She then asked when the alleged incident took place, and social services told her it was four days ago, which was when the family was out of the country on holiday.

But despite proving their absence with boarding passes, this was not enough to placate the social worker investigating, and Mrs Fogle was questioned in more detail about her childrens home lives.

My children spent 20 minutes showing off their Lego and toys, after which I was told that clearly there wasnt an issue and she hoped that I understood why theyd needed to investigate, she explained.

While Mrs Fogle said she understood, she wrote that while many tip-offs to social services are genuine, others are wrong and can result in children being unnecessarily taken away from their caregivers.

She added: My husband, Ben, was so shocked that anyone even knew this was possible, combined with the fact that we are very much not a shouty household, suspected it might have been someone wanting to cause trouble.

Kirstie Allsopp with her sons at Winter Wonderland, 2021. She was recently accused of neglect for allowing her 15-year-old to go interrailing around Europe for three weeks without adult supervision. ( Getty Images )

Mrs Fogle then revealed that a similar situation befell her friend and almost resulted in her family being ripped apart.

It took place after her friends child broke their arm falling out of a tree, and an A&E doctor concluded that the fracture was the result of domestic abuse.

The mum-of-four then had to frantically contact a lawyer, who helped her narrowly avoid having her children taken into care, adding that the court only allowed her children to remain at home with a supervisor.

After months of investigation and court hearings, three other doctors gave evidence that the injury could well have been caused by a childhood accident, and social services finally left them alone, she wrote.

Ben Fogle and Marina Fogle have been married since 2006. They welcomed their first son in 2009 and their second in 2011. ( Getty Images )

The anonymous woman told Mrs Fogle that without English as a first language and the social contacts I had as well as support from my childrens school, our church, my family and my friends she would have had her children wrongfully taken away.

Concluding her account, Mrs Fogle said she felt for Allsopp after her recent experience, describing her as a brilliant mother.

[She] recognises that life is a series of risks and bringing up children is all about teaching them how to evaluate those risks, and how to either embrace or mitigate them, Mrs Fogle wrote.

She then shared her own experience of travelling independently as a teenager and said it allowed her to not only thrive but grow from being exposed to risk and said others should the same privilege available to them.

The Independent has reached out to a representative for Marina Fogle and Kirstie Allsopp for comment.
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Cases of child neglect are being fuelled by a disastrous combination of support services being hollowed out and the cost of living crisis, professionals have warned.

New research from childrens charity NSPCC has found that frontline workers feel unable to support families in crisis and are unsure that cases of neglect are being acted on when they are flagged.

Child neglect was the top concern reported to the NSPCCs helpline in 2023/24, with 20,571 contacts made by adults worried about the wellbeing of a child.

Almost half of these contacts  47 per cent  led to an initial referral or an updated referral being made to a local agency, indicating a growing severity of cases, the report Too little, too late found.

The most recent data shows that of the 50,780 children on child protection plans in England in 2023, 49 per cent recorded neglect as the initial category of abuse.

More than half of the professionals across healthcare, the police, childrens social care and education who were surveyed for the new research said that they had seen an increase in child neglect cases during their professional life.

Ninety per cent said the rising cost of living and poverty rates were a driving factor, while 76 per cent said that a reduction in community support to parents was also contributing.

Eighty-three per cent of frontline workers said there were not enough services available in England to provide support for children and families ( Getty Images )

Anna Edmundson, head of policy at the NSPCC, said that available resources and early help services to support families are at an all-time low and economic pressures on families are at an all-time high.

This combination is proving disastrous for children and families, she explained.

One education professional described how poverty was affecting a family they were seeing. They explained how the father isnt coping with managing the money they do get and has given up trying to get extra help through the system.

He was stressed and overwhelmed, and the educator added: He maintains appearances when I do see the children, keeping them mostly clean and dressed, but they are missing out.

A teacher described to researchers seeing children living in absolute chronic poverty, who are hungry at times, whose clothes arent clean and the housing situation is dire.

In a poll of frontline workers, 83 per cent said that there were not enough services available in their local area to provide targeted support for children and families where neglect is present.

Only 19 per cent of police officers said that they thought appropriate action was taken to help a child and family once neglect was identified; 21 per cent said support was never given.

A police officer explained the problem: It comes down to the fact that demand outstrips the resources we can make all the referrals we want but those neglect concerns have to go somewhere.

A detective inspector said that services had often failed families before their cases ended up in front of the police: Its not uncommon to see something that has met the criminal threshold for neglect, thats got so bad its almost gone to prosecution but then when you see the chronology of whats happened you can see it started as a Section 17 then the family disengaged. There was no robust plan in place and then the case was closed. But nothing changed, in fact things got worse.

The deaths of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, left, and Star Hobson prompted a national review into childrens social care ( PA )

Section 17 of the Children Act is the duty councils have to provide services for a child in need.

Forty-four per cent of the professionals surveyed also said that they lacked the power to directly intervene to help the child who was being neglected.

One teacher said: Were flagging safeguarding concerns about neglect and, whether it be an early help response or a response from childrens social care, it is frequently just not meeting the familys needs. From a school perspective we feel like were left holding the baby but weve got no resource.

The NSPCC is calling for a government strategy on child neglect and for its plans on tackling child poverty to include neglect in their scope.

The government has announced a Child Poverty Ministerial Taskforce, led by work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall and education secretary Bridget Phillipson.

The NSPCC is also calling for education to become a statutory safeguarding partner, giving education professionals the same legal duty as council workers or the police to respond to cases of neglect that they see.

Ms Edmundson added: The new Labour government can turn this around by focusing their attention on measures that would make a difference to addressing neglect, particularly in the context of the cost of living crisis and increasing child poverty.

A government spokesperson said: Any instance of child cruelty, abuse or neglect is abhorrent. Local authorities, police and healthcare professionals have a clear duty to act immediately to protect children if they are concerned that a child is suffering significant harm.

We are taking action to tackle abuse by investing 45m in new multi-agency child protection teams, as part of a pilot which brings together local authorities, police, health and education to make sure that where children need protection, this happens quickly.

Additionally, our child poverty taskforce will work across government to create a comprehensive strategy to drive down poverty.
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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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Dozens of Muslim organisations have called for the government to take concrete steps to tackle Islamophobia in the wake of the far-right riots.

Community leaders have urged the government to take urgent actions including launching an independent review, engaging with elected representatives of Muslim communities and adopting an updated definition of Islamophobia.

The riots - motivated by anti-immigration sentiment, racism and Islamophobia - swept across England, with mosques targeted with chants of stop the boats and we want our country back.

The riots were sparked by misinformation spread online about the identity of the Southport knifeman, who killed three young girls at a dance class at the end of July, as social media posts falsely claimed the attacker was a Muslim migrant.

The riots were sparked by misinformation spread about the identity of the Southport knifeman, who killed three young girls at a dance class at the end of July, as social media posts falsely claimed the attacker was a muslim migrant. ( PA Wire )

Now, 80 Muslim organisations and community leaders have called on the government to specifically look into the role social media, political narratives and mainstream media played in the incitement of violence through an official investigation.

We want the government to look into why the riots happened. It did not come from nowhere, Linsay Taylor, head of community Development and engagement at MEND (Muslim Engagement and Development) said. We want the government to look into themselves, address social media and all the different facets that led to this.

A review has to look at all of this and has to come to a real outcome with practical steps we can take. At the end of the day, the riots have happened. We now have to see how we can work to stop it happening again in the future.

Reporters at a press conference on Wednesday heard that the recent riots have proven the need to regulate social media as online misinformation could cost lives.

Ms Taylor added: We have to look at what happened here and how it managed to fuel the flames so horrendously to the point where people were stuck in hotels while they were literally being set alight.

Imam of the Southport Islamic Centre Mosque Imam Sheik Ibrahim Hussein, looking at damage inside the mosque after bricks, stones and bottles were thrown and cars were set alight during violent riots ( James Speakman/PA Wire )

Other actions the open letter has urged the government to take is to properly engage with representatives of the Muslim community.

While community leaders have commended the government for its response to the riots  which saw offenders jailed within days and extra security given to mosques  they say there has not been any official or real engagement.

Those who signed the open letter have urged the government to engage with legitimate, democratically elected national representatives of Muslim communities, particularly the Muslim Council of Britain, an umbrella body of over 500 Muslim organisations.

The open letter has called for the government to officially adopt the all-party parliamentary group definition of Islamophobia  rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.

A spokesperson for the Islamophobia Action Group said: Islamophobia has fueled the recent far-right riots, and the consequences are clear and dangerous. The government must act now by adopting the APPG definition of Islamophobia; investigate far-right activities; and engage directly with Muslim communities and their national representatives. This is a critical moment to address the root causes of hate and to protect our society.

The Independent contacted the government for comment.
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The National Portrait Gallery has appointed its first ever female director, who has said she is honoured to have the opportunity to help write the next chapter in its history.

The appointment of Victoria Siddall, who has over two decades of experience leading in the art world, was announced on Wednesday (28 August) after being approved by prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Her experience includes co-founding the charities Gallery Climate Coalition and Murmur, which encourage increased environmental responsibility in the worlds of music and art, and serving as director of the global art fair Frieze Masters.

Ms Siddalls appointment also comes in the wake of the gallerys three-year 41.3m refurbishment  the biggest in the buildings history  under the acclaimed Nicholas Cullinan, who left to lead the British Museum.

The refurbishment included the creation of a new, more accessible entrance and a new Learning Centre equipped with resources for learners of all ages.

Ms Siddall said of her appointment: Im truly honoured to have the opportunity to lead the National Portrait Gallery, a museum that holds the worlds greatest collection of portraits and is unique in being about people and for people.

The art within its walls tells stories of human achievement and what unites us as a society, inspiring and shaping our view of the world and our place in it. This is perhaps the most exciting time in the NPGs history, following the recent reopening and Inspiring People project that the team delivered so flawlessly under Nicholas Cullinans leadership.

The perfect stage has been built and I am thrilled to work with my new colleagues, the museums trustees and supporters, and of course the artists, as we look to the future and embark on a new chapter.

Victoria Siddall has more than two decades experience as a leader in the art world ( Getty )

David Ross, chair of the trustees of the National Portrait Gallery, said: I am delighted to welcome Victoria Siddall as the new director of the National Portrait Gallery. Her strengths as a cultural leader are considerable, as is her knowledge of the art world, understanding of audiences, and international profile.

I know that she has the vision and determination to build on our recent successes and lead the next stage of the gallerys development, and I greatly look forward to working with her.

The gallery reopened its doors last year after undergoing a three-year refurbishment. ( David Parry/National Portrait Gallery )

First opened in 1856, the gallery holds a unique position on the worlds artistic stage and is widely believed to be the first gallery in the world to be entirely dedicated to portraits.

Now creating a new first for the space, Ms Siddall told Art News in June: In order for art to have that power [to create change], we need to have our house in order as an industry. We need to be doing the work. We need to show we take this seriously.

Ms Siddall will take over the role from the National Portrait Gallerys interim director Michael Elliott in the autumn.
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Tommy Robinson could face jail after being issued with a new contempt of court claim against him following the airing of a film at a protest in central London.

Law officers allege Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is alleged to have breached a High Court order issued in 2021 barring him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him, the Attorney Generals Office (AGO) said.

It is understood that the airing of a film titled Silenced at a demonstration in Trafalgar Square last month is one of six actions claimed to have breached the injunction between June and July this year.

In 2021, teenager Jamal Hijazi won 100,000 in damages in a defamation battle against Yaxley-Lennon, who had falsely accused him of being a violent thug, claims repeated on social media.

Mr Hijazi was assaulted at Almondbury Community School in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, in October 2018.

After a clip of the incident went viral, Robinson made false claims, including about Mr Hijazi, as a boy, attacking girls in his school, leading to the libel case.

A judge ordered Robinson never to repeat the lies, but last year he began spreading his claims again.

Campaign group Hope Not Hate alleged that Robinson had ignored the injunction and repeated the allegations, providing a dossier of evidence to the Attorney Generals Office, with the Solicitor General then taking legal action.

The Attorney Generals Office said Robinson was served with the latest contempt application, made on behalf of Solicitor General Sarah Sackman, on his X account on Wednesday after the application was lodged on 19 August.

It follows an earlier contempt application concerning other alleged breaches of the order. A court hearing in London last month was told that Robinson had left the country.

A hearing for both applications will be held on 28 October.

A new contempt of court application has been lodged against Tommy Robinson over alleged breaches of a High Court order from 2021 ( PA Wire )

Robinson, founder of the English Defence League (EDL), was first served with contempt proceedings in June, after the Solicitor General told a previous court hearing that he knowingly breached the order by having published, caused, authorised or procured a film titled Silenced in May last year.

It is also claimed the 41-year-old repeated the allegations banned by the injunction in three interviews between February and June 2023.

Silenced was then shown again at a demonstration in Trafalgar Square last month, which is understood to be part of the alleged breach of the order under the second contempt application.

The day after the protest, Robinson was arrested for the frustration of a port stop at the Channel Tunnel at Folkestone under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Adam Payter, representing the Solicitor General at the hearing last month, said that it was believed that following his release on unconditional bail, Robinson then left the country and that there was nothing to prevent him from doing so.

Mr Justice Johnson issued a warrant for Robinsons arrest but ordered that it not be carried out until early October to allow Robinson time to indicate that he would attend the next hearing voluntarily or to apply to set aside the warrant.

Robinson was accused of stoking the far-right riots that hit English cities this month, while still abroad.

He published running commentary and videos documenting the disorder, citing legitimate concerns and calling for mass deportations.

If he fails to return to the UK, the case will be heard in his absence, and could potentially lead to a jail sentence.

Robinsons tax affairs are also reportedly under investigation.
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The leaders of Germany and the United Kingdom announced plans on Wednesday to draw up a treaty meant to deepen the two nations' trade, defense and other ties.

The move comes as new U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer moves ahead with plans for a reset of relations with the European Union.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that he welcomes fellow center-left leader Starmer's desire for a new beginning in relations with the EU, and we want to take this outstretched hand.

Starmer took office in early July after the previous Conservative government was trounced in an election. Four years after the U.K. left the EU, he says he wants to rebuild ties strained by years of ill-tempered wrangling over Brexit terms.

He said that he hopes to conclude the bilateral agreement with Germany, which has Europe's biggest economy, by the end of this year.

That will be ambitious, it will be wide-ranging, covering trade, the economy, defense and many other issues, he told reporters. The two leaders are among Ukraine's biggest military backers and stressed their commitment to keeping up that support.

Starmer said that the two countries also plan to draw up a joint action plan to tackle illegal migration." His government still faces pressure to stop migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats, though it scrapped the Conservatives' contentious plan to send them on a one-way trip to Rwanda.

Migration is also an issue on which Scholz's government has long been under heavy pressure, even more so since Friday's attack in Solingen in which a suspected extremist from Syria who had avoided being deported is accused of killing three people.

The proposed U.K.-Germany treaty is modeled in part on agreements that Britain struck in recent years with France on defense, security and closer law enforcement cooperation against people-smuggling gangs.

Starmer sent a signal by visiting Berlin early in his term  unlike predecessor Rishi Sunak, who took 18 months. But his talk of starting anew with the EU has its limits.

He has ruled out many of the major possible steps to closer ties and has been cool to the idea of a youth mobility agreement with the 27-nation bloc.

I'm absolutely clear that we do want a reset ... with Europe, a reset with the EU, Starmer said in Berlin.

However, that does not mean reversing Brexit or reentering the single market or the customs union, but it does mean a closer relation on a number of fronts  including the economy, including defense, including exchanges, but we do not have plans for the youth mobility scheme.

___

Jill Lawless contributed to this report from London.
Sir Keir Starmer has been criticised for lacking ambition in his bid to reset relations with the EU, after he rejected the idea of free movement for under-30s and rejoining the students Erasmus scheme even before talks got underway.

The prime minister made it clear he was not open to a deal that would make it easier for young people from the UK and the European Union to travel, when he held a joint press conference with German chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday.

Despite Sir Keir having described the renegotiation as a once-in-a-generation opportunity, there are concerns that he is not willing to be flexible on a proposal that is strongly supported in the EU.

It was Sir Keirs fifth meeting with Mr Scholz since becoming prime minister, as the two opened talks on a Germany-UK bilateral deal to be completed by the end of this year.

Keir Starmer and Olaf Scholz take part in a joint press conference on Wednesday in Berlin ( Justin Tallis/PA Wire )

The prime minister said the proposed treaty with Germany would be the first step in an overhaul of Boris Johnsons Brexit deal, which has created visa and trade barriers for the UK since it departed the EU in 2020.

Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson Layla Moran said: This is a positive step forward after years of the Conservatives trashing the UKs relationship with Europe. But the new government needs to be more ambitious about rebuilding stronger ties with our European allies.

That should start with agreeing a youth mobility scheme, giving young people the opportunity to easily live and work across the continent.

Richard Kilpatrick, campaigns manager at European Movement UK, added: For clarity, the draft offer from the European Commission to the European Council is youth mobility between a single member state and the UK; it is not freedom of movement for under-30s. Nor is the TCA (trade and cooperation agreement) review a renegotiation  it is a very rigid framework with little chance of meaningful change.

What can and should happen is a series of agreements alongside the TCA that will go a little way in repairing the damage caused by Brexit, and show our European neighbours that we are serious about improving our relationship with the EU.

Youth mobility is one area; participation in Erasmus+ and culturing touring visas are others. In the long run, we need to stop using the future of our young people, the success of our music industry and our economic future as bargaining chips, and instead review our future relationship in Europe openly and transparently. Every day, it becomes clearer that we need the independent forward-looking inquiry we have been pushing the UK government to agree to.

Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesperson Layla Moran says Starmer needs to be more ambitious ( PA Archive )

Former Green Party MP Caroline Lucas, who campaigned to stop Brexit, posted on X/Twitter: Beyond disappointing  when is Labour going to start offering some vision & hope for young people? Freedom of movement was a treasured gift to be celebrated, not one to be ripped away.

Liz Webster, the founder of Save British Farming, said: Theres something fundamentally wrong about Keir Starmer asking for a decade of power after just winning an election. And ignoring the reality that Brexit doesnt have a majority either.

However, former Tory Brexit minister David Frost claimed that Sir Keirs real agenda was to reverse Brexit. He said: Starmers ambition is not to turn a corner on Brexit. Its to reopen all the arguments and to renegotiate the TCA in a way that starts making us subject to EU law once again. Thats not moving on, its moving back.

Sir Keir disappointed many when he insisted he was not reversing Brexit as he set out plans for a new treaty with Germany as part of a wider reset of relations with the EU.

There were reports that he was planning to leave the door open on the youth mobility scheme, which is strongly supported by the Germans, and would even be willing to consider free movement of people in a wider sense. But a Downing Street source said this was not true and nonsense.

The source said: We are not considering it; there are no plans for this or any work being done on it.

Sir Keir said the new UK-Germany treaty would result in deeper links on science, technology, development, people, business [and] culture and that it would provide a boost to our trading relations.

A new defence agreement will build on the already formidable cooperation between the two countries, he added.

He said that the treaty is a once-in-a-generation chance to deliver for working people in Britain and in Germany, adding: Britain can advance its interests much more effectively when we work with friends and partners. This treaty is part of a wider reset, grounded in a new spirit of cooperation with our shared understanding that this will be developed at pace, and that we hope to have agreed it by the end of the year.

The two countries agreed to develop a joint action plan to tackle illegal migration.

Sir Keirs hopes for the wider reset with the European Union would not amount to undoing the Brexit decision, he insisted.

Im absolutely clear that we do want a reset, he said. I have been able to repeat that here today, a reset with Europe, a reset with the EU. That does not mean reversing Brexit or re-entering the single market or the customs union, but it does mean a closer relationship on a number of fronts, including the economy, including defence, including exchanges, but we do not have plans for a youth mobility scheme.

An agreement on youth mobility has been suggested by Brussels and could be a key demand in any negotiations. But that could be seen as a step towards the restoration of free movement, and Sir Keir said he had already established clear red lines ahead of talks with the European Union on the future relationship.

He told reporters: In relation to youth mobility, obviously weve been really clear  no single market, no customs union, no free movement, no going back into the EU. So the discussion about a close relationship with the EU is in that context and within those frameworks.

Im convinced, and I think you heard from the chancellor himself, that we can have a close relationship, notwithstanding those clear red lines that weve got and weve always had.

Mr Scholz said: We want to create good relations between the UK and the European Union; it can become better day by day, and we all share an interest.

He added: There is reason to do everything in our power to improve relations between both countries, but also the UK and the European Union.

Following his engagements in Berlin, Sir Keir was set to travel to Paris for the start of the Paralympics and to hold talks with French president Emmanuel Macron, where he will continue to pursue his reset agenda.
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Keir Starmer has vowed to turn a corner on Brexit and rebuild relationships with EU member states as he visits Germany and meets with chancellor Olaf Scholz today.

Touching down in Berlin, the prime minister says he wants to fix broken relationships left by the previous governments, and strike new deals with European neighbours.

The prime minister will add: we have a once in a generation opportunity to reset our relationship with Europe.

Details of the deal UK negotiators are looking to strike with German officials have not been shared, but No 10 indicates that the trip will kick of talks that are expected to go on for the next six months.

Flags of Britain, Germany and the EU flutter ahead of the arrival of Olaf Scholz and Keir Starmer in Berlin ( REUTERS )

They add it will cover vital areas for increased collaboration, including better market access, clean energy, and defence. It will sit alongside the UKs longstanding treaties with France.

Sir Keirs approach represents a departure from the previous government, which remained less open to the prospect of greater collaboration with the EU.

The new prime minister has said he respects the results of the 2016 Brexit referendum, but notably campaigned for the UK to remain in the European Union, and acted as shadow Brexit minister under previous Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn from 2016 to 2020.

Here are some of the options Sir Keir might be looking at as he heads to Berlin:

Defence agreement

No 10 says the UK-German talks will build on a defence agreement which is already being negotiated. In July, the two countries released a joint statementment committing to enhanced bilateral defence cooperation in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Sir Keir Starmer greets Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky at Speakers House in the Palace of Westminster in 2023 (Stefan Rousseau/PA) ( PA Archive )

The talks commencing in Berlin will likely reaffirm these pledges, with negotations beginning on a bilateral treaty model modelled on the UKs deal with France. These were the 50-year Lancaster House Treaties, that were ratified by then-prime minister David Cameron in 2010.

As part of the trip, Sir Keir will also meet Armin Theodor Papperger, the chief executive of Germanys largest defence and security company, Rheinmetall. The company has several defence contracts with the UK, with work described by No 10 as vital to the modernisation of the British Army.

Border security deal

Sir Keir is also looking to increase joint action on illegal migration during his visit to Germany. No 10 specifies that this will include furthering intelligence sharing to intercept and shut down organised immigration crime rings.

Tackling illegal immigration was one of the prime ministers key pledges before the general election, with a key focus on combatting criminal gangs which exacerbate the issue.

He is likely to find an ally in Mr Scholz, who last week reaffirmed his position that irregualar migration to Germany must go down after three were killed in an attack by an asylum seeker in the town of Solingen last week. Sir Keir says he will also use his trip to pay condolences to the German people.

Priority for British business

The prime minister is also reportedly looking to secure preferential access for British businesses to the German market during his visit to the country. This would include tackling trading barriers like certifications, tender information and German laws, a source told The Times.

Traffic at the Port of Dover, Kent (Gareth Fuller/PA) ( PA Wire )

Sir Keir will say in Germany that he believes boosting economic growth both in Europe and the UK is a crucial mission, with market access also listed as a talking point. No 10 points out that Germany is the UKs second-largest trading partner, accounting for 8.5 percent of all UK trade.

Youth mobility scheme

As the prime minister looks to improve UK-EU relations, many have speculated that the groundwork could be laid for a scheme which would allow young people to live and work in EU nations.

However, ministers have ruled out the possibility. Sir Keir joined then-prime minister Rishi Sunak in April to reject a formal offer from the EU to negotatiate a bloc-wide mobility scheme, with government sources reiterating his opposal in August.

We are not considering it, there are no plans for this, or any work being done on it, a government spokesperson said. Our negotiating team has very clear red lines, and none of the preparatory work involves this.

Its thought this could cause some disagreement during negotiations in Berlin, as German officials are reportedly looking to push the UK to take up such a deal in return for lucrative new trade agreements.
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Denmark's three-party centrist government said Wednesday it will create three new ministries, including a government office in charge of emergency preparedness.

The government wants a minister in charge of European Union affairs ahead of Denmarks rotating EU presidency in the second half of 2025.

The shuffle means Denmark, like Sweden, will have a minister in charge of emergencies and preparedness for climate change or cyberattacks.

The third new minister will be in charge of carrying out and coordinating Denmarks green policy.

I hope this can inspire the rest of the world, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said of the new green policy ministry. The Scandinavian country has a goal of 70% emissions reductions by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050.

Frederiksen did not give any names nor say whether any of the current government's 23 ministries would be made redundant. She said the changes will be announced Thursday when the new government is formally presented to King Frederik X.

Also Wednesday, Frederiksen named 49-year-old Dan Jrgensen as Denmark's candidate for the new commissioner to the European Unions powerful executive arm which polices EU laws and negotiates trade on behalf of member countries.

Jrgensen who currently is Denmarks climate minister and a former Social Democratic member of the European Parliament, needs to be vetted by the 720-member European assembly before he can take the EU job.

Frederiksen, 46, is the leader of the Social Democratic Party and has been Denmarks prime minister since 2019.

In 2022 she presented the current majority government made up of her own center-left Social Democrats, the center-right Liberal Party and the newly created centrist Moderate party.
Who will be our next man  or woman  in Washington? The question has been obsessing the Westminster bubble, and some interested parties further afield. Much speculation has centred on Lord (Peter) Mandelson, a man who is close to the current prime minister as well as the last two Labour premiers. His reputation for practising the dark arts goes before him, and hed be an interesting choice, but some reports suggest that he fancies being the next chancellor of the University of Oxford. Also, he has competition...

Whos in the running?

Well, aside from Mandelson  a former cabinet minister and EU trade commissioner  we have some other well-qualified left-leaning types. David Miliband was the last Labour foreign secretary before the appointment of David Lammy, and is, like Mandelson, something of a Blairite veteran, if not an icon. Hes been busy with the International Rescue Committee, a charity based in Washington DC, so at least hed not have to move far, and he might like another career change, having half given up on politics when his brother Ed narrowly beat him to secure the Labour leadership in 2010.

Another choice might be Baroness (Cathy) Ashton  a bit more obscure, but no less New Labour than the others. She served as EU foreign affairs commissioner from 2009 to 2014. At least as effective as any of these would be Jonathan Powell, former chief of staff to Tony Blair, who before that served as a professional British diplomat  a role that included a stint in Washington.

Whos not in the running?

In what looks to be a bit of a shabby business, Sir Tim Barrow has reportedly been told he wont be HM ambassador after all, having been lined up for the role by Rishi Sunak. Barrow is currently serving as UK national security adviser, and was due to leave the post and replace the incumbent Karen Pierce at the end of this year. Barrow has served with distinction in the foreign office since 1986, but the Washington post is regarded as one of the few  Paris being another  in which political or semi-political choices are, by convention, tolerated by the diplomats.

Oh, and it doesnt seem likely that Nigel Farage, MP for Clacton, will be appointed, despite Donald Trumps past public enthusiasm for the idea.

When will we know?

When we know the result of the presidential election in November. If Kamala Harris wins, then one of the New Labourites will get the gig; if not, then perhaps a career diplomat.

Does the choice have to depend on who becomes US president?

Not necessarily. Sometimes politicians can get along well with American presidents of a different stripe. One of the most successful ambassadors in the business of personal diplomacy was David Ormsby-Gore, a former Tory MP sent by a Tory premier, Harold Macmillan, to be his representative at the Court of Camelot, as the Kennedy White House was nicknamed; he was treated more or less as family by the Kennedys.

Another would be John Freeman, a socialist journalist, former editor of the New Statesman, and former Labour MP, who had vilified Richard Nixon as a disgrace to public life only to find himself having to deal with Nixon as president after Tricky Dickys election win in 1968 (Harold Wilson had expected Nixon to lose when he gave Freeman the job).

At a dinner soon after, Nixon was conciliatory: Some say theres a new Nixon. And they wonder if theres a new Freeman. I would like to think that thats all behind us. After all, hes the new diplomat and Im the new statesman, trying to do our best for peace in the world. The pair got along fine thereafter. (Miliband, its worth noting, has been the rudest about the thin-skinned Trump in the past.)

Does the job matter?

It can do, if only because it can go spectacularly wrong. No one wants to see a rerun of what happened in 2019, when the then ambassador Kim Darroch had to resign. Through no fault of Darroch, private communications were leaked that described President Trump as inept and insecure and his administration as dysfunctional. Trump, predictably, called Darroch a stupid guy and a pompous fool. The then PM, Boris Johnson, soon moved Darroch out.

What does success look like?

Four things, all a bit tricky to say the least, partly depending on whether it is to be President Trump or President Harris. First, keeping America firmly committed to the Atlantic Alliance and Nato. Second, securing a US-UK free trade agreement  a long shot at best, given the protectionist grip on all parties in the US. Third, maintaining privileged access to US intelligence and support for the not-quite-independent British nuclear deterrent. Fourth, keeping America on side and committed to the Northern Ireland peace process.

The rest is warm words washed down with chilled champagne.
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Watch as Sir Keir Starmer holds a press conference alongside German chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin on Wednesday 28 August.

The prime minister is in Germany as he hopes to turn a corner on Brexit, with plans for a new treaty with the European nation aiming to boost business and increase joint action on illegal migration.

Ahead of the talks with Mr Scholz, he met with German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

In a post on social media site X, Sir Keir said: We have a once in a generation opportunity to reset Britains relationship with Europe so we can deliver for the British people.

It is expected he will tell Mr Scholz he is focused on making sure the UK moves past Brexit and rebuilds relationships with European partners.

After Germany, Sir Keir will 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.
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Watch as Sir Keir Starmer meets German chancellor Olaf Scholz during a visit to Berlin on Wednesday 28 August.

The prime minister is in Berlin as he hopes to turn a corner on Brexit, with plans for a new treaty with Germany aiming to boost business and increase joint action on illegal migration.

It is expected he will tell Mr Scholz he is focused on making sure the UK moves past Brexit and rebuilds relationships with European partners.

The UKs negotiation team will spend the next six months working on the treaty, 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.

After Germany, Sir Keir will 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 French president Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace.
 Close Priti Patel says Keir Starmer has launched nasty financial assault on pensioners

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Dame Priti Patel has warned Labours four-day week plan would be devastating for businesses as she launched her Conservative leadership campaign in London.

The former home secretary criticised Sir Keir Starmers speech in the Downing Street Rose Garden on Tuesday this week as one of the most feeble, pitiful and dishonest speeches you will ever hear.

She also accused Sir Keir of launching a nasty financial assault on pensioners with the decision to cut winter fuel payments.

It comes as Sir Keir Starmer faced backlash for moving a 100,000 portrait of Margaret Thatcher in No 10 Downing Street because he found it unsettling.

The portrait controvercy has drawn sharp criticism from Conservative MPs, who branded his decision as petty and a vindictive act.

The prime minister hinted at a potential smoking ban in outdoor spaces like pub gardens.

Speaking in Paris, he confirmed changes to smoking laws are under consideration, with details to be revealed soon. But the move has sparked concern among hospitality groups over potential negative impacts on the sector.

The potential new Tobacco and Vapes Bill also caused cabinet tensions with Business Department officials warning that the move could create financial challenges for the industry.
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The UK has backed the use of Storm Shadow missiles by Ukraine in Russia, but will not support it publicly over fears it could trigger a row with the US, according to reports.

Ukraine has repeatedly asked to use the Franco-British-developed weapons to strike inside Russian borders, saying it would turn the tide of war.

The missiles can hit targets up to 190 miles away and avoid enemy radar systems.

While the UK is yet to publicly support Ukraines use of the weapons in Russia, The Telegraph reported that Downing Street privately supports it.

But the missiles are typically used alongside classified US systems, meaning they require permission from Washington  something the UK has not formally requested from the US.

The US government has expressed concerns that, even without their approval, use of the weapons could trigger an escalation and lead to their own troops being drawn into the conflict, a White House source told The Telegraph.

Sir Keir Starmer is reportedly trying to avoid a row over the issue, instead taking a consultative approach to talks with the US.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly asked to use the weapons to strike inside Russian borders ( UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SER )

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.

Taking questions at a press conference on Tuesday, the prime minister would not be drawn on whether he thinks Ukraine should be able to use the missiles to strike Russian targets.

He said I am not going to get into tactical questions about the use of weapons, for reasons that I know youll understand.

But Sir Keir added: We will stand with them for as long as it takes.

Thousands have died since Russia invaded on 24 February 2022. Ukrainian forces are currently advancing through Russias Kursk region, while Vladimir Putins forces are doing the same in eastern Ukraine.

Over the weekend, the prime minister issued a message of solidarity with Ukraine to mark 33 years since it declared independence from the Soviet Union.

Sir Keir told Ukrainians the UK will back them today and always, offering a crystal clear message of solidarity to the war-torn nation.

The anniversary came just days after Volodymyr Zelensky suggested that the UKs support for Ukraine was weakening.

While he acknowledged that Britains leadership had saved thousands of lives since the start of the war, over the weekend he said support had recently "slowed down".

But a Downing Street spokesperson said the prime minister remains absolutely resolute in his support for Ukraine.

The Ministry of Defence has been contacted for comment.
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A Nevada jury returned to deliberations Wednesday in the murder trial of a Democratic ex-politician accused of killing a Las Vegas investigative journalist two years ago over stories the reporter wrote about the official's conduct in public office two years ago.

Work for the panel of seven women and five men to reach a verdict resumed after eight days of trial and more than 10 hours behind closed doors Monday and Tuesday in Clark County District Court.

Robert Telles is accused of stabbing reporter Jeff German to death in a side yard of German's home on Labor Day weekend 2022 after he wrote stories about Telles and the county office that handles unclaimed estates.

Telles denied killing German. He 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 am not the kind of person who would stab someone. I didnt kill Mr. German, he testified. And thats my testimony.

Defense lawyer Robert Draskovich showed the jury an image during closing arguments Monday of a person whose profile didnt look like Telles driving a maroon SUV that evidence showed was key to the crime. He noted that none of Germans blood or DNA was found on Telles, in his vehicle or at his home.

He asked jurors to ask themselves, What evidence is missing?

Prosecutor Christopher Hamner told jurors that finding Telles guilty would be like connecting the dots based on overwhelming evidence they heard  including DNA that matched Telles found beneath German's fingernails.

Hamner maintained that German fought to the death with his attacker and that Telles blamed German for destroying his career, ruining his reputation and threatening his marriage.

Telles lost his primary for a second elected term after German's stories appeared in the Las Vegas Review-Journal in May and June 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.

Prosecutors presented a timeline and videos showing 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.

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 where German 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 Telles' wife sent him a text message about 10:30 a.m. asking, Where are you?" Prosecutors said Telles left his cellphone at home so he couldn't be tracked. Telles told the jury he took a walk and then went to a gym in the afternoon.

German, 69, was a respected journalist who spent 44 years covering crime, courts and corruption in Las Vegas. About a dozen of his family members and friends have watched the trial. Theyve declined as a group to comment.

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.

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.
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An Arkansas man has been arrested for the rape and murder of a Boeing worker who was killed more than four decades ago.

New DNA collected from a cigarette helped police in Washington state arrest Kenneth Duane Kundert, 65, for the 1980 slaying of 30-year-old Dorothy Marie Silzel of Kent, Washington.

While some DNA evidence had been recovered from the crime scene decades earlier, according to CBS affiliate KTHV, the technology was not advanced enough to help link that evidence to possible suspects at the time.

Silzel was last seen alive on February 23, 1980, in Kent, Washington, the Van Buren County Sheriffs Office said on social media following the arrest of Kundert last week.

Her family and friends, who called her Dottie, said she worked two jobs  as an instructor at Boeing Aircraft Company during the day, and some nights at Gaetanos Pizza.

On the night Silzel went missing, she left Gaetanos between 10pm and 11.15pm after her shift ended, but was never seen again.

Three days later, when Silzel failed to show up for work at Boeing, a family friend and a Kent police officer conducted a welfare check at her condo, which was just three blocks from the pizza joint.

They found Silzels nude body on the second floor in a room that appeared to be used for sewing, FOX13 reported. A robe was wrapped around her arm. She had marks on her neck that appeared consistent with bruising.

An autopsy determined Silzel had suffered a blunt impact to her head and died from strangulation.

For years, the case saw little movement as it shuffled from one detective to the next  until 11 years ago when it landed on the desk of Detective Tim Ford, who followed up on tips and leads as he often met with her family members.

In March 2022, police began pursuing possible DNA matches and with the help of Senior Forensic Genealogist Misty Gillis at Identifinders International, they located ancestry matches for 11 potential suspects.

Over a year later, in September 2023, detectives had narrowed the suspect list down to Kenneth Kundert and his brother, who was later excluded after he voluntarily provided a DNA sample, FOX13 reported.

However, Kundert refused to allow his DNA to be tested. But detectives took note of his smoking and how he would stash the cigarette butt in his pocket instead of throwing it away.

While conducting surveillance of Kundert in March 2024, investigators collected cigarettes from the trash bin after seeing him discard one and were able to obtain a DNA profile.

Detectives with the Kent Police Department and Van Buren County Sheriffs deputies arrested Kundert on Tuesday at his home near Clinton, Arkansas.

He has a criminal history that includes multiple misdemeanor offenses in four states.

To killers who think they got away with it, they should be nervous about every knock on the door because it doesnt matter how many years its been, that knock is coming, Casey McNerthney with the King County Prosecutors Office said following the arrest.

Kundert is scheduled to be arraigned on August 29.

The arrest of Kundert brings some closure for Silzels family and friends who have been waiting for years, hoping for an answer.

First it was outrage, then it was overwhelming joy that we get some closure, her niece Leanne Milligan said. Hopefully, we can convict this guy of doing what he did. Hes a monster.

Milligan was 20 years old when her aunt was killed. She remembered her as someone who loved volunteering for the Special Olympics and was just someone she looked up to.

She was only 10 years older than I am. She worked at Boeing. I got a job at Boeing, and we were more alike at that time of our lives, she recalled.

Milligan, along with other loved ones gathered on Sunday at the Greenwood Memorial Park in Renton to remember Silzel.

They also thanked the detectives, specifically Det Ford, for their dedication.

Tim has definitely elevated the Kent Police Department very high, Silzels sister-in-law, Carol Yantzel said. This is our private celebration of joy and gratefulness, but it gives hope to so many other families who are out there.
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Colorado police are searching for 10 missing Doberman puppies in an effort to track down their breeders killer.

Paul Peavey, a 57-year-old dog breeder, was found dead by friends at his Idaho Springs home on Saturday after the alarm was raised when he wasnt seen or heard from since August 19.

His exact cause of death has not yet been disclosed, but a homicide investigation is underway.

The Clear Creek County Sheriffs Office said that as many as 10 European Doberman puppies had been taken from Peaveys property, which also doubled as a dog breeding kennel.

Three adult dogs were left behind at the home, and are now at an animal shelter, according to The New York Post.

Authorities said that they could not yet confirm whether the potential value of the puppies was a motive for the murder.

However, investigators are hoping that tracking down the puppies will help lead them to the killer or killers.

The missing puppies are as young as four weeks old, with Peaveys latest litter of puppies born in mid-July, the Post reported.

Authorities said that each of Peaveys dogs were microchipped. Anyone who purchased a Doberman puppy in the central Colorado area within the last week is asked to check them for a microchip and contact the sheriffs office.

Anyone who has made a purchase from Peaveys breeding business since June is also asked to contact the sheriffs office, regardless of whether or not they bought a puppy.

This will help us determine exactly how many puppies are unaccounted for, explained the sheriffs office.

According to his website Elite European Dobermans, Peavey had over 40 years of experience in dog breeding and would walk dogs for local rescue shelters.

A photo posted to his Facebook page in 2019 shows him posing alongisde his own dog, Miley, who had just won best-of-breed at an event.

His dogs were his life. He had been through some things in life, and the dogs were his therapy, friend Brice Boynton told Denver7.

The Independent has contacted the Clear Creek County Sheriffs Office for further details.

Anyone who has puchased a puppy in the central Colorado area in the past week or has other information about the case is asked to contact the sheriffs office on 303-679-2393.
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A suspect wanted for murder was captured when he fell through the ceiling from an attic space where he had been hiding out, according to US Marshals.

Deario Wilkerson, 20, was arrested on Monday in connection with the murder of Troy Cunningham, who was found shot dead in Memphis back on April 2.

The US Marshals said that its Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force (TRVFTF), together with the Shelby County Sheriffs Office and Memphis Police Departments Fugitive Apprehension Teams, had traced Wilkerson to a residence in Tennessee.

They surrounded the house before entering and searching the property.

During the search, Wilkerson fell through the ceiling from the attic, the US Marshals said in a press release.

The 20-year-old was unharmed and taken into custody with no further incident.

Wilkerson was one of three suspects identified in Cunninghams killing, the Shelby County District Attorneys Office told NBC News.

The suspects had allegedly stolen Cunninghams gun before firing it at him as he tried to flee. He suffered a gunshot wound to the back of the head.

In May, a warrant for Wilkersons arrest was issued on charges of first degree murder and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon.

The other two suspects were arrested and charged prior to Mondays incident.
Steven Andrew Calls the USA to 'Love God and One Another': Christians and Churches are Invited to 'Unite the USA in Christ'

NEWS PROVIDED BY

USA Christian Church

Aug. 28, 2024

SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 28, 2024 /Christian Newswire/ -- In a time of unprecedented challenges of political division and economic uncertainty, Steven Andrew calls upon Christians and churches to unite in love and Biblical Christian faith. Andrew is a devoted pastor who has reached over 80 million people for Jesus Christ. Andrew leads the American Christian Denomination.

In a video Andrew shares the mission is: "for the glory of God, America is one nation under God, where Americans love God and one another." Andrew seeks to unite the USA in Christ and bring God's healing to lives and our land. There are twelve Bible beliefs of the American Christian Denomination that Andrew gives to unite the USA in Christ.

Who: Steven Andrew, a respected pastor known for his unwavering commitment to spreading the Gospel and fostering Biblical unity among believers.

What: A nationwide call to action for Christians and churches to embrace and practice the commandment to love God and one another.

Where: This call is directed to Christians and churches in the USA.

When: The movement is ongoing with efforts to grow this mission.

Why: People need God's spiritual healing and unity. By loving God and one another, we unite the USA in Christ and bring about the greatest blessings for our communities and country.

How: Christians and churches are encouraged to sign up and join the movement by visiting USA Christian Church.

Participants will receive resources and support to help them actively engage in loving God and one another in their daily lives and communities.

In a heartfelt message, Steven Andrew said, "In these challenging times, it is more important than ever for us to come together in love and Christian faith."

The "Love God and One Another" movement includes various activities and events designed to foster unity, compassion, and spiritual growth. These range from revival and prayer gatherings to training and worship services. By participating, individuals and congregations will not only strengthen their own Christian faith but also contribute to the greater good of society.

For more information and to sign up for the "Love God and One Another" movement, please visit USA Christian Church.

About Steven Andrew: Steven Andrew leads the American Christian Denomination and is the pastor of USA Christian Church. Known for his passionate preaching and commitment to love God and one another to unite the USA in Christ, he is a guiding light for many in the Christian community.

SOURCE USA Christian Church

CONTACT: Steven Andrew, 877 537-8734, pastor@usa.church


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Robert Telles, a former Nevada politician, has been found guilty of murdering a Las Vegas reporter who wrote stories that were critical of him.

Telles, the former Clark County public administrator, pleaded not guilty to the September 2022 killing of Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German. The 47-year-old now faces life in prison. The sentencing phase of his trial will begin on Wednesday afternoon, CNN reports.

Telless trial began on August 14, nearly two years after German was stabbed to death in the yard of his Las Vegas home.

During the trial, prosecutors said the 69-year-old wrote articles critical of Telles and the Clark County office, alleging Telles had an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate employee. Prosecutors argued those critical stories destroyed Telles career and were a clear motive for Germans murder.

Robert Telles was found guilty of murdering Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German in September 2022 ( Getty Images )

The prosecution also played security footage from Germans neighbors of a man in a straw hat and orange vest on their street. This individual also drove a red SUV, which the prosecution said belonged to Telles.

They argued Telles wore this disguise and hid outside Germans home to kill him.

He murdered him because Jeffs writing destroyed his career, it destroyed his reputation, it threatened probably his marriage and exposed things that even he admitted he did not want the public to know, prosecutor Christopher Hamner said on Monday, just before the jury went into deliberations, according to CNN. He did it because Jeff wasnt done writing.

Prosecutors also told the jury that officers found a large hat and cut-up Nike shoes  the same ones shown in the security footage  while searching Telless house. Analysts discovered that DNA taken from underneath Germans fingernails matched Telless.

Telles, who testified in his own defense, argued he was framed for the murder after trying to end corruption in his office and that law enforcement did not properly handle the investigation.

I want to say, unequivocally, I am innocent, I didnt kill Mr. German, he testified.

Itd be quite a coincidence, the fact that Mr. German was killed and it was put on me, that they just had a serendipitous benefit from that, Telles continued. Its done. No repercussions, no nothing.

The former elected official told the jury that the police, the DNA lab, his colleagues at the county and a real estate company all conspired to kill German and frame him. Hamner dismissed these claims in closing arguments.

What it does give you a window into is whats in his mind, Hamner said of Telless defense. That is how important Mr. Telles views himself. That every single one of these people, these entities, were literally willing to kill another human being  who is not him  just to frame him.

Does that make sense? And more importantly, where is the evidence to support that?
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A man drowned in a Texas lake while trying to save a teenage girl moments after being baptized.

Lincer Lopez, 21, was at Lake Waxahachie  just outside of Dallas  with a large group of churchgoers from Garland, Texas on August 24 to be baptized.

Minutes after Lopez was baptized, he spotted his friend, 15-year-old Genesis Delgado, struggling to swim farther out in the lake, local outlet WFAA reports. Lopez swam out to rescue her, but his strength eventually failed and he disappeared underneath the water.

I was like this is it, Im just gonna die here, and nobodys gonna be able to find my body, Genesis told WFAA. All these flashbacks were coming, and memories, and then I just blacked out.

Jacob Bell was boating on the lake when he saw Lopez trying to save Delgado and jumped in the water to help.

A view of Lake Waxahachie where 21-year-old Lincer Lopez drowned minutes after he was baptized there ( Google Maps )

[I got her] into my boat and gave her CPR, got her breathing again, and got her to the shore, Bell told NBC DFW.

Bell then rushed to rescue Lopez  but it was too late.

[I] ran across the dock area into the lake and swam around and dove down and finally found the boy and pulled him up to safety, Bell said. And he had already passed.

Lincer was being just a hero and going and helping people, he continued.

Community members have launched a GoFundMe to send Lopezs body back to his hometown of Chiapas, Mexico, where his parents, seven siblings and other family members are mourning.

I thank you Lincer for everything you tried to do, and I hope I can see you again soon, I believe I will, Genesis told WFAA.

Lopezs uncle, Jacobo Lopez, said the 21-year-old was so excited for his baptism that he had trouble sleeping the night before. The young adult worked in construction and sent money home to his family in Mexico, Jacobo Lopez told WFAA.

He was a hero, Bell told WFAA. He didnt think twice about rescuing someone else. He didnt think about the risk that he could die. And he did risk his life to save somebody elses.

Local law enforcement also shared a statement mourning the 21-year-old: The Waxahachie Police Department, along with the entire community, would like to extend our deepest condolences to the victims family.
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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday appointed a ruling socialist party boss to oversee the countrys police forces, empowering a hardline loyalist who has vowed to pursue government opponents as part of an ongoing 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, he's 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 the two.

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.

More than 2,000 people  including journalists, politicians and aid workers  have been arrested since the July 28 election. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on Wednesday is expected to deliver a report in Washington at a special meeting of the Organization of American States to discuss the crackdown.

"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.

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
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TikTok challenges have been blamed for grievous spinal injuries , horrific burns , and, at one point in the not-too-distant past, a global shortage of Ozempic .

Now, the worlds second most popular social media app will be forced to explain itself as it battles accusations that it knowingly steered potentially dangerous videos to young people while ignoring warnings of death and destruction in an attempt to maximize profits. An opinion handed down Tuesday by a US appeals court breathed new life into a momentous lawsuit filed by a grieving mother who believes TikTok is culpable for the loss of her daughter.

Federal law provides TikTok immunity from suit for hosting videos created and uploaded by third parties, US Circuit Judge Paul Matey wrote in his partial concurrence. At the same time, it does not protect TikTok from being held to account for what Matey described as its alleged knowing distribution and targeted recommendation of videos it knew could be harmful.

In a statement provided on Wednesday to The Independent, attorney Jeffrey Goodman, who argued the appeal on behalf of the Anderson family, said, Big Tech just lost its get-out-of-jail-free card. This ruling ensures that the powerful social media companies will have to play by the same rules as all other corporations, and when they indifferently cause harm to children, they will face their day in court.

TikTok has said that the  safety of users is our top priority .

Nylah Andersons mom, seen here at a press conference held after she filed a lawsuit against TikTok in 2022, wants the company to stop feeding dangerous content to impressionable kids. ( Screengrab Saltz Mongeluzzi & Bendesky )

It was the TikTok-infamous Blackout Challenge that killed 10-year-old Nylah Anderson , according to her mom. In December 2021, Philadelphia-area resident Tawainna Anderson discovered her daughters lifeless body on the bedroom floor, following the active, happy, healthy, and incredibly intelligent girls attempt to complete the challenge, in which users of the worlds second most popular non-gaming app choked themselves with belts, towels, or other objects until they passed out. Nylah was rushed to the hospital, where she died five days later.

Over an 18-month span between 2021 and 2022, the Blackout Challenge was said to have killed 20 children in 18 months , 15 of them under the age of 12. And its hardly the only dangerous challenge to go viral. The Skullbreaker Challenge, which involves kicking a persons legs out from under them as they jump into the air, nearly paralyzed a 13-year-old Pennsylvania girl, and has led to criminal charges in at least one instance. The so-called Angel of Death Challenge, a game in which participants jump in front of moving vehicles to see if theyll stop in time, has reportedly led to multiple deaths . And when a 12-year-old Arizona boy attempted the TikTok Fire Challenge, where youngsters record themselves igniting blazes at home, he landed in the ICU and has undergone multiple surgeries since.

Nylah Andersons mom blames TikTok for her death. ( US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania )

In May 2022, Anderson sued TikTok and Chinese parent company ByteDance, arguing they were aware of the Blackout Challenge and its dangers but continued to purposefully deliver the videos to young, impressionable kids. The Blackout Challenge had shown up on Nylahs For You page, the lawsuit alleged.

I cannot stop replaying that day in my head, Anderson said at a news conference shortly after bringing the lawsuit. It is time that these dangerous challenges come to an end so that other families dont experience the heartbreak we live [with] every day.

TikTok executives unquestionably knew that the deadly Blackout Challenge was spreading through its app and that its algorithm was specifically feeding the Blackout Challenge to children, including those who had died, Andersons original complaint stated. Following Nylahs death, TikTok told The Independent that it was instituting controls to protect minors from content that could be harmful. The company also said it had no evidence of a Blackout Challenge on its site.

TikTok is the worlds second most popular app, behind only Instagram ( Getty Images )

However, in October 2022, a federal judge threw out the case, ruling that TikTok was shielded under an arcane  but hotly debated  portion of a 1996 law that former President Donald Trump tried to do away with after his tweets started being labeled as misinformation.

Although the circumstances here are tragic, I am compelled to rule that because Plaintiff seeks to hold Defendants liable as publishers of third-party content, they are immune under [Section 230 of] the Communications Decency Act, US District Judge Paul Diamond wrote in his dismissal.

On appeal, Andersons attorneys argued that while TikTok did not create the videos in question, the company took no and/or completely inadequate action to extinguish and prevent the spread of the Blackout Challenge and specifically to prevent the Blackout Challenge from being shown to children... Instead, TikTok continued to recommend these videos to children like Nylah.

Tuesdays decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit allows Andersons lawsuit to once again proceed, with TikTok and ByteDance named as defendants.

In it, Matey, a former white collar criminal defense lawyer who Trump appointed to the bench in 1996, noted that Nylah was still in the first year of her adolescence, [and] likely had no idea what she was doing or that following along with the images on her screen would kill her.

In his own statement, Goodmans co-counsel Samuel Dordick, said, For decades, Big Tech companies like TikTok have used Section 230 to protect them from accountability for their egregious and predatory conduct. This resounding ruling has decisively stated Section 230 does not extend that far.

Anderson, for her part, issued a statement through Goodman and Dordick, saying, Nothing will bring back our beautiful baby girl. But we are comforted knowing that  by holding TikTok accountable  our tragedy may help other families avoid future, unimaginable suffering.
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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.
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Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump are set to face off against each other for the first time on the national debate stage on Tuesday and how they perform under the limitations of the rules will be under a microscope.

After several days of back-and-forth, the two candidates finally agreed to comply with the same rules that Trump and President Joe Biden used during the first presidential debate back in June.

That includes muted microphones, no pre-written notes, no live audience, no sitting, and no speaking with campaign staff between commercial breaks.

Though many of the rules are standard for presidential debates, the originally agreed-up regulations could put Harris at a disadvantage since she has a different skill set than President Joe Biden.

Here are the rules for Tuesdays debate in Philadelphia and who stands to benefit.

Muted mics

Microphones will be live only when the candidate whose turn it is to speak is talking. Otherwise, they will remain muted.

This was a rule that Biden and Trump initially agreed upon. But its one that Harris tried to change once she became the Democratic presidential nominee.

Despite Trump saying it doesnt matter to him whether microphones stay on, his team threatened to pull out of the debate if the rules were changed.

Former president Donald Trump during the first presidential debate against President Joe Biden. Audiences and the media agreed that Trump prevailed in the first debate ( Getty Images )

Trump is notorious for interrupting people and making snide comments when he is being attacked. During his civil and criminal trials, judges have scolded the former president for speaking out of turn in the courtroom.

Brian Fallon, a top aide for Harris, wrote on X that Trumps handlers dont trust him to spar live.

Ultimately, Harris agreed to the muted microphone rule but Fallon told ABC News that Harris would be fundamentally disadvantaged.

However, a pool of journalists will be permitted in the hall and can report on remarks that are muted for television audiences, according to AP.

No prepared notes or help

Candidates cannot bring pre-written notes or props to the podium and must stand for the entire duration. They will be given a pen, pad of paper and water bottle. Additionally, campaign staff may not interact with either candidate during the two commercial breaks.

Improvising is neither Harris nor Trumps strong suit but the former president has more experience doing so than Harris.

Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2020 vice presidential debate. Audiences largely considered Harris to be the winner of that debate ( AFP via Getty Images )

Trump goes on long-winded, off-topic tangents at rallies, press conferences and during interviews. But hes good at praising his agenda and policies while tearing down Democrats, although sometimes it results in him making extreme statements.

As a former prosecutor, Harris excels in getting to the point concisely and clearly. But when asked to improvise, she can stumble and say things that are easily misconstrued. In previous interviews, she has been mocked or criticized for misspeaking.

No opening statements

There will be no opening statements during the debate, only closing statements. Trump has won a coin toss and chose the order of statements. Harris will give the first closing statement and Trump will go last.

The former president is at a slight advantage since he can hear all of Harriss talking points before delivering the final word of the debate.

Moderators will ask the questions

Only the moderators of the debate, David Muir and Linsey Davis, will be permitted to ask questions and there will be no live audience.

This means candidates must answer the question in full, and give a rebuttal in a direct and easy-to-understand way, because it will be a slightly more formal setting than previous debates.

Harris has a slight advantage to the former president in this aspect because she is better at remaining on topic and hitting multiple points more quickly than Trump.

The debate will air on ABC News beginning at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
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Donald Trumps former White House lawyer anticipated that he would be sentenced to six to nine years if convicted for his alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Special Counsel Jack Smith filed a superseding indictment against the former president on Tuesday, keeping the same four criminal charges intact but trimming down some of the allegations in light of the Supreme Courts immunity decision last month. In the wake of the new filing, Ty Cobb, an attorney in the Trump administration, discussed Trumps chances of spending time behind bars on CNNs Erin Burnett OutFront.

Its a forceful documentYou cant read this and not understand the crimes that Trump actually committed, Cobb said.

If convicted, 78-year-old Trump could face up to 55 years in prison. Cobb didnt think he would get that full sentence, but believed he would serve six to nine years behind bars.

Even six to nine, for someone his age, is very significant, Burnett said. She then asked Cobb, given his relationship with Trump, what he believes the former president will do next.

Special Counsel Jack Smith (L) in Washington, DC, on June 9, 2023 and Donald Trump in Howell, Michigan, August 20, 2024. On August 27, prosecutors filed a revised indictment of Donald Trump on charges that he tried to overturn the 2020 election after losing to Joe Biden ( AFP via Getty Images )

He wont take this seriously until the final gavel comes down and the jurors come back and say, guilty and he actually gets sentenced, Cobb said.

He predicted the Trump lawyers will use a lot of delaying tactics  a move that they have utilized in other legal cases the former president faces.

Trump took to Truth Social to condemn the superseding indictment as election interference and an act of desperation that has all the problems of the old Indictment, and should be dismissed IMMEDIATELY.

Cobb also cut into these claims by Trump, saying, Theyve already said its the same indictment. Clearly its not. Theyve already said that this should be dismissed immediately. It wont be dismissed immediately.

Smith wrote that the superseding indictment reflects the Governments efforts to respect and implement the Supreme Courts holdings and remand instructions from the landmark decision in July on presidential immunity. The ruling determined that the president is absolutely immune from criminal prosecution for actions that stem from official duties in office, and grants the president presumptive immunity for acts in the outer perimeter of official duties.

Smith reshaped his case around the ruling by cutting down some of the allegations in the original filing against Trump, namely the former presidents attempts to use the Justice Department to promote his election fraud claims. Similarly, co-conspirator 4, who is believed to be former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark, is no longer included.

I think people who view this as a rescue or as some by retreat by Smith read this completely wrong, Cobb said.

He added that if the Supreme Court eliminates a path that was previously available the prudent thing to do is to change course...These are the same charges and theyre easily proved.
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Lyin Ted Cruz, as candidate Donald Trump infamously dubbed the Texas senator, is pushing for the 2024 White House hopeful to debate Democratic rival Vice President Kamala Harris whatever stupid rules they want.

Cruz, a conservative Republican whose Cuban-born father Trump wrongfully accused of being involved in the JFK assassination , rejected Fox News host Sean Hannitys entreaty on Monday night for the twice-impeached former president-turned- NFT-trading-card-salesman to not give in to the Harris campaigns proposed groundrules for the face-off scheduled to air September 10 on ABC News.

Trump has been sending mixed signals about debating Harris, who seems to have thrown the former president for a loop ever since Joe Biden dropped his re-election bid in favor of his younger, more robust VP. On Sunday, Trump posted to his Twitter clone, Truth Social, 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?

Former US President Donald Trump forced President Joe Bidens hand at their first and only debate on June 27, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia ( Getty Images )

Trump said recently at an appearance in Virginia, 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 I do it on Fox, Id even do it on CNN. I thought CNN treated us very fairly the last time.

Finally, on Tuesday, Trump blasted out a post on Truth Social insisting the debate is most definitely on  though he bemoaned that it will be Broadcast Live on ABC FAKE NEWS, 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, he wrote. The Debate will be stand up, and Candidates cannot bring notes, or cheat sheets.

On Monday, Cruz told Hannity, Sean, I think Trump needs to do the debate. And frankly, I think he should agree to whatever stupid rules they want. Its going to be hostile and rigged regardless.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Democrat of Texas, said in an appearance on MSNBC that she believes Trump will duck the Harris debate. However, she said, If he does show up, he is about to get his butt handed to him, so Im here for it either way.

Crockett recently gained prominence after describing MAGA-fied Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene as a bleach blond bad built butch body.

Trump seems less eager to debate Kamala Harris, a former prosecutor and US senator who is decades younger than Joe Biden. ( AP )

Trump and Harris have been at odds over debate rules around whether or not the candidates microphones should be muted when the other is speaking. Harris campaign says she wants the mics hot so that the American people can see both candidates for who they are and hear everything that comes out of their mouths."

Trump has complained that Biden wanted muted mics during their debates, but now Harris all of a sudden want[s] to make a change in the rules because she cant answer questions She cant talk. We cant have another dummy as a president.

In his Monday interview, Cruz told Hannity that Trump needed to just get onstage with Harris, full stop.

If you want her to wear a cheese head while shes debating, you want the mics hot or not, you want her to have an encyclopedia of talking points in front of her, I dont care, he said before going on to stretch the truth about his and Trumps records. I want to stand up directly and contrast her record and mine, because on every front, Donald Trumps record, we had success in this country. (This is not true.)
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The FBI has released photos of the rifle used to shoot former President Donald Trump during the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13.

The law enforcement agency also announced that they have linked a mixture of ideologies to gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, who was shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper. One rally attendee was killed in the shooting and two others were injured by the eight bullets fired by Crooks before he was killed.

While the investigation continues, the bureau has said that it has not found any motive or evidence that Crooks had collaborators.

Investigators think Crooks engaged in detailed attack planning, the head of the FBI field office in Pittsburgh, Kevin Rojek, said in a press briefing, according to CBS News.

He added that Crooks was hyper-focused on the rally in Butler following its announcement and looked at it as a target of opportunity.

One online account connected to the gunman was used to search for Trump events in Pennsylvania starting in September last year. Between April of this year and the day before the shooting, Crooks searched for campaign events for Trump as well as President Joe Biden.

Donald Trump pumps his fist as he is rushed offstage during a rally on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. New photos of the rifle used in the shooting have been released by the FBI. ( Getty Images )

Following the announcement of the rally in Butler, Rojek said Crooks searched for information about that venue, such as the term Butler farm show podium.

In June, Crooks searched for things related to both Biden and Trump, such as the dates for the Democratic and Republican conventions.

Accounts connected to Crooks searched for terms related to making explosive devices as early as 2019. Rojek said the gunman searched for terms like detonating cord, how to make a bomb from fertilizer, and how do remote detonators work.

Rojek said that some accounts connected to Crooks were used to post antisemitic comments and investigators are trying to understand if he made those posts himself.

The field office head added that Crooks spent six minutes on the roof from where he took aim at Trump before opening fire. He said the gunman fired eight bullets while law enforcement fired two, one round came from the sniper and the other from a local officer.

Theres no evidence that the local officer struck Crooks, and theres also nothing to suggest there was another gunman taking aim at Trump.

The FBI said they had a productive interview with Trump regarding the shooting and that Crookss parents have been extremely cooperative.

The law enforcement agency also released new photos of the evidence gathered so far. One of the images released shows the rifle used by Crooks, collected from the site of the shooting  an AR-style rifle produced by DPMS Panther Arms, the firearm has an extendable rear stock and optical sight, according to the FBI.

An image shared by the FBI on August 28 shows the AR-style rifle used by Thomas Matthew Crooks in the shooting that injured former President Donald Trump ( FBI )

Another photo shows the rifle disassembled alongside Crookss backpack.

Thomas Matthew Crookss disassembled rifle and backpack is seen in a photo shared by the FBI ( FBI )

The third photo released by the authorities shows two improvised explosive devices in the back of Crookss car. The photo was taken by the Allegheny County Police Department.

The FBI revealed that the receiver that would have been used to detonate the devices from a distance was turned off and added that the devices had several problems in the way they were constructed.

Two improvised explosive devices can be seen in the trunk of the car of Thomas Matthew Crooks ( Allegheny County Police Department / FBI )

The final photo shared by the FBI shows the air conditioning unit that Crooks used to get onto the roof of the building from where he opened fire.
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JD Vance has admitted that the Trump campaign screwed up an awkward visit to a donut shop in Valdosta, Georgia last week.

As the assembled media looked on, Vance struggled to make small talk while buying baked goods, with one of the employees asking to be kept off-camera. The moment has since gone viral.

I just felt terrible for that woman, Vance told NBC News on Tuesday.

We walked in, and theres 20 Secret Service agents, and theres 15 cameras, and she clearly had not been properly warned, and she was terrified, right? I just felt awful for her, he added.

Former president Donald Trumps running mate said he enjoys casually speaking to voters but noted that he had told his staff that visits to various establishments have to be better planned going forward.

We dont have these scripted events  I dont want to go and do three takes of buying Doritos at a Sheetz, the Republican vice presidential nominee said in reference to a recent stop by Vice President Kamala Harris at a gas station in Pennsylvania.

JD Vance struggled to order at a donut shop while an employee refused to be seen with him on camera. Vance said on Tuesday that he just felt awful for her ( C-Span )

I like to get out there and talk to people, and we want to make sure were doing it, but definitely make sure that people are at least okay with being on camera, or were going to walk in and youre going to have a person who has, practically, a panic attack because shes got 15 cameras in her face, he said.

The visit in Valdosta took place on Thursday where he introduced himself to one staff member, who responded that she didnt want to be filmed.

Im JD Vance. Im running for vice president, the Trump running mate said.

Okay, the shop worker responded.

Were gonna do two dozen. Just a random assortment of stuff here, Vance continued as he browsed the available goods.

Everything. A lot of glazed here. Sprinkle stuff. A lot of cinnamon rolls. Just whatever makes sense, he added.

Vance struggled to make small talk as the employee filled up his box, asking how long they had been working there and how long the place had been in business.

About four years? Okay, Vance told the employee. Well, we selected this place. I didnt know if it had been here for 20 years or four years. You never know.

The clip of Vance came as he was trying to move on from being called weird by Democrats.
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In the latest audio recording to resurface, Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance can once again be heard going after women without children as somehow being harmful to other peoples kids.

So many of the leaders of the left, and I hate to be so personal about this, but theyre people without kids trying to brainwash the minds of our children, Vance said at a 2021 Center for Christian Virtue forum, in audio unearthed by nonprofit Chicagoland radio station WCPT820 .

Vance, Donald Trumps 2024 running mate, went on to slam American Federation of Teachers boss Randi Weingarten, insisting: [S]he doesnt have a single child. If she wants to brainwash and destroy the minds of children, she should have some of her own and leave ours the hell alone."

The freshman senator, Yale-educated lawyer and former venture capitalist, first lobbed a widely derided slur about women who had never given birth during a 2021 interview with then-Fox News host Tucker Carlson. He lamented that the US was under the control of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that theyve made and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too.

Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance has seemingly been unable to get out of his own way in making offensive comments about women. ( REUTERS )

Vance further took aim at Vice President and Democratic presidential contender Kamala Harris, Transportation Secretray Pete Buttigieg, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as a cabal without children, who shouldnt be making decisions for others.

How does it make any sense that weve turned our country over to people who dont really have a direct stake in it? Vance asked Carlson.

Vance didnt limit the cat ladies insult to women, either. Also in 2021, Vance took aim at economist Paul Krugman, tweeting : Paul Krugman is one of many weird cat ladies who have too much power in our country. We should change this.

Vance has also argued that those without children should pay higher taxes and have diminished voting rights. His offensive remarks have been met with outrage along with people sharing their personal stories.

Former Democratic Rep. Gabby Giffords, who was shot in the head in a 2011 assassination attempt, posted on X that she and astronaut husband Senator Mark Kelly, a VP shortlister before Harris chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, had tried and failed to conceive via IVF.

To suggest we are somehow lesser is disgraceful, Giffords posted .

Oprah Winfrey slammed JD Vances stance on childbearing at the Democratic National Convention earlier this month. ( AFP via Getty Images )

Actress Jennifer Aniston also slammed Vance for his insensitivity to women struggling to conceive, posting to social media that she hoped Vances own daughter is fortunate enough to bear children of her own one day.

I hope she will not need to turn to IVF as a second option, Aniston said. Because you are trying to take that away from her, too.

Vance responded and called Anistons take disgusting.

At the Democratic National Convention earlier this month, Oprah Winfrey made a dig at Vance by saying that if a house was on fire that happened to belong to a childless cat lady, shed still try to save her and her pet.

On Sunday, Vance tried to walk back his comments, saying during an appearance on NBCs Meet the Press: I made a sarcastic comment years ago that I think that a lot of Democrats have willfully misinterpreted.

He said he had a lot of regrets, but that a joke three years ago is not at the top 10 of the list.

In an email received after this article was published, Taylor Van Kirk, a spokeswoman for Vance, doubled down on the VP hopefuls attack line, telling The Independent that Vances ire was directed at elites like Randi Weingarten, with the support of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, and not intended to tar the countrys great teachers.

Van Kirks statement suggested, without evidence, that schools are forgoing classes in reading, writing, math, and the basics, in favor of forcing anti-American propaganda into the curriculum, before concluding, Senator Vance is committed to ending the leftist indoctrination in our schools and will continue to loudly call this crap out to defend our kids.
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JD Vance accused Kamala Harris of flip-flopping about the border wall, but was immediately slapped down by critics because he voted against a bipartisan bill that would have tightened security at the border.

Republicans have sought to use immigration and the border to attack the Harris-Walz campaign ahead of Novembers presidential election.

In the latest attempt to slam the Democratic ticket, Vance referenced a report headlined: Harris flip-flops on building the border wall.

The Republican vice presidential nominee posted a link to the Axios report on X and said: Kamala Harris is a fake. If she wants to build the border wall, she could start right now!

However he was quickly called out, with many pointing out that Republicans tanked a bipartisan immigration and border security bill in the Senate back in May following pressure from Donald Trump.

The bill  which would have provided the president with the authority to shut down the asylum system if unauthorized border crossings reached a certain monthly threshold  had initially seemed set up for success.

JD Vance, speaking at the border earlier this month, voted against a bipartisan bill that wouldve tightened security ( Getty Images )

It included $650m on wall spending, significantly less than the $18bn Trump asked for when he was president in 2018.

But the bill quickly collapsed after Trump and his loyalists in the House and Senate GOP came out against it.

Trump was reportedly infuriated with Republicans joining with Democrats on one of his key campaign issues.

Responding to Vance, former GOP representative Adam Kinzinger  who urged Republican voters at the DNC to abandon Trump and support Harris  pointed out the irony of the Ohio senator calling Harris a fake.

JD Vance accused Harris of flip-flopping on the border wall but his post backfired ( X )

"BREAKING," Kinzinger quipped. "In the irony of all ironies, @JDVance calls Kamala Harris fake."

Jake Broe, a former US nuclear and missile officer-turned commentator, replied to Vance: There was funding for more border wall in the Senate bi-partisan border security bill. You led the charge to kill that border bill so the border would remain a problem through the election. You are the problem.

The bill was already rejected by most Republicans in February when it was linked to a foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other US allies. It would also have tightened standards for asylum seekers and empowered federal officials to quickly remove those who did not qualify.

Harris pledged to revive the bill at the DNC last week, and if she does it would mean committing to hundreds of millions of dollars on the border.

Adam Kinzinger responds to Vance, pointing out the irony of calling Harris a fake' ( X )

It is a departure from the stance she took as a senator in 2017, where she dismissed Trumps border wall as a medieval vanity project and a complete waste of taxpayer money.

In her speech at the DNC, Harris said: Joe [Biden] and I brought together Democrats and conservative Republicans to write the strongest border bill in decades; the border patrol endorsed it.

But Donald Trump believes a border deal would hurt his campaign. So, he ordered his allies in Congress to kill the deal.

The bill has also been heavily criticized by some progressive Democrats and Latino members of the party over its exclusion of key priorities, such as a pathway for citizenship for undocumented immigrants, including Dreamers  those brought to the US by their parents when they were young children.
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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.
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A nearly 70-year-old ban on carrying switchblades in Massachusetts was reversed by the states highest court on Tuesday after they determined that the knives are considered arms and therefore protected under the Second Amendment.

Folding pocketknives not only fit within contemporaneous dictionary definitions of arms -- which would encompass a broader category of knives that today includes switchblades --- but they also were commonly possessed by lawabiding citizens for lawful purposes around the time of the founding, Justice Serge Georges Jr. wrote in the opinion.

The law, enacted in 1957, prohibited the possession of a switch knife or any knife having an automatic spring release device by which the blade is released from the handle.

But a man challenged the law in 2020 after he was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon. Officers found the switchblade on him while intervening in an altercation between him and his girlfriend.

The Massachusetts Judicial Court ultimately sided with the man, vacating the charge.

In deciding the cases, justices relied heavily on the precedent of New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen (2022). A Supreme Court case that expanded gun rights by creating a two-part test for all modern gun laws to pass. That test asks whether the Second Amendment covers the challenged regulated conduct and if the statute is consistent with U.S. history and tradition.

Justice Georges said switchblades fall under the definitions of the Second Amendment because they are widely owned and accepted as a legitimate means of self-defense across the country.

The Second Amendment protects Americans right to bear arms, which the court said did not just represent firearms but any weapon that could be used to defend oneself. Justices pointed to the historical use of knives as an example of how knives fall under arms  specifically by colonists.

They also argued the switchblade law was unnecessary because nothing about the physical qualities of switchblades suggests they are uniquely dangerous and they are weapons in common use today by law-abiding citizens.

The Commonwealth has not presented any evidence as to why a spring-operated mechanism that allows users to open switchblades with one hand makes switchblades uniquely dangerous when compared to a broader category of manual folding pocketknives. Certainly, like handguns, switchblade knives are particularly suitable for self-defense, Justice Georges wrote.

Only seven states, and the District of Columbia, have laws prohibiting or restricting the open carry of switchblades.

But Tuesdays ruling is important because it is an example of how Bruen can be interpreted to challenge other laws that regulate dangerous weapons.
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Melania Trump has shared a cryptic post paying tribute to my home New York City as a place where dreams come alive  days after her husband Donald Trump suggested Barron Trump will be heading to college in the Big Apple this fall.

Accompanying the X post with an aerial shot of New York City, the former first lady said: New York City captivated my heart the moment I arrived, 28 years ago today.

This electrifying town isnt just my home; its a colorful canvas where dreams come alive. New Yorks iconic skyline and vibrant culture inspire me every day.

The post appeared to mark Melanias 28th anniversary as a New Yorker, though she spent years living in Washington DC during Trumps time in office and also spends much of her time in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.

Her glowing tribute to the Big Apple comes in stark contrast to her husbands stance on the city in recent years, after he has repeatedly branded the city and other Democrat-run cities crime-ridden.

In October 2023, he falsely claimed that New York Citys murder and crime numbers had hit unimaginable records.

Over the course of his hush money trial, he also railed against the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and claimed he had let violent crime run rampant all over our city.

Melanias post also comes amid rampant speculation as to where her son Barron will attend college in the fall.

The former president teased last week that his youngest son will go to college somewhere in New York, where he was also born, but did not specify where exactly, simply telling the New York Post that the family would make an announcement soon.

If he does attend a New York school, Barron will be rejecting his familys 60-year Ivy League legacy at the University of Pennsylvania.

Melania Trumps tribute to the Big Apple comes in stark contrast to her husbands stance on the city ( Leon Neal/Getty Images )

Since his fathers claim, schools across the state have begun their freshman programs, but no one has spotted either Barron or Melania in attendance.

With the 18-year-old towering over his mother at around 6ft 7in tall, and followed closely by Secret Service agents, he wouldnt be hard to spot.

The mother and son have been largely staying out of the limelight during Trumps presidential election campaign, with Melania reportedly making a deal with her husband that she would not dedicate all of her time to the White House if re-elected in November.

Barron Trump graduating from Oxbridge Academy in May ( AFP via Getty )

An insider told Page Six earlier this year that she does not want a non-stop schedule of events in the White House, and makes the point she can be both a hands-on mother and First Lady at the same time.

This mirrors when Melania hung back in New York City for five months following Trumps election in the 2016 presidential race, reportedly to allow her son to finish the school year without interruption.

The insider added that she is still concerned about the scrutiny Barron may face while attending college if his father is president.

Tim Walz with his wife Gwen and children Hope and Gus at the DNC ( AP )

Meanwhile, family members of political rivals Kamala Harris and Tim Walz have joined the Democrat ticket during their campaign.

At the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago last week, Harriss husband, stepdaughter, sister and grand-nieces took to the stage to support her.

Walz also reduced his family to tears while sharing his experience with infertility.

Hope, Gus and Gwen, you are my entire world. And I love you, Walz told the crowd.

His son Gus leapt to his feet, clapping with pride and exclaiming, Thats my dad! Thats my dad! while tears streamed down his face.
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Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz took to TikTok to talk gutters on Tuesday - noting that this aspect of home ownership often remains neglected, when asked for his hot take.

The Minnesota governor hit peak Midwestern Dad stride on the show Subway Takes. Hosted by Kareem Rahma, video clips involve asking people on the New York subway to share their opinions on something that may be controversial or unpopular.

My take is the most neglected part of home ownership is the gutters, Kamala Harris running mate said. Its personal for me.

Ive had problems with gutters before, you get your basement wet, you get ice dams, he added. It caused a lot of problems.

Walz then lauded the beauty of Minnesota in the fall before discussing the dangers of gutter maintenance.

Ive seen many a man fall off a ladder, Rahma said.

The VP nominee went on to recommend a gutter helmet to prevent leaves from getting into the troughs.

I try not to be judgemental on people, but when I see a well-tended gutter, it says a lot about somebody, Walz said to laughter from Rahma.

When asked if he preferred a well-tended lawn or having the gutters taken care of, Walz didnt hesitate.

Id go with the gutters ... I think gutters are a big thing, that they really matter, he said.

The top comment on the video is from Walz himself: Gutter helmets. Trust me on this one.

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz reacts during the Democratic National Convention on August 21. The Minnesota gov shared his top tips for gutters on TikTok show, Subway Takes ( AP )

The Harris campaign on TikTok called Walz, Americas dad.

Name a person in the White House in the last 20 years that has personally taken care of gutters. I love this guy, one commenter wrote.

Harris Deputy Campaign Manager Rob Flaherty shared the Subway Takes episode on X, where it quickly won more than a million views.

80/20 odds at this point they put Walz on Hot Ones, one user said.

There has never been a more dad-coded man than Tim Walz. Pure, podcaster Patrick Wyman wrote.

VP Walz is 100 percent going to be on a scissor lift at the Naval Observatory cleaning gutters next year, another account holder said.
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Two members of Donald Trumps campaign staff have been accused of verbally abusing and pushing an Arlington National Cemetery official when the former president attended a wreath-laying ceremony on Monday.

A source told NPR that the cemetery official had tried to stop Trump staffers from filming and photographing in a section of the cemetery known as Section 60, where recent US casualties are buried.

Arlington officials had reportedly made it clear to the Trump campaign beforehand that only cemetery staff are authorized to photograph or film in the area.

But when the official tried to stop Trumps team from entering Section 60, two unnamed staffers allegedly verbally abused and pushed the official aside, the source said.

Arlington National Cemetery confirmed in a statement to The Independent that there was an incident, and a report was filed.

Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidates campaign, said the cemetery.

Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants.

Donald Trump gave the thumbs up at the grave of a soldier at Arlington National Cemetery ( Utah Governor Spencer Cox )

In response to the claims, Trump also took to Truth Social, posting a statement overnight on behalf of family members of two fallen service members  Staff Sergeant Taylor Hoover and Sergeant Nicole Gee  who died during the USs withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

In the statement, the family members claimed the president and his team conducted themselves with nothing but the utmost respect and dignity for all of our service members, especially our beloved children.

The statement said that the families had given their approval for Trumps official videographer and photographer to attend the ceremony, to ensure these sacred moments of remembrance were respectfully captured and so we can cherish these memories forever.

When reached for comment by The Independent, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung denied there had been any physical altercation and vowed to release video to back it up.

He also suggested the official who tried to block the staffers from entering Section 60 was clearly suffering from a mental health episode.

Donald Trump posted a statement on behalf of soldiers family members claiming he and his team conducted themselves with nothing but the utmost respect ( Donald Trump/Truth Social )

There was no physical altercation as described and we are prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made, he said in the statement.

The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trumps team during a very solemn ceremony.

Cheung also directed The Independent to a post on X, where he had refuted the claim the Trump campaign had been told they were not be permitted to film or take photos in the area.

Responding to a post from NPR correspondent David Folkenflik, in which he appeared to share screenshots of an email reporting the alleged incident, Cheung insisted we were granted access to have a photographer there and shared his own screenshot which read: Only former president Trump may have an official photographer and/or videographer outside of the main media pool.

Senior Trump campaign advisor Chris LaCivita also hit out at the despicable individual he claimed tried to physically prevent President Trumps team from accompanying him to this solemn event is a disgrace.

Whoever this individual is spreading these lies are dishonoring the men and women of our armed forces, and they are disrespecting everyone who paid the price for defending our country, he added.

Tammy Duckworth calls Donald Trump despicable after Medal of Honor comments

The alleged incident unfolded on Monday when Trump was attending a wreath-laying ceremony marking the third anniversary of the Abbey Gate attack where 13 service members were killed during the USs chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.

Trumps visit to the cemetery has also come under criticism after he was photographed doing a thumbs up and flashing a smile in front of the graves of the dead service members.

This comes after Trump insulted veterans earlier this month by saying the top civilian award is better than the Medal of Honor  awarded to service members for conspicuous gallantry in the face of enemy fire  because veterans given the award are either in very bad shape because theyve been hit so many times by bullets or theyre dead.

His comments sparked a wave of backlash, with Army National Guard Veteran and Senator Tammy Duckworth condemning him as despicable: Frankly, hes not fit to be commander in chief.

She also highlighted previous comments made by Trump, where he allegedly called veterans suckers and losers.
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Donald Trump continued his sexist attacks against Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris  this time by sharing an outrageous post from one of his supporters.

In his latest offensive against the vice president, who is leading in the polls, Trump reposted on Tuesday a comment suggesting that she slept her way into power by dating former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown in the 1990s.

Although these types of remarks are not new for Trump or his allies, this time he also implicated his 2016 Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, referring to her husbands affair with Monica Lewinsky.

The former president on Tuesday reTruthed a response to a photo of the women smiling side by side that read: Funny how blowjobs impacted both their careers differently

The sexist attacks by Trump are not new to Harris  and certainly not new to Clinton, who in 2016 became the first woman to win a major partys presidential nomination.

Trump has used one word to describe both of them: nasty.

Donald Trump shared an offensive post about Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris ( Truth Social )

During the last 2016 presidential debate, Trump called Clinton a nasty woman. He recycled the term last week during a Fox & Friends interview, when he called Harris a nasty person.

Since Harris moved to the top of the Democratic ticket, the former president and members of his party have ramped up the sexist attacks against her.

Behind closed doors, the Republican nominee has referred to the vice president as a bitch on more than one occasion, TheNew York Times reported this month.

In an interview last month, the former president bizarrely predicted that world leaders would walk all over Harris because of her appearance.

Shell be like a play toy, he said. They look at her and they say, We cant believe we got so lucky. Theyre going to walk all over her.

Trump shared a sexist post about Clinton and Harris on Truth Social on Tuesday ( AP / AFP )

Meanwhile, his running mate JD Vance made headlines after a resurfaced video showed him calling Harris a childless cat lady and claiming that she doesnt have a direct stake in Americas future  despite the fact that she has two stepchildren. As Vance was taking heat, Trump came to his defense, saying women understood the Ohio senators point and Democrats were spinning the narrative.

Trumps repost also comes one month after a Fox Business guest called Harris the original Hawk Tuah girl, referring to a viral TikTok clip that alludes to oral sex.

Even though the caption he reposted did not include his own words, Trump has made his feelings toward women clear over the years.

In 2016, he was caught on tape bragging about being able to grab em by the pussy. This spring, he went on trial over hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels, whom he allegedly had an affair with while married to Melania Trump, who was then pregnant with Barron.

He has also been accused of sexual misconduct by dozens of women, including one case where he was found liable by a jury of sexually assaulting former Elle columnist E Jean Carroll.

After Trump shared the distasteful post on Tuesday, Shannon Watts, the founder of gun safety group Moms Demand Action, posted on X: Donald Trump reposted this. Is this really who you want making decisions about womens freedoms and safety?
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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.
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Donald Trump insisted that he is not a threat to democracy in an interview with TV personality Dr Phil on Tuesday night, during which he also suggested that he survived an assassination attempt last month because God wanted him to save the US - and possibly the world.

During the hour-long, sit-down in Las Vegas, the former president attempted to clarify previous remarks about wanting to be a dictator for one day and ensuring people would not have to vote again if he wins the White House in November.

Trump once again laid into Democratic rival Kamala Harris over her border policy; baselessly claimed that mail-in voter ballots would result in massive fraud; and pushed the Big Lie that he had won the 2020 election.

Discussing the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, last month, he was asked by Dr Phil McGraw why his life was spared.

I mean, the only thing I can think is that God loves our country, and he thinks we're going to bring our country back. He wants to bring it back. It's so bad right now, Trump replied.

Trump attempted to clarify his previous remarks about wanting to be a dictator for one day during the prime-time interview, broadcast on Tuesday with Dr Phil ( Dr. Phils Merit Street )

It has to be God. I mean, how can you say it's luck when it's, you know, 20 million to one? I mean, it's just not possible that I was in that position. It's the only position where that bullet could have missed.

Asked by Dr Phil if he believed that Gods hand had played a part in his survival, the former president replied: I do.

He continued: If I win that, that would really serve to say that if there's some incredible power up there that wanted me to be involved in saving [the US]  and maybe it's more than saving the nation. Maybe it's saving the world.

Trump also said that being president was much more dangerous than a race car driver, or any other profession.

Elsewhere in the interview, Trump claimed that he has been demonized by very dishonest media and that previous remarks have been taken out of context.

At a conservative event last month, Trump said: "Youve got to get out and vote. In four years, you dont have to vote again, well have it fixed so good youre not going to have to vote."

Trump said being president is much more dangerous than a race car driver during interview with Dr Phil on Tuesday ( Dr Phil )

But in his interview with Dr Phil on Tuesday, Trump hit back at suggestions that the remarks referred to ending democratic elections.

I said to the Christians, weve got to win this election, he said. We win this election, Ill straighten everything out in less than four years by a lot.

Then you dont have to. It doesnt matter. In other words, Im saying you dont have to vote doesnt mean were not going to have elections. Youre going to have elections, but you have to vote this time because we have to win.

He added: Thats what I meant, and I said it, and everybody knows I said it that way, and everybody agrees that I said it that way.

Trump also claimed that his comments to Fox News host Sean Hannity in December about being a dictator for one day were in jest, and were really referring to his desire to get work quickly.

It was said with a chuckle, he said. The audience laughed, I laughed, we all laughed, but they take it, and they cut it and it says, I want to be a dictator.

These are very dishonest people that were dealing with, very dishonest people  bad people.

Trumps interview with Dr Phil comes a day before former independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr will sit down with the TV host.

Trumps interview with Dr Phil comes shortly after independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy (left) dropped out of the race and endorsed Trumps campaign ( AP )

Kennedy dropped out of the race on Friday, and threw his support behind Trump.

Speaking about RFK Jrs endorsement, Trump told Dr Phil: Im very honored. Hes a smart guy, a different kind of a guy, he loves our country. He has some very good views on a lot of things. Ive known him for a long time, were somewhat friendly actually.

I think hes going to be a great asset. Will I have him in the administration? I dont know. We havent discussed it. But he adds a lot to the election.

Tuesdays interview comes as the latest election polls indicate that Trump is beginning to lag behind Harris, as the vice presidents campaign sees a boom in fundraising. Harris has a 3.5-point lead over Trump in the latest average of national polls, collated by FiveThirtyEight.

On average, Harris has been marginally ahead of Trump in national polls, though the race remains tight in swing states.

A new poll from Fairleigh Dickinson University, released on Friday, also shows Harris beating Trump by seven points when race and gender are taken into account.
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New footage following the harrowing events of January 6 captures Nancy Pelosis anger at Donald Trump over the Capitol riot which saw a pro-MAGA mob temporarily halt the certifiying of the 2020 election results and left five people dead.

The previously unaired footage came from documentary maker Alexandra Pelosi, who was accompanying her mother in the early days of 2021 to make a film about her role as House Speaker. The film, Pelosi in the House, was released by HBO on December 13, 2022.

Some 50 minutes of footage was handed over by HBO to the House Administration Committee, headed by Republicans, this week.

The committee has established a new investigation into the Jan 6 riot in an attempt to undercut the now-disbanded bipartisan House Select Committee, according to Politico. The committee, which released its final report in December 2022, found that Trump was liable for the chaos and violence of his supporters at the Capitol.

In the new footage, Pelosi can be seen in the back of her car in the early hours of January 7 and appears exhausted.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (pictured in the new unaired footage from January 6, 2021) can be seen sharing her fury at Capitol security. Footage also showed her anger at Donald Trump, whose supporters carried out the riot ( Screenshot / Alexandra Pelosi )

I just feel sick about what he did to the Capitol and the country today, the House Speaker says. Hes got to pay a price for that.

In a conversation with her staff the next morning, Pelosi asked for a list of Trumps cabinet so she could call on them to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office. She added that she was going to describe Trump as a domestic enemy in the White House in a statement.

Lets not mince words about this, she said. But in the end, she didnt call out any cabinet officials or call Trump a domestic enemy.

The HBO footage also gives a more detailed look at Pelosis evacuation from the Capitol, revealing her agitation at being forced to leave the chamber at the hands of the rioters.

She appears concerned that those targeting the Capitol would see lawmakers leaving as a victory for their cause and pushed for members of Congress to return that night to finish the certification of President Joe Bidens election win.

The footage also showed Pelosis anger quickly morphing into her desire to impeach Trump - for the second time in his presidency.

It also reveals her willingness to fire Capitol security staff whom she thought hadnt properly handled possible threats to the building.

Earlier in the footage, Pelosi is seen walking at speed through the building surrounded by her staff and asking if Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had approved a request for the National Guard to be called in, which her chief-of-staff confirms.

Not long after, an official told Pelosi that the rioters had breached the Capitol building. She is heard saying that she doesnt want lawmakers to evacuate.

I did not appreciate this. I do not support this, she said. If they stop the proceedings, they will have succeeded in stopping the validation of the presidency of the United States.

Pelosi then criticizes Capitol security.

How many times did the members ask, Are we prepared? ... Were not prepared for the worst, Pelosi said. Were calling the National Guard, now? It shouldve been here to start out. I just dont understand it. Why do we empower people this way by not being ready?

The footage shows congressional leaders including Pelosi, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, and Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer huddling at the designated evacuation zone, Fort McNair, in southern Washington DC, as they slam Trump for his actions.

The lawmakers watch a video statement from Trump, shared on the afternoon of January 6, where he lauds the rioters and falsely claims that the 2020 election had been stolen from him, before telling the mob to go home.

Insurrection. Thats a crime, and hes guilty of it, Pelosi said.
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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.
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A 29-year-old Australian man, who pretended to be a teen YouTube celebrity to prey on children and young adults online, has been sentenced to 17 years in jail.

The Perth man, identified as Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed, coerced 286 victims, including 180 children, from 20 different countries into performing sexually explicit acts on camera or video, the Australian federal police said.

Rasheed pleaded guilty to 119 charges in December last year and was first charged in 2021 when the Australian Federal Police (AFP) reported that he had posed as a teenage social media celebrity to befriend girls both in Australia and abroad.

Australian federal polices assistant commissioner, David McLean, stated that the mans abhorrent actions and complete lack of concern for his victims distress, humiliation, and fear rendered it one of the most horrific sextortion cases prosecuted in Australia.

This type of online exploitation and abuse is devastating and causes life-long 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, he said.

On Tuesday, the judge in the district court of Western Australia, Amanda Burrows said the volume of offences was of such magnitude there was no comparable case  I can find in Australia.

The man allegedly approached children online pretending to be a teen celebrity with a massive following and asked innocuous questions initially to gain their trust. The court heard that this would then escalate as he would ask them for pictures of themselves he could rate.

He then threatened to share screenshots of their responses with friends and family unless they carried out increasingly extreme sexual acts, which sometimes involved family pets and younger siblings or children in their home.

The judge said those offences were of a degrading, humiliating nature [and] the conduct involving a family pet was particularly abhorrent.

Mr McLean said there was collaboration between international law enforcement authorities which helped in nabbing the culprit.

As a result of information provided by Interpol and HSI (Homeland Security Investigations) about an Australian sexually exploiting girls in other countries, the AFP was able to identify this man and stop him from hurting anyone else.

During the investigation, AFP officers liaised with police in multiple countries to help identify victims and check on their welfare, and passed on intelligence about other offenders who had been in contact with this man.

Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed targetted 286 victims  including 180 children  from 20 different countries. Screengrab ( 10 News First / YouTube )

Rasheed was sentenced for 665 offences which occurred over 11 months and involved 286 victims.

The victims will forever live with the fear that the recordings you made of them will be [further] disseminated, Judge Burrows said.

He is currently serving a five-year prison sentence for a separate crime involving the sexual abuse of a 14-year-old child on two occasions in his car at a Perth park. The judge noted that these offences occurred during the same period as his online crimes.

Rasheed moved to Australia from Pakistan at a young age and his parents were traditional, conservative and strict, according to psychiatrists who spoke with him.

He reportedly began accessing child exploitation material online in 2018 which then led to him directly exploiting children in 2019 after the online material lost its effect.

If you are a child and you need help because something has happened to you, you can call the NSPCC free of charge on 0800 1111. You can also call the NSPCC if you are an adult and you are worried about a child, on 0808 800 5000. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adults on 0808 801 0331
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Two more crew members from the Bayesian are under investigation for manslaughter after seven people were killed when the superyacht sank in a storm off Sicily last week.

A judicial source said on Wednesday that Italian prosecutors are probing two more crew members in connection with the vessels sinking, along with its captain, after the British-flagged Bayesian capsized on 19 August while anchored off northern Sicily.

British technology tycoon Mike Lynch, his 19-year-old daughter Hannah Lynch, and five other people died when his 56-metre-long (184-foot) yacht went down within minutes of being hit by the pre-dawn tornado near the Sicilian capital of Palermo.

On Monday, the boat's 51-year-old captain James Cutfield, a New Zealander, was put under investigation for manslaughter and shipwreck. The worn out Cutfield declined to respond to prosecutors when he was questioned for a third time the following day.

It was revealed on Wednesday that ship engineer Tim Parker Eaton and sailor Matthew Griffith are both also being investigated over the same crimes. The source said that Parker Eaton is suspected of having failed to protect the yacht's engine room and operating systems, while Griffith was on watch duty on the night of the incident.

Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah are among the seven who died when his superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily last week ( Tancredi )

Being investigated does not imply guilt and does not mean formal charges will follow.

After Cutfield stopped responding to prosecutors questions, his lawyer Aldo Mordiglia said of his client: He just exercised his right to remain silent, probably prosecutors were expecting that. He went on to explain: First, hes very worn out. Second, we were appointed only on Monday and for a thorough and correct defence case we need to acquire a set of data that at the moment we dont have.

Speaking of the storm outside a hospital treating survivors the day after the disaster, the captain reportedly told La Repubblica: We didnt see it coming.

On Monday, the boat's 51-year-old captain James Cutfield, a New Zealander, was put under investigation for manslaughter and shipwreck ( Facebook )

The sinking has puzzled naval marine experts, who said a vessel like the Bayesian, built by Italian high-end yacht manufacturer Perini and deemed unsinkable, should have withstood the storm  and, in any case, should not have sunk as quickly as it did. Meanwhile, a nearby sailing boat remained largely unscathed.

Prosecutors in the town of Termini Imerese, near Palermo, said the event was extremely rapid and could have been a downburst  a localised, powerful wind, which descends from a thunderstorm and spreads out rapidly upon hitting the ground.

They added that their investigation would take time and would require the wreck of the Bayesian  which is lying on its right side, at a depth of around 50 metres (164 feet)  to be salvaged from the sea.

Italian firefighter divers work at the site of the Bayesian wreck in Porticello last week ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Chief prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio, who is 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.

Members of the yachting community have signalled their support for the captain and crew, with one writing on social media: Now we need those keyboard warriors and judgemental know it alls to actually wait and listen to the unbiased actual professionals ...

I still stand in support of all Bayesian crew and if things turn sour, I propose all my friends in yachting to stand together and sign a strong petition to support the remaining survived crew to Bayesian.

The Bayesian was built by Italian high-end yacht manufacturer Perini and was deemed unsinkable ( EPA )

Cutfield was among the 15 passengers and crew who survived the tragedy. The yachts chef Recaldo Thomas, Morgan Stanley chairman Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judith Bloomer, Clifford Chance lawyer Christopher Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo were the other five people who died.

After a decade-long legal battle, which had seen Mr Lynch extradited to the US to face an $11bn fraud case, the billionaire had been celebrating his acquittal by inviting close friends, colleagues and those who helped him on his legal team aboard his boat as a gesture of gratitude.
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Two boys, who became buried in the sand after digging a hole in a dune in northwestern Denmark on Sunday, have died, police said Wednesday.

The boys, 9 and 12  who were on holiday with their family from Munich  died late Tuesday, officers said. They have not been named.

They were digging a hole in a dune on the beach on Sunday when the dune collapsed, and burying them.

The boys were pulled out by firefighters and police with the help of local people, after being buried for 40 minutes. They were flown by helicopter in critical condition to the university hospital in Aarhus, Denmark's second-largest city, where they died.

Central and West Jutland Police said Wednesday they considered the case a tragic accident and had no further comments.
 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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Pope Francis has strongly decried the treatment of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to enter Europe, saying it was a grave sin not to offer aid to migrant vessels.

There are those who work systematically and with every means to reject migrants, the pontiff said during his weekly general audience in St. Peters Square on Wednesday.

And this, when done with conscience and responsibility, is a grave sin, he said.

The pope has spoken frequently about the treatment of migrants over his 11-year papacy. But his words on Wednesday, invoking Catholic terminology for one of the worst kinds of sin, were especially strong.

Migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea in simple crafts or home-made dinghies from northern Africa and the Middle East have been the subject of intense debate across Europe over the past decade.

The International Organization for Migration estimates that more than 30,000 migrants crossing the Mediterranean have gone missing since 2014.

In Italy, a rescue ship operated by the Doctors Without Borders charity was issued a 60-day detention order on Monday. Authorities said the vessel, which had conducted several rescue operations on Aug. 23, failed to properly communicate its movements.

Some of the 11 migrants saved from the sea after their sailboat sank in the Mediterranean Sea between Italy and Greece early Monday, June 17, 2024, are assisted in Roccella Ionica, southern Italy where they were brought by the Italian Coast Guard ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Doctors Without Borders refuted those claims. We have been sanctioned for simply fulfilling our legal duty to save lives, it said in a statement.

Francis on Wednesday called for expanding access routes for migrants and a global governance of migration based on justice, brotherhood and solidarity. The pope said the issue would not be resolved through the militarization of borders.

In recent weeks, the pope had been offering a series of reflections about Catholic spiritual matters in his weekly audiences.

At the beginning of Wednesdays remarks, the pope said he was postponing that series this week, to consider people who are crossing seas and deserts to find a place where they can live in peace and security.

Wednesdays audience was the last before Francis, aged 87, embarks next week for an ambitious four-country visit across Southeast Asia from Sept. 2-13. It is the longest trip yet by the pontiff, who now regularly uses a wheelchair due to knee and back pain.
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Ukrainian troops have dramatically downed a Russian fighter jet over eastern Ukraine as an oil depot was set ablaze by a drone strike more than 100 miles away in Russia.

The Soviet-designed Su-25, nicknamed Frogfoot by Nato, was brought down over Kramatorsk, Donetsk, as it fired on Ukrainian troops.

In footage released by Ukraines 28th Brigade, it was seen bursting into flames in mid-air while flying alongside another aircraft and then crashing into the ground.

Follow updates here

In the southern Russian region of Rostov, one of Vladimir Putins oil depots was also set on fire after Kyiv launched a cross-border drone attack.

The skirmishes come as Russia launched its biggest ever air attack on Ukraine this week ( AP )

Three Russian tanks were also reported to have been burning at the site after two drones fell on the area overnight.

There are no casualties, the governor, Vasily Golubev, said on the Telegram messaging app. Firefighters are extinguishing the fire.

On Wednesday, Moscow vowed to carry on fighting in Ukraine and dismissed Volodymyr Zelenskys suggestion that Kyiv was submitting a plan to Washington outlining how to end the war.

Mr Zelensky previously said 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.

This is not the first time that we have heard such statements from representatives of the Kyiv regime, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

Volodymyr Zelensky said he would be submitting a plan to Washington outlining how to end the conflict (file photo) ( AFP via Getty )

We are aware of the nature of this Kyiv regime. We are continuing our special military operation and will achieve all of our goals.

The skirmishes come as Moscow continues to grapple with Ukraines shock cross-border incursion into Russian territory, with Kyivs troops claiming to have seized around 500 square miles of territory.

Kyivs top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi added that 100 settlements in Russias Kursk region had been seized and 594 prisoners of war taken.

In response, Russia has been conducting its largest air attack since the war began in February 2022, with more than 200 drones and missiles launched at Ukraine over the last few days.

On Tuesday, two people were killed when a hotel was wiped out in the central Ukraine city of Kryvyi Rih, and two others died in drone attacks on the city of Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine, officials said.

Ukrainian firefighters extinguish a fire following an air attack in the Odesa region this week ( AFP via Getty )

Marcel Plichta, a former analyst at the US Department of Defense, said the timing of the strikes was not a coincidence. These strikes usually come after some kind of Ukrainian success story, he told The Independent.

They are part of an information war. It is an attempt by the Kremlin to get back a narrative that shows Russia as the big strong actor in this war, and Ukraine as weak and vulnerable.

Ukrainian president Mr Zelensky vowed to take revenge. We will undoubtedly respond to Russia for this and all other attacks. Crimes against humanity cannot go unpunished, he said.

Mr Zelensky also said that Western-supplied F-16 fighter jets had been used to shoot down some of the Russian missiles launched during the attack.

Western-supplied F-16 fighter jets were used to shoot down Russian missiles this week, Zelensky said ( AP )

He said that the aircraft, donated by Denmark earlier this year, had produced a very good result, but urged Western countries to provide more of them.

Meanwhile, Moscows officials claimed that 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 that hundreds of Ukrainian troops had 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.
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In recent days, Vladimir Putins forces launched their biggest air attack on Ukraine since the war began as more 200 missiles and drones struck towns and cities across the country.

Seven people were killed in the strikes, as well as four more in a fresh attack on Tuesday, Ukrainians also faced power cuts and water outages with Moscow deliberately hitting Kyivs energy grid.

Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal said 15 regions had sustained damage and Zelensky warned the energy sector had suffered serious harm while vowing revenge for what he called Putins war crimes.

Follow updates here

So why is Russia launching so many air attacks - the biggest since Putins illegal invasion in February 2022 - and how much of an impact on Ukraine are they likely to have?The Independent takes a look below.

Two people were killed in Kryvyi Rih as Russia launched a huge drone and missile barrage targeting Ukraines energy grid ( Reuters )

Why is Putin launching strikes?

Hurting Ukraines energy capacity

Like every year since the war in Ukraine began over two years ago, Russian forces have started hitting power stations and other sites with force before winter sets in.

Professor Mark Galeotti, academic and author of more than 20 books on Russia, suggested the most recent strikes are part of the same pattern - intended to make Ukrainians miserable enough to submit to Moscow.

Putins strategy is to make the Ukrainians miserable enough to give up. The Russians are trying to systematically break apart Ukraines power grid because it could face a rough winter, he told The Independent.

Once we get into October, temperatures tend to plummet. Thats when you suddenly get a lot more load on the grid and the problems will become clear. Ukrainians will at best have rationed power.

A couple sit in front of their house destroyed by a Russian strike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Information warfare and revenge for Kursk

The strikes have come just weeks after Ukraine launched its audacious cross-border incursion into Kursk, with Kyivs top commander claiming 500sq miles of territory in little over three weeks.

For Marcel Plichta, former analyst at the US Department of Defense, this is not a coincidence. These strikes usually come after some kind of Ukrainian success story, he told The Independent.

They are part of an information war. It is an attempt by the Kremlin to get back a narrative that shows Russia as the big strong actor in this war and Ukraine as weak and vulnerable.

They are petty strikes and are about retribution. The targets have not had military value. They have hit apartment buildings or grain silos. It is an attack on the Ukrainian people, not Kyivs ability to wage war.

A view of a Ukrainian military operation in Kursk, Russia, after Kyiv launched a cross border assault on 6 August ( via REUTERS )

What impact will they have?

The Russian strikes were delivered via some 100 Iranian-made Shahed drones and roughly the same number of cruise and hypersonic missiles, according to Mr Zelensky.

Despite the huge barrage, the Ukrainian military said it was able to shoot down 102 out of 127 missiles and 99 out of 109 drones.

For Mr Plichta, the impact would be negligible. I dont think they will force any change in Ukrainian policy. It wont force a capitulation in anyway, or affect Kyivs advance in Kursk, he said.

The biggest worry is the affect on the energy grid. If it is damaged enough, it might not be viable for Ukrainians to stay in big cities so you might see a mass exodus to European countries over winter.
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Israels military has launched major raids on the occupied West Bank, including the flashpoint cities of Jenin and Tulkarem, in one of the largest military operations in the area for years.

At least nine Palestinians have been killed, according to Palestinian health officials, with the raids involving helicopters and drones.

Israel has targeted multiple cities at once, with Nablus and Tubas also being hit. It is believed to be an offensive of a scope not seen since the second intifada, a major Palestinian uprising that took place between 2000 and 2005.

Two men were killed in Jenin and seven in Tubas, the Hamas-run Palestinian health ministry said.

With Israeli forces at war with Hamas in Gaza and simultaneously facing a major escalation of tensions with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon  both groups being backed by Iran  Wednesdays operation underscored the complexity of the situation sparked by the Gaza conflict, with Israel now fighting on two fronts.

Palestinian militant groups said they were exchanging fire with the Israeli military, which has conducted near-daily raids on the West Bank since launching its military operation in Gaza in the wake of the bloody 7 October attack inside Israel by Hamas. Around 1,200 people were killed in that attack, while another 250 were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. The consequent Israeli bombardment has killed more than 40,000 people inside Gaza  according to Palestinian health officials  while 90 per cent of Gazas 2.3 million residents have been forced from their homes.

An Israeli soldier operates during a raid on the Nur Shams refugee camp early on Wednesday morning ( AFP via Getty )

The armed wings of the Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Fatah factions said in separate statements that their gunmen were detonating bombs against Israeli military vehicles in the three West Bank areas.

Kamal Abu al-Rub, the governor of Jenin, said on Palestinian radio that Israeli forces had besieged the city, blocking exit and entry points including access to hospitals, and had ripped up infrastructure in the Jenin refugee camp.

The Palestinian health ministry said troops had surrounded Jenins main hospital, blocking off access with earth mounds  a measure the military said was intended to stop fighters seeking refuge.

An Israeli military spokesperson said that Wednesdays operation followed a sharp rise in militant activity in recent months, with more than 150 attacks involving shooting or explosives from Tulkarem and Jenin in the past year. He said the military had assessed that there was an immediate threat to civilians, but added that the operation was part of a broad strategy aimed at thwarting attacks.

This terror threat in this area is not new, it hasnt started yesterday, and its not going to end tomorrow, Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani told reporters in a briefing.

Israeli forces pictured during a raid on the al-Faraa refugee camp near the city of Tubas ( AFP via Getty )

Earlier, the military released the names of five Palestinians, identified as militant fighters, who were killed in Tulkarem on Monday. Two were claimed by Hamas and three by Islamic Jihad.

Israeli newspaper Haaretz quoted a military source as saying that one of the raids was intended to target a network behind a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv last week.

It was the first suicide bombing in Tel Aviv in eight years, but it is thought that the bomber did not reach his intended target, with one passer-by hurt.

The Israeli military said its forces had raided the town of Fara near Tubas in the Jordan Valley, killing at least four people in a drone strike. Masoud Naaja, the father of two young men killed in the strike, told reporters he was giving water to some men who asked for a drink when he was wounded. In seconds, very fast, we felt like something came down on us from the sky, and there was an explosion, he said. When I put my hand on my chest, it was full of shrapnel and blood.

Clashes in the West Bank have risen sharply since the start of the war in Gaza. Israel, which says Iran has provided weapons and support to Hamas and other militants, has stepped up operations, while Jewish settlers have also launched frequent vigilante-style attacks on Palestinian communities. Thousands of Palestinians have been arrested in raids, and more than 660  including fighters and civilians  have been killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since the war began nearly 11 months ago, according to Palestinian health ministry figures. At least 30 Israelis have been killed in attacks in Jerusalem and the West Bank during the same period, according to Israeli tallies.

A bulldozer blocks a road during a raid of the al-Faraa camp ( AFP via Getty )

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesperson for Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, condemned the raids as a serious escalation and called on the United States to intervene. Mr Abbas later announced that he was cutting short a visit to Saudi Arabia and returning to the West Bank, where his government is headquartered.

Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem in the 1967 six-day war. The Palestinians want all three for a future state. Israel has built scores of settlements across the West Bank, which are home to more than 500,000 Jewish settlers. They have Israeli citizenship, while the 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank live under Israeli military rule, with the Palestinian Authority exercising limited control over population centres.

Inside Gaza, Israeli forces sent tanks deeper into Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip and launched strikes across the territory on Wednesday, killing at least 34 Palestinians, medics told reporters.

Residents of Khan Younis said Israeli tanks had made a surprise advance into the centre of the city, and that the military had ordered evacuations in the east, forcing many families to run for safety while others were trapped at home.

Palestinian health officials said the Israeli strikes in Khan Younis had killed at least 11 people. In the central city of Deir al-Balah, where at least a million people were sheltering, an Israeli airstrike killed eight Palestinians near a school housing displaced families, medics said.

Reuters and Associated Press contributed to this report
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A four-year-old child accidentally smashed a Bronze Age jar into pieces at the Hecht Museum in Israel.

The child and his family were visiting the museum at Haifa University last week when the boy pulled the jar slightly out of curiosity. The 3,500-year-old jar, which was not behind protective glass, tumbled to the ground and shattered into several pieces.

The artefact dates to between 2200 and 1500 BC, the museum said, adding that it had been on display near the entrance.

The museum believes there is a special charm in displaying artefacts without barriers or glass walls to make archaeological findings more accessible to the public, Dr Inbal Rivlin, the museums general manager, told The Independent.

Bronze Age urns in Hecht Museum at the University of Haifa ( Hecht Museum )

The childs father, Alex, said he was in shock to see his son next to the broken artefact and at first thought it couldnt be his child who caused such damage.

Alex told the BBC that, after calming his visibly upset son, he informed a security guard about the incident.

The museum said it would not involve the police as the displayed items were broken unintentionally and invited the child and his family back to the exhibition for an organised tour.

The jar was accidentally damaged by a young child visiting the museum, and the response will be accordingly, Dr Rivlin said. The family will visit the museum this weekend for the organised tour to sweeten together the previous experience at the museum, she added.

The rare intact jar predates the time of Biblical King David and King Solomon and is characteristic of the Canaan region on the Mediterranean coast, the manager said. The impressive find was intended for the storage and transportation of mostly wine and olive oil.

The museum has reached out to a specialist in conservation to restore the shattered jar, which they expect would be returned to its place in a short time.

The Hecht Museum will also take the opportunity to document the conservation work so that it can be presented to the public as well  so soon the jar will be visible again, along with the work that facilitated its rescue, Dr Rivlin added.

The boys father told the broadcaster he was relieved to see the jar restored but apologised because it will no longer be the same item.

The Hecht Museum would continue this tradition of displaying artefacts without barriers to enhance public experience despite the rare incident, the manager added.
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Apple is about to hold its latest event, widely expected to bring the new iPhone 16.

Specifically, the event is almost certain to bring four new iPhones: a Pro and non-Pro version, with a larger and smaller version of each.

The updates in the iPhone 16 are set to focus on AI, or Apple Intelligence, as the company has branded it. That was first shown off at its software event in June, but the next launch is likely to bring new AI technologies and improved hardware capabilities to support them.

The iPhone will also feature new buttons, improved cameras and bigger displays, according to reports.

But while the iPhone might be the star of the show  it remains Apples most popular product, by far  the company is due to use the event to release many other products besides.

Apple Watches

Apple has fallen into a relatively reliable rhythm with its Apple Watches, introducing them with the new iPhones. That goes for all main versions, both the standard Apple Watch in its various configurations and the more expensive Apple Watch Ultra.

After a run of relatively conservative updates to the main version of the Apple Watch, there are some rumours that suggest this year could bring more substantial changes. That could include a bigger display, new health sensors, and an overhaul of the way its bands attach.

Some of that might be to celebrate 10 years of the Apple Watch, and rumours suggest that it might even be called the Apple Watch X. But even though the Watch was announced in 2014, it as actually released the following year  similarly, the big Apple Watch upgrade might not arrive until next year.

There are also some rumours that Apple could update the Apple Watch SE, a cheaper version of the Watch that is aimed at children and others who dont need the full capabilities of the more powerful ones. That might bring a new plastic case that could make it cheaper, for instance.

AirPods

The AirPods line-up has flourished in recent years, and it looks set to blossom even more. Apple is rumoured to be introducing at least one update to the AirPods  and perhaps many.

The most likely update will be to the base models of the AirPods. Currently, Apple offers two of those: a second-generation and third-generation model, which among other things makes for a slightly confusing line-up.

Apple looks set to make that simpler by updating both at the same time. There will still be two models  the more expensive ones may get features such as noise cancelling  but they might also get a rebrand that makes them easier to tell apart.

Alongside those, Apple could release a new version of the AirPods Max. Those over-ear headphones have not received a single update since they were first released at the end of 2020  which means they still have the old Lightning connector, among other obviously missing upgrades  and now might finally be their time.

The AirPods Pro seem less likely. While there have been rumours that Apple has been working on an updated version of its premium earbuds  with new features including improved noise cancellation  that does not appear to be planned for this event.

iPad Mini and more

If Apple is to focus on Apple Intelligence, then it is likely to start giving its devices enough power to run them. In fact, most devices that are now on sale do: all recent Macs, and most recent iPads are able to use Apple Intelligence features.

But the iPad Mini is a notable exception, owing to its relatively restrained processing power, and supplies of the smaller tablet are running low. As such, Apple might update the iPad Mini so that it can join the other AI-powered devices.

There is another obvious device lacking any of the new AI smarts: the HomePod. Despite that smart speakers reliance on Siri to be controlled, it will not be able to offer the new Siri experience.

So it is possible  though not likely  that Apple will update that, too. It might also offer some of the new AI experiences within the existing HomePod, through a software update, even with their relatively limited power.
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When Pavel Durov set about creating a brand new app in the early 2010s, his main aim was to build a platform that would protect users from oppressive regimes. Born in the Soviet Union in 1984  the same year as George Orwells eponymous novel  Durov was acutely aware of how freedom of communication could be used to subvert authoritarian governments.

At 22, he had created VKontakte, or VK, which quickly became the most popular social media site in his home country and attracted the attention of authorities. Under pressure to shut down and expose opposition groups operating on the platform, Durov abandoned the company and fled Russia to set up something more resistant to government oversight.

The new app was Telegram, which has once again got Durov into trouble with authorities after he was arrested in France following an investigation into child sexual abuse, drug sales and other criminal activity on the platform. So how did such good intentions lead to such controversy?

With a similar layout and functionality to WhatsApp, Telegram added key privacy features like end-to-end encrypted Secret Chats and self-destructing messages, allowing dissidents and protestors to communicate freely without fear of recriminations. But this has also attracted more sinister users.

In 2015, Telegram became the primary communications platform for the Islamic State (ISIS), allowing the terror group to coordinate activities through private messages, as well as spread propaganda and recruit members through large group chats. The group even set up tech support channels on Telegram to help members avoid surveillance.

As the so-called ISIS caliphate spread through Iraq and Syria, it gained notoriety for taking aid workers and journalists hostage and beheading them  videos of which were shared on their Telegram channels. It led to increased pressure on Telegram to shut down the groups and block ISIS members and sympathisers from using the app, but Durov remained defiant.

In a rare public interview in September 2015, the tech boss  who by now was living in self-imposed exile from Russia  refused to take action against ISIS. I think that privacy, ultimately, and our right for privacy, is more important than our fear of bad things happening, like terrorism, he said. Its a series of tragic events but ultimately ISIS will always find a way to communicate within themselves I dont think we should feel guilty about this. I still think were doing the right thing: protecting our users privacy.

Two months later, ISIS terrorists killed 130 people in a series of attacks in Paris, prompting Durov to change his stance. Telegram shut down dozens of public channels linked to the group and implemented measures to monitor and prevent terrorist-related activity on the app.

The new approach did not prevent criminal activity on the app, and channels spreading far- right and extreme content were allowed to flourish amid a broader crackdown from the tech industry. Telegram has offered a platform to everyone from QAnon conspiracy theorists to Hamas, while it also became the go-to platform for organisers and participants of the recent riots in the UK.

The controversy surrounding the app has not stemmed its growth, with the latest figures from Durov, shared just weeks before his arrest, suggesting that it is close to reaching 1 billion monthly active users.

View more

The vast majority of these users do not engage with  or even have access to  this criminal activity, and many continue to use it for the purpose it was intended. People in places like Russia and Iran are still able to bypass strict government censorship, with regimes unable to shut down the platform.

This is clearly a fascinating case at the intersection of free speech and government oversight, " Seth Goertz, a former Assistant US Attorney with the Department of Justice, who dealt with Telegram during his time in office, tells The Independent.

The rub here is that Telegram is truly a unicorn: it provides a hugely valuable means of communication for people living in surveillance states, but because of its commitment to encryption, it is very popular among criminal, and even terrorist, organisations.

Following Durovs arrest in Paris last Saturday, Telegram said Durov had nothing to hide and that the company abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act. The firm added that its moderation is within industry standards. Durov is expected to be either released or charged by French authorities on Wednesday.
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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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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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A school bus driver has been accused of driving slowly with the windows up on a 103F day to punish children.

Video footage shows children on a Sealy Independent School District bus in Sealy, Texas, pleading with the driver to speed up and get them home, complaining that they are struggling to breathe in the heat.

One child is heard in the footage saying: Miss, its hot back here. These children need to breathe. You need to get us home.

A student shouts: Its not fair, and another pleads, Please just take us home.

The bus driver and the school district could be hit with a civil lawsuit after an attorney representing a mother whose children were on the bus threatening to take legal action.

Attorney Harry Daniels, who represents Coshenna Smith, the mother of two children on the bus, has accused the driver of punishing the students and of child endangerment. Smith said one of her children, 11, has chronic asthma and couldnt breathe.

It allegedly took the driver over 30 minutes to drive three miles while the children were subjected to heat and they were told to roll their windows up, according to the attorney.

Daniels said: People are arrested all the time because they accidentally subjected their children to these conditions while they ran into a gas station.

This woman intentionally put these children at risk for more than half an hour during a 103F heat advisory, and no one has done anything. This isnt punishment. Its torture and its child endangerment.

Parents reported the incident to the superintendent, Bryan Hallmark, who said he took the concerns very seriously.

Upon investigating these reports last Thursday, a driver did require a student who was sticking his head out the window to put up his window, Hallmark said in a statement.

The driver stopped the bus for approximately 2 minutes and 20 seconds to address the student. During the route the roof hatches and windows were open.

Hallmark added the bus route has been adjusted to reduce the time on dirt roads so students can get home quicker.

Texas was one of the states affected by record-breaking heat across the US last month. More than 877,000 homes and businesses were without power in the Houston area after Hurricane Beryl struck, leaving residents extremely vulnerable.
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Six weeks before harvest, theres no water left in the ground for farmer Dimitris Papadakis olive grove in northern Greece, so he has started a new morning routine.

Joined by his teenage son, he uses a truck to bring water from nearby areas. Using a small generator, he connects the vehicle to irrigation pipes to save whats left of his thirsty crop.

Our boreholes have almost dried up ... We now depend on tankers to irrigate our fields, says Papadakis, who heads an agricultural cooperative in a village in Halkidiki, a three-fingered peninsula in northern Greece which is popular with tourists.

This summer, southern Europe has been hammered by successive heat waves, following on from below-average rainfall for up to three years. Drought spots on the map of the region have expanded. In Greece, the effects include water shortages, dried-up lakes, and even the death of wild horses.

open image in gallery An olive grove is watered from a container in the village of Nea Silata at Halkidiki peninsula, northern Greece ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

The groundwater beneath Papadakis 270 olive trees is dwindling and becoming brackish, with the drought expected to cut his expected yield in half.

The water crisis has been exacerbated by a booming tourist season.

In Kassandra, the westernmost finger of the peninsula, the year-round population of 17,000 swells to 650,000 in the summer, placing unsustainable pressure on water resources.

Weve seen a 30-40% reduction in water supply following three consecutive winters with almost no rainfall, says local mayor Anastasia Halkia.

open image in gallery A grasshopper stands on the dried out Lake Picrolimni, in the village of Mikrokampos, northern Greece ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Haroula Psaropoulou owns a home in the area, in the seaside village of Nea Potidea. She says its hard to cope with frequent household water cuts that may last up to five days during the searing heat.

I recycle water from the bathroom sink and from washing, and I use it for the plants, the 60-year-old Psaropoulou says. Ive also carried water from the sea for the toilet.

According to the European Unions Emergency Management Service, acute drought conditions currently exist around the Black Sea, stretching westward into northern Greece.

open image in gallery Haroula Psaropoulou, checks the level inside a water tank, in the village of Nea Potidea ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Along the Evros River, which divides Greece and Turkey, severe drought means the delta now has higher levels of seawater. The extra salt is killing the wild horses that depend on the river for drinking water.

If the horses go without water for a week, they die, says Nikos Mousounakis, who is leading an initiative to create freshwater drinking points for the horses. Some of them are still in bad shape, but we hope that with continued help, theyll recover.

Until recently, Lake Picrolimni in northern Greece was a popular destination for mud baths, but this summer its a shallow basin of cracked earth, dry enough to hold the weight of a car.

It hasnt rained for two years now, so the lake has totally dried up, says local municipal chairman Costas Partsis. It used to have a lot of water. People came and bathed in the muddy water. The clay has therapeutic properties for many ailments. No one came this year.

Nearby, Lake Doirani straddles Greeces northern border with North Macedonia. The shoreline has receded by 300 meters (yards) in recent years. Local officials are pleading for public works to restore the rivers water supply, echoing calls from experts who argue that major changes in water management are needed to mitigate the damaging effects of climate change.

open image in gallery An olive grove is watered from a container in the village of Nea Silata at Halkidiki peninsula, ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Were experiencing a prolonged period of drought lasting about three years now, due to lower rainfall and snowfall, a result of the climate crisis and poor water management, says Konstantinos S. Voudouris, a professor of hydrogeology at the University of Thessaloniki. The solution lies in three key words: conservation, storage, and reuse.

Voudouris argues that outdated water networks are losing too much water and that infrastructure improvements must focus on collecting and storing rainwater during the wet season, as well as reusing treated wastewater for agriculture.

These drought phenomena will return with greater intensity in the future, Voudouris said. We need to take action and plan ahead to minimize their impact and we must adapt to this new reality. ___ Follow AP coverage at: https://apnews.com/climate-and-environment
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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
Human Mobile Devices has partnered with Mattel to create the new HMD Barbie Phone, bringing a burst of nostalgia and a splash of glam to everyday life in the form of a retro flip device.

HMD was best known for releasing handsets under the Nokia brand and has released a new pink, chic, and sleek device.

The phone has got a mirror on the front and is described as the perfect tool to take a vacation from your smartphone as it has no social media apps.

It also comes with two alternative cases: the brightly coloured swirls of the 1992s iconic Totally Hair Barbie doll and a vintage shooting heart design.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) is warning travellers arriving into the UK from Thailand, Canada and the United States that they face jail sentences if caught attempting to bring cannabis into the country, after a huge increase in arrests.

So far this year, 378 people have been arrested in connection with investigations into cannabis smuggling by air passengers.

An estimated 15 tonnes of cannabis was detected and seized at UK airports in the same period  already around three times more than in the whole of 2023.

Footage shared by the NCA shows the moment a courier was arrested after carrying two suitcases of cannabis through Heathrow.

Hundreds of couriers are being duped by traffickers into thinking the UK authorities are soft on the drug and will let them off with a fine.
Kyiv residents were filmed early on Monday 26 August singing the citys official anthem in a subway station as air raid sirens sounded throughout Ukraines capital and other parts of the country.

A total of 15 regions were targeted by an overnight Russian aerial barrage, prime minister Denys Shmyhal said.

The attack was conducted with drones, cruise missiles and hypersonic air-launched ballistic Kinzhal missiles.

Ukrainians are instructed to immediately take shelter in underground spaces when air sirens go off.

Subway stations, many of which were built in the Soviet era to double as bomb shelters, have become a part of many peoples wartime experience and forums for cultural resistance.
Senator JD Vance has defended Donald Trumps controversial appearance at Arlington cemetery and told Vice President Kamala Harris to go to hell.

The Republican vice presidential nominee responded to a question about an "altercation" that reportedly took place at Arlington National Cemetery between Trump campaign and cemetery staff over video recordings, following a wreath-laying ceremony for the 13 servicemembers killed at Abbey Gate in Kabul three years ago.

Speaking at a Pennsylvania rally on Wednesday (28 August), Vance said there was evidence that the campaign was allowed to have a photographer there and that Trump was invited by the families to be there.
Irish-listed airline software specialist Datalex has reported a loss after tax of $6.1m (5.5m) in the first half of 2024, a slight improvement from the same time last year.

The group, which helps airlines to streamline retail offerings to passengers, also reported an Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) loss of $2m (1.8m).

This was a 37pc improvement from the first half of 2023, with Datalex attributing this to gross profit growth and positive foreign exchange gains.

The company recorded total revenue of $13.2m (11.8m) in the first half of the year, up 3pc compared to the same period in 2023.

Platform revenue increased 14pc to $7.3m following product activations with new customers.

Services revenue fell 11pc to $5.5m as contracts from Scandinavian Airlines and Virgin Australia ended. These contracts represented $3.5m of total revenue and the loss of this recurring revenue is expected to impact year-on-year growth.

The company reported that easyJet has gone live with additional capability in recent months, while Datalex also commenced the activation of its shopping and pricing capability for Air Macau.

Aer Lingus, Edelweiss and Air China have also migrated to the groups new platform products.

Datalex also announced plans to complete a capital raise to raise around 25m.

Funds raised will be used to repay the entire debt owed to Tireragh, a company controlled by billionaire Dermot Desmond.

Datalex added that the planned fundraising could also provide sufficient working capital for investment in the groups product roadmap and activation projects, while it also continues to compete for new revenue opportunities.

Datalex secured a loan facility of 5m last year from Tireragh.

This brings its total loan facility to 15m with a repayment date set for the end of this year, according to annual results published earlier this year.

Around 13m has been drawn down so far.

Datalex reported in June that it is working with advisers on planned equity funding to pay back this loan facility, announcing plans for equity fundraising a month later.

The move is supported by Mr Desmond, who owns just over 40pc of the stock market-listed software firm. Mr Desmond has told the group that he will procure support for the planned fundraising.

If Datalex does not complete this fundraising, Mr Desmonds Tireragh vehicle has confirmed that it will extend the termination date of the loan facility to the beginning of July next year and will provide a new loan of 10m if needed.

In H1, we have continued to invest in migrating some of our customers to this new platform, activated further capability for easyJet, and commenced the activation of our shopping and pricing capability for Air Macau, who will go-live in Q3 of this year, chief executive Jonathan Rockett said.

When I look at 2024 as a full year, the year on year revenue growth will be held back by some non-recurring revenue from 2023. However, we expect to see several positive steps that will start to come to fruition in the year but will be more evident in 2025. he added.
The number of people employed in the international financial services sector in Ireland rose to an estimated 57,600 last year, up 1,600, according to a Government report.

Junior financial services minister Neale Richmond said this represents a growth in direct employment of more than 50pc since 2015, but warned that this success cannot be taken for granted, and the rate of growth will not continue in the future.

One-quarter of the jobs are based in the regions. Last year Liberty IT opened a new hub in Galway and announced the creation of 100 new jobs there, while CR Payroll Solutions announced 40 new jobs in Kilkenny.

The Aztec Group said it was also opening a hub in Kilkenny and aiming to hire a team of 30.

Mr Richmond said: Gone are the days when the international financial services sector was confined to the IFSC in Dublin.

Today, approximately one in four jobs in the sector are outside of Dublin in the regions, providing high-quality jobs across the country.

There are now about 500 internationally focused financial-services companies operating in Ireland, including 20 of the top 25.

These include Stripe, Mastercard, PayPal, Revolut, Western Union and Elavon.

There are four indigenous fintech unicorns, privately-owned start-ups with a valuation of $1bn (900m) or more.

These are Fenergo, which has developed software for financial institutions, the e-commerce funder Wayflyer, Transfermate, which provides a business-to-business global payment infrastructure, and Fineos, an insurance software company.

Their combined presence has helped turn Ireland into one of the largest exporters of financial services in the EU, according to statistics compiled by the World Trade Organisation.

The IDA supports more than 300 companies in international financial services, while Enterprise Ireland has invested over 80m in firms in the sector during the last six years, in a combination of direct equity investment and funding through its seed and venture capital scheme.

The progress report on the Ireland for Finance strategy claims significant progress is being made to develop the fintech ecosystem and improve what the country offers.

Among the recent developments was setting up a pre-seed funding offer for early stage fintech investors, with 21 new companies being supported.
Decision by energy regulator to increase network charges for electricity on households So-called network charge is in addition to the Public Service Obligation (PSO) levyBoth the levy and the network charges will apply to bills from October

The decision by the energy regulator to increase network charges for electricity on households is set to limit any price reductions planned by energy providers.

Many consumers have been left disappointed by the failure of more electricity providers to cut prices given a fall in wholesale energy costs.

Now, average household electricity bills are set to rise by 100 over a year from October after the energy regulator approved an increase in the funding needed to operate and develop the electricity grid.

The funds will be spent by Eirgrid and ESB Networks to ensure the electricity network supports customer growth and the economy, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) said.

The so-called network charge is in addition to the Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy, which is in place to subsidise the generation of electricity from wind farms and solar panel operations and is set to cost each household more than 42 over a year.

Both the levy and the network charges will apply to bills from October.

It will be up to individual energy suppliers to decide how they pass on higher network charges.

However, customers will probably end up footing most of the bill, according to Daragh Cassidy of price-comparison site Bonkers.ie. He said the higher network charges will limit the scope for more energy bill cuts.

The increase of 100 in network charges will likely be recouped by providers through higher standing charges or a higher unit rate.

Network fees already make up around a third of the overall price we pay for electricity, which is among the highest in the EU.

Mr Cassidy said: A few weeks ago, the CRU confirmed that it was hiking the PSO levy on electricity bills to over 42 a year. And now we have confirmation that network charges could add on just over 100 a year more.

Unfortunately, the demands of a rapidly growing population, as well as the need for big investment in the grid to help the transition towards net zero, will likely require further hikes in network fees over the coming years.

There have been just two reductions in electricity prices from the main players since the energy crisis erupted, with the exception of SSE Airtricity, which applied a third reduction last month.

New player Yuno Energy has announced a number of decreases, but they only apply to new customers.

I was hopeful wed see a third round of price cuts from all the main energy suppliers before the summer was out, Mr Cassidy said.

Indeed, SSE Airtricity reduced its prices for the third time in under a year at the start of July and I was expecting its main competitors like Electric Ireland, Energia and Bord Gais Energy to follow suit.

He said the fall in wholesale energy prices left room for more cuts.

But this hike in network fees will limit the size of any upcoming reductions, he said.

The CRU said it approved the increase to the network charge because the electricity grid requires annual investment to provide resilient, uninterrupted supply and maintain a high level of service for customers, particularly as we decarbonise our society.

To support this investment, the required revenue that must be recovered by Eirgrid and ESB is set to increase, which will equate to around an 8.41 increase per month on customer bills for 2024/25, the CRU said in a statement. 

But from October, extra funds are required as the electricity network must be invested in, expanded and modernised, the CRU said.

The regulator said legislation meant it was not able to force energy providers, which have made record profits from electricity generation lately, to cover the cost of the higher network charge.

Director of networks and economic regulation at the CRU, Karen Kavanagh said: The CRUs role is to critically assess both network operators to ensure that their investment requests for the coming year are essential for the day-to-day operations of the network and that these will benefit customers, while keeping costs as low as possible in providing a safe and secure supply of electricity.
People may be offered similarly expensive or more expensive alternative cover

It is important that people get advice before switching plan, Dermot Goode said. Photo: Getty

Consumers have been warned to be careful they do not end up with more expensive health insurance cover after a leading provider scrapped dozens of plans.

Irish Life Health is to get rid of 24 plans from this Sunday. It comes weeks after the health insurer increased its premium rates for the second time this year, meaning families could end up paying additional costs of between 300 and 740 when they renew.

Last week, VHI joined Laya in announcing a second price hike this year, adding up to 500 a year to the cost of cover for a family.

Irish Life Health is closing off access to two dozen plans, some of which were the most expensive it offers.

Health insurance expert Dermot Goode of TotalHealthCover.ie said it was good news that the plans were being scrapped because they had become quite expensive and no longer represented good value for money.

Some of the plans being retired include Level 2 Hospital Excess, which costs 3,399 per adult; Level 2 Hospital Nurses and Teachers, which costs 4,014 per adult; Health Plan 03, with an annual premium of 2,857; and Level 1 Hospital, which is priced at 1,242 a year for an adult.

Mr Goode said there was a big risk Irish Life would offer those on plans being scrapped similarly expensive or more expensive alternative cover.

These members will be offered alternatives by Irish Life Health, but we recommend that they complete a full analysis of their cover requirements with an expert adviser to make sure that the alternative plan gives them adequate cover at the lowest cost, he added.

The move to get rid of the plans comes as Irish Life Health customers are already feeling the brunt of price hikes.

The latest rise took effect from July 1. It was 5.3pc and comes on top of an average rise of 4.8pc in January.

Private health insurers are getting millions written off as taxpayer foots the bill

Mr Goode said that, as in the case of VHI and Laya customers, Irish Life Health customers needed to be wary of the average figures used by insurers. He said that the impact could often be much higher.

Some plans went up 8pc in July, which is higher than the 5.3pc average quoted by the insurer.

Mr Goode added that, in the case of all three insurers, spiralling claims costs were the main driver behind the rate hikes and further increases could not be ruled out.

The two Irish Life hikes will mean an extra 12pc  or 299 a year  for a family of two adults and two children under 18 on the Benefit Access 300 plan, bringing its annual cost to to 2,866.

Mr Goode advised all health insurance consumers to shop around for better value and to start the process as early as possible.

There are new deals being launched almost monthly to the market which most consumers are unaware of, including new corporate plans with attractive pricing, and deals for families.

Irish Life Health said it continuously reviewed its offerings to meet the evolving needs of its customers.
Owning and renting a home is out of reach for many people, depending on where they live. Image: Getty

The scarcity of second-hand homes has been laid bare with commuter towns and Monaghan the worst-hit in the country.

Meath and Kildare have among the lowest properties available.

Cities are way down the list when it comes to a ranking of areas with the most availability of homes to buy or rent, according to an analysis by property consultants Savills Ireland.

Dublin itself ranks eighth in the analysis. Limerick is sixth, Galway is 16th and Cork lies in 19th.

Leitrim has the most availability when it comes to buying a house, followed by Roscommon and then Mayo.

The analysis looked at the number of second-hand properties for sale across the 26 counties, adjusting the number of properties for population.

Across Ireland, there were 242 properties for sale per 100,000 population, but there was significant variation within this.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 28th

Monaghan had the lowest number of properties for sale on an absolute numerical basis at 81, but also on a population-adjusted basis, 122 per 100,000, which is almost half the national average.

Meath and Kildare follow closely at 134 and 143 respectively, with some improvement to 177 for Carlow and 180 for Louth.

Director of research at Savills Ireland, John Ring said that what tied these counties together was that they are all commuter counties to Dublin.

This suggests the higher prices in Dublin are leading to stiff competition for homes for sale within striking distance of the capital.

Greater flexibility in post-pandemic working patterns may also have induced more people to purchase outside Dublin, but within commutable distance to their workplace in the capital. Motivations for this could include cheaper prices as well as a desire to return to, or live closer to, their home county, Mr Ring said.

The exception to this is Wicklow, which has 288 homes for sale per 100,000, placing it 20th in the list.

Galway, with 245 homes for sale per 100,000 people, is the closest county to the national average, with some of those in the bottom half perhaps having greater availability due to being popular tourism destinations, and therefore having more holiday homes for sale.

Holiday hotspots such as Leitrim, Mayo, Wexford, Donegal and Kerry are ranked among the most accessible places to buy from an availability point of view.

When it comes to rental properties, there is even less availability than there are homes for sale.

Across Ireland, there is an average of 59 properties for rent or share for every 100,000 people, less than a quarter of the number of homes for sale.

Narrowing the scope to rental units puts the figure at only 35.

This compares with a pre-pandemic average of 91 per 100,000 persons, according to the study that used Daft.ies data.

Monaghan is still the worst county when it comes to finding a place to rent or share  with just 24 rental properties per 100,000 people.

Dublin is comparatively a less difficult place to find rental accommodation, with at least 153 units per 100,000. The analysis demonstrated that while there was a shortage of rental stock across Ireland, the worst areas were those counties outside of Dublin, Mr Ring said.

He said: The starkest finding of this analysis is the shortage of rental stock across the country and it is not clear how this issue is going to be resolved.

Mr Ring said apartment development was unviable in most locations outside of Dublin, with no new apartment delivery of scale taking place since the crash. He said lending for buy-to-let investment is minuscule, while many existing landlords were exiting the market.
Norwegian pipeline gas exports to Europe could approach a 2017 historic record this year, after rising 10pc so far in 2024 following a decline in 2023, the head of system operator Gassco told Reuters.

"This year to date, we are in a way back to the levels we were at in 2022," when exports were last near the all-time high, Gassco CEO Frode Leversund said on the sidelines of an energy conference.
Ryanair said on Tuesday it would cut 20pc 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.
The hotel group have blamed a technical error and said they are not trying to resell rooms at inflated prices

An advertisement in Dublin city centre for the Oasis shows in Croke Part next year. Photo: Sam Boal/Collins

Maldron Hotels has been accused of cancelling Manchester bookings coinciding with Oasis concerts, and reselling the rooms for triple the price (Alamy/PA)

David OGorman is among the Oasis fans whose rooms at Maldron Hotel were cancelled amid claims the chain is cancelling booking to hike up prices ahead of the bands reunion tour (David OGorman/PA)

An Irish-owned hotel chain has been accused of cancelling bookings in Manchester coinciding with Oasis concerts  and then reselling the rooms for triple the price.

Greater Manchesters night-time economy adviser Sacha Lord urged Maldron Hotels to do the right thing after he received numerous complaints.

In a post on social media platform X, he wrote: Hey @MaldronHotels. Im being contacted by several people who booked your hotel for the Oasis concert, to say their rooms have just been cancelled and are now back up for three times the price.

Im sure this is a computer error easy to correct. Do the right thing.

An Irish fan who booked a room in a hotel in the city in anticipation of seeing the band on its reunion tour has been left feeling frustrated after his reservation was cancelled because of the technical error.

Oasis: Mancunian rockers who took on the world before their acrimonious split

David OGorman (37) booked a room at the Maldron Hotel Manchester City Centre for roughly 90 at 8.03am on Tuesday for July 20, 2025, with the hope he would also be able to secure a ticket to see Oasis perform in Manchester that night.

However, at 8.15pm on Tuesday, he got an email from the hotel that said: Due to a technical error, you have received a confirmation for a booking that was not successfully made. Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate your booking at this time.

Mr OGorman, who works in marketing and lives in Ashbourne, Co Meath, said: The minute I saw that email from the hotel, I opened up Booking.com and the exact same room I booked is now around 350, so theres no technical error there.

He said he was now in limbo, adding: Realistically, Ill probably be priced out of that date so I cant go for that ticket as I will also need to book a flight.

I feel really frustrated and it feels so unfair as I tried to be ahead of the curve; Im a massive fan (of Oasis) but have never got to see them live, so thought it would be amazing to go to Manchester to see them.

Recipients of the hotel emails were told they would be sent a cancellation request and asked to accept promptly.

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A number of disgruntled customers posted screenshots on X of an email appearing to be from Maldron Hotels, stating that due to a technical error, you have received a confirmation for a booking that was not successfully made.

The company operates two hotels in Manchester. On Wednesday morning they both had no rooms available from the start of July next year onwards.

Oasis are playing at Manchesters Heaton Park on July 11, 12, 19 and 20.

Maldron Hotels parent company Dalata Hotel Group blamed the incident on technology.

Due to a technical error with our booking system on 26th & 27th August 2024, substantially more rooms were booked than were available for the nights of the Oasis concerts on 11th/12th/19th/20th July 2025 at Maldron Hotel Manchester City and Maldron Hotel Cathedral Quarter. As a result, we are unable to honour all bookings made on these dates, and we are actively engaging with customers regarding their bookings.

The hotels are currently not taking any bookings while we investigate the issue. This is not an attempt to resell rooms at inflated prices, rather an overbooking issue due to a technical error with our booking systems.

Additionally, due to the same technical error, a small number of customers were able to book the rooms at a higher price later that evening. We will also be unable to accommodate these bookings.

We will be honouring all bookings made prior to 26th August. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused, the hotel group said.

Premier Inn, the UKs biggest hotel brand, has available rooms in Manchester only at the citys airport on the nights of the Oasis concerts.

Another major hotel chain, Travelodge, has rooms at its Oldham Chadderton site  8km from Heaton Park  priced from 190 for those dates.

Rooms at the same hotel on July 26  a week after the gigs  are available for nearly half the price, at 97.
Rebranding the cougar: How a new wave of older women with younger lovers are clawing away at the old stereotype

For decades, she prowled across our screens, hunting fresh meat to satisfy her ferocious sexual appetite. She rampaged through the tabloids too, as high-profile pairings put a celebrity gloss on the term. Now, the cougar has returned  and this time, shes biting back

Zac Efron as Chris Cole and Nicole Kidman as Brooke Harwood in A Family Affair. Photo: Aaron Epstein/Netflix

Meadhbh McGrath Wed 28 Aug 2024 at 03:30

To be a Hollywood cougar was once the stuff of scandal, a titillating taboo, from Anne Bancrofts Mrs Robinson in The Graduate and Joan Collins Alexis Carrington in Dynasty to Eva Longorias Gabrielle in Desperate Housewives. Jennifer Coolidges turn as Stiflers mom in American Pie represented a teen boys fantasy: an insatiable mentor who knew what to do in the bedroom, and a mocking update of Mrs Robinson, played for cheap laughs.
A MAN who lost his life while courageously trying to save four young people from drowning was hailed at his funeral as the truest definition of a hero.

Mourners at the funeral of Stephen O'Callaghan (55) were asked to honour his courage and heroism by making donations to the RNLI life-saving charity in lieu of sending flowers to his Requiem Mass.

Mr O'Callaghan's Mass was celebrated in Latin at O'Connor Brothers funeral home at North Gate Bridge in Cork.

Mr OCallaghan is the beloved son of John and Kathleen O'Callaghan and is survived by his siblings Katrina, Keith, Mary and Emmet.

In a heartrending tribute the day after his death, Kathleen O'Callaghan said her son had lost his life bravely trying to save a group of children.

"May God and his mother Mary watch over you, Stephen. I love you - your broken hearted mother."

Mr O'Callaghan's brother, Emmet, said his brother had courageously tried to save four youngsters who had gotten into difficulty in the water.

"(He is) a hero in the truest sense of the word who will be missed terribly by all who loved him," he said.

"Never miss an opportunity to tell those people in your life what they mean to you and that you love them. God speed brother and will see you soon."

Hundreds gathered to pay tribute to Mr O'Callaghan and the courage he showed last Friday in risking his life to save others.

Celebrant Fr Joseph Ortolano told mourners that Stephen O'Callaghan was a very brave man and people wanted to honour his courage and sacrifice.

In this particular circumstance we thank God for the example of manly courage and heroism that is given through Stephens actions on his last day," he said.

"Stephen's actions will forever remain as a mark of honour and esteem in the house OCallaghan.

A special guard of honour was provided for Mr O'Callaghan by his colleagues and friends from the Customs & Excise service as his remains were brought from the funeral home to St Finbarr's Cemetery.

Mr O'Callaghan from Ashburton Hill, St Luke's in Cork died last Friday after an incident at Inch Beach in east Cork.

The Irish Customs & Excise service official died after he entered the sea around 3pm last Friday in a bid to save the lives of several young swimmers who had gotten into difficulty.

Four young people were later rescued from the water.

While shocked by their ordeal, all are making a good recovery.

Mr O'Callaghan was taken from the water in a serious condition.

The area is notorious for its currents and it is feared the 55-year-old got caught in an undercurrent as he tried to reach the youngsters in difficulty in the water.

Paramedics attended to him on the beach and he was rushed by ambulance to Cork University Hospital (CUH).

Tragically, despite desperate efforts by doctors and nurses to stabilise his condition, Mr O'Callaghan was pronounced dead a short time later.

A file is now being prepared for the Cork Coroner and an inquest will be held next year.

The search and rescue operation last Friday involved Coast Guard units at Guileen and Crosshaven as well as the RNLI from Ballycotton and Crosshaven.

All were assisted at the scene by Gardai, paramedics and local volunteers.

The Rescue Helicopter 117 from Waterford was also tasked to attend Inch Beach to provide air support.

Mr OCallaghan has been described by friends as a selfless, kind and gentle person who was devoted to his family, friends, neighbours and work colleagues.
Joan Omosefe Osayande arrived in Ireland as a teenager

Joan Omosefe Osayande is on an amazing journey that has taken her from entering Direct Provision in Ireland at 17, to being half-way through her PhD studies at University College Cork, less than a decade later.

Arriving in Ireland at 17, Joan had to figure out access to the education system. She had a simple and powerful guiding principle: Ambition is one of the tools that is needed for success. The knowledge of my past is the reason for my ambition.

Joan, originally from Nigeria, was living in Direct Provision in Galway. Researching options, she came across a post-Leaving Course (PLC) in biomedical and laboratory techniques in Galway Community College.

My mindset was not particularly what course to do, rather, where are colleges that offer scholarships

She excelled, ending the year with eight distinctions. She wanted to continue study in the sciences area and considered medicine, but that was not going to be straightforward.

Indeed, deciding on any course was only half the battle. Joan knew that she would need considerable financial support, as she was not entitled to state grants for third-level.

My mindset was not particularly what course to do, rather, where are colleges that offer scholarships, she says.

It all came together in UCC, where the BSc Medical and Health Sciences was rolled out, and in the same year, the university launched its Sanctuary Scholarships. She applied for both, successfully. It was perfect timing, she says.

In third year, Joan was awarded the Translational Research Internship, providing an opportunity to work in the world-leading Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) APC Microbiome centre in UCC, with Professor John Cryan. The APC focusses on the gastrointestinal bacterial community and harnessing the power of the microbiome for health and well-being.

Her own area of interest is the brain and its function and once she graduated, she was planning a masters as her next step.

But Joan scored another first, when selected as the inaugural recipient of the Daniel and Margaret Cronin Advancing Access Scholarship for PhD students from under-represented socio-economic backgrounds through her doctoral studies and went straight to the PhD.

The focus of Joans PhD is the impact of the microbiome on Parkinsons Disease, which she hopes to complete in 2026.

Outside her studies, Joan is giving back, in her work as a mentor in the Cork Migrant Centre, where she is assisting newcomers who want to go to college to find their route.
A teacher at a school in Belfast is to stand trial. (Stock image: Getty Images)

A teacher at a school in Belfast is to stand trial on sexual offences she is accused of committing against a male pupil.

The defendant, who turned 33 today and who cannot be identified for legal reasons, appeared at Belfast Crown Court where she denied a total of 11 charges.

Accompanied in the dock by her solicitor, Adrian Harvey, the accused confirmed her identity to a court clerk and was then arraigned on charges which span a four-month period and relate to the same teenage complainant.

She was charged that, between March 1 and May 17, 2024, she communicated with a child for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification.

When asked how she pleaded, the defendant replied: Not guilty.

The teacher was then charged with two counts of meeting a child following sexual grooming over the same time period, pleading not guilty to both charges.

The defendant also denied two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity; two counts of intentionally engaging in sexual touching involving penetration with a child; and one count of causing a child to look an at image of a person engaging in sexual activity for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification.

It is the Crowns case that these charges were committed between March 1 and May 17, 2024.

The teacher was then charged with two counts of possessing an indecent image of the teenage pupil on May 17, 2024, to which she entered not guilty pleas.

In addition, a charge of perverting the course of justice between June 13-27, 2024  namely making a false allegation of sexual assault against the teenager  was levelled at the accused.

When asked how she pleaded to this charge, she replied: Not guilty.

The accuseds barrister, Laura Ivers KC, told Judge Patricia Smyth that the defence was seeking forensic and psychiatric reports ahead of the commencement of the trial.

Although no further details about the alleged offending emerged during todays arraignment, Mr Harvey told a previous court hearing that his client claims she was a victim in the encounters with the teenager.

At this prior hearing, the solicitor said his client is also a complainant in relation to these proceedings and confirmed she had been suspended from the school where she taught and the teenager attended.

After all the charges were put to the defendant today, Judge Patricia Smyth set the trial date as November 4, 2024.
Roes funeral mass will be held on Friday at 10am in Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Drimnagh.

Funeral details have been announced for Kinahan Cartel chief Liam Bop Roe after he died in hospital yesterday.

Roes funeral mass will be held on Friday at 10am in Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, Mourne Road, Drimnagh.

He will then be laid to rest in Bohernabreena Cemetery in Dublin.

Last night, the website, RIP.ie, was flooded with tributes from Roes family and friends where he was described as a legend and gentleman.

However, the condolences section was also targeted by trolls with one poster leaving a message posing as Daniel Kinahan and thanking him for his graft.

Other trolls had also left cruel messages on the site targeting Roe.

Gardai had regarded Roe, a cousin of gang boss Liam Byrne, as being a key figure in the Kinahan Cartel network that controlled a larger portion of Irelands drugs trade.

Writing on RIP.ie, Roes pals described him in glowing terms with many referring to him as a gentle giant.

"Such a gentle giant. Rest in peace Bop. Thinking of Liams family & loved ones at this sad time.

While another wrote: Wil mis ye Bop, you were a true friend behind the tough exterier (sic) you had a heart of gold. the good are always taking to soon (sic), rest in peace pal, thoughts are with your family.

A separate poster also paid tribute to Roe writing: What a gent you were mate. A messer.

"Loved the convos we had in the gym and the crack we had. Great bloke.

Liam Roe became a major target for gardai following the Regency Hotel shooting as they cracked down on the Hutch and Kinahan Organised Crime Groups.

He had been present during the Regency shooting in February, 2016, and pictured outside the hotel with associates after his first cousin David Byrne was killed.

Liam Roe and Liam Byrne

The Criminal Asserts Bureau identified Roe as a key player in the Byrne Organised Crime Group, effectively the Irish wing of the Kinahan Cartel.

In a High Court case brought by the bureau, Roes assets were targeted by officers who described then as the proceeds of crime.

In court documents, Liam Roe claimed he was unemployed and lives with his father at Mangerton Road in Drimnagh.

He claimed his lavish lifestyle was funded by his father and says he has no assets at all.

Roe, who had a driver, but claimed to the court that his friends provide his transport.

Despite not claiming unemployment benefit for 15 years, the CAB showed that in one year alone he had travelled six times to the UK, Spain and the US.

He was able to attend the Conor McGregor vs Chad Mendes fight in Las Vegas in July 2015 and flew to Dubai in March 2016.

Roe was awarded a 300,000 compensation claim in 1999 after an accident, but claimed he no longer had access to those funds

In 2006, he sold a house to his cousin Liam Byrne for 294,000, but couldnt explain where the money had gone.

In a judgment, Ms Justice Carmel Stewart said the home was "acquired in suspicious circumstances by individuals with a broad background in criminal wrongdoing."

She concluded that the house "was clearly undersold by a sum of in or around 120, 000 and the mortgage on it secured under false pretences."

Liam Roe

A year later Roe was also stopped at Dublin Airport with 60,000 in cash.

He also claimed to have earned a mere 6,000 from the Alfie Byrne pub in Dublin 1  where he was a registered director of the company  which was raided by the CAB

in March 2016, CAB seized a Kawasaki Ninja motorbike and an Audi A5 from Roe.

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.
Over 100,000 came here for third year in a row, CSO says

Immigration from outside the EU, particularly from Ukraine, drove a significant increase in the population of Ireland over the last year.

New figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that the population here rose by 98,700 people in the 12 months to April, bringing the estimated population to 5,380,300.

This was the largest increase in population the CSO recorded since 2008.

A total of 149,200 immigrants came here in the 12 months to April, marking the third year in a row when more than 100,000 immigrants came to Ireland.

Over the same 12 months, 69,900 left the country, bringing net migration to 79,300. This included a strong outward flow to Australia.

There was also a natural increase of 19,400 people in the State, which was a result of 54,200 births and 34,800 deaths.

The figure for the total rise in population is arrived at by adding net migration to the natural increase.

The CSO estimated that 10,600 people left Ireland to live in Australia in the 12 months to April, up from 4,700 last year. This is the highest level of emigration to Australia since 2013.

Of the 149,200 people who came to Ireland, 86,800 were citizens of countries outside the EU.

The CSO said people coming from Ukraine contributed significantly to this number. Of the rest of the 149,200 immigrants, 30,000 were Irish citizens returning to the country, 27,000 were people coming from other EU countries and 5,400 were UK citizens. Last November, then-taoiseach Leo Varadkar said Ireland needed to slow the flow of Ukrainian refugees into the country.

From next month, social welfare payments paid to some Ukrainian people living in Ireland will be cut. Ukrainian refugees living in State-provided accommodation will have their weekly payments reduced to 38.80 per week for adults and 29.80 for children.

While the country experienced record immigration in the year to April 2024, it also saw the highest level of emigration since 2015. The 69,900 people who left Ireland over the last year was an increase from the 64,000 who departed in the previous 12 months.

Irelands population was estimated to be 5.38 million in the year to April 2024, said Eva Leahy, a statistician in population estimates and projections. This was the largest 12-month population increase since 2008.

The CSO also found an increase in population share of those aged 65 and over. According to the research, there were 833,300 people aged 65 and over who were living here in April, which represented 15.5pc of the total population. This was an increase from 2018, when the same age cohort represented 13.8pc.

The latest figures show there are more than one million children aged 14 or under living in Ireland. This represented a fall in population share to 18.8pc, from 20.8pc in 2018.

The proportion of the population living in Dublin has risen from 28.1pc of the total in 2018 to 28.5pc of the total in 2024, now standing at 1,534,900 people, Ms Leahy said.
Confirmation that Oasis will reunite next summer, with concert dates announced in Dublin, has generated huge excitement among the bands Irish fanbase.

Tens of thousands of fans will be bracing themselves to snap up the coveted tickets, which go on sale on Saturday at 8am.

Oasis split nearly 15 years ago and released their chart-topping album Definitely Maybe three decades ago. The Britpop band will perform at Croke Park on August 16 and 17, 2025.

Within minutes of the band confirming the Oasis Live 25 tour, hotel rooms in the city were selling out, with the remaining availability costing more than 500 for one night.

Taoiseach Simon Harris, who admitted he favours Oasis over Blur, said: The decision of the Gallagher brothers to get back together will come as great news to many music fans in Ireland and across the world.

The fact that theyve chosen to play two major gigs in Croke Park is great news again for music fans, but also great news for the Irish economy.

Asked about rising hotel prices in the capital for t he dates around the gigs, Mr Harris said: I would encourage everybody to engage fairly in relation to this.

The issues around price gouging, around hiking up things at major events, doesnt actually help anyone, because it ends up giving our city, our country a bad reputation.

It is much more in the interest, I believe, of hoteliers and others to act responsibly in relation to this.

Let people come to Dublin, let them have a good time and then say I want to go back again.

On some travel websites, it is stated that 98pc of places to stay are unavailable for that weekend next August.

Fans across Ireland have been reacting to the news that Liam and Noel Gallagher have regrouped after they fell out during a backstage brawl in Paris in 2009.

Oasis reunion: Liam and Noel Gallagher to play Croke Park

The Manchester-born brothers have Irish parents. Their mother Peggy is from Charlestown, Co Mayo, and their father Tommy is from Duleek, Co Meath.

Oasis first played in Ireland in Dublins Tivoli Theatre in 1994, before playing at The Point in 1996.

Irish superfan Jamie Rosney said: Im over the moon. Someone had to knock Taylor Swift off her perch.

Theres been so many rumours over the years (of a reunion), you kind of just get used to listening to them.

And with them both having such good solo careers, it just didnt really register that it could happen.

I went to see them in Lansdowne Road in the 2000 tour when my mother got tickets for Christmas.

They had actually fallen out and Noel had walked off the tour about two weeks before that in France. I didnt even know if it was going to go ahead.

Ive been to see them every time they have come to Ireland, and probably six or seven times between 2000 and 2009.

Asked what he likes most about the band, he said: They are just working class people and they write the songs people want to hear.

No matter where you play an Oasis song, whether its seven in the morning or 12 at night, everyone knows the words.
The new jab will be offered in maternity hospitals to all babies born from September 1 to the end of next February. Photo: Getty

If the coming autumn and winter follow the pattern of recent years, another spike in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can be expected, leaving many children with a potentially serious illness.

However, for the first time, a jab to protect newborns from the virus will be offered before discharge from maternity hospitals from this weekend.

So what should parents know about the injection?

Unpredictable virus

Professor Roy K Philip, consultant neonatologist and paediatrician at University Hospital Limerick, said that while the majority of RSV infections in infants are mild, a proportion need hospitalisation and some among them become very ill, needing paediatric high-dependency and intensive care.

For nearly three decades, I have managed infants admitted with RSV-associated lower respiratory infections such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia, he said.

Most of these infants were otherwise well, and it is difficult to predict who is going to become very ill needing critical care.

RSV can be life-threatening, especially in children with heart or lung disease.

Once-off injection

The new jab, known as nirsevimab, will be offered in maternity hospitals to all babies born from September 1 to the end of next February.

It is not a vaccine, but can give antibodies directly to the baby and protect them from the virus or lessen the severity of infection for around 150 days.

Just one dose is needed. It is administered into the babys thigh and starts to work straight away. It does not interfere with other immunisations.

Parents will be asked to give verbal consent to the immunisation.

European rollout

A number of European countries have already rolled out the jab since it was approved two years ago.

In Spain, 90pc of newborns were immunised against RSV. The hospitalisation rate among this group fell by over 80pc.

More than 1,000 children were hospitalised with the virus in this country last winter, leading to overcrowding and a shortage of beds, with cancellations of vital surgeries for other young patients.

Depending on take-up, the injection could lead to 453 fewer children having to be admitted with complications of the virus.

RSV virus in babies, children and adults  symptoms and warning signs

Around 107 children were very ill with the virus here last winter and needed intensive care, but this number could be cut by 48 as a result of the jab.

Dr Eamonn OMoore, the director of the HSE National Health Protection Office, said the risk of severe infection is highest in the youngest infants.

One in two newborns will get RSV every winter and four out of 100 infected will end up in hospital, he said.

Side-effects

The HSE said some babies get mild side-effects from nirsevimab, but this is not common.

Side-effects may include redness of the skin where your baby got the injection, a temperature or rash.

Allergic reactions or hypersensitivity are rare, and the baby will be monitored closely after getting the injection.

Prof Philip said that because of the risks, it is important that parents avail of the RSV nirsevimab as it has been proved to prevent hospitalisation.

Older children

Parents of older children might like to get the jab for their youngster, but this year it is confined to newborns.

However, Dublin pharmacist Sheena Mitchell believes it should be made available to all babies under a year old during the RSV season.

The difficulty about not picking up those babies who start into RSV season aged up to six months is that they also get very sick with RSV  in fact, all the way up until 12 to 18 months, she said.
Michael OLeary said violent outbursts occur on his planes on a weekly basis

Ryanair chief executive Michael OLeary has called for alcohol limits in airports to tackle a rise in disorder on flights.

Mr OLeary said passengers should be restricted to two drinks per journey to curb what he says is an increase in antisocial behaviour and violence.

He told The Daily Telegraph violent outbursts are occurring weekly with alcohol, especially when mixed with other substances.

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, he said, adding it was difficult for airlines to identify inebriated people at the gate, especially when boarding in a group.

As long as they can stand up and shuffle they will get through. Then when the plane takes off we see the misbehaviour.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 28th

Mr OLeary said crew members and other passengers have become targets with delays adding to the problem with longer drinking times at airports.

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, he said.

Its the mix. You get much more aggressive behaviour that becomes very difficult to manage.

Mr OLeary said Ryanair staff search bags before passengers are allowed to board flights to Ibiza, one of the party destinations he says are worst affected which include some of the Greek islands.
Many schools have been left unable to secure the staff necessary to educate their students as a new term begins amid an ongoing teacher shortage, the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) has said.

It has called on the Government to convene an emergency meeting of stakeholders to develop solutions to what the union has described as a severe crisis and threat to the future of primary and secondary education.

It is also urging Taoiseach Simon Harris to establish a national commission to identify long-term solutions.

Many schools, particularly in the greater Dublin area, have been unable to secure the necessary staff as students prepare to return over the coming weeks, the INTO said.

"For years, the INTO and our members have raised alarms about the growing teacher shortages, yet the governments response has been woefully inadequate, a spokesperson added.

"Now, schools, especially those in urban areas, are struggling to recruit and retain teachers amidst a worsening housing and cost of living crisis. Evidence shows an increasing number of teachers have left Ireland for work overseas, while many others are being forced to take leave due to the lack of affordable childcare.

"The loss of these teachers will only worsen the situation as the academic year progresses.

They added that an unbearable burden has been placed on school principals left to manage staffing challenges.

It is unacceptable that school leaders are being forced to navigate this situation without clear direction or assistance.

The INTO is calling for an emergency meeting to be convened by the Department of Education to develop immediate solutions with stakeholders.

It said none of the moderate proposals the union presented to the Department last year have been implemented to date.

The proposals included increased pay rates for retired teachers acting as substitutes, flexibility for teachers to take parental leave in blocks on one week, guaranteed summer pay, a job transfer scheme, a fast-tracked registration process for teachers trained in Northern Ireland and a scheme for teachers qualified abroad to complete their induction here.

INTO Secretary General John Boyle said the delay and lack of urgency is unacceptable and highlights the Departments failure to address the issue of recruitment and retention.

This week, we urge all principals to communicate directly with parents and guardians, making them aware of the severe staffing challenges their schools are facing, he said.

"The government must act now to address this crisis before it causes irreparable damage to our education system.
Students said they are concerned about the proposal.

A blanket phone ban for secondary schools is not feasible, with the Irish Second-Level Students Union (ISSU) saying it cannot support the proposals by Education Minister Norma Foley due to major logistical concerns.

Ms Foley has said the Department of Education is considering a mobile phone ban in secondary schools due to concerns around learning disruption and cyberbullying.

The ISSU, the representative body for second-level school students, has reiterated its opposition to the ban and has said students, who have valid concerns should be consulted.

"The proposal of a blanket phone ban in second-level schools is not feasible. It means adding another responsibility on the system to police phone usage, said ISSU President Jack McGinn.

"It could also mean schools having to accept responsibility for the safety of up to 1,000 mobile phones each day. No consultation has been made with relevant stakeholders regarding this.

Mr McGinn said phones are often used for educational reasons and some subjects require internet use, urging the Department of Education to focus on expanding the IT Support Grant to enable schools to purchase more IT facilities for students.

ISSU Education Officer Emma Cox said the decision did not involve consultation with expert groups or their union, adding that there are valid concerns that are not being addressed by a blanket ban and the union is in the process of arranging a consultation with Ms Foley.

The union said it stands ready to work with stakeholders to find a solution to their concerns and that students should have been consulted on the matter.

It follows criticism issued by both the Teachers Union of Ireland and the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI), who said there are needs of greater priority that should first be addressed in the sector.

They have said many schools already have working policies in place around phones.

"In terms of current priorities, we remain gravely concerned by the teacher recruitment and retention crisis and once again urge the Department to properly engage with us to tackle this significant problem that sees students lose out on subject choices, a spokesperson for the TUI said.

The ASTI welcomed plans but said a blanket ban would require consultation with stakeholders and there is a much more pressing need to tackle issues such as cyberbullying in schools.

The Department of Education has previously introduced an initiative to keep childhood smartphone-free that sought to encourage parents to avoid buying the devices for their children while in primary school.
I was told it was selfish to be disabled and have a baby  Im glad I didnt listen

When Amelia Peckham came off a quad bike and broke her spine aged just 19, her life changed in an instant. Becoming a mother seemed a distant and impossible dream. Now mum to two sons and the founder of a thriving company, she tells Helen Coffey why concerned onlookers need to mind their own business

Amelia Peckham founded her own business, Cool Crutches. Photo: Coolcrutches.com

Helen Coffey UK Independent Wed 28 Aug 2024 at 03:30

In October 2005, I was 19 years old and studying at university in Edinburgh. I went away for the weekend to this place in the middle of nowhere in rural Scotland for a friends birthday. We werent allowed to drive a car because the dirt tracks were too rough, but they offered us a quad bike instead.
Five delicious drinks to help you reduce your alcohol intake without compromising on flavour

Sometimes we drink for the buzz of the booze, but often we drink for other things. The shared glass and the company we enjoy it in. The flavour hit, with or without paired food. The marking of time: post-work, or pre-night out, or weekend oclock, or one for the road. We drink to toast anticipated celebrations that we want to hold in our hearts. Or to say, Im glad that day is done. We drink for the communal hum of a pub, or some quiet solitude at home.

Most of the above are not exclusively dependent on how much, if any, alcohol we consume in our drink. And with todays NoLo boom in no- and low-alcohol alternatives to boozy beverages, we have many delicious ways to actively reduce our alcohol consumption without compromising on flavour or on many of our other reasons to drink.

Its become de riguer to allocate January to an annual effort towards abstinence, but its worth doing a more frequent stock take of our habitual intake. Decembers blowout means were ready in body, mind and pocket for a little Dry January rethink  but September also invites reassessment. School runs or not, were all resetting after summers looser timelines. As we re-embrace routine, its a prime time to consider our alcohol consumption.

The beauty of the modern NoLo revolution is that its not black and white: you dont have to be in or out, all or nothing. We can reduce our weekly alcohol units by becoming more actively aware of ABV (alcohol by volume) percentages. Today, Ive featured two wines that weigh in several percentages lower that most wines typical ABV of 12pc-15pc. From a southern Loire appellation enjoying a comeback, the Haut Poitou is just 11pc ABV compared to 12pc-13pc for a typical Loire Sauvignon, but without notable loss of body. The Douro red is even more unusual at 11.5pc, compared to the 12.5pc-14.5pc that wines from this region can regularly reach.

If youre skipping the booze altogether, dealcoholised wine is continuously improving, with brands like Hollow Leg, Kolonne Null and French Bloom building on standards set by Leitz, Torres and Thomson & Scott. Arguably, they still have a way to go, which is opening up opportunities for interesting wine alternatives like the previously recommended sparkling Bemuse Brut Non-Alcoholic Honey Mead (drinknolo.ie, 18), the soon-to-be launched Bk range of hand-crafted beverages from Majken Bech-Bailey (watch this space) and tea-based alternatives like todays drink of the week. Meanwhile, alcohol-free beers are flying it in terms of quality, as per todays example of two new entries to the Irish market. Cheers to that!

Drinks of the week

Saicho Jasmine Sparkling Tea

Saicho Jasmine Sparkling Tea, Hong Kong, 0pc, 24 (75cl) One of three lightly carbonated, cold-brewed, single-origin teas exclusive to Amy Kiernans excellent Cork-based webshop, drinknolo.ie, alongside the drier Hojicha and Darjeeling options. Featuring green jasmine tea from Fuding in Chinas Fujian province, sweetened with concentrated white grape juice, it balances floral aromas with subtle orchard and exotic fruits and a hint of oak-derived vanilla for a slightly off-dry pairing for light desserts or salty-spicy savoury fare, or a stylish solo toast in a flute glass. drinknolo.ie

Lucky Saint Non-Alcoholic Hazy IPA

Lucky Saint Non-Alcoholic Hazy IPA, England, 0.5pc, 2.50 (33cl) A new companion to Lucky Saints widely available lager, both unfiltered for extra flavour. Expect subtle hoppy aromas of fresh lemon and grapefruit lifting warm Rich Tea malt, sunny lime-soaked papaya notes on the palate and a clean, crisp citrus finish. Go chilli-spiked Mexican or Asian foods. Hole in the Wall, Blackrock Cellar

Dandy de Cidro Tinto 2023

Dandy de Cidro Tinto 2023, Douro DOC, Portugal, 11.5pc, 19.99 A light and lively blend of classic local grapes (Tinta Roriz, Tinta Francisca, Viosinho) picked early to retain their freshness and keep sugar ripeness and therefore alcohol levels down, with red currant, cherry and cranberry notes making it a perfect pizza or cured meats partner. McHughs, Number 21, Pinto Wines, MacGuinness Wines, La Touche Wines; latouchewines4u.ie

Fierce Mild AF Extra Pale Ale

Fierce Mild AF Extra Pale Ale, Dundalk, Co Louth, 0.5pc 2.99 (33cl) Skilfully brewed with special yeasts to 0.5pc (rather than dealcoholised by boiling, vacuum distillation or reverse osmosis, which extract flavour and body with the alcohol), this new brew offers soft citrus and tropical fruit notes well balanced by a crisp, hoppy finish that tastes like more. McHughs, Martins, craftcentral.ie

Domaine du Pas au Loup, Haut-Poitou AOP Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Domaine du Pas au Loup Haut-Poitou AOP Sauvignon Blanc 2023, Loire, France, 11pc, 17.99 Expect classic Loire Sauvignon notes of grassy nettles, gooseberry and lime zest on the nose and palate, with some floral hedgerow aromas and mineral bite on the palate. A classy pairing for seafood, vegetable dishes or fresh goats cheese. McHughs, Number 21, Pinto Wines, MacGuinness Wines, La Touche Wines; latouchewines4u.ie
Northern Illinois enjoys a decades-long history of championing inclusivity and celebrating difference

Moments after arriving in Galena, I notice an army of rainbow-coloured flags standing sentinel across a bridge. This burst of colour contrasts with the countryside I passed while travelling here from Chicago, where swathes of cornfields dominated  the monotony interrupted only by farmhouses and the ubiquitous silo towers.
Martin Marlo Hyland's short-lived reign of terror showed just how unstable life can be at the top of the Irish underworld. Once again, the betrayal of a former friend created a new opportunity for those seeking power.

Eamon The Don Dunne was a different calibre of gang boss to Marlo Hyland and PJ Judge. He was possibly more vicious and deranged than anyone who had come before him.

However. Dunnes profile in organised crime would soon become too large. His volatility made him a target. The Kinahan crime gang, among others, believed he was bringing too much heat on everyone involved in organised crime. They resolved to remove him from the equation.

On April 23, 2011, The Don was celebrating a friend's birthday at the Fassaugh House in Cabra, north Dublin, when two gunmen entered the pub and shot him several times. Dunne is buried next to friend and gang enforcer Paddy Doyle, who was killed in Spain in 2008.

On The Indo Daily, Ellen Coyne speaks with Paul Williams, special correspondent with the Irish Independent, about how one Irish godfather became so volatile he slowly wrote his own death warrant. This episode was originally published in March 2024.
A need for a motorway between Cork and Limerick was first identified in 1998 but preliminary works stalled in the recession of the 2000s.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland warned in recent days that many of the countrys major roads projects could be delayed owing to uncertainty of funding in the coming years. Cllr John Paul OShea, who will contest the general election in the Cork North West constituency said people are worried about further delays to projects in Cork County. In my own area, people are worried about the progression of projects such as the M20 Cork-Limerick motorway, the M28 Cork to Ringaskiddy road, and the N72 Mallow Relief Road. These are projects which have already caused frustration because of their slow progression to date.

Cllr OShea continued: Businesses, commuters, and tourists in Cork are all heavily reliant on having an efficient road network. Multi-annual funding is provided in many instances by government to provide for long-term stability, most recently to RTE. There is no logical explanation as to why it shouldnt be allocated to such critical infrastructure projects.

We cannot allow a situation to develop where we are forced to choose between projects, or where large projects are being consistently put on the long finger because the department didnt adequately fund TII. Businesses groups have also expressed their fears that a failure to swiftly progress roads projects could have a detrimental impact on businesses and livelihoods, he added.

Cllr OShea called on the Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan to commit to providing multi-annual funding to TII. There are numerous projects contained in the latter half of the National Development Plan, the planning of which needs to begin on urgently. There have been far too many fatalities and tragedies on our roads. Adequately funding our road network is an investment in road safety. I am calling on Minister Ryan to commit to providing multi-annual funding to TII.

Cllr OShea continued: With our population continuing to grow rapidly, we are going to need reliable road networks, adequate public transport provision, and active travel routes to ensure continued economic growth, regional connectivity, and road safety.

Cork Chamber also expressed concern at recent comments made by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) chief executive Peter Walsh, who warned that key transport infrastructure projects could face significant delays because of issues around funding allocation.

Conor Healy, Cork Chamber CEO, said guaranteed funding must be put in place for strategic infrastructure projects. It is concerning to hear that some of the most critical infrastructure projects planned for the Cork region are likely to be further delayed because of uncertainty around funding. Guaranteed funding must be put in place for strategic infrastructure projects such as the M20 and M28. These projects have already been in the pipeline for some time and further delays are unacceptable.

Mr Healy continued: Providers of critical infrastructure, including transport infrastructure, need multi-annual funding plans to enable them to plan and deliver large-scale capital projects effectively. The government must examine the introduction of funding schemes on a multi-annual or major project basis to remove needless uncertainty and delays related to funding for such critical infrastructure developments.

This will also help to secure a more competitive marketplace for the delivery of major projects which will ultimately benefit the taxpayer, he added.
Now in its sixth year, the campaign encourages the public to participate throughout September by committing to "dress for the world you want."

The campaign, which will begin on September 1, aims to raise awareness about the environmental impact of the textile industry and promote the benefits of sustainable, pre-loved fashion, and by choosing second-hand clothing, individuals can contribute to the fight against climate change.

The Aherla native and UCC graduate is the campaign's lead ambassador, and said she was really delighted to be asked.

"I immediately said yes when Oxfam invited me to come on board as their ambassador, she continued, Ive learned lessons from being a poor student and then a poor actor.

"Later I gained a bit of income  yet Im still shopping in the same places, which are all second-hand. There are more interesting clothes, the items are better quality, theyre more size inclusive. It makes sense to me as somebody who is interested in clothing.

She added: The joy of knowing that youre not contributing to the absolute mess of the world makes the whole experience all the better. Its all the more satisfying. There is a huge ethical responsibility when it comes to clothing. A lot of weight is put on the individual.

"Theres so little we can do in the face of such huge systems that are actively working against people who are trying to do good in the world. By buying a really cool item of clothing thats pre-loved, knowing you could be helping rather than adding to the negativity is a really amazing feeling.

The actor also highlighted the burden often placed on women regarding ethical consumerism, noting: "I feel that women especially get lumped with a lot of the guilt and responsibility for changing things that we dont have much power over. My favourite element of buying second-hand is that Im not contributing to the mess - and landfill.

Mark Sweeney from Oxfam Irelands Trading Team said: We are sharing a simple but striking fact. Decision-making around where and how we buy our clothes is an area where individual action can have a lasting and meaningful impact. The textile industry is the second-largest polluter in the world, after the oil industry, so the choices people make about their clothes can make a difference.

He continued: Our campaign theme - Dress for the World You Want - is about making conscious decisions around doing the right thing by dressing intentionally, in gorgeous, pre-loved outfits that make a statement about who you are and the kind of world you want.

Oxfam Ireland, which operates 48 shops across the country, is inviting the public to support the campaign using the hashtag #OxfamIrelandSHS.

More details are available at oxfamireland.org, with updates to be posted on Oxfam Ireland's social media channels throughout the month.
Sitting Fianna Fail TD Padraig OSullivan has been selected to run in Cork North Central in the next general election.

Fianna Fail held their selection convention for the Cork North Central constituency in Vienna Woods Hotel on Monday, August 26.

The Fianna Fail National Constituencies Committee directed that only one candidate be selected by local party members at the convention.

Following the announcement that only one candidate would be chosen at convention, Cllr Gearoid Murphy and Cllr Colm Kelleher both withdrew from the vote, while asking the party to consider their candidacies as Deputy OSullivans running mate.

Mondays vote was contested by Deputy OSullivan and Cllr Tony Fitzgerald a former Lord Mayor of Cork.

Deputy OSullivan who was first elected to the Dail in November 2019 following a by-election subsequently emerged as the selected candidate.

Deputy OSullivan said he was extremely grateful to be given the opportunity to run again in the constituency. I am honoured to be selected. Thanks to all those who placed their faith in me once more. I am extremely grateful and humbled. Commiserations to my friends and colleagues.

It is widely anticipated that at least one additional candidate will be chosen by party headquarters.

Mallow based councillor Gearoid Murphy confirmed that he will be seeking his partys nomination to contest the upcoming general election alongside Deputy OSullivan.

Speaking at the convention, Cllr Murphy set out his case to be added to the party ticket.

Cllr Murphy said: As only one place was available, I took the decision not to challenge the sitting TD, but instead to seek the partys nomination as his running mate. During my seven years as a county councillor, I have experienced first-hand the pressing issues facing our area and I believe I am well-placed to advocate for these on a national level.

As a TD, I would be a passionate campaigner for balanced regional development and the vital infrastructure which is needed to support this, such as the M20 Cork-Limerick motorway, the Mallow Relief Road and the North Ring Road. If nominated for the general election, I can promise to work tirelessly to get elected, so that I can be a voice for Mallow and the entire constituency in Dail Eireann, he added.

Mallow town which is currently in the Cork East constituency was moved into the Cork North Central constituency following the publication of the Electoral Commission Constituency Report last year which split the town from the rest of North Cork and its rural hinterland.

Buttevant, Doneraile, Newtwopothouse and Ballyclough have been transferred to Cork North West.

Ballincollig will now be included in the Cork North Central constituency after being transferred from Cork North West.

The current TDs in the Cork North Central constituency are Mick Barry (People Before Profit-Solidarity), Colm Burke (Fine Gael), Thomas Gould (Sinn Fein) and Padraig OSullivan (Fianna Fail).

The Electoral Commission also recommended creating four new constituencies nationally and increasing the number of TDs by 14 after the next general election.

This will bring the total number of TDs to 174.

Cork will gain two TDs, up to 20 deputies from 18.

One additional representative has been allocated to Cork North Central and Cork South Central.

Both Cork North Central and Cork South Central will see an increase in their political representative as their constituencies move from a four-seater to a five-seater.
Rents in Cork city have risen by 11.9% in the last year and the average rent is now 2,005 according to the latest Daft.ie Rental Price report for Q2 2024.

In Cork County, 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.

The rising rents in Cork city and county are in line with the nationwide upward trend, where market rents rose by 2% in the second quarter alone.

This represents the 14th successive quarter in which rent has increased.

Availability on the rental market also remains extremely tight across the country.

On August 1, 2024, there were just over 2,200 homes available to rent, effectively unchanged on the same date a year previously and half the 2015-2019 average of 4,400.

People Before Profit-Solidarity TD for Cork North Central Mick Barry said that the cost of renting a home in Cork is now greater than the take home pay of an increasing number of young people. Rents are now higher than the take home pay of many young workers. If rents are up 12% and house prices are up 8% how the hell are a young couple meant to save for a house?

The government have failed to control rent, said the Cork TD. They've failed to build enough social houses to force rents down. The result is a system which is completely rigged against the renter. It's a landlords government and its got to go.

Sinn Fein TD for Cork North Central Thomas Gould said: The latest report shows that rents have increased by 6,700 a year in the city and 45% in the county since Fianna Fail and Fine Gael went into government together. How are ordinary families supposed to afford this?

Aontu leader Peadar Toibin stated the current housing policy has destroyed the ambition of young people. "The last census showed that 440,000 adults were still living in their parents home. The government's housing policy has destroyed the ambition of young people to be able to have their own home. Housing dysfunction in Ireland is leading to our young people taking to emigration again.

Government dysfunction is the root cause of the crisis, said Deputy Toibin. There are currently 60,000 households on local authority waiting lists for social housing. Yet incredibly there are 163,000 vacant homes. There are grants for vacant homes but the criterion for application is too tight. Aontu are calling for the government to reform and speed up the planning permission process system, build more social and private housing and properly fund the return of vacant houses back to use.

Ronan Lyons, Associate Professor in Economics at Trinity College Dublin and author of the Daft.ie Report, said: Without new rental supply, it is likely that future pressure on rents will be upward, further straining affordability for those on regular incomes. It remains incumbent on policymakers to first develop a thorough understanding of rental supply dynamics and second devise detailed plan on dramatically increasing rental supply, in all major rental markets, over the coming years.
Fianna Fail TD for Cork North West Aindrias Moynihan will host a public meeting in Macroom to discuss the various supports available to help people afford to buy their own homes.

The meeting will take place on Thursday, September 5, at 8:30pm in the Castle Hotel, Macroom.

Joining Deputy Moynihan at the public meeting will be Fianna Fail spokesperson on housing, Senator Mary Fitzpatrick.

Ms Fitzpatrick will provide additional insights and information on the specific grants and schemes available.

Deputy Moynihan said progress on housing is being made. "Since we entered government in 2020, our top priority has been doing everything we can to help people to afford to buy or rent a home. We are using every lever at our disposal to tackle the housing crisis and the statistics show that progress is being made."

The meeting will cover important initiatives such as the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant and home energy grants which are designed to make homeownership more accessible and sustainable.

Deputy Moynihan said the meeting will enable people to learn all about the supports that are available to them. This meeting is an important opportunity for the community to learn about the supports available to them and how Fianna Fail in government are working to make homeownership a reality for more people.
Over 30 lifesaving ring buoys were stolen or went missing in a single month, according to information from Dublin City Council (DCC).

The council has now appealed to the public not to remove ring buoys from their locations beside bodies of water, where they serve as lifesaving devices.

"These lifesaving devices are critical for ensuring the safety and well-being of citizens, and the impact of their disappearance cannot be overstated, a spokesperson for DCC said.

"As well as posing a significant threat to public safety, their removal also undermines the communitys preparedness for emergencies.

"The City Council would like to remind the public that it is a criminal offence to tamper with or steal ring buoys, and that the gardai will prosecute anyone caught doing so, the spokesperson said.

"Dublin City Council has five ring buoy inspectors who inspect over 140 ring buoys every week," they added.

A ring buoy is thrown to a person to provide buoyancy and prevent drowning.

They are in place at hundreds of locations along Irelands coastline, rivers, canals, and lakes, providing a safe way for people to conduct a rescue without entering the water.

In one city alone, 15 ring buoys go missing every week, costing more than 20,000 annually to replace, according to a report from Water Safety Ireland.

The report also proposed a low-cost, retrofit technology solution involving a sensor being attached to a ring buoy.

It monitors and alerts local authorities when ring buoys go missing. Real-time alerts remove the delay in detecting theft and speed up replacement.

To date, more than 600 sensors have been installed. The sensors are paired with a mobile, map-based platform that provides real-time monitoring to notify the local authority.

However, there have been challenges in getting all local authorities to engage and install the technology.

Green Party councillor Donna Cooney also condemned the removal of lifesaving ring buoys: "It's terrible that Dublin City Council has to appeal for people not to steal ring buoys," she said.

"They are lifesaving devices, and a stolen life buoy could lead to a stolen life.

"What possible use could they be to anyone? Their value lies in a life saved, which is priceless.

"I thought tracking devices would help, and I'm asking why they have not worked in these cases. As a year-round swimmer and a representative of a coastal area, this is of huge concern to me, as I'm very aware of the dangers of death by drowning," she added.
Aby Coulibaly says concerts are the opportunity of a lifetime

Aby Coulibaly, from Lucan, will open for Coldplay at Croke Park this week

Dublin singer Aby Coulibaly says the chance to open up for Coldplay in Croke Park is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

The 24-year-old, from Lucan, will perform at the Music of the Spheres World Tour from Thursday, August 29, for four nights, and insists shes ready to go.

Ive rehearsed, everything sounds good, Im confident, Im prepared. It is once in a lifetime that you get to do something like this, but I get to do it four times, which is insane, she told the Irish Independent.

Sometimes if you just get to do it once youre so overwhelmed and think, I wish I could do it again.

Im probably more excited to see Coldplays set because I grew up listening to them. Ive always wanted to see them live, now I get to do that four times and also warm up the stage, its crazy.

Im the first one on stage and theres going to be a lot of people who dont know who I am. So its a nice way to introduce myself.

The fact they have an Irish person on stage, that theyre giving an Irish artist the opportunity, is really nice. Im pretty sure theyre doing that in each place theyve gone to.

They have Maggie Rogers touring with them. But Coldplay also has given an artist from each country they play in an opportunity.

Aby started taking music seriously when she was 19 years old. Five years later, and shes singing in Irelands biggest stadium, Croke Park.

For me, it started in 2019. I started recording in my bedroom and uploading stuff to SoundCloud, she said.

I honestly dont know how to write about anything, other than things that Ive been through or that Im currently going through.

Ive written about past relationships or things that have happened with friends, personal things, my skin condition, and my dad passing away. Thats how I express my emotions.

Because of Covid, I wasnt able to do shows or perform until late 2021. After SoundCloud, I was wondering how to put songs on Spotify. When I uploaded my first song onto Spotify, I guess it gained attention. Since then Ive been releasing songs and doing gigs.

Then I started doing gigs and I released my first project last year. Now, this is about to be the biggest show and the biggest stage Ive ever played on.
From l-r: Mark Casey, Sean Kelly MEP, Declan O'Leary, Conor Sheehan pictured at the Sean Kelly MEP Celebration Night of a successful election in the Killarney Plaza Hotel on Saturday. Photo by Tatyana McGough

Collette and Denis Courtney from Killarney enjoyng the Sean Kelly MEP Celebration Night of a successful election in the Killarney Plaza Hotel on Saturday. Photo by Tatyana McGough

Sean Kelly MEP (4th from the left) pictured with his wife Juliette (3rd from the left) and family at his Celebration Night of a successful election in the Killarney Plaza Hotel on Saturday. Photo from l-r: Landa Kelly, Laurence Kelly, Juliette Kelly,Sean Kelly MEP, Lachlan Kelly, Sean Kelly, Dermot Kelly, Darragh Kelly, Dearbhla Kiely, Lauren Kiely, Aine Kelly, Siobhan Kelly, Beibhinn Kiely, Padraig Kelly. Photo by Tatyana McGough

From l-r : Kathleen and Tim Ryan with John and Margaret Lenihan from Kilcummin enjoyng the Sean Kelly MEP Celebration Night of a successful election in the Killarney Plaza Hotel on Saturday. Photo by Tatyana McGough

Michael Ring, TD, former Minister for Rural and Community Development, addressing the crowd at the Sean Kelly MEP Celebration Night of a successful election in the Killarney Plaza Hotel on Saturday. Photo by Tatyana McGough

From l-r: Ger Naughton, Bryan O'Leary, Annmarie O'Riordan, Sean Kelly MEP and Anthony Holmes pictured at the Sean Kelly MEP Celebration Night of a successful election in the Killarney Plaza Hotel on Saturday. Photo by Tatyana McGough

From l-r: Batt Brosnan, Ben Brosnan, Tom Randles and Tony Donnelly enjoyng the Sean Kelly MEP Celebration Night of a successful election in the Killarney Plaza Hotel on Saturday. Photo by Tatyana McGough

From l-r: Sean Kelly MEP with his wife Juliette, Maurice and Mary Rose Clifford from Killarney pictured at the Sean Kelly MEp Celebration Night of a successful election in the Killarney Plaza Hotel on Saturday. Photo by Tatyana McGough

With another resounding success in the European Elections in June, MEP Sean Kelly has a lot to celebrate.

Having become the first Irish MEP to be elected in the 2024 European elections when exceeding the quota of 114,761 by more than 8,000 votes, it was, without doubt, a great display by the Kerry man.

Last weekend saw the Kilcummin native celebrate this success with family, friends, and his many supporters, without whom he would not be where he is.

The night of celebration took place at the Killarney Plaza Hotel on Saturday where to help mark the occasion was special guest, Deputy Michael Ring.

Deputy Ring addressed the crowd at the hotel, including many long-term Fine Gael party members who came together to help Sean celebrate his success and to continue to offer their support to the Kerry MEP.

Kelly, who is well-known in GAA circles given his former role as president of the GAA, was joined by many from this field for his celebration.

Kelly told The Kerryman how he has enjoyed his time as an MEP over the last 15 years, and that it has always been a point of pride for him to represent his constituents in Europe.

"This election was always going to be difficult, but I feel privileged to have received such strong support and a clear mandate from those I represent. For this, I am extremely grateful, and passing the quota on the first count was an added bonus," Mr Kelly said.

During the Parliamentary recess, I wanted to have at least one night where I could thank people for their supportnot just in the election, but throughout my political career. I wanted to show my appreciation, but I know the best way to thank my supporters is to do the best job I can in the European Parliament, and that is exactly what I intend to do," he added.

Since his election, the Ireland South MEP has been appointed as Chair of the European Parliaments Delegation for Relations with Australia and New Zealand.

The appointment came after MEP Kelly gave his unequivocal support to Ursula Von der Leyen as EU Commission President.

The new role will see Mr Kelly work towards strengthening the long-standing ties between the EU and its key partners in the southern hemisphere.

He was first elected to Europe in 2009 and was returned again in 2014, 2019 and 2024.
A public meeting is due to take place in the village of Kinnity ahead of a planned October closure

A public meeting concerning Kinnitty post office is due to take place on Wednesday, September 4, at 7.30pm in Kinnitty Community Centre. A representative from An Post will attend to answer questions

An Post has confirmed that it plans to proceed with the closure of Kinnitty post office at a date in or around mid-October which will see the transfer of its services to Birr post office.

A public meeting concerning the closure is due to take place on Wednesday, September 4, at 7.30pm in Kinnitty Community Centre. A representative from An Post will attend to answer questions.

Kinnitty postmistress Breda Byrne has served in her role for 42 years. Its hard to believe it, Breda told the Irish Independent.

Breda said she hopes someone else will take over the mantle. Ill be happier when I know there will be another post office in the village. I would like to see one continue, she said.

At present, no other location has been positively identified, she said. The service is an essential one, for banking, and especially for older people. I have had a great relationship with a lot of them over the years.

Breda said a major stumbling block for anyone wishing to take over the service, is they must be able to provide their own premises for the post office. Years ago, we built on for the post office. So in todays world, that might be the biggest thing, to have a premises suitable. I dont think An Post are going to change at this stage.

Breda is looking forward to her retirement, and to just taking it a little bit easier. She said she will be attending the public meeting in September and would encourage another person to take on board the business. I would if needed, yes, she said.

Laois Offaly Independent Deputy Carol Nolan said she is engaging with An Post to try and secure the retention of the Kinnitty service.

Breda has offered staunch service to Kinnitty and has truly earned her retirement, but we do need the service to continue and that is why I remain determined to constructively engage with An Post to try and achieve a positive outcome, said Deputy Nolan.

An Posts position is that it has been working to avoid the closure for some time, and has advertised the vacant contract, canvassed the area and likely applicants but to no avail.

This means that existing customers, and in particular Department of Social Protection customers, will transfer to Birr.

An Post also notes in its reply to me that in recent years the government has supported Postmasters by way of subvention and that the Irish Postmasters Union are currently pushing for the continuation of that subvention which is due to run out next year.

I have previously highlighted the concerns that Postmasters have with the subvention.

Indeed, when it was announced in 2022 as a targeted and time-bound proposal of between 10,000 and 12,000 per year, I made the point that the first reaction of a lot of people I had talked to on the matter was that it just did not stack up as a sincere effort by government to provide permanent guarantees around the future of the Post Office network.

They fear was that the subvention was a ruse to see government through up until the next election after which the evidence to withdraw the subvention would suddenly materialise and we would be back to square one.

I have presented An Post with a possible option for a premises in Kinnitty as a location for a new Post Office and I am awaiting a reply on that matter, added Deputy Nolan.

Meanwhile, Kinnitty post office has announced a closing down sale of its stationery and other stock. After years of serving the community, Kinnitty Post Office is closing down at the end of October so we're having a retirement sale on all stationery items, announced a spokesperson.

Whether you're gearing up for the new school year or just love quality stationery, nows the time to stock up. Hurry in for amazing deals on notebooks, folders, pens and pencils, and so much more. Visit us at Kinnitty post office and grab everything you need before its gone. Thank you for all your support over the years.
The 4 year old Springer Spaniel has been missing since August 17.

A Co Wexford family are heartbroken after both their dog and horse were stolen earlier this month just one day apart on August Friday 16 and Saturday 17.

Julie Finn of Ballybrennan, Bree said that when they noticed the Bay TB Yearling Filly missing, they searched the roads in case it had gotten free somehow, but realised that the horse could not have escaped on its own.

"We checked the field and there were no signs of a breach that the horse could have escaped through by himself. There is a large amount of forestry and it would have required a huge jump, but a yearling would not have left by themselves. She said they now believe that the horse was stolen.

The following day the Finn family were devastated after their four year old Springer Spaniel Bridie disappeared.

"Every year for two weeks our dog and another run through the barley fields and have a great time chasing the pheasants. This time, the two dogs went in, but only one of them came back out, she added.

The family have been in contact with both the Gardai and the Wexford dog warden, but have had no luck in the search so far. After spreading the photo and her phone number online, they received information that a similar dog was seen in around a property in a nearby area but by the time she went there, the dog was not there.

The Bay TB Yearling Filly went missing the day before.

On behalf of the family, My Lovely Horse Rescue posted on their social media about the situation to raise awareness and get the animal's pictures out there in case they are spotted. Both animals are microchipped.

Within hours, the post was shared 578 shares in a bid to find the animals, with comments from people around the country and even around the world hoping for the safe recovery of the pair.

One comment said: How can anyone steal a filly and a dog from a property? Whats going wrong with people? Hope they will be back home soon, safe and sound. Sending prayers from Switzerland.

Another wrote: this is so distressing, just heart-breaking. How must this beautiful dog feel?

Another read: Oh my God, the unfortunate owners.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - August 28th

Other commenters also expressed frustration with how animal welfare and protection is being policed within Ireland, saying that the perpetuators of this crime are repeatedly getting away without punishment.

One commenter said: Seems there is a lot of animal theft going on at the moment.

A reply read: Obvious a criminal element to all this.

A further reply said: its never ending! Its heart-breaking the cruelty that goes on in this country, so called animal welfare is a joke!

Anyone with information about these two animals can call 085 1471803.
The cheque presentation to Irish Kidney Association at the old post office in Ballycarney.: Anita Rossiter, Laura Lacey, Michael Lacey and Winnie Lacey.

Ferns woman Laura Lacey has been given a new lease of life after receiving a kidney transplant eleven months ago.

31-year-old Laura was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in 2018 in what was the beginning of a long and arduous five year health journey. She started receiving dialysis two days a week in St Vincent's hospital, but was told quickly that she would soon need to increase the treatment to three times a week.

This was later carried out in the Wellstone Clinic in Wexford.

"She was very tired and always had to sleep a couple hours after coming back, according to Lauras mother Winnie.

The process was even more difficult for Laura as she has special needs and could not entirely understand why she had to repeatedly visit the hospital.

"Some days wouldnt want to go, she wouldnt feel able for it and didnt realise that this was what was keeping her alive, Winnie said.

The Covid-19 Pandemic created another problem for the family with Winnie having to drive Laura to the hospital a few times a week, and sometimes even multiple times a day, During this time the close family members were unable to visit each other, despite her other daughter Anita living only across the road.

Despite her son leaving home due to the fear of bringing Covid-19 back into the house, both Laura and Winnie got Covid-19 twice.

However, the life-changing news for Laura came on September 29, 2023 while Winnie was attending a funeral.

"I just checked my phone and there was a missed call and I was putting back in my bag again when the phone rang again. So I rang back and they said this is Beaumont hospital and we have a kidney for your daughter Laura, she recounted.

"And I was speechless  I wasnt able to speak, she added.

The next few hours were a blur as she raced to pick Laura up from her daycare in Monageer before setting off for their journey to the Dublin hospital. The family were given the royal treatment by receiving a Garda escort from Jack Whites, one squad car at the front and back of the car, that was taken over by Garda motorbikes once they entered the city.

The next morning, Laura was in theatre receiving a kidney from a 14-year- old after two years of being on the waiting list.

"It came from a fourteen year old, thats all we know and were told. They were looking for a small kidney and a young kidney for Laura, said Winnie.

Since then, Laura has gone from strength to strength and has been given a new lease of life, now with perfect health.

"Its a new lease of life. Absolutely, because she was very restricted to fluids and what she could eat and Laura didnt understand this so she would wonder why she couldnt eat," said Winnie.

Laura and her family, in a bid to recognise the sterling work of the Irish Kidney Association, held two fundraisers recently raising 5,169 for the charity.

The cheque was presented to Walter Kent from the Wexford Branch of the IKA in the Old Post Office in Ballycarney last Thursday evening.

900 had been raised at a pyjama day organised by Eleanor Hawkins playschool in Ferns while the remainder was raised during a coffee morning which had been held in the Old Post Office.
Cattle Sale - August 21: Good trade for quality forward store bullocks and heifers. Plainer lots a bit easier. Sample prices as follows.

Bullocks: 1 x Lim 500kg made 1,590; 1 x Fr 570kg made 1,400; 1 x Lim 470kg made 1,240; 1 x AA 420kg made 840; 2 x Fr 360kg made 730; 2 x Her 250kg made 595.

Heifers: 1 x BB 400kg made 1,320; 2 x Ch 400kg made 1,240.

Sheep Sale - August 24: Much bigger sale of sheep with a very strong trade for all sorts. Factory lambs made up to 164. Suffolk X Ewe lambs made from 150 to 190. Hogget Ewes made up to 260. Cast Ewes made from 90 up to 190.

Lambs: 10 x 42kg made 190; 10 x 37kg made 178; 14 x 39kg made 170; 20 x 36kg made 170; 3 x 61kg made 164; 10 x 41kg made 162; 2 x 53kg made 160; 21 x 49kg made 159; 10 x 35kg made 158; 4 x 48kg made 158; 3 x 50kg made 156; 15 x 31kg made 156; 3 x 51kg made 156; 9 x 48kg made 155; 10 x 45kg made 149.

BLESSINGTON

Sheep Sales - August 20: Big sale of sheep with a lot of customers. The fat lamb trade was very strong.

Heavy Lambs 156 to 166 or 100 to 112 over /kg; Factory Lambs 130 to 156 or 94 to 108 over /kg; Store Lambs 90 to 124 or 66 to 102 over /kg; Heavy Ewes 170 to 246 per head; Lighter Ewes 86 to 164 per head; Suffolk X Hogget Ewes 240 to 310 per head; Suffolk X 3/4yr Old Ewes 200 to 240 per head; Suff X Ewe Lambs 140 to 200 or 100 to 156 over /kg.

Cattle Sales  August 22: Very strong trade for all types of cattle on offer. There was a lot of customers ringside and online via MartEye.

Continental Store Bullocks 560 to 1,280 over /kg; HE/AA Store Bullocks 400 to 1,040 over /kg; FR Store Bullocks 360 to 800 over /kg. Beef Heifers 1,100 to 1,260 over /kg; Continental Store Heifer 480 to 1,060 over /kg; HE/AA Store Heifers 370 to 930 over /kg. Beef Cows 460 to 880 over /kg; Feeding Cows 270 to 450 over /kg; Cows with calves at foot 1,640 to 1,900 per unit.

CARNEW

Sheep Report - August 22: Larger sale in Ring 1 with 3,977 sheep on offer with a lot more store and lighter sheep meeting a very steady trade. Both factory agents and farmers going head to head ringside and online. Heavy ewes a bit less this week with a top price of 252 for 100kg ewes. Heavy lambs are still in strong demand making 177 for 56kg.

45kg, + Over: 134177; 40kg44kg: 120140; 35kg39kg: 98124; 30kg34kg: 79120.

Ring 2: 320 head of sheep on offer today in ring 2. Breeding Hoggets: 245280. Aged Ewes: 175230.

Prices: 3 x 56kg, at 177; 1 x 56kg, at 177; 10 x 57kg, at 174; 1 x 54kg, at 172; 3 x 54kg, at 171; 8 x 106kg, at 252; 1 x 104kg, at 206; 1 x 98kg, at 240; 1 x 100kg, at 214; 2 x 80kg, at 208; 13 x 47kg, at 150; 9 x 47kg, at 148; 3 x 46kg, at 158.

Cattle Report - August 24: Larger sale yesterday with 1080 head on offer with a super yard of strong and forward cattle. Top quality cattle throughout the sale leading to a full clearance. Cows were similar to last week with many passing the 3.00 per kilo mark with a top price of 2,100 for BB640kg. A lot of strong cattle and beef heifers/bullocks meeting a very lively trade throughout the sale with many farmers, feedlots and northern customers available both ringside & online. Weanling Bulls were in short supply but in very strong demand.

Prices - Cows: BB640kg, at 2,100; BB780kg, at 2,540; BB814kg, at 2,600; LM712kg, at 2,240; LMX682kg, at 2,070; LM600kg, at 1,800; CH754kg, at 2,210; SIX710kg, at 2,080.

Heifers: CHX740kg, at 2,260; CHX700kg, at 2,140; CHX670kg, at 2,130; LMX650kg, at 2,030; BBX612kg, at 2,000; BB518kg, at 1,670; LMX300kg, at 850.

Bullocks: LMX648kg, at 2,100; CHX450kg, at 1,460; BBX546kg, at 1,750; CHX642kg, at 2,040; SAX324kg, at 1,020; LMX693kg, at 2,170; CHX498kg, at 1,560; LMX622kg, at 1,940; LMX686kg, at 2,140; LMX666kg, at 2,080; PTX626kg, at 1,940.

Bulls: LMX482kg, at 1,470; LMX454kg, at 1,340; BAX530kg, at 1,500; BA394kg, at 1,110; AUX724kg, at 1,980; CH462kg, at 1,250.
LATEST | At least nine Palestinians killed as Israel mounts major West Bank operation

Palestinian health ministry says at least nine killedIsraeli military says raids thwarted "immediate threat" to civiliansPalestinian militant groups say fighters battling Israeli troops

Israeli military vehicles take part in a raid, in Jenin, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, August 28, 2024. REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta

Ali Sawafta Wed 28 Aug 2024 at 13:35







At least nine Palestinians were killed on Wednesday, Palestinian authorities said, as Israeli forces raided the flashpoint cities of Jenin and Tulkarm as well as other areas in the occupied West Bank in a major operation involving helicopters and drones.
Smoke and flames rise from a house hit by an Israeli strike at Nuseirat refugee camp, in the central Gaza Strip. Photo: Reuters

Palestinian officials say Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 18 people, including eight children.

The Civil Defence, first responders who operate under the Hamas-run government, said three children and their mother were killed in an airstrike late on Monday in the Tufah neighbourhood of Gaza City.
How low can we go? Boys in Green must aim to end one of the worst losing streaks in our football history
Zelenskyy set to present Biden with plan to end Ukraine war

Kyiv says it is unacceptable that Russia dictate terms to Ukraine of any peace deal

Local residents collect items belonging to them in their destroyed building hit by a Russian missile strike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Photo: Reuters

Olena Harmash in Kyiv Wed 28 Aug 2024 at 03:30







Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said 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 US president Joe Biden and his two potential successors.
Indias Upcoming Subsea Cable Projects Set to Launch between October 2024 and March 2025

Indias digital landscape is poised for a transformative leap, as three major subsea cable systems are set to launch between October 2024 and March 2025. These fiber-optic cables, laid on the ocean floor, serve as the backbone of the global internet, facilitating most international communications.

With the launch of three new subsea cable projects, India is bracing itself for a major leap in digital connectivity development. In August 2024, it was reported that the projects2Africa Pearls, India-Asia-Express (IAX), and India-Europe-Express (IEX)are expected to quadruple Indias internet capacity, significantly improving the speed and reliability of its digital connectivity.

While 2Africa subsea cable is expected to go live in October 2024, IAX and IEX are expected to be operational by March next year. Given Indias growing dependence on digital connectivity, submarine cables have become indispensable for its international communications. The country is connected globally through multiple submarine cable systems, such as the Southeast Asia-Middle East-Western Europe (SEA-ME-WE) system, the Bay of Bengal Gateway (BBG) system, and the India-Middle East-Western Europe (IMEWE) system.

A subsea or submarine cable is a fiber-optic cable laid in the ocean, connecting two or more landing points.

Upcoming subsea cable project details

The 2Africa Pearls, among the worlds longest subsea cable systems at over 45,000 kilometers, will connect 33 countries across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, with Bharti Airtel and Meta among its key investors. This network will have a data transmission capacity of 180 terabits per second (Tbps), with Mumbai serving as a major hub.

Submarine telecommunication cable project Length (in kilometers) Cable ownership Connecting 2Africa 45,000 Meta Platforms China Mobile MTN Group Orange S.A. Saudi Telecom Company Vodafone Group Plc West Indian Ocean Cable Company Africa, Europe, Middle East, and Asia India-Asia-Xpress (IAX) 16,000 Reliance Jio Infocomm Mumbai, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Sri Lanka India-Europe-Xpress (IEX) 9,755 China Mobile Reliance Jio Infocomm Mumbai to Persian Gulf and Europe

Source: ToI, Submarine Cable Network

In December 2022, it was announced that Indias telecom company Bharti Airtel is partnering with Meta to land the 2Africa cable in the telcos Cable Landing Station (CLS) in Mumbai. The domestic telecom player added that it will also pick up the dedicated capacity to further strengthen its submarine network portfolio.

Meanwhile, Indias Reliance Jio, another national telecom service provider, is supporting the IAX and IEX cables, which will contribute more than 200 Tbps each to Indias connectivity. The IAX cable will link Mumbai with Southeast Asian cities like Singapore and Kuala Lumpur over 16,000 km, while the IEX will connect India to Europe through a 9,775 km route.

As per expert assessment, it is believed that the integration of these three projects will greatly increase internet capacity and improve the quality of services for applications like 5G video streaming, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud computing. This enhancement is likely to draw significant investments from data center operators. The new projects, coupled with Indias existing cable projects, can create an interconnected backbone for international data traffic, bolstering these transport routes between Asia and the rest of the world in the coming years.

Prospects of Indias subsea cable connectivity

Indias strategic location in the Indian Ocean has made it a key player in the expansion of submarine cable infrastructure. In August 2020, India completed the installation of a 2,312 km submarine optical fiber cable connecting Chennai to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This move has enhanced Indias strategic presence in the Indo-Pacific region and represents a significant step towards becoming a cyber superpower. In February 2023, NTT Global Data Centers announced the landing of its MIST (Malaysia, India, Singapore, Thailand) subsea cable system in Mumbai and Chennai, with stations built in both cities. The MIST cable can transmit data at over 200 Tbps.

Indias digital economy has seen sharp growth in recent years, contributing significantly to the countrys economic expansion. According to an industry report, there were 751.5 million internet users in India at the start of 2024, when internet penetration stood at 52.4 percent. Per data from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), from March 2023 to March 2024, the total number of internet subscribers in India grew by 8.3 percent, increasing from 881.25 million to 954.4 million.

The digitization of key sectors like finance, agriculture, retail, e-commerce, logistics, and transportation offers vast investment and commercial opportunities across India.

Regulatory framework and subsea cable expansion

Under Indias current telecom licensing framework, TRAI is responsible for setting orders, regulations, and directives for the telecommunications sector, while the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications issues the licenses.

Any company laying submarine cables within Indian Territorial Waters must possess a valid International Long Distance (ILD) license from the DoT. License holders, known as International Long-Distance Operators (ILDOs), are permitted to establish Cable Landing Stations (CLS) for the landing of submarine cables, with regulations set by TRAI.

On June 19, 2023, TRAI introduced recommendations on the Licensing Framework and Regulatory Mechanism for Submarine Cable Landing in India, which proposed two categories for CLS locations:

Main CLS and, CLS Points of Presence (CLS-PoPs)

As of the end of 2022, TRAI reported 17 international subsea cables (Seacom and MENA counted separately) landing at 14 distinct cable landing stations across five Indian cities:

Mumbai, Maharashtra Chennai, Tamil Nadu Cochin, Kerala Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu Trivandrum, Kerala

These cables have a total capacity of 138.606 Tbps, with 111.111 Tbps activated.

It may be noted that domestic submarine cables like the Chennai-Andaman and Nicobar Island Cable (CANI) link Port Blair and seven other Andaman & Nicobar Islands, while the Kochi-Lakshadweep Island (KLI) cable system connects Kochi with 11 Lakshadweep islands via a dedicated submarine optical fiber cable.

Key takeaways

Indias digital economy has expanded rapidly in recent years, positioning the country as a global software services hub. The three new subsea cable systems, 2Africa Pearls, IAX, and IEX, are expected to significantly boost Indias internet capacity by 2025, quadrupling its digital connectivity.

Submarine cables are essential for Indias global connectivity, handling most international data transmissions, and are crucial for applications like 5G, AI, and cloud computing.

Key submarine cable projects such as the Chennai-Andaman-Nicobar Island Cable (CANI) and the Kochi-Lakshadweep Island (KLI) system enhance Indias connectivity to remote regions, boosting its strategic and economic footprint in the Indo-Pacific region.

As Indias reliance on global connectivity continues to grow, the importance of submarine cables will only increase in the future.
Mumbai: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das Wednesday announced the launch of two new product offerings built by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) at the Global Fintech Festival (GFF) 2024.

These new offerings include Bharat BillPay (BBPS) for business, designed to streamline business-to-business (B2B) transactions across different ERPs and accounting platforms, and UPI Circle, which enables delegate payments to users.

These payment solutions are aimed to enhance inclusivity, security, and efficiency of Indias digital payment ecosystem.

Infosys Non-Executive Chairman and Advisor to NPCI Nandan Nilekani and Non-Executive Chairman and Independent Director NPCI Ajay Kumar Choudhary were present at the launch.

Bharat BillPay for Business (B2B Platforms)

RBI Governor announced the expansion of BBPS services to cater to business enablement platforms, streamlining B2B payments and collections.

This development is expected to change the landscape of business payments across the country through a single, centralised, interoperable platform. Bharat BillPay for business aims to standardise, simplify and automate various invoice payment processes for day-to-day business operations irrespective of size of the business.

Offerings like business onboarding, search and add business, purchase order (PO) creation, invoice management, automated reminders, guaranteed settlement, financing, AR (Accounts Receivable) and AP (Accounts Payable) dashboard, and online dispute resolution are inbuilt in this platform.

Banks, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERPs) and B2B fintechs alike can now connect with BBPS for Business and offer their clients a holistic solution.

This solution will empower businesses to seamlessly digitalise the existing manual processes, and enhance the services offered by B2B players by on-boarding these businesses on a comprehensive and interoperable digital invoice and payment solution.

UPI Circle (Delegate Payments)

The RBI Governor launched UPI Circle, wherein UPI users can delegate payments to their trusted secondary users.

UPI Circle is a feature enabling UPI user to act as a primary user linking with trusted secondary users on UPI App for either partial or full delegation of payments.

In full delegation, the primary user authorises a trusted secondary user to initiate and complete UPI transactions as per defined spend limits. In partial delegation, the primary user authorizes initiation of payment requests from secondary users.

The primary user then completes the UPI transaction with UPI Pin.

A primary user can delegate to up to 5 secondary users and a secondary user can accept delegation from only one primary user.

Full delegation allows a maximum monthly limit of Rs 15,000 per delegation and a maximum per transaction limit of Rs 5000.

Existing UPI limits shall be applicable in case of partial delegation.

A live demonstration of UPI Circle was showcased via UPI enabled apps, including BHIM, at the launch event.
US diplomats called on National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah at his Gupkar residence. Photo credit: NC X handle.

New Delhi/IBNS: Hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation with the United States President Joe Biden to discuss a wide range of topics, US diplomats visiting Jammu and Kashmir met National Conference's (NC) second top leader Omar Abdullah and some other political leaders ahead of Jammu and Kashmir.

This meeting when a vital election is approaching is significant as earlier India's Ministry of External Affairs has accused the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, a US federal government body, of interfering in Indias electoral exercise by recommending that India should be classified as a Country of Particular Concern for the fifth consecutive year in its annual report.

In recent times, the meetings between US diplomats and Indian opposition leaders have made headlines and raised concerns more frequently than before, while there have been reports that American diplomats also met protesting farmer leaders which is being seen by political experts as a sign of meddling with Indias internal affairs.

Earlier on August 26, PM Narendra Modi, during the telephonic conversation, conveyed his appreciation for US President Joe 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, according to the official press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs.

Reviewing the significant progress in bilateral relations, the two leaders highlighted that India-US partnership is aimed at benefiting the people of both countries as well as the entire humanity.

A file photo of Modi Biden meeting courtesy PIB

As per reports, Modi and Biden also discussed in detail on a number of regional and global issues.

"Spoke to @POTUS @JoeBiden (US President Joe Biden) 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," Modi wrote on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) after the Aug 26 telephonic conversation.

"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 PM added in his X post.

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

According to reports, during the discussion, the two leaders talked about the situation in Ukraine, while Modi briefed Joe Biden about his recent visit to the conflict-hit country and meeting with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Modi and Biden, furthermore, discussed the situation in Bangladesh, which recently witnessed a massive mass protest and ouster of an elected government.

The two leaders also emphasised restoration of law and order and ensuring safety and security of the minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh.

Interestingly, the press release issued by the US President's office at White House had no mention of Bangladesh or Hindus in Bangladesh.

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 White House press release read.

"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 media statement said.

"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," it added. "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.

Ahead of the crucial assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, which will be the first since the Modi government scrapped its special status by abrogating Article 370 in August 2019, US diplomats, including Minister-Counsellor for Political Affairs Graham Mayer and First Secretary Gary Applegarth, met National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah at the leaders Srinagar residence.

During the meeting, the leaders and diplomats discussed a wide range of issues related to Jammu and Kashmir and the region in general, and also regarding the travel advisory in the territory, as per reports.

Emphasising the need to reconsider the travel advisories for JK, Omar Abdullah noted that restrictions in the region have been eased.

Abdullah also encouraged foreign tourists to visit Jammu and Kashmir to experience the culture and beauty firsthand, according to a report by ANI.

Speaking to the media, Tanvir Sadiq, the chief spokesperson and head of communications of National Conference, stated that a wide range of topics were discussed during the meeting, pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir and the region in general.

Political Counsellor Abhiram was also part of the US delegation, Sadiq added.

From the National Conferences side, Member of Parliament and senior NC leader Ruhullah Mehdi was also present at the meeting, according to reports.

The National Conference mentioned in a post on X that Omar Abdullah invited the US diplomats to visit Jammu and Kashmir with their families as a first step to build confidence among international tourists from the US and other countries.

Discussions covered a wide range of issues pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir and the region in general. Omar Abdullah emphasised to the diplomats the importance of reconsidering the travel advisories for Jammu and Kashmir with a view to easing the restrictions," the party remarked.

"He encouraged people from around the world to visit Kashmir and experience its beauty and culture firsthand. He also invited the diplomats to visit Kashmir with their families as a first step to inspire confidence among tourists from the United States and other parts of the world, the party added.

US diplomats called on National Conference Vice President @OmarAbdullah at his Gupkar residence today. The delegation included Minister-Counselor for Political Affairs Graham Mayer, First Secretary Gary Applegarth, and Political Counselor Abhiram.



The meeting was also attended pic.twitter.com/796WoWOLBp  JKNC (@JKNC_) August 26, 2024

This is not a rare meeting between US diplomats and Indian political leaders as in August 2024 alone, American diplomats have met several Indian political leaders behind the scenes.

Earlier on August 14, Sputnik India, the Indian arm of Russian state-owned news agency Sputnik, published a report highlighting meetings between Jennifer Larson and Indian opposition leaders.

While this visit by US diplomats to Kashmir may appear friendly, it should be noted that, in August alone, US diplomats have met several Indian leaders behind the scenes. On 14th August, Sputnik India published a report highlighting meetings between Jennifer Larson, the US Consul General in charge of the American mission in Hyderabad, and Indian Opposition leaders.

Larson met All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi in Hyderabad, according to reports.

She wrote in a post on X, Thank you, Member of Parliament and leader of AlMIM Asaduddin Owaisi for your kind hospitality and for sharing your informed and important views on a range of shared issues and concerns. I look forward to continuing our discussions!

Meanwhile, the US envoy also met N. Chandrababu Naidu, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.

Notably, Larson had held meetings with the AIMIM chief and Telangana Chief Minister earlier in July as well.

The recent meetings between American diplomats and Indian opposition leaders are not viewed on face value by some political experts amid fears that the US could try to meddle in Indias internal affairs, with this being particularly important in terms of the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections, which is scheduled to be held in three phases from Sept 18 to Oct 1, while the counting of votes to take place on Oct 4. However, the Indian government led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not officially reacted to the meetings yet.

In a similar case, Bangladesh, during the last general polls, also alleged that the US was meddling in the country's election, which is strictly an internal issue of any democratic nation, where reports suggest that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other foreign interests might have been involved in toppling Sheikh Hasinas government.

However, the United States many times claimed that they had no involvement in the Hasina government's ouster.

Accusations have emerged about the United States backing up resistance movements against Sheikh Hasina, leading to escalated tensions and unrest within Bangladesh, and these actions are indicative of a repeated conduct by the US where it uses its diplomatic strength to influence local politics of sovereign states, as per media reports.

Some political experts, who have fair knowledge of America's external affairs policies, raised concern that in light of the recent Bangladesh episode, one after another meetings between US diplomats and Indian opposition leaders could be suspicious for some.

They added that US diplomats' talks with Jammu and Kashmir leaders could also be alarming, considering the sensitive status of the region where any external force can impact negatively on political and social stability.
Photo Courtesy:BJP West Bengal X page

The Bharatiya Janata Party is observing a 12-hour Bengal strike on Tuesday to protest against the police action on those students who were taking part in the march to the state secretariat Nabanna.

The strike will be observed by the main opposition party of the state from 6 am to 6 pm.

The 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.

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.

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.

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.
Photo courtesy: Screenshot grab Mamata Banerjee Facebook video

Kolkata/IBNS: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday claimed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called a 12-hour state-wide bandh to divert people's attention from the demand for justice in the RG Kar rape-murder case.

Mamata made the remark amid her government facing immense pressure from common people over the alleged cover-up of the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at Kolkata's state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital by the administration.

"The BJP called the bandh because they want to play politics over death. We want justice and capital punishment for the guilty. BJP wants to dilute the main aim for justice and defame Bengal," she said at an event of her party Trinamool Congress.

The 6 am-6pm bandh has been called by the BJP in protest against police's alleged assault on the students and protesters who marched to the state secretariat Nabanna.

The march was called by the students under the banner of 'Chhatra Samaj' demanding justice for the rape and murder and resignation of Mamata Banerjee.

Mamata on Wednesday questioned the Central Bureau of Investigation, which is now probing into the RG Kar case, for its no action yet despite taking over the matter following Calcutta High Court's order two weeks ago.

"CBI has been probing the incident for about 17 days. Why has no action been taken? We demand justice," she thundered.

Though the RG Kar case is now being probed by the CBI, the state administration is facing public anger over its slow progress in the case until it was handed over to the premier investigating agency under the central government.

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.
Photo courtesy: Screenshot grab from Mamata Banerjee Facebook video

Kolkata/IBNS: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday lashed out at the Central Bureau of Investigation for no tangible action in the rape and murder of 31-year-old trainee doctor at Kolkata's major state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

"CBI has been probing the incident for 16 days. Why has no action been taken? We demand justice," Mamata thundered while addressing her party Trinamool Congress' rally in downtown Kolkata.

Mamata tried to mount pressure on CBI and the Centre on the same line in a counter to her administration facing public agony and Opposition's relentless criticism over the slow progress in the case until it was handed over to the premier central investigating agency.

"We wanted capital punishment through a fast-track court," the Chief Minister said, trying to ward-off the public wrath over the incident.

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.

Earlier this month, Mamata held a rally demanding justice for the victim triggering sharp responses from the Opposition and a memefest on social media.

Some social media users had taken a dig at her claiming that Mamata Banerjee was asking for her resignation from herself as she controls both home and health ministries.

Mamata accused the primary opposition Bharatiya Janata Party of diverting people's attention from the demand for justice in the RG Kar rape-murder case by calling a 12-hour state-wide bandh.

"The BJP called the bandh because they want to play politics over death. We want justice and capital punishment for the guilty. BJP wants to dilute the main aim for justice and defame Bengal," she said.

The 6 am-6pm bandh has been called by the BJP in protest against police's alleged assault on the students and protesters who marched to the state secretariat Nabanna.

The march was called by the students under the banner of 'Chhatra Samaj' demanding justice for the rape and murder and resignation of Mamata Banerjee.
Photo courtesy: Screenshot grab from Facebook video of Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata/IBNS: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday requested junior doctors, who are on ceasework demanding justice for the RG Kar rape-murder victim, to rejoin their duties.

"I have full support for the protesting junior doctors. I have always been on their side because their agony was justified. They have been on ceasework for a long time now. So I would request them to resume work now. The Supreme Court has also urged them to do so," Mamata said at her party Trinamool Congress' mega event.

Mamata said she does not intend to take any action against the protesters as that would ruin their careers.

The state government anyway has been restrained by the Supreme Court from taking action. The top court too urged the junior doctors to get back to work ensuring no action will be taken against them by the government.

Speaking at her rally in downtown Kolkata, the TMC supremo said, "I haven't taken any action against any protester until now. I don't intend to take any action. But the Supreme Court has empowered the state government to take action if they don't resume work. But I don't want to take any action as that would ruin their future."

The Chief Minister urged the junior doctors to resume work on a day the protesters took out a major rally demanding justice for the victim from Shyambazar to Dharmatala.

Speaking to a local channel, one of the protesters said, "We too want to get back to work but only after our demands are met."

Even in its last hearing, the Supreme Court had urged the junior doctors to resume work as the ceasework threatens to cripple the government medical facilities on which lakhs of poor people depend for treatment.

"Poor people cannot be left in lurch," Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud had said.

"If they are on duty, they will not be marked absent and if they are not on duty, then law will be followed. Ask them to first return to work, no one will take adverse action against any doctor. If there is difficulty after that, then come to us, but let them first report to work," the CJI said when an advocate appearing for resident doctors at AIIMS claimed protesting doctors have been marked absent.

The Supreme Court has assured the doctors' representatives that all their grievances and issues will be taken care of by the National Task Force that has been constituted by the top court.

"The committee will ensure all representatives are heard," said the top court.

The Supreme Court has also posted a central force- CISF- at RG Kar Hospital, which was vandalised by miscreants on the intervening night of August 14 and 15 when thousands of women and men took to streets for night vigil demanding justice for RG Kar victim.

A 31-year-old trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered at the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, which is located in North Kolkata's Belgachia area, sending shockwaves across the country and triggering pan-India outrage.

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.

Though the RG Kar case is now being probed by the CBI, the state administration is facing public anger over its slow progress and an alleged cover-up in the case until it was handed over to the premier investigating agency under the central government.
In image junior doctors front in Bengal holding a massive rally in Kolkata | courtesy: Avishek Mitra/IBNS

Kolkata/IBNS: The agitating junior doctors in West Bengal, who have been on ceasework for 20 days to protest against the brutal rape and murder of a fellow medic at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Wednesday rejected Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's appeal to join duty.

A member of the West Bengal Junior Doctors Forum said they would not withdraw the agitation unless their demands, including justice for the RG Kar victim, were met.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee earlier in the day requested junior doctors to rejoin their duties saying she doesn't intend to take any action against them.

"I have full support for the protesting junior doctors. I have always been on their side because their agony was justified. They have been on ceasework for a long time now. So I would request them to resume work now. The Supreme Court has also urged them to do so," Mamata said at her party Trinamool Congress' mega event.

Mamata said she does not want to take any action against the protesters as that would ruin their careers.

Also read: RG Kar: 'I don't want to take action,' says Mamata Banerjee urging protesting junior doctors to resume work

The state government anyway has been restrained by the Supreme Court from taking action. The top court too urged the junior doctors to get back to work ensuring no action will be taken against them by the government.

Speaking at her rally in downtown Kolkata, the TMC supremo said, "I haven't taken any action against any protester until now. I don't intend to take any action. But the Supreme Court has empowered the state government to take action if they don't resume work. But I don't want to take any action as that would ruin their future."

One agitating doctor, however, said the CM's remark sounded like a passive threat.

"Mamata Banerjees words sound like a passive threat. We have been demanding justice. We still believe our demands havent been met. We also want to reiterate that we dont want any violence and unrest, but we will not get back to work till all our demands are met, the doctor said after they held a protest rally from Shyambazar to Esplanade on Wednesday.

The Chief Minister urged the junior doctors to resume work on a day the protesters took out a major rally demanding justice for the victim from Shyambazar to Dharmatala.

Visuals from the rally showed junior doctors carrying placards and posters while raising demands for justice for the deceased medic.

The doctors' rally coincided with a 12-hour bandh called by the BJP to protest against Mamata's inaction in the RG Kar case.

All inside image by Avishek Mitra/IBNS
Photo Courtesy: Mukesh Facebook page

Actor Mukesh, who is also a CPI(M) MLA, has been removed from a state government panel to formulate cinema-related policies, days after the Justice Hema Committee report was released triggering a MeToo storm in Mollywood.

Minu Muneer had accused Mukesh and Jayasurya of abusing her on the set of a movie in 2013.

She even alleged that Mukesh made unwanted advances when she sought his help to join the an organization of the actors.

"There is a lot of exploitation in this industry. I am a witness and victim. When I moved to Chennai, nobody reached out to me, asking me what had happened..." she told NDTV.

Mukesh, however, denied all allegations levelled against him.

In a Facebook post, he said: "The truth must come out.Will face legal action I welcome inquiries into the allegations leveled against filmmakers including myself. An objective and transparent investigation is essential in this regard."

He claimed Muneer first approached him in 2009 and then in 2022 and asked for "at least  1 lakh" and her husband then demanded "a huge amount of money" from him.

He said: "Strong legal action will be taken against such people."

The Kerala Police have filed an FIR against director Ranjith after sexual harassment allegations were levelled against him amid a deluge of similar claims made by female actors against top names in the Mollywood industry.

The case was reportedly filed against the director after Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra filed a complaint against him with the Kochi city police commissioner.

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, reports Hindustan Times.

Meanwhile, southern superstar Mohanlal has quit as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), days after allegations of sexual assault and rape hit several top names in the Mollywood industry.

According to reports, all members of the film body's executive committee have resigned.

The film body said a new committee would be formed following the elections in two months.

The Mollywood industry received a shock after top names faced sexual assault complaints following the public release of the Justice Hema Committee report recently.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan convened a high-level meeting amid mounting pressure and decided to establish a seven-member special team to probe the atrocities women actors and others faced in the industry.

With tension rising, Director Ranjith and actor Siddique resigned from state-run film academy and the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (A.M.M.A).
Photo Caption: IDF reduces Qaid Farhan Alkadi from Hamas captivity. Photo Courtesy: IDF X page

The Israel Defense Forces on Wednesday said its security personnel have rescued another Israeli national who was taken hostage by Hamas members during the October 7 attack.

The hostage was identified as 52-year-old Qaid Farhan Alkadi.

According to reports, he was rescued from Hamas tunnel in Gaza.

IDF posted on X: "Today, the IDF and ISA rescued the hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi, aged 52, from Rahat, who was abducted by the Hamas terrorist organization into Gaza on October 7."

"He is in a stable medical condition and is being transferred for medical checks at a hospital. His family has been updated with the details, and the IDF is accompanying them," the forces said.

IDF said its security forces will continue to operate with all means to bring home the hostages.

Israeli special forces, acting on intelligence, were combing a network of tunnels in southern Gaza when they found Al-Qadi, two Israeli military officials told CNN.

Al-Qadi is the eighth hostage to be rescued alive in Gaza by the Israeli military since the beginning of the war, in four separate operations  but he is the first to have been reclaimed alive from inside Hamas tunnel network underneath Gaza, the IDF told CNN.

He was dead and is now brought back to life, Al-Qadis brother, Jumaa, told CNN after Al-Qadi met family members at the Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva, where he is being cared for following his rescue. He added that his brother had not expected to come back alive.

More than 200 hostages were captured by Haas during their October 7 attack, an episode which triggered a conflict with Israel.

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.

In an update, OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke rejected any suggestion of stopping the lifesaving aid operation, despite the multiple challenges linked to the war and ongoing fighting, sparked by Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel on 7 October.

Theres been no decision to halt, there never has been, weve been there for 10 months, so [it is] ongoing where feasible. I want to remind you that only 11 per cent of the territory of the Gaza Strip is not under evacuation ordersso were trying to work with that number and keep the operation going.

Gazas health sector remains barely functional compared to how it was before 7 October when Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel sparked the war. As of 20 August, WHO recorded 505 health attacks in the Strip, resulting in 752 people killed, 982 injured and 32 hospitals and 63 ambulances damaged.
Photo Courtesy: Sarah Rahanuma Facebook page

The body of a Bangladeshi TV journalist has been recovered from Hatirjheel Lake in Dhaka city, media reports said.

The deceased was identified as 32-year-old Sarah Rahanuma.

Inspector Bachchu Mia, in charge of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) police outpost, confirmed the information to Bangladeshi newspaper Dhaka Tribune.

A man named Sagar, who brought Sarah to the hospital, told the newspaper: "I saw the woman floating in Hatirjheel Lake. Later, she was brought to DMCH, where doctors declared her dead.

In her last Facebook post, tagging one Fahim Faysal, the journalist had written: "It was nice having a friend like you. God bless you always. Hope, you'll fulfill all your dreams soon. I know we had a lots of planning together. Sorry, can't fulfill our plannings. May god bless you in every aspects of your life."

In another post, she had written: "It is better to die than to live a life akin to death."

Sheikh Hasina's son reacts

Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed described the incident as a brutal attack on freedom of expression in the country.

Rahmuna Sara Gazi TV newsroom editor was found dead. Her body was recovered from Hatirjheel Lake in the Dhaka city. This is another brutal attack on freedom of expression in Bangladesh. Gazi TV is a secular news channel owned by Golam Dastagir Gazi who was arrested a recently.  Sajeeb Wazed (@sajeebwazed) August 28, 2024

Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed posted on X: " Rahmuna Sara Gazi TV newsroom editor was found dead. Her body was recovered from Hatirjheel Lake in the Dhaka city. This is another brutal attack on freedom of expression in Bangladesh. Gazi TV is a secular news channel owned by Golam Dastagir Gazi who was arrested a recently."

Wazed's mother and former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina fled to India earlier this month after her Awami League government collapsed amid severe violence over job quota protests.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. File photo by Anurag R Dubey via Wikimedia Commons

California/IBNS: The chairman and CEO of the California-based social media company Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, on Monday (August 26) said in a letter to the House Judiciary committee that his teams were pressured by the Biden administration to censor some content around the Covid-19 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, and expressed a lot of frustration with our teams when we didnt agree, Zuckerberg wrote in the letter.

Zuckerberg, in his letter to the judiciary committee, said the pressure he felt in 2021 was wrong and he came to regret that his company, the parent of Facebook and Instagram, was not more outspoken.

He added that with the benefit of hindsight and new information there were decisions made in 2021 that wouldnt be made 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 in the letter.

The US President Joe Biden said in July of 2021 that social media platforms are killing people with misinformation surrounding the pandemic.

Though President Biden later walked back these comments, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said at the time that misinformation posted on social media was a serious threat to public health.

Responding to Zuckerbergs letter, a White House spokesperson said the administration at the time was encouraging 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 spokesperson said.

Mark Zuckerberg also said in the letter that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the domestic intelligence and security service of the US, warned Meta about potential Russian disinformation around Hunter Biden and the Ukrainian firm Burisma affecting the 2020 election.

That fall, Zuckerberg said, his team temporarily demoted reporting from the New York Post alleging Joe Biden family corruption while their fact-checkers could review the story, according to reports.

The Meta CEO said that since then, it has been made clear that the reporting was not Russian disinformation, and in retrospect, we shouldnt have demoted the story.

Meta has since changed its policies and processes to make sure this doesnt happen again and will no longer demote content in the US while waiting for fact-checkers, reports CNN.

Zuckerberg, in the letter to the Judiciary Committee, said he will not repeat actions he took in 2020 when he helped support electoral infrastructure.

The idea here was to make sure local election jurisdictions across the country had the resources they needed to help people vote safely during a pandemic, the Meta CEO said.

Mark Zuckerberg mentioned that the initiatives were designed to be nonpartisan but he said some people believed this work benefited one party over the other.

He said his goal is to be neutral so will not be making a similar contribution this cycle.

Members of The Republican Party, which is also known as GOP, on the House Judiciary Committee shared the letter on X and said Mark Zuckerberg just admitted that the Biden Harris administration pressured Facebook to censor Americans, Facebook censored Americans, and Facebook throttled the Hunter Biden laptop story.

Zuckerberg has long faced scrutiny from congressional Republicans, who have accused Facebook and other large technology platforms of being biased against conservatives, reports CNN.

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  (@JudiciaryGOP) August 26, 2024

While the Meta chief has stressed that his company enforces its rules impartially, the narrative has gained a firm foothold in conservative circles, CNN reported, adding that Republican lawmakers have specifically scrutinized Facebooks decision to limit the circulation of a New York Post story about Hunter Biden.

Zuckerberg, in testimony before Congress in recent years, has sought to bridge the divide between his social media giant and policymakers to little effect.

In a 2020 Senate hearing, the Meta CEO acknowledged that many of Facebooks employees are left-leaning, but he held that the social media company takes care not to allow political bias to seep into decisions.

In addition, Zuckerberg said Facebooks content moderators, many of whom are contractors, are based worldwide and the geographic diversity of that is more representative of the community that we serve than just the full-time employee base in our headquarters in the Bay Area, reports CNN.

In June 2024, in a win for the White House, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the plaintiffs in a case accusing the federal government of censoring conservative voices on social media had no standing, according to reports.

Writing for the majority, Justice Amy Coney Barrett said, to establish standing, the plaintiffs must demonstrate a substantial risk that, in the near future, they will suffer an injury that is traceable to a government defendant. Coney Barrett continued, because no plaintiff has carried that burden, none has standing to seek a preliminary injunction, as reported by CNN.

According to nonpartisan education group News Literacy Project, there have been over 500 instances of misinformation during the 2024 election cycle, including fake celebrity endorsements.
When Gyeongseong Creature debuted a few months ago, binge-watchers were thrilled. The exciting and swiftly evolving plot of the drama kept viewers on the edge of their seats. Although we were aware that season 2 was planned, we were unsure of the precise release date. Netflix announced in November 2022 that a second season is now in production. However, now, the OTT release date for Gyeongseong Creature season 2 has been revealed, and fans are overjoyed for all the right reasons. As shared by the streaming platform, Gyeongseong Creature season 2 will release on Netflix on 27th September 2024. The teaser was shared with the caption, In 2024 Seoul, enduring mysteries unravel when Chae-ok encounters Ho-jae, a man with an uncanny resemblance to Tae-sang. What twists of fate await them?





Plot

The story, which is set in 1945 during the Imperial Japanese Army's occupation of Gyeongseong, the former name for Seoul, shows the cruelty inflicted on civilians by the Japanese forces, including the secret biological experiments on men and women, the rebellion led by women, and the monstrous creature created by human experimentation. Netflix hosted the inaugural season from December 22, 2023, to January 5, 2024.

The ten episodes of the series are divided into two parts; the first seven are released as Part 1, and the final three are released as Part 2 on January 5, 2024.

Cast

Gyeongseong Creature season 2 stars Park Seo-jun, Han So-hee, Lee Mu-saeng, Bae Hyeon-seong, and others. Chung Dong-yoon and Jo Yeong-min are the directors of the show. It has been written by Kang Eun-kyung.

Also read: Bench Life OTT release date SonyLiv: When to watch the brand new Telugu series

For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.


Netflix original limited series Jack Whitehall: Fatherhood With My Father has set its OTT release date and fans are excited! In the show, Jack and Michael will explore what parenting means around the world while traveling in their own unique and entertaining ways. Jack Whitehall: Fatherhood With My Father will be released on Netflix on 10th September 2024. A glimpse of the show was originally shown at the Next on Netflix UK event earlier in 2024. Shortly after, the video was released on the streamers YouTube channel.





Plot

On September 10, 2024, Jack Whitehall will make a comeback to Netflix with a brand-new unscripted series after the five seasons of his travel series Travels with My Father.

Jack and Michael will explore what fatherhood means globally and talk about the dads that Jack wants to be and the one that Michael is, all in their own unique and engaging style.

Cast and crew

Paul Taylor is the director of all four episodes of the new series, which is produced by Jackpot Productions. In addition to producing the show, Richard Ackerman and Anne Mensah also act as executive producers. James Fidler is the series producer and Nicky Mitchell is in charge of production.





Internet reacts to the trailer

Taking to Jack Whitehall: Fatherhood With My Father trailers comment section on Youtube, people praised the plotline and said that it will surely be very engaging to stream.

One wrote, Im so excited for this I was so sad when traveling with my father ended.

Another went on to add, I am so glad we are getting another series with him and his father. I enjoyed the last one.

For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.


After Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgn, the latest actor to get massively trolled for promoting the Pan Masala brand is Hrithik Roshan. The Fighter star featured in cardamom launched by a pan masala brand Siggnature, and people are saying "Shame on you".

In the video, Hrithik Roshan is channeling his inner Tom Cruise driving a car with his ladylove by his side. While he is seeing her off, the lady is on a mission to steal his silver-coated cardamom. While the visuals of the advertisement are impressive, fans are disappointed with Hrithik for promoting a pan masala brand.

People call Hrithik "Gutka Roshan" for promoting Pan Masala brand

One of the fans pointed out that these actors are paid in crores for these advertisements. "Anyone knows how much they are paid for such endorsements? Should be in double digit crores right?" a user said. "Hrithik has such a suave image and he ruins it in my eyes by doing this ad," said another one. "He only promotes betting and pan masala ads... Such a gorgeous face but no good reputed brands hire him," said another one. "Hrithik can't be this hard up in life to start promoting this crap product! Shame on these rich guys getting richer," another user pointed out.

Comment

byu/Glad-Ad5911 from discussion

inBollyBlindsNGossip





John Abraham slammed actors who promote Pan Masala brands

Recently, in an interview with Ranveer Allahbadia, John Abraham slammed his contemporaries for promoting such brands. He said he will never do it no matter how much money he is offered. "I will not sell death, because it's a matter of principle," he said and added, "Youre selling death. How can you live with it?"

What are your thoughts on Hrithik Roshan's advertisement? Let us know in the comments section below.

Also Read: People Troll Mahesh Babu For Endorsing Pan Masala After Saying 'Bollywood Can't Afford Me'



For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.


Kangana Ranaut, known for her bold and candid opinions, has now revealed that she was reprimanded by the BJP for her controversial remarks on the farmers' protest, while promoting her upcoming film Emergency. The Lok Sabha MP from Mandi acknowledged that she will now be more cautious with her statements and would ensure that they align with the party's policies.



Kangana Ranaut admits she was reprimanded by BJP

The actress-turned-politician had claimed that farmers' protests could have led to a 'Bangladesh-like situation'. She said, "Of course, I was reprimanded, and that's fine with me. I do not think I am the final voice of the party. I am not that crazy or stupid to believe that. I do believe in the guidance of my superiors," she was quoted as saying by India Today.

What did Kangana Ranaut say about the farmers' protest?

#WATCH: "You think the farmers are behind this? It's China and America."



During a promotional interview for her upcoming movie 'Emergency,' Indian actress and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut made controversial remarks, drawing parallels between the student protests in Bangladesh and the pic.twitter.com/1sRIiTikRr  Statecraft (@statecraftdaily) August 28, 2024

Kangana in an interview with Dainik Bhasker had commented on the situation in Bangladesh. Comparing the situation with farmers' protests in India, she said that the same condition could have erupted in India during the farm protests. She added that bodies were hanging and rapes were taking place during the protest against the now-repealed three farm laws. She also alleged the involvement of China and the US in the "conspiracy".

BJP distanced itself from Kangana's statement

In a statement issued by the party, it said, "The statement made by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut in the context of the farmers' agitation is not the opinion of the party. The Bharatiya Janata Party expresses its disagreement with the statement made by Kangana Ranaut." Furthermore, the statement added that Kangana is not authorised to make statements on the party's policies and has been asked not to make such comments in the future.

Also Read: 'Zeherile Log': Kangana Ranaut rips apart Bollywood once again for snubbing her film Emergency

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.


Neha Dhupia is loved for being a fantastic host, actor and a judge. She is also an incredible wife, well her husband Angad Bedi certainly thinks so. Wishing her a beautiful birthday, Angad called her a "wonder-woman".

Neha is celebrating her birthday in Maldives. The actor who turned 44, is in Maldives with her family including her kids and parents, She gave us a glimpse of her birthday night. And it surely looked gorgeous.

Take a look.

The birthday video showed her dancing amidst fairy lights, balloons and sea. The setting was a delight and Neha looked happy and content. She can be seen dancing on a cosy number with Angad Bedi. We can also see her parents enjoying the joyous occasion. The kids too joined the party.

Well, that's what we call a perfect birthday party, as it was intimate and special. For her birthday, Neha wrote, "Sharing a glimpse of some of the most special memories with my most precious people."

She even thanked JW Marriott for making this a memorable birthday.

Angad Bedi, too had the sweetest wish for his lady love. In the caption, he 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."

Neha is one of the few celebrities who openly accepted about her pregnancy before marriage. In an interview earlier to Times Now, Neha recalled the reaction when she broke the news to her parents, "We had a nonlinear wedding. We were pregnant before we got married. So, when we went and broke the news to my parents, they were like okay, this is great. But you have 72 hours before we turn this around. Lets get married. I was given 2 and a half days to then go back to Bombay and get married."



The two have been happily married for 6 years and have two beautiful children.

For more such updates on celebs and relationships, follow us on Indiatimes Lifestyle.
Reliance Foundation Chairperson Nita Ambani is ever graceful and when it comes to her collection of sarees, there is no doubt when we say each one is better than the last! Time and again she has proved that she is no less fashionable than any famous Bollywood actress and her latest look is definitely one that we should bookmark! Nita Ambani stepped out in a regal saree for a recent event. Let's decode her glamourous look and take inspiration for the unique details of her stunning saree for the upcoming wedding season.

Nita Ambani turns heads in a Manish Malhotra saree

Whether she's attending her son's high-profile wedding or shopping in the streets of Benaras, Mrs Ambani can always be seen in a unique saree. This time, Nita stunned everyone with an elegant custom Manish Malhotra saree in a deep purple hue. As per the ace designer, Nita was wearing a specially designed saree called the 'Jamuni Paithani' which was decorated with a Paithani border from Swadesh which was paired with a handwoven Banarasi chevron blouse. the beautifully crafted saree featured a border made using golden threads and floral motifs.

The 60-year-old philanthropist and businesswoman was seen in her signature dewy finish makeup which was paired with kohl-filled eyes and smoky eye shadow with the help of celebrity makeup artist Micky Contractor. She completed her look with dazzling diamond jewellery.

History of Paithani sarees

As per celebrity saree and dupatta draper Dolly Jain, the Paithani saree originated from the historic town of Paithan in Maharashtra state. In a recent post where she expertly teaches how to effortlessly drape the unique six yards, she mentions that the unique selling point (USP) of Paithani sarees lies in their handwoven designs which more often than not depict scenes from ancient epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Also Read: Priyanka Chopra turns the spotlight in Sabyasachi at trailer launch of her movie Paani

For more on lifestyle, astrology and health from around the world please visit Indiatimes Lifestyle
The UK job market is in turmoil, and rising political tensions, fueled by anti-immigrant protests, are making things even worse. A Redditor from India who had moved to the UK for a master's in Data Science two years ago is now warning others to think twice before following the same path, pointing to an exceptionally tough job search scenario that has left many struggling.

The UK hosts over 180,000 Indian students currently, making it one of the top five destinations for studying abroad.

The Redditor's post cuts through the typical success stories, urging, "Think twice before doing a Master's in the UK. Job search is very difficult."

They explain that, despite having a job, they find it nearly impossible to switch roles since "barely any companies want to sponsor."

They reveal that most of their classmates returned to India after failing to secure jobs, noting, "Too expensive to survive here on a loan, and the only other option was to continue working in a store or restaurant, which they were already doing for almost a year."

They add that the situation is even more dire for fresh graduates and caution against coming to the UK if: "You need to take a loan over 20L, have less than 2 years of work experience, or are studying a non-shortage field like business management."

According to them, the only safe bet right now is in the medical field, where a massive shortage of doctors and related roles practically guarantees a job and visa.

How did people respond?

In the comments, many shared similar stories of struggling to find jobs in the UK. One user wrote, "I know someone who did a Masters in Economics from LSE and has been looking for a job since graduating a few months ago. Had work ex in India as well. Talented guy. After seeing stories like that, its not really conscionable anymore for me to suggest graduate studies in the UK."

Credit: Pixabay | Representational image

Another commenter emphasised the importance of strong academics or work experience before moving abroad: "This is the case pretty much everywhere. I've studied abroad and have to come back and then move to the Middle East. Multiple times, I've recommended people in this sub to not move abroad without solid experience or unless you're exceptional in academics. Logically thinking, why should they hire and sponsor someone with hardly any experience over a local."



A third warned that a similar trend is emerging in the USA: "H1Bs are no longer a priority even with experience (if you have close to 10yoe, you might find a job)." They warn, "Be very careful before jumping in. Universities profit from you, but ultimately, you'll have to pay everything back."

"Hope future students can read this and take a wise call. It pains to see some of my relatives kids struggling here in the UK. If you are coming here try for the best colleges and be fine if you have to go back," one commenter wrote, capturing the general sentiment.

For more information on exams, results and careers, please visit Indiatimes Education.
The Bombay High Court has said that it is important to educate and sensitise men instead of asking girls to stay safe. A Bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Prithviraj K. Chavan made the observation on Tuesday while hearing a suo motu case on the recent sexual abuse of two 4-year-old girls at a school in Thane's Badlapur.

CREDIT: BCCL

Gender equality should be taught at a young age

The HC bench of Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice Prithviraj K. Chavan said the 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.

CREDIT: BCCL

'Teach boys what is right and wrong'

The court further noted that boys also need to be taught what is right and wrong when it comes to interacting with the other gender.

"Why don't we tell the boys what's right and what's wrong? You need to tell the boys what they shouldn't do. Teach them to respect the other gender, respect women... We had moral science classes. The education department needs to step in," the court observed.

The court also suggested setting up a committee comprising a retired judge, a retired policeman, a retired principal, a woman IPS officer, and a member of the Child Welfare Committee to study the issue and recommend rules and guidelines to be followed in schools to avoid such incidents.

CREDIT: REUTERS

Badlapur rape case

The sexual abuse of two four-year-old kindergarten girls by an attendant of a private school in Badlapur had sent shockwaves across Maharashtra. On 17th August, police arrested an attendant of the school for allegedly abusing the girls.

CCTV visuals from school missing

Amid allegations of a cover-up by the school management, police confirmed that CCTV footage of 15 days from the Badlapur school is missing.

CREDIT: BCCL

"The school education department had sought a report over the incident. We found that the CCTV footage of 15 days is missing. We have told the police to investigate how it went missing. Since the crime was committed near the washroom, we sought CCTV footage and then the committee was told it had gone missing," Maharashtra Minister Deepak Kesarkar said, while adding that a probe has been ordered.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari has said that vehicle manufacturers have agreed to offer discounts for the purchase of new vehicles against the scrapping of older ones. The development came after Gadkari chaired a meeting with the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers Association (SIAM) delegation on Tuesday.

CREDIT: BCCL

Carmakers to offer discounts on scrapping

"During this interaction, responding positively to the advice of Hon'ble Minister RT&H and recognising the importance of Fleet Modernisation and Circular Economy, multiple Commercial Vehicle Manufacturers and multiple passenger vehicle manufacturers have agreed to offer discounts for a limited period against a certificate of deposit (Scrappage Certificate)," a statement said.

For vehicles with a valid Certificate of Deposit

"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," the minister later posted on X.

 ,  



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

How much discount can you get

According to reports, leading passenger vehicle manufacturers have agreed to offer a discount of 1.5 per cent of the ex-showroom price of new car, or Rs 20,000, whichever is less.

CREDIT: BCCL

Last year Gadkari said the country needs 1,000 vehicle scrapping centres and 400 automated fitness test centres.

Noting that the National Vehicle Scrappage Policy is a win-win for all stakeholders, the minister had said that India can be a scrapping hub in South Asia.

"Circular economy is very important and it is going to create jobs in the country," Gadkari said.

National Vehicle Scrappage Policy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National Vehicle Scrappage Policy in August 2021 and said it would help phase out unfit and polluting vehicles and also promote a circular economy.

CREDIT: BCCL

The vehicle scrappage policy came into effect on April 1, 2022.

CREDIT: PIB

Under the policy, the Centre said that the states and Union Territories (UTs) would provide up to 25 per cent tax rebate on road tax for vehicles that are purchased after scrapping old vehicles.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Ahead of the first face-off between the two candidates for the U.S. presidential election in November, Donald Trump has said that he has reached an agreement with Democratic rival Kamala Harris on the rules for the presidential debate. According to Trump, for the presidential debate hosted by ABC on 10th September, the rules will be the same as the last CNN debate, in which he faced off with Joe Biden.

CREDIT: REUTERS

Rules for presidential debate

"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, 10th September, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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!)," Trump said.

CREDIT: REUTERS

No live mic

The debate will also not have always-on mics, and the mic of one of the candidates will be muted when the other is speaking. The two camps had been at odds over the open microphone rule, with Team Harris pushing for it to be brought back. Hot mics can be a game-changer in debates, as they can help or hurt political candidates, catching offhand comments that sometimes were not meant for the public.

CREDIT: AP

Both had agreed to debate with unmuted mics

According to the Harris campaign, both candidates had previously agreed on having the debate with unmuted mics.

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 candidatesbut it appears Donald Trump is letting his handlers overrule him. Sad!, the campaign said.

Also read: Who is Tulsi Gabbard and why is Donald Trump taking her help to prepare for debate with Kamala Harris

Trump vs Biden in first debate

The rule largely remaining unchanged will also mean that there will be no live audience for the upcoming debate. Presidential debates are crucial in the U.S. elections and have a major impact on undecided and independent voters.

CREDIT: AP

The first presidential debate in June was a disaster for the Democrats as the then-candidate, Biden failed to counter or even put up a solid defence against Trump. The poor debate performance exacerbated calls for Biden to drop out of the race, in favour of a younger candidate.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
A US court has sentenced a Donald Trump supporter for his role in the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol following the outgoing president's Stop the Steal rally near the White House. Michael Sparks, a Kentucky native, has been sentenced to 53 months (4.4 years) in jail and fined $2,000 for his role in the riots, which saw a group of Trump supporters attempting to prevent a joint session of the US Congress from formally recognising the victory of Joe Biden.

CREDIT: AP

Sparks was convicted of all six charges that he faced, including a felony count of interfering with police during a civil disorder.

 Michael Sparks, the first Jan. 6 defendant to breach U.S. Capitol, sentenced to 53 months in prison. pic.twitter.com/n8TV3PqAjz  Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) August 27, 2024

How Michael Sparks entered Capitol Building

Notably, the 47-year-old former factory worker from Cecilia, Kentucky, was the first rioter to enter the US Capitol during a mob's attack on the building.

According to the Capitol Police, Sparks jumped through a broken window, "ignoring the warnings of the rioters behind him and the pepper spray (from US Capitol police) that hit him squarely in the face."

CREDIT: AP

Sparks then joined other rioters in chasing a police officer up flights of stairs.

Capitol Police Sergeant Victor Nichols, testifying at Sparks' trial in Washington, said he "acted like a green light for everybody behind him, and everyone followed right behind him."

Who is Michael Sparks

An ardent Trump fan, Sparks had refused to accept the 2020 US presidential election results and used social media to promote conspiracy theories about election fraud. He even posted on social media calling for a civil war.

Its time to drag them out of Congress. Its tyranny, he posted on Facebook three days before the riot.

On January 6, Sparks travelled to Washington, D.C., with co-workers to attend Trumps Stop the Steal rally, after which he joined a crowd in marching to the Capitol.

CREDIT: AP

How he became first rioter to enter Capitol

He became the first rioter to enter the building after Dominic Pezzola, a member of the far-right Proud Boys extremist group, used a police shield to break a window.

Michael Sparks  the very first rioter to breach the Capitol on Jan. 6  sought to delay his trial next month as SCOTUS weighs the application of one of the charges against him. Nope, says Trump appointed judge. pic.twitter.com/Pytqz6wWPr  Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) January 12, 2024

'But, the election was stolen...'

Sparks was arrested less than a month after the riot and still believes that the election was stolen. According to him, the 2020 presidential election was marred by fraud and completely taken from the American public."

CREDIT: SCREENGRAB

I am remorseful that what transpired that day didn't help anybody, Sparks said. I am remorseful that our country is in the state its in.

National disgrace: judge

US District Judge Timothy Kelly, who sentenced Sparks to four years and five months, told him that there was nothing patriotic about his prominent role in what was a national disgrace.

I don't really think you appreciate the full gravity of what happened that day and, quite frankly, the full seriousness of what you did, the judge said.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
In an amazing discovery that could shed more light on how stars are formed, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has identified half a dozen free-floating planets. The planets were identified during a survey of the young nebula NGC 1333, a star-forming cluster about a thousand light-years away in the Perseus constellation.

CREDIT: ESA

What James Webb found

The discovery includes the lightest rogue planet candidate ever identified, with a dusty disk around it. The elusive objects offer new evidence that the same cosmic processes that give birth to stars may also play a common role in making objects only slightly bigger than Jupiter.

Help in understanding how stars form

A new image from the survey released today by the European Space Agency shows NGC 1333 glowing with dramatic displays of interstellar dust and clouds.

We are probing the very limits of the star-forming process, said lead author Adam Langeveld, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins University. If you have an object that looks like a young Jupiter, is it possible that it could have become a star under the right conditions? This is important context for understanding both star and planet formation.

CREDIT: NASA

5-10 times massive than Jupiter

The University of Michigan, which was part of the study, said in a statement that the JWST data suggest the discovered worlds are gas giants 5 to 10 times more massive than Jupiter.

Also read: James Webb Captures Star-Forming Region In Nearby Dwarf Galaxy

"That means they are among the lowest-mass objects ever found to have grown from a process that would generally produce stars and brown dwarfs, objects straddling the boundary between stars and planets that never ignite hydrogen fusion and fade over time," the release said.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come." -Victor Hugo

No doubt Victor Hugho was right about the power of ideas, but ideas are buds that bloom only when there are conversations around them. TEDx BITSoM, is a platform for ideas that have yet to be fully explored, those that could spark a profound impact in the future or address issues we encounter daily but have never openly discussed. This is the driving force behind the first-ever TEDx event at BITS School of Management (BITSoM), the new age B-school at BITS Pilanis Mumbai Campus. This event is set to become an integral part of the colleges legacy for years to come. It is a celebration of ideas, diversity, and the innovative spirit that defines BITSoM. The sky and sea may never meet but at, Interconnected Horizon, people from different walks of life, who you never anticipated would meet, come together, celebrating the dynamic interplay of ideas, unraveling the complex interconnections revealing how and why one event influences another. Though hosted within a B-school, the talks will resonate far beyond the world of business, addressing ideas that matter not just to India but to the world, creating a ripple effect of inspiration and change.

Each guest shines bright as separate stars but TEDx BITSoM is like a constellation where they shine together. Among the distinguished speakers at TEDx BITSoM, Ms. Suchitra Durai, a retired IFS officer and former Ambassador of India to Thailand, will share The Art of Diplomacy: Winning Hearts & Minds and Saving Lives, unraveling the nuances of diplomacy through vivid anecdotes. Sudeep Chawla, Sr. Vice President of Marketing at Pidilite and the mastermind behind iconic ad campaigns like Cadbury Gems, will demystify personal branding in his talk on 4 Steps to Becoming a BRAND. Srinivas Sarkar, Co-Founder and CEO of Coupl, will take us on a journey through The Time Machine of Money, exploring the evolution of finance from barter systems to digital transactions. Mr. Prashant Issar, founder of ISHAARA Restaurant, will discuss his vision of building a sustainable and inclusive business, while Dr. Ranjan Banerjee, an esteemed academician, will delve into the power of humility in leadership with Why Leaders Should Apologize? Ms. Nina Lekhi, founder of Baggit, will share her inspirational entrepreneurial journey, and celebrated IAS officer Ms. Minal Karanwal will discuss the interplay of dominance, courage, and achieving the right outcomes. Finally, BITSoM alumni and author Gurucharan will offer insights drawn from his unique experiences.

TED has long been a beacon of knowledge-sharing, but the TEDx event at BITSoM is poised to redefine the experience. By bringing together trailblazing experts from fields as diverse as design, business, art, academia, and government, this event promises narratives that ignite creativity and expand perspectives. From masterful brand building and visionary leadership to the trials of entrepreneurship, these speakers represent some of the most influential and inspiring voices of our time.

Don't miss the chance to be part of this transformative experience and network with professionals at the evening high tea on 31st August 2024 at the BITSoM BITS Pilani Campus in Kalyan, set against the backdrop of a sprawling, nature-surrounded global campus, recently inaugurated by Honourable Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman.

Rush to book your tickets now on BookMyShow and get ready to be inspired!

The article is authored by Gargi Sethia, team TEDx BITSoM
The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) marks a significant milestone today, celebrating 10 years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised everyone who contributed to the success of the Jan Dhan Yojana, stating that the scheme has been crucial in advancing financial inclusion.



On the social media platform X formerly known as Twitter PM Modi wrote, Today, we mark a momentous occasion #10YearsOfJanDhan. Congratulations to all the beneficiaries and compliments to all those who worked to make this scheme a success,

Jan Dhan Yojana has been paramount in boosting financial inclusion and giving dignity to crores of people, especially women, youth, and the marginalized communities, he added.

Today, we mark a momentous occasion #10YearsOfJanDhan. Congratulations to all the beneficiaries and compliments to all those who worked to make this scheme a success. Jan Dhan Yojana has been paramount in boosting financial inclusion and giving dignity to crores of people, pic.twitter.com/VgC7wMcZE8  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 28, 2024

The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has revolutionised financial inclusion in India over the past decade, touching the lives of millions across the country. Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, this national mission has played a crucial role in bringing unbanked households into the formal financial system. This article provides an explainer on PM Jan Dhan Yojana, highlighting its benefits and how it has empowered over 53 crore people in ten years.

What is Jan Dhan Yojana?

The PM Jan Dhan Yojana was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15th August 2014 from Red Fort and launched by him on 28th August 2014 across the country with a vision to provide every household in India with easy access to financial services, including banking, credit, insurance, and pensions. By offering basic banking accounts to every citizen, this scheme aimed to ensure that no one was left behind in the journey towards financial inclusion. The plan also included financial literacy programs to educate people about the benefits of being part of the formal financial system.

Benefits of PM Jan Dhan Yojana

The benefits of Jan Dhan Yojana extend beyond just opening bank accounts. Account holders receive various financial benefits, including:

- No Minimum Balance Required: There is no need to maintain a minimum balance in PMJDY accounts, making it accessible for everyone.

- Interest on Deposits: Account holders earn interest on the deposits in their PMJDY accounts.

- RuPay Debit Card: Each account holder is provided with a RuPay debit card, which comes with an accident insurance cover of Rs 1 lakh, enhanced to Rs 2 lakh for new accounts opened after August 28, 2018.

- Overdraft Facility: Eligible account holders can avail of an overdraft facility of up to Rs 10,000, providing them with additional financial support during emergencies.

- Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): PMJDY accounts are used to transfer government subsidies directly to beneficiaries, ensuring that they receive the full benefit of welfare schemes without any leakages.

Revolution of PMJDY Account openings

Year No. of account opening March 2015 14.72 crore March 2016 21.43 crore March 2017 28.17 crore March 2018 31.44 crore March 2019 35.27 crore March 2020 38.33 crore March 2021 42.20 crore March 2022 45.06 crore March 2023 48.65 crore March 2024 51.13 crore August 14th 2024 53.13 crore

Achievements of PM Jan Dhan Yojana

As of August 14, 2024, the Jan Dhan Yojana has successfully opened over 53.14 crore bank accounts, with total deposits exceeding Rs 2,31,236 crore, according to PIB press release. This significant achievement marks a 3.6-fold increase in accounts and a 15x deposit growth since March 2015. Notably, nearly 30 crore beneficiaries are women, and about 66.6% of the accounts are in rural and semi-urban areas. This reflects the schemes wide reach and its focus on empowering marginalised communities. The Guinness Book of World Records also acknowledged the success of the PMJDY initiative. It awarded a certificate for the "Most bank accounts opened in one week as part of the Financial Inclusion Campaign," with a total of 18,096,130 accounts opened by the Department of Financial Services, Government of India, between August 23rd and 29th, 2014.

Empowering the marginalised

One of the most significant impacts of the PM Jan Dhan Yojana is its role in empowering women, youth, and marginalised communities. By providing them with access to banking services, the scheme has given them the dignity and financial independence they deserve. The availability of credit and insurance has further enabled these individuals to improve their livelihoods and secure their future.

Digital Revolution Under Jan Dhan Yojana

The PM Jan Dhan Yojana has also been a key driver of the digital revolution in Indias financial sector. Over 36.14 crore RuPay debit cards have been issued to PMJDY account holders, facilitating cashless transactions. The introduction of mobile-based payment systems like UPI and the installation of 89.67 lakh PoS/mPoS machines have significantly increased digital transactions, which rose from 2,338 crore in FY 2018-19 to 16,443 crore in FY 2023-24. The number of UPI transactions alone surged from 535 crore to 13,113 crore during the same period.

Access to Credit and Financial Growth

The PM Jan Dhan Yojana has not only enabled savings but has also provided access to credit for those without a formal financial history. This has been transformative, as account holders can now demonstrate their saving patterns, making them eligible for loans from banks and financial institutions. For instance, sanctions under the Mudra loans rose at a compounded annual rate of 9.8% from FY 2019 to FY 2024, empowering individuals to grow their incomes and improve their standard of living.

How to Open a PM Jan Dhan Yojana Account

Opening a PM Jan Dhan Yojana account is simple and requires minimal documentation. If you have an Aadhaar Card, no additional documents are needed. If your address has changed, a self-certification of the current address is sufficient. In case you dont have an Aadhaar Card, you can use other official documents like a Voter ID, PAN Card, Passport, or NREGA Card. Even if you lack these documents, you can still open a bank account by submitting an identity card issued by a government department or a letter from a gazetted officer.

In the ten years since its inception, the PM Jan Dhan Yojana has transformed the financial landscape of India, bringing millions into the formal banking system. By ensuring universal access to banking facilities, the scheme has laid the foundation for a more inclusive and equitable society. As India continues to embrace digital innovations and expand financial services, the legacy of PMJDY will continue to empower the nations poorest, driving economic growth and prosperity for all.

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Anna Diamantopoulou, the candidate from Northern Greece and Macedonia for the leadership of the PASOK party, is kicking off her major campaign tour in Macedonia today.

As she vies for the party's presidency, Ms. Diamantopoulou is set to connect with voters across several key regions in Northern Greece.

Her tour begins today with speeches in Kalamaria, Giannitsa, and Edessa.

On Thursday, August 29, she will address supporters in Florina and Kastoria. The following day, Friday,

August 30, she will continue her tour with speeches in Grevena and Ptolemaida. Diamantopoulou's tour will conclude on Saturday, August 31, with an address in Servia.

The tour marks a crucial phase in her campaign as she seeks to secure support within the party ahead of the internal elections.

   iefimerida.gr
The Orthodox Church of Greece has expressed its disapproval of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, stating that it contained scenes of mockery of predominantly Christian religious symbols and persons that provoked the religious sentiment and faith of billions of people.

The church's Holy

Synod, chaired by Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens , released a statement conveying their concerns.

It is everyones duty to honor and respect the symbols of all religions, regardless of the religion, in order to avoid similar sad phenomena in the future, the statement read.

While the synod expressed its criticisms, it also took the opportunity to congratulate the Greek Olympians, acknowledging their efforts and the pride they instilled in their nation.

Additionally, they extended their well-wishes to the athletes participating in the upcoming Paralympic Games.

This statement marks the first official response from the Greek Orthodox Church regarding the controversial elements of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.

The church's condemnation underscores the sensitivity surrounding the use of religious imagery in large-scale public events, emphasizing the need for respect and consideration for diverse faiths.

   iefimerida.gr
Daniel Bwala, former spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organization in the 2023 presidential election, has posited that politicians are behind insecurity in Nigeria.

He made this known on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Televisions Politics Today.

Bwala was commenting on former Minister of Finance, Okonjo Iwealas claim that politicians were weaponizing insecurity.

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According to him he agrees with Iwealas claim, adding that those who lost election were behind insecurity in Nigeria.

His words: Look at the last so-called protest conducted by the youngsters, you will see undemocratic elements trying to seize it. And we have people in some parts of the country.

READ ALSO: Stop Weaponising Insecurity For Political Purpose  Okonjo-Iweala To Politicians

Ordinarily, you cant recognize flags of foreign countries, but we are producing flags of Russia and singing, asking Russia to come and take over the country in order for the military to take over the government.

It is the politicians behind that. The point she (Okonjo Iwela) makes is clear. Look at the trajectory in Nigeria; it is always like that, and most of the time, it is those who lost elections. That is why sometimes even the agitations for a new constitution are made majorly by those who lost elections. If they are not in the mainstream, they will continue to make the country ungovernable.

But that is not to cast aspersion on the patriots. The patriots are working in the right direction. I agree with Okonjo Iwela that politicians are mostly behind the insecurity once they are not in government in order to topple the government in power.
Popular music producer, ThankGod Omori, also known as TG Omori, has recounted how his brother donated his kidney to him to survive a kidney-related ailment.

Omori made this disclosure on Wednesday when he shared a picture of himself in a hospital bed via Instagram.

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According to him, his only brother donated one of his kidneys to him so that he could have another chance in life.

He wrote, Yesterday, my only brother gave me one of his kidneys so I could live again.

Keep my spirit alive. I dont wanna die.



The producer, who has been away from the public for some time now, shared the picture of him crying on the hospital bed while receiving oxygen.

READ ALSO: Video Director, TG Omori Gives Up Smoking

Although he has been making cryptic tweets about his health before the recent transplant.

In July via X, he wrote, If I cross your mind, sometimes say a prayer for me.

Poor marijuana, they blame you for all my rasclaat.

You wanna eat, I wanna live.

The video director and cinematographer, also known as Boy Director, is a familiar name to Nigerian music lovers.

He has been active in the music industry since 2018 and has directed videos for a diverse range of music recording artists.
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has said he is currently preoccupied with the hardship Nigerians are faced with, not permutations for 2027 polls.

He said this in response to comments made by member of the PDPs Board of Trustees (BoT), Bode George, who had advised him to forget vying for Nigerias presidency come 2027.

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George urged Atiku to take a cue from United States President Joe Biden who recently stepped aside for a younger candidate in the Democratic Party ahead of the November 2024 presidential elections.

Atikus response was contained in a message sent to newsmen by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe.

His words: We cannot afford to put the cart before the horse. At this point, Atiku Abubakars preoccupation is not 2027. His concern is about 2024.

READ ALSO: PDP Crisis: Atiku Wouldve Collapsed If He Had Emerged President  Bode George

It is about 2025 and 2026 and beyond. His concern is about the plight of Nigerians who are literarily going through hell because of the failed trial-and-error policies of this administration.

The average citizen, and indeed all Nigerians, need to survive the tsunami that has become the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

It is insensitive to be talking about 2027 now when the 2023 mandate has not yielded any tangible benefits for Nigerians, who are now far worse off in every facet of life.

Bode George himself should also turn his attention to counselling Tinubu to reassess some of his ill-advised policies that have deepened poverty and divisions in our country instead of prioritising the politics of 2027.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, on Tuesday, posited that 80% of Nigerias workforce would be jobless without the existence of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

He made this statement in Makurdi. Benue State, during the commissioning of the Benue State Fashion Hub and Benue Printing and Publishing Corporation.

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According to him, MSME is the backbone of Nigerias economy, accounting for 96% of all Nigerian businesses and contributing over 45% to our economy. Without them, over 80% of Nigerias workforce would have been unemployed.

Today, MSMEs are the nations lifeline, providing a strong pillar for stability. It will be impossible to grow Nigerias economy if the MSME does not remain a top priority.

READ ALSO: Election Losers Behind Nations Insecurity  Bwala

Shettima who was represented by Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, Deputy Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, praised the Benue Fashion Hub, stating it was the largest among the five hubs commissioned by the current administration.

He noted that the hub would become a center of excellence in Northern Nigeria, help revive Benues rich cultural fashion heritage, and boost the states economy by creating jobs for many of its residents.

Benue Hub is the largest in the country, with over 200 pieces of machine equipment and more than 100 ICT devices in this cluster. This hub can ramp production, provide ICT training, and generate economic growth. The Benue Fashion Hub is capable of creating 48,000 jobs per annum. It can produce military uniforms, school uniforms, and more for Benue State and beyond, the Vice President added.
Nigerias First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has called for the implementation of tougher laws and for rapists and perpetrators of sexual abuse and other forms of gender-based violence.

While emphasising the enforcement of harsher punishments she said those involved in such heinous crimes should not be allowed to roam freely and pose a threat to others.

She disclosed this at the 1st Gender and Social Norms Summit organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady of Nigeria on Tuesday.

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Senator Tinubu who expressed concerns over the increasing rate of rape cases in the country stated, 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.

READ ALSO: Madagascar Passes New Law To Castrate Child Rapists

We have to speak not only firm and tough but act accordingly.

The First Lady described the rising cases of rape and gender-based violence as alarming and questioned whether society should allow this trend to continue or look the other way.

She highlighted the disturbing reality that even infants are being violated, stressing the urgency of addressing this issue.

Oluremi also called on law enforcement agencies, the Inspector General of Police, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Chairman of the National Assembly (the Senate President) to enact and enforce these laws and punishments.

No guilty party should be allowed to go free and start roaming the streets looking for the next victim, she added.
One Abdulrashibu Yau in Jigawa State, has killed a 20-year-old boy for allegedly stealing from him.

Yau, a 40-year-old tea vendor, was reported to have beaten the deceased, Hassan Garba to death for stealing his goods.

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The police have since arrested the tea vendor over the incident which happened at Sararai village in Dutse Local Government of the North-West State.

According to a local privy to the incident, the act happened on Monday at about 05:00 pm.

The tea seller locked up the boy and beat him to death over an allegation of stealing his bread, milk, noodles and petrol.

Neighbours heard the voice of the boy crying seeking help but could not access the house because the suspect had locked the door, the source said.

Lawan Shiisu Adam, the state Police spokesman also confirmed the incident

READ ALSO: Depressed Jigawa Woman Sets Herself Ablaze Months After Divorce

He 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.

He explained that the suspect admitted during questioning at the State Criminal Investigation Department Dutse that the deceased had upset him by stealing his goods to the point where he had informed his parents about it, but nothing was done.

The assailant revealed that upon apprehending the deceased, he made the decision to tie him with a rope and began striking him with a stick.

Shiisu said the suspect will be arraigned in court to face the full weight of the law.
A 43-year-old man has been arrested by Forward Operations Base troops in Yobe for allegedly possessing 19 seed-planting machines.

The planters were among the equipment handed free to farmers by the state government as part of its Agriculture Empowerment Programme.

On Tuesday, Brigadier General Dahiru Abdulsalam (rtd), Special Adviser to Governor Mai Mala Buni on Security Matters, disclosed this in a statement in Damaturu.

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He claimed the individual was caught at 12:10 a.m. on Tuesday with the equipment hidden in a bus on the Potiskum-Gombe Road.

Today, at about 00:10 AM, troops of FOB Potiskum arrested a man in possession of 19 seed planters.

The items which are suspected to have been issued for the Yobe State Agricultural Empowerment Programme were concealed in a blue coloured 18-seater bus with Registration No: KTG 449 YG, Abdulsalam said.

He said the suspect could not provide any proof to show that he was a beneficiary of the programme.

The owner of the items had no letter of authority for issue of the items to him or anyone else.

The suspect who hails from Jigawa State claimed that he bought the items from one Alhaji Babaji with phone number 08032837370 in Damaturu at the rate of N50,000.00 each.

He stated that he was conveying the items to resell in Dutse, Jigawa, he said.

READ MORE: Plateau: NSCDC Arrests Five For Fertiliser Diversion, Recovers Two Trucks

Abdulsalam stated that the suspect and recovered materials would be handed over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for prosecution.

The News Agency of Nigeria said that Buni had directed security agents to arrest anyone found moving the equipment out of the state.

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Nigerian rap legend, Illbliss, has expressed his disappointment over the departure of prominent music stars Wizkid, Davido, and Burna Boy from rap to afrobeats.

In a recent interview with Radio Now 95.3 FM posted on X Tuesday, Illbliss reminisced about the thriving rap scene in Nigeria before these artists transitioned to singing.

He acknowledged that their switch to afrobeats catapulted them to global stardom.

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READ MORE: Funke Akindele Unmasks Scammer Using Her Picture To Defraud People

Illbliss conceded that hip-hop is not a financially viable genre in Nigeria, pointing out that only a select few, including himself, Vector, M.I., Reminisce, Olamide, and Phyno, have achieved commercial success.

He said, We (Hip-Hop community) lost a lot of our soldiers; we lost Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido. Three of them were rappers. I guess they found the afrobeats vibe and it made them global stars.

Hip-hop is a tough sell in Nigeria. Not everybody has been as fortunate as myself or Vector, M.I., Reminisce, Olamide, and Phyno. Its not a long list.

Watch him speak below
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has restated that the military would not allow itself to be used by some interest groups to disrupt democratic governance in the country.

Lagbaja made this known on Tuesday, in his opening remarks at the 2024 Chief of Army Staff combined second and third quarters conference held in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital.

He said that the Nigerian Army was still struggling to restore its integrity after many years of military rule and hence is not ready to lose its prestige built in the past 25 years of staying out of power.

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Lagbaja described the recent nationwide #EndBadgovernanceInNigeria protest as an eye-opener.

He said, Another pertinent issue that came up during the recent protest is the call for undemocratic intervention in governance by the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

READ MORE: LG Autonomy Will Solve Insecurity  COAS, Lagbaja

Although one can say this was coming from young Nigerians who never experienced the era of Nigerias extensive military rule and the concerted struggle by heroes and heroines of our current democratic dispensation to get the Nation on its current path, as the Chief of Army Staff, my simple response to the call is, Thanks, but no thanks!

The Nigerian Army will not allow itself to be used to undemocratically sail some interests to power.

As the service that received the most image bashing as a fallout of previous military interventions in Nigeria, the Nigerian Army is not poised to lose the new prestige it has painstakingly built in the past 25 years, secure and united.

The Nigerian Army will, in the coming days, review its agricultural policy to better position the Nigerian Army Farms and Ranches Limited to significantly boost crop production so that the Army can release grains into the market at a highly subsidised rate in support of government efforts.

Furthermore, the Army Headquarters is reviewing some proposals for partnerships with ministries, departments, and agencies of government and reputable private organisations on how best to collaborate to resolve food crisis in the country.
Microsoft has donated its Mono Project, which has provided a .NET implementation on Android, iOS, Linux, and other operating systems, to the WineHQ organization, according to bulletin publicized August 27.

WineHQ provides a compatibility layer for running Windows applications on Posix-compliant platforms such as Linux, macOS, and BSD. The organization will take over as stewards of the Mono Project upstream at https://gitlab.winehq.org/wine-mono/mono.

Launched in 2001, the Mono Project was a trailblazer for the .NET Platform across many operating systems, Microsofts Jeff Schwartz wrote in an August 27 posting on GitHub. It helped make cross-platform .NET a reality and enabled .NET in many new places and we appreciate the work of those who came before us, Schwartz wrote. Today, .NET itself runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and can be used to build native applications for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.
A Ford Model T on display in the lobby of the Holman Automotive Group office in Maple Shade. In the foreground is a portrait of founder Steward Holman. Read more

Steward Holman established a Ford dealership in Merchantville in 1924. A hundred years later, the company has expanded beyond selling cars into an automotive services organization with 9,000 employees across North America, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

Stewards family is still in charge and still based in South Jersey.

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Company chairwoman Melinda Mindy Holman, 63, of Moorestown, reflected on the century of family ownership, her grandfathers and fathers legacies, and the future. Her husband, Frank Beideman, serves as executive vice president and chief development officer of the company.

She talked with The Inquirer about the companys longevity as what it describes as one of the largest family-owned automotive services organizations in the world.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Did you know your grandfather? What was he like?

He was a true entrepreneur. And he was scrappy: When Ford stopped making cars and started making airplanes [during World War II], he went around the country buying up used vehicles from dealerships that were going out of business, so he would have something to sell on his lot.

From the beginning, it was important to him not just to be successful but to be a good employer and give back to the community.

How has Holman sustained its family ownership?

My grandfather made it clear to my dad, Joseph, and to [me and his other] grandchildren that the company was not here to serve the family. The family was here to serve the company. Currently we have seven in the fourth generation who are working for the company. They have to go out and do something else before theyre invited to work here.

How has Holmans overall business evolved?

Fleet management is now the biggest part of it, and that business began in 1948 after a fleet manager told my grandfather that RCA in Camden was looking to lease a fleet of panel trucks so [technicians] could go to peoples homes to fix their TV sets.

Some of Holmans growth has come through acquisitions. How do you maintain your companys signature familial values when you in essence are adding another family?

When we acquire a company, we look at how they do business and how they treat their people. And typically, the seller has first vetted us carefully as well to make sure about whom theyre entrusting their employees to. If theyre entrusting them to us, we take that responsibility seriously,

How has the car business itself evolved?

I sold cars as part of my job training at Holman, and I wasnt very good at it. But I can say the business of selling cars has become much more transparent. Theres a reason car [salespeople] dont have a stellar reputation, but now, with the availability of information online, its better for us  as a business that wants to do the right thing for everyone  to be on the same page. We want to build relationships with our customers, not just have transactional relationships with them.

How would you describe the future for EVs?

I drive one, and I love it. Its just such a different experience [that] you have to drive one to understand.

The manufacturers have it really hard, with the government telling them to do one thing and the consumer telling them to do another. The manufacturers are really caught in the middle.

So the [charging] infrastructure isnt there yet. But it will be. And in the meantime, a hybrid can be a good option.

Do self-driving cars have a future?

Theyre being tested in certain places, such as San Francisco, under very controlled circumstances. But theyre not perfect.

How would you describe the future of Holman?

Plan A is for us to remain a family-owned company. We have no Plan B.
What at first seemed to be a lucrative development opportunity for one of Philadelphias top real estate and private equity investors has since turned into a protracted legal headache that may ultimately land him on the witness stand in one of the regions most closely watched political corruption cases in decades.

Ira M. Lubert, 74, is not mentioned by name in the racketeering indictment New Jersey prosecutors unveiled against Democratic power broker George E. Norcross III in June. Nor has he been accused of wrongdoing.

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Yet the charging document  in which Lubert is referred to throughout as Investor 1  depicts him as a beneficiary of what prosecutors describe as a criminal pressure campaign orchestrated by Norcross and his brother Philip.

A well-known civic leader and philanthropist, Lubert has served on the boards of prominent institutions such as the National Constitution Center, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and Pennsylvania State University. In 2014, he and a business partner acquired a Camden waterfront office complex for $20 million below its appraised value, according to the indictment.

That deal was enabled, prosecutors say, by an extortion scheme in which Norcross and his allies pressured the nonprofit group Coopers Ferry Partnership into selling its interest in the property, known as the L3 Complex, for far less than it was worth while also forgoing millions of dollars in expected future earnings.

The alleged strong-arming also benefited Cooper University Health Care, the hospital network for which George Norcross is the longtime board chairman. Prosecutors say Cooper Health obtained millions of dollars in government-issued tax credits to cover its rent as a tenant and acquired a stake in the property.

Norcross and his five codefendants have denied any wrongdoing. Luberts role in the L3 transaction was reported by The Inquirer and other news outlets in 2019. Prosecutors have not accused him of having any knowledge of the alleged coercion.

Lubert, through an attorney, declined an interview request for this article, and it remains to be seen what he might say, under questioning, should he be called as a witness in Norcross eventual trial.

 READ MORE: A defiant George Norcross pleads not guilty, as attorneys attack racketeering case against the N.J. powerbroker

The indictment and additional reporting by The Inquirer shed new light on financial and political ties among Lubert, his family, George Norcross, and organizations linked to the power broker in the months surrounding the deal.

For instance, in an incident referenced in the indictment, Cooper Health invested $10 million into a fund run by Luberts son Jonathan shortly after the L3 transaction closed. The hospital network said in a statement the investment had nothing to do with the purchase of real estate in Camden or elsewhere.

In addition, Lubert  who had rarely donated to New Jersey political candidates or causes  gave $10,000 to a so-called dark money group closely affiliated with George Norcross in the months leading up to the L3 transaction, according to information obtained by The Inquirer.

Prosecutors did not mention the political contribution in the indictment, nor have they elaborated on the significance they see in Cooper Healths investment in the younger Luberts fund. A spokesperson for Norcross declined to comment for this article.

 READ MORE: New Jersey politics is a blood sport and other key takeaways from prosecutors case against S. Jersey power broker George Norcross

Luberts lawyer  William A. Harvey, a partner at the Philadelphia-based law firm Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzburg LLP  declined to answer written questions about the indictment and his clients business relationship with George Norcross.

Luberts representatives previously defended his role in the L3 deal, saying in 2019 that Coopers Ferry lacked expertise in real estate development and that he and his business partner increased the value of that property by negotiating leases with tenants.

As a leader in this region in private equity, real estate, and venture capital, Ira is referred hundreds of potential investments each year to review, Harvey said in a recent statement. Ira reviewed and underwrote the L3 opportunity like any other. Nothing at all special.

How did Ira Lubert get involved with George Norcross?

Prosecutors have not specifically alleged why the Norcrosses wanted Lubert involved in the L3 deal. Lubert fits the indictments description of Investor 1, according to reporting by The Inquirer and records reviewed by the news organization.

In their 2019 statement, a spokesperson for the developer and his business partner, commercial landlord Howard Needleman, told The Inquirer that Philip Norcross and representatives of Cooper Hospital reached out to them in the spring of 2014 to gauge their interest in buying the property. They understood that Cooper Health was interested in becoming a tenant in the building.

This made sense to Lubert and his partner because Cooper Health had previously rented space in various buildings owned and operated by Needleman, and Needleman had partnered with Lubert on multiple real estate transactions, the spokesperson said.

Cooper Health, likewise, pointed in 2019 to its long-standing and successful relationship with Needleman dating back almost 25 years.

Involving Lubert made sense in other ways. He and George Norcross had an ongoing financial relationship at the time, according to the indictment.

They had unsuccessfully bid on a Cherry Hill country club together in 2013, and that same year Norcross had invested $500,000 in a data center company with Lubert  though, prosecutors said, they both lost money on that deal.

More broadly, Lubert, who lives in Center City, had a long track record of profitable investment and property redevelopment.

As cofounder of Independence Capital Partners, a cluster of private equity and real estate funds that manages billions of dollars, he has clients who have included retirement plans for Pennsylvania state workers and teachers. He has also invested in casinos, opening the Valley Forge Casino Resort in 2012 and later selling it for $280.5 million.

His real estate investment firm, Lubert-Adler, is one of Philadelphias largest property redevelopers. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the firm invested $500 million into turning empty buildings mainly into apartments, including the Second Empire-style Victory Building on Chestnut Street.

More recently the firm helped transform a former industrial site on the banks of the Schuylkill into a nine-story office building whose tenants include food- and facilities-services giant Aramark Corp. Its currently renovating Center Citys iconic 19-story Bellevue and converting a former power plant in Fishtown into a residential and hotel complex known as the Battery.

A philanthropist, he has given millions of dollars to a variety of causes and institutions, including gifts to United Way, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and the Lenfest Institute for Journalism, which owns The Inquirer but does not exercise editorial control over the news organization.

He and Norcross have shared interests in their philanthropy; since 2013, Luberts family foundation has donated more than $86,000 to the Cooper Foundation  Cooper Healths charitable arm  whose chairman is Philip Norcross, tax filings show.

A champion wrestler while an undergraduate at Pennsylvania State University in the late 1960s and early 70s, Lubert later chaired the universitys board of trustees.

And in 2014, Drexel Universitys LeBow College of Business named him Business Leader of the Year  a distinction it bestowed on George Norcross, an insurance executive, a few years later.

Though Lubert had donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Pennsylvania politicians over the years, his giving in New Jersey was minimal at the time the L3 opportunity arose. His most recent donation to a committee or candidate for state office in New Jersey at the time was a $500 contribution about 20 years earlier, records show.

And yet in April 2014, according to information obtained by The Inquirer, Lubert donated $10,000 to General Growth Fund  a now-defunct nonprofit political group run by George Norcross allies and which is not required under federal law to disclose its donors.

The donation, which has not been previously reported, came around the same time the Norcross brothers were allegedly pressuring Coopers Ferry to partner with Lubert on the L3 deal.

Luberts attorney declined to discuss the contribution or say who, if anyone, solicited it.

Allegations of threats toward Coopers Ferry

No matter Norcross reasoning for allegedly wanting Lubert involved, by January 2014, the L3 complex was already under contract to sell to another entity: Coopers Ferry Partnership, a Camden-based nonprofit focused on redevelopment.

It had signed an agreement that month with the state Economic Development Authority to buy the property for $32.7 million, with the state offering a 10% discount on its market value due to Coopers Ferrys status as a nonprofit, the indictment says.

That spring, Coopers Ferry reached an agreement, which ultimately was never signed, with Mack-Cali Realty Corp. and Keystone Property Group to complete the purchase with the nonprofit receiving a $9.3 million credit and a share of future profits, according to the indictment.

George Norcross, according to prosecutors, intervened in the deal.

He told John P. Sheridan Jr.  cochair of the Coopers Ferry board who was also CEO of Cooper Health  that the nonprofit should not be in the development business, the indictment says.

Norcross brother Philip, a lawyer who is also charged in the racketeering case, repeatedly pushed Coopers Ferry CEO Anthony Perno to turn the deal over to private investors including Lubert, the document states.

Coopers Ferry wanted to choose its own developer partner. But prosecutors say the pressure from the Norcross brothers continued.

Perno sought help from then-Camden Mayor Dana L. Redd, who was also a cochair of Coopers Ferry. She is now charged alongside the Norcross brothers, accused of instructing Perno to deal with Philip Norcross and warning the nonprofit CEO that his job was in jeopardy if he didnt.

Eventually, Perno relented  agreeing to partner with Lubert and later sell Coopers Ferrys interest in the L3 complex  fearing what he understood to be a threat from Philip Norcross and his knowledge of [George Norcross] conduct in the past, the indictment says.

 READ MORE: George Norcross power: Real or imagined? Prosecutors highlight his reputation for hardball.

On Dec. 30, 2014, Coopers Ferry acquired L3 from the EDA at a discounted $33 million sale price it had already negotiated  one that would not have been available to Lubert and Needleman as for-profit investors, the indictment says. Lubert and Needleman provided the funding, made available through a bank loan, and Coopers Ferry transferred the property to the investors.

The L3 complex sold for $20 million below its appraised value

In the months before the deal closed, Lubert and Needlemans mortgage bank commissioned an appraisal that valued the property at $54 million  about $20 million more than what was eventually paid to close the deal.

That difference was first reported by The Inquirer in 2019. A spokesperson for Lubert and Needleman said then that the eventual sale price was based on an earlier appraisal commissioned by the EDA and that the investors had increased the propertys value by negotiating leases with tenants, including Cooper Health.

Coopers Ferry, in the end, was paid $575,000 for its role in the transaction  and netted even less. After accounting for its own expenses, the nonprofit earned roughly $125,000 from the deal.

Lubert and Needlemans spokesperson has said Coopers Ferry underestimated the costs of the transaction.

Representatives for the Norcross brothers, meanwhile, have disputed the notion that they played any improper role and note that neither man personally made money off the deal.

Cooper Health has said that Coopers Ferrys tentative agreement with its preferred developers was never finalized and insisted that it lacked the financing to close the L3 deal. They accused the nonprofit of trying to force Cooper Health into an above-market rental agreement to secure the necessary funds.

Tax credits and a $10 million investment by Cooper Health

Either way, by November 2014, Cooper Health applied to the Economic Development Authority for $40 million in tax credits as part of its plan to relocate hundreds of jobs into the L3 complex  incentives that were made available through a law prosecutors now say was written in part by Philip Norcross and his law partners.

To date, the hospital network has obtained $27 million in credits and sold them for $25 million in cash to cover its rent payments, prosecutors say.

Then, in March 2015, Lubert and Needleman sold a 49% stake in the L3 venture to Cooper Health for $2.45 million, the indictment says. (Cooper has said its board approved the investment a few months earlier in December.)

According to the indictment, the parties had agreed before the sale of the building was finalized that Cooper would become an owner, but the hospital network didnt disclose those intentions to the EDA at the time because it feared its ownership stake would complicate its ability to secure tax credits as a tenant. Cooper Health has said that at the time of its application, it did not have an agreement to acquire an interest in L3.

Just a month later, in April, prosecutors say, Cooper Health invested $10 million into a fund run by Luberts son Jonathan. The younger Lubert, head of investment management firm JL Squared Group, isnt mentioned by name in the indictment but is referred to as a relative of Investor 1.

Cooper Health told The Inquirer that its financial investments are vetted by Coopers management team, an investment committee, and independent advisers.

The hospital networks management team made the investment with JL Squared Group following advice from an independent adviser, said spokesperson Thomas Rubino.

The investment ended in 2019, Rubino said, adding that Coopers board of trustees, led by George Norcross, did not review nor approve the investment. Jonathan Lubert, 44, didnt respond to a request for comment.

In 2017, the new L3 owners refinanced their bank loan on the property and obtained $10 million  another benefit prosecutors say they received as a result of the Norcross Enterprises conduct.

In the years since, the L3 deal has come under scrutiny from multiple law enforcement agencies, culminating in Junes indictment.

Nevertheless, the elder Lubert has continued his political giving in South Jersey.

Since 2015, records show, hes donated about $30,000 to super PACs backed by George Norcross and campaigns for Norcross brother Donald, a congressman. He wrote the most recent check in May.

Whether Luberts possible testimony at George Norcross eventual trial would help or hurt the defendant remains an open question.

Lubert, his attorney said, may be a witness in the case for one or both sides.
The former American University student now enrolled at Temple who entered female students dorm rooms without permission and touched one on the inner thigh while she slept will receive three years of supervised probation, the judge ruled at his sentencing hearing last week.

David Kramer-Fried, 21, got a suspended sentence of 15 months for second-degree burglary and a suspended sentence of 180 days for sexual abuse for the incidents that occurred in an American university dorm in October 2022 and led to student protests on campus. He also must pay $150 to a victims compensation fund.

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Kramer-Fried pleaded guilty in June to misdemeanor sexual abuse and second-degree burglary  charges that dont require him to register as a sex offender.

 READ MORE: A Temple student pleads to sexual abuse, burglary. Questions arise on whether Temple should let him stay

At the sentencing last week, Kramer-Frieds public defender said he was currently enrolled at Temple, majoring in public health, according to the Eagle, Americans student newspaper.

We can confirm that we are investigating, reviewing and addressing this matter pursuant to university policies, and any appropriate remedies will be implemented, Temple said in a statement this week.

Ray Epstein, founder and president of the Temple group Student Activists Against Sexual Assault, said earlier this month that Kramer-Fried should not be allowed to attend Temple.

I think people on campus would feel incredibly unsafe knowing that someone who has done what hes done is present on the campus, said Epstein, a senior from Washington, D.C., who also is student government president but noted she was speaking in her capacity as a student activist leader. He clearly has proven himself to be a threat.

During the incident, Kramer-Fried fled the room when the woman he touched awakened, according to court documents. Police later found a pair of womens underwear in the front pocket of a hoodie that Kramer-Fried was seen wearing that night on security video, according to court documents. The university eventually barred him from campus.

In a victim impact statement, one of the female students said Kramer-Frieds appearance in her room that night is an image and a fear that will never leave me, the Eagle reported.

I wasnt able to sleep for weeks after the incident, and I still live in fear of my bedroom being broken into at any moment and being taken advantage of in my sleep, all because of the defendants actions, she wrote.

Kramer-Fried will continue to receive mental health services and waive doctor-patient privilege to give his probation officer access to his status, according to the Eagle.

Kramer-Frieds sentence was applied under Washington, D.C.s Youth Rehabilitation Act, which establishes alternative sentencing guidelines for those younger than 22.
A girl who had been sexually and physically assaulted by three people sought help at Lankenau Medical Center, but authorities were never notified.

A 17-year-old girl was raped and sought care at Bryn Mawr Hospitals emergency department, where she was allowed to remain anonymous when medical staff collected sexual assault evidence.

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In both cases, hospital staffers failed to report child abuse, prompting state health officials to cite the two Main Line Health hospitals in recent months for violating state requirements.

Health-care workers are among the professionals considered mandated reporters under Pennsylvania law, meaning they are required to report to the Department of Human Services any time they suspect abuse against a patient who is under age 18.

Just under 40,000 reports of suspected abuse were made in 2022 through ChildLine, Pennsylvanias system for reporting suspected abuse and well-being concerns to Child Protective Services. About 4,400 of those reports came from hospital employees who suspected abuse, according to the most recent Child Protective Services annual report.

While the law requiring mandated reporters to report suspected child abuse is clear, individual cases can be complicated and staff may be unsure who inside the hospital is responsible for filing a report, said Frank Cervone, a longtime child welfare advocate and former director of Philadelphias Support Center for Child Advocates.

Its critical that hospital workers are properly trained on handling child sexual assault, with the goal of making the right call every time, he said.

Theyre the front line of defense and may be the only person to receive the information, Cervone said. If they dont blow the whistle, a troubling situation may continue.

Children are far more likely to be abused by someone they know than by a stranger, which means cases may often go undetected.

Both Bryn Mawr and Lankenau have retrained staff on mandatory reporting requirements in response to the citations and agreed to monitor cases for compliance.

Our priority is delivering safe, high-quality and equitable care to our patients and the communities we serve, Larry Hanover, a Main Line Heath spokesperson, said in a statement.

Child abuse reporting requirements

In 2022, 425 reports of child abuse were reported to ChildLine in the southeast region, which includes Philadelphia, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Bucks, and Berks counties. Fifty-two of those reports were substantiated, and half of those confirmed cases involved sexual abuse.

Anyone can report suspected abuse to ChildLine, which acts as a clearing house for potential abuse cases. Department of Human Services staff review the reports and decide whether they should be handed off to law enforcement or county children and youth agencies to investigate.

A majority of calls to ChildLine come from mandated reporters  school employees, day-care workers, medical providers, and others who encounter children as part of their profession and who are required to report any suspicions of abuse.

Hospitals  where virtually every employee is considered a mandated reporter  typically designate specific employees, such as social workers, to report child abuse identified by medical providers.

If a kid comes to an ER for treatment, every person that kid meets with a hospital badge from the time they walk in the building until the time they walk out is likely a mandated reporter, Cervone said.

The approach is intended to improve efficiency, so a dozen people arent reporting the same incident, and to also ensure that no cases are overlooked, if each of those dozen people assumes someone else already reported the incident.

But cases can fall through the cracks during this type of hand off, Cervone said.

In other instances, medical staff may be confused about whether they need to report a case.

For example, adults who are victims of sexual abuse are evaluated for sexually transmitted diseases and may receive emergency contraception as part of their medical treatment. Adults can decide whether they want to have a rape kit done anonymously and whether they want to talk to police.

A teenage assault victim may receive similar medical treatment, but cannot decide whether their case is reported. Hospital staff are required to report any instances of abuse among patients under age 18, regardless of the circumstances of the incident and whether the patient knew their attacker, Cervone said.

Main Line Health responds

In the Bryn Mawr case, inspectors said staff had violated hospital policy by allowing the 17-year-old to complete a rape kid anonymously.

Administrators were made aware of the lapse when police contacted them in March 2024 and reported the case to ChildLine.

The report does not provide additional detail about the patient or her case, but says that hospital administrators gave police her contact information.

The Lankenau inspection report did not specify the patients age, but said she was under 18 years old.

Inspectors found that while the patient had received appropriate medical care, staff violated policy by not reporting the incident to ChildLine.

Hanover, Main Line Healths spokesperson, said that system administrators take our mandatory reporting obligations very seriously and took immediate steps to re-educate staff after the health department citations.

Main Line has also established ongoing education for staff to ensure reporting requirements are met in the future, Hanover said.
A historic marker for the Washington House in downtown Chester with City Hall in the background. The bankrupcty receiver says that without the sale of water assets, the city won't be able to provide basic services. Read more

The receivers plan to throw a financial lifeline to the bankrupt City of Chester and its distressed pension funds by selling off water assets evidently will be contending with a dam of resistance.

The Chester Water Authority, which serves 34 towns in Chester and Delaware County and would be one of the three entities involved, will fight the proposal, said its attorney, Francis J. Catania.

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In a U.S. Bankruptcy Court filing Monday, the receivers office said that under the plan, the authority and its nine-member boards legal existence will be terminated.

Catania argued that the receivers office couldnt sell the assets because it doesnt own them. They claim all sorts of power, all of which has been false, he said. Its just nonsense.

Vijay Kapoor, the receivers chief of staff, pointed to a 2021 Commonwealth Court majority decision that stated that the city had unfettered power to transfer the authority and all its assets. The decision is under appeal in the state Supreme Court.

In a statement, Kapoor said the sale would be the only way to provide the revenue needed to prevent drastic and unacceptable cuts to pension benefits and city services.

He said Wednesday that the receivers office has been negotiating with the water authority and the Delaware County Regional Water Quality Control Authority (DELCORA).

As for the third party that would be involved, the Stormwater Authority of Chester, executive manager Horace Strand said that the receivers office had refused to meet with him or his representatives. He said the receiver was using Bankruptcy Court as a bully pulpit.

In a presentation at a bankruptcy committee meeting Tuesday, Kapoor said that the receiver believes that the best outcome is a consensual resolution, but that the receiver needs to take this step to keep the process moving.

What the Chester bankruptcy receiver plans to do

Noting that the city has been under state oversight for decades, Catania said the receiver in effect wanted water customers to make up for the states failures. State Rep. John Lawrence (R., Chester) called on Gov. Josh Shapiro to block the proposed sale to an as-yet undetermined buyer.

The city entered the states distressed status in 1995. During the COVID pandemic in 2020, Gov. Tom Wolf placed the city in receivership. The receiver, Michael Doweary, took the city into bankruptcy in 2022 after it had missed several years of pension payments and had accumulated a shortfall approaching $50 million.

Among the nations 35,000-plus municipalities, only about 30 have filed for bankruptcy in the 90 years that Congress has offered the option.

Negotiations with creditors, primarily pension interests, have continued.

To speed up the process of getting out of bankruptcy, the receivers office said it would seek requests for proposals for applicants to buy, manage, and operate the water and stormwater authorities and the citys stake in DELCORA  which serves 46 towns in Delaware and Chester Counties  with the requirement that it be publicly owned.

Mayor Stefan Roots strongly supports the plan.

The monetization plan involves a lot of money

While declining to say just how much, Kapoor said, Were potentially talking about a lot of money if the plan proceeds.

In the last five years, Aqua Pennsylvania has offered $410 million for the water authority and $276 million for DELCORA.

Chester likely would receive significant upfront fees, and the citys goal is to secure guaranteed annual payments, the receivers office said.

Doweary said the plan would minimize the impact on ratepayers and provide a regional solution to stormwater management.

Chester homeowners pay separate bills to the three water entities for an average of about $1,000 annually.

The receivers argument for monetizing the water assets

During Tuesdays presentation, Kapoor said that the citys pensions are underfunded by about $40 million, most of that related to police pensions, which are only about 7% funded.

Chesters pension and health-care costs are unsustainable, and the city doesnt have the tax base to pay for them and provide basic city services, he said.

Chesters population, now about 34,000, and tax base have shrunk dramatically in the last 70 years. In the 2024 budget, real estate and wage taxes were projected to cover just about a third of the budget. Close to 20% of the revenue was to come from Harrahs Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack and an incinerator plant.

The projected $70.6 million in expenditures exceeded revenues by $2 million.

Weve got potentially a fiscal cliff in 2026, Kapoor said.

What happens next?

Catania, the water authority attorney, said he had not yet decided what action he would take.

The stormwater authoritys Strand said that his attorney was reviewing the receivers Bankruptcy Court filing.

This may take a while.
A sign posted by the Galapo family on their lawn in Abington Township targeting their neighbors, the Oberholzer family, after the latter used an antisemitic slur. The Pa. Supreme Court decided in Aug, 2024 that the signs and their placement were allowed by the state's constitution. Read more

A small creek and some low-lying shrub separated the properties of the Galapo and Oberholzer families in Abington Township in November 2014. Then came the antisemitic slur. And then came the signs, 23 of them.

And nearly a decade later, Pennsylvanias Supreme Court has intervened in the neighbors landscaping feud-turned-protest staging ground, ruling that the Galapo family was allowed to stake dozens of antiracism lawn signs at their property line, directed at the neighbor who hurled an antisemitic slur.

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Ahead of a heated election, the state Supreme Courts ruling in the case Aug. 20 affirmed Pennsylvanians right under the state constitution to post lawn signs, even when their messages are targeting a specific neighbor. And it rejected one Montgomery County familys argument that the mere presence of a sign facing their property could infringe on their ability to enjoy their home so much that a court should limit free speech.

All homeowners at one point or another are forced to gaze upon signs they may not like on their neighbors property  be it ones that champion a political candidate, advocate for a cause, or simply express support or disagreement with some issue, said Justice Kevin Dougherty, writing for the majority.

Pennsylvanias highest court weighed in on the dispute that arose when a Jewish family, the Galapos, erected nearly two dozen lawn signs displaying anti-hate and antiracist messages on their property as part of a yearlong protest against their neighbors of German descent, the Oberholzers, after a member of that family used an antisemitic slur toward a member of the Galapo family.

The three-justice majority opinion said that it doesnt take lightly the impact the Galapos lawn signs had on the Oberholzers, but that the signs alone are not enough to cause harm that requires suppressing free speech by taking them down.

Two justices  Republican Kevin Brobson and Democrat David Wecht  dissented.

Brobson said that the court had a right to prevent the Galapos from directing their messages at the Oberholzers in a manner disrupting the quiet enjoyment of their home.

The lawyers representing the Galapos family said they felt vindicated by the Supreme Courts ruling, after two lower courts had ordered the family to turn around their protest signs.

We felt all along that the Galapos posting the signs was them exercising their free speech rights, said Andrew Kramer, who is a partner at Kane, Pugh, Knoell, Troy and Kramer.

J. Stephen Woodside, who represents the Oberholzers, did not respond to requests for comment.

Slur to signs

The bitter dispute between the Galapos and the Oberholzers began in 2014 over landscaping and resurveying of the property line.

In the midst of a heated argument, Denise Oberholzer spewed an antisemitic slur toward Simon Galapo.

Months later, the Galapos erected signs displaying anti-hate and antiracist messages facing the Oberholzer property. They posted 23 signs over a year, including: No Place 4 Racism, Hitler Eichmann Racists, WWII: 1,500,000 children butchered: Racism, Got Racism?, and Every Racist Action Must be Met With a Sign of Defiance.

Frederick Oberholzer, Denises husband, testified that when he looked out of his homes back window or sunroom, the signs on the adjacent property were all he could see, court records show.

The couple, who are of German descent, sued their neighbors in the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas in June 2016, alleging that the signs were a defamatory nuisance that painted their family in a false light and intentionally caused emotional distress. They asked a judge to order the Galapos to remove the signs.

The signs are so content-incendiary as to incite hatred, ridicule and disgust, the Oberholzers argued in their lawsuit.

A Montgomery County judge decided in 2020 that the Galapos could keep the signs on their property but in a way where the wording was not visible from the Oberholzers home. The Pennsylvania Superior Court largely affirmed that ruling in 2022, with some modifications.

The Galapos appealed to the state Supreme Court that summer, asking for the higher courts approval to put the signs back up facing their neighbors.

Ordering the Galapos family to remove their yard signs could have really opened the door to broad injunctions against speech that people simply found offensive, said Mary Catherine Roper, who represented the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania in a brief to the Supreme Court in support of the Galapos family.

Roper, who is currently an attorney at Langer, Grogan and Diver, said that the case now cannot be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court because the opinion was based on protections in Pennsylvanias constitution, not the federal constitution.

But the most recent ruling doesnt permit all forms of protest on someones own property. Had the signs emitted light or noise, included threats, or were accompanied by people protesting akin to a picket, the justices could have ruled differently.

The signs are just that: signs, Dougherty wrote.
A file photo of of police lights by night. Read more

Four people were wounded  including one critically  in a shooting Tuesday night in the citys Kensington section, police said.

The shooting happened around 9:10 p.m. on G Street near Allegheny Avenue, police said.

A 20-year-old man who was shot six times was transported by police to Temple University Hospital, where he was listed in extremely critical condition.

A 40-year-old woman and two men, ages 20 and 23, also were taken by police to Temple, where they were reported in stable condition.

Police said two to three shooters fled the scene in a dark gray Toyota Camry with tinted windows.
The Rev. Mark Tyler, pastor of Philadelphia's historic Mother Bethel AME Church, shown here delivering a plea for a ceasefire, hostage release and humanitarian aid for Gaza to a pilgrimage that left the city on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024, for the White House. Read more

The Rev. Mark Kelly Tyler, pastor of Mother Bethel AME Church in Society Hill, was elected as an officer of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AMEC) at its General Conference this week in Columbus, Ohio.

He was elected to become one of nine general officers: executive director of the Department of Research and Scholarship and historiographer of the AME Church, which has its headquarters in Nashville.

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The election took place on Monday. The Tennessee Tribune posted the results, noting that six new bishops and nine general officers were elected. (There are at least 20 bishops in charge of geographical districts.)

As I step into the role of historiographer / executive director of the Department of Research & Scholarship of the global AME Church, I find this moment to be bittersweet, Tyler wrote in a text from Ohio Wednesday afternoon.

After 16 years of serving as pastor of Mother Bethel AME Church in Philadelphia, I will deeply miss the faithful members who have been such an integral part of my journey. The lessons learned and the bonds formed at Mother Bethel have not only enriched my ministry but have also prepared me for this new chapter.

While I am excited to focus on the global history of our church and amplify its story, I will always carry the spirit of Mother Bethel with me and look forward to staying in touch with the community that has meant so much to me.

In an interview earlier this month, Tyler said the new position would require him to resign as pastor at Mother Bethel AME, at 419 S. Sixth St., where he was appointed the churchs 52nd pastor in 2008.

He said he would remain at Mother Bethel for at least two to three months until a new pastor is appointed by the church leadership.

In his new role, he will have two offices, one in Philadelphia and one in Nashville.

 READ MORE: The Rev. Mark Kelly Tyler, of Phillys Mother Bethel AME church, is running for election in the AME Church

I am filled with a profound sense of excitement and purpose, Tyler said. This position offers a unique opportunity to delve deeper into the rich history of our beloved church, uncovering stories and insights that continue to shape our faith and mission today.

Tyler said he has always loved history, and he hopes to create a major documentary film about the church, possibly with PBS.

The minister has already produced five documentary films through the AME Church, but he said he hoped to produce historical, documentary films for a larger audience.

A denomination on five continents

Margaret Jerrido, the archivist at Mother Bethel, said Tylers new position means he will be responsible for the historical records of the AME denomination all over the world.

We are on five continents and in 40 countries, she said.

Philadelphias Mother Bethel is the oldest African Methodist Episcopal church and as such is the mother church of the denomination.

It was founded in 1794 by Bishop Richard Allen after Allen and fellow minister, Rev. Absalom Jones, led a walkout from the predominantly whiteSt. George Methodist Episcopal Church, now known as Historic St. Georges United Methodist Church, to protest segregated worship in 1792.

Allen and Jones, who had earlier founded the Free African Society in 1787, had already discussed the need to form their own churches. The walkout from St. Georges bolstered their efforts.

Allen purchased the land for Mother Bethel in 1791, and Jones established the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas in 1792 and became the first African American ordained priest. The current Mother Bethel church, a three-story mason building with Romanesque styling, was completed in 1890; it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1974.

The first members worshipped in an old blacksmith shop. That was replaced by frame structures in 1805 and 1841. The 1841 building, demolished for the current building, reportedly had a tunnel to a nearby Quaker meeting house to support Black people escaping from enslavement.
Vice President Kamala Harris campaign is back on the trail this week, and former President Donald Trumps campaign is keeping its focus on the battleground states of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are focusing on Georgia starting Wednesday, with a two-day bus tour of the southern part of the state. That tour, the Associated Press reports, will end in a rally in Savannah Thursday, but further details had not yet been publicly announced early Wednesday afternoon.

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The Georgia trip serves as the rescheduled visit for an earlier planned visit that was canceled due to the impacts of Tropical Storm Debby earlier this month. It will serve as Harris seventh trip to Georgia this year.

As Harris and Walz are in Georgia, second gentleman Doug Emhoff will campaign on Harris behalf in other areas of the country. Earlier this week, Emhoff focused his efforts in New York, but will head out West beginning Thursday with appearances in Grand Rapids, Mich., and Ketchum, Idaho. Friday, Emhoff will deliver remarks at campaign events in Aspen, Colo., and San Francisco.

Next week, Harris campaign will turn its attention back to Pennsylvania, when she and President Joe Biden will hold a campaign event in Pittsburgh on Monday. Harris is also slated to appear in Detroit that day.

Trumps campaign, meanwhile, maintains its focus on Pennsylvania this week with a pair of events. Up first is an appearance from running mate Sen. JD Vance (R., Ohio), who was slated to appear at an event Wednesday in Erie before making his way to De Pere, Wis., later in the day.

Trump, meanwhile, will hold a rally in La Crosse, Wis., Thursday. That event, slated to take place at the La Crosse Center, will also feature former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard  who recently endorsed Trumps bid for the presidency  as a guest moderator at a scheduled town hall.

Trump will then head to Pennsylvania Friday for a rally in Johnstown at the 1st Summit Arena. The event is scheduled to open to the public at 12:30 p.m.

Trumps rallies follow the filing of a new indictment against him over his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Filed Tuesday, that indictment narrows the allegations in the wake of a Supreme Court opinion last month that granted former presidents broad immunity. In a statement posted to social media, Trump called the new indictment an effort to resurrect a dead Witch Hunt.

Next month, both Harris and Trump are slated to be in Philadelphia for a presidential debate at the National Constitution Center Sept. 10.
This combination photo shows Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an event, Aug. 15, 2024, in Bedminster, N.J., left, and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris at a campaign event in Raleigh, N.C., Aug. 16, 2024. Read more

Former President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he had reached an agreement with Vice President Kamala Harris campaign on rules  including whether candidates microphones will be muted  for the presidential debate set to take place in Philadelphia on Sept. 10. But Harris campaign refuted that assertion, doubling down on its position that the candidates microphones should remain on during the entirety of the debate.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said he agreed to terms for the debate at the National Constitution Center that would reflect the guidelines implemented in the June 27 CNN debate with President Joe Biden. During that debate, microphones were muted if a candidate wasnt actively speaking  which has become the most recent, hotly-contested detail between the Harris and Trump campaigns  and there wasnt a live audience.

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Currently, there are no plans to host a live audience at the September debate, Jeffrey Rosen, CEO of the National Constitution Center, told The Inquirer Tuesday. Though, host network ABC could theoretically change that as the debate approaches.

 READ MORE: The first debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will take place in Philly

Though Trump did not explicitly mention microphones in his Truth Social post, the Harris campaign on Tuesday said its position on debating with unmuted microphones had not wavered.

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 wrote in a statement.

Representatives for ABC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on any agreements.

The dispute between the two campaigns over the microphone issue became apparent on Monday when a source told CNN that the Trump campaign wanted the mics muted in September, a change in tune from the 2020 presidential debate when Trumps campaign advocated for them to be left on.

Trump himself appeared to be indifferent to the mic issue Monday. We agreed to the same rules. I dont know. It doesnt matter to me. Id rather have it probably on, but the agreement was it would be the same as it was last time. In that case, it was muted, the former president told NBC News.

 READ MORE: Donald Trump suggests backing out of ABC debate in Philadelphia in late-night Truth Social post

Jason Miller, a senior Trump adviser, said in a statement Monday that the campaign accepted the ABC debate under the exact same terms as the CNN debate.

Harris did not accept the rules of the CNN debate between Trump and Biden because she was not the presidential candidate at the time. Trump also wanted to stray from the CNN rules in his proposed Sept. 4 Fox News debate, which he suggested take place in an arena with a live audience, Politico Playbook reported.

The Harris campaign told ABC and any other networks seeking to hold additional debates in October that both candidates microphones should stay live for the duration of the event as has historically been the case during presidential debates, Brian Fallon, the Harris campaigns senior adviser for communications, said in a statement.

The Vice President is ready to deal with Trumps constant lies and interruptions in real time. Trump should stop hiding behind the mute button, Fallon said.

Harris team is taking a different approach to debate mics than the Biden campaign, which wanted them muted except for when a candidate was speaking.
With just about two months until Election Day, Pennsylvania and Philly are at the center of the 2024 presidential election and will play a key role in determining which party wins the White House. Read more

With just about two months until Election Day, Pennsylvania and Philly are at the center of the 2024 presidential election and will play a key role in determining which party wins the White House. We analyzed voting shifts among five key groups  and whether those trends continue or reverse will be key to who wins the state.

The Inquirer hosted an AMA (Ask Me Anything) in collaboration with the r/politics subreddit to answer readers questions about this analysis.

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Here are the highlights from national political reporter Julia Terruso and data reporter Aseem Shukla. Some questions and answers have been edited for length, clarity, and tone.

I would love to know the profiles of undecided voters at this point. The choices seem so starkly different that I just cant imagine how anyone can be on the fence right now.

Julia Terruso: Undecided voters exist, but they make up a very small portion of the voters out there (about 2% in a recent Emerson College poll of Pennsylvania). Polls have a hard time capturing undecided voters, because those voters are often not paying attention  and that means they arent responding to polls.

That said, in a state like Pennsylvania, where the presidency was decided by a little more than 1 percentage point in 2020 and a little less in 2016, they still matter. I think you will see both candidates trying to pull out their bases and focus on turnout, though, given that mail voting starts soon and the runway to November is short.

Thats also because its almost impossible to target undecided voters as one bloc.

Theres an instinct to think of undecided voters as politically engaged moderates wrestling with policy contrasts. That is almost never the case. Most are just not paying attention yet. I checked in with undecided voters just before the midterms in 2022, and youll see their reasons for being undecided ran the gamut. Were going to do something similar soon for undecideds in the presidential race, and I expect a somewhat similar mixed bag response.

Do you think that picking Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as the Vice President Kamala Harris running mate will generate more votes in red PA, than if Harris had picked Gov. Josh Shapiro?

Julia Terruso: Really hard to say. Gov. Josh Shapiro out-performed President Joe Bidens 2020 results across the state, including in rural areas, when he was elected governor in 2022. As we mentioned in another answer, polls show some supporters of former President Donald Trump also support Shapiro. That said, Shapiros hometown and political roots are in Montgomery County, which is a largely middle and upper middle class suburban county. So Minnesota Gov. Tim Walzs personal story and upbringing certainly meshes more closely with your average rural Pennsylvania voter.

People really do vote for the top of the ticket, though, so Im not sure it makes a huge difference. And some Democrats were arguing after Shapiro was passed over that having him available to stump for her in the state (instead of traveling the country as a VP nominee) could be a benefit to turning out voters for her in Pennsylvania.

A genie offers you the ability to see future precinct-level results for the 2024 presidential race from one Pennsylvania county. Which one do you select?

Aseem Shukla: I love this question. I dont know that I have a single answer, but heres how I would think about picking a place. It comes down to what type of political geographies are represented in a county.

Of the five groups were looking at, I dont expect huge movements in two of them: Rural areas are likely to remain very red, and white college-educated areas are likely to remain very blue. Both groups have pretty high turnout, too. So counties that disproportionately represent these areas arent as interesting.

The other three groups  suburban areas, white working-class urban areas, and non-white urban areas  are all interesting for different reasons. Will moderate, middle-class suburbanites like Harris as much as Biden, or even more so? Was the white working-class shift toward Biden specific to his candidacy? Are Black and Hispanic voters, particularly young men, still skeptical of Democrats with Harris at the top of the ticket  and will they turn out to vote for her?

For that reason, Id want to pick a county that tells us something about each of these groups. All of the following counties have plenty of areas that fit this bill:

Berks Dauphin Lehigh Luzerne

Whats common to these places? A mix of rural, urban, and suburban, not too prosperous, including some dense cities with Black and Hispanic neighborhoods and white working-class urban neighborhoods. All of them are in the Eastern half of the state, outside the Philly area, and anchor at least one mid-sized city. Dont make me pick just one!

What are the concerns of male Hispanic and Black voters that are making them reticent to vote for Harris? And does that mean theyll stay home?

Julia Terruso: So I think were still getting the full picture on how Harris does with these groups. Early polling has her regaining ground that Biden had lost, but still struggling to reach the levels met by her Democratic predecessors.

While Trump has made a concerted effort to reach Black and Latino voters and has boosted his numbers somewhat compared to his standing last cycle, there are not huge numbers of Black and Latino voters defecting to him. The bigger concern for Democrats is definitely that these voters wont show up.

The majority of voters Black and Latino voters list the economy as their top priority in polls, and Trump continues to poll better on the issue than Harris. For some Latino voters, immigration is an issue, which again, Trump polls better on. But I think itll be an ongoing question we try to answer. The gender split is really interesting - and existed before Harris became the nominee!

Is there a single resource that one can follow to easily get a sense of how the polls look in Pa.?

Aseem Shukla: For now, the best free source remains FiveThirtyEight. (If you want to splurge a bit, Nate Silvers paid Substack Silver Bulletin is also a good source).

Just remember to touch grass a bit; the polls are likely to remain close, at least for now, and its best not to get caught up in any one polls results. That said, if you squint at crosstabs assiduously across major polls, you can get a sense of which groups are shifting. The Inquirer worked with The New York Times and Siena College on a Pennsylvania poll released in May, and will do another poll in September.

My feeling is this will come down to a few counties in Pa. What is the Mount Rushmore of counties in Pa. that will most likely decide this election? Also, is there data on the ground games of both the Trump and Harris campaigns?

Julia Terruso: If were talking about the bellwether counties in the state, then a good trio to look at are the three pivot counties that flipped from voting for former President Barack Obama in 2012 to former President Donald Trump in 2016. Those are Erie, Northampton, and Luzerne Counties. But Id also throw in Bucks County, which is reliably purple and the only county in the Southeast that is still represented by a Republican in Congress.

But since every vote in every county matters, the project we just did on the five kinds of places that win you Pa., aims to look at the types of places that win or lose you the state. Its a comprehensive look at where both parties are gaining and losing support across the state among different voting blocs.

As for field offices, Vice President Kamala Harris campaign has set up 36 in the state, including several in Philadelphia and its surrounding suburban counties. Trumps campaign was slower to set things up here, but is now working in pretty close partnership with the Republican Partys county-level offices across the state.

What questions should curious voters who consume an above average amount of political media be asking about polls and data? When you take a swing state, like Pa., what do you hone in on, and why?

Aseem Shukla: This is a great question and its hard to know what to ask. We arent pollsters ourselves  but The Inquirer is working this year with pollsters at the NYT and Siena College. Broadly, here are some things to pay attention to:
I was so thrilled to learn that I was the inaugural winner of the Lloyds Innovators Scholarship, Mosedale said. I cant wait to begin training with ANZIIF towards my Diploma and further developing my skills and knowledge in the insurance industry. I encourage my fellow peers to put yourself out there, apply next year, and see where the journey takes you.
In an opinion piece published by Context, Duff asked: A key question is: who pays for all of this? Historically, the insurance sector provided the answer by allowing societies to transfer and distribute the risks of such disasters. However, the surge in violent weather events has made it much more challenging for insurers to maintain this role.
Nick Durant, CEO of North America at Lockton Re, commented on Lynns appointment, stating that the company is launching a new global Agriculture Practice. He noted that building capability for clients and partners in this area has been a priority, and Lynns experience and expertise make him a strong fit for this role, both professionally and culturally.
In his report, Baertschi noted that insured losses from natural catastrophes have now regularly exceeded $100 billion annually, with reinsurers contributing significantly to these payouts. For instance, Swiss Re estimates that reinsurers will cover about 80% of the losses from Hurricane Beryl, the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record in the Caribbean this year.
The report also noted that between 2021 and 2023, Citizens premiums were approximately $2.8 billion below the amount that would have been collected if actuarially determined rates had been applied. These rates would have accounted for reinsurance costs for a 1-in-100-year storm, according to the auditor general.
Over the years, the agency has represented all major insurance carriers and has served a diverse clientele. Williams also noted that he has been actively involved in his community, contributing to organizations such as the City of Victoria Planning Commission, the University of Houston-Victoria President's Regional Advisory Board, and Habitat for Humanity.
The appeals court said in its opinion: GEICO classified James Moyer and other captive insurance agents as independent contractors and did not let them receive the full slate of benefits it provided its corporate employees. The agents sued. They claim that GEICO was violating the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) by misclassifying them and denying them benefits.
Those were the words of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in its opinion affirming a district courts order against insurance billionaire Greg Lindberg. Losing his appeal in the case against Universal Life Insurance Company (ULICO), Lindberg is on the hook for $524 million plus interest.
This post is part of a series sponsored by CoreLogic.

Rising floodwaters pose a significant threat to communities and economies worldwide, making flood insurance a vital component of risk management. However, accurately assessing flood risk for properties has been a complex and often expensive endeavor. Traditional methods such as elevation certificates have limitations in terms of cost, accuracy, and efficiency. CoreLogics Flood Risk Score enhancement provides insurers with a comprehensive suite of data elements, including First Floor Height, Lowest Adjacent Grade (LAG), Structure Intersect and a more granular Water Surface Elevation (WSE), all of which contribute to a more accurate risk assessment.

The Challenge of Flood Insurance

Floods are among the most destructive natural disasters, causing billions of dollars in damages every year. With climate change exacerbating flood risks, insurers face growing challenges in providing comprehensive flood insurance coverage. One of the key challenges is accurately assessing the flood risk for individual properties, particularly in high-risk areas.

The Key Benefits of CoreLogics Flood Risk Score Enhancement:

CoreLogics Flood Risk Score enhancement with First Floor Height leverages AI-driven technology to process property images and extract critical structural elevation data.

Comprehensive Data: The Flood Risk Score enhancement goes beyond First Floor Height and incorporates LAG, Structure Intersect, and a more granular WSE. Lowest adjacent grade (LAG) is defined as the absolute elevation above sea level of the lowest point of the ground level next to the structure, meaning that the most vulnerable points around a structure can now be detected/determined. This feature is combined with a more granular water surface elevation (WSE) model at a resolution of one meter (previously 10 meters) and structure intersect, again providing a unique and precise view of risk at the property level. These new features provide a range of benefits, including providing the whole view of a property or parcel where two buildings or parts of a building may be at risk and was previously only viewed and scored based on the centroid of a parcel. In this way, flood risk score enhancement provides insurers with a more holistic, differentiated view of flood risk.

Automation: The Flood Risk Score enhancement reduces the need for time-consuming and costly elevation certificates. It provides insurers with automated, address-level structural elevation determinations, reducing manual work and speeding up decision-making.

Precision Risk Assessment: Insurers can now differentiate flood risk down to the granular level, allowing for more precise risk assessment. This is essential, especially in high-risk areas and for addressing flash flooding scenarios. Additionally, our data extends beyond the flood plains, providing valuable insights for properties that may be outside of the flood zones but that are still at high risk. This comprehensive approach aids in accurately assessing risk and avoiding high-risk areas, even when they are not classified as high risk on a flood map.

Efficiency: The Flood Risk Score enhancement can be delivered through various methods, including the CoreLogic RiskMeter Online platform, Spatial API, or batch files, depending on the insurers needs and capabilities. This flexibility enhances operational efficiencies and saves valuable working hours.

Precision, Efficiency, and Reliability

Insurers have long grappled with several pain points when it comes to flood insurance. These include the need for superior risk assessment, efficient data gathering to avoid delays, and the demand for accurate structural elevation data. The Flood Risk Score enhancement effectively addresses these pain points, empowering insurers to confidently assess risk.

The CoreLogic Flood Risk Score enhancement represents a significant advancement in the field of flood insurance. By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and accurate property data, insurers can now assess flood risk with unprecedented precision and efficiency. This not only benefits insurers, but also property owners who are seeking access to more reliable flood insurance coverage. As flood risks continue to evolve in our changing climate, solutions like this are essential tools for staying ahead of the curve and providing the protection communities need. These enhancements are particularly timely as we continue to witness an increase in flooding nationwide due to climate change.

To learn more about underwriting excellence for insurers visit CoreLogic Underwriting Flood Solutions.

2024 CoreLogic, Inc. All rights reserved. While all of the content and information is believed to be accurate, CoreLogic makes no guarantee, representation, or warranty, express or implied, including but not limited to as to the completeness, accuracy, applicability, or fitness, in connection with the content or information or the products referenced herein or any of the AI based features or content of the products and assumes no responsibility or liability whatsoever for the content or information or products referenced herein or any of the AI based features or content of the products or any reliance thereon. CoreLogic and RiskMeter are the trademarks of CoreLogic, Inc. or its affiliates or subsidiaries.

Topics Flood
A rare but deadly disease spread by mosquitoes has one town in Massachusetts closing its parks and fields each evening. Four other towns are urging people to avoid going outdoors at night.

Theyre concerned about eastern equine encephalitis. State health officials announced last week a man in his 80s had caught the disease, the first human case found in Massachusetts since 2020.

Yesterday, the virus took the life of one man in Hampstead, New Hampshire, which is near the Massachusetts border.

The town of Plymouth, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) southeast of Boston, announced Friday that its closing public outdoor recreation facilities from dusk until dawn each day after a horse in the town was infected with the disease.

Meanwhile, state health officials warned that a cluster of four towns south of Worcester  Douglas, Oxford, Sutton and Webster  are at critical risk after a man from Oxford caught the virus.

State and local health officials urged people in those towns to avoid the peak mosquito biting times by finishing outdoor activities by 6 p.m. until Sept. 30 and then by 5 p.m. after that, until the first hard frost.

They also recommend that people across Massachusetts use mosquito repellents when outdoors and drain any standing water around their homes.

Jennifer Callahan, Oxfords town manager, wrote in a memo that the family of the man who caught the virus in mid August had reached out to her office.

They want people to be aware this is an extremely serious disease with terrible physical and emotional consequences, regardless if the person manages to live, Callahan wrote.

She said the infected person had often recounted to his family how he never got bitten by mosquitoes. But just before he became symptomatic, he told them he had been bitten. She said the man remains hospitalized and is courageously battling the virus.

Callahan said the family is urging people to take the public health advice seriously and to do their utmost to protect themselves.

The presence of the virus in Massachusetts this year was confirmed last month in a mosquito sample, and has been found in other mosquitoes across the state since then. In a 2019 outbreak, there were six deaths among 12 confirmed cases in Massachusetts. The outbreak continued the following year with five more cases and another death.

There are no vaccines or treatment for EEE.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that although rare, EEE is very serious and about 30% of people who become infected die. Symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea and seizures.

People who survive are often permanently disabled, and few completely recover, Massachusetts authorities say. The disease is prevalent in birds, and although humans and some other mammals can catch EEE, they dont spread the disease.

The CDC says only a few cases of EEE are reported in the U.S. each year, with most infections found in the eastern and Gulf Coast states.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Massachusetts
The $38 million verdict in a landmark lawsuit over abuse at New Hampshires youth detention center remains disputed nearly four months later, with both sides submitting final requests to the judge this week.

The time is nigh to have the issues fully briefed and decided, Judge Andrew Schulman wrote in an order early this month giving parties until Wednesday to submit their motions and supporting documents.

At issue is the $18 million in compensatory damages and $20 million in enhanced damages a jury awarded to David Meehan in May after a monthlong trial. His allegations of horrific sexual and physical abuse at the Youth Development Center in 1990s led to a broad criminal investigation resulting in multiple arrests, and his lawsuit seeking to hold the state accountable was the first of more than 1,100 to go to trial.

The dispute involves part of the verdict form in which jurors found the state liable for only incident of abuse at the Manchester facility, now called the Sununu Youth Services Center. The jury wasnt told that state law caps claims against the state at $475,000 per incident, and some jurors later said they wrote one on the verdict form to reflect a single case of post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from more than 100 episodes of physical, sexual and emotional abuse.

In an earlier order, Schulman said imposing the cap, as the state has requested, would be an unconscionable miscarriage of justice. But he suggested in his Aug. 1 order that the only other option would be ordering a new trial, given that the state declined to allow him to adjust the number of incidents.

Meehans lawyers, however, have asked Schulman to set aside just the portion of the verdict in which jurors wrote one incident, allowing the $38 million to stand, or to order a new trial focused only on determining the number of incidents.

The court should not be so quick to throw the baby out with the bath water based on a singular and isolated jury error, they wrote.

Forcing a man  who the jury has concluded was severely harmed due to the states wanton, malicious, or oppressive conduct  to choose between reliving his nightmare, again, in a new and very public trial, or accepting 1/80th of the jurys intended award, is a grave injustice that cannot be tolerated in a court of law, wrote attorneys Rus Rilee and David Vicinanzo.

Attorneys for the state, however, filed a lengthy explanation of why imposing the cap is the only correct way to proceed. They said jurors could have found that the states negligence caused a single, harmful environment in which Meehan was harmed, or they may have believed his testimony only about a single episodic incident.

In making the latter argument, they referred to an experts testimony that the mere fact that plaintiff may sincerely believe he was serially raped does not mean that he actually was.

Meehan, 42, went to police in 2017 to report the abuse and sued the state three years later. Since then, 11 former state workers have been arrested, although one has since died and charges against another were dropped after the man, now in his early 80s, was found incompetent to stand trial.

The first criminal case goes to trial Monday. Victor Malavet, who has pleaded not guilty to 12 counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault, is accused of assaulting a teenage girl at a pretrial facility in Concord in 2001.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Legislation
A 1957 Massachusetts law banning the possession of certain switchblades violates the federal Second Amendment right to bear arms, the highest court in Massachusetts has ruled.

The state court found that switchblades qualify as arms under the Second Amendment and the right to possess one is mostly protected by the U.S. Constitution.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court reached its conclusion after applying the tests mandated by the U.S. Supreme Courts 2022 Bruen opinion which held that the central component of the Second Amendment is the inherent right of self-defense, which guarantee[s] to all Americans the right to bear commonly used arms in public subject to certain reasonable, well-defined restrictions.

The states high court also relied upon a 2008 U.S. Supreme Court ruling (Heller) that found that Second Amendment protections apply not just to firearms.

In the Massachusetts case, Boston police officers searched a man while arresting him. During the search, the officers recovered from his waist an orange firearm-shaped knife with a spring-assisted blade. The man, David E. Canjura, was subsequently charged with carrying a dangerous weapon.

Switchblades As Arms

Canjura conceded the recovered knife met state laws definition of a switch knife, or any knife having an automatic spring release device by which the blade is released from the handle. However, he challenged the constitutionality of the state law banning possession of such a knife. He argued that because a switchblade is an arm, the laws prohibition on carrying a switchblade violated his Second Amendment right to bear arms for self-defense.

A lower court rejected his argument and the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court took up the issue, with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts defending its law.

The Second Amendment provides: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

The 2022 Bruen ruling requires that courts employ a two-part test to determine whether a regulation or restriction passes constitutional muster under the Second Amendment. First, a court must determine whether the regulated conduct  in this case possession of a switchblade  falls within the scope of the Second Amendment. Canjura argued that a switchblade is a type of folding pocketknife, and law-abiding citizens have possessed folding pocketknives for lawful purposes since the. nations founding, including for self- defense. Therefore, notwithstanding its spring-loaded opening mechanism, a switchblade is an arm under the Second Amendment.

The Commonwealth contended that knives categorically are not protected by the Second Amendment because the definition of arms is limited to firearms.

The state court found that the Commonwealth was incorrect, citing the U.S. Supreme Courts 2008 Heller ruling that the Second Amendment protections apply not just to firearms but to all instruments that constitute bearable arms, even those that were not in existence at the time of the countrys founding.

Folding pocketknives not only fit within contemporaneous dictionary definitions of arms  which would encompass a broader category of knives that today includes switchblades  but they also were commonly possessed by law- abiding citizens for lawful purposes around the time of the founding, the Massachusetts court noted in agreeing with Canjura that switchblades are arms for Second Amendment purposes.

States Burden

Under Bruen, if the court finds as it did here that the regulated conduct is covered by the plain text of the Second Amendment, the Constitution presumptively protects that conduct. To overcome this presumption that the conduct is protected by the Second Amendment, Bruen then requires that the government demonstrate that its regulation is consistent with this Nations historical tradition of [arms] regulation.

The state high court said this requires a determination as to whether a challenged regulation addresses a general societal problem that has persisted since the 18th Century. If it does, the lack of distinctly similar historical regulation addressing that problem is relevant evidence that the challenged regulation is inconsistent with the Second Amendment.

In the Canjura case, the state attempted to meet its burden by pointing to three 19th Century cases upholding statutory restrictions on certain types of knives, arguing these cases demonstrate a historical tradition of regulating certain knives. But the Massachusetts court was not convinced, finding that the cases involved historical regulations of categorically different types of bladed weapons. Beyond these cases, the Commonwealth did not identify any laws regulating bladed weapons akin to folding pocketknives generally, or switchblades particularly, in place at the time of the founding or ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment.

The Commonwealth further argued that most states either banned or severely restricted switchblades in the 1950s and 1960s, making the regulation of switchblades a national tradition. However, the court aid this did not meet the burden of demonstrating a historical tradition justifying the regulation of switchblade knives.

Common Use

The Bruen majority reiterated the Second Amendment protects only the carrying of weapons that are . . . in common use at the time,' as opposed to dangerous and unusual weapons.

Noting these Bruen qualifications, the Commonwealth contended that Second Amendment protection does not extend to modern switchblades because they are not in common use today for self-defense and are dangerous and unusual weapons primarily designed for stabbing others. Again the state court disagreed.

The state court concluded that switchblades meet the common use test, noting that only seven states and the District of Columbia categorically ban switchblades or other automatic knives, and only two states impose blade length restrictions of less than two inches. From these facts, we can reasonably infer that switchblades are weapons in common use today by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes; more specifically, we can infer they are widely owned and accepted as a legitimate means of self-defense across the country,' the opinion states.

As for the dangerous and unusual standard, the Massachusetts court concluded that switchblades are not dangerous and unusual weapons falling outside the protection of the Second Amendment. In the most basic sense, all weapons are dangerous because they are designed for the purpose of bodily assault or defense, the court wrote. As such, general dangerousness of a weapon is irrelevant where the weapon belongs to a class of arms commonly used for self- defense.

The high court added: Nothing about the physical qualities of switchblades suggests they are uniquely dangerous and the Commonwealth did not present any evidence as to why a spring-operated mechanism makes switchblades uniquely dangerous when compared to manual folding pocketknives.

Topics Massachusetts
Britains Labour government is watering down ambitions to give employees a legal right to ignore work demands outside office hours, favoring softer rules that had limited impact for workers in Ireland.

Rather than seeking legislation for the right to switch off, ministers instead will push for a code of practice for businesses, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be named. The government is modeling its approach on Belgium and Ireland, which have guidelines on out-of-hours communications, and in contrast with France and Portugal, where the right to disconnect is enshrined in law.

The softer tack is part of Prime Minister Keir Starmers effort to assure executives that Britain is a good place to invest, and is a setback to union leaders who have pushed for tougher measures. With the economy set to slow and productivity lagging, the government is keen to keep businesses comfortable with its agenda.

Australians Can Now Legally Ignore Work Calls, Emails After Hours

The right to switch off was part of Labours appeal to voters ahead of its July 4 election victory. The aim is to create clearer boundaries between work and home lives to fight burnout and improve productivity in the age of remote working. It would prevent managers from asking employees to carry out extra tasks at weekends, during annual leave or outside normal working hours  for example by sending emails late at night.

An Irish-style code of practice would be weaker than had been expected when Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner first set out the plans as a shadow minister in 2022, when she pledged that workers will have a new right to disconnect from work outside of working hours and not be contacted by their employer outside of working hours.

A law would enable people to claim compensation if their right to disconnect was violated, while the code of practice serves as guidance on how managers should behave. Guidelines have no legal power on their own but can be used in court as evidence for separate charges such as unfair dismissal or discrimination.

News of Labours fresh approach was welcomed by firms fearing more restrictive legislation.

A rigid and one-size-fits all approach to a right to switch off would have serious consequences for many businesses ability to function, Alexandra Hall-Chen, principal policy officer for employment at the Institute of Directors. The rules should focus on protecting employees who choose not to respond to communication outside of working hours, rather than on banning employers from contacting employees outside of agreed hours.

Siobhra Rush, partner and head of the Dublin office at law firm Lewis Silkin, said the effects of the changes in Ireland had been limited. The biggest impact that we saw here was, youd see the footer at the end of an email saying, Im sending this outside my own working hours, but unless Ive marked it as urgent, I dont expect a response, Rush said.

A third of Irish workers werent aware the code of practice existed, with numbers relatively unchanged since the right to disconnect came into effect three years ago, according to a survey conducted by consultancy HR Buddy in April. Less than 10% reported they noticed a difference since the policy change in 2021.

Labour has pledged to introduce legislation on workers rights in its first 100 days in power, including tighter rules on zero-hour contracts and making workers eligible for sick pay from the first day on the job, which will then be consulted on with businesses and trade unions before becoming law.

Good employers understand that for workers to stay motivated and productive they do need to be able to switch off, and the culture of presenteeism can be damaging to productivity, said Camilla Marshall, spokeswoman for Starmer. But it depends on the type of role that someone has, the needs of the organization. Its certainly not a one size fits all so were looking at various models.

The concern is that allowing for too many exceptions to the right to disconnect will render it meaningless.

The financial sector opting out of this will make it useless because they may drive this notion of what the ideal productive worker looks like in lucrative settings and what professionals look like, said Heejung Chung, professor of work and employment at Kings College London.

Flexibility remains the main appeal for businesses of an Irish-style code-of-practice, according to Ben Willmott, head of public policy and public affairs at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. This means companies can tailor out-of-hours rules to their sector, as well as to individual preferences.

This softer-touch approach would also prevent extra cases hitting Britains clogged courts, which already face record backlogs.

In influencing behaviors, you dont always need a legal sanction, said James Davies, partner at Lewis Silkin. Just have a greater awareness and focus on the importance of not overworking people, giving people the opportunity to switch off to improve their family life and their health.

Workers in companies without a right to disconnect policy were more likely to experience issues like headaches, stress and anxiety, an EU-backed survey of employees and HR managers in Belgium, France, Italy and Spain found. Those working for employers with right to disconnect policies also reported having a better work-life balance than peers without access to such policy.

Still, there are limits to what a right to disconnect can fix, regardless of its form.

Its not a panacea, Willmott said. It wont necessarily deal with underlying issues around toxic work cultures, managers who arent very good at managing people or excessive workloads.

Photograph: Commuters pass the Bank of England (BOE), right, in the City of London, UK, on Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. Photo credit: Jose Sarmento Matos/Bloomberg

Copyright 2024 Bloomberg.

Topics Trends
This summers devastating wildfire in Jasper, Canada resulted in more than C$880 million (US$653.4 million) in insured damage, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), quoting data provided by 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 Albertas history in insured losses. Jasper is located in the mountainous Jasper National Park, in the province of Alberta.

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).

Devastating Wildfire Burns Down Almost 50% of Western Canadian Tourist Town

Albertas 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 Jaspers unique location in a federal park, multiple levels of government are overseeing recovery efforts, IBC said.

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. Canadas insurers have also been supporting customers affected by the Calgary hailstorm on Aug. 5, as well as those who experienced major flooding in Ontario and Quebec in July and August.

The amount of insured damage is an estimate provided by CatIQ under license to IBC.

Photograph: Workers continues to assess, repair and rebuild as some residents return to Jasper, Alberta, on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024, after a wildfire caused evacuations and widespread damage in the National Park and Jasper townsite. (Amber Bracken/The Canadian Press via AP)

Related:

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Profit Loss Wildfire Canada
Cybercrime and other acts of sabotage have cost German companies around 267 billion euros ($298 billion) in the past year, up 29% on the year before, according to a survey published on Wednesday.

Industry association Bitkom surveyed around 1,000 companies from all sectors and found that 90% expect more cyberattacks in the next 12 months, with the remaining 10% expecting the same level of attacks.

Some 70% of companies that were targeted attributed the attacks to organized crime, the survey found, adding 81% of companies reported data theft, including customer data, access data and passwords, as well as intellectual property such as patents.

Around 45% of companies said they could attribute at least one attack to China, up from 42% in the previous year. Attacks blamed on Russia came in second place at 39%.

The threat situation for the German economy is worsening, Bitkom President Ralf Wintergerst said in a statement, adding that companies must step up protective measures.

The increase in attacks has prompted companies to allocate 17% of their IT budget to digital security, up from 14% last year, but only 37% said they had an emergency plan to react to security incidents in their supply chain, the survey showed.

($1 = 0.8958 euros)

(Reporting by Christian Kraemer; writing by Riham Alkousaa; editing by Mark Potter)

Topics Fraud Germany
CROFTON, Neb. (AP)  Two different small planes crashed into fields in northeast Nebraska Monday and killed at least one person.

The two crashes happened less than half an hour apart around 9:30 a.m. A Rans S-19 plane crashed first near Crofton in Knox County. Then a Piper PA-28-140 airplane crashed near Wayne in Wayne County a short time later.

The Nebraska State Patrol and Knox County Sheriffs office said the pilot died in the crash. No one else was aboard that plane. The pilots name wasnt released Monday afternoon.

The Wayne County Sheriff didnt immediately release details of the crash being investigated there.

The National Transportation Safety Board is sending investigators to the state to determine why both planes crashed although that agencys final reports typically take more than a year to be completed.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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.

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.

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.

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.

Related:

Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Topics Lawsuits
On a hot summer day in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, dozens of men removed pipes, asbestos and hazardous waste while working to decontaminate a nuclear facility and prepare it for demolition.

Dressed in head-to-toe coveralls and fitted with respirators, the crew members toiling in a building without power had no obvious respite from the heat. Instead, they wore armbands that recorded their heart rates, movements and exertion levels for signs of heat stress.

Stephanie Miller, a safety and health manager for a U.S. government contractor doing cleanup work at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, watched a computer screen nearby. A color-coding system with little bubbles showing each workers physiological data alerted her if anyone was in danger of overheating.

Heat is one of the greatest risks that we have in this work, even though we deal with high radiation, hazardous chemicals and heavy metals, Miller said.

As the world experiences more record high temperatures, employers are exploring wearable technologies to keep workers safe. New devices collect biometric data to estimate core body temperature  an elevated one is a symptom of heat exhaustion  and prompt workers to take cool-down breaks.

The devices, which were originally developed for athletes, firefighters and military personnel, are getting adopted at a time when the Atlantic Council estimates heat-induced losses in labor productivity could cost the U.S. approximately $100 billion annually.

But there are concerns about how the medical information collected on employees will be safeguarded. Some labor groups worry managers could use it to penalize people for taking needed breaks.

Any time you put any device on a worker, theyre very concerned about tracking, privacy, and how are you going to use this against me, said Travis Parsons, director of occupational safety and health at the Laborers Health and Safety Fund of North America. Theres a lot of exciting stuff out there, but theres no guardrails around it.

Vulnerable to Heat

At the Tennessee cleanup site, the workers wearing heat stress monitors made by Atlanta company SlateSafety are employed by United Cleanup Oak Ridge. The company is a contractor of the U.S. Department of Energy, which has rules to prevent on-the-job overheating.

But most U.S. workers lack protections from extreme heat because there are no federal regulations requiring them, and many vulnerable workers dont speak up or seek medical attention. In July, the Biden administration proposed a rule to protect 36 million workers from heat-related illnesses.

From 1992 to 2022, 986 workers died from heat exposure in the U.S., according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Experts suspect the number is higher because a coroner might not list heat as the cause of death if a sweltering roofer takes a fatal fall.

Setting occupational safety standards can be tricky because individuals respond differently to heat. Thats where the makers of wearable devices hope to come in.

How Wearable Heat Tech Works

Employers have observed workers for heat-related distress by checking their temperatures with thermometers, sometimes rectally. More recently, firefighters and military personnel swallowed thermometer capsules.

That just was not going to work in our work environment, Rob Somers, global environment, health and safety director at consumer product company Perrigo, said.

Instead, more than 100 employees at the companys infant formula plants were outfitted with SlateSafety armbands. The devices estimate a wearers core body temperature, and a reading of 101.3 degrees triggers an alert.

Another SlateSafety customer is a Cardinal Glass factory in Wisconsin, where four masons maintain a furnace that reaches 3000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Theyre right up against the face of the wall. So its them and fire, Jeff Bechel, the companys safety manager, said.

Cardinal Glass paid $5,000 for five armbands, software and air-monitoring hardware. Bechel thinks the investment will pay off; an employees two heat-related emergency room visits cost the company $15,000.

Another wearable, made by Massachusetts company Epicore Biosystems, analyzes sweat to determine when workers are at risk of dehydration and overheating.

Until a few years ago, you just sort of wiped (sweat) off with a towel, CEO Rooz Ghaffari said. Turns out theres all this information packed away that weve been missing.

Research has shown some devices successfully predict core body temperature in controlled environments, but their accuracy remains unproven in dynamic workplaces, according to experts. A 2022 research review said factors such as age, gender and ambient humidity make it challenging to reliably gauge body temperature with the technology.

The United Cleanup Oak Ridge workers swathed in protective gear can get sweaty even before they begin demolition. Managers see dozens of sensor alerts daily.

Laborer Xavier Allison, 33, was removing heavy pieces of ductwork during a recent heat wave when his device vibrated. Since he was working with radioactive materials and asbestos, he couldnt walk outside to rest without going through a decontamination process, so he spent about 15 minutes in a nearby room which was just as hot.

You just sit by yourself and do your best to cool off, Allison said.

The armband notifies workers when theyve cooled down enough to resume work.

Ever since we implemented it, we have seen a significant decrease in the number of people who need to get medical attention, Miller said.

Collecting Personal Data

United Cleanup Oak Ridge uses the sensor data and an annual medical exam to determine work assignments, Miller said. After noticing patterns, the company sent a few employees to see their personal physicians, who found heart issues the employees hadnt known about, she said.

At Perrigo, managers analyze the data to find people with multiple alerts and speak to them to see if theres a reason why theyre not able to work in the environment, Somers said. The information is organized by identification numbers, not names, when it goes into the companys software system, he said.

Companies keeping years of medical data raises concerns about privacy and whether bosses may use the information to kick an employee off a health plan or fire them, said Adam Schwartz, privacy litigation director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

The device could hurt, frankly, because you could raise your hand and say I need a break, and the boss could say, No, your heart rate is not elevated, go back to work,' Schwartz said.

To minimize such risks, employers should allow workers to opt in or out of wearing monitoring devices, only process strictly necessary data and delete the information within 24 hours, he said.

Wearing such devices also may expose workers to unwanted marketing, Ikusei Misaka, a professor at Tokyos Musashino University, said.

A Partial Solution

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health advises employers to institute a plan to help workers adjust to hot conditions and to train them to recognize signs of heat-related illness and to administer first aid. Wearable devices can be part of efforts to reduce heat stress, but more work needs to be done to determine their accuracy, said Doug Trout, the agencys medical officer.

The technology also needs to be paired with access to breaks, shade and cool water, since many workers, especially in agriculture, fear retaliation for pausing to cool off or hydrate.

If they dont have water to drink, and the time to do it, it doesnt mean much, Juanita Constible, senior advocate at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said. Its just something extra they have to carry when theyre in the hot fields.

Photo: A SlateSafety armband is worn by a furnace mason employee at Cardinal Glass in Menomonie, Wis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Greg Lindberg, the North Carolina insurance and business executive now awaiting sentencing on a bribery conviction, cant escape a $524 million arbitration and civil judgment against him, a federal appeals court decided this week. Also this week, the state Supreme Court dismissed Lindbergs challenge in a separate case, finally allowing liquidation of two of his life insurance companies.

The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a federal district courts ruling, which had enforced the half-billion-dollar arbitration award from 2020, an award that is growing by the day due to interest.

The case is one of many that Lindberg is facing after unorthodox and allegedly illegal movement of assets from some of his former insurance companies. The latest court ruling involves Universal Life Insurance Co., which in 2017 entered into a reinsurance contract with Private Bankers Life and Annuity Ltd. (PBLA), a company that Lindberg owned, the court explained.

He also personally guaranteed the reinsurance agreement.

In early 2020, the court filings contend, Universal Life entered into arbitration proceedings against PBLA, charging that Lindberg had drained more than $524 million in assets from the Universal trust account and had replaced them with non-conforming assets.

The arbitration panel awarded $524 million but PBLA did not pay up. Universal took it to federal court in North Carolina, as prescribed by the guaranty agreement, the appeals court explained. The district court granted Universals request for summary judgment, ordering Lindberg to pay the full amount.

The court observed that the guaranty agreement contained unambiguous language regarding Lindbergs obligation to cover PBLAs obligations under the reinsurance agreement, finding that there is no ambiguity and no genuine issue of material fact as to . . . [the] issues on [Universals] breach of contract claim,' the appellate judges noted.

The 4th Circuit panel found no error in the lower courts reasoning and rejected Lindbergs appeal.

Universal has dropped a similar state-court action, on appeal to the North Carolina Supreme Court, which included an effort to stop Lindberg from dissipating assets of the insurer, according to The Carolina Journal and court documents.

Lindberg in May was convicted a second time of attempting to bribe North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey, in exchange for relaxed regulations that would have allowed Lindberg to keep less reserve funding in his life insurance companies. The first conviction was reversed due to erroneous jury instructions, an appeals court found.

The sentencing has been delayed while Lindbergs attorneys and prosecutors spar over forfeiture of some of Lindbergs assets. The judge last week agreed to an extension to give prosecutors time to respond to defense filings.

Earlier this month in a separate civil suit, a federal judge in North Carolina ordered Lindberg and three of his companies to pay almost $167 million to an insolvent life insurance company based in the Netherlands. The ruling upheld a 2020 arbitration award.

In yet another Lindberg case, the North Carolina Supreme Court on Aug. 23 dismissed a request by a Lindberg company to review a court decision to place his former Colorado Bankers Life and Bankers Life insurance companies into liquidation. The ruling is something unpaid policyholders have long been hoping for.

The Supreme Courts decision to dismiss the baseless appeal of the order placing Colorado Bankers Life and Bankers Life into liquidation opens the door for policyholders to finally receive long-overdue relief from the various state guaranty associations, Commissioner Causey said in an email. As this process unfolds, I will continue to aggressively pursue every option to ensure that all the policyholders are repaid.

Policyholders with questions should contact their respective companies in the coming days and weeks, he noted. For Colorado Bankers Life policies, the phone number is 1-833-658-2841 and for Bankers Life policies the number is 1-833-658-2840.

Background: NC Appeals Court Gives Green Light to Liquidation of Lindberg Insurance Firms

Topics Carriers North Carolina
Two workers were killed and a third was injured when an airplane tire apparently exploded at a Delta Air Lines maintenance shop at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, prompting an investigation by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The Associated Press and other news sites reported that maintenance workers at the wheel and brake shop at Deltas sprawling facility were disassembling an airliners wheel components when the tire exploded early Tuesday morning. The wheel was not attached to an airliner at the time.

The deceased workers were identified as Luis Aldarondo, 37, of Newnan; and Mirko F. Marweg, 58, of Stone Mountain, USA Today reported. An update on the injured employee was not immediately available.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it is aware of the incident, the New York Times noted. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers urged aviation authorities and Delta to launch a thorough investigation into what caused the explosion.

Georgia workers compensation law provides two-thirds of a workers average weekly wage for temporary total disability, up to a maximum of $800, for as long as 400 weeks, according to the state Board of Workers Compensation. For fatalities, the law in 2022 provided a burial allowance of $7,500 and the workers weekly temporary total disability rate, paid to the spouse, with a maximum of $270,000, the Workers Compensation Research Institute shows.

Photo: An airliner landing gear assembly. (Adobe Stock images)

Topics Aviation Georgia Numbers
Georgia lawmakers this year put an end to direct-action lawsuits against trucking companies insurers, but that did not come soon enough to bar litigation brought by people involved in accidents with ride-sharing services.

The Georgia Court of Appeals this week found that the ride-sharing service Lyft is considered a motor carrier under the wording of a 2015 statute. That means that a motorist injured by a Lyft driver can sue the Lyft drivers insurance company, which in this case is State Farm Fire and Casualty Co.

Because State Farm has not met its burden of proving that Lyft is exempt from the Georgia Motor Carrier Acts definition of motor carrier, it was proper for Barnes to directly name State Farm in her lawsuit. We therefore reverse the trial courts decision, the appeals courts third division wrote in the Aug. 26 opinion.

Aundray Barnes was involved in a collision with Lyft driver Rome Leite-Brown in 2020. Barnes sued the driver, Lyft and State Farm, arguing that Lyft is a motor carrier, similar to a trucking company.

At the time, Georgia was one of four states that allowed direct-action lawsuits against trucking firms insurance carriers. The rationale behind the 1937 law was that truckers could often not be found to be served with lawsuits, and may have had few assets that could be used to pay damages.

In recent years, though, those direct lawsuits have been blamed for soaring insurance premiums for truckers. One state official said the litigation had destroyed our market, especially for mom-and-pop trucking companies.

In March, the Georgia General Assembly gave almost unanimous approval to a change in the statutes. Senate Bill 426, now law, allows direct-action civil suits against insurers only when the trucking company has gone bankrupt or on the rare occasion when a driver cannot be located. Supporters hailed it as a way to encourage more insurers to write trucking lines in the state and bring down premiums.

But the law is not retroactive and does not cover the 2020 Lyft accident. Still, State Farm attorneys have argued that the previous law, written in 2015 to help govern the burgeoning world of Uber and Lyft, exempts ride-sharing services from the definition of motor carriers. Ride-share networks are governed by only one part of Georgias Motor Carrier Act, not another part, State Farm contends.

The trial court agreed with the insurance carrier and held that Lyft is not a motor carrier. But the appeals court judges strongly disagreed, noting that the different sections of the statutes have to be considered as a whole. Lawmakers specifically exempted taxicabs and limousines from the definition of motor carriers, but they did not include ride-sharing services in that exemption, appeals court Judge Kenneth Hodges III wrote for the panel.

The language of the statute does not declare that ride share network services are not motor carriers as defined by OCGA  40-1-100 (12) (A) of the Georgia Motor Carrier Act, nor does it exempt such companies from the Acts definition of motor carrier, Hodges explained. It simply preempts the field of administration and regulation for certain types of transportation services to the extent that the rules are different from other portions of the Motor Carrier Act, as the General Assembly did for limousine carriers in Part 3 of the Act.

The fact that some of the standards spelled out in the statutes differ from each other is not dispositive. It is implausible that the General Assembly would have allowed ride share network services to remain operational under no public safety standards, the appeals court noted.

Its clear that lawmakers intended for regulations in different parts of the law to coexist and be applied together, the judges said. The legislative branch chose to exempt certain taxis and limousines from the motor carrier definition but did not exempt ride share networks from the definition.

If the General Assembly had wanted to exempt ride share network services like Lyft from the definition of motor carrier, it could have included those services in the list of exemptions in OCGA 40-1-100 (12) (B), as it did for certain taxicabs and limousines, the court said.

This suggests that the General Assembly intended for the Motor Carrier Act to be read as a whole, with specific regulations applicable to certain transportation carriers, and general regulations applicable to all motor carriers, the opinion reads.

State Farm lawyers had argued that the interpretation will unfairly put Lyft and Uber in a different category from taxis.

While State Farm correctly asserts that our decision will subject ride share network services like Lyft to laws from which other transportation service providers, such as certain taxicabs and limousines, are expressly exempt, such as permitting a plaintiff to directly sue a ride share network services liability insurer, this Court cannot read new exceptions into a statute which has already clearly enumerated its exceptions, the opinion notes.

The court noted that other states have put ride sharers in the same boat as other for-hire transport services. In 2016, a California court rejected the argument that Uber was only a broker of transportation services.

The court ruling did not explain how many other pending accident suits may be affected by the ruling. State Farm could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Topics Lawsuits Carriers Georgia Trucking
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - August 28, 2024 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Alaska Energy Metals (TSX-V: AEMC, OTCQB: AKEMF) (FRA: V7F) today announced its participation in the Clean Energy Metals Virtual Inference Conference hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com on Thursday, August 29th at 1:00 PM ET. Alaska Energy Metals CEO and President, Gregory Beischer, will virtually present insights on the company's projects and provide a deep dive into the company's progress to date and ongoing drilling and exploration programs.

Company Highlights:

Experienced Alaskan management team

Drilling has confirmed a large accumulation of nickel

More than 3.9 billion pounds of nickel Indicated Resource 814 Mt @ 0.29% NiEq

More than 4.2 billion pounds of nickel Inferred Resource 896 Mt @ 0.27% NiEq

Drilling and updated resource calculation analysis underway

Deposit is open in all directions

Current drilling is designed to trace a higher-grade core zone at surface along strike

Favorable jurisdiction and infrastructure

Domestic nickel and other critical and strategic metals are crucial for Americas electric energy expansion

DATE: Thursday, August 29th

TIME: 1:00 - 1:30 pm ET

LINK: https://bit.ly/3AiLX3w

One-to-one meeting times can be booked for Thursday, August 29th, Friday, August 30th, and Tuesday, September 3rd, between 9AM EDT and 5PM EDT. These meetings can be booked through the portal linked above.

This will be a live, interactive online event inviting investors to ask the company questions in real time. If attendees cannot join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.

It is recommended that online investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.

Learn more about the event at https://www.virtualinvestorconferences.com/

For additional information, visit: https://alaskaenergymetals.com/

This news is paid advertisement/ news disseminated on behalf of/issued on behalf of Alaska Energy Metals

About Alaska Energy Metals

Alaska Energy Metals Corporation (AEMC) is an Alaska-based corporation with offices in Anchorage and Vancouver working to sustainably deliver the critical materials needed for national security and a bright energy future, while generating superior returns for shareholders.

AEMC is focused on delineating and developing the large-scale, bulk tonnage, polymetallic Eureka deposit containing nickel, copper, cobalt, chromium, iron, platinum, palladium, and gold. Located in Interior Alaska near existing transportation and power infrastructure, its flagship project, Nikolai, is well-situated to become a significant domestic source of strategic energy-related metals for North America. AEMC also holds a secondary project, 'Angliers-Belleterre,' in western Quebec. Today, material sourcing demands excellence in environmental performance, carbon mitigation and the responsible management of human and financial capital. AEMC works every day to earn and maintain the respect and confidence of the public and believes that ESG performance is measured by action and led from the top.

About Virtual Investor Conferences 

Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.

Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access. Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Gregory Beischer"

Gregory Beischer, President & CEO

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Sarah Mawji, Public Relations

Venture Strategies

Email: sarah@venturestrategies.com

Virtual Investor Conferences

John M. Viglotti, SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access

OTC Markets Group

Phone: (212) 220-2221

Email: johnv@otcmarkets.com

Alaska Energy Metals Corporation (TSXV: AEMC) (OTCQB: AKEMF) (FRA: V7F) is a featured mining stock on Investorideas.com More info on AEMC at Investorideas.com Visit: https://www.investorideas.com/CO/AEMC/

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August 28, 2024 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Crude oil extended its sharp losses for the second day in a row, with both Brent and WTI down more than 1.6%.

The continued declines in crude come despite the loss of 1.2 million barrels per day of production flowing from Libya, also amid the absence of any immediate prospect for a settlement to the Gaza conflict that could defuse a wider regional war. However, the absence of catalysts from China and the eurozone keeps concerns about the future of oil demand, keeping prices under continued downward pressure.

All of Libya's oil export terminals have been closed due to the escalating political conflict there, causing the loss of 1.18 million barrels of oil per day, according to Reuters.

Geopolitically, the picture may look a little mixed in the Middle East. While the rounds of negotiations did not lead to any breakthrough and we witnessed more chapters of military escalation over the weekend, the status quo may not change in light of the current developments.

After the mutual attacks between Hezbollah and Israel last Sunday, both sides showed signs of not intending to push for a wider regional escalation and that each sees what happened as a victory of sorts and restoring balance to the deterrence equation, according to what research centers told The Wall Street Journal earlier this week.

Meanwhile, the United States has strengthened its military presence in the region through 18 naval vessels, including two aircraft carriers and a nuclear-powered submarine, according to Axios. The substantial military presence might incentivize the Israelis to leverage any Iranian attack on Israel as a means to draw the US into a prolonged regional conflict, further escalating tensions in line with the interests of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right coalition.

While we will wait for the results of the next rounds of negotiations to know whether the region will move towards calm or remain stuck in the current situation, which may keep the door open for more surprises.

On the economic side, this week does not carry much decisive data, especially from China. However, what we have seen from Germany reinforces pessimism about the future of growth in the Eurozone. Business sentiment declined in both the manufacturing, trade and services sectors according to the Ifo Business Climate survey, and consumer sentiment deteriorated as a result of lower income expectations according to the GfK Consumer Climate survey. These surveys also come after the S&P Global PMI reports from last week, which did not show any signs of the region's economy regaining growth soon.

While the continued weakness of the eurozone economy contributes to weak external demand in China, which may ultimately be reflected in demand for crude and keep prices under pressure as well.

More Info:

Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions.

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Now that our public closure date has been announced, we really hope people will remember to stop by to spend some time with the artworks they love before we close on the evening of September 22.

Our final exhibition, Now You See It,is a curated exhibition of works selected by the public, of artworks from the collection that they most wanted to see before we closed. Thats been lovely for us, getting works out of storage that in some instances havent been seen for a number of years, and having people come in to visit them.

Even though the gallery will temporarily close to the public this autumn, the staff will be busier than ever behind the scenes.

I actually feel quite a lot of mixed emotions about it. Even though its going to be incredibly busy and its a really exciting time, its also going to be quite bittersweet.

I think it will be quite eerie coming into the gallery every day and not having members of the public around, but its also going to be a bit of a relief, as we wont have to navigate peoples safety and access as we move large heavy works out of the building, down staircases and through doors.

The Lower Gallery has already been closed off for use as a packing space and we have a team of technicians working constantly to pack artworks.

With over 3,500 artworks to move before the contractors begin the redevelopment, it will be a race against the clock to carefully move the entire collection.

Weve started the work, but the pace has been slower while the public galleries have been open: weve sent about 700 artworks out to storage so far.

Most of these have been 2-D works like paintings, drawings and works on paper. Weve also started getting deliveries of transit frames, known as T frames, for those works that are more delicate or have ornate frames that need protecting.

Ramping up the decant

After we close to the public, the decant will ramp up even more because well be looking to do a lot of the big moves that would be difficult or dangerous to do while were still open to the public.

We will bring down all the sculptures that are located on the top floor and get all the crates for the sculptures in the Sculpture Gallery and the friezes off the wall.

One move were planning for is the James Scanlon stained glass Lonradh window. We have spoken to the artist, and those stained glass pieces are set into a false window inside the window structure so there is a clear pane of glass outside it. Each of six stained glass pieces should just pop out of the beading its held in, and obviously that will be done very carefully and will need some scaffold. The plan is for that work to be reinstated when we come back.

Major artworks will be going on loan to other cultural institutions, and that is keeping staff busy too: we have 32 works that have just gone to the RHA, two of Brian Maguires Arizona series going to the Hugh Lane and a lot more to come in 2025 and 2026.

Jean O'Donovan at work at Crawford Art Gallery. Picture: Clare Keogh

Staff move

After we finish the work of decanting the rest of the artworks, it will be time for the staff to leave the building too, and that will happen in the wintertime. We will then work from temporary office space, where we know we will be as busy as ever.

A lot of what my office will be doing while offsite is actually preparing for the return to the gallery. Well be looking at conservation works on the artworks in storage, and were looking at glazing a lot more artworks, and reframing some pieces.

The collection team have a lot of projects that we also really hope to work on while were offsite: research into provenance of works, digitisation of archives, and getting on top of our documentation backlog.

Our curatorial team will also be very busy: not only will they be working on a programme of offsite events with partners including Cork Midsummer Festival for the duration of the closure, but they will also be researching and preparing for the reopening, and for the new spaces in the expanded Crawford, where there will be more exhibition space to curate.

Our Learn & Explore department, who programme everything to do with outreach and education, will be continuing their long-term community programmes, including Crawford Supported Studios and work with Cork Migrant Centre, in alternative venues and online.

They are also using the closure as an opportunity to devise new programmes and reach different audiences: theyre currently looking at possibilities with partners in the city libraries as well as at Cork prison.

All things going well, Crawford Art Gallery will reopen in its rejuvenated state in 2027. I dont think Im alone amongst the staff in being keenly aware that this closure period is actually going to fly by, and that before we know it, well be back, but this time in a much-improved gallery space with better facilities both for the art and for the public.
Oasis say they have received an unprecedented volume of entries to a ballot for tickets to their reunion tour.

The Manchester band on Tuesday announced their first run of gigs in more than a decade, since they broke up backstage at French music festival Rock en Seine in 2009.

The band have told fans they will receive a confirmation email if they entered the ballot, which launched on Tuesday night.

A post on their page on social media platform X read: We are aware that many of you are still waiting on a confirmation email.

Rest assured they are on their way, as we process an unprecedented volume of entries.

Everyone who has filled out the ballot form by 7pm BST today, Wednesday, August 28, will receive an email where they can confirm their entry in the ballot.

Those entering the ballot are being asked who the bands original drummer is, and are offered the options of Chris Sharrock, Alan White and the correct answer, Tony McCarroll, who drummed with the band from their formation until 1995.

We are aware that many of you are still waiting on a confirmation email. Rest assured they are on their way, as we process an unprecedented volume of entries. Everyone who has filled out the ballot form by 7pm BST today, Wednesday 28th August, will receive an email where they can  Oasis (@oasis) August 28, 2024

Entrants are also being asked how many times they have seen the band.

It comes after Spotify reported a 690% increase in Oasis streams globally.

The bands album tracks and lesser known songs saw a huge increase in streams, with The Shock Of The Lightning, Bag It Up and Turn Up The Sun seeing some of the biggest increases.

Oasis will perform 14 concerts in Dublin, London, Manchester, Cardiff, and Edinburgh as part of the Oasis Live 25 tour.

There are also plans for dates outside Europe.

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.

Announcing the tour on Tuesday, the band said in a post on X: The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.

News of their reunion was welcomed by famous faces including Alan McGee, who signed the band to Creation Records in 1993, and singer Tom Grennan.

McGee posted on Instagram: Good for music. Good for them. Good for us.
Reality TV star and influencer Molly-Mae Hague has thanked her online friends amid her split from Tommy Fury.

The couple, who met on ITV dating show Love Island, announced they had broken up in separate social media messages earlier in the month, with fans of the 25-year-old flocking to support her online.

On Tuesday, Hague posted a photo of herself leaning on a wooden railing, overlooking a body of water, to Instagram and wrote: Thank you for being the best online friends I couldve ever wished for.

Hague and Fury, who were the runners-up of Love Island season five in 2019, became engaged in July 2023 and have a daughter together named Bambi.

On August 14, Hague announced their split in an Instagram story, saying: Never in a million years did I think Id ever have to write this.

After five years of being together I never imagined our story would end, especially not this way.

I am extremely upset to announce that mine and Tommys relationship has come to an end.

I will forever be grateful for the most important thing to me now and always, my beautiful daughter.

Without us there would be no her, she will always be my priority.

I want to thank you all for the love you have shown us over the last five years. You have all been a part of our journey and I feel its right to share this with you all.

Whilst I attempt to navigate the coming days and weeks please kindly respect my privacy over this difficult time, Ill be back when it feels right. Molly-Mae x.

Fury posted a separate Instagram story less than an hour later which said was heartbroken to share the news, adding that Bambi was their priority.

The 25-year-old professional boxer, from Manchester, proposed last year on a mountainous seaside location, which was decorated with hundreds of flowers and petals.

They starred in the Netflix reality series At Home With The Furys, together with Furys half-brother, former heavyweight world boxing champion Tyson Fury.
A new Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum must be mandatory in all schools, primary and secondary, to tackle the root cause of gender-based violence, the National Womens Council (NWC) has said.

Violence against women is at epidemic levels in Ireland, with Womens Aid receiving over 40,000 disclosures of domestic abuse in 2023, the NWC said.

In the same year, gardai received a domestic abuse call every 10 minutes. And 52% of women will experience sexual violence in their lifetimes.

While recent developments in legislation and policy are to be welcomed, the National Womens Council says the root cause of violence against women  misogyny  must be tackled.

With the implementation of new SPHE curricula at secondary level, and a new curriculum for primary schools in the pipeline, it is very welcome to see the age-appropriate inclusion of topics like consent and mutual respect in our school system, a statement from the NWC said.

The SPHE curricula has the potential to transform children and young peoples perceptions of gender and gender stereotypes and is a crucial opportunity to advance gender equality."

NWCs Womens Health Coordinator Doireann Crosson said: SPHE should be mandatory in primary and post-primary schools.

"Research shows that Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) leads to healthier relationships, improves self-esteem, and is crucial to preventing gender-based violence.

Our national strategy on violence against women strongly recommends a reformed school curricula which can focus on issues like gender stereotypes, intimate partner abuse, and the harms of pornography.

"Its also important that a whole school approach is taken, involving parents and the community, alongside students and school stakeholders.

New graduates and existing teachers must be equipped with the training and resources necessary, including on issues of gender equality, to implement the new curricula properly, the NWC said.
A Ukrainian student who enrolled in a secondary school in Ireland just two years ago has received an offer for her top college choice after achieving a remarkable 625 points in her Leaving Cert.

Taisiia Korenska will now study biomedical engineering at Dublin City University after securing the maximum possible points tally in her exams.

She had enrolled at Castlecomer Community School in Kilkenny when she arrived in Ireland in 2022 after being displaced by the war.

I really wanted to get over 600 points, she said. I didnt expect Id do so well.

Ms Korenska put her success down to three factors. The first was how tough her former school in Ukraine had been.

It was very stressful there, she said.

You had to work the hardest you could to not lose your place in the school.

"But there, I was a little above average, yet I was working too hard, I would say.

Another factor was that she was studying 13 to 14 subjects in Ukraine compared to the six that counted towards her Leaving Certificate points total.

Maths is the same, its the language of numbers. English was of course the hardest one. But I really liked studying in Ireland. It was easier here than in my former school. It gave me an opportunity to enjoy school.

Ms Korenska speaks fluent English but said she was actually "bad at English while she lived in Ukraine.

I was decent in theory, but didnt have enough practice, she said.

But that changed when I came to Ireland. Especially with the Irish accent.

The other aspect she put her success down to was just luck.

Although she had to flee her home due to the war, the young student feels lucky that she now lives somewhere that she really likes.

I love Ireland, she said.

We managed to settle in the countryside. My mum took her car with her and it allowed us to settle in somewhere thats not the city. Its going good right now. We still have some problems and adversities. But, for what it is, its going really well.

Mel Broderick, the career guidance counsellor at Castlecomer Community School, paid tribute to Ms Korensas incredible achievement.

She worked very hard, Ms Broderick said. You have that added element that English wasnt her first language. And having not done a Junior Cert in Ireland. But she did exceptional [work] throughout the year, and really deserves it.

The top student landed on biomedical engineering at Dublin City University after considering astrophysics at University College Cork.

But then I thought I wouldnt be able to find a proper job, Ms Korenska said.

I recognised I should maybe do something a little more practical. But something I really liked too.

Of course, Im excited. I really like studying. Its something Im really good at.
Cork and Cavan have had the highest proportion of fish kills over the last half century, with agriculture the most commonly known cause, a vast new study shows.

Agriculture, eutrophication  when nutrient enrichment depletes oxygen in the water  industry and municipal activities are the most common causes of the more than 2,100 recorded fish kills in Ireland between 1969 and 2022. Rivers were the most impacted waterbody followed by lakes.

An analysis of the data shows there was a peak in fish kill reports in Ireland in the 1980s, coinciding with an intensification of agriculture here, and that Cork also had the highest percentage of fish kills attributed to either agriculture or industrial sources during the 55-year study period.

Salmonids were the main fish group affected during the period, with brown trout and salmon the main species affected. While there was a spike in fish kills in the 1980s, there has been a downward trend since 1992, the report shows.

But despite that, there have been several relatively high numbers of fish kills recorded since 2012, mainly coinciding with heatwaves and droughts.

The details are contained in the Fish Kills in Ireland  History, Current Status and Recovery report which was compiled by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and released on Wednesday.

A fish kill in the Brownsmills stream in Co Cork in July 2023. Fish kills were more prevalent during the summer months, when warm weather and low water levels exacerbated potential underlying problems within a channel. File picture: Inland Fisheries Ireland

The study set out to digitise all available data on fish kills in Ireland from 1969 to 2022, to examine various trends for the various fish kill events and to establish a geographical data layer to support Water Framework Directive (WFD) reporting.

The authors gathered and digitised data from 2,107 fish kill events, spanning the long study period. Their research shows that there have been four phases of reported fish kills in Ireland since 1969, with the worst years in the 1980s  particularly 1984, 1987 and 1980 respectively with a total of 347 fish kills recorded.

Fish kills were more prevalent during the summer months, when warm weather and low water levels exacerbated potential underlying problems within a channel.

Recovery

The authors also used four case studies to provide information on recovery after fish kills  examining the rivers Dodder (Co. Dublin), Kiltha (Co. Cork), Vartry (Co. Wicklow) and White (Co. Louth) where fish kills occurred in 2012, 2013 and 2017.

The analysis shows that the recovery of fish populations varied from site to site and river to river, but in general, the impact of the fish kills and recovery followed a similar pattern, with total fish abundance often higher in the polluted zone than in the unaffected stretch one year after the fish kill occurred.

This was caused, in some cases, by smaller fish species  tolerant species such as stone loach, minnow and three-spined stickleback  filling the void left after the fish kill.

Certain age cohorts of brown trout and salmon were absent or present in low densities immediately, or one year after each fish kill.

The report says although there was a perceived recovery of fish populations at many of the case study sites, the fish ecological status on many sites had not improved to the required Water Framework Directive standard of Good status.

Fish kill causes

Fish kills have occurred in every county since 1969, with agriculture the most significant reported cause over the last half century.

Agriculture accounted for 23% of known causes of fish kills, followed by eutrophication (13%), where elevated levels of nutrients in the water deplete oxygen levels. But some of the eutrophication cases could also be associated with agriculture, such as run-off from fertiliser and other sources including the release of sewage effluent, the report compiled by Inland Fisheries Ireland shows.

Industrial (12%), municipal (8%), mining (3%) and construction (2%) accounted for the other fish kills.

Overall, Co Cork had the highest percentage of fish kills, attributed to agriculture between 1969 and 2022, the study shows. This was followed by counties Monaghan, Limerick, Cavan, Tipperary, Meath and Wexford.

Co Cavan had the highest percentage of reported fish kills due to eutrophication, followed by counties Cork, Monaghan, and Laois. The lowest percentage (0.4%) was recorded in counties Dublin, Kerry, Roscommon and Sligo.

A fish kill reported in North Clare in May 2023. Agriculture accounted for 23% of known causes of fish kills, followed by eutrophication (13%), where elevated levels of nutrients in the water deplete oxygen levels. File picture: Inland Fisheries Ireland

The highest percentage of fish kills attributed to municipal sources was recorded in Co Laois, followed by Cork, Cavan, Dublin, and Tipperary. Cork also had the highest percentage of fish kills associated with industrial sources, followed by Tipperary, Kerry, Dublin, Monaghan, and Cavan.

Some reported fish kills were assigned a cause due to high temperatures and drought, however, fish kills resulting from high temperatures and drought alone in Ireland are likely to be rare.

Many peaks in fish kills  in 1989 where there were 112, 1995 when there was 88, 2013 when there were 52, and 2018 when there were 40  coincided with heatwave and drought events.

Read More Save our rivers: Blackwater under pressure as the number of pristine tributaries has halved

The report authors say mortalities attributable to this cause probably happened when other pressures also existed, such as eutrophication and other forms of pollution discharge and it was potentially the increase in water temperature and low water levels that compounded the effect of the underlying water quality problem.

Official heatwave events  five consecutive days with a maximum temperature more than 25C  were recorded in the summers of 1976, 1983, 1989, 1995, 2003, 2006, 2013, 2018 and 2022. Meteorological droughts also occurred during many of these summers.

Fish kill events were also most prevalent during the warmest and driest months (May to September), with the lowest instances occurring during the coldest and wettest months (November to February). In contrast, there was a relatively low number of fish kills, 10, reported in 2012 when Ireland experienced one of the wettest summers on record.

The proportion of fish kills attributed to agriculture, eutrophication, industry, construction and mining was lower in the 2007-2022 period than the 1969-2006 period; however, the proportion of fish kills associated with municipal and other sources increased between both periods.

Counties

In the 1970s, the highest number of fish kills, where spatial data was available, was reported from Co Tipperary and in the 1980s from Co Cork.

In the 1990s and 2000s, Cavan had the highest, and in the 2010s it was Cork again, and since 2020, the highest number has been recorded in Cavan, followed by Cork.

Since 1969, the Erne Catchment had the highest number of reported fish kills, followed by the Lee, Cork Harbour and Youghal Bay, the Barrow, Suir, and Liffey and Dublin Bay catchments.

Across IFIs fishery regions, the Eastern River Basin District (ERBD) had the highest number of fish kill reports during the study period, with two river sub-basin waterbodies in that district, in and around Avoca, showing the highest number of fish kill reports.

The Erne, Feale, Barrow, and Cavan were also among the top six sub-basin waterbodies with the highest number of fish kill reports.
The courage of a real hero who died while helping to save children from drowning off the East Cork coast has been remembered at a special Mass in Cork City.

Fr Joseph Ortolano paid tribute to Stephen OCallaghan at his Latin Requiem Mass while hundreds of members of the public posted tributes to him online.

The 55-year-old former Irish Customs official, from Ashburton Hill in St Lukes in Cork City, died after dashing into the water to help save a group of children off Inch Beach when sea conditions deteriorated at around 2.30pm last Friday.

While the children were all rescued with the help of others, Mr OCallaghan is believed to have been swept further out to sea after getting caught in a strong undercurrent.

He was eventually brought from the water by volunteers and attempts were made to resuscitate him but he was later pronounced dead.

On Wednesday, Fr Ortolano told mourners: Stephens actions in his last day will forever remain as a mark of honour and esteem in the house of OCallaghan."

When the service was over, Mr OCallaghans coffin was carried out of the church and past a guard of honour made up of uniformed former colleagues at Irish Customs.

They saluted his coffin as it was carried past them and placed into the back of a hearse.

His elderly mother and father, Kathleen and John, emerged afterwards.

Earlier in the week, Stephen's brother Emmet said of his brother in a LinkedIn post that unfortunately, the hero must always leave the stage early.

He put up the heartfelt post in which he paid tribute to his brother.

Emmet said: My brother unfortunately lost his life last Friday saving four children from drowning at Inch beach in Cork.

(He was) a hero in the truest sense of the word who will be missed terribly by all who loved him.

He advised others to never miss an opportunity to tell those people in your life what they mean to you and that you love them.

He added: God Speed Brother and will see you soon.

Mr OCallaghan is survived by his parents and siblings Katrina, Keith, Mary and Emmet.

More than 500 people left condolences on his RIP.ie page, with most of them referencing and applauding him for his bravery.

A comment by one member of an unnamed Cork family was typical.

The person said that while they didnt know him, they described Mr OCallaghan as a wonderful, selfless man who risked his own life to save the lives of others and for that he was a real hero.

A couple called Pam and Derek Collins said he will be forever a hero.
Wilson's Hospital School in Co Westmeath has asked the High Court for orders that could see teacher Enoch Burke jailed for the third time for contempt of court.

During Wednesday's vacation sitting of the court the school's board of management, represented by Rosemary Mallon Bl, secured permission to bring a motion seeking the Co Mayo teacher's attachment and possible committal to prison arising out of his alleged failure to comply with a permanent injunction to stay away from the school.

The school, in what are prolonged and high-profile legal proceedings, has made its latest application after the teacher, who is currently appealing a decision to dismiss him from his job, started attending in the grounds of the school in recent days while students and staff return as they prepare for the new school year.

Counsel said that since last Thursday, August 22, the school's board has become most anxious after Mr Burke started attending at the school, in breach of the terms of the injunction which prevents him from trespassing at the facility.

The school was particularly concerned over an alleged incident where it is claimed that Mr Burke entered into a room in the school's main building where teachers were holding a staff meeting in respect of the school's Transition Year class. The school is concerned as it is "difficult to monitor" Mr Burke when he was on the campus, counsel said.

Counsel said that another concern was that other third parties have also started attending outside the school in relation to the ongoing situation with Mr Burke.

The matter came before Mr Justice Barry O'Donnell, who on an ex parte basis granted the school permission to serve short notice of the attachment and committal proceedings on Mr Burke. The matter will return before the court on Friday.

Case background

The German and History teacher was released from Mountjoy Prison, where he has spent over 400 days in two different stints, in late June without purging his contempt.

However, he was warned at the time by Mr Justice Mark Sanfey that the courts would have "no hesitation" in sending Mr Burke back to prison if he was again found to have breached the courts order.

The teacher has been in an ongoing legal dispute with the school over what he claims was his refusal in 2022 to comply with the school's direction to call a then student by a different name and use the pronoun "they".

Throughout this legal battle Mr Burke has claimed that he has been imprisoned because he was being punished for his religious beliefs and his opposition to "transgenderism." The teacher denies all claims of wrongdoing against him and says that his constitutional rights were breached by the school's direction that he refers to a student by a different gender.

Mr Burke was last jailed in early September 2023 over his refusal to comply with the permanent injunction, made the previous May by Mr Justice Alex Owens.

He did not appeal that order to the Court of Appeal but did make an application earlier this year to the High Court seeking to set aside the injunction on the grounds that it was flawed and unconstitutional. That application was dismissed by the High Court.

During his first stint behind bars, he spent over 100 days in Mountjoy between September and December 2022.

Following his suspension from his teaching position in August 2022 Mr Burke was sued by the school over his failure to comply with a previous court order which also required him to stay away from the school while he was suspended from his job. He was released in December 2022 without purging his contempt.

He again started attending at the school after the Christmas holidays, and the High Court imposed a daily fine of 700 on Mr Burke. However, arising out of his failure to stay away from the school when the 2023-24 school year commenced and considering Mr Justice Owens' order, Mr Burke was again jailed for contempt.
The European Union must do more to maximise the pressure to bring about a ceasefire in the Middle East, the Taoiseach told Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday.

Simon Harris met the French president for bilateral talks at the Elysee Palace in Paris where Mr Macron assured that he is "working intensively" with his European partners to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.

It is hard to find words to capture the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Palestine, Mr Harris said as he called the refusals by Israel to allow food aid into Gaza "unconscionable and shameful".

Ireland's position in relation to Gaza is "crystal clear", according to Mr Harris who denied that recent reports of Israeli flights carrying munitions through Irish airspace muddies Ireland's stance. Responding to the reports from The Ditch, Mr Harris said that the Department of Transport is engaging with the carrier in question and will seek to establish the facts.

"What I have been informed consistently is that no applications have been sought for consent, if you like, for such transport to take place in Irish airspace," Mr Harris said, adding that he is keeping in contact with the ministers for transport and defence on the matter.

Action plan

The meeting with Mr Macron, which was described as substantial, the two leaders also discussed the EU Council agenda ahead of the autumn meetings and agreed to begin work on an action plan between the two countries to be put in place for next year.

The Taoiseach congratulated Mr Macron on the success of the Olympic Games which saw Ireland take home seven medals.

An Taoiseach Simon Harris TD takes a selfie with Ireland athletes, from left, Dearbhaile Brady, Ellen Keane and Greta Streimikyte.

Mr Harris was speaking following a reception held for the Irish Paralympians at the Irish Embassy.

He joked that there will not be much work done in Ireland during the Paralympics as people will be glued to their screens.

"Please know that every single one of us in Ireland will be cheering you on with the Strepsils at the ready, shouting until we are hoarse as we want the very best for you," Mr Harris told the team.

When meeting any Paralympian, Mr Harris said we are not only meeting an athlete at the top of their game but also "people who embody resilience, endurance, hope and positivity in a way many of us can only imagine".

The Taoiseach met with the Team Ireland athletes during a tour of the revamped Olympic village and thanked them for the joy and pride they bring to the country.

"We live in a world which is often full of darkness and every time we turn on a news bulletin, it is necessarily gloomy at times," he said before telling the gathered Paralympians "you have brought great happiness, great hope and great pride to our country".
A deaf woman from Cork has described the frustration of being forced to rely on pen and paper to communicate her medical details after a sign language interpreter failed to show up on time for a hospital appointment.

Breda Brosnan said she is going public with an incident as it is just another example of the gaps that exist when members of the deaf community try to access medical care.

Ms Brosnan and secretary of Cork Deaf Club, Graham OShea, said there is an acute shortage of interpreters in Cork, which is compounding existing complications. Both say they have experienced these challenges firsthand in incidents they described as extremely frustrating.

Ms Brosnan had to give vital medical information to a nurse by using pen and paper ahead of her operation after the interpreter failed to show up in time for the hospital appointment.

I was very angry and frustrated in myself, Ms Brosnan told the Irish Examiner. However my health came first. This was preparation for surgery so it was very important. I had to go ahead with the appointment.

"The nurse was also very angry because she had booked her. The interpreters are always booked through the hospital. This interpreter rang the hospital and said that she wouldnt be there until 1pm even though the appointment was at midday.

"The nurse and I wrote notes to each other and luckily I understood what she said. However, if I hadnt been dealing with that particular nurse things might have been very different. Its so difficult to get a sign language interpreter. In the meantime its hard to know what to do when our hospital appointments get postponed.

Male interpreters

Meanwhile, the lack of a male interpreter in the Cork area has raised significant challenges for Graham OShea. A woman has the right to pick a female interpreter, said Mr O'Shea.

It might be a female issue in the hospital but sometimes a male interpreter could be brought in. If this is a female issue then thats not appropriate. I will always choose a male interpreter for any issues that are personal.

"If its something like my eyes or ears thats fine but its important I have a male interpreter for a specific private area of health. There are an awful lot of female interpreters in comparison to male interpreters. If I need this service it means having someone come all the way from Dublin.

He explained why accessing a male interpreter is so important to him.

For a male issue this is very important. In my case, I cant have a woman come into the room. I wouldnt be able to sign. I would freeze because of the embarrassment of talking about something so private.

I have known my own interpreter Mary for years but if she came into the room I wouldnt be able to let her interpret for me. If it was a male interpreter I would be able to express myself and how I feel about that very private issue.

"The presence of a female interpreter would make me very uncomfortable when you consider the private medical issues men have. Having the advantage of a male interpreter would make the conversation with the doctor much smoother.

"I have the right to pick a male interpreter but whether I get one or not depends on the specific location. If I look for a male interpreter there is a chance the date of my appointment will have to be postponed until I get what Im looking for.

Funding

Mr O'Shea explained that many decisions regarding interpreters come down to funding.

Much of the time I am being told the same thing, that it would be too expensive to bring an interpreter down all the way from Dublin. This is a health issue yet we are constantly arguing with the health service and trying to explain that funding is there.

"You find yourself constantly challenging beliefs. Sometimes Ill ask for the person in charge because they are the ones who will eventually approve it. Its more administration where the problem lies.

"I can remember becoming really angry one time because I asked for my preference of interpreter who was in Dublin. They told me they could only access an interpreter who was in Clare or Galway because this was cheaper. The expense would have been the same but it was like they didnt understand the geography.

Breda Brosnan (left) Graham O'Shea of Cork Deaf Club. Picture: Larry Cummins

He puts some of the problems down to a lack of knowledge.

You would expect that someone would understand this but we are constantly trying to re-educate people and make them aware of these issues. Very little change has happened. Attitudes are great but no matter how much education we do it will always depend on funding.

He emphasised that interpreting in a hospital requires specialist skills.

It depends on what the interpreter's skills are. Some will have strengths and weaknesses in the areas that they work in. One interpreter might be very strong in hospital work but cant do court. Hospital settings might not be their strength.

"The assumption is that interpreters are skilled in working in all areas but that just cant be true.

Complaints process

Mr O'Shea said that members of the deaf community can find the complaints process challenging.

I can remember a hospital telling me 10 years ago that they never had a complaint from a deaf person. Deaf people never complained about anything. However, that wasnt the truth. We were angry but we didnt complain because of our literacy issues.

"There is a problem with literacy in the deaf community. A deaf person can only complain if they have the support. If we were able to do this in sign language we would be well able to complain but when it comes to literacy we dont have the confidence and thats very frustrating.

Graham O'Shea (left) and Breda Brosnan of Cork Deaf Club using ISL to communicate. Picture: Larry Cummins

He stressed that there is no substitute for face-to-face interpretation, including remote options.

Sometimes the interpreter will be live on screen. They will have a remote interpreter who is at home and that can be very poor. Sometimes you might have poor wi-fi as hospitals often do.

"In these situations you are at a greater risk of misunderstanding what is being said, whereas if an interpreter is there face-to-face between the doctor and the client that is a much smoother process. Remote interpreting carries great risks. In a hospital you need to be face-to-face.
We hear a lot about youth mental health from adults. But what do teenagers and young adults really experience?

In a series of conversations, four young people shared how they got through a mental health crisis and how others should be helped.

Hunter

Hunter Cox is 18, finished their Leaving Certificate and is ready for third-level education. They are in a very different place to where theywere at 16.

So I got to a point where I just wanted to leave school, they said. I said to my year head, here look I need to leave this place, Im not coming back.

They described a rough patch and the maze of organisations they navigated to get help, supported by their mother.

At first, Hunter was referred to Jigsaw, the national youth mental health charity. But instead of an appointment for their nearest centre in Dublin, they were put on a waiting list, a common problem then as pandemic pressures rose.

They think they are probably still on that list, but in the meantime tried other options. I went to see the school counsellor, at that stage it was the only thing I had access to, they said, explaining expensive private therapy was not an option.

Online listings this week show private sessions for teens can cost from 70 upwards per appointment.

The family GP also referred them to an adult mental health service. At the time I was only 17 so they couldnt see me, they couldnt do anything like that, Hunter said.

"They said you have to send another referral in, and that could take months or years. It was actually crazy."

Hunter also got involved with the Foroige youth organisation and praised a youth worker they met there. Its not that she turned my life around but she helped me manage some of my anxiety symptoms, they explained.

Now a volunteer with Spunout, a youth information and support platform, they meet people still facing these obstacles.

And people would say they give up because its like there is nowhere, theyre not accepting you or the centres were taking too long or just refusing to actually see you or actually do anything for you, they warned.

They plan to study psychology, and said: I want to help people get those services because I feel there is definitely not enough people working in those services to actually help people that need it the most.

Jack

Jack, now 18, said his biggest challenges also came around 16. He asked for his surname not be used. He described a crisis one weekend when he was already under Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs).

Camhs will tell you to go to A&E but when youre 16 you cant go to the childrens hospital and the adult hospital wont admit you because youd be put with adults, so youre left literally with nowhere to go in crisis, he explained.

He added:

Camhs are 9-5, Monday to Friday but like crisis doesnt stop at 5pm on a Friday.

He added: In fairness, I had a good psychiatrist in Camhs who (often) stayed late to see me.

He described day-to-day challenges too, saying: Staff rotation is shocking. In six months I had six different clinicians and you have to build a rapport with them, its so bad.

Having to re-tell his story was really frustrating and tiring with gaps of weeks between appointments even after this crisis. For my parents that was really their breaking point, they were really at their wits end, he said.

This year he transferred to Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS) and was stunned to see the same gaps.

He said:

I saw the psychiatrist, the consultant and she referred me to psychology. And I got a letter, maybe three weeks ago to say I got accepted but the wait is 18 to 24 months until Ill get a psychologist.

So that was really shocking, I thought Camhs were bad but then 

Now a volunteer with Spunout and Jigsaw, he recently spoke at a seminar hosted by Taoiseach Simon Harris and called for urgent reforms, warning: If ye keep pushing it off, more young people are going to commit suicide.

Psychology is his plan now too, and he said: I want to be that person to someone, like the psychiatrist I did have who was really good. He was a bit of a light that I had and I want to be that to someone else.

Dan

Dan Kelly, 21 and from Tipperary, feels the pandemic has left its impact on people his age. You were pulled out of your social circles for such a long time. People are still struggling with that, he said.

He pointed out anyone struggling with anxiety before the lockdowns would find it harder to re-connect with friends if there is nowhere to go.

Dan Kelly volunteers now with Jigsaw, and says helping young people with their mental health should not be separate from other issues. Photo: Jigsaw YA

If youre living in a rural area, youre out in the country and you have very little access to social groups. So then investing in communities as well is important, he said. If politicians are investing in our communities, theyre indirectly investing in young peoples mental health as well.

The lack of broadband can be an issue in rural areas, he said, saying this is something politicians could fix.

Ive had issues at home in Tipp when the broadband isnt there and you miss the session, he said, saying online mental health support can be a gamechanger for people unable to travel.

He volunteers now with Jigsaw, and says helping young people with their mental health should not be separate from other issues.

Young woman from Laois

Another young woman, aged 20 from Laois, saw how devastating waiting times can be. She asked her name not be used so she could describe this without blaming anyone. She first went to her GP at 17.

"I was in a very bad place. I was actively self-harming, I was going through a lot of struggles in my life, she said.

She was not referred to Camhs to her parents' shock and said: I remember coming out of that bawling crying because I didnt think I was bad enough. (A referral) goes on severity and I think their level of severity now is so high before you can get referred.

I ended up trying to take my own life. Then obviously I ended up in Camhs because they took it a lot more seriously, and I think this is important.

She warned: Its not taken seriously because of how long the waiting lists are and how little support you have to be on  you have to be literally at breaking level  to get support.

Once in Camhs, she had a good psychiatrist and a good experience. She was diagnosed with ADHD, now saying this was causing much of her challenges.

She urged the media to highlight successes, saying: All we see on social media and news is the hardship thats in the mental health services, and I think its good to spread awareness.

"Nobody is hearing about the people whove made it through it and recovered.

In May, Minister of state for mental health Mary Butler announced an additional 10m for mental health services, focused on Camhs and online safety.

At the same time, she sees through volunteering with Spunout obstacles remain. I dont really blame the GPs or blame anybody, I just blame the system, the system is broken, she said.

In May, Minister of state for mental health Mary Butler announced an additional 10m for mental health services, focused on Camhs and online safety.

Listening to these young people, it is clear money is only part of the solution, the rest lies in listening much more carefully than we have been.

Contact a support service through the HSE's helpline 1800 111 888 Also Spunout offer a a free, 24/7 text message support service at 50808
Plans to revamp a series of protected buildings in the centre of Cork City have been unveiled.

Holren Properties Limited has applied to Cork City Council for permission for works at 9A, 10, 11, 12 and 13 Castle Street, and 1 to 7 Paradise Place.

The works are focused on the former Catholic Young Men's Society building on South Main Street.

The proposal includes the refurbishment of two buildings.

It involves the change of use of a ground-floor retail shop to a betting shop, the demolition of the internal walls between 10, 11, 12, and 13 Castle Street, the addition of new projecting and fascia signage, and the removal of old ones.

The change of use of the first and second floors of all the buildings is proposed too, moving from storage to residential use, with six one-bed apartments proposed for construction too.

Elsewhere, a developer is seeking to develop a series of residential units on Washington Street.

Chimera Ltd has applied for permission to convert the vacant first, second, and third floors of numbers 38 and 39 Washington Street from former restaurant and office use to residential.

If approved, it would see five residential units  four one-bed apartments and one two-bed apartment  developed in the two buildings, which are also protected structures.
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.
Ryanair chief executive Michael OLeary has called for alcohol limits in airports to tackle a rise in disorder on flights.

Mr OLeary claimed passengers should be restricted to two drinks per journey to curb what he says is an increase in antisocial behaviour and violence.

He told The Daily Telegraph violent outbursts are occurring weekly with alcohol, especially when mixed with other substances.

A Ryanair plane taking off from Stansted Airport (PA)

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, he said, adding it was difficult for airlines to identify inebriated people at the gate, especially when boarding in a group.

As long as they can stand up and shuffle they will get through. Then when the plane takes off we see the misbehaviour.

Mr OLeary said crew members and other passengers have become targets with delays adding to the problem with longer drinking times at airports.

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, he claimed.

Its the mix. You get much more aggressive behaviour that becomes very difficult to manage.

Mr OLeary said Ryanair staff search bags before passengers are allowed to board flights to Ibiza, one of the party destinations he says are worst affected which include some of the Greek islands.
French prosecutors are expected to charge or release the chief executive of the popular messaging app Telegram, Pavel Durov, after his police custody order expires.

Durov was detained on Saturday at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of a judicial inquiry opened last month involving 12 alleged criminal violations.

They include allegations that his platform is being used for selling child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, fraud, and abetting organised crime transactions, as well as claims that Telegram refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.

Under French law, Durov can be held in custody for questioning for up to 96 hours after the arrest.

The Paris prosecutors office said in a statement that Durovs police custody order was extended on Monday evening for up to 48 hours. After that, authorities must release or charge him.

His arrest in France has caused outrage in Russia, with some government officials 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.

In Iran, where Telegram is widely used despite being officially banned after years of protests challenging the countrys Shia theocracy, Durovs arrest in France prompted comments from the Islamic Republics supreme leader.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei weighed in with veiled praise for France for being strict against those who violate your governance of the internet.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that 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.

In a statement posted on its platform after Durovs 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.

Durov is a citizen of Russia, France, the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean island nation of St Kitts and Nevis.

The UAE foreign ministry said it is closely following the case and had asked France to provide Durov with all the necessary consular services in an urgent manner.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he hoped that Durov has all the necessary opportunities for his legal defence 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, Mr Peskov said.
A Russian missile has struck Kryvyi Rih, authorities said, just as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys home city was observing an official day of mourning after an attack on the previous day killed four civilians at a hotel.

The latest attack on the city struck civilian infrastructure, injuring four people, local administration head Oleksandr Vilkul said on social media.

The previous attack on Tuesday, which also wounded five people in Kryvyi Rih in addition to the four dead, was part of a barrage of dozens of missiles and drones across Ukraine that Russia launched for a second consecutive day.

Regional head Serhii Lysak said: When Kryvyi Rih is in mourning, the enemy attacks again. And it once again aims at civilians.

Our resilience is also the result of the tireless efforts of all our people who do their utmost to ensure that life prevails over the harshest of war circumstances.



This includes the work of our SES rescuers, medics, police officers, volunteerseveryone who helps our people. pic.twitter.com/Yn4PPpKC83  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) August 28, 2024

Russia stepped up its bombing of Ukraine on Monday, when it fired more than 100 missiles and a similar number of drones in its biggest onslaught in weeks.

The intensified bombing campaign coincided with what could prove to be a decisive period of the war, which Russia launched on February 24 2022.

Russian forces have been driving deeper into Ukraines partly occupied eastern Donetsk region, whose total capture is one of the Kremlins primary ambitions.

Russias army is closing in on Pokrovsk, a critical logistics hub for the Ukrainian defence in the area.

At the same time, Ukraine has sent its forces into Russias Kursk region in recent weeks in the largest incursion onto Russian soil since the Second World War.

The move is in part an effort to force Russia to draw troops away from the Donetsk front.

At the hotel in Kryvyi Rih, rescuers on Wednesday found another body under the rubble. The rescue operation was subsequently ended.

Meanwhile, Ukraine claimed its anti-aircraft defences destroyed a Russian Su-25 jet in the Donetsk region.

Ukraine also kept up its long-range drone attacks on Russias rear logistical areas, setting fire to a fuel depot.
Israel has launched a large-scale military operation in the occupied West Bank, with its forces killing 10 Palestinian militants and sealing off the volatile city of Jenin.

Near-daily raids have been carried out by Israel in the West Bank since Hamas October 7 attack out of Gaza triggered the ongoing war there.

Israel says it is rooting out militants to prevent attacks on its citizens, while Palestinians in the West Bank fear it intends to broaden the war and forcibly displace more of them.

Bulldozers have been seen in the streets at the West Bank refugee camp of Al-Faraa (AP)

Lt Col Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesman, said large forces had entered Jenin, long a militant stronghold, as well as Tulkarem and the Al-Faraa refugee camp dating back to the 1948 Middle East war, all in the northern West Bank.

He said Israeli forces had killed nine militants, including three in an air strike in Tulkarem and four in a strike in Al-Faraa. He said another five suspected militants were arrested, and that the raids were the first stage of an even larger operation.

Hamas announced that 10 of its fighters had been killed in the West Bank on Wednesday. Palestinian militant groups also said they were exchanging fire with Israeli troops.

The governor of Jenin, Kamal Abu al-Rub, said on Palestinian radio that Israeli forces had surrounded the city, blocking exit and entry points and access to hospitals, and ripping up infrastructure in the camp.

A youth rides his bicycle past an Israeli armoured vehicle in Jenin (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)

The Palestinian health ministry in the West Bank said Israeli forces had blocked the roads leading to a hospital with dirt barriers and surrounded other medical facilities in Jenin.

Lt Col Shoshani said the military was trying to prevent militants from taking shelter in hospitals.

An Associated Press reporter saw army vehicles blocking all the entrances to Al-Faraa camp.

Military jeeps and bulldozers entered the camp and soldiers were seen patrolling its alleyways by foot, while water leaked onto the damaged streets from houses where fighting had damaged tanks and pipes. Shots rang out every few minutes.

Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz drew comparisons with Gaza and called for similar measures in the West Bank.

This is a complete stripping of humanity. A never-ending tragedy.



Families across the #GazaStrip continue to be forced to flee, forced to leave their homes and belongings behind. All they can now do is try to stay alive.



People have lost absolutely everything. #CeasefireNow pic.twitter.com/qL22oawYPM  UNRWA (@UNRWA) August 26, 2024

We must deal with the threat just as we deal with the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza, including the temporary evacuation of Palestinian residents and whatever steps might be required. This is a war in every respect, and we must win it, he wrote on the platform X.

Lt Col Shoshani said there was no plan to evacuate civilians.

Hamas called on Palestinians in the West Bank to rise up, calling the raids part of a larger plan to expand the war in Gaza and blaming the escalation on US support for Israel.

The militant group called on security forces loyal to the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, which cooperate with Israel, to join the sacred battle of our people.

Hamas called on Palestinians in the West Bank to rise up (AP)

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for Palestinian authority President Mahmoud Abbas, condemned the raids as a serious escalation and called on the United States to intervene. Mr Abbas later announced he was cutting short a visit to Saudi Arabia and returning to the West Bank, where his government is based.

At least 652 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli fire since the war in Gaza began more than 10 months ago, according to the Palestinian ministry. Most died during raids, which often trigger gun battles with militants.

Israel says the operations are required to dismantle Hamas and other militant groups. Attacks on Israelis have risen since the start of the war.

The Palestinian health ministry said the bodies of seven people were brought to the hospital in Tubas, another West Bank city, and another two were brought to the hospital in Jenin. The ministry identified the two killed in Jenin as Qassam Jabarin, 25, and Asem Balout, 39.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed since the Hamas attack on October 7 (AP)

Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war. The Palestinians want all three for a future state.

Israel has built scores of settlements across the West Bank, which are home to over 500,000 Jewish settlers. They have Israeli citizenship, while the three million Palestinians in the West Bank live under Israeli military rule, with the Palestinian Authority exercising limited control over population centres.

The war in Gaza erupted when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel and rampaged through army bases and farming communities, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250.

The militants are still holding some 110 hostages, around a third of whom are believed to be dead, after most of the rest were released during a November ceasefire.

Israeli forces regularly carry out raids in the occupied West Bank (AP)

Israel responded with an offensive that has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gazas health ministry, which does not specify how many were militants. Around 90% of Gazas population has been displaced, often multiple times, and Israeli bombardment and ground operations have caused vast destruction.

Israeli strikes in Gaza overnight and into Wednesday killed at least 24 people, including five women and five children, according to Palestinian health officials. AP reporters at two hospitals confirmed the toll.

One strike hit tents housing displaced people near the central town of Deir al-Balah, killing eight including two brothers, aged six and 17.

The US, Qatar and Egypt have spent months trying to mediate a cease-fire that would see the remaining hostages released. But the talks have repeatedly bogged down as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed total victory over Hamas and the militant group has demanded a lasting ceasefire and a full withdrawal from the territory.

There was no sign of a breakthrough after days of talks in Egypt, and the negotiations move to Qatar this week.
The United Nations Security Council has demanded a halt to the growing attacks between Lebanons Hezbollah militants and Israeli forces and warned that further escalation carries the high risk of leading to a widespread conflict.

The councils 15 members unanimously approved a resolution that urges the relevant actors to restore calm, restraint and stability across the UN-drawn boundary between Israel and Lebanon.

The resolution extended the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, which has been in the country since 1978, for another year.

Unifil was created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon after Israels 1978 invasion.

The UN expanded its mission following the 2006 war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah, allowing peacekeepers to deploy along the Israeli border to help the Lebanese military extend its authority into the countrys south for the first time in decades.

Hezbollah supporters in Lebanon frequently accuse the UN mission of collusion with Israel, while Israel has accused the peacekeepers of turning a blind eye to Hezbollahs military activities in southern Lebanon.

During the ongoing clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, Unifil facilities or vehicles have been hit by shelling or gunfire on several occasions.

Earlier this month, Unifil said three peacekeepers who were on patrol were lightly injured when an explosion occurred near their vehicle.
Donald Trump has shared more than a dozen posts on his social media network that call for the trial or jailing of legislators who investigated the attack on the US Capitol and special counsel Jack Smith, along with images that reference the QAnon conspiracy theory.

The former president began posting a string of messages on Tuesday evening after Mr Smith filed a new indictment against him over his efforts to undo his loss in the 2020 presidential election.

The new indictment keeps the same criminal charges but narrows the allegations against Mr Trump following a Supreme Court opinion last month that extended broad immunity to former presidents.

Republican presidential nominee former president Donald Trump speaks during a stop at a campaign office in Roseville, Michigan (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

Mr Trump reposted a doctored image that was made to look like President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in orange prison jumpsuits, among other political figures, and a lewd post about Ms Harris and Ms Clinton that referenced a sex act.

One post seemed to suggest former president Barack Obama should be tried in a military court.

Mr Trump has long talked about seeking retribution against perceived enemies if he wins a second term.

He has publicly bristled in recent weeks at the advice of his campaign advisers to focus his message on policy around the economy and the border, rather than indulge in personal attacks that were seen as distracting from the case he is trying to make to voters.

His campaign did not respond to a message seeking comment on Wednesday about the flurry of posts on Truth Social, the former presidents social media network where he communicates primarily to his most devoted base of supporters.

On Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, the Republican candidate posted messages in his own words reacting to the indictment and renewing his complaints about the gag order he is under in his New York hush money criminal case.

Mr Trump then began sharing more than a dozen posts from other users on the network that included the calls for Mr Smith to be prosecuted, the legislators on the House committee investigating the Capitol attack to be jailed, and more.

One image showed Mr Smith with devil horns and red eyes.

Donald Trump, right, poses with a supporter during a stop at a campaign office (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

A spokesman for Smith declined to comment on Wednesday.

James Singer, a spokesperson for the Harris campaign, said the posts show what Mr Trump is offering the country: Prosecuting political opponents, using dangerous conspiracy theories to justify harmful policies, and dividing Americans against each other.

One post featured an image of Mr Trump and former president Barack Obama with the words: All roads lead to Obama retruth if you want public military tribunals.

Some of the other posts Mr Trump shared included phrases circulated among followers of QAnon, the pro-Trump conspiracy theory, including Nothing can stop what is coming, Hold the line and WWG1WGA, which is an initialism for Where we go one, we go all.

Mr Trump in recent years has openly embraced followers of QAnon after years of winking at the theory, centred on the baseless belief that Mr Trump is waging a secret campaign against enemies in the deep state and a child sex trafficking ring run by satanic peadophiles and cannibals.

The former presidents indulgence of the conspiracy theory is among the ways he has embraced the far-right fringe of his political movement.

Mr Trump has also championed those jailed for their role in the violent January 6 2021 attack on the US Capitol.

He is listed as an invited guest speaker at the J6 Awards Gala fundraiser on September 5 at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, for defendants charged in the insurrection.

The event is advertised online as intending to honour and celebrate the twenty defendants who contributed to the powerful Justice For All song.

Mr Trump has played the song  a version of the Star-Spangled Banner sung by a group of defendants jailed over their alleged roles in the 2021 violence and recorded over a jail phone line, overlaid with Mr Trump reciting the Pledge of Allegiance  at some of his campaign rallies in recent years.

On Wednesday, Trumps campaign confirmed that the GOP nominee will not be in attendance at next weeks J6 Awards Gala.

Organisers for the event, which also lists Rudy Giuliani and Anthony Raimondi as speakers, did not immediately respond to a message on Wednesday seeking more details.

The former president vowed to pardon many of those convicted.

He has in the past spoken at or recorded messages for groups fundraising to support the defendants, including one at his Bedminster club last year, and in March 2023 hosted a dinner for family members of the defendants.
1371138342::cfb49c8e-2422-11e5-99a3-d7f5c6e8b241

A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more.
An N.C. House Select Committee is recommending that the General Assembly change a state law forcing districts to start school the Monday closest to Aug. 26 and end no later than the Friday clo
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment)  The Israelis are not only expelling thousands of innocent civilians from the town of Deir al-Balah in the center of the Gaza Strip, they gave only a few hours notice that some 200 UN personnel had to abruptly depart their offices and dwellings there. UN head of safety and security, Gilles Michaud, told Al Jazeera, the timing could hardly be worse, given that the UN is ramping up an enormous polio vaccination campaign, which will require a large number of new UN personnel to get on the ground in Gaza.

The Israeli expulsions were so disheartening that on Monday, an anonymous senior UN official told Reuters, Were unable to deliver today with the conditions that were in. As of this morning, were not operating in Gaza.

On Tuesday, Michaud tried to clean up the leak, insisting, The United Nations is determined to stay in Gaza. He added, Humanitarian aid delivery continues  a tremendous feat given that we are operating at the upper-most peripheries of tolerable risk. Mass evacuation orders are the latest in a long list of unbearable threats to UN and humanitarian personnel.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that the extensive and brutal Israeli expulsion orders forcing Palestinians from Deir al-Balah, the last effective humanitarian hub in the Gaza Strip, have made it almost impossible for UN humanitarian agencies to do their work, since they have to leave, as well.

The new Israeli expulsion directives in Deir al Balah, forcing people south to al-Mawasi on the Mediterranean coast, have displaced humanitarian personnel from various UN agencies, NGOs, and service organizations, along with their families, significantly obstructing their ability to provide crucial assistance and services. Specifically, the directive issued on 25 August had a dire impact on 15 UN and NGO facilities, in addition to four UN storage sites.

OCHA coordinator for humanitarian affairs in Gaza, Muhannad Hadi, warned, The water supply in Deir al Balah has decreased by at least 70 per cent due to the shutdown of pumps and desalination plants located within evacuation zones. A severe chlorine shortage for water disinfection, with reserves expected to last only one more month, is fueling disease, skin infections, hepatitis A and now polio.

OCHA quotes Doctors without Borders (MSF), which said on Monday that many people had opted to flee from the Al Aqsa Hospital, prompted by the close proximity to the latest area designated for evacuation in Deir al Balah and an explosion that occurred 250 meters from the hospital. Citing the Ministry of Health, MSF added that, out of approximately 650 patients, only 100 now remain in the hospital. The Israeli army said that it had not demanded people leave the medical facilities, according to the BBC, but it clearly created conditions by fighting near them in Deir al-Balah that impelled people to flee. OCHA says of this war, As of 20 August, WHO had recorded 505 [Israeli] health attacks in the Strip, which had resulted in 752 people killed, 982 injured, and 32 hospitals and 63 ambulances damaged.

OCHA says that expulsion directives and hostilities near hospitals and medical centers continue to jeopardize these facilities by rendering them potentially non-operational due to insecurity and lack of safe access for patients, ambulances, and health organizations to resupply them. Hospitals are running out of the diesel fuel necessary for their electricity generators.

Almost daily fresh Israeli-issued expulsion directives are further aggravating the humanitarian crisis, having a severe impact on hundreds of thousands of individuals. Between 23 and 25 August, the Israeli armed forces issued three new expulsion directives affecting over 19 districts in Northern Gaza and in Deir al Balah. Over 8,000 individuals were residing in the areas designated for expulsion of the population, many in 13 internally displaced person (IDP) camps.



Refugees Again, Digital, Dream/ Dreamland v3 / Clip2Comic, 2024

In August, the Israeli armed forces issued a total of 16 expulsion directives, affecting 258,000 people, about 12 percent of Gazas population. They have forced the entire population of over 2 million people to huddle in the southwestern area of Al Mawasi (circled on the map below). Al Mawasi was not a city, just more or less some dunes in the desert and a small town, and it is not suitable as a refuge for so many civilians.



Via Wikimedia Commons, Gringer (talk) 14:01, 8 January 2009 (UTC); file licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.. Modified by Juan Cole, 8/27/2024.

The extreme overcrowding in Al Mawasi, with a density of 30,000 to 34,000 individuals per square kilometer, has worsened the acute shortage of vital resources such as water, sanitation and hygiene supplies, healthcare services, protection, and shelter. Al Mawasi comprises approximately 11 percent of Gazas total area, only around 41 square kilometers. The zone is deficient in crucial infrastructure and fundamental services, while the provision of aid is restricted because of access and security challenges.

Hadi said,They are forcing families to flee again, often under fire and with the few belongings they can carry with them, into an ever-shrinking area that is overcrowded, polluted, with limited services and  like the rest of Gaza  unsafe. People are being deprived of access to services essential for their survival, including medical facilities, shelters, water wells and humanitarian supplies.
Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association | 

Larry Jameson

Interim President, the University of Pennsylvania

president@upenn.edu

John Jackson

Provost, the University of Pennsylvania

We write on behalf of the Middle East Studies Association of North America (MESA) and its Committee on Academic Freedom to express our grave concern about the apparent cooperation of the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) with the witch-hunt which the Republican majority on the House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce is conducting against several members of its faculty, as well as faculty and students at other institutions of higher education. Your failure to resist the committees improper demands and resolutely defend your faculty makes a mockery of your universitys avowed commitment to academic freedom.

MESA was founded in 1966 to promote scholarship and teaching on the Middle East and North Africa. The preeminent organization in the field, the Association publishes the prestigious International Journal of Middle East Studies and has nearly 2,800 members worldwide. MESA is committed to ensuring academic freedom and freedom of expression, both within the region and in connection with the study of the region in North America and outside of North America.

In a letter to the president of the University of Pennsylvania and the chair of its board of trustees dated 24 January 2024, Representative Virginia Foxx, chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, alleged that the university had failed to address antisemitism on campus or protect its Jewish students, and she requested that the university turn over to the committee a very broad range of documents that would ostensibly enable the committee to investigate these allegations. The letter falsely accused three members of Penns faculty  Associate Professor of Arabic Literature Huda Fakhreddine, Dr. Ahmad Almallah, an artist-in-residence at Penns Creative Writing Program, and Professor of Political Science Robert Vitalis  of making antisemitic remarks and statements of support for Hamas. As we noted in a 9 November 2023 letter calling on Penns administration to defend its faculty against vicious attacks on social media, [t]hese allegations are based on the tendentious conflation of criticism of Israels actions in Gaza and its well-documented violations of Palestinian rights and aspirations with antisemitism.

Unfortunately, it appears that since January 2024 Penn has provided the committee with some of the materials it requested  even though no subpoena has been issued with which the university is legally obligated to comply. On 20 August 2024 the universitys counsel informed Professor Fakhreddine and Dr. Almallah that it had received a request from the committee to provide it with their c.v.s, their syllabi since the fall 2022 semester, all course-wide communications for courses since the fall 2023 semester, and any communications since 8/1/23 relating to the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, Faculty for Justice in Palestine, and/or the Palestine Writes Festival. Penn has agreed to turn over Professor Fakhreddines and Dr. Almallahs c.v.s and syllabi. The extent to which it will comply with the committees other demands is not clear, but it has apparently placed holds on Professor Fakhreddines and Dr. Almallahs university email accounts, which indicates that it may give the committee access to their email messages.

As we noted in a 7 May 2024 letter to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, [t]hrough its recent investigations and public hearings, the committee has threatened the freedoms essential to university life and learning, including academic freedom, freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly. As a result of this campaign, the committee has made our campuses less safe for students, faculty and staff alike. These efforts shock the conscience and violate the First Amendment in ways that are reminiscent of the now-disgraced House Un-American Activities Committee hearings in the late 1940s and 1950s. The letter went on to note that the framing and content of [the committees hearings and investigations] make it clear that many committee members are less concerned with combatting invidious discrimination than with suppressing and punishing pro-Palestine speech.

That the University of Pennsylvania would collaborate with the committees politically motivated investigations, at the cost of sacrificing the academic freedom and right to free speech of members of its faculty, is deeply troubling. We must remind you of the statement on Academic Freedom in Times of War issued by the AAUP on 24 October 2023, which is directly relevant to the current circumstances: It is in tumultuous times that colleges and universities stated commitments to protect academic freedom are most put to the test. As the Israel-Hamas war rages and campus protests proliferate, institutional authorities must refrain from sanctioning faculty members for expressing politically controversial views and should instead defend their right, under principles of academic freedom, to do so.

We therefore call on the University of Pennsylvania to immediately desist from any form of cooperation with the witch-hunt which the House Committee on Education and the Workforce has launched against members of its faculty. We further call on you to affirm your commitment to protect the academic freedom of your faculty, students and staff, and to vigorously defend them against all forms of governmental harassment and intimidation. Finally, we urge you to offer a public apology to the Penn faculty members whose information you chose to turn over to the committee.

We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Asl U. Bali

MESA President

Professor, Yale Law School

Laurie Brand

Chair, Committee on Academic Freedom

Professor Emerita, University of Southern California

cc:

aaup.penn@gmail.com

sigalbp@upenn.edu

lisa.bellini@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

provost@upenn.edu . . .
By Brian VanDeMark, United States Naval Academy | 

(The Conversation)  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.



Kent State, Digital, Dream / Realistic v2 / Clip2Comic, 2024

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.

Brian VanDeMark, Professor of History, United States Naval Academy

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Drilling at Valentre target intersects 3.98 g/t Au over 8.7m and 1.82 g/t Au over 14.35m

Confirms continuity of mineralization between Central Duparquet pit and Dumico pit and demonstrates resource expansion opportunity

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 /First Mining Gold Corp. ("First Mining" or the "Company") (TSX:FF) (OTCQX:FFMGF) (FRA:FMG) is pleased to announce new drilling results from the 2024 Phase 3 diamond drilling program at its Duparquet Gold Project ("Duparquet Project" or the "Project") located in Quebec, Canada. These new drill results further define resource expansion opportunities at an under-tested area termed the Valentre target ("Valentre"), where follow-up drilling is now taking place. Drilling continues on priority targets at the Project where a second drill rig is planned to mobilize in September, allowing First Mining to test regional exploration targets while concurrently advancing recent exploration discoveries at the North Zone (see news release dated June 18, 2024), Buzz (see news release dated February 22, 2024) and Valentre.

Recent drilling at Valentre has returned positive drill intercepts from an area of 175 m of strike length that is under tested and envisioned to establish mineralization continuity within a key area of the project. Highlights of the recent drilling include 3.98 g/t Au over 8.70 m (DUP24-026), and 1.82 g/t Au over 14.35 m (DUP24-027), demonstrating both encouraging grades and widths within an area of potential resource growth and further exploration opportunities.

"We continue to execute on an exploration plan that clearly demonstrates the resource growth potential at Duparquet, already one of the largest undeveloped gold projects in Canada" stated Dan Wilton, CEO of First Mining. "The success at Valentre is a tangible result of the hard work our exploration team has put into understanding the geology at Duparquet over the past two years and gives First Mining confidence in continued exploration success at this robust project."

The Phase 3 drill program commenced in April with a total of approximately 5,700 m completed to date. This program aims to test priority targets focusing on multiple potential resource expansion zones across the Duparquet Project. The initial results returned from the Phase 3 campaign are from select holes at Valentre, which tests an area between the Central Duparquet and Dumico resource pit shells which was previously not drilled due to a historical property boundary. Further Phase 3 drilling has continued at the Buzz Zone and the North Zone Expansion target areas, with additional results expected for future release. Further drill testing is ongoing, focusing on other brownfields opportunities with the aim of identifying higher-grade zones and targeted resource expansion opportunities.

A plan map of the Valentre and Central Duparquet drill holes is presented in Figure 1, and corresponding assay highlights are presented in Table 1, with full assay results listed in Table 2 and drill hole locations in Table 3.

Table 1: Selected Significant Drill Intercepts, 2024 Phase 3 Drill Program - Valentre and Central Duparquet Targets

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Grade (Au g/t) DUP24-025 149.35 151.10 1.75 3.71 DUP24-025 Incl. 150.0 150.50 0.50 8.45 DUP24-025 210.4 225.35 14.95 0.82 DUP24-025 Incl. 220.65 224.55 3.90 1.98 DUP24-025 238.2 243.10 4.90 1.49 DUP24-026 163.0 171.70 8.70 3.98 DUP24-027 195.0 197.85 2.85 2.80 DUP24-027 250.55 264.90 14.35 1.82 DUP24-027 Incl. 263.0 264.00 1.00 5.62

*Reported intervals are drilled core lengths (true widths are estimated at 75-85% of the core length interval, assay values are uncut)

Figure 1: Plan view of select drill holes from the Phase 3 program at the Valentre Target area.

Additional Details on Valentre Drilling

The Valentre drilling strategy is focused on targeting resource growth opportunities towards the eastern side of the main resource where an opportunity for strike extension of the mineralization was identified. This mineralization extension opportunity spans 175 m on strike between two established centres of mineral resource wireframes (Central Duparquet and Dumico). During the 2023 drilling program, an initial single hole (DUP23-006) was drilled to test this opportunity, resulting in the successful identification of six intervals of significant gold mineralization including 1.71 g/t Au over 8.9m (refer to news release dated January 9, 2024).

The initial 2024 Valentre follow-up drilling campaign, comprising of three holes (DUP24-025, DUP24-026 and DUP24-027), has now confirmed continuity in the mineralization along strike and at depth. Mineralization in all three holes is associated with strong silica-altered syenite with dark grey quartz veining and up to 5% fine-grained disseminated pyrite throughout the unit as illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4. Higher-grade zones are consistent along interpreted D2 structures, which are characterized by strong shearing and/or brecciation observed in the core.

Figure 2: Valentre Target - DUP24-025 is a hole targeting the potential mineralization continuity between Central Duparquet and Dumico. Significant intercepts are highlighted downhole, with higher-grade zones identified along altered mineralized syenite units. The cross section is looking west.

Figure 3: Valentre Target - DUP24-026 is a second hole targeting the potential mineralization continuity between Central Duparquet and Dumico. Significant intercepts are highlighted downhole, with higher-grade zones identified along altered mineralized syenite units. This drill hole is also a test of mineralization continuity up-dip of previously drilled hole DUP23-006.The cross section is looking west.

Figure 4: Central Duparquet Target - DUP24-027 is a hole targeting the potential mineralization continuity between Central Duparquet and Valentre as well as at depth. Significant intercepts are highlighted downhole, with higher-grade zones identified along altered mineralized syenite units. The cross section is looking west.

An additional 12 holes (Figure 5) are planned for Valentre in the 2024 drilling campaign, which aims to further test the strike extension as well as depth expansion opportunities alongside advancing the characterization of the mineralization in support of delineating higher-grade trends. This drilling will further provide support in new wireframe updates. Valentre has returned significant upside and value to the Duparquet Project and is a priority area for exploration optimization and potential extension of the current open pit and underground mineral resource. The recent drill results continue to support the area as a highly prospective target zone for the Project, with potential to unlock meaningful upside along strike and at depth (Figure 5).

Figure 5: Representative long section through the Central Duparquet, Valentre, and Dumico Targets, highlighting the multiple significant intercepts returned in 2023 and in the 2024 Phase 3 program as well as the upcoming drill hole targets aimed at unlocking exploration opportunities

Duparquet 2024 Exploration Program

Exploration activities continue to advance at the Duparquet Project through 2024, with ongoing drilling and regional field work programs. Exploration efforts are advancing with the follow up programs established through a prospectivity and target pipeline, which has recently been further augmented by the completion of an airborne geophysical magnetic and VLF-EM surveys as well as property wide expansion of the 3D geological and target model. The remainder of the 2024 program will advance with two drill rigs on the project and the close out of the summer field campaigns developed in support of the Company's integrated geoscience exploration strategy.

Table 2: Phase 3 Valentre and Central Duparquet Drilling - Significant Assays

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Grade (Au g/t) DUP24-025 6.00 7.00 1.00 0.40 DUP24-025 25.00 26.00 1.00 0.72 DUP24-025 73.35 74.90 1.55 0.77 DUP24-025 112.00 113.00 1.00 4.85 DUP24-025 124.75 125.95 1.20 3.40 DUP24-025 135.45 137.35 1.90 0.74 DUP24-025 149.35 151.10 1.75 3.71 DUP24-025 incl. 150.00 150.50 0.50 8.45 DUP24-025 181.75 182.35 0.60 0.59 DUP24-025 207.00 208.00 1.00 0.92 DUP24-025 210.40 225.35 14.95 0.82 DUP24-025 incl. 220.65 224.55 3.90 1.98 DUP24-025 232.80 233.50 0.70 0.55 DUP24-025 238.20 243.10 4.90 1.49 DUP24-026 34.05 37.00 2.95 0.88 DUP24-026 46.85 49.25 2.40 0.55 DUP24-026 89.00 90.00 1.00 0.97 DUP24-026 94.00 95.65 1.65 0.52 DUP24-026 133.55 135.00 1.45 1.08 DUP24-026 163.00 171.70 8.70 3.98 DUP24-027 64.35 65.20 0.85 0.41 DUP24-027 189.50 190.65 1.15 0.90 DUP24-027 195.00 197.85 2.85 2.80 DUP24-027 207.80 208.65 0.85 0.47 DUP24-027 241.75 243.20 1.45 0.58 DUP24-027 250.55 264.90 14.35 1.82 DUP24-027 incl. 263.00 264.00 1.00 5.62 DUP24-027 272.25 273.50 1.25 2.74 DUP24-027 297.50 300.45 2.95 1.33 DUP24-027 305.00 306.00 1.00 1.26

*Reported intervals are drilled core lengths (true widths are estimated at 75-85% of the core length interval; assay values are uncut)

Table 3: Phase 3 Drill Hole Locations, Valentre and Central Duparquet Targets

Hole ID Azimuth () Dip () Length (m) Easting Northing DUP24-025 175 -60 294 633555 5373924 DUP24-026 175 -45 177 633456 5373909 DUP24-027 185 -75 315 633361 5373898

Note: Collar coordinates in UTM NAD 83 z17

About the Duparquet Gold Project

The Duparquet Project is geologically situated in the southern part of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt and is geographically located approximately 50 km north of the city of Rouyn-Noranda. The Project benefits from easy access and proximity to an existing workforce and infrastructure, including road, rail and hydroelectric grid power. The Duparquet Project currently hosts an NI 43-101 compliant gold resource of 3.44 million ounces in the Measured & Indicated category, grading 1.55 g/t Au, and an additional 2.64 million ounces in the Inferred category, grading 1.62 g/t Au. First Mining completed a Preliminary Economic Assessment1 ("PEA") on the Project in 2023 (see news releases dated September 7, 2023 and October 23, 2023).

The Duparquet Project totals approximately 5,800 hectares focused on an area of 19 km of strike length along the prolific Destor-Porcupine Fault Zone, along with numerous mineralized splays and influential secondary lineaments. The Duparquet Project includes the past-producing Beattie, Donchester and Duquesne mines as well as the Central Duparquet, Dumico and Pitt Gold deposits.

1 Further details on the Duparquet PEA can be found in the technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report: Preliminary Economic Assessment, Duparquet Gold Project, Quebec, Canada" dated October 20, 2023, which was prepared for First Mining by G Mining Services Inc. in accordance with NI 43-101 and is available under First Mining's SEDAR profile at www.sedarplus.ca

Analytical Laboratory and QA/QC Procedures

All sampling completed by First Mining within its exploration programs is subject to a Company standard of internal quality control and quality assurance (QA/QC) programs which include the insertion of certified reference materials, blank materials and a level of duplicate analysis. Core samples from the 2024 drilling program at Duparquet were sent to AGAT Laboratories, with sample preparation in Val d'Or and analysis in Thunder Bay, where they were processed for gold analysis by 50 gram fire assay with an atomic absorption finish. Samples from selected holes were sent to AGAT Laboratories in Calgary, Alberta, for multi-element analysis (including silver) by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) method with a four acid digest. AGAT Laboratories systems conform to requirements of ISO/IEC Standard 17025 guidelines and meets assay requirements outlined for NI 43-101.

Qualified Person

Louis Martin, P.Geo., Senior Geologic Consultant of First Mining, is a "Qualified Person" for the purposes of NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release.

About First Mining Gold Corp.

First Mining is a gold developer advancing two of the largest gold projects in Canada, the Springpole Gold Project in northwestern Ontario, where we have commenced a Feasibility Study and permitting activities are on-going with a draft Environmental Impact Statement ("EIS") for the project published in June 2022, and the Duparquet Project in Quebec, a PEA-stage development project located on the Destor-Porcupine Fault Zone in the prolific Abitibi region. First Mining also owns the Cameron Gold Project in Ontario and a portfolio of gold project interests including the Pickle Crow Gold Project (being advanced in partnership with Firefly Metals Ltd.) and the Hope Brook Gold Project (being advanced in partnership with Big Ridge Gold Corp.).

First Mining was established in 2015 by Mr. Keith Neumeyer, founding President and CEO of First Majestic Silver Corp.

ON BEHALF OF FIRST MINING GOLD CORP.

Daniel W. Wilton

Chief Executive Officer and Director

For further information, please contact:

Toll Free: 1 844 306 8827 | Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Paul Morris | Director, Investor Relations | Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "intends", "estimates", "envisages", "potential", "possible", "strategy", "goals", "opportunities", "objectives", 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.

Forward-looking statements in this news release relate to future events or future performance and reflect current estimates, predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events. All forward-looking statements are based on First Mining's or its consultants' current beliefs as well as various assumptions made by them and information currently available to them. 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 reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the respective parties, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Such factors include, without limitation the Company's business, operations and financial condition potentially being materially adversely affected by the outbreak of epidemics, pandemics or other health crises, and by reactions by government and private actors to such outbreaks; risks to employee health and safety as a result of the outbreak of epidemics, pandemics or other health crises, that may result in a slowdown or temporary suspension of operations at some or all of the Company's mineral properties as well as its head office; fluctuations in the spot and forward price of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in the currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar versus the U.S. dollar); changes in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins and flooding); the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities, indigenous populations and other stakeholders; availability and increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development; title to properties.; and the additional risks described in the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca, and in the Company's Annual Report on Form 40-F filed with the SEC on EDGAR.

First Mining cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on our forward-looking statements to make decisions with respect to First Mining, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. First Mining 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 our behalf, except as required by law.

Cautionary Note to United States Investors

The Company is a "foreign private issuer" as defined in Rule 3b-4 under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and is eligible to rely upon the Canada-U.S. Multi-Jurisdictional Disclosure System, and is therefore permitted to prepare the technical information contained herein in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of the securities laws currently in effect in the United States. Accordingly, information concerning mineral deposits set forth herein may not be comparable with information made public by companies that report in accordance with U.S. standards.

Technical disclosure contained in this news release has not been prepared in accordance with the requirements of United States securities laws and uses terms that comply with reporting standards in Canada with certain estimates prepared in accordance with NI 43-101.

NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators that establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning the issuer's material mineral projects. Contact Information

Paul Morris

Director, Investor Relations

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

1.844.306.8827
Vancouver, British Columbia  August 28, 2024  TheNewswire  Rackla Metals Inc. (TSX-V: RAK) (the Company ) is pleased to announce that it has staked the Grad Property in the Northwest Territories (NWT) and initial sampling on the new claims has returned grades up to 92.4 g/t Au.

Rackla staked the 4,000 hectare Grad Property within the Tombstone Gold Belt in the NWT centered on anomalous government regional geochemical survey stream sediment samples in a region that has experienced minimal historical exploration. The claims cover a mapped Mid-Cretaceous, Mayo Suite, granitic stock and at least one other unmapped felsic intrusive body. The mapped Mayo Suite intrusion measures 1.8 by 1 km, while the secondary intrusion is slightly smaller. Both intrusions have a sizable, intensely altered, contact aureole expressed as hornfelsed and iron-stained gossanous Earn Group sediments.

During the staking, quartz sulfide veining was noted on cliffs within the intrusive body and in float in the talus trains. The field crew collected 25 grab samples from outcrop and sub-crop while completing the staking. The analytical results returned over 50% of the samples anomalous for gold. In particular, two samples returned spectacularly high-grade Au-Bi-Te from the mapped intrusion. At the site of these samples abundant quartz-tourmaline veining and disseminated pyrite throughout the intrusion was observed. Both of these samples were from outcrop. One of the samples returned 92.4 g/t Au, >1% Bi, >500 g/t Te. The other, located 40m to the east, returned 15.85 g/t Au, 0.9% Bi, and 331 g/t Te. The preliminary observations from the intrusive stock and these results indicate a multiphase intrusion with stockwork veining, which may represent the upper carapace of a mineralized Reduced Intrusion-Related Gold System.

The Company immediately initiated a follow-up program consisting of stream sediment sampling, talus fine sampling, a photogrammetry survey and detailed rock chip sampling of the face that returned the high-grade gold values. The results of this additional work are pending. Based on the early success of exploring this new property, and the various unmapped intrusive bodies identified, Rackla is staking a larger land position in the area.

CEO Simon Ridgway stated, The first assays returned from the Grad property have generated some excitement within the team. This is a grassroots discovery in an area that has seen limited exploration activity. The team will look to establish the extent of this high-grade Au-Bi-Te system.

Figure 1 - Grad Property Sampling and Mayo Suite Intrusive Outline

Figure 2 - Cliff on southern part of the Grad intrusion showing the location of the 92.4 g/t Au sample. Inset is a close-up view of the sample.

The Rackla team has also completed an exploration program on its Flat and Black properties located near the Cantung mine site. The 2024 program on the Black property included a large soil sample grid (1196 soil samples), prospecting that yielded 66 rock samples and a photogrammetry survey. The target at Black is gold-bearing quartz-arsenopyrite veins hosted in Hyland Group metasedimentary rocks on the margins of a Cretaceous intrusion. The program on the Flat property consisted of prospecting (7 rock samples), stream sediment sampling (3 samples) and a photogrammetry survey. The Flat property is also underlain by Hyland Group sedimentary rocks that host gold-bearing quartz-arsenopyrite veins on the margins of the Cretaceous-aged Tungsten Suite, Boundary Stock. Results from the sampling on these properties are pending.

Qualified Person

Scott Casselman, B.Sc., P.Geo., Vice-President Exploration of the Company, is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia and is the Companys Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Casselman has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release.

About Rackla

Rackla Metals Inc. (TSX-V: RAK) is a Vancouver, Canada based junior gold exploration company. The Company is targeting Reduced Intrusion-Related Gold Systems (RIRGS) mineralization on the southeastern part of the Tombstone Gold Belt in eastern Yukon and western Northwest Territories. Management believes that this area, which is underexplored for RIRGS deposit types, has the potential to be the next frontier for the discovery of these large gold systems.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Simon Ridgway,

CEO and Director

Tel: (604) 801-5432; Fax: (604) 662-8829

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: www.racklametals.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward- looking statements and include, without limitation, the Companys future exploration activities; and general business and economic conditions. Often, but not always, these forward looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as estimate, estimates, estimated, potential, open, future, assumed, projected, used, detailed, has been, gain, upgraded, offset, limited, contained, reflecting, containing, remaining, to be, periodically, or statements that events, could or should occur or be achieved and similar expressions, including negative variations.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Such uncertainties and factors include, among others, changes in general economic conditions and financial markets; the Company or any joint venture partner not having the financial ability to meet its exploration and development goals; risks associated with the results of exploration and development activities, estimation of mineral resources and the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; unanticipated costs and expenses; and such other risks detailed from time to time in the Companys quarterly and annual filings with securities regulators and available under the Companys profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. 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 to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended.

Forward-looking statements contained herein are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management, including but not limited to: that the Companys stated goals and planned exploration activities at its properties will be achieved; that there will be no material adverse change affecting the Company, its properties or its securities; and such other assumptions as set out herein. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 28, 2024 /CNW/ - Vizsla Silver Corp. (TSXV: VZLA) (NYSE: VZLA) (Frankfurt: 0G3) ("Vizsla" or the "Company") is pleased to report results from twenty-two new drill holes targeting the Copala resource area at its 100%-owned, flagship Panuco silver-gold project ("Panuco" or the "Project") located in Mexico. The reported drilling, designed to infill near-surface Indicated Mineral Resources, has confirmed high-grade mineral continuity where initial mining is likely to occur during the first two years of production at Copala central.

Highlights

CS-24-381A returned 6,270 grams per tonne (g/t) silver equivalent (AgEq) over 6.25 metres true width (mTW) (3,698 g/t silver and 41.20 g/t gold) Including 10,634 g/t AgEq over 3.22 mTW (6,304 g/t silver and 69.47 g/t gold)





(3,698 g/t silver and 41.20 g/t gold) CS-24-375 returned 1,212 g/t AgEq over 14.20 mTW (978 g/t silver and 4.56 g/t gold) Including 2,447 g/t AgEq over 0.41 mTW (1,775 g/t silver and 11.80 g/t gold) And, 1,911 g/t AgEq over 0.57 m TW (1,500 g/t silver and 7.74 g/t gold) And, 6,983 g/t AgEq over 1.42 m TW (5,894 g/t silver and 22.97 g/t gold) And, 1,850 g/t AgEq over 0.37 m TW (1,580 g/t silver and 5.85 g/t gold)





(978 g/t silver and 4.56 g/t gold) CS-24-377 returned 1,083 g/t AgEq over 10.00 mTW (895 g/t silver and 3.81 g/t gold) Including 4,669 g/t AgEq over 2.00 mTW (3,915 g/t silver and 15.69 g/t gold)





(895 g/t silver and 3.81 g/t gold) CS-24-380 returned 2,554 g/t AgEq over 13.30 mTW (1,861 g/t silver and 12.20 g/t gold) Including 6,037 g/t AgEq over 4.36 mTW (4,463 g/t silver and 28.02 g/t gold) And, 4,863 g/t AgEq over 1.14 mTW (3,190 g/t silver and 27.80 g/t gold)

(1,861 g/t silver and 12.20 g/t gold)

"Infill drilling at Copala continues to highlight excellent precious metals continuity," commented Michael Konnert, President & CEO. "Our recent infill campaign focused on upgrading resources within the area designated for the first two years of potential production. Not only has this program been successful in demonstrating continuity of high grades but has also expanded the local high-grade footprint closer to surface. Based on these results, we have commenced an additional +5,000 metre program designed to both extend resources outboard of the current MRE and to upgrade additional inferred resources at Copala. This additional drilling is expected to be completed in late September."

The precious metals dominant Copala structure, located in the western portion of the Panuco district, is situated ~800 m to the east of the Napoleon Vein. Copala currently hosts Indicated Resources of 83.3 Moz AgEq at 573 g/t AgEq and Inferred Resources of 48.3 Moz AgEq at 476 g/t AgEq within a broad envelope of vein-breccia interlayered with host rock, up to 82 metres thick (please refer to our Technical Report on Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Panuco Ag-Au-Pb-Zn Project, Sinaloa State, Mexico, by Allan Armitage, Ben Eggers and Peter Mehrfert, dated February 12, 2024 and to Vizsla's press release dated January 8, 2024). Interpretations by Vizsla geologists indicate Copala has an average dip of ~46 to the east (~35 in its northern sector and steepening to ~65 in the southern sector).

Exploration and Resource drilling at Copala has traced mineralization along ~1,770 metres of strike length and ~400 metres down dip. The recently completed infill program at Copala central consisted of 10,172 metres in 33 holes. The program was designed to convert near surface indicated mineral resources in the central portion of the main Copala structure into the measured resource category. The twenty-two infill holes reported herein were drilled at approximately 25 metre centers from pre-existing holes and successfully confirm high-grade precious metals continuity along the main Copala structure. Based on recent mapping with the aid of LiDAR, Vizsla discovered a historic mine adit on surface at Copala central. This, in combination with 3D interpretations of drilling data, supports the potential for resource expansion up dip from the previously reported CS-24-356 hole containing visible gold (see press release dated June 26, 2024). This prospective area for resource expansion is estimated to measure approximately 120 x 200 metres and hosts the possibility for additional near-surface target areas located along strike of Copala and above the intersection between the Copala and Cristiano veins. To test this target, Vizsla has commenced an additional +5,000 metre drill program designed to both expand resources outboard of the current MRE and to convert inferred resources into higher confidence categories (see press release dated August 21, 2024). The +5,000 metre expansion-infill program is expected to be completed in late September.

Drillhole From To Downhole

Length Estimated

True width Ag Au AgEq Vein (m) (m) (m) (m) (g/t) (g/t) (g/t) CS-24-365 346.50 352.50 6.00 4.10 395 2.37 527 Copala Includes 351.00 352.50 1.50 1.03 1,160 6.77 1,533 CS-24-365 360.00 361.30 1.30 1.15 1,950 9.08 2,415 Copala CS-24-368 340.90 342.30 1.40 1.40 2,372 9.06 2,797 Copala 3 Includes 340.90 341.70 0.80 0.80 3,950 15.60 4,694 CS-24-368 349.90 351.65 1.75 1.75 567 2.64 702 Copala 3 CS-24-368 363.00 364.40 1.40 1.40 171 0.76 209 Copala CS-24-368 367.20 368.50 1.30 1.30 175 0.80 216 Copala CS-24-369 318.75 319.75 1.00 0.90 94 0.66 132 Copala 3 CS-24-369 334.00 342.00 8.00 5.80 493 2.14 599 Copala Includes 334.00 334.40 0.40 0.29 950 4.76 1,200 Includes 339.25 340.20 0.95 0.69 2,701 10.03 3,165 CS-24-370 196.50 198.00 1.50 1.40 191 1.02 245 Copala CS-24-371A 218.80 225.25 6.45 4.60 235 1.45 317 Copala CS-24-372 300.00 307.70 7.70 7.50 517 2.45 644 Copala Includes 303.00 304.40 1.40 1.36 1,821 6.23 2,096 CS-24-372 311.20 314.40 3.20 3.00 1,166 5.12 1,422 Copala CS-24-373 185.05 189.00 3.95 2.75 435 2.96 605 Copala Includes 185.05 186.00 0.95 0.66 941 6.66 1,326 CS-24-374 198.90 201.70 2.80 2.30 532 3.92 761 Copala Includes 200.05 201.00 0.95 0.78 1,120 8.78 1,638 CS-24-375 290.85 308.35 17.50 14.20 978 4.56 1,212 Copala Includes 291.70 292.20 0.50 0.41 1,775 11.80 2,447 Includes 294.00 294.70 0.70 0.57 1,500 7.74 1,911 Includes 304.20 305.95 1.75 1.42 5,894 22.97 6,983 Includes 307.90 308.35 0.45 0.37 1,580 5.85 1,850 CS-24-376 221.70 226.65 4.95 4.00 627 4.32 875 Copala Includes 224.10 225.50 1.40 1.13 1,500 6.84 1,847 CS-24-377 280.10 292.10 12.00 10.00 895 3.81 1,083 Copala Includes 289.70 292.10 2.40 2.00 3,915 15.69 4,669 CS-24-378 211.95 216.15 4.20 3.95 1,663 12.09 2,366 Copala Includes 214.15 216.15 2.00 1.88 2,988 22.02 4,271 CS-24-379A 209.50 213.15 3.65 3.40 592 4.20 835 Copala Includes 211.90 213.15 1.25 1.16 1,280 8.96 1,796 CS-24-380 278.10 293.80 15.70 13.30 1,861 12.20 2,554 Copala Includes 281.75 286.90 5.15 4.36 4,463 28.02 6,037 Includes 290.65 292.00 1.35 1.14 3,190 27.80 4,863 CS-24-381A 219.60 226.50 6.90 6.25 3,698 41.20 6,270 Copala Includes 220.60 224.15 3.55 3.22 6,304 69.47 10,634 CS-24-382 309.70 320.60 10.90 10.20 438 2.64 584 Copala Includes 312.00 312.55 0.55 0.51 1,970 11.70 2,618 Includes 314.35 316.70 2.35 2.20 910 5.26 1,199 CS-24-383 No Significant Values Copala CS-24-384 252.95 254.40 1.45 1.40 460 2.41 589 Copala CS-24-385 337.05 338.20 1.15 1.10 558 6.00 931 Copala 3 CS-24-385 348.70 354.00 5.30 5.00 426 2.01 529 Copala Includes 348.70 349.40 0.70 0.66 2,090 9.58 2,577 CS-24-385 359.65 370.40 10.75 9.70 349 1.86 449 Copala Includes 369.00 370.40 1.40 1.35 1,235 5.40 1,505 CS-24-386 257.00 257.55 0.55 0.55 152 1.16 220 Copala CS-24-387 314.65 315.50 0.85 0.85 332 2.58 484 Copala CS-24-388 No Significant Values Copala 3 CS-24-388 352.75 361.45 8.70 6.40 396 1.44 462 Copala Includes 352.75 353.55 0.80 0.59 688 3.11 845 Includes 354.95 355.25 0.30 0.22 5,920 17.85 6,646

Note: AgEq = Ag g/t x Ag rec. + (Au g/t x Au Rec x Au price/gram)/Ag price/gram. Metal price assumptions are $24.00/oz silver and $1,800/oz gold and metallurgical recoveries assumed are 91% for silver and 94% for gold. Gold and silver metallurgical recoveries used in this release are from metallurgical test results of the Copala vein (see press release dated August 16, 2023).

Table 1: Downhole drill intersections from the holes reported for Copala and Copala 3 veins.

Drillhole Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip Depth CS-24-365 404,844 2,586,892 653 275.6 -66.3 372.0 CS-24-368 404,912 2,586,771 680 261.4 -54.0 387.0 CS-24-369 404,834 2,587,004 596 236.1 -64.0 349.5 CS-24-370 404,744 2,586,875 615 251.1 -55.1 223.5 CS-24-371A 404,744 2,586,875 615 253.3 -69.8 240.0 CS-24-372 404,834 2,587,004 596 255.6 -66.8 330.0 CS-24-373 404,701 2,586,892 595 280.2 -73.9 196.5 CS-24-374 404,702 2,586,892 595 288.4 -78.6 216.0 CS-24-375 404,834 2,587,004 596 251.8 -62.5 336.0 CS-24-376 404,724 2,586,986 595 222.7 -67.4 249.0 CS-24-377 404,834 2,587,004 596 250.8 -57.9 318.0 CS-24-378 404,724 2,586,986 594 239.0 -68.0 237.0 CS-24-379A 404,724 2,586,986 594 256.6 -64.6 231.0 CS-24-380 404,843 2,587,004 596 258.8 -55.7 304.5 CS-24-381A 404,724 2,586,986 594 242.1 -73.2 237.0 CS-24-382 404,834 2,587,004 596 244.8 -66.7 343.5 CS-24-383 404,758 2,587,035 597 249.8 -52.4 271.5 CS-24-384 404,759 2,587,035 597 257.0 -55.0 271.5 CS-24-385 404,912 2,586,770 680 269.7 -47.9 381.0 CS-24-386 404,759 2,587,035 597 250.8 -59.0 277.5 CS-24-387 404,848 2,587,120 573 244.0 -42.4 331.5 CS-24-388 404,843 2,586,892 653 239.1 -60.1 372.0

Table 2: Drillhole details for the reported drillholes. Coordinates in WGS84, Zone 13.

About the Panuco Project

The newly consolidated Panuco silver-gold project is an emerging high-grade discovery located in southern Sinaloa, Mexico, near the city of Mazatlan. The 17,856.5-hectare, past producing district benefits from over 86 kilometres of total vein extent, 35 kilometres of underground mines, roads, power, and permits.

The district contains intermediate to low sulfidation epithermal silver and gold deposits related to siliceous volcanism and crustal extension in the Oligocene and Miocene. Host rocks are mainly continental volcanic rocks correlated to the Tarahumara Formation.

On January 8, 2024, the Company announced an updated mineral resource estimate for Panuco which includes an estimated in-situ indicated mineral resource of 155.8 Moz AgEq and an in-situ inferred resource of 169.6 Moz AgEq (please refer to our Technical Report on Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Panuco Ag-Au-Pb-Zn Project, Sinaloa State, Mexico, by Allan Armitage, Ben Eggers and Peter Mehrfert, dated February 12, 2024 and to our Companys press release dated January 8, 2024).

About Vizsla Silver

Vizsla Silver is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company headquartered in Vancouver, BC, focused on advancing its flagship, 100%-owned Panuco silver-gold project located in Sinaloa, Mexico. To date, Vizsla Silver has completed over 380,000 metres of drilling at Panuco leading to the discovery of several new high-grade veins. For 2024, Vizsla Silver has budgeted +45,000 metres of resource/discovery-based drilling designed to upgrade and expand the mineral resource, as well as test other high priority targets across the district.

Quality Assurance / Quality Control

Drill core samples were shipped to ALS Limited in Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico and in North Vancouver, Canada for sample preparation and for analysis at the ALS laboratory in North Vancouver and rock samples were shipped to SGS Lab in Durango Mexico for sample preparation and analysis. The ALS Zacatecas, North Vancouver facilities and SGS lab are ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 certified. Silver and base metals were analyzed using a four-acid digestion with an ICP finish and gold was assayed by 30-gram fire assay with atomic absorption ("AA") spectroscopy finish. Over limit analyses for silver, lead and zinc were re-assayed using an ore-grade four-acid digestion with AA finish.

Control samples comprising certified reference samples, duplicates and blank samples were systematically inserted into the sample stream and analyzed as part of the Company's quality assurance / quality control protocol.

Qualified Person

In accordance with NI 43-101, Jesus Velador, Ph.D. MMSA QP., Vice President of Exploration, is the Qualified Person for the Company and has reviewed and approved the technical and scientific content of this news release.

Information Concerning Estimates of Mineral Resources

The scientific and technical information in this news release was prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 which differs significantly from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The terms "measured mineral resource", "indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource" used herein are in reference to the mining terms defined in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Standards (the "CIM Definition Standards"), which definitions have been adopted by NI 43-101. Accordingly, information contained herein providing descriptions of our mineral deposits in accordance with NI 43-101 may not be comparable to similar information made public by other U.S. companies subject to the United States federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.

You are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral resources will ever be converted into reserves. Pursuant to CIM Definition Standards, "inferred mineral resources" are that part of a mineral resource for which quantity and grade or quality are estimated on the basis of limited geological evidence and sampling. Such geological evidence is sufficient to imply but not verify geological and grade or quality continuity. An inferred mineral resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an indicated mineral resource and must not be converted to a mineral reserve. However, it is reasonably expected that the majority of inferred mineral resources could be upgraded to indicated mineral resources with continued exploration. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of "contained ounces" in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures.

Canadian standards, including the CIM Definition Standards and NI 43-101, differ significantly from standards in the SEC Industry Guide 7. Effective February 25, 2019, the SEC adopted new mining disclosure rules under subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "SEC Modernization Rules"), with compliance required for the first fiscal year beginning on or after January 1, 2021. The SEC Modernization Rules replace the historical property disclosure requirements included in SEC Industry Guide 7. As a result of the adoption of the SEC Modernization Rules, the SEC now recognizes estimates of "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources". Information regarding mineral resources contained or referenced herein may not be comparable to similar information made public by companies that report according to U.S. standards. While the SEC Modernization Rules are purported to be "substantially similar" to the CIM Definition Standards, readers are cautioned that there are differences between the SEC Modernization Rules and the CIM Definitions Standards. Accordingly, there is no assurance any mineral resources that the Company may report as "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources" under NI 43-101 would be the same had the Company prepared the resource estimates under the standards adopted under the SEC Modernization Rules.

Website: www.vizslasilvercorp.ca

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.

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release includes certain "ForwardLooking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forwardlooking information" under applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "plan", "forecast", "may", "would", "could", "schedule" and similar words or expressions, identify forwardlooking statements or information. These forwardlooking statements or information relate to, among other things: the exploration, development, and production at Panuco, including plans for resource/discovery-based drilling, designed to upgrade, and expand the maiden resource as well as test other high priority targets across the district.

Forwardlooking statements and forwardlooking information relating to any future mineral production, liquidity, enhanced value and capital markets profile of Vizsla Silver, future growth potential for Vizsla Silver and its business, and future exploration plans are based on management's reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the price of silver, gold, and other metals; no escalation in the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic; costs of exploration and development; the estimated costs of development of exploration projects; Vizsla Silver's ability to operate in a safe and effective manner and its ability to obtain financing on reasonable terms.

These statements reflect Vizsla Silver's respective current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of other assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forwardlooking statements or forward-looking information and Vizsla Silver has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: the Company's dependence on one mineral project; precious metals price volatility; risks associated with the conduct of the Company's mining activities in Mexico; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to reliance on the Company's management team and outside contractors; risks regarding mineral resources and reserves; the Company's inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; the ability of the communities in which the Company operates to manage and cope with the implications of COVID-19; the economic and financial implications of COVID-19 to the Company; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; the Company's interactions with surrounding communities and artisanal miners; the Company's ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; litigation risk; and the factors identified under the caption "Risk Factors" in Vizsla Silver's management discussion and analysis. Readers are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forwardlooking statements or forward-looking information. Although Vizsla Silver 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 anticipated, estimated or intended. Vizsla Silver does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forwardlooking statements or forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements or information, other than as required by applicable law.
TORONTO / Aug 28, 2024 / Business Wire / Rupert Resources Ltd. (Rupert or the Company) announces an upcoming senior management change with the appointment of Graham Crew as the new Chief Executive Officer and Director effective from October 14, 2024, to lead the next stage of development of Rupert Resources.

Mr Crew will succeed James Withall, who joined the company as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in April 2017 and has decided to step down. Mr Withall will continue to act as an advisor to the Company and the Board led Technical Committee ensuring a smooth transition for the incoming CEO, after stepping down from the Board of Directors on October 14, 2024.

James Withall, outgoing CEO commented: The past seven years have been incredibly rewarding and I am extremely proud of what we have achieved. The company has undergone a transformative change, having made one of the most significant greenfield gold discoveries of the past ten years, and Ikkari is now well on the path towards development of a long-life, high-margin cornerstone project on which to build a leading natural resource company. At Rupert we focus on value creation and returns for all stakeholders, a key element in achieving that goal is having the right people in the right positions at the right time. We have been able to attract a very talented team who share a vision of exploring for meaningful mineral deposits and developing modern, future-fit mining operations in northern Finland. Graham is ideally qualified to provide the leadership and technical experience to further the success of the Company through the critical engineering and permitting phases. As a long-term investor in the mining sector, I strongly believe that succession in senior roles is an important driver of the success of a business, bringing new ideas and ensuring the necessary skills are in place to lead the critical investment decisions that are required. I look forward to seeing Graham and the team continue to add value to Rupert Resources through further exploration discovery and the development of a best-in-class mine of the future.

Gunnar Nilsson, Non Executive Chairman: I would like to thank James for the leadership and vision he has brought to Rupert Resources. The strategy to undertake large scale regional systematic exploration in a timely, disciplined and dynamic way delivered the 4Moz Ikkari discovery and a number of other grassroots gold discoveries demonstrating the geological and economic potential of the Rupert land holdings. Furthermore, the culture and values that have been built with the team and relationships the company has developed with stakeholders under his tenure provides strong foundations for the future. The Board of Rupert Resources is very pleased to welcome Graham Crew to the Company. His extensive experience in operations, project development and most recently as a Chief Technical Officer for the La Mancha group are key requirements for leading the company through the next stage of its evolution. He brings strong leadership experience matched with an understanding of the importance to focus on shareholder returns and stakeholder engagement from multiple international roles. Exploration and adding to the critical mass of resources of Ikkari will remain a key part of the business model.

Biography of Graham Crew

Graham Crew has over 25 years of experience in international mining management, corporate development and investment across a diverse range of jurisdictions and operations. Before joining Rupert Resources, he was Chief Technical Officer for La Mancha Resource Capital. Prior to this he was Chief Operating Officer and a Director at Golden Star Resources Limited and previously Operations Manager for La Mancha Resources Australia Limited during the expansion of Frog's Leg mine and the development of Whitefoil mine and the Mungari Processing Facility. Graham holds a B.Eng (Mining Engineering) from the West Australian School of Mines (WASM), is a Member of the Australian Institute of Corporate Directors (MAICD) and a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy (FAusIMM).

Graham Crew: "I am delighted to be joining Rupert Resources at such an exciting time in the companys development. James and the team have done a tremendous job bringing Ikkari from discovery to the development stage, with exciting opportunities for further growth in the region. I am eager to join the team and help develop a best-in-class operation at Ikkari, building on a strong platform to create a leading mining business."

About Rupert Resources

Rupert Resources is a gold exploration and development company listed on the TSX Exchange under the symbol RUP. The Company is focused on making and advancing discoveries of scale and quality with high margin and low environmental impact potential. The Companys principal focus is Ikkari, a new high quality gold discovery in Northern Finland. Ikkari is part of the Companys Rupert Lapland Project, which also includes the Pahtavaara gold mine, mill, and exploration permits (Pahtavaara).

Neither the TSX Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains statements which, other than statements of historical fact constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements with respect to: results of exploration activities and mineral resources. The words may, would, could, will, intend, plan, anticipate, believe, estimate, expect and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made, and are inherently subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other known and unknown factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These factors include the general risks of the mining industry, as well as those risk factors discussed or referred to in the Company's annual Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended February 29, 2024 available here. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. 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 information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be 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. 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, the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.
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.
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, May 31, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Erdene Resource Development Corp. (TSX:ERD) (" Erdene " or " Company ") is pleased to announce that it has received approval from the Financial Regulatory Commission of Mongolia for a secondary listing of its common shares on the Mongolian... Read More
Car accidents can drastically disrupt your life, leading to physical injuries, emotional trauma, and significant financial burdens. Dealing with the aftermath involves navigating complex legal and insurance issues. Enlisting a car accident lawyer can be transformative, guiding your case effectively and ensuring you receive the compensation you deserve. Heres how a car accident lawyer can make a crucial difference.

The Advantages of Hiring a Car Accident Lawyer

Expertise in Personal Injury Law

In-Depth Knowledge of Car Accident Laws

Car accident cases involve nuanced personal injury law. A car accident lawyer offers:

Legal Expertise : Mastery of laws and regulations related to car accidents, including fault determination, negligence, and insurance coverage.

: Mastery of laws and regulations related to car accidents, including fault determination, negligence, and insurance coverage. Experience with Car Accidents: Insight into the specific challenges of car accident cases, such as managing multiple parties and resolving insurance disputes.

Strategic Legal Guidance

A lawyer can:

Evaluate Your Case : Assess the strengths and weaknesses of your case, offering insights into potential outcomes and strategies.

: Assess the strengths and weaknesses of your case, offering insights into potential outcomes and strategies. Develop a Legal Strategy: Create a tailored approach to secure the best possible result based on your cases specifics.

Thorough Investigation and Evidence Collection

Comprehensive Investigation

Building a solid case demands thorough investigation. A car accident lawyer will:

Gather Evidence : Collect essential evidence such as accident reports, medical records, witness statements, and scene photographs.

: Collect essential evidence such as accident reports, medical records, witness statements, and scene photographs. Consult Experts: Collaborate with accident reconstructionists, medical professionals, and other specialists to analyze evidence and provide expert testimony.

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Identifying fault is crucial. A lawyer will:

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Insurance companies often seek to minimize payouts. A car accident lawyer can:

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If a fair settlement isnt reached, a lawyer will:

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In court, a lawyer will:

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: Project future medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and other long-term financial impacts related to your injuries. Addressing Long-Term Effects: Assess how the accident affects your long-term well-being and financial stability.

Steps to Take After a Car Accident

1. Seek Immediate Medical Attention

Get Evaluated

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Gather detailed information about the accident, including:

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: Obtain copies of official reports or investigations. Witness Statements: Record contact information for witnesses who can provide valuable testimony.

3. Consult with a Car Accident Lawyer

Seek Professional Assistance

Contact a car accident lawyer to discuss your case and explore your legal options. Their expertise will guide you through the process and clarify your rights.

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Adhere to Recommendations

Follow the advice of your healthcare professionals and lawyer. This includes attending medical appointments, following treatment plans, and cooperating with legal procedures.

Conclusion

Hiring a car accident lawyer provides critical advantages, from expert legal guidance and thorough investigation to effective negotiation and courtroom representation. The Barrios Virguez Car Accidents Lawyer from Duluth, GA, brings specialized knowledge and extensive experience, essential for navigating the complexities of a car accident case and ensuring you receive the compensation you deserve. Partnering with the right lawyer allows you to focus on your recovery while they work diligently to drive your case to success.




Wednesday, August 28, 2024 - A lady behind a scam where job seekers have lost their hard-earned money has been arrested after being on the run for months.

The suspect, Betty Karimi, has been working with cartels to obtain money fraudulently from Kenyans looking for jobs abroad.

Victims of the scam reported the matter to the police, leading to the suspects manhunt.

According to private detective Jane Mugoh, a rogue junior cop has been tipping Betty of impending arrest in the last three months, helping her to evade police traps.

She was finally nabbed after undercover agents sent by Jane Mugoh collaborated with OCS KICC police station.

Jane congratulated the OCS for working diligently to have the suspect arrested.

Congratulations, Ocs kicc police for working with my undercover agents and arrested Betty karimi, who has been working with cartels and tour travel agents to obtain money from Kenyans. I was initially frustrated when a junior police officer kept tipping suspects pic.twitter.com/06D8XpwweF  Dr. Detective Jane Mugoh (@DetectiveJane_) August 28, 2024

The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Wednesday, August 28, 2024 - United States Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman has criticized President William Rutos government for accusing the Ford Foundation of sponsoring recent protests.

According to Whitman, the organization has been supporting various critical groups, including civil society for many years, which are crucial to the countrys democracy.

The Ambassador said that she made her position known to the government over the allegations and they are currently working towards solving the matter.

Whitman insisted that in the end, people would realize that the Ford Foundation had nothing to do with the Gen Z protests.

I thought that was wrong. The Ford Foundation has worked in this country for almost 60 years. They support many civil society organizations.

"Civil society is very important to democracy alongside youth and religious leaders. I think that in the end, people will agree that the Ford Foundation had nothing to do with this.

Of course, they fund civil organizations, and so do other foundations. I thought it was very inappropriate for the government to go after the Ford Foundation, Whitman said.

The ambassador's remarks come several weeks after Kenya alleged that some of the organizations funded by the Ford Foundation had been at the center of anti-government protests.

The letter from Foreign Affairs PS Korir Sing'oei expressed Kenya's concern that some organizations linked to the protests had spent millions of shillings in the month the protests began, in an unaccountable manner.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Wednesday, August 28, 2024 - Residents of Kanjai in Meru Country have burned down the African Inland Pentecostal Church and accused the pastor of engaging in cult-like activities.

See some of the things that he has been doing to his church members, prompting the residents to torch the church.









The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Wednesday, August 28, 2024 - Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has hit back at Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni after he accused him of collaborating with with Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, alias Bobi Wine, to cause anarchy in Uganda.

While addressing delegates during the launch of Raila Odinga's AU Commission Chairperson bid in Nairobi, Museveni revealed the MP was among those working with Bobi Wine to oppose his administration and cause mayhem in Uganda like the recent anti-government protests witnessed in Kampala.

However, Babu clarified that his association with Bobi Wine was meant to save Africans from the shackles of oppressive leadership like the one in Uganda under Musevenis leadership.

According to Babu, it was the responsibility of every African leader to find solutions to the current challenges facing their countries.

He noted that having grown up in poverty, he understood the day-to-day challenges faced by the electorate thus the quest for proper leadership.

As Babu Owino, I stand for a democratic society where a child in Kenya will receive proper medication, and education and will equally get a job, Babu Owino noted.

Equally a child in Uganda should receive the same treatment as a child in Kenya," he added.

The MP noted that he would continue to champion proper leadership regardless of the criticism.

However, he commended Museveni for supporting Raila Odinga's African Union Commission chairperson bid.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Wednesday, August 28, 2024 - Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka seems to have taken over from former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as the new Official Opposition Leader after Babas exit from active politics in Kenya.

This comes as Embakasi East MP Babu Owino was positioning himself as Raila's successor, promising to accomplish much as the Opposition Leader.

In a statement yesterday, Kalonzo announced that he was now ready to take over from Raila

According to Kalonzo, his team may have few numbers in Parliament but has huge support from Kenyans.

Kalonzos team includes Babu Owino, Peter Salasya, Eugene Wamalwa, and Jeremiah Kioni among others.

Yes, I am ready to be the Leader of the Official Opposition. This is the team.

"You will see the Opposition like never before. We may be light in numbers in Parliament, but outside, we have the People of Kenya, Kalonzo stated.

His remarks come days after Odinga announced that he would not be very active in Kenyan politics moving forward; and instead, will focus on his African Union Chairmanship bid.

Raila noted that it will be a transitional phase from active participation in Kenyan politics and moving to African continental politics.

Raila will face Mahamoud Ali Youssouf of Djibouti, Richard Randriamandrato of Madagascar, and Anil Gayan of Mauritius in the AUC chairperson election scheduled in early 2025.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Wednesday, August 28, 2024 - A rogue bishop faced the wrath of Gen Zs after they staged a protest inside the church and forced him to return their money.

In the video, the furious youths are seen confronting the pastor in the pulpit, demanding that he return their money.

We want our money, they shouted in unison as the bishop tried to calm them down in vain.

A lady was heard lamenting that the pastor had collected Ksh 206,000 from them.

The bishop tried to convince the youths that the money was safely in the account and pleaded with them to be patient.

However, his pleas fell on deaf ears after the youths demanded that he transfer the money to their bank accounts.

Transfer the money right now, a lady was heard shouting.

The bishop bowed to pressure and returned the money.

Watch the video.

Are Kenyans aware that Youths forced a bishop to return their money in church?  Fixing the nation everywhere. Martha karua Hussein Mohammed pic.twitter.com/mzg2zAkGnK  Sholla Ard  (@sholard_mancity) August 27, 2024

The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Wednesday, August 28, 2024 - Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba has come to the defense of Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, who was accused of collaborating with Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) to overthrow the Ugandan government.

Speaking at the launch of Raila Odingas African Union Commission chairmanship candidature at State House, Nairobi, Museveni criticized Babu, accusing him of supporting Ugandan opposition figures.

Why would a foreign president use an international presidential platform to castigate a young Kenyan parliamentarian? Wamuchomba questioned.

I saw leaders giggle as if he was making a good joke. This was uncalled for.

During his address, Museveni claimed that Babus name frequently features in intelligence reports related to anti-National Resistance Movement (NRM) activities.

The NRM, Ugandas ruling party led by Museveni, has been at odds with opposition movements.

MP Babu is a vocal advocate for Ugandan opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, commonly known as Bobi Wine.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Wednesday, August 28, 2024 - Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has responded to accusations by Ugandas dictator President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who alleged that Babu was planning to overthrow his government with the help of members of the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF).

In a statement on Tuesday, Babu Owino confirmed that he was indeed planning to oust Museveni, asserting that both Kenyan and Ugandan youths need strong and visionary leaders who truly understand their needs.

The ODM MP vowed to continue to champion proper leadership regardless of the criticism.

As a young leader in Kenya, having grown up in poverty, I know what it means to lack. If you tell me that youve slept hungry, I know what it means to lack food because Ive been through that.

"If you tell me that you lack school fees, I will feel you because I know what it is to lack school fees.

"Because of the challenges that we face in Kenya and Africa, we as leaders are meant to provide solutions.

As Babu Owino, I stand for a democratic society where a child in Kenya will receive proper medication, and education and will equally get a job.

"Equally, a child in Uganda should receive the same treatment as a child in Kenya.

"Because of this, we must offer alternative visions of leadership that will save Africans from the shackles of oppression and the jaws of poverty, said Babu.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Wednesday, August 28, 2024 - Haitis dreaded gang leader Jimmy Cherizier, alias Barbecue, has once again appealed to President William Ruto to consider his decision of sending Kenyan troops to his country.

Speaking during an interview, Barbecue urged Ruto to withdraw the Kenyan police from Haiti, saying he doesnt want to kill them since he considers them as brothers.

He claimed the Kenyan officers were his brothers and wished to avoid any confrontation that could result in losses on both sides.

The gang leader went ahead to accuse the Western countries and the Haitian oligarchs of instigating the violence currently being witnessed in Haiti.

According to Barbecue, the firearms used by rival gangs in orchestrating the killings were bought using finances provided by politicians and certain oligarchs whom he claimed were sponsoring the sects to fan political instability in Haiti.

During his 40-minute interview, Barbecue faulted the United States, France, and Canada for using Caricom to impose a government in Haiti solely to protect their own interests.

Cherizier further alleged that the Multinational Security Mission which Kenya is part of would fail just like the previous attempts, claiming dialogue was the only solution to the current crisis.

"When you see a Haitian, it is like you have seen an African. Until you hear me speak, you cannot tell whether I am a Haitian or an African," the gang leader narrated.

"And today, if I have to sleep with the devil to free this country from this system, I am ready to do it," Barbecue added.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Wednesday, August 28, 2024  Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga launched his bid for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship at State House in Nairobi yesterday.

The event was attended by President William Ruto and five other heads of state, along with other dignitaries.

However, conspicuously missing from the event was Railas friend and Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, who has been opposed to Railas move to join Rutos government.

While addressing the press in Nairobi, Kalonzo revealed his failure to attend the Raila AU C job bid launch was intentional as an affirmation that he is the new Opposition leader.

He noted that since he was the new Opposition leader, it was impossible to attend the meeting held at State House.

The Azimio principal disclosed that attending the event at State House could have been a betrayal to the young protesters whom he claimed lost their lives while fighting for the country's liberation.

We want to show that there is an official opposition in this country. We welcome our senior leaders in the region, the EAC presidents including President Museveni, Suluhu, and Salva Kiir, Kalonzo noted.

Maybe we wouldn't have had enough time like we had today if I had gone to State House. Remember some of us have issues. I am sorry I will not go to State House.

This comes even as it emerged that it was former President Uhuru Kenyatta who called Kalonzo and told him not to attend Railas event at State House.

Nonetheless, Kalonzo commended the former Prime Minister for formally launching his quest for the top continental role.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Wednesday, August 28, 2024  U.S. President Joe Biden might have seen something he wants in Kenya and would do anything to get it.

This is after he sent a third senior government official to Kenya within one month to clear the way for deeper diplomatic relations.

The announcement of Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Ambassador Bonnie D. Jenkins' visit to Nairobi, is the third high-profile U.S. official to visit Kenya within a month.

This flurry of diplomatic activity points to the strategic importance the U.S. places on its relationship with Kenya, especially following the protests that rocked the country starting in mid-June.

Ambassador Jenkins is expected to engage African policymakers and industry leaders on the future of nuclear energy in Africa.

Her visit follows closely on the heels of Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya's visit, during which she held critical discussions with Kenyan officials regarding police operations during the recent protests.

Zeyas visit was marked by tense conversations surrounding the use of excessive force by Kenyan police.

These visits are seen as part of the U.S.'s broader strategy to address security concerns while fostering closer ties with African nations.

In this same month, Senator Chris Murphy visited Kenya, meeting with government, business, civil society, and NGO leaders to discuss the role of U.S. investments.

The backdrop of these visits is Kenya's hosting of the US-Africa Nuclear Summit, where the focus will be on the continent's shift towards nuclear energy.

For Kenya, this summit is pivotal as it explores the feasibility of establishing its first nuclear power plant, a project estimated to cost Ksh500 billion.

U.S. Ambassador to Kenya, Meg Whitman, is scheduled to deliver remarks on the U.S.'s commitment to supporting Africa's nuclear energy ambitions.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Wednesday, August 28, 2024  Embakasi East MP Babu Owino is giving Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni some sleepless nights.

This was revealed by Museveni himself during the launch of former Prime Minister Raila Odingas bid for the African Union Chairmanship at State House, Nairobi.

Speaking during the launch, Museveni accused Babu Owino, who is a close ally of Raila, of trying to sabotage him over his close links with his enemies in Uganda, particularly Bobi Wine, who is against his ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).

According to Museveni, he always receives disturbing intelligence reports about Babu Owino.

There are some individuals in Railas group who I dont think know what they are doing. You know I am a consumer of intelligence service.

"So, I always see intelligence reports. There is a character called Babu. I always see Babu dealing with anti-NRM groups, said Museveni.

The Ugandan President, however, said he doesnt link Raila to Babu and he knows the ODM leader as a nationalist.

I am accusing Babu, but those are individuals, they are not Raila. I know Raila as a nationalist and Pan-Africanist, Museveni added.

Babu has been previously spotted campaigning for former Ugandan Presidential aspirant Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu popularly known as Bobi Wine.

In 2018, the Ugandan government banned Babu from entering Uganda, accusing him of undermining President Musevenis administration.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Wednesday, August 28, 2024  Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa has endorsed former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's candidacy for the African Union Commission (AUC) chairmanship, months after accusing him of having fake academic papers.

In a statement on X, Barasa retracted his earlier claims, expressing full confidence in Odingas candidacy.

As a staunch advocate for democratic values, I am honoured to endorse Raila Odinga for the African Union Commission (AUC) top seat and respectfully call upon Friends of KENYA to offer their support.

Mzee has consistently demonstrated a profound commitment to our nations progress and should be duly elected. I express my unwavering confidence and full backing for his candidacy, Barasa said.

In April, during a public function in the Kapsaret Constituency, Barasa expressed his misgivings about the academic qualifications of Raila, stating that they could be no more than those of MP Oscar Sudi.

I want to challenge you Raila Odinga that even as the government of Kenya supports and endorses your candidature for AUC chairmanship, your level of education should be a matter of public interest, Barasa said in April.

President William Ruto had also poked holes into Odingas papers in the run-up to the 2022 General Election, challenging him to produce classmates who schooled with him.

I want to ask the people of Azimio, what did your candidate study, where did he school and who taught him? You cant answer all that yet you want to tell us he has a degree? From where, Ruto said in 2022.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Wednesday, August 28, 2024 - A former senior official at the National Olympics Committee has been arrested after he dramatically shot his wife and left her with serious injuries at their home in the Ketete area, Narok County.

Stephen Kiptanui Soi, 68, a licensed gun holder, is said to have shot and wounded his wife who is an advocate of the High Court at their home on Tuesday, August 27 morning following an altercation.

The lawyer was injured in the left thigh and admitted at a local private hospital in stable condition.

The matter was reported at the Mulot police station, prompting police to visit the home.

Police said one spare magazine was recovered and a magazine loaded with 12 rounds of ammunition.

A pistol used in the shooting was also recovered in the bedroom.

Soi was tracked by the police after he fled the scene and arrested.

Police said he would be charged with the offense of attempted murder.

Soi was among the senior officials charged over the misappropriation of Ksh 55 million during the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Soi, who was Kenya's Chef de Mission for the 2016 Olympics, was convicted on five charges of corruption after diverting money meant for athletes' travel and accommodation as well as kit from sportswear giants Nike.

The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Wednesday, August 28, 2024  The unprecedented attack on Embakasi East MP Babu Owino by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni at State House in Nairobi has not gone down well with Kenyans, especially Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.

During the official launch of Raila Odingas African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson bid yesterday, Museveni called out Babu Owino, accusing him of instigating anarchy in Uganda and trying to overthrow him.

There are some individuals in Railas group who I dont think know what they are doing. You know I am a consumer of intelligence service.

"So, I always see intelligence reports. There is a character called Babu. I always see Babu dealing with anti-NRM groups, said Museveni.

However, Wamuchomba and Sifuna condemned Museveni for using an international platform to threaten the youthful Kenyan legislator.

In a statement, Wamuchomba noted that Museveni's remarks were uncalled for, maintaining that she stood with Babu Owino.

"Why would a foreign president use an international presidential platform to castigate a young Kenyan parliamentarian?

"I saw leaders giggle as if he was making a good joke. This was uncalled for. Babu Owino has a future in Kenya not in Uganda. I stand with Babu," Wamuchomba remarked.

On his part, Sifuna stated that there were proper diplomatic channels the Ugandan Head of State could have used if he had any beef with the lawmaker instead of using a presidential platform.

"Whatever beef Museveni has with Babu Owino, I strongly object to the manner of his attack on a young Kenyan leader on our own soil.

Kenya is a country ruled by law and if there is any objectionable conduct on the part of Babu, there are diplomatic channels to convey that to Kenyan authorities and let the law take its cause.

But to use a presidential podium to make such grave accusations against a Kenyan is a no!" Sifuna remarked.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Wednesday, August 28, 2024 - A video of a parent dropping his son off by a chopper at Kabarak High School has caused a buzz on the internet as schools reopen.

In the trending video, a chopper is seen landing in the school compound as other students report to school.

Interestingly, the students were not surprised, given that its something that happens frequently at the school.

Some elite Kenyans, among them little-known Rift Valley billionaires, take their children to the top-performing school

Kabarak High School topped the list of the best performers in last years Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) after posting a mean score of 10.43.

Watch the video.

Watch the moment a student was dropped by a chopper at Kabarak High School (VIDEO) pic.twitter.com/fcGsEtU1nO  DAILY POST  (@dailypost_ke) August 28, 2024

The Kenyan DAILY POST.
In recent years, e-cigarettes have emerged as a popular alternative to traditional cigarettes, often marketed as a safer choice. However, accumulating evidence reveals that e-cigarettes pose significant risks, particularly to reproductive health. This concern is especially urgent given the ongoing decline in fertility rates across the United States, which have reached historic lows in recent years. As a reproductive specialist, I find it crucial to address these risks and emphasize the need for greater awareness and action.

Understanding e-cigarettes: What are they really?

E-cigarettes are electronic devices that heat a liquidoften containing nicotine, flavorings, and various chemicalsinto an aerosol, which users inhale. While these devices come in various forms and generations, their fundamental components remain the same: a battery, an atomizer, and a liquid solution. Despite claims of being nicotine-free, research has shown that many e-cigarettes still contain nicotine, an addictive substance with well-documented harmful effects on health.

Toxic components and their mechanisms of action

E-cigarettes are far from harmless. They contain a cocktail of toxic substances, including heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and chromium, as well as volatile organic compounds such as benzenea known carcinogen. When heated, these substances produce harmful byproducts that can lead to oxidative stress, a process that damages cells and tissues throughout the body, including the reproductive organs.

Impact on female reproductive health: a closer look

The female reproductive system is particularly vulnerable to the effects of e-cigarettes. The chemicals in e-cigarettes can disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, a critical hormonal pathway that regulates reproductive function. This disruption can lead to irregular ovulation, reduced ovarian reserve, and lower progesterone levels during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Moreover, e-cigarette use has been linked to increased levels of androgens and higher luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, which can contribute to conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). These hormonal imbalances not only affect a womans ability to conceive but can also lead to long-term health complications.

Impact on male reproductive health: the silent threat

Men are not immune to the dangers of e-cigarettes. The toxic chemicals found in these devices can impair sperm quality by reducing motility, concentration, and morphologykey factors that determine a sperms ability to fertilize an egg. Furthermore, e-cigarette use has been associated with increased DNA fragmentation in sperm, a condition that can lead to poor pregnancy outcomes and even infertility. The oxidative stress induced by e-cigarette use also affects the epididymis, the site where sperm matures. This can further compromise sperm function, leading to decreased fertility. Alarmingly, some studies have even suggested that the damage caused by e-cigarettes could be passed on to future generations, affecting the fertility of offspring.

A broader public health crisis: the urgency behind the message

The decline in fertility rates in the United States is a complex issue with many contributing factors, including environmental toxins, lifestyle choices, and socioeconomic conditions. However, the rise of e-cigarette use, particularly among young people, adds a new and concerning dimension to this crisis. The American Heart Association and other leading health organizations have raised alarms about the long-term health risks of e-cigarettes, including their potential to exacerbate the already declining fertility rates. E-cigarettes are often marketed as a tool for smoking cessation, but the evidence supporting their efficacy in this regard is limited. Moreover, the long-term safety of these products remains unproven, and there is growing concern that e-cigarettes may serve as a gateway to traditional smoking, especially among youth.

Conclusion: a call to action

The evidence is clear: e-cigarettes are not a safe alternative, particularly for individuals concerned about their reproductive health. The decline in fertility rates in the United States should serve as a wake-up call to the potential dangers posed by these devices. As health care providers, it is our responsibility to educate our patients about these risks and advocate for healthier choices. For those using e-cigarettes, now is the time to reconsider. The potential impact on your reproductive healthand that of future generationsis too significant to ignore. I urge you to take this message to heart and make informed decisions that support a healthier, more fertile future.

Oluyemisi (Yemi) Famuyiwa is a renowned fertility specialist and founder, Montgomery Fertility Center, committed to guiding individuals and couples on their path to parenthood with personalized care. With a background in obstetrics and gynecology from Georgetown University Hospital and reproductive endocrinology and infertility from the National Institutes of Health, she offers cutting-edge treatments like IVF and genetic testing. She can be reached on Linktr.ee, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram @montgomeryfertility, and X @MontgomeryF_C.
The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) has urged women throughout the country to register their innovations to safeguard them under existing intellectual property laws.

Ms. Mercy Kainobwisho, the Registrar General of URSB, made the call while addressing delegates from 23 African countries at the first Women in Intellectual Property Conference. She emphasized the importance of protecting intellectual property, which encompasses creations of the mind such as inventions, literary and artistic works, designs, and symbols used in commerce.

Kainobwisho noted that societal expectations and cultural norms often hinder womens pursuit of careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and their ability to assert their intellectual property rights.

Despite their significant contributions to the intellectual landscape, women continue to face barriers such as underrepresentation and bias, limited access to resources such as funding, mentorship, and networks that are crucial for navigating and succeeding in IP systems, she said.

She encouraged women to become familiar with their rights, emphasizing that doing so can help shield them from negative perceptions about their economic potential.
The Speaker of Parliament, Ms. Anita Among, has prayed that MPs who boycotted the maiden regional sitting do not go to Gulu or northern Uganda during the campaign period. She made the remarks during the opening of Wednesdays session.

Ms. Among emphasized that Gulu is an integral part of Uganda and that Parliaments decision to hold sittings there is unwavering. She criticized the politicians who have chosen to boycott the Gulu sittings yet the House has held parliamentary sessions in Kololo.

It is the same legal basis upon which Parliament sits in Kololo and Kampala Serena Hotel. In any case, Gulu, where we are holding the historic sitting is part of Uganda therefore no one in their own right mind can attempt to deprive the beloved people of Northern Uganda the opportunity of the landmark sitting, she said.

I pray that those who say that they boycott do not come to Gulu or the Greater North when it is only campaign time, she added.

In the same session, Ms. Among announced that Parliament will hold another regional sitting in the second quarter of the fourth year of the 11th Parliament. The specific region for the next sitting will be determined at a later date.

The Speaker also highlighted that all regional sittings will focus on addressing the specific issues and concerns of the respective regions.

Among the opposition MPs present at the Gulu sitting were Veronica Nanyondo (Bukomansimbi), Jimmy Lwanga (Njeru Municipality), Twaha Kagabo (Bukoto South), Kazibwe Bashir Mbazira (Kawempe South), Abedi Bwanika (Kimanya Kabonera), Lulume Bayiga (Buikwe South), Richard Lumu (Mityana South), the DP party whip, and other members from various opposition parties.
The controversial regional parliamentary sittings will commence on Wednesday afternoon in Gulu district, northern Uganda. Following overwhelming support from MPs, the decision was made to bring parliament closer to the people through sittings in four regions across the country.

The cost of holding these regional sittings has attracted criticism from various stakeholders, including political parties and opposition leaders in parliament. The Leader of Opposition, Mr. Joel Ssenyonyi, announced a boycott of the sittings, citing the allocation of Shs20 billion as a wasteful expenditure of taxpayers money.

Despite this, a small number of opposition MPs decided to participate in the proceedings.

President Museveni is scheduled to address the nation on Thursday at the regional sitting held in Gulu City at Kaunda playground.
The fatal helicopter crash that claimed the lives of two men including a Kildare native last month appears to have occurred during a training manoeuvre aimed at dealing with engine failure in flight.

That is according to a preliminary report by the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) into the circumstances around the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of married father of two, Niall Crosby (46), originally from Straffan, and Czech national, Antonin Kabelka (48) near Killucan, Co Westmeath on Tuesday July 30th.

The preliminary 11-page report does not contain any analysis of conclusions and a final report will be published in due course as the investigation led by Investigator in Charge, Paul Farrell continues.

However, the preliminary report does state that the accident appears to have occurred during a sixth autorotation manoeuvre during the training flight.

The report states that autorotation is part of flight training for trainee pilots and is a technique in how to respond to engine failure.

The report explains that an autorotative descent is a power-off manoeuvre in which the engine is no longer supplying power to the main rotor.

Married father of three, Mr Kabelka was a helicopter instructor and Mr Crosby was the student helicopter pilot who had completed flying time of two hours and 53 minutes on the Jet Ranger model helicopter before the final flight on the afternoon of July 30th.

A founder of AG Grid, a software company based in London, Mr Crosby from Glenageary, south Dublin and originally from Straffan, purchased the Canadian made helicopter and wished to be trained in piloting the Bell Textron Jet Ranger X 505.

Mr Crosby had commenced his helicopter training on July 1st 2022 and completed his training course on June 17th 2024.

The report records that up to June 17th 2024, Mr Crosby had completed just over 100 hours of flying time and all of these hours were on a Robinson 44 helicopter.

The AAIU investigation spoke to a number of witnesses and records that no witnesses had actually observed the final moments of the helicopters flight where the helicopter ended up on the roof of a piggery outside the village of Killucan.

The report states that witnesses variously described seeing the helicopter descending rapidly as if to land before climbing away again.

The report stated that several described hearing the helicopters engine going quiet and then becoming loud again.

The report states that the descending and climbing manoeuvres are consistent with autorotation training, while the variation in engine sound is consistent with the helicopter operation alternating between the Idle and Fly modes when initiating and completing autorotations.

Mr Kabelka arrived on July 28th last into Ireland to conduct the training programme for the Jet Ranger which was due to commence the following day for Mr Crosby and three other pilots.

Mr Crosby completed two training flights with Mr Kabelka on the helicopter on July 29th.

On the morning of July 30th Mr Crosby completed another training flight for around 40 minutes with Mr Kabelka and ahead of the fatal training flight another student witnessed Mr Kabelka brief Mr Crosby on the part of the training syllabus relating to autorotation.

The two departed from Weston Airport at 1.58pm and the report records that at approximately 2:25pm, while operating in the vicinity of Killucan, Co. Westmeath and during what appears to have been a sixth practice autorotation, the helicopter impacted with the surface of an agricultural field.

It added: It then travelled forwards at a height sufficient to clear a boundary fence and impacted with a gable wall of an agricultural building.

The report states that the helicopter came to rest, in a nose-down orientation, in the wall and the roof of the building. Both occupants were fatally injured.
Vivienne Clarke

The Manager of Cybercrime Operations within the Australian Federal Police Organised Crime has thanked An Garda Siochana for their cooperation in the case of a 29-year-old man who was convicted of the online exploitation of 300 women and girls around the world, including one from Ireland.

Assistant Commissioner David McLean told RTE radios News at One that the terrible, terrible saga started five years ago when two young female victims raised the alarm, one in Israel and one in Canada.

The information was passed to Australian police which raised concerns and the investigation commenced which resulted in the mans conviction.

However, the case remains open and Assistant Commissioner McLean acknowledged there could be more victims.

The perpetrator had been prolific in his use of social media platforms where he literally searched and trolled potential victims individually and in groups where privacy settings had not been adequately set. He posed online as a high profile, young social media personality.

Victims were targeted by him via friendship groups where he commenced conversations appearing to be a contact of others. Conversations would commence and then he would lure them into increasingly sordid and sexualised conversations.

The posts and the responses, sometimes to innocuous questions, would then be edited and used to threaten the victims giving the impression that they had indeed engaged in sexual behaviour and he would then threaten and blackmail them, he explained.

The investigation had been long, arduous and painstaking which involved trawling through many, many thousands of chats and videos and online logs to identify the scale of the offending, most importantly, to identify the victims so that we could then reach out to them, offer them some support, and offer them some closure on, a very, very traumatic event.

We also wanted to find other people within the person's network. And, in doing that, we also seized videos from the offender's phone, which illustrated what he did in terms of his extortion, live stream projects, both willingly and unwillingly, the victims engaged in.

The victims, some of them children as young as 10 years old, were from all over the world, including Ireland where there was one known victim, but Assistant Commissioner McLean said he could not say with certainty that there were no more victims.

The investigation is ongoing in some respects, but for present purposes, the case which was closed today with the sentencing, there was one victim in Ireland.

The perpetrator had been brought to account thanks to the cooperation of police forces all over the world including An Garda Siochana with whom Australian law enforcement had a long-standing relationship, he said.

It was important for parents and guardians to have open lines of communication with adolescents and young adults. 

If you know someone who thinks they might be a victim of sextortion, some practical, fundamental and essential first steps are to stop online conversations. Take screenshots of the conversations that have taken place. Block the accounts that you might be engaging with, and report it to the platform that you're on.

Seek support from friends and family. Talk to them. You know it's not the victim's fault. There is acute embarrassment. We understand that. But it's not your fault. They seek support from a friend, a family member or professional support services. Don't send any more images or engage. Don't respond to demands. And if you're worried about someone's physical safety, including your own, call the police.

It was important for parents and guardians to play an active role in monitoring what young people were accessing on social media platforms and to provide an awareness and a safe place for conversations about online safety.

We really can't stress that enough.
THE future of the 300-year-old Castletown House is feared for, because of a blockage and protest at its only remaining access gate, which has been ongoing for almost a year, and has seen SIPTU remove its remaining staff.

The root of this issue lies in the OPW's loss of vehicular access via the M4 from Junction 6, compounded by SIPTUs subsequent withdrawal of staff, who are now unable to reach their workplace by car through the alternative route proposed, the one-kilometre Lime Avenue at Celbridge Gate because of the ongoing protests at the Gate.

Castletown House, renowned as Ireland's first and finest Palladian mansion, is sadly falling into disrepair due to an ongoing impasse that has deprived the Office of Public Works (OPW) of essential access, said local man John McDonnell, chair of Castletown Community Voice.

He explained how it all stems from a Barbra Streisand concert, and the subsequent sale of farmland on the northern side of the Estate.

Mr McDonnell explained how, to aid the set-up for the concert in 2007, a new private road was built in from the M4 side, which became the de facto entrance for staff, contingent on a rolling, amicable annual licence fee to the then landowners, Janus Securities.

This then led to the pedestrianization of the principal Lime Avenue entrance from Celbridge town that year.

However, in April last year, Janus Securities decided to sell the 230 acres of the northern estate, and while it had long been an ambition of the OPW to re-unite the estate, they were outbid and the land went to Straffan developer Lar McKenna for around 5m.

However, for reportedly insurance reasons, Mr McKenna decided to close off entirely any access to the estate from Junction 6, which precipitated the OPW to revert to the Lime Avenue entrance.

It remains the official vehicular access point for the estate, however, a faction of the local community has opposed this access, blocking staff vehicular entry since last September, said Mr McDonnell.

Theyre a group of local Celbridge and Leixlip people who stand at the gate all day every day blocking the entrance.

This standoff has deeply divided the community in North Kildare, with no resolution in sight.

Because of this ongoing protest, SIPTU withdrew 20 members of staff from having to walk the one-kilometre, unlit avenue in the dark for six months.

The grounds are now not kept, and the longer this goes on the less likely the specialized staff will return, he said.

He explained how there was a plan put forward to allow a window of vehicular access at 8am and at 5pm to allow just the 20 cars of the employees in, which would be walked up at a funeral pace by an OPW contractor, but a spokesperson for the protestors said categorically: No car will be allowed on the avenue.

There was over one million visitors a year up to 2021, now its fallen off a cliff. Its a complete impasse, a debacle, added Mr McDonnell.

What is needed now is a commitment to compromise and common sense, enabling the estate to be restored to its former glory for the enjoyment of all.

In response, we have formed a new group, Castletown Community Voice, with the sole aim of advocating for the immediate return of all OPW staff to Castletown House and Parklands.

We are urgently calling on the minister responsible for the OPW, Deputy Kieran ODonnell, to prioritize resolving this impasse with renewed focus and determination.

Furthermore, we implore all local groups to put aside past grievances".
VENICE, Paris, New York, Caribbean beaches, all have been well-exercised locations for the hairier of the pair to drop on one knee and offer a tiny lump of pressurized carbon, but a Quizzy Van in a field in Laois?

Well, that turned out to be the dream venue for a couple from Athy, who finally got engaged after 20 years in a most curious corner of the Electric Picnic last week. The act was greeted with chants of 'Ole, Ole, Ole' by over a hundred people and a video of it was shared widely.

Jess Scott (43), a schoolteacher at Scoil Mhicil Naofa in Athy was the sweepee, while her partner of two decades  farmer Andrew Finn (46) - was the sweeper, in this highly original proposal at a table quiz in the trailer field.

Yes, I was proposed to at a table quiz at the Electric Picnic  the Quizzy Van in the trailer park! laughed Jess.

It was brilliant, we always go, but never expected the Quizzy Van, and the music quiz, but its been on our to-do-list, said Jess.

To be fair, we had been talking about marriage recently, but I never expected this! she laughed.

The moment of the proposal

We were there on the Friday night, and Andrew thought could this be the place? He had the idea, and he ran it past our friends, and they were all like: Oh, its SOOO ye! So, he spoke to the Quizzy Van man, and he said it was alright, explained Jess.

(The Quizzy Van is a curious thing, that was sort of spawned out of the production team at the Helix in DCU, and only comes out just once a year.)

I think it [the proposal] was supposed to happen earlier in the day, but Andrew had to work, and so it happened much later, she said.

They re-opened around half midnight and let one run through, then asked for two more teams, and ours was called. I had no idea! she chuckled.

They set the questions up! I was asked about my favourite songs, and I thought I was amazing! she roared.

Then it was the last question of the night, and they handed the mic to Andrew, and I nearly died!

I am not one for the limelight, but it was great fun, it was fabulous, and then we had great celebrations!.

We had about 12 people with us, but there were about 100 in the crowd!

Yeah, Im 43 and hes 46, said Jess when formally asked, Hes dragged it out for 20 years, but he did it! He made a big show when he finally did it, and both sides are delighted, and the kids are thrilled, she said.

(These are Finn, 20, Adi, 13, Jools, 11, and Penny, 10.) In the meantime, Jess returns to school next week, while Andrew is already back on the family farm in Milltown, before they start planning the big day out in Nerja, Spain in June 2025.

And the Picnic memories?

Oh, we go every year, its our favourite weekend of the year! declared Athys newest BtB.

When people heard what we did they were like, Oh my God! Thats your favourite place! Its so you!

Theres plenty of laughter around us, she concluded, most comfortably.
By Rebecca Black and David Young, PA

A fire at a church in east Belfast is being investigated as a racially motivated hate crime.

Police said an angle grinder-type tool was used to cut a hole in shutters at the premises in Templemore Street on Tuesday night before a fire was started.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze, which caused damage to the shutters and front hall of the building, which is used by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God.

The church, first founded in Brazil in 1977, has congregations across the world, including 45 in the UK. It has been present in Northern Ireland since 2012 and at the site on Templemore Street since 2018. Its congregation has been described as diverse.

On Wednesday morning, workmen were at the church assessing damage to the building.

Rev Mervyn Gibson of the nearby Westbourne Presbyterian Church condemned the incident, saying that all arson attacks are wrong.

A PSNI spokesman said two masked males, wearing dark-coloured track suits, arrived at the premises shortly before 9.30pm.

East Belfast arson investigation underway. Details here:https://t.co/N65ewDUzXd pic.twitter.com/qK5JFTWNlx  Police East Belfast (@PSNIBelfastE) August 28, 2024

An angle grinder-type tool was then used to cut a hole in the shutters before a flammable substance was thrown inside and set alight.

Fire service personnel attended and extinguished the fire, which caused damage to the shutters and the front hall of the building, with further smoke damage caused inside the building.

Both males are believed to have run off along Templemore Street after the incident, which is being treated as a racially motivated hate crime.

Police have issued an appeal to anyone with any information about the incident or who may have doorbell, CCTV or dashcam footage from the area that might help the investigation to call the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 1852 27/08/24.

A report can also be submitted online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/.
Michael Bolton

New research reveals 70 per cent of Irish professionals state that the current work week does not suit them.

Research from talent solutions firm Robert Walters has found that the conventional 40-hour work week is falling out of favour.

44 per cent of Irish companies have noted productivity becoming more of a problem in the past year, as 25 per cent of employers said they would extend the work week to solve this issue.

However, 85 per cent of employees said they would leave their current job if this was to happen.

53 per cent of professionals think switching to a four-week model could improve productivity considerably, while 36 per cent claim more flexibility would improve productivity.

Suzanne Feeney, Country Manager of Robert Walters Ireland comments: The conventional 40-hour work week which has remained largely unchanged for over a century, is now facing an uncertain future. This highlights a growing discontentment that employers must urgently acknowledge and work to rectify.

These past several years have seen numerous changes to the current work week be tested. Whilst the success of the different approaches may vary, they do call into question the conventional work weeks ability to keep pace with the demands of todays workforce

"With economic tensions and the cost of living still high as global labour markets remain in recovery from the pandemic and various ongoing geopolitical conflicts, there is considerable upheaval which will continue having an impact on the way we see our working week.
Lyrath Estate has received the sought-after accolade and certificate of Great Place to Work for the second year in a row from Great Places to Work Ireland.

The accreditation acknowledges businesses that prioritise employee wellbeing, focusses on positive employee experiences and endorses Lyrath Estates appreciation and engagement with their employees.

"We are delighted to have been recognised as a Great Place to Work in 2024 for the second year in a row," said owners of Lyrath Estate, the McAuliffe family.



"Im very proud of general manager Emma Jayne Eaton, the management team and all our colleagues for their continued efforts to create a special place to work at Lyrath Estate. The team at Lyrath Estate are our most valuable asset and to be recognised as a Great Place to Work is a reflection of the positive culture and environment they have all contributed to.

General Manager Emma-Jayne Eaton said: "I am immensely proud of all my colleagues at Lyrath Estate, without whom this award could not have been achieved. Together our focus each day is to create a positive, enriched working experience for all, and being recognised for the second year as a Great Place to Work acknowledges that passion and dedication."

The Great Place to Work Certification is granted to businesses that champion positive and aspirational company cultures for 30 years. The accolade is recognised in over 60 countries, with more than 7,000 organisations surveyed each year.

For more, see www.lyrath.com.

READ NEXT: Step back in time in this cozy countryside retreat on Kilkenny market for 350,000
Criminals are targeting city centre businesses by handing over counterfeit cash in their premises.

Gardai are warning staff to be extra vigilant after a number of reported incidents in recent days, including in a restaurant and a retail premises.

At least two businesses were targeted by the scammers using dud 20 and 50 notes and gardai are urging the business community to report any suspicious activity.

Gardai are urging the public, and in particular business owners and their staff, to be on the lookout for counterfeit notes of all denominations and if presented to retain the note and contact gardai.

In another scam, a rental property in Kilkenny was advertised falsely on a property website. The owner of the property saw a rental property that he owns falsely advertised as a property available to rent in another city centre location.

The property owner who has a tenant in the property at present said that the property is not available to rent and that he had not given anyone permission to post the photographs which were used online.

I would just hate anyone to give them money, he said.

The owner has reported the scam to gardai, to the property website and to the Irish Property Owners Association.
A fatal helicopter crash in Co Westmeath appears to have occurred during a training manoeuvre, a preliminary report suggests.

Dublin IT consultant Niall Crosby, who was a student pilot, and Czech instructor Antonin Kabelka were on board the helicopter at the time of the crash close to the village of Killucan at about 3.30pm on July 30.

Both were killed and the helicopter was destroyed in the crash.

While the preliminary report from the Air Accident Investigation Unit does not contain analysis or conclusions, it states there was no evidence of power loss or engine malfunction prior to impact.

Mr Crosby, who had obtained a private pilot licence for a different class of helicopter earlier in the year, wanted to obtain a type rating on the specific helicopter involved in the crash  which he had acquired last year.

According to the approved training organisation, he intended to fly with three other pilots who would also receive training on the helicopter.

As none of them was qualified to fly the helicopter, an approved flight instructor was contracted to conduct training and had arrived in Ireland two days prior to the crash.

Several training flights occurred on Monday and the Tuesday of the crash.

The flights appeared to have included autorotation training manoeuvres designed to simulate an engine failure in flight, in which the engine disengages from the main rotor disc and the rotor blades are driven solely by the upward flow of air through the rotor.

Flights followed by Mr Crosby, who also completed two training flights with the instructor.

The preliminary report says: At approximately 14:25 hrs, while operating in the vicinity of Killucan, Co Westmeath, and during what appears to have been a sixth practice autorotation, the helicopter impacted with the surface of an agricultural field.

It then travelled forwards at a height sufficient to clear a boundary fence and impacted with a gable wall of an agricultural building.

The helicopter came to rest, in a nose-down orientation, in the wall and the roof of the building.

Both occupants were fatally injured. There was no fire.

Emergency services personnel recovered the mens bodies from the wreckage where it appears that they had been restrained by their seat belts.

The results of post-mortem examinations are awaited by investigators.

Mr Crosby had completed more than 100 hours of flying time while his instructor had more than 5,250 hours of flying experience.

The helicopter was issued with an FAA Standard Airworthiness Certificate on July 31 2023.

The investigation also conducted a detailed survey of the crash site.

It was noted that the tail section of the helicopter was still loosely attached by a wiring loom and the tail rotor pitch change control cables but fractured and bent away from the airframe.

The rotor head and main rotor blades remained attached but were badly damaged.

There was no evidence of a fuel leak.

The investigation did not find any evidence that the main rotor blades had hit the ground or the structure of the helicopter.

No pre-impact anomalies were observed in any airframe components during the wreckage examination and all components were accounted for.

The cockpit doors separated from the fuselage and were located with the main wreckage.

Pieces of fuselage and aft doors were scattered in the direction of flight from ground impact to the building.

The right landing skid detached at the main impact point and was observed to be deformed, having splayed outward and fractured.

The cockpit and cabin were deformed, and both pilot seats and the right passenger seat had stroked, which is a deformation that absorbs energy with the intention of reducing the impact on the occupant.

The cockpit plexiglass was completely shattered.

Witnesses variously described seeing the helicopter descending rapidly as if to land before climbing away again while others described hearing the engine going quiet and then becoming loud again.

The report says these behaviours are consistent with the training manoeuvre being conducted.

It said there was no evidence of power loss or engine malfunction prior to impact.

A variation of engine sound prior to the crash is consistent with the helicopter moving between idle and fly during the autorotation move.

It was reported by personnel who first arrived on scene that it appeared from sounds heard that the helicopters engine may still have been running.

The investigation is ongoing ahead of the publication of a final report.
Taya Korenska and her mother Olena fled the war in Ukraine two years ago, eventually driving 3,000 miles from their home in Ukraine to North Kilkenny, where they settled.

Taya started Castlecomer Community School (CCS) shortly after landing in Kilkenny, and had very little English.

Incredibly, she went on to receive an unprecedented result in her Leaving Certificate, earning the maximum 625 points.

READ ALSO: Kilkenny school celebrating 'exceptional' Leaving Cert results

Over the two years Taya was in CCS, the school really helped her integrate and Taya has expressed her delight with the support she has received from the teachers and her fellow students.

Principal of CCS, Pat Murphy, has also expressed his delight about Tayas result and praised her work ethic since she arrived in the school.

"We are extremely proud of the results that Taya got," he told Kilkenny Live.

"We knew early in her school career that if she got the right support and worked hard, she would achieve exceptional

results. It goes to show what can be done with hard work and determination."

Pat also recalled some fond memories of Taya in the school.

"She was the first Ukrainian student in CCS," he said. "Any time a new Ukrainian family arrived I would ask her to interpret. I also found her to be very generous of her time and had compassionate to her fellow students.

"I know that she will have an exceptional and professional academic career ahead of her."

Tayas mother Olena has expressed her own profound gratitude for the 'unbelievable support from teachers and staff in Castlecomer Community School'.

Last year, Taya sat the equivalent of the Leaving Certificate in Ukraine, but she felt that with all the support and the friendly atmosphere in CCS that she wanted to stay in the Irish system for another year to complete the Leaving Certificate.

She was subsequently overjoyed with the news that she got her first choice college course in Biomedical Engineering in DCU and is grateful to be a recipient of The Abbott Scholarship: No Mind Left Behind.

Taya also has a great interest in poetry and in her own words: "Any seed needs nourishment no matter how beautiful it can potentially be. This school was water, soil, sun and oxygen necessary for me to bloom."

FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE
Primary School teachers in Kilkenny are being called on to register for the Blue Star Programme.

Now, in its 14th year, the award-winning Programme teaches children about the European Union with over 1,200 schools and an estimated 200,000 pupils understood to have completed the Programme to date.

In 2023, only five schools in Kilkenny participated and the group is calling on local teachers across the county to register and get involved.

Participating classes learn about European history, geography, culture, and the EU institutions in a fun, informative and accessible way that complements the national primary curriculum.

FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE

Aspects of the Programme's curriculum include cross-cultural activities, such as learning basic phrases in other European languages and celebrating European cultural days. Additionally, the Programme encourages pupils to learn about the European elections, in particular the role of MEPs and the differences between the EU Institutions.

Teachers have the flexibility to integrate the programme into their lesson plans and tailor EU projects to their classes aptitude and ability.

The Programme is open to all primary school ages, from junior infants to sixth class, and is designed to be run in all school settings across Ireland. Gaelscoileanna can avail of Clar na Realta Goirme i nGaeilge.
Treating Atrial Fibrillation without Scars

Appels doctoral project is part of the collaborative research center Wave Phenomena at KIT. Appel will input new parameters in an existing computer model and optimize the latter to come up with a new therapy of atrial fibrillation. In current ablation therapy, abnormal tissue is targeted and destroyed using cold and high-frequency current injected by a catheter. However, this leaves behind scarred tissue. With the new findings, the researchers hope to be able to provide pacemakers that are able to interrupt atrial fibrillation with precisely timed and spatially coordinated impulses. This would prevent permanent modification of heart muscle tissue and, hence, the risks of perforation or scarring.

Dr. Axel Loewe, Head of the Working Group at IBT, points out that the model developed by the researchers models different functions of the heart with the help of mathematical equations. One focus lies on electrophysiology of the heart. Cardiac rhythm is coordinated by electrical activity that is translated into mathematical equations. These describe the different biological levels in the heart down to the smallest building blocks that open and close depending on the electrical voltage.

Using Digital Twins for Successful Therapy

A study of last year reveals the success of IBTs research. In collaboration with the University Heart Center Freiburg-Bad Krozingen, the Group compared the potential of the new modeling method with current therapies. Based on data of 29 persons, the researchers produced a digital twin of the hearts of the patients in order to detect the causes of extrasystoles.

We found that accurate localization of connective tissue deposits in the atria is crucial to the success of personalized therapy. If the therapy, which electrically isolates the heart tissue, is applied to precisely these areas, cardiac arrhythmia can be terminated. With conventional therapy methods, these regions disturbing the rhythm can only be roughly localized. The therapy then no longer works in a third of patients, Loewe explains. With their new method, researchers could accelerate medical interventions, reduce risks, and improve results, the electrical engineer points out.

Combination of Scientific Fundamentals and Artificial Intelligence

KITs working group has increased the accuracy of its computer models through machine learning. As clinical patient data is poorly available and often not systematically recorded in Germany, the researchers have trained their application with simulated data. Loewe explains the approach using atrial fibrillation as an example: Conventional ablation therapy is successful in about 50% of the patients. However, it is difficult to predict which patients can hope for success. We calculated more than 1000 episodes of atrial fibrillation in a computer model and carried out virtual ablations. With these simulated data, we trained a machine learning method.

To assess the model, the results were compared with real datasets. Modeling was found to increase the potential of medical interventions: In 83 percent of all clinical cases, the researchers identified in advance those patients that would not benefit directly from an ablation therapy, just by using an ECG. This is a fascinating process. Synergy of computer models that are based on the basic laws of physics and biology and the increasing integration with machine learning and artificial intelligence will become more and more important in medicine in the future, Loewe says.

Heike Marburger, August 26, 2024

Translated by: Dipl.-Ubers. Maike Schroder
Stuff reports:

Fisheries Minister Shane Jones called a High Court Judge a Communist Judge during a meeting with the seafood industry over Maori rights. High Court Judge, Justice Cheryl Gwyn, who has awarded Customary Marine Titles to Maori, comes up in the meeting notes. [Jones] described Justice Gwyn (Judge in Wairarapa matter) as a Communist Judge.

There are a number of interesting aspects here.

The first is that Gwyn was a member of Socialist Action for at least four years, after she graduated (and possibly for a decade before that). Her politics then were probably Trotskyite or communist. That does not mean of course she has the same views today.

The second is that it is a bad idea for a Minister to disparage a judge. Now this was in a private meeting, not a public statement, so the Cabinet Manual doesnt; come into play, but Ministers and Judges should be respectful to each other.

The third is that Gwyn has served well in various roles. I cant say I follow her career closely but I thought she was an excellent Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, transforming that role from a fairly toothless role to a very active role which has helped increase confidence in our intelligence and security arrangements by having such rigorous scrutiny.

The final interesting aspect is that Gwyns years of Marxist or communist activism hasnt held her back. Despite having been a far-left activist she has become a Deputy Secretary of Justice, Acting Solicitor-General, Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (appointed by a National PM) and a High Court Judge. Now I think this is all appropriate, but I do ask if the same would have happened to a lawyer who spent a decade as a far-right activist? It is unconceivable. So there is a double standard that extremism on one side of politics is acceptable, but not on the other.

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AMG National Trust Bank raised its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) by 36.1% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 44,923 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after buying an additional 11,925 shares during the quarter. AMG National Trust Banks holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $4,668,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in Abbott Laboratories by 5.6% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 165,301,921 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $18,788,216,000 after buying an additional 8,834,840 shares during the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors raised its position in Abbott Laboratories by 9.5% during the 4th quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 86,588,614 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $9,530,825,000 after buying an additional 7,527,778 shares during the last quarter. Capital International Investors raised its position in Abbott Laboratories by 9.1% during the 1st quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 70,177,564 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $7,976,382,000 after buying an additional 5,882,780 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its position in Abbott Laboratories by 3.3% during the 4th quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 32,236,101 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $3,548,228,000 after buying an additional 1,027,390 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank purchased a new position in Abbott Laboratories during the 4th quarter worth approximately $2,115,836,000. 75.18% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Abbott Laboratories Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:ABT traded up $0.59 on Friday, reaching $112.69. 4,511,637 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,979,149. The businesss 50-day moving average is $106.15 and its two-hundred day moving average is $108.71. The company has a quick ratio of 1.11, a current ratio of 1.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. Abbott Laboratories has a fifty-two week low of $89.67 and a fifty-two week high of $121.64. The firm has a market capitalization of $196.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.11, a PEG ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 0.72.

Abbott Laboratories Dividend Announcement

Abbott Laboratories ( NYSE:ABT Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 18th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.10 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $10.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.37 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 13.65% and a return on equity of 20.18%. Abbott Laboratoriess revenue was up 4.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.08 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.66 EPS for the current year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 15th were paid a $0.55 dividend. This represents a $2.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.95%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, July 15th. Abbott Laboratoriess payout ratio is 68.54%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

ABT has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. They set a buy rating and a $121.00 price objective on the stock. Barclays raised their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $140.00 to $143.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, July 29th. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $125.00 price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a report on Tuesday, June 4th. Evercore ISI reduced their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $125.00 to $120.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, July 2nd. Finally, Edward Jones lowered shares of Abbott Laboratories from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, July 30th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $121.80.

Read Our Latest Report on ABT

Abbott Laboratories 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.

See Also

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ABT? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report).

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Banco Macro (NYSE:BMA  Get Free Report) released its earnings results on Thursday. The bank reported ($4.01) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.49 by ($5.50), Zacks reports. Banco Macro had a return on equity of 37.91% and a net margin of 16.33%. The firm had revenue of $1.03 billion for the quarter. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.69 earnings per share.

Banco Macro Stock Performance

NYSE:BMA opened at $53.55 on Friday. The firms 50-day moving average is $54.67 and its 200-day moving average is $51.57. The company has a market cap of $3.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 3.16 and a beta of 1.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a quick ratio of 1.05 and a current ratio of 0.77. Banco Macro has a 52-week low of $17.30 and a 52-week high of $68.24.

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Banco Macro Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a monthly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 23rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 16th were issued a $1.798 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 16th. This is an increase from Banco Macros previous monthly dividend of $1.74. This represents a $21.58 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 40.29%. Banco Macros dividend payout ratio is 127.41%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have recently commented on BMA. Bank of America upgraded Banco Macro from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $53.00 to $62.00 in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. StockNews.com downgraded Banco Macro from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 13th.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Banco Macro

About Banco Macro

(Get Free Report)

Banco Macro SA provides various banking products and services to retail and corporate customers in Argentina. It offers various retail banking products and services, such as savings and checking accounts, time deposits, credit and debit cards, consumer finance loans, mortgage loans, automobile loans, overdrafts, credit-related services, home and car insurance coverage, tax collection, utility payments, automated teller machines (ATMs), and money transfers.

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Shares of Pacer CSOP FTSE China A50 ETF (NYSEARCA:AFTY  Get Free Report) were up 1.3% on Friday . The stock traded as high as $14.31 and last traded at $14.31. Approximately 4 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 100% from the average daily volume of 833 shares. The stock had previously closed at $14.13.

Pacer CSOP FTSE China A50 ETF Stock Up 1.3 %

The stock has a market cap of $4.38 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.67 and a beta of 0.45. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $14.06 and a 200-day simple moving average of $14.11.

About Pacer CSOP FTSE China A50 ETF

(Get Free Report)

The Pacer CSOP FTSE China A50 ETF (AFTY) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the FTSE China A 50 index. The fund tracks an index of the 50 largest China A-shares listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges. AFTY was launched on Mar 12, 2015 and is managed by Pacer.

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EFG Asset Management North America Corp. grew its stake in Pure Storage, Inc. (NYSE:PSTG  Free Report) by 5.5% during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 31,619 shares of the technology companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,653 shares during the period. EFG Asset Management North America Corp.s holdings in Pure Storage were worth $2,029,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Highland Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Pure Storage in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $1,286,000. Calamos Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Pure Storage by 62.9% in the 2nd quarter. Calamos Advisors LLC now owns 56,075 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $3,601,000 after acquiring an additional 21,647 shares during the period. Bank Pictet & Cie Europe AG raised its stake in shares of Pure Storage by 3.2% in the 2nd quarter. Bank Pictet & Cie Europe AG now owns 7,202 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $462,000 after acquiring an additional 223 shares during the period. Banque Pictet & Cie SA raised its stake in shares of Pure Storage by 40.3% in the 2nd quarter. Banque Pictet & Cie SA now owns 143,833 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $9,236,000 after acquiring an additional 41,310 shares during the period. Finally, New York State Teachers Retirement System increased its stake in Pure Storage by 15.7% during the 2nd quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System now owns 282,016 shares of the technology companys stock worth $18,108,000 after buying an additional 38,225 shares during the period. 83.42% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Activity at Pure Storage

In other Pure Storage news, Director Mallun Yen sold 4,818 shares of Pure Storage stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $64.78, for a total transaction of $312,110.04. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 35,498 shares in the company, valued at $2,299,560.44. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, Director Mallun Yen sold 4,818 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $64.78, for a total value of $312,110.04. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 35,498 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,299,560.44. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CFO P. Kevan Krysler sold 14,296 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $63.79, for a total transaction of $911,941.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 518,623 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $33,082,961.17. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 328,995 shares of company stock worth $19,175,193 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 6.00% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Lake Street Capital upped their target price on shares of Pure Storage from $48.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. Stifel Nicolaus upped their target price on shares of Pure Storage from $46.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. Northland Capmk downgraded shares of Pure Storage from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of Pure Storage from $65.00 to $75.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. Finally, Guggenheim reissued a buy rating and issued a $72.00 price objective on shares of Pure Storage in a research report on Tuesday, June 25th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $68.65.

Read Our Latest Research Report on PSTG

Pure Storage Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:PSTG traded down $0.82 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $60.74. The stock had a trading volume of 1,166,486 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,853,140. The company has a market capitalization of $19.75 billion, a PE ratio of 219.89, a P/E/G ratio of 6.29 and a beta of 1.11. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $61.51 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $56.32. The company has a current ratio of 2.00, a quick ratio of 1.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. Pure Storage, Inc. has a 1 year low of $31.00 and a 1 year high of $70.41.

Pure Storage (NYSE:PSTG  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 29th. The technology company reported ($0.02) EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.04) by $0.02. Pure Storage had a net margin of 3.19% and a return on equity of 15.34%. The firm had revenue of $693.48 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $681.37 million. As a group, equities analysts predict that Pure Storage, Inc. will post 0.47 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Pure Storage Profile

(Free Report)

Pure Storage, Inc engages in the provision of data storage and management technologies, products, and services in the United States and internationally. Its Purity software is shared across its products and provides enterprise-class data services, such as always-on data reduction, data protection, and encryption, as well as storage protocols, including block, file, and object.

Further Reading

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PSTG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pure Storage, Inc. (NYSE:PSTG  Free Report).

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Redwood Trust (NYSE:RWT  Get Free Report) and Apple Hospitality REIT (NYSE:APLE  Get Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, valuation, profitability, earnings and risk.

Risk & Volatility

Redwood Trust has a beta of 1.58, indicating that its share price is 58% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Apple Hospitality REIT has a beta of 1.11, indicating that its share price is 11% more volatile than the S&P 500.

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Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings and price targets for Redwood Trust and Apple Hospitality REIT, as provided by MarketBeat.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Redwood Trust 0 3 5 1 2.78 Apple Hospitality REIT 0 4 1 0 2.20

Profitability

Redwood Trust currently has a consensus target price of $7.81, suggesting a potential upside of 6.20%. Apple Hospitality REIT has a consensus target price of $17.00, suggesting a potential upside of 17.24%. Given Apple Hospitality REITs higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Apple Hospitality REIT is more favorable than Redwood Trust.

This table compares Redwood Trust and Apple Hospitality REITs net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Redwood Trust 4.45% 4.93% 0.37% Apple Hospitality REIT 14.58% 6.11% 4.07%

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Redwood Trust and Apple Hospitality REITs revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Redwood Trust $724.00 million 1.34 -$2.27 million $0.07 105.00 Apple Hospitality REIT $1.39 billion 2.53 $177.49 million $0.86 16.86

Apple Hospitality REIT has higher revenue and earnings than Redwood Trust. Apple Hospitality REIT is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Redwood Trust, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Dividends

Redwood Trust pays an annual dividend of $0.64 per share and has a dividend yield of 8.7%. Apple Hospitality REIT pays an annual dividend of $0.96 per share and has a dividend yield of 6.6%. Redwood Trust pays out 914.3% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Apple Hospitality REIT pays out 111.6% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

74.3% of Redwood Trust shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 89.7% of Apple Hospitality REIT shares are held by institutional investors. 2.5% of Redwood Trust shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 6.8% of Apple Hospitality REIT shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

Apple Hospitality REIT beats Redwood Trust on 11 of the 17 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Redwood Trust

(Get Free Report)

Redwood Trust, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty finance company in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Residential Consumer Mortgage Banking, Residential Investor Mortgage Banking, and Investment Portfolio. The Residential Consumer Mortgage Banking segment operates a mortgage loan conduit that acquires residential loans from third-party originators for subsequent sale, securitization, or transfer to its investment portfolio. This segment also offers derivative financial instruments to manage risks associated with residential loans. The Residential Investor Mortgage Banking segment operates a platform that originates business purpose loans to investors in single-family and multifamily residential properties and bridge loans for subsequent securitization, sale, or transfer into its investment portfolio. The Investment Portfolio segment invests in securities retained from residential consumer and investor securitization activities, and business purpose lending bridge loans, as well as residential mortgage-backed securities issued by third parties, Freddie Mac K-Series multifamily loan securitizations and reperforming loan securitizations, servicer advance investments, home equity investments, and other housing-related investments. The company is elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust (REIT) for federal income tax purposes. Redwood Trust, Inc. was incorporated in 1994 and is headquartered in Mill Valley, California.

About Apple Hospitality REIT

(Get Free Report)

Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. (NYSE: APLE) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns one of the largest and most diverse portfolios of upscale, rooms-focused hotels in the United States. Apple Hospitality's portfolio consists of 223 hotels with more than 29,400 guest rooms located in 87 markets throughout 37 states as well as one property leased to third parties. Concentrated with industry-leading brands, the Company's hotel portfolio consists of 99 Marriott-branded hotels, 119 Hilton-branded hotels and five Hyatt-branded hotels.

Receive News & Ratings for Redwood Trust Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Redwood Trust and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
By Lee Gyu-lee

Tradition meets modernity in the Colombian band Salsangroove's music. The quintet reinterprets traditional salsa music by infusing various genres from electronic to jazz, offering a new, creative Colombian sound.

The band  comprised of vocalist Pablo Watusi Martinez, saxophonist Juan Felipe Cardenas Rojas, percussionist Juan Carlos Arrechea Mina, guitarist Juan Andres Cortes and conga player Larry Ararat  is currently touring around Asia. It is scheduled to have two performances in Korea, at the VIBE VOYAGE festival at Nodeul Island Live House on the Han River in the middle of Seoul on Wednesday, and Seoul Latin Fiesta at Rolling Hall near western Seoul's Hongik University on Saturday.

The group shared its hopes to usher Asian audiences into the world of Colombian sounds through its performances.

"The message we want to convey here in Asia is our great joy and energy from Colombia, not just from the content of the lyrics but also the sounds and tastes of Colombia. We want to deliver the experiences each of our members has and stories of us as families," Martinez said in an interview with The Korea Times at the Embassy of Colombia in Jongno District, Seoul, Tuesday.

The band started its musical journey with two friends, Martinez and Rojas, bringing together musicians from different backgrounds to form the genre-bending group.

"Rojas and I have been friends since we were young. And we've been playing together in an orchestra band named La-33, studying salsa and conducting various musical experiments by fusing several music genres together," Martinez said.

"We also tried merging the traditional genre of electronic music using technology, and along the way, musicians who were interested in this field gathered together as this group to conduct various musical experiments."

The band's experimental adventure kicked off with success, notching a nomination for the Latin Grammy Awards in 2017 with its first album.

"At that time, we were in a period of mixing various sounds and exploring our identity. So it was such unexpected, good news since we had put a lot of effort into creating that album," Rojas said. "Thanks to that, we were able to continue our band with more confidence in the music we make and in our identity."

The members put each of their own musical backgrounds and specialty in instruments to give a variation to classic salsa music. In doing so, the band utilizes instruments that were not used in salsa music to give a modern touch.

"To maintain this balance (between genres), our band uses traditional salsa instruments, like congas, timbales and cowbells, which serve as references to the traditional genre. We also use new instruments not typically used in traditional salsa, such as piano, bass and wind instruments, and combine them in a digital way," Martinez said.

Ararat added that keeping the balance is crucial in maintaining the identity of the traditional genre in the band's music. "From using instruments like drums and bass to combining jazz or traditional Afro-Colombian music with salsa, we strive to fuse them in a way that no single element overpowers the others," he said.

As the first two stops of its tour around Asia, the band performed in Malaysia and Vietnam before reaching Seoul.

"Thanks to Colombian embassies in each country, we've completed the performances successfully. And they told us that it's quite unusual to receive this much positive response when we performed," Cortes said. "This made me realize that, even though the music is in a different language and from a different region, it can still resonate with audiences from other places."

After its latest release in June, Salsangroove is currently working on four songs, one of which it was inspired by its trip to Vietnam.

Under the motto "Latin Global Music," the members shared their aspiration to share their innovative music with the world.

"I think of (our music) as uniting various worlds and as an opening to unknown worlds. So, I believe it's about opening the hearts of not only Latin Americans but also people all around the world," Rojas said.

Mina added, "Our ultimate goal is to spread the love for our music to every corner of the world."
Star screenwriter Kim Eun-hee, known for her genre-bending works, shared insights into her creative process and use of Korean folklore during a special lecture at the national folk museum in Seoul on Wednesday.

Kim, the creator of genre dramas like the Netflix series "Kingdom" (2019) and tvN's "Signal" (2016), discussed her latest series "Revenant" (2023), which blends the occult genre with the struggles of today's young people.

"I wanted to create a ghost that tempts young people," Kim said, explaining the inspiration behind the drama's Korean-style supernatural being.

"Revenant" follows a young jobless woman possessed by an evil spirit after receiving her late father's belongings. The series garnered attention for its incorporation of traditional folklore elements.

Kim visited the National Folk Museum for inspiration before writing the script.

"Looking at the exhibited artifacts, I thought about how the people who used these items were also once young," she recalled.

After meticulous research into Korean superstitions and shamanistic beliefs, she used a red "daenggi" (traditional ribbon), a jade "binyeo" (an ornamental hairpin) and "geumjul" (sacred straw ropes used to ward off evil spirits) as plot devices in the drama. She also discovered the ritual of "yeommae," which traps a child's soul and turns it into a ghost, after research.

"I used them as material because they are records that show an era (from the distant past)," Kim explained. "I wanted to find the most Korean-like stories, ones that could have existed near us."

Kim stressed that the field of folklore studies is ultimately about "our lives."

"When I was working on the drama 'Kingdom,' finding materials that depicted the lives of ordinary people was challenging, while there was abundant information about palaces and dynasties," she said.

"When I pondered what would remain if someone were to document our lives after we're gone, I realized it would be folklore," Kim said, describing folklore as essentially "life" and "stories."

During the lecture, she also addressed the recent challenges facing Korean TV series and films.

"Overall, the industry is in crisis," she said. "The film industry is struggling, and the situation with the drama scene is no different, with the number of drama productions significantly decreasing from around 200 to about 100 per year."

Production costs are steadily on the rise, which may lead to narrowing opportunities for new writers, she pointed out.

Emphasizing the power of "new and fresh" storytelling, she suggested, "If we strive to create an environment where new perspectives are given more opportunities, we might see a promising future." (Yonhap)
By Baek Byung-yeul

As "Hello, Grandpa," a documentary film about Fu Bao, the beloved Korean-born giant panda who recently returned to China, prepares to hit cinemas next week, the pandas zookeeper, Kang Cheol-won, expressed hope that the film will offer comfort to those experiencing difficulties or a sense of emptiness in their lives.

"I'm currently taking care of Rui Bao and Hui Bao pandas after sending Fu Bao off and I think the Bao family has had a significant impact not only on us but on many people," Kang said during a press conference for the movie in Seoul, Tuesday, highlighting the widespread popularity of the pandas in Korea.

Affectionately dubbed "Kang Bao" by fans, the zookeeper is well-known for the exceptional care he gave to Fu Bao, the first giant panda born in Korea in 2020 at Everland Resort in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. He cared for her as if she were his own child.

He has been looking after Fu Bao's parent pandas, Ai Bao and Le Bao, since 2016. Kang has affectionately referred to himself as Fu Bao's grandpa, which inspired the documentary's title.

"Hello, Grandpa" chronicles the three months leading up to Fu Bao's separation from Kang, including the panda's daily routine.

Fu Bao became a nationwide sensation during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many Koreans visiting the amusement park and watching videos about the panda.

Kang shared his concerns about the potential emptiness people might feel following Fu Bao's departure.

"Many people found courage, hope and a new life after meeting Fu Bao during difficult times and I was concerned that emptiness or sadness might return as Fu Bao departed to China," he said.

"I hope the movie will offer comfort to those who need it, change perceptions for those unfamiliar with the Bao family, and become a lasting tribute that ensures the Bao family is remembered for years to come."

Fu Bao left Korea in April and is now at the Wolong Shenshuping Base, in line with an endangered species conservation agreement that requires loaned pandas and their offspring to be returned to their country of origin before they reach the age of four.

Adding to the film's emotional depth, Kangs mother passed away the day before Fu Bao left for China. Despite his grief, Kang chose to accompany Fu Bao as planned. The documentary captures the poignant moment when Kang makes this decision, ensuring the pandas safe arrival.

"I had been preparing to send Fu Bao off for a long time, and my mother had told me 'Have a safe trip' when I saw her three days before Fu Bao's departure. The day before Fu Bao left for China, I received the news of my mother's passing, and it felt as though the sky was falling," he said. "My brothers reassured me that my mother would understand my need to go to China despite not being able to attend the funeral."

Song Young-kwan, another zookeeper at the amusement park with the nickname of "Song Bao," added the film allowed him to reflect on the time he spent with the panda.

"It brought back precious memories with Fu Bao that I had somewhat forgotten in daily life," Song said. "I think the audience will feel the same emotions."

"Hello, Grandpa" will be released in theaters on Sept. 4.
By Lee Kyung-min

What if you're offered up to 300,000 won ($224) to make a simple delivery of a shopping bag to someone?

Doing this three or four times a day easily makes a daily income of well over 1 million won.

Isn't it a great way to make quick cash?

This line of thinking, unfortunately, is how many international and exchange students in Korea fall victim to voice phishing scams, according to Zhang Xujuan, a manager in the international trade business department at Woori Bank.

Zhang is an anti-voice phishing scam instructor. The Chinese national gives workshops at universities in her mother tongue on how to recognize and avoid voice phishing scams.

"Many international students end up criminally charged or deported, in the worst-case scenarios," she said.

As benign as their motives may be, the act of delivering a bag full of cash to a person who later turns out to be a member of an organized voice phishing ring constitutes fraud, a criminal charge that can result in many years in prison.

More concerning is, according to her, the students almost never see the harm in withdrawing millions of won in cash from a bank's ATMs and putting it in a bag to hand it over to someone they don't even know.

"Students in their early to mid-20s have no stable income. They are easily tempted by the prospect of making quick money, since working part-time jobs at coffee houses or restaurants is not as lucrative and far more demanding," she said.

"I make sure I let them know about the consequences of what they thought was nothing more than running an errand, helping them avoid the pitfalls in the first place."

Also among the most frequent incidents leading to criminal investigations is using unauthorized entities or individuals when exchanging foreign currency to the Korean won  linked almost always to tuition payments.

University tuition is a large sum of money for international students. The offer of even a slightly favorable exchange rate goes a long way to reduce the burden of coming up with millions of won  however small the difference may be.

Chinese students in Korea, for example, arrange a deal with a Chinese broker. The student pays in the Chinese currency to the broker in China, who then wires Korean won into the account of the student. This will have the student's account frozen. The account holder will be referred for disciplinary actions of the university. No less probable are police questioning and prosecution.

"Sometimes the students face suspension or forced leaves, if their accounts were found to be involved in a scam. Claiming ignorance of the situation will not help at this point," she said.

Calls from individuals impersonating embassy personnel of their countries are not easy to dismiss, either.

"The students tend not to be dismissive of the calls from the embassy as they would those from the police, the prosecution or financial authorities. As soon as they hear the word embassy, they think the call would be relevant to their stay here."

She had cases where a student thanked her for giving the workshop. That student recognized a call from a phishing scam ring after the voice on the phone asked to press zero.

"Had she complied, it would have emptied her bank account with her personal information handed over in full through a button-activated phishing app. Cases similar to this occur more often than people realize."

She plans to give workshops at least once every two months.

"I think what I do is best encapsulated by the saying, 'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.' I am committed to preventing rather than dealing with regretful consequences after the fact," she said.

Recently, Woori Bank rolled out a product whereby account holders of the bank can be insured for up to 3 million won lost in phishing scams for a period of one year. Subscriptions can be made during an in-person visit at the branches of the lender.
By Lee Kyung-min

Top executives and employees of Woori Financial Group and its banking subsidiary, Woori Bank, will fully comply with the sanctions of the countrys financial supervisory authorities, the group chairman said Wednesday.

Woori Financial Chairman Yim Jong-yong made these comments as part of an apology in response to the latest development involving repeated employee embezzlements and questionable business practices at Woori over the past few years.

The swift action followed a prosecution raid at the banks headquarters on Tuesday. The raid was conducted over suspicions that relatives of former group chairman Son Tae-seung were granted a total of 35 billion won ($26 million) in poorly evaluated loans between April 2022 and Jan. 16.

The remaining outstanding balance of the loan came to 30.4 billion won, as of July 19, according to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS). Over 88 percent, or 26.9 billion won, is backed by collateral but is non-performing. Up to 15.8 billion won will be unrecoverable, according to Woori Bank.

I deeply apologize for causing grave concern to the public and Woori customers over the unethical lending practices involving former chairman Son, Yim said during an impromptu meeting at the group headquarters in Seoul.

Woori employees, including the bank CEO and myself, will humbly accept the conclusion of the investigative authorities and follow the steps required of us.

The chairman called for a thorough review of current lending practices, a critical process to prevent the recurrence of irregularities and identify methods to completely replace the failing internal control system.

We will establish a new corporate culture of integrity, underpinned by group-wide action plans reflective of our values and ethics, he said. We will fully cooperate with the FSS and the prosecution to lay bare in detail the long-overlooked practices.

The recent slew of troubling developments surrounding Woori should not undermine employee morale, he added.

The management must actively address and alleviate the concerns of employees who are understandably disheartened. Our responsibilities will continue without interruption. Branch office employees will focus on improving customer service, while group officials will ensure the seamless implementation of directives from the top.

Earlier in the day, the group signed a stock purchase agreement to acquire a 75.34 percent stake in Tongyang Life for 1.28 trillion won and the entire stake in ABL Life for 265.4 billion won. The price-to-book ratios for the two stood at 0.65 and 0.30, respectively, as of March 31.
Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok on Wednesday called for preemptive responses to prevent the possible impact of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East on the domestic economy.

Choi made the call during an economic advisory panel meeting in Seoul, as tensions remain high in the region as Iran has vowed to retaliate against Israel for last month's assassination of Hamas' top political leader, Ismail Haniyeh.

"In response to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, we need to stay vigilant and closely monitor the situation," Choi said.

"We must make all-out efforts to devise and implement preemptive responses to prevent any negative impacts on our economy," he added.

Experts said the conflict has had a limited impact, but uncertainties remain high, with them urging the government to monitor the market with a high level of alertness, the ministry said. (Yonhap)
Korea's central bank chief said Wednesday that structural reform should be made to enhance the country's growth potential.

In a lecture to a group of lawmakers, Bank of Korea (BOK) Gov. Rhee Chang-yong said a series of swift structural reform measures should be taken to address a fall in the country's growth potential caused by the ultralow birth rate and the fast aging trend.

"It is difficult to deal with structural problems, such as the low birth rate and the aging trend, because of conflicts of interests among various groups," Rhee said.

"But we don't have much time for structural reforms," he stressed.

Rhee said the country's ultralow birth rate has been caused by overwhelming child-rearing costs, the country's high educational obsession with tertiary education and greater Seoul's high population density problem.

Given the fast aging pace and senior citizens' highest poverty rate among OECD members, social costs will increase sharply down the road, he said. (Yonhap)
By Baek Byung-yeul

Korea House, a cultural complex operated by the Korea Heritage Agency (KHA), introduces its new autumn fine dining menu in September, celebrating hansik (Korean cuisine) with a royal twist.

Located in Jung District in central Seoul, Korea House was established in 1957 as a guest house to introduce traditional Korean culture to both domestic and international visitors. Following renovations in 1981, the complex was transformed into a hanok, or traditional Korean house. It now showcases various aspects of Korean culture, including royal cuisine, traditional performances, and Korean-style weddings.

Korea House has become a popular attraction, particularly among international tourists, thanks to its association with K-pop band BTS, which shot their Billboard Magazine cover there, and its use as a filming location for many Korean dramas. The complex is bustling with overseas visitors eager to experience traditional Korean culture.

This fall, Korea House aims to captivate visitors by incorporating seasonal ingredients, once reserved as royal tributes, into their fine dining experience.

The new menu, inspired by the culinary traditions of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), features high-end ingredients such as ogye (black-feathered chicken), the finest grades of red ginseng (steamed and dried ginseng)  jisam and cheonsam, pine mushrooms and jangsaeng doraji (bellflower root).

Each course is uniquely crafted, starting with a refreshing appetizer of Cold Seafood with Mustard Sauce, featuring various seafood complemented by a tangy mustard sauce. This is followed by a selection of dishes including Grilled Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms, hearty Pumpkin Porridge and savory Oat Neungee (sarcodon aspratus) Dumplings.

Gujeolchan (Platter of 9 Side Dishes) showcases an important part of hansik culture  "chan," or side dishes. An assortment of side dishes, including kimchi, sauteed mushrooms, braised anchovies, and steamed egg, is served on a divided platter.

One of the highlights is the Tteok-galbi, or grilled short rib patties, which are made from finely minced beef mixed with autumns flavorful high-grade shiitake mushrooms, offering a modern take on a traditional royal delicacy.

Another offering is the Mushroom Sinseollo, a royal hot pot that was historically served to kings and noblemen. For this autumn season, Korea House has enhanced the dish with a rich broth made from a variety of seasonal mushrooms, providing a deep umami flavor.

Sinseontang is a high-end version of Korea's popular health dish, rich in medicinal and gourmet elements. This soup features high grade red ginseng and black-feathered chicken from Yeonsan, South Chungcheong Province, which is a designated natural treasure in Korea. The recipe combines these with oxtail and ox knee for a rich broth and complements it with meatballs made from the black chicken and sea cucumbers stuffed with snow crab meat.

Steamed Rice with Chestnut is served with Hyojonggaeng, a soup of meat broth with vegetables.

The meal wraps up with Kohojae autumn dessert set, a refined selection of traditional Korean desserts with a seasonal touch. It features coffee jelly, inspired by King Gojong's love of coffee; yakgwa sand, a combination of honey cookies and ginger-flavored ganache; as well as assorted candied fruits and traditional tea snacks, accompanied by green tea sikhye (sweet rice punch).

KHA explained that the ingredients used in the autumn menu were precious food items presented to kings during the Joseon era.

Ogye, meaning black chicken, was a valuable tribute during the Joseon era. According to "The Journals of the Royal Secretariat," which recorded communications between Joseon kings and the government departments, 19th king Sukjong had ogye to recover his health when he was ill.

Ginseng was frequently consumed by Joseon kings for longevity. Among various ginseng products, cheonsam, which ranks in the top 0.5 percent of red ginseng, is considered an upscale health food and has been gifted to foreign dignitaries visiting Korea, including Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.

"Korea House has been researching ways for visitors to enjoy not only seasonal ingredients but also traditional Korean cuisine in a fine dining format. By offering royal cuisine fine dining with precious seasonal ingredients each season, we provide diverse hansik experiences that are highly popular among overseas tourists as well," the KHA said in a statement.

The autumn menu is available from Sept. 3 to Dec. 1.
North Korea's external economic minister has held talks with Russia's deputy industry and trade minister to discuss ways to further bolster bilateral economic cooperation, state media reported Wednesday.

Yun Jong-ho and Roman Chekushov held talks on Tuesday, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said without further elaborating. A Russian delegation, led by Chekushov, arrived in Pyongyang on Monday.

Other participants also included Kim Hwa-sik, North Korean vice minister in charge of the chemical industry, the report said.

Observers said North Korea and Russia may have discussed ways to increase cooperation in areas of coal gasification and the chemical industry.

North Korea has been ramping up efforts to use coal to produce synthetic gas as it is hard to acquire petroleum under U.N. sanctions against its nuclear and missile programs. With coal gasification, the North aims to produce fuel and chemical materials, but it is believed to make little progress in achieving the goal.

North Korea and Russia have been expanding military and other cooperation following the summit between the North's leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin last year. Kim and Putin signed a new partnership treaty in June in Pyongyang that includes a mutual defense clause. (Yonhap)
Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho said Wednesday that he believes South Korea's trilateral cooperation with the United States and Japan will remain steadfast regardless of the outcome of the upcoming U.S. presidential election, in the face of North Korea's provocations.

Kim made the remarks during a forum hosted by the state-run Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul. The event brought together officials and security experts from the three nations to commemorate the first anniversary of the historic trilateral summit.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met at the Camp David presidential retreat on Aug. 18, 2023, and agreed to deepen military and economic cooperation, taking a united stand against security threats posed by North Korea.

"I believe that cooperation among the three nations in response to North Korea's provocations and for the denuclearization of North Korea will remain unchanged, regardless of any political leadership changes," Kim said in his opening remarks.

The comments come after both the Democratic and Republican parties in the U.S. omitted the long-elusive denuclearization goal from their platforms, raising questions about how the next administration might address North Korea's nuclear threats and whether this signals a potential shift in policy focus.

"There has been much talk regarding the platforms of the current U.S. presidential candidates," Kim noted. "However, the complete denuclearization of North Korea is a solid agreement among the three countries."

U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg emphasized the importance of "institutionalizing" cooperation with South Korea and Japan.

"As such, we must carry this new era of trilateral partnership forward, institutionalize our cooperation, and seek every opportunity to advance our interests together at every level," Goldberg said. (Yonhap)
Experts urge China to play bigger role in Korean Peninsula issue

By Kwak Yeon-soo

South Korea, the U.S., and Japan should institutionalize their trilateral efforts to deter North Korea and discourage China from supporting the Kim Jong-un regime, political analysts said, Wednesday.

Ralph A. Cossa, president emeritus and WSD-Handa chair in peace studies at the Pacific Forum, described the Camp David Declaration as so far, so good. However, he noted that the current strategic environment, where Beijing and Moscow are competing to see who can support Pyongyang the most, indicates that much more needs to be done.

Calling North Korea-Russia relations an unholy alliance, he raised concerns about the three versus three or zero-sum alignment in Northeast Asia.

There is a growing sense of urgency behind the need for institutionalization of trilateral efforts, Cossa said during an international conference commemorating the first anniversary of the ROK-U.S.-Japan summit and President Yoon Suk Yeol's 8.15 Unification Doctrine in Seoul, Wednesday.

He said the three-way partnership faces a significant test due to several factors. Yoon is limited to a single term and is already being labeled a lame duck following setbacks for his ruling party in parliamentary elections. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is facing uncertain domestic political stability, and the upcoming U.S. presidential elections could lead to changes in alliance management policies.

Cossa called on China to play a bigger role in Korean unification, adding that South Korea, China and the U.S should seek common ground and a long-term vision that might not be seen as ideal to any but would be acceptable to all.

Kim Jae-chun, professor of international relations at Sogang University, said a key future task for the South Korea-U.S.-Japan security cooperation framework is to ensure continuity. This is crucial as North Koreas strategic value to China and Russia has increased significantly in recent years.

To garner active support from the (South) Korean public for the trilateral cooperation framework, it is necessary for (South) Korea and Japan to be perceived as equal partners. Amending the (South) Korea-U.S. Nuclear Cooperation Agreement to allow (South) Korea to attain nuclear potential at the same level of Japan could help foster the perception that (South) Korea and Japan are equal partners, Kim said.

He also stressed the need for a multilateral, lattice-like framework rather than a "hub and spokes" system of bilateral alliances.

There is also a need to transform the bilateral nuclear agreements between (South) Korea and the U.S. and between the U.S. and Japan into a trilateral nuclear agreement, Kim said.

David Maxwell, vice president of the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy (CAPS), pointed out that the U.S. did not fully address the goal of a "unified Korean Peninsula that is free and at peace" in the Camp David declaration.

Americans are myopically concerned with only denuclearization. They think unification is only a Korean problem, which leads them to dismiss all discussions as well as policy and strategy recommendations about unification. This is a strategic weakness for the U.S. and the alliance, especially as South Korea pursues its unification policy, Maxwell said.

Despite the political uncertainty left by Kishidas decision to step down, Japan will stay committed to enhancing trilateral cooperation based on the Spirit and Principles of the Camp David declaration, according to an expert.

Japan, South Korea and the U.S. need to prepare for potential major military provocations by North Korea and possible contingencies on the Korean Peninsula. To address the challenges posed by China, the three countries need to enhance cooperation across a broad range of areas, including the economy, technology, and supply chains, said Katsuya Tsukamoto, chief of the National Security Policy Division at National Institute for Defense Studies.

We also need to prepare for possible strategic coordination among North Korea, Russia, and China.
Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul on Wednesday expressed concerns over a new set of laws recently issued by the Taliban in Afghanistan and called on authorities to respect human rights.

Published by the Taliban's justice ministry last week, the 35-article law has sparked international criticism for restricting women's rights due to clauses that require women to cover their faces and bodies outside of their homes, and ban them from speaking in public.

The law also includes rules on men's attire, and forbids homosexuality and playing music in public.

"We are profoundly concerned and disheartened by Afghanistan's so-called 'morality' law, which starkly defies global efforts for meaningful engagement with the country," Cho wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

"Women's rights and human dignity are at the heart of a nation's growth. We urge the Taliban to heed global concern, and respect human rights and fundamental freedoms."

Taliban authorities have informally introduced restrictions, such as those on women's education, since taking power in August 2021. (Yonhap)
By Jon Dunbar

One of the interesting features of Block Party, a multi-venue festival happening Sept. 21 and 22, is in how it mixes communities. It offers a lineup of exciting bands you'd expect to see at Hongdae's Live Club Day, performing alongside familiar members of central Seoul's Haebangchon and Gyeongnidan neighborhoods. This direction was set in the first year of the festival to better involve the local community, and it created a unique atmosphere, sort of like an actual block party.

Steven Manning is one of the names that stands out. He will be playing a solo acoustic set featuring covers of his favorite songs as well as crowd pleasers he's done in the past.

Block Party is an awesome thing to have in the neighborhood and I'm excited to be a part of it this year," Manning said. "It has a good vibe that brings people in from all over Seoul and the rest of Korea, and is a great place to see and hear music that they most likely wouldn't hear anywhere else. I also think it's a good snapshot of what is going on with the music scene at that particular time. I attended Block Party last year and saw all sorts of acts in one weekend that I wouldn't have seen otherwise, and I know this year's show will be different but just as awesome."

Manning has been a fixture of the area's music scene since 2017, when he returned to Korea and took over hosting duties for Buskers Open Mic. The talent showcase started out in 2016 in Bedrock, which later closed (and is now renamed Togul), and Manning has since taken the weekly event over to Phillies.

"As challenging as it can be at times, I've enjoyed hosting and being the emcee for it as well," Manning said. "I put so much effort into it because I think that there should be an opportunity for people who want to play music in Seoul to get up in front of their friends and other people to show what they can do and they should sound their best. I feel like the more places people can get up and play music, the better it is for everyone."

Over the years, he's continued playing music, both solo and sometimes with bands.

"In terms of fun, I like playing in a band," he said. "In terms of opportunities to just get out and play guitar, I like to play solo because it's just me and anyplace I can plug in my guitar."

He played in a few bands back in Seattle, but the only band he has been part of in Korea so far was the heavy metal band Rogue Warriors. That was a sprawling mess of a band, which had at least 40 members. The idea was to cycle through all these different people in one set, and savor the ensuing chaos.

Manning enjoys playing heavy metal and hard rock on his electric guitar, while his acoustic work is heavily influenced by the 1990s and 2000s acoustic rock he grew up with.

"My musical tastes developed by listening to the radio a lot as a kid, which led me to picking up a guitar when I was 15 years old," he said. "Seattle had and still does have a lot of good music that gets played at clubs and on the radio, and a lot of that worked its way into my musical personality."

Manning first arrived in Korea in 2010 with the U.S. military, serving at U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan. After leaving the military in 2011, he attended college and later returned to Korea as an English teacher after graduating.

"I've stuck around here mostly because I not only enjoy playing music in HBC, but just enjoying Korea in general," he said.

Having been based in Seoul for seven years, Manning has witnessed numerous changes in his surroundings. While he acknowledges the changes, he doesn't view them as necessarily negative.

"Everything seems to be changing around Yongsan, HBC and Itaewon these days," he said. "Bars have closed, moved, and/or reopened, and restaurants have come and gone. But when you look at the overall big picture, it still has its own identity and vibe that is different from the rest of Seoul. I think it will still be around in its own way, but we will just have to wait and see what that new identity will be."

Follow @buskers_at_phillies and @blockpartykorea on Instagram for more information.




By Anna J. Park

British Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Colin Crooks has decided not to participate in next week's Global Korea Forum, citing concerns over the lack of gender diversity among the invited speakers, all of whom were men, the embassy said Wednesday.

The annual forum has been hosted by the Ministry of Unification since 2010, and this year's installment is slated to be held on Tuesday under the theme "Unified Korean Peninsula for Freedom, Peace and Prosperity."

While the forum aims to provide a platform to discuss international security and unification policies of the Korean Peninsula, among others, the annual event's invited 18 speakers were all men.

With the embassy's withdrawal from the speaker list, the event organizer added two more men and one woman to take the stand, resulting in 20 men and one woman in terms of gender distribution.

The embassy announced its decision not to participate in the Global Korea Forum 2024, saying that it believes panel events that represent gender diversity can lead to a richer exchange of ideas.

"The ambassador is unable to take part in the Global Korea Forum next week. The British Embassy is committed to gender equality. We believe that events are enriched by the diversity of perspectives of those participating," the spokesperson of the British Embassy told The Korea Times on Wednesday, confirming the ambassador's withdrawal from the event.

The ambassador has been stationed in Seoul since his appointment in 2022.

Known as a leading expert on the Korean Peninsula, he has extensive experience, having served as an ambassador in both South and North Korea.

Before his current role, he was the ambassador to North Korea from 2018 to 2021. Additionally, he worked at the British Embassy in Seoul between 1995 and 1999. His studies in the Korean language during the 1990s have given him fluency, allowing him to deliver most of his speeches in Korean.

On many occasions, the ambassador has been very vocal about promoting diversity, including gender equality and minority issues.

The embassy made an offer to participate as a panelist at the forum hosted by The Korea Times in June, which was held under the banner of "Toward diversity, inclusiveness and equality."

During the event, Crooks emphasized that women's participation in the public sector is imperative for developing inclusive government policies, calling for male allyship in achieving gender equality.
A military intelligence official indicted this week for allegedly selling military secrets was recruited by a suspected Chinese operative in 2017, military prosecutors said Wednesday.

Military prosecutors indicted the official at the Defense Intelligence Command on Tuesday on charges of aiding the enemy, receiving bribes and violating the Military Secret Protection Act for leaking the secrets, such as a list of undercover agents, in return for money.

Prosecutors said the 49-year-old claimed he was arrested at an airport in the eastern Chinese city of Yanji in April 2017, where he had visited to meet his contacts.

During questioning, he was offered to work for the suspected Chinese intelligence agent, which he claimed to have accepted as his family's safety was threatened.

While the official confessed to first selling secrets in 2017, prosecutors confirmed he had received money since May 2019 and leaked secrets since June 2022. The official demanded a total of 400 million won ($299,000) over about 40 occasions and received about 160 million won in total.

The official leaked 30 files  12 in the form of documents and 18 in voice messages  over the period, including a list of some undercover agents, a military prosecutor told reporters on condition of anonymity.

The official skirted security protocol to collect the secrets by taking photos and screenshots, and took them off base to his personal quarters to upload them on a Chinese cloud server, according to the prosecutors.

Still, the case is unrelated to any human intelligence operatives inside North Korea, the military prosecutor said.

Counter-intelligence officials only discovered the leak in June this year.

The agent took thorough steps to evade being caught, accessing the cloud server with a different account every time, setting passwords for every file, and deleting communication records.

He communicated with the suspected Chinese agent through the voice message function in a game within a popular messaging app in China.

Military prosecutors, however, did not pursue espionage charges, apparently due to the lack of a clear connection to North Korea. South Korea's military law defines espionage crimes as spying for North Korea.

The military prosecutor said an investigation was still under way, noting the possibility of the suspected Chinese agent being a North Korean operative. (Yonhap)
Korea's Navy chief inspected ongoing joint military exercises between Korea and the United States on Wednesday aboard a U.S. amphibious assault ship, his office said.

Adm. Yang Yong-mo, chief of naval operations, visited the Combined Maritime Operation Center at a key naval base in Busan, 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and was briefed on the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise set to conclude Thursday.

Yang also boarded the USS Boxer currently docked at the base to take part in the Ssang Yong amphibious landing exercise, which kicked off Monday for a 13-day run, involving the allies' Marines and naval forces.

Yang called for strengthening the allies' defense posture as he described their assets mobilized for the exercise as being enough to instill fear in the enemy, his office said.

The Wasp-class USS Boxer amphibious assault ship is capable of carrying amphibious landing craft and various helicopters and aircraft, including the F-35B stealth fighter. (Yonhap)
By KTimes

A man in his 20s has been sentenced to prison by a lower court for selling drugs on the only Korean-language "dark web" site in the country. The dark web, a part of the internet that requires specific software or configurations to access, is often used for illicit activities.

The Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Judge Ji Gui-yeon, sentenced the 20-something defendant, identified only by his surname Park, to three years and six months in prison on Tuesday for violating the Narcotics Control Act, among other charges.

In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered him to complete 80 hours of drug rehabilitation education and seized approximately 260 million won ($196,000) in drug sale proceeds.

Prosecutors had previously indicted 16 individuals, including drug dealers, suppliers and couriers, who were involved in distributing marijuana, synthetic marijuana and liquid marijuana cartridges worth a total of 8.6 billion won on a drug trafficking site from June 2022 to June this year.

The dark web shopping mall had around 4,000 members.

The drugs sold through the site included both smuggled items from abroad and substances produced domestically. The dealers, mostly in their 20s and 30s, included many first-time offenders with no prior drug convictions.

Some of the dealers also grew marijuana at home or manufactured liquid marijuana, in addition to smuggling about 900 million won worth of drugs.

Park was one of these dealers. He was prosecuted for advertising marijuana sales multiple times on the site and for selling 2.5 kilograms of Cannabis, valued at approximately 260 million won, in 314 separate transactions. He was also charged with possessing 827 grams of marijuana for personal use.

"Had the marijuana possession at Park's residence not been discovered, it is likely he would have committed even greater crimes," the judge said. "Park appears to be a professional dealer in marijuana, making strict punishment inevitable."

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 Se-jeong

A man who dunked a 7-year-old boy's head underwater at a swimming pool is under investigation for alleged child abuse, according to Channel A, a Korean cable news channel, Wednesday.

The police in western Seoul's Mapo District handed the case over to the prosecution without detention on Monday, the news channel said.

The police allege the man in his 30s forced the boy's head underwater multiple times at a Han River park swimming pool on Aug. 3. Security camera footage shows the suspect grabbing the boy's head and dunking it in and out of the water.

The boy's sister, who was at the scene, tried to stop the man to no avail.

"The man told me to bring my parents. I tried to leave with my brother to get them, but he didn't let my brother go. Instead, he kept putting his head into the water," the sister was quoted as saying.

The boy's father reported the incident to the police, but the man was gone by the time they arrived.

Police reviewed the parking records of approximately 2,000 vehicles in nearby parking lots and examined all available security camera footage to identify him. It took 23 days to track him down.

The man told the police that he had lost his temper after his own child was splashed.

He sent a letter of apology to the victim's family, who responded by saying the apology wasn't sincere.
The number of deepfake crime victims in Korea reported to the state-funded Advocacy Center for Online Sexual Abuse Victims (ACOSAV) since its establishment six years ago has topped 2,000, the center said Wednesday.

This year alone, 781 deepfake crime victims sought help from the ACOSAV until last Sunday, marking an 11-fold increase over 69 victims reported in 2018.

All told, 2,154 deepfake crime victims have so far contacted the ACOSAV, set up by the Women's Human Rights Institute of Korea under the gender ministry, and this year's annual number is expected to exceed 1,000 at the current pace, the center said.

The ACOSAV said it has coped with the rising number of victims by mobilizing a self-developed content deletion support system, dubbed "DNA System," but has difficulties responding to overseas platforms, such as Telegram. The center said the DNA System's detection rate for illegally filmed and deepfake materials has exceeded 99 percent.

The education ministry also said that 196 cases of deepfake crimes against students and teachers have been reported since January and 179 cases have been referred to law enforcement authorities for investigation. Students were victims in 186 cases while the other 10 cases targeted teachers.

The ministry formed an emergency task force to tackle the issue. Headed by the vice education minister, the task force will look into deepfake issues every week while establishing cooperative networks with police, the gender ministry and other related agencies, officials said.

Deepfakes refer to doctored photos, videos or audio taken from content on social media or other means without people's consent, often created in a sexually explicit way and distributed online. Earlier this week, President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered his government to sternly respond to the recent proliferation of digital sex crimes using the deepfake technology.

Experts have called for efforts to heighten societywide awareness of the seriousness of deepfake and other digital sex crimes.

"Many creators and distributors of deepfakes say they did it out of curiosity or for fun, indicating they do not recognize the seriousness of their crimes. From the victims' perspective, however, the deepfake crimes are a complete destruction of their personality," a professor said. (Yonhap)
Education ministry launches task force as crime spreads rapidly among students

By Jung Da-hyun

Education and child protection authorities are on high alert, as data reveals that more than one-third of victims of deepfake sex crimes in Korea are minors.

Amid the rapid spread of deepfake crimes, particularly within schools, where over 180 cases have involved schoolchildren as victims, education authorities and police have announced plans to implement stronger countermeasures by establishing a task force.

According to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Wednesday, 781 people sought help about deepfake crimes with the Advocacy Center for Online Sexual Abuse Victims this year as of Sunday, and 36.9 percent of them were minors.

Deepfake crimes involve the manipulation of photos and videos, typically using images of unidentified individuals, to create explicit content. Victims often find their faces superimposed onto obscene images, leading to significant emotional and psychological distress.

The number of underage victims increased 4.5-fold over two years, rising from 64 in 2022 to 288. This surge exceeds the overall increase for all age groups, which grew 3.7 times from 212 to 781 during the same period.

An official at the center noted that the high incidence of these types of damage among younger generations, particularly teenagers and those in their 20s, is due to their greater familiarity with online communication and social media compared to other age groups.

The center also attributes the rise to recent advancements in deepfake technology and the emergence of generative artificial intelligence.

Recently, deepfake abuse has been rapidly escalating in schools nationwide.

According to the Ministry of Education, a total of 196 people  186 students and 10 teachers  reported they were victims of deepfake crimes from January to Tuesday.

The alert was prompted by an online post on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday, which disclosed a list of hundreds of middle schools, high schools and universities where students have fallen victim to deepfake crimes.

The manipulated videos were reportedly circulated through Telegram group chats, with media reports saying a chatroom where bots turn images into deepfake nude photos has nearly 227,000 users.

What is more concerning is the fact that a large number of offenders are also believed to be minors, according to authorities.

In response to the rising deepfake crimes at schools, the education ministry announced a plan to launch a dedicated task force, aiming to investigate the extent of the damage and provide support to alleviate the concerns of students and teachers.

It will conduct weekly investigations into deepfake-related cases and will cooperate with relevant authorities, including the National Police Agency, the Korea Communications Commission and the gender ministry. Additionally, it will maintain emergency contact networks with education offices nationwide.

The task force will also focus on managing the psychological impact on affected students and teachers.

Local education authorities also urgently issued announcements to schools and students, Tuesday, to raise awareness over the issue. The announcements notify that deepfake crimes are not mere acts of curiosity but serious offenses subject to punishment, causing significant harm to victims and leaving psychological damage. The notice also provided guidance on how to support victims.

The education ministry stated that child offenders involved in deepfake crimes could face serious consequences, including expulsion from school.

Police also warned that they will take stringent measures, including arrest, depending on the specifics of each deepfake case.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korea Communications Standards Commission, Wednesday, to establish a dedicated hotline for deepfake crimes. The agreement also aims to strengthen the support system for the swift removal of such content.
Short-term benefits of lower costs could lead to significant long-term harm, experts warn

By KTimes

The controversial pilot project for foreign caregivers is set to begin in Seoul on Sept. 3, and the debate over the service fees, specifically the wages for these domestic helpers, is intensifying.

Due to compliance with domestic laws such as the Minimum Wage Act, the service fees are set at 1.19 million won ($900) per month for four hours of work per day, and 2.38 million won for eight hours.

The hourly wage for foreign caregivers, which includes indirect costs like the four major insurance polices, is 13,700 won  slightly lower than the comprehensive public child care service (15,110 won) or the private domestic helper hourly wage (around 15,000 won).

Criticism has mounted, especially after it was revealed that nearly half (46.6 percent) of the households applying for the pilot project and a third (37.8 percent) of the selected households are located in four affluent districts south of the river, leading to accusations that the policy primarily benefits wealthy Gangnam parents.

Sarcastic comments about the foreign caregiver program are widespread on social media and online communities, with people asking, "Why should taxpayers support foreign caregivers only the wealthy can afford?" and "Even in Singapore, foreign domestic workers earn less than 1 million won, so why are we paying over 2 million won? Korea is being taken advantage of."

Beneficial for society as a whole?



The debate over the future direction of the policy is divided, with some criticizing it as a policy that only benefits a select few, while others argue that the wage levels should be lowered so that the middle class can also afford to use the service.

The government and ruling party are insisting on maintaining the exclusion from the minimum wage. Following Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and President Yoon Suk Yeol, and ruling party lawmakers have also called for amendments to the system through differential application of the minimum wage.

However, Minister of Employment and Labor nominee Kim Moon-soo has expressed caution, stating that such measures would conflict with the Constitution, international standards and domestic laws.

While lower fees for foreign caregivers may seem appealing to users, would it be beneficial for society as a whole? Labor, welfare, economic and immigration experts are skeptical.

They collectively warn that focusing solely on the immediate benefits of lower costs could lead to significant long-term harm.

Concern 1: Risk of illegal immigration

The first concern experts raise is the potential for an increase in undocumented migrants. With many minimum wage jobs in rural areas and small manufacturing businesses already struggling to find workers, there is a high likelihood that workers will leave the caregiving sector if it becomes the only area where minimum wage is not applied.

As of the end of last year, there were approximately 420,000 undocumented migrants among the 2.5 million foreign residents in Korea, the highest number on record. This suggests that a significant portion of the economy, especially in "3D" (dirty, dangerous, and difficult) jobs, is reliant on this workforce.

Cho Hyuk-jin, a research fellow at the Korea Labor Institute, said, "Korea is not strict on penalizing both undocumented workers and the businesses that hire them," adding that the risk of workforce attrition is very high if the minimum wage is not applied.

While the foreign caregiver pilot project currently involves only 100 workers, a manageable number, if the project expands as planned to 1,200 workers by the first half of next year, managing the workforce could become problematic.

Chang Joo-young, a research fellow at the Migration Policy Research Institute, also expressed concern, noting, "There is already significant demand for undocumented foreign workers in places like factories and farms, so the likelihood of workers leaving caregiving jobs is high. Given the nature of caregiving work, any attrition could significantly impact the safety of the families and children involved."

The current pilot project involves oversight by an intermediary agency, but if the policy is modified to allow private contracts between households and workers in an effort to avoid applying the minimum wage, the responsibility for managing the workforce could fall on individual households.

Concern 2: Devaluation of care work

The second concern is the potential degradation of care work. If wages for foreign workers are lowered, it could lead to a decrease in wages for domestic care workers as well, causing even the existing workforce to leave.

A significant portion of domestic care workers are middle-aged or older women, with few young people or men entering the field, and the industry has long struggled with labor shortages. The reasons are clear: care work is not seen as a stable, well-paying job that is respected by society.

According to various studies, the average monthly wage for care workers is between 1.5 million won and 1.6 million won, and full-time jobs are rare even when minimum wage is paid.

Hong Seok-cheol, a professor of economics at Seoul National University who served as a standing member of the Presidential Committee on Ageing Society and Population Policy, said, "The biggest downside of not applying the minimum wage is that it could devalue the entire care market. To address the labor shortage in care, we need to enhance the value of care work, but this move could do the opposite."

He also questioned whether the gaps left by domestic workers exiting the field could be fully filled by foreign workers, emphasizing that the approach needs to consider the long-term impact on the entire market, not just the short-term cost reduction.

Concern 3: Need for consensus on coexistence

Another concern is that reducing wages could make it more difficult to secure workers, as foreign domestic workers have many other options.

For example, the Philippines, a major source of care workers, sends around 170,000 women abroad each year to earn foreign currency, not only to nearby Southeast and South Asian countries but also to the U.S., Canada and Europe, where wage levels are higher.

An official involved in the policy implementation hinted that the issue Korea must consider is securing enough workers, noting that other advanced countries also face a shortage of care workers.

In Japan, for example, foreign caregivers are paid the same minimum wage as domestic workers. It was also reported that during negotiations, the Philippine government was firm on the issue of applying the minimum wage.

Professor Yoon Ja-young of Chungnam National University said, "Korea's Employment Permit System has been favored because it ensures the same minimum wage for both domestic and foreign workers and is strictly regulated. If wages are lowered, the incentive to work will decrease, making it difficult to set an appropriate wage level even if it falls below the minimum wage."

Hong also said, "There is no guarantee that lowering the price will ensure a supply of workers, given that many countries are competing for Filipino care workers."

Additionally, there is a need for social discussion about the societal and cultural changes that could result from a policy direction aimed at lowering prices to make the service more accessible to the middle class.

With approximately 1.35 million households with children under the age of 6, relying on foreign workers for part of child care instead of public or domestic workers could lead to tens of thousands of new immigrants, especially in the Seoul metropolitan area.

This raises the question of whether Korean society is prepared to coexist with these newcomers. Yoon said, "Until now, foreign workers have primarily worked in 'invisible' sectors like rural or undesirable jobs, but if they start providing face-to-face services in care work, social conflicts or discrimination could arise."

Kim Jin-seok, a professor of social welfare at Seoul Women's University, said, "While there is no fundamental reason to block the influx of foreign workers, there is concern about whether Korean society is equipped to effectively address potential discrimination and conflicts, especially given that issues related to the treatment of domestic care workers have not been addressed adequately."

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.
Children's bicycles sold here by Chinese online platform AliExpress have been found to contain a hazardous substance exceeding the South Korean standard by about 260 times, the Seoul city government said Wednesday.

The city government said it has conducted a safety examination on 16 kinds of children's products sold on AliExpress, such as inline skates, kickboards, bicycles, glasses and sunglasses, and half of them were found to contain hazardous substances exceeding domestic standards or were not durable enough.

An inspection of two child bike models from the Chinese platform found that the seat from one of them contained phthalate plasticizers exceeding the allowable level by 258 times, the government noted. Phthalate plasticizers are endocrine disruptors that can affect reproductive function and cause eye or skin irritation upon contact.

In the other bike product, the level of phthalate plasticizers exceeded the domestic standards by 240 times, while about 1.5 times the permissible level of lead was detected in the plastic part of the bell, it added.

In addition, two models of inline skates were found to contain excessive amounts of phthalate plasticizers and cracked and broke during performance tests, the city government said. (Yonhap)
By KTimes

Song Gil-yong, 71, who had tirelessly searched for his missing daughter, Hye-hee, for more than 25 years by putting up banners all over the country, has passed away without ever finding her.

Song died in a car accident on Monday, colliding with a truck coming from the opposite direction. His daughter went missing 25 years and six months ago.

Songs daughter, Hye-hee, was 17 years old when she disappeared on Feb. 13, 1999, after getting off a bus near their home in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province.

The police considered the possibility of abduction and other crimes, but no trace of her was ever found. After her disappearance, Song devoted his life to searching for her, putting up banners across the country and inquiring at various child protection facilities.

Following their daughter's disappearance, Songs wife fell into depression and ultimately took her own life.

In a 2020 media interview, Song said, After my wife passed away, I gave up the thought of dying and focused solely on finding Hye-hee. I cant forget her, no matter how hard I try. If I dont see Hye-hee while Im alive, I wont be able to move on even in death. I will search for her, even as a ghost."

Songs health had deteriorated recently. Na Ju-bong, the chairman of the National Association for Missing Children and Families, who has known Song for 20 years, recalled him as a man who showed what parental love truly is.

Song always used to say, If I die first, please make sure to find Hye-hee. It is heartbreaking to see him leave this world without knowing his daughter's fate, Na said.

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.
Rival parties propose harsh penalties for producing, possessing, distributing AI-manipulated porn

By Lee Hae-rin

Korea's ruling and opposition parties have initiated a National Assembly-level response to the issue of deepfake sexual exploitation crimes. These crimes involve combining and distributing photos of acquaintances or social media users with explicit content.

Rep. Lee In-seon of the People Power Party (PPP), who chairs the National Assembly's Gender Equality and Family Committee, along with secretaries from both the ruling and opposition parties, held a press conference at the National Assembly on Tuesday. They announced measures at the standing committee level to address the deepfake issue.

"Many people are anxious due to the widespread distribution of deepfake videos through Telegram recently  The committee will no longer remain on the sidelines in the face of this serious issue," Lee said.

Lee said the committee will further strengthen the legal system to prevent the abuse of deepfake technology and push for a revision of the law to protect women and minors."

She also vowed to work with the National Police Agency to establish a specialized counseling center for reporting deepfake-related damage and supporting victims. Additionally, she committed to activating a digital sex crime victim support center to ensure that victims receive prompt legal and psychological assistance.

The Gender Equality and Family Committee plans to hold a general meeting on Aug. 4 to ask urgent questions on pending issues to seek pan-governmental measures.

Proposed amendments to the law will be discussed by a subcommittee on bills, with the goal of having the ruling and opposition parties address agreed-upon legislation as quickly as possible.

The revision of the law is expected to supplement the limitations of the current regulation, which allows punishment only when the purpose of dissemination is proved.

"The current law has flaws that fail to address cases where individuals claim to only view content privately, and it does not punish those who distribute or enjoy the content created," said Rep. Kim Han-kyu of the opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). "We need to implement stricter penalties because these legal loopholes are frequently exploited."

Notably, President Yoon Suk Yeol remarked during his opening address at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that deepfake crimes are widespread. He described them as a "clear criminal act that exploits technology under the guise of anonymity" and directed efforts to eradicate digital sex crimes through "thorough understanding and investigation."

PPP Chairman Han Dong-hoon also mentioned the publics growing concerns about the issue on his social media and vowed the party would take the lead in preventing the side effects of AI through regulations.

Meanwhile, the DPK also decided to form a task force within the party.

DPK lawmakers issued a joint statement explaining they are preparing to revise the law to punish not only the production and dissemination of deepfakes, but also secondary offenses and simple viewing.

Rep. Hwang Myeong-seon, Lee Hae-sik and Han Jeong-ae of the DPK have proposed a revision to punish those who possess, purchase, store and watch deepfake explicit content.

Also, DPK Chairman Lee Jae-myung ordered the party to devise measures to eradicate deepfake crimes.

In addition, other politicians from opposition parties are also voicing their opinions on the issue.

Former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, who resumed his political activities after a broadcast interview Monday, said on his social media, "The government and the ruling party should form a joint task force led by the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Interior and Safety, and the National Police Agency. There can be no disagreement between the ruling and opposition parties in eradicating sex crimes."

Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon convened a meeting with the Office of Education, the National Police Agency, and the Gyeonggi Provincial Gender Violence Integrated Response Team. They discussed strategies for deleting and monitoring illegal deepfake videos, as well as investigating and providing legal support.
President Yoon Suk Yeol has postponed his planned dinner with ruling People Power Party (PPP) leaders until after the Chuseok holiday, his office said Wednesday, amid differences with the PPP leader over the issue of the medical school quota increase.

Yoon had planned to host a dinner Friday with PPP leader Han Dong-hoon, floor leader Choo Kyung-ho, five Supreme Council members and the party's policy chief, but the presidential office said the meeting has been put off to prioritize the issues of people's livelihoods.

"Ahead of Chuseok, the priority is to show how we are contemplating solutions to people's livelihood issues, rather than showing the party and the government gathering for a meal," a senior presidential official told reporters in a message.

"We plan to have the meal with the ruling party leadership after the Chuseok holiday," the official added. This year's Chuseok holiday, the Korean equivalent of Thanksgiving, will run from Sept. 16-18.

The postponement comes after Han proposed deferring the medical school quota increase for 2026 to help break an impasse over the government's medical reform plans.

The presidential office reportedly balked at the idea, saying the government stands by its plan to increase admissions by 2,000 seats every year for the next five years.

Han took to Facebook on Tuesday to publicly propose the deferral of one year, noting a sudden increase in the number of students, including the approximately 3,000 current students who need to retake classes next year, could put a strain on medical schools.

"It would be better if there was a better alternative," he wrote. "I feel a large sense of responsibility for people's health."

But a presidential official told reporters Wednesday "the position of the presidential office on medical reforms is consistent. There is no change."

A senior presidential official later told reporters that deferring the 2026 quota increase would "cause great confusion in college entrance procedures due to the uncertainty."

"The 2026 quota was allocated across universities and announced at the end of April," the official said, noting current high school juniors and their parents are already preparing for admissions with that quota in mind.

On concerns the health care system will be overburdened during the Chuseok holiday due to an ongoing protest by trainee doctors, the official said the government has come up with special measures to accept only emergency patients to emergency rooms and sees little chance of "chaos." (Yonhap)
Rival political parties held a parliamentary plenary meeting Wednesday and passed several key livelihood bills that have been stalled for months due to partisan disputes, including a nursing act that calls for nurses to play greater roles.

It marks the first time since the 22nd National Assembly opened in May that the ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) have passed such bills through agreement.

The nursing act, which provides the legal basis for physician assistant (PA) nurses to assist doctors in performing medical procedures and offers better legal protection to nurses, passed the Assembly in a 283-2 vote with six abstentions.

The proposal of the bill came as the government has been seeking to have PA 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.

Nurses have called for the bill's passage, stressing the need for legal protection and better working conditions, though it was met with fierce opposition among doctors who claim the act will cause serious confusion within the medical community.

During the session, the Assembly also passed a special bill aimed at assisting victims of a series of home rental scams that abuse the country's unique rental system, called "jeonse." Under the bill, jeonse fraud victims will be allowed to lease public housing for up to 20 years.

Another bill that passed the parliament is a law revision bill aimed at preventing parents who have neglected child-rearing responsibilities from claiming their children's wealth.

Better known as the "Goo Hara law" after the mother of the deceased K-pop star claimed Goo's inheritance despite having neglected her parental duties, the bill was introduced in the 20th and 21st Assembly but was discarded before the end of each term.

The revised law will take effect in January 2026.

The rival parties are unlikely to address other contentious bills that President Yoon Suk Yeol has recently vetoed, including four broadcasting bills.

Earlier this month, the two sides agreed to first address the bills on livelihood issues amid months of political strife, with the DPK unilaterally seeking to pass controversial bills, such as one mandating a special counsel probe into allegations surrounding the death of a Marine last year. (Yonhap)
PA nurses expected to play bigger role in treating patients beyond simple clinical tasks

By Jung Min-ho

A protest by doctors is intensifying as nurses are set to be allowed to practice medicine under a new law, amid a prolonged walkout by trainee physicians.

The National Assembly passed a bill Wednesday to define the roles of physician assistant (PA) nurses and allow them to play greater roles in treating patients beyond simple clinical tasks under the supervision of a doctor.

If signed by President Yoon Suk Yeol, PA nurses would have greater autonomy in providing health care services, including some medical practices only doctors have so far been allowed to perform. The law could come into force as early as June 2025.

This bipartisan legislation comes at a time when hospitals across the country are struggling with shortages of labor after trainee doctors began staging a walkout in February in protest of the governments decision to hike medical school enrollment quotas.

Over the past seven months since the doctors left hospitals, many nurses have been stepping in to fill their roles to maintain essential medical services.

Under the current law, nurses are only permitted to assist doctors in practicing medicine, in addition to their primary role of caring for patients.

The bill passed by lawmakers does not define the range of PA nurses roles, which would be determined by enforcement ordinances proposed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

The Korean Medical Association, a trade union of doctors, issued a statement criticizing the Assembly for approving the bill, expressing its deep resentment.

As we stated many times previously, the nursing law would deepen conflict among medical workers and destroy the training system for trainee doctors. It would also put nurses at risk as they could face legal troubles over various possible incidents, the organization said.

It also said such a law would eventually lead to medical chaos as PA nurses would de facto act as doctors in many hospitals where unlicensed medical practices would be rampant.

The public will suffer the consequences, the organization warned.

A physician assistant is a profession allowed to practice medicine under the supervision of a licensed doctor. The roles of physician assistants differ across countries and states in which they work alongside doctors.

In some U.S. states, physician assistants may perform examinations and procedures, order treatments, diagnose illnesses, prescribe medications and interpret diagnostic tests among others.

The Korean Health and Medical Workers Union, which has nurses and other non-physician medical employees as members, welcomed the passing of the bill, saying medicine practiced by nurses would finally be protected under the law after decades of efforts for the legislation.

This would open the way to help solve medical labor shortages caused by a strike by trainee doctors and save more patients lives, the union said in a statement.

It said the next challenge for administrators and lawmakers is establishing a reliable system to educate PA nurses, who have recently been burdened with tasks left behind by trainee doctors without being trained properly.

Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong vowed to set up such a system promptly.

The passing of the nursing act has provided a legal basis for providing high-quality nursing services through the training of excellent nursing personnel, he said. The government will do its utmost to ensure the smooth implementation of new measures to help nurses grow as professionals and work in the field with pride.

The PA bill is expected to intensify tensions between the government and doctors who have demanded it rescind the quota hike decision.

Speaking to reporters, Wednesday, an official at the presidential office said its position on the issue has been the same and it will continue to push to finish necessary reforms in the countrys medical system.
President must address conflicts likely to arise from reforms

President Yoon Suk Yeol is scheduled to deliver a national briefing, Thursday, to discuss the progress of his four key reform initiatives: national pension, healthcare, education, and labor. He is also expected to address the sharp decline in the country's total fertility rate. The president, who has often faced criticism for not engaging enough with the press and the public, will likely take questions from reporters during the briefing.

This will be his second government affairs briefing this year, following his June announcement about potential gas reserves off Yeongil Bay near Pohang, in North Gyeongsang Province. While the president is not widely regarded as the most effective communicator, this time he needs to do more than simply list the progress made on his reform agendas in a self-congratulatory tone.

People will be paying close attention, especially to the expected announcement regarding the government's plan to reform the national pension system, which is the third-largest in the world but is projected to be depleted by 2055. Although details have been scarce, the government and the National Assembly have floated the idea of a "pay more and receive more" approach. Remarkably, despite their usual conflicts, the political parties in the previous 21st National Assembly agreed on this reform, which involves raising both the premium and the income replacement rate.

Faced with an aging society and low birthrate, Korea's national pension program, established in 1988, is expected to face a shortfall in 2041, with potential depletion 14 years later. Negotiations made in the previous Assembly were stalled by the government's insistence on structural reforms, including changes to both the basic and retirement pension programs. Recently, the government proposed an option whereby younger generations, who will receive pensions in the future, would contribute less, while older generations would pay more. Although ideal in theory, this approach may encounter resistance due to concerns about fairness and equitable burden-sharing.

The president and his team of policymakers must be prepared to address potential generational conflicts and convincingly articulate how the government's plan will include precise and effective measures to ensure the sustainability of the pension fund.

Another urgent and increasingly dire issue is the ongoing medical reform crisis. More than six months after junior doctors walked out in protest against the government's decision to expand medical school enrollment quotas, the situation has escalated. Resignations by doctors and the refusal of junior doctors to return to work have now spread to the nation's emergency rooms. Additionally, the Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union, representing around 30,000 nurses and medical workers across 62 hospitals, has vowed to go on strike Thursday over unmet demands for wage increases.

The uncertainty is further compounded by concerns that medical students who also left in protest may not be able to advance or graduate in the academic year 2024. In this briefing, the president needs to clarify what alternative solutions the government is considering to resolve the current medical standoff. The presidential office should also reconsider the proposal of the the ruling People Power Party's chief, Han Dong-hoon, to delay the expansion of the enrollment quota for the 2026 academic year.

The medical situation in the nation is growing serious, and it would be reckless to allow internal political strife  if that is indeed the case  to hinder the search for a reasonable and flexible solution. Ensuring that citizens don't have to worry about whether there will be doctors available to treat them in the coming days should be the top priority.

We hope that in his briefing, the president will address the deep concerns and anxieties that Koreans of all ages feel about soaring housing prices, growing inequality, changing weather patterns, and the frequent, seemingly preventable safety accidents. While the four major reforms are essential for the future and freedom is a priceless national priority, the public needs reassurance on more immediate livelihood issues that affect their daily lives.












By Park Jae-hyuk

POSCO recently developed a lightweight pad for takeoffs and landings at vertiports.

A vertiport refers to an airport for vertical takeoff and landing of small and automated aircraft carrying passengers or cargo at low altitudes in urban and suburban areas.

Since most vertiports are installed on top of skyscrapers, their pads should be light and shock-resistant to endure repeated takeoffs and landings of aircrafts.

POSCO made its pad with corrugated metal sheeting called form deck, which is much lighter and corrosion-resistant than conventional helipads made with road deck panels.

During a month-long demonstration done in June by Lotte E&C at the Goheung Aviation Test Center in South Jeolla Province for the construction firms urban air mobility (UAM) project, POSCOs pad was not deformed by repeated use, according to the steelmaker.

POSCO emphasized that its pad is modular and does not need concreting, enabling easier assembly and disassembly.

The steelmaker said that three workers with a forklift were able to install a prefabricated modular pad within eight hours for Lotte E&Cs demonstration and disassembled the pad within two hours after the test.

Our pad for vertiports is better than other pads made with aluminum or other materials, in terms of price and efficiency, a POSCO official said.

We will lead the infrastructure market in the future through the continuous development of lightweight steel materials and steel structure technology suitable for UAM.

Last year, POSCO signed a memorandum of understanding with Korea Airports Corp. and Hanwha Corp. E&C Division for the joint development of vertiport technologies.

The three will announce their achievements next week during the World Smart City Expo 2024 in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.

They will also display a miniature version of the vertiport they designed.
A Czech special envoy is scheduled to visit Korea early next month to discuss potential bilateral industrial cooperation after a Korean consortium was chosen as the preferred bidder for a nuclear plant project in the Czech Republic, government sources said Wednesday.

The Czech delegation is anticipated to visit Korea from Sept. 3 to 6, during which they are expected to meet with high-ranking officials and visit major institutions, according to the government sources.

During the visit, the Czech officials expressed their intention to visit the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology, an organization under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, to discuss bilateral industrial ties.

The planned visit follows the recent selection of a Korean consortium, led by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), as the preferred bidder for a nuclear power plant project in the Czech Republic, estimated to be worth around 24 trillion won ($18 billion).

Pundits suggest that the Czech delegation may explore broad industrial cooperation with South Korea, potentially extending beyond nuclear reactor construction to encompass other strategic sectors, as proposed by Seoul during the nuclear project negotiations.

Prior to the announcement of the preferred bidder last month, President Yoon Suk Yeol sent Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun to the European nation to deliver a letter to Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, proposing industrial cooperation beyond the nuclear project.

Meanwhile, the two sides are expected to sign an official deal in March next year, with construction planned to start in 2029 and the trial operation of the first new reactor scheduled for 2036. (Yonhap)
By Lee Min-hyung

Samsung SDI and General Motors (GM) have signed a contract to build a joint factory for electric vehicle (EV) batteries in the U.S. state of Indiana by investing $3.5 billion (4.65 trillion won), they said Wednesday.

The battery cell plant is set to start operation in 2027 with an annual production capacity of 27 gigawatt-hours (GWh). The capacity is also expected to rise to up to 36 GWh with their additional expansion plans.

The facility will focus on producing nickel, cobalt and aluminum batteries to be deployed for GM's future EVs. Samsung SDI's prismatic batteries have key upsides, including improved travel range and safety, with a metal exterior and venting system.

Both firms also expect the factory to contribute massively to the regional economy, creating some 1,600 jobs there.

Under the latest agreement, Samsung SDI will invest around 2.29 trillion won between October 2024 and March 2028. This will allow the company to secure a 50.01 percent stake in the joint venture.

"Building on last year's partnership with GM, we have established a premium battery production hub to lead the U.S. EV market," Samsung SDI CEO Choi Yoon-ho said.

"Samsung SDI will make best efforts to support GM enhance its leadership in the EV market with the firm's PRiMX battery products."

The joint venture will be located in New Carlisle, Indiana, on a 2.77 square-kilometer site. After clinching the earlier joint venture agreement in 2023, both firms have since fine-tuned details on the facility before finalizing the contract.

GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra also spoke highly of the latest partnership with Samsung SDI.

"The Samsung SDI joint venture is the latest example of GM's commitment to driving innovation in America," she said. "The EV market and GM sales will continue to grow as more customers experience our EVs, the charging infrastructure builds out and we expand into more segments."

The joint venture will help Samsung SDI to gain a stronger foothold in the North American EV market, meeting demand from customers and clients who want prismatic batteries with ensured safety, according to Samsung SDI.

"The agreement is rooted in a shared commitment to the growth of the EV market," an official from Samsung SDI said.

"Both firms have been closely monitoring the rapidly changing market conditions and have decided to invest in the joint venture to stay aligned with the market pace," the official added. "The two companies will continue expanding their strategic partnership onward."
One store, the operator of a Korean mobile app market, said Wednesday it has made inroads into Taiwan by cooperating with a local partner.

One store has operated a trial version of a joint app market in Taiwan with HappyTuk, a local game publisher, since June.

"Google uses a single global brand, Google Play, and uses credit cards as its main payment method, but One store is different in that we join hands with local brands and use popular payment methods in the region," One store CEO Jeon Dong-jin said in a press conference.

One store was jointly developed by three major domestic mobile carriers  SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus  along with the country's biggest internet portal operator, Naver. (Yonhap)
Carmaker to start sales of extended range electric vehicles in 2027

By Lee Min-hyung

Hyundai Motor has unveiled a two-track growth strategy on mobility and energy to elevate its position as the worlds top-tier smart mobility solutions provider, the automaker said, Wednesday.

Under the groups mid- to long-term strategy, known as the Hyundai Way, the carmaker unveiled the plan during its annual CEO Investor Day event to invest 120.5 trillion won ($90.1 billion) until 2033. This represents a 10.1 percent increase from an investment plan shared last year.

The company clarified two key growth pillars for the strategy: electrification and hydrogen energy. More than half of the investment will be used to develop next-generation hybrid cars, extended range electric vehicles (EREV) and batteries for EVs.

Despite a slowdown in global EV industry growth, the company reaffirmed its commitment to preemptively tackling market uncertainties by introducing the EREV. Those vehicles are quite similar to hybrid cars, as they are equipped with both an internal combustion engine and a battery. But the engine in an EREV is used solely to charge its battery, making these vehicles more similar to typical EVs that are powered by an electric motor.

Hyundai Motor said it plans to mass produce EREVs in North America and China around the end of 2026, with sales set to start the following year. The upcoming EREVs from the carmaker will be able to travel more than 900 kilometers on a single charge, so the automaker expects them to serve as a bridge ahead of full-fledged electrification.

As part of its mid-term strategy, the company plans to gradually expand its EV lineup to 21 models by 2030, aiming to establish itself as the worlds leading EV manufacturer.

The company will also offset temporarily falling EV demand by enhancing its competitiveness in hybrid cars. First, the carmaker is set to expand its hybrid lineup to 14 models encompassing not only small sedans but also luxury vehicles. Hyundai Motor has set an annual hybrid sales target of 1.33 million in 2028, up 40 percent from its previous goal announced last year.

Hyundai Motor will adopt a flexible approach and respond swiftly to any market changes, ensuring we maintain sustainable leadership despite growing uncertainties. Our dual focus on mobility and energy will help us shape a new future for transportation, said Hyundai Motor CEO Chang Jae-hoon.

Regarding its energy vision, the company emphasized the importance of solidifying its leadership as a hydrogen-powered mobility firm.

Earlier this year, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in the United States, the carmaker pledged to establish a comprehensive hydrogen energy value chain, covering production, storage, and transportation. This initiative is part of its commitment to advancing carbon neutrality.

The carmaker also plans to develop nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) batteries on its own by 2030 by deepening research in next-generation batteries.
The preceding South Korean and U.S. administrations differed on a set of issues, including their assessment of North Korea's intentions behind its nuclear program and their characterization of its missile provocation, according to a former U.S. official's memoir published Tuesday.

In the book, titled, "At War with Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House," H.R. McMaster, who served as national security advisor from 2017-2018, revealed a series of anecdotes where the administrations of former Presidents Moon Jae-in and Donald Trump diverged on North Korea and other issues.

McMaster touched on what happened during Moon's visit to Washington for a summit with Trump in June 2017, noting that staying aligned with the Moon government would require a "sustained" effort.

Following the summit press conference, Moon and then Vice President Mike Pence met each other and disagreed on why Pyongyang has been doggedly pursuing nuclear arms.

"Moon said that, just like Saddam Hussein and Muammar Khadafi, Kim believed that he needed nuclear weapons for defense," McMaster wrote.

"Pence asked Moon, 'Why does Kim Jong-un need nukes when he has conventional artillery in range of Seoul? We have to consider the possibility that Kim wants the weapons for offensive purposes,'" he added.

That difference of opinion about what drove the North Korean leader was bound to create tension and disagreement, the former White House official recalled.

In the process of agreeing on a joint summit statement, he said Seoul and Washington struggled to bridge their differences.

"Our South Korean counterparts insisted on language that held out the prospect of negotiation with North Korea at some point and an acknowledgement that Seoul would take the lead role in any effort to talk with the North Korean regime," he said.

"In turn, Pottinger, Hooker and I insisted on language emphasizing sanctions enforcement as essential for convincing Kim Jong-un that denuclearization was in his best interest."

He was referring to Matthew Pottinger and Allison Hooker who formerly served as principal deputy national security advisor and senior director for Asia, respectively.

He also mentioned difference between himself and then South Korean counterpart, Chung Eui-yong, over how to characterize North Korea's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on July 4, 2017.

"(Chung) told me that the Moon government was not ready to call the missile an ICBM," he said. "I responded, 'Eui-yong, just because you don't call it an ICBM doesn't mean it's not an ICBM.'"

With Moon deeply committed to inter-Korean rapprochement, his administration appeared cautious about the characterization of a North Korean ICBM launch apparently on concern that a public accusation of North Korea could hurt diplomacy with Pyongyang.

McMaster unveiled some of the allies' discussions over the installation of a U.S. THAAD missile defense battery as well.

The THAAD system was installed in Seongju, 214 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in 2017, but held the status of a "temporary" installation for years due to an environmental impact assessment requirement.

Before the summit between Moon and Trump in June 2017, McMaster warned Chung about Trump's aversion to environmental assessments.

"Please tell President Moon not to repeat his recent statement that the THAAD deployment would depend on an environmental assessment," he said. "Trump is already not a fan of THAAD, and as a real estate developer, he really hates environmental assessments."

McMaster also said that Trump "harrumphed, vociferating about how environmental assessments are a waste of time," when Moon noted the need for an assessment although he indicated he was okay with the THAAD deployment.

The former White House official shed some light on internal U.S. discussions about how to approach the North Korean nuclear quandary when Trump was in office.

What was notable was that there were some government officials whom he said argued that "the least risky and least costly course of action would be to accept North Korea as a nuclear power and then deter its use of nuclear weapons."

McMaster said that he, along with Pottinger and Hooker, believed the idea that Pyongyang wanted nuclear weapons only for deterrence was "wrong."

"Kim, we thought, really wanted to reunify the peninsula under Pyongyang's control," he said.

He also recalled that Trump enjoyed North Korea-related discussions at the White House, especially if they entailed the conventional wisdom of the "stupid people" who had preceded him.

He said that Pottinger showed to Trump a timeline with photos to illustrate the historical pattern of efforts to denuclearize North Korea. And then, the contours of a "maximum pressure" strategy on the North came into view, he said.

"Trump directed us to 'fully isolate North Korea' and to make Chinese leader Xi Jinping 'pay a price for backing Kim Jong-un,'" he said.

Moreover, McMaster said that he and other colleagues had come up with the three "don'ts" when it came to North Korea  guidelines that Trump agreed on.

The first one was not to rush to the negotiating table or acceding to weak initial agreements just to talk with North Korea, while the second one was not to view diplomacy and the development of military options as separate and sequential efforts. The last one was not to lift sanctions prematurely to reward the North just for talking.

Touching on Trump's meeting with Xi during the Group of 20 summit in Hamburg, Germany in 2017, McMaster noted that Trump underscored China could solve the North Korean quandary "if Xi decided to do so."

"Trump reminded Xi of the danger of proliferation," he said. "What if Japan, South Korea and others concluded that they needed nukes too."

He pointed out that Xi was fearful of a North Korean regime collapse that could result in the loss of a "buffer state" between a U.S. ally and the Chinese border.

"Xi warned against 'excessive pressure' and 'long-arm jurisdiction'  his phrase for U.S. secondary sanctions on Chinese banks involved in circumventing sanctions," he said.

McMaster, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general, left the Trump administration in March 2018 after alleged friction with Trump over policy issues. (Yonhap)
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 percent 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. (AP)
Ukraine's 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 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

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 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'

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 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 kilometers (463 square 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," Zelenskyy 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, Zelenskyy mocked Putin, who he said was prioritizing the capture of Ukrainian land over the defense 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. (Reuters)
The European Union and China launched the first discussions under a new system that aims to streamline cross-border data flows, the EU said in a statement on Wednesday.

The mechanism aims to facilitate international transfers of non-personal data for European businesses while ensuring their compliance with Chinese data laws.

"A significant part of the EU-China foreign direct investment stock depends on companies ability to manage their data across borders. This is particularly relevant for sectors such as finance and insurance, pharma, automotive, and information and communication technology," the EU said.

Last year, after co-chairing an EU-China High-level Digital Dialogue, the EU had expressed concern about China's data laws, including their "lack of clarity" and the "long processes" that companies have to undergo. (Reuters)
A typhoon moving at bicycle speed began dumping rain on southern Japan on a path that will bring strong winds, high waves and significant rainfall to most of the country, prompting weather officials to issue the highest-level warnings Wednesday.

Three people were injured and three others were missing due to a storm-related landslide and driving accident.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said Typhoon Shanshan is expected to reach southern Kyushu and possibly make landfall Thursday, and issued the highest-level warning for violent winds, high waves and heavy rain for the Kagoshima prefecture, as well as an emergency storm surge warning. It forecast up to 60 centimeters (23.6 inches) of rainfall in 24 hours for southern Kyushu.

Shanshan was about 120 kilometers (75 miles) south of the southern island of Yakushima on Wednesday morning as it headed north toward Kyushu, packing winds of up to 180 kilometers (112 miles) per hour, according to the agency.

The warm, humid air around the typhoon and a separate high-pressure system caused heavy rain in the central Japanese city of Gamagori, where a landslide buried a house with five people inside. Two of them were rescued alive and workers were searching for the other three, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

On the southern island of Amami, where the typhoon passed, one person was knocked down by a gust while riding a motorcycle, the FDMA said.

Weather and government officials are concerned about extensive damage across the nation as the typhoon slowly sweeps up the Japanese archipelago over the next few days, threatening floods and landslides and paralyzing transportation, businesses and other daily activity.

Disaster Management Minister Yoshifumi Matsumura, at a taskforce meeting Wednesday, said the typhoon could cause unprecedented" levels of violent winds, high waves, storm surges and heavy rain.

He urged residents in Shanshan's predicted path to take precautionary measures early, such as by checking their nearest shelters, to save their own lives. Matsumura urged residents, especially older adults, not to hesitate and take shelter whenever there is any safety concern. The government also canceled its annual earthquake drills Sunday to free up disaster response resources.

Dozens of domestic flights connecting southwestern cities and islands will be canceled through Friday. Japan Railway companies said most bullet trains and local train services were operating normally Wednesday, but many on Kyushu would be suspended Thursday. Similar steps may be taken on the main island of Honshu through Sunday.

Postal and delivery services have been also suspended in the Kyushu region, and supermarkets and other stores announced plans to close early. (AP)
Thousands of protesters clashed in India's eastern city of Kolkata on Wednesday, where demonstrations seeking justice for a murdered doctor spiralled into violent street skirmishes between political rivals.

The discovery of the 31-year-old doctor's bloodied body at a state-run hospital in Kolkata on Aug. 9 stoked nationwide anger at the chronic issue of violence against women.

That sparked strikes by medics and rallies backed by thousands of ordinary citizens across India, although many doctors have since returned to work.

But repeated protests in West Bengal state capital Kolkata have transformed into clashes between the state's ruling All India Trinamool Congress (AITMC) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The Hindu-nationalist BJP is the party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and holds power nationally, but sits in opposition in West Bengal.

"We want justice," BJP supporters chanted, referring to the murdered doctor, then demanding the resignation of AITMC leader Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister.

"Go back! Go back!" AITMC supporters shouted in return.

Banerjee accused the BJP of "dirty politics" and exploiting the doctor's death, speaking at a rally of party loyalists.

On Tuesday, police clashed with protesters, firing tear gas canisters and water cannons, and arresting at least 245 people.

That prompted BJP supporters on Wednesday to launch a day-long shutdown of Kolkata, with skirmishes against AITMC supporters in the morning.

'Horrific'

Protesters erected barricades to close roads and railway lines, with police reporting clashes between rival workers across the city and in adjoining districts.

Arjun Singh, a former BJP lawmaker, alleged his party loyalists were attacked by supporters of Banerjee's AITMC, and two people were injured.

AITMC "activists blocked the roads to prevent BJP supporters from marching," Singh told AFP.

"Train services were disrupted as protestors squatted on railway tracks," Kousik Mitra, a senior railways official told AFP.

Police later enforced an uneasy peace between them and their rivals.

Doctors, in a separate protest, are expected to hold a rally in memory of their murdered colleague later on Wednesday.

Banerjee also said she wanted to pass "anti-rape" laws to try and execute those guilty of sexual assault "within seven days of the crime," without giving further details.

One man has been detained for the murder, but West Bengal's government has faced public criticism for the handling of the investigation.

India's Supreme Court has ordered a national task force to examine how to bolster security for healthcare workers, saying the "horrific" killing had "shocked the conscience of the nation."

The gruesome nature of the attack has invoked comparisons with the horrific 2012 gang rape and murder of a young woman on a Delhi bus.

It became a major political issue, and was seen as one factor in the BJP's subsequent success in elections.

The attack also sparked widespread outrage in a country where sexual violence against women is endemic.

An average of nearly 90 rapes a day were reported in 2022 in the country of 1.4 billion people. (AFP)
The three former FIFTY FIFTY members Saena, Sio, and Aran have filed a civil lawsuit against ATTRAKT. The update was followed by the reactions of K-pop fans, who expressed mixed responses towards the legal update.

On August 27, Korean news outlets reported that Saena, Sio, and Aran have taken legal action against ATTRAKT CEO, Jeon Hong Joon. The lawsuit reportedly involved the members seeking 300 million KRW ($225,300.00 USD).

The lawsuit was filed earlier on August 23 at the Seoul Central District Court. The settlement lawsuit is also the members' counterclaim to ATTRAKT's 13 billion won ($9,761,700.00 USD) lawsuit for damages, which includes the members, their parents, and The Givers Ceo Ahn Sung Il.

Both trials were assigned to the 31st Civil Division and will be merged for proceedings. The three idols would also be represented by Dongin Law Firm regarding the damages and settlement claims.

The three idols are currently preparing their activities as an upcoming re-debuted trio amid FIFTY FIFTY's re-entry to the K-pop scene with its new members. Saena, Sio, and Aran signed an exclusive contract with IOK Company's new label MASSIVE E&C earlier on August 12.

The news eventually created a forum, where K-netz expressed their dismay at the trio's actions.

"They sure are good at bullsh**ting."

"They are freaking shameless."

"Isn't this the money that was required from you?"

"They're the ones who shattered the golden goose eggs that were handed to them (t/n: biting the hand that feeds you)."

"Isn't this your penalty fee?"

"Pay your penalty fee."

"Where's their shame."

Meanwhile, the legal updates also met negative responses from international fans, who expressed worry about the trio's second chance. They were also curious as to how Saena, Sio, and Aran's debut would go, given the controversies.

"And this is why I lowkey do not feel bad for them. They are making terrible financial decisions."

"With all the debt that they have, why the hell would they then turn around and gather up more legal fees for something that isn't guaranteed?"

"They should open a GoFundMe so all the boycotters can support."

"Sure they were manipulated, but they need to take responsibility for their actions. They are coming across as petty and unrepentant, which will not help their aspirations at all."

"Girls, just stop."

"They're obsessed with Attrakt and want to be relevant so badly."

"I wanna know whose money they're using to pay for those lawyers because keeping this up when you're already 13 million in debt is the stupidest thing I can think of."

"There I am in their previous article wishing them to not get more debt and for what?"

"They're destroying their second chance already? Oh no."

"They're so steeped in controversy I wonder how their debut will go."

What's your take on their lawsuit against ATTRAKT? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

For more intriguing K-pop news and exciting updates, keep your tabs open here at KpopStarz.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: ATTRAKT Claims $10M From Ex-FIFTY FIFTY Aran, Sio & Saena for Breach of Contract

KpopStarz owns this article

Written by Israel Monte
NMIXX has received a scathing review of their newest title track "See That?" The review criticized certain aspects of the song, which also led to divided reactions from fans.

Earlier on August 19, NMIXX finally released their third mini album "Fe304: STICK OUT" and its title track "See That?"

However, on August 27, South Korean music site critic IZM released a review of the song, and rated the track one out of five stars. The review's author Jung Gi Yeop majorly points out how "See That?" took back what "Dash" did for NMIXX.

"NMIXX's color seemed to have been established with the release of 'Dash,' but it has now become ambiguous once again. The song mashes hip-hop with fairytale-like melodies, but it encounters turbulence rather than synergy that forges its strengths."

The author also stated that the song's bass line was a throwback to Seo Taiji's "Comeback Home," and that factor led to predictable results.

The track was also called out for being "too safe" and that the group's mix-pop had lost its substance, instead of being a harbinger of fresh musical innovation. "Compared to their previous release that matched them well, this song felt unnatural," the critic stated.

Jung Gi Yeop then mentioned that NMIXX has "regressed" despite its gradual success in 2023. The critic also said that NMIXX's "O.O" and "See That?" were similar in their "unfamiliarity."

"It's a shame that the song doesn't compliment the individual skills of NMIXX. It is also imperative to know that an easy and comprehensible approach is more needed rather than a puzzling route."

In a community forum, fans expressed divided opinions on the review. Some claimed that the criticism was on point, while others had differing takes on NMIXX's new song and musical direction. Read their comments below:

"Dash" was so good that this song felt a bit underwhelming, but it's getting more addictive."

"They went from easy listening with a hint of NMIXX like 'Dash' and 'Run For Roses' then back again to unlistenable NMIXX like their debut song."

"Me too. Honestly, I felt like 'Dash' was legendary, so 'See That?' felt like a letdown. They should've released 'See That?' first and 'Dash' after."

"I honestly don't understand JYP's direction for them."

"I like 'See That?' though."

"To my ears, the song is just okay."

"I liked it, I watched all the stages."

"I don't care about what critics have to say."

"I have to completely agree. They received good reactions from both sides of the pond with 'Dash' as it wasn't jarring and it seemed like a sound and concept they could claim and do well with."

"It's not terrible, but man did it feel like it went on forever. 'Dash' and 'Run For Roses' were good."

What are your thoughts on NMIXX's comeback? Let us know in the comments below!

For more intriguing K-pop news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KpopStarz.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: NMIXX Has NSWERs In Awe Of Their Vocals In Acapella Highlight Medley: 'Treat For My Ears'

KpopStarz owns this article

Written by Israel Monte
Outbound travelers will be able to explore downtown duty-free shopping in more Chinese cities and more easily access consumer goods of fashionable Chinese brands, an official statement said on Tuesday.

A duty-free store will be opened in each of the eight cities, namely Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Wuhan, Xi'an, Changsha and Fuzhou, as required by a recently released interim measures for the administration of duty-free shops in cities.

The rules will apply to six existing duty-free shops in Beijing, Shanghai, Qingdao, Dalian, Xiamen and Sanya immediately after being put to effect on Oct. 1, said the statement jointly made by the Ministries of finance, commerce, culture and tourism, the General Administration of Customs and the State Administration of Taxation.

Another 13 foreign exchange goods duty-free shops shall be transformed into downtown duty-free shops within 3 months from the commencement of the new rules, and shall begin to operate only after passing the customs inspection.

The rules stipulated that duty-free shops in cities are for travelers, including but not limited to the Chinese nationals, who will be departing the country by air or international cruise within 60 days.

Travelers can make purchases in advance at these stores and pick up their goods at the ports of departure.

Such downtown duty-free shops will mainly sell consumer goods that are easy to carry, and "fashionable goods" of domestic brands that bear a strong traditional Chinese culture are particularly encouraged to be sold, said the statement.

Zarazeno st 28.08.2024 08:08:00 Zdroj scio.gov.cn Original english.scio.gov.cn/pressroom/2024-08/28/content_117391566.htm lang en
Sometime late last year -- I dont remember when, exactly -- I noticed I was having trouble sitting down to read. Thats a problem if you do what I do, but its an even bigger problem if youre the kind of person I am. Since I discovered reading, Ive always been surrounded by stacks of books. I read my way through camp, school, nights, weekends; when my girlfriend and I backpacked through Europe after college graduation, I had to buy a suitcase to accommodate the books I picked up along the way. For her, the highlight of the trip was the man in Florence who offered a tour of the Uffizi. For me, it was the serendipity of stumbling across a London bookstall that had once been owned by the Scottish writer Alexander Trocchi, whose work, then as now, I adored. After we got married four years later, we spent part of our honeymoon in Dollarton, outside Vancouver, British Columbia, visiting the beach where Under the Volcano author Malcolm Lowry had lived for more than a decade with his wife Marjorie in a squatters shack.

In his 1967 memoir, Stop-Time, Frank Conroy describes his initiation into literature as an adolescent on Manhattans Upper East Side. Id lie in bed . . . , he writes, and read one paperback after another until two or three in the morning. . . . The real world dissolved and I was free to drift in fantasy, living a thousand lives, each one more powerful, more accessible, and more real than my own. I know that boy: Growing up in the same neighborhood, I was that boy. And I have always read like that, although these days, I find myself driven by the idea that in their intimacy, the one-to-one attention they require, books are not tools to retreat from but rather to understand and interact with the world.

So what happened? It isnt a failure of desire so much as one of will. Or not will, exactly, but focus: the ability to still my mind long enough to inhabit someone elses world, and to let that someone else inhabit mine. Reading is an act of contemplation, perhaps the only act in which we allow ourselves to merge with the consciousness of another human being. We possess the books we read, animating the waiting stillness of their language, but they possess us also, filling us with thoughts and observations, asking us to make them part of ourselves. This is what Conroy was hinting at in his account of adolescence, the way books enlarge us by giving direct access to experiences not our own. In order for this to work, however, we need a certain type of silence, an ability to filter out the noise.

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Such a state is increasingly elusive in our over-networked culture, in which every rumor and mundanity is blogged and tweeted. Today, it seems it is not contemplation we seek but an odd sort of distraction masquerading as being in the know. Why? Because of the illusion that illumination is based on speed, that it is more important to react than to think, that we live in a culture in which something is attached to every bit of time.

Here we have my reading problem in a nutshell, for books insist we take the opposite position, that we immerse, slow down. After September 11, Mona Simpson wrote as part of a 2001 LA Weekly round-table on reading during wartime, I didnt read books for the news. Books, by their nature, are never new enough. By this, Simpson doesnt mean she stopped reading; instead, at a moment when it felt as if time was on fast forward, she relied on books to pull back from the onslaught, to distance herself from the present as a way of reconnecting with a more elemental sense of who we are.

Of course, the source of my distraction is somewhat different: not an event of great significance but the usual ongoing trivialities. I am too susceptible, it turns out, to the tumult of the culture, the sound and fury signifying nothing. For many years, I have read, like E.I. Lonoff in Philip Roths The Ghost Writer, primarily at night -- a few hours every evening once my wife and kids have gone to bed. These days, however, after spending hours reading e-mails and fielding phone calls in the office, tracking stories across countless websites, I find it difficult to quiet down. I pick up a book and read a paragraph; then my mind wanders and I check my e-mail, drift onto the Internet, pace the house before returning to the page. Or I want to do these things but dont. I force myself to remain still, to follow whatever Im reading until the inevitable moment I give myself over to the flow. Eventually I get there, but some nights it takes 20 pages to settle down. What Im struggling with is the encroachment of the buzz, the sense that there is something out there that merits my attention, when in fact its mostly just a series of disconnected riffs and fragments that add up to the anxiety of the age.

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Yet there is time, if we want it. Contemplation is not only possible but necessary, especially in light of all the overload. In her recent essay collection The Winter Sun (Graywolf: 196 pp., $15 paper), Fanny Howe quotes Simone Weil: One must believe in the reality of time. Otherwise one is just dreaming. Thats the point precisely, for without time we lose a sense of narrative, that most essential connection to who we are. We live in time; we understand ourselves in relation to it, but in our culture, time collapses into an ever-present now. How do we pause when we must know everything instantly? How do we ruminate when we are constantly expected to respond? How do we immerse in something (an idea, an emotion, a decision) when we are no longer willing to give ourselves the space to reflect?

This is where real reading comes in -- because it demands that space, because by drawing us back from the present, it restores time to us in a fundamental way. There is the present-tense experience of reading, but also the chronology of the narrative, as well as of the characters and author, all of whom bear their own relationships to time. There is the fixity of the text, which doesnt change whether written yesterday or a thousand years ago. St. Augustine composed his Confessions in AD 397, but when he details his spiritual upheaval, his attempts to find meaning in the face of transient existence, the immediacy of his longing obliterates the temporal divide. I cannot seem to feel alive unless I am alert, Charles Bowden writes in his recent book, Some of the Dead Are Still Breathing (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: 244 pp., $24), and I cannot feel alert unless I push past the point where I have control. That is what reading has to offer: a way to eclipse the boundaries, which is a form of giving up control.

Here we have the paradox, since in giving up control we somehow gain it, by being brought in contact with ourselves. My experience, William James once observed, is what I agree to attend to -- a line Winifred Gallagher uses as the epigraph of Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life (Penguin Press: 244 pp., $25.95). In Gallaghers analysis, attention is a lens through which to consider not just identity but desire. Who do we want to be, she asks, and how do we go about that process of becoming in a world of endless options, distractions, possibilities?

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These are elementary questions, and for me, they cycle back to reading, to the focus it requires. When I was a kid, maybe 12 or 13, my grandmother used to get mad at me for attending family functions with a book. Back then, if Id had the language for it, I might have argued that the world within the pages was more compelling than the world without; I was reading both to escape and to be engaged. All these years later, I find myself in a not-dissimilar position, in which reading has become an act of meditation, with all of meditations attendant difficulty and grace. I sit down. I try to make a place for silence. Its harder than it used to be, but still, I read.

Ulin is book editor of The Times.

david.ulin@latimes.com
On 27 August Mexicos Presidentsaid that Mexico is pausing its relations with the US and Canadian embassies in response to their criticisms of his proposed reform to the federal judicial power (PJF).

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On 27 August Venezuelas Presidentcarried out a sweeping cabinet reshuffle, appointing Vice Presidentas oil minister and the vice president of the ruling Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela (PSUV),, as interior minister, among other changes.

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A recent survey conducted by the U.S. bishops' Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs reveals significant growth in Hispanic ministry across the nation's dioceses. Released on August 21, the survey underscores the expanding parish-based pastoral response to Hispanic Catholics in the U.S.

Alejandro Aguilera-Titus, assistant director of Hispanic Affairs at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, emphasized the importance of establishing a baseline for Hispanic ministry at the parish level. The survey aimed to assess the implementation of the National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry, a decade-long initiative approved in June 2023.

Conducted from April to mid-August, the survey gathered data on the number of parishes offering Mass in Spanish and those with a Hispanic/Latino presence. Aguilera-Titus noted the significance of Spanish Masses as a sign of welcome for Hispanic communities, with nearly 30% of U.S. parishes now offering Sunday Mass in Spanish.

The survey, which achieved a 100% response rate from Latin Catholic dioceses, revealed that 4,479 out of 16,279 parishes provide Sunday Mass in Spanish. Additionally, about 2,760 parishes have a Hispanic/Latino presence without offering Mass in Spanish. Aguilera-Titus highlighted the nationwide Hispanic presence and the need for a robust pastoral response.

The survey also acknowledged dioceses with missions or ministries serving Hispanics outside traditional parish structures. Aguilera-Titus compared the findings to a 2016-2017 survey, noting growth in parishes offering Sunday Mass in Spanish and a broader Hispanic ministry presence.

Despite the progress, challenges remain. Over 42% of U.S. Catholics identify as Hispanic, yet many are leaving the church, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center report. Aguilera-Titus stressed the need for parishes to better recognize and respond to Hispanic presence.

Bishop Oscar Cantu of San Jose, chair of the Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs, praised the survey's role in addressing common obstacles like bilingual clergy shortages and resource limitations. Aguilera-Titus called for promoting vocations among Hispanic Catholics and enhancing intercultural skills among clergy.

Despite financial challenges, Hispanic ministry at the diocesan level remains strong, with 57 dioceses reporting dedicated Hispanic pastoral offices. The survey highlighted the correlation between robust diocesan structures and vibrant parish ministries.

Aguilera-Titus identified areas for growth, noting that 20% of dioceses could strengthen their support for Hispanic ministry. Successful diocesan ministries are characterized by direct coordination with bishops, adequate budgets, and collaboration with other diocesan offices.

The survey excluded certain dioceses, including the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services and Eastern Catholic jurisdictions."
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's recent raids on the homes of Latino Democrats have ignited a storm of controversy and accusations of voter suppression. These actions, part of an investigation into alleged voter fraud during the 2022 elections, have targeted Democratic campaign workers, volunteers, and candidates in South Texas, particularly in Bexar, Atascosa, and Frio counties. The raids have been condemned by civil rights organizations, including the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), which has called for a federal investigation into what they describe as intimidation tactics aimed at suppressing Latino voter turnout.

The raids, executed by Paxton's Election Integrity Unit, involved the seizure of electronic devices and documents from the homes of several individuals, including Manuel Medina, a political consultant and chair of the Tejano Democrats, and Cecilia Castellano, a Democratic candidate for the Texas House. The operations have been criticized as politically motivated, with opponents arguing that they are intended to intimidate Latino voters and volunteers involved in Democratic campaigns.

Attorney General Paxton, who has faced previous controversies, defends the raids as necessary for ensuring election integrity, citing allegations of vote harvesting. However, critics point out that Paxton's office has spent millions on voter fraud investigations with minimal results, raising questions about the legitimacy and motivations behind these actions. LULAC and other advocacy groups argue that the raids are part of a broader pattern of voter suppression tactics in Texas, a state with a history of discrimination against Latino communities.

The controversy has prompted calls for investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice, with civil rights leaders accusing Paxton of using his office to instill fear and discourage civic engagement among Latino voters. As the situation unfolds, the raids have become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over voting rights and election integrity in Texas, highlighting the tensions between state actions and civil rights protections.
A Bethlehem woman has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the summer 2022 death of her 2-year-old son, authorities said.

Nicole Stauffer, then 45, of Bethlehem and the victims father, Christian Robert Brewster, then 26, of Friendship, New York, were arrested Jan. 26, 2023 in New York State on warrants issued that same day. The pair were charged after the 2-year-old died of a fentanyl overdose at Stauffers city home, authorities said.

Stauffer additionally is charged with two felony counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Brewster also was facing felony involuntary manslaughter and two counts of felony endangering the welfare of a child charges, however, court records currently show the manslaughter and one count of child endangerment charges have since been withdrawn.

Brewster in January pleaded guilty to the single count child endangerment charge and remains incarcerated at Northampton County Prison, Anna Thompson, a spokeswoman for the Northampton County District Attorneys Office, told lehighvalleylive.com.

The Northampton County District Attorneys Office on Tuesday announced Stauffer entered the plea before Northampton County Judge Anthony Beltrami. In entering the plea, Stauffer acknowledged her negligence led to the death of the child, the DAs Office stated in a news release.

Attorney Eric A. Harakal, with the Allentown-based firm Gross McGinley LLP and listed on court records as representing Stauffer, couldnt immediately be reached for comment Wednesday morning. Christopher M. Shipman, the public defender listed as representing Brewster, also couldnt immediately be reached for comment.

Just after 8:45 p.m on July 5, 2022, emergency responders were dispatched for a report of a boy found not breathing in a home in the 2000 block of Stefko Boulevard. CPR instructions were given, but the boy had no signs of life when emergency responders arrived, court records stated.

The toddler was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg in Bethlehem, where he was pronounced dead at 9:49 p.m., the Lehigh County Coroners Office said. The coroners office said the boy died of fentanyl toxicity and ruled the death a homicide.

The parents reportedly told police that day all three of them were in the bedroom shared by the family. The boy was playing and Stauffer gave him food, including a cupcake, police said.

Stauffer was tired and the family was lying in the bed, when eventually the mother slept for a length of time with her son, according to court records. When Stauffer woke up, the boy appeared to still be sleeping, police said.

After some time, the parents realized the 2-year-old was unresponsive and his lips were turning blue, according to police. The pair estimated their son was last seen alert and behaving normally about 90 minutes before he was found unresponsive, police said.

In the affidavit of probable cause, investigators laid out numerous allegations of suspected child abuse and neglect against the pair. Stauffer allegedly used illicit drugs during her pregnancy and the boy was born in March 2020 with neonatal abstinence syndrome and opioid withdrawal, police said.

The parents failed to take their son to follow-up medical appointments, court records state.

On July 6, 2022, law enforcement raided Stauffers Stefko Boulevard home, which she purchased in April 2022. Officers seized narcotic material and drug paraphernalia in the bedroom, including the area where the boy was sleeping, according to court records.

Specifically found was an uncapped hypodermic needle with blood residue near the bed; loose pills, Suboxone and smoking pipes with burnt residue around the room; and a container under the bed with numerous glassine packets, and a glassine packet in a trash can that also had a childs diaper and a cupcake wrapper, according to court records.

Testing by the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Forensic Services determined fentanyl was in the hypodermic needle and glassine packets, court records say. The only fentanyl found in the home was in the corner of the bedroom where the boy was found, investigators said.

A toxicology exam found fentanyl and norfentanyl in the childs blood, and his death was attributed to fentanyl toxicity, authorities said.

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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, off Route 512, 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.
The owners of Mindleaf CBD on Eastons College Hill face felony charges following an investigation into suspicion that illegal marijuana was being repackaged and sold as legal hemp products.

The arrests Tuesday followed the seizure of around half a million dollars worth of suspected illegal drugs, the office of Northampton County District Attorney Stephen Baratta said.

Northampton County Drug Task Force members began investigating Mindleaf CBD, on Cattell Street, in July, according to a news statement from Barattas office.

An undercover officer purchased a glass jar labeled Mindleaf Premium Hemp Flower from the stores owners David R. Allocca and Susanne L. Allocca, the statement says.

The Hemp Flower was sent for testing and it was determined to contain Marijuana, a Schedule I Controlled Substance, the statement says, referring to marijuanas illegal classification under federal law.

Hemp and marijuana are relatives of the same genus Cannabis. The federal Hemp Farming Act of 2018 legalized hemp products, provided they contain a concentration of no more than 0.3% of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

The Drug Task Force along with Easton and Forks Township police and the Pennsylvania State Police executed simultaneous search warrants July 31 at Mindleaf CBD and David Alloccas residence in Forks Township, according to Tuesdays statement.

The search of the store resulted in a large amount of marijuana, psychedelic mushrooms, and various THC products such as vapes, cartridges, edibles, and resin, the DAs statement said. There were also unused jars and labels located during this search, it is believed the marijuana was being repackaged and sold as Hemp at a premium price.

In Alloccas residence, a large quantity of marijuana and various THC products were located. In addition, a handgun, shotgun, and AR-15 rifle were recovered from Alloccas home.

In total, over 1,800 illegal THC cartridges, over 50 pounds of Marijuana, 1,500 packages of THC edibles, two pounds of psychedelic mushrooms, and 73 jars of Marijuana with the Mindleaf CBD label were recovered from this investigation. In total, these products have a street value of approximately $500,000.

The Alloccas attorney, Gary Asteak, on Tuesday accused law enforcement of misplaced priorities in busting Mindleaf when adults can go down the block or walk into any gas station or convenience store these days and buy CBD. He also suspects a divergence in testing techniques between the CBD industry and investigators, he said.

So there is no doubt that there are multiple types of THC, Asteak told lehighvalleylive.com. CBD and the variants are legal, and theres a fine line between that which is legal and that which is illegal. But Mindleaf purchased their product from a legal source and it all came from certified testing labs that weve had an opportunity to examine. This may be a matter of science and also may be a matter of what are they wasting resources on now?

David Allocca, 59, faces charges of felony controlled substance possession with intent to deliver and conspiracy, plus misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, misbranding a controlled substance, and sale and possession of a controlled substance misbranded.

Susanne Allocca, 58, also of the Easton area, is charged with felony controlled substance possession with intent to deliver and conspiracy, in addition to misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, misbranding a controlled substance, and sale and possession of a controlled substance misbranded.

Mindleaf co-owner Dawn M. Williams, 65, of Orefield, is charged with felony controlled substance possession with intent to deliver and conspiracy, plus misdemeanor misbranding a controlled substance and sale and possession of a controlled substance.

An attorney was not immediately listed for Williams, and no phone number could be found to attempt to reach her for comment.

All three were arraigned before District Judge Robert Weber and released on $100,000 unsecured bail. The next step for each is a preliminary hearing before a district judge to determine if there is sufficient evidence to send the charges toward trial in the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas.

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The family of a non-verbal woman with Down Syndrome has filed a lawsuit against The Arc of Hunterdon County, alleging one its health care aides shaved the womans pubic hair while she was a patient at the facility in Tewksbury.

The patient, who is in her 40s, has severe mental and physical disabilities and is unable to speak or make decisions, states the lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Superior Court of Hunterdon County.

The lawsuit alleges first-degree aggravated sexual assault, sexual contact, battery, invasion of privacy and negligence. The suit was filed against The Arc of Hunterdon County and the worker.

Administrators with the local and state offices of Arc did not immediately respond Wednesday to requests for comment.

The health care aide was suspended after the incident and the matter has been turned over to the Hunterdon County Prosecutors Office for investigation, according to the familys attorney, Patrick Toscano, of Caldwell.

As of today, theres no arrest, Toscano told NJ Advance Media on Wednesday. Were told that an investigation is ongoing.

The health care aide, who is 41, did not return a call seeking comment on the lawsuit.

The Arc of New Jersey states on its website that they are the states largest organization advocating for and serving children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, providing recreational, residential and day services to its clients.

The agency is a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization that relies heavily on donations, the website says.

According to the lawsuit, an associate executive director at the Hunterdon County facility called Tewksbury police on March 27 to report an aide had removed a patients clothing and proceeded to touch/shave (the womans) intimate female pubic parts.

The associate director told officers that pursuant to her knowledge of Arc policies and procedures, this conduct was completely improper/wrong, and not within the approved policies of the facility, the suit says.

The suit states that on April 24, two members of management from Arc of Hunterdon County  the executive director and quality assurance director  appeared at the Tewksbury Police Department with additional information about the aide.

The directors told police the aide had been involved in numerous other incidents with patients/residents at another Arc facility in Delaware Township, according to the suit.

Later the same day, the aide spoke with police on a recorded line and admitted she had shaved the patients private area for purposes of hygiene, the suit says.

The lawsuit calls the aides statement about hygiene an out-and-out fabrication.

(The aide) undeniably committed these aggravated sexual assaults/sexual contacts upon a physically helpless and mentally incapacitated female, with the purpose of either degrading or humiliating (her) or sexually arousing herself, the lawsuit alleges.

The suit alleges Arc had a legal obligation to report the aides prior conduct to police but failed at the time the initial report was made. Arc administrators also failed to notify the victims family about the aides alleged past, the suit says.

Arc knew that if it reported any of (the aides) deviant sexual behavior to any law enforcement agency or the state of New Jersey, it would essentially eviscerate its reputation and financially ruin its business, the suit says.

To be sure, certain Arc employees furtively and secretly conspired to cover up (the aides) past crimes/acts that she committed during her employ with defendant Arc, the suit says.

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Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
A male driver was injured Tuesday night when he lost control, struck a utility pole and the vehicle became engulfed by flames in Lower Nazareth Township, police said.

Colonial Regional Police Lt. Darrin Wendling told lehighvalleylive.com the accident happened at 10:10 p.m. along Georgetown Road at Steuben Road. The collision caused the utility pole to snap and led to some downed wires, he said.

Hecktown Volunteer Fire Crews and Bethlehem Township Emergency Medical Services responded. Crews were able to quickly extinguish the flames. The driver was taken by ambulance to an area hospital with unknown injuries. A condition was not immediately available Wednesday afternoon.

Tuesdays accident remains under investigation by the Colonial Regional Police Department.

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UPDATE: Look what I did: Driver charged in head-on crash that killed woman, burned passenger, police say

A car sped off after its driver committed a traffic violation in view of police Tuesday in Northampton County then slammed head-on into another vehicle, killing a woman, according to investigators.

It occurred about 10:30 a.m. on Hecktown Road in Lower Nazareth Township, Pennsylvania State Police said in a news statement.

The incident unfolded as a Colonial Regional police officer in a marked patrol vehicle observed a 2018 Mercedes-Benz commit a traffic violation on Route 191, the statement says.

The officer observed the Mercedes-Benz turn onto Hecktown Road and speed away.

In the area of the 4700 block of Hecktown Road, the driver of the Mercedes-Benz lost control and struck head-on a 2017 Kia Sportage that was traveling in the opposite lane, state police said.

Officers from Colonial Regional and the Bethlehem Township Police Department immediately provided medical assistance to the motorists involved, according to the release.

The driver of the Kia was pronounced dead at St. Lukes Hospital-Anderson Campus in Bethlehem Township, according to state police. She is identified as Susan Henderson, 67, of Norristown, Pennsylvania.

The Northampton County Coroners Office determined Henderson died of multiple blunt-force injuries and ruled the death a homicide, according to the state police news release.

Police identified the driver of the Mercedes-Benz only as a 27-year-old man. Both he and a male passenger, who was not immediately identified, were taken to the Anderson Campus hospital, as well, according to the release.

The crash remains under investigation by state police at Belfast. The state police Troop M Collision Analysis Reconstruction Unit and Forensic Services Unit are assisting, along with the coroners office, Northampton County District Attorneys Office, Bethlehem Township police, Bethlehem Township EMS and the Hecktown Volunteer Fire Department.

The crash forced the closure Tuesday of Hecktown Road between Cobblestone Lane and Frank Street, police said.

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Two out of three conspirators who used the identities of Northampton County Prison inmates to obtain $71,000 in COVID-19-related unemployment benefits have been sent to prison, according to court records.

Charity Larusso was sentenced Tuesday to four months in prison for her role in the scam, according to Philadelphia attorney Maranna J. Meehan. The 50-year-old was one of three Bangor residents who hatched the plan in early 2020.

Dominic Ciufo, 33, was sentenced in March to a year in prison. His attorney, Maureen Coggins of Norristown, didnt respond to an email seeking comment.
The ESB is advancing plans to expand what it says is its 'world class' national training centre in Portlaoise which could mean more short and long term jobs in the Laois county town.

The State-owned electricity company was granted planning permission earlier in 2024 for a major expansion of its national training campus in Portlaoise on the town's Abbeyleix Road.

The company advanced the process in August by issuing a Pre-Qualification Information and Questionnaire (PQQ) for contractors complete the centre's expansion.

ESB says it wants to build of a two-storey building (circa 1000 sq m) building that will include a glazed link connection to the

existing building on the N77.

The power company says the purpose of this PQQ is to assess the suitability of the applicants, and to pre-qualify and

establish a short-list of applicants with the required capability to deliver.

ESB issued a statement about the project to the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

"The ESB Networks Training Centre in Portlaoise plays a pivotal role in ensuring we have the necessary capabilities to deliver our Net Zero Strategy, and in turn help implement the Governments Climate Action Plan 2023 and support the decarbonisation of electricity by 2040.

"Technical excellence is at the core of ESB Networks business. Our trusted position in managing the network on behalf of the nation means our people need to be highly skilled to meet the growing demands on the system. These increasing demands and changing technologies require a continuous investment in the technical training and development of our people to ensure the future capabilities needed to serve our customers in an increasingly digital world.

"ESB Networks established, and continues to invest in, our world-class Networks Training Centre (NTC) in Portlaoise. The NTC is the centre of excellence for technical training of Networks Technicians, Apprentices and Contractors and will continue its role in providing key capabilities for the organisation in line with our strategic needs. The NTC is currently on the cusp of significant expansion, with the project in design and procurement phases. It is expected that works will commence on the site on Q1 2025.

"A sustainable recruitment programme aimed at recruiting on average 300 people per year, across a range of disciplines, along with our partnerships with contractor organisations, will ensure we have the ongoing capacity to meet our obligations to 2030 and beyond. Robust succession planning and talent management processes ensure skills and capabilities are constantly reviewed providing future resource assurance to the business.

"The Networks Training Centre in Portlaoise will continue to be the centre of excellence in providing technical training for the organisation and will expand capacity to meet the increased requirements for training and onboarding of Networks Technicians and Apprentices," said the statement.

The ESB describes itself as a leading Irish utility focused on providing excellent customer service and maintaining its financial

strength. They say they have a regulated asset base of approximately 12 billion with 30% of electricity generation capacity in the all-island market. The company says it supplies electricity to about 2 million customers throughout the island of Ireland. ESB Group employs approximately 8,000 people.
A forty-four year old man died at University Hospital Waterford after presenting with a two-year worsening perianal

condylomata (genital warts) which doctors said was concerning for its malignant transformation.

He was a smoker with a 30-pack year history and he also had a history of significant alcohol consumption - around 56 pints or 140 units on average a week.

According to a newly-published report regarding the man's case, he had lost 25kg in weight in the preceding two years and there was no family history of malignancy.

The report, published in the Irish Medical Journal, outlines that the patient had previously undergone a defunctioning loop ileostomy before he 'absconded' from care for a six-month period.

However, when he returned to the hospital months later, his condition had deteriorated.

His previous records confirmed invasive squamous cell carcinoma, lesions which had developed over time on his untreated genital warts.

READ ALSO: Gardai renew appeal for Meath 16-year-old missing for over a week

In his report, Dr Siti Mardhiah Muhamad Fauzi said that there was no surgical treatment option as the extent of disease was deemed 'unresectable'.

By this time he was unable to receive anti-cancer treatment but had specialised palliative care until he died almost two months later.

Dr Siti Mardhiah Muhamad Fauzi outlined the issue of a lack of screening for HPV in men and said, "this case emphasises the importance of advocating for patients to engage with healthcare services."

The report also said that this case demonstrates a particular issue in Ireland in that there is still a lack of screening programmes in the country for HPV.

The repercussions for this lack of available screening, particularly for patients with compounded multiple high risk factors including lack of engagement with medical professionals, can lead to serious consequences in HPV infection such as death in this case.
Therapists in Special Schools Alliance has called for the Government to remove a "three-tier standard" to special schools nationally.

This follows the exclusion of Laois and Offaly special schools from a nationwide 'pilot plan' to redistribute therapists through 16 special schools in the coming year.

St Killian's Special School in County Cork have recently called out Minister Anne Rabbitte for allegedly promising the funding of 150,000 to privately hire school therapists, should the school not have made the pilot programme.

Upon hearing this news, the Laois/Offaly based Therapists in Special Schools Alliance have demanded that a "three-tier standard" of special schools be removed.

There cant be three levels of special schools- those chosen for the pilot programme, those who receive government funding to hire in therapists privately, and the rest of us around the country, said Alliance member Orlaith Kerrigan.

"There is no begrudgery here- but if offers of funding have been made to other schools, we dont want our children forgotten about either," she said.

The Alliance has recently launched a petition for their inclusion in the pilot programme.

Pictured: Kolbe Special School, St. Francis Special School, Portlaoise, and Offaly School for Special Education.

"Public support has been great, its hard for us to meet up ourselves with the kids going to school on buses," Ms Kerrigan explained.

"The support from family, friends and the public has been fantastic- were anxious to keep this issue to the forefront, we dont want to be forgotten about."

"It's quite hard to get the message out, local politicians say they are making inquiries. Beyond taking a look into it, TD Charlie Flanagan has written to the Taoiseach on the matter," the Alliance member explained.

"We have heard that the remaining 10 places have already been selected privately, and they will all be announced as Cork and Dublin.

"Our preference is to be included in this pilot programme, but if we cant, we would like the funding to support the private hiring of therapists. We don't want our children forgotten about," Ms Kerrigan finished.

The group have recently requested a full hearing of the pilot programme in front of the Public Accounts Committee.
A man arrived at a County Kildare garda station with no identification and no money.

Nabaz Salh, 32, of no known address (although an address in Portlaoise was later provided in court) was prosecuted for not having a passport, identification for proof of nationality on March 25, which is a breach of the Immigration Act.

Naas District Court heard he presented at Kilcock garda station at around 5pm.

He was unable to give a reason for his trip to Ireland or provide an address. He was arrested under section 13 of the Immigration Act and he was brought to Leixlip garda station in a bid to verify his details.

The court heard that he came from Iraq, entering illegally in a trick, which stopped in Kilcock.

Read more Kildare news

The court was also told that he was trying to get to Portlaoise to meet a female he met online.

Defending solicitor David Powderly said that it is not up to the court to establish the mans identity.

Mr Powderly said that until recently undocumented people were asked to remain and apply for asylum.

But this has changed and now people who arrive in Ireland with no documents are taken into custody and charged.

There are many individuals who are in custody, he added.

He added the defendant is a Kurd from Kurdistan which is self-governing unofficially and its ruled by various factions or militias.

He pointed out that the man's fiancee was in court and accommodation can be provided for him.

He also pointed out the man did not try to evade the authorities. It is not possible for him to get documents and he is applying for asylum.

The court heard that the man could be fined up to 3,000 or imprisoned for a maximum of 12 months or both.

Sgt Mary Meade said there was no reason to dispute how he said he got here.

Judge Desmond Zaidan said he has reservations about the case because nobody knows his identity and this makes a mockery of the administration of justice.

He said the immigration system is open to abuse but it was a positive for the man that he presented himself to the authorities.

He bound the man to the peace for 12 months.
A new report from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) shows that 39 pubs in Leitrim have closed since 2005. This decline shows to be part of a larger trend across Ireland, where over 2,000 pubs have shut down in the past 18 years.

The report, called Support Growth: A Sustainable Future for Irelands Drinks and Hospitality Sector, reveals that rural areas are the hardest hit. Counties like Limerick, Roscommon, Cork, Tipperary, and Laois have seen more than 30 percent of their pubs close. Meanwhile, Dublin has only seen a small decline of 3 percent during the same period.

On average, 114 pubs have closed each year across the country since 2005. However, this number has increased to 144 closures per year from 2019 to 2023.

The reasons behind these closures include rising costs and changes in how people socialize. A survey included in the report found that nearly 25 percent of pubs and restaurants have faced a 20-30 percent increase in their costs over the last two years. Another 15 percent reported even higher cost increases of more than 40 percent.

Kathryn DArcy, Chairperson of DIGI, says that high excise duties are adding to the pressure on small businesses. She notes, The decline of over 2,000 pubs since 2005 reflects the real change and challenges this sector is dealing with. Running such businesses in a climate where the cost of doing business is squeezing more and more is difficult.

Pubs, restaurants, and hotels employ over 207,000 people across Ireland, making up 8.3 percent of all jobs in the country. DArcy emphasizes that these businesses are crucial to local communities, especially in rural areas where pubs are often central to social life.

The report also points out that people are drinking less alcohol and that more consumers are choosing low-alcohol or alcohol-free options. This shift in habits, combined with rising costs, has made it harder for many pubs to stay open.

Despite these challenges, the report suggests there is room for growth if the government steps in to help. For example, if excise duties were lowered, 23 percent of pub owners said they would refurbish their businesses, 18 percent would hire more staff, and 13 percent would invest in new services like food or accommodation.

As Leitrim and other rural areas continue to see pubs close, the report urges action to support these important community hubs and keep the tradition of the Irish pub alive.
Ooma Reports Fiscal Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results





Ooma, Inc. (NYSE: OOMA), a smart communications platform for businesses and consumers, today released financial results for the fiscal second quarter ended July 31, 2024.

Fiscal Second Quarter 2025 Financial Highlights:

Revenue : Total revenue was $64.1 million, up 10% year-over-year. Subscription and services revenue increased to $59.6 million from $54.7 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2024, and was 93% of total revenue, primarily driven by the growth of Ooma Business and contribution from 2600hz.

: Total revenue was $64.1 million, up 10% year-over-year. Subscription and services revenue increased to $59.6 million from $54.7 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2024, and was 93% of total revenue, primarily driven by the growth of Ooma Business and contribution from 2600hz. Net Income/Loss : GAAP net loss was $2.1 million, or $0.08 per basic and diluted share, compared to GAAP net income of $0.3 million, or $0.01 per basic and diluted share, in the second quarter of fiscal 2024. GAAP net income in the second quarter of fiscal 2024 included a $1.0 million gain for consolidation of facilities. Non-GAAP net income was $4.1 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, compared to non-GAAP net income of $3.8 million, or $0.15 per diluted share in the prior year period.

: GAAP net loss was $2.1 million, or $0.08 per basic and diluted share, compared to GAAP net income of $0.3 million, or $0.01 per basic and diluted share, in the second quarter of fiscal 2024. GAAP net income in the second quarter of fiscal 2024 included a $1.0 million gain for consolidation of facilities. Non-GAAP net income was $4.1 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, compared to non-GAAP net income of $3.8 million, or $0.15 per diluted share in the prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA: Adjusted EBITDA was $5.6 million, compared to $4.9 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2024.

For more information about non-GAAP net income and Adjusted EBITDA, see the section below titled "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and the reconciliation provided in this release.

"Ooma made strong progress in Q2 with revenues of $64.1 million and non-GAAP net income of $4.1 million and is well positioned, we believe, for the second half of fiscal 2025," said Eric Stang, chief executive officer of Ooma. "Ooma executed well in Q2 on both the top and bottom line, driving 10% revenue growth year over year and record levels for Adjusted EBITDA and Cash Flow from Operations. Progress continued across the business with new feature enhancements, customer expansion, and the addition of new resale partners for AirDial. Looking ahead, we believe Ooma's premier position in each of its business segments and key new customer wins in the first half of this year create the opportunity for continued strong performance."

Business Outlook:

For the third quarter of fiscal 2025, Ooma expects:

Total revenue in the range of $64.2 million to $64.6 million.

GAAP net loss in the range of $1.7 million to $1.9 million and GAAP net loss per share in the range of $0.06 to $0.07.

Non-GAAP net income in the range of $4.1 million to $4.3 million and non-GAAP net income per share in the range of $0.15 to $0.16.

For the full fiscal year 2025, Ooma expects:

Total revenue in the range of $254.0 million to $255.5 million.

GAAP net loss in the range of $7.7 million to $8.2 million, and GAAP net loss per share in the range of $0.30 to $0.32.

Non-GAAP net income in the range of $15.7 million to $16.2 million, and non-GAAP net income per share in the range of $0.57 to $0.59.

The following is a reconciliation of GAAP net loss to non-GAAP net income and GAAP basic and diluted net loss per share to non-GAAP diluted net income per share guidance for the third fiscal quarter ending October 31, 2024 and the fiscal year ending January 31, 2025 (in millions, except per share data):

Projected range Three Months Ending Fiscal Year Ending October 31, 2024 January 31, 2025 (unaudited) GAAP net loss ($1.7)-($1.9) ($7.7)-($8.2) Stock-based compensation and related taxes 4.6 18.4 Amortization of intangible assets 1.4 5.8 Gain on note conversion ? (1.0) Restructuring costs ? 0.7 Non-GAAP net income $4.1-$4.3 $15.7-$16.2 GAAP net loss per share ($0.06)-($0.07) ($0.30)-($0.32) Stock-based compensation and related taxes 0.17 0.68 Amortization of intangible assets 0.05 0.22 Gain on note conversion ? (0.04) Restructuring costs ? 0.03 Non-GAAP net income per share $0.15-$0.16 $0.57-$0.59 Weighted-average number of shares used in per share amounts: Basic 26.8 26.6 Diluted 27.5 27.5

Conference Call Information:

The company will host a conference call and live webcast for analysts and investors at 5:00 p.m., Eastern time on August 27, 2024. The news release with the financial results will be accessible from the company's website prior to the conference call.

To access the call by phone, please visit https://register.vevent.com/register/BIe5edc5716919495290b391503aab86ee to register and receive the dial-in details. To avoid delays, Ooma encourages participants to dial into the conference call ten minutes ahead of the scheduled start time. For webcast listening, please visit Ooma's Events & Presentations page https://investors.ooma.com/news-events/events-presentation for a link.

Following the call, an archived version of the webcast will be available on the Ooma investor relations site at https://investors.ooma.com for 12 months.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to disclosing financial measures prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), this press release and the accompanying tables contain certain non-GAAP financial measures, including: non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP net income per share, non-GAAP gross profit and gross margin, non-GAAP operating income, and Adjusted EBITDA. Adjusted EBITDA represents the net income before interest and other income, income taxes, depreciation and amortization of capital expenditures, amortization of intangible assets and acquisition related costs, stock-based compensation and related taxes, litigation costs, facilities consolidation gain, restructuring costs, and gain on note conversion.

Other non-GAAP financial measures exclude stock-based compensation expense and related taxes, amortization of intangible assets, acquisition related costs, non-recurring gains, such as facilities consolidation gain and gain on note conversion, litigation costs and restructuring costs. Non-GAAP weighted-average diluted shares include the effect of potentially dilutive securities from the company's stock-based benefit plans.

These non-GAAP financial measures are presented to provide investors with additional information regarding our financial results and core business operations. Ooma considers these non-GAAP financial measures to be useful measures of the operating performance of the company, because they contain adjustments for unusual events or factors that do not directly affect what management considers to be Ooma's core operating performance and are used by the company's management for that purpose. Management also believes that these non-GAAP financial measures allow for a better evaluation of the company's performance by facilitating a meaningful comparison of the company's core operating results in a given period to those in prior and future periods. In addition, investors often use similar measures to evaluate the operating performance of a company.

Non-GAAP financial measures are presented for supplemental informational purposes only to aid an understanding of the company's operating results. The non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered a substitute for financial information presented in accordance with GAAP and may be different from non-GAAP financial measures presented by other companies. A limitation of the non-GAAP financial measures presented is that the adjustments relate to items that the company generally expects to continue to recognize. The adjustment of these items should not be construed as an inference that the adjusted gains or expenses are unusual, infrequent or non-recurring. Therefore, both GAAP financial measures of Ooma's financial performance and the respective non-GAAP measures should be considered together. Please see the reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measure in the tables below.

Disclosure Information

Ooma uses the investor relations section on its website as a means of complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, investors should monitor Ooma's investor relations website in addition to following Ooma's press releases, Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") filings, and public conference calls and webcasts.

Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In particular, the financial projections under "Business Outlook" and the statements contained in the quotations of our Chief Executive Officer may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical facts and generally contain words such as "believes", "expects", "may", "will", "should", "seeks", "approximately", "intends", "plans", "estimates", "anticipates", and other expressions that are predictions of or indicate future events. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon information available at the time the statements are made and reflect management's good faith beliefs, forward-looking statements inherently involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from anticipated future results. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include, among others: our inability to attract new customers on a cost-effective basis; our inability to retain customers; our inability to realize expected returns from our investments made in connection with our international operations and development of new product features; our ability to successfully integrate our acquisitions and to achieve their expected benefits; failure to retain former employees and customers of 2600hz; failure to realize AirDial opportunities; intense competition; loss of key retailers and reseller partnerships; our reliance on vendors to manufacture the on-premise appliances and end-point devices we sell; our reliance on third parties for our network connectivity and co-location facilities; our reliance on third parties for some of our software development, quality assurance and operations; our reliance on third parties to provide the majority of our customer service and support representatives; and interruptions to our service. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We do not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements after they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those more fully described in our filings which we make with the SEC from time to time, including the risk factors contained in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended April 30, 2024, filed with the SEC on June 7, 2024. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Ooma as of the date hereof, and Ooma disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

About Ooma, Inc.

Ooma (NYSE: OOMA) creates powerful connected experiences for businesses, consumers and service providers, delivered through smart cloud-based communications platforms and services. For businesses of all sizes, Ooma offers advanced voice and collaboration features including messaging, intelligent virtual receptionists and video meetings. Ooma's all-in-one replacement for analog phone lines helps businesses maintain mission-critical systems by moving connectivity to the cloud. For consumers, Ooma's residential phone service provides PureVoice HD voice quality, advanced features and integration with mobile devices. Learn more at www.ooma.com or www.ooma.ca in Canada.

OOMA, INC CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited, amounts in thousands) July 31, January 31, 2024 2024 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 16,585 $ 17,536 Accounts receivable, net 8,189 9,864 Inventories 15,237 19,782 Other current assets 15,559 16,497 Total current assets 55,570 63,679 Property and equipment, net 10,957 9,897 Operating lease right-of-use assets 15,833 17,041 Intangible assets, net 24,997 27,952 Goodwill 23,069 23,069 Other assets 21,044 17,615 Total assets $ 151,470 $ 159,253 Liabilities and stockholders' equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 6,967 $ 7,848 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 24,388 26,586 Deferred revenue 17,123 17,041 Total current liabilities 48,478 51,475 Long-term operating lease liabilities 12,635 13,676 Debt, net of current portion 8,500 16,000 Other liabilities 18 15 Total liabilities 69,631 81,166 Stockholders' equity: Common stock 5 5 Additional paid-in capital 219,388 211,361 Accumulated other comprehensive loss ? (1 ) Accumulated deficit (137,554 ) (133,278 ) Total stockholders' equity 81,839 78,087 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 151,470 $ 159,253

OOMA, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited, amounts in thousands, except share and per share data) Three Months Ended Six Months Ended July 31,

2024 July 31,

2023 July 31,

2024 July 31,

2023 Revenue: Subscription and services $ 59,566 $ 54,726 $ 117,955 $ 107,775 Product and other 4,563 3,627 8,673 7,430 Total revenue 64,129 58,353 126,628 115,205 Cost of revenue: Subscription and services 17,654 15,456 35,114 30,181 Product and other 7,775 6,309 14,699 12,484 Total cost of revenue 25,429 21,765 49,813 42,665 Gross profit 38,700 36,588 76,815 72,540 Operating expenses: Sales and marketing 19,256 18,842 38,737 36,832 Research and development 13,640 11,768 27,433 23,721 General and administrative 7,400 5,972 14,978 12,589 Total operating expenses 40,296 36,582 81,148 73,142 (Loss) income from operations (1,596 ) 6 (4,333 ) (602 ) Interest and other (expense) income, net (103 ) 532 820 947 (Loss) income before income taxes (1,699 ) 538 (3,513 ) 345 Income tax provision (438 ) (267 ) (763 ) (400 ) Net (loss) income $ (2,137 ) $ 271 $ (4,276 ) $ (55 ) Net (loss) income per share of common stock: Basic and diluted $ (0.08 ) $ 0.01 $ (0.16 ) $ (0.00 ) Weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding: Basic 26,556,754 25,330,545 26,392,351 25,327,255 Diluted 26,556,754 25,935,018 26,392,351 25,327,255

OOMA, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited, amounts in thousands) Three Months Ended Six Months Ended July 31,

2024 July 31,

2023 July 31,

2024 July 31,

2023 Cash flows from operating activities: Net (loss) income $ (2,137 ) $ 271 $ (4,276 ) $ (55 ) Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities: Stock-based compensation expense 4,595 3,624 8,958 7,124 Depreciation and amortization of capital expenditures 1,038 1,125 2,073 2,188 Amortization of intangible assets 1,471 692 2,955 1,433 Amortization of operating lease right-of-use assets 734 813 1,517 1,460 Gain on note conversion ? ? (980 ) ? Facilities consolidation gain ? (956 ) ? (956 ) Other 70 (2 ) 108 (4 ) Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable, net 2,644 122 1,675 (1,481 ) Inventories and deferred inventory costs 1,946 2,382 4,527 3,347 Prepaid expenses and other assets (2,053 ) (730 ) (1,571 ) (1,485 ) Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities (1,871 ) (4,544 ) (4,399 ) (6,896 ) Deferred revenue 650 755 85 161 Net cash provided by operating activities 7,087 3,552 10,672 4,836 Cash flows from investing activities: Proceeds from maturities and sales of short-term investments ? 500 ? 2,250 Capital expenditures (1,742 ) (2,144 ) (3,192 ) (3,518 ) Business acquisition, working capital adjustments ? ? ? 300 Net cash used in investing activities (1,742 ) (1,644 ) (3,192 ) (968 ) Cash flows from financing activities: Proceeds from issuance of common stock 167 164 1,584 1,888 Shares repurchased for tax withholdings on vesting of restricted stock units (884 ) (483 ) (1,624 ) (914 ) Payments for repurchases of common stock (891 ) ? (891 ) ? Repayments of long-term debt (3,000 ) ? (7,500 ) ? Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities (4,608 ) (319 ) (8,431 ) 974 Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 737 1,589 (951 ) 4,842 Cash and cash equivalents, at beginning of period 15,848 27,390 17,536 24,137 Cash and cash equivalents, at end of period $ 16,585 $ 28,979 $ 16,585 $ 28,979

OOMA, INC. Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (Unaudited, amounts in thousands, except percentages, shares and per share data) Three Months Ended Six Months Ended July 31,

2024 July 31,

2023 July 31,

2024 July 31,

2023 Revenue $ 64,129 $ 58,353 $ 126,628 $ 115,205 GAAP gross profit $ 38,700 $ 36,588 $ 76,815 $ 72,540 Stock-based compensation and related taxes 285 260 558 520 Amortization of intangible assets and acquisition-related costs 771 82 1,558 192 Non-GAAP gross profit $ 39,756 $ 36,930 $ 78,931 $ 36,322 Gross margin on a GAAP basis 60 % 63 % 61 % 63 % Gross margin on a Non-GAAP basis 62 % 63 % 62 % 64 % GAAP operating (loss) income $ (1,596 ) $ 6 $ (4,333 ) $ (602 ) Stock-based compensation and related taxes 4,627 3,695 9,135 7,290 Amortization of intangible assets and acquisition-related costs 1,471 692 2,955 1,433 Facilities consolidation gain ? (956 ) ? (956 ) Litigation costs 95 300 95 300 Restructuring costs ? ? 710 ? Non-GAAP operating income $ 4,597 $ 3,737 $ 8,562 $ 7,465 GAAP net (loss) income $ (2,137 ) $ 271 $ (4,276 ) $ (55 ) Stock-based compensation and related taxes 4,627 3,695 9,135 7,290 Amortization of intangible assets and acquisition-related costs 1,471 501 2,955 1,433 Facilities consolidation gain ? (956 ) ? (956 ) Litigation costs 95 300 95 300 Restructuring costs ? ? 710 ? Gain on note conversion ? ? (980 ) ? Non-GAAP net income $ 4,056 $ 3,811 $ 7,639 $ 8,012 GAAP diluted net (loss) income per share $ (0.08 ) $ 0.01 $ (0.16 ) ? Stock-based compensation and related taxes 0.17 0.14 0.34 0.28 Amortization of intangible assets and acquisition-related costs 0.05 0.02 0.11 0.06 Facilities consolidation gain ? (0.03 ) ? (0.04 ) Litigation costs 0.01 0.01 ? 0.01 Restructuring costs ? ? 0.03 ? Gain on note conversion ? ? (0.04 ) ? Non-GAAP net income per basic share $ 0.15 $ 0.15 $ 0.28 $ 0.31 Non-GAAP net income per diluted share $ 0.15 $ 0.15 $ 0.29 $ 0.31 GAAP weighted-average basic shares 26,556,754 25,330,545 26,392,351 25,327,255 GAAP weighted-average diluted shares 26,556,754 25,935,018 26,392,351 25,327,255 Non-GAAP weighted-average diluted shares 26,821,420 25,935,018 26,712,880 25,883,010 GAAP net (loss) income $ (2,137 ) $ 271 $ (4,276 ) $ (55 ) Reconciling items: Interest and other expense (income), net 103 (532 ) 160 (947 ) Income tax provision 438 267 763 400 Depreciation and amortization of capital expenditures 1,038 1,125 2,073 2,188 Amortization of intangible assets and acquisition-related costs 1,471 692 2,955 1,433 Stock-based compensation and related taxes 4,627 3,695 9,135 7,290 Litigation costs 95 300 95 300 Facilities consolidation gain ? (956 ) ? (956 ) Restructuring costs ? ? 710 ? Gain on note conversion ? ? (980 ) ? Adjusted EBITDA $ 5,635 $ 4,862 $ 10,635 $ 9,653

27 august 2024 at 16:20

News published onand distributed by:
Grant of Options to Purchase Common Shares





MAZ.H

THETFORD MINES, QC, Aug. 27, 2024 /CNW/ - At a meeting of the Board of Directors held on August 27, 2024, Mazarin Inc. (the "Corporation") has granted to Messrs. Guy Berard, Marcel Groleau and Richard Poulin a total of 450,000 options to purchase common shares of the Corporation at a price of $0.11 per share, being the exercise price in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Stock Option Plan of the Corporation.

Mazarin Inc. is a natural resource company that focuses on the development of industrial minerals in order to provide value-added products that meet the criteria of customers worldwide with regard to performance and economic and ecological concerns. Mazarin's shares trade on the NEX under the stock symbol MAZ.H.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release contains forward-looking statements that address future events and conditions, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors, some of which may be beyond the Corporation's control. These factors include: general market and industry conditions, risks related to commissioning, to continuous operations and to commercialization of new technologies and other risks disclosed in the Corporation's filings with Canadian Securities Administrators.

Forward-looking statements are based on the expectations and opinions of the Corporation's management as of the date of this press release. The assumptions used in the preparation of such statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Corporation does not undertake any obligation to update such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

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.

SOURCE Mazarin Inc.

27 august 2024 at 17:59

News published onand distributed by:
Newmont's Lori Douglas Honored as a 2024 Paradigm for Parity Woman on the Rise





Newmont Corporation (NYSE: NEM, TSX: NGT, ASX: NEM, PNGX: NEM) today announces Lori Douglas, Newmont's Head of Productivity for North America, has been honored as one of Paradigm for Parity's Women on the Rise for 2024. This recognition, in acknowledgement of Women's Equality Day, highlights Lori's exceptional leadership, commitment to advancing women in the workplace and continued efforts to promote diversity and inclusion.

"Lori is a leader who has consistently worked to advance and inspire colleagues around the business," said Jennifer Cmil, Newmont's Chief People Officer. "Through her thoughtful leadership initiatives at the Cripple Creek and Victor mine, she has championed IDE practices while also helping to drive important cultural shifts to improve employee experience in the workplace. This recognition is a powerful testament to her commitment to cultivating an innovative and equitable workplace, particularly in a historically male-dominated industry."

The "Women on the Rise" award celebrates women who are not only rising stars in their companies but are also striving to be catalysts for change. Recipients of the award embody leadership qualities such as courage, innovation, authenticity, creativity, and a dedication to fostering environments where diversity and inclusion thrives, and where women can excel.

"The issue of gender parity feels more urgent than ever before, and these honorees have gone above and beyond to catalyze change and continue moving our mission forward," said Nadine Bullock-Pottinga, Paradigm for Parity CEO. "We look forward to seeing the contributions that these powerful women make in their workplaces and beyond."

In addition to her role as Head of Productivity for North America, where she oversees productivity improvements across seven sites, Lori has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to driving change. As the executive sponsor of the Cripple Creek & Victor mine's Women and Allies Business Resource Group, she has spearheaded efforts to break down barriers for women, ensuring that opportunities in mining are accessible and equitable for all. Her leadership has been instrumental in fostering a workplace where diverse voices are not only heard but also can contribute to the organization.

Paradigm for Parity is dedicated to addressing systemic barriers to close the gaps in gender and racial parity and transforming corporate culture to ensure all individuals can thrive. As a proud founding member of the coalition in 2016, Newmont joined as a reflection of its commitment to closing the gender gap and creating a supportive and inclusive work environment for all.

To learn more about the fight for gender parity and the 2024 Women on the Rise nominees, please visit Paradigm for Parity.

About Paradigm for Parity

As a nonprofit founded by a group of women executives in 2015, the Paradigm for Parity coalition supports its 150+ member companies around the world in achieving gender parity including racial equity in their corporate leadership within 15 years of joining the coalition. The organization develops and promotes actionable strategies that transform corporate culture, so that women of all races, cultures and backgrounds have equal power and opportunity.

About Newmont

Newmont is the world's leading gold company and producer of copper, zinc, lead, and silver. The company's world-class portfolio of assets, prospects and talent is anchored in favorable mining jurisdictions in Africa, Australia, Latin America & Caribbean, North America, and Papua New Guinea. Newmont is the only gold producer listed in the S&P 500 Index and is widely recognized for its principled environmental, social, and governance practices. Newmont is an industry leader in value creation, supported by robust safety standards, superior execution, and technical expertise. Founded in 1921, the company has been publicly traded since 1925.

At Newmont, our purpose is to create value and improve lives through sustainable and responsible mining. To learn more about Newmont's sustainability strategy and initiatives, go to www.newmont.com.

27 august 2024 at 20:05

News published onand distributed by:
HoSt Bio-Energy Systems and Bright Renewables Will Supply Biogas and RNG Technology for Global NRG Renewables' Distillery Waste-to-RNG Project in Kentucky





VANCOUVER, Wash., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- HoSt Bio-Energy Systems North America and Bright Renewables North America have been selected to provide Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) technologies for Global NRG Renewables' distillery waste-to-RNG project in Louisville, Kentucky. The project will convert 105 million gallons per year of distillery waste into high-quality RNG, which can be used for heat, electricity, transportation, and the production of food-grade quality liquid bio-CO 2 .

HoSt, specialists in continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) anaerobic digesters, will supply three primary digesters and one secondary digester, each with a capacity of 3 million gallons. Bright will provide the biogas upgrading system, with a capacity of 1400 SCFM (standard cubic feet per minute), and the CO 2 liquefaction technology, which has a capacity of 600 SCFM. Therefore, all the biogas beneficiation technologies will be integrated and supplied by the HoSt Group, reducing project complexity and risk. Construction of the plant is slated to begin in early 2025 with Swinerton Energy responsible for the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC), as well as commissioning and project handover.

"We are thrilled to collaborate with Global NRG Renewables on their inaugural RNG project," said Graham Hartlett, Chief Sales Officer at HoSt Bio-Energy Systems NA. "HoSt Group's proven experience with distillery projects in Europe, including the renowned Grolsch Brewery in the Netherlands, positions us well to bring this innovative solution to the U.S. market. We are confident that with trusted Swinerton Energy as the EPC the project will be built on time and within budget."

Chris Negus, Chief Executive Officer of Global NRG Renewables added, "This project exemplifies our commitment to sustainability and innovation in the RNG space. The full solution of HoSt's anaerobic digestion technologies and Bright's reliable biogas upgrading, and CO 2 liquefaction systems will ensure high efficiency and quality of RNG production."

Global NRG Renewables selected HoSt Bio-Energy Systems and Bright Renewables for their extensive expertise and successful track record in similar projects. This collaboration marks Global NRG Renewables' first project in the U.S., setting a precedent for future sustainable energy initiatives in the region.

About HoSt Bio-Energy Systems North America (www.host-bioenergy.com) and Bright Renewables North America (www.bright-renewables.com):

HoSt Bio-Energy and Bright Renewables provide the technology for converting agricultural waste into renewable energy and other valuable products. HoSt's anaerobic digestion technology offers a cost-effective, efficient solution for waste management and energy production. Bright Renewables focuses on biogas beneficiation, playing a significant role in advancing the shift towards storable renewable energy, evidenced by its wide array of projects. HoSt and Bright are part of the HoSt Group, whose North American headquarters is based in Vancouver, Washington, providing biogas valorization technologies, services, and maintenance throughout the United States.

About Global NRG Renewables and Global NRG Advisory (https://globalnrgadvisory.co.uk/):

Global NRG Advisory is an energy consulting firm with 40 years of banking and finance experience dedicated to the development and implementation of renewable energy projects. The consultancy aims to enhance the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) capabilities of funds on a global scale. In a short period of time, Global NRG Advisory has established a substantial pipeline of projects across Europe and the USA. Global NRG Renewables was launched in July 2024 as the exclusive development arm of Global NRG Advisory with the ambition of building a Renewable Natural Gas platform that covers both North America and Europe.

SOURCE Host-Bioenergy

28 august 2024 at 00:00

News published onand distributed by:
Record High Interim Dividend Declared as Net Profit Soars----CNOOC Limited Announced Its 2024 Interim Results





HONG KONG, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- CNOOC Limited (the "Company", SEHK: 00883 (HKD Counter) and 80883 (RMB Counter), SSE: 600938) announced today its 2024 interim results.

Making solid progress in reserves and production growth, net production increases by 9.3% year-on-year ("YoY")

Sustaining effective control over all-in cost, net profit attributable to equity shareholders reaches RMB79.7billion

Actively returning to shareholders, HK$0.74 per share (tax inclusive) of interim dividend declared

In the first half of the year, CNOOC Limited focused on increasing oil and gas reserves and production, continued to drive down the all-in cost, and hit a record high in net profit attributable to equity shareholders for the same period. With the steady progress of technological innovation and green development, the Company is better poised for sustainable development.

The Company continued to pursue the increase of reserves and production in an orderly manner and further expanded its resource base. In the first half of the year, the Company made 7 new discoveries and successfully appraised 18 oil and gas bearing structures. In offshore China, the Company discovered Lingshui 36-1, the first large-size ultra-shallow gas field in ultra-deep water. The proved in-place volume of the gas field exceeded 100 billion cubic meters, bringing the total proved gas in-place in the South China Sea to over a trillion cubic meters. Another two new discoveries with proved oil in-place over 100 million tonnes respectively were made, namely Qinhuangdao 27-3 oilfields in Bohai Bay and Kaiping South in the South China Sea. Bozhong 8-3 South was appraised, recording the highest tested daily production among the exploration wells in deep plays offshore China. Overseas, Bluefin was discovered at the Stabroek block in Guyana, further expanding the reserves in the southeastern portion of the block. The Company entered into petroleum exploration and production concession contracts (EPCCs) for 5 blocks in Mozambique, which brought about new exploration potentials.

CNOOC Limited accelerated the construction of major projects, while the oil and gas production in the first half reached a new record high. The net production was 362.6 million BOE, representing an increase of 9.3% YoY, hitting a historic high for the same period. The Company continued to optimise water injection plans and the natural decline rate in producing oilfields in offshore China continued to drop. Suizhong 36-1/Luda 5-2 Oilfield Secondary Adjustment and Development Project, Bozhong 19-6 Gas Field 13-2 Block 5 Well Site Development Project, Wushi 23-5 Oilfields Development Project have commenced production. Shenhai-1 Phase II Natural Gas Development Project, the Mero3 Project in Brazil and other key new projects progressed smoothly.

Technological breakthroughs made the Company more competitive in the market. Progress in exploration theory and technology guided the discovery of multiple oil and gas fields such as Lingshui 36-1, Bozhong 8-3 South and Longkou 7-1. In terms of development and construction, Liuhua 11-1/4-1 Oilfield Secondary Development Project adopted the innovative mode of "deep-water jacket platform + cylindrical FPSO", creating a brand-new solution for the efficient development of deepwater oil and gas fields in offshore China. For drilling and completion, the Company drilled an ultra-deep extra extended reach well in Enping 21-4 oilfield, the first one of its type, setting new records for the deepest offshore drilling depth and horizontal length in offshore China. The well would significantly improve production efficiency of the project.

The Company pressed ahead with green development. The integration of oil and gas business with renewable energy deepened. The first green-designed oil field in offshore China, Wushi 23-5 Oilfields Development Project, was commissioned. Green development concepts were practiced throughout the design, construction and production process. "Haiyou Guanlan", China's first deep-sea floating wind power platform, safely generated over 28 million kWh for the Wenchang Oilfields. CNOOC Limited installed photovoltaic panels at where applicable. 82% of the onshore terminals has installed photovoltaic panels. At the same time, the Company strengthened green power substitution, and consumed more than 400 million kWh of green power in the first half of 2024.

In the first half of the year, the Company achieved significant enhancement of quality and efficiency. Net profit soared in the period. Production growth and higher realized oil prices drove up the Company's revenue from oil and gas sales to RMB185.1 billion, growing 22% YoY. The comprehensive cost control system of the Company operated effectively. The all-in cost was reduced to US$27.75 per BOE, staying competitive in the market. In the first half of 2024, the Company's net profit attributable to equity shareholders jumped by 25% YoY to RMB79.7 billion, the best level of the same period in history. The Company has always actively returned to its shareholders. The Board of Directors has resolved to declare an interim dividend of HK$0.74 per share (tax inclusive), the highest in its history.

Mr. Wang Dongjin, Chairman of the Company, said, "In the first half of the year, CNOOC Limited accomplished new record highs for several key operating indicators, which fully represented the great success we achieved in reserves and production growth and value creation. In the second half of the year, the Company will strive to meet the annual production and operation targets, to pursue high-quality development of the Company, while adhering to safety and compliance requirements in our operations."

? End ?

Notes to Editors:

More information about the Company is available at http://www.cnoocltd.com.

*** *** *** ***

This press release includes forward looking information, including statements regarding the likely future developments in the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, such as expected future events, business prospects or financial results. The words "expect", "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "objective", "ongoing", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe", "plans", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by the Company as of this date in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that the Company currently believes are appropriate under the circumstances. However, whether actual results and developments will meet the current expectations and predictions of the Company is uncertain. Actual results, performance and financial condition may differ materially from the Company's expectations, including but not limited to those associated with macro-political and economic factors, fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas prices, the highly competitive nature of the oil and natural gas industry, climate change and environmental policies, the Company's price forecast, mergers, acquisitions and divestments activities, HSSE and insurance policies and changes in anti-corruption, anti-fraud, anti-money laundering and corporate governance laws and regulations.

Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. The Company cannot assure that the results or developments anticipated will be realised or, even if substantially realised, that they will have the expected effect on the Company, its business or operations.

*** *** *** ***

For further enquiries, please contact:

Ms. Cui Liu

Media & Public Relations

CNOOC Limited

Tel: +86-10-8452-6641

Fax: +86-10-8452-1441

E-mail: [email protected]

Mr. Bunny Lee

Porda Havas International Finance Communications Group

Tel: +852 3150 6707

Fax: +852 3150 6728

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE CNOOC Limited

28 august 2024 at 06:09

News published onand distributed by:
Sasakawa Leprosy Initiative Collaborates with Miss Supranational 2024 for Leprosy Awareness Campaign in South Sulawesi, Indonesia





TOKYO, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sasakawa Leprosy (Hansen's Disease) Initiative (SLI) recently conducted a series of leprosy awareness activities in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, in partnership with Miss Supranational 2024 crown holder, Miss Harashta Haifa Zahra. The activities were carried out in collaboration with PerMaTa Indonesia, an organization of persons affected by leprosy, and its support organization Yayasan Dedikasi Tjipta Indonesia (YDTI).

SLI is dedicated to realizing a world free of leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, and works with a wide range of stakeholders, including the WHO, governments of leprosy-endemic countries, international NGOs, and organizations of persons affected by leprosy. In 2021, it launched a "Don't Forget Leprosy" campaign to ensure that leprosy was not overlooked in the midst of COVID-19, and which now encourages national leprosy programs to rebuild in the wake of the disruptions caused by the pandemic.

Miss Supranational, an annual international beauty competition launched in Poland in 2009, is distinguished by its "From the Ground Up Community Service Initiative", which emphasizes social contribution over physical beauty. All contestants are encouraged to use the most valuable resource they have?time?to make an impact in their communities.

Since 2023, Miss Supranational winners have actively collaborated with SLI to raise awareness about leprosy, using their global reach to support this important cause. Dr. Takahiro Nanri, President of SLI, expressed his appreciation, saying, "Raising awareness of leprosy is essential, and we are grateful to be able to reach a wider audience through our partnership with Miss Supranational."

Miss Harashta Haifa Zahra, the first Indonesian to win the Miss Supranational crown, was born in West Java in 2003. She is currently pursuing a degree in environmental engineering at the National Institute of Technology Bandung (ITENAS).

Indonesia has the third highest number of leprosy cases in the world, and discrimination against persons affected by leprosy remains a significant issue. PerMaTa's South Sulawesi branch, the most active within the organization, works closely with YDTI to combat stigma and provide much needed-support to those affected.

"Stigma and discrimination against persons affected by leprosy has decreased significantly compared to a decade ago, but we are far from eliminating it," said Al Kadri, Chairman of PerMaTa, whose members conduct home visits to offer emotional and physical support to people under treatment.

On August 26, Miss Supranational visited Jongaya Leprosy Settlement in the provincial capital Makassar. There she met with the head of Makassar health department, provincial and municipal officials, settlement residents, PerMaTa members and other stakeholders at the local community hall.

She shared her experience of being inspired by Princess Diana's compassion for leprosy patients and expressed her commitment to becoming a driving force in changing perceptions of leprosy. She also pledged to help ensure that no one suffering from the disease is left untreated, helping to prevent disability due to leprosy, and working toward the elimination of the stigma associated with the disease.

The following day, August 27, Miss Supranational visited Maros District, where she discussed strategies for managing leprosy cases and improving service quality with the local health department. She also attended an event at a local school where she and PerMaTa members encouraged students to learn about leprosy as a step toward reducing stigma in the community.

Miss Harashta's involvement in raising awareness of leprosy in her home country is a welcome development for campaigners in Indonesia and SLI looks forward to working with her in other countries as well during her tenure as Miss Supranational 2024.

About Sasakawa Leprosy (Hansen's Disease) Initiative

The Initiative is a strategic alliance between WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination Yohei Sasakawa, The Nippon Foundation and Sasakawa Health Foundation for achieving a world without leprosy and its associated challenges. Since 1975, The Nippon Foundation and Sasakawa Health Foundation have supported the national leprosy programs of endemic countries through the WHO, with support totaling some US$200 million to date. The foundations have also played an important role in advocating with the United Nations, helping to secure a 2010 UN General Assembly resolution on elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members and the appointment of a UN Special Rapporteur on leprosy by the UN Human Rights Council in 2017. Recognizing persons affected by leprosy as key actors in solving leprosy-related issues, the foundations have supported 37 organizations of persons affect by leprosy in 22 countries since the 1990s.

About Leprosy

Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, is an infectious disease that mainly affects the skin and peripheral nerves. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted case-finding activities, over 200,000 new cases were being reported annually. While leprosy is curable with multidrug therapy, left untreated can result in permanent disability. Many myths and misconceptions still surround the disease. In various parts of the world, patients, those who have been treated and cured, and even their family members continue to be stigmatized, limiting their opportunities for education, employment and full participation in society. The Sasakawa Leprosy Initiative is working tirelessly to revive and strengthen national leprosy programs to achieve a leprosy-free world.

SOURCE Sasakawa Health Foundation

28 august 2024 at 07:00

News published onand distributed by:
CBSA officers at Vancouver International Airport seize 25 kg of methamphetamine concealed in suitcases





VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 28, 2024 /CNW/ - The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are committed to preventing the smuggling of illegal and dangerous drugs.

On two separate occasions in July, CBSA officers at Vancouver International Airport seized a combined 24.84 kg of methamphetamine concealed in passenger suitcases destined for Sydney, Australia. At the time of this seizure, the street value of the methamphetamine was estimated at $1.25 million.

On July 27, 2024 , CBSA Border Services Officers with the support of the Detector Dog Service, intercepted 10 kg of methamphetamine from a Canadian citizen. The methamphetamine was concealed in false sided compartments of two suitcases.

, CBSA Border Services Officers with the support of the Detector Dog Service, intercepted 10 kg of methamphetamine from a Canadian citizen. The methamphetamine was concealed in false sided compartments of two suitcases. On July 29, 2024 , CBSA Border Services Officers intercepted 14.84 kg of methamphetamine from a Canadian citizen while examining the traveler's suitcase. Upon examination of the suitcase, officers discovered a total of four vacuum sealed packages containing methamphetamine wrapped in clothing.

On both occasions, the travelers were arrested and taken into custody by the RCMP's Federal Serious and Organized Crime unit (FSOC).

The investigations are ongoing, and the RCMP FSOC is putting forward numerous criminal charges under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

Quotes

"The safety and security of Canadians is our top priority. By stopping the smuggling of illegal drugs, we're keeping communities safe and combatting organized crime. These seizures are great examples of the ongoing cooperation between the CBSA and the RCMP."

- The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs

"Our agency is combatting the smuggling of illegal drugs at our border and disrupting crime networks. These seizures demonstrate the diligence and detection capabilities of our border services officers and the important role of our intelligence operations in intercepting illegal and harmful substances."

- Nina Patel, Regional Director General, Canada Border Services Agency, Pacific Region

"These interdictions by the CBSA and the Pacific Region RCMP Federal Policing Program have served to protect Canadians, and our partner nations from exposure to a significant amount of potentially toxic drugs. They also demonstrate our shared commitment to defending Canada's border from transnational criminal elements that threaten our nation."

- Chief Superintendent. Stephen Lee, Deputy Regional Commander ? RCMP Federal Policing Program - Pacific Region.

Quick facts

For the latest contraband statistics, visit Canada Border Services Agency seizures .

The CBSA's Intelligence Section plays a key role in the identification of border-related risks and in protecting the safety and security of Canadians. Intelligence activities are conducted to identify, investigate and prosecute individuals and entities that are of interest to the CBSA in connection to organized crime, drug smuggling and other violations of the Customs Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act .

and the . If you have information about suspicious cross-border activity, please contact the CBSA Border Watch Line at 1-888-502-9060.

Anyone with information regarding criminal activity is encouraged to contact their local police, the RCMP at 1-800-387-0020 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS

A list of restricted and prohibited goods, including prohibited weapons, can be found here.

Smuggling narcotics and other Customs Act contraventions may lead to prosecution in a court of law. For foreign nationals this may mean removal from Canada and a ban on returning to Canada .

Twitter: @CanBorderPAC

SOURCE Canada Border Services Agency

28 august 2024 at 13:15

News published onand distributed by:
LSB Industries, Inc. to Participate in Upcoming Investor Conferences





LSB Industries, Inc. ("LSB"), (NYSE: LXU), today announced that its EVP & Chief Financial Officer, Cheryl Maguire will be participating in the following conferences:

Jefferies Industrials Conference on Wednesday, September 4th in New York City

UBS Global Materials Conference on Thursday, September 5th in New York City

Ms. Maguire will be conducting "fireside chat" discussions with analysts at both conferences. These discussions will be webcast and available for replay on the Investors section of LSB's website at www.lsbindustries.com. Ms. Maguire will also be available for one-on-one meetings all day at these events. To schedule a meeting please contact your sales representative at the host firm or Fred Buonocore, LSB's Vice President of Investor Relations at [email protected].

About LSB Industries, Inc.

LSB Industries, Inc., headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is committed to playing a leadership role in the energy transition through the production of low and no carbon products that build, feed and power the world. The LSB team is dedicated to building a culture of excellence in customer experiences as we currently deliver essential products across the industrial and agricultural end markets and, in the future, the energy markets. The company manufactures ammonia and ammonia-related products at facilities in Cherokee, Alabama, El Dorado, Arkansas and Pryor, Oklahoma and operates a facility for a global chemical company in Baytown, Texas. Additional information about LSB can be found on our website at www.lsbindustries.com.

28 august 2024 at 16:15

News published onand distributed by:
Vecima's First U.S.-Made Fiber Products Roll Off Production Line at MARA Technologies USA, Supporting Buy America Requirements





Today, Vecima Networks Inc. (TSX: VCM) and MARA Technologies USA, Inc., a subsidiary of Invotek Group Inc. (Invotek), announced that some of Vecima's first Entra SF-4X Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) Optical Line Terminals (OLTs) have rolled off the production line in MARA's Holly, Michigan facility.

The milestone was marked with an official visit to the MARA Technologies USA Holly facility on August 28 by Alan Davidson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Administrator.

See the statement from Assistant Secretary Alan Davidson on the Vecima and MARA partnership on the NTIA website: https://www.ntia.gov/press-release/2024/statement-assistant-secretary-davidson-vecima-s-electronic-equipment-internet-all-initiative.

As previously announced, Vecima has expanded manufacturing into the U.S. for certain products in its Entra portfolio to meet the proposed Build America, Buy America (BABA) requirements under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, one of the programs established under the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA).

"The MARA team is thrilled to deliver Vecima's first SF-4X Fiber products manufactured in the U.S.," said Paul LaCroix, CEO of Invotek. "Our production facility is fully operational, and with the addition of our new distribution warehouse, we will provide more value-added services while increasing overall capacity. We expect to add up to 100 highly skilled jobs in our state-of-the-art Holly, Michigan facility to support the Vecima program."

The $42.45 billion BEAD Program allows for states, territories, the District of Columbia (D.C.), and Puerto Rico (P.R.) to utilize funding for broadband adoption and deployment, upgrading, and installation projects to bring high-speed internet access across the U.S. to underserved and unserved communities. This manufacturing expansion of certain Vecima Entra Fiber Access OLTs to the U.S. offers service providers an industry-recognized OLT option for their buildout of fiber broadband networks under the BEAD program.

Vecima's industry-leading portfolio of 10G PON products has achieved strong market adoption, and in March 2023, the Dell'Oro Group named Vecima the global market share leader in both Remote MACPHY and Remote OLT Distributed Access Architecture (DAA) solutions.

"Our customers can now deploy Vecima's Entra SF-4X as part of their efforts to deliver high-speed fiber broadband to all communities," said Clay McCreery, Chief Operating Officer of Vecima. "The Entra SF-4X is the global Remote OLT market share leader and a proven solution for operators building high-speed broadband networks for all Americans."

With broad support for all next-generation cable access technologies, high-value legacy services, and proven industry-leading interoperability, the networks of tomorrow are deployable today. Learn more about the Entra SF-4X Remote OLT at vecima.com/broadband-access/sf-4x-remote-olt.

Media representatives: Photography and video available from today's event via Business Wire.

About Invotek Group Inc.

Invotek Group Inc. supports OEMs through its manufacturing and engineering centers in the United States, Canada, and China. Invotek's strategy is to work with customers to develop and engineer world-class processes that deliver optimized performance in cost and quality. We do this through in-depth, open-book, collaborative efforts with your design and engineering teams that ensures we become "Your Factory". We have a long history with broadband electronics manufacturing and over the past twenty years have developed world-class capabilities with IoT product development and power management systems for the Electric Vehicle market. For more information, visit Invotek at www.invotekgroup.com.

About Vecima Networks

Vecima Networks Inc. (TSX: VCM) is leading the global evolution to the multi-gigabit, content-rich networks of the future. Our talented people deliver future-ready software, services, and integrated platforms that power broadband and video streaming networks, monitor and manage transportation, and transform experiences in homes, businesses, and everywhere people connect. We help our customers evolve their networks with cloud-based solutions that deliver ground-breaking speed, superior video quality, and exciting new services to their subscribers. There is power in connectivity ? it enables people, businesses, and communities to grow and thrive. Learn more at vecima.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking information"). Forward-looking information is generally identifiable by use of the words "believes", "may", "plans", "will", "anticipates", "intends", "could", "estimates", "expects", "forecasts", "projects", "scheduled" and similar expressions, and the negative of such expressions.

Forward looking information in this news release includes without limitation, any statements (express or implied) respecting: Mara Technologies USA expects to add approximately 100 new U.S.-based workers to support the Vecima program.

Forward-looking information are not guarantees of future performance, actions, or developments and are based on expectations, assumptions, and other factors that management currently believes are relevant, reasonable, and appropriate in the circumstances. There can be no assurance that future developments will be those that have been anticipated. The material expectations, assumptions, and other factors used in developing the forward-looking information set out herein include or relate to the following, without limitation: Vecima will be able to successfully execute its plans, strategies, and objectives; the specifications and manufacturing processes of the Entra SF-4X Remote Optical Line Terminal (OLT) are compliant with the BEAD program and will continue to be compliant; Vecima's ability to manufacture certain products in the United States.

Although management believes that the forward-looking information herein are reasonable, actual results could be substantially different due to the risks and uncertainties associated with and inherent to Vecima's business, as more particularly described and referred to in the "Risk Factors" section the Company's Annual Information Form dated September 21, 2023, as well as the Company's continuous disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulatory authorities available at www.sedarplus.ca.

28 august 2024 at 18:05

News published onand distributed by:
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed on a visit to Berlin Wednesday that a planned new treaty with Germany was part of his nation's push to mend EU ties damaged by Brexit.

The move toward a reset, welcomed by German leader Olaf Scholz, will also include the British premier travelling to Paris for talks with President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday.

Starmer said the proposed accord, set to include a defense agreement and deeper links on science, technology as well as trade, was hoped to be agreed by year's end. He called the planned treaty a "once in a generation chance" to aid a "wider reset" in UK-EU ties.

Scholz welcomed his UK counterpart's desire for a "reset," adding: "We want to accept this outstretched hand."

Labour had said it would seek a security and defence treaty with Germany if it won the July 4 general election, which it did by a landslide  propelling Starmer to the premiership. He faced an early challenge after a deadly knife attack in Southport last month sparked anti-immigration riots, which officials say were stoked by far-right elements and false information.

Starmer said that he and Scholz had "agreed to develop a joint action plan to tackle illegal migration" and "smash the smuggler gangs who perpetrate this vile trade."

Read more German chancellor vows stricter weapon laws and deportations after Solingen attack

Ukraine aid

The pair also discussed the war in Ukraine, with both countries under pressure over their aid for Kyiv to help it fight off Russia's invasion.

Scholz insisted that both countries "stand firm at Ukraine's side," despite "recent attempts to sow doubt about this commitment."

"Our resolve is as ever to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine to provide the support that it needs for as long as it needs," Starmer added.

Kyiv's Western allies have reacted cautiously to Ukraine's recent incursion into Kursk, worried that their weapons could be used on Russian soil, possibly sparking a strong reaction from Moscow. Britain allows Kyiv to deploy a squadron of 14 British-made Challenger 2 tanks as it sees fit, but has put limits on the use of its long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles.

Starmer said Wednesday that "no new decisions have been taken" in terms relating to tactical questions on the use of weapons. Germany has repeatedly refused to send Kyiv its long-range Taurus missiles, over fears of escalating the conflict.

Germany has been the second-largest contributor of aid to Ukraine after the United States, but plans to halve the budget for that aid next year. Where Germany spent around 8 billion ($9 billion) on aid for Ukraine in 2024, the latest draft earmarks around 4 billion.

Read more Germany's unfortunate decision on aid to Ukraine

At a European Political Community (EPC) summit in England two weeks after his election win, Starmer told European leaders the UK would be a "friend and partner" to them.

Starmer has ruled out rejoining the European single market, customs union or freedom of movement  to avoid reopening what remains a thorny issue among British politicians and the public alike. But he does want to negotiate a new security pact with the bloc and a veterinary agreement to ease border checks on agricultural foods, as well as an improved trading deal.
Customs Commissioner of the Liberia Revenue Authority, Mr. Saah Saamoi, has circumvented a court order by Justice Yussif D. Kaba, ordering the reinstatement of Medtec Scientific Liberia Limited to its original role under the Destination Inspection Agreement.
To see more pictures, use the arrows or click 'Next'

PROFESSOR Eugene Walls impending retirement from his career in education was celebrated at a special event in Mary Immaculate College (MIC) last Friday.

Professor Wall served MIC for over a third of its 125 year history; as president for seven years, and 44 years in total at the college.

Honouring the immense contribution of Professor Wall to the college, there were congratulatory messages from Taoiseach Simon Harris; Tanaiste Micheal Martin and Minister for Education Norma Foley, along with many other colleagues across the Irish Education sector.

The celebratory event also acknowledged the work of the MIC Trustees and Governing Body at the end of their five-year term.

Presentations on the night included a personalised letter from President Michael D Higgins to Prof Wall in which he wrote, Your tenure at Mary Immaculate College has been marked by your deep commitment to academic excellence, the development of innovative educational programmes, and the fostering of an inclusive and supportive environment for students and staff alike, remarkable contributions to the College and to the broader academic community in Ireland.

As you embark on this well-deserved retirement, the letter continued, I hope that you take pride in the legacy you leave behind, one of dedication, innovation, inclusivity, one that has left a profound impact on education in Ireland. Your vision and leadership have set a high standard for your successors and will no doubt continue to inspire future generations of educators and students.

Paying tribute to Professor Wall, Taoiseach Simon Harris said, The impact of your successful leadership as President of MIC since 2018, and as an educator in the higher education sector for many more years, leaves such a lasting legacy.

Your willingness to engage, your innovative vision, your dedication to your students and your colleagues was clear always, he added.

Minister for Education Norma Foley commented, We have been so much empowered and enlightened by your spirit of endeavour in education.

Tanaiste Micheal Martin thanked him for his incredible and immense service to the education sector.

Minister for Higher and Further Education, Patrick ODonovan, an alumnus of MIC, attended the celebration and recounted attending Prof Walls extremely entertaining and always engaging lectures.

He thanked him sincerely for what Prof Wall did as an educator and a leader in Mary I and in Limerick and wished him well in the next chapter of his life.

READ MORE: PICTURES: Students graduating from University of Limerick told to never stop learning

Bishop Brendan Leahy, chair of the MIC Trustees and Governing Authority also congratulated Professor Wall, saying, In his distinguished career, he has made an enormous contribution, not just to the College, but to Irish education as a whole.

He continued, I wish him the very best as he embarks on his next chapter and thank him most sincerely for his tireless dedication to MIC and to the Irish education system for the past four decades.

Professor Wall taught developmental psychology and educational psychology in MIC from 1980 to 1998. For the latter part of that time, he was also Assistant Dean Academic Affairs in the College of Education of the University of Limerick.

Following appointment to the role of Registrar/Vice-President Academic Affairs in 1998, he continued to lecture part-time on the Bachelor of Education and the Master of Education programmes on educational psychology and on educational policy issues.

He served for 21 years on the Council of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment and oversaw the development of the 1999 primary school curriculum.

Prof Wall is co-author of the MICRA-T and the SIGMA-T, the two most widely used standardised tests in Irish primary schools.

He was the founding chairperson of the Learning Hub, which works in partnership with local education providers, families and young people to develop practical solutions to the high levels of educational disadvantage and early school leaving experienced by some local communities on the northside of Limerick city.

Following a period as acting President following the untimely passing of Professor Michael Hayes in 2017, he was appointed as President of MIC in 2018.

MICs President Designate, Professor Dermot Nestor, is set to step into the role later in November.

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ONE Limerick woman who attributes some of her success to a free business development programme is encouraging other female entrepreneurs to apply, as the deadline looms.

Theresa Sheehy, founder of Theresas Country Supplies of Ballydonell, Feohanagh, has successfully completed the ACORNS programme  a development initiative which supports early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland.

Ms Sheehy is encouraging other females in Co Limerick to apply for the next cycle of the free initiative, as the deadline for applications is September 20.

ACORNS has been providing a decade of support for early-stage female entrepreneurs and is funded through the Rural Innovation and Development Fund by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM).

Ms Sheehy recently completed the last cycle of the programme, ACORNS 9. Her company, Theresas Country Supplies provides high quality products for farmers involved in the care of animals.

READ MORE: Champion cyclist Sean Kelly leads the way for fourth annual charity cycle in Limerick

ACORNS 9 was truly an amazing opportunity and I strongly encourage participation, Ms Sheehy said.

Securing a spot in this esteemed programme couldn't have happened at a more opportune moment. The past six months have truly been a remarkable journey, feeling grateful for the inspiring circle of entrepreneurs I've been part of.

She concluded by saying that she is excited to witness the endeavours of other remarkable women unfold.

ACORNS is based on the belief that early-stage entrepreneurs learn best from their peers.

Participants interact with each other in the monthly round table sessions, which are facilitated by a Lead Entrepreneur, who has first-hand experience of starting and successfully growing a business in rural Ireland.

There are up to 50 places available for ACORNS 10. Those wishing to receive an application form should register on the website.

ACORNS 10 will run from October 2024 to April 2025.
Parents who have to contact their children while in school will be able to do so through the old-days method, by ringing the school secretary, the Education Minister has said as she clamped down on use of mobile phones.

Norma Foley said that while schools would decide how to implement a ban on students phones, it would be reviewed by school inspectors.

It comes as the Minister for Education contacted school management about how the ban would work.

Ms Foley said that children could carry their phone to and from school, but that there should be no access to the device during the school day.

What were saying is that all of the evidence is pointing to the fact that really, where mobile phones are not in use, students have an uninterrupted experience of learning, she said.

It does reduce cyberbullying, and it also creates an atmosphere of conversation and engagement on a one-to-one basis within our schools as well.

"All of the evidence tells us that when students don't have access to their phones during the school day it enhances their learning and fosters conversations and friendships" Minister for Education @NormaFoleyTD1 on fostering mobile phone free zones in schools. pic.twitter.com/KhYW9q6lv8  Fianna Fail (@fiannafailparty) August 25, 2024

Thats the research coming from the US surgeon general, and indeed our own Growing Up In Ireland.

We know the evidence points to the fact that our students would be better off during the school day if they had a mental break, if you like, from mobile phones to support that.

Each schools will take different approaches as to how they will implement that.

Some might choose that the phones will remain in their bags for the day and not be used, seen or heard at any point during the school day.

Others might use lockers or whatever. But the decision, ultimately, will be made by the school, in consultation with everyone.

She added: If there is an instance where a young person might need the phone for medical reasons, or whatever, schools obviously have discretion there as well.

Students will have access to the phone before school and access to the phone after school, and if they need to be contacted during the day, they will be contacted, as we always had in the old days, by the school secretary or whatever.

She made her comments as she attended Stanhope Street Primary School in Stoneybatter, Dublin, where she welcomed the primary schools book launch.
A woman has appeared in court following the death of her partner in Dublin earlier this month.

Olesja Hertova, 48, with an address at Hastings Lawn, Balbriggan, appeared before Dublin District Court on Wednesday charged with causing serious harm to James Shey Ryan.

The court heard that Hertova was a carer for her partner of 16 years, a former member of the Defence Forces who had Parkinsons disease and COPD.

Detective Garda Stephen Hughes from Balbriggan Garda Station said that Mr Ryan died in hospital a day after a physical altercation on August 10.

He said during this altercation, Mr Ryan suffered a fractured skull after being allegedly pushed to the floor.

He alleged that there is CCTV footage that captured the entire incident.

Mr Hughes said the director of public prosecutions gave a direction late last night for the charge before the court on Wednesday and that further charges are expected on submission of the investigation file.

He objected to bail on various grounds; defence barrister Marc Thompson said Hertova would be willing to adhere to strict bail conditions.

After a lengthy bail hearing, Judge Monika Leech consented to bail on surety, setting a bail bond of 5,000 euros with an independent surety of 10,000 euros.

When Mr Thompson said that Hertova was a woman of no means and that she does not have independent surety, the judge said she had given a great deal of thought to the bail application and said she did not see that it would be appropriate for me to reduce independent surety.

Hertova was remanded in custody with consent to bail.

She is next due before the courts on Wednesday September 4 at 10.30am.

Several members of the deceaseds family were in court during proceedings.
AN BORD Pleanala has given the green light for a new 80m high-quality residential development on a site derelict for over a decade, the Limerick Leader can exclusively reveal.

This Monday, the planning body affirmed Limerick City and County Councils decision last April to grant planning in full. The major project encompasses 167 apartments across five new buildings, ranging in height from three storey to five storey, at the landmark Ardhu site off the North Circular Road / Roses Avenue / Ennis Road.

Tribeca Holdings Limited, a London-based property group owned by Limerick man Aidan Brooks, will develop the six-acre site.

Material refurbishment of an existing seven-storey residential building on the site - the former Clarion Suites - was completed in December. The 61 apartments are full with tenants employed by leading companies like Regeneron, Eli Lilly and Verizon for around 3,000 per month.

Only last week, a senior executive at telecoms firm Verizon - which has announced a massive investment in Limerick - warned houses cannot keep up with jobs being created in the city.

Kieran Scannell, Verizon's Limerick site lead and senior director for global procurement, said: Its a big problem. We are very engaged with the council and local groups looking into it. Anything that can be done to encourage private development and encourage government aid to help the housing situation is really needed.

The cost of renting in Limerick city has risen three times the national average in the last year, according to a Daft report this week.

Minister of State Niall Collins welcomed the decision by An Bord Pleanala to grant planning at the Ardhu site. He said the provision of new housing is hugely important for Limerick.

From Aidan Brooks first development in Limerick city of the Bedford garage in Henry Street, he has a proven track record of success. It is great to see him continue to invest in Limerick despite his many other interests worldwide. It is a major vote of confidence.

The key to his success is his willingness to engage with neighbours and local communities to address any concerns they may have, said Mr Collins.

Concerns have been raised over privacy, security, landscaping, noise, traffic and car parking.

The Ardhu plan, prepared by architects Henry J Lyons, maintains that high quality is at the heart of the development so that the finished residential development blends in with the existing surrounding area.

All proposed residential units will be build-to-rent with Tribeca Holdings maintaining a long-term ownership of the apartments. The units will range in size from one, two and three-bed / duplex options catering from single occupants to families.

Gordon Kearney, managing director of Rooney Auctioneers, said the large-scale apartment development is a much-needed and highly welcomed development in a market that has been struggling with a severe shortage of housing supply.

"This project, led by Tribeca Asset Management and spearheaded by well-known Limerick developer Aidan Brooks, represents a significant and positive step toward addressing the critical need for rental housing in the area.

"The Limerick housing market has been under immense pressure, with demand far outstripping supply. This new development, which will bring 167 apartments to the market, is a crucial addition that will help alleviate some of this strain," said Mr Kearney.

In a time when both the rental and sales markets are in desperate need of new homes, this development is a beacon of hope, he said.

"It not only addresses the immediate housing needs but also contributes to the long-term growth and sustainability of Limerick as a thriving city. The community can look forward to a future where housing is more accessible, thanks to forward-thinking developments like this," said Mr Kearney.

READ MORE: Meeting on mayor programme is adjourned following debate

The landmark Ardhu House will be restored and become a focal point for residents. A smaller version of the well-known Ardhu Bar will re-open to the public.

David Conway, CEO of Limerick Twenty Thirty, told the Leader when the planning application was first lodged last year they welcome and support it.

Limerick Chamber has also thrown their support behind the project, highlighting the low level of units to rent presently.
The gloomy outlook from Temu owner PDD Holdings this week underlined the severity of Chinas economic slowdown and the need for one of Chinas most successful e-commerce companies to improve its supply chain.

Executives outlined how belt-tightening Chinese consumers have pushed PDDs rivals into its space and gave a cautious outlook for Temu, PDDs international bargain site whose soaring popularity has landed it in the crosshairs of regulators and lawmakers in the West. After months of protests by PDD suppliers, they said that profit will suffer as the company invests to address supply-chain inefficiencies and reduces fees for merchants.

The subdued tone from a company that quarter after quarter had beaten profit forecasts spooked investors, who drove down its shares nearly 29%.

Until Monday, PDD had been the bright spot among Chinese e-commerce companies. With low-cost products attracting bargain hunters in China and around the globe, PDD had regularly outperformed Chinese competitors Alibaba Group and JD.com. Its stock had risen 73% over the past 12 months as its earnings beat forecasts. However, in the past few quarters, executives sought to tamp down investors expectations for never-ending profit growth.

Executives acknowledged the challenge from weak demand in PDDs home market as well as growing competition for its Chinese bargain platform, Pinduoduo.

Consumers are increasingly choosing experience-based consumption over material purchases," said Chen Lei, PDD chairman and co-chief executive officer, though he also cited a growing emphasis on bargains, or rational consumption."

Since last year, PDDs Chinese rivals Alibaba and JD.com have also pivoted to a focus on discounted goods, embarking on aggressive campaigns to cater to penny-pinching shoppers. Short-video platform Douyin, owned by ByteDance, has used a price-comparison tool to stimulate merchants to lower prices.

The competition in Pinduoduos low-price market segment got a lot more fierce," said Ed Sander, a China tech researcher. From that perspective, its not that strange that PDD had a relatively more challenging quarter."

Executives said that as uncertainties mount, the company wont consider share buybacks in the next few years, a sign that it intends to focus on growth rather than supporting the share price.

PDD executives said the company will invest to foster a healthy and sustainable ecosystem." In particular, the company said it would reduce transaction fees for merchants, with an investment of around $1.4 billion for the first year.

This approach ensures rigorous oversight on product compliance while avoiding unintended penalties for quality products and merchants," said Zhao Jiazhen, PDD co-chief executive officer.

PDD is known for its ruthless competition tactics in China. For years, suppliers have complained about razor-thin profit margins on PDDs domestic and international platforms. In recent months, Temu suppliers have staged protests against what they considered unfair penalties from the company that left some bankrupt. One such protest occurred on Monday as PDD reported its earnings.

The supplier demonstrations have added to a series of economy-related protests in China as the country wrestles with sluggish growth and a real-estate downturn.

A Temu spokesman said in July that merchant penalties were needed to maintain a high level of customer service. The majority of our merchants experience success under these guidelines, benefiting from increased sales and positive customer feedback," the spokesman said.

Some analysts said the stock selloffs were an overreaction. While Morgan Stanley lowered its share outlook for PDD, its analysts labeled executives comments on PDDs profitability as too conservative."

We believe PDD is the only Chinese e-commerce player that will outperform industry growth," they wrote in a note.

Analysts at Momentum Works, a Singapore-based venture-capital research firm, said it is normal for companies that have had a streak of high-profit growth to focus on tackling nonbusiness factors and competition that affect the performance. When this happens, it is quite hard for the leadership to manage all the expectations: of investors, of employees at various levels, and of suppliers as well as customers," they wrote in a blog post following PDDs earnings report.

Concerns about Temus product safety and quality, labor and data-privacy practices have mounted since earlier this year. Whats most concerning to investors is a tax provision that U.S. lawmakers have proposed to restrict. The tax policy allows low-cost packages to enter the country without duty or customs screening. The European Union and several other countries are also in discussions to eliminate similar tax provisions.

In the past few quarters, PDDs management has warned about regulatory and compliance uncertainties in global markets where it operates. Shein, a fashion retailer also with roots in China, has come under similar scrutiny and pledged $50 million toward boosting compliance mechanisms.

Earlier this year, Temu launched a new program to recruit sellers with inventory overseas, which analysts see as a way to mitigate the potential risk of legislation across the world that might affect Temus business.

Write to Shen Lu at shen.lu@wsj.com
Renewable energy companies and their buyers are hesitant to sign virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs), citing lack of regulatory clarity. They say these contracts - under which power is sold at a fixed price through an exchange and not a common grid - could run afoul of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Rules (SCRA), 1957, which govern derivative contracts.

The SCRA guidelines are overseen by markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). However, the nations top court has ruled that contracts involving the physical delivery of power will be governed by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC).

Also Read: A mountain of renewable assets is looking for buyers

Legal experts said VPPA contracts are valid under Indian law, but companies remain wary of potential disputes. Some have gingerly taken the first step and signed small VPPAs to test the waters.

VPPAs are an alternative type of power purchase agreement where the producer and commercial buyer agree upon a long-term fixed price. But, unlike regular power purchase agreements, there is no direct supply of power from the seller to the buyer through a common grid.

Financial contract

Instead, the power company sells electricity on a recognized exchange. If the prices on the exchange deviate from the agreed strike price, the excess or shortfall is made good for the affected party. Thus, instead of an agreement to supply electrons, VPPAs take the form of a financial contract. These contracts are beneficial as the buyer and seller do not have to be connected to a common grid.

If small and fragmented industries can sign VPPAs, the total demand for such arrangements in India could be as high as 92 GW by 2030, according to a 2022 estimate by the World Wide Fund for Nature - India. For context, the total installed renewable energy capacity in India is 150 GW, as per the ministry of new and renewable energy.

"We are revisiting the whole VPPA construct with a legal consultant," said Akshay Hiranandani, chief executive officer of Serentica Renewables, the green energy arm of the Vedanta Group.

Such contracts are popular in the west and have helped democratize the purchase of renewable energy beyond a few large corporate buyers. VPPAs can democratize renewable energy consumption in India too, experts say. Companies with relatively lower energy requirements and a wide geographical footprint can sign these agreements to cut down their net carbon footprint. It is difficult for such small and fragmented industries to sign regular power purchase agreements with large power producers as they are mostly connected to discoms or state grids.

Sunsure Energy, a renewable energy company backed by private equity firm Partners Group, has so far avoided signing VPPAs.

"Currently, we have signed direct bilateral agreements only to avoid the regulatory complications. However, we look forward to signing VPPAs as the regulations simplify," said Shashank Sharma, founder and CEO of Sunsure Energy.

Also Read: GL seeks renewable energy assets as it looks to turn net zero

Mumbai-based AMPIN Energy Transition has signed a 50-megawatt VPPA with an undisclosed corporate buyer, a senior company executive said. However, VPPAs continue to be a tough sell, he said.

All the big companies, especially the listed ones, are waiting for someone to sign a VPPA in the public domain. They want to avoid being the first mover," said Aditya Malpani, senior director for business development at AMPIN. As soon as one or two big companies start, VPPAs will gain general acceptability."

The ambiguity over VPPAs persists despite a 2021 Supreme Court ruling that affirmed contracts involving the physical delivery of electricity will be governed by the CERC. CERC and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) were engaged in a decade-long legal dispute over the jurisdiction of derivative contracts involving electricity.

Sebi and CERC officials were yet to respond to Mints requests for their comments on the matter.

Legal experts said the apex courts ruling puts VPPAs squarely out of the purview of the SCRA guidelines. Nevertheless, lawyers are advising companies to toe the official line out of abundant caution.

"Power companies are hesitant to sign VPPAs due to the regulatory scenario," said Deepto Roy, a partner at law firm Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. We are advising them to comply with the SCRA even though it is not applicable to electricity. This can be done by signing non-transferable specific delivery contracts."

Non-transferable specific delivery contracts are structured such that the parties involved cannot sell the rights or liabilities to a third party. Structuring VPPAs along these lines can prevent speculative trading in electricity futures.
In a setback to former executive chairman of Finolex Cables Ltd. Deepak Chhabria, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on Wednesday refused to overturn the company's last year's annual general meeting (AGM) decision, where shareholders voted against his reappointment.

"The result of the AGM held on September 29, 2023, on Resolution No. 4 with regard to the reappointment of Mr. Deepak Chhabria as executive chairman of Finolex Cables Ltd (FCL), needs no interference in this appeal," the judgment noted.

Also read | Finolex promoter feud: Shareholders boot out two directors Additionally, the appellate tribunal's bench, led by chairperson Justice Ashok Bhushan and technical member Barun Mitra, dismissed Deepak Chhabria's plea to invalidate the 2019 extraordinary general meeting (EGM) that had amended the Articles of Association (AoA) of Orbit Electricals (the holding company of Finolex Cables), thereby revoking certain rights he held in relation to Finolex Cables. The NCLAT upheld the amendment to the AoA and affirmed the previous ruling by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).

Resolve issues on shareholding The appellate tribunal also directed the Mumbai bench of the NCLT to resolve outstanding issues concerning the companys shareholding, including the contentious approval of the transfer of 100,300 shares by the company's patriarch Pralhad Chhabria to his son Prakash Chhabria, during the 2016 AGM.

The Chhabria family's battle for control of Finolex Cables has been ongoing since the death of the company's founder, Pralhad Chhabria, in 2016. The conflict primarily involves two factions led by Deepak Chhabria and his cousin Prakash Chhabria.

Also read | Finolex, SC and the NCLAT 'rot': A Mint explainer Deepak Chhabria, who was initially appointed as executive chairman in 2018, saw his five-year term end on 30 June 2023. The dispute over his reappointment escalated following an NCLAT order on 14 October 2023, which allowed him to remain in his position based on provisions in the company's Articles of Association. This decision recognized Deepak Chhabria as the authorized representative of Orbit Electricals on the Finolex board.

The AGM held on 29 September 2023 saw the resolution to reappoint him as executive chairman defeated, with 72.34% of the votes going against him.

The NCLAT had on 21 September directed a status quo on the conduct of the AGM till it decided a dispute between cousins Prakash Chabria and Deepak Chabria.

Apex court intervenes The Supreme Court on 26 September vacated the order and said that important decisions such as the appointment of an executive chairperson would be subject to the outcome of the litigation at NCLAT. The apex court asked the scrutinizer of the AGM to publish the results immediately and also directed NCLAT to not pronounce the order till the results were published.

However, the NCLAT issued its ruling on 13 October, before the AGM results were released, prompting the Supreme Court to initiate an inquiry into the tribunal's actions. The inquiry, led by NCLAT chairperson Ashok Bhushan, aimed to determine whether the tribunal members were aware of the Supreme Court's order and why they chose to disregard it. Following the Supreme Court's intervention, the NCLAT suspended its order on 16 October.

On 18 October, a Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud summoned the two NCLAT members involved in the decision. Unsatisfied with their explanations, the court issued show-cause notices to both members and nullified the NCLAT's order, with Chief Justice Chandrachud remarking, "I am not talking about Justice Ashok Bhushan... but NCLT and NCLAT have gone down to rot now. This case is an illustration of that decline." The court also criticized the AGM scrutinizer for delays in releasing the results.

Also read | Finolex Cables case: NCLAT suspends order following SC intervention On 30 October, the Supreme Court pardoned the two NCLAT members, who had resigned and submitted unconditional apologies for defying the court's directives. The court also imposed a fine of 1 crore on Deepak Chhabria for withholding the AGM voting results and instructed him to deposit the amount into the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund within two weeks. The scrutinizer was also fined 10 lakh, payable to the same fund.

The Supreme Court directed NCLAT chairperson Justice Ashok Bhushan to re-hear the case and make a new decision, which led to the judgment delivered on Wednesday.

Finolex Cables' succession saga Founded in 1958 by brothers Pralhad and Kishandas Chhabria, the Finolex Group started as a small operation selling electrical supplies door-to-door and eventually grew into two major public entities: Finolex Cables Ltd and Finolex Industries Ltd. Over time, the group established several joint ventures, with Pralhad managing commercial aspects like finance and sales, while Kishandas focused on technical facets, such as production and R&D.

In 1989, to address tax implications, Pralhad initiated a strategy to transfer shares of Finolex Cables to investment companies. By 2009-10, the brothers aimed to consolidate their holdings under a single entity, Orbit Electricals. After a series of transfers and mergers, Pralhads shares in Orbit were eventually entrusted to the Pralhad Chhabria Trust, with specific governance conditions.
PHOENIX (AP)  Michael Lacey, a founder of the lucrative classified site Backpage.com, was sentenced Wednesday to five years in prison and fined $3 million for a single money laundering count in a sprawling case involving allegations of a yearslong scheme to promote and profit from prostitution through classified ads.

A jury convicted Lacey, 76, of a single count of international concealment money laundering last year, but deadlocked on 84 other prostitution facilitation and money laundering charges. U.S. District Judge Diane Humetewa later acquitted Lacey of dozens of charges for insufficient evidence, but he still faces about 30 prostitution facilitation and money laundering charges.

Authorities say the site generated $500 million in prostitution-related revenue from its inception in 2004 until it was shut down by the government in 2018.

Laceys lawyers say their client was focused on running an alternative newspaper chain and wasnt involved in day-to-day operations of Backpage.

But during Wednesday's sentencing, Humetewa told Lacey that he was aware of the allegations against Backpage and did nothing.

In the face of all this, you held fast, the judge said. You didnt do a thing.

Two other Backpage executives, chief financial officer John Brunst and executive vice president Scott Spear, also were convicted last year and were each sentenced on Wednesday to 10 years in prison.

Prosecutors said the three defendants were motivated by greed, promoted prostitution while masquerading as a legitimate classified business and misled anti-trafficking organizations and law enforcement officials about the true nature of Backpage's business model.

Prosecutors said Lacey used cryptocurrency and wired money to foreign bank accounts to launder revenues earned from the sites ad sales after banks raised concerns that they were being used for illegal purposes.

Authorities say Backpage employees would identify prostitutes through Google searches, then call and offer them a free ad. The site also is accused of having a business arrangement in which it would place ads on another site that lets customers post reviews of their experiences with prostitutes.

The sites marketing director has already pleaded guilty to conspiring to facilitate prostitution and acknowledged that he participated in a scheme to give free ads to prostitutes to win over their business. Additionally, the CEO of the company when the government shut the site down, Carl Ferrer, pleaded guilty to a separate federal conspiracy case in Arizona and to state money laundering charges in California.

Two other Backpage employees were acquitted of charges by a jury at the same 2023 trial where Lacey, Brunst and Spear were convicted of some counts.

At trial, the Backpage defendants were barred from bringing up a 2013 memo by federal prosecutors who examined the site and said at the time that they hadnt uncovered evidence of a pattern of recklessness toward minors or admissions from key participants that the site was being used for prostitution.

In the memo, prosecutors said witnesses testified that Backpage made substantial efforts to prevent criminal conduct on its site and coordinated such efforts with law enforcement agencies. The document was written five years before Lacey, Larkin and the other former Backpage operators were charged in the Arizona case.

A Government Accountability Office report released in June noted that the FBIs ability to identify victims and sex traffickers had decreased significantly after Backpage was seized by the government because law enforcement was familiar with the site and Backpage was generally responsive to requests for information.
A potential 30% cap on the market share of any company processing payments via the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is a roadblock to PhonePe's public listing, its founder and chief executive Sameer Nigam said during a discussion at the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) in Mumbai on Wednesday.

As far as going public is concerned, the market cap overhang is definitely a problem for us. I feel nervous going into the market where's a 30% market cap lurking or looming, he said.

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the quasi-regulator, proposed a 30% cap on market share for third-party app providers (TPAPs) first in November 2020. The original 31 December 2022 deadline for the cap's introduction has now been extended to December 2024.

Also Read: RuPay to UPI credit, NPCI is planning a big recast of its businesses I don't want to go public based on today's numbers and market share until I can actually look you in the eye and say, buy my shares. This company is going to be able to grow from here, he said.

The PhonePe founder has discussed his plans to take the company public in 2025 or 2026 once it reports net profit.

His latest comments come days after the fintech firm turned operationally profitable, recording a profit after tax of 197 crore, excluding Esop costs, in the fiscal year 2023-24, compared to a loss of 738 crore a year earlier. PhonePe's revenues rose 74% to 5,064 crore during the year.

Also Read: What is NPCIs game plan for the BHIM app? Profitability was one big milestone, second was diversification, and likely we've done well in both those fronts Beyond that (market cap) is just like any other company, just the preparedness for the IPO (initial public offering) and quarterly numbers closure. That's the operating stuff. As a company, culturally and governance-wise, we're getting very close, added Nigam during the session on opportunities and challenges for fintechs in India.

The sector has encountered a significant setback in recent years. The global funding winter has led to a dramatic decline in investments for Indian fintechs. According to a Tracxn report, funding for these firms plummeted by 59% to $795 million in the first half of 2024 from $1.93 billion in the year-ago period.

Also Read: Dressing Pine Labs for IPO: What fintech bully Amrish Rau can learn from Paytm Nigam stressed that the company is holding discussions with the NPCI and regulators to allay concerns. We are trying to ensure we do everything in our part to satisfy the NPCI and the regulators. If we manage to solve those, and then the cap goes, I think we have run out of excuses not to go public.

The Bengaluru-headquartered firm, founded in 2015, has raised close to $850 million from marquee investors like Walmart, General Atlantic and Ribbit Capital.
Six years before Pavel Durov landed in a French holding cell, the antiestablishment founder of the messaging app Telegram was in a very different position in France: having lunch with President Emmanuel Macron.

At the lunch in 2018, which hasnt been previously reported, Macron invited the Russian-born Durov to move Telegram to Paris, people familiar with the discussions said. Durov declined at the time. The French leader even discussed granting French citizenship to him, one of the people said.

On Saturday, French authorities detained Durov in an investigation that poses the most serious threat to the antiauthority ethos of Telegram since the app was founded in 2013. His arrest has brought into sharp focus the fraught relationships the 39-year-old Durov has had with governments around the world, which have attempted to both woo and control him, often failing at both.

View Full Image Pavel Durov is being held at Frances national antifraud office outside Paris. Photo: Stephane De Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images

In 2017, the year before the meeting with Macron, French spies targeted Durov in a joint operation with the United Arab Emirates that hacked his iPhone, according to people familiar with the matter. The spy operation, which also hasnt been previously reported, was codenamed Purple Music," the people said. French security officials were acutely concerned about Islamic States use of Telegram to recruit operatives and plan attacks.

Governments have targeted Durov because of the groups that were drawn to his app, which range from pro-democracy demonstrators and dissidents to Islamist militants, drug traffickers and cyber criminals.

For years, the company ignored subpoenas and court orders sent by law-enforcement authorities, which piled up in a rarely checked company email address, according to a person close to Durov.

Telegram says it now complies with the European Unions Digital Services Act, which requires online companies to cooperate with authorities in countering the spread of illegal content on their platforms.

This week, the Paris prosecutors office said Durov was detained as part of an investigation into whether platforms are enabling online criminality, including the exchange of child pornography, drug trafficking and the sale of unauthorized encryption software. Investigators are examining whether online platforms are breaking French law by refusing to cooperate with authorities in countering illegal content.

Prosecutors said they havent named Durov or anyone else as a target in their investigation.

While there is no indication that those earlier discussions with Macron or the hacking of Durovs phone played a role in his detention, the details shed new light on Durovs long and complicated relationship with France and the U.A.E.

France and the U.A.E. granted Durov citizenship in 2021, and the Gulf country invested more than $75 million into his platform that year.

Durov, by his own account, fought to keep governments from controlling Telegram while cultivating his personal image as an iconoclast. He became a hero to internet libertarians such as Elon Musk and Edward Snowden, who rallied to his defense when he was detained Saturday.Durov has used his own profile on the app to paint a colorful portrait of his life.

In a post last month, he said he was a multinational sperm donor and had fathered more than 100 children for couples in 12 countries. He recently posted a series of photos of himself shirtless on his Instagram account, including a dip into an ice bath.

Fearless curiosity drives innovation," he wrote in one post, followed by: The best way to start a day is a few minutes in 0Cwater mixed with ice."

View Full Image Paper airplanes were distributed in reference to the Telegram logo outside Frances Embassy in Moscow after Pavel Durovs detention by French authorities. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

Durov gained early fame in Russia as a tech entrepreneur with a libertarian streak. His political leanings and interest in encrypted-messaging systems made him an irritant to Russian and Western security services alike.

In 2006, he started a Facebook-like media site, VKontakte, which quickly gained traction as a useful channel for members of Russias political opposition. The Kremlin demanded information about VKontaktes users, which Durov resisted. By 2011, the site had become a tool for critics of Vladimir Putinto organize mass protests to challenge his rule. The Kremlin began pressuring Durov to sell VKontakte to a confidant of Putin, Igor Sechin. Durov resisted the sale.

Durov was already working on a new messaging app that would later morph into Telegram. Durov described it as a platform with servers spread around the world that would be essential for anyone trying to evade government surveillance.

Durov eventually left Russia in 2014, saying he faced pressure from the Kremlin to disclose communications of Ukrainian protesters. Providing personal data of Ukrainians to Russian authorities would not only be a violation of the law, but also a betrayal of all those millions of Ukrainians who trusted us," he wrote on VKontakte.

Afterwards, one of VKontaktes biggest shareholders said Durov was no dissident but a thief, claiming he embezzled money from the company to develop Telegram. Durov has denied the claims.

He then hopscotched between the Middle East, Europe and the Americas, accumulating passports along the way. In addition to France and the U.A.E., Durov has citizenship in St. Kitts and Nevis, a Caribbean island nation that offers it to those who can pay. He eventually based Telegram in the U.A.E.

The French passport allowed him to move freely in Europe, including on a bike trip last year to Normandy, according to his social-media posts. He traveled to the U.S. several times, the entrepreneur told the former Fox News host Tucker Carlson this year, adding that he is always greeted by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents at the airport and elsewhere who tried to obtain his cooperation.

My understanding is they wanted to establish a relationship to, in a way, control Telegram better," Durov said.

The FBI declined to comment.

French authorities took him into custody Saturday night after his private jet landed at Le Bourget Airport north of Paris. Under French law, authorities have 96 hours, or until Wednesday evening, to question Durov before releasing him or charging him with a crime.

Despite the 2018 visit with Macron, French authorities long viewed Telegram with suspicion. A former French intelligence official from Frances General Directorate for Internal Security said that compromising Telegram had been a long-term effort of the countrys spy services, but didnt comment on the hacking operation against Durov.

Frances new hard line reflects growing concern, particularly in Europe, about the threat that big digital companies pose to society. Authorities worry that Telegram, X, TikTok and other platforms are spreading misinformation, fueling antisemitism and racism and tolerating illegal commerce on their platforms. A French law signed this year requires online platforms to cooperate with authorities in rooting out such content.

That law is mirrored by the EUs Digital Services Act, which subjects very large" online platforms to enhanced monitoring and enforcement. Telegram said this week that it is still below the threshold of 45 million active monthly users in the bloc to be considered very large.

Durov spent years dodging the Kremlin and Western intelligence agencies. The importance of Telegram only grew during that time, particularly since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Russians and Ukrainians rely on the app for news from the front, while authorities on both sides use its channels to broadcast their narratives about the war.

A Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters Tuesday that the case against Durov could be considered to be political and a direct attempt to restrict freedom of communication, if France doesnt present serious evidence of Durovs guilt.

The Kremlin has reconciled itself to Telegram at this point," said Thomas Graham, a distinguished fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, adding that it was ironic that the Kremlin had pivoted to voicing outrage about Durovs arrest after trying to shutter the app a few years ago.

In his current home in the U.A.E., where political freedoms are sharply curtailed, Durovs antiestablishment bent seems to be an odd fit. Telegram voice calls, like those of most internet calling apps, are blocked in the U.A.E., which sees encrypted calls as a security risk. Durov would occasionally have to apologize to callers when Telegram calls failed, trying out a few rival apps before finding one that might work, according to a person close to him.

U.A.E. officials didnt immediately respond to requests for comment. In a statement after Durovs arrest, the U.A.E. said it was closely following the case and submitted a request to France to provide him with consular services.

Ann M. Simmons contributed to this article.

Write to Joel Schectman atjoel.schectman@wsj.com, Matthew Dalton at Matthew.Dalton@wsj.com and Alan Cullison at alan.cullison@wsj.com
Zettai Pte Ltd, the holding company of the cryptocurrency exchange WazirX, posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, August 28, that it had filed an application with the High Court of Singapore under Section 64 of the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018.

The crypto exchange aims to restructure its liabilities under a scheme of arrangement, according to its statement. This move comes after the company lost $230 million in the form of crypto assets after a hacking attack on July 18, 2024.

Also Read | Crypto exchange WazirX faces cyber threats, announces partial INR withdrawals

The moratorium period will give the holding company some breathing space while it proceeds with the restructuring. WazirX said the period will give it time to develop a restructuring plan that represents the most efficient way to address users cryptocurrency balances on the platform and facilitate recovery for users.

The company will get an automatic moratorium period of 30 days from the filing of the application, and the High Court of Singapore will decide whether or not to grant the request of the company.

WazirX said the hearing has not been scheduled, and it will update about it once it receives more information from the Singapore legal body.

Also Read | WazirX registers FIR for $234 million hacking case in New Delhi

Zettai has taken the initiative to concurrently facilitate a solution for users of the platform as contingent unsecured creditors of Zettai as quickly and effectively as possible, said WazirX.

The financial impact of the cyberattack will be allocated on a pro-rata basis to the users who rank equally with each other and unsecured creditors.

Also Read | Why WazirX will find it hard to recover stolen cryptos even with $23 mn bounty

We anticipate that under a planned restructuring, the impact from the cyberattack will be allocated pro-rata across users who rank equally with each other as unsecured creditors, and users will receive a share of available token assets associated with the Platform proportionate to their share of all users unsecured claims for their account balances, it noted.
Bengaluru: Paytm Payments Services Ltd (PPSL) received the finance ministrys approval for a downstream investment by its parent, making it eligible to seek a payments aggregator licence again, in some relief amid regulatory scrutiny.

PPSL will proceed to resubmit its payments aggregator application, parent One 97 Communications Ltd (OCL) said in an exchange filing on Wednesday. In the meantime, the company will continue to provide online payment aggregation services to existing partners, it said.

Also read | How a Street party helped SoftBank cast off its Indian struggles We remain committed to a compliance-first approach and upholding the highest regulatory standards, the company said.

A downstream investment refers to fund infusion by an Indian entity which has overseas shareholders. A payments aggregator licence will take PPSL a step closer to normalizing its business operations after a string of regulatory setbacks that halted bulk of its business.

Rejected two years back The Reserve Bank of India had rejected Paytms application nearly two years ago, asking the company to resubmit it in compliance with Press Note 3 under the foreign director investment rules. These regulations mandate prior approval from the government for investments coming from countries sharing land borders with India. The unit was under the scanner because of investments from Chinas Ant Group Co. Mint first reported that the Centre had rejected a post-facto approval for investments.

Earlier this year, the Reserve Bank of India directed Paytm Payments Bank (PPBL) to halt new credit and deposit operations, top-ups and fund transfers, among other banking activities. The action followed a comprehensive audit by external auditors, which uncovered consistent non-compliance and supervisory concerns at the bank.

Also read | Paytm cue: Adhere to stock option rules in both letter and spirit That disrupted the payments services unit contributing about 60% --around 900 croreof the total revenue in the first quarter of FY25. In its shareholder letter last month, the company said disruption of PPBL products and temporary impact on account of conservative approach taken for certain businesses affected operating metrics such as monthly transacting users, merchant base and gross merchandise value.
Bangladeshlong considered a development model for slashing extreme povertyclocked an average of 6.5% economic growth a year for the last decade. But over the past few years, youth unemployment climbed to 16%the highest level in at least three decades, according to data from the United Nations International Labor Organization.

China and India recorded the same percentage of young people who are seeking work without success. In Indonesia, the rate is 14%. Malaysias is 12.5%.

Across these populous nations, that adds up to 30 million people between the ages of 15 and 24 who are looking for jobs but cant find suitable ones. They account for just less than half the global total of 65 million jobless youth in that age range, according to ILO data.

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The figures are worse than in rich countries such as the U.S., Japan and Germany, where young people tend to get snapped up, though not as bad as slow-growing southern European countries such as Italy and Spain where around a quarter of young people are failing to find work.

For Asian countries that dont have Chinas broad manufacturing base, the double-digit youth unemployment rates raise urgent questions about how to move up the development ladderand the costs of failing to do so.

Anger over dwindling prospects was a key driver of this months tumultuous events in Bangladesh, where large crowds of students forced Sheikh Hasina to relinquish power after more than 15 successive years as prime minister and flee the country. In India, whose economy grew at 8% in the year ended March, Prime Minister Narendra Modis party lost its parliamentary majority in elections this year.

Though Indias youth unemployment has come down in recent years, it remains above the global average. Analysts cited poor work opportunities as a major factor in Modis setback.

Chinas government last year stopped publishing a youth unemployment statistic for a time after it showed more than a fifth of young people werent able to find worka record. Indonesias solid economic growth of 5% is coming in large part from an unprecedented expansion in mining and mineral processing, sectors that employ lots of heavy machines and not a lot of people.

In many countries, difficulty in finding decent work extends well into a job seekers 20s. Last year, 71% of employed 25- to 29-year-olds in South Asia had insecure work, meaning they were self-employed or in temporary jobsnot a significant fall from the 77% figure recorded two decades ago.

Globally, unemployment among young people tends to run higher than for the labor force as a whole. But across swaths of developing Asia hoping to follow Chinas upward trajectory, the trend points to an overarching question: Is the ladder to prosperity broken?

Take Bangladesh. The South Asian nation pulled itself out of poverty by becoming the clothing factory of the world, producing jeans, shirts and sweaters for major Western brands. Millions left the farm for factories.

Then Bangladesh got stuck. It didnt level up to more complex, higher-value productionsay of electronics, heavy machinery or semiconductorsthat lead to higher-skilled, better-paying jobs. That transition is how Japan, South Korea and China became breakout economic successes. The climb, however, has become far steeper.

Countries hoping to make it now must compete with hyper-efficient China. Developed economies such as the U.S. are vying to bring more production home. Automation is shifting the landscape. Even Bangladeshs main growth enginethe production of clothesis turning to machines over manpower.

Garment exports have doubled over the past decade while overall employment in the sector has grown at a much slower rate.

Then there is the great labor mismatch. Each year, more people in Asias developing nations are pursuing higher education and getting college degrees. When they are done, they favor white-collar jobs in fields such as design, marketing, technology and finance. Those are jobs their countries dont produce in abundance.

India, for instance, has developed a well-known information technology industry, but that can only employ so many people, and artificial intelligence is coming for some of those jobs. More than 40% of the countrys college graduates under the age of 25 are unemployed, compared with 11% of those of the same age group who are literate but havent completed primary school, according to a 2023 report from Azim Premji University in Bengaluru that is based on official data.

Now that youre educated where your dad was not, your mother was not, you dont want to get stuck in a job like your parents," said Kunal Sen, director of the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research in Finland. Thats the problem that I think political leaders have not understood."

In Bangladesh, those with college degrees have an unemployment rate three times the overall figure, according to a 2022 government survey. The library at the University of Dhaka, one of the countrys premier educational institutions, is filled with unemployed alumni poring over books for their first, second or even third shots at cracking the civil service exam. Many live on allowances from their parents well into their late 20s.

Aktaruzzaman Firoz, 28, graduated with a masters in sociology in 2021 but hasnt been able to find work despite applying for 50 positions. He entered the race for a government job this year with 500 applicants competing for two spots, he said. He made it to the final round but lost out.

To scrape by, Firoz borrows money from his father, a low-level civil servant in their rural hometown who recently had open-heart surgery. He has put off ambitions to seek a life partner. If I cant take responsibility for my family, how can I go for marriage?" he said.

Many Bangladeshis have their hearts set on prestigious government work because the countrys underdeveloped private sector doesnt provide many steady white-collar jobs. This years protests were sparked by a June court decision to reserve 30% of government appointments for families of Bangladeshi veterans of the countrys Liberation War.

A 26-year-old student leader of the protests, Asif Mahmud, is now a government minister overseeing the youth and labor ministries. One of the main drivers of these protests was the growing job crisis," he said. He aims to fix the problem by enabling schools and universities to work with industry to churn out employment-ready graduates, he said.

The total number of job opportunities is not enough for Bangladesh, in terms of its population," said Mahmud.

Muktadir Rashid contributed to this article.

Write to Jon Emont at jonathan.emont@wsj.com
Indian graduate students and other international students have been protesting against Canada's new federal policy. Under this policy, students face the risk of deportation from the North American country, reported NDTV.

Recent changes in immigration policy have cast uncertainty on the future of over 70,000 student graduates. In January, Ottawa also announced a cap on international students, saying it was being used as a backdoor entry to Canada, reported AFP.

Indian students have camped in front of the legislative assembly in Canada's Prince Edward Island (PEI) province, protesting sudden policy change that could lead to their deportation, for the past three months, reported NDTV.

Canada's Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia provinces also witnessed similar demonstrations.

A former international student named Mehakdeep Singh, facing deportation, said, I spent the most crucial six years of my life taking many risks to come to Canada, reported NDTV. He added, 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.

Also Read | Canadas Struggling Flair in Talks to Restructure Balance Sheet

What is the latest immigration policy change? The new immigration policy proposes to clamp down on the number of permanent residency nominations amid local housing and jobs crisis. This comes in the wake of rapid population growth in Canada over the last few years. According to figures from the Federal agency, around 97 percent of the population increase in Canada last year was due to immigration.

Canada aims to control this population growth by limiting study permits and bringing down permanent residency nominations by 25 percent.

Naujawan Support, the student advocacy group, asserted that graduates are at risk of being deported after their work permits expire this year.

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, NDTV quoted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as saying.
Former President and Republican Party Presidential nominee Donald Trump has held US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris responsible for the failed assassination attempt on him and has blamed them for making it difficult for the Secret Service to protect him.

Donald Trump made this claim on the television show Dr Phil, hosted by Phil McGraw, on Tuesday, August 27. He also claimed that several Secret Service agents from the Pittsburgh field office were on administrative leave after his assassination attempt against him on July 13.

There has been no evidence that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were directly involved in the Secret Services arrangements. Both Biden and Harris condemned the incident.

Theyre saying Im a threat to democracy, Trump said. They would say that, that was the standard line, just keep saying it, and you know that can get assassins or potential assassins going. Thats a terrible thing  Maybe that bullet is because of their rhetoric, Trump said.

During an election campaigning event in Butler, Pennsylvania, a 20-year-old gunman who is identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks fired Donald Trump with an AR-style assault rifle.

The episode happened a few minutes after Trump had started speaking. Crooks was positioned on the roof of a nearby building where he had a clear view of the stage. He fired eight shots before being neutralised by a Secret Service sniper within 26 seconds of the first gunshot.

When this happened, people would ask, whose fault is it? Trump told McGraw. I think to a certain extent its Bidens fault and Harriss fault. And Im the opponent. They were weaponising government against me, they brought in the whole DoJ to try and get me, they werent too interested in my health and safety, he said.

They were making it very difficult to have proper staffing in terms of Secret Service.

The Secret Service accepted that Trumps security had complained about lack of security and personnel for two years and a few of the requests were denied.
Iranian hackers tried to target John Bolton, former national security adviser two years ago, in a similar way in which they tried to breach Donald Trumps campaign. The hackers infiltrated into the personal email account and sent a request to a group of US-based Iran people asking them to review a book on Iran and North Korea nuclear programs.

After infiltrating the persons email account, the hackers send a link to what look like a harmless request to a group of fellow US-based Iran hawks, asking them to review a supposed book the person was writing about Iranian and North Korean nuclear programs, stated a report by CNN.

The email asked almost half a dozen people to click a link that would take them to the mentioned document on nuclear programs. The link however contained malicious code that gave access to the recipient's information.

Also Read | Trump Special Counsel Presses Ahead With 2020 Election Case

CNN also reported that the hackers targeted former members of both the Trump and Biden administrations. It also said that the same group targeted a former Biden administration senior diplomat in the Middle East with a nearly identical phishing scheme.

In April, the former diplomat received a seemingly innocuous email from someone who introduced themselves as a scholar at a prominent Washington, DC, think tank.

The Iranian efforts to hack current and former US officials over the years has attracted attention from US intelligence agencies in recent weeks.

In June, the same group successfully targeted the Trump campaign and stole internal documents and shared it with the media. The hackers breached the email account of Trump ally Roger Stone to target the campaign, CNN reported.

Iran has denied US allegations of cyberattacks, including US intelligence agencies. However it is difficult when Iran can possibly use the access to official email accounts. US officials had previously blamed Iran for a cyberattack on Boston Childrens Hospital in 2021 and for threatening 2020 US elections.

Iran hacking program The report says that Irans hacking program is not as advanced as that of China, Russia or the US, but it has a capable force that has regularly attacked critical infrastructure in the US and the Middle East.

Also Read | Donald Trump blames Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for assassination attempt

Because Iran has a much smaller presence than [other US rivals and adversaries] in the US due to sanctions and due to the state of relations, they have to be more creative about how they collect the information theyre looking for, CNN quoted a FBI official So cyber is a key tool for them, he added.

These hackers appear to have a broad mandate to collect data that the Iranian regime might find useful for kidnapping and assassination plots.

Masih Alinejad, a US-based Iranian journalist has been a target of assassination or kidnapping plots multiple times, reported CNN.

The number of Iranian external operations in various countries has increased after Soleimanis killing, the report said citing a study by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. The think tank mentioned 115 such operations since Soleimanis death which has been more than half the total number of operations since the creation of Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979.

Also Read | Trump Special Counsel Asks Appeals Court to Revive Records Case

According to the report, in the current election cycle , the FBI has probed both an Iranian hack of the Trump campaign and an alleged Iranian plot to kill the candidate himself.
Bank Holidays in September 2024: This being the last week of August, we take a look at the holiday list in the upcoming month. Here is a look at the bank holidays you can expect in September 2024.

Apart from festivals and national holidays, the month will also have a total of two Saturdays and five Sundays off, besides regional and religious festivities.

Customers should note that bank holidays in India differ from state to state, and it is best to check with your local bank branch for their holiday list ahead of time to keep informed.

Also Read | Bank Holidays in 2024. Check the full list here

September 2024 has at least 14 listed holidays (including weekend leaves). Notably, there is are also some long weekends, so plan visits to your bank accordingly. Here is the full list (public and private banks) to see:

Full List of Bank Holidays in September 2024 September 1  Sunday  All over India

September 7  Vinayaka Chaturthi  All over India

September 8  Sunday / Nuakhai  All over India / Odisha

September 13  Ramdev Jayanti / Teja Dashmi (Friday)  Rajasthan

September 14  Second Saturday / Onam  All over India / Kerala

September 15  Sunday / Thiruvonam  All over India / Kerala

September 16  Eid e Milad (Monday)  All over India

September 17  Indra Jatra (Tuesday)  Sikkim

September 18  Sree Narayana Guru Jayanti (Wednesday)  Kerala

September 21  Shree Narayana Guru Samadhi (Saturday)  Kerala

September 22  Sunday  All over India

September 23  Heroes Martyrdom Day (Monday)  Haryana

September 28  Fourth Saturday  All over India

September 29  Sunday  All over India

Also Read | Are SBI branches near you open today? Read here

Online Banking Services For cash emergencies, all banks operate their online websites and mobile banking services apps regardless of weekend or other leaves  unless notified to users for particular reasons. You can also access any bank's ATMs for cash withdrawals.

Customers must note that bank holidays differ across states due to the regional requirements. Thus to stay informed, you should confirm the full list of holidays with their nearest bank branch to plan better and avoid last-minute confusion and emergencies.

All of the bank's annual holiday calendar is declared by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under provisions of the Negotiable Instruments Act, which deals with the issuance of cheques and promissory notes. Transactions involving these instruments are thus not available during these listed holidays.
Mumbai: As frenetic digitalization reshapes the financial landscape, India must learn to balance innovation and prudence, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das said, urging financial institutions and fintechs to capitalize on the new opportunities while mitigating risks.

More Indians are taking to digital financial services, and their expectations for personalized, efficient and seamless experiences have grown as well, Das said. Meanwhile, new risks related to data privacy and security breaches have emerged, on top of existing ones like mis-selling and fraud.

Leveraging technology for real-time monitoring and ensuring regulatory compliance will be essential to address these challenges effectively, Das said at the third edition of the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai.

The central bank has frequently cracked the whip on fintechs, even as it laid the ground for the sector to flourish. Earlier this month, it tightened rules for the peer-to-peer lending sector, and slapped penalties on two industry platforms. In January, RBI imposed severe business restrictions on Paytm Payments Bank Ltd, while in February, it directed a leading card network to stop card-based business-to-business payments routed through third party fintechs.

On Wednesday, Das said the central bank is also focusing on making homegrown fast payments network UPI and card network RuPay truly global. The deployment of UPI-like infrastructure in foreign jurisdictions, facilitating QR code-based payment acceptance through UPI apps at international merchant locations, and interlinking UPI with Fast Payment Systems (FPS) of other countries for cross-border remittances are on top of our agenda, said Das.

Also read | RBI rolls out features to deepen digital banking through UPI

Aided by cheap data and ubiquitous smartphones, digital payments have shot up since the unified payments interface (UPI) was rolled out eight years ago. Mobile apps such as BHIM, Google Pay and PhonePe have shepherded UPI transactions to 131 billion in FY24, up from 83.7 billion in FY23. July clocked 14.44 billion UPI transactions, up 45% from a year earlier.

Fintech oversight In FY24, there were 968 million transactions via RuPay cards, lower than 1.26 billion in FY23. The quantum of transactions remained unchanged at 2.4 trillion across both years.

Das said that publicly available information places the number of fintechs founded in India at approximately 11,000, with the sector receiving investments of about $6 billion in the last two years alone. According to a Boston Consulting Group (BCG) report released on Wednesday, Indias fintech sector grew 50% by revenue in 2023, and is projected to reach $190 billion by 2030.

On Wednesday, RBI also recognized the Fintech Association for Consumer Empowerment (FACE) as the sector's first self-regulator. The central bank, which received three applications to be a self-regulatory organization for the fintech industry (SRO-FT), is examining the rest, Das said. The recognition of the first self-regulator comes a year after an SRO structure was first announced at last years Global Fintech Fest.

"This is a momentous occasion for the fintech community, as recognition by the regulator brings unity of purpose and gives us a chance to amplify our collective contribution and impact," said Sugandh Saxena, CEO, FACE. "Under regulatory guidance, self-regulation gives us a latitude to shape the industry that creates value for customers and all market participants. We have a long to-do list and look forward to the opportunity and responsibility to deliver on the charter," Saxena said.

Fintech SROs: RBI sets limits At the time of releasing the draft norms for SROs in January, RBI had said that given the diverse nature of fintechs, restricting to one SRO-FT could dilute some industry concerns, while having multiple SRO-FTs could undermine the representative character of self-regulation.

We have three applications and we are looking at multiple SROs, but there has to be a limit; you cannot have endless number of SROs. I think may be two-three SROs should be sufficient at this point in time, Das said on the sidelines of the event. Asked if the regulator had any preference or specific criteria for selecting the SROs, Das said that there was no such sequencing, and that approvals were purely based on the order of applications received.

Also read | RuPay to UPI credit, NPCI is planning a big recast of its businesses

Two other organizations vying to be SROs include the Fintech Convergence Council (FCC) and the Digital Lenders Association of India (DLAI). SRO - FT is an important industry development and we are happy to see things moving in this direction. DLAI's application has not been returned, we look forward to further communication from the regulator in this regard, said DLAI.

Yashraj Erande, Global head of fintech and India head of financial institutions at BCG, said it is encouraging that Indian fintechs are demonstrating a path to profitability, earlier than what was expected two-three years ago. Moreover, profitable and compliant growth is the new mantra for the fintech founders, rather than unbridled growth, he said.

Das warns against dark patterns Das also cautioned against dark patterns such as misleading buttons, hidden charges, and forced continuity, saying these have become big concerns in the digital marketplace. The Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023 issued by Government of India is an important step to protect consumers from unfair application of technology in businesses. These guidelines, said Das, aim to identify, prohibit, and penalise restrictive and misleading practices, so that consumers can make informed choices.
India's bold push towards renewable energy, particularly in the solar sector, is hitting significant roadblocks, with supply chain issues posing serious challenges to its ambitious targets. Industry leaders, speaking at the Mint Sustainability Summit 2024, underscored how these obstacles, coupled with policy shifts, are threatening the sector's growth trajectory.

Over the last two to three years, the solar industry's supply chain has faced intense strain, exacerbated by frequent policy changes.

Manikkan S, executive director and chief executive of Radiance Renewable, noted that while the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme offers some incentives, the sector is still far from self-sufficient. "The transition has been quite erratic, and supply issues continue to arise as Indian manufacturers increase production," he said.

Delayed production and financial viability These supply chain disruptions are particularly problematic for the production of solar cells and modules. Although the capacity to manufacture solar modules isnt a bottleneck at present, delays in solar cell production are causing concern.

Sujoy Ghosh, vice president & country managing director for India at First Solar, highlighted that the uncertainty in government directives has pushed back solar cell production timelines. "We are set back by 18-24 months, but we should be self-sufficient in meeting the demand for cells by March 2025," Ghosh stated.

This delay is significant, given that solar cells are a crucial component of solar panels, and any supply disruption can ripple through the entire value chain.

Financial sustainability within the solar industry is another pressing issue. Despite the rapid adoption of solar energy, the current tariff structure fails to fully cover production costs.

Rahul Tongia, senior fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress, emphasized that tariffs do not reflect the actual production costs. "We need to reimagine the grid, as distribution companies are not addressing all our challenges," he remarked.

The grid infrastructure is struggling to keep pace with the increasing load from solar energy, especially as electric vehicles and other renewable sources come online. This gap between production costs and tariffs is further strained by the financial difficulties of distribution companies, which are key to the sector's overall viability. Tongia warned that without a robust financial model, the expansion of solar energy could be at risk.

Investor confidence Nevertheless, the solar sector in India continues to draw significant investor interest, buoyed by the government's proactive policy framework.

Shivanand Nimbargi, managing director and chief executive, Ayana Renewable Power, pointed out that the government's strategic handling of policy has been crucial in attracting investments. "The government's navigation of the policy landscape has instilled confidence in investors, and the investment opportunities here are immense," he said.

Nimbargi also advocated for a hybrid approach to energy generation, combining solar with other renewables like wind to ensure a balanced energy mix. "Solar on a standalone basis has a huge impact, especially on rooftop panels. However, energy transmission needs to be a mix of solar and other sources like wind," he noted.
A dearth of private investment is pushing fintech companies to the public market very early, according to Sailesh Raj Bhan, chief investment officer for equity at Nippon India Mutual Fund.

A lot of fintechs and new-age businesses are saying theyre coming to the market very early because private-equity money has dried up or theres an exit requirement, Bhan said at the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai on 28 August.

Bhan was in conversation with Upasana Taku, co-founder and chief financial officer of IPO-bound Mobikwik, and Saurabh Mishra, executive director, Morgan Stanley Investment Management. He said fintech companies have to compromise on their business model or become self-sustaining because they cant easily get multiple rounds of capital in public markets unless they demonstrate growth.

Fintech companies such as Mobikwik, Phonepe, Razorpay, Groww, among others, have either filed their draft IPO papers or have shown interest in going public in the next two years. Non-fintech startups that recently went public include Ola Electric, FirstCry and Unicommerce.

Funding winter Indias fintech sector has experienced a significant setback in recent years as the global funding winter has led to a dramatic decline in investments. According to a Tracxn report, funding for Indian fintech firms fell by 59% year-on-year in the first half of 2024, from $1.93 billion to $795 million. Companies such as Mobikwik and Razorpay raised their last private funding rounds in 2022.

Despite the dearth of funding, regulatory hurdles, cybersecurity threats, and adoption challenges in rural areas, India has one of the worlds fastest-growing fintech markets. Valued at an estimated $110 billion in 2024, it's projected to touch $420 billion by 2029 at a 31% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), according to a recent KPMG report.

Mishra said companies also face more scrutiny once they go public. If you tap public market capital, another problem arises. When youre private, you have a few investors with whom you can share information and align on vision. But once you become public, you have to disclose information for various reasons, said Mishra, an investor and portfolio advisor on the emerging markets equity team focusing on the India equity strategy.

Profits at last Talking about whether the era of profitable Indian fintech firms has arrived, Bhan said that businesses within lending, insurtech, broking and wealthtech dominate the profit pool. We are seeing profits in wealthtech, broking services, lending and insurtech. Some people have executed well in terms of acquiring customers and selling to them. I think that is why funding is moving to these three areas, and we are chasing that, he said.

Just days ago, Mobikwik recorded its first full-year profit of about 14 crore in FY24, following a loss of 83.8 crore in FY23. Phonepe, another fintech company, has also achieved operational profitability, it announced earlier this week.

Bhan said unlike private investors, public investors focus on companies that are profitable. Unlike the VC world, which tracks creation of businesses, we have to see that all these businesses end up with a model where there is money being made, he said.

Also read: How RBI is shaping the credit cards market
Gopalakrishnan, who has become a philanthropist with his own family office and its investment arm, Pratithi Investments, told Mint in an interview on the sidelines of Global Fintech Fest 2024 on Wednesday that the IT sector is cash-rich and has capable leaders, but companies have their own growth rates, and some may not make it." Edited excerpts:

Why are Indian companies worried about AI and machine learning (ML) impacting their workforce and jobs?

AI is the new tool that's available for us, just like it completes our sentence for us. If you want to use AI, start training yourself. Newer technologies always increase productivity. I believe that if you stay relevant and keep up to date with new technologies, then as an individual, you will have a job, and as a company, you will be in the business. In the short term, the introduction of new technology always creates some challenges because you have to retrain and understand how it impacts, and sometimes there is a pause till you understand how to leverage this technologybut that is really what is happening now. Over the next ten years, I am very confident in saying that this will have a significant impact, but what that will be, we are trying to figure out. Every time something fundamental, something impactful has been introduced, the economy has grown faster and more jobs have been created.

What is your SWOT analysis of the IT sector today?

The IT industry has experienced leadership. It is very profitable. It has a very strong cash position and has a loyal clientele. The (IT) sector has seen multiple technology transitions and survived. India has become the default location where the world comes for IT.

Individual companies will perform at different capabilities, will have different growth rates, and some may not actually make it.

Our investment in research is 0.7% of gross domestic product (GDP). I feel that it should go to 3% of GDP as we transition to a developed economy.

In a diverse country like India, how can fintech firms boost inclusivity?

Fintech firms in India are already doing that with micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), microenterprises, and even roadside vendors accepting cashless payments using QR codes. It is also helping people transfer money to their relatives in villages. In a developed country, the banks come to your home if you are very rich, whereas in India, the banks come to your home if you are very poor. In India, we have leveraged technology to increase and improve inclusiveness, and that's something which the entrepreneurs, regulators and the government, through the Digital India programme, have ensured. And that's a unique India model of development where we have put inclusiveness at the highest priority. I strongly believe that.

Also Read: Tech workers on the bench stare at uncertainty as projects thin out

Why are we not seeing more Indians giving back to their alma mater like it happens in the West? For instance, you have given nearly  100 crore to IIT-Madras.

Traditionally, in India, philanthropy has been targeted towards religion, education and healthcare, addressing today's needs. There must be a shift in mindset to support research. The second thing about research is that it is open, and the results are not guaranteed. When you look at philanthropy, they want results. But having said that, I'm seeing that support for research is increasing in India, which is how it should be. Support for research from industry also must grow. Our investment in research is 0.7% of gross domestic product (GDP). I feel that it should go to 3% of GDP as we transition to a developed economy. We need to transition to a product nation. We need to own more IP and create an economy built around value addition through IT. So, that transition must happen, which means we must increase investments in this interest.

What do you think about the growing creator economy and influencing becoming a new career opportunity for the younger generation?

Without social media, you cannot really be an influencer because a limited number of people will hear your voice, whereas here, your voice can be heard by the entire world. The power in the hands of the individual is tremendous, and people are realizing that you can use it for good or you can use it for bad. Everything has a dual use. It is in the hands of the people. And the influencer is a new mechanism that we have now (and that brings) some sort of democratization of how you take your thought leadership to the masses.

Why are corporates worried about the generation gaps?

Generation gaps have always been there. Every generation goes through that. Because you get new freedom, you get new technology, you get new conveniences, your wealth is increasing. All these things create this generational gap, and technology is one piece of that. So, it is not something to be perturbed about, really. As a parent, you will probably tell your child you can watch TV between this time and this timeas a manager, you have to bring rules into the organization. There is a reason why we need policies; we need behavioural changes, we need discipline.

What are the key focus areas for the investments you and your family office are planning in the future?

India is going to go from a $3.6 trillion economy to $10 trillion within the next ten years and $30 trillion, possibly within the next 25 years (which is a huge) opportunity. The amount of wealth to be created is massive. Ten times what we are today. New businesses and multinationals are going to be created. If the economy must grow, we need these multinational businesses, and investments have to be made.

But all these investments are made with a profit motive. I'm personally interested in (healthcare and areas like ) neuro-degeneration. As people live longer, it is estimated that about 20% of people will develop neurodegenerative diseases as they age. Many countries have already transitioned to become an older generation. India, over the next 25 years, will transition to become an older generation country, so, we will also face the problem.

As we are a developing country and a developing economy, the cost for us is huge because there is no social security to help these older adults. The family (only) ends up taking care of them. Many of them don't have the time, money or inclination, so the societal costs are also going to be very large. And we don't have support systems. Only now we are starting to think about old age homes and places where there's assisted living. I want to support world-class research in India as part of the creation of IP, which will drive the economy, and I've narrowly focused on neurodegeneration, understanding the brain because it (comes) with the health angle.
The Indian Ports Association (IPA) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bipartite Wage Negotiation Committee (BWNC) on Wednesday, averting an indefinite strike by workers that would have disrupted operations at 12 major ports across India from 28 August.

The MoU facilitates a revision of the workers wage structure and addresses other service conditions, including pension benefits. It was agreed that the fitment benefit of 8.5% would be granted on the aggregate amount of basic pay as of 31 December 2021, plus 30% variable dearness allowance as of 1 January 2022.

The period of the settlement is set for five years, from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2026. The new pay scales, effective retrospectively from 1 January 2022, will be formulated according to existing practices.

Both parties also agreed to consider aligning the periodicity of future wage revisions for both officers and employees, starting from 1 January 2027, to avoid any potential anomalies. A special allowance of 500 a month will also be provided to working employees during the course of the settlement or until the date of the employees superannuation, whichever comes first.

Sarbananda Sonowal, minister of ports, shipping & waterways, said, This agreement marks a significant step forward in ensuring fair and equitable treatment for our port workers, who are the backbone of the Indian maritime sector. The timely resolution of these issues reflects [the ministrys] commitment to foster a harmonious and productive working environment across all Indian ports. Sonowal also commended the workers federations and the IPA for their constructive approach to these negotiations.

Next steps A drafting committee meeting, scheduled to convene on 28 August, will prepare the settlement within 10 days. This committee will include a representative from each federation, as well as management representatives appointed by the chairman of IPA.

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MUMBAI : When we talk about sectors with potential, the Indian cement industry might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But if youre looking for value and long-term growth, its a sector worth your attention.

Despite recent challenges, such as slowing demand, falling cement prices and profitability pressures, the cement industry has a lot going for it. For savvy investors, it could be one of the most undervalued opportunities.

The demand slowdown: Why its not the end of the world

First things first: Demand growth in the cement sector has hit a bit of a speed bump. In the first quarter of 2024-25, the industry only managed a 3% year-on-year (y-o-y) growth, which is slower than seen in recent years (two-year compound annual growth rate, or CAGR, comes up to about 7-8%). Factors like extreme weather conditions (the heatwave in the summer) and the general elections have played a big role in this slowdown.

But heres the thingthis isnt a permanent setback. Companies with strong capacity additions, especially those with exposure in the northern and central regions, are still growing faster than the market. Meanwhile, the South is struggling a bit, but thats not a story that will last forever.

Demand is expected to pick up in the second half of the year, particularly after the festive season in mid-November. The monsoon season and delays in government projects have been a drag, but those are temporary issues. Were talking about mid-single-digit growth in FY25 and a stronger 7% growth in FY26/27.

A bright spot

In FY24, India started with a cement capacity of 585 million tons and ended with 626 million tons installed. The estimated demand for the last fiscal year was around 425 million tons, which means the industry was operating at roughly 70% capacity utilization. However, not all capacity is created equalsome plants are inefficient or even non-operational. Factoring that in, the real capacity utilization is closer to 76%.

Moreover, cement demand is closely tied to gross domestic product (GDP) growth and the rising demand from housing and infrastructure sectors.

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The governments massive $3 trillion infrastructure and housing investment, backed by initiatives like the National Infrastructure Plan and PM Gati Shakti, is set to supercharge the industry.

We are looking at a strong surge in cement demand, with 11.11 trillion earmarked for capital expenditure in the Budget 2024-253.4% of GDPand the launch of phase 4 of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, which aims to provide all-weather connectivity to 25,000 rural habitations.

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So, while the cement sector has hit a few bumps, the future demand scenario looks solid. Whether its the governments infrastructure push or the strategic capacity expansions by industry leaders, the pieces are falling into place for a strong rebound.

Profitability pressures: Short-term pain, long-term gain?

Lets not sugarcoat itprofitability has taken a hit. The industry level Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) per ton (Ebitda/t) fell 17% quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) to 850 in the first quarter, an 8% drop from the year-ago period. Lower realizations and the challenge of absorbing fixed costs with reduced volumes are the main culprits.

And its not just about the past quarter. Spot cement prices are still 2-3% below the Q1 average, even after some recent hikes in certain regions. Theres a good chance these price increases wont stick, which means the second quarter could be another tough one.

However, the long-term outlook is more optimistic. Ebitda/t should grow over FY24-27. The road ahead might be bumpy, but the potential for recovery is there, especially as demand starts to pick up again.

Consolidation: Its happened before, and its happening again

Consolidation is nothing new in the cement industry. Weve seen it happen before, and were seeing it again. The big players are getting bigger, and thats not necessarily a bad thing.

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UltraTech Cement Ltd and Ambuja Cements Ltd, two of the industry's giants, have been especially active lately. In South India, UltraTech has taken a majority stake in India Cements Ltd, and Ambuja has completed its acquisition of Penna Cement. This consolidation is expected to boost the market share of the top five players in the South to 57% within the next couple of years, up from 43% in FY15.

Adani Cement is aiming to boost its market share from the current 14% to an ambitious 20% by FY28. The company plans to achieve this by expanding its capacity from 89 million tons to 140 million tons, relying entirely on internal accruals and operating cash flowsno debt needed. Meanwhile, UltraTech isn't sitting still. It plans to ramp up its impressive 140 million tons of capacity in FY24 to 187 million tons by FY27, solidifying its position as a dominant player in the industry.



Cement sector: Inorganic acquisitions

View Full Image Source: Company reports

However, its not all smooth sailing. The acquisition of Jaiprakash Associates Ltds cement assets by Dalmia Bharat Ltd is looking increasingly uncertain, especially now that Jaiprakash Associates is heading to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).

Still, there is no doubt that consolidation often leads to better efficiencies and stronger pricing power, which could benefit the industry in the long run.

Price increases: A critical factor for future growth

For the cement sector to meet FY25 estimates, price increases are going to be key. While current estimates imply an increase in profitability in the second half of FY25 compared to the first half, it's a pretty ambitious target, and its going to be tough to hit without significant and sustained price hikes. While lower power and fuel costs will help, they might not be enough on their own.

This presents a downside risk, but it also means that if the industry can pull off these price increases, theres potential for a significant upside.

Strong balance sheets and cash reserves add to the allure

The cement sector's financial health is impressive. Most companies in the industry have solid balance sheets, with debt-to-equity ratios that reflect their strong financial footinglarger players are comfortably within a healthy range, while even the smaller players are holding their own.

Despite being in a capital-intensive business, many of these companies are sitting on substantial cash reserves, built up during periods of high margins and steady growth. This financial muscle gives them a competitive edge, positioning them not only to weather any downturns but also invest in future growth opportunities.

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Valuations: Is the market missing something?

Despite the challenges, the cement sector is trading at a premium to the historical median in terms of enterprise value to Ebitda (EV/Ebitda).

UltraTech and Ambuja are trading above the median, which makes sense given their aggressive strategies to gain market share. Moreover, their regional spread gives them a leg up. Meanwhile, Dalmia looks cheaper, but the uncertainty around its growth prospects could be keeping investors on the sidelines.

For readers, this could be one sector to track thats crucial to Indias growth story.

UltraTech stands out as a solid pick with its strong market position and strategic acquisitions. On the flip side, Dalmia offers an attractive opportunity for those willing to take on a bit more risk, especially if the uncertainties start to clear up.

The bottom line: A sector with undervalued potential

In conclusion, while the Indian cement sector presents a compelling long-term opportunity, its not without its share of risks.

On one hand, the demand slowdown, profitability pressures and uncertainty around price increases are immediate challenges that could weigh on performance in the short term. The current environment calls for caution as companies navigate these headwinds, and the potential for further downsides cannot be dismissed.

On the other hand, the sectors strong fundamentalsongoing consolidation, likely demand recovery and improving cost efficienciesoffer significant upside potential for those willing to take a long-term view.

For readers, the key will be balancing these short-term risks against the potential for long-term gains. As the industry adjusts and adapts, those who are patient may find themselves well-rewarded, but only time will tell if the risks are worth the reward.

Note: The purpose of this article is only to share interesting charts, data points and thought-provoking opinions. It is NOT a recommendation. If you wish to consider an investment, you are strongly advised to consult your advisor. This article is strictly for educative purposes only.

Manvi Agarwal has been tracking the stock markets for about two decades now. During this period, for about 8 years, she was a financial analyst at a value-style fund managing money for international investors. Presently, she is devoting her time to writing on potentially ignored, and/or misunderstood investment opportunities in the Indian stock markets.

Disclosure: The writer or his dependents may or may not hold the paper stocks as per Sebi guidelines.
ECOS (India) Mobility & Hospitality IPO: The 601.20 crore initial public offering (IPO) of ECOS (India) Mobility & Hospitality, a provider of chauffeur-driven mobility, opened for subscription today, August 28. The IPO, which will conclude on August 30, has fixed a price range of 318 to 334 per share. Ahead of the IPO, ECO Mobility raised 180.36 crore from anchor investors.

About the IPO The public issue is an offer for sale of 1.8 crore equity shares. Through this sale, Rajesh and Aditya Loomba, part of the promoter group, will sell up to 99 lakh and 81 lakh equity shares, respectively.

As outlined in the Red Herring Prospectus (RHP), the company will not receive any proceeds from this offer; all profits will go to the selling shareholders based on the shares they sell.

Qualified institutional buyers have been allocated 50 percent of the issue, while 35 percent is set aside for retail investors and the remaining 15 percent for non-institutional investors.

Retail investors need to apply for a minimum lot size of 44 shares, requiring an investment of 14,696.

The allotment of shares for the ECOS Mobility IPO is expected to be finalised on Monday, September 2, 2024, with the listing on BSE and NSE on Wednesday, September 4, 2024.

The book-running lead managers for the issue are Equirus Capital Private Limited and IIFL Securities Ltd, with Link Intime India Private Ltd serving as the registrar.

About the firm For over 25 years, ECOS has provided corporate clients with employee transportation services (ETS) and chauffeured car rentals (CCR). It boasts a fleet of approximately 9,000 vehicles, from compact to high-end models. The company also offers speciality vehicles, including limousines, baggage vans, classic cars, and vehicles equipped for individuals with disabilities.

According to its RHP, the firm has listed peers like Wise Travel India Ltd and Shree OSFM EMobility Ltd, with P/E ratios of 20.82 and 23.73, respectively.

The company's operating revenue increased significantly, reaching 554.41 crore in fiscal 2024, up from 422.68 crore in fiscal 2023 and 147.34 crore in fiscal 2022. Correspondingly, its profit after tax grew to 62.53 crore in fiscal 2024, 43.59 crore in fiscal 2023, and 9.87 crore in fiscal 2022.

GMP today In the grey market, the IPO is trading at a premium of 194, which indicates an estimated listing price of 528a 58 percent gain over the issue price of 334.

Grey market premium indicates investors' readiness to pay more than the issue price.

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Key Risks The company identified some key risks that could materially impact its business:

Service standards compliance: The company is held to high-quality service standards as outlined in its contracts with customers. Any failure to meet these standards, such as delayed reporting, vehicle breakdowns, or issues with chauffeur behaviour, could result in penalties ranging from 100 for minor violations to a full waiver of the invoice for serious breaches. Non-compliance could lead to the cancellation of bookings, harming the companys reputation and impacting its business, financial conditions, and cash flows.

Vendor relationships: The company heavily relies on vendors to supply vehicles and chauffeurs. These vendors are responsible for fleet maintenance, chauffeur management, and providing replacement vehicles in case of damage or accidents. Any deterioration in relationships with these vendors or difficulties in establishing new ones could disrupt the companys ability to offer services, reduce the variety of vehicles available, or lead to a complete withdrawal of a vendors fleet. This reliance on vendors is crucial as it directly affects the company's operational capabilities and overall business performance.

Customer concentration: A significant portion of the companys revenue comes from a few key customers, many of whom are not bound by long-term contracts. If any of these major customers decide to stop using the companys services or terminate their contracts, it could have a severe impact on the company's business, cash flows, and financial condition. The companys future success depends on retaining these customers and securing commercially viable contracts. Additionally, any financial distress or insolvency among major customers could delay payments, further straining the companys financial health.

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Intense competition: The chauffeur-driven mobility industry is highly competitive, with numerous players ranging from large multinational corporations to small local businesses. The industry is characterised by low barriers to entry, low switching costs for customers, and the presence of well-capitalised competitors. Price is a major competitive factor, and to remain competitive, the company may need to lower its prices, which could reduce revenue and profitability. The companys ability to maintain its market position depends on effectively managing this competition while balancing pricing strategies.

Litigation risks: The company, its directors, and promoters are involved in several ongoing legal proceedings. These litigations, if resolved unfavourably, could result in significant financial liabilities, including damages, penalties, or other compensatory measures. The costs associated with defending these claims, along with potential reputational damage, could adversely affect the companys business operations, financial condition, and overall results.

Geographic concentration: While the company operates in 109 cities across India, a significant portion of its revenue is generated from major urban centres. These cities face intense competition and are more susceptible to economic fluctuations, regulatory changes, and other external factors. Any negative developments, such as economic downturns, social unrest, or adverse weather conditions in these key markets, could reduce demand for the companys services, affecting its financial performance and future growth prospects.

Outsourced technology: The companys technology infrastructure, including mobile applications, backend systems, and operational tools, is developed and maintained by an outsourced team. This dependency poses a risk. If the outsourced technology team decides to terminate the contract, the company could face significant disruptions in its operations. Additionally, any delays or failures in maintaining or upgrading the technology could lower the quality of services, adversely impacting the companys business and financial results.

Chauffeur shortages: The companys ability to expand and maintain its operations is heavily dependent on the availability of chauffeurs, both those employed directly and those supplied by vendors. As the company seeks to grow its fleet, the demand for skilled chauffeurs increases. A shortage of chauffeurs or increased costs to attract and retain them could negatively impact the companys profitability. This issue is particularly pressing as the company expands, requiring a larger and more reliable workforce to meet customer demands.

Fleet costs: The companys business model relies on maintaining a modern and well-functioning fleet of vehicles. However, rising costs for new vehicles and the associated expenses of fleet maintenance could adversely affect profitability. If the company is unable to acquire new vehicles at favourable terms, it could face increased operating costs and depreciation expenses. Additionally, an ageing fleet could diminish the companys competitive advantage and increase the risk of vehicle breakdowns, impacting service quality and customer satisfaction.

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Industry changes: The companys operations are closely tied to broader trends in the automotive industry, public transportation, and related sectors. Factors such as changes in fuel prices, the rise of ride-sharing platforms, advancements in public transportation infrastructure, and new environmental regulations could all impact the companys business. For example, shifting towards more efficient public transportation options or increased competition from ride-sharing services could reduce the demand for chauffeur-driven services, affecting the companys revenue and growth potential.

Fuel cost fluctuations: The cost of fuel is a significant factor in the companys operational expenses, and it has fluctuated considerably due to various factors, including international oil prices, geopolitical tensions, and government policies. Any sharp increase in fuel costs could reduce the companys profitability, as it may not be able to pass these costs on to customers. The companys financial performance is, therefore, vulnerable to fluctuations in fuel prices, which are often beyond its control.
ECOS Mobility IPO: The initial public offering (IPIO) of Ecos (India) Mobility and Hospitality Ltd hit the Indian primary market on Wednesday, August 28. The public issue will remain open until August 30 2024. The IPO price band for the issue has been set within 318 to 334 per equity share with a face value of 2. The company has secured 180.36 crore from anchor investors. Interested investors can bid for a minimum of 44 equity shares and then in multiples of 44 equity shares thereafter. The public issue closes on Friday, August 30.

Qualified institutional investors have been allocated half of the issue size, while retail investors have been allocated 35%, and non-institutional investors have been allocated the remaining 15%.

For over 25 years, the firm has offered corporate clients employee transportation services (ETS) and chauffeured car rentals (CCR). It has about 9,000 automobiles in its fleet, ranging from compact to high-end models. Additionally, it offers speciality vehicles such as limos, baggage vans, classic automobiles, and vehicles that are accessible to those with impairments for transportation.

According to the red herring prospectus, Wise Travel India Ltd has a P/E of 20.82, and Shree OSFM EMobility Ltd has a P/E of 23.73. These are the company's listed peers.

The company's operating revenue was 554.41 crore in fiscal 2024, 422.68 crore in fiscal 2023, and 147.34 crore in fiscal 2022. Over the same period, the company's profit after tax stood at 62.53 crore, 43.59 crore, and 9.87 crore, respectively.

ECOS Mobility IPO subscription status By 3:51 PM on day two of bidding, the public issue had been subscribed to 8.68 times, the retail portion of the book build issue had been subscribed to 8.46 times, the NII segment had been subscribed to 20.63 times, and the QIB portion had been booked 9%, as per BSE data.

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ECOS Mobility IPO Review Giving a subscribe tag to the public issue, Anand Rathi research says, ECOS (India) Mobility & Hospitality Limited is a chauffeur driven car rental service provider in India. The company's primary business is to provide chauffeured car rentals (CCR) and employee transportation services (ETS). The company is the leader in chauffeur driven car services for corporate customers and is a niche player in B2B segment for corporate employees/customers/guests mobility. At the upper price band, the company is valuing at a P/E of 32.1x with a market cap of  20,040 million post-issue of equity shares and a return on net worth of 42.7%. On the valuation front, we believe that the company is fairly priced. Thus, we recommend a SUBSCRIBE rating to the IPO.

BP Equities has also assigned a 'subscribe' tag to the book build issue, saying, "On the upper price band, the issue is valued at a P/E of 32.1x based on FY24 earnings, which we feel is fairly valued. We, thus, recommend a SUBSCRIBE rating to the issue from a medium to long-term perspective."

Geojit Securities, GEPL Capital,Marwadi Shares and Finance, Nimal Bang, SMIFS, and Ventura Securities have also assigned a buy tag to the book build issue.

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ECOS Mobility IPO details The public issue is purely offer for sale of 18,000,000 equity shares. Through this sale, Rajesh and Aditya Loomba, who are part of the promoter group, will be selling up to 9,900,000 and 8,100,000 equity shares, respectively.

The RHP states that the firm will not directly receive any revenues from this offer, as it is an offer for sale. The selling shareholders will get all profits in proportion to the shares they each sold during the offer.

The ECO Mobility IPO's book running lead managers are Equirus Capital Private Limited and Iifl Securities Ltd, while the issue's registrar is Link Intime India Private Ltd.

ECOS Mobility IPO GMP today ECOS Mobility IPO grey market premium is + 161. This indicates ECOS Mobility's share price was trading at a premium of 161 in the grey market, according to market observers.

Considering the upper end of the IPO price band and the current premium in the grey market, the estimated listing price of ECOS Mobility shares was Rs495 apiece, which is 48% higher than the IPO price of 334.

According to grey market activities over the past 7 sessions, today's IPO GMP is trending upwards and is anticipated to have a strong listing. Investorgain.com analysts report that the GMP ranges from 0 to 194, with the highest value recorded.

'Grey market premium' indicates investors' readiness to pay more than the issue price.

ECOS Mobility IPO details
Orient Technologies IPO Listing: Orient Technologies shares are set to make a stock market debut today after its initial public offering (IPO) received strong demand from investors. Orient Technologies IPO listing date is August 28.

The IPO allotment was finalised on August 27 and investors now look ahead to Orient Technologies IPO listing which is scheduled for today.

Trading Members of the Exchange are hereby informed that effective from Wednesday, August 28, 2024, the equity shares of Orient Technologies Limited shall be listed and admitted to dealings on the Exchange in the list of T Group of Securities, a notice on BSE said.

Orient Technologies shares will be available for trading from 10:00 am from today. The stock will be a part of the Special Pre-open Session (SPOS).

Analysts expect Orient Technologies share listing to be at a premium of around 38% - 40% based on the demand for its IPO. Orient Technologies IPO GMP today also indicated that the share listing would be at a strong premium.

Orient Technologies IPO GMP Today The equity shares of Orient Technologies Ltd are trading at a hefty premium in the unlisted market. Orient Technologies IPO GMP today, or grey market premium today, is 83 per share. This indicates that Orient Technologies IPO shares are trading higher by 83 than their issue price in the grey market.

Considering the IPO GMP today and the issue price, the estimated Orient Technologies IPO listing price is 289 apiece, a premium of 40% to the IPO price of 206 per share.

Orient Technologies, a seasoned IT solutions provider, is poised for a strong stock market debut. The IPO has garnered significant investor interest, evidenced by a robust subscription of 154.84 times and a healthy grey market premium (GMP) of 87 (42%). The companys long track record, diverse clientele, and consistent financial growth underscore its strong market position, said Shivani Nyati, Head of Wealth, Swastika Investmart Ltd.

While Orient Technologies benefits from a strong market presence and a comprehensive IT solutions portfolio, it faces challenges such as reliance on key clients, technology partnerships, and government tenders. Intense competition within the IT industry could also impact the company's growth trajectory, she added.

Despite these potential risks, the IPO's valuation at a P/E multiple of 17.45x appears reasonable. Given the company's strong fundamentals, investor enthusiasm, and the positive outlook for the IT sector, Orient Technologies is well-positioned for a successful listing, Nyati said.

Prathamesh Masdekar, Research Analyst, StoxBox expects Orient Technologies listing premium of 38% above its upper band price.

As we advance, Orient Technologies' financial performance is likely to be driven by expanding its product and services portfolio, increasing its global footprint, long-term relationships with customers, and collaboration with technology partners, thereby heightening its ability to design and innovate products and provide solutions tailored to specific customer requirements he said.

Thus, Masdekar advises the market participants who have been allotted Orient Technologies shares to hold them from a medium to long term perspective.

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Orient Technologies IPO Details Orient Technologies IPO opened for public subscription on Wednesday, August 21, and closed on Friday, August 23. The IPO allotment was finalized on August 26 and the Orient Technologies IPO listing date is today, August 28. The equity shares of IT solutions provider Orient Technologies Ltd will be listed on both the stock exchanges, BSE and NSE.

Orient Technologies IPO price band was set at 195 to 206 per share. At the upper-end of the price band, the company raised 214.76 crore from the book-build issue which was a combination of fresh issue of 58.25 lakh equity shares worth 120 crore and offer for sale of 46 lakh shares worth 94.76 crore.

Orient Technologies IPO was subscribed 151.71 times in total. The retail investors portion was booked 66.87 times, while the non-institutional investor (NII) quota was subscribed 300.60 times. Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs) portion received 189.90 times subscription.

Elara Capital (India) Private Limited is the book running lead manager of the Orient Technologies IPO, while Link Intime India Private Ltd is the IPO registrar.
In mathematics, you never understand things, you get used to them, legendary mathematician John von Neumann was fond of saying. He would have been pleased to know the same principle is currently playing out on Dalal Street, where a no-holds-barred bull run is stretching credulity to its limits.

The latest episode features the initial public offering of a two-wheeler dealership that whipped up such a frenzy that you would think Tesla or Nvidia was listing a subsidiary in India.

Resourceful Automobile, founded in 2018, is a dealer of Yamaha two-wheelers that operates as Sawhney Automobiles. It has a grand total of two showrooms with an attached workshop in New Delhi and eight permanent employees.

Its financial statements, as one would expect, are modest.

Revenue from operations came in at 18.8 crore during FY23. Profit after tax was 41.5 lakh. For the 11 months ended 29 February 2024, revenue was 16.5 crore, with a PAT of 1.5 crore.

Resourceful Automobile tapped the BSEs SME IPO platform from August 22 to August 24 to raise 11.9 crore, selling 10,24,800 shares at 117 apiece. This translates to an almost 39% stake in the company. To put this in plain English, a run-of-the-mill two-outlet bike dealership in the national capital sought a market valuation of 31 crore. Full marks for chutzpah, it must be said.

Confounding all the arm-chair scoffers, the SME IPO was oversubscribed 400 times. The retail portion drew oversubscription of almost 500 times.

Have Indian investors come under the grip of an unexplained collective hallucination? Swastika Investmart Ltd, the lead manager to the issue, does not think so.

They are on the verge of expanding with two additional showrooms. This planned expansion offers significant growth prospects, which have been factored into the valuation," Sunil Nyati, managing director at Swastika Investmart, told Mint. Moreover, as Resourceful Auto is unique in its segment with no direct listed peers for comparison, the valuation is based on a multiple that considers their future potential rather than just their current operations."

However, he acknowledged that many investors could just be fishing for listing-day gains.

The application of ASBA (Application Supported by Blocked Amount) guidelines means that investors' funds are only deducted if they receive an allotment, with funds unblocked if they do not. This encourages more investors to apply, as their funds are blocked in their own accounts till the allotment is decided," he added.

Mental Math

Perhaps reading balance sheets and financial statements is considered a waste of time during a raging bull market. What else can explain the steady rise in this SME IPOs grey market premium throughout the three-day offer period despite the issue having more red flags than a Communist Party convention in China?

Firstly, out of the net proceeds, the company plans to use about 2 crore to open new showrooms. Most of the funds ( 4.5 crore) will go to repay debt, followed by working capital requirements ( 3.3 crore).

Total borrowings on its balance sheet as of 29 February 2024 were 9.9 crore, which climbed from 7.47 crore in FY23. On top of that, the company had negative cash flow from operations in each of the previous three financial years.

Then, there are the usual corporate governance oddities that are synonymous with family-run businesses. Of the five directors, two are independent while the remaining three are related  CMD Rahul Sawhney, his mother Bindu Sawhney and wife Megha Chawla. (All three are the promoters of the company).

One of the independent directors is described as a dynamic individual who transitioned from a successful career as a graduate teacher to a passionate and accomplished independent director." A blazing career arc, if ever there was one.

Resourceful Automobile is not even the most extreme example of SME segment euphoria.

Earlier this month, Gujarat-based Broach Lifecare Hospital listed on the SME platform. The company operates a 25-bed hospital in Bharuch and a 15-bed satellite nursing home in adjoining Ankleshwar town.

Its revenue from operations for FY21 stood at 3.7 crore, which dropped to 3.4 crore in FY22 and 1.8 crore in FY23. Profit for FY21, FY22 and FY23 stood at 76.52 lakh, 45.91 lakh and 13.85 lakh, respectively.

Despite these sobering numbers, the 4.02 crore issue was oversubscribed almost 160 times, receiving bids for 24,24,78,000 shares against 15,24,000 offered.

Its stock market trajectory, however, has been a lesson to investors. After listing at a premium of 90% against the issue price of 25, the shares climbed above the 50 mark the next day (August 22), before hitting the lower circuit for three consecutive sessions, trapping retailers.

Experts say two issues are at play in the market. One, a horde of investors is itching to cash in on listing-day gains and not really looking at the long-term fundamentals of businesses. And two, there is a huge demand-supply mismatch in the primary market, resulting in almost every issue getting oversubscribed by a wide margin.

As long as these conditions persist, one can expect this go-go period of market exuberance to continue. As to what can trigger the inevitable unravelling, even a genius like John von Neumann would find it hard to foretell.
Shares of Datamatics Global Services surged another 10 percent in early morning trading today, reaching a nine-month high of 740 per share. This follows a 20 percent gain in the previous trading session, bringing the cumulative increase to 32 percent.

What triggered the rally? The recent surge in the stock price was driven by the company's announcement on Tuesday that it had partnered with Microsoft to develop its own copilot solutions focused on process automation aimed at accelerating business transformation.

Datamatics announced the launch of a Partner Onboarding Copilot, now available on the Microsoft Teams store, which integrates Azure OpenAI with the Datamatics Intelligent Automation Platform. With this achievement, Datamatics was recognised as one of the Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) creating custom copilot solutions and was featured at the Microsoft Build 2024 conference in Seattle, USA.

Datamatics advances its copilot innovation by customising solutions for each organisation, with support for Microsoft 365, or by creating custom copilots for each unique client organisation. This approach enables organisations to maximise the potential of copilots through a personalised, consultative approach rather than a one-size-fits-all method, the company said in its regulatory filing.

The company also stated that it is enhancing its technological collaboration with Microsoft by becoming a beta partner for Microsoft's private preview Copilot initiatives, specifically designed for the developer community.

Microsoft has also featured Datamatics in its AI First Movers series, which recognises companies for their impactful use of AI at scale.

Datamatics has applied innovative AI solutions across various industries, achieving significant results. These solutions boost productivity by up to 60 percent and reach an accuracy rate of over 90 percent in document processing, setting a new benchmark for precision.

Additionally, the AI-powered platform reduces turnaround time by over 80 percent, significantly speeding up processes. The company stated that by optimising operations with AI tools, Datamatics enables businesses to meet and exceed their operational goals, enhancing both efficiency and competitiveness.

In the first quarter of FY24, the company reported a slight 0.7 percent year-over-year increase in revenue to 394 crore, with Dextara contributing 3.1 percent to this growth. However, organic growth declined by 2.4 percent, primarily due to a market slowdown in the US and Europe and stagnant business growth.

Despite these challenges, the company expects to grow its top line and improve its EBIT margin by 150200 basis points in the second quarter. The company reported a PAT of 43.5 crore, compared to 55.1 crore in the previous year.
"Make hay while the sun shines," goes the saying, and some Indian IT companies are doing just thatseizing the opportunity presented by the artificial intelligence (AI) mania across global markets.

These companies are being richly rewarded, with E2E Networks Ltd, a cloud computing services provider, emerging as a top example. The smallcap company has yielded almost 280% year-to-date returns, making it one of the best-performing IT stocks of 2024 so far, according to Bloomberg data.

In contrast, the ten IT companies in the Nifty MidSmallcap 400 Index posted an average total return of around 13% during the same period, as per the data.

Meanwhile, the three biggest IT companiesTata Consultancy Services, Infosys, and HCL Techhave posted an average year-to-date return of 22%.

The surge in E2E Networks' shares was particularly pronounced after the company reported a 121% year-on-year growth in net profit to 22 crore for FY24.

Investor optimism around E2E Networks is also visible in the companys current price-to-earnings ratio of around 165. According to Bloomberg data, the average P/E ratio of the ten IT companies is around 55.

E2E Networks' stock hit the upper circuit for three consecutive trading sessions last week after the company announced the close of its latest funding round, aimed at developing its AI-first cloud platform. The stock is currently down 3% to 2,420 apiece on the National Stock Exchange.

The company has raised around 421 crore through a preferential issue of shares to key members of the promoter group and a wide array of public investors, according to a company release.

Initially established as a cloud infrastructure provider like Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure, E2E Networks repositioned itself last year as an AI-focused cloud platform. It claims to be the first Indian public cloud platform to deploy Nvidia's cutting-edge H100 graphics processing unit in 2023 for customers developing AI models.

The company entered the cloud GPU market in India in 2018 to tackle increasingly complex and heavier workload for its clients. However, cloud GPU computing was yet to find its higher purpose back then, at least on a commercial footing. As the importance of GPUs in machine learning became widely recognized and Nvidia's market capitalization surged beyond $3 trillion, companies like E2E Networks saw a burgeoning market.

AI first

In response to the global AI hype, E2E Networks quickly rebranded as a provider of scalable AI and cloud platforms for developers, data scientists, startups, enterprises, higher education institutions, and government bodies.

This shift led to a spike in the company's average revenue per user (Arpu) in the quarter ended June. The Arpu for its top 500 customers jumped 48% quarter-on-quarter to 800,000, driving strong earnings in Q1FY25. The company reported a 112% year-on-year increase in revenue, reaching approximately 42 crore, while net profit for the quarter rose 44% to around 10 crore.

What we have seen is that the larger customers have grown for us in terms of where we have added the revenue," Tarun Dua, chairman and managing director of E2E Networks, said during a recent earnings call. This is primarily driven by the cloud GPU side of workloads for typically like AI or ML kind of like workloads."

Although the company has not significantly expanded its customer base, it has made a shift towards higher Arpu customers. Currently, the company's top 10 customers contribute 50% of its revenue, Dua said.

The Indian governments push for the countrys digital public infrastructure development will also likely bode well for the company. In June, the ministry of electronics and information technology had empanelled E2E Networks to provide cloud services to government agencies, public sector units, financial institutions, and nationalized banks.

Currently we are not participating in any bidding with the government," Dua said during the call. Its only been less than a month since we got certified by MeitY. So, it's very, very early to say what sort of business we will be able to generate over there."

Expansion opportunities

As a provider of infrastructure as a service, E2E Networks rents data centres to house its servers. According to a CareEdge Ratings report released in May, India currently holds just 3% of global data center capacity, despite generating 20% of the worlds data.

This under-penetration presents significant opportunities for capacity expansion for companies like E2E Networks. The rating agency expects Indias data centre capacity to double to 2 GW in 2026 from the current 0.9 GW.

Adoption of technologies such as 5G, IoT (internet of things), and artificial intelligence are expected to significantly augment demand for data and in turn data centers," the report said. The industry has entered a growth phase...CareEdge Ratings estimates a capex (capital expenditure) of 50,000 crore in this space over the next three years till 2026."

Despite the growth potential, E2E Networks' management has remained tight-lipped about future expansion plans. The company has currently commissioned 450 H100 GPUs and plans to acquire 256 more from Nvidia, which are expected to go live in Q2, Dua said.

As it ramps up its computing density capabilities, the company expects a fall in data center operating costs, which could enhance profitability in the future. In Q1 FY25, the company reported a 1,256 basis points quarter-on-quarter rise in its profit margin to around 25%.

While developers of generative AI globally are still working on monetizing their models, analysts say companies like E2E Networks, which provide the platforms and support for developing these models, are poised to benefit from the growing demand.
Raj Rayon Industries 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 five years, Raj Rayon's stock price has surged multifold, rising 380 percent, rising from 5 in August 2019 to 24 currently. This incredible growth showcases the stock's consistent value appreciation, establishing it as a lucrative opportunity in the penny stock segment.

However in the short term, Raj Rayon has not impressed investors. Over the past year, the stock has lost almost 47 percent but has risen over 28 percent in 2024 year-to-date, despite experiencing losses in four out of eight months.

August was a strong month for the stock, with an over 9 percent surge, building on a 9.5 percent gain in July. However before that, the stock lost 3 percent in June and over 8 percent in May. April was a strong month with almost 6 percent gains. This came after an over 19 percent decline in March. Prior to that, the stock soared over 48 percent in February after a 4.4 percent fall in January.

The mutlibagger stock hit an 52-week high of 45 in August last year. Currently trading at 24, it is now over 46 percent away from its year high but has surged 60 percent from its 52-week low of 15.05, hit in January this year.

About the Firm Raj Rayon Industries Limited, established in 1993 and based in Silvassa, India, specializes in the manufacturing and trading of polyester chips and a wide variety of polyester and processed yarns. The company's product range includes trilobal, cationic, cotluk, colored, fire retardant, anti-microbial, tri-lobal, and octa-lobal yarns, along with full dull, semi dull, doped dyed, micro filaments, and yarns with varying levels of intermingling, from non-intermingle to high intermingle. Raj Rayon Industries also serves international markets, exporting its products to countries such as Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Guatemala, Iran, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, Poland, Spain, Syria, Thailand, and Vietnam. Originally known as Raj Rayon Limited, the company adopted its current name in August 2010.

Earnings The company experienced a notable 32.12 percent year-on-year (YoY) growth in revenue. Despite this increase, the company reported a net loss of 3.48 crore for the quarter. This contrasts with the same period last year when Raj Rayon Industries recorded a profit of 0.29 crore. On a sequential basis, the revenue declined by 6.84 percent compared to the previous quarter.

Brokerage View ICICI highlights Raj Rayon's strengths, noting its strong momentum with the stock trading above short, medium, and long-term moving averages. The company has demonstrated rising net cash flow and increased cash from operating activities, coupled with robust annual EPS growth, reflecting a solid financial performance and positive outlook.

However, the brokerage also noted that the company has posted declining profits every quarter for the past 3 quarters.

Investing in penny stocks can be enticing due to the potential for substantial returns from a relatively small initial investment. However, this market segment is fraught with significant risks. To successfully navigate the volatility of penny stocks, investors should undertake thorough research and adopt strong risk management strategies. Essential steps include evaluating the company's fundamentals, assessing its market position, and scrutinizing its financial health.

By maintaining a disciplined investment approach and setting realistic expectations, investors can manage potential losses and seize opportunities while safeguarding their investments from excessive risk.
Shares of Praveg, a leading company with over thirty years of experience in the tourism, hospitality, event management, and exhibition sectors, have been on a downward trend since the beginning of 2024, resulting in a 30 per cent decline from its recent all-time high of 1,300 per share.

However, recent projections made by the domestic brokerage firm Monarch Networth Capital suggest that the stock may soon reverse course. The company is emerging as a key player in the hospitality sector with a cost-efficient model, positioning it to outperform its hotel industry peers.

Initially known for marquee events like the White Rann Festival and Vibrant Gujarat, Praveg ventured into the hospitality sector in 2015, focusing on creating experiential staycation options in culturally rich and environmentally unique locations.

It distinguishes itself by using non-permanent structures like luxury tents to access areas of significant cultural and natural importance, ensuring minimal environmental impact while offering high-end tourist experiences.

Unique business model Monarch Networth Capital highlighted that Pravegs portfolio includes resorts in key locations such as Ayodhya, Daman & Diu, Tent City Narmada at the Statue of Unity, and White Rann Utsav in Kutch. The brokerage added that the companys portfolio will likely expand further, as Praveg has ambitious plans to increase its presence in new locations.

Highlighting the setup of these luxury tents, Monarch noted that the process is surprisingly economical. It explained that for properties Praveg manages seasonally, costs are minimized as these are one-time expenses. Unlike traditional hotels, which require extensive civil work, setting up tents is less time-consuming and cheaper.

It further highlighted that the tents can be dismantled and relocated if a lease ends, making them flexible and cost-effective. This approach reduces overhead and turnaround time, enabling Praveg to establish operational readiness in various locations quickly.

The brokerage also pointed out that compared to an investment of 10 million per room for luxury hotels, luxury tents only require 1.52 million to set up. At the same time, semi-temporary cottages need around 3 million.

Praveg can establish a tent city in just two months. Due to limited capex, luxury tents and cottages can break even in the first year, with occupancy levels as low as 20 per cent and 40 per cent, respectively. Monarch Networth Capital emphasized that this efficient cost structure and rapid setup capability make Praveg's model highly competitive and adaptable.

Aggressive expansion The brokerage highlighted Pravegs ambitious expansion plan to introduce its unique staycation options to new locations in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and the Lakshadweep Islands. It noted that with a planned capital expenditure of approximately 2,0002,250 million over the next two years and intentions to launch 13 new properties, the company is poised for significant growth.

Praveg's track record of successfully opening new properties underscores its ability to execute its expansion strategy effectively. The brokerage pointed out that in FY23, Praveg launched 10 new properties, which began generating revenue soon after. These new ventures have bolstered the company's reputation for delivering high-quality, unique hospitality experiences that blend luxury with natural beauty.

The company is set to incur a substantial capex of 1,500 million to launch five new properties in the pristine and underrated Lakshadweep Islands. By launching these properties, Praveg will be the first mover in the Lakshadweep market, allowing it to establish a strong presence and brand recognition before its competitors. This strategic early entry will provide Praveg with a significant advantage in capturing the growing tourism market in Lakshadweep.

Currently, connectivity to Lakshadweep is limited, with only 2-3 daily flights. However, the brokerage stated that the Government of India is constructing a new airport to boost tourism, which will increase flight frequency. It also mentioned that major competitors like Taj Hotels have received contracts for 300 rooms in the region, which are expected to be operational in FY27.

Upside potential of 26 per cent We expect the company to post a revenue CAGR growth of 76 per cent over FY24-27E, driven by the launch of new properties and increasing occupancy levels. EBITDA margins are likely to expand by more than 600 basis points to 38 per cent over the same period on economies of scalehigher occupancy levels and an increase in ARR, and consequently, return ratios, said Monarch Networth Capital.

The brokerage has set a target price of 1,130 for the stock, based on a valuation of 28 times the estimated Q2FY27 EPS of 40.3. This target suggests an upside potential of 26 per cent from the stock's most recent closing price of 895.70. The brokerage has issued a 'buy' rating for the stock.

Despite the recent sharp correction, the stock has gained 518 per cent since July 2022.
Remedium Lifecare share price was locked at 5% upper circuit after the company announced that its board of directors will consider foreign currency bonds issue and acquisition of a company next month. The penny stock jumped to 10.40 apiece on the BSE.

The meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, 3 September, 2024, at 01:00 PM, Remedium Lifecare said in a stock exchange filing.

The pharma company's board will consider acquisition of Airowater Global Trading LLC, UAE. The UAE-based company is in the business of Water Injectables for Pharma Production.

Remedium Lifecare's board of directors will also consider issuing of Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds (FCCBs) along with any other business with the permission of the Chair.

Last month, Remedium Lifecare entered into a strategic agreement with Angel Partners, Ltd., UK, effective July 29, 2024, to acquire technology for manufacturing lithium carbonate in India. It also signed an annual Supply Agreement with Alfa Chemicals and Solvents Ltd., Turkey, effective the same date.

Supplies of technical-grade lithium carbonate will commence in the January-March 2025 quarter. The supplies for CY 2025 are valued at $20-25 million, Remedium Lifecare said.

In the first quarter of FY25, Remedium Lifecare reported a net profit of 1.64 crore, registering a significant drop of over 68% from 5.25 crore in the year-ago quarter. The companys sales in Q1FY25 fell 76.5% to 77.7 crore from 330.46 crore, YoY.

The company had also announced a bonus share issue at a 3:1 ratio this year, with the record date of July 6, 2024.

Remedium Lifecare Share Price History Remedium Lifecare is a penny stock trading at 10.40 apiece on the BSE. Remedium Lifecare shares saw two stock splits and two bonus issues since July 2023. Remedium Lifecare shares were split in the ratio of 10:5 in September 2023, and then again in February 2024 in the ratio of 5:1.

In July 2023, Remedium Lifecare issued bonus shares in the ratio of 9:5. Another Remedium Lifecare bonus issue at 3:1 was in July 2024.
India's markets regulator has raised concerns about questionable practices in the country's small and medium enterprise (SME) market, warning investors about unrealistic projections by some SMEs.

In its advisory, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) noted that after listing, certain SME companies or their promoters have been making public announcements that paint an overly positive picture of their operations. These announcements are often followed by corporate actions such as bonus issues, stock splits and preferential allotments.

Such companies/promoters have been seen making public announcements that create a positive picture of their operations. These announcements are typically followed up with various corporate actions such as bonus issues, stock splits, preferential allotments, etc., the two-page advisory stated.

Also Read: SME IPOs: The craziest corner of the bull market is getting crazier However, behind this facade of growth, many of these SME companies are engaging in manipulative practices. Promoters often exploit these artificially inflated valuations to divest their holdings at premium prices, leaving unsuspecting investors at a disadvantage.

Concerning pattern Sebi's advisory comes after its chairperson, Madhabi Puri Buch, expressed concerns in March about instances of price manipulation at IPO and trading levels by some SMEs.

She expressed the regulator's intention to seek more disclosures as a first step to bring more transparency in SME IPOs.

Sebi has previously taken action against such entities, noting that their modus operandi often follows a similar pattern as described above.

For instance, in May, Sebi barred Add-Shop E-Retail Ltd and its promoter and management from accessing the capital markets after finding that over 46% of the companys sales in the past three years were fictitious, with related-party transactions lacking proper approvals.

In the same month, the regulator also banned Varanium Cloud Ltd from the markets due to the misuse of IPO proceeds.

Earlier this year, Sebi took action against three other SME companies for similar violations, including the misuse of public funds, misstating facts in offer documents, and manipulating financial statements. These companies had inflated their operations to create false perceptions and boost investor interest, allowing promoters to offload shares at elevated prices, said Nilesh Tribhuvann, managing partner at White & Brief Advocates&Solicitors.

Massive growth Since the 2012 launch of the SME platform on the stock exchanges, the market has seen significant growth, with over 14,000 crore raised in the past decade, including approximately 6,000 crore in 2023-24, the Sebi advisory note showed.

The BSE SME IPO index has surged to 111,683.62 from 35,558.66 on 28 August 2023a 140.03% year-on-year increase and a 214.08% increase this year to date. However, this growth has raised concerns about transparency and fair practices.

Sebi has urged investors to exercise caution when investing in SME securities. The regulator advised against relying on unverified social media posts or making investments based on tips or rumours. Instead, investors should conduct thorough due diligence and seek professional advice before making investment decisions.

Also Read: A case for bolstering SME IPOs for the wealthy investor Tribhuvan added that Sebi is considering tighter norms, such as raising the minimum size for public offers and requiring more comprehensive disclosures from companies seeking SME listings. These measures aim to protect retail investors and ensure that only compliant companies access the capital markets, fostering trust and stability within the SME sector."

Amfi vigilance The Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) has also been talking to asset management companies (AMCs) about implementing mechanisms or measures to curb front running.

Amfi has communicated with AMCs about adopting better practices to prevent front-running. However, a member of the Brokers Committee told Mint that this is considered standard procedure and part of the risk management framework.
Mumbai: Get up Mairaa," said Vivaan, gently waking up his wife on a rainy Mumbai morning.

Let me sleep yaar," she replied.

Oh, get up and smell the coffee."

Mairaa took a few seconds to register the smell of freshly brewed coffee and then woke up: Thats nice," she said, taking a sip. And why are you glued to your phone at 7am?"

I was reading this very interesting piece on livemint.com," said Vivaan, an engineer working with a software company.

What does it say?" asked Mairaa, an economist by training and on a break to complete her PhD.

Its a sort of a mea culpa of a 32-year old."

Mea culpa? Engineer sahab is speaking Latin early in the morning."

Well," said Vivaan, ignoring his wifes jibe. This guy says that over the last eight to nine years he has lost 60 lakh by trading in financial derivatives."

Oh. As time goes by, more such stories will come out," said Mairaa.

Really?"

Yes. In fact, as a recent consultation paper released by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) pointed out, in 2023-24, 9.25 million unique individuals and proprietorship firms traded in the index derivatives segment of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and cumulatively incurred a trading loss of 51,689 crore. Index derivatives are a kind of financial derivative."

Thats a lot of money."

Yes. And of these 9.25 million unique investors, 7.83 million investors, approximately 85 out of 100, lost money."

Ouch."

And once trading costs are taken into account, 90 out of 100 lost money trading financial derivatives."

So, trading in financial derivatives is clearly a recipe for financial disaster for most." concluded Vivaan.

True. But that doesnt automatically imply that trading in stocks is safer."

Oh."

The number of individuals carrying out intraday trading has jumped from 1.5 million in 2018-19 to 6.9 million in 2022-23, with these figures being limited to the top ten stock brokers.

In fact, Sebi released a study in July, which said that around one-third of individuals who buy and sell stocks do so on an intraday basis, implying that if they buy a stock on a particular day, they also sell it on the same day."

And what did this study find?"

The number of individuals carrying out intraday trading has jumped from 1.5 million in 2018-19 to 6.9 million in 2022-23, with these figures being limited to the top ten stock brokers."

And?" asked Vivaan.

On average, 71 out of 100 intraday traders in stocks lose money. It stood at 65 out of 100 in 2018-19."

Hmmm."

Also, a bulk of those carrying out intraday trading are youngsters. In fact, in 2018-19, only 18% of those carrying out intraday trading were under 30 years of age. In 2022-23, this had jumped to 48%. Which means that a bulk of the newer intraday traders are under 30 years of age."

Makes sense."

Also, this is not just limited to intraday traders. In fact, data released by the National Stock Exchange in early August tells us that in March 2018, the unique registered investors under the age of 30 formed around 22.9% of the total unique registered investors. In July 2024, it stood at 39.9%, implying that nearly two in every five investors in the stock market are under thirty years of age. In fact, the share of those in the 30-39 age group has remained stable, whereas the share of those over 40 has come down."

Interesting."

This means that a bulk of those losing moneywhether it means intraday trading in stocks or while trading in financial derivativesare on the younger side."

Easy job

So, how did it come to all this?" asked Vivaan.

You want the short answer or the long answer?" asked Mairaa.

First let me make us another cup of coffee," said Vivaan. He got up to boil some more water and was back in five minutes, with two cups of coffee: You know this coffee might be instant but its good."

You are the connoisseur here V, wanting to buy coffee sourced from this plantation and that plantation," said Mairaa. When it comes to coffee, I have always been good with instant gratification."

Okay, now tell me."

View Full Image Many apps with easy-to-use interfaces have made trading in stocks easy.

The easy answer is that in the last few years, the rise of cheap smartphones, along with the fall in internet prices, and the launch of many apps with easy-to-use interfaces, has made trading in stocks and financial derivatives extremely easy."

That makes sense," said Vivaan. I had tried opening a trading and a demat account around ten years back and the process was so complicated. Plus, the user interfaces of these accounts were quite horrible."

But there is more to it," replied Mairaa.

Oh."

The sale

In any economic transaction there are multiple parts. In this case, the existing and the prospective traders are one part, whereas the stock brokerages and stock exchanges who facilitate the process of trading, are another. And then there are financial influencers as well."

Finfluencers?" asked Vivaan. Where do they fit?"

Have you ever heard of affiliate marketing?" asked Mairaa.

No."

So, its basically a marketing model where a company pays outsiders, referred to as affiliates, to generate leads for what it is selling. And for every sale that an affiliate helps make, they are paid a commission."

That sounds like a legitimate business model to me."

If done right it is."

View Full Image The referral link put out by the finfluencer is essentially an advertisement.

Hmmm."

Now, in this case, the stock brokerage is the company, and the finfluencer is the affiliate. The finfluencer puts out a link to open a trading account with a particular stock brokerage. Many followers click on the link and open a trading account with the brokerage. Now, every time the followers trade using that account, they are likely to pay a commission to the stock brokerage, especially while trading financial derivatives. A good portion of this commission was being shared with the finfluencer."

Sounds like a perfectly legitimate business model to me."

Which is why you are an engineer and I am an economist," said Mairaa. You can only see the seen and not the unseen."

Sorry?"

First, the referral link put out by the finfluencer is basically an advertisement. Second, when putting out the link, the finfluencer needs to clearly point this out to the followers, which wasnt being done. Third, there was something else at work."

What?"

Well, through their content, the finfluencers promoted the idea that it was very easy to get rich off the stock market through trading, in particular trading financial derivatives."

How did that help?"

It led to people trading more. When they traded more, the stock brokerages earned a higher commission in absolute terms, helping the finfluencers earn more as well. In fact, the livemint.com piece I referred to earlier quoted a senior executive at a stock brokerage saying that brokerages shared 30-40% of their commissions with finfluencers."

So, to summarise this, the stock brokerages incentivised finfluencers, who in turn nudged their followers to trade more, without telling them that they were being paid to do so."

Exactly."

Interesting."

Guess who?

In fact, there is more to this. And it gets murkier. There is also a transaction fee, which the stock brokerage pays the stock exchange and in turn charges the individual trader," said Mairaa.

Okay."

So, the transaction fee that the brokerage pays the exchange is inversely proportional to the turnover that it is able to generate for the exchange. Given this, the higher the trading carried out by traders, the higher the turnover and the lower the transaction fee that the broker needs to pay the exchange."

Okay."

View Full Image The transaction fee that brokerages pay the exchange is inversely proportional to the turnover that they are able to generate for the exchange. (Mint)

Now, stock brokerages incentivised finfluencers to promote the idea of how easy it is to make money of the stock market. The finfluencers did so through their videos, reels and other social media posts. This drove up the turnover. As the stock brokerage ICICI Direct pointed out in a recent note: Indias monthly futures and options [financial derivatives] turnover reached a record $1.1 trillion in March 2024." It was around $27 billion in March 2019. This led to two things."

What?" asked Vivaan.

First, as I have already explained, it helped drive up commissions earned by the stock brokerages, and in turn, finfluencers earned more money. Second, it also helped brokerages pay a lower transaction fee to the stock exchanges, given that the transaction fee is inversely proportional to turnover contributed," explained Mairaa.

Okay."

The stock brokerages did not pass on the benefit of this lower transaction fee charged by the exchanges to those trading through them. This difference is referred to as the rebate and stock brokerages made money from this as well."

So, everyone other than the trader seems to have made money here."

Yes. Kind of."

The end

Now, whats being done to stop this?"

First, from 2 October, the stock brokerages will no longer be able to pocket the rebate and will have to charge the traders trading through them the same transaction fee as the stock exchange is charging them."

Hmmm."

Second, the entire affiliate marketing business, which operated under the shadows, will come to an end. In a recent interview to Moneycontrol, Manisha Kapoor, CEO and secretary general of the Advertising Standards Council of India, said that affiliate links that finfluencers host for brokerages will qualify as an advertisement. So, this will have to be stated up front. Finfluencers can no longer hide the fact that stock brokerages are paying them for this."

Okay."

View Full Image Manisha Kapoor, CEO and secretary general, Advertising Standards Council of India.

Third, the National Stock Exchange, in a recent circular, said: With a view to safeguard the interest of investors, it is hereby clarified that any person referring a client to the Trading Member shall be appointed as an Authorised Person (AP) of the Trading Member after obtaining specific prior approval from the stock exchange for each such person.""

What does this mean in simple English?" asked Vivaan.

Every finfluencer who carries out affiliate marketing for a brokerage will have to be registered with the brokerage as an authorised person and this will need approval from the stock exchange. Basically, this at some level should take care of all the mis-selling that the finfluencers had been promoting."

Okay."

Also, this has led to several stock brokerages stopping payments made to finfluencers acting as affiliates, striking at the heart of the business model of finfluencers and new age low-cost brokerages," explained Mairaa.

The good story

But why are individuals so attracted towards trading when the base rate of success while trading is quite low?" asked Vivaan.

Good question," said Mairaa. See, there is something called preference falsification at work."

Ah, heavy duty jargon!"

As Raghuram G. Rajan and Rohit Lamba write in Breaking the MouldReimagining Indias Economic Future: Political scientist Timur Kuran coined the evocative phrase preference falsification, which is the act of misrepresenting what one believes, perceiving public pressure to do so. For instance, a substantial portion of the population of the Soviet Union was unhappy with the state, but many feared sharing their views openly."

Individuals are attracted to trade because of preference falsification. Everyone around them talks of the money they made, leading them to believe that their luck will soon change.

How does this link up to the current state?"

Something similar seems to be happening in India right now. So, individually, as Sebi data shows, many traders are losing money. But when they look at the world around them where finfluencers, fund managers, politicians and even regulators, sometimes, are talking about all the money being made, they end up thinking that they must be the only ones losing money. So, they believe that their luck will soon change. They can stop after a few losses. But they dont," explained Mairaa.

Basically, good stories end up drowning Sebis data on losses."

Indeed," replied Mairaa. Now, please can I have another cup of coffee."

For sure. But first let me just call my boss and take a rainy day holiday."

(The example is hypothetical).

(Vivek Kaul is the author of Bad Money).
Heres a quick look at stocks likely to be in focus in today's trade. Jio Financial Services: Jio Leasing Services Limited (JLSL), a subsidiary of Jio Financial Services, announced a significant investment of 67.50 crore in Reliance International Leasing IFSC Limited (RILIL). The investment involves the purchase of 6.75 crore cumulative optionally convertible preference shares, priced at 10 each, representing an 8.1 percent stake in RILIL. This joint venture is a 50:50 partnership between JLSL and Reliance Strategic Business Ventures Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited.

ICICI Prudential: ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company Ltd (ICICI Pru Life) disclosed that it has received a tax demand of 429.05 crore from the Deputy Commissioner of State Tax in Maharashtra as of August 27. The company intends to contest this GST demand by appealing to the Commissioner (Appeals) within the stipulated timeframe. The tax demand also includes associated interest and penalties, as highlighted in their post-market exchange filing.

Maruti Suzuki: Maruti Suzuki India Ltd is encountering a minor delay in finalizing the location for its new manufacturing plant, which will have an annual production capacity of 10 lakh units. The Kharkhoda plant in Haryana, expected to commence operations by 2025-26, was discussed by Chairman RC Bhargava during the company's AGM on August 27. Bhargava reaffirmed the company's commitment to the low-cost, small-car segment, emphasizing that current fluctuations in demand will not alter Maruti Suzuki's strategic direction.

Reliance Capital: The Hinduja Group's IndusInd International Holdings Ltd announced before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in Mumbai that Reliance Capital will be rebranded under the IndusInd name following the acquisition of the insolvent firm. Venkatesh Dhond, senior counsel for the Hindujas, stressed the group's intent to expedite the rebranding process to distance itself from the Reliance brand, signaling a clear departure from the legacy name.

Adani Power: Adani Power Limited has established a new wholly-owned subsidiary, Adani Power Middle East Ltd, in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The subsidiary's focus will be on investments in power, infrastructure, and related sectors, as stated in the company's exchange filing. The subsidiary has an authorized capital of 27,000 shares, each valued at USD 1. Adani Power Middle East Ltd is entirely owned by Adani Power Limited, which boasts a power generation capacity of 15,250 MW, making it Indias largest private thermal power producer.

Zydus Lifesciences: Zydus Lifesciences has received final approval from the USFDA for Amantadine extended-release capsules, 68.5 mg, along with tentative approval for the 137 mg dosage. Notably, this approval grants the company 180 days of market exclusivity for the 68.5 mg capsules.

Also Read | Breakout stocks to buy or sell: Sumeet Bagadia recommends five shares to buy

Vodafone Idea (Vi): Vodafone Idea has approved a new Employee Stock Option and Performance Stock Unit Scheme 2024. The scheme will allow up to 34.85 crore stock options and performance units, representing 0.50 percent of the companys issued share capital as of July 31, pending shareholder approval.

PNC Infratech: PNC Infratech has emerged as the lowest bidder for a significant highway and bridge project from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), valued at 380 crore. The project involves constructing a new 3-lane bridge over the Ganga River, connecting Buxar and Bharauli on NH-922, spanning across Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Awfis Space Solutions: Co-working space operator Awfis Space Solutions has partnered with Nyati Group to add an additional 3 lakh square feet of Grade-A workspace. This collaboration, the largest under the Managed Aggregation (MA) Model, will significantly expand Awfis's presence in Pune.

UPL: Agrochemical giant UPL announced that its step-down subsidiary, UPL Global Ltd (UGL), has completed the acquisition of the remaining 20 percent stake in PT Excel Meg Indo, an Indonesian agrochemical company. The acquisition, valued at approximately $6.85 million, was finalized on August 27, 2024.

Also Read | Indian stock market: 8 key things that changed for market overnight
Vedanta Ltd announced on Wednesday, August 28 that its board will meet next week to consider and approve the third interim dividend for the current financial year (2024-25). The board meeting is scheduled for September 2, and the record date for the dividend is fixed as September 10, 2024.

...the meeting of the board of directors of the company is proposed to be scheduled on Monday to consider and approve the third interim dividend on equity shares, if any, for the financial year 2024-25, said the Anil-Agarwal-led metals-to-mining conglomerate in a regulatory filing to the BSE.

the record date for the purpose of determining the entitlement of the equity shareholders for the said dividend, if declared, is being fixed as Tuesday, September 10, 2024,'' added Vedanta in its statement today.

Vedanta dividend history Vedanta Ltd. approved a second interim dividend of 4 per share for the current fiscal year in July. In May, Vedanta Ltd. also approved its first interim dividend of 11 per share. The record date for the first interim dividend was Saturday, May 25, 2024.

Vedanta Ltd issued dividends close to 101.4 a share in FY23 and 29.5 per share in FY24, leading to handsome dividend yields for investors and Vedanta's parent (Vedanta Resources), which holds more than 56 per cent of the company's shares.

The mining major raised around 30,000 crore through various instruments such as a qualified institutional placement (QIP), offer for sale (OFS) and dividend to pursue further deleveraging and growth.

Proceeds from Vedanta Ltd's 8,500-crore QIP, Hindustan Zinc's OFS of 3,200 crore, and 5,100 crore from the second interim dividend, coupled with existing cash reserves of 13,000 crore, will create a reserve of 30,000-crore after the conglomerate receives all the funds.

Disciplined growth. Operational excellence. Exploring opportunities along the value chain. And an unwavering commitment to sustainability, Navin Agarwal, vice-chairman of Vedanta, wrote in a post on X.

Vedanta Q1 Results During the April-June quarter, cost reduction helped the company clock a 54 per cent year-on-year growth in its consolidated net profit at 5,095 crore. The consolidated revenue grew six per cent during this period to 35,239 crore. The companys net debt grew to 61,324 crore as of 30 June, compared to 56,338 crore at the end of March. However, the net debt to EBITDA ratio remained stable at 1.5 times annualised.
Behind the polished facade of India's banking industry, a concerning trend is emerging: a growing number of bank employees are selling mutual funds without the necessary qualifications, putting customers' hard-earned money at risk.

To meet aggressive sales targets, branch managers are often pressured to push these products, even if their employees lack the required certifications. This practice, while lucrative for banks, raises serious concerns about customer protection and the integrity of the financial sector.

The certification conundrum

For bank employees in India, clearing the NISM (National Institute of Securities Markets) 5A exam is a prerequisite to becoming an Employee Unique Identification Number (EUIN) holder, a necessary credential for selling mutual funds. This unique code, tied to each transaction, ensures accountability and transparency in the sales process. Moreover, they sell regular plan which has inbuilt commissions for services they provide.

The NISM exam is notably more challenging, with many employees needing more than one attempt to clear it. In contrast, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) exam, required for selling insurance, is generally seen as easier.

"People usually take two attempts to clear the NISM exam, whereas bank employees find it easier to pass the Irdai exam," said a relationship manager (RM) at a large bank, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The challenge is compounded by the banks internal pressures. Branches are often directed by headquarters to push specific products, including mutual funds. Employees who havent cleared the NISM exam are still expected to meet sales targets, leading some to enter their regular employee code instead of the required EUIN code during mutual fund transactions.

This workaround, though technically in violation of Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi) rules, allows them to contribute to the branchs sales goals without risking immediate penalties. However, this practice can jeopardize the integrity of the sales process and ultimately harm clients.

View Full Image (Graphics: Paras Jain/Mint)

The high stakes of low points

The pressure to sell is intensified by the disparity in rewards between mutual funds and other financial products. Moreover, if an employee doesnt have the EUIN code and instead enters their employee code, they wont earn the points that contribute to bonuses and increments.

Frankly, some people use their colleagues' EUIN code instead since the points we get from MFs are quite low," one employee admitted. Despite this, non-EUIN employees still play a crucial role in helping the branch meet its overall targets.

An employee from another large bank revealed that they receive points for selling MFs even without an EUIN code, but added that the commission and points awarded for selling mutual funds are minimal compared to those for insurance products.

For every 100 of MFs sold, they typically earn a point credit of about 1, whereas selling an insurance product for the same amount can yield 50-60 points.

This significant difference in incentives drives employees to prioritize insurance over mutual funds, further complicating the ethical landscape of financial product sales.

Read this | Do banks recommend mutual funds on merit rather than commission?

Some banks have implemented policies to address this issue. For example, the relationship manager mentioned earlier noted that their bank has implemented a policy over the past two years requiring all new hires to pass both the NISM and Irdai exams. Failure to do so usually leads to an extension of the standard six-month probation period, the person added.

Amfi should enforce stricter regulations with banks to ensure all employees follow the same rules. Selling MFs without proper knowledge and qualification could ultimately harm the clients portfolio in the long run.
(Adds analyst comment in paragraphs 4-5, updates shares in paragraph 4)

By Jaspreet Singh

Aug 28 (Reuters) - CrowdStrike cut its annual revenue and profit forecasts on Wednesday, as demand for its cybersecurity products takes a hit from a global Windows outage caused by a faulty update from the company last month.

The outage had caused widespread disruptions to internet services, leaving thousands of people stranded at airports after mass flight cancellations and causing broadcasters to go off-air.

Rivals SentinelOne and Palo Alto Networks had raised their annual revenue forecasts this month, in a sign that they are gaining market share at the expense of CrowdStrike.

CrowdStrike shares, however, rose 3% in choppy extended trading, with TD Cowen analyst Shaul Eyal saying the second-quarter results and guidance was "better than feared" and that "skies are not falling" in light of the outage incident.

"One of the main discussion points will be the potential rising liabilities associated with the outage," Eyal said.

Analysts had said the reputational hit from the incident may affect CrowdStrike's ability to draw new customers, but its dominant industry position and high costs of switching between providers could stave off a bigger impact.

CrowdStrike expects annual revenue to be between $3.89 billion and $3.90 billion, compared with its prior expectations of $3.98 billion to $4.01 billion. Analysts on average were expecting $3.95 billion, according to LSEG data.

It expects annual adjusted profit per share to be between $3.61 and $3.65, compared with prior estimates of $3.93 to $4.03.
10 Years of Jan Dhan Yojana: The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has completed a milestone 10 years today. Acknowledging this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media to congratulate the beneficiaries.

Today, we mark a momentous occasion #10YearsOfJanDhan. Congratulations to all the beneficiaries and compliments to all those who worked to make this scheme a success, Modi wrote on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter).

Jan Dhan Yojana has been paramount in boosting financial inclusion and giving dignity to crores of people, especially women, youth, and the marginalized communities, he added. The PM also posted an infographics of the key milestones.

PMJDY was announced by PM Modi in his Independence Day address on August 15, 2014.

Also Read | Bank Holidays in September 2024: Check the full list here

Also Read | Bengal Bandh: BJP calls for 12 hr bandh as rally for Kolkata rape turns violent

A Decade of Jan Dhan Scheme In its 10 years since commencement, PMJDY has led to a total of 53.13 crore accounts.

Of these 53 crore accounts, 55.6 per cent or 29.56 crore Jan-Dhan account holders are women and 66.6 per cent or 35.37 crore Jan Dhan accounts are in rural and semi-urban areas, as per a statement from the Ministry of Finance.

Deposit balances under PMJDY account stand at  2,31,236 crore  this is a 15x increase as of August 14, 2024.

2,31,236 crore  this is a 15x increase as of August 14, 2024. The average deposit per account, according to the finance ministry stood at  4,352, as of 14 August 2024  an 4x increase.

4,352, as of 14 August 2024  an 4x increase. Over 36.06 crore RuPay debit cards have been issued under PMJDY.

As many as 89.67 lakh point-of-sale (PoS/mPoS) machines have been installed under PMJDY.

Total number of digital transactions has risen from 2,338 crore in FY19 to 16,443 crore in FY24.

Total number of UPI transactions has increased from 535 crore in FY19 to 13,113 crore in FY24.

Total number of RuPay card transactions at PoS and e-commerce has increased from 67 crore in FY18 to 96.78 crore in FY24.

Also Read | Foreign investors eye new share offerings in Indian market, shun pricey stocks

Financial Inclusion Mission As part of the national mission for financial inclusion, PMJDY ensures affordable access to financial services  banking, savings and deposit accounts, remittance, credit, insurance, and pension.

In her message, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the scheme integrates the poor into the economic mainstream and plays a crucial role in the development of marginalised communities.

By providing universal, affordable, and formal financial services  including bank accounts, small savings schemes, insurance, and credit  to the previously unbanked, PMJDY has transformed the banking and financial landscape of the country over the last decade, Sitharaman stated.
Granting bail to an alleged accused, identified as Prem Prakash, the Supreme Court of India today, on August 28 noted that "bail is the rule, and jail is an exception" even in money laundering cases, PTI reported.

The apex court's observation came while granting bail to Prakash, an alleged aide to former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, in an illegal mining case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), it said.

A bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan held that even in cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), "bail is a rule and jail is an exception", adding that no person should be deprived of liberty.

The SC bench noted that Section 45 of the PMLA, which lays down twin conditions for the bail of an accused in a money laundering case, does not rewrite the principle to mean that deprivation of liberty is the norm, the report added.

Reference to Manish Sisodia's Bail Verdict The Supreme Court referred to the August 9 verdict involving money laundering and corruption cases against Aam Admi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. It said that "liberty of the individual is always the rule, and deprivation of it by the procedure established by law is the exception".

"Twin test under section 45 of the PMLA does not take away this principle," the bench held.

The top court set aside the March 22 order of the Jharkhand High Court (HC) denying Prakash bail and directed the lower court to expedite its trial in the case.

The ED alleges that Prakash, is a close aide of Soren, and have accused him of being involved in illegal mining in Jharkhand.

Hemant Soren's Bail Soren himself was granted bail in a case related to a land scam by the Jharkhand HC on June 28.

He was arrested by the ED on January 31 on accusations of manipulating records with fictitious transactions and using forged documents to acquire land. Soren resigned as the Chief Minister after ED's arrest on the same day.

Also Read | Bank Holidays in September 2024: Check the full list here
All India Bank strike today, August 28: Banking services and transactions might remain affected nationwide on Wednesday, August 28, as the All India Bank Employees Association has called for a nationwide strike today.

The AIBEA nationwide strike today has been carried out to protest against the action of Bank of India in charge-sheeting thirteen office bearers of the Bank staff union.

Bank Strike today CH Venkatchalam, General Secretary of AIBEA, updated the media about the Bank Strike today and shared a press release of the association mentioning its demand from the government.

AIBEAs call for strike on 28th August, 2024, Against political attack on trade union AIBOCNCBEBEFIAIBOAINBOCINBEF extend support, Venkatchalam wrote in a post on X.

Also Read | Bank Holidays in September 2024: Check the full list here

Today's bank strike would be joined by the members of nearly five other bank unions including United Forum of Bank Unions, All India Bank Officers Confederation, the National Confederation of Bank Employees, the Bank Employees Federation of India, the All India Bank Officers Associatoon, etc.

Are banks closed today? So far, there has been no official information or confirmation about the bank strike apart from the press release shared by CH Venkatchalam on X. Customers are advised to confirm before planning their visit to their nearby branches of SBI, ICICI, HDFC and other banks.

Why is there a bank strike today? The AIBEA called for a nationwide strike in retaliation to Bank of India's action against its thirteen officers for attending the 23rd Biennial Conference of the Bank of India Staff Union-Kerala. The BOI had served chargesheets to 13 office bearers of Bank of India Staff Union Kerala. In its press release, the AIBEA called the bank strike on August 28th an attempt of the union to raise voice against the political interference ad political attack on the Union and the vindictive actions taken against the union leaders in Bank of India Staff Union, Kerala.
Bengal Bandh today: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday refused to hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking to restrain the Bharatiya Janata Party-led 12-hour-long Bandh today.

A Calcutta HC bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice H Bhattacharyya objected Sanjoy Das, the PIL petitioner, as he had been earlier barred from filing any PIL in a previous case, reported Bar and Bench.

Why did Calcutta HC reject PIL challenging Bengal Bandh today? According to the report, the bench observed that the PIL was not maintainable as the petitioner was already restricted from filing any other petitions or litigations. Additionally, the HC imposed a cost of 50,000 on the litigant Das after dismissing his another PIL seeking to modify a judge's roster due to allegations of conflict of interest.

Meanwhile, several protesters continued to protest, raise slogans, and obstruct railway and bus services across the state during the Bengal Bandh, called by the BJP.

The Kolkata Police have detained several BJP leaders, including Locket Chatterjee, Rahul Sinha etc, during protests.

Bengal Bandh today The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called for a 12-hour Bengal Bandh on Wednesday. The bandh was called to oppose the police action against the protestors who took part in the Nabanna Kolkata rally on Tuesday. The police used tear gas, lathi charged protestors, and also aimed water cannons against them. The Nabanna Kolkata Rally was organised by certain groups demanding West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's resignation for her government's failure to take proper action in the Kolkata doctor rape case.
President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday reacted to the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The President said countless rapes had been forgotten by society since the Nirbhaya incident, though a few drew nationwide attention and added that the 'collective amnesia' was obnoxious.

In her first comment on Kolkata doctor's rape-murder case amid ongoing protests and political slugfest, the President said that she is dismayed and horrified.

Murmu made the comments in an article written for PTI.

Enough is enough, said Murmu, expressing anguish over the crimes against women.

"Even as students, doctors and citizens were protesting in Kolkata, criminals remained on prowl elsewhere. No civilised society can allow daughters and sisters to be subjected to such atrocities, the President added.

President Murmu on crimes against women  Society needs honest, unbiased self-introspection, and should ask itself some difficult questions.

 Very often a deplorable mindset sees the female as a lesser human being, less powerful, less capable, less intelligent.

 Societies scared to face history resort to collective amnesia; time now for India to face history squarely.

 Let us deal with this perversion in a comprehensive manner to curb it right at the beginning. We can do this only if we honour the memory of the victims by cultivating a social culture of remembering them to remind us of our failures in the past and prepare us to be more vigilant in future.

Just a few days ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed crime against women as an unpardonable sin and said that whoever is guilty should not be spared.

Modi added that his government was strengthening laws to ensure stringent punishment for those perpetrating crimes against women.

Also Read | Kolkata rape case: Mahua Moitra claimed BJP goons brutally thrashed Police

Be it a hospital, school, government or police system, at whatever level negligence occurs, everyone should be held accountable. The message should go very clearly from top to bottom. This sin is unpardonable," the Prime Minister said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday called for capital punishment for crimes like Kolkata doctor's rape and murder. The TMC supremo called for punishment of hanged till death for such crimes.

We will pass an amendment to state laws in assembly next week and fix death by hanging to perpetrators of rape, PTI quoted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata during her address at a Kolkata rally on Wednesday.

During her address, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo also questioned the CBI investigation of the murder and rape of RG Kar trainee doctor and asked, We will pass an amendment to state laws in assembly next week and fix death by hanging to perpetrators of rape.

Also Read | ED files money laundering case in RG Kar hospital corruption probe

Mamata Banerjee's remark on the Kolkata doctor rape and murder case has some in massive protests across the state during the BJP-led Bengal Bandh today. Earlier in the day, the West Bengal CM accused the saffron party of attempting to "defame" the state with its 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh.

"We have dedicated this day to the RG Kar doctor. We want justice but BJP today called for a bandh. They don't want justice, they are only trying to defame Bengal," ANI quoted Mamata Banerjee as saying.

Bengal Bandh today Several demonstrators continued to take part in protests being held across the state under the 12-hour-Bengal-Bandh called by the BJP. Amid the protests, BJP leader Priyangu Pandey claimed that the TMC workers allegedly attacked his car and even shot him and threw bombs at him.
The western state of Gujarat is experiencing a flood-like situation as rainfall continues to thrash the state. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert' for multiple districts in Gujarat, warning people of more downpours in the coming days.

IMD's red alert warning is for the districts of Vadodara, Chhotaudepur, Narmada, Bharuch, Surat, and several other districts in Gujarat. The deep depression phenomena over the Saurashtra and Kachchh region centred currently 50 km north-northwest of Bhuj, is estimated to worsen as it moves towards the northeast Arabian Sea, bringing more rain to the region.

The deep depression is moving at a speed of 12 kilometers per hour (kmpl) and is expected to bring "extremely heavy to exceptionally heavy" rain to the Saurashtra and Kachchh regions, said Ramashray Yadav, a scientist at IMD, reported the Hindustan Times. The situation is likely to remain the same, with heavy rain warnings extending over the coming four days, he said.

The situation is worse in Vadodara, where the city has submerged underwater for the last two days, up to 12 feet in some areas, as per media reports. The Vishwamitri River flowing through the district has risen 37 feet, way above the danger mark after the heavy downpour and the water release from the Ajwa dam.

Also Read | Gujarat rains: Western Railway cancels 12 trains following waterlogging

This issue has resulted the city of Vadodara to face severe flooding situations, resulting in the state government to reach out to the Indian Army to help in relief and rescue operations.

Rushikesh Patel, the health minister of Gujarat, described the situation as alarming. The local entities have evacuated more than 5,000 residents to safety and rescued 1.200 stranded people, as per reports.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have been deployed to increase the pace of the relief operations, said Patel, as per the report. The majority of the city remains underwater, with areas like Siddharth Nagar, Akota, and Fatehgunj facing the harsher blow of the flooding.

Deaths since reported rain incidents: Across the state, the rain-related incidents have cost 16 people their lives in the last two days. Thousands of people have been displaced as the state experiences its fourth data of heavy downpour.
The decision to suspend the IMA membership of Ghosh, who is the vice president of the association's Kolkata branch, was taken by its disciplinary committee.

Also Read | Countless rapes forgotten since Nirbhaya: President reacts to Kolkata incident

In an order, the Indian Medical Association said the committee constituted by IMA national president Dr R V Asokan on Wednesday suo-motu considered the rape and murder case of the postgraduate resident doctor and the subsequent developments at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The IMA general secretary along with Asokan had met the victim's parents at their home, it said.

"They had put up their grievances against you (Ghosh) in dealing with the situation as well as lack of empathy and sensitivity in handling the issue in appropriate manner befitting the responsibility held by you in your dealings with them," the order said.

"The IMA Bengal state branch as well as certain associations' of doctors also have demanded action citing the nature of disrepute brought by you to the profession on the whole," it said.

The order said the disciplinary committee of the IMA has "unanimously decided to suspend you forthwith from the membership of Indian Medical Association."

Also Read | CBI raids 15 sites linked to ex-RG Kar hospital principal in corruption case
Kolkata doctor rape case: In a major development in the rape and death of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), on Tuesday, sought permission from a Kolkata court to conduct a polygraph test on Kolkata Police assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Anup Dutta. Earlier, the investigation agency had conducted the lie-detector test on seven people, including former RG Kar Principal Sandip Ghosh, primary accused Sanjay Roy, and five other people.

According to news agency PTI, Anup Dutta is said to have close ties with accused Sanjay Roy, who worked as a police volunteer at a police post near RG Kar Hospital. The test would help CBI investigate the possibility of whether Dutta helped Sanjay Roy in covering the crime initially or not.

Who is Anup Dutta? According to PTI, Dutta was allegedly instrumental in extending various favours to Roy. The central probe agency is trying to find out if Roy told Dutta about the crime and received any help, officials told PTI on Tuesday.

They said the court would decide the application for a polygraph test after seeking Dutta's consent on the issue.

A polygraph test, also a DDT, can help assess inaccuracies in statements of suspects and witnesses. By monitoring their psychological responses -- heart rate, breathing patterns, sweating, and blood pressure -- investigators can determine if there are discrepancies in their responses.

However, these are not admissible evidence during the trial and can only be used to get further leads in a case.
Accused of cheating and fraud, former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar has rejected charges against her, and said that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has no power to act against her.

Cancelled her provisional candidature on July 31, the UPSC debarred Khedkar from all future examinations or selections.

Also Read | Delhi HC extends interim protection to suspended IAS officer Pooja Khedkar

Khedkar, who is also accused of wrongly availing OBC and disability quota benefits, filed her response before Delhi High Court on charges levelled by the UPSC, and argued that once selected and appointed as a probationer, the UPSC has no power to disqualify her candidature, reported India Today.

Amid accusations that she changed her name to appear for UPSC exams, exceeding prescribed limit, Khedkar claimed that she did not manipulate or misrepresent her name to UPSC.

"There has been no change in the applicants first name and surname, from 2012 to 2022, as consistently reflected in all DAFs," the reports quoted her response.

She also claimed that UPSC verified her identity through biometric data, as well as documents.

According to reports, till 2020-21, Puja Khedkar took the exam using the name  Puja Diliprao Khedkar. However, in 2021-22, after all the attempts, she reportedly gave two more attempts using the name Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar.

The UPSC has registered a police case against Khedkar for allegedly fraudulently availing attempts in the civil services examination by faking her identity to take the exam beyond the permissible attempts.

In its reply filed in court, the UPSC said Khedkars custodial interrogation was necessary to unearth the magnitude of the fraud that could not have been done without the help of other individuals.

Delhi High Court is set to hear the matter on August 29.
The Supreme Court of India approached Delhi Police after a social media scammer impersonated the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and sought money for a cab fare, Hindustan Times reported. Delhi Police registered the cyber-crime complaint on Tuesday.

Bringing attention to a screenshot message that went viral on social media on Sunday, CJI Chandrachud raised the issue. The Supreme Court's security department responded by filing a complaint with the cyber-crime department of the Delhi Police, on the instructions of the CJI.

Also Read | Delhi excise policy case: Supreme Court grants bail to BRS MLC K Kavitha

Find out what the scammer's message stated Using Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud's name and image on its social media handle, the fraudster sought 500 from an X (formerly Twitter) user. Impersonating as CJI, the scammer said that he needed to get a cab to attend a Collegium meeting and requested money from a user identified as Kailash Meghwal.

The fraudster put forth the request with the promise to return the money once he reached the Supreme Court. The screenshot of the post suggests that the impersonator was stranded at Delhi's Connaught Place (CP).

The message stated, Hello, I am CJI and we have urgent meeting of the collegium and I am stuck at Connaught Place can you send me 500rs for cab? according to the report in Hindustan Times. Furthermore, to add a touch of authenticity to the message, the scammer followed the above message with another text that stated Sent from iPad.
Yogi Adityanath-led government of Uttar Pradesh has come up with a new social media policy that will not only regulate content on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X, but also encourage influencers to promote the state government's programmes. The Uttar Pradesh Digital Media Policy, 2024 was drafted by the state's information department and has now been approved by the state cabinet.

Life imprisonment for anti-national posts: Under the new policy, posting 'anti-national' content is a serious offence punishable by between 3 years and life imprisonment. In addition, obscene and defamatory content posted online may result in criminal defamation charges being brought by the government.

Soon after the UP cabinet meeting on Tuesday, minister Sanjay Nishad said, "Today, policy is being made for social media, Instagram... Now they will be regulated and they will also be given advertisements. A lot of policies have been made..."

Influencers to be rewarded handsomely: The policy outlines that the government has appointed a digital agency called 'V-Form' to manage advertising. V-Form will oversee the display of videos, tweets, posts and reels. It also states that influencers/agencies/companies will be divided into four categories based on subscribers/followers.

As per the new policy, influencers will be paid for creating content, videos, tweets, posts, videos and reels that promote the welfare schemes and achievements of the state government. It states that influencers on X, Facebook and Instagram will be paid a maximum of 5 lakh, 4 lakh and 3 lakh per month respectively.
Amid Bengal bandh, a video of an elderly man dressed in saffron braving water cannons of the Kolkata Police has gone viral on social media and vaulted him as a hero of the protests against the state government. The 83-year-old is seen waving the Tricolour, undeterred by the attempt by the cops to disperse the agitating crowd protesting against the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee postgraduate doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital earlier this month.

The post is from Nabanna Abhijan protest rally organised by the Paschim Banga Chatra Samaj' and other organisations on Tuesday, demanding justice for the Kolkata rape-murder victim. The caption to the viral video posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) states, An 83-year-old Hindu Monk is facing the water cannon of Mamata Police without moving back an inch with courage in his heart, and the Indian national flag in his hands. He is seeking Justice for RG Kar victim.

In the video, widely shared by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and activists, the man takes centre stage and can be seen waving the national flag in his right hand amid a massive crowd.

BJP leader Locket Chatterjee, reacting to the video, in a post on X stated, End anarchy, end fascism. We all demand the end of TMC's tyranny." Alleging Mamata Banerjee led state government of oppressing the agitation, the BJP leader tweeted, "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 entire country is standing by him."

The 12-hour Bengal bandh called by the BJP began at 6 am today to protest against the Kolkata Police's use of force to disperse the agitating crowds at the Nabanna Abhijan rally. The authorities clamped down on the demonstrators, who broke police barricades and clashed with cops. The situation turned chaotic and the police used water cannons to disperse protestors at Santragachi in Howrah.
Bengal Bandh today: After the Nabanna Abhijan protest rally for the Kolkata doctor rape victim turned violent yesterday, the BJP has called for 12 hour bandh today, on August 28.

Chaos descended as protestors and police clashed in the streets of Kolkata and Union Minister and West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumder said today's bandh was called in opposition to the violence on the student agitation during the protest march.
A bandh has been called in West Bengal today i.e. August 28. Kolkata descended into violence and chaos on August 27 after the Nabanna Abhijan protest rally in the state capital took a violent turn. The rally was organised in response to the ongoing controversy surrounding the tragic rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Bengal Bandh Live Updates Who has called for bandh in West Bengal today? Following yesterday's violent clashes and chaos, Union Minister and West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumder has called for a '12-hour bandh' in the state. Union Minister and BJP national president JP Nadda said that the 12-hour Bengal bandh will start from 6 am.

Also Read | BJP demands lie-detector test for CM Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata doctor rape case

As per reports, despite call for a bandh today, government offices, banks, schools, colleges, and petrol pumps will most likely remain open.

On the other hand, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's chief advisor, Alapan Bandopadhyay, has firmly stated that the state government will not permit the 12-hour bandh called by the BJP today. He said, "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."

The chief advisor also added that transport services will continue as usual, and shops, marketplaces, and other business establishments have been instructed to remain open.

What happened in the 'Nabanna Abhiyaan' protest rally? A protest march to the West Bengal Secretariat, 'Nabanna,' was organised by the 'Paschim Banga Chatra Samaj' and other groups to express outrage over the recent rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor in Kolkata. Dubbed as "Nabanna Abhiyan", the rally started from the College Square. Protestors gathered at the Santragachi area in Howrah, where tensions escalated. Police used water cannons on protestors as they attempted to breach barricades, leading to clashes. Protestors also dragged away police barricades and police resorted to opening lathi-charge and lobbying tear gas shells to disperse them.
(Reuters) - Salesforce beat Wall Street expectations for second-quarter revenue and profit on Wednesday, as the business software giant benefited from higher spending on its enterprise cloud products.

Shares of the company rose more than 4% in extended trading.

Salesforce also said finance chief Amy Weaver will step down from the role but will remain in the position till a successor is appointed.

The company's results reflect that client spending on its suite of cloud products is picking up as the software-as-a-service pioneer battles stiff competition from rising industry players like ServiceNow.

Salesforce reported revenue of $9.33 billion, while analysts on average had expected $9.23 billion.

However the firm forecast third-quarter revenue below estimates, signaling that a full recovery in cloud spending is still yet to come.

The company expects third-quarter revenue between $9.31 billion and $9.36 billion, compared with the average analyst estimate of $9.41 billion, according to LSEG data.

Salesforce's revenue grew only 8% this quarter, its slowest pace in over a decade, indicating softer growth at the company.

After years of rapid progress and capturing a large chunk of the data cloud market, Salesforce is entering a more mature phase of growth, analysts at TD Cowen said last week, as it leverages margins and focuses on costs.

The company reported second-quarter adjusted operating margin of 33.7%, while analysts polled by Visible Alpha expected 32%.

Salesforce reported an adjusted profit per share of $2.56, beating estimates of $2.36.
Accusing Vistara of communalising food, a woman called-out the airline for labelling food as Hindu Meal and Muslim Meal.

In a post on X, Journalist Aarti Tikoo Singh tagged Vistara and asked why the vegetarian meal is called Hindu meal and chicken meal called Muslim meal on their flights.

Further, she also questioned the airline as to who told them that all Hindus are vegetarian and all Muslims are non-vegetarian?

Also Read | Passenger gets his khaini ready before boarding flight, video goes viral

Why are you thrusting food choices on people? Who authorised you to do this?, she questioned

Further, she asked if they were going to communalise vegetables, chicken and passengers on a flight too?" I was so shocked by this pathetic behavior that I booked both meals to defy your order."

The journalist also tagged Ministry of Civil Aviation in her post and urged to inquire.

Tikko's post is going viral with nearly 200 comments and over 600 reposts.

Vikram Sood, whose X bio reads formerly headed R&AW and currently Adviser, ORF, termed it as absurd and dangerous descriptions.

So now we have meals based on religions? Wow!! @DGCAIndia please stop this practice immediately, said one more user.

This is totally inexplicable and misleading. They must withdraw this classification earliest possible, posted Anup Jaiswal.

Airline Veteran explains meal codes However, another X user pointed out that a Hindu Meal (HNML) is not necessarily a Veg meal and shared a few general meal codes.

"FYI in general aviation parlance, a Hindu Meal (HNML) is NOT necessarily a Veg meal - it could be a Non Veg meal that is not Halal. Similarly a Moslem meal (MOML) is a Non Vegetarian meal that is HALAL," said Sanjay Lazar, CEO, Avialaz.

He further added that a Vegetarian meal, on the other hand, is a pure veg meal.

"(AVML or a VGML- non dairy or VLML or VOML) You will find that Vistara has done the right thing and you may also google what I have said to verify. I am enclosing a few general meal codes for clarity, there are almost a 100 globally," Lazar said.

Sanjiv Kapoor, the former CEO-designate of Jet Airways, also reacted to the post and said, these codes are used by all airlines that use global GDS systems such as Amadeus to standardize meal codes across geographies and connecting flights.
Press Release

August 28, 2024 Bato Dela Rosa brings harassment of KOJC members, Davaoenos plight to Senate plenary Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa has raised at the Senate plenary the complaints of the residents of Davao City, particularly the members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) after the Philippine National Police (PNP) camped at their compound over the weekend to serve the arrest warrant against Pastor Apollo Quiboloy. In a privilege speech delivered Tuesday afternoon, Dela Rosa said that he supports the PNP's desire to fulfill their duty to serve the arrest warrant. However, there are questions on the deployment of 2,000 policemen from different regions in Mindanao and their encampment inside and outside the KOJC compound. "As a former Chief of Philippine National Police, I have not encountered an operation to implement a warrant of arrest wherein we deployed forces close to 2,000 people," Dela Rosa said. He stressed that only 44 Special Action Forces with more than 200 back up police officers have been involved in the implementation of the warrant of arrest against one of the most wanted terrorists in the United States, Zulkifi Abd Hir also known as "Marwan," who has a five million US dollar bounty. Marwan was even protected by more than 1,000 heavily-armed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and private armed groups around the so-called SPMS box-- a military term for the contiguous towns of Shariff Aguak, Pagatin (Datu Saudi Ampatuan town), Mamasapano, and Shariff Saydona. "Kaya ang tanong ng mga miyembro ng KOJC, mas mapanganib ba si Pastor Quiboloy kaysa sa isang most wanted terrorist? Mas mapanganib ba ang Davao City compared doon sa Mamasapano na napakaraming umiikot na mga armadong tao?" Dela Rosa asked. The Mindanaoan lawmaker also took a swipe at the leadership of the PNP Regional Office XI for putting the police officers involved in the operations at risk. "Tila isinusubo niyo sa kapahamakan ang ating mga pulis. Inaakay ninyo sila sa bangin na maaaring magdulot ng kamatayan sa kanilang mga promising careers," he said. The former top cop also expressed concern that the PNP officers from different regions in Mindanao have left their respective jurisdictions and might cause shortage in manpower in their areas. Apart from the "overkill" in the serving of arrest warrant against Pastor Quiboloy, Dela Rosa noted that the PNP operations near the KOJC compound brought inconvenience not only to KOJC members but also to the community in Davao City. Classes in Jose Maria College Foundation Incorporated and Lyceum of the Philippines in Davao City were disrupted while the Carlos P. Garcia Highway near the airport was closed due to PNP's operation in the KOJC compound. At the end of his speech, Dela Rosa appealed to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to continue to listen to the heartbeat of the people while the PNP "is focused on the underground heartbeat, which they suspect belongs to the heart of Pastor Quiboloy.
Former US First Lady Melania Trump is set to release her memoirs next week as the Presidential election race heats up. The eponymous book has seen a significant rise in pre-orders since it was made available on her website and already features on several Amazon Best Sellers lists. Critics however levelled copycat charges at the former FLOTUS for choosing a cover design strongly reminiscent of the Chanel Catwalk fashion book.

Our lives are shaped by our experiences, challenges, and achievements. For the first time, I share my journey with you, in my new memoir, Melania, she wrote in a recent social media post.

The former model dubbed the writing process an amazing journey filled with emotional highs and lows during a recent interaction with Fox News.

Also Read | Trump Shifts Abortion Messaging, Angering Both Right and Left

The upcoming book appears to have left the internet divided along political lines  with many Trump supporters seemingly awaiting its release with bated breath. Critics meanwhile panned the book for copying its cover design from a fashion book published in 2020.

After Melania Trump plagiarised Michelle Obama's DNC speech in 2016, it's no surprise that she copied 2020 Chanel Catwalk cover by French author Patrick Mauries, opined one X user.

It's available from a low-budget, right-wing publisher, but Donald Trump couldn't spring for a photo cover for his 3rd wife? jibed another.

Photo or not, I wouldn't spend a dime to read this memoir. Probably thinks this is minimalist trendy, asserted a third.

Also Read | Melania still married to Donald Trump due to some arrangement: Queen Elizabeth

Melania" will be released by Skyhorse Publishing, which has published such Donald Trump supporters as former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and attorney Alan Dershowitz. Skyhorse also has worked with third-party candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former Trump insider Michael Cohen, who later became one of his harshest critics. Some Skyhorse books include forewords by Trump ally Steve Bannon.
Central bankers of the US, Russia and France are not in agreement with India's top banker over the interlinking of payment systems, which is seen as a priority for India and is also a part of the agenda of the G20 group of countries.

Speaking at the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai on Wednesday, Christopher Waller, member of the federal reserve board of governors of the US, expressed reservations about interlinking instant payment systems across different countries to expedite cross-border transactions.

This comes just days after Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das advocated for a globally interoperable cross-border payment system developed by India, namely the UPI (unified payments interface).

Variation around the world in domestic fast payment network adoption means that the value of globally interlinked systems is not yet clear, Waller said at the event. I am not entirely convinced that interlinking arrangements will necessarily deliver on those goals.

Waller highlighted the potential costs and complications that such interlinking could impose on banks, including heightened legal and compliance challenges.

While acknowledging the benefits of existing cross-border payment systems, he noted that certain frictions slowing down transactions could serve as safeguards against money laundering, terrorism financing, and other illicit activities.

There is no silver bullet that increases speed and efficiency without tradeoffs, he warned. Unless new solutions are found, interlinking fast payment systems might increase the risk-management burden for banks that participate in them.

Others agreed with Waller Waller's views found resonance with other central bankers, too, who said that interlinking payments system for the sake of speed is not advisable. Interoperability is required only if a real business need exists.

Do I believe in the creation of a single payment system in next 20 years, I'd say no. I'd say there is no purpose, said Stanislav Korop, acting director, FinTech Dept, Bank of Russia.

Alexandre Stervinou, director, cash & retail payment policy and oversight directorate, Banque de France, said the main issue of inter-operability is governance. The technical aspects are on track. It'll be a giant leap towards a uniform ledger. Maybe countries can look at regional linkages of payment systems, he said.

What Waller said Waller emphasized that the US is prioritizing the development of its internal FedNow network in the near to medium term. FedNow is an instant payment system developed by the Federal Reserve that currently connects 1,000 depository institutions, including many of the nations largest banks.

Domestic networks need to be developed first. If this condition is not in place, interlinked networks could end up being a road to nowhere, he cautioned.

And this | RuPay to UPI credit, NPCI is planning a big recast of its businesses

Despite his reservations, Waller noted that the US remains committed to researching emerging technologies aimed at enhancing cross-border payment systems. He also emphasized the unique challenges the US faces, given its 9,000 depository institutions, each governed by different authorities.

What Shaktikanta Das said Waller's remarks come on the heels of comments made by RBI's Das at the Global Conference on Digital Public Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies on Monday.

Das had said that UPI has the potential to evolve into a cheaper and quicker alternative to the available channels of cross-border remittances.

Also read | RuPays made it to Singapore and the UAE. But in Sri Lanka, it faces a hurdle In this journey of attaining harmonisation and interoperability among countries, a key challenge could be the fact that countries may prefer to design their own systems as per their domestic considerations, Das had said, adding that this challenge could be overcome through a plug-and-play system that would allow replicability while also maintaining sovereignty of different countries.

India has made some progress in this direction and would be happy to develop a plug-and-play system for the benefit of the community of nations, Das had said.
Bangladeshi TV journalist Sarah Rahanuma was found dead in a lake in Dhaka on Wednesday. The incident was dubbed 'another brutal attack against freedom of expression by Opposition leaders. The update came mere hours after the Gazi TV journalist insisted on social media that it was better to die than to live a life akin to death.

According to reports, Rahanuma was discovered in Hatirjheel Lake by a passerby in the early hours of Wednesday. She was declared dead upon arrival after being taken to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital at around 2 am.

Rahmuna Sara Gazi TV newsroom editor was found dead. Her body was recovered from Hatirjheel Lake in the Dhaka city. This is another brutal attack on freedom of expression in Bangladesh. Gazi TV is a secular news channel owned by Golam Dastagir Gazi who was arrested a recently (sic), wrote Sajeeb Wazed  the US-based son of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina  on X.

The cause of death remains under investigation with many flagging two cryptic Facebook updates shared by the journalist mere hours before her death. Rahanuma had posted a series of photos on the social media platform and tagged one Fahim Faysal on Tuesday night.

"It was nice having a friend like you. God bless you always. Hope, you'll fulfill all your dreams soon. I know we had a lots of planning together. Sorry, can't fulfill our plannings. May god bless you in every aspects of your life," she wrote.

A comment by Faysal followed about an hour later, pleading with Rahanuma to avoid harming herself.

Meanwhile, the interim administration led by Nobel Prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunus withdrew a ban against the Jamaat-e-Islami on Wednesday. The countrys largest Islamist party had been restricted during the final days of the Sheikh Hasina-led administration. According to a notice issued by the home ministry on Wednesday, the authorities did not find any specific evidence of involvement of Jamaat-e-Islami and its associated organisation Islami Chhatra Shibir in violence or any subversive activity.
The Israeli military launched a major operation across a swath of the West Bank, a move it said was aimed at preventing terrorist attacks originating from the Palestinian territory, which is rapidly developing into a third front for Israel on top of Gaza and its northern border.

The air-and-ground assault fanned out across several areas of the West Bank, according to the Israeli military, which said Wednesday it killed at least five militants and detained another five suspected militants in the cities of Jenin and Tulkarem. Palestinian health authorities said nine people were killed overnight and 11 injured in the raids.

We need to operate to remove immediate terror threats in real time," said Israeli military spokesman Nadav Shoshani, who said some 150 shooting and explosive attacks had originated from the West Bank in the past year.

The raids came in the wake of an attempted suicide bombing in Tel Aviv that was claimed by Hamas earlier this month and which the military said was devised in the northern West Bank. While the bomb detonated prematurely, according to the latest police assessment, the attempt harked back to waves of suicide bombings that undermined peace efforts in past decades. Israels security forces have largely prevented such bombings in recent years.

The military has regularly carried out raids, arrests and strikes across the West Bank since the war with Hamas in Gaza started, in an effort to clamp down on militancy and prevent the emergence of another major arena of fighting that would spread its forces thin. The latest operation comes amid an uptick in violence by Jewish settlers against Palestinians that has further stoked tensions in the West Bank.

Israels military didnt disclose troop levels but said regional brigades as well as combat engineers were taking part in the operation. It didnt provide an estimated end date for the maneuvers.

Helicopters, drones and a large number of military vehicles supported by bulldozers were involved in the raids, according to West Bank residents.

The military had cordoned off the three areas, which also included Al-Fara camp near Tubas, with checkpoints, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, an affiliate of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Israeli military vehicles surrounded the main hospitals in Jenin and Tulkarem and controlled access to them, including checking the identities of those arriving by ambulance, the Red Crescent said.

The Israeli military said it was trying to prevent militants from embedding themselves in hospitals and turning them into places of fighting.

The operation comes after Palestinian health officials said five Palestinians were killed in a Monday night strike in Nur Shams, an area east of Tulkarem. One of those killed had been released in a cease-fire with Hamas in November, and another was involved in manufacturing explosive charges, according to the Israeli military.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said a total of 660 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since the war in Gaza started in October, numbers that dont distinguish between civilians and combatants. The United Nations says some 600 people have died in violence in the territory, parts of which are under Israeli occupation and parts are administered by the Palestinian Authority.

Israel is also concerned that Iran is working to fan the flames of instability in the West Bank, and that Iran is backing efforts to smuggle potent weapons into the West Bank, the military has said, further raising the stakes for escalation.

The Israeli military last week said it killed a Lebanon-based operative working to smuggle weapons into the West Bank on behalf of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. In March, the Israeli military and Israels Shin Bet internal security service said they foiled an attempt to smuggle advanced weapons originating in Iran into the West Bank, including C4 and Semtex explosives and antitank missiles.

While Israels military has increased its operational activity in the West Bank, it has faltered in clamping down on growing Israeli settler violence against Palestinians.

Earlier this month, dozens of masked Israelis attacked the West Bank village of Jit, in one of the biggest settler riots since the war began between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, which borders the opposite side of Israel from the West Bank. Rioters in Jit torched cars and buildings, and threw Molotov cocktails, according to the Israeli military. The rioters shot and killed a 23-year-old Palestinian man, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Persistent settler violence has prompted unprecedented U.S. and international sanctions against violent settlers and extremist right-wing organizations.

Saleh al-Batati contributed to this article.

Write to Anat Peled at anat.peled@wsj.com
The Kremlin on Wednesday dismissed talk by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy about a plan he has to end the war and said Russia would continue what it calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine.

Zelenskiy said on Tuesday he would present his plan - full details of which he did not publicly disclose - to U.S. President Joe Biden and his two potential successors.

Zelenskiy, addressing a news conference, said Kyiv's three-week-old incursion into Russia's Kursk region was part of his plan, but that it also comprised other steps on the economic and diplomatic fronts.

The idea, said Zelenskiy - who is pressing Washington to allow his forces to use long-range U.S.-supplied arms to strike deep inside Russia - was to force Moscow to end the war.

"This is not the first time that we have heard such statements from representatives of the Kyiv regime. We are aware of the nature of this Kyiv regime," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about Zelenskiy's plan.

"We are continuing our special military operation and will achieve all of our goals."

Russia is currently engaged in repelling the Ukrainian incursion that began on Aug. 6, and is pressing ahead with its own offensive in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.

Peskov also said that Russia supported India's view on the need for a peaceful settlement, but said it was "more than obvious" that there was no basis for talks right now.
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Ukraine wins agreement from bondholders to write down its debt

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Deal sees bondholders take 37% cut on face value of holdings

*

Ukraine officials say move was necessary due to war with Russia

By Marc Jones

LONDON, - Ukraine announced on Wednesday that international bondholders had formally approved its plan to restructure over $20 billion of debt amid its ongoing war with Russia.

Kyiv said those holding over 97% of its debt had done so by the required deadline, meaning the restructuring could go ahead.

It is set to slash the face value of Ukraine's international bonds by more than a third and keeps it onside with its key support provider, the International Monetary Fund, which had stipulated the writedown was necessary to make debt levels sustainable.

While it will require the end, or at least a significant easing, of the war for Ukraine to be able to borrow from international capital markets again, finalising the restructuring was a "crucial step", Ukraine's Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko said.

It will "ensure Ukraine maintains the budget stability needed to continue financing our defence", he added, and was an important move toward restoring long-term economic stability.

The restructuring is the second in a decade Ukraine has been forced to undertake following a Russian invasion, the previous one in 2015 following Russia's annexation of Crimea.

This one had required the backing of at least two-thirds of Ukraine's bondholders, along with a simple majority of more than half in each of the individual series of bonds involved.

The process has moved at breakneck speed, taking just four months to negotiate, and replaces a two-year bond payment moratorium Ukraine was granted in the summer of 2022 that is now expiring.

Yuriy Butsa, the head of Ukraine's debt agency and a key figure in the negotiations, said the restructuring was not like those in other countries. "This has not been driven by any unsustainable economic policies," he told Reuters. "It is driven solely by the Russian aggression against Ukraine," adding that it also had been one of the quickest debt restructurings in history.

The Group of Creditors of Ukraine - the country's bilateral lenders includes Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Britain and the United States - welcomed the agreement.

"The swift implementation of the exchange demonstrates substantive support for the government and people of Ukraine by providing substantial debt relief," the group said in an emailed statement.

As part of the deal, bondholders are accepting a 37% writedown, or "haircut", to the face value of their holdings, saving Ukraine $11.4 billion over the next three years - the duration of Kyiv's current IMF programme.

In return, they get new bonds worth 40 cents of their original claim which restart interest payments immediately. The payments will start at 1.75% before rising to 4.5% in 2026, 6% in 2027 and to 7.75% from 2034 onwards.

They also will receive a bond worth 23 cents that will not pay interest until August 2027, but will increase to 35 cents if Ukraines economy is outperforming IMF targets by at least 3% come 2028.

The new bonds are expected to start trading on Aug. 30, once the final details of restructuring settle.

STILL STRAINED

Despite the debt relief, Ukraine's finances are set to remain heavily stretched by its war effort. It remains under constant attack from Russia, while over the last month it has also launched a surprise counter-offensive into Russia's Kursk region.

The now-agreed restructuring only covers its international market bonds, on which Ukraine owes $24 billion - or around 15% - of an overall debt load of more than $140 billion.

Ukrainian officials also warned this month that the country could need more money than previously expected to fill the gaps in its budget.

Kyiv still hopes to restructure another $2.6 billion worth of GDP warrants - instruments linked to the country's growth - in the coming months, while its "official creditors" - Western governments and multilateral lenders - are expected to come up with a relief plan for their loans next year too.

The IMF and a group of core bondholders that had negotiated the details of the deal with Ukraine did not immediately comment on its approval when contacted by Reuters.
Wade Wilson, known as the "Deadpool Killer", has been given a death sentence for murdering two women in Florida in 2019. The 30-year-old heavily tattooed man showed no emotion when his death sentence was announced.

The murders were extremely violent and deliberate, with the second killing being particularly planned and ruthless, according to Circuit Judge Nicholas Thompson.

Despite the brutality of his actions, Wilson received numerous love letters and explicit photos from admirers during his five years in prison.

Wilson received nearly 4,000 messages while in prison. Many women pleaded with the judge to spare his life, with some even sending explicit photos. Authorities had to block many such images due to their inappropriate nature.

Some even wrote to the judge, arguing that Wilson's behaviour was different when he was on medication and urging the judge to disregard his tattoos and swastika.

Also Read | Delhi doctor attacked a day after strike over Kolkata rape-murder case ended

Wilson's lawyers claimed he had brain damage due to drug addiction and faced emotional issues after being abandoned by his birth parents. His adoptive parents requested the court spare him from the death penalty, expressing that he still had humanity in him.

Deadpool murders In June, Wilson was convicted of murdering Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43, in October 2019. Due to the severity of the crimes, Thompson saw no reason to reject the jury's recommendation for the death penalty. According to the prosecutors, Wilson strangled Melton in her house following a drug-influenced sexual encounter.

Wade Wilson, who shares a name with a Marvel character, later took Melton's car and used her phone to contact his girlfriend, Melissa Montanez, 41. He attacked Montanez, but she declined to get in the vehicle.

Wilson met Ruiz in Cape Coral while she was asking for directions. He invited her into his car, where he later confessed to strangling her. After throwing her out, he ran over her repeatedly, describing her body as looking like spaghetti during the trial.
An old joke in Indian policy circles is that whatever the problem of governance or administration being discussed, you always wind up with the same constraint: a lack of state capacity. The Indian state has too few senior officers, and those it does have are generally not experts.

Fixing this problem does not appear to be a priority for the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as we saw yet again last week. If that doesnt change, all plans to transform governance may come to naught.

The Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the elite bureaucrats who are constitutionally required to make every decision of consequence in the country, number only about 5,000 officers. Those senior enough to hold posts in the central government in New Delhi are about a 10th of that number.

This glorious 500 are generalists, rather than specialists. They are selected young, through a fiendishly difficult examination, and many seem to stop learning anything new the moment they pass that exam. This isnt entirely their fault. Officers spend their careers shuttling between ministries and postings.

Education policy for hundreds of millions of people might well be made by someone who had just spent three years negotiating agricultural exports to the West. By the time she gets up to speed, she will likely be shifted to something else completelysay, urban housing or mining concessions.

That is why there was a great deal of excitement recently when an advertisement suggested that dozens of mid-career experts might be hired for jobs within the system.

The list of senior vacancies was a handy guide to government priorities, in fact: semiconductors, batteries, international law, urban water management.

Many of these are sectors where the government must negotiate with private companies, which boast topic experts that can typically run rings around their plodding bureaucratic interlocutors.

If you have tens of billions of taxpayer dollars set aside for electric vehicle (EV) incentives, you might want to have an expert or two on your side to compete with Teslas phalanx of lawyers and engineers.

We shouldnt have gotten excited. The advertisement was swiftly withdrawn. This was, reportedly, because it did not align" with the prime ministers commitment to social justice" as expressed through Indias affirmative-action system.

There is no objective reason why lateral entry into the Indian bureaucracy should violate Indias quota system, meant to ensure the representation of historically disadvantaged castes and communities.

You could simply order that the appropriate proportion of lateral hires be from those groups or increase the number in the total service so that the proportions stay unchanged. The point is that the Modi administration was unwilling to spend any political capital on something it may have seen as trivial.

But its far from trivial. The fact is that Indias civil service elite is a relic of the past and a drag on its future.

In a very real way, Indians still live under the Raj. The current system is essentially unchanged since it was designed by the British to exercise control over rather than deliver governance to a diverse subcontinent.

White civil servants would keep native politicians in line and ensure that revenue was raised and sent back to Whitehall. They had to be intelligent and adaptive, but hardly needed any qualifications beyond that.

How can the same system possibly govern a country of over 1.4 billion people that will soon be the worlds third-largest economy? A small cadre of elite generalists are still empowered to make every decision that matters, even as the problems they face become ever more complex. Why should anyone be surprised that decisions are issued late, if ever?

The Indian government, however, may not have realized the problem, given how bureaucrats seem to be viewed as allies rather than impediments. Perhaps that is because the Prime Ministers first brush with them was as the chief minister of a large state, Gujarat.

His first experience of civil servants was as helpful acolytes, eager to bring their boss up to speed. This is not, to put it mildly, the experience of most companies, entrepreneurs or job-seekers.

If the Modi administration, for the past decade, has not lived up to the hopes that the leader raised among Indians when he first sought office in 2014, the reason is that the first and most important of reformstransformation of the Indian state into a body of detail-oriented expertswas probably never even on the agenda.

If, after 10 years in power, small steps in that direction are cancelled at the first sign of opposition, Indias leadership can hardly expect other priorities to become reality. bloomberg
Frances arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov over the weekend has made the Russian-born entrepreneur a cause celebre for free speech, but is his detention or exaltation warranted? Hard to know, which speaks to the problem with Europes censorship regime.

Conservatives in the U.S. are rallying around Mr. Durov. Liberte Liberte! Liberte?" Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted. Chris Pavlovski, CEO of the right-wing video platform Rumble, said the arrest crossed a red line." French President Emmanuel Macron dismissed claims that Mr. Durov is being politically targeted, but the government has offered few details about the reasons for his arrest.

Telegrams largely hands-off approach to moderating content has made it popular among terrorists as well as genuine political dissidents. Journalists use the app to communicate with sources, though terrorist groups and authoritarian governments also use it to spread propaganda, as Russia has in Ukraine.

Paris prosecutors say Mr. Durov was detained in relation to an investigation into criminal activity on the platform, including child pornography, drug trafficking, money laundering and its refusal to cooperate with law enforcement. Those are serious offenses if true.

But many suspect this is merely a pretext because Europe is also imposing speech controls on other media platforms. France in 2020 sought to require sites to remove hate speech, though most of its law was blocked by the countrys top court. The European Parliament then stepped into the breach with its Digital Services Act, which compels platforms to curb harmful content, including so-called hate speech, disinformation and propaganda.

The European Commission is even conducting stress tests" to ensure platforms police harmful content. Companies can be fined up to 6% of their worldwide revenue if deemed non-compliant. Thierry Breton, the European Commissioner for Internal Market and a former French telecom executive, is wielding the law as a cudgel to censor speech worldwide.

Consider his threat against Mr. Musk mere hours before Mr. Musks recent live interview on X.com with Donald Trump. I understand that you are currently doing a stress test of the platform" and in this context, I am compelled to remind you of the due diligence obligations set out in the Digital Services Act (DSA)," Mr. Breton wrote.

Amplification of harmful content in connection with relevant events, including live streaming" might generate detrimental effects on civic discourse and public security," he warned. He added, ominously, that formal proceedings are already underway against X under the DSA related to dissemination of illegal content and the effectiveness of the measures taken to combat disinformation." He underscored that regulators will not hesitate to make full use of our toolbox. . . should it be warranted to protect EU citizens from serious harm."

This is thuggish stuff. European regulators are trying to meddle in the U.S. presidential election. Yet the missive drew nary a peep from the Biden Administration. Does the White House support Europes efforts to censor American political speech? Its a fair question given support by President Biden nominees for Europes digital regulation.

U.S. Federal Trade Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter this spring averred that every government has the right and the responsibility" to target illegal conduct that violates the laws of its jurisdiction. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai put out a statement agreeing with the EUs view that online platforms should exercise greater responsibility" in content moderation.

All of this explains why Mr. Durovs arrest is inciting skepticism. American conservatives in particular worry that Europeans are trying to make an example out of Mr. Durov to drive more internet censorship with a wink and nod by the Biden Administration. Paris could dispel such suspicions by providing more details about its investigation, and the White House ought to encourage this.

Trust in government is declining in democracies around the world, and leaders dont help themselves or their countries when they blur lines between criminal conduct and speech they find offensive.
The nomination form of jailed Kashmiri cleric, Sarjan Ahmad Wagay for the upcoming assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir has been rejected.

Wagay, popularly known as Sarjan Barkati, had filed papers from the Zainpora Assembly constituency in the Shopian district where the voting is scheduled to take place in the first phase on September 18. His nomination has been rejected because of criminal antecedents.

Barkati was a prominent face during the protest rallies in the South Kashmir districts of Shopian and Kulgam after the killing of Burhan Wani in 2016.

Barkati's nominations has been rejected because of criminal antecedents.

Killed in an encounter on July 8, 2016, Wani was the top district commander of Hizbul Mujahideen and became a poster boy of the militancy in Kashmir. His killing had led to widespread protests in Kashmir valley leading to the death of about 90 people.

Barkati was arrested in October 2016 and was released four years later. He was arrested again in August 2023, in connection with a terror-funding case. Later, his wife was arrested too.

Barkati's daughter, Sugra Barkati, filed the nomination papers on behalf of her father on Monday.

Jammu and Kashmir is voting for its 90-member assembly in three phases. While the first phase of voting in Jammu and Kashmir is scheduled for September 18, the other two rounds will be held on September 25 and October 1. The votes will be counted on October 4.

As many as 279 candidates have filed their nomination papers across 24 assembly segments of seven districts, which are going to polls in the first phase on September 18. Of the 24 seats voting in the first phase, 16 are in the Valley and 8 in the Jammu region.

Also Read | How Jammu and Kashmir threw up hung verdicts since 2002 polls. 10 points

Barkati's attempt at electoral politics came months after Engineer Rashid, jailed under UAPA, defeated former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Peoples Conference president Sajad Lone from the Baramulla seat.

Apart from Barkati, many former members of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir have also filed nomination papers to contest the Assembly polls in the Union Territory as independent candidates.

While Jamaat cannot participate in the elections due to the ban imposed by the Union Home Ministry, it had shown interest in participating in the polls during the Lok Sabha elections if the ban was removed.
In response to the BJP's recent padayatra calling for the Chief Minister's resignation over a land allotment issue, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced on Tuesday that the Congress party would stage a 'Raj Bhavan Chalo' march to demand the prosecution of Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy in a mining lease case.

Addressing a press conference at the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee office, he said, There are pending appeals before the Governor seeking permission to prosecute Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy, former minister Murugesh Nirani, Janardhan Reddy and Shashikala Jolle. We are organising a Raj Bhavan Chalo march seeking sanction against these leaders.

The Congress has organized a counter-event to put pressure on Governor Thawarchand Gehlot. The ruling party is using multiple tactics to challenge the Governor following his approval to prosecute the Chief Minister in the case.

The appeal of Lokayukta seeking permission to prosecute our 'Honest Big Brother' Kumaraswamy in a mining case has been pending with the Governor for some time. The Lokayukta has sought permission to prosecute him after a detailed investigation over 10 years, yet the Governor is yet to give sanction, he said.

The Rajbhavan Chalo will start from the Gandhi statue near Vidhana Soudha at 10 am and reach Raj Bhavan. The Chief Minister, all ministers, Congress MLAs, MLCs and MPs will be part of the rally. We will submit an appeal to the governor at the end of the rally, he added.

The Governor has not given sanction, though some BJP-JDS leaders have charge sheeted, but the sanction has been given against the Chief Minister even without preliminary investigation. We have brought to the attention of the Governor that many appeals for sanction from Lokayukta and SITs are pending with him, he said.

The Lokayukta SIT wrote a letter dated 21-11-2023 to the Governor detailing the sections under which Kumaraswamy was charge-sheeted with illegal allotting of an iron ore mine. The SIT appealed to the Governor for a sanction to prosecute after a detailed inquiry over 10 years, but no sanction has been given, he noted.

In the case of former minister Shashikala Jolle, the Lokayukta had sought sanction under Article 17a. Sanction has been sought against former minister Murugesh Nirani too after a preliminary investigation. Sanction has been sought against Janardhan Reddy in a disproportionate assets case. In all these cases, a preliminary investigation has been completed, he explained.

Speaking on Kumaraswamy's claim of a fake signature on the approval of the mining license, Shivkumar said, I have heard Kumaraswamy saying that the signature approving the mining license was not his. This investigation has been going on for 10 years. If the signature has been forged, why has he not filed a complaint yet?

Kumaraswamy had even applied for bail in the case. In the affidavit, Kumaraswamy admits that he had approved a mining licence for Sri Sai Venkatesh Minerals. The FIR in the case was registered in 2011 itself. If it was not his signature, why would he apply for bail in the case? he questioned.

Mister Kumaraswamy, you have taken an oath to the Constitution. You can't say now that the signature is not yours while admitting it in court during a bail application. Lodge a complaint if your signature is indeed forged, he urged.

When asked if the government would conduct an investigation into Kumaraswamy's allegation that his signature was forged, he said, Let him lodge a complaint first; we will investigate it then. I don't know why he is delaying lodging a complaint; he can even file an online complaint. The 'innocent' Kumaraswamy has to lodge a complaint on forged signatures the same way his government lodged a complaint against Yediyurappa in 2011.

On the sanctioning of lands to Jindal and Kharge's Trust, he said, All decisions of the government must be ready for public scrutiny. We will answer about this later. How much land was given to which institutions by the Yediyurappa and Bommai governments?

There are many pleas for sites by the media as well. Many pleas have come from media organisations. Trust land is not for personal use; it is for public good. The Industries Minister has already issued a statement regarding this. I will comment on it once I study it, he said.

The press meeting was attended by KPCC Working President GC Chandrashekar, spokespersons M Lakshman, and Women's Wing President Sowmya Reddy among others.
New Delhi: The national food regulator has proposed an inter-ministerial committee to look into the matter of pesticide-use in India, according to a government official familiar with the development.

The matter came up for discussion during a meeting last week of the national advisory committee of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, chaired by G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, CEO, FSSAI.

The issue assumes urgency against the backdrop of two developments: On the one hand, there are growing concerns over food safety at home. On the other, European Union trade negotiators are insisting that India bring down pesticide residuesmeasured as maximum residue levels (MRL)in its agricultural exports to Europe.

It was proposed to constitute an inter-ministerial committee to address concerns regarding usage of pesticides in food articles. This committee will deliberate on ways to reduce pesticide use and develop strategies to monitor and regulate pesticide application at the farmer level. This will not only ensure safe and sustainable farming practices but also protect consumers from potential health risks associated with pesticides residues in food products, said the official cited above.

Also Read: FSSAI withdraws advisory directing food businesses to remove A1, A2 claims from packaging of milk, milk products We should encourage good agriculture practices and organic farming. While spraying pesticides on the farm, some of the residues remain of the plant and irrational use can have health risks. This can be reduced at the primary level of production so that residues remain with specified MRLs. There are hundreds of pesticides comprising of different chemicals available in markets. Other than spraying methods may be considered and explore other means to stop indiscriminate use of pesticides, said a former FSSAI official.

Queries sent to the health ministry spokesperson remained unanswered.

Microbiology laboratories in states The meeting also kicked off the process of states setting up their own microbiology laboratories in a move to enhance testing capabilities amid growing concerns over food adulteration.

Also Read: Packaged food makers evaluate FSSAIs big and bold letter proposal The FSSAI asked all states to submit proposals for new food microbiology laboratory, where pathogens and spoilage organisms in food and water are tested and identified.

In addition, in the run up to the festive season, the food regulator asked states to fill vacant positions of food safety officers and upgrade food testing labs.

This comes follows a Union budget proposal for the government to set up more food testing labs.

India has a network of 206 primary food testing labs that have been approved by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). These are responsible for carrying out analysis of food samples collected under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
WASHINGTONDuring one of the most fateful decisions of the Biden administration, whether to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan after 20 years of war, Vice President Kamala Harris and her then-deputy national security adviser found themselves at odds.

Harris staunchly backed President Biden, believing it was time to end Americas mission. But Phil Gordon advised caution. While the U.S. had failed to seed a democracy in Afghanistan, a small residual force could keep the Taliban at bay, he argued, preserving rights for women and avoiding a refugee crisis. There were also hard-nosed reasons to stay, Gordon suggested, such as countering local terrorist organizations threatening the U.S. and its allies.

Harris ultimately sided with Bidens pullout, according to current and former officials who recounted the episode, a decision she reiterated Monday was courageous" and right." Gordon, despite his misgivings, fell in line behind his boss and the president.

The disagreement, which hasnt been previously reported, provides greater insight into a relationship that could come to define the next administrationand global politics.

Gordon, now the vice presidents top national security adviser, could easily find himself in the same role to the president if Harris wins the election in November. It is unclear whether Gordon wants the coveted role, and he studiously avoids the issue when asked about it by aides or friends.

But the possibility of him serving in a senior job during a Harris administration has invited new scrutiny of Gordons record in the past three Democratic administrations, particularly since he would counsel a president with limited foreign policy experience.

If he is appointed national security adviser next year, the 61-year-old Europe and Middle East specialist could hold outsize influence, becoming both the architect of the new administrations doctrine and the key executor of foreign policy decisions.

Interviews with current and former U.S. officials, many of them close associates, and foreign diplomats make clear Gordon believes in principles that are core to the Washington playbook: working with allies, defending sovereignty, ensuring the free flow of capitaleven dropping bombs to protect human rights. But he is also increasingly a critic of establishment foreign policy thinking, having watched from the front row as the U.S. repeatedly failed to build democracies by force or persuade enemies to make deals via willpower alone.

Hes a liberal internationalist whos somewhat more skeptical than he was previously," said Steven Cook, a Middle East expert who worked with Gordon at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Gordons impact can already be felt in the way the vice president speaks about the war in Gaza. During her address to the Democratic National Convention last week, Harris vowed to support Israels right to defend itself while at the same time" pushing for an end to the conflict that has devastated Palestinians. The use of that particular phrase to transition between thoughtsrather than but"allowed Harris to express how she holds two seemingly competing ideas at once.

Frank Lowenstein, who aimed to broker peace between Israelis and Palestinians alongside Gordon during the Obama years, had an immediate reaction upon hearing Harriss remarks: This is classic Phil."

A common refrain is that Gordon is a pragmatist, willing to go where the facts take him. That reputation stems from his time leading the Middle East portfolio in the Obama White House, as he saw U.S.-backed efforts to topple Syrias Bashar al-Assad falter once Russia entered the fray and terrorists like Islamic State filled the vacuum.

Starting in late 2013, Gordon expressed pessimism that the U.S. could compel Assad to step down. A former official said Gordon often stuck his neck out in the Situation Room, offering others ideas like the pursuit of localized cease-fires and a decentralization of governance that, over time, would delegitimize Assads regime.

His suggestions received fierce pushback at the time from Secretary of State John Kerry and Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. There was definitely some friction," the former official continued, noting the top leaders argued the U.S. should continue backing the Syrian opposition who, with enough U.S. support, could push Assad out of Damascus.

Gordon thought the oppositions smaller, less-equipped force was no match for Syrias Russia-backed military, and the eventual rise of the militant group Islamic State made defeating it a more pressing mission. Nothing short of U.S. entry into the war would change the battlefields dynamics, and no one around the Situation Room tableleast of all President Barack Obamawanted that.

You do have to think about the next step before demonstrating your power to show youre just as tough as the next guy," Gordon told Charlie Rose during an interview in October 2015, six months after leaving the White House.

Gordons overall observationthat there are limits to American powercame about after years of seeing American interventions fall short.

In a book he wrote about Americas regime-change failures in the Middle East, he laid out the examples backing up this view: A full-scale intervention in Iraq deposed Saddam Hussein but failed to establish a democratic beachhead in the region. Supporting allied airstrikes on Libya led to the death of Moammar Gadhafi but further destabilized the country. And the limited Syria intervention only created more problems that extended into Europe and the U.S.

What Im suggesting is the need to bring a certain humility to the notion that there is some simple solution to any of these big challenges," he told The Atlantics Jeffrey Goldberg in 2016. It would be very surprising if, in fact, there were right answers to Iraq, Libya, and Syria, and two successive administrations just applied the wrong ones to the wrong issues."

This view has led some to brand Gordon a restrainer, resistant to the full use of American power abroad. Top Republicans brand him as weak, even dangerous, on the global stage, citing his support for the Iran nuclear deal and his open criticism of the Trump administrations maximum pressure" campaign on Tehran.

But Gordon defies easy categorization.

In 1999, while serving on President Bill Clintons National Security Council, Gordon supported military strikes on Serbian forces to get them out of Kosovo. Even then, he would note, it took nearly 80 days and the full brunt of NATO might to achieve that limited objective. Then in 2013, Gordon advocated for bombing Syria after Assad killed 1,400 people with chemical weapons. He wanted Obama to enforce his red line," though the president backed away from his threat.

Gordon is also a full-throated supporter of the U.S. effort to defend Ukraine, aiming to uphold the concept of sovereignty by punishing Russia for invading its neighbor. But Gordon, who also served in the Obama administration as the State Departments top Europe official, has long been a Russia hawk.

In 2018, four years before the Kremlins all-out incursion into Ukraine, Gordon co-wrote an article in Foreign Affairs effectively proposing a set of policiessanctions, persuading social media to combat disinformation, leaking embarrassing information about Vladimir Putin, among other movesto perpetually counter Moscow.

If this package of measures sounds like a prescription for a new Cold War with Russia, it is," he wrote.

And while Gordon is an evangelist for diplomacy, he is often cautious about a negotiations chances of success. As Kerry traversed the Middle East seeking a peace agreement for Israelis and Palestinians, Gordon often briefed the secretary and other Obama administration officials that neither side wanted a deal.

In particular, Gordon thought that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was unmovable, seeing no benefit to his political position in making nice with the Palestinian Authority.

He lived the experience of Bibi moving the goal posts, making commitments and then pulling them back," said Ben Rhodes, a top national security aide to Obama, using the Israeli leaders nickname. Its kind of the exact same thing that Bibis been doing in these cease-fire negotiations."

Officials say Gordon has proved effective at interfacing with allies and adversaries and leaning on relationships he has built over a long career and his ability to speak several languages. A French diplomat proudly labeled Gordonauthor of a dissertation on French defense policy and translator of a book by former President Nicholas Sarkozya Francophile.

European experience was very helpful on the Middle East, particularly on Iran," said Susan Rice, who was national security adviser from 2013 to 2017, noting the role of trans-Atlantic allies in securing a nuclear deal with Tehran.

Gordon makes his points quietly, professorially, with a slight British accent that comes from having lived in England. (His wife is originally from Great Britain.) He is known for avoiding direct interventions in meetings, preferring to keep his views private until they need to be shared.

The question now is, How will Gordons experience translate to advising Harris today, and potentially from 2025 onward?

Even though Gordon joined Harriss first presidential campaign, they never established a personal rapport. But Gordon has been with Harris since Inauguration Day, and as he moved from deputy to the top job, their professional relationship grew further. Gordon has prepared Harris for meetings with more than 150 world leaders, countless global conferences and intelligence briefings with the president.

The vice president really trusts him," said a former senior U.S. official. Hes the last person in the room with her before shes the last person in the room with the president."

Write to Alexander Ward at alex.ward@wsj.com
The US space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) often releases images from outer space, giving a glimpse of the Universe to the public. Here are five such stunning pictures.

Andromeda VI

A NASA image of Andromeda galaxy. The Andromeda galaxy, or Messier 31, is the Milky Ways closest grand spiral galaxy.

This image from NASAs Hubble Space Telescope shows a collection of stars of the Pegasus Dwarf spheroidal galaxy, also known as Andromeda VI. The stars are seen against a background of distant galaxies.

The Andromeda galaxy, or Messier 31, is the Milky Ways closest grand spiral galaxy and hosts around 13 dwarf galaxies around it. The Pegasus Dwarf spheroidal galaxy is one of these mini-galaxies. Dwarf spheroidal galaxies are the dimmest and least massive galaxies, which have elliptical shapes and smooth distribution of stars.

Saturn

Two of Saturns icy moons, Mimas at the right and Enceladus at the bottom, are visible in the image.

This image of Saturn and its colossal rings was captured by NASAs Hubble Space Telescope on July 4, 2020. Two of Saturns icy moons, Mimas at the right and Enceladus at the bottom are visible too.

The light reddish haze over the northern hemisphere could be due to heating from increased sunlight. Another theory for the red colour is that increased sunlight in the summer months is resulting in different amounts of photochemical haze. The blue hue in the south pole reflects changes in Saturns winter hemisphere.

Also Read | NASA images: 5 stunning photos by Hubble telescope catch glimpses of outer Space

Globular cluster 2005

NGC 2005 is located about 750 light-years from the Large Magellanic Cloud, which is the Milky Ways largest satellite galaxy.

The globular cluster NGC 2005 image was captured by NASA Hubble Space Telescope. NGC 2005 is located about 750 light-years from the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), which is the Milky Ways largest satellite galaxy. Globular clusters are densely packed groups of stars that can hold tens of thousands or millions of stars.

Nebula from Hubble space

An image of the trio star system released by NASA.

The dazzling stars trio is an image from NASAs Hubble Space Telescope. This trio star system is made up of the variable stars HP Tau, HP Tau G2, and HP Tau G3.

Horse mane

Experts estimate that the Horsehead has about 5 million years left before it disintegrates.
A group of GE Appliances staffers gathered around a mock-up of a washing machine dashboard in Louisville, Ky., about a year ago to resolve a pressing question: What is the best Spanish word for the act of washing clothes with oxygen bleach?

Monica Martinez, a design engineer who grew up in Puerto Rico, suggested desinfectado," or disinfectedthe term shes always used. So she was taken aback when one of her Mexican-born colleagues suggested sanitizado," or sanitized.

Im not really vibing with that word," she remembers thinking. It sounds like a made-up word." In the end, desinfectado" won out.

The debate between some of the companys Latino employees was part of an effort to launch the first washer specifically designed for the U.S. Hispanic community, which GE Appliances started selling this spring.

The work went beyond translating the control panel: The new machine features a longer soaking option that the company says is popular with Hispanic consumers, as well as a larger drum that allows for washing more clothes in fewer loads, ideal for multigenerational families who account for nearly one-third of all U.S. Hispanic households."

GE Appliances, a subsidiary of China-based Haier Smart Home, is no outlier. Makers of dishwashers, ovens and washing machines worldwide are working ever more diligently to make their products as relatable to customers as they can be.

Sometimes, that means coming up with settings that are so specific they can leave some users baffled.

Am I reading that right?

When Jennifer Spencer moved to Amsterdam from New York, she was happy her apartment came with a washing machine. But she was in disbelief when she read some of the options around the knob, which despite her limited Dutch looked like chocolate," grass" and sand."

Am I reading that right? Am I missing the translation?," she recalled thinking. Is there really a setting for chocolate on my washing machine?"

BSH Home Appliances, maker of Spencers Bosch-branded washer, said it relies on extensive consumer input in every market to come up with the mix of stain-specific programs. Each region around the world has different degrees of consumer preferences," said Hal Strong, a marketing manager for BSH. We cant just have a cookie-cutter idea and pass it around."

Its research shows Europeans are primarily worried about blood stains, followed by tomato, then by oil, according to BSH, part of Germanys Robert Bosch.

Spencer, a 45-year-old technology strategist, said shes never used her machines chocolate setting because that cycle takes way too long. Its two hours and four minutes," she said. And its not like I have a whole load of chocolate-stained clothes."

BSH also sells washers in the U.S., but settings tend to be less distinctive, once again the result of consumer feedback.

Strong said U.S. consumers priority is getting laundry done as fast as possible. Thats why we have features like Super Quick 15," he said.

That doesnt mean BSHs U.S. appliances are nondescript. Our microwaves do have a popcorn feature," said Janina Forberger, the companys head of industrial design and UI/UX for North America. Thats not available in any other region in the world."

Americans who crave hyperspecific stain settings do have options. GE Appliances is offering a stain removal guide" on some of its washers that features separate categories for tomato, wine, blood, grass and dirt stains.

GE said it came up with the list using its own research and input from partners. It said its manuals provide a more detailed list of stains associated with each settingfor instance, use the grass" option for lipstick and chocolate stains, and the wine" option for Kool-Aid and beer.

Sometimes, settings get so specific they might feel a tad stereotypical.

Im Swiss

Vincent Etter was shopping for appliances for his renovated home near Fribourg, Switzerland, when a showroom employee pitched him a dishwasher that had a special setting for fondue pots and raclette pans.

I didnt even know it existed," said Etter, a 39-year-old software engineer. He said the feature wasnt exactly a selling point, but he bought that dishwasher nonetheless. Im Swisswe eat fondue about once a month in the winter," he said. If youve ever made fondue, cleaning the pot isnt the most interesting part."

V-ZUG, manufacturer of Etters dishwasher, said the fondue setting is available on its higher-end machines. The vast majority of its sales come from Switzerland, but its appliances are also sold in cities such as London, Singapore and Sydney.

Its unclear how much fonduing is going on in these locales, but that doesnt mean the setting is useless.

Its great for anything that is really dirty or greasy," said Gabriele Weiher, V-ZUGs head of investor and media relations.

Sometimes, specific appliance settings are rooted in religion. GE says most of its ovens have a Sabbath mode," that turns off some functionalities so observant Jews can abide by religious law restricting electricity during the Sabbath and holidays. The setting occasionally confuses cooks of other faiths.

The effort to create GEs first Spanish-language washer for the U.S. market included Latin Roots," a group of Latino employees, which came up with the most-relevant language for the washers dashboard.

Martinez, the GE design engineer and a member of the group, said when she was growing up in Puerto Rico, all appliances had English-language labels, some of which her family thought sounded downright menacing.

There was this cycle called perm press that we would not touch at all," she said. Her family was worried it may stiffen clothes, like permanently pressing them."

Write to David Marcelis at david.marcelis@wsj.com
Inside Irans hacking operation that has US officials on edge ahead of 2024 election
A Longford school is beginning the new academic year with an Irish Heart Foundation award for training its students in the lifesaving skill of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Templemichael College received a CPR 4 Schools award, which recognises schools, teachers and students for remarkable efforts in CPR promotion and training.

It was among 36 schools across Ireland presented with 57 awards as part of the national heart and stroke charitys CPR 4 Schools programme.

Since its 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.

Brigid Sinnott, Resuscitation Manager with the Irish Heart Foundation, 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.

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.

A persons chance of survival is doubled when CPR is started immediately.

By learning CPR once in your life, you are 10 times more likely to respond to an emergency than someone who has never received training.

Designed to embed 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 can register by emailing: schools@irishheart.ie.

To find out more about CPR 4 Schools, visit irishheart.ie/cpr4schools.
The fifth annual Alzheimers Memory Walk takes place nationwide on Sunday, September 22.

Set to be the largest Memory Walk to date, Breda Dunne from The Alzheimer Society of Irelands Longford Centre is urging the people of Longford to register now at www.memorywalk.ie and walk with her on September 22 at The Mall Complex (Albert Reynolds Peace Park), Templemichael, Longford at 2.30pm.

Speaking ahead of Alzheimers Memory Walk, Breda commented,

I am really looking forward to this year's Memory Walk in The Mall. It is going to be a great day to get together and walk with and for loved ones who are living with dementia and to remember loved ones who are sadly no longer with us.

It is a chance to share memories and create new ones together and is such a lovely event for everyone who attends. I would encourage everyone who can to register now at www.memorywalk.ie to join me on September 22 at 2.30pm "

The Alzheimer Society of Ireland is encouraging everyone to get behind this years Alzheimers Memory Walk, supported by Payzone, on Sunday, September 22 to help raise awareness and funds to help those living with dementia.

Register online now at www.memorywalk.ie to make and share memories on Sunday, September 22 at a location near you.

You will receive an Alzheimers Memory Walk Participant Pack including your 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.

Memory Walk honours, remembers, and celebrates the 64,000 people in Ireland living with dementia, along with their families and carers. It also cherishes the memory of those who are no longer with us.

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.

Share your Memory Walk experience on social media using #ASIMakingMemories #ASIMemoryWalk2024 #LetsWalkTogether.

For more information or to register for a Memory Walk near you, please visit www.memorywalk.ie.
Health & Wellness, Press Releases

By Long Island Published: August 28 2024

A 77-year-old man tragically died in a Bay Shore house fire, with detectives investigating the incident as non-criminal in nature

Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad and Arson Section detectives are investigating a house fire that killed a man in Bay Shore today.

Third Precinct officers responded to a 911 call reporting a fire at a home, located at 16 Oklahoma Ave., at 12:26 p.m. A resident of the home, Artemio Gonzalez, had been removed from the house by a family member, a good Samaritan and a Third Precinct officer.

Gonzalez, 77, was transported to South Shore Hospital in Bay Shore where he was pronounced dead.

The family member and a Third Precinct officer were transported to a local hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: August 28 2024

On a Call With Leaders From More Than 200 New York Colleges and Universities, Governor Emphasizes Safety Expectations and Highlights Resources Available for Campus Leaders.

Governor Kathy Hochul today met with leaders from over 200 college and university campuses in New York State as well as public safety experts to reinforce the importance of emergency plans ahead of students returning to campus for the fall semester. With increased need to monitor and respond to campus protests and potential threats to student safety, Governor Hochul, State Police and the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services met to reinforce expectations and connect campus leaders with necessary resources.

Public safety is my top priority, and as classes resume, it is essential that all students feel safe and are free from harm, Governor Hochul said. Last spring, I directed college campuses to review and update their emergency response plans, and 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.

In the Spring of 2024, the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) conducted reviews of campus emergency response plans and conducted multiple training sessions with higher education institutions across New York State. Throughout the summer, the New York State Police worked closely with campuses to enhance emergency planning, and remains committed to working with college campuses to ensure comprehensive measures are in place to protect the school communities.

These training sessions were consistent with and informed by the recently released Campus Planning Toolkit from the U.S. Department of Education. This toolkit provides law enforcement, university administrators and campus leaders with a methodology to maintain both student safety and civil liberties on campus, centered on building resilient campuses, planning for crisis response, maintaining engagement through a crisis and individual and community recovery.

Todays call is Governor Hochul's latest action to address hate, bias and antisemitism on campus. Last year, she wrote a letter to all colleges and universities in New York, reiterating their obligation under New York State's human rights law and Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act to provide an educational setting free of harassment and discrimination. The letter was sent following a Congressional Hearing on Antisemitism where several university presidents failed to denounce antisemitism and calls for genocide on college campuses clearly and unequivocally.

Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES)

DHSES is advising campuses to utilize the updated Emergency Response Plans (ERPs) along with their Emergency Action Plans (EAPs), and have a good understanding of their protocols prior to the Fall 2024 semester. DHSES Domestic Terrorism Prevention Unit (DTPU) has also partnered with CICU to survey the private colleges and universities to assess whether they have Threat Assessment and Management teams or equivalent multidisciplinary teams that conduct risk, threat and behavioral assessments, and work together to create a management plan for the campus. The unit has also partnered with the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities to identify and collaborate with schools that would like assistance developing or improving their teams.

DTPU has also recently provided Threat Evaluation Reporting training to many colleges and universities in the SUNY system, and they will begin hiring new staff to support Threat Assessment and Management team development at colleges and universities.

New York State Police (NYSP)

In anticipation of potential issues and protests during the fall 2024 semester, NYSP has directed Troop Commanders visit with college administration at campuses of concern prior to the beginning of the fall semester. The Troop Commanders have been directed to discuss the colleges stance and course of action in the event of protests and get insight into the colleges expectations of assistance.

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, The safety and security of all New Yorkers remains our top priority and we have zero tolerance for any individuals that perpetuate hate crimes, acts of violence and harassment within our communities. No student should ever feel vulnerable at their place of education and together, with our partners in law enforcement, we are working to ensure that all people from every background are protected at college campuses. I thank Governor Hochul for her commitment to public safety and for making certain that resources are available to put the well-being of all New Yorkers first.

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, At SUNY, safety is paramount and we have been and remain fiercely committed to ensuring security, civil discourse, and inclusivity on our campuses. We stand with Governor Hochul in rejecting antisemitism, Islamophobia, and hatred and bigotry in any form.

CUNY Chancellor Felix V. Matos Rodriguez said, CUNY is working in close consultation with Governor Hochul to provide a climate in which every student feels safe, valued and assured of their right to attend classes in an environment that is free of violence, harassment and discrimination of any kind. We are excited to kick off a productive new school year on all of CUNY's 25 campuses, and we thank the Governor for her leadership in prioritizing the safety and well-being of every college student in New York State.

CICU President Lola W. Brabham said, The Independent Colleges and Universities of New York State remain committed to ensuring individual student and campus safety is a main priority for the coming academic year. We are fortunate that Governor Hochul has cultivated strong partnerships within New York's higher education community and remains engaged in protecting students and campuses across an increasingly complex landscape. Safety is always top of mind for our member institutions, and with the Governor's leadership, the Independent Sector will continue to meet the evolving needs of our diverse campus communities and empower faculty, staff and students to make informed safety decisions.

Association of Private Colleges (APC) President Donna Stelling Gurnett said, Campus safety is essential as students and faculty return to campus this fall. APC and our member institutions will work with Governor Hochul, DHSES, and local law enforcement to keep campuses free from hate and violence. We welcome the opportunity to participate in planning and applaud the state's leadership to keep students, staff, and faculty safe.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: August 28 2024

The award recipients have exemplified extraordinary commitment and excellence in their efforts to create a positive impact in the community.

Suffolk County Legislators (left to right) McCaffrey, Donnelly, Kennedy, Mazzarella, Sanin, and Bontempi stand the winners of Suffolk Countys prestigious Distinguished Youth Award.

Legislator Rebecca Sanin proudly recognizes the exceptional young individuals of District 16 who have devoted their summer to community service, leadership, and personal growth. These remarkable students have been awarded Gold, Silver, and Bronze honors through Suffolk Countys prestigious Distinguished Youth Award program.

The award recipients have exemplified extraordinary commitment and excellence in their efforts to create a positive impact in the community. Through their hard work, determination, and passion for service, these young leaders have set an inspiring example for their peers.

Gold Award Recipient:

Emma Lesly Francis

Silver Award Recipients:

Grace Sullivan and Logan Seltzer

Bronze Award Recipient:

Andrew Badalamenti

Legislator Sanin praised the awardees, stating, These students represent the very best of our community. Their dedication to service and leadership is not only commendable but also a beacon of hope for the future. I am incredibly proud of their achievements and the positive difference they have made.

In addition to honoring this years awardees, Legislator Sanin is excited to announce that registration is now open for the 2024-2025 Distinguished Youth Award program. Young people aged 13-18 are encouraged to apply and seize this unique opportunity to grow, lead, and make a difference.

The Distinguished Youth Award program provides a platform for young individuals to develop their skills, engage with their communities, and be recognized for their contributions. Participants can earn Gold, Silver, or Bronze awards by completing a series of challenges and activities focused on personal growth, leadership, and community service.

Interested applicants can learn more and register for the 2024-2025 program by visiting Suffolk County Legislatures Distinguished Youth Award page .

About the Distinguished Youth Award Program:

The Distinguished Youth Award program encourages young people to reach their full potential by engaging in various personal development, leadership, and community service activities. The program recognizes participants with Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards based on their achievements and commitment to excellence.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: September 05 2024

Attendees will participate in a 40-minute yoga session led by a certified instructor, while goats roam freely throughout the session.

Tanger Outlets Deer Park will host a sold-out goat yoga event on the centers newly renovated Piazza green space on Sept. 8 from 10 a.m.  noon.

Attendees will participate in a 40-minute yoga session led by a certified instructor, while goats roam freely throughout the session. The event offers an opportunity to experience a relaxed, outdoor atmosphere with a lighthearted twist.

WHAT:   Goat Yoga at Tanger Deer Park

WHEN:  Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024

10 a.m.  noon

WHERE:  Tanger Deer Park

Piazza Green

152 The Arches Circle

Deer Park, NY 11729
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: August 28 2024

This is a clear violation of public trust, said DeRiggi-Whitton. Public funds are meant to serve the residents of Nassau County, not to be used as a political war chest.

Today, Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton called for an immediate investigation by New York State Attorney General Letitia James into the alleged misuse of taxpayer dollars by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. The request comes in response to revelations that County Executive Blakeman spent over $100,000 in taxpayer money on a county-wide mailer that appears to serve as a political advertisement for Congressman Anthony DEsposito.

The mailer, which addresses the so-called Migrant Crisis, is widely viewed as a thinly veiled attempt to bolster Congressman DEspositos re-election campaign against former Town of Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen in one of the most hotly contested federal races in the country. DeRiggi-Whitton condemned the mailer as a blatant misuse of public resources for political gain.

This is a clear violation of public trust, said DeRiggi-Whitton. Public funds are meant to serve the residents of Nassau County, not to be used as a political war chest. The repeated misuse of taxpayer money by County Executive Blakeman for political purposes cannot and will not be tolerated.

This is not the first time County Executive Blakeman has come under fire for misusing public resources. DeRiggi-Whitton noted that Blakeman has previously spent public funds on mailers attacking political opponents, including Governor Kathy Hochul, over issues like funding for Nassau University Medical Center.

County Executive Blakeman has a troubling history of using taxpayer dollars to advance his political agenda, added DeRiggi-Whitton. This pattern of misconduct must be thoroughly investigated, and if confirmed, its imperative that those responsible are held accountable.

The use of public resources for political purposes is strictly prohibited under New York State law. Section 74 of the New York Public Officers Law prohibits public officers from using their positions to secure unwarranted privileges for themselves or others. Additionally, Section 107 of the New York State Civil Service Law bans the use of public funds for political advertising and activities.

DeRiggi-Whitton has formally requested that Attorney General James launch an immediate investigation into the matter. Copies of the mailers in question were provided as exhibits in the letter sent to the Attorney Generals office.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: August 28 2024

The Ship Will Visit and Open Her Decks to The Public at Railroad Dock in Greenport, NY September 5-9.

The NAO TRINIDAD will soon visit Greenport, NY and dock at Railroad Dock. Did you know that among its creaking timbers the Nao Trinidad tells the story of the first circumnavigation around the world? You can climb aboard and learn how the adventurous sailors of yesteryear sailed and lived! Only from 5 to 9 September from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm non-stop. Visit the floating museum with an exhibition in which you can visit 5 of its decks.

We recommend to all the public to book their tickets now on the website of tickets.naotrinidad.org not to miss this fantastic vessel! Schools and associations should schedule their visit by sending an e-mail to the following address ecampos@velacuadra.es.

The current crew consists of 12 men and women of different nationalities and new applications are currently being accepted for positions of fundacionnaovictoria.org.

Nao Trinidad: Flagship of the First Sailing Around the World

The Nao Trinidad was the flagship of the Magellan-Elcano expedition, leading the first sailing around the world between 1519 and 1522, which was the greatest maritime feat in history. An expedition that circumnavigated the globe for the first time, opening new routes, connecting continents and oceans, and getting to know the peoples and cultures that inhabited the lands they touched along their immense journey: Brazil, Argentina, the Mariana Islands, the Philippine Islands, Indonesia, Brunei and Timor.

It set sail from Seville (Spain) on 10th August, 1519, at the head of a fleet of five ships which, following its guidance, crossed the Atlantic, sailed along the coast of South America, discovered the Strait of Magellan and crossed the Pacific Ocean for the first time in history. They reached the Mariana Islands, the Philippines and the Moluccas, where the destiny of the Flagship Trinidad would change.

After more than two years at sea and with the fatigue of sailing thousands of nautical miles, the Trinidad sprang a huge leak in its hull. This prevented its return to Spain from the Moluccas with the expeditions only other surviving shipits companion, the Victoria. The latter did make it home, completing the First Sailing Around the World just months later.

Meanwhile, the Trinidad was involved in the toughest incident of the voyage. With the damage repaired, it attempted to return to Spain by sailing eastward, with 54 men on board, but was defeated by strong headwinds and currents. It was forced to sail northward until it reached the 42nd parallel north, when a violent storm nearly caused its wreckage. Cold, hunger, thirst and scurvy mercilessly struck the ship and its men.

Giving up, the ship returned to the Moluccas after six months of suffering and fighting against the sea, with just 17 survivors. There, the Portuguese were waiting for them; they captured the crew and abandoned the battered ship in those waters, where, exhausted and damaged, it met its end.

Facts and Figures

The construction of the vessel was carried out respecting her forms and details with historical rigor, applying an innovative and revolutionary system in the shipbuilding sector of historical replicas of these characteristics, combining the construction in fiberglass and its lining of wood. The work lasted approximately 14 months, and the launched was on March 11th, 2018.

The vessel weight 200 GT. Just as the original, the replica of the Trinidad have three masts and a bowsprit. The height of the main mast is almost 82 ft from the waterline. We are used around 1589.16ft of iroko wood have been used for the construction. It is a tropical wood of great durability and very resistant to the different climatic and meteorological agents.

Dimensions

 More than 1200 sq ft of visiting area (in different decks).

 4 decks, captain cabin and living accommodation on board area.

 Capacity: 100 people maximum/event. Increases possibilities and at port installations.

 Average number of visitors per day: 2.000.

 Specifications: Length: 93 ft / Maximum beam: 26.2ft / Draft: 10 ft / Air Draft: 82 ft

 4 Masts /5 sails / 80 ft Air draft.
Israeli Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi (left) during a visit to the Jordan Valley on August 27. (IDF photo)

Israel Defense Forces (IFD) Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi visited the Jordan Valley on August 27 and met with the heads of local municipalities. His visit took place several hours before the IDF launched a major multi-pronged operation overnight between August 27 and August 28 against terrorist cells in the northern West Bank. Halevis trip also took place a day after he met with US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Q Brown.

Halevis visit to the Jordan Valley is important, as it illustrates how important this area has become in terms of counterterrorism operations and wider regional threats to Israel.

Halevi arrived by helicopter to the Jordan Valley, where he met with commanders and was provided a security briefing on the area. In footage of his visit distributed by the IDF, he is seen viewing maps with officers and meeting with local Israeli leaders and members of the brigade responsible for securing the Jordan Valley.

The valley has held strategic importance for Israel for many years. In the 1960s, it was threatened by Palestinian terror groups based in Jordan. In the last two decades, mines have been cleared in some portions of the Jordan Valley, and the area has been mostly peaceful. However, in the previous two years, Iranian-backed smuggling attempts have been detected, and other threats have developed there.

The threats in the Jordan Valley form one flank of the overall emerging terror threat in the northern West Bank, which has been growing for years and led to clashes in places like Jenin. However, since the October 7 Hamas attack, clashes have increased in places like Nur Shams near Tulkarm, Qalqilya, and other areas. Several of these localities are Palestinian towns, such as Tubas, that overlook the valley.

For instance, a shooting attack at the Mehola Junction in the Jordan Valley on August 11 killed Yonatan Deutsch, a 23-year-old Israeli from Beit Shean. The Mehola Junction is just south of an Israeli checkpoint that forms the border between Beit Shean and the West Bank. It is on Route 90, a major thoroughfare that runs the length of the Jordan Valley. In addition, on August 5, shots were fired at the Israeli community of Bekaot, which is a 15-minute drive from the Mehola Junction. Explosive devices were found in the aftermath of the attack. During IDF operations on August 28 in the West Bank, an IDF unit found an explosives lab in Al Fara, which is only a four-mile walk from where the attack took place on Bekaot.

During his August 27 visit, Halevi went to an area where the terrorist who fired on Bekaot was eliminated, the IDF said.

We are here first and foremost to strengthen security, Halevi said to local community council heads. The IDF is operating on seven fronts with very different characteristics [] There is great importance in the rapid response teams. We are working to reinforce them and investing a lot in this effort. We will be here with as many forces and resources as possible to build better security infrastructure that will provide better protection for the communities. This will also happen thanks to the partnership between us and you.

Halevis reference to seven fronts refers to numerous aspects of the current conflict. For instance, the IDF is fighting in Gaza and confronting Hezbollah threats while also increasing its operations in the West Bank. In addition, the Jordan Valley could be increasingly threatened by Palestinian terror groups operating from areas such as Tubas or by Iranian-backed organizations in Iraq or via Jordan. Halevi discussed the broader Middle East and the importance of regional partnerships when he met with General Brown the day before visiting the Jordan Valley.

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).
Israeli soldiers of the Menashe Territorial Brigade operate in the West Bank. (Image from a video published by the IDF Spokespersons Office)

On Monday, August 27, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israeli Security Agency (ISA), and Israel Police launched a counterterrorism operation against Palestinian armed factions and their associated branches in the West Bank.

Israeli security forces began a counterterrorism operation in Jenin and Tulkarm, eliminating armed terrorists from the air and ground, dismantling explosives planted under the roads, and confiscating large quantities of weapons, stated the IDF.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said that Israeli operations killed nine Palestinians. However, that agency does not differentiate between civilians and terrorists. Furthermore, Hamas issued a statement mourning the deaths of three fighters killed while confronting the Zionist aggression in the West Bank.

Separately, the IDF said it eliminated nine armed terrorists. In the area of Jenin, three armed terrorists who posed a threat to the security forces were eliminated in an aerial strike by an aircraft. Furthermore, in the areas of Jenin and Tulkarm, the forces eliminated two additional armed terrorists [] Simultaneously, security forces initiated an aerial counterterrorism operation in the area of Fara, during which an aircraft struck and eliminated four armed terrorists that posed a threat to the forces, stated the IDF.

Adding some detail to the operation, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz stated on X that Iran and its partners are attempting to establish a front against Israel and support terrorist groups in the territory.

The IDF is working intensively from tonight in the Jenin and Tulkarm refugee camps to thwart Islamic-Iranian terrorist infrastructures that have been established there. Iran is working to establish an eastern terrorist front against Israel in the West Bank, according to the Gaza and Lebanon model, by financing and arming terrorists and smuggling advanced weapons from Jordan. We must deal with the threat just as we deal with the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza, including the temporary evacuation of Palestinian residents and whatever steps are required, said Katz.

To illustrate the current threats facing Israeli troops in the West Bank, a photograph shared on Telegram by a channel linked to Palestinian terrorist groups purportedly depicted an Israeli military vehicle haphazardly outfitted with a cellular jamming device. The Israeli military may have used the device to thwart attempts to remotely detonate IEDs often hidden under roads in the northern West Bank. Additional posts on social media featured footage of gunfire and IEDs aimed at Israeli troops and vehicles.

Since 2021, Iran-backed terrorist groups such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades have gained a significant foothold in the northern West Bank by establishing so-called battalions. These affiliated groups have entrenched themselves in different sectors of the northern West Bank, where they often clash with the IDF and carry out attacks against Israeli civilians. Areas such as Tulkarem, Jenin, Nablus, Tubas, and others have become strongholds for Iran-backed groups.

The Palestinian Authority has made some efforts to rein in Hamas and Islamic Jihad, but they are not enough to stop the flow of arms smuggling and the growth of terrorism in the territory.

Joe Truzman is an editor and senior research analyst at FDD's Long War Journal focused primarily on Palestinian armed groups and non-state actors in the Middle East.
LIVONIA, MICH.  Last week, Madonna University held a Convocation ceremony to officially welcome its newest class of students. The event took place in the Felician Sisters' Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Chapel, with administrators, trustees, faculty, staff, students, and parents in attendance.

St. Catherine Medal Winner Bella Burchart delivered the invocation, setting the tone for the ceremony. President Chris Dougherty, Professor Dennis Bozyk, Provost Deborah Dunn, and Vice President Chris Benson addressed the students, offering words of encouragement and advice as they embark on their college journey.

Sr. Nancy Marie Jamroz, co-director of the Center for Catholic Studies and Interfaith Dialogue, shared the history of the Felician Sisters of North America and how Madonna University was founded. She also blessed the students and their families.

Student Senate President Aaron Hunter encouraged students to get involved in campus life and to reach out to him if they needed anything. He assured them that they would be supported throughout their time at Madonna.

Following Convocation, everyone enjoyed a cookout near St. Francis Pond, providing an opportunity for students, faculty, staff, and and parents to socialize and celebrate the start of the new academic year.
Graham Norton will sit down with an audience at the Wycombe Swan as part of a nationwide tour to mark the launch of his new book Frankie.

The BBC talk show star  and Sunday Times best-selling author  will discuss his latest literary endeavor when he visits the swan on Monday, September 9.

Frankie, Nortons fourth book, takes readers back in time to 1940s Ireland and the scenes of 1960s New York through the fictional story of Londoner Frankie Powell.

A spokesperson for the show said: This exciting tour offers fans the unique opportunity to join Graham live as he discusses his new book, shares hilarious anecdotes from his star-studded career, and answers audience questions.

Nortons previous 2020 title Home Stretch, focused on a community in Ireland reeling from the impact of a traumatic car crash.

It was reviewed in The Guardian as a thoughtful examination of sexual identity, shame, and the impact of collective grief.

BBC Goodreads rates his latest book Frankie as a 4.5 out of 5.

The show starts at 8pm and is restricted to people aged 16 and over.

Tickets are still available and priced at between 41 and 51.

To find out more visit www.wycombeswan.co.uk
State Public Health officials on Tuesday announced two more people had been diagnosed with West Nile Virus, bringing the total number of human cases in the state to four.

Both new cases are men in their 60s, the Department of Public Health announced. One man was expected in Suffolk County in an area known to be at increased risk for the mosquito-borne disease, while the other was exposed in Norfolk County.

As a result of the new cases, the department raised the risk level for the disease in multiple communities to high. Cambridge, Everett, Medford, Newton, Somerville and Watertown are now all at high risk for the disease. Brookline, Milton and Quincy in Norfolk County are also deemed high risk, the department said in a statement.

We are currently in the peak time for West Nile virus activity in Massachusetts, which will continue into September. As the amount of disease in mosquitoes increases, so do the chances for human infection, said Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein in the statement. It is important that people throughout the state continue to take steps to avoid mosquito bites. The risk of West Nile virus in Massachusetts will not go away until the first hard frost.

The first human case of West Nile Virus diagnosed in 2024 was a man in his 40s who was exposed in Hampden County. The second human case was a man in his 70s exposed in Middlesex County. No animal cases of the virus have been detected thus far in 2024.

West Nile Virus is typically transmitted to humans through a bite from an infected mosquito. Six human cases of the virus were diagnosed in 2023, according to DPH.

More than 250 mosquito samples in the state have tested positive for the virus across Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Hampden, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk and Worcester counties, according to DPH. The risk of human infection of West Nile Virus is moderate or high in Middlesex, Norfolk and Suffolk counties and elevated in parts of Barnstable, Bristol, Essex, Hampden, Plymouth and Worcester counties.

State Epidemiologist Catherine Brown noted that at least 32 other states have reported human cases of the virus in 2024. People over the age of 60 and those with certain chronic medical conditions are the most likely to develop severe illness after becoming infected with the virus, she said.

Most people infected with West Nile virus dont develop symptoms, but when they do, the symptoms are usually flu-like.

Brown said people have an important role in preventing mosquito-borne disease.

Tips for Avoiding Mosquito-borne Illnesses

When going outside, use an insect repellent with an EPA-registered ingredient, such as DEET, permethrin, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus

Use insect repellents as instructed by the manufacturer

Avoid being outside from dusk to dawn, which is when mosquitos are most active

Wear long sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors to protect your skin from mosquitos

Drain still water from containers around your home to prevent mosquitos from laying eggs in the water

Install and repair all door and window screens to help keep mosquitos out of your home

Ask your vet about pet-safe insect repellents that you can use on pets who go outdoors

Material from a previous MassLive story was used in this report.
A pair of advocacy groups on Wednesday asked Attorney General Andrea J. Campbells office to launch an investigation into the Saugus Public Schools admissions policy, which they claim excludes migrant students.

The letter to Campbells office comes less than two weeks after the groups, Lawyers for Civil Rights and Massachusetts Advocates for Children, sent a letter to the towns School Committee asking it to amend the policy, which the body adopted in 2022.

Those groups claim the committees policy includes overly-stringent residency and proof-of-identity requirements, which have a disproportionate impact on immigrant and mixed-status families.
Federal authorities on Wednesday charged former Stoughton Police Officer Matthew Farwell with killing Sandra Birchmore, a 23-year-old woman they said he began sexually exploiting when she was a teenager.

While Birchmores death was initially ruled a suicide, federal officials said they concluded Farwell staged her body after strangling her on Feb. 1, 2021. She was discovered dead in her Canton apartment days later and had told Farwell she was pregnant with his child, prosecutors said.
LAS VEGAS (AP)  A jury in Nevada has found a Democratic former Las Vegas-area politician guilty of murder in the killing of an investigative journalist who wrote articles critical of his conduct in elected office.

Robert Telles hung his head, shaking it slightly from side to side as the verdict was read Wednesday in Clark County District Court. Jurors deliberated for nearly 12 hours after hearing eight days of evidence in his trial, which began Aug 12.

Telles, 47, has been jailed without bail since his arrest several days after Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German was found slashed and stabbed to death in a side yard of his home on Labor Day weekend 2022.

Jurors now will hear evidence on the penalty phase of the trial.

In the penalty phase, the jury that found Telles guilty may hear additional testimony and see more evidence before deciding what prison sentence he should receive. Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty. The judge will impose a sentence at a hearing scheduled at a later date.

Telles, 47, could face life in prison without parole, life with parole eligibility at 20 years, or 20 to 50 years in prison.

A conviction also for use of a deadly weapon would add one to eight years to his sentence.

Telles denied killing German. He 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 am not the kind of person who would stab someone. I didnt kill Mr. German, he testified. And thats my testimony.

Defense lawyer Robert Draskovich showed the jury an image during closing arguments Monday of a person whose profile didnt look like Telles driving a maroon SUV that evidence showed was key to the crime. He noted that none of Germans blood or DNA was found on Telles, in his vehicle or at his home.

He asked jurors to ask themselves, What evidence is missing?

Prosecutor Christopher Hamner told jurors that finding Telles guilty would be like connecting the dots based on overwhelming evidence they heard  including DNA that matched Telles found beneath Germans fingernails.

Hamner maintained that German fought to the death with his attacker and that Telles blamed German for destroying his career, ruining his reputation and threatening his marriage.

Todd Leventhal, a former prosecutor-turned-Las Vegas defense attorney with over 20 years of experience and no connection with the case, said he thought Draskovichs closing made at least one but maybe two jurors question the evidence they received. Other jurors may be detail-oriented and want to go through everything, he said.

They are taking their jobs as jurors serious and thats fantastic, Leventhal said. Realistically there is no hurry, and the man is facing life in prison.

Telles lost his primary for a second elected term after Germans stories appeared in the Las Vegas Review-Journal in May and June 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.

Prosecutors presented a timeline and videos showing Telles maroon SUV leaving the neighborhood near his home a little after 9 a.m. on Sept. 2, 2022, and driving on streets near Germans home a short time later.

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 where German 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 Telles wife sent him a text message about 10:30 a.m. asking, Where are you? Prosecutors said Telles left his cellphone at home so he couldnt be tracked. Telles told the jury he took a walk and then went to a gym in the afternoon.

German, 69, was a respected journalist who spent 44 years covering crime, courts and corruption in Las Vegas. About a dozen of his family members and friends have watched the trial. Theyve declined as a group to comment.

Telles 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 hes 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.

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.
Update: Evidence in Sandra Birchmores death was inconsistent with suicide, feds say

A former Stoughton police officer was arrested Wednesday in connection with the death of Sandra Birchmore, a woman he is accused of grooming beginning when she was a teen girl.

Federal authorities wrote in an indictment unsealed Wednesday that the police officer, Matthew Farwell, killed Birchmore while she was pregnant, that she told him he was the father and that he staged her killing to look like a suicide.

The FBIs Boston division announced the arrest of Matthew Farwell on Wednesday morning in connection with the womans death three years ago.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled that Birchmore died by suicide. But an expert hired by federal investigators found that Birchmores injuries were inconsistent with a suicide.

Her behavior was also not that of a person who intended to take their own life, officials said.

In the hours before her death, Birchmore contacted a photographer about taking photos of a newborn and asked a friend about acquiring baby clothes, said Stephen Kelleher, the assistant special agent in charge of the FBIs Boston office.

He also said Birchmore had a load of laundry in the washing machine when she died, and another in the dryer.

Levy said Farwell strangled Birchmore, who believed she was pregnant with his child, to death on Feb. 1, 2021, and then staged her Canton apartment to look like a suicide. He is accused of doing so just hours before his wife gave birth to their third child together.

In an affidavit filed in federal court, FBI Special Agent Chenee Castruita said the killing was the culmination of Farwells years-long pattern of abuse of Birchmore.

Farwell, 38, of North Easton, was arrested Wednesday morning at a Revere shopping plaza, Kelleher said.

He faces a charge of killing a witness or victim, which carries a minimum sentence of life in prison and a maximum penalty of death.

Levy wouldnt comment during a press conference Wednesday on whether prosecutors will seek the death penalty, saying such decisions are made at the highest levels of the U.S. Justice Department.

In a brief arraignment Wednesday afternoon, Farwell pleaded not guilty. He is being held in federal custody and will return to court on Sept. 10 for a detention hearing.

Farwell, a Stoughton police officer from 2012 to 2022, groomed Birchmore as a teenager after she joined a department youth program teaching teens about careers in law enforcement, prosecutors said. That program folded in 2017.

He began to sexually exploit Birchmore when she was 15 years old, Levy said. Farwell was 27 at the time.

Levy said Farwell regularly met Birchmore for sex, including while he was on duty.

While Birchmore was excited to learn she was pregnant, Levy said, Farwell was decidedly less so, growing angry when Birchmore made requests regarding doctors visits and information for the babys birth certificate.

Mr. Farwell was losing control in late 2020, early 2021, and the information that Sandra Birchmore possessed about his illegal conduct was in danger of slipping out, Levy said.

Less than two weeks before Birchmores death, a person called the Stoughton Police with information about Farwell and Birchmores relationship.

When Farwell learned of the call, he became visibly angry and violent with Birchmore including pushing, shoving, and choking her, Levy said. He noted that Farwell, at 6 feet 4 inches, towered over the 4-foot-10-inch Birchmore.

In the weeks before her death, prosecutors said Farwell for the first time requested a key to Birchmores apartment. She told friends he was oddly inspecting the apartment. Levy said Farwell was planning Birchmores killing.

After strangling her to death, he used his knowledge and experience as a law enforcement officer to stage her death to look like a suicide, Levy said.

Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara on Wednesday called Birchmores killing a horrific injustice.

The allegations, she said, represent the single worst act of not just professional misconduct but indeed human indecency that I have observed in a nearly three-decade career in law enforcement.

Levy said the federal investigators learned new information in the last year that pointed to Birchmores death not being a suicide.

In June, a forensic pathologist hired by Birchmores family concluded her death was a homicide. The finding was first reported by The Boston Globe.

David Traub, a spokesman for the Norfolk County District Attorneys Office, which initially investigated Birchmores death, said the investigation has remained open and active, but that the office could not comment extensively on active investigations.

We look forward to supporting and assisting Federal authorities as they pursue this prosecution, Traub wrote in an email. He said two Massachusetts State Police troopers assigned to the district attorneys office assisted with Farwells arrest in Revere.

In June, a forensic pathologist hired by Birchmores family concluded she did not die by suicide, but was killed. The finding was reported by The Boston Globe.
The Conjuring: Last Rites, the fourth in the horror film series, does not come out until next year, but a new saga is unfolding on the house that inspired the franchise.

Jason Hawes, star and producer of the SyFy television series Ghost Hunters, and his daughter, Satori Hawes, who used to work at Rhode Islands The Conjuring house, have accused the houses owner, Jacqueline Nunez, of sending them accusatory and threatening text messages, according to an incident report to the West Greenwich Police Department in Rhode Island on Aug. 6.

Nunez, in the meantime, is prompting concern on social media, as people react to alarming posts that go beyond the discussion of the houses supposed paranormal activity.

Nunez, a Boston real estate developer, bought The Conjuring house  also known as the Burrillville farmhouse  in 2022. She purchased the home with the stipulation from the houses previous owner that whoever owns it cannot live in it year-round because the energy is so powerful, Nunez told The Boston Globe that year.

Jason Hawes and his Ghost Hunters crew went to the house in a 2005 episode of the show after former owner Norma Sutcliffe said she and her husband noticed furniture in the house vibrated.

Well, this is an interesting house, Hawes said in the episode. Its a really old home, well over 250 years old. It just gives off a creepy feeling when youre in there.

On July 24, Nunez began texting Jason Hawes after she posted surveillance footage on social media of a man at the house at around 2:30 a.m., according to the West Greenwich police report. Hawes told police Nunez claimed on social media that the man in the video looked like Jason Hawes.

A post showing this footage was seen on The Conjuring houses Facebook page before the account was taken down. However, this post did not name Hawes.

We really are divinely protected and so are all of our well-intentioned visitors, the Facebook posts caption read, according to the report. This is the third time Ive posted these videos. Some hijacker of our [The Conjuring house] account has deleted most of my posts and I will find out who they are. How can evidence of paranormal activity be so threatening that they need to do anything to prevent people from seeing it?

Hawes told police that the video was proven not to be of him, and that the male on the camera footage was a guest of The Conjuring house that left in a red Toyota Tacoma, the report read.

Hawes told police that the texts were unprovoked. In an Aug. 3 Facebook post, Hawes wrote, Lets just be clear. I have not spoken, texted, called, emailed or even seen this lady in more than six months.

He alerted police to the text messages and Facebook post to cover myself and protect my family, according to Rhode Island television station WPRI 12.

Some of these text messages were just extremely vile, Hawes told the news station. She claimed I was there trying to do an assassination plot.

According to the incident report, Nunez told Hawes she knew of an assassination attempt on me, and said, I will never be defeated or destroyed by any f***ing paranormal person, now or at any time in the future.

Towards the end of the report, Officer Jason Larivee wrote that he left Nunez a voicemail message asking her to call him back.

Hawes told WPRIs reporters in their Aug. 15 story that while he has legal representation, Nunez has backed off from those threats with me.

But shes still doing it with other people, he claimed.

However, on Aug. 16, he posted on Facebook that Nunez has found other ways to contact him despite being blocked and is emailing his children.

No one should go to this property #BoycottConjuringHouse, the post concluded.

In a comment to that post, Hawes wrote that Nunezs actions are not paranormal-related, but are choices of lifestyle.

These are issues that have been going on for quite a while and have just been getting worse and worse over time due to her choices, he wrote in the comment.

Facebook followers are concerned

Others on social media have also been concerned about Nunez based on numerous recent Facebook posts by her on The Conjuring houses official Facebook page  including posts stating she is the princess of Saudi Arabia and that Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Meta, has incited hate on his page towards Nunez.

I know that many of you do not understand why I am making various posts, she wrote on Aug. 18. I am part of an International Team that is doing a special mission that triggered events, when I bought [The Conjuring house]. It will be a great thing, once completed.

Some of those Facebook posts received hundreds of comments.

Making excuses for her behavior is NOT helping anyone, especially her, one commenter wrote. She is not possessed. Evil entities are not influencing her. Its called accountability for ones actions, that is it.

While commenters criticized Nunezs actions, some have voiced their support for Hawes.

Im so sorry youre experiencing this especially from someone you were there to help, one person wrote. Honestly as a medium, this feels more like a stunt for attention than a possession or haunting. I know the house clearly has a history but shes looking for attention. Praying for you and especially your family.

The Conjuring houses Facebook page has since been deactivated.

Nunez told WPRI in a statement that she was not speaking until after she filed a complaint with the U.S. Attorneys Office in New York. She is asking for an investigation into evidence of hate crimes and abusive attacks against me and The Conjuring house.

She also filed complaints to officials in Burrillville and to the Rhode Island Attorney Generals office, WPRI wrote. Nunez added that these agencies have not confirmed if investigations were underway, but she hopes they are or intend to.

MassLive has reached out to Jason Hawes and Nunez.

Former employees speak out

Satori Hawes, Jason Hawes daughter, worked at The Conjuring house up until May. She told WPRI that The Conjuring house is a beautiful, haunted property but that she is also having issues with Nunez.

Its not this evil dark place that some people made it out to seem, Satori Hawes said.

Hawes and her fiance, Cody DesBiens, problems stem from thousands of dollars they said they put into renovating a barn. The couple had set up the barn next to the house to be a paranormal museum when there was a fire in December 2023, they told WPRI. They filled the building with their own furniture, equipment and paranormal artifacts.

Crews battle an overnight fire at a barn on the property of The Conjuring House in Burrillville, Rhode Island on Monday, Dec. 4.Pascoag Fire Department on Facebook

DesBiens said Nunez promised to pay them back through her insurance but the couple said she has not. She told the news station in a statement that she spent $450,000 renovating the barn, but did not receive enough money to cover what was inside.

The couple did not contribute one dime towards any of that renovation, Nunez said. She later said that the fire was likely caused by improperly disposed materials spontaneously combusting inside a trash bag left in the barn. She later blamed the couple for having a role in the fire, according to WPRI.

In December 2023, she said it wasnt arson and was an accident. The fire, she said, was started by improperly disposed materials spontaneously combusting inside a trash bag left in the barn.

Another employee has also spoken out after he claims he was fired due to stealing allegations from an 1880s spirit.

In July, Nunez fired Brian Dansereau and claimed the spirit of a former The Conjuring house owner in the 1880s said Dansereau stole about $3,000, Dansereau said to WPRI.

She said, John Arnold told me youve been stealing money out of the cash box for the past two months, Dansereau said in an interview with the news station. I literally stopped and I had to correct her like, John Arnold, one of the original owners?

Danseraeu started working at the house in 2021 and became its first full-time employee in May 2024, according to a GoFundMe he set up.

While he believes in the paranormal, Dansereau told WPRI that hes never heard of a spirit going after someone in that way at any haunted venue, let alone the Conjuring House.

He filed a complaint at the end of July seeking unpaid wages to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, WPRI reported. Dansereau estimated that Nunez owes him $9,000 for uncompensated work.

For Dansereau, the job was horrible, leaving him with anxiety and sleepless nights, he said.

This was going to be my sunset job, he told WPRI. In all my career, Ive never been accused of stealing.

Nunez told the news station that her financial books back up her allegation and that she does not owe Dansereau any money. She added that she planned to file a complaint with local officials that claim he slandered her on videos shared to YouTube.

The GoFundMe  which has raised almost $8,000 as of Aug. 27  was set up in July to pay for a heart condition and Dansereau claims Nunez only wrote him checks and never came through with health insurance ...

... As it stands, I cannot go through unemployment as she never did the right thing by me with my full-time position and clearly she still owes me five weeks of pay which she assured she is not paying, Dansereau wrote.

Satori Hawes and DesBiens told the news station they were stunned that Nunez fired Dansereau over the theft accusation. If there are cameras throughout the house, where is the proof to back Nunezs claim, Satori Hawes asked.

I dont think any accusations of stealing are true in any way, Satori Hawes told WPRI. [Dansereau] is one of the most dependable, kind and honest people you will ever meet.
The 10-year-old Massachusetts boy killed in a drunken driving crash after the Kenny Chesney concert Saturday was identified as Jaylen Bush-Victorian, according to Brockton Public Schools.

The rising fifth grader attended Downey School along with his siblings, who were also in the crash. And his mother serves as a paraprofessional at the Barrett Russell Early Childhood Center.

Its challenging to find the words to describe the sense of loss brought on by this tragedy, the school district wrote on Facebook. Our hearts are with the family and all those who love them as they mourn.

Massachusetts State Police said that Michael Escolas, 42, of Oxford, stole a car from a Gillette Stadium parking lot, drove drunk down Route 1 and hit another car carrying the family of six stopped at an intersection. Jaylen was killed and Escolas and the five other family members were injured, authorities said.

Escolas is facing charges of motor vehicle manslaughter by operating under the influence, larceny of a motor vehicle, operating under the influence (second offense), negligent operation, marked lane violation and nine counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in connection with the crash, according to court records.

During his arraignment in Wrentham District Court, Escolas pleaded not guilty to the charges, court records show. As requested by the prosecution, the judge ordered him held on $100,000 cash bail with conditions of release including that he refrain from driving, drinking and having contact with the family and that he wear an alcohol and location monitoring ankle bracelet, according to the Norfolk County District Attorneys Office.

What happened Saturday evening

Prior to the crash, Escolas stole a Vermont couples Jeep Grand Cherokee while they attended the Kenny Chesney concert at Gillette Stadium Saturday evening, law enforcement said previously. He then drove the car south on Route 1 at a high rate of speed before crashing with the family of sixs Nissan Altima at the intersection with I-495.

One Massachusetts State Police trooper who responded to the crash described finding the Nissan with severe left-side damage and the Jeep with heavy, right-side, front-end damage. He wrote in a police report that there was blood all over the inside of the Jeep, which had its airbag deployed.

After the crash, the 32-year-old father and 31-year-old mother were treated at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, according to police reports. Their 10-year-old son was rushed to Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro where he was declared dead.

The couples other children  ages 11, 8 and 4  were treated at Hasbro Childrens Hospital in Providence, according to police reports. Three cars at the intersection were also damaged in the crash, but their drivers did not need to go to the hospital.

What Escolas told investigators

A state police trooper found Escolas standing outside the Jeep shirtless and covered in blood, according to the police report. The trooper described him as having an overwhelming smell of alcohol on his breath, slow and slurred speech, and bloodshot and glassy eyes.

When the trooper asked Escolas what happened, he said, I came up quick. I dont know, before pointing to the road, according to the police report. When asked where he was coming from, he repeatedly told the trooper he was coming from a pizzeria over 40 minutes away in Sutton that he seemed to mistakenly believe was close by.

Escolas later admitted to having attended the Kenny Chesney concert after the trooper noticed that he had a wristband labeled floor access, according to the police report. He declined to take a breathalyzer or blood test, but failed other sobriety tests at the scene.

Escolas also appeared to believe he was driving his wifes car at the time of the crash and seemed genuinely confused when she later told him that she had her car, according to the police report. He was last charged with an OUI in 2010 out of Worcester District Court.

The Oxford man is due back in court for a probable cause hearing on Sept. 19, according to court records.
(*This story was updated at 3:24 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, with additional reporting.)

Massachusetts has nabbed $20 million in federal assistance to help cover the cost of the states hugely expensive emergency shelter system.

The state filed a joint application with Boston in June for the funding made available through the Federal Emergency Management Agencys Shelter and Services Program, Gov. Maura Healeys office said Wednesday.

The state will split the money with Boston, with the states largest receiving $1.34 million in assistance, according to the Healey administration.

The state will use its share of the cash, meanwhile, to fund operations at its temporary respite centers.

While its helpful, the money will make only a small dent in the shelter crisis, whose costs are expected to approach $1 billion a year for the next two years.

Through June 27, the state already had spent $715 million on the shelter system, according to a published report.

All 11 members of the Bay States Capitol Hill contingent backed the effort, writing in a letter to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas that as the only state in the country with a right to shelter law, Massachusetts has struggled to house every family in need of shelter.

At the time of the letter, 800 families were on a state waiting list, the all-Democrat delegation told the feds.

In a statement, Healey thanked Washington for what she described as the largest such award so far. The state and city previously took home a total $9 million in assistance.

Massachusetts urgently needs federal support as we work to meet unprecedented demand on our family shelter system as a result of a surge in immigrant families arriving in our state, Healey said. Were grateful to the Biden-Harris administration and FEMA for this $20 million award and to the City of Boston and our Congressional delegation for their partnership and support.

In July, to the chagrin of advocates for the homeless and migrants, Healey announced new limits on shelter stays in an effort to try to tame costs.

As she has for months, Healey also repeated her call for lawmakers on Capitol Hill to come up with a more permanent fix on immigration reform.

The Biden-Harris administration has taken important steps to address this federal problem in light of Congresss failure to act, and they are seeing results with illegal border crossings down significantly, she said. But more needs to be done. Congress needs to step up and pass the bipartisan border security agreement.

In a statement, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., who signed the letter to FEMAs Criswell and DHS Mayorkas, called the money "an important step in the right direction."

"Ill keep working in close partnership with the Healey administration to secure more federal investments to support the commonwealth, said Warren, who also cast procedural votes against the border security measures supported by Healey.

On Tuesday, the state Republican Party hit Healeys administration with a battery of public records requests, demanding more transparency on how its spent some $1 billion in public money on the ongoing migrant crisis.
Religion, Portuguese culture and good times combine for five days beginning Thursday during the 76th anniversary Our Lady of Fatma Parish Festa 2024.

Since 1949, the Festa has celebrated the dedication of Our Lady of Fatima Parish to preserve the memory of Fatima, Portugal, where in 1917, the Blessed Mother is believed to have appeared to three shepherd children at the Cova da Iria.
TWO Mayo-based women who successfully completed a programme initiative for female entrepreneurs are encouraging other females in the county to take part.

ACORNS has been providing a decade of support for female entrepreneurship in rural Ireland and has recently launched the 10th cycle of the business development programme. Anna Sutcliffe of House of Achill and Munaza Gilmore of The Brow Movement in Swinford are both encouraging others to join ACORNS.

The free initiative for early-stage female entrepreneurs is funded through the Rural Innovation and Development Fund by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM) and female entrepreneurs in rural locations have until September 20 to apply.

A native of Crumlin in Dublin, Anna Sutcliffe, founder of House of Achill was on the 9th cycle of ACORNS and recently completed the programme. Her business grew out of her desire to create something that would allow her to live and work on Achill Island  a place she has strong family connections and which she considers to be magical.

I would highly recommend ACORNS to anyone in business. My business was relatively new when I started the programme, and it provided me with structure and guidance in running it at such an early stage. Running your own business can feel overwhelming and daunting at times, but with the support of my group, Lead Entrepreneur, and the wider community nothing ever appeared insurmountable or challenging. I was able to build an invaluable network of other female entrepreneurs and learn from them while simultaneously developing my skills, which took my business from strength to strength, she said.

Anna has a background in fashion buying and business procurement, and had been visiting Achill throughout her life, but the pandemic allowed her to spend more time there and to consider making the move permanent.

She has created a range of candles inspired by Achill with the scent of each candle evoking a sense of the island. House of Achill launched in June 2023 and has received support from the LEO in Mayo. Her products are currently stocked by major retailers in Ireland including Foxford Woolen Mills, Brown Thomas, the National Gallery of Ireland, Kylemore Abbey, the Beehive in Achill, and Achill Island Kitchen.

Anna is currently expanding into Italy and is working with the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland on an island guild of craftspeople from all the islands off the coast of Ireland. She also has hopes to open a shop on Achill and export globally.

Munaza Gilmore is originally from London and opened The Brow Movement beauty centre after moving to Swinford. She has also just completed the ACORNS programme and described her journey with ACORNS has been nothing short of transformative.

As a solopreneur, navigating the intricacies of business alone often felt daunting and isolating. However, ACORNS taught me the power of seeking support and reframing challenges as opportunities for growth. The most invaluable aspect of the ACORNS programme for me was guidance from our Lead Entrepreneur, Triona MacGiolla Ri, Aro Digital Strategies. With her expertise, I learned to assemble pieces I wouldn't have considered on my own. Her insights proved instrumental in reshaping my approach and propelling my venture forward.

Munaza Gilmore of The Brow Movement receiving her certificate of completion from Clare Gormley of Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine

In addition to the invaluable insights gained, the connections forged with fellow participants, especially the remarkable women I've met, have enriched this journey beyond measure. These bonds extend beyond the programme, promising ongoing collaboration and support. Being a part of ACORNS has been an absolute delight, and I'm immensely grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such an empowering community.

ACORNS is based on the belief that early-stage entrepreneurs learn best from their peers. Participants interact with each other in the monthly round table sessions, which are facilitated by a Lead Entrepreneur, who has first-hand experience of starting and successfully growing a business in rural Ireland.

Only early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland, and who have had no sales before the end of June 2021, are eligible to apply. As ACORNS receives many more applications than there are places available, selection is on a competitive basis.

ACORNS 10 will run from October 2024 to April 2025 and will include six monthly round table sessions, a workshop on understanding financials, a briefing by various development agencies and an end-of-cycle celebration.

There will be no charge for those selected to participate in ACORNS 10, thanks to the continuing support of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the voluntary contribution of time by the Lead Entrepreneurs.

While 57 participants completed ACORNS 9, the initiative also provided continued support to more than 300 past participants through the ACORNS Community, which provided them with the opportunity to take part in workshops, roundtables, a Community Forum and other networking events.

Each of the Lead Entrepreneurs give their time to the programme on a voluntary basis, as they believe in the philosophy of entrepreneurs helping entrepreneurs.

This years voluntary Lead Entrepreneurs are Alison Ritchie, Polar Ice; Caroline Reidy, The HR Suite; Eimer Hannon, Hannon Travel; Larissa Feeney, Kinore; Mary B Walsh, Ire Wel Pallets; and Triona MacGiolla Ri, Aro Digital Strategies.

In addition, experienced businesswomen, Clare Duignan and Geraldine Kelly, who are on the Going for Growth advisory panel, will facilitate ACORNS Plus round tables for previous participants, who are committed to continuing driving forward the development of their businesses.

In addition, a series of regional Gatherings for ACORNS Community members will be held in the autumn to celebrate ten years of the initiative. These Gatherings will provide an opportunity for previous ACORNS participants to reconnect, network with other ACORNS from different cycles in their region and focus on the continuing and further development of their businesses.

The deadline for applications for this special 10th anniversary cycle is midnight, September 20. There are up to 50 places available for ACORNS 10. Those wishing to receive an application form should register on the website www.acorns.ie.
An RTE series produced by a Mayo production company has been nominated for two prestigious awards.

Crossing the Line Productions and RTEs Ireland's Wild Islands series has earned International acclaim with nominations at both the Wildscreen festival in the UK and Green Screen festival in Germany.

The three-part series features the hidden worlds and wild creatures of our most remote Atlantic islands and the challenges they face to survive in a rapidly changing world.

At the Wildscreen Festival, series presenter Eoin Warner has been nominated in the On-Screen Talent category for his extraordinary voyage around the coast of Ireland in a Galway Hooker.

This deeply personal journey was undertaken in memory of Mr Warners late father, who first introduced him to the wonders of the sea before he tragically passed away.

Mr Warner commented: "I'm so honoured to be nominated at Wildscreen, up against such massive international competition, and it's especially gratifying to be a finalist with such a personal Irish project. Our islands are very special places and vital sanctuaries for some of our most precious and wonderful wildlife."

The Wildscreen festival is known as the largest and most prestigious festival for wildlife filmmakers, celebrating excellence in natural history storytelling.

The festivals Panda Awards are often referred to as the Oscars of the natural history film world.

Crossing the Line Productions are one of Ireland's leading documentary film-makers.

In the past five years, the Westport based company has produced multiple award-winning feature documentaries, television series and one-offs which have been broadcast worldwide.

Their feature documentary The Farthest, funded by the Irish Film Board, Tangled Bank Studios LLC, BBC, ZDF/Arte, SVT and RTE, was theatrically released across the USA, UK, and Ireland. The film qualified for the Oscars longlist and was broadcast in the UK, USA, Germany, France, had countless festival screenings.

For more information on Crossing the Line Productions, see their website.
by Adam Buckman , Featured Columnist, August 28, 2024

It was a pleasure becoming reacquainted with Magpie Murders over the last three Sunday nights on PBS.

Each evening featured two episodes of the six-episode series as a lead-up to the premiere next month -- on September 15 -- of its long-awaited follow-up, Moonflower Murders.

Originating from the UK, Magpie Murders premiered in America in October 2022 and established itself as one of the years best shows.

This was due to a number of converging factors, especially its two lead characters -- book editor Susan Ryeland and the enigmatic, fictional detective of the 1950s, Atticus Pund (Lesley Manville and Tim McMullen, above photo).

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Also crucial to the shows success: The story and script by murder-mystery virtuoso Anthony Horowitz, the shows entire supporting cast and last but not least, Susan Ryelands car -- a vintage red MG that is the talk of online MG enthusiasts. They peg the model year as 1968, but there remains some disagreement on that.

Although she drives a super-cool relic from a distant decade, the Ryeland character lives in the present day.

She finds herself investigating the murder of her small publishing companys most famous author, a writer of murder mysteries who is (or was) the writer the company depended on for its very survival.

Her investigation is juxtaposed alongside the murder mystery in the authors most recent book in a mystery series set in the 1950s and featuring the fictional Pund, billed as the worlds greatest detective.

His backstory was revealed in tiny bits throughout the run of Magpie Murders. Among other things, he was revealed to be an enigmatic man of few words who speaks in a vaguely German or Dutch accent.

In one scene, a concentration camp tattoo is glimpsed on one of his forearms, but little is said about the matter.

In Magpie Murders, the editor takes advice and counsel from the detective, who exists only in her mind. At the same time, Pund is involved in solving the fictional murder mystery crime in the deceased authors final book.

The two cases run in parallel in the same small English village. Thus, most of the cast members get to play two roles -- one in the present and the other in the past.

Moonflower Murders will bring some of the characters back -- most notably Susan Ryeland and Atticus Pund -- for a new mystery that may or may not originate on the Greek island of Crete.

Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders are the first two in a series of Susan Ryeland novels by Horowitz, who is working on a third one.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, August 28, 2024

California's Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that would require browser developers to offer a tool that allows consumers to easily opt out of online behavioral advertising throughout the web.

The measure (AB 3048), introduced earlier this year by California Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal (D-69th District), and approved 31-7 in the Senate, now heads back to the Assembly for final approval.

The bill, which is sponsored by the California Privacy Protection Agency, drew support from a broad array of privacy groups, but is opposed by the Association of National Advertisers and other ad and business organizations.

If signed into law, the bill specifically would prohibit companies from developing or maintaining web browsers that lack an opt-out mechanism that's easy for a reasonable person to locate and configure.

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The best known universal opt-out mechanism is the Global Privacy Control -- a tool created by privacy advocates that sends opt-out signals to every site consumers visit.

In the absence of a global privacy opt-out tool, people who don't want to receive ads targeted based on cross-site data can click on individual companies' opt-out links, or use a tool created by an ad industry organization to opt out of many ad-tech companies' behavioral-targeting platforms.

Privacy advocates have said those methods can be problematic, arguing that opting out site-by-site can be cumbersome, and that consumers can't always find opt-out links.

California's Consumer Privacy Rights Act gives consumers the right to reject cross-context behavioral advertising, and the state privacy agency interprets that law as requiring companies to honor opt-out requests that consumers transmit through browser-based tools.

The Association of National Advertisers, California Chamber of Commerce and other business groups argue against the bill for several reasons. Among others, they dispute that California requires businesses to honor browser-based opt-out signals. Instead, the groups contend, California's law allows companies to choose between placing an opt-out link on their home page or honoring a browser-based signal.

Advocacy groups including Consumer Reports and the Electronic Privacy Information Center, along with trade organization Digital Content Next (which represents publishers), support the bill. Those groups said in a letter sent to state lawmakers in March that the proposed law will help reduce opt-out friction and make it easier for California residents to control their data.

Some developers including Mozilla, Brave and Duck Duck Go have already built the Global Privacy Control into their browsers.

Google's Chrome doesn't include the specific Global Privacy Control setting, but offers a do-not-track setting, which sends a no-tracking request to all websites consumers visit.

The California privacy agency has suggested that this older do-not-track command isn't equivalent to an "opt-out preference signal," but it's not clear whether other state officials will agree -- or whether Google could revise the do-not-track command so that it could serve as an opt-out preference signal.

Apple used to include a do-not-track setting in Safari, but disabled the setting in 2019 due to concerns that ad-tech companies would exploit the signal for device fingerprinting -- a tracking technique that identifies users based on characteristics of their browsers.

Other states including Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Montana and Texas have recently passed laws or regulations explicitly mandating that companies honor universal opt-out mechanisms -- but some specifics vary. For instance, Texas only requires a business to honor a global opt-out mechanism if that business does so in another state.
by Colin Kirkland , August 28, 2024

Meta and Spotify appear to be testing a new functionality that would allow Instagram users to continuously share the music they are listening to directly in the app's Notes feature, suggesting that the tech companies are deepening their ongoing collaborative relationship and further bridging the gap between the streaming and social media worlds.

The new feature was highlighted by social media expert and reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, who posted a screenshot on Threads. Continuously share what you're listening to, the feature states. You can stop sharing at any time.

If the feature eventually launches to the public, it would mark a notable expansion of users current ability to share 30-second Spotify song clips to Notes, the space Instagram designates for status and short-form updates above a user's inbox.

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Meta and Spotify have a history of working together.

Spotify allows users to connect with Facebook as a way to see what their friends are streaming in a separate tab on the desktop version of the app. In 2021, Meta launched a mini-player in Facebook that streamed music from Spotify as well.

In addition, late last week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Spotify CEO Daniel Ek issued joint statements on their company websites calling out EU privacy regulations for limiting the use of artificial intelligence, including training AI models on public data.

It's possible that Spotify is interested in utilizing Meta's evolving AI technology to continue to build out its own streaming products and ad business.

Both companies have also vilified Apple due to a shared critique of the tech giant's enforcement of new business rules for EU developers in response to the regions Digital Markets Act (DMA), with Ek calling Apple's rules extortion, and a complete and total farce.

Furthermore, Apple Music is a direct competitor with Spotify, and Apple's changes in 2022 to the app tracking transparency feature cost Meta $10 billion in ad sales revenue, which accounted for nearly 8% of Facebooks yearly revenue.
by Danielle Oster , August 28, 2024

Shes everything, youre just a smartphone.

HMD (Human Mobile Devices) Global -- the Finnish mobile phone manufacturer that also licenses the Nokia brand -- is introducing a new phone with few features but big star power, partnering with Mattel to release the HMD Barbie Flip Phone.

As implied by its name, the Barbie-branded device is something of a throwback to a prior era. The phone intentionally strips away common smartphone features like easy access to the Internet and social media, to create a feature phone more akin to the devices makers like Blackberry and Nokia were producing before Apple disrupted the industry with the launch of the iPhone.

That lack of connectivity to online culture is kind of the whole point. The phone is being promoted as a retro-inspired way for consumers to take a digital detox break from their smartphones, with help from Barbie.

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The Barbie Flip Phone will launch in the U.S. for the price of $129 on Oct. 1, with functionality across AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon networks. HMD will begin taking pre-orders for the products on its website on September 23.

In a statement, Mattel EMEA head of licensing Ruth Henriquez said the product tapped into important insights into how people want to limit their screen time, while incorporating amazing Easter eggs and other elements designed to appeal to Barbie fans.

In fact, the phone even powers on with a Hi, Barbie! voice greeting. Its features include a a beach-themed Malibu Snake game  a nostalgic nod to the classic game Snake that Nokia included preloaded on its flip phones, beginning in the late 1990s. It also has hidden designs featuring palm trees, hearts, and flamingos that light up in the dark within its (Barbie pink, naturally) keyboard ,according to HMD. The phones customizable user interface comes equipped with Barbie-themed wallpapers and app icons.

There are also accessories, of course, this being a Barbie product. It comes with two alternative cases (in addition to its default Barbie pink cover): one featuring a brightly colored swirl pattern referencing 1992s Totally Hair Barbie, and another sporting a vintage Barbie shooting heart design. There's also a Barbie-inspired beaded phone strap in pastel shades of pink, yellow, and blue adorned with phone charm accessories, including Barbies iconic sunglasses from her 1959 debut.

The idea of a digital detox has caught on amid increased awareness of the potential negative mental health impacts of too much screen time, particularly with younger consumers. According to a recent from global research company Sago, 75% of Gen Z actively monitor their screen time  more than any other age group. Other trends among younger consumers related to the digital detox concept, include forgoing smart phone cameras in favor of digital point and shoot cameras from the 90s and early 2000s, and silent walking without distractions.
Working memory is not fully developed in children and hence, they can't complete a task without over-exploring. #workingmemory #overexploring #medindia
Transgender students are two to three times more likely to develop anxiety, depression, self-harming behavior and suicidal thoughts or actions. #TransgenderStudents #MentalHealth #medindia
The Army National Guard is revamping its system that pays out enlistment bonuses, automating much of the process, after Military.com reporting revealed the service component has an extensive backlog of unpaid troops.

In October, Military.com reported that the service was behind in paying out thousands of soldiers' incentive bonuses, most of which are for their initial enlistment into the service component and can be up to $20,000. New reporting has shown the backlog was as high as 41,000 soldiers versus the initial tally of 13,000, though the Guard has since cut that number roughly in half.

Those bonuses are crucial to filling positions struck by the recruiting drought much of the military is suffering from. The Guard's bonus backlog was so severe that soldiers went years -- sometimes fulfilling entire enlistment contracts and leaving the service -- without seeing those checks.

Read Next: Scathing Bomber Crash Report Unfairly Targeted Crew Member's Body Weight, Family Member Says

At the heart of the problem is the Army National Guard Incentive Management System, or GIMS, the online system that pays out the bonuses. Guard officials have reported that the platform is particularly unwieldy, even among government systems known for poor usability.

"Everyone wants to do the right thing, but the system itself is so cumbersome that it becomes very difficult," Col. Danielle MacDonnell, division chief of Army National Guard G1 operations, told Military.com.

It currently takes four people, from the unit through the state level, and 104 clicks to properly process a soldier's bonus and have it paid out, MacDonnell explained.

Military.com found instances of relevant staffing positions not being filled in some states. The publication also found that states rarely have backup staff to process payments -- meaning if one person in the chain is off work, or leaves the position, it's impossible to process a payment.

Those positions also often take months to fill, and new people generally need about a year to become competent with GIMS.

"This is an incredibly flawed process," MacDonnell added.

The so-called "GIMS 2.0" will make its debut with the North Carolina National Guard next week; in about a month, it will be in Arkansas. Guard officials hope to integrate all 54 states and territories by the end of the year.

The new process will require only two points of human contact: once when the soldier initially signs their contract, and then the United States Property and Fiscal Officer, or USPFO, will finalize the payment after the soldier fulfills their end of the deal.

The new process will effectively eliminate manual processing on the unit and state level, easing its historically decentralized nature and eliminating a hurdle multiple commanders in states have pointed to in interviews with Military.com.

States will still have staff to oversee incentives and serve as points of contact for soldiers who run into issues with a payment. However, those staff members will no longer have to manually handle enlistment and reenlistment bonuses.

GIMS is managed by Tiber Creek Consulting, which oversees several Department of Defense software and technology projects. The program was rolled out in 2012 following a fraud scandal in the California National Guard, though officials say the thick layer of safeguards, including all the manual interactions with payouts, may have been an overcorrection.

During the peak of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, the California Guard sought to recoup $195 million in improperly paid out enlistment bonuses from about 17,000 soldiers. In some cases, those Guardsmen had recently returned home from being wounded on the battlefield. The California National Guard's incentives manager at the time, Master Sgt. Toni Jaffe, has since served a 30-month prison sentence after admitting to a court that she had illegally juiced up contracts for enlistees amid enormous pressure to fill recruiting quotas. The recoupment effort was eventually suspended.

Meanwhile, Guard officials have not yet been able to fully articulate the current enlistment bonuses backlog behind the scenes.

Military.com's initial reporting, based on data provided by the Guard, showed there were 13,000 unpaid soldiers. That number was revealed to be closer to 41,000 upon further review of the complicated backlog. Since January, the service component has whittled that total down to about 24,000 soldiers.

The backlog was particularly inflamed by two 10-month GIMS outages. The system crashed in 2018 due to a fire in the Pentagon's servers and again in 2021 in an unrelated incident.

However, MacDonnell explained that the suspected number of unpaid bonuses is unreliable, and something that has been difficult to determine. Since the Guard started to seriously examine its backlog, only 20% of those soldiers were actually eligible for their enlistment bonuses. Some violated their contracts, sometimes by moving to different states and taking up other roles in the service component, for example, or by having a disciplinary blemish on their record.

Further complicating that backlog are soldiers who may have already been paid their bonuses but are still being improperly counted as unpaid.

During the outages, some states paid troops through workarounds -- including delivering bonuses through the system that pays soldiers their regular duty pay, which is completely separate from GIMS. If a soldier received their bonus through the typical paycheck system, they would still appear in GIMS as unpaid.

Soldiers are typically awarded half of the bonus once they complete their initial training and the other chunk halfway through their contract. There is an informal goal of the bonus being paid within 30 days of those two windows, but that is not codified into policy.

"Soldiers need to be getting paid," MacDonnell said. "We're committed to seeing this through."

Related: The Army National Guard Owes Thousands of Former Soldiers Unpaid Bonuses. It's Asking Them to Figure It Out.
The Army said Tuesday it has filed criminal charges against a junior enlisted soldier in Hawaii who was arrested earlier this month after his pregnant wife went missing.

Pfc. Dewayne Arthur Johnson II, of Frederick, Maryland, was charged with 14 counts on three charges: providing false official statements; obstruction of justice; and production and distribution of child pornography, the U.S. Army in Hawaii said.

Johnson, a cavalry scout with the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, was detained about two weeks after his wife, 19-year-old Mischa Johnson, disappeared and is awaiting military trial in confinement. The Army has declined to confirm when the soldier was arrested.

Read Next: Scathing Bomber Crash Report Unfairly Targeted Crew Member's Body Weight, Family Member Says

While the Army stopped short of accusing Johnson of having a role in the disappearance of his wife, who was six months pregnant when she went missing, the service said it may add other charges as the case develops.

It's unclear when Johnson is due to appear in court; the case has not yet been placed on the Army's public docket. The service may opt to handle the charges outside of a court-martial.

If the case heads to trial and Johnson is convicted, he faces up to five years in prison for each count of providing false official statements in violation of Article 107 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice; five years' imprisonment per count of obstructing justice in violation of Article 131b; and 30 years in confinement per count of producing and distributing child pornography in violation of Article 134. It's unclear which of the 14 counts issued against him are related to each charge.

Johnson may also be dishonorably discharged from the Army, reduced in rank, and forfeit all pay.

"This case remains an active investigation," Michelle McCaskill, a spokesperson for the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel, said in a release. "We are confident that law enforcement will exhaust all efforts to find Mischa."

Mischa Johnson's family indicated on an Instagram livestream last week that Army investigators now believe she is dead, more than three weeks after she was reported missing Aug. 1. She was last seen in her home at Schofield Barracks on July 31, the Army said.

"She was so excited to be a housewife and to live her dream," the woman's older sister, Marianna Tapiz, said on the livestream. "She was so happy."

Mark Lunardi, a spokesperson for the Army Criminal Investigation Division, declined to confirm Monday whether investigators believe the woman is dead.

Each branch of the military opened a new Office of Special Trial Counsel last year after Congress mandated that the most serious criminal offenses -- murder, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, kidnapping and others -- be handled by independent lawyers outside the chain of command. Johnson's case is set to be among the initial cases the Army office has tried within its first year of operations.

Military justice reform advocates argue that running trials through the new office will minimize the amount of influence a defendant's commanders have over the legal process.

An extensive search effort remains underway for Mischa Johnson on and around the Army post north of Honolulu on the island of Oahu. A reward poster described her as 5 feet 2 inches tall, 170 pounds and of Filipino descent, with a large dragon tattoo on her back.

"Army CID continues to actively search for Mischa Johnson and seeks the public's assistance with any information on her whereabouts from July 12, 2024, through Aug. 1, 2024," Lunardi said.

On the livestream, Tapiz said the family will switch to seeking "justice for Mischa" rather than bringing her home.

"What we need to know is anything about [Pfc. Johnson], and that's the focus right now," Tapiz said.

Mischa's mother, Frances Tapiz-Andrian, sank to her knees and pleaded for help from the community.

"I failed as a mom. I failed as a parent. I failed my child. I failed Mischa," she said through sobs on the livestream. "Come out with anything. Call CID. I am not to judge anyone. ... I can't even bury my daughter."

Related: Hawaii Soldier Detained in Connection with Pregnant Wife's Disappearance from Army Base
Press Release

August 28, 2024 Bong Go to question additional subsidy for 2025 if PhilHealth fails to implement "promises" "Cross my heart, cross my heart ka pa d'yan. Tuparin niyo ang pangako ninyo." These were the remarks of Senate Committee on Health Chairperson Senator Christopher "Bong" Go when asked in a radio interview on Saturday if he has confidence in the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. or PhilHealth's "promises" to improve its services following the discovery of the agency's reserve funds amounting to PhP500 billion which part of it amounting to Php89.9 billion is set to be returned to the National Treasury as directed by the Department of Finance. PhilHealth President Emmanuel Ledesma was unable to explain during the hearing of the health committee last August 20 why PhilHealth has not yet recommended to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. slashing the premium contribution rate of its members. Ledesma, in a hearing the previous month, told Go that he will "immediately" recommend to Marcos decreasing member contribution. Senator Go has raised the "morality" of PhilHealth having excess funds while many Filipinos --- who are all PhilHealth beneficiaries in accordance with the Universal Health Care Act --- are unable to pay for their medical expenses. This prompted Go to raise the possibility of questioning any additional funding for PhilHealth in the coming 2025 budget deliberations. "Bakit kayo bibigyan ng subsidy sa 2025 eh meron pa kayong reserve fund na 500 Billion? Unfair naman, baka pwedeng gamitin ito sa ibang tulong pampagamot o serbisyong pangkalusugan para sa mga mahihirap. Kung hindi nyo magagamit, wawalisin na naman yan ng Deparment of Finance," said Go, citing the controversial transfer of PhP89.9 billion excess funds of PhilHealth back to the national treasury. "Nako, kapag hindi ninyo tinupad ang inyong mga pangako na tatanggalin ang single period of confinement policy, increase sa case rates, expand benefit packages, babantayan natin 'yan. Dapat po ay bawasan ang inyong budget sa 2025," warned Go. Go, during the recent health committee hearing, brought to the public's attention PhilHealth's single period of confinement policy --- which the senator called "no repeat-sakit policy"--- where some cases are not covered by PhilHealth if a patient is being treated for the same case more than once within 90 days. The senator described the policy as "illogical" while PhilHealth chief Ledesma himself said it is "flawed" and vowed to have its scrapping studied. "With this, we reiterate our appeal to PhilHealth to use the available funds for health to help Filipinos with their healthcare needs. Ang pondong para sa health ay dapat gamitin para sa health!," he said.
A group seeking to block a veterans cemetery from being built in Anaheim Hills Gypsum Canyon has filed a lawsuit against the city, hoping to instead get a veterans burial ground in Irvine, where years of efforts to locate one failed to come to fruition.

The lawsuit filed Aug. 21 demands the rollback of approvals the Anaheim City Council granted the cemetery project in July.

The lawsuit argues the city never presented a realistic range of alternatives to cemetery development at the Gypsum Canyon site and failed to comply with state environmental law.

Harvey Liss, an Irvine resident who filed the lawsuit and heads the group Build the Great Park Veterans Cemetery, said the best place to put the veterans cemetery would be in Irvine.

Wed like to put off the activity toward building a veterans cemetery at Gypsum Canyon, Liss said. If the city of Anaheim is required to file a new (environmental impact report), that could put this off substantially, hopefully until we get the veterans cemetery back in Irvine.

Mayor Ashleigh Aitken said in a statement that the time to talk about having a veterans cemetery elsewhere has passed and the city stands by its actions.

Our veterans deserve better than this, Aitken said in a statement. A cemetery in Anaheim has widespread support from police, firefighters, veterans and Orange County residents. A veterans cemetery in Anaheim reflects our citys values, which are Americas values. We are honoring those who gave all for us. To delay our veterans the dignity of a final resting place is not an option.

The approved cemetery sets in motion a plan to split a 283-acre plot of land in the Anaheim Hills into two cemeteries, one for the general public and one for veterans. There were years of discussions and studies to develop a veterans cemetery in Irvine, but its advocates moved on after no single site could get universal support.

Nick Berardino, a Marine Corps veteran and president of the Veterans Alliance of Orange County, VALOR, which has pushed for the veterans cemetery, said, We are extremely confident that the lawsuit will be resolved in our favor, but most importantly it will not stop or slow down the construction process.

Berardino called the lawsuit politically motivated.

Orange County is the largest county in the state without a dedicated veterans cemetery.

CalVet recently submitted a federal grant application for more funding for the veterans cemetery. The project has secured $50 million of the $126 million needed to build its first phase, though that estimate is without savings expected from the two cemeteries sharing some development costs.

The county is running low on casket burial plots stressing the need to get the public cemetery built in the coming years. The public cemetery will be the first new one since the El Toro Memorial Park opened in 1896.

The public cemetery could open as early as 2027. There has been no timeline set yet for when the veterans cemetery would open.

Orange County Cemetery District General Manager Tim Deutsch, whos named in the lawsuit as a defendant along with the city, declined to comment, saying the agency is still reviewing the lawsuit.

2024 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit ocregister.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
KYIV, Ukraine  A Russian missile slammed into Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys home city on Wednesday, local authorities said, just as Kryvyi Rih was observing an official day of mourning for an attack the previous day that killed four civilians at a hotel.

The latest attack on the city struck civilian infrastructure, wounding eight people, local administration head Oleksandr Vilkul said on social media.

Tuesday's attack, which also wounded five people, was part of a barrage of dozens of missiles and drones across Ukraine that Russia launched for a second consecutive day.

When Kryvyi Rih is in mourning, the enemy attacks again. And it once again aims at civilians, regional head Serhii Lysak said Wednesday.

Russia stepped up its aerial attacks on Ukraine on Monday, firing more than 100 missiles and a similar number of drones in its biggest onslaught in weeks.

The intensified campaign coincided with what could prove to be a decisive period of the war, which Russia launched on Feb. 24, 2022.

Russian forces have been driving deeper into Ukraines partly occupied eastern Donetsk region, whose total capture is one of the Kremlins primary ambitions. Russia's army is closing in on Pokrovsk, a critical logistics hub for the Ukrainian defense in the area.

At the same time, Ukraine has sent its forces into Russias Kursk region in recent weeks in the largest incursion onto Russian soil since World War II. The move is in part an effort to force Russia to draw troops away from the Donetsk front.

At the hotel in Kryvyi Rih, rescuers on Wednesday found a final body under the rubble. The rescue operation then ended.

Meanwhile, Ukraine claimed its anti-aircraft defenses destroyed a Russian Su-25 jet in the Donetsk region.

Ukraine also kept up its long-range drone attacks on Russias rear logistical areas.

A Ukrainian security official told The Associated Press that an operation by the country's military intelligence agency, known by its acronym GUR, struck oil depots in Russias Rostov and Kirov regions Wednesday. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak publicly about the strikes, did not provide further details. It would be the first known Ukrainian attack on the Kirov region, which is about 950 kilometers (600 miles) northeast of the Ukrainian border.

The governor of Kirov, Alexander Sokolov, said three Ukrainian drones fell near an oil depot in the region but didn't damage it.
An alleged fight between an Arlington National Cemetery official and staffers from former President Donald Trump's presidential campaign is sparking fresh controversy over Trump's relationship with the veterans community.

NPR, citing an unnamed source, first reported Tuesday night that two members of Trump's campaign staff had a verbal and physical altercation with a cemetery official Monday when Trump participated in a wreath-laying ceremony and visited graves of some of the 13 U.S. troops killed in the Abbey Gate bombing during the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The cemetery confirmed in a statement Wednesday that an "incident" occurred during Trump's visit and that a "report was filed" about it, but did not elaborate on the nature of the incident.

Read Next: Army Guard Revamping How It Doles Out Enlistment Bonuses After Tens of Thousands of Soldiers Went Unpaid

The cemetery suggested the incident revolved around federal laws against political activities on its grounds.

"Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidate's campaign," the cemetery's statement said. "Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants."

The Trump campaign has pushed back on the allegation of a fight, with campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung saying in a statement that there "was no physical altercation as described."

"The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and, for whatever reason, an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trump's team during a very solemn ceremony," Cheung added.

Cheung also said the campaign was "prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made," but it has so far not provided any footage to news outlets that requested it, including Military.com.

Family members of Sgt. Nicole Gee and Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover, two of the service members killed in the Abbey Gate bombing on Aug. 26, 2021, also said in a statement released by the Trump campaign that they had approved of the campaign filming and photographing the visit.

In a phone interview with Military.com, Christy Shamblin, Gee's mother-in-law, said she did not witness any altercation between campaign and cemetery staff and was surprised when she saw news reports about one.

"I kind of find it to be sad that somewhere out there there's somebody who took what was really an honorable event on the death anniversary of our heroes and has come out with something that was obviously insignificant at the time, but made such press about it that, really, the honoring of the day gets sullied," Shamblin said.

Despite outrage and mockery on social media about pictures of Trump smiling and giving a thumbs-up at the graves, Shamblin also said she was not offended by his pose.

"I think I have a picture giving the thumbs-up with him," she said. "The intention was to have a celebratory day. We've had a lot of somber moments, and to have someone celebrate the sacrifice that our heroes made has been absent from a large part of our experience. So, it's nice to have it from somebody who knows what we sacrificed."

Shamblin is one of several family members of troops killed in the Abbey Gate bombing who endorsed Trump at the Republican National Convention last month.

The incident at Arlington is the latest controversy over Trump's relationship with veterans and comes as both he and his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, vie for the mantle of top military supporter as November's presidential election nears.

Earlier this month, Trump stoked controversy when he argued that the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the country, is "much better" than the Medal of Honor, the highest military award, because most of those who received the military award are killed or wounded in combat. In a rare politics-related statement from a veterans service organization, the Veterans of Foreign Wars called Trump's comments on the Medal of Honor "asinine."

Trump's fraught relationship with veterans dates back to his first presidential campaign, when he disparaged Sen. John McCain for being a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, and continued in his 2020 campaign when it was reported that he privately called U.S. war casualties "suckers" and "losers."

Still, Trump has cast himself as a champion of veterans, pointing to exit polls from past elections that show he received more support from veterans than his Democratic opponents.

Republicans also see the chaos of the Afghanistan withdrawal as a potent campaign issue against Democrats since President Joe Biden's approval rating first went underwater in 2021 amid the withdrawal. Monday marked the third anniversary of the Abbey Gate bombing, and Trump, who set the withdrawal in motion with a 2020 deal with the Taliban, used the anniversary to blame Biden and Harris for overseeing "the most embarrassing day in the history of our country."

Democrats, meanwhile, have sought to gain advantage over Trump with veterans by highlighting his reported disparaging remarks. Harris, in her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention last week, promised service members that she "will always honor, and never disparage, their service and their sacrifice."

Democrats are also now seizing on the alleged incident at Arlington.

"Arlington National Cemetery isn't a place for campaign photo ops. It's a sacred resting place for American patriots," Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., a former Navy pilot, posted on social media. "But for Donald Trump, disrespecting military veterans is just par for the course. It's an absolute disgrace. We're not going back."

Related: Trump Rebukes Harris and Biden on Anniversary of Afghanistan Bombing that Killed 13 Service Members
The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com or the Department of Defense. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration.

For almost 20 years, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" stood as a limit on the private lives of thousands of service members. Its repeal in 2011 was considered a victory for personal liberty and a way to expand the pool of citizens eligible to serve.

There's another area where social norms have changed rapidly and the military is out of step with the broader public -- marijuana use. In service of protecting individual freedoms and fortifying the military's labor pool, I propose a new declaration: "Don't Ask, Don't Test." The Department of Defense should stop asking whether its members use marijuana, and the military should stop testing for it.

The military does not routinely breathalyze its sailors for alcohol, an arguably more destructive substance for military members. It should likewise stop the outdated obsession of regularly testing for THC.

Imagine a force in which talent, energy and intelligence are prioritized regardless of off-duty recreational vices. Consider the savings in time, money and energy: The military tests more than 2 million service members annually and has a sizable urinalysis establishment to support the effort.

This change could relieve commanding officers of a burden and spare them the frustration of prosecuting their own service members. A sailor "popping positive" meant administrative man-hours for our urinalysis officers, our legal officer and our commanding officer, and major frustrations for that sailor's work center, not to mention the workload for other personnel external to our unit.

Like with President Bill Clinton's original policy, this new "Don't Ask, Don't Test" policy should apply to recruitment as well as to current service. Take my branch for example: The Navy recently suffered a 20% recruitment shortfall from its goals. In an attempt to enlarge the pool of recruits, it has continually lowered standards with interventions that overtly diminish the organization's mission. Rather than recruit and capture the large block of American cannabis users, the Navy is piloting accepting recruits with lower ASVAB entrance exam scores, down to the 10th to 30th percentiles.

The National Institutes of Health reports that nearly 30% of American 12th graders have used cannabis. Other studies show even greater numbers, with almost 20% of 12th graders reporting using marijuana within 30 days of polling. Regular use is significant among the American populace.

Which pool of labor would more directly accomplish the mission: a distributed 30% of American cannabis users, or 20% of the empirically lowest ASVAB entrance test performers?

Accepting lower entrance exam scores is hardly the only compromise: The Navy is also experimenting in reducing high school and GED requirements, lowering fitness requirements, and relaxing up-or-out policies (keeping underperforming sailors around).

The modern military is built upon managing, maintaining and fighting complex hardware. The enlisted sailors in my avionics division often had complicated engineering and maintenance diagrams to understand in order to perform their duties. Officers must have the aptitude to make quick tactical decisions with their assets. A force of fighting machines requires more brain than brawn; diminishing the human-capital base should be the last resort of an aspirational service like ours.

Understandably, leadership is handcuffed by marijuana being a Schedule 1 controlled substance. I cannot fault the Department of Defense for failures of the greater federal government. To its credit, the security establishment has some leeway for excusing marijuana use several years past and an existing -- although very convoluted (Table 2.20) -- marijuana waiver program. The Navy is even issuing waivers for traceable amounts of THC discovered during boot camp. But this does not solve the problem of the large numbers of citizens who intend to continue to use.

Military leadership cannot, should not, and need not go so far as to "allow" illegal substances or create conflicts between the Uniform Code of Military Justice and federal law. They need only turn a blind eye to off-duty use. Currently, the DoD tests only for steroids on an ad-hoc basis (likely, if it meaningfully detracts from the mission). They ought to do the same for marijuana.

To be clear, recreational drug use itself may still be detrimental to the military's mission, even confined to weekends and the same off-duty limits as alcohol. But we ought to disfavor interventions that directly diminish the mission (objective widespread reductions in talent) relative to those interventions that do so only tangentially (marginal disruptions from occasional marijuana misuses). Why should we administer routine tests that threaten to compromise our own readiness?

As states adjust their laws, and as cultural forces shift, the military too must adapt.

-- Jasper Burns is a former Navy lieutenant, law student at Stanford Law School, and Knight-Hennessy scholar. He previously served as a White House social aide, and as a military fellow at McKinsey and Company.
Title: Chrono-Exploration with Google Earth: A Journey Through Times Winding Pathways







(Time Traveling with Google Earth: How to Explore Past Places and Times)

Blog:

Imagine a world where you could travel not just through space, but also through time, simply by clicking on your screen. A world where the past is not just a distant memory but an immersive experience that you can explore, touch, and even breathe life into. Welcome to the thrilling adventure of time traveling with Google Earth, a journey that promises to unravel the mysteries of history and open up a portal to the past.

In this captivating voyage, youre not just a spectator; youre an active participant in the unfolding narrative of human civilization. From the cradle of ancient empires to the craggy peaks of forgotten civilizations, Google Earth becomes your trusty time machine, propelling you through the centuries with a single click.

Embark on the journey of a lifetime as you visit the Great Wall of China, not just as a line of bricks and stones, but as a testament to the ingenuity and determination of ancient Chinese emperors. Walk along the intricate streets of Pompeii, feeling the heat of the volcanic eruption that forever sealed its fate, and marvel at how technology has brought this lost city back to life, layer by layer.

Dive deep into the depths of the Egyptian pyramids, exploring their labyrinthine corridors and gazing upon the serene faces of the pharaohs. Feel the cool sand beneath your feet as you wander through the ruins of Machu Picchu, a city lost in time, only to be rediscovered by a curious explorer.

But Google Earth isnt just about the grandeur of historical sites; its also about the intimate stories of everyday lives. Visit the bustling marketplaces of medieval Europe, hear the tales of knights and dragons whispered around campfires, and join the villagers as they celebrate their festivals. Witness the rise and fall of civilizations, from the glory of Rome to the splendor of the Aztec Empire, and learn how each one left its indelible mark on the tapestry of human history.

As you navigate through the centuries, youll encounter the echoes of past civilizations, hear the whispers of the wind through the ages, and feel the pulse of humanitys collective spirit. Each location is more than just a geographical point; its a portal to a world that existed before our time, waiting to be rediscovered and understood.

With every click, youre not just seeing the past; youre experiencing it. Google Earth transforms your living room into a vast, immersive universe, where the boundaries of time and space become fluid and malleable. Its a portal to the past, a gateway to understanding the incredible journey of humanity, and a testament to the enduring power of curiosity and exploration.







(Time Traveling with Google Earth: How to Explore Past Places and Times)

So, pack your virtual backpack, set your time dial, and get ready for the most extraordinary adventure youll ever embark on. With Google Earth, the past is no longer a distant whisper; its a vivid, living world waiting to be explored, one click at a time.

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Title: The Digital Symphony of Macintosh Magic: Decoding the Enigma of Apple and Macintosh  A Musical Journey







(Macintosh Magic: Are Macintosh and Apple the Same ?)

In the vast orchestra of technology, there lies a symphony that resonates through the hearts and minds of millions globally  the captivating allure of the Macintosh. Yet, amidst this enchanting melody, an intriguing question emerges: are Macintosh and Apple one and the same? Dive into the harmonious journey of this digital conundrum, unraveling the layers of history, innovation, and branding that have woven these entities together.



Picture yourself standing at the foot of a grand, majestic mountain, its peaks reaching towards the sky, shrouded in a mist of mystery. This mountain is the legacy of Apple Inc., a company born out of the vision of Steve Jobs, whose spirit continues to echo through the halls of Silicon Valley. The base of this mountain is not just any ordinary ground; its the fertile soil where the seeds of innovation, creativity, and design were sown.

Now, imagine a river flowing from the heart of this mountain, meandering through valleys of imagination and dreams. This river is the lineage of Macintosh, the first personal computer that brought the digital world into the hands of the masses. It was a revolutionary step that not only changed the landscape of computing but also set the stage for Apples future dominance in the tech industry.

As we follow the river downstream, we encounter a series of tributaries that converge into the main stream of Apples history. These tributaries represent the various iterations and evolutions of the Macintosh family, each one a testament to the companys commitment to pushing the boundaries of whats possible.

However, the question remains: are Macintosh and Apple synonymous? To answer this, we must understand the concept of branding and how it has shaped the narrative around Apple and its products. Apple, as a brand, encompasses a broader spectrum of offerings beyond just Macintosh computers. It includes iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, Apple Watches, and a plethora of software services, all united under the Apple umbrella.

The Macintosh, on the other hand, is a specific product line within the Apple brand. It represents a segment of Apples portfolio that focuses on desktop and laptop computers designed with a user-friendly interface, elegant design, and seamless integration with other Apple products. In essence, while Macintosh is a product, Apple is the overarching brand that encompasses a wide array of innovative technologies.

So, are they the same? No, but they are deeply intertwined. Macintosh is a crucial part of Apples DNA, embodying the companys pioneering spirit and commitment to excellence. Its the foundation upon which the Apple brand has been built, representing the companys early triumphs and setting the stage for future innovations.

In conclusion, the relationship between Macintosh and Apple is akin to that of a masterpiece and its artist. The Macintosh is the creation, a tangible embodiment of Apples vision, while Apple is the creator, the visionary force behind countless technological marvels. Together, they form a digital symphony that continues to captivate the world, inspiring innovation and shaping the future of technology.







(Macintosh Magic: Are Macintosh and Apple the Same ?)

So, the next time you ponder the question of whether Macintosh and Apple are the same, remember the intricate dance of creativity, engineering, and branding that has woven them together into a tapestry of digital magic.

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ONAWAY, MI  A Presque Isle County steel fabricator has won a contract to build a new fisheries research boat for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Moran Iron Works of Onaway will build the R/V Steelhead II at a cost of $5.85 million, the DNR announced Wednesday, Aug. 28.

The 66-foot, steel-hulled vessel will replace the venerable S/V Steelhead, a 56-year-old survey vessel the agency uses to gather Great Lakes fishery management data.

The Legislature approved funding for the new DNR vessel in its fiscal 2023 and 2025 budgets.

The boat will conduct surveys to quantify the abundance of prey fish that sustain Lake Michigan trout and salmon fisheries.

The R/V Steelhead II should be on the water in 2026, the DNR said. Like its predecessor, it will be home-ported at the agencys Charlevoix Fisheries Research Station.

The new vessel has a 50-year lifespan and will be powered by two EPA Tier 3 emissions-controlled diesel engines coupled with rooftop solar panels.

The boat will feature modern navigational systems, a watertight compartmental hull design and gyro stabilizer to minimize roll in rough seas. A mechanical platform will facilitate diving and equipment maintenance by lowering to water level.

Crew safety features and accommodations are being upgraded.

Advanced, modern hydroacoustic technology will be adopted on the R/V Steelhead II  technology that will support improved data collection from a more reliable, modernized platform, said Ben Turschak, DNR research biologist in Charlevoix.

The boat was designed by Boksa Marine Design of Lithia, Fla.

The original Steelhead will likely be sold at auction.

Other Michigan vessels built by Moran Iron Works include the Sheplers Miss Margy and William Richard Mackinac Island ferries, the Kayak Express Pictured Rocks tour boat and the sixth Lowell Showboat.

Related stories:

Retired research boat to become museum

Douglas company builds Lake Huron fisheries vessel

Budget includes money for hatcheries, research boat

Scientists dive train in Lake Michigan

Submersibles join lake research on Beaver Island
WHITEHALL, MI -- Almost 150 years ago, White River Light Station became a guiding beacon connecting West Michigan to Chicago  first for lumber and then for tourists.

The historic light station sits on the channel connecting White Lake to Lake Michigan, located at 6199 Murray Road in Whitehall.

The light station was decommissioned in 1960 and is now a museum run by Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association.

Visitors can climb the 38-foot tower and look out over Lake Michigan.

The $8 admission fee also gives visitors a peek into 19th century maritime history, including a piece of a Lake Michigan shipwreck and the original lens from the light station.

RELATED: Why every day is National Lighthouse Day in Michigan

An aerial image of White River Light Station built in 1875 along the White Lake Channel in Muskegon County, Mich.Joel Bissell | MLive.com

RELATED: Worlds Largest Weather Vane inspired by Lake Michigan shipwreck 123 years ago

The channel was dug in 1870 for the purpose of moving lumber from White Lake sawmills across Lake Michigan to Midwest cities.

The goal to move Michigan lumber became all the more pertinent after The Great Chicago Fire in 1871.

The light station was completed in December 1875 and lit for the first time in May 1876. Its light guided lumber schooners from the sawmills on White Lake, a tributary of the White River and adjacent to the pine forests, to the big lake.

At the same time, the largest and most modern sawmill, The Staples and Covell Mill, opened on White Lake. By 1883, the White Lake area had 13 mills, according to the White Lake Area Chamber and Visitors Bureau.

In 1894, the mill produced 10 million board feet of lumber which was carried out by schooners, barges, scows, and trains to Chicago and to points east, according to the historical market at the Staples and Covell Mill site.

The mills closing in 1907 marked the end of the logging era on the White River.

RELATED: Steamboat Wars: East Grand Rapids had fierce dueling captains on Reeds Lake

As the lumber industry waned, tourism in the area picked up.

White Lake welcomed Chicago tourists arriving via the Goodrich Steamship Line and Michigan visitors riding on the Pere Marquette railroad line, according to the tourism bureau.

The steamer line serviced Lake Michigan towns like Whitehall, Muskegon, Grand Haven and Milwaukee.

A poster for the steamer line hangs in the White River Light Station, advertising a $3 trip from the Michigan cities to Chicago.

RELATED: This Pictured Rocks lighthouse was once Michigans most isolated station

Maritime artifacts give visitors a little slice of life from the 19th century, including a room dedicated to the light stations keepers and their daily logs.

The first light keeper, Captain William Robinson, came from England and served 47 years. He lived in the small brick station with his wife, Sarah, and their large family of 13 children.

The White River Light Station was also home to Michigans last female light keeper, Frances Johnson, who served from 1949-1954.

While at the light station, visitors can practice tying nautical knots, log markings and carrying five gallon buckets that would have gone up to the lantern room.

You can learn more about Michigans light stations through the Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association at splka.org. Or plan a visit to the White Lake area at whitelake.org.
Pearl Jam plays Wrigley Field both tomorrow and Saturday night. Last-minute tickets are still available from $43 each.

Compare prices and available sections on Vivid Seats, SeatGeek, StubHub, and Ticketmaster.

DUBLIN, IRELAND - JUNE 22: Eddie Vedder and Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam perform at Marlay Park on June 22, 2024 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Kieran Frost/Redferns)Redferns

Performing in Chicago on August 29 and 31, Pearl Jams Dark Matter World Tour celebrates the bands 2024 album release of the same name, Dark Matter. The famed rock band  with 1990s hits Alive, Even Flow, Ten Redux, Better Man, and more  is made up of Eddie Vedder, Mike McCready, Matt Cameron, Jeff Ament, and Stone Gossard.

Hear their enduring alternative music, as well as tracks from the recent album, when Pearl Jam comes to Wrigley Field in Chicago this Thursday and Saturday, August 29 and 31. Ticket prices have decreased as the concert dates near, with several listings now available for around $50  a drastic change from the more than $100 price tag of a few weeks ago. Find your seats below.

Tickets:

Thurs, Aug 29  Vivid Seats from $51 | SeatGeek from $48 | StubHub from $43 | Ticketmaster from $150

Sat, Aug 31  Vivid Seats from $92 | SeatGeek from $83 | StubHub from $67 | Ticketmaster from $150
SOUTHFIELD, MI -- Police arrested a Georgia man over the weekend who is wanted in Florida in connection with a double shooting. According to the Volusia County Sheriffs Office, Malik McKenzie, 29, was arrested in Southfield over the weekend after license plates readers and surveillance videos helped track him down.

McKenzie is accused of allegedly shooting his ex and another person at a home in Deltona, Fla. on Aug. 19 before fleeing to Michigan.
ANN ARBOR, MI  After a severe storm rolled through parts of Michigan early Tuesday night, a downtown Ann Arbor resident caught a moment of awe on camera.

A full,180-degree rainbow.

Jane Ritter and her husband Robert Donia live in a condo on the 25th floor of Tower Plaza, one level from the top, with views in three directions and close to the University of Michigans central campus.

Related: Michigans next possible bout of severe thunderstorms already on our doorstep

As the storm rolled in, Ritter said they watched sheets of plywood fall to the street at a nearby construction site  a disruption she called really scary  before she glimpsed colors through a south-facing window dotted in rain drops.

It was an intense rainbow. I went and looked out the window on the east side, and it was the entire, the complete rainbow. And I couldnt believe it, Ritter said on Wednesday, Aug. 28.

Ive never seen that before. I didnt even know that was a thing. And actually, it was a double rainbow, but my phone camera wouldnt capture that faint outer rainbow.

At age 75, Ritter said she marveled at what she felt was a unique sight.

While seemingly full or double rainbows arent an uncommon phenomenon in heavy rainfall, spotting them is, said Mark Torregrossa, MLives chief meteorologist.

Theres often a formula to seeing rainbows  namely the angle of sunlight after a storm or rainfall. Thats to the east at sunset, such as it was for Ritter, or to the west at sunrise, he said.

Every rainbow would have, technically, a spot where you would see the entire rainbow, the entire half of the rainbow, but with buildings, hills, trees, angle of where youre seeing it, we dont often see that,Torregrossa said. Only one specific spot would have that in any one time.

In the end, Ritter got lucky, he said. Timing is everything with a rainbow, he said.

With her daughter, son-in-law, and their two kids visiting, Ritter said everyone was just thrilled to see it.

When we catch the weather warnings, I start looking at the map, and I could see this was a big storm, she said. I started to keep an eye out of the windows.

Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor newspage or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbordaily newsletter.
BURTON, MI -- Dave Kimber worked with musicians like David Bowie, Frank Zappa, Stevie Wonder and Elton John, but it was a simple jingle about a cartoon owl that made his most lasting impression -- especially for kids growing up in the 1970s.

Kimber, a Los Angeles native and musician who later lived in Burton and taught at Flints Neithercut Elementary School, died on Tuesday, Aug. 27, after battles with Parkinsons disease and dementia, according to his family.

He was 76.

Kimber helped bring the big-eyed Woodsy Owl character to life, arranging the music for The Ballad of Woodsy Owl with a writing partner, a song that was used as the foundation of public service announcements from the U.S. Forest Service starting in 1971.

The songs best-known line, ``Give a hoot, dont pollute, is still remembered by many more than 50 years after the character was introduced.

It was the biggest thing I ever did in music, Kimber told The Flint Journal in 1999. ``A friend of my moms was working on (the song), and she asked if I wanted to get involved. I finally said, yeah, Id help.

The song was designed to introduce Woodsy Owl as a friend of another U.S. Forest Service character, Smokey the Bear.

Instead of forest fires, Woodsys focus was on pollution.

Kimber said songwriter Marion Bartoo had an idea for a melody and some good words, but needed help with the music.

At the time, he was part of a band called Maggie, according to Flint Journal files, and was employed as a songwriter by MGMs recording division.

``She had written most of it, he said. ``I rewrote it and my partner Bob Pelli and I arranged it. We figured Marion should get the writing credit, and wed be listed as the arrangers.

Kimber said he received fan mail -- written in Crayola -- from children who saw the public service announcements but the songs success didnt lead to more or better opportunities in the music business.

Kimber and Pelli gave performances on behalf of the U.S. Forest Service, and even performed for Earl Butz, then secretary of agriculture under President Richard M. Nixon, a few months before Butz resigned from his post after telling a racist joke.

He worked for many years at Guitar Center in Hollywood, where he met his future wife, Pamela, while selling her a piano.

The couple married and spent a decade in Australia before returning to the Flint area, where she was from.

In Australia, Kimber worked as a music director for a TV network, wrote commercials, and sold synthesizers, according to his daughter Annadelle Kimber-Smith.

He returned to school and took up a career teaching at Neithercut for 25 years.

He always loved kids, Kimber-Smith said. His humor (was always on display). He just wanted to have fun with the kids.

As a teacher, Kimber organized pineapple parties for his students, arranging for pineapples to be flown here from Hawaii, and was known for handing out Jolly Rancher candy.

He also helped students improve their performance in school with unconventional teaching methods.

In 2004, 70% of fifth-graders at Neithercut passed the Michigan Educational Assessment Programs social science test -- one of the top showings in the area and an improvement of 17 percentage points compared to the previous year.

Flint Journal files say the impressive results came after Kimber recorded Under the Red White and Blue, a compact disc of songs with social studies themes, such as the Constitution and democracy that he shared with his students.

Civics is a hard thing to teach. When I use these songs, it becomes easy, he said then. They dont think theyre learning it, they think theyre singing a song.

In addition to teaching, Kimber sold pianos at Herter Music on Miller Road in Flint Township, wrote childrens songs, and played with his band, Rodeo Drive, the house band at Shermans Lounge in Flint, for several years.

Kimber-Smith said members of the band are expected to be among the friends who will gather for a lunch reception in his honor next month.

A celebration of Kimbers life is also being planned, she said.

As a dad, he was just a really fun person to be around ... a very California guy, Kimber-Smith said.

The world is a brighter place because he was a shining light in it, Kimber-Smith wrote in a Facebook post. He didnt just open doors, he forced himself in, made a scene and became a wonderful memory for all those who knew him
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  Power crews continued working to restore electricity to thousands of customers across the state, Tuesday, Aug. 27, after severe weather left households in the dark.

As of 8:45 p.m. Tuesday, DTE Energy reported 205,750 power interruptions, impacting more than 9% of its customers, with the largest numbers of outages reported in the Detroit region. Consumers Energy reported 148,161 customers impacted by outages, or almost 8% of its customers. Great Lakes Energy reported that 6,723 outages, or about 5.2% of its customers.

As of 8:45 p.m., The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center reported a severe thunderstorm watch in southwest Michigan, estimated to expire at 2 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28.

The watch, which began at 8:15 p.m. Tuesday, extended across northern Indiana.

Earlier in the evening, the center issued severe weather watches across parts of Michigan, warning of wind gusts up to 70 mph, isolated large hail, and tornadoes.

Stay updated with changing severe weather information at MLive Weather.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  A former corrections officer is accused of persuading a young girl to share explicit pictures and videos of herself over a three-year period.

Ethan Eversman, of Ionia, was indicted this week in Grand Rapids federal court on charges related to alleged sexual exploitation of a minor and distributing and possessing child pornography.
MUSKEGON, MI -Developer Ryan Leestmas vision for Adelaide Pointe is coming to life, with several facets of the project already open to the public.

There are certain aspects of the 30-acre development such as a 55-unit condominium building that wont come online until the fall. However, Adelaide Pointes floating marina already has private boats docked to it, and the nearby Muskegon Brewing Company restaurant and taproom is now pouring beers for customers.

Over the past year, $85 million worth of development has been dumped into the projected $250 million project, Leestma said. In addition to new roads and utilities connecting W Western Avenue to the lakefront, workers have completed a 66,000 square-foot boat storage facility with 285 rentable storage spaces.

Leestma said the storage house is already about a third of the way full and will probably reach full occupancy in another two years depending on word of mouth.

Outside of the storage facility is a dry dock that can accommodate around 20 boats.

The floating marina that stretches out over Muskegon Lake features 169 slips ranging from 40-70 feet in length and a 14,000-gallon underground fuel system.

Next to the marina is a single-story building where the dock masters office will be located, as well as convenience store that will sell snacks, beverages, apparel and process fuel sales.

Muskegon Brewing Company occupies the second floor of a four-story, mixed-used building, just underneath a rentable event space on the third floor that already has hosted weddings. Both stories have garage doors leading to walkout decks that overlook the marina and provide a panoramic view of the lake.

Thats the dream, Leestma said. Theres something here for everybody.

Adelaide Pointe's event space and Muskegon Brewing Company are now open. (Ehren Wynder | MLive.com)Ehren Wynder

The first floor will be home to a boat dealership, and the fourth floor will house offices.

In front of the mixed-use space is a 200-car parking lot and a promenade for events. Last weekend, thousands of people flooded the front lawn for the Muskegon Boat Life Adelaide Pointe Boat Show, where 60 boat vendors were posted up at the marina, Leestma said.

We just crushed it, he said. It was really rewarding  The whole point of this project was to show that Muskegon can do it better and badder than everybody and anybody else.

Leestma added the reception from the boat show reinforced his belief in the importance of this project for Muskegon pride.

Pride is the most necessary, raw input that this community needs right now, Leestma said. What that does over time is it inspires entrepreneurship, it inspires investment, and it encourages the economic revitalization of why the feds put all this money in cleaning up this lake in the first place.

Adelaide Pointe broke ground in May 2023 following a 20-year, $80 million, government-led cleanup of industrial pollution in Muskegon Lake. The goal of the effort was to transform Muskegon from an industrial economy into a lakeshore tourist destination.

The 55-unit condominium development is expected to start seeing new residents this fall. Eighteen units so far have been sold.

Leestma said he has no solid plans for the future of Adelaide Pointe, but he has been toying with the idea of adding an RV park.

Theres yachting by boat, but theres also yachting by vehicle, and thats what an RV is, he said.

Development of Adelaide Point is speeding along despite a setback in June when the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) issued a violation and enforcement notice alleging the developer conducted unpermitted development of the parcels two on-site peninsulas, among other violations.

RELATED: Adelaide Pointe cited by EGLE for environmental and permit violations

EGLE in a statement to MLive said it is still in discussions with Leestma to resolve the violations.

Leestma told MLive in June that he plans to work with EGLE on a remediation plan and that the issue likely wont interrupt further operations.

Want more Muskegon-area news? Bookmark the local Muskegon news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Muskegon daily newsletter.
FLINT, MI  With a push to engage young voters, Vice President Kamala Harris presidential campaign this week will receive support in Michigan from a Floridian known as the youngest member of Congress.

U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, of Florida, will engage with prospective voters in Flint, Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids, during gatherings scheduled from Thursday to Friday, Aug. 29-30, Harris campaign officials said.

The 27-year-old Orlando native began his term in the U.S. House of Representatives last year, when he started receiving attention outside of his state in part because of his label as the first member of Gen Z elected to Congress.

Frost, who received a prime-time slot when he addressed the Democratic National Convention on its final day last week in Chicago, will kick off his Michigan visit in Flint, Harris campaign officials said.

A music enthusiast, Frost plans to meet with local politicians and election volunteers there during a jazz-fueled reception to drum up support for Harris White House bid, campaign officials said.

During his Ann Arbor stop, the Congressman will speak about Harris plans for preventing gun violence, advancing policy addressing climate change, and protecting womens abortion rights, campaign officials said. The gathering will conclude with attendees mobilizing to engage students to register to vote.

Frost in Grand Rapids plans to meet with Harris supporters as well as headline a youth voter-geared roundtable alongside Austin Marsman, the Democratic candidate in the race to represent the state Houses District 42, which includes part of Kalamazoo and surrounding municipalities.

At the Grand Rapids stop, Frost plans to discuss how young people could be impacted by another presidential term from Harris Republican opponent in the November election, Donald Trump.

Harris campaign officials said the gathering will focus in part on discussing Project 2025. The nearly 1,000-page handbook, authored by former Trump White House officials, has generated scrutiny from Frost and other Democrats who warn the handbooks policies would raise taxes, curtail student loan relief initiatives, and endanger policy pursuits aimed both at reducing gun violence and protecting abortion rights.

While Trump has distanced himself from Project 2025, some Democrats warn the former president would advance its policies if he returns to the White House.

Harris campaign officials did not release timing or venue details for Frosts Michigan visit. Individuals interested in attending should contact their communitys chapter of the Democratic Party.

Mario Morrow Jr., a deputy communications director with the Michigan Democratic Coordinated Campaign, said rallying young voters will be critical for Democrats hoping to win office this year. He called voting for Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a vote for the future.

Rep. Maxwell Frosts visit to Michigan isnt just about rallying the base; its about empowering a generation ready to lead, Morrow said. Vice President Harris has fought for young people  building an economy with real opportunities, forgiving student loan debt, and defending reproductive rights. In contrast, Donald Trumps record is anti-climate, anti-health care, and anti-youth.

Harris campaign officials said the Democrats engagement with young voters this election cycle showed promise for turnout in Harris favor come November.

Part of that confidence was based on the hiring of a youth engagement director for the Michigan campaign at an earlier point in this election cycle than during the 2016 and 2020 elections, Harris campaign officials said. Eva Scott serves in that role today.

The Harris campaign also points to favorable signs in media that show young voters support of Harris, including a July national poll from The New York Times/Siena that stated 56% of 18- to 29-year-old registered voters would vote for Harris compared to 38% for Trump.

Frosts trip to Michigan comes during a week of densely-scheduled presidential election campaign events in the state.

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 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.

The trend will continue next week. Harris plans to visit Detroit on Labor Day, campaign officials said.
JACKSON COUNTY, MI  One of the oldest homes on a crystal-clear Jackson County lake is on the market.

The home at 1878 Q Lane is located on the shores of Clark Lake in Columbia Township. Originally built in 1899, the home has grown from a two-story summer log cabin into a 5,300-square-foot modern lake house.

Listed at $1,639,000 by Realtor Jennifer Chmielewski of ERA Reardon Realty, its MLives House of the Week. Homes from across the state are featured each Wednesday.

The cabin was originally part of a summer estate owned by Clarence Hayes, founder of Hayes Wheel Company, business partner to Henry Ford and the namesake of Jacksons Hayes Hotel. The family of current owner Pat Collins purchased the home in the 1950s, using it for years as a summer home before adding major additions in 1998 and 2017 that more than doubled the homes floor space.

Guests enter the home through side-lit doors into a grand foyer which spills into the billiards room - an open-concept space highlighted by hardwood wainscoting, a crystal chandelier and a mezzanine balcony that rings the upper level of the room.

The open-concept ground floor leads guests past a chefs kitchen into a well-lit formal dining area whose white wood accents echo Cape Cod charm.

A home for sale at 1878 Q Lane on Clark Lake in Columbia Township.Photos Provided by Next Door Photos

A home for sale at 1878 Q Lane on Clark Lake in Columbia Township.Photos Provided by Next Door Photos

As guests round the corner past a sitting area, they enter the 2,300-square-foot footprint of the original log cabin. In what Connelly calls the log room, the homes original woodwork has been preserved - bark and all.

The hardwood log walls, joists, handrails and banisters come from a logging camp owned by Hayes near Grayling that supplied much of the lumber used in the wooden wheels of Fords Model T.

Built-in cabinetry, cedar wall paneling and a fieldstone-lined fireplace highlight the cabin-like family room, which also features a mezzanine level and vaulted ceiling with exposed beams.

A home for sale at 1878 Q Lane on Clark Lake in Columbia Township.Photos Provided by Next Door Photos

A home for sale at 1878 Q Lane on Clark Lake in Columbia Township.Photos Provided by Next Door Photos

A home for sale at 1878 Q Lane on Clark Lake in Columbia Township.Photos Provided by Next Door Photos

The space that once served as the 1899 cabins front porch is now an enclosed sitting room featuring wood paneling, a fieldstone bar and views over the patio and Clark Lake.

A ground-floor bedroom suite located just off the family room features a sauna that connects to the outdoor patio, which features a hot tub and fire pit overlooking the homes lake frontage and 180-foot dock.

Our beach would be widely accepted as the finest beach available on Clark Lake, Collins said. As you step into the water, its only a foot deep but we can accommodate any type of boat from a ski boat to a large offshore-style boat.

A home for sale at 1878 Q Lane on Clark Lake in Columbia Township.Photos Provided by Next Door Photos

A home for sale at 1878 Q Lane on Clark Lake in Columbia Township.Photos Provided by Next Door Photos

Immediately to the west of the home is the Clark Lake Yacht Club, which was originally part of the same property under Hayes ownership before splitting off in the 1930s. Collins said the club, which hosts Hobie catamaran and sailboat races, is the greatest neighbor you could have.

Theyre a quiet conservative group of sailors, Collins said. For anybody who has an interest in getting into sailing or meeting a lot of people in a very nice social setting this is a great place.

The homes upper level features five bedrooms, including a primary suite with French doors and a jet tub, as well as a walk-in closet and additional storage above the 4-car garage. The central mezzanine balcony overlooks the billiards room and offers a sitting area over the foyer.

Additional second-floor bedrooms offer views over the lake and surrounding woods, and a pair of office spaces could serve as additional bedrooms, increasing the overall count to seven rooms.

A home for sale at 1878 Q Lane on Clark Lake in Columbia Township.Photos Provided by Next Door Photos

A home for sale at 1878 Q Lane on Clark Lake in Columbia Township.Photos Provided by Next Door Photos

A home for sale at 1878 Q Lane on Clark Lake in Columbia Township.Photos Provided by Next Door Photos

The home also features an attached four-car garage with a separate door fit for a trailer or boat up to 30 feet. Recent updates include an all-new HVAC system, a recently re-poured concrete drive and a newly-shingled roof.

The 0.6-acre property includes about 100 feet of frontage on Clark Lake, an all-sports lake known for its crystal-clear waters and the annual Raft-O-Rama festival.

Check out the full gallery of photos and the video above, provided by Next Door Photos.
Rich Hill is inevitable.

The Red Sox selected the contract of the 44-year-old pitcher on Tuesday, opening the door for the former Wolverine to become the only active player to appear in each of the past 20 seasons.

Hill pitched for Pittsburgh and San Diego last season and has pitched for Boston three different times during his lengthy career, including from 2010 to 2012, 2015 and 2022.

He has pitched for 13 different teams since making his debut with the Cubs in 2005.

He looks great physically. Hes always taking care ofthat part. Hes excited to be back, manager Alex Cora said. He was very diligent the last few months about his craft. Hes always done it. So now, no doubt about him that physically, hes going to be OK, throw the ballwell.

Appropriately, Hill will wear No. 44. He could join the late Tim Wakefield as the only pitchers to appear in a game for the Red Sox at age 44 or older.

Wakefield holds the club mark at 45, when he last pitched on Sept. 25, 2011.

Hill was signed to a minor league deal Aug. 16. Hill threw two scoreless innings in a start Friday for AAA-Worcester, striking out two, walking one and hitting a batter with a pitch.

Hill, native of Milton, Mass., was drafted out of high school but chose to pitch forthe Wolverines.

During his junior season at Michigan in 2002, he was 3-7 with a 3.55 ERA in 15 games, including eight complete games and two shutouts. He struck out 104 while walking 38.

He is 90-73 with a 4.01 ERA in 382 career games, including 248 starts in the majors having also pitched for Baltimore, Cleveland, Oakland, the Angels, Yankees, Dodgers, Twins, Rays and Mets.
Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE:AEM  Get Free Report) (TSE:AEM) announced a quarterly dividend on Thursday, February 15th, Wall Street Journal reports. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be paid a dividend of 0.40 per share by the mining company on Monday, September 16th. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.98%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th.

Agnico Eagle Mines has increased its dividend payment by an average of 19.0% annually over the last three years. Agnico Eagle Mines has a dividend payout ratio of 39.4% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Analysts expect Agnico Eagle Mines to earn $3.76 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $1.60 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 42.6%.

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Agnico Eagle Mines Trading Down 1.6 %

Shares of NYSE AEM traded down $1.30 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $80.97. The stock had a trading volume of 435,352 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,753,161. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $73.62 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $65.00. Agnico Eagle Mines has a 1 year low of $43.22 and a 1 year high of $83.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a current ratio of 1.51. The firm has a market cap of $40.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 85.09, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.77 and a beta of 1.06.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Agnico Eagle Mines ( NYSE:AEM Get Free Report ) (TSE:AEM) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 31st. The mining company reported $1.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.93 by $0.14. The firm had revenue of $2.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.03 billion. Agnico Eagle Mines had a net margin of 8.44% and a return on equity of 7.16%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 20.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.65 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Agnico Eagle Mines will post 3.52 EPS for the current fiscal year.

A number of research analysts have commented on the company. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on Agnico Eagle Mines from $59.00 to $66.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Friday, July 12th. Citigroup raised their price target on Agnico Eagle Mines from $65.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 30th. CIBC lifted their price target on shares of Agnico Eagle Mines from $81.00 to $101.00 and gave the company an outperformer rating in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. Scotiabank upped their price objective on shares of Agnico Eagle Mines from $81.00 to $94.00 and gave the stock a sector outperform rating in a report on Monday, August 19th. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of Agnico Eagle Mines from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, June 27th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $82.86.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on AEM

Agnico Eagle Mines Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, a gold mining company, exploration, development, and production of precious metals. It explores for gold. The company's mines are located in Canada, Australia, Finland and Mexico, with exploration and development activities in Canada, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States.

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Verdence Capital Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO  Free Report) by 2.9% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 76,223 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 2,155 shares during the quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLCs holdings in Altria Group were worth $3,472,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Maryland Capital Advisors Inc. grew its position in Altria Group by 154.4% in the first quarter. Maryland Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 575 shares of the companys stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 349 shares during the last quarter. MFA Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $27,000. BNP Paribas acquired a new position in Altria Group in the 1st quarter worth approximately $27,000. Hobbs Group Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Westend Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Altria Group in the 1st quarter worth approximately $29,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 57.41% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

MO has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Argus raised shares of Altria Group to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, May 31st. StockNews.com raised shares of Altria Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, June 28th. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $37.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 14th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their target price on shares of Altria Group from $50.00 to $54.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, August 1st. Finally, Bank of America lifted their target price on shares of Altria Group from $47.00 to $48.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 10th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $47.08.

Altria Group Stock Up 0.5 %

Shares of NYSE:MO traded up $0.27 during trading on Monday, reaching $52.71. 8,055,113 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 10,457,163. Altria Group, Inc. has a 1-year low of $39.06 and a 1-year high of $53.08. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $48.53 and a 200 day simple moving average of $45.11. The firm has a market cap of $90.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.02, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.07 and a beta of 0.66.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 31st. The company reported $1.31 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.35 by ($0.04). Altria Group had a net margin of 42.25% and a negative return on equity of 232.55%. The business had revenue of $6.21 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.39 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.31 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 14.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.11 EPS for the current year.

Altria Group Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 10th. Investors of record on Monday, September 16th will be paid a $1.02 dividend. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.74%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 16th. This is a positive change from Altria Groups previous quarterly dividend of $0.98. Altria Groups payout ratio is presently 82.01%.

Altria Group Profile

(Free Report)

Altria Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells smokeable and oral tobacco products in the United States. The company offers cigarettes primarily under the Marlboro brand; large cigars and pipe tobacco under the Black & Mild brand; moist smokeless tobacco and snus products under the Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal, and Husky brands; oral nicotine pouches under the on! brand; and e-vapor products under the NJOY ACE brand.

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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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AustralianSuper Pty Ltd decreased its stake in shares of Lockheed Martin Co. (NYSE:LMT  Free Report) by 3.1% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 14,962 shares of the aerospace companys stock after selling 473 shares during the period. AustralianSuper Pty Ltds holdings in Lockheed Martin were worth $6,989,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Atomi Financial Group Inc. lifted its position in Lockheed Martin by 6.0% during the second quarter. Atomi Financial Group Inc. now owns 1,936 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $904,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares during the period. Atlantic Edge Private Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Lockheed Martin by 250.0% in the 2nd quarter. Atlantic Edge Private Wealth Management LLC now owns 105 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $49,000 after buying an additional 75 shares during the last quarter. Dearborn Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Lockheed Martin by 1.8% in the second quarter. Dearborn Partners LLC now owns 2,259 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $1,055,000 after acquiring an additional 41 shares during the period. Latitude Advisors LLC increased its position in Lockheed Martin by 10.0% during the second quarter. Latitude Advisors LLC now owns 1,355 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $633,000 after acquiring an additional 123 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Signature Estate & Investment Advisors LLC bought a new position in Lockheed Martin in the second quarter valued at about $538,000. 74.19% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Lockheed Martin Trading Up 1.2 %

NYSE:LMT traded up $6.69 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $567.10. 212,236 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,069,946. The company has a quick ratio of 1.07, a current ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.10. Lockheed Martin Co. has a 52 week low of $393.77 and a 52 week high of $568.73. The stock has a market capitalization of $136.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.69, a PEG ratio of 4.40 and a beta of 0.46. The firms 50 day moving average is $506.14 and its two-hundred day moving average is $470.29.

Lockheed Martin Dividend Announcement

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 (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $6.45 by $0.66. Lockheed Martin had a return on equity of 95.03% and a net margin of 9.48%. The company had revenue of $18.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $17.05 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $6.73 EPS. Lockheed Martins revenue was up 8.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that Lockheed Martin Co. will post 26.71 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 3rd will be paid a dividend of $3.15 per share. This represents a $12.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.22%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 3rd. Lockheed Martins dividend payout ratio is presently 46.10%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of Lockheed Martin from $483.00 to $525.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. TD Cowen upgraded Lockheed Martin from a hold rating to a buy rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $480.00 to $560.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded Lockheed Martin from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and increased their target price for the stock from $500.00 to $600.00 in a research report on Monday, August 5th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded Lockheed Martin from a hold rating to a buy rating and upped their price target for the stock from $540.00 to $600.00 in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of Lockheed Martin from $503.00 to $599.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday, August 9th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Lockheed Martin has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $541.85.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Lockheed Martin

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Timothy S. Cahill sold 3,975 shares of Lockheed Martin stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 24th. The stock was 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 directly owns 8,877 shares in the company, valued at $4,574,850.72. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.17% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Lockheed Martin 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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Auto Trader Group plc (LON:AUTO  Get Free Report) announced a dividend on Thursday, May 30th, Upcoming.Co.Uk reports. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 29th will be given a dividend of GBX 6.40 ($0.08) per share on Friday, September 27th. This represents a dividend yield of 0.88%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 29th. This is a boost from Auto Trader Groups previous dividend of $3.20. The official announcement can be seen at this link.

Auto Trader Group Trading Down 0.0 %

AUTO stock opened at GBX 843.80 ($11.13) on Tuesday. The companys 50-day simple moving average is GBX 809.14 and its 200-day simple moving average is GBX 761.91. The company has a quick ratio of 1.50, a current ratio of 1.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.26. Auto Trader Group has a 52-week low of GBX 585.60 ($7.72) and a 52-week high of GBX 849.40 ($11.20). The firm has a market cap of 7.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 3,012.14, a PEG ratio of 3.99 and a beta of 0.77.

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Insider Activity at Auto Trader Group

In other Auto Trader Group news, insider Jamie Warner sold 54,487 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 824 ($10.87), for a total value of 448,972.88 ($592,078.17). 1.04% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on AUTO shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of Auto Trader Group from GBX 608 ($8.02) to GBX 624 ($8.23) and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Friday, May 31st. Shore Capital reaffirmed a hold rating on shares of Auto Trader Group in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on shares of Auto Trader Group from GBX 830 ($10.95) to GBX 935 ($12.33) and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 2nd.

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About Auto Trader Group

(Get Free Report)

Auto Trader Group plc operates in the digital automotive marketplace in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company provides vehicle advertisement on its websites for private sellers, as well as insurance and loan financing products to consumers; and display advertising on its websites for manufacturers and their advertising agencies.

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Bailard Inc. grew its stake in iShares ESG Screened S&P Mid-Cap ETF (BATS:XJH  Free Report) by 0.3% in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 200,050 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 583 shares during the period. Bailard Inc.s holdings in iShares ESG Screened S&P Mid-Cap ETF were worth $7,916,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Voisard Asset Management Group Inc. acquired a new position in iShares ESG Screened S&P Mid-Cap ETF during the 4th quarter worth approximately $92,000. Stephens Consulting LLC bought a new stake in iShares ESG Screened S&P Mid-Cap ETF in the 1st quarter valued at $115,000. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC bought a new stake in iShares ESG Screened S&P Mid-Cap ETF in the 4th quarter valued at $204,000. Alesco Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in iShares ESG Screened S&P Mid-Cap ETF during the 4th quarter valued at $214,000. Finally, Pathway Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in iShares ESG Screened S&P Mid-Cap ETF during the first quarter worth $248,000.

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iShares ESG Screened S&P Mid-Cap ETF Stock Performance

Shares of XJH traded down $0.14 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $41.79. The company had a trading volume of 22,337 shares. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $40.19 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $39.78. The stock has a market capitalization of $185.97 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.70 and a beta of 1.10.

About iShares ESG Screened S&P Mid-Cap ETF

The iShares ESG Screened S&P Mid-Cap ETF (XJH) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in mid cap equity. The fund tracks a market-cap weighted index of US mid-caps screened for sustainability and excluding those with exposure to certain controversial business activities. XJH was launched on Sep 22, 2020 and is managed by BlackRock.

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Banco Comercial Portugues, S.A. (OTCMKTS:BPCGY  Get Free Report) rose 19.7% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $4.92 and last traded at $4.92. Approximately 100 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 98% from the average daily volume of 6,071 shares. The stock had previously closed at $4.11.

Banco Comercial Portugues Stock Up 19.7 %

The business has a fifty day moving average of $3.04 and a 200-day moving average of $3.18.

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Banco Comercial Portugues Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 8th. Investors of record on Monday, June 24th were issued a $0.1049 dividend. This is a positive change from Banco Comercial Portuguess previous dividend of $0.01. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 24th.

Banco Comercial Portugues Company Profile

Banco Comercial Portugues, SA, a private sector bank, engages in the provision of various banking and financial products and services in Portugal and internationally. It operates through Retail Banking; Companies, Corporate & Investment Banking; Private Banking; Foreign Business; and Other segments.

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Bank Leumi le-Israel B.M. (OTCMKTS:BLMIF  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest in the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 103,300 shares, a decline of 91.3% from the July 31st total of 1,184,800 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 100 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 1,033.0 days.

Bank Leumi le-Israel B.M. Price Performance

Shares of OTCMKTS BLMIF opened at $9.27 on Wednesday. Bank Leumi le-Israel B.M. has a one year low of $6.20 and a one year high of $9.27. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $8.75 and its 200-day moving average price is $8.23.

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Bank Leumi le-Israel B.M. Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Further Reading

Bank Leumi le-Israel B.M., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of banking and financial services for personal and private customers in households, small and medium enterprises, and corporations in Israel, the United States, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company provides demand, fixed, and savings deposits, as well as housing loans, collateral loans, property finance, hotel finance, asset-based lending, and trade finance services.

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Bank of Georgia Group PLC (OTCMKTS:BDGSF  Get Free Report) was the target of a large increase in short interest in August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 4,000 shares, an increase of 1,233.3% from the July 31st total of 300 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 1,400 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.9 days.

Bank of Georgia Group Price Performance

Bank of Georgia Group stock opened at $54.00 on Wednesday. Bank of Georgia Group has a 1 year low of $45.76 and a 1 year high of $67.25. The firms 50 day moving average price is $54.00 and its 200-day moving average price is $55.83. The stock has a market cap of $2.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 3.93 and a beta of 0.62.

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Bank of Georgia Group (OTCMKTS:BDGSF  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, May 29th. The company reported $3.06 earnings per share for the quarter. The company had revenue of $238.92 million for the quarter.

Bank of Georgia Group Company Profile

Bank of Georgia Group PLC, through its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial services with focus on the Georgian and Armenian markets. It operates through Retail Banking, SME Banking, Corporate Investment Banking, and BNB segments. The Retail Banking segment offers consumer loans, mortgage loans, overdrafts, credit cards, and other credit facilities; funds transfer and settlement services; and handles customers' deposits for individuals and legal entities.

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Bank of Montreal (NYSE:BMO  Get Free Report) (TSE:BMO) issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday. The bank reported $2.64 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.76 by ($0.12), Briefing.com reports. The business had revenue of $8.21 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.25 billion. Bank of Montreal had a net margin of 8.25% and a return on equity of 11.60%. Bank of Montreals revenue was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.08 EPS.

Bank of Montreal Trading Down 6.2 %

Shares of NYSE:BMO opened at $83.30 on Wednesday. Bank of Montreal has a 52-week low of $73.98 and a 52-week high of $100.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a current ratio of 0.99. The company has a market cap of $60.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.84, a P/E/G ratio of 2.04 and a beta of 1.12. The stocks 50-day moving average is $84.76 and its 200-day moving average is $89.87.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

BMO has been the topic of several analyst reports. TD Securities lowered shares of Bank of Montreal from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday. Desjardins lowered Bank of Montreal from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, May 29th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods downgraded Bank of Montreal from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $137.00 to $124.00 in a research note on Monday, June 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada lowered Bank of Montreal from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a report on Tuesday, July 30th. Finally, UBS Group assumed coverage on Bank of Montreal in a report on Tuesday, July 2nd. They issued a neutral rating for the company. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $124.00.

Bank of Montreal Company Profile

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Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. It operates through Canadian P&C, U.S P&C, BMO Wealth Management, and BMO Capital Markets segments. The companys personal banking products and services include deposits, mortgages, home lending, consumer credit, small business lending, credit cards, cash management, financial and investment advice, and other banking services; and commercial banking products and services comprise various of financing options and treasury and payment solutions, as well as risk management products.

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Bank of Montreal (TSE:BMO  Get Free Report) (NYSE:BMO) had its price objective decreased by investment analysts at Canaccord Genuity Group from C$135.00 to C$130.00 in a report issued on Wednesday, BayStreet.CA reports. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the banks stock. Canaccord Genuity Groups price target would suggest a potential upside of 18.07% from the companys previous close.

Several other research firms have also recently weighed in on BMO. Royal Bank of Canada cut shares of Bank of Montreal from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating and cut their price target for the company from C$124.00 to C$118.00 in a report on Tuesday, July 30th. Cormark decreased their price target on shares of Bank of Montreal from C$133.00 to C$129.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, August 20th. TD Securities cut their price objective on Bank of Montreal from C$134.00 to C$130.00 in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. Barclays decreased their target price on Bank of Montreal from C$140.00 to C$132.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. Finally, UBS Group set a C$122.00 target price on shares of Bank of Montreal and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, July 2nd. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of C$121.00.

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Bank of Montreal Price Performance

BMO traded down C$1.94 during trading on Wednesday, hitting C$110.10. 2,223,302 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,802,113. The firm has a market capitalization of C$80.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.20, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.54 and a beta of 1.16. The firm has a 50-day moving average of C$116.25 and a 200 day moving average of C$122.69. Bank of Montreal has a 12-month low of C$102.67 and a 12-month high of C$133.95.

Bank of Montreal (TSE:BMO  Get Free Report) (NYSE:BMO) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 29th. The bank reported C$2.59 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of C$2.74 by C($0.15). The business had revenue of C$7.97 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of C$8.06 billion. Bank of Montreal had a net margin of 20.07% and a return on equity of 8.19%. As a group, equities analysts predict that Bank of Montreal will post 11.6437811 EPS for the current fiscal year.

About Bank of Montreal

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Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. It operates through Canadian P&C, U.S P&C, BMO Wealth Management, and BMO Capital Markets segments. The company's personal banking products and services include deposits, mortgages, home lending, consumer credit, small business lending, credit cards, cash management, financial and investment advice, and other banking services; and commercial banking products and services comprise various of financing options and treasury and payment solutions, as well as risk management products.

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Bright Scholar Education Holdings Limited (NYSE:BEDU  Get Free Report) saw a large growth in short interest in the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 5,100 shares, a growth of 363.6% from the July 31st total of 1,100 shares. Approximately 0.1% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 5,100 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 1.0 days.

Bright Scholar Education Stock Down 1.1 %

BEDU stock traded down $0.02 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $2.05. 326 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 9,194. Bright Scholar Education has a 1-year low of $0.90 and a 1-year high of $3.23. The companys fifty day moving average price is $2.02 and its 200-day moving average price is $2.01. The firm has a market cap of $60.84 million, a PE ratio of -1.32 and a beta of 0.45.

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Bright Scholar Education (NYSE:BEDU  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, August 2nd. The company reported $0.20 EPS for the quarter. Bright Scholar Education had a negative return on equity of 5.22% and a negative net margin of 14.33%. The company had revenue of $76.51 million for the quarter.

Bright Scholar Education Company Profile

Bright Scholar Education Holdings Limited, an education service provider, operates and provides K-12 schools and complementary education services in China, Hong Kong, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The company operates in three segments: Overseas Schools; Complementary Education Services; and Domestic Kindergartens and K-12 Operation Services.

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Harbour Investments Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Free Report) by 6.4% during the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 28,056 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,690 shares during the quarter. Harbour Investments Inc.s holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb were worth $1,165,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC grew its holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 9.0% during the second quarter. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC now owns 5,389 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $224,000 after acquiring an additional 447 shares during the period. AustralianSuper Pty Ltd lifted its stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 25.2% in the 2nd quarter. AustralianSuper Pty Ltd now owns 3,857,561 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $160,205,000 after purchasing an additional 775,908 shares during the period. Wealth Advisory Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in Bristol-Myers Squibb during the second quarter worth $231,000. Skylands Capital LLC grew its position in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 17.0% during the second quarter. Skylands Capital LLC now owns 220,800 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $9,170,000 after buying an additional 32,150 shares during the period. Finally, GAM Holding AG increased its holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 4.3% in the second quarter. GAM Holding AG now owns 240,276 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $9,979,000 after buying an additional 9,867 shares in the last quarter. 76.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Bristol-Myers Squibb Trading Up 2.4 %

Shares of NYSE BMY traded up $1.16 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $49.28. The stock had a trading volume of 4,341,149 shares, compared to its average volume of 15,499,740. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.86, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a current ratio of 1.16. The company has a market cap of $99.90 billion, a P/E ratio of -15.89, a PEG ratio of 12.51 and a beta of 0.44. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a fifty-two week low of $39.35 and a fifty-two week high of $63.41. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $44.52 and its 200-day moving average price is $46.56.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Dividend Announcement

Bristol-Myers Squibb ( NYSE:BMY Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 26th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $2.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.64 by $0.43. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a negative net margin of 14.06% and a positive return on equity of 12.51%. The company had revenue of $12.20 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.54 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.75 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 8.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 0.77 EPS for the current fiscal year.

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. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 5th. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.87%. Bristol-Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -77.42%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Barclays increased their target price on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from $41.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Thursday, August 22nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their target price on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $53.00 to $45.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, July 23rd. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued a neutral rating and issued a $45.00 price target on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in a report on Monday, July 22nd. StockNews.com raised shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, July 29th. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their price objective on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $45.00 to $53.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Monday, August 12th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have issued a hold rating, two have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $54.93.

View Our Latest Stock Report on BMY

About Bristol-Myers Squibb

(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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Brookfield Business Partners L.P. (NYSE:BBU  Get Free Report) declared a quarterly dividend on Friday, August 2nd, Wall Street Journal reports. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be paid a dividend of 0.0625 per share by the business services provider on Friday, September 27th. This represents a $0.25 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.20%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th.

Brookfield Business Partners has a dividend payout ratio of 19.5% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Equities research analysts expect Brookfield Business Partners to earn $4.45 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $0.25 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 5.6%.

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Brookfield Business Partners Stock Down 0.6 %

Shares of NYSE:BBU traded down $0.12 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $20.76. 2,561 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 14,216. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $19.57 and a two-hundred day moving average of $20.05. Brookfield Business Partners has a 1-year low of $12.22 and a 1-year high of $23.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.23, a current ratio of 1.10 and a quick ratio of 0.84. The firm has a market cap of $1.54 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 3.45 and a beta of 1.47.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Brookfield Business Partners ( NYSE:BBU Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Friday, August 2nd. The business services provider reported ($0.09) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.86 by ($0.95). The business had revenue of $11.95 billion for the quarter. Brookfield Business Partners had a return on equity of 21.64% and a net margin of 7.08%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.85 earnings per share. Research analysts anticipate that Brookfield Business Partners will post 4.16 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on BBU shares. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on Brookfield Business Partners from $30.00 to $31.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, May 6th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $32.00 target price on shares of Brookfield Business Partners in a report on Monday, August 5th. Finally, Cibc World Mkts upgraded shares of Brookfield Business Partners to a strong-buy rating in a report on Tuesday, May 7th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $30.50.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on BBU

Brookfield Business Partners Company Profile

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Brookfield Business Partners L.P. is a private equity firm specializing in acquisition. The firm typically invests in business services, infrastructure services, construction, energy, and industrials sector. It prefers to take majority stake in companies. The firm seeks returns of at least 15% on its investments.

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Brown & Brown, Inc. (NYSE:BRO  Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $104.04 and last traded at $103.69, with a volume of 59988 shares. The stock had previously closed at $103.00.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have issued reports on BRO. Bank of America upgraded Brown & Brown from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $91.00 to $101.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 22nd. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Brown & Brown from $91.00 to $94.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 9th. Raymond James boosted their target price on shares of Brown & Brown from $95.00 to $110.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. StockNews.com raised Brown & Brown from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, August 16th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price objective on Brown & Brown from $86.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock an underperform rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $99.20.

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Brown & Brown Trading Up 0.9 %

The company has a current ratio of 2.35, a quick ratio of 2.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $96.23 and a 200-day moving average price of $89.37. The firm has a market capitalization of $29.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 0.82.

Brown & Brown (NYSE:BRO  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, July 22nd. The financial services provider reported $0.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.88 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $1.18 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.14 billion. Brown & Brown had a net margin of 21.95% and a return on equity of 17.00%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 12.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.68 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that Brown & Brown, Inc. will post 3.68 EPS for the current year.

Brown & Brown Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 14th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 7th were issued a $0.13 dividend. This represents a $0.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.50%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, August 7th. Brown & Browns dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 16.00%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Julie Turpin sold 3,350 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $89.92, for a total transaction of $301,232.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 23,597 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,121,842.24. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, CFO R. Andrew Watts sold 2,500 shares of Brown & Brown stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $100.32, for a total transaction of $250,800.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 88,445 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,872,802.40. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Julie Turpin sold 3,350 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $89.92, for a total transaction of $301,232.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 23,597 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,121,842.24. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 17.02% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Brown & Brown

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of BRO. Crewe Advisors LLC grew its stake in Brown & Brown by 330.4% during the second quarter. Crewe Advisors LLC now owns 297 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 228 shares during the last quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new position in shares of Brown & Brown during the first quarter worth approximately $32,000. Alaska Permanent Fund Corp bought a new stake in shares of Brown & Brown during the first quarter valued at approximately $36,000. First PREMIER Bank bought a new position in Brown & Brown in the 1st quarter worth approximately $40,000. Finally, Intelligent Financial Strategies acquired a new position in Brown & Brown during the 1st quarter worth $45,000. 71.01% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Brown & Brown Company Profile

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Brown & Brown, Inc markets and sells insurance products and services in the United States, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Retail, National Programs, Wholesale Brokerage, and Services. The Retail segment provides property and casualty, employee benefits insurance products, personal insurance products, specialties insurance products, risk management strategies, loss control survey and analysis, consultancy, and claims processing services.

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Bunker Hill Mining Corp. (OTCMKTS:BHLL  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant increase in short interest in August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 19,700 shares, an increase of 169.9% from the July 31st total of 7,300 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 243,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.1 days.

Bunker Hill Mining Stock Performance

Bunker Hill Mining stock opened at $0.12 on Wednesday. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $0.12 and its 200-day simple moving average is $0.11. The company has a market capitalization of $40.35 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.19 and a beta of 1.57. Bunker Hill Mining has a 1 year low of $0.07 and a 1 year high of $0.15.

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Bunker Hill Mining (OTCMKTS:BHLL  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The company reported ($0.01) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, Echelon Wealth Partners raised shares of Bunker Hill Mining to a moderate buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 22nd.

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About Bunker Hill Mining

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mining of mineral properties in Canada and the United States. It focuses on exploring for zinc, lead, and silver ores. Its flagship asset is the 100% owned Bunker Hill mine located in the Silver Valley, Idaho. The company was formerly known as Liberty Silver Corp. and changed its name to Bunker Hill Mining Corp.

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Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF (NYSEARCA:SPHD  Free Report) by 3.5% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 203,790 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 6,929 shares during the quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. owned approximately 0.31% of Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF worth $9,054,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Financial Insights Inc. raised its position in Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF by 2.6% during the 1st quarter. Financial Insights Inc. now owns 9,765 shares of the companys stock worth $434,000 after purchasing an additional 250 shares during the last quarter. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF by 3.6% in the first quarter. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 9,027 shares of the companys stock worth $401,000 after acquiring an additional 311 shares during the period. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. boosted its holdings in Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF by 4.5% in the first quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 8,483 shares of the companys stock valued at $377,000 after acquiring an additional 365 shares during the last quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. raised its holdings in Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF by 0.5% during the 1st quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 90,146 shares of the companys stock worth $4,002,000 after purchasing an additional 422 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF by 5.0% in the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 9,355 shares of the companys stock valued at $416,000 after purchasing an additional 444 shares during the last quarter.

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Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF Stock Down 0.2 %

Shares of NYSEARCA SPHD opened at $48.96 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $3.27 billion, a PE ratio of 17.13 and a beta of 0.64. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $46.35 and a 200 day simple moving average of $44.58. Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF has a twelve month low of $37.19 and a twelve month high of $49.41.

About Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF

The Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF (SPHD) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in large cap equity. The fund tracks a dividend-yield-weighted index comprising the least volatile, highest dividend-yielding S&P 500 stocks. SPHD was launched on Oct 18, 2012 and is managed by Invesco.

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Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. raised its stake in Newmont Co. (NYSE:NEM  Free Report) by 2.1% during the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 171,314 shares of the basic materials companys stock after acquiring an additional 3,510 shares during the period. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc.s holdings in Newmont were worth $7,173,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Newmont by 13.6% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 134,940,345 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $4,836,262,000 after purchasing an additional 16,190,422 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Newmont by 44.9% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 24,639,109 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $1,019,813,000 after buying an additional 7,635,657 shares during the period. First Eagle Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Newmont by 29.9% in the 4th quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 23,756,158 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $983,267,000 after buying an additional 5,475,155 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Newmont by 39.8% in the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 23,224,150 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $832,354,000 after buying an additional 6,617,145 shares during the period. Finally, Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Newmont in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $604,516,000. 68.85% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently commented on NEM. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on Newmont from $50.00 to $54.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, July 12th. CIBC raised Newmont from a neutral rating to a sector outperform rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $46.00 to $61.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. Scotiabank raised Newmont from a sector perform rating to a sector outperform rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $48.00 to $59.00 in a report on Monday, August 19th. National Bank Financial cut Newmont from an outperform overweight rating to a sector perform overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, April 30th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their price objective on Newmont from $46.00 to $45.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a report on Thursday, May 16th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Newmont has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $50.92.

Insider Buying and Selling at Newmont

In other Newmont news, CEO Thomas Ronald Palmer sold 20,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.51, for a total transaction of $990,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 311,469 shares of the companys stock, valued at $15,420,830.19. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.06% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Newmont Trading Down 1.4 %

Shares of NYSE:NEM traded down $0.73 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $51.97. The companys stock had a trading volume of 652,714 shares, compared to its average volume of 10,666,014. The firm has a market cap of $59.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -19.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.37 and a beta of 0.47. The company has a quick ratio of 1.85, a current ratio of 2.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. Newmont Co. has a 1 year low of $29.42 and a 1 year high of $52.77. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $46.58 and a 200 day moving average price of $40.90.

Newmont (NYSE:NEM  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The basic materials company reported $0.72 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.62 by $0.10. Newmont had a positive return on equity of 8.35% and a negative net margin of 13.16%. The firm had revenue of $4.40 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.13 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.33 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 64.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts forecast that Newmont Co. will post 2.76 EPS for the current year.

Newmont Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, September 5th will be given a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.92%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 5th. Newmonts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -37.45%.

About Newmont

(Free Report)

Newmont Corporation engages in the production and exploration of gold. It also explores for copper, silver, zinc, and lead. The company has operations and/or assets in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Peru, Suriname, Argentina, Chile, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Ecuador, Fiji, and Ghana.

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Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its stake in Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM  Free Report) by 1.9% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 178,851 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 3,288 shares during the period. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc.s holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $18,123,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of PM. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in Philip Morris International by 684.4% during the second quarter. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC now owns 251 shares of the companys stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 219 shares during the period. Boyd Watterson Asset Management LLC OH raised its position in Philip Morris International by 250.0% during the first quarter. Boyd Watterson Asset Management LLC OH now owns 322 shares of the companys stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 230 shares during the period. Fortitude Family Office LLC raised its stake in shares of Philip Morris International by 57.4% in the second 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 period. Northwest Financial Advisors bought a new position in Philip Morris International in the 4th quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, Olistico Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Philip Morris International during the second quarter worth approximately $34,000. Institutional investors own 78.63% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity

In other Philip Morris International news, insider Massimo Andolina sold 9,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $115.35, for a total transaction of $1,038,150.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 85,629 shares of the companys stock, valued at $9,877,305.15. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Philip Morris International news, insider Massimo Andolina sold 9,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.35, for a total value of $1,038,150.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 85,629 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,877,305.15. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Wilde Frederic De sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $113.01, for a total value of $2,260,200.00. Following 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. Corporate insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

Philip Morris International Trading Up 1.0 %

PM stock opened at $122.41 on Wednesday. The companys 50-day moving average price is $109.77 and its 200 day moving average price is $100.21. Philip Morris International Inc. has a 52 week low of $87.23 and a 52 week high of $122.54. The company has a market cap of $190.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.91, a P/E/G ratio of 2.35 and a beta of 0.58.

Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The company reported $1.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.57 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $9.47 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.19 billion. Philip Morris International had a net margin of 9.41% and a negative return on equity of 113.32%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.60 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts expect that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.41 earnings per share for the current year.

Philip Morris International Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 8th. Investors of record on Friday, June 21st were paid a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, June 21st. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.25%. Philip Morris Internationals payout ratio is currently 101.56%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have issued reports on the company. Bank of America lifted their target price on Philip Morris International from $110.00 to $118.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. StockNews.com raised Philip Morris International from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Monday, July 22nd. Barclays raised 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. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price objective on shares of Philip Morris International from $115.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price objective on Philip Morris International from $116.00 to $118.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Philip Morris International has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $109.80.

Read Our Latest Research Report on PM

Philip Morris International Company Profile

(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.

Further Reading

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Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. lowered its stake in shares of FedEx Co. (NYSE:FDX  Free Report) by 4.5% in the second quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 57,986 shares of the shipping service providers stock after selling 2,723 shares during the period. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc.s holdings in FedEx were worth $17,387,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. SeaCrest Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in FedEx by 0.6% in the 2nd quarter. SeaCrest Wealth Management LLC now owns 5,615 shares of the shipping service providers stock valued at $1,683,000 after buying an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. LRI Investments LLC grew its position in shares of FedEx by 8.6% in the second quarter. LRI Investments LLC now owns 455 shares of the shipping service providers stock valued at $137,000 after purchasing an additional 36 shares during the last quarter. Richard P Slaughter Associates Inc increased its stake in shares of FedEx by 0.4% in the second quarter. Richard P Slaughter Associates Inc now owns 8,573 shares of the shipping service providers stock worth $2,570,000 after purchasing an additional 38 shares during the period. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of FedEx by 4.1% during the 1st quarter. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC now owns 982 shares of the shipping service providers stock worth $285,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Coastline Trust Co boosted its stake in FedEx by 1.0% during the 2nd quarter. Coastline Trust Co now owns 4,229 shares of the shipping service providers stock valued at $1,268,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.47% of the companys stock.

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FedEx Price Performance

NYSE:FDX opened at $294.97 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.32, a current ratio of 1.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73. The firm has a market cap of $72.59 billion, a PE ratio of 17.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 1.18. FedEx Co. has a 12 month low of $224.69 and a 12 month high of $313.84. The companys 50-day moving average price is $289.60 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $268.88.

FedEx Announces Dividend

FedEx ( NYSE:FDX Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, June 25th. The shipping service provider reported $5.41 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $5.34 by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $22.11 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $22.04 billion. FedEx had a return on equity of 16.70% and a net margin of 4.94%. The businesss revenue was up .8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $4.94 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that FedEx Co. will post 20.94 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 9th will be issued a dividend of $1.38 per share. This represents a $5.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.87%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 9th. FedExs dividend payout ratio is currently 32.04%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have commented on the company. UBS Group dropped their price target on FedEx from $340.00 to $333.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, May 21st. Stephens reissued an overweight rating and issued a $325.00 price target on shares of FedEx in a report on Wednesday, June 26th. Stifel Nicolaus restated a buy rating and set a $327.00 price objective (up previously from $303.00) on shares of FedEx in a report on Wednesday, June 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of FedEx from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and increased their target price for the company from $296.00 to $359.00 in a research note on Wednesday, June 26th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered FedEx from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and nineteen have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, FedEx has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $313.96.

Check Out Our Latest Report on FedEx

Insider Buying and Selling at FedEx

In other FedEx news, EVP Robert B. Carter sold 16,010 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, June 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $294.48, for a total transaction of $4,714,624.80. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 59,884 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $17,634,640.32. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other FedEx news, EVP Robert B. Carter sold 16,010 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $294.48, for a total transaction of $4,714,624.80. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 59,884 shares in the company, valued at approximately $17,634,640.32. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CAO Guy M. Erwin II sold 116 shares of FedEx stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $299.24, for a total transaction of $34,711.84. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 930 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $278,293.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 32,944 shares of company stock worth $9,882,355. 8.73% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

About FedEx

(Free Report)

FedEx Corporation provides transportation, e-commerce, and business services in the United States and internationally. It operates through FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, and FedEx Services segments. The FedEx Express segment offers express transportation, small-package ground delivery, and freight transportation services; and time-critical transportation services.

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Canadian Western Bank (OTCMKTS:CBWBF  Get Free Report)s stock price shot up 11.3% during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $37.26 and last traded at $37.26. 5,858 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 33% from the average session volume of 4,419 shares. The stock had previously closed at $33.48.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, Raymond James raised their price objective on Canadian Western Bank from $37.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, June 13th.

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Check Out Our Latest Report on Canadian Western Bank

Canadian Western Bank Price Performance

About Canadian Western Bank

The companys 50 day moving average is $33.07 and its 200 day moving average is $25.01.

(Get Free Report)

Canadian Western Bank provides personal and business banking products and services in Western Canada. The company offers current, savings, US dollar, chequing, flex notice, organization, business trust, and trust fund investment accounts. It also offers commercial lending and real estate, equipment financing and leasing, aviation financing, and dealership financing products; agriculture lending products and AgriInvest savings account; variable and fixed rate mortgages; line of credit; registered retirement savings plan, consolidation, and vehicle loans; and credit cards.

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Central Japan Railway (OTCMKTS:CJPRY  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest during the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 53,800 shares, a decline of 73.7% from the July 31st total of 204,700 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 477,700 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.1 days.

Central Japan Railway Stock Performance

OTCMKTS:CJPRY traded up $0.06 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $11.76. 84,052 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 127,197. The company has a market capitalization of $23.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.64 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a fifty day moving average of $11.00 and a 200 day moving average of $11.57. Central Japan Railway has a twelve month low of $9.98 and a twelve month high of $13.53.

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Central Japan Railway (OTCMKTS:CJPRY  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The company reported $0.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The business had revenue of $2.79 billion for the quarter. On average, research analysts expect that Central Japan Railway will post 1.27 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Central Japan Railway Company Profile

Central Japan Railway Company engages in the railway and related businesses in Japan. The company operates through Transportation, Merchandise and Other, Real Estate, and Other segments. It primarily operates Tokaido Shinkansen, a transportation artery that links metropolitan areas of Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka, as well as a network of 12 conventional lines centered on the Nagoya and Shizuoka areas.

Further Reading

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Clarkson PLC (LON:CKN  Get Free Report) announced a dividend on Monday, August 5th, Upcoming.Co.Uk reports. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 29th will be paid a dividend of GBX 32 ($0.42) per share on Friday, September 13th. This represents a yield of 0.73%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 29th. The official announcement can be seen at this link.

Clarkson Trading Up 0.3 %

Shares of LON CKN opened at GBX 3,875 ($51.10) on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 8.39, a current ratio of 1.79 and a quick ratio of 1.69. The stock has a market cap of 1.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 1,440.30 and a beta of 1.18. Clarkson has a 1 year low of GBX 2,500 ($32.97) and a 1 year high of GBX 4,675 ($61.65). The firm has a 50-day moving average of GBX 4,176.06 and a 200 day moving average of GBX 4,013.89.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on CKN shares. Canaccord Genuity Group reiterated a buy rating and issued a GBX 4,500 ($59.34) price target on shares of Clarkson in a research report on Tuesday, August 6th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a buy rating and set a GBX 4,950 ($65.28) target price on shares of Clarkson in a report on Tuesday, May 7th.

About Clarkson

(Get Free Report)

Clarkson PLC provides integrated shipping services worldwide. The company's Broking segment offers services to shipowners and charterers in the transportation of various cargoes by sea; and to buyers and sellers/yards related to sale and purchase transactions, as well as futures broking operation.

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Compania Cervecerias Unidas S.A. (NYSE:CCU  Get Free Report)s stock price gapped down prior to trading on Monday . The stock had previously closed at $11.69, but opened at $11.29. Compania Cervecerias Unidas shares last traded at $11.61, with a volume of 37,902 shares traded.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

CCU has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered shares of Compania Cervecerias Unidas from an overweight rating to an underweight rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $21.00 to $10.00 in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. Bank of America lowered shares of Compania Cervecerias Unidas from a neutral rating to an underperform rating and increased their target price for the company from $12.60 to $13.70 in a research note on Thursday, May 23rd. StockNews.com raised Compania Cervecerias Unidas from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 20th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group lowered shares of Compania Cervecerias Unidas from a neutral rating to a sell rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $12.90 to $10.50 in a research note on Monday. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Compania Cervecerias Unidas presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $12.88.

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View Our Latest Analysis on CCU

Compania Cervecerias Unidas Trading Up 1.0 %

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Compania Cervecerias Unidas

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a quick ratio of 1.81 and a current ratio of 2.48. The firm has a market cap of $2.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.02, a PEG ratio of 0.60 and a beta of 0.90. The company has a 50 day moving average of $11.43 and a 200 day moving average of $11.91.

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. First Eagle Investment Management LLC lifted its position in Compania Cervecerias Unidas by 1.2% during the 2nd quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 15,741,885 shares of the companys stock worth $179,143,000 after acquiring an additional 184,970 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its holdings in shares of Compania Cervecerias Unidas by 82.0% during the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 166,734 shares of the companys stock worth $1,897,000 after purchasing an additional 75,147 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. raised its stake in shares of Compania Cervecerias Unidas by 37.5% in the second quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 79,367 shares of the companys stock valued at $903,000 after purchasing an additional 21,630 shares in the last quarter. Malaga Cove Capital LLC increased its holdings in Compania Cervecerias Unidas by 39.8% in the 2nd quarter. Malaga Cove Capital LLC now owns 57,632 shares of the companys stock valued at $656,000 after buying an additional 16,396 shares during the period. Finally, Privium Fund Management UK Ltd raised its stake in shares of Compania Cervecerias Unidas by 98.1% in the 2nd quarter. Privium Fund Management UK Ltd now owns 120,892 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,348,000 after buying an additional 59,863 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 24.07% of the companys stock.

Compania Cervecerias Unidas Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Compania Cervecerias Unidas SA operates as a beverage company in Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The company operates through three segments: Chile, International Business, and Wine. It produces and sells alcoholic and non-alcoholic beer under proprietary and licensed brands, as well as distributes Pernod Ricard products in non-supermarket retail stores.

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Continental Aktiengesellschaft (FRA:CON  Get Free Report)s stock price traded down 0.3% on Tuesday . The company traded as low as 59.40 ($66.00) and last traded at 59.82 ($66.47). 90,491 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, The stock had previously closed at 59.98 ($66.64).

Continental Aktiengesellschaft Price Performance

The business has a 50-day simple moving average of 57.15 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of 62.80.

About Continental Aktiengesellschaft

(Get Free Report)

Continental Aktiengesellschaft, a technology company, offers intelligent solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic, and transportation worldwide. It operates through four sectors: Automotive, Tires, ContiTech, and Contract Manufacturing. The company offers safety, brake, chassis, motion, and motion control systems; solutions for assisted and automated driving; display and operating technologies; and audio and camera solutions for the vehicle interior, as well as intelligent information and communication technology solutions.

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Cross Timbers Royalty Trust (NYSE:CRT  Get Free Report) announced a monthly dividend on Tuesday, August 20th, Zacks reports. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th will be given a dividend of 0.055 per share by the oil and gas company on Monday, September 16th. This represents a $0.66 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.60%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th.

Cross Timbers Royalty Trust has raised its dividend by an average of 35.2% annually over the last three years.

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Cross Timbers Royalty Trust Stock Performance

Shares of CRT stock opened at $10.00 on Wednesday. Cross Timbers Royalty Trust has a fifty-two week low of $9.12 and a fifty-two week high of $22.85. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $10.21 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $13.03. The company has a market cap of $60 million, a PE ratio of 6.36 and a beta of 0.54.

Cross Timbers Royalty Trust Company Profile

Cross Timbers Royalty Trust operates as an express trust in the United States. It holds 90% net profits interests in certain producing and nonproducing royalty and overriding royalty interest properties in Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico; and 75% net profits working interest in four properties in Texas and three properties in Oklahoma.

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Eagle Bay Advisors LLC decreased its holdings in Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) by 44.3% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 1,650 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 1,310 shares during the quarter. Eagle Bay Advisors LLCs holdings in Wells Fargo & Company were worth $98,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of WFC. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC lifted its position in Wells Fargo & Company by 11.9% during the second quarter. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC now owns 51,801 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $3,076,000 after purchasing an additional 5,522 shares during the period. Atomi Financial Group Inc. raised its stake in Wells Fargo & Company by 54.4% during the 2nd quarter. Atomi Financial Group Inc. now owns 28,371 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,685,000 after buying an additional 9,995 shares during the last quarter. Sequent Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in Wells Fargo & Company during the 2nd quarter valued at $420,000. Signature Estate & Investment Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company during the 2nd quarter valued at $384,000. Finally, Callan Family Office LLC boosted its stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 0.6% in the 2nd quarter. Callan Family Office LLC now owns 92,002 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $5,464,000 after buying an additional 537 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 75.90% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts recently commented on WFC shares. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $55.00 to $57.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered shares of Wells Fargo & Company to a hold rating and reduced their price target for the company from $62.00 to $59.00 in a research report on Friday, August 16th. Evercore ISI reissued an outperform rating and issued a $67.00 price objective (down previously from $70.00) on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a report on Monday, July 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $59.00 to $61.50 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 1st. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased 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. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Wells Fargo & Company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $59.63.

Wells Fargo & Company Price Performance

Shares of Wells Fargo & Company stock traded up $0.89 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $57.15. The companys stock had a trading volume of 4,076,022 shares, compared to its average volume of 17,812,295. The company has a market cap of $199.24 billion, a PE ratio of 11.55, a PEG ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 1.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 0.86. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $57.52 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $57.53. Wells Fargo & Company has a 12-month low of $38.38 and a 12-month high of $62.55.

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, July 12th. The financial services provider reported $1.33 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.29 by $0.04. Wells Fargo & Company had a return on equity of 12.30% and a net margin of 15.17%. The company had revenue of $20.69 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $20.29 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.25 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up .8% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that Wells Fargo & Company will post 5.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wells Fargo & Company Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 9th will be issued a $0.40 dividend. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.80%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 9th. This is an increase from Wells Fargo & Companys previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Wells Fargo & Companys payout ratio is 32.85%.

Wells Fargo & Company Company Profile

(Free Report)

Wells Fargo & Company, a financial services company, provides diversified banking, investment, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through four segments: Consumer Banking and Lending; Commercial Banking; Corporate and Investment Banking; and Wealth and Investment Management.

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Eagle Bay Advisors LLC decreased its position in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 17.2% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 765 shares of the companys stock after selling 159 shares during the quarter. Eagle Bay Advisors LLCs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $692,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Atomi Financial Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 11.6% during the second quarter. Atomi Financial Group Inc. now owns 5,283 shares of the companys stock worth $4,783,000 after purchasing an additional 550 shares in the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 1.5% in the 2nd quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 167,879 shares of the companys stock worth $151,994,000 after purchasing an additional 2,446 shares in the last quarter. RiverPark Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 5.8% in the second quarter. RiverPark Advisors LLC now owns 2,455 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,223,000 after purchasing an additional 134 shares during the period. Riverpark Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 7.9% during the second quarter. Riverpark Capital Management LLC now owns 2,354 shares of the companys stock worth $2,131,000 after buying an additional 173 shares during the period. Finally, Dearborn Partners LLC boosted its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 0.8% during the 2nd quarter. Dearborn Partners LLC now owns 4,648 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,208,000 after acquiring an additional 37 shares during the period. 82.53% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Eli Lilly and Company Stock Down 0.5 %

Shares of NYSE:LLY traded down $5.23 on Wednesday, reaching $949.25. The company had a trading volume of 697,186 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,075,214. Eli Lilly and Company has a 52-week low of $516.57 and a 52-week high of $972.53. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $887.63 and its 200-day simple moving average is $816.72. The company has a current ratio of 1.35, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.90. The firm has a market capitalization of $902.17 billion, a PE ratio of 140.80, a PEG ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.41.

Eli Lilly and Company Dividend Announcement

Insider Buying and Selling

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 15th will be issued a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.55%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 15th. Eli Lilly and Companys payout ratio is currently 76.58%.

In other news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 210,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $939.82, for a total value of $197,362,200.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 96,943,810 shares in the company, valued at approximately $91,109,731,514.20. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 210,000 shares of the businesss 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 transaction, the insider now owns 96,943,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at $91,109,731,514.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Johna Norton sold 7,056 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $819.38, for a total transaction of $5,781,545.28. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 25,428 shares in the company, valued at approximately $20,835,194.64. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 1,120,089 shares of company stock worth $990,278,343. Insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently commented on the company. Argus raised their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $770.00 to $840.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, May 14th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an overweight rating and set a $885.00 price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Monday, August 19th. Barclays boosted their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $913.00 to $1,025.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,001.00 to $1,101.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, August 9th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $900.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, July 11th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have assigned 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.

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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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EFG Asset Management North America Corp. reduced its stake in Shake Shack Inc. (NYSE:SHAK  Free Report) by 21.8% during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 19,801 shares of the companys stock after selling 5,534 shares during the quarter. EFG Asset Management North America Corp.s holdings in Shake Shack were worth $1,783,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of SHAK. QRG Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Shake Shack by 4.5% in the 4th quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 3,711 shares of the companys stock worth $275,000 after buying an additional 161 shares during the period. CWM LLC lifted its stake in Shake Shack by 24.7% in the second quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,046 shares of the companys stock worth $94,000 after acquiring an additional 207 shares during the period. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC increased its position in Shake Shack by 5.8% during the 2nd quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 3,855 shares of the companys stock valued at $347,000 after purchasing an additional 212 shares during the period. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC purchased a new position in Shake Shack during the 1st quarter valued at $25,000. Finally, Louisiana State Employees Retirement System raised its holdings in Shake Shack by 1.6% in the 2nd quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 18,900 shares of the companys stock worth $1,701,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares in the last quarter. 86.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Shake Shack Stock Down 0.4 %

NYSE:SHAK traded down $0.41 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $108.56. The company had a trading volume of 221,291 shares, compared to its average volume of 945,976. The company has a current ratio of 2.06, a quick ratio of 2.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. The firm has a market capitalization of $4.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 198.13, a PEG ratio of 3.28 and a beta of 1.75. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $91.85 and its 200-day simple moving average is $96.55. Shake Shack Inc. has a 12-month low of $52.79 and a 12-month high of $111.29.

Insider Transactions at Shake Shack

Shake Shack ( NYSE:SHAK Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The company reported $0.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $0.27. Shake Shack had a return on equity of 5.63% and a net margin of 2.23%. The company had revenue of $316.50 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $314.37 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.18 EPS. Shake Shacks revenue for the quarter was up 16.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Shake Shack Inc. will post 0.73 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

In related news, CFO Katherine Irene Fogertey sold 321 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $95.10, for a total transaction of $30,527.10. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 37,143 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,532,299.30. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other Shake Shack news, Director Jeffrey Flug sold 304 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $90.39, for a total value of $27,478.56. Following the sale, the director now owns 3,347 shares of the companys stock, valued at $302,535.33. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CFO Katherine Irene Fogertey sold 321 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $95.10, for a total value of $30,527.10. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 37,143 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,532,299.30. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 11,892 shares of company stock worth $1,279,534 over the last 90 days. 9.73% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

SHAK has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Truist Financial increased their price objective on shares of Shake Shack from $125.00 to $127.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, August 2nd. Bank of America increased their price target on Shake Shack from $104.00 to $116.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Monday, August 19th. Capital One Financial assumed coverage on shares of Shake Shack in a report on Monday, July 29th. They set an overweight rating and a $95.00 target price for the company. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of Shake Shack from $108.00 to $100.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, July 16th. Finally, BTIG Research raised their target price on Shake Shack from $120.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, May 6th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $106.37.

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Shake Shack Profile

(Free Report)

Shake Shack Inc owns, operates, and licenses Shake Shack restaurants (Shacks) in the United States and internationally. Its Shacks offers hamburgers, chicken, hot dogs, crinkle cut fries, shakes, frozen custard, beer, wine, and other products. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

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First BanCorp. (NYSE:FBP  Get Free Report) declared a quarterly dividend on Monday, July 22nd, Zacks reports. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 29th will be given a dividend of 0.16 per share by the bank on Friday, September 13th. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.02%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 29th.

First BanCorp. has increased its dividend by an average of 41.0% per year over the last three years. First BanCorp. has a payout ratio of 33.5% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Analysts expect First BanCorp. to earn $1.95 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $0.64 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 32.8%.

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First BanCorp. Price Performance

FBP stock opened at $21.19 on Tuesday. First BanCorp. has a 12 month low of $12.72 and a 12 month high of $22.12. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 1.12. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $19.67 and a 200-day moving average of $18.09.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

First BanCorp. ( NYSE:FBP Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The bank reported $0.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.41 by $0.05. First BanCorp. had a net margin of 25.91% and a return on equity of 21.86%. The business had revenue of $304.28 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $230.26 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.37 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that First BanCorp. will post 1.73 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Several research firms have recently commented on FBP. Hovde Group lifted their price objective on First BanCorp. from $21.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Piper Sandler assumed coverage on First BanCorp. in a research report on Monday. They set a neutral rating and a $22.00 price target for the company. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on First BanCorp. from $19.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. Finally, Raymond James initiated coverage on First BanCorp. in a report on Tuesday, July 9th. They set an outperform rating and a $21.00 target price for the company. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $20.83.

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Insider Activity at First BanCorp.

In related news, COO Donald Kafka sold 50,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $21.81, for a total value of $1,090,500.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 174,589 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,807,786.09. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other First BanCorp. news, EVP Carlos Power sold 22,896 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $21.53, for a total transaction of $492,950.88. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 232,340 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,002,280.20. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, COO Donald Kafka sold 50,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $21.81, for a total value of $1,090,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 174,589 shares in the company, valued at $3,807,786.09. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 2.50% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

First BanCorp. Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

First BanCorp. operates as a bank holding company for FirstBank Puerto Rico that provides a range of financial products and services to consumers and commercial customers. The company operates through six segments: Commercial and Corporate Banking, Mortgage Banking, Consumer (Retail) Banking, Treasury and Investments, United States Operations, and Virgin Islands Operations.

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First Heartland Consultants Inc. decreased its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 0.7% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,165 shares of the companys stock after selling 29 shares during the quarter. First Heartland Consultants Inc.s holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $3,771,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Tidemark LLC purchased a new position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. Core Wealth Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 188.2% in 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. Lynx Investment Advisory bought a new position in Eli Lilly and Company in the 2nd quarter valued at $32,000. Frank Rimerman Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the 4th quarter worth $37,000. Finally, St. Johns Investment Management Company LLC raised its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 123.3% in the 4th quarter. St. Johns Investment Management Company LLC now owns 67 shares of the companys stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 37 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 82.53% of the companys stock.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Eli Lilly and Company news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 22,206 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, May 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $822.11, for a total transaction of $18,255,774.66. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 98,401,604 shares in the company, valued at approximately $80,896,942,664.44. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other Eli Lilly and Company news, EVP Johna Norton sold 7,056 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $819.38, for a total transaction of $5,781,545.28. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 25,428 shares in the company, valued at $20,835,194.64. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 22,206 shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock in a transaction on Friday, May 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $822.11, for a total value of $18,255,774.66. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 98,401,604 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $80,896,942,664.44. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 1,122,141 shares of company stock worth $991,938,411. 0.13% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on LLY shares. Morgan Stanley reissued an overweight rating and issued a $1,023.00 price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Friday, July 5th. 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 report on Monday, June 24th. Barclays upped their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $913.00 to $1,025.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,001.00 to $1,101.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, August 9th. Finally, Argus boosted their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $770.00 to $840.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 14th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $956.88.

Check Out Our Latest Report on Eli Lilly and Company

Eli Lilly and Company Stock Performance

NYSE LLY traded down $2.64 on Monday, hitting $950.10. 635,063 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,081,369. The firm has a market cap of $902.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 140.32, a P/E/G ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.41. The firms 50-day moving average price is $886.32 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $815.20. Eli Lilly and Company has a fifty-two week low of $516.57 and a fifty-two week high of $972.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.90, a current ratio of 1.35 and a quick ratio of 1.03.

Eli Lilly and Company Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 15th will be given a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.55%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 15th. Eli Lilly and Companys payout ratio is 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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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LLY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report).

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Granite Ridge Resources, Inc. (NYSE:GRNT  Get Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Thursday, August 8th, Wall Street Journal reports. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th will be given a dividend of 0.11 per share on Friday, September 13th. This represents a $0.44 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.77%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th.

Granite Ridge Resources has a dividend payout ratio of 59.5% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Analysts expect Granite Ridge Resources to earn $0.77 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $0.44 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 57.1%.

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Granite Ridge Resources Stock Performance

NYSE:GRNT opened at $6.50 on Wednesday. The stocks fifty day moving average is $6.48 and its 200 day moving average is $6.41. Granite Ridge Resources has a fifty-two week low of $5.20 and a fifty-two week high of $8.14. The firm has a market capitalization of $849.84 million, a PE ratio of 14.44, a PEG ratio of 6.64 and a beta of 0.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a quick ratio of 2.55 and a current ratio of 2.55.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Granite Ridge Resources ( NYSE:GRNT Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 8th. The company reported $0.13 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.14 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $90.65 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $96.97 million. Granite Ridge Resources had a net margin of 15.43% and a return on equity of 14.35%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.19 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Granite Ridge Resources will post 0.6 earnings per share for the current year.

Several equities analysts have commented on GRNT shares. Roth Mkm started coverage on Granite Ridge Resources in a research report on Wednesday, May 15th. They issued a buy rating and a $8.80 price objective on the stock. Bank of America reaffirmed a neutral rating and issued a $7.00 price objective on shares of Granite Ridge Resources in a research report on Friday, June 14th. Finally, Roth Capital raised Granite Ridge Resources to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 15th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, two have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $7.95.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on GRNT

Insider Transactions at Granite Ridge Resources

In other news, CFO Tyler Farquharson purchased 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 19th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $6.62 per share, with a total value of $33,100.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 76,723 shares of the companys stock, valued at $507,906.26. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, CFO Tyler Farquharson purchased 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 19th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $6.62 per share, with a total value of $33,100.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 76,723 shares of the companys stock, valued at $507,906.26. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Thaddeus Darden purchased 7,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 14th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $5.90 per share, for a total transaction of $41,300.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 221,156 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,304,820.40. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have bought 39,138 shares of company stock valued at $245,872. 1.90% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

About Granite Ridge Resources

(Get Free Report)

Granite Ridge Resources, Inc operates as a non-operated oil and gas exploration and production company. It owns a portfolio of wells and acreage across the Permian and other unconventional basins in the United States. Granite Ridge Resources, Inc is based in Dallas, Texas.

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Harbour Investments Inc. lifted its stake in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE  Free Report) by 14.4% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 73,287 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after purchasing an additional 9,216 shares during the period. Harbour Investments Inc.s holdings in Pfizer were worth $2,051,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Clifford Swan Investment Counsel LLC grew its position in shares of Pfizer by 4.7% during the 4th quarter. Clifford Swan Investment Counsel LLC now owns 417,070 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $12,007,000 after buying an additional 18,611 shares in the last quarter. Cantor Fitzgerald Investment Advisors L.P. bought a new position in Pfizer during the 4th quarter worth about $16,166,000. First Heartland Consultants Inc. increased its position in Pfizer by 43.3% during the 4th quarter. First Heartland Consultants Inc. now owns 13,013 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $375,000 after purchasing an additional 3,933 shares during the period. ORG Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 1,729.9% in the 2nd quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 47,028 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $1,327,000 after purchasing an additional 44,458 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Kempner Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Pfizer in the 1st quarter worth approximately $2,439,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.36% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

PFE has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $28.00 to $29.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Thursday, May 2nd. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $36.00 target price (up from $33.00) on shares of Pfizer in a report on Thursday, May 2nd. Barclays raised their price target on shares of Pfizer from $30.00 to $32.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. UBS Group boosted their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $30.00 to $31.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald restated an overweight rating and issued a $45.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Monday, August 19th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, Pfizer has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $34.54.

Pfizer Stock Performance

PFE traded down $0.09 on Tuesday, reaching $28.84. 16,156,843 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 38,734,188. The companys 50-day moving average price is $28.89 and its 200 day moving average price is $27.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 0.86 and a quick ratio of 0.60. The firm has a market capitalization of $163.40 billion, a PE ratio of -480.33, a PEG ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 0.69. Pfizer Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $25.20 and a fifty-two week high of $36.94.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.60 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.46 by $0.14. Pfizer had a positive return on equity of 8.42% and a negative net margin of 4.66%. The firm had revenue of $13.28 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.96 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.67 earnings per share. The companys revenue was up 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.68 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 3rd. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 26th will be paid a $0.42 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 26th. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.83%. Pfizers payout ratio is currently -2,800.00%.

Pfizer Company Profile

(Free Report)

Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, Zavzpret, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Abrysvo, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and COVID-19 prevention and treatment, and potential future mRNA and antiviral products under the Comirnaty and Paxlovid brands.

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Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. (OTCMKTS:HTZZ  Get Free Report)s stock price reached a new 52-week low during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $3.40 and last traded at $3.48, with a volume of 6532539 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $3.43.

Hertz Global Price Performance

The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $3.65 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $5.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.07, a current ratio of 2.91 and a quick ratio of 2.91.

Hertz Global Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Hertz Global Holdings, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides airport and off airport vehicle rental and leasing services. It operates through three segments: U.S. RAC, International RAC, and All Other Operations. The company provides its vehicle rental services under the Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty, Firefly, and Flexicar brands from approximately 12,000 corporate and franchisee locations in North America, Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and New Zealand.

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Easterly Investment Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of HF Sinclair Co. (NYSE:DINO  Free Report) by 47.7% during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 23,050 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 7,448 shares during the quarter. Easterly Investment Partners LLCs holdings in HF Sinclair were worth $1,229,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Unison Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of HF Sinclair by 0.8% during the 1st quarter. Unison Advisors LLC now owns 21,496 shares of the companys stock worth $1,298,000 after purchasing an additional 179 shares during the last quarter. Capital Advisors Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in HF Sinclair by 2.4% in the 1st quarter. Capital Advisors Wealth Management LLC now owns 8,135 shares of the companys stock valued at $491,000 after buying an additional 190 shares in the last quarter. King Luther Capital Management Corp increased its stake in shares of HF Sinclair by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. King Luther Capital Management Corp now owns 64,018 shares of the companys stock worth $3,557,000 after acquiring an additional 194 shares during the last quarter. Poehling Capital Management INC. raised its holdings in shares of HF Sinclair by 0.3% during the 1st quarter. Poehling Capital Management INC. now owns 66,079 shares of the companys stock worth $3,989,000 after acquiring an additional 203 shares during the period. Finally, Fifth Third Bancorp boosted its position in shares of HF Sinclair by 6.7% during the 2nd quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 4,258 shares of the companys stock valued at $227,000 after acquiring an additional 267 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 88.29% of the companys stock.

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HF Sinclair Stock Performance

NYSE:DINO traded up $0.09 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $49.07. 448,117 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,950,966. The company has a 50-day moving average of $49.67 and a 200 day moving average of $54.74. HF Sinclair Co. has a 1-year low of $44.09 and a 1-year high of $64.16. The company has a quick ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 2.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.06 and a beta of 1.19.

HF Sinclair Announces Dividend

HF Sinclair ( NYSE:DINO Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The company reported $0.78 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.72 by $0.06. HF Sinclair had a return on equity of 11.73% and a net margin of 3.80%. The business had revenue of $7.85 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.65 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.60 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts anticipate that HF Sinclair Co. will post 3.85 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 5th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 21st will be given a dividend of $0.50 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, August 21st. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.08%. HF Sinclairs payout ratio is currently 24.75%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have commented on the stock. Wolfe Research started coverage on shares of HF Sinclair in a research note on Thursday, July 18th. They set a peer perform rating on the stock. Piper Sandler reduced their price target on shares of HF Sinclair from $65.00 to $58.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, June 14th. Argus upgraded HF Sinclair to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on HF Sinclair from $59.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, August 19th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on HF Sinclair from $61.00 to $60.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Friday, August 2nd. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $62.55.

Read Our Latest Analysis on HF Sinclair

HF Sinclair Company Profile

(Free Report)

HF Sinclair Corporation operates as an independent energy company. The company produces and markets gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, renewable diesel, specialty lubricant products, specialty chemicals, specialty and modified asphalt, and others. It owns and operates refineries located in Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming; and markets its refined products principally in the Southwest United States and Rocky Mountains, Pacific Northwest, and in other neighboring Plains states.

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Hills Bank & Trust Co trimmed its stake in Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE  Free Report) by 3.7% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 57,217 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 2,200 shares during the period. Intercontinental Exchange accounts for 0.6% of Hills Bank & Trust Cos portfolio, making the stock its 29th largest position. Hills Bank & Trust Cos holdings in Intercontinental Exchange were worth $7,832,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Scarborough Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Intercontinental Exchange during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Annapolis Financial Services LLC increased its position in Intercontinental Exchange by 1,018.8% during the 1st quarter. Annapolis Financial Services LLC now owns 179 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 163 shares in the last quarter. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Intercontinental Exchange during the 1st quarter valued at about $26,000. Stuart Chaussee & Associates Inc. acquired a new position in Intercontinental Exchange during the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Venturi Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Intercontinental Exchange by 82.3% during the 1st quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 206 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 93 shares in the last quarter. 89.30% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Argus reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $153.00 target price on shares of Intercontinental Exchange in a research report on Tuesday, May 21st. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reiterated an outperform rating and set a $168.00 price target on shares of Intercontinental Exchange in a research note on Tuesday, August 6th. Rosenblatt Securities reiterated a buy rating and set a $164.00 price target on shares of Intercontinental Exchange in a research note on Friday, May 3rd. Barclays boosted their price target on Intercontinental Exchange from $159.00 to $167.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Intercontinental Exchange from $147.00 to $151.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, May 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Intercontinental Exchange currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $154.93.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CAO James W. Namkung sold 1,043 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $150.00, for a total value of $156,450.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 17,836 shares in the company, valued at $2,675,400. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, CEO Jeffrey C. Sprecher sold 58,389 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $141.68, for a total transaction of $8,272,553.52. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1,179,993 shares in the company, valued at $167,181,408.24. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, CAO James W. Namkung sold 1,043 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $150.00, for a total value of $156,450.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 17,836 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,675,400. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders sold 64,992 shares of company stock worth $9,197,801. Company insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock.

Intercontinental Exchange Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:ICE traded up $1.41 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $160.01. The company had a trading volume of 2,665,237 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,468,567. Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. has a twelve month low of $104.49 and a twelve month high of $160.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.99 and a quick ratio of 1.01. The stock has a market cap of $91.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 1.06. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $147.29 and its 200-day simple moving average is $139.45.

Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE:ICE  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 1st. The financial services provider reported $1.52 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.49 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $2.32 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.31 billion. Intercontinental Exchange had a return on equity of 12.70% and a net margin of 21.43%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 22.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $1.43 earnings per share. On average, research analysts predict that Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. will post 6 earnings per share for the current year.

About Intercontinental Exchange

(Free Report)

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of market infrastructure, data services, and technology solutions for financial institutions, corporations, and government entities in the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Singapore, India, Abu Dhabi, Israel, and Canada.

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Hugoton Royalty Trust (OTCMKTS:HGTXU  Get Free Report) saw a large decline in short interest during the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 900 shares, a decline of 95.7% from the July 31st total of 21,000 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 57,800 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.0 days.

Hugoton Royalty Trust Price Performance

HGTXU stock traded up $0.03 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $0.49. 9,678 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 34,505. Hugoton Royalty Trust has a 12 month low of $0.42 and a 12 month high of $0.79. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $0.50 and a 200 day moving average price of $0.51. The stock has a market capitalization of $19.63 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 0.22.

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Hugoton Royalty Trust Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

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Hugoton Royalty Trust operates as an express trust in the United States. It holds 80% net profits interests in various natural gas producing working interest properties in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Wyoming under conveyances. The company was founded in 1998 and is based in Dallas, Texas.

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Ilika plc (OTCMKTS:ILIKF  Get Free Report) was the target of a large increase in short interest in the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 36,100 shares, an increase of 802.5% from the July 31st total of 4,000 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 124,800 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.3 days.

Ilika Stock Performance

Shares of OTCMKTS ILIKF opened at $0.30 on Wednesday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $0.33 and a 200-day simple moving average of $0.35. Ilika has a 1 year low of $0.28 and a 1 year high of $0.63.

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Ilika Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

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Ilika plc designs, develops, and produces solid-state batteries under the Stereax name primarily in the United Kingdom, Asia, Europe, and North America. The company offers batteries for a range of applications in the industrial Internet of Things, MedTech, transportation, electric vehicles, and cordless consumer appliances.

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Nazrin Abdul

Currently, innovative irrigation systems are in use across 119,500 hectares in Azerbaijan, representing 8.05% of the countrys total irrigated areas.

This update was shared by Ilhama Gadimova, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, during the COP29 Round Table Discussions on "The Role of Water Management Systems in Climate-Resistant Agriculture," Azernews reports.

Gadimova detailed that Azerbaijan has 1.5 million hectares of agriculturally suitable land, with 77.5% under cultivation, 8.6% dedicated to perennial crops, and 13.9% used for other purposes such as mowing and weaving. She highlighted the growing challenges faced by farmers due to dwindling water resources, droughts, floods, and land degradation.

"These extreme weather events disproportionately impact small farms and rural communities, making them more vulnerable to resource depletion and climate fluctuations," Gadimova noted.

"The agricultural sector is vital to our economy and highly valued both locally and internationally. To ensure its sustainability amidst climate change, we must enhance our water management systems and adopt more resilient practices."
Imperial Brands PLC (OTCMKTS:IMBBY  Get Free Report)s stock price reached a new 52-week high on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $28.49 and last traded at $28.45, with a volume of 57954 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $28.21.

Imperial Brands Stock Performance

The stocks 50-day moving average is $26.95 and its 200-day moving average is $24.59.

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Imperial Brands Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 11th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 23rd will be issued a dividend of $0.2752 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 23rd.

About Imperial Brands

Imperial Brands PLC, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, imports, markets, and sells tobacco and tobacco-related products in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australasia. It offers a range of cigarettes, tobacco accessories, vapour, heated tobacco, and oral nicotine. The company sells its products under various brands, including JPS, Davidoff, Gauloises, West, Winston, Kool, Lambert & Butler, Fortuna, Nobel, News, Backwoods, Champion, Golden Virginia, Rizla, Blu, Pulze, Skruf, and Zone X.

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Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust (TSE:INO.UN  Get Free Report) Senior Officer David Giraud bought 13,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 26th. The stock was acquired at an average price of C$1.06 per share, for a total transaction of C$14,250.60.

Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust Price Performance

The company has a market cap of C$33.89 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -0.50 and a beta of 1.79. Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust has a twelve month low of C$0.69 and a twelve month high of C$3.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 100.22, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a current ratio of 0.55. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of C$1.10 and a two-hundred day moving average price of C$1.13.

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About Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust

(Get Free Report)

Further Reading

Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust is an unincorporated, open-ended real estate investment trust established pursuant to a declaration of trust under the laws of the Province of Ontario. The REIT has been created for the purpose of acquiring and owning office properties primarily located in France and Germany but also opportunistically in other European countries where assets meet the REIT's investment criteria.

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Deterra Royalties Limited (ASX:DRR  Get Free Report) insider Julian Andrews acquired 38,012 shares of Deterra Royalties stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 21st. The shares were acquired at an average price of A$3.85 ($2.60) per share, with a total value of A$146,346.20 ($98,882.57).

Deterra Royalties Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a current ratio of 153.21 and a quick ratio of 210.68.

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Deterra Royalties Cuts Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a Final dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 23rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 23rd will be paid a dividend of $0.144 per share. This represents a dividend yield of 3.71%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 26th. Deterra Royaltiess dividend payout ratio is currently 93.75%.

About Deterra Royalties

Deterra Royalties Limited operates as a royalty investment company in Australia. The company is also involved in the management and growth of a portfolio of royalty assets across bulk commodities, base, and battery metals. It holds interest in a portfolio of six royalties over the Mining Area C, Yoongarillup/Yalyalup, Eneabba, Wonnerup, and St Ives.

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Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust (TSE:INO.UN  Get Free Report) Director Rodolphe Manasterski bought 11,000 shares of Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 23rd. The stock was purchased at an average cost of C$1.06 per share, for a total transaction of C$11,660.00.

Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust Price Performance

The company has a fifty day moving average price of C$1.10 and a 200 day moving average price of C$1.13. The firm has a market capitalization of C$33.89 million, a PE ratio of -0.50 and a beta of 1.79. Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust has a 1-year low of C$0.69 and a 1-year high of C$3.51. The company has a current ratio of 0.55, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 100.22.

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Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Read More

Inovalis Real Estate Investment Trust is an unincorporated, open-ended real estate investment trust established pursuant to a declaration of trust under the laws of the Province of Ontario. The REIT has been created for the purpose of acquiring and owning office properties primarily located in France and Germany but also opportunistically in other European countries where assets meet the REIT's investment criteria.

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Ingredion Incorporated (NYSE:INGR  Get Free Report) CEO James P. Zallie sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $134.02, for a total transaction of $134,020.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 52,530 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,040,070.60. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink.

Ingredion Trading Down 0.0 %

Shares of INGR opened at $132.65 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.71 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.29, a PEG ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 0.72. The company has a quick ratio of 1.39, a current ratio of 2.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $121.29 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $117.62. Ingredion Incorporated has a twelve month low of $89.54 and a twelve month high of $134.18.

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Ingredion (NYSE:INGR  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The company reported $2.87 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.53 by $0.34. The business had revenue of $1.88 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.98 billion. Ingredion had a net margin of 8.45% and a return on equity of 16.56%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.32 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Ingredion Incorporated will post 9.7 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ingredion

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Loews Corp lifted its position in shares of Ingredion by 11.1% in the 4th quarter. Loews Corp now owns 200,000 shares of the companys stock worth $21,706,000 after purchasing an additional 20,000 shares during the period. Insight Wealth Strategies LLC lifted its position in shares of Ingredion by 230.9% in the 1st quarter. Insight Wealth Strategies LLC now owns 13,725 shares of the companys stock worth $1,604,000 after purchasing an additional 9,577 shares during the period. Janus Henderson Group PLC lifted its position in shares of Ingredion by 154.0% in the 1st quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 77,890 shares of the companys stock worth $9,101,000 after purchasing an additional 47,225 shares during the period. Sei Investments Co. lifted its position in Ingredion by 23.4% during the 1st quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 113,876 shares of the companys stock valued at $13,305,000 after acquiring an additional 21,619 shares during the period. Finally, BNP Paribas purchased a new position in Ingredion during the 1st quarter valued at about $1,154,000. 85.27% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on INGR shares. StockNews.com lowered shares of Ingredion from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on shares of Ingredion from $120.00 to $128.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Oppenheimer increased their target price on shares of Ingredion from $126.00 to $138.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Barclays raised shares of Ingredion from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and increased their target price for the company from $122.00 to $145.00 in a report on Friday, August 9th. Finally, UBS Group increased their target price on shares of Ingredion from $141.00 to $148.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, August 15th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $137.33.

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Ingredion Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Ingredion Incorporated, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells sweeteners, starches, nutrition ingredients, and biomaterial solutions derived from wet milling and processing corn, and other starch-based materials to a range of industries in North America, South America, the Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

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Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. (OTCMKTS:ISNPY  Get Free Report) was the target of a significant growth in short interest in the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 85,800 shares, a growth of 443.0% from the July 31st total of 15,800 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 258,200 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.3 days.

Intesa Sanpaolo Stock Up 1.0 %

Intesa Sanpaolo stock traded up $0.25 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $24.83. The companys stock had a trading volume of 65,795 shares, compared to its average volume of 186,884. The stock has a market capitalization of $75.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.62, a P/E/G ratio of 0.86 and a beta of 1.20. Intesa Sanpaolo has a twelve month low of $14.84 and a twelve month high of $24.94. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $23.36 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $22.21.

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Intesa Sanpaolo (OTCMKTS:ISNPY  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 12th. The financial services provider reported $0.84 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.83 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $9.82 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.22 billion. Equities analysts expect that Intesa Sanpaolo will post 3.05 earnings per share for the current year.

Intesa Sanpaolo Company Profile

Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. provides various financial products and services primarily in Italy. It operates through six segments Banca dei Territori, IMI Corporate & Investment Banking, International Subsidiary Banks, Asset Management, Private Banking, and Insurance. The company offers lending and deposit products; corporate, investment banking, and public finance services; industrial credit, factoring, and leasing services; asset management solutions; life and non-life insurance products; and bancassurance and pension fund, and fiduciary services.

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WealthShield Partners LLC trimmed its position in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (BATS:USMV  Free Report) by 66.8% in the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 1,930 shares of the companys stock after selling 3,878 shares during the period. WealthShield Partners LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF were worth $162,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Raymond James & Associates increased its position in shares of iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 0.9% during the 2nd quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 16,095,735 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,351,398,000 after purchasing an additional 146,632 shares during the period. Alaska Permanent Fund Corp increased its stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 4.4% during the 1st quarter. Alaska Permanent Fund Corp now owns 3,947,820 shares of the companys stock worth $329,959,000 after purchasing an additional 167,538 shares during the last quarter. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC boosted its position in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 5.2% during the second quarter. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC now owns 3,658,707 shares of the companys stock worth $307,185,000 after purchasing an additional 182,050 shares during the period. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC boosted its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 1.0% during the second quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 3,202,043 shares of the companys stock valued at $268,843,000 after acquiring an additional 31,625 shares during the period. Finally, Cetera Investment Advisers grew its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 270.9% in the 1st quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 1,895,974 shares of the companys stock valued at $158,465,000 after buying an additional 1,384,833 shares during the last quarter.

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iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF Trading Down 0.1 %

USMV traded down $0.13 on Wednesday, hitting $90.38. 1,387,368 shares of the stock traded hands. The firm has a market capitalization of $26.48 billion, a PE ratio of 25.30 and a beta of 0.59. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $86.17 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $83.51. iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF has a 52 week low of $47.44 and a 52 week high of $55.45.

iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF Profile

The iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (USMV) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Minimum Volatility (USD) index. The fund tracks an index of US-listed firms selected and weighted to create a low-volatility portfolio subject to various constraints. USMV was launched on Oct 18, 2011 and is managed by BlackRock.

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John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund (NYSE:PDT  Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $12.95 and last traded at $12.87, with a volume of 54908 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $12.86.

John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund Trading Up 0.9 %

The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $12.00 and its 200 day simple moving average is $11.64.

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John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 30th. Investors of record on Monday, August 12th will be paid a dividend of $0.0825 per share. This represents a $0.99 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.67%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 12th.

Institutional Trading of John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund

John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund Company Profile

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of PDT. Williams Jones Wealth Management LLC. purchased a new stake in John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund in the first quarter valued at about $127,000. HB Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund during the first quarter worth $149,000. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV purchased a new stake in shares of John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund during the second quarter worth approximately $164,000. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund by 7.3% in the 2nd quarter. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. now owns 17,921 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $211,000 after purchasing an additional 1,221 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nomura Holdings Inc. acquired a new stake in John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund during the 4th quarter worth $239,000. 12.98% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

(Get Free Report)

John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund is a closed ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by John Hancock Investment Management LLC. It is co-managed by John Hancock Asset Management. The fund invests in the public equity markets of the United States. It seeks to invest in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors, with an emphasis on the utilities sector.

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Berenberg Bank reaffirmed their hold rating on shares of John Wood Group (LON:WG  Free Report) in a research report sent to investors on Friday, Digital Look reports. They currently have a GBX 150 ($1.98) target price on the stock.

Separately, Canaccord Genuity Group reiterated a buy rating and set a GBX 250 ($3.30) price target on shares of John Wood Group in a research note on Tuesday, August 6th.

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Read Our Latest Analysis on John Wood Group

John Wood Group Stock Down 0.5 %

Insider Buying and Selling at John Wood Group

Shares of WG stock opened at GBX 132.30 ($1.74) on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 66.76, a current ratio of 0.98 and a quick ratio of 0.75. The stocks fifty day moving average price is GBX 180.99 and its 200 day moving average price is GBX 166.70. The company has a market cap of 909.55 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -113.08, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.33 and a beta of 1.47. John Wood Group has a 1-year low of GBX 117.67 ($1.55) and a 1-year high of GBX 213.20 ($2.81).

In related news, insider Ken Gilmartin bought 5,041 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 15th. The shares were purchased at an average price of GBX 132 ($1.74) per share, for a total transaction of 6,654.12 ($8,775.05). Company insiders own 1.80% of the companys stock.

About John Wood Group

(Get Free Report)

John Wood Group PLC, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of consulting, project management, and engineering solutions to energy and built environment worldwide. It operates through Projects, Operations, Consulting, and Investment Services segments. The Projects segment provides engineering design and project management services across energy and materials markets including oil and gas, chemicals, mining, minerals, and life sciences.

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Legato Capital Management LLC lowered its holdings in Western Alliance Bancorporation (NYSE:WAL  Free Report) by 11.1% during the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 10,962 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 1,369 shares during the quarter. Legato Capital Management LLCs holdings in Western Alliance Bancorporation were worth $689,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC bought a new position in Western Alliance Bancorporation in the first quarter valued at $27,000. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its position in shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation by 57.4% during the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 502 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 183 shares during the last quarter. ORG Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation during the 2nd quarter valued at about $36,000. Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its position in Western Alliance Bancorporation by 26.5% in the 2nd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 1,165 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $73,000 after buying an additional 244 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Plato Investment Management Ltd boosted its stake in Western Alliance Bancorporation by 246.1% in the first quarter. Plato Investment Management Ltd now owns 1,883 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $121,000 after buying an additional 1,339 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 79.15% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CAO J. Kelly Jr. Ardrey sold 2,116 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.95, for a total transaction of $160,710.20. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 3,520 shares of the companys stock, valued at $267,344. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, CAO J. Kelly Jr. Ardrey sold 2,116 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, July 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.95, for a total transaction of $160,710.20. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 3,520 shares of the companys stock, valued at $267,344. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, insider Stephen Russell Curley sold 5,070 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.43, for a total value of $387,500.10. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 36,718 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,806,356.74. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 2.75% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Western Alliance Bancorporation Stock Performance

Western Alliance Bancorporation stock opened at $80.44 on Wednesday. Western Alliance Bancorporation has a fifty-two week low of $38.81 and a fifty-two week high of $83.23. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $71.43 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $64.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 0.88. The stock has a market cap of $8.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.73, a PEG ratio of 1.47 and a beta of 1.45.

Western Alliance Bancorporation (NYSE:WAL  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 18th. The financial services provider reported $1.75 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.71 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $771.80 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $737.97 million. Western Alliance Bancorporation had a return on equity of 13.98% and a net margin of 15.54%. The firms revenue was up 15.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.96 earnings per share. As a group, analysts expect that Western Alliance Bancorporation will post 7.4 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Western Alliance Bancorporation Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 16th will be given a $0.37 dividend. This represents a $1.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.84%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 16th. Western Alliance Bancorporations dividend payout ratio is presently 21.57%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

WAL has been the topic of several research reports. Wedbush reissued an outperform rating and set a $70.00 price target on shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation in a research note on Wednesday, May 8th. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation from $86.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, July 22nd. Piper Sandler upped their price target on shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation from $76.00 to $93.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, July 22nd. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on Western Alliance Bancorporation from $74.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, July 22nd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on Western Alliance Bancorporation from $70.00 to $77.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $84.27.

Read Our Latest Analysis on Western Alliance Bancorporation

About Western Alliance Bancorporation

(Free Report)

Western Alliance Bancorporation operates as the bank holding company for Western Alliance Bank that provides various banking products and related services primarily in Arizona, California, and Nevada. It operates through Commercial and Consumer Related segments. The company offers deposit products, including checking, savings, and money market accounts, as well as fixed-rate and fixed maturity certificates of deposit accounts; demand deposits; and treasury management and residential mortgage products and services.

Further Reading

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LS Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW  Free Report) by 1.9% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 37,961 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 726 shares during the quarter. LS Investment Advisors LLCs holdings in Charles Schwab were worth $2,797,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in SCHW. Country Trust Bank purchased a new position in shares of Charles Schwab during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Fortitude Family Office LLC raised its holdings in shares of Charles Schwab by 97.5% in the second quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 389 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 192 shares during the last quarter. CGC Financial Services LLC purchased a new position in Charles Schwab in the 2nd quarter valued at about $29,000. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Charles Schwab in the 4th quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, Tributary Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Charles Schwab during the first quarter worth about $31,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.38% of the companys stock.

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Charles Schwab Stock Down 0.9 %

SCHW stock traded down $0.57 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $63.91. The stock had a trading volume of 7,003,081 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,078,540. The company has a current ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $68.09 and a 200 day moving average price of $70.12. The company has a market capitalization of $113.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.74, a PEG ratio of 1.24 and a beta of 0.99. The Charles Schwab Co. has a 1-year low of $48.66 and a 1-year high of $79.49.

Charles Schwab Dividend Announcement

Charles Schwab ( NYSE:SCHW Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 16th. The financial services provider reported $0.73 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.72 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $4.69 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.68 billion. Charles Schwab had a return on equity of 18.14% and a net margin of 26.30%. Charles Schwabs revenue for the quarter was up .7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.75 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 3.06 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 23rd. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 9th were given a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.56%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 9th. Charles Schwabs payout ratio is currently 41.84%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. JMP Securities cut their price objective on shares of Charles Schwab from $85.00 to $82.00 and set a market outperform rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, July 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on shares of Charles Schwab from $82.00 to $78.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Barclays cut their target price on Charles Schwab from $77.00 to $68.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. TD Cowen reissued a hold rating and set a $71.00 price target (down previously from $88.00) on shares of Charles Schwab in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on Charles Schwab from $71.00 to $70.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 16th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Charles Schwab has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $74.00.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Charles Schwab

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Bernard J. Clark sold 8,164 shares of Charles Schwab stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.00, for a total value of $612,300.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 121,666 shares in the company, valued at $9,124,950. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Charles Schwab news, insider Bernard J. Clark sold 8,164 shares of Charles Schwab stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.00, for a total value of $612,300.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 121,666 shares of the companys stock, valued at $9,124,950. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO Walter W. Bettinger bought 25,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 17th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $66.26 per share, for a total transaction of $1,656,500.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer now directly owns 827,377 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $54,822,000.02. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 107,800 shares of company stock worth $7,145,364. 6.60% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Charles Schwab Company 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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Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (NYSE:MPW  Get Free Report) Director C Reynolds Thompson III sold 20,530 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $4.38, for a total transaction of $89,921.40. Following the transaction, the director now owns 54,637 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $239,310.06. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

Medical Properties Trust Price Performance

Medical Properties Trust stock opened at $4.43 on Wednesday. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $4.65 and its 200 day simple moving average is $4.59. Medical Properties Trust, Inc. has a 12 month low of $2.92 and a 12 month high of $7.40. The company has a market cap of $2.66 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -2.00, a PEG ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 1.27. The company has a current ratio of 3.10, a quick ratio of 3.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.51.

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Medical Properties Trust (NYSE:MPW  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 8th. The real estate investment trust reported ($0.54) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.21 by ($0.75). The firm had revenue of $266.60 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $259.53 million. Medical Properties Trusts revenue was down 21.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.48 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts forecast that Medical Properties Trust, Inc. will post 0.88 EPS for the current year.

Medical Properties Trust Cuts Dividend

Analysts Set New Price Targets

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 10th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 9th will be given a dividend of $0.08 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 9th. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.22%. Medical Properties Trusts dividend payout ratio is presently -14.41%.

MPW has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. StockNews.com cut Medical Properties Trust from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Saturday, May 18th. Royal Bank of Canada restated a sector perform rating and set a $5.00 price target on shares of Medical Properties Trust in a report on Tuesday, May 14th. BNP Paribas cut shares of Medical Properties Trust from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and dropped their target price for the stock from $6.00 to $4.00 in a research report on Tuesday, July 2nd. Finally, Truist Financial upped their target price on Medical Properties Trust from $4.50 to $5.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Thursday, May 30th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and eight have issued a hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Medical Properties Trust has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $4.86.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Medical Properties Trust

Institutional Trading of Medical Properties Trust

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. KPP Advisory Services LLC grew its stake in Medical Properties Trust by 20.7% in the 2nd quarter. KPP Advisory Services LLC now owns 95,041 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $410,000 after buying an additional 16,280 shares in the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers boosted its holdings in shares of Medical Properties Trust by 1.7% in the second quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 353,121 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,522,000 after acquiring an additional 5,874 shares during the period. Sunbelt Securities Inc. grew its position in shares of Medical Properties Trust by 5.5% in the second quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 406,237 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,751,000 after purchasing an additional 21,092 shares in the last quarter. Creative Planning grew its position in shares of Medical Properties Trust by 42.6% in the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 326,293 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,406,000 after purchasing an additional 97,546 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Algert Global LLC raised its stake in shares of Medical Properties Trust by 91.5% during the 2nd quarter. Algert Global LLC now owns 183,881 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $793,000 after purchasing an additional 87,881 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 71.79% of the companys stock.

About Medical Properties Trust

(Get Free Report)

Medical Properties Trust, Inc is a self-advised real estate investment trust formed in 2003 to acquire and develop net-leased hospital facilities. From its inception in Birmingham, Alabama, the Company has grown to become one of the world's largest owners of hospital real estate with 441 facilities and approximately 44,000 licensed beds as of September 30, 2023.

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OneMain Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:OMF  Get Free Report) COO Micah R. Conrad sold 2,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, August 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $48.00, for a total transaction of $120,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 112,025 shares in the company, valued at $5,377,200. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link.

OneMain Stock Down 0.1 %

Shares of NYSE:OMF opened at $48.82 on Wednesday. OneMain Holdings, Inc. has a 52 week low of $35.00 and a 52 week high of $54.94. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $48.66 and a 200 day moving average price of $48.74. The company has a market cap of $5.85 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.52, a PEG ratio of 0.74 and a beta of 1.58.

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OneMain (NYSE:OMF  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 31st. The financial services provider reported $1.02 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.90 by $0.12. OneMain had a return on equity of 20.60% and a net margin of 12.33%. The business had revenue of $1.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $918.74 million. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.01 EPS. Analysts expect that OneMain Holdings, Inc. will post 5.37 EPS for the current year.

OneMain Dividend Announcement

Institutional Investors Weigh In On OneMain

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 12th were paid a dividend of $1.04 per share. This represents a $4.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 8.52%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 12th. OneMains dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 81.09%.

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Clearbridge Investments LLC boosted its position in OneMain by 1.3% during the second quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 1,914,355 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $92,827,000 after purchasing an additional 24,338 shares in the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers grew its stake in OneMain by 3.7% in the 2nd quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 28,774 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,395,000 after acquiring an additional 1,037 shares during the last quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. grew its stake in OneMain by 8.4% in the 2nd quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 5,875 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $285,000 after acquiring an additional 454 shares during the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its holdings in OneMain by 13.5% during the 2nd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 2,276 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $110,000 after acquiring an additional 271 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Creative Planning raised its position in OneMain by 21.7% during the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 40,595 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,968,000 after acquiring an additional 7,236 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.82% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently issued reports on OMF. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on OneMain from $48.00 to $53.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Thursday, May 2nd. BTIG Research assumed coverage on OneMain in a report on Friday, June 7th. They set a neutral rating on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of OneMain from $52.00 to $54.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, July 8th. TD Cowen upped their price target on shares of OneMain from $58.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 1st. Finally, Northland Securities raised their price objective on shares of OneMain from $53.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Thursday, August 1st. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, OneMain has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $54.83.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on OneMain

About OneMain

(Get Free Report)

OneMain Holdings, Inc, a financial service holding company, engages in the consumer finance and insurance businesses in the United States. It originates, underwrites, and services personal loans secured by automobiles, other titled collateral, or unsecured. The company also offers credit cards; optional credit insurance products, including life, disability, and involuntary unemployment insurance; optional non-credit insurance; guaranteed asset protection coverage as a waiver product or insurance; and membership plans.

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Mohawk Industries, Inc. (NYSE:MHK  Get Free Report) has been given an average recommendation of Moderate Buy by the eleven analysts that are covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, four have given a hold recommendation, five have given a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $156.00.

Several equities analysts have commented on MHK shares. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on Mohawk Industries from $132.00 to $160.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Monday, July 29th. Barclays raised their price target on Mohawk Industries from $118.00 to $161.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Monday, July 29th. Loop Capital lifted their price target on Mohawk Industries from $145.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, July 29th. Truist Financial upped their price objective on shares of Mohawk Industries from $135.00 to $184.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, July 29th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Mohawk Industries from $110.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Monday, July 29th.

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Insider Transactions at Mohawk Industries

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Mohawk Industries

In related news, insider Suzanne L. Helen sold 1,800 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, June 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $111.74, for a total transaction of $201,132.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 122,369 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $13,673,512.06. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website . In other Mohawk Industries news, insider Suzanne L. Helen sold 1,800 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $111.74, for a total value of $201,132.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 122,369 shares of the companys stock, valued at $13,673,512.06. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink . Also, insider Suzanne L. Helen sold 700 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $146.97, for a total transaction of $102,879.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 121,669 shares in the company, valued at $17,881,692.93. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 3,255 shares of company stock valued at $426,910. Corporate insiders own 17.10% of the companys stock.

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Truist Financial Corp raised its holdings in Mohawk Industries by 72.1% during the 4th quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 294,894 shares of the companys stock worth $30,522,000 after purchasing an additional 123,508 shares during the last quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. acquired a new position in Mohawk Industries in the first quarter valued at approximately $1,450,000. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Mohawk Industries in the first quarter valued at approximately $1,450,000. Sei Investments Co. grew its holdings in Mohawk Industries by 2,040.6% during the 1st quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 62,720 shares of the companys stock worth $8,209,000 after acquiring an additional 59,790 shares during the period. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Mohawk Industries by 48.5% during the 4th quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 302,889 shares of the companys stock valued at $31,349,000 after acquiring an additional 98,920 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.98% of the companys stock.

Mohawk Industries Stock Performance

Shares of MHK opened at $157.75 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $10.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -24.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.23 and a beta of 1.38. The companys fifty day moving average is $131.51 and its 200-day moving average is $122.79. The company has a quick ratio of 1.04, a current ratio of 1.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. Mohawk Industries has a 12 month low of $76.02 and a 12 month high of $164.05.

Mohawk Industries (NYSE:MHK  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The company reported $3.00 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.75 by $0.25. The company had revenue of $2.80 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.84 billion. Mohawk Industries had a positive return on equity of 8.07% and a negative net margin of 3.30%. The businesss revenue was down 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.76 earnings per share. Equities analysts expect that Mohawk Industries will post 9.9 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Mohawk Industries Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Mohawk Industries, Inc designs, manufactures, sources, distributes, and markets flooring products for residential and commercial remodeling, and new construction channels in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Global Ceramic, Flooring North America, and Flooring Rest of the World.

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Molson Coors Beverage (NYSE:TAP  Get Free Report) declared a quarterly dividend on Thursday, July 18th, Zacks reports. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be paid a dividend of 0.44 per share on Friday, September 20th. This represents a $1.76 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.29%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th.

Molson Coors Beverage has raised its dividend payment by an average of 42.2% annually over the last three years. Molson Coors Beverage has a payout ratio of 29.9% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Equities analysts expect Molson Coors Beverage to earn $5.79 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $1.76 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 30.4%.

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Molson Coors Beverage Stock Down 0.6 %

TAP stock opened at $53.55 on Wednesday. Molson Coors Beverage has a twelve month low of $49.19 and a twelve month high of $69.18. The company has a quick ratio of 0.47, a current ratio of 0.69 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40. The firm has a market cap of $11.35 billion, a PE ratio of 10.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.81. The business has a 50 day moving average of $52.21 and a 200 day moving average of $57.80.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Molson Coors Beverage ( NYSE:TAP Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 6th. The company reported $1.92 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.68 by $0.24. Molson Coors Beverage had a return on equity of 9.47% and a net margin of 7.66%. The company had revenue of $3.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.18 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.78 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was down .4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts forecast that Molson Coors Beverage will post 5.56 EPS for the current fiscal year.

A number of analysts have commented on TAP shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on Molson Coors Beverage from $56.00 to $57.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Molson Coors Beverage from $54.00 to $57.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. TD Cowen downgraded Molson Coors Beverage from a buy rating to a hold rating and lowered their target price for the company from $68.00 to $58.00 in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. Piper Sandler raised their price target on Molson Coors Beverage from $57.00 to $59.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, Citigroup decreased their price target on Molson Coors Beverage from $53.00 to $47.00 and set a sell rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $60.53.

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About Molson Coors Beverage

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Molson Coors Beverage Company manufactures, markets, and sells beer and other malt beverage products under various brands in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. The company offers flavored malt beverages including hard seltzers, craft, spirits and energy, and ready to drink beverages.

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Morguard North American (TSE:MRG  Get Free Report) announced a monthly dividend on Thursday, August 15th, Zacks reports. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be paid a dividend of 0.062 per share on Friday, August 30th. This represents a $0.74 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of . The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th.

Morguard North American Price Performance

Morguard North American has a 12 month low of C$13.17 and a 12 month high of C$16.21.

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Morguard North American (TSE:MRG  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The company reported C$0.86 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The business had revenue of C$85.76 million during the quarter.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, Cibc World Mkts raised Morguard North American to a strong-buy rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd.

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Morguard North American Company Profile

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Morguard North American Residential Real Estate Investment Trust (the Trust) is a real estate investment trust (REIT). The Trusts investment objectives are to generate stable and growing cash distributions on a tax-efficient basis; enhance the value of the REITs assets and maximize long-term Unit value through active asset and property management, and expand the asset base of the REIT and increase adjusted funds from operations per Unit primarily through acquisitions and improvement of its properties through targeted deployed capital expenditures.

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Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC trimmed its position in shares of American Express (NYSE:AXP) by 3.7% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,553 shares of the payment services companys stock after selling 97 shares during the period. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLCs holdings in American Express were worth $591,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. AustralianSuper Pty Ltd increased its stake in American Express by 59.5% during the second quarter. AustralianSuper Pty Ltd now owns 16,351 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $3,786,000 after acquiring an additional 6,101 shares during the period. Atomi Financial Group Inc. increased its stake in American Express by 34.8% during the second quarter. Atomi Financial Group Inc. now owns 4,302 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $996,000 after acquiring an additional 1,110 shares during the period. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its stake in American Express by 1.7% during the second quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 89,672 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $20,763,000 after acquiring an additional 1,511 shares during the period. AlphaStar Capital Management LLC bought a new position in American Express during the second quarter valued at about $228,000. Finally, Saxony Capital Management LLC increased its stake in American Express by 9.2% during the second quarter. Saxony Capital Management LLC now owns 1,006 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $233,000 after acquiring an additional 85 shares during the period. 84.33% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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American Express Trading Up 0.4 %

Shares of AXP stock traded up $0.90 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $255.93. The company had a trading volume of 939,701 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,953,962. The company has a 50 day moving average of $240.19 and a 200 day moving average of $231.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74, a current ratio of 1.66 and a quick ratio of 1.66. The firm has a market cap of $184.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.01, a P/E/G 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 $258.63.

Analyst Ratings Changes

American Express ( NYSE:AXP Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 19th. The payment services company reported $3.49 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.26 by $0.23. The company had revenue of $16.33 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.60 billion. American Express had a return on equity of 32.94% and a net margin of 15.53%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.89 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that American Express will post 13.24 EPS for the current year.

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on AXP shares. Robert W. Baird upped their price objective on American Express from $190.00 to $205.00 and gave the company an underperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 1st. BTIG Research started coverage on American Express in a research note on Friday, June 7th. They issued a neutral rating on the stock. Bank of America lowered American Express from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $263.00 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Wednesday, August 21st. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on American Express from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 9th. Finally, Compass Point started coverage on American Express in a research note on Tuesday, July 16th. They issued a neutral rating and a $260.00 price objective on the stock. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have assigned a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $230.70.

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About American Express

(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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Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC raised its position in shares of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK  Free Report) by 3.0% during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,150 shares of the asset managers stock after acquiring an additional 33 shares during the quarter. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLCs holdings in BlackRock were worth $905,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Kovack Advisors Inc. boosted its position in shares of BlackRock by 12.0% during the 4th quarter. Kovack Advisors Inc. now owns 569 shares of the asset managers stock worth $462,000 after purchasing an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI boosted its position in shares of BlackRock by 16.8% during the 4th quarter. Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI now owns 460 shares of the asset managers stock worth $373,000 after purchasing an additional 66 shares in the last quarter. PGGM Investments boosted its position in shares of BlackRock by 95.1% during the 4th quarter. PGGM Investments now owns 1,346 shares of the asset managers stock worth $1,093,000 after purchasing an additional 656 shares in the last quarter. Principle Wealth Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of BlackRock by 16.4% during the 4th quarter. Principle Wealth Partners LLC now owns 5,806 shares of the asset managers stock worth $4,713,000 after purchasing an additional 818 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Legacy Capital Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of BlackRock during the 4th quarter worth about $279,000. Institutional investors own 80.69% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on BLK shares. Barclays assumed coverage on shares of BlackRock in a research report on Tuesday. They set an overweight rating and a $985.00 price objective on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their target price on shares of BlackRock from $912.00 to $937.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, August 15th. Argus upped their target price on shares of BlackRock from $880.00 to $910.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, July 16th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their target price on shares of BlackRock from $915.00 to $934.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Tuesday, July 16th. Finally, Citigroup upped their target price on shares of BlackRock from $920.00 to $930.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, July 16th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $881.47.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Mark Wiedman sold 12,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $875.03, for a total transaction of $10,500,360.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 6,480 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,670,194.40. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In related news, Director Mark Wiedman sold 12,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $875.03, for a total value of $10,500,360.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 6,480 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,670,194.40. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO Laurence Fink sold 29,450 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $843.25, for a total transaction of $24,833,712.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 353,718 shares of the companys stock, valued at $298,272,703.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 81,042 shares of company stock valued at $68,587,117 in the last three months. Company insiders own 0.90% of the companys stock.

BlackRock Stock Up 0.5 %

NYSE:BLK traded up $4.48 on Wednesday, hitting $890.61. The stock had a trading volume of 120,665 shares, compared to its average volume of 589,897. BlackRock, Inc. has a 1 year low of $596.18 and a 1 year high of $895.44. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $830.53 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $806.01. The stock has a market cap of $132.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.92 and a beta of 1.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 5.32 and a current ratio of 5.32.

BlackRock (NYSE:BLK  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Monday, July 15th. The asset manager reported $10.36 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $9.96 by $0.40. BlackRock had a net margin of 32.36% and a return on equity of 15.53%. The firm had revenue of $4.81 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.85 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $9.28 EPS. The companys revenue was up 7.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that BlackRock, Inc. will post 41.23 earnings per share for the current year.

BlackRock Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 23rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 9th will be given a dividend of $5.10 per share. This represents a $20.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.29%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 9th. BlackRocks dividend payout ratio is currently 51.84%.

BlackRock Company Profile

(Free Report)

BlackRock, Inc is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to institutional, intermediary, and individual investors including corporate, public, union, and industry pension plans, insurance companies, third-party mutual funds, endowments, public institutions, governments, foundations, charities, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, official institutions, and banks.

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Pembina Pipeline (TSE:PPL  Get Free Report) (NYSE:PBA) had its price objective upped by investment analysts at Citigroup from C$53.00 to C$56.00 in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, BayStreet.CA reports. Citigroups price objective would suggest a potential upside of 4.85% from the companys previous close.

A number of other research analysts have also recently issued reports on PPL. CIBC lifted their price objective on shares of Pembina Pipeline from C$59.00 to C$60.00 in a research note on Monday, July 15th. Tudor Pickering & Holt lifted their target price on Pembina Pipeline from C$55.00 to C$56.00 in a research report on Friday, July 5th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on shares of Pembina Pipeline from C$58.00 to C$60.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, August 12th. ATB Capital raised their target price on shares of Pembina Pipeline from C$56.00 to C$58.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. Finally, National Bankshares upped their price objective on Pembina Pipeline from C$53.00 to C$57.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Friday, August 23rd. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Pembina Pipeline presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of C$56.62.

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Pembina Pipeline Price Performance

Insider Transactions at Pembina Pipeline

PPL traded down C$0.64 on Wednesday, hitting C$53.41. 539,752 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,666,172. The firm has a market capitalization of C$30.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.38, a PEG ratio of 4.80 and a beta of 1.48. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 77.50, a current ratio of 0.69 and a quick ratio of 0.50. Pembina Pipeline has a 12 month low of C$38.79 and a 12 month high of C$54.60. The business has a 50-day moving average of C$51.83 and a two-hundred day moving average of C$49.60.

In related news, Senior Officer J. Scott Burrows sold 3,926 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$54.32, for a total transaction of C$213,251.68. In other Pembina Pipeline news, Senior Officer J. Scott Burrows sold 3,926 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$54.32, for a total value of C$213,251.68. Also, Senior Officer Jaret Sprott sold 37,414 shares of Pembina Pipeline stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$52.55, for a total transaction of C$1,965,933.60. Insiders sold a total of 70,374 shares of company stock worth $3,643,660 in the last quarter. 0.05% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Pembina Pipeline Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Pembina Pipeline Corporation provides energy transportation and midstream services. It operates through three segments: Pipelines, Facilities, and Marketing & New Ventures. The Pipelines segment operates conventional, oil sands and heavy oil, and transmission assets with a transportation capacity of 2.9 millions of barrels of oil equivalent per day, the ground storage capacity of 10 millions of barrels, and rail terminalling capacity of approximately 105 thousands of barrels of oil equivalent per day serving markets and basins across North America.

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AlphaStar Capital Management LLC decreased its holdings in Rio Tinto Group (NYSE:RIO  Free Report) by 25.3% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 3,472 shares of the mining companys stock after selling 1,177 shares during the quarter. AlphaStar Capital Management LLCs holdings in Rio Tinto Group were worth $229,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of RIO. Solstein Capital LLC grew its holdings in Rio Tinto Group by 163.1% in the second quarter. Solstein Capital LLC now owns 5,130 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $338,000 after purchasing an additional 3,180 shares during the period. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Rio Tinto Group by 32.4% in the 2nd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 12,758 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $841,000 after purchasing an additional 3,120 shares during the last quarter. Cohen Investment Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Rio Tinto Group by 19.2% during the 2nd quarter. Cohen Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,609 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $357,000 after buying an additional 904 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its holdings in shares of Rio Tinto Group by 3.9% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 77,694 shares of the mining companys stock worth $5,122,000 after buying an additional 2,908 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Verdence Capital Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Rio Tinto Group by 43.6% in the 2nd quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 32,515 shares of the mining companys stock worth $2,144,000 after buying an additional 9,877 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 19.33% of the companys stock.

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Rio Tinto Group Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:RIO opened at $64.00 on Wednesday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $64.92 and a two-hundred day moving average of $66.20. Rio Tinto Group has a 52-week low of $59.80 and a 52-week high of $75.09. The company has a quick ratio of 1.16, a current ratio of 1.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23.

Rio Tinto Group Cuts Dividend

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

The company also recently declared a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 26th. Investors of record on Friday, August 16th will be paid a dividend of $1.77 per share. This represents a yield of 6.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 16th.

Several equities research analysts have commented on RIO shares. Berenberg Bank lowered Rio Tinto Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, June 27th. Hsbc Global Res raised shares of Rio Tinto Group to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 23rd. HSBC raised shares of Rio Tinto Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 23rd. Royal Bank of Canada raised shares of Rio Tinto Group to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Rio Tinto Group from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Tuesday, May 21st. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Rio Tinto Group currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy.

Read Our Latest Analysis on Rio Tinto Group

About Rio Tinto Group

(Free Report)

Rio Tinto Group engages in exploring, mining, and processing mineral resources worldwide. The company operates through Iron Ore, Aluminium, Copper, and Minerals Segments. The Iron Ore segment engages in the iron ore mining, and salt and gypsum production in Western Australia. The Aluminum segment is involved in bauxite mining; alumina refining; and aluminium smelting.

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Shaftesbury Capital PLC (OTCMKTS:CCPPF  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decrease in short interest in August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 600 shares, a decrease of 95.8% from the July 31st total of 14,400 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 10,900 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.1 days.

Shaftesbury Capital Stock Performance

CCPPF opened at $1.87 on Wednesday. The firms fifty day moving average is $1.77 and its 200 day moving average is $1.75. Shaftesbury Capital has a fifty-two week low of $1.31 and a fifty-two week high of $1.91.

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About Shaftesbury Capital

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Further Reading

Shaftesbury Capital PLC ("Shaftesbury Capital") is the leading central London mixed-use REIT and is a constituent of the FTSE-250 Index. Our property portfolio, valued at 4.8 billion at December 2023, extends to 2.9 million square feet of lettable space across the most vibrant areas of London's West End.

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Shake Shack (NYSE:SHAK  Get Free Report)s stock had its buy rating reaffirmed by research analysts at Truist Financial in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. They currently have a $127.00 price objective on the stock. Truist Financials target price would indicate a potential upside of 20.80% from the companys current price.

Other research analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Robert W. Baird boosted their target price on Shake Shack from $93.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a hold rating and issued a $115.00 price objective on shares of Shake Shack in a report on Wednesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of Shake Shack from $102.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Monday, June 3rd. Piper Sandler lowered shares of Shake Shack from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and decreased their price target for the company from $121.00 to $114.00 in a research note on Monday, August 19th. Finally, Wedbush restated a neutral rating and set a $90.00 price objective on shares of Shake Shack in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Shake Shack presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $106.37.

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Shake Shack Trading Down 2.1 %

NYSE:SHAK traded down $2.29 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $105.13. The company had a trading volume of 215,876 shares, compared to its average volume of 941,962. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a quick ratio of 2.03 and a current ratio of 2.06. Shake Shack has a fifty-two week low of $52.79 and a fifty-two week high of $111.29. The firm has a market cap of $4.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 191.15, a P/E/G ratio of 3.28 and a beta of 1.75. The businesss fifty day moving average is $92.46 and its two-hundred day moving average is $96.95.

Shake Shack (NYSE:SHAK  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The company reported $0.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.27. Shake Shack had a net margin of 2.23% and a return on equity of 5.63%. The company had revenue of $316.50 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $314.37 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.18 EPS. Shake Shacks quarterly revenue was up 16.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts expect that Shake Shack will post 0.73 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, CFO Katherine Irene Fogertey sold 963 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $96.03, for a total value of $92,476.89. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 37,464 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,597,667.92. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In related news, CFO Katherine Irene Fogertey sold 963 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, August 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $96.03, for a total value of $92,476.89. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 37,464 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,597,667.92. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Daniel Harris Meyer sold 10,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $110.24, for a total transaction of $1,102,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 470,437 shares in the company, valued at approximately $51,860,974.88. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 11,892 shares of company stock worth $1,279,534. Insiders own 9.73% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Shake Shack

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of SHAK. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC bought a new position in shares of Shake Shack in the 1st quarter worth $25,000. GAMMA Investing LLC purchased a new stake in Shake Shack in the 4th quarter worth approximately $32,000. Quest Partners LLC purchased a new position in Shake Shack during the second quarter worth about $38,000. Kimelman & Baird LLC purchased a new position in shares of Shake Shack during the second quarter worth about $45,000. Finally, Covestor Ltd grew its position in Shake Shack by 32,150.0% in the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 645 shares of the companys stock worth $67,000 after acquiring an additional 643 shares in the last quarter. 86.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Shake Shack

(Get Free Report)

Shake Shack Inc owns, operates, and licenses Shake Shack restaurants (Shacks) in the United States and internationally. Its Shacks offers hamburgers, chicken, hot dogs, crinkle cut fries, shakes, frozen custard, beer, wine, and other products. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

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State of Michigan Retirement System lessened its stake in shares of Loews Co. (NYSE:L  Free Report) by 1.1% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 53,152 shares of the insurance providers stock after selling 600 shares during the quarter. State of Michigan Retirement Systems holdings in Loews were worth $3,973,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Altshuler Shaham Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Loews during the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Versant Capital Management Inc raised its stake in Loews by 244.0% during the second quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 375 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 266 shares during the period. Northwest Financial Advisors purchased a new stake in shares of Loews during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Principal Securities Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Loews during the 4th quarter worth $38,000. Finally, Family Firm Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Loews in the 2nd quarter worth $46,000. 58.33% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have weighed in on L. Royal Bank of Canada raised shares of Loews to a moderate buy rating in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price target on shares of Loews from $115.00 to $112.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st.

Loews Stock Performance

Shares of Loews stock traded up $0.08 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $80.53. The companys stock had a trading volume of 7,470 shares, compared to its average volume of 713,079. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a quick ratio of 0.34 and a current ratio of 0.34. Loews Co. has a one year low of $61.29 and a one year high of $83.54. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $77.36 and its 200 day simple moving average is $76.25. The stock has a market cap of $17.83 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.94 and a beta of 0.83.

Loews (NYSE:L  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, July 29th. The insurance provider reported $1.67 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The business had revenue of $4.27 billion during the quarter. Loews had a return on equity of 9.26% and a net margin of 9.14%.

Loews Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 3rd. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 21st will be paid a dividend of $0.0625 per share. This represents a $0.25 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.31%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, August 21st. Loewss payout ratio is currently 3.71%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Loews

In other news, VP Mark S. Schwartz sold 2,628 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.88, for a total value of $212,552.64. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 14,933 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,207,781.04. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In other Loews news, Director Jonathan C. Locker acquired 6,200 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were bought at an average price of $80.63 per share, with a total value of $499,906.00. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 23,068 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,859,972.84. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, VP Mark S. Schwartz sold 2,628 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $80.88, for a total transaction of $212,552.64. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 14,933 shares in the company, valued at $1,207,781.04. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 18.70% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

About Loews

(Free Report)

Loews Corporation provides commercial property and casualty insurance in the United States and internationally. The company offers specialty insurance products, such as management and professional liability, and other coverage products; surety and fidelity bonds; property insurance products that include standard and excess property, marine and boiler, and machinery coverages; and casualty insurance products, such as workers' compensation, general and product liability, and commercial auto, surplus, and umbrella coverages.

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TELUS International (Cda) Inc. (TSE:TIXT  Get Free Report) insider TELUS Corporation purchased 30,798 shares of TELUS International (Cda) stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 26th. The shares were bought at an average price of C$4.96 per share, for a total transaction of C$152,662.61.

TELUS Corporation also recently made the following trade(s):

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On Friday, August 23rd, TELUS Corporation purchased 100,000 shares of TELUS International (Cda) stock. The shares were bought at an average price of C$4.82 per share, for a total transaction of C$481,970.00.

On Friday, August 16th, TELUS Corporation acquired 200,000 shares of TELUS International (Cda) stock. The shares were acquired at an average cost of C$4.75 per share, with a total value of C$950,240.00.

On Friday, August 9th, TELUS Corporation bought 416,400 shares of TELUS International (Cda) stock. The stock was purchased at an average cost of C$4.09 per share, with a total value of C$1,703,325.84.

TELUS International (Cda) Trading Down 2.8 %

TSE TIXT traded down C$0.14 during trading on Wednesday, hitting C$4.85. The stock had a trading volume of 273,891 shares, compared to its average volume of 238,703. The company has a market capitalization of C$538.35 million, a PE ratio of 35.64 and a beta of 0.74. The company has a quick ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 80.53. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of C$7.04 and a 200 day moving average price of C$9.59. TELUS International has a twelve month low of C$3.90 and a twelve month high of C$15.56.

TELUS International (Cda) Company Profile

TELUS International (Cda) Inc design, builds, and delivers digital solutions for customer experience (CX) in the Asia-Pacific, the Central America, Europe, Africa, North America, and internationally. The company provides digital experience solutions, such as AI and bots, omnichannel CX, enterprise mobility solutions, cloud contact center, big data analytics, platform transformation, and UX/UI design; and customer experience solutions, including work anywhere/work from home, contact center outsourcing, technical support, sales growth and customer retention, healthcare/patient experience, and debt collection.

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Thai Oil Public Company Limited (OTCMKTS:TOIPY  Get Free Report) was the target of a significant decline in short interest in August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 100 shares, a decline of 75.0% from the July 31st total of 400 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 100 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 1.0 days.

Thai Oil Public Stock Performance

Shares of TOIPY stock remained flat at $15.00 during trading hours on Wednesday. Thai Oil Public has a twelve month low of $14.66 and a twelve month high of $15.37. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $15.00 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $14.22.

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About Thai Oil Public

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Featured Articles

Thai Oil Public Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the oil refining, petrochemicals, lube base oil, and other businesses in Thailand and internationally. It operates through Oil Refinery, Lube Base Oil Refinery, Aromatics and LAB, Power Generation, Solvent, Ethanol, Olefins, and Others segments.

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The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust (NYSE:GLU  Get Free Report) declared a monthly dividend on Wednesday, August 28th, Wall Street Journal reports. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 14th will be paid a dividend of 0.10 per share on Thursday, November 21st. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.74%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 14th.

The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust Stock Up 1.3 %

Shares of GLU traded up $0.20 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $15.50. The stock had a trading volume of 15,977 shares, compared to its average volume of 13,614. The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust has a 12 month low of $11.61 and a 12 month high of $15.69. The companys 50-day moving average is $14.54 and its two-hundred day moving average is $14.17.

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The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust Company Profile

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The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust is a closed-ended equity mutual fund launched by GAMCO Investors, Inc It is managed by Gabelli Funds, LLC. The fund invests in public equity markets across the globe. It primarily invests in stocks of companies involved to a substantial extent in providing products, services, or equipment for the generation or distribution of electricity, gas, or water and infrastructure operations, and in equity securities including preferred securities of companies in other industries, in each case in such securities that are expected to pay periodic dividends.

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Vivid Wealth Management LLC trimmed its stake in shares of The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG  Free Report) by 75.2% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 2,050 shares of the companys stock after selling 6,230 shares during the quarter. Vivid Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Procter & Gamble were worth $338,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Shelter Ins Retirement Plan bought a new stake in shares of Procter & Gamble in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $9,845,000. Tanager Wealth Management LLP increased its stake in Procter & Gamble by 19.6% during the second quarter. Tanager Wealth Management LLP now owns 6,488 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,070,000 after purchasing an additional 1,062 shares during the last quarter. Institute for Wealth Management LLC. raised its holdings in shares of Procter & Gamble by 1.3% during the second quarter. Institute for Wealth Management LLC. now owns 7,316 shares of the companys stock worth $1,207,000 after purchasing an additional 95 shares during the period. Baillie Gifford & Co. lifted its position in shares of Procter & Gamble by 3.8% in the 2nd quarter. Baillie Gifford & Co. now owns 898,218 shares of the companys stock worth $148,134,000 after buying an additional 32,799 shares during the last quarter. Finally, RPS Advisory Solutions LLC acquired a new position in shares of Procter & Gamble in the 2nd quarter valued at about $715,000. 65.77% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Procter & Gamble Price Performance

Shares of PG traded down $0.98 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $169.17. The stock had a trading volume of 4,771,267 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,597,829. The firms 50 day moving average price is $167.29 and its 200-day moving average price is $163.65. The Procter & Gamble Company has a 52 week low of $141.45 and a 52 week high of $171.89. The company has a market capitalization of $399.26 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.64, a P/E/G 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.

Procter & Gamble Announces Dividend

Procter & Gamble ( NYSE:PG Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The company reported $1.40 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.37 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $20.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $20.69 billion. Procter & Gamble had a net margin of 17.71% and a return on equity of 33.46%. Procter & Gambles revenue was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.37 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that The Procter & Gamble Company will post 6.97 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 19th were paid a dividend of $1.0065 per share. This represents a $4.03 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.38%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 19th. Procter & Gambles dividend payout ratio is presently 65.69%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on PG shares. Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on shares of Procter & Gamble from $157.00 to $164.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. TD Cowen began coverage on Procter & Gamble in a report on Tuesday, July 23rd. They issued a buy rating and a $189.00 price target on the stock. Barclays lowered their price objective on Procter & Gamble from $174.00 to $163.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, August 1st. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on shares of Procter & Gamble from $157.00 to $161.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Monday, July 22nd. Finally, Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $177.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $173.95.

Read Our Latest Research Report on PG

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Procter & Gamble news, insider Balaji Purushothaman sold 8,842 shares of the companys 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 completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 11,537 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,902,451.30. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other Procter & Gamble news, insider Balaji Purushothaman sold 8,842 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on 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 sale, the insider now directly owns 11,537 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,902,451.30. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Susan Street Whaley sold 450 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 20th. The stock was 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 approximately $2,212,043.84. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 223,259 shares of company stock valued at $37,948,393. 0.17% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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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Western Alliance Bancorporation (NYSE:WAL  Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $83.23 and last traded at $82.80, with a volume of 35819 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $82.10.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have issued reports on WAL shares. Barclays lifted their price objective on Western Alliance Bancorporation from $86.00 to $92.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, July 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation from $70.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation from $68.00 to $85.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Monday, July 22nd. Bank of America upped their target price on shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation from $82.00 to $98.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, July 22nd. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation from $78.00 to $87.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday, July 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $84.27.

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Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on WAL

Western Alliance Bancorporation Price Performance

The company has a current ratio of 0.88, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $71.43 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $64.20. The firm has a market cap of $8.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.73, a PEG ratio of 1.47 and a beta of 1.45.

Western Alliance Bancorporation (NYSE:WAL  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 18th. The financial services provider reported $1.75 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.71 by $0.04. Western Alliance Bancorporation had a net margin of 15.54% and a return on equity of 13.98%. The firm had revenue of $771.80 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $737.97 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.96 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 15.3% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that Western Alliance Bancorporation will post 7.4 earnings per share for the current year.

Western Alliance Bancorporation Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 16th will be given a dividend of $0.37 per share. This represents a $1.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.84%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 16th. Western Alliance Bancorporations dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 21.57%.

Insider Activity

In other news, CAO J. Kelly Jr. Ardrey sold 2,116 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.95, for a total value of $160,710.20. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 3,520 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $267,344. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, insider Stephen Russell Curley sold 5,070 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.43, for a total value of $387,500.10. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 36,718 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,806,356.74. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CAO J. Kelly Jr. Ardrey sold 2,116 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, July 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.95, for a total value of $160,710.20. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 3,520 shares of the companys stock, valued at $267,344. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 2.75% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Western Alliance Bancorporation

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in Western Alliance Bancorporation by 3.9% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 10,440,410 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $670,170,000 after acquiring an additional 395,101 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its holdings in shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation by 16.3% during the first quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 5,112,376 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $328,165,000 after purchasing an additional 717,242 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its position in shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation by 20.6% in the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 3,722,389 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $233,832,000 after buying an additional 636,577 shares in the last quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Western Alliance Bancorporation by 0.7% in the second quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC now owns 2,813,823 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $176,764,000 after buying an additional 20,876 shares during the period. Finally, Hood River Capital Management LLC grew its position in Western Alliance Bancorporation by 5.9% during the first quarter. Hood River Capital Management LLC now owns 1,641,660 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $105,378,000 after buying an additional 91,535 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.15% of the companys stock.

About Western Alliance Bancorporation

(Get Free Report)

Western Alliance Bancorporation operates as the bank holding company for Western Alliance Bank that provides various banking products and related services primarily in Arizona, California, and Nevada. It operates through Commercial and Consumer Related segments. The company offers deposit products, including checking, savings, and money market accounts, as well as fixed-rate and fixed maturity certificates of deposit accounts; demand deposits; and treasury management and residential mortgage products and services.

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Whitecap Resources Inc. (OTCMKTS:SPGYF  Get Free Report) announced a dividend on Saturday, August 24th, investing.com reports. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 2nd will be paid a dividend of 0.0444 per share on Monday, September 16th. This represents a yield of 7.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th.

Whitecap Resources Price Performance

Shares of OTCMKTS:SPGYF traded down $0.07 on Wednesday, hitting $7.73. The company had a trading volume of 201,510 shares, compared to its average volume of 135,133. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $7.43 and a 200 day moving average price of $7.39. Whitecap Resources has a 1-year low of $6.02 and a 1-year high of $8.98.

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About Whitecap Resources

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Whitecap Resources Inc, an oil and gas company, focuses on the acquisition, development, and production of oil and gas assets in Western Canada. The company's primary areas of focus of its development programs are in Northern Alberta and British Columbia, Central Alberta, and Saskatchewan. The company was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

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Ulviyya Mammadova, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Azerbaijan State Water Resources Agency (ADSEA), emphasized the profound impact of climate change on agriculture during the "Role of Water Management Systems in Climate-Resilient Agriculture" round table at COP29, Azernews reports.

Mammadova underscored that climate change affects every aspect of our lives, with agriculture facing particularly significant challenges due to rising temperatures, altered rainfall patterns, and increased extreme weather events. She stressed the necessity of sustainable agricultural practices to address these issues.

"Water is the lifeblood of agriculture," Mammadova stated. "It is crucial for soil fertility, crop growth, livestock production, and the overall health of ecosystems. Effective water management today can mitigate the adverse effects of climate change and create a sustainable future. Water is not merely a resource; it is essential to life itself. Every drop is valuable, and we must protect it."

She highlighted that the ADSEA is prioritizing several initiatives, including constructing new water reservoirs, rehabilitating irrigation canals, and exploring alternative water sources like sea water, treated waste, and rainwater.

Mammadova also emphasized that protecting water resources involves more than just infrastructure improvements. It requires adopting water-saving habits, supporting policies for sustainable water management, and promoting education and awareness about the importance of water conservation.

"Empowering individuals with knowledge about water conservation and climate change is vital," she said. "Investing in research and development of sustainable practices is essential."

In conclusion, Mammadova expressed optimism about overcoming the challenges of global warming and water scarcity. "With determination, innovation, and collective action, we can ensure a future where clean, safe water is accessible to all. Lets commit to protecting our planet and our homeland for future generations."
A United Airlines aircraft comes in for a landing at the A.B. Won Pat International Airport on Feb. 4, 2024, in Tiyan.
Guest Commentary

Bacchus Barua

The leadership of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) is facing sharp criticism for its recent proposal to effectively ban private payment for virtual care. In a clear example of putting politics before patients, this would only erect additional barriers for those seeking care.

Moreover, its a desperate bid to cling to an outdatedand failedmodel of health care while underestimating modern-day innovations.

Virtual careonline video doctor consultationsis a private-sector innovation. In response to our government systems inability to provide timely care, private companies such as Maple have been offering these services to Canadians for almost a decade. In fact, the public system only pushed meaningfully into the virtual space during COVID when it established partnerships with these private companies alongside setting up new fee codes for virtual consultations.

In return for improving access to physician consultations for thousands of Canadians, these virtual care companies have been rewarded with increased government scrutiny and red tape. The weapon of choice? The Canada Health Act (CHA).

Specifically, sections 18 to 21 of the CHA prohibit user fees and extra billing for medically necessary services. Further, the insurance plan of a province must be publicly administered and provide reasonable access to 100 per cent of insured services. Provinces found in violation are punished by the federal government, which withholds a portion (or all) of federal health-care transfer payments.

Until recently, there had been no obvious conflict between the CHA and privately paid-for virtual careprimarily because the provinces are free to determine whats medically necessary. Until recently, many provinces did not even have billing codes for virtual care. As virtual services are increasingly provided by the public sector, however, the ability to innovatively provide care for paying patients (either out-of-pocket or through private insurance) becomes restricted further.

Within this context, the CMA recently recommended formally including virtual care services within the public system, alongside measures to ensure equitable access. At the same time, it reiterated its recommendation that private insurance to access medically necessary services covered by the CHA be prohibited.

See where this is going?

The kicker is an additional recommendation banning dual practice (i.e. physicians working in both the public and private sector) except under certain conditions. This means doctors in the public system who could otherwise allocate their spare hours to private appointments online would now have to choose to operate exclusively in either the public or private system.

The combined effect of these policies would ensure that innovative private options for virtual carewhether paid for out-of-pocket or though private insurancewill either be overtaken by bureaucracies or disappear entirely.

But what the CMA report fails to recognize is that virtual care has expanded access to services the government fails to providetheres little reason to suspect a government takeover of the virtual-care sector will make things better for patients. And even if governments could somehow prevent Canadian doctors and companies providing these services privately, virtual care is not beholden to Canadas physical borders. Patients with a little bit of technical knowhow will simply bypass the Canadian system entirely by having virtual consultations with doctors abroad. If Canadians can figure out how to access their favourite show in another country, you can be sure theyll find a way to get a consultation with a doctor in Mumbai instead of Montreal.

Instead of forcing physicians and patients to operate within the crumbling confines of government-run health care, the CMAs leadership should be grateful for the pressure valve that the private sector has produced. We should celebrate the private innovators who have provided Canadians better access to health care, not finding ways to shut them down in favour of more government control.

Bacchus Barua is the Director, Health Policy Studies, Fraser Institute.
By Victor Ing,

Special to The Post

On August 6, 2024, the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages issued a statement in which he publicly mused about the possibility of reducing the number of foreign workers in Canada by prohibiting employers from certain parts of Canada from hiring low-wage workers through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). Less than three weeks later, on August 20, 2024, the Minister took the first such step by approving a temporary pause prohibiting employers located in the Montreal economic region from employing workers earning less than $27.47 per hour through the TFWP. Only six days later, on August 26, the Minister further announced another series of policy changes that will make it more difficult for Canadian employers to hire low-wage temporary foreign workers across Canada. What is driving these changes and what should employers be prepared for?

In 2024 we have seen a dramatic rise of a growing anti-immigration sentiment based on a widely held view that Canada is allowing too many people into the country amidst a housing and cost-of-living crisis. This comes on the heels of a period of unchecked immigration growth following the end of the global pandemic, as well as an unexpected war in Ukraine, which has significantly increased our immigration levels overall. We have now reached the point where even the government is taking a public and aggressive stance against growing immigration levels and the Ministers latest announcement is intended to rollback COVID-era policies that were introduced to stimulate the economy after the end of the pandemic.

Specifically, effective September 26, 2024, the Government of Canada will reintroduce three policies restricting the ability of Canadian employers to hire low-wage temporary foreign workers, as follows:

Low-Wage Cap

Employers will no longer be able to have more than 10% of their existing workforce made up of low-wage temporary foreign workers. During the pandemic, all employers were allowed to hire up to 20% of their workforce through the TFWP and some employers were even subject to a higher 30% threshold if they operated in high-priority sectors such as construction and health care.

The definition of a low-wage worker changes depending on the province the worker is located in. In British Columbia, the current high-wage cut off is $28.85, meaning that any worker earning less than the wage rate will be affected by these new rules. These changes will affect many employers and temporary foreign workers working in many different fields, and not simply those who serve coffee or perform manual labour as some critics would have you believe.

Shortened Work Permits

Canadian employers hiring low-wage temporary foreign workers will soon only be able to keep them on one-year work permits at a time. Put another way, newly approved low-wage Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) will now only lead to the granting of a one-year work permit to a foreign worker. Effectively, this means that any employer that wants to continuously hire these workers to fill labour shortages will need to be prepared to apply for new LMIAs every eight months or so, since it can easily take 3-4 months for the government to approve one.

The message from the government is loud and clear: Canadian employers must find a way to hire from the Canadian labour market, including upskilling or re-training existing workers in the labour market to fill job vacancies, rather than relying on the TFWP.

Refusal to Process

The Government of Canada will refuse to process low-wage LMIAs made by employers located in metropolitan areas with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher, with exceptions being granted to employers working in high priority sectors such as agriculture, food and fish processing, construction, and health care. Similar rules were previously in place but were revoked in 2022 during the post-pandemic recovery period.

As you can see, changes to Canadas TFWP are occurring rapidly and with little notice. In the month of August alone, the government has made three announcements that have far reaching consequences that will affect many thousands of employers and temporary foreign workers alike. All of this forms part of the larger policy goal of reducing overall immigration levels in Canada, which represents a drastic reversal of previous government policy. Our leaders are now publicly teasing further changes such as amending rules surrounding the hiring of high-wage workers, and possibly even reducing overall levels of permanent immigration to Canada.

These changes and rhetoric are all too familiar to immigration lawyers and others who have worked for a long time in this industry, but it certainly feels like we have reached a tipping point. With only a month of warning, employers will have to adjust to this new reality and reassess their current operations. What is their current level of reliance on low-wage temporary foreign workers? What is their appetite and ability to apply for LMIAs year after year? Similarly, low-wage temporary foreign workers must also reassess their own circumstances, especially if their current permits will soon expire and their employers will now have to apply for LMIAs under the new rules.

As noted in our most recent blog posted earlier this month (please refer to this link: https://canadian-visa-lawyer.com/employer-alert-canadas-temporary-foreign-worker-program-is-under-attack-again/), Canadas TFWP has been the subject of longstanding scrutiny and frequent changes and amendments. Our governments recent and frequent announcements maintain this tradition. In our experience as immigration lawyers, paring back on the TFWP will likely be short lived given longstanding demographic and economic forecasting. But with an election looming in the future, such steps are not surprising, and employers and workers need to be able to adapt to the current swing of the pendulum of changes to the TFWP.

Victor Ing is a lawyer of Sas & Ing Immigration Law Centre. He provides a full range of immigration services.

For more information go to canadian-visa-lawyer.com or email victor@sasanding.com.
Angels Camp, CA The recent launch of the Albert Michelson Exhibit at the Angels Camp Museum has opened up new learning opportunities for teachers and students across Calaveras County. Before the end of the last school year, students began visiting the exhibit, which celebrates Albert Michelson, a former Murphys resident.

Last week, the Calaveras County Office of Education (CCOE) STEAM Advisory Council held its first Teacher Outreach Event in collaboration with the museum. Educators from seven schools, along with representatives from Columbia College and the Tuolumne County Superintendent of Schools, attended the event to tour the exhibit, network, and learn how to integrate this educational resource into their curriculum.

Martin Huberty, Angels Camp Museum Director and District 3 Supervisor praised the community collaboration that made the exhibit possible. If just one child realizes they can come from a rural area and do great things, then its all been worth it, Huberty said. This is more than just an exhibit, its a movement. Sunil Mehrotra, Exhibit Project Director, noted the extensive volunteer effort that went into the exhibit, with contributions totaling $100,000 in man hours over two years. Teachers are the key to making aspirations come alive, Mehrotra said.

Bronte Wilhelm, Head of Museum Education and Outreach, guided attendees through the exhibit, highlighting its educational resources. The group also previewed a prototype mobile version of the exhibit and a conceptual Learning Laboratory, the next phase of this educational movement.

For more information on Albert Michelson, visit www.albertmichelson.com, and for details on visiting the Angels Camp Museum, go to www.gocalaveras.com.
The construction company was initially fined $3,000, but they made the decision to fight it in court.

A protected English oak tree was damaged after a concrete slab was poured too close to its root system. Source: City of Canterbury Bankstown

A developer has been fined tens of thousands of dollars after destroying a tree the company was supposed to protect.

Images supplied to Yahoo News by the western Sydney council behind the prosecution show the 80-year-old English oak tree behind exclusion fencing with several branches hacked off. But the main problem the tree faced was damage to the root system that was caused after a concrete slab was poured too close.

Last year, City of Canterbury Bankstown slapped the building company with a $3,000 fine for non-compliance at the Revesby site, where duplexes were being constructed. But the developer chose to appeal the penalty in court this month.

At the hearing, the court was told works were carried out within a required Tree Protection Zone without the supervision of a certified arborist. When the developer failed to show in court, the matter escalated and they were slapped with a $45,000 fine.

The magistrate said the developer was well versed in the legal ways to deal with this situation and suspected "cost cutting" could have led to the tree's destruction.

The developer was supposed to protect the tree at the Revesby construction site. Source: City of Canterbury Bankstown

Why protect an introduced tree species?

Council regulations require most native and introduced trees taller than five metres to be protected.

After assessing the damage, the City determined it had no option but grant consent for the tree to be removed completely.

Reflecting on the incident, a City spokesperson called on residents to dob in others who illegally harm trees.

Council takes environmental enforcement seriously and we will not tolerate those who want to cut corners, a spokesperson said.

May this act as a warning that if you are doing the wrong thing, you will be caught and you will be fined.

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A BYD owner recently boasted about charging his kettle with his car, while on a road trip and away from a traditional power source. Source: Facebook

Aussie EV enthusiasts are discovering many of their cars also serve as huge, portable power banks that can recharge common household items, and even funnel power back into the grid in the event of an outage. Experts told Yahoo News this "emerging" technology stands to completely "revolutionise" how we use electricity and expect it'll become even more mainstream as early as next year.

Vehicle to grid (V2G), vehicle to home (V2H) and vehicle to load (V2L) are all terms which involve the bi-directional flow of energy between electric vehicles, homes and the grid. EV owners may be familiar with these terms, with many of them already driving cars with the capability, but it's largely a topic industry experts are still learning about.

Many manufacturers, such as BYD, already sport the convenient function in some of their models, as one Aussie man recently found out. "Its very handy on a road trip to be able to boil a kettle for a cup of tea [using your car]," the BYD owner gleefully wrote online this week.

Ross De Rango, Head of Energy and Infrastructure at the Australian Electric Vehicle Council, agreed the tech is handy. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, he said while useful, V2G and V2L must be used responsibly and only after drivers research how to do it safely first.

"V2L is an available feature of several cars on the market today, which Australians are able to use," he said. "V2G is a bit more emergent, with more complex technical requirements  we expect to see it become more mainstream next year."

Australian EV owners dabbling in vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) charging have been warned the emerging technology could be dangerous, or even damaging to the car. Source: Facebook

Aussie EV owners among first to discover full potential of V2L technology

De Rango said he believes the technology could revolutionise the power grid in time, but warned we're not there quite yet. "The amount of battery storage that will ultimately exist in the batteries in our cars will dwarf all other forms of grid-connected storage," he said.

"Unlocking V2G will drive down energy costs for everyone (not just the EV drivers), enable us to close coal and gas fired power stations sooner, and make our overall energy system more reliable and resilient."

Earlier this year Yahoo News reported on a Tasmanian man who used his BYD to power an entire school's server room, which was undergoing maintenance during the holidays.

IT technician Matthew Taylor explained how his "mighty little Dophin" provided electricity "to the server room during a planned switchboard upgrade", running "infrastructure and switching like a champion".

Hobart-based IT manager Matthew Taylor said he powered the school's server where he worked using his BYD during a planned outage. Source: Supplied

"Nobody even noticed a thing, I would 100 per cent recommend it," he told Yahoo in July. "No safety issues at all, it has its own cut-outs if it draws too much power. We did the maths beforehand and we knew that our draw would be under the max load."

A spokesperson for BYD's Australian branch also confirmed the function had been rolled out in some models. "These cars leverage our vehicle-to-load function essentially turning any BYD vehicle into a mobile power bank," they earlier told Yahoo.

How the BYD EV compares to Tesla

Responding to the BYD owner's post this week, others also praised the feature  one it's understood Tesla doesn't have.

"I chose a Seal over Tesla because of V2L and Apple Car Play. We are in a rural area and dont have town water so rely on water pumps," one person wrote in the comments. " A blackout is rare but becoming more frequent. We can still have water now thanks to the Seal."

While another said, "We bought the Seal because our Tesla Powerwall (home battery) lost capacity. Now we are using the Seal (2,9 kW 80kWh) as home battery overnight, every night."

EV owners warned to brush up on 'emerging' tech, before using it

But, one of the country's leading mechanics warned of just how much is at stake if a person doesn't know what they're doing.

Canberra-based mechanic Saffy Sgroi said "safety is the number one concern" when it comes to V2V charging. "We're talking about working with a huge battery here," she told Yahoo. "You've got 400 kilowatts of battery running, they can fry you. If you do the wrong thing  you're gone."

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
The simmering tensions in Binduras mushikashika industry have boiled over once again, resulting in another tragic loss of life.

Phillip Kudzanai Tekesa, a 21-year-old hwindi from the Manhenga area, is now facing murder charges after allegedly striking a fellow tout with a brick during a dispute over a passenger.

The incident occurred on the evening of August 16th, 2024, near the Gains wholesale store close to the Trojan turn-off. The deceased tout, whose identity has not been released, was reportedly working at the time, attracting passengers for his vehicle.

Tekesa, who is alleged to have been working a different route, approached the deceased and demanded that he stop loading passengers onto the vehicle. The deceased, however, refused to comply, leading to an altercation between the two touts.

The situation escalated rapidly, with Tekesa allegedly picking up a common brick and striking the deceased once on the head. The blow resulted in a deep cut and profuse bleeding, leaving the victim critically injured.

Emergency services rushed the injured hwindi to Bindura Hospital, where he was admitted for treatment. Sadly, the victim succumbed to his injuries the following day.

Tekesa was apprehended by the authorities and appeared before Mashonaland Central provincial magistrate Mr Tinashe Ndokera, facing murder charges. He was remanded in custody until September 4th, 2024, as investigations into the incident continue.

The prosecutor, Miss Victoria Choga, presented the case to the court, detailing the events leading up to the fatal altercation. She revealed that the dispute over the passenger was the catalyst for the violence, highlighting the simmering tensions within the mushikashika industry in Zimbabwe.

Breaking News via Email

Related Zimbabwe Latest News
Zimbabwes Home Affairs Minister, Kazembe, has issued a firm rebuke to ZANU PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa, dismissing calls for the release of detained pro-democracy activists and opposition supporters as an attempt to influence the judiciary and security services.

The Ministers statement comes amidst growing international condemnation of the governments crackdown on dissent, particularly in the lead-up to the recent Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit held in Harare.

Over 100 activists are currently languishing in remand prison, facing numerous court appearances and denied bail on multiple occasions. The governments actions have drawn criticism from foreign diplomats accredited to Zimbabwe, the United Nations Human Rights, and human rights organisations worldwide.

Mutsvangwa, in a move that has been widely interpreted as an admission of the ruling partys influence over the security apparatus, called for the release of the detained activists following the conclusion of the SADC summit. His remarks, delivered with a dismissive giggle, suggested that the ruling party was behind the clampdown, using the security forces to silence dissenting voices.

Those are deviants, and they were dealt with properly. And we are very happy they failed. And they will never succeed again, Mutsvangwa stated, seemingly unconcerned by the international outcry over the governments actions.

However, Minister Kazembe has vehemently denied any interference in the work of the judiciary and security services, asserting that the government is committed to upholding the principle of separation of powers.

We, therefore, dismiss with contempt, they deserve, assertions by certain quarters of the community that the judiciary and security services sector can be manipulated. The security sector will disregard any attempt at interfering with its work. Equally fully commit to be guided by professional ethics in avoiding any undue meddling into the affairs of other arms of the state by any of our members, Kazembe declared.

The Minister further defended the governments crackdown, claiming that the security forces are simply enforcing the law and preventing criminal activity.

The security sector equally regrets the reckless abandon with which a few misguided local elements carried themselves. They underestimated our resolve to apply the law regardless of whether there are international events or not, Kazembe stated. We will not allow criminality and subversive inclinations of a few individuals to disrupt normal life pursuants of the majority.

However, human rights organisations have expressed deep concern over the governments actions, highlighting the potential for abuse and the erosion of democratic principles.

Roselyn Hanzi, director of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, which is representing the detained activists, expressed her dismay at the governments blatant admission of control over the judiciary.

Every person in Zimbabwe should be worried where the ruling party openly admits that it fully controls one of the key arms of government that is supposed to provide checks and balances and in fact protect the citizens from the excesses of the other two arms: the legislature and the executive, Hanzi told VOA.

The judiciary is very key and plays a central role in protecting citizens and ensuring that their rights are realized. In this case, you see them admitting that there [are] those people that wanted to protest.  Protest[ing] is not criminal, and its not a privilege. You should not be negotiating or begging for it.

Breaking News via Email

Related Zimbabwe Latest News
Harare  The political landscape in Zimbabwe is heating up as the ruling Zanu PF partys push for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to stay in power beyond 2028 has ignited a fierce backlash from the opposition and sparked a wave of uncertainty within the party itself.

The controversy began last weekend when Zanu PF provinces held meetings to formulate resolutions for the upcoming national conference in Bulawayo in October. One of the key resolutions, aimed at the conference, was a push to amend the countrys Constitution to allow President Mnangagwa to rule beyond his constitutionally mandated two terms, which end in 2028.

Despite Mnangagwas public pronouncements that he has no intention of seeking to extend his reign, the push for his continued leadership has sparked a firestorm of opposition.

The Citizens for Coalition Change (CCC) party, a key opposition force, has vowed to launch an anti-Constitution amendment campaign to thwart the move, Newsday has reported.

We are totally opposed to the amendment of the Constitution. It is undemocratic and against the spirit of constitutionalism. In any event, any amendment to the Constitution will require a referendum and the citizens are ready to embarrass them, said CCC spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi.

We will be launching a campaign against term extension, Mkwananzi added. We want political and electoral reforms instead of these self-interested amendments which we believe even people in Zanu-PF are totally opposed to.

The CCCs stance is echoed by other opposition groups and civil society organisations. The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition has pledged to exhaust all legal channels to stop Zanu PF from amending the Constitution.

The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition remains committed to the democratic transformation of our country, the organisation said.

We will exhaust all legal channels and peaceful means to resist the power-hungry agenda and ensure a Zimbabwe where the will of the people is supreme.

The push for Mnangagwas continued leadership has also sparked a power struggle within Zanu PF, pitting the President against his own Vice President, Constantino Chiwenga. While Mnangagwas supporters have been chanting slogans indicating his continued rule until 2030, Chiwenga has openly challenged this campaign, stressing that loyalty should lie with the party and the people of Zimbabwe, not with individual leaders.

His comments have been interpreted as a direct challenge to Mnangagwas intensifying ED2030 campaign. Mnangagwa and Chiwenga are reportedly engaged in a fierce power struggle over ZANU PFs unresolved leadership and succession issues, which have intensified as the former attempts to extend his rule beyond the 2028 constitutional term limit to 2030.

The push for Mnangagwas continued leadership comes despite his unequivocal statement that he would leave office at the end of his constitutionally-mandated two terms in 2028. It has also emerged that some provincial party members have openly refused to chant the ED 2030 slogan, arguing that they should not be forced into demonstrating loyalty to a leader who has indicated that he wants to leave office when his tenure comes to an end in 2028.

The legal implications of amending the Constitution to allow Mnangagwa to run for a third term are complex and require significant changes to the existing legal framework. According to Veritas, a legal think-tank, the most straightforward approach would be to amend section 91 of the Constitution, but this would require a strict legislative process, including public input and a two-thirds majority in both the National Assembly and the Senate.

However, even if section 91 were successfully amended, a significant obstacle remains in section 328(7) of the Constitution, which specifically prevents current office holders, including presidents, from benefiting from changes to term-limit provisions. This means that even if section 91 is amended, the changes will not apply to Mnangagwa, making him ineligible for a third term unless section 328(7) itself is amended or repealed.

The push for ED2030 has sparked a power struggle within Zanu PF, pitting President Mnangagwa against his own Vice President, Constantino Chiwenga. While Mnangagwas supporters have been chanting slogans indicating his continued rule until 2030, Chiwenga has openly challenged this campaign, stressing that loyalty should lie with the party and the people of Zimbabwe, not with individual leaders.

His comments have been interpreted as a direct challenge to Mnangagwas intensifying ED2030 campaign. Mnangagwa and Chiwenga are reportedly engaged in a fierce power struggle over ZANU PFs unresolved leadership and succession issues, which have intensified as the former attempts to extend his rule beyond the 2028 constitutional term limit to 2030.

It was reported that the ruling partys chairpersons fear attracting the wrath of Mnangagwas successor. According to the source, party members have found themselves in a quandary over the ED 2030 slogan, which signifies support for Mnangagwas push to remain in power until 2030.

The push comes despite Mnangagwa unequivocally stating that he would leave office at the end of his constitutionally-mandated two terms in 2028. It also emerged that some provincial party members have openly refused to chant the ED 2030 slogan, arguing that they should not be forced into demonstrating loyalty to a leader who has indicated that he wants to leave office when his tenure comes to an end in 2028.

Breaking News via Email

Related Zimbabwe Latest News
By Lambert Strether of Corrente

Bird Song of the Day

Catbirds are in the Mimidae specie s (!), like mockingbird and thrashers. Readers have said they like the mimicry, so hopefully MacCaulay Library has enough recordings to keep us all satisfied, at least for a time.

Black Catbird, Aguadas al Sureste de Cozumel, Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico. I think Im hearing a frog in the background.

As a Writer, You Can Never Collect Too Many Endings [Literary Hub]. A few years ago, at dusk, I saw an owl swoop into a low branch and start poking its beak into a catbirds nest. The catbirds inside made a terrible hissing-screeching-gargling soundlike a baby thats been scaldedand after a moment the owl, for whatever reason, decided it was too much and flew off. After the danger passed, dusk shifted to dark. The night deepened. It struck me that the owl could come back at any moment, and that the catbirds, whose cheery songs I loved and had been listening to all afternoon, lived under perpetual threat. While I didnt know what story from my life the moment might make a good ending for, I knew it was an ending because in the quiet of its resolution it kept gathering significance. It was factual and also metaphorical. Ive been those screeching catbirds. Ive been that owl.  I didnt search for this, I swear! It just randomly showed up in my RSS reader.

* * *

In Case You Might Miss

* * *

Politics

So many of the social reactions that strike us as psychological are in fact a rational management of symbolic capital. Pierre Bourdieu, Classification Struggles

* * *

The Supremes

Ketanji Brown Jackson Is Prepared If 2024 Election Goes To Supreme Court [HuffPo]. Supreme Court Justice Kentanji Brown Jackson said in a recorded interview with CBS News that she feels as prepared as anyone can be when asked about the possibility that the 2024 presidential election results will be contested and require the high courts intervention.  However Democrats are gaming 2024 out, I would think theyd want to avoid the Supreme Court. Implying they would use extra-legal methods.

2024

Less than one hundred days to go! Fridays RCP Poll Averages: Good news for Trump in that last weeks deterioration seems to have been slowed, although we shall have to see if Kamala gets a convention bounce. Remember, however, that all the fluctuations  in fact, all the leads  are within the margin of error. If you read most of the press, youd think Kamala has this race in the bag. Its not so. Do note, however, Trumps deterioration in North Carolina: +2.4 last week to +0.9 this week, when OG pollster Sabato moved it to toss-up status from lean Republican. No wonder Trump held a rally there this week. NOTE With Kennedy, it would seem, about to drop out, I started tracking the national percentage as Top Battlegrounds, where Trumps shrinking lead is +0.1 this week (as opposed to 5-Way RCP Average, where Harris led by +1.1 last week). Wypipo: 2024 will be won or lost via White America:https://t.co/onGcst4Ep5 Only 55% of non-college graduate whites bothered to vote last time. If just 60% did, Trump would have won. College educated whites went 54% Democratic Party in 2024. If only 50% did, Trump would have won. pic.twitter.com/uuIMkmGGGg  ib (@Indian_Bronson) July 24, 2024 Note that Cook Political Report is OG, so worth paying attention to. * * * Kamala (D): Could Kamala Harris really win North Carolina  and lose Georgia? [Nate Silver, Silver Bulletin]. The hottest club in the Electoral College is North Carolina. Its the first state to begin any form of early voting  county officials will begin mailing out absentee ballots next week! The Cook Political Report just moved North Carolina from lean Republican to toss-up. And in the Silver Bulletin model, its the third-most-likely tipping-point state, surpassed only by Pennsylvania and Michigan.  This devalues Pennsylvania, note well. Kamala (D): Why Kamala Harris Is Failing to Gain Traction With the Working Class [Skyler Adleta (electrician), Newsweek]. Harris needs to appeal to conservative-leaning working-class citizens who are in Trumps camp if she hopes to be elected. Yet her railing against Trump, accompanied by the phrase We are not going back! in response to Trumps platform is indicative of a person who completely misunderstands half of the country. She belittles working-class Americans who view the past favorably from an economic point of view by doing this; many working-class folks remember, or have been told of, a time when desirable, living-wage jobs were widespread amongst those with or without a college degree , allowing families to have meaningful choices and secure existences. Harris wants to transform this economic nostalgia into something that is viewed as regressive and socially backward, ultimately diminishing our actual longings by portraying them as false ones.  Excellent point! Back in the day, when I worked in the factories of Providence, RI, I could have my own apartment and buy a lot of books on my wage of $2.35 an hour, with no overtime. I was not exactly a labor aristocrat! * * * Trump (R): Trumps Ugly, Shameless New Offer to RFK Jr. Hands Dems a Big Weapon [The New Republic]. First: But a consummated Trump-Kennedy bargainKennedy endorsing Trump, followed by Trump appointing Kennedy to his transition team or administrationwould actually constitute the epitome of corrupt elite self-dealing. Just stop it. Hillary Clinton made exactly the same sort of deal with Obama in 2008, which I know Greg Sargent is old enough to remember. Next: [C}onsider that when Kennedy was a third-party candidate and President Biden was still running, many Democrats feared he might appeal to voters who pay little attention to politicsyoung people, low propensity voters, people disaffected with our institutionsand who also disliked Biden and Trump. The entry of Vice President Kamala Harris into the race has caused a decline in those so-called double haters, with many moving to Harris. But there are still untold numbers of them out there. With Kennedy not running, his endorsement of Trump could soften their impressions of the former president. Whats at issue here are not voters who were fully committed to Kennedys third-party runthey are probably not gettable for Democratsbut still-undecided voters who might as yet prove susceptible to Kennedys appeal. They might find the Kennedy nameand his vague associations with environmentalism, hostility to corporate power, and even the health of children, all of which he talks a good game aboutreassuring about Trump. If Bobby Kennedy backs Trump, why, how extreme and crazy can he really be?  I would turn that argument around. Forget about crazy, because Ashish Jha, Mandy Cohen, and Jeff Zeints are normal-coded loons. What about fascist? Would Robert Kennedy and Tulsi Gabbard really join a fascist movement? Trump (R): If this is your metric, and its not everyones: Explain in terms of lesser evil please. pic.twitter.com/p8VCS64bwe  Earnie Banks (@_EarnieBanks) August 28, 2024 Kennedy (R): Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to Tucker Carlson: Were Going Through A Political Realignment, Democrats Dont Trust The People [RealClearPolitics].  Its really the, you know, the domination of, this, this corrupt merger of state corporate power. And its happening in Washington, DC now, where, our democracy has really been subverted by the industries that have taken over the regulatory agencies and they and transform them into sock puppets or corporate profit taking and, and basically wholly owned subsidiaries of the industries theyre supposed to regulate. And the Democrats, for a variety of reasons. And I watch it happen over many, many years, have, have clung to this illusion of these democratic institutions that theyre still democratic and they have a we all have the capacity to judge ourselves on our intentions rather than our actions.  Not the best transcript, but not the sort of message one generally hears from either party. * * *

Clinton Legacy

COVID-stricken Hillary Clinton drops out of Hamptons fundraiser, Bill Clinton steps in with Doug Emhoff: sources [New York Post]. Hillary Clinton bowed out of a Hamptons fundraiser for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz on Monday, we hear, after the former secretary of state came down with COVID-19. The event was held at the home of mega art collectors Lisa and Richard Perry, who are known to house works by Frank Stella, Alexander Calder, Ellsworth Kelly and Donald Judd, among other blue-chip artists. Tickets at the highest tier went for a cool $100,000 each, and an invitation seen by Page Six said, This is likely to be one of the last small events in the NY area before the election, so it is not to be missed.'  Today, Covid no longer controls our lives. Joe Biden, February 7, 2023.

Realignment and Legitimacy

New voting rules in battleground states could affect election results (transcript) [PBS]. In Georgia: I think that there are a lot of very red counties across the country that have been sort of playing with the idea of refusing to certify local election results. But in the past, that has not been successful, basically anywhere that its been tried. And I dont see why it would be different in Georgia. Local boards are under a lot of pressure to certify from the people who live in the community. You can only certify your own election. And so, if you choose not to certify your local results, that means youre preventing local candidates from taking office. And any of those people could sue. Thats whats happened in the past when counties across the country have tried to do this. And I think that there probably will be a few counties in Georgia that push their luck here, but probably reverse course very quickly.  Lots of interesting details on election officials.  Wouldnt the very red and very blue counties cut their own throats by not certifying?

Syndemics

I am in earnest  I will not equivocate  I will not excuse  I will not retreat a single inch  AND I WILL BE HEARD. William Lloyd Garrison

* * *

Covid Resources, United States (National): Transmission (CDC); Wastewater (CDC, Biobot ; includes many counties; Wastewater Scan, includes drilldown by zip); Variants (CDC; Walgreens); Iowa COVID-19 Tracker (in IA, but national data). Infection Control, Emergency Management, Safety, and General Thoughts (especially on hospitalization by city).

Lambert here: Readers, thanks for the collective effort. To update any entry, do feel free to contact me at the address given with the plants. Please put COVID in the subject line. Thank you!

Resources, United States (Local): AK (dashboard); AL (dashboard); AR (dashboard); AZ (dashboard); CA (dashboard; Marin, dashboard; Stanford, wastewater; Oakland, wastewater); CO (dashboard; wastewater); CT (dashboard); DE (dashboard); FL (wastewater); GA (wastewater); HI (dashboard); IA (wastewater reports); ID (dashboard, Boise; dashboard, wastewater, Central Idaho; wastewater, Coeur dAlene; dashboard, Spokane County); IL (wastewater); IN (dashboard); KS (dashboard; wastewater, Lawrence); KY (dashboard, Louisville); LA (dashboard); MA (wastewater); MD (dashboard); ME (dashboard); MI (wastewater; wastewater); MN (dashboard); MO (wastewater); MS (dashboard); MT (dashboard) ; NC (dashboard); ND (dashboard; wastewater); NE (dashboard); NH (wastewater); NJ (dashboard); NM (dashboard); NV (dashboard; wastewater, Southern NV); NY (dashboard); OH (dashboard); OK (dashboard); OR (dashboard) ; PA (dashboard); RI (dashboard); SC (dashboard); SD (dashboard); TN (dashboard); TX (dashboard); UT (wastewater); VA (dashboard); VT (dashboard); WA (dashboard; dashboard); WI (wastewater); WV ( wastewater ); WY ( wastewater ).

Resources, Canada (National): Wastewater (Government of Canada).

Resources, Canada (Provincial): ON (wastewater); QC (les eaux usees); BC (wastewater); BC, Vancouver (wastewater).

Hat tips to helpful readers: Alexis, anon (2), Art_DogCT, B24S, CanCyn, ChiGal, Chuck L, Festoonic, FM, FreeMarketApologist (4), Gumbo, hop2it, JB, JEHR, JF, JL Joe, John, JM (10), JustAnotherVolunteer, JW, KatieBird, KF, LL, Michael King, KF, LaRuse, mrsyk, MT, MT_Wild, otisyves, Petal (6), RK (2), RL, RM, Rod, square coats (11), tennesseewaltzer, Tom B., Utah, Bob White (3).

Stay safe out there!

* * *

Transmission: H5N1

With Only Gloves To Protect Them, Farmworkers Say They Tend Sick Cows Amid Bird Flu [KFF Health News]. In early August, farmworkers gathered under a pavilion at a park here for a picnic to celebrate Farmworker Appreciation Day. No matter the menu, some dairy workers at the event said they dont exactly feel appreciated. They said they havent received any personal protective equipment beyond gloves to guard against the virus, even as they or colleagues have come down with conjunctivitis and flu-like symptoms that they fear to be bird flu. They should give us something more, one dairy worker from Larimer County said in Spanish. He spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear hed lose his job for speaking out. What if something happens to us? They act as if nothing is wrong. According to numbers provided by the state health department in late August, fewer than 13% of the states dairies had requested and received such PPE. Something to watch: The bird migration map is starting to heat up. This was pretty quiet a week ago or so. If migratory birds are driving the start of #H5N1 outbreaks, and the farmers are not covering it up, we should see things start popping again. pic.twitter.com/9ETsfXYcFI  Lazarus Long (@LazarusLong13) August 28, 2024

Vaccines: Covid

A single-dose intranasal live-attenuated codon deoptimized vaccine provides broad protection against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants [Nature]. Mouse and hamster study. From the Abstract: Despite the success of spike-protein vaccines in preventing severe disease, long-lasting protection against emerging variants and the prevention of breakthrough infections and transmission remain elusive. We generate an intranasal live-attenuated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine , CDO-7N-1, using codon deoptimization. CDO-7N-1 shows highly attenuated replication and minimal or no lung pathology in vivo over multiple passages. It induces robust mucosal and systemic neutralizing antibody and T-cell subset responses, in mice (female K18-hACE2 and male HFH4-hACE2 mice), hamsters, and macaques triggered by a single immunization. Mice and hamsters vaccinated with CDO-7N-1 are protected from challenge with wild-type (WT) SARS-CoV-2 and other variants of concern. Serum from vaccinated animals neutralizes WT SARS-CoV-2, variants of concern (beta and delta), variants of interest (omicron XBB.1.5) and SARS-CoV-1. Antibody responses are sustained and enhanced by repeated immunization or infection with WT SARS-CoV-2. Immunity against all SARS-CoV-2 proteins by CDO-7N-1 should improve efficacy against future SARS-CoV-2 variants .  So human trials, and we wait another year? Nasal vaccines were a missed opportunity for Operation Warp Soeed, and then further advances stalled under Biden, no doubt due to Big Phama. But no little mRNA technology; good!

Transmission: Monkeypox

Infection: Covid

Sequelae: Covid

Elite Maleficence

* * *

TABLE 1: Daily Covid Charts

Lambert here: Readers, I apologize for butchering the table formatting yesterday; I just spent some time reformating the HTML so its not so fragile. Do feel free to bring formatting issues to my attention in comments.

Wastewater This week[1] CDC August 20: Last Week[2] CDC (until next week): Variants [3] CDC August 17 Emergency Room Visits[4] CDC August 17 Hospitalization  New York[5] New York State, data August 23: National [6] CDC August 10: Positivity National[7] Walgreens August 20: Ohio[8] Cleveland Clinic August 17: Travelers Data Positivity[9] CDC July 29: Variants[10] CDC July 29: Deaths Weekly Deaths vs. % Positivity [11]CDC August 10: Weekly Deaths vs. ED Visits [12]CDC August 10:

LEGEND

1)  for charts new today; all others are not updated.

2) For a full-size/full-resolution image, Command-click (MacOS) or right-click (Windows) on the chart thumbnail and open image in new tab.

NOTES

[1] (CDC) This weeks wastewater map, with hot spots annotated. Keeps spreading.

[2] (CDC) Last weeks wastewater map.

[3] (CDC Variants) KP.* very popular. XDV.1 flat.

[4] (ER) Worth noting Emergency Department use is now on a par with the first wave, in 2020.

[5] (Hospitalization: NY) A tiny little jump. Lets watch carefully. (The New York city area has form; in 2020, as the home of two international airports (JFK and EWR) it was an important entry point for the virus into the country (and from thence up the Hudson River valley, as the rich sought to escape, and then around the country through air travel.)

Lambert here: Since things are bad out on the West Coast, I went looking for California hospitalization data to compare with New Yorks, and found this: Due to changes in reporting requirements for hospitals, CDPH is no longer including hospitalization data on the CDPH dashboard. CDPH remains committed to monitoring the severe outcomes of COVID-19 and influenza, including the impact on hospitals. CDCs National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) will remain open to accept data, and CDC and CDPH strongly encourage all facilities to continue reporting. Thanks, Mandy!

[6] (Hospitalization: CDC). The visualization suppresses what is, in percentage terms, a significant increase.

[7] (Walgreens) Fiddling and diddling.

[8] (Cleveland) Jumping.

[9] (Travelers: Positivity) Up. Those sh*theads at CDC have changed the chart so that it doesnt even run back to 1/21/23, as it used to, but now starts 1/1/24. Theres also no way to adjust the time range. CDC really doesnt want you to be able to take a historical view of the pandemic, or compare one surge to another. In an any case, thats why the shape of the curve has changed.

[10] (Travelers: Variants) The new variant in China, XDV.1, is not showing up here.

[11] Deaths low, but positivity up.

[12] Deaths low, ED up.

Stats Watch

There are no officials statistics of interest today.

* * *

Manufacturing: Inside Boeings factory lapses that led to the Alaska Air blowout [Seattle Times (PI)]. Deck is not, but should be: Anatomy of a Clusterf*ck. Do read in full for the horrid details; many of us, I am sure, have been on a similar shop floor. This caught my eye; when they first open the door plug (the one that fell off, later): Filling in for the veteran mechanic on vacation, the Trainee was perhaps the least equipped to do this atypical job. Hed been at Boeing for about 17 months, his only previous jobs being at KFC and Taco Bell. Hes just a young kid, the Door Master Lead said.

Tech: Tesla Drivers Say New Self-Driving Update Is Repeatedly Running Red Lights [Futurism]. Thankfully I stopped it before it ran the light, wrote one Redditor user in a thread with several other Tesla drivers experiencing the same thing, but hopefully Tesla is aware their software is at a very dangerous level right now. This is all happening as Musk pivots Tesla towards robotaxis, which have run into their own issues with crashes, glitches, and unpopularity with pedestrians. Will a software patch improve the red light issue? Perhaps. But theres something that Musk can do thats low cost and wont hurt anybody: stop calling the Tesla auto assist software Full Self-Driving until it really is.

The Bezzle: Super Micro: Fresh Evidence Of Accounting Manipulation, Sibling Self-Dealing And Sanctions Evasion At This AI High Flyer [Hindenberg Research]. Super Micro Computer Inc. is a $35 billion server maker based in Silicon Valley, California that has ridden the wave of AI enthusiasm. Our 3-month investigation, which included interviews with former senior employees and industry experts as well as a review of litigation records, international corporate and customs records, found glaring accounting red flags, evidence of undisclosed related party transactions, sanctions and export control failures, and customer issues.  The shorts have entered the AI chat. About time.

* * *

Todays Fear & Greed Index: 52 Neutral (previous close: 52 Neutral) [CNN]. One week ago: 51 (Neutral). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated Aug 28 at 12:57:20 PM ET.

Permaculture

How 8,000 Food Forests Grew Africas Great Green Wall (video) [YouTube]. Dubious about tree planting, because we need forests, not trees. What do readers think?

For NC on food forests, see here, here, here, here, and here.

Gallery

He saw the insulators (!):

View of Malakoff Hauts de Seine https://t.co/NTpmYTgVNQ pic.twitter.com/1VoUGvDzmH  Henri Rousseau (@artrousseau) May 12, 2024

Masterful Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer rendered famous Girl with a Pearl Earring during Golden Age [FOX]. The painting depicts a woman, but its not a portrait, but rather a tronie, according to the Maurithshus museum, which is a painting of an imaginary figure.  So, word of the day: tronie. Amazingly, this FOX story is straight-up informative, with no angle at all that I can see (at least not a FOX-level angle). Maybe I was ahead of the zeitgeist on this gen-u-wine, human-made art thing, and others have the same thirst.

News of the Wired

The flow state: the science of the elusive creative mindset that can improve your life [Guardian]. Studies suggest that entering the flow state can enhance our performance in activities such as sports or music, and improve our creativity and wellbeing. The late Hungarian psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who first coined the term flow, went as far as to call it the secret to happiness. So what is it? And how can we enter this sometimes elusive brain state? Csikszentmihalyi began his investigations in the 1970s, after interviewing hundreds of participants about the ups and downs of their lives. Contrary to the assumption that we are happiest while resting, he found that the peaks often involved very high levels of mental focus. The specific activity did not seem to matter  it could be swimming, playing the violin or performing brain surgery. What counted was the feeling of immersion and mastery .  Which the neoliberal workplace, for example, seems determined to take away from us.

* * *

Contact information for plants: Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, to (a) find out how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal and (b) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi, lichen, and coral are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. From Carla:

Carla writes: Perennial Hibiscus with dew on the leaves. Lovely! (And I like the shadowy foreground with the bright background; the bright green reminds me of the bright summer afternoon lawns of my Midwestern childhood  regardless of my strictures upon lawns today!

* * *

Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the annual NC fundraiser. Material here is Lamberts, and does not express the views of the Naked Capitalism site. If you see a link you especially like, or an item you wouldnt see anywhere else, please do not hesitate to express your appreciation in tangible form. Remember, a tip jar is for tipping! Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know Im on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for three or four days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of donations helps me with expenses, and I factor in that trickle when setting fundraising goals:

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Swiss chocolate: Scientists cut waste and sugar BBC (Robin K)

FDA Expands Probe of Ecstasy-Based Drug Studies ars technica

A neural network for religious fundamentalism derived from patients with brain lesions PNAS (Steve K). Sigh. I am not a fan of fundamentalists given their view of the role of women. However, studies like this take the premise that religious fundamentalism is a pathology. They ignore that it is generally pro-survival on a large group/societal level. Religious convictions and beliefs that a higher power backs what you are doing would generally produce internal cohesion and greater tenacity in battle (of course, those who withdraw somewhat or totally to pursue their beliefs like monks, nuns, and Israeli Haredis are important exception).

France To Trial Ban on Mobile Phones At School For Children Under 15 Guardian

#COVID-19

Climate/Environment

China?

China accuses Canada of protectionism over 100% tariffs on electric vehicles Associated Press (Kevin W)

China restrictions on rare earths has caused pricing to double over the past year  critical elements are used in processors, solar cells, and more Toms Hardware (Micael T)

Leaked  CIA backed color revolution in Indonesia Mint Press (Allen K). On one level, wowsers, on another, not surprising.

I have lost everything: Bangladesh floods strand 1.24 million families Aljazeers

European Disunion

Old Blighty

Gaza

New Not-So-Cold War

Imperial Collapse Watch

Kamala

Trump

2024

Our No Longer Free Press

Woke Watch

Lowes changes some DEI policies amid legal attacks on diversity programs and activist pressure Associated Press (Kevin W)

Antitrust

Matt Stoller Explains Monopolies Ed Zitron

AI

California AI bill sparks debate in Silicon Valley as some tech giants call it a threat to innovation Yahoo (Bill B)

Guillotine Watch

Hundreds of private planes are touching down at a makeshift airport for billionaire favorite Burning Man Business Insider (Kevin W)

Class Warfare

Antidote du jour. Stephen T:

A banana slug I encountered along US 101 just north of my home. Surprised to see one so yellow, like the ones I used to see in Santa Cruz; most of those Ive seen here in Oregon are more greenish. Its a handsome fellow for sure.

And a bonus (Chuck L):

Woman reunites a baby bat that fell on the street, with its mum

pic.twitter.com/cbCWe9Kr4T  Science girl (@gunsnrosesgirl3) August 27, 2024

A second bonus (Chuck L):

One of the biggest news stories today: An Ostrich was loose in Sioux Falls. pic.twitter.com/kiZbYjGS2u  Tyler Roney (@TylerJRoney) August 27, 2024

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
90% of Gaza population forced to flee amid ongoing conflict

A senior United Nations official revealed on Aug. 22 that Israel's forced evacuation of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip has displaced approximately 90 percent of the territory's population

UN Deputy Special Coordinator and Resident Muhannad Hadi described the situation as catastrophic, with families fleeing under bombardment and carrying only essential belongings. He emphasized that Palestinian civilians are deprived of shelter, humanitarian supplies and medical assistance and are being forced to move from one devastated area to another with no respite. (Related: Daniel Kovalik: Gaza residents have been forced to flee their homes and "safe zones" multiple times as IDF relentlessly bombs civilian areas.)

"They are forcing families to flee again, often under fire and with the few belongings they can carry with them, into an ever-shrinking area," Hadi said as he urgently called for measures to protect civilians, release hostages, facilitate humanitarian access and agree to a ceasefire.

Andrea De Domenico, head of the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the Palestinian territories, reported that approximately 1.9 million people in Gaza are currently displaced. This relentless cycle of displacement has left many with shattered lives and dwindling hopes.

The situation has also severely impacted UN staff and humanitarian operations. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric reported that the World Food Program (WFP) lost access to its warehouse in Deir al-Balah, which was the last operational warehouse in Gaza's central region. Additionally, WFP's five community kitchens in the area have been evacuated, forcing the agency to seek new locations for these vital services.

This unprecedented level of internal displacement is among the highest recorded in modern history. The 2024 Global Report on Internal Displacement estimated that around 76 million people globally were displaced by conflict and violence by the end of last year, underscoring the severity of Gaza's crisis.

Meanwhile, the ongoing military operations have effectively split the Gaza Strip in two, with an estimated 300,000 to 350,000 people in northern Gaza unable to travel to the south. Since the conflict began, about 110,000 people managed to leave Gaza before the Rafah crossing into Egypt was closed in early May. Some have stayed in Egypt, while others have continued to other destinations.

The ongoing conflict erupted after a Hamas attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, predominantly civilians, and the seizure of 251 hostages, 116 of whom are still held in Gaza. Israel's retaliatory offensive has claimed at least 37,953 lives in Gaza, with the majority being civilians, according to data from the Hamas-run health ministry.

Suze van Meegen, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) head of operations, recently left Gaza and highlighted the severe and ongoing humanitarian crisis there. She criticized the normalization of extreme violence and the use of designated "humanitarian zones" as battlefields, which undermines civilian protection.

"We've become so desensitized to the images of brutality and devastation in Gaza that it feels disturbingly normal. But it's far from normal for an entire population to live in perpetual fear and overwhelming grief. It's not normal for schools and hospitals to be more dangerous than other places. It's not normal for a community to bury hundreds of people each week," Meegen said.

Israeli airstrikes kill dozens in Gaza amid ceasefire talks

High-level talks were held in Cairo over the weekend on a possible ceasefire mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar. Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns, Qatar's foreign minister and Egypt's spy chief met Saturday evening, Aug. 24, as per Egyptian officials with direct knowledge of the talks. Hamas delegation also arrived the same day to attend the meeting.

Despite this, Israeli forces carried out multiple airstrikes killing at least three dozen Palestinians in southern Gaza, health workers said. Among the dead were 11 members of a family, including two children, after an airstrike hit their home in Khan Younis. Nasser Hospital received a total of 33 bodies from three strikes in and around the city that also hit tuk-tuks and passersby. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said it received three bodies from another strike.

Meanwhile, first responders recovered 16 bodies from the Hamad City area of Khan Younis after a partial pullout of Israeli forces, 10 bodies from a residential block west of Khan Younis and two farther south in Rafah as per an AP journalist. The circumstances of their deaths were not immediately clear, but the areas were repeatedly bombed by the Israeli military over the past week.

Some residents returned to Hamad City, crunching on rubble as they walked between destroyed apartment buildings. One multi-story building's entire wall was gone, its rooms framing residents picking through debris.

"There is nothing, no apartment, no furniture, no homes, only destruction," said Neveen Kheder, a survivor. "We are dying slowly. You know what, if they gave a mercy bullet it would be better than what is happening to us."

Head over to IsraelCollapse.com to read more news about the escalating Israel-Palestine war.

Watch the video below that exposes the massive profiteering of ceasefire negotiators off the continuing Gaza war.

This video is from the alltheworldsastage channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Death toll in Gaza could reach nearly 600,000 due to "indirect deaths," discredited "Lancet" medical journal claims.

Israeli army approves BRUTAL and SHOCKING "free-for-all" violence in Gaza.

Sources include:

TheCradle.co

NRC.com

VOANews.com

Brighteon.com
Trump: America has become a DUMPING GROUND for the prison populations of other nations under open borders Biden-Harris administration

Former President Donald Trump has warned the public that the United States under the administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris has become a "dumping ground" for the prison populations of other nations

In a Republican counterprogram to the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at Montezuma Pass in Cochise County, Arizona on Aug. 22, Trump inspected the fence with local law enforcement and border officials. Trump warned Americans that the growing crisis at the southern border has led to an influx of violent criminals that he said posed serious risks to American citizens.

"We're here today on the southern border in Arizona, where Comrade Kamala Harris She wants open borders. I don't understand why anybody would want it, but she wants our country to be open to the world's criminals, so they can come in and rape and pillage and do whatever they have to do," said Trump. "She's the most radical left person who has ever run for high political office in our country's history." (Related: Trump vows to implement the largest domestic deportation operation in American history if re-elected as president in 2024.)

"Our criminals all of a sudden don't look so tough to us, right? These are the roughest people, and they're the roughest people from all over the world," Trump continued. "Their jails are being emptied from all over the world. The criminals are being taken from their cities, and by the way, their crime rates are way down. Their crime rates came way down. Venezuela, all of these countries, their crime rates are down. Their prison populations [are] down. Soon they won't have any prison population, because 100 percent of it will be in our country."

Trump then blamed Vice President Kamala Harris for her negligence in her duties as the so-called "border czar."

"We had a border czar," Trump said. "Who was the borders czar? She loved the title, but she didn't want to do the work, or she's lazy. And probably more importantly than being lazy, she wants to have an open border. And you say, 'Who would want an open border where criminals can pour into our country?'"

Vance also criticizes Harris for being a "failed border czar" in a separate event

That same day, Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) held a rally in Valdosta to address the same issue: border security and immigration.

Just like Trump, Vance blamed Harris and labeled her a "failed border czar."

"As soon as Kamala Harris is booted out of office, we are not open for business to the illegal aliens or the Mexican drug cartels anymore. That is our solemn promise to the American people," Vance told the crowd. "Our message to illegal aliens who come into this country by breaking our laws if you came into this country illegally, Donald Trump and I are going to work to send you home because that is what is required if you want to have a real border policy."

Since Biden dropped from the 2024 presidential race, Republicans have blamed Harris for the ongoing and escalating illegal immigration crisis.

"Our message to illegal aliens who come into this country by breaking our laws if you came into this country illegally, Donald Trump and I are going to work to send you home because that is what is required if you want to have a real border policy," Vance added.

Learn the latest stories regarding President Donald Trump at Trump.news.

Watch this episode of "NTD Good Morning" from NTD Television as hosts Evelyn Li and Kevin Hogan discuss former President Donald Trump outlining his agenda for his 2024 presidential run.

This video is from the Pool Pharmacy channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Trump promises IDEOLOGICAL SCREENING for potential immigrants if reelected as president.

Trump planning to run again in 2024; releases campaign ad promoting his America First domestic energy platform.

The photo that will win Trump the 2024 presidency.

President Trump vows to ban Big Tech-federal government censorship collusion if re-elected in 2024.

The Zelenko Report: Roger Stone blasts Ron DeSantis over his plan to challenge Trump in GOP primaries for 2024  Brighteon.TV.

Sources include:

JusttheNews.com

Yahoo.com
Arizona sex offender who threatened to kill Donald Trump during his border visit now in custody

The office of the sheriff of Cochise County, Arizona has disclosed that a registered sex offender who allegedly threatened to assassinate former President Donald Trump during his visit to the southern border is now under custody

On Aug. 22, the Daily Mail reported that Ronald Lee Syvrud, 66, allegedly made unspecified threats against Trump on two social media posts on Aug. 21 and 22. The report also stated that the planned assassination attempt was intended for his trip to the border in Sierra Vista.

Sheriff Mark Dannels stated that the nature of the threat remains unclear but clarified that they have "zero tolerance for any kind of threats or intents of violence."

"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 in a statement posted on social media. "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." (Related: New Secret Service director announces changes to security protocol following failed Trump assassination attempt (in which the Secret Service was complicit.)

After a thorough investigation, Syvrud was arrested that same day.

"As part of the operations plan in place for the visit of candidate Donald Trump on today's date, locating this subject was a priority. Intelligence developed led to a possible location in the St. David area and multiple units deployed to the location. At approximately 2:16 pm, units on the scene observed the suspect traveling outside of the identified location, and a felony stop was conducted. Syvrud was taken into custody without further incident at approximately 2:30 pm," Dannels posted on the official Facebook page of Cochise County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff's office booked Syvrud into the Cochise County Jail on "a felony warrant from Graham County for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender and two counts of threatening for this case." Dannels also added in his post that "Syvrud remains in custody pending further court adjudication."

Trump shrugs off new death threat

The social media threat came only six weeks after the failed assassination attempt against the former president during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

In a conversation with the Daily Mail reporter, Trump admitted that he had not heard about the threat, likely because law enforcement wanted to keep it from him. However, he was still informed about a potential threat against him during a visit to the border wall.

"What are your thoughts coming down here? Some people told me it's dangerous for you to be here," Trump stated. "I heard it's dangerous, but I also have a job to do. I heard it's very dangerous. I haven't heard about that. They probably want to keep it from me."

He joked about leaving immediately upon hearing the news but maintained that he had a job to do despite the dangers. "Thank you for telling me, let's get out of here right now. No, thank you very much for saying, but no," he added.

He even expressed his respect for the Secret Service in line with the previous attempt on his life.

"And I have great respect for Secret Service, the job they do, including a month and a half ago, when they were jumping on top of me with bullets flying right at them. So, mistakes were made, and they're going to learn from the mistakes. But I have great respect."

Trump.news has more stories about the failed assassination attempt and other death threats on the former president.

Watch this clip of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) grilling Secret Service Acting Director Ronald Rowe during the July 30 Senate hearing.

This video is from the Planet Zedta channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Congress investigating Google for suppressing news stories about Trump assassination attempt.

GOP lawmakers call for probe into Big Tech's CENSORSHIP of Trump assassination attempt.

Google manipulates essential auto-suggest results to "memory-hole" Trump assassination attempt.

Facebook ADMITS to censoring Trump assassination attempt photo.

Hit job cover-up? Secret Service had NO RADIOS operating with local police the day of Trump assassination attempt.

Sources include:

Breitbart.com

DailyMail.co.uk

Brighteon.com
Climate change lawsuits gaining in popularity as climate alarmists try to protect their profit stream

There is a lot of money to be made in pushing the myth of climate change, and when scientific facts put those potential profits in jeopardy, those with a vested interest in the lie are pushing back with lawsuits.

According to the journal Nature, 2,666 climate litigation cases had been filed around the world by the end of last year. Not surprisingly, the U.S. was leading the world in climate litigation cases with 1,745, followed by the UK with 139 and Australia and Brazil with 132 and 82, respectively. Just 8% of the recorded cases came from low and middle income countries. With both Panama and Portugal seeing their first climate litigation cases last year, 55 countries have now recorded such cases.

Some of them are related to the fact that the Paris Climate Agreement, which is considered legally binding, saw countries vow to keep their average temperatures within 1.5 degrees Celsius of their pre-Industrial levels. Setting aside the fact that it's considered nearly impossible to measure this accurately thanks to the imprecision involved in measuring temperatures down to a tenth of a degree, especially in pre-industrial times, there are numerous other problems with the concept of climate change lawsuits.

It is also worth noting that many of the companies that are facing these ridiculous lawsuits are not fossil fuel companies, although they are often targets of the climate change crowd despite alarmists themselves still relying on fossil fuels. Instead, the targets are companies that produce a variety of goods and services ranging from tobacco and paper to media and health services.

A considerable number of these lawsuits are filed by NGOs and individuals who stand to gain from perpetuating the belief that it is possible for these companies to control the climate.

In the coming months, the International Court of Justice in The Hague is scheduled to start hearing evidence supporting two overarching questions related to climate change. One is what obligations nations have under international law to protect the climate from greenhouse gas emissions, while the second is what legal consequences would be appropriate for those whose actions, or lack of actions, lead to harm.

California and Montana have been involved in climate change lawsuits

Meanwhile, the state of California has been pursuing some of the world's biggest oil companies, such as Shell, Chevron and BP, as well as their subsidiaries, and demanding payment "for the costs of their impacts to the environment, human health and Californians livelihoods, and to help protect the state against the harms that climate change will cause in years to come.

A famous case from last year saw a judge in Montana ruling in favor of claims by young residents that state officials infringed on their right to a healthy and clean environment via their promotion of fossil fuels.

Businesses accused of "climate washing"

There have also been a number of cases over so-called climate washing, which takes place when a business is accused of misrepresenting the progress that it has made toward reaching its environmental targets. Dozens of these cases were filed against governments and businesses in 2023, and those who file these cases are often succeeding.

According to The Guardian, of the 140 climate washing cases that were filed between 2016 and 2023 and studied in a review, 77 had been officially concluded and 54 of them had resulted in rulings in favor of the plaintiff.

Sources for this article include:

ClimateDepot.com

TheGuardian.com
Vanessa Drummond, 27, desperately wanted to know if she was pregnant, but was not prepared for what doctors discovered. She had no idea about the rare condition until she was diagnosed with it.

Vanessa Drummond, 27, thought she was pregnant until doctors flagged an issue during her first ultrasound in Manawatu, New Zealand. Source: Supplied

A positive pregnancy test often marks the start of a new chapter, but for one woman her flurry of tests and doctor's appointments were instead showing signs of something completely unexpected, leaving her questioning what was growing inside her.

Vanessa Drummond, 27, was delighted to learn she was pregnant in July and was exhibiting all the usual signs of early pregnancy. However, while attending her first ultrasound near her home in Manawatu, New Zealand, doctors flagged something unusual.

"The ultrasound showed an empty gestational sac in my uterus. No heartbeat, no fetus or [early signs of a] placenta visible," she told Yahoo News. "I thought I was pregnant and the doctors thought I was pregnant so they were testing my blood... but my hormone levels were high."

She was encouraged to get further tests done at the hospital and after jumping through hoops to get what she needed, she was told there was a possibility she wasn't pregnant  and never was.

"The doctors explained it could have been ectopic pregnancy [fertilised egg grows outside of the uterus] or something else... at that point, I just wanted someone to tell me whether I had a baby or not."

Woman needs urgent surgery after 'baby turns into cancer'

Doctors later confirmed to Drummond that she had developed gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) which occurs after conception. Rather than a fertilised egg turning into an embryo and then a baby, the rapid mutation of the cells instead forms a cancerous tumour.

"Sometimes when you get pregnant the baby turns into cancer," Drummond jested, admitting she had never heard of the condition until she got it herself.

Doctors told her that her body thought she was pregnant, however, she sadly was not, and she needed urgent surgery to remove the tumour for fear it could spread.

"They were trying to reassure me it was fine, but I was scared and confused," she said. "My family have been a really big support."

Drummond's family have supported her throughout her health journey. On the right, she is pictured with her sister Arianna and partner Robert. Source: Supplied

There are different types of gestational trophoblastic diseases and it is considered rare in Australia, occurring in one in every 1,000 pregnancies. Most are non-cancerous, however, like Drummond, some women develop malignant kinds.

Most are "very curable" and after receiving surgery, Drummond shows promising signs of a full recovery, opting for a bout of preventative chemotherapy as well.

Increased chance of pregnancy loss after developing GTD

Now that Drummond has experienced this type of tumour, she was told the chances of it occurring again are heightened following another conception.

"I've just gone from a 0.001 per cent chance of this happening to a one per cent chance of this happening and it increases each time," she said. "This change in fertility is what is probably affecting me the most. My partner's family has a long history of chromosomal abnormalities, something we are obviously very concerned about, and now this is another thing. It'll be harder to get excited about getting pregnant."

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
The Democrat convention showed us the culture of death has renewed itself and is coming for us all  We have to fight it while we still can

Its clear the Democrat convention hasnt lived up to the buzzword their machine used. Lets face it, when anger and negativity towards Trump becomes the focus, you cant call that "joy." When they parade their important issues, these are not joyful. The violence outside and implied violence toward those who disagree isnt either. With the backdrop of the mobile van to give free live abortions and vasectomies, they move their emphasis to what is one of the most unusual single issues of all time. Abortion. Even the Happy Warrior Hubert Humphrey would have a hard time being happy at this kind of focus.

(Article by David Prentice republished from AllNewsPipeline.com)

My brother asked me if I watched the first day of the liars, freaks and demons at the DNC (from his text). For me, the decision not to watch was easy. I knew that video and truthful, full reports would be easy to find. One thing for sure, my brothers characterization was accurate. It seemed to be a renewed culture of death coming out into the open, baring itself for anyone with eyes to see.

Back in the 1980s Pope John Paul II coined the phrase the culture of death. He pointed at abortion but spoke of the much deeper context of being anti-God, anti-human, and anti-life. Ronald Reagan understood this, and how it diminished our nation and pointed it out as a major obstacle to greatness. He communicated his passion about this issue to the public, swaying opinion in a substantial way. Together, Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, and John Paul had a major impact on history and the fall of the Soviet empire.

The concurrent and awesome renewal of the 1980s made America a great nation again. Once again, people could live fairly normal yet exciting lives. Business thrived, wealth was created, people grew intellectually and spiritually. The peace was won, we were moving towards a culture of life. Goodness was elevated.

Early in The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien describes how evil had gone underground after losing a great battle long before his new story. Retreated so it could become stronger again for another time. We are not living in Middle Earth, but we figuratively face the same situation. Evils rising anew from this death culture. Openly displayed by the liars, freaks and demons as normal life. Here is what this death culture stands for:

Abortion on demand until the moment of birth including babies breathing and out of the womb. Belief in the mandate of abortion that borders on the ancient practice of child sacrifice. Their abortion van belies the Clinton phrase of safe, legal, and rare, attempting to make it into the most important issue of our day. Which it is not. Far from it.

Democrats have also made themselves into the party of endless war. Killing off a generation of Ukrainians. Sending billions upon billions of dollars to Ukraines corrupt dictator without a way to carefully trace how it is used. They have allowed Iran to sell oil, released them from the sanctions put on by Trump. Allowing that terrorist nation to fund Hamas, finish its ability to become a nation with a nuclear bomb, and continue funding global terrorism everywhere. Mass death has historically followed the Left. Jack Posobiec and Tucker Carlson have suggested maybe thats the point of their beloved system of communism.

They have become the hate America as founded party. The only surprise: They didnt chant Death to America before every speaker. Its clear they have incorporated this hatred into their platform, wanting America to pay forever and always for the sins of slavery, whiteness, capitalism, homophobia, and female subjugation. Nonsensical, yes, but thats what Obama meant by transforming America. Its what they all mean on that subject. They intend to make us a DEI nation rather than one nation under God. A nation championing victimhood, whiners, freaks, and deviants. All a necessary part of a death culture.

Read more at: AllNewsPipeline.com
Canadian healthcare workers who challenged unlawful vaccine mandate WIN arbitration case against hospital that wrongfully terminated them

A growing number of healthcare workers who were wrongfully terminated by their former employers are taking legal action and WINNING against unlawful vaccine mandates . These workers, who were discriminated against for refusing to comply with mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies, point out the obvious -- that the vaccine mandates violated their legal rights and led to unjust discrimination and job loss.

A total of 82 healthcare workers formerly employed with the William Osler Health System (WOHS) in Canada were recently vindicated by a Canadian arbitrator, who ruled that the nations leading hospitals must compensate the healthcare workers for wrongful termination.

Canadian arbitrator claims vaccine mandate was reasonable but vindicates those who were terminated by the mandate

Toronto arbitrator John Stout made the ruling on August 12, vindicating forty healthcare workers who were fired for not getting the COVID shots and relieving another forty-two healthcare workers who were wrongfully suspended. They were represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).

The ESA (Employment Standards Act) provides that unless an employees actions amount to willful misconduct, disobedience or willful neglect of duty that is not trivial, they will be entitled to termination and severance pay, Stout ruled.

Like nearly every healthcare system in the Western Hemisphere, WOHS implemented an unlawful vaccine mandate for all healthcare workers, subduing all individuals body autonomy rights and intimidating them to get injected with two worthless, high-risk COVID shots as a condition for employment.

The ruling by Stout was paradoxical. Bound to vaccine propaganda and the dictates of the government, Stout and the other arbiters agreed that a requirement to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in a healthcare setting is reasonable and that the grievors in this matter were terminated for just cause.

However, Stout ultimately sided with the grievors, ruling that The employees chose not to be vaccinated and as a result they were not reasonably available to attend at work, which at a minimum severely and negatively impacted the employment relationship.

That being said, the individual grievors were misguided and their conduct was not with any malicious intent, he wrote.

Stout ultimately ruled: I find that the individual grievors who were terminated from their employment by the Hospital are entitled to termination and severance pursuant to the ESA.

Healthcare professionals must fight for their lives in a system dominated by vaccine lies and totalitarianism

The Canadian government, under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Doug Ford, enacted tyrannical vaccine mandates that were opposed in the face of discrimination, segregation and death threats.

In recent months, several high-profile cases have emerged highlighting the struggles faced by healthcare professionals who opposed these vaccine mandates on grounds of medical, religious or personal reasons. These mandates, issued during the imposition of pandemic propaganda, lacked proper legal and ethical considerations, while violating human rights. According to legal experts, such terminations may contravene federal and state laws designed to protect individuals from discrimination based on medical or religious exemptions. Its terrifying enough to think that free individuals must seek legal exemptions for something they dont need, that was created to exploit populations.

The discrimination and segregation of these smart health care workers has sparked widespread debate about the totalitarian nature of public health measures and the destruction of individual rights. The forced termination of healthcare professionals during an alleged pandemic, exposed the pandemic as a mass psychosis of fraudulent pandemic marketing and bio-terror propaganda. If the government and the hospital systems were willing to eradicate a large portion of the healthcare sector, then public health authorities werent genuinely concerned about staffing over-crowded hospitals and responding to a pandemic.

By wrongfully terminating nurses and doctors over a fraudulent vaccine, the entire healthcare system is undermined and short staffed, causing further problems in the medical system. Thats exactly what happened across the world, as healthy, unvaccinated individuals were purged from the healthcare sector. Healthcare professionals have learned that they must fight for their lives in a system dominated by vaccine lies and totalitarianism.

Sources include:

Lifesitenews.com

Canlii.org [PDF]

NaturalNews.com
PBS correspondent Judy Woodruff APOLOGIZES for airing fake Reuters story vilifying Trump and Netanyahu

PBS correspondent Judy Woodruff perpetuated an elaborate conspiracy theory and aired a FAKE story about Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Appearing at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, (DNC) Judy Woodruff claimed that Trump is intentionally conspiring with Netanyahu to stall peace negotiations between Israel and Hamas until after the 2024 presidential election.

The reporting is that former President Trump is on the phone with the prime minister of Israel, urging him not to cut a deal right now, because that, its believed that would help the Harris campaign, Woodruff said during Mondays PBS NewsHour coverage of the DNC.

Woodruff claimed that Trump was actively trying to stop a Gaza ceasefire negotiation because a peace deal now would make Kamala Harris and Joe Biden look good heading into the final months of the election season. This narrative was repudiated at the source, and Judy Woodruff was forced to APOLOGIZE for airing this fake story, this baseless conspiracy theory. This fake story was designed to damage the reputation of former President Donald Trump and sway the publics perception concerning his integrity.

By actively spreading false stories at the DNC and on television, the taxpayer-funded PBS has become an activist organization. The once-trusted PBS is now spreading propaganda for the Democrats  aiding and abetting a coup d'etat. The contrived coronation of Kamala Harris  who was installed by super-delegates and mega-donors  was conducted without a vote or a real democratic process.

PBSs erroneous reporting relied on Reuters, a fact checking organization

Woodruffs apology defers to false reports contrived by Reuters and Axios. I want to clarify my remarks on the PBS News special on Monday night about the ongoing cease-fire talks in the Middle East, Woodruff stated. As I said, this was not based on my original reporting; I was referring to reports I had read, in Axios and Reuters, about former President Trump having spoken to the Israeli Prime Minister.

In the live TV moment, I repeated the story because I hadnt seen later reporting that both sides denied it. This was a mistake, and I apologize for it, Woodruff added.

In recent years, Reuters has positioned its organization as a fact checker and arbiter of the truth over all political discourse. With this fact checking authority, Reuters has only proven to be a propaganda machine of the Democratic Party. So-called journalists are now relying on activist organizations like Reuters, and are quick to parrot the Democrats lies. They are not doing any due diligence to get the story right and are not operating in journalistic integrity.

PBS has yet to issue a former apology for airing the deceptive report about Trump. PBS receives significant funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which receives its funds from taxpayers. In 2024, CPB received $525 million from taxpayers, which includes $367 million set aside specifically for public television programming. PBS should be held to strong journalistic standards in an election year where communists could leverage their reporting to maintain power.

Biden-Harris are incapable of negotiating a peace deal

During his illustrious political career, Joe Biden has been incapable of negotiating a peace deal in the Middle East. When it comes to Israel, Biden and Harris have been unable to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza, as they play both sides of the fence for political gain. Their inability to lead on this issue has led to further acts of violence and escalation in the Middle East. Its a pattern that has been going in Ukraine, Afghanistan, Iraq and many other Middle Eastern countries for decades.

By making up a phony story and blaming Trump for the foreign policy failures of the Biden-Harris regime, PBS has exposed their network as an extension of the Harris campaign, and a government that derives its power from the escalation of war, censorship and division.

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

X.com

Reuters.com
RFK Jr.: Democrats have no platform; they are only united by HATRED of Donald Trump

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.), who has now suspended his candidacy, says the Democrats have no platform and are united only by their hatred of former President Donald Trump

On Aug. 23, the nephew of the late President John F. Kennedy announced that he would suspend his presidential campaign. Hours after the announcement, he joined Trump during the latter's Arizona campaign rally and expressed support toward the Republican presidential nominee. RFK Jr. also addressed the audience at the rally, explaining his decision to yield to Trump.

He addressed the audience: "The DNC [Democratic National Committee] and its media organs engineered a surge of popularity for [Vice President Kamala] Harris based upon nothing. No policies, no interviews, no debates  only smoke and mirrors.

"A Chicago circus that is based on nothing. Who needs a policy if you hate Donald Trump?

"How did the Democratic Party choose a candidate that has never done an interview or debate during the entire election cycle? We know the answer. They did it by weaponizing the government agencies. They did it by abandoning democracy. They did it by suing the opposition and by disenfranchising American voters.

"What most alarms me isn't how the Democratic Party conducts its internal affairs or runs its candidates. What alarms me is the resort to censorship and media control and the weaponization of the federal agencies."

RFK Jr. ultimately noted that the Democratic Party has turned into a party embracing "war, censorship, corruption, Big Pharma, Big Tech, Big [Agriculture] and big money." He also accused them of "wanting to abandon democracy by canceling the primary to conceal the cognitive decline" of incumbent President Joe Biden.

The candidate cited free speech, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and "a war on our children" as the reasons he would try to remove his name from the ballot in battleground states. (Related: RFK Jr. considering possibility of dropping out of presidential race and joining Trump team.)

Dems now want to KEEP RFK Jr. on the ballot to hurt Trump

In an Aug. 23 piece on American Greatness, Richard Truesdell and Keith Lehmann outlined that the 2024 race "is about to take its next unexpected turn."

According to the two, the Democrats were terrified of RFK Jr.'s candidacy "so they rigged the rules, banned him from state ballots, and vilified him as extreme." But following his announcement, they predicted that Democrats will now fight to keep him on the ballots to hurt Trump.

Truesdell and Lehmann mentioned in their piece that RFK Jr. "was never a serious candidate" despite having a famous name, a tinge of legitimacy and a wealthy running mate in the person of Nicole Shanahan. While it wasn't enough for him to reach office, it made him a viable Democratic nominee.

However, Democrat insiders shunned RFK Jr. to prop up Biden, leading to RFK Jr. continuing his run as an independent. Biden later withdrew his quest for a second term, leaving the Democrats with Harris  which Truesdell and Lehmann called the 81-year-old's "insurance policy."

The two wrote that RFK Jr.'s endorsement of Trump serves as a "stunning rebuke" to the Democratic Party that is linked to his family's legacy. But the independent candidate himself said he realized he shared more in common with the real estate mogul than he thought, after a series of meetings with Trump and his team.

"In a series of long, intense discussions, I was surprised to discover that we are aligned on many key issues. In those meetings, he suggested that we join forces as a unity party," he said.

"We talked about Abraham Lincoln's team of rivals. That arrangement would allow us to disagree publicly and privately and fiercely if need be on issues over which we differ while working together on the existential issues upon which we are in concordance."

Visit RFK.news for similar stories.

Watch this Fox Business report about Trump being "honored" if RFK Jr. endorses him.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Trump says he's willing to offer RFK Jr. a role in his administration if elected in November.

Trump says he is "certainly" on board with appointing "brilliant" RFK Jr. to a position in his administration.

Federal appeals judge: Facebook's CENSORSHIP of RFK Jr. and Children's Health Defense directly benefited government.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

APNews.com

AmGreatness.com

Brighteon.com
Kommie Harris plans to seize SEMI-AUTOMATIC WEAPONS during her first 100 days in office  are they planning a staged mass-shooting false flag tragedy before the election?

Dial it back 250 years to the American Revolution against British rule and had the U.S. patriots had semi-automatic weapons to fight the British lateral firing lines of soldiers, we would have wiped them out instantly. That is why the Democrats want to take away ALL semi-automatic weapons (including AR 15s) from the populace, as this is the peoples best line of defense against the Communist Tyranny trying to rule the country right now. This requires careful consideration. Think about how quickly the patriots would have won the American Revolution with semi-automatic weapons.

The question is will there be a new mass shooting staged in the next two months, before the election, so the Left can push as hard as possible for gun control laws to be written, enacted and enforced? The Democrat politicians and their globalist cohorts dont care too much about Americans owning pea shooters (non-semi-automatic pistols) and single shot rifles. They want those semi-automatic weapons, and they want them before January comes (when Trump will most likely be due to take reign).

Kamilla the Hun told CNN Town Hall audience if elected POTUS she will issue executive orders on gun control during her first 100 days in office

Kommie Harris is an anti-2nd-Amendment extremist who WILL come for your semi-automatic guns. Kommie Harris said it. She vowed Executive Action to take semi-automatic weapons, like the popular AR-14, away from law-abiding Americans by spring of 2025. What are they planning that is so horrible that they dont want Americans to be able to defend themselves against?

Will there be a full-blown invasion of illegal immigrants, like what already took place for the past 4 years, except times ten? That would equate to the same number of Americans as illegal immigrants on U.S. soil, and it could happen in a matter of days if Kommie Border Czar Harris gives the stand down orders at her already open borders.

Bloomberg News themselves reported that Harris would bypass Congress with actions that include expanding requirements for background checks (that will be denied) and revoking licenses for gun manufacturers and dealers found to have broken the law and she also proclaimed she would prohibit fugitives from purchasing a firearm. Are all Republicans, Conservatives and Independents fugitives if the Democrats use their thought police to say they are? After all, were all election deniers and MAGA extremists if we dont like the Democrat Socialism Machine, right?

Harris owns her own gun (a handgun supposedly) for personal safety, she has mentioned, since she is a career prosecutor who puts people in prison for years who smoke pot and then keeps them there past the sentence for extra government savings on labor.

Harris likes to play on the emotions of legislatures when shes on her warpath approach to seizing all semi-automatic weapons from Americans, usually mentioning dead children from some mass shooting of the past. Kommie Harris has drifted so far Left even Leftists are afraid of what shell do next. She wants an immediate renewal of the assault weapon ban, and calls anyone in Congress a COWARD for not enacting it.

The only coward is the one who is afraid that when she reigns down tyranny on law-abiding gun owners of this nation, they wont come out of their front doors with their hands in the air, praying for the Nanny State to go easy on them for voting for Trump. Tune your apocalypse dial to Preparedness.news for updates on real news about surviving and thriving through the Communists' attempt to take our "assault" weapons so they can assault us all with theirs.

Sources for this article include:

Censored.news

Ammoland.com

NaturalNews.com

NRAila.org
Climate Depots Marc Morano slams woke Starbucks for its CLIMATE HYPOCRISY

Marc Morano of Climate Depot has denounced woke coffee chain Starbucks for its climate hypocrisy , particularly focusing on its new CEO Brian Niccol.

"They're playing you for a sucker," Morano wrote on X. "The Starbucks CEO can commute 1,000 miles on a corporate jet to work, but Starbucks customers can't get a plastic straw due to the company's 'journey to reduce our environmental footprint.'"

Morano, communications director for the nonprofit think tank Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow, cited a September 2020 news release from the company and an NBC News article to back up his criticism.

"Recyclable, strawless lids for customers across the U.S. and Canada is another step in our journey to reduce our environmental footprint," Starbucks Chief Sustainability Officer Michael Kobori said in the release. (Related: Starbucks' new plastic straw-less lids use MORE plastic than the old lid and straw combo  the virtue signaling stupidity of the Left knows no bounds.)

"As we move closer toward our 2030 target of a 50 percent reduction in waste sent to landfills, the long-standing history of innovation within Starbucks, partnership across the industry and changing consumer behavior remain fundamental to our purpose and our prosperity as an organization."

Meanwhile, the NBC News report said Niccol  who is set to join Starbucks in September  won't be required to move to the coffee giant's headquarters in Seattle. The 50-year-old Niccol can live in his California home and take a corporate jet to his place of work  a practice that generates a bigger carbon footprint than using straws.

Based on Niccol's offer letter released in a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing, he will receive a base salary of $1.6 million annually. He also has the chance to earn an annual cash bonus that could reach from $3.6 million to $7.2 million depending on his performance. He will also be qualified for a yearly equity awards valued up to $23 million.

A "double shot" of hypocrisy

According to NBC News, Niccol previously served as the CEO of Taco Bell and Chipotle. The coffee giant mentioned in its offer letter that it will create a remote office for him in Newport Beach and provide him with an assistant of his choice.

Despite this, a company spokesperson told CNBC's "Make It" program that Niccol will still be assumed to work from the Seattle office no less than three days a week in connection when he is not traveling for work.

"Brian's primary office and a majority of his time will be spent in our Seattle Support Center or out visiting partners and customers in our stores, roasteries, roasting facilities and offices around the world," they said. "His schedule will exceed the hybrid work guidelines and workplace expectations we have for all partners."

Since early 2023 Starbucks employees have been compelled to work from the office at least three days a week, NBC News pointed out, adding that Niccol's arrangement highlights the gap in bargaining power between high-ranking executives and the average employee in terms of flexibility.

News of Niccol's work arrangement sparked outrage in social media, prompting several commentators  including JunkScience.com founder Steve Milloy  to express their anger.

"[It's a] double shot of climate hypocrisy from Starbucks," Milloy wrote on X. "Starbucks plans to serve you coffee in a used cup to save the planet. Meanwhile, new CEO Brian Niccol will commute from home to work (1,000 miles) by private jet."

Follow ClimateAlarmism.news for more stories like this.

Watch the video below about Starbucks firing an employee for the crime of believing in God.

This video is from the Tami's Topics Of The Week channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

ESG BACKLASH: House GOP lawmakers press companies to explain their involvement in investor-led climate action initiative.

Air New Zealand first major airline to abandon impractical climate goals, citing lack of realistic solutions.

6 US banks under investigation for prioritizing WOKE climate agenda over investors interest.

Sources include:

ClimateDepot.com

Stories.Starbucks.com

NBCNews.com

DailyMail.co.uk

BBC.com
UNHINGED: Ex-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says Donald Trump is a threat to democracy

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) compared beating former President Donald Trump in the November elections to America's existential wars, arguing that the ex-POTUS is a threat to the nation's democracy

Pelosi spoke with newscaster Andrea Mitchell on the fourth and final day of MSNBC's coverage of the Democratic National Convention (DNC). She talked about the Democrats' mission to beat Trump in the upcoming elections, claiming that he is as much of a threat to democracy as the British government was during the American Revolution.

"The times have found us," Pelosi said implying that liberals are facing the same stakes that were present in 1776 and then the Civil War.

"We have to defeat a person who is a threat to our democracy of the kind that we have not seen. At the beginning of our country, Thomas Paine said that times have found us. Declare war, establish a new nation."

It is not the first time Pelosi has quoted Paine but critics argue that the American founding father did not mention declaring war but rather declaring independence. Pelosi continued her rant, saying that the 16th U.S. President Abraham Lincoln took up that charge to keep our country together decades later.

"And now the times have found us to save our democracy. That is what we are here to do," she declared.

The National Pulse commented that Pelosi has been standing by her years-long rhetoric but she has been misquoting people. She is even urging violence against Trump and his supporters. Analysts linked her recommendations, especially to the younger generation, to the assassination attempt against the former president in July during a political rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Incumbent President Joe Biden urged the party to lower the charged political rhetoric following the attempted assassination of Trump. On the evening of the Trump liquidation attempt, Biden said: "My fellow Americans, I want to speak to you tonight about the need for us to lower the temperature in our politics. Do remember, while we may disagree, we are not enemies. We're neighbors, we're friends, coworkers, citizens, and most importantly, we are fellow Americans. We must stand together."

Meanwhile, Pelosi's statement has been receiving major backlash from X users.

Digital strategist Greg Price said: "Pelosi says that defeating President Trump is the equivalent of defeating the British and the Confederacy because he's a 'threat to democracy of a kind we have not seen.' Only been a little over a month since the guy was nearly assassinated BTW."

Public relations specialist Chris Barron posted: "Remind me again which side is threatening political violence?"

"Says the woman who overruled every Dem primary election," columnist Eddie Zipper wrote. "Says the woman who staged a coup on the democratically nominated candidate," commentator Collin Rugg added.

After working underground to oust Biden in the race, Pelosi rekindles friendship with the POTUS

Pelosi worked hard to make sure Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race.

When Biden insisted that he would stay in the race, Pelosi's allies called on him to abandon his campaign. She spoke to him privately to voice the concerns of fellow Democrats that he might not only lose the election but could also rob the party of its hopes of winning the House. (Related: DEMOCRAT COUP: Pelosi played major role in pressuring Biden to DROP OUT of presidential race.)

Biden was personally hurt by betrayals that occurred at a time when he thought he could bounce back from his disastrous debate performance and win the presidency again.

John Morgan, a major Democratic donor from Florida who said he speaks frequently with Pelosi, described her as being "extremely distraught about this because she genuinely loves Joe Biden."

And now that her plan has been successfully carried out, she has been boasting about her "longstanding friendship" with Biden.

Head over to CancelDemocrats.news to read more about the Democrats' political campaign.

Watch the video below that talks about the public criticizing Pelosi for saying Biden deserves a place at Mount Rushmore.

This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Pelosi's security aides knew about Capitol breach the night before J6.

Pelosi now claims it's LEGITIMATE to question Bidens mental state after initially backing him.

J6 committee report called into question after Nancy Pelosi takes blame for Capitol security failures.

Democrats quietly prepping to anoint a NEW nominee that's NOT Kamala Harris  who will it be?

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

FoxNews.com

NBCNews.com

ABCNews.go.com

Brighteon.com
GET WOKE, GO BROKE: Star Wars spin-off The Acolyte is cancelled after only one (pathetic) season by Disney

It has been announced that there will be no season of the Disney+ series The Acolyte which received massive criticism and jeers over its extremely woke content.

(Article by Shane Trejo republished from BigLeaguePolitics.com)

"The Acolyte was a mystery-thriller that took viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated," the Deadline stated.

In actuality, The Acolyte was trash directed by a viciously far-left lesbian who wanted to stick it to the patriarchy by injecting woke dogma into Star Wars canon.

The show creator, Leslye Headland, said her show would be looking at the Jedi as an institution, as a concept, as an entity that has amassed a lot of power. And thats good, Im not saying thats wrong.

I think youre seeing the Jedi when they are this very, very large institution  a benevolent one  but they are closer to who they are in the Phantom Menace than obviously in the Original Trilogy where you feel like theyre almost extinct, Headland stated.

In a weird way, in the Phantom Menace and the Prequel Trilogy, the Jedi outnumber the Sith, she continued. And then in the Original Trilogy, the Empire outnumber the Jedi, which is why a show based on the bad guys is interesting to me. In that era, what does the underdog look like? Even if theyre the bad guy, adding that her series would be coded queer like other woke pro-LGBT Disney projects meant to warp the minds of the youth.

Some of the woke clips from The Acolyte can be seen here and here.

When the show was universally panned, the leading actress, Amandla Stenberg, released this extremely cringe music video.

Big League Politics has reported on other failed woke abominations brought on through Hollywood, such as the HBO anti-white race hate fantasy Watchmen and the CW's aggressively dykey Batwoman program. Both of these shows failed after only a short run on their respective networks as the public rejected the ham-handed and agenda-driven content.

Networks will have to learn the lesson that they will lose many millions of dollars by putting such blatantly woke programming on their airwaves, There is no appetitive among the public for this content. The masses demand a respite from this absurd and tedious agenda.

Read more at: BigLeaguePolitics.com
If the U.S. government does not like conspiracy theories that discredit their official narratives, they should provide science, evidence and proof otherwise

The tell-tale signs the most nefarious three-letter agencies of the U.S. government, namely the FBI, CIA, CDC and FDA, cover up their own despicable acts is when they clean up the aftermath far too quickly, claim its all classified info, and never release it to the public or press. Several clear cut examples immediately come to mind, including 9/11, Sandy Hook, Wuhan laboratory and the Trump assassination attempt.

Was 9/11 a black swan event or a well-covered-up inside job?

Quickly after the black swan event known as 9/11 happened, the Feds scrambled to confiscate any videos anyone had taken that showed the planes flying into the buildings. Why? Were they actual commercial airliners filled with American people, or maybe just some missile-armed-drones disguised to look like them?

Also, why was the debris from the World Trade Center buildings RUSHED out to sea and dumped, before anyone could inspect the rubble for explosive chemicals, detonators or other signs that the buildings were not brought to the ground by burning jet fuel, but by well-planned and controlled demolition, per the videos?

If the official narrative was correct, that jet fuel burned and melted steel beams into liquid, and even building 7 collapsed due to office fires the same day, then why not prove this with evidence, instead of removing all the evidence from the eyes and hands of the public and press?

Did building 7, in fact, contain the blueprint plans for the Twin Towers and other inside information about the controlled demolition of ALL THREE buildings? One thing is for sure  the U.S. government cannot prove that demolition explosives were NOT used for all three buildings. The official story simply does NOT add up.

Nobody was ever supposed to question the Sandy Hook massacre, because children died there, or did they? Is it illegal now in America to question "official narratives?"

Questioning government narratives has become the norm, as it should, because nearly all mass shootings are followed up by hokey stories, crooked politicians and media shills crying about gun confiscation, and a mass-censoring of anyone online who asks intelligent questions.

Why were there NO videos of the Sandy Hook school grounds and the named killer entering the school, when the school had just installed a high-grade security system just months before the alleged shooting? Why was the coroner laughing about the scene he described with children everywhere dead and dying? Why were about 300 black, white and silver cars (government workers) surrounding the entire school, right after the shooting, blocking all access for emergency vehicles, who may have SAVED some of the shot children, if there really were any? Why were actors caught telling fake stories afterward about the event, and posing as swat team members? Is it illegal in America now to ask questions that challenge official narratives of the government?

Why did 2 billion humans absolutely avoid the Covid-19 mRNA jabs, did they somehow know the pandemic was a planned event, including pushing the deadly vaccines?

Hindsight is 20/20, as they say, and if you look at the science, the Covid-19 mRNA clot shots are just that, as they are proving to clog and clot the vascular system, causing horrific strain on the heart, swelling of the heart muscle, and in many instances, heart attacks and strokes for the injected victims. Trillions of spike protein prions (nanoparticles) can join and cause horrific health tragedies for those injected. Are the fully unvaccinated masses conspiracy theorists because they suspected this from the outset of the plandemic, or are these natural health advocates actual pro-science, where the evidence reveals dirty vaccines? Could it be that the whole "gain of function" virus and the dirty nanoparticle vaccines were ALL planned at the Wuhan lab and funded by Fauci and NIH? This requires careful consideration.

How big was the team that planned the Trump assassination?

Just a few questions the Secret Service (USSS) and FBI cant answer, wont answer and have covered up and destroyed all evidence that would reveal the answers: Who helped Thomas Matthew Crooks prepare and get full access to the closest rooftop to Trump? Why was the body of Crooks cremated without an autopsy to show how many bullets hit him, from how many angles and how many guns? Why did the FBI confiscate videos people captured that revealed evidence of multiple shooters, USSS massive failures and local police ineptitudes? Why the big cover up afterward if theres no conspiracy to hide? Where are the videos, the drone footage and information on the obvious second shooter at the water tower?

Bookmark Censored.news to your favorite websites for truth news about deep state coverups that are being censored from mass media while you read this.

Sources for this article include:

NaturalNews.com

Ine.uaf.edu
Pro-Palestine Abandon Biden movement now committed to ensuring Kamala Harris loses in November

The Abandon Biden movement, which opposes Israel's genocide of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, has put Vice President Kamala Harris in its crosshairs

Breitbart News reported that the movement had kicked off its Abandon Harris campaign by means of an Aug. 23 press release. According to the statement, the campaign is devoted to ensuring the Democratic presidential nominee loses in the November elections.

While the group's name remains registered as Abandon Biden, its new endeavor "is now laser-focused on exposing and opposing Harris and her complicity in genocide." It also urged "all people of conscience to join us in holding the Democratic Party accountable for the bloodshed in Gaza."

"The [Democratic National Committee's] recent actions have only confirmed what we've been saying all along. The Democratic Party has no interest in ending the genocide in Gaza. They are not mere bystanders. They are active participants in this brutal, unforgivable violence," the movement's statement continued.

"For 11 months, we've woken up the nightmare of Palestinians being torn apart by U.S.-funded and supplied weapons, with the full backing of the Biden-Harris administration. This administration has shown nothing but contempt for human life, and Harris is no different." (Related: White House approves new $20 billion arms sales to Israel.)

The statement pointed out that "appealing to the conscience of the Democratic Party is a waste of time" as it has "no conscience" and "no moral compass." Thus, it stressed that "there is only one path forward"  abandoning "the party of genocide and ethnic cleansing" and standing up for "dignity, integrity and humanity."

"Our commitment is to ensure that Harris loses the 2024 election and to make it clear that anyone who runs on a platform of genocide will be condemned to failure," concluded the press release.

Even Harris is complicit in Gaza genocide

According to ABC 7 Detroit, the Abandon Biden movement started back in October after Israel retaliated against Hamas with a military strike, following the latter's Oct. 7 Al-Aqsa Flood attack. At the time, the members of the movement demanded President Joe Biden call for a ceasefire to stop the bloodshed in the Gaza Strip. Now, the group is committed to abandoning Harris in November in the same way.

"We believe Harris is complicit in everything that has been going on," said the movement's spokesman Hudhayfah Ahmad. "I'm pretty sure that there is going to be a lot of emotion today and its just strange that there's all these voices crying out for a very specific issue and instead of listening and following through, the campaign has just decided, 'Let's barricade the convention.'"

The Aug. 23 press release followed a week of intense and frequent protests at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which happened from Aug. 19 to 22. Independent presidential candidate Dr. Cornel West joined other protesters outside the convention's security perimeter, holding up signs that read "Abandon Harris."

"It's for the country and the world. But in my interpretation, it means those of us who have a deep love of precious Palestinian people in solidarity with their struggle against vicious genocide and ethnic cleansing and apartheid-like conditions," West told Breitbart News. Ahmad attested to the outlet's report, noting that he has seen a heavy police presence in the convention area with officers traveling in groups.

"Our hopes are very low in the Democratic Party. We don't believe the Democratic Party is taking this seriously and I genuinely believe that they think they can ignore this completely and still win due to the new energy that surrounds [the Harris-Walz campaign]," the Abandon Biden spokesman said.

"And so we don't hope to get anything out of the Democratic Party. But we're hoping more people are able to open their eyes, open their ears [and] open their hearts towards the reality that exists today  which is that this administration isn't anything new. It's actually a continuation of the Biden-Harris administration."

Head over to CancelDemocrats.news for similar stories.

Watch this clip of a former campaign worker revealing the truth about the Democratic Party after she attended the Democratic National Convention.

This video is from the Rick Langley channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Pro-Palestine INSURRECTION at Democrat National Convention in Chicago  Where are the FBI and police with pipe bombs and tear gas, and mass arrests to follow like Jan. 6?

DEM SPLIT: Rep. Tlaid blasts Biden for supporting "genocide" of Palestine, warns of political ramifications in 2024.

Palestinian human rights organizations sue Biden for "complicity" in Israels "genocide" in Gaza.

"Genocide" Joe Biden shows devotion to Israel, sends reinforcements to fight Iran.

AOC falsely claims Kamala Harris 'working tirelessly to secure a ceasefire.'

Sources include:

Breitbart.com

WXYZ.com

Brighteon.com
Fishing boats have been destroyed and 20 Indonesian nationals have been sentenced in an Australian court.

Two Indonesian fishing boats were destroyed at sea after they were intercepted by Australian authorities. Source: ABF/AFMA

Twenty fishermen who illegally entered Australian waters have been slapped with thousands of dollars in fines. The Indonesian nationals were intercepted off Western Australias Kimberley region and have since faced court over what authorities found on their boat.

The arrests highlight a hidden problem impacting sensitive fisheries in remote areas of Australia. Inside their boats, authorities discovered a massive haul of delicacies likely destined for international markets. Worryingly they found 700 kilograms of sea cucumber, a species which has been declining due to overfishing. The University of Sydney estimates the market for these creatures could be worth over US $200 million ($294 million) annually, with most going to China.

Four kilograms of shark fin was also discovered on board the ships. Harvesting of this delicacy is having a dramatic impact on sharks, and 31 per cent of species are now threatened with extinction, with overfishing a primary driver of their declines.

The August 6 arrests are part of a crackdown on illegal fishing in Australian waters. A month earlier, authorities seized 50 kilograms of shark fin and 80 kilograms of bait fish in a separate incident.

The fishermen were arrested as part of a joint operation between ABF and AFMA. Source: AFMA/ABF

Illegal fishing arrests highlight 'serious' problem

Following the most recent arrests, the men all pleaded guilty at Darwin Local Court on August 22 and 23.

Two repeat offenders were given fines of $4000 each, and will be imprisoned for 15 and 75 days on outstanding warrants for similar offences. Eighteen other fishermen were fined $2000 each and placed on good behaviour bonds.

The men will all be sent home to Indonesia by Australian Border Force (ABF). And three of their vessels have been destroyed at-sea as dictated by Australian law.

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AMFA) claimed the court outcomes demonstrate the seriousness of illegal fishing and its impact on the nations marine ecosystems.

The message is clear. AFMA and our partner agencies remain focused on detecting and apprehending illegal fishers. Those caught fishing illegally in Australian waters risk prosecution as well as seizure and destruction of their vessel, its general manager Justin Bathurst said.

In a statement, Commander Maritime Border Command, Rear Admiral Brett Sonter added, Our message to unauthorised foreign fishers is simple: Australia does not tolerate illegal activity in our waters. We will intercept you, you will lose your catch, your equipment and possibly even your vessel.

Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories.
Brent crude oil prices soar above $81 as Libya shuts down oil production and exports

Libya's eastern government has announced its intention to shut down oil production and exports , causing a cascading effect on the oil market and driving up the price of Brent crude oil past the $81 per barrel mark on Monday morning, Aug. 26.

Libya is still divided following a six-year-long civil war that ended with the country being split between two major governing entities in the eastern and western half of the country. Both sides are currently abiding by a ceasefire brokered by the United Nations in 2020 that could collapse under the weight of this recent announcement by the eastern government.

The decision of Libya's eastern, House of Representatives (HoR)-controlled government based in Tobruk follows an attempt by its Tripoli-based, High Council of State (HCS)-controlled rival in the west to replace the leadership of the de jure jointly-controlled Central Bank of Libya (CBL). The HoR described Tripoli's recent actions against the bank as a "forceful" takeover.

In response, Tobruk declared a "force majeure," affecting all oil fields, export terminals and related facilities in the east. Oil fields in Libya's east produce approximately 1.5 million barrels of oil per day. (Related: Russia expands hydrocarbon exports to China, cements position as largest oil supplier to Chinese market.)

As a consequence of the force majeure declaration, Brent crude oil prices have jumped 2.6 percent to $81.09 per barrel.

Prices have been fluctuating within a range of $75 to $80 since early 2023, occasionally spiking above $90 due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Recent downward pressure on Brent prices has been driven by economic slowdowns in China and rising concerns about a potential downturn in the United States.

Bullish positioning in Brent by investors had fallen to a record low in recent weeks, largely due to fears of a global economic slowdown.

"Oil blockades are a longstanding issue in Libya. Unlike recent blockades, which were mainly driven by local demands for jobs and better living conditions and were relatively easy to resolve, this one is politically motivated. Political blockades tend to last several months. The disruption in Libya is likely to exacerbate the price impact we've seen over the weekend from the latest round of Israel-Hezbollah airstrikes," said Fernando Ferreira, director of geopolitical risk at the Rapidan Energy Group.

Citigroup analysts have noted that a decline in exports could temporarily push Brent prices into the mid-$80s range. Combined with rising geopolitical risks in the Middle East, further deterioration could drive crude prices even higher.

Force majeure on oil production, exports stems from struggle over control of Libya's central bank

The power struggle between the two Libyan governments has intensified over the past week, focusing on control of the CBL.

The HCS attempted to replace CBL Gov. Sadiq Al-Kabir, who has refused to step down. A government delegation reportedly entered the regulator's offices today to physically take control of the bank.

Earlier this month, the Tripoli-based Presidential Council unanimously voted to appoint Mohammed al-Shukri as the new governor. The new, western-backed board of the CBL immediately began its duties and local media reports that several CBL officials have been abducted by armed men, supposedly outlaws instigated and assisted by the Presidential Council.

Both the HoR and the HCS have condemned what they describe as attempts to "storm" and "seize control" of the CBL. Both governments have warned that these attacks would expose the country's economy to rapid collapse.

Watch this clip from CNBC discussing how pressure from OPEC+ is also causing oil prices to surge.

This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Azerbaijan, Italy, Albania and Greece could all be found guilty of WAR CRIMES for continuing to send fuel to Israel.

Ukrainian DRONE SWARMS target four Russian oil refineries in largest drone attack yet.

New Zealand to resume OIL DRILLING amid fears of blackouts.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

CFR.org

LibyaHerald.com

Brighteon.com
Demons are losing control: Influencers react to Pavel Durovs detainment

The CEO and founder of the encrypted social media app, Telegram, Pavel Durov, was arrested on August 24 at Le Bourget airport near Paris as he was departing his private jet.

(Article by Ekaterina Blinova republished from SputnikGlobe.com)

Durov's arrest has triggered a heated debate with most influencers seeing it as an onslaught on free speech. A hashtag #FreeDurov popped up on X.

Former US presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tweeted: "France just arrested Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of the encrypted and uncensored Telegram platform. The need to protect free speech has never been more urgent."

Naomi Seibt, a German conservative political activist, dubbed anti-Greta by the Washington Post, alleged on X:

"Why do you think they just arrested the owner of Telegram, Pavel Durov? This is a test run. They are setting a precedent. Their ultimate target is Elon Musk."

Candace Owens, an African American conservative television presenter, tweeted: "The trouble with free speech is that it disallows the media to set the narrative. They used to be able to justify war to you in a faraway land. Now you can see the reality of what they are doing. This is why Pavel Durov has been arrested - because the demons are losing control."

Italian film producer, Robin Monotti, remarked on X: "Pavel Durov is facing up to 20 years in Macron's dungeons for refusing to censor content on behalf of the globalist oligarchy and their war machine."

Do Western Governments Want to Control Telegram Better?

In addition to ridiculing France's accusations against Durov, social media users recall that the Telegram CEO had told US journalist, Tucker Carlson, that Western intelligence agencies were after him, apparently seeking to use his platform to spy on users. As of 2024, the messenger has around 900 million monthly active users.

Mario Nawfal, named an "omnipresent Twitter celebrity" by NBC, wondered why Western corporate press stays mute about the Telegram CEO's arrest.

"Why aren't there articles on mainstream media about Pavel Durov, the CEO and founder of Telegram, being arrested in France because people allegedly used his app to commit 'crimes'? Why the silence?" he asked on X.

In a separate tweet, the influencer alleged that "the US wanted to control Telegram better."

He cited an excerpt from Durov's interview to Carlson, in which the Russian tech prodigy described how US cyber-security officers approached a Telegram engineer seeking a backdoor to the messenger. "Whenever I would go to the US, I would have two FBI agents greet me at the airport, asking questions," Durov said at the time.

For his part, crypto investor, Shaun Maguire, compared Durov's detainment to Vint Cerf and Rob Kahn (inventors of TCP and IP) being arrested because the Internet "is being used for drug dealers to communicate with each other, and they were unwilling to install a back door." Elon Musk agreed on this observation with one word  "Exactly."

Robert Malone, a US medical doctor and an infectious-disease researcher, who threw into question the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines in 2021, also took to X to comment on Durov's arrest: "I am sickened by Pavel Durov's arrest. France is another unsafe country to travel to. The Western world has gone crazy."

Kim Dotcom, an X conservative influencer, warned that "the crackdown against free speech escalates."

Read more at: SputnikGlobe.com
VACCINE WEAPONS: Israel pauses war in Gaza to inoculate children with provocation poliomyelitis  further crippling and depopulating the region

As the Israeli military righteously hunts down Hamas terrorists in the Gaza strip, they have completely disregarded the growing toll of civilian casualties  especially Palestinian children  who are either blown to pieces, buried in rubble or end up starved and sickened, lacking access to food and medical care

The Israeli military has either restricted, destroyed or militarily cut off aid to the Gaza strip. The territory's healthcare system has been devastated, with only about a third of its hospitals and 40 percent of primary healthcare facilities currently operational.

Now, Israel is maniacally agreeing to pause the war in Gaza so that their forces can deliver tens of thousands of live polio vaccines to the children of Gaza. These inoculations inevitably spread vaccine-derived polio strains that will lead to "provocation poliomyelitis"  further crippling and depopulating the region.

UN, WHO and UNICEF join Israeli military to inoculate 640,000 children across Gaza

The United Nations has called for a comprehensive inoculation campaign following the confirmation of the first polio case in Gaza since the mid-1990s. In response to the crisis, the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has indicated that Washington is working with Israeli officials to finalize a coordinated vaccination plan, with implementation expected in the coming weeks.

Joining forces with Israels depopulation agenda, the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF have emphasized the urgency for inoculating the children of Gaza, calling for a minimum seven-day ceasefire to facilitate the vaccination of approximately 640,000 children across the Strip. With the support of 2,700 workers, the vaccination campaign aims to reach every municipality in the region.

The vaccine shipment is sufficient to inoculate approximately 1,255,000 individuals, which represents just over half of Gazas population. This initiative is part of a broader effort coordinated by Israels civilian coordination agency, COGAT, and international health organizations. COGAT has announced that international and local medical teams will oversee the distribution of the vaccines over the coming days. The plan includes conducting vaccinations at various locations within Gaza during routine humanitarian pauses. These pauses are intended to allow civilians to access remaining dilapidated medical centers where they can receive the vaccine.

Junk polio vaccines become weapons of depopulation in Gaza

These junk polio vaccines, which are now proven to spread vaccine-derived polio strains, will continue to spread polio in Gaza and will do nothing to improve living conditions, water quality or sanitation, nor restore health, vitality and immunity to the children who are now suffering from malnutrition and severely unsanitary conditions.

The conditions for outbreaks and serious disease are much higher in childhood populations that do not have access to clean water, sanitation, nutrition and proper medical care. By intentionally spreading vaccine-derived polio strains in Gaza, the United Nations, the Israeli forces and UNICEF are basically taking a torch to a drought-stricken forest, begging for wildfires to take hold (exacerbating disease outbreaks in children).

Polio vaccines cause muscular and neurological injuries that allow poliovirus to paralyze children

Whether global health authorities have good intentions or not, the polio vaccine will cause further damage to the children of Gaza. Studies show that skeletal muscle injury can make individuals more susceptible to neurological complications from poliovirus infections, a phenomenon known as provocation poliomyelitis. This condition often results from unnecessary injections in children living in areas where poliovirus is common, leading to cases of childhood paralysis. A study from 1998 suggests that intramuscular injections may also heighten the risk of vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis among those receiving live attenuated poliovirus vaccines. The study found the precise pathogenic mechanism connecting intramuscular injections with provocation poliomyelitis. This skeletal muscle injury triggers retrograde axonal transport of the poliovirus, which aids in the virus's invasion of the central nervous system and exacerbates spinal cord damage.

The Israeli military created the conditions for disease to spread in the first place, creating filthy and unsanitary conditions that cause the spread of diseases, while burdening families with survival-mode levels of stress and fatigue that precede disease. The lack of basic food and nutrition has rendered the children immunocompromised, allowing for multiple infections to take hold.

In a depraved show of fake compassion, the Israeli military is bringing in mass inoculation campaigns that will only make the situation worse, while ignoring the very things these children need in order to survive the hellish conditions that has been fostered on them.

Sources include:

NaturalNews.com

StrangeSounds.org

Nature.com

Pubmed.gov

NPR.org

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov
Kamala Harris calls for renewal of so-called assault weapons ban to hurriedly DISARM Americans before the election

Vice President Kamala Harris has urged Congress to "renew the assault weapons ban" as a sign of her long-standing support for gun control measures.

This recent call builds upon her previous anti-gun statements, including back in 2019 during her short-lived campaign for the Democratic Party's nomination for president, when Harris repeatedly advocated for a mandatory buyback program for assault weapons.

"We have to have a buyback program, and I support a mandatory gun buyback program," Harris said in an October 2019 gun control forum in Las Vegas. "Its got to be smart, we got to do it the right way. But there are five million [assault weapons] at least, some estimate as many as 10 million, and were going to have to have smart public policy thats about taking those off the streets, but doing it the right way." (Related: Harris-Walz tandem's first order of business: Ban AR-15s.)

Harris reiterated her stance that assault weapons have no place on the streets and that a buyback program should fairly compensate gun owners in several interviews that year.

At that time, Harris also supported renewing the 1994 federal assault weapons ban that expired in 2004, which had prohibited the manufacture, transfer and possession of specific firearms and high-capacity magazines. She argued that this does not conflict with the Second Amendment, criticizing the false dichotomy of supporting either the amendment or gun control.

And now, several years later, Harris has once again proposed a ban on assault weapons, first with a short statement on X, formerly Twitter.

"Ban Assault Weapons," she said, uploading an image with this three-word statement on her account. In her tweet, she captioned the image urging Congress to "renew the assault weapons ban."

Harris and Walz seek to continue the Democratic push for gun control if elected

Before posting on X, Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz have already vowed to combat gun crime in the United States by proposing new laws.

In a campaign rally in Atlanta, Georgia earlier in August, Harris promised to implement more stringent laws like an assault weapons ban to reduce gun crime in the country.

"So, Tim is a hunter and a gun owner who believes, as the majority of gun owners do, that we need reasonable gun safety laws in America. So as governor, he expanded background checks and increased penalties for illegal firearms sales. And together, when we win in November, we are finally going to pass universal background checks, red flag laws and an assault weapons ban," Harris said during her speech on Aug. 6, while Walz stood behind her.

In that same rally, Walz said: "When the vice president and I talk about freedom, we mean the freedom to make your own health care decisions and for our children to be free to go to school without worrying they'll be shot dead in their classrooms. By the way, as you heard, I was one of the best shots in Congress, but in Minnesota, we believe in the Second Amendment, but we also believe in common-sense gun violence laws."

Visit KamalaHarris.news for related stories about the vice president's campaign.

Watch the video below where Florida Rep. Byron Donalds talks about how Harris' economic talking points won't work.

This video is from the Trending News channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Kommie Harris plans to seize all civilian-owned AUTOMATIC WEAPONS during her first 100 days in office  does that mean a staged mass-shooting before the election?

White House officially calls for assault weapons ban, sparking widespread backlash online.

INTEGRITY ISSUE: Kamala Harris distances herself from past far-left stances to win voter support.

Texas judge blocks Biden administration's unlawful ban on forced reset triggers.

Biden exploits assassination attempt on Trump to call for AR-15, "assault rifle" BAN.

Sources include:

YourNews.com

News.Yahoo.com

Snopes.com

Brighteon.com
How the Kennedy assassinations ushered in a Zionist occupation of America

The war on terror was declared following the September 11, 2001, destruction of the twin towers of World Trade Center and Building 7. Nine days after, on September 20, 2001, President George W. Bush declared a worldwide war without borders.

(Article by Frank Wright republished from LifeSiteNews.com)

Our war on terror begins with Al Qaida, but it does not end there. It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped, and defeated.

What followed were two decades of perpetual war which have brought the world to the brink of a global conflict in the Middle East with a dangerously low nuclear threshold.

How did we get to this point? We were told the wars would stop terrorism  not spread it. We were told that regime change would bring peace and stability to the Middle East.

As the New York Times reported in 2015, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Congress, If you take out Saddam, Saddams regime, I guarantee you that it will have enormous positive reverberations on the region.

Sen. John Kerry, who reminded Americans that Netanyahu had urged Congress to start wars on Libya, Syria, and Iraq, said at the time: We all know what happened then.

We all know what happened now. We were told lies to start the war in Iraq. What is happening now in the West is a direct result of these wars of terror.

With Europe and the U.S. now seeing millions of migrants arrive worldwide, the downstream impact of this doctrine of destruction is hitting home.

Liberal democracy is becoming more illiberal and less democratic, as mass surveillance and censorship replace the free world we took for granted only 25 years ago. Matt Taibbi and Michael Shellenberger have both addressed Congress on the terrifying growth of a vast censorship-industrial complex to replace freedom of thought with Deep State-coordinated compliance across the Western world.

The United States has lost control of the Middle East. The world awaits to see whether Iran will respond to repeated Israeli provocations  and launch the war that Netanyahu has ached for since  at least  his speech demanding one to Congress in 2002. Some say the U.S. lost its last real president in John F. Kennedy.

Since his death, the U.S. has been led by factotum presidents  who will do anything for Israel and nothing to stop them setting the region on fire. In March 2024, Foreign Policy bluntly stated Israel is a strategic liability for the United States, saying the special [Israel-U.S.] relationship does not benefit Washington and is endangering U.S. interests across the globe.

To understand this situation, we must go back more than 60 years, to the single term of the last administration to stand up to the Zionists in Israel  and in the U.S. itself.

Battle of the Letters

In 1961, when the CIA informed John F. Kennedy that the Israelis were pursuing a secret nuclear program at Dimona, the president was furious. With strong evidence that the program was dual-use  having civilian and military capabilities  Kennedy began to pressure the Israelis to submit to U.S. inspections.

He thought that the development of nuclear weapons in secret would destabilize the Middle East in starting an arms race. He was right. When America failed to stop Israel, Iraq and Iran went on to develop their own WMDs. Iraqs was halted and dismantled in the mid 1990s  well before the war.

Rumors have recently surfaced that Iran has now developed nuclear weapons.

This nightmare scenario is what Kennedy wanted to prevent.

JFK spent two years trying and failing to bring the Israelis to account over their WMD program.

Kennedy addressed the demands of the U.S. to the first man to lead Israel  David Ben-Gurion. This culminated in a tense exchange of communications between the two leaders, resulting in an ultimatum to Israel.

The Battle of the Letters, as it is known, documents the only serious effort to restrain Israeli ambitions towards regional nuclear supremacy. The archive of these communications was opened in 2019, making public 46 secret documents from the U.S. National Security Archive detailing the moment that almost left Israel isolated from the U.S.

Israels nuclear doctrine is unique for two reasons: it has never admitted it possesses nuclear weapons. It also has a terrifying policy of using them to spark global thermonuclear war if it is ever threatened with military defeat.

This is called the Samson Option  which states Israel will launch nuclear missiles from submarines, trucks, and siloes at any and every major city it can hit if it faces what it describes as an existential threat. Described as a last-resort spasm of pure national vengeance, it has no meaningful deterrence, as was argued in a piece published by the West Point Academy Modern War Institute.

Israel faces an existential threat today, in this war with Iran, for which its leader has campaigned, urged on the U.S., and sought to provoke for decades. Israel is threatening us all in this way.

Kennedy demanded the Israelis open Dimona for inspection. This was done, but with such obvious obstruction and deception that it left Kennedy exasperated. In 1963 JFK sent an ultimatum on June 15 to Ben-Gurion threatening complete withdrawal of U.S. support for Israel if the policy of nuclear denial and deception continued.

Ben-Gurion, who knew the letter was coming, resigned the next day, citing personal reasons which he never explained. A hero to the Zionists, this was seen by them as an insult to the man who first led their newly-created state.

Kennedy was assassinated six months later by a lone gunman allegedly acting alone.

He was not the only Kennedy to die in coincidental circumstances.

In 1968 his brother Robert F. Kennedy was shot dead by a lone gunman allegedly acting alone. This too was a devastating blow to the morale of the American people. RFK had announced he would be running for president of the United States.

RFK Sr. was the last U.S. attorney general to threaten the Zionist lobby in the U.S. Under him, the Department of Justice began in 1962 a legal process to order the American Zionist Council to register under FARA as a foreign agent  of the State of Israel.

It was successful. Yet in 1967, it was replaced by another major lobbying group  AIPAC.

Together with a powerful donor base, AIPAC and the Zionist lobby have seen the political establishment of the United States bought and paid for by the Israel lobby. The U.S. is under Zionist occupation.

"your political class is bought and paid for by the Israel lobby" Col. Macgregor combat veteran who served as a Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Defense under President Trump reveals what he knows about Hamas and what Americans don't understand. Source: https://t.co/lDUGBG3O6N pic.twitter.com/W0UNxr8sgI  If Americans Knew (@ifamericansknew) April 14, 2024

These are the conclusions, respectively, of retired Colonel Douglas Macgregor and independent Jewish journalist Max Blumenthal, who has lent his voice to a campaign claiming that Zionist occupation extends beyond the U.S. government, and into the minds of Americans themselves.

If youre in DC on April 28th, Ill be joining filmmaker @Sutjhally at Busboys for a discussion of his documentary, The Occupation of the American Mind, and the anti-Zionist rebellion spreading across the US Details below pic.twitter.com/7HW7NTuATA  Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) April 26, 2024

This 1963 letter from a young Donald Rumsfeld gently warns Kennedy of Rumsfelds influential friends, whose concerns were to prevent the move to register the Zionist lobby of the U.S. government as a foreign agent of Israel:

Rumsfeld went on to advance these concerns as U.S. Secretary of Defense under George W. Bush. It was Rumsfeld who led the U.S. into war following 9/11.

A war of terror

The Kennedy assassinations were a spectacular act of terror which traumatized the American people. Since then, no U.S. president has sought to restrain the actions of successive leaders of Israel.

The Israeli parliament has called for the use of nuclear weapons in Gaza in past months, and there are suggestions that low-yield tactical nuclear weapons will be used in a ground war in Lebanon.

Israel alone cannot win the wars it wishes to start with Hezbollah and Iran. The U.S. knows Israeli nuclear doctrine threatens nuclear world war if the Zionist state is faced with defeat. This is not diplomacy. It is not a war on terror.

It is a policy of nuclear blackmail to secure U.S. entry into a war that no one wants but the Israeli leadership.

This nuclear blackmail was first rumored to have secured U.S. support for Israel in the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.

Israel again mobilized its undeclared nuclear arsenal in 1991, threatening to launch missiles at Saddam Husseins Iraq. This was detailed in Seymour Hershs book The Samson Option, whose review in the New York Times in 1991 repeats claims of three times Israel mobilized its nuclear arsenal.

The book, by Seymour M. Hersh, a renowned investigative reporter, says the Israelis have gone to full nuclear alert  meaning that nuclear missiles have been wheeled out of silos and put on launchers  three times, twice during the 1973 war and once this year, while Israel was under missile attack from Iraq, the review says.

Netanyahu had told the U.S. Congress that removing Saddam, Muammar Gaddafi, and Bashar al-Assad would lead to a new era of peace and stability in the Middle East. He said this in his speech to Congress on September 12, 2002.

Twenty-two years later we are on the brink of world war as a result. Mysteriously, no U.S. president has intervened to say no to the Israelis for almost six decades.

As JD Vance said in his May 2024 speech to the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft:

[I]f George W. Bush had stood before the American people in 2003 and said, hey guys, were going to go to war not to eradicate weapons of mass destruction or to spread democracy, were going to go to war to create a regional proxy for Iran and to slaughter over a million historical Christians. Not that they will be slaughtered at our hands, but our actions will lead to the genocide of the historical Christian community. I dont think Americans would have supported it. 

Vance is the first man of his rank in U.S. politics to state the obvious. One result of regime change at home is that the obvious is now deeply controversial. Why? Stating the facts makes clear that we have been led into disaster by lies.

He went on, saying Americans didnt care about whether Iraq was a democracy or not.

The main reason that the American people supported the war in Iraq in the beginning was because they thought Saddam had weapons of mass destruction that would be used against our citizens, he said.

This was a lie. It is not the only one we have been told to mobilize public opinion in favor of a series of wars, demanded by Americas alleged greatest ally, which have killed millions and continue to destroy nations abroad  and ours.

Liberal democracy, which was created in the 1920s to sustain elite government by the manufacture of consent through the media, has transitioned our entire world into a permanent state of emergency.

The alarm bell was first rung 60 years ago, when the leader of the free world was killed. The world he led died with him.

It took four decades to launch the wars that would secure the politics of national suicide as the patriotic duty of all Americans and their allies.

The permanent state of emergency we inhabit has been created by the war on terror. That war has been going on for 23 years. Declared abroad, but undeclared at home, its victims now include everyone, everywhere, whose careers do not depend on the perpetual and ever-escalating war without borders which have replaced our way of life.

This video provides a clear, simple chronology of events which have produced the crisis we inhabit today. Produced by former Zionist and former Jew Matthew Tower, it is a non-partisan appeal to consider the evidence he has gathered:

For more information on Matthew Tower and his TruthTower.com, follow him on X at @TruthTowerPod and on YouTube at @TruthTowerPod.

It is one attempt to correct the record of deception, censorship and lies which have been, as Vance says, a disaster.

One of my favorite passages from the Bible is, by your fruits you shall know them. What are the fruits of the last 40 years of American foreign policy? he asked.

Vance appeals to the radicalizing influence of reality over the dangerous fantasies of past and present U.S. foreign policy: Think about the wreckage and think about the actual results.

No one else has asked this obvious and awful question of the U.S.: Why dont we stop genociding historical Christian communities?

The next Christians to die in number may well be Americans themselves, if the Zionist war expands to Iran and Lebanon.

This is the only way to bring peace, we are told.

We have been told this for decades and look where it has brought us.

It is time to stop listening to the arguments for more death and destruction.

Read more at: LifeSiteNews.com
U.S. Navy sailors CRIPPLED by COVID jabs  17 support ships to be SIDELINED due to post-COVID manpower issues

There are not enough warm bodies available to staff the United States Navy's support and replacement ships, U.S. Naval Institute News says. And one of the reasons is the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) "vaccine" mandates that killed or drove away many servicemen during the "pandemic."

The plan is to sideline 17 support and replenishment ships for the Navy by putting them into "extended maintenance" mode while reassigning their crews to other ships. This will free up between 600 and 700 sailors for use in combat to fight the wars of the military-industrial complex.

A persistent lack of qualified mariners to operate the vessels has put the Navy into something of a bind as the U.S. sends troops to the Middle East to provide backup to Israel as surrounding Arab countries seem to be readying for war.

Military Sealift Command's "force generation reset" identified two Lewis and Clark replenishment ships, one fleet oiler, a dozen Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transports (EPF), and two forward-deployed Navy expeditionary sea bases that will enter "extended maintenance" to free up more sailors.

>Navy currently undertaking the longest carrier group deployments since Vietnam >Decides to delete support and replenishment fleet Serious country going serious places. pic.twitter.com/IeHTFFFjSZ  HankHeIl (@HankHeil) August 23, 2024

(Related: Getting jabbed for COVID decreases one's lifespan, research says.)

U.S. Navy calling plan "the great reset"

The plan, which has yet to be formally adopted by the Navy, is still awaiting approval from the Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti. Ominously, they are calling the plan "the great reset."

Franchetti received her Bachelor's degree in journalism at Northwestern University and a Master's Degree in Organizational Management from The University of Phoenix.

Retired MSC commander Rear Adm. Michael Wettlaufer is the one responsible for imposing the severe "gangway up" COVID prevention measures that USNI News says greatly contributed to the Navy's retention problems.

"[During] COVID, nobody was getting off the ship, mariners were being treated poorly, and so they started to quit," a retired MSC mariner told the media outlet.

Since then, "mariners have been quitting at a greater rate than MSC can hire new ones ... People say 'I had to quit because it's a terrible work-life balance. I can't go to sea and also have a family, so I've got to leave.'"

Another former MSC mariner said that while he enjoyed sailing with MSC, he realized it was a bad bet to continue after witnessing his older peers dealing with divorce and estrangement from their children.

"I can't say much bad about MSC, but when I left, I left because of my family," he said.

Sal Mercogliano, a former MSC mariner and associate professor of history at Campbell University, commented that the Navy's ongoing problems with retention are "basically the result of many years of neglect and mismanagement of their force."

"They are just burning through people," he said.

Simply put, MSC has been mismanaged for so long that once the extreme COVID measures were introduced, the straw finally broke the camel's back. For every billet on an MSC ship, there are about 1.27 mariners there to fill the positions, which is simply not sustainable.

"If you're required to have 100 people on a vessel," a former MSC mariner said. "There are only 27 more people on shore at any given time to rotate those crew members."

Such a ratio allows a mariner to only be home for one month at a time while having to remain at sea for four months in a row.

"That math just doesn't work," he added.

"No one is able to have a healthy work-life balance and be able to get off the ship and get adequate time to go home, have time at home with their family, take leave, take care of medical requirements [in that timeframe]. There is so much training required of every billet at MSC to stay proficient with Navy requirements and training and merchant marine credentialing."

COVID jabs are poison. Learn more at BadMedicine.news.

Sources for this article include:

Revolver.news

NaturalNews.com
Four New England towns impose tyrannical LOCKDOWNS after extremely rare virus infects ONE PERSON

Four towns in Massachusetts  Douglas, Oxford, Sutton and Webster  are imposing indefinite "voluntary" lockdowns after one  yes, person tested positive for an "extremely rare virus" they are calling eastern equine encephalitis (EEE).

Every night from now on, residents and visitors to these four towns will be frowned upon if they are spotted outside their homes after dark, this to stop the spread of the potentially deadly mosquito-borne illness.

This most recent case of EE is the first since 2020 to be confirmed in Worcester County by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH).

The Oxford Board of Health voted to support the recommendation that people remain indoors after 6:00 pm every night from now through at least September 30 since the EEE virus apparently only spreads after the sun sets. Beginning on October 1, Oxford's lockdown time will start an hour earlier at 5:00 pm every night and remain that way until the first hard frost hits the region.

The lockdowns are "voluntary" in the sense that there will be "no enforcement," officials say, if residents refuse to comply. There is a catch, though, as anyone who wants "to use town fields outside these recommendations ... will have to show proof of insurance and sign an indemnification form."

Those without insurance are apparently out of luck and will have to go home and "stay safe" every night at sundown, allowing only those wealthy enough to have insurance to use outdoor public facilities  talk about a lawsuit waiting to happen.

(Related: Will Joe Biden succeed in locking down America a second time before leaving office early next year?)

CDC says there are only a "few cases" of EEE nationwide every year

One would think from these government actions in Massachusetts that EEE is a fast-spreading plague that threatens entire towns with extinction unless people go home when it gets dark. The truth, though, is that EEE is a complete non-threat.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are only a "few cases" of EEE that occur in the United States annually. In other words, EEE, for all intents and purposes, does not even exist for 99.999 percent of the population.

The only reason the idea of imposing citywide lockdowns for something as non-threatening as EEE is even considered is because of the precedent that was set by the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) "pandemic." Now, whenever the government or media report about a "threat," they can get away with much more tyranny than pre-COVID because the public has been conditioned to accept overreactive paranoia and tyranny as the "solutions" to "viruses."

In the comments, someone asked whether or not the people of Massachusetts were brainwashed enough during COVID to fall for this and comply, or if enough people have awoken to the reality that the world was played by the COVID scam.

"Will they fall for it or will they roundly ignore these new 'recommendations' from the Public Hell department?" this person wrote.

Another wrote that this is "dubious timing" for governments to once again start pushing "knee-jerk" public health measures, and could have something to do with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. endorsing Donald Trump for president.

"The most prominent member of the Kennedy clan endorsing Trump is likely to flip the entire eastern seaboard red, so it's probably an opportune time for whacked out Democrats to cook up another a disinformation campaign and do their best to instill fear in the North Atlantic states," this person said.

"Seems they've got a new toy, 'lockdowns,' and they can't bear to put it down," wrote another about the public health tyrants who became addicted to power during COVID.

More related news can be found at Plague.info.

Sources for this article include:

ArmageddonProse.substack.com

NaturalNews.com
Supreme Court partially upholds Arizona law requiring documentary proof of citizenship for state-level voter registration

The U.S. Supreme Court has partly revived the proof of citizenship voter law in Arizona following the petition of the Republican National Committee (RNC).

Earlier in August, the RNC petitioned the Supreme Court to reinstate key Arizona law provisions that mandate documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration, particularly for those voting in presidential elections and by mail.

This petition came after Phoenix-based District Judge Susan Bolton sided with a lawsuit brought forward by the administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in September 2023. The lawsuit argued that Arizona voter law conflicted with the 1993 National Voter Registration Act, which requires states to register voters for federal elections based on a federal registration form that includes a declaration of United States citizenship under penalty of perjury but does not require documentary proof. (Related: Biden judicial nominee said 'proof of citizenship' is 'voter suppression.')

After a thorough review of the petition, the Supreme Court ruled five in favor and four dissenting to allow for the enforcement of certain provisions requiring proof of citizenship but still rejected the request that could have blocked the 41,352 registered voters without such proof from voting in the upcoming election.

Justices John Roberts, Brett Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch supported full enforcement of the law. However, Justice Amy Coney Barrett sided with liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson in rejecting the broader GOP push, which would have implemented more stringent voting restrictions.

In line with this, Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes declared that Arizona counties will now reject state voter registration forms that do not include "documentary proof of citizenship." The order then permits Arizona to enforce provisions that require proof of citizenship for voters in state and local elections.

However, voters can still register for federal elections, such as those for president and Congress, using a separate federal form that does not require proof of citizenship, only a sworn statement under penalty of perjury.

RNC Chairman Michael Whatley: American elections must be decided by American citizens

The ruling has garnered mixed reactions.

Bruce Spiva, the senior vice president at the Campaign Legal Center, criticized the decision. Spiva stated that it disrupts "established rules just before an election, inevitably leading to voter confusion." She added: "Free and fair elections rely on every citizen being able to cast a ballot and the fight is far from over."

Similarly, Democrats contended that preventing Arizonans who had already voted in the presidential primary from participating in the general election would create "chaos and confusion." They urged the Supreme Court to apply the Purcell principle  a legal doctrine the justices sometimes use to avoid intervening in last-minute election disputes.

"Whats especially surprising about the ruling is the absence of any reference to Purcell  the doctrine the justices usually rely upon to justify keeping federal courts out of contentious ballot disputes as elections draw near," said Steve Vladeck, a CNN Supreme Court analyst and professor at Georgetown Law School.

"The Court likes to insist on limiting confusion when it comes to these kinds of rulings  and yet here we have three different lineups voting for three different results. If nothing else, that will only reinforce critiques that the justices invoke Purcell selectively."

However, RNC Chairman Michael Whatley, along with Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma and Senate President Warren Petersen, welcomed the decision. Whatley said: "The Supreme Court ruling is a major victory for election integrity that upholds a simple principle: American elections must be decided by American citizens."

Former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, who signed the legislation in March 2022, echoed a similar statement when he signed the law. At that time, he stated that it struck a balance between ensuring voting accessibility and enhancing election security. "Election integrity means counting every lawful vote and prohibiting any attempt to illegally cast a vote," Ducey said.

Head over to Rigged.news for similar stories.

Watch this clip of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sounding the alarm on illegals voting in the November elections.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Numerous loopholes now make it easier for illegal aliens to vote in US presidential elections.

Big win for election integrity in PA as court confirms improper absentee ballots won't be counted.

Millions of people in 3 crucial swing states have registered to vote without photo ID this year, warn observers.

Biden administration opposes bill that would require PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP for voting in federal elections.

Tennessee state secretary asks thousands of voters for proof of citizenship ahead of November elections.

Sources include:

YourNews.com

CNN.com 1

Reuters.com

APNews.com

CNN.com 2

NPR.org

Brighteon.com
South African group challenges WHOs mpox emergency declaration, warns public about vaccine dangers

The South Africa Vaccine Injury Medico-Legal Study Group (SAVIMS) recently released a press statement expressing its disagreement with the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization's (WHO) declaration about monkey pox (mpox) outbreak being "a public health emergency of international concern."

Following the announcement of Africa CDC and WHO, SAVIMS expressed serious concerns regarding the proposed emergency rollout of vaccines for mpox in Africa.

On Aug. 13, Africa CDC Director-General Hean Kaseya revealed plans to distribute over 10 million doses of mpox vaccines across Africa, starting with three million doses in 2024. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made a similar announcement the following day, emphasizing the urgency of the vaccination effort.

However, SAVIMS has questioned the safety and efficacy of this plan, pointing out that there is no vaccine specifically proven to be effective against mpox.

The currently recommended vaccines, Jynneos and ACAM2000, are originally developed for smallpox and their use for mpox remains experimental. SAVIMS notes that these vaccines have been linked to serious side effects and contain live virus strains, which could potentially trigger a resurgence of smallpox  a disease that has been eradicated globally.

SAVIMS has also raised concerns about the potential use of mRNA vaccines for mpox, stating that there is no scientific evidence to support their effectiveness in preventing or mitigating infectious diseases. According to the group, that the adverse reactions reported with experimental mRNA vaccines significantly outweigh any potential benefits.

The group also highlights the importance of informed consent, a legal and ethical requirement in healthcare. Under current conditions, patients cannot provide true informed consent for the mpox vaccines, as the necessary criteria  adequate information, competency and freedom from coercion  are not met.

Citing a recent study by Allan-Blitz, et al., which classified mpox as a sexually transmitted disease, SAVIMS suggests that prevention efforts should focus on targeted education and clinical care for high-risk groups, rather than a broad vaccination campaign for the general population. The group also calls for an independent audit of the mpox data collected by the WHO from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other African nations.

Understanding mpox and the reasons behind current health crisis

Mpox is a viral illness that leads to skin rashes and sores, including those that can develop in the mouth. In its most serious form, mpox can cause life-threatening complications, such as blood poisoning, brain swelling and even death.

It belongs to a group of diseases known as zoonoses, which are infections that spread from animals to humans. These diseases are a major concern for public health because they have the potential to spark widespread outbreaks.

The mpox virus was first discovered in monkeys kept for research in 1958, and the first human case was identified in the DRC in 1970. The virus is similar to the one that causes smallpox and spreads through direct contact with infected animals, people or contaminated surfaces. It can also be transmitted through prolonged close contact, such as being near or speaking to an infected person, as noted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

An alleged recent surge in mpox cases has led the WHO and the Africa CDC to declare a public health emergency. Outbreaks have been reported in at least 12 countries, with over 17,000 suspected cases and about 500 deaths. The Africa CDC suggests that these numbers are probably underestimated  meaning the actual figures could be much higher.

The last global outbreak in 2022 to 2023 was mostly due to a virus type called "clade 2." This time, a more severe type called "clade 1"  specifically a strain known as "clade 1b"  has been spreading quickly in the DRC.

WHO has noted that "clade 1b" is primarily spreading in the DRC through sexual contact. In Sweden, a case of "clade 1" was reported in a person who had traveled to a region in Africa where the virus is present. (Related: Here comes the fear: The WHO warns that the new mutant strain of monkeypox is an emergency "for the entire globe.")

This situation is concerning because "clade 1" is associated with more serious health problems and a higher death rate compared to "clade 2." Additionally, some evidence suggests that "clade 1" might be more contagious among humans.

Watch this video explaining the mpox situation in six minutes.

This video is from the Thrivetime Show channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

German doctor says monkeypox is a SCAM  its just COVID vaccine-induced shingles under a different name.

Media now pushing comically bizarre COVID-monkey-AIDS-pox disease as latest threat to society.

Fearmongering as policy: WHOs Tedros mulls public health emergency declaration over hyped-up MONKEYPOX outbreak.

Its looking more and more like monkeypox is a cover story for COVID vaccine-induced shingles, autoimmune blisters and herpes.

Sources include:

Expose-News.com

WHO.int

FT.com

Brighteon.com
Tulsi Gabbard endorses Donald Trump for president as former Dems reject the tyrannical, Marxist Left

Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, a Democrat, has officially endorsed Donald Trump to be elected president of the United States in 2024.

Gabbard made the announcement at the most recent annual meeting of the National Guard Association, telling the room that she believes only Trump has what it takes to "walk us back from the brink of war."

"We cannot be prosperous unless we are at peace," Gabbard said to the room  watch the clip below:

?Tulsi Gabbard endorses President Trump Another prominent Democrat has come out against their party to call out their Marxism and tyranny The dam is breaking pic.twitter.com/L2YKVkZ8Uo  DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) August 26, 2024

(Related: Did you know that last year Tulsi Gabbard asked Congress to ban atrazine and other dangerous industrial crop chemicals linked to the chemical castration of children?)

Peace and freedom rather than war

A National Guard veteran who served two tours of duty in the Middle East, Gabbard's announcement came on the third anniversary of the suicide bombing at the main airport outside Kabul in Afghanistan that resulted in 23 U.S. servicemen and more than 150 Afghans dying.

"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."

In an interview with Fox News, Gabbard revealed that she cherishes peace and freedom over the constant wars the U.S. always seems to be embroiled in.

"We know how important it is to have a commander-in-chief who values every single one of our lives and who has the strength and the courage to exercise all means of diplomacy, meeting with dictators, allies, adversaries, partners in the pursuit of peace, recognizing that war is always and should always be a last resort," Gabbard said about why she chose Trump over Kamala Harris.

"I endorsed President Trump today because he has those qualities, and he's proven that he is that commander-in-chief. Kamala Harris has proven she is not. We are closer to the brink of nuclear war now than ever before, closer to World War III because of Harris and Biden and their policies."

Gabbard, who ran for president in 2020, further took aim at Kamala, wondering whether or not she even took the time to call the families of those who were killed and injured in the suicide blast that occurred under her and Joe Biden's watch three years ago to apologize.

It was the Biden regime's fault that the blast occurred because of their "disastrous withdrawal" of U.S. troops from the region.

"Kamala Harris is completely unfit to serve as our commander-in-chief," Gabbard said point blank.

It was Kamala who during a 2021 interview with CNN revealed that she was the last person in the room when Biden made the decision to pull out of Afghanistan. Harris released a statement afterwards in which she said she will "mourn and honor" the injured and deceased U.S. troops "today and every day."

Gabbard believes that Kamala is the wrong choice for America if peace and safety are the goal. The only candidate who can deliver that promise is Trump.

"I love our country," Gabbard continued. "I cherish peace and freedom and I'm supporting Donald Trump in this election so that he can be our commander-in-chief once again."

"It's not about Democrats versus Republicans. It's about having a president who stands for freedom, peace and prosperity, which is Donald Trump, versus having a president in Kamala Harris, who attacks our freedoms and censors us and uses political retaliation, who has pushed us to the brink of war and who's created this economic hardship for Americans across the country. That's really the choice that we have before us."

The latest news about all things Trump can be found at Trump.news.

Sources for this article include:

X.com

NaturalNews.com

USAToday.com

FoxNews.com
Critics said the angler's behaviour was 'appalling'  while others argued they thought he'd done nothing wrong. What do you think?

A fisherman has riled up wildlife enthusiasts over what they said was questionable behaviour while handling a Port Jackson shark in Sydney. Source: Instagram/Carvedbanks

The way a fisherman handled a freshly-caught Port Jackson shark has divided Aussies, with critics branding the angler's apparent behaviour "appalling"  while others argued they thought he'd done nothing wrong.

Footage emerged this week of the man fishing at Maroubra Beach, in Sydney's south. In the video, that was clipped together in parts and posted online, the man can be seen reeling in the shark and placing it on the rocks, while another man fishes beside him.

He then keeps the animal, which appears to still be alive, out of the water for an unknown amount of time. After photographing his catch, someone yells out for him to put it back in the ocean. He drags it along the rocks by the tail, scraping its head in the process, before seemingly returning it back to the water between a crevice in the rocks.

Port Jackson sharks are neither a protected species nor illegal to fish in NSW, but some responding to the footage claimed the man was unnecessarily cruel towards it, paying little regard to its welfare while it was kept from the ocean.

Anglers urged to act responsibly with 'unwanted' catches

Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Leonardo Guida, shark scientist at the Australian Marine Conservation Society, implored fishers to act responsibly with their catches.

"Whenever possible, people should release unwanted animals caught in fishing gear as safely and as soon as possible," he told Yahoo News. "The fisher in the video appears to have done the right thing and returned the Port Jackson safely, although it's impossible to tell how long it had been since he landed it, as the video has been edited."

Fortunately, Guida added, Port Jacksons are "very hardy" species and can handle air exposure for several minutes, however this "still stresses out the animal, even at a physiological level".

"Fishing is a responsibility not a right, and all fishers should do their utmost to safely handle and release unwanted catch, inflicting as little stress to the animal as possible," Guida said.

Port Jacksons are found all over Australian waters, from Queensland's south down to Tasmania and even along the central coast of Western Australia. Source: Getty

A spokesperson for the NSW Department of Primary Industries echoed Guida's sentiment.

"The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) actively promotes responsible fishing practices at all times  including treating all fish ethically and with respect," they told Yahoo News Australia.

"The Department provides detailed information on best practice catch and release techniques as well as content on respecting your catch  which applies to targeted fish species as well as those considered as unwanted by-catch."

Online, people debated whether "more education" was needed within the fishing community "about these sentient creatures" that are "deserving of respect and reverence".

"This is appalling. We need to fix this broken world  there should be marine reserves up and down the coast," one woman said.

"We know that fish feel pain and have rich social and emotional lives," another person said. "So much science is out there now. Current fishing practices are not in line with this knowledge."

"So wild how he just drags its head across the rocks," somebody else wrote.

It is true that fish feel physical pain as well as and emotional stress. Recent research has found fish even have their own version of empathy, enabled by one of the same chemical pathways thought to drive human social behaviour.

Despite the surprisingly strong reaction by some on social media, others pointed out what they argued was a common hypocrisy among those "offended" by the video. "All the people getting sad by this, but go and eat their farmed salmon and caged eggs and beef, that gets shipped to Indonesia, where the cattle suffer the worst kind of traumas on the journey to make it back to your plate  so embarrassing," they said.

Yahoo News Australia has sought comment the NSW Department of Primary Industries and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority with regard to the footage.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
50 U.S. Armed Forces veterans in Congress denounce Tim Walz for lying about his military service record

Fifty veterans of the United States Armed Forces who currently hold seats in the Senate and the House of Representatives have denounced Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, for lying to the American people about his military record

The lead signatories of the open letter are Veterans and Military Families for Trump Chairman Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) and Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Rick Scott (R-FL) and Roger Wicker (R-MS).

The letter accuses Walz of repeatedly and falsely claiming to be a "retired command sergeant major," despite not completing the requirements to be promoted to this rank, and condemned him for falsely claiming that he carried weapons "in war," despite never deploying to a combat zone. (Related: STOLEN VALOR: Tim Walz built entire political career around "being a retired command sergeant major" when he ISN'T.)

"The Office of the Vice President is a position that requires the trust of the American people and a solemn commitment to duty on behalf of the United States of America. As veterans who have served our nation, we feel compelled to address your egregious misrepresentations and urge you to come clean to the American people, the military veterans wrote.

Moreover, the congressional veterans criticized him for retiring from the Minnesota Army National Guard right before his unit was given the order to prepare to be deployed to Iraq. They argue that this action demonstrated a clear lack of "dedication, bravery and an unwavering sense of duty."

The veterans were also dismayed by the fact that Walz had "lied [his] way through a political career launched on the foundation of a title [he] did not earn and combat deployments [he] did not take part in."

"In short, our grave concern stems from the fact that the Office of the Vice President is one heartbeat away from becoming the Commander-In-Chief. You've already demonstrated your unwillingness to lead in times of war and a lack of honor through your blatant misrepresentations exploiting and co-opting the experiences of America's combat veterans for personal gain," they continued.

"As a result, America's veterans and servicemembers are rightfully concerned about what would happen to them should you ascend to the Presidency. When America asked you to lead your troops into War, you turned your back on your troops. You have violated the trust of our brothers and sisters in arms. Their blood, sweat, and sacrifice are the only reason our nation is able to exist. Until you admit you lied to them, there is no way you can be trusted to serve as Vice President."

Rep. Michael Waltz: Walz should be proud of his service and not have to lie about it

Walz has avoided discussing his military background with reporters and Harris campaign aides have successfully prevented him from being confronted about it or having to address it.

Meanwhile, Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL), one of the signatories in the letter, said: "He should be proud of his service. Why do you have to lie about it? Why do you have to exaggerate?"

"He was a sergeant major for a few months, but he didnt do what you have to sign on the dotted line in terms of the schooling and the time and service to retire at that rank," continued Waltz, a retired member of the U.S. Army himself. "I retired as a colonel. Im proud of that. Im not pretending I retired as a general."

The memo was issued in response to Democratic veterans supporting Walz, as the campaign tried to ease the controversy by emphasizing his support for veterans.

Watch this clip from Fox News of U.S. Army veteran and Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) accusing Walz of continuing to lie to the public regarding his service record.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Hillary Clinton steps in to defend Tim Walz from STOLEN VALOR claims.

Tim Walz finally responds to his stolen valor scandal, and he just made things 1000X worse.

Kamala Harris smears Air Force veteran in effort to defend Tim Walz from stolen valor accusations.

Tampon Tims stolen valor scandal just took a new disastrous turn.

VP pick Tim Walz accused of stolen valor by JD Vance  and a group of retired MN National Guardsmen.

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

Politico.com [PDF]

AmericanMilitaryNews.com

NYPost.com

Brighteon.com
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A bid by Google Ireland to build a third data center at Grange Castle Business Park in south Dublin has been rejected by local politicians, in part due to what was described as the lack of significant on-site renewable energy to power the proposed facility.

According to an article that appeared Tuesday in the Irish Times, the planning refusal by South Dublin County Council, comes amid a growing backlash against data centres here amid a spike in the amount of energy they use at a time when Ireland is struggling to meet its targets to cut carbon emissions.

In June, Google submitted a proposal that called for the creation of a 72,400 square meter data storage facility that will incorporate data halls with associated support areas, a high voltage compound, offices and staff facilities, a loading area, mechanical and electrical yards, internal and external utilities, security fence and gates, landscaping including acoustic screening,  stormwater attenuation ponds, additional internal vehicle and pedestrian infrastructure, together with ancillary buildings and site infrastructure.
Nazrin Abdul

In 2023, 22% of Azerbaijan's land, or 19,094 hectares, experienced severe drought, according to recent evaluations.

Firudin Taghiyev, Head of the Land Use Control Department at the Ministry of Agriculture, shared these findings during the "Role of Water Management Systems in Climate-Resistant Agriculture: COP29 Round Table Discussions," Azernews reports.

Taghiyev noted that the most affected areas include the Ganja-Dashkasan, Garabagh, Upper-Shirvan, Gazakh-Tovuz, and Shirvan-Salyan economic regions.

Additionally, an assessment using optical satellite imagery revealed that 15% of the country is at high risk of drought.




Exclusive: First responders have been left 'disturbed' by what they witnessed at the city business park.

Ibis have been found dead and dying after tree trimming works were carried out at an ESR Australia business park in Sydney. Source:

Scorned as a bin chicken because of its remarkable ability to scavenge through waste in Aussie cities, the native white ibis isn't respected by many locals.

Wildlife rescuers who attend to injured and sick birds are used to ibis welfare being a low priority in the community because of a perception they are dirty. But a discovery at a Sydney property has even the most experienced first responders shocked.

Details of what exactly unfolded are sketchy, but the result has been described as an ibis massacre. But four weeks on its unclear whether there will be ramifications for those responsible.

Warning: Confronting images of ibis 'massacre'

Over a dozen dead, dying and displaced ibis were found at a business park at Chullora, in the citys west. Video and images supplied to Yahoo News from August 3 show a decapitated ibis, a dead chick with blood strewn across the car park, and abandoned nests still full of eggs lying in the gutter.

I was like: Oh my god, this is a bloody massacre, a bird expert from Sydney Wildlife Rescue told Yahoo News.

There were nine perfect little nests cut down, there were dead carcasses and entrails all over the place, and smashed eggs.

'Chaos' after trees trimmed at business park

A day earlier, another rescue service WIRES, received multiple calls from concerned tenants and staff members at the site, and responded to a critical rescue.

A tenant who witnessed the situation before rescuers arrived claims to have seen palm trees at the business park being trimmed, displacing nesting ibis. Then they put the babies in the nests on the grass and in the bushes, she said.

A WIRES rescuer who arrived on August 2, told Yahoo there were some adult ibis still sitting in palm trees that had recently been trimmed, but there were juveniles and several empty nests on the ground.

It was just chaos, there were ibis everywhere. There were nests all over the ground and it looked like crows had picked off some of the babies after the nests were cut down, he said.

He described the situation as "upsetting", adding there appeared to be a "blatant disregard" for the birds.

"Ibis get a really bad wrap for being bin chickens, but it's actually illegal to disrupt any of their nests," he added.

"It was quite disturbing."

Business park manager claims to be investigating

When contacted by Yahoo News, the large landscaping company that contracted the works to a third party, said it did not wish to comment and hung up the phone.

That company was engaged by ESR Australia, which is one of the largest real estate investment management companies in the country. Its parent company ESR Group is incorporated in the Cayman Islands and based in Hong Kong.

Broken Ibis eggs were found on the ground after the trees were trimmed. Source: Supplied

After Yahoo contacted ESR Australia with questions about the August 2 incident, it declined to be interviewed and instead issued a statement through a public relations company.

The alleged incident happened during planned site maintenance conducted by third-party contractors. ESR, together with our external facilities manager, is currently investigating the allegations which we take very seriously and as such has no further comment while the investigation is ongoing, it said.

Mystery over fate of ibis chicks

When WIRES attended the scene on August 2, its understood they found at least seven chicks, one of which had a broken leg, and they were taken to vets at RSPCA NSW for treatment.

The WIRES rescuer who collected them said they were hot and appeared to be stressed out. They were sitting in the sun cooking and not in very good shape, he said.

Nests were found placed above gutters at the Chullora business park. Source: Supplied

Whether the chicks survived remains unclear as rescue groups in Sydney say they have no records of being called to collect them. RSPCA NSW did not respond to direct questions from Yahoo about the outcome.

The NSW governments Parks and Wildlife service told Yahoo an investigation is being conducted into what happened at Chullora by RSPCA NSW. However RSPCA NSW declined to provide any information about the incident while it remains under investigation.

Finding medical treatment for ibis is a struggle

Getting medical treatment for native birds is a struggle in Australia right now, because some vets arent seeing them due to concerns about avian influenza.

But when it comes to white ibis, one bird rescuer said getting treatment for the species has always been a challenge.

Speaking generally she said, The species is treated horrendously across the city. Its one of these things where vets euthanise them out of convenience. And there arent enough carers to look after them.

The situation isnt sustainable. I had 300 last year. If an animal has fur, or even if its a kookaburra it will get treatment. But if its an ibis no one gives a sh**.

After the Chullora incident, she took eggs home from the site and incubated them. Most were already too cold to survive.

They just exploded because I think they were out too long, she said.

Ive got one left. But I dont think hell survive. I might need to give up on him.

Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories.
Scammed by Love? The Alarming Signs a Guy Is Using You and How to Avoid Being a Victim

W

e've all heard stories of people falling head over heels online, only to be left heartbroken and scammed. Sadly, one of the most infamous types of scams out there is the so-called "romance scam."

But why does this happen, and more importantly, how can you protect yourself from falling victim to it? Buckle up, because we're diving into the world of digital love scams, what they look like, and how you can dodge them like a pro.

Let's face it, we live in a hyper-connected world where meeting someone online is as common as grabbing a cup of coffee. But when that guy you met on a dating app starts showering you with compliments and lovebefore asking for moneyyour alarm bells should be ringing. Hard.

Here's everything you need to know about the signs a guy may be using you, and what you can do to protect your heartand your bank account.

Signs a Guy Is Using You: How to Spot the Red Flags Before It's Too Late

Ever find yourself swept off your feet by someone who seems too good to be true? If you're dealing with a scammer, that may just be the case. Romance scams are becoming more elaborate.

These scams aren't new, but they're evolving, with scammers fine-tuning their techniques to get your money without you even noticing it's gone.

1. He Professes His Love Quickly

One of the earliest red flags is the speed at which the scammer confesses their undying love for you. It's like you've become the star of a Hallmark movieexcept this time, the script's been flipped. This guy, who you've only known for a short time, starts declaring his affection and desire to be with you forever. Yes, it feels wonderful, but hang on a second! Nobody can genuinely fall in love after a few text messages or video calls. His goal? To build an emotional connection fast.

2. He Needs Money for an Emergency

The biggest and most telltale sign? The sudden ask for money. Typically, the scammer creates a crisis that makes you feel guilty or responsible for helping. It might be a sick relative, a sudden job loss, or a business deal gone wrong. They'll say things like, "If only I had $500, I could get back on my feet" or "I hate asking, but it's life or death."

Here's the thing: scammers know that pulling at your heartstrings is the quickest way to make you open your wallet. They'll even promise to pay you backspoiler alertthey won't.

3.He's Always 'Traveling'

Ah, the mysterious globetrotter! He's never in one place for too long. Various countries are often places scammers claim to be stuck in. This serves two purposes: First, it makes it easier for him to explain why he can't meet in person. Second, he can ask for money to get back to you because of "unexpected travel expenses."

A real relationship involves physically meeting up at some point. If that's not happening and excuses are piling up, beware!

4.His English Is Odd, but He Sounds 'Educated'

You may notice inconsistent grammar or awkward phrasing in his texts, but he claims to be highly educated. While not all scammers have poor English skills, many do. Keep an eye on whether his tone fluctuates between very formal and informalit's a sign he may be following a script.

5. He Refuses to Video Chat or Meet in Person

A modern relationship usually involves some sort of face-to-face interactioneither through video calls or actual meetings. However, scammers always seem to have an excuse: bad Wi-Fi, no camera, too busy. They want to stay hidden to maintain the illusion. If you've never seen his face in real-time, be skeptical.

If you suspect Signs a Nigerian Guy Is Using You, don't hesitate to cut off contact and report it.

What You Can Do to Prevent Romance Scams: Keep Your Guard Up and Your Wallet Closed

Falling for a romance scam can be devastating emotionally and financially. While the best-case scenario involves losing only your time, the worst-case scenario can result in draining your bank account.

But hey, the good news is that you can avoid getting scammed with a little awareness and caution. Here are some practical life hacks to protect yourself:

1. Keep Your Personal Information Private

Rule number one: Protect your personal info like it's gold. Scammers are experts at gathering details about you that they can later use to manipulate your emotions or, worse, commit identity theft. Avoid sharing personal informationlike your home address, work details, or financial situationtoo quickly.

2.Research Before You Commit

Before you invest your heart or money, take a moment to play detective. A quick reverse image search of your admirer's photos can reveal if they're using someone else's pictures. You can also do a background check to see if anything suspicious pops up. Scammers often steal photos from social media profiles, so this simple search can be eye-opening.

3.Talk to Someone You Trust

If you're in doubt about your online romance, talk to a friend or family member. They can offer a fresh perspective that you may miss because of emotional involvement. Sometimes, an outside opinion is all you need to recognize that something's off.

4. Set Boundaries and Stick to Them

It's easy to get swept up in the excitement of a new relationship, but always establish clear boundaries. Don't loan money to someone you've never met in person. Set limits on what you're comfortable sharing, and if the other person keeps pushing those boundariesend it. A real partner will respect your limits, while a scammer will keep trying to manipulate you.

5. Report the Scam

Unfortunately, even the most cautious people can still fall victim to a scam. If this happens, it's essential to report it to authorities like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or your country's equivalent. These organizations can track scam patterns and potentially stop the scammers before they find their next victim.

Real Life Cases of Romance Scams: How They Happen and What You Can Learn From Them

The stories are out therepeople losing hundreds or thousands of dollars in what they thought was a genuine relationship.

Let's explore some real-life cases to see just how these scams unfold and what valuable lessons you can take away.

Case 1: The Soldier Stuck Abroad

One classic scam involves a supposed soldier stationed overseas, often in a war zone. The scammer convinces their victim that they're facing hardships, such as needing money to return home or for medical bills. In reality, the scammer is just using stolen images of a military member, and the emotional pull of patriotism and romance to con people out of money.

The lesson here? Military personnel usually have access to resources through the militaryfinancial aid, flights home, medical careso any request for funds should raise red flags.

Case 2: The Business Tycoon in Trouble

Another common scenario involves a "wealthy businessman" who suddenly finds himself in trouble. Whether it's a delayed contract, a legal battle, or even a hijacked shipment, this guy always seems to need some cash to sort things out. He'll promise to pay you back once his multi-million-dollar deal goes through, but here's the reality: that deal doesn't exist.

Scammers often craft elaborate backstories, and the deeper you get into the "relationship," the more detailed these lies become. The more they invest in their stories, the more believable they seemso keep your skepticism levels high.

Case 3: The "Heartbroken" Widow

Then there's the tragic widow or widower story. This person recently lost their spouse and is deeply heartbroken, but they've found solace in you. Everything seems perfect untilsurprisethey need money for an emergency, or they need help getting their late spouse's fortune out of a foreign bank.

This type of scam feeds on your empathy. After all, who wouldn't want to help someone in such a sad situation? But once again, the story is just a ploy to tug on your heartstrings and your purse strings.

Conclusion: Stay Smart, Stay Safe, and Trust Your Gut

In a world where online connections are common, the possibility of running into scammers is very real. But by staying informed, trusting your gut, and setting boundaries, you can avoid becoming a victim. Remember, love is worth waiting for, and anyone worth your time won't rush your emotionsor ask for money.

Don't let fear ruin your chances of finding love online, but always proceed with caution. If someone you've never met in person is asking for cash, rundon't walkaway from that situation. Real love doesn't come with a price tag.

Now that you're armed with knowledge, the next time someone slides into your DMs with a love story too good to be true, you'll know exactly what to do. Stay sharp, stay safe, and protect yourself from those smooth-talking scammers!

 Scammed by Love? The Alarming Signs a Guy Is Using You and How to Avoid Being a Victim

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Dalai Lama returns to Himachal Pradesh after knee surgery, accorded warm welcome

T

ibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama returned to Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday after a successful knee replacement surgery in New York.

Upon his arrival at Kangra Airport, he was warmly welcomed by the Central Tibetan Administration, Tibetan community & Tibet supporters.

A video shared by the Central Tibetan Administration showed devotees dressed in traditional Tibetan robes warmly welcoming the spiritual leader.

Hundreds thronged the streets leading up to the Tsuglagkhang temple to greet His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

During the spiritual leader's New York visit where he underwent surgery, US Special Coordinator for Tibetan issues, Uzra Zeya, met him to convey President Joe Biden's wishes.

She discussed the United States' ongoing efforts to address human rights abuses inside Tibet.

Observers believe the meeting shows a powerful symbol of solidarity and commitment to Tibet's cause. However, this meeting may spark an angry response from China, which vehemently opposes any external interference in Tibetan affairs.

Zeya welcomed the Dalai Lama's lifelong dedication to promoting nonviolence and compassion. The Under Secretary also took the opportunity "to discuss with His Holiness Tibetan cultural preservation, the United States' ongoing efforts to address human rights abuses inside Tibet, and support for resuming dialogue between the PRC and His Holiness and his representatives".

The elderly Buddhist monk reached New York on Tuesday after completing a six-week recovery period at the Nappi Farmhouse in Syracuse following successful knee replacement surgery on June 28.

David Mayman, MD, Chief of the Adult Reconstruction and Joint Replacement Service at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, said the Dalai Lama is expected to continue improving over the next six to 12 months.

On Thursday, members of the Tibetan Community of North America offered a prayer for the Dalai Lama's long life at the UBS Arena in New York City.

During a brief stopover in Zurich, Switzerland, the Tibetan community offered another long-life prayer at the Hallenstadion on August 25.

The Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in March 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule, believes in a "middle-way" approach, meaning greater autonomy for Tibet rather than outright independence.

The 89-year-old Tibetan monk lives in exile in McLeodganj, a small and quaint hill station in the suburbs Dharamsala.

 Dalai Lama returns to Himachal Pradesh after knee surgery, accorded warm welcome

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Inflation has slowed to 3.5 per cent in the year to July, according to fresh data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

That's a significant drop from the three-decade high of 8.4 per cent at the end of 2022, but still a way to go before hitting the Reserve Bank of Australia target of 2 - 3 per cent.

Housing - like rent and building costs - remained a driver of high inflation, while electricity prices were found to have fallen to 5.1 per cent.

This is due to energy rebates, like the first installment of the federal government's, and state-specific ones like the $1000 hand out in Queensland.

But economist Harry Murphy Cruise, from Moodys Analytics, warned the drop in electricity prices is 'smoke and mirrors' and could end up hurting Australia's fight against the rising cost of living.

"Where well end up all depends on what households do with the savings. If theyre used to get ahead on mortgage repayments or top up rainy day funds then the government will be successful in lowering inflation at the same time as providing cost-of-living relief," he said.

"On the other hand, if the savings are spent through the economy, the RBAs fight against inflation will get a whole lot harder."

If the latter, he expects inflation to remain at 3.5. per cent until the end of the year and homeowners can expect a rate cut in 2025.
EU approves 447-mn-euro fund to help Italy tackle severe weather

T

he European Commission approved a 447-million-euro allocation from the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to help Italy offset costs associated with severe storms and flooding in Italy last year.

The funds, on Tuesday, come as Italy swelters through the third extended heatwave in three years. Each year, the country has struggled with droughts, floods, wildfires, and landslides, reports Xinhua news agency.

This year, water shortages have spread across the southern part of the country; repeated fires have occurred in central and southern Italy, as well as urban areas including Rome; and farmer's union Coldiretti has recorded a negative impact on agricultural production nationwide.

Last week, a waterspout that climatologists said was likely caused by warming ocean temperatures sank a 56-metre luxury yacht, killing seven.

Earlier in the month, an Indian flower picker died in the fields of Latina, near Rome, during an intense hot spell, hitting international headlines.

As of Tuesday, eight of Italy's 27 largest cities were under "red" or "orange" alerts warning of health risks from the hot weather. By the weekend, the number of cities under such alerts is forecast to reach 15.

In some parts of the country, especially in the island regions, high temperatures could again top 40 degrees Celsius. In central Italy, temperatures will peak at around 37 degrees Celsius.

Weather monitoring site Il Meteo said that in the coming days, hail may accompany hot weather in the northern part of the country, with storm and flood alerts being posted for the central regions.

Nevertheless, the severe weather so far this year has not been as bad as the flooding experienced by the central Italian regions of Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany last year. Flash floods there in May 2023 killed 17 and caused an estimated 10 billion euros ($11.2 billion) in damages. Another round of flooding in November 2023 caused eight more deaths and another 1.9 billion euros in damages.

On the same day, the EU also announced it would back the use of EUSF for Slovenia, Austria, Greece, and France, though Italy will receive the lion's share of the aid, amounting to nearly 46 per cent of the total amount approved for the five countries.

The money still needs to be approved by the European Parliament before it will be distributed to the affected areas.

 EU approves 447-mn-euro fund to help Italy tackle severe weather

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Farhan Akhtar returns to Ladakh after 'Lakshya', 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' to shoot for a 'special film'

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ollywood multi-hyphenate Farhan Akhtar, who recently made an appearance in the streaming docu-series 'The Angry Young Men', is shooting a very special project. The actor is currently in Ladakh to shoot for the project, the details of which are currently under the wraps.

On Wednesday, Farhan took to his Instagram, and shared a landscape image of the Ladakh terrain.

He wrote in the caption, "Back in Ladakh after 'Lakshya' and 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' to shoot for a very special film. Details to be revealed soon. Watch this space".

Fans stormed the comments section of the actor-director's post as they made guesses about the project that he is shooting in Ladakh. Some thought it to be 'Don 3', others thought of the film to be 'Jee Le Zaraa'.

Farhan's 'Don 3' has long been in the making but nothing concrete as of now has materialised yet except for the casting of Ranveer Singh in the titular role. Ranveer, who has collaborated in the past with Farhan on films like 'Dil Dhadakane Do' and 'Gully Boy', took the baton from Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan to essay the titular role in the 3rd part of the 'Don' franchise.

SRK himself stepped into the shoes of Amitabh Bachchan in 2006 when Farhan decided to remake the Amitabh Bachchan-starrer 'Don'.

The original 'Don' was written by Farhan's father, screenwriting legend Javed Akhtar and his partner Salim Khan, the father of Bollywood megastar Salman Khan.

Farhan last directed a film 13 years ago with 'Don 2'. While the actor has since then many projects, they mostly explored his side as an actor or a musician.

Meanwhile, Farhan recently shed light on his father's journey in the Prime Video series, 'The Angry Young Men' which is based on Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan. The screenwriting duo is considered to be formidable force of writing in Hindi cinema having revolutionised the mainstream filmmaking with their writing.

 Farhan Akhtar returns to Ladakh after 'Lakshya', 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' to shoot for a 'special film'

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Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin to launch 8th tourist flight to space on Thursday

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eff Bezos' aerospace venture Blue Origin is set to launch its eighth tourist mission to suborbital space on Thursday.

The flight will carry six people for an 11-minute ride above the Karman line -- the internationally recognised boundary of space

It will be the eighth human flight for the New Shepard rocket which will lift off at 8:00 AM CDT (6.30 pm IST) from Launch Site One in West Texas.

The New Shepard programme has to date "flown 37 humans", the company said.

The six-person crew includes Nicolina Elrick, Rob Ferl, Eugene Grin, Dr. Eiman Jahangir, Karsen Kitchen, and Ephraim Rabin.

While Karsen will become the youngest woman ever to cross the Karman line, Ferl will be the first NASA-funded researcher to conduct an experiment as part of a commercial suborbital space crew, the company said.

Ferl's experiment is designed to help scientists understand how plant genes react to the transition to and from microgravity.

He will activate a device called a Kennedy Space Center Fixation Tube, or KFT, to "fix" or take a snapshot of the gene activity of an Arabidopsis thaliana plant inside the tube so researchers can later study it in the lab.

On the ground, co-investigator Anna-Lisa Paul will track Ferl's actions and activate identical control KFTs at the same four times during the flight.

Meanwhile, Blue Origin has also partnered with NASA for the agency's ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) mission -- aimed at studying the solar wind's interaction with the magnetosphere on Mars.

The company's reusable New Glenn rocket's will carry the ESCAPADE mission on its maiden launch on October 13.

Named after NASA astronaut John Glenn, the first American astronaut to orbit Earth, completing three orbits in 1962, it is among the largest and most powerful rockets ever built and launched -- standing 98 meters tall.

The heavy-lift rocket also runs on cleaner fuel and is designed to take large payloads to low-Earth orbit.

"New Glenn's first stage is designed for a minimum of 25 flights," the company said. It added that the rocket will operate like a commercial airliner and "will lead to significantly less waste and cost".

 Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin to launch 8th tourist flight to space on Thursday

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A spokesperson for SA Police confirmed to Yahoo an investigation is underway, but so far no arrests have been made.

Police are investigating after a hooded figure dumped a dead kangaroo outside of a mosque. Source: Islamic Society of South Australia/Facebook

A religious community is in shock after a man hiding his identity used a wheelbarrow to dump a dead kangaroo outside a place of worship, in an act that's been described as both "bizarre" and "deeply disturbing".

South Australia's muslim community believe they have been the target of a "form of symbolic aggression or harassment" with "the intent to provoke fear, anger, or unease" after the unsettling moment was captured on CCTV.

The incident took place at Marion Mosque on Thursday, August 22, in Park Holme in Adelaide. Speaking to Yahoo News on Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for South Australian Police confirmed an investigation is underway, but so far no arrests have been made.

Releasing a statement on social media on Tuesday, The Islamic Society of South Australia said they believe the act was a deliberate attempt to evoke fear among worshippers.

"The use of a dead animal and the choice of a place of worship is a deeply disrespectful and an Islamophobic motive," it said. "The deliberate nature of this incident makes it particularly unsettling."

In the footage, a hooded man covering his face is seen crossing multiple lanes of a busy a road in broad daylight with the deceased kangaroo in a wheelbarrow. He then walks along the footpath, looking behind a number of times before brazenly dumping the lifeless animal beside a tree outside of the mosque.

Cars can then be seen driving by, seemingly unaware of what's taken place, before the man flees.

Locals who spoke to media outside of the mosque theorised the individual may have "seen things online" that prompted him to carry out the "pretty disgusting" act.

It's not the first time the Marion Mosque has allegedly been targeted. Last year, both the Marion and Al Khalil mosques were targeted when gas cylinders were lit outside the premises.

Muslim leaders say the latest incident highlights the broader trend of growing Islamophobia within the Adelaide community. The Islamophobia Register reported a tenfold increase in reports of Islamophobic incidents following the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war last year.

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A Danville alderman supports a separate investigation into Danville Mayor Rickey Williams Jr.'s dispute with Danville Area Community College President Stephen Nacco regarding undocumented immigrants being welcomed into the community and has asked that it be on a future Danville City Council agenda.
UCLA has received a $120 million commitment from surgeon, inventor and philanthropist Dr. Gary Michelson and his wife, Alya, to kick-start the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, an innovative public-private partnership aimed at spurring breakthrough discoveries that prevent and cure diseases and catalyze economic growth and innovation in Los Angeles.

Michelson, a spine surgeon and prolific inventor who holds nearly 1,000 individual patents, is co-founder and chair of the board of the institute, which will be housed at UCLA's state-of-the-art research park.

The gift, distributed via the Michelson Medical Research Foundation, designates $100 million to establish two research entities within the institute, each funded by $50 million; one will focus on rapid vaccine development and the other on harnessing the 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.

In addition, the foundation, a part of the Michelson Philanthropies network of foundations co-chaired by the Michelsons, is 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 UCLA community owes Alya and Gary Michelson a debt of gratitude for this transformative gift. The Michelsons envisioned an institute that would leverage UCLA's strengths for maximum public good, create new knowledge leading to better medical treatments, and reshape the study of immunology. The gift will change countless lives here and across the globe." Darnell Hunt, UCLA Interim Chancellor

"Immunology is the mediator of nearly all human diseases, whether we're talking about cancer or heart disease or Alzheimer's," Michelson said. "The vision for this institute is to become a 'field of dreams' -; the world's 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.

"Scientific research is the key to making possible longer and healthier lives," he added. "That's the reason why Alya and I are making this philanthropic investment. There is no place that we could make an investment that will have a more profound effect on so many. We are deeply grateful to former UCLA Chancellor Gene Block for his steadfast leadership; Interim Chancellor Darnell Hunt for his continued partnership; UCLA Health's Dr. John Mazziotta for his dedication and hard work; Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and former Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins for their visionary confidence; the UC Board of Regents; and my fellow founders for their unwavering support of this ambitious endeavor to build the premier institute for scientific research and innovation."

The institute was co-founded by Meyer Luskin, Dr. Eric Esrailian, Dr. Arie Belldegrun, Michael Milken and Sean Parker. At 360,000 square feet, it will be the primary occupant in the 700,000-square-foot UCLA Research Park that is on the site of the former Westside Pavilion. UCLA's January 2024 acquisition of the property, 2 miles from the Westwood campus, was made possible in part by a $200 million appropriation from the state of California.

Former UCLA Chancellor Gene Block, who stepped down on July 31 after 17 years leading the university, played a central role in coordinating the acquisition of the Westside Pavilion property and the effort to bring the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy to UCLA.

"I am incredibly excited to see the institute taking shape -; in large part due to the work and contributions of the Michelsons and our other partners -; and I believe as strongly as ever that UCLA and Los Angeles will be the perfect home for it," said Block. "The institute exemplifies UCLA's enduring commitment to harnessing scientific research for the public good, and it will cement our university's position as one of the world's leading centers of medical innovation."

"The California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy at UCLA's Research Park is yet another proof point that California remains the epicenter of global innovation  an endeavor that will benefit California, the United States, and the world," said California Gov. Gavin Newsom. "This incredible act of generosity by Alya and Gary Michelson, coupled with Gary's prolific work over the years as a leading innovator in the medical field, perfectly exemplifies the California spirit and will help ensure our state's global economic, scientific, and technological dominance for decades to come."

"The launch of the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy showcases what's possible with collaboration," said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. "Locking arms to make investments like this opens the possibility for groundbreaking research that has the potential to fundamentally change health outcomes around the world and create good jobs in Los Angeles. I want to thank Dr. Gary Michelson and Alya Michelson for taking this action, which will positively impact Angelenos and people worldwide for decades."

The institute will operate as a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) medical research organization governed by an independent board that includes UCLA representatives. The recipient of the $120 million gift from the Michelsons is the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, which will use the funding to support research at the institute.

The institute leverages an unprecedented blend of public investment, philanthropic funding, and UCLA's strengths in clinical treatment and scientific research. It is designed to be an agile, interdisciplinary, highly collaborative network of research facilities that, in concert with private industry, will accelerate the development and delivery of new pharmaceuticals and treatments for patients.

The institute will recruit leading scientists from around the world, create an integrated ecosystem of biotechnology startups and train the next generation of leading-edge medical researchers. As a hub of biomedical collaboration, the institute and the biomedical companies it gives rise to will be an economic engine for the region and state.

"I am grateful to Alya and Gary and their fellow co-founders. Their vision for and support of the institute is a vote of confidence in our ability to cure some of the most devastating disorders -; together," said Dr. John Mazziotta, UCLA's vice chancellor for health sciences and CEO of UCLA Health.

This gift is the Michelsons' single largest donation over more than 30 years of philanthropy. The couple has contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to fighting social inequities and supporting medical research, education reform, prison reform and animal welfare. Among other projects, they fund the annual Michelson Prizes for immunology and vaccine research.

In 2016, the Michelsons signed The Giving Pledge, a campaign launched by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett that encourages the wealthiest individuals and families to contribute the majority of their fortune to philanthropic causes.
Study: Can AI chatbots accurately answer patient questions regarding vasectomies? Image Credit: Fabian Montano Hernandez / Shutterstock

ChatGPT provided the most accurate and concise answers to frequently asked vasectomy questions compared to Gemini (formerly Bard) and Copilot (formerly Bing), making it a reliable patient resource.

In a recent study published in the journal IJIR: Your Sexual Medicine Journal, researchers evaluated the efficacy and accuracy of three common generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots in answering basic healthcare questions. Specifically, they investigated ChatGPT-3.5, Bing Chat, and Google Bard's performance when answering questions related to vasectomies.

Critical assessment by a team of qualified urologists revealed that while all models performed satisfactorily across the ten common question tests, the ChatGPT algorithm attained the highest average score (1.367), significantly outperforming Bing Chat and Google Bard (p=0.03988 and p=0.00005, respectively). Encouragingly, with the exception of Google Bard (now 'Gemini') presenting one 'unsatisfactory' response to the question, 'Does a vasectomy hurt?', all generative AI responses were rated either 'satisfactory' or 'excellent.' Together, these results highlight the benefits of generative AI development in the healthcare industry, particularly when used to answer basic and common patient questions in an accurate and timely manner.

However, the study authors caution that while these results are promising, they were based on responses reviewed by only three non-blinded urologists, which may have introduced bias into the ratings. Despite this limitation, the findings are a step forward in validating AI chatbots for patient education.

Background

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the collective name for a set of models and technologies that enable computers and machines to perform advanced tasks with human-like perception, comprehension, and iterative learning. Generative AI is a subset of these technologies that learn from human-supplied large machine learning (ML) datasets, thereby generating novel text, audio-visual media, and other types of informative data.

Recent progress in computation hardware (processing power), software (advanced algorithms), and expansive training datasets has allowed AI's utility to witness unprecedented growth, especially in the healthcare sector. Bolstered by the recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the number of patients seeking online medical advice is higher than ever.

AI chatbots are pieces of software that leverage generative AI models to respond to user queries in an easily digestible language without the need for human agents. Numerous AI chatbots exist, with OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Bard (now 'Gemini'), and Microsoft's Bing Chat (now 'Copilot') representing the most used. ChatGPT alone has been reported to have more than 200 million users and more than 1.7 billion monthly responses in less than two years since its public release. While anecdotal evidence from both users and experts suggests that chatbots substantially outperform conventional search engine results in answering common medical questions, these hypotheses have never been formally investigated.

About the study

The present study aims to fill this gap in the literature using human (expert) subjective reasoning to evaluate chatbot responses to common urological questions regarding the vasectomy procedure. Given their widespread use (above 100 million users), the chatbots under investigation include ChatGPT-3.5, Google Bard, and Bing Chat.

Data for the study was obtained in a single session by having three expert registered urologists rate responses (four-point scale) to 10 common vasectomy questions. The questions were chosen from an independently generated question bank comprising 30 questions.

"Responses were rated as 1 (excellent response not requiring clarification), 2 (satisfactory requiring minimal clarification), 3 (satisfactory requiring moderate clarification), or 4 (unsatisfactory requiring substantial clarification). Scores of 1 were those that provided a level of detail and evidence that is comparable to what is reported in the current literature whereas scores of 4 were assigned if the answers were considered incorrect or vague enough to invite potential misinterpretation."

Following ratings, statistical analysis, including one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's honestly significant difference (HSD) test, were used to elucidate differences between chatbot-specific outcomes. The results showed that ChatGPT's scores were significantly different from both Bard's and Bing's (p=0.00005 and p=0.03988, respectively), while the difference between Bard and Bing was found to be insignificant (p=0.09651).

Study findings

The ChatGPT model was observed to perform the best out of the three evaluated, with a mean score of 1.367 (lower is better) and 41 points across all ten questions. In comparison, Bing achieved a mean score of 1.800 (total = 54), and Bard had a mean score of 2.167 (total = 65). Notably, Bing and Bard's scores were statistically indistinguishable.

Results were similar in consistency evaluations, where ChatGPT once again topped scores  it was the only chatbot to receive unanimous 'excellent' (score = 1) ratings from all three experts and did so for three separate questions. In contrast, the worst score received was one expert rating one of Bard's responses 'unsatisfactory' for the question, 'Does a vasectomy hurt?' (score = 4).

"The question that received the highest score on average was "Do vasectomies affect testosterone levels?" (Mean score 2.22  0.51) and the question that received the lowest score on average was "How effective are vasectomies as contraception?" (Mean score 1.44  0.56)."

Conclusions

The present study is the first to scientifically evaluate the performance of three commonly used AI chatbots (with significant differences in their underlying ML models) in answering patients' medical questions. Herein, experts scored chatbot responses to frequently asked questions regarding the vasectomy procedure.

Contrasting the general advice of 'Do not google your medical questions,' all evaluated AI chatbots received overall positive ratings with mean scores ranging from 1.367 (ChatGPT) to 2.167 (Bard) on a 4-point scale (1 = excellent, 4 = unsatisfactory, lower is better). ChatGPT was found to perform the best of the three models and be the most consistently reliable (with three unanimous excellent ratings). While Bard did receive an isolated unsatisfactory rating for a single question, this only occurred once and may be considered a statistical outlier.

Together, these findings highlight AI chatbots as accurate and effective sources of information for patients seeking educational advice on common medical conditions, reducing the burden on medical practitioners and the potential monetary expenditure (consultation fees) for the general public. However, the study also highlights potential ethical concerns, particularly regarding non-blinded assessments and the small number of reviewers, which could have introduced bias into the results.
A new editorial was published in Oncotarget's Volume 15 on August 26, 2024, entitled, "Artificial intelligence: A transformative tool in precision oncology."



Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing society and healthcare, 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."
The supermarket giant unveiled the new system earlier in August and said it's intended to speed up shopping, while helping Aussies to budget better.

Shoppers are giving mixed reviews to arguably the biggest change to the supermarket experience since self-serve checkouts were introduced. Woolworths' new tablet trolley technology, that enables customers to scan groceries as they browse through aisles has now been trialled by thousands of shoppers  but not everyone is so sure about it.

Some have thrown their support behind the tech, saying it's "easy" and allowed them to speed up their shop, but others claimed it "took much longer" than they thought to get the job done, with one elderly shopper even describing it as "infuriating".

Unveiling the Australian-first trial earlier this month, Woolworths said the tech effectively shifts the checkout process to the moment you pull items off the shelf, with trolleys keeping a tally of all the products placed into it so customers can quickly pay on the way out.

It's meant to save time at the checkout, while also potentially helping customers to budget better and trim costs.

The scheme is being trialled in Woolworths' Windsor store in Sydney's north-west, before it is more broadly rolled out. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Woolworths Managing Director Faye IIhan earlier said the new Scan&Go system "is a market-leading innovation".

It's also been reported Coles will follow suit, however a company spokesperson told Yahoo on Thursday they don't currently have plans to adopt the technology.

Woolworths is trialling a bold new check-out scheme set to drastically change the way Aussies pay for groceries. Source: Woolworths

Woolworths customers divided over 'market-leading' new tech

A little over two weeks since its debut, shoppers appear torn over whether it's actually enhanced their grocery shopping experience. Sydney customer Jenny Wergeltof said she wasn't convinced by the new system.

"It wasn't as easy as just doing my normal shop ... It took much longer than I thought it would," she told 7News. "Part of that was finding the products, but then it was also that you have to scan and lean over and just checking all the time."

Another elderly shopper went as far as saying it "infuriated" her. "I like my human contact," the woman said. While on the other end of the spectrum, a young customer boasted that she thought the tablets were "just so easy" to use, suggesting there might be a generational divide when it comes to shoppers embracing the new system.

"I'll try anything that makes it quick," another man said.

One hurdle is the fact that, while an overwhelming majority of products on shelves do have a barcode on them, the trolleys will not be able to record produce that requires weighing. But despite the seemingly mixed response from shoppers on the ground, Woolworths said the rollout had actually exceeded early expectations.

"While it's been in use for just over a week, the launch of our Scan&Go trolley has exceeded expectations," a spokesperson told Yahoo. "Customers are saying the trolley is saving them time and the ability to see a running total of their shop means it's helping them better manage their budget."

Woolworths says staff will conduct random checks of people shopping to make sure people don't exploit the system to steal. The company told Yahoo the new technology won't impact employment.

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Study: International healthcare workers experiences and perceptions of the 2022 multi-country mpox outbreak. Image Credit: Corona Borealis Studio / Shutterstock

*Important notice: medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.

A survey was recently conducted to understand the experiences and perceptions of multi-national healthcare workers during the recent mpox outbreaks worldwide.

The study is currently available on the medRxiv preprint* server.

Background

Healthcare workers play a significant role in health system preparedness and resilience during public health emergencies. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has taught the world how severely a pandemic can impact the health and wellbeing of healthcare workers.

As of 31 July 2024, 102,997 laboratory-confirmed mpox cases and 223 deaths have been reported globally across 121 WHO Member States. WHO Repoprting

During a pandemic like COVID-19, frontline healthcare workers face major challenges in providing necessary service to people affected by a disease with a largely unknown clinical course and prognostic factors. They also have to cope with uncertainty, anxiety, stress, fear of disease contraction, a lack of personal protective equipment, and extended working hours.

Real-world studies have reported wide-ranging experiences of adversity, moral distress, and resilience among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. International knowledge exchange and transfer programs have been found to partially ameliorate the difficulties experienced by healthcare workers during the pandemic.

The 2022-2023 global monkeypox (mpox) disease outbreaks have significantly impacted healthcare workers, especially those residing in non-endemic countries like Europe and the USA. The emergence of mpox outside historically affected regions posed new challenges, particularly in the context of ongoing global health crises like COVID-19. Most of the challenges healthcare workers face are associated with a lack of knowledge and experience about the disease.

In this study, an international team of scientists has examined multi-national healthcare workers' personal and clinical experiences during mpox outbreaks.

Study design

The 10 most affected countries since January 2022 account for 80.0% of global cases, with the USA leading (33,556 cases) followed by Brazil and Spain.

This survey was conducted between August and October 2022 on healthcare workers involved in the clinical management of mpox outbreaks. A total of 725 multi-national healthcare workers from 41 non-endemic countries were enrolled for the survey.

Self-reported data on clinical workload, safety, preparedness, workplace training and support, mental wellbeing, and vaccination was collected through online questionnaires. The emergence of mpox outside historically affected regions posed new challenges, particularly in the context of ongoing global health crises like COVID-19.

Important observations

Healthcare workers in the United Kingdom, the European Union, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, the United States, and Canada participated in this survey.

About 91% of participants were physicians specialized in sexual health or infectious diseases, and 34% were involved in mpox policy.

About 41% of participants reported longer working hours during the mpox outbreak, and 87% reported dealing with this extra load along with their regular clinical responsibilities. This additional workload, without the removal of existing responsibilities, exacerbated the pressure on healthcare systems already strained by the ongoing pandemic.

About 30% of participants reported not having any knowledge about mpox before the outbreak, with only 1% reporting having experience treating a mpox case before the outbreak. This highlights the significant knowledge gap among healthcare workers about re-emerging diseases, a critical concern given the increasing frequency of such outbreaks.

More than 25% of participants reported misdiagnosing someone with a mpox-related rash with another condition initially. The most commonly reported misdiagnoses were chickenpox, syphilis, and herpes.

Over half of the study population agreed that their institutions provided clear, timely, and authoritative information about the disease and that they had received the required education, training, or instruction. However, there were notable regional disparities, with healthcare workers in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America reporting significantly less institutional support compared to their counterparts in Europe and North America.

About 60% and 72% of participants reported following local service guidelines and national guidelines, respectively. About 40% of participants expressed their dissatisfaction with the support received from national public health agencies. This dissatisfaction was particularly pronounced in regions with historically limited access to public health resources, underscoring the need for more equitable support structures.

More than half of the study population reported feeling moral distress due to their work experiences in managing suspected or confirmed clinical cases of mpox. About 37% of participants reported impaired psychological wellbeing due to moral distress.

The studys findings emphasize the significant psychological toll on healthcare workers, which could have long-term consequences for the sustainability of the workforce.

In July 2024, 22 countries reported an increase in mpox cases, with a total of 35 countries reporting cases that month.

Vaccination to prevent mpox

Less than 50% of participants reported receiving smallpox vaccination before the mpox outbreak. In the USA, Europe, and Canada, around one in three participants received the vaccine, whereas the vaccination rate was one in ten in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.

Overall, the vaccine uptake was high across all studied regions. More than 90% of participants in each region reported that vaccination should be offered to people at high risk of mpox infection prior to exposure.

Despite this high acceptance, the survey revealed significant inequities in vaccine access, particularly in low-resourced regions, which mirrored the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Study significance

This multi-national survey finds a profound gap in knowledge about mpox among healthcare workers, even though this neglected disease has been circulating among humans since 1970.

Such a deficit in knowledge highlights the urgent need for increasing global pandemic preparedness initiatives for frontline healthcare workers.

The findings suggest that health systems must prioritize educating and training healthcare workers on emerging infectious diseases to ensure rapid and effective responses in future outbreaks.

The survey finds a high vaccine acceptance and uptake level among healthcare workers involved in managing suspected or confirmed mpox cases. However, vaccine inequity and access have been significant in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. This inequity hampers the effectiveness of outbreak responses in these regions and raises concerns about global health interventions' overall fairness and efficiency.

Such inequity highlights the need to prioritize healthcare workers for mpox vaccination, particularly in regions with scarce infection prevention resources. The study calls for a coordinated global effort to address these disparities and ensure that healthcare workers, especially in low-resourced settings, are adequately protected. The scientists mentioned that similar surveys should be conducted on African clinicians to understand how unavailability or inaccessibility to essential resources like vaccines impacts their psychological well-being and perception of support.

Overall, the survey findings highlight a critical need for strengthening the resilience of global health systems and multidisciplinary approaches against future outbreaks. This resilience-building must include addressing the systemic issues leading to healthcare worker burnout and moral distress, ensuring that the global healthcare workforce is prepared and supported in future public health emergencies.

*Important notice: medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
Even before the coronavirus pandemic, high rates of burnout and staffing shortages plagued the nursing industry, primarily because of the stressful demands of the job. The COVID-19 pandemic only amplified these challenges, and with nearly a third of all Missouri nurses nearing retirement, improving nurse retention is key to avoiding an impending nursing workforce crisis in our state.

Despite dozens of studies proving burnout is an issue, few provide interventions to help nurses -; and their patients -; overcome its challenges.

A recent study by the University of Missouri has found that a simple and common-sense solution -; giving nurses massages during their work shift -; not only reduces their physical aches and pains but also leaves them feeling mentally rejuvenated to return to work. The findings can help leaders in health care and other industries with high rates of burnout consider the impact massages or other interventions can have on improving employee well-being and reducing high rates of staff turnover.

From the bedside to the research lab

Jennifer Hulett has been a nurse for 30 years and is now a researcher at Mizzou's Sinclair School of Nursing. She knows firsthand how 12-hour shifts lead to physical aches and pains, chronic stress and a high rate of burnout.

With so many nurses leaving the profession for less stressful careers, the extremely high rate of burnout has caused a constantly revolving door of staffing shortages throughout the nursing industry, with the average new nurse becoming burned out within 18 months on the job.

I have seen over the years the physical and mental toll the job puts on nurses, and many nurses are not healthy as a result. It is unfortunate because nurses dedicate their careers to taking care of their patients, but no one is taking care of the nurses. I'm determined to change the culture of the nursing industry in a way that improves well-being through mind-body interventions." Jennifer Hulett, researcher at Mizzou's Sinclair School of Nursing

In the recently published study, nurses were surveyed on their physical symptoms related to aches and pains as well as their mental well-being before and after receiving 15-minute massages twice per week during their work shift for a month.

"After just one month of the intervention, the nurses reported fewer aches and pains after receiving the massages," Hulett said. "Perhaps the most important finding was the nurses often reported feeling rejuvenated to go back to work after the massages, improving their overall mental well-being."

Hulett's main objective is to create a healthier work environment where nurses are excited to go to work and want to remain in the profession long-term. Massages could be just one intervention among a toolbox of options nurses could potentially choose from. She added that more research is needed to further explore other types of interventions to see which ones might be most effective in improving employee well-being.

"It is time to start thinking outside the box because if we do nothing, current staffing shortages will continue to get worse," Hulett said. "We have seen over the years that it becomes a vicious cycle where you are constantly hiring new nurses without enough experienced nurses to mentor and train the new hires. This ultimately impacts the quality of care that gets delivered to patients, and that is another critical topic future research can explore."

While this particular study focused on burnout in the nursing industry, Hulett added that other healthcare professionals and professions that experience high rates of staffing shortages because of burnout could benefit from this type of intervention.

"Massage therapy for hospital-based nurses: A proof-of-concept study" was published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. Hulett collaborated on the study with Susan Scott.
Indigenous students pursuing nursing careers at the University of Arizona College of Nursing will benefit from additional financial support thanks to a $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Indian Health Service.



The grant will fund the successful Indians in Nursing: Career Advancement and Transition Scholars, or INCATS, program for another five years. The program provides Indigenous students at the U of A College of Nursing with financial support for tuition, fees and a living stipend.



Additionally, the grant provides resources for dedicated time and personnel to partner with tribal communities in Arizona, fostering outreach and engagement efforts to inspire Indigenous youths to pursue nursing careers.

This grant provides critical resources that not only support our Indigenous nursing scholars but also help us connect with tribal communities in Arizona to strengthen the tribal nursing workforce,"+ Timian Godfrey, DNP, associate clinical professor at the College of Nursing and director of the INCATS program

Indigenous students pursuing nursing careers stand to gain significantly from INCATS funding, with an overall goal to ultimately improve health care in Native American communities. The program was developed to increase the number of highly trained and skilled Native American nurses in tribal health care facilities and create new pathways for nurses with two-year associate degrees to advance their careers.



Godfrey, who is Dine (Navajo), said the program has supported 13 Native American students, 10 of whom have graduated, in advancing their nursing education and careers.



"This grant provides a valuable opportunity to educate, train, mentor and graduate more Indigenous nurses from the University of Arizona who will then go on to work with Indigenous peoples and support the health of those respective communities," Godfrey said. "The goal of this work is to advance health equity for Indigenous peoples, and education is a key component of health for a community."



"This additional funding from the Indian Health Service is a vote of confidence in our program and, more importantly, our Native American students," said Brian Ahn, PhD, dean of the College of Nursing. "The INCATS program has a successful record of increasing the number of Indigenous nurses in Arizona, and we look forward to expanding that impact over the next five years."



Godfrey said the grant should fully support four to six Indigenous students during each of the next five years, providing them with the tools and education they need to succeed in the nursing profession.



"The INCATS program is a model for the nation about how to diversify the nursing workforce and educate the next generation of Indigenous nurses," said Terry Badger, PhD, RN, a professor, the director of research initiatives and the Eleanor Bauwens Endowed Chair at the College of Nursing.
Women with opioid use disorder and who are also involved with the criminal legal system face unique challenges and stigmas that may keep them from seeking substance use treatment and harm reduction tools that could prevent overdose deaths, according to new research led by a team from Penn State. Harm reduction strategies are evidence-based practices to engage people who use drugs and provide them with tools and information to reduce the risk of overdose. These practices can play a critical role in addressing the overdose crisis in the United States, especially when tailored to address women's needs.

Through in-depth interviews with women with opioid use disorder and professionals who work with them, the researchers identified recommendations for more effective drug treatment programs. Recommendations include increasing the accessibility of harm reduction tools, expanding harm reduction education, and shifting away from "abstinence only" paradigms within substance use treatment programs.

They published their findings in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behavior.

"Improving engagement in overdose prevention and harm reduction practices is one challenge that must be addressed to mitigate the impacts of the U.S. overdose crisis," said Eric Harrison, graduate student in the human development and family studies program at Penn State and lead author of the paper. "Finding ways to teach women with opioid use disorder about harm reduction, more effectively distribute harm reduction tools to them and reduce stigma among providers and professionals is essential to reduce overdose risk for women with opioid use disorder."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 108,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2022, 76% of which involved an opioid. However, there is limited research that examines the risk factors for overdose particularly among women who may face different challenges compared to men.

"Women who use drugs are heavily stigmatized because many are also mothers. This stigma may prohibit women from seeking harm reduction programs and substance use treatment," said Abenaa Jones, the Ann Atherton Hertzler Early Career Professor in Health and Human Development, assistant professor of human development and family studies and senior author of the paper.

Women who use drugs and are involved in the criminal legal system are in a particularly vulnerable state, the researchers said. Not only do they face a high chance of overdose immediately following release but involvement in the criminal legal system also imposes longer-term challenges to recovery.

These stigmas and barriers can make it hard to attain the forms of 'recovery capital' that are so needed to sustain recovery. Finding unique ways to support this group facing so many intersecting vulnerabilities is essential to promoting well-being." Kristina Brant, Study Co-Author and Assistant Professor, Rural Sociology, Pennsylvania State University

Researchers conducted in-depth interviews with 20 women with an opioid-use disorder and history of criminal justice involvement, 12 substance use disorder treatment professionals and 10 criminal justice professional who have worked with women with opioid use disorder, all of whom were based in Pennsylvania.

The interviews explored the women's personal experience with overdose, their use or knowledge of overdose prevention techniques and barriers faced when accessing or using those techniques or the professionals' experience working with women with opioid use disorder. In these conversations, the researchers also parsed the challenges that pregnant people and mothers face when seeking treatment. They detailed those findings in a paper published earlier this year.

From these interviews, they also found that there's a lack of knowledge about harm reduction practices. Women may not be aware of tools like naloxone -; or Narcan, a medication that can reverse overdose from opioids -; and fentanyl testing strips, where to access them and how to use them, which severely limits their usefulness in preventing overdose. In some cases, this could be attributed to low communication between substance use treatment professionals and clients or insufficient aftercare support following an overdose. Without proper tools or knowledge, women may turn to strategies that may be ineffective or even harmful.

"Harm reduction tools like Narcan are more common today, but we need to consider the implications of effectively getting Narcan into everyone's hands. Even with Narcan available over the counter, there are still people who may never purchase it," Harrison said, explaining that stigma may prevent the purchase, especially for women who fear possible legal or child custody repercussions. "Increasing accessibility and expanding education around naloxone and other harm reduction tools, especially to individuals not directly connected to substance use, is an important consideration."

The findings also highlight important differences in perspective between women with opioid use disorder and the professionals who work with them, the researchers said. While both groups noted a heightened vulnerability to overdose because of a drug supply increasingly contaminated with substances like fentanyl and xylazine, some of the professionals drew on a narrative that people put themselves at risk by seeking out more potent substances and weren't concerned about overdosing.

"The women never put this blame on themselves or others who use drugs, instead telling us about the dangers of a toxic drug supply and lack of access to tolls that can help assess drug type, like fentanyl testing strips, and help people make decisions about how to reduce risk," Brant said.

In order to prevent opioid overdose, the researchers said there needs to be increased access to naloxone and other harm reduction tools, expanded harm reduction education and a shift away from "abstinence only" paradigms within substance use treatment programs.

"Some people may not seek help because they don't want to pursue total abstinence," Harrison said. "We need more open discussions about overdose prevention and harm reduction and more socially accepted options to help save lives by meeting people where they are without bias or judgment."

The study's findings will inform the design of a comprehensive intervention for women with opioid-use disorder and involved in the criminal legal system. The program integrates substance use treatment with peer support, overdose response training, access to overdose reversal drugs, and assistance with transportation, childcare and housing. Half of the women will be randomly selected to participate in a trauma support group.

"These components are rarely offered in tandem with substance use treatment. This research is assessing if having this comprehensive program is linked with better substance use and social outcomes," Jones said.

Other Penn State authors on the paper include Emma Skogseth and Sienna Strong-Jones, graduate students in human development and family studies. Carl Latkin, vice chair, department of health, behavior and society at Johns Hopkins University also contributed to the paper.

Funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Social Science Research Institute at Penn State supported this work.
University of Missouri researchers are working to develop the first-ever vaccine proven to protect cattle from a devastating tick-borne cattle disease known as bovine anaplasmosis. The research is vital to the state's economy as it aims to protect Missouri's $1.6 billion cattle industry.

Bovine anaplasmosis -; which is common in Missouri -; infects the red blood cells of cattle and causes hundreds of millions of dollars in economic losses nationwide each year and nearly $1 billion in losses worldwide, primarily due to reduced cattle production, treatment costs and deaths.

Roman Ganta, a McKee endowed professor in Mizzou's College of Veterinary Medicine and a Bond Life Sciences Center researcher, led the study that created the new vaccine. The work involved genetically modifying the pathogen Anaplasma marginale -; which causes bovine anaplasmosis -; in a lab. By deleting a specific gene and then injecting the modified pathogen into cattle, the vaccinated cattle were successfully immunized against the disease.

I often receive calls from cattle producers who are excited about our research and want to know how soon they can get the vaccine. There is currently no effective, widely available, vaccine for the disease, and cattle farmers are very worried about the disease harming or killing their cattle. We want to help farmers in Missouri and around the world and are working hard to come up with a viable solution." Roman Ganta, a McKee endowed professor in Mizzou's College of Veterinary Medicine

Moving the needle forward

Ganta, who has been researching molecular genetics and vector-borne diseases for more than 30 years, was hired at Mizzou in 2023 as part of MizzouForward, a 10-year, $1.5 billion transformational effort that focuses on faculty expansion, infrastructure growth and student success.

Throughout his career, Ganta has published more than 100 studies in peer-reviewed journals and earned more than $22 million in grants from organizations such as the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, industry partners and foundations. He is an example of why Mizzou is a leading research university and a member of the prestigious Association for American Universities.

Working at a land-grant university, Ganta's research will ultimately help improve the health of cattle -; and the agricultural economy -; throughout Missouri, particularly in rural areas.

"Missouri is a hotbed for tick-borne diseases, and bovine anaplasmosis causes massive economic losses both here in Missouri and around the world," Ganta said. "Mizzou has already made substantial contributions to protecting cattle against ticks. For example, many farmers currently give their cattle an antibiotic called chlortetracycline, which was first discovered at Mizzou's Sanborn Field in 1945. While effective, that medicine doesn't fully eliminate the infection, so this new vaccine is an innovative step forward to fully eliminate the infection."

Ganta said the new vaccine has been proven to give immunized cattle protection against bovine anaplasmosis for at least a month, and he and his team are eager to conduct additional research to determine how long the genetically modified pathogen can provide immunity for cattle. Ganta is also collaborating with industry partners to discuss future distribution of the new vaccine -; which has been patented -; to cattle producers.

"The genetically modified live vaccine offers protective immunity against wild-type Anaplasma marginale tick-transmission challenge" was published recently in Vaccine. Funding for the study was provided by the National Institutes of Health and Russell L. Rustici Rangeland and Cattle Research Endowment, University of California, Davis.

Leading the charge in tick research

Mizzou -; the state of Missouri's flagship and most prominent research university -; has been on the frontlines of tick research for years. A 2021 Mizzou study found recent increases in both the number and severity of tick-borne diseases in the Midwest, particularly in the humid climates of Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. The documentation of what, when and where ticks are present helps public health officials better understand the threat of tick-borne diseases to people, pets and livestock.

Researchers in Mizzou's College of Veterinary Medicine and College of Health Sciences also were the first to identify the invasive longhorned tick in northern Missouri in 2022 and in Boone County, Missouri, in 2023. Mizzou's Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory assists livestock producers who notice various health issues in their cattle with tracking down the causes of such signs in an effort to support Missouri's agriculture industry.
Study: Brain clocks capture diversity and disparities in aging and dementia across geographically diverse populations. Image Credit: Lightspring / Shutterstock

In a recent study published in the journal Nature Medicine , researchers used deep learning to analyze the impact of geographical, sociodemographic, socioeconomic, neurodegeneration-related, and gender diversity on brain-age gaps across 15 countries. They found that structural socioeconomic inequality, pollution, and health disparities are key predictors of increased brain-age gaps, particularly in Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) regions, with larger gaps observed in females and individuals with cognitive impairments like Alzheimers disease (AD).

Background

The brain undergoes dynamic changes with age, which are crucial to understanding, especially in relation to disparities and brain disorders like AD. Brain-age models, which measure brain health across various factors, have the potential to capture diversity in aging but have been underexplored in underrepresented populations like those in LAC. These populations face significant socioeconomic and health disparities, which may impact brain aging. Research on brain aging has mainly focused on populations from the Global North and often uses structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), neglecting brain network dynamics captured by functional MRI (fMRI) and electroencephalograms (EEG). While EEG is a more accessible tool in resource-limited settings, its use in large-scale studies is limited by challenges in standardization and integration with fMRI. There is a need to develop scalable brain-age markers using deep learning that incorporate these techniques and account for demographic diversity, especially in underrepresented populations. Therefore, researchers in the present study used graph convolutional networks to predict brain-age gaps and examine the impact of diversity, including geographical, sociodemographic, and health factors, on brain aging.

About the study

The study analyzed resting-state fMRI and EEG datasets of 5,306 participants across 15 countries in the LAC and non-LAC regions. fMRI data were collected from 2,953 participants in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, the United States of America, China, and Japan, while EEG data were gathered from 2,353 participants in Argentina, Greece, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ireland, Italy, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. The participants included 3,509 healthy controls and 1,808 with neurocognitive disorders, namely mild cognitive impairment (MCI), AD, or behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). The data underwent rigorous preprocessing, including normalization, noise correction, and source space estimation. High-order interactions between brain regions were assessed, with data converted into graphs for analysis via graph convolutional networks (GCNs). An approach involving 80% cross-validation and 20% hold-out testing was used. Data augmentation techniques were employed, and the models predictive performance was evaluated using goodness of fit (R) and root mean square error (r.m.s.e). Gradient-boosting models were used to explore the influence of exposome factors on brain-age gaps. Extensive statistical analyses were conducted to validate the findings, including permutation tests and bootstrapping. Data quality was carefully assessed, and the study adhered to strict ethical guidelines.

Datasets included LAC and non-LAC healthy controls (HC, total n = 3,509) and participants with Alzheimer disease (AD, total n = 828), bvFTD (total n = 463) and MCI (total n = 517). The fMRI dataset included 2,953 participants from LAC (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru) as well as non-LAC (the USA, China and Japan). The EEG dataset involved 2,353 participants from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Cuba (LAC) as well as Greece, Ireland, Italy, Turkey and the UK (non-LAC). The raw fMRI and EEG signals were preprocessed by filtering and artifact removal and the EEG signals were normalized to project them into source space. A parcellation using the automated anatomical labeling (AAL) atlas for both the fMRI and EEG signals was performed to build the nodes from which we calculated the high-order interactions using the -information metric. A connectivity matrix was obtained for both modalities, which was later represented by graphs. Data augmentation was performed only in the testing dataset. The graphs were used as input for a graph convolutional deep learning network (architecture shown in the last row), with separate models for EEG and fMRI. Finally, age prediction was obtained, and the performance was measured by comparing the predicted versus the chronological ages. This figure was partially created with BioRender.com (fMRI and EEG devices).

Results and discussion

The brain-aging models showed adequate predictive performance. The key predictive brain-regional features were centered around frontoposterior networks, including nodes in the precentral gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, and superior and middle frontal gyri. Additional key nodes for the fMRI model were the inferior frontal gyri, anterior and median cingulate, and paracingulate gyri. For the EEG model, the inferior occipital gyrus and the superior and inferior parietal gyri were also significant.

Notably, when analyzing non-LAC datasets, the models showed similar patterns in predictive features but with a slightly reduced fit. In contrast, models trained on LAC datasets revealed a moderate fit and increased r.m.s.e. values, highlighting biases towards predicting older brain ages, particularly for female participants. Furthermore, the examination of cross-regional effects demonstrated that training with non-LAC data and testing on LAC resulted in positive mean directional errors (MDE), indicating biases towards older brain ages. Additionally, brain-age gaps were observed to be widened in clinical populations, suggesting accelerated aging in conditions like MCI and AD compared to healthy controls.

These findings highlight the complexities of brain aging across different populations. They emphasize the importance of considering diversity factors in neurocognitive assessments. The study is strengthened by using diverse datasets across several countries, integrating fMRI and EEG data, and developing scalable, personalized brain health metrics applicable to diverse and underrepresented populations. However, the study is limited by the lack of clinical EEG data from non-LAC regions, reliance on unimodal brain-age gap measurement, limited regional data, and the absence of individual-level demographic factors like gender identity, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the study demonstrates that brain clock models are sensitive to diverse factors such as geography, sex, macrosocial influences, and diseases, despite data variability. By leveraging deep learning on high-order brain interactions across fMRI and EEG, the research paves the way for inclusive, accessible tools to assess disparities in brain aging. It could potentially aid the identification and staging of neurocognitive disorders like MCI, AD, and bvFTD and support personalized medicine approaches globally.
The method used across the United States to wait-list children for heart transplants does not consistently rank the sickest patients first, according to a new study led by Stanford Medicine experts.

The study published online Aug. 5 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Adding nuance to the wait-list system by accounting for more health factors could reduce children's risk of dying while they await donor hearts, according to the study's authors. A revision to the way donor hearts are assigned is already in process. The study adds evidence for why it is needed, they said.

"Wait-list mortality, which is the chance that a child will die while awaiting transplant, is higher in pediatric heart transplant than for virtually any other organ or age group," said the study's senior author, Christopher Almond, MD, professor of pediatrics. Almond cares for children before and after heart transplantation at Stanford Medicine Children's Health.

"The current system is not doing a good job of capturing medical urgency, which is one of its explicit goals," said the study's co-lead author, economist Kurt Sweat, PhD, who conducted the research as a graduate student in economics at Stanford University. Sweat shares lead authorship of the study with Alyssa Power, MD, who was a postdoctoral scholar in pediatric heart failure/transplant at Stanford Medicine when she worked on the study.

In the last 25 years, the method used to rank infants and children on the waitlist for heart transplants has been revised three times; the most recent changes took effect in 2016. Over these decades, outcomes improved. Patients' risk of dying on the waitlist fell from 21% to 13%, even while the total number of pediatric heart transplants increased.

But the decline in deaths is due to improvements in medical care rather than the changes in how organs are allocated, the study found.

The goals of the current allocation system are to improve wait-list mortality and to allocate organs ethically and fairly. Wait-list mortality has declined, which is a very good thing, but based on our analysis, it doesn't look like the allocation changes made the difference. Although the intent behind the current system is to prioritize the children based on medical urgency, we saw that the system is not actually sequencing patients according to their risk." Christopher Almond, MD, professor of pediatrics, Stanford Medicine Children's Health

Three wait-list categories

Infants and children who need heart transplants are added to a waiting list maintained by the United Network for Organ Sharing, the national nonprofit that manages all organ transplants across the country.

Pediatric donor hearts are in short supply, especially for infants and smaller children, as few children die in circumstances that allow their organs to be donated. Matching must account for several factors, including geographic locations of the donor and recipient, immune compatibility, and body size. The matching system is intended to prioritize sicker children for transplant and to function equitably.

The current waitlist relies on few factors to determine where a child ranks and uses only three categories of urgency: 1A, the most urgent status, followed by 1B and 2. Factors used to determine a childs category include what type of heart problem they have (such as congenital heart disease, which is present at birth, or cardiomyopathy, a heart muscle problem that typically develops after birth) and the medications they are receiving.

The team analyzed data from all 12,408 infants and children less than 18 years of age who were listed for heart transplant between January 20, 1999, and June 26, 2023, in the United States. To see if the current wait-list system was functioning as intended, the researchers used statistical methods, borrowed from economics, that are typically used to study markets.

From the perspective of economics, we think about this fundamentally as an allocation problem, Sweat said. Weve got this scarce resource of donor hearts, and we want to make sure theyre going to candidates who can get the most usage from them. In the case of pediatric heart transplantation, with such high wait-list mortality, what that usually looks like is you want to prioritize patients who are sicker.

The team compared how transplant candidates were actually ranked on the waitlist with how the candidates would have ranked if the listing order was based on medical urgency.

They also considered whether improvements in wait-list outcomes aligned chronologically with the allocation changes implemented in 2006 and 2016, which were intended to create a more equitable waitlist.

Wait-list categories dont work as intended

One of the reasons the chance of dying on the waitlist dropped during the years studied is that children on the waitlist were also healthier in recent years: At the time of transplant, they were less likely to be supported with a ventilator, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (which works like a heart-lung machine) or kidney dialysis, the study found.

However, the medical status of children within each of the three categories on the waitlist varied widely. In fact, the three categories showed significant overlap in the risk of mortality, the study found. In other words, some very sick children were categorized as priority 2 while others who were not as sick had a 1A status, meaning a less-sick child was sometimes offered a donor heart instead of a sicker child.

Also, the three wait-list categories are so broad that less-sick children were sometimes offered a heart before sicker children within the same category because they had been waiting longer, the study said.

Experts agree that a longer wait should not determine transplant priority, because it can incentivize programs to list people early so you can build some wait time, Almond said.

Surprisingly, wait-list rule changes in 2006 and 2016 were not linked to rapid improvements in mortality, as you would expect if the rule changes drove the improvements, the team found.

Rather, mortality decreased gradually from 1999 onward, driven by improvements to medical care, including advancements such as ventricular assist devices  mechanical pumps that support a childs heart during the wait for transplant  and a better recognition of when to list a child for transplant. Over time, the gap in outcomes between patients of different races decreased, they found  a change that was linked to better outcomes overall.

During the study period, physicians also realized that, in infants whose immune systems are still immature, it is safe to transplant organs even when blood types dont match. Gradual adoption of this practice helped reduce wait-list mortality in the youngest heart recipients, especially among babies with type O blood, who were previously the hardest to match, the study found.

The studys findings suggest that the wait-list system should be revised to account for a broader range of medical factors than are currently considered  such as kidney function, liver function and whether a patient is malnourished  and should use the combination of factors to assign each child a numeric risk score to replace the current three categories, the authors said.

The important thing is moving toward a continuous allocation score and refining it so you can account for the technological innovation thats happening in patient care in the meantime, Sweat said.

The revision should also account for whether a patient is healthy enough to benefit and recover from a transplant, Almond said. It would give the highest priority to children with the greatest need who have the best chance to recover from major surgery.

Its very challenging because if a patient is on full life support and their organs are shutting down, that person is very sick and may not survive the wait-list period. And if you transplanted them, those same risk factors mean they may not have a good outcome with transplant, Almond said.

In September 2023, UNOS implemented a new lung transplant allocation system based on a continuous score, and the organization is drafting similar systems for other organs. It plan s to have a proposal for how hearts should be allocated ready for review in 2025.

It is really complicated to figure out how to do this well, but it appears there is still room for improvement, Almond said.

Researchers from Stanford Medicines Departments of Pediatrics and Cardiothoracic Surgery, the Stanford University Department of Economics, and the University of Texas Southwestern School of Medicine contributed to the research.

The research did not receive funding.
Shortly after Kelly Cervantes' daughter Adelaide was born, she started having terrible seizures. Doctors were unable to give her a solution, or even a cause.

We never had an overarching diagnosis for her, which was extraordinarily frustrating and isolating. If we did, we could join groups or talk to people who had various symptoms in common. We also had no idea what her prognosis looked like, or if we could have other children." Kelly Cervantes, Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE)

Over time her condition worsened and sadly she died five days before her fourth birthday.

"She never really progressed past about a three-to-six-month physical development, and we're not entirely sure where she was intellectually. She was incredible but her life was really challenging and really hard."

Cervantes had enrolled her daughter in a research program for people with undiagnosed illnesses. After her daughter's death she got a call asking if she'd like to participate in a study being conducted at The Neuro. Now the results of that study have been published.

The scientists analyzed samples from Adeliade and 21 other people with the condition. By growing stem cells in a dish using the participants' genetic code, the scientists found that mutations in a gene called DENND5A create disfunction, and this disfunction stops brain cells from dividing properly during development. The result is a developing brain with less stem cells, shortening the crucial time period that the brain forms as an embryo.

The finding provides answers to family of people with this rare condition. It also allowed family members to be tested for the mutations so they can make informed choices about family planning. For example, for aspiring parents who carry the mutation, genetic counselors can recommend genetic testing for their partners and give the odds of passing on the condition.

With advancements in gene editing technology, one day the mutation might be corrected with the knowledge this study provides. While such a step is years away at best, Cervantes says it would provide comfort knowing her daughter contributed to a cure.

"Maybe someday down the road, the next Adelaide will have a treatment, and there will be an answer for that family. And how incredible is that to think, that my baby girl had a hand in that?"
Bank strike today: Banking services and transactions might remain affected nationwide on Wednesday, August 28, as the All India Bank Employees Association has called for a nationwide strike today.

The strike is to protest against the action of Bank of India in charge-sheeting all the thirteen office bearers of the Bank staff union.

Bank Strike Today

CH Venkatchalam, General Secretary of AIBEA, updated the media about the Bank Strike today and shared a press release of the association mentioning its demand from the government.

The proposed strike is to show our protest against the action of Bank of India in charge-sheeting all the 13 office bearers of Bank of India Staff Union-Kerala under political pressure, AIBEA General Secretary C.H. Venkatachalam told IANS. Venkatachalam also said four of the charge-sheeted employees are ex-servicemen, including three who took part in the Kargil war.

#AIBEAs call for strike on 28th August, 2024 Against political attack on trade unionAIBOCNCBEBEFIAIBOAINBOCINBEF extend support pic.twitter.com/OwXANu6OmG CH VENKATACHALAM (@ChVenkatachalam) August 20, 2024

AIBEAs call for strike on 28th August, 2024, Against political attack on trade union AIBOCNCBEBEFIAIBOAINBOCINBEF extend support, Venkatchalam wrote in a post on X.

The AIBEA called for a nationwide strike in retaliation to Bank of Indias action against its thirteen officers for attending the 23rd Biennial Conference of the Bank of India Staff Union-Kerala. The BOI had served chargesheets to 13 office bearers of Bank of India Staff Union Kerala.
The family office of actor Amitabh Bachchan has reportedly acquired a minor stake in the food delivery platform Swiggy. This move reflects the growing interest in the quick-commerce sector, driven by the rising demand for rapid delivery services.

The Economic Times reported that Amitabh Bachchans family office acquired this stake by purchasing shares from the companys employees and early investors.

While the specific financial details of the transaction remain undisclosed, it is described as significant.

This development comes in the wake of reports that Swiggy is preparing for an initial public offering (IPO) with a target valuation of $15 billion.

Additionally, the report mentions that Raamdeo Agrawal, chairman of Motilal Oswal Financial Services, has also taken a stake in Swiggy.

Swiggy IPO News

The SoftBank-backed Indian food delivery giant is also targeting a valuation of around $15 billion for its upcoming stock market offering to raise $1-1.2 billion, three people familiar with the matter told news agency Reuters.

The deal would make it one of the biggest Indian initial public offerings this year.

Swiggy competes with Zomato in Indias online restaurant and cafe food deliveries sector, and both have made major bets on the new so-called quick commerce boom where groceries and other products are being delivered in 10 minutes.

Swiggy received shareholder approval in April for an IPO that would raise to $1.25 billion and its confidential filing is expected to be cleared by the Indian markets regulator within a month or so. Following the approval it will file a public prospectus, according to the people, who declined to be named as the matter is private.

The company is targeting a valuation of around $15 billion though the final figure can change, they said.

Swiggy said in response to a Reuters query that it could not comment on any market speculation.

Its last funding round, led by Invesco in 2022, valued it at $10.7 billion.

One of the sources said Swiggy aimed to use IPO proceeds to expand its quick commerce Instamart business and open more warehouses to better compete with Zomato.

Zomatos shares have more than doubled since listing in 2021 and it has a market valuation of around $28 billion.

Goldman Sachs said in April quick deliveries accounted for $5 billion, or 45%, of Indias $11 billion online grocery market and forecast the segment to reach a 70% share of that market by 2030.

Reuters in June reported that Swiggy was increasingly focusing on its Instamart business.

Swiggys food delivery business is profitable but grocery delivery Instamart business is still loss making, sources say. The company has around 550 grocery warehouses in 35 Indian cities.
A local Queensland man who snapped the picture criticised the tourists for 'idiotic' behaviour just weeks after one man was taken by a crocodile.

Tourists have been slammed for ignoring warning signs and fishing in a creek where crocodiles are know to reside in Cape Tribulation. Source: Supplied

A group of overly cavalier tourists who spent hours fishing perilously close to the edge of a notorious stretch of creek known to be home to large saltwater crocodiles have been called out for their reckless behaviour in the wake of fatal croc attacks in the state.

After an image of the scene was shared online, the men were criticised for putting themselves and the "large saltie" who resides in the area in danger. That's right, not only were Aussies concerned for the men, but also the fate of the croc should another human attack take place.

Local man Mark Dendaool took the photo after he wandered down to the creek at Cape Tribulation in northeast Queensland on Monday. It was there he spotted the Englishmen idly sitting in camping chairs, centimetres from the water with fishing lines in.

Dumbfounded locals shared footage of a large croc they recently spotted in the area. Source: Facebook/Supplied

Dendaool, who confirmed the location to Yahoo News, was in complete shock  dumbfounded that anyone would ignore the signs dotted around the area which explain a crocodile had been sighted in the last seven days.

"Absolute f***ing madness... [it's] a creek I have visited many times over the years as a large saltie resides here and can be reliably spotted," he said, sharing his alarm with other locals online.

"A group of English blokes [were] trying their hand at fishing for what appeared to be the first time."

In a bid to warn the tourists of the potential danger they were putting themselves in, Dendaool approached the men. However, he said they were unfazed about the croc warnings and instead seemed only concerned about whether it was a good place to catch some fish.

"When I tried to give them a very measured education on their idiotic behaviour they simply said, 'We saw a wee one earlier, I guess the big one is here lurking somewhere. Have you caught any fish here?'," he recalled.

Large crocs are often seen in Cape Tribulation in northeast Queensland. Source: TripAdvisor

Area known for large crocodiles

Cape Tribulation is situated in the Daintree Rainforest where many crocodiles are known to reside. The first piece of advice listed on the local authority's website is to 'always obey crocodile warning signs' and fishermen are advised to stand back a few metres from the water's edge.

Neither of these pieces of advice were followed in this instance.

"Equal parts anger and sadness towards this kind of behaviour but at the end of the day I suppose it is what it is, you can't fix stupid," Dendaool said.

Earlier this month, a Queensland crocodile believed to be responsible for a fatal attack on a tourist was killed by authorities. The large male croc was located in a small creek about 4 kilometres upstream from where the incident occurred in the Annan River at Cooktown. The 40-year-old father was fishing with his family in the afternoon on Saturday August 3 when he fell into the water and failed to resurface. "Human remains" were later found inside the croc.

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CSIR UGC NET 2024 Result Live: Details to Check On Scorecard Once the CSIR UGC NET 2024 results are released and downloaded, it is crucial to thoroughly review all the details included in the scorecard. The result will feature important information such as the following:  Roll Number  Full Name  Date of Birth  Category  Scores  Other Exam-Specific Details Ensuring the accuracy of these details is very important, as any discrepancies might affect further processing or verification of your exam results.

CSIR UGC NET 2024 Result Live: Format and Medium The CSIR UGC NET 2024 is conducted in both English and Hindi, offering candidates the flexibility to choose their preferred language. The test is divided into three distinct sections, each featuring a combination of subjective and multiple-choice questions. Candidates are required to complete all sections within a three-hour time limit.

Why is Joint CSIR UGC-NET Conducted ? The Joint CSIR UGC-NET (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research  University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test) is a prestigious examination designed to determine the eligibility of Indian nationals for key academic roles. This exam is crucial for those aspiring to secure positions such as Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professorships, and for those seeking admission to PhD programs, in alignment with the eligibility criteria established by the UGC.

CSIR UGC NET 2024 Result Live: Passing Criteria For the Computer-Based Test (CBT), a minimum of 33 per cent is needed for General, EWS, and OBC candidates to qualify for both fellowship and lectureship. On the other hand, PwD, SC, and ST categories must secure at least 25 per cent of the minimum percentage to be eligible for both JRF and Assistant Professor and Lectureship positions.

CSIR UGC NET 2024 Result Live: Credentials Required In order to get the results from the official website, csirnet.nta.ac.in, candidates must provide their Application Number, DOB, and Security PIN.

CSIR UGC NET 2024 Result Live: Age Limit For Exam JRF  Candidates should not be more than 30 years as on the 1st day of the month in which the examination is concluded. A relaxation of up to 5 years is provided to the candidates belonging to OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD, Third gender categories and to women applicants. Assistant Professor  There is no upper age limit in applying for Joint CSIR UGC-NET for Assistant Professor. Admission to PhD  There is no upper age limit in applying for Joint CSIR-UGC-NET for Admission to PhD.

CSIR UGC NET 2024 Result Live: Negative Marking Negative marking will be applied to incorrect answers based on the specific subject-wise scheme of the CSIR UGC NET 2024.

CSIR UGC NET 2024 Result Live: Exam Conducted Twice a Year The CSIR-UGC-NET 2024 is conducted biannually, typically in June and December, covering five core subjects: Chemical Sciences, Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Physical Sciences. The examination is administered in a computer-based format, ensuring a standardized and efficient assessment process across the nation.

UP STF Busts Remote Cheating in CSIR UGC NET 2024 Exam at Meerut University The Uttar Pradesh Police busted a remote rigging racket during the CSIR-NET examination following a raid at the Subharti University in Meerut district, arresting three Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) employees. Mobile phones seized from the trio reportedly carried the names and IP addresses of 11 aspirants while two laptops recovered showed Any Desk remote access to the exam centre. While the CSIR-NET exam is conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA), TCS is the technology facilitator for it. Subharti University distanced itself from the alleged rigging, stating that it had rented out the lab to TCS. Read full Article

CSIR UGC NET 2024 Result Live: Why Was The Exam Postponed? The NTA was initially scheduled to conduct the Joint CSIR-UGC-NET in June 2024. However it was later postponed by a month. The circular issued by the NTA said the Joint CSIR NET examination scheduled for 25-06-2024 and 27-06-2024 has been postponed due to unavoidable circumstances and logistics issues. It was then held on July 25, 26, and 27.

CSIR UGC NET 2024 Result Live: Weeding Out Rules After the results are announced, the JOINT CSIR-UGC NET June 2024 record will be kept for a maximum of ninety days.

CSIR UGC NET 2024 Result Live: Minimum Marks Needed To Pass Exam General, EWS, and OBC Categories: Candidates must achieve a minimum score of 33% for eligibility in both fellowship and lectureship. PwD, SC, and ST Categories: A minimum score of 25% is required for candidates to qualify for these posts.

CSIR UGC NET 2024 Result Live: Important Websites The results, once declared, can be checked at:  csirnet.nta.ac.in  nta.ac.in

CSIR UGC NET 2024 Result Live: Marking Scheme Each CSIR NET paper carries 200 marks. The medium of the examination is English and Hindi, with three parts featuring subjective and multiple-choice questions to be completed within a three-hour timeframe. Each question carries four marks and a negative marking of 0.5 marks is applied in case of wrong answers.

CSIR UGC NET 2024 Result Live: Details Mentioned on Scorecard  Candidates name  Candidates mothers name  Candidates fathers name  Category  Gender  Application number  Paper-wise marks  Total marks  Total percentage  Qualifying status (Pass/ Fail)  CSIR-NET subject code

CSIR UGC NET 2024 Result Live:Final Answer Key Soon The final answer key for the CSIR UGC NET 2024 has not yet been issued. It will be issued simultaneously with or following the announcement of the results.

CSIR UGC NET 2024 Result: Provisional Answer Key Released on August 9 The provisional answer key for the CSIR UGC NET was released on August 9, and candidates were encouraged to submit objections/grievances by August 11. The NTA indicated that subject experts will review objections raised by candidates, and if an objection is found to be valid, the answer key would be modified accordingly.

CSIR UGC NET 2024 Result Live: Steps To Download Scorecards Step 1: Visit the official NTA website at csirnet.nta.nic.in. Step 2: Look for the link to download the CSIR UGC NET 2024 result. Step 3: Enter your application number, birth date, and the security code shown in the picture on the provided webpage. Step 4: Click on Login. Step 5: The result will appear on the screen. Step 6: Download and save. Take a print out for further use.

CSIR UGC NET 2024 Result Live: Exam Held For Five Papers The exam consists of five papers: Chemical Sciences, Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean, and Planetary Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Physical Sciences.
The Department of Medical Education and Research (DMER), Haryana has declared the Round 1 Seat allotment result for the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) Undergraduate (UG) Counselling 2024. All the candidates who registered for the examination can check and download the results through the official website uhsrugcounselling.com by entering their registration number and date of birth.

Haryana NEET UG Counselling 2024: How to Check Round 1 Seat Allotment Result

Step 1: Navigate to the official website,uhsrugcounselling.com

Step 2: On the homepage, look for the Haryana NEET UG Counselling seat allotment link and click on it.

Step 3: Key in your login credentials i.e. registration number and date of birth.

Step 4: The Haryana NEET UG Counselling 2024 Round 1 Seat allotment result will open in PDF format.

Step 5: Download and save the result for future reference.

Note that seats are allotted based on the candidates preference, rank and availability.

As per the official schedule, candidates satisfied with the result need to deposit the tuition fee by September 1. The document verification process will be conducted from September 2 to September 4.

Aspirants can download their provisional seat allotment letter after successfully verifying their documents from September 2 to September 5. The last date for joining the allotted institute is September 5.

Haryana NEET UG Counselling 2024: Documents Required

Candidates need to submit the following documents during the verification procedure at their assigned institutes:

 NEET UG 2024 Admit Card

 NEET UG 2024 Scorecard

 Class 10thMark sheet and certificate

 Class 12thMark sheet and certificate

 Category Certificate (if applicable)

 Valid ID Proof (Aadhaar Card, Voters ID Card etc.)

 Passport Size Photographs

 Medical Fitness Certificate

 Domicile Certificate

 Income Certificate (for EWS Category)

 Character Certificate

 PwD Certificate (if applicable)

 Migration Certificate (if applicable)

 Gap year affidavit (if applicable)

The Haryana NEET UG counselling is administered by the Department of Medical Education and Research (DMER), Haryana for students seeking admission to MBBS and BDS courses offered by the medical and dental colleges in the state.

For any additional information, candidates are advised to visit the official website, uhsrugcounselling.com.
The Staff Selection Commissions (SSC) regional offices have issued the admit card links for the Combined Graduate Level Tier 1 Examination (SSC CGL Tier 1 2024) for all regions except the North Region(NR). Those who have applied for the exam can download the admit card by visiting their zones official SSC websites. The list of regional websites is given on ssc.gov.in and ssc.nic.in.

The SSC CGL 2024 Tier I exam is scheduled to take place from September 9 to September 26 for 17,727 vacancies. The exam will be held in four different shifts.1st shift is from 9 AM to 10 AM, 2nd shift is from 11:45 AM to 12:45 PM, 3rd shift is from 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM and the 4th shift exam is from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM.

As per the latest, candidates in Central, Eastern, Western, Southern, North West regions, Karnataka- Kerala, Northeast and Madhya Pradesh regions have received their SSC CGL admit cards. It is anticipated that candidates from the Northern Region will shortly release the hall passes on the official regional websites.

SSC CGL 2024: How To Download Admit Card?

Step 1. Go to the SSCs official website ssc.gov.in.

Step 2. Select the tab for the admit card.

Step 3. Select the appropriate regional or sub-regional SSC website link.

Step 4. Select the link for the SSC CGL admission card.

Step 5. On the login screen, provide the necessary information.

Step 6. Get a printout of the SSC CGL admission card for later use.

The admit card will include information such as Name, Exam, Roll Number, City, Alloted Exam Centre, Exam and Reporting time, and rules and regulations. If an applicants SSC CGL 2024 application is denied or their SSC CGL admit card isnt matching, they should get in touch with the SSC regional office representative.

Candidates must bring a printed copy of their SSC CGL admit card, two passport-sized photos, and one photo proving their identity while appearing for the exam. Candidates are also required to check the allotted exam centre before the exam date to avoid any complications.

SSC CGL 2024: Exam Pattern

Candidates will be evaluated on a variety of topics during the exam, including English comprehension, quantitative aptitude, general awareness, and general intelligence and reasoning. There will be 25 questions in every segment, with 100 Multiple Choice questions in total. Except for the English comprehension portion, the test will consist of both Hindi and English Objective Type. Candidates will lose 0.50 marks for every wrong response.
Jailed separatist Sarjan Ahmad Wagay alias Barkati was among the 22 candidates whose nomination papers for the polls to Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly were rejected during scrutiny on Wednesday.

The nomination papers were filed by Barkatis daughter Sugra on Tuesday.

According to the data posted on the website of J&K chief electoral officer, Barkatis nomination papers from Zainapora assembly segment in Shopian district were rejected.

Barkati, who shot to fame during the 2016 summer turmoil which broke out after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, was first arrested eight years ago and booked under the Public Safety Act. He was again arrested last year and is facing charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

According to the charge sheet filed against him in a court earlier this year, Barkati  an active ideologue, promoter and supporter of ongoing terrorist-secessionist nexus  hatched a criminal conspiracy with others who include his relatives and family members to facilitate, aid, incite, advice, advocate and promote terrorist and secessionist ideologies and activities through his inflammatory speeches.

Through such audio-video inflammatory speeches, he has incited, instigated and provoked youth to join the terrorist ranks, the charge sheet reads.

Barkati was among the 22 candidates from 16 segments whose nomination papers were rejected during scrutiny.

While candidature of four other persons was rejected on various grounds in Zainapora seat, two nomination papers were rejected in the Shopian segment.

The Anantnag West constituency had four rejections while Tral assembly segment in Pulwama district saw three nomination papers rejected. Pulwama, Pampore and Rajpora seats had two nominations each rejected.

Kulgam, Devsar and Kokernag seats had one nomination each rejected while all nominations were accepted for Anantnag, Anantnag East, Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Dooru and Damhal Hanjipora seats.
The face of 2016 protest in Kashmir and Muslim cleric Sarjan Ahmad Wagar, popularly known as Sarjan Barkati, has filed nomination papers from the Zainpora Assembly constituency in Shopian district of south Kashmir for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections 2024. On Tuesday, Barkatis daughter Sugra Barkati filed nomination papers on behalf of her father while appealing to the people of the constituency to vote for him in large numbers.

You all are aware how difficult times we have faced. When our father was arrested in 2019, our mother would take care of us but after her arrest, we have no one. My father has remained with the people of Kashmir and today I appeal and hope they will support him, Sugra told media after filing nomination of her father.

Sarjan rose to fame after the killing of Burhan Wani, a terror commander of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfit, in 2016, which triggered street protests, lasting for over three months. His unique style of sloganeering made him popular and his videos went viral. Barkati came to be known as Azadi Chacha among the youth he galvanised during the months of unrest in the valley. The months had witnessed several deaths during clashes and curfew was imposed in all 10 districts of the valley.

This development has come in the backdrop of Abdul Rashid Sheikh, popularly as Engineer Rashid, winning the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat with a margin of 2,04,142 votes by defeating National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah. Rashid has been in Tihar jail under terror funding charges since 2019 and his campaign and nomination were similarly led by his two sons who sought vote for his release.

More Than 30 FIRs Against Barkati

Security agencies have blamed Sarjan Barkati for orchestrating large-scale protests, rallies, and clashes with security forces in 2016, for which more than 30 FIRs were registered against him in various police stations of the valley.

My father needs you, we have a rally, come join us. My father will be happy to see his villagers in his support. I expect support from you and maybe my father will watch this, Barkatis daughter told a crowd gathered at her village before leaving to file nomination.

The State Investigation Agency arrested Barkati in August 2023 in Case FIR No 02/2023 of police station SIA. The agency said that the case pertains to Barkatis involvement in orchestrating an extensive fund-raising campaign through crowd funding, resulting in the generation of funds amounting to crores.

These funds were subsequently misused, involving money laundering and acquisition of undisclosed assets for propagation of radicalism within the Kashmir valley, the SIA had said.

SIA Kashmir had alleged that Barkati managed to raise approximately Rs 1.74 crore through crowd funding campaigns. These funds were ostensibly raised for personal gains and a significant portion of the collected funds was allegedly misused for undisclosed purposes, including possible financing of secessionist and terrorist activities, SIA had said.

Later, the agency had arrested his wife Shabroza Bano, accusing her of being involved in terror financing by raising money through crowd funding while claiming that Bano had remained in constant contact with Pakistani handlers through encrypted messaging platforms.
Drug maker Abbott India is recalling several batches of its Penicillin G-based antibiotic after receiving a few complaints about puffing of the strips, News18 has learnt.

The American drug maker is voluntarily recalling batches and has asked pharmacies and retailers to stop the sales of Pentids 800, Pentids 400 and Pentids 200 tablets manufactured by newly listed Akums Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Ltd  the contract manufacturing firm. Pentids is primarily used to treat bacterial infections of the respiratory tract, throat, lungs, nose, skin and sexually transmitted diseases like Syphilis.

Isolated complaints have been reported related to puffed strips in Pentids 800, 400 and 200 tablets, Abbott India told its retailers, stockists and pharmacies in a letter accessed by News18. While we are investigating the issue with our manufacturer, a voluntary Level II recall has been initiated out of an abundance of caution.

In an email response, Abbott spokesperson told News18: Out of an abundance of caution, Abbott in India has voluntarily recalled Pentids tablets, one of our antibiotic medicines, based on a few reports of puffing of the strips (excess air in the pocket strip) in some batches.

The spokesperson added, While we are still investigating the issue with our third-party manufacturer, we are collaborating with our distributors and other partners to facilitate this recall.

It clarified that there have been no complaints reported for health concerns. This issue does not affect any other Abbott products and alternatives exist.

The company has requested its partners to verify the inventory of the batches within shelf life with the respective stockist and retailers to whom the stock of the batches has been sold and take necessary steps for recall of the said stocks from the stockist and retailers concerned. It has instructed those dealers to return stocks of all batches in their possession for evaluation.

Last year, Abbott initiated voluntary recalls of its two top-selling products  antacid Digene Gel of all flavours and a mislabelled batch of thyroid medicine Thyronorm. This year in July, French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi voluntarily recalled its popular anti-allergic brand Allegra suspension syrup and painkiller drug Combiflam suspension from the Indian market.
Major airlines issued alerts on transport and traffic disruptions asking passengers to monitor road conditions and their flight status on Wednesday (August 28), after the BJP called a 12-hour Bengal Bandh to protest against the state government. The bandh from 6 am to 6 pm was called after the police used tear gas and lathicharged protesters during the Nabanna Abhijan rally a day before.

#WATCH | RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case | Howrah, West Bengal: 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' called by BJP to protest against the state governmentThe bandh has been called after the police used lathi charges and tear gas on protestors during Nabanna Abhiyan, pic.twitter.com/22MmAKJol2  ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2024

Vistara, IndiGo and SpiceJet sent out travel advisories alerting passengers about possible local transport issues, road blockages, diversions, traffic congestion and slow vehicle movement en route to the Kolkata airport. They also asked people to plan travel well in advance and track flight status to stay updated on the developments during the bandh.

TravelAdvisory: Local transport in West Bengal may be disrupted as a result of the BanglaBandh declared for tomorrow, 28th Aug24. Passengers are advised to monitor their local traffic conditions and keep a check on flight status via https://shorturl.at/6KfRe and allow themselves sufficient time for the journey to the airport, SpiceJet said on its social media handle on X.

#TravelAdvisory: Local transport in West Bengal may be disrupted as a result of the #BanglaBandh declared for tomorrow, 28th Aug'24. Passengers are advised to monitor their local traffic conditions and keep a check on flight status via https://t.co/qgJ2NF4j1x and allow themselves SpiceJet (@flyspicejet) August 27, 2024

6ETravelAdvisory: Customers who have their travel planned from Kolkata, may experience road blockages and diversions en route the airport. Please plan your journey with extra travel time to ensure a smooth trip. Do keep a tab on your flight status too https://bit.ly/3DNYJqj, IndiGo issued an alert on X.

#6ETravelAdvisory: Customers who have their travel planned from #Kolkata, may experience road blockages and diversions en route the airport. Please plan your journey with extra travel time to ensure a smooth trip. Do keep a tab on your flight status too https://t.co/rpnOvAOxQl IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) August 27, 2024

TravelUpdate: Traffic congestion and slow vehicle movement are expected en route to Kolkata Airport on August 28th. Customers are advised to allow more time for their journey to the airport. Thank you, Vistara informed its passengers on X.

#TravelUpdate: Traffic congestion and slow vehicle movement are expected enroute to Kolkata Airport on August 28th. Customers are advised to allow more time for their journey to the airport. Thank you Vistara (@airvistara) August 27, 2024

While the Kolkata Traffic Police issued a notification in connection with the Nabanna Abhijan rally along with updates on August 25, there were no such advisories for the Bengal Bandh on its social media handle on X.

Daily life was somewhat affected in Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal due to the shutdown. In Kolkata, the usual busyness on the roads on a weekday morning was missing with fewer buses, auto-rickshaws and taxis plying. Private vehicles were also significantly less in number, even as markets and shops remained open as usual. Schools and colleges remained open, while in most private offices, attendance was lower with employees being asked to work from home.

Trains services hit on Sealdah line

Local train services were hit on the Bangaon-Sealdah railway line, which is one of the busiest rail routes connecting Kolkata and its suburbs, as BJP karyakartas staged a blockade. But, they are now being reinstated after TMC workers protested against the bandh call.

#WATCH | North 24 Parganas | TMC Party workers protest against BJP's 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' call for today.Train services were disrupted between Bangaon-Sealdah which is now being reinstated pic.twitter.com/ISyiQqBlv6  ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2024

The BJP workers also staged a blockade at the Barasat Dakshin railway station on the Sealdah line as well as on Tala Bridge, which is part of the Kolkata Circular railway. There were also demonstrations at Gocharan station in South 24 Parganas and the Murshidabad station in support of the bandh.

Tension was palpable at the Barrackpore station in North 24 Parganas as BJP supporters and TMC workers came face to face. BJP workers blocked the way of a local train in Hooghly station. The Eastern Railway said there were a total of 49 blockades at major train sections like Krishnanagar, Ranaghat, Diamond Harbour, Naihati, Shantipur and Kalyani.

In Kolkata, doctors are holding a protest march at 2 pm from Shyambazar to Dharmatala. The West Bengal government, which has urged people not to respond to the BJPs general strike, issued a notification saying all government offices will remain open and all employees, except those facing exigencies or are on leave, will have to report for duty or face show-cause for their unauthorised absence.

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 adviser to chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

At Nandigram in Purba Medinipur district, BJP activists picketed on the road, disrupting traffic. In Maldah, activists of the TMC and BJP engaged in a brawl over the blocking of a road. Police swung into action to disperse the warring groups.

BJP activists demonstrated at the Bankura town bus stand. In Alipurduar, BJP activists engaged in a scuffle with the police as they tried to block an arterial road, shouting slogans such as Dafa ek dabi ek, mukhyomantrir padatyag (single demand, the chief minister must resign).

#WATCH | West Bengal | Police detains protesting BJP workers at Alipurduar.12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' has been called by the BJP to protest against the state government after the police used lathi charge and tear gas on protestors during Nabanna Abhiyan, yesterday pic.twitter.com/tJuKKgMGum  ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2024

Bus drivers spotted wearing helmets

Drivers of government buses in Howrah were spotted wearing helmets. They said they were wearing them for their safety. Bus drivers of the North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) were also wearing helmets in Cooch Behar and Uttar Dinajpur.

Today is bandh, so we are wearing helmetsWe are wearing helmets for safety said a bus driver in Howrah.

#WATCH | BJP's 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh': Drivers of Government bus in Howrah seen wearing helmetsA bus driver says, "Today is bandh, so we are wearing helmets" pic.twitter.com/b5GHHD4Ocq  ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2024

A bus driver from Cooch Behar said: We are wearing helmets because of the bandh called by the BJP todayThe department has given us the helmets to wear for safety

We are wearing the helmet as bandh has been called todayThe government has ordered us to wear the helmets for safety said another bus driver from Uttar Dinajpur.

Security enhanced in Kolkata

Security cover was increased in Kolkata with a message from the ADG (law and order) to senior officers for the bandh asking for sufficient police presence, including women personnel.

#WATCH | West Bengal | Security enhanced in Kolkata amid BJP's call for 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh'.12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' has been called by the BJP to protest against the state government after the police used lathi charge and tear gas on protestors during Nabanna Abhiyan, pic.twitter.com/BCybQPLV5h  ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2024

Police personnel will be deployed in key areas to prevent the bandh and directions were given to prevent forceful implementation and any act of violence. Strong legal action will be taken against those who indulge in violence.

Social media monitoring should increase as there will be instigation. Night vigil in sensitive areas should be increased, the order stated.

There were reports of increased police vigil from Hooghly, Maldah, Gocharan, Cooch Behar, Asansol, Darjeeling and Siliguri.
In a significant step towards ensuring womens safety, the Bihar Polices Dial 112 unit is set to launch a new Safe Travel Facility for women starting September 15. Making the announcement on Wednesday, August 28, ADG (Wireless) Nirmal Kumar Azad shared that Bihar will become the third state in the country to offer such a service. This facility, which will be available 24/7 and free of charge, aims to provide a secure travel option for women across the state.

The Dial 112 service in Bihar, which currently provides emergency police assistance, fire brigade, and ambulance services, and is now being expanded. This expansion is being carried out with technical support from C-DAC. Bihar Police will maintain contact with women throughout their journey and regularly review their security to ensure their safety at all times.

According to ADG Azad, this initiative is being introduced ahead of the festive season to enhance the safety of women. Women in Bihar will soon be able to travel safely to any destination by simply calling 112. Initially, the service will be rolled out as a pilot project in six districts  Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, and Nalanda  starting September 5. The full implementation across the entire state is scheduled for September 15, ensuring that women can reach their homes safely at any time.

During Bihar Police Week 2024, every officer and personnel of the Bihar Police pledged five vows, among which the concept of zero tolerance against crimes against women was prominently emphasised. The Director General of Police, Bihar, introduced the principles of womens safety and the idea of a fearless woman. Under this initiative, if any individual attempts to commit misbehaviour or any form of crime against women, the police will ensure immediate and decisive action. The new Safe Travel Facility will be instrumental in fully realising the fearless woman concept.

If a woman requests assistance during her journey by calling 112, her travel will be digitally monitored by the team. The Dial 112 team will regularly check in by phone to ensure her safety until she reaches her destination. If a woman expresses any concerns during her journey or fails to respond to a check-in call, immediate assistance will be dispatched through a Dial 112 Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) or a local police vehicle.

To further refine the service, feedback will be collected from women after they safely reach their destination. This input will help enhance the Safe Travel Facility based on their experiences. With the upcoming festive season, including Durga Puja, Diwali, and Chhath Puja, when women often travel late at night for shopping and celebrations, Bihar Police has introduced this facility to ensure women can enjoy the festivities without fear and with a sense of security.
In a first, the Centre on Wednesday allowed the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to perform Aadhaar-based authentication to verify candidates identity on a voluntary basis, both at the time of registration and during various stages of examinations and recruitment.

The move assumes significance as the commission last month cancelled the provisional candidature of probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar and debarred her from all future examinations for fraudulently availing attempts in the civil services examination beyond eligibility.

Khedkar has also been accused of misusing disability and Other Backward Classes or OBC (non-creamy layer) quotas, among others.

In a notification, the personnel ministry said the UPSC is allowed to perform Aadhaar authentication, on voluntary basis, for verification of identity of candidates at the time of registration on One Time Registration portal and various stages of examination/recruitment test, using Yes/No or/and e-KYC authentication facility.

The commission shall adhere to all provisions of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, the rules and regulations made thereunder and directions issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the notification added.

Aadhaar is a 12-digit number issued by the UIDAI to all eligible citizens on the basis of biometric and demographic data.

The UPSC had, in July, initiated a series of actions against Khedkar, including the registration of a forgery case against her for availing attempts in the civil services exam by faking identity. Subsequently, the Delhi Police registered a case and started its probe.

Khedkar, who was provisionally allotted the Indian Administrative Service (2023 batch, Maharashtra cadre), was accused of misusing power and privileges during her training in Pune.

In June, the UPSC also decided to use facial recognition and artificial intelligence-based CCTV surveillance systems to prevent cheating and impersonation in its various tests.

Through a tender document, it invited bids from experienced public sector undertakings to devise two tech solutions  Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication (else digital fingerprint capturing) and facial recognition of candidates and QR code scanning of e-admit cards and Live AI-based CCTV surveillance service  to be used during the examination process.

The UPSC conducts 14 major exams annually, including the prestigious civil services examination to select officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), besides a number of recruitment tests and interviews every year for induction to Group A and Group B posts of the central government.

Lakhs of candidates appear in such recruitment conducted across the country.
The latest death of the lone free-ranging cheetah in the Kuno National Park has raised questions on the impending release of the remaining felines. Namibian cat Pawan (Oban), which had been in the wild since December 2023, was found dead on Tuesday, just as the forest department was bracing to release the remaining felines into the wild after extended captivity.

Only 12 of the total 20 African cheetahs now remain  five males and seven females  all of them confined to the large fenced enclosures set within the park since July 2023. Last week, the Cheetah Project Steering Committee decided that all of them, barring the three female cats and their 12 cubs, would also be freed after the monsoon season.

But the decision had wildlife experts worried, who questioned whether the wild beasts are still fit to be freed into the wild after a year of extended captivity. In a statement, the forest department said they found the Namibian male cheetah lying near the near the edge of a nala amidst bushes without any movement at around 10.30am on Tuesday. The nala was running full due to rains.

Veterinarians were informed and on closer inspection, it was found that the front half of the body including head was inside the water with no external injuries anywhere on the body. Primary cause of death seems to be due to drowning, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF) and Director Lion Project issued a statement.

The exact cause of death will be known after the autopsy.

Pawan was air-lifted to India in September 2022 along with seven others as part of Indias first-ever inter-continental translocation of a carnivore. The seven-year-old Pawan (Oban) had been the first to venture nearly 200 kms away  far beyond the boundaries of the national park  and re-captured several times in the past.

It was freed in December 2023 and remained the only lone-ranging cheetah until this summer, when the forest department released another female cheetah  South African cat Veera. But the female cat was again re-captured and put back into the Boma enclosures which are anywhere ranging from 153 hectares to about 50 hectares, said the officials.

None of the cheetahs have so far died in conflict with other wild predators like leopards. This is the second adult cheetah to have died this year after Namibian male cat Freddie (Shaurya) collapsed early this year.
With its eye socket rotted out, and spines protruding from its spine, the decaying creature has been a challenge to identify.

Stills from a video of the mystery fish at St Helens beach were shared with fish experts. Source: Supplied

Remains of a mysterious fish that washed up on an Aussie beach have baffled internet sleuths who have debated over what species it is.

A dramatic image shared with Yahoo News Australia shows the decaying carcass on the sand as heavy clouds rolled in on Sunday night. Id never seen anything like it before, Gem, a North Geelong environmentalist, told Yahoo.

Related: Death of rare 3.7-metre doomsday fish shrouded in mystery

Dogs become interested in mysterious sea creature

Gem had been walking along St Helens Beach, a quiet stretch of sand at Corio Bay in the Geelong area, when her dogs began sniffing the rotting creature.

It looked really gross and I didnt want them to eat it. So I dragged them away, and thought its very ugly and quite spooky looking, Gem said.

As a regular swimmer at the beach during the summer, Gem was surprised to discover such a large fish washed up. She estimates it was easily as long as her arm.

It looked like it was covered in spikes. And its eye socket had completely rotted out, she said.

This is the dramatic image of the mystery fish that captivated the internet. Source: Supplied

Online sleuths weigh in on fish's identity

Once a fish decays on the shore it can be difficult to determine what species it is. In June, pictures shared by Yahoo showing mysterious remains at Vancouver Island initially stumped experts, and it was only after publication they were identified as the tail of a skate  a stingray-like species.

After seeing pictures of the St Helens Beach fish, online ocean enthusiasts were intrigued by the creatures size. Is it big or just the camera angle? one person asked.

A handful of different species suggestions flooded the comments, with everything from giant sunfish, to globefish and pufferfish suggested.

Decaying fish carcass a challenge for experts to identify

Gem shared a short video of the St Helens Beach fish with Yahoo which shows the carcass up close. After viewing the clip, Lawrence Chlebeck, a marine biologist at Humane Society International, said large spines along the backbone indicated it was a large teleost or bony fish  a family of around 26,000 species. He thought a grouper or tuna were both possibilities.

Several other fisheries scientists also examined the footage, but due to its decayed state, they were unable to pinpoint the exact species, however they thought it may have been a tuna, a very large globefish, or puffer fish.

Dr Sheridan Rabbitt from the Centre for Marine Science at the University of Queensland also said he believed it was a type of puffer fish, probably a porcupinefish.

Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said her party (Trinamool Congress) will pass a bill on anti-rape laws, enabling capital punishment for the accused.

The Chief Ministers statement came against the backdrop of the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkatas RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

We will pass a bill on anti-rape laws, that would secure capital punishment for the rapist within seven days of the crime, Mamata Banerjee said.

Also warning of a protest, the Chief Minister said, Next week, we will call an Assembly session and pass the Bill within 10 days. We will send this Bill to the Governor (CV Ananda Bose). If he doesnt pass, we will sit outside Raj Bhavan. This Bill must be passed and he cannot evade accountability this time.

Speaking at an event on the occasion of Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) Foundation Day in the city, and sharing the stage with her nephew and Trinamool Congress General Secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, Mamata also alleged conspiracy by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Kolkata doctors death case and said the party was trying to defame West Bengal.

The BJP is trying to defame Bengal and is doing dirty politics over the death of the trainee doctor, she alleged.

Referring to the 12-hour Bengal Bandh call given by the BJP on Wednesday, the Chief Minister said the saffron party was resorting to vandalism and that its workers were attacking the police.

The Trinamool Congress does not believe in politics of bandh, while the BJP has deliberately called upon it, she said.

Have the chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan resigned over crimes against women in their states? she asked.

Mamata also lauded the state police for their efforts to maintain law and order during the Nabanna Abhijan on August 27 and the Bangla Bandh on August 28, and said, I salute the police of Bengal for showing restrain.

WHAT MAMATA BANERJEE SAID ON KOLKATA RAPE-MURDER CASE

Speaking at the rally, the Chief Minister said she had done everything possible in the case and that her government pushed for a capital punishment for the main accused, Sanjay Roy.

Also mentioning her letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said, I had written to PM Narendra Modi and had stated they had come up with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), but have only imprisoned the accused.

The state does not have the power, and if I do get, the rapist would have been given capital punishment within seven days, she said.

Mamata also slammed those spreading false information on the case on social media, and said, Social media isnt bad, but a lot many people are spreading fake information. I want to assure you that we havent done anything which wasnt for the good of the people.

MAMATA BANERJEE URGES DOCTORS TO REJOIN WORK

The Chief Minister said she respects doctors support for the rape victim. However, requested them all to rejoin their duties.

The Supreme Court has requested you all to join, people are dying without treatment. There are poor people, who cannot afford expensive medical treatments, where will they go?

I am assuring you no action will be taken against you, please rejoin your duties, Mamata Banerjee told protesting doctors in Bengal.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was handed over the investigation into the doctors rape and murder case. Sixteen days have passed, what is the central agency doing? Where is justice? she asked at the event.

Mamata Busy Stalling Probe: BJP

Hitting out at the TMC over the RG Kar incident, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said Mamata Banerjees government is busy stalling and diverting the investigation.

BJPs bandh was successful. Mamata Banerjees government is trying to threaten the doctors. When Mamata ji was with us in Atal jis government, she would talk about the atrocities against her by the Left and now look what she is doing herself in West Bengal, he said at a press conference in New Delhi.

BANGLA BANDH

Parts of West Bengal witnessed turmoil on Wednesday after protesting BJP workers clashed with the police as they tried to enforce a 12-hour shutdown in the state.

Several BJP leaders, including former Rajya Sabha MP Roopa Ganguly and MLA Agnimitra Paul, were detained for blocking roads and railway tracks since the early morning.

The Bangla Bandh, which began at 6 am today, was called by the BJP in protest against Tuesdays police action on participants of Nabanna Abhijan or march to the secretariat, organised by the newly formed students group, Chatra Samaj, over the rape and murder of the doctor at RG Kar Hospital.
You need at least one lakh followers on either X, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube to be eligible for benefits under the Digital Media Policy of the Uttar Pradesh government. The policy encourages the sharing of government-scheme-based content and offers an opportunity for influencers to earn up to Rs 8 lakh per month. However, posting anti-national content may attract stringent punishment, up to life imprisonment.

Officials with the UP government called the state cabinets nod to the policy a major step in the direction of regulating social media content. The cabinets nod to the policy would now help in regulating social media content. Besides, it also helps provide employment to the residents of UP living in other parts of the country or even abroad, said Sanjay Prasad, principal secretary, information department, UP.

Under the policy, posting anti-national content is a serious offence, with provisions for legal action ranging from three years of imprisonment to a life term. Such offences so far were covered under Sections 66E and 66F of the Information Technology (IT) Act.

Besides, the policy has a provision for initiating legal action against agencies or firms if they upload any objectionable content. According to the rules, content should not be indecent, obscene or anti-national.

Under the policy, advertisements would be issued by enlisting related agencies or firms to display content/videos/tweets/posts/reels based on the schemes or achievements of the state government on digital mediums like X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Encouragement will be given to the social media influencers to do so. With the release of this policy, the residents of the state who are living in different parts of the country and abroad will be assured of getting employment in large numbers, the policy states.

The policy divides social media influencers into four categories, including those on X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, based on their subscribers. Rs 8 lakh would be given for generating government scheme-based video content on social media, Rs 6 lakh for promoting content through shorts, and Rs 4 lakh for promoting content through podcasts.

The policy has sparked a debate with some raising concerns about its possible misuse. Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera wrote on X, Will anti-BJP or anti-government comments be considered anti-national? What will be the definition of the offensive comment? Are the double engine governments now preparing to trample freedom of expression? Due to opposition from the India alliance, the Modi Government had to withdraw the Broadcast Bill, 2024. Its the dictatorship now being brought through the backdoor.
Maharashtra Police on Tuesday detained three people in connection with the alleged rape of a 19-year-old nursing student in Ratnagiri district of the state. The police action came after the survivors statement was recorded. The police are yet to reveal the identity of those detained, and an interrogation with them is underway.

The woman was allegedly raped by an unidentified auto-rickshaw driver in a forested area in the district. The incident happened while she was returning from Devrukh town in the morning hours. Reportedly, the auto driver gave her spiked water following which she lost consciousness. He then allegedly raped her and fled the spot.

The woman stated when she regained consciousness, she found herself lying in a forest near Champak Maidan on the outskirts of Ratnagiri City. Her personal belongings were lying scattered at the spot, reported PTI.

The woman called up her sister from her mobile phone and narrated her ordeal. She walked to the main and hitched a ride on a two-wheeler to reach her rented home in Ratnagiri, where she is pursuing the nursing course.

She was taken to the district civil hospital where police were alerted about the incident, the official said. According to PTI report, a female police officer of the Additional Superintendent of Police rank spoke to her in person after which a complaint was lodged. Based on the complaint, a case of rape has been registered against the unidentified autorickshaw driver at Ratnagiri city police station, said an official.

Police have set up a Special Investigation Team consisting of an inspector and ten officials. However, police found discrepancies in the victims statement. Initially, she stated that the accused had laced her drinking water with some sedatives. Later, she changed her statement saying the driver used a spray to make her unconscious, the official said, reported PTI.

Meanwhile, several organisations staged a protest outside the hospital in Ratnagiri demanding the arrest of the accused on Tuesday.
The Mumbai Traffic Police have issued a crucial advisory for city commuters, warning of significant traffic disruptions around the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) due to Global Fintech Fest 2024 being held at the Jio World Convention Centre.

The high-profile event, scheduled from August 28 to August 30, is anticipated to draw substantial crowds, generating heavy vehicular movement in the area.

Traffic authorities have advised that from 9 am to 8 pm till August 30, BKC will experience increased congestion, which may lead to prolonged travel times for those passing through the area. In light of this, commuters are urged to avoid the BKC thoroughfare during these hours.

Due to very important event being organised at the Jio World Convention Centre, BKC from 28th to 30th August, heavy vehicular movement is expected in BKC from 9 am to 8 pm. Mumbai Traffic Police (@MTPHereToHelp) August 28, 2024

The Traffic Police also recommend alternative routes. The Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR), the Santa Cruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR), and the Eastern Freeway are suggested as viable options to circumvent the traffic bottleneck.

Commuters are requested to avoid the BKC thoroughfare and use alternate routes like JVLR, SCLR, and Eastern Freeway to reach their destinations.#MTPTrafficUpdates. Mumbai Traffic Police (@MTPHereToHelp) August 28, 2024

Authorities are working diligently to manage the flow of traffic and minimize disruptions. However, travellers are advised to plan their journeys in advance, allowing extra time for their commutes or considering public transportation options where possible.

Earlier today, the traffic police urged commuters to use alternate routes via SCLR & Eastern Freeway due to heavy traffic on Eastern Express Highway.

For real-time updates and traffic conditions, commuters can check the Mumbai Traffic Polices official social media platforms.

On Tuesday, Dahi Handi celebrations caused traffic snarls in many areas of the city as Dahi Handis were hung at prominent intersections and junctions, and haphazardly parked two-wheelers and other vehicles belonging to Govinda groups added to the woes.
Atal Setu, Mumbais newest and longest bridge, has become an integral part of daily life for millions of commuters, with a remarkable 50,04,350 vehicles, including buses, private cars, and commercial vehicles, travelling through it from January 13 to August 25, 2024.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the bridge on January 12, 2024, and it was opened to the public a day later. The Atal Setu has transformed how people move between South Mumbai and key locations such as Panvel, Pune, and Navi Mumbai. By cutting travel time by at least an hour, it has made daily commute significantly smoother.

The bridge has redefined connectivity across the region, particularly between South Mumbai and the rapidly developing Navi Mumbai, where the new international airport is set to come up. The ease of movement between the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport promises to benefit both business travellers and the general public.

The ongoing infrastructure projects linked to Atal Setu are set to further amplify its benefits. The Worli-Sewri elevated road, now 75% complete, is poised to offer a seamless 5-10 minute drive from Worli Sea Face directly to the bridge. Additionally, the new elevated road between the Chirle Interchange and the Mumbai-Pune Expressway will soon provide even faster commutes between South Mumbai, western suburbs, and beyond, connecting Panvel, Pune and the Mumbai-Goa Highway.

Reflecting on this achievement, Maharashtras Chief Minister Eknath Shinde emphasised the significance of the Atal Setu in reshaping Mumbais traffic landscape. The Atal Setu has revolutionised traffic in the Mumbai metropolitan area, benefiting millions of people. The fact that over 50 lakh vehicles have already used this bridge is a testament to its significance. This project is not only delivering economic benefits but also providing an effective solution to Mumbais growing traffic challenges, positively impacting millions of citizens, said Shinde.

Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, Metropolitan Commissioner of MMRDA, echoed the sentiment. The successful implementation of the Atal Setu has led to a marked improvement in Mumbais traffic system. The fact that over 50 lakh vehicles have used the bridge since its opening underscores its importance. This project is a shining example of how technology, planning, and determination can drive profound social and economic change, serving as an inspiration for future initiatives.
Farhatullah Ghori, the terrorist who planned the March 1 Rameshwaram Cafe blast in Bengaluru, has come out with a new video, asking youth to attack Indian government functionaries and rail infrastructure. In the video released by Ghori on various Telegram channels, he has asked Indian Muslim youth to attack rail and other transport infrastructure.

Top Intelligence sources have told CNN-News18 that Ghori wants to attack Indian Hindu leaders also as they have been filing legal cases against him through various agencies. In his video, he said that he wanted to attack the Indian supply chain system so that economy is hit.

Ghori is a radical terror leader based possibly in Pakistan and was seen working with various ISIS models.

The Delhi Police had recently arrested 14 radicalised youths and one mastermind Dr Ishteyeaque, who were trained by Abdul Rehman Ketki, who was in touch with Ghori.

Ghori is said to be the mastermind behind the 2002 Akshardham Temple attack in Gujarat that killed over 30 people and injured 80 others. He has also been linked to the 2005 suicide attack on the Special Task Force office in Hyderabad.

Radicalisation Propaganda by Ghori

Top Intelligence sources have said that this is a radicalisation propaganda by Ghori, who wants to stay relevant. Sources have said that his appeal wont make any difference as bigger terrorists have given similar calls, but they havent worked.

However, security agencies are on high alert following the video and are watching developments closely.
The death of two minor Dalit girls, who were found hanging from a tree in Bhagautipur village of Uttar Pradeshs Farrukhabad district on Tuesday, remains a mystery with the police and the victims kin engaged in a war of words over whether the incident was a murder or suicide.

While police, on the basis of findings and post-mortem report, said the deaths were a case of double suicide, the family members allege that the minors were murdered. The incident has also turned political, with the Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) raising a question mark over womens safety in the state.

Our investigation is on, we are trying to find out the factors that led to the deaths. Our initial investigation and post-mortem report of the girls aged 15 and 17 years have confirmed that the duo died by suicide, said Alok Priyadarshi, Superintendent of Police (SP), Farukhabad.

Sources with UP Police said the call details of both the girls have been accessed in order to find the reason behind the probable suicide.

The incident

The residents of Bhagautipur woke up to the horrific news on Tuesday as images of the minors hanging from a tree flooded the media.

I left home early in the morning at around 4.30am to relieve myself. While passing a tree in a mango orchard, I spotted something unusual. From a distance, it appeared to be a long, red-coloured cloth. However, when I came near the tree, I spotted the two girls hanging from it and the red-coloured cloth was the kurta that one of the girls was wearing, said a villager who first spotted the bodies. Residents said the incident reminded them of the infamous 2014 Badaun rape case in which two girls were found hanging from a tree in a similar manner.

The man rushed to the village to break the news to the families who were searching for their missing daughters. Both girls were friends and neighbours. They went together to see the tableau at the nearby temple on Janmashtami on Monday evening. That was the last time we saw them. The next morning, they were found hanging from the tree, said the father of one of the girls.

According to the police, both the girls were found hanging using two ends of the same stole (dupatta). The duo went missing from the village temple where they had gone to see the Janmashtami tableau at around 9pm on Monday night.

Post mortem hints at suicide

Dr Avneendra Kumar, Chief Medical Officer of Farrukhabad, said the post mortem revealed no signs of sexual assault or retaliation. Both girls died of asphyxia due to hanging, he said. Forensic investigators also discovered footmarks on the tree, suggesting the girls may have climbed it to die by suicide, police added.

Families not convinced

The kin of the girls, however, insist that they were murdered. My daughter cant die by suicide; she had no reason to. She was just 15, a happy-go-lucky girl with no mental pressure or tension. They were good friends; why would they die by suicide for no reason? There is something fishy. The police should investigate the matter thoroughly, said the father of one of the girls. On Wednesday, the grieving families staged a demonstration after some claimed to have spotted marks on the girls bodies. However, following intervention by the district administration and the police, the agitated family members agreed to cremate the duo.

Political Twist

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said security is the right of every daughter of India and justice is the right of every suffering family. The Congress MP shared a video of the father of victim where he said the entire investigation so far is fake.

In the BJP government, even hoping for justice is a crime! What can one expect from those whose priority is not justice but hiding the crime, even in the most serious incidents against the weak and the deprived? The incident that happened in Farrukhabad is very unfortunate, such attitude of the administration towards the victims family cannot be tolerated at any cost. After all, how long can we tolerate all this? This is a big question before us as a society! Security is the right of every daughter of India and justice is the right of every suffering family, he posted on X.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra hit out at the UP government and said the attitude of the administration towards the incident is raising many questions.

Why does a father have to raise these questions after such a horrific incident? Doesnt a victims father have the right to know the truth about the treatment meted out to his daughter? Why is the administration in a hurry to cremate the bodies of the girls? The attitude of the administration towards the incident that happened with two Dalit girls in Farrukhabad is raising many questions. Be it Hathras, Unnao or Farrukhabad  the same cruel story is repeated everywhere. So should the Dalits, backward, deprived, poor, women, or whoever is weak, give up hope of justice now? Vadra posted on X.

SP chief and former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav questioned UPs law and order on X. It is a very sensitive incident that the bodies of two girls, who had gone out to see Janmashtami celebrations In Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh, were found hanging from a tree. The BJP government should immediately conduct an impartial inquiry into this matter and submit its report on this suspicious case of murder. Such incidents create a horrific atmosphere in society, which causes deep mental trauma to women. The inevitable time has come to raise women safety as a serious issue, rising above politics, he said.

If you or someone you know needs help, call any of these helplines: Aasra (Mumbai) 022-27546669, Sneha (Chennai) 044-24640050, Sumaitri (Delhi) 011-23389090, Cooj (Goa) 0832- 2252525, Jeevan (Jamshedpur) 065-76453841, Pratheeksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maithri (Kochi) 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata)
When it comes to travelling the world, there is no doubt that actress Karishma Tanna is a globetrotter. Currently, the TV beauty is enjoying a sun-soaked getaway in Greece with her husband Varun Bhat Bangera ahead of his birthday. The actress jetted off to the picturesque locale of Mykonos, and her latest entry on Instagram is a testament to the wonderful time shes having. But what stands out as much as the place is her choice of outfits during the trip. Giving social media a sneak peek of her travel diaries, the actress shared a carousel of pictures alongside the caption, Greece Baby. On her vacation to Greece, Karishma slipped into a minidress from the shelves of Juliet Dunn. The ensemble, in the shades of green and blue, beautifully complements the scenery and makes her look stunning. She completed her look with Miu Miu slides, some golden bracelets, and round shades. For her hairdo, she left her tresses open in beachy waves.

With lots of laughter and a scenic backdrop, Karishma was seen having a blast on another slide as she looked her stylish best. The other slides showed delicious meals and the restaurant the couple was enjoying.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Karishma K Tanna (@karishmaktanna)

Karishma also shared moments from her flight, game night, and a breathtaking view of the ocean from her hotel room on her Instagram stories. The first post showed her holding hands with her husband. Later she was seen resting her head on his shoulder, which she captioned, Feeling cute and sleepy.

Every time we go through Karishma Tannas Instagram, we come back with an urge to head for a vacation. The diva makes sure to offer her fans an enviable glimpse into her travel diaries.

Earlier, the actress took some time off her busy schedule and embarked on a tropical vacation to Spain. From hopping to some iconic landmarks to flaunting chic outfits, Karishma made her fans swoon for more. Her look truly gave Senorita vibes, as she wrote the same caption.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Karishma K Tanna (@karishmaktanna)

She wore a co-ord set with matching sliders. The dress featured a bell-sleeved wrap top with a skirt in the same colour. Leaving her tresses open, the actress paired her outfit with stylish glares and a long pendant.
KERALA LOTTERY FIFTY FIFTY FF-108 RESULT ON WEDNESDAY, 28.08.2024, LIVE UPDATES: The Kerala State Lottery Department has announced the winning numbers of the Fifty Fifty FF-108 lucky draw for Wednesday, August 28. Check the Full List of Winning Numbers below.

ALSO READ: Kerala Lottery Result Today LIVE: Win Win W-785 WINNERS for September 2, 2024 (DECLARED); First Prize Rs 75 Lakh!

FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS FOR FIFTY FIFTY FF-108 LOTTERY

WINNING NUMBERS FOR CONSOLATION PRIZE WORTH RS 8,000 ARE

FN 188982

FO 188982

FP 188982

FR 188982

FS 188982

FT 188982

FU 188982

FV 188982

FX 188982

FY 188982

FZ 188982

WINNING NUMBER FOR 1ST PRIZE WORTH RS 1 CRORE IS FW 188982 (ERNAKULAM)

Agent Name: BIJU T

Agency No.: E 6672

WINNING NUMBER FOR 2ND PRIZE WORTH RS 10 LAKH IS FP 734450 (PUNALUR)

Agent Name: G VIJAYAN

Agency No.: Q 3034

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 3RD PRIZE WORTH RS 5,000 ARE

1827 2859 3167 3381 3741 3937 3939 3941 3962 4016 4071 4742 4992 5050 5122 6251 6785 6824 6838 6974 7996 8491 8974

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 4TH PRIZE WORTH RS 2,000 ARE

1170 2106 4512 4709 5988 6487 6734 6971 7167 9206 9292 9550

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 5TH PRIZE WORTH RS 1,000 ARE

0034 0233 0448 0839 1049 1223 1550 2242 3171 3404 4391 5037 5126 5413 5424 6061 6584 7124 7976 8061 8696 9457 9760 9845

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 6TH PRIZE WORTH RS 500 ARE

0017 0089 0137 0278 0318 0560 0565 0572 0584 0585 0678 0851 0883 0918 0964 1139 1210 1213 1301 1354 1361 1422 1571 1700 1733 1854 1855 1886 2008 2182 2358 2392 2408 2591 2657 2700 2725 2797 2850 3005 3089 3657 3681 3711 3763 3809 3888 3980 4487 4583 4895 4986 5161 5589 5756 5826 5877 5889 5943 5958 6081 6201 6456 6492 6531 6719 6947 6999 7062 7169 7172 7192 7693 7749 7800 7834 7937 8022 8198 8230 8331 8370 8406 8726 8769 8854 8949 9018 9122 9147 9153 9241 9305 9616 9932 9937

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 7TH PRIZE WORTH RS 100 ARE

0056 0139 0236 0238 0255 0372 0574 0588 0702 0728 0978 1015 1107 1257 1405 1529 1642 1742 1814 2128 2134 2275 2327 2345 2398 2441 2513 2609 2627 2665 2926 3120 3154 3179 3193 3211 3387 3440 3513 3576 3621 3701 3860 3901 3990 4062 4164 4372 4379 4491 4536 4680 4764 4804 4917 4936 5013 5081 5360 5470 5616 5693 5710 5772 5825 5898 5936 5966 5969 6015 6034 6158 6203 6226 6274 6380 6406 6530 6569 6585 6606 6753 6791 6794 6829 7000 7054 7061 7102 7130 7227 7269 7327 7399 7429 7548 7562 7654 7674 7743 7748 7792 8021 8116 8164 8181 8285 8302 8484 8515 8545 8780 8916 8939 8987 8997 9057 9141 9249 9255 9301 9433 9538 9540 9575 9899

HOW TO VERIFY KERALA FIFTY FIFTY FF-108 LOTTERY RESULTS?

The Fifty Fifty Lottery FF-108 lottery players have two options for verifying the outcomes. They can either visit the Kerala Lottery Departments official website: keralalottery.info, or they can go directly to the lottery office. With these options, players can quickly examine the lottery result and determine their odds of winning.

HOW TO COLLECT YOUR PRIZE MONEY?

Players can choose to verify the status of their tickets in addition to comparing the numbers on their tickets with the winning combinations that are announced in the Kerala Government Gazette.

Winners may pick up their winnings at the Kerala Lottery Headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram within 30 days following the announcement of the results. The winners must carry a legitimate identity proof and their winning ticket to complete the verification process.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO CLAIM PRIZE MONEY?

1. A photocopy of the winning ticket with self-attestation on both sides is required.

2. A pair of passport-sized photos signed by a Gazette official.

3. An extra PAN card with the participants signature on it.

4. Fill up the online award money receipt form, then send it in with a revenue stamp attached.

5. Identity documents (PAN, Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards, among others).

HOW TO DOWNLOAD A PDF WITH A FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS?

1. Go to www.keralalotteries.info or keralalotteryresult.net, the official website of the Kerala Lottery Department.

2. Select the link for Fifty Fifty Lottery FF-108 Result.

3. Each winning number should now be visible in the result.

4. Locate the webpages download link.

5. Choose to get the FF-108 lottery results in PDF format.

KERALA LOTTERY: WEEKLY DRAW

MONDAY: Win Win  First prize Rs 75 lakh

TUESDAY: Sthree Sakthi  First prize Rs 75 lakh

WEDNESDAY: Fifty Fifty  First prize Rs 1 crore

THURSDAY: Karunya Plus  First prize Rs 80 lakh

FRIDAY: Nirmal  First prize Rs 70 lakh

SATURDAY: Karunya  First prize Rs 80 lakh

SUNDAY: Akshaya  First prize Rs 70 lakh

KERALA BUMPER LOTTERIES

January: Xmas New Year Lottery

March: Summer Bumper Lottery

May: Vishu Bumper Lottery

July: Monsoon Bumper Lottery

September: Thiruvonam Bumper Lottery

October: Onam Bumper Lottery

November: Pooja Bumper Lottery

KERALA ONAM THIRUVONAM BUMPER BR-99 LOTTERY DRAW ON OCTOBER 9; FIRST PRIZE RS 25 CRORE!

WHAT: Onam Bumper BR-99 Lottery Draw

WHEN: October 9, 2024 at 2 pm

FIRST PRIZE: Rs 25 Crore

TICKET SERIES: TA, TB, TC, TD, TE, TG, TH, TJ, TK, TL

TICKET PRICE: Rs 500 each

The next bumper lottery known as the Onam Bumper BR-99 Lottery is on October 9, 2024. The result will be live at 2 PM. The Kerala government has increased the first prize of the lottery to Rs 25 crore. The second prize is Rs 1 crore (20 number of prizes) and third prize is Rs 50 lakhs (20 number of prizes) respectively. The lowest amount of prize for this lottery is Rs 500. The consolation prize itself is Rs 5 lakh. The cost of the ticket is Rs 500.

ONAM THIRUVONAM BUMPER BR-99 PRIZE STRUCTURE
Mouni Roy has emerged as a charming fashion trailblazer with her immaculate versatility. Not just her glam looks, but even her casual ensembles are worth bookmarking. Her most recent look merely adds to her exceptional style book, and fashion enthusiasts should start taking notes. Mouni shared a glimpse from her London vacation, and she has surely turned many heads on the street with her impeccable ensemble.

For her day out in the city, Mouni Roy chose to go all out with the denim trend. She wore a sassy denim dress from the collection of the fashion brand Alberta Ferretti. The body fitted dress features strappy sleeves with a plunging neckline and defined patterns on the bust. It has a front button look all over its length and has bold cuts on either side of her waist. While it also featured a slit towards the hem. She layered it with a brown long coat, which has loose, fitted sleeves with fringes that give it a rugged look.

She also went all out with her accessories with the outfit. Mouni carried a handbag from Moschino and wore a sleek pair of red high boots from Prada. You can also not miss out on the black tinted sunglasses. She kept her makeup minimal with subtle highlights and an even look. Lastly, Mouni kept her hair looking in and let it casually fall over her shoulder.

Some time back, Mouni Roy wore a bold strappy top with high-waisted denim pants as she stepped out in the city. The top had a plunging neckline and cropped hem, which added a sassy touch to her look. To contrast the tops short hem, Mouni paired it with fashionable loose denim. What was noteworthy is that the jeans were a dark and light blue hue. The high waistline nicely defined her body. However, the relaxed silhouette, which flowed down to the bottom, added to the casual vibe of the ensemble.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viral Bhayani (@viralbhayani)

Mouni Roy elevated her style with her accessories. The actress opted for some expensive rings on her fingers and carried a crossbody purse, which complemented her outfits colour scheme. She accentuated her appearance with a glowing makeup look that included mascara-laden eyelashes, winged eyeliner and kohl with contoured cheeks, blush and pink lip shade. Lastly, Mouni Roy completed her look by tying her hair in a tidy ponytail.
While Rajasthan is renowned for its impressive forts and palaces, Mumbai also boasts a fort that stands as a magnificent testament to the citys rich history. Bandra Fort, also known as Castella de Aguada, is a hidden gem offering breathtaking views and an intriguing past.

Constructed by the Portuguese for strategic security, Bandra Fort was strategically placed to monitor key locations: Mahim Bay to the south, the Arabian Sea to the west, Worli Island to the south, and Mahim city to the southwest. This vantage point ensured that any approaching enemy could be spotted from afar. In 1739, the Marathas seized control of the fort, which remained under their rule until 1774.

Bandra Fort is designed in European style, featuring a large gate, storage rooms, and communal areas. Standing 43-feet tall and situated 24 metres (79 feet) above sea level, the forts elevation was intended to safeguard it from floods.

The fort, located in Mumbais Bandra area, is open to visitors daily from 10 am to 8 pm. If youre seeking a unique historical experience beyond the citys temples and beaches, Bandra Fort is a must-visit destination.
Bigg Boss Marathi 5 has created a lot of buzz on social media since the show premiered. Viewers keep waiting for more updates on the show. Recently, the makers shared a promo video of the upcoming episode, which is currently garnering everyones attention. The latest promo features a fun banter between contestants Suraj Chavan, Ankita Prabhu Walavalkar, and Varsha Usgaonkar. In the new promo of Bigg Boss, Suraj, Ankita, and Varsha are having a fun conversation. In which Ankita says, Oh, my brother-in-law, take care of your duty. If you dont do it, mother-in-law will work, she said to Suraj. Replying to this, Varsha Tai said, Now I am going to make the daughter-in-law do all the work. After this, Ankita says, I will not work, my pleasure, my work. After this, Suraj added, You have to listen to your mother-in-law. They have that right to Ankita. To this, Varsha Tai says, I dont have to tell anyone to do my work. I do my work with love. Lastly, Paddy Dada jokingly shared a funny poem, Bhauji, Bhaujis salt box, Bhaujis moustache sat on the bag. This promo has been shared on Colors Marathis official Instagram page.

The promo went viral in no time, while Bigg Boss Marathi fans showered laughing emojis in the comment section. In the latest episode, the viewers will get to see a playful atmosphere. It has been a month since Bigg Boss Marathi 5 started. The viewers are eagerly waiting to see the upcoming episode.

Recently, the journey of pardesi girl Irina Rudakova in the house of Bigg Boss Marathi has come to an end. This season marked the first time in Bigg Boss Marathi history that a foreign contestant entered the house, bringing a unique dynamic to the show. Irina, a solid performer, talented dancer, and actress, quickly captured the hearts of viewers over her four-week stay.

After being evicted from the Bigg Boss house, Irina expressed her feelings, stating, I will definitely miss the Bigg Boss Marathi house 100 percent. From the moment I stepped out, I had already started missing it.
Last week, Arshad Warsi sparked off a debate when he shared his feedback on Nag Ashwins Kalki 2898 AD. He said that though he loved Amitabh Bachchans performance as Ashwatthama in the film, he wasnt too impressed with Prabhas look in it and dubbed him a joker. His comment has left the internet polarised. While some supported him saying that hes entitled to have an opinion, Prabhas fans were furious.

Prabhas Kalki 2898 AD co-star Saswata Chatterjee, Telugu actor Nani, producer Dil Raju, and director Ajay Bhupathi also expressed their outrage over Arshads remark. The latest to join this conversation is Swapna Dutt, Nags sister-in-law, who also served as a producer on Kalki 2898 AD. Speaking to News18 Showsha exclusively at the ongoing Moscow International Film Week, she lauded Nags post on X in reaction to Arshads comment.

Talking about why the film team didnt lose their calm even as fan wars took over social media, Swapna told us, I loved the way Nagi reacted to it. We stayed calm because the film proved for itself what it is. Prabhas was fantastic in the film as he always is. Weve to give it to the magnanimity of Nag Ashwin and Prabhas. Theyre just so easy on these things.

The Mahanati and Sita Ramam producer further added that her brother-in-laws reaction bore a testament to who he is and what the film stands for. Nagi tweeted recently saying that he will be sending him a toy and work harder for part two. He only wished that he (Arshad) used better language and that makes Nagi who and what he is, Swapna remarked.

For the unversed, Nag replied to a fan post featuring a clip from Kalki 2898 AD. The user wrote, This one scene (greater than symbols) >>>> whole Bollywood Kalki 2898 AD Prabhas. Nag responded, Lets not go backwards no more north-south or bolly vs tolly (Bollywood vs Tollywood) eyes on the bigger picture united Indian film industry Arshad saab (sir) should have chosen his words better but its ok sending Buji toys for his kids I will work hard so tweets that Prabhas was the best ever in K2 (sic).

For context, Arshad recently appeared on Unfiltered By Samdish and said, I watched Kalki 2898 AD which I didnt like Prabhas, Im really sad, but why was he like a joker? Why? I want to see a Mad Max yaar, I want to see Mel Gibson over there. Tumne usko kya bana diya, yaar? Kyun karte hai aisa mujhe nahi samaj mein aata hai!

Meanwhile, CINTAA president Poonam Dhillon received a letter from Vishnu Manchu, Telugu actor and President of the Movie Artiste Association following Arshads statement about Prabhas. While I do believe that he may not have said it against Prabhas, it may be against the character in the film, I would still like him to clarify and if need be, undo the hurt which he may have caused the artistes of the Telugu industry because we are all one industry, Poonam told HT.
Actor-turned-politician and BJP leader Khushbu Sundar has opened up on the sexual assault allegations that are rocking the Malayalam Film Industry in the wake of Justice Hema Committee Report. Taking to X, she wrote a long note, saluting the women who are fighting. She also wrote that sexual harassment and pressure to compromise for career advancement happen in every field. But why should women face this alone, she rued, in her post.

This moment of #MeToo prevailing in our industry breaks you. Kudos to the women who have stood their ground and emerged victorious.  The #HemaCommittee was much needed to break the abuse. But will it?Abuse, asking for sexual favors, and expecting women to compromise to  KhushbuSundar (@khushsundar) August 28, 2024

Opening up on a long conversation she had with her daughters  24 and 21  on the issue, she said that she was amazed at their empathy and understanding towards the victims. They firmly support them and stand with them at this juncture. It doesnt matter whether you speak today or tomorrow, just speak. Speaking up immediately would help in healing and investigating more effectively. The fear of being shamed, victim blaming, and questions like Why did you do it? or What made you do it? break her. The victim might be a stranger to you or me, but she needs our support, an ear to listen, and emotional backing from us all. When questioning why she didnt come out earlier, we need to consider her circumstances  not everyone is privileged to speak out, she wrote.

She went on to add that as a woman and a mother, such violence cuts deep, hurting both body and soul. These acts of brutality shake the foundations of our trust, our love, and our strength. Behind every mother, theres a will to nurture and protect, and when that sanctity is shattered, it affects us all.

She also opened up about her father who abused her at the age of 8. Some ask me what took me so long to speak about my fathers abuse. I agree I should have spoken earlier. But what happened to me, was not a compromise to build my career. I was abused at the hands of the person who was suppose to provide me the strongest arms to hold me if I fell, she wrote in the emotional post.

The Hema Committee report highlights issues like sexual harassment, lack of basic facilities, gender bias, and pay disparities in the Malayalam film industry. Meanwhile, megastar Mohanlal has resigned as the president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) in the wake of multiple sexual assault stories that victims have come forward to narrate.
As the dark underbelly of sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry stands exposed with the Hema Committee report and fresh allegations of sexual abuse, women artistes say the uprising" was needed and is a wake-up call for every workplace". While actor-politician Khushboo Sundar urged women to speak up in time", actor Maala Parvathi said that it is time for the realisation that women artistes dont need godfathers", and that giving a woman a job is not a favour on her".

Sundar, a former member of the National Commission for Women (NCW), who has also worked across several languages, said, We needed this uprising. Such incidents happen in every industry; why is the focus only on the film industry? Why not the IT industry, medical, media, government jobs? It happens everywhere, and it should be reported as soon as it happens. If one compromises, for whatever reason, then you lose the power to speak about it later. Speak up when somebody misbehaves with you then and there. There shouldnt be fear of not getting a job. Speaking up after 20 years is not effective."

ALSO READ | Bengali Actor Accuses Malayalam Filmmaker Ranjith of Sexual Harassment: He Touched MyIt Was Traumatic

In the aftermath of an assault case on an actress involving actor Dileep in 2017, the Kerala government had appointed a panel to study issues of sexual harassment and gender inequality. The Justice K Hema Committee in its report recorded explosive accounts of harassment, exploitation and ill-treatment of female professionals in the film industry and alleged that a criminal gang" is controlling the industry where unyielding women are squeezed out.

So far, 10 Malayalam film veterans, including actors and directors, have been named by various women artistes, accusing them of sexual assault and mental trauma leading to denial of work because they did not comply with their sexual" requests.

Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) president Mohanlal, along with the entire executive committee, resigned from their positions on Tuesday, citing moral responsibility" in light of the allegations. In their media statement, the now-dissolved AMMA committee said: Following the release of the Hema Committee report and the subsequent sexual allegations faced by certain office-bearers within the executive committee of AMMA in social, visual, and print media, the current executive committee of AMMA, taking into consideration its moral responsibility, is stepping down. We thank you for your criticism and correction," it stated.

ALLEGATIONS BY SREELEKHA MITRA, MINU MUNEER CAUSED A STIR

The issue snowballed when Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra filed a complaint with the Kochi city police commissioner against director Ranjith for trying to forcibly touch her with sexual intent. She recalled the 2009 incident in Kochi, where she alleged that Ranjith invited her to act in the film, Palerimanikkam, and, as part of the discussion, called her to his flat in Kaloor-Kadavanthra, Kochi.

It was during the course of the discussion of the script that he forcibly clutched my hand. He tried to force his hands over other parts of my body with sexual intention. When I realised it was not the movie on his mind and that I had to escape from the flat, I rushed out and returned to my hotel," Mitra said in her complaint. After the complaint was filed, Ranjith, who had held the position of Chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy, resigned.

ALSO READ | Malayalam Film Industrys MeToo Movement: Who Are Involved? What Has Justice Hema Committee Report Said?

This was soon followed by actor Minu Muneers sexual abuse revelations on social media against seven prominent figures in the Malayalam film industry, including actor-politician Mukesh, actor Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju and Idavela Babu, as well as lawyer V. S. Chandrasekharan, production controller Noble, and casting director Vichu.

When asked why she chose to open up now, Muneer said that with the strong backing from the government and concerned friends, she felt it was time to rip the bandage". She alleged that Jayasurya hugged her from behind" and kissed without consent" on set. She also alleged that Maniyanpilla Raju repeatedly attempted to enter her hotel room uninvited, while Noble misbehaved with her during a car ride.

I feel strong enough now. I know the government and the police will stand with me. When truth is told, there is no fear. Nobody took our complaints seriously when we raised them at that time. Now, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) established by the Kerala government to investigate these allegations has begun their work, and soon you will see how these so-called stalwarts will stand in the court of law," the actor said.

JUST THE TIP OF ICEBERG, SAYS MUNEER

Amma means mother, and one should feel safe, secure, and loved. This AMMA was a web of deceit, one that was used to trap young artistes, trying to force them using power and influence. The resignation of all members shows how deep the rot is," Muneer told News18.

As AMMA, they should have taken some stern decisions; they did not. They were useless as a committee, but now we are waiting for the police to investigate," she said.

Muneer, who awaits the team of investigating officers to take her statement on the cases that she has filed, said, This is just the tip of the iceberg. Now you will watch the abusers crumble one by one. We have endured a lot through the years, but we have now decided to stand up and fight. This fight is real, and we will not stop until justice is served."

I have been receiving calls from people saying that I should be careful, that I am taking on big names. I am not at all scared. I know the truth, and we will stand by it."

MORE ACTORS ALLEGE #METOO

In the wake of Muneers revelations, several other actors have come forward with their own accounts of abuse. Senior actor Siddique, who had been serving as the general secretary of AMMA, also resigned following allegations of sexual abuse made by actor Revathy Sampath. Meanwhile, a junior artiste accused actor Baburaj of sexual assault. Baburaj was also a part of AMMA.

Sampath recounted how, when she told the senior actor that she would go public with his misbehaviour, he countered: Who is going to believe you? Does anybody know you? Have you even acted in one film? People admire my work and wont believe a word you say."

ALSO READ | Kerala Govt Sets Up SIT To Look Into Allegations By Female Actors In Malayalam Cinema

FACED A SITUATION BUT HANDLED IT; PROUD OF WCC: KHUSBHOO SUNDAR

Sharing her experience with a producer in the Tamil film industry who sent feelers to her when she was a young, budding actor, Khushboo Sundar said she put an end to it with an aggressive stance. I told him to stop, pulled out my chappal, and said it was size 41 and would land on him if he pursued. I asked him if he wanted it on his face in my dressing room or in front of the set," she recalled, adding that it did not stop her from getting films or making a career.

She added that she was proud of the seven women from the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) who sought the intervention of the Kerala High Court to protect women from sexual harassment in Malayalam film production units. Somebody needed to bell the cat. I am so happy the seven-member women of WCC stood together and were able to do so. We are so proud of it."

MORE WOMEN COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED IF HEMA REPORT WAS MADE PUBLIC EARLIER: REVATHI

Three-time national award winner and actor Revathi also came out in support of the Hema Committee report, which was commissioned by the Kerala government and took 233 pages to expose the extensive exploitation and harassment that women professionals face within the Malayalam film industry.

ALSO READ | Sound Designer Resul Pookutty Praises Revathi For Her Contribution To Hema Committee Report

Revathi, one of the founders of the WCC, has been vocal in advocating for a safer industry for women. She said she faced discrimination because she supported womens issues. I faced discrimination even from some of my colleagues for supporting womens causes. This discrimination caused me pain and shock," Revathi said to the media, adding that many women could have been saved if the Hema report had been made public earlier.

GIVING A WOMAN A JOB IS NOT A FAVOUR: MAALA PARVATHI

Parvathi spoke of how shocked the industry is as the can of worms opens. How deep does this rot go? To what extent does this go? Hundreds of incidents have been brushed under the carpet. But now, with the Hema Committee report and those who are speaking up, we are going to see a change. People are now listening to us, talking about safety, and finally sitting up and seriously paying attention," said the senior actor.

She hopes that other film industries will also take a cue from the Kerala story and spark a new wave for change. The resignation of AMMA members is an acknowledgment that there are issues and that things need to be set right," Parvathi said.

Giving a woman a job is not a favour, but something that is earned because she is talented and has the flair for the job. We will fight, we will do auditions, prove our mettle, and get what we deserve. We dont need a godfather to give us work. We can stand on our own feet and showcase our work brilliantly," she said, summing up her feelings about the revelations being dubbed as the industrys #MeToo campaign.

Disclaimer: As per legal and ethical guidelines, we generally refrain from naming victims in cases of sexual harassment or assault. The inclusion of the name in this article is based on the fact that the individual has publicly identified themselves in connection with the case. We respect the privacy and dignity of all individuals involved and urge readers to approach the matter sensitively.
The Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) is in turmoil following the mass resignation of its office bearers, including president Mohanlal, on Tuesday. The resignations have sparked widespread debate within the Malayalam film industry, with various stakeholders expressing their views on the future of the organisation.

The Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), known for advocating gender equality in the industry, emphasised the collective responsibility to build a just future. In a statement shared on their official social media accounts, the WCC urged the industry to rethink, reshape, and rebuild. They called for a new revolution focused on justice and dignity for all. The WCC, formed in the wake of the 2017 abduction and sexual assault of a leading actress in Kochi, played a pivotal role in petitioning the Kerala Chief Minister, which led to the formation of the Justice Hema Committee to investigate issues within the industry.

Director Vinayan, a prominent critic of AMMA, voiced his opinion on the resignations, stating that he did not believe the office bearers stepped down out of shame. He expressed no satisfaction in seeing AMMA weakened but saw the situation as an opportunity for positive change. In an interview with Mathrubhumi News, Vinayan suggested that those who have never held the positions of president or secretary should now assume leadership roles, marking a shift towards more democratic governance.

Joy Mathew, one of the AMMA executive committee members who resigned, announced that he would not participate in the upcoming conclave proposed by the state government to discuss the Justice Hema Committee report. He emphasised the need for an ad hoc committee to decide the associations stance on the matter. Mathew also highlighted the importance of implementing the Hema Committees recommendations, predicting that Mohanlal might return as AMMAs president if he is willing.

When questioned about the silence of major stars like Mohanlal and Mammootty, Mathew defended their decision to stay quiet, explaining that the office bearers speak on their behalf as members of AMMA. He downplayed the current crisis, stating that Malayalam cinema has faced more significant challenges in the past, such as the controversy surrounding actor Dileep, who was arrested for allegedly orchestrating the 2017 actress abduction. Mathew also criticised the state government and the Cultural Affairs Minister for delaying the release of the Justice Hema Committee report for over four years. He called for Mukesh, an AMMA member and legislator accused of sexual misconduct, to step down from his political position while under investigation.

Is the Chief Minister the only person who details all plans of the government? Other ministers do too, right? The CM only addresses the most important matters. In this case, the issue at hand isnt that serious, Mathew said speaking to the media. Malayalam cinema has faced bigger troubles. The current one is not as big as the Dileep issue. He was AMMAs treasurer at the time, Mathew said.

Actor Shammi Thilakan, a long-time critic of AMMA like his father, veteran actor Thilakan, condemned the mass resignation as a betrayal of the members who elected the committee. He viewed the resignation as evidence of the associations failure to address critical issues. Thilakan emphasised the need for the association to hold all members accountable, regardless of their status, and criticised the organisation for maintaining a casteist mindset, a problem he claims has persisted for years.

As the industry grapples with the fallout from the resignations, voices like dubbing artist Bhagyalakshmi have called for 50 percent female representation in the next executive committee, while actor Shwetha Menon suggested that younger actors like Prithviraj Sukumaran should take the lead in shaping the future of AMMA.
The famous Dahi Handi festival was recently celebrated all over the country. The festival is celebrated with enthusiasm and excitement everywhere annually. It also witnessed a resurgence of celebrity appearances. Radha Patil is a budding dancer, who appeared during the celebration. She performed in Borivali during the auspicious occasion. Many compared her to the renowned Lavani folk dancer Gautami Patil. Both the dancers performed in Borivali on the auspicious occasion of Dahi Handi and made Mumbaikars crazy with their dance moves. Radha Patil is also named Radha Mumbaikar. She was seen performing at the Magathane Dahikala Govindotsav 2024, organised by the Mahayuti and Taramati Charitable Trust at Magathane in Thane.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_KSLE0Plpe/?hl=en

The dancer also shared a video of her performance on social media. In the clip, she is seen wearing a purple saree and a blue blouse and paired the attire with a pair of earrings. The post garnered several views and likes on Instagram. Many users also dropped the fire and heart emojis to express their love.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_FhXsJxhP7/?hl=en

Radha Patil shared another video while performing during the festival. The dancer shared the montage, while performing at different events during the occasion. In the Instagram video, she is seen wearing a golden nauvari saree and pairing it with a red blouse. In the same video, she wore a green nauvari saree with a purple blouse. She left her traces open. The post received many likes and comments on social media.

After Radha Patil made her entrance into the industry and impressed the public with her dance moves, people compared her to Gautami Patil.

Gautami Patil is a famous Lavani folk dancer in India. She shares a huge fan base, including individuals from all age groups. The dancer also attended the famous Dahi Handi celebrations in Magathane.

Dahi Handi is a famous Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna. During the occasion, young people known as Govindas form human pyramids to break an earthen pot filled with curd.
The Malayalam film industry is ruled by very powerful forces and is a boys club where it is believed that showing their power by sexually or mentally harassing women is their right, and they see no wrong in doing so, say several women artistes who are now finding the strength to come forward and share their traumatic experiences.

In cinema, they think it is their right to abuse women and get away with it, as they feel that the power group will be their safety net. They believe they can find protection behind the powerful men of Malayalam cinema, said a senior actress who did not want to be named.

This sentiment was echoed by actor-producer Sandra Thomas, who, in an exclusive interview with News18, recounted her experience of being humiliated in front of the Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA) after filing a complaint about unethical practices in the industry and the need for better working conditions for women artistes.

The popular Malayalam actress spoke of how she has endured many humiliating experiences. Most recently, when her film Little Hearts was set to release, she faced several obstacles. Shane Nigam, who played the lead role, had been banned by the industry for other reasons, and Sandra felt that her films posters and advertising were not given the same prominence as those of other films released at the same time. Sandra also raised issues regarding ticketing, claiming that several platforms were cheating producers or holding them to ransom. Additionally, the timing of her films screenings was shifted to 10 am, 11 am, and 12 pm, making it difficult for families to attend.

I filed a complaint with the Producers Association. In order to discuss the issue, they called me before the executive committee, which comprised 21 men and one woman. I stood there, facing their prying eyes and smirks, as they asked me uncomfortable questions, Sandra told News18. They mocked me and repeatedly said there would be no solution. They ridiculed me, asking whether directors should take to the streets to stick film posters.

For an industry known for its progressive and cutting-edge filmmaking, these stories of regressive attitudes and sexual assault have raised questions about why various associations and platforms have remained silent while women continued to suffer at the hands of their perpetrators.

A letter written by Sandra to the KFPA, stressing the need for a safer, better-paid work environment for women in the film industry, is in News18s possession. The four-page letter, containing 15 recommendations, explains how the Hema Committee Report exposed the dark side of the industry and calls for action to address these issues. She noted that despite the Hema report being public, there has been no discussion, debate, or stance taken by any of the film organisations in the state.

Sandras letter highlights three key points: first, that any report of harassment or criminal activity on film sets or studios should be immediately reported to the police, rather than attempting to settle it within film organisations, which only leads to further compromise.

She also raised the need for basic amenities, such as bio-toilets for junior artistes and shared caravans for supporting actors, especially women, for their daily needs.

Mandate caravans with two doors so that artistes can use basic facilities. Allocate one door for men and the other for women. I provided eight caravans for my film Little Hearts. I understand that budgets may be tight, but at the very least, shared bathrooms for basic needs should be in place, she suggested.

Sandra also addressed the issue of safe toilet facilities for women in her letter.

Speaking anonymously, another actress shared her experience in front of the KFPA when the issue of washrooms for women was raised.

The actress was asked how many times she needed to use the washroom each day. She replied four to five times. Thats when the executive committee asked her to specify whether she needed to urinate or defecate. How much more degrading and humiliating can it get? Sandra asked.

She also emphasised the need to fix actors salaries based on market value, but in a way that enables producers to pay respectable wages to the rest of the cast without the lead actor taking the majority of the budget.

In a film with a budget of Rs 4 crore, if the lead actor takes Rs 2 crore as their fee, how do we pay the rest of the crew and produce the film? Is that feasible? Sandra questioned.

She further stressed the need for more female leadership in forums, noting that there is not a single woman in film associations, even in redressal forums set up to resolve issues for female artistes.

A strict provision should be made to prevent individuals with external power, such as prominent political figures or highly influential individuals, from holding office in any of the industry associations. They will only try to protect their interests by using their external connections in cinema, Sandra wrote in her letter to the KFPA.

She also advocated for a ban on intoxicants at shooting locations or accommodations during production, as well as the prohibition of alcohol consumption at wrap parties.

Make police clearance certificates mandatory for all employees involved in film production and streamline casting calls via the Film Chamber, giving full authority to the director and producer to hire actors, Sandra recommended.

She noted that men in the Kerala film industry are well-organised, but women are not. There is a need to form a womens forum within the Film Chamber to include women from all areas of cinema, where they can raise their issues and seek solutions, she said.

Renowned actress and model, Shwetha Menon, who has come out strongly with her views on the issue, believes that though the churn has not fully started, the engine is in motion.

Its a fantastic start. It gives women the power to believe that finally, someone will listen to them seriously. The law needs to be strengthened and enforced. There must be a deep fear of the law so that those who commit crimes will be held and punished, she said.

Menon, who has not faced the same bitter experiences that many women are now sharing, said this is because she always spoke out when she felt she was in an abusive situation. Thats why I do a few movies, maybe five or six, and then move on. Ive fought for my rights in every film and have always held my head high, Menon said, adding that she fought for others as well as herself.

She emphasised that the Hema Committee Report gave women the courage to speak out after decades of abuse. But dont make them suffer again. Dont make them relive the 20-year-old abuse in their minds. Give them speedy justice and ensure no more women go through it. Many women have faced these circumstances without family support, and thats not fair. I am glad that finally, these stories are coming to light and creating ripples in the industry and the society at large, she told News18.

Menon, who is tall, was once asked to lower her head while working in films. She refused, and her father also made it clear that she should walk with her head held high and her back straight, instilling in her a sense of confidence. Nobody can make you look down. Chin up, head high, and then youll see whats ahead of you, her father would say, and she is glad that he did.

Menon said that while this may be a long and drawn-out fight, the collective power of women coming together to fight for the change, bring about legal reforms, and see it through to a logical conclusion is strong. I sense a firm resolve among many and thats a good sign.

She hopes that this does not become Keralas Story  The Dirty Picture, but that the changes made will have a lasting impact across all industries, creating safer workplaces for women. As President Droupadi Murmu told us today in no uncertain terms, enough is enough, she said.

Menon reiterated that society needs to genuinely wake up.

Its a culmination of men and women so everybody needs to be a little more human and responsible with each other, she said.
Days after Naga Chaitanya got engaged to Sobhita Dhulipala, a video of the actor has surfaced on social media which has left netizens excited yet confused. In the viral clip, Chay is seen dressed as a groom. He looks charming as always in a white sherwani as he arrives in a car with what looks like his baraat. The actor is seen waving at the cameras and flaunting his smile. Not just this, people can also be seen dancing to dhol beats around the car.

Soon after the video surfaced online, several social media users reacted to it and asked, What is happening? Is he getting married? asked another. However, News18 Showsha has learnt that Chay dressed like a groom for the opening ceremony of a store in Hyderabad.

Interestingly, the video comes days after Chay, who was previously married to Samantha Ruth Prabhu, got engaged to Sobhita Dhulipala. The two exchanged rings on August 8, 2024. It was an intimate ceremony at Chaitanyas home, attended only by close family members.

Sharing their first official pictures online, Naga Chaitanyas father, superstar Nagarjuna wrote, We are delighted to announce the engagement of our son, Naga Chaitanya, to Sobhita Dhulipala, which took place this morning at 9:42 a.m.! We are overjoyed to welcome her into our family. Congratulations to the happy couple! Wishing them a lifetime of love and happiness. God bless!  8.8.8 A beginning of infinite love .

Later, the couple also shared new romantic pictures from their engagement ceremony and wrote, What could my mother be to yours? What kin is my father to yours anyway? And how did you and I meet ever? But in love, our hearts are as red earth and pouring rain: mingled beyond parting.

Meanwhile, it was recently reported that Naga Chaitanya and Sobhita Dhulipala are planning for a destination wedding in 2025. However, there is no official confirmation of this as of now.
Kangana Ranaut has received a legal notice ahead of the release of her upcoming movie Emergency. On Tuesday, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) sent a notice to the producers of the film, including Kangana, asking them to remove the trailer which was released earlier this month.

SGPC secretary Partap Singh expressed his objection to the film and revealed that separate letters were also written to the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Central Board of Film Certifications Chairperson to ban Emergency. He accused Ranaut of hurting the sentiments of Sikhs and claimed that after the release of the films trailer, many anti-Sikh scenes had come to light.

Last week, GDPC and the Akhal Takht demanded an immediate ban on the film, claiming it tries to character assassinate Sikhs by creating a narrative against them. SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami, addressed a press conference when he sought an FIR against Ranaut and expressed objection against the film. He mentioned that even in the past, there have been several instances when Sikh sentiments were hurt due to the misrepresentation of the community in films. Seeking a ban on the film, he called the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) biased and urged for the inclusion of Sikh members in the censor board.

On the other hand, Gyani Raghbir Singh, Jathedar (head) of the Akal Takht claimed that the film deliberately misrepresented the character of Sikhs as separatists, which is part of a deep conspiracy. He argued that the film disrespects the community and accused Kangana of deliberately character assassinating Sikhs.

The community can never forget the anti-Sikh brutality of June 1984 and Ranauts film is trying to character assassinate Jarnail Singh Khalsa Bhindranwale, who has been declared a Qaumi Shaheed (communitys martyr) by Sri Akal Takht Sahib, he said.

Kangana Ranaut announced Emergency in 2021 but later clarified that even though it is a political drama, it is not Indira Gandhis biopic. The actress is not just playing the lead in the film but is also directing it. Besides Kangana, Emergency also stars Anupam Kher, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry and Shreyas Talpade among others. While Shreyas Talpade will be seen playing the role of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Anupam Kher will be seen as Jayaprakash Narayan. Late actor Satish Kaushik will also be seen as Former Deputy Prime Minister of India, Jagjivan Ram.

Emergency has been postponed multiple times and is now scheduled to hit theatres on September 6, 2024.

(With inputs from PTI)
Kannada actress Pavithra Gowda, a friend of Darshan Thoogudeepa, is one of the prime accused in the murder case of the pharmacist, Renukaswamy. The actress pleaded with the court to grant bail which was heard in court and adjourned the matter to August 28. Senior advocate Tommy Sebastian argued on behalf of the actress; he reportedly stated that bail must be granted considering Pavithra Gowda to be a woman. On August 27, the City Civil and Sessions Court in Bengaluru heard Pavithra Gowdas bail application. Tommy Sebastian is representing the actress and submitted to the court that the petitioner is a woman and should be granted bail. The investigation in the murder case has been completed and the Forensic Science Laboratory reports have been received. Allegedly, Pavithra Gowda is accused of striking the deceased on the head with a slipper and supporting reports have also been obtained, as per the lawyer. The lawyer also pointed out that she is accused of even slapping Renukaswamy, but she could not be a part of the murder conspiracy.

Till now, the case is majorly based on voluntary statements of the accused and not a single eyewitness testimony. The lawyer argued that as per Darshans suggestion, his accomplice Pavan informed Raghavendra who along with his friend kidnapped Renuka Swamy. As per Tommy Sebastian, Pavithra Gowda told Pavan about the obscene messages she was receiving from Renukaswamy, who brought this to the Challenging Stars attention and then they all planned to get the pharmacist. They took him to the shed and assaulted him. The lawyer claimed that Pavithra Gowda had no role in the murder and the police were making false accusations against her. It is yet to be determined whether it was a murder conspiracy or an accidental death.

After hearing Pavithra Gowdas lawyers arguments, the court also heard the bail applications of other accused and postponed the hearing of four bail applications. Whether the actress will be granted bail or not is yet to be decided by the court. Pavithra Gowdas mother and brother, who used to come through a special entry, tried to meet the actress but were not allowed to see her. After Darshans photos of getting royal treatment and lounging in the lawn area have gone viral, no one is allowed special entry now.
TV actress Dalljiet Kaur has been in the toughest phase of her life. As per reports, the actress is currently fighting a legal battle against her estranged husband, Nikhil Patel. Initially, Dalljiet and Nikhils married life looked nothing less than a fairytale. The actress never failed to express her love for Nikhil.

Meanwhile, as per the recent report, she even tore her moms gifted saree for Nikhil. The actress recently revealed how she gave Nikhil her wedding saree to make a sofa cover for their home.

According to a Times Now article, Nikhil once asked Dalljiet to use her wedding saree as their couch cover to serve as a shrine to their love.

After Nikhil made the demand, the actress thought of nothing and handed him her moms gifted saree to make the sofa cover.

As per the portals sources, Dalljiet was in tears as her saree was cut into bits and pieces just to fulfil her husbands wish. The actress is very attached to traditions and got very emotional when she took this step.

But, she simply saw the sofa as a shrine to their love, so she granted Nikhils desire. Dalljiet is still waiting for several expensive goods to arrive from Nikhils house in Kenya.

The Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 2 actress reached out to the court to put a stay order on him when he threatened to give away her belongings for charity. It was subsequently reported that Nikhil had moved Dalljiets belongings to a storage room.

During their legal battle, Dalljiet demanded the sofa to be given to her as she has emotions attached to the sofa covers, which were made out of her mothers gifted saree. However, Nikhil tore the cover and stored some pieces of it in the storage room.

It has also been reported that, as soon as the couple parted ways, Nikhil ripped off the cover and shredded the saree into pieces. When Dalljiet asked Nikhil to send her the sofa as it was made from her saree, he just returned the shredded saree parts to her.

According to the report, following her disastrous first marriage to TV star Shalin Bhanot, Dalljiet Kaur gave love another try and married Nikhil Patel last year. Within 10 months, Dalljiet and her son, Jaydon, returned to India from Kenya. The actress also accused Nikhil of having an extramarital affair and cheating on her.
Malayalam actress Usha revealed a senior star misbehaved with her during a project she was shooting with him and Mohanlal in 1992. The actress opened up about the incident amid the wave of #MeToo movement in Malayalam industry. In a press meet in Kannur, in Kerala, Usha revealed that the actor misbehaved with her in an elevator and she raised her voice against him. She added that she informed Mohanlal as well, who said she did the right thing. However, after the incident, she was dubbed as arrogant and lost a lot of work.

As reported by Manorama Online, Usha revealed that the team was working on a project in Gulf in 1992 when the said senior actor made a move on her in the elevator. The actress, who mentioned that the Malayalam actor has passed away, said that she immediately slapped him for his move. Some might ask why Im bringing this up now. I reacted to it immediately at that time. A video of the incident has surfaced now, Usha told Manorama.

A show was happening in Bahrain. After the show, we were waiting to go to the airport. Everyone was very tired. Mohanlal asked us to bring our belongings to the hall and said we could sit there and talk. Monisha, Revathi, Sukumari, and others were also there. I took my luggage and got into the elevator. The actor was in the elevator as well. He asked if we were going down. I happily got into the elevator. As soon as the door closed, he behaved very inappropriately with me. I hit him. By then, the elevator reached the next floor, she recalled.

When actor Sukumari got into the lift, she could sense something had happened and enquired. Actor Sukumari also got into the elevator and asked what the problem was. I told her what had happened and said I would inform everyone. Lalettan (Mohanlal) came and inquired about the incident, and I told him everything. Both Lalettan and Sukumari comforted me and said that I had reacted appropriately. Thats when the problems started. I informed the organisation about it, and they began labelling me as arrogant. They also said I was someone who pointed fingers at superstars. Eventually, I stopped getting movie offers, Usha shared.

The confession came hours after Mohanlal quit his position as the President of AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists). 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.
Malayalam actress Usha revealed a senior star misbehaved with her during a project she was shooting with him and Mohanlal in 1992. The actress opened up about the incident amid the wave of #MeToo movement in Malayalam industry. In a press meet in Kannur, in Kerala, Usha revealed that the actor misbehaved with her in an elevator and she raised her voice against him. She added that she informed Mohanlal as well, who said she did the right thing. However, after the incident, she was dubbed as arrogant and lost a lot of work.

For more updates: Usha Recalls Malayalam Star Misbehaved With Her in 1992: I Slapped a Senior Actor, Mohanlal Said

Kangana Ranaut has received a legal notice ahead of the release of her upcoming movie Emergency. On Tuesday, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) sent a notice to the producers of the film, including Kangana, asking them to remove the trailer which was released earlier this month. SGPC secretary Partap Singh expressed his objection to the film and revealed that separate letters were also written to the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Central Board of Film Certifications Chairperson to ban Emergency. He accused Ranaut of hurting the sentiments of Sikhs and claimed that after the release of the films trailer, many anti-Sikh scenes had come to light.

For more updates: Remove Emergency Trailer: Kangana Ranaut Gets Legal Notice, Asked To Apologise For Hurting Sikhs

Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli are currently in London where they are living a calm life away from all the glitz and glamour. Recently, the two stepped out for shopping in the city when they were caught by someone on a camera. In a video that surfaced on social media, Anushka and Virat were seen walking on the street. Anushka sported a white top with black pants and was seen carrying a red handbag. On the other hand, Virat was seen walking behind her. He was carrying a couple of shopping bags.

For more updates: Virat Kohli Carries Anushka Sharmas Shopping Bags, Sets Hubby Goals | Video From London Goes Viral

Stree 2 star Shraddha Kapoor is receiving a wave of love for the movie. But its not just her professional life thats making headlines  rumour has it shes about to upgrade her personal space as well. According to a report in the Hindustan Times, Shraddha is set to become Akshay Kumars new neighbour, moving into Hrithik Roshans current sea-facing apartment in Mumbais Juhu. Interestingly, Akshay Kumar, who had a cameo in Stree 2, lives in a luxurious duplex apartment in the same building that Shraddha is reportedly moving into, along with his wife, Twinkle Khanna, and their children.

For more updates: Stree 2s Shraddha Kapoor to Move into Hrithik Roshans Building, Set To Become Akshay Kumars Neighbour: Report

It is no secret that Aly Goni and Natasa Stankovic dated each other in the past. They even appeared together on the 9th season of Nach Baliye but broke up soon after the show ended. While nobody knows why they actually parted ways, Aly has finally dropped a big hint about it.

For more updates: Aly Goni Drops BIG Hint About His Breakup Reason With Natasa Stankovic: Usne Mujhe Bola Ki
In a romantic surprise, actor Miles Teller received the loveliest gift from his wife, Keleigh, on their 5th wedding anniversary. The couple got married in 2019 and are now marking a half-decade of their marital bliss. Making this even more special, Keleigh went down on one knee and popped the question, leaving the Whiplash actor quite confused. Well, things got even more interesting as his wife revealed a shiny new motorboat that she bought him as an anniversary gift.

In a video shared on Tellers social media handle, the bride could be seen on her knees while Miles remains completely puzzled. What are you talking about? What is going on? What the hell is going on? What is this? the 37-year-old continued asking. As soon as the boat pulled up, Keleigh declared, I bought you a boat!

While the actor was initially left overwhelmed and stunned, he soon adapted to the captains life and went straight for the steering wheel with Keleigh by his side. The couple was also accompanied by their friends and family members, who were the constant cheerleaders on the site. The following pictures show Miles and Keleigh sharing a warm hug and sweet kisses as they mark their wedding anniversary. They also posed on the boat that was fitted with beige interiors and a dark green colour on the side.

Happy 5th Anniversary was spelt out on the exteriors. Adding more to the celebrations, the actor also popped a bottle of champagne over the water as friends cheered, before they enjoyed a sunset meal at the end of the day.

In her caption, Keleigh mentioned that it was an early 5-year anniversary surprise for her husband. Miles always said its not fair men dont get proposed to so cheesed out and did it for him with his dream boat, she added.

It is pertinent to note that the duo met for the first time at a Grammy Awards after-party in 2013. I told my buddy, I think Im going to be with this girl for a long time,' he told People in 2017 while recalling their first meeting. They tied the knot in 2019 in Hawaii and have been inseparable ever since.
Balochistan, Pakistans largest and most resource-rich province, is fighting a battle for its survival. In the last week of August, freedom fighters in Balochistan launched one of the biggest attacks in recent history on Pakistans security apparatus. As this article was going to press, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) was suspected of having killed more than 100 Pakistani troops in a single night. Highways in Balochistan have been captured by the BLA, and every street has turned into a battleground. Pakistans defence establishment is also retaliating ruthlessly, killing a large number of civilians. This battle may end in the coming days, but the war between Balochistan and Pakistan will continue unless the root cause of this conflict is addressed.

The roots of this bloody war, raging since 1948 through several phases, lie in prolonged subjugation, underdevelopment, and deprivation of Balochistan by Pakistan.

Despite its vast natural wealth, the people of Balochistan have largely been excluded from the economic prosperity that these resources should ideally provide. The latest blow to them is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a massive infrastructure and economic project touted as a game-changer for Pakistan, which has been particularly contentious in Balochistan. While CPEC is often promoted as a vehicle for regional development and economic upliftment, many argue that it has exacerbated the existing inequalities and exploitation in Balochistan.

Historical Context: Balochistans Plight

To understand the dynamics at play, its essential to delve into the historical background of Balochistan, which has a long history of resistance against what many Baloch people see as the exploitation of their resources by external powers. Since the illegal accession of Balochistan to Pakistan in 1948, there have been multiple insurgencies, driven by grievances related to political marginalisation, economic exploitation, and cultural suppression. Despite being home to vast mineral resources, including natural gas, coal, copper, and gold, Balochistan remains the poorest province in Pakistan. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, Balochistans contribution to the national GDP is disproportionately low compared to its resource wealth, with a GDP per capita significantly lower than the national average.

Table 1: Balochistans Economic Indicators vs. National Average

Indicator Balochistan National Average GDP Contribution (%) 3.5% N/A GDP Per Capita (USD) $1,100 $1,400 Poverty Rate (%) 71.3% 24.3% Literacy Rate (%) 41% 58%

Source: Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, 2023

These figures highlight the stark disparities between Balochistan and the rest of Pakistan, illustrating the longstanding neglect and underdevelopment that has fueled resentment and unrest in the province.

The Promise and Perils of CPEC

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship project of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), aiming to connect Gwadar Port in Balochistan with Chinas Xinjiang region through a network of highways, railways, and pipelines. With an estimated investment of over $62 billion, CPEC is touted as a transformative project that will bring prosperity to Pakistan, particularly its less developed regions like Balochistan. However, the reality on the ground in Balochistan paints a different picture. Critics argue that the CPEC has primarily served the interests of the Central government in Islamabad and Chinese investors, with little regard for the local populations needs and aspirations.

Resource Exploitation and Environmental Degradation

Balochistans natural resources have long been extracted without adequate compensation or reinvestment in the local economy. The CPEC has exacerbated this issue, with large-scale projects often leading to environmental degradation and displacement of local communities. For example, the extraction of minerals and the construction of infrastructure has led to deforestation, loss of arable land, and pollution of water sources.

Marginalisation of Local Workforce

One of the most significant grievances related to the CPEC in Balochistan is the marginalisation of the local workforce. Despite promises of job creation, a large portion of the labour force employed in CPEC projects comes from other provinces or China. This exclusion has left the local population feeling alienated and resentful.

Table 2: Employment in CPEC Projects in Balochistan

Category No. of Jobs Created Percentage of Local Workers Construction 10,000 15% Services 5,000 20% Management 2,000 5%

Source: Pakistan Planning Commission, 2023

Security Concerns and Human Rights Violations

The militarisation of Balochistan under the guise of securing CPEC projects has led to widespread human rights abuses. The Baloch people have been subjected to enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and a heavy military presence, further alienating them from the state.

Economic Disparities and Unequal Distribution of Benefits

The economic benefits of CPEC have largely been concentrated in other regions, particularly Punjab, while Balochistan continues to lag in terms of infrastructure development, healthcare, and education. This unequal distribution of benefits has deepened the sense of deprivation in Balochistan.

Table 3: Infrastructure Development Under CPEC by Province

Province Length of Highways (Km) Investment in USD (Million) Punjab 1,500 12,000 Sindh 900 8,000 Balochistan 600 3,000

Source: CPEC Authority, 2023

Voices of Dissent: Mahrang Baloch and the Baloch Resistance

In recent years, people within Balochistan have become increasingly vocal in their opposition to CPEC and the broader policies of the Pakistani state. Among these voices is Mahrang Baloch, a prominent Baloch activist who has consistently highlighted the exploitation and marginalisation of the Baloch people under CPEC. Mahrang Baloch has criticised the CPEC as a project that primarily serves the interests of the Pakistani elite and foreign investors while further entrenching the economic and political disenfranchisement of the Baloch people.

In a recent statement, she said, CPEC is not a development project for the people of Balochistan. It is a tool of exploitation that has only brought more suffering to our land. Our resources are being taken, our environment is being destroyed, and our people are being displaced, all in the name of development. But where is this development? It is not in our schools, our hospitals, or our roads. It is in the pockets of the rich and powerful. Mahrang Balochs words resonate with many in Balochistan who feel that their voices are being ignored in the national discourse. Her activism has brought international attention to the plight of the Baloch people, shedding light on the darker side of the CPEC.

Gwadar Port Controversy

At the heart of CPEC is Gwadar Port, a deep-sea port in Balochistan that is strategically located on the Arabian Sea. Gwadar is often portrayed as the crown jewel of CPEC, with promises of turning it into a bustling trade hub that will bring prosperity to the region. However, the reality for the people of Gwadar has been quite different. Despite the massive investment in the port and its surrounding infrastructure, the local population has seen little improvement in their living conditions. Basic amenities such as clean drinking water, electricity, and healthcare remain scarce. The fishing community, which has traditionally been the backbone of Gwadars economy, has been particularly hard hit by the development of the port, with many fishermen losing their livelihoods due to restricted access to the sea.

In response to these grievances, protests have erupted in Gwadar, with local residents demanding their rights and a fair share of the benefits from the port. The Gwadar Ko Haq Do (Give Gwadar Its Rights) movement has gained momentum, highlighting the disconnect between the grand promises of CPEC and reality on the ground.

CPEC and the Baloch Nationalist Movement

The perceived exploitation of Balochistan under CPEC has also fueled the Baloch nationalist movement, which seeks greater autonomy or even independence for Balochistan. Baloch nationalist groups argue that the Central governments policies, including CPEC, are designed to extract resources from Balochistan without giving the local population a say in how their land and resources are used. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist group, has been particularly active in targeting CPEC projects and personnel, viewing them as symbols of the states exploitation of Balochistan. The BLA has carried out several high-profile attacks on Chinese nationals and CPEC infrastructure, further complicating the security situation in the region.

Economic Impact of CPEC on Balochistan

Despite the criticism, the Pakistani government and proponents of CPEC argue that the project has the potential to bring economic development to Balochistan. They cite the construction of roads, energy projects, and industrial zones as evidence of CPECs positive impact on the region. However, data suggests that the economic benefits of CPEC in Balochistan have been limited and unevenly distributed. While there has been some improvement in infrastructure, the overall economic impact on the province has been modest at best.

Table 4: Economic Indicators in Balochistan Pre- and Post-CPEC

Indicator 2013 (Pre-CPEC) 2023 (Post-CPEC) Change (%) GDP Growth Rate (%) 3.2% 3.5% +0.3% Unemployment Rate (%) 9.5% 8.7% -0.8% Poverty Rate (%) 72% 71.3% -0.7% Industrial Growth (%) 1.5% 2.1% +0.6%

Source: State Bank of Pakistan, 2023

As shown in the table above, while there has been some progress in certain areas, the overall impact of CPEC on Balochistans economy has been limited. The slight improvements in GDP growth and industrial growth have not translated into significant reductions in poverty or unemployment, suggesting that the benefits of CPEC have not reached the broader population.

The story of Balochistan and CPEC is a complex one, characterised by a mix of hope and despair, promise and betrayal. The current approach has largely marginalised the local population and exacerbated existing inequalities. Thus, the CPEC has turned out to be yet another chapter of exploitation and neglect in the long history of Balochistan.

The writer is an author and columnist and has written several books. His X handle is @ArunAnandLive. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
Had there been 247 TV news in India back in July 1993, the scenes on the streets of Kolkata on Tuesday may have looked very familiar to many people. On July 21, 1993, the then imperious Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, ensconced in Writers Building, sent the Kolkata Police out to quell a protest march led by a firebrand 38-year-old woman against his Left Front government. Instead, parallels are being drawn with Sheikh Hasina and the visuals from Dhaka earlier this month.

The question is whether that firebrand, now a very imperious 69-year-old third-term CM, sitting in Nabanna (she decommissioned Writers Building as the state secretariat to avenge her ordeal in 1993) has feelings of deja vu. No matter how much Kolkata Police and party spokesmen defend the lathi-charges, tear-gassing and water-cannoning, the images on instant recall and on thousands of social media posts will be of unarmed protestors being set upon by the authorities.

Even if Mamata Banerjee does not want to remember her Communist bete noire, she should remember another powerful woman CM, Sheila Dikshit, who was in charge when there were similar demonstrations and police crackdowns in Delhi: lathi-charges, teargas, water cannons, barricadesand determined protestors demanding justice for Nirbhaya. Dikshits unrelenting attitude cost her and the Congress Party (then ruling at the state level and the centre) very dear indeed.

The images of yellow barricades chained together at the foot of Raisina Hill in the heart of the Capital in December 2012 seemed unreal to many Delhiites watching on TV. When policemen in full riot gear beat back clearly civilian protestors, and water cannons were turned on them in the freezing weather, viewers disbelief turned to anger and then disgust. In the Assembly elections a year later, Congress came thirdand it marked the rise of Arvind Kejriwal.

That should have made all future CMs chary of using the same tactics again. But clearly memories of some politicians are short. Yet the bandobast of the Kolkata Police on Tuesday to deal with the protest march gave the impression that they expected nothing short of an invading Army. Steel barricades welded (not just tied) together to a height of 6 feet, bamboo palisades and heavy metal containers (used to transport cargo on ships and trains) were placed across key roads!

All this to stop people who had only national flags and an assortment of placards. To be sure, no doubt thanks to the presence of TV media and countless phone cameras, unlike in 1993, Kolkata Police did not fire live ammunition at the protestors this time. Back then 13 people had died in police firing that day; this time they were beaten back by lathis, teargas and water cannons. But the state governments both then and now, justified Kolkata Polices heavy-handedness.

Perhaps the TMC spokesmen were buoyed by the precedent of the Kamduni rape-murder, that that convulsed West Bengal in June 2013 and had led to eerily similar statements by Banerjee that the rapist(s) would hang. There were protests led by women from Kamduni who were friends of the victim, and candle-light marches by civil society demanding a CBI investigation. Their demand was not met and the wheels of justice turned painfully slowly. Not always forward either.

A sessions court convicted three men for the rape-murder in 2016 and awarded the death penalty to all of them. Justice appeared to be served and the CM seemed to have made good on her promise. Only, in 2023a decade after the rape-murderthe Calcutta High Court acquitted one of them and commuted the death sentence of two others to life imprisonment! That led to renewed protests by the women of Kamduni and also civil society. But eventually, it died down

That must have led to a realisation in some circles that there is a limit to public outrage, no matter how heinous the crime. There have been many rapes and rape-murders in West Bengal before and after Kamduni, and sadly, even after RG Kar. The objective, therefore, is to wear out the publics outrage. But the excessive actions taken against apolitical protestors on Tuesday have achieved exactly the opposite, even if they were successfully prevented from reaching Nabanna.

There were, of course, also charges that the protestors had political connections, as if that is illegal or somehow immoral. Every Indian has a right to vote and at least 60 per cent of us do in every election. That indicates political preference but that does not mean there was an ulterior motive for demanding Justice for RG Kar and safety for everyone. And it cannot be denied that even political protests are an integral part of democratic processes and cannot be dubbed unwarranted.

That the BJP, as the main opposition party in the state, has every right to call for bandhs and other protests also cannot be denied. It has 66 seats in the West Bengal Assemblyabout one-fourth of the Houseand has an obligation towards its constituents to take the government to task. And this issue certainly demands a political response. For TMC to insist that the BJP or even the disproportionately vocal Left parties should stay out of this issue is patently disingenuous.

That the Congress has decided to stay largely silent and invisible during the past tumultuous fortnight cannot but further damage the partys image in the state at a time when a centrist space could be carved out again. None of the Gandhis have found time to visit Kolkata so far, but people may remember that the extended Gandhi-Vadra clan even participated in a candlelight vigil in New Delhi in April 2018 to demand justice for the rape-murder victims of Kathua and Unnao.

One aspect of the protests may escape those who are unfamiliar with the situation in the state. Police officers ominously told the media that troublemakers of Tuesdays protests would be identified, and action would be taken. The threat inherent in that statement would be apparent to all state residents as non-TMC voters have been grievously assaulted in the aftermath of assembly and general elections. Openly protesting against the government inevitably invites worse.

That so many people came without masks, braved police lathis and water cannons and spoke about their dissatisfaction with the actions of the state government should send a message to Nabanna too. Only in hindsight did the Left Front realise that police heavy-handedness on 21 July 1993 became a turning point in the states politics. Will the TMC realise that the events of 27 August 2024 and whatever happens in the coming days could prove to be equally detrimental?

The author is a freelance writer. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
Myanmar is Indias gateway to Southeast Asia. Much of Indias Act East Policy hinges on the continuing stability and security of Myanmar. The larger goal of the Indian government over the past decade has been to economically integrate the Northeast with countries in Southeast Asia. Needless to say, such integration poses a challenge to external players keen on containing Indias rise.

It has now become clear that there is trouble brewing in Indias east. If a full-blown civil war in Myanmar was not enough, we now have a new regime in Bangladesh, which is not as sympathetic to Indian concerns and interests as Sheikh Hasina was. Both Bangladesh and Myanmar are in flux, and if India has to protect its long-term strategic interests in the region, there is an urgent need for strategic recalibrations. For starters, India must rethink how it handles the fluid situation in Myanmar, and who all it engages with to do so.

The drama in Bangladesh has proven beyond a measure of doubt that placing all our eggs in one basket, and betting on one leader alone may not be the right approach. This should form the foundation on which India builds its new strategy of dealing with Myanmar, simply because a renewed strategy is the need of the hour. Myanmar is more or less split right in the middle between a military junta and several ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) resisting its rule. In the latest news, the Arakan Army has seized most of central and northern Rakhine State, which borders Indias Mizoram and Bangladesh.

The Arakan Army is one of the most powerful armed organisations fighting the military junta in Myanmar. It is part of the Three Brotherhood Alliance that has, since late last year, posted spectacular victories against the junta under an operation codenamed 1027". However, the Arakan Army is not just fighting to dislodge the military junta. It is, in fact, fighting a war of independence for the Rakhine state.

It is noteworthy that Myanmars ethnic armed organisations are claiming control over 60% of the countrys territory. While the scale of EAO control in Myanmar can be debated, what is clear as day is the fact that the military juntas hold over the country is faltering. For India, which has chosen to side with the junta, this poses a strategic headache that must be remedied sooner rather than later. For starters, the Chinese offer a decent model to emulate.

China has consciously chosen to not place all its bets with one party in Myanmar. It has ties to both the military junta, as well as the ethnic armed groups. The ability to engage with the armed groups and rebels of Myanmar has allowed China to secure its border regions and strategic projects, although isolated incidents of violence are not unheard of. That being said, instead of depending solely on the ability of the Burmese military to protect Chinese interests and assets in the country, Beijing also works with various rebel groups to ensure the same. Many of these armed outfits are also recipients of handsome Chinese patronage and weapons, which should be a cause for concern for India.

Given the dynamics playing out in Myanmar, armed groups fighting the military junta are certainly not fringe elements that India can afford to ignore, or worse, have an acrimonious relationship with. In the event the military junta is toppled by the people and these EAOs, India will have no option but to watch as the Chinese post yet another strategic victory in the region. To avoid that scenario, there is an urgent need for India to engage just as much with the armed groups, even while its relationship with the junta continues on the trajectory it is on.

ENGAGE ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO AVOID GETTING CAUGHT OFF GUARD

If India continues to engage with Myanmars military junta alone, China will emerge as the most important foreign player in the civil war-torn country. Especially worrying for India should be the unilateral influence which China has over several ethnic armed organisations of Myanmar. If and when they are able to replace the military junta, Beijing could easily use these outfits to cause a serious security headache for India in the Northeast.

There is widespread resentment against the military juntas rule among the people of Myanmar. On its part, India could argue that engaging openly with ethnic armed organisations would lend legitimacy to such outfits. However, such reasoning would be devoid of realpolitik  something which India is in dire need of as it navigates ties with Myanmar. After all, it is not like the military junta has set the standards of governance very high so far. It continues to bomb its own territories and people therein, leading to mass displacement and gross human rights abuses.

Add to that, the junta has issued a diktat for all young people to join the militarys ranks in what is seen as a mass conscription drive and a last-ditch effort to cobble up forces before a big showdown with the rebels. The point being, the military junta is surviving on borrowed time. Eventually, they will be pushed out of power. India would be well-advised to prepare for that eventuality.

What should also raise eyebrows in New Delhi is the state of Hindus in Myanmar. Recently, two Hindu outfits wrote to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Modi, asking for the Government of India to intervene urgently to ease the increasing difficulties faced by Hindus in Myanmar. Hindus have alleged that they are being treated like aliens and second-class citizens in the country. Many have even expressed their desire to flee to India until normalcy returns to Myanmar, for which they are requesting New Delhi to ease its Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) rules. In April this year, over 5,000 houses belonging to Hindus and Buddhists were gutted in Buthidaung, which is just 25 kilometres away from the Bangladesh border.

ALSO READ | Straight Talk | Third Front Rising: India Needs a Plan B to Deal with Bangladesh Post Sheikh Hasina

There is no lesser evil in Myanmar as things stand today, which is why India should not shy away from engaging with all relevant parties to ensure its own interests are protected. After all, there are two high-priority projects of strategic importance underway in Myanmar. The first is the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway project, connecting Manipur in the northeast with Mae Sot in Thailand via Mandalay and Bagan in Myanmar. Although 70% of the project is completed, work has now come to a standstill due to the chaos unfolding in the country.

The second project is the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP) which will connect the seaport of Kolkata with Sittwe port in Rakhine State. There on, the project will connect Sittwe with Paletwa in Chin State via the Kaladan river boat route, while Paletwa will be connected via road. This is Indias most ambitious project in the region, intended to bypass the Chicken Neck corridor in Siliguri and provide New Delhi with an alternative route to maintain connectivity with the Northeast. With both Rakhine and Chin states largely under the control of the Arakan Army, the fate of the Kaladan Multi-Modal Project hangs in the balance. That should be incentive enough for India to engage with the Arakan Army and other rebel outfits in Myanmar.

In its present form, Indias approach to Myanmar is fraught with risks that could undermine its strategic interests in the region. By broadening its alliances, particularly with powerful groups like the Arakan Army, India can safeguard its critical projects and maintain stability in the Northeast. Most importantly, it can prevent China from developing an all-consuming influence over Myanmars ethnic armed organisations. After all, nobody wants a situation where India is forced to fight on three fronts in the Northeast alone  against China, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Proactive steps must be taken to ensure such a scenario does not become even a remote possibility.

Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
The rape and murder of a young doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata in August 2024 has sent shockwaves across the country. This heinous crime not only ended a promising life but also exposed the deep-seated issues plaguing West Bengal under Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress (TMC). The incident has brought to light the pattern of violence, corruption and suppression of dissent that has become the hallmark of the TMCs rule in the state and the culture of impunity that seems to pervade the state.

The RG Kar Hospital rape and murder is not an isolated incident but a symptom of the larger malaise afflicting West Bengal under TMC rule. The state has seen a spate of political killings, post-poll violence and attacks on Opposition party workers, especially those associated with the BJP. NCPCR chief Priyank Kanoongo was allegedly beaten up by a police officer at Tiljala PS when he was probing the murder of a 7-year-old girl. The panchayat polls held in July 2023 exposed the extent of violence and intimidation in the state with over 42 lives lost and ballot boxes found in drains.

As per the State Election Commission figures, the TMC won around 7,000 seats (9.47 per cent) out of 73,887 uncontested seats in the 2023 panchayat polls while in 2018 panchayat polls, the TMC won 20,000 seats uncontested amidst allegations of Opposition being prevented from filing nominations. The attack on then MoS Home Affairs Nisith Pramaniks convoy in February 2023, allegedly by TMC supporters, showed the brazen disregard for safety and security of even high-ranking government officials.

Since the 2021 state Assembly elections, over two dozen BJP workers have lost their lives including Avijit Sarkar in Kolkata, Debabrata Maity in Nandigram and Uttam Ghosh in Ranaghat. The NHRC report on post-poll violence in West Bengal documented numerous cases of rape and assault on women by TMC workers and painted a grim picture of the states law and order situation. A total of 2,093 women advocates from 28 states and 8 Union Territories of India and 146 retired officials have written to the Supreme Court judges asking them to take cognisance of the post-poll violence in West Bengal since May 2, 2021, and the erosion of rule of law and institutional breakdown in the state. Corruption and misgovernance have become synonymous with the TMCs rule in West Bengal.

The states economy has suffered, big companies have left and unemployment has skyrocketed. Infrastructure projects have been stalled and the once thriving city of Kolkata has lost its sheen. The case of Dr Sandip Ghosh, former head of RG Kar Hospital who faced serious allegations of corruption, body trafficking and selling biomedical waste is an example of the rot within the system.

Under Mamata Banerjees leadership, minority appeasement and persecution of Hindus has surfaced repeatedly. In 2024, the Calcutta High Court cancelled OBC certificates of 77 communities issued since 2010. Seventy-five of them belonged to the Muslim community. Reportedly, of the 35 communities added to the OBC list by Mamata Banerjee government in 2012, 34 were Muslims. Even the division bench of justices Tapabrata Chakraborty and Rajasekhar Mantha noted, this courts mind is not free from doubt that the said community has been treated as a commodity for political ends. The state CM called it a BJP order and refused to accept it.

The brutal murder of RSS worker Bandhu Prakash Pal, his pregnant wife and 8-year-old son in Murshidabad in October 2019, raised suspicion of a communal angle and a possible cover-up. During anti-CAA protests in December 2019, Hindu passengers on a train in Kolkata faced a nightmarish ordeal as a Muslim mob resorted to stone-pelting and arson while the police remained mute spectators. The state government has been accused of curbing Hindu religious freedom, imposing restrictions on Durga Puja celebrations and idol immersions to accommodate Muharram processions. The Calcutta High Court in 2016 accused Mamata Banerjee of indulging in minority appeasement by ordering organisers to immerse their idols by 4 pm on Doshomi, the final day of West Bengals biggest festival, Durga Puja.

Next year, in 2017, the West Bengal government announced that during that years Durga Puja, visarjan ceremonies will not be allowed a day after VijayaDashami on October 1 due to Muharram. Despite this, the Calcutta High Court had struck down the decision last year in 2016 after multiple Public Interest Litigations (PILs) were filed. The TMCs appeasement of the Muslim community has created resentment among the Hindus who feel their rights and safety are being compromised. Since 2012, Mamata has been intolerant towards dissent and flak.

Professor Ambikesh Mahapatra was arrested for sharing a cartoon featuring Mamata and was discharged after 11 years. Mimi Chakraborty, actress and former TMC MP, was threatened with rape and online harassment after she participated in a protest demanding justice for the RG Kar Hospital victim. The Kolkata Polices move to issue notices to social media users for sharing a spoof video of the chief minister and threatening them with legal action is another example of the governments attempt to silence free speech.

The RG Kar Hospital rape and murder case has become a national issue demanding justice for the victim and accountability from the powerful. The transfer of the investigation to the CBI is a step in the right direction but its just the beginning of a long journey. The incident has exposed the larger issues plaguing West Bengal  political violence, corruption, Muslim appeasement and suppression of dissent.

Its time the Central government, judiciary and civil society held the TMC government accountable for its actions and inactions so that the rule of law prevails and the voices of the victims are heard. The fight for justice in West Bengal is not just for a single case or community; its for the soul of democracy and the principles of equality, liberty and freedom of speech.

Yuvraj Pokharna is an independent journalist and columnist. He tweets with @iyuvrajpokharna. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
High drama was witnessed on Wednesday at the historic Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg, where the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj collapsed, as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Narayan Rane and his son and former MP Nilesh arrived at the spot at the same time as Aaditya Thackeray, Shiv Sena UBT leader and son of former CM Uddhav Thackeray, along with other Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders.

Once close allies in the Sena, the Thackerays and Ranes are now staunch political rivals. Supporters of both factions soon clashed, engaging in heated exchanges and slogan shouting.

ALSO READ | Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Statue Collapse: 2 Booked, Unanswered Questions & Attack On Mahayuti Ahead Of Polls

The collapse on Monday, just eight months after the installation, has sparked outrage across Maharashtra, leading to protests and demonstrations by citizens and political groups. The situation reached the boiling point as leaders from both the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the BJP-led ruling Mahayuti coalition converged at the fort. The MVA had organised a protest march to express their anger over the collapse and to demand accountability from the government.

The arrival of Thackeray and other MVA leaders, including Vinayak Raut, MLA Vaibhav Naik and NCP(SP) State President Jayant Patil, further intensified the situation. The police had to intervene to prevent the situation from spiralling out of control, separating the rival groups before violence could break out.

Narayan Rane, visibly angered by the confrontation, took a defiant stance. We are in our own territory. If outsiders try to impose their will here, we will not back down. They can do whatever they want, even fire bullets, but we wont move."

Thackeray, addressing the media after the altercation, criticised the BJP, accusing them of mismanagement and corruption in the installation. Its unfortunate and childish. We are at a fort dedicated to Shivaji Maharaj, and yet politics is being played. The intelligence of these leaders is as small as their height," he remarked, drawing further ire from the Rane camp.

The police made concerted efforts to keep the peace, while Thackeray and his MVA colleagues continued their inspection of the fort in a show of resolve.

Both the MVA and the Mahayuti are vying for public support amid the ongoing controversy. The collapse of the statue has not only become a symbol of government failure, but also a flashpoint for broader political battles in the state just before the assembly polls.
Eight unidentified persons were arrested on Wednesday (August 28) hours after the BJP alleged that TMC workers hurled bombs and fired shots at party leader Priyangu Pandeys car in the Bhatpara area of West Bengals North 24 Parganas district. The ruling Trinamool Congress refuted the claims, which came amid the 12-hour Bengal Bandh called by the saffron party in the state against police action on protesters during the Nabanna Abhijan rally a day before.

#WATCH | West Bengal: BJP leader Priyangu Pandey claims people belonging to TMC attacked and fired on his car, earlier today, in Bhatpara of North 24 Parganas pic.twitter.com/hVKfsf9u7h ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2024

What BJPs Priyangu Pandey said

Today I was going to our leader Arjun Singhs residence. We moved some distance and the road was blocked by a jetting machine from Bhatpara Municipality. The moment our car stopped, around 50-60 people targeted the vehicle. 7 to 8 bombs were thrown at my vehicle and then 6-7 round firing was done. This is a joint conspiracy of TMC and the Police. They planned my murder. The police supported and gave information. My security was withdrawn and then this incident happened, news agency ANI quoted Pandey as saying.

The BJP leader also mentioned that his driver had been shot at and others sustained wounds. There are two people who are severely injured among the other seven, he added.

BJP Shares Visuals, Cops Visit Spot

Later, the BJP shared visuals of the attack on protesters.

West Bengal | Two people got injured in the attack and firing incident on the BJP leader Priyangu Pandeys car, earlier today, in Bhatpara of North 24 Parganas pic.twitter.com/MO2x3vxabB ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2024

Police officials, meanwhile, recovered empty bomb shells from near the spot where BJP leader Priyangu Pandey was allegedly attacked.

#WATCH | West Bengal: Police recovered empty bomb shells from near the spot where BJP leader Priyangu Pandey was attacked in Bhatpara of North 24 ParganasPriyangu Pandey claimed that several people attacked and fired on his car, earlier today, in Bhatpara of North 24 Parganas https://t.co/WRreN8Hfiu pic.twitter.com/f9jiuWvHCv  ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2024

About the incident, former BJP MP Arjun Singh said there was a plan to kill Priyangu Pandey. When the leaders of our party were coming, the road was blocked using a jetting machine and a bomb was thrown. Seven rounds of firing took place and all this was done in the presence of the ACP. There was a plan to kill Priyangu Pandey. Today the situation is such that those who threw the bomb play gambling outside the ACP office, he said.

When the leaders of our party were coming, the road was blocked using a jetting machine and a bomb was thrown. Seven rounds of firing took place and all this was done in the presence of the ACP. There was a plan to kill Priyangu Pandey. Today the situation is such that those who threw the bomb play gambling outside the ACP office, he said.

The state police also detained protesting BJP party leaders and workers at Kolkatas Bata Chowk, including Locket Chatterjee.

WHAT TMC SAID

Earlier in the day, TMC workers staged a protest against the BJPs call for a general strike. The ruling party accused the BJP of trying to create anarchy in the state.

We all want justice in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. Mamata Banerjee also wants justicethe case is now in CBIs handsOne accused has been arrestednow the CBI is investigating the matterThey (BJP) are trying to create anarchy here, yesterday they attacked the police and today they have called this bandhEverything is normal in BengalThe people of West Bengal have rejected BJPs bandh, said TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh.
Caste will be the focal point of discussions in the upcoming RSS Samanwaya meeting  the biggest annual coordination meet of the Sangh and its affiliates along with BJP  in Kerala later this month, with the organisation entering a recalibration phase. All affiliated groups have been instructed to present ground reports on the emerging caste fault lines across states, News18 has learnt.

In the wake of LoP Rahul Gandhis persistent thrust on caste issues and growing demands from various allies of the NDA for a comprehensive caste census, the debate over the publication of caste data has resurfaced. Despite the shifting focus, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) remains opposed to the idea of caste census or publication of caste data.

The three-day-long meeting assumes huge significance, given the BJPs slides in some important states, including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and West Bengal in the Lok Sabha elections. Apart from the political post mortem of elections and the results, the functionaries and representatives of all RSS affiliates and the BJP are likely to discuss the future course of action as four states  J&K, Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra  will be going to polls this year.

A senior RSS functionary said the coordinating meeting is about all kinds of social and cultural work that RSS and its affiliate organisations do. Apart from that, in the meeting, presided by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, the organisations discuss contemporary political situation and talk about increased cohesion among its cadres.

Not in favour of caste data publication

With Rahul Gandhi upping the ante against the Modi government over representation of SC, ST and OBCs in several spheres of social, organisational, professional sectors, specifically in government jobs and in the structure of politics, caste has been emerging as the most defining and polarising factor in the current political scenario, said a senior RSS functionary.

In the RSS, we have always dismissed all caste-related biases. We have always talked about casteism as a dividing tool in Hindu society. Our volunteers work hard across villages to bring people together irrespective of caste and religion. We have always advocated, in some places we spearheaded movements, for everyone to get entry in temples. However, the RSS never wants the caste data to go public as this may create further division in the society, said the senior functionary.

This renewed focus brings all political parties back to the drawing board about caste census and the events surrounding the 2011 Census, a landmark exercise that has since been a topic of considerable discussion and controversy.

What happened in 2011

During the 2011 Census, India embarked on a significant demographic survey, which included the collection of caste data. This was the first time in decades that such data was systematically gathered, providing a crucial snapshot of the countrys social fabric.

However, the process of compiling and publishing this data has been fraught with complexities. During the elaborate process of Census, the government collected detailed information on the socio-economic status of various caste groups, sub-groups and the data on Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) was released. However, the data on Other Backward Classes (OBCs) was withheld, citing political and administrative concerns.

There were fears that the publication of detailed caste data could lead to increased demands for reservations, further fragmenting social cohesion and leading to political instability. Consequently, despite the extensive data collection, the specifics regarding the OBC population were not made public, leading to widespread criticism from various quarters.
Amid rising tensions over the rape and murder case of a 31-year-old doctor in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday issued a strong warning and said, Remember if Bengal is burned, then Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Delhi will also be burned.

However, Banerjees caution received backlash from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), intensifying their demand for her resignation stating that such anti-national comments isnt the voice of someone holding a constitutional position. Union minister and Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar also wrote a complaint letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah against Mamata Banerjee for advocating violence in Kolkata on Wednesday.

CM Mamata Banerjee during her address to the Student Wing of TMC today in Kolkata where she shamelessly incited gathering, declaring, I never sought revenge, but now, do what needs to be done. This is nothing less than a blatant endorsement of revenge politics from the highest office in the state, the letter written by Majumdar read.

I respectfully urge you to take cognizance of this serious matter and initiate appropriate actions to address the situation and uphold the rule of law and maintain public order, he added.

Kolkata: CM Mamata Banerjee says, Remember if Bengal is burned, then Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Delhi will also be burned pic.twitter.com/zwg8ZOnR9p IANS (@ians_india) August 28, 2024

Responding to Banerjees caution regarding the far-reaching consequences of the unrest beyond the state, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, Didi, how dare you threaten Assam? Dont show us red eyes. Dont even try to burn India with your politics of failure. It does not befit you to speak divisive language.

,        ?                         ,          ?       pic.twitter.com/k194lajS8s  Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 28, 2024

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh was also fumed with Banerjees remark and demanded that she must publicly apologise to the Northeast and the rest of the nation for her remarks.

How dare Didi threaten the Northeast? I condemn such irresponsible remarks in the strongest terms. She must publicly apologize to the Northeast and the rest of the nation. Mamata Ji must immediately stop inciting violence and hatred with divisive politics. It is highly unbecoming of a political leader to issue threats of violence on a public platform.

How dare Didi threaten the Northeast? I condemn such irresponsible remarks in the strongest terms. She must publicly apologize to the Northeast and the rest of the nation.@MamataOfficial Ji must immediately stop inciting violence and hatred with divisive politics. It is highly pic.twitter.com/Wn8CtxqRgh N. Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) August 28, 2024

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charam Majhi too joined the Sarma and Biren Singh and questioned Banerjee, Who gave you the right to make such objectionable remarks about Odisha?

Odisha is a peaceful state, the people of Odisha are also responsible and aware. Our people of Odisha will never accept your hateful attitude, negative comments and insensitive attitude towards our state Odisha. The comment you are making is dangerous for the country, without giving justice to the victim of a heinous crime, taking revenge. Please refrain from this. Keep calm, he said.

The Chief Ministers remarks came amid mounting criticism over her handling of the ongoing situation in Bengal, with opposition parties accusing her of failing to maintain law and order.

BJP Attacks Mamata, Calls For Her Resignation

Union minister and Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar called out Mamata Banerjee for her remarks and demanded her resignation from the Chief Ministers post, stating that her caution sounds like the voice of an anti-national.

Taking to X, he said, CM Mamata Banerjee shamelessly makes anti-national remarks today, saying, Remember, if Bengal burns, then Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Delhi will also burn. This isnt the voice of someone holding a constitutional position; its the voice of an anti-national.

Her statement is a clear attempt to threaten, incite violence, and sow hatred among the people. She no longer deserves to hold such an important position. Mamata Banerjee must resign immediately, he added.

Her statement is a clear attempt to threaten, incite violence, and sow hatred among the people.She no longer deserves to hold such an important position. Mamata Banerjee must resign immediately. #MamataResign pic.twitter.com/MS0MmQAcW1  Dr. Sukanta Majumdar (@DrSukantaBJP) August 28, 2024

Launching an attack on Banerjee, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya tweeted, A cornered Mamata Banerjee has declared war on the people of West Bengal, who are holding her to account in the brutal rape and murder of a young lady doctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital. The deceased could have been our sister or daughter but Mamata wants more blood.

A cornered Mamata Banerjee has declared war on the people of West Bengal, who are holding her to account in the brutal rape and murder of a young lady doctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital. The deceased could have been our sister or daughter but Mamata wants more blood pic.twitter.com/O5523Pgh2G Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) August 28, 2024

Once a proponent of the Bodol noy, Bodla Chai mantra, Mamata Banerjee now brazenly shifted her stance, openly calling for the very vengeance, she once purported to abhor, he added.

Union minister Piyush Goyal also slammed Banerjee over her comments and said, A call to violence by an elected Chief Minister is the greatest betrayal of the peoples mandate!

A call to violence by an elected Chief Minister is the greatest betrayal of the peoples mandate! https://t.co/vwMwQDXFO6 Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) August 28, 2024

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan hit out at the Bengal Chief Minister and said, Mamata Didi, your frustration is justified. After all, your government and police are being exposed every day in the Kolkata rape-murder case.

You have made Bengal a bastion of anarchy, violence and bad governance. But unlike Bengal, in BJP-ruled states, goons, anarchist elements and criminals are not given the protection of love, the laws bulldozer is used on them, he added.

         -                 ,                 ,           pic.twitter.com/5YwOcJ1WWb  Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) August 28, 2024

Will Pass Anti-rape Laws: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said her party (Trinamool Congress) will pass a bill on anti-rape laws, enabling capital punishment for the accused.

We will pass a bill on anti-rape laws, that would secure capital punishment for the rapist within seven days of the crime, Mamata Banerjee said.

Also warning of a protest, the Chief Minister said, Next week, we will call an Assembly session and pass the bill within 10 days. We will send this bill to the Governor (CV Ananda Bose). If he doesnt pass, we will sit outside Raj Bhavan. This bill must be passed and he cannot evade accountability this time.
Landmark transformations often start with one big idea.

When Narendra Modi came to Delhi as the Prime Minister in the summer of 2014, he realised that to roll out his ambitious agenda of delivering benefits to common people without leakages, they first needed a bank account.

In his earliest meetings at the Prime Ministers Office, Modi was clear he needed this scheme the foremost. Every household must have a bank account, Modi had told his team. Within three months was born the landmark PM Jan Dhan Yojana that became the bedrock of what Modi has done since 2014.

ALSO READ | 10 Years of Jan Dhan Yojana: How BJP Hopes to Win Over Women Voters With a Humble Passbook & Debit Card

On August 15, 2014, in his first address from Red Fort, Modi announced the scheme would be completed within five months, leaving the bureaucracy in a tizzy.

WHEN RAHUL GANDHI PRAISED THE SCHEME

This is in fact one scheme of the Modi government that came in for rare praise even from opposition leader Rahul Gandhi while he was speaking at the Cambridge University last year.

Maybe giving women gas cylinders or people bank accounts is not a bad thing, it is a good thingbut that sort of misses the point, because, in my view, Modi is destroying the architecture of India. So, I am not too bothered about two-three good policies that Modi is doing, Gandhi said, couching his praise with critique.

For Modi, the schemes progress proved to be a game-changer. BVR Subrahmanyam, the NITI Aayog CEO, says officials had expected that the targets for the scheme would take at least two-four years to achieve. But Modi ensured the targets were met in five months. Around 12 crore previously unbanked individuals were brought into the formal banking system within five months of the schemes launch, Subrahmanyam says.

Today, there are 53.13 crore PMJDY accounts, with 29.56 crore of them belonging to women account holders.

Today, we mark a momentous occasion #10YearsOfJanDhan. Congratulations to all the beneficiaries and compliments to all those who worked to make this scheme a success. Jan Dhan Yojana has been paramount in boosting financial inclusion and giving dignity to crores of people, pic.twitter.com/VgC7wMcZE8 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 28, 2024

HOW IT HELPED

The PMJDY became the bedrock on which Modi government launched a number of welfare schemes as there was now a way to directly send cash benefits to the bank accounts of the poor without the need of any intermediaries and hence elimination of the concept of leakages. India already had the Aadhaar database to ensure the correct beneficiary held a particular bank account.

The World Bank noted last year that India has achieved in just six years what would have taken about five decades as the Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) Trinity has propelled the financial inclusion rate from 25% in 2008 to over 80% of adults in the last six years.

ALSO READ | 10 Years of Jan Dhan: PM Modi, FM Sitharaman Hail Landmark Step for Financial Inclusion

Be it direct benefit transfers, COVID-19 financial assistance, PM-KISAN, increased wages under MGNREGA, subsidy amount under PM Ujjwala Yojana, or life and health insurance cover  all of this has been delivered on the foundation of the PMJDY. Today the last mile delivery of Government services happens with the click of a mouse in seconds.

Modi has often in his speeches cited the infamous quote of former PM Rajiv Gandhi that if one rupee started from Delhi in the past, only 15 paisa reaches the common man. The PMJDY has helped Modi ensure that the full one rupee now reaches the pocket of the common man, officials say.
Tuesdays march in Kolkata and the administrations response to it had all the ingredients of a mass protest  an apolitical organisation asking the Chief Minister to resign and starting a march towards the state secretariat, the administrations unequal response with unprecedented security arrangements deploying 6,000 police personnel with three-layered security, protestors defying odds and some of them reaching as close as 300 metre before the Secretariat. One cant find fault if any viewer would find similarity with the recent chaos in Bangladesh. After all, CM Mamata Banerjee herself alleged that a malicious campaign is underway against her government with the CPIM and BJP trying to trigger Bangladesh-like protests in the wake of the RG Kar rape and murder in Kolkata.

Is this the real game plan of the BJP that has been trying to electorally defeat Banerjees TMC for a long time, but unsuccessfully? Heres a look at what unfolded, who said what and put things into context over the past few days.

11-day-old students body

Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj is an 11-day-old students body that was created after agitation in West Bengal in response to the gruesome rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor in Kolkatas RG Kar Hospital seem to overwhelm the government. But what started off with a social media post asking women to reclaim the night, witnessing massive support in solidarity with the victim, slowly changed into a demand for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees resignation with the birth of this outfit. Unlike a new organisation, this nascent student outfit set a deadline of Monday, 6 pm, for Banerjee to resign. Tuesdays protest was in response to Banerjee disregarding that deadline.

Sayan Lahiri, who is spearheading the movement, earlier told News18, We have three demands  justice for Abhaya [the trainee doctor], capital punishment for the culprit, and Banerjees resignation because she is not just the health minister but also handles the state police.

What unfolded was TMC showing a couple of videos, to claim that the march was an attempt to destabilise Bengal. Soon, arrests were made and the ADG South Bengal Supratim Sarkar himself came out to react and made a strong charge, One of the organisers met a politician in a hotel. This rally is illegal as no permission has been sought.

In response to this charge, BJPs Bengal co-incharge Amit Malviya threw his weight behind the outfit. In a tweet, he said, that the Paschimbanga Chhatro Samaj and their Nabanno Abhiyaan are an apolitical students movement.

Lahiri too rubbished any association with the BJP, The TMC is trying to portray that the protest is being led by BJP but we are a part of the common people. He cited examples of Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury extending his help to them as well as teachers who have not got justice.

But what no one can refute is that the demand for Bengal CMs resignation is a political one and it seems to have emerged as a focal point of their agitation, given the CBI is seized of the investigation of both the rape and murder as well as alleged irregularities at RG Kar Hospital  the venue of the crime.

BJPs goal  Keep the pot boiling

The BJP has made it clear in no uncertain terms that its goal is the same as the one of the students outfit in question  Mamata Banerjees resignation  and they intend to continue the protest till that happens. We have appealed to all agitators, students, guardians and conscious citizens (of Bengal) to make tomorrows Bandh for 12 hours called by BJP successful. This agitation will go on till Mamata Banerjee resigns and capital punishment is meted out to the rapist and the conspirators of the RG Kar incident, said Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari.

On the investigation front, the TMC has already raised questions about the speed of the CBIs investigation into the rape and murder. One arrest has been made and that too by the Kolkata police. What is the CBI doing? So much delay is happening, so much fake news, politics is going on, to stop all this the case must be solved soon, said TMC leader Kunal Ghosh. What Ghosh stopped short of saying but many in TMC would in private, the longer Sandip Ghosh stays out, the longer the television coverage on the issue continues which essentially keeps the pot boiling, making the administration look inefficient, which perfectly suits the BJP.

With Tuesdays chaos, where according to Adhkaris claim, 132 were injured, 22 were admitted and 3-4 were seriously injured  the BJP has received enough reason to try and implement Bengal Bandh on Wednesday and get ready for another confrontation.

Amid all this, a saffron-draped old man waving a tricolour bravely facing the water cannon has become a symbol of resistance  a symbol both the Paschimbanga Chhatro Samaj and the BJP needed. But is it enough to keep the pot boiling enough to extract an organic public response? Only time will tell.
Airtel users have been informed that its Wynk Music app will be shutting down which means their default source of music is going away later this year. Wynk has been around for many years and was seen as a rival to Gaana from Times Internet and JioSavvn among others.

But Airtel feels that it is time to cull the product and bring a more appealing prospect for its premium broadband and mobile customers by the end of this year. We can confirm that we will sunset Wynk Music and all Wynk Music employees will be absorbed within the Airtel ecosystem, the telco has been quoted saying in multiple reports this week.

Airtel Wynk Shut Down  What Happens Now

Wynk Premium is a paid version of the music streaming app for which Airtel users were paying a monthly fee. What happens to their services and what can they use instead of the platform that will soon be shut down? Thats probably the good news out of this development, as Airtel has joined hands with Apple for its TV+ and Apple Music services that will be bundled to premium plans for Airtel subscribers.

Apple Music For All?

It seems the telco will migrate the Wynk Premium users to Apple Music but it will be interesting to see how it plans to make this change for Android users who have a wide range of streaming options to consider that work better than Apple Music on the platform. Wynk was launched back in 2014 and looks like the 10 year operation will finally come to an end.

Airtel is also tipped to offer Apple Music and TV+ for select postpaid and broadband plans but we will have to wait till the end of the year to get more details about which plans will be eligible for such offerings.

Apple Music and TV+ in India have been available for just Rs 99 per month since their debut, but partnering with Airtel means the company can expect more people to join its user base in the country as it looks to compete with other streaming giants.
Ankur Warikoo recently shared a poignant memory from his childhood that taught him the difference between chaos and stability. He reflected on a time when his family faced severe financial hardship after his father lost his job, and concluded his story with a powerful financial lesson that left many with thoughts.

1995. I was 15. Papa had just lost his job. We were down to our last few thousands in the bank. He went to the bank to withdraw 10K. On his way back, someone robbed him of it. We plunged into chaos. Financial debt. Personal favours. Collectors at our doorstep. I remember days where ma papa would skip a meal, because we didnt have money, wrote Warikoo on X.

He added, Mas salary of Rs. 1000 as a primary school teacher was supporting us.

We plunged into chaos.Financial debt.Personal favours.Collectors at our doorstep.I remember days where ma papa would skip a meal, because we didn't have money.Ma's salary of Rs. 1000 as a primary school teacher was supporting us.  Ankur Warikoo (@warikoo) August 28, 2024

Warikoo then recounted a moment when the government announced compensation for his fathers house in Kashmir, which had been destroyed. He shared, Accepting the compensation meant he would never, ever have the home he grew up in. But that money would save us. And it did.

That day, I learnt that the difference between chaos and stability is often not that big. For us, it was 10,000 rupees! he emphasised the critical lesson he took from that experience.

I recall sitting for dinner that day. Papa was eating, his head down.I saw him cry that day.That day, I learnt that the difference between chaos and stability is often not that big.For us, it was 10,000 rupees!  Ankur Warikoo (@warikoo) August 28, 2024

Warikoo further reflected that money is emotionless, yet it makes you feel and do things that are almost always driven by emotions.

That is the purpose of money. Not to buy happiness. Not to buy growth. Not to buy things. Not to buy status. Instead, to buy stability. Respect money for the stability it provides. Instead of becoming a slave to the addiction it offers, he conlcuded his post, leaving readers with this thought.

That is the purpose of money.Not to buy happiness.Not to buy growth.Not to buy things.Not to buy status.Instead, to buy stability.Respect money for the stability it provides.Instead of becoming a slave to the addiction it offers.  Ankur Warikoo (@warikoo) August 28, 2024

Heres how people reacted to his post on X:

I kind of had the same situation during my childhood. Dad was a mill worker in Mumbai. Thank you for sharing and inspiring us as always, posted an individual.

Another added, Not to justify, but it shaped who you are. The memories may haunt you, but life is still smiling with you.

Brave family, to say the least! Each one of you  your Mom, Dad and you, Ankur, deserves high accolades: for your fortitude, resilience and zeal to bounce back. Salutes to your parents and compliments to you for being with them even at 37, when most sons leave them, commented a third.
One 20-year-old Pakistani national recently crossed the border illegally and came to India. He was caught by the Border Security force. The Superintendent of police, Mr Narendra Singh Meena, confirmed that this young man named Jagsi Koli is 20-year-old and is a resident of Akli Kharodi in Tharparkar district, Pakistan. This man crossed the international border and came to India between the midnight of August 24 and in the early morning of August 25. Jagsi was caught from Jhapda village in Barmer district, which is about 15 kilometres from the India-Pakistan border. An official confirmed that Jagsi was unaware that he entered India and was caught when he was found asking the local villagers about a bus that could take him to Tharparkar village, increasing suspicion in peoples minds.

A senior BSF claimed that this boy said that he had an affair with a 17-year-old Pakistani girl and his village is about 35 km from the international border; the girls village is 8 km away. The boy said that he wanted to meet his girlfriend with an intention to elope with her.When his girlfriend refused this idea, he snatched her scarf and threatened her that he would hang himself by tying the scarf to a bunch of a tree, which ultimately broke causing him to fall. The girls family arrived and beat him but he somehow managed to escape and cross the border. The officer claimed that as it was dark at that time, he had no idea which direction he was running.

BSF officials have found nothing suspicious from him and said that it was the first time he had entered India. He will be handed over to the police where he will be interrogated by other representatives from numerous security agencies.

This incident has raised serious security worries and experts have questioned how a person could cross the heavily fenced Indo-Pak border, suggesting possible lapse in security measures. There is also an assumption that this could be a part of a dry nun by Pakistani agencies to test the awareness of Indian border security and identify potential susceptibilities.
A Somali-American influencer, who shares her travel experiences as a Black Muslim woman, has been facing flak on social media after her recent visit to Afghanistan. Marian Abdi, who is famously known as Geenyada Madow, said that visiting this Asian country was a dream come true for her. Not only that, Abdi even posted a picture of herself smiling next to Taliban fighters armed with AK-47s, which didnt go down well with the Internet users.

While sharing the now-viral picture on the microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter), Abdi wrote, Met with the Taliban. The picture shows Abdi flashing a smile with the Taliban armed with AK-47s.

Amid the controversy surrounding her, Abdi responded to her critics by posing a series of questions on social media addressing their concerns about the photo.

Im genuinely curious  what do you want me to do? Should I avoid visiting Afghanistan altogether? How do you expect a tourist to navigate politics with the Taliban? Even if I didnt take a photo with them, would that change anything? As a foreign tourist, Im just interested in seeing the country. Yes, a lot is happening, but is that my fault? Other YouTubers have created content there, so why am I treated differently? And why bring race into this? What should a content creator do  avoid Afghanistan entirely? wrote Abdi on X.

I'm genuinely curiouswhat do you want me to do? Should I avoid visiting Afghanistan altogether? How do you expect a tourist to navigate politics with the Taliban? Even if I didnt take a photo with them, would that change anything? As a foreign tourist, I'm just interested in pic.twitter.com/ODpKd2qlry Geenyada Madow (@GeenyadaM) August 22, 2024

The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in August 2021 after the collapse of the US-backed government which ruled the country for 20 years following the 9/11 attacks. The Talibans return to power has significantly impacted the country, particularly women, so much so that the United Nations has labelled it as gender apartheid.

Recently, the Taliban issued a set of vice and virtue guidelines that place severe restrictions on women. These restrictions include a ban on women speaking or showing their faces in public, a prohibition on women singing or reading aloud even from within their homes, and a requirement for women to avoid direct eye contact with men they are not related to. Additionally, taxi drivers are now restricted from transporting women without a male escort.
India, the largest and fastest-growing economy in the world, continues to present a structural opportunity over several decades. With its greatest weighting in the index, it is now the second-largest nation in the MSCI Emerging Markets. India has demonstrated the ability to provide simultaneous stock market gains, accompanied with a remarkable expansion in GDP per capita. Veteran investor Jim Rogers said that from the perspective of a global investor, India is currently a really appealing market to watch out for. Rogers also claimed that Indian markets taught him a great deal about gold and silver.

In an interview with NDTV Profit, Rogers stated, I would go to Indian markets and I would see Indian women wives with unbelievable amounts of silver and gold. I learned, I learned."

When Rogers was speaking about gold and silver in India, the interviewer brought up the point that having a lot of gold and silver hidden away in cabinets or around your wrists is a huge waste of capital" rather than using it for investing. I know, I know how you and the Indian government view it. And many governments view it that way," Rogers responded.

Rogers dismissed the notion that gold stored in lockers is a waste of wealth. Rather, he emphasised the sense of stability and tranquillity that owning gold may offer during hard times financially. Regarding the performance of gold lately, Rogers asserted that he has long held both gold and silver. He declared, Im not buying now, but if I were, Id be buying silver."

The experienced investor said in a conversation with NDTV Profit that he felt embarrassed" at missing the rally in Indian equities. Delhi has been anti-capitalist and anti-success" for the majority of his life, but in the last two years, he claimed, India has come to embrace the success of others.

Having passed up other professional chances, he stated that there are going to be more investing opportunities in the future. The main indexes of India, the S&P BSE Sensex and the NSE Nifty 50, have increased by 13.2% and 15%, respectively, so far this year, placing them as the seventh and fifth best-performing Asian indexes.
French authoritries arrested Pavel Durov, CEO and co-founder of Telegram, in an investigation into child pornography, drug trafficking and fraudulent transactions on the platform. Following the arrest of the 39-year-old tech mogul based in Dubai, Telegram issued a statement asserting that Durov has nothing to hide.

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, Telegram said in a statement.

The Kremlin expressed uncertainty about the specific allegations against Durov. We do not yet know what exactly Durov is accused of. Without knowing more, it would be premature to make any statements, Reuters quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.

As the boss of the popular messaging app is in custody as part of a cybercrime investigation, India has seen a surge in searches related to the woman who accompanied him on his journey that led to his arrest and the potential ban of the app in the country. Additionally, there has been increased interest in the Instagram profile of Russias Mark Zuckerberg.

The search for the ban on the app comes after the Centre launched an extortion and gambling probe against Telegram that has over 5 million registered users in the country. It is being conducted by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). The investigations outcome will determine whether Telegram will continue to operate in India, Moneycontrol reported.

Heres how the Internet is searching about Telegram in India:

When we typed in Juli Vavilova on Google and hit enter, heres what we got:

Some users are also searching for the Telegram CEOs Instagram profile. In case, youre searching for his profile too, you can type in durov on Instagram. The founder of Russias largest social network has over 1.5 million followers on the platform.

Many are also searching about his children as he once claimed of having over 100 biological kids in 12 countries. Durov, who lives a solitary lifestyle and is unmarried, became a father through sperm donation after a friend facing fertility issues asked for his help.

Durov donated his sperm at a clinic and was informed that his genetic material was considered high-quality donor material with the potential to help countless couples worldwide. Although he has stopped being a donor, an IVF clinic still has his frozen sperm, which can be anonymously used by families who want to have kids.
Different parts of the world have diverse beliefs, traditions, and cultures. However, one thing that usually remains consistent globally is the division of a year into 12 months. Despite this, there is one country where the calendar includes not 12, but 13 months in a year. Surprising as it may sound, this country is not only unique in its calendar system but is also seven years behind the rest of the world.

The country in question is Ethiopia, as highlighted in a viral video making the rounds on social media. In Ethiopia, the calendar has 13 months, with the 13th month consisting of just 5 days, or 6 days during a leap year. While most of the world has already welcomed the year 2024, Ethiopia will celebrate its New Year on September 11, 2024. This discrepancy is because Ethiopia follows an ancient calendar, which was adjusted by the Roman Church in 525 AD, and this same calendar is still in use today.

Ethiopia stands out not just because of its unique calendar but also due to its rich history. It is the only African country that was never colonised by Britain, although it was briefly occupied by Italy for six years. Additionally, Ethiopia is often cited as the birthplace of coffee.

See Viral Post here:

The video post discussing Ethiopias calendar has gone viral on social media, amassing over 5.49 lakh views, with thousands of likes, shares, and comments. Many users expressed surprise and curiousity, with some making light-hearted comparisons to other countries. For example, one user named Jitender Bhalla joked that India also seems to have 13 months in a year, especially according to mobile companies, considering the 28-day validity of mobile recharge.

The Ethiopian calendar, known as the Geez calendar, also differs from the Gregorian calendar in the names of its months. The year begins with Meskerem, which starts on September 11. The subsequent months are Tikimt, Hidar, Tahsas, Tir, Yakatit, Maggabit, Miyaziya, Ginbot, Sene, Hamle, Nehasa, and Pagume.
Pavel Durov, the CEO of Telegram, found himself under arrest at Bourget airport near Paris on Saturday evening. This unexpected event came as a result of an arrest warrant issued by French authorities amid a preliminary police investigation. Reports indicate that following Durovs arrest, a mysterious woman named Juli Vavilova has become a person of interest and is currently being questioned due to her association with him.

Vavilova had been seen in Durovs company multiple times in the days preceding his arrest. They reportedly visited Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan before their arrival in France, where law enforcement officials detained them after landing at Le Bourget airport near Paris.

Juli Vavilova, a 24-year-old woman based in Dubai, describes herself as a crypto instructor and social media influencer, according to her Instagram profile. Vavilovas social media posts primarily revolve around travel, gaming, exercise and cryptocurrency. She is active across multiple social media platforms including Telegram, Instagram, Twitch, TikTok and YouTube, where she shares a variety of content. Vavilova is reportedly fluent in English, Russian, Spanish and Arabic languages.

Some conspiracy theorists on social media have reportedly speculated that Juli Vavilova might be connected to Mossad. However, no official confirmation has been provided by any authorities. Her exact role in Pavel Durovs detention remains unclear.

Her social media activities, particularly photos with Pavel Durov in Paris, have sparked concerns within the crypto community, with some fearing that she may have inadvertently or deliberately exposed their location to investigators.

According to AFP, there has been no contact with Juli Vavilova since Durovs arrest. The primary focus of the French police investigation is Telegrams lack of content moderation, which law enforcement believes has facilitated illegal activities on the platform.

Durov is widely recognised as a staunch advocate for free speech, especially in the context of the increasingly restrictive online regulations being introduced globally. Figures such as Elon Musk and NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, both known for their support of free speech, have expressed their solidarity with Durov. Many social media users have also joined the call for his release.
A Y Combinator members girlfriend has caused controversy online by requesting sweat equity in his firm. CC Gong stated in a post on social media platform X that she ensures her boyfriend Mihail Eric eats well, has fresh clothes and gets his hair trimmed as he works through the demanding curriculum of a Y Combinator programme. Saying that this is what she comes home to on Friday nights, Gong posted a picture of her partner curled up on the couch with his laptop open on the workspace in front of him.

Gongs caption read, I make sure that hes fed, do his laundry, cut his hair. I give feedback, customer intros and encouragement. YC girlfriends should be granted sweat equity.

My boyfriend is in YC and this is what I come home to Friday night. I make sure that hes fed, do his laundry cut his hair. I give feedback, customer intros, and encouragement. YC girlfriends should be granted sweat equity. @ycombinator 30 days until demo day  pic.twitter.com/2LpwQ2zWFk  C.C. Gong (@CCgong) August 24, 2024

Notably, Gong is no novice to the entrepreneur experience, having worked at multinational behemoths like Microsoft and Meta. She is a principal at Menlo Ventures and co-founder of Montage. According to Hindustan Times, she attended Stanford for her MBA after earning her bachelors degree from Harvard University. She then entered the corporate world, working for companies like Microsoft, Meta and Bain Capital Ventures.

Gongs partner Mihail Eric is a co-founder of Storia AI, a firm that creates the AI tool Sage, which aids in the comprehension, analysis and creation of software by engineers.

On social media, Gongs post requesting sweat equity in her founder-boyfriends AI firm has 2 million views but has caused a division of opinions among users. While many applauded and encouraged her for going above and beyond for her partner, others questioned why he was unable to look for himself.

A user commented, Enjoy being his slave. If he has priorities straight he can manage not being a slob, and no you are not entitled to anything for volunteering yourself as a female slave.

Enjoy being his slave. If he has priorities straight he can manage not being a slob, and no you are not entitled to anything for volunteering yourself as a female slave. Noam Blum (@sakuraaiaustin) August 24, 2024

Another user said, Every founders girlfriend should have some equity. They are your supporters from the first day!

Every founder's girlfriend should have some equity. They are your supporters from the first day! ayushya.apt (@0xayushya) August 24, 2024

A third user said, This is very disturbing. Even at the lowest points and through the hardest times in my life, I was very organized, from my body to my finances to the place I live in.

This is very disturbing. Even at the lowest points and through hardest times in my life, I was very organized, from my body to my finances to the place I live in. Edward Igushev (@edigushev) August 25, 2024

Yet another user went on to say, You 100% deserve a little sweat equity. Call it 1% per year.

You 100% deserve a little sweat equity. Call it 1% per year. SHRKHAN.SL (@sherkhantx) August 25, 2024

What is Y Combinator?

Y Combinator is a Silicon Valley-based startup accelerator that links early-stage companies with investors, mentors and seed money.
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.

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 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, Australias 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.

Moodys 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, Moodys 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.
The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, returned to the headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile in northern India on Wednesday after undergoing a knee replacement surgery in New York.

Hundreds of followers in colorful, flowing robes, waving scarves and flowers, cheered the Dalai Lama at the airport and his residence. Several of them beat drums and performed traditional dances. Tibetan and Buddhist flags adorned poles and railings.

The Dalai Lama, 89, flew to Dharamshala after weeks of recovery at the Nappi Farmhouse in Syracuse, New York, following the surgery on June 28.

Dr. David Mayman, chief of the adult reconstruction and joint replacement service at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, said after the surgery that the Dalai Lama was recovering well and was expected to continue improving over the next six to 12 months.

Dr. Tsetan D Sadutshang and Dr. Tsewang Tamdin, physicians to the Dalai Lama, said last month that the surgical incision had completely healed without any complications. The physiotherapists said they were happy with the speed of his improvement.

The Dalai Lama has made Dharamshala, the hillside town in northern India, his headquarters since fleeing Tibet after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. Representatives of a Tibetan government-in-exile also reside there.

The Dalai Lama formally relinquished his political and administrative powers in 2011 and handed his political responsibilities to the communitys elected leadership. But he has remained the spiritual leader of the Tibetan community.

His followers see him as capable of uniting and mobilizing Tibetans inside and outside China.

Over 100,000 Tibetan refugees live in India, Nepal and Bhutan, according to Tibetan organizations. Their number in India is estimated at around 85,000, while many have also moved to countries such as the U.S., Canada, Germany and Switzerland.

China exercises rigid control over all religions and, in recent years, has stepped up a campaign of cultural assimilation targeting Tibetans, Turkic Muslim Uyghurs and other minority groups.

China castigates the Dalai Lama as an advocate for Tibetan independence and has not had direct contact with his representatives for more than a decade.

The Dalai Lama says he merely advocates for Tibets substantial autonomy and protection of its native Buddhist culture.
Donald Trump faced a revised federal indictment on Tuesday accusing him of illegally trying to overturn his 2020 election loss, with prosecutors narrowing their approach after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that former presidents have broad immunity from criminal prosecution.

U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smiths team obtained the superseding indictment in the Washington case, though it was highly unlikely to proceed to trial ahead of the Nov. 5 election when the Republican Trump faces Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.

The revised indictment lays out the same four charges prosecutors brought against the former president last year, but this one focuses on Trumps role as a political candidate seeking reelection, rather than as the president at the time.

The Supreme Court ruled on July 1 that Trump is at least presumptively immune from criminal prosecution for actions that were within his constitutional powers as president.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington has been expected to decide in coming weeks which aspects of the case must be tossed out based on the Supreme Courts immunity decision.

Attorneys for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump in a statement on his Truth Social media platform said the Supreme Courts immunity ruling should lead to the entire case being thrown out, saying, Smith rewrote the exact same case in an effort to circumvent the Supreme Court Decision.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to the initial charges, denouncing this case and the others he faces as politically motivated attempts to prevent him from returning to power.

Opinion polls have shown Harris opening up a narrow national lead over Trump since Democratic President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid last month.

This indictment, like the initial one, accuses Trump of a multi-part conspiracy to block the certification of his election defeat to Biden.

It retains allegations Trump pressured then-Vice President Mike Pence to use his role presiding over the congressional certification of the election on Jan. 6, 2021, to reject electoral votes from battleground states Trump lost.

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 revised indictment states, language that did not appear in the original charging document.

A mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on that Jan. 6 in an attempt to halt the congressional certification, which remains part of the case against Trump.

FOCUS ON CAMPAIGN

The revised indictment no longer includes allegations that Trump sought to pressure the U.S. Justice Department as he tried 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.

It excises a reference to Jeffrey Clark, a senior Trump administration Justice Department official who allegedly sought to aid his attempts to undermine the election results, as a co-conspirator, and to former U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr, who allegedly told Trump his claims of widespread voter fraud were not true.

Bradley Moss, an attorney who specializes in national security, said the revised indictment reflects a clear effort by the Justice Department to narrow the scope of factual information to address the Supreme Courts ruling on immunity.

The revised 36-page indictment, nine pages shorter than the original, 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 case, one of four criminal prosecutions Trump has faced, has been delayed for months while Trump pressed his claim of immunity. The Supreme Courts 6-3 decision was powered by a conservative majority that includes three justices nominated by Trump.

In May, Trump was convicted by a New York jury of falsifying documents to cover up a hush money payment to a porn star. He is due to be sentenced on Sept. 18 although he has asked a judge to delay sentencing until after the Nov. 5 election.

Smiths move came ahead of a Friday deadline for his office and Trumps lawyers to propose a path forward in the election subversion case following the Supreme Courts immunity ruling.
Former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton on Wednesday took to social media to lash out at former US president and her once-rival Donald Trump after his campaign team members clashed with an official at Arlington National Cemetery.

Arlington National Cemetery honours US military service members and is the final resting place of nearly 400,000 people. It is one of the two cemeteries in the United States National Cemetery System that are maintained by the United States Army.

Has any presidential candidate shown less respect to our veterans than Donald Trump?https://t.co/GbiawvFyEC pic.twitter.com/G04RfhoKk3 Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 28, 2024

Has any presidential candidate shown less respect to our veterans than Donald Trump? the former First Lady, Hillary Clinton, said, referring to the altercation that was first reported by NPR.

The altercation occurred when a photographer was spotted in a section of the cemetery where American soldiers killed in recent wars are buried, according to Trump campaign officials. The cemetery later issued a statement emphasising that federal law prohibits political campaigning or any election-related activities, including photography, within Army cemeteries.

A cemetery official attempted to physically block members of Trumps team, according to campaign spokesman Steven Cheung. Cheung claimed the official was clearly suffering from a mental health episode and said that the Trump campaign was ready to release footage to back their version of the incident.

The New York Times said the Trump campaign did not share the footage.

Chris LaCivita, a senior adviser for Trumps campaign, separately stated that the cemetery official was a disgrace and unfit to represent the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery.

Arlington officials have not provided their account of the clash. They have said that there was an incident, and a report was filed.

There was an incident, and a report was filed. To protect the identity of the individual involved, no further information about the incident is being released at this time, a spokesperson for the cemetery said.

The cemetery added that it had reinforced and widely shared to the Trump campaign the federal laws prohibiting campaign activities by photographers or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidates campaign.
The Bangladesh governments release of terrorist and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) chief Jashimuddin Rehmani last week is a cause for concern for India, said top intelligence sources. Rehman was convicted in the murder of blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider.

According to sources in Bangladesh and New Delhi, Rehmani is working closely with the terrorist group Al Qaeda and has carried out many violent incidents in Bangladesh. His release is a clear indication of how the new Bangladesh government is looking at its relationship with India, said intelligence sources.

ALSO READ | EXCLUSIVE | How Al-Qaeda is Still Active in India; Fresh Arrests Throw Light on Its Growing Propaganda

Local sources said Rehmani was facing charges of terrorism and attempting to incite violence in Bangladesh. He is also known for running many sleeper cells in India and is a close associate of the Al-Qaeda in the Indian Sub-Continent (AQIS), they added.

As Sheikh Hasina resigned as the PM of Bangladesh and fled the country amid protests over jobs quota earlier this month, Prof Mohammad Yunus took oath as the head of Bangladeshs interim government.

ABT OP IN 2017

The previous Sheikh Hasina government had banned the ABT in 2015 and was cooperating with India on many such issues. The ABT works on foreign funding and wanted to create problems in India through infiltration in the North-East and its association with the Lashkar-e-Toiba in Pakistan. The ABT wanted to carry out attacks in India. First, they caused trouble in Assam in 2017, when they got two Imams to take shelter and carry out their work. These Imams were found linked to the AQIS, intelligence sources said.

IN 2022

In 2022 again, an AQIS and ABT module was busted in Assam. News18 had reported how the arrest of 17 men of Ansar al Islam terror module brought to the fore the rising propaganda of al-Qaeda in India through radicalisation and cyberspace.

Indias central Intelligence agency and police of Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal neutralised al-Qaeda-inspired Ansar al Islam module in March-April. Among the 17 arrested individuals, four are Bangladeshis illegally residing in India, and the remaining ones are Indians. Six cases under various sections and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) have been registered against them by law enforcement agencies.

According to Intelligence Bureau, the Ansar al Islam module was disseminating al-Qaeda propaganda on social media and influencing and radicalising impressionable men towards its ideology. The module was also involved in instigating Indian youngsters for armed Jihad, planning targeted assassination of select right-wing leaders and personalities and mobilising funds from sympathisers for al-Qaeda.
Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed, a predator posing as a famous teenage YouTuber, was sentenced to 17 years in Australian jail this week for blackmailing over 286 girls around the globe into performing sex acts on camera.

According to a report by UK-broadcaster BBC, Rasheed pleaded guilty to 119 charges. At least two-third of his victims were aged under 16 and came from countries like the UK, the US, Japan and France.

A court in Perth gave the verdict after hearing from prosecutors that the 29-year-old coerced his victims into a cycle of extreme abuse by threatening to send their explicit images to their loved ones.

Australian police told the court that it is one of the worst sextortion cases in history.

The callous disregard this man had for his victims around the world and their distress, humiliation and fear make it one of the most horrific sextortion cases prosecuted in Australia. This type of online exploitation and abuse is devastating and causes lifelong trauma, Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner David McLean was quoted as saying by the broadcaster.

Judge Amandra Burrows, who presided over the hearings, said the crimes committed by Rasheed was of such magnitude there was no comparable case in the country, according to a separate report by Australian broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Rasheeds modus operandi was to pretend to be a 15-year-old American internet star who would strike a conversation with his targets and slowly involve them in discussions about sexual fantasies.

He then used the texts his victims sent him to threaten them into performing degrading sex acts which also involved family pets and other children present in the homes of the victims.

He had invited other people  in one case as many as 98  to watch these acts on a livestream. Rasheed was involved in misogynistic incel communities online as well.

He was already serving a five-year prison term for sexually abusing a 14-year-old twice in his car at a Perth park. After Australian authorities were contacted by Interpol and US investigators, he was arrested in 2020 following a raid in his home.

Rasheed, even though was engaged in a sex offenders treatment programme, authorities said he still represented a high risk of reoffending. He will be eligible to apply for parole in August 2033.
China hosts forum on media's role in urban development under Belt and Road Initiative

People's Daily Online) 16:41, August 27, 2024

The Belt and Road Forum for Urban Media Cooperation of the fourth Park City Forum was held in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Aug. 26, 2024.

During the forum, guests explored how to facilitate the high-quality development of "park cities" through media cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Liao Dongyun, deputy secretary general of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Chengdu municipal committee, delivers a speech during the Belt and Road Forum for Urban Media Cooperation of the fourth Park City Forum in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Aug. 26, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the organizer of the orum)

Chengdu ranks 24th on the Global Innovation Index and is at the forefront of the BRI and the country's western and southern opening up, said Liao Dongyun, deputy secretary general of the Communist Party of China Chengdu municipal committee.

Su Junbin, deputy dean of the School of Journalism and Communication, Xiamen University, delivers a keynote speech during the Belt and Road Forum for Urban Media Cooperation of the fourth Park City Forum in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Aug. 26, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the organizer of the forum)

Zhang Ronggang, a contract research fellow at the Asia Media Research Centre, Communication University of China, delivers a keynote speech during the Belt and Road Forum for Urban Media Cooperation of the fourth Park City Forum in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Aug. 26, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the organizer of the forum)

Alvaro Lago Sanchez, a People's Daily Online reporter, delivers a keynote speech during the Belt and Road Forum for Urban Media Cooperation of the fourth Park City Forum in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Aug. 26, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the organizer of the forum)

Li Houqiang from the People's Government of Sichuan Province delivers a keynote speech during the Belt and Road Forum for Urban Media Cooperation of the fourth Park City Forum in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Aug. 26, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the organizer of the forum)

Industry insiders, professionals, and experts delivered keynote speeches on various topics during the event. These included Su Junbin, deputy dean of the School of Journalism and Communication at Xiamen University; Zhang Ronggang, a contract research fellow at the Asia Media Research Centre, Communication University of China; Alvaro Lago Sanchez, a People's Daily Online reporter; and Li Houqiang from the People's Government of Sichuan Province.

The topics covered included the endogenous power for Chengdu to rise as a "park city," how the media can help promote the development of "park cities," how to carry out international communication among Gen Zers, and how to overcome communication bottlenecks.

Guests engage in in-depth discussions on the topic "Innovative practices in Park City Devlopment and Media Communication" during a dialogue session of the Belt and Road Forum for Urban Media Cooperation of the fourth Park City Forum in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Aug. 26, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the organizer of the forum)

During the dialogue session of the event, guests engaged in in-depth discussions on the topic "Innovative practices in Park City Devlopment and Media Communication." Participants included Chen Xinnian, a researcher from the National Development and Reform Commission; Tao Yitao, professor and director of the China Center for Special Economic Zone Research (CCSEZR) at Shenzhen University; and Mao Yanwu, deputy director of the Urban Governance Research Center of Zhejiang.

A promotion video of Chengdu, jointly filmed by People's Daily Online and the Sichuan International Communication Center (SICC), makes its debut during the the Belt and Road Forum for Urban Media Cooperation of the fourth Park City Forum in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Aug. 26, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the organizer of the forum)

A promotional video of Chengdu, jointly produced by People's Daily Online and the Sichuan International Communication Center (SICC), debuted during the event. The video will be available on 15 foreign language versions of People's Daily Online, People's Daily's international social media platforms, and foreign media outlets from countries participating in the BRI.

The Belt and Road media-driven park city construction thematic research initiative and the International Communication Visual Center (Platform) are launched during the the Belt and Road Forum for Urban Media Cooperation of the fourth Park City Forum in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Aug. 26, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the organizer of the forum)

(Web editor: Hongyu, Du Mingming)
Fatima Latifova

The President of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), Muxtar Babayev, discussed cooperation issues with Australia's Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, Azernews reports, citing the post shared by COP29 on its official "X" account.

"We had a very productive meeting in Australia dedicated to discussing global efforts to combat climate change in the lead-up to and following COP29.

Important exchanges of views were held on renewable energy sources, emission reductions, and investments in environmentally friendly sectors. The significance of climate financing was also discussed, particularly in the context of COP29 in November. Financing plays a crucial role in keeping global warming at 1.5C and addressing the large-scale and urgent climate crisis," the post stated.
Mahindra Thar Roxx has created quite a bit of flutter in the Indian SUV market since its launch on August 14. The Thar Roxx is essentially a Thar five-door vehicle and will benefit enormously from the popularity of the iconic model from the Indian manufacturer. But then again, the newer of the two also seeks to create an identity of itself due to design updates on the outside, reworked upholstery in the cabin and plenty of additional features added in.

Also Read : Check out all new cars on Indian roads

But does it mean Thar Roxx is the perfect SUV for you and your family? While the Thar Roxx does offer more space for back-seat passengers while still offering robust 4x4 capabilities - now with Level 2 ADAS or Advanced Driver Assistance System, it also does have its fair share of follies. We have already touched upon its many strengths and some of its negatives in this previous report but here is taking a deeper dive into factors that may put off some of the potential buyers:

Also check these Cars Find more Cars Mahindra Thar ROXX 2184 cc 2184 cc Multiple Multiple  12.99 Lakhs Compare View Offers Maruti Suzuki Jimny 1462 cc 1462 cc Petrol Petrol  12.74 Lakhs Compare View Offers Force Motors Gurkha 2596 cc 2596 cc Diesel Diesel  16.75 Lakhs Compare View Offers Mahindra Thar 2184 cc 2184 cc Multiple Multiple  11.35 Lakhs Compare View Offers Kia Seltos 1497 cc 1497 cc Multiple Multiple  10.90 Lakhs Compare View Offers Mahindra XUV700 2184 cc 2184 cc Multiple Multiple  13.99 Lakhs Compare View Offers

Also watch: Mahindra Thar Roxx first drive impressions: Loaded enough to worry Creta, Seltos?

Thar Roxx: Cabin in White

The upholstery colour inside Thar Roxx has been updated to a bright shade of White. While it goes a long way in upping the premium quotient of the cabin, here is essentially a vehicle meant for the wild. As such, maintaining that White shade is going to be a massive ask. Even our media test units, supposedly fresh from the factory lines, already had several stain marks on the seats as well as on the roof lining. Mahindra says that a damp/wet cloth is all it would take to clean away stains but even if true, how many times are you willing to use muscle power for a spotless experience?

Also Read : Mahindra Thar Roxx vs Mahindra Thar - What exactly has changed

Thar Roxx: Buggy infotainment screen

Mahindra needs to quickly update the interface on the AndrenoX-powered infotainment screen for compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. the support does exist but while media units during the unveil event did not have the support for Apple CarPlay activated - this will be fixed on customer units, we are told, even wireless as well as wired connections using an Android device was not exactly stable. There were frequent connection disruptions and re-establishing the link - with or without a wire - was a task.

Thar Roxx mileage:

Mahindra Thar Roxx borrows ADAS technology from its siblings like XUV700 and Scorpio-N. While ADAS promises more safety and convenience, the jury is still out on whether it is suitable on Indian roads.

Thar has been known for many things. Never for its mileage. This is likely true for Thar Roxx as well. Yes the 2.0-litre petrol and 2.2-litre diesel motors under the hood are enormously capable but it comes at the cost of fuel, and literally at that. Our test unit with the 2.2-litre diesel motor returned an average of around 9 kmpl despite driving it on open highway stretches - with two occupants, two medium suitcases and AC on at all times. The petrol version is likely to return an even lower fuel economy although this version has not been actually tested by HT Auto yet.

It is important to note that test drives for Thar Roxx starts next month while the bookings' window will open from October 3 onwards. Roxx is not just taking an aim for able-bodied off-roaders like Maruti Suzuki Jimny and Force Gurkha but will also look at bringing down the dominance of mid-size SUVs like Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara.

Check out Upcoming Cars in India 2024, Best SUVs in India.

First Published Date:
Hundreds of Indian students in Canada have taken to the streets to protest recent changes to the countrys immigration policies, fearing deportation.

In addition, over 70,000 international students across Canada have mobilised in large numbers against the federal policy changes. Many of these students, who arrived with hopes of building new lives, are now expressing their frustration on the streets.

Under the new changes announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government, including restrictions on study permits, have increased the risk of deportation for these students.

The policy changes have had a severe impact on these students. Many who intended to apply for permanent residency after completing their studies are now burdened with significant debt and broken dreams, CityNews Toronto reported.

The situation has become critical as new provincial policies call for a 25% reduction in permanent residency nominations, leaving many students at risk of deportation.

Mehakdeep Singh, a former international student facing deportation, expressed his dismay: I spent the most crucial six years of my life taking many risks to come to Canada I studied, I worked, I paid taxes, I earned enough CRS [Comprehensive Ranking System] points, but the government has just taken advantage of us

Why Canada Is Reducing Temporary Foreign Workers Number?

On Monday, the Canadian government announced that it will significantly reduce the number of temporary foreign workers it accepts, reversing expansions made in 2022. This decision comes as Justin Trudeaus government grapples with rising concerns about the number of temporary residents.

Trudeaus cabinet is also considering cuts to permanent residency streams. 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, Canadian PM said.

The new changes will end low-wage temporary foreign workers in communities with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher, reduce the percentage of low-wage temporary foreign workers employers can hire to 10%, and shorten the duration of low-wage temporary foreign worker permits from two years to one.

(With inputs from agencies)
French prosecutors on Wednesday freed Telegram CEO Pavel Durov from police custody after four days of questioning over allegations that the platform is being used for illegal activities.

Durov was detained on Saturday at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of a judicial inquiry opened last month involving 12 alleged criminal violations.

An investigating judge has ended Pavel Durovs police custody and will have him brought to court for a first appearance and a possible indictment, a statement from the Paris prosecutors office said.

Other allegations against Durov, who is a French citizen, include that his platform is being used for child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, fraud and abetting organized crime transactions, and that Telegram refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.

His arrest in France has caused outrage in Russia, with some government officials 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.

In Iran, where Telegram is widely used despite being officially banned after years of protests challenging the countrys Shiite theocracy, Durovs arrest in France prompted comments from the Islamic Republics supreme leader. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei weighed in with veiled praise for France for being strict against those who violate your governance of the internet.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that Durovs 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.

In a statement posted on its platform after Durovs 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.

Durov is a citizen of Russia, France, the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

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.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry 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.

Telegram, which says it has nearly a billion users worldwide, was founded by Durov and his brother after he himself faced pressure from 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 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.

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.
Top US and Chinese officials exchanged warnings against stoking regional tensions during a meeting in Beijing Wednesday, after China became embroiled in security rows with American allies Japan and the Philippines.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, making the first such trip by someone in his role since 2016, and Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi met in Beijing for talks that were meant to smooth over relations.

But after their meeting, state media reported that Wang cautioned Washington against supporting the Philippines in the disputed South China Sea.

The United States must not use bilateral treaties as an excuse to undermine Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity, nor should it support or condone the Philippines actions of infringement, Wang told Sullivan, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Sullivan, who is US President Joe Bidens most senior security aide, doubled down on Washingtons pledges to defend its regional partners.

Mr Sullivan reaffirmed the United States commitment to defending its Indo-Pacific allies, the White House said in a readout of their meeting.

Sullivan also expressed concern about the PRCs destabilizing actions against lawful Philippine maritime operations in the South China Sea, it said, using an acronym for the Peoples Republic of China.

Sullivan landed in the Chinese capital on Tuesday for a three-day trip, saying on arrival he looked forward to a very productive round of conversations with foreign minister Wang.

The visit follows a summit between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in California in November 2023, and comes just over two months before elections in the United States.

But the meeting was shadowed by Washingtons allies Japan and the Philippines blaming China in the past week for raising regional tensions.

Beijing said on Monday it had taken control measures against two Philippine Coast Guard ships that illegally entered an area of disputed reefs and waters.

Peace and stability

Manila said the Chinese vessels had prevented Philippine ships from resupplying their own coast guard vessels in the area, blasting the move as aggressive and calling Beijing the biggest disrupter of peace in Southeast Asia.

According to CCTV, Wang emphasised to Sullivan that China is firmly committed to safeguarding its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights over the South China Sea islands.

Tokyo meanwhile accused Beijing of violating its airspace on Monday, with a two-minute incursion by a surveillance aircraft off the Danjo Islands in the East China Sea.

It said the first confirmed incursion by a Chinese military aircraft into its airspace was a serious violation of its sovereignty and accused Beijing of becoming increasingly active.

Sullivan and Wang have met five times over the past year-and-a-half  in Washington, Vienna, Malta and Bangkok, as well as alongside US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping at a November 2023 summit in California.

The US and Chinese officials also discussed the tense issue of Taiwan, the self-governing democracy that China claims.

China has kept up its sabre-rattling since the inauguration this year of President Lai Ching-te, whose party emphasises Taiwans separate identity.

Wang stressed that Taiwan belonged to Beijing and that China will certainly be unified.

He told Sullivan that the US should put into practice its commitment not to support Taiwan independence and stop arming Taiwan, according to CCTV.

The White House said Sullivan underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

The US and Chinese officials also discussed issues including Ukraine, the Middle East and the Korean Peninsula, both sides said.

Sullivan had emphasized concerns about Chinas support for Russias defence industry during Moscows invasion of Ukraine, the White House said.

Wang countered that China was committed to working towards a political solution to the Ukraine crisis and warned Washington off imposing illegal unilateral sanctions.
Natasha Danish Ali, a Pakistani woman, has sparked outrage on social media after a viral video showed her smiling and appearing unremorseful following an accident in which she allegedly killed two people with her speeding SUV car.

Natasha, who was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser, has been arrested for reckless driving that resulted in the deaths of Imran Arif, 60, and his daughter Amna Arif near Karsaz on August 19. She has since been placed under a 14-day judicial remand.

According to Dawn, the accident happened when Natasha attempted to turn her SUV, striking a motorbike and then colliding with two more motorcyclists before her vehicle flipped and hit a parked car. Four additional people were injured and hospitalised.

Despite the gravity of the incident, Natasha was captured on camera smiling and showing no visible remorse. In one viral video, she can be heard saying, Tum mere baap ko nahi jantay (you dont know who my father is). In another video, she appears indifferent while being urged by bystanders to control [her] attitude as police officers shield her from a potential mob.

                                                       pic.twitter.com/2uqV218vbo  Maleeha Hashmey (@MaleehaHashmey) August 24, 2024

Who is Natasha Danish Ali?

Natasha Danish Ali, 32, is the wife of industrialist Danish Ali, who is the chairman of Gul Ahmed Energy Limited and Metro Power Group. She resides in Karachis KDA Scheme-I.

During the incident, eyewitnesses reported that Natasha appeared intoxicated and attempted to flee but was restrained by bystanders and handed over to authorities.

Despite facing multiple charges under the Pakistan Penal Code, Natasha has remained at home rather than in police custody. Her attorney, Amir Mansub, claimed she was receiving treatment at Jinnah Hospital and her mental state was not stable. However, hospital records, obtained by MM News, show she was declared fit and did not require psychiatric intervention.

Social Media Outcry

The incident has sparked widespread criticism online, with accusations that Natasha is receiving preferential treatment due to her status. Social media users have claimed that despite her involvement in the deaths, she is being handled differently, and has even skipped court proceedings.

A user on X has alleged that media coverage of the incident is being suppressed, claiming that publications such as the Express Tribune have removed stories about the crash.

Karsaz Accident: Express Tribune Deleted all Three Stories related to Karsaz Accident. Pressure or What?, the user asked.

Another user commented: If this elite woman gets away with killing multiple people, there will be NO hope left for the poor people. Aisa hai mera Pakistan.

I urge you all to boycott the GulAhmedGroup and demonstrate humanity by standing against their actions. The innocent lives lost at the hands of Gul Ahmeds director Natasha Danish wife of Danish Ali Muhammad the CEO of Gul Ahmed Group, and daughter of Tariq Rangowala, a user wrote, calling for a boycott of her husbands company.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On August 27, Aptiv signed an agreement to establish a new R&D center in the Changshu National New & Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone, aiming to boost the local automotive and components industry's presence in the emerging smart driving sector.

Photo credit: Aptiv

The Changshu center will be Aptiv's third R&D hub in China, following its existing facilities in Shanghai and Suzhou cities. This new center, part of the company's Active Safety & User Experience division, will focus on developing advanced software and hardware technologies for next-generation automotive platforms. These technologies will encompass active safety, intelligent connectivity, cybersecurity, infotainment, and user experience systems. Additionally, the center will house Aptiv's China Data Center and Testing Center, marking a significant step in the company's strategy to enhance its footprint in China's intelligent and connected vehicle sector.

During the signing ceremony, Qin Meng, Mayor of Changshu city, highlighted Aptiv's longstanding presence in China. With over 30 years of experience in the market, Aptiv is known for its comprehensive solutions in automotive "brain" and "nervous system" technologies. The establishment of the R&D center in Changshu is expected to significantly enhance Aptiv's market share and competitiveness, while addressing critical gaps in the local automotive and components industry. Mayor Qin emphasized the city's commitment to supporting Aptiv's growth through high-quality infrastructure, efficient logistics, and a robust industrial ecosystem. He also expressed hope that Aptiv would advance its R&D efforts with high standards and efficiency, leveraging its leadership to attract more upstream and downstream enterprises within the industry chain to settle in Changshu.

Simon Yang, President of Aptiv China and Asia-Pacific, described Changshu as a "land of prosperity" and a fertile ground for leading technology companies. He noted that Changshu, located in the Yangtze River Delta, was among the first cities in the region to develop an automotive industry, offering a well-established automotive ecosystem. The new Changshu R&D Center is set to complement Aptiv's existing centers in Shanghai and Suzhou, creating a synergistic network that will capitalize on the advantages of the "Yangtze River Delta Integration" strategy. This move aims to better serve Aptivs automotive clients in China and further develop the region's automotive industry ecosystem.
Beijing (Gasgoo)- On August 27, automotive intelligent solution provider NavInfo released its financial results for the first half of 2024 (H1 2024), showing solid growth across all business segments. The company reported total revenue of 1.667 billion yuan in the period, marking an 11.08% year-on-year increase.



Photo credit: NavInfo

NavInfo's intelligent driving business segment demonstrated exceptional performance, generating 124 million yuan in semi-annual revenue with a gross profit margin up by 20.77% compared to the same period last year. The intelligent cockpit segment earned 265 million yuan in revenue during the first half of this year, reflecting a 9.37% year-on-year rise, with its gross profit margin improving by 6.43%. NavInfo successfully delivered smart cockpit products to major automakers including Toyota, SAIC-GM-Wuling, and South Koreas KG Mobility.

Meanwhile, NavInfos smart semiconductor business saw its H1 revenue jump 13.55% from a year ago to 253 million yuan. Additionally, the companys cloud-based services segment posted revenue of 1.017 billion yuan in the reporting period, up 15.82% year-on-year.
More than 20 people returning to the US from Cuba have been infected with a virus transmitted by bugs in recent months, federal health officials said Tuesday. None have died, and there is no evidence that it's spreading in the United States. But officials are warning US doctors to be on the lookout for the infection in travelers coming from Cuba and South America, the AP reports. Here's a look at the illness and what sparked the alert:

What is Oropouche virus? Oropouche is a virus that is native to forested tropical areas. It was first identified in 1955 in a 24-year-old forest worker on the island of Trinidad, and was named for a nearby village and wetlands. It has sometimes been called sloth fever because scientists first investigating the virus found it in a three-toed sloth, and believed sloths were important in its spread between insects and animals.
The strange stories allegedly about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. keep coming. The latest involves a whale carcass, and was originally reported more than a decade ago, but just resurfaced, the New York Times reports. Back in 2012, Kennedy's daughter, Kick Kennedy, told Town & Country her father had once used a chainsaw to remove the head of a dead whale he found washed up on a beach in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, during a family vacation. She said he attached it to the roof of their car with a bungee cord and drove it back to their New York home. She cited her father's "eccentric environmentalism" and interest in animal skeletons as his reason for doing so, the Guardian reports.
A civilian quartet was set to blast off into space from Florida on Wednesday morning, on their way to the first spacewalk ever by private citizens, but that mission has now been postponed. The BBC reports that Elon Musk's SpaceX, just hours before liftoff, cited "unfavorable weather forecasted" in the spot where the Polaris Dawn capsule was set for its splashdown, just a day after the expedition was aborted due to a leak in a helium line. More:

The crew: Billionaire entrepreneur Jacob Isaacman, 41, who founded the payment processing platform Shift4, has spearheaded the mission, though he hasn't yet said how much cash he's pumped into it. He'll serve as captain of the expedition and will be joined by former Air Force pilot Scott Poteet and SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon. More here on Isaacman.
A bald eagle in Missouri is recovering from injuries inflicted by a gunshot, highlighting an alarming trend of shooting incidents involving America's national bird. The male eagle, found on July 11 with a split beak, injured wing, and lead poisoning, has undergone three surgeries at the World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park. Executive Director Roger Holloway reported that while several injuries are healing well, the bird, identified as No. 24-390, faces a long road to recovery, potentially requiring up to a year of care.

No. 24-390 is among six raptors treated for gunshot wounds at the sanctuary this summer. Holloway has observed an increase in shooting injuries, which he attributes to "ignorance and boredom," stressing that many people don't understand the serious legal repercussions. Despite a history of near extinction and subsequent federal protections, including the Bald Eagle Protection Act of 1940, shootings of these majestic birds, considered sacred by Native Americans, have been trending upward.

Experts like Janet Haslerig, avian ecologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation, are troubled by these incidents. She noted an increase in the bald eagle population in Missouri, from 123 nests eighteen years ago to 609 today, yet shootings remain a critical concern. In a recent case, a man in Washington state pleaded guilty to shooting eagles and trafficking their feathers. Holloway pointed out that these actions often stem from sheer recklessness, stating, "This is just indiscriminate shooting from irresponsible individuals."

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Word count: 246 (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
Attorneys for the state of Florida argued on Tuesday that the execution of Loran Cole, who has Parkinson's symptoms, should proceed regardless of his appeal to the US Supreme Court. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody contended that Cole delayed too long in challenging lethal injection procedures; Cole says the drugs used by Florida are likely to "cause him needless pain and suffering" because of his symptoms. Cole, convicted in 1994 of kidnapping, rape, and murder, is scheduled for execution on Thursday at 6pm at Florida State Prison, following Gov. Ron DeSantis' signing of the death warrant in July.
American Idol winner Scotty McCreery stopped at the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo over the weekend to perform for fans who love his style of countryand who also love him now for standing up for one of his fans, who was allegedly assaulted as he performed. In a video shot Saturday by attendee Jessica Rosario, the 30-year-old performer is shown launching into "It Matters to Her," a song he said is his wife's favorite, but he only got a few words out before he stopped strumming his guitar and pointed into the audience in front of him.

"Hey hey hey hey hey!" McCreery said in alarm. "Right here, right here, that's a lady you just hit, sir! Absolutely notwho just hit the lady? Police? Security? Is she OK? Get the heck out of here!" McCreery continued to stand at the edge of the stage, peering into the darkness of the audience, as the crowd booed the alleged perp. Once it appeared things down below had been cleared up, McCreery called it "absolutely unacceptable" and added, "Whoever you are, that's the definition of a coward, hitting a lady," before picking back up where he left off in his song.

EW.com notes it's not clear if anyone was arrested, though fair officials verified that something had indeed happened during McCreery's performance. "We can confirm that an incident took place ... where a man assaulted a woman and the performer stopped the show," a rep for the Colorado Department of Agriculture said. "Colorado State Fair security assisted with crowd control. This incident is still under investigation and we cannot comment further." Security officials say anyone with footage or other information about the incident should contact them at csf.security@state.co.us. (More Scotty McCreery stories.)
It's another entry in the growing file of JD Vance's thoughts on childless Americans . Audio from a 2021 forum has resurfaced in which Vance expounds on the subject. He was participating in a Center for Christian Virtue leadership forum alongside other GOP candidates for the Senate from Ohio and was asked about the state's "Backpack Bill," which Rolling Stone reports would see tax-funded scholarships extended to private schools and homeschooled students. The lines that are garnering fresh attention:

"So many of the leaders of the left, and I hate to be so personal about this, but they're people without kids trying to brainwash the minds of our children. And that really disorients me, and it really disturbs me. Randi Weingarten, who's the head of the most powerful teachers' union in the country [the American Federation of Teachers], she doesn't have a single child. If she wants to brainwash and destroy the minds of children, she should have some of her own and leave ours the hell alone."

Weingartenwho has described herself as "a mother by marriage," meaning a stepmothertook to X with her reply: "Gross! JD Vance's comments are sad and insulting to millions of modern families, and school teachers including Catholic nuns, none of whom should be targeted for their family decisions." NBC News reports the audio of Vance's comments was shared Tuesday afternoon by the liberal news site Heartland Signal; the Harris campaign reposted it a short time later.

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A rep for Vance told NBC News on Tuesday that the vice presidential candidate "will continue to loudly call this crap out to defend our kids. ... There is no bigger threat to American children than the left wing indoctrination being peddled in our schools by radicals like Randi Weingarten, with the support of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz." (More JD Vance stories.)
Israel launched a large-scale military operation in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, where its forces killed at least nine Palestinians and sealed off the volatile city of Jenin. Israel has carried out near-daily raids across the West Bank since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack out of Gaza triggered the ongoing war there, reports the AP . Israel says it is rooting out militants to prevent attacks on its citizens, while Palestinians in the West Bank fear it intends to broaden the war and forcibly displace them. Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military rep, said that "large forces" entered the volatile city of Jenin, which has long been a militant stronghold, as well as Tulkarem and the Al-Faraa refugee camp.

He said the nine dead were militants, including three killed in an airstrike in Tulkarem and another four in an airstrike in Al-Faraa. He said another five suspected militants were arrested, and that the raids were the first stage of a larger operation aimed at preventing attacks on Israelis. Palestinian militant groups said they were exchanging fire with Israeli troops. The governor of Jenin, Kamal Abu al-Rub, said on Palestinian radio that Israeli forces had surrounded the city, blocking exit and entry points and access to hospitals, and ripping up infrastructure in the camp. The Palestinian Health Ministry in the West Bank said Israeli forces had blocked the roads leading to a hospital and surrounded other medical facilities in Jenin.

"We must deal with the threat just as we deal with the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza, including the temporary evacuation of Palestinian residents and whatever steps might be required. This is a war in every respect," Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz wrote on X. Hamas called on Palestinians in the West Bank to rise up, saying the raids are part of a larger plan to expand the war in Gaza and blaming the escalation on US support for Israel. The militant group called on security forces loyal to the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, which cooperate with Israel, to "join the sacred battle of our people." Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a Palestinian Authority rep, condemned the raids as a "serious escalation" and called on the United States to intervene.

(More West Bank stories.)
Beijing (Gasgoo)- On August 27, Chinese automaker JAC Group disclosed its financial results for the first half of 2024, reporting a net profit of 300.83 million yuan attributable to shareholders, marking a significant 93.84% year-on-year soar.

Photo credit: JAC Group

According to earlier production and sales reports, JAC Group sold 206,200 vehicles in the first half of this year, with a notable contribution from new energy passenger vehicles, which jumped 15.28% from a year ago.

During this period, the company significantly increased its investment in intelligent electrification technologies, with R&D expenses surging 59.75% year on year, which also accounted for 7.74% of JAC Groups total revenue, driving rapid innovation in the new energy vehicle sector.

In April 2024, in a bid to accelerate its transition towards intelligent new energy vehicles, JAC Group released models like the RF8 and EV 3 Zhi'ai Edition onto the market, further enhancing its product lineup.

On the first anniversary of its new brand strategy launch, JAC unveiled the DEFINE concept car, featuring a 460-kW silicon carbide motor that enables 0-100 km/h acceleration in around three seconds. The model also includes an 800-volt 4C fast-charging system as standard.

DEFINE Concept; photo credit: JAC Group

In intelligent driving, JAC Group achieved mass production of L2+ smart driving features, completed development of L3 intelligent driving function, and obtained a testing license in Hefei city for L4 autonomous driving operations in specific scenarios.

Additionally, JAC Group partnered with Huawei to develop a new platform and smart electric architecture, aiming to produce high-end luxury electric vehicles. Their first model is expected to roll off line by the end of this year, with market launch scheduled in the first half of 2025.
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, per the AP . 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. It remains unclear, however, just how much room Pezeshkian will have to maneuver, particularly as tensions remain high in the wider Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war.

"This does not mean that we cannot interact with the same enemy in certain situations," Khamenei said, per 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 with Washington or dismissed them after then-President Trump unilaterally withdrew from the deal in 2018. There have been indirect talks between Iran and the US in recent years mediated by Oman and Qatar. Khamenei's remarks came a day after Qatar's prime minister visited the country. Asked for comment, the US State Department said, "We will judge Iran's leadership by their actions, not their words."

Since the deal's collapse, Iran has abandoned all limits that the deal put on its program, and enriches uranium to up to 60% puritynear weapons-grade levels of 90%. 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. More here.

(More Iran stories.)
Michael O'Leary doesn't want to be a (literal) buzzkill. But the Ryanair chief is now pushing for a two-drink max per boarding pass at airports, saying he thinks such a limit could help tamp down on the rise of inflight violence by inebriated fliers, reports the BBC . "We don't want to begrudge people having a drink," he tells the Telegraph . "But we don't allow people to drink-drive, yet we keep putting them up in aircraft at 33,000 feet."

O'Leary says incidents involving booze-fueled confrontations on planes, including assaults against crew, have risen this summer, and that staff can't always tell if passengers are under the influence before they board, especially if they're mixed in with family members or other passengers. "As long as they can stand up and shuffle they will get through," he says. But "then when the plane takes off, we see the misbehavior." At a recent presser, O'Leary said his Irish airline has seen "at least one bad case of assault on a weekly basis now," per the Independent.

Just a few years ago, he noted, such incidents were virtually nonexistent. O'Leary says that bags are searched at Ryanair boarding gates for particular destinations known for partying, such as Ibiza and the Greek islands, but sometimes passengers are already drunk from their airport stay, while some have taken other illicit drugs. The problem is exacerbated when flights are delayed, giving bored and antsy passengers more time to kill at the airport. "If your flight is delayed by two or three hours, you can't be guzzling five, six, eight, 10 pints of beer," he says. "Go and have a coffee or a cup of tea. It's not an alcoholics outing." (More Ryanair stories.)
Residents of Massachusetts are now free to arm themselves with switchblades after a 67-year-old restriction was struck down following the US Supreme Court's 2022 landmark decision on gun rights and the Second Amendment. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decision on Tuesday applied new guidance from the Bruen decision, which declared that citizens have a right to carry firearms in public for self-defense and upended gun and weapons laws nationwide. The Supreme Judicial Court concluded that switchblades aren't deserving of special restrictions under the Second Amendment, the AP reports.

"Nothing about the physical qualities of switchblades suggests they are uniquely dangerous," Justice Serge Georges Jr. wrote. The ruling leaves only a handful of states with switchblade bans on the books. The Massachusetts case stemmed from a 2020 domestic disturbance in which police seized an orange firearm-shaped knife with a spring-assisted blade. The defendant was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon. His appeal claimed the blade was protected by the Second Amendment.

In its decision, the Supreme Judicial Court reviewed this history of knives and pocket knives from colonial times in following US Supreme Court guidance to focus on whether weapon restrictions are consistent with this nation's "historical tradition" of arms regulation. Georges concluded that the broad category including spring-loaded knifes are "arms" under the Second Amendment. "Therefore, the carrying of switchblades is presumptively protected by the plain text of the Second Amendment," he wrote.

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell criticized the ruling. "This case demonstrates the difficult position that the Supreme Court has put our state courts in with the Bruen decision, and I'm disappointed in today's result," Campbell said in a statement. "The fact is that switchblade knives are dangerous weapons and the Legislature made a commonsense decision to pass a law prohibiting people from carrying them."

(More Second Amendment stories.)
UPDATE

Aug 29, 2024 12:00 AM CDT

The former politician convicted of murdering a journalist who wrote unflattering stories about him and his office has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Robert Telles will be eligible for parole after 20 years, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. The Clark County DA said the verdict should send "a clear message that any attempts to silence the media or to silence or intimidate a journalist will not be tolerated."

Aug 28, 2024 3:04 PM CDT

A former politician in Nevada has been found guilty of murdering a journalist who wrote about allegations of wrongdoing in his office. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that the jury deliberated for around 12 hours over three days before finding Robert Telles guilty of killing Jeff German, an investigative journalist for the paper. Telles, former Clark County public administrator, was arrested days after German, 69, was stabbed to death outside his Las Vegas home two years ago. Prosecutors said Telles, 47, was angered by German's reporting on alleged bullying and favoritism in his office, and on an alleged relationship with a female employee, NBC News reports. He slammed German's reporting and the Review-Journal in posts online after he narrowly lost a re-election bid months before the murder.
Pavel Durov was charged with a series of crimes in France on Wednesday tied to users' activities on the Telegram app he founded, a rare instance of a top technology executive being held personally responsible for what occurs on an online platform. Durov, who was detained Saturday , was released Wednesday after putting up about $5.5 million, the New York Times reports. He must check in at a police station twice a week, the Paris prosecutor said, and is prohibited from leaving the country. Conviction on all charges could bring the billionaire a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, she said.

The charges being investigated included complicity in managing an online platform to enable illegal transactions; complicity in crimes such as enabling the distribution of child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking and fraud; and refusal to cooperate with law enforcement. Telegram has been a part of criminal cases in France involving child sexual abuse, drug trafficking, and online hate crimes, said Laure Beccuau, the prosecutor. But requests for cooperation from prosecutors have resulted in a "near-total absence" of replies from Telegram, she saidin other European countries as well as France.

Durov's arrest has become a free speech issue, and French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday denied that it's an example of government censorship. Telegram issued a statement saying that it follows EU laws, per Axios, and that its content moderationwhich is effectively nonexistentis "within industry standards." Durov was born in Russia, and the Russian government has been critical of his arrest. (More Pavel Durov stories.)
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.

NIO launches Banyan 3.0.0 smart digital system with over 130 new, enhanced features

On August 28, NIO officially launched its latest smart digital system, Banyan 3.0.0, introducing more than 130 new and optimized features across five key areas: NOMI, panoramic digital cockpit, AI intelligent chassis, NIO Link connectivity, and enhanced user experience.

Photo credit: NIO

Chery Holding to showcase 35 key models at 2024 Chengdu Motor Show

Chery Holding is set to make a significant impact at the 2024 Chengdu Motor Show, which will kick off on August 30. The automobile group will bring together its four major brandsCHERY, EXEED, JETOUR, and iCARto present a total of 35 key models at the event.

SAIC MOTOR Passenger Vehicle forms strategic partnership with Huasheng Haoche

On August 27, SAIC Motor Passenger Vehicle and Huasheng Haoche officially announced a strategic partnership based on a shared market vision and commitment to service excellence, aiming to explore new possibilities in the field of automotive new retail. The partnership will involve in-depth cooperation across various areas, including product sales, financial services, and user experience, with the goal of driving high-quality development within the automotive industry.

XPENG completes tape-out of self-developed TURING chip

On August 27, XPENG celebrated its 10th anniversary in Beijing where it announced its strategic vision for the next decade, aiming to become a global AI automotive company. A major highlight of the event was the unveiling of "XPENG TURING," the world's first chip designed for simultaneous application in robots, AI cars, and flying vehicles. This groundbreaking chip successfully completed its tape-out process on August 23.

Li Auto boasts YoY, QoQ growth in Q2 2024 revenue

Li Auto Inc. ("Li Auto" or the "Company"), a prominent player in China's new energy vehicle sector, announced on Wednesday its unaudited financial results for the second quarter of 2024 (Q2 2024). The company reported total revenues of RMB31.7 billion (US$4.4 billion) for this period, marking a 10.6% increase year-on-year (YoY) and a 23.6% rise quarter-on-quarter (QoQ).

JAC Group's H1 net profit shoots up 93.84% YoY in 2024

On August 27, Chinese automaker JAC Group disclosed its financial results for the first half of 2024, reporting a net profit of 300.83 million yuan attributable to shareholders, marking a significant 93.84% year-on-year soar.

NavInfo's revenue rises 11.08% YoY in H1 2024

On August 27, automotive intelligent solution provider NavInfo released its financial results for the first half of 2024 (H1 2024), showing solid growth across all business segments. The company reported total revenue of 1.667 billion yuan in the period, marking an 11.08% year-on-year increase.

Aptiv's third R&D center in China finds home in Changshu city

On August 27, Aptiv signed an agreement to establish a new R&D center in the Changshu National New & Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone, aiming to boost the local automotive and components industry's presence in the emerging smart driving sector. The Changshu center will be Aptiv's third R&D hub in China, following its existing facilities in Shanghai and Suzhou cities.

DiDi, NavInfo announce capital increase in AutoAI for smart mobility advancement

On August 28, NavInfo announced that it, together with DiDi Smart Transportation Technology ("DiDi"), would increase their investment in AutoAI, a NavInfo-affiliated company.

XPENG MONA M03 hits market, starting at 119,800 yuan

On August 27, XPENG officially put the MONA M03 compact sedan, the first production model under its fire new MONA series, onto the market, offering three different trim levels priced from 119,800 yuan to 155,800 yuan. The Max version will start deliveries after the Chinese New Year holiday in 2025.
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TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the statements made by an Israeli government minister regarding the establishment of a synagogue within Al Aqsa Mosque.

The ministry described these statements as a clear violation of international law and a dangerous incitement to religious hostility and hatred.

The ministry called for the respect of the existing legal, historical, and religious status of Jerusalem and urged the cessation of any provocative actions or practices that could inflame Muslim sentiments and threaten security and stability.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

Report by H Naser

The High Criminal Court has sentenced three individuals involved in a drug smuggling ring to prison terms. The trio was apprehended attempting to smuggle a significant quantity of "CBD" (cannabis) into Bahrain via the King Fahd Causeway.

The ringleader, the first defendant, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined 5,000 Bahraini dinars. The second and third defendants received one-year prison sentences each and were fined 1,000 Bahraini dinars. The court also ordered the confiscation of all seized evidence.

The incident unfolded when customs security officers at the King Fahd Causeway intercepted the three individuals arriving from Saudi Arabia. The officers, noticing the defendants' unusual behavior, questioned them about any items they were carrying, but they denied having anything to declare.

A thorough search revealed a stash of plastic containers containing "CBD" weighing 7.5 grams in the first defendant's possession. An additional plastic piece containing 8.4 grams of the same substance was found in his pants pocket. A search of the third defendant's bag uncovered two prohibited pills and an electronic shisha containing 90.1 grams of the same drug liquid.

Further investigation led to the discovery of eight plastic containers containing 1236.3 grams of the substance hidden in a travel bag in the car's trunk, three containers weighing 238.9 grams concealed in the drawer between the front seats, and three containers weighing 84.3 grams hidden in the driver's door pocket.

Prohibited pills were found in the back seat, along with six empty plastic containers used for packaging and a plastic piece containing 7.8 grams of the substance hidden in the trunk in a plastic bag.

The first defendant confessed to drug use during the Public Prosecution investigation and admitted ownership of the seized items. Both the first and second defendants confessed to drug use.

Toxicology and drug laboratory reports confirmed the seized items contained "CBD" (cannabis). Analysis of the first defendant's phone by the Cybercrime Department revealed messages related to the sale and purchase of drugs and images of materials and tools used for consumption.
Xpeng CEO He Xiaopeng unveiled the M03, the Tesla rival's latest EV, at an event in Beijing. PEDRO PARDO/Getty Images

The Chinese electric-vehicle maker Xpeng launched a low-priced EV.

The cheapest version of that car is nearly half the price of Tesla's Model 3 in China.

Elon Musk's car company faces stiff competition in China from a wave of cheap, tech-heavy local EVs.

One of Tesla's Chinese rivals launched a low-priced electric vehicle with self-driving tech  and it shows just how big a challenge Elon Musk faces in staying competitive in the world's largest EV market.

On Tuesday, Xpeng launched the Mona M03, an electric car with a starting price of 119,800 yuan, or about $16,800.

The EV is available in three models, including a "Max" version with autonomous-driving features that costs 155,800 yuan, or about $21,900.

ADVERTISEMENT

The cheapest M03 model is just over half the price of Tesla's most affordable car, the Model 3, which starts at about 231,900 yuan in China.

Tesla has repeatedly cut prices in China over the past year as it tries to keep up with its local rivals. It's said to be close to gaining approval to sell its Full Self-Driving tech in the country.

Tesla faces brutal competition from Chinese companies capable of matching its tech-heavy electric cars while undercutting it on price.

Xpeng's M03 joins a crowded market that includes the smartphone maker Xiaomi's SU7, a smart car with an estimated 500-mile range and a price tag of about $30,000.

The industry leader BYD, which briefly overtook Tesla as the world's largest producer of EVs in late 2023, has also slashed prices this year. In March, it cut the sticker price of its Seal electric sedan by 10,000 yuan, to 179,800 yuan.

The premium-EV giant Nio, meanwhile, is planning to launch an affordable-EV brand called Onvo in China that's set to compete directly with Tesla's Model Y.

The L60, the first car in the Onvo range, would be about $5,000 cheaper than the Model Y and offer drivers access to Nio's network of battery-swapping stations, which the company says cuts charging times to as little as three minutes.

Story continues

Nio, BYD, and Xpeng also advertise their versions of Tesla's driving-assistance tech. BYD is racing to add AI features to its vehicles to appeal to tech-savvy Chinese consumers.

These Chinese EV companies are also being challenged by growing competition in the region and pressure to compete on price.

Musk likely hopes that Tesla's robotaxi, which he's reportedly keen to launch in China, can give the US automaker an edge.

Still, a victory for Tesla in the most cutthroat EV market is far from assured.

Tesla did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent outside normal working hours.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Forest Hill luxured purpose-built rental, 2Fifteen, will now feature digitally connected pilates reformer by Frame Fitness and industry-leading equipment by Lifted Movement as part of their amenity wellness program

TORONTO, Aug. 28, 2024 /CNW/ - DBS Developments , with over 60 years of experience in crafting condominiums and purpose-built rentals across the GTA, is pleased to announce a new partnership with Canadian fitness brands Frame Fitness and Lifted Movement . Expanding on their wellness program, offering residents the opportunity to indulge in guided fitness classes, yoga sessions, and more, DBS Developments is now also bringing in new, state-of-the-art equipment by the brands.

Photo Credit: Paige Thompson Photography (CNW Group/DBS Developments)

Located in the heart of Forest Hill, the luxury purpose-built rental residences at 2Fifteen is collaborating with fitness brands motivated by function and design to bring sought after premium wellness offerings for residents as part of their amenity package. The program will include varied fitness sessions and regularly scheduled wellness events with a special focus on tailoring each experience to the resident. The modern fitness center equipped with industry-leading exercise machines and free weights will be available to residents through this new program.

Residents now have access to the new digitally connected Pilates Reformer by Frame Fitness offering on-demand classes with expert guidance exclusively for 2Fifteen residents. The sleek tech-enabled reformer is known for improving strength, flexibility, and posture. With cutting-edge and modern technology, Frame's patent-pending equipment can transform the resident's workout experience regardless of height, weight or body type. The dual spring technology provided a single platform with the unparalleled functionality of having two platforms.

Through the Lifted Movement partnership, residents now have access to the brand's elevated collection of free weights housed on the elegant Arc Duo system . Created by the founders of Saje Natural Wellness, the equipment is precision engineered from recycled steel, powder coated soft white and accented with Carrara marble ends. This new decor-inspired fitness brand is here to change the narrative of what it means to be fit, ensuring that wellness is always within reach for 2Fifteen's residents.

By integrating top-of-the-line fitness equipment and wellness programs into 2Fifteen, DBS Developments ensures residents have the tools and opportunities to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle right at their doorstep.

"In today's fast paced world, the importance of health and wellness cannot be overstated. Prioritizing physical and mental well-being is essential for a balanced lifestyle. At DBS Developments, we believe in bringing our residents the best wellness experiences. Integrating our partnership with Canadian fitness brands - Frame Fitness and Lifted Movement - reflects our dedication to fostering a healthy lifestyle for our 2Fifteen community," said Bryan Levy, CEO at DBS Developments.

Residents will also receive 15% off Lifted Movement products and 10% Frame Fitness products that they can purchase for their suites.

About DBS Developments

DBS Developments functions as a fully integrated real estate development company. DBS, named after the founder David Bela Salomon, has continued with these development operations including project design, development, and construction. Envisioning a residential experience to bring its communities to new heights, DBS works hand-in-hand with its in-house property management team to handle all aspects of property operations, and are equipped with the resources to deliver exceptional customer service to our residents. With over 60 years and three generations of development and management experience, DBS Developments set out to create a new standard for residential communities and has assembled an unparalleled team to bring their vision together. DBSdevelopments.ca

SOURCE DBS Developments

Media Contacts: Priya Mistry, NKPR, [email protected], (416-836-9832)
Conference attendees to have rare chance to connect with CEOs who have raised a combined total of $1B+ to commercialize and scale clean technology solutions globally

CALGARY, AB, Aug. 28, 2024 /CNW/ - The future of Canadian industry will be on stage in Calgary this October, when CEO's from seven of the most funded Canadian cleantech companies ever appear at Energy Disruptors: UNITE 2024 (October 1-2, 2024). They represent a combined total of more than $1B invested to commercialize and scale revolutionary energy and climate solutions at scale.

Founded with the audacious goal of uniting the world's boldest trailblazers to 'accelerate global energy transition', Energy Disruptors is now the fastest-growing energy summit in the world, attracting industry leaders and innovators, entrepreneurs, and futurists from the entire energy value chain. Organizers Graeme Edge, Michelle Edge, Holly Ransom, and Rachel Maxwell debuted the conference in 2018 to boldly address the opportunities and challenges presented by the energy transition, challenge assumptions, facilitate connections with unlike minds, and empower delegates to lead with creativity and courage.

"Effective communicationcelebrating achievements, addressing challenges, and collaborating on scalable solutionsis vital to our collective success and sums up what Energy Disruptors is all about," said Co-Founder and CEO Graeme Edge. "We're thrilled to host some of Canada's top companies leading the way in energy and climate innovation. With 300 founders among our 3,000 delegates, this summit is a unique and crucial opportunity not just for inspiration but for tackling the real-world challenges of scaling energy and climate solutions affordably and at scale."

The complete speaker roster is available here , and features world leaders like The Right Honourable Jacina Arden, Former Prime Minister of New Zealand and Sanna Marin, Former Prime Minister of Finland, and global thought leaders like Yuval Noah Harari (Sapiens, NEXUS).

VIP Passes for Energy Disruptors: UNITE 2024 Summit are 90% sold out. Additional passes are available now at www.energydisruptors.com , with general admission pass pricing ending September 12th.

Media are invited to apply for accreditation for Energy Disruptors: UNITE 2024 at https://www.energydisruptors.com/media.

About Energy Disruptors: UNITE

The Energy Disruptors: UNITE Summit (EDU) was founded in 2017 by Graeme Edge, Michelle Edge, Holly Ransom, and Rachel Maxwell. Energy Disruptors has a bold ambition; to UNITE the entire spectrum of the energy industry around the common goal of accelerating pragmatic and profitable solutions to the world's biggest energy challenges. The UNITE summit aims to be the most accessible and inclusive energy event in the world. The 2024 summit takes place October 1st and 2nd at Stampede Park in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. To learn more about Energy Disruptors: UNITE 2024, visit: energydisruptors.com or follow them on Instagram , X , Facebook , and LinkedIn for updates.

SOURCE Energy Disruptors Movement Inc.

MEDIA INFO & CONTACT: For all requests and inquiries, please contact: Alex Kingcott, [email protected], 403.554.7368
 100% of proceeds* from the sale of the shirts are donated to Indspire in support of the Learning from the Past Fund 

 To date, the campaign has raised more than $750,000 for Indspire 

OTTAWA, ON, Aug. 28, 2024 /CNW/ - Giant Tiger Stores Limited is proud to announce the launch of its third-year partnership with the national Indigenous charity Indspire to create an exclusive orange shirt and raise awareness for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Featuring a brand-new design by Two-Spirit Ojibwe artist Patrick Hunter, the shirt is available now at select Giant Tiger stores and GiantTiger.com, with 100% of the proceeds* donated to Indspire to support Indigenous post-secondary students through the Learning from the Past Fund.

Giant Tiger and Indspire launch third-year collaboration with a new shirt design to support indigenous post-secondary students. Featuring a brand-new design by Two-Spirit Ojibwe artist Patrick Hunter (pictured), the shirt is available now at select Giant Tiger stores and GiantTiger.com. (CNW Group/Giant Tiger Stores Limited)

The new design reflects Patrick's vision of uniting First Nations communities in Canada through his joyful artistry while bringing awareness to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. To explore the new design and discover the journey behind its creation, click HERE.

"When creating the new artwork for the shirt, I drew inspiration from the quote, 'They buried us, but they didn't know we were seeds'," said artist Patrick Hunter. "The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation addresses difficult conversations, and I feel we've come a long way. Canadians are now starting to recognise the accomplishments of First Nations people. In the past, our story was often linked with trauma but, today, a deeper understanding and awareness is growing through knowledge. With this partnership and the new design, I hope to bring more joy to the world as we continue these important conversations."

"We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Indspire and the incredibly talented Patrick Hunter to create a one-of-a-kind shirt and raise funds for Indigenous post-secondary students," said Gabrielle Hargrove, Senior Vice President and HR Officer at Giant Tiger Stores Limited. "At Giant Tiger, we are committed to doing what's right for our customers, and we are proud of our partnership with Indspire and the meaningful discussions it fosters to make a tangible difference in the communities we are privileged to serve."

As a longstanding partner of Indspire, Giant Tiger has supported programs that help Indigenous students graduate and become leaders of tomorrow. Our collaboration has raised over $750,000 to date for Indspire's Learning from the Past Fund, which provides bursaries to Indigenous post-secondary students pursuing education in Indigenous Studies and Languages.

"Our continued partnership with Giant Tiger exemplifies how collaboration can lead to meaningful change," said Indspire's President and CEO Mike DeGagne. "The funds raised through this initiative not only provide critical support to Indigenous students pursuing post-secondary education but also foster a deeper understanding and respect for Indigenous cultures across Canada. This campaign is a testament to the power of unity in promoting education and reconciliation."

For more information on the new design and Indspire, visit gianttiger.com/pages/truth-and-reconciliation.

*Proceeds is calculated as the retail selling price, less costs of goods.

About the artist, Patrick Hunter:

Patrick Hunter is a Two-Spirit Ojibwe artist originally from Red Lake, Ont. He specializes in acrylic paintings and digital designs, inspired by his Ojibwe roots. He creates with the intention of bringing more joy into the world, while increasing the awareness of Indigenous cultures and iconography. To see more of Hunter's work, please visit patrickhunter.ca .

About Indspire:

Indspire is a national Indigenous charity that invests in the education of First Nations, Inuit and Metis people for the long-term benefit of these individuals, their families and communities, and Canada. With the support of its funding partners, Indspire provides financial awards, delivers programs, and shares resources so that First Nations, Inuit and Metis students will achieve their highest potential. In 2023-2024, Indspire provided more than $30 million through 8,300 bursaries and scholarships to First Nations, Inuit and Metis students across Canada. For more information, please visit Indspire.ca.

About the Learning from the Past Fund:

Indspire's Learning from the Past Fund provides bursaries to Indigenous post-secondary students pursuing an education in Indigenous Studies and Languages. For more information on Indspire's Learning from the Past Fund, please visit indspire.ca/learning-from-the-past/.

About Giant Tiger:

Giant Tiger, the leading Canadian-owned family discount store, is committed to delivering more than great deals on family fashion, everyday household items, and grocery essentials. The proudly Canadian company is dedicated to a culture of affordability through low prices, community support, and empowering its locally-owned franchises. The privately held company has over 260 locations across Canada and proudly employs over 10,000 members of Team Tiger. All Giant Tiger locations are locally owned or operated by a team member who knows the community. Whether Canadians are shopping in store or online at GiantTiger.com, Giant Tiger is where low prices, amazing finds, and community support come together to be Canada's place to save more money.

Join the conversation and keep up to date on all #GiantTiger news:

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hyundai uk ioniq 5 1222 08

Hyundai Motor has become the first global car firm to commit to a broad roll-out of extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) as it looks to bridge the gap to sluggish EV demand.

Also known as range-extender cars (REx), EREVs package a large battery and sizeable electric motor alongside a small petrol engine that acts as a generator.

Hyundai Motor will build mid-size SUVs with the technology in the US, launching from 2026, for both Hyundai and its premium Genesis brands. Compact models using a dedicated EREV platform will be made in China.

The US models will expand into advanced markets, Hyundai said at its investor day, held on 28 August, suggesting that European sales are also planned.

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Hyundais shift into EREVs was in response to the recent slowdown in EV demand, Jaehoon Chang, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor, told investors.

Its an opportunity for us to buy more time to be better prepared for EVs, Chang said.

EREVs have been popularised in China, where local players such as Li Motor, Leapmotor, Neta and Avatr have launched models with drivetrains that combine large batteries with smaller combustion-engine generators.

However, global brands have so far been much less keen on the technology, preferring to concentrate on EVs, plug-in hybrids and hybrids.

Currently, only Mazda sells an EREV model in the UK, the MX-30 R-EV small SUV. Previous models include the REx version of the discontinued BMW i3. Stellantis has said it will sell an EREV version of its planned new Ram electric pick-up, but Ineos has cancelled the Fusilier electric and EREV models, where were originally planned to sit under the Grenadier six-cylinder 4x4.

BMW has ruled out returning to EREV technology and Mercedes-Benz has also said it wont be participating after reportedly axing a development programme earlier this year. Concerns include the cost of adding another drivetrain as well as the potential difficulty in making the handover between electric and combustion smooth enough for customers of premium cars.

Story continues

To have a very large battery plus a combustion engine in there There is a limit to the financial logic, BMW CEO Oliver Zipse told investors and analysts on the companys first-quarter earnings call. He said the substantial electric range of the companys latest-generation PHEV performs the same function.

Hyundai said it had begun developing its EREV drivetrain two years ago and promised it would be better than competitive against rival systems. The company promised a seamless driving experience as the drivetrain switched between the battery and motor generator to power the electric motor.

Fitting a battery of around 30% the size of that in an EV would help Hyundai reduce the cost of the car, the company said. The system would only have two motors and no transmission, again cutting the cost to Hyundai and making it competitive against plug-in hybrids. We think the key is the controller, Chang said.

Importing EREVs from the US into the European Union would give Hyundai an edge over Chinese manufacturers, because EREVs are subject to the same increased tariffs as electric cars.

Hyundai also plans to expand its full-hybrid (HEV) line-up from seven to 14 models, including Genesis, by 2030 as it helps bridge the EV chasm, Chang said at the investor day. The company said it would expand its full-hybrid sales in Europe from an expected 150,000 in 2024 to 220,000 by 2028.

Hyundai already has one of the widest drivetrain line-ups but is broadening its offering to satisfy demand ahead of the slower than expected take-up of pure-electric cars. The new EREV and hybrid offerings will plug the gap until 2030 when a recovery in EV demand is expected, Hyundai said.

Hyundai is targeting sales of two million EVs by 2030 globally from an increased range of 21 models, the company said. New models include the Ioniq 9 three-row SUV, which is Hyundais take on the Kia EV9. Hyundai Motor owns a third of Kia and both come under the control of the Hyundai Motor Group. Kia is also likely to launch EREV models as part of the close relationship between the two.

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Polestar will replace CEO Thomas Ingenlath with a new top executive, Michael Lohscheller. The news comes in the middle of a major product rollout for the young brand, which recently debuted two new models and is in the process of launching two more.

By joining Polestar, Lohscheller continues a career marked by sudden appointments to CEO positions at young electric brands. After serving as the CEO of Opel from 2017 to 2021, Lohscheller became the CEO of young electric automaker VinFast in July 2021. He stepped down at the end of 2021, and by February of 2022 he was the President of electric truck manufacturer Nikola. He stepped down from that role in August of last year.

Ingenlath's time at the top of Polestar ends after seven years, dating back to the effective founding of the brand as a car company. In that time, the former Volvo designer led the company through the launch of a hybrid grand tourer and three dedicated EV models. He has overseen the company as it distanced itself from the Volvo brand it sprouted from and become more independent under their shared parent company, Geely.

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The swap at Polestar is the third major leadership move at a Geely-owned brand since December, following changes at Lotus and the Lynk & Co brand not offered in America. It is a difficult time for the Chinese-English-Swedish automaker family, which has invested heavily in EVs across a variety of brands and now has to figure out how to make them all work together. Both Lotus and Polestar face major potential problems with a new wave of tariffs expected to be imposed on Chinese-built EVs in the U.S. and Europe, although each brand has some production in other countries as well.

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Disney is planning on overhauling a controversial section of the Peter Pans Flight ride at Disneyland over its depictions of Native Americans.

Peter Pans Flight was one of the original rides in Disneylands Anaheim, California, theme park when it opened to the public in 1955.

The ride has recently attracted scrutiny over its depiction of tribal members as caricatures of Native Americans.

The update to the Disneyland ride comes as Walt Disney World updated its version of the Peter Pan Flight ride to remove the controversial references.

Before the changes, Tiger Lily and her tribe were sitting around a fire with other tribe members drumming in the background.

The members of the tribe also had exaggerated features, such as feathered headdresses and large noses.

The updated version in Orlando shows Tiger Lily dancing around the fire with her grandmother while men can be seen drumming in the background.

Disney said that riders can expect to see these changes at all its theme parks around the world.

However, the company did not set a firm date as to when that would happen for each iteration of the ride.

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Nineteen stores that authorities say illegally sold flavored vape products have been fined civil penalties of $4,500 each.

The stores  12 of which are in Wildwood  sold flavored electronic smoking devices and products, including mint, candy, fruit, and chocolate flavors, the stare Office of the Attorney General said in a statement. All were issued notices of violations.

The sale of vapor products with a flavor, taste, or aroma other than tobacco has been illegal in New Jersey since 2020. The law was the nations first permanent flavor ban, according to the governors office.

Undercover investigators bought products and observed flavored vapes being sold during an investigation that began in June.

The New Jersey Gasoline, C-Store, Automotive Association said businesses should follow the rules.

The association supports the enforcement of the states laws, a spokesman said in a statement. The marketplace works best when businesses are competing on as level a playing field as possible. When a law goes unenforced, it skews the marketplace in a way that favors those businesses which are willing to ignore the law, and allows them to profit at the expense of the business owner who is doing the right thing.

Wildwood officials took action on Aug. 13. Thats when eight Wildwood business owners ranging in age from 27 to 55 were charged by city police with sales of flavored vapor products where prohibited, a disorderly persons offense.

In the coming months, the city of Wildwood, Wildwood Police Department and Code Enforcement will seek to reeducate and work with tobacco and vape distributors to make sure that they know the law, city officialw said earlier this month. Our goal is to protect kids, and we plan to do that in unison with businesses that sell these products.

The stores issued civil penalties are:

Aloha Convenience & Smoke, Plainfield

Cruz Grocery Store, Newark

Shell Food Mart, Parlin

Still the Dubb on Springfield Convenience Store, Irvington

Supreme Cloud Smoke Shop, Sayreville

Wacky Tobaccy Smoke Shop, Asbury Park

Spirit Gifts, Wildwood

Spirit USA, Wildwood

Genesis, Wildwood

Over the Boardwalk, Wildwood

Exotics, Wildwood

Gift World, Wildwood

High Society, Wildwood

Gifts 4 U, Wildwood

Waves, Wildwood

No Cap, Wildwood

Golden Gate, Wildwood

Smoke Factory, Wildwood

Dolphin, Wildwood

The ban on flavor vaping devices is in place to protect New Jersey consumers  especially our youth  from the harmful effects of electronic cigarettes, nicotine, and tobacco, said Cari Fais, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. By identifying and taking enforcement action against merchants who illegally sell these products, we are protecting public health and fulfilling our responsibility to safeguard consumers from unlawful business practices.

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Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com.
Bagels. We love them. A classic everything bagel stuffed with pork roll, egg and oozing with a melty cheese or even a plain bagel stuffed to the max with a heaping spread of cream cheese.

Now Tiam Tiam in Harrison is taking the Jersey classic in an innovative direction. Owners and husband and wife, Jesse and Jennifer Kimm have created four Asian-inspired bagel flavors for their Sunday brunch menu  triple taro, Taiwanese popcorn fried chicken, longanisa (Filipino-style sausage) and brown sugar milk tea boba.

READ MORE: N.J.s 51 best bagel shops, ranked for 2024

Jennifer Kim told NJ Advance Media that each individual flavor has its own inspiration.

We just love taro, so I was like lets go all taro. Everyone likes boba. The Taiwanese fried chicken one has flavors similar to what you find in the street food in Taiwan. For the longanisa one, we have an employee whos Filipino and she talks about longanisa all the time, said Jennifer Kim.

Husband Jesse, left, and his wife Jennifer, right, Kim, owners of Tiam Tiam at their restaurant in Harrison on Saturday, January 20, 2024.John J. LaRosa | For NJ Advance

I was already a fan of their wild brunch on Sundays so I was intrigued when they started posting these bagels on their Instagram page a couple months ago. For now, all the bagels are plain and are sourced from nearby shops.

Triple taro bagel from Tiam Tiam in Harrison, NJ (Lauren Musni | NJ Advance Media)Lauren Musni

The triple taro bagel ($8) features a taro spread, taro cream cheese and topped with taro balls. As a lover of the versatile root vegetable, I was obsessed with this. It was slightly nutty and subtly sweet with light notes of vanilla.

T.F.C. bagel from Tiam Tiam in Harrison, NJ (Lauren Musni | NJ Advance Media)Lauren Musni

Meanwhile, the Taiwanese popcorn fried chicken, or T.F.C. bagel ($9), was stuffed with a basil cream cheese, chopped basil and of course, Taiwanese popcorn fried chicken. The chicken was savory, tender and juicy with the basil component adding a satisfying refreshing, herbal take on the whole bagel. This was my favorite of the bunch.

Brown sugar milk tea boba bagel from Tiam Tiam in Harrison, NJ (Lauren Musni | NJ Advance Media)Lauren Musni

I was especially thrilled about the brown sugar milk tea boba bagel ($7), featuring a decadent milk tea-infused cream cheese and topped with brown sugar boba. It tasted just like my favorite bubble tea, but transformed into a bagel. I truly savored every bite. The cream cheese was so rich and was not overwhelmingly sweet. The boba was also cooked perfectly with a chewy texture.

Longanisa bagel from Tiam Tiam in Harrison, NJ (Lauren Musni | NJ Advance Media)Lauren Musni

Finally, the longanisa bagel ($8.50), an ode to my Filipino heritage, stacks longanisa, egg, cheese and a smear of garlic aioli. The sweet sausage brought me back to the Philippines but with an Americanized twist. It was amazingly flavorful with the tender fried egg and melted cheese. Jesse Kim says the bagel is still a work in progress and is hoping to add something more. Maybe some green onions for color?

Tiam Tiam on Harrison Ave in Harrison on Saturday, January 20, 2024.John J. LaRosa | For NJ Advance

These bagels are currently offered exclusively during Sunday brunch, with typically one savory and one sweet option available each week. According to the couple, Tiam Tiam hopes to make them a regular breakfast item once they have more staff.

When that time comes, Ill be sure to make an early drive just to get my hands on these delicious bagels again.

More Asian food stories

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Lauren Musni may be reached at lmusni@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Laurengmusni and on Instagram. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
A Pennsylvania man was arrested on Wednesday on charges he was the gunman in a July 4 shooting in Trenton that ended in the death of a city man, the Mercer County Prosecutors Office announced.

Rashawn Ford, 37, of Morrisville, Pennsylvania is charged with one count of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree attempted murder, two counts of aggravated assault and multiple weapons offenses, authorities said.

Trenton authorities have said that officers responded to the 800 block of Stuyvesant Avenue on July 4 at 11:30 p.m for reports of a shooting.
A Target employee in New Jersey was arrested this week after reports of him pointing a cell phone up the skirt of a female customer, officials said.

David Sutton, 20, of Lakewood, was arrested Tuesday and charged with harassment, invasion of privacy and obstruction of the administration of justice, according to police.

Wall Township police responded to the Target Department Store on Route 35 in their town following reports of Sutton pointing the phone up the womans shirt in the store, authorities said. Upon arrival, Sutton fled the store and was apprehended shortly afterward, police said, adding he was processed and released on a summons.
Starting Sept. 1, 2024, the European Union is changing the rules for the amount of liquid that can be stowed in carry-on luggage on airplanes. Here's what you need to know.AP

If youre planning a trip to Europe soon, you might want to reconsider what size liquids youre packing in your carry-on luggage.

Starting Sept. 1, 2024, the European Union is changing the rules for the amount of liquid that can be stowed in carry-on luggage on airplanes.

The changes come as the EU is trying to standardize rules for carry-on luggage moving forward.

Currently, passengers traveling in the EU through terminals with special screening can bring liquids in sizes more than 100mL in their carry-ons.

However, the EU is reinstating the rule that liquids should not be carried on planes in sizes more than 100mL. This change is in line with the guidelines of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the United States, also known as the 3-1-1 rule.

The EU stated that this rule will be in place until airport security advancements are made. Liquids over 100mL must be placed in checked luggage in order to fly.

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A Texas woman has been accused by federal prosecutors of selling over $18 million worth of fraudulent coupons, some of which were redeemed at New Jersey pharmacies and grocery stores, U.S. District Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced Wednesday.

Janet Bernal, also known as Rocky, Rocky G, Rocky Gee and RockeyG-Kruella, of San Antonio was charged with three counts of wire fraud by federal officials in New Jersey.

Bernal is accused of running a monthly subscription coupon service that issued fraudulent coupons to members around the country from June 2020 through June 2024, prosecutors said.

Under the scheme, officials said Bernal charged a monthly fee for the bogus coupons a commonly used messaging system. Investigators said Bernal started charging about $75 for initial access to the closed group and then an additional $50 per month for access to the chat group that allowed members unlimited access to counterfeit coupons.

Around April 2023, authorities said Bernal raised the monthly fee to $100 per month.

The coupons were then used by unsuspecting victims around the country at national pharmacy and grocery chains around the country, according to authorities.

The complaint filed in federal court alleges that a national pharmacy chain and grocery store in New Jersey were impacted by the fraudulent coupons but did not name the companies.

Federal investigators said in the complaint that the coupons, used to apply discounts to common household items such as diapers and laundry detergent were generally accepted by stores during checkout and then sent to a clearinghouse to verify their authenticity.

Authorities said many stores took initial losses on selling items after scanning the counterfeit and fraudulent coupons.

Investigators said Bernal chatted with an undercover federal agent after gaining access to the closed group and successfully downloaded approximately7,500 counterfeit coupons.

Investigators also said in charging documents that they were able to identify Bernal as the administrator of the group after she advertised tumbler-style cups for sale. The undercover agent sent a private message toBernal, purchased a tumbler and then had the cup sent out for fingerprint analysis once it arrived, officials said.

The analysis located 12 fingerprints matching Bernals, officials said. Bernals fingerprints were on file due to a prior unrelated arrest, according to authorities.

Authorities estimated the loss to 156 retail stores around the country and the manufacturers whose products were sold at a fraudulent discount totaled about $18 million.

Bernal appeared in federal district in San Antonio on Tuesday and was released on $15,000 secured bond, officials said.

An attorney for Bernal was not listed in online federal court records Wednesday.

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Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X
At long last, New Jerseyans can envision a day when police officers no longer crash through the front doors of emotionally disturbed persons and shoot them dead.

The latest tragedy in Fort Lee might be a tipping point, but we must not forget that the death of Victoria Lee is part of an appalling pattern: Three times in the last 17 months, with no one at the scene experienced in handling a mental health crisis, the cops chose lethal force.

In each case, the shootings took place in municipalities that have failed  inexcusably  to sign on to ARRIVE Together, a successful program that pairs a plainclothes officer with an expert in mental health to respond to such calls. These shootings are not just on the cops -- the politicians in Fort Lee, Jersey City and Paterson also have blood on their hands.

Check the Attorney Generals database to see whether your town has signed up, and if not, dial municipal hall and demand to know why. Because for every NJ town that has adopted this enormously effective program, there is another where cops are ill-prepared, and where sick people are at risk of being gunned down during a manic episode.

Duly horrified at this political negligence, Attorney General Matt Platkin has decided to do what he can to terminate a system in which a family calls 9-1-1 for a mental health emergency and ends up with a SWAT team at their door.

Platkin cannot force local agencies to sign on to ARRIVE, but he does have direct authority over all police agencies in New Jersey, and last week he updated the use-of-force guidelines that all police must follow during mental health calls that involve a person who is barricaded.

This directive hits the brakes on such encounters in multiple ways, such as requiring units to wait for a trained crisis negotiator (including a mental health pro) to arrive, use less lethal weapons such as Tasers, wait for an on-duty supervisor, and give greater consideration to tactical disengagement  meaning, delay contact with the disturbed person rather than escalating the crisis.

The new policy also directs law enforcement to consider whether community-based groups  a.k.a. crisis response teams, which often employ mental health providers  can be active components of a disengagement strategy.

They were all in some kind of behavioral or mental health crisis. There were calls for help. And then they were shot dead by police. #NJ issues new rules on they use of force involving barricaded individuals who are often in need of counseling. https://t.co/KkxEpHkqDD  Ted Sherman (@TedShermanSL) August 22, 2024

How will remote towns know whether a mental health pro is available? All 21 counties already have ARRIVE, Platkin says, so we have agreements in place with mental health counselors in every county, and well add additional resources.

That additional funding will allow these guidelines to take effect in October, and in the process, Platkin expects ARRIVE membership to scale up throughout the state.

Given its scorecard, that is something to celebrate: Since it was launched as a pilot in Dec. 2021, an ARRIVE team has responded to 4,334 calls, and these calls have resulted in zero fatalities and zero serious injuries. The AG has also tracked the number of incidents in which force was required since May 2023, and there have been 23  all a result of getting someone transported to mental health services during an emergency.

Yet far too many towns are still too arrogant to recognize that they need such expertise.

Consider: There are 70 municipalities in Bergen County, yet only eight have adopted ARRIVE, with Fort Lee in the process of wrapping up a deal with Care Plus to launch its own program. Passaic County has 16 towns and cities, yet only two have signed up  including Paterson, eight months after the horrific police shooting of Najee Seabrooks.

Hudson County has exactly one local department (Bayonne) that has adopted ARRIVE, which means the Jersey City PD still believes its own crisis team is adequate.

Really? It was exactly one year ago yesterday that Drew Washington, a bipolar man with schizophrenia, was shot and killed in his apartment after the citys cops kicked his door in and were forced to defend themselves when he rushed them with a knife.

Platkin considers barricaded situations to be a small subset of mental health calls, but they seem to arise with heartbreaking frequency in our state, and too many have resulted in an avoidable death.

Enough of that. Mayors, councils, and police agencies take note: The only acceptable number is zero, and now that you are being given the resources needed to protect our most vulnerable, this is how your civic duty will be judged.

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Fort Lees disgrace demands a policing reboot. Insist on it | Editorial #NJ https://t.co/JcsXPQfjE4  Julie O'Connor (@julieoconnorNJ) August 20, 2024

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A Tesla Cybertruck had to be helped out of the sand on Nantucket Island on May 2. iPullOut Beach Towing

Elon Musk boasted that the Cybertruck would be an "apocalypse-proof" off-road vehicle.

But videos of the truck struggling to climb hills and getting stuck in sand and snow have gone viral.

Now the Cybertruck's lead engineer says Tesla is considering introducing a "stuck detection" feature.

It looks like Tesla may consider a new feature to help Cybertruck drivers who get stuck in mud, sand, or snow.

Wes Morrill, a Tesla employee who works as lead engineer on the Cybertruck, posted on X that he was considering a "stuck detection" feature that would offer drivers suggestions on how to get their trucks moving again when they get stuck off-roading.

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"No one is an expert the first time they drive off-road but anyone can learn," wrote Morrill.

"Have been considering "stuck detection" to give drivers a pop-up suggestion when stuck with ideas on how to get un-stuck," he added.

Morrill said some of the things this "stuck detection" mode might suggest to help Cybertruck drivers extricate themselves include letting air out of the tires, raising the truck's ride height, or putting the Cybertruck in "sand mode."

The Tesla employee was responding to a video from former Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson, which showed a Cybertruck getting stuck in the mud in rural Maine.

Elon Musk has heralded the Cybertruck as the ultimate off-road vehicle, saying last year that the futuristic pickup would be "apocalypse proof" and that a pressurized version will be the "official truck of Mars."

However, since the truck's release in 2023, several videos have gone viral on social media showing the Cybertruck struggling to climb steep hills and getting stuck in the snow.

One Cybertruck received widespread online attention when it had to be towed after getting stuck in the sand on a beach in Nantucket in May.

The tow operator told Business Insider that the Cybertruck got stuck because the driver forgot to let the air out of the vehicle's tires  something that a "stuck detection" warning may have been able to help with.

Tesla did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, sent outside normal working hours.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Warning: This story contains a social media post with a sexual reference

Former President Donald Trump amplified an attack against Vice President Kamala Harris and former Secretary of State Hillary Hillary Clinton that accused the two women of using oral sex to advance their careers.

Trump reposted a picture of Harris and Clinton to his more than 7.6 million followers on his social media site Truth Social which had the message from a fellow MAGA supporter: Funny how b------s impacted both of their careers differently.

Trump has been adjudicated to have committed sexual assault and then lied about it. He also bragged about grabbing women by the genitals, boasted about his extramarital sexual activities and has been accused of sexual assault by nearly two dozen women.

The message was written by Zeek Arkham, a former NYPD police officer and podcaster whos a critic of the left.

Arkham posted a screenshot of Trumps repost on X, taking a victory lap over getting Trumps attention.

This morning, Donald Trump posted the following:



1. Photo of VP Harris and Hillary Clinton with text: Funny how blowjobs impacted both their careers differently...



2. Photo of VP Harris in an orange prison jumpsuit.



3. Multiple QAnon posts saying Nothing can stop what is  Ben Meiselas  (@meiselasb) August 28, 2024

That awesome moment when @realDonaldTrump reTruths your bj joke.



Hillary is gonna get me, isnt she? Well, its been great knowing you all raise a fist in my memory. https://t.co/By7p33l1XR  Zeek Arkham  (@ZeekArkham) August 28, 2024

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Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @MatthewArco.
A pilot was hospitalized with minor injuries Tuesday night after the light, two-seater plane he was flying crashed in Sussex County due to a problem with the aircrafts fuel system, authorities said.

The crash occurred shortly after 7 p.m. in a wooded area near a shopping center on Main Street in Sussex Borough, according to witnesses and New Jersey State Police.

A Bellanca Citabria aircraft crashed into a tree line due to a fuel issue, State Police Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron said in an email.

The pilot sustained minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital, Lebron said.

Only the pilot was aboard at the time of the crash, and no other injuries were reported, an FAA spokesperson said.

The Bellanca Citabria is a single-engine, two-seat, fixed conventional gear airplane, manufacturer American Champion Citabria said on its website. The plane is mostly designed for flight training and personal use, according to its makers.

Michael Courtright, who lives near the scene, said he heard the crash and saw the pilot outside of the plane.

He was out, and EMS was there taking care of him, Courtright said, adding that the crash sounded like a bunch of pallets smashing together.

The cause of the cash is under investigation by the FAA and the NTSB.

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Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
ESPNs Stephen A. Smith has uncovered the secret to New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judges success. And its one that doesnt actually exist.

According to Smith, Judge should thank Juan Soto for his AL MVP-level season. No, not because of solely his presence in the lineup ... but because of his protection in the lineup.

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RESTORING THE GLORY

But you do got Juan Soto batting behind you, Smith said Wednesday on First Take as Chris Mad Dog Russo looked on. They cant get around you. They gotta pitch to the brother  you understand what Im saying?  because you got Soto waiting in the wings. All of those things facilitate Aaron Judge being who he is.

The only problem with that? Soto has batted second  in front of Judge  in all 129 games hes played this season.

Soto and Judge have formed one of MLBs most feared one-two punches, but not for the reasons Smith outlined. Soto has a .294/.424/.595 line with 37 home runs and 95 RBIs, while Judge has 51 home runs and 122 RBIs along with a .333/.465/.732 line.

For as productive as Soto has been (182 OPS+), Judge has been even better (229 OPS+) while receiving little protection from the clean-up spot in the lineup: a .227/.288/.365 line with 16 home runs and 73 RBIs that represents an 84 wRC+, per FanGraphs, 16% worse than league average.

Smith was roasted on social media for his ill-informed take:

Hasnt watched one Yankees game from March to now because Soto has never hit behind Judge

Claims to be a Yankee fan

Another thing hes clueless about

Wtf Look at the box scores!!!

He shouts really loud so must be right

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.
MONTREALDeAngelo Jackson, Dillon Diaz and Jake Waters lead an all-star cast in Sensual Desires 3, the newest chapter of the hit series from DeAngelo Jackson, Dillon Diaz and Jake Waters lead an all-star cast in Sensual Desires 3, the newest chapter of the hit series from Mile High Media s awarded gay studio Noir Male

The movie arrives in all formats through distributor Mile High Media today.

Hall of Famer Mike Quasar directs the new release about the power of mutual attraction that also features Zak Bishop, Micah Martinez, Xavier Zane, Shadow and Prince Flackoo.

Box art and release information is available here

DeAngelo, Dillon and Jake kick things off with a wild three-way that will leave viewers breathless, said Jon Blitt, vice president of Mile High Media. With his handpicked cast, Mike Quasar offers up four outstanding scenes filled with great energy, intense action and real chemistry that is completely off the charts.

The movie opens with Twist of Fate, with Jackson, Diaz and Waters, followed by Double Date Rehearsal, with Martinez and Zane. Next is Movie Night, with Martinez and Bishop, then Love Lockdown, with Flackoo and Shadow.

It was shot in 4K ultra high definition. For the latest information, exclusive content and Behind-the-Scenes previews, follow Noir Male on X @NoirMaleXXX and Instagram @OfficialNoirMale
CLEVELAND, OhioPleasure products brand Je Joue has announced that industry veteran April Hoopes has joined its teams as the company's new North America sales director.

Im beyond thrilled to be part of the Je Joue family and contribute to the brands growth in North America," Hoopes said. "I believe in the importance of education in our industry, and love that Je Joue shares that commitment. Im looking forward to working with retailers and distributors to showcase how Je Joue and Allure Lingerie together can create a unique experience for retailers, distributors and the end consumer. For us, its about more than just individual products; its about selling a complete moment of passion, pleasure and empowerment through sexuality.




Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

(Global Times) On the political stage, Canada often seems to trail behind the US. After the US government's announcement in May of imposing high tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EV) and steel, the Canadian government has now decided to follow suit.

On Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Ottawa would impose a 100 percent tariff on imports of Chinese EVs and announced a 25 percent tariff on imported steel and aluminum from China. These measures align with the tariffs set by the US.

Zhou Rongyao, director of the Canadian Studies Center at the Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that the recent imposition of tariffs is simply a way for Canada to demonstrate loyalty to the US, as it follows in the footsteps of the US, cheering on American decisions along the way.

Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, believes that Canada lacks independence in its foreign and security policies, particularly when it comes to its policies toward China, as Canada almost blindly follows the US. However, Canadian political elites are not sensitive to this issue; instead, they hold onto their inherent alliance mind-set and a sense of arrogant self-righteousness, willingly acting as followers of the US.

Canada's imposition of tariffs on China has drawn a response from the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Canada. The spokesperson stated this move is typical trade protectionism and a politically motivated decision, which violates WTO rules.

Canada should take a look at what the US has gained by repeatedly wielding the tariff stick against China. In an op-ed entitled "The US protectionist craze hasn't done its economy any favors," David Dodwell, CEO of the trade policy and international relations consultancy Strategic Access, pointed out that the US tariffs on China have not only cost the US economy dearly, but have failed in its overall objective to reduce the US trade deficit with China. Currently, the US Trade Representative's office has received over 1,100 public comments, with many US manufacturers expressing opposition to imposing tariffs on Chinese imports, indicating that the US tariff measures are not popular.

Canada's lack of rationality is also evident in its disregard for the voices of its own people. Liu Dan, a researcher at the Center for Regional Country Studies at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, said that there were already voices of doubt within Canada when discussions began on whether to impose tariffs on China. This move is also inconsistent with Canada's long-standing advocacy for proactive climate governance. Undoubtedly, this will increase burdens for Canadian businesses and consumers.

Clean Energy Canada, a Canadian clean energy think tank, criticized Ottawa's decision, stating that Canada's tariffs on Chinese EVs undermine affordability and the country's climate goals. It can be said that Canada's blind increase in tariffs will disrupt normal economic and trade cooperation between China and Canada, harm the interests of Canadian consumers and businesses, hinder Canada's green transition, and impede global efforts to combat climate change, ultimately shooting itself in the foot.

China is Canada's second-largest trading partner, and the two economies are interconnected. Any disruption to this vital economic relationship through political means would be regrettable and detrimental to the Canadian economy. The US has seen the consequences of its trade protectionism as "cure-all," and it has backfired. If Canada continues to be "held hostage" by US' unhealthy policies, it will only create more barriers to free market circulation, leading to deeper negative impacts and unforeseen shocks on the domestic economy. When considering its own interests, Canada should maintain strategic clarity and prioritize the development of its own economy, rather than succumbing to pressure from the US.
As the United States inches closer to its presidential election, high-level diplomatic exchanges between Chinese and American officials have intensified. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivans visit to Beijing from 27 to 29 August for a new round of strategic talks underscores this trend. Sullivans trip, his first to China, builds on previous engagements with Wang Yi, Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, in Vienna, Malta, and Bangkok. It highlights ongoing efforts to keep communication channels open and address rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.

Many on Weibo are speculating that Sullivans trip may be more about pursuing US interests than improving US-China relations. Many commentators view it as a potential catalyst for initiating dialogue, arranging a probable meeting between the heads of state of China and the US, and advancing efforts to stabilise bilateral relations. With several assuming that the Democrats might sweep the November elections, there is considerable anticipation that Sullivans visit could help set the stage for the next administrations China policy. What will Jake Sullivan achieve from his Beijing visit?
Follow live updates on the 2024 election here.

Vice President Kamala Harris has agreed to her first major interview since she became the presumptive Democratic nominee for president five weeks ago.

Ms. Harris will appear on CNN alongside her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, for a joint interview on Thursday in Georgia. Dana Bash, the CNN anchor who co-moderated the debate in June between President Biden and former President Donald J. Trump, will conduct the interview.

CNN plans to tape the joint appearance on Thursday afternoon and air it that evening at 9 Eastern time.

The question of where and when Ms. Harris would sit for an extensive discussion with the mainstream media has started to loom over her candidacy. She has shown little enthusiasm for speaking with reporters in unscripted settings, outside of a handful of impromptu sessions on the campaign trail that left little opportunity for sustained questioning about her policy plans.
A man on Long Island has been arrested and charged with possessing a knife and wearing a face mask in public, a milestone moment in the debate over whether to criminalize masks in New York State.

The push to ban masks in some public settings began in June after some pro-Palestinian demonstrators covered their faces during protests. They said that they had done so to avoid online harassment, though some activists used the anonymity provided by their masks to harass people or to engage in acts of vandalism.

The man arrested on Sunday, Wesslin Omar Ramirez Castillo, 18, the first to face charges under a mask ban passed this month in Nassau County, N.Y., was not engaged in protest. He was walking down Spindle Road, a residential street of tidy lawns and single-family homes in Hicksville, wearing dark clothes and a ski mask in August, the county police said in a statement.

Christopher Boyle, a spokesman for the Nassau County executive, Bruce Blakeman, a Republican who championed the anti-mask law, said Mr. Ramirez Castillo was on the street corner, and somebody called in a suspicious person.
After months of saber rattling between the New York City Council and Mayor Eric Adams over his choice of Randy Mastro to become the citys top lawyer, Mr. Mastro finally got his chance to plead his own case on Tuesday.

He appeared before a Council nomination hearing, the contentious nature of which seemed apt for Mr. Mastro, a well-traveled lawyer known for his pugnacious tactics while representing a broad range of politicians and clients. Some of them were clearly distasteful to many of the Democratic Council members.

But council members prime objection seemed rooted in why Mr. Adams had settled on Mr. Mastro as his choice for corporation counsel, who would provide legal representation to the city and its agencies and would also represent Mr. Adams in civil litigation.

The timing would seem to suit the mayor: He was accused in a lawsuit filed last year under New Yorks Adult Survivors Act of sexually assaulting a Florida woman three decades ago.
Los Angeles became the largest school district in the United States to ban cellphones in June. Entire states, such as Virginia, Ohio and Minnesota, have moved to institute broad crackdowns on phones in schools. But not New York City.

At least not yet, Mayor Eric Adams said on Tuesday.

Mr. Adams said at a news conference that New York City was a unique animal and that while there would be some action, the city was not yet ready for a full ban.

Were not there yet, he said. We have to get it right.

Earlier in the summer, David C. Banks, the schools chancellor, suggested that new cellphone restrictions would be unveiled before the fall semester. So the mayors announcement  a week before the citys first day of school  came as a surprise to many families.

Mr. Adamss comments will likely placate some parents and educators concerned about the logistics of a ban, while worrying others who argue that the devices harm students.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints expanded its restrictions on transgender members, issuing new guidance that includes prohibiting people who pursue transition from working with children.

The guidance, part of a sweeping update last week to the churchs General Handbook, a set of instructions and policies for leaders and members, also newly bars people from being baptized even if they have transitioned only socially, by changing their appearance, name or pronouns.

Church leaders counsel against pursuing surgical, medical, or social transition away from ones biological sex at birth, the handbook states.

The changes drew condemnation from transgender Latter-day Saints and their supporters.

A longtime support group for current and former L.G.B.T.Q. church members, Leaders of Affirmation, said in a statement that before the latest restrictions transgender members of the church could expect their gender identities to be respected through the use of their chosen names, to participate in church meetings aligning with their gender identities, and to have some opportunities to be called to serve within the Church.
The first rioter to breach the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, was sentenced Tuesday to more than four years in prison, federal prosecutors announced.

In March, a federal jury found Michael Sparks, 47, of Elizabethtown, Ky., guilty on felony charges of obstructing an official proceeding and civil disorder and several misdemeanor charges for being on the premises of the Capitol building on Jan. 6.

On Tuesday, Judge Timothy J. Kelly of U.S. District Court in Washington sentenced him to 53 months in prison and ordered him to pay a $2,000 fine. Mr. Sparks will be on supervised release for three years after his prison term ends, prosecutors said.

Video footage presented in court showed that Mr. Sparks entering the Capitol building at 2:13 p.m. on Jan. 6 through a window near a door leading into the Senate Wing that rioters had smashed with a police shield.
Members of Donald J. Trumps campaign team and an official at Arlington National Cemetery confronted each other during the former presidents visit to the cemetery on Monday, the military cemetery said in a statement on Tuesday.

The altercation was prompted, according to Trump campaign officials, by the presence of a photographer in a section of the cemetery where American troops who were killed in recent wars are buried. The cemetery released a statement saying that federal law prohibits political campaigning or election-related activities within Army cemeteries, including by photographers.

An official with the cemetery tried to physically block members of Mr. Trumps team, Steven Cheung, a Trump campaign spokesman, said in a statement. Mr. Cheung added that the cemetery official was clearly suffering from a mental health episode and that the campaign was prepared to release footage of the confrontation to support its account of the clash. The campaign did not provide that footage after several requests.

Chris LaCivita, a top Trump campaign adviser, added in a separate statement that the cemetery official was a disgrace and does not deserve to represent the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery.
An elite Israeli military unit rescued a frail and gaunt hostage from a tunnel deep beneath the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, the eighth living captive to be freed by Israeli troops in nearly 11 months of war and the first to be found alive in the subterranean labyrinth used by Hamas.

The rescue came amid Israeli airstrikes across Gaza that Palestinian emergency services said killed at least 20 people. At one of the bombing sites in the southern city of Khan Younis, emergency crews frantically searched for survivors trapped under a collapsed building.

The rescued hostage, Farhan al-Qadi, 52, a member of Israels Bedouin Arab minority, was freed by commandos without a fight after being discovered in a room roughly 25 yards underground, Israeli officials said. More than 100 hostages remain in Gaza, at least 30 of whom are now presumed dead by the Israeli authorities.

The Israeli militarys chief spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, portrayed the operation to rescue Mr. al-Qadi as complex and brave. He said the soldiers reached him after precise intelligence was collected by Israels security services.
The estate of Michael Crichton filed suit against Warner Bros. Television on Tuesday, claiming that its upcoming Max series, The Pitt, is an unauthorized ER reboot that fails to credit him and compensate his heirs.

The suit accused Warner Bros. and R. Scott Gemmill, the showrunner of The Pitt, of breaching a contract that requires Crichtons consent for any remakes of the hit hospital drama. The estate also sued John Wells, an executive producer, and Noah Wyle, set to star and serve as an executive producer.

The lawsuit filed by the Crichton Estate is baseless, Warner Bros. Television said in an emailed statement, calling The Pitt a new and original show. The company said it would vigorously defend against these meritless claims.

The complaint, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, claims that in 2020, Warner Bros., Gemmill, Wells and Wyle began developing a reboot of the show without informing Sherri Crichton, the authors widow and the guardian of his estate. Gemmill and Wells were executive producers on ER, and Wyle was a star of that show.
Hundreds of Israeli troops, backed by fleets of drones and armored vehicles, carried out raids today in the West Bank. At least 10 Palestinians were killed, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, in operations that Israeli officials described as an effort to target militants.

The raids were concentrated in the cities of Tulkarm and Jenin, where Israel has targeted militant groups for several years. But the groups strongholds have persisted, said my colleague Adam Rasgon, who is based in Jerusalem. Todays operation, he added, appears to be a more significant effort than usual to challenge these groups and try to undermine their hold on authority.

The raids followed months of escalating Israeli operations in the West Bank. More than 600 Palestinians have been killed there since the Oct. 7 Hamas-led assault on Israel, according to the U.N., in violence involving both the Israeli military and extremist Jewish settlers.

For Israel, the operations represent a third front in conflicts that now extend from Egypts border with the Gaza Strip to southern Lebanon. They also came after American, Israeli and Iranian officials said that Iran is secretly smuggling weapons to the West Bank in an effort to foment unrest.
Israel conducted major raids in the West Bank

Hundreds of Israeli troops, backed by fleets of drones and armored vehicles, raided the occupied West Bank yesterday. Palestinians in Jenin say they have been trapped inside, fearful of Israeli snipers or of having their homes stormed by soldiers.

At least 10 Palestinians were killed, according to the Palestinian health ministry. An Israeli military spokesman said the operation would continue and was concentrated in Jenin and Tulkarm, two cities which he said had become militant strongholds.

Israel has targeted militant groups in Jenin with raids for several years, but strongholds have persisted there, my colleague, Adam Rasgon, who is based in Jerusalem, told us. But this operation, he added, appears to be a more significant effort than usual to challenge these groups and try to undermine their hold on authority.

Context: The raid comes as U.S., Israeli and Iranian officials have said that Tehran is trying to flood the West Bank with weapons. We are in the first stages of this operation, an Israeli military spokesman said.
After a new tax increase incited weeks of deadly riots in Kenya early this summer, President William Ruto announced that he was reversing course. He abandoned the finance law he had proposed, and then he shook up his cabinet.

Last week, the government reversed itself again. The newly appointed finance minister announced that some of those discarded tax increases would be reintroduced.

The Ruto administration is desperately trying to raise revenue to pay off billions of dollars in public debt and avoid defaulting on its loans, even as critical public assistance and services are being cut.

Governments throughout Africa are facing the same dilemma.

The continents foreign debt reached more than $1.1 trillion at the end of last year. More than two dozen countries have excessive debt or are at high risk of it, according to the African Development Bank Group. And roughly 900 million people live in countries that spend more on interest payments than on health care or education.
Russia on Wednesday barred a number of journalists from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, as well as dozens of other Americans, from entering the country.

In a statement posted online, Russias Foreign Ministry said it had permanently barred 92 U.S. citizens in response to the Biden administrations Russophobic course, including its sweeping sanctions. In addition to the journalists, the list of those barred included lawyers, security agency officials, lawmakers, university professors and business executives.

The ministry said it had barred editorial staff and reporters of leading liberal-globalist publications involved in the production and dissemination of fakes about Russia and the Russian armed forces, and the propaganda cover for the hybrid war unleashed by Washington, according to a translation of the statement.

A State Department spokesperson expressed concern about the Kremlins escalating attempts to restrict freedom of expression and media freedom in Russia.
A federal appeals court on Wednesday ordered a new trial in a long-running and closely watched libel lawsuit that Sarah Palin, the former governor of Alaska and Republican vice-presidential nominee, brought against The New York Times.

The court found that Ms. Palins original trial against The Times, which she lost in 2022, had been tainted by problematic rulings by the presiding judge.

The suit, which Ms. Palin first filed in 2017, accused The Times of defaming her in an editorial that wrongly suggested that she had incited a 2011 shooting at a political event in Arizona. Ms. Palin said the editorial had damaged her reputation, even though The Times had swiftly corrected and apologized for the piece.

A federal jury in New York City ruled for The Times. Ms. Palin appealed, arguing in part that the judge hearing the case had wrongly excluded evidence. She also argued that the jury may have been swayed when the judge announced that he planned to throw out the lawsuit even as the jury was continuing to deliberate.
Pavel Durov, the Russian-born entrepreneur who founded the online communications tool Telegram, was charged on Wednesday in France with a wide range of crimes for failing to prevent illicit activity on the app, and barred from leaving the country.

His indictment was a rare move by legal authorities to hold a top technology executive personally liable for the behavior of users on a major messaging platform, escalating the debate over the role of tech companies in online speech, privacy and security and the limits of their responsibility.

Mr. Durov, 39, was detained by the French authorities on Saturday after a flight from Azerbaijan. He was charged on Wednesday with complicity in managing an online platform to enable illegal transactions by an organized group, which could lead to a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

He was also charged with complicity in crimes such as enabling the distribution of child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking and fraud, and refusing to cooperate with law enforcement.
The new chief executives will take over on Sept. 30, the letter said. Two Sigma announced several other management changes, including one for Ali-Milan Nekmouche, who will expand his existing role at the fund to include chief investment officer, succeeding Mr. Overdeck.

Its unclear whether these announcements will quell concerns about the firms future or ease tensions inside it. As part of the changes, Two Sigma told investors that they had created an extension to give them the option to redeem their investments until Sept. 18, according to a person familiar with the terms. Investors in Two Sigma can redeem only every few months or quarters, which varies by the particular fund, the person said. The window for investors to redeem money at the end of September would have otherwise already closed.

Two Sigma, which recently managed around $60 billion in assets, built its business around sophisticated, in-house algorithms that powered its trading.

The relationship between Mr. Overdeck and Mr. Siegel had become so fraught that they barely spoke to each other. Former employees said that because of this, it had become difficult to make straightforward decisions at the firm.
Helen Molesworth fell in love with gems at age 6 when her godfather showed her an amethyst geode, what she recently described as a hemisphere full of perfect sparkling purple crystals.

Now, at 47, she is the senior jewelry curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Her career has led her to travel the world, exploring mines in Sri Lanka and Colombia and handling a sparkling array of jewels, including pieces from the Cheapside Hoard, discovered in the early 1900s; the diamond, silver and gold Poltimore Tiara that Princess Margaret was photographed wearing in a bathtub; and a sapphire and diamond coronet that belonged to Queen Victoria.

Ms. Molesworth included several anecdotes on those gems and others in Precious: The History and Mystery of Gems Across Time. Her book, which was published in May in Britain and is scheduled for release in September in the United States, was organized into chapters named for gemstones (such as Emerald, Ruby and Jade) and includes maps of ancient and modern sites where the raw materials may be found.
In March, Brian Gallagher, an editor for the Food section of The New York Times, texted me a question: Did I have strong feelings about Costco?

You have found one of the few things I have no opinions on, I replied.

That wasnt exactly true. I had visited Costco once, about 20 years ago. Outside the store, a location in Brooklyn on the Sunset Park waterfront, people fought over parking spots. Inside, the aisles were so crowded that a passing shopping cart snagged my wired headphones and nearly dragged me down an aisle. It was not an experience I wanted to repeat.

But sometimes the best article ideas hide in plain sight. How many times had I passed a Costco truck on the highway, or seen a logo for Kirkland, Costcos private brand label, on a T-shirt? This is a company that influences the food we eat, the clothes we wear and the products that fill our pantries. Nearly one-third of all U.S. consumers shop at Costco. Still, I couldnt tell you more than a few basic facts about it.

Hoping to understand how the membership-only chain  the third-largest retailer in the world  had penetrated the American consumer psyche, I traveled around the country, visiting Costco warehouses and talking with current and former executives. My findings were published in a Times article this month.
The word atrophy has appeared 36 times on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on May 14 in The New York Times Magazine article Can You Lose Your Native Tongue? by Madeleine Schwartz:

In Alfabet/Alphabet: A Memoir of a First Language, the poet Sadiqa de Meijer, who was born in Amsterdam, discusses her own experiences speaking Dutch in Canada. She worries that her language has become amusingly formal now that she doesnt speak it regularly. A friend tells her that she now sounds like a book. Unless she is in the Netherlands, she writes: Dutch is primarily a reading language to me now. The skill of casual exchanges is in gradual atrophy. Her young daughter does not want to speak Dutch. Stop Dutching me! she says. For De Meijer, people who speak a language they learned after early childhood live in chronic abstraction.

Daily Word Challenge

Can you correctly use the word atrophy in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using todays Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the words definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

If you want a better idea of how atrophy can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com. You can also visit this guide to learn how to use IPA symbols to show how different words are pronounced.

If you enjoy this daily challenge, try our vocabulary quizzes.
There has never been a movie quite like Emilia Perez, so its fitting that its star Karla Sofia Gascon is one of a kind, too.

In the film from the director Jacques Audiard, Gascon plays a Mexico City cartel kingpin who fakes death in order to transition abroad in secret. Years after her gender-affirming surgery, the newly rechristened Emilia contacts the lawyer who helped arrange it (Zoe Saldana) and has one more request: a reunion with the unsuspecting wife (Selena Gomez) and children she left behind, even though returning to the scene of her old crimes could have dire consequences.

The multitude of genres suggested by this synopsis  a gritty drug-world expose, a family melodrama, a trans-empowerment narrative  are further complicated by the fact that Emilia Perez is a musical, meaning the characters are liable to break into song whether theyre in a love scene or clashing in a heated gunfight. In a film full of big swings, its hard to imagine any of the wild ideas holding together if it werent for Gascon, who can contain all of those multitudes in a single freighted look. Many pundits believe that after Netflix releases Emilia Perez in November, Gascon will make history as the first openly trans actress nominated for an Oscar.

In May, the 52-year-old Gascon was the breakout star of the Cannes Film Festival, where Emilia Perez won a best actress award that was shared among all of the movies leading women. Since her castmates had returned home before the awards ceremony, an overcome Gascon took the stage on their behalf, and her emotional speech was the nights highlight. At the microphone for nearly six minutes, Gascon flitted between Spanish and English as she tearfully asserted the humanity of trans people, joked about bribing the jurors, paid romantic tribute to her co-star Gomez, then apologized to Gomezs boyfriend for her ardor.
I can see why many people might not consider late August the best time to head to the Deep South. So hot. So sticky. But this week strikes me as the perfect moment for the Democratic presidential ticket to take a quick bus tour around southern Georgia.

Hot off their multiday love fest in Chicago, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are making clear they intend to play hard for Georgia, a battleground state, and not just in the politically blue, population-rich metro area of Atlanta. With the presidential race promising to be tight and ugly, they are wisely venturing outside the partys usual comfort zones and are sending a message similar to the one from their preconvention road trip around Pennsylvania: We will show up in every part of the state and fight for every vote.

It seems worth noting that southern Georgia has an abundance of Black voters, a demographic the Democratic Party was feeling very shaky about when President Biden was looking like the nominee  and is hoping to re-energize now that Harris is at the top of the ticket. But even before Biden stepped aside, the party was investing in the area. The South Georgia region is a priority for the campaign, a representative for the Harris team told NBC. We have nearly 50 full-time staff across seven offices in the area, including Valdosta. We have hosted more than 500 events in the region since May 31.

Team Trump is not conceding any ground. Last week Donald Trumps running mate, JD Vance, headlined an event in Valdosta, a majority-Black city not too far from the Florida state line. (Although it was Vances cringey stop at an area doughnut shop that wound up being widely shared on social media.)
As a Palestinian American, Ive watched with growing apprehension the recent rebranding and memeification of Kamala Harris: Look! Heres a woman who does jubilant dances, is firmly intelligent, has the same guffaw as your mother. Its endearing. Its refreshing.

Im not immune to the charms of American mythology. I spent much of my childhood in Midwestern suburbia, bred on rom-coms and the glittering spectacle of professional wrestling. I, too, love the promise of a third act, a swooping hero, the prop of a good soundtrack. But for me to lean into the powerful marketing of the current vice president as a bastion of hope requires enormous amnesia  not only of this administrations complicit funding of Palestinian slaughter but also of Ms. Harriss track record on criminal reform, immigration and law enforcement.

Because even in those Midwestern suburbs I was also Palestinian, raised on stories of the nakba, land theft, a boy burned alive, a young American woman mangled by an Israeli bulldozer, the searing image of a man trying to protect his son from flying bullets. Ms. Harriss viral quote on existing in your context is handy here: Palestinian Americans and their allies are bringing a context to this election. They carry a hope for ending Palestinian oppression that feels almost futile but irresponsible to abandon, and a memory that extends past a few glitzy weeks.

The Democratic National Convention was a visually and sonically arresting display, full of bright-eyed, stirring speeches on race, identity, democracy  including a moving speech by the parents of an Israeli hostage  and talk of social justice and liberation. It began with a land acknowledgment. And yet the word Palestine was only held, briefly, in the mouths of non-Palestinians. Mentions of a cease-fire in Gaza were urgent but vague, as though one would be midwifed via fervent prayer rather than the sober reconsideration of our nations active participation and funding of the current onslaught.
Fifty-five years ago, when humans first walked on the moon, the Apollo 11 astronauts left Earth through the massive power of the Saturn V rocket. The greatest punch came from the rockets first stage, which provided 7.5 million pounds of thrust. The awesome spectacle of that first stage was thanks to the work by engineers at Boeing.

Fast forward to the present day, and here is a new spectacle in space provided by Boeing. Its not awesome.

Two astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, arrived at the International Space Station on June 6, expecting to stay for just over a week. Now they wont be heading back to Earth until February. Their ride was on the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, now deemed by NASA to be too risky for the return trip because of a host of troublesome technical glitches.

NASA spin doctors object to headlines declaring that the astronauts are stranded or stuck in space, pointing out correctly that they are not in jeopardy.
This article is part of our Design special section about creating space with the look and feel for one person.

For Don Katz, a typical day begins with a light breakfast at his home in Los Angeles before he heads to his backyard pool to swim a few laps. After a therapeutic soak in the spa, Mr. Katz prepares to go to work on his ceramics.

His commute isnt far: He passes through the French doors of his bedroom, down three steps to his backyard, makes a sharp right around the spa, then takes a few more steps before turning left into the free-standing ceramics studio behind his house. But for Mr. Katz, who is 48 and lives alone, every step has been carefully planned to make the journey as seamless as possible. This is because he is blind.

At the age of 25, Mr. Katz lost his sight after bacterial meningitis put him in a monthlong coma and left him paralyzed. Doctors told him he would never walk again, but after years of rehabilitation and occupational therapy, Mr. Katz relearned how to walk, feed himself and adjust to his sightless reality. He even picked up some new hobbies along the way.

I first took a pottery class at the Braille Institute Los Angeles, he said on a phone call. I had been trying for 23 years to figure out what to do with my life, and ceramics just fits me. I can sit, I can be creative and I never run out of ideas of what to make.
T Introduces highlights the debut of a singular person, place or thing.

Travelers dont tend to linger in Cairo once theyve seen the sights  the city can be notoriously tricky to navigate. But a new collection of serviced apartments from the team behind the luxurious Set Nefru dahabiya boat on the Nile, as well as Al Moudira, a charming hotel in the southern city of Luxor, is giving visitors a reason to stick around.

The four apartments  ranging from one to three bedrooms  are located on the eighth, 10th and 11th floors of downtowns Immobilia Building, which was Cairos tallest structure when it was completed in 1940. Back then, the neighborhood had numerous cafes and cabarets, attracting society from the Middle East and beyond. Now it has a faded-glory feel mixed with contemporary energy, says Florian Amereller, 58, the Cairo- and Florence-based lawyer who owns the apartments.

He started buying properties in the building seven years ago, drawn to its Art Deco design, rich history and sweeping views. Now hes in the process of adding three more suites on the fifth floor. While the entrance to the building is grand but also dusty and in need of renovation, he admits, the apartments themselves are exquisitely furnished with help from his Al Moudira co-founder, the Italian Lebanese hotelier and designer Zeina Aboukheir, 75. She and Amereller decorated the interiors with a mix of antiques from historic homes in Cairo and Alexandria  in addition to contemporary art and local crafts. Theres vintage Christofle silverware and Limoges china; a 1920s Moorish-style desk and chair set inlaid with mother-of-pearl; a tribal Veramin carpet from Iran; ceramics from the Cairo-based shop Madu; pieces by the contemporary artists Hany Rashed and Adel El Siwi; and photographs from the citys Tintera gallery. The bespoke Egyptian-cotton bed linens, by the brand Malaika, feature hand embroidery from Threads of Hope, the companys program for training and providing ongoing work to marginalized women.
This month, X closed its Brazil operations after one of its executives was threatened with arrest for not taking down certain content. Last year, Changpeng Zhao, the founder of Binance, pleaded guilty to federal money-laundering violations that took place on his cryptocurrency platform. In 2021, Twitter executives in India faced arrest over posts that the government wanted removed from the site.

And on Wednesday, Pavel Durov, who founded the online communications tool Telegram, was indicted in France as part of an investigation into the platforms complicity in crimes including possession and distribution of child sexual abuse imagery.

For years, internet company executives rarely faced personal liability in Western democracies for what took place on their platforms. But as law enforcement agencies, regulators and policymakers ramp up scrutiny of online platforms and exchanges, they are increasingly considering when to hold company leaders directly responsible.

That shift was punctuated by the charges against Mr. Durov, raising questions over whether tech executives like Metas Mark Zuckerberg also risk being arrested when they next set foot on European soil.
When a federal judge declared Google an illegal monopoly in a landmark ruling this month, it was not immediately clear what consequences the worlds largest search engine provider would face.

But one result is coming into focus: Googles antitrust defeat opened the door to more lawsuits.

On Wednesday, Yelp, the popular online service that lets people find and review local businesses, sued Google in federal court in San Francisco. Yelp claims that Google used its dominance as a general, or all-purpose, search engine to gain an unfair advantage in local search services. Yelp is seeking unspecified monetary damages and an order for Google to stop its anticompetitive practices in a jury trial.

A longtime critic of Google, Yelp has frequently complained about how the search giant treats other companies in its results. But it is the first time the San Francisco company has sued Google, despite years of protests to regulators around the world.

This is a watershed moment, Jeremy Stoppelman, Yelps co-founder and chief executive, said in an interview. This is the time to have the conversation, this is the time to correct past wrongs.
A former county official was found guilty on Wednesday of murdering a longtime Las Vegas reporter who wrote articles critical of him. The highly unusual case had raised fears about press freedom in the United States and in particular the risks facing local journalists.

The reporter, Jeff German, was stabbed to death outside his home in September 2022. Police investigators, and now a Clark County jury, concluded that his attacker was Robert Telles, who ran a county office that handles the estates of those who die without apparent heirs.

A few months before his death, Mr. German wrote an article for The Las Vegas Review-Journal describing employees complaints that Mr. Telles had created a toxic work environment, demonstrated favoritism and had an improper relationship with a staff member. Mr. Telles denied the allegations. He lost his re-election bid a month after the article came out, and Mr. German kept reporting.

Prosecutors suggested that was why, on a hot September day, he went to Mr. Germans suburban home and hid in bushes at the side of the house, waited for Mr. German and then stabbed him to death.
The C.I.A. provided intelligence to Austrian authorities that allowed them to disrupt a plot that could have killed thousands of people at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna this month, the agencys deputy director said on Wednesday.

David S. Cohen, the deputy director of the C.I.A., said the agency had provided information about four people connected to the Islamic State who were planning an attack. Some of the individuals arrested were found with bomb-making material and had access to the concert venue, where several shows were scheduled to take place in the days after the arrests.

They were plotting to kill a huge number, tens of thousands of people at this concert, I am sure many Americans, Mr. Cohen said at the annual Intelligence Summit just outside Washington, D.C. The Austrians were able to make those arrests because the agency and our partners in the intelligence community provided them information about what this ISIS-connected group was planning to do.

On Aug. 7, Austrian authorities arrested two people accused of plotting a terror attack; others were arrested in subsequent days. Austrian officials said one of the men, a 19-year-old Austrian, had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and had focused on Ms. Swifts tour as a target.
When Democrats flipped Georgia in 2020, Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, the leader of the African Methodist Episcopal Churchs Sixth Episcopal District, had been in the state just four years.

That was all the time he needed to turn a disjointed operation into a political machine. His success in mobilizing Black voters of faith played a key role in sending Joseph R. Biden Jr. to the White House  and two Democrats, Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, to the Senate.

Now, Bishop Jackson, who is based in Atlanta, is leaving the state he helped make competitive. He will preside over the Second Episcopal District, which includes churches in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

His departure, in keeping with rules that dictate a bishop may remain in a district for only two consecutive four-year terms, creates a critical leadership void in the organizing infrastructure that Democrats are relying on to turn out the vote for Vice President Kamala Harris just months before the election. Moreover, it could pose new challenges for the states network of activists and operatives already facing significant hurdles to replicating their past successes.
Vice President Kamala Harris, aiming to go on offense against former President Donald J. Trump in Georgia, kicked off a bus tour on Wednesday in the rural southeastern corner of the battleground state.

Ms. Harriss trip emphasizes a growing sense of optimism among Georgia Democrats that she could hold on to the state, which President Biden narrowly won in 2020. The Democratic tickets standing in the polls there has increased significantly since Mr. Biden dropped out of the race, although Ms. Harris still trails Mr. Trump, according to a New York Times polling average. Her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, joined her for the two-day bus tour, which is meant in part to mobilize rural Black voters and will culminate with a rally in Savannah.

The bus carrying Ms. Harris and Mr. Walz is emblazoned with the words A New Way Forward, which has become one of their campaign slogans as Democrats try to portray Mr. Trump as a creature of the past.

In her first stop on Wednesday, Ms. Harris visited a high school in Hinesville, Ga., a city of roughly 35,000 where nearly one in two residents are Black, to hear the school band play. After the performance, she stressed the importance of practice to the student musicians  comments that could have reflected on her own sudden journey from serving as vice president to becoming the Democratic nominee.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, seeking to build Democrats momentum in the Sun Belt, will campaign on Wednesday in the rural counties of southeast Georgia before holding a rally on Thursday in Savannah.

Democrats outside the partys Metro Atlanta engine have long complained that focusing on the capital city, where a majority of Democratic voters in the state live, ignores pockets of supporters in less populous areas. Organizers have emphasized the particular need to engage voters in rural South Georgia and the states mountainous northern regions  both heavily conservative parts of the state that will still require high turnout from Black and moderate white voters to keep Democrats competitive.

A visit from the presidential ticket, some rural Democrats say, shows that top party leaders heeded their calls.

A little does a lot in rural areas, said Melissa Clink, the former chair of the Democratic Party in Forsyth County, north of the Atlanta suburbs. If we can get some face time with, especially, the top of the ticket, then not only does that help donors open up their wallets to fund get-out-the-vote operations on the ground but it also inspires more people to do more work because they feel seen.
When Sandra Birchmore, a young pregnant woman, was found dead in her apartment in Canton, Mass., in 2021, it was initially ruled a suicide.

But the case took a grim turn on Wednesday when federal prosecutors charged that the 23-year-old had actually been killed by a former police officer who she said had gotten her pregnant, to cover up a sexual relationship that started when she was underage.

The former officer, Matthew Farwell, 38, was arrested on Wednesday morning and charged with one count of killing a witness or victim. He pleaded not guilty, according to prosecutors, and will remain in custody until a detention hearing next month.

Mr. Farwell got to know Ms. Birchmore while he was working as an instructor for the Stoughton Police Departments Explorers Academy, a program for young people to learn about careers in law enforcement. Prosecutors said that Mr. Farwell had begun to groom Ms. Birchmore soon after she joined the program in 2010.
[Follow the latest coverage of Typhoon Shanshan.]

Typhoon Shanshan made landfall Thursday morning in southern Japan, bringing strong winds and high waves to the area, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

According to the agency, the typhoon made landfall at around 8 a.m. local time near Satsumasendai City in Kagoshima prefecture.

Nearly a million people in Japan remained under evacuation orders Thursday morning as Typhoon Shanshan delivered hurricane-force winds, torrential rain and the threat of landslides, with the authorities warning that the storm could produce a large-scale disaster.

Meteorological officials issued rare emergency warnings for the powerful storm as it churned north along the shore of Kyushu, the southernmost main island of Japan, on Thursday. Waves towered nearly 30 feet high in southern Kyushu on Thursday, and wind speeds of up to 45 meters per second were predicted, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Record-breaking rainfall in the Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures were expected over the next several days.
Senior American and Chinese officials meeting in Beijing discussed plans for a call between President Biden and Chinas top leader, Xi Jinping, as well as talks between their military commanders in the region, as the two countries work to stabilize relations.

The White House said in a statement after the talks on Wednesday that the countries were planning for a leader-level call in the coming weeks.

Jake Sullivan, President Bidens national security adviser, and Wang Yi, Chinas top foreign policy official, met for nearly 11 hours over two days, the fifth round of negotiations in less than 18 months between the two top officials. They met at Yanqi Lake, a resort on the outskirts of Beijing, near the Great Wall.

The Biden administration has sought to smooth over tensions with China while continuing to turn up the pressure by curbing Chinas access to the U.S. economy and technology. The meetings between Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Wang, following talks between Mr. Biden and Mr. Xi last November in California, are also aimed at showing that the rival powers can manage their differences.
A 33-year-old Algerian man was charged on Wednesday with attempted murder and other crimes after an arson attack on a synagogue in southern France last week, prosecutors said.

Officials said the man had expressed deep hatred of Jews and told investigators that he had acted to support the Palestinian cause. But he denied that he had intended to cause harm, Frances national antiterrorism prosecutors office said in a statement issued Wednesday.

In the attack early on Saturday morning, several fires were set at the Beth Yaacov synagogue in La Grande Motte, a resort town on the southern coast of France.

Five people who lived on the first floor of the building and were inside at the time, including the synagogues rabbi, were unharmed in the attack. A police officer was slightly injured when a gas canister near a burning vehicle exploded.
Anna Wenske, 69, worked for decades at the national theater of East Germany, where she was born and still lives. After the reunification, everything went kaput, she said. She lost her job and her savings; it took her years of part-time work to reach a kind of equilibrium.

Now she resents what she considers the easy path offered to refugees while Germans suffer.

Too many people exist on this planet and everyone wants to come to us, she said in a sunny Weimar, and we tell everyone welcome and we have nothing left for ourselves. When it comes to Ukraine, she said, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia lied when he said he would not invade, but I dont trust the United States any more than Russia.

When her state, Thuringia, holds elections on Sunday, she says she will probably support the Alternative for Germany party. The radical right ethnonationalist party, known as the AfD, plays with Nazi-era language and its state branch has been classified by domestic intelligence as right-wing extremist.

But she is also tempted by a newer party, the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, or BSW, named for the former Communist who founded and leads it. Though the party abhors Nazism and supports the Constitution, it holds many of the same views as the AfD. When I listen to Sahra, somehow she touches me, Ms. Wenske said.
As rockets and missiles streaked across Lebanese and Israeli skies on Sunday, the moment people across the region lived in fear of seemed as if it might have arrived: all-out war.

But very quickly, Israel and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah wrapped up their exchange, with both claiming victory and signaling that the fighting  for now, at least  was done.

That ambiguous result, however, revealed something: Neither Hezbollah nor its regional patron, Iran, has found a better way to respond to embarrassing Israeli strikes in a way that could both warn Israel off another attack, yet not provoke an even bigger war that could be devastating for them.

Irans response  if it comes  remains an unknown, and Tehran could still choose a course of action that regional observers have not predicted. But Hezbollahs choice to stick to a limited attack is an option some regional experts now think may reflect plans from Iran, as it considers how to settle its own score with Israel.
Follow the latest updates on the Russia-Ukraine war.

Bombing eased across Ukraine after two nights of deadly barrages, but strikes near the front line killed six people and Russian troops pressed ahead in the east, closing in on the key city of Pokrovsk.

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has called Moscows far-reaching bombing campaign this week one of the largest since the war began 30 months ago. Several people in the capital, Kyiv, said on Wednesday that they were pleased to have been given a respite after air-raid sirens and explosions shattered the pre-dawn calm on Monday and Tuesday.

The eastern region of Donetsk, which has seen some of the fiercest fighting this year, came under fire. A Russian attack killed four members of a family in the tiny community of Izmailivka, the state prosecutors office said on Facebook. The settlement is a few miles west of Russian lines and in the path of Moscows assault on Pokrovsk, a small city that is a vital transport hub for Ukrainian forces in the Donetsk region.

The people died buried under the rubble, the statement said. The regional military administration said that two other people were killed in another attack on a Ukrainian-held settlement close to the city of Bakhmut, which Russian forces captured more than a year ago after some of the most brutal combat since the full-scale invasion began.
Despite its cold and rather drab-sounding name, the Arctic grayling is a strikingly beautiful fish. Sporting an oversized dorsal fin bejeweled with an iridescent array of reds, oranges, and blues, Arctic grayling could easily take the prize for Montanas most fabulously adorned fish. Through a fluke of geologic time and glaciation, Montanans have the privilege of counting this species as a unique jewel in the crown of our states treasured biodiversity. After glaciers receded at the end of the last Ice Age, whats known as a glacial relict population of Arctic grayling persisted in the Upper Missouri River basin of Montana. A separate native population in Michigan was wiped out almost a century ago. So, in addition to the incredible array of wildlife that Montanans are blessed with, our state also has the honor of hosting the last remaining native population of Arctic grayling in the lower 48.

Unfortunately, Montanas Arctic grayling are struggling. Conservationists and concerned citizens have been working to protect the species since the first petition to list the grayling under the Endangered Species Act was filed in 1991. This three decade effort to protect Arctic grayling from the ravages of irrigation drawdown, livestock grazing, and lethally high water temperatures took a hopeful turn earlier this month when, for the second time, a federal court ordered the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reconsider its decision not to list Arctic grayling under the Endangered Species Act. Over the last 33 years, the Service has done everything it can to avoid listing this remarkable species. With a straight face, they have repeatedly told the American people that Montanas Arctic grayling  a fish that has seen a 96% reduction in the range of its river dwelling population  are doing just fine and require no federal protection. The population in the Big Hole River  the last stronghold for Montanas Arctic grayling  declined by 50% between the early 1990s and early 2000s. Last year a Big Hole River survey estimated only 167 breeding grayling, showing little indication of a rebound in numbers. In the face of such dismal stats, it is disheartening that conservationists and concerned citizens have had to expend so much energy, effort, and time convincing the Service to do the right thing. It seems they are content with maintaining Arctic grayling on life support in a few small, rapidly warming river basins. However, with the latest court-ordered reconsideration, continued refusal to act is set to run headlong into the reality of growing climate change impacts currently unfolding on the Big Hole and other Montana streams.

Arctic grayling need consistently cold, clean water to thrive. As water temperatures approach 70 degrees, adult grayling experience physiological stress, causing a host of negative impacts that can ultimately lead to death. A quick look at a gauge on the Big Hole River shows temperatures exceeded 70 degrees for 23 of the last 30 days. In the four years since the Service last denied protections for the Arctic grayling, Planet Earth has seen its hottest year on record (2023), with 2024 on track to eclipse this mark. Sections of the Big Hole River currently have complete fishing closures in place due to dismally low flows and extreme water temperatures. These low flows and high temperatures arent natural. Exacerbated by climate change, theyre largely the result of excessive irrigation withdrawals and livestock denuding streamside vegetation. A decision to list the Arctic grayling is a necessary first step in meaningfully addressing these impacts and, after 33 years, excuses for delay have run out. The Fish and Wildlife Service must get it right this time.
Amid the sobs of relatives rushing to hug Farhan al-Qadi and the ululations of neighbors celebrating his return home to a Bedouin village in southern Israel on Wednesday, the first thing the rescued hostage wanted to do was find his mother.

When he did, he dropped to his knees and kissed her feet.

Mr. al-Qadi, 52, the first Israeli Arab to be rescued alive since the deadly Hamas-led attack and abductions on Oct. 7, later spoke of his gratitude for the Israeli forces and medics who had rescued and cared for him.

Then, with the Israeli bombardment of neighboring Gaza echoing in the background, he made a plea to both sides: Stop the killing.

To Palestinians and Israelis, I wish an end to this war, he told those gathered. Palestinians and Israelis feel the same pain.

Joy was palpable in the ramshackle village of Karkur, a place of squat homes made of tarpaulin and metal sheeting not far from the town of Rahat. The celebration uplifted members of Mr. al-Qadis family, who have been grappling with two kinds of heartbreak since October, straddling both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian divide.

The Bedouin minority were victims of the Hamas-led kidnappings, and are also aching for their Palestinian relatives in Gaza.
Since Hamass surprise Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people, more than 580 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, according to the United Nations, as Israel has ramped up military raids there and violence by extremist Jewish settlers has increased.

Many Palestinians have died in Jenin or its refugee camp, long strongholds of the armed groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad; in Tulkarm, a West Bank city near the Israeli border; and in the nearby Nur Shams neighborhood. On Wednesday, the Israeli military said it had begun a raid focusing on Jenin and Tulkarm, and that nine people it described as militants had been killed.

Here are some of the notable recent Israeli military operations in the territory:

July 3-5, 2023: Israel launched its largest military operation in years against armed groups in the West Bank, a raid meant to curb attacks by armed Palestinians on Israelis. Israel carried out deadly airstrikes, which had not happened there in about two decades.

Twelve Palestinians were killed during the operation, which involved about 1,000 Israeli soldiers. Militant groups claimed at least nine of them as members. One Israeli soldier was also killed, possibly mistakenly by a fellow soldier. Thousands of people fled their homes and Israel detained and interrogated many others. Here are pictures of the raid.

Oct. 19, 2023: At least 13 Palestinians and one Israeli officer were killed in clashes, less than two weeks after the Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel. At least five of the 13 Palestinians were children.

The worst clashes were in Nur Shams. Israels military said that it was thwarting terrorist infrastructure and confiscating weapons in the operation  and that Palestinians had fought back, shooting and throwing improvised bombs.
Hundreds of Israeli troops backed by drones and armored vehicles carried out raids in the occupied West Bank, Israeli and Palestinian officials said on Wednesday, a growing third front in conflicts that extend from the Egyptian border with the Gaza Strip to southern Lebanon.

At least 10 Palestinians were killed, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, in what Israeli officials described as an ongoing operation targeting militants and concentrated in Jenin and Tulkarm, two West Bank cities that an Israeli military spokesman, Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, said have become militant strongholds. The Israeli military said it had killed nine militants.

A Palestinian armed group based in Jenin said it had fired on Israeli forces in two villages on the citys outskirts, and Palestinian residents in both cities described hearing intermittent gunfire.
Farhan al-Qadi in Karkur, Israel, on Wednesday. He said he had lost around 28 pounds because he was too distraught during 10 months of captivity, most spent in underground tunnels.

Amid the sobs of relatives rushing to hug Farhan al-Qadi and the ululations of neighbors celebrating his return home to a Bedouin village in southern Israel on Wednesday, the first thing the rescued hostage wanted to do was find his mother.

When he did, he dropped to his knees and kissed her feet.

Mr. al-Qadi, 52, the first Israeli Arab to be rescued alive since the deadly Hamas-led attack and abductions on Oct. 7, later spoke of his gratitude for the Israeli forces and medics who had rescued and cared for him.

Then, with the Israeli bombardment of neighboring Gaza echoing in the background, he made a plea to both sides: Stop the killing.

To Palestinians and Israelis, I wish an end to this war, he told those gathered. Palestinians and Israelis feel the same pain.

Joy was palpable in the ramshackle village of Karkur, a place of squat homes made of tarpaulin and metal sheeting not far from the town of Rahat. The celebration uplifted members of Mr. al-Qadis family, who have been grappling with two kinds of heartbreak since October, straddling both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian divide.

The Bedouin minority were victims of the Hamas-led kidnappings, and are also aching for their Palestinian relatives in Gaza.

To Hamas, Mr. al-Qadi, though a Muslim and an Arab, was an Israeli hostage. Back in Israel, he remains a Bedouin, a group marginalized in Israel.

Once seminomadic herders, the Bedouin have long been corralled by Israel into impoverished towns in the Negev desert, but many actually live in unrecognized villages like Karkur. Some Bedouins serve in the Israeli military or work on kibbutzim or for other Israeli Jews, and the group is sometimes seen as traitors by fellow Arabs.

As Israel ramped up the war in Gaza, Mr. al-Qadis wife, Sumiya al-Sana, said she had been appalled to find that her husband, who had worked as a unarmed guard on a kibbutz in southern Israel, was seen on Arab social media as an enemy.

Theyd call him a collaborator, a traitor, she said. Theyd say hes useless; Hamas should just kill him. And they dont know him  they dont know he used to donate part of his salary to orphans in Gaza.

Every day, she said, she listened to news from Gaza, hoping for a clue about her husbands fate. And even now that he is home safe, she is still awaiting signals of life from her uncles, who are among more than a million Gazans forced to flee their homes to escape Israeli bombardments.

Shame on both sides, she said.

The family was stunned to receive news of Mr. al-Qadis rescue on Tuesday, having thought that the only chance of seeing him alive was through a cease-fire deal. But none has materialized as negotiations have repeatedly stalled.

Waiting for him at home on Wednesday, Ms. al-Sana wore bright lipstick and a new dress. She said that when she heard he had been rescued, unharmed, she could not feel her legs.

Farhan and I, we are not just a couple, she said. To me, he is like a brother, a father  he is everything to me.

Her husband, dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans, appeared frailer and paler than she had ever seen him.

In an interview with The New York Times on Wednesday, Mr. al-Qadi said he had lost around 28 pounds  not because he had no food, but because he was distraught during his 10 months of captivity, which he spent entirely in Hamas tunnels underground.

I came out to an entire battalion waiting for me with smiles and hugs  40 to 50 people, he said. When I came out, it was hard for me to see the sun because of its intensity, so I put on sunglasses. He has to keep wearing sunglasses, he said, whenever he is in daylight.

As Israelis across the country celebrated Mr. al-Qadis release, his story put the spotlight on the plight of Israels Bedouin community. At least 17 Bedouins have died in the war, officials say, and three living and one dead Bedouin remain hostage in Gaza.

Few Bedouins have access to medical centers or bomb shelters to escape Hamas rocket fire on southern Israel because so many live in villages unacknowledged by the government. Karkur does not have electricity, relying instead on solar panels, and only recently got connected to running water.

Ms. al-Sana said she had been touched by the warm welcome Israeli officials offered Mr. al-Qadi, who received a call from the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, and the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

But she said she did not have much hope for change.

No, she said. The racism is there.

Her ordeal over the past months has left her longing to bridge the divide between Israeli Jews and Arabs, she said, and to reach out to the families of Jewish hostages she has seen on television.

My face would darken, she said. I was crying with them. I felt their pain.

She was held back, however, by conservative Bedouin custom surrounding womens interactions with strangers. One relative who attended some of the gatherings of other hostage families  quietly, so as not to draw more accusations of being traitors  was his brother Maddah al-Qadi.

The family is still praying for a cease-fire to bring relief to others.

Hopefully, everyone will be released  Arabs and Jews  and this war will end, Maddah al-Qadi said.
Jenin, a focal point of Israels wide-ranging raid into the West Bank on Wednesday, is a potent symbol of opposition and militancy for Palestinians after decades of fighting against occupying powers.

That history dates back to British rule of Palestine during what was known as the Arab Revolt of the 1930s, and through the 1948 Arab-Israeli war surrounding the creation of modern Israel and the flight or expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.

But Jenins resonance today, both for Palestinians and Israelis, largely stems from the second intifada, or uprising, against the Israeli occupation in the early 2000s.

Israelis remember Jenin, which sits in the rolling hillsides of the northern West Bank, as a source of dozens of suicide bombers sent into Israel at that time.

Palestinians remember a 10-day battle, known as the Battle of Jenin, in 2002 between Palestinian militants and Israeli forces. Israel killed 52 people, of which up to half may have been civilians, according to the United Nations in a report on the event. The fighting killed 23 Israeli soldiers.

Yasir Arafat, the late Palestinian leader, dubbed the camp Jeningrad, a reference to the Battle of Stalingrad in World War II.
Israeli troops raided two Palestinian cities on Aug. 28 in what they called an effort to tamp down rising militancy in the northern West Bank. The raids continued this week, with Palestinian officials saying on Thursday that at least 39 people had been killed.

The renewed violence has cast a spotlight on the Israeli-occupied territory, where over 600 Palestinians have been killed in clashes with Israeli forces, according to the United Nations, in parallel to the devastating war in Gaza.

Heres what to know:

What is the West Bank?

Roughly three million Palestinians and 500,000 settlers live in the West Bank, a kidney-shaped area between Israel and Jordan that has been a battleground between Israelis and Palestinians for decades.

The modern territory emerged after the 1948 war surrounding Israels establishment; during the conflict, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled or were expelled from their homes, with many taking refuge in the West Bank. Jordan occupied and then annexed the territory after the war.

In 1967, Israel occupied the West Bank and other territories in a war with neighboring Arab states. For religious Jews, the territorys rolling hills and ancient sites were the heart of what they deemed a divinely promised homeland. Most Israelis still refer to it by the biblical names of Judea and Samaria.

Israel slowly began to permit the construction and expansion of settlements there for its own citizens, who were propelled there by nationalism, religious fervor and a desire for cheaper housing. But it never formally annexed the territory, fearing both the diplomatic repercussions abroad and that it might end the countrys coveted Jewish majority at home.
A Utah mother of three who wrote a childrens book about coping with grief after her husbands death will be tried for his murder, a judge decided on Tuesday.

Prosecutors said Kouri Richins, 34, poisoned her husband, Eric Richins, 39, in March 2022, mixing a lethal dose of fentanyl into a cocktail he drank. A month earlier, on Valentines Day, she had tried to kill him by spiking his favorite sandwich, according to court documents.

Prosecutors said Ms. Richins had killed her husband for financial gain, as she was deeply in debt, and that she was planning a future with a man she had been having an affair with.

Ms. Richins faces a total of 11 charges, including attempted murder, multiple counts of forgery, intent to distribute a controlled substance, mortgage fraud and insurance fraud. Ms. Richins has denied any wrongdoing. She pleaded not guilty to all counts and jury selection is scheduled to start on April 28, 2025.
The Geography of Unequal Recovery

Counties with the biggest job gains and losses Percentage change in jobs from 2019 to 2023. Only counties with changes of 5 percent or more are shown. Change in jobs +10% 10% +50% 50%

The U.S. economy has added some 19 million jobs in the past four years  all the jobs lost in the pandemic plus millions more. The comeback has been faster and more complete than any in recent decades, or maybe ever.

But it has also been uneven.

In some parts of the country, jobs came back quickly once vaccines were available, if not earlier. In many of those places, more people are working, and earning more money, than ever before.

In other places, the rebound has been much slower. As of 2023, more than two in five U.S. counties  43 percent  still hadnt regained all the jobs they lost in the early months of the pandemic, according to annual data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some of those places were struggling long before 2020. Others had been thriving economically and were knocked off course by an airborne shock few saw coming.

The geography of that unequal recovery helps reveal how the pandemic  and the policies adopted in response to it  reshaped the U.S. economy, changing the kind of work Americans do and where they do it.

The patterns could have electoral implications: The battleground states that will help decide Novembers presidential election include some of the biggest winners in the recovery  but also several of the losers.

The winners have some things in common. They are concentrated in the South and the Mountain West, particularly in suburban counties, which have done well in an era of remote and hybrid work.

They tend to be places where job losses were comparatively mild in the first place, often because their major employers were in industries that were less affected by  or that even benefited from  the disruptions of the pandemic. They are, on average, richer and better educated than counties that have been slower to rebound. They voted disproportionately for Donald J. Trump in the 2020 presidential election.

The losers, by contrast, tend to be concentrated both in big cities, which were hit particularly hard by the pandemic, and in rural areas, which were struggling long before the virus struck. They are relatively poor, on average, but with notable exceptions: San Francisco and several of its wealthy neighbors, for example, have yet to regain all the jobs they lost in the pandemic.

Leisure and hospitality jobs did not return in many places Percentage change in leisure and hospitality jobs from 2019 to 2023. Battleground states are in bold. Utah Idaho Mont. Texas Ariz. Ark. Tenn. S.D. Okla. Neb. Wyo. N.C. S.C. Fla. Colo. Kan. Ga. Ky. N.J. N.H. N.M. Va. Mo. Ind. Ohio N.D. Del. Wash. Wis. Miss. R.I. Ala. Alaska Calif. Maine Iowa Conn. Pa. Minn. Mich. Nev. Ore. W.Va. Ill. Mass. N.Y. Vt. Md. La. D.C. Hawaii 8 4 0 +4 +8 +12%

The pandemic also changed the types of jobs that Americans hold. Restaurants, hotels, movie theaters and other in-person businesses laid off millions of workers, while warehouses and trucking companies went on a hiring spree to meet the surge in demand.

Those shifts have reversed, but gradually and incompletely: The United States has more truck drivers and fewer waiters, as a share of the work force, than it did in 2019.

The economic changes that started in the early days of the pandemic have played out differently in different parts of the country  including the states most likely to decide the election. Nevada, which depends more heavily on tourism jobs than any other state, was hit especially hard in the pandemic, and while Las Vegas is booming again, not all the jobs have returned. That may help explain why both major presidential candidates have sought to woo casino workers there by promising to eliminate taxes on their tips.

Hospitality jobs have also been slower to return in the Northern swing states like Michigan and Pennsylvania than in Sun Belt states like Georgia and Arizona, where pandemic restrictions were lifted earlier.

Theres been a construction boom Percentage change in construction jobs from 2019 to 2023. Battleground states are in bold. Idaho Ariz. Mont. Utah Ark. Tenn. S.D. Nev. Neb. Mo. Maine N.C. N.H. Ky. Fla. Ind. Wis. Mich. Miss. Ala. R.I. Ore. Ga. Minn. Iowa Kan. Wash. Texas Mass. N.M. Va. Ohio S.C. Del. Colo. Alaska Vt. Ill. Conn. N.J. Calif. D.C. Hawaii Okla. Pa. Wyo. N.D. Md. N.Y. W.Va. La. 5 0 +5 +10 +15 +20 +25 +30%

Government policies have also helped shape the rebound in the job market. Big federal investments in infrastructure, green energy and high-tech manufacturing under President Biden helped fuel rapid hiring in manufacturing and heavy construction.

In Nevada, new factory jobs  and jobs building those factories  helped offset the slow rebound in tourism. Arizona has enjoyed one of the biggest construction booms of any state thanks partly to giant new chip manufacturing plants whose funding includes federal grants.

Sun Belt states thrived Percentage change in jobs from 2019 to 2023, by county Suburban and urban counties Rural counties X indicates no available data. Change in jobs +5% 5% 0% +20% 20% 0% Nevada Arizona Georgia

Partly because of these patterns, battleground states in the Sun Belt have thrived in recent years, at least in job growth. Maricopa County, Ariz., which includes Phoenix and is the site of the chip plants, is one of the fastest-growing big counties (those with at least one million residents) in terms of employment. Jackson County, Ga., is one of the fastest growing of any size  up more than 60 percent since 2019, partly because of a major new plant that manufactures batteries for electric vehicles.

That rapid growth has brought opportunities, but also challenges, particularly a critical shortage of affordable housing. It is no coincidence that the presidential campaigns of Mr. Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have put housing at the center of their economic messages.

Blue Wall states fared relatively poorly Percentage change in jobs from 2019 to 2023, by county Suburban and urban counties Rural counties Change in jobs +5% 5% 0% +20% 20% 0% Wisconsin Michigan Pennsylvania

The Northern Blue Wall states face a different set of challenges. They struggled economically before the pandemic and have been laggards in the recovery.

Pennsylvania, for example, largely missed out on the construction and manufacturing booms. Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh, is the only big county in the country where total employment has fallen more than 5 percent since 2019. But the losses have been widespread: Of the states 67 counties, 51 lost jobs from 2019 to 2023.

How, exactly, these trends will play out on Election Day is unclear. Polls show that voters are worried about the economy across the country, not just in the places where the recovery has been weakest. That may be because, at least until recently, many Americans have been worried less about finding a job than about the rising cost of living.

That could be changing now, as rising unemployment and slowing job growth have begun to expose cracks in the labor markets foundation. That is especially true in states like Pennsylvania, where hiring has lagged, but even fast-growing states have areas where the labor market is struggling.

While the election will probably be decided by voters in a handful of battleground states, nearly every place looks different than it did four years ago.

In Lee County, Fla., a wave of construction helped offset a big decline in hotel and restaurant jobs. Portsmouth, Va., bucked the national trend and added hospitality jobs due mostly to the opening of the states first permanent casino. McLean County, Ill., has gained thousands of manufacturing jobs in recent years, many of them at the electric vehicle maker Rivian.

See what has changed in your county:

In No results found Cumulative percentage change in jobs from 2019 All industries Insufficient data 2019 2023 Construction Insufficient data Manufacturing Insufficient data Trade, transportation and utilities Insufficient data Information Insufficient data Finance Insufficient data 2019 2023 Business services Insufficient data Education and health Insufficient data Leisure and hospitality Insufficient data Other services Insufficient data , there is not enough data available.
The Trump campaign thought making Vance the vice-presidential nominee would brighten up the ticket. Soon, observers were questioning whether he was going to be a problem. Offered the chance to do some damage repair, Trump said 
The mucus and hairs in your nose can trap larger particles, and the mucus and cilia in your upper airway can catch some as well, said Luke Montrose, an environmental toxicologist at Colorado State University. But some PM2.5 or smaller particles can bypass these defenses and penetrate the deepest parts of your lungs.

Dr. Montrose described the lungs as an upside-down tree: Smoke travels through your airway, the trunk. The smallest particles can reach the tips of the trees leaves, the alveoli. These air sacs deposit oxygen from your breath into your bloodstream. When PM2.5 particles travel into them, it can impair lung function and cause irritation.

Even smaller particles of smoke, ones a thousandth the size of PM2.5 matter, may travel from your lungs into your bloodstream, which can cause damage at the cellular level, said Carlos Gould, an environmental health scientist and assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego. This could explain some of the health effects researchers have linked to wildfire smoke, including heart conditions, infertility and dementia.

Those who are very close to a wildfire could also ingest particles that settle into drinking water or food. Those particles are dangerous to consume, as they can contain potentially cancer-causing substances like benzene. Skin and hair follicles may also absorb smoke, which can cause itching and skin irritation.

Unanswered Questions

Untangling the relationship between health and smoke is challenging. There are huge variations in how healthy people are before smoke exposure, how much smoke they are exposed to and whats in that smoke.

Two of the biggest questions researchers want to answer: How much time do you need to spend in smoky air to suffer health effects? And how smoky does the air have to be for that to happen?

One metric of wildfire smoke pollution is the air-quality index, which measures five pollutants on a scale of 0 to 500. Generally speaking, A.Q.I. levels over 100 are considered potentially risky for children, older adults and those with heart or lung diseases, and levels over 200 are considered very unhealthy for everyone.

Researchers are just beginning to study how different levels of air pollution might affect health by tracking the outcomes of wildfire survivors over time. After a fire in 2017, researchers at the University of Montana looked at members of a community that was exposed to heavy smoke for six weeks and followed them for two years.

Over those six weeks, the average A.Q.I. in the area was about 221. The researchers didnt see any changes in participants lung function at first. But then, in the next year or so, they started to see that lung function had declined, Dr. Montrose said.

Research also suggests that these effects could be cumulative, meaning that your risk can increase over time as you face more exposure. People who are frequently exposed to high levels of smoke, like some firefighters, can develop serious problems. Their lung function can decline, and they can develop higher levels of inflammation. They may also have an increased risk of lung cancer.

Researchers dont have the data to determine whether it is more harmful to experience high levels of smoke for a short period or low levels for a long period, but they are sure of this: As the number of smoky days in the United States increases, many Americans will be at elevated risk as smoke affects them year after year.

Theres been a shift from looking at kind of daily and weekly level exposures to looking at annual or multiyear exposure, since there are now chronically exposed communities, said Stephanie Cleland, an environmental health scientist and assistant professor at Simon Fraser University.

How to Protect Yourself

If smoke is in the air, try to stay indoors with your windows shut, she said, especially if you have a chronic condition that puts you at higher risk. Dr. Gould recommended using an air purifier indoors if possible. (You can make one by taping a furnace filter over a box fan.)

It is not always possible to avoid going outside on smoky days. If you must, avoid strenuous exercise and wear an N95 mask.

There arent clear answers on when, exactly, you should avoid smoke exposure outdoors, but public health officials often issue health warnings when the A.Q.I. is over 100.

Dr. Cleland recommended that people check air-quality reports during summer and fall, the same way they might check the weather. People tend to react if they can see, smell or feel smoke, she said, but health impacts happen before it reaches that level.
John Wren

Omnicom is setting up the Omnicom Advertising Group to house its proud creative ad agenciesBBDO, DDB and TBWAunder a single organization as of Jan. 1.

CEO John Wren is also throwing Goodby Silverstein & Partners, GSD&M, Merkley & Partners and Zimmerman into the mix.

OMCs announcement claims that each agency will retain its unique brand, culture and people, while capitalizing on OAGs shared and scaled investments in innovative tools, technologies, specialist capabilities, and AI platforms.

It is supposed to unlock greater opportunities for personal and professional growth.

The mash-up also will unlock greater opportunities to cut costs, which is music to the ears of a bean-counter like Wren.

You can bet OAGs headcount will be lower on Jan. 1, 2026 than on the upcoming New Years Day.

Business Roundtable pats itself on the back. Though DEI programming is under a full-scale attack, the BR claims its landmark Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation published in 2019 has been a rousing success.

That declaration stated that companies should aim to deliver long-term value to all of their stakeholderscustomers, employees, suppliers, the communities in which they operate, and their shareholders.

The Purpose statement replaced a 1997 proclamation that a companys paramount duty is to its stockholders, and that the interests of employees and other stakeholders are relevant only as a derivative of the duty to stockholders.

BR on August 16 issued a five-year assessment of the Purpose statement, and found that member companies have progressed in delivering both purpose and profit.

It claims that more than 7M Americans entered the middle class from 2018 to 2022 through jobs at big companies, and that tens of thousands of small businesses grew due to partnerships with BR members.

These gains for American workers and suppliers have been aided largely by the innovative approaches that financially successful companies are taking to invest in their workers, suppliers and communities, said BR.

The organization cited Purpose investments made by companies such as Walmart, JPMorganChase, Cisco, PepsiCo and Google.

For example, 26K Pepsi workers signed up for the myEducation platform, offering tuition-free access to upskilling bootcamps, degree programs, digital literacy courses and other learning opportunities from more than 25 schools and universities. Participants are twice as likely to get promoted and stay with Pepsi, according to the company.

BR believes its Purpose statement is as relevant today as it was five years ago, and will be five years down the road.

Lowes begs to differ with BR.The home improvement chain is the latest company to cave to conservative influencer Robby Starbucks crusade against DEI initiatives.

"I messaged Lowe's executives last week to let them know that I planned to expose their woke policies," Starbuck wrote on X on Aug. 26. "This morning I woke up to an email where they preemptively made big changes.

The retailer will end its participation in surveys by the LGBTQ advocacy group Human Rights Campaign, and drop sponsorship of Pride events.

It will focus on focusing on community events dealing with affordable housing, disaster relief and skilled trade education.

Lowes follows the footsteps of Deere & Co. and Tractor Supply to shelf DEI measures.

The company denies bowing before Starbuck, claiming the revamped DEI programming was in the works.

After all, bowing to the demands of a former Nashville music video producer would be pretty embarrassing for a company that is projecting $85B in fiscal 2024 revenues.
Public Health Solutions, the New York non-profit that serves the healthcare needs of the citys most vulnerable populations, is looking for a firm to provide PR services.
THERE are fears for hundreds of jobs this evening in Tullamore as it emerged that a major announcement is expected to be made by Cardinal Health on Thursday morning.

Employees at the medical device manufacturer were all sent home on Wednesday afternoon according to a local Fianna Fail councillor, Tony McCormack.

In a social media post, Cllr McCormack said: Sad news eminating from Cardinal Health this evening. Wont know the full details until after meeting between employees and management tomorrow at 10am. My thoughts are with the employees and their families this evening as they ponder what news that meeting brings. I will contact the Tainaiste Michael Martin and Minister for Jobs Peter Burke to ensure that should there be job losses that the employees get properly looked after. This plant has been owned by different medical device companies since it opened its doors in 1984. It is a great contributor to the local economy. Lets hope for the best and prepare for the worst and wait to see what tomorrows meeting brings.

Another local source said the Wednesday night shift at the plant had been cancelled.

There was no activity at Cardinal Health when the Tribune visited Srah Business Park in Tullamore on Wednesday evening.

Cardinal Health is a US-owned global leader in the health tech sector. It bought Tullamore-based Medtronic in 2017 when there were about 350 employees at the plant.

Previously Medtronic had bought the Tullamore Covidien operation.

In the mid-1980s the plant was known as Sherwood Medical and was a key player in the local industrial scene and an IDA standard bearer for the healthcare and life sciences sectors in the Midlands, becoming part of the Tyco Healthcare group.

Cardinal Health has been approached for comment.
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
Irelands system for allocating college places is not the worst, the Higher Education Minister has said.

Patrick ODonovan defended the Central Applications Office (CAO) process as more than 56,000 applicants were offered a college place on Wednesday afternoon.

The CAO issued 83,369 round one offers to a total of 56,571 applicants  split across courses at Level 8 or Level 7/6.

These consist of 51,934 Level 8 offers and 31,435 Level 7/6 offers, with many applicants receiving offers at both levels.

Some 56% of Level 8 offers are for the applicants first preference course, while 83% of Level 8 offers are for a course in the applicants top three preferences.

A total of 92% of Level 7/6 offers are for the applicants first preference course while 99% are one of their top three preferences.

First-round offers must be accepted by 3pm on Tuesday.

There were a total of 83,543 applicants to the CAO this year, including 7,365 mature applicants.

It means 67.7% of all applicants were offered some course in the first round of offers while second round offers will be available at 2pm on September 9.

The Higher Education Minister congratulated all applicants who worked so hard for their results.

However, Mr ODonovan noted that many applicants would be disappointed but added: Today is by no manner or means the end of the line given all of the various options, routes, avenues that there are for people to gain what is their chosen profession.

In addition, several courses had their places filled through random allocation due to a surplus of applicants achieving the required results.

Speaking to reporters at Government Buildings, the minister said he was satisfied with the CAO system, describing it as fair and equitable process that has operated for many years.

Pressed on whether a process that resorts to random place allocation is not the best system, Mr ODonovan said: It is also not the worst system.

We need a selection process that is fair and treats everybody the same.

Many of the courses decided by random allocation are in the fields associated with medicine and healthcare, with the minister saying announcements around expanding some of these courses in the future will be made in the coming weeks.

Asked if there would be a permanent reduction in fees after two temporary measures in previous budgets, Mr ODonovan said he and Taoiseach Simon Harris were conscious of the burden on families.

The Budget will form part of that, and not only in terms of direct expenditure, but also in terms of the tax elements.

He said SUSI grants as well as direct payments towards fees and maintenance are the subject of ongoing conversations with the Department of Public Expenditure.

Many of those who have been successful in obtaining a place at higher education institutions across the country will have to find an appropriate place to live to travel to their course.

With acute pressure on student accommodation, Mr ODonovan said he had worked with Housing Minister Darragh OBrien to reduce the student-specific tenancies agreements to be limited to the academic year.

He also said that last years housing budget was the largest in the history of the State, adding: Id imagine 2025 would be no different.

Mr ODonovan said it was his ambition to provide certainty to more universities around funding for purpose-built student accommodation in the upcoming Budget.

Student accommodation forms probably the biggest part of what it is that were hoping to ask [the Department of Public Expenditure] for.

He said he would like to see funding for student accommodation become more stabilised and regularised.

The only people who can give firm commitments on multi-annual funding are the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

They recognise the issues there at the moment with regard to the size of the student population and the growth in numbers.

Mr ODonovan said his department was encouraging more students to avail of digs accommodation: So for the immediate future, I will be looking for continued supports for those people that are providing accommodation in their own homes, and as well as that, direct supports for students who are traveling to and from college on a daily basis.
NINETEEN new residential homes in Tullamore have been completed and will be available to people on the council housing waiting list.

The houses are located at Daingean Road, Tullamore, across from the Sacred Heart School and adjacent to Grand Canal Court.

They are due to be let in two phases. It is understood the first phase of 12 houses at the rear of Bruach na Canalach will accept applicants soon.

Those houses have been purchased by an approved housing body, Co-Operative Housing Ireland (CHI), which has also provided social-rented homes at Corran, Crinkle and MacRegol Cuirt, Birr.

According to the Property Price Register, the 12 houses were sold on July 24 last for 3,649,909.90.

The remaining seven houses are also being acquired by CHI and will be let.

A spokesperson for CHI said: These much-needed homes to families on Offalys social housing waiting list, were delivered in partnership with Offaly County Council, the Department of Housing, the Housing Agency and the Housing Finance Agency. The families will become members of the Connacht Housing Co-operative where they can have a voice and role in their wider community.

Bruach na Canalach backs onto the Grand Canal and received the go-ahead from An Bord Pleanala in 2018.

The development had initially been turned down by Offaly County Council. The council planners expressed concern about house design, the lack of chimney features and gable elevations.

The developer said there were no chimneys because the houses were designed to be heated by a heat pump or geothermal system.

In a report at the time, the An Bord Pleanala inspector stated: I do not consider the absence of chimneys to be a material issue to warrant a refusal of the permission. With changes in domestic heating systems and fuels, urban housing using natural gas, electrical heating or in particular heat pump systems do not require chimneys. The absence of chimneys is a modern-day design feature of urban and suburban housing.

CHI was founded in 1973 and describes itself as a leader in social housing provision driven by co-operative principles.

It said it is providing more than 5,500 high quality homes to lower-income households. CHI currently operates in 22 counties in partnership with 29 local authorities providing homes for close to 16,000 people.

As a representative body, CHI says it champions co-operative principles in delivering homes and supporting communities.

It works closely with various stakeholders in the housing sector, including local authorities, Government, and developers, to provide high quality social-rented homes across the country to lower-income households.

It has also supported owner-occupier housing co-operatives to additionally deliver 3,000 affordable homes in Ireland.

CHI says its mission is to lead the development of social, economic, and environmental sustainability in Ireland through cooperative effort and the provision of co-operative housing.

It has been increasing its output year-on-year, with up to 700 houses and apartments being provided annually.

A spokesperson for Offaly County Council said: It is proposed that all 19 new units in Bruach na Canalach are to be acquired by an Approved Housing Body on their completion.

All tenant nominations to the Approved Housing Body will come from Offaly County Councils social housing waiting list.
A Detroit man who was one of four defendants charged in federal court for trafficking fentanyl and meth in North Dakota was sentenced to more than eight years in prison after previously pleading guilty under an agreement with prosecutors.

Armani Moseley, 35, was sentenced to 100 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release during a sentencing hearing held before U.S. District Judge Dan Traynor in Bismarck last week.

Moseley pleaded guilty to three offenses related to the possession and distribution of fentanyl, meth and oxycodone, according to court documents. A fourth charge of conspiracy to possess and distribute controlled substances was dismissed. Moseley will receive credit for time served in custody since his arrest in July 2022, court documents indicate.

Mosely, Micheaux McAfee, Chance Witbeck and Victoria Baca were involved in efforts to distribute more than 400 grams, or nearly a pound, of tablets containing fentanyl, meth, oxycodone and other substances on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, Minot, Arizona and Michigan, according to the affidavit. The four are accused of using the U.S. Postal Service and other carriers to distribute product in their drug trafficking scheme.

Witbeck and Baca have previously pleaded guilty under agreements with federal authorities and received sentences equating to time already served, plus four years of supervised release.

McAfee has also pleaded guilty under an agreement. His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 16.
The North Dakota Ethics Commission needs to adopt new travel and financial disclosure rules for all state agencies and the Legislature. Even travel financed by outside groups should be tracked.

The recent guilty plea by former Sen. Ray Holmberg, R-Grand Forks, to child sex tourism charges revealed flaws in rules involving legislative travel.

Holmberg racked up about $109,000 in travel costs between 2013 and his resignation in 2022. Thats more than any other legislator. And, as chair of Legislative Management from 2013-18, he approved legislative travel including his own. That included his trips to Puerto Rico, Alaska and Miami Beach.

Its an embarrassment to the state and the Legislature that he might have used some of his trips to have sex with minors in the Czech Republic. Before the scandal was brought to light he was considered one of the most knowledgeable legislators in the state. He was among the longest-serving legislators in the state.

He served as the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and was considered an expert on the states budget and finances. So he was able to travel the world without raising questions about his spending.

Not all of his travel expenses came out of the legislative branchs budget. Holmberg and many other legislators took and continue to take trips funded by outside groups.

The North Dakota Monitor reported that state data shows the Legislature spent about $460,000 in taxpayer money on out-of-state travel from 2014-24.

Holmberg was able to travel so much partly because he approved it and partly because legislators were encouraged to attend conferences and other events.

House Majority Leader Mike Lefor, R-Dickinson, argues there are legitimate benefits for legislative travel. Legislators are able to discuss issues with other leaders and bring home ideas.

Lefor wants to make a change so no legislator approves his or her own travel.

The Tribune Editorial Board isnt opposed to legislative travel or trips by members of other state agencies. However, better records of travel, its purpose and its results need to be maintained.

When someone travels at the expense of an outside group it needs to be tracked in a similar manner.

The Ethics Commission is considering new travel and financial disclosure rules to create a centralized online platform for public officials travel records, according to Executive Director Rebecca Binstock.

The commission needs to notify the public of a comment period and hold a public hearing on any changes before they can be adopted. So no changes will be immediate.

It needs to be done.

Travel needs to be transparent. If someone wants to check on legislative or other state travel, there should be a database to check. Theres no indication of other problems with legislative travel, but there needs to be a better way to monitor. Its for the benefit of not just the public, but also legislators and other state officials.
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collapse:_How_Societies_Choose_to_Fail_or_Succeed

(titled Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Survive for the British edition)

A 2005 book by academic and popular science author Jared Diamond, in which the author first defines collapse: "a drastic decrease in human population size and/or political/economic/social complexity, over a considerable area, for an extended time." He then reviews the causes of historical and pre-historical instances of societal collapseparticularly those involving significant influences from environmental changes, the effects of climate change, hostile neighbors, trade partners, and the society's response to the foregoing four challenges. It also considers why societies might not perceive a problem, might not decide to attempt a solution, and why an attempted solution might fail.

While the bulk of the book is concerned with the demise of these historical civilizations, Diamond also argues that humanity collectively faces, on a much larger scale, many of the same issues, with possibly catastrophic near-future consequences to many of the world's populations.

Synopsis [ edit ]

Diamond says Easter Island provides the best historical example of a societal collapse in isolation.

In the prologue, Jared Diamond summarizes his methodology in one paragraph:

This book employs the comparative method to understand societal collapses to which environmental problems contribute. My previous book (Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies), had applied the comparative method to the opposite problem: the differing rates of buildup of human societies on different continents over the last 13,000 years. In the present book focusing on collapses rather than buildups, I compare many past and present societies that differed with respect to environmental fragility, relations with neighbors, political institutions, and other "input" variables postulated to influence a society's stability. The "output" variables that I examine are collapse or survival, and form of the collapse if collapse does occur. By relating output variables to input variables, I aim to tease out the influence of possible input variables on collapses.[2]

Collapses of past societies [ edit ]

Diamond identifies five factors that contribute to collapse: climate change, hostile neighbours, collapse of essential trading partners, environmental problems, and the society's response to the foregoing four factors.

The root problem in all but one of Diamond's factors leading to collapse is overpopulation relative to the practicable (as opposed to the ideal theoretical) carrying capacity of the environment. One environmental problem not related to overpopulation is the harmful effect of accidental or intentional introduction of non-native species to a region.

Diamond also writes about cultural factors (values), such as the apparent reluctance of the Greenland Norse to eat fish. Diamond also states that "it would be absurd to claim that environmental damage must be a major factor in all collapses: the collapse of the Soviet Union is a modern counter-example, and the destruction of Carthage by Rome in 146 BC is an ancient one. It's obviously true that military or economic factors alone may suffice".[3]

Modern societies [ edit ]

He also lists twelve environmental problems facing humankind today. The first eight have historically contributed to the collapse of past societies:

Further, he says four new factors may contribute to the weakening and collapse of present and future societies:

Anthropogenic climate change Buildup of toxins in the environment Energy shortages Full human use of the Earth's photosynthetic capacity

Conclusions [ edit ]

In the last chapter, he discusses environmental problems facing modern societies and addresses objections that are often given to dismiss the importance of environmental problems (section "One-liner objections"[4]). In the "Further readings" section, he gives suggestions to people who ask "What can I do as an individual?".[5] He also draws conclusions, such as:

In fact, one of the main lesson to be learned from the collapses of the Maya, Anasazi, Easter Islanders, and those other past societies ... is that a society's steep decline may begin only a decade or two after the society reaches its peak numbers, wealth, and power. ... The reason is simple: maximum population, wealth, resource consumption, and waste production mean maximum environmental impact, approaching the limit where impact outstrips resources.[6]

Finally, he answers the question, "What are the choices that we must make if we are to succeed, and not to fail?" by identifying two crucial choices distinguishing the past societies that failed from those that survived:[7]

Long-term planning: "... the courage to practice long-term thinking, and to make bold, courageous, anticipatory decisions at a time when problems have become perceptible but before they have reached crisis proportions." [ 7 ] Diamond says it can be especially bad when the short-term interest of elite leaders conflicts with the long-term interests of the society, and the elite are insulated from the direct consequences. [ 8 ]

Diamond says it can be especially bad when the short-term interest of elite leaders conflicts with the long-term interests of the society, and the elite are insulated from the direct consequences. Willingness to reconsider core values: "... the courage to make painful decisions about values. Which of the values that formerly served a society well can continue to be maintained under new changed circumstances? Which of these treasured values must instead be jettisoned and replaced with different approaches?" [ 7 ]

Book structure [ edit ]

The limit of deforestation between Haiti (on the left) and the Dominican Republic (on the right)

Air pollution caused by industrial plants in China

Collapse is divided into four parts.

Part One describes the environment of the US state of Montana, focusing on the lives of several individuals to put a human face on the interplay between society and the environment.[a]

Part Two describes past societies that have collapsed. Diamond uses a "framework" when considering the collapse of a society, consisting of five "sets of factors" that may affect what happens to a society: environmental damage, climate change, hostile neighbors, loss of trading partners, and the society's responses to its environmental problems. A recurrent problem in collapsing societies is a structure that creates "a conflict between the short-term interests of those in power, and the long-term interests of the society as a whole."

The societies Diamond describes are:

Part Three examines modern societies, including:

Part Four concludes the study by considering such subjects as business and globalization, and "extracts practical lessons for us today" (pp. 2223). Specific attention is given to the polder model as a way Dutch society has addressed its challenges and the "top-down" and most importantly "bottom-up" approaches that we must take now that "our world society is presently on a non-sustainable course" (p. 498) in order to avoid the "12 problems of non-sustainability" that he expounds throughout the book, and reviews in the final chapter. The results of this survey are perhaps why Diamond sees "signs of hope" nevertheless and arrives at a position of "cautious optimism" for all our futures.

The second edition contains an Afterword: Angkor's Rise and Fall.

Reviews [ edit ]

Tim Flannery gave Collapse the highest praise in Science, writing:[10]

While he planned the book, Diamond at first thought that it would deal only with human impacts on the environment. Instead, what has emerged is arguably the most incisive study of senescing human civilizations ever written. ... the fact that one of the world's most original thinkers has chosen to pen this mammoth work when his career is at his apogee is itself a persuasive argument that Collapse must be taken seriously. It is probably the most important book you will ever read.

The Economist's review was generally favorable, although the reviewer had two disagreements. First, the reviewer felt Diamond was not optimistic enough about the future. Secondly, the reviewer claimed Collapse contains some erroneous statistics: for instance, Diamond purportedly overstated the number of starving people in the world.[11] University of British Columbia professor of ecological planning William Rees wrote that Collapse's most important lesson is that societies most able to avoid collapse are the ones that are most agile, able to adopt practices favorable to their own survival and avoid unfavorable ones. Moreover, Rees wrote that Collapse is "a necessary antidote" to followers of Julian Simon, such as Bjrn Lomborg who authored The Skeptical Environmentalist. Rees explained this assertion as follows:[12]

Human behaviour towards the ecosphere has become dysfunctional and now arguably threatens our own long-term security. The real problem is that the modern world remains in the sway of a dangerously illusory cultural myth. Like Lomborg, most governments and international agencies seem to believe that the human enterprise is somehow 'decoupling' from the environment, and so is poised for unlimited expansion. Jared Diamond's new book, Collapse, confronts this contradiction head-on.

Jennifer Marohasy of the coal-mining backed think-tank Institute of Public Affairs wrote a critical review in Energy & Environment, in particular its chapter on Australia's environmental degradation. Marohasy claims that Diamond reflects a popular view that is reinforced by environmental campaigning in Australia, but is not supported by evidence, and argues that many of his claims are easily disproved.[13]

In his review in The New Yorker, Malcolm Gladwell highlights the way Diamond's approach differs from traditional historians by focusing on environmental issues rather than cultural questions.[14]

Diamond's distinction between social and biological survival is a critical one, because too often we blur the two, or assume that biological survival is contingent on the strength of our civilizational values... The fact is, though, that we can be law-abiding and peace-loving and tolerant and inventive and committed to freedom and true to our own values and still behave in ways that are biologically suicidal.

While Diamond does not reject the approach of traditional historians, his book, according to Gladwell, vividly illustrates the limitations of that approach. Gladwell demonstrates this with his own example of a recent ballot initiative in Oregon, where questions of property rights and other freedoms were subject to a free and healthy debate, but serious ecological questions were given scant attention.

In 2006 the book was shortlisted for The Aventis Prizes for Science Books award, eventually losing out to David Bodanis's Electric Universe.[15]

Criticisms [ edit ]

Jared Diamond's thesis that Easter Island society collapsed in isolation entirely due to environmental damage and cultural inflexibility is contested by some ethnographers and archaeologists, who argue that the introduction of diseases carried by European colonizers and slave raiding,[16] which devastated the population in the 19th century, had a much greater social impact than environmental decline, and that introduced animalsfirst rats and then sheepwere greatly responsible for the island's loss of native flora, which came closest to deforestation as late as 19301960.[17] Diamond's account of the Easter Island collapse is strongly refuted in a chapter of the book Humankind: A Hopeful History (2019) by Dutch historian Rutger Bregman.[18]

The book Questioning Collapse (Cambridge University Press, 2010) is a collection of essays by fifteen archaeologists, cultural anthropologists, and historians criticizing various aspects of Diamond's books Collapse and Guns, Germs and Steel.[19] The book was a result of 2006 meeting of the American Anthropological Association in response to the misinformation that Diamond's popular science publications were causing and the association decided to combine experts from multiple fields of research to cover the claims made in Diamond's and debunk them. The book includes research from indigenous peoples of the societies Diamond discussed as collapsed and also vignettes of living examples of those communities, in order to showcase the main theme of the book on how societies are resilient and change into new forms over time, rather than collapsing.[20][21]

Film [ edit ]

In 2010, National Geographic released the documentary film Collapse based on Diamond's book.[22]
Supreme Court Dismisses petition to disqualify President Ranil from Election

Posted by Editor on August 28, 2024 - 6:52 pm

The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka today (August 28) dismissed a petition seeking to disqualify President Ranil Wickremesinghe from running in the upcoming Presidential Election.



The petitioner argued that the Presidents failure to appoint an Acting Inspector General of Police and new judges to the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal constituted grounds for disqualification.

The court not only rejected the case but also ordered the petitioner to pay Rs. 50,000 in court fees.

Additional Solicitor General Nerin Pulle, representing the Attorney General, argued that the petition was misleading and based on false information, violating Article 92 of the Constitution.

The court agreed, leading to the dismissal.
By Steve Schneider

Introduction to Financial Disclosure Requirements

Florida's Commission on Ethics publishes a clear, concise online explanation of why certain people must file a financial disclosure form. It says, "Financial disclosure is required of public officials and employees because it enables the public to evaluate potential conflicts of interest, deters corruption, and increases public confidence in government." This sounds good. It makes sense. But I soon learned that things get cloudy real fast.

For starters, some folks must submit a Form 1, while others are required by state law to turn in a Form 6. The Form 6 requires people to provide much more detailed information about their net worth, and liabilities, for example. In fact, a recent state law mandating that more people file a Form 6 led to lawsuits in circuit court and federal court. A federal judge appointed by President Joe Biden temporarily blocked the expansion of the Form 6 requirement after many local officials either quit or filed suit. However, even the easier to complete Form 1 isn't always cut-and-dried for people who must complete it or enforce state law.

I found that Form 1 can be challenging for both those who complete it and those who enforce the law after getting a tip about a member of the Hollywood Planning and Development Board. This member also serves as president of a local civic association that promotes development in an older neighborhood adjacent to booming downtown Hollywood. Kenneth Crawford is the name of the Board member who also operates as president of the Parkside Civic Association. And he owns and runs an interior design firm, and owns property in Broward County, according to public records.

Crawford's association with two groups that promote development led me to an issue that I think is much more important. So I'll use the Hollywood Planning and Development Board to make my point. The even bigger point, I think, involves how people understand state financial disclosure requirements, and how laws governing such disclosure get enforced.

An example of the foregoing is that many members of the nine-member Hollywood Planning and Development Board had submitted their 2023 Form 1 by the time I started my reporting. Beginning this year people who complete the report must do so electronically. And what they turn in is a public record that can be viewed here. However, the financial disclosure form for Richard Blattner, a former Hollywood City Commissioner and citizen Board member, wasn't online. When I contacted him, though, he was transparent. He wrote, "Filed last week. Must have missed the reminder." Blattner also offered to show me a copy of his Form 1.

The state Commission on Ethics online public search also told me that Mena Morgan hadn't submitted a form. Morgan sits on the Hollywood Planning and Development Board as a design member. But she responded to my email, saying she had sent her Form 1 electronically as is now required by law. Morgan backed up her statement with a screenshot. It showed she submitted her form on July 22.

I learned in a phone interview with Kerrie Stillman, the executive director for the state Commission on Ethics, that Morgan is complying with state requirements. Morgan is a new member of the Hollywood Planning and Development Board, therefore people must search for her form differently on the state website, according to Stillman. I looked up filers by their name, which works for people who have filed disclosure forms before. But I did not know to conduct a search by organization of filer or organization type.

Stillman also helped me understand where Hollywood Planning and Development Board member Steven Morales stands. My online search showed he hadn't given the state his Form 1. He is a design member on the Board. So, Stillman checked for me. As someone who has previously submitted a Form 1, Morales was required by state law to turn in his financial disclosure form by July 1. But Stillman said the law gives filers a grace period until Sept. 3, at which time fines start to get assessed.

Finally, I discovered that the newest member of the Planning and Development Board hadn't turned in his Form 1. Like Blattner and Morgan, Bob Glickman was transparent when I contacted him. In an email, Glickman explained he wasn't on the Board in 2023, having been appointed towards the end of June this year. He also didn't think the City of Hollywood told him about the Form 1 requirement in paperwork it gave him after his appointment. But, Glickman added, "I was notified by the state on July 26, that I had to file Form 1 and I believe they gave me until sometime in September to file it." New to the process, he also "confirmed with City of Hollywood this past week if indeed I had to file Form 1, and they confirmed I did, which I will."

So, out of the members who completed a Form 1, only one member answered N/A to all questions dealing with finances and real estate holdings. Crawford did this even though there is ample evidence online that he runs an interior design firm. Also, Broward County property records link his name to the ownership of two properties. Concerned, I contacted City of Hollywood officials and Crawford, who did not respond to my emails. But Raelin Storey, an Assistant City Manager, replied.

According to this manager, "Financial disclosure via a 'Form 1' (or Form 6 for elected officials/candidates) is a requirement for certain public officials and employees. The list of those officials/employees is determined by the Florida Commission on Ethics. In fact, the City's role in this process is simply to ensure that the official/employee is notified of their requirement to complete their respective form and to follow up to make sure it is completed and submitted."

Storey's answer is interesting. The city is responsible for making sure that people they notify "complete their respective form and to follow up to make sure it is completed and submitted". Immediately, though, a subtle distinction appears. The city checks if the form is completed and submitted. But it doesn't determine whether the form is completed according to state law. That's up to the state Commission on Ethics. And again, gaps in the law show how it is possible for someone to avoid filling out the financial disclosure form completely.

"Unfortunately, I cannot offer you specifics or an opinion regarding an official's conduct. Only the public officer or employee whose conduct is at issue can request an opinion from the Commission regarding their conduct," wrote Lynn Blais of the State Commission on Ethics. Of course, Kenneth Crawford didn't answer the questions that I sent him. So that makes me wonder if it's likely he will ask the state if it's ok that he wrote N/A on his Form 1 disclosure document.

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"I thrive under controversy."



-- - LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvahlo



(Image by LAUSD) Details DMCA



At the end of the 2023-24 school year, LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho made an appearance during a meeting of the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) responding to recommendations made by this state-mandated group of students, parents, teachers, and other community members who have ties to those who require Special Education services. A brief question-and-answer period provided the leader of the country's second-largest school district the opportunity to show empathy to parents who often feel that the LAUSD is an adversary instead of a partner in ensuring vulnerable children receive the services they need. Instead, he veered into a complaint about how he is sometimes criticized. He should consider using some of his $440,000 annual salary to purchase armor for his thin skin.

Carvalho did not attend any of the CAC meetings for the year that just passed. Had he done so he would have heard a lot of complaints from this committee's membership. Their work was delayed by months because, in an attempt to purge the most vocal members, bureaucrats had refused to follow the approved method of appointing members to the committee outlined in the Special Education Plan Area (SELPA) and the bylaws. The membership was also blocked from discussing proposed changes to the SELPA at their meetings, which prevented it from performing the task of advising the district as mandated by state law. As a result, the Committee's outgoing Chair refused to sign the document.

The CAC was not alone in lodging these complaints. At an end-of-year ceremony meant to thank members of the state-mandated parent committees for their service, all three committee chairs detailed ways the LAUSD bureaucrats had interfered with their operations. One parent angrily ripped up her certificate in protest of the District not listening to the concerns raised by these committees. Members of the Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) and District English Language Advisory Committee (DELAC) accused District staff of generating comments about the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) and presenting them to the School Board as products of the committees.

The way the LAUSD has distributed funds under the PROP-28 Art and Music K-12 Education Funding Initiative has also been controversial. While the $1 billion of public approved funding is meant to expand arts programs, the District is accused by parents, unions, and the proposition's author of "misusing the money by backfilling funding that's been cut or redirected for other purposes". Despite assurances from LAUSD officials that they have increased funding for arts programs district-wide, parent Audrey Lieberstein alleges that Dixie Canyon Elementary School PROP-28 funds are being used to pay for an arts teacher that was covered by other funding sources in previous years.

This follows last year's elimination of the District's Primary Promise despite the objection of community members who maintain that it was highly successful at increasing math and reading literacy. This was not just their opinion; data previously released by the LAUSD backs up their position. Stung by Carvalho's refusal to listen to their concerns, these parents insist that it is the responsibility of the Superintendent to provide data to prove that his "better" replacement is providing superior results.

Another source of concern has been data security. After spending $3 million to have an AI program developed as a "conversational companion for students and an indispensable guide for parents", its supplier, AllHere, "furloughed 'the vast majority' of its staff". The District continues to move forward with the implementation of the program despite revelations from a whistle-blower that AllHere employees "allegedly violated both industry standards and the district's own policies in its handling of student data". At least one parent has expressed concern that "he found personal information about his daughter online", but "the district denies any connection between leaked data and the AI project or Boston-based AllHere".

It is hard to say how the personal data of students and staff is ending up on the web because at this point there have been multiple breaches of confidential data. When the first one occurred almost two years ago, Carvalho insisted that no sensitive data had been released. He maintained this position until the media uncovered data on the web, including information about students' medical and family histories, particularly affecting students with Special Education needs. It was only then that the Superintendent admitted that the breach had occurred.

When reports of another hack surfaced at the beginning of the summer, teachers and parents reported that they had been victimized by criminals who had obtained their personal information. Many do not feel that the District is listening to their concerns or keeping potential victims appraised of the threat that they face.



So far Dr. Rivas is the only Board Member to demand action on the data breaches. Hopefully, this will include a complete investigation of the Superintendent's role in these crises.

(Image by Dr. Rocio Rivas) Details DMCA



Since arriving in Los Angeles, at the beginning of 2022, Carvalho has shown that he excels at crafting marketing messages, high-tech presentations, hanging with celebrities, and getting himself press attention. He has also made it clear throughout his tenure that he has no patience for those who dare to question his actions. This has left parents feeling unheard, which has led to decreasing confidence in the District's ability to meet the needs of their children.

The responsibility for having an unresponsive Superintendent lies with his bosses on the School Board who have caved in to his demand that they must provide allegiance to him. The elected Board Members have even agreed to withhold proposed resolutions until Carvalho's staff approves them, giving them veto power over policy. This is not how governance is supposed to work and left unchecked will result in the collapse of the District.

Carl Petersen is a parent advocate for public education, particularly for students with special education needs, who serves as the Education Chair for the Northridge East Neighborhood Council. As a Green Party candidate in LAUSD's District 2 School Board race, he was endorsed by Network for Public Education (NPE) Action. Dr. Diane Ravitch has called him "a valiant fighter for public schools in Los Angeles." For links to his blogs, please visit www.ChangeTheLAUSD.com. Opinions are his own.
Chicago, IL - August 22, 2024- Halina Latuszek, a seasoned real estate professional and co-founder of K&L Realty, proudly marks her 34th anniversary in the real estate industry. With over three decades of experience and a track record of 200+ successful sales, Halina has established herself as a trusted expert in the Chicagoland real estate market. Halina's journey in real estate began in 1990 when she obtained her real estate license, 
Sustenergy Foundation, a leading advocate for sustainable practices in India, has released a groundbreaking study that sheds light on critical safety concerns within healthcare facilities. The study, conducted by a team of experts, underscores the urgent need for comprehensive electrical safety audits in hospitals. Key Findings: Electrical Hazards: The study revealed alarming gaps in electrical safety, including exposed wires, overloaded circuits, and faulty equipment. These hazards pose a significant risk to patients, 
Dear Lizzy,

I am a young senior citizen in a 55 and over community. I am not able to drive due to a visual-spatial issue, so sometimes a neighbor gives me a lift.

Almost two years ago, we lost a favorite neighbor because of a DUI driver. Carla and I were close, and I miss her so much, and still feel angry that someone elses poor decision (take meth and drive) took a wonderful lady from our lives.

George, the neighbor who has given me numerous lifts, regularly drinks at a nearby tavern and drives home. Its not very far from here, but on a major highway where its risky even driving sober. I am feeling angry that even after Carlas death, George still drives home from the tavern all the time, drunk. I am afraid he is going to take someone out, or himself, and I dont want anyone else missing people they love because George is making bad decisions.

I feel like I should report him, to prevent a tragedy from occurring. Am I an ingrate for even thinking of reporting him when he has helped me out? I was the child of an alcoholic who drove with me in the car, scaring me plenty, and I definitely got a lot of messed up messages about staying in my place. I know I will feel like its my fault if he does cause someone else to be severely injured or killed. Last weekend, he came to give me something after he got back from the tavern, and his gait was obviously impaired, as was his speech.

Can you please clear up where my lane actually is? Logically, it seems like reporting this is a public service and tragedy prevention. Emotionally though, its a lot muddier!

Thanks,

Nark Wannabe in Central Oregon

Dear Nark Wannabe in Central Oregon,

Ive been sitting on this question for weeks, hoping that an expert would get back to me and help me answer this question, because you are right  emotionally, this is tricky but there has to be a right answer.

But I havent heard from an expert who would get me off the hook here, and I feel like this is a really important question, both for you and for people in general, and so here I go, answering it all by myself.

If and when you see George driving drunk, you should absolutely call 911 and report him.

Driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol is deadly, for drivers and those unlucky enough to be in their paths. And studies show that the danger increases when the driver under the influence is 65 or older .

Human beings contain multitudes and just because George has a problem with alcohol doesnt mean he is a bad guy. But being a nice guy doesnt mean he wont kill someone with his car either.

You arent doing George any favors by not reporting him. Getting arrested for a DUI is bad but spending your whole life knowing you killed someone is much, much worse.

In the same vein, I would suggest you stop taking rides from George if at all possible. Its better to be alive and stuck at home than dead.

This is important not just for seniors. Everyone should understand that driving drunk is lethal and even if its a friend you are calling the authorities on, the life you are saving could be theirs. It could be yours. It could be your childs.

Every single person who gets killed by an impaired driver is someones child.

Its hard to get past the its not that big a deal or they are such a nice person thing, I know. But you are not an ingrate for trying to save lives. You are a responsible member of society.

Also: You dont have to give the cops your name.

Good luck!

Lizzy

Have a burning question? Send me an email at lacker@oregonian.com or tweet @lizzzyacker! Or, if you want to ask me a question with total anonymity, use this Google form.

Read more Why Tho? here.
Whooping cough has hit Clark County hard this summer.

There have been 229 cases identified in the county so far this year  thats more than the total number of cases over the last five years combined, county officials said.

183 of those cases have been this summer.

The serious respiratory illness, caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis, is spread by breathing, sneezing and coughing, and its highly contagious. Early symptoms, like the common cold, include runny or stuffy nose, a mild cough and a low-grade fever. But after about a week of those mild symptoms, more serious ones emerge, most notably violent, sustained coughing.

(CDC graphic)

County health officials worry that, with children returning to school, whooping cough will spread more rapidly.

Not only will children who get sick miss time at school, but they can also bring the illness home to their younger siblings, Clark County Public Health Director Dr. Alan Melnick said in a statement. Young children who arent yet old enough to complete their whooping cough vaccinations are less protected against illness. And infants are at the greatest risk of severe illness and hospitalization from whooping cough.

Whooping-cough cases also have been rising in Oregon. The Oregon Health Authority said there were 178 cases reported in the state between January 1 and the end of May. Only 20 cases were reported in the same time period the previous year.

Deaths from whooping cough are rare and most commonly occur in infants, according to the Mayo Clinic. The typical treatment is a course of antibiotics.

Health officials recommend people get vaccinated, which lessens symptoms and makes it much less likely they will spread the illness.

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive
A jury in Nevada has found a Democratic former Las Vegas-area politician guilty of murder in the killing of an investigative journalist who wrote articles critical of his conduct in elected office.

Robert Telles hung his head, shaking it slightly from side to side as the verdict was read Wednesday in Clark County District Court. Jurors deliberated for nearly 12 hours after hearing eight days of evidence in his trial, which began Aug 12.

Telles, 47, has been jailed without bail since his arrest several days after Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German was found slashed and stabbed to death in a side yard of his home on Labor Day weekend 2022.

Jurors now will hear evidence on the penalty phase of trial.

In the penalty phase, the jury that found Telles guilty may hear additional testimony and see more evidence before deciding what prison sentence he should receive. Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty. The judge will impose a sentence at a hearing scheduled at a later date.

Telles, 47, could face life in prison without parole.

Telles denied killing German. He 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 am not the kind of person who would stab someone. I didnt kill Mr. German, he testified. And thats my testimony.

Defense lawyer Robert Draskovich showed the jury an image during closing arguments Monday of a person whose profile didnt look like Telles driving a maroon SUV that evidence showed was key to the crime. He noted that none of Germans blood or DNA was found on Telles, in his vehicle or at his home.

He asked jurors to ask themselves, What evidence is missing?

Prosecutor Christopher Hamner told jurors that finding Telles guilty would be like connecting the dots based on overwhelming evidence they heard  including DNA that matched Telles found beneath Germans fingernails.

Hamner maintained that German fought to the death with his attacker and that Telles blamed German for destroying his career, ruining his reputation and threatening his marriage.

Telles lost his primary for a second elected term after Germans stories appeared in the Las Vegas Review-Journal in May and June 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.

Prosecutors presented a timeline and videos showing Telles maroon SUV leaving the neighborhood near his home a little after 9 a.m. on Sept. 2, 2022, and driving on streets near Germans home a short time later.

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 where German 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 Telles wife sent him a text message about 10:30 a.m. asking, Where are you? Prosecutors said Telles left his cellphone at home so he couldnt be tracked. Telles told the jury he took a walk and then went to a gym in the afternoon.

German, 69, was a respected journalist who spent 44 years covering crime, courts and corruption in Las Vegas. About a dozen of his family members and friends have watched the trial. Theyve 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.
Boy, 17, who killed mom in hail of bullets sent to Oregon youth prison until 25th birthday

A Portland teenager who shot and killed his mother last year in a hail of15 bullets was sent to youth prison until his 25th birthday Tuesday  the maximum penalty allowed for juvenile cases under Oregon law. Read more

Escapee at large after walking away from inmate work crew in Salem

T.J. Harvey Bennett was more than halfway through a 17-month prison sentence when he walked away from a work crew on Monday. Read more

Black shoppers sue Fred Meyer for $9.9M, claim employee headbutted and chased them with knife

Two Black shoppers filed a $9.9 million lawsuit Monday against Fred Meyer, claiming an employee at one of the chains Portland stores accused one of the customers of shoplifting, called him a racist slur, headbutted him and punched him and then chased the second shopper around the store with a knife. Read more

Portland man fatally shot by Beaverton police investigating theft at Nordstrom Rack near Washington Square Mall

A Beaverton police officer shot and killed a man Monday night while investigating a theft at Nordstrom Rack near the Washington Square Mall, the Washington County Sheriffs Office said Tuesday. Read more

Convicted killer out on parole guilty in stabbing of Portlandwoman who owed him money

Steven Knox stabbed acquaintance Jessica Pearson, who owed him some money, outside her Buckman neighborhood apartment last March 14. The55-year-old was arrested in August and was convicted of second-degree assault by a Multnomah County jury on Aug. 21. The jury acquitted Knox on an attempted murder charge. Read more

Owners of Tigard real estate investment firm accused of defrauding investors and lenders out of more than $18 million

The owners of a Tigard-based residential real estate firm are accused of defrauding investors and commercial lenders out of more than $18million, according to a federal indictment unsealed Tuesday. Read more
Benson High, the sixth in Portland Public Schools 12-years-and-counting quest to upgrade its aging high school buildings, opened to freshmen and seniors Tuesday, leaving both groups equally wide-eyed.

The ninth-graders, who had the building all to themselves for a three-hour orientation in the morning, got their first taste of high school after the relatively cocooned confines of elementary and middle school. The seniors, who streamed into the building in the afternoon, were agog at the difference between the remodeled Benson and 1960s-era Marshall High in outer Southeast Portland, where they spent their first three years of high school.

Its so clean and sunny, and theres so much more room in the classrooms, said senior Graciela Juan Domingo as she surveyed Bensons spacious new library, with accents in the schools trademark blue and orange. Its so stuffy back there at Marshall. Here, theres more school spirit.

Benson will open to about 1,000 students, though it has room for 1,700. At about 325 students, the freshman class will be its largest, and Portland Public Schools Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong credited the newly modernized campus for that. The school is a districtwide career-technical magnet school, meaning that it is open to all PPS students, regardless of their address.

After three years of renovations, Benson now has two new, two-story wings dedicated to classrooms and career-technical education spaces, including roomfuls of medical equipment dedicated to preparing students for health care careers.

The dental classroom at the newly-renovated Benson Polytechnic High School in Northeast Portland on Tuesday Aug. 27, 2024.Sean Meagher/The Oregonian

There were many compromises in our ability to perform labs, said Carly Alekel, who teaches health occupations at Benson, of the schools three years at Marshall. We had no plumbed dental chairs, for example. Now we can have a much more expanded focus for labs.

The building boasts new plumbing, heating, cooling and seismic upgrades, while historical touches also remain, including an original Benson Bubbler fountain just outside the school, which was named for its benefactor, timber magnate and philanthropist Simon Benson.

In 2017, when voters were asked to approve a bond for school improvements, the cost to renovate Benson was pegged at $212 million. But huge cost overruns ensued. The final price tag, which included a new Multiple Pathways to Graduation building on the Benson campus to house almost all of the districts alternative high school programs under one roof, topped out at $416 million. That easily makes the Benson campus the most expensive high school renovation ever completed in Oregon.

And it leaves just three of the districts high schools on the to-do list: Jefferson in Northeast Portland, Cleveland in Southeast Portland and Ida B. Wells in Southwest Portland. The cost of rebuilding, renovating and modernizing all three of them has been estimated at about $1 billion, which would require voters to approve a new general obligation bond.

That money measure was originally slated for this Novembers ballot, but it has been pushed until May 2025 to give the district more time to refine its proposal, Armstrong said.

Were excited to be able to think about what is possible, while keeping the tax rate the same, she said.

Portland Public Schools superintendent Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong (right), alongside Portland Association of Teachers President Angela Bonilla, speaks with the media after a tour of the newly-renovated Benson Polytechnic High School in Northeast Portland on Tuesday Aug. 27, 2024.Sean Meagher/The Oregonian

Armstrong toured Benson Tuesday accompanied by several school board members and senior staffers, along with Portland Association of Teachers President Angela Bonilla. Relations between the teachers union and district administration were notably frosty at the start of the previous school year under Armstrongs predecessor, Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero.

But on Tuesday, Armstrong and Bonilla spoke to news cameras together and presented a united front as they called for future investments to bring more buildings up to Bensons new standards.

The work doesnt stop with one beautiful high school, Armstrong said, estimating that about half of the districts buildings are in need of upgrades.

That issue could come into sharp relief in just a few days, when temperatures are projected to soar into the 90s, a particularly acute issue in a district in which many buildings still lack air conditioning.

Tuesday was the first day of school for most students across Portland Public Schools, the states largest district, including first through sixth graders and high school freshmen and seniors. Seventh and eighth graders, along with high school sophomores and juniors, start on Wednesday, and kindergarteners ramp up in the days ahead. Other metro are schools started this week, including Beaverton, while others begin next week, after Labor Day.

The start of school was unexpectedly delayed due at Harrison Park Middle School in Southeast Portland due to unfinished construction. That campus will be ready for sixth grade orientation on Friday, and open to all students next Tuesday.

 Julia Silverman covers education for The Oregonian/OregonLive. She can be reached via email at jsilverman@oregonian.com. Follow her on X.com at @jrlsilverman.
Ugo Amadi was a victim of a numbers crunch.

The veteran defensive back was released by the New Orleans Saints, the team announced as they reached the 53-man roster limit by the 1 p.m. PT deadline on Tuesday.

The former Oregon Ducks star was a valuable player with the Saints, appearing all 17 games during the 2023 season. Amadi played primarily on special teams, but he also saw action in the secondary.

He re-signed with the Saints on a one-year deal in March. The six-year veteran looked poised to secure a spot on the initial 53-man roster, but the emergence of undrafted rookie Rico Payton  who made the initial roster - was likely a factor in Amadi being released.

The Saints could re-sign him, as a vested veteran he doesnt have to go through the waiver process. However, given his versatility  hes capable of playing in the slot or nickel  he could attract offers from other teams.
Shane Lemieuxs comeback attempt will continue with the New Orleans Saints.

The offensive lineman was released by the New Orleans Saints, the team announced Tuesday. Lemiuex was among a number of players who were released or waived ahead of the mandated roster cutdown to 53 players by Tuesdays 1 p.m. PT deadline. However, the Saints have signed him to their practice squad, according to a Matthew Paras of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Lemieux signed with the Saints in March, adding depth to the offensive line. Lemieux reportedly played well at guard, but struggled a bit while playing center, which included a few bad snaps during a preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers.

Lemiuex, 27, is looking to get his career back on track after three-injury plagued seasons.

After starting at left guard in 12 games as a rookie with the New York Giants in 2020, injuries have kept Lemieux off the field during the past three seasons. Lemieux suffered a patella tendon injury that limited him to one game in 2021. A toe injury forced him to miss 16 games in 2022 and he suffered a season-ending torn biceps after four games last season.
A burglar who had the time to make a meal, clean up and point out an appliance that wasnt working is a wanted man in Oregon, according to the Thurston County Sheriffs Office.

Residents of the Clearwood Community Association, a gated community of about 1,300 homes near Yelm, reported that the man allegedly broke into homes and a car and tried to break into a garage last week. Yelm is southeast of Olympia, Washington.

Sheriffs Lt. Mike Brooks said Tuesday the man is wanted on an outstanding warrant out of Oregon. He also is potentially facing new criminal charges for burglary and prowling, according to KING 5 news, which reported Monday that the sheriffs office and a partner agency searched the community unsuccessfully on Sunday.
As soon as next spring, barred owls will be shot in the woods in a plan finalized Wednesday. As many as 450,000 barred owls could be killed in three states over the next 30 years in an effort to save the spotted owl.

Trained shooters will target barred owls over 30 years across a maximum of about 23,000 square miles in California, Oregon and Washington.

The cull is necessary to prevent extinction of the spotted owl, which is being pushed out of its native range by the barred owl, a native of the East Coast, said Kessina Lee, state supervisor for the Oregon office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which developed the program.

The goal is not to eliminate barred owls, but to ensure both species survive into the future, she said. This is about carving out that space for spotted owls to have the space to persist, Lee said.

The window to take action is closing on an animal in steep decline with competition from a competitor that is pushing  and eating  the spotted owl out of house and home. The spotted owl was listed under the Endangered Species Act as a threatened species in 1990.

Immense numbers of salamanders, flying squirrels, wood rats  even screech owls  have been depleted since the barred owl moved in, said Kathryn Fitzgerald, northern spotted owl recovery lead for the service. In that way, the spotted owl is an umbrella species, which if protected, can save other species too, she said.

Lee emphasized that as biologists and wildlife professionals, no one at the service takes the kill plan lightly. But we do have a responsibility to do all we can to prevent spotted owls from going extinct. The program is intended to kill less than one half of 1% of the current North American barred owl population.

There will be no all-citizens barred owl shoot. Rather the plan calls for working with landowners to deploy shooters trained under the agencys protocol. Nonlead shot will be used to kill the owls with shotguns at close range, usually at dusk and at night when they are active and will respond to calls used to locate them. The kills would happen in Washington, Oregon and California over the 30-year plan.

FILE - Wildlife technician Jordan Hazan records data in a lab from a male barred owl he shot earlier in the night, Oct. 24, 2018, in Corvallis, Ore. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)AP

The plan continues to draw sharp criticism.

This would be the largest raptor slaughter that any government in the world has ever undertaken, and there is no close second, said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and Center for a Humane Economy, two national animal welfare organizations based in the Washington, D.C., area.

Barred owls are just doing what animals do, expanding their range to respond to human alteration of the environment  something that can be expected to happen more often as climate change alters habitats, Pacelle said. Native to North America for millions of years, barred owls will never be eliminated because they will just fill nest areas that hunters empty, Pacelle said.

There is no precedent for success for any wildlife control program over such a vast area, with a flighted species ... you will have a never-ending treadmill of killing.

He also questioned the practicalities of the plan. Who wants to do this? Who wants to kill owls? The whole thing is unworkable; they wont have the money, they wont have the labor, the area is too vast.

Killing one bird species to save others has divided wildlife advocates and is reminiscent of past government efforts to save West Coast salmon by killing sea lions and cormorants, and to preserve warblers by killing cowbirds that lay eggs in warbler nests. The barred owl removals would be among the largest such effort to date involving birds of prey, researchers and wildlife advocates said.

Bob Sallinger, executive director of Bird Conservation Oregon, said even playwrights have reached out to him over the pathos of the situation. Its a bit of a tragedy, these things we do as human beings, the unintended consequences, and the hubris, Sallinger said.

The situation speaks to the essential need to preserve habitat for species in the first place, so species do not become threatened like the spotted owl, which lost much of its habitat to old-growth logging.

The Northwest Forest Plan adopted in 1994 was intended to save the owl by stopping logging on 24 million acres of old growth in the same states in which the service now wants to kill barred owls to save spottys that have continued to decline.

Once a species is imperiled, Sallinger said, it is very hard to get it back.

Native to eastern North America, barred owls started appearing in the Pacific Northwest in the 1970s. Theyve quickly displaced many spotted owls, which are smaller birds that need larger territories. An estimated 100,000 barred owls now live within a range that contains only about 7,100 spotted owls, according to federal officials.

--The Seattle Times and The Associated Press contributed
State economists project that Oregonians will receive a $987 million kicker tax credit in 2026 as personal and corporate tax revenues continue to exceed expectations, according to a quarterly economic and revenue forecast released Wednesday.

The increased tax revenue also means that lawmakers will have $676 million more than previously expected to allocate in next years legislative session from the states largest pool of discretionary funding, interim state economist Josh Lehner told lawmakers Wednesday.

That additional funding is positive news for lawmakers, who are expected to craft a major funding package to address the states transportation needs during next years long session. Building housing, expanding behavioral health services and addressing the states education budget could also be key priorities for lawmakers.

Legislators must come into the 2025 legislative session prepared to make tough decisions about which programs, services, and projects we fund and ensure those decisions are consistent with the values of Oregonians, Senate President Rob Wagner, a Democrat from Lake Oswego, said in a statement.

The states economy, meanwhile, remains stable as inflation rates continue to cool, Lehner said. While there are positive signs, like a low unemployment rate of 4.2%, there are also challenges, such as ongoing layoffs by some of the states largest employers.

Were doing about as well as you could have hoped for as were transitioning out of this inflationary economic boom that weve been in since the pandemic, Lehner told the Senate and House revenue committees.

Corporate and personal income taxes have outpaced expectations since the last economic forecast in June. At that time, economists indicated that there was a 50-50 proposition that Oregonians would receive a kicker tax credit in 2026 of only $582 million.

The state has seen a slight increase in the number of personal income tax returns filed and processed this year, but economists say they cant fully explain the spike in tax revenue. Other state revenues, such as the corporate activity tax and taxes on lottery winnings and recreational marijuana sales, have not increased or decreased significantly more than expected, they said.

It is encouraging to see that our economy continues to be stable, with healthy workforce participation in key sectors, Gov. Tina Kotek said in a statement Wednesday. The forecast urges an emphasis on core programs and holding our ground on Oregonians top priorities.

The projected $987 million kicker for the biennium that ends next year is currently lower than the amount that was refunded to taxpayers in the last three budget cycles. The most recent kicker of $5.61 billion was by far the largest in state history. However, the amount of the projected kicker could change in future forecasts.

Oregonians will receive the kicker as a credit toward their 2025 income tax bill when they file taxes early in 2026.

The corporate tax kicker, which directs surplus corporate tax revenue to K-12 education, is currently projected to be $883 million, state economists said.

Unemployment throughout the state remains low, Lehner said, despite layoffs by some of the states top employers, including Intel, Nike and several timber companies. That could partially be attributed to laid off employees from these companies getting recruited by local competitors, Lehner said.

Companies have been hiring fewer workers in recent years, which could hurt the economy down the line if the trend continues, Lehner said.

Theres a lot of good things about the labor market today, but the hiring rate has slowed down tremendously, Lehner said. So if you have a job, its good today, but if youre looking for a job, its harder to find one than it has been, really, in the last handful of years.

Top lawmakers were cautiously optimistic following the economic forecast. House Speaker Julie Fahey, a Democrat from Eugene, said lawmakers need to remain prudent in how we use taxpayer dollars and stay focused on passing a transportation package next year that will keep our economy moving.

The Legislature will likely consider several potential funding sources for next years transportation package, including increasing the gas tax or implementing a tax on the number of miles every Oregonian drives. Top Republicans have indicated that they would not support any increased or new taxes.

The Legislature should resist the push for new taxes both to ease the cost burden for families and to unleash Oregons private sector potential, House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich of Hood River said in a statement.

 Carlos Fuentes covers state politics and government. Reach him at 503-221-5386 or cfuentes@oregonian.com.

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Mike Erickson, a Republican looking to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas in Oregons 6th Congressional District, blasted the incumbent Tuesday for a radio ad she paid for with taxpayer funds less than three months before the November election.

Using congressional funds to inform voters about a Congress members accomplishments is entirely common and legal, Salinas team responded.

The ordinariness of that practice is reinforced by the actions of Oregons first-term 5th District representative, Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who has sent out about a dozen taxpayer funded mailers this year to tout her accomplishments and connect with constituents. Those included a July mailer about protecting Oregon from communist Chinas threats.

Still, members of Congress using taxpayer money to tout their own accomplishments can rankle voters.

In Salinas 60-second advertisement, which ran on KINK radio in Portland, the first-term Democrat, who as a member of Congress makes $174,000, casts herself as a sympathetic ally who knows day-to-day life is simply too expensive for families in Oregon. The ad touts Salinas work across the aisle to lower costs, then urges listeners to contact her, so I can hear from you as I continue to focus on making it easier for Oregon families to make ends meet.

The ad doesnt mention Salinas upcoming election, a rematch against Erickson, whom she bested in 2022.

A poll from the Erickson campaign suggests that the race could be a tight one. Political forecasts by The Cook Political Report and University of Virginias Center for Politics, however, predict that the seat skews toward Democratic control.

Members of Congress do face limits on using congressional funds to promote themselves ahead of an election. Theres a blackout date, 60 days before an election, after which incumbent House members are not allowed to send mass communications from their office.

The communication standards manual for House members says that advertisements must be related to a representatives official business. They cant be used for personal or political reasons or contain campaign content or electioneering.

Mass communications by candidates such as radio ads must go through a bipartisan House Communications Standards Commission before reaching the airwaves. Salinas campaign provided an advisory opinion showing that her ad was approved.

Salinas has purchased three radio ads while in office, said Sam Forbes, a spokesperson for Salinas. The first two, purchased prior to the primary election this year, cost $26,000 combined. Salinas had not yet been billed for the KINK radio ad, but Forbes expected it would cost a similar range of $13,000.

Salinas political campaign fund has spent no money on radio advertising this cycle, but it has spent more than $1 million on operating expenditures including digital consulting, direct mail, research and more.
Mayor Ted Wheeler on Tuesday said if Multnomah County does not open a drop-off center for people caught with drugs by the end of October, he will immediately reevaluate the citys participation in the countys so-called deflection plan.

The mayors remarks came during a briefing by two Multnomah County officials who described the plan for low-level drug possession cases starting Sunday, when House Bill 4002 goes into effect.
The end of summer is near and sweater season is getting nearer. Luckily, fall is one of Oregons most beautiful seasons, promising gorgeous orange and red foliage, cozy cafes, and lots of spots to pick apples or choose the perfect pumpkin. If youre ready to get in the Fall mood, theres no better time to head out to Hood River and enjoy the views of the Columbia Gorge from one of these 6 stays, all available to book on VRBO.

Mountain-framing windows with a panoramic view.VRBO

Elegance Overlooking Columbia River

This spacious 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom home sleeps 9 and has all the amenities for a relaxing getaway including a hot tub, fireplace, and beautiful outdoor space to see the view.

Relax with a luxurious deck, view, and hot tub.VRBO

Rooftop Hood River Townhouse

The 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom escape that sleeps 6 offers a close walk to the railroad and the river, as well as access to an outdoor space for barbecuing and enjoying the changing foliage.

Mount Adams Panoramic Gorge Views

This 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom home sleeps 6 and offers gorgeous hillside views of Mount Adams and the Gorge. Enjoy barbecuing on the deck and a short 3 minute drive to the river.

Nothing beats the views from the gorgeous deck.VRBO

Walkable Large-Family Stay

This 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom stay sleeps 8 and offers extremely close proximity to the water as well as parking, a sunlit kitchen, and extraordinary views all around.

Hawks Landing Townhome

Vacation up with the birds in this 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom stay that sleeps 8 and enjoy the views, outdoor space, and short 5 minute drive to the marina.

The views will knock your socks off.VRBO

Cute & Quaint Cottage

The pet-friendly quaint cottage that sleeps 4 with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathroom offers simplicity for a relaxing weekend. Enjoy the fenced in yard, outdoor space, and proximity to cafes and restaurants.
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - Amid further raids, airstrikes and settler attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, warned that the Israeli militarys actions risked further enflaming an already explosive situation
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved updated COVID-19 mRNA-based vaccine shots from Moderna and Pfizer, which comes amid an uptick of cases in the summer.

As of Aug. 16, COVID-19 infections were estimated to be growing in 27 US states, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Only four states are experiencing a decline in COVID-19 infections.

With the number of COVID-19 cases rising again, it is important to keep vaccines updated to stay protected against the latest strains. To keep you informed, here is everything you need to know about the shot, including how it is different from other vaccines, who can get the updated shots, and where to get the vaccine.

What Makes the Updated COVID Shots Different?

The updated COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer target the KP.2 strain, which descended from the contagious Omicron subvariant JN.1. In addition, the shot would provide recipients a stronger immune response against other circulating variants.

Who Can Receive the Shots?

The updated vaccine shots are recommended for anyone ages six months and older. Individuals who were previously vaccinated for COVID-19 are advised to wait at least two months since their last shot or infection before getting the updated vaccine.

Children between six months and four years old who have not received any prior COVID-19 vaccine will be eligible to receive three doses of the Pfizer shot or two doses of the Moderna vaccine, per the FDA announcement.

Children between the ages of five and 11 may receive a single dose of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, regardless of their vaccination status. Those ages 12 and older are eligible to receive one dose of the updated vaccine.

What Are the Potential Side Effects?

Individuals who receive the vaccine shots may experience a range of potential side effects, including:

Pain or swelling at the injection site

Fatigue

Headache

Muscle pain

Chills

Fever

Nausea

More serious adverse effects may include anaphylaxis, which is a severe reaction that can be treated with epinephrine.

When Will the Vaccines Become Available?

The updated vaccines will be available in pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics across the country "in the coming days." Walgreens is already accepting vaccination appointments, with the shots expected to be disbursed beginning Sept. 6 for recipients ages 12 and older.

Meanwhile, CVS has launched an online vaccine scheduler that would allow appointments as early as Wednesday.
Memory is one of the crucial aspects of a graphics card, and faster is always better  so its no surprise that Nvidias next-gen GeForce RTX cards, expected sometime in 2025, will feature cutting-edge GDDR7 memory modules.

But according to new statements, desktop PCs wont be the only ones getting that tech. Its coming to laptop cards in the 50 series, too. Buried deep in a presentation from a Chinese laptop manufacturer were a few details about Nvidias Blackwell laptop cards, specifically the xx60 version of the card. (That will almost certainly be called the GeForce RTX 5060, but we dont have confirmation on nomenclature.)

Today is Amazon Prime Big Deal Days! Our editorial team lists the best tech deals here. ]

According to a Shenzhen Hasee Computer Co. chairman, these laptop graphics cards will be the first on the market equipped with GDDR7 memory, now in the final stages of pre-production from suppliers.

The news was spotted by a social media user and picked up by WCCFTech, so theres certainly room for error among lots of transcription from a live presentation and various translations. But it certainly tracks. Laptop GPUs are generally based on the same tech as the desktop cards they follow, even though the realities of mobile tech design mean theyre a little less punchy for pushing polygons. But its good to hear that speedy memory wont be one of those compromises for laptop users.

The chairman went on to say that the newer chips will sip less power than current-gen laptop GPUs, down to 115 watts from a maximum of 140 watts for the RTX 4060. Thats despite offering better performance! The presentation said we can expect the RTX 5060 (again, unconfirmed name) to meet or beat the capabilities of the RTX 4070 laptop card.

The RTX 50 series is expected to span the usual range, from 5050 on the low end all the way up to 5090, on both desktop and laptop. No timeframe is known yet, but sometime in mid-to-late 2025 would fit the established patterns.

Nvidia refreshed the RTX 40 series on the desktop with upgraded Super variants, but it doesnt look like those bumps will be coming to laptops anytime soon. Nvidia also downgraded the memory in the desktop RTX 4070, moving it from GDDR6X to the older and very slightly slower GDDR6 to save costs.
Economists at Standard Bank, the parent company of Stanbic Bank Ghana, have described Ghanas mid-year budget review as a reflection of both prudent financial management and economic management. This was contained in the June 2024 Flash Note of the Standard Banks Africa Markets Revealed (AMR) report.



The report notes some significant strategies being deployed by the government to reduce its fiscal deficit. The report said The governments commitment to maintaining a positive primary balance remains intact, with a targeted surplus of 0.5% of GDP. However, there has been a notable reduction in the fiscal deficit. The revised deficit stands at GHS42.5 billion (4.2% of GDP) on a commitment basis, down from the initial GHS50.3 billion (4.8% of GDP). On a cash basis, the deficit has been adjusted to GHS54.1 billion (5.3% of GDP) from GHS61.8 billion (5.9% of GDP). This decrease is attributed to higher revenue projections and revised expenditure targets.



The Flash Note, however, noted the shortfall in revenue targets saying Projected total revenue and grants have increased to GHS177.2 billion (17.4% of GDP) from the previous estimate of GHS176.4 billion (16.8% of GDP). This growth is primarily driven by stronger non-oil tax revenues, which are expected to rise to GHS15.6 billion (1.5% of GDP) from GHS14.8 billion (1.4% of GDP). Despite this positive outlook, actual revenue collected in the first half of 2024 fell short of targets, reaching GHS74.7 billion against a target of GHS76.1 billion.



On the expenditure side, the Flash Note reports that total spending has been revised downward to GHS219.7 billion (21.5% of GDP) from GHS226.7 billion (21.6% of GDP). This reduction, according to the report, is largely due to decreased external debt service costs following a successful debt restructuring operation. The governments management of capital expenditure will be pivotal, particularly as potential challenges arise with implementation ahead of the December elections.



One of the most notable changes in the budget, the report notes, is the dramatic increase in net foreign financing, which has surged to GHS15.2 billion (1.5% of GDP) from GHS463.5 million in the initial budget. This increase is linked to a reduction in external debt amortization, which has been cut from GHS20.8 billion to approximately GHS6.0 billion due to the debt restructuring. The government has also secured substantial external funding, including USD960 million from the IMF, USD550 million from the World Bank, and further expected disbursements from these and other international bodies. The planned external debt service relief is projected to contribute USD1.8 billion in 2024 and USD3.2 billion in 2025, effectively addressing the external funding gap.



The review underscores a significant restructuring of Ghanas debt obligations, which should alleviate some fiscal pressure. The reduction in net domestic financing, now at GHS38.9 billion (3.8% of GDP), and the shift towards shorter-term government securities reflect a strategic approach to managing domestic liquidity and debt service. However, the report notes that challenges persist. The risk of underperformance in revenue collection is evident, given the shortfall in the first half of 2024. Additionally, with the approaching elections, there may be increased pressure on capital expenditure management, raising concerns about potential implementation risks.



Overall, the governments fiscal adjustments demonstrate a commitment to stabilizing the economy and managing debt effectively. While the revised path appears more manageable due to external debt relief and increased foreign financing, continuous monitoring and strategic execution will be essential for achieving the revised fiscal targets and ensuring economic stability. As the year progresses, stakeholders will need to closely monitor revenue performance, expenditure adherence, and the impact of external financing on Ghana's economic outlook.



The African Markets Revealed Report, a monthly publication by Standard Bank Group, the parent company of Stanbic Bank Ghana, provides an economic and financial outlook for African countries, reviewing current economic conditions and offering short to medium-term economic predictions.







Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Head of Global Markets at Stanbic Bank Ghana, Afua Bulley, has urged women to confidently pursue careers in finance, encouraging them to embrace opportunities in the industry.



Afua Bulley said this when she joined other panel members to discuss Encouraging Diversity: Womens Leadership and Inclusive Growth in Finance at the ACI Ghana Financial Markets Conference.



During her presentation, Afua Bulley recounted the progress that has been made over the years relative to diversity in Ghanas financial industry while also emphasizing the need for continued progress and further efforts to achieve greater inclusivity.



She said If we take the banking sector, for example, 30 per cent of the boards of banks are female, indicating a lot of progress over the past decade. I believe there is more to be done to achieve parity in numbers at the least, but there is tangible evidence that progress has been made.



According to Afua Bulley, Addressing the issue of diversity in the finance industry demands a multifaceted approach that tackles the issue from all fronts. This approach requires us to look at solving the issue through education, internships, mentorship, and policy.



Through education, we can expose young girls to finance and debunk the notion that finance is all about numbers crunching. Young girls who show interest in finance should also be given scholarships and bursaries to encourage them more.



Internships will expose young professionals to seeing women in high positions and this will create a shift in their mindset and tell them they can also get to the highest point in their careers.



Those of us who are already in the industry must also hold the hands of prospective females and mentor them by providing support, guidance and introducing them to our wider networks. Finally, organizations must promote a culture that supports female development through policy. We must strive towards policies that are not punitive to females but rather encourages an open and transparent culture that makes women feel safe, Afua Bulley added.



The Financial Markets Conference was organized by ACI Ghana under the theme Navigating the Future: Innovation, Ethical Excellence, and Inclusion in Ghanas Financial Markets. The event brought together industry leaders, regulators, and policymakers to discuss current trends and challenges in Ghanas financial industry.













Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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General Manager of Commercial Operations at Telecel Ghana, Mercy Dawn Akude has called for the prioritisation of authenticity in leadership as a critical need for business growth at the 10th Women in Human Resources (HR) Conference in Accra.



Speaking on a panel at the conference organised by the Ghana Employers Association on the theme Leading with Authenticity: Building Confidence & Influence, Mercy Dawn said the path to authentic leadership is long and often challenging but consistent adherence to the tenets of transparency, integrity and being exemplary are the values that promote business.



Leading with authenticity is not just about being a good leader, its about being a leader who makes a difference. Authenticity is not gained in a day; it is developed over time. It will be tried and tested. It will have to go through the test of fire.



Mercy Dawns submissions resonated deeply with the audience of HR professionals, employers, and other business practitioners as she shared a blend of personal stories and professional insights that stressed the value of authenticity in leadership.



Reflecting on her journey, she recounted her return to Ghana from the UK and how she secured her first role at then Ghana Telecom, where she focused on cost control measures to drive efficiency. Despite the opposition to her new policies for continuous improvement, Mercy remained on course and leaned on her authenticity to stay in the business.



Authenticity is not an easy road. Once you decide to be authentic, it means you are being your true self. It also means a mindset shift. Its not about you anymore. Its about your purpose and impact. Once you have that shift, you change your ways and you allow that focus to be your guide, she explained.



Mercy Dawns career trajectory from Ghana Telecom to Vodafone and eventually to Telecel, where she now leads close to 1,000 people as General Manager of Commercial Operations, exemplifies the process of becoming more authentic.



Mercy Dawn shared her experiences of going the extra mile in her work, including a significant project to roll out Telecel retail shops, to increase the number from 60 to over 300 outlets across Ghana. For that project, she leveraged her previous retail shop work experience at Marks & Spencer in the UK.



Understand that leadership is a journey. You must start from somewhere. We deliver on our commercial strategy because there is a team that believes in my authenticity. I reward and appreciate them based on performance. Its a team that delivers on the job so give I them their due, she said.



Mercy Dawns submission concluded with a powerful call to action for all women leaders to embrace authenticity and lead with confidence with continued dependence on God!







Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The Ghana Shippers' Authority (GSA) has addressed concerns and misconceptions tof Traders Association (GUTA) raised regarding the recently amended Ghana Shippers' Authority Law.



On Wednesday, August 21, 2024, GUTA President Dr. Joseph Obeng expressed concerns about the amended law, including lack of consultation on registration, insufficient discussion on shipment notice submission, late stakeholder involvement, unaddressed permit and license issues, and the reintroduction of the Advanced Shipping Information System.



"We were not adequately consulted, and our concerns were not addressed. We fear this law may stifle businesses and increase costs", he stated.



However, in a statement issued on Friday, August 23, 2024, GSA clarified and allayed GUTA's fears, reiterating its commitment to stakeholder engagement and collaboration. The GSA explained that the amended law aims to enhance the shipping industry, not hinder it.



On the issue of registration of shippers and shipping service providers, the GSA clarified that registration is not a licensing regime, but rather a means of identification for efficient processing. Besides, the requirement has been in Ghanas laws since 1987.



Registration only means registration, and by no stretch of imagination should it be misconstrued as a licensing regime. This has been explained and discussed with the stakeholders including GUTA. Registration of shippers is not a new introduction; it has always been in the laws of Ghana: Section 1 of L.I. 1347 (1987) and then Section 2 of L.I. 2190 (2012) provided for registration of shippers by the GSA, the statement in part clarified.



Regarding the issue of submission of notice of shipment, the GSA explained that this requirement has also been in place since 1987 and is necessary for legal shipment notification.



Section 8 of L.I. 1347 (1987), and then in Section 12 of L.I. 2190 (2012) provide for Shipment Notification by shippers. We believe that where goods are legally shipped, submission of Shipment Notification must not evoke any fear, the statement in part read.



Responding to the issue of final draft issuance, the GSA assured that stakeholders, including GUTA, were engaged throughout the parliamentary process and that it doors remain open for continued collaboration.



On the issue of permits and licenses, the GSA reiterated that registration is necessary for identification and speed in processing shipments, distinct from a licensing regime.



Touching on the issue of Advance Shipment Information System, the GSA explained that this system is not new, and aims to facilitate pre-arrival clearance processes, reducing avoidable costs. This is contained in L.I. 2190 (2012), which is currently in force. Under the new law also, it will be operationalized through an L.I., and GSA is currently in ongoing consultations with stakeholders to pool inputs for the yet to be passed L.I..



Regarding to the use of L.I. to correct any defect or anomaly in the operationalization of the amended law, the GSA assured that the new L.I. will provide clarity on provisions and align Ghana with global standards, reiterating its commitment to constructive collaboration.



GSA assured that the new Legislative Instrument (L.I.) will provide clarity on provisions and align Ghana with global standards, reiterating its commitment to constructive collaboration. GSA appealed to stakeholders to remain engaged, ensuring the law enables profitable commercial shipping business while aligning with global standards.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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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.

Source: graphiconline









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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Jarso Marley Jallah, the Liberian Minister of Education, embarked on a visit to the Ghana TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) Service.



The visit was part of a broader initiative to exchange knowledge and best practices in technical education between the two countries, with Ghanas TVET Service playing host to the Liberian delegation.



Mr. David Prah, along with several directors and staff of the TVET Service, welcomed Dr. Jallah and her delegation. The atmosphere was one of mutual respect and eagerness to learn from each others experiences in the realm of vocational education.



During the visit, the Director-General of Ghana's TVET Service delivered an insightful presentation that outlined the history, achievements, and ongoing initiatives of the service.



The presentation highlighted Ghanas commitment to enhancing technical education as a means of driving economic growth and development.



Dr. Jallah expressed her delight in the knowledge shared and her enthusiasm for the potential to implement the learned experiences in Liberia. She noted that the insights gained during the visit could significantly contribute to the revitalization of Liberia's own TVET sector.



The Minister underscored the importance of adopting best practices from Ghana to improve the quality and reach of vocational education in Liberia, to equip more Liberian youths with the necessary skills for the job market.



This visit marks a promising step towards deeper cooperation between the two countries in the education sector, with both parties optimistic about the positive outcomes that could arise from this partnership.

Source: Justice Gyasi & Albert Anderson









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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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.







Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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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









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 Economic and Organised Crime Office(EOCO) on Thursday, August 22, 2024, was recognized by the Internal Audit Agency (IAA) among state institutions in the country for exemplary leadership among other categories at the 2024 Conference and Awards.



These awards are presented to the heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of government that provide sufficient logistics and build the capacity of the internal audit unit of the ire respective organizations they head. It also makes sure that the internal control systems are effective.



EOCO topped these agencies after being awarded in various categories by the IAA at the event held at the University of Professional Studies in Accra where heads of various government agencies were in attendance.



Following an Audit assessment in the 2023/2024 Auditing Year for state institutions in the country for which reason they were recognized and rewarded, EOCO came tops as it was adjudged Best Audit Committee (Accountability Institutions), Best ERM Compliant Institutions (Accountability Institutions), Best Internal Audit Unit (Accountability Institutions) and Best Head of Covered Entity (Accountability Institutions)



The Director-General of the Internal Audit Agency, Dr. E. O. Osae was full of praise for EOCO for the work done following an Audit assessment in the 2023/2024 Auditing year and encouraged the establishment to keep it up.



Executive Director of the EOCO, COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah(Mrs) who received the awards on behalf of the organization thanked IAA for the recognition and pledged that it would be a moral booster for her and the staff to do more in compliance of auditing.



Speaking briefly to the media she said We are not going to be complacent after these awards. It is an indication that we are doing something right and we must continue to chart a path that has been recognized and applauded by a state agency. I dedicate the awards to the staff of the institution who continue to work towards its development. Even though we are not there yet, I am certain that with unity and a common purpose, we will achieve the vision of the anti-corruption agency



Other awardees at the ceremony included the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the University of Cape Coast, Bui Power Authority and the Ghana National Fire Service(GNFS).



Upon her assumption of office as head of the agency, COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah(Mrs) has been credited for engineering transformation in accordance with the Act that establishes EOCO with collaborations with international agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) in the USA, City of London Police (CoLP) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police.



In 2023 the institution made a total recovery of over GHC 232 million for the state being direct and indirect recoveries from proceeds of crime.







Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The 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.

Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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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









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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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









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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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









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 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









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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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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Russia has warned the West saying it 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 August 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 halt a ban on using foreign-supplied weapons in deep parts of Russia.



Since invading Ukraine in 2022, Putin has repeatedly warned of the risk of a much larger 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 the 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 says the president can use a nuclear weapon "when the very existence of the state is put under threat".



Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said earlier this month that the assault on Russia's Kursk region showed that Kremlin threats of retaliation or nuclear war 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.

















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 National Democratic Congress (NDC), has intimated that they intend undertaking "series of public fora and demonstrations" to put pressure on the Electoral Commission (EC) in a bid to ensure that the country's voters' register remains credible.



Director of Elections for the NDC, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, says the party considers the current Voters' Register put out by the Electoral Commission to be "incurably defective".



In a Facebook post on Wednesday, August 28, he alleged that the register has "deliberately been tampered with", and thus "unfit for purpose".



He believes only a "forensic audit or parliamentary investigation of the voters register" can correct the register's defectiveness.



The exhibition exercise commenced on the Tuesday, August 20 and ended on Tuesday, 27th August, 2024. This exercise provided 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.



But the former Minister for Communications in the erstwhile Mahama government claimed the exhibition exercise revealed "mountains of anomalies" uncovered as a result of "thorough scrutiny", and which "if not resolved, can jeopardize the outcome of the 2024 elections."







Read Full Facebook Post below:



Fellow Ghanaians,



Without a forensic audit or parliamentary investigation of the voters register, the register remains incurably defective.



The Electoral Commission of Ghana refused to release the voters' register to the NDC on time ahead of the exhibition exercise.



But with hard work, dedication, and patriotic zeal, the NDC across the country has proven that the register compiled by the EC is unfit for purpose.



Without a forensic audit or thorough parliamentary investigation of the EC's voters register, the register will remain incurably defective.



Forget about adjudication!!!



It's obvious the register has deliberately been tampered with!



They did not expect such thorough scrutiny that has unveiled the mountains of anomalies.



The exhibition exercise has revealed avoidable problems, which, if not resolved, can jeopardize the outcome of the 2024 elections.



Constituency by constituency (based on polling stations) reports have revealed avoidable mistakes under the following headings:





1. Registered voters whose names are missing.



2. Qualified voters who are placed on the Exception list or the Multiple List.



3. Disqualified people due to multiple registrations or successful challenges who are still on the Main Provisional Voters Register (PVR).



4. People who have been transferred without their knowledge in addition to Old Transfers that are still appearing on the register.



5. People who have been moved from one polling station to another polling station.



Let me also add the awkward process that allowed voters to apply for proxy earlier this year without their biometrics being checked 



As contained in the uploaded petition, the Parliament of Ghana must investigate the Electoral Commission.



If Parliament fails, Ghanaians together with the international community, must exert enough pressure on the EC to permit forensic audit of their system, including the register.



Keep in mind that the theft of Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) laptops under CCTV surveillance at the headquarters of the EC remains unresolved. Similar to the missing/stolen Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs)...



Series of public fora and demonstrations loading...



Thank you.







#EAGLEEYES



#OrganiseDontAgonise

Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The idea to revamp Ghana's economy by implementing the 24-hour economy by the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has been defended by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wa West.



Peter Lanchene Toobu suggests the Mahama-led administration if elected will have no room for lazy individuals with the implementation of the much talked about 24-hour economic policy.



Why are we sleeping when we can work 24 hours in Ghana? He questioned in an interview with NEAT FM's morning show, 'Ghana Montie' when discussing the party's recent manifesto launch.



The NDC lawmaker reiterated his party's intention to recruit about 25,000 people in the security sector to protect people during our 24-hour economy policy.



Adding that We have to protect investors to help the 24/7 policy.



Listen to the interview below





Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman/Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The girl said she was 14 years old, and she apparently loved to chat.

Thats who 45-year-old Theodore Nugin thought he was dealing with this year in a six-month, cyberspace relationship that covered a variety of topics including Nugins job (he said he was a dean of financial aid at a college near Harrisburg), vacation plans and the girls schooling, according to arrest records.
By Fallon Roth, The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS)

Former President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he had reached an agreement with Vice President Kamala Harris campaign on rules  including whether candidates microphones will be muted  for the presidential debate set to take place in Philadelphia on Sept. 10. But Harris campaign refuted that assertion, doubling down on its position that the candidates microphones should remain on during the entirety of the debate.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said he agreed to terms for the debate at the National Constitution Center that would reflect the guidelines implemented in the June 27 CNN debate with President Joe Biden. During that debate, microphones were muted if a candidate wasnt actively speaking  which has become the most recent, hotly contested detail between the Harris and Trump campaigns  and there wasnt a live audience.

The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia will host a debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. (Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com, file)

There are no plans to host a live audience at the September debate, Jeffrey Rosen, CEO of the National Constitution Center, told The Philadelphia Inquirer Tuesday. However, host network ABC could change that as the debate approaches.

Though Trump did not explicitly mention microphones in his Truth Social post, the Harris campaign on Tuesday said its position on debating with unmuted microphones had not wavered.

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 wrote in a statement.

Representatives for ABC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on any agreements.

The dispute between the two campaigns over the microphone issue became apparent on Monday when a source told CNN that the Trump campaign wanted the mics muted in September, a change in tune from the 2020 presidential debate, when Trumps campaign advocated for them to be left on.

Trump himself appeared to be indifferent to the mic issue Monday. We agreed to the same rules. I dont know. It doesnt matter to me. Id rather have it probably on, but the agreement was it would be the same as it was last time. In that case, it was muted, the former president told NBC News.

Jason Miller, a senior Trump adviser, said in a statement Monday that the campaign accepted the ABC debate under the exact same terms as the CNN debate.

Harris did not accept the rules of the CNN debate between Trump and Biden because she was not the presidential candidate at the time. Trump also wanted to stray from the CNN rules in his proposed Sept. 4 Fox News debate, which he suggested take place in an arena with a live audience, Politico Playbook reported.

The Harris campaign told ABC and any other networks seeking to hold additional debates in October that both candidates microphones should stay live for the duration of the event, as has historically been the case during presidential debates, Brian Fallon, the Harris campaigns senior adviser for communications, said in a statement.

The vice president is ready to deal with Trumps constant lies and interruptions in real time. Trump should stop hiding behind the mute button, Fallon said.

Harris team is taking a different approach to debate mics than the Biden campaign, which wanted them muted except when a candidate was speaking.
Journey members Neil Schon and Jonathan Cain are still dealing with the bands legal issues, and new details regarding the bandmates court case have been revealed.

In a new filing, Cains attorney, Kasey H. Desantis, says Schon is now backtracking on their agreement to fix the bands financial deadlock, calling this inconsistent with respondents prior communications with the court and Discovery Facilitator Joseph Slights explicitly agreeing to the appointment of a third, deadlock breaking director.

On Sunday evening, it became apparent that Mr.Schon is attempting to backtrack on his agreement for the Court to appoint a custodian to serve as a third, deadlock-breaking director of Freedom 2020, Inc., and is now seeking to inappropriately limit the role of the custodian, the filing reads.

This is inconsistent with Respondents counsels prior communications with the Court and Discovery Facilitator Joseph Slights explicitly agreeing to the appointment of a third, deadlock-breaking director.

Schon made a statement on Facebook last week, explaining that he and Cain dont always get along, but he was willing to take the high road and fix their issues for the fans sake.

Anyone who follows Journey will know that Jon Cain and I dont always see eye-to-eye on everything. Or, sometimes, on pretty much anything, Schon wrote. Recently, Jon Cain made a number of claims and slanderous accusations about me and my wife  and I cant stress enough how much it upset me and how wrong they are.

I am determined to take the high road and push all this aside for the moment to focus on our fans, the tour, and all who give so much to make things happen, Schon wrote. Thats why Im so glad that Jon now agrees with me that the current dynamic cant continue. Its also why Im pleased that were going to bring in someone impartial to help us resolve our disputes, bring clarity to what were doing, and allow us, as a band, to get back to what we should all focus on  making music and performing for our fans.

In early August, the two bandmates asked a Delaware judge to help resolve their financial deadlock and, more recently, agreed to bring in an impartial person to fix the ownership issue within the bands legal entity, Freedom 2020.

According to court filings, Schon is the president of Freedom 2020, a company created to handle the bands tour-related finances. He and Cain each have a 50% stake in the company.

Before the August filing, Cain filed claims against Schon for overspending back in July, saying that Schon misused the bands AMEX card.

The July court filing claims that Schon has blown past a $1,500-per-night hotel fee cap, maxed out an American Express card with a $1 million limit, unilaterally chartered private jets, hired a close friend as unnecessary extra security, and blocked efforts to pay the bands debts, according to reports from BloombergLaw.

The band founder was accused of spending up to $10,000 on hotels for his wife and crew members and hundreds of thousands of dollars on private jets, reportedly for him, his wife, and his company.

Journey had been on tour to celebrate its 50th anniversary on tour but recently announced the cancelation of United Kingdom dates due to ongoing legal issues.

The band was able to play for the Hershey audience in July alongside rock legends Deff Leppard and The Steve Miller Band.
Its time to sound the alarm on insect bites because theres a real chance they can be deadly.

The cause for concern stems from more than 8,000 cases of Oropouche virus that have been reported in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, and Peru this year.

Even though most cases reported through Aug. 1 have been in South America, infections are spreading and its happening in countries that never had the virus.

As a result, multiple travel-related cases have been reported in the United States and Europe.

The crisis has stirred such a cause for concern that the Pan American Health Organization, a regional arm of the World Health Organization, has issued an epidemiolocal alert for Oropouche virus, raising the public health risk level to high for the Americas.

Although the disease has historically been described as mild, the geographic spread in transmission and the detection of more severe cases underscore the need for increased surveillance and characterization of possible more severe manifestations, the agency noted in a statement.

A U.S. health advisory warning has also been issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warning healthcare providers and public health authorities to keep an eye out for new cases and recommending that pregnant women avoid traveling to affected areas.

So far, as of Tuesday, the CDC said more than 20 U.S. travelers coming from Cuba have tested positive for Oropouche virus.

Lets further dive into what the virus is and how to prevent contracting it.

The Oropouche virus was discovered in 1955 and got its name from a village in Trinidad and Tobago. Since then, about 500,000 cases have been reported. Not much is known about the virus, as it has been dubbed as a mysterious threat by the Lancet medical journal.

It has sometimes been called sloth fever because scientists first investigating the virus found it in a three-toed sloth, and believed sloths were important in its spread between insects and animals.

According to the CDC, about 60% of people who are infected develop symptoms that include a sudden onset of fever, chills, headache, muscle pain and joint stiffness. Other symptoms could include eye pain, light sensitivity, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue and rash, but in rare cases, it could infect the nervous system and result in meningitis and encephalitis.

Though some patients suffer recurring symptoms, 1 in 20 could suffer the more severe symptoms.

The virus stems from a different viral family than Zika but raises many of the same concerns.

We dont fully understand its life cycle and its transmission cycle, and it does look like it impacts pregnant people, Janet Hamilton, executive director of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, said. This is exactly why we really need to learn more.

So how does the virus spread?

Its spread to humans by insect bites, especially from biting midges  a type of small fly  and certain types of mosquitos. Humans have become infected while visiting forested areas and are believed to be responsible for helping the virus make its way to more urban areas.

So far, person-to-person transmission hasnt been documented.

Though rarely fatal, there have been recent reports of deaths in two healthy young people in Brazil.

How could you protect yourself?

Unfortunately, there is no vaccine to protect against Oropouche virus and there are no specific antiviral treatments available. Cases can be confirmed through laboratory testing, where more common viruses like dente are ruled out first.

This is a good time to think about mosquito bite prevention: Avoid going out at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most likely to be biting; dress appropriately to protect your skin from bites from mosquitoes and other insects, and to use a mosquito repellent that is effective at preventing infections, Hamilton said.

Two travel advisories have been issued by the CDC  one is encouraging travelers to South America to take usual precautions and another suggesting that travelers going to Cuba take enhanced precautions in protecting themselves from bug bites.

The CDC recommends that pregnant women should take special precautions and avoid nonessential travel to Cuba.
A pharmacy worker prepares a prescription.Commonwealth Media Services

HARRISBURG  A review by Pennsylvanias elected financial watchdog concluded there were shortcomings in a state agencys oversight of fees paid to pharmacy benefit managers in the Medicaid program, but the claims were hotly disputed by state officials.

The report released Wednesday by Auditor General Tim DeFoor said the Department of Human Services allowed $7 million in improper spread pricing in the Medicaid program in 2022. Spread pricing is the difference between the amount a pharmacy benefit manager reimburses a pharmacy for a prescription and what it charges the health plan.

But agency officials said the money paid by pharmacies to pharmacy benefit managers did not constitute spread pricing  which was banned for Medicaid in Pennsylvania four years ago  but instead constituted transmission fees that have been allowed but are being eliminated next year.

Transmission fee is spread pricing, DeFoor said, adding that the main issue was what he considered to be a lack of transparency. The end result, he said, is that Human Services is paying more into the Medicaid program than it should for prescription drugs.

Pharmacy benefit managers control access to medication for millions of Americans, helping determine which drugs are covered and where patients can fill prescriptions.

The report said about 2.8 million Pennsylvania residents participate in the Physical HealthChoices program for Medicaid, in which managed care organizations contract with pharmacy benefit managers. The managers collect a transmission fee, what Human Services described as typically less than a dollar per claim. Spread pricing, which is allowed in the commercial sector, is tied to the amount of a claim and can result in significantly higher prescription costs.

Among the audits recommendations was to put concise and understandable definitions into state law for transmission fees, spread pricing and pass-through pricing.

A bill that passed the Legislature in July restricts or prohibits some pharmacy benefit manager practices in the private sector, including requiring prescriptions to be ordered by mail.

The bills prime sponsor, Democratic state Rep. Jessica Benham of Allegheny County, said the version that first passed the Democratic-majority House included a ban on spread pricing, but the provision was taken out by Republicans who control the Senate.

The auditor general seems to be the only person in the entire country who defines transmission fees as spread pricing, Benham said.

DeFoor, a Republican, is currently running for a second four-year term. His Democratic opponent in the November election is state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta. Kenyatta in a statement called the audit overly political and substantively wrong.
A mental health counselor at Dickinson College has been dismissed from his position in the wake of his arrest on felony sex charges this month.

Theodore Nugin, 45, of Lower Allen Township, Cumberland County, was arrested on Aug. 15 by Pennsylvania State Police on charges that are usually filed in connection with attempts to engage a minor online for some kind of sexual activity.
WILLIAMSPORT  A former Cumberland County resident has won his argument that stolen body parts do not have a pecuniary value.

U.S. Middle District Judge Matthew W. Brann ruled Monday in favor of Jeremy K. Pauley concluding his sentence cannot be enhanced based on the value of stolen human remains he bought, sold or traded.

He is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty last September to charges of interstate transportation of stolen property and conspiracy to commit the same crime.
A man who was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Lancaster County in 2021 was acquitted of all charges and a court last month ordered all records related to the incident to be expunged.

Shawn Baker, 56, of Naples, Florida, was charged with several counts of sexual assault after authorities say he invited a woman and a mutual friend to his East Petersburg home for food and drinks.

He was found not guilty at trial, according to the expungement order that was signed on July 18. That order requires all records relating to the 2021 charges to be destroyed.
What do puppies, Tom Hanks and french fries have in common? Theyre all nearly universally liked.

Fries probably rank somewhere above Tom Hanks and below puppies, but their standing may also depend on the specific fry in question.

Fry preferences are personal. However, a few characteristics distinguish superior spuds. A well-respected method involves cooking the fries twice to ensure a golden, crunchy skin and creamy interior almost like a string of mashed potatoes. For other fan-favorite fries, the accoutrements are as important as the fry.

Here are five of some of the best fries (and what to dip them in) in Buffalo.

Fries and a shake

I look forward to the same snack on every road trip: McDonalds thin and golden fries dipped in an Oreo McFlurry (crucially, with extra Oreo). Its evidence that opposites attract. Hot, salty and greasy potato finds a perfect mate in the sweet and refreshing vanilla milkshake. Its a guilty pleasure I mostly reserve for gas station breaks in unfamiliar chain restaurant strips along the highway. In Buffalo, there are higher quality, homegrown choices.

At Mister Sizzles (346 Connecticut St.), owner Chris Casas started off making slender McDonalds-inspired fries, but couldnt get them to taste right. About six months in, he found his Goldilocks-like balance between thick and thin with a medium-weight fry, seasoned simply with salt and pepper.

Its not a steak fry. Its not a shoestring. Its kind of right there in the middle, Casas said.

The fries are blonde rectangles bookended by potato skin and salted generously with thick crystals. They come on their own ($5.50), with poutine ($11.75) and loaded with chili ($13.50) and pair especially well with any of Mister Sizzles two dozen milkshake flavors ($9.25) including cookies and cream.

Loaded fries with a twist

Canadians get credit for finding magic in fries smothered in gravy and cheese curds, but Egyptian restaurateur Jack Adly is to thank for inventing one of the best loaded fries in Buffalo.

Adlys Greek fries ($8.99), available at his restaurant Venus Greek & Mediterranean (3500 Main St., 714 Maple Road, Amherst, and 2164 Grand Island Blvd., Grand Island) and food truck, are a cross between poutine and Greek salad.

The fries were born out of Adlys idea to supplement greens for fries in a Greek salad when he opened his first Venus location in the University District in 2010.

He double fries steak-cut potato wedges, which he gets from a purveyor, then drizzles them with Greek dressing while theyre still piping hot. He tops the fries with a housemade mayonnaise-based garlic sauce, salty feta cheese clumps, chopped tomatoes and onions. The fries also can be ordered with protein, such as lamb, gyro, chicken, falafel or shrimp, at an additional cost.

The peoples fries

While researching this story, multiple people flagged Frank Gourmet Hot Dogs (707 Kenmore Ave.) as frying their favorite fries in Buffalo.

It makes sense since Franks makes an archetypal, crowd-pleasing type of hand-cut fry thats crispy on the outside and velvety within.

Cutting and blanching fries is the first thing on the to-do list at the start of each Franks shift, said co-owner Paul Tripi, and sometimes the staff compete to see who can slice the Idaho potatoes the fastest. Each order of fries ($4.69 small, $6.69 large) is dropped in fresh vegetable oil, which is filtered daily and fully swapped twice a week.

Dip them in one of the housemade mayonnaise-based sauces ($1.59 each), such as salt and vinegar aioli, subtle dill pickle aioli or the more complex fry sauce with ketchup, mayonnaise and vinegar. Franks also serves hand-cut sweet potato fries.

Buffalo meets Belgium

The long and thick, fingerlike pomme frites, the name for the Belgian style of making fries, inspired these fries at Belt Line Brewery, said manager Michael Crosier.

Like Franks, Belt Line Brewery (545 Swan St.) also washes, hand cuts and leaves the peel on Idaho potatoes before cooking them twice. Each spear is blanched at 300 degrees in the fryer before service begins, then fried to order and seasoned in a blend of kosher salt, pepper and Italian spices.

An order is $8. Add an accompanying dip for $1 each. The tangy and zesty lemon tarragon  a creamy blend of mayonnaise, lemon juice, tarragon, sour cream, salt and pepper  is my favorite, closely followed by the blue cheese featuring chunks of real bleu.

Jamaican fries

At Bratts Hill, the fries arent made of potato.

Cassava fries are an American riff on a bammy, a traditional Jamaican circular flatbread molded from grated cassava shrub, according to Christopher Sinclair McCalla, executive chef at Bratts Hill (719 Seneca St.).

Sinclair McCalla Americanized cassava for the Jamaican fusion restaurant. He used to make cassava fries from scratch before switching to a more cost-effective premade fry, which is what Bratts Hill currently serves. (In a restaurant, cost is key, he said.)

To jeuje the gluten-free fries a bit, Sinclair McCalla tosses them in Parmesan rub and truffle oil after frying in canola oil. Theyre also cooked twice as boiling helps fluff up the starchy cassava. The result is a springy, somewhat dense fry that is more substantial than its potato counterpart. Its almost like a hybrid french fry/mozzarella stick, with an understated cheesiness and an earthy flavor from the truffle.

About six cassava fries come in an order ($9) served on a wooden board with a jalapeno Scotch Bennett aioli, which is a floral and refreshing blend of mayonnaise, lemon juice, jalapeno, garlic, parsley and salt.
Donald Trump was already getting beat up by some on social media for smiling and giving a thumbs up during a photo session this week at Arlington National Cemetery, but there is now more troubling news about the former presidents stop.

Arlington National Cemetery told ABC News that an incident related to the photos being taken at the site took place, and a report has been filed. NPR reported Tuesday that two Trump campaign officials engaged in a verbal and physical altercation with a staff member at the cemetery.

NPR cited a source who said that a cemetery official tried to prevent Trumps campaign staffers from filming and taking photos where military members are buried. Per the report, cemetery officials made it clear to the campaign that only cemetery staff members are authorized to film in the area. NPR reported that when the cemetery staff member tried to prevent Trumps campaign from filming, his staffers verbally abused and pushed the official aside.

But Trumps side of the story is vastly different.

Trump spokesman Steven Cheung told NPR that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trumps team during a very solemn ceremony.

Aside from the accusation from Arlington National Cemetery itself, multiple photos on social media appear to show Trump standing at gravesites, smiling and giving a thumbs up. The pose, at a gravesite, during a solemn occasion, created a social media stir.

Thumbs up at the grave today, Ron Filipkowski wrote while sharing a photo of Trump at the cemetery smiling and posing. Nice photo op. Nobody fakes sincerity quite like Trump. Have fun, everybody. MAGA!

There were a lot more takes like that  and many far more colorful  on Elon Musks X.

Trump visited the cemetery on the third anniversary of the attack on U.S. troops in Afghanistan as the U.S. withdrew its forces. Thirteen service members were killed in that attack, and Trump has blamed President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for those losses.

Biden and Harris did not attend the event, and it was originally used as a campaign point for Trump before social media picked up on the posed photos at the gravesites.

The latest report from the cemetery adds another layer to the story.

Federal law prohibits political campaign of election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidates campaign, a statement released by Arlington National Cemetery to ABC read. Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants. We can confirm there was an incident, and a report was filed.

Cheung shared a screenshot on X that appears to show guidance that said Trump may have an official photographer and/or videographer outside of the main media pool.

However, per ABC, campaign officials were also taking and posting photos, including images and clips from the prohibited area  called Section 60  in the cemetery.

Cheung claims the campaign has video of what took place and will release it if needed.

He also shared a statement from family members of two of the fallen soldiers  Staff Sgt. Taylor Hoover and Sgt. Nicole Gee  thanking Trump for attending the event. That statement said Trump and his team conducted themselves with nothing but the utmost respect and dignity for all of our service members, especially our beloved children.

You can see that, here.

It will be interesting to see if anything more comes from the event now that the cemetery says it has filed a report, and if Cheung does, in fact, release video of what took place.
As Pennsylvanians and citizens across the nation prepare to vote this November, best-selling author Daniel Ziblatt is coming to Harrisburg to discuss his timely books: How Democracies Die and Tyranny of the Minority.

Ziblatt will be in conversation with former U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb of Pennsylvanias 17th District, at Midtown Scholar Bookstore Thursday to discuss the many serious challenges facing democracy today.

Ziblatt, with co-author and fellow Harvard political scientist Steven Levitsky, target the Constitution as the culprit behind the erosion of democracy that, as Ziblatt told NPR, is no longer on sure footing.

Expect a lively conversation seeking to answer the questions: How did we end up here and where do we go from here?

At its heart, what is democracy? As Ziblatt and Levitsky define it: a political system with regular, free, and fair elections, in which adult citizens of all ethnic groups possess the right to vote and enjoy equal protection of democratic and civil rights.

The conversation will explore the crisis as well as solutions to repair the guardrails that protect the essential elements of democracy and in turn, restore confidence in the democratic system.

The event, which runs from 7 to 8 p.m. is co-sponsored by democracyFIRST. It will also feature a Q&A session and a book signing afterward.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information visit Midtown Scholar website. The discussion also will be live-streamed.
By KAITLYN HUAMANI, The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP)  The estate of Michael Crichton, who wrote the screenplay for what became the pilot episode of ER, has sued Warner Bros. Television over a dispute about an upcoming medical drama it says is a rebranded version of an unauthorized reboot.

After Crichtons estate, led by his widow, Sherri, could not reach an agreement with the television studio to produce a reboot of the famed medical procedural, the lawsuit alleges Warner Bros. proceeded to develop and produce a series based on the same premise without consent.

The upcoming series, titled The Pitt, will be a medical drama set in Pittsburgh, as opposed to ERs Chicago setting, and will feature Noah Wyle in a starring role. Wyle is best known for playing John Carter on ER in over 250 episodes.

The Pitt is also set to include several ER alums behind-the-scenes, including John Wells as the executive producer and R. Scott Gemmill as the showrunner. Wyle, Wells and Gemmill are each named defendants in the suit.

In this Sept. 9, 2004 file photo, actors Anthony Edwards, center, and Noah Wyle, right, join George Clooney, at the premiere of Clooney's movie "From Dusk Till Dawn" in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles. All three were on "ER," and Wyle is to be on a similar show, "The Pitt." (AP Photo/Rene Macura, file)ASSOCIATED PRESS

The lawsuit filed by the Crichton Estate is baseless, as The Pitt is a new and original show. Any suggestion otherwise is false, and Warner Bros. Television intends to vigorously defend against these meritless claims, the studio said in a statement.

Because of Crichtons success with projects including Jurassic Park and Westworld before ER was developed, he secured a coveted frozen rights provision in his contract for the series. The provision prohibits Warner Bros. from proceeding with any sequels, remakes, spinoffs or other productions derived from ER without Crichtons consent, or his estates consent after his death from cancer in 2008.

If Warner Bros. can do this to Michael Crichton, one of the industrys most successful and prolific creators who made the studio billions over the course of their partnership, no creator is safe, a spokesperson for Sherri Crichton said in a statement to The Associated Press. While litigation is never the preferred course of action, contracts must be enforced, and Michael Crichtons legacy must be protected.

The estate, which filed the lawsuit Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, is asking the judge to issue an injunction that would force the studio to stop production on the new series, and they are also seeking punitive and compensatory damages.

Warner Bros. began developing a reboot of ER for HBOs streaming service, Max, in 2020 without Sherris knowledge, according to the lawsuit.

In 2022, when Sherri Crichton was informed of the developing project, she and the estate engaged in negotiations with the studio, through which she says she was promised that Crichton would get a created by credit, backed by a $5 million guarantee for the estate in the event the credit was not given. Ultimately, the term was revoked and negotiations stopped, which the lawsuit states should have ceased all development of the series.

Development continued, and The Pitt was announced in March. A release date has yet to be announced.
The National Weather Service issued an updated report at 9:53 p.m. on Tuesday for strong thunderstorms until 10:45 p.m. for Mercer, Venango, Forest, Lawrence, Butler, Clarion, Beaver and Armstrong counties.

Residents may experience wind gusts of up to 40 mph.

"At 9:53 p.m., Doppler radar tracked line of strong thunderstorms along a line from 7 miles west of Tionesta to 9 miles northwest of Carrollton, or along a line from 8 miles northeast of Oil City to 9 miles northwest of Carrollton, moving southeast at 35 mph," states the weather service. "Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects."

Locations impacted by the alert include Cranberry, New Castle, Butler, Salem, East Liverpool, Oil City, Beaver Falls, Grove City, Franklin, Columbiana, Monaca, Clarion, East Palestine, Wellsville, Carrollton, Knox, Ellwood City, Homeacre-Lyndora, New Brighton and Sugarcreek.

According to the weather service, "Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening weather conditions."

Preparing for impending lightning strikes: Expert safety recommendations

Each year, lightning strikes the United States approximately 25 million times, with the majority of these electrifying events occurring during the summer months. Unfortunately, lightning is responsible for claiming the lives of approximately 20 people annually, as reported by the weather service. The threat of lightning becomes more pronounced as thunderstorms draw nearer, peaking when the storm is directly overhead and gradually waning as it moves away.

To ensure your safety during a thunderstorm, keep these recommendations in mind:

Lightning safety plan:

When venturing outdoors, it's crucial to have a lightning safety plan in place.

Stay vigilant by monitoring the sky for ominous signs and listening for the telltale sound of thunder. If thunder is audible, it's a clear indication of nearby lightning.

Seek shelter promptly in a safe location, preferably indoors.

Indoors safety measures:

Once you're indoors, avoid using corded phones, electrical devices, plumbing fixtures, and stay away from windows and doors.

Lightning can follow conductive pathways, and these precautions reduce the risk of electrical surges.

Wait for the all-clear:

After the last lightning strike or thunderclap, wait at least 30 minutes before resuming outdoor activities.

Lightning can strike even when a storm has seemingly passed, so exercise caution.

When indoor shelter isn't available:

If you find yourself outdoors with no access to indoor shelter during a thunderstorm, take these steps to maximize your safety:

Avoid open fields, hilltops, or ridge crests, as they expose you to greater lightning risk.

Steer clear of tall, isolated trees and other prominent objects. In forested areas, stay close to lower stands of trees.

If you're in a group, ensure that individuals are spaced out to prevent lightning current from transferring between people.

Camping in an open setting during a thunderstorm is strongly discouraged. If no alternative exists, set up camp in a valley, ravine, or other low-lying areas. Remember that a tent offers no protection against lightning.

Do not approach water bodies, wet objects, or metal items. While water and metal don't attract lightning, they conduct electricity effectively and can pose significant risks.

In summary, when facing the threat of lightning, vigilance and preparedness are your best allies. By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce the chances of lightning-related accidents and prioritize your safety.

Rainy roadways ahead: Essential safety tips for heavy rain

When heavy rain pours, the risk of flooding and treacherous roads rises. Here's your guide from the weather service to staying safe during downpours:

Beware of rapid water flow:

During heavy rain, avoid parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a serious risk.

Maintain safe driving distances:

The two-second rule for following distance is your ally in heavy rain. Extend it to four seconds to ensure safe spacing in adverse conditions.

Reduce speed and drive cautiously:

On wet roads, slowing down is paramount. Gradually ease off the accelerator and avoid abrupt braking to prevent skidding.

Choose your lane wisely:

Stick to the middle lanes to minimize the risk of hydroplaning. Outer lanes are more prone to accumulating water.

Prioritize visibility

Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by activating your headlights. Be particularly vigilant for vehicles in blind spots, as rain-smeared windows can obscure them.

Watch out for slippery roads:

The initial half-hour of rain is when roads are slickest due to a mixture of rain, grime, and oil. Exercise heightened caution during this period.

Keep a safe distance from large vehicles:

Large trucks and buses can reduce your visibility with tire spray. Avoid tailgating and pass them swiftly and safely.

Mind your windshield wipers:

Overloaded wiper blades can hinder visibility. If rain severely limits your sight, pull over and wait for conditions to improve. Seek refuge at rest areas or protected spots.

When stopping by the roadside is your only option, position your vehicle as far off the road as possible, ideally beyond guardrails. Keep your headlights on and activate emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.

By following these safety measures, you can significantly reduce risks and ensure your well-being when heavy rain pours down. Stay informed about weather conditions and heed advice from local authorities to make your journey safe and sound.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

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WSOP Main Event Final Tablist Boris Angelov's Banner Summer Continues at EPT Barcelona

Matt Warburton Live Reporter Copy link

Boris Angelov has had an extraordinary summer in the world of poker.

It all began in May when he secured a runner-up finish at the European Poker Tour Monte Carlo Main Event (620,500). Building on that success, the Bulgarian poker star achieved a remarkable fifth-place finish in the record-breaking World Series of Poker Main Event ($2,500,000). Now, Angelov has added another major achievement to his resume: his first career tournament victory at EPT Barcelona.

Though his win in the 10,200 Mystery Bounty event may not match the massive figures of his previous finishes, it marks a significant milestone in his journey. Angelov secured a well-deserved PokerStars trophy and solidified his place among poker's elite. In addition to the trophy, he earned 110,400 for first place and 75,000 in bounties, bringing his total haul to 185,400.

EPT Barcelona $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 United States 20,000 7,500 27,500 8 Thomas Haverstad Norway 16,000 7,500 23,500

Final Day Recap

The event attracted 88 entries, making a total prize pool of 413,600. By the end of Day 1, 39 players bagged and tagged, while 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 centre. Among the early bustouts was Nacho Barbero, as well as PokerStars ambassadors Sam Grafton and Elias Gutierrez.

By the day's mid-point, Angelov had already started accumulating 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.

The field was reduced to nine shortly after the bubble burst, and the unofficial final table was set.

Final Table Set; Lagan Pulls Both Top Bounty Prizes

Paul Lagan

With the final table set and the bounty chest open for business, Lagan headed to exchange his tokens during the break and pulled out one of only two top prizes of 50,000.

He sat back down at the table and was involved in a hand against Angelov. The action escalated, and Angelov had moved all in on the river. Lagan called, and Angelov turned over the 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 out a 10,000 envelope and then exchanged his second token. On his final pull, he cheered as he drew the second and last 50,000 bounty from the box.

He may have finished ninth for a humble 12,800 prize, but with bounties added, Lagan's total for the tournament stood at 130,300, the second-biggest 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 all his. But Ren Lin was about to mount a comeback.

Lin had been nursing a short stack for a while, 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 anyones 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 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 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.

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Poker Media Veteran Marty Derbyshire Passes Away at Age 52

Chad Holloway PR & Media Manager Copy link

The poker world received sad news this past weekend when it was revealed that longtime poker media veteran Marty Derbyshire, 52, passed away unexpectedly from Melioidosis, also known as Whitmore's disease, an uncommon bacterial infection.

Originally from Vancouver, British Columbia, Derbyshire relocated to Thailand several years ago where he married his wife, Karnjanawan Jiamrum. She was the one to share the news on social media:

Martin Derbyshire has passed away at the age of 52 years with Melioidosis (Melioidosis). Rest in peace my love. We will meet again in the next life. We were so blessed. I will always love you my love. May your soul rest in heaven.

Marty Derbyshire & his wife. (Image: Facebook)

Derbyshire worked for many different outlets throughout his career including PokerLisitings and PokerNews where he was both a live reporter at stops around the world as well as a go-to scribe for articles.

Longtime PokerNews reporter Mo Nuwwarah worked closely with Derbyshire over the years and offered the following:

Love him or hate him  and he certainly ruffled more than a few feathers during his time in poker  you had to respect that Marty always did things his way. He did them with his unique brand of cutting humor, oftentimes without care for how he was supposed to do them. The guy was a riot, but if you were his friend, youd best be on guard at all times because he was liable to roast you. Ill always remember his hunting and pecking at the keyboard, his infectious laugh, his willingness to tackle the tough stories (Donnie Peters called him our bulldog), and the long hours we put in together over several summers and one unforgettable winter at Borgata. Most of all, Ill remember him as a big brother early in my career. He taught me a lot about this industry when I was a pup, and Ill forever be thankful for his guidance.

Former PokerNews Editor-in-Chief Matthew Parvis echoed those sentiments:

"During the 10 years that I was fortunate enough to work in the poker industry, I cant think of too many people who were more engaging to work with Marty Derbyshire. He had instinct, creativity, wit, and a knack for being bold and unafraid with his opinions. There were more than a handful of times that his work would get him and me in a bit of hot water, and looking back Im so proud to have backed him to speak his mind and challenge the status quo of a blossoming industry. Marty had such a passion for poker and a passion for life. He will be missed and I will look back at our relationship with nothing but fondness."

Benjo DiMeo wrote: Shocking news. Marty was a great writer and character. Both mischievous and generous. Got into trouble a few times, was loved ten-fold. Dozens of great memories from all over the world popping in my head now. RIP.

Dozens of other prominent poker media members offered their condolences including Jennifer Newell, David Tuchman, and Eric Ramsey. PokerNews also offers condolences to the friends and family of Derbyshire and recognizes the contributions he made not only to our outlet but the poker community as a whole.

Click here to see a library of PokerNews articles written by Marty Derbyshire.

Rest in peace to one of the best, Marty Derbyshire.

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Steve ODwyer had waited two years to get his hands on another PokerStars European Poker Tour spade trophy, so he didnt seem to mind taking until the early hours of the morning to seal his victory in the 12,300 PokerStars Cuatro Knockout.

With the clock approaching 5 a.m. inside the Casino Barcelona, ODwyer defeated Byron Kaverman in a short heads-up match to claim the bounty and 163,720 top prize, plus four bounties for an additional 48,000. The win was ODwyers first on the EPT since a 25,000 No-Limit Holdem event here in Barcelona two years ago, and 11th overall including the 2013 EPT Monte Carlo Main Event.

12,300 PokerStars Cuatro Knockout Final Results

Place Player Country Prize Bounties 1 Steve O'Dwyer Ireland 163,720 48,000 2 Byron Kaverman United States 107,400 12,000 3 Santhosh Suvarna India 77,900 48,000 4 David Coleman United States 59,100 12,000 5 Ottomar Ladva Estonia 45,700 24,000 6 Joakim Andersson Sweden 34,900 12,000 7 Fabiano Kovalski Brazil 26,900 12,000 8 Martin Zamani United States 21,500 0

With PokerStars celebrating the 20th anniversary of the EPT, some of pokers biggest names took to the felt to begin their festival today as 62 entered this event, building a prize pool of 537,120. Among those who busted early included two-time EPT champion Mike Watson, PSPC champion Aliaksandr Shylko, Poker Hall of Famer Erik Seidel, and PokerStars Team Pros Sam Grafton and Elias Gutierrez.

Santhosh Suvarna climbed to the top of the counts after busting Michael Wang with queens in a massive pot. Bounties came into play with 16 players remaining, and Jelle Moene was the last to fall without a bounty over his head as he busted in 17th after losing a race to Fabiano Kovalski.

Andrew Chen, Biao Ding, and Joris Ruijs busted short of the final table as play went hand-for-hand with 10 players remaining. Just eight would make the money, and it took nearly an hour before Ottomar Ladva flopped a full house to bust Nacho Barbero in 10th and set the nine-handed final table on the money bubble.

Nacho Barbero

Kaverman doubled up with a pair of sevens against Suvarna to survive the bubble. Ian Bradley then found himself all in for his last 160,000 with two fours but Ladva hit a pair of kings on the river to score the knockout and bring an end to the lengthy bubble as the eight remaining players were all in the money.

Kaverman woke up with two aces against Ladva to double again, while ODwyer hit a pair of aces on the river to win a massive pot off Ladva. Martin Zamani was the first to bust in the money, losing a race with ace-queen to Suvarnas sevens to finish in eighth place.

Martin Zamani

David Coleman doubled up off Kovalski to leave the Brazilian short. A few hands later, Kovalski got his last chips in the middle on the flop with a straight draw, but he couldnt improve against Suvarnas flopped pair of sevens to bust in seventh place.

Joakim Andersson fell in sixth place in a three-way all in as Kaverman scooped the pot with ace-high to earn the bounty while doubling up off Suvarna. Coleman then hit a set of eights to double off Ladva and leave the chip leader at the final table on fumes with just 100,000. Ladva was eliminated the next hand as Suvarna made a pair of jacks on the river.

ODwyer made a flush on the river to bust Coleman in fourth, then showed down aces against Suvarna to win a massive pot and open a sizeable chip lead. Suvarna got his last 1,050,000 in the middle with two nines against ODwyers ten-eight, but ODwyer spiked top pair on the flop to bust Suvarna in third place and take a 5,200,000 to 1,000,000 chip lead over Kaverman into heads-up.

Santhosh Suvarna

Play was scheduled to end for the night once the Estrellas Main Event Day 1d concluded in the same room, but ODwyer ensured they wouldnt have to come back as he made short work of Kaverman. He flopped two pair with ace-nine to beat Kavermans ace-deuce and seal the long-awaited trophy.

ODwyers EPT Barcelona run got off to a dream start, but this is just the beginning for what promises to be a record-breaking festival. Stay tuned to PokerNews for more coverage throughout EPT Barcelona.
JD Vance was asked in Erie, PA, about Trumps illegal use of Arlington National Cemetery, and he responded by saying veterans dont care and attacking Tim Walz.

Video:

JD Vance claims that veterans dont care that Trump illegally used Arlington National Cemetery for a campaign photo-op and then tries to change the subject to Tim Walz. pic.twitter.com/ZheEQfCr6h  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) August 28, 2024

Vance said when asked about the scandal:

The altercation at Arlington Cemetery is the media creating a story where I dont really think there is one. There is a verifiable evidence that the campaign was allowed to have a photographer there. They were invited to have a photographer there. There is verifiable evidence that the families of these poor people who had their loved ones died three years ago at Abbey Road, excuse me, Abby Gate, those 13 Americans, a lot of them were there with the president.

He invited him to be there and support them. That is not an insult to the memories of their loved ones. They wanted Donald Trump there. Thank god we have a president that stands with our veterans instead of one that runs away from them. It is amazing to me that you have, apparently, somebody at Arlington Cemetery, some staff member had a little disagreement with somebody and the media has turned this into a national news story. You know what I think our veterans care more about? That Kamala Harriss VP lied about his military service.

Arlington National Cemetery confirmed that Trump broke the law. Vance managed to confuse Abbey Road, where the Beatles recorded albums, and Abbey Gate, where 13 soldiers died while leaving Afghanistan. Those deaths were set into motion because of Trumps deal with the Taliban that forced the US out of the country.

Veterans do care about Trump using the sacred ground of Arlington National Cemetery for a campaign stunt, because Trump has consistently disrespected veterans and those who have served and lost their lives.

JD Vance made things worse by trying to blame the media for a scandal that Trump created. Vance made sure that the Arlington story wouldnt be going away any time soon.
Tim Walz told union firefighters the facts about what Trump and JD Vance think of workers during a speech in Boston.

Video clip:

Tim Walz tells the firefighters union about Trump and Vance, The only thing these guys know about working people is how to take advantage of them, how to not pay them. every single chance theyve gotten. Theyve waged a war on workers and their ability to collectively bargain. pic.twitter.com/uSRWbXegTn  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) August 28, 2024

Walz said:



Minnesota is one of the best states for workers in the nation. And guess what? Its one of the best states for business. You dont have to choose between protecting workers and protecting business. They go hand in hand.

Thats the vice presidents and my vision for the entire country. Donald Trump and J. D. Vance have something a little different in mind. The only thing these guys know about working people is how to take advantage of them and how to not pay them. Every single chance theyve gotten, theyve waged a war on workers and their ability to collectively bargain.

When it comes to so-called right-to-work laws that deprive unions of the funds they need, Donald Trump has said he supports the right to work 100%. Everybody in this room knows the right to work means the right to work for less, the right to work more dangerously, and the right to work for no pensions. It doesnt mean the ability to collectively bargain to fight with the dignity that work brings to each and every one of us.

Look, Ill keep saying it. Words are cheap. Actions are all you should care about. Make sure youre counting on what was delivered. When Donald Trump was president, he blocked overtime benefits for millions of workers, opposed efforts to raise the minimum wage, and even proposed slashing budgets for federal fire service programs.

Those are just simply facts.

Donald Trump wants to pretend that he is good for workers, but he and his venture capitalist running mate, but as president Trumps administration was one of the most hostile toward workers and their rights in modern American history.

It is important for the Democratic ticket to have an actual former union member who can talk to union workers as a brother who understands the struggle of labor. Donald Trump was born rich and worked for his fathers business. He has never spent a day in his life working for someone who didnt have his last name, and Trump revels in union busting and worker intimidation .

Joe Biden has been one of the most pro-union presidents in American history, and if Kamala Harris wins the resurgence of the American labor movement will have the conditions to continue.
Donald Trump was warned before the altercation that he and his campaign were prohibited from taking pictures at Arlington National Cemetery.

The AP reported:

The defense official told the AP that the Trump campaign was warned about not taking photographs in Section 60 before their arrival and the altercation. Trump was at Arlington on Monday at the invitation of some of the families of the 13 service members who were killed in the Kabul airport bombing exactly three years prior.

Trumps running mate, JD Vance, confirmed that the altercation took place at Arlington but also claimed that veterans dont care.

The Republican nominee for president broke the law , and the picture that is emerging is of an ex-president and a campaign who are desperate for something to get momentum away from Democratic nominee VP Kamala Harris so they barged into Arlington, got physical with staff who tried to stop them, and held their campaign photo op in violation of federal.

Trump has already used the video and photos in campaign materials and for fundraising.

It is on brand for a candidate who has been convicted of 34 felonies to commit another violation of the law to help his presidential campaign. Trump continues to show voters who he is and why he definitely should not be elected to an office where he will have virtually unlimited immunity.
Things I could have predicted this year: the drama surrounding the United States presidential election, Sabrina Carpenter's album being a hit, and the GRAMMY winners. Things I could not have predicted in my lifetime: Noel and Liam Gallagher, the brothers who've been publicly feuding for decades, waving the white flag and getting Oasis back together.

You don't need to be from the United Kingdom to know that Oasis is one of the greatest bands ever to exist. A viral video of The 1975's Matty Healy puts it perfectly: they would be insane not to get back together...and it seems as though they've finally listened.

History books will remember August 27 as perhaps one of the best (or worst) decisions a band has ever made. With a pair of hot-headed rockstars who also happen to be related, there's no telling what's going to happen on-stage during the 2025 reunion tour.

However, it seems Noel and Liam are serious this time. After publicly bashing each other for years, with stories and headlines endlessly swirling about their constant fighting, Oasis is back. The official accounts for Noel, Liam, and Oasis posted on social media yesterday with the caption, "This is it, this is happening."









The tour will begin on July 4, 2025 in Cardiff, Wales, and extend throughout the UK for the summer. While you may not get the chance to see Oasis immediately, there are plans in place to expand the tour across other continents...So maybe the United States will see them soon.

While we're all excited that we get to hear hits like "Wonderwall," "Champagne Supernova," and "Don't Look Back in Anger," let's take a look at some of the best moments from Oasis' chaotic past:

1. The 1996 MTV: Unplugged Show



What was unique about Oasis' success is that it seemed fueled by the feud. They created some of their best work while being at each other's throats. Their debut album, Definitely, Maybe, tore through Britpop, promptly counting Oasis as the top contender when it came to British pop rock- dethroning Blur and Pulse. But they were still fighting constantly. During their MTV: Unplugged set, Liam pulled out of the show last-minute due to a sore throat...forcing Noel to perform the set alone. Liam sat, shouting at Noel from the balcony as he performed alone. Then, the brothers were set to embark on their U.S. leg of the tour...but Liam once again stayed behind for a few shows to reportedly help settle housing for his then-wife. This forced the cancellation of multiple shows, but it was just the tip of the iceberg.



2. Noel Calling Liam "Monkey Boy" To BBC It was no secret that Oasis couldn't get along. By the year 2000, multiple tours had been cut short thanks to one brother or the other, multiple band members had quit, and violence was a recurring factor between the group. As their fourth album, Standing on the Shoulders of Giants, was touring, Noel was suddenly replaced as the guitarist.



Noel then proceeds to phone into BBC and refer to Liam as monkey boy and a bit of an idiot. He boasts of being the reason the band is together and says its just been made impossible for me to let alone be on the same stage but be in the same room as his brother.

3. The Fight at Rock en Seine Festival



Most long-term battles end with some catastrophic explosion. In Oasis' case, it came at the Rock en Seine Festival in 2009. After hearing Noel was planning to quit the band, a brawl ensued backstage (yes, literally at the festival) and Liam even smashed Noel's guitar. Medical staff and security had to be called, and Oasis never made it to the actual performance. In a statement, Noel remarked, "He doesn't like me and I don't like him." That was the end of the band for 15 years until now. But we've seen Noel and Liam Gallagher take constant shots at one another publicly almost everyday since.

4. When Liam Tried To Sabotage The 1996 MTV VMA's



The poor MTV producers from 1995 must have hated Oasis. During their performance at the VMA's, disaster struck as Liam and Noel clearly had been fighting before their set. In a quote from an NYTarticle, "Mr. Strauss, the music critic, wrote in The Times: Liam Gallagher was swearing up a storm, knocking over the microphone, spilling beer, spitting, making lewd gestures and criticizing the lameness of the event as he sang Champagne Supernova intentionally off-key, out of rhythm and with the wrong lyrics.
OLAF FUB SEZ: According to German author Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, born on this date in 1749, If I accept you as you are, I will make you worse; however, if I treat you as though you are what you are capable of becoming, I help you become that.

. . .

CONGRATULATIONS  The American Legion Band of the Tonawandas, directed by Matthew Cool, once again has taken top honors in the American Legions National Concert Band Contest with a 30-minute performance last weekend in New Orleans.

. . .

SKYS THE LIMIT  Nathan K. Hammond will be flying low Thursday and Friday over Buffalo, Rochester and Batavia in his modified De Havilland Super Chipmunk aircraft, the Ghost Writer, writing messages and creating designs in the sky in advance of the Wings Over Batavia Air Show on Saturday and Sunday at Batavia Airport. For more info about the show and tickets, visit WingsOverBatavia.com.

. . .

GIDDYUP  State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball is urging horse owners to get their animals vaccinated against Eastern Equine Encephalitis, which has afflicted horses in 10 counties this year, and West Nile Virus, which has seen a confirmed case in Oswego County. Both diseases are fatal to horses and are spread by mosquitos that pick them up from birds. For more info, visit agriculture.ny.gov.

. . .

GRAB A PLATE  St. Johns Lutheran Church, 3512 Clinton St., West Seneca, will host a community dinner with Italian sausage sandwiches and corn on the cob from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday. Free-will offerings welcome.

. . .

STOP AND SHOP  St. Stephens Bethlehem United Church of Christ, 750 Wehrle Drive at Union Road, Cheektowaga, holds a yard sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Proceeds benefit the church mission fund and food pantry.

. . .

LAST DANCE  Rock music from the Dawgs closes out Lackawannas free Thursday Night Concert Series this week in Galanti Park, 230 Martin Road. Music starts at 6 p.m.

. . .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY  Monica Zucco, Lynda Ciminese, Isabel Komornicki, Susan Grelick, Jason McCarthy, Vic Bergsten, Keyona Dunn, Dr. Ryan Maine, Sue Jackson, Brandon Powell, Sue Heim Johnson, Theresa Miyashita, Barb Waz, Mike Murphy, Rick Zelasko, Bob Rader, Hope Cheney, Chris Muszynski, Joanie Kozlowski, Nate Siffringer, Sean McCabe, Mike Margerum, Mark Blake, Eileen Beale Gallagher, Eddie Brady, Doc McGurn and Molly Griffin.

AND THURSDAY  Joe Mihalich, Stu Shapiro, Gerard Puccio, Courtney Corbetta, Charles P. Quimby, Vince Edbauer, Joan Glinski, Dale Blanchard, John Crupe, Annette Henninger, Hanah Buczkowski, Christopher Toepfer, Autumn Abramo, Betty Vail, Nancy Fehrman, Zack Rajczak, Debbie Gunning and Sally Oczek.

To submit birthdays and other items of interest to Reporters Notebook, please email olaffub@buffnews.com or send a letter to Reporters Notebook, Buffalo News, Box 100, Buffalo, NY 14240.
Cross High Schools football team put on its version of That 70s Show for only the fourth time in the last 20 years during a recent Region 5-A victory. Read moreTrojans coast past another region foe
It's been nearly a year since W International CEO Edward Walker received a letter from the U.S. Justice Department putting him on notice that investigators were looking into allegations that his company misspent potentially millions of dollars in federal funds meant to support the nation's military shipbuilding industry.

The investigation has gone silent since then, at least publicly. Violations of the False Claims Act, the law the metal fabricator is suspected of breaking, typically move through the court system under seal until the government is ready to file charges.

And behind the scenes, a plan has been emerging to put W International under new ownership. Those efforts went public last week.

Huntington Ingalls Industries  one of the nation's largest defense contractors and the parent company to Newport News Shipbuilding, the military's top shipbuilder  has been identified on a Berkeley County document as the company acquiring the company.

HII, which declined to confirm it is buying W International, was identified on a public Berkeley County Council meeting agenda as the company that will receive the local property tax breaks that are being transferred to the company's acquirer.

W International, which fabricates large metal parts for Navy warships, announced intentions in 2018 to locate at the Bushy Park Industrial Complex along the Cooper River and started operations the following year.

County Council on Aug. 26 approved a resolution transferring the tax breaks to HII, which is also going by the code name "Project Tide."

Stephanie Yarbrough, an attorney with King & Spalding in Washington, D.C., is listed as the acquiring company's contact on county documents. The law firm has represented HII in several other legal matters and the defense contractor is included among a list of the firm's clients. Yarbrough referred comments to Danny Hernandez, HII's spokesman, who declined to confirm the transaction.
From the outside, Malagon seems pretty unassuming. The converted single-family house is painted beige. The only signage is a round brown panel with a single tall M on it, though Malagon is inscribed in stylish but discrete gold letters on one plate glass window and Mercado y Taperia on the other.

Against that modest facade, the bright-red door really stands out. What waits behind it is a remarkable exploration of Spains many culinary regions.

Each visit begins with a complimentary dish of quicos, fried corn kernels that are very salty and hard enough to rattle your fillings, yet surprisingly addictive. Chunks of tender spiced lamb ($18) arrive in a flat brown bowl, speared with toothpicks for easy dipping or, rather, for undipping, since theyre half submerged in an oily pool of paprika-laced marinade.

More primly plated is La Bomba del la Barcoloneta ($15), a golden brown orb topped with a piped swirl of white aioli and bright green parsley leaf. Beneath the crisp-fried crust, a layer of soft mashed potatoes encloses crumbles of savory ground pork with a sneaky but pleasant surge of spicy heat.

Some of the small plates can only be described as odd. One would expect bold flavors from smoked lamb shoulder ($19) thats sliced thin and layered with fermented peaches. Theres barely a trace of smoke or fruity sweetness, though, and the soft yellow slices of peach fade almost to nothingness on the tongue.

Being odd is not necessarily a bad thing, of course. What looks to be a plate of sliced ham is actually cured tuna belly ($13) shaved into long rose-hued strips and drizzled with olive oil. If you follow your servers advice and fold a thin slice around one of the accompanying marcona almonds, you create a salty, umami-rich package thats a little gritty and leathery on the tongue, but in the very best way.

Malagon opened in March 2019, and over the past five years has embedded itself somewhat quietly into the local scene. Old-timers will remember the small ground-floor space as the former home of Artisan Meat Share, and the basic layout is the same: long bar counter to the left, a few larger tables in a niche on the right.
One of the biggest challenges in the Charleston region is the difficulty so many have finding an affordable place to buy or rent near their job  or anywhere safe in some cases  so we welcome two experimental approaches to addressing this important problem. Read moreEditorial: Two new and welcome approaches to Charleston region's housing problem
FLORENCE  A school resource officer broke a students arm after the student was assaulted in a bathroom fight, according to a lawsuit filed Aug. 26 in Florence County.

The lawsuit details an exchange at Florences Wilson High School between Florence County Sheriffs Deputy Jerry Kelly and a minor identified as T.H. According to the lawsuit, Kelly broke T.H.s arm by slamming him on a nearby desk to place him in cuffs.

T.H. was assaulted by other students on March 28 in a bathroom where hed passed out on the floor and possibly suffering seizures, according to the lawsuit.

Staff members couldnt get T.H. to speak, according to the lawsuit, and told Kelly they thought something was wrong with the student. Kelly became aggressive when T.H. wouldnt respond and, according to body camera footage obtained by the plaintiff, said Im gonna slam you.

Kelly grabbed T.H. when he heard the principal say the student was trying to fight, according to the lawsuit. He then slammed the student onto a desk and placed him in handcuffs.

Wilsons school nurse contacted T.H.s mother after the incident and advised her to pick him up, according to the lawsuit. The two went to MUSC Health Florence Medical Center where they found the students arm was broken and dislocated.

T.H. underwent surgery to fix the break on the upper half of his arm, according to the lawsuit. He also needed physical therapy to regain full motion.

T.H. and his guardian Angela Brown are suing the Florence County Sheriffs Office and the Florence County School District.

The lawsuit claims Kelly was reckless, breached his duty of care and that the Sheriffs Office failed to properly train him. It claims the school district was negligent by failing to supervise Kelly and provide a safe environment.

Kelly is the schools resource officer through a contract between the Sheriffs Office and Florence 1 Schools. He is still employed at the Sheriffs Office and at Wilson, according to Florence County Sheriffs Office spokesperson Maj. Mike Nunn.
After years of work, Charlestons Water Plan  which aims to steer the city through decades of sea-level rise and a changing climate  is complete. Now its up to city leaders to implement its recommendations.

The project is available as an interactive, online story map at https://bit.ly/3XmaCNx.

The Water Plan is a road map for dozens of infrastructure projects, real and potential, across the city over the coming decades to address flooding from storm surge, rising seas, groundwater and rainfall.

It will always flood in Charleston, but we can make it manageable, and that's what the Water Plan aims to do, said Andy Sternad, who leads resilience programs for Waggonner & Ball, a firm that helped craft the plan.

The plan takes a novel look at the Holy City, breaking it down not by neighborhood or City Council district, but instead by the 18 water basins carved out by Charlestons major rivers and creeks.

People do need to start thinking about these (water basins) as part of their community, Mayor William Cogswell said at an Aug. 27 City Council workshop on the plan. You live in Avondale, but you're also part of this drainage basin. That is an important aspect of living with water.

Sea levels in the Charleston area have risen by more than a foot in the past century, and the city is expected to see another foot-plus of sea-level rise by 2050, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Water has risen while the city has filled and destroyed its tidal wetlands and creeks, worsening tidal flooding.

Charleston was founded on the water, said David Waggonner, a founding principal of Waggonner & Ball. (Water) also has its own memory, and it tends to creep back where it's been.

Since tracking began in October 1921, Charleston has experienced 49 major tidal floods, 35 of which have occurred since January 2015, according to the National Weather Services Coastal Flood Event Database.
PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-28 04:50:12

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SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLPannounces that purchasers or acquirers of Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ABR) securities between May 7, 2021 and July 11, 2024, all dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), have until September 30, 2024 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff of the Arbor Realty class action lawsuit. Captioned Martin v. Arbor Realty Trust, Inc., No. 24-cv-05347 (E.D.N.Y.), the Arbor Realty class action lawsuit charges Arbor Realty as well as certain of Arbor Realty's top executives with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.If you suffered substantial losses and wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the Arbor Realty class action lawsuit, please provide your information here:You can also contact attorneys J.C. Sanchez or Jennifer N. Caringal of Robbins Geller by calling 800/449-4900 or via e-mail at info@ rgrdlaw.com . Lead plaintiff motions for the Arbor Realty class action lawsuit must be filed with the court no later than September 30, 2024.CASE ALLEGATIONS: Arbor Realty invests in a diversified portfolio of structured finance assets in the multifamily, single-family rental, and commercial real estate markets in the United States.The Arbor Realty class action lawsuit alleges that defendants provided investors with material information concerning Arbor Realty's continual claims of strong health of their loan book which materially misled and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors.The Arbor Realty class action lawsuit further alleges that on July 12, 2024, Bloomberg reported that Arbor Realty was being probed by federal prosecutors and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New York and that "[t]he investigators are inquiring about lending practices and the company's claims about the performance of their loan book." On this news, the price of Arbor Realty stock fell 17%, according to the complaint.THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any investor who purchased or acquired Arbor Realty securities during the Class Period to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the Arbor Realty class action lawsuit. A lead plaintiff is generally the movant with the greatest financial interest in the relief sought by the putative class who is also typical and adequate of the putative class. A lead plaintiff acts on behalf of all other class members in directing the Arbor Realty class action lawsuit. The lead plaintiff can select a law firm of its choice to litigate the Arbor Realty class action lawsuit. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff of the Arbor Realty class action lawsuit.ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is one of the world's leading law firms representing investors in securities fraud cases. Our Firm has been #1 in the ISS Securities Class Action Services rankings for six out of the last ten years for securing the most monetary relief for investors. We recovered $6.6 billion for investors in securities-related class action cases - over $2.2 billion more than any other law firm in the last four years. With 200 lawyers in 10 offices, Robbins Geller is one of the largest plaintiffs' firms in the world and the Firm's attorneys have obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history, including the largest securities class action recovery ever - $7.2 billion - in In re Enron Corp. Sec. Litig. Please visit the following page for more information:Attorney advertising.Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices.Contact:Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLPJ.C. Sanchez, Jennifer N. Caringal655 W. Broadway, Suite 1900, San Diego, CA 92101800-449-4900info@ rgrdlaw.com SOURCE: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 /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 DirectorsDean Besserer, President & CEOCautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking InformationThis 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 InformationDean BessererPresident & CEOdeanb@ americanpotash.com 780-916-5782SOURCE: American Potash Corp.
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Intelligent media supply chain Connect AI provides new ways to reach audiences; plus GPU-powered Ateliere Live lowers environmental impact by more than 70%CENTURY CITY, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / Ateliere Creative Technologies , a leading GenAI media software solutions company, invitesIBC2024attendees to learn more and experience the latest ingenerative AI (GenAI)media supply innovation andlive production best practices for sustainable , cost-effective remote workflows that reach more platforms and audiences at the Ateliere stand (5.C24) and across the RAI in a number of special presentations and panels.Ateliere IBC technology innovation showcase Attendees can book a one-on-one appointment to discuss how Ateliere's boundary-breaking GenAI media supply chain, Connect AI, and live production solution, Ateliere Live, can enhance operational efficiency, optimize monetization, and put them on a path to sustainability at https://www.ateliere.com/events/ibc-2024 The intelligent media supply chain Connect AIis the industry's first end-to-end GenAI media supply chain that transforms content workflow management from capture to consumer, enabling customers to significantly improve supply chain efficiencies and monetization opportunities using intuitive "smart agent" interactions and continuous learning algorithms.Connect AI runs on Amazon Web Services (AWS) and integrates cutting-edge generative, multimodal AI and machine learning technologies into the market-leading, cloud-native media supply chain platform,Ateliere Connect . Intelligent capabilities include AI-driven content identification, automation and optimization for inventory organization, content discovery, metadata creation and enrichment, content delivery, and monetization. Connect AI is commercially available today.Live events that reach more audiences, sustainably and cost-effectively Ateliere Liveis a cloud-based live production and editing platform that offers cost-efficiency and eco-friendliness compared to traditional systems. It integrates production editing, mixing, graphics and effects on one software platform. Proxy contribution feeds and synchronized proxy-master feed timing for remote production workflows enable geographically dispersed teams to maintain frame-accurate camera selections. Ateliere Live also allows quick setup of a new production pipeline on public or private cloud for an event, eliminating the need for capital investments in static studios and editing suites.The innovative design streamlines creating multiple production versions for various viewing platforms like Twitch, TikTok and YouTube. It utilizes market-leading GPU technology to cut compute power and latency. Ateliere Live is currently used by top broadcasters, delivering technology cost savings of over 50% per hour of live TV compared to traditional broadcast suites, along with at least a 70% reduction in carbon footprint.Exclusive Event: Embracing Radical Collaboration and AI-Driven Transformation in the User-Centric Era with Evan Shapiro Thriving in today's media landscape requires the integration of radical collaboration and cutting-edge technology. Media Cartographer and thought leader Evan Shapiro will lead a panel of visionary M&E leaders at IBC, focusing on how the media can leverage AI-driven strategies to revolutionize industry practices. CEO Dan Goman will introduce a thought-provokingroundtable conversationwith industry leaders from Fremantle, Sveriges Television (SVT), and the Royal Television Society (RTS) and an open discussion with attendees. The event is by invitation and will take place on Saturday, 14 September at the RAI from 16.00 to 19.00 hrs. Inquiries can be sent tomarketing@ ateliere.com Where to see Ateliere at the RAI!In addition to offering one-on-one meetings on the stand, IBC attendees can hear from Ateliere executives and industry experts at the following special demonstrations and presentations:AWS and NVIDIA Innovation Village (14.A13) Join Ateliere and Swedish public service broadcaster Sveriges Television (SVT) in the AWS and NVIDIA Innovation Village for a technical demo highlighting how SVT uses Ateliere Live. The special presentation will take place on Saturday, 14 September, at 11:15.On the IBC Innovation Stage (3.B01)On Sunday, 15 September from 12:00-12:20 in Hall 3, on the Innovation Stage, Senior Vice President of Enterprise Solutions ArchitectureZeenal Thakare  will discuss Ateliere's vision for an AI-driven interactive chat and recommendation service.The Future of Content Viewing - Women in Streaming Media (RAI Room E10) Join Ateliere's Senior Vice President of Enterprise Solutions ArchitectureZeenal Thakareat the Women in Streaming Media Panel discussing "The Future of Content Viewing." Content consumption is evolving with new players in live sports, younger generations embracing different streaming forms, and creators adjusting to changing audience preferences. As viewing moves towards mobile, how can we enhance content appeal? Find out on Saturday, 14 September from 13:30-14:15 at RAI Amsterdam, Room E10.Daily - Ateliere Live talk show (5.C24) Similar to your favorite late night talk show, Ateliere'sJohan Bolinwill livestream daily from the show floor (Ateliere stand 5.C24) in a series of fun interviews from exotic locales using Ateliere Live.Commitment to sustainability Ateliere is proud to be the headline sponsor ofThe Flint Green Line . This unique media industry networking event takes place in a dedicatedEurostarcarriage heading to IBC from London's St. Pancras Station. IBC attendees can enjoy low-carbon, direct travel to Amsterdam accompanied by an afternoon of networking with fellow industry professionals interested in improving their sustainability practices.Press briefings at IBC2024 Members of the press are invited to connect with Ateliere for a private demonstration of these new technologies. Press attending the show can book a media briefing by contacting Kristin Canders atkristin@ grithaus.agency About Ateliere Ateliere Creative Technologies is a leading cloud-native media technology company that empowers media companies and content creators to reach consumers on a global scale. Ateliere is part of the AWS Partner Network and AWS Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Accelerate program. The Ateliere suite of SaaS solutions leverages GenAI and incorporates cutting-edge workflows and formats to make the vision for a studio in the cloud a reality. Ateliere Connect delivers core competencies in IMF, parallel scaling, and geographically distributed workflows. Ateliere Live is a cloud-native live production and editing software platform that enables remote live production without the need for hardware. Ateliere is built by a team of experts with
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / Leading securities law firmBleichmar Fonti & Auld LLPannounces an investigation into Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE:BEN) for potential violations of the federal securities laws.If you invested in Franklin Resources, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/franklin-resources-inc Why Did Franklin Resources's Stock Drop?Franklin Resources is a $1.7 trillion asset management company better known as Franklin Templeton. One of its key divisions is Western Asset Management ("WAM"), which is a fixed income manager.On July 26, 2024, Franklin Resources revealed that "following the launch of an internal investigation focusing on certain past trade allocations of treasury derivatives in select" WAM accounts, "WAM received notification of parallel investigations by the SEC and U.S. Department of Justice." Then, on August 21, 2024, Franklin Resources disclosed that WAM co-Chief Investment Officer Ken Leech had been placed on leave "effective immediately" after he "received a Wells Notice from the Staff of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission." The company further stated that, "[i]n light of Mr. Leech's leave of absence, the Company has determined that closing its Macro Opportunities strategy (approximately $2.0 billion in AUM as of 7/31/2024) is in clients' best interests." On the same day, Bloomberg reported that federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York are investigating whether Leech allocated winning trades to favored accounts, as part of a criminal probe into a practice known as " cherry-picking." The news caused a precipitous decline in the price of Franklin Resources stock. On July 26, 2024, the price of the company's stock fell 2.4%, from a closing price of $23.64 per share on July 25, 2024, to $23.08 per share on July 26, 2024. Then, on August 21, 2024, the price of Franklin Resources stock fell 12.5%, from a closing price of $22.62 per share on August 20, 2024, to $19.78 per share on August 21, 2024.Click here for more information: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/franklin-resources-inc What Can You Do?If you invested in Franklin Resources, Inc. you may have legal options and are encouraged to submit your information to the firm. All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses.Submit your information by visiting:Or contact:Ross Shikowitz ross@ bfalaw.com 212-789-3619Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP?Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It was named among the Top 5 plaintiff law firms by ISS SCAS in 2023 and its attorneys have been named Titans of the Plaintiffs' Bar by Law360 and SuperLawyers by Thompson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.'s Board of Directors (pending court approval), as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.SOURCE: Bleichmar, Fonti, & Auld LLP
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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 FertilityLuxury SurrogacyLuxury IVFLuxury Fertility ConciergeHaute FertilityBespoke FertilityFertility for high-net-worth individualsIVF for high-net-worth individualsFertility 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 ARTIMA 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 InformationRon SonnenbergCo-Founderron@ imaartfertility.com (424)-284-1408SOURCE: IMA ART FertilityView the original press release on newswire.com
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NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is investigating potential claims on behalf of purchasers of Franklin Resources, Inc. ("Franklin" or "the Company") (NYSE:BEN). Investors who purchased Franklin securities are encouraged to obtain additional information and assist the investigation by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/BEN Investigation DetailsOn August 21, 2024, Franklin subsidiary Western Asset Management Company issued a press release announcing that co-Chief Investment Officer Ken Leech "is on a leave of absence, effective immediately" after "receiv[ing] a Wells Notice from the Staff of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission". That same day, Bloomberg reported that "[f]ederal prosecutors in New York are investigating whether a Western Asset Management executive allocated winning trades to favored accounts, as part of a criminal probe into a practice known as  cherry-picking.'" On this news, Franklin's stock price fell $2.84 per share, or 12.56%, to close at $19.78 per share on August 21, 2024.What's Next?If you are aware of any facts relating to this investigation or purchased Franklin securities, you can assist this investigation by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/BEN . You can also contact Peretz Bronstein or his client relations manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC: 332-239-2660.There is No Cost to YouWe represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & GrossmanBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide.Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLCPeretz Bronstein or Nathan Miller,332-239-2660 | info@ bgandg.com SOURCE: Bronstein, Gewirtz and Grossman, LLC
PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-28 14:50:55

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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas Ltd. (AIM:ECO)(TSXV:EOG), the oil and gas exploration company focused on the offshore Atlantic Margins in South Africa, Namibia, and Guyana, is pleased to announce completion of a farm down of a 13.75% Participating Interest in Block 3B/4B offshore the Republic of South Africa ("the Block") and Transfer of Operatorship of the Block after receipt of the requisite regulatory approvals (Section 11) from the government of South Africa ("Completion"). Eco now holds a 6.25% interest in Block 3B/4B.Further to the Company's announcement on 6 March 2024 detailing the Farmout Agreement ("FOA"), Azinam Limited ("Azinam"), Eco's wholly owned subsidiary, has farmed down a 13.75% Participating Interest in Block 3B/4B, offshore the Republic of South Africa as part of an aggregate 57% farm down transaction along with its Joint Venture ("JV") Partners Africa Oil SA Corp. ("Africa Oil") and Ricocure (Proprietary) Limited ("Ricocure") to TotalEnergies EP South Africa S.A.S., who will become Operator ("TotalEnergies") and QatarEnergy International E&P LLC ("QatarEnergy") (the "Transaction").Pursuant to the terms of the FOA, following Completion Eco is now due to receive US$8.3million in total as part of the 3B/4B Transaction, including Completion linked milestone payments of US$4m from Africa Oil and US$1.56m from Ricocure, as referred to in the Company's announcement of 6 March 2024. Further payments, amounting to $11.5m will be payable to Eco from TotalEnergies, QatarEnergy and Africa Oil on spudding of the first exploration well.Following Completion, TotalEnergies is now the Operator of the Block, holding a 33% Participating Interest; QatarEnergy International E&P LLC, holds a 24% Participating Interest; Africa Oil SA Corp, a wholly owned subsidiary of Africa Oil Corp. retains a 17% Participating Interest; Azinam Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eco Atlantic, retains a Participating Interest of 6.25%; and Ricocure (Proprietary) Limited, retains a 19.75% Participating Interest.Gil Holzman, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Eco Atlantic, commented:"I am grateful to the Eco team and our advisors for their support in completing this transaction. We look forward to continuing our strong working relationship with all the JV partners, the South African Government, and the new Operator TotalEnergies. Block 3B/4B sits in a prolific hydrocarbon jurisdiction and we are excited to continue preparations for first drilling on the block under the leadership of TotalEnergies."Completion of the transaction further strengthens Eco's balance sheet and enables us to focus and continue progressing our wider work programmes and farm out processes in Eco's asset portfolio in Guyana and Namibia, with no shareholder dilution." **ENDS**For more information, please visitwww.ecooilandgas.comor contact the following:Eco Atlantic Oil and Gasc/o Celicourt +44 (0) 20 8434 2754Gil Holzman, CEOColin Kinley, COOAlice Carroll, Executive DirectorStrand Hanson (Financial & Nominated Adviser)+44 (0) 20 7409 3494James HarrisJames BellmanBerenberg (Broker)+44 (0) 20 3207 7800Matthew ArmittDetlir EleziCelicourt (PR)+44 (0) 20 7770 6424Mark AntelmeJimmy LeaThe information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 as it forms part of United Kingdom domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (as amended).About Eco Atlantic:Eco Atlantic is a TSX-V and AIM-quoted Atlantic Margin-focused oil and gas exploration company with offshore license interests in Guyana, Namibia, and South Africa. Eco aims to deliver material value for its stakeholders through its role in the energy transition to explore for low carbon intensity oil and gas in stable emerging markets close to infrastructure.Offshore Guyana, in the proven Guyana-Suriname Basin, the Company operates a 100% Working Interest in the 1,354 km2 Orinduik Block. In Namibia, the Company holds Operatorship and an 85% Working Interest in four offshore Petroleum Licences: PELs: 97, 98, 99, and 100, representing a combined area of 28,593 km2 in the Walvis Basin. Offshore South Africa, Eco holds a 6.25% Working Interest in Block 3B/4B and pending government approval a 75% Operated Interest in Block 1, in the Orange Basin, totalling some 37,510km2.This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@ lseg.com or visit www.rns.com SOURCE: Eco (Atlantic) Oil and Gas Ltd.
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Not for distribution to U.S. news wire services or for dissemination in the United States.TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / Forward Water Technologies Corp. ("FWTC") (TSXV:FWTC) is pleased to announce that, further to the news releases dated May 14, 2024 announcing the proposed business combination between FWTC and Fraser Mackenzie Accelerator Corp. ("FMAC") (the "Business Combination") and July 22, 2024 announcing that FWTC and FMAC had entered into a definitive agreement related to such transaction, FWTC will hold its annual and special meeting of shareholders (the "Meeting") to seek approval of, among other things, the Business Combination.The Meeting will be held at the offices of Fogler, Rubinoff LLP, 77 King Street West, Suite 3000, Toronto, Ontario M5K 1G2 on September 23, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (Toronto time). In connection with the Meeting, FWTC has filed its management information circular, which is now available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca . The Business Combination is scheduled to close on or around September 30, 2024.About Forward Water Technologies Corp.Forward Water Technologies Corp. ( TSX.V:FWTC) is a publicly traded Canadian company dedicated to saving the earth's water supply using its patented Forward Osmosis technology. FWTC was founded by GreenCentre Canada, a leading technology innovation centre supported by the government of Canada. FWTC's technology allows for the reduction of challenging waste streams simultaneously returning fresh water for re-use or surface release. FWTC's mandate is to focus on the large-scale implementation of its technology in multiple sectors, including industrial wastewater, oil and gas, DLE, mining, agriculture and ultimately municipal water supply and re-use market sectors.FWTC has immediate plans to treat brine from the direct lithium extraction (DLE) sector using its mobile pilot equipment this summer in conjunction with its partners. This project will establish FWTC's iFOTM technology as a valuable component in producing lithium carbonate from aquifer sourced brines for use in applications such as electric vehicle (EV) battery production.In addition, FWTC has initiated early-stage R&D for the treatment of food and beverage process streams.For more information, please visit www.forwardwater.com Contact Information:Forward Water Technologies Corp.C. Howie Honeyman, Chief Executive OfficerE-mail: howie.honeyman@forwardwater.com Telephone: (519) 333-5888Neither 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.Caution Concerning Forward Looking InformationThis press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "will", "estimates", "believes", "intends" "expects" and similar expressions which are intended to identify forward-looking statements. More particularly and without limitation, this press release contains forward looking statements concerning the proposed transaction with FMAC, the ability of FWTC and FMAC to meet the conditions of the proposed transaction in the required timeframes, obtaining the necessary exemptions and approvals from the TSX Venture Exchange or other regulatory bodies, including the business, name and function of the resulting issuer and certain financial information and forecasts. FWTC cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, assumptions and expectations, many of which are beyond the control of FWTC, including expectations and assumptions concerning FWTC, FMAC, the resulting issuer, the proposed transaction, the timely receipt of all required shareholder and regulatory approvals (as applicable), including the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange, the satisfaction of other closing conditions in accordance with the terms of the definitive agreement for the proposed transaction, as well as other risks and uncertainties, including those described in FWTC and FMAC's respective disclosure documents available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca . The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of FWTC. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. 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, and FWTC does not undertake to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by securities law.This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction.SOURCE: Forward Water Technologies Inc.
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Global Education Communities Corp ("GECC" or the "Company") (TSX:GEC)(OTCQX International:GECSF) is pleased to report that the Company intends to raise, through a non-brokered private placement, approximately $2,000,000 through the issuance of debentures (the "Financing"). Each debenture will mature one year after the date of issuance, unless extended by GECC for a second year, and will bear interest at 10% per annum calculated and payable quarterly in arrears. The principal sum of the debentures will be convertible into common shares of GECC at a price of $0.30 in the first year and, if applicable, $0.36 per share in the second year.The Financing is subject to TSX approval. Finder's fee may be payable in connection with certain subscriptions.About GECC:GECC is one of Canada's largest education and student housing investment companies focused on the domestic and global education market since 1994. GECC operates business and language colleges, student-centric rental apartments, recruitment centres and corporate offices at 40 locations in Canada and abroad. Its education subsidiaries include Sprott Shaw College Corp. (established in 1903), Sprott Shaw Language College, Vancouver International College, and CIBT School of Business & Technology Corp. GECC offers over 150 educational programs in healthcare, business management, e-commerce, cyber-security, hotel management, emergency paramedic, and language training through these schools. In fiscal 2023, GECC serviced over 14,277 domestic and international students through its educational, rental housing and recruitment subsidiaries.GECC owns Global Education City Holdings Inc. ("GECH"), an investment holding and development company focused on education-related real estate, such as student-centric rental apartments and education super-centres. In fiscal 2023, GECH held ten projects comprising 15 buildings in different stages of development and operations under the GEC brand in Metro Vancouver and provided accommodation services to 92 partner schools serving 3,200 students from 71 countries. The total portfolio and development budget under the GEC brand exceeds $1.3 billion.GECC also owns Global Education Alliance Inc. ("GEA") and Irix Design Group Inc. ("IRIX"). GEA recruits international students for elite kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities in North America. Irix is a leading design and advertising company based in Vancouver, Canada. Visit us online and watch our corporate video at www.GEChq.com For more information, contact:Toby ChuChairman, President & CEOGlobal Education Communities Corp.Investor Relations Contact: 1-604-871-9909 extension 319 or | Email: info@ GEChq.com FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTSSome statements in this news release contain forward-looking information (the "forward-looking statements") about GECC and its plans. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, without limitation, the statement as to the Company's intention to complete, and the anticipated size of, the Financing. The forward-looking statements are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors (collectively, the "Risks") that could cause the Company's actual results or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by forward-looking statements. The Risks include, without limitation, the interest of eligible investors in, and receipt of TSX approval to, the Financing. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, opinions and expectations of the Company's management at the time they are made, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements if those beliefs, opinions or expectations, or other circumstances should change, except as may be required by law.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.SOURCE: Global Education Communities Corp
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NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is investigating potential claims on behalf of purchasers of Globus Medical, Inc. ("Globus Medical" or "the Company") (NYSE:GMED). Investors who purchased Globus Medical securities are encouraged to obtain additional information and assist the investigation by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/GMED Investigation DetailsOn August 13, 2024, in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Globus disclosed that "[o]n July 16, 2024, Globus Medical, Inc. received a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the FDA') following an inspection of our facilities in Audubon, Pennsylvania. In the warning letter, the FDA cited deficiencies in the response letters sent by the Company to the FDA following the Form 483, List of Investigational Observations, which was delivered to the Company in connection with the inspection that occurred from February 15, 2024 until March 7, 2024. The letter describes observed non-conformities in establishing and maintaining product complaint procedures, including complaint investigations, trending, risk reconciliation, and Medical Device Report (MDR) procedures including timely reporting, pertaining to the ExcelsiusGPS robotic system." Following disclosure of the FDA's warning letter, Globus's stock price fell $5.73 per share, or 7.84%, to close at $67.32 per share on August 13, 2024.What's Next?If you are aware of any facts relating to this investigation or purchased Globus Medical securities, you can assist this investigation by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/GMED . You can also contact Peretz Bronstein or his client relations manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC: 332-239-2660.There is No Cost to YouWe represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & GrossmanBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide.Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.ContactBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLCPeretz Bronstein or Nathan Miller332-239-2660 | info@ bgandg.com SOURCE: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd. (the "Company" or "GSilver") (TSXV:GSVR)(OTCQX:GSVRF) is pleased to provide an operations update for several projects at or near the Company's wholly owned mines, including the Topia Mine ("Topia") in Durango, Mexico, the San Ignacio Mine ("San Ignacio") in Guanajuato, Mexico, and the El Horcon Mine project ("Horcon") in Jalisco, Mexico.James Anderson, Chairman and CEO, said, "As our consolidation of the Guanajuato Mining Camp continues in step with the ongoing upgrading at our four producing precious metals mines, we would like to provide our investors with an update on the latest initiatives we are implementing as we continue our rapid path of growing Guanajuato Silver into a mid-tier silver producer." At the Topia Minein Durango, the commissioning of a new filter system for silver-gold-lead concentrates has been successfully completed. This new filter system is one of two that will be installed at the mine site; the second concentrator will be for silver-zinc concentrate production. Topia produces concentrates containing silver, gold, lead and zinc through a processing facility that comprises a 260-tonnes-per-day flotation plant; the new concentrate filters will contribute to helping the plant achieve, and potentially exceed, full production capacity, as well as potentially producing higher grade concentrates.James Anderson commented, "We anticipate that when both filters are activated, the result will be a 2% additional increase in both base and precious metal recoveries derived from minimizing wastage due to a lack of filtering capacity. The Company anticipates a rapid pay-back period of this project's roughly US$500,000 expenditure." Image 1: New Lead Filter Press at TopiaAt the San Ignacio Mine , located approximately 20km from the Company's Cata Processing facility, a new ore sorter, which arrived on site in July, is rapidly approaching the commissioning phase. The NUCTECH MC2000NF Intelligent Mineral Sorting System provides high-tech sorting accuracy, large processing capacity, environmental friendliness, and high reliability through a system that utilizes X-ray and structured light imaging technology to intelligently identify and then separate high-grade silver and gold material. The ore sorter is expected to improve overall efficiencies at San Ignacio, raising the grade of transported material to the Cata mill. The San Ignacio mine accounted for approximately 15% of total silver-equivalent production during Q2, 2024.James Anderson, said, "Installation of San Ignacio's ore sorter is nearly complete; we estimate that our new ore sorter will provide significant monthly savings to operating costs, and generate an increase in silver-equivalent ounces per annum through improved grade, reduced energy consumption, reduced haulage charges, and increased concentration production capacity." Image 2: Ore Sorter InstallAt The Company's Horcon Mine project , located in the state of Jalisco approximately 60km north-west of the Company's Cata processing facility in Guanajuato, the Company has recommenced the processing of surface stockpile material. To date, over 28,000 tonnes of mineralized material has been processed, generating over 125,159* silver-equivalent ounces "AgEq" from mid-November 2023 to June of 2024. In July, the project paused to allow for the further evaluation of additional stockpiles in the area; the processing of low-cost mineralised material from Horcon recommenced in August and is expected to continue through the remainder of the year.*28,455 tonnes grading 34g/t silver and 1.54g/t gold for 165g/t AgEq / AgEq calculated using an 85.18 ratio of silver to gold; silver recovery was 64.4% and gold recovery was 86.3%.Additionally, at Horcon the Company has completed an underground sampling program that has mapped and surveyed over 5km of tunnels, adits, and old workings. The Company is now designing an underground drill campaign intended to expand geological knowledge in advance of a decision to potentially restart commercial underground operations at this satellite mine in the future.Image 3: Horcon surface sampling.Acquired as part of the purchase of Great Panther's Mexican assets (see GSilver's news release dated August 4, 2022 - GSilver Closes Acquisition of Great Panther's Mexican Mining Assets), the El Horcon mining concessions cover 7,908 hectares comprising 17 contiguous mining concessions. The El Horcon mine is a past producer dating back to the 16th century, and many underground workings, tunnels, and access points are known to exist. In 2017, the previous operator established a historical inferred mineral resource that was prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 of 2.0 million silver-equivalent ounces ("AgEq") (see notes to table for silver-equivalent calculations) from 162,140 tonnes grading 3.44g/t gold, 76 g/t silver and 2.69% lead, and 3.79% zinc based on 42 drill holes and 463 underground channel samples (see table and description below - the inferred mineral resource is considered historical in nature).See NI43-101 Technical Report on the Guanajuato Mine Complex Claims and Mineral Resource Estimations for the Guanajuato Mine, San Ignacio Mine and El Horcon and Santa Rosa Projects dated February 20, 2017 with an effective date of August 31, 2016; prepared for Great Panther Silver Limited by Robert Brown, P. Eng. Qualified Person & VP Exploration.Notes:US$110/tonne NSR Cut-offSilver equivalent was calculated using a 70.6 to 1 ratio of silver to gold value.Rock Density for all veins for Diamantillo is 2.77t/m, San Guillermo 2.78t/m, Diamantillo HW is 2.62t/m, Natividad 2.57t/m.Totals may not agree due to rounding.Grades in metric unitsContained silver and gold in troy ouncesMinimum true width 1.5mMetal Prices $18.00USD/oz silver, and $1,300USD/oz gold, and $0.80USD/lb lead.Ag eq (g/t) and AgEq (oz) use only Au, Ag, and Pb values.The El Horcon mineral resource estimate is a historical estimate and the reader is cautioned not to treat them, or any part of them, as a current resource. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves and the Company is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. The mineral resource is taken from a Great Panther technical report dated February 20, 2017. However, based on the assumptions, parameters and methods in the prior technical report, as well as literature and data review the Company considers such estimate to
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LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 /Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals plc (LSE:HEMO), the clinical-stage biopharmaceutical group developing treatments for cancers and viral diseases, is pleased to announce its participation in the 2024 Chemical and Biological Defense Science & Technology ("CBD S&T") Conference, which will be held on December 2-5, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, FL.The Company competed for a presentation slot and was invited to present its work on its proprietary Chimeric Bait Receptor ("CBR") platform for combating viral infections. The presentation is entitled "Chimeric Bait Receptor (CBR) for Reprogramming of Myeloid Cells to Target and Eliminate Emerging Viral Infections".The Company's CBR platform is an advanced immunotherapy designed to program or redirect innate immune cells, such as macrophages, to eliminate specific types of cancer as well as to combat infections from both existing and emerging viral threats. The Company's presentation at the CBD S&T conference will focus on the use of the CBR platform for combating viral infections.Dr. Vladislav Sandler, CEO & Co-Founder of Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals, commented: "Our presentation at the CBD S&T conference will provide the Company with an opportunity to further establish its unique position in the rapidly evolving field of biodefense. It will also allow us to exchange ideas with like-minded biodefense experts, potential collaborators, and investors." Enquiries:Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals plcDr Vladislav Sandler, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founderheadquarters@ hemogenyx.com Peter Redmond, DirectorSP Angel Corporate Finance LLPTel: +44 (0)20 3470 0470Matthew Johnson, Vadim Alexandre, Adam CowlPeterhouse Capital LimitedTel: +44 (0)20 7469 0930Lucy Williams, Duncan Vasey, Charles GoodfellowAbout Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals plcHemogenyx Pharmaceuticals is a publicly traded company (LSE: HEMO) headquartered in London, with its US operating subsidiaries, Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals LLC and Immugenyx LLC, located in New York City at its state-of-the-art research facility.The Company is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical group developing new medicines and treatments for life-threatening diseases. Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals is developing several distinct and complementary product candidates, as well as a platform technology that it uses as an engine for novel product development.This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@ lseg.com or visit www.rns.com SOURCE: Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals PLC
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Icreon, a Leading Digital Experience Consultancy, Announces the Acquisition of the Salesforce Consultancy, Revolve Softech.NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 /Icreon, a leading digital experience consultancy that helps Fortune 500 brands achieve digital velocity to maximize value across the customer journey, announced today that it has acquired Revolve Softech, an IT consultancy specializing in Salesforce. This acquisition comes at a period of remarkable expansion for Icreon, marked by the recent acquisition of ChangeCX, a fast-growing digital commerce consultancy, and the appointment of a new Chief Growth Officer earlier this year.Icreon acquires Salesforce consultancy Icreon Announces the Acquisition of Salesforce Consultancy, Revolve Softech.Icreon , headquartered in New York with offices in London and New Delhi, specializes in serving Fortune 500 clients, including industry leaders like Acrisure, Jets.com , Mason Companies, Army & Air Force Exchange Service and ASTM. Revolve Softech, with offices in Houston, Texas, and Noida, India, is a rapidly growing firm that has earned a reputation for Salesforce multi-cloud excellence. Their expertise spans Sales Cloud, Marketing Cloud, Revenue Cloud, Data Cloud and Personalization.The acquisition of Revolve Softech represents a significant addition to Icreon's service offerings which include experience transformation, composable commerce, digital product innovation and data & AI."By combining Icreon and Revolve Softech, Icreon expands its capabilities to deliver on the diverse digital business needs of Fortune 500 clients," said Himanshu Sareen, Icreon's Founder and CEO. "The growing demand for Salesforce consulting services is substantial. This acquisition strengthens our ability to meet client needs by combining Icreon's digital strategy and multi-platform engineering expertise with Revolve Softech's extensive Salesforce experience." As a certified consulting Salesforce partner, Revolve Softech expands Icreon's strategic technology partnerships by adding a wide array of Salesforce ecosystem products to Icreon's content, commerce and cloud service offerings."We are excited to join forces with Icreon, a company that shares our commitment to digital innovation and customer excellence," said Saurabh Singh, CEO of Revolve Softech. "Together, we combine deep engineering skills and software partnerships to deliver large-scale implementations and back-end system integrations creating a unified customer experience for our clients." With the acquisition of Revolve Softech, the recent acquisition of leading composable commerce consultancy ChangeCX, and the appointment of a new Chief Growth Officer earlier in the year, Icreon is charting an exciting course to help brands design and architect their digital business for real-time adaptability and resilience in the evolving business and customer experience landscape.###About Icreon:Founded in 2000 and headquartered in New York City, Icreon helps brands achieve digital velocity by building new digital solutions at the right direction and speed for their business through digital strategy consulting and engineering at scale. It provides deep expertise in experience transformation, composable commerce, digital product innovation, and data & AI. Trusted by Fortune 500 enterprises to growing brands and non-profits, Icreon helps industry leaders navigate the complex digital landscape and build digital experiences to maximize value across the customer journey. Learn more at Icreon.com About Revolve Softech:Revolve Softech is a Salesforce consulting company offering a one stop solution for all Salesforce ecosystem products. With a team of certified Salesforce experts, Revolve Softech brings extensive experience in delivering personalized, user-centric solutions that drive business growth and digital transformation for industry-leading companies.Contact InformationBenjamin PowellVP of Marketingben.powell@icreon.com (706) 714-7006SOURCE: Icreon Holdings LLCView the original press release on newswire.com
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LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 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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NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATESVANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 / Klondike Gold Corp. ( TSX.V:KG)(FRA:LBDP)(OTCQB:KDKGF) ("Klondike Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it plans to raise up to $750,000 in aggregate of flow-through funds (the "Flow-Through Placement") and non-flow-through funds (the "Non-Flow-Through Placement") by way of a non-brokered private placement (the "Financing").The Flow-Through Placement will consist of the sale of flow-through units at a price of $0.10 per flow-through unit with each flow-through unit consisting of one common share which is a "flow-through" share for Canadian income tax purposes, and one share purchase warrant.The Non-Flow-Through Placement will consist of the sale of units at a price of $0.09 per unit, with each unit consisting of one common share and one share purchase warrant.Each share purchase warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one common share at a price of $0.15 per common share for a period of 2 years from the date of issuance.A finder's fee on the gross proceeds of the Financing may be paid.The Financing may close in tranches. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Financing to continue exploration and development of the Company's Yukon properties, as well as for general working capital.The securities issued in connection with the Financing are subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval and all securities will be subject to a four month and one day statutory hold period after the date of closing.ABOUT KLONDIKE GOLD CORP.Klondike Gold is a Vancouver based gold exploration company advancing its 100%-owned Klondike District Gold Project located at Dawson City, Yukon, one of the top mining jurisdictions in the world. The Klondike District Gold Project targets gold associated with district scale orogenic faults along the 55-kilometer length of the famous Klondike Goldfields placer district. Multi-kilometer gold mineralization has been identified at both the Lone Star Zone and Stander Zone, among other targets. The Company has identified a Mineral Resource Estimate of 469,000 Indicated and 112,000 Inferred gold ounces[1], a milestone first for the Klondike District. The Company is focused on exploration and development of its 727 square kilometer property accessible by scheduled airline and government-maintained roads located on the outskirts of Dawson City, Yukon, within the Tr'ondek Hwech'in First Nation traditional territory.ON BEHALF OF KLONDIKE GOLD CORP."Peter Tallman"Peter TallmanPresident and CEOFOR FURTHER INFORMATION:Telephone: (604) 609-6138E-mail: info@ klondikegoldcorp.com Website: www.klondikegoldcorp.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.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. Klondike Gold 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.Forwardlooking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, market volatility; the state of the financial markets for the Company's securities; fluctuations in commodity prices and changes in the Company's business plans. In making the forward looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable, 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 statements or 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 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 forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. The Company seeks safe harbor.For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedarplus.ca [1] The Mineral Resource Estimate for the Klondike District Property was prepared by Marc Jutras, P.Eng., M.A.Sc., Principal, Ginto Consulting Inc., an independent Qualified Person in accordance with the requirements of NI 43-101. The technical report supporting the Mineral Resource Estimate entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Klondike District Gold Project, Yukon Territory, Canada" has been filed on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca effective November 10, 2022. Refer to news release of December 16, 2022.SOURCE: Klondike Gold Corp.
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A Guide for UK BusinessesBOLTON, ENGLAND / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / In the competitive landscape of UK business, Research and Development (R&D) tax credits stand as a beacon of opportunity, offering a financial lifeline that fuels innovation, growth, and success. At Growth Hive UK, we specialise in navigating this complex terrain, ensuring that businesses harness the full potential of R&D tax incentives. This comprehensive guide aims to demystify the process, offering insights into eligibility, the claiming process, and strategies to maximise your benefits.Understanding R&D Tax CreditsR&D tax credits are a government incentive designed to encourage companies to invest in innovation. They can significantly reduce your Corporation Tax bill or provide a cash refund, covering a portion of your R&D expenditure. The scope of eligible projects is broad, encompassing everything from developing new products and processes to enhancing existing ones. The key criterion is undertaking projects that seek to resolve scientific or technological uncertainties.Eligibility CriteriaDetermining eligibility is the first step in claiming R&D tax credits. You must be a limited company in the UK subject to Corporation Tax, and your R&D activities should contribute directly to innovation in your field. This includes projects that faced technical challenges where the outcomes were not readily deducible by a professional in the field.Maximising Your ClaimComprehensive DocumentationKeeping detailed records of your R&D activities, including project objectives, challenges, experiments, and failures, is crucial. Documenting the process not only supports your claim but can also maximise the amount you're entitled to.Understanding Qualifying CostsQualifying expenditure can include staff costs, subcontractor fees, materials, software, and utilities consumed in the R&D process. Identifying and accurately allocating these costs is vital to maximising your claim.Seek Expert GuidanceThe intricacies of R&D tax credits can be daunting. Engaging with specialists like Growth Hive UK can navigate the complexities, ensuring that your claim is both maximised and compliant with HMRC guidelines.R&D tax credits are a powerful tool for fostering innovation and growth within UK businesses. Understanding eligibility, meticulously documenting R&D activities, and recognising qualifying costs are key steps to maximising your claim. However, the landscape of R&D tax credits is intricate and constantly evolving.Partnering with R&D tax specialists like Growth Hive UK not only ensures that you fully capitalise on this opportunity but also integrates you into an ethical circle of trust and growth. Our commitment to understanding our clients and their projects means that we're not just consultants; we're partners in your innovation journey. Together, we can overcome unique challenges, driving success through sustainable growth and development.Are you ready to unlock the full potential of R&D tax credits for your business? Contact Growth Hive UK today. Our team of experts is dedicated to guiding you through every step of the process, ensuring you maximise your claim while fostering sustainable growth. Contact us today to find out if you're eligible and one of our R&D tax credits specialists will be in touch to assist you.Contact InformationMark HoctorHead of Business Developmentmark@ growthhiveuk.co.uk 0161 850 4558SOURCE: Growth Hive UKView the original press release on newswire.com
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / Leading securities law firmBleichmar Fonti & Auld LLPannounces that a lawsuit has been filed against Methode Electronics, Inc. (NYSE:MEI) and certain of the Company's senior executives.If you invested in Methode, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/methode-electronics-inc Investors have until October 25, 2024 to ask the Court to be appointed to lead the case. The complaint asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on behalf of investors in Methode common stock. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and is captioned Salem v. Methode Electronics, Inc., et al., No. 24-cv-07696.What is the Lawsuit About?Methode designs, engineers, and manufactures custom-engineered solutions for automotive original equipment manufacturers. The complaint alleges that during the relevant period, Methode misrepresented the success of the Company's transition from the General Motors console program to new electric vehicle applications and that the Company's "higher-margin product mix" would "offset" any decline in income from the General Motors program. In truth, Methode's transition to electric vehicles had been plagued with operational, logistical, and personnel challenges that negatively impacted the Company's business.On September 7, 2023, Methode announced financial results for 1Q 24. The Company disclosed that "operational inefficiencies" in the Company's North American operations had negatively impacted earnings for the quarter and were expected to linger into the second quarter. On this news, the price of Methode stock declined by $6.67 per share, or over 22%, to close at $23.33 per share on September 7, 2023.On December 7, 2023, Methode announced financial results for 2Q 24. During the quarter, the Company's Automotive Segment generated only $154.3 million in net sales and suffered a $61.5 million loss from operations. The Company also disclosed a $56.5 million goodwill impairment in the Company's North American and European Automotive Reporting Units. On this news, the price of Methode stock declined by $2.87 per share, or almost 12%, to close at $21.52 per share on December 8, 2023.On March 7, 2024, Methode announced financial results for 3Q 24 and withdrew all prior guidance. The Company also announced it was taking urgent actions to reduce costs, such as by reducing headcount and discretionary expenses and by disposing of non-critical assets. On this news, the price of Methode stock declined by $6.55 per share, or over 31%, to close at $14.49 per share on March 7, 2024.Finally, on April 8, 2024, Methode announced that its CFO would be retiring from the Company effective July 12, 2024. Less than one month later, on May 6, 2024, Methode announced that the CEO had resigned just three months into his tenure.Click here if you suffered losses: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/methode-electronics-inc What Can You Do?If you invested in Methode, you have rights and are encouraged to submit your information to speak with an attorney.All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The Firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses. Submit your information by visiting:Or contact:Ross Shikowitz ross@ bfalaw.com 212-789-3619Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP?Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It was named among the Top 5 plaintiff law firms by ISS SCAS in 2023 and its attorneys have been named Titans of the Plaintiffs' Bar by Law360 and SuperLawyers by Thompson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.'s Board of Directors (pending court approval), as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.SOURCE: Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP
PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-28 01:00:24

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Strategic Partnership Aims to Advance the Project into Production in Ghana's Sefwi Gold BeltTORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 /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 InformationThe 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.1As 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; orIf the base case estimate is at least 2,000,000 ounces, 2,000,000 common shares.Qualified PersonMr. 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 HoldingsMFD 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 43101  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, CEOPelangio Exploration Inc.Email: ihibbard@ pelangio.com Forward Looking StatementsCertain 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", %2
PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-28 19:02:52

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A team of administrative nurses from Assisted Home Health & Hospice exhibited extraordinary bravery and quick thinking, which saved the life of a severely injured motorcyclist.PHOENIX, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / In a remarkable display of bravery and quick thinking, a team of administrative nurses from Assisted Home Health & Hospice recently saved the life of a motorcyclist involved in a severe accident. On Friday afternoon, Aug. 16, 2024, an unexpected and dramatic event unfolded when a motorcyclist collided with a stationary SUV, resulting in a powerful impact that sent him airborne and onto the pavement.Woman Helps Injured Cyclist Woman helping an injured cyclist on the groundThe incident happened with such force that the noise of the impact was initially mistaken for someone crashing into a building. The motorcyclist, who was not wearing a helmet and was dressed in only slippers, a tank top, and shorts, landed in the middle of the road, severely injured and in shock.Amidst the chaos, a group of dedicated administrative nurses from Assisted Home Health & Hospice, Becky, Erin, Jennifer, and Krystal, demonstrated extraordinary courage and professionalism. Hearing the crash, the nurses did not hesitate to spring into action. They swiftly grabbed gloves and rushed out the back door of the building, navigating through traffic to provide immediate medical assistance.The nurses provided critical care on-site, calming the injured motorcyclist, whose injuries hindered his attempts to stand. They efficiently managed the scene, offering medical treatment and directing traffic until emergency responders arrived. Their decisive and compassionate actions were pivotal in stabilizing the motorcyclist and ensuring his safety before professional first responders could take over."We are incredibly proud of Becky, Erin, Jennifer, and Krystal," said Victoria Furst, Branch Manager at Assisted Home Health & Hospice. "Their quick response and exceptional care exemplify the true spirit of nursing and their commitment to helping others, even outside the confines of their typical duties. They truly emphasized our motto of Hands to Help, Hearts to Care." The motorcyclist is now receiving further medical treatment and is being monitored closely. The heroic efforts of these nurses allowed for needed assistance until the ambulance arrived.This incident serves as a powerful reminder of the dedication and selflessness that define the nursing profession. The administrative nursing team's actions reflect the highest standards of healthcare professionalism and compassion.About Assisted Home Health & Hospice:Assisted Home Health, Hospice, & Caregiver Services was founded in 1989. Assisted has grown into a premier state-licensed, Medicare and Medi-Cal certified Home Health, Hospice Care, and Caregiver Services company, with seven offices in California and Arizona.Our experienced professionals include:Registered NursesCertified Nursing AssistantsHome Health & Hospice AidesPhysical TherapistsOccupational TherapistsSpeech TherapistsMedical Social WorkersSpiritual CounselorsVolunteersTo find out more about Assisted Home Health & Hospice, please call 800-949-6555.Contact InformationAaron BodieMarketing Directorinfo@ assistedcares.com 805-371-9898SOURCE: Assisted Home Health & HospiceView the original press release on newswire.com
PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-28 19:37:09

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SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / Premiere San Antonio is back for its highly anticipated second year, set to take place at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center on September 15-16, 2024. Building on the success of its inaugural year, the 2024 edition offers an extensive Show Preview with over 195 educational classes, 100+ educators and influencers, and an impressive exhibitor showcase."The Premiere team is thrilled to return to San Antonio, and we're eagerly anticipating another dynamic event that offers something exceptional for every professional in the beauty industry," said Liz Hitchcock, VP of Premiere Show Group.Expansive Education and Leading BrandsPremiere San Antonio 2024 will feature a diverse lineup of educational opportunities, designed to cater to all beauty professionals. Attendees will have the chance to learn from industry leaders, including renowned educators like Larisa Love, Jacob Khan, Natalia Nowicki, Kirsty Meakin, Chris Carr, Barbero Bengie, Siiri Parks, Bailey Lavendar, and Head of Education, Dr. Kari Williams from Beyonce's brand among many others. These experts will share insights into the latest trends and techniques.The exhibitor floor will showcase top brands such as Amika, Halocouture, Danger Jones, Apres Nail, L3VEL3, Redavid, Wahl, Sunlights, Kokoist, and Dermaware. New additions to the show include Jimena Nails, Baby Foot USA, CND, PLA Beauty Inc., Premier Nail Source, Color Edge, Duomo, Short2Long, and Americanails. Additionally, this year's event will shine a spotlight on local Texas brands like the Lash Doctor, Procell Therapies, Ann Webb Skin Clinic & Institute, Beauvoir Hair Extensions, Smockers, Diamond Technical, and #1Lash USA LLC, offering attendees a unique opportunity to discover homegrown talent and products that embody the spirit of the Lone Star State.Main Stage & Barber Stage HighlightsThe Main Stage will feature captivating presentations from top influencers, including Larisa Love, Kell Grace, Amelia Fugitt, Chrystofer Benson, Ethan King, Jay Mahmood, and the Tik Tok Superstar Panel featuring Siiri Parks, Bailey Lavender, Kendra Matties, Meg Hardee, Ameya Okamoto. Also enjoy segments from captivating brands and stylists like the Danger Jones Artistic Asylum, Brittany Gillespie, Sarah McGinty, KJ Murphy, Karey Villabos & Megan Winfield presented by Kenra Professional, Jacob Khan, Ben White & Matty Conrad presented by Fancy Hairdressers, and Wayne Tuggle presented by Hattori Hanzo Shears.The Barber Stage, hosted by Cherry the Barber, will offer in-depth sessions on classic cuts, fades, and grooming, with notable barbers such as, Rick Morin & Javy Andux presented by Wahl, Bengie Arocho, Yahia Jaber, Henry Rodriguez, Emmanuel Amaral Flores presented by L3VEL3, Danny Amorim, Gentlemen Republic, and Johhny B.Compete for Glory at Premiere San AntonioShowcase your skills and creativity at Premiere San Antonio's competitions. In the Hair category, the Curtain Bangs & Layers competition, powered by Hattori Hanzo Shears, highlights the art of wavy cuts with face-framing bangs. Winners of the hair competition will receive a Hattori Hanzo Shear (valued at $800). Barbers can rise to the challenge in the Barber Battle, featuring the Men's Final Look competition, powered by L3VEL3, where only the best will stand out. Each barber contestant will receive an Andis Galaxy Combo - Value $225 - Including Andis Galaxy Envy Clipper, Andis Galaxy Slimline Trimmer, Andis Tool Tote, Andis Cape, Andis Towel, Andis Cool Care, Andis Cutting Combs. Nail technicians can vie for top honors in Nailympia San Antonio, competing for two prestigious trophies in 2024: the Nailympia Americas Cup and the Nailympia Premiere Cup 2024. Both trophies require participation across multiple events, with winners announced in San Antonio on September 16, 2024.Experience San AntonioBeyond education and exhibits, Premiere San Antonio will offer a variety of unique experiences. Start the mornings with live performances by the talented local artist DJ KICKIT, sponsored by Baby Foot. Discover the West Hill Hat Collection's mobile hat bar, where attendees can take a break and personalize their own hat with a selection of accessories, or get a complimentary Permanent Jewelry from Sunstone. Attendees can enjoy complimentary beauty services, including rejuvenating microchanneling treatments for their hands or neck, provided by Procell Therapies, or enhance their look with lash strips from Evalash.That's not all - attendees will also have the chance to meet with some of the industry's most influential figures like Jacob Khan, Matty Conrad and Ben White + a Fancy Scissors show special, Kirsty Meakin, and Tino Vo + a Dreamtime Creations giveaway. On Monday, the first 250 attendees through the door will receive an exclusive sample bag filled with products from the exhibiting brands at Premiere San Antonio.After the show, attendees, educators, and exhibitors alike can keep the momentum going with Premiere San Antonio's Happy Hour at Merkaba! Starting at 6:30p on Sunday, September 15, at the San Antonio Riverwalk, the evening promises live music, vibrant nightlife, and exclusive drink specials.Advanced Registration: Secure Your Spot TodayDon't miss the chance to be part of the ultimate beauty and wellness experience! Attendees can register now to lock in the Advance Rate, available from August 23 to September 14, 2024. Professionals can secure their spot for just $80, while students and schools can register for $60.For educational institutions, special School Bundles are available - 10 students and one instructor can attend for $600, or 5 students and one instructor for $350.Register today to secure a place at Premiere San Antonio and save before prices increase. For more details and to complete registration, visitpremieresanantonioshow.com Plan Your Day, Maximize Your VisitAttendees can enhance the Premiere San Antonio experience with our integrated mobile app and digital planner, designed for seamless event navigation. These tools provide easy access to the full schedule of events, classes, and exhibiting brands, allowing attendees to efficiently plan their visits. With everything they might need at their fingertips, attendees can make the most of their time onsite and ensure they don't miss a thing.View the Show Preview here.Access the Digital Planner here.Download the Mobile App here.CONTACT:Rachel Brill Digital Marketing ManagerM: 407-312-2039rachel@ premiereshows.com SOURCE: South Florida Ventures
PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-28 20:00:40

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ATLANTA, GA / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / Rezolut, LLC, a pioneering leader in medical imaging technology, has unveiled its latest innovative offering for patients during their annual mammogram, SecondReadAI powered by Lunit. This artificial intelligence (AI) technology provides an additional analysis to detect fine details that could be overlooked by the interpreting physician.Rezolut LogoSecondReadAI utilizes cutting-edge artificial intelligence algorithms developed by Lunit. Leveraging deep learning techniques, the system analyzes mammography images, providing radiologists with valuable insights and supporting them in their diagnostic process. The algorithms have been trained on far more images than a radiologist could ever see, complementing their expertise and what is possible to see with the human eye, leading to more accurate interpretations and early detection."We are thrilled to be a pioneer in offering our patients SecondReadAI," said Dr. Jin Kim, CEO at Rezolut. "This breast imaging solution represents a significant advancement in our mission to revolutionize healthcare through innovative technology. By harnessing the power of AI, we aim to support radiologists and improve patient outcomes in the fight against breast cancer." "We are glad to see SecondReadAI implemented through our collaboration with Rezolut," said Brandon Suh, CEO of Lunit. "This technology reflects Lunit's commitment to advancing medical diagnostics. By integrating Lunit INSIGHT into the SecondReadAI system, we aim to support radiologists in detecting subtle yet critical indicators of breast cancer with accuracy. This partnership represents our ongoing efforts to enhance diagnostic capabilities and improve patient care through AI solutions." Key features of SecondReadAI include:Enhanced Accuracy: The AI algorithms analyze mammography images with high accuracy, assisting radiologists in detecting subtle abnormalities that may indicate the presence of breast cancer. Lunit INSIGHT, the software powering Rezolut's SecondReadAI service, has been proven in clinical studies to increase early-stage breast cancer detection by as much as 15%.Efficiency: By automating certain aspects of the diagnostic process, the technology streamlines workflow and reduces interpretation time, allowing radiologists to deliver results more swiftly to patients. Published clinical studies have found AI is effective in identifying benign and normal mammograms to help reduce unnecessary callbacks and false positives.Quality Assurance: The system serves as a valuable second opinion, providing an additional layer of scrutiny to ensure the reliability of diagnoses and minimize the risk of overlooking suspicious cases. Research has shown radiologists using AI increased cancer detection by 10% compared to those who did not. Additionally, AI helps improve cancer detection in dense breasts.The launch of SecondReadAI underscores Rezolut's commitment to innovation and its dedication to advancing the standard of care in breast imaging. As breast cancer remains one of the most prevalent and potentially deadly forms of cancer worldwide, early detection is paramount in improving survival rates and patient outcomes.Several Rezolut patients have benefited from the new technology. SecondReadAI identified cancers that were not visible through traditional mammography. "These early detections have allowed us to intervene swiftly to help ensure the best possible outcomes for these patients," said Dr. Asha Ziembiec, President of Southtowns Radiology - a Rezolut partner.SecondReadAI is an optional service that patients can add when scheduling their next mammogram. No additional imaging or appointment time is required. SecondReadAI is offered for an out-of-pocket charge. Health reimbursement accounts such as HSAs and FSAs can be used as payment sources. The service is immediately available at Rezolut's Southtowns Radiology centers in Hamburg and Orchard Park, NY, and coming soon to Rezolut's additional imaging centers.About RezolutRezolut is a leading provider of medical imaging solutions, specializing in the development of advanced technologies to improve diagnostic accuracy and patient care. With a focus on innovation and collaboration, Rezolut is committed to transforming healthcare through cutting-edge technology. To learn more about Rezolut, visit www.rezolut.com About LunitFounded in 2013, Lunit is a medical AI company on a mission to conquer cancer. We harness AI-powered medical image analytics and AI biomarkers to ensure accurate diagnosis and optimal treatment for each cancer patient. Our FDA-cleared Lunit INSIGHT suite for cancer screening serves over 3,500 hospitals and medical institutions across 50+ countries.Our clinical findings are featured in top journals, including the Journal of Clinical Oncology and the Lancet Digital Health, and presented at global conferences such as the ASCO and RSNA.In 2024, Lunit acquired Volpara Health Technologies, setting the stage for unparalleled synergy and accuracy, particularly in breast health and screening technologies.Headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, with a network of offices worldwide, Lunit leads the global fight against cancer. Discover more at lunit.io SecondReadAI is a trademark of Lunit.Contact InformationMike Morgan Director of Marketingmike.morgan@rezolut.com 520-991-0322Related FilesSouthtowns Social Video 1_v1SOURCE: Rezolut LLCView the original press release on newswire.com
PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-28 21:10:34

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CHICAGO, IL / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / Becoming an Accredited Business with the Better Business Bureau is an honor not accorded to all businesses, because not all businesses meet eligibility standards. Smart Insurance Agents is pleased to announce today that it has met all BBB standards and is now an Accredited Business."Accreditation in the BBB is by invitation only" says Steve J. Bernas, president & CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois. "And only those businesses that meet our high standards and pass the review process are approved by our Board of Directors." As with all businesses that are Accredited by the BBB,Smart Insurance Agents has committed to the BBB Code of Business Practices. The Code is a comprehensive set of policies, procedures and best practices on how businesses treat consumers. These standards call for building trust, embodying integrity, advertising honestly and being truthful. Bernas adds "To maintain their Accreditation a business must be transparent, honor their promises, be responsive to their customers, and safeguard their privacy." "We are proud to be a BBB Accredited Business," said Tarek El Ali, Founder of Smart Insurance Agents. "In today's world it is imperative that our customers know how seriously we take our commitment to excellence and good customer service. Our achieving BBB Accreditation exemplifies that goal." Smart Insurance Agents has been in business for 10 years offering consumers the best rated health insurance and Medicare plans. "Our desire is to stay focused on what we do best; provide outstanding products and unsurpassed customer service," said Tarek El Ali.For more information contact: (Tarek El Ali - 773-657-9140)About the Better Business Bureau: As a private, non-profit organization, the purpose of the Better Business Bureau is to promote an ethical marketplace. BBBs help resolve buyer/seller complaints by means of conciliation, mediation and arbitration. BBBs also review advertising claims, online business practices and charitable organizations. BBBs develop and issue reports on businesses and nonprofit organizations and encourage people to check out a company or charity before making a purchase or donation.###SOURCE: Smart Insurance Agents
PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-28 09:37:35

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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
Alicia D. Givens, recognized as an Uncrowned Community Builder for her leadership in the education of developmentally disabled children, died Aug. 10 in Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, Amherst, after a brief illness. She was 83.

Born at home on Madison Street in Buffalos Willert Park neighborhood, Alicia D. Kemp was the older of two daughters of John C. and Evelyn Dewalt Kemp. Her father was the first African American corrections officer at what was then Wende Correctional Facility, and her mother was a longtime production worker at Trico Corp.

She began attending School 75, then transferred to School 8, now Follow Through Academy, and graduated with honors. At Bennett High School, she was a member of the Drill Team and the Drama Club, and was one of the few African American students allowed to take the college preparatory curriculum.

Graduating in 1958, Ms. Givens attended Buffalo State Teachers College, where she earned a bachelors degree in exceptional education in 1963. She was awarded a Teachers of Teaching National Fellowship in 1971 and completed a masters degree in early childhood education at the University at Buffalo. While there, she compiled a handbook for daycare workers.

She also earned a certificate in education in non-school settings from Medaille College, and completed administrative courses at Canisius College and Georgetown and Syracuse universities.

Ms. Givens taught in Buffalo Schools 24, 28 and 59, and was a special education placement coordinator and demonstration teacher. She also was on the staff of Buffalo School 26, a new school for special needs students, when it opened.

She was a Head Start administrator for Buffalo and Erie County, primary program adviser for BUILD Academy charter school, principal at St. John Christian Academy and an instructor at Erie Community College City Campus and Canisius College.

She was recreation director at what is now the Western New York Childrens Psychiatric Center in West Seneca and was one of the first teachers to use the phonetics-based DISTAR (Direct Instructional System for Teaching and Remediation) reading program at BUILD Academy.

Her success with first-grade students in the DISTAR program led to an invitation to train other teachers in its techniques at the University of Chicago. She retired in the mid-2000s.

Ms. Givens was married in 1961 to Raymond Roberts Bobby Givens, who became supervisor for Federal Aviation Administration Flight Service at Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

She performed on stage with the Ira Aldridge Players, which her husband often directed. Acclaimed for her lead role in the companys 1963 production of Purlie Victorius, she turned down a chance to tour with it. She later taught acting to children at the Studio Theater School.

A leader in Faith Missionary Baptist Church, where her parents also were active, she directed the youth and childrens choirs, served as teacher and superintendent in the Sunday school, co-chaired the churchs 25th and 50th anniversary celebrations, chaired the board of its preschool and was vice chair emerita of its board of trustees.

Ms. Givens was a past president of the Buffalo chapter of The Links Inc. and co-chaired its Ebony Fashion Shows. She was a golden life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and a founding member of AKAs Xi Epsilon Omega chapter in Amherst, which named her Soror of the Year in 2005.

She was a former board member of Friends to the Elderly and the Food Bank of Western New York, now FeedMore WNY. She was an associate member of Jack and Jill of America, an organization of African American mothers, and a member of the Pi Lambda Theta Education Honor Society.

Ms. Givens often was invited to speak at church and civic events and received several awards for community service.

An avid reader all her life, she was a member of the Maumbusoma Book Club and started Young Peoples Reading Circles No. 1 and 2 for her granddaughters and their friends when they were in elementary school. A longtime Parkside Avenue resident, she and her daughter Janessa moved last year to a home they built in Amherst. Her husband died in 1992.

Survivors include three daughters, Melissa Evelyn Givens, Janessa Estelle Givens-Daniels and Alexa Joan Givens-Wajed; and three grandchildren.

Services for the family were held Aug. 25 in the Serenity Mausoleum in Forest Lawn.
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- The 9th Belt and Road Summit, co-organised by the HKSAR Government and the HKTDC, will return on 11 and 12 September (Wednesday to Thursday)- This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China. As part of celebration activities, the Summit is themed Building a Connected, Innovative and Green Belt and Road. It will gather over 80 key officials and business leaders from Belt and Road countries and regions to explore cooperation opportunities- A brand-new Green Chapter is added this year, aligning with the Summit theme to feature a variety of thematic sessions on green development and innovationHONG KONG, Aug 28, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - The Belt and Road Summit, co-organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), will take place on 11 and 12 September.Themed Building a Connected, Innovative and Green Belt and Road, the Summit will bring together over 80 key officials and business leaders from Belt and Road countries and regions, they will be engaged in discussions on leveraging Hong Kong's unique advantages to jointly explore Belt and Road markets and uncover cooperation opportunities.The Summit is a key platform for Hong Kong to promote the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), closely aligned with the eight major steps announced by President Xi Jinping last year to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.The Opening Session will feature welcome remarks by Dr Peter K N Lam, Chairman of the HKTDC and opening remarks by John Lee, Chief Executive of the HKSAR. Nurlan Baibazarov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan, will give a keynote address.Algernon Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR Government, said: "As our country's Belt and Road Initiative enters its next golden decade and the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has proposed improving the mechanism for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, Hong Kong, with the solid support of the nation, will continue to capitalise on our unique advantages under one country, two systems to play a more active role by leveraging its strengths as a two-way global investment and trade hub, a hub for technological innovation and green development and an international cultural exchange centre. The Belt and Road Summit will deepen international business cooperation and consolidate Hong Kong's position as the preferred business platform for the Belt and Road Initiative, fully demonstrating Hong Kong's important functions and positioning in global finance, business cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, innovation and technology development, guiding enterprises to explore new business opportunities." Dr Peter K N Lam, Chairman of the HKTDC, said: "With the support of its global network of 50 offices, the HKTDC organises business delegations and outreach activities to Belt and Road countries and regions, promoting tripartite cooperation among Mainland Chinese and Hong Kong professional service providers, investors and Belt and Road project owners. The HKTDC also enables businesses to leverage their own strengths to help Hong Kong play the role of superconnector, linking China with the world. We will continue to seize the opportunities at this year's Belt and Road Summit to strengthen connections with ASEAN and Belt and Road countries. We will also set up new consultant offices in Dhaka of Bangladesh and Phnom Penh of Cambodia, further expanding our network along the Belt and Road." Seizing opportunities and deepening networks in emerging marketsThe ASEAN region is Hong Kong's second-largest trading partner and the world's fifth-largest economy. Last year, the bilateral trade value reached US$144.6 billion, accounting for nearly 13% of Hong Kong's total foreign trade. The development potential is enormous. Last month, John Lee, Chief Executive of the HKSAR, led a HKTDC delegation to Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, the three ASEAN countries. The visit was highly fruitful, with 55 cooperation MoUs signed, further expanding Hong Kong's network in the region. Seven of these MoUs were signed between the HKTDC and relevant chambers of commerce, governments, and organisations in the three countries, further strengthening Hong Kong's ties with the regions for future Belt and Road development.Read more https://www.acnnewswire.com/press-release/english/92484/
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All Residents in Student Living Communities Owned or Managed by The Michaels Organization are Invited to Apply for Post-Secondary Education GrantsCAMDEN, NJ / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 /The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation announced today that its scholarship application process for its Student Living Scholarship program for the 2024-2025 academic year is now open. The program is specifically designed for students who reside in on- or off-campus student living communities that are owned or managed by The Michaels Organization. Undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate students are eligible to apply.Michaels Student Living Scholar A Scholar holds her big check celebrating her educational grant from the Michaels Educational Foundation.Applications for the Michaels Student Living Scholarship Program are available now on Michaels' website. The application process will remain open until October 15, 2024. All applicants will be notified of the outcome status of their application by November 22, 2024."Supporting our residents through their academic journeys is a great honor," said Mark Morgan, CEO of The Michaels Organization. "Michaels is committed to giving back to our residents, not only through the beautiful living-learning environments that our student communities create but also by ensuring they have the resources they need to thrive in every aspect of their lives." The Michaels Student Living Scholarship Program, now in its ninth year, is offered through The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation, a non-profit affiliate of The Michaels Organization, established to administer scholarships to Michaels residents. Since its inception in 1991, the Foundation has awarded more than $16 million in scholarships to scholars residing at Michaels-owned and managed communities. Earlier this year, $2 million was awarded to residents living in Michaels' affordable and military communities.All Educational Foundation funds are raised through voluntary contributions by companies and private individuals throughout The Michaels Organization's business network. All donations are then matched $2 for every $1 by The Michaels Organization's founder and chairman, Michael Levitt, and his wife, Pat Levitt.Important dates and deadlines:October 15, 2024: Final deadline for all parts of the application for a 2024 Michaels Student Living Scholarship Grant. Mail the grade transcripts to Dr. Bruce W. Johnson, Michaels Student Living Scholarship Program, P.O. Box 740, Washington Crossing, PA 18977November 22, 2024: All applicants will be notified of the outcome status of their application.December 13, 2024: Scholarship checks, made payable to post-secondary institutions, will be sent directly to the post-secondary institution via U.S. mail on behalf of the scholarship recipient to help pay for the student's 2024-25 school year costs.About The Michaels OrganizationMichaels is a national leader in residential real estate, offering full-service capabilities in development, property management, construction, and investment, and asset management. Serving more than 200,000 residents in more than 600 communities across 39 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Michaels is committed to crafting housing solutions that jumpstart education, civic engagement and neighborhood prosperity, and to creating Communities That Lift Lives.About The Michaels Educational FoundationThe Michaels Educational Foundation is a non-profit affiliate of The Michaels Organization, established to administer scholarships to Michaels residents. The scholarship program was the first of its kind in the affordable housing industry when it was created and since its inception, the program has expanded to include residents of Michaels' military and student living communities and is monumental to The Michaels Organization's mission of Creating Communities that Lift Lives.Contact InformationLaura ZanerVice President, Michaels Corporate Marketinglzaner@ tmo.com 856-988-5983; 856-630-1540SOURCE: The Michaels OrganizationView the original press release on newswire.com
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 Progress on Second Multilateral Well: Successfully completed 50% of the drilling on its second multilateral well located on the Company's heavy oil property Efficient Drilling Operations: Contractor crews, led by Precision Drilling, are progressing efficiently and are expected to complete drilling by August 30, 2024. Completion operations are scheduled to follow in early September.VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 /Trans Canada Gold Corp. (TSXV:TTG)(OTCQB:TTGXF) ("Trans Canada" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has now successfully completed 50% of the drilling on its second Multilateral well on the Company's heavy oil property situated near Lloydminster, Alberta. Croverro Energy Ltd., under the terms of the agreement, will be Operator.Precision Rig 145 The Contractor crews, headed by Precision Drilling, continue to efficiently drill and are expected to be completed by August 30, 2024, with completion operations to follow in early September. The lands for the well are currently controlled by a partnership led by Croverro, with the Company holding a 18.75% interest. This second multilateral horizontal well is based on well control and newly processed seismic data. The new multilateral well is now planned for 8 lateral legs in the GP sand.The Company has acquired additional lands inside the Area of Mutual Interest ("AMI"), which will allow additional opportunity for multilateral wells. The lands are contiguous with our existing lands. The newly acquired lands, together combined with our existing lands have the oil resource potential in both the Sparky and GP producing zones.Commented Tim Coupland, "Both weather and drilling conditions have been ideal, and we are excited to be finishing drilling our second multi-leg Multilateral well, and look forward to the additional opportunities that may be available in the immediate area." The Company continues to explore additional exploration drilling opportunities in Canada and the United States.ABOUT TRANS CANADA GOLD CORP. - OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION/REVENUE PRODUCING WELLSThe Company is a discovery focused Oil & Gas Resource Development and Mineral Exploration Company that is currently focused on developing and drilling its' production of conventional heavy oil exploration properties, increasing production capabilities, and increasing future oil production revenues through responsible exploration. The Company identifies, acquires and finances with its working interest partners, the ongoing development of oil and gas assets primarily situated in Alberta Canada. The Company has qualified Senior exploration management and Geological teams of professionals, seasoned in exploration production, field exploration and drilling. The Company currently works with Croverro Energy Ltd., who has demonstrated proficiency, expected of an experienced oil and gas technical team that has proven oil production, and revenue success with large multi-lateral wells currently under their supervision. The Company has the necessary manpower in place to develop its natural resource properties and manage its production properties. The Company is committed to minimizing risk through selective property acquisitions, and responsible exploration drilling, and maximizing long term petroleum and natural gas resource assets.FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:Tim Coupland, President and CEOTrans Canada Gold Corp.Tel: (604) 681-3131 astar@ telus.comwww.transcanadagold.com orChristian Timmins, DirectorTrans Canada Gold Corp.Tel: (403) 597-3410Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider, (as the term is defined in the Policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.Contact InformationChris TimminsDirectorctimmins29@ gmail.com 403-597-3410Tim CouplandCEOastar@ telus.com 604-681-3131 SOURCE: Trans Canada Gold Corp.
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ARIS, FRANCE AND MONTREAL, QUEBEC / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / Tribun Health, a leading provider of digital pathology solutions, today announced a strategic partnership with Ibex Medical Analytics (Ibex), the leader in AI-powered cancer diagnostics. Through this collaboration, Ibex's suite of AI-powered diagnostic tools will be available from Tribun Health's award-winning CaloPix Information Management System (IMS), bringing cutting-edge AI capabilities to healthcare providers worldwide.Tribun Health and IBEX Partnership Tribun Health and IBEX LogosUnder the terms of the agreement, Tribun Health will offer Ibex's product line, which supports multiple tissues including prostate, breast, and gastric, as part of the CaloPix IMS platform. These AI solutions leverage advanced deep learning algorithms to assist physicians in detecting and diagnosing various types of cancer with improved accuracy and efficiency.The integration of Ibex's AI tools into Tribun Health's Best in KLAS CaloPix IMS will enable pathologists to access these powerful diagnostic tools within their existing clinical workflows. Cases will be automatically sent to Ibex's AI and results will be accessible in CaloPix to define intelligent case triage and slide review. This partnership addresses the growing demand for intelligent, AI-driven solutions that can enhance diagnostic precision, streamline patient care, and improve overall healthcare outcomes."We are excited to partner with Ibex and bring their cutting-edge AI diagnostic solutions to our customers," said Jean-Francois Pomerol, CEO at Tribun Health. "This collaboration aligns with our commitment to delivering innovative technology that empowers healthcare providers and improves patient care. It illustrates the opportunities and impactful developments in terms of care thanks to AI that the digitization makes possible to embrace." "We are thrilled to collaborate with Tribun Health and leverage their expertise in healthcare IT deployment and workflow optimization," said Joseph Mossel, CEO at Ibex. "Together, we can deliver intelligent diagnostic solutions that integrate into existing clinical practices, driving better patient outcomes and improving the overall healthcare experience." The partnership between Tribun Health and Ibex represents a significant step forward in the adoption of AI-driven solutions in healthcare. By combining their respective strengths, the two companies aim to advance cancer diagnostics through the offering of their joint solution in Canada, the European Union, and the United States.The integration aligns with Tribun Health's overarching AI strategy built on three core pillars: proprietary algorithms optimized for workflow efficiency and diagnostic precision, strategic collaborations with AI leaders like Ibex, and a generic API enabling seamless integration of any third-party and customer-developed algorithms. This multifaceted approach ensures pathology laboratories have access to a comprehensive AI-powered ecosystem tailored to their unique needs.Join us at the 36th European Congress of Pathology in Florence, Italy, from September 7-11, 2024. You can find Tribun Health at Booth #11 and Ibex at Booth #13.Contact Information:Andreia BeyerVP, Global Marketing & Managing Director, North Americaabeyer@ tribun.health +1 (416) 565-0474SOURCE: Tribun HealthView the original press release on newswire.com
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 27, 2024 /Zeus North America Mining Corp. (formerly Umdoni Exploration Inc.) (CSE:ZEUS)(OTCQB:ZUUZF)(FRA:O92) (the "Company" or "Zeus") announces the Plan of Arrangement dated for reference August 26, 2024 (the "Arrangement") to spin out its Chlore Property located in the Omineca Mining Division of North-Central British Columbia to Zeus' subsidiary Kelso Mining Inc. ("Kelso").Under the terms of the Arrangement, Zeus' shareholders will be issued one share of Kelso with respect to every 150 shares of Zeus owned on the share distribution record date (the "Share Distribution Record Date"), which will be determined by Zeus's Board of Directors and announced by a news release in advance.Holders of Zeus options and warrants, who exercise their options and/or warrants before the Share Distribution Record Date, will also be entitled to receive one share of Kelso with respect to every 150 shares of Zeus. The Chlore Property will be transferred to Kelso.Upon completion of the Arrangement, Zeus shareholders will ultimately own shares in two public companies: Zeus, which will be focused on its properties in the State of Idaho known as the Cuddy Mountain, Selway and Great Western properties and Kelso, which will focus on the Chlore Property.Completion of the Arrangement is subject to a number of conditions, including the following:the approval by the shareholders of Zeus by a special resolution at a special meeting (the "Meeting");the approval of the Supreme Court of British Columbia; andthe acceptance of the Arrangement by the Canadian Securities Exchange.The Arrangement cannot be completed until all the above conditions are met. A copy of the Arrangement will be posted on www.sedarplus.ca under the profile of the Company.Additional details regarding the Arrangement will be included in the information circular of the Company, which will be mailed to the shareholders of Zeus prior to the Meeting.On behalf of the board of directors."Dean Besserer"President and CEOFor more information, please contact the Company at info@ zeusminingcorp.com FOR INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT: Kin Communications Inc.Ph: 604-684-6730 ZEUS@ kincommunications.com About Zeus North America Mining Corp.The Company is in the business of mineral exploration. The Company is focused on its exploration properties in the state of Idaho known as the: Cuddy Mountain; Selway; and Great Western properties, respectively. The Idaho properties consist of 82 (Cuddy Mountain), 57 (Selway) and 38 (Great Western) lode mining claims respectively and cover a cumulative area of approximately 3822.1 acres. The Company's flagship Cuddy Mountain Property is adjacent to Hercules Metal Corp's Leviathan Copper Porphyry discovery.Forward Looking StatementsWhen used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of their respective officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the parties can give no assurance that such statements will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements and information in this news release include, amongst others, the Company's plans regarding the Arrangement and exploration plans. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company. There are risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information.By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements or implied by such forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others: currency fluctuations; limited business history of the parties; disruptions or changes in the credit or security markets; results of operation activities and development of projects; project cost overruns or unanticipated costs; shareholder, court and regulatory approvals; and general development, market and industry conditions.The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of its securities or its financial or operating results (as applicable). The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors.The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. The Company does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws.The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.SOURCE: Zeus North America Mining Corp.
Divorce.com, a United States website which offers resources and support for navigating divorce, has included Nigeria on its list of countries with high divorce rates.

According to data published on their website in July, Nigeria ranked eleventh out of twenty-six countries with the highest divorce rate.

The results were meticulously obtained after sampling respondents from these countries and compiling statistics from 16 primary sources, ensuring a comprehensive and reliable research process.

The report also revealed a significant trend. Women in sub-Saharan Africa, especially Nigeria, are taking the initiative in divorce more often than men, a powerful reflection of changing gender dynamics.

According to the data, Maldives has the highest divorce rate at 5.52 per cent, while India has the lowest rate at 0.01 per cent.

Maldives tops the list because women in the country have become more financially independent and can sustain themselves without husbands. Also, there is little to no stigma associated with getting divorced in modern Maldives.

However, India has the lowest divorce rates because marriage is highly valued, and divorce has historically been stigmatised, which has created intense social pressure to maintain the marriage, even in the face of difficulties.

Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later

Rationale

Divorce.com claimed that Nigerias divorce rate reached 2.9 per cent in 2023 based on available data on marriage and divorce, which translates to 1.8 per cent divorces per 1,000 people in the same year.

Just like Maldives, Nigeria was ranked eleventh among the countries with the highest divorce rate because its women are financially independent and can sustain themselves without husbands.

They stated that the data was arrived at based on scholars belief that high divorce rates in Western countries stem from the reduced stigma surrounding divorce and the growing financial independence of women.

Countries with higher divorce rates than Nigeria include the Maldives, Cuba 2.9 per cent, Finland 2.4 per cent, Sweden 2.5 per cent, Denmark 2.7 per cent and Ukraine 3.1 per cent.

For instance, Canada, a country with a similar socio-economic profile to Nigeria, had a divorce rate of 2.8 per cent, while India, a country with a different cultural and religious context, had a divorce rate of 0.1 per cent.

Other countries with lower divorce rates than Nigeria include Malta 0.6 per cent, Ireland 0.7 per cent, Guatemala 0.6 per cent, Venezuela 0.7 per cent, Uruguay 0.8 per cent, Austria 1.6 per cent, and Belgium 1.8 per cent.

Factors that contributed to divorce

According to Divorce.com, various factors influence a countrys divorce rate, and these factors differ across continents.

In the countries with the highest divorce rates, religion, local divorce laws, lack of social support, and limited employment opportunities are significant contributors.

These factors can lead to a breakdown in trust and communication, making it difficult for couples to maintain a healthy and committed relationship.

Other common factors include marrying too young 45.1 per cent, financial hardship 36.7 per cent, substance abuse 40.6 per cent, and domestic violence 23.5 per cent.

Africa

Additionally, eleven other African countries were ranked behind Nigeria in divorce rates.

These countries include Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Sudan, Mauritius, Libya, South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique.

Egypts divorce rate was 2.2 per cent, Algerias 1.6 per cent, Tunisias 1.2 per cent, Sudans 1.5 per cent, Mauritius 1.7 per cent, Libyas 0.2 per cent, and South Africas 0.4 per cent.

Furthermore, Ethiopia has a divorce rate of 2.6 per cent, Kenya 0.06 per cent, Zimbabwe 0.07 per cent, and Mozambique 0.04 per cent.

Determining factors

According to Divorce.com, the primary factors influencing divorce rates in Africa include age at first marriage, financial independence, polygyny, and HIV/AIDS risks.

The report also revealed that women in sub-Saharan Africa initiated divorce more often than men.

Specifically, 34.6 per cent of women with secondary school education, 38.6 per cent of those living in urban areas, 57.6 per cent employed outside the household, and 75.1 per cent in monogamous unions have divorced.

Additionally, they highlighted that marriage stability in sub-Saharan African countries mainly depends on religion and extended family ties.

READ ALSO: Depressed woman set self ablaze after divorce

In particular, conservative Christians, who considered divorce a taboo in the past, now increasingly believe it to be a better option than domestic violence and infidelity.

In addition, if a marriage requires paying a substantial amount of money to the brides family, maternal relatives will try to keep the union from falling apart. Otherwise, they will have to return the portion or all of the bride price, Divorce.com added.

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As of Friday, Nigeria has confirmed 40 cases of Mpox, a viral disease recently declared a public emergency of international concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Like the global health institutions, the Nigerian health authorities have expectedly reintroduced relevant measures to curtail its spread and provide care for those already infected. One of these measures was reintroducing health declaration forms at airports for people returning or visiting the country.

The Nigerian government also enforced increased border surveillance, distributing diagnostic protocols to port health services and putting people on higher alert at international airports, sea ports, and land borders.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, said these efforts were in response to the rapid spread of the disease in African countries where an outbreak has been declared.

Mr Pate said Nigeria intends to tackle the disease by deploying measures similar to those used during the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the disease is less deadly and contagious compared to COVID-19.

He said these measures will be introduced alongside the activation of infectious disease centres in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later

Confirmed cases of the disease in Nigeria were recorded across 19 states, including the FCT, from the years first month.

Five states currently lead the infection chart. Bayelsa tops the chart with five confirmed cases. Cross River, Enugu and Akwa Ibom have four cases each, and Benue has three cases. For suspected cases, Ogun tops the chart with 141 suspected cases, Lagos has 99 cases, Bayelsa has 94 cases, Ekiti has 47 and is followed by Osun which has recorded 45 suspected cases this year.

The number of cases in Nigeria is low when compared to countries in the Central African region, where thousands of cases have been recorded and hundreds of people killed by the disease. However, this does not eliminate the risk of Mpox in the country.

What is Mpox

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease related to the eradicated smallpox virus. It has been endemic in parts of Africa for decades since it was first detected in humans in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970.

For years, Mpox was predominantly detected in Central and West Africa. Clade I cases were concentrated in Central Africa, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo, while Clade II cases were found mainly in Nigeria.

It is a contagious and deadly disease that spreads from animals to humans through direct contact with infected animals blood and bodily fluids, such as monkeys.

Human-to-human transmission is also possible through close contact such as touching, kissing or sex, as well as through contaminated materials like sheets, clothing and needles.

Recent outbreak

The recent Mpox outbreak has been in the Democratic Republic of Congo since November 2023 but recently spread rapidly to several other African countries including Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya.

The Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has recorded 3,641 confirmed cases with 622 deaths across 13 African countries this year.

The public health agency also said 19,222 suspected cases have been reported so far.

Sweden has also recorded one case of clade I, making it the first Mpox case outside Africa.

The Africa CDC Director, Jean Kaseya, recently warned of the viruss rapid spread.

WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus also expressed deep concern, stating that the potential for further international spread is very worrying.

Both organisations have also consistently released funding to support responses in countries.

The Africa CDC said it had granted the African Union $10.4 million in emergency funding for its Mpox response, while the WHO has released $1.45 million from its contingency fund for emergencies.

In 2022, a less severe strain of the virus spread to over a hundred countries, primarily through sexual transmission.

This led the World Health Organisation (WHO) to declare it a public health emergency. Ten months later, the WHO announced the end of the emergency, stating that it had been brought under control.

What is different about this outbreak?

There are two main types of Mpox: Clade I and Clade II.

Clade II was responsible for a global outbreak that was declared a global health emergency from July 2022 to May 2023. This new outbreak, however, is caused by the deadlier Mpox Clade II virus. Also, a new variant of the Clade I virus, Clade 1b, was discovered in September 2023 in Congo.

According to WHO, Clade Ib is a more lethal strain of the virus. It is highly contagious and has spread to at least five other African countries unaffected by the last outbreak.

Why is this more dangerous?

Experts say mutations led to Clade Ib, which has since spread rapidly. This new variant has been labelled the most dangerous yet by scientists.

According to different studies, Clade I has a higher mortality rate of 1-10 per cent compared to Clade II, which is usually less than one per cent.

The Chief of Public Health, UNICEF Nigeria, Eduardo Celades, told PREMIUM TIMES that compared to Clade I and II, the new variant, Clade Ib, is considered to be deadlier and more contagious, spreading rapidly across African countries.

He said the rapid spread caused both WHO and the African CDC to raise an alarm about the outbreak and declare it a health emergency that required urgent attention.

Experts have noted that the current outbreak is the largest for Clade I to date, with a mortality rate estimated at around 4 per cent, consistent with previous reports for this strain.

The WHO Director-General also said: We are not dealing with one outbreak of one clade; we are dealing with several outbreaks of different clades in different countries with different modes of transmission and different levels of risk.

Vaccines

There are two key mpox shots, made by Denmarks Bavarian Nordic and Japans KM Biologics. Bavarian Nordic vaccine reportedly costs $100 a dose, but the price of KM Biologics is unknown.

While the mpox vaccine has been available to 70 countries outside Africa, the arrival of the vaccine into the continent where thousands of people are infected, has been slow.

Health experts told Reuters that the vaccine has been difficult for many low-income nations due to its high cost. However, the struggle for access is worsened by the delay in WHO approval for international agencies to procure and distribute the vaccine to poor countries.

This has forced African governments and the African CDC to resort to seeking donations of vaccines from wealthier countries.

ALSO READ: Africa CDC develops continental response plan for Mpox

Several WHO officials and scientists told Reuters that the delay in providing vaccine doses to Africa showed that lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic about global healthcare inequities have been slow to bring change.

They said WHO did not begin the process needed to give poor countries easy access to large quantities of vaccines through international agencies until this month.

Last Friday, the UN agency disclosed that it plans to relax some of its procedures to accelerate poor countries access to the mpox shots.

But health officials and experts said this could have begun years ago.

According to a member of the Africa CDCs Mpox Emergency Committee, Helen Rees, the situation is unacceptable. She noted that in Africas battle to obtain vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic, the continent is once again being neglected.

However, on Tuesday, the Africa CDC DG said the agency expects to receive a total of 380,000 doses of vaccine through donations from some of its international partners.

Nigeria has also received 10,000 vaccine doses from the US.

Preventive measures

Good hygiene is crucial to preventing the spread of the Mpox virus. Experts recommend regular hand washing with soap or alcohol-based hand sanitiser.

It is also best to avoid sharing items like towels, bedding, clothing, or utensils with others and to regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as doorknobs, countertops, and phones.

Also, avoid unsafe sexual practices.

While reported cases of the disease are significantly low in Nigeria, UNICEFs Eduardo Celades urged that citizens learn to identify the primary symptoms of the virus.

Some of the symptoms are fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, chills, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and sore throat. A rash usually appears one to five days after the first symptoms. It often starts on the face and then spreads to other parts of the body, including the genitals and anus.

Mr Celades said recognising the symptoms will help people identify when they might be infected, allowing them to seek medical care early and preventing further transmission to others.

WHO also suggested that uninfected people should avoid close contact with people suspected or diagnosed with the disease, while infected or recovering persons should self-isolate.

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An NGO, Society for Women Development and Empowerment of Nigeria (SWODEN), has trained about 250 Community Health Volunteers and Health Service Providers (CHV/HSP) in Katsina State.

SWODEN also organised a 2-day training for 110 male motivators as part of the implementation of its Gender/Behavior Change Intervention (BCI) project.

The states SWODEN programme officer, Tajuddeen Maaruf, disclosed this during a training session for the CHV/HSP in Katsina.

According to him, Nutrition International (NI) supported the two capacity-building trainings in collaboration with the Katsina State government.

He said the refresher training for the CHV/HSP was to update their knowledge of male involvement in maternal health.

Mr Maaruf added that the aim was to enable them to continue with community sensitisation, outreaches, house-to-house visits, and mens support groups sensitisation.

It is also for them to be able to sensitise youth groups and counselling, at both facility and community levels, for women to be accessing Antenatal Care (ANC) and Iron and Folic Acid (IFAs) uptake.

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To address some gender gaps, men were also sensitised on ways to empower the women on accessing other health care services around them, Mr Maaruf said.

He further commended the volunteers commitment during the training and the success stories they shared from the field.

Similarly, Sani Umar, the NI state Coordinator, thanked the volunteers and urged them to continue the good work.

According to Mr Umar, much must be done to address maternal health in the state and Nigeria, hence the need for all stakeholders to join hands.

SWODEN is a civil society organisation focusing on women, girls, and young people.

It designs and provides innovative and quality health, educational, economic development and social protection services to its target groups. (NAN)

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Relevant Agricultural and Climate Change experts met in Abuja to discuss the roles of mobile technology and media in achieving climate-resilient agriculture and inclusive climate action.

This is amidst the devastating impacts of extreme weather events (flooding, drought) on food production, women and People Living with Disabilities (PWD) in the country.

The experts spoke at the high-level advocacy dialogue/flood impact report launch organised by HEDA Resource Centre in Abuja on Wednesday.

The event, themed Protecting Smallholder Farmers and Vulnerable Communities from Climate-Related Shocks: Implementing Early Warning Systems for Food Security and Livelihood Resilience in Nigeria, brought together several relevant agricultural/climate change experts from the private and public sectors, farmers and academia.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of HEDA Resource Centre, Sulaimon Arigbabu, noted that the theme could not be more timely, as climate risks continue to escalate the need for robust, culturally-relevant Early Warning Systems (EWS).

Todays event is part of activities to sign post our work around climate justice, under the African Activists for Climate Justice Project, a 5-year pan African funding by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, he said.

Early warning system (EWS) is explained as the set of capacities needed to generate and disseminate timely and meaningful climate warning information to enable individuals, communities and organisations threatened by hazards to take necessary proactive actions and act swiftly to reduce the possibility of harm or losses.

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On Wednesday, Mr Arigbabu explained that EWS are vital in providing actionable information that can empower farmers and communities to anticipate, prepare for, and mitigate the impacts of climate-induced disasters such as floods and droughts.

He emphasised that the aim of the event is to spotlight the current EWS in Nigeria, identify coverage gaps, accessibility and effectiveness, particularly for smallholder farmers.

Our mission is to change the narrative of communicating condolences to our vulnerable communities after each climate induced disaster, but rather communicating warnings and knowledge that help build resilience in these communities, he said.

Roles of mobile technology/media in climate-resilient agriculture

During the first panel discussion of the event moderated by James Jayeoba, a Professor of Sustainable Agriculture in Nasarawa State University, the panellists discussed the theme leveraging Mobile Technology for Climate-Resilient Agriculture in Nigeria.

One of the discussants, Abdulwarees Solanke, a media practitioner, said to enhance the delivery of climate services to smallholder farmers, there is a need for the media to profile those in farming communities and identify the quantum of media technology in the possession of farmers.

By doing so, he said, the media will be able to mainstream information to rural farmers effectively, coupled with adequate engagement of relevant researchers in the country.

The use of radio for the passage of agricultural messages is very critical. Almost all radio stations in the country have programs on environmental and agriculture issues, Mr Solanke said.

He urged critical stakeholders in the agricultural sector to research available free radio programs they can leverage to disseminate vital information for farmers.

On her part, the Chief Executive Officer of Rashak Farms Agri-Allied Limited, Rahmah Aderinoye, said cultural barriers and lack of inclusiveness is preventing women farmers from assessing climate risks information seamlessly.

Cultural barriers are preventing women from participating in the trainers courses. This is why we give preference to women and PWDs in our outreaches, she said.

She explained that there is a need to encourage women farmers by providing them with necessary resources and support because the sector is dominated by men.

Mrs Aderinoye said one of the ways to support women farmers is to ensure that weather forecasts information are passed through mobile devices to women farmers in a timely manner.

In his intervention, Adetoro Akindele, the Vice President, Commercial of Thrive Agric, said there is a need to take advantage of social media to disseminate relevant climate-related information to farmers in the country.

Short video clips(reels) message goes a long way in disseminating information and they are not gender biased, he said.

He noted that in some tribes across the country, women are not permitted to look at men in the face, and as such they are disenfranchised.

Based on this, the expert said there is a need to empower women and encourage them by providing reliable information timely to the women.

Mr Akindele said there is a need to engage telecommunication companies to help in passing relevant climate risks information to farmers across the country.

In his swift intervention, Yusuf Kelani, an aide to President Bola Tinubu on Climate Change Matters, said the government is working towards building a climate alert system to capture everyone within the Nigerian territory.

The government is considering sending early warning system information to everyone in the country via their mobile phones, he said.

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A former National Auditor of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), George Moghalu, has formally resigned his membership of the party.

Mr Moghalu announced his resignation in a a letter submitted to the party and made available to journalists in Awka, the Anambra State capital, on Tuesday.

He said his reason for his resignation was personal.

I bring you the good wishes of my dear family and to formally notify you of my decision to resign my membership of the All Progressives Congress, APC , with effect from today, the 26th day of August, 2024.

It is my utmost desire and expectation that all of us will continue to maintain the cordial relationship that we have built together over the years, he said.

Mr Moghalu is the immediate past managing director of Nigeria Inland WaterWays Agency(NIWA)

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Moghalu who had in June 2024 said he was leaving the ruling party was one of the founding members of APC.

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He had been a member of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and then Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) before the formation of the APC in 2014.

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The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) has alleged that the police are denying its detained members legal representation and access to their families.

It also demanded the release of the detained members.

A leader of the group, Rabiu Abdullahi, said this at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday.

PREMIUM Times reported that violence erupted between the police and some members of the proscribed movement, also known as Shiites, in Abuja last week.

The groups members, also known as Shiites, were on their annual religious procession (Arbaeen Trek) when the clash occurred around the popular Wuse market in the federal capital.

Two policemen died during the clash, while others sustained serious injuries. Consequently, the police arrested 97 members of the group.

Mr Abdullahi expressed concerns over what he termed as ongoing human rights violations by the police.

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We wish to draw the attention of the public, including human rights organisations and relevant authorities, to the ongoing act of violence and lawlessness being carried out by the Nigerian Police Force.

We would also like to draw the attention of the public to the fact that the Police Forces have denied our brothers and sisters arrested on August 25, 2024, access to their families and lawyers. All the necessary efforts put in place to reach them and learn about their condition have been deliberately frustrated by security agents, he said.

The IMN said the police stormed the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital in Gwagwalada on Tuesday, arrested the groups members receiving treatment at the hospital, and took them into detention.

He said the force also attacked a private primary school around Airport Road on Monday, destroying properties and arresting innocent people.

The police attacked a private primary school around Airport Road; destroyed public and private properties and arrested innocent people around the school. We have reasons to believe that this is an attempt to bury under the carpet the heinous crime they committed.

Tuesday, August 27, 2024, around 9 a.m., a verifiable report reaching us revealed that the police attacked the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, FCT Abuja, he said.

He recounted that in 2019, an IMN leader, Jaafar Muhammad, was arrested by the police during a similar operation and later died in custody.

The public could recall that the police conducted a similar operation in 2019 where they arrested patients in the hospital and detained them at SARS. And eventually, those arrested at the hospital died in police custody, and the police dumped their corpses at Asokoro District Hospital, he explained.

We would like to condemn, in the strongest terms, this act of terror against our innocent brothers and sisters, whose only fault was exercising their legal rights as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.

We would like to make it categorically clear that the Islamic Movement is not an organisation; it is a concept, an ideology, and a philosophy. And therefore, it could not be proscribed, he stated.

Mr Abdullahi said the group filed a contempt of court suit against the Inspector General of Police for failing to pay a N100 million fine awarded by the Federal High Court in Abuja for the unlawful detention and death of Mr Muhammad.

He insisted that IMN is not a proscribed organisation and urged relevant authorities to intervene quickly to ensure the unconditional release of its members.

We call upon relevant authorities and all well-meaning individuals to call the NPF to order before things get out of control. We demand the unconditional release of all those arrested during the 2024 Abuja Arbaeen, he said.

When contacted, the FCT Police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, declined comment. Instead, she referred this newspaper to an officer whose contact she did not provide.

Contact Solomon, who attended the parade we had earlier today, Ms Adeh said

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The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has urged the Cross River State Government to take steps to improve the quality of water supply to residents of the Calabar metropolis.

The call was made by participants who spoke at a one-day public lecture to mark NSE 2024 Engineering Week in Uyo on Wednesday.

The guest lecturer, Nkpa Ogarekpe, described the water quality supplied from private boreholes in the city as poor and unsafe.

Speaking at the lecture on Safety Issues with Domestic Borehole Water Source, Mr Ogarekpe urged the government not to treat the issue of unsafe water with levity.

Mr Ogarekpe, a lecturer at the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Cross River, said that some private boreholes in the city were sunk close to dump sites and gully erosions, which often lead to contaminated water supplies.

This is not an assumption; it is the result of a study conducted on some boreholes within the Calabar metropolis, he said.

The lecturer quoted the World Health Organisation as saying that water could only be confirmed safe if it posed no significant health risk after consumption.

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Research conducted on some local boreholes within Calabar shows that the issue of pollution is caused within the metropolis.

Borehole 48, located at Ikot Efanga, is in a place with a significant level of pollution; of course, you are all aware of the open dump site in that place.

Borehole 23 is close to the gully erosion at Ndidem Usang Iso, and that gully is being used as a dump site, he said.

In her speech, the NSE National President, Margaret Oguntala, expressed the need for engineers to play active roles in ensuring quality standards for domestic water sources.

Represented by Ndifon Agbiji, the national executive member in charge of the professional development board, Ms Oguntala urged the state government to upgrade the water infrastructure.

The NSE branch in Calabar should remind the state government and the public of the role of engineers in this regard.

Some time ago, Cross River was ranked as one of the best states in the supply of potable water, but we are seeing a gradual decline from this status, she said.

The NSE president said investment in water infrastructure remained critical to the health and wellbeing of the residents.

(NAN)

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC) has denied declaring Nigerian bread unsafe for consumption.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Moji Adeyeye, said the agency did not raise concerns about the quality of bread produced in Nigeria as purported in a viral video.

In the referenced viral video, a reporter claimed that the agency said breads sold in Nigeria are failing laboratory tests because producers bake them using saccharine as an alternative to sugar.

However, the agency said this claim is a misrepresentation of a statement made by the official mentioned in the video.

At an event in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on 16 August, the NAFDAC South-west Coordinator, Roseline Ajayi, said, breads sold in the markets are failing laboratory tests due to the use of saccharine.

The official, however, did not specify if the issue was nationwide or limited to the South-west region.

Mrs Adeyeye, on Tuesday, debunked the slant given to the NAFDAC officials comment.

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The video does not reflect the observations of NAFDAC during the stakeholders engagement on 16 August 2024 in Ibadan, Oyo State.

We strongly dissociate ourselves from the misleading statements in the video and reassure the public that NAFDAC remains committed to its role in safeguarding the health of the nation.

The claims made by the reporter are personal opinions and do not reflect NAFDACs stance, Mrs Adeyee said.

Dont use saccharine in bread

She also noted that the Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS) and the Codex General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA) prohibit saccharine use in bread).

Any baker found using unapproved additives like saccharine will be sanctioned according to the extant regulatory provisions.

The agency emphasises that at no point did it advise Nigerians to avoid bread produced in the country, Mrs Adeyeye added.

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The Labour Party (LP) has set up a seven-member Disciplinary Standing Committee to curb the excesses of members not ready to abide by its constitution and obey directives.

Mr Julius Abure, its national chairman, told journalists on Tuesday in Abuja that the decision was one of the resolutions reached at the meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

Mr Abure urged all members to play by the rules and pay respect to the national leadership of the party and respect the LP constitution.

All party members are under obligation to respect the integrity and dignity of the party and its leadership.

The national leadership will not hesitate to discipline any member who is not ready to obey the Constitution of the Party and obey directives, Mr Abure said.

He listed members of the disciplinary committee to include Kehinde Edun, National Legal Adviser, who is the chairman.

Other members of the committee are Clement Ojukwu, Deputy National Chairman, Ayo Olorunfemi and Dudu Manuga, national women leader.

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Others are Callistus Ihejiagwa, chairman, Imo chapter, Raji Mohammed, chairman, Kano State chapter, and Umar Ibrahim, national secretary, who is the secretary of the committee.

Mr Abure urged members of the party to work together for the common purpose of lifting up the poor which LP stands for.

Party disagrees with Gov Otti

Speaking further on the reason for the communique, he said it was to read out the decision of the NWC after meeting with the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti.

He said the governor stated his intention to convene a NEC meeting on Saturday, 31 August, in order to dissolve the national, state, local government, and ward executive councils on the purported ground that the tenures of the executives had expired.

His argument was premised allegedly from a claim by INEC that the current executives tenures had expired.

The NWC noted that the National Convention of the Party held on the 27th of March, 2024 has been validated by a court of competent jurisdiction on the 16th day of June, 2024 when it held that issues of leadership, conduct of congresses and convention are internal affairs of a political party.

The judge determined issues of notices, how the convention was held, delegates, amongst others, were determined by the court which upheld the National Convention of the party.

For anybody to say that there was a vacuum in the leadership of the party is not only mischievous, but a deliberate attempt to cause panic, chaos and to disrupt the smooth working of our party, he said.

Mr Abure said that Section 82(5) of the Electoral Act 2022 provides that failure of a political party to notify the commission as stated in sub-section (1)shall render the Convention, congress, conference or meeting invalid.

The NWC in session notes that Section 83 (1) (2) of the Electoral Act 2022 provides also that the commission shall keep records of the activities of all registered political parties.

The commission may seek information or clarification from any registered political party in connection with any activities of the political party which may be contrary to the provisions of the Constitution or any other law, guideline, rules or regulations made pursuant to an Act of the National Assembly.

The LP national chairman said the party had fulfilled its obligation to convene its convention.

Therefore, for any person(s) or agency to begin to instigate members of the party from the back door that the tenures of the executives have expired, is tantamount to being unprofessional and mischievous.

We must also state that government business is not conducted verbally. It is done in official communication through writings and correspondence. So, we must await any communication by INEC.

READ ALSO: Peter Obi disagrees with Labour Party over remark on Kenneth Okonkwo

He, therefore, called on all members of the party to work together to work for the common purpose of lifting up the downtrodden.

He also appealed to other contending parties to sheathe their swords and maintain status quo until the final court verdict.

(NAN)

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Property owners and residents of Lafiaji, a community in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, have again appealed to President Bola Tinubu to direct the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to revert to the original gazetted alignment for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway project.

The 700-kilometre highway spanning nine coastal states has been criticised by Lagos residents whose properties were marked for demolition, including the Landmark Beach in Victoria Island, Lagos.

In May, owners of over 80 houses in Lafiaji received demolition notices from the Federal Ministry of Works and the Lagos State government, stating that their properties encroached on the designated alignment.

However, the residents kicked against the notices, saying an alignment for the coastal road was established as far back as 2006, and they ensured that their properties did not encroach on the designated alignment, thereby avoiding potential conflicts with the planned coastal road construction.

At a press conference on Tuesday, the residents alleged that Mr Umahi deviated from the original right of way to favour Ocean Bay Estates and other high-end properties, despite President Tinubus instructions to revert to the old alignment.

They claim that Mr Umahis actions demonstrate nepotism, as he spared estates of owners with strong political connections while targeting their homes for demolition.

From our findings, the Honourable Minister has found it challenging to follow the presidential directive in the Lafiaji Area. We discovered that amongst some huge housing estates that allegedly have sprung up illicitly on the long-established Right of Way are Ocean Bay Estate and others.

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The developers of these Estates and some of the owners-occupiers of buildings therein are alleged to have strong political connections, ethnic ties, and social links with the powers that be. Therefore, the Honourable Minister of Works, in an unabashed display of nepotism, as alleged, ruled that the property and buildings in these estates are too valuable to be demolished and that demolishing them would attract huge compensation from the Federal Government.

In consequence, it is being alleged that the Honourable Minister of Works directed that the Right of Way be altered away from the established path and the said estates, and that this new alignment be made through our lands which were never established as the original Right of Way.

We cannot understand why our legal rights and interests must be sacrificed to please violators of the long-established Right of Way, whose illegally constructed property (houses) can be demolished and removed without any compensation whatsoever, and with justification, they said in a statement read at the conference.

While expressing their unflinching support for executing the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project by the long-established Right of Way, the residents reiterated their request for President Tinubu to protect and uphold their legal rights and interests.

They questioned why law-abiding citizens are penalised while violators who built on the established right of way are favoured.

We cannot understand why our legal rights and interests must be sacrificed to please violators of the long-established Right of Way, whose illegally constructed property (houses) can be demolished and removed without any compensation whatsoever and with justification.

 Why are we- the law-abiding citizens being rewarded with oppression, while violators, who knowingly and arrogantly built on the long-established Right of Way, are being treated with reverence?

On 26th August, Federal Ministry of Works officials visited the Lafiaji community to enumerate affected houses marked for demolition, further escalating tensions.

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The National Hospital in Abuja says the brain drain plaguing the health sector has reduced its workforce from 3,000 to 2,500 (about 17 per cent loss).

This is in spite of its 25 years of medical breakthroughs and significant staff expansion, the hospital said.

The Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital, Muhammad Raji, discussed these challenges in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

Mr Raji highlighted the hospitals achievements and its ongoing impact amid these staffing challenges.

Reflecting on the hospitals remarkable growth over its 25-year history, the CMD said it began operations with a small number of members of staff, offering limited services primarily for women and children.

Today, we provide comprehensive treatment for all genders and ages.

Our services have grown significantly over the years, and so has our workforce, he said.

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He mentioned that the hospital now had at least 2,500 employees, pointing out that If it was not for the brain drain affecting our workforce, we would be talking about 3,000 today.

He also underscored the hospitals pioneering achievements, including being the first in Africa to have an Alinach Machine and leading in Nigeria for Invitro Fertilisation (IVF).

Notable milestones include separating conjoined twins, performing the first open brain surgery with the patient fully awake, and pioneering treatments for chronic arthritis and brain surgeries.

The hospital also celebrated the birth of sextuplets, all of whom survived, he said.

He recalled that years ago, many Nigerians left for the Middle East for better opportunities, a trend that had recently resurfaced.

The migration of healthcare professionals from Nigeria to other countries has reached alarming levels, posing challenges for maintaining adequate staffing in Nigerian hospitals.

Its not easy to get as many healthcare workers as we need, especially with the increasing number of professionals migrating abroad, he noted.

However, he said he was hopeful about reversing the trend through innovative collaborations with the Nigerian diaspora.

The hospital has established partnerships allowing Nigerian medical professionals working abroad to return on a rotational basis.

These professionals spend two weeks here and then return at their convenience, benefiting both them and our healthcare system, he explained.

He urged the government and private sector to create a conducive working environment to encourage more healthcare workers to stay or return to Nigeria.

He expressed optimism about re-engaging Nigerian medical professionals abroad through these collaborations, which helped improve the overall quality of healthcare services.

NAN reports that the National Hospital will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a week of activities from 2 September to 8 September.

The main event on 4 September will feature lectures, a gala, and an award night.

The event will focus on the importance of partnerships in tackling challenges such as brain drain and medical tourism, aiming to attract both Nigerians and non-Nigerians to the hospital.

(NAN)

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On Tuesday, the Kano State House of Assembly approved a supplementary budget request of N99 billion from the state governor, Abba Yusuf.

The request was the first since the assembly passed the N350 billion 2024 appropriation for the state last December.

The request was formally presented during a plenary session on Tuesday, presided over by Speaker Ismail Falgore.

The governor, in the request, said the supplementary budget is essential for the swift implementation of priority projects meant to enhance the welfare of Kano States citizens.

The governor cited Sections 122 (A) and (B) of the 1999 Constitution as the legal basis for the request.

The supplementary budget is necessary to address critical needs, including the payment of the new minimum wage and the execution of vital infrastructure projects. These investments are aimed at improving the quality of life for our people and advancing the development of our state, Mr Yusuf stated.

The proposed supplementary budget includes allocations of 33,761,174,555.64 for personnel costs, 34,492,888,103.44 for overhead expenses, and 30,969,440,940.80 for capital expenditure.

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The Commissioner for Planning and Budget, Musa Shanono, provided additional details at a press briefing, noting that the original 2024 budget for Kano State was 437,338,312,787. He said if the supplementary budget were approved, the total budget for the year would increase to 536,559,816,357.84.

This supplementary budget is not just about increasing spending; its about ensuring that we meet the needs of our people. We are focused on infrastructural development, enhancing human capital, and making significant improvements in the health and education sectors, the governor said in the letter.

With the approval of the supplementary budget, the states 2024 budget now stands at N449 billion.

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The Nigerian Defence Headquarters has explained why soldiers were withdrawn from some bandits-troubled communities in Niger State.

Military authorities withdrew troops from the communities in April following a deadly ambush of the soldiers by bandits.

The authorities said the controversial withdrawal was for tactical reasons.

The spokesperson for the DHQ, Edward Buba, explained the situation in an interview with the PREMIUM TIMES correspondent on Tuesday.

Mr Buba, an army major general, noted how the military suffered human and equipment casualties after soldiers ran into explosive devices planted by the bandits.

However, he said the withdrawal is temporary, saying soldiers will return to the communities after an ongoing review of tactical strategies.

His explanation followed a call by the Niger State acting governor, Yakubu Garba, for the military to return to the troubled parts of the state to protect residents.

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Mr Garba made the call on Saturday at the Government House in Minna after a three-day Fiddau prayer for 13 farmers killed by bandits in the Shiroro Local Government Area of the state.

I want to appeal to our military to see reasons to go back to Allawa and other bandit-prone areas to give full security cover to our people, who are predominantly farmers.

The withdrawal of troops from Allawa and other communities has weakened the governments efforts to eradicate insecurity in the state, the acting governor said.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES correspondent on Tuesday, the DHQ spokesperson said the military would return with a better strategy to confront the bandits, who he said had dealt fatal blows on troops in the past by planting Improvised Explosive Devices on their paths.

According to Mr Buba, the bandits exploited the poor road situation to attack soldiers.

He said, Sometime in April 2024, troops of FOB Allawa in Niger State were temporarily withdrawn for tactical reasons to a nearby FOB. The troops would be reinserted after adjustments that would give the troops a tactical advantage to dominate and adequately secure the area.

The decision to temporarily withdraw the troops was not unconnected with casualties incurred from IEDs in several instances by troops. The IED incidents resulted in both equipment and personnel casualties.

The road to FOB Allawa was made worse due to the rainy season. Consequently, the adversary has found it easier to plant IEDs along the route. More details will follow later as operational adjustments are still ongoing, he said.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that Shiroro LGA, where 13 farmers were killed in the latest attack, is infested with bloodthirsty bandits who have not spared security operatives in their violent attacks.

In one of the many attacks on security agents, six soldiers and one hunter were killed in Karaga and Rumace in the Bassa ward of the Shiroro LGA on 20 April.

The absence of troops in the community has predictably led to a rise in attacks by bandits, resulting in deaths, abductions and the displacement of hundreds of residents.

On 22 August, bandits killed 13 farmers on their farms on the Ijuwa fringes of Allawa.

In another attack between 20 and 21 August, the bandits killed many residents in Anguwan Magiro and Bassa in the same Shiroro LGA.

Also, in August, they killed 12 miners in Ungwan-Magro, also in Shiroro.

Meanwhile, the police in Niger announced, on Tuesday, that it uncovered a large cache of explosive devices, including bombs and Improvised Explosive Devices, buried in multiple locations in the state.

The police said although an investigation was ongoing on the discoveries, the explosive devices were suspected to have been concealed by terrorists and bandits.

Some local government areas where these devices were uncovered were Galadima-Kogo in the Shiroro LGA, Mutun-Daya in the Munya LGA, and the Gbeganu Area of Minna.

The police spokesperson in the state, Wasiu Abiodun, in a statement on the development on Tuesday, said the explosives were neutralised on 22 August at a site behind Zuma Rock in Suleja, under the supervision of Mohammed Mamun, the Officer in Charge of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal  Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Unit of the state police command.

In furtherance to the efforts of the Niger State Police Command to ensure a safer and more secure environment in the state, the Commissioner of Police, Shawulu Danmamman, directed the destruction of the improvised explosive device/bombs recovered from different locations during multiple counter-insurgency operations with other security agencies in the state between the period of the year 2021 to 2023.

The items include four pipe-borne IEDs buried in the ground recovered at Galadima-Kogo, Shiroro LGA on 27th September 2021; explosives concealed in empty shells of suspected military missiles and 5kg cooking gas cylinder recovered at Mutun-Daya, Shiroro LGA on February 11, 2022; explosives hidden in a 10-litre jerrican, three pieces of suspected military hand grenades and a bow-shaped improvised material recovered in the Gbeganu area of Minna on 24th October 2023.

The successful destruction took place on 22nd August 2024 at a location behind Zuma Rock, Suleja, led by the Officer in Charge of the EOD-CBRN Unit of the Command, SP Mohammed Mamun, Mr Abiodun stated.

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A violent clash in Barkuta in the Beji district of Bosso Local Government Area of Niger State has reportedly resulted in multiple fatalities.

The conflict, which erupted in the early hours of Tuesday, involved the indigenous Gbagyi people and cattle herders.

The police confirmed the incident on Wednesday but said normalcy had been restored to the area, and the clash was being investigated.

The violence was sparked by the killing of a prominent farmer in the community by herders on Monday evening.

Suleja Mohammed had reportedly gone to complain to the herders over their cattle invasion of his farm.

When he did not return from the herders settlement, a search the following morning led to the discovery of his lifeless body in a river in the area.

Outraged by the murder, members of the community mobilised for a retaliatory attack on the herders enclaves. The ensuing confrontation resulted in an unspecified number of deaths and numerous injuries on both sides.

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As tension escalated, many residents fled the community, fearing reprisal attacks.

Police confirm little inter-tribal attack

Meanwhile, the police spokesperson in the state, Wasiu Abiodun, has confirmed the incident.

On Wednesday, he said the police got a report at 7 a.m. on Tuesday that Mr Mohammed saw some cattle on his farm and instructed his son to return home while he traced the cattle owner.

Mr Abiodun said after Mr Mohammed did not return home, his family began a search and found his body in a river within the area.

Consequently, this led to a little inter-tribal attack in the area, and a few persons lost their lives, Mr Abiodun stated.

However, the Area Commander Bosso, ACP Galadima Lassa, led Police tactical teams, including DPO Maikunkele, to the area.

Normalcy has been restore. While monitoring continues and efforts to arrest the perpetrators of crime are ongoing, an investigation into the unfortunate incident has commenced, the police spokesperson said.

Previous clash

The incident comes nearly eight years after a similar conflict in the area claimed over 50 lives.

During that previous clash, houses and food barns belonging to the residents were torched, and 11 soldiers, along with an unknown number of villagers, were mysteriously killed.

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The Kano State Government has begun reallocating shops, stalls, and spaces at the Eid prayer ground in Kano, where the same facilities were demolished last June.

Traders are paying to approved government agents for new allocations at the site.

On Tuesday, one of the agents, Balarabe Hassan, led a PREMIUM TIMES reporter to locations at the front of the prayer ground. Last year, the state government removed traders from the locations and prohibited business activities there.

Mr Hassan said the official rate for space at the place varies from N80,000, N180,000 to N1,000,000 depending on location.

A table space stall facing Ahmadu Tijjani Mosque is now being leased for between N70,000 and N80,000, depending on connection with the officials.

Mr Hassan said some government officials and party faithful given new allocations have sold them to the traders.

The tables, already branded with the logo of the Kano State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KNUPDA), need certification from the agency after payment, a trader, Haruna Malam, who bought a space, told this reporter.

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The officials in charge of the certification and allocation include a senior special assistant to the governor on KNUPDA, Abba Yaro, and the senior special assistant II on markets, Isa Wise.

Mr Malam said shop spaces at the front of the Eid Prayer Ground facing IBB Way and at the other location facing the Kofar Wambai Plastic Market are going for huge sums.

The development came after the Kano State Government agreed in December to pay N3 billion to compensate a group of traders whose properties the government had demolished at the site.

After settling out of court with the Incorporated Trustees of Masallacin Eid Shop Owners and Traders Association, the government paid the compensation.

An application on the terms of the settlement, dated 12 December, was filed before a Federal High Court judge, Inyang Ekwo, in Abuja.

The shop owners had sued the state government, KNUPDA) and the states Attorney-General in the case.

Others joined in the suit are the police, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 1, Kano, the Commissioner of Police, Kano, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Commandant, and NSCDC, Kano State Command.

The case came after the state government evicted traders and demolished their properties, saying the immediate past administration illegally sold a site meant for the annual Eid prayer to the traders.

After paying the compensations, the government is reallocating the same site to traders.

The managing director for KNUPDA and the governments spokesperson, Ibrahim Adamu and Halilu Dantiye did not respond to calls and text messages to comment on the development.

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Entertainment / Shows

by Staff reporter

This was so much fun, to my American fans Voting is now Open, link below pic.twitter.com/EfkfhtmtvY  Learnmore Jonasi (@learnmorejonasi) August 28, 2024

Comedian Learnmore Jonasi, a 31-year-old Pittsburgh resident born in Zimbabwe, is having a moment this summer on NBC's "America's Got Talent," making it into the Top 44 with his next appearance tonight (8 p.m., WPXI-TV) as he competes for a spot in the show's semifinals.Jonasi, who said on "AGT" it was his dream to appear on the show, received a golden buzzer from host Terry Crews, whose performances in "White Chicks" and "Everybody Hates Chris" Jonasi used to mimic as a child. And, as he got older, Jonasi regularly watched "AGT" with his mother."My mother always says, 'I see you on this stage one day,' " he recalled. "For her seeing me on that stage, she's like, Oh my god.' Her dreams really came true."Jonasi started his stand-up career at age 18 in his native Zimbabwe and applied for and earned a grant for comedians from the Steel City Arts Foundation, which is how he ended up moving to Pittsburgh three years ago. Jonasi recently moved to Friendship."I've learned about [Pittsburgh] in movies, but I never thought I would stay there," Jonasi said. "It's one of those cities you don't hear a lot about, but moving there was such an interesting move and I'm glad I did because I found community and friends."Before his first stand-up performance on "AGT" two months ago, Jonasi said he stood backstage racing through all the worst-case scenarios that might befall him when he went before the judges."I was nervous, but then, as I walked on that stage, I was home," Jonasi said. "I've been doing this since I was a teenager, and it felt like any other stage.  When I finished my performance and everybody gave me a standing ovation, that was enough. I was like, I've done it.' I was so afraid of [getting booted with] the red buzzer, for Terry Crews to press the golden buzzer, that was the cherry on top, the stamp of approval from the person I used to watch when I was a kid."Judge Howie Mandel praised Jonasi's performance that included jokes about his hometown in Africa and his comedic reaction to discovering in America some poor people are white."Stand-up comedy is hard enough as it is," Mandel said, "but to come from another country where English isn't your first language, not only communicate with everybody but tickle everybody, make everybody laugh, make this a better place, you are truly amazing."Judge Simon Cowell called Jonasi "one of the funniest people we've had over the years."Jonasi describes his style of comedy as self-deprecating, observational and physical, in part due to his 6-foot-5 frame, which he was bullied for in Zimbabwe, where he said people tend to be on the shorter side. He finds himself admired for his height in America."I'm very tall and big on that stage, and I use my body to make people laugh," he said.Jonasi dresses to make them smile, too, wearing colorful suit jackets (he and his sister made the one featured on his previous "AGT" appearance) and shoes."I like standing out," Jonasi said. "I like to be the center of attention and that colorfulness, that's me right there."As for his unique first name, Jonasi said it's common for those born in Zimbabwe to have first names derived from English words."My mother's sister is Profit," he said. "And one of my friends growing up was Takeiteasy."Regardless of what happens this week on "AGT," getting the golden buzzer treatment already had a positive career impact."I went straight on tour after winning the golden buzzer," Jonasi said. "It opened so many doors for me that were shut. I started touring all over the place - big towns, small towns in America - and getting ready for the live shows and testing out the material, making sure it's up to date."Jonasi wouldn't say if Pittsburgh will come up in his set on tonight's "AGT.""You're just gonna have to watch," he said. "But I'll be representing. I'm a Yinzer now!"After the "AGT" live shows this week - the results show airs Wednesday at 8 p.m. - Jonasi will perform Thursday at The Pittsburgh Improv at 7 p.m.
The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has dissolved the downstream arm of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Retail) and Nueoil Energy from its database, a check by PREMIUM TIMES has shown.

The companies dissolution follows the acquisition by OVH Energy Marketing Limited.

Last Week, PREMIUM TIMES reported how a court ruling had effectively dissolved NNPC Retail and transferred its ownership to OVH Energy Marketing Limited.

The NNPC Retail officially no longer exists after it asked a court to transfer its ownership and properties to a firm it claimed to have bought.

An official search by this newspaper shows that the NNPC Retail, with registration number 826223, incorporated on 21 June 2009, and Nueoil Energy with registration number 1902885, incorporated on 8 March 2022, have been dissolved by CAC, while the OVH Energy Marketing Limited with registration number 655791, incorporated on 4 June 2006 remain active.

Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday, an Abuja-based lawyer, Yomi Ogunsanya, said the dissolution by the commission means the company has been wound up. It is no longer in existence.

PREMIUM TIMES reported NNPC Ltds controversial purchase of OVH Energy Marketing Limited and how the purchased company essentially took over the management of the buyer, which an NNPC insider described as the most ridiculous business acquisition in the world.

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NNPC Ltd bought OVH from Nueoil Energy Limited a month after Nueoil Energy acquired OVH in September 2022.

However, in June, the three firms  NNPC Retail, OVH and Nueoil  jointly filed a petition at the Federal High Court in Lagos. In it, they asked the court to grant eight orders, including an order that NNPC Retail be dissolved without being wound up and that the resultant company from the scheme shall be OVH.

The petitioners further asked that all tax attributes, unutilised capital allowances, tax losses, withholding tax credits and other refunds available, but excluding the Nueoil Energy shares in the OVH Energy Marketing Limited, liabilities and business undertakings, including real property and intellectual property rights of the NNPC Retail and Nueoil Energy Limited be transferred to the OVH Energy Marketing Limited subject to the terms and conditions set out in the scheme without any further act or deed.

The court granted all eight orders, ordering that the merger be effective from 1 January. The court also mandated that all necessary incidental, consequential, and supplemental orders be made to ensure the full and effective implementation of the merger.

Last Wednesday, in his reaction to PREMIUM TIMES report, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last election and former vice president of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, expressed astonishment at the operations of the NNPC Ltd and how the government-owned oil company had put its retail arm under the control of OVH, which he claimed was owned by Wale Tinubu, a relative of President Bola Tinubu.

Atiku regretted that his intention to privatise the NNPC and increase its transparency has been overshadowed by what he describes as the criminal hijack of the NNPC by corporate cabals around the current president, according to the statement signed by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, said.

However, the NNPC, in its response to Atiku, said at the time it acquired OVH in 2022, Oando (in which Wale Tinubu has equity interest) had fully divested its equity in OVH to the two other partners, Vitol and Helios.

The NNPC explained that Oando began its divestment in 2016, with Vitol and Helios coming in as equity partners, leading to the change of name from Oando to OVH.

In 2019, according to NNPC Ltd, Oando fully divested its equity interest in OVH resulting in Vitol and Helios holding 50 per cent equity interests respectively.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the divestment by Vitol and Helios from OVH which they sold to Nueoil in 2022. NNPC then bought OVH from Nueoil.

The national oil company said while the merger is still ongoing, NNPC decided to rename the new company as NNPC Retails Ltd.

However, a review by this newspaper of the NNPC response shows that the state-owned oil firm failed to address the crux of PREMIUM TIMES stories.

Background

NNPC Ltd. announced in October 2022 the acquisition of OVH Energy Marketing Limiteds downstream assets. This acquisition would merge OVH Energy with NNPC Retail, a subsidiary of NNPC Ltd.

The assets acquired from the company, which operates Oando filling stations, also include a reception jetty with 240,000 metric tonnes monthly capacity and eight liquefied petroleum gas plants, three lube blending plants, three aviation depots, and 12 warehouses.

But in June 2023, PREMIUM TIMES investigation on the acquisition exposed the secret deals and the complicated ownership structure that left managerial control of NNPC Retail in the hands of OVH Energy Marketing.

The report also exposed that OVH Energy Marketing may not have owned as many filling stations as it claimed during the merger talks.

In addition, the report highlighted how Huub Stokman, an expatriate and former Chief Executive Officer of OVH Energy, emerged as the new Managing Director of NNPC Retail, a development that further compounded the structure of NNPC Retail.

This newspaper also found out that the acquisition of OVH Energy had turned NNPC Retail into a toxic workspace, with officials of the former taking over the latters running.

Did we acquire them, or did they acquire us? How come they are now the ones in the management, one NNPC Retail staff told this newspaper.

In July 2023, the House of Representatives, following the adoption of a motion moved by Miriam Onuoha (APC, Imo), directed NNPC Ltd to suspend the acquisition pending an investigation by its committee.

Consequently, the House set up an ad-hoc committee with Hassan Nalabraba (APC, Nasarawa) as the chairman and commenced an investigation into the controversial deal in September 2023.

The ad-hoc committee requested the NNPC Ltd to furnish it with information about registration documents/history from CAC for OVH, Nueoil, and NNPC Retail Limited (NRL), Board Resolution of NNPC Ltd on purchase of OVH, Audited Financial Statement and Management Accounts from 2015 to Date OVH, Nueoil, NRL and NNPC Ltd and the payroll from 2015 to date for NRL and OVH, Board Resolution of NRL/CHQ for movement of head office to Lagos and evidence of Tax Payments for NRL and OVH from 2015 to date.

The committee also requested documents on all financial transactions associated with the acquisition, including payment records and fund transfers.

In September 2023, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Mele Kyari, while appearing before the committee investigating the acquisition, said NNPC Ltd now operates like a private limited liability company and entered the commercial relationship with OVH to take over market shares in the downstream petroleum market shares. He said NNPC Ltd did nothing wrong in the acquisition.

Meanwhile, some NNPC Retail concerned staff, in a letter dated 25 September 2023, addressed to the chairman of the House Committee, and signed on their behalf by Mohammed Muazuo, noted that the request by the committee was not met.

In October 2023, Mr Nalabraba presented a report on the investigation.

In February, the House of Representatives dissolved the committee investigating the controversial acquisition after the panel presented a report many lawmakers described as suspicious and shabby. The task was subsequently transferred to the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) for a fresh investigation.

In January, NNPC Ltd announced that it was unable to complete the OVH acquisition. It said it intends to apply for operating licenses for the facilities under OVH Energy Marketing Limited.

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China and Nigeria enjoy a long history of friendship and have been supporting each other in pursuing national development and rejuvenation. The strategic decisions to deepen reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernisation made at the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, will bring more opportunities to all countries in the world, including Nigeria.

In July this year, the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) convened its third plenary session in Beijing, with the adoption of the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernisation. The resolution showcases the missions, responsibilities and strong resolve of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core to see the reform through. The meeting not only bears great significance for Chinas development, but will also have a profound impact on the whole world. China is the second largest economy in the world, and its measures to deepen reform and achieve Chinese modernisation have attracted great attention and positive response from the international community.

The successful experience of Chinese modernisation has enriched the theories and practices of modernisation in the world, and provided new insights on the exploration of development paths suited to national conditions for other countries, especially developing countries. Given that modernisation originated from capitalist countries in the West, people tend to think that modernisation is equal to Westernisation, and the path to modernisation is equal to the path to capitalism. However, the Chinese people learnt to cross the river by feeling for stones. On the basis of Chinas national conditions, we drew on the experiences of other countries, continuously deepened reforms and opened up wider, sought coordination between material and cultural advancement, and pursued harmony between man and nature, guided by the idea that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. As a result, we successfully found the path towards socialist modernisation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.

Through the unremitting efforts of generation after generation, China has grown from a poor and weak country to the worlds second largest economy. Nearly 100 million people in China have been lifted out of poverty within the past 10 years through our battle against poverty, and we have completed the arduous task of eradicating extreme poverty, creating yet another miracle in human history. China has had a middle-income group of more than 400 million people, which ranks first in the world, and the country is striving to promote common prosperity for all for its huge population.

China is an important member of the family of developing countries, and its high-quality development will surely contribute to the building of a new international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation, inject more impetus into world economic growth, and make greater contributions to human civilisation.

In Chinas pursuit of modernisation and development, reform and opening up complement each other, and it has been Chinas successful practice to promote reform and development through opening up. From continuously expanding institutional opening-up to deepening the reform of the foreign trade system, from reforming the system for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and ODI management to improving regional opening-up planning, the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee further makes a series of reform decisions and proposes, puts forward more than 300 important reform tasks in the face of the complex domestic and international situations, and a new wave of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation. The session emphasises the guiding role of structural economic reform, and focuses reforms in major areas covering the economy, politics, culture, peoples livelihood, ecology and security. The session draws up a blueprint for high-quality development and high-level opening up, demonstrating Chinas strong resolve to expand international cooperation, to build new systems for a higher-level open economy, and to cooperate with the world for win-win results and common development in the new era.

The Chinese modernisation follows the path of peaceful development. China has been firmly following an independent foreign policy of peace. On our path towards modernisation, President Xi Jinping proposes the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and the Global Civilisation Initiative (GCI), and advocates that we pursue equal and orderly world multi-polarity and universally inclusive economic globalisation, put into practice the common values of all humankind, and promote the building of a community of shared future. China is an important member of the family of developing countries, and its high-quality development will surely contribute to the building of a new international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation, inject more impetus into world economic growth, and make greater contributions to human civilisation.

the new summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be held in Beijing this September. President Tinubu will pay a state visit to China and attend the summit. We would like to take President Tinubus visit as an opportunity to deepen experience-sharing on governance and to synergise our development strategies under the frameworks of the FOCAC and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Nigeria is the most populous country and a major economy in Africa. Boasting ancient history, vast land, rich natural resources, multiple ethnic nationalities, splendid culture and a large young population, the country has great potential in future development. After assuming office, President Tinubu put forward the Renewed Hope Agenda based on eight priority areas covering economic reform, national security, agriculture, resources, infrastructure, education, health and social investment, economic diversification, and governance improvement, which is a testament to the political resolution of his administration to deepen reforms and achieve economic growth.

Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later

China and Nigeria enjoy a long history of friendship and have been supporting each other in pursuing national development and rejuvenation. The strategic decisions to deepen reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernisation made at the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, will bring more opportunities to all countries in the world, including Nigeria. Meanwhile, the new summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be held in Beijing this September. President Tinubu will pay a state visit to China and attend the summit. We would like to take President Tinubus visit as an opportunity to deepen experience-sharing on governance and to synergise our development strategies under the frameworks of the FOCAC and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). We will deepen our cooperation in such areas as industry, agriculture, infrastructure, financing, poverty reduction, technological innovation, digital development and blue economy, and work to boost investment and employment in Nigeria, so as to further enhance the sense of fulfillment, happiness and security of our two peoples.

Yu Dunhai is the Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China to Nigeria.

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That Nigeria needs a serious opposition party to checkmate the activities of the government of the day is not in doubt. What is doubtful is whether the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) have the capacity to hold the ruling party to account for their many infractions and anti-people policies. In the last few weeks, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been embroiled in series of crisis, as it has been its lot since 2015, when it lost power to the current governing party, the All-Progressives Congress (APC). But the PDP albatross is the PDP itself.

Here is a party that once thought it would be in power for 60 years. Its reign was cut short after only 16 years and the party has never been the same. Just when you think there was hope for the PDP, another crisis will erupt. The 2023 general election gave a clear indication of the partys inability to come together when it mattered most. By way of summary, Peter Obi left PDP to join LP and Rabiu Kwankwaso deputed with his NNPP. Both men went away with a large chunk of PDP members, resulting in abysmal performance of the party in the South -east and Kano state. The damage of the renegade group of five PDP governors opposed to Atiku Abubakars candidature as the flagbearer of the party was incalculable.

Led by the current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, the five governors who felt they were undermining only Atiku, equally succeeded in bringing down the party and ultimately paved the way for APC to win the presidential election. Wike is still basking in that glory even after one year in office as minister in a government he helped to power against his own party. Yet, the party watches in helplessness and hopelessness. The other day, Wike reiterated his earlier boast that he would neither quit the PDP, nor can the party force him out.

Forget Obafemi Awolowo, Umaru Dikko, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Lamidi Adedibu; I dare say that Wike is the most powerful politician of our time  a feat made possible by ineffectual and compromised leaderships of his party at different times. Pray, what party would tolerate indiscipline, the affront and compromises of the likes of Wike, who now has one leg in PDP and another leg in APC.

Therefore, when the party set up two committees the other daydisciplinary and reconciliation committees, I wondered about the task ahead especially for the disciplinary committee. Who will they discipline? Wike, Ortom, or Makinde? After trading with their party? Similarly, the objective of setting up the reconciliation committee to resolve all internal disputes and conflicts, foster harmony, and promote cohesion might be defeated again. I wish them well, but I cannot, but agree with Salihu Lukman, the former DG of Progressive Governors Forum who observed that the PDP is working for the opposition and that it would be a herculean task for the party to survive its leadership challenges. Is it Obi and Atiku you want to reconcile or Atiku and Kwankwaso when each is battling their own party internal resurrections?

The leaders and past beneficiaries of the party do not help matters either. Sometimes they escalate conflicts with the possibility of leading to internal explosion. Look at Chief Bode George; respected and revered, but sometimes difficult to understand. He did not want Atiku to emerge as the party flagbearer. After he (Atiku) did, Chief Bode George refused to work with or for him. He instead encouraged those five governors in their rebellion and opposition to Atiku. Today he is talking about reconciliation after he failed woefully at it.

I know we have internal crisis in our party, its normal. Theres no organization anywhere in the world where you will not have some disagreement. I am pleading with all sides to calm their nerves. We can get back to the table and discuss at length. All participants should drop their personal ambitions. Hatred, pettiness and jealousy are normal all over the world. We can disagree without being disagreeable.

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The former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has become a divisive figure in the party instead of being a rallying point for election victory. Atiku stuck to Iyorchia Ayu as chairman of the party as if he (Iyorchia) was the messiah, whereas advising him to step down, to avoid accusation of bias against the South would perhaps have saved the day. Those five governors might still have stuck to their guns, having been accused of working for the opposition then (as reiterated by Lukman above), but Ayus magnanimity in stepping down could have doused tension and shifted the blame. Who knows! These days, the same Atiku has constituted himself as a lone opposition to the obnoxious policies of the government. Good, however, opposition is more than a presidential election loser criticising his opponent/presidents policies. It is taken as a given with a shrug, what do you expect?

An effective opposition is about patriotism and mobilising the populace against unpopular government policies, but doing it outside the opposition party context smacks of lack of cohesion in the party and personal vendetta. Atiku should reconcile his opposition with that of the party to be able to achieve more. He should also be in the forefront of their new reconciliation moves to remove the toga of a run-away party leader.

Talking about taming erring party members reminds me of not just Wike, but another typical Nigerian politician like Senator Dino Melaye, who described Umar Damaguns leadership of the party as commercialised and privatised. This obviously is not leadership. As a beneficiary of the party, there are diplomatic ways to address their complex relationship than throwing accusations here and there. Again, this does not indicate commitment to reconciliation.

The PDP frontliners, in reaction said Many who benefited generously from PDP are now among the partys biggest headaches, Dino Melaye got PDP ticket to the House of Representatives, and even after returning from the APC, the PDP gave him a senatorial ticket after prevailing on other qualified aspirants to step down, but you can all see the baseless and groundless insult he is using to pay back. Biting the fingers that feed them is synonymous with the Nigerian politicians, so I align with the frontliners.

Indeed, politicians are a rare breed; they drag their party in the mud and benefit from it. I wont be surprised to see Melaye campaigning for the APC in the next dispensation. Politicians cause divisions in their party and use same as an excuse to either quit or derail its progress. PDP harbours many of such characters.

I really hope the opposition  whether LP, PDP or NNPP can put their house in order, surmount their challenges and help nurture democracy, but first members must show commitment to party politics and not serve as moles for the ruling party. Saving PDP is tantamount to saving democracy.

Zainab Suleiman Okino chairs Blueprint Editorial Board. She can be reached via: zainabokino@gmail.com

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The Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, says the Ilorin Innovation Hub will drive increased technological growth in Africa and provide opportunities for millions of young people.

The hub is under construction as a legacy project of the current administration in Kwara.

Mr AbdulRazaq said the project had reached 95 per cent completion despite a delay in ensuring adherence to specifications and standards.

When he visited the project site, the governor spoke in Ilorin, the state capital, to ascertain the level of work done.

He was accompanied on the visit by the managing director of the Hub, Temi Kolawole.

Work has reached an advanced stage. I can tell you that once this place is commissioned, it will be the best in Africa in terms of building and content. It will drive growth in the tech space, Mr AbdulRazaq told reporters.

You can have a beautiful building, but if you dont have quality content, you are going nowhere. We have IHS as a partner already. IHS was in Kwara, and by partnering with us, this building is sustainable in terms of operation.

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The facility would also be powered through solar energy to make power sustainable. So we are on the right path, the governor said.

Mr AbdulRazaq said the slow pace of work on the project was to ensure that the hub is competitive in terms of standards in Africa.

It is taking time, but it is good to get it right; it is also good to have the right partner that will make the place happen, he said.

We are in the last mile; everything is almost ready. It is about 95 per cent complete.

Mr Kolawole, for his part, said the project would transform the economy of Kwara because it will bring the globally competitive skills, and the people of Kwara will be merging with the global market.

The governor also inspected the Kwara Hotels in Ilorin and the Government Houses access gate, both of which are under reconstruction.

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Residents of Chikaji in Sabon-Gari Local Government Area of Kaduna State have appealed for assistance from government and philanthropists over a massive flood.

The flood washed away a cemetery, houses and properties in the area, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The flood, which ravaged the area on Monday, followed torrential rainfall that lasted seven hours from 5.00 a.m. to about 1.00 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 have taken shelter in the neighborhood, but no life was lost during the incident. However, many graves were left open, the village head said.

In a move to address the immediate challenges of the cemetery, the Chief Imam of Chikaji Central Mosque, Suleiman Liman, has summoned an emergency meeting of wealthy individuals in the area.

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The chief imam told NAN that the emergency meeting would look into the plight of the flood victims.

Ibrahim Ahmed, one of the victims, who was standing on the rubble of the remains of his two-bedroom flat, said they were grateful to God Almighty that the flooding occurred during the day.

According to him, they were evacuating water in the house when a section of the house collapsed.

I didnt remove anything from the house because I was busy protecting my kids from the rubles of the building.

The victim appealed for support and quick interventions from the government at all levels, wealthy individuals, and other key stakeholders to cushion the effect of the flood.

Gafai Katsina, a community leader, said that most of the victims of the flood were now squatting with some residents who were less affected, 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 including Yan-awaki (around Randa Kano), Chikaji Down and Shika Dam.

NAN recalls that a press statement from the Office of the Speaker, House of Representatives, on Tuesday bemoaned the flood in Sabon Gari and sought intervention for the victims.

Mr Tajuddeen sympathised with the victims of the flood, lamenting that such an unfortunate incident happened at a time when people were making efforts 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 necessary 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 equally urged residents of the affected areas and adjoining places to take precautionary measures and heed to advice from relevant authorities on flood.

(NAN)

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says 125,928 of the 184,438 newly printed Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) have been collected in Edo State ahead of the 21 September governorship election.

Sam Olumekun, INECs national commissioner and chairperson of the Information and Voter Education Committee, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

The PVC collection, he said, represents 68.3 per cent of the 184,438 new cards issued during the recent Continuous Voter Registration exercise.

This marks the highest collection rate recorded by INEC since the introduction of CVR for off-cycle governorship elections in 2015.

The collection, which took place across all 192 wards in Edo State between 22 and 26 August was achieved through a carefully coordinated effort by INEC.

The commission is pleased to announce the conclusion of the collection at Ward level. Learning from the lessons of the previous collection of PVCs, the commission has carefully packaged all the PVCs by Poling Units, Wards and LGAs.

We also produced the collection register, providing details of the voters whose cards were ready for collection and uploaded the same to our website, he said.

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Mr Olumekun said that a detailed breakdown of the collection by local government areas had been uploaded to the INEC website and social media platforms for public information.

He added that the collection would resume in all INEC offices in Edos 18 local government areas from Wednesday, 28 August to 8 September.

READ ALSO: Appeal Court overturns nullification of Edo PDP governorship primary

Mr Olumekun appealed to the remaining voters to pick up their PVCs from INEC local government area offices.

Let me reiterate INECs policy that no cards should be collected by proxy, he said, adding that detailed information on the locations of INEC local government areas offices was already available on the commissions website.

(NAN)

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A 30-year-old man has allegedly stabbed his neighbours four-year-old daughter to death in Enugu State, South-east Nigeria.

The suspect, Chukwuemeka Nweke, allegedly carried out the act on 18 August in a compound along Orba Road in Nsukka Local Government Area of the state.

Mr Nweke, the suspect, hails from Umuagu-Ozalla in Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state but resides in the said compound with the childs parents and others.

The police spokesperson in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday night.

Mr Ndukwe, a deputy superintendent of police, said the suspect has been arrested by police operatives serving in Nsukka Divisional Police Headquarters.

How the man murdered the four-year-old

The police spokesperson said the suspect allegedly murdered the victim, Zinachukwu Ugwu, while she was sleeping inside her familys house.

Mr Ndukwe said the suspect initially attempted to attack other neighbours who resisted him and escaped before he finally struck the child in the apartment.

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He said the suspect saw the helpless child sleeping and used the knife to cut through her throat.

The body of the child was taken to the hospital, confirmed dead, and deposited in the mortuary.

Additionally, the knife used by the suspect to commit the crime, quantities of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, and an object suspected to be a charm were recovered from him, Mr Ndukwe said.

I was under the influence of alcohol and drugs  Suspect

Mr Ndukwe said the victim has confessed to killing the child and claimed that he acted alone under the influence of Indian hemp, alcohol and methamphetamine, a hard drug.

He (suspect)also confessed to being a member of the Vikings Confraternity and that in 2022, while residing in Jos, Plateau State, he was involved in a cult clash during which he murdered a male member of the rival cult group, the police spokesperson said.

He said the suspect would be arraigned and prosecuted as soon as investigations were concluded.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Kanayo Uzuegbu, has described the murder of the child as barbaric and unthinkable, Mr Ndukwe said.

Mr Uzuegbu commiserated with the victims parents and loved ones and assured that the police in the state would do everything possible to get justice for the victim.

He consequently ordered the deputy commissioner of police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation, Enugu to ensure speedy investigations and prosecution of the suspect.

READ ALSO: Police detain tea vendor for allegedly beating teenager to death

Prohibited in Nigeria

Murder is outlawed in Section 315 (6) of the Nigeria Criminal Code Act.

Offenders, on conviction, face a death sentence, section 319 (1) says.

Several persons have been sentenced to death for murder across the country.

An Aiyetoro High Court in Ogun State, for instance, sentenced a man, Adelake Bara, to death by hanging in June 2022 for shooting and killing one Olaleye Oke.

A high court in Lokoja, Kogi State, in January 2022, also sentenced a man, Muritala Dare, to death by hanging for stabbing his colleague to death with a broken bottle.

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Many passengers were injured as two BRT vehicles collided in the Iyana-Ipaja area of Lagos on Tuesday.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) posted via X that the accident occurred within the BRT lane on the Lagos Abeokuta Expressway, around Danco Filling Station.

It stated that wounded persons were taken to a hospital for treatment.

A head-on collision involving two BRT buses has occurred within the BRT lane on Lagos Abeokuta Express Way, around Danco Filling Station, the post reads.

Wounded persons have been rushed to a nearby medical facility for treatments.

However, Nosa Okunbor, a spokesperson for the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), issued a statement with more information on the accident.

Investigations at the scene revealed that the BRT bus headed inward Iyana Ipaja, in attempts to avoid crushing a commercial motorcyclist with passengers plying the BRT corridor illegally, collided with an oncoming BRT bus, he said.

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This is just as another fully loaded high capacity BRT vehicle overturned, on Tuesday.

According to LASTMA , the bus fell on its side inside the dedicated lane(BRT lane) with a record of 10 casualties (Victims), in which they were taken care of.

Weeks ago, several BRT passengers were robbed around noon in the Orile area of the state.

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News / Local

by Staff reporter

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has left the country for a state visit to China where he will also attend the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.This comes at a time when Zimbabwe and the People's Republic of China are deepening relations in various sectors.The visit will also see the President exploring new areas of cooperation between Harare and Beijing.After the state visit, President Mnangagwa will attend the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).In a media briefing at State House before his departure, President Mnangagwa said the two nations continue to deepen bilateral relations in all spheres of cooperation."Our relations between Zimbabwe and the Peoples Republic of China are rooted in our historical past in particular our liberation struggle. For your own information, I trained in China from 1962 to 1964. That's when we began our political relations which we continue to deepen and concretise," said the President.President Mnangagwa was seen off at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport by Vice Presidents; General (Retired) Dr Constantino Chiwenga and Colonel (Retired) Kembo Mohadi, cabinet ministers, service chiefs and other senior government officials.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- "Premier event for cannabis banking and compliance professionals, the 5th Annual PBC Conference, takes place next week in Washington, D.C."

This highly anticipated two-day conference marks a significant milestone as it celebrates its fifth anniversary. PBC brings together leading executives and professionals in the cannabis banking industry, along with experts in compliance, legislation, regulation, and various ancillary industries.

PBC's annual conference is recognized for bringing government and industry leaders together. Past participants have included State Cannabis Regulators, Banking Regulators, IRS Commissioners, former U.S. Deputy Attorney General, Senators, Members of Congress, and other federal and state regulators and legislators.

PBC 2024 will draw a crowd of 500+ executives and influential thought leaders to Washington, D.C. for two days of networking and discussing critical topics, including, seed-to-sale tracking, cannabis data management, 280E tax compliance, HR & payroll services, insurance, and more.

The 5th Anniversary conference will take the audience back to its roots, with keynote talks from cannabis operators sharing their insights on the industry's future, providing attendees with a unique perspective on where the industry is headed.

In addition to the event, PBC continues to emphasize the importance of ongoing education for professionals in the field. Attendees and members of the PBC Community are encouraged to deepen their knowledge through the PBC Certification Program. This program establishes a standardized baseline of knowledge for bankers and compliance professionals, to meet the industry's demand for qualified talent.

The program's Level II course, launching late in 2024, will build on the foundational knowledge established in Level I. It will feature real-world lessons from experienced cannabis bankers. Presented in an integrated scenario, the course will guide learners through various situations that they may encounter in their day-to-day roles as cannabis bankers.

PBC Community members also have access to free Industry Resources, including the PBC Green Pages Directory and the latest PBC Cannabis Banking Directory, which serve as valuable tools for professionals navigating the cannabis banking landscape.

PBC Conference is September 4-5, 2024, in Washington D.C. (REGISTER)

About: PBC was founded in 2018 and operates a portfolio of events, industry resources, and training dedicated to tackling banking & compliance challenges in emerging industries.

The PBC team also hosts the annual CBC Summit, which addresses banking & compliance challenges for the crypto industry (www.cbcsummit.io).

Media Contact

[email protected]

SOURCE PBC Conference
NEW YORK, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- AccelDev has entered a multi-year partnership with Harvest Renewables, a new community solar developer, to convert underutilized land into solar farms that deliver clean energy, economic growth, and environmental benefits nationwide.

Founded by Jamal Batar, Harvest Renewables develops community solar projects that lower energy costs and carbon footprints. With AccelDev's financial backing, this partnership accelerates Harvest's ability to deliver impactful, localized energy solutions.

AccelDev & Harvest Renewables Announce Strategic Multi-Year Partnership in Community Solar Development Post this Company Logo - Harvest Renewables: Official logo representing Harvest Renewables, featured in the announcement of their multi-year partnership with Harvest Renewables on August 28, 2024.

"Jamal has led energy solutions for some of the most recognized companies in the industry. His track record speaks volumes. We're excited to support his new venture," said Chip Brubaker, President of AccelDev. "This partnership aligns with our mission to back projects that deliver clean energy and lasting community benefits."

Harvest Renewables is dedicated to driving community solar initiatives that deliver broad regional benefits. Their projects are designed to create a ripple effect of positive economic impactfrom generating jobs in construction and ongoing maintenance to stimulating local business growth.

"In Accel-Dev, we found the perfect partner to support our strategic vision for responsible and impactful community solar development," said Jamal Batar. "Their expertise in financing, combined with a shared commitment to fair and responsible land use, makes them an ideal partner for Harvest Renewables. The alignment of our values and vision for progressing towards a sustainable, clean future through community-based solar projects drives this partnership forward, creating opportunities that benefit landowners and communities nationwide."

About AccelDev

AccelDev is a premier renewable energy investment firm specializing in flexible capital solutions for innovative and under-served developers. AccelDev's goal is to partner and support entrepreneurs in the renewable space who see the long-term value in their projects and platforms. The venture is backed by Madison Energy Infrastructure. Learn more at https://www.acceldevteam.com/

About Harvest Renewables

Founded in 2024 and headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT, Harvest Renewables is a community solar developer dedicated to making sustainable energy accessible for everyone. By transforming underutilized land into productive solar farms, Harvest Renewables empowers communities, supports local economies, and drives forward the transition to clean energy. Visit: https://harvestrenewables.com/

For media inquiries or further information about this partnership, please contact:

Crystal Williams

Director of Marketing

(470) 591-1745

SOURCE AccelDev
27 groups call for change in the face of a growing synthetic opioid crisis as International Opioid Awareness Day approaches

DURANGO, Colo., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse (MAPDA), in collaboration with more than two dozen advocacy organizations, sent joint letters to 19 governors across the country, calling for further efforts to protect Americans from the escalating opioid and synthetic opioid crisis. National and state groups representing a cross-section of caregivers, families, community advocates, healthcare professionals and more came together to demand action as the death toll surpasses 200 people per day dying due to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

"Today's opioid crisis demands we specifically address fentanyl-related overdoses," says Mary Bono, Chair and CEO of MAPDA. "As a mother, former Congresswoman, and an advocate, I have witnessed the devastating impact of the opioid epidemic and have seen the destruction it has caused countless communities across the country. With International Overdose Awareness Day approaching, we are reminded of the urgent need to address this crisis and provide communities with all FDA-approved reversal agents."

The groups write, "Opioid overdoses know no bounds and often impact the most vulnerable. The increased lethality of synthetic opioids exacerbates these dangers, and the cost of lives is stark."

The letter offers recommendations to address the issue head-on:

Improve access to innovation by opening state standing orders to ensure access to all overdose reversal agents approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Publish State Opioid Response grant distribution action plans to ensure transparency and further support communities. Prioritize data modernization initiatives that improve overdose surveillance data. Offer regular training and update protocols for law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical technicians and other first responders. Implement or update overdose education and awareness communication campaign(s) to include synthetic opioid relevant messages.

"Unfortunately, the opioid crisis knows no boundaries and impacts communities from coast to coast. As more lives are lost, drug overdose death disparities are widening, disproportionately impacting communities of color," says Marvell Adams, CEO of Caregiver Action Network. "We have the tools to combat overdoses; it's time every state optimizes access to them."

Notably, the letter comes days before International Overdose Awareness Day is recognized on August 31, 2024. Advocates wrote to governors whose states are currently without access to all FDA-improved opioid reversal agents that target synthetic opioids like fentanyl, and require additional, comprehensive policy solutions. Those governors include:

Gavin Newsom (D-CA) Jared Polis (D-CO) John Carney (D-DE) Brian Kemp (R-GA) Kim Reynolds (R-IA) Maura Healey (D-MA) Wes Moore (D-MD) Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) Mike Parson (R-MO) Greg Gianforte (R-MT) Jim Pillen (R-NE) Kathy Hochul (D-NY) Kevin Stitt (R-OK) Tina Kotek (D-OR) Josh Shapiro (D-PA) Kristi Noem (R-SD) Phil Scott (R-VT) Jay Inslee (D-WA) Tony Evers (D-WI)

Read the letter here.

SOURCE Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse (MAPDA)
Industry veteran has a proven record of driving growth for 3PLs and optimizing and executing transportation networks

SHREVEPORT, La., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- AFS Logistics announces Andy Dyer as its new CEO. Dyer has more than a quarter of a century of supply chain and transportation experience, including over 20 years at XPO Logistics where, as Senior Vice President of Managed Transportation, he was accountable for operations, sales, and all support functions for $2.36 billion in annualized freight under management. Before joining AFS in 2020, he served as President at New Age Logistics, where he led a year-over-year growth in excess of 20%.

"We have focused on building the AFS brand and our managed transportation services over the last few years, and the visibility and traction we've gained has been invaluable," says Brian J. Barker, Founder and Chairman of AFS. "Andy has been an integral part of our ascent during his tenure here. I'm confident that his extensive experience in the industry will help us take AFS to the next level."

In the four years prior to being appointed CEO, Dyer applied that experience as President of Transportation Management at AFS. His success in this role was integral to the company's recent recognition by Logistics Management as a winner of the publication's prestigious 2024 Quest for Quality Award. A gold standard for performance excellence, the award ranks third-party logistics providers (3PLs) based on carrier selection/negotiation, order fulfillment, transportation distribution, inventory management and logistics information systems.

"Data will only get you so far in this business. It takes dedicated, talented people to interpret that data," says Dyer. "Our team is the reason our customers consider AFS a trusted transportation advisor. I've seen, firsthand, what this team can do, and I look forward to working with them to chart a path to even greater success and growth for AFS as we move forward."

As a provider of differentiated logistics services to nearly 1,800 U.S. and Canadian companies, AFS drives measurable results for customers year after year through optimization of logistics operations. As a service to shippers, the company produces the TD Cowen/AFS Freight Index, a quarterly comprehensive view of both past market performance and the forecasted outlook for transportation rates across full truckload (FTL), less-than-truckload (LTL) and parcel shipping.

AFS sets high expectations of growth, both organically and through acquisition. In 2022, AFS became the largest freight audit and payment company in Canada through its acquisition of DTA Services, Ltd., Canada's second-largest freight bill audit, cost allocation, and analytics firm.

To access an image and logo, click here.

About AFS Logistics

AFS Logistics helps more than 1,800 companies across more than 35 countries drive sustained savings and operational improvements, while turning their logistics operations into competitive, customer-centric differentiators. As a non-asset based and non-asset biased 3PL, AFS provides a range of logistics services, featuring freight and parcel audit, parcel cost management, LTL cost management and transportation management, which includes freight brokerage and freight forwarding. Founded in 1982 and employing a team of more than 380 logistics teammates in eight major locations across the U.S. and Canada, AFS is regularly part of the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies. To learn more, visit www.afs.net.

SOURCE AFS Logistics
Founder Photos

Logos + Additional Pictures

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Agency, the creators of the industry-leading AgentOps.ai platform, has raised $2.6 million in pre-seed funding led by prominent investors 645 Ventures and Afore Capital. This funding will enable the company to further develop and scale its AI agent observability and testing platform, ensuring reliability and safety for enterprises deploying large language model (LLM) enabled autonomous agents.

Launched earlier this year, AgentOps.ai has quickly become the go-to platform for AI agent observability and compliance. Led by industry veterans Alex Reibman, Adam Silverman, and Shawn Qiu, the platform is now used by thousands of teams monthly. AgentOps.ai integrates seamlessly with leading AI agent frameworks including AutoGen from Microsoft Research, CrewAI, LlamaIndex, Cohere, and MultiOn, providing unparalleled support and compliance for AI agent developers.

"In the next year, you will see enterprises employing thousands of agents in everything from sales to research. AgentOps is the central place where all the data is managed. Whether you are buying an agent off the shelf or having an engineering team build one, there will always be an audit trail within AgentOps. In large enterprises, it is important to know what your employees do. Agents represent new members of the workforce and require the same auditability and accountability that exists with employees," said Adam Silverman, Founder of Agency.

Matt Hawes, Associate at 645 Ventures, added, "AgentOps provides AI builders with critical insights needed to iterate and improve rapidly. This level of transparency and support is essential for fostering innovation and trust in AI technologies."

Gaurav Jain, Partner at Afore Capital, noted "We're on the cusp of an 'agent explosion,' with hundreds, if not thousands, of AI assistants woven into our work and daily lives. But building these agents is incredibly complex given all the edge cases (which humans handle very well). AgentOps is cracking that code, drastically speeding up development time  think Stripe for payments, or Twilio for communications, but for the world of intelligent agents."

In a world where AI is becoming the backbone of enterprise operations, the need for reliable, safe, and scalable AI agents has never been greater. "In the age of AI, Agents are the new Apps. Agentic programs are the next major paradigm shift in computing. But for the time being, agents are slow, expensive, and unreliable. Safe, accessible, and scalable AI agents will be the ambitious project of this generation. We could not be more excited to make this catalytic technology a reality," added Alex Reibman

About Agency

Agency is dedicated to creating a reliable and safe environment for AI agent development. With its flagship product, AgentOps.ai, the company aims to transform how enterprises build, deploy, and manage AI agents, ensuring compliance, observability, and scalability.

For more information about Agency and AgentOps.ai, please visit Agen.cy or contact:

Media Contact:

Ellie Tippett

(415) 328-8079

[email protected]

SOURCE Agency AI
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has reported that severe rainfall shortages and the El Nino-induced drought of the 2023/24 season continue to impact water levels in Lake Kariba.As of this year, the water level in the lake has dropped to 476.75 meters, down from 479.34 meters last year.This decline has led to reduced electricity generation at the Kariba Dam, with Zimbabwe generating 897 megawatts (MW) out of an installed capacity of 1,050 MW.A comparison of lake levels over the past four weeks reveals a 2.59-meter decrease from the same period in 2023. The ZRA noted that reduced upstream inflows have contributed to the lower levels.Local, regional, and international weather experts are currently meeting in Harare for the Southern Africa Climate Outlook Forum to discuss the 2024/25 rainfall season.The ZRA plans to use the forthcoming downscaled rainfall forecasts for the Kariba catchment, provided by the Meteorological Services Departments of Zimbabwe and Zambia, to conduct detailed hydrological simulations and allocate water for power generation at the Kariba Dam for 2025.
ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) Diverse Executives Leading in Public Health (DELPH) program has been honored with a prestigious Power of Associations Summit Award from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). This award recognizes the program's exceptional contributions to advancing leadership diversity in public health.

"The DELPH program is a testament to our commitment to fostering a more inclusive and resilient public health workforce," says ASTHO CEO Joseph Kanter, MD, MPH. "Our scholars are at the forefront of addressing critical health challenges and building healthier communities for all."

With support from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ASTHO and the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine created the DELPH program to enhance the capacity and strengthen the networks of mid-to senior-level governmental public health professionals from diverse backgrounds regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, gender, national origin, social orientation, gender identity/gender expression, or disability status. DELPH works to inspire, empower, and connect scholars to public health leaders across the country.

Since its inception, DELPH has graduated nearly 100 scholars from across the United States. Over 25 participants have earned promotions or accepted advanced positions upon completing the program. Additionally, several scholars have been appointed to national boards, become mentors for public health department staff, and one of the inaugural cohort participants was recently selected for the prestigious Obama Foundation USA Leaders Fellowship.

"Witnessing the growth of our DELPH scholars has been incredibly rewarding, which is why this honor from ASAE means so much," says Avia Mason, vice president of leadership and learning at ASTHO. "Scholars are chosen based on their public service, passion, and observed leadership potential. DELPH scholars demonstrate a strong commitment to improving the public health ecosystem and creating a lasting impact in their communities. I can confidently say, DELPH scholars are changing the face of public health leadership."

Learn more about DELPH here.

ASTHO is the national nonprofit organization representing the public health agencies of the United States, the U.S. territories and Freely Associated States, and Washington, D.C., as well as the more than 100,000 public health professionals these agencies employ. ASTHO members, the chief health officials of these jurisdictions, are dedicated to formulating and influencing sound public health policy and to ensuring excellence in public health practice.

SOURCE Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
Title IX Professionals to Convene in Philadelphia for Distinguished Keynotes, Comprehensive Certification Training, and Dynamic Networking Opportunities

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA) is excited to host its 13th Annual Conference, the foremost Title IX event in the nation. This pivotal gathering for professionals dedicated to ensuring safe and equitable education will take place in Philadelphia, PA, at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel from October 26, 2024, through November 1, 2024.

What distinguishes ATIXA's Annual Conference is an unparalleled, curated learning experience, featuring both Pre- and Post-Conference certification courses. With the release of new Title IX Regulations in 2024, this year's Conference is particularly vital for Title IX Coordinators, Investigators, Appeals and Hearings Officers, Decision-makers, and other Title IX team members, as well as administrators in higher education or K-12 institutions. Attendees can earn certifications, align with best practices, and develop new skills to achieve compliance with federal regulations.

Whether managing complex cases or enacting district or campus-wide policies, the ATIXA Annual Conference is the ideal venue for connecting with allies, mentors, and friends. Attendees enjoy valuable face-to-face interactions with faculty, community building, receptions, and hot-topic roundtables to foster discussion and collaboration.

Key Information

Pre-Conference Certification Courses: October 26-28, 2024

13th Annual Conference: October 28-30, 2024

Post-Conference Certification Courses: October 31-November 1, 2024

Loews Philadelphia Hotel , Philadelphia, PA

, Register here: https://www.atixa.org/conferences/13th-annual-atixa-conference/

Conference Highlights

Opening Keynote: Balancing Legal Guidelines with Authentic Inclusion; Sarah I. Vincent , J.D., Attorney, Husch Blackwell .

Balancing Legal Guidelines with Authentic Inclusion; , J.D., Attorney, . Closing Keynote: Early Sex Education as Prevention: Recommendations for Title IX Coordinators; Eva S. Goldfarb , Ph.D., M.A., L.H.D. (hon), Professor, Department of Public Health, Montclair State University and Lisa D. Lieberman , Ph.D., CHES, Professor and Chair, Department of Public Health, Montclair State University .

Early Sex Education as Prevention: Recommendations for Title IX Coordinators; , Ph.D., M.A., L.H.D. (hon), Professor, Department of Public Health, and , Ph.D., CHES, Professor and Chair, Department of Public Health, . Clery Act and Title IX Intersections: This post-conference offering on October 31st provides a foundational overview of the basic requirements of the Clery Act.

This post-conference offering on provides a foundational overview of the basic requirements of the Clery Act. Featured Sessions: Foremost Title IX experts within ATIXA and institutions nationwide deliver thought-provoking presentations.

Foremost Title IX experts within ATIXA and institutions nationwide deliver thought-provoking presentations. Concurrent Sessions: These will feature a variety of expert presenters who will create engaging platforms for interactive dialogue and the exchange of knowledge.

These will feature a variety of expert presenters who will create engaging platforms for interactive dialogue and the exchange of knowledge. Roundtable Sessions: These sessions allow attendees to have topical, informal conversations with experts and peers about current trends and practices.

These sessions allow attendees to have topical, informal conversations with experts and peers about current trends and practices. Welcome Reception: The official kickoff to the 13th Annual Conference welcomes attendees and celebrates the Title IX community. Traveling companions and partners are invited to attend, and food and beverages will be provided. This is an excellent opportunity to network and connect with other attendees.

The official kickoff to the 13th Annual Conference welcomes attendees and celebrates the Title IX community. Traveling companions and partners are invited to attend, and food and beverages will be provided. This is an excellent opportunity to network and connect with other attendees. Event App: A dedicated event app designed to enhance the conference experience by connecting attendees, providing real-time updates, and facilitating networking.

Preferred Pricing and Registration

Preferred pricing for ATIXA members on conference and course registration.

on conference and course registration. Early Bird Rates are available to members and non-members through September 1, 2024 .

are available to members and non-members through . 20% off Conference Registration when bundled with Pre- or Post-Conference certification course.

when bundled with Pre- or Post-Conference certification course. Multi-person Registrations of two to four courses are eligible for a 15% discount, and five or more registrations qualify for a 25% discount.

of two to four courses are eligible for a 15% discount, and five or more registrations qualify for a 25% discount. Member Training Inclusions for ATIXA Super Members and ATIXA K-12 Professional Development Package holders. These membership levels include complimentary codes to register for trainings and certification courses.

Pre- & Post-Conference Certification Courses Pricing

Pricing varies based on course length and audience. For more information on details and pricing, visit our website.

Certification Course Types: Length: One-day or Two-day Audience: K-12, Higher Education, or Both



About ATIXA

The Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA) provides a professional association for school and college Title IX coordinators, investigators, and administrators who are interested in serving their districts and campuses more effectively. ATIXA brings these campus and district professionals together to collaborate and explore best practices, establish industry standards, share resources, empower the profession, and advance the worthy goal of gender equity in education. With more than 14,000 active members from colleges, universities, schools, and organizations, ATIXA is a repository for Title IX model policies, training, and other resources. For more information, visit www.atixa.org.

Michael Altmann

Vice President, Marketing Communications, TNG Consulting

610-993-0229 ext. 1032

[email protected]

SOURCE ATIXA (Association of Title IX Administrators)
PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Yoshida Foods International today announced the relaunch of their iconic teriyaki sauce, Mr. Yoshida's Original Gourmet Sweet Teriyaki Marinade & Cooking Sauce. Available now at select grocery and mass retailers in the U.S. including Amazon and Costco, Mr. Yoshida's Sweet Teriyaki Marinade & Cooking Sauce is a versatile, ready-to-use sauce with a classic sweet teriyaki taste and bold flavor.

Mr. Yoshidas Original Gourmet Sauce now available at select grocery and mass retailers in the U.S. including Amazon and Costco.

Mr. Yoshida's Original Gourmet Sauce is back in the hands of its founder after being acquired by the Heinz Company in April 2000. The acquisition led to a drastic decline in the brand's retail presence and marketing efforts throughout North America, leaving Mr. Yoshida's all but forgotten while it continued to thrive in Japan and Asia-Pacific markets. Roughly twenty-four years later, Junki Yoshida, Founder and CEO of Yoshida Foods International negotiated a purchase of the brand back from Heinz Company with plans to breathe new life into the brand and bring it back to its leading status. While the sauce in the bottle will be the teriyaki consumers know and love, Yoshida Foods has completely revamped its business model to focus on local suppliers and partners and a modernized approach to its signature quirky marketing strategy.

"I am living proof that the American dream is possible. I started making this sauce in my basement in 1982, and here I am, 74 years old and starting my business all over," said Junki Yoshida, Founder and CEO of the Yoshida Group. "This brand is my baby, and I am bringing it back to continue its legacy for the next generation."

Yoshida, a Japanese-American entrepreneur had a head full of dreams when he left his family's home in Kyoto Japan, and arrived in Seattle at 19. Experiencing many financial trials and tribulations, Mr. Yoshida persevered with determination and transformed an old family recipe for teriyaki sauce into the multi-million-dollar brand it is today. Mr. Yoshida's Original Sauce is currently selling thousands of bottles a week and shipping to seven countries including Japan, the UK, Sweden, Taiwan, Australia, Korea, and Iceland.

"We are thrilled to see our Gourmet sauce back on shelves and in the hands of those who enjoy it most," said Yoshida. "Our customers have been eagerly waiting for a return, so we are excited to finally be able to deliver. At one point we were getting 300 emails a day asking us to bring the product back, so this is a big moment for us and our loyal fans and partners."

Founded in 1982, Mr. Yoshida's Original sauce is a go-to for beef, pork, chicken, fish, or mixed vegetables. Mr. Yoshida's Sweet Teriyaki Marinade & Cooking Sauce is available today at select grocery stores in the U.S. and mass retailers including Costco and Amazon .

About Yoshida Foods International

Yoshida Foods International was founded in 1982 by Junki Yoshida who transformed an old family recipe for teriyaki sauce into a versatile, ready-to-use sauce with a classic sweet teriyaki taste and bold flavor, Mr. Yoshida's Original Gourmet. The sauce is distributed internationally to seven countries and is currently available at select grocery stores along the West Coast and mass retailers in the U.S. including Amazon and Costco. Yoshida Foods is based out of Portland, Oregon, and currently has 50 employees.

SOURCE Yoshida Foods International, LLC
FORT WAYNE, Ind., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Biodyne USA proudly announces that its premier biostimulant product, ENVIRONOC 401, has received the esteemed Certified Biostimulant label from The Fertilizer Institute (TFI). This certification confirms that ENVIRONOC 401 meets rigorous industry efficacy, safety, and composition standards.

Biodyne USA Earns Prestigious Certification for ENVIRONOC 401

Gilman Farley, owner of Biodyne USA, stated, "Receiving the Certified Biostimulant label from TFI is a testament to our commitment to excellence. With the growing biostimulant market, this certification assures retailers and end-users that our product adheres to the highest industry guidelines."

ENVIRONOC 401 is a powerful plant biostimulant infused with billions of beneficial microbes. It enhances sustainability, accelerates germination, improves plant health, and boosts soil quality. Additionally, it increases fertilizer efficiency and mitigates the overuse of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

The Biostimulant Certification Program, focused on efficacy, safety, and composition, provides essential assurances for manufacturers, agricultural retailers, and growers. This certification fosters confidence among stakeholders and supports the advancement of sustainable agricultural practices.

"For Biodyne USA, this certification demonstrates our adherence to stringent manufacturing standards and testing methods," Farley concluded. "It allows ag retailers to consider our product for shelf space confidently and gives growers assurance in our product's compliance with industry standards, enabling them to make informed decisions."

About Biodyne USA

Based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Biodyne USA leverages the power of microbiology to deliver environmental solutions that enhance success and sustainability. Committed to innovation, Biodyne USA continually expands the possibilities of microbiology, setting new benchmarks for excellence. Learn more at www.biodyne-usa.com and follow on X @Biodyne_USA.

About The Fertilizer Institute (TFI)

TFI is the leading voice of the nation's fertilizer industry, with roots dating back to 1883. Its members include fertilizer producers, wholesalers, retailers, and trading firms. TFI's dedicated staff in Washington, D.C., serves its members through legislative, educational, technical, economic information, and public communication programs. For more information, visit TFI.org and follow on X @Fertilizer_Inst. Discover TFI's nutrient stewardship initiatives at www.nutrientstewardship.org and on X @4rnutrients

Contact: Josh Pawlak

Phone: 888.970.0955

SOURCE Biodyne USA
ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Andre Barnes, the HBCU Engagement Director for NumbersUSA, roamed the Windy City during the DNC to interview Black Chicagoans about the ongoing migrant crisis. An 11-minute highlight clip is available here.

"I spoke to folks who've watched their neighborhoods transform as migrants fill hotels and apartments, despite pushback from Black residents," said Andre. "There's an overwhelming sense that the government favors migrants over Black families, and that 'the people who run this city don't care what Black people think.'"

Over 47,000 migrants have arrived via flights or buses from Texas alone in the past two years, with thousands more arriving from other states. Chicago has spent more than $460 million on housing, food, and other benefits for these new arrivals. And the burden continues to grow. The city government set up 17 temporary shelters -- roughly one every six days -- in the weeks leading up to the convention.

Andre, together with political writer and strategy consultant Dr. Pamela Denise Long, conducted "man-on-the-street" interviews with dozens of Black residents, meeting everywhere from doorsteps and sidewalks to coffee shops and living rooms.

"Black Chicagoans are all too familiar with the drawbacks of mass immigration," said Andre Barnes. "We came to Chicago to tell their stories."

To request an interview with Andre, please contact Emeline Bogle at (202) 970-9742 or [email protected].

About NumbersUSA

NumbersUSA supports a balanced immigration system that welcomes the spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents, is responsive to acute refugee crises, attracts those with extraordinary ability and talents, addresses temporary labor shortages, protects the most vulnerable, and is enforced. NumbersUSA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that believes better immigration policy is possible. Focused exclusively on immigration reform, NumbersUSA is America's largest single-issue advocacy group with over 8 million grassroots members and supporters spread across every congressional district. Founded solely by Roy Beck in 1996 to promote civil debate on the immigration recommendations of the U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform -- chaired by civil rights icon Barbara Jordan -- NumbersUSA continues to advocate for sensible immigration policies that ensure Americans' safety, promote economic fairness, while conserving the environment and quality of life.

Media Contact:

Emeline Bogle

(202) 970-9742

[email protected]

SOURCE NumbersUSA
Bogota's most anticipated Entrepreneurship Festival is here. The event takes place between August 28th and August 30th .

It gathers some of the leading entrepreneurs in Latin America .

It seeks to boost and connect the ecosystem in both Colombia and the region.

According to the Colombia Tech Report, Bogota currently has around 950 startups, representing 55% of these kinds of businesses in Colombia .

Bogota ranks second in South America at Startupblinks's Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2024 and rose two positions, reaching 63rd place worldwide.

Please register at the following link: https://registrogofest.azurewebsites.net/.

BOGOTA, Colombia, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Between this Wednesday and next Friday (August 30th), the Bogota Chamber of Commerce holds Gofest, Bogota's Entrepreneurship Festival, which strives to boost and connect the entrepreneurship ecosystem in both Colombia and LATAM.

The event takes place in Bogota at the Agora Bogota Convention Center.

Massive attendance at Gofest 2024

Under the concept, The Future is Now, it gathers some of the leading entrepreneurs in Latin America, including Hernan Kazah, co-founder at Mercado Libre and Managing Partner at Kaszek Ventures, Tomas Bercovich, co-founder and CEO at Global66, and Silvina Moschini, founder and CEO at Unicorn Inc., among other 120 speakers.

Gofest has established itself as an effective, inclusive, and open business platform on which future and current entrepreneurs inspire their colleagues as they share their knowledge and valuable experiences.

Ovidio Claros, the Executive President at the Bogota Chamber of Commerce, said, "We are fully aware of the importance of strengthening the entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems in the whole region. Moreover, we strongly believe in a futuristic and innovative business vision based on knowledge and new technologies, which are cornerstones of growth and competitiveness. Therefore, as we are certain of the relevance of connecting and speeding up the ecosystem, seven years ago we decided to create Gofest, a gathering that contributes to achieving these goals and brings us closer to the target of turning Bogota into the capital of entrepreneurship in LATAM."

In total, the last six editions of Gofest registered an attendance of over 65 thousand people.

This year's edition includes taylor-made meetings conceived for different kinds of companies, such as Tech for Everyone, BazzarBog, Bootcamp 3DE, Growth Lab, Future Giants, Genera Summit, Speed Meetings Plaza, Fireside Stage Building the Future, and Venture Valley.

About Bogota

According to the Colombia Tech Report, currently Bogota has around 950 startups, representing 55% of the total Colombian startups.

Furthermore, Bogota ranks second in South America at Startupblinks's Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2024 and rose two positions, reaching 63rd place worldwide.

About the Bogota Chamber of Commerce

The Bogota Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organization that, for 145 years, has supported entrepreneurs by creating a favorable business environment. Its policies and strategies have a long-term global vision to bring society prosperity and value.

Please register at the following link: https://registrogofest.azurewebsites.net/.

SOURCE Bogota Chamber of Commerce
As National Suicide Prevention Month approaches, Bay Area nonprofit highlights critical role of 988 and ongoing need for accessible mental healthcare

NOVATO, Calif., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Buckelew Programs, a Bay Area nonprofit that operates one of California's 12 call centers within the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline network, announced it answered nearly 22,000 calls in fiscal year 2024. This reflects an unprecedented 47% increase in call volume for Buckelew since 988's launch in 2022.

Answering calls from Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake County area codes, Buckelew's call volume growth mirrors state and national trends.

988 is a vital, easy-to-remember number that connects people via phone, text or chat to trained crisis counselors who provide emotional support and connect callers to resources when appropriate. The Lifeline is free, confidential and available 24/7 to anyone experiencing any level of distress.

Buckelew has operated the region's suicide and crisis hotline since 2014, as a 10-digit phone number until two years ago. In 2021, Buckelew counselors answered about 12,000 calls. In the first year of 988, they answered 15,000. Between 2021 and 2024, Buckelew experienced an unprecedented 83% jump in calls.

Interpreting the growth

Buckelew Programs CEO Chris Kughn attributed the surge in 988 usage to greater public awareness and the destigmatization of mental health issues. He also noted this trend highlights a critical gap in access to mental health care, especially at a time when there's a shortage of mental health professionals.

"Suicide is a complex public health issue, but it is preventable," said Kughn. "By providing immediate, accessible support through 988, we're giving people the help they need at the moment they need it most. A lot of times it's just about being heard and being seen for who you are."

Buckelew's call center has proven highly effective, with 99% of calls being resolved over the phone without requiring in-person intervention by emergency services.

Raising Awareness, new PSA videos

As September is National Suicide Prevention Month, Buckelew Programs is intensifying its efforts to raise awareness about 988, including releasing new PSA videos for seniors and youth and offering training, education, support groups and outreach events.

Despite successes of 988, awareness remains alarmingly low, even as suicide continues to be one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. According to a recent KFF poll, only 18% of U.S. adults are well aware of 988.

"Every time we raise awareness about 988, we're potentially saving a life," said Connie Mann, LMFT, Buckelew's Regional Director of Behavioral Health and Suicide Prevention. "It's one less person struggling alone and one more person who has access to care."

About Buckelew Programs

Founded in 1970, Buckelew Programs is North Bay's largest nonprofit provider of comprehensive behavioral health services. Each year, we help thousands who experience mental health and addiction challenges  often those with no other access to care  to lead healthier, more independent lives.

SOURCE Buckelew Programs
324 - Tables

62 - Figures

297  Pages

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=509

Crystalline silicon, by technology, is expected to be the largest-growing segment during the forecast period.

Based on technology, the segment is bifurcated into two types such as Crystalline silicon and thin film. The crystalline silicon technology is expected to drive the market. This is due to the efficiency rates of crystalline silicon solar cells are higher, especially for the monocrystalline types, than those for thin-film technologies. This makes it more efficient at transcribing light into electricity and better at providing energy output in a small area, as available on building surfaces. Crystalline silicon is an established technology applied widely in the solar industry. Its long history of reliability and performance record gives it an edge over other newer or less well-proven technologies like thin film, which would make it a more secure option for large-scale BIPV projects. Global crystalline silicon solar panel production capacity is far higher than that of thin film technologies. Such broad availability ensures better access to c-Si products and makes it possible to produce them in quantity, thus meeting growing demand in the BIPV market.

Roofing, by Application, is expected to be the largest-growing segment during the forecast period.

The Application segment is further bifurcated into 3 types: Roofing, Facades and Externally Integrated Systems. The Roofing segment is expected be the largest growing market. In this aspect, since many building codes and regulations require or recommend renewable energy systems, roofing is more likely to be the easiest and most compliant area for: BIPV systems are easy to retrofit onto an existing building, making it practical for older structures to utilize renewable energy capabilities without much structural alteration. Installing BIPV roofing might be more affordable than installing facades or externally attached systems because the expense for traditional roofing materials is replaced with solar technology, lowering the overall building cost. Enthusiasm for more green and sustainable buildings has led to an interest in BIPV roofing in which this roofing solution makes a significant contribution to a variety of different energy efficiency and sustainability targets.

Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=509

Asia Pacific is expected to be the Fastest growing region during the forecast period.

Most countries in this region have very good climatic conditions in terms of solar energy, with most parts receiving high levels of radiation. This makes BIPV a very viable and efficient way for the generation of renewable energy directly from building surfaces. This simply implies that the demand for BIPV systems forming part of smart building designs in smart city development across the Asia Pacific, enshrining the goals of energy efficiency and sustainability, is on the rise. With robust economic growth in the Asia Pacific region, investments in sustainable infrastructure and renewable energy projects, inclusive of BIPV in commercial, industrial, and residential building applications, will keep on increasing. Countries in the Asia Pacific are increasingly adopting green building standards and certifications, such as China's Green Building Evaluation Standard and India's GRIHA. These standards encourage the integration of renewable energy solutions like BIPV. Countries such as China and India, situated in the Asia Pacific region, have rapid urbanization. On the other hand, the growth of urban areas increases construction activity accordingly, within which BIPV is integrated into new buildings and infrastructure projects.

Key Players

Some of the major players in the Building Integrated Photovoltaic Market are LONGi (China), JinkoSolar (China), JA SOLAR Technology Co.,Ltd. (China), AGC Inc. (Japan), and Canadian Solar (Canada) among others. The major strategies adopted by these players include new product launches, acquisitions, contracts, agreements, partnerships, joint ventures, collaborations, investments, and expansions.

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Award Program Celebrates 10 Years of Exceptional New LAUSD Teachers

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- California Credit Union Foundation, in partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), recently honored 16 first-year District teachers through its 10th annual Rookie of the Year program. California Credit Union created the Rookie of the Year program in the 2014/2015 school year to recognize exceptional new LAUSD teachers within the greater Los Angeles community.

California Credit Union Foundation and Los Angeles Unified School District celebrate 2024 Rookie Teacher of the Year Award winners at Dodger Stadium on August 25. California Credit Union created the Rookie of the Year program with LAUSD in 2015 to recognize first year teachers within the greater Los Angeles community. Pictured are (center) Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho and Board Member Scott M. Schmerelson, District 3, with the 2024 Rookies of the Year.

"California Credit Union Foundation is proud to honor each of the 2024 Rookies of the Year for the significant impact they have made as they begin their career with LAUSD," said California Credit Union Foundation President Marvel Ford. "Recognizing and supporting the life-changing impact educators have on their students is an important aspect of the Foundation's purpose, and we have the greatest respect for the commitment and passion of these new teachers. We want to thank these inspiring new teachers for their dedication to their students and schools."

Representing elementary, middle and high schools throughout the greater Los Angeles area, the 2024 Rookies of the Year are:

2024 Winner School Sophie Anam Carlos Santana Arts Academy Haley Burgess Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. Middle School Trinity Caballero John B. Monlux Elementary Chloe Campbell Northridge Academy High School Christina Chiranian Sylmar Charter High School Peter Choi West Adams Preparatory High School Alejandro Rodriguez Corona Orchard 2C Global Studies & Technology Academy Tylyn Fields 107th St Elementary School Anissa Hoveyda Peary Middle School Thomas Kato Paul Revere Charter Middle School Joel Kim Virgil Middle School Naila Mayers Ascot Avenue Elementary School Raechelle Poquiz Dodson Middle School Nubia Rodriguez Hollenbeck Middle School Sophia Rowen Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy Charles Styrbicki Venice High School

"Congratulations to the next class of Los Angeles Unified Rookie of the Year teachers who are 16 incredible first-year educators," Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho said. "Your profound dedication and commitment to excellence will undoubtedly inspire students to reach beyond limits and foster a passion for lifelong learning. We're excited to see the lasting impact you'll continue to have and are grateful for your amazing contributions."

The winning teachers were selected based on a number of factors, including effectiveness in preparing and delivering instruction, providing a positive classroom climate with strong routines and procedures, adopting a dynamic and engaging teaching style, and showing high levels of professionalism.

California Credit Union created the Rookie of the Year program in partnership with LAUSD to acknowledge first-year District teachers who have shown exemplary commitment to education. Teachers are nominated by school administrators, and winners are selected by a LAUSD committee. Since the program began in 2015, California Credit Union has recognized 180 LAUSD teachers as a Rookie of the Year and contributed more than $200,000 towards the program.

About California Credit Union Foundation

California Credit Union Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that serves as the philanthropic arm of California Credit Union, a state chartered full-service credit union with assets nearly $5 billion, approximately 200,000 members and 25 retail branches. The Foundation works to strengthen the financial well-being of our communities by providing targeted resources to non-profit partners effecting meaningful change across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties. California Credit Union funds all administrative costs of the Foundation, enabling it to return 100% of donations back into community programs. Please visit ccu.com/foundation to learn more or make a tax-deductible donation, or follow the Foundation on Instagram @ccufoundation.

SOURCE California Credit Union
MONTVALE, N.J., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As the days heat up, many coffee lovers will make the switch from a steaming mug of joe to a refreshing glass of iced coffee. Historians can trace iced coffee's origins back to 1840, when French troops fighting in Algeria ran out of milk rations and began supplementing their coffee with cold water. Luckily, today's coffee aficionados have an easy iced coffee option at their fingertips.

Capresso, a leader in coffee innovation, caters to iced-coffee lovers with the Capresso Touchscreen Coffee Maker. This remarkable appliance can quickly brew hot or iced coffee, thanks to an exclusive Iced Coffee Mode, sure to be a hit on hot summer days. With an easy-to-use touchscreen control panel and a 12-cup glass carafe, it's designed to make the iced coffee experience effortless and delicious. A highlight of this multi-tasking coffee maker from Capresso is its intuitive touchscreen control panel, providing seamless control over the brewing process. Say goodbye to traditional buttons and hello to a modern, convenient interface at your fingertips. The touchscreen enhances the user experience and adds a touch of sophistication to kitchen decor.

Capresso, a leader in coffee innovation, caters to iced-coffee lovers with the Capresso Touchscreen Coffee Maker. This remarkable appliance can quickly brew hot or iced coffee, thanks to an exclusive Iced Coffee Mode, sure to be a hit on hot summer days. With an easy-to-use touchscreen control panel and a 12-cup glass carafe, it's designed to make the iced coffee experience effortless and delicious.

The Iced Coffee Mode is a game-changer for iced coffee enthusiasts. Simply fill the glass carafe with ice up to the max line and then select the mode on the touchscreen. The machine will then brew up to 7 cups and bypass the keep-warm function to keep iced coffee at the desired temperature. Users can customize the strength of their iced coffee by adjusting water levels for a stronger or milder brew.

A highlight of this multi-tasking coffee maker is its intuitive touchscreen control panel, providing seamless control over the brewing process. Say goodbye to traditional buttons and hello to a modern, convenient interface at your fingertips. The touchscreen enhances the user experience and adds a touch of sophistication to kitchen decor.

The Touchscreen Coffee Maker features an automatic self-cleaning function. After 80 brew cycles, the touchscreen clearly indicates a "Clean" option. Add the Capresso descaling solution to the water tank according to the manufacturer's instructions, and the machine undergoes a cycle to thoroughly clean itself. Users can also manually initiate the cleaning process at any time to ensure peak performance.

For lounging by the pool, hosting a backyard barbecue, or simply adding a gourmet touch to everyday breakfast, Capresso's Touchscreen Coffee Maker makes enjoying a perfect glass of iced coffee easier than ever. For more information, visit capresso.com.

Media Contact: Field Marketing & Media, 713.869.1856, [email protected]

SOURCE Capresso
News / National

by Staff reporter

The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has announced plans to launch a campaign against proposed constitutional amendments by Zanu-PF that could potentially remove presidential term limits.The proposal, which emerged from recent Zanu-PF provincial meetings, aims to amend the Constitution to allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa to remain in power beyond 2028.Although Mnangagwa has stated he will not seek an extension of his term, Zanu-PF, with its two-thirds majority in Parliament, could push for such changes.CCC spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi criticized the proposed amendments as undemocratic and contrary to constitutional principles. He emphasized that any constitutional change would require a referendum, and expressed confidence that the public would oppose the extension.Other critics, including Heal Zimbabwe Trust and the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, argue that the country has more pressing issues than constitutional amendments for personal gain.They stress that amending section 91 of the Constitution, which sets presidential term limits, would be a complex and lengthy process, requiring multiple referendums and extensive legal procedures.Legal analysis from Veritas highlights that even if term limits are removed, the current Constitution includes provisions designed to prevent incumbents, like Mnangagwa, from benefiting from such changes.To enable a third presidential term, significant amendments would need to be made to both section 91 and section 328(7) of the Constitution, a process that includes parliamentary approval and a national referendum.
VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - In a world, where cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain a leading cause of death, the global cardiac surgery market has emerged as a cornerstone of life-saving interventions, driven by innovations in medical technology. According to iData Research's (iData) latest suite of reports, the global cardiac surgery market was valued at over $17 billion in 2023 and is projected to experience a robust growth, reaching almost $25 billion by the end of the forecast period.

Figure 1: Forecasted Market Value of the Global Cardiac Surgery Device Market between 2023 and 2030 (CNW Group/iData Research Inc.) Figure 2: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Deaths Annually in Europe and on a global scale. (CNW Group/iData Research Inc.) Figure 3: Atricures AtriClip Flex V Device revenue growth, Q1/2018 to Q2/2023. (CNW Group/iData Research Inc.)

Cardiac surgery devices are fundamental tools in combating the increasing global burden of cardiovascular diseases. From tissue and mechanical heart valves to highly advanced transcatheter heart valve replacement (THVR) devices, the global market offers a wide array of solutions. Key devices in this market also include annuloplasty repair devices, transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr) devices, cerebral embolic protection devices, coronary artery bypass devices (ONCAB and OPCAB), ventricular assist devices (VADs), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) systems.

Comprehensive Overview of Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular diseases continue to dominate the landscape of global health crises. According to the World Health Organization, CVD causes over 17 million deaths annually, representing a staggering 32% of all global deaths. Coronary artery disease (CAD) and cerebrovascular disease are the primary drivers of these CVD-related fatalities.

In the U.S. , an estimated 9.8 million Americans live with angina, with approximately 500,000 new cases emerging each year. Additionally, heart disease disproportionately impacts certain ethnic groups, with White (Non-Hispanic), Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and Black (Non-Hispanic) communities experiencing heart disease death rates of over 20%.

Europe faces a similarly dire situation. The European Heart Journal reports that CVDs are responsible for more than 4 million deaths annually across the continent, accounting for nearly 45% of all fatalities. Central and Eastern Europe are particularly affected, with the highest CVD mortality rates in Europe. In the European Union alone, the economic burden of CVD is estimated at a staggering 210 billion per year.

Asia-Pacific is also witnessing an alarming rise in CVD cases, particularly in China and Japan. In China, urbanization, lifestyle changes, and an aging population have contributed to CVD accounting for over 40% of annual deaths, with over 290 million people affected. Japan, home to the world's oldest population, is experiencing heightened demand for cardiovascular treatments due to the increasing prevalence of heart-related ailments.

Key Market Segments and Emerging Trends

The global cardiac surgery market is dominated by key regions, with North America leading the charge, followed by Western Europe and Asia-Pacific. North America continues to be the largest market for cardiac surgery devices, but as growth plateaus, companies are increasingly turning their attention to emerging markets in Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, and Latin America, where the demand for cardiovascular treatments is surging.

Transcatheter heart valve replacement (THVR) devices have secured their position as the largest market segment, with strong growth anticipated due to increasing unit sales. However, the introduction of transcatheter aortic valve replacements (TAVRs), also known as transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), as a first-choice therapy is exerting pressure on other segments, such as transcatheter pulmonary valve replacements (TPVRs), which are expected to experience slower growth.

A major trend reshaping the landscape is the shift towards minimally invasive surgery, which is revolutionizing patient care and procedural efficiency. Technologies like TAVI/TAVR and transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr) are poised to drive significant gains in the coming years, as they offer less invasive alternatives to traditional open-heart surgeries. The TAVI/TAVR market, in particular, is expected to see strong expansion, fueled by the pressing need for this therapy among a growing patient population. Likewise, the TMVr market is projected to increase its market share, as it addresses the substantial demand for mitral valve repair without requiring open-heart surgery.

Untapped Potential in the LAA Closure Device Market

The left atrial appendage (LAA) closure device market is poised for significant expansion as new companies enter the space, driving heightened competition and downward pressure on pricing. Currently, there are a limited number of companies active in this segment, but increasing interest from additional players is reshaping the landscape. AtriCure has experienced exponential growth, particularly with their AtriClip Flex V Device, as revenue skyrocketed between 2018 and 2023, according to iData's U.S. MedSKU data.

As more patients are identified with the clotting risk associated with the LAA, the market value for closure devices is expected to rise sharply. Additionally, routine exams to check for clots in the LAA are becoming increasingly common worldwide. As health systems continue to evolve and this practice expands, the number of patients identified with clot risks will only grow, further fueling demand for LAA closure devices.

Market Share Leaders

Major players are fiercely competing for market share globally, with Edwards Lifesciences emerging as the dominant force in 2023. Despite only competing in four segments, Edwards Lifesciences leads the market in all but one. Abbott, the second-leading competitor, is a giant in the medical device world, poised to increase its market share across a wide range of cardiac surgery devices. Medtronic, another key player, commands significant presence in numerous device categories and is expected to maintain its stronghold as the market evolves.

Other notable competitors in the global cardiac surgery device market included Abiomed, Boston Scientific, Getinge, LivaNova, Terumo, Gore, AtriCure, Artivion, Becton Dickinson, Syncardia, and more.

In Summary

With shifting trends towards minimally invasive procedures, innovations in TAVI/TAVR and TMVr devices are set to shape the future of cardiac care. As healthcare providers and patients alike demand more efficient and less invasive treatments, these devices are at the forefront of a new era in cardiac surgery.

For a comprehensive analysis of the Global, European , and U.S. cardiac surgery markets, explore our in-depth reports that delve into the latest trends, competitive dynamics, and market forecasts shaping the future of this vital industry.

About iData

iData Research stands out as the premier MedTech market research and intelligence provider, offering unparalleled insights and comprehensive data analysis across a multitude of industries. With a strong reputation and a proven track record, iData Research has solidified its position as the best choice for businesses seeking to make informed decisions in today's dynamic medical market landscape.

SOURCE iData Research Inc.
'Warehouse of the Future' to expand nationwide distribution network in support of home healthcare growth

DUBLIN, Ohio, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cardinal Health (NYSE: CAH) officially announced today the recent opening of a new distribution center in Greenville, South Carolina dedicated solely to its at-Home Solutions business, expected to add roughly 200 jobs to the region over time. Cardinal Health at-Home Solutions is a leading provider of home healthcare medical supplies, helping more than five million customers nationwide manage their medical supply needs, including those who have chronic or critical medical conditions.

The home healthcare industry has seen rapid growth in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fortune Business Insights' May 2024 U.S. Home Healthcare Services Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis report states that U.S. home healthcare is projected to grow from more than $100 billion in 2024 to $176.3 billion by 2032. While several factors contribute to this growth, a main cause is America's aging population and the increasing prevalence of chronic conditions. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) reports that older adults are one of the fastest-growing populations in the U.S.  more than 80 million Americans will be 65 or older in 2040, nearly double what it was in 2000. NCOA also reports that many over the age of 65 have at least one chronic health condition  and many have multiple  with top conditions including diabetes, chronic bronchitis and more.

"There's tremendous growth opportunity as healthcare continues to shift to the home," said Rob Schlissberg, president, Cardinal Health at-Home Solutions. "Consumers are setting the stage  they want to manage their health conditions comfortably from home, something that's especially important to our aging population. Our expansion into Greenville allows us to continue to deliver on our promises to customers and their patients, while creating a resilient supply chain to support this sustained growth."

At 350,000 square feet, this is the largest distribution center supporting the Cardinal Health at-Home Solutions business to date and only the second distribution center the business has built from the ground-up.

Greenville is known for its strong manufacturing and distribution industry, offering the uniquely skilled workforce required to support this facility's operations. Hank Hyatt, senior vice president of Economic Competitiveness for the Greenville Chamber, says they are pleased to welcome this new state-of-the-art distribution center to the region.

"Cardinal Health at-Home Solutions is a great fit for Greenville  our innovation-forward region is perfectly suited to help this business support its critical services within an increasingly significant healthcare sector," Hyatt said. "We're proud Cardinal Health saw the value in our community that has a strong workforce, world-class transportation assets and a wonderful quality of life, and we look forward to having them be part of Greenville for years to come."

Local warehouse employees will work alongside the latest automation, artificial intelligence and robotics technology to ship nearly 8,000 packages daily directly to patients' homes. These packages include products like diabetic supplies like continuous glucose monitors, incontinence and ostomy supplies, breast pumps, enteral nutrition pumps and formulas and more.

"We often say, 'When you touch a package, you touch a patient's life,' and we take this motto seriously," said Schlissberg. "We're excited to invite the Greenville community to be a part of our vital mission of delivering medical supplies to patients exactly when and where they need them."

About Cardinal Health

Cardinal Health is a distributor of pharmaceuticals, a global manufacturer and distributor of medical and laboratory products, and a provider of performance and data solutions for healthcare facilities. With more than 50 years in business, operations in more than 30 countries and approximately 48,000 employees globally, Cardinal Health is essential to care. Information about Cardinal Health is available at cardinalhealth.com.

Contact

Media: Cari Wildasinn, [email protected] and 614.757.8287

SOURCE Cardinal Health
Fast casual concept to celebrate the grand opening of its fourth restaurant in Colorado on September 10, offering free chicken salad for a year

ATLANTA, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicken Salad Chick , the nation's only fast casual chicken salad restaurant concept, announced today it is opening its first location metro Denver, located at 7301 South Santa Fe Drive #320. The Littleton community is invited to celebrate this grand opening on Tuesday, September 10 where the first 100 guests in line will win free chicken salad for a year*.

During grand opening week, guests can expect to experience the Southern hospitality that Chicken Salad Chick is known for, as well as a community focused mindset with various specials and giveaways featuring other locally owned small businesses. These include:

Tuesday, September 10  Free Chicken Salad for a Year to the first 100 Guests  The first guest in line will receive one large Quick Chick of chicken salad per week for an entire year. The next 99 guests in line receive one large Quick Chick of chicken salad per month for a year.*

  The first guest in line will receive one large Quick Chick of chicken salad per week for an entire year. The next 99 guests in line receive one large Quick Chick of chicken salad per month for a year.* Wednesday, September 11  The first guest in line will receive a self-care themed basket with gifts from local businesses. The next 99 guests to purchase a Chick Trio receive a FREE Chicken Salad Chick Cooler Bag!**

 The first guest in line will receive a self-care themed basket with gifts from local businesses. The next 99 guests to purchase a Chick Trio receive a FREE Chicken Salad Chick Cooler Bag!** Thursday, September 12  The first guest in line will receive a pet themed basket with gifts from local businesses. The next 99 guests to purchase a Chick Trio receive a FREE Chicken Salad Chick Dog Water Bowl!**

 The first guest in line will receive a pet themed basket with gifts from local businesses. The next 99 guests to purchase a Chick Trio receive a FREE Chicken Salad Chick Dog Water Bowl!** Friday, September 13  The first guest in line will receive a for-the-home themed basket with gifts from local businesses. The next 99 guests to purchase a Chick Trio receive a FREE Chicken Salad Chick 40oz Tervis Tumbler.**

 The first guest in line will receive a for-the-home themed basket with gifts from local businesses. The next 99 guests to purchase a Chick Trio receive a FREE Chicken Salad Chick 40oz Tervis Tumbler.** Saturday, September 14  The first guest in line will receive a foodie themed basket with gifts from local businesses. The next 99 guests to purchase a Chick Trio receive a FREE Chick Meal on their next visit!**

Chicken Salad Chick of Littleton is owned by Maureen McFerson with support from her husband, Luke Hadden. Maureen first discovered the brand while attending the University of Georgia. Although the franchise had not yet reached Athens during her time there, she became a fan after dining at the locations in Columbus and LaGrange while visiting her in-laws. With over a decade of experience as a R&D and Quality scientist, mainly with global pizza chains, Maureen felt confident in her ability to open her own franchise. Operating Chicken Salad Chick of Littleton will also be a family effort, with her mom managing catering and her children serving as chief taste testers.

"Luke and I are thrilled to bring Chicken Salad Chick to Littleton this September," said Maureen McFerson, owner of Chicken Salad Chick of Littleton. "From the moment I first tried Chicken Salad Chick, I knew I had found a restaurant that offered more than just delicious, made-from-scratch food. It brought a sense of comfort and home, and that's the experience we want to create for our customers. My goal is to provide a space where the community can come together and leave feeling better than when they came. I can't wait to connect with our neighbors and share our delicious menu items with them soon!"

Chicken Salad Chick is known for its dozen-plus variety of made-from-scratch chicken salad flavors, fresh side salads, gourmet soups, signature sandwiches, and desserts. The new Littleton location offers in-restaurant and outdoor patio dining, take-out, curbside pickup, third-party delivery, and catering options. The Littleton opening marks the brand's fourth location in Colorado, following recent openings in Greeley, Colorado Springs and Windsor, with one on the horizon in Johnstown.

"We're excited to continue expanding Chicken Salad Chick in Colorado," said Scott Deviney, president and CEO of Chicken Salad Chick. "Cities like Littleton and Denver, with their vibrant and growing food scenes, are perfect locations for our restaurants. That's why we're eager to introduce Chicken Salad Chick to these communities. Maureen and Luke have already demonstrated their excellence as franchise owners, and we're confident they'll uphold our mission to spread joy, enrich lives and serve others in the community. We look forward to having them bring the Chicken Salad Chick experience to both new and returning guests statewide."

Giving back to the community is an important focus for the Littleton team and the Chicken Salad Chick brand, which established the CSC Foundation to support CURE Childhood Cancer and local food banks with fundraisers throughout the year. As part of pre-opening Friends & Family events in Littleton, the restaurant will be raising money for The Backpack Society, a volunteer and community supporting nonprofit food pantry with a mission to eliminate food insecurity for children. A cause near and dear to Maureen and Luke, Chicken Salad Chick of Littleton will help collect food donations and raise funds for over 20 schools where students are facing food insecurity in the Littleton Public and Douglas County Schools.

Supporting small, local and women-owned businesses is also very important to Maureen. She has been overwellmed with the support and inclusion that the Littleton business community offers. "I'm thrilled to partner some of my favorite local businesses to make our guests feel extra special during grand opening week. Countless local and women-owned businesses have all graciously donated items for gift baskets for the first person in line each day.

Chicken Salad Chick of Littleton will be open Monday  Saturday from 10:30 a.m.  8 p.m. For more information, visit www.chickensaladchick.com . Follow Chicken Salad Chick on Facebook and Instagram for the latest news and trends.

For more information on giveaways and specials, visit

https://www.facebook.com/ChickenSaladChickLittletonCOAspenGrove.

*Guests should arrive early to secure a place in line. The first 100 guests must remain in line and download the Chicken Salad Chick app. Wi-Fi will not be available on site. Once the restaurant opens, guests will make a purchase of "The Chick" or anything of equal/greater value and enter a code in the Chicken Salad Chick app to officially secure their spot. If you leave the line for any reason, your spot will be awarded to the next guest in line. Guests will receive their first free Large Quick Chick electronically to their app the Monday following Grand Opening Day. The reward will be valid for redemption for 30 days upon delivery.

**Must download the CSC App and be 16 years or older to purchase. Not valid with any other offers. Limit 1 reward per guest present, per day.

About Chicken Salad Chick

Chicken Salad Chick serves full-flavored, Southern-style chicken salad made from scratch and served from the heart. With more than a dozen original chicken salad flavors as well as fresh side salads, gourmet soups, signature sandwiches and delicious desserts, Chicken Salad Chick's robust menu is a perfect fit for any guest. Founded in Auburn, Alabama, by Stacy and Kevin Brown, in 2008, Chicken Salad Chick has grown to more than 260 restaurants in 19 states. Today, under the leadership of Scott Deviney and the Chicken Salad Chick team, the brand is continuing its rapid expansion with both franchise and company locations. Chicken Salad Chick has received numerous accolades including rankings in the 2023 Entrepreneur Franchise 500, Franchise Times' Fast & Serious for the third consecutive year, Fast Casual.com's top Movers and Shakers from 2018 to 2023, QSR's Best Franchise Deals in 2019, 2020 and 2022, and Franchise Business Review's Top Food Franchises in 2020. See www.chickensaladchick.com for additional information.

Contact:

Alexis Paul

Fish Consulting

954-893-9150

[email protected]

SOURCE Chicken Salad Chick
Cloud 10's visualizations help by showing, not telling, to let people see a future they otherwise cannot perceive. Post this

Dispensa has an extensive past working in the feature film industry at companies like DreamWorks, Industrial Light & Magic, Disney, and more where she worked on projects utilizing stereoscopics for 3D theatrical releases. She also supported Disney Imagineering on immersive ride experiences for Disney World, Disneyland Hong Kong, and Disneyland Shanghai.

"The experience working on 3D films and immersive ride experiences really helped my thought process when it came to creating a joyful VR experience where we take the time to ensure our audience won't get nauseous," says Dispensa.

Recently, Cloud 10 Studios created an architectural visualization for ICON Technologies, which develops advanced construction techniques using 3D printing robotics. "The visualization had to be precise, and we were able to get it within a millimeter accuracy for a neighborhood of more than a hundred unique homes," shares Creative Director, Tobin Jones.

Cloud 10 Studios also partnered with USGS and National Park Services to create a digital-twin model of North Carolina's Ocracoke Island to accurately visualize the impact of sea level rise. Using a hybrid approach of 360 survey data, drone photogrammetry, and CoSMoS data, Cloud 10 created fluid simulations using real-time tools, like Unreal Engine, to provide an impactful visual of coastal change.

"It is our goal to humanize the data. Visualization helps by showing, not telling, and can communicate events that data cannot, letting people sees a future they are otherwise unable to perceive," says Jones.

To learn more: www.cloud10studios.com

About Cloud 10 Studios:

Cloud 10 Studios is a visionary woman-owned and operated creative agency merging disruptive innovation with extensive feature film experience. With top-tier talent linked globally and armed with cutting-edge technology, Cloud 10 delivers elevated creative solutions from its Dallas, Texas, and Las Vegas, Nevada hubs. They are known for forging new paths as a visualization studio with experience in VR, AR, XR, and metaverses using real-time technologies.

Contact: David Bates  David L. Bates Creative, [email protected], 214-803-4524

SOURCE Cloud 10 Studios
New campaign highlights opportunities to get students back in school across the nation

ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Communities In Schools (CIS), the nation's leading provider of K-12 school-based integrated student supports (ISS), has launched the new "Being Present Matters" public service campaign highlighting the nationwide epidemic of chronic absenteeism and the solutions Communities In Schools offers to eradicate it.

The Being Present Matters public service campaign raises awareness of the nationwide epidemic of chronic absenteeism in our schools, which was exacerbated by the global COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. Communities In Schools site coordinator reads from "The Longest Roll Call"

The campaign features a six-foot-tall paper attendance roll, imprinted with 15 million names  one name to represent every chronically absent student in the U.S. The visual image of this oversized attendance roll traversing a school campus highlights the millions of students who are chronically absent, meaning they miss 10 percent or more of the school year, following the global COVID-19 pandemic. Watch the PSA here.

"Being present for our students is more than just showing upit's about sending a powerful message that they matter and that we believe in their potential," said Rey Saldana, president and CEO, Communities In Schools. "When we show up for them, we empower them to show up for themselves."

Research shows there are many reasons that limit students from regularly attending school, including transportation issues, childcare needs for siblings, housing insecurity, or lack of mental health and anti-bullying supports for students. The powerful public service campaign underscores the importance of individual and school-wide support that can address the wide range of challenges affecting students and families.

During the 2022-2023 school year, 99 percent of students enrolled in Communities In Schools programs remained in school through the end of the school year; 97 percent of K-11 students were promoted to the next grade; and 96 percent of seniors graduated or received a GED.

Now CIS is working to bring that model to more schools across the nation to help get kids back on track. Communities In Schools' integrated student supports model offers a step-by-step back-to-school path for those who face issues that keep them from attending school. CIS site coordinators work with teachers, school administrators, and families to connect students with the essential resources they need to learn and thrive.

This year, the organization hit a critical milestone providing a wide range of services to more than two million students across 3,460 schools nationwide.

Site Coordinator Marco Mercado from CIS of Southern Nevada explained his philosophy of working with students. "I do my best to establish a relationship and rapport, so they trust me with any informationwhether personal or school-related," he said. "Once they see they are capable of doing things, it keeps me going and gives me confirmation that I'm making an impact, benefiting their lives and providing consistency."

For more than 47 years, Communities In Schools has provided essential resources and programming that students need to succeed and stay in school  from mentoring and mental health to academic enrichment and college and career readiness.

The "Being Present Matters" public service announcements, created in partnership with award-winning agency M&C Saatchi SS+K, will be featured across broadcast, print, out-of-home, and digital media. Visit communitiesinschools.org to learn how you can support CIS.

About Communities In Schools

Communities In Schools (CIS) is a national organization that ensures every student, regardless of who they are, their ability, zip code or socioeconomic background, has what they need to realize their potential in school and beyond. Working directly inside more than 3,000 schools across the country, CIS connects students to caring adults and community resources that help them see, confront, and overcome the barriers that stand between them and a brighter future. Together, we build a powerful change movement made up of peers, students, and alumni committed to building an equitable path to education for future generations. Follow CIS for news @cisnational on X or with the hashtag #AllinforKids. Visit: communitiesinschools.org.

SOURCE Communities In Schools
This addition will bring the utility's total battery energy storage to 400 MW under contract

SAN ANTONIO, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- CPS Energy, the largest municipally owned electric and natural gas utility in the United States, has entered into two storage capacity agreements (SCAs) with Eolian L.P. (Eolian) for a total of 350 megawatts (MW) of battery energy storage, adding to a 50 MW SCA signed with Eolian in 2023, as the utility continues the execution of its Vision 2027 generation plan.

The battery energy storage projects, called "Ferdinand" and "Padua 2", have a storage capacity of 200 MW and 150 MW, respectively. Both projects are located in South Bexar County, Texas and will be newly constructed and expected to be online in the first half of 2026. Having storage resources strategically located in CPS Energy's service territory contributes to overall grid resiliency and benefits customers.

Not including the 10 MW operational in the current portfolio, the signing of these SCAs brings CPS Energy's total battery storage capacity under contract to 400 MW combined.

Dykema Gossett PLLC served as external legal advisor to CPS Energy in connection with the negotiation of the SCAs.

"I am proud of the work CPS Energy has done to secure another 350 MW of generation for our growing community," said Rudy D. Garza, President & CEO of CPS Energy. "This is another step in executing on our Vision 2027 generation plan and we are excited about the benefits it will provide to our community through both reliability and economic development."

"Following on to the 50 MW Padua 1 project already under construction for CPS Energy, this additional 350 MW of four-hour duration battery energy storage will provide new dispatchable capacity to the San Antonio area by mid-2026, representing the single largest buildout of standalone battery energy storage in ERCOT to date and proving that deployment of fast and flexible energy storage resources at critical grid locations can bridge the many years until new transmission can be constructed to further support load growth and alleviate systemwide congestion," added Aaron Zubaty, CEO of Eolian. "These project locations were carefully chosen years ago to actually reduce the burden on the transmission system and enhance overall market operations by providing resiliency and reliability within load pockets and adjacent to retiring thermal generating units while reducing congestion on key transmission pathways."

The projects are expected to help serve the energy needs of the San Antonio community for a 20-year period. As part of a related community benefits agreement, the project entities will contribute at least $175,000 each year to CPS Energy sponsored activities and scholarships within the Greater San Antonio area for a five-year period once the projects are operational.

In January 2023, the CPS Energy Board of Trustees approved a generation plan as part of the utility's Vision 2027 plan to power the community into the future. CPS Energy has since added 1,710 MW of owned natural gas generation, 500 MW of natural gas firming capacity, an additional 84 MW of wind capacity, and contracted 730 MW of solar energy and 50 MW of storage.

About CPS Energy

Established in 1860, CPS Energy is the nation's largest community-owned provider of electric and natural gas services. We provide safe, reliable, and competitively priced services to 907,526 electric and 373,998 natural gas customers in San Antonio and portions of seven adjoining counties. Our customers' combined energy bills rank among the lowest of the nation's 20 largest cities while generating $9 billion in revenue for the City of San Antonio over the last 80 years. Our Vision 2027 strategic plan is designed to guide CPS Energy through rapid transformational change in our city. As a trusted and reliable community partner, we continuously focus on job creation, economic development, and educational investment. We are powered by our skilled workforce, whose commitment to the community is demonstrated through our employees' volunteerism, our community engagement efforts and programs aimed at bringing value and assistance to our customers.

About Eolian, L.P.

Eolian, L.P. ("Eolian") operates a growing portfolio of battery energy storage projects and develops and invests in renewable energy and clean molecule projects across the US. For over 20 years, Eolian's founding management has worked together to build the assets at the core of the company, creating unique and proprietary structures that have directly funded the development of 26 GW of successfully operating energy storage, solar, and wind-generating capacity across the country. Eolian is owned by its employees and funds are managed by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a leading infrastructure investor. For more information, follow Eolian on LinkedIn or visit www.eolianenergy.com.

SOURCE CPS Energy
OXNARD, Calif., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Daiso, the renowned global retail chain offering a wide range of affordable and unique products, is thrilled to announce the grand opening at The Marketplace in Oxnard, California on September 7th. "We are thrilled to open our store at The Marketplace," said Jack Williams, Chief Retail Operations Officer for Daiso USA. "This achievement reflects the dedication and support of our customers who have embraced Daiso's unique concept and diverse product range. We are excited to provide an exceptional shopping experience to the vibrant Oxnard community and look forward to serving our customers with the utmost care and dedication."

The new Daiso store at The Marketplace encompasses 8,493 square feet and promises to be a haven for shoppers seeking quality merchandise at affordable prices. With its extensive range of products spanning various categories, including Japanese inspired home decor, stationery, food, and more, Daiso has become synonymous with accessible and innovative offerings. John Clarke, Chief Development Officer for Daiso USA says, "California based Daiso customers have shown us through our online business and social media their desire for us to have more stores within the state, influencing our immediate growth strategy in this region. We currently operate 150 units in 8 states with more states opening in 2025."

On both Saturday, September 7th and Sunday, September 8th, the first 100 customers to shop at The Marketplace location and make a minimum purchase of $30 will receive an exclusive goodie bag. These special offerings are Daiso's way of expressing gratitude to its loyal customers and welcoming new shoppers to the Daiso community.

Daiso invites customers to join in the celebration. The Marketplace Daiso, at 1849 Ventura Blvd, is by neighboring tenant Marshall's and is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m to 9 p.m and Sunday from 10 a.m to 8 p.m.

About Daiso:

Daiso is a global retail chain founded in Japan, known for its vast array of unique and affordable products across various categories such as household goods, stationery, beauty, and more. Daiso entered the US market in 2005 and continues to expand its global footprint while maintaining its commitment to quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction. The Daiso US headquarters is located in Anaheim, CA.

SOURCE Daiso USA
Cornerstone laid for a new site in Queretaro, Mexico

LAUPHEIM, Germany, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In a festive ceremony held on August 27, 2024, representatives of the Mexican government and the aviation supplier Diehl Aviation laid the cornerstone for Diehl Aviation's new site in Mexico. This marks the official start of the construction work and the company getting closer to its American customers. Numerous government representatives from Mexico took part in the festivities: By participating in person, Francisco Jose Quiroga Fernandez (Mexican ambassador in Germany), Genaro Montes Diaz (Undersecretary of Sustainable Development of the State of Queretaro in representation of Governor Mauricio Kuri Gonzalez), Alejandro Rolland (Queretaros Director of Industrial Development) and Claudia Martinez Guevara (Mayor of El Marques) acknowledged this important milestone for the region.

The new site in the PyMe Industrial Park is near Santiago de Queretaro, the federal capital, and will initially encompass over 8,200 square meters of production and office space. An expansion by an additional 4,000 to 6,000 square meters is planned for a second phase. The construction project will mainly be planned and carried out by the company Grupo Chufani. The start of production is envisaged for 2025. At first, around 30 employees will be working at the new site. This will be increased to around 500 employees over the medium term. The first product that Diehl Aviation will produce in Mexico is extra-spacious luggage compartments for the Airbus A220. The A220 is assembled in Mirabel, Quebec and Mobile, Alabama, USA.

The new location in Mexico will help Diehl Aviation strengthen its cooperation with important customers like Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer, and large local air carriers. America is a significant growth market for the company. Closer proximity to its customers makes collaboration more effective and means shorter travel and transport routes. And this increased responsiveness and local presence will improve Diehl Aviation's competitiveness. Finally, the location in Mexico not only offers economic potential and enables an improvement of product costs but also creates the conditions for establishing a local supply chain. And the company gains access to talented, qualified employees.

Queretaro boasts a central location, excellent infrastructure, and proximity to Queretaro International Airport. Queretaro is also an innovative industrial location focusing on car manufacturing and the aerospace industry and represents well-known companies such as Bombardier, Airbus, Safran, and Delta Airlines.

CEO Jorg Schuler: "Laying the cornerstone for our new site in Queretaro is a pioneering, strategic step for Diehl Aviation. It allows us to emphasize our commitment to being closer to our important customers in North and Latin America and further strengthening our market position in the region. The new location not only expands our production capacities but also improves our ability to work efficiently and sustainably. We're looking forward to contributing to the local economy with our Mexican plant and further expanding the close partnership with our customers."

Contact

Guido van Geenen

Vice President Corporate Communications

guido.vangeenen@diehl.com

Phone: +49 5805 1724

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2423307/Diehl_Aviation_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Diehl Aviation
Nuclear Regulatory Commission extends North Anna's operating license through 2060, ensuring reliable, carbon-free power for decades

RICHMOND, Va., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) today approved Dominion Energy Virginia's application to extend North Anna Power Station's operating licenses for an additional 20 years.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin, center, poses with a group of North Anna Power Station employees at an event there in July. (PRNewsfoto/Dominion Energy) (PRNewsfoto/Dominion Energy)

The power station operates two nuclear reactors in Louisa County, Va., and generates enough carbon-free electricity to power 500,000 homes. Dominion Energy's Surry Power Station previously received NRC approval in 2021 to extend its operating license through 2053. Combined, Surry and North Anna generate 40 percent of Virginia's electricity and account for about 90 percent of the carbon-free power in Virginia.

"For more than 50 years, nuclear power has been the most reliable workhorse of our fleet and the largest source of carbon-free power in Virginia," said Eric Carr, Dominion Energy's Chief Nuclear Officer. "North Anna operates around the clock, and generates the reliable, clean energy that powers our customers' homes and businesses every day. With this 20-year extension, our customers can continue counting on North Anna for reliable, carbon-free power for another generation to come."

To ensure North Anna's longevity, Dominion Energy is conducting numerous upgrades at the station, including replacing the reactors' main generators and condensers, refurbishing reactor coolant pumps and converting instrument and control systems from analog to digital. The company is also implementing 80 enhancements to station procedures, such as additional inspections and equipment testing.

The North Anna units were originally licensed to operate for 40 years in 1978 and 1980. Their licenses were renewed for an additional 20 years in 2003, following a stringent federal review process. Under its current licenses, North Anna reactors 1 and 2 could have operated through 2038 and 2040, respectively. With the renewed licenses, the units can operate through 2058 and 2060, respectively.

The thorough federal review process ensures that the facilities will continue operating in a safe and reliable manner. Dominion Energy plans to seek recovery of the costs associated with the license extension from the Virginia State Corporation Commission later this year.

The nuclear units at North Anna Power Station are both three-loop Westinghouse pressurized water reactors  capable of providing nearly 2,000 megawatts at peak capacity, or about 17 percent of the electricity delivered to Dominion Energy Virginia customers.

Dominion Energy's affiliated companies also plan to seek NRC approval to extend to 80 years the operating licenses of V.C. Summer Power Station in South Carolina and Millstone Power Station in Connecticut.

About Dominion Energy

More than 4.5 million customers in 13 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va. The company is committed to providing reliable, affordable, and increasingly clean energy every day and to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050. Please visit DominionEnergy.com to learn more.

SOURCE Dominion Energy
By Stephen Richardson, Managing Consultant and Eric Jia-Sobota, Founder

HOUSTON, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- EverGlade Consulting, a national consulting firm, has helped GeoVax Labs, Inc successfully secure up to $45 million in funding to advance the development of GEO-CM04S1, GeoVax's dual-antigen next-generation COVID-19 vaccine through the Rapid Response Portfolio Vehicle (RRPV) consortium funded by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority ("BARDA").

The $45 million in BARDA funding will fund the manufacturing of clinical materials and support for the Phase 2b clinical trial. Under the agreement, GeoVax will sponsor a 10,000-participant, randomized, Phase 2b double-blinded study to compare the efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of GEO-CM04S1 with a FDA-approved mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Preparations for the study are underway, and execution of the study will be fully funded by BARDA under its Clinical Studies Network through a separate award of $343 million to Allucent, a global clinical research organization. The combined value of the awards to GeoVax and Allucent toward the clinical evaluation of GEO-CM04S1 is therefore up to $388 million.

"At EverGlade we pride ourselves on empowering our clients through strategic guidance and robust support. The recent BARDA award to GeoVax is not just a win for our client, but a promising advancement for global health. We are honored to contribute to the development of innovative vaccine technologies that aim to protect communities and save lives," stated EverGlade Consulting Founder, Eric Jia-Sobota

Funding for this award is provided under Project NextGen, a $5 billion initiative by HHS to advance a pipeline of new, innovative vaccines and therapeutics providing broader and more durable protection for COVID-19 than the first generation COVID vaccines and medicines. BARDA is supporting the development of new vaccines and therapeutics to better address the waning immunity and resistance to current and future SARS-CoV2 viral strains. GeoVax's vaccine candidate provides many of the features identified by BARDA including broader protection among variants of concern (VOC) and a longer duration of protection.

"Geovax is a proud and highly satisfied client of EverGlade. We recommend this team to those in pursuit of and as a recipient of a BARDA award," stated GeoVax Labs Chairman & CEO, David Dodd.

If your company has considered applying for BARDA funding, your federal funding journey starts here. EverGlade Consulting is a national consulting firm that helps organizations win and manage federal awards. We offer services ranging from Pursuit, Proposal and Post-Award support to comply with federal regulations at agencies including BARDA, ASPR, NIH, DTRA, JPEO, DOD, DIU, DOE, and DARPA.

For additional information about EverGlade Consulting, reach out to:

[email protected]

SOURCE EverGlade Consulting
News / National

by Staff reporter

The recently commissioned State Pavilion at Robert Mugabe Airport, funded by a US$153 million loan from China, has faced intense criticism.Despite the pavilion's lavish design, including a lounge specifically designated for First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa - who does not hold a government office - the expenditure is seen as controversial amid Zimbabwe's economic challenges and inadequate public services.Opposition leader Elisabeth Valerio condemned the project, arguing that it reflects misplaced priorities.She highlighted pressing issues like hunger, inadequate medical services, and neglected infrastructure, suggesting that the funds would be better spent on essential services and reviving Air Zimbabwe.Government officials, however, have defended the pavilion as part of President Emmerson Mnangagwas development agenda, but critics fear it will exacerbate the country's debt and divert resources from critical sectors.
Fueled by a multi-tiered algorithm, Fetch surprises and delights users with personalized celebrations based on consumer actions in real-time

MADISON, Wis., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Fetch , America's Rewards App, today announced that the company secured a patent for its Dynamic Integrated Celebration Engine (DICE), its approach to delivering dynamic, personalized rewards that leverage real-time consumer behavior. DICE provides users with celebrations, or quick animations featuring the company's band of mischievous mascots the Pointlings, when users complete actions within the app like scanning a receipt or utilizing Fetch Play, the brand's mobile gaming integration.

Utilizing a multi-tiered algorithm to categorize its celebrations, users can experience joyful animations that fall into four different tiers  common, uncommon, rare, or epic. With these tiers, users are continually surprised and delighted with animations that range in complexity and design. To keep an element of unpredictability, the DICE algorithm is nondeterministic and probabilistic to maximize engagement within the platform. This in turn creates a habit loop where users regularly return and engage with Fetch in anticipation of the next celebration to catch a glimpse of a rare or epic animation. A fun-centric way to engage consumers, DICE is foundational to Fetch's success with user retention and brand partner exposure, helping Fetch to continually optimize the platform from all sides.

DICE, Fetch's groundbreaking approach to delivering personalized, real-time rewards, recognized with a U.S. patent Post this

"We are on a mission to reward consumers for their everyday actions. Our patented playful celebrations allow us to provide users with small moments of delight throughout their day to drive engagement and ultimately enhance interactions with Fetch brand partners," said Ayo Jimoh, Chief Product Officer at Fetch. "This patent further reinforces Fetch as the industry leader in developing real-time automated and personalized rewards."

Continuing momentum from Fetch's previously announced BrandChoice Technology patent earlier this year, Fetch's DICE is the brand's latest technology driven by artificial intelligence and machine learning to help automate and optimize Fetch's advertising technology at scale. Propelling the industry into a new era of personalization and engagement, DICE rewards users for their everyday actions within the platform. These celebratory animations exist at the core of Fetch's DNA, helping users celebrate the little  or big  rewards they're earning on the app.

Those seeking further information can reference US Pat. No. 12,020,280 B1.

About Fetch

Fetch, America's Rewards App, empowers consumers to live rewarded and helps brands create lifelong customers through the power of Fetch Points. Fetch has sweeping visibility into what consumers buy, capturing more than $152 billion worth of transactions annually using cutting-edge artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies. To date, Fetch users have submitted more than 5 billion receipts and earned $1 billion worth in Fetch points. The app is available to download on the App Store and Google Play Store and has more than 5 million five-star reviews from happy Fetchers.

CONTACT: Karlie Fitzgerald, [email protected]

SOURCE Fetch
RUTHER GLEN, Va. and ATLANTA, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Center for Common Ground and Issues That Matter, Inc. have announced a collaboration for Speak Up America Week 2024. The online digital event will launch on Labor Day, Monday, September 2 and run for two consecutive weeks with the world's first AI fact-checked Voter Empowerment Assistant.

Become An Informed Voter about all the Issues that Matter at www.SpeakUpAmerica.Vote www.SpeakUpAmerica.Vote features the first AI-Powered Voter Empowerment Assistant that helps any voter become an Informed Voter

Speak Up America Week is designed to engage and inform voters on the most pressing issues of our times, including national and local issues, economic empowerment, criminal justice and the environment. Citizens visit the SpeakUpAmerica.Vote and AlzaTuVozAmerica.Voto websites to vote for the Top Ten Election Issues that most matter to them. The results of the week-long opinion poll will be used to communicate law-making priorities to the next Congress as measured by the aggregate voice of the voters about the issues they want fixed.

Andrea Miller, Executive Director at the Center for Common Ground noted, "Knowledge is power, and our work is based upon voter empowerment through voter education. Speak Up America Week will inform and engage millions of voters across America in an exciting online event."

Alfredo Narez, President/CEO at Issues That Matter, Inc. remarked, "this is a watershed moment where access to information is so vital to our future. It is truly a privilege to collaborate with the Center for Common on the Speak Up America Week project."

According to Pew Research, about 70% of U.S. adult citizens who were eligible to participate in all three elections in 2018, 2020 and 2022 voted in at least one of them, with only about half of that percentage, or 37%, voting in all three elections.

Given the sizable number of intermittent voters and chronic nonvoters, there is ample opportunity to increase voter turnout and inform voters across the diverse political landscape. Engaging voters on issues they care about the most  and highlighting the direct impact of these issues on their lives and communities  can greatly increase voter motivation on election day.

Working collaboratively with numerous community partners, the Center for Common Ground and Speak Up America Week can create more than 100M voter impressions during the upcoming election cycle.

About the Center for Common Ground

Center for Common Ground was founded to educate and empower under-represented voters in voter suppression states to engage in elections and advocate for their right to vote. Together we can build a democracy that prioritizes the voices of ALL people. Our strategic alliance partnerships and community- based partnerships include:

ActiVote American Ethical Union AMP America Black Voters Matter Criminal Injustice Network Divine 9 The Democracy Labs Declaration for American Democracy Issues That Matter, Inc. Newberry Foundation New Alpha Community Development Center Omega Psi Phi (Alabama) Prince Hall Masons Partnership for Southern Equity Power to the Polls Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism SCLC Cobb County S.E.E.D. for All SMART Elections Students for Justice The Lighthouse The People's Agenda The Workers Circle Unitarian Universalists (UU the Vote Campaign) United Church of Christ The Union Vote Equality US Zioness

Learn more about our work at:

The View Honors Andrea Miller and Center for Common Ground

Visit the Center for Common Ground Website

About Issues That Matter, Inc.

Our mission is to empower and educate citizens by providing insightful, compelling, and comprehensive information on national and local issues that affect their lives and communities. Through nonpartisan voter education initiatives, we aim to foster informed voter participation in the democratic process, ensuring every voter has the knowledge and resources they need to make educated decisions at the ballot box.

Our vision is a vibrant democracy where every citizen is-informed and actively engaged in the electoral process. We aspire to create a society where voter education is accessible to all, fostering a culture of informed voting and civic responsibility that strengthens our democratic institutions and promotes a more equitable and just society.

About Speak Up America Week 2024

Why should you participate in Speak Up America Week?

"Our political leaders will know our priorities only if we tell them, again and again, and if those priorities begin to show up in the polls." - Peggy Noonan

Learn more at: www.SpeakUpAmerica.Vote and www.AlzaTuVozAmerica.Voto

Media Consultant

Larry Shultz 310.980.9091

Office of the Executive Director

[email protected]

SOURCE Issues That Matter
OKANOGAN COUNTY, Wash., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Team Okanogan Animal Rescue (TOAR) is proud to announce a donation match backed by former Seattle Mariners Manager Scott Servais and his wife and TOAR President, Jill Servais. Beginning today and running through Aug. 30, donations made to TOAR will be matched by the Servais family, reinforcing their commitment to animal welfare across Washington State. To donate to this cause, please visit www.givebutter.com/teamokanimalrescue .

The Servais family pledge follows an outpouring of support from fans after Scott Servais' recent departure from the Seattle Mariners forced the cancellation of today's "Pints for Paws" fundraiser to benefit TOAR. All funds raised will directly support TOAR's mission and Big Fix 2.0, the organization's bi-annual spay/neuter event, with the goal to serve over 1,000 animals in Okanogan County.

"We have been overwhelmed with the amount of support the community has shown over the past week," said Scott Servais, former Manager of the Seattle Mariners. "When fans learned of the Pints for Paws fundraiser cancellation, we were astounded by the generosity that followed. The community's commitment during this time has been inspiring, and in response, Jill and I will match future donations."

As a nonprofit organization, TOAR has been a cornerstone in the region, offering essential services such as access to spay/neuter and veterinary care and support to improve pet retention in an area largely void of resources. The support of the community, alongside the commitment of the Servais family, will ensure that TOAR continues its vital work, creating lasting change in the lives of animals throughout Washington.

"The Servais' commitment to improving animal welfare statewide has been inspiring," said Pamela Shull, TOAR treasurer. "Over the past nine years, they have tirelessly championed causes that improve the lives of companion animals. We are a small, boot-strapped non-profit and every dollar counts. Now, we are inviting the broader community to join us in funding our critical work and Big Fix 2.0."

The donation match will ensure that every dollar donated goes twice as far, directly benefiting TOAR's programs. Beginning today and running through Aug. 30, the Servais family will match all donations up to $20,000.

To donate to this cause, please visit www.givebutter.com/teamokanimalrescue and to learn more about TOAR visit www.teamokanimalrescue.org/ .

About Team Okanogan Animal Rescue (TOAR): Join Team Okanogan Animal Rescue (TOAR) in our mission to transform the lives of pets and people in Okanogan County, Washington. Okanogan County faces significant challenges in animal welfare, with thousands of animals needing essential care, no public shelters and small rescues operating at full capacity. Our goal is simple: to provide essential resourcesaccess to spay/neuter and veterinary care, food, supplies, transport, and fundingto ensure that companion animals in eastern Washington have the best chance at a healthier and happier life.

SOURCE Team Okanogan Animal Rescue
Lauren Culp selected as new Executive Director, begins early December 2024

MADISON, Wis., Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Credit Union Foundation (the Foundation), the national charitable arm of the credit union movement, today announced that Lauren Culp will begin as the new Executive Director in December. Culp, who currently serves as President and CEO of CUInsight, will succeed current Executive Director Gigi Hyland, who announced her retirement in March and will serve until December 31, 2024.

"I'm thrilled to lead the talented and caring team of credit union advocates at the Foundation, and to continue the trailblazing efforts for financial well-being for all," said incoming NCUF Executive Director Lauren Culp. "Our industry is at a critical juncture, and leaning into our mission as credit unions has never been more important. I look forward to working with the excellent Foundation Board and team to advance the work of the Foundation and the collective impact of our credit union system."

"Lauren deeply understands the Foundation's vision to make financial freedom achievable through credit unions," Post this

"America's Credit Unions fully embraces Lauren Culp as the new leader for the credit union movement of charity and service," said America's Credit Unions President and CEO Jim Nussle. "Her experience will bring a dynamic perspective on how the credit union movement can continue to thrive and provide much needed education and advocacy on financial literacy for the 140 million Americans  and counting  who rely on their credit union for financial success."

Culp, who has led CUInsight since 2019, has strong experience in strategic leadership and executive management with a deep understanding of revenue growth, financial sustainability, and industry collaboration. Prior to CUInsight, Culp held leadership positions at Filene Research Institute, and began her career at True North Federal Credit Union, in Juneau, Alaska.

"As a Credit Union Development Educator, Lauren deeply understands the Foundation's vision to make financial freedom achievable through credit unions," said retiring Foundation Executive Director Gigi Hyland. "The cooperative spirit and generosity of the credit union system will thrive under Lauren's leadership, and I am confident she will expand the Foundation's impact."

The Foundation Board worked with Hudson RPO and the America's Credit Unions human resources team to conduct the national search for Hyland's successor.

"Gigi's passion and dedication to the industry has moved the needle in a meaningful way and has no doubt left a real impact on many American families and their financial wellbeing," Nussle said on NCUF's exiting Executive Director Gigi Hyland. "On behalf of America's Credit Unions, we wish Gigi all the best as this new chapter begins."

"We are deeply thankful for Gigi's visionary leadership, which has elevated our Foundation to new heights, and we wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors. We're also excited to welcome Lauren as our new leader, as her passion and expertise make her a great fit to continue us on the path to a bright future," said Foundation Chairman John Sackett.

About the National Credit Union Foundation (ncuf.coop):

The National Credit Union Foundation (the Foundation) is the charitable arm of the U.S. credit union movement and works as a catalyst to improve people's financial lives through credit unions. Through grants and programs, the Foundation is strengthening financial wellbeing, igniting passion, and instilling knowledge about the credit union difference, and uniting resources to help credit union people during disaster. Donations to the Foundation ultimately enable credit unions to help their members reach life-changing goals and achieve financial freedom.

About America's Credit Unions

America's Credit Unions is the unified voice for not-for-profit credit unions and their more than 140 million members nationwide. America's Credit Unions provides strong advocacy, resources and services to protect, empower and advance credit unions and the people and communities they serve. For more information about America's Credit Unions, visit AmericasCreditUnions.org.

Contact: Amber Conger

Senior Communications Manager [email protected]

SOURCE National Credit Union Foundation
IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a Department of Justice press release, a Florida man has pleaded guilty to evading nearly $2.4 million in taxes on income earned from his business. This case demonstrates the severe consequences of attempting to fraudulently conceal income from the IRS on your personal or business tax returns. If you have filed a tax return that was not truthful or have failed to file a tax return for one or more years, it is in your best interest to discuss your case with an experienced tax defense attorney .

Criminal Tax Evasion Defense

Defendant Concealed Income and Assets for Over a Decade

Court records reveal that Roger Whitman, 76, manufactured and sold medical equipment, generating millions of dollars in gross receipts between 2002 and 2018. Despite the large amount of taxable income, Whitman had not filed an individual income tax return or made any tax payments since 2000. In 2012, the IRS assessed nearly $800,000 in taxes for tax years 2002 through 2009. To conceal his income and evade IRS collection efforts, Whitman created a trust with his girlfriend as trustee, who then opened two bank accounts in the trust's name.

Whitman directed his business income into these trust accounts, using the funds to cover personal expenses while shielding his income from the IRS. In July 2019, he took further steps to obstruct IRS efforts by creating a new entity to operate his business. His actions resulted in a tax loss of more than $2.4 million to the IRS.

Whitman is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 13, where he faces up to five years in prison. Additionally, he may be sentenced to serve a period of supervised release upon the completion of any physical incarceration. Lastly, he may be ordered to pay restitution to the IRS, representing the amount of tax loss that he caused.

Getting Back into Compliance Without Facing Criminal Tax Prosecution Where You Have a Long History of Blatantly Cheating / Non Filing

If you have failed to file a tax return for one or more years or have taken a position on a tax return that could not be supported upon an IRS or state tax authority audit, eggshell audit, reverse eggshell audit, or criminal tax investigation, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced tax defense attorney to determine your best route back into federal or state tax compliance without facing criminal prosecution.

Note: As long as a taxpayer that has willfully committed tax crimes (potentially including non-filed foreign information returns coupled with affirmative evasion of U.S. income tax on offshore income) self-reports the tax fraud (including a pattern of non-filed returns) through a domestic or offshore voluntary disclosure before the IRS has started an audit or criminal tax investigation / prosecution, the taxpayer can ordinarily be successfully brought back into tax compliance and receive a nearly guaranteed pass on criminal tax prosecution and simultaneously often receive a break on the civil penalties that would otherwise apply.

It is imperative that you hire an experienced and reputable criminal tax defense attorney to take you through the voluntary disclosure process. Only an Attorney has the Attorney Client Privilege and Work Product Privileges that will prevent the very professional that you hire from being potentially being forced to become a witness against you, especially where they prepared the returns that need to be amended, in a subsequent criminal tax audit, investigation or prosecution.

Moreover, only an Attorney can enter you into a voluntary disclosure without engaging in the unauthorized practice of law (a crime in itself). Only an Attorney trained in Criminal Tax Defense fully understands the risks and rewards involved in voluntary disclosures and how to protect you if you do not qualify for a voluntary disclosure.

As uniquely qualified and extensively experienced Criminal Tax Defense Tax Attorneys, Kovel CPAs and EAs, our firm provides a one stop shop to efficiently achieve the optimal and predictable results that simultaneously protect your liberty and your net worth. See our Testimonials to see what our clients have to say about us!

See our Criminal Tax Law Q and A Library

See our Audit Representation Q and A Library

Here is a link to our YouTube channel: click here!

We Are Here for You

Regardless of your business or estate needs, the professionals at the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing are here for you. We are open for business and our team will help ensure that your business is too. Contact the Law Offices of David W. Klasing today to discuss your business with one of our professionals.

In addition to our fully staffed main office in downtown Irvine California, the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing has unstaffed (conference room only) California based satellite offices in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Panorama City, Oxnard, San Diego, Bakersfield, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Carlsbad , Sacramento. We also have unstaffed (conference room only) satellite offices in Las Vegas Nevada, Salt Lake City Utah, Phoenix Arizona & Albuquerque New Mexico, Austin Texas, Washington DC, Miami Florida and New York New York that solely handle Federal & California Tax issues.

Our office technology allows clients to meet virtually via GoToMeeting. With end-to-end encryption, strong passwords, and top-rated reliability, no one is messing with your meeting. To schedule a reduced rate initial consultation via GoToMeeting follow this link. Call our office and request a GoToMeeting if you are an existing client. We also now offer a convenient scheduling option, where you can secure David W. Klasing, Esq M.S.-Tax CPA's undivided attention for a 4-hour consultation at any of his satellite offices.

Public Contact: Dave Klasing Esq. M.S.-Tax CPA, [email protected]

SOURCE Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing, PC
PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- GiGi's Playhouse, Portland is enlisting help from the community as it gears up for the Grand Opening of the Pacific Northwest's first Down Syndrome Achievement Center on September 28th.

On Wednesday, August 21st, approximately 40 Team Depot (the volunteer arm of the Home Depot Foundation) associates from 11 stores in the greater Portland-Salem area visited GiGi's Playhouse, Portland to assist with the interior buildout of the newest GiGi's location. Over the course of a full day, the team:

Constructed the Gigi's performance stage

Framed and finished the laundry room

Designed and constructed bookcases and shelving for the resource center and entry

Installed whiteboards in tutoring labs, adult education areas, and offices

Donated and installed the GiGi's Kitchen induction range and refrigerator

Team Depot is led by Local Captain, Geri Downs, who works at the Beaverton Store and coordinated with GiGi's Playhouse to plan and execute the Home Depot grant and the buildout project. She's supported by District Captain, Brian Scott, who has been with Home Depot for more than 30 years. He explained how Team Depot's mission and values align with GiGi's Playhouse:

"Like GiGi's Playhouse, Team Depot and the Home Depot Foundation are all about bridging the gap between a larger organization and a local community. We're not simply a big orange box retailer. We live in these communities; we serve these communities; and we take pride in these communities."

Brad Johnston, GiGi's Playhouse Portland Board President, agreed with Brian and shared a similar sentiment: "We couldn't be happier about Team Depot committing their time and resources to help us achieve our mission. These are the kinds of people, and this is the kind of effort, it takes to make a difference in our community and provide real help for underserved populations like those living with Down syndrome and their families."

Team Depot primarily works with groups who focus on veterans' causes, but they allocate about 35% of their project time to working with community-based non-profit organizations. Said Scott, "If there's a need, we're going to put our foundation behind it and do everything we can to support positive advancements in our communities."

GiGi's Playhouse will be hosting friends, family, and media members at the Achievement Center Grand Opening on Friday, September 28th from 1:00 to 4:00 pm at 8538 SW Apple Way in Portland.

About GiGi's Playhouse

GiGi's Playhouse is the only international network of Down Syndrome Achievement Centers providing free life-changing therapeutic and educational programs for all ages. Today, there are 50+ locations across the U.S. and Mexico, serving families in more than 50 different countries. With worldwide demand to open over 200 locations, GiGi's Playhouse is on a mission to change the way the world views Down syndrome and to send a global message of acceptance for all. Learn more at www.GiGisPlayhouse.org.

Media Contact:

Rae Hofstedt, Site Coordinator

(661) 917-4928

[email protected]

SOURCE GiGi's Playhouse - Portland
The growing need for surgical staplers is mainly driven by the rise in various surgical procedures worldwide. Furthermore, the benefits and applications of surgical staplers compared to sutures, along with the increasing occurrence of chronic conditions like cardiovascular diseases, colorectal cancers, and obesity, are significant factors supporting the expansion of the surgical staplers market from 2024 to 2030.

LAS VEGAS, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- DelveInsight's Surgical Staplers Market Insights report provides the current and forecast market analysis, individual leading surgical stapler companies' market shares, challenges, surgical stapler market drivers, barriers, trends, and key market surgical stapler companies in the market.

Key Takeaways from the Surgical Staplers Market Report

As per DelveInsight estimates, North America is anticipated to dominate the global surgical staplers market during the forecast period.

is anticipated to dominate the global surgical staplers market during the forecast period. In the type segment of the surgical staplers market, the powered surgical staplers category had a significant revenue share in the surgical staplers market in 2023.

Notable surgical stapler companies such as Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson, 3M , CONMED Corporation, B. Braun SE, Intuitive Surgical Inc., Smith & Nephew, Lepu Medical Technology ( Beijing ) Co., Ltd., Victor Medical Instruments Co., Ltd., Welfare Medical Ltd., Reach Surgical, Frankenman International Ltd., Meril Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Hologic, Grena Ltd., Purple Surgical, Dextra Surgical Inc., Cooper Surgical Inc., Lexington Medical., Zimmer Biomet, and several others, are currently operating in the surgical staplers market.

and several others, are currently operating in the surgical staplers market. In February 2022 , Standard Baroatric Inc. achieved Final series B funding of USD 35 million ahead of schedule after the launch of the Titan SGS staplers.

, achieved Final series B funding of ahead of schedule after the launch of the Titan SGS staplers. In December 2021 , Intuitive Surgical Inc. received clearance from the US FDA for its fully wristed, 8mm SureForm 30 Curved-Tip Stapler.

To read more about the latest highlights related to the surgical staplers market, get a snapshot of the key highlights entailed in the Global Surgical Staplers Market Report

Surgical Staplers Overview

Surgical staplers are advanced medical devices used to close wounds or surgical incisions by placing surgical staples. Unlike traditional suturing, which requires meticulous stitching, surgical staplers provide a quicker, more efficient method for wound closure, often reducing the time patients spend in the operating room. These devices come in various forms, including linear and circular staplers, each designed for specific surgical applications such as gastrointestinal, thoracic, and gynecological surgeries. Their precision and reliability make them essential tools in both open and minimally invasive procedures, contributing significantly to improved surgical outcomes and patient recovery times.

The benefits of surgical staplers extend beyond mere speed. They often result in more consistent and uniform wound closure, which can minimize the risk of postoperative complications such as infections and dehiscence (wound reopening). Modern staplers are designed with biocompatible materials and advanced mechanisms to ensure strong, secure staple lines that promote optimal healing. Additionally, the minimally invasive nature of stapler use can lead to less scarring and reduced postoperative pain for patients. As technology advances, the development of smarter, more ergonomic staplers continues, further enhancing their safety and effectiveness in the operating room.

Surgical Staplers Market Insights

North America dominated the surgical staplers market among all regions in 2023. This is primarily due to the high incidence of chronic diseases in the area. Additionally, the region benefits from advanced healthcare infrastructure, strong research and development activities, and a thriving market that supports product innovation and launches, all contributing to the growth of the surgical staplers market in North America.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 142,462 cases of colon and rectum cancer were reported in the US in 2019. The increasing prevalence of chronic conditions such as colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disorders in the region will necessitate treatment and management, thus driving the growth of the surgical staplers market in the United States and, consequently, in North America.

Moreover, various key product launches and approvals in the region are influencing the market's positive growth. For example, in June 2022, Ethicon launched the ECHELON 3000 Stapler, a digitally enabled device that offers surgeons simple, one-handed powered articulation to meet the unique needs of their patients.

Therefore, the aforementioned factors, along with ongoing product launches and approvals, are the primary drivers of the surgical staplers market's overall growth in North America during the forecast period.

To know more about why North America is leading the market growth in the surgical staplers market, get a snapshot of the Surgical Staplers Market Outlook

Surgical Staplers Market Dynamics

The surgical stapler market has undergone significant transformation over the past few decades, becoming a critical component of modern surgical procedures. The market dynamics are shaped by several factors, including technological advancements, growing surgical volumes, and the increasing preference for minimally invasive surgeries. The adoption of surgical staplers is driven by their ability to reduce operative time, enhance wound closure precision, and minimize post-operative complications, which collectively contribute to improved patient outcomes.

Technological advancements play a pivotal role in the evolution of the surgical stapler market. The development of innovative stapling devices, such as powered surgical staplers and those with advanced tissue-sensing capabilities, has significantly enhanced the efficiency and safety of surgical procedures. These advancements address some of the limitations of traditional staplers, such as the risk of staple line leakage and tissue damage. Additionally, the integration of ergonomic designs and user-friendly interfaces has made these devices more accessible to surgeons, further driving their adoption in various surgical specialties.

The growing prevalence of chronic diseases and the corresponding rise in surgical procedures also contribute to the market dynamics. Conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer often necessitate surgical interventions, thereby increasing the demand for reliable and efficient surgical tools. Surgical staplers, with their ability to provide consistent and secure wound closure, are increasingly being preferred in procedures ranging from gastrointestinal surgeries to thoracic and colorectal operations. This trend is further bolstered by the aging global population, which requires more frequent surgical interventions due to age-related health issues.

Another critical factor influencing the surgical staplers market is the shift towards minimally invasive surgical techniques. These procedures, which include laparoscopic and robotic-assisted surgeries, offer numerous benefits such as reduced hospital stays, lower risk of infection, and quicker recovery times. Surgical staplers are indispensable in these techniques, as they allow for precise tissue manipulation and secure closure in confined spaces. The rising demand for minimally invasive surgeries is thus directly correlated with the increased use of advanced stapling devices.

Market dynamics are also impacted by regulatory frameworks and reimbursement policies. Regulatory approvals from bodies such as the FDA and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) ensure the safety and efficacy of surgical staplers, fostering trust among healthcare providers and patients. Additionally, favorable reimbursement policies for surgical procedures involving staplers enhance their adoption by making them financially accessible to a broader patient population. However, stringent regulatory requirements and the high cost of advanced stapling devices can pose challenges to market growth, particularly in developing regions.

In conclusion, the surgical staplers market is driven by a confluence of technological innovations, increasing surgical volumes, the shift towards minimally invasive techniques, and supportive regulatory and reimbursement frameworks. As healthcare systems worldwide continue to evolve, the demand for efficient and reliable surgical tools like staplers is expected to grow, paving the way for further advancements and market expansion. The ongoing focus on improving patient outcomes and surgical efficiency will likely sustain the positive trajectory of the surgical staplers market in the coming years.

Get a sneak peek at the surgical staplers market dynamics @ Surgical Staplers Market Dynamics Analysis

Report Metrics Details Coverage Global Study Period 20212030 Surgical Staplers Market CAGR ~7% Surgical Staplers Market Size by 2030 USD 7.81 Billion Key Surgical Staplers Companies Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson, 3M, CONMED Corporation, B. Braun SE, Intuitive Surgical Inc., Smith & Nephew, Lepu Medical Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Victor Medical Instruments Co., Ltd., Welfare Medical Ltd., Reach Surgical, Frankenman International Ltd., Meril Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Hologic, Grena Ltd., Purple Surgical, Dextra Surgical Inc., Cooper Surgical Inc., Lexington Medical., Zimmer Biomet, among others

Surgical Staplers Market Assessment

Surgical Staplers Market Segmentation

Surgical Staplers Market Segmentation By Product: Linear Surgical Stapler, Circular Surgical Staplers, Cutter Stapler, Skin Staplers, and Others

Linear Surgical Stapler, Circular Surgical Staplers, Cutter Stapler, Skin Staplers, and Others

Surgical Staplers Market Segmentation By Application: Cardiac And Thoracic Surgeries, Orthopedic Surgeries, Abdominal and Pelvic Surgeries, and Other Surgical Procedures

Cardiac And Thoracic Surgeries, Orthopedic Surgeries, Abdominal and Pelvic Surgeries, and Other Surgical Procedures

Surgical Staplers Market Segmentation By Type: Manual Surgical Stapler and Powered Surgical Stapler

Manual Surgical Stapler and Powered Surgical Stapler

Surgical Staplers Market Segmentation By Geography : North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and Rest of World

: , , , and Rest of World Porter's Five Forces Analysis, Product Profiles, Case Studies, KOL's Views, Analyst's View

Which MedTech key players in the surgical staplers market are set to emerge as the trendsetter explore @ Surgical Staplers Companies

Table of Contents

1 Surgical Staplers Market Report Introduction 2 Surgical Staplers Market Executive Summary 3 Competitive Landscape 4 Regulatory Analysis 5 Surgical Staplers Market Key Factors Analysis 6 Surgical Staplers Market Porter's Five Forces Analysis 7 Surgical Staplers Market Layout 8 Surgical Staplers Market Company and Product Profiles 9 KOL Views 10 Project Approach 11 About DelveInsight 12 Disclaimer & Contact Us

Interested in knowing the surgical staplers market by 2030? Click to get a snapshot of the Surgical Staplers Market Trends

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SOURCE DelveInsight Business Research, LLP
MONTREAL and HALIFAX, NS, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Spatial Technology Solutions ("GSTS" or "the Company"), a leader in maritime innovation, announced that it has closed a CAD $11M Series A funding round from lead investor, Fonds de solidarite FTQ, along with Export Development Corporation (EDC).

With this strategic investment, GSTS is well positioned to accelerate the international commercialization of its proprietary AI powered platform, OCIANA, with near term expansion in the EMEA and APAC regions. OCIANA provides operational optimisation, risk and compliance management solutions across the maritime industry with multiple applications in commercial, civil and defence segments. The next phase includes an extension of the OCIANA solution suite based on market needs for digitalization, climate change, sustainability and energy initiatives. This investment will also enable the expansion of GSTS' commercial and artificial intelligence teams to respond to current market demands for OCIANA.

"This funding is a strong endorsement from a highly recognized institutional investor upon completion of a detailed market assessment and an independent validation that OCIANA will be pivotal in facilitating upcoming maritime industry requirements," said Richard Kolacz, GSTS CEO. "GSTS will extend its presence and innovation in international regions and augment its development and delivery of novel solutions enabled by new data sources with AI powered intelligence to solve the world's most critical supply chain and climate challenges."

"The Fonds is proud to support a company who develops innovative solutions to enable maritime industry stakeholders to optimize their supply chain. The potential fuel savings will also contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases in the maritime sector," explains Genevieve Guertin, Vice-President, Private Equity and Impact Investing - Energy, Environment and Technologies at the Fonds de solidarite FTQ.

Clariti Strategic Advisors Inc. ("Clariti"), a Toronto-based strategic and financial advisory firm, acted as GSTS' exclusive strategic and financial advisor.

The maritime sector is undergoing a significant, digital transformation to enhance collaboration and promote sustainability by reducing fuel consumption, improving logistics resilience and enhancing security in a period of profound change due to dynamic environmental, geo-political, and market driven challenges. The maritime vessel management market is expected to grow from USD $5.8B in 2022 to USD $8.7B by 2027 with a CAGR of 8.4% during the forecast period.1

About Global Spatial Technology Solutions (GSTS)

Global Spatial Technology Solutions (GSTS) is a global maritime intelligence company delivering solutions to enhance decision making across the maritime and logistics industry. Our predictive solutions in OCIANA are enabled by a range of operational, environmental, vessel and cargo data to provide real-time decision-making intelligence for ports, terminal operators, shipping lines, logistics companies, importers, exporters, national and international agencies as well as security organisations.

For more information and to explore opportunities to partner with GSTS, contact us today.

Media Contacts:

Danica Martis

Director of Marketing & Communications, GSTS

[email protected]

Patrick McQuilken

Senior Advisor  Media Relations

Fonds de solidarite FTQ

514 703-5587

[email protected]

1Vessel Traffic Management Market Trends & Growth Drivers: MarketsandMarketsTM. MarketsandMarkets. (n.d.). https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/vessel-traffic-management-market-226816165.html

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2489546/GLOBAL_SPATIAL_TECHNOLOGY_SOLUTIONS_INC___GSTS__GSTS_closes_Seri.jpg
ATLANTA, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- National boutique ERISA and executive compensation law firm Hall Benefits Law (HBL), a 2024 Best Law Firms recipient, celebrated the inclusion of two Partners in The Best Lawyers in America 2025 rankings.

HBL Managing Partner Anne Tyler Hall was included in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, and HBL Partner Grant P.H. Shuman was awarded the 2025 ERISA Litigation "Lawyer of the Year" recognition in Charleston, WV.

HBL is a 2024 Best Law Firms award recipient serving corporate clients in forty states.

Hall is a past Super Lawyers Rising Star recipient and current Super Lawyers award recipient, and Shuman has been recognized since 2019 by The Best Lawyers in America. The Firm itself has been recognized as an Inc. 5000 business and celebrated for nearly a decade as the fastest-growing firm of its kind in the United States.

This year's awards featured record-breaking voter participation, highlighting the increasing importance of peer recognition within the legal community. More than 3.2 million evaluations were collected for the 31st edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Best Lawyers also highlights one individual in a particular practice area and location as the "Lawyer of the Year" for that specific region. These awards are based on who received the highest votes from their peers in a given year.

About HBL

HBL is an ERISA and executive compensation law firm comprised of experienced, responsive Partners who are enthusiastic about proactive counsel for HBL's business clients. Team members share a common mission: To provide comprehensive, personalized, and practical ERISA and employee benefits legal solutions that exceed client expectations. Strategically designed, legally compliant benefit plans are the cornerstone of long-term business stability and growth; as such, HBL provides comprehensive legal guidance on benefits in M&A, ESOPs, executive compensation, health and welfare benefits, and retirement plans, as well as ERISA litigation. Firm leadership is committed to finding new ways to add value to every client relationship.

HBL has achieved for its plan sponsor clients $80 million in penalty abatement with its proactive approach to ERISA legal compliance, and the Firm continues to help create successful outcomes for its ERISA plan and executive compensation business clients around the country.

Now serving plan sponsors and service provider clients in forty states, HBL maintains offices in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia.

Learn more about HBL at www.hallbenefitslaw.com

Media Contact:

David Hall, Chief Marketing Officer:

(470) 571-1007

[email protected]

SOURCE Hall Benefits Law
QINGDAO, China, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hisense, the global home appliances and consumer electronics company, announced it will become a regional partner of Real Madrid in Spain, Africa, and the Middle East.

Hisense becomes the new official sponsor of Real Madrid Jerry Liu and Emilio Butragueno during the signing ceremony of Hisense's 3-year sponsorship of Real Madrid

Real Madrid and Hisense have announced a collaboration agreement under which the global home appliances and consumer electronics company will become an official sponsor of Real Madrid for the next three years. The signing ceremony took place in the boardroom of Ciudad Real Madrid and was attended by Emilio Butragueno, Director of Institutional Relations at Real Madrid, and Jerry Liu, Vice President of Hisense International.

To celebrate the agreement, Hisense and Real Madrid will jointly launch a limited edition 100-inch television, offering unprecedented picture quality and immersive sound to enhance the experience for fans around the world.

About Hisense

Hisense is a leading global home appliance and consumer electronics brand and official partner of the UEFA EURO 2024. According to Omdia, Hisense ranked No. 2 globally for TV shipments and No. 1 in 100" TVs in both 2023 and Q1 2024. The company has expanded quickly, operating in more than 160 countries and specializes in multimedia goods, home appliances, and intelligent IT information.

About Real Madrid

Real Madrid C.F. is a sport entity with 122 years of history. It is the club with the most European Cups of both football (15) and basketball (11) and was awarded by FIFA as the Best Club of the twentieth century. Real Madrid has millions of fans in all corners of the world, with more than 583 million followers on social media, being the strongest football brand in the world according to Brand Finance for the third year in a row and also the highest earning football club in the world in the 22-23 season (Football Money League by Deloitte). More information about Real Madrid C.F. is available at www.realmadrid.com, the most visited football club website for the seventh consecutive year.

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News / National

by Staff reporter

Zimbabwe's load-shedding is expected to improve following the resolution of a technical fault at Hwange Power Station Unit 8, which is now awaiting synchronization. ZESA Holdings is taking multiple steps to address power outages, including importing electricity to mitigate the effects of reduced hydropower at Kariba Dam and installing a utility-scale battery energy storage system capable of providing 600 megawatts during peak periods.To reduce pressure on the grid, particularly during the winter wheat season, ZESA will install 150 MW of solar power at productive farms, allowing them to supply excess energy to the grid. Additionally, agreements with ferrochrome companies, which are major electricity consumers, will see them generating their own power. This includes the construction of thermal and renewable energy projects expected to add substantial capacity to the national grid.The repowering of Hwange Units 1 to 6 is another key initiative, aiming to increase output from 485 MW to 840 MW. An agreement is being finalized with Indian firm Jindal to add four new units with a combined capacity of 1,200 MW. These efforts are part of broader interventions under Zimbabwe's National Development Strategy (NDS1 and NDS2), which view power supply as critical to the country's economic recovery and growth.El Nino-induced drought has significantly reduced power generation at the Kariba South Hydro plant, which has seen its output cut from 1,050 MW to an average of 272 MW. ZESA has been struggling to meet demand, especially during the high-demand winter period, resulting in a shortfall of up to 540 MW. However, the recent repair at Hwange and future projects are expected to boost Zimbabwe's electricity production significantly.To further support the country's agricultural sector, particularly winter wheat farmers, ZESA has prioritized their power supply, increasing the ring-fenced power allocation from 100 MW to 150 MW as of August 2024. These farmers are largely shielded from load-shedding, except in cases of technical faults, thanks to network reinforcements and new switch gear installations.Challenges remain, particularly with the continuous vandalism of electricity infrastructure, which has cost the utility over $24 million in recent years. ZESA is also grappling with financial difficulties, including unpaid bills totaling ZW$5.7 billion, which has led to a reduction in electricity imports. The utility is conducting a disconnection blitz to encourage bill payments and maintain service delivery.
BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyqoo, a global hiring solution partner and talent cloud platform, is excited to announce that it secured the 76th position on the prestigious Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest-growing private companies.

Hyqoo Ranks 76 on the 2024 Inc.5000 America's fastest-growing companies

This recognition highlights Hyqoo's commitment to transforming the hiring landscape through innovative AI solutions and deep industry expertise. Hyqoo's achievement on the Inc. 5000 list reflects its status as a premier provider of remote hiring and talent cloud platform services. The company empowers businesses to connect with high-quality, vetted talent from around the globe, ensuring access to the best available resources.

Regional Achievements

In addition to its overall ranking, Hyqoo has celebrated significant regional accomplishments:

#3 in New Jersey : Highlights Hyqoo's strong presence and commitment to supporting local businesses.

: Highlights Hyqoo's strong presence and commitment to supporting local businesses. #6 in Human Resources: Recognizes Hyqoo's leadership and dedication to high-quality hiring solutions.

#8 in Newark, NJ : Underscores Hyqoo's impact on job creation and workforce development in the local economy.

"This recognition is a significant milestone for our company and reflects the trust and support of our valued clients, talent, and employees, who have been instrumental in our success. By combining the power of AI, Hyqoo delivers quality talent in under 72 hours, enabling businesses to hire faster and more efficiently than ever. We are on a mission to transform the talent solution model and will continue to innovate, adapt, and deliver exceptional results to our clients and talent," stated Atul Kumar, CEO of Hyqoo.

Understanding the complexities of the hiring process, Hyqoo has developed a comprehensive talent cloud platform that simplifies talent hiring. By leveraging advanced AI capabilities, the company connects businesses with a vast network of over 14 million vetted professionals, ensuring clients can find the right talent quickly and efficiently.

Hyqoo's inclusion on the Inc. 5000 list serves as a powerful testament to its dedication to innovation and excellence in AI-driven remote hiring solutions. The company's rapid growth and industry recognition are fueled by its cutting-edge technology, which enables businesses to thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape. https://www.inc.com/profile/hyqoo

For complete results of the Inc. 5000, visit www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc.

Inc. Business Media is the premier multimedia brand for entrepreneurs, reaching over 50 million people monthly through various channels. Its award-winning content informs and elevates a community of risk-takers and innovators. The annual Inc. 5000 list ranks the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the U.S., connecting founders with an exclusive peer network. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

About Hyqoo

Hyqoo is a global hiring solution partner and talent cloud platform that specializes in technology, digital, and engineering roles. Our mission is to reshape remote hiring through the power of Artificial Intelligence. With Hyqoo AI, we connect you with a vast network of over 14 million vetted professionals, ensuring your team is always equipped with the high-quality talent available.

For more information about Hyqoo and our ranking on the Inc. 5000 list, please visit www.hyqoo.com.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2490446/Hyqoo_2024_Inc_5000.jpg

SOURCE Hyqoo
Hyundai Hope On Wheels awards 91 research and programmatic grants during National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

This year's $26 million brings the lifetime donation total to over $250 million

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Hope On Wheels, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supported by Hyundai Motor America and its more than 835 U.S. dealers, proudly announced the 2024 winners of its annual research and programmatic grants. As part of this year's $26 million commitment, Hyundai Hope On Wheels will award 91 grants nationwide to institutions focused on improving outcomes and treatments for children with cancer. This includes 27 Hyundai Scholar Hope Grants at $400,000 each, 14 Hyundai Young Investigator Grants at $250,000 each, and 50 Hyundai Impact Grants at $100,000 each.

Hyundai Hope On Wheels National Youth Ambassador Emmy Cole at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, Washington on August 15, 2024 (Photo/Hyundai) Hyundai Hope On Wheels Handprint Ceremony at UCLA Mattel Childrens Hospital in Los Angeles, California on August 7, 2024 (Photo/Hyundai) Hyundai Hope On Wheels Handprint Ceremony at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, Washington on August 15, 2024 (Photo/Hyundai)

"As a parent I can only imagine the challenges families endure when a child is battling cancer," said Jose Munoz, president and global chief operating officer, Hyundai Motor Company, president and chief executive officer, Hyundai Motor North America. "All of us at Hyundai and our dealer partners are mobilizing resources to help end childhood cancer. We're very proud that in the 26 years of Hyundai Hope On Wheels we've helped more than 25,000 children and their families in the U.S. beat cancer. At Hyundai, humanity is at the heart of everything we do."

In 1998, a group of New England Hyundai dealers joined the fight against pediatric cancer and inspired Hyundai Hope On Wheels. What started as a local initiative has grown into a nationwide movement, funding more than 1,300 cancer research studies at over 175 medical institutions. After 26 years, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has established itself as a corporate social responsibility leader in the automotive industry and one of the largest pediatric cancer charities in the country.

"Hyundai Hope On Wheels continues to be a beacon of hope in the fight against childhood cancer by funding lifesaving research and programs," said John Guastaferro, executive director, Hyundai Hope On Wheels. "We are honored to award $26 million in new grants this year, surpassing a lifetime giving milestone of a quarter-billion dollars. Congratulations to all the grant award winners and gratitude to everyone who stands with us in this fight to help create a world without childhood cancer."

Grants in three categories have been awarded to eligible Children's Oncology Group (COG) member institutions. The Hyundai Scholar Hope Grant and the Hyundai Young Investigator Grant are two-year awards competitively selected for innovative research. Applications were reviewed by a Medical Advisory Committee comprised of leading pediatric oncologists from institutions across the United States. The Hyundai Impact Grant is a one-year award that provides funding to children's hospitals for childhood cancer research, programmatic support, or direct patient assistance programs.

During National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, grants will be officially presented during Hyundai Hope On Wheels Handprint Ceremonies. The Handprint Ceremony is the organization's signature event in which children impacted by cancer, doctors and researchers, and Hyundai partners place their painted handprints on a Hyundai vehicle, symbolizing the collective fight against pediatric cancer and hope for a cure. Hyundai Hope On Wheels will also gather its partners in Washington, D.C. at the end of September to celebrate its 26th anniversary and unveil a vision for the future.

To learn more about Hyundai Hope On Wheels, please visit HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org.

Hyundai Scholar Hope Grant Winners ($400,000)









Institution City State Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope Duarte CA Children's Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles CA The Regents of the University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles CA Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego CA The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco San Francisco CA The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University Stanford CA Children's Research Institute (CNMC) Washington DC Georgetown University's Lombardi Comprehensive Center Washington DC University of Florida Gainesville FL Emory University Atlanta GA Augusta University Research Institute, Inc. Augusta GA Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Chicago IL Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston MA Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General) Boston MA Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD The Regents of the University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI St. Louis Children's Hospital Foundation St. Louis MO Duke University School of Medicine Raleigh/Durham NC HMH Hospitals Corporation Nutley NJ Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) New York NY The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine Hershey PA Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Philadelphia PA St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Inc. Memphis TN Children's Health System of Texas Dallas TX Texas Children's Hospital Houston TX Seattle Children's Research Institute Seattle WA University of Wisconsin-Madison (Board of Regents University of Wisconsin System) Madison WI





Hyundai Young Investigator Grant Winners ($250,000)









Institution City State Phoenix Children's Hospital Phoenix AZ The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco San Francisco CA The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University Stanford CA Children's Hospital Colorado Aurora CO Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Chicago IL Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston MA Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore MD Albert Einstein College of Medicine Bronx NY Weill Medical College of Cornell University New York NY The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus OH Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Philadelphia PA University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh PA Texas Children's Hospital Houston TX Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center Seattle WA





Hyundai Impact Grant Winners ($100,000)









Institution City State Alabama Center for Childhood Care Birmingham AL Arkansas Children's Hospital Little Rock AR Banner Diamond Children's Medical Center Phoenix AZ Phoenix Children's Hospital Phoenix AZ UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center Davis CA Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope Duarte CA Memorial Care Miller Children's & Women's Hospital Long Beach Long Beach CA Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) Orange CA Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego CA Children's Hospital Colorado Springs Aurora CO Yale University New Haven CT Children's National Hospital Washington DC Georgetown University's Lombardi Comprehensive Center Washington DC Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital Hollywood FL Nicklaus Children's Hospital Miami FL Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children Orlando FL Johns Hopkins All Children's Foundation Saint Petersburg FL St. Joseph's Children's Hospital Tampa FL Tampa General Children's Hospital Tampa FL Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Atlanta GA Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children Honolulu HI Comer Children's Hospital Chicago IL Peyton Manning Children's Hospital at Ascension St. Vincent Indianapolis IN Kentucky Children's Hospital Lexington KY Children's Hospital New Orleans New Orleans LA Massachusetts General Hospital Boston MA Baystate Medical Center Springfield MA Maine Medical Center of Maine Health Portland ME Children's Minnesota Minneapolis MN Children's Mercy Kansas City Kansas City MO St. Louis Children's Hospital St. Louis MO UNC Health Foundation Chapel Hill NC Levin's Children's Hospital Charlotte NC Duke Children's Hospital and Health Center Durham NC Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital at Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center Hackensack NJ Albany Medical Center Albany NY Montefiore Medical Center Bronx NY Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Buffalo NY Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York NY Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati OH Oklahoma Children's Health Foundation Oklahoma City OK Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation (UPMC) Pittsburgh PA Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nashville TN El Paso Children's Hospital El Paso TX Vannie E. Cook Children's Hospital McAllen TX UT Health San Antonio - Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute San Antonio TX Primary Children's Hospital Salt Lake City UT Children's Hospital of King's Daughters Norfolk VA Children's Hospital of Richmond Richmond VA Children's Wisconsin - Milwaukee Campus Milwaukee WI

Hyundai Hope On Wheels

Hyundai Hope On Wheels is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels provides grants to eligible institutions nationwide that are pursuing critical research aimed at improving treatments and saving lives. Hyundai Hope On Wheels is one of the largest nonprofit funders of pediatric cancer research in the country. Primary funding for Hyundai Hope On Wheels comes from Hyundai Motor America and its more than 835 U.S. dealers. In 2024, Hyundai Hope On Wheels will surpass a lifetime total donation of $250 million in support of more than 1,300 childhood cancer research grants to over 175 hospitals and research institutions.

SOURCE Hyundai Motor America
Hyundai Motor details a flexible response approach to market conditions and focus on electrification through its 'Hyundai Way' strategy

 Targeting 5.55 million annual global sales by 2030, up 30% from 2023

 Aiming to sell 2 million EVs per year globally by 2030

 Plan to introduce new EREV models, a new type of EV with a range of more than 900 km on a single charge, in North America and China

 Aiming to offer a full lineup of 21 EV models by 2030, ranging from affordable to luxury and high-performance

Introducing enhanced next-generation hybrid system with improved performance and fuel efficiency

 Plans to expand HEV offerings to 14 models from the current seven; Genesis luxury brand will also offer hybrid models

Continuously pushing for battery technology internalization; develop affordable NCM batteries and strengthen safety technology

Plans to commercialize autonomous driving vehicle foundry business; to supply autonomous vehicles to global autonomous driving software firms

Aiming to secure top-tier energy leadership during the energy transition period by strengthening Group-wide hydrogen technology capabilities across the value chain

Plan to make a significant investment of KRW 120.5 trillion through 2033 to support the 'Hyundai Way' strategy

Employ new target shareholder return (TSR) of over 35% and rollout of a share buyback scheme of up to KRW 4 trillion from 2025 to 2027

SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor Company hosted its 2024 CEO Investor Day today, unveiling its new mid- to long-term strategy, the 'Hyundai Way'.

At the event, the company disclosed its commitment to enhancing its electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid competitiveness, advancing its battery and autonomous vehicle technologies, and expanding its vision as an energy mobilizer, responding to the market environment flexibly with its dynamic capabilities.

Hyundai Motor 2024 CEO Investor Day View PDF

"Under the Hyundai Way, we will respond to the market with agility thanks to Hyundai's unique flexible response system. This will secure sustainable leadership in an uncertain market environment and strategically position the company to create a future centered on mobility and energy," said Jaehoon Chang, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company. "Hyundai will strengthen its position as a game changer by expanding beyond vehicle manufacturing to various forms of mobility. By enhancing the role of energy business operators and realizing a hydrogen society, we intend to transform into a company that can maintain global top-tier leadership in the era of energy transition."

In 2024, Hyundai Motor secured its profitability and EV competitiveness in the market. These achievements were recognized by global rating agencies as the company earned an 'A-grade' credit rating from major global credit rating agencies. Moreover, with a global sales annual volume of 4.21 million units in 2023, Hyundai Motor helped Hyundai Motor Group to become one of the top three automakers globally.

'Hyundai Way' Detailed Strategies & Targets

'Hyundai Way' Detailed Strategies Sales & Financial Targets  Hyundai Dynamic Capabilities  Expand hybrid lineup from 7 to 14 models (incl Genesis)  New EREV to serve as key bridge to full electrification  Full EV lineup of 21 models by 2030  Develop new affordable NCM battery & safety tech  Mobility Game Changer  Autonomous vehicle foundry business  Next-generation infotainment system & open ecosystem  Reveal SDV Pace Car equipped with High-Performance

Vehicle Computer (HPVC) architecture in 2026  Energy Mobilizer  Expand the HTWO fuel cell system lineup  Clean logistics business starting with HMGMA  Global Sales Targets  5.55 million units by 2030  2 million EV sales by 2030  Mid-to long-term Investment Plans  Total: KRW 120.5 trillion (2024 ~ 2033)  R&D KRW 54.5 trillion  CAPEX KRW 51.6 trillion  Strategic Investment KRW 14.4 trillion  Profitability Target  2030 OP margin over 10% (consolidated basis)  Expanding Shareholder Return Policy  2024 annual dividend: min. KRW 10,000  2025  2027 New total shareholder return (TSR) concept: 35%+ Target annual average ROE 11 ~ 12% Quarterly dividend of KRW 2,500

More information about Hyundai Motor and its products can be found at: https://www.hyundai.com/worldwide/en/ or Newsroom: Media Hub by Hyundai

SOURCE Hyundai Motor Company
Strong commercial performance and significant pipeline milestones

support sustained growth and innovation

SAN FRANSISCO and SUZHOU, China, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovent Biologics, Inc. (Innovent) (HKEX: 01801), a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high-quality medicines for the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic, autoimmune, ophthalmology and other major diseases, announces its 2024 interim results and major business updates.

Dr. Michael Yu, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Innovent, stated: "For the first half of 2024, our company's strategy of sustainable growth and global innovation continue executing very well: we achieved strong revenue growth, improved operational efficiency in all areas, and reached significant milestones in our late-stage pipeline to support our sustained growth. We also reported promising data readouts from early-stage assets, reinforcing our confidence in achieving global innovation and contributing to new long-term opportunities. The successful first half of 2024 has laid a solid foundation for achieving our full-year's growth. With strong commercial and financial execution, a high-value late-stage pipeline, and disciplined investments in next-generation innovation, we are well-positioned to deliver long-term value for patients, employees, shareholders and society."

Enhanced operational efficiency and strong financial performance

S trong revenue growth momentum: total revenue was RMB3,952.3 million in the first half of 2024, with a strong year-over-year growth of 46.3%, reflecting robust demand for our innovative portfolio and the advantage of our sustainable business model.

total revenue was in the first half of 2024, with a strong year-over-year growth of 46.3%, reflecting robust demand for our innovative portfolio and the advantage of our sustainable business model. Significantly improved financial performance: EBITDA Loss was significantly reduced, driven by strong revenue growth, enhanced operational efficiency and notable financial improvement. The gross profit margin of total revenue was 84.1%, a year-over-year increase of 1.8 percentage points The selling and marketing expenses of product revenue was 48.6%, a year-over-year decrease of 5.9 percentage points The administration and expenses of total revenue was 5.2%, a year-over-year decrease of 4.9 percentage points R&D expenses were RMB1,293.9 million ; cash and short-term financial assets were RMB10,112.3 million , or approximately over USD1.4 billion , which enables us to focus on the long-term sustainable development EBITDA loss was RMB160.8 million , a notable year-over-year decrease of 39.9%

EBITDA Loss was significantly reduced, driven by strong revenue growth, enhanced operational efficiency and notable financial improvement.

Note: The financial numbers mentioned above were based on non-IFRS measure. Detailed disclosure can be found at the Company's 2024 interim results announcement.

Strong product revenue growth; preparing for CVM commercialization

Product sales revenue reached RMB3 ,811.4 million in the first half of 2024 , a strong year-over-year growth of 55.1%.

, a strong year-over-year growth of Expansion of commercial portfolio into new approved products, new indications and broader NRDL coverage [1] , [2] and patient access: Eleven approved products: TYVYT , BYVASDA , SULINNO , HALPRYZA , PEMAZYRE , Olverembatinib , CYRAMZA , Retsevmo , FUCASO  , SINTBILO  and DUPERT (new product, KRAS G12C inhibitor) . TYVYT  and PEMAZYRE  were newly approved in the Macau market. TYVYT  and BYVASDA  were included in the NRDL for the treatment of EGFR-mutated NSCLC .

Solidify oncology leadership; in active preparation for new commercial opportunities in general biomedicine. Oncology: we strengthened our leadership with a robust product portfolio, including TYVYT  ( sintilimab injection), and expanded out oncology business with a 10th product, a ROS1 inhibitor, set for approval in the second half of 2024. General biomedicines: Following the approval of the first CVM product SINTBILO  ( tafolecimab injection) in 2023, we have successfully submitted three new drug applications ( NDA )two for mazdutide , targeting obesity/overweight population and T2D, and one for IBI311 (IGF-1R) for thyroid eye disease (TED). As a key strategic priority, we are steadily building our commercialization capabilities in the CVM field with systematic approaches, aiming to unlock substantial commercial opportunities and drive sustainable growth.



Material innovation delivery supports strategic goals

7 new assets are in NDA review or pivotal registrational clinical trials, and 18 assets are in early-phase clinical studies

Substantial milestones delivered for key late-stage assets

Encouraging progress in the next wave innovation of "IO+ADC" TYVYT (sintilimab): submitted an NDA for its eighth indication, 2L endometrial cancer ( EMC ). New registrational clinical trials for neoadjuvant therapy in colon cancer and perioperative therapy in NSCLC have been initiated. Additionally, we are exploring the potential of combination therapies through multiple collaborations with novel modalities. IBI310 (CTLA-4 ) initiated a Phase 3 clinical trial for IBI310 in combination with sintilimab as neoadjuvant therapy in treating colon cancer. IBI343 (CLDN18.2 ADC) Phase 1b positive data readout in GC and a Phase 3 trial is in preparation.

Accelerating new launch momentum in general biomedicine to unlock significant opportunities Mazdutide (GLP-1R/GCGR) : first NDA for weight management in obese or overweight populations and second NDA for T2D treatment, both under NMPA review. We plan to develop new indications, including adolescent obesity, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), obstructive sleep apnea ( OSA ), and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction ( HFpEF ). Teprotumumab (IGF-1R) : the NDA for TED is under NMPA review. With a longstanding lack of innovative TED treatments in China , Teprotumumab is set to be a transformative therapy for this significant unmet need once approved. Picankibart (IL-23p19) : the only IL-23p19 that reported over 80% subjects achieving 90% improvement in Psoriasis and Severity Index (PASI90) in 16 weeks of treatment, along with strong long-term skin clearance maintenance and quarterly dosing interval advantage. We plan to submit an NDA in the second half of 2024. IBI128 (XOI) : potential best-in-class XOI for the treatment of hyperuricemia in gout patients. It is currently undergoing overseas Phase 3 clinical trials overseas with our partner LG Chem , and we have completed patient enrollment for a Phase 2 clinical trial in China . IBI302 (VEGF/C) : Phase 3 study initiated for the treatment of nAMD , following stable and robust visual benefit observed with an extended dosing interval and potential macular atrophy inhibition in two Phase 2 studies.



Abundant early-stage pipeline to support long-term growth and global ambition

Encouraging data readouts from multiple oncology assets in Phase 1 studies, eyeing most difficult-to-treat cancers IBI363 (PD-1/IL-2  -bias ) : preliminary positive signals in multiple IO-failed /cold tumor types; further investigations across different rumor types are ongoing; a Phase 2 clinical trial in the U.S . has been initiated. IBI343 (CLDN18.2 ADC) : encouraging positive signal in pancreatic cancer, with FDA fast track designation granted. Plans are underway for a clinical trial in the U.S . IBI389 (CLDN18.2/CD3) : encouraging and differentiated signals in GC and PDAC in Phase 1 studies; Phase 1b study is continuing. Multiple programs ongoing including IBI3003 (GPRC5D/BCMA /CD3), IBI115 (DLL3/CD3); IBI3004 (DR5/ CEA ); IBI3001 ( EGFR /B7H3 ADC ), IBI130 (TROP2 ADC ), IBI133 (HER3 ADC )

Develop next-generation general biomedicine programs to improve chronic disease treatment IBI3016  AGT siRNA  : a new-generation siRNA drug candidate, entered into a Phase 1 clinical trial for hypertension. IBI355 (CD40L), IBI356 (OX40L) and IBI3002 (IL-4R  / TSLP) : innovative autoimmune molecules entered into first-in-human studies to explore other unmet medical needs in various types of autoimmune diseases. IBI324 (VEGF-A/ANG-2) and IBI333 (VEGF-C/VEGF-A) : both are in the Phase 1 stage to explore the potential differentiation clinical values versus existing therapy.



Research innovation published in high-impact scientific journals and medical conferences, such as:

AACR, ASCO, ESMO GI and ESMO plenary for oncology pipeline innovation, including 10 + oral presentations

oral presentations ADA, APAO, ICE, CSE for general biomedicine pipeline material progress, such as mazdutide and teprotumumab

Facilitates and Manufacturing capacity adhering to high-standard quality:

Shanghai R&D center (medical) is newly operational in August 2024

First manufacturing site: 60,000L antibody production capacity and ADC production lines in operation

Second manufacturing site: first phase of 80,000L completed construction to secure CDMO business

Devoted to responsible business practices and enhancing ESG management practices

We remain committed to sustainable development, corporate responsibility and

ethical business practices. We newly launched our ESG website to enhance our efforts in sustainability, corporate responsibility and ethical business conduct. The new platform highlights our initiatives, policies and performance in key ESG areas, including "Excellent Governance", "Enjoying Good Health", "Ensuring High-Quality Products", "Empowering Employees", and "Embracing Ecology".

Innovent is graded 'A' level in MSCI ESG rating, ranking at the forefront of the biotechnology industry.

About Innovent

Innovent is a leading biopharmaceutical company founded in 2011 with the mission to empower patients worldwide with affordable, high-quality biopharmaceuticals. The company discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes innovative medicines that treat some of the most intractable diseases. Its pioneering therapies treat cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic, autoimmune and eye diseases. Innovent has 11 products in the market, 3 new drug applications under the NMPA review, 4 assets in Phase III or pivotal clinical trials and 18 more molecules in early clinical stage. Innovent partners with over 30 global healthcare leaders, including Eli Lilly, Roche, Sanofi, Adimab, Incyte and MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Guided by the motto, "Start with Integrity, Succeed through Action," Innovent maintains the highest standard of industry practices and works collaboratively to advance the biopharmaceutical industry so that first-rate pharmaceutical drugs can become widely accessible. For more information, visit www.innoventbio.com, or follow Innovent on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Statement: Innovent does not recommend the use of any unapproved drug (s)/indication (s).

Forward-looking statement

This news release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Innovent Biologics ("Innovent"), are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend to update these forward-looking statements regularly.

These forward-looking statements are based on the existing beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, projections and understandings of the management of the Company with respect to future events at the time these statements are made. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company's control and are difficult to predict. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of future changes or developments in our business, the Company's competitive environment and political, economic, legal and social conditions.

The Company, the Directors and the employees of the Company assume (a) no obligation to correct or update the forward-looking statements contained in this site; and (b) no liability in the event that any of the forward-looking statements does not materialize or is otherwise inaccurate.

[1] TYVYT (sintilimab injection) and BYVASDA (bevacizumab injection) were approved for their seventh and eight indications, respectively, and included into the NRDL (2023 version, effective January 2024) for the treatment of NSCLC post EGFR-TKI therapy. [2] The updated NRDL reimbursement coverage of TYVYT (sintilimab injection) include: For the treatment of patients with EGFR-mutated locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer who progressed after EGFR-TKI therapy;

SOURCE Innovent Biologics
NEW YORK, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Suicide continues to be an urgent public health matter with nearly 50,000 people dying by suicide and 1.6 million people attempting suicide in the United States in 2022 (the most current data available). September is National Suicide Prevention Month (NSPM), a moment that serves as a powerful reminder that there are steps we can all take to look out for family, friends, neighbors, those in our community and others who have been impacted by suicide. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), a leader in this work, invites the public to join our growing movement and take action to save lives during this awareness month and beyond.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Out of the Darkness Community Walks take place in communities across the country each year. This PSA is also available in Spanish.

"Every year, more people are realizing their power to be mental health advocates for themselves and others. This September, we invite everyone to learn about suicide, how to prevent it and ways to support each other. Whether it's by participating in an AFSP Community Walk, attending an education event or donating to our innovative research, prevention programs or advocacy work, your involvement can be lifesaving," said AFSP CEO Bob Gebbia.

This September, AFSP will bring together communities to participate in one of the nearly 500 Out of the Darkness Walks (OOTD) taking place across the country this year. By walking together, participants are reminded that they are not alone and that a community is ready to support them. Since 2002, millions of people have attended an OOTD Walk to fund AFSP's lifesaving work. Funds raised by OOTD Walkers have enabled AFSP to:

Be the leading private funder of suicide prevention research globally. AFSP invested $9.1 million in research studies in 2023.





in research studies in 2023. Deliver community loss support programs, such as Healing Conversations and International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day events, which provide hope and healing for thousands affected by suicide.





Create and deliver evidence-informed education programs, such as Talk Saves Lives  in English and Spanish, that take a public health and culturally relevant approach to suicide prevention in communities across the country.





in English and Spanish, that take a public health and culturally relevant approach to suicide prevention in communities across the country. Advocate for legislation and policies at the federal, state, and local level that make a difference to suicide and mental health.

Participate in Events

AFSP is offering many events throughout NSPM to help the public learn more and get involved in suicide prevention.

To find an event, visit AFSP's national calendar or consult the list below. To find events in local areas, visit AFSP's chapter calendar .

September 4 at 4 pm ET  Elevating Voices for Long Lasting Change: Promoting Equity in Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Outreach

Tune in live on AFSP's Facebook and Youtube channels

Join this live conversation with CEO Robert Gebbia of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention; President and CEO Schroeder Stribling, MSW of Mental Health America; and CEO Daniel H Gillison, Jr., of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It will be moderated by AFSP VP for Health Equity and Engagement Victor Armstrong, MSW, and will address the importance of equity in the fields of mental health and suicide prevention.

September 5 at 2 pm ET  Webinar on Suicide Prevention in the Construction Industry

Register here

AFSP SVP of Programs Trisha M. Calabrese, MPH, will participate in this panel on how employers can cultivate a culture of care in the workplace. The conversation will be moderated by Executive Director Sonya Bohmann of the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP); and will feature Data Center Director Amber Trueblood, DrPH, of the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR); Research to Practice Director Jessica Bunting, MPH, of CPWR; and Director of Health Promotion Jamie Becker, LCSW-C, of Laborers' Health & Safety Fund of North America.

September 8 at 9 am ET  988 Day

Learn more here

AFSP and SAMHSA are encouraging the public to recognize September 8th as 988 Day  a nationwide initiative to raise awareness around the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline . Help us spread the message: "No Judgment. Just Help," and use the hashtag #988Day .

September 9 at 1 pm ET  Action Alliance #BeThere X (formally Twitter) Chat

AFSP VP for Health Equity and Engagement Vic Armstrong will answer questions focused on connectedness and the importance of communication and messaging on suicide prevention and mental health.

September 10 at Noon ET  Congressional Briefing on Maternal Suicide

Register here

Join AFSP SVP of Research Dr. Jill Harkavy-Friedman, and the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health leaders to learn about the latest policy and research updates on maternal suicide. This virtual congressional briefing will feature experts and leaders in maternal mental health and suicide prevention.

September 11 at 2 pm ET  Emergency Risk Protection Orders: An Effective Tool to Prevent Firearm Suicides

Register here

Join the National Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center and AFSP for an informational webinar about firearm suicide prevention, extreme risk protection orders, and existing state and federal policies related to extreme risk protection orders.

Week of September 16 (further details pending)

AFSP and the North America's Building Trades Union (NABTU) are planning to partner in support of the 988 Lifeline to coincide with National Suicide Prevention Month and National Construction Appreciation Week. AFSP and NABTU will engage advocates in support of the Local 988 Response Act, one of AFSP's 2024 Advocacy Forum priorities, to connect people contacting 988 to services in their own state as quickly and safely as possible, while protecting their privacy.

September 24, 6 pm ET  Three Psychiatrists on a (Virtual) Couch: Therapy, Authenticity, and Vulnerability

Tune in live on AFSP's Instagram channel

Moderated by AFSP Chief Medical Officer Dr. Christine Yu Moutier, this special conversation will focus on the role psychiatrists play in normalizing mental health care, emulating authenticity and vulnerability, and their experience both giving and receiving therapy themselves. Dr. Moutier will be joined by Psychiatrist and Chief Wellness Officer Dr. Jessi Gold of the University of Tennessee System, and adult and pediatric psychiatrist, Dr. Kali Hobson.

September 25 at 7 pm local time Audacy's I'm Listening radio show

Tune in on all Audacy stations across the country

Audacy's mental health initiative, I'm Listening, is continuing to spread mental health awareness with help from some big-time stars in this annual broadcast special. AFSP Chief Medical Officer Dr. Christine Yu Moutier will answer listener questions and address topics ranging from youth mental health to managing stress during intense news cycles.

September 28 at 7 pm ET  Audacy's We Can Survive Concert

Learn more here

Hosted by Audacy's NEW 102.7 station at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, proceeds from this concert will benefit AFSP. Justin Timberlake , New Kids On The Block , Tate McRae , Benson Boone , Khalid , and Isabel LaRosa are the featured artists.

Donate

AFSP is fueled by donations large and small from hundreds of thousands of people. Much of what we know today about suicide has been uncovered through research, an integral component of AFSP's efforts. Hope starts with you.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide, including those who have experienced a loss . AFSP creates a culture that's smart about mental health through public education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, with a public policy office in Washington, D.C., AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico, with programs and events nationwide. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , YouTube , LinkedIn and TikTok .

Media interested in covering this news are encouraged to fill out this press request form and review AFSP's Ethical Reporting Tips .

SOURCE American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
NEW YORK, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- J.P. Morgan Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. (JPMREIT) announced today the closing of a $62.4 million mortgage loan to an affiliate of NYC-based private real estate firm Raith Capital Partners to finance the acquisition of Satori West Ashley, a 297-unit multifamily property located in Charleston, SC. This represents JPMREIT's second real estate debt investment. Upon closing, this transaction grows JPMREIT's portfolio allocation to income-focused real estate debt to approximately 18%.*

Built in 2023, Satori West Ashley is a Class-A, mid-rise multifamily property on John's Island within the West Ashley submarket of Charleston. The property features high-end unit finishes and an extensive amenity package, including a clubhouse with a saltwater pool, grill areas, a fitness center, and a movie theater. The community is adjacent to a Publix supermarket and major thoroughfares, providing convenient access to employment centers in North Charleston and Charleston's central business district.

JPMREIT's ability to invest in real estate debt enables JPMREIT to pursue attractive opportunities that should generate strong relative risk-adjusted returns in varying market environments. This transaction delivers an attractive yield supported by a high-quality asset in a top market.

"We continue to have high conviction in the multifamily sector, especially in markets with expected population growth and a waning construction pipeline," said Doug Schwartz, Co-President of JPMREIT. "This transaction demonstrates our ability to invest across the capital structure to deliver attractive returns to our stockholders."

For more information about this investment and other JPMREIT properties, please visit the Resources page on its website.

Notes: *As of June 30, 2024, including proforma close of deal. Asset Allocation is measured as the asset value (based on fair value) of each investment category (real estate investments, real estate debt investments and real estate-related securities) divided by the total asset value of all investment categories, including the value of any third-party interests in consolidated properties.

About JPMREIT

JPMREIT leverages J.P. Morgan Asset Management's more than 60 years of real estate investment experience and invests in stabilized, income-producing assets and development positioned to benefit from the way people live, work and consume in the new economy. JPMREIT is externally advised and sponsored by J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc.

About J.P. Morgan Asset Management

J.P. Morgan Asset Management, with assets under management of $3.3 trillion, as of June 30, 2024, is a global leader in investment management. J.P. Morgan Asset Management's clients include institutions, retail investors and high net worth individuals in every major market throughout the world. J.P. Morgan Asset Management offers global investment management in equities, fixed income, real estate, hedge funds, private equity and liquidity. For more information: www.jpmorganassetmanagement.com. J.P. Morgan Asset Management is the marketing name for the asset management businesses of JPMorgan Chase & Co., and its affiliates worldwide.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading financial services firm based in the United States of America ("U.S."), with operations worldwide. JPMorgan Chase had $4.1 trillion in assets and $341 billion in stockholders' equity as of June 30, 2024. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management. Under the J.P. Morgan and Chase brands, the Firm serves millions of customers in the U.S., and many of the world's most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients globally. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.

Forward-Looking Statements. This press release contains forward-looking statements about the business of JPMREIT. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expect," "continue," "may," "will," "should," "anticipate," "intend" or other similar words or the negatives thereof. These may include statements about plans, objectives, intentions and expectations with respect to JPMREIT's real estate investments and expected real estate acquisitions. Such forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and there are or may be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in such statements. We believe these factors include but are not limited to those described under the section entitled "Risk Factors" in JPMREIT's annual report for the most recent fiscal year, and any such updated factors included in JPMREIT's periodic filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in JPMREIT's public filings. Except as otherwise required by federal securities laws, JPMREIT undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities.

SOURCE J.P. Morgan Asset Management
Karpowership has announced a partnership with the World Bank's Women in Energy Network Africa initiative (WEN-Africa) to increase female employment in Africa's energy sector.

ISTANBUL, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --This new partnership aims to advance gender equality within Africa's energy sector, bolstering employment opportunities for women across at least ten countries and fostering a more inclusive and sustainable future.

Aligned with the World Bank's 2024-2030 Gender Strategy, this initiative focuses on four key pillars: enhancing female employment, promoting professional development and retention, advocating for policy reforms, and strengthening STEM education for girls.

Karpowership engineering team aboard the 450MW Osman Khan Powership in Sekondi, Ghana (PRNewsfoto/Karpowership)

Zeynep Harezi Ylmaz, Karpowership's Chief Commercial Officer, said: "We are excited to partner with the World Bank to expand opportunities for women and to strengthen our social impact. This collaboration underscores our commitment to gender equity, and we must address gender-specific barriers which hinder women's involvement in business, by increasing the number of women studying and creating pathways for women to thrive professionally."

"We are pleased to officially partner with Karpowership and join together on our mission to accelerate gender equality and promote inclusive economic growth by enhancing women's participation in Africa's energy future," said Fowzia Hassan, Task Team Leader of WEN-Africa and Senior Energy Operations Officer at the World Bank.

Under the partnership, Karpowership has committed to several targets across the four pillars, ranging from providing career counselling sessions for female staff, internships, vocational training and scholarship programs for female students, and gender-inclusive staff policies.

About Karpowership

With over 25 years of experience in the floating power plant industry, Karpowership is a leading provider of fast, flexible, cleaner and reliable energy solutions worldwide. With a global installed capacity exceeding 7,000 MW and operating across 19 countries, including 10 in Africa, Karpowership delivers energy security through its signature Powerships and onshore plants, alongside a fleet of floating LNG infrastructure.

About World Bank WEN-Africa

WEN-Africa is an initiative launched under the World Bank's 2024-2030 Gender Strategy, focused on increasing female representation in Africa's energy sector. It aims to establish a robust women's network, facilitate policy discussions, and empower women in technical and leadership roles.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2491622/Karpowership_Ghana.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2404491/Karpowership_Logo.jpg



SOURCE Karpowership
NEW YORK, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The risk of death for people who donate a kidney for transplantation  already small a decade ago  has dropped by more than half since then, a new study shows.

Each year, roughly 6,000 Americans volunteer to donate a kidney, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. Before undergoing the procedure, donors are informed of the potential risks, including death. Based on data from 1995 through 2009, experts had originally predicted that about three of every 10,000 donors were likely to die within three months of the procedure. The authors of the new study argue that advances in surgical techniques, donor selection, and postoperative care have since rendered that estimate out of date.

Analyzing three decades of medical records representing 164,593 kidney donors from across the country, a team led by researchers at NYU Langone Health found that by 2022, fewer than one death occurred for every 10,000 donations. That translates into 36 deaths in total over 30 years.

"While we had always understood that kidney donation is safe, our findings suggest that mortality among donors is extremely rare, and the procedure is safer than ever before," said study lead author Allan Massie, PhD. Massie is director of the Center for Surgical and Transplant Applied Research (C-STAR) Quantitative Core at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, where he is also a faculty member in the Departments of Surgery and Population Health.

The results further showed that while their overall risk remained small, donors who were male and those with a history of high blood pressure were more likely to die within 90 days of surgery than other donors. Meanwhile, age, race, and ethnicity had no bearing on mortality.

Massie notes that surgical methods have changed dramatically since the 1990s, with open donor nephrectomy, in which surgeons make a 6-inch to 8-inch incision to remove the kidney, being almost entirely replaced by laparoscopic nephrectomy. In this less-invasive option, the organ is removed through a much smaller incision, with the procedure aided by a camera inserted through a thin tube.

The new report, publishing online Aug. 28 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), is the first since 2009 to examine trends in mortality risk among living kidney donors. As a result, it better reflects the reality of organ donation in a time when laparoscopic nephrectomy is standard practice, the authors say.

For the study, the team analyzed information from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, a database of transplantation centers that is overseen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Death records were sourced from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, the nonprofit organization that administers the nation's only transplantation network authorized by the U.S. Congress.

The researchers calculated mortality rates within 90 days of donation, separated out into three time periods: 1993 through 2002, 2003 through 2012, and 2013 through 2022. Then, they compared deaths across the periods and considered different demographic and health factors, such as sex, body mass index (a measure of obesity), and whether the donors had an open or laparoscopic surgery.

Researchers found that about half of deaths occurred within the first week after donation, most commonly due to blood loss linked to surgery. In addition, mortality was similar from 1993 through 2012. Specifically, a total of 13 deaths occurred before 2003, with another 18 happening between 2003 and 2012. Meanwhile, there have been far fewer deaths since 2013, with five donors dying within 90 days of their procedure.

"These results demonstrate that the current guidelines used to inform potential kidney donors of their risks need to be updated to reflect nearly a decade of safety improvements," said study senior author Dorry Segev, MD, PhD. Segev is a professor and vice chair in the Department of Surgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and director of C-STAR.

"As a kidney donor and research scientist in the field, it is reassuring to see the progress we have made," said study co-author Macey Levan, JD, PhD, an associate professor in the Departments of Surgery and Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. and director of the C-STAR Qualitative Core. Levan is also the vice president of patient and donor affairs for the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network and had donated her kidney to her cousin in 2009.

Funding for the study was provided by National Institutes of Health grants R01DK132395 and K24AI144954.

Segev has served as a consultant for pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca, CareDx, Moderna Therapeutics, Novavax, and Regeneron, and has received speaker fees and honoraria from Springer Publishing, AstraZeneca, CareDx, Houston Methodist, Northwell Health, Optum Health Education, Sanofi, and WebMD. Study co-author Levan has received personal fees from the health-management platform PatientsLikeMe and from the pharmaceutical company Takeda. None of these groups were involved in the current study. The terms and conditions of all of these relationships are being managed in accordance with the policies and procedures with NYU Langone Health.

In addition to Massie, Segev, and Levan, another NYU Langone researcher involved in the study is Jennifer Motter, MHS. Jon Snyder, PhD, at the Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute in Minneapolis, Minn., also served as a study co-investigator.

Media Inquiries

Shira Polan

212-404-4279

[email protected]

SOURCE NYU Langone Health System
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Krak Boba, the revolutionary boba brand out of Southern California, is excited to debut a handful of new menu items that pack a punch of bold, fruity flavor. These new additions, available at all Krak Boba locations starting on Thursday, August 29, mark Krak Boba's first menu update this year. The list of new menu items includes highly anticipated smoothies, fruit tea, milk tea and one specialty drink.

A few of Krak Boba's new drinks.

There's never a wrong time for a refreshing, fruit smoothie, which is why Krak Boba is adding two new ones to their menu. Guests will now be able to order the Cocoberry Smoothie, a fruitful bliss of sweet strawberry and tropical, light coconut blended to perfection. Guests can also order a Yogurt Smoothie with their choice of peach, strawberry, mango or lychee blended with high-quality yogurt.

The refreshing fruit flavors don't stop there, because Krak Boba is also introducing two beautifully crafted drinks with a brand-new fruit tea: the Butterfly Tea. The first is Cosmos Serenade, which is made of strawberry lemonade elevated with the vibrant color and wonderful flavor of butterfly tea. The second drink, CocoThai Butterfly, is made with two contrasting but complementing teas, Thai and butterfly, meeting in the middle on a coconut cream island. The final new menu item is the Matcha Prince, a creamy matcha drink swirled in coconut juice with mini boba, offering a perfect blend of earthy and sweet notes.

"At Krak Boba, we see so much beauty in life, so we strive to create more beautifuland yummydrinks to celebrate our beautiful customers," shared Tin Do, CEO of Krak Boba.

Krak Boba is all about pushing the boundaries of what boba can be. The new menu items are designed to inspire customers to 'Krak Into It' and 'Slay the Day' with every sip. The new flavors are created to give guests the 'Boba Courage' to try something new and experience the joy that comes with discovering a new favorite.

These bold and flavorful new menu items are available starting Thursday, August 29, at all Krak Boba locations. For images and logos, see this Google Folder. For more information about Krak Boba, including store locations and hours, visit KrakBoba.com or follow Krak Boba on Instagram. For media inquiries, please contact [email protected]. Esta informacion y el comunicado de prensa estan disponibles en espanol para los medios de comunicacion que asi lo requieran.

About Krak Boba

Krak Boba is not just a boba tea brand; it's a revolution in the making. Founded on a relentless pursuit of flavor innovation and a commitment to authenticity, Krak Boba has swiftly emerged as a vibrant force in the dynamic world of boba tea. The brand believes in unearthing the strength within you, celebrating authenticity and defying conventions. Our mission is to craft powerful elixirs that invigorate your senses, infuse you with vitality and empower you to reign supreme in your daily adventures. Because, at Krak Boba, we know that you were born to rule!

With an unwavering commitment to excellence and a boundless spirit of innovation, we invite you to sip, savor and celebrate the extraordinary. Krak Boba is your passport to flavor-filled escapades that awaken your inner ruler. Join us in challenging the norm and embracing the exceptional, one extraordinary sip at a time. To learn more, please visit KrakBoba.com .

Contact:

Karla Nafarrate

Vice President of Public Relations

InnoVision Marketing Group

[email protected]

SOURCE Krak Boba
The Health Plans Have Launched a New Care Coordination Model for Their 85,000+ Members Who Lack Stable Housing

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, L.A. Care Health Plan and Health Net announced a $90 million commitment over five years to ensure people who are experiencing homelessness get the preventive and coordinated, whole-person care they need, in addition to access to specialty care and other medically necessary services. L.A. Care developed two complimentary programs  the L.A. County Field Medicine Program (Field Medicine Program) and the Skid Row Care Collaborative  and in collaboration with Health Net, launched both in July. Together, the programs could assist approximately 85,000 Angelenos.

Health Net

The Field Medicine Program is a $60 million program designed to deliver preventive and urgent health care, chronic disease management, social services, primary care and access to a true medical home to members in their lived environments  on the streets, in tent encampments, in shelters and in interim housing sites. Nineteen providers have been selected to participate in the program to provide a more consistent, coordinated and comprehensive system of care compared to the current model of street medicine, which is generally episodic and oriented around urgent care.

"The Field Medicine Program is grounded in the philosophy that every Medi-Cal beneficiary, regardless of housing status, is entitled to the same level of service and a true medical home," said John Baackes, L.A. Care CEO. "The program is designed to develop a countywide network of primary care providers who can provide that medical home and all the services associated with high-quality primary care in a way that will be easier for individuals experiencing homelessness to access."

The program takes an innovative, population-based approach to care coordination and the equitable deployment of resources. It includes 15 distinct regions across L.A. County, each with a designated "regional anchor" provider to ensure access to care across the entire county, and to facilitate coordination with other "floating" providers.

"To address homelessness, support must extend beyond physical housing. It requires whole-person care for these vulnerable individuals," said Martha Santana-Chin, Plan Chief Product President at Health Net. "This investment continues to underscore our belief that every person deserves a safety net for their health, regardless of age, income or current state of health. We are excited to partner with L.A. Care Health Plan on another incredible initiative that will serve Angelenos."

The funding for this program will support additional staffing for the Field Medicine Primary Care teams to be deployed across these regions based on population need. Additionally, members will have access to a medical home for health care and critical social services support in every region across the county that will be available even as individuals transition from unsheltered homelessness to interim housing and, ultimately, to permanent housing.

Ensuring that people experiencing homelessness are able to maintain stable access to primary care services has been a complex challenge  it can be difficult to schedule an appointment or travel to a doctor's office, especially if they fear leaving their belongings behind. As a result, people who are unhoused are more likely to suffer from unmanaged chronic diseases, including behavioral health disorders, than peers who are housed. Moreover, the L.A. County Department of Public Health recently released a report showing the mortality rate among people experiencing homelessness was about four times greater than all other L.A. County residents. The Field Medicine Program is designed specifically to address these drivers of high mortality among people experiencing homelessness.

The second program, the Skid Row Care Collaborative, is a core component of the Field Medicine Program. It is designed to accommodate the unique needs of Skid Row as a neighborhood with a high density of both people experiencing homelessness, as well as support for the established providers to care for them. The Skid Row Care Collaborative includes $30 million of funding for enhanced services and additional facilities on Skid Row, including $10 million in funding to launch the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services Crocker Street Campus. The Skid Row Care Collaborative will include walk-in, harm reduction services, observation beds, extended hours for urgent care and pharmacy, community ambassadors, and onsite specialty medical services.

It will also include a free shuttle to connect members to these services within the neighborhood. To receive this funding, providers serving Skid Row will collaborate to ensure a "no wrong door" approach to coordinated access to care for Skid Row residents.

The funding for this investment is the result of California's Housing and Homelessness Incentive Program (HHIP), which the state launched with the help of matching funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. HHIP rewards Medi-Cal managed care plans for making progress in addressing homelessness and housing insecurity as social drivers of health. L.A. Care will commit 70 percent of the total funding for these programs, with Health Net committing 30 percent.

L.A. Care Health Plan, the nation's largest publicly operated health plan, and Health Net, one of California's most experienced Medi-Cal managed care health plans and company of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), have collaborated on a separate HHIP program, which committed $114 million to secure as many as 1,900 rental units and to offer the unhoused assistance with Activities of Daily Living.

The two new programs align with the health plans' shared commitment to advancing health equity, which means ensuring that everyone, regardless of housing status or social barriers, has a fair and equal opportunity to be as healthy as possible.

About L.A. Care Health Plan

L.A. Care Health Plan is the largest health plan in Los Angeles County serving more than one of every four Angelenos. It is also the largest publicly operated plan in the country. L.A. Care offers four health coverage plans including Medi-Cal , L.A. Care Covered , L.A. Care Medicare Plus and the PASC-SEIU Homecare Workers Health Care Plan , all dedicated to being accountable and responsive to members. As a public entity, L.A. Care's mission is to provide access to quality health care for L.A. County's low-income communities, and to support the safety net required to achieve that purpose. L.A. Care prioritizes quality, access and inclusion, elevating health care for all of L.A. County. For more information, follow us on X , Facebook , LinkedIn and Instagram .

About Health Net

Founded in California more than 45 years ago, Health Net, a company of Centene Corporation, believes that every person deserves a safety net for their health, regardless of age, income, employment status or current state of health. Today, we provide health plans for individuals, families, businesses of every size and people who qualify for Medi-Cal or Medicare. With more than 90,000 of our network providers, Health Net serves more than three million members across the state. We also offer access to substance abuse programs, behavioral health services, employee assistance programs and managed healthcare products related to prescription drugs. We make these health plans and services available through Health Net, LLC and its subsidiaries: Health Net of California, Inc., Health Net Life Insurance Company and Health Net Community Solutions, Inc. These entities are wholly owned subsidiaries of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC), a leading healthcare enterprise committed to transforming the health of the communities we serve, one person at a time. Health Net and Centene employ more than 5,700 people in California who work at one of five regional Talent Hub offices. For more information, visit www.HealthNet.com.

SOURCE L.A. Care Health Plan; Health Net
News / National

by Staff reporter

Bishop Eben Kanukayi Nhiwatiwa of the United Methodist Church (UMC) denied recent reports that he was arrested in Nigeria. He explained that, instead, he was being protected by Nigerian authorities from a factional group within the church.Nigerian media had reported that Bishop Nhiwatiwa was detained last Friday in Yola, Adamawa State, and taken to the Abuja headquarters of the Nigerian Immigration Service.Bishop Nhiwatiwa was in Nigeria to oversee the nomination process for a new UMC bishop following the resignation of Bishop John Wesley Yohanna, who joined the Global Methodist Church. Upon his return to Zimbabwe, he clarified that the situation was a result of misinformation circulating about him, specifically allegations of supporting homosexuality, which fueled tensions and prompted his need for protection.The Bishop stated that Nigerian authorities, concerned for his safety amid escalating agitation, arranged for his security. He explained that his departure from Adamawa and subsequent return to Abuja gave the impression of arrest due to the rapid and coordinated arrangements for his departure.Nhiwatiwa emphasized that his visit was part of a broader mission to reorganize the UMC in Nigeria, not related to the controversies surrounding homosexual practices within the church.The UMC has been experiencing internal divisions following a recent General Conference vote on the issue.
TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Linpharma, a global leader in high quality supplement distribution, has announced the launch of a unique and highly effective cold sore treatment, Lyranda, in the United States. Lyranda is a convenient and pleasant-tasting lozenge, eliminating the need for messy creams to apply topically, no need to touch the cold sore, and cutting the healing time compared to other popular remedies.

Already the best-selling cold sore remedy in Germany, where the patented supplement is manufactured, Lyranda, is now available without a prescription in the U.S.

Lyranda, a unique, effective lozenge for cold sores, launches in the U.S., offering fast healing without messy creams. Post this

Lyranda's effectiveness comes from its multi-faceted approach to treating cold sores:

Cold sores are caused by the herpes virus.

Lyranda acts as an antiviral, stopping viral reproduction.

Its ingredients bolster the immune system.

Lyranda promotes faster wound healing.

In clinical studies, 61.7% of those with cold sores taking Lyandra were healed and symptom free in 5 days compared to only 10.9% taking other therapies. Lyranda not only reduces the symptoms of cold sores but also reduces their incidence.

Lyranda is a business success story as well as a medical one. Lyranda is driving category growth in Germany since its introduction several years ago, with a 7.5% increase in sales, despite a 4% decline for major competitors like Zovirax Cream during the same period. Total cold sore remedies as a category will reach $1.32 billion in the U.S by 2026.

Lyranda is now available direct to consumers, no prescription necessary, online through Amazon.

Lyranda is manufactured by German pharmaceutical company Weber & Weber GmbH and sold in the U.S. by Linpharma Inc. "We are thrilled to finally bring Lyranda to the U.S. market", says Volker Gallichio, Chief Business & Market Development Officer of Linpharma. "After its success in Germany, we are confident that Lyranda will revolutionize the treatment of cold sores in the United States as well."

To learn more about Lyranda, visit myhealthylips.com.

About Linpharma

Linpharma is a global leader in distributing high-quality, effective natural supplements. Adhering to the rigorous benchmarks typically reserved for medications, all products sold by Linpharma are manufactured in Germany to meet the highest standards. Linpharma ensures that its supplements surpass the stringent safety and ingredient-purity requirements set by U.S. regulations for domestically manufactured products. Backed by the esteemed Weber & Weber GmbH, a distinguished German pharmaceutical company with over 60 years of expertise in pharmaceuticals, herbal extracts, homeopathic products, and dietary supplements, Linpharma leverages this deep industry knowledge to bring exceptional products to consumers worldwide.

SOURCE Linpharma
Anchor Investors for Mad Markets PBC and Timeless Seeds, INC include Terra Regenerative Capital and Builders Vision, with support from Blueberry Capital PARTNERS

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Mad Markets, Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) launches with the acquisition of Timeless Seeds, Inc., a renowned lentil and chickpea processing company founded in 1987, and a pioneer in the organic agriculture movement.

Over the past 80 years agricultural infrastructure and markets have become highly consolidated and focused on monoculture commodities, which has reduced the diversity of agroecosystems, the quality of food, as well as the financial and ecological resilience of the food system. Mad Markets' mission is to reverse this trend by accelerating the adoption of regenerative organic agriculture across the USA.

Mad Markets Announces Acquisition of Timeless Seeds, Inc. Post this

The goal of Mad Markets is to become a go-to source of regenerative organic ingredients for a wide range of clients, from consumer packaged goods to wholesale buyers. The strategy aims to build the 'missing middle' of regenerative supply chains by investing in legacy infrastructure companies that can directly connect communities of growers and buyers. The acquisition of Timeless Seeds is a bold step toward this vision.

According to Mad Markets CEO, Alex Heilman, "The acquisition of Timeless is a major opportunity for us to strengthen our work connecting farms, brands, processors, distributors, retailers, and institutional sourcing partners. Our goal is to grow Timeless' sales fourfold over the coming years. We will support rural farm communities, and address food system related climate change impacts, by assisting a diverse range of buyers in achieving their sustainable sourcing goals. We are excited to announce we are open for business!"

David Oien, Co-Founder and CEO of Timeless Seeds, affirms the alignment of this ownership transition, expressing, "We founded Timeless in 1987 in order to support our farmers by establishing a processing facility for these soil building crops and developing market opportunities. Mad Markets' strategic vision, exceptional market connections, and experienced team are the ideal partners to propel Timeless to new heights."

Anchoring Mad Markets is Terra Regenerative Capital, a public benefit investment vehicle catalyzing the adoption of climate smart agriculture in the United States. Builders Vision, an impact platform supporting people and organizations building a more humane and healthy planet, is anchoring the investment in Timeless Seeds. Together with Blueberry Capital Partners and twenty-four other mission-aligned investors, Mad Markets plans to launch an acquisition strategy for infrastructure across the country, starting with this purchase.

At scale, regenerative agriculture has the potential to draw down enough carbon to be a climate change solution." said Tara Smith Swibel, co-founder and Managing Partner of Terra Regenerative Capital. "What we need now is the infrastructure to connect producers to the marketplace, and we believe Mad Markets has the vision and strategy to build out these supply chains, deliver strong financial returns for investors and farmers, and benefit other stakeholders."

Kristen Moree, Senior Investment Associate at Builders Vision agrees. "Access to markets and infrastructure are often bottlenecks that limit the growth of regenerative agriculture supply chains. Mad Markets is helping to solve these pain points for both producers and buyers  filling critical gaps on both sides of the supply chain and spurring greater adoption rates of regenerative agricultural production systems as a result. We are excited to support the Mad Markets team and see the impact of this pioneering model."

The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

ABOUT MAD!

Mad Markets, PBC is a for-profit spinout of Mad Agriculture, a 501(c)3 non-profit that provides land and business planning, research, and storytelling support for farmers across the USA. Along with Mad Capital, PBC, which offers financing for regenerative organic farmers with an emphasis on transition finance, MAD! is a family of organizations working collectively toward a shared mission of creating a regenerative revolution in agriculture.

To follow along, visit www.madmarkets.com

SOURCE Mad Markets
CHICAGO, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Magnifact, a leading insurance technology firm, proudly announces the production launch of its real-time AgentVizion API Services platform at a Tier 1 carrier. This milestone marks the successful implementation of the Activity Status API, developed in alignment with the Insured Retirement Institute's (IRI) Digital First for Annuities standards.

Magnifact's AgentVizion platform empowers insurance carriers, agencies, and agents by delivering analytical business insights across distribution channels and product lines. The company's innovative solutions enhance agent performance through real-time data, visual analytics, and actionable alerts.

The Activity Status API tracks annuity applications in real-time across various stagesfrom receipt to policy issuance. This critical data enables producers to address case issues promptly, reducing cycle times and accelerating the sales process.

"The digital first standards and infrastructure that IRI is creating will foster innovation within the insured retirement industry. Our goal is to help meet workers' and retirees' retirement income and protection needs in an efficient digital experience that consumers and financial professionals expect," said Katherine Dease, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at IRI. "Adopting these new standards and best practices are vital steps required to move the industry forward in the digital modernization journey."

"Insurance distribution partners often struggle to obtain timely updates on case statuses," said Krish V. Krishnan, Founder and CEO of Magnifact. "With the AgentVizion API Services platform, our carrier partner can now offer real-time case visibility for broker-dealers, banks, and insurance marketing organizations, creating a competitive market advantage."

"The implementation was accomplished using real-time APIs and supportive web services from the Verisk FAST platform within the carrier's ecosystem," added Krishnan. "Our success is a testament to collaborative efforts across multiple teams."

About Magnifact:

Founded in 2015, Magnifact provides SOC 2 Type II compliant DataIntelligent solutions for the insurance industry. The Magnifact platform includes the award-winning, patented AgentVizion suite, offering a 360-degree view of business operations across carriers and distribution channels. The AgentVizion2GO mobile app, powered by push notifications, further enhances the user experience. AgentVizion API Services for carriers and distributors are offered alongside Magnifact's implementation services. The Magnifact Command Center (MCC) allows clients to manage these platforms with real-time reporting and alerts. Magnifact is a member of the Insured Retirement Institute (IRI).

To learn more about how Magnifact's solutions can benefit your organization, visit www.magnifact.com.

Media Contact:

[email protected]

About Insured Retirement Institute

The Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) is the leading association for the entire supply chain of insured retirement strategies, including life insurers, asset managers, broker dealers, banks, marketing organizations, law firms, and solution providers. IRI members account for 90 percent of annuity assets in the U.S., include the foremost distributors of protected lifetime income solutions, and are represented by financial professionals serving millions of Americans. IRI champions retirement security for all through leadership in advocacy, awareness, research, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the advancement of digital solutions within a collaborative industry community.

For more information, visit www.irionline.org.

Media Contact:

[email protected]

SOURCE Magnifact
GREENLAND, N.H., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlantic Builders Supply Northeast is pleased to announce the appointment of Mike Oberlander as the new ICF construction specialist serving the southeast Massachusetts and Rhode Island regions. Oberlander brings more than 30 years of extensive sales experience to the team, coupled with a lifelong passion for home building and a deep expertise in insulated concrete form (ICF) construction.

Oberlander's hands-on experience and dedication to building have fueled his commitment to ICF, a construction method that is gaining significant traction across the United States due to its superior energy efficiency, disaster resilience and durability. Oberlander will play a significant role in Atlantic Builders Supply's expanded efforts to support general contractors and concrete contractors with education, training and installation expertise for ICF projects.

In 2023, the ICF market was valued at $1.2 billion, with an anticipated category growth of 7.1% from 2024 to 2031. Atlantic Builder's Supply Northeast is a premier distributor for Nudura ICF forms, which consist of two panels of expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam. The EPS foam serves as an insulating material, creating a sandwich-like structure around a concrete core. Insulated concrete forms made from EPS account for the largest share of the ICF market because of their superior thermal insulation values, light weight and competitive cost.

Much of the demand for ICF construction is driven by the reduction in heating and cooling expenses experienced throughout the life of the building. With stricter energy codes in place in many states across the U.S., builders and contractors are looking to ICF construction to meet these requirements.

In 2018, Oberlander took his passion for home building to the next level by obtaining certification in ICF construction, culminating in the completion of his own ICF home. His personal journey led him to obtain his general contractor license during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

"As someone who has worked with both traditional and ICF building methods, I can confidently say that the advantages of ICF are unmatched," says Oberlander. "From energy efficiency to structural integrity, ICF offers a level of performance that simply cannot be achieved with wood or other materials."

ICF construction is increasingly recognized in the U.S. as a superior alternative to traditional building methods, particularly in regions prone to extreme weather conditions. ICF structures are known to reduce heating and cooling costs by as much as 50%. They also offer enhanced durability, sound insulation, and resistance to natural disasters, such as northeasters, hurricanes and tornadoes. As building codes and consumer preferences continue to evolve toward sustainable and resilient construction practices, ICF is poised to become a mainstream choice for builders, contractors and homeowners.

Oberlander's addition to the Atlantic Builders Supply team aligns with the company's commitment to advancing innovative and sustainable building solutions. His expertise in ICF, combined with the comprehensive support and resources of Atlantic Builders Supply, will empower more homeowners and contractors in Rhode Island and southeast Massachusetts to embrace this cutting-edge technology.

"ICF is a construction method that offers great benefits, but is still not a familiar method to many contractors, developers and home owners," says Joe Harnois, president of Atlantic Builders Supply Northeast. "A huge part of what we do is education so that those in the construction industry can have a better understanding of all of the benefits of ICF and become more comfortable with this impressive construction method. Mike helps us expand that education process and is an additional resource for our customers when they need a trusted advisor to assist with a project."

For more information about ICF construction, or to address specific questions, schedule a call with an ICF construction expert. Atlantic Builders Supply is committed to providing the education and expertise builders and contractors need as they transition to this energy-efficient, sustainable construction practice. www.atlanticbuildersupply.com

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTACT KIM PENDARVIS, 404-237-5087

SOURCE Atlantic Builders Supply Northeast
Celebrating its 30th year, the list of the state's fastest growing companies will be unveiled at the Utah 100 awards event on October 2

SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- MountainWest Capital Network (MWCN) today shared the 2024 Utah 100 preview list, highlighting the state's fastest growing companies in alphabetical order. The list also included companies featured in MWCN's Top 15 Revenue and Emerging Elite categories.

MWCN will unveil the final rankings during the Utah 100 Awards ceremony, which will be held on October 2, 2024 in the Grand Ballroom of the Grand America Hotel. The event is open to the public, and those interested in attending can register on the MWCN website.

"Utah continues to showcase one of the strongest economies in the country thanks to the efforts, growth and reach of our local businesses and our driven entrepreneurs and business leaders," said Chris Badger, chair of the MWCN Utah 100 committee. "Our list this year highlights businesses that have survived and thrived through incredibly challenging conditions and are creating value for customers across many industries."

Founded in 1994, the Utah 100 Award celebrates its 30th year of recognizing the growth and success of businesses across the state. As the flagship event for the MountainWest Capital Network, the Utah 100 Award ceremony attracts thousands of Utah's top industry leaders to celebrate and network.

This year's event will include a keynote address from Fraser Bullock, President and CEO of the Salt Lake City Committee for the Olympic Games. Mike Headrick and Debbie Worthen from KSL News, will emcee.

Utah 100 honorees are ranked according to a weighted average revenue calculation of percentage and dollar growth over a five year period through December 2023, while those in the Top 15 Revenue category are ranked based on the highest total dollar growth over the same five year period. The Emerging Elite represent organizations less than five years old that show the most promise of future growth. Companies are only recognized in one category.

The 2024 Utah 100 in alphabetical order (Rankings will be released following the Utah 100 event on October 2, 2024):

&Collar

Abode Luxury Rentals

A-Core Concrete Specialists

Action Solar

All Filters

Anthem Custom Homes

Aqua Yield

Ark Insurance Solutions

AutoSavvy

Bandwango

Beans and Brews Coffeehouse

Becklar

Big Deal Outlet

Big Red Jelly

Blue Eye Monitoring

Blue Raven Solar

Bonneville Builders

Bucked Up

C.W. Development Group

Cadence Innovations Group

CallTower

Chunker

Cinch

Clarus Corporation

Code Quick

Co-Diagnostics

CoFi

Complete Recovery Corporation

Cost Segregation Authority

Cottonwood Communities

Denik

Dental Buyer Advocates

Deploy Surveillance

Design Imaging

Domo

Dorai Home

Durham Brands

eAssist Dental Solutions

elb Learning

ESL Vision

Evolved Commerce

EZARC

Final Mile Solar

Five Star Franchising

Franklin Covey

Frazil

G&A Partners

Gabb

Health Catalyst

Intermountain Electronics

International Fulfillment Solutions

InXpress

J. Lyne Roberts & Sons

JobNimbus

Just Ingredients

Kenect

KURU Footwear

Legacy Tree Genealogists

Lender Toolkit

LitJoy Crate

LVT

Made by Mary

Motos America

MTN OPS

Nature's Sunshine

Nexus IT

NOMATIC

Oilo Studio

Olympus Wealth Management

Omniq

OptConnect

Overstock

Oz Marketing

Pack Tax

Platform Accounting

ProdataKey

Profire Energy

Pura

Pure Healthcare

Purple Innovation

San Diablo Artisan Churros

Security National Financial

Sensapure Flavors

SEO Werkz

Sidewinders

Sintx Technologies

SixFifty

SkyShare

SOS Support

Spoonful of Comfort

Squeeze

Strut

TAB Bank

Tagg N Go Car Wash

Tranont

Universal Accounting Center

Varex Imaging

VLCM

Weave

Zonos

Top 15 Revenue in alphabetical order:

Angel Studios

Aptive Environmental

Beauty Industry Group

Extra Space Storage

HealthEquity

Innovative Industrial Properties

Layton Construction

Lucid Software

Merit Medical

Pattern

Peak Capital Partners

Sportsman's Warehouse

Westland Construction

Young Automotive Group

Zions Bancorporation

Emerging Elite in alphabetical order:

Beehive Meals

Bloom

Devos

HERO Home

Hona

Kajae

Kingbee Rentals, LLC

Nursa, Inc.

Pressed Floral

Savvos Health

Torus, Inc.

Turner Imaging Systems, Inc.

WeLink

Zartico

About MountainWest Capital Network

MountainWest Capital Network is Utah's first and largest business networking organization devoted to supporting entrepreneurial success and dedicated to the flow of financial, entrepreneurial and intellectual capital. Learn more at www.mwcn.org .

SOURCE MountainWest Capital Network
OSLO, Norway, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- MPC Container Ships ("MPCC" or the "Company") delivered another quarter of solid operational and financial results, supported by efficient operations and continued high fleet utilization. During the quarter, MPCC was able to capitalize on favorable market conditions, significantly strengthening its long-term contract coverage and charter backlog, which stood at USD 1.1 billion at the end of the period. Simultaneously, MPCC enhanced its fleet composition by undertaking key initiatives for fleet renewal and optimization. The Company continues to deliver attractive shareholder returns with a quarterly dividend of USD 0.10 per share, totaling approximately USD 44.4 million, marking its 11th consecutive quarterly dividend.

Highlights

Charter backlog increased to USD 1.1 billion with increased contract coverage for 2025 (76%) and 2026 (42%).

with increased contract coverage for 2025 (76%) and 2026 (42%). Quarterly recurring dividend of USD 0.10 per share, bringing aggregated total dividends to USD 893 million declared since February 2022 .

per share, bringing aggregated total dividends to declared since . The financial guidance for 2024 increased to operating revenues in the range of USD 510 -520 million (previous: USD 475 -490 million) and EBITDA in the range of USD 335 -350 million (previous: USD 280 -305 million).

-520 million (previous: -490 million) and EBITDA in the range of -350 million (previous: -305 million). Continued strong operations with high fleet utilization of 97.6% (Q2 2023: 97.4%) and average TCE of USD 26,742 per day (Q2 2023: USD 29,668 ).

per day (Q2 2023: ). Operating revenues of USD 130.9 million and EBITDA of USD 84.4 million (Q2 2023: USD 142.7 million ). EBITDA adjusted for non-recurring items was USD 78.0 million (Q2 2023: USD 110.5 million ).

and EBITDA of (Q2 2023: ). EBITDA adjusted for non-recurring items was (Q2 2023: ). Profit for the period was USD 64.8 million and USD 58.4 million adj. for non-recurring items (Q2 2023: USD 87.7 million ).

and adj. for non-recurring items (Q2 2023: ). Adj. EPS was USD 0.13 (Q2 2023: USD 0.23 ).

As at June 30, 2024, the Group's fleet consisted of 55 vessels, with an aggregate capacity of approximately 120,000 TEU.

Commenting on MPCC's second quarter results, Co-CEO and CFO Moritz Fuhrmann, said:

"Our strong second quarter performance highlights the effectiveness of our strategy in navigating a dynamic market environment. By securing long-term contracts and advancing key fleet renewal initiatives, we effectively utilize the short-term market momentum and strengthen MPCC's long-term position. Simultaneously, we are investing in eco-friendly technologies to meet evolving environmental standards and achieve our greenhouse gas emissions targets. We also continue to distribute attractive quarterly dividends, providing shareholders with consistent returns."

Reflecting on market developments and MPCC's strategic outlook, CEO Constantin Baack added:

"Throughout the first half of 2024, the container shipping market benefitted from strong freight and charter rates, largely driven by ongoing geopolitical disruptions and further accelerated by shippers advancing imports. In this environment, we successfully enhanced our robust charter backlog to USD 1.1 billion with 76% of open days in 2025 already covered by existing contracts. This provides us with excellent earnings visibility moving forward and reinforces our ability to deliver sustainable and predictable dividends over the coming years.

Looking ahead, we anticipate more market volatility as new vessels enter the market and geopolitical tensions evolve. In this environment, our strong balance sheet, low leverage, and revenue visibility places us in an excellent position, with the financial strength and flexibility needed to pursue attractive market opportunities that create lasting shareholder value."

The above information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

Q2 2024 Earnings Call:

Constantin Baack, CEO, and Moritz Fuhrmann, Co-CEO and CFO, will present the results in an earnings call today at 15:00 CET / 09:00 ET, followed by a Q&A session. The earnings call can be accessed live via webcast and questions can be submitted in writing. A recording will be available on demand at the Company's website after the live event has concluded.

The Q2 2024 report and presentation materials are attached to this release and available on the Company's website: https://www.mpc-container.com/investors/

The webcast can be accessed through the following link: https://channel.royalcast.com/landingpage/hegnarmedia/20240828_4/

For more information, contact:

[email protected]

About MPC Container Ships

MPC Container Ships ASA (ticker code "MPCC") is a leading container tonnage provider focusing on small to mid-size container ships. Its main activity is to own and operate a portfolio of container ships serving intra-regional trade lanes on fixed-rate charters. The Company is registered and has its business office in Oslo, Norway. For more information, please visit www.mpc-container.com.

Forward-looking statements:

This announcement includes forward-looking statements. Such statements are generally not historical in nature, and specifically include statements about the Company's plans, strategies, business prospects, changes and trends in its business, the markets in which it operates and its restructuring efforts. These statements are made based upon management's current plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events impacting the Company and therefore involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risks described from time to time in the Company's regulatory filings and periodical reporting. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of these factors. Further, the Company cannot assess the impact of each such factor on its business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to be materially different from those contained in any forward-looking statement.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/mpc-container-ships-asa/r/mpcc-q2-2024-results--backlog-increased-to-usd-1-1-billion-creating-significant-earnings-visibility,c4029468

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/17513/4029468/2965881.pdf MPCC Q2 2024 Financial Report https://mb.cision.com/Public/17513/4029468/85097e46078bf10a.pdf MPCC Q2 2024 Earnings Call Presentation

SOURCE MPC Container Ships ASA
King Louis XIII, Pat Garrett, a WW2 service pistol and a "barn find" Winchester commanded extraordinary bids

BEDFORD, Texas, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rock Island Auction Company (RIAC) achieved over $23 million in sales during its August Premier Auction, Friday, Aug. 23 through Sunday, Aug. 25, in Bedford, TX. The world's leading firearms auction house featured nearly 1,700 museum-worthy and historically significant firearms for auction, ranging from the royal palace halls of France to the American West.

The three-day event set several world records courtesy of its history-rich pieces. A gold Colt 1877 Thunderer of Sheriff Pat Garrett, who famously killed Billy the Kid, set a new record for the model at $528,750. Garrett's solid gold sheriff's badge broke its own record for a peace officer's badge when it brought in $235,000. A masterfully engraved version of the classic Winchester Model 70 hunting rifle also achieved a world record when it realized $293,750. An elaborate wheellock owned by French King Louis XIII marked the high price of the auction and commanded a new record for a wheellock firearm in the process, selling for $951,750 after auction fees, tax, and all associated costs.

"Anytime you can finish an auction saying you broke multiple world records, it's a tremendous success," said Kevin Hogan, President of Rock Island Auction Company. "It's yet another indicator of the strong fine arms market, but also a testament to our clients who pursue this hobby with such passion. This is great momentum to have as we head into the year's final Premier Auction this December."

Other headliners included:

"The Marshfield Find" is a mint condition Winchester 1886 rifle discovered after 90 years in a Massachusetts attic that brought $352,500 .

attic that brought . A rare 28-gauge masterfully engraved shotgun by renowned maker Boss & Co. sold for an impressive $164,500

A Stoner 63A light machine gun brought $223,250 . Whether this set a new world record for the model was unable to be verified by press time.

. Whether this set a new world record for the model was unable to be verified by press time. A cased Colt Third Model Dragoon with rare 8-inch barrel and phenomenal condition found a new home for $440,625

RIAC's premier summer event highlights the company's ongoing and remarkable growth. With 25 items exceeding the 6-figure mark, it surpassed its 2023 August Premier Auction by over $3 million. 11 of the company's last 12 Premier Auctions have breached the $20 million mark, a feat unheard of even five years ago.

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
Record Revenue and Positive EBITDA

CALGARY, AB, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Nanalysis Scientific Corp. ("the Company", TSXV: NSCI, OTCQX: NSCIF, FRA: 1N1), a leader in portable NMR machines and MRI technology for industrial and research applications announces second quarter results for the period ending on June 30, 2024, achieving 65% year-over-year revenue growth to $11.5 million in Q2. Chief Executive Officer Sean Krakiwsky and Chief Financial Officer Randall McRae will host a conference call at 5 P.M. Eastern Time today to discuss the results. A second call will be held for European investors at 8:30am Eastern Time tomorrow, August 29. All interested parties are invited to join these calls.

"We continue to see strength in both of our core business segments, benchtop NMR and security services," said Sean Krakiwsky, Founder and CEO of Nanalysis. "In addition, this quarter we had the added contribution of sizeable medical imaging hardware sales resulting in another record revenue quarter. We are very encouraged by these results which were consistent with our internal expectations, and we have a very positive outlook as we move into the back half of the year, which has historically been stronger than our first half. While we continue to drive our topline, we remain steadfast on improving margins by leveraging efficiencies and reducing costs, with the ultimate goal of delivering bottom line profitability to shareholders."

Financial highlights for the three months ended June 30, 2024:





Three months ended June 30

($000's)

2024 2023 ($)

Change Change Product sales

5,402 3,917 1,485 38 % Service revenue

5,265 2,162 3,103 144 % Flow-through inventory

807 877 (70) -8 % Total sales and revenue

11,474 6,956 4,518 65 %











Gross margin percentage - product sales

50 % 39 % 12 %

Gross margin percentage - service revenue

10 % -36 % 45 %













Adjusted EBITDA

414 (2,399) 2,813













Net loss

(1,995) (4,054) 2,059 51 %

For the three months ended June 30, 2024, the Company reported consolidated revenue of $11,474K, an increase of $4,518K or 65% from the comparative period in 2023.

Gross margin percentage on product sales was 50% for the three months ended June 30, 2024. Improvement in gross margin percentage for Benchtop NMR is materializing as sales have improved in the second half of last year and manufacturing cost reductions started in 2023 have begun to positively affect margins.

Security service gross margin percentage in the quarter was 10% versus (36)% in prior year comparative period as the Company completed the full transition of 100% of airports serviced to its control from the incumbent provider in the first quarter of 2024, and now expects to increase revenue and drive efficiency within this business through 2024, while keeping costs stable.

Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended June 30, 2024, was $414K versus an Adjusted EBITDA loss of ( $2,399K ) in the same period last year. This improvement was driven by increased product sales, full transition of airports to the Company's control resulting in increased security services revenue, and the effect of cost reduction initiatives.

) in the same period last year. This improvement was driven by increased product sales, full transition of airports to the Company's control resulting in increased security services revenue, and the effect of cost reduction initiatives. Net loss for the three months ended was $1,995K as compared to the three-month loss for June 30, 2023, of $4,054K.

Quarterly Trend:



2024 2023

($000's) Q2 Q1 Q4 Q3

Product sales 5,402 4,216 5,450 3,941

Security service revenue 5,265 4,723 3,362 2,629

Flow-through parts revenue 807 2,223 988 466

Total revenue 11,474 11,162 9,800 7,036













Adjusted EBITDA 414 (362) (774) (1,354)

Net loss for the period (1,995) (2,522) (2,123) (6,287)



The Company has demonstrated continuous growth in Security service revenue quarter over quarter, driven by the expansion of the Company's airport security maintenance business as the Company took over more airports from the incumbent service provider, ultimately taking over all airports in Q1 2024.

Second quarter product sales remained strong as the Company realized a large medical imaging sale which added significant revenue to the quarter. As the Company moves into the second half of 2024, it believes product sales will remain strong as seasonality in the second half has historically produced positive results.

The Company's Adjusted EBITDA has continued to improve quarter over quarter, resulting in positive Adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter of 2024. The Company expects this to continue as it works to grow both product sales and security service revenue, while closely managing costs.

Net loss was ( $1,995K ) in Q2 2024. Net losses continue to improve as the Company has successfully grown revenue and implements cost reduction initiatives.

Recent strategic and operational highlights during and after the second quarter of 2024 include:

New Quarterly Revenue Record: Q2 2024 revenue of $11.5 million was driven by continued expansion of security services related to the airport security maintenance business, as well as continued strength in Benchtop NMR sales. Also included in this quarter was a large medical imaging hardware sale.

Q2 2024 revenue of was driven by continued expansion of security services related to the airport security maintenance business, as well as continued strength in Benchtop NMR sales. Also included in this quarter was a large medical imaging hardware sale. Consistent Revenue in Airport Security Maintenance Business: The Company saw a higher weighting of unscheduled maintenance and service during the quarter which contributed to strong revenue results. As unscheduled maintenance work ebbs, resources will shift to focus on the continued rollout of projects which will provide a consistent balance of billing. The Company continues to work to gain efficiencies and expects to see increased margin growth through 2024 and into 2025.

The Company saw a higher weighting of unscheduled maintenance and service during the quarter which contributed to strong revenue results. As unscheduled maintenance work ebbs, resources will shift to focus on the continued rollout of projects which will provide a consistent balance of billing. The Company continues to work to gain efficiencies and expects to see increased margin growth through 2024 and into 2025. Continued year over year Benchtop NMR Strength: In Q2, the Company generated $2.8 million in Benchtop NMR sales. This represents a $1.2 million increase over Q2 2023 Benchtop NMR sales. The Company expects continued strength in this product line through the rest of 2024.

In Q2, the Company generated in Benchtop NMR sales. This represents a increase over Q2 2023 Benchtop NMR sales. The Company expects continued strength in this product line through the rest of 2024. Welcomed Ms. Jennifer Stubbs to Nanalysis' Board of Directors: Following shareholder approval at the Annual General Meeting, Ms. Stubbs joins Nanalysis as a Director. The Company also announced that Guido Cloetens has stepped down as a director of the Company as he did not stand for re-election at the Meeting. The Board of Directors sincerely thanks Mr. Cloetens for his many valuable contributions to the Company during his time as a director and wishes him well in the future.

Following shareholder approval at the Annual General Meeting, Ms. Stubbs joins Nanalysis as a Director. The Company also announced that Guido Cloetens has stepped down as a director of the Company as he did not stand for re-election at the Meeting. The Board of Directors sincerely thanks Mr. Cloetens for his many valuable contributions to the Company during his time as a director and wishes him well in the future. Granted Funding Supporting AI Software Development for Detection of Illicit Substances: The Company is receiving advisory services and up to $1.45 million in non-repayable, non-dilutive funding from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP), to develop Artificial Intelligence based software tools to detect illicit substances on top of the Company's portable Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometers.

Outlook

"We feel that we have had a great first half of the year, and we plan on continuing this trajectory through the second half of the year," said Sean Krakiwsky, Founder and CEO of Nanalysis. " While we continue to implement our orderly cost reduction program, we are excited about the growth trajectory for BT NMR, MRI, and our Services business. We continue to make excellent operational improvements, which will continue to show gross margin expansion and ultimately bottom-line profitability. We will always be a company of technological innovation, with exciting product announcements expected this year."

Conference Call:

Investors interested in participating in the live full year call can dial 1-800-836-8184 or 289-819-1350 from abroad. Investors can also access the call online through a listen-only webcast here: https://app.webinar.net/nwZajZWGPNR or on the investor relations section of the Company's website HERE.

The webcast will be archived on the Company's investor relations webpage for at least 90 days and a telephonic playback will be available for seven days after the conference call by calling 1-888-660-6345 or 289-819-1450, conference ID # 89736.

Additionally, the Company will be hosting a Q&A session for its European investors at 8:30am ET tomorrow, Thursday, August 29th, which can be accessed by the following link: Join the meeting now .

Non-IFRS and Supplementary Financial Measures

The Company prepares and reports its consolidated financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, as adopted by the Canadian Accounting Standards Board ("IFRS"). However, this press release may make reference to certain non-IFRS measures including key performance indicators used by management. These measures are not recognized measures under IFRS and do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Rather, these measures are provided as additional information to complement those IFRS measures by providing further understanding of the Company's results of operations from management's perspective. Accordingly, these measures should not be considered in isolation nor as a substitute for analysis of the Company's financial information reported under IFRS.

The Company uses Flow-through parts revenue, Security service revenue, and Adjusted Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortization ("Adjusted EBITDA") as non-IFRS measures, which may be calculated differently by other companies. These non-IFRS measure are used to provide investors with a supplemental measure of the Company's operating performance and liquidity and thus highlight trends in the Company's business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on IFRS measures. The Company also believes that securities analysts, investors and other interested parties frequently use non-IFRS measures in the evaluation of companies in similar industries.





Three months ended June 30

($000's)

2024 2023 ($) Change

Security services revenue

5,265 2,162 3,103

Flow-through inventory revenue

807 877 (70)

Total Service Revenue

6,072 3,039 3,033













Security services costs

4,759 2,931 1,828

Flow-through inventory costs

807 877 (70)

Total Cost of Services

5,566 3,808 1,758







Three months ended June 30

($000's)

2024 2023 ($) Change

Net loss

(1,995) (4,054) 2,059

Business acquisition costs and contingent consideration loss (gain) 22 (26) 48

Depreciation and amortization expense

1,085 1,141 (56)

Finance expense

357 136 221

Stock-based compensation

388 287 101

Foreign exchange (gain) loss

(51) 74 (125)

Loss from associate

235 - 235

Impairment of associate receivable

200 - 200

Restructuring costs

179 355 (176)

Current income tax expense (recovery)

2 (67) 69

Deferred income tax recovery

(8) (245) 237

Adjusted EBITDA

414 (2,399) 2,813



Supplementary Financial Measures

The Company may also use supplementary financial measures which are intended to be disclosed on a periodic basis to depict the historical or expected future financial performance, cash position, or cash flow of the Company, are not a non-IFRS measure, and are not presented in the financial statements. The measures as discussed in this press release include:

Gross margin percentage, which is defined as either (Product sales less Cost of product sold) divided by Product sales or (Security service revenue less Cost of security services) divided by Security service revenue

About Nanalysis Scientific Corp. (TSXV: NSCI, OTCQX: NSCIF, FRA:1N1)

Nanalysis Scientific Corp. in operates two primary business segments: Scientific Equipment and Security Services. Within its Scientific Equipment business is what the Company terms "MRI and NMR for industry". The Company develops and manufactures portable Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometers or analyzers for laboratory and industrial markets. The NMReady-60 was the first full-feature portable NMR spectrometer in a single compact enclosure requiring no liquid helium or any other cryogens. The Company has followed-up that initial offering with new products and continues to have a strong innovation pipeline. In 2020, the Company announced the launch of its 100MHz device, the most powerful and most advanced compact NMR device ever brought to market.

The Company's devices are used in many industries (oil and gas, chemical, mining, pharma, biotech, flavor and fragrances, agrochemicals, law enforcement, and more) as well as numerous government and university research labs around the world. The Company continues to exploit new global market opportunities independently and with partners. With its partners, the Company provides scientific equipment sales and maintenance services globally.

In 2022 the Company was awarded a five-year, $160 million contract to provide maintenance services for passenger screening equipment in Canadian airports. This has resulted in expansion of the Company's Security Services business. The Company is providing airport security equipment maintenance services in each province and territory of Canada. In addition, the Company provides commercial security equipment installation and maintenance services to a variety of customers in North America.

Notice regarding Forward Looking Statements and Legal Disclaimer

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of such statements under applicable securities law. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "anticipates", "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed", "positioned" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this news release. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Nanalysis Scientific Corp.
GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- National Corporate Housing is proud to announce its 25th anniversary. For a quarter of a century, National Corporate Housing has been at the forefront of corporate furnished housing, delivering Surprisingly Superior Service and contributing to the growth and development of the temporary housing industry.

2024 Annual Leadership Conference

Founded by Thomas G. Atchison in 1999, National Corporate Housing has grown from a regional player to a globally recognized temporary housing provider. Throughout its journey, the company has remained dedicated to its core values of Company First, Driven to Success, People Matter, and Do the Right Thing, which has guided its success and shaped its identity.

Tom Atchison, CEO, expressed gratitude for the journey so far, saying, "As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, we reflect on the incredible journey that has brought us to where we are today. This milestone is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and passion of our team, the support of our partners, and the trust of our clients. We are excited about the future and committed to continuing our legacy of innovation and success."

Over the past 25 years, National Corporate Housing has achieved significant milestones, including expansion through both organic growth as well as acquisition into 23 US markets plus London, Dublin, Singapore, and the Philippines. National Corporate Housing has been recognized by numerous industry awards including the Cartus Excellent Platinum Award, the CHPA Tower of Excellence, and the Highest Net Satisfaction for Corporate Temporary Living Services in the Trippel Survey & Research. The company's commitment to excellence, customer satisfaction, and client-centric solutions has set it apart in the highly competitive temporary housing landscape.

Misty Gregarek, President & COO, says "Our team is the heart of our organization. Each individual's dedication, creativity, and spirit not only drive our success but also define who we are. I firmly believe that investing in our people is the most vital investment we can make. They are not just our greatest asset; they are our company. Our incredible team will continue to drive success as we look to the future of National."

National Corporate Housing looks forward to the next chapter of growth as it continues to lead the way in temporary housing. The company extends its appreciation to everyone who has been a part of its journey the past 25 years.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Heidi Hume, Vice President, Marketing

703-727-9124 | [email protected]

About National Corporate Housing: At National, we've been called a lot of things. Miracle workers. Magicians. But we just see ourselves as ordinary people, trying to make life and work easier for others. As leaders in the corporate housing industry, our passion comes from finding the perfect housing for you and your needs. With presence in all 50 states and more than 60 countries worldwide, National is the trusted furnished housing go-to resource for everyone ranging from business travelers, assignees to government travelers. Our focus is ensuring you are completely at home anywhere in the world.

SOURCE NATIONAL CORPORATE HOUSING
DALLAS, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NexBank, the largest privately held bank based in Texas, and NexPoint Philanthropies Dallas, Inc. ("NexPoint Philanthropies"), the philanthropic arm of NexPoint, an alternative investment firm based in Dallas, have partnered with Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity to address the need for sustainable and affordable housing in the community. Dallas Habitat received a $750,000 grant from NexBank and NexPoint Philanthropies to sponsor the construction of six new homes for families in the Dallas area.

The affordable housing grant supports Dallas Habitat's construction of two new single-family homes each year for the next three years. In addition, NexBank employees have committed to volunteering on the construction projects. The three- to four-bedroom homes will be built throughout Dallas County and the future homeowners will qualify through Dallas Habitat's homeowner requirements.

Since 2017, NexBank and Dallas Habitat have worked together to help low- and moderate-income families achieve home ownership. NexBank has supported Habitat through grants and sponsorships including covering the closing costs for Habitat's loans in their affordable housing program. In addition, NexBank has financed approximately $18.8 million new affordable homes for Habitat over the course of their partnership.

Ashley Brundage, Chief Executive Officer and President of Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity and Dallas Neighborhood Homes, said, "Dallas Habitat is dedicated to reshaping Dallas through the profound impact of affordable homeownership. By forging powerful public-private partnerships with NexBank and NexPoint, we are not just addressing povertywe are dismantling it and driving a transformative change in our community."

"NexBank believes every individual and family deserves access to affordable housing, and we are committed to providing the support needed to make a difference," said Sharon Lahr, Chief Compliance Officer of NexBank. "We thank Dallas Habitat for giving us the opportunity to partner with them and make this positive impact in our community."

Sharon Lahr is also a Dallas Habitat board member and Chairman of the Board of Dallas Habitat's mortgage company, Dallas Neighborhood Homes. "Our partnership continues to grow each year and we support the Dallas Habitat team in other ways including lending to help boost local affordable housing efforts."

# # #

Press Photo - Press have permission to view, download, and publish this photo of Sharon Lahr, Ashley Brundage, and Lauren Short (as shown, left to right). Please give photo credit to Bryant Varnell.

About NexBank

NexBank is the largest privately held bank based in Texas with assets of $15 billion and a charter that dates to 1922. NexBank provides institutional banking, commercial banking, and mortgage banking services to meet the needs of its clients, which include institutional clients, financial institutions, and corporations nationwide. NexBank is a subsidiary of NexBank Capital, Inc., a financial services company. Member FDIC | Equal Housing Lender | www.NexBank.com

About NexPoint Philanthropies Dallas, Inc.

NexPoint Philanthropies is comprised of corporate giving, employee matches, and a group of charitable entities that operate as supporting organizations to community foundations. They work in the local community to effect change across a number of issue areas, including education and research, youth and family, affordable housing, veterans and law enforcement, and equity and inclusion.

About Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity

Through affordable homeownership opportunities, financial education, advocacy, and neighborhood empowerment programs, Dallas Habitat transforms families, revitalizes neighborhoods, and is working together to build a better Dallas. Strategically bringing together public and private funding, community leadership and vision, and thousands of volunteers  we will break the cycle of poverty and transform our communities. In the last 20 years alone, Dallas Habitat has built or rehabbed homes for more than 1,300 low-income families using affordable homeownership as an anchor for hope, change, and stability. Since its inception in 1986, Habitat as invested nearly $200 million in more than 25 Dallas-area neighborhoods. Learn more at www.dallasareahabitat.org, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), or YouTube pages, or by following #dallashabitat.

NexBank contact:

Joanna Rotter

[email protected]

NexPoint Philanthropies contact:

Lucy Bannon

[email protected]

SOURCE NexBank
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has scheduled a public meeting to provide an update on the city's water situation. The meeting will take place at the Large City Hall on Wednesday, 28 August 2024, at 1 PM.In a statement released on the same day, Bulawayo Town Clerk Mr. Christopher Dube announced, "The City of Bulawayo would like to inform the public that a Water Situation Update Meeting will be held at the Large City Hall at 13:00 hours on Wednesday, 28 August 2024."Last Sunday, the city council implemented a citywide water supply shutdown, excluding the city center and industrial areas. The council has not yet provided details on when normal water supplies will resume.Two weeks ago, the BCC had issued a warning for residents to conserve water, noting that dam levels were projected to fall below the 21-month supply threshold if conservation measures were not adhered to.The city is currently facing a water-shedding schedule of 120 hours per week, with high-density areas receiving 350 liters per day and low-density suburbs receiving 550 liters per day. This rationing also affects industries and agricultural areas.
NEW YORK, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NMG Holding Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and The Neiman Marcus Group LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (together, the "Issuers"), today announced the early exchange results of the previously announced offer to exchange (the "Exchange Offer") any and all of the Issuers' outstanding 7.125% Senior Secured Notes due 2026 (the "Old Notes") held by Eligible Holders (as defined below) for newly issued 8.500% Senior Secured Notes due 2028 (the "Exchange Notes" and the issuance thereof, the "Exchange Notes Issuance") to be issued by the Issuers and guaranteed by existing and future wholly-owned domestic subsidiaries of the Issuers and cash, as set forth in, and upon the terms and subject to the conditions of, the confidential offering memorandum and consent solicitation statement, dated August 13, 2024 (as supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "Exchange Offering Memorandum").

As of 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on August 27, 2024 (the "Early Tender Date"), the Issuers received from Eligible Holders valid and unwithdrawn tenders and related Consents (as defined below), as reported by D.F. King & Co., Inc. (the "Exchange Agent"), representing $1,091,836,000 in aggregate principal amount of Old Notes, or approximately 99.3% of the aggregate principal amount of Old Notes outstanding, as further specified in the table below. As a result, the Minimum Participation Condition (as defined in the Exchange Offering Memorandum) has been satisfied.

Title of

Series of

Old Notes

CUSIP No. / ISIN(1)

Aggregate

Outstanding

Principal

Amount

Principal

Amount

Tendered by

Early Tender

Date

Early Exchange

Consideration, if validly

tendered and not validly

withdrawn at or prior to

the Early Tender Date(2) 7.125%

Senior

Secured Notes

due 2026

144A: 62929R AC2 /

US62929RAC25

Reg S: U7360R AB2 /

USU7360RAB25

$1,100,000,000

$1,091,836,000

$1,000 in principal amount

of Exchange Notes and

$2.51869328 in cash(3)(4)



















(1) No representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP numbers or ISINs listed in this press release, the Exchange Offering

Memorandum or printed on the Old Notes. Such CUSIP numbers and ISINs are provided solely for the convenience of the holders of Old

Notes. (2) For each $1,000 principal amount of Old Notes validly tendered and accepted for exchange, the Issuers will pay accrued and unpaid interest

in addition to the Early Exchange Consideration or Late Exchange Consideration (each as defined in the Exchange Offering Memorandum),

as applicable, to, but excluding, the settlement date for the Exchange Offer (the "Settlement Date"). Interest on the Exchange Notes will

accrue from the Settlement Date. No consideration will be paid for Consents in the Consent Solicitation (as defined below). The Early

Exchange Consideration and the Late Exchange Consideration, as applicable, will be paid on the Settlement Date. (3) For each $1,000 principal amount of Old Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) at or prior to the Early Tender Date and accepted

for exchange, Eligible Holders of Old Notes were eligible to receive an amount equal to $1,000 principal amount of Exchange Notes and an

amount of cash equal to the product of (x) $2.75 million divided by the aggregate principal amount of Old Notes validly tendered (and not

validly withdrawn) at or prior to the Early Tender Date and (y) 1,000. (4) The Old Notes will only be accepted for exchange by the Issuers in minimum principal amounts of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000

thereafter. The Issuers will not accept any tender of Old Notes that would result in the issuance of less than $2,000 principal amount of

Exchange Notes. The Exchange Notes will only be issued in minimum principal amounts of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1.00 in excess

thereof. If, under the terms of the Exchange Offer, a tendering holder is entitled to receive Exchange Notes in a principal amount that is not

an integral multiple of $1.00, the Issuers will round downward such principal amount of Exchange Notes to the nearest integral multiple of

$1.00. This rounded amount will be the principal amount of Exchange Notes that Eligible Holders will receive, and no additional cash will

be paid in lieu of any principal amount of Exchange Notes not received as a result of rounding down.

To the extent there are no additional tenders of Old Notes following the Early Tender Date, and all of the Old Notes validly tendered prior to the Early Tender Date are accepted for exchange in accordance with the terms of the Exchange Offer, the aggregate principal amount of Exchange Notes to be issued following consummation of the Exchange Offer will be $1,091,836,000.

In addition, as of the Early Tender Date, the Issuers received the requisite number of consents (the "Consents") in the concurrent consent solicitation (the "Consent Solicitation") from Eligible Holders of the Old Notes to adopt certain proposed amendments to the indenture governing the Old Notes, dated as of March 30, 2021 (as amended or supplemented from time to time, the "Old Notes Indenture"), to eliminate substantially all of the restrictive covenants and certain of the default provisions, modify covenants regarding mergers and consolidations, and modify or eliminate certain other provisions, including removing the requirement that the Issuers make an offer to repurchase the Old Notes if the Issuers experience certain change of control transactions, releasing the guarantees provided by the guarantors of the Old Notes and eliminating any requirement to provide guarantees in the future with respect to the Old Notes, as well as releasing the liens on all of the collateral securing the Old Notes and eliminating any requirement to provide collateral in the future with respect to the Old Notes (collectively, the "Proposed Amendments"). On August 27, 2024, the Issuers entered into a supplemental indenture with the trustee for the Old Notes and the guarantors party thereto to reflect the Proposed Amendments, but the Proposed Amendments will become operative only upon, and subject to, the consummation of the Exchange Offer on the Settlement Date.

As of 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on August 27, 2024, the right to withdraw tenders of Old Notes and related Consents expired. Accordingly, Old Notes tendered for exchange at or before such time may not be validly withdrawn and Consents may no longer be revoked, unless required by applicable law, or the Issuers determine in the future in their sole discretion to permit withdrawal and revocation rights.

The Exchange Offer and the Consent Solicitation will expire at 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on September 11, 2024, unless extended or terminated earlier (such time and date as it may be extended or terminated earlier, the "Expiration Date"). Subject to the tender and acceptance procedures described in the Exchange Offering Memorandum, Eligible Holders who validly tender Old Notes after the Early Tender Date but at or prior to the Expiration Date will receive the Late Exchange Consideration, which will be, for each $1,000 principal amount of Old Notes validly tendered after the Early Tender Date but at or prior to the Expiration Date and accepted for exchange, $950 principal amount of Exchange Notes. No consideration will be paid for Consents in the Consent Solicitation. Each participating Eligible Holder must validly tender all of the Old Notes it holds. Partial tenders of Old Notes will not be accepted.

The consummation of each of the Exchange Offer, the Consent Solicitation and the Exchange Notes Issuance is subject to, and conditioned upon, the satisfaction or, if permitted, waiver by the Issuers of, the Intercreditor Amendment Condition, the ABL Amendment Condition, the HBC Consent Condition, the Merger Condition and the General Conditions (each as defined in the Exchange Offering Memorandum). Subject to applicable law, the Issuers may amend, extend, terminate or withdraw the Exchange Offer and/or Consent Solicitation without amending, extending, terminating or withdrawing the other, at any time and for any reason, including if any of the conditions set forth under "Conditions of the Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation" in the Exchange Offering Memorandum with respect to the Exchange Offer are not satisfied as determined by the Issuers in their sole discretion.

The Exchange Notes and the offering thereof have not been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or any state or foreign securities laws. The Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation will only be made, and the Exchange Notes are only being offered and issued, to holders of Old Notes that are (a) reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act or (b) non-U.S. persons, in transactions outside the United States, in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act (such holders, the "Eligible Holders"). Only Eligible Holders are authorized to receive or review the Exchange Offering Memorandum or to participate in the Exchange Offer. Copies of all the documents relating to the Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation may be obtained from the Exchange Agent, subject to confirmation of eligibility through online procedures established by the Exchange Agent, available at: www.dfking.com/NMG. There will be no letter of transmittal for the Exchange Offer.

Eligible Holders of the Old Notes are urged to carefully read the entire Exchange Offering Memorandum, including the information presented under "Risk Factors" and "Forward-Looking Statements" before making any decision with respect to the Exchange Notes Issuance, the Exchange Offer or the Consent Solicitation. None of the Issuers, their subsidiaries, the Exchange Agent, the Dealer Managers (as defined in the Exchange Offering Memorandum), the applicable trustees under the indentures governing the Old Notes and the Exchange Notes, the applicable collateral agents under the indentures governing the Old Notes and the Exchange Notes, or any of their respective affiliates, makes any recommendation as to whether holders of Old Notes should participate in the Exchange Notes Issuance, tender their Old Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer or deliver Consents pursuant to the Consent Solicitation. Each Eligible Holder must make its own decision as to whether to participate in the Exchange Notes Issuance and whether to tender its Old Notes and to deliver Consents and, if so, the principal amount of Old Notes as to which action is to be taken.

D.F. King & Co., Inc. has been appointed as the exchange agent and information agent for the Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation. Questions concerning the Exchange Offer and the Consent Solicitation may be directed to the Dealer Managers or the Exchange Agent, in accordance with the contact details shown on the back cover of the Exchange Offering Memorandum.

About the Issuers

The Issuers are subsidiaries of NMG Parent LLC, the parent company of leading U.S. multi-brand luxury retailers Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. The company successfully transformed itself into a profitable luxury relationship business by Revolutionizing Luxury Experiences for customers, brand partners, communities, and associates. Its differentiated business model is anchored around integrated retail, an expertly curated product assortment, and a sales-assisted approach. The company's culture of Belonging, powered by its approximately 10,000 associates, celebrates the individual talents that form its collective strength.

No Offer or Solicitation

This press release is not intended to and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for or buy or an invitation to purchase or subscribe for any securities or the solicitation of any vote, consent or approval in any jurisdiction in connection with the Exchange Notes Issuance, the Exchange Offer and the Consent Solicitation, or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. In particular, this communication is not an offer of securities for sale into the United States. No offer of securities shall be made in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act or pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, such registration requirements.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made herein may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including any statements regarding the consummation of the Exchange Offer and the Consent Solicitation. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements. In many cases, forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "plan," "predict," "expect," "estimate," "intend," "would," "will," "could," "should," "anticipate," "believe," "project" or "continue" or the negative thereof or other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release reflect our views as of the date of this press release and are based on our expectations and beliefs concerning future events, as well as currently available data as of the date of this press release. While we believe there is a reasonable basis for our forward-looking statements, they involve a number of risks, uncertainties, assumptions and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement, including, but not limited to, the adverse impact of failing to consummate the Exchange Offer and the Consent Solicitation and the risk that an insufficient number of Eligible Holders participate in the Exchange Offer and tender their Old Notes. Therefore, these statements are not guarantees of future events, results, performance or achievements and you should not rely on them.

All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based on information available to the Issuers as of the date on which such statements were made and the Issuers assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after such statements are made, except as required by law.

For questions concerning the Exchange Offer and the Consent Solicitation, please visit www.dfking.com/NMG or contact the Exchange Agent via email at [email protected], with a reference to "NMG" in the subject line, or by phone at (212) 269-5550 (banks and brokers) or (800) 848-3051 (toll-free).

SOURCE Neiman Marcus Group
Finally: A System That Is Far More Cost-Effective Than Our Public Courts

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Legal experts agree: The public court system and conventional arbitration are far too costly and much too slow. The risk of an improper outcome is far too high. The benefit that can be achieved from litigating a dispute to a final verdict is rarely worth the excessive cost, delay and risk that are required, leading to widespread public dissatisfaction with our civil justice system.

To solve those problems, the nonprofit IntelligentJustice.org is now advancing an innovative new system that provides a more expertly analyzed, enforceable decision, properly resolving any legal dispute in less than half the time, and at less than half the cost, of litigating that same dispute in court. The Intelligent Justice "Comprehensive Adjudication" solution is simple, but it effectively eliminates the colossal inefficiency of traditional litigation.

Join the founder of Intelligent Justice, trial lawyer Richard Grossman, for a discussion about how his nonprofit's innovative dispute resolution system works at a public forum on Thursday, September 5, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. Pacific.

Participate in person at the Belvedere Tiburon Library, 1501 Tiburon Blvd., Tiburon, CA or electronically via the ZOOM link below: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87394853883?pwd=uNYuAdCPFatriXTnEj7bLW2F7sT7zQ.1

Instead of legal adversaries each paying separate sets of lawyers to research the same legal authorities, review the same documents, analyze the same evidence, and examine the same witnesses, they split the cost of a single neutral "Adjudicator" to efficiently find the relevant law and evidence  and quickly decide which party legally deserves to prevail. The Adjudicator is jointly selected from a list of distinguished lawyer candidates with expertise in the relevant field of law. The chosen Adjudicator vigorously searches for all the law and evidence supporting the claimant and, just as vigorously, searches for all the law and evidence supporting the defendant  because the Adjudicator does not represent either party. The neutral Adjudicator's sole objective is to properly decide the case.

The Adjudication "trial" begins immediately with the Adjudicator's prompt review of the evidence and examination of the relevant witnesses under oath. There is no need to present that evidence and testimony again and again to a public court judge in substantive court motions or to a jury at an expensive trial several years down the road. And all the wasteful procedural motions and tactics  that have little to do with the substance of the dispute  are eliminated from the process. The parties obtain a just outcome in a fraction of the time, and at a fraction of the cost, required for a public court trial or conventional arbitration proceeding. More information about Comprehensive Adjudication can be found at IntelligentJustice.org , or CASESresolved.com , or ComprehensiveAdjudication.com .

SOURCE Intelligent Justice
New funding accelerates AI-powered platform to help bridge the gap in government acquisition for emerging technologies

BOSTON, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pryzm officially launched today to make it easier and faster than ever for technology companies to accelerate government contract capture with the help of AI. At the same time, it announced its $2 million funding round co-led by top defense tech investor XYZ Venture Capital  an early backer of Anduril  and Amplify.LA , with participation from First In and strategic individuals enthusiastic about Pryzm's mission to disrupt public sector procurement.

Today's government contracting toolkit is often reactive. Contractors either burn all their time exploring opportunities that come to them (many of which aren't relevant), or tackling a fragmented, opaque process to get in front of the right government buyers without all the information they need. Pryzm, by comparison, takes a more proactive approach by delivering targeted, holistic data to drive users' efforts to capture government business.

"The Pryzm team could not be more perfect to solve this problem  all their experience gives them a massive lead over any potential competitor," says Ross Fubini, Managing Partner at XYZ Venture Capital. "They understand the needs here at such a detailed level, it's no wonder they've already attracted many of the biggest name contractors who want to stay on the cutting edge."

The Pryzm team is uniquely positioned to tackle these challenges because of their experience in both the worlds of public sector procurement and acquisition, as well as big data and artificial intelligence. Their deep industry knowledge was built in prior roles at Lockheed Martin, Palantir, Veridion, and Tesla, and is complemented by technical expertise that has resulted in significant market traction. Already, Pryzm has partnerships with notable companies such as Forterra, AFRL's Griffiss Institute, and Decisive Point, among others.

"Pryzm provides targeted intel at exactly the right time, along with the tools to operationalize it into real world actions." says Pat Acox, Vice President of Defense Growth at Forterra, a Pryzm customer. "Data at the right time and place is what wins, and Pryzm excels at delivering that value to our team."

This summer's infusion of capital is accelerating Pryzm's development and expansion, enabling the company to continue growing the product's functionality while reaching more companies that can serve the federal government. Ultimately, such support bolsters Pryzm's mission to make government contracting more accessible, transparent, and efficient, helping the best companies unlock their potential in the public sector.

"With Pryzm, we're building the toolset we want ourselves as government contractors: proactive, rather than reactive, and designed for the nonlinear way that you actually win business." says Nick LaRovere , co-founder and CEO of Pryzm. "We lean into simplifying what was once complex  connecting disparate information into one cohesive picture, specifically tailored towards your business."

About Pryzm Dynamics Inc.

Founded by alumni of Palantir and Lockheed Martin, Pryzm is a leader in enabling technology companies to 'connect the dots' of complex public sector business development. The company provides its customers unparalleled access to the tools, data, and context required to proactively navigate the intricacies of government contracting.

More information is available at www.pryzm.io

SOURCE Pryzm Dynamics Inc.
Popular Southern California gateway experiencing greater demand with added flights to popular destinations over summer

ONTARIO, Calif., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The summer travel rush at Ontario International Airport (ONT) will conclude over Labor Day weekend with passenger volume up 11% over the same long holiday weekend last year, officials announced. The expected increase exceeds the Transportation Security Administration's prediction of an 8.5% increase nationwide.

Based on current schedules, airlines are offering more than 130,000 seats on arriving and departing flights between Thursday, August 29, and Monday, September 2, with more than 105,000 passengers traveling through ONT.

Southern California's Ontario International Airport is forecasting a strong year-over-year increase in Labor Day weekend travel.

The busiest travel day at ONT is expected to be Labor Day Monday, September 2, with some 23,500 passengers.

"As this summer illustrates once again, Ontario International has become the airport of choice for millions of Southern Californians who are drawn to us by our convenience, routes and a travel experience they won't get anywhere else," said Alan D. Wapner, president of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) Board of Commissioners.

Said Atif Elkadi, OIAA chief executive officer, "We have enjoyed a great run of summer travel and we expect to end it on a strong note. We forecast 2.1 million passengers for summer travel beginning Memorial Day weekend and we anticipate our Labor Day weekend passenger count will help us reach our mark."

Labor Day

Wknd 2024 Estimated

Passengers Versus

2023 Total

Seats Versus

2023

105,395 11 % 130,413 7.4 %

About Ontario International Airport

Ontario International Airport (ONT) is California's most popular airport, according to J.D. Power's most recent North America Airport Satisfaction Study. Located in the Inland Empire, ONT is approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in the center of Southern California. It is a full-service airport which offers nonstop commercial jet service to two dozen major airports in the U.S., Mexico, Central America and Taiwan. More information is available at www.flyOntario.com. Follow @flyONT on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram

About the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA):

The OIAA was formed in August 2012 by a Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Ontario and the County of San Bernardino to provide overall direction for the management, operations, development and marketing of ONT for the benefit of the Southern California economy and the residents of the airport's four-county catchment area. OIAA leaders include Ontario City Council Member Alan D. Wapner (President), San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman (Vice President), Ontario City Council Member Jim W. Bowman (Secretary), Retired Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge (Treasurer) and retired business executive Julia Gouw (Commissioner).

OIAA Media Contact:

Steve Lambert, (909) 841-7527 [email protected]

SOURCE Ontario International Airport
Funds managed by the Investor Group to receive shares of Pluralsight

Investment of new capital provides assurance of continuity to customers and partners and supports acceleration of growth initiatives

SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pluralsight (the "Company"), the technology workforce development company, today announced an agreement to recapitalize its business with a group of existing lenders led by funds managed by Blue Owl Capital Inc. and including funds managed by Ares Management Corp., Goldman Sachs Asset Management and by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P., among others (collectively, the "Investor Group").

Under the terms of the agreement, the Investor Group will own 100% of the company. The recapitalization will strengthen Pluralsight's balance sheet, significantly reduce outstanding debt, and provide over $200 million of capital to accelerate growth initiatives and support long-term strategic goals.

The completion of the recapitalization and additional investment provides the resources needed to deliver for customers and execute the Company's updated customer centric strategy to accelerate growth.

"We are pleased to have reached an agreement that supports Pluralsight's growth plans. The most recent quarters' improved customer retention and new bookings performance highlight that the team is well positioned to execute on the significant and growing, global eLearning market opportunity," said Erik Bissonnette, Managing Director, Blue Owl Capital Inc.

"Thanks to innovations across artificial intelligence, technology is evolving at an unprecedented pace, making the need to acquire and grow tech skills imperative for organizations and individuals," said Jeff Ray, Chairman of the Board of Pluralsight. "Pluralsight is uniquely positioned to address this need with expert-authored content, skill assessments and hands-on learning experiences. I look forward to working with the team to accelerate progress on our growth strategy and deliver on our mission to inspire and empower the technology workforce to achieve their goals."

About Pluralsight

Pluralsight provides the only learning platform dedicated to accelerating the technology skills and capabilities of today's tech workforce. Thousands of companies, government organizations, and individuals around the world rely on Pluralsight Skills to support critical technology skill development in areas that are crucial to innovation including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity, software development, and machine learning. Pluralsight Skills provides highly curated content developed by vetted technology experts, industry leading skill assessments, and hands on, immersive learning experiences designed to help individuals skill-up faster. The company is headquartered in Draper, Utah with worldwide offices in India, Ireland, and Australia. For more information, visit pluralsight.com.

Media Contacts

Cheryl Minella, Vice President, Communications

[email protected]

Dan Gagnier

Gagnier Communications

646-569-5897

[email protected]

SOURCE Pluralsight
FORT WORTH, Texas, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) presented Poland's first F-35A Lightning II to the Polish government during a rollout ceremony at Lockheed Martin's F-35 production facility. This event marks a significant milestone in the Polish Air Force's history and strengthens the alliance between the United States and Poland, a key NATO ally.

Poland's First F-35

"Over more than 100-years of the Polish Air Force, there have been many generations of pilots and aircraft. I am proud to be part of history today, introducing the F-35 as the next generation, which will protect and defend Poland's future for many years. We are joining a strong coalition of 5th generation fighters across Europe, bolstering air superiority through allied deterrence," said Major General Ireneusz Nowak, Inspector of Polish Air Force.

As the most advanced 21st Century Security solution, the F-35 is the NATO aircraft of choice and will help extend Poland's strong leadership in NATO through investment in military modernization and enhanced participation in foreign missions. Poland is one of several NATO nations to invest in the allied deterrence of the F-35. With its unmatched interoperability, Poland's F-35s, named "Husarz" to pay homage to a calvary unit from the country's military past, will connect assets across domains to increase situational awareness for Poland and its key European partners.

"As the NATO aircraft of choice, the F-35 is a powerful force multiplier and critical to deterring and defeating threats for Poland and its allies," said Greg Ulmer, president, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. "We are honored to strengthen our enduring partnership with Poland through today's celebration, ensuring Polish national security and long-term capability development for decades to come."

Senior government and military leaders from Poland and the United States attended the ceremony to celebrate Poland's first of 32 F-35As per its program of record. The first aircraft, designated AZ-01, will be delivered to the Polish Air Force in December and will be based at Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Arkansas, where Poland will be the first international customer to conduct F-35 pilot training.

F-35s are now operating from 32 bases worldwide. To date, Lockheed Martin has delivered more than 1,000 F-35s, trained more than 2,540 pilots and 16,690 maintainers, and the F-35 fleet has surpassed 889,000 cumulative flight hours. Lockheed Martin continues to work side by side with F-35 operators to ensure allies remain ahead of the evolving threat.

About Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin is a global defense technology company driving innovation and advancing scientific discovery. Our all-domain mission solutions and 21st Century Security vision accelerate the delivery of transformative technologies to ensure those we serve always stay ahead of ready. More information at Lockheedmartin.com.

Please follow @LMNews on X for the latest announcements and news across the corporation.

SOURCE Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Following is a statement from National Press Club President Emily Wilkins on the death of Reuters safety adviser Ryan Evans while on assignment in Ukraine.

Our hearts go out to the family of Ryan Evans who died when a Russia rocket struck the hotel where he was staying with Reuters personnel in Ukraine. Two Reuters journalists were badly injured in the blast as well, and we are hoping for a quick and full recovery.

Covering war is an extremely dangerous business and journalists like this Reuters team do so with courage but also they take every precaution to stay safe so they can bring us the story.

Professionals like Ryan Evans are a vital part of the planning required for journalists to safely function in dangerous areas and deliver important information. During his distinguished career he kept Reuters teams safe in war zones and most recently secure at the Olympics. We know his colleagues will miss him and all he has done to keep them safe. People like Ryan make journalism possible in today's world.

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists. With more than 3,000 members representing nearly every major news organization, the Club is a leading voice for press freedom in the U.S. and worldwide.

Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534 for the National Press Club

SOURCE National Press Club
Over the last decade, Propel has put more than $500 million into the pockets of low-income Americans. Now with a rebranded app, it will build new technology to modernize the safety net, funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

BROOKLYN, N.Y., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Propel, the leading consumer technology company focused on low-income Americans, is celebrating its 10th anniversary by introducing new technology to accelerate its vision: helping every American make it through the month with dignity and abundance. Among its new initiatives, Propel is building AI-powered tools to improve navigation of the safety net through a grant funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The daily act of navigating the safety net  i.e. government programs, such as SNAP (formerly known as food stamps), designed to provide support in a time of need  is cumbersome. Before Propel, the 41 million people in the U.S. who receive SNAP benefits on EBT cards typically checked their balances by calling a 1-800 number. Propel revolutionized this process by launching America's first free, nationwide mobile app for checking EBT balances. Over the last 10 years, Propel has enabled 15 million people to check their EBT balances a remarkable 5.5 billion times.

Funded by a $3.5 million grant from the Gates Foundation, Propel is now prototyping and scaling new AI-powered technologies to continue modernizing the safety net. With its dedicated focus on low-income Americans who use the safety net, Propel has become the most widely used mobile app for this demographic, trusted by more than 5 million households each month. That makes Propel the ideal platform to provide answers to questions about public benefitsanswers that were once buried in hundred-page PDFs are now accessible and intuitive through Propel's data, reach, and AI.

In addition to building new AI-powered tools, Propel is also launching several new security features that make its app the most secure way to manage EBT benefits. In original research conducted by Propel, theft of SNAP benefits has become increasingly prominent, with 87% of EBT cardholders actively seeking ways to protect their benefits. Propel is the first in the market to offer suspicious transaction monitoring, which automatically scans and flags transactions that reflect an elevated risk of fraud. In select states, users will also be able to lock their cards and block out-of-state transactions.

"Protecting people from benefits theft requires a cross-sector collaborative approach. Propel is a trusted source for millions of EBT cardholders by providing additional tools and information to promote card security," said Reggie Bicha, President & CEO of the American Public Human Services Association.

"Over its 10 years, Propel has been a clear example that business leaders can develop products for low-income Americans that support, not obstruct, people's financial security," said Ida Rademacher, Vice President of the Aspen Institute and Co-Executive Director of the Financial Security Program. "I look forward to many more years of Propel innovating on how to serve people's financial security and its continued leadership in the field."

Alongside these changes, Propel is renaming its flagship app from 'Providers' to 'Propel'. Unifying its company and product names aims to increase clarity and transparency for both Propel's millions of active users and its partners.

Propel was founded in August 2014 by Jimmy Chen, Ram Mehta, and Jeff Kaiser through Blue Ridge Labs @ Robin Hood Foundation, a nonprofit fellowship program that enables tech entrepreneurs to launch new poverty-fighting technology ventures. The program prioritizes individuals with lived experiences of poverty, ensuring that the solutions built are tailored to address real problems faced by the community.

About Propel

Propel builds modern, respectful, and effective technology that helps low-income Americans improve their financial lives. The free Propel app is used by over 5 million Americans across the country each month to manage their food stamp (SNAP) benefits and money. A Harvard study showed that using Propel helped stretch food stamps by an average of two days per month. Propel is a mission-driven for-profit company, with support from investors like Andreessen Horowitz, Nyca Partners, Kleiner Perkins, JPMorganChase, Kevin Durant, and Serena Williams. Propel has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and WIRED Magazine. To learn more, visit propel.app.

Propel measures its impact in a number of ways:

Over 5 million people use the Propel each app month. Over the history of the company, over 15 million people have used Propel's products.

Propel has helped its users put over $500 million back into their pockets - by helping people save money on everyday expenses, avoid fees, and receive cash grants and government benefits.

back into their pockets - by helping people save money on everyday expenses, avoid fees, and receive cash grants and government benefits. Propel's users have submitted 2.8 million job applications from roles they found through Propel.

Propel's users have deposited over $1.4 billion onto the Providers Card, a no-monthly-fee debit card built specifically for people who use the safety net.

onto the Providers Card, a no-monthly-fee debit card built specifically for people who use the safety net. Prior to the Propel app, most people with EBT cards called a 1-800 number to check their balance. By using the Propel app instead, Propel's users save about 30 seconds each time they check their balance. Propel's 5 million users save a collective 923 years of time every year through the app. Saving time for low-income families is an underappreciated way to provide more slack and respect for families dealing with financial hardship.

CONTACT: [email protected]

SOURCE Propel
CTA and CES Introduce New Brand Mark and Website

ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) and CES are launching a shared brand identity. Also, CES.tech is transforming with a completely new design, offering an enhanced user experience.

"Today marks a significant milestone in the journey of CTA and CES as we unveil our new brand mark and CES website," said Gary Shapiro, CEO, CTA. "This transformation is more than just a visual update; it represents the intersection of technology and humanity, where innovation solves some of our biggest challenges. It comes at a pivotal moment in our historyCTA's 100th anniversary and a time of unprecedented momentum for CTA, CES, and the industry we support and represent."

CTA and CES Introduce New Brand Mark and Website Post this

Embodying the connection between technology and humanity, while paying homage to our roots, the new logos unify the brands and the power behind them. The intersecting elements symbolize our industry's connections with society, creating a sphere to envision a world where technology seamlessly integrates with our lives to make it a better place. The space between the intersecting elements symbolizes the profound, yet often invisible, relationship of technology and humanitya bond that CTA and CES have championed for decades.

CTA partnered with premier global brand consultants Triptk and Area 17 on the logo and website redesign. View the new logo on the refreshed CES website here.

"Technology is always transformingand so must our perspective, our approach, and our vision for the future," said Kinsey Fabrizio, president, CTA. "The launch of the redesigned and enhanced CES.techa new hub for tech innovation, is a testament to our commitment to representing the tech industry and producing the most powerful tech show in the world. We are excited to see the new brand come to life in Las Vegas this January."

Igniting Innovation since 1924, CTA plays a leading role as an advocate for the technology industry and a catalyst for innovation. As the global platform defining our future, the CES 2024 footprint and conference programming spanned the entire tech ecosystem. View the new brand by visiting CES.tech. And don't miss changes coming to CTA.tech in 2025.

CES 2025 will return to Las Vegas from January 7-10, 2025, showcasing the power of technology for a brighter future.

About Consumer Technology Association (CTA):

As North America's largest technology trade association, CTA is the tech sector. Our members are the world's leading innovators  from startups to global brands  helping support more than 18 million American jobs. CTA owns and produces CES  the most powerful tech event in the world. Find us at CTA.tech. Follow us @CTAtech.

About CES:

CES is the most powerful tech event in the world  the proving ground for breakthrough technologies and global innovators. This is where the world's biggest brands do business and meet new partners, and the sharpest innovators hit the stage. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), CES features every aspect of the tech sector. CES 2025 takes place Jan. 7-10, 2025, in Las Vegas. Learn more at CES.tech and follow CES on social.

SOURCE Consumer Technology Association
COLLEGE PARK, Md., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Flat hierarchies have increasingly taken effect in businessesespecially among small and-or tech-focused businesses. Departing from the traditional hierarchical structure, the "flat" model reduces formal supervision in ways that are often assumed to foster egalitarianism and collaboration among employees.

While previous research and media reporting have examined the propensity for flat hierarchies to boost innovation, as well as employee autonomy and satisfaction, new findings show a "hidden cost" from flatter hierarchies: They may reduce gender diversity.

"Firms that tout flatter hierarchies attract a lower share of applicants that are women," says Assistant Professor of Management and Organization Reuben Hurst at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business and co-author of "The effect of flatter hierarchy on applicant pool gender diversity: Evidence from experiments," in Strategic Management Journal.

This relative aversion seems related to the fact that, compared to men, "women perceive flatter structures to (1) offer less opportunity for career advancement, (2) burden them with more work, and (3) be more difficult to fit into," write Hurst and co-authors Saerom (Ronnie) Lee of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and Justin Frake of the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business.

To examine how job seekers react to a flat hierarchy, they partnered with a US healthcare startup, which gave them permission to help recruit a software engineer and a business development representative. They sent emails to prospective applicants in which they randomized whether the company was characterized as having a flatter hierarchy. They found that characterizing the firm's organizational structure as "flatter" reduced the proportion of interested women job seekers by 14% and lowered the share of women applicants by 28%.

A follow-up survey of about 8,500 subjects showed the relative aversion by women "corresponded to perceptions of less opportunity for career progression, becoming saddled with a disproportionately heavier workload (including extra tasks, e.g., cleaning, note-taking, food delivery) and being more difficult to fit into."

The authors acknowledge both men and women may perceive and be repelled by flatter employers providing fewer promotional opportunities, resulting in more intense competition and conflict. However, "this perception may be stronger among women," they write.

And "more generally, women may be disproportionately disinclined to apply to flatter employers if they perceive these structures as having less managerial oversight and cultivating informal 'bro cultures' that marginalize women."

The perceptions stem, say the authors, from the propensity for people to surround themselves with like-mindedand like-culturedindividuals, creating echo chambers and consolidating power in in-groups. "This almost always puts women and minorities at a disadvantage."

Hurst says, "Organizations looking to increase their representation of women and foster an inclusive work environment shouldn't, necessarily, create more layers in their hierarchy." Instead, he adds, "These companies should address the perceived challenges and underlying issues associated with flatter structures to mitigate biases and inequalities that can deter women."

About the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business

The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and flex MBA, executive MBA, online MBA, business master's, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.

Contact: Greg Muraski, [email protected]

SOURCE University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business
News / National

by Staff reporter

CCC spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi has exposed that Freeman Chari was given freebies to lie on Zimbabwe's 2023 Presidential election results.Chari, a US-based software engineer and long-time opposition activist, had claimed to have collated results from 84% of the V11 forms (the official vote tallying forms) and asserted that President Emmerson Mnangagwa won the election by well over 50%.In a statement released on Friday, August 23, 2024 - exactly one year after the polls - Chari said his team had "done the best we could to collate results" and that citizens had "amazingly" sent in V11 forms from their polling stations.He stated that within the first two days, they had collated about 75% of the polling stations, eventually reaching 10,250 stations, representing around 84% of all polling stations used. Said Chari:"We did the best we could to collate results. And citizens did amazingly great by sending us the V11s from their polling stations."Within the first 2 days, we had collated about 75% of the polling stations. We eventually were able to collate 10 250 polling stations in which we could verify their results."These represent about 84% of all polling stations used. We did receive a lot of results from other polling stations which we could not authenticate or verify"We got a lot of dubious results from Mashonaland East, Central and West. Those polling stations have been excluded."However, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mkhwananzi strongly dismissed Chari's election results."Freeboy was given freebies to lie."Chari admits Pachedu and other groups knew that Chamisa had lost the polls but kept this from his supporters because they were afraid of being seen as endorsing what he called "sham elections".They withheld this information hoping to encourage the opposition to boycott council and Parliament."We hoped CCC (Citizens Coalition for Change) would reject the whole election in toto. Unfortunately, some decided to go to Parliament and councils," Chari wrote.Ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections, opposition activists going by the name Team Pachedu claimed to have developed an app called Mandla, which they said was able to tabulate election results.They also claimed the app allowed CCC supporters to check their correct polling stations, as well as the opposition party's bona fide candidates.In an apparent dig at CCC supporters, Chari wrote on his X handle that, now that he had released their "tabulated results", he expected honest conversations and not unfounded claims of victory.
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- REsides, Inc. an independent and borderless MLS with a unique equity-ownership model, announced today the appointment of William Long as Vice President of Business Development. In this role, Long will leverage his extensive experience in business development and sales to drive growth, expand market share, and strengthen relationships with key real estate industry stakeholders across the US. He will focus on creating impactful client partnerships and implementing strategic initiatives that align with REsides' commitment to innovation and customer success.

Long brings a decade of expertise in the real estate industry, having cultivated relationships and driven revenue growth in multiple roles. "His ability to build a client base from the ground up while executing strategic sales initiatives will lead to significant territory expansion and revenue generation," says Colette Stevenson, CEO, REsides. Long is well-versed in key account management, territory management, and B2B sales, making him a valuable addition to the REsides team.

Most recently, Long served as Vice President of Sales at Embark in Dallas, TX, where he identified new business opportunities and managed relationships with potential clients as well as C-level executives. His outreach and market analysis efforts contributed to the firm's lead generation and client base expansion. Prior to that, Long held the position of Vice President of Business Development at Realtracs in Brentwood, TN, where he launched expansion efforts into four separate territories, onboarding clients in each area. He was key in developing the company's sales division and implementing a statewide MLS pipeline in Tennessee.

"We are excited to welcome Will to the team to provide the conduit for Brokers to gain a competitive advantage by partnering with REsides," said Colette Stevenson, CEO at REsides.

"Joining REsides is an incredible opportunity to be part of an organization that prioritizes innovation and Broker success," said Long. "The REsides platform is spearheading a cutting-edge business model for Multiple Listing Services, and I am eager to contribute to its continued growth by expanding its market presence throughout the US and provide an avenue for Brokers to develop strategies that include the MLS. As we navigate through the constantly evolving real estate environment, my goal is to ensure that our clients not only succeed but thrive with the support of REsides' robust tools and resources."

About REsides: REsides is an independent, National MLS with a unique equity-ownership model. REsides puts the power of listing data back in the hands of brokers. Headquartered on Hilton Head Island, SC, REsides is ranked in the top 25% of residential real estate MLSs in the United States. For more information, visit joinresides.com.

SOURCE REsides
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) Foundation has awarded a $22,000 grant to Kyiv School of Development (KSD), the school of professional real estate development, to train at least 100 reconstruction specialists to help rebuild Ukraine.

SIOR is the leading global association for real estate brokers and the SIOR Foundation is made up of real estate leaders from within the organisation, with a purpose to give back to the sector by supporting initiatives that Educate, Enhance, and Expand the commercial real estate community. It promotes best practices, responsible and sustainable development, and helps educate the next generation.

KSD, in the city centre of Kyiv, is a school focused on real estate development and construction management. Since 2017, more than 450 managers, owners of real estate development and construction companies, project managers, architects and other market specialists have graduated from this educational institution. Kyiv School of Development seeks to form an active community to change the rules of the market, as well as to educate specialists with the world standard values who create modern and progressive development projects. A new 'Recovery Manager' programme has now been developed by KSD to train property professionals in the reconstruction of Ukraine, regenerating towns and villages damaged by the Russian aggression against Ukraine. Funded by the SIOR Foundation, it will provide free of charge training for at least 100 reconstruction specialists.

Iain Finnegan SIOR, FSCI, FRICS, President of the European Chapter and Managing Director of Dublin-based Chartered Surveyors firm Finnegan Menton, said: "The European Chapter applied to the SIOR Foundation for this grant to enable the 'Recovery Manager' programme to be established and benefit not just the 100 people who will enter the real estate profession by undertaking the course, but also the Ukraine as a whole. With the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2024) recently held in Germany focused on a whole society approach and bringing together stakeholders to facilitate recovery, we want to play our part, bringing our experience for the benefit of Ukraine."

Matthew Leguen de Lacroix, SIOR, FRICS, as Head of Business Development at SIOR, who visited Ukraine and the school last year, said: "Having seen first-hand the devastation of towns and cities across Ukraine as a result of war, teaching the younger generation the skills to rebuild will be essential. We are pleased to support this educational programme."

About SIOR Foundation

SIOR Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) notforprofit organization that solicits and accepts charitable contributions, which are tax deductible for income estate and gifttax purposes. Established in 1962 as the Society of Industrial REALTORS Educational Fund (SIREF), the organization's original purpose was to publish the industry's first graduate-level textbook on industrial real estate. When the Society was expanded to Society of Industrial and Office REALTORS in 1985, the Fund became the SIOREF. In 2006, the SIOREF broadened its scope to provide future support to SIOR members and communities. At that time, it also adopted a new mission and changed its name to the SIOR Foundation. The Foundation continues to develop and promote educational initiatives, as well as working to enhance and expand the commercial real estate community in a variety of ways.

For more information

Vasu Guigan

Senior Consultant

Holistic

[email protected]

SOURCE SIOR Foundation
"We're bringing back this popular promotion to give our Rapid Rewards Members an extra boost to reach our coveted A-List and A-List Preferred tier status faster, so they can take advantage of all the benefits that our Rapid Rewards program has to offer, such as earlier boarding, boosted points, free same-day standby,2 and same-day change,3" said Jonathan Clarkson, Vice President & Chief Product Officer at Southwest Airlines. "A-List Preferred Members can enjoy all the same benefits plus free WiFi,4 and premium drinks.5"

Earn Double Tier Qualifying Points on Flights

Southwest Rapid Rewards Members who register for this promotion, purchase Southwest qualifying flights, and travel through Nov. 30, 2024, can earn double tier qualifying points that count toward A-List or A-List Preferred tier status for the remainder of 2024 and through Dec. 31, 2025.6 Southwest Business travelers also benefit by booking through Southwest Business channels (SWABIZ.com, GDS, or SPS) for the individual traveler to earn three times the tier qualifying points per flight for travel through Nov. 30, 2024.6

Reward Travel Counts

Southwest Airlines makes travel even more rewarding by applying reward travel toward tier status segment requirements. Every one-way qualifying flight segment purchased and traveled using Rapid Rewards points or Rapid Rewards Business points counts as one tier qualifying flight segment when Customers register for this promotion, purchase Southwest qualifying flights, and travel through Nov. 30, 2024.7

Earn with Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Cards from Chase

Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers who register for this promotion can earn their way to tier status faster with credit card spending. From Sept. 1, 2024, through Nov. 30, 2024, Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Cardmembers can earn 2,000 tier qualifying points for every $5,000 in purchases made with their Rapid Rewards Priority, Premier, and Plus Consumer Credit Cards, as well as Premier, Plus, and Performance Business Credit Cards from Chase. These tier qualifying points are in addition to current tier qualifying points that Cardmembers already earn.8

New! Earn with Rapid Rewards Partners

For the first time, Members can earn their way to tier status with qualifying purchases made with Rapid Rewards car rentals, hotel bookings, and other select Rapid Rewards partners. Every base point earned on qualifying purchases made with select Rapid Rewards partners between now and Nov. 30, 2024, counts as one tier qualifying point, up to a maximum of 5,000 total tier qualifying points. 9

Join Rapid Rewards

The Southwest Rapid Rewards program is designed around a simple conceptto make earning reward flights faster and easier. With Rapid Rewards, every seat is a reward seat, there are no blackout dates, and points don't expire.1 Customers can create an account to become a Rapid Rewards Member at Southwest.com to take advantage of Southwest's award-winning loyalty program benefits.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Visit Southwest.com for the full list of terms and conditions.

1All Rapid Rewards rules and regulations apply and can be found at Southwest.com/rrterms.

2On the day of travel, Customers can switch free of airline charges to another flight with space available departing on the same calendar day between the same origin airport and destination airport as their original flight. With the exception of A-List Preferred and A-List Members, Customers who purchase Wanna Get Away fares are not eligible for free same-day change.

3Fare difference may apply. Failure to cancel a reservation at least 10 minutes prior to scheduled departure may result in forfeited flight credits.

4Where available. Available only on WiFi-enabled aircraft. Limited-time offer.

5On flights traveling 176 miles or more, A-List Preferred Members receive up to two complimentary premium drinks per leg. Flights traveling 175 miles or less only serve water. Drink coupons are subject to availability. Service may also be limited at Southwest's discretion. This coupon has no cash value. Drink coupon is void if altered, sold, purchased, brokered, or bartered. Non-exchangeable for other goods or services. Southwest Airlines reserved the right to discontinue its drink coupon program at any time. Coupon is invalid after expiration date and will not be updated or replaced. Must be 21 or older to consume alcoholic beverages. Alcohol purchased with drink coupons must be consumed onboard the aircraft. Beverage options may change at any time and are subject to availability.

6Tier qualifying points are earned on qualifying flights paid entirely with dollars, Southwest LUV Vouchers, gift cards or flight credits, and with no portion of the purchase price paid for with Rapid Rewards points. Only qualifying activity will be eligible for tier qualifying points. Tier qualifying points aren't eligible to use for redemption toward flights or with More Rewards. Only the Rapid Rewards Member who received this offer from Southwest Airlines is eligible for this promotion. The offer is nontransferable. Bonus tier qualifying points earned from this offer will post prior to Dec. 30, 2024. To qualify for this bonus offer, the Member's Rapid Rewards Credit Card account must be open and not in default at the time of fulfillment. Chase isn't responsible for the provision of, or failure to provide, the stated benefits and services. Bonus tier qualifying points will post directly to the Members' Southwest Rapid Rewards account and won't appear on the Members' credit card statement. A qualifying flight for the triple tier qualifying points promotion is not also eligible for the double tier qualifying points promotion.

7All reward travel is subject to availability and taxes, fees, and other government on airport-imposed charges of at least $5.60 per one-way. Tier qualifying points are not eligible to use for redemption toward flights or with More Rewards. Only the Rapid Rewards Member who received this offer from Southwest Airlines is eligible for this promotion. The offer is nontransferable. A flight segment is defined as a one-way trip booked through Southwest from an origin city to a destination city, including any intermediate stops and/or connections on Southwest.

8To be eligible for this bonus tier qualifying points offer, the Cardmember must register between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30, 2024 ("Promotion Period"). During the Promotion Period Cardmembers will earn 2,000 bonus tier qualifying points for every $5,000 in purchases made with a Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card. Bonus tier qualifying points earned from this offer will be deposited within six weeks after the end of each month and by Dec. 30, 2024, for November purchases. The bonus tier qualifying points will post to the Cardmember's Southwest Rapid Rewards account. "Purchases" don't include balance transfers, cash advances, traveler's checks, foreign currency, money orders, wire transfers or similar cash-like transactions, lottery tickets, casino gaming chips, racetrack wagers or similar betting transactions, any checks that access a Member's account, interest, unauthorized or fraudulent charges, or fees of any kind, including an annual fee, if applicable. Tier qualifying points aren't eligible to use for redemption toward flights or with More Rewards. Only the Rapid Rewards Member who received this offer from Southwest Airlines is eligible for this promotion. The offer is nontransferable. Chase isn't responsible for the provision of, or failure to provide, the stated benefits and services. Bonus tier qualifying points will post directly to the Member's Southwest Rapid Rewards account and won't appear on their credit card statement. To qualify for this bonus offer, the Cardmember's Rapid Rewards Credit Card account must be open and not in default at the time of fulfillment. The Contactless Symbol and Contactless Indicator are trademarks owned by and used with the permission of EMVCo, LLC.JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. The Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card is brought to you by Southwest Airlines and Chase. Southwest Airlines is responsible for the redemption of Rapid Rewards points toward benefits and services. The number of points needed for a particular Southwest flight is set by Southwest and will vary depending on destination, time, day of travel, demand, fare type, point redemption rate, and other factors, and is subject to change at any time until the booking is confirmed. Rapid Rewards points can only be transferred to the primary Cardmember's Rapid Rewards account. All Rapid Rewards rules and regulations apply and can be found at Southwest.com/rrterms. Southwest reserves the right to amend, suspend, or change the program and/or program rules at any time without notice. Rapid Rewards Members don't acquire property rights in accrued points.

9Base points earned from qualifying purchases made with select Rapid Rewards partners will qualify as tier qualifying points, up to a maximum of 5,000 tier qualifying points earned per Member during the Promotion Period. Eligible Rapid Rewards partners include Southwest Hotels, car rentals through Southwest.com, Rapid Rewards Shopping, Rapid Rewards Dining, Laithwaites, 1-800-FLOWERS, Reliant Energy, NRG Energy, Xoom, Energy Plus, Harry and David, and Rewards for Opinions.

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

Southwest Airlines Co. operates one of the world's most admired and awarded airlines, offering its one-of-a-kind value and Hospitality at 117 airports across 11 countries. Southwest took flight in 1971 to democratize the sky through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel and now carries more air travelers flying nonstop within the United States than any other airline10. Based in Dallas and famous for an Employee-first corporate Culture, Southwest maintains an unprecedented record of no involuntary furloughs or layoffs in its history. By empowering its more than 74,00011 People to deliver unparalleled Hospitality, the maverick airline cherishes a passionate loyalty among more than 137 million Customers carried in 2023. That formula for success brought industry-leading prosperity and 47 consecutive years12 of profitability for Southwest Shareholders (NYSE: LUV). Southwest leverages a unique legacy and mission to serve communities around the world including harnessing the power of its People and Purpose to put communities at the Heart of its success. Learn more by visiting Southwest.com/citizenship. As the airline with Heart, Southwest has set a goal to work toward achieving net zero carbon emissions by 205013. Southwest has also set near-term targets and a three-pillar strategy to achieve its environmental goals. Learn more by visiting Southwest.com/planet.

10Based on U.S. Dept. of Transportation quarterly Airline Origin & Destination Survey since Q1 2021

11Fulltime-equivalent active Employees

121973-2019 annual profitability

13Our net zero by 2050 goal includes Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 Category 3 emissions only and excludes any emissions associated with non-fuel products and services, such as inflight service items.

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.
QINGDAO, China, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- This is a news release from the Information Office of the People's Government of Shandong Province: On August 28, the Fifth Qingdao Multinationals Summit opened in Qingdao, Shandong province. More than 550 representatives from 451 multinational companies attended the summit, including 99 multinational companies participating in the summit for the first time.

Zhang Qingwei, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, attended the meeting and delivered a speech, pointing out that multinational corporations are powerful promoters of globalization. This summit is the first event featuring MNCs after the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. We hope to work with MNCs to enhance mutual trust in open development, share new opportunities such as a unified large market, new quality productive forces development, comprehensive green transformation, and institutional opening-up, and jointly write a new chapter in cooperation between China and MNCs

Lin Wu, Secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee, said in his speech that we are willing to work with the majority of MNCs to share major strategic opportunities, jointly cultivate a modern industrial system, jointly expand a broad consumer market, jointly promote green and low-carbon transformation, and jointly create an open cooperation ecology. Shandong will continue to create a market-oriented, legal, and internationalized first-class business environment, and provide all-round services for the majority of multinational corporations to invest and start businesses in Shandong, so that everyone can truly feel at home and have friendship in Shandong.

Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao said that the Ministry of Commerce will continue to support Shandong in leveraging its own advantages, deepening international economic and trade cooperation, further comprehensively deepening reforms and promoting high-level opening up. The Qingdao Summit is a high-level platform for multinational corporations to understand and invest in China.

The Ministry of Commerce's International Trade and Economic Cooperation Research Institute released a research report titled "Multinational Corporations in China: Sharing New Opportunities of Chinese-style Modernization".

This summit continues to use the theme of "Multinationals and China". During the summit, a series of activities will be held, including the opening ceremony and the Multinational Corporation Development Forum, the Multinational Corporation Investment and Cooperation Conference, China's Policy Interpretation Closed-door Meetings, themed promotions for functional zones and provinces.

SOURCE Information Office of the People's Government of Shandong Province
NEW YORK, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Report with market evolution powered by AI- The global dark beer market size is estimated to grow by USD 32.04 billion from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 11.83% during the forecast period. Rising demand for dark beer among millennials is driving market growth, with a trend towards increasing number of mergers and acquisitions. However, stringent regulations and heavy taxations poses a challenge. Key market players include Allagash Brewing Co., B9 Beverages Pvt. Ltd., Beavertown Brewery, BrewDog Plc, Buxton Brewery Co. Ltd., Carlsberg Breweries AS, D.G. Yuengling and Son Inc., Deschutes Brewery, Diageo Plc, Evolution Craft Brewing Co., Faubourg Brewing Co. LLC, Flying Dog Brewery LLLP, Great Divide Brewing Co., Harviestoun Brewery Ltd., Heineken NV, Molson Coors Beverage Co., New Belgium Brewing Co. Inc., Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Surly Brewing Co., and Weekend Beer Co..

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global dark beer market 2024-2028

Get a detailed analysis on regions, market segments, customer landscape, and companies- View the snapshot of this report

Dark Beer Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2023 Historic period 2018 - 2022 Forecast period 2024-2028 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 11.83% Market growth 2024-2028 USD 32043.1 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 9.76 Regional analysis Europe, APAC, North America, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution APAC at 40% Key countries China, US, UK, Germany, and France Key companies profiled Allagash Brewing Co., B9 Beverages Pvt. Ltd., Beavertown Brewery, BrewDog Plc, Buxton Brewery Co. Ltd., Carlsberg Breweries AS, D.G. Yuengling and Son Inc., Deschutes Brewery, Diageo Plc, Evolution Craft Brewing Co., Faubourg Brewing Co. LLC, Flying Dog Brewery LLLP, Great Divide Brewing Co., Harviestoun Brewery Ltd., Heineken NV, Molson Coors Beverage Co., New Belgium Brewing Co. Inc., Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Surly Brewing Co., and Weekend Beer Co.

Market Driver

The global dark beer market is witnessing an uptick in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) as a strategic business move. These deals enable vendors to expand their market share, gain access to innovative products, and technologies. The popularity of dark beer has fueled this trend, prompting major players to acquire smaller breweries and distributors. In September 2022, Heineken acquired Beavertown, a British brewery, to bolster its market presence and offer a diverse portfolio in the dark beer category. Such acquisitions are expected to bring significant growth opportunities for vendors in this market.

The dark beer market is experiencing a surge in popularity, particularly among millennials. Obesity concerns have led consumers to seek out brews with health benefits. Dark beers, such as stout ale and porter, contain flavonoids and antioxidant properties, as recognized by the American Heart Association. These beers are rich in vitamins, carbs, proteins, and iron, making them a tasty and nutritious choice. Microbreweries, like Black Viking Brewing, DMV, Peoples Beer, and Porter Airlines, are leading the craft ale market with unique flavor profiles. Ingredients like medium-roast malts, coffee, almonds, chocolate, and caramel add depth and complexity. Zingabier's Zig Zag Stout is a standout, with a robust coffee and chocolate flavor. Breweries are innovating with ingredients like Acermex, which enhances the beer's antioxidant properties. Dark beers are available in various formats, including kegs, bottles, and cans, catering to premium drinkers' preferences. Urbanization and the rise of local breweries have fueled the craft beer trend, with dark lagers, brown porters, and other alcoholic beverages gaining traction. Enzymes play a crucial role in the brewing process, ensuring a smooth and delicious final product.

Explore a 360 Analysis of the Market: Unveil the Impact of AI. For complete insights- Request Sample!

Market Challenges

The global dark beer market is subject to extensive regulations and taxation policies. Governments and non-governmental agencies enforce these rules to ensure consumer safety and product quality. Regulations cover ingredients and labels, with the European Union's Food Information to Consumers (FIC) regulation 1169/2011 requiring allergens to be clearly stated. Canada recently changed beer standards, mandating full ingredient disclosure on bottles or cans. Advertising restrictions in countries like India and Iceland limit growth. Additionally, high taxes, such as the EU's USD2.14 per 100 liters excise duty, impact profitability and market growth during the forecast period. Vendors must navigate these challenges to comply with regulations and maintain profitability in the highly regulated dark beer market.

recently changed beer standards, mandating full ingredient disclosure on bottles or cans. Advertising restrictions in countries like and limit growth. Additionally, high taxes, such as the EU's per 100 liters excise duty, impact profitability and market growth during the forecast period. Vendors must navigate these challenges to comply with regulations and maintain profitability in the highly regulated dark beer market. The dark beer market faces several challenges in the Alcoholic Beverages industry. Medium-roast malts, coffee, almonds, chocolate, and caramel are key ingredients for brewing dark beers like Zingabier, Porter Porter , and Brown porter. However, the use of these ingredients increases production costs. Competing with mass merchandisers like Porter Airlines and LCBO stores, local breweries such as Black Viking Brewing, Peoples Beer, Beau's Brewing, and DMV, offer unique flavor profiles in their dark lagers and porters. Urbanization and the rise of craft beer have led to an increase in demand for premium drinkers seeking out specialty stores for their fermented drinks. Manufacturers like Acermex provide essential enzymes for the brewing process, ensuring consistent quality. The brewery sector must address health concerns, as dark beers have higher alcohol content and are linked to cardiovascular ailments and liver cirrhosis. Innovation in packaging, such as kegs, bottles, and cans, is crucial for reaching consumers and expanding market share.

For more insights on driver and challenges - Request a sample report!

Segment Overview

This dark beer market report extensively covers market segmentation by

Distribution Channel

1.1 Off-trade

1.2 On-trade

Packaging

2.1 Cans

2.2 Bottles

Geography

3.1 Europe

3.2 APAC

3.3 North America

3.4 South America

3.5 Middle East and Africa

1.1 Off-trade- Off trade distribution channels, including individual retailers, supermarkets, and hypermarkets, are significant avenues for selling dark beer. These channels provide consumers with a wide range of dark beer options, unlike on trade channels. Supermarkets and hypermarkets, such as Tesco Plc (Tesco) and Carrefour SA (Carrefour), offer dedicated sections for various dark beer brands. Off trade distribution offers cost advantages as it eliminates the need to cover additional costs associated with seating. Furthermore, consumers appreciate the convenience and extended hours of operation offered by these channels. The increasing internet penetration is driving the growth of online dark beer sales. Millennials and urban populations prefer purchasing dark beer online due to the benefits of convenience and diverse product offerings. Online retailing platforms sell dark beer at lower costs than traditional retail stores. Vendors are capitalizing on this trend by partnering with online retailers or selling through their proprietary websites. These factors are expected to boost the growth of the off trade distribution segment for dark beer during the forecast period.

For more information on market segmentation with geographical analysis including forecast (2024-2028) and historic data (2017-2021) - Download a Sample Report

Research Analysis

The dark beer market is experiencing a resurgence in popularity, particularly among millennials who appreciate the rich flavor profile of stout ales and other black beers. These fermented drinks, which are made from ingredients like malted barley and hops, contain flavonoids and antioxidant properties that have been linked to heart health by the American Heart Association. Obesity and alcoholic beverage consumption are major health concerns, but moderate consumption of dark beers may offer some benefits. Urbanization and the rise of local breweries and microbreweries have fueled the craft ale market, with consumers seeking out premium drinkers and unique flavor profiles. Ingredients like enzymes and acermex are used in the brewing process, and dark beers come in various forms, including kegs, bottles, and cans. Despite these potential health benefits, it's important to note that excessive alcohol consumption can lead to cardiovascular ailments and liver cirrhosis.

Market Research Overview

The dark beer market is experiencing a resurgence in popularity, particularly among millennials who are drawn to the robust flavors and potential health benefits of stout ales and porters. These fermented drinks, made from medium-roast malts, offer a rich, complex flavor profile with notes of coffee, chocolate, almonds, and caramel. The antioxidant properties of dark beers come from flavonoids, vitamins, and minerals like iron, which are released during the brewing process. However, excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, including dark beers, can lead to side effects such as obesity, cardiovascular ailments, and liver cirrhosis. Microbreweries and craft ale markets are thriving, with local breweries like Black Viking Brewing, Peoples Beer, and Porter Airlines producing unique dark beers using ingredients like Acermex, enzymes, and various malts. The market includes various packaging options such as kegs, bottles, and cans, catering to premium drinkers and specialty stores, as well as mass merchandisers and LCBO stores. Urbanization and the growing trend towards local and artisanal products are also driving growth in the brewery sector. Despite the potential health benefits, it's important to remember that moderation is key when it comes to alcoholic beverage consumption.

Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

2 Market Landscape

3 Market Sizing

4 Historic Market Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Market Segmentation

Distribution Channel

Off-trade



On-trade

Packaging

Cans



Bottles

Geography

Europe



APAC



North America



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
QINGDAO, China, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On the morning of August 28, the Fifth Qingdao Multinationals Summit, jointly organized by the Ministry of Commerce of China and the People's Government of Shandong Province, opened at the Qingdao International Conference Center with more than 800 present guests from all walks of life.

Venue of the summit

Zhang Qingwei, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, opened the summit. Lin Wu, Secretary of the Shandong Provincial Party Committee, made a speech, Wang Wentao, Minister of Commerce of China, delivered a video speech, and Zhou Naixiang, Governor of Shandong Province, presided over the opening ceremony.

Zhang Qingwei pointed out that multinational companies are a powerful promoter of economic globalization and an important force in promoting the construction of an open world economy. The summit aims to continuously enhance mutually beneficial cooperation relations between China and multinational companies. China hopes to work with multinational companies to enhance mutual trust on the big stage of openness and development, sharing new opportunities such as the construction of a unified immense market, the development of new quality productive forces, comprehensive green transition, and institutional opening up.

In his speech, Lin Wu said that China and the majority of multinational companies have made two-way efforts to embrace the opportunities of the times in the tide of China's reform and opening up since the first Qingdao Multinationals Summit, and have produced fruitful results. Shandong Province will continue to create a market-oriented, law-based, and international first-class business environment, providing a full range of services for the majority of multinational companies to invest in Shandong.

In his speech, Wang Wentao mentioned that multinational companies are important participants, witnesses and beneficiaries of China's reform and opening up process for more than 40 years, and while constantly achieving their own development, they have also made positive contributions to China's economic and social development. Chinese-style modernization has brought new impetus and opportunities to the development of multinational companies in China. The Ministry of Commerce will continue to support Shandong to give full play to its advantages, deepen international economic and trade cooperation, further consolidate the reform in an all-round way, and promote high-level opening up to the outside world.

The Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Zhang Xiangchen, delivered a video message, and the Secretary of the Qingdao Municipal Party Committee, Zeng Zanrong, made a speech as well. More than 550 delegates from 451 multinational companies attended the summit, including 99 multinationals attending the summit for the first time. Ambassadors from Singapore, Japan, South Korea and other countries, representatives of multinational companies, international organizations and business associations, Chinese and foreign academicians, experts and scholars participated in the opening ceremony.

The opening ceremony was followed by the Forum on the Development of Multinationals. Keita Ishii, President of Itochu Corporation; Son Kyong-shik, Chairman of CJ Corporation; Mufti, Executive Vice President of Saudi Petroleum International Inc. (Saudi Aramco); Seiji Imai, Chairman of Mizuho Financial Group; Wang Lei, Global Executive Vice President of AstraZeneca, Chairman of International Business and President of China; Kuniharu Nakamura, Special Advisor of Sumitomo Corporation; Giovanni, Executive Vice President of Eni Group and Chairman of the Board of Directors of China; Arjun Purkayastha, Global Senior Vice President of Reckitt and President of Greater China; Rodriguez, Global Senior Vice President of Garrett Motion; and Zhou Yunjie, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Haier Group, delivered speeches.

Contact: Guo Ran

Phone: 0086-18903137630

E-mail: [email protected]

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2491816/Summit_venue.jpg

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2491815/5th_multinationals_summit_Logo.jpg

SOURCE The Fifth Qingdao Multinationals Summit
BRONX, N.Y., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Manuel Franco Cornielle, MD is acknowledged as a Pinnacle Professional Member Inner Circle of Excellence for his contributions as an Esteemed Family Medicine Practitioner.

Dr. Franco Cornielle, a highly respected family medicine practitioner, has dedicated his career to providing comprehensive healthcare services to patients of all ages, with a strong focus on preventative medicine. His unwavering commitment to patient care and well-being, influenced by his family and mentors, has made him a valued member of the medical community.

Dr. Cornielle's journey in the field of medicine began with a solid educational foundation. He earned his Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from the Universidad Autonoma De Santo Domingo Facultad De Ciencias De La Salud in 2004 in the Dominican Republic. His dedication to healthcare led him to pursue a family medicine residency at Bronx Lebanon Hospital. Additionally, Dr. Cornielle holds a Bachelor of Science (BS) in pharmacy from the same university, further enriching his medical expertise.

Throughout his career, Dr. Cornielle has been affiliated with prestigious medical organizations, including the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American Board of Family Physicians. He is also known for his philanthropic endeavors, volunteering his time with the Somos Group, an organization dedicated to providing healthcare services at low or no cost to disadvantaged patients.

Dr. Cornielle has excelled as a family medicine practitioner, specializing in preventative medicine for patients at risk of developing chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. His comprehensive approach to healthcare ensures that patients of all ages receive the necessary care and guidance to lead healthier lives.

As he looks ahead to the future, Dr. Cornielle remains committed to his medical practice, providing exceptional care to his patients, and making a positive impact on the well-being of his community. His philosophy of healthcare is rooted in preventative care and addressing the unique healthcare needs of individuals at risk of chronic illnesses.

Dr. Cornielle expresses his gratitude to his family for their unwavering support throughout his career. His family has been a constant source of inspiration and motivation in his pursuit of excellence in the field of medicine.

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected]

SOURCE The Inner Circle
LAUREL, Md., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Trisha Pinckney is acknowledged as a Pinnacle Professional Member Inner Circle of Excellence for her contributions in Leading Premier Management Consulting Services.

Trisha Pinckney

Dr. Trisha Pinckney has emerged as a trailblazer in the field of management consulting, demonstrating exceptional leadership as President of Dantli Corp since 2006. Under her guidance, Dantli Corp has achieved remarkable growth and development, solidifying its reputation as a premier management consulting company. Specializing in a range of services including foreign language and sign language interpretation, courier, and personnel support services, Dantli Corp has secured over 115 contracts from Federal and State Governments over the past decade.

Dr. Pinckney's academic journey is marked by excellence and dedication. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Tennessee Technological University, followed by a Master of Arts in Corporate Communications and Marketing from Austin Peay State University. In 2022, she completed her Master of Divinity in Biblical Studies and a Doctor of Ministry in Theology and Ministerial Studies from the Peace Multicultural Theological Seminary (PMTS).

In addition to her academic achievements, Dr. Pinckney holds a Master Certificate in Strategies for Growing Businesses from Harvard University and is licensed and certified as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in Maryland.

Dr. Pinckney's commitment to civic engagement and volunteerism is exemplary. As a volunteer EMT, she serves her community with dedication, and she devotes time each month to giving back at area nursing homes and organizations such as Goodwill Industries and Habitat for Humanity. In 2023, Dr. Pinckney assumed the role of Dean of the Young Warrior Program at PMTS and is passionate about her visionary goal to construct an accessible housing community near her residence.

Throughout her illustrious career, Dr. Pinckney has been honored with several awards, including the Top 100 MBE Award in 2014 and the Unbreakable Spirit Award by Bold, Brave & Beautiful in 2016. Her business, Dantli Corp, has also received prestigious accolades, including a Minority Business Enterprise of the Year Award in 2018 and a Women Business Enterprise of the Year Award by Baltimore County in 2018.

Looking ahead, Dr. Trisha Pinckney envisions continued growth and success for Dantli Corp, fueled by her unwavering dedication to excellence and service.

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected]

SOURCE The Inner Circle
50th Anniversary Marks Change in Executive Leadership as Trevor Gilmore Assumes CEO Role

BURLINGAME, Calif., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Menke Group, the leading single-source Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) provider in the United States, announced that 2024 marks its fiftieth anniversary of advising companies on designing and managing ESOPs. In addition, the company announced that Trevor Gilmore, former CFO and COO of The Menke Group, was promoted to CEO, following Kyle Coltman's retirement.

Founded in 1974 by John D. Menke, the company's history is closely associated with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). ERISA, the landmark legislation enabling ESOPs, was signed into law in 1974 and included provisions drafted by John D. Menke. In 1993, Menke made a further contribution to legislation governing ESOPs by drafting key provisions regarding S-corporation ESOPs that made ESOPs available to S-corporations for the first time.

The Menke Group has been instrumental in helping American companies create more than 4,000 ESOPs all over the United States. As proof of the company's dedication to the employee ownership model, The Menke Group became employee-owned in 1983.

"Ownership is a cornerstone of the American Dream, and helping companies transfer ownership to its employees is our mission," said Trevor Gilmore, CEO of The Menke Group. "Selling all or part of a company to its employees makes great financial sense, leaves a lasting legacy in the community, and can make financial independence a reality for all employees, no matter the industry."

ESOPs are the most commonly-used forms of employee ownership in the United States, according to the National Center for Employee Ownership. Designed to encourage and reward increased employee productivity and efficiency, an ESOP offers multiple advantages to company owners, employees, and communities.

"Employees at ESOP companies often accrue 10%, on average, of their wages in their ESOP account," continued Gilmore. "In an employee-owned company, 100 percent of those contributions are company funded, so employees are not out of pocket. When you compound those contributions over time, ESOPs can build substantial equity and retirement security for employees."

Company owners or shareholders who wish to build a robust succession plan for their business in order to remain independent and continue to conduct "business as usual" can keep jobs in their communities by moving to an ESOP. "The ESOP model is an excellent means of creating a collaborative culture where employee owners and the bottom line can thrive, rewarding and retaining staff in an efficient manner that allows for a well-executed succession strategy," concluded Gilmore.

Gilmore, a licensed CPA, joined the Menke Group in 2015 in the dual role of Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operations Officer. He also holds the Accredited in Business Valuation credential (ABV) from the AICPA and has FINRA Securities licenses. Prior to joining Menke, he was the Director of Private Equity for a boutique accounting firm which was acquired by Moss Adams. Before that, he was a founder of a green building product brand.

"Looking back over the past 50 years, it is very gratifying to see the growth and evolution of the ESOP industry," said John D. Menke, Founder of The Menke Group. "Today, there are over 6,533 ESOPs in the United States, holding $2.1 trillion in assets and including 14.7 million employees. In the next 50 years, let us work together to unlock the transformative power of employee ownership for even more US companies so their employees can enjoy the benefits of being employee owners."

About The Menke Group



The Menke Group is America's largest and oldest ESOP advisor, with more than 50 years of experience creating and administering ESOPs. Menke has helped more than 4,000 companies become employee owned and has designed and installed ESOPs all over the United States, serving companies with as few as ten employees and as many as 15,000 employees. The Menke Group was founded in 1974 by John Menke who co-authored the landmark federal ESOP legislation which subsequently spawned the industry. Visit The Menke Group at www.menke.com for more information and a timeline with the history of the company and ESOPs.

Contact:

Alex Calaf

The Menke Group

***@menke.com



Photos:

https://www.prlog.org/13035688



Press release distributed by PRLog

SOURCE The Menke Group
CHICAGO, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference , the premier cannabis investment and branding event in North America, is returning to Chicago on October 8-9, 2024. Here are the top 10 reasons why you don't want to miss this event at the Marriott Magnificent Mile:

Cannabis Conference in April (PRNewsfoto/Benzinga)

Engage with Industry Titans



Meet and learn from industry leaders like George Archos (Verano), Ross Gerber (Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management), Charlie Bachtell (Cresco Labs), and Jim Belushi (Belushi's Farm) as they share their insights on the evolving cannabis landscape.



Navigate the Legal Landscape



Understand the implications of cannabis rescheduling and potential legalization with insights from legal experts like Claire Wells Hanson ( Clark Hill Law ) and David Feuerstein (Feuerstein Kulick LLP).



Network with the Best



Rub shoulders with over 2,000 attendees, including more than 200 investors, and make connections that could propel your business to the next level.



Get Ahead of Market Trends



Discover emerging trends in cannabis cultivation, marketing, and sales from experts like Emily Fisher (Leafwell), Steve Riparip (Tact Firm LLC), and Beau Whitney (Whitney Economics).



Secure Strategic Partnerships



Whether you're looking for investment, partnerships, or simply advice, this is the place to meet key players, including Sundie Seefried (Safe Harbor Financial) and Anthony Coniglio (NewLake Capital Partners).



Uncover Exclusive Opportunities for Women and Minority-Owned Businesses



Benzinga, in partnership with Women Grow, is committed to broadening financial opportunities for women and minority-owned businesses, offering unparalleled exposure and waived sponsorship fees.



Deep Dive into Cannabis Financing



Learn from financial gurus like Nick Richards (Greenspoon Marder LLP), Scott Greiper (Viridian Capital Advisors), and William Muecke (Artemis Growth Partners) about the future of cannabis financing.



Gain Invaluable Legal Insights



Stay informed on the latest legal developments affecting the cannabis industry with sessions from leading legal experts like Sahar Ayinehsazian (Vicente LLP) and Bryna Dahlin ( Benesch Law ).



Explore the Future of Cannabis Technology



Hear from tech innovators like Kyle Sherman (Flowhub) and Jordan Ascanio (CLS Holdings USA Inc.) about how technology is transforming the cannabis industry.



Be Part of the Conversation



Join discussions with influential voices such as Rep. David Joyce (14th District of Ohio ), Dr. Chanda Macias (Women Grow), and Darren Lampert (GrowGeneration) to help shape the future of cannabis policy and business.

Register Now

Don't miss your chance to be part of the cannabis industry's most anticipated event. Secure your spot at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Chicago by visiting bzcannabis.com .

About Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference

The Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference is North America's leading cannabis-focused gathering, attracting the industry's top executives, investors, and thought leaders. The event offers an unmatched platform for networking, deal-making, and gaining insights into the future of the cannabis industry.

For more information, please visit bzcannabis.com .

SOURCE Benzinga
NYSE: VZLA TSXV: VZLA

VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Vizsla Silver Corp. (TSXV: VZLA) (NYSE: VZLA) (Frankfurt: 0G3) ("Vizsla" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the filing of a technical report titled, "Panuco Project  NI 43-101 Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment" (the "PEA"), with an effective date of July 24, 2024. The PEA was independently completed for the Company by Ausenco Engineering Canada ULC, supported by Entech Mining Ltd. and SGS Canada Inc., in accordance with National Instrument 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The results of the PEA were previously announced in the Company's news release dated July 24, 2024.

The PEA is available under Vizsla Silver's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca or on the Company's website at www.vizslasilvercorp.com.

About Vizsla Silver

Vizsla Silver is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company headquartered in Vancouver, BC, focused on advancing its flagship, 100%-owned Panuco silver-gold project located in Sinaloa, Mexico. To date, Vizsla Silver has completed over 380,000 metres of drilling at Panuco leading to the discovery of several new high-grade veins. For 2024, Vizsla Silver has budgeted +45,000 metres of resource/discovery-based drilling designed to upgrade and expand the mineral resource, as well as test other high priority targets across the district.

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.

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release includes certain "ForwardLooking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forwardlooking information" under applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "plan", "forecast", "may", "would", "could", "schedule" and similar words or expressions, identify forwardlooking statements or information. These forwardlooking statements or information relate to, among other things: the exploration, development, and production at Panuco, including plans for resource/discovery-based drilling, designed to upgrade, and expand the maiden resource as well as test other high priority targets across the district.

Forwardlooking statements and forwardlooking information relating to any future mineral production, liquidity, enhanced value and capital markets profile of Vizsla Silver, future growth potential for Vizsla Silver and its business, and future exploration plans are based on management's reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the price of silver, gold, and other metals; no escalation in the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic; costs of exploration and development; the estimated costs of development of exploration projects; Vizsla Silver's ability to operate in a safe and effective manner and its ability to obtain financing on reasonable terms.

These statements reflect Vizsla Silver's respective current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of other assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forwardlooking statements or forward-looking information and Vizsla Silver has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: the Company's dependence on one mineral project; precious metals price volatility; risks associated with the conduct of the Company's mining activities in Mexico; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to reliance on the Company's management team and outside contractors; risks regarding mineral resources and reserves; the Company's inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; the ability of the communities in which the Company operates to manage and cope with the implications of COVID-19; the economic and financial implications of COVID-19 to the Company; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; the Company's interactions with surrounding communities and artisanal miners; the Company's ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; litigation risk; and the factors identified under the caption "Risk Factors" in Vizsla Silver's management discussion and analysis. Readers are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forwardlooking statements or forward-looking information. Although Vizsla Silver 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 anticipated, estimated or intended. Vizsla Silver does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forwardlooking statements or forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements or information, other than as required by applicable law.

SOURCE Vizsla Silver Corp.
GREENSBORO, N.C., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In launching its F200 3D Printer, Fusion3 is making commercial-grade performance affordable for advanced hobbyists and "prosumers." Priced at $3,299, this all-new 3D printer offers the same industry-leading material capability, precision, enhanced print quality, and speed that Fusion3 is known for. Like all Fusion3 printers, the F200 is designed, manufactured, and assembled in Greensboro, NC.

The Fusion3 F200 3D printer provides affordable commercial-grade performancenow available on Kickstarter

"As proud supporters of American manufacturing, we are dedicated to producing affordable, high-performance printers that surpass the quality standards of our international competitors, said Kate Padgett, Founder, CEO, and CTO of Fusion3. "Our all-new F200 exemplifies this commitment."

By addressing the most common limitations of hobbyist models head-on, the F200 3D printer allows users to print medium to large parts with high-temperature materials like ABS, ASA, Nylon, and polycarbonate plastics. Unlike other consumer models that require chemically modified versions of these materials for successful printing, the F200 can print unmodified varieties to ensure superior strength and thermal performance. It also meets rigorous security standards like TAA and Section 889 compliance found in commercial-grade 3D printers. Additionally, the F200 includes:

High-Temperature Performance: Withstands a maximum bed temperature of 140C (284F), a print-head temperature of 320C (608F), and a chamber temperature of 70C (158F). The F200's high-temperature durability makes it compatible with more than 150 engineering-grade materialsfar exceeding the limits of traditional hobbyist printers.

Withstands a maximum bed temperature of 140C (284F), a print-head temperature of 320C (608F), and a chamber temperature of 70C (158F). The F200's high-temperature durability makes it compatible with more than 150 engineering-grade materialsfar exceeding the limits of traditional hobbyist printers. Security-Focused Architecture: Operates without cloud connectivity services or internet accessensuring users' valuable data and intellectual property stays within their local network and on their controlled devices.

Operates without cloud connectivity services or internet accessensuring users' valuable data and intellectual property stays within their local network and on their controlled devices. Advanced Toolhead Technology: Uses a direct drive extruder for improved filament flow and greater output accuracy. Powerful dual-side cooling ensures uniform air distribution across the build area at high speeds to accommodate both low- and high-temperature materials.

Uses a direct drive extruder for improved filament flow and greater output accuracy. Powerful dual-side cooling ensures uniform air distribution across the build area at high speeds to accommodate both low- and high-temperature materials. Superior Print Speeds: Leverages advanced firmware capabilities such as input shaping and pressure advance to achieve speeds up to 250+mm/s without compromising print quality.

Leverages advanced firmware capabilities such as input shaping and pressure advance to achieve speeds up to 250+mm/s without compromising print quality. Advanced Ease-of-Use Features: Features onboard AI-based print surveillance and fault detection that operate without internet or cloud connectivity. Includes advanced bed leveling and first-layer calibration routines for optimal print adhesion and accuracy. With a stable internet connection, optional push notifications alert users when issues are detected.

Features onboard AI-based print surveillance and fault detection that operate without internet or cloud connectivity. Includes advanced bed leveling and first-layer calibration routines for optimal print adhesion and accuracy. With a stable internet connection, optional push notifications alert users when issues are detected. Emissions Management: Employs a carbon+HEPA filter system that recirculates air within the print chamber without venting it outside. This process regulates fumes and Ultrafine Particles (UFPs) and reduces Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) by 95%+.

Employs a carbon+HEPA filter system that recirculates air within the print chamber without venting it outside. This process regulates fumes and Ultrafine Particles (UFPs) and reduces Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) by 95%+. Robust Mechanical Design: Features a welded steel chassis and all-metal motion systems on all axes. Linear rails are used on all axes for enhanced precision, stiffness, and robustness.

In addition to advanced hobbyists and "prosumers," the F200 will also benefit small businesses and educational institutions that require professional-grade production capabilities and intuitive operation at a competitive price point.

To learn more about the F200 and to place an order, visit: Our Kickstarter Page

About Fusion3

Located in Greensboro, NC, Fusion3 is a leading manufacturer of commercial-grade, USA-made 3D printers designed to meet the demanding specifications of businesses and educational institutions worldwide. The company has successfully developed five models, including its latest F200 3D printer. As a pioneer in 3D printing solutions for professional use, Fusion3 helps industry leaders in business, education, aerospace and defense, automotive, and energy seamlessly integrate 3D printing into their workflows. For more information, visit: https://www.fusion3design.com/ and follow us on LinkedIn , Facebook , and Instagram .

SOURCE Fusion3
Updates to its most trusted work boot franchise advances Wolverine's commitment to performance comfort.

ROCKFORD, Mich., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Wolverine, the 141-year-old boot and clothing company, is thrilled to introduce the newest addition to the longstanding DuraShocks franchise with its DuraShocks SR Icon 6" Work Boot. This new offering underscores Wolverine's commitment to supporting the American worker, featuring intentional designs that enhance stability, comfort and safety. Every stitch, contour, and material choice are deliberate, resulting in the perfect combination of durability and comfort.

Updates to its most trusted work boot franchise advances Wolverines commitment to performance comfort.

"For more than three decades, Wolverine's DuraShocks technology has been a chart-topper, consistently winning the hearts of consumers with its unsurpassed comfort features," shared Lauren King, Senior Marketing Director at Wolverine. "The DuraShocks SR Icon embodies our unwavering commitment to delivering the new standard of comfort  one that's time-tested and trusted to perform for workers everywhere."

Since 1998, the DuraShocks SR Boot has been a fan favorite celebrated for its guaranteed comfort and recognized for its iconic blue DuraShocks outsole pads. Now, in 2024, the DuraShocks SR Icon, offers an enhanced iteration of this trusted collection. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, the DuraShocks SR Icon boasts next-level stability and cushioning with a midsole that features increased PU for a wider, cradle-like heel to ensure all-day support and comfort. The innovative CarbonMAX toe offers lightweight protection without compromising comfort, even in extreme temperatures. And to top it off, Wolverine's WaterproofPlus technology guarantees dry comfortable feet, regardless of the weather.

In addition to the 6" safety-toe style, the DuraShocks SR Icon is also available in soft-toe offerings and varying heights including a slip-on romeo, 8" lace-up style, and pull-on wellington style.

The DuraShocks SR Icon is now available on wolverine.com and nationwide, participating retailers.

ABOUT WOLVERINE

Wolverine, the 141-year-old boot and clothing company, is on a mission to honor the spirit and tenacity of the American worker and build the next generation of skilled trades people. Taking pride in crafting durable boots with unrivaled craftsmanship and the highest quality materials, Wolverine is dedicated to serving hardworking people all over the world. Through Project Bootstrap, Wolverine has contributed over $2 million to organizations in support of the skilled trades. For more information, visit www.wolverine.com. Wolverine is a division of Wolverine World Wide, Inc. (NYSE: WWW)

SOURCE Wolverine
Leading Dog Training Franchise Reports 19% Sales Increase and Strong New Unit Pipeline

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Zoom Room, the nation's premier indoor dog training franchise, is proud to announce significant mid-year growth in 2024, showcasing the brand's sustained momentum and strategic expansion within the competitive pet industry. Boosted by the dedication of its multi-unit franchisees and a fortified leadership team, Zoom Room continues to position itself as a leader in positive reinforcement dog training at a time where dog owners are increasingly looking for more ways to socialize with their dogs.

Key Performance and Expansion Highlights:

Zoom Room, the nations premier indoor dog training franchise, is seeing an increase in sales and new unit growth in 2024.

19% Year-over-Year Sales Increase: Zoom Room has experienced a notable 19% increase in sales compared to the same period in 2023, reflecting the brand's innovative training methods and strong market demand.

Zoom Room has experienced a notable 19% increase in sales compared to the same period in 2023, reflecting the brand's innovative training methods and strong market demand. 10 New Locations Opened: The first half of 2024 saw the opening of several new locations, bringing Zoom Room's unique dog training experience to more communities across the country.

The first half of 2024 saw the opening of several new locations, bringing Zoom Room's unique dog training experience to more communities across the country. Expansion into New Markets: The franchise continues to grow its footprint, with 16 new locations currently in development, including new market launches in Arizona , Virginia , Florida , Minnesota , Connecticut , and Oregon . By the end of the year, the brand expects to have more than 80 locations open across the country.

Multi-Unit Franchisee Success Fuels Growth

A cornerstone of Zoom Room's growth is the dedication and expertise of its multi-unit franchise owners. One prominent example is Colin P. Elliott, who recently expanded his Zoom Room portfolio by acquiring the top-performing Virginia Beach, VA location, adding to his already successful Zoom Room locations in Peoria and Scottsdale, AZ.

His decision to acquire a location across the country was driven by a combination of admiration for its strong sales performance and strategic timing. Trust and mutual respect with the Virginia Beach location's previous owners, John and Kristy Cotthaus, were pivotal in his decision.

"Zoom Room's focus on positive reinforcement and community engagement is what attracted me to the brand initially, and that same commitment is what drives its success," said Elliott. The opportunity to expand my portfolio with such a high-performing location was an easy decision, reaffirming my confidence in the brand's future and its potential for continued growth."

Elliott plans to open three additional locations in the Phoenix area and is exploring additional growth opportunities around Virginia Beach.

Leadership Strengthening to Support Growth

Zoom Room is reinforcing its leadership team to support its growing franchise network. Longtime franchisees John and Kristy Cotthaus, instrumental in the success of the Virginia Beach location, are transitioning to corporate roles to further support the brand's expansion. John will work closely with Chief Growth Officer Herb Heiserman on development initiatives, while Kristy will focus on retail strategy.

"Our mid-year achievements reflect the strength of our franchise model, the dedication of our franchisees and the loyalty of our incredible customers," said Mark Van Wye, CEO of Zoom Room. "We are excited to continue our expansion and are committed to providing exceptional support to our franchise partners and personalized customer experience for dog owners in local markets across the country."

Zoom Room is a premier indoor training gym offering customized training that bonds dogs and owners. From puppy socialization to obedience training to advanced agility skill to play groups and puppy pilates, Zoom Room is designed to meet any dog and owner at any point in their learning journey.

To learn more about Zoom Room and its franchising opportunities, please visit

https://zoomroom.com/franchise/.

About Zoom Room

Established in 2007, Zoom Room is a venture-backed and revolutionary indoor dog training gym, recently recognized as one of the Top 40 fastest-growing consumer service brands in the United States per the Inc 5000 list. Zoom Room's mission is to deepen the bond and communication between dogs and their human companions through its focus on socialization, positive reinforcement, human education, and interactive learning. Accolades include rankings on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 list and their esteemed list of Top Franchises for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. They are also the authors of the best-selling dog training book, Puppy Training in 7 Easy Steps and Ultimate Puppy Training for Kids. Committed to social responsibility, Zoom Room celebrates responsible pet owners and actively collaborates with animal rescue and welfare organizations at both local and national levels. Discover more about how Zoom Room is redefining the pet industry at https://zoomroom.com/.

Media Contact: Sara Faiwell, Fishman Public Relations, [email protected], (847) 945-1300

SOURCE Zoom Room
Four people were convicted recently in two sexual assault cases heard during jury trials in Cumberland County Court of Common Pleas.

In a trial last week, a jury found Paul Wasser, 46, of Lemoyne, and Kelly Prosser, 29, of Mechanicsburg, guilty of rape of an unconscious victim, in connection with a February 2022 incident.

The charges were filed in February 2023 after the victim reported being invited to Wassers home to socialize, but was pressured to drink alcohol, according to the Cumberland County District Attorneys Office. The woman reported drinking something provided by Wasser, becoming dizzy and losing consciousness.

The DAs office said she awoke with her clothing removed and both Wasser and Prosser in various states of undress. She went to the hospital the next day to undergo a sexual assault examination, where both defendants DNA was recovered on her body.

A jury found the two guilty of rape of an unconscious person, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with an unconscious person, sexual assault, indecent assault of an unconscious person and conspiracy for the two assault charges. The pair were found not guilty of conspiring to commit rape and involuntary intercourse.

The pair are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Christylee Peck on Dec. 3.

On Tuesday, a jury found Chase Toombs, 23, of Mechanicsburg, and Taj Tucker, 25, of Hershey, guilty of sexual assault in connection with a March 2021 incident in Hampden Township.

The Cumberland County District Attorneys Office said the charges in the case were filed in March 2023 after the victim reported being sexually assaulted by both men at a get-together with friends and co-workers.

The woman reported that she lost consciousness after a few drinks and woke up in the bathroom with both men taking turns assaulting her, causing injuries to her mouth and vaginal areas, according to the DA. A friend took her to the hospital where she underwent a sexual assault examination, where the nurse noted the injuries.

Police obtained information from both mens SnapChat accounts, where they were found communicating following the assault, discussing how to get their stories straight.

The two men were found guilty of sexual assault, indecent assault, simple assault and related conspiracy charges, however, they were found not guilty of rape of an unconscious person and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse forcible compulsion. Felony aggravated indecent assault and conspiracy charges were dismissed.

Both men are scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 3 in front of Judge Peck.

The Cumberland County DAs Office also reported this week that a Shermans Dale man was sentenced in another sexual assault case in the county.

Jordan Rhoads, 32, was sentenced to up to nine years in prison in connection with a March 2023 sexual assault in Middlesex Township. The DAs office said Rhoads had physically forced the victim to perform oral sex without his consent.

Rhoads was convicted during a jury trial in May of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse forcible compulsion, sexual assault and indecent assault forcible compulsion. Charges of rape by forcible compulsion and harassment were withdrawn.

During sentencing Tuesday, the DAs office said Rhoads requested a county prison sentence of 11.5 to 23 months, but due to the seriousness of the offense, Judge Jessica Brewbaker imposed a sentence of 4.5 to nine years in state prison, followed by three years of supervised probation. Rhoads will also be required to register with Megans Law for life, according to the DAs office.
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Kyiv/Moscow, Aug 28 : Ukrainian troops have seized 100 settlements in Russia since they broke into bordering Russia's Kursk region on August 6, Oleksandr Syrsky, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said.

"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 on Tuesday.

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, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, Russia's Defence Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that its Akhmat special forces had 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 metres away from Ukrainian forward positions.

The Russian troops can now monitor Ukrainian military movements, TASS reported citing a source at the scene.

Syrsky said that Ukraine launched an operation in Kursk with the aim of creating a buffer zone to prevent shelling in Ukraine's adjacent Sumy region, adding that his troops continue to advance and have captured 594 Russian servicemen.

According to Syrskyi, Russia is trying to oppose Ukraine by withdrawing troops from other fronts.

He said that Russia is not withdrawing forces from the Pokrovsk front in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, where he said the situation remained "difficult".

The Kursk region has been the site of an offensive since the night of August 5-6, when Ukrainian forces entered the region near the town of Sudzha, about 10 km (6.2 miles) from the border.

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Kyiv of carrying out a "large-scale provocation" and "indiscriminate shooting," defining the incursion as a "terrorist attack".

Days later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky admitted it was an "operation" by Ukraine's troops, specifying that the goal is to create a "buffer zone" against Russian attacks.
Tehran, Aug 28 : Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani has condemned recent lethal "terrorist" attacks in Pakistan and Burkina Faso.

He made the remarks on Tuesday 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 70 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, Xinhua news agency reported.

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 organisation Balochistan Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for the attacks in Pakistan, while no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack in Burkina Faso.
Moscow, Aug 28 : Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi has warned of a risk of a nuclear incident at the Kursk nuclear power plant due to the conflict nearby.

"There is a risk of a nuclear incident here now," Grossi said on Tuesday after visiting the plant in Russia's Kursk region at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin to assess the situation and work with Russian colleagues on solutions to current issues.

Following his visit to its main facilities, the IAEA chief noted that the nuclear plant is operating under nearly normal conditions, Xinhua news agency reported.

Grossi said he was informed about attempted drone attacks on the plant's facilities, adding that he personally saw "traces of these attacks".

He noted that military activity near the nuclear plant ultimately raises security concerns.

Russia accused Ukraine last Friday of trying to attack the Kursk nuclear power station. The drone fragments were reportedly located nearly 100 metres from the plant's spent fuel nuclear storage facility.

The IAEA can propose a range of technical steps and measures aimed at ensuring nuclear safety, Grossi noted.

He said the UN nuclear watchdog has already established a framework for cooperation with Russia's state nuclear power conglomerate Rosatom, representatives of the Russian armed forces, security forces, and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The IAEA and Russian representatives are "discussing what can be done to prevent radiation incidents at the plant," Grossi added.

"I was informed about the impact of the drones. I was shown some of the remnants of them and signs of the impact they had," the IAEA Chief said, without saying who was responsible.

He warned that the nuclear reactor at the Kursk plant doesn't have a protective dome, unlike most nuclear facilities, making its core very vulnerable to artillery or drone strikes.

"The core of the reactor containing nuclear material is protected just by a normal roof, he said during his visit.

"This makes it extremely exposed and fragile, for example, to an artillery impact or a drone or a missile."

"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."

Despite the ongoing conflict, the power station is operating "in very close to normal conditions," according to Grossi.

"My message is the same for everyone: no nuclear accident can happen. It is our responsibility to make sure of that," Grossi said at the news conference, adding that the agency won't take sides in the Russian-Ukrainian war.

"This conflict, this war, is not the responsibility of the IAEA."

Russia captured Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant at the start of its invasion and has repeatedly endangered the plant's safety, drawing condemnation from Grossi.

Grossi will travel to Ukraine next week to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and discuss "a number of things," including the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant and the presence of IAEA experts at other sites in Ukraine.
New Delhi, Aug 28 : In the aftermath of the violence during the 'Nabanna Abhiyaan' rally in Kolkata, Union Minister and BJP President J.P. Nadda has launched a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of "surpassing all boundaries of cruelty and dictatorship" in the state.

The BJP leader on Tuesday condemned the violence and repression inflicted upon the doctors, youth, and women of West Bengal by the Mamata Banerjee government and her police force, calling their actions as not only deplorable but also a disgrace to humanity.

BJP President Nadda highlighted Mamata Banerjee's silence over the brutal rape case in West Bengal, where the dignity of a woman was shattered, and the victim's parents were misled.

He criticised the Chief Minister for remaining silent and resorting to extreme measures of cruelty to protect the perpetrators when the youth of the country raise their voice against the injustice through the 'Nabanna Abhiyaan'.

"The government deployed a massive police force of more than 6,000 personnel, sealed the Howrah Bridge, and unleashed lathi-charges and water cannons on the protesting students on the streets of Bengal."

"Despite being a woman Chief Minister, Mamata ji has completely failed to ensure the safety of the women of Bengal," BJP President Nadda said on Tuesday.

In response to the situation, the BJP President said that the BJP has called for a 12-hour Bengal bandh starting from 6 a.m. on Wednesday.

He expressed confidence that the people of Bengal will stand united with the party and spare no effort in shattering Mamata Banerjee's pride and creating an environment to overthrow such an oppressive government.

On Tuesday, BJP President Nadda criticised the excessive use of force by the Kolkata police against protesters who were demonstrating against the rape and murder of a trainee doctor.

He accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of prioritising the protection of rapists and criminals over the safety of women in West Bengal.

His remarks came in response to the police's use of lathi-charges, water cannons, and tear gas to disperse protesters who were throwing stones and bricks at security forces and attempting to breach barricades blocking their path to the state secretariat.

BJP President Nadda expressed his outrage at the images of police highhandedness from Kolkata, stating that they have angered everyone 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," he said on X, accusing the Kolkata police of suppressing people's voices demanding justice.

The father of the deceased of Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case said that he is standing in support of the students who are protesting for his daughter.

"I am standing in support of the students who are protesting for my daughter. I am very proud that the students have taken such a risk and are out today for my daughter. They should intensify their protest and should keep demanding justice," he added.

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.

Following the chaos, the Trinamool Congress 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 also said that the "Nabanna Abhiyan" was a conspiracy by the BJP and was "nothing short of a FATAL ATTACK on Bengal!"

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.
Washington, Aug 28 : A Kentucky man, who was the first rioter to enter the US Capitol, on January 6, 2021, in an attempt to stop the official certification of the US presidential election has been sentenced to more than four years in prison on Tuesday.

Michael Sparks, 47, a factory supervisor, was convicted in March of civil disorder and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building.

Prosecutors had sought a sentence of 57 months while Sparks's defence attorneys asked that he be given 12 months of home detention.

Nearly 1,500 people have been charged for their roles in the storming of US Congress in January 2021.

District Judge Timothy Kelly sentenced Sparks to 53 months in prison and a $2,000 fine.

In their sentencing memorandum, prosecutors said Sparks was "the very first rioter to enter the United States Capitol building" and "helped light the fire that day".

Sparks jumped through a broken window, they said, "ignoring the warnings of the rioters behind him and the pepper spray (from US Capitol police) that hit him squarely in the face."

Capitol police sergeant Victor Nichols, testifying at Sparks's trial in Washington, said he "acted like a green light for everybody behind him, and everyone followed right behind him".

David Dempsey, 37, of Santa Ana, California, described by prosecutors as one of the "most violent" members of the mob, was sentenced to 20 years in prison this month.

The sentence was the second longest handed down so far.

Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the far-right Proud Boys group, was convicted of seditious conspiracy and sentenced to 22 years in prison.

The assault on the Capitol left at least five people dead and 140 police officers injured.

It followed a fiery speech by Trump to his supporters near the White House in which he repeated his false claims that he won the 2020 election.

Trump faces four federal felony charges in Washington related to efforts to overturn the election results, but the case is unlikely to reach trial before the November presidential vote, in which he is once again the Republican candidate.
Mumbai, Aug 28 : Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan was once scolded by the late filmmaker Yash Chopra.

An old video of the two gentlemen having a chat has now resurfaced on the internet.

In the video, the filmmaker can be seen telling SRK, "You are one actor whom I have met in 20 years, who has never asked me about the story of any of my films. You have always said, 'Adi has written, you are directing? I'll do.' You never asked me about how much money am I going to give you for the film."

He further mentioned, "You have never taken a penny from me during the production of any of my films. Whatever I gave you in the last week before the film's release, you would call me and say, 'I think you have given a little bit more to me.' I remember we were making a film, and I called you angrily and told you that, 'I'm about to start the film, why are you missing in action? I understand you must be busy but we should meet once before the film goes on floor.'"

The filmmaker then told the media present at the venue, "SRK then said, 'Let's settle this once and for all. Why shall I meet you? I won't listen to the story from you, whatever money you would give to me, I'll accept. Both of us have an understanding, and once I start working on your film, I won't work on any other film until your film is completed.'"

Yash Chopra and SRK shared a long history since 'Darr'.

It was on the sets of 'Darr' that SRK and Aditya Chopra became good friends.

Yash Chopra and SRK have worked together on films like 'Dil To Pagal Hai', 'Veer-Zaara' and 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan'.
Kolkata, Aug 28 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee dedicated the foundation day of the Trinamool Congress' student wing TMCP on Wednesday to the memory of the woman doctor of the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital who became the victim of a ghastly rape and murder earlier this month.

"Today I dedicate Trinamool Chhatra Parishad Foundation Day to our sister, whom we mourned the tragic loss of at RG Kar Hospital a few days ago. And please, our heartfelt condolences to the family of the sister who was brutally tortured to death and seeking speedy justice, as well as to all the women of all ages across India who have been subjected to such inhumane acts. Sorry," the Chief Minister said in a message posted on her official X handle in the morning.

According to her, since students and youths have a great social role to play it is the task of student society to give the dream of a new day by keeping the society and culture awake and to inspire everyone around with the bright vows of a new day.

"My appeal to all of them today, be encouraged in this effort, stay committed. My dear students, stay well, stay healthy, stay committed to a bright future,' the message read.

A mega programme is scheduled in Kolkata on Wednesday afternoon on the occasion of Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad's foundation day.

The Chief Minister herself is slated to address a gathering on the occasion. The programme coincides with the 12-hour general strike convened by the BJP condemning police action on the protesters participating in the 'Nabanna Abhijan' (March to Bengal Secretariat) rally on Tuesday condemning the rape and murder case.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has already taken up the charge of investigation in the matter following an order of the Calcutta High Court. The central agency is also conducting a parallel probe on the financial irregularities in R.G. Kar, which many have claimed have some links with the gruesome rape and murder.
Khartoum, Aug 28 : At least 25 people were killed and 30 others injured in an artillery attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State in western Sudan, a local official said.

"The RSF targeted the Abu Shouk camp market with four shells yesterday (Monday), leaving 25 people dead and about 30 others injured," Ibrahim Khatir, the health chief of North Darfur State, told Xinhua news agency on Tuesday.

The incident occurred on Monday, and the injured were taken to health centres in the Abu Shouk area, the Saudi Hospital, and the army's Medical Corps hospital for treatment, Khatir added.

The resistance committee in El Fasher, a non-governmental group, said in a statement on its Facebook page on Tuesday that the RSF on Monday bombarded the private Sub-Saharan College in El Fasher, destroying its main hall, laboratory, morgue, and other buildings.

The RSF has not yet issued any comment regarding the incidents.

Since May 10, fierce clashes have been raging in El Fasher between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF.

Sudan has been witnessing a deadly conflict between the SAF and the RSF since April 15, 2023, 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 neighbouring countries, according to the latest UN data.
New Delhi, Aug 28 : The All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi has collaborated with Osaka University in Japan to set up a medical device development centre in Haryana's Jhajjar.

New Delhi, Aug 28 (IANS) The All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi has collaborated with Osaka University in Japan to set up a medical device development centre in Haryanaas Jhajjar.

The new National Centre for Medical Device Development, Validation, and Skill Training, in line with the Centreas aMake in Indiaa initiative will enable surgeons, physicians, and biomedical engineers in the country to conceptualise, design, develop, and test medical device prototypes.

The initiative between the countries is part of a decade-long partnership signed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the late Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe. AIIMS and Osaka University signed a Memorandum of Understanding in October 2014, to develop novel and affordable surgical instruments.

As part of it, a delegation from Osaka University, accompanied by officials from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) visited AIIMS and the proposed site for the centre in Jhajjar on Monday.

The latest project aims to reduce Indiaas reliance on imported medical devices, which currently stands at over 70 per cent. It will also provide doctors a platform to boost the preparation of designs and technologies and perform tests on animals and human cadavers.

The centre aims to develop high-quality, affordable medical devices accessible to the Indian population. It will encourage the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises in the sector.

AIIMS and Osaka University have been working on the project for two years. Previously a delegation from AIIMS had visited Japan to gain insights into technological research and hands-on experience in prototype conceptualisation, computer-assisted designing, and 3D printing.

As the land has been finalised, AIIMS has reportedly sought a budget of Rs 300 crore from the Union Health Ministry to set up the centre.
Seoul, Aug 28 : Children's bicycles, skates and sunglasses sold in South Korea by Chinese online platform AliExpress have been found to contain a hazardous substance exceeding the country's standard by about 260 times, the Seoul city government said on Wednesday.

Seoul, Aug 28 (IANS) Children's bicycles, skates and sunglasses sold in South Korea by Chinese online platform AliExpress have been found to contain a hazardous substance exceeding the countryas standard by about 260 times, the Seoul city government said on Wednesday.

The city government said it has conducted a safety examination on 16 kinds of children's products sold on AliExpress, such as inline skates, kickboards, bicycles, glasses, and sunglasses, and half of them were found to contain hazardous substances exceeding domestic standards or were not durable enough, Yonhap news agency reported.

An inspection of two child bike models from the Chinese platform found that the seat from one of them contained phthalate plasticisers exceeding the allowable level by 258 times, the government noted.

Phthalate plasticisers are endocrine disruptors that can affect reproductive function and cause eye or skin irritation upon contact.

In the other bike product, the level of phthalate plasticizers exceeded the domestic standards by 240 times, while about 1.5 times the permissible level of lead was detected in the plastic part of the bell, it added.

In addition, two models of inline skates were found to contain excessive amounts of phthalate plasticisers and cracked and broke during performance tests, the city government said.

The number of complaints by South Korean users about the products and services on the Chinese platforms has soared recently.

Given this, the South Korean antitrust regulator Fair Trade Commission (FTC) in May signed agreements with the Chinese retail platforms AliExpress and Temu meant to prevent them from selling harmful products and to better protect consumers.

The move came as the customs agency found that some of the products sold on AliExpress, owned by Alibaba, and Temu contained high levels of carcinogens and other harmful substances, the FTC said.
Kochi, Aug 28 : A section of the members of AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes), who was hitherto busy in shooting locations, is now busy meeting their counsels, ever since the explosive Hema Committee report on the working conditions of women in the film industry was revealed last week.

Among those whose names have surfaced after their avictimsa pointed out names, include Siddique, who quit as AMMA general secretary, Ranjith (who quit as chairman Kerala State Chalachitra Academy), two-time sitting CPI(M) legislator Mukesh, popular actor and producer Maniyan Pillai Raju, former AMMA general secretary Edavela Babu, actors Jayasurya and Baburaj, and Directors Sreekumara Menon and Tulasidas.

With the Congress and the BJP leadership aggressively taking up the Hema report, the Pinarayi Vijayan government ordered a high-level probe team comprising top IPS officers. It was after this development that high-profile film personalities started taking a break from their busy shooting schedules and are now spending more time with the best legal brains.

Siddique and Ranjith have quit their posts and have started taking steps to seek anticipatory bail, and others also have begun the same.

The special police probe team had its first round of meetings following which it was decided to take statements from the victims. In fact, those who levelled allegations against the actors and directors have approached the probe team.

The Congress party is staging a massive state-wide protest on Thursday and their demands include the resignation of State Minister for Culture and Films Saji Cherian and also actor-turned-politician State Minister for Transport K.B. Ganesh Kumar.

Cherian, who initially took a strong position in favour of Ranjith, has gone silent, as he is also accused of shielding the tainted AMMA members, of which he is also a member.

On Tuesday, the 17-member AMMA executive resigned after president and superstar Mohanlal decided to quit.

Meanwhile, in a face-saving measure, the ruling CPI(M), which earlier tried to shield Mukesh by not succumbing to the pressure from various sections to make him quit as a legislator, has decided to keep him away from the high power committee which has been formed to organise the upcoming Cinema Conclave to be held later this year.
Srinagar, Aug 28 : Former Mayor of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SNC), Junaid Azim Mattu on Wednesday resigned from J&K Apni Party, a day after being nominated as the party's candidate for the upcoming Assembly elections.

Mattu, a senior leader of the Apni Party, was named as the party candidate for the Zadibal Assembly seat in the Srinagar district.

He said on his X-post page that he took the decision after extensive consultation with his supporters.

"It is with a heavy heart, and with all humility at my command, that I announce my decision to part ways with the J&K Apni Party," he said.

Mattu also said that the Apni Party would be at complete liberty to field an appropriate candidate from Zadibal in his place.

He said that during his Hajj pilgrimage earlier this year, he had taken a solemn pledge to uphold his conviction and do politics guided by his own principles and a sense of discerning right from wrong.

"Primarily underscored by this solemn pledge and based also on extensive consultations with my workers and supporters over the last five days, I have reached this decision," said Mattu.

Wishing his best to Apni Party supremo Syed Altaf Bukhari, Mattu said Bukhari has been nothing but kind, protective and large-hearted.

"However, my own convictions are no longer congruent or symmetrical with the ideology of the party and in this situation -- to still remain associated with the party or to contest elections as a party candidate would be outrightly disingenuous," he added.

He further said that he would address the media in a couple of days to share his views, answer questions and outline his intentions and goals.

National Conference (NC) headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah has already announced 50 candidates for the Assembly elections in J&K while candidates for two seats, Budgam and Beerwah are yet to be announced by the party.

The NC has fielded former Chief Minister and party vice president, Omar Abdullah from the North Kashmir Ganderbal seat.

As per the seat-sharing arrangement between the NC and the Congress, NC will fight from 52 seats while the Congress will contest 31 seats.

The two parties have agreed to field separate candidates from Banihal, Doda, Bhaderwah, and Nagrota in the Jammu division and Sopore in the Kashmir division.
Los Angeles, Aug 28 : A police officer and a suspect were killed in a fiery pursuit crash in San Diego, California.

Another police officer was seriously injured in the multi-vehicle crash that happened at around 11:30 p.m. on Monday local time at the intersection of Clairemont Mesa Boulevard and Doliva Drive in the Southern California coastal city, according to the San Diego Police Department, authorities said on Tuesday.

San Diego Police Department Chief Scott Wahl told the media during a news conference on Tuesday that police officers tried to initiate a traffic stop on a vehicle at a high rate of speed, but the driver refused to pull over, Xinhua news agency reported.

The suspect vehicle later collided with the side of a police patrol car responding to the incident.

The officer driving the patrol car and the suspect died at the scene. The other officer sustained critical injuries and was fighting for his life in hospital.

Officials said that the California Highway Patrol will conduct an independent investigation of the crash.

Austin Machitar was the officer who died at the scene. Zach Martinez was injured at Sharp Memorial Hospital.

The San Diego Police Officers Association has created a Fund a Hero donation page to support the families of the officers. The money will go directly to the Machitar and Martinez families.
Kolkata, Aug 28 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the rape and murder of a woman doctor at state-run R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital is now tracking the mobile phone calls made by former principal Dr Sandip Ghosh immediately after the body was detected in the seminar room on August 9 morning.

Sources said that by tracking the phone calls made or received by Ghosh then, the investigating officials are trying to figure out what exactly transpired during the course of conversation during those calls.

To be more precise, sources added, the investigating officials are keen to track whether Ghosh passed on any information or gave any instruction on the tragedy to anyone or vice versa from anyone on that morning.

The CBI officials have already conducted a polygraph test of Ghosh.

The central probe agency has also sought the permission of a lower court in Kolkata to conduct the same test on Anup Halder, an assistant sub-inspector of Kolkata Police and a close associate of the sole accused in the case, Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer attached to the state police.

Sources said that preliminary investigation through interrogation of different persons has revealed that the woman doctor was quite popular among her fellow junior doctors, medical students and even some of the supporting medical staff. The victim, however, was not in the good books of a section of her seniors in the hospital, especially those who are the confidants of Ghosh.

That is exactly where suspicions galore about some hidden truths behind the real motive of the ghastly rape and murder. Already representatives of the medical fraternity, including senior and junior doctors as well as medical students, have expressed doubts that she probably became the victim because she became aware of some gory truths relating to the hospital.

The CBI is also conducting a parallel probe on the financial irregularities at R.G. Kar when Dr Ghosh was at the helm. Now the sleuths of the two investigating teams of CBI conducting parallel probes are trying to figure out whether there are links between the two cases.
New Delhi, Aug 28 : Showing strong growth, the bilateral trade between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries reached 162 billion dollars last year, the government has said.

The GCC now contributes 15 per cent of India's total trade and sectors like energy, defence, security and health are growing in the region, according to Aseem P. Mahajan, Joint Secretary (Gulf), Ministry of External Affairs.

At a FICCI event in the national capital, he said that while overall trade figures might fluctuate, India's exports to the GCC nations have shown "consistent growth".

According to him, the country exports various food processing, jewellery, synthetic fibres and yarns, textiles, pharmaceuticals and engineering goods, and chemical products to the GCC countries.

Mahajan emphasised that the cultural and bilateral relations between India and the Gulf countries are strong.

Indiaas economic linkages with the GCC have increased steadily, especially due to growth in oil imports. These have increased significantly in FY22 due to rising oil prices in the wake of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict as well as due to the resumption of demand following the Covid-19 disruption.

As per the 2022 government data, GCC countries contribute almost 35 per cent of Indiaas oil imports and 70 per cent of gas imports. Indiaas overall crude oil imports from the GCC in 2021-22 were about $48 billion, while LNG and LPG imports in 2021-22 were about $21 billion.

Since FY2017-18, on a compounded annual growth rate basis, bilateral trade between India and the GCC has grown by 10.57 per cent.

In February this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar. PM Modi held wide-ranging talks with the top leadership to take forward the bilateral strategic partnership.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated the BAPS Mandir, the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, and addressed the Indian diaspora.

The two countries are among each otheras top trading partners with a bilateral trade of about 85 billion dollars in 2022-23. The UAE is also among the top four investors in India in terms of foreign direct investments in 2022-23.

PM Modi also visited Qatar and held wide-ranging talks with the leadership, focusing on significantly expanding bilateral ties in areas of trade, energy, investment and new technology. Bilateral trade between India and Qatar currently stands at roughly 20 billion dollars.
New Delhi, Aug 28 : The Janmashtami festival this year generated a business of more than Rs 25,000 crore, according to the traders' body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT).

The high sales turnover reflects robust consumer spending in a growing economy which shoots up during festive celebrations.

CAIT's General Secretary Praveen Khandelwal said large-scale sales were observed, particularly in flowers, fruits, sweets, deity costumes, decorative items, fasting sweets, milk, curd, butter, and dry fruits.

National President B.C. Bhartia said the festival was celebrated with great enthusiasm, especially in North and West India, with decorated temples and large crowds of people visiting them. Digital tableaux and selfie points with Lord Krishna were special attractions during the festival.

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. Bhartia highlighted that the special attractions of the Janmashtami festival included digital tableaux and selfie points. In cities, there were numerous bhajans, religious dances, and discourses by saints and sages. Various social organisations also held large-scale Janmashtami celebrations.

CAIT expects festive sales of over Rs 4 lakh crore due to the extended period of the festival season this year which began with Raksha Bandhan on August 19 and will extend to November 15 on the day of Tulsi Vivah.

The business body estimated the festive trade during Raksha Bandhan at over Rs 12,000 crore across the country. In 2022, the business during the Rakhi festival stood at around Rs 7,000 crore; in 2021 it was Rs 6,000 crore; in 2020 it was Rs 5,000 crore; in 2019 it was Rs 3,500 crore, and in 2018 it was Rs 3,000 crore, according to Khandelwal.

"This year's festive series begins with Raksha Bandhan and continues through Janmashtami, the 10-day Ganesh Utsav, Navratri, Durga Puja, Dussehra, Karva Chauth, Dhanteras, Diwali, Govardhan Puja, Bhai Dooj, Chhath Puja, and other festivals, culminating with Tulsi Vivah. During this festive period, the business community across the country is fully prepared to meet consumer demands, and traders have stocked up adequately on all products," a CAIT representative said.
New Delhi, Aug 28 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday made an explosive claim that veteran Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader and state minister Champai Soren was being snooped on by Jharkhand Police for the past five months.

Himanta Sarma, who's also BJP's co-election in-charge for the upcoming Jharkhand polls, claimed that two sub-inspectors of Jharkhand Police's Special Branch have been apprehended by Champai Soren's supporters at a Delhi hotel for clandestinely pursuing him and following his movements.

The revelations by Himanta Sarma is likely to trigger a political storm as Champai Soren has dropped enough hints of snapping ties with the Hemant Soren-led JMM, and chart his new political course.

On Monday evening, after Champai Soren's meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi, the Assam Chief Minister told the press that the veteran tribal leader will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on August 30.

The former Jharkhand Chief Minister didn't deny the claims, thus giving credence to reports of him giving a big jolt to the JMM soon.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Himanta Sarma said, "The two nabbed SIs have have admitted that the orders to track Champai Soren came from a person in a Constitutional position. We strongly condemn such move, which makes a mockery of the democratic system."

He also said that the SIs have been handed over to Delhi Police and an investigation into the matter will begin soon.

Champai Soren's sudden visits to Delhi for the past few days ignited talks of a possible political switch, though he remained evasive on a clear reply.

Days ago, Champai Soren wrote an open letter sharing his anguish over his unceremonious ouster from the CM's post to make way for Hemant Soren, categorically stating that his options in politics were open.

Champai Soren had taken over as Jharkhand's 12th Chief Minister in February this year after Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money-laundering case.

He was preferred over Hemant Soren's wife Kalpana Soren, but his tenure was short-lived as he was made to step down days after Hemant Soren's release on bail on June 28.
Bengaluru, Aug 28 : Amid rumours that he may be the new Chief Minister, Karnataka Home Minister and prominent leader from the Dalit community G. Parameshwara said on Wednesday that he is a disciplined soldier of Congress and whenever the party gave him an opportunity he delivered honestly.

The statement comes amid speculation that he may be made the Chief Minister in case of the growing legal troubles of CM Siddaramaiah. The rumours have gained weight after Parameshwara met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on August 23.

However, Parameshwara refuted the speculation saying, "The question of me becoming the Chief Minister does not arise at all...That question won't arise and I will not answer any such question," he stated. When asked about his separate meeting with Rahul Gandhi, he said, "Rahul Gandhi had spoken to me separately and it is true. However, the media can't speculate about the subject matter. I am also a Congress' disciplined soldier. Whenever the party gave me an opportunity to work, I did it with full honesty. Rahul Gandhi has spoken to me about the matters of the party. There was no discussion as such."

Talking about the pending court's verdict on the prosecution against CM Siddaramaiah on Thursday, he stated, "We are hoping that the court in any way won't consider the Governor's decision because no material is there to substantiate. There is nothing to prove CM Siddaramaiah's involvement such as his signatures, orders, involvement and his name is not there in the registration. When this is the case, the court will observe all this and give its verdict."

"We will stand with CM Siddaramaiah as the high command has announced. The development can't be predicted. The high command is of the opinion that once the court's decision comes, the future course of action would be discussed," he stated.

When asked about the Congress government approaching the Supreme Court against the Governor for sending back 11 bills, Parameshwara stated, "The legal team is verifying on approaching the Supreme Court regarding the sending back of 11 bills by the Governor. We will have to see about that. We will first send the bills back to the Governor with the clarifications he had sought. If he is not satisfied, we will have to approach the President for that matter as well."

Asked whether the Governor will heed to the demands of the Congress party, Parameshwara stated, "It is a different matter whether the Governor will oblige the demands of the Congress party. There is a need to organise the agitations ... Tomorrow one might state that if the legislators had to meet and brief him about the situation, he would have taken a different call. We want to explore the opportunity as well."

Answering a question on BJP planning to stage protests at the national level, he said, "If they are planning a national level agitation, then we will also have to organise the protests at the national level. The high command will decide whether the Congress party alone is going to stage the agitation or it will be staged through the INDIA bloc. If BJP takes it to the national level, we will also certainly do it."

On the issue of land allotment by the Karnataka Industrial Development Board (KIADB) to Minister for RDPR and IT and BT Priyank Kharge, Parameshwara stated, "Let the Governor examine the complaint and if there is anything against the law, let him take appropriate action. The application was submitted for the land allotment for a project. Anyone can make the submission after coming up with a company, project report and investment. The land will be allotted."
Mumbai, Aug 28 : Bollywood multi-hyphenate Farhan Akhtar, who recently made an appearance in the streaming docu-series 'The Angry Young Men', is shooting a very special project. The actor is currently in Ladakh to shoot for the project, the details of which are currently under the wraps.

On Wednesday, Farhan took to his Instagram, and shared a landscape image of the Ladakh terrain.

He wrote in the caption, "Back in Ladakh after 'Lakshya' and 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' to shoot for a very special film. Details to be revealed soon. Watch this space".

Fans stormed the comments section of the actor-director's post as they made guesses about the project that he is shooting in Ladakh. Some thought it to be 'Don 3', others thought of the film to be 'Jee Le Zaraa'.

Farhan's 'Don 3' has long been in the making but nothing concrete as of now has materialised yet except for the casting of Ranveer Singh in the titular role. Ranveer, who has collaborated in the past with Farhan on films like 'Dil Dhadakane Do' and 'Gully Boy', took the baton from Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan to essay the titular role in the 3rd part of the 'Don' franchise.

SRK himself stepped into the shoes of Amitabh Bachchan in 2006 when Farhan decided to remake the Amitabh Bachchan-starrer 'Don'.

The original 'Don' was written by Farhan's father, screenwriting legend Javed Akhtar and his partner Salim Khan, the father of Bollywood megastar Salman Khan.

Farhan last directed a film 13 years ago with 'Don 2'. While the actor has since then many projects, they mostly explored his side as an actor or a musician.

Meanwhile, Farhan recently shed light on his father's journey in the Prime Video series, 'The Angry Young Men' which is based on Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan. The screenwriting duo is considered to be formidable force of writing in Hindi cinema having revolutionised the mainstream filmmaking with their writing.
New Delhi, Aug 28 : The information security spending in India is projected to reach $3.4 billion in 2025, 17.1 per cent up from 2024, a report showed on Wednesday.

The end-user spending on information security is projected to reach $2.9 billion this year, according to a Gartner report.

The recent CrowdStrike outage highlighted critical internal vulnerabilities, emphasising the need for many organisations to establish a more resilient and secure IT environment, prioritising their spending on endpoint and cloud security.

According to Shailendra Upadhyay from Gartner, the outage prompted some chief information security officers (CISOs) to review or update their organisation's prevention, response and support procedures, "while also ensuring that key employees with response and recovery responsibilities possess the necessary competencies."

The report mentioned that within the security services vertical, managed security services spending is projected to grow 34.3 per cent, outpacing security consulting services spending (10.9 per cent) and security professional services spending (17.9 per cent).

Managed detection and response (MDR), a subcategory of managed security services, is forecast to record the highest growth in the segment at 42.3 per cent.

Spending on security software is projected to reach $1.3 billion in 2025, an increase of 14.8 per cent year-on-year.

The growing spending on public cloud services, which Gartner estimates will increase by 34 per cent in India in 2025, along with the adoption of AI and GenAI by both vendors and attackers, will continue to drive investments in security software, Upadhyay informed.

The growth is largely due to the ongoing cybersecurity talent shortage, prompting Indian organisations to outsource expertise and leverage economies of scale for comprehensive coverage and cost-effective risk mitigation.

According to recent reports, the Indian healthcare industry experienced an average of 6,935 cyberattacks per week, compared to 1,821 attacks per organisation globally.
New Delhi, Aug 28 : Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera hit out at the BJP on Wednesday, saying that there was nothing new in the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS).

"What new scheme? Everything is almost similar to the Old Pension Scheme which you (BJP) were against. What new thing are you doing?," he remarked to IANS while answering a question on the issue.

The leaderas comments came hours after Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday dismissed the Congress' accusations of misinformation, stating that the recently-introduced UPS was a new initiative, not a rollback of the National Pension System (NPS).

"It is not a rollback... it is different from OPS and NPS. It is clearly a new package," she asserted.

The Central government approved the UPS last week for government employees.

In the latest scheme, it assures a pension of 50 per cent of the basic salary for those who joined the service after January 1, 2004.

The move from the Centre triggered another political slugfest with the Opposition led by the Congress and the ruling BJP exchanging barbs since August 23.

The Congress took a jibe at the Centre over its announcement of the UPS, saying the 'U' in UPS stands for the Modi government's "U-turns."

Talking to IANS on Wednesday, Pawan Khera also talked about Uttar Pradesh's Digital Media Policy and said, aWho will decide what is positive and what is negative? If I write against the BJP on social media, will it be considered anti-national? So what kind of dictatorship is this, they are trying to bring police rule through the back door."

The Uttar Pradesh government approved the state's Digital Media Policy during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

As per the proposal, the government will now provide advertisements related to its schemes and accomplishments on social media platforms such as X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

The account holders will receive monthly payments according to four categories based on their subscribers and followers.

Additionally, it has been clarified that legal action would be taken against account holders who post objectionable, vulgar, obscene, or anti-national content.
Kolkata, Aug 28 : Under fire after the ghastly rape and murder of a junior doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday that her government will pass a Bill in the Assembly to ensure capital punishment for convicts in rape and murder cases.

"We will move a Bill in the state Assembly within 10 days seeking capital punishment for culprits in rape and murder cases. We will send it to the Governor, and if he doesn't pass the Bill, we will sit on indefinite protest outside the Raj Bhavan. This Bill must be passed... He cannot evade accountability this time. Why should rapists not be hanged," Banerjee asked while addressing an even to mark the foundation day of Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP), her party's students' wing.

Echoing the statements of Trinamool General Secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee, who spoke just before her, the Chief Minister questioned the progress made by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the R.G. Kar rape and murder case, 14 days after the case was handed over to the probe agency by the Calcutta High Court.

"The progress of the investigation has been ruined after the case was handed over to the CBI," the Chief Minister claimed.

She also complemented the Kolkata Police and West Bengal Police for the manner in which they handled the 'Nabanna Abhijan' (March to Secretariat) on Tuesday, saying: "I salute my police. They maintained restrain even after they were attacked. They did not fall into the trap of the BJP which is doing politics over bodies."

The Chief Minister also gave a call to the junior doctors of Bengal to resume their duties in the state-run hospitals keeping in mind the interest of the patients going there for treatment.

Describing the rape and murder incident as thoroughly unfortunate, Banerjee said now it remains to be seen that no errors are made in the follow-up action in the matter.

"That is why we wanted to complete the investigation quickly so that the trial could be conducted on a fast-track basis," the Chief Minister said.

--IANS

src/ar,m
New Delhi, Aug 28 : Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Anil Rajbhar on Wednesday launched a sharp critique of the West Bengal government, condemning its response to a peaceful student protest and the alleged firing on BJP leader Priyangu Pandey.

"We stand with the students who peacefully protested, demanding justice for the victim," the minister stated. He accused the West Bengal government of trying to shield those involved in the crime, leading students to take to the streets.

"The state government acted with barbarity, using lathi charges, filing cases, and arresting them. No amount of condemnation is enough for this," he added.

Praising the West Bengal BJP's efforts to demand justice for the arrested students, Rajbhar expressed solidarity with senior party leaders who announced a 12-hour 'Bandh' in Bengal in response to the state government's actions.

"The markets, usually bustling by 9 a.m., were completely shut today," he noted, emphasising the impact of the BJP's 'Bandh.'

The BJP leader also criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her government of losing public trust.

"Mamata Banerjee and her party are so frustrated that they have resorted to opening fire on a BJP leader. There's 'jungle raj' in Bengal, and the safety of women, businessmen, and the general public is compromised," he said, suggesting that the Bengal Chief Minister should resign to restore public confidence in the government.

Shifting focus to Uttar Pradesh's new social media policy, which classifies the posting of anti-national content as a serious offence with penalties ranging from three years to life imprisonment, Rajbhar welcomed the proposal.

"I support this policy. If someone acts against the country on social media, action should be taken against them," he remarked, adding that the policy, recently approved by the UP cabinet, could serve as a model for the nation.

The UP Cabinet Minister also commented on the renaming of eight railway stations in the Lucknow division, praising the initiative led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to eliminate remnants of British colonial rule from the country.
Nuku'alofa : , Aug 28 (IANS) In a move aimed at countering China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, along with other Pacific leaders, endorsed the Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI) on Wednesday, marking a significant regional effort to bolster peace and security throughout the region.

The PPI announced on the sidelines of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders' Meeting in Tonga, aims to enhance the capacity of Pacific nations to address law and order challenges, fulfil internal security needs, and provide mutual support in times of crisis.

Australia will commit approximately $400 million over five years to ensure the PPI delivers on the aspirations of Pacific countries. The country's contribution will include infrastructure costs associated with new policing Centres of Excellence in the region.

"This is one of the occasions where the Pacific family essentially believe that one plus one plus one equals more than three. That if you have more effective engagement, coordination and interoperability, you'll get better outcomes. So a common sense approach tells you that that's right, and it's something that has the support, not just of the leaders in the Pacific Island Forum, but has the support as well of the police, the respective police agencies themselves," said Albanese.

Under the new initiative, Brisbane will host the PPI Policing Development and Coordination Hub, and four regional police training Centres of Excellence will be set up around the region, with one such facility already there in Papua New Guinea.

The Pacific Police Support Group (PPSG) - a multi-country police capability with a ready pool of trained Pacific police to deploy in response to Pacific country requirements, such as for major event management or additional capacity in times of crisis - will also be established.

Albanese stressed that PPI is a Pacific-led, Australia-backed initiative, reflecting the collective strengths of the region.

"Everyone who spoke in the plenary session spoke in favour of the agreement, not just those people who were at the press conference, but there were other contributions as well, from the Solomon's, from Nauru, from other nations, from the Marshall Islands and more. Everyone spoke in favour of it because this is something that has come, not Australia, come out with an idea and then seeking to get everyone on board. This is something that has come from the Pacific itself," the Australian PM said.

The PPI aligns with the Pacific Islands Forum's 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, contributing to the peace and security vision outlined in the strategy. The initiative also builds on recent experiences, such as the Solomons International Assistance Force.

"We are stronger together. The security of the Pacific is the shared responsibility of the Pacific region, and this initiative benefits each of our nations," added the Australian PM.

Discussions regarding an integrated regional policing capability began at the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police meeting in 2023. The final design of the PPI, developed by the Pacific police, ensures that it will be a truly Pacific-focused and Pacific-led initiative.
New Delhi, Aug 28 : From $14.9 billion in FY14 Indian pharma exports have surged to $27.9 billion -- more than 90 per cent growth in the last 10 years, said Jitin Prasada, Union Minister of State (MoS) for Commerce and Industry on Wednesday.

He was speaking at the inauguration of a three-day International Exhibition For Pharma And Healthcare Exhibition (IPHEX 2024) organised by the Pharma Export Promotion Council of India (CAPEXIL) and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in the national capital.

The MoS urged the Indian pharmaceutical industry to work towards becoming the healthcare custodian of the world.

"The Indian pharmaceutical sector is a significant contributor to the country's GDP and pharma exports are recovering to pre-pandemic growth levels, with over 9 per cent growth in FY24. From FY14 to FY24, exports surged from $14.9 billion to $27.9 billion, reflecting over 90 per cent growth," Prasada said.

"With a current Indian market size of $50 billion including exports, the domestic pharma industry aims to expand to $120-130 billion by 2030 including exports, seizing emerging opportunities for growth," he added.

While the country "is already recognised as the 'pharmacy of the world'", the Minister called to focus not only "on strengths in the generic sector", but also to "try product development, break new grounds".

"Focus on innovation, stress on quality, and work with the world market," he said while stressing that international competitiveness is very important.

Prasada said that the recently concluded free trade agreements (FTAs) with various countries have helped create the pathway for easier approval for various products and bringing down tariffs.

"Hope the pharma industry will be able to use these new agreements for faster approvals. He also noted that the government has come up with many schemes like the production-linked incentive (PLI) for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and medical devices," he added.

At the IPHEX 2024, more than 400 major Indian pharma companies will showcase their pharmaceutical products and technologies at the expo. More than 400 foreign buyers from across the world are expected to attend.
New Delhi, Aug 28 : To protect consumers from unwanted promotional calls and messages, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Wednesday released a consultation paper, seeking public comments to address the issue of unsolicited commercial communications (UCC).

The public comments are sought on the "Review of the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2018 (TCCCPR-2018)" paper that was implemented in February 2019 to address the issue.

The broad issues discussed in the consultation paper includes definitions of commercial communications, provisions related to the complaint redressal, UCC detect system and action thereof, provisions related to financial disincentives, provisions related to senders and telemarketers and analysis of high number of voice calls and SMS.

According to the telecom regulator, these regulations aim to protect consumers from unwanted promotional calls and messages, while allowing businesses to send targeted communications to customers who have consented for or set preferences to receive them.

TRAI said that during implementation of the regulatory frameworks, certain issues have been observed.

"This consultation paper aims to bring forward issues observed during implementation, and which need immediate attention. The provisions of regulations related to these issues may need amendment," it added.

The paper seeks input on areas to strengthen the regulations, including stricter provisions against the unregistered telemarketers (UTMs) who harass the public through spam calls, improved complaint redressal mechanisms, more effective UCC detection systems, stronger financial disincentives for violation of regulatory provisions, and revised regulations for senders and telemarketers.

The comments on the consultation Paper are invited from the stakeholders by September 25, said TRAI.

Meanwhile, the government has urged industry stakeholders to protect mobile users from spam and fraud. TRAI, in a meeting with representatives from IRDAI, PFRDA, RBI, SEBI, MoCA and MeitY, stressed the need for a joint effort to tackle the problem of spam messages and calls.

The government has observed several instances of misuse of headers and templates. Fraud usually takes place through the transmission of malicious links using the variable parts of the messages.
Kolkata, Aug 28 : Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday asked why the controversial former principal of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, has not been arrested yet by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) even 14 days after it took over the probe into the rape and murder of a junior doctor on the hospital premises earlier this month.

"The Calcutta High Court directed the CBI to take over the investigation on August 14. Demands were raised for Sandip Ghosh's arrest. Fourteen days have passed since then... The CBI will now have to answer why Ghosh has not been arrested yet in connection with the rape and murder on the hospital premises," said Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while addressing an event to mark the foundation day of Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP), the party's students' wing.

The Trinamool MP also questioned the capability of the CBI in reaching a definite conclusion in any investigation that is carried out by its officers.

"Be it the Saradha chit fund scam or the theft of Rabindranath Tagore's Nobel prize, we have all seen where the CBI probe reached," Banerjee said.

While the Trinamool Congress and the common people are stressing on strictest punishment for the culprits in the R.G. Kar case, BJP is doing politics by raising the demand for Mamata Banerjee's resignation as the Chief Minister, he added.

The Trinamool General Secretary also complemented the role of the West Bengal Police and Kolkata Police for showing restraint while tackling the situation during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' (March to Secretariat) on Tuesday.

"People of West Bengal saw who were leading the protest march apparently convened by the students on Tuesday. The police showed restraint in tackling the situation even after being attacked," Banerjee said.

The Trinamool MP also said that the Union government should immediately introduce a strong anti-rape law to ensure quick completion of trial and stringent punishment for the culprits.

"If the Centre does act quickly in this matter, we will move a Private Member's Bill on the floor of the Parliament," Banerjee said.
Two Sweet Home men are charged with stealing thousands of dollars worth of Oregon Jamboree tickets, accused of dumpster-diving, retrieving them after the janitorial staff accidentally threw them away.

Some of the tickets reportedly ended up for sale at half price on Facebook Marketplace.

The longstanding annual event, which was held earlier this month, bills itself as the northwests premier country music festival.

Authorities say in late June, Jamboree staff discovered they were missing more than $8,000 in event ticket wristbands  a dozen orders in total.

An investigation into the missing orders led police to arrest William Henry King Jr., 45, who is charged with felony first-degree theft and misdemeanor second-degree trespassing, and Thomas Ray Pimentel, 26, charged with felony first-degree theft and misdemeanor meth possession.

Put in white trash bags

Jamboree staff realized the 12 orders of wristbands were unspoken for and missing after a customer reported getting calls and messages that someone had her tickets, saying they found them among a Sweet Home residents belongings, according to a probable cause affidavit from the Sweet Home Police Department.

The affidavit describes the process in which Jamboree staff fill orders, putting them into white trash bags, when once full, are driven to the post office for shipping to customers.

But one bag didnt get that far, according to Jamboree event manager Peggy Curtis, who said an after-hours cleaning crew apparently mistook the white bag for garbage and threw it away.

It was an unfortunate circumstance, Curtis said in a phone interview.

She added that the missing orders were quickly recreated and filled, with just two of the 12 customers even realizing something was amiss. Curtis said to prevent a similar mishap in the future, the Jamboree will be using clear bags for the ticket orders.

Making contact with police

Officers were provided with a box of tickets recovered from the stolen batch, brought in by a woman who said a guy named Will gave them to her as payment for letting him keep his bike on her property, the affidavit states.

Searching Facebook Marketplace, police found an advertisement for Jamboree tickets at nearly half price, according to the affidavit, which alleges the post was made by Pimentel, who lives less than a block away from the Oregon Jamborees office on Main Street. Police have had several previous encounters with him.

When officers confronted Pimentel about the tickets he was selling on Facebook, he told them he traded King a mountain bike and a few other items for the wristbands, the affidavit states.

King allegedly told Pimentel he found the tickets in a white trash bag in a dumpster behind the Oregon Jamborees office, according to the document.

Pimentel turned over a boxed order he said he got from King, which contained six general admission tickets and four pit passes for the event, totaling more than $1,900 in value. When Pimentel was arrested later, he allegedly had nine grams of meth, baggies and a scale in his possession.

Police later caught up with King, who allegedly confessed to taking the bags from the Jamborees trash and finding the dozen sealed orders inside, according to the affidavit. King said he used the orders as forms of payment to people with whom he was crossing paths.

On the lookout

At the Jamboree, police were on the lookout for stolen wristbands, using radio frequency identification technology, or RFID, to scan for them.

Curtis said the Jamboree replaced those wristbands for free after people spoke with officers at the event, which she said went over well.

It was a really good situation, she said. They were happy to work with officers; we were happy to give them wristbands to get into the Jamboree.

Curtis emphasized that Jamboree-goers should never buy third-party tickets to reduce the risk of being swindled. She also touted the success of implementing RFID tech, which the Jamboree introduced in 2021.

Some of the people found to have them said they bought them from Pimental through Facebook, according to the affidavit.

Pimentels sister told police he gave her one of the stolen wristbands to repay her for bailing him out of jail.
New Delhi, Aug 28 : Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP, Manoj Jha on Wednesday voiced deep concern over the rising number of rape cases in the country and stressed the need to walk the talk when addressing such grave crimes.

The Rajya Sabha MP drew parallels between the BJP's handling of the 2020 farmers' protest and the TMC's response to the ongoing student protests in West Bengal, criticising the lack of an appropriate approach for dealing with protests in India.

"There is a way to deal with protests. We saw during the farmers' protest in 2020, where spiked barricades were used. There should be an understanding of protests, which is lacking in this country," he told IANS.

Indirectly referencing BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, he said, "Recently, we saw how a parliamentarian made demeaning remarks on the farmers' protest."

On the issue of rape, the RJD leader underscored the need for a unified response from leaders across the political spectrum.

"Rape is a grave crime, be it the Kolkata incident, Hathras incident, or the Bilkis Bano case; every leader, including the Prime Minister, should be equally pained," he said.

He further questioned, "Why is all this happening? The country did not learn a thing after the Nirbhaya case."

He stressed, "If the country aims to provide a safe environment for women, the difference between words and deeds must be eliminated."

The Rajya Sabha MP also condemned Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's "Miya Muslim" remarks, stating that such language is unbecoming of someone holding a constitutional position.

"A Chief Minister should avoid using such hateful speech, as it affects everyone and shatters faith in the Constitution," he said.

"When the Prime Minister will go abroad, how will he say that he comes from the land of Buddha?" he remarked.

Taking a jab at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's "Batenge to katenge" remarks, the RJD leader speculated on the underlying directives behind such statements, saying, "Who is directing them to make such statements? Maybe there is a role of Gujarat in all of these statements."

He accused the BJP of engaging in "dog-whistle politics" and "resorting to polarisation."

On the recent renaming of eight railway stations in the Lucknow Division, Manoj Jha sarcastically remarked, "Now the trains will operate on time, and no accidents will occur. People will not board the trains in a rush, all because the names of the stations have been changed."

He further mocked the government by suggesting that a dedicated department be established for renaming.

"Don't change the names in retail, change them in wholesale," he quipped, adding that perhaps renaming departments might even lead to job creation.
Bengaluru, Aug 28 : Karnataka BJP has launched a fresh attack on Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and his son, state Minister Priyank Kharge, over the alleged illegal allotment of five acres of land by the Siddaramaiah government at the Aerospace Park in Bengaluru saying that it was an injustice to Dalits by the Kharge family.

Speaking to media at the BJP state office here on Wednesday, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy said, "Kharge family is playing politics over the land which is meant for Dalits and depriving deserving Dalits of their rightful share." He also released fresh documents in this regard.

"The Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) collected lakhs of rupees from 72 Dalit organisations but only allocated land to the Kharge family, disregarding other families," he slammed. He also criticised the government for hastily approving land for the Kharge family within just 20 days, flouting all rules.

"This is one of the biggest blunders in KIADB's history," he emphasised.

"This is another scam, akin to the loot in the MUDA scam by the Congress government. All of this happened within a month, just before the parliamentary elections. He questioned the purpose behind such hasty allocations. He asked why it takes 2-3 years to allocate sites to other applicants when this was done within a month," he questioned.

"The land allocated in Kalaburagi has not been utilized for skill development by anyone from the Kharge family. However, they have successfully secured land in Bengaluru," he noted.

He challenged Priyank Kharge to disclose how many youths have been trained at the training centre opened by their trust on 19 acres of land in Kalaburagi city. He said that while a building has been constructed, not a single youth has been admitted.

"The five acres of land were hastily allocated to the trust of Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyank Kharge, violating the rules. What is the purpose behind the hasty allocation of land? The land was approved in just one day, and the approval letter was issued the very next day," Narayanaswamy alleged.

"The CA plots would be allotted for a Research and Development (R&D) Center, Innovation, Excellence Technical Institute, Educational Institute, and Bank facilities. The KIADB issued an official memorandum on February 14, 2023, based on a decision made in the meeting on January 12. It was decided to allocate the commercial plots available in the industrial area through a 10-year lease-sale deed at twice the fixed rate. However, the land was given at the CA (Civic Amenity) rate instead of the commercial rate," the BJP leader said.

Narayanaswamy further alleged that rules were changed, and commercial plots were hastily allocated without a public auction, less than a year after the original decision. "If it was for commercial purposes, the base price should have been Rs 2.5 crore per acre, and at double the rate, it should have been auctioned from the base rate of Rs 5 crore. It could have fetched Rs 10 crore to Rs 15 crore in an auction. However, the land was given at the CA rate, considering it as a civic amenity site," he said.

The LoP pointed out that no trust should have influence or government officials in their management, yet Priyank Kharge, a cabinet minister, has benefited from this government favour, he accused.

Narayanaswamy maintained that several irregularities have occurred. "KIADB has a long-standing practice of allocating CA sites through auctions. However, in this case, there were no provisions made for parks, educational institutions, petrol bunks, etc. This is the first mistake. The letterhead was accepted, and the land was allotted accordingly to the Kharge family."

"A decision was taken on February 5, 2024, to make applications available on the website from February 8. Applicants were given until February 23 to submit their applications, but instead of a month, only 14 days were provided. The short window was deliberately intended to keep the process under wraps...On March 4, a single-window agency conducted the verification. All applications were reviewed in one day, and the decision was made at 5 p.m. the next day in the presence of the Minister of Large and Medium Industries M.B. Patil. The approval letter was issued on the 6th," he stated.

"There are 193 CA sites in 12 districts, totaling 377.69 acres, with 283 applications. If 30 days had been provided, more applications would have come in. However, the notification was not widely known. The applications were received in 14 days, reviewed on the 15th day, and approved on the 16th day," said Narayanaswamy while saying that this was a major mistake in KIADB's history.

He gave an example of a 3-star hotel owned by Ishwar Sangappa Badri in Halagani, Vijayapura, allocated a CA site. "This was for commercial purposes, and it should have been auctioned. Even at a lower rate, 2.5 acres should have fetched Rs 12.5 crore," he argued.

The BJP leader questioned "whether the land given to one Sunita Rajasekhar in Bidadi for the construction of apartments was for commercial purposes or under civic amenities". In Harohalli, 2.5 acres were given to a skill development institute. "The SCs were given only half an acre, while others were allotted 5 or 6 acres," he alleged.

"In 12 districts, 193 CA plots are available in the state, with a total of 377.69 acres of land. Number of applications received was 283. If the time was given for 30 days, KIADB would have got more applications. People did not know at all. This was done to benefit the Kharge family. It is the biggest blunder in the history of the KIADB," he reiterated.

The CA plots have been allotted to a three-star hotel. It should have been a commercial site and auctioned. CA land of five acres is also given for the construction of an apartment. Can an apartment come in the category of amenities? Is it a business or an amenity? Narayanaswamy questioned.

Narayanswamy met the Governor on Tuesday and submitted a letter for a thorough inquiry into the allotments of lands by the KIADB.

BJP MLC N. Ravikumar and OBC Morcha State President Raghu Kautilya were present at the media briefing.
Varanasi, Aug 28 : As India celebrates the milestones and landmarks achieved under the Prime Minister Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) in the past ten years, the beneficiaries are all praise for the path-breaking scheme and thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for integrating them into the banking system.

People of Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of PM Modi, also expressed their gratitude for bringing them into the ambit of the banking system, a facility they dreamt of but always remained devoid of.

The PMJDY, with its motto of 'banking the unbanked' started a decade ago on August 28, 2014, and in the past ten years, it has seen more than 53 crore people opening Jan Dhan bank accounts.

Many women beneficiaries, speaking to IANS, made gushing praise for the Prime Minister.

Usha Devi, a Jan Dhan beneficiary from Varanasi said, "I opened my Jan Dhan account 10 years ago. Before this scheme, I used to save money at home, which was risky due to the fear of theft."

She said, "Opening an account at other banks required a minimum deposit of Rs 5,000. The Jan Dhan scheme has made saving and managing money much easier. I want to thank the Prime Minister for doing such a wonderful job for women. We are benefiting greatly from it."

Kasturi Devi, another beneficiary said, "Since we opened this account, we have been receiving Rs 500 regularly. We also got Rs 1 lakh for building our house through this account."

"This is a great scheme for women as it helps us keep some money in hand. Earlier, we had to borrow money and pay interest, because of which, we could not save. We want to thank the Prime Minister for this scheme," she added.

Sheela Yadav, another Varanasi resident with a Jan Dhan account said, "I opened my Jan Dhan account six years ago. Before this, opening an account was very difficult. Banks used to require a minimum deposit of Rs 2,000, which prevented me from opening an account."

She further said, "Prime Minister Modi introduced the scheme for zero-balance accounts. Now, any money we receive goes straight into our bank accounts, which is very helpful. We have benefited a lot from the government's schemes."

Varanasi Chief Development Officer (CDO) Himanshu Nagpal told IANS, "A lot of good work has been done under this scheme in Varanasi. So far, 1.86 million bank accounts have been opened."

"Nearly every household is now connected to a bank account. Government subsidies and grants are directly transferred to people's bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) without intermediaries. We have ensured that all people above the age of 10 years have bank accounts," he added.

He also informed that funds for schemes like 'Kanya Sumangala Yojana' are being directly deposited into the girls' accounts and pensions for the elderly are also transferred through these accounts.

"Varanasi has a population of 4 million, and we have opened over 2 million bank accounts. Since the scheme started, people have deposited Rs 13,040 crore, showing the significant benefits people have received from this scheme," shared CDO Nagpal, giving information on the penetration of the scheme.
Tehran, Aug 28 : In another first, a woman will be the public face of the new Iranian government with Fatemeh Mohajerani being appointed the government spokesperson of Masoud Pezeshkian regime.

Tehran, Aug 28 (IANS) In another first, a woman will be the public face of the new Iranian government with Fatemeh Mohajerani being appointed the government spokesperson of Masoud Pezeshkian regime.

The appointment was made by President Pezeshkian in a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Iranian media reported.

Mohajerani, 54, is a Doctor of Business Administration from Edinburgh and has earlier served as the head of the Technical and Vocational Training University of Shariati (for women) in the 11th government.

Mohajerani was named the head of the Center for Brilliant Talents by then-Education Minister Seyyed Mohammad Batahai in 2017 and has held other positions in the Education Ministry too.

This is the latest appointment of a woman to a senior position. President Pezeshkian had, last week, appointed Shina Ansari as Iran's Deputy President and Head of the Department of Environment.

Ansari, whose LinkedIn profile describes her as an experienced environmental specialist with a demonstrated history of working in environmental services and skilled in waste, RCRA, sustainable development, and environmental compliance, replaces Ali Salajegheh as head of the Department of Environment.

A PhD in Environmental Management from the Science & Research University, she was presently the Advisor at the Air Quality Control Centre at Tehran Municipality and previously had been Head of Environment and Sustainable Development at the Municipality and General Director of the Bureau of Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Monitoring in the Department of Environment.

Pezeshkian's cabinet also has (post-1979 Islamic Revolution) Iran's second woman minister with Farzaneh Sadeq Malvajard being approved as the Roads and Urban Development Minister. The Deputy Minister of Urban Planning and Architecture from January 2019 to July 2023, she got 230 out of 285-odd lawmakers present and voting despite some opposition when her name was read out in Parliament when the ministerial choices were submitted earlier this month.

Sadeq, 48, follows Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi who was Health and Medical Education Minister in populist President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's second government (2009-13).
Mumbai, Aug 28 : With political temperature coming to a boil amid pouring rain in Sindhudurg, the top leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on Wednesday announced a fresh protest in Mumbai on Sunday to target the MahaYuti government over the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg.

While the MVA and MahaYuti leaders and activists are engaged in a war of words over the incident in Malvan town of Sindhudurg, Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar, and Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray hurriedly held a joint media briefing here on Wednesday.

The three leaders slammed the MahaYuti government, accusing it of "gross corruption" in the statue construction leading to its fall on Monday, adding that the ruling regime is now blaming the Indian Navy for the crash.

The opposition leaders said they will organise a protest demonstration near the Martyrs Memorial in Mumbai on Sunday and then pay respect to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Gateway of India.

Ridiculing Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's claims that wind speeds of 45 knots that lashed Malvan may have led to the crash of the Chhatrapati statue, the three leaders said when all other statues, monuments and buildings withstood the so-called gales, only the Chhatrapati's statue collapsed as there was corruption in the project.

After the protest on Sunday, from September 2 onwards, the MVA would organise agitations all over the state to highlight the 'lapses' of the 'commission seeker' MahaYuti government in the run-up to the Assembly elections due later this year.

"Besides the statue incident and huge corruption in the MahaYuti regime, we shall also raise the question of women's safety given the spate of atrocities and sexual violence targeting our mothers, sisters and daughters. The government has failed on all counts," Thackeray said.

He also alleged that the MahaYuti partners -- Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP -- who claim to be 'Shiv premis' (Shiv devotees), are actually 'Shiv drohis' (Shiv traitors) and must be thrown out in the upcoming elections.

Pointing out that monuments, forts, statues that are many decades and centuries old have stood the test of time, Pawar and Patole called upon all the admirers and followers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to participate in the agitation on Sunday in large numbers to express their angst against the MahaYuti government that has failed on all fronts.
Srinagar, Aug 28 : Former J&K Chief Minister and President of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti said on Wednesday that there is no fun in contesting an Assembly election if you are unable to even withdraw an FIR as Chief Minister.

The PDP President would not be contesting the polls 'personally' but her party will participate in the ensuing Assembly elections in J&K.

"I have been Chief Minister of a government with the BJP which revoked FIRs against 12,000 persons in 2016. Can we do that now? As the Chief Minister of a government led by PM Modi, I wrote a letter to separatists inviting them for talks. Can we do it now? I got a ceasefire implemented. Can we do it now? What does one do with such a post if you cannot even withdraw an FIR as Chief Minister?" she said.

She was asked whether she had a change of heart on contesting polls after NC Vice President Omar Abdullah made a U-turn on his stand of not participating in the polls till J&K was a union territory.

"Omar himself said that he will have to be at the door of the L-G for the transfer of a peon. I am not bothered about the transfer of the peon but can we implement our agenda? she asked.

Omar Abdullah had vowed not to take part in assembly polls till J&K remained a union territory but is now among the 32 candidates named by the party on Tuesday.

The former Chief Minister will contest polls from Ganderbal where he had won in 2008.

On the alliance between NC and Congress for Jammu and Kashmir polls, the PDP President said the two parties have always come together just for the sake of power.

"When we allied with Congress in 2002, we had an agenda. We released Syed Ali Geelani from jail. Can you think of doing it today? When we allied with the BJP government in 2014, we had an 'Agenda of Alliance' in which we had it in writing that Article 370 would not be touched, AFSPA to be revoked, talks with Pakistan and Hurriyat, return of power projects, etc. We had an agenda. However, when Congress and NC announced the alliance, it's simply for power," she said.

On the possibility of Lok Sabha MP from Baramulla Sheikh Abdul Rashid and senior separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah being released from jail ahead of the polls, she said it would be a positive development.

She urged the government to consider releasing even those lesser-known people who are entitled to bail, but have been denied bail.

"You can put a person in jail, but you cannot imprison the ideas. Democracy is a battle of ideas. It has been delayed, but Engineer Rashid and Shabir Shah should be released along with all those languishing in jails who are entitled to bail but are not even getting that relief," she said.

She added that the government has been saying time and again that they want to start a process of reconciliation in J&K.

"I tell them to open the doors of the jails and the process of reconciliation will start," she asserted.

She said the PDP is fighting for a bigger cause as it is the only party which implements its agenda after coming to power.

"In 2002, we said we would repeal POTA and we did it. We fulfilled opening the cross-LoC routes and facilitated talks with the Hurriyat Conference. We follow our agenda and even today our agenda is that there is an issue which cannot be resolved without addressing it. Restoration of Article 370 is also important for the resolution of the J&K issue," she said.

She added that the PDP has always fought alone based on the support of the people.

The party has also announced to field Bashir Ahmad Mir against Omar Abdullah for the Ganderbal seat.

Bashir belongs to the adjacent Kangan Assembly constituency and has fought elections unsuccessfully twice against the NC's formidable candidate, the senior Gujjar leader, Mian Altaf Ahmad.

Kangan constituency was declared an ST reserved constituency after the delimitation of the Assembly constituency. Only a tribal candidate can fight elections from this reserved constituency.

PDP also announced 17 more candidates for different Assembly constituencies including Bashir Ahmad Mir for Ganderbal, Mohammad Khursheed Alam will stand from Eidgah, Sheikh Gowhar Ali from Zadibal, Mohammad Iqbal Trumboo from Chanapora, Aga Syed Munatzir Mehdi for Budgam, advocate Javid Chowdhary for Surankote, advocate Mahroof Khan for Mendhar, Farooq Inquilabi for Gulabgarh, advocate Syed Majid Shah for Kalakote-Sunderbani, advocate Haq Nawaz for Nowshera, Master Tasaduq Hussain for Rajouri, advocate Guftar Ahmad Choudhary for Budhal, advocate Qamar Hussain Choudhary for Thanamandi, Syed Tajamul Islam for Bandipore, advocate Abdul Haq Khan for Lolab, Basharat Bukhari for Wagoora-Kreeri and Javaid Iqbal Ganaie for Pattan constituency.

--IANS

sq/dan
Bengaluru, Aug 28 : The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday nixed the Special Investigation Team's plea seeking the cancellation of bail to JD(S) MLA H. D. Revanna in a kidnap case linked to the alleged sex video scam.

The bench, headed by Justice M. Nagaprasanna, also granted bail to all accused, Satish Babu, Madhu Gowda, K.A. Rajgopal, H.K. Sujay, H.N. Madhu and S. T. Keerthi.

Revanna's wife Bhavani, also accused in the case, was already out on bail.

On May 13, the Special Court for MLAs/MPs granted conditional bail to Revanna after which the SIT moved the High Court challenging the order.

On May 3, the Karnataka Police registered an FIR against Revanna in connection with the kidnapping of the woman, believed to be one of the victims of the sex video scandal involving his son Prajwal.

The victim's son had registered a missing complaint naming H. D. Revanna as the prime accused in the case.

The victim's son alleged that his mother went missing after the surfacing of a purported sex video in which Prajwal could be seen sexually assaulting her.

The victim's son alleged that his mother was locked up in an undisclosed location, as he pleaded with the police to initiate legal action against H.D. Revanna and Satish Babu, a relative of Bhavani. The victim was rescued from the farmhouse of H.D. Revanna's Personal Assistant.

Prajwal, the prime accused in the sex videos case, has been charged with repeated rape, kidnapping, threats and videographing sexual acts.

Prajwal's elder brother, JD(S) MLC Suraj Revanna was facing charges of forcing unnatural sex on a party worker and was recently released on bail.

Recently, H. D. Revanna said that he has seen many ups and downs in his 25 years of political career and the present difficult phase shall too pass.

"Certain officials are saying that my political career is over. I have seen many ups and downs in 25 years. This phase shall too pass. In 1989, the JD(S) lost all seven seats in the Hassan district. People claimed that Deve Gowda's political career was over. However, Deve Gowda became first Chief Minister and then Prime Minister within four years. There was a minor setback in 1999 also," H. D. Revanna, son of former Prime Minister H. D. Devegowda said.
New Delhi, Aug 28 : The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday that the local authorities in Qatar have handed over to the Indian Embassy in Doha the two 'saroops' (copies) of Sri Guru Granth Sahib taken away from an Indian national in a case related to running a religious establishment without approvals.

"Qatar authorities have today handed over to our Embassy in Doha Sri Guru Granth Sahib (two Saroops) taken from an Indian national in a case related to running a religious establishment without approvals. We thank the Government of Qatar for the same," read the MEA statement.

"We also appeal to all Indian citizens residing in Qatar or other countries to scrupulously follow local laws and regulations in all matters," it added.

Last Friday, the MEA had assured that it remains in touch with the Qatar government over the seizure of Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

"We have seen reports regarding the Guru Granth Sahib seized by the Qatari authorities and the demand of their release by the Sikh community. Government has already taken up the matter with the Qatar side and our Embassy has kept the Sikh community in Doha abreast of developments in this regard," said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in response to media queries regarding the issue.

"It is important to note that two swaroops of Guru Granth Sahib were taken by Qatar authorities from two individuals/groups who were charged for running religious establishment without the approval of the Government of Qatar. Our Embassy rendered all possible assistance within the ambit of local laws and regulations," he mentioned.

The MEA assured that it continues to follow up the matter with Qatari authorities with "high priority" and hopes for an early resolution.

Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the former Union Cabinet Minister of Food Processing and the current MP from Bathinda, also stated on Friday that she has written to External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, requesting to take up the issue of the release of two 'swaroopsa of Sri Guru Granth Sahib from police custody in Qatar.

"Informed him that the Sikh 'sangat' of Qatar was in shock and anguished that the Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji, which is regarded as the living Guru by the community, had been made a case property. While appealing to him to intervene in the matter urgently, also requested the minister to take up the issue of allowing Sikhs of Qatar to establish their own Gurdwaras so they could practice their religion freely," Badal posted on X.
Bengaluru, Aug 28 : Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC) has selected nine students to represent India at the 47th World Skills Competition in Lyon, France.

These talented individuals met with Sharan Prakash Patil, Minister for Medical Education and Skill Development, before embarking on their journey to France on Wednesday in Bengaluru.

Minister Sharan Prakash Patil extended his best wishes to the students, encouraging them to seize this opportunity and bring glory to both the state and the nation by demonstrating their skills and winning medals.

The selected students are currently pursuing ITI, Diploma, and Engineering courses in various regions across Karnataka.

"Nine students have been selected as part of the Indian team. These students will compete in World Skills Lyon 2024 from September 10-15. KSDC supports students in participating in this prestigious global skills competition," Minister Patil.

The World Skills Competition, often referred to as the Olympics of vocational skills, is the world's largest event dedicated to vocational education and skill excellence.

Held from September 10th to 15th, 2024, in Lyon, France, the competition will see more than 1,000 young participants under the age of 22 compete in over 61 skill categories.

The KSDC, under the guidance of the Skill Development, Entrepreneurship, and Livelihood (SDEL) Department, has been instrumental in providing opportunities for Karnataka's skilled youth to showcase their abilities on national and international platforms.

The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) organises the India Skills Competition to identify and train candidates who will represent India at the World Skills Competition.

Karnataka secured the second position at the national level during the India Skills competition held in New Delhi from May 15th to 19th, 2024.

KSDC Chairperson Kantha Naik, Karnataka Skill Development Authority chairperson V Ramana Reddy, KSDC managing director M Kanagavalli, GTTC managing director YK Dinesh Kumar, NSDC advisor Venugopal were present during the occasion.

--IANS

mka/dan
Mumbai, Aug 28 : Actress Lara Dutta Bhupathi, who was recently seen in the streaming series 'Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond', has shared a glimpse of her Taylor Swift concert that she attended with her daughter, Saira in London.

On Wednesday, the actress took to the Stories section of her Instagram and dropped 2 videos of herself and her daughter enjoying the concert. In the video, Taylor Swift can be seen performing the song 'Shake It Off'.

She wrote on the video, "Players gonna play baby."

Lara and Mahesh Bhupathi got engaged in 2010. They tied the knot on February 16, 2011, in a civil ceremony in Mumbai and followed it with a Christian ceremony on 20 February 2011 at Sunset Point in Goa.

On August 1, 2011, Dutta confirmed that she was pregnant with their first child.

On the work front, she was recently seen in 'Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond' in which she shared the screen with Jimmy Shergill, Ashutosh Rana, and Prasanna. The show was inspired by true events and is a war room drama based on the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack and the subsequent retaliatory action by the Indian Air Force.

It takes the viewers behind the scenes of the definitive defence operations of India and the ensuing mission when India fought back, marking the first-ever series to depict the 2019 warfare.

The series was released on April 25, 2024, on JioCinema with dubbed versions in Kannada, Marathi and Bengali languages.

The actress also has the theatrical film 'Welcome To The Jungle' in the pipeline in which she is set to reunite with Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar.

The film also stars Akshay Kumar, Raveena Tandon, Suniel Shetty, Disha Patani, Aftab Shivdasani, Jacqueline Fernandez, Arshad Warsi and Tusshar Kapoor.

Lara and Akshay last worked together in the streaming film 'Bell Bottom'.
Lucknow, Aug 28 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath distributed appointment letters to more than 5,000 youth under the mega employment and loan fair in Aligarh on Wednesday. He also inaugurated and laid the foundation of 305 development projects, worth Rs 705 crore, aimed at the overall development of Aligarh district.

Listing out development as the top priority of his government, the Chief Minister said that prior to 2017, the state grappled with an identity crisis that no longer was the case.

"Today, Uttar Pradesh is recognised as one of the leading states in the country. Therefore, we must ensure that this progress continues," he said while addressing an event in Aligarh.

CM Adityanath emphasised that development is indispensable, and employment naturally follows from it, with security being its cornerstone.

He also highlighted that employment fairs, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are being held across the state, providing youth with opportunities in the private sector.

As part of the district-level mega 'Rozgar Mela', over 63 companies and firms issued appointment letters to more than 5,000 youth across various positions.

Loans exceeding Rs 35 crore were granted to eligible individuals and MSME units through various schemes.

Moreover, tablets and smartphones were distributed to over 1,500 students under the Swami Vivekananda Yuva Sashaktikaran Yojana.

Notably, in the past 7.5 years of Yogi Adityanath administration, over 6.5 lakh youth have secured government jobs.

Additionally, more than 3.75 lakh youth have been connected to employment through contracts. The private sector and MSMEs have provided jobs to two crore people.

Furthermore, loans exceeding Rs 1.08 lakh crore have been distributed to the state's youth through various schemes, including Pradhan Mantri Swarojgar Yojana, Mudra Yojana, Startup, ODOP, MSME, and Mukhyamantri Swarojgar Yojana.

The Chief Minister also performed the 'Annaprashan' ceremony for two infants, during the event.

Basic Education Minister Sandeep Singh, present at the event, said that the BJP is committed to a robust agenda of development, as against the Opposition, which routinely engages in destructive propaganda.
New Delhi, Aug 27 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday stressed that a minor victim of sexual assault should not be repeatedly called to testify before the trial court.

A bench headed by Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia said that the child who has suffered a traumatic experience of sexual offence should not be called time and again to testify about the same incident.

The court was hearing a plea challenging the orders of the High Court of Orissa and the Additional Sessions Judge-cum-Special Court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Nayagarh, which denied recalling a minor victim for re-examination as a witness.

Allegedly, the accused kidnapped the minor girl, got her married at a temple, and forced her to make sexual relations. Later, the victim was rescued by her parents with the help of the police.

The accused were booked in 2020 under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, POCSO Act, and Prohibition of Child Marriage Act.

In the course of trial, the special court rejected the application moved by the accused for recalling the victim for re-examination as witness. The trial court relied upon Section 33 (5) of the POCSO Act mandating that a child will not be called in the court to testify.

Upholding the decision, the apex court said, "POCSO Act is a special legislation, which was enacted to protect children from sexual offences and for safeguarding their interests and ensuring the well-being of the child at every stage of trial of offences under the Act. A bare perusal of Section 33 (5) of the Act indicates that a duty is cast upon the special court to ensure that a child is not repeatedly called to give his/her testimony before the court."

It added that although Section 33 (5) would not act as an absolute bar to recall the victim for re-examination as a witness, each case must be looked at in the context of its individual facts and circumstances.

The SC noted that the victim girl was around 15 years old at the time of incident and the defence counsel was already given the opportunity to cross-examine the minor twice.

Dismissing the special leave petition filed by the accused, the top court said, "Ample opportunities were given to the defence counsel to cross-examine the victim. When the victim has been examined and then cross-examined at length twice already, mechanically allowing an application for recall of the victim, especially in trial of offences under the POCSO Act, would defeat the very purpose of the statute."

The court also said the application for recall of a witness must be bona fide and genuine, and should not be allowed as a matter of course.
Seoul, Aug 28 : South Korea Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul on Wednesday expressed concerns over a new set of laws recently issued by the Taliban in Afghanistan and called on authorities to respect human rights.

Published by the Taliban's justice ministry last week, the 35-article law has sparked international criticism for restricting women's rights due to clauses that require women to cover their faces and bodies outside of their homes, and ban them from speaking in public, Yonhap news agency reported.

The law also includes rules on men's attire, and forbids homosexuality and playing music in public.

"We are profoundly concerned and disheartened by Afghanistan's so-called 'morality' law, which starkly defies global efforts for meaningful engagement with the country," Cho wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

"Women's rights and human dignity are at the heart of a nation's growth. We urge the Taliban to heed global concern, and respect human rights and fundamental freedoms."

Taliban authorities have informally introduced restrictions, such as those on women's education, since taking power in August 2021.
Johannesburg, Aug 28 : Ten people were killed when a bus they were traveling in overturned in South Africa's Limpopo region on Tuesday night, local authorities said on Wednesday.

The bus was en route to Johannesburg from neighboring Zimbabwe when the accident happened on the N1 highway near Makhado, the Limpopo Provincial Department of Transport and Community Safety said in a statement on Wednesday.

"All the deceased, five males and five females, are reportedly foreign nationals," said the department, Xinhua news agency reported.

"According to reports, the bus drove over a round-about, the last traffic circle from Makhado toward Polokwane, at high speed, lost control and overturned, killing and injuring its passengers in the process," the statement said.

"The bus driver is reportedly new in his job, and not familiar with the surroundings," it added.

According to a separate statement issued by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), three people were seriously injured while 20 others suffered slight injuries and 22 passengers were unharmed in the accident.

"Preliminary reports indicate that the bus was traveling southbound when the driver allegedly failed to negotiate a traffic circle, leading to the vehicle overturning," the RTMC said. "The exact cause is still under investigation. We urge all road users to exercise caution, especially when approaching traffic circles."

Limpopo province witnessed two major road accidents earlier this year. In May, 13 people died in a head-on collision involving a heavy motor vehicle and a minibus taxi. In March, 45 people traveling from Botswana to South Africa were killed in another bus accident.
Chandigarh, Aug 28 : Resorting to a unique way to get connected with people at the grassroots and understand the voters' mood, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday rode a bullock cart to reach a public meeting venue during campaigning at a village in Jind's district.

"The son of a poor farmer knows how to run the government as well as drive a bullock cart," Saini wrote on X while sharing the video of riding the bullock cart.

With state BJP President Mohan Lal Badoli sitting next to him, the Chief Minister held the rope of oxen and rode the bullock cart along with two local women.

The security of the Chief Minister was accompanying him.

"The aim of the Chief Minister to ride a bullock cart was to understand issues and problems of the commoners. He discussed at length the programme and policies of the government with the two women who were sitting beside him," a senior BJP leader told IANS, requesting anonymity.

During the electioneering, Saini, who is leading it by travelling far and wide across the state, is listing out measures taken by the BJP government to compensate the farmers, the Dalits and the poor.

Countered the Congress' 'Haryana Maange Hisab' campaign, he accused the Opposition of spreading lies.

Just two months after the parliamentary elections, politics in BJP-ruled Haryana heated with the Election Commission of India (ECI) announcing the legislative polls in a single phase for 90 Assembly seats on October 1.

The Assembly election results will be declared on October 4.

Political observers say the ruling BJP, which is confident of its return to power with a majority for the third-consecutive term under the leadership of first-time Chief Minister and Other Backward Class (OBC) leader Saini, has been facing anti-incumbency and farmers' anger.

The BJP's main rival, the Congress, which ruled the state for a decade till 2014, has an edge over it with the support of farmers, traders and government employees.

Senior Congress leader and two-time chief minister Bhupinder Hooda is working hard to return to power amid the party's internal 'war of supremacy'.

Even the AAP has launched its campaign by targeting the BJP government over the issues of unemployment, law and order and the Agnipath scheme.

Contesting solo on all seats, the party launched the 'Kejriwal Ki 5 Guarantee' campaign, promising free electricity, free medical treatment, free education, Rs 1,000 per month to every woman and employment for the youth.

In October 2019, the BJP, which won 40 seats and was six short of a majority in the 90-member Assembly, formed the government in alliance with the then newly-formed Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) led by Dushyant Chautala, who was Khattar's deputy in the government.

Political observers told IANS that Saini's elevation to the top post is intended to consolidate the non-Jat and OBC votes.

Also, it is an attempt to counter anti-incumbency against Manohar Lal Khattar, who had been at the helm from 2014 to March 2024.

In the caste politics of Haryana, the Jat support is largely divided among the Congress, JJP and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).

Significantly, the Jats are a landowning community that accounts for around 25 per cent of the state's population.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced that the BJP will go solo in the Assembly elections under CM Saini's leadership.

In Haryana, OBCs account for about 30 per cent of votes, followed by Jats 25 per cent and the Scheduled Castes (SCs) about 20 per cent.

In the just-concluded Lok Sabha polls, the Congress has won three Jat-dominated constituencies, (Rohtak by Deepender Hooda, Sonipat by Satpal Brahmchari and Hisar by Jai Prakash), where farmers largely played a crucial role in its victory.

The Congress has also won both the SC-reserved constituencies (Sirsa by Kumari Selja and Ambala by Varun Chaudhary).

The Congress is trying to woo the Jats and Dalits with Hooda as the tallest Jat leader and his loyalist Udai Bhan, the state Congress President, a Dalit.
New Delhi, Aug 28 : In the wake of the gruesome rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday admitted that she was in a predicament over her reply when some schoolchildren who had come to the Rashtrapati Bhavan on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan "asked me innocently if they could be assured that there would be no recurrence of the Nirbhaya-type incident in future".

In an article under her name titled 'Womenas Safety: Enough is Enough' with the subheading 'The recent spate of crimes against women should force honest self-introspection to uncover the roots of the malaise', the President revealed her outrage, and observed that such incidents tarnish the country's enviable record of women's empowerment, "of which she considers herself an example".

President Murmu observed that training in self-defence and martial arts is essential for all, particularly girls, "but thatas not a guarantee for their security as womenas vulnerability is influenced by many factors".

"Obviously, the full answer to that question can come only from our society. For that to happen, what is needed first of all is honest, unbiased self-introspection. The time has come when we as a society need to ask ourselves some difficult questions. Where have we erred? And what can we do to remove the errors? Without finding out the answer to that question, the half of our population cannot live as freely as the other half," she maintained.

The President particularly called out the mindset which objectifies women, but noted that it was not limited to India only. She also highlighted the collective amnesia which grips the society once the initial shock of a heinous crime loses its impact.

Following is the complete text of the President's article:

Womenas Safety: Enough is Enough

The recent spate of crimes against women should force honest self introspection to uncover the roots of the malaise

By Droupadi Murmu, President of India

The gruesome incident of rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata has left the nation shocked. I was dismayed and horrified when I came to hear of it. What is more depressing is the fact that it was not the only incident of its kind; it is part of a series of crimes against women. Even as students, doctors and citizens were protesting in Kolkata, criminals remained on the prowl elsewhere. The victims include even kindergarten girls. No civilised society can allow daughters and sisters to be subjected to such atrocities. The nation is bound to be outraged, and so am I.

On the occasion of Womenas Day last year, I had shared my thoughts and hopes about womenas empowerment in the form of a newspaper article. I remain an optimist, thanks to our past achievements in empowering women. I consider myself as an example of that spectacular journey of women empowerment in India. But I myself feel deeply anguished when I hear about brutality against women in any part of the country.

More recently, I was in a unique predicament when some schoolchildren who had come to celebrate Rakhi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan asked me innocently if they could be assured that there would be no recurrence of the Nirbhaya type incident in future. I told them that though the State is committed to protect every citizen, training in self-defence and martial arts is essential for all, particularly girls, to make them stronger. But thatas not a guarantee for their security as womenas vulnerability is influenced by many factors.

Obviously, the full answer to that question can come only from our society.

For that to happen, what is needed first of all is honest, unbiased self-introspection. The time has come when we as a society need to ask ourselves some difficult questions. Where have we erred? And what can we do to remove the errors? Without finding out the answer to that question, the half of our population cannot live as freely as the other half.

"To answer it, let me explain it right at the beginning. Our Constitution granted equality to all, including women, when it was only an ideal in many parts of the world. The State then created institutions to establish this equality, wherever needed, and promoted it with a series of schemes and initiatives. Civil society came forward and supplemented the Stateas outreach in this regard. Visionary leaders in all spheres of society pushed for gender equality.

Finally, there were exceptional, feisty women who made it possible for their less fortunate sisters to benefit from this social revolution. That has been the saga of womenas empowerment.

Yet, this journey has not been without its obstacles. Women have had to fight for every inch of ground they have won. Social prejudices as well as some customs and practices have always opposed the expansion of womenas rights. This is a rather deplorable mindset. I wonat call it a male mindset, because it has little to do with the gender of the person: there are many, many men who donat have it. This mindset sees the female as a lesser human being, less powerful, less capable, less intelligent. Those who share such views then go further and see the female as an object.

It is this objectification of women by a few that is behind the crimes against women. It is ingrained deeply in the minds of such people. Let me also note here that, regrettably, this is the case not only in India, but across the world.

Difference between one place and the next is more of a degree than kind.

Countering this mindset is a task for both the State and the society. In India, over the years, the two have fought hard to change the wrong attitude. There have been laws and there have been social campaigns. Yet, there is something that continues to come in the way and to torment us.

In December 2012, we had come face to face with that element when a young woman was gang-raped and murdered. There was shock and rage. We were determined not to let another Nirbhaya meet the same fate. We made plans and devised strategies. These initiatives did make a difference to an extent. Yet, our task remains unfinished as long as any woman feels unsafe in the environment where she lives or works.

In the twelve years since that tragedy in the national capital, there have been countless tragedies of similar nature, though only a few drew nationwide attention. Even these were soon forgotten. Did we learn our lessons? As social protests petered out, these incidents got buried into a deep and inaccessible recess of social memory, to be recalled only when another heinous crime takes place.

This collective amnesia, I am afraid, is as much obnoxious as that mindset I spoke of.

History often hurts. Societies scared to face history resort to collective amnesia to bury their heads in the sand like the proverbial ostrich. Now the time has come not only to face history squarely but also to search within our souls and probe the pathology of crime against women.

I am of the firm belief that we should not let amnesia prevail over the memory of such criminality. Let us deal with this perversion in a comprehensive manner so as to curb it right at the beginning. We can do this only if we honour the memory of the victims by cultivating a social culture of remembering them to remind us of our failures in the past and prepare us to be more vigilant in future.

We owe it to our daughters to remove the hurdles from their path of winning the freedom from fear. Then we can collectively give a firm answer to the innocent query of those children in the next Raksha Bandhan. Let us collectively say enough is enough.
Srinagar, Aug 28 : The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday rejected the nomination papers of the fiery cleric Sarjan Ahmad Wagay in J&K's south Kashmir's Shopian district.

Sarjan Ahmad Wagay alias Sarjan Barkati alias 'Azadi Chacha' shot to the limelight in 2016 after the killing of Hizbul poster boy Burhan Wani by the security forces in the Kokernag area of Anantnag district on July 8, 2016.

Barkati through his highly surcharged vitriolic speeches against India incited youth to pick up arms and resort to violence.

He is presently in jail along with his wife in connection with a money laundering case connected to terror funding.

His daughter had filed his nomination papers before the district electoral officer for the Zainpora Assembly seat in the Shopian district on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the ECI rejected Barkati's nomination papers together with 23 others for various deficiencies under the election laws.

Former Chief Minister and PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti said on the rejection of Barkati's nomination papers: "Sorry to hear about the rejection of assembly nomination form of Sarjan Barkati from Zainpora. The Election Commissioner must make the reasons public for this decision. Democracy is a battle of ideas and everyone should be given a chance to participate in it."

After Barkati's exit from the electoral arena, there are only four Jamaat-e-Islami ex-members whose fate is yet to be decided by the ECI regarding the acceptance or rejection of their nomination papers.

In another significant development, former chief minister and president of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), Ghulam Nabi Azad has expressed his inability on health grounds to campaign for his party candidates.

Azad also left the choice of withdrawing their names from the electoral fray open to the DPAP candidates who have filed their nomination papers for the assembly elections.
Bhuj : , Aug 28 (IANS) Four children died over the past week due to due to water-borne disease at Moti Rohatad village in Gujarat's Bhuj Taluka, raising concerns among the 400-500 residents of the village, while seven others, including children, are currently undergoing treatment at the G.K. General Hospital.

According to local sources, the deceased children, identified as Saybha Karim Sama, Jasminbai Rasid Sama, Siddiq Sama, and Wasim Abdul Karim Sama, showed symptoms of fever, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Their condition rapidly deteriorated within 5-6 hours, triggering panic in the area. The village sarpanch, Jumabhai A. Sama, has filed a formal complaint with the Health Commissioner seeking urgent intervention in the matter.

The symptoms observed in the affected individuals strongly suggest a water-borne illness, potentially linked to contaminated drinking water.

The district health department has dispatched a team to the village, where preventive measures, including house-to-house inspections and water chlorination, are being carried out.

The in-charge district development officer, Nikunj Parikh, confirmed that water samples have been collected and are being tested to determine the precise cause of the outbreak.

Village leaders have pointed to the Bandhi Dam, a nearby water source used for local irrigation, as a potential origin of the contamination.

Despite previous complaints of dead aquatic animals and livestock carcasses found in the dam, no action was taken, they said.

Compounding the crisis is the reported absence of doctors at the Khavda Community Health Centre (CHC) during nighttime, which has reportedly caused significant delays in treatment.

The gram panchayat has "urgently appealed" to the Health Commissioner for the immediate deployment of medical teams and to ensure that doctors are available at the CHC and the Dinara Primary Health Centre during night hours to prevent further loss of life.
Mumbai, Aug 28 : The social-political alliance of downtrodden sections like Dalits, Tribals, OBCs, etc., shall ring in a fresh political change in Maharashtra in the upcoming state Assembly elections, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) President Prakash Ambedkar said here on Wednesday.

While targeting the ruling MahaYuti of Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party-Nationalist Congress Party and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi of Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (SP)-Shiv Sena (UBT), Ambedkar said that "a change in Maharashtra is imminent" in the state polls likely in a couple of months.

"Both the Congress and BJP have ghetto-ised the SCs/STs into reserved constituencies only. We shall change that and put up ST candidates from even for the open category seats," declared Ambedkar, the grandson of the Chief Architect of the Indian Constitution, B.R. Ambedkar.

The ex-two-term Lok Sabha MP from Akola and one-term Rajya Sabha MP's statement came amid tough seat negotiations between the MahaYuti and MVA alliances, with the VBA hoping to forge another broad front with certain like-minded parties comprising Marathas, Muslims, etc.

Slamming the MahaYuti, Ambedkar pointedly asked afrom where is the fund coming for the 'Ladki Bahin' scheme, and sought to know whether it was being diverted from the budget of the SC/STs in the state.

"A month ago, this very (MahaYuti) government diverted funds from the welfare budget of SCs and STs to be used for non-SC and ST spendings. Be it the BJP or the Congress, both have been diverting funds in their state governments to other schemes from the budget of SCs and STs for other schemes. Why not make a separate budgetary provision rather than doing so at the cost of the welfare of SCs and STs?" questioned Ambedkar.

The VBA, which narrowly missed joining the MVA alliance in the 2024 LS elections, has not clearly indicated whether it would join any of the existing blocs, or form its own separate group, or go solo in the Assembly elections a" like the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) led by Raj Thackeray a" which has decided to contest all the 288 seats independently.
Baghdad, Aug 28 : Unknown gunmen on Wednesday shot dead three family members and burned their bodies in Iraq's Salahudin region, a provincial police source said.

The attack occurred after the gunmen stormed the house of Safaa al-Janabi in the town of Baiji, some 200 km north of Baghdad, killing al-Janabi, his wife, and their 10-year-old child, said Mohammed al-Bazi from the media office of the provincial police command.

The gunmen also burned the victims' bodies and their house before fleeing the scene, Mohammed al-Bazi said, Xinhua news agency reported.

Iraqi security forces rushed to the scene and launched a search operation in the area looking for the attackers, the official added.

On October 26, 2021, Islamic State (IS) militants killed 11 people including a woman in an attack on a village in Diyala province, Iraq.

On October 30, 2019, masked gunmen had opened fire at Iraqi protesters in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, killing 18 people and injuring hundreds others.
New Delhi, Aug 28 : ITC Hotels recently signed a management agreement with Bhopal-based Lunera Castle Resort & Spa for a landmark property under the Welcomhotel brand in Mandu, Madhya Pradesh.

Welcomhotel Mandu -- the refreshed avatar of the heritage destination aLunera ki Saraia -- pays tribute to the ancient fort city of Mandu celebrated for its architecture.

With this signing, ITCas Hotel Group will have nearly 540 keys in Madhya Pradesh. This includes two operating WelcomHeritage properties in Pench and Pachmarhi, and three Welcomhotels in the pipeline in Jabalpur, Gwalior, and Bhopal.

Welcomhotel Mandu will feature 94 rooms, an all-day dining restaurant, a specialty restaurant, meeting spaces, spa and swimming pool.

Mandu, also known as Mandav, is an ancient fort city in Madhya Pradesh.

A short two-hour drive from Indore, the erstwhile 'Lunera ki Sarai' is set to emerge as a popular tourist destination.

Speaking on the occasion, Anil Chadha, Chief Executive, ITC Hotels, said, aWe are honoured to have been entrusted with the legacy of 'Lunera ki Sarai'. Historical context dates this aSaraia located along the trade routes in the 16-17th century back to 400 years. It is indeed a very special project. Brand Welcomhotel looks forward to reviving the glory of 'Lunera ki Sarai' by enabling memorable experiences at this heritage resort.

Pankaj Phulwani, Director, Lunera Castle Resort & Spa, said, "ITC Hotels' expertise in hospitality is well established. We have no doubt that through their acclaimed service standards upheld by their competitive talent, this resort will shine brighter and will elevate Mandu to one of Madhya Pradeshas favourite tourist destinations."

Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels is a collection of upper upscale hotels. Present in locations ranging from hills to beaches, and deserts to cities, the properties skilfully blend together local aesthetics and modern-day comforts along with ITC Hotels' renowned culinary expertise.
Amaravati, Aug 28 : The Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board, which is headed by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, has invited applications for various posts.

State Minister for Education, Information Technology and Electronics Nara Lokesh on Wednesday said they are inviting the best talent to join the APEDB in the journey to develop Andhra Pradesh as India's premier investor-friendly destination.

"If you're self-driven, talented and with a passion to change the economic landscape of AP, we are looking for you," he posted on X with a link for submitting applications.

The APEDB is looking for two associate vice presidents, five general managers, five managers for investment promotion, export promotion and project facilitation for various sectors and one manager for external trade engagement and investment promotion.

Lokesh posted that 30 years ago, Chandrababu Naidu saw the opportunity to develop a world-class IT ecosystem in Hyderabad. By identifying this opportunity early and inspiring a team with his vision, he brought the world's largest corporates to make investments in Hyderabad and make it a global IT/ITES powerhouse, he added.

"Once again, Andhra Pradesh is at the cusp of history, with global majors looking to establish large manufacturing and services complexes here. We are developing a framework to take advantage of our best-in-class infrastructure and high-quality manpower and welcome investors to the state," wrote Lokesh, who is the son of Chandrababu Naidu.

On August 16, the Chief Minister announced Tata Sons Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran as Co-Chair for the Task Force for Economic Development of Andhra Pradesh. The Task Force headed by the Chief Minister will have intellectuals and industry leaders as its members, and will mainly focus on the steps to take Andhra Pradesh to the number one position in the country by 2027 with the Vision-2047.

The state government also decided to establish the Centre for Global Leadership in Amaravati with the active partnership of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Tata Group agreed to be a partner in the Centre for Global Leadership.
Mandya, Aug 28 : Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday attacked Karnataka Minister for RDPR, IT and BT Priyank Kharge over the alleged illegal allotment of Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) land.

"Priyank Kharge, who advises the nation, should explain on what basis this land was allotted to him," the Union Minister said when asked about the Kharge family's acquisition of a CA site (Civic Amenity site) from KIADB.

He said that the Kharge family could have bought any private land with money and there was no need to get KIADB land.

"This is an abuse of power. Those who preach to the nation must answer for this," the Union Minister said.

Kumaraswamy said that he is "pleased" that Congress is planning the 'Raj Bhavan Chalo' on August 30.

"They should also march to Rashtrapati Bhavan and even visit Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi's residences in Delhi," he said.

He said that Congress has accused him in a case which has already been settled. "They are claiming that I committed a grave crime. They should investigate with the Governor's approval," he said.

He said that their (Congress) leader had purchased land in the name of a dead person and made a living by de-notifying lands.

"Congress has no moral authority to talk about me," he said.

He said that Congress has always misused ministerial letterheads and there are also reports of signature discrepancies in Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) records.

He added that irrespective of attempts to cover up the MUDA case, the truth will remain the same - it involves government land.

"They grabbed government land and obtained MUDA land sites," he alleged.

The Union Minister said that there is no objection to acquiring as many sites as required according to the law but creating false records and exploiting officials to do such things is wrong.
New Delhi, Aug 28 : Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday sounded confident of the BJP's prospects in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir elections, saying he does not see the opposition posing any formidable challenge.

Elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time in 10 years, and also since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

In an exclusive conversation with IANS, Jitendra Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), spoke on several issues related to the three-phased election for 90 seats in Jammu and Kashmir, and also shared his views on the chances of J&K getting the first Hindu CM.

Here are some excerpts from the interview:

IANS: Will the BJP be able to form a government in Jammu and Kashmir? Will it strike a pre-poll coalition for victory?

Jitendra Singh: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will get a majority in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election, and we will make a government on our own.

IANS: Do you consider Congress and the National Conference as a challenge to the BJP?

Jitendra Singh: No, the Opposition parties have formed alliances. They did so by forming the INDIA Bloc. Earlier, it was the UPA. They contested elections in 2014, 2019 and 2024. I don't think there is any challenge from the Opposition as the BJP's vote share has remained static, much like earlier.

IANS: If the Congress comes to power in J&K, will Article 370 be brought back?

Jitendra Singh: Congress does not want to bring back Article 370 as it will cause them to lose voters. But, the National Conference (NC) wants to revive Article 370 if they win. They are making contradictory statements in their alliance. I don't know what they want.

IANS: Will J&K get its first Hindu CM?

Jitendra Singh: BJP will form a government in the J&K and will get a BJP chief minister. It doesn't matter whether the CM is Muslim or Hindu.

IANS: How important is the return of Ram Madhav to J&K? Will this help BJP's election campaign?

Jitendra Singh: I think it is the party's decision to bring him back to J&K as he is a senior BJP leader. He also understands Jammu and Kashmir and its issues very well.

IANS: Do you consider breaking the alliance with PDP a mistake?

Jitendra Singh: The BJP faced no issues in Jammu and Kashmir, related to the no-confidence motion against our party. Since Independence, the BJP has been the first party to voluntarily end an alliance. The decision to break the alliance was driven by dissatisfaction with then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's unilateral decision-making and her style of governance.

IANS: The National Conference and the Congress have struck a deal on contesting 51 and 32 seats, respectively. They are claiming that they will form a government in J&K. What do you want to say on this?

Jitendra Singh: Congress and National Conference believe in dynastic politics, and it is already decided whom they will give their seats. However, the BJP works in a very structured way and follows democratic rules in seat-sharing too. So, I think, there is no comparison between the BJP and Congress or the National Conference.

IANS: You say there is no nepotism in our party, but your own brother has been given the ticket. What's your take on it?

Jitendra Singh: BJP is a party which decides ticket allocation based on an individual's trait. It is the Congress party which decides these things in kitchen or on dinner table. In the BJP, there is a structured and democratic way of governance (from village, district to state level).

IANS: Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) led 10 years today. Also, it helped during Covid times. What do you want to say about this?

Jitendra Singh: The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) represents a significant turning point in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure. It is more than a social reform, and it has also driven socio-economic transformation in India.

Previously, many people lacked the awareness of the importance of having a bank account. Now, more individuals are realising its significance, particularly as the country moves towards a future dominated by online transactions.

During the Covid-19 pandemic -- a scenario no one could have anticipated -- PMJDY proved its worth. There were no delays in delivering support to the poor or loans to farmers, thanks to the cashless transactions facilitated by this scheme. This reform has not only modernized India but also aligned it with global standards.

It has also shifted mindsets, encouraging a more global perspective on banking and financial inclusion. The PMJDY has changed this perception, promoting financial literacy and equality across different communities.

In essence, this initiative has not only revolutionised financial access but also set a new standard for thinking and expectations, serving as a role model for transformative change.
Mumbai, Aug 28 : In a big blow ahead of the festival season starting next month, the Mumbai Milk Producers Association (MMPA) announced a wholesale price hike of Rs 2 per litre for fresh buffalo milk in the city from September 1, an official said here on Wednesday.

The unanimous decision was taken at a general body meeting of the MMPA on Wednesday, said it's General Secretary Kasham Kashmere.

The move is likely to trigger a price rise in all other types of milk and milk-related products during the festivals of Ganeshotsav, Navratri, Diwali, etc., over the next few months.

MMPA Executive Committee member C.K. Singh said the price of buffalo milk - which is sold by over 3,000 retailers in the country's commercial capital - will go up from Rs 87 per litre to Rs 89 per litre, and will remain in force for six months, after which the MMPA will review the price.

"With the wholesale price hike by Rs 2/litre from September 1, the retail rates are expected to shoot up to Rs 93/litre or even up to Rs 98/litre depending on the localities and local demand," Singh told IANS.

This will be the second hike coming after a year when wholesale buffalo milk price was hiked from Rs 85/litre to Rs 87/litre, hitting the domestic budgets of the poor and middle-class families hard.

The latest price hike could adversely impact the demand for milk which usually shoots up by 25-30 per cent during the festival season when large quantities of sweetmeats are prepared.

The MMPA members felt that since the prices of milch animals as well their food items like dana, tuvar, chuni, chana-chuni, etc., have gone up by an average 20-25 per cent, besides a steep hike in the rates of grass, hay, pinda, etc., the rate of milk should also be increased, Singh said.

Mumbai consumes over 50 lakh litres of buffalo milk daily, of which more than 700,000 litres are supplied by the MMPA through its chain of dairies, neighbourhood retailers, and farms spread in and around the city.

However, all the cow and buffalo milk producer associations and branded companies had avoided the regular hike in February-March 2024 owing to the Lok Sabha elections.

Recently, certain wholesalers and major branded producers of cow milk in Maharashtra had hiked the price of milk by Rs 2/litre.

Now with the upcoming price hike by the MMPA, they are expected to follow suit, putting further strain on domestic finances from next month.
Mumbai, Aug 28 : Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said that the conditions of the tender for the Dharavi redevelopment project approved during the tenure of former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had a risk of creating a developer's Transferable Development Right (TDR) monopoly.

He said that the MahaYuti government has brought a limit (capping) on TDR and prevented monopoly.

"TDR will now be available to everyone through a digital system in a transparent manner. We are being criticised only for political reasons," the Deputy Chief Minister said.

He strongly defended the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, saying that the concept of Dharavi rehabilitation was mooted by the Late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

"After our government came to power, the Dharavi Redevelopment Project roadmap was prepared and necessary approvals and assistance were obtained from the central government," he said.

He added that the government has spent about Rs 1,975 crore during the acquisition of the railway land for rehabilitation, adding that the project was awarded through a bidding process.

"The state government has given protection to the slums till 2011 and the residents and industries of Dharavi till this time limit will also be resettled there. The residents of the subsequent period if not rehabilitated will move elsewhere. Therefore, the residents after 2011 will also have to be rehabilitated according to the availability of space," the Deputy Chief Minister said.

He added that due to the high population density in Dharavi, transit camps will have to be set up in the city on a large scale.

"For this purpose, search for the land parcels of various central and state government agencies is underway," said Fadnavis, adding that these transit camps will have to be set up outside Dharavi.
Colombo, Aug 28 : Highlighting achievements of the government led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Ali Sabry on Wednesday said that "dedicated efforts" over the last two-and-a-half years have successfully stabilised the country.

"Sri Lanka is the only nation that has successfully navigated an economic crisis in such a short period. Our swift recovery from the economic crisis has set a global example. Currently, countries such as Pakistan, the Maldives, and Bangladesh are seeking our advice on economic revitalization. The leadership of President Ranil Wickremesinghe in stabilizing the country has been recognised internationally," said Sabry during a news conference organised on 'Two Years of Progress and Advancement' at the Presidential Media Centre in Colombo on Wednesday.

The Minister further stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was assigned a crucial role in 2022 due to the country's challenging circumstances - of rebuilding strained foreign relations, regaining the trust of the international community, and leveraging international relations to boost the country's economy.

"Our international reputation now reflects the positive results achieved domestically. Our swift recovery from the economic crisis has set a global example. Securing agreements with 17 countries for debt restructuring through international relations is a significant achievement for us. We have completed the debt restructuring process while upholding our foreign policy, local identity, and sovereignty," said the Lankan Foreign Minister.

He mentioned that among the five countries a" Lebanon, Venezuela, Argentina, Zimbabwe and Greece a" that faced similar economic crisis, only Greece managed to recover after 12 long years.

Slamming "some individuals" who are "misleading" the public by advocating for renegotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for "narrow political objectives", Sabry said that the entire process of renegotiation is challenging and often unsuccessful.

The Minister warned that resuming negotiations with the IMF could jeopardize the next tranche due in December, as well as subsequent disbursements from the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

"As a result, between December 2024 and January 2025, the country could lose between USD 1.2 billion to 1.3 billion, which could lead to further instability," said Sabry.

The island nation is getting ready for the September 21 presidential election, the first after the country's worst-ever economic crisis.

A total of 39 candidates will be contesting the election with incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and Marxist leader Anura Dissanayake considered as the front-runners.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Presidential candidate Namal Rajapaksa has also promised a "new era" of economic progress.

Out of the total population of around 22 million, 17.1 Lankans are eligible to vote in the upcoming election. This includes 1.2 million new voters.

In the 2019 election, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the younger brother of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was elected as the President after recording a landslide victory.

However, a severe economic crisis after the Covid pandemic and several shortsighted decisions led to a major economic crisis in the country with severe shortages of basic essentials like food, fuel, medicine and cooking gas.

Widespread protests and violence forced Gotabaya to flee the country in July 2022 with several other members in the Rajapaksas family also going into hiding.

As he left, Gotabaya invited Wickremesinghe to take over the country with the support of nearly 60 per cent SLPP majority in the parliament.

Having gradually controlled the economic crisis, Wickremesinghe asked SLPP to support him in the upcoming Presidential Election but the Rajapaksas accused the President of dividing their party and denied any support.

Later, Namal Rajapaksa, the eldest son of former President and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, also entered Sri Lanka's Presidential election race.

-- IANS

as/
Kolkata, Aug 28 : The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Wednesday suspended the membership of Sandip Ghosh, the controversial former principal of state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, where a junior doctor was found raped and murder on the morning of August 9 when Ghosh was in charge of the institute.

Ghosh is presently being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), both in connection with the ghastly rape and murder of the trainee doctor, and charges of financial irregularities at the hospital when he was at the helm of its affairs.

A communication was sent to Ghosh on Wednesday informing him about the decision of the IMA disciplinary committee to suspend him.

"The disciplinary committee of the IMA has unanimously decided to suspend you forthwith from the membership of the Indian Medical Association," the communique read.

The letter also mentions that the West Bengal branch of the IMA and certain other doctors' associations too have demanded action against Ghosh citing "the nature of disrepute" brought by him to the profession as a whole.

According to the communique, even the parents of the victim junior doctor expressed their grievances against Ghosh to an IMA delegation that came to West Bengal earlier this month.

The parents of the victim, as per the letter, expressed dissatisfaction over Ghosh's handling of the case as well as his "lack of empathy and sensitivity" in dealing with the issue in an appropriate manner.

IMA became the second doctor's body to suspend Ghosh.

On August 18, the West Bengal Orthopaedic Association (WBOA) announced its decision to remove Ghosh from all "academic activities under the banner" of the association after his name was dragged into the R.G. Kar case.

"You being the principal are supposed to be the local guardian of all the students and the PGTs (post-graduate trainees). The case has now been handed over to the CBI following the Calcutta High Court's direction, and you have been taken for questioning by the CBI officials about this heinous crime which occurred at your hospital. Until you come clean and the final verdict comes from the court, we are forced to keep you aside from all our academic activities under the banner of WBOA," read the WBOA communique to Ghosh.
Chandigarh, Aug 28 : Former Haryana Deputy Chief Minister and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leader Dushyant Chautala said on Wednesday that his party has got into election mode and preparations are underway for JJP's political affairs committee meeting to be held on September 2.

With the Haryana set to got to polls on October 1, Dhushyant Chautala said that candidates for most of the seats would be announced after the meeting on September 2.

Talking to mediapersons in Sirsa, he said the alliance between JJP and Chandra Shekhar Azad's Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) would take Haryana on the path of progress and both the parties will fight for the poor, farmers and labourers together.

Stating that the alliance has infused enthusiasm among the youth across the state, Chautala said this time a triangular contest would be seen in the Assembly elections in which the JJP-ASP alliance would play an important role.

Later, addressing a meeting of JJP workers at Uklana in Hisar, Chautala said, "Whenever someone leaves the party, his/her fate is not hidden from anyone. Loyalty lies in the organisation, not in a particular person."

Chautala also said that the organisation "itself makes someone a leader from a worker and it is due to the hard work of the organisation's workers that leaders become MLAs and MPs".

"There is no place in the party for those who left the organisation by betraying it, and the party workers also remember such people," he said.

The former Deputy Chief Minister of Haryana told the party workers that there are still 32 days left for the elections and all of them should go from door to door, contact each voter, and appeal to them to vote in favour of the JJP-ASP alliance.

Eyeing to woo the Dalit voters who constitute 21 per cent of the state's population, the JJP and the Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) on Tuesday formed a pre-poll-alliance for the 90 Assembly seats in Haryana.

Out of the 90 seats, Dushyant Chautala's JJP, an offshoot of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), will contest 70 seats while the Azad Samaj Party will field candidates in the remaining 20 seats.
New Delhi, Aug 28 : Chicken pox vaccine can be effective against Mpox, the infectious disease, causing a deadly outbreak in Africa, according to a Professor at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU).

Speaking to IANS, Dr Gopal Nath of BHU's Microbiology Department, contended that the chicken pox vaccine can be effective as the symptoms of both the diseases are similar.

"Most of its (Mpox) symptoms are similar to chicken pox, hence it can be said that the chicken pox vaccine given in the 80s will be very effective on it," he said.

At least 14 countries in Africa are currently reeling under a deadly Mpox outbreak, driven majorly by the more virulent Clade Ib. As a result, it has been recently declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Outside Africa, the Clade Ib has caused infections in Sweden and Thailand, where one case each has been reported.

On Monday, WHO also launched a Global Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan for Mpox to end human-to-human transmission.

The spread has been termed as another pandemic, akin to Covid-19. However, Nath disagreed, stating that it is not transmissible as SARS-COV-2, the virus behind Covid.

"In comparison to coronavirus, Mpox is not very dangerous. Coronavirus had the ability to spread much faster," the Professor told IANS. He noted that "India is on full alert mode regarding the increasing threat of Mpox".

"Our Health Department team is also fully alert."

Meanwhile, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has approved an indigenous RT-PCR test for the deadly infectious disease that delivers results in just 40 minutes. The novel test by Siemens Healthineers can produce results significantly faster than traditional methods (which take 1-2 hours). This can help reduce the turnaround time for reporting, leading to quicker responses.
Nagpur, Aug 28 : Hours after the clash between the Shiv Sena-UBT workers and BJP MP Narayan Rane's supporters at Malvan in Sindhudurg district, Deputy Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday urged the opposition not to politicise the issue of the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue.

"It is my request that no one should play politics in the Malvan incident. The collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja's statue was a tragic incident. After proper investigation, the guilty should be brought to the fore, and action should be taken against them. A grand statue should be erected in that place again. We have focused on all three aspects. The Navy has taken the matter seriously and has constituted an inquiry committee. This committee has inspected the place of the statue. The Navy will take appropriate action on this. Action will be taken against those found guilty," said Fadnavis.

He further said that the Navy in its report will give the reasons that led to the collapse of the statue and the mistakes that were made during the installation.

"The Public Works Department has also lodged an FIR with the police. Further action will be taken by the police after the Navy report. Also, as announced by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, a grand statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, will be installed at the same place again with the help of the Navy," he added.

Fadnavis targeted the opposition for stepping up its attacks against the state government over the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue.

"Everything should not be seen through the lens of elections. Such mistakes should not happen," he said, reiterating that the opposition should not play politics over the matter.

Reacting to Sharad Pawar's criticism of the government over the matter, he said: "The former Union Minister is a senior leader. This statue was installed by the Navy. Sharad Pawar knows that it was not installed by the state government".

To a question on the alleged threat by BJP MP Narayan Rane to Shiv Sena-UBT supporters and journalists, Fadnavis downplayed it, saying: "Narayan Rane speaks aggressively, but I don't think he wanted to threaten."
New Delhi, Aug 28 : India on Wednesday reiterated its "strong and unequivocal condemnation" of the October 7 terror attacks on Israel, calling for ceasefire in the region and unconditional, immediate release of all hostages.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri reconveyed India's stance on the ongoing turmoil during the 17th India-Israel Foreign Office Consultations held in New Delhi where both sides also reflected on the strength of their strategic partnership.

The Israeli side was led by the Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yaakov Blitshtein.

"Both sides discussed various issues of bilateral interest in depth and reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral endeavours. The two sides also shared views on the prevailing situation in West Asia and the Indo-Pacific," detailed a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) after the talks.

"Reiterating India's strong and unequivocal condemnation of the October 7 terror attacks on Israel, the Foreign Secretary called for the unconditional and immediate release of all hostages, ceasefire, the need for continued humanitarian assistance, and adherence to international humanitarian law. At the same time, he also shared India's concern at the escalating situation in West Asia and emphasised restraint, dialogue, and diplomacy," it added.

Israel labelled the discussions as "fruitful" and thanked India for its friendship in "challenging times".

"Satisfied to see common perspectives on challenges and opportunities in both bilateral and regional issues," Reuven Azar, Israel's new Ambassador to India, posted on X.

Both sides held discussions on enhancing cooperation on technology, agriculture, transportation, connectivity and many more issues.

India's long standing policy towards Palestine includes support for a negotiated two-State solution, towards establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine within secure and recognised borders, living side by side in peace with Israel.

At the same time, New Delhi has also "strongly condemned" the terror attacks on Israel and the loss of civilian lives in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, calling for restraint, de-escalation and a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.
Kolkata, Aug 28 : After community Durga Puja committees in West Bengal, now a theatre group in Maldah has refused the state government's monetary donation for organising a theatre fair in the district.

Apart from triggering nationwide protests, the ghastly rape and and murder of a junior doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata has already cast a shadow on this year's Durga Puja celebrations in Bengal with a number of puja committees rejecting the annual state government grant for the purpose, which has been increased from Rs 70,000 to Rs 85,000 per committee this year.

Now with theatre group 'Malda Somobeta Prayash' refusing to accept the state government's donation for a theatre fair in the district, a new dimension has been added to the widespread protests against the R.G. Kar incident.

In a video statement widely-circulated on social media, the theatre group's chief Saradindu Chakraborty said they had sought donation from the Paschim Banga Natya Akademi for organising a two-day theatre fair in the district on August 31 and September 1, following which they received Rs 50,000 from the state government entity.

"However, whatever happened at R.G Kar was really unfortunate. But even more unfortunate was the blatant attempt to hush up the truth and guard the culprits. So we have taken the decision to return the donation as a mark of protest," Chakraborty said.

He also said that a written communique in this regard has been sent to the Paschim Banga Natya Akademi, along with the donation cheque.

In place of organising the two-day theatre fair, the group will now hold a street-corner play at English Bazar in Malda district.

To recall, after the Uttarpara Sakti Sangha in Hooghly district became the first to reject the Rs 85,000 annual festival grant given to all the community Durga Puja committees by the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government, an all-women association in the same town turned down the annual dole last Saturday.

As a mark of protest against the R.G. Kar incident, the office-bearers of Bouthan Sangha, an all-women Durga Puja committee in Uttarpara, forwarded a communique to the district administration conveying their decision to reject the state government's annual festival grant.

The organisers also coined the tagline -- 'Meyer Bichar Din, Mayer Pujo Nijera Bujhe Nebo' (Give justice to the daughter, we will take care of Mother's worship).
New Delhi, Aug 28 : Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday that a satellite-based toll system would be introduced on the Indian highways which would ensure a seamless movement of traffic and reduce congestion.

Speaking at a media event here, the Union Minister said that the satellite-based system would deduct tolls from vehicles based on the kilometres travelled and help root out instances of higher fees that result from multiple toll booths over short distances.

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology represents a major upgrade from the existing FASTag system.

GNSS automatically calculates the distance travelled and deducts the appropriate toll fee.

This ensures motorists pay only for the distance they have covered, leading to potential savings on every trip.

The system will eliminate the need for traditional toll booths, easing traffic congestion and reducing travel time by eliminating long queues.

The satellite-based system is being tested on the Bengaluru-Mysuru National Highway (NH-275) in Karnataka and the Panipat-Hisar National Highway (NH-709) in Haryana.

Once approved, the GNSS toll collection system will be rolled out in phases, initially covering major highways that connect key cities.

NHAI's subsidiary Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL) recently organised an international workshop to discuss the rolling out the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) based Electronic Toll Collection in India.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari was the chief guest at the event attended by senior officials.

Industry experts from the US and Europe attended the workshop and deliberated on various aspects related to the smooth implementation of the free-flow toll system based on GNSS technology in India.

The current FASTag system in India is an electronic toll collection method that utilises Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to streamline toll payments on highways.

Introduced to alleviate traffic congestion and enhance efficiency, FASTag enables vehicles to pass through toll plazas without stopping for cash transactions.

However, the GNSS technology is superior and would streamline the system further.
Jaipur, Aug 28 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma will inaugurate the Police Officers Conference on August 29 in which various security-related issues with be discussed threadbare.

The theme of the conference is aPolicing with Excellence: The Way Forwarda.

Director General of Police (DGP) Utkal Ranjan Sahu said that this conference is being organised in line with the decision taken in the national level DGP-IG conference held in Jaipur in January this year.

Sahu informed that senior police officers of the state and subject experts will give their presentations in a dozen sessions on issues focused on better policing in the state during the two-day conference.

On Thursday and Friday, presentations will be given by groups of police officers on six subjects each. Subject experts will also join these sessions and share their important inputs on the related subjects.

A brainstorming session on diverse topics will also be held which will include a round of question-answer sessions.

Chairperson of the Organisation Committee of the Conference and ADG (Training) Malini Agarwal said that in the sessions to be held on Thursday, there will be a special session on new criminal laws in which a group of officers will give a presentation.

A group of police officers along with IG Cyber Crime will give a presentation on subjects like Artificial Intelligence Tools, Chat GPT, Deep Fake and the Internet of Things (IoT).

ADG (Restructuring) will give a presentation on digital forensics and a team of police officers along with ADG (Railways) will give a presentation on the prevention of drug smuggling and consumption.

Six special sessions will also be organised on the second day of the conference on Friday. These will include presentations by police officers on topics such as cyber security, dark web, cybercrime investigation and cryptocurrency.

Another group of police officers will give a presentation on 'Emerging Trends of Crime in Rajasthan: Evolving a Unified Strategy to Combat Inter and Intra State Gangs'. The moderator of the session will be the ADG Armed Battalion.

In the session 'Coping with Challenges of Cheating in Competitive Examination: Need for Multi-Dimensional Approach', police officers will also give their presentation.

The fourth session on Crime Against Women, Children and Other Weaker Section will be presented by ADG (Civil Rights)

ADG (Traffic) on road safety and traffic management will also give a presentation.

These sessions will be chaired by ADG (Housing), ADG (Recruitment and Promotion Board), and DG (Intelligence) respectively.
Hyderabad, Aug 28 : The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau on Wednesday arrested two more persons including a bank manager in connection with Rs 175 crore fraud.

Upadhya Sandeep Sharma, a gym trainer, and Madhu Babu Gali, the manager of State Bank of Indiaas Shamshergunj branch have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the case. With this, the number of arrests in the case rose to four.

A case was registered against them under 66D of the IT Act, and sections 318(4), 319(2), and 338 of the BNS Act at the Cyber Crime Police Station, Hyderabad, based on a suo motto complaint, Telangana Cyber Security Bureau Director Shikha Goel said.

The branch manager of SBI Shamsheergunj colluded with fraudsters, facilitating the opening of current bank accounts, aiding in the withdrawal of funds, and orchestrating the diversion of money, all in exchange for commissions, she said.

The fraud was busted by the Cyber Security Bureau with the arrest of two persons - Mohammed Shoeb Tauqeer and Mahmood Bin Ahmed Bawazir - on August 24.

The Cyber Security Bureau's data analysis team detected numerous complaints reported on the NCRP portal against six bank accounts in the SBI's Shamsheergunj branch. The investigators found that large sums of money were transacted through these accounts in March and April 2024. The account holders were suspected of being involved in large-scale cyber fraud. Approximately 600 complaints were linked to these accounts.

According to the Cyber Security Bureau, the main fraudster, operating from Dubai, and his five associates were actively involved in luring poor people into opening bank accounts and supplying them for use in cybercrimes and hawala operations on a commission basis. It said Shoeb played a key role in opening bank accounts and preparing all necessary documents. After opening the accounts, the signatures of the account holders were obtained on the cheques, which were then kept in the custody of one of the associates.

Some of the money was sent to Dubai through cryptocurrency. The associates withdrew the money following the directions of the main fraudster and distributed it to various individuals through his agents.

Following the main fraudsteras directions, Shoeb and other associates convinced some poor individuals to open six current accounts in the SBI's Shamsheergunj branch in February 2024, luring them with commissions.

In March and April, significant transactions occurred in these six accounts, totalling approximately Rs 175 crore.

The Cyber Security Bureau has cautioned people not to open a bank account for someone else or engage in suspicious transactions. "If you have already opened a mule account, report it to 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in. Be cautious of unsolicited offers to open bank accounts. Verify the identity and credentials of anyone asking you to open an account and monitor your account activity regularly," it said.
New Delhi, Aug 28 : Senior Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader and former Chief Minister Champai Soren on Wednesday resigned from the primary membership of the Shibu Soren-led party and also gave up all other positions he held in the JMM.

Champai Soren is expected to officially join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on August 30.

The latest development came two days after he met Home Minister Amit Shah along with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP's co-election in-charge for Jharkhand, in the national capital.

Champai Soren served as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand after incumbent CM Hemant Soren was arrested and imprisoned in connection with a land scam case.

However, Champai Soren was made to step aside for Hemant Soren to retain his chief ministerial position days after the latter was released on bail on June 28.

In his resignation letter sent to Shibu Soren, Champai Soren addressed the JMM chief as 'Guruji' as usual, while expressing his dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs in the party -- reasons, he claimed, compelled him to leave JMM.

Champai Soren said the party has deviated from its original path, underlining in the resignation letter that he was leaving the party with "great sadness".

The former CM also said that he never imagined leaving JMM -- the party he considered his family -- but the recent events made him take this "difficult decision".

Referring to Shibu Soren's current health and inability to actively participate in politics, Champai Soren wrote in his resignation letter: "There is no other forum in the party (besides reaching out to you) where we can express our grievances and concerns."

Champai Soren also thanked Shibu Soren for the opportunities he received under his guidance during the Jharkhand movement (for the creation of a separate state from Bihar), and thereafter.

On August 26, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a post on X: "Former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and a distinguished Adivasi leader of our country, @ChampaiSoren Ji met Honable Union Home Minister @AmitShah Ji a short while ago. He will officially join the @BJP4India on 30th August in Ranchi."

Sarma also shared a photo of the veteran Jharkhand leader meeting Amit Shah.

Sarma also said that Champai Soren's joining the BJP would further strengthen the party.

Responding to Hemant Soren's allegations that the BJP was attempting to divide his party, Sarma said: "Look, I even want Hemant Soren to join the BJP. BJP means devotion towards the nation. There should be no question of dividing the country. We all work together for the country."

Champai Soren, who held the Chief Minister's post for just five months (February 2 to July 4), had on August 18 broken his silence on the "affront and insult" he was subjected to within the JMM, and narrated a few incidents which forced him to rethink his association with the party he served whole of his life.

He said he was left devastated when his decisions were overturned by some party workers and his programmes as CM were cancelled at the behest of some "overpowering" figure in the JMM.
Mumbai, Aug 28 : RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on Wednesday said that based on the encouraging response received from several jurisdictions, the apex bank is now focusing on making "UPI and RuPay truly global".

"The deployment of UPI-like infrastructure in foreign jurisdictions, facilitating QR code-based payment acceptance through UPI apps at international merchant locations, and interlinking UPI with Fast Payment Systems (FPS) of other countries for cross-border remittances are on top of our agenda," Das said in his address at the Global Fintech Fest here.

He pointed out that notable progress in this direction has already been made in countries like Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, the UAE, Mauritius, Namibia, Peru, France and a few other countries.

"These endeavours underscore collaborative efforts for the adoption of Indiaas initiatives across the globe. I would like to compliment the NPCI and my colleagues in the Reserve Bank for what has been achieved so far, but we must resolve to do more in this national endeavour," the RBI Governor said.

He also said that Indiaas CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency), which is in the pilot stage, is another example of possible international cooperation. "We are now utilising features like programmability to provide credit or government assistance to landless tenant farmers and carbon credits to farmers through CBDC. While we have successfully demonstrated the interoperability of CBDC with retail fast payment systems like UPI, we continue to gain from our experimentation on off-line solutions. As we make progress, we would be happy to cooperate with other nations in their CBDC efforts," he remarked.

The RBI Governor further stated that looking towards the future of India's financial landscape, the integration of cutting-edge technologies promises transformative advancements across various facets of our life.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) are poised to revolutionise financial services in unprecedented ways. AI algorithms are already being deployed for fraud detection. Machine learning models are increasingly being employed in credit scoring, leveraging predictive analytics to assess creditworthiness, and expand access to credit. As AI and ML capabilities continue to evolve, their potential applications in regulatory compliance, investment advisory services, and algorithmic trading are expected to further redefine the financial landscape, he added.

At the same time, Das underscored the need to fully understand the risks posed by AI and facilitate calibrated and responsible adoption. Players in the financial sector, Central banks and governments should facilitate the development of trustworthy AI, keeping in mind the concerns surrounding data privacy, explainability, accountability and transparency, he stressed.
Patna, Aug 28 : Union Minister and senior JD(U) leader Lalan Singh on Wednesday criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state in the wake of the recent rape and murder of a junior doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

"There is no rule of law in West Bengal. There is complete anarchy in the state. We are surprised that the Chief Minister of West Bengal is a woman, and yet when protests take place against crimes against women, she orders lathi charge, uses water cannons, and tear gas shells," Singh said while speaking to mediapersons at the Patna airport on Wednesday.

Lalan Singh also expressed his astonishment at Banerjee's actions, saying, "Shockingly, Mamata Banerjee came to power on the basis of similar protests against the then Communist government in West Bengal. The actions that were previously carried out by the Left Front are now being repeated by Mamata Banerjee in the state."

Reacting to the 'silence' of majority of the Congress leaders on the R.G. Kar rape and murder incident, Lalan Singh said, "The Congress leaders are silent on this issue. Even when we proposed caste-based census during the meetings of the INDIA bloc in Bengaluru and Mumbai, Rahul Gandhi remained silent. Congress leaders are willing to compromise on anything in order to come to power."

Lalan Singh also expressed confidence in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), saying, "The NDA is united and will become even stronger in the future."

The West Bengal government has been facing flak ever since the incident of rape and murder of the junior doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital came to light on August 9.

That incident shocked the nation with people from all sections criticising the West Bengal government led by Mamata Banerjee.
Kolkata, Aug 28 : A special two-day session of the West Bengal Assembly will commence on September 2 to pass a Bill proposing capital punishment for convicts in rape and murder cases.

The proposal to hold the special session was cleared at a meeting of the state committee on Wednesday which was chaired by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

"We will move a Bill within 10 days seeking capital punishment for culprits in rape and murder cases. We will send it to the Governor and if he doesn't pass the Bill, we will sit on indefinite protest outside the Raj Bhavan. This Bill must be passed... The Governor cannot evade accountability this time. Why should rapists not be hanged," said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while addressing the foundation day of her party's students' wing Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP).

The decision of the state government to move the bill comes at a time when the state administration is already under fire after the ghastly rape and murder of a junior doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital.

There have been allegations against the administration to hush up the matter. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), following orders of the Calcutta High Court, is already conducting two parallel probes - the first being on the rape and murder case and the second being on the alleged financial irregularities at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital.
BDx Indonesia has announced the launch of the first phase of its interconnected internet exchange (IX) ecosystem in Indonesia.

BDx Indonesia is a joint venture between BDx Data Centres, service provider Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (IOH), and ICT company Lintasarta, along with digital ecosystem hub NeutraDC, a subsidiary of multinational telecommunications conglomerate Telkom Indonesia.

The initiative will result in the establishment of a portfolio of 108 interconnected colocation and edge sites across Indonesia. Phase one includes the operational launch of BDx's CGK3 & 3A campus in Jakarta and NeutraDC's Cikarang facility. These sites will serve as internet aggregation points, creating a hyperconnected and resilient internet backbone that will support Indonesia's digital transformation.

NeutraDC and BDx Indonesia will operate independent internet exchanges (IXs) that are interconnected to each others data centre ecosystem, offering a seamless customer experience. The BDx IX point of presence (PoP) is live at CGK3A and set to launch at NeutraDCs Cikarang facility in September 2024. The NeutraDC and BDx IXs will be connected on a multi-terabit fibre ecosystem, creating a high-speed resilient network on IOH and Telkom networks.

This initiative, say the partners, will significantly advance internet connectivity across the region, benefiting businesses, driving economic growth, and enhancing digital inclusion. With 108 interconnected sites, it offers improved resilience, faster access, scalability, and robust disaster recovery.

BDxs specialized artificial intelligence (AI) data centres are designed to meet the demanding requirements of AI training, while the interconnected infrastructure mesh supports inference at the edge, creating a future-proof distributed AI model.

Additionally, customers not hosted at BDx or NeutraDC facilities can connect to the ecosystem from anywhere in the country by setting up a backhaul to the nearest BDx or NeutraDC telco-neutral site, ensuring seamless regional integration and connectivity.

Key cities like Batam, Surabaya, Medan, Makassar, Bandung, and Semarang are part of phase two of the expansion plan.
New Delhi, Aug 28 : As India marks a decade of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) on Wednesday, it would be interesting to examine the intricate planning of the economic framework that Prime Minister Narendra Modi envisioned from the outset.

Jan Dhan, launched within months of his tenure, was the first flagship initiative of PM Modi and stemmed from his own deeply held convictions rather than external expert recommendations.

The initial step was to establish the Jan Dhan scheme in 2014, followed by providing a legal framework for Aadhaar which happened in 2015-16. The new telecom policy of 2015 then enabled the Jan-Dhan Aadhaar and Mobile (JAM) trinity, which fundamentally transformed India by integrating the poorest individuals into formal financial systems. The JAM trinity played a crucial role in the successful implementation of the Jan Dhan scheme.

One of its key achievements was facilitating Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) in 2014, which effectively eliminated the humiliation of standing in long queues to access rightful benefits and contributed significantly to poverty alleviation.

Secondly, the JAM trinity streamlined the disbursement of Mudra Loans in 2015. These collateral-free, affordable loans put an end to the dominance of informal sector loan sharks and the cycle of perpetual debt. To date, over 46 crore loans have been issued, according to available data.

Thirdly, the JAM trinity supported the implementation of a comprehensive social security system introduced by the government. This system, which includes life insurance, accident insurance, and pension schemes, reached more than 50 crore people who had previously been underserved. According to data, over 45 crore individuals are now beneficiaries of these programmes.

The PM Awaas Yojana is the fourth key area where the JAM trinity made a significant impact. Jan Dhan ensured that subsidies were effectively delivered to the intended, targeted, and deserving beneficiaries. To date, over 4 crore homes have been allocated under this scheme.

The fifth significant role of the JAM trinity was in crop insurance. The PM Fasal Bima Yojana, launched in 2016, succeeded where previous schemes had failed, primarily because it ensured that farmers received their insurance payouts when needed. According to experts, over 8 crore farmers have been covered under this scheme to date.

The sixth major role of the JAM trinity was in enabling the UPI (Unified Payments Interface) system for digital payments in 2016. Its exceptional mass adoption and success can be attributed to its connectivity across all segments of society. Data shows that India now accounts for 40 per cent of global digital payments.

The seventh major contribution of the JAM trinity was in implementing the Ayushman Bharat scheme. This initiative, the worldas largest health scheme, transformed what was once an unattainable dream for the poor into a reality. Today, over 50 crore beneficiaries in the country benefit from this programme.

The eighth major achievement facilitated by the JAM trinity was the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme in 2019. This programme integrated marginal farmers into the financial system, allowing for direct reach and support. To date, over 11 crore farmers have been covered under this scheme.

The ninth major contribution of the JAM trinity was in providing crisis support. During the Covid-19 lockdown, its assured, timely, and leak-proof aid was crucial in assisting millions of people. This achievement played a vital role in helping the country navigate through the pandemic.

Last but not least, the JAM trinity facilitated the PM SVANidhi scheme for street vendors. The sophistication of the Jan Dhan system had advanced to the point where banks were confident in providing loans even to street vendors. So, the Jan Dhan not only addressed the basic needs of the poor but also sparked a digital revolution, fundamentally restoring dignity and empowerment to many. By eliminating middlemen, improving access to loans, and ensuring better healthcare, it created profound, positive impacts on the countryas development.

Among the significant economic reforms since 1991, Jan Dhan stands out as one of the most transformative, reflecting Prime Minister Modi's visionary planning from 2014. Its enduring legacy is a testament to its remarkable success.
Mumbai, Aug 28 : Amid raging controversy over the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue at Malvan in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday tendered an apology to the people of the state, saying those proven guilty of the statue crash will be punished.

Ajit Pawar, speaking during the Jan Sanman Yatra, said: "I apologise to the 13 crore people of Maharashtra. The collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue is quite shocking. The matter should be investigated. Whoever is guilty in this case, be it senior officials or junior officials... or the contractor, should be punished. That contractor should be blacklisted."

Meanwhile, Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar also apologised on behalf of the state government, saying that the collapse of the statue was very unfortunate, painful, distressing and an infuriating incident.

"Although the government has presented its stance that this was an accident, still as a staunch believer and devotee of Chhatrapati Shivaji, I personally apologise on behalf of the government for this unfortunate incident. I will apologise even today. After thorough investigations, those proven guilty in this matter will be duly punished, the government will not spare anyone in this matter," he said.

He also took a swipe at the opposition parties, saying that those who are making accusations about this statue today never made any suggestions during or even after the statue was erected.

"Never did they point out any shortcomings from the government nor did they visit the place to pay their respect after the installation of the statue. But the moment this incident happened, all of them rushed to the spot like vultures to gain political mileage," he remarked.

"Uddhav Thackeray also behaves like a political vulture, waiting for accidents to happen. This is Uddhav Thackeray's Aurangzebi fan club. Today, those who are agitating against the collapse of statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj are the ones who had asked for evidence from Maharaj's legal heirs and had insulted Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje of Kolhapur by denying him the candidature to the Rajya Sabha. This is their attitude -- their Aurangzebi fan club. Uddhav Thackeray has repeatedly insulted Maharashtra's symbols and its self-esteem," alleged Shelar.
Bengaluru, Aug 28 : Ahead of the 16th Central Finance Commission, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that he will strongly demand to increase the tax share during the commission's meeting.

"Grievances regarding the injustices faced by Karnataka under the 15th Finance Commission will be detailed in the meeting. Karnataka has been one of the most neglected states and there will be a strong demand to increase the tax share from 41 per cent to 50 per cent," the Chief Minister said.

The 16th Central Finance Commission is scheduled for Thursday (August 29).

He said that the Centre is indifferent towards the southern state and the people must raise a voice against this injustice.

"We are raising the issue of discrimination against Karnataka and other southern states of India by Centre. We must voice our concerns against this injustice. We are not advocating for weakening the federal structure but we are against the injustice," the Chief Minister said.

He said that the state will also insist that a portion of the revenue from cesses and surcharges should be allocated to the states.

"It will be emphasised to the chairman of the Finance Commission that while cesses and surcharges have been increasing, the tax allocation to the state has been decreasing," the Chief Minister said.

Siddaramaiah had earlier urged the Central government to change the criterion for the 16th Finance Commission concerning the allotment of tax money to states.

He made this plea while addressing a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi organised by the Karnataka government, highlighting the alleged injustice to Karnataka in the Interim Budget in February 2024.

Siddaramaiah had emphasised the need for the central government to release the Rs 1.87 lakh crore loss incurred by the state since 2014.

Under the devolution of taxes, Karnataka was initially given a 4.71 per cent share, which subsequently decreased to 3.64 per cent. This reduction resulted in a 1.07 per cent loss, amounting to Rs 62,098 crore for the state in tax devolution.

"Should we not protest against this injustice? The 15th Finance Commission considered the 2011 Census," the Chief Minister said.

He said that North Indian states did not control population growth, while South Indian states did.

"Consequently, the population of North India increased, and that of South India decreased. Unfortunately, controlling population growth turned out to be a curse for us. I am not suggesting that poorer Indian states should not be allocated more funds," the Chief Minister said.
New Delhi, Aug 28 : Union Minister for Labour & Employment, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, on Wednesday, chaired a roundtable meeting with representatives from Central Trade Union Organisations to discuss the formulation of the Employees State Insurance (ESI) scheme.

Addressing the trade unions, Dr Mandaviya reiterated the governmentas unwavering commitment to the welfare of the labour force, recognising it as the backbone of the nationas economic growth and development.

He added that the trade unions are the voice of our workers, and their insights are invaluable to shaping policies that are not only effective but also fair and inclusive, according to an official statement issued after the meeting.

The Minister invited suggestions from the trade unions regarding the formulation of the ELI scheme. He emphasised that the ELI scheme has been designed to encourage businesses to generate more employment as well as to provide meaningful and sustainable jobs for the youth of our country.

A presentation on the proposed ELI scheme also was made during the meeting.

The ESI scheme is a multi-dimensional social security scheme tailored to provide socio-economic protection to employees in the organized sector against the events of sickness, maternity, disablement and death due to employment injury and to provide medical care to the insured employees.

During the meeting, Dr Mandaviya stressed that the input of the trade unions is valuable to ensure that it serves the interests of all stakeholders.

Representatives from various trade unions shared their perspectives on the scheme as well as other labour welfare measures being taken by the government. Dr Mandaviya assured the trade unions that such meetings will be a continuous process and the government looks forward to seeking valuable inputs from trade unions to ensure that policies and schemes are formulated in a manner that promotes fairness, inclusivity and equitable growth.

Union Minister of State for Labour & Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, along with senior officials of the Ministry, were also present on the occasion.

As many as 21.67 lakh new workers were enrolled under the ESI Scheme in June 2024.

The benefits under the scheme include: Insured persons and their families receive medical care, including preventive, promotive, curative, and rehabilitative services. In the event of a death due to employment injury or occupational hazard, the dependents of the deceased insured person receive a monthly payment of 90 per cent of the wage. The dependents or the person who performs the last rites of a deceased ESI member receive an amount of Rs 15,000. The ESI Scheme is financed by contributions from both employers and employees. The employer's contribution rate is 4.75 per cent of the wages payable to employees, while the employee's contribution rate is 1.75 per cent.
Hassan, Aug 28 : Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday said that the experimental operation of the Yettinahole drinking water project has been successful and the project will be inaugurated soon.

"Yettinahole is an ambitious project. I flagged off the experimental operation today. The work is now complete albeit with a delay of a few months," said Shivakumar - who also holds the irrigation portfolio - while inspecting the Yettinahole project at Kasavanahalli in Hassan district

He said that the Yettinahole project will provide 24.01 TMC of drinking water to Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagar, Tumakuru, Hassan and Chikkamagalur districts.

"As many as 75.59 lakh people in 38 towns and 6,657 villages in 29 taluks will benefit from this project while 527 tanks in the seven districts will be filled with 9.953 TMC of water. The project which cost Rs 23,251 crore was delayed due to electrical glitches," the Irrigation Minister said.

He added that five of the eight barrages (viyars) have been completed while around 1,500 cusecs of water have been lifted in the experimental operation.

"It will be inaugurated by the Chief Minister before the water levels drop. I came to see in person the completion of work," the Deputy Chief Minister said.

He said that in the project, 1,571 cusecs of water will be lifted from barrages 1,2,4,5 and 8 and supplied to barrage 3, adding that the water from barrage 3 will be supplied to barrage 4 through gravitational force.

"The project is 252.87 km long, of which 164 km of work has been completed. Work on the 25.87 km canal is in progress. The works after 42nd km were affected due to forest land acquisition issue and hence it has been planned to supply water to Vani Vilas Sagar through an escape canal," the Irrigation Minister informed.

The minister said that there are land acquisition issues due to forest lands in some places which will be discussed with the department and the Chief Minister.

"By the end of July 2024, we have completed works worth Rs 16,152 crores and the project will be completed by 2027," the Irrigation Minister said.

The Deputy Chief Minister also informed that the government has used German technology (Real Time Discharge Measurement) to measure the exact quantity of water that is flowing through the barrages.

"In the time period between June 1 and August 20, a total of 13.34 TMC of water flow has been recorded in the project," the Irrigation Minister added.

On leakages at many places along the route, the Irrigation Minister said the issues would be sorted out soon.

Replying to a query on allegations of unscientific excavations for the project, the Deputy Chief Minister said that all the issues will be addressed soon.
Jaipur, Aug 28 : Rajasthan will hold its first roadshow for investment summit in Mumbai on August 30 under 'Rising Rajasthan' Global Investment Summit 2024, an official said.

He said that Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma will lead the Rajasthan delegation during the roadshow, which is being organised to invite domestic and foreign industries to invest in the state.

"The programme will also witness the signing of several investment-related Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), the launch of the Rising Rajasthan website, and one-on-one discussions of the Chief Minister with industry stalwarts," the official said.

During the Mumbai roadshow, many well-known personalities of the industry, who have already invested in Rajasthan, will share their experiences related to investment in the state.

The roadshow will also highlight and spread awareness of the 'Rising Rajasthan' Global Investment Summit 2024 and will invite industry and corporate stalwarts including big investors to invest in the state.

The official said that a short film will also be screened which will show the opportunities available in various sectors within the state.

This roadshow is being organised in collaboration with the Summit Industry Partner, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Meanwhile, in the next two months, the Rajasthan government will also organise roadshows in Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom (UK) and Germany.

"A high-level delegation of Rajasthan government officials will visit these places," the official said.

He said that the Rajasthan government will also organise several regional summits and sectoral pre-summits in various cities of the state, aimed at interacting with the existing industries and entrepreneurs of the state and new investors.

"It will be organised in October and November covering sectors like tourism, urban development, IT and ITES, industry, agriculture, mines and petroleum, energy, medical and health and education," the official informed.

To attract investors, the 'Rising Rajasthan' Global Investment Summit 2024 will be held in the capital Jaipur on 9, 10 and 11 December this year.
Bengaluru, Aug 28 : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday asserted that he is committed to providing internal reservation for the Scheduled Caste community as per the Supreme Court's August 1 verdict.

"There should be no doubt or scepticism about my commitment to providing internal reservation for the Scheduled Caste community. I have already welcomed the Supreme Court's verdict in this regard. I will consult with legal experts and community leaders before making a decision on the matter. The fact that the Dalit community has unanimously supported and welcomed the implementation of sub-reservation is a positive step," he said in a post in Kannada on X.

aOn Wednesday, Ministers K.H. Muniyappa, R.B. Thimmapur, former minister H. Anjaneya, former Rajya Sabha member L. Hanumanthaiah, along with a delegation of Dalit MLAs and leaders, met me to discuss the implementation of sub-reservation. I assured them of my commitment to this cause," he said, sharing photos of the interaction.

"My party, my government, and I have a firm and clear stance in favour of social justice. There is no confusion in this regard. The necessity of sub-reservation for the fair distribution of reservation benefits has become evident to everyone in recent times. The Supreme Court's verdict also reflects this perspective," the Chief Minister added.

"Some confusion has arisen due to the mention of the 'creamy layer' in the Supreme Court's verdict. I will not delve into the court's judgment, but as I understand it, the issue of the creamy layer should not hinder the implementation of internal reservation. My stance on the creamy layer aligns with the overall stance of the Dalit community," he said.

Siddaramaiah appealed to the Dalit community to understand the "malicious intention of the BJP which indulges in spreading rumours and creating confusion".

"Some leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party are making malicious attempts to mislead the Dalit community against our government by unnecessarily creating rumours and speculations regarding the sub-reservation issue. I believe the Dalit community is fully aware of and capable of understanding the deviousness of these BJP leaders, who oppose social justice," he said.

A seven-bench Supreme Court constitution bench, in a 6:1 judgment, overturned a 2004 apex court judgment which had held that the SC/STs were a "homogenous group", to allow the states to sub-classify SC/STs to provide preferential treatment to the disadvantaged groups among them. It had favoured applying the principle of 'creamy layer', as for the OBCs, among the SC/STs too.
Amaravati, Aug 28 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday welcomed the Centre's in-principle nod to release Rs. 12,157 crore for the Polavaram irrigation project and approval for the development of two industrial hubs under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme, saying these steps would help his government bring the state back on development track.

He termed the Centreas nod to release funds for Polavaram as a major step towards completing the project and exuded confidence that the first phase of the project will be completed by March 2027.

Addressing a news conference, he thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil for much-needed support to the Polavaram project.

Naidu, whose Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is a key partner in BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, hailed the announcement to sanction Rs 12,157 crore in two tranches. While Rs 6,000 crore will be released in 2024-25, the remaining will be made available in 2025-26.

"This would help the NDA government in the state to fast-track the project," he said.

Slamming the previous government of YSR Congress Party, he said because of its inefficiency and wrong policies, the project could not make any progress.

The Chief Minister said Polavaram should have been completed in 2021, but the YSRCP government changed the contractor midway and brought in the reverse tendering for its own interests.

Naidu alleged that Jagan Mohan Reddy, immediately after becoming Chief Minister in 2019 stopped the work on Polavaram. He said even Jagan Mohan Reddyas father Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy failed to take the project forward except for some canal works that were done during his tenure.

The Chief Minister blamed the faulty construction of the project for heavy floods in the Godavari River in 2020 and damage to the diaphragm wall. Asserting that the damaged diaphragm wall canat even be repaired, Naidu said his government would construct a new diaphragm wall at an estimated cost of Rs 993 crore.

Naidu said that his government aims to complete the first phase of Polavaram by March 2027 with a height of 41.15 metres.

He also thanked the Centre for approving the development of the Kopparthy (Kadapa district) and Orvakal (Kurnool district) industrial hubs under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme.

He said another hub was already approved at Krishnapatnam. "One more hub is coming up at Nakkapalli. These hubs will give a fillip to industrial growth at a time when the state government is looking for financial support to create infrastructure to attract investments," he said. He said out of 12 industrial corridors in the country, three are in Andhra Pradesh. He claimed that the Krishnapatnam node in the Chennai-Bangalore Industrial Corridor the proposed bulk drug park at Nakkapalli in Anakapalli district, will give the push to industrial development.
Shillong, Aug 28 : Trinamool Congress, which has five MLAs in the 60-member Meghalaya house urged Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma on Wednesday to give the Leader of Opposition (LoP) post to the party as it is claiming the support of the lone Congress legislator.

Speaker Sangma said former Chief minister and Trinamool leader Mukul Sangma (2010-2018) formally submitted to him for the LoP post.

"Mukul Sangma, demanding the LoP post, claimed that the Trinamool has the support of lone Congress MLA Ronnie V Lyngdoh. I am now examining the proposal as per the rules of procedure of the house and will take a decision at the earliest," the Speaker said.

In February last year's Assembly polls, Trinamool and the Congress had secured five seats each.

However, of the five Congress MLAs, three recently joined the ruling National People's Party (NPP) headed by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma while another legislator Saleng A Sangmaone got elected to the recent Lok Sabha election from the Tura Parliamentary constituency reducing the number of party member in the Assembly to just one.

The Speaker quoting the rules said that to get the LoP post the members' strength has to be 10 per cent of the 60-member assembly.

Trinamool with the support of the Congress MLA has fulfilled the minimum 10 per cent criteria for the LoP post, but other things have to be considered to allot the LoP post to the Trinamool.

Trinamool also requested the Speaker that the post of opposition chief whip be given to the lone Congress MLA.

On August 19, three Congress MLAs, Celestine Lyngdoh, Charles Marngar, and Gabriel Wahlang, joined the NPP in the presence of the Meghalaya Chief Minister.

Meghalaya Congress President Vincent Pala accused the NPP of being 'involved in a cash transaction' for taking away three Congress MLAs to the ruling party's fold.
Pune, Aug 28 : Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan on Wednesday suggested the students to dedicate an hour daily to reading a printed book to refresh the mind and gaining new knowledge.

Radhakrishnan said this during his address to the students of COEP Tech University during the first convocation ceremony of the institution.

During the convocation, successful students of civil engineering, computational sciences, electrical and communications engineering, school of mechanical and materials engineering and transdisciplinary sciences and management were awarded with the degrees.

"It is a great day for the students who got the Degree Certificate today because their name has been recorded in the history for being the ones to get it in the first convocation of the University but now it is the time for the students to create a new history in the future. The discipline and enthusiasm of the students here has given me confidence that they will shine soon. I particularly liked the fact that a lady staff member who heads the board of examination was leading the convocation procession. This indicates the inclusiveness and the involvement of women power in functioning of the University," said the Governor.

The Governor said that a Tribal University is being set up in the state.

"We need to give modern education to the Tribals who live in their own isolation to make them competent. Economic development is necessary, focus should be on the micro economy because it can create wealth. Everyone talks theoretically about poverty eradication but our Prime Minister Narendra Modi concentrates more on the implementation of the schemes for poverty eradication," he said.

In his speech Pramod Chaudhari, Chairman of the Board of Governance, said: "COEP has collaborated with KPMG to shape up its positioning as a world class institute. COEP gets the top preference even among the students from other states when they think of engineering in Pune. All those who are passing out today must keep the legacy and values of COEP in mind in their future journey."
The Latah County Commissioners on Tuesday passed its $32.7 million budget for the next fiscal year, which includes an increased expense for a murder trial next year.

As the county prepares for next summers scheduled murder trial of Bryan Kohberger, it has budgeted $150,000 in trial expenses. These expenses include travel and lodging costs for jurors and bailiffs. This is a significantly higher expense than the $3,000 that is typically budgeted for trials.

Kohbergers attorneys will argue to move the suspects trial to a different county during a Thursday hearing in Latah County District Court. His trial is scheduled to start in June 2025.

The Daily News reported in June that even if the trial is moved to a different venue, Latah County still has to reimburse the county where the trial is taking place for juror costs.

The total county budget is $4 million more than last years. This is largely because of the $5 million in grant money it received to expand internet broadband infrastructure across the county, said Latah County Finance Officer Christine Nauman.
Moscow, Aug 29 : Russian National Guard (Rosgvardiya) troops have defused an unexploded HIMARS cluster munition near the Kursk nuclear power plant.

"Upon arrival ... the Rosgvardiya officers discovered a missile fragment filled with 180 unexploded strike elements," according to a Rosgvardiya statement on Wednesday, adding that the munition was found five km from the Kursk plant.

A video it published of the find showed two soldiers inspecting fragments of the rocket which they said had been shot down by Russian air defences and had partially exploded in the air, Xinhua news agency reported.

One of the fragments they inspected was marked "M101 GRENADES". They were shown piling the munitions up in a hole in the ground and blowing them up in a controlled explosion.

Russian forces successfully neutralised the munition while observing safety measures, it said.

HIMARS is a US-developed light multiple rocket launcher.

Russia and Ukraine have traded blame for endangering nuclear security since Ukraine launched an offensive into Russia's Kursk region on August 6.

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, visited the Kursk nuclear power plant on Tuesday.

He noted the risk of a nuclear incident in Russia's Kursk region while adding that the plant is operating normally under the current circumstances.

Ukrainian forces punched through Russia's western border into the Kursk region on August 6 in a surprise incursion which is still ongoing, and fighting has taken place within about 40 km (25 miles) of the nuclear facility.

Ukraine has yet to respond to an accusation last week by Russian President Vladimir Putin that it tried to attack the plant.

Grossi declined to spell out on Tuesday whether he held Ukraine responsible or not.
Gaza, Aug 29 : At least eight Palestinians were killed and dozens of others wounded in an Israeli airstrike near a school with displaced people in the central Gaza Strip, Palestinian security and medical sources said.

An Israeli warplane bombed with at least one missile in the vicinity of Al-Manfalouti School east of the city of Deir al-Balah, Palestinian security sources told Xinhua news agency on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that the Israeli army has been operating in the Netzarim Corridor in recent weeks, having killed dozens of militants and dismantled hundreds of infrastructure, Xinhua news agency reported.

Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on October 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage.

During the past 24 hours, the Israeli military killed 58 people and wounded 131 others, bringing the total death toll to 40,534 and injuries to 93,778 since the onset of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Wednesday.
Ramallah, Aug 29 : Nine Palestinians were killed during a large-scale Israeli military operation in northern West Bank, according to Palestinian and Israeli sources.

Palestinian security sources said on Wednesday that the operation targeted the West Bank cities of Jenin, Tubas, and Tulkarm, as well as their camps, destructing local infrastructure.

The operation is being carried out by military vehicles reinforced with bulldozers, helicopters and drones, said the sources, adding that Israeli forces have imposed a siege on the three cities, Xinhua news agency reported.

"An Israeli drone attack on a vehicle in southern Jenin killed three young men," the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said in a press statement.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces stormed Jenin overnight and clashed with local people, with the army's bullets killing two young men identified as Qassam Jabarin, 25, and Asem Dabaya, 39, according to a statement issued by the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Kamal Abu al-Rab, Governor of Jenin in the Palestinian Authority, said the Israeli army threatened to storm hospitals and impose a siege on medical institutions in the city.

Besides, four young men were killed in a bombing carried out by an Israeli drone on the Far'a refugee camp south of Tubas, said the PRCS.

According to medical sources, the four dead were identified as Morad, 13, Mohammed Ja'aysa, 17, Ibrahim Ghanimi, 22, and Ahmed Nabrisi, 23.

In Tulkarm, Palestinian security sources told Xinhua that Israeli forces stormed the city and deployed infantry and sniper teams in the woods and farms surrounding the Nour Shams camp amid intense aircraft flights.

On Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israel Securities Authority and Israel Police issued a joint statement, which said Israeli security forces carried out "counterterrorism" operations in the three cities, killing five "armed terrorists" in Jenin and Tulkarm and four in Far'a refugee camp from air and ground.

Israeli media reports said the operation in northern West Bank is the largest of its kind since 2002.

Israel has been carrying out almost daily raids in the West Bank since the Palestinian-Israeli conflict broke out on October 7, 2023.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, more than 660 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks across the West Bank since the onset of the conflict.
Cairo, Aug 29 : Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit has condemned the recent deadly Israeli military operation in northern West Bank.

The "raids, brutal attacks, and killings" conducted by Israel in the northern West Bank, coupled with the destruction of infrastructure and the besieging of hospitals there, represent a serious escalation that threatens to push the region to the brink of catastrophe, he said on Wednesday in a statement.

"This aggressive approach aims to subjugate the Palestinian people, undermine existing agreements, and further annex Palestinian territories as part of an extreme right-wing agenda," he added.

Israel has been waging a "genocide war" against the Palestinians everywhere, with an aim to make their lives untenable, he said.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Aboul Gheit said that Israel's incursions, violent attacks, and killings in northern West Bank cities, as well as the destruction of infrastructure and the siege of hospitals, are part of a troubling trend to subjugate the Palestinian people, Xinhua news agency reported.

He added that this trend cannot be separated from the dangerous and totally unacceptable statements made by far-right Ministers in the Israeli government about the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The Secretary-General of the Arab League accused Israel of conducting a war of extermination against Palestinians, asserting that the military operations in the West Bank are unrelated to the October 7 attacks.

He emphasised that the objective is to render life unbearable for Palestinians in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip, employing ongoing violence as a means of intimidation and advancing plans for displacement and the eradication of their cause.

Aboul-Gheit accused the US of failing to exert meaningful pressure on Israel and of yielding to Israeli maneuvers and procrastination, which has hindered efforts to reach a ceasefire deal in Gaza.

He urged the US to take a clear stance on the recent Israeli military actions in the West Bank and to address the growing Israeli arrogance in the region.

According to Palestinian and Israeli sources, Israel on Wednesday carried out a large-scale military operation in the West Bank cities of Jenin, Tubas, and Tulkarm, as well as their camps, killing at least nine Palestinians, destructing local infrastructure, and imposing a siege on the three cities.

Israel has been carrying out almost daily raids in the West Bank since the Palestinian-Israeli conflict broke out on October 7, 2023.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, more than 660 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks across the West Bank since the onset of the conflict.
Ann Regan, editor-in-chief of the Minnesota Historical Society Press (MNHS Press), is retiring on Sept. 3 after a 46-year career at the book publishing division of the Minnesota Historical Society. After graduating from the University of Montana with bachelor's degrees in history and the Russian language, Regan headed to the Twin Cities, where she began at MNHS Press in a temporary job as a research assistant and worked her way up through the ranks. On the occasion of her retirement, we spoke with Regan about her long career, why she stayed at the press the entire time, and how publishing has and has not changed since 1978.

You have worked at MNHS Press for 46 years. Why would you, a Montana native, want to work for an organization devoted to Minnesota history, and how did you end up as editor-in-chief?

I was lucky. I moved to St. Paul in 1977, right out of college, because I wanted to try living outside of Montana and my big sister was here. I qualified for a federal jobs program, and applied just when they needed researchers. I had a couple of opportunities for promotion when other people left the press, and that helped keep the work interesting.

The Twin Cities area has a large and vibrant publishing community, and a lot of people move around. You are a rarity, having stayed with the same press your entire career. Why?

I have the best job in town. Working in regional publishing is deeply satisfying. I go home every day knowing more about the place where I live. I believe that the work is importantthat people become better citizens when they know the histories of their communities. Plus, I have great colleagues.

From your perspective, how has the publishing industry changed over the past 46 years?

In some ways, everything has changed. Computers and email have made me a much faster (and more legible) editor. E-books and digital printing make possible so many more books. But relationships and intellectual engagement still sit at the heart of publishing. Authors trust editors with truly precious projects, and we have to do our utter best for them.

How has MNHS Press changed in the last 46 years?

When I started, we had a small staff that created some of the three or four books we published each year. Over the years, with smart new colleagues and hard work, we've become a powerhouse of regional publishing. We're now publishing 15-20 books a year, so we can still give each one our careful attention.

How many books have you edited at MNHS Press? Do you remember the first book that you edited? Do you have a favorite book and a favorite author that you worked with?

I've done developmental edits on about 280 of the approximately 350 I've acquired. My job has shifted through different eras, and for a number of years I didn't do much editing. My first book was a pictorial history of the Twin Cities, now out of print. But the book that made me an editor was The Days of Rondo, Evelyn Fairbanks's memoir of growing up in St. Paul's Black community. She showed me that an editor and author could tease, and argue, and truly enjoy working together to make a book better.

Looking back on your career, what are you most proud of? Any disappointments?

I'm proudest of the books that have done the most work in building stronger citizens: our Native American list and titles like A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota, edited by Sun Yung Shin. They deliver insightful history and stories that help people understand each other on a deeply human level. I also edited Dear Jacob: A Mother's Journey of Hope by Patty Wetterling and Joy Baker. It is simply amazing to be trusted with editing these books.

Disappointments? Some books I loved didn't sell as well as they should have. I'm sad when beloved colleagues leave MNHS Press. But the setback that seemed disappointing at the timemy failure to become director when I applied for the job more than two decades agoactually saved me from fulfilling the Peter principle.

What are you going to do after September 3?

I'm not sure, but I know I'll figure something out.

Regan is being feted this afternoon, Aug. 28, with a reception at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul. Cake and coffee and other light refreshments will be served, and the program includes presentations by MNHS Press director Kent Whitworth, MNHS emeritus librarian Patrick Coleman, and authors Anton Treuer and Diane Wilson.
Penguin Random Houses wide-ranging restructuring efforts appear to be paying off. Parent company Bertelsmann reported that sales in the first half of 2024 rose 8.5%, to 2.28 billion (about $2.53 billion at current exchange rates), while operating EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) increased 13%, to 291 million (about $324 million).

Bertelsmann attributed the overall improvement to gains in both frontlist and backlist books, higher audiobook sales, a good performance by Random House Publisher Services, solid sales at Sourcebooksin which PRH has increased its majority position)and the January acquisition of Hay House, which added 35 million to PRH revenue. (PRH paid 85 million for Hay House.)

In his letter to employees, PRH CEO Nihar Malaviya reviewed the numbers, noting that PRH sold nearly 35 million more books in the first half of this year than during the same period last year and that, at the same time, expenses related to author compensation increased by 63 million. And while costs increased 145 million, PRHs was still able to improve its first half operating margin to 12.8%, from 12.3% a year ago.

Malaviya said that employees should be especially proud of the results, which he attributed to many, many books across our list in multiple categories selling more copies rather than relying on the performance of just a handful of standout titles. We want to continue on this successful path, a path that enables us to invest in the books as well as in the talent required to support acquisitions and publications. (Last year, PRHs first half sales were driven by sales of Prince Harrys memoir, Spare, which sold about 5 million copies in the first six months of 2023. Earlier this week, PRH said it was releasing the trade paperback edition of the book at the end of October.)

Malaviya remains optimistic on the future of books and the future of publishing. In most of the countries where we operate, the book market remains stable, and we are outperforming the overall industry, he wrote, reiterating that even in this digital world, books matter more than ever. That being the case, Malaviya promised that PRH would continue its fight against book banning in the U.S.; the publisher has been a party to multiple lawsuits over book banning laws to date, in addition to maintaining a book banning resource site, among other initiatives.

According to Bertelsmanns report, PRHs bestselling fiction title for the first half was First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston, and its bestselling nonfiction work was Atomic Habits by James Clear, which was also its bestselling backlist title for the period. Taylor Swift: A Little Golden Books Biography by Wendy Loggia also posted solid sales. And as always, Dr. Seuss remained popular, selling more than 5.5 million copies in the first half of the year.

PRH US had a good first half, with sales up over the comparable period in 2023, Bertelsmann reported. Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial also recorded an increase in revenues in the first half of the year compared to the previous year. Penguin Random House UK, in what the company characterized as a challenging marketplace, maintained its market share at the level of the first half of 2023, while Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe and DK recorded slightly lower revenues.
She without whom I would be Ruthless  my incredible wife Ruth  and I are readers. Lately, entirely by happenstance, weve both been reading several books on wars.

Currently, Im engrossed in James Douglass Hamiltons "The Truth About Rudolf Hess," Hitlers deputy fuhrer, and Ruth is deep into Yaroslav Trofimovs "Our Enemies Will Vanish: The Russian Invasion and Ukraines War of Independence."

Recently, we both read Lynne Olsons "Citizens of London: The Americans Who Stood With Britain In Its Darkest, Finest Hour."

As we cringingly watch the evening news  as it were  we are stricken with uncomfortable similarities between the build-up to and the prosecution of World War II and todays Russian and Ukraine, and Palestine and Israel wars.

Discomfiture comes with the ominous question: Are we blindly marching into a devastating war and a serious risk of losing our democracy?

With the 2024 presidential election on our political horizon, American voters are well advised to consider parallels between former President Donald Trump and Adolph Hitler. Many have an understandable kneejerk reaction to protest the comparison.

No. No one needs to fear that Trump would order anything approaching the size or nature of Hitlers Holocaust (Shoah is the Hebrew word). However, there are many cogent reasons, in his own words, to fear that he will attempt to exercise dictatorial powers. Thats where legitimacy lies in comparing him to Hitler.

He helped create the Nazi Party (National Socialist German Workers Party) in 1920 and was elected its fuhrer (leader) in 1921. In 1923, Hitler led an attempt to overthrow the democratically elected regional government of Bavaria: The Beer Hall Putsch.

Unsuccessful, he spent a year in Landsberg Prison.

President Trump attempted to overthrow the election of President Joe Biden in 2020. Whether he also will spend time in prison is yet unknown, and there is significant risk that if he is convicted, his hand-picked Supreme Court will rule that illegal acts to overturn an election are part of a presidents constitutional duties and therefore cannot be prosecuted.

Hitler was appointed chancellor of Germany in 1933 and quickly became an absolute dictator, serving until his suicide on April 30, 1945.
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Susie Evans / Instagram

By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 08/28/2024



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

alum Justin Glaze has confirmed he and Susie Evans broke up and also shed some light on why they split and how they're doing now."Susie and I, we are not together," Justin announced on the Tuesday, August 27 episode of "The Ben & Ashley I: Almost Famous Podcast."Justin added, "We are doing our best to kind of protect each other and keep things private as we try to navigate what this looks like for us. It has not been easy."But Justin pointed out to the podcast's co-host, Season 20 The Bachelor star Ben Higgins , how he and Susie "still have a ton of love" for each other."We are on great terms," Justin insisted. "We still talk or are in communication, and we're still prioritizing each other, ourselves, our relationship, and yeah."Justin shared how he's "very fortunate" to have someone like Susie in his life because they're "always on the same page" about their relationship and can talk things out."When this [breakup] first happened, we decided, 'We're not going to make a joint post,'" Justin recalled."[We agreed], 'We're going to figure this out together and we're going to keep it private. I'm sure people will catch on eventually, and when we're ready to talk about it, that's what we'll do.' And we were on the same page about when we'd want to talk about it and how we'd go about navigating all of this."17 runner-up added, "So I am very fortunate to be in the place that we are at right now."Justin said he and The Bachelor 26 winner have been receiving endless comments about "what happened" and what went wrong on social media."[People say], 'What happened? You have to tell us!' And it's like, 'No, I don't. And she doesn't!'"Justin elaborated, "I think a lot of times in public relationships, people think, 'Oh, who did something wrong?! What happened?!' And it doesn't have to be that way.""There doesn't have to be a good guy and a bad guy," he shared. "And so, some of the comments kind of lean towards that, but I don't care. I know what's up, and Susie knows what's up -- and that's all that matters. We are good!"But Justin said he understood there being recent confusion and concern surrounding his relationship with Susie."And I totally respect that. Even prior to Susie and I dating, we are always on the same page about where we're at," Justin explained."It's funny because you're in this public relationship, right? But I think people lose sight of the fact we still want to be private when we can. I understand that people think they're owed something because we do put our relationship on social media and stuff like that, but we are people at the end of the day, and this stuff is hard."Justin acknowledged how his romance with Susie marked his "first time navigating a public relationship," and so he's learned a lot about himself and what he can handle.Justin explained how comments on social media don't "really affect" him and he doesn't respond to any of them."People will say, 'Where is she? We miss your content together. What happened?' And I ignore them... I think I have the ability to block out -- like I don't succumb to any pressures of giving anyone anything that I don't want to give when it comes to my private life," Justin said.Justin, however, said it's difficult when his friends and family -- including his mother -- contact him because of those comments, asking if he's okay."I'm like, 'I'm trying to be!' But there's a constant reminder," Justin explained.Justin said while he doesn't want to "degrade" anyone or speak "poorly" about their fans, he doesn't engage with the people who seem to care "THAT MUCH" about his relationship with Susie."There are people who will come back and have some sense and say, 'Hey, just let them handle it how they want to handle it.' I see those in the comments as well, and I'm like, 'Thank you,'" Justin said."It is tough having that constant reminder, but it comes with the territory and you've just got to deal with it and keep pushing."When looking towards dating again in the future, Justin said he's not sure if he'll do anything differently in terms of navigating a public relationship."I mean would I [date someone publicly] again? I don't want to put limits on myself and say yes or no. You never know what the future holds, so I don't know. We'll see," Justin said.When Ben asked Justin how he's doing in general post-split, Justin admitted, "It's really tough man."Justin paused and sighed, and it was clear he was choking up emotionally in that moment."Sorry," Justin murmured, before Ben let him off the hook."When you're ready to answer that question, I can't wait to have you back here," Ben noted."I appreciate you," Justin quietly responded.Rumors had been swirling for weeks that Justin and Susie's relationship was over, but neither person chose to set the record straight.Susie admitted to People earlier this month that her romance with Justin was "so complicated," and Justin told Us Weekly on August 19 that he and Susie were taking things "day by day." "We're taking some time to figure out what's going to be best for us," Justin shared at the time.Susie and Justin met in November 2022 and claimed for a year that their close relationship was strictly platonic as fans were constantly shipping them as a couple.However, the pair confirmed in late January that they had begun dating , and they went Instagram official on January 24.Susie and Justin then joined forces in their social-media influencing, posting hilarious videos and ads of each other.But rumors Susie and Justin had split began to swirl in July because the lovebirds were noticeably posting less couple's content on social media.Susie's last post with Justin was on July 1, and it was only an ad.The Instagram account, @Deux Moi, also posted a photo that allegedly showed Justin walking with another girl in Chicago in July.Ben's podcast co-host, Ashley Iaconetti , fueled breakup speculation by gossiping about the status of Susie and Justin's romance on the July 19 episode of their "Almost Famous" podcast.Ashley acknowledged how Susie and Justin were "all of a sudden" being "kind of quiet on social media."Ashley noted, "All they've posted together has been ads," and she wondered if the recent ads were "prior obligations" they had filmed "in advance.""You know, the post date is later in the relationship or maybe they signed contracts saying that they would do the ads together," Ashley explained."We don't really know for sure, but we know that they haven't been in any real organic content together lately."Ashley also brought up the alleged photo of Justin with another woman as potential evidence of her theory.Susie and Justin had met in late 2022, and they both moved to Los Angeles about six months later.In November 2023, Susie joked during an Instagram Q&A session how she was "trying" to move out of the friend zone with Justin after a summer romance she had fizzled out.Susie and Justin even flat out denied that they were dating -- and that they had ever lived together or hooked up -- during a December interview on the "Bachelor Happy Hour" podcast, which is co-hosted by Bachelor in Paradise couple Joe Amabile and Serena Pitt Susie and Justin were especially playful and flirty during their interview, and they even seemed to hint that they were considering taking their dynamic out of the friend zone.But the pair claimed they didn't want to risk their friendship for the sake of taking things to the next level, in case their relationship didn't work out in the long run.Susie and Justin's flirty dynamic apparently changed from friendship to something more intimate in October 2023, and so they kept their romance under wraps for several months.The couple even spent the holidays together, having their "own little hometown" date. Justin said he met Susie's family in Virginia and she met his family in Maryland.Justin explained to E! News of their dishonesty earlier this year, "We've always wanted to just kind of protect our privacy, which sounds funny to say because we went on the show where our romantic connections are far from private."Justin elaborated, "But we wanted to just protect our peace, and control our narrative and not put any pressure on our relationship."The reality TV stars became friends after Susie won Clayton Echard 's heart on The Bachelor's 26th season but they split in September 2022 . Justin, for his part, competed for Katie Thurston on 's seventeenth season.Justin also appeared on Bachelor in Paradise's eighth season in 2022.While Justin had sparked a connection with Eliza Isichei , it didn't work out because she ultimately gave her rose to Rodney Mathews . When Eliza determined she had made a mistake and wanted Justin back, it was too late and he wasn't interested in reconciling.Susie and the Bachelor in Paradise alum previously gushed to E! News about how they had a "natural, fun chemistry" and always had a blast together.But Susie explained how their relationship went much deeper than that, mainly because Justin provided her with unconditional acceptance and support."If I'm dealing with something, I just deal with it myself, and I don't know if I've ever felt like I could rely on someone to be there the way I can rely on Justin," Susie explained."It actually makes me kind of emotional talking about it because I feel like there have been so many things where he's just shown such good character when I've really needed somebody.... He's really shown up and been so supportive, and I've never had someone be there for me like that."Susie added, "I have a great family, but like a partner, I've never had somebody show up the way he has."Justin also praised Susie for being compassionate, patient and extremely loving."She's always just so understanding and kind, and she's a huge empath," Justin said."She's kind of taught me how to step back, and just communicate, and slow things down, and see things from a totally different angle, which is something that I probably needed."Interested in more The Bachelor news? Follow our Bachelor Nation News Page on Facebook or join our The Bachelor Facebook Group
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Stocks of Indian steel companies are reeling from pricing pressure that is partly blamed on cheap imports.

Photograph: Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters

The stocks have declined up to 9 per cent on the NSE in one month, likely allowing investors an opportunity to use the correction to enter the pack as pricing pressure eases.

"In steel or any other commodity, if prices or spreads are nearing their bottom, it can be an opportune time to invest in those stocks.

"In India, domestic fundamentals such as steel consumption remain robust, hence one can take fresh positions in these counters, said Amit Dixit, an analyst at ICICI Securities.

Domestic steel spread is at Rs 24,330 per tonne (the lowest since March 2024) and the price of hot rolled coil (HRC) is at Rs 51,370 per tonne (the lowest since December 2020), said Dixit.

The Nifty Metal index has fallen by 1.01 percent in the past month, while the NSE Nifty 50 has risen by 0.17 per cent, according to data from ACE Equity.

APL Apollo Tubes, which makes structural steel tubes, has dropped by 8.89 per cent, Steel Authority of India (SAIL) by 7.4 per cent, NMDC by 3.89 per cent, Jindal Stainless by 2.97 per cent, and Tata Steel by 2.41 per cent in one month.

The weakness, analysts said, followed China and Vietnam dumping their steel produce in the Indian market.

In the first four months of FY25, net steel imports rose 57 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) to 2.7 mega tonnes (mt), while exports fell by 46 per cent Y-o-Y to 1.7 mt.

Chinese imports rose 193 per cent Y-o-Y to 0.85 mt, taking the countrys share in Indias overall steel imports to 32 per cent from an average of 16 per cent in the past four years.

Vietnamese steel imports, on the other hand, were down by 60 per cent Y-o-Y, according to data from ICICI Securities. Indias Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) recently launched an anti-dumping investigation of Vietnamese HRC imports. Vietnam has a smaller share in imports but Indias move is a step in the right direction, said analysts.

The investigations should engulf countries like China, whose share in Indian imports has gone up markedly.

"Further, there is hardly any export of steel from India to China, thus ruling out any benefit to Indian steel companies, said analysts at ICICI Securities in a report.

According to the brokerage, profitability in Chinas HRC and rebar products is at their lowest in the past 15 years (HRC at 2.5 per cent and rebar at 0.08 per cent).

Hence, the brokerage said Chinas exports seem unfairly priced and do not cover even the variable cost of production.

Brokerage Motilal Oswal estimates that while steel prices might remain subdued in the short term, there is potential for improvement in the second half of FY25.

The Supreme Court last week held that state governments had the authority to impose additional taxes on minerals, retrospectively, with effect from April 1, 2005.

Analysts expect the verdict will have little impact and the final cost will be passed on to steel consumers.

On a prospective basis, the Jharkhand government recently proposed an additional cess of Rs 100 per tonne on coal and iron ore and Rs 70 per tonne on bauxite.

"Assuming all state governments follow this, incremental impact on companies ebitda shall be 23 per cent, which is not alarming, said Ashish Kejriwal and Jyoti Singh, analysts with Nuvama Institutional Equities, in a report, referring to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation.

Analysts predict NMDC can pass on most past liabilities arising from the ruling to consumers due to the availability of pass-through clauses on any regulatory cess.

Hindalco, on the flip side, has not received any tax demand yet, whereas the disclosed contingent liability of Tata Steel could include interest and penalties, which are not admissible, analysts at Kotak Institutional Equities pointed out.

The demand raised by states under different laws could be further litigated based on merits on a case-to-case basis, it added.

Against this, ICICI Securities has buy recommendations for JSW Steel, Jindal Steel, Jindal Stainless, and Tata Steel.

It has add for NMDC and sell for SAIL.

Motilal Oswal has a buy rating for Jindal Steel, JSW Steel and NMDC and neutral on Tata Steel and Vedanta.

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.
Iron ore mining major NMDCs results for the April-June quarter (Q1) of FY25 were better than estimates.

Photograph: Courtesy, NMDC

Weak volumes were balanced off by higher realisations, better average selling price (ASP) and lower royalties which boosted bottomline.

The revenue was in line with estimates at Rs 5,400 crore, flat year-on-year (Y-o-Y) and down 17 per cent quarter-on-quarter (Q-o-Q).

The sequential decline was primarily due to weak volumes.

Iron ore production stood at 9.19 million tonnes (mt), down 14 per cent Y-o-Y and down 31 per cent Q-o-Q, while sales were 10.1mt, down 8 per cent Y-o-Y and down 20 per cent Q-o-Q.

The ASP improved to Rs 5,337 per tonne, up 9 per cent Y-o-Y and up 4 per cent Q-o-Q.

The earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (Ebitda) was reported at Rs 2,300 crore up 17 per cent Y-o-Y, up 11 per cent Q-o-Q. The improvement was due to lower royalty expenses and lower operating costs.

The Ebitda per tonne stood at Rs 2,324, up 28 per cent Y-o-Y and up 39 per cent Q-o-Q.

The adjusted PAT was Rs 2,000 crore, up 19 per cent Y-o-Y and up 37 per cent Q-o-Q.

The management reiterated volume guidance of 50mt for FY25, despite weak volume in Q1FY25, caused by slower production in May and erratic rainfall.

NMDC cut prices by a cumulative Rs 1,000 per tonne in the last few months, in tune with the market trend.

Royalty as a percentage of sales stood at 37 per cent in Q1 vs. 47 per cent in Q4FY4, due to weak production volume.

There will be a negligible impact on NMDC as a result of retrospective royalties since as a merchant miner, the additional cost may be passed on

to customers.

NMDC currently has liabilities of Rs 144 crore from Chhattisgarh and Rs 2,500 crore from Karnataka and expects to recover these from customers.

However, the company is still assessing the impact of prospective taxation.

Theres an outstanding demand of Rs 21 crore from a diamond mine in Panna, Madhya Pradesh.

While revenue was in line, lower cost led to operating outperformance.

There were price cuts in Q2, due to weak global prices and onset of monsoon, and this could compress Ebitda.

Given that approvals are in place, production is likely to ramp up in FY25 and FY26.

All major steel manufacturers in India plan to double their capacity by FY30 given demand generated by the government's infra push, which will fuel overall demand for iron ore, a key input for making steel. The pending environmental clearances have been received.

Hence, volume growth is expected to rebound. Despite the price cuts in Q2, ASP is expected to improve in H2FY25.

NMDC spent Rs 400 crore on capex in Q1 against the annual target of Rs 2,200 crore for FY25.

Rest of the capex is at tendering stage.

The pellet and beneficiation plant is on hold and a redesigned plan has been initiated to ensure dual-fuel capability.

Downstream listed NMDC Steels monthly steel production average is 120,000 tonnes, which dropped to 80,000 tonnes in July 2024 due to scheduled maintenance shutdown.

The management guided that NMDC Steel would double its rack system to two racks and aims to reach 1.8mt of annual production.

It would source about 5mt per annum of iron ore at peak utilisation and NMDC remains the preferred supplier.

Given global price trends of low ore prices, NMDC may have to take price cuts again.

This could lead to earnings downgrades.

But the stock is moderately valued and many analysts see an upside.

According to Bloomberg seven out of 15 analysts polled in August are bullish, five have sell/reduce/underweight rating, and three are neutral.

Their average one-year target price is Rs 239, compared to Tuesdays close of Rs 224.45 on the BSE.

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.
When AI is used to enhance operational efficiency, businesses can deliver the same product or service but with improved quality, faster, or even at a reduced cost.

A fascinating excerpt from Aswin Chandarr's book, The Inevitable AI: Art Of Growth With Generative Intelligence.

Visualize this: It's a brisk Monday morning in the executive suite. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafts through the air as a team leader or a CEO, invigorated by a recent AI podcast, declares with contagious enthusiasm, "It's high time we harness the power of AI!

"The future is knocking at our door, and we must answer with innovation!"

The response is often a room full of bemused faces and the unspoken question, "So, where do we start?" They've heard this kind of enthusiasm before, but understanding how to translate it into actionable plans remains elusive.

Remember, embracing AI isn't about jumping onto a trend bandwagon. It's about aligning AI with your enterprise's vision, values, and goals.

Adapting to AI is like learning to dance with a new partner-- one whose steps are powered by algorithms and predictive analysis. Balancing your human workforce's strengths with AI's efficiency is a delicate tango.

The Sword of Disruption

The word 'disruption' is often tied to worker job security in the age of AI, but its ramifications stretch far beyond. As a potent force, it can destabilize even the most established businesses.

Let's dissect this further, starting with the first core aspect of "business value proposition."

Imagine being at the helm of a market-leading company, enjoying years of success and customer loyalty.

You're not just surviving; you're thriving. You've cornered a significant market share, and your name is synonymous with your industry. You're sitting pretty, right?

Yet, on the horizon, a storm is brewing. A fledgling startup, built from the ground up with AI woven into its DNA, is gaining momentum. Their value proposition is different. It's innovative. It's AI-driven.

In the world of AI, it's no longer just about who has been around the longest or who has the deepest pockets. Today, a fledgling startup, built from the ground up around AI -- an "AI Native" -- could threaten your position.

Such AI-native enterprises can offer superior products or services, personalized experiences, and unrivaled efficiency, all at competitive prices.

Consider the insurance sector. Traditional insurance companies have long thrived on offering standard insurance plans. But what if a new, AI-driven competitor enters the market, offering customized insurance plans tailored to each customer's needs, risks, and lifestyle?

Their value proposition is irresistible, and they could quickly seize a considerable market share.

Or, look at pharmaceutical companies. Drug discovery is a long and costly process. However, an AI-native firm has entered the scene, using machine learning to accelerate drug discovery and reduce costs dramatically.

Suddenly, they're producing effective medications faster and cheaper than established pharmaceutical giants.

In the legal domain, traditional firms may charge hefty fees for services that an AI-driven competitor can provide more swiftly and cost-effectively.

AI can analyze thousands of legal documents in a fraction of the time it would take a human, enabling these firms to offer quick and affordable legal services.

AI could lead to entirely new industries and services, just like the internet did with social media and e-commerce.

The key takeaway is that no industry is immune to AI's disruptive potential. Incumbents must stay vigilant, constantly reevaluating their value proposition in light of emerging AI capabilities.

They need to understand AI's potential in their industry, identify potential threats and opportunities, and be prepared to pivot or evolve their business model.

Ignoring AI's potential is no longer an option; it's a ticket to obsolescence. AI disruption is real and happening faster than most can anticipate.

The Internal Revolution

The second form of disruption resulting from AI isn't about novel, AI-driven competitors. Instead, it involves a transformation from within.

This second disruptive facet of AI lies in its potential to optimize internal business processes.

When AI is used to enhance operational efficiency, businesses can deliver the same product or service but with improved quality, faster, or even at a reduced cost.

This, too, can challenge the market status quo, leading to a shift in market share.

Take an insurance firm, for instance. It has hundreds of thousands of policy documents and client data.

Previously, a customer support agent would have to manually search through this massive data pool to address a customer query. This process could be time-consuming and prone to errors.

However, the company can drastically improve this process with AI. Agents can get precise, real-time information at their fingertips by implementing a semantic search system powered by AI.

This speeds up customer service and improves quality, enhancing customer satisfaction.

Imagine two manufacturing companies competing in the same market. They have a similar product lineup and have been neck-and-neck in market share for years.

However, one company invests in AI to optimize its production processes, Machine learning algorithms predict maintenance needs, minimize downtime, and maximize efficiency.

AI-driven analytics provide real-time insights into supply chain inefficiencies, allowing the company to reduce waste and improve sourcing.

The result? This company can now produce the same goods more quickly, at a lower cost, and potentially even with better quality.

It passes these savings and benefits onto consumers, giving it a competitive advantage. Over time, it starts to carve a larger market share pie.

These examples underline that AI disruption is not solely an external threat posed by new, AI-native startups.

It also stems from within an industry, as existing competitors leverage AI to optimize their operations, offer better customer experiences, and innovate faster.

To ignore this aspect of AI disruption is to risk being left behind in the race, unable to match the efficiency, quality, and innovation offered by AI-empowered competitors.

Understanding and embracing AI is not just about future-proofing your business -- it's about securing a competitive advantage today.

The Talent Magnet: AI as a Beacon of Attraction

The third key aspect of AI's influence on businesses lies in human resources.

In the AI era, jobs involving lower-level cognitive tasks will increasingly be performed by machines, a shift we've already started to witness.

This isn't necessarily a cause for alarm; it opens up opportunities for humans to engage in more complex, higher-value tasks.

The displacement effect of AI isn't a job eliminator but a job evolver.

Employees who can effectively use AI tools, understand their nuances, and leverage their strengths for complex problem-solving will become increasingly valuable.

Imagine an engineer or a data scientist choosing between two firms. One is a traditional company, still relying largely on manual processes and legacy systems.

The other is an AI-forward company investing in the latest AI tools, promoting a culture of continual learning, and pushing the boundaries of what's possible with AI.

The latter is likely a much more attractive proposition for talent eager to work on the cutting edge of their field.

As such, companies that embrace and utilize cutting-edge AI technologies can become talent magnets.

Being at the forefront of AI adoption sends a clear message to current and potential employees: The company is forward-thinking, innovative, and committed to empowering its workforce with the best tools available.

This can incentivize talented, capable employees to stay, nurturing their growth and encouraging them to reach new heights of productivity.

By automating routine tasks, AI allows employees to focus on more challenging, rewarding work, leading to higher job satisfaction.

Employees can spend their time on creative problem-solving, strategic thinking, and innovation, all of which contribute to a more engaging and fulfilling work environment, resulting in a win-win for both sides.

In attracting and retaining talent, it's crucial to note that investing in AI is not just about purchasing and deploying the latest AI tools.

It's also about investing in the training and development of employees, enabling them to harness these tools effectively.

This commitment to employee growth further enhances a company's appeal to prospective employees and helps retain existing talent.

Your employees are your most valuable asset, and AI can empower them to perform at their best.

Excerpted from The Inevitable AI: Art Of Growth With Generative Intelligence by Aswin Chandarr, with the permission of the publishers, Stardom Books.

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
SMEs often work with tight budgets, making it costly to hire employment lawyers for compliance guidance. Yet, without this expertise, they risk making unintentional errors with significant consequences. Simon Obee, Head of HR Advisory and Principal Lawyer at Employment Hero

The recent introduction of new Industrial Relations laws, including the right to disconnect, has significant implications for Australian businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Employers are now required to respect their employees personal time outside of working hours, or face hefty fines of up to $18,000.

This development comes at a critical time for SMEs, as recent data shows that half of all Aussie SMEs considered closing their doors in the past year. The added financial burden of non-compliance could further exacerbate this trend,contributing to a rising rate of insolvencies.

Beyond the financial implications, the right to disconnect is essential for employee mental health. For young people in particular, this new law could have a profound impact. Employment Heros latest Wellness at Work report reveals that only a small percentage of Gen Z and millennial workers feel they have enough downtime to relax and pursue their interests, leading to increased stress and burnout.

What do business owners need to know?

Scope: The new laws apply to businesses with 15 or more employees. Smaller businesses will have until August 2025 to comply.

The new laws apply to businesses with 15 or more employees. Smaller businesses will have until August 2025 to comply. Right to Refuse Contact: While employers can still contact employees outside of working hours, employees have the right to not respond to these communications unless it is unreasonable to do so.

While employers can still contact employees outside of working hours, employees have the right to not respond to these communications unless it is unreasonable to do so. Dispute Resolution: If disputes arise over the right to disconnect, either party can seek a Stop Order from the Fair Work Commission.

If disputes arise over the right to disconnect, either party can seek a Stop Order from the Fair Work Commission. What to do now: Companies must review and update their communication practices, employment contracts, and policies to comply with the new rules. This may involve training for managers and clear guidelines for when after-hours contact is appropriate.

The introduction of the right to disconnect marks a significant step towards protecting employee well-being and promoting a healthier work-life balance. Businesses that fail to comply with these new laws risk facing both financial penalties and damage to their reputation. Simon Obee, Head of HR Advisory and Principal Lawyer at Employment Hero and EI Legal says these changes will be costly to SMEs already dealing with the increasing burden of red tape and legal compliance:

Its important that there are enough tools and resources out there to ensure SMEs, which are the backbone of our economy, are educated and supported, as these laws add to the already overflowing pool of regulations they need to comply with. This is not a case of hand holding, but rather about providing clear, accessible information and resources to support our SMEs, as well as a balanced dialogue that considers the impact overregulation can have on small businesses and the wider Australian economy.

SMEs often work with tight budgets, making it costly to hire employment lawyers for compliance guidance. Yet, without this expertise, they risk making unintentional errors with significant consequences. The ongoing implementation of IR changes and the introduction of new wage theft laws, carrying potential jail time, further heightens the compliance burden on business owners, and with fines reaching millions of dollars, even minor breaches could spell disaster for businesses, particularly family-run establishments that might misinterpret the law.

Yet while this law is well-intended, Employment Hero CEO says these new IR laws highlight how compliance is crippling Aussie SMEs and risks stifling innovation: Its time to spotlight the trials and tribulations facing Australian SMEs. We need a balanced dialogue that considers the impact of overregulation on the entrepreneurial spirit and seeks solutions that encourage innovation, enhance global competitiveness, and support the growth of the Australian economy. Our SMEs, entrepreneurs, and local businesses deserve a fighting chance to thrive in a challenging world, Ben says.

This situation raises critical questions about the viability of starting and running a business in Australia. Beyond the debates and political maneuvers, the real impact on employers and Australias position in the global employment market seems to be an afterthought. The Right to Disconnect law, for instance, adds to the compliance burdens, despite its intentions, contributing to a landscape that seems increasingly hostile to business owners. Far from fostering an environment conducive to growth and innovation, the introduction of the Closing Loopholes legislation appears to tighten the noose around the necks of SME owners, introducing penalties so severe they could easily dismantle the dreams of many Australian entrepreneurs. With fines reaching millions of dollars, even minor breaches could spell disaster for businesses, particularly family-run establishments that might misinterpret the law.

But whether you agree or disagree with these new regulations, and how strict they may remain, they dont come without a heavy price to pay for SMEs. The complexity of ever-changing industrial laws in Australia, long recognised as some of the most intricate worldwide, has reached a new height, confusing SMEs and putting their spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation at significant risk.

Matt Loop, VP and Head of Asia of Rippling, on this: The introduction of the right to disconnect stems from the need to prioritise the mental well-being and work-life balance of employees. It is a well-meaning piece of legislation, but if implemented ineffectively, poses an immense threat to the flexibility that so many workers currently enjoy.

We have made significant strides in the past few years of affording people greater licence to dictate how they work. But as a hard and fast rule, the right to disconnect could be incredibly detrimental to those who prefer operating outside of a traditional 9-5. Take people with caregiving responsibilities as an example, they would no longer be able to pick the kids up from school and then finish their work later in the evenings.

The key to a happy balance will be a fundamental level of trust and transparency between employers and their employees. In the face of these changes, it has become increasingly essential to nurture business environments that set realistic expectations for communication outside of standard work times from the outset, provide flexibility with work hours, and create an open dialogue with employees about balancing work-life needs with specific performance expectations.

Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
'...We should first look at and acknowledge what we have done to ourselves.'

'To not do so opens us to the accusation of rank hypocrisy and also reduces the stature of our globetrotting peaceniks,' asserts Aakar Patel.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra D Modi with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv, August 23, 2024. Photograph: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters

While we are going to Ukraine and Poland to end violence around the world, it is instructive to see what the world is saying about violence in India.

On June 9, 2022, three United Nations Special Rapporteurs wrote to the Modi government regarding our bulldozer justice.

Balakrishnan Rajagopal, Fernand de Varennes and Ahmed Shaheed wrote of their concerns regarding: 'Forced evictions, housing and property demolitions directed against the Muslim minority communities in Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh state, in the Anand district of Gujarat state and in the Jehangirpuri locality and other locations of New Delhi.

'These arbitrary housing and property demolitions were allegedly ordered by local Governments arbitrarily to punish Muslim minorities and low-income communities for intercommunal conflicts between Hindus and Muslims that had broken out during and after religious processions.'

India did not reply to this letter.

On July 12, 2023, the European parliament passed a resolution on Manipur.

It said that violence had left at least 120 people dead and 50,000 displaced and have destroyed over 1,700 houses, over 250 churches and several temples and schools.

The resolution said that 'intolerance towards religious and belief minorities, including Christians, contributes to the violence'; that there had been 'concerns about politically motivated, divisive policies promoting Hindu majoritarianism, and about an increase in activity by militant groups'; and that the European parliament seeks 'the utmost effort to promptly halt the ongoing ethnic and religious violence, to protect all religious minorities, such as Manipur's Christian community, and to pre-empt any further escalation.'

In response India said this was a colonial mindset and intrusion into our internal matter.

On March 7, 2024, more than two dozen United Nations human rights experts wrote to the Modi government to 'sound the alarm over reports of attacks on minorities, media and civil society in India' and they called for 'urgent corrective action'.

They said: 'We are alarmed by continuing reports of attacks on religious, racial and ethnic minorities, on women and girls on intersecting grounds, and on civil society, including human rights defenders and the media.'

India did not respond to this (India does not respond to the United Nations though we are keen to be given a seat on its Security Council).

Let us go further back.

On June 13, 2021, the Group of Seven nations, which are advanced economies and liberal democracies, put out a sort of charter.

The document was called the G7 and Guest Countries: 2021 Open Societies Statement.

The G7 are the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Italy plus the European Union and the guest nations invited this time to the G7 meet were South Korea, India, South Africa and Australia.

The document says that all these nations reaffirm their shared belief in open societies, through democratic values and that they would embrace and encourage others to embrace these eight values, which are listed out.

The first is human rights, both online and offline.

The second is democracy, including 'everyone's right to assemble, organise and associate peacefully, within a system of accountable and transparent governance.'

The third is social inclusion, and 'full enjoyment of civil and political rights in both physical and digital spheres'.

Fourth is gender equality.

Fifth is freedom of expression, 'both online and offline'.

Sixth is rule of law and independent and impartial judicial system.

Seventh is a multilateral system with free and fair trade and global collaboration.

Eighth is the 'importance of civic space and partnership with diverse, independent and pluralistic civil societies, including human rights defenders, in promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms'.

These eight apparently were 'founding values' which 'define our inclusive way of life'.

They would be promoted by the G7 and guest nations through the following eight steps:

First, 'protecting civic space and media freedom, promoting freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association, and freedom of religion or belief, and by tackling all forms of discrimination'.

Second, 'to exchange information and coordinate effective responses to shared threats to human rights, democracy and the rule of law, such as disinformation and arbitrary detention'.

Third to promote economic openness 'reasserting our shared economic model which is founded on open markets'.

Fourth to prevent and tackle corruption.

Fifth to protect the digital civic-space respecting human rights.

Sixth to prioritise gender equality and inclusion.

Seventh to collaborate on science.

Eighth to promote sustainable development goals, specifically to 'promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies'.

The G7 and its guests said they would build on these commitments in other multilateral fora.

A few points arise from this development. Indian governments generally speaking and this government in particular are hostile to most of the things on the list.

The Indian prime minister signed the statement and spoke in favour of the Open Societies charter saying India was a naturally ally.

Perhaps we are, but the problem is that we cannot be signing these things and then doing the sort of actions that we do at home.

Because if we do them, we will have to hear from the United Nations and the European Parliament. And even they are not the only ones.

The US Congress (on Kashmir), the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (on the so called 'love jihad' laws in various BJP states) and the US State Department (on various atrocities against minorities) have been vocal on India in this same period.

For us to have basic credibility as a global leader wanting violence stopped elsewhere, we should first look at and acknowledge what we have done to ourselves.

To not do so opens us to the accusation of rank hypocrisy and also reduces the stature of our globetrotting peaceniks.

Aakar Patel is a columnist and writer and you can read Aakar's earlier columns here.
'We are in a dilemma if the central government supports this ethnic violence and Biren Singh.'

IMAGE: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh calls on Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi, July 26, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

The ministry of home affairs, based on the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952, set up a Commission of Inquiry via a notification dated June 4, 2023, headed by its chairperson Justice Alai Lamba, former chief justice, Gauhati high court, (retd) IAS officer Himanshu Shekhar Das and (retd) IPS officer Aloka Prabhakar.

The mandate of the Commission was to find out the triggers that led to the ethnic conflict in the north eastern state where reportedly more than 300 people have been killed and thousands displaced since violence marred the state first on May 3, 2023, investigate the role of individuals and organisations involved in this bloodshed and suggest remedial measures to prevent such incidents happening in the future.

Audio tapes submitted to this Commission of Inquiry by the people who deposed before it -- and posted by The Wire news Web site in the public domain -- allege Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh's complicity in abetting the ethnic conflict in the state.

Eight Kuki BJP MLAs recently wrote to the Commission of Inquiry asking it to expedite the process and sought the chief minister's removal in the light of these tapes, which Biren Singh has called 'doctored.'

An influential leader in Manipur spoke to Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com, speaking on the condition of anonymity, about why the situation in Manipur will not return to normal as long as N Biren Singh remains chief minister.

What's happening in Manipur now?

Nothing has changed. The hill people continue to move from the hill to the valley and back. No one from the scheduled tribes crisscrosses into the Meitei-dominated areas and Meiteis don't access the hill dominated by the tribals.

The incumbent chief minister (of Manipur N Biren Singh) has himself been proclaiming that he started the war (allegedly according to leaked tapes reportedly submitted to the Commission of Inquiry). We have brought this to the notice of the Commission of Inquiry set up to look into the various aspects of the ethnic violence unleashed in the state since May 3, 2023.

We have asked the Commission of Inquiry to expedite the process of removing him (N Biren Singh) or to do something concrete to establish law and order in Manipur.

Till today neither the inquiry commission gave its findings nor has the central government said anything about it (about the slow progress of the Commission of Inquiry).

Narendra Modi and Amit Shah (Union home minister) have not uttered a word (about the slow progress of the Commission of Inquiry). So, we are in a dilemma if the central government supports this ethnic violence and Biren Singh.

We don't know who is supporting him but he is so firm and strong that despite continuous violence in the state for more than a year now, he is still continuing as the chief minister.

Are we Indians or not? Does Delhi (the Union government) think we are as Indian as anybody or not? This is our dilemma.

IMAGE: Union Home Minister Amit A Shah chairs a meeting with Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and his council of ministers at the CM's secretariat in Imphal, May 29, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

Are you convinced that the tapes are genuine and not doctored as claimed by the Manipur government?

The voice in those tapes definitely belongs to the chief minister of Manipur Mr N Biren Singh. There's no doubt about that.

Why aren't you asking the home minister or the prime minister to remove N Biren Singh?

Why is no action yet being taken against him?

Bhagwaan ko poocho bhai (Don't ask an ordinary mortal like me; ask God). We have repeatedly sent requests (to the PM and home minister to remove N Biren Singh).

Unless Mr Biren Singh is replaced there will be no peace. Normalcy will never come back to Manipur.

I don't know (why N Biren Singh has not been removed till now). We have met Amit Shahji and have told the whole story to him. We have repeatedly talked to Mr A K Mishra, who is the advisor (Northeast), home ministry. We have repeatedly talked to them regarding the whole issue. They are very aware about this issue.

All the people from the Intelligence Bureau, Assam Rifles, the National Investigative Agency, and CRPF know what the problem in Manipur is.

Despite knowing all the facts, no change has been made. I don't think there will be peace in India till this BJP government rules at the Centre. Not just Manipur and the north east, this bloodshed will spill over to entire India after some years.

Why do you say that? What is your concern? What is your fear?

The people from mainland India are seeing the whole thing (how violence is not being stopped in Manipur by the Centre). All the political parties like the Aam Aadmi Party, the Trinamool Congress, and the whole of INDIA alliance are angry and furious given the way the BJP is governing India.

India is in the midst of a terrible turmoil.

Why do you think the Commission of Inquiry is not completing the tasks assigned to it? Who did you write this letter to?

We have written this letter to the Commission of Inquiry with a copy to the prime minister and the ministry of home affairs.

We just want this Commission of Inquiry to expedite the process but it sits idle, the reasons of which I don't know.
Former chief minister Champai Soren on Wednesday resigned from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, claiming that the JMM's present style of functioning and policies forced him to leave the party he served for many years.

IMAGE: Former Jharkhand CM Champai Soren (second from right) meets with Union Agriculture Minister and BJP election in-charge of Jharkhand Shivraj Singh Chouhan (right), in New Delhi, August 28, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Soren, who is scheduled to join the Bharatiya Janata Party on August 30, also resigned as an MLA of the state assembly and a minister in the Jharkhand Cabinet.

"Today I resigned from the primary membership and all posts of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. I will continue to fight on the issues of tribals, Dalits, backward and common people of Jharkhand," Soren said.

In a letter to party supremo Shibu Soren, the senior tribal leader said he was forced to quit after being aggrieved by the present style of functioning of the JMM and its policies.

"I have never ever imagined in my dreams that I would quit JMM, a party which is like a family to me... The turn of events of the past forced me to take this decision with much pain...I am pained to say that the party has deviated from its principle," he said in the letter.

Champai Soren became the chief minister of Jharkhand on February 2, shortly after Hemant Soren resigned as the CM shortly before being arrested by the ED in a money laundering case. Champai quit the post and Hemant took oath as the CM again in July, after he was released on bail.

He lamented that there is no forum in the party left to express one's pain and "you (Shibu Soren) are not active in politics due to ill health but you will continue to be my guide...".

Soren, who met Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi earlier this week and announced joining the saffron party, reached Ranchi on Wednesday along with his son and was greeted by a large number of supporters.

"My decision (to join BJP) is in the interest of Jharkhand... I am used to struggles," Soren said.

Asked about the allegation that he is under "surveillance", the former CM said he is not afraid of any situation and indicated that he will resign from JMM and as minister later on Wednesday.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma earlier in the day alleged that Champai Soren had been under surveillance of his own government's police for the last five months.

Two sub-inspectors of Special Branch of the Jharkhand police were caught by Soren's people in a Delhi hotel while they were keeping watch on the ex-chief minister, Sarma claimed.

The JMM, however, asserted that the two police officials were deputed for the security of Soren and were soon released after being detained.

Demanding an apology from saffron party leaders, the JMM in a statement said, "We will give a befitting reply to BJP soon and thwart any attempt by it to grab power here."

Soren said he is not afraid of any conspiracy against him.

He said that he did not think it proper to reply to the allegation that he was trapped in operation lotus', a term indicating an attempt to topple governments in states ruled by non-BJP parties.

Champai Soren's son Babulal Soren said JMM failed to give respect to them and now BJP embraced them in a dignified manner.

Meanwhile, BJP state president Babulal Marandi demanded a probe under a sitting judge of the High Court into the "surveillance" on Champai Soren.

Addressing a press conference in Ranchi, Marandi said, "Two special branch officials have been arrested in Delhi and there are allegations of attempts to honey trap Champai Soren ji. This is a serious issue.

There has been misuse of police machinery to silence those who raise voice against the Hemant Soren government, the former chief minister alleged.

On Tuesday, Champai Soren had asserted that he is joining the BJP to save tribal identity and existence, which is at stake in the state's Santhal Pargana region due to rampant infiltration from Bangladesh.

The senior JMM leader said only the saffron party seems serious over the issue of tribals, while others are indulging in vote bank politics.

"Today, Bangladeshi infiltration has become a big problem in Santhal Pargana, the holy land of (freedom fighters) Baba Tilka Manjhi and Sido-Kanhu. The dignity of our mothers, sisters and daughters is in danger," Champai Soren said in a post on X.

These intruders are causing economic and social harm to the local people, and if they are not stopped, the existence of "our society in Santhal Pargana will be in danger", he said.

In many areas including Pakur and Rajmahal, the number of infiltrators has become more than that of tribals, Soren claimed.

Only the BJP seems serious on this issue and other parties are ignoring it for the sake of vote bank politics, he said, explaining why he decided to join the saffron party.

The veteran politician had earlier said he experienced "bitter humiliation" as chief minister, which compelled him to seek an alternative path.

He alleged that all his government programmes in the first week of July were abruptly cancelled by the party leadership without his knowledge.

Soren started his political career by getting elected as an independent MLA in 1991. Four years later, he contested the assembly polls on JMM ticket and defeated the BJP candidate.
WHO has urged people at risk to keep up with their vaccinations with boosters.

IMAGE: A healthcare worker administers a dose of iNCOVACC, an intranasal vaccine as a booster dose for a senior citizen against COVID-19 in Mumbai. Photograph: ANI Photo

Hyderabad-based vaccine maker Indian Immunologicals Limited on Tuesday, August 27 2024, said it has developed a live-attenuated needle-free intra-nasal booster vaccine against Sars-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.

The vaccine has been developed in collaboration with Griffith University, Australia.

IIL's vaccine is made using codon deoptimisation technology and this work has already been published in Nature Communications on August 26.

Codon deoptimisation is considered highly efficient as a virus attenuation strategy and is also considered safe and less time-consuming than the conventional way which usually takes several years.

IMAGE: January 2023: When then health minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Science Dr Jitendra Singh, Bharat Biotech Executive Chairman Dr Krishna Ella, Bharat Biotech Co-Founder and MD Suchitra Ella and others launched the world's first made in India COVID-19 nasal vaccine, iNCOVACC, in New Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo

'Completely guided attenuation and the means are well known, and the attenuated virus is expected to present all the antigens and mimics natural infection,' the company claimed.

'Among different formats of vaccines available, it is well known that live attenuated vaccines generate a robust and broad-spectrum neutralising antibody response,' IIL said, adding that its needle-free nasal booster vaccine has demonstrated stability and maintained safety in extensive animal studies.

In 2022, Bharat Biotech had developed an intranasal vaccine approved as a mix-and match (heterologous) booster dose -- iNCOVACC.

IIL said that the danger due to COVID-19 infection is not over. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the virus is still killing around 1,700 people a week around the world.

WHO has urged people at risk to keep up with their vaccinations with boosters.

The then Union health minister had launched this vaccine in January 2023. It is a recombinant adenovirus (flu virus) vectored vaccine that has been formulated to allow intranasal delivery through nasal drops.

K Anand Kumar, managing director, IIL said, "This accomplishment signifies a major step forward in our battle against COVID-19.

"We are enthusiastic about the codon de-optimisation technology, and its use in targeted attenuation of microorganisms to be used as vaccine candidate."

The vaccine, Kumar added, would facilitate non-invasive immunisation, and that they aim to enhance vaccination rates, ultimately safeguarding more individuals and communities.

IIL was set up by the National Dairy Development Board in 1982. It has multiple GMP manufacturing sites and exports to over 60 countries.

IIL has launched several animal and human vaccines in the Indian market and is now working actively on a dengue vaccine, which it aims to bring to market by 2026.

COVID-19 cases are rising across the world. In mid-August, WHO said that Sars-CoV-2 positivity rate during the four-week reporting period from June 24 to July 21 increased from 7.4 per cent in the beginning week to 13 per cent in the last, across 85 countries.

Globally, JN.1 is the most reported variant of interest (VOI), now reported by 135 countries.

BBIL Launches Oral Cholera Vaccine Anjali Singh IMAGE: Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes.

A child gets an oral cholera vaccine. Photograph: Jorge Silva/Reuters Bharat Biotech International (BBIL) has launched a new oral cholera vaccine (OCV), aiming to offer a solution to the global shortage of OCVs amid rising cases of the disease globally. The vaccine, HILLCHOL, is developed in partnership with Hilleman Laboratories, a Singapore-based vaccine research organisation. The introduction of HILLCHOL comes as cholera cases and deaths have been on the rise across the world. Despite being preventable and treatable, cholera cases and deaths have been increasing steadily since 2021. From early 2023 to March this year, 824,479 cases and 5,900 deaths were reported across 31 countries. With only one manufacturer currently supplying OCVs worldwide, there has been a deficit of approximately 40 million doses annually. Bharat Biotech's new vaccine is set to address this shortfall, with its manufacturing facilities in Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar, capable of producing up to 200 million doses. HILLCHOL, administered orally on Day 0 and Day 14, is suitable for individuals over one year of age. It is available as a single-dose respule and must be stored between +2 C and +8 C. The vaccine is offered in a mono-multidose format. Vaccines provide the best intervention to prevent, limit, and control cholera outbreaks. "HILLCHOL is a success story of partnership leading to public health solutions. Our new manufacturing facilities will significantly enhance our production capacity, enabling us to combat cholera globally," Krishna Ella, executive chairman of Bharat Biotech, said. The launch of HILLCHOL aligns with the Global Task Force on Cholera Control's goal of reducing cholera-related deaths by 90 per cent by 2030.

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
Opposition parties of Assam on Wednesday filed a first information report against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing him of 'promoting enmity' based on religion and race.

IMAGE: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tries his hands at playing 'dhol' at an event of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 113th Mann ki Baat, in Ranchi, August 25, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

They accused Sarma of attempting to incite communal tension by targeting a specific community, potentially leading to riot-like situations in the state.

Lurinjyoti Gogoi, general secretary of the United Opposition Forum Assam, lodged the FIR with Dispur police station.

Gogoi was accompanied by leaders of other parties of the Forum.

The UOFA is an alliance of 18 parties in Assam, aligned with the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.

"We are lodging this FIR against Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, who happens to be the chief minister of the state, for trying to promote enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion and race," the FIR, which was shared with the media, read.

The complaint was received by an official at the police station, but no case has been registered yet, the police said.

Referring to the alleged gang-rape of a 14-year-old girl in Dhing, which evoked widespread condemnations and protests, the UOFA claimed that Sarma is 'trying to whip up communal frensy by targeting a particular community'.

It has already resulted in "attack on some people belonging to religious minority in Sivasagar by BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) workers and leaders", the opposition parties claimed, adding that it had been done as "part of conspiracy to create a riot-like situation in the state and the accused named Himanta Biswa Sarma and other BJP leaders are part of the criminal conspiracy to create such unrest".

The UOFA alleged that Sarma has a history of making provocative statements against a particular community, referencing an instance from a year ago when the chief minister reportedly urged the public to evict individuals of a specific religious community, whom he referred to as 'Miya', from Guwahati.

'Miya' is a pejorative term used for Bengali-speaking Muslims in the state.

Citing similar recent instances, the UOFA highlighted that the Chief Minister had allegedly targeted a journalist with "obvious communal innuendos" and accused a specific community of land encroachment by forcing original dwellers to leave by deliberately eating beef.

"The belligerent nature of the accused can be gauged from the fact that in a party meeting held in the recent past, he claimed himself to be a mad dog. If such a person is not arrested and restrained immediately, he can create a riot-like situation in the state for getting political mileage out of it," the FIR maintained.

"We, therefore, request you to kindly register a case against the accused person and his co-conspirators under Section 61, 196 and 35(2) of the Bharatia Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and investigate," the complaint, signed by Bhupen Borah, state Congress chief and president of UOFA, and Gogoi, added.

The UOFA had on Tuesday demanded the President and the Governor to terminate Sarma as the chief minister for his series of "communal and unconstitutional" statements aimed at creating clashes between communities.

Besides, the UOFA will also write to the Supreme Court for a thorough investigation into the CM and his family's pile of "unaccounted" property by a judge of the apex court, its leaders had said.
Union Minister Suresh Gopi filed a police complaint against mediapersons on Wednesday, alleging that they obstructed his path as he exited the Thrissur Ramanilayam Government Guest House, according to a source in Thrissur.

IMAGE: Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi . Photograph: ANI Photo

The complaint states that journalists blocked his way at the guest house, the source said without elaborating.

Meanwhile, Congress leader and former MLA Anil Akkara said he has lodged a police complaint against Gopi over his conduct a day ago towards mediapersons in Thrissur.

Akkara said he emailed the complaint to the Thrissur city police commissioner on Tuesday seeking action against Gopi for violating his oath of office.

On Tuesday, when Gopi, the first BJP Lok Sabha MP from Kerala, was asked by reporters about the allegations of sexual harassment against Communist Party of India-Marxist MLA M Mukesh, he had responded, "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.

Later the same day, when reporters again tried to get his reaction over BJP state chief K Surendran saying the party's stand is to seek Mukesh's resignation, the actor was seen, in visuals aired by TV channels angrily pushing away some of them,

According to the videos, 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' questions.
Declaring that 'enough is enough', President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said it is time for India to wake up to the 'perversion' of crimes against women and counter the mindset that sees women as 'less powerful, less capable, less intelligent'.

IMAGE: Police personnel detain a protestor during the Nabanna Abhijan protest against the alleged rape and murder of RG Kar Hospital doctor, in Kolkata on Tuesday, August 27, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

'Those who share such views then go further and see the female as an object. We owe it to our daughters to remove the hurdles from their path of winning the freedom from fear,' Murmu said in an exclusive signed article for PTI.

Referring to the August 9 rape and murder of a junior doctor in a Kolkata hospital, a 'dismayed and horrified' president said what is even more depressing is that it is part of a series of crimes against women.

Murmu said no civilised society can allow daughters and sisters to be subjected to such atrocities.

'The nation is bound to be outraged, and so am I,' she wrote.

The hard-hitting and personalised article, titled 'Women's Safety: Enough is Enough', is the first time the president has articulated her views on the August 9 Kolkata incident that has once again shaken the conscience of the nation and led to widespread, continuing protests.

The president gave the article after a detailed conversation on topical issues with a team of PTI senior editors, who called on her at Rashtrapati Bhavan to mark the 77th anniversary of the news agency's founding on August 27, 1947.

'Even as students, doctors and citizens were protesting in Kolkata, criminals remained on the prowl elsewhere. The victims include even kindergarten girls,' Murmu said.

During the interaction, she recalled her recent meeting with a group of schoolchildren on Raksha Bandhan.

'They asked me innocently if they could be assured that there would be no recurrence of the Nirbhaya-type incident in future,' the President said, referring to the brutal rape and murder of a physiotherapy intern in Delhi in December 2012.

She noted that an outraged nation then made plans and devised strategies, and the initiatives did make some difference.

In the 12 years since, there have been countless tragedies of similar nature though only few drew nationwide attention, Murmu said.

'Did we learn our lessons? As social protests petered out, these incidents got buried into a deep and inaccessible recess of social memory, to be recalled only when another heinous crime takes place,' she said.

Taking a macro view of the rights of women, she said they have had to fight for every inch of ground they have won. Social prejudices as well as some customs and practices have always opposed the expansion of women's rights, Murmu added.

'This is a rather deplorable mindset. This mindset sees the female as a lesser human being, less powerful, less capable, less intelligent,' she wrote.

In her view, it is the objectification of women by a few that is behind the crimes against women.

'It is ingrained deeply in the minds of such people,' the President said, stressing that countering this mindset is a task for both the State and society.

Acknowledging that there have been laws and social campaigns, she said, 'Yet, there is something that continues to come in the way and to torment us.'

History, the president said, 'often hurts' and societies scared to face history resort to 'collective amnesia' to bury their heads in the sand like the proverbial ostrich.

'Now the time has come not only to face history squarely but also to search within our souls and probe the pathology of crimes against women,' she said in her impassioned appeal.

'Let us deal with this perversion in a comprehensive manner so as to curb it right at the beginning. We can do this only if we honour the memory of the victims by cultivating a social culture of remembering them to remind us of our failures in the past and prepare us to be more vigilant in future,' Murmu said.

The society needs honest, unbiased self-introspection, and ask itself some difficult questions, the president said.

'Where have we erred? And what can we do to remove the errors? Without finding out the answer to that question, the half of our population cannot live as freely as the other half,' she said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday expressed her grief and solidarity with the family of a trainee doctor, who was sexually assaulted and murdered at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

IMAGE: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee takes out a rally against the rape and murder of a female postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, in Kolkata on August 17, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

In a post on X, CM Mamata said that she is dedicating the foundation day of Trinamool Chhatra Parishad to the victim of the incident.

'Today, on the foundation day of Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, I am dedicating it to our sister, whom we mourned the tragic loss of at RG Kar Hospital a few days ago. Expressing our heartfelt condolences and seeking immediate redress for that incident. Our hearts go out to all the women of all ages who have been victims of inhuman incidents. Sorry,' she said in a post in Bengali.

The West Bengal chief minister, further emphasised that students and youth have a great social role.

'It is the task of student society to give the dream of a new day by keeping the society and culture awake and to inspire everyone around with the bright vows of a new day. My appeal to all of them today, be encouraged in this effort, and stay committed. My dear students, stay well, stay healthy, stay committed to a bright future,' Mamata Banerjee said.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party has called 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' call in protest against police crackdown on peaceful protest during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' -- march to the state secretariat on Tuesday.

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 lobbing tear gas shells to disperse them.
People's Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said she will not contest the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, pointing out that she would not be able to fulfil her party's agenda in the Union Territory set up even if she were to become the chief minister.

Photograph: Umar Ganie for Rediff.com IMAGE: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti addressing a press conference, in Srinagar, August 28, 2024.

"I have been chief minister of a government with the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) which revoked FIRs against 12,000 persons (in 2016). Can we do that now? I, as the chief minister of a government with (PM) Modi, wrote a letter to separatists to invite them for talks. Can you do that today? I got a ceasefire (implemented) on ground. Can you do that today? If you cannot take back an FIR as chief minister, what does one do with such a post?" she said.

The PDP president was asked if she has had a change of heart on contesting the polls after vice president of arch-rival National Conference Omar Abdullah made a U-turn on his stand of not participating in the polls till Jammu and Kashmir was a Union Territory.

"Omar himself said that he will have to be at the door of the (lieutenant) governor for transfer of a peon. I am not bothered about the transfer of the peon but can we implement our agenda?" the former chief minister said.

Omar Abdullah, who had vowed not to take part in assembly polls till Jammu and Kashmir remained a union territory, was among 32 candidates named by the party on Tuesday.

The former chief minister will contest polls from Ganderbal where he had won in 2008.

On the alliance between National Conference and Congress for Jammu and Kashmir polls, the PDP president said the two parties have always come together just for the sake of power.

"When we entered into an alliance with Congress in 2002, we had an agenda. We released Syed Ali Geelani from jail. Can you think of doing it today? When we allied with the BJP government in 2014, we had an agenda of alliance in which we had it in writing that Article 370 will not be touched, AFSPA to be revoked, talks with Pakistan and Hurriyat, return of power projects, etc. We had an agenda. However, when Congress and NC form an alliance, it is for power," she added.

On the possibility of Lok Sabha MP from Baramulla Sheikh Abdul Rashid and senior separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah being released from jail ahead of the polls, she said it would be a good development.

She urged the government to consider releasing even those lesser known people who are entitled to bail but have been denied it.

"It is very good. I say that you can put a person in jail but you cannot imprison the ideas. Democracy is a battle of ideas. It has been delayed but Engineer Rashid and Shabir Shah should be released along with all those languishing in jails who are entitled to bail but are not even getting that relief.

"The government has been saying time and again that they want to start a process of reconciliation in Jammu and Kashmir. I tell them to open the doors of the jails and the process of reconciliation will start," she added.

Mehbooba said the PDP is fighting for a bigger cause as it is the only party which implements its agenda after coming to power.

"In 2002, we said we would repeal POTA and we did it. We said we will open (cross-LoC) routes and we did it. We said we will facilitate talks and we did it with the Hurriyat Conference. We follow our agenda and even today our agenda is that there is an issue which cannot be resolved without addressing it," she said.

"And restoration of Article 370 is also important for resolution of this issue."

"We have always fought alone, based on the support of people and for addressing the problems of the people," she said.

Later two budding politicians joined the PDP in presence of the PDP president.
A rape case has been registered against Malayalam actor Sidhique following a female actor's allegation that he sexually assaulted her in 2016, the police said on Wednesday.

IMAGE: Actor Sidhique. Photograph: Courtesy, @actor.sidhique/Instagram

An FIR under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) has been registered against the actor at the Museum police station, a senior police officer said.

The case was registered under the IPC as the offence allegedly occurred in 2016.

This is the second FIR against a high profile film personality following the allegations of sexual harassment against various directors and actors in the wake of revelations in the Justice Hema Committee report.

The first case, under IPC Section 354 (assault or criminal force on woman with intent to outrage her modesty), was against director Ranjith on a complaint by a female actor from West Bengal regarding an incident which occurred in 2009.

She had alleged that the director had touched her inappropriately with sexual intent after inviting her to act in the movie Paleri Manikyam in 2009.

Following the allegation by the actor, Ranjith had resigned from his post as chairman of Kerala Chalachitra Academy.

Sidhique had also resigned from his post as general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) following the allegations against him.

The Justice Hema Committee was constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case and its report revealing instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry.

Amidst allegations of sexual harassment and exploitation cropping up against several actors and directors, the state government on August 25 announced the establishment of a seven-member special investigation team to probe them.

Subsequently, more complaints surfaced.
A view of the financial business district buildings in Singapore on June 28, 2021. Photo by AFP

Singapore's major unemployment support scheme, which pays up to SGD6,000 (US$4,500) per individual, is set to be launched in April next year, which will benefit around 60,000 individuals.

The SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme will focus on people who earn an average of SGD5,000 a month or less before losing their job, the Ministry of Manpower said in a recent release.

Applicants must be employed for at least six months in the past 12 months prior to the application for support.

They cannot live in a property with an annual value of more than SGD25,000.

The scheme provides up to SGD6,000 over six months, including an immediate SGD1,500 payout in the first month.

Once an individual successfully secures a new job, he or she will not be eligible for subsequent monthly payouts.

Those who have received payouts will not be able to make another application within three years of their last scheme payout.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said recently at a conference that the new scheme seeks to help people find new jobs quickly without making them dependent on the states coffers.

"These are essential investments that you need to make in yourself to find better jobs," he said.

"This is the essence of our renewed social compact. We will have your back, we will stand by you, but you too must take responsibility for your actions, and make an effort to pull yourself up."

Analysts have said that the scheme will give workers who lose their jobs additional time to find or train for better opportunities, but more fine-tuning is needed to ensure efficiency.
Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray workers and supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party MP Narayan Rane clashed on Wednesday at a fort in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra where the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had collapsed.

Photograph: ANI Photo

A police constable was injured as stones were hurled by some persons, an official said.

The clash was triggered by the near-simultaneous arrival of Shiv Sena-UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray and the Thackeray family's arch-rival and Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg MP Narayan Rane at the Rajkot fort.

The 35-foot statue of the 17th century Maratha empire founder, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4 last year, collapsed on August 26 afternoon.

The statue collapse incident snowballed into a political controversy with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) targeting the Mahayuti government and seeking Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's resignation.

Aaditya Thackeray reached the fort to take stock of the situation, two days after the statue collapsed.

Separately, former Union minister Narayan Rane also reached the site with his elder son and former MP Nilesh Rane and their supporters.

The Ranes were seen arguing with the police as Thackeray was inside the fort.

Soon, a clash broke out between the supporters of both sides who jostled each other.

The police and security personnel struggled to bring the situation under control amid heightened tension.

A police constable, identified as Sambhaji Patil, was injured when some persons hurled stones. He was rushed to the primary health centre in Malvan, a police official said.

Police officials managed to pacify the tempers after some time and brought the situation under control.

Police reinforcements were sent for deployment at the site to prevent any untoward incident.

Aaditya Thackeray termed the ruckus "unfortunate" which displays immaturity.

"I have told my party workers not to indulge in politics at the fort of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj," he said.

Following outrage over the collapse of the statue, the Sindhudurg Police registered a case against contractor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil, both involved in the project.

Navy and Public Works Department (PWD) personnel visited the site of the collapsed statue on Tuesday, an official had said.
With many parts of Gujarat's Vadodara city remaining inundated on the second consecutive day, the situation is "alarming" and the Army has been called in to carry out relief and rescue work, the state government said on Wednesday.

IMAGE: A flooded market area following heavy downpours for the second day in Vadodara, August 28, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Some areas were under 10 to 12 feet of water, said health minister and government spokesperson Rushikesh Patel.

The Vishwamitri river which flows through the city crossed the danger mark of 25 feet on Tuesday morning following heavy rains and the release of water from Ajwa dam, he told reporters here after a review meeting with senior officials.

"The water level of Ajwa Dam is 213.8 feet at present. We have closed the gates so that no additional water goes into Vishwamitri river. The river is currently flowing at 37 feet, well above the danger mark. Water has spilled into the city and many areas are flooded," he said.

Four columns of the Army are at present engaged in relief and rescue work in the city, the minister said.

As a long-term solution, the state government is considering a proposal to divert floodwaters into the Narmada canal instead of releasing it in the Vishwamitri river, he said.

"The situation is alarming in Vadodara because many areas on both sides of the river are still under 10 to 12 feet of water. Some areas are under four to five feet of water. The local administration has shifted more than 5,000 people to safer places and rescued nearly 1,200 stranded people," Patel said.

"In addition to a team each of the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force along with a column of the Indian Army already working in the city to help stranded people, we have pressed into service three new Army columns and one more team each of NDRF and SDRF to evacuate people and distribute food packets," he added.

Local leaders of the ruling BJP too were helping people though the houses of many of them too are partially submerged, he noted.

Siddharth Nagar, Akota, Harni-Sama road, Fatehgunj, Munjmahuda and Vadsar were among the worst-affected areas, said Patel, adding that more boats have been sent to expedite the relief and rescue work.

More than 38,000 food packets have been distributed and another one lakh packets are ready for distribution, the minister informed.

"Such a situation has arisen after nearly 20 years. The Vishwamitri gets water from Ajwa, Pratappura and three other non-gated reservoirs. As a long-term solution to flooding, we are considering diverting the dam water into Narmada canal instead of releasing it into Vishwamitri. The plan has been discussed with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel," he said.

Across Gujarat, rain-related incidents have claimed 16 lives in two days and thousands have been evacuated.
Leading Malayalam film actor and Communist Party of India-Marxist MLA M Mukesh faces growing calls to resign over the sexual misconduct allegations he is facing, as a female actor has filed a police complaint against him, but his party said it will await the probe's outcome before acting.

IMAGE: Actor and CPM MLA M Mukesh (left). Photograph: Courtesy Facebook

On a day a sexual abuse case was registered against actor Siddique based on a complaint by a woman actor, the Left government appears to have adopted a cautious approach in the case of MLA Mukesh, with two ministers indicating that further action hinges on the findings of the probe by the special police team.

Responding to queries on whether Mukesh would resign as an MLA, senior CPI-M leader and state finance minister KN Balagopal said the state government has taken a strict stance on the Justice Hema Committee report's startling disclosures of sexual misconduct by male actors and subsequent allegations.

"The report is also before the Kerala high court. A proper and transparent investigation will be carried out and based on its findings things will be taken forward. So, there is no need to go for any preconceived judgment," Balagopal said.

Earlier, state forest minister AK Saseendran said that Mukesh should be given an opportunity to prove his innocence and the complainant should be given the chance to show evidence of her allegations.

"That is how our legal justice system works. Steps will be taken according to it. Whether to resign or not is his (Mukesh) personal decision," the minister said.

Meanwhile, the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party are pressuring Mukesh to resign as MLA, with BJP state president K Surendran reiterating the party's stance that Mukesh should step down.

BJP workers protested outside Mukesh's Kollam residence, demanding his resignation and action against him.

Both opposition parties oppose Mukesh's involvement in the cinema policy-making committee and the government-organised conclave on issues faced by women in the film industry.

Both parties have said that they would not allow the conclave to be held.

Meanwhile, an FIR under Sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against Siddique at Museum Police Station in Thiruvananthapuram for allegedly raping a woman seeking a role in a film in 2016.

This is the second FIR against a high-profile film personality following the allegations of sexual harassment against various directors and actors in the wake of revelations in the Justice Hema Committee report.

The first case, under IPC Section 354 (assault or criminal force on woman with intent to outrage her modesty), was against director Ranjith on a complaint by a female actor from West Bengal regarding an incident in 2009.

Siddique had also resigned from his post as general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists following the allegations against him.

Meanwhile, director Vinayan sent a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan urging him to remove B Unnikrishnan, the general secretary of the Film Employees Federation of Kerala, from the film policy making committee.

Vinayan stated that Unnikrishnan, FEFKA, AMMA and some others were together fined over Rs 4 lakh by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for banning him and a few other actors, technicians and producers from working on movies.

The CCI order, which came on a complaint by Vinayan, was later upheld by the Supreme Court, the director said in his Facebook post.

Vinayan said that this was also mentioned in the Hema Committee report and urged the CM not to include Unnikrishnan in the film policy making committee.

The Congress-led opposition on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Left government by raising five pointed questions on the Hema committee report, alleging a blatant cover-up and accusing it of shielding key persons by glossing over crucial facts.

Leader of Opposition in the state assembly VD Satheesan alleged that the government is on the defensive regarding the Hema Committee report.

Satheesan said the opposition is demanding answers to five key questions: "Why hasn't the government investigated the crimes revealed in the Hema Committee report? Why hasn't action been taken against those who committed crimes against women and children, despite laws stating that covering up sexual offences is a crime?

"Who is the government trying to protect by removing pages and paragraphs from the Hema Committee report before it was provided under the RTI Act? What action has been taken on the widespread use of drugs and narcotics in the film industry, which was described in the Hema Committee Report? And why is the government taking a stance against women?"

The Congress leader said that answering these questions and making a decision can lead to a permanent solution to these problems.

The Justice Hema Committee was constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case, and its report revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry.

Amidst allegations of sexual harassment and exploitation against several actors and directors, the state government announced the establishment of a seven-member special investigation team on August 25 to probe them.

Subsequently, many complaints surfaced, creating ripples in the Malayalam film industry.
All You Want To Know About The 1999 Hijack.

IMAGE: The hijacked Indian Airlines plane, an Airbus A300, sits at Kandahar airport in Afghanistan December 31, 1999. Photograph: Muzammil Pasha/Reuters

Anubhav Sinha's IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack Netflix series, based on the December 1999 hijack of an Indian Airlines aircraft, has provoked considerable controversy.

As the incident unfolded in Taliban controlled Afghanistan carried out by Pakistani terrorists, the hijack gripped the nation.

Young people may not be aware of that terrifying week in India's history where the nation shared the agony of the hostages and the ecstasy of their release after a week in captivity.

IMAGE: Taliban militia position themselves on a tank December 30, near the runway where the hijacked Indian Airlines plane is parked at Kandahar airport. Photograph: Muzammil Pasha/Reuters

Rediff.com was at the forefront of the IC-814 coverage.

It was the finalist in the Breaking News category in the international Online Journalism Awards 2000 for its coverage -- the only non-US, non-European site to be included in this prestigious contest.

IMAGE: Armed Taliban fighters pass the hijacked Indian Airlines jet at Kandahar airport. Photograph: Muzammil Pasha/Reuters

Between December 24 and 31,1999, when five terrorists took over the Kathmandu-Delhi flight with 176 passengers and crew on board, journalists in the Rediff newsrooms in Delhi and Mumbai posted a wide range of stories.

Young reporters and seasoned journalists alike worked day and night speaking to relatives of the hostages, aviation experts, bureaucrats, diplomats, national security top brass, politicians, sources in Afghanistan etc.

They followed the events as the flight landed in Amritsar, Lahore, Dubai and finally Kandahar where it stayed for a week, surrounded by gun-totting Taliban.

The aircraft finally landed in New Delhi on December 31 after the release of three dreaded terrorists imprisoned in Kashmir.

IMAGE: Rachna Katyal, wife of Rupin Katyal who was killed by the hijackers, is helped on arrival at New Delhi airport by a fellow hostage and an airline official, December 31, 1999. Photograph: Sunil Malhotra/Reuters

The hijack of IC-814 gripped the nation. It is the longest ever hijack in aviation history.

As we look back on our coverage, we remember with sadness senior reporters of that crisis -- Onkar Singh and Tara Shankar Sahay -- who are no more.

We doff a hat to Suparn Varma who was a rookie reporter at that time and went on to write the story-screenplay of Zameen [2003] inspired by the IC-814 hijack.

IMAGE: Crew members of the hijacked Indian Airlines plane are greeted with bouquets by colleagues at New Delhi airport, December 31, 1999. Photograph: Sunil Malhotra/Reuters

Presenting Rediff.com's detailed coverage from that week that shook the nation.
IAF pilots and crew dodged low hanging clouds, mist covered hills, steep valleys and landed on broken landing grounds to rescue civilians in Wayanad.

In one mission, they had to descend vertically to get close to the survivors.

IAF crews flew over 80 missions, saving lives and giving hope. This is how they did it.

IMAGE: Rescue operations being conducted by an Indian Air Force helicopter in landslides hit Wayanad. Photograph: Kind courtesy Indian Air Force/X

In every national calamity, be it landslides, floods or a deluge -- the country has always had one reliable saviour:

The IAF helicopter.

Flown by skilled military pilots and crew under extremely dangerous conditions, through narrow valleys and ravaging waters, it has saved lives when all hope is lost.

In the past month itself in Uttarakhand, Himachal, Arunachal and Kerala, IAF pilots and crew have operated in treacherous locations, dodging low hanging clouds, mist covered hills and landed on broken landing grounds to rescue civilians.

The largest humanitarian assistance and disaster relief conducted this year was in Wayanad, Kerala, where nearly 400 people died after multiple landslides struck within four hours on July 30.

The tragedy hit at 2:17 am. The IAF's nodal regional HQ in Trivandrum received the requisition for assistance to rescue survivors from the state government in the early hours of the morning.

By first light, two helicopters took off from the Sulur air base near Coimbatore which was closest to the disaster location.

The flying time to the location was about 35 minutes, but the weather on that day -- in fact for the next three days -- was extremely bad. It was raining continuously, and the approach to the location was through a narrow valley covered in thick clouds.

Great flying skills were required to reach the location which was situated inside a bowl surrounded by hills.

IMAGE: Landslide victims being transported. Photograph: Kind courtesy PRO Defence Trivandrum/X

As they flew in, pilots and crew were taken aback by the extent of the destruction below. Stranded people could be seen on either side of the river through the entire stretch of the path of the landslide.

It was the first time that a bird's eye view of what had actually happened could be communicated to rescue agencies on the ground.

The damage was so severe that there were hardly any landing spots for helicopters to touch down. The first landing was carried out over a broken road patch.

"There was an element of doubt if the road would hold when the chopper landed, but the crew did it, and we evacuated people with very serious injuries," says Group Captain Shyam, the coordinator of the mission.

Most of the people that were rescued had critical injuries. Two of the survivors had broken ribs, another had a broken leg. They were secured on stretchers and carried onboard.

Due to unavailability of suitable places, the helicopters had to resort to very low hover over slushy ground to perform rescue and supply drop missions.

"In one sortie, when one of our crew went down to coordinate with the ground party, he sank knee-deep into the earth because the mud was slushy."

"The helicopter was hovering low and he had to be pulled back into the aircraft," Group Captain Shyam tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih in in a telephone conversation.

IMAGE: An elderly lady rescued from Wayanad being helped by IAF personnel. Photograph: Kind courtesy PRO Defence Trivandrum/X

On most missions, the crew had to negotiate combinations of poor visibility, low clouds and narrow valleys.

In one mission to rescue survivors stranded in the middle of a fast flowing river located deep inside a valley, the crew had to establish a very high hover and then descend vertically to get close to the survivors.

"They picked them up and once again vertically climbed up and took off. It was raining and mist picked up from the fast flow of the river which made it very challenging," says the officer.

"This needed tremendous skill and confidence."

IMAGE: IAF helicopters distribute food and drinking water provided by the Kozhikode district administration to landslide hit Wayanad. Photograph: Kind courtesy PRO Defence Trivandrum/X

All of the crew assigned to the mission had flood relief experience. Many had previously been part of Operation Karuna in the 2018 Kerala floods.

But the operation in Wayanad was different that in addition to search and rescue, the crew had additional roles of inserting search troops in the morning and extracting them in the afternoon so that they could reach areas which otherwise would have been near impossible to reach on foot.

"There were days when we dropped three search parties at different locations. Helicopters saved time because we could drop them at a given location in 30, 35 minutes," explains Group Captain Shyam.

In the first three days, the aim was to save as many lives as possible.

When it became known that chances of finding survivors was grim, sorties were conducted to airlift the mortal remains of the victims.

The mortal remains were placed inside body bags by search parties and pulled up into the helicopter by a bucket winch -- which resembled a metal cradle.

The remains were handed over to the state administration on a landing ground in Sulthan Bathery.

IMAGE: An IAF helicopter distributes relief material. Photograph: Kind courtesy A Bharat Bhushan Babu/@SpokespersonMoD/X

The IAF flew 80 plus missions from Kozhikode and Sulur; it continues to be on standby.

It rescued 12 critical people and retrieved 10 body bags.

"The weather was the most challenging part in this mission. However, it is a combination of technology, well-oiled machinery between the civil agencies and IAF, and institutional memory of the lessons learnt from past operations that helps us in missions like these," says Group Captain Shyam.

"Also, it gives the crew tremendous gratification that they could make a difference."

The people of Kerala would vouch for that.

WATCH: In a daring rescue, an IAF helicopter pulls people from a rapidly flowing river

WATCH: An IAF Mi-17 helicopter lands on precarious landing ground to rescue stranded people

Videos edited by Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
BRATTLEBORO  At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Epsilon Spires in collaboration with Vidhi Salla of Vidhi's Bollywood Jukebox will showcase the Bollywood film, "Rang De Basanti" (2006) as a celebration of India's independence month.

India's independence day is Aug. 15, and this year, India celebrated its 78th year of independence from British colonial rule. "Rang De Basanti" is a modern-day revisiting of India's freedom movement in the 20th century, juxtaposed with the youth activism of contemporary India.

The film will be screened inside the sanctuary with an introduction by journalist and curator Vidhi Salla. Masala chai and samosas will be on sale before and during the screening. Tickets to the film are on a sliding scale of $5 to $15 and are available on epsilonspires.org or at the venue on the day of the event.

"Rang De Basanti" is a 2006 film about six youngsters who are cast to play Indian freedom fighters in a historical drama by a British film student. Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan and Shivram Rajguru were some of the armed rebels that fought against the British occupation in the early 1900s.

In the course of preparing for the film, the college students get in touch with the voice of protest within themselves and use it to fight corruption in the present-day government related to faulty parts used in MiG 21 fighter jets.

"Rang De Basanti" won a National Award for Best Popular Film and was India's official entry to the 79th Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Film category. The film features music by A. R. Rahman and an ensemble cast with Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan in the lead.

For the director, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, the idea of "Rang De Basanti" emerged from three key revelations. During a focus group he conducted in the early 2000s with youngsters in Mumbai and Delhi, he observed how no one was interested in learning about the freedom struggle or fight for independence if the country were to be colonized in present times.

Around the same time, the Indian government was facing corruption charges for faulty parts used in the MiG 21 fighter jets that were even dubbed by the media as "widow maker" planes. Later, when he visited London to research for the film, the director observed how the patriots of India were portrayed as terrorists in British historical accounts. All these events collectively prompted Mehra to bring back patriotism in India.

Ahead of the screening, Vidhi Salla will present an educational, cultural introduction to the film and provide some historical background to India's freedom movement.

On her choice of film in the context of current events, Salla said, "'Rang De Basanti' is about the youth protesting the state of affairs and the reactions of the people and politicians to the protests. Since the film's release in 2006, there have been several student protests all over the world that have received similar responses.

"The film is especially relevant in present times when jingoism, hyper-nationalism and politicizing of citizen movements is rampant all over the world. The most important takeaway of 'Rang De Basanti' is that to be critical of your country and to question the workings of authority figures is the truest form of patriotism in a democracy. That is why I chose this film to celebrate the Indian independence month.

Salla has been writing on Indian cinema and the performing arts for over 10 years. Since the summer of 2023, Vidhi has been writing a monthly column on Indian cinema for local newspapers Brattleboro Reformer, Manchester Journal and Bennington Banner. She hosts regular screenings of Indian films in different venues of New England. Her show, Vidhi's Bollywood Jukebox, is a theme-based radio show that is live every Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m. on Brattleboros community radio station WVEW-LP. More information about her can be found on vidhiism.com.
BRATTLEBORO  In Vermont Theatre Company's production of "Cyrano," all 11 roles will be played by only three actors.

Emmadora Boutcher, Anders Burrows and James "Jay" Gelter star in "a tour-de-force performance that will delight and touch audiences of all ages," according to an event announcement. Burrows plays Cyrano then Boutcher and Gelter cover the rest of the cast.

Gelter, director, said the script was written by a Belgian children's theater company in the mid-1990s and designed for the entire show to have just three actors.

"I saw a production of it when I was in high school, which was 20 years ago now," he said. "I thought that's a really cool way of doing it."

As a child, Gelter had performed in "Cyrano" in a cast of about 50. Since seeing the three-person show, he said, "it's always been one of those in my head as a project to maybe do."

In early 2020, Gelter and Burrows started to put it together, then it didn't happen. Planning this year's VTC season in a time crunch, they brought the idea back to the table.

Gelter said the production fits with Retreat Farm's mission to have family-friendly programming and his group's standards for "Classics at the Farm" series.

"It's one of the classic stories and done in a family-friendly way so everything just kind of lined up perfectly for it to make sense for this time and place," he said.

Performances will be at 6 p.m. on Sept. 3, 4 and 5 at Retreat Farm, and Sept. 6 and 7 at the Dummerston Grange. All performances at the Retreat Farm will be outdoors, and audiences are encouraged to bring picnic blankets and chairs. In case of rain, performances will move indoors to the Retreats newly restored North Barn. Performances at the Dummerston Grange will be indoors. Tickets are $10; children 12 and under are free. For more information, visit vermonttheatrecompany.com.

The story is about Cyrano de Bergerac, whom Gelter described as "France's greatest swordsman and poet."

"He trains all the cadets for the French army and he'd be a perfect paragon of a man, except he has an exceptionally long nose," Gelter said. "He thinks he cannot be loved because of this one physical defect."

Cyrano has been in love with his friend Roxanne since childhood. She tells him she's in love with one of his cadets named Christian.

Both men combine their powers to become "the ideal lover," Gelter said.

"Cyrano writes the love letters, and Christian is the handsome face," he said. "But eventually that doesn't work out for them, because the reality of how that situation works sets in. They end up having to go to war."

Gelter plays Christian and a third person who's in love with Roxanne. He said the show contains "a lot of jumping back and forth between genuine wooing scenes, where Roxanne's very happy to be wooed, and then I switch wigs and suddenly she's very not happy to to be wooed."

Quick costume changes and dynamic performances help ensure the audience isn't lost.

Initially, Boutcher was intimidated about memorizing all the lines for four characters.

"But it's been working out pretty well," she said. "Jay had lots of faith in me."

Boutcher said her characters are "all very different," and she finds the story "really moving."

"It makes me think a lot about friendships and relationships and care, and what you value and what can get in the way at times," she said.

Burrows credited Gelter with giving him "a lot of places to bring the character" of Cyrano.

"It's been a pretty cool process," Burrows said. "It's the most in-depth character I've ever played. I've mostly played much smaller and simpler roles, so it's been an interesting challenge to learn all these lines and whatnot."

A prosthetic nose purchased from Amazon and used in the performance "kind of tickles," Burrows said.

Gelter suggests parents or guardians bring tissues for the sad ending. His group wants to create a "safe space" for children to have that experience for the first time, he said.

Retreat Farm has served as an ideal venue for the group.

"I always love performing in open-air spaces when working on a show, where we want a lot of kids in the audience," Gelter said. "It's nice to have a space where if the kids need to get up and run around or walk away, they're totally free to do that in a space like this. They're not going to disrupt anything."

Gelter said Retreat Farm has been "very accommodating" as rescheduling occurred due to COVID.
As Telegram's user base expands, its lack of strict moderation and easy access have made it an attractive platform for cybercriminals to exploit for scams and illegal activities.

"Offering fake accounts, guaranteed money withdrawal, and biometric money transfers," read an advertisement in a group dedicated to buying and selling bank accounts seen among Vietnamese Telegram users.

The advertisement appeared after the biometric authentication requirement for money transfers came into effect in Vietnam on July 1.

This group has been active since 2023, attracting over 4,000 members and specializes in services such as creating accounts on demand and producing fake documents. While the authenticity of those advertisements has yet to be verified, the existence of the group and its participants is just one example of how Telegram has become a virtual world where cybercriminals can easily operate openly.

In the past, the typical environment for cybercriminals was the dark web, the parts of the internet that are encrypted (using secret codes), not accessible through standard search engines. This method helped them hide their identities and personal information, making it difficult for authorities to track them while also limiting access to the general public.

However, in recent years, Telegram has emerged as a new version of the dark web, with criminal activities openly taking place on the platform.

Founded by French-Russian billionaire Pavel Durov, Telegram allows anyone to access it simply by downloading the app from the App Store, Play Store, or even using a regular web browser.

A report by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky in July stated that cybercriminals are increasingly using Telegram as a platform for underground market activities.

Cybercriminals actively operate channels and groups on Telegram dedicated to discussing fraud schemes, distributing leaked databases, and trading various criminal services, such as cashing out, forging documents, DDoS attacks as a service and more, it said.

According to Kaspersky's Digital Footprint Intelligence data, the volume of such posts surged by 53% in May-June 2024 compared to the same period last year.

"The growing interest in Telegram from the cybercriminal community is driven by several key factors. Firstly, this messenger is very popular in general  its audience has reached 900 million monthly users. Secondly, it is marketed as the most secure and independent messenger that does not collect any user data, giving threat actors a sense of security and impunity," said Alexey Bannikov, analyst at Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence.

Moreover, finding or creating a community on Telegram is relatively easy, which, combined with other factors, allows various channels, including cybercriminal ones, to gather an audience quickly, Bannikov added.

On July 23, Durov announced that Telegram had reached 950 million users, an increase of 50 million in just three months, nearly doubling from 500 million in early 2021. This number makes Telegram one of the most popular platforms in the world.

Durov has repeatedly emphasized that Telegram does not collect user data and rarely cooperates with governments.

Using tools like group chats and channels, criminals can easily create communities to exchange illegal information. These groups can hold up to 200,000 members and can be easily found through the platform's search tool.

"Telegram can be easily found in the App Store. And if someone can imagine something they want, Telegram almost certainly has it," reads a Fortune report.

According to a report published in February by DataReportal, an online platform that provides comprehensive reports and insights on global digital trends, including social media usage, internet penetration, mobile usage, and e-commerce, there were 78.44 million internet users in Vietnam at the start of 2024, and around one-third of them use Telegram.

Ngo Minh Hieu, a former hacker who was convicted in the U.S. and has returned to Vietnam to work as a cyber security specialist, said scammers typically approach victims through social media posts on platforms like Facebook, then contact them via Telegram.

He said that all chat apps can be used for such activities, but criminals choose Telegram due to its anonymity and message self-destruct feature.

On Facebook Messenger, fake accounts can be identified through their Facebook profiles, but Telegram requires nothing more than a phone number for OTP verification, which can easily be rented or purchased through bulk services.

Telegram could soon reach 1 billion users this year and aim for 1.5 billion by 2030, as Durov envisioned. To maintain its independence, he was seeking additional funds through bond investments, planning an IPO, and selling ads.

According to the Financial Times, the 39-year-old founder raised around $2 billion and earned "hundreds of millions of dollars" from advertising. Telegram is also redeveloping TON, a cryptocurrency that could be used for transactions on Telegram or to buy and sell ads on the platform, sharing revenue with users. TON's market capitalization is currently valued at $15 billion, ranking ninth in the market. However, these plans might now change. On the morning of Aug. 24, the founder of Telegram was arrested upon arriving in France. OFMIN, an agency tasked with preventing violence against minors, issued an arrest warrant for Durov as the coordinating agency in a preliminary investigation into alleged offenses including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime and promotion of terrorism, one of the sources close to the case told AFP. Durov is suspected of failing to take action to curb the criminal use of his platform.
BRATTLEBORO  A judge approved an order of non-hospitalization and struck bail for a man accused of threatening to kill someone and using hate speech in July.

Judge John Treadwell addressed the matter during a bail review hearing Wednesday for Brandon Bane, 39, of Brattleboro, in Windham Superior Court, Criminal Division.

An order of non-hospitalization places an individual in the custody of the Commissioner of Department of Mental Health and requires them to abide by certain conditions or they may face the possibility of hospitalization or re-hospitalization. The goal is to "provide structure around treatment engagement," according to the department.

A status conference will be scheduled for Bane in 90 days from Wednesday's hearing. He is known for having a Nazi SS tattoo on his arm, a white power related tattoo on his forehead and the word "hate" tattooed on his arm.

Based on a report provided to the court Tuesday, Treadwell found that Bane is "not presently competent" to assist his attorneys with a trial. The same finding had been made by the court in January for assault, criminal threatening and disorderly conduct charges against Bane after he allegedly screamed at people and yelled racial slurs in parking lots, and threatened hospital staff.

Nazi tattooed assault suspect deemed not competent BRATTLEBORO  A 39-year-old man with a Nazi tattoo and the word "hate" tattooed on his neck 

Treadwell previously asked that a guardian ad litem be appointed to Bane as he was being released back into the community. This is described by the Legal Information Institute at Cornell as a person appointed by a court to look after and protect the interests of someone who is unable to take care of themselves, typically a minor or someone who is determined to be legally incompetent.

Bane, listed as homeless in court documents, appeared remotely Tuesday from the Brattleboro Retreat for the competency hearing. Defense attorney Daniel Stevens said the hospital wanted to discharge him and he asked the court to schedule a bail review for Wednesday.

Man allegedly made death threat, used hate speech in Brattleboro BRATTLEBORO  A man accused of threatening to kill someone and using hate speech was arreste

In July, Bane was arraigned for larceny from a person, simple assault and aggravated disorderly conduct motivated by hate. The $200 bail was ordered to be suspended while he was sent for inpatient evaluation.

Bane allegedly "aggressively approached" a 16-year-old downtown, directed racial slurs at them and screamed "white power," according to the Brattleboro Police Department. He also is accused of threatening to kill Hank Poitras, who runs Brattleboro News and Planet Hank, with a knife in his pocket.
Thailand most popular destination in Southeast Asia for Chinese tourists

By Hoang Vu August 28, 2024 | 02:00 am PT

Tourists visit Wat Arun temple in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 18, 2023. Photo by Reuters

Thailand topped Southeast Asia in attracting Chinese tourists in the first half of this year with 3.43 million arrivals driven by visa privileges and promotions.

Vietnam was second with 1.89 million, followed by Singapore with 1.45 million and Malaysia with 1.44 million, according to data collected from the countries' tourism ministries.

Southeast Asian countries are actively competing to attract the returning Chinese tourists, offering special visa policies for the purpose.

Thailand has permanently made entry for Chinese tourists visa-free, and hopes to receive eight million of them this year.

Thai authorities will also offer them a variety of promotions, including special deals, discount vouchers and souvenirs, between September and December this year.

Malaysia began offering Chinese citizens 30-day visa-free entry in December last year, and has extended the scheme until 2026.

Singapore and China began a mutual visa waiver in February.

Laos started allowing visa-free entry for 15 days for Chinese tourists traveling in groups on July 1.

Indonesia is considered visa-free entry for nationals of 20 countries, including China.
Welcome back to the China In Eurasia briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter tracking China's resurgent influence from Eastern Europe to Central Asia.

I'm RFE/RL correspondent Reid Standish and here's what I'm following right now.

Shuttle Diplomacy, Sullivan, And Sanctions

Beijing called recent U.S. sanctions on its companies over the Ukraine war illegal and unilateral and not based on facts, as White House national-security adviser Jake Sullivan arrived in China for several days of high-level talks.

Heres whats going on.

Finding Perspective: 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.

The United States imposed sanctions on more than 400 entities and individuals for supporting Russia's war effort in Ukraine on August 23, including Chinese firms that U.S. officials believe are helping Moscow skirt Western sanctions and build up its military.

One hundred and twenty-three entities were also added to the U.S. export control list known as the Entity List, which forces suppliers to obtain licenses before shipping to targeted companies. Among those added in this most recent batch, 63 entities were based in Russia and 42 in China.

On August 27, ahead of Sullivans arrival that same day, Li Hui, China's special envoy for Eurasian affairs, who has done four rounds of shuttle diplomacy, criticized the sanctions at a briefing for diplomats in Beijing after the latest round of meetings with officials from Brazil, Indonesia, and South Africa.

China has been striving to present itself as a party that is actively looking for a solution to the war in Ukraine, despite skipping a key peace conference in Switzerland this June.

After past rounds of talks led by Li in the spring, 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, as well as an outline for principles to end the war in February 2023.

Sullivan In China: Sullivan's trip comes at a time of high tensions in the U.S.-China relationship, with issues like Taiwan, the war in Ukraine, and tensions in the South China Sea flaring up.

The trip is Sullivans fifth meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also the director of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Foreign Affairs Commission Office. As the Financial Times recently reported, both officials have been engaged in secret backchannel talks since 2023 following a low point in ties after an incident with a Chinese spy balloon flying over the United States.

The two officials are expected to discuss a litany of issues in Beijing, including tensions in the South China Sea, Chinas growing cooperation with Russia, and conflict in the Middle East.

Why It Matters: Talks between Washington and Beijing are never easy and both sides have lots to talk about, but Russia and the war in Ukraine are high on the agenda.

When U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Beijing in April, he warned that Washington would act if China did not stop supplying Russia with microchips and machine parts to build weapons used in Ukraine.

He also accused his Chinese counterparts of helping to fuel the biggest threat to European security since the Cold War.

Since then, Chinese companies have been hit with a raft of measures and the threat of further secondary sanctions on other Chinese entities have led to Chinese banks tightening their restrictions on payments from Russia.

Both Sullivan and Wang are hoping to set up a framework for stable relations between their two governments despite their laundry list of issues.

During comments about U.S.-China relations in January at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, Sullivan said that he and Wang continued to have direct conversations on leading issues, including Ukraine and Russia.

"Both of us left feeling that we didnt agree or see eye-to-eye on everything but that there was a lot of work to carry forward, Sullivan said.

Three More Stories From Eurasia

1. China And Belarus Sign Free Trade Deal

Belarus announced that it will sign a free trade deal with China for services and investment, as well as a host of other agreements to strengthen cooperation in security, energy, and finance.

The Details: The new agreements come after a visit from Chinese Premier Li Qiang to Minsk. A signing ceremony took place on August 22, but the free trade deal was announced on August 23 when both sides released a joint statement from the visit.

Lis trip, which came after a multiday visit to Moscow, centered heavily on trade and the economy. Sanctions-hit Belarus still relies heavily on Moscow for political and financial support, but has also looked to balance that dependence with closer ties with Beijing.

China was once an active investor in Belarus for infrastructure, manufacturing, and technology ventures, Beijing had not offered a new project or loan to Minsk since 2019 and seemed to have stepped back from the country amid its domestic crisis, which cut Lukashenka off politically from the European Union and made him a less appealing economic partner for Beijing.

The new agreements set the stage to provide something of a financial lifeline for Belarus as it grapples with a sluggish economy, but details also remain light so far and may face roadblocks in their implementation.

2. Azerbaijan's New Balancing Act With China

Azerbaijan is laying the groundwork to boost its ambitions in the South Caucasus and is looking to China for help, as I reported here for RFE/RL.

What It Means: In just two months, Baku's ties with Beijing have quickly moved forward as the oil-rich country has inched closer politically and economically through a series of agreements that could boost China's presence in the region and open the door to newfound Chinese investment into Azerbaijan.

This began in July when they upgraded bilateral ties through a new strategic partnership and again a few weeks later when Baku applied to upgrade its status within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) from dialogue partner to observer, setting the stage to potentially become a full member.

Then on August 20, Azerbaijan said it had applied to join the BRICS group of emerging economies led by China and Russia that also includes Brazil, India, and South Africa as founding members.

For Azerbaijan, these moves should be seen within the context of Baku looking to capitalize on newfound interest in trade across Eurasia, where it sits at the center, and also its desire to hedge its foreign affairs by diversifying its ties with a variety of other countries. Russia and Turkey have been the traditional external players, along with the European Union, but China adds more room for Baku to use for balance.

The so-called Middle Corridor, the alternative trade route that bypasses Russia by cutting through Central Asia and the South Caucasus to connect China to the European Union, has seen billions of dollars worth in investments and Azerbaijan is looking to attract more from China.

Baku is also looking to expand its ties with China in other areas, from further deals in green energy as Azerbaijan tries to plan for a future where it is less dependent on fossil-fuel exports to advanced technology and military purchases.

In addition to the Middle Corridor, Baku is also at the intersection of the International NorthSouth Transport Corridor that flows south from Russia to Azerbaijan and then aims to connect to Iran and India.

"If Baku previously was able to use its energy resources [as leverage] in its relations with the West, international trade corridors are also now tools with strategic importance in Azerbaijan's foreign policy, Nurlan Aliyev, a lecturer at the University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw, told me.

3. 'I Never Saw Any Of Them Speak Out

Public discussion around the experiences of ethnic Kazakhs in neighboring Xinjiang has become muted inside Kazakhstan after years of pressure on activists that has also led to relatives and survivors of the internment system afraid to share their stories.

My colleagues Asemgul Mukhitqyzy and Chris Rickleton spoke with a Kazakh journalist who recently tried to investigate the plight of ethnic Kazakhs in China.

What You Need To Know: Zhaqsylyq Qazymuratuly, the Kazakh journalist who works for the newspaper Zhas Alash, published an article in late July on what the outlet said were 22 members of the ethnic Kazakh intelligentsia currently languishing behind bars in China.

While Kazakhstan was once a hotbed of activism and public awareness when arrests first started taking place in Xinjiang, that largely tapered off following a crackdown on activist leaders.

In this respect, the recent article marks a noteworthy effort to restart the conversation in the country, but as Qazymuratuly told RFE/RLs Kazakh Service, those who have been reunited with relatives in Kazakhstan in the past couple of years -- sometimes after a long separation -- are in no hurry to talk about their experiences.

Adding to that, the Kazakh-based relatives of the detainees that the article focused on are also increasingly reluctant to say anything about their cases.

All of them refused to comment. The reason is obvious. Advocacy could worsen the situation for their relatives in detention, Qazymuratuly said.

Across The Supercontinent

Lending Evolution: Amid accusations of debt-trap diplomacy, Chinese lending practices are often under the microscope. In Central Asia, however, Chinese financial players are adapting to use different lending models, Nargiza Muratalieva writes for the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center.

Scientists Targeted: The Uyghur rights organization Uyghur Hjelp has documented more than 200 cases of Uyghur scientists and other science professionals being imprisoned in China.

New Strategy: U.S. President Joe Biden has approved a new nuclear strategy to prepare for possible coordinated nuclear confrontations with Russia, China, and North Korea, according to reporting by The New York Times.

Coal In Kyrgyzstan: The Kyrgyz government will introduce new regulations meant to prevent coal prices from rising in the country, RFE/RLs Kyrgyz Service reports.

The price controls will take effect for 90 days starting on September 15 and come amid a coal shortage that could spike prices. Kyrgyz authorities have said that they plan to increase coal mining in the country and also increase imports from neighboring China.

One Thing To Watch

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said that 48,000 Chinese students are studying in Russia in the 2023-2024 academic year, an increase of almost 10,000 students compared to the previous year.

Golikova also said that more than 16,000 Russian students were studying in Chinese universities.

The rising figures are the fruits of multiple new agreements in recent years between Beijing and Moscow to increase the number of their students at each others universities at a time when the numbers of Chinese and Russian students studying in the United States is declining.

Thats all from me for now. Dont forget to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you might have.

Until next time,

Reid Standish

If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your inbox every Wednesday.
Telegram chief Pavel Durov has been indicted on charges of failing to curb extremist and illegal content on the popular messaging app and placed under judicial supervision, the Paris prosecutor's office said on August 28.

Durov is required to report to the police station twice a week and is prohibited from leaving France, the prosecutor's office said in a statement posted on X. Investigative judges in Paris also ordered the Russian-born co-founder and CEO of Telegram to pay 5 million euros bail.

Durov was detained at Le Bourget airport outside Paris on August 24 and held for questioning. 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.

The allegations against Durov include that his platform is being used for child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, and that Telegram refused to share information or documents with investigators as required by law.

The first preliminary charge against him is for "complicity in managing an online platform to allow illicit transactions by an organized group,'' a crime that can lead to sentences of up to 10 years in prison and a 500,000 euro fine, the prosecutor's office said.

Preliminary charges under French law mean magistrates have strong reason to believe a crime was committed but allow more time for further investigation.

Telegram said in a statement on August 25 that Durov had nothing to hide, adding it was absurd to hold an owner responsible for the abuse of the messaging and social media platform.

His lawyer, David-Olivier Kaminski, echoed that statement after the preliminary charges were announced on August 28.

"It is totally absurd to think that the head of a social network...could be involved in criminal acts" that could be committed on the messaging service, Kaminski said, adding that Telegram "complies in all respects with European rules concerning digital technology."

In addition to Russian and French citizenships, Durov holds passports from the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

The U.A.E. Foreign Ministry said it was "closely following the case" and had asked France to provide Durov "with all the necessary consular services in an urgent manner."

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on August 27 that the allegations against Durov were "very serious" and that "they require evidence that is just as serious" to erase the suspicions of many that the billionaire's 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.

French President Emmanuel Macron has tried to allay such suspicion, saying on August 26 that Durov's arrest was solely part of an independent investigation.

In a post on X, Macron said 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."

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.

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.

Telegram, based in Dubai, boasts more than 900 million users, the majority of them in Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet republics, and is the third-largest communication platform worldwide after WhatsApp and Messenger.

But Telegram has proved to be a powerful tool in spreading disinformation. A 2023 investigative journalism report found it to be the largest platform for disinformation in Central and Eastern Europe. In 2022 it ran it afoul of authorities in Germany, who issued fines of 5.1 million euros ($5 million) against the operators of Telegram for failing to comply with German law.
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.



The Israeli military also said 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 Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (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
This August marks the seventh anniversary of the start of a genocidal campaign against Rohingya in Burma. Since 2017, the Muslim ethnic minority Rohingya in northern Rakhine State have been victims of horrific violence  including crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and genocide - causing more than 700,000 Rohingya to flee across the border to Bangladesh.

In recent years, after the military seized power from Burmas civilian government in 2021, armed resistance in the country has grown with an accompanying uptick in communal violence that has disproportionately affected Rohingya.

In a statement marking the tragic 7-year anniversary, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that even as the atrocities suffered by Rohingya have faded from the headlines, the international community must not forget the mass killings, torching of entire villages, and the forced displacement of hundreds of thousands, at the hands of the Burma military. The ongoing horrific atrocities have not stopped, she noted. And she declared, It is time for the Security Council to act beyond Resolution 2669 and finally put the situation in Burma at the top of the Councils agenda.

Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield praised the Government and the people of Bangladesh for their generosity in giving shelter and refuge to nearly one million displaced Rohingya and applauded the contribution of other countries in the region for hosting Rohingya refugees.

For our part, over the past seven years, the United States has contributed nearly $2.4 billion in humanitarian assistance, said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield. In addition, we have conducted extensive documentation of the atrocities and abuses committed against Rohingya and all civilians.

Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield had a message for the perpetrators of violence in Burma: Today and every day, she said, we call on Burmas military, as well as all armed actors, to protect civilian populations and allow for unhindered humanitarian access. And we stand in solidarity with the people of Burma as they call for a return to peace, democratic governance, and the rule of law.

In a separate statement, entitled Remembering the Rohingya Genocide, Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared, Our support for the people of Burma in their aspirations for a democratic, inclusive, and peaceful future is unwavering, as are our calls on all parties to protect civilians from harm.
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
At least nine people were killed by fresh Russian attacks on two Ukrainian regions on August 28 as Kyiv's drones struck three Russian regions, setting an oil depot on fire in Russia's Rostov region.

Several of those killed were in Ukraine's eastern region of Donetsk, where fighting has been going on for several months as Russian troops press their offensive toward the regional hub of Pokrovsk.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.

"This morning, Russians killed four people and destroyed a house in Izmaylivka in the Kurakhove community," Donetsk Governor Vadym Filashkin said on Telegram.

Filashkin said that two more people were killed by Russian shelling in Chasiv Yar, in the region's Bakhmut district, which was the scene last year of a monthslong clash between Ukrainian forces and attacking mercenaries from the notorious Wagner Group.

A total of 16 houses and two high-rise buildings were also damaged in the shelling, Filashkin said.

In the Kharkiv region, Russian forces launched a guided aerial bomb on the center of Kupyansk, injuring 14 people, including three police officers, the Kharkiv regional prosecutor's office said.

The head of the regional military administration, Oleh Synyehubov, said hundreds of windows in residential and municipal buildings were damaged as a result of the shelling. Other administrative buildings, shops, and civil infrastructure were also damaged, Synyehubov said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the air strike on Kupyansk had resulted in several deaths but didn't say how many. He also again urged Western leaders to allow Ukraine to use the weapons their countries have provided for long-range strikes against Russian targets.

Zelenskiy in his evening video message said the situation in Pokrovsk and other areas in Donetsk region was "extremely difficult."

"The key Russian efforts and the largest forces are concentrated there, and the stability of each of our units, our ability to destroy the occupier, is very important now," Zelenskiy said.

In Ukraine's southern region of Zaporizhzhya, a Russian drone attack killed three people -- two women and a man -- the region's Governor Ivan Fedorov said.

"Two women aged 83 and 86 and a 61-year-old man died, three more women aged 19, 30, 56, and a 59-year-old man were wounded as a result of a Russian drone attack," Fedorov said.

Kryviy Rih, in the southern region Dnipropetrovsk region, was again targeted on August 28 by a Russian missile strike that wounded three people, regional Governor Serhiy Lysak reported, a day after another Russian Iskander missile hit a hotel in the city, killing four people.



Lysak said infrastructure and cars also sustained damage in the city.

Meanwhile, Russian officials and Telegram channels reported Ukrainian drone strikes on three regions of Russia, including a first attack on a remote Russian region.

Ukraine, whose civilian and energy infrastructure has been battered by relentless Russian strikes since the start of Moscow's unprovoked invasion in February 2022, has in turn resorted in recent months to targeting oil and fuel installations inside Russia that mainly work for the military.

The governor of the southern Russian region of Rostov, Vasily Golubev, confirmed reports on Russian Telegram channels of a fire at an oil depot in the Kamensky district.

A strong explosion occurred before the fire broke out at the depot located close to the village of Molodezhny, reports on Telegram said.

"In the Kamensky district, as a result of a drone attack, a fire broke out at a fuel depot. There are no casualties. Emergency response forces are involved in the extinguishing the blaze. There is no threat of fire spreading to residential buildings," Golubev wrote on Telegram.

Golubev said earlier that four drones had been shot down by Russian air defense systems above his region.

Baza, a Telegram channel with close ties to Russia's security services, said debris from two drones ignited a fire at three storage tanks in the Kamensky district.

Videos posted on Telegram purported to show what appeared to be large fuel tanks burning in the dark.

Ukraine has not commented on the information, which could not be independently confirmed immediately.

In another Rostov district, Proletarsk, fuel tanks were reportedly still on fire some 10 days after they were hit by Ukrainian drones.

In the southwestern Voronezh region, Governor Aleksandr Gusev reported a fire "near explosive objects," likely an ammunition depot.

He said there were no casualties among civilians, but the residents of two nearby villages had been temporarily evacuated by bus as a precaution before being returned to their homes.

Suspected Ukrainian drones also attacked the Kirov region, some 1,500 kilometers northeast of Ukraine's border. The drones targeted an oil storage facility in the regional city of Kotelnich.

Kirov Governor Aleksandr Sokolov reported that there were no casualties as a result of the attack and no fire ensued. According to him, "the situation is under control."

The government in Russia's Kursk region said on August 28 that it would introduce additional security measures in the Kurchatov district and at the Kursk nuclear plant from August 29.



Aleksei Smirnov, governor of the Kursk region, said entry to the town of Kurchatov, where the plant is located, would be temporarily restricted.



Ukrainian forces began an incursion into the Kursk region on August 6, and fighting has taken place within about 40 kilometers of the nuclear facility.

The Ukrainian military said it had shot down a Russian Su-25 plane in Kramatorsk, in the eastern region of Donetsk.

"In the direction of Kramatorsk, our military shot down a Russian Su-25 aircraft that was trying to fire at the positions of units of the Defense Forces. Antiaircraft forces employed "a well-aimed shot from a MANPADS system," to destroy the plane, the military said in a statement.

MANPADS (Man-Portable Air-Defense Systems) are lightweight and highly mobile antiaircraft weapons.

NATO members meeting in Brussels on August 28 reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen Ukraine's defenses.



"Ukraine continues to intercept Russian missiles on a daily basis, saving countless lives. But Ukraine's ability to maintain their defenses requires increased supply and more support," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement.



"In the wake of the latest Russian assault, Allies today reaffirmed they are stepping up their military aid to Ukraine," Stoltenberg said. "We must continue to provide Ukraine with the equipment and munitions it needs to defend itself against Russias invasion. This is vital for Ukraines ability to stay in the fight."
Just ten days after Russian armed forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the United States began to impose sanctions on individuals and entities responsible for violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, or for stealing the assets of the Ukrainian people. Over the next thirty months, dozens of additional sanctions followed, tightening existing restrictions and imposing new ones on individuals and entities who seek to aid Vladimir Putins drive to subjugate Ukraine and its people.

Nonetheless, there are still some, including a number of governments, who aim to profit from Russias war on Ukraine by aiding Russias prosecution of its illegal war. So, in late August, the United States Government imposed new sanctions on nearly four hundred new individuals and entities, both in Russia and outside of its borders.

Aiming to disrupt sanctions evasion, the U.S. Department of State imposed restrictions on more than 190 individuals and entities. For example, as part of its effort to disrupt Russias ability to procure technology and equipment from third countries in support of its war effort, the State Department targeted producers, exporters, and importers of items critical to Russias military-industrial base.

Among those sanctioned are entities in a number of third countries, including the Peoples Republic of China, and a host of Chinese entities that deal with the Russian government. For a more detailed list of individuals and entities sanctioned by the State Department, please visit: state.gov/new-measures-to-degrade-russias-wartime-economy/

At the same time, the U.S. Department of the Treasury targeted numerous transnational networks that help Russia procure sensitive and critical items such as advanced machine tools and electronic components. The Department of the Treasury is also targeting financial technology companies that provide necessary software and IT solutions for Russias financial sector. For a list of those sanctioned by the Treasury Department, please go to: home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2546

Russia has turned its economy into a tool in service of the Kremlins military industrial complex. Treasurys actions today continue to implement the commitments made by President Biden and his G7 counterparts to disrupt Russias military-industrial base supply chains and payment channels, said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo.

Companies, financial institutions, and governments around the world need to ensure they are not supporting Russias military-industrial supply chains.

The United States government will continue to support Ukraine as it defends its independence and hold Russia accountable for its aggression.
By Cillian Sherlock, PA

Two cousins have died following a car collision in Co Donegal on Saturday night.

The single-vehicle crash occurred at about 11.15pm on the R240 at Cross, Quigleys Point.

On Sunday, gardai said a male teenager who was a passenger in the vehicle had died.

He was named locally as 16-year-old Kian Dawson, from Carnhill in Co Derry.

A 20-year-old man, who was pronounced dead on Tuesday afternoon, was named locally as Eoghan Dawson, also from Derry, who was Kians cousin.

An online fundraiser to help with funeral costs 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 and Kian, were involved in a fatal road accident and now will remain forever young.

Gardai continue to appeal for any witnesses.

A spokeswoman said: Any road users who may have camera footage, including dashcam, and were travelling in the area at the time are asked to make this footage available to investigating gardai.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Buncrana garda station at 074 9320540, the Garda confidential line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station.
Gordon Deegan

The fatal helicopter crash that claimed the lives of two men last month appears to have occurred during a training manoeuvre aimed at dealing with engine failure in flight.

That is according to a preliminary report by the Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) into the circumstances around the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of married father of two, Niall Crosby (46) and Czech national, Antonin Kabelka (48) near Killucan, Co Westmeath on Tuesday July 30th.

The preliminary 11-page report does not contain any analysis of conclusions and a final report will be published in due course as the investigation led by Investigator in Charge, Paul Farrell continues.

However, the preliminary report does state that the accident appears to have occurred during a sixth autorotation manoeuvre during the training flight.

The report states that autorotation is part of flight training for trainee pilots and is a technique in how to respond to engine failure.

The report explains that an autorotative descent is a power-off manoeuvre in which the engine is no longer supplying power to the main rotor.

Married father of three, Mr Kabelka was a helicopter instructor and Mr Crosby was the student helicopter pilot who had completed flying time of two hours and 53 minutes on the Jet Ranger model helicopter before the final flight on the afternoon of July 30th.

A founder of AG Grid, a software company based in London, Mr Crosby from Glenageary, south Dublin and originally from Straffan, Co Kildare, purchased the Canadian made helicopter and wished to be trained in piloting the Bell Textron Jet Ranger X 505.

Mr Crosby had commenced his helicopter training on July 1st 2022 and completed his training course on June 17th 2024.

The report records that up to June 17th 2024, Mr Crosby had completed just over 100 hours of flying time and all of these hours were on a Robinson 44 helicopter.

The AAIU investigation spoke to a number of witnesses and records that no witnesses had actually observed the final moments of the helicopters flight where the helicopter ended up on the roof of a piggery outside the village of Killucan.

The report states that witnesses variously described seeing the helicopter descending rapidly as if to land before climbing away again.

The report stated that "several described hearing the helicopters engine going quiet and then becoming loud again".

The report states that the descending and climbing manoeuvres are consistent with autorotation training, while the variation in engine sound is consistent with the helicopter operation alternating between the Idle and Fly modes when initiating and completing autorotations.

Mr Kabelka arrived on July 28th last into Ireland to conduct the training programme for the Jet Ranger which was due to commence the following day for Mr Crosby and three other pilots.

Mr Crosby completed two training flights with Mr Kabelka on the helicopter on July 29th.

On the morning of July 30th Mr Crosby completed another training flight for around 40 minutes with Mr Kabelka and ahead of the fatal training flight another student witnessed Mr Kabelka brief Mr Crosby on the part of the training syllabus relating to autorotation.

The two departed from Weston Airport at 1.58pm and the report records that at approximately 2:25pm, while operating in the vicinity of Killucan, Co. Westmeath and during what appears to have been a sixth practice autorotation, the helicopter impacted with the surface of an agricultural field.

It added: It then travelled forwards at a height sufficient to clear a boundary fence and impacted with a gable wall of an agricultural building.

The report states that the helicopter came to rest, in a nose-down orientation, in the wall and the roof of the building. Both occupants were fatally injured.
A popular priest who has served as curate in the Drum/Clonown area of South Roscommon for the last seven years will now return to his religious order, despite intense local opposition to the decision made by Bishop of Elphin Kevin Doran.

Fr. Michael Hickey, aged in his eighties, became a much loved figure in the community over this time.

A farewell party planned for Fr. Hickey due to be held on Sunday last at the Shamrock Lodge Hotel had been postponed in a last ditch bid to get the Bishop to change his mind. However, it is understood that the priest has now made the decision to return to his order, the Holy Ghost Fathers in Dublin, and will depart the parish on Monday.

The farewell party for Fr Hickey will now take place at the hotel this Sunday evening, September 1.

A community campaign led by a local committee to keep the much-loved priest intensified in recent weeks with 2,300 people signing a petition opposing the move by Bishop Doran. The Bishop had formally announced the priest's return to his order in a letter to parishioners in July as part of a number of clerical changes.

The petition was personally handed into the Diocesan office in Sligo several weeks ago along with a letter seeking a meeting with Bishop Doran to ask him to reconsider his decision.

Its also understood that the Bishop celebrated Saturday evening Mass and Sunday morning Mass in Drum Church on the weekend of August 3rd and 4th. During the Bishops visit to Drum, committee members were unsuccessful in asking the Bishop to change his mind after they met him after both Masses.

A spokesperson for the Elphin Diocese confirmed to the Herald recently that Fr. Hickey would be returning to his own religious order.

Hundreds of people attended recent public meetings in Drum Parish Hall voicing their shock, sadness and anger at Bishop Dorans decision.
Ms. Hazel Hannon, Principal of Lanesboro Community College has stated she is overjoyed and exceptionally proud of the schools Leaving Certificate students.

The Principal stated that the group of 34 students which included two international students had shown an admirable work ethic which had shown in their results.

We are overjoyed and exceptionally proud of all our Leaving Cert students. The vast majority came into the school where they were welcomed by the student support team, and we had refreshments for them and their families. The vast majority came in to receive their results this morning despite being able to access them on the portal. It was lovely to be able to celebrate with them as a whole school community.

They are all going different avenues so from university, to apprenticeships to the world of work. We are all very proud and we wish them well in their endeavours in the future, Ms Hannon noted.

The Lanesboro Community College Principal praised the school staff for their support towards this group of Leaving Cert throughout their second level academic journey.

We need to acknowledge the hard work of staff who go above and beyond. With classes prior to school, at evening time after school and even online tuition that was available to them to help them prepare for their exams aswell.

It is a whole school community effort. We have great support from the parents council and the board of management. The entire community rallied around them and having that support network was certainly a contributing part of that success, Ms. Hannon explained.

The school Principal stated that the schools closeness with TUS Athlone both in terms of distance and communication with regards to courses available to study was important for this group of Leaving Cert students.

This Lanesboro Community College Leaving Cert group of 2023/24 sat over 20 subjects between them. The school offered the core subjects of English, Irish and Mathematics while also offering subjects including applied maths and Latvian.

Ms. Hannon stated the school would be there to support students even after receiving their results.

We had very high scores across the board. In the humanities, the sciences and the practical areas. I have been here for the past three years and without a doubt we had more students in this year than any previous.

The opportunity to connect with the school community when you receive your results is really important and to be there to support them in their decision making over the next while. We have a guidance team in place, a school chaplain, a home school liaison officer. All of those supports are really important for students when they make big decisions in the coming days and weeks, she concluded.
Deputy Principal of Abbey Community College Boyle, Frank Colohan has hailed the hard work of this years Leaving Cert students.

Mr. Colohan stated that the teachers were very impressed with the results of the students particularly in the core subjects of English, Irish and Maths.

A lot of success stories this morning. We are very impressed right across the line particularly in the core subjects of Irish, English and Maths.

Certain students here for whom it would not have been easy for them to hit their academic goals managed to do that and got very impressive results. Our international students all performed very well, Mr. Colohan explained.

With over 80 students sitting their exams from the Boyle based school, The Deputy Principal stated that this crop of students needed to overcome challenges, including the pandemic as they needed to adjust to a new way of learning before retuning to the school.

I suppose with the timing for this particular group, COVID would have been an aspect for them because that would have happened during an earlier time of their academic journey. That would certainly have had an impact. Still, the teachers and faculty ensured we got through it and it is a very joyous occasion to be giving out results here and to see the happy faces that we had this morning.

Many would have collected their results online, but they would also like to come into the school to get validation and to meet and thank their teachers and the staff. That would be very, very important important for them to get that opportunity.

It is a bit impersonal looking at them online, so it means an awful lot to the students and their parents to actually meet the staff and teachers while meeting their friends. That little bit of excitement and we took a few pictures here and it is one of the nicer days.

We had our first year students start yesterday and they were here in school today so they could see it happening aswell. Great excitement all round, Mr. Colohan noted.
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.
Who is Director Ranjith Balakrishnan? Know All About His Latest Case of Alleged Sexual Assault

The case will be transferred to the Special Investigation Team established by the Kerala government.

Who is Director Ranjith Balakrishnan? On Monday, the Kerala Police registered a non-bailable case against Malayalam film director Ranjith Balakrishnan following a complaint filed by a woman actor accusing him of sexual misconduct.

Ranjith Balakrishnan, who has denied the allegations, stepped down as the head of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy on Sunday in response to the accusations.

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The complaint emerged after the release of the Justice Hema Committee report, which highlighted widespread sexual abuse and exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry. Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra recently spoke to the media, alleging that Ranjith had behaved inappropriately with her during the pre-production phase of the film Paleri Manikyam in 2009.

The Kochi city police have registered the case under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which addresses criminal force or assault against a woman with the intention to outrage her modesty. The FIR was filed under this section since the alleged incident took place in 2009.

The case will be transferred to the Special Investigation Team established by the Kerala government to investigate the various allegations that have surfaced following the release of the Hema Committee report.

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Ranjith, in his resignation on Sunday, asserted that the allegations were part of a "concerted move" against him after he took on the role of chairperson of the academy.

Who is Director Ranjith Balakrishnan?

Ranjith Balakrishnan, commonly known as Ranjith, is a prominent Indian film director, screenwriter, producer, and actor, primarily associated with the Malayalam film industry. He is known for his impactful storytelling, strong characters, and his ability to address social issues through cinema.

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Some of Ranjith's most acclaimed films include Nandanam (2002), Kaiyoppu (2007), Thirakkatha (2008), Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha (2009), Pranchiyettan & the Saint (2010), Indian Rupee (2011), and Spirit (2012). These films are known for their strong narratives, social relevance, and critical acclaim.


Apple iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Here's what people are expecting from 2024 event

We've gathered all the rumored differences between iPhone 15 and the upcoming iPhone 16.

Apple event 2024, Apple iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15 Model, Camera and Price Latest News: Apple is anticipated to reveal the launch date of its next smartphone lineupthe iPhone 16 seriesvery soon. We already have a clear idea of what to expect from the forthcoming iPhones and how they will differ from the current iPhone 15 series.

If you're already using an iPhone 15, should you consider upgrading to the iPhone 16? Or if you're planning to purchase an iPhone 15 now, is it worth waiting for the iPhone 16? Here, we've gathered all the rumored differences between the iPhone 15 and the upcoming iPhone 16, which might help you decide.

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iPhone 16 to Feature a New Design

As per the leaks, the iPhone 16 will introduce a fresh design, featuring a vertically aligned camera system, an action button, and a dedicated capture button, making it stand out visually and functionally from the iPhone 15.

The front of the device is expected to see minimal changes, with the iPhone 16 likely retaining the 6.1-inch 60Hz OLED screen with Dynamic Island, similar to the iPhone 15, albeit with a slightly brighter display. Unfortunately, the high-refresh-rate screen will continue to be exclusive to the Pro models.

Apple iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: The A18 Chip  A Major Upgrade

The primary difference between the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 16 lies in their processors. While the iPhone 15 is powered by the A16 chip (borrowed from the iPhone 14 Pro), the iPhone 16 is expected to feature the A18 chip, placing it nearly two generations ahead, several reports stated. This new chipset will support on-device AI processing, introduce Apple Intelligence, and significantly enhance overall performance, particularly in gaming and multitasking.

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To fully leverage Apple Intelligence, the iPhone 16 is also rumored to have increased RAM, from 6 GB to 8 GB, further boosting its performance. Additionally, the A18 chip, expected to be built using TSMCs advanced 3nm process, will offer greater power efficiency compared to the 4nm A16 Bionic chip in the iPhone 15.

Apple iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Similar Camera Hardware with Improved Capabilities

The iPhone 16 is expected to retain the same camera setup as the iPhone 15, including a 48 MP primary lens, 12 MP ultra-wide, and 12 MP front-facing cameras. However, thanks to the enhanced image signal processing (ISP) capabilities of the A18 chip, the iPhone 16 should deliver superior photo and video quality.

Moreover, the vertically aligned cameras on the iPhone 16 might enable users to capture 3D or Spatial video, a feature currently exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

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Apple iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15: Both Models to Run iOS 18

Both the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 will support iOS 18, but the iPhone 16 is expected to provide an enhanced experience with Apple Intelligence, including an improved Siri with ChatGPT integration. Additional AI-driven features exclusive to the iPhone 16 series are also anticipated.

Apple iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15 Price Considerations

Apple is likely to reduce the price of the iPhone 15 by approximately Rs 20,000 following the launch of the iPhone 16, making the former an appealing option at around Rs 60,000. The iPhone 16 is expected to start at Rs 79,900.

While the iPhone 16 will be more expensive than the iPhone 15, it might be worth waiting for the new model if you're a tech enthusiast, as it will offer more advanced features and future-proof capabilities. However, for everyday users, the iPhone 15 should be more than sufficient, handling daily tasks with ease.

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(For more news apart from Apple event 2024, Apple iPhone 16 vs iPhone 15 Latest News, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
While browsing online, reading a newspaper or typing in a document editor like Microsoft Word, there are thousands of different fonts you could potentially encounter. However, popular fonts tend to fall in one of two categories: serif fonts and sans serif fonts.

Serif Fonts

The serif font style (named from the Germanic word for "pen stroke") was first designed in the late 1700s and features little flourishes or "tails" on each letter that give the fonts a bit of character.

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These tails also showed off the precision quality of the printing dies which were becoming more widely available at the time.

Serif fonts look great blown up to big sizes and on high-resolution computer screens, but they tend to have poorer readability at smaller text sizes. For this reason, newspapers and online articles tend to use a serif font for the headline instead of the main body text of the piece.

Sans Serif Fonts

On the other hand, sans serif typeface is a derivative of serif font and attempts to solve some of its apparent shortcomings. Sans serif fonts do away with the little flourishes of serif and instead focus on bolder letters with very straight lines and uniform curves for maximum legibility.

Sans serif tends to be the easiest type of font to read, sometimes sacrificing creative potential. They're also used in graphic designs that aim to look more "modern" versus older serif typefaces.
Who was Nirmal Bhangu? Know all about Pearl Group founder

Bhangu's early life saw him working alongside his brother, selling milk on a bicycle.

Who was Nirmal Singh Bhangu, the founder of Pearl Group? Nirmal Singh Bhangu, the founder of the Pearl Group and the key figure behind a massive Rs45,000 crore scam, passed away on Sunday night in Delhi. Bhangu, a resident of Punjab, had been in Delhi's Tihar Jail since January 2016 following his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). On Sunday night, he was transferred to Delhi's DDU Hospital after his health worsened, but he was declared dead upon arrival at 7:50 p.m. (Nirmal Singh Bhangu Death News)

Bhangu was accused of orchestrating a multi-crore Ponzi scheme, which ensnared over 5 crore individuals. The scheme collected enormous sums of money, much of which was funneled abroad. Following an investigation, the CBI apprehended Bhangu in January 2016, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) also launched a subsequent investigation into his activities.

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Originating from Barnala district in Punjab, Bhangu's early life saw him working alongside his brother, selling milk on a bicycle. During this period, he also completed his postgraduate studies in political science.

Launch of His Own Company in 1980

In the 1970s, Bhangu relocated to Kolkata in search of employment, eventually working at Peerless, a well-known investment company. He later joined Golden Forest India Limited, a Haryana-based firm that eventually collapsed after defrauding investors. When the company shut down, Bhangu found himself unemployed.

Leveraging his experience with Golden Forest, Bhangu established Pearls Golden Forest (PGF) in 1980. The company promised investors high returns from investments in tree plantations, similar to the operations of Golden Forest India Limited. By 1996, the company had amassed significant funds but was eventually shut down due to investigations by income tax authorities and other regulatory bodies.

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Expanding His Empire Overseas

Undeterred, Bhangu launched a new venture, Pearls Agrotech Corporation Limited (PACL), based in Barnala, Punjab. This company operated as a chain system, attracting over 5 crore investors with promises of substantial returns.

Investors were required to deposit small amounts monthly, and Bhangu used these funds to expand the Pearls Group empire, both domestically and internationally. Bhangu invested significant sums in various businesses around the globe.

When the company failed to return the promised funds to its investors, complaints began to surface, eventually leading to a CBI investigation.

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Details of the CBI Investigation

The CBI investigation revealed that Bhangu's companies, including Pearls Infrastructure Projects Limited, ARSS Infrastructure Projects Limited, and Jain Infra Projects Limited, were involved in fraudulent activities. These companies launched schemes that convinced people to invest under false pretenses of high returns, misusing over Rs5,500 crore raised from investors across various states.

Investors were issued fake land allotment letters, with much of the land either non-existent, government-owned, or not legally available for sale. Bhangu employed over 23 lakh commission agents, including more than 1,700 senior-level officers, who were paid substantial commissions for recruiting new investors.

Despite being ordered by the Punjab and Haryana High Court to shut down one scheme, Bhangu continued his operations under different company names, using funds from new investors to pay off previous ones. A portion of the funds was funneled into shell entities, with approximately A$132.99 million invested in Australian companies.

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Property Seizure Initiated by CM Mann

In May 2023, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann pledged to seize Pearls Group's assets and return the investors' money. Following this announcement, the Punjab government began the legal process of confiscating the properties.

Arrest of Bhangu's Wife in 2023

In September 2023, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau arrested Bhangu's wife, Prem Kaur, on charges of disposing of Pearls Group's assets in violation of Supreme Court orders. She was accused of transferring properties to a close relative with the intent to sell them.

(For more news apart from Who was Nirmal Singh Bhangu, the founder of Pearl Group, and his death news, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
Kangana Ranaut Controversy: Had BJP shown sincerity earlier, current chaos might have been avoided

Kangana Ranaut Controversy on Farmers Protest Statement Opinion by Nimrat Kaur

Opinion By Nimrat Kaur, the Managing Editor of Rozana Spokesman: The Bharatiya Janata Party's recent dissociation from actress Kangana Ranaut's controversial remarks about the farmers' protest and its call for her to exercise restraint in the future is a welcome step. However, many believe that this action should have been taken two and a half years ago. Had the party shown sincerity earlier, the current situation might have been avoided. Kangana has been making irresponsible statements, first as a Modi supporter and now as a Member of Parliament. Since October 2021, she has continued to make inflammatory remarks about farmer protesters and minority groups.

Previously, the BJP leadership made no effort to restrain her from making such unnecessary accusations, which likely emboldened her further. In an interview with a Hindi newspaper, she remarked, "If we did not have strong leadership in India, many incidents like those in Bangladesh could have occurred here in 2021. There were also anarchist efforts here. During the farmer movement, bodies were found hanging, and rape took place." Such comments have only served to exacerbate the situation, leading to the current backlash, which has now reached the senior leadership of the BJP.

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Unsurprisingly, Kangana's comments were met with widespread criticism. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condemned her remarks as reflective of the BJP's 'anti-farmer policy and intent,' calling her statement "an insult to the farmers of the country." Similar sentiments were echoed by other political parties and social organizations. The United Kisan Morcha demanded an 'unconditional apology' from Kangana, threatening her with a public boycott if she did not comply.

The Punjab unit of the BJP found itself in a difficult position. Welcoming the central leadership's rebuke of Kangana, Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar emphasized the need for sincere efforts to regain the trust of farmers. While it is commendable that the party has taken this step, many feel it should have been done much earlier.

It is also ironic that Kangana made these objectionable comments while already embroiled in controversy over the portrayal of the Sikh community in her film 'Emergency.' Whether the dispute over the film is valid or not is debatable, but in an already tense atmosphere, her remarks could only aggravate the situation further. Kangana claims to value honesty, which is a commendable trait, but honesty should not be confused with irresponsibility. The Supreme Court underscored this reality in a judgment last year.

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In the 2023 ruling that reaffirmed the boundaries of free speech, Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, leading a three-member bench, stated, "Expression of opinion should not go beyond the scope of culture, behavior, and responsibility."

The general perception is that the BJP's decision to rein in Kangana may have been influenced by the upcoming Haryana Vidhan Sabha elections. This belief is reinforced by the party's history of allowing young leaders like Tejasvi Surya and Kangana to engage in provocative rhetoric. However, with Haryana being the epicenter of past farmer struggles, the BJP can no longer afford to risk further alienating the farmers. Despite recent efforts by Chief Minister Naib Singh Saini, the discontent among farmers persists. Therefore, it is now imperative for the BJP's senior leadership to move beyond the rhetoric of the past decade and teach party leaders the value of measured speech.

(The views are those of the author)
Australia to put cap on foreign student enrolments in migration crackdown

International education is a key export industry for Australia

Australia announced on Tuesday that it will cap the enrollment of international students at 270,000 for the year 2025. This decision comes as part of the government's broader strategy to manage record migration levels, which have been linked to rising rental prices across the country.

This move follows a series of measures introduced over the past year to phase out COVID-era allowances for international students and workers. These concessions had previously allowed businesses to fill staffing gaps during the pandemic when strict border controls limited the availability of overseas workers.

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Education Minister Jason Clare, during a press conference, highlighted that the number of international students currently enrolled in Australian universities is about 10% higher than pre-pandemic levels. Additionally, there has been a 50% increase in students attending private vocational and training institutions. Clare emphasized that these reforms aim to create a more sustainable and equitable international education sector in Australia.

International education is a key export industry for Australia, contributing A$36.4 billion to the economy during the 2022-2023 financial year. However, public concern over the impact of large numbers of foreign students and workers on the housing market has made immigration a central issue, particularly as a national election looms less than a year away.

The surge in net immigration, which reached a record 548,800 in the year ending September 30, 2023, represents a 60% increase compared to the previous year. The Australian government had previously increased annual migration numbers in 2022 to address labor shortages exacerbated by the pandemic, but the resultant strain on housing has intensified the debate over immigration policy.
August 28, 2024 UPDATE

A roundup of the latest local and world news

Newsflash

Newsroom, 28.08.2024, 20:17

ELECTION The Government in Bucharest has set the calendar of the upcoming election in detail, including the technical measures and expenses for the preparation, organization and unfolding of the presidential election in Romania. So, November 24th 2024 will be seeing the first round of voting and, if needed, a second round will take place on December 8. October 5th is the deadline for submitting candidatures and election signs to the Central Election Office, while the election campaign kicks off on October 25th. In another development, the government has extended the National Programme for Local Development for another two years in order to support the over 3 thousand projects currently underway. Also on Wednesday, the Executive approved The National Plan for a Safe School Environment completing the measures focusing on fighting violence in the countrys education system. Discounts will be made available for therapy sessions for children victims of violence, or who were involved in such acts. The programme also includes training courses for teachers as well as an online library devoted to combating violence in schools. Under another bill endorsed in the education sector, students will be granted scholarships through state-funded cultural projects.

OECD Romania on Wednesday received a positive review in the competition sector as part of its OECD accession process. According to Romanias Competition Council, the review was issued after an assessment that took place between 2018 and 2022. During the review, the Council must demonstrate that its work meets the requirements of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Recommendations have also been made, and the stage of their implementation will be presented next year. Accession to the OECD is a priority for Romania, and is the countrys 3rd strategic goal after the NATO and EU accession.

DEFICIT Romanias budget deficit exceeds 4% of GDP after the first 7 months of the year, according to finance ministry data. In January  July, the government had total revenues of over EUR 66 bln, up 15% compared to the first 7 months of 2023. Budget expenditure however increased by over 23%, to more than EUR 80 bln. This years budget law is based on a 5% deficit level. Meanwhile, the minister for EU investments and projects Adrian Caciu has announced that Romania has so far received EUR23.84 bln under the cohesion policy in 2014-2020, reaching a 99.1% absorption rate.

INDEPENDENCE The Republic of Moldova Tuesday celebrated 33 years since the proclamation of its independence from the former Soviet Union. Attending the ceremonies, the presidents of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia signed a joint statement of support for the countrys EU accession. In his message on this occasion, president Klaus Iohannis promised Romania will continue to provide strategic support to Moldova in all areas. In turn, PM Marcel Ciolacu reassured his Moldovan counterpart, Dorin Recean, that Romania will remain in the front line of the efforts to consolidate Moldovas EU accession efforts, its stability and democratic development.

WEATHER Thunderstorms were reported on Tuesday night in several parts of the country. Weather experts have issued scores of extreme weather warnings. In Iasi, in the north-east, the wind brought several trees down and damaged vehicles, while entire streets in the city were flooded. Also in the north-east, in Botosani County, firefighters were called to put out a fire after lightning struck a tree. Tens of streets and basements were also flooded in Cluj-Napoca (north-west).

(bill)
Republic of Moldova, 33 years of independence

Romania will continue to support the Republic of Moldova on its European path, the leaders in Bucharest have assured.

Map of the Republic of Moldova, flag (photo-pixabay)

Stefan Stoica, 28.08.2024, 14:00

In 1991, after the failure of the conservative forces to seize power in Moscow, the Moldovan Parliament met on August 27 to decide the fate of the Republic of Moldova. Tens of thousands of citizens, who had gathered in the Great National Assembly in the center of Chisinau, asked the Parliament to vote for independence. And Parliament voted with an absolute majority for the Declaration of Independence. Neighboring Romania, to which the Republic of Moldova was linked by history and language, was the first to recognize its statehood. On Tuesday, the Republic of Moldova marked 33 years of independence in a complicated moment for it and for the entire European continent, generated by the Russian aggression in Ukraine.

President Maia Sandu, whose Covid infection prevented her from physically participating in the events, sent a congratulatory message to her fellow citizens. There is always the option to give up. The decisions we make can prevent us from advancing. We could have given up. The path we are choosing can be hard. We could have cared less. We could have given up and lost our courage. Every decision we make keeps us still or pushes us forward. We are what we choose day by day. We choose to stand up, no matter how hard it is. We choose to work for our future. We persevere for our children. We choose hope and life. We believe in the power of our nation readds the message sent by Maia Sandu.

The presidents of the Baltic states, which, like the Republic of Moldova, broke up the vassal relations to Moscow in the early 90s and chose independence, participated in the ceremonies in Chisinau. They signed a joint statement reiterating their support for the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union. The three welcomed the commitment of the Republic of Moldova to the implementation of reforms, the consolidation of democratic institutions and economic growth.

The highest officials in Bucharest also conveyed messages on the occasion, given that Romania remains the main political and economic sponsor of the small neighboring state. Romania, President Klaus Iohannis wrote on the X network, will continue to offer the Republic of Moldova strategic support at all levels. I convey congratulations to the citizens of the Republic of Moldova on the occasion of 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 accomplished objective, Klaus Iohannis emphasized.

The Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu also sent a congratulatory message, on Tuesday, to all the citizens of the Republic of Moldova, on the anniversary of Independence Day. Romania, he assured his counterpart from Chisinau, Dorin Recean, will be in the future, just as before, in the front line of efforts to consolidate the European path, the stability and democratic development of the neighboring country. The place of the Republic of Moldova is in the European Union. I am convinced that, at the referendum on October 20, 2024, the citizens of the Republic of Moldova will bluntly reaffirm this truth, said Marcel Ciolacu. Citizens will be asked if they support amending the Constitution in relation to the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union. (LS)
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has arrived in Germany on the first leg of his European tour with the aim of resetting the UK's relationship with Europe.

He is scheduled to meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Wednesday, followed by talks with French President Emmanuel Macron the next day.

Starmer and Scholz will launch negotiations on a new bilateral treaty, which is expected to boost and trade, deepen defense and security cooperation, and increase joint action on illegal migration.

Germany is Europe's largest and the UK's second largest trading partner, accounting for 8.5 percent of all UK trade.

While in Berlin, the UK Prime Minister will also meet Dr.Christian Bruch, chief executive of Siemens Energy. The company employs more than 6,000 people in the UK.

Starmer will also meet Armin Theodor Papperger, the chief executive of German defence and security company, Rheinmetall. Rheinmetall is also vital to the modernization of the British Army, recently making significant investments in its Telford Hub to deliver Boxer armored fighting vehicles.

Starmer will travel to Paris to attend the Paralympics Opening Ceremony on Wednesday night. He will meet with French business leaders, including from Thales, Eutelsat, Mistral AI and Sanofi, during breakfast on Thursday morning. He will invite major investors into the UK economy, the Prime Minister's Office said.

"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," Starmer said in a statement issued ahead of his tour.

"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."

The new Labor Prime Minister added that strengthening UK's 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."

The two-day European visit comes after Starmer hosted Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa at Downing Street on Tuesday, to progress inward investment from the Gulf.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
The U.S. Defense Department says oil may be leaking in large volume from a Greek oil tanker which was damaged in attack by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea last week.

Greek-flagged oil tanker MV Delta Sounion carrying a million barrels of crude oil was attacked by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists in the Red Sea on August 21. The ship was sailing from Iraq to Greece with a crew of two Russian and 23 Filipino sailors. It was hit by gunfire and unidentified projectiles from two small boats, and caught fire. The crew has evacuated with the help of a European warship.

The US State Department warned last week about a possible spill of oil four times the size of the Exxon Valdez disaster, which released 257,000 barrels off the coast of Alaska in 1989.

On Tuesday, Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said at a news conference that "The MV Delta Sounion now sits immobilized in the Red Sea, where it is currently on fire and appears to be leaking oil, presenting both a navigational hazard and a potential environmental catastrophe."

"The Houthis have claimed that they are conducting these attacks in support of the Palestinian people. Their actions prove to the contrary. In fact, these are simply reckless acts of terrorism which continue to destabilize global and regional commerce, put the lives of innocent civilian mariners at risk and imperil the vibrant maritime ecosystem in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden  their own backyard," he told reporters.

The U.S. Central command is working with allies and partners to determine how best to assist the vessel and mitigate the potential environmental impact.

Two tugs were sent to the vessel to help salvage it, but they were turned away by the Houthis with threat of being attacked.

The rebel movement, which controls much of Yemen, have been frequently targeting international shipping in the Red Sea, including U.S. military vessels and oil tankers, since mid-November in retaliation for Israeli attacks in Gaza.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Hundreds of rogue employers across the United Kingdon have been targeted by the Home Office during a nationwide weeklong intensive operation targeting illegal working.

During an intensive week of action from August 18, Immigration Enforcement teams raided businesses suspected of employing illegal workers, particularly focusing on car washes.

Over the course of the operation, more than 275 premises were searched. 135 employers were given notices for employing illegal workers and 85 illegal workers were arrested.

In many cases, illegal workers live in squalid conditions on-site, earn far below the UK national minimum wage, work longer hours than legally allowed and may have entered the UK illegally, overstayed their visas or arrived under visitor conditions, the Home Office said.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper had announced last month that the government would crack down on unscrupulous employers who are hiring migrants illegally and exploiting vulnerable people, alongside extensive work to disrupt the criminal networks who bring the workers to the UK.

Employers found guilty of employing illegal workers are liable to pay a maximum fine of 45,000 per worker for a first offence and 60,000 per worker for repeat violations.

Cooper said more operations of this kind will be conducted in the near future.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported a rise in sloth fever cases, a potentially fatal disease caused by Oropouche virus, in the U.S.

"As of August 16, 2024, a total of 21 Oropouche virus disease cases among U.S. travelers returning from Cuba have been reported. Most patients had self-limited illness. At least three patients experienced recurrent symptoms after resolution of the initial illness," the CDC said.

The Florida department reported 30 cases of sloth fever in the state, whereas one case was reported in New York. All the cases were linked to travel from Cuba.

The Oropouche virus is transmitted to humans through infected biting midges and certain mosquito species. Initially symptoms include fever, myalgia, and headache, along with other symptoms such as arthralgia, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, and rash.

"Initial symptoms usually last only a few days, but up to 70 percent of patients are reported to have recurrent symptoms within days to weeks after resolution of their initial illness," the health agency added.

"No vaccines to prevent or medicines to treat Oropouche virus disease exist; treatment is supportive."

The CDC noted that as of August 2024, more than 8,000 cases of sloth fever have been documented in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, and Peru, including two deaths and five cases of vertical transmission associated with fetal death or congenital abnormalities.

The health regulator advised travelers to take protective measures against mosquito and biting midge bites and recommended pregnant people to avoid non-essential travels to affected areas.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Minnesota officials are concerned about the declining vaccine rates among children in the state since the pandemic.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, since the beginning of the pandemic, vaccine rates for kindergarten students in the state have been declining. 73.4 percent of 6-year-olds and 40.5 percent of 13-year-olds in Minnesota were up-to-date on all the recommended vaccines.

For the 2019-2020 school year, 92.6 percent of kindergarteners were vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella, whereas in the 2023-2024 school year, the vaccine rate for the same dropped to 87.1 percent.

The department added that about 40 percent of Minneapolis Public Schools students are behind on their vaccine schedules.

The decline in vaccination rates is particularly concerning as Minnesota has reported 34 cases of measles, and more than 500 cases of whooping cough so far this year.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Indian 350cc to 450cc Motorcycle Segment Shows Mixed Performance in July 2024  Royal Enfield dominates with 81% share

The Indian motorcycle market in the 350cc to 450cc segment exhibited a mixed performance in July 2024, with total sales reaching 71,200 units, marking a marginal 0.06% year-on-year (YoY) increase compared to July 2023. This slight growth of just 45 units highlights the varied fortunes of different models within the segment, with some seeing strong gains while others experienced declines.

350cc to 450cc Motorcycle Sales July 2024  Royal Enfield Dominates the Segment

Royal Enfield continued to dominate the 350cc to 450cc segment, with multiple models leading the sales charts. Classic 350 remained the top-selling motorcycle in this category, with 21,373 units sold in July 2024. However, this represented a 14.13% YoY decline, down by 3,516 units from July 2023. Despite the drop, the Classic 350 still captured a substantial 30.02% share of the market. RE is getting ready to launch new Classic 350 on 1st Sep.

Hunter 350, another popular model, saw a sharper decline of 20.89% YoY, with 14,091 units sold, down by 3,722 units from the previous year. Hunter 350 held a 19.79% market share. On a more positive note, Bullet 350 recorded a 9.40% YoY growth, selling 9,949 units in July 2024, an increase of 855 units compared to July 2023. Bullet 350s strong performance contributed to a 13.97% share of the segment.

Meteor 350 saw a slight decline of 4.15% YoY, with 7,901 units sold in July 2024, down by 342 units from the previous year. The Meteor 350 accounted for 11.10% of the market. Bajaj Pulsar 400, a recent entrant, recorded 3,340 units sold, capturing a 4.69% share of the market.

Similarly, the Triumph 400 (Speed + Scrambler), which saw a staggering 550.10% growth compared to its previous limited sales, sold 3,101 units, securing a 4.36% market share. Triumph will be launching new 400cc bikes later this year. Royal Enfields new model, the Guerrilla, also made a strong debut, selling 1,469 units and capturing 2.06% of the market.

Meanwhile, Harley Davidson X440 reported 816 units sales, contributing to a 1.15% share. While new models gained traction, several established motorcycles faced challenges. Royal Enfield Himalayan saw a 12.68% decline in sales, with 2,769 units sold in July 2024.

No MCycle Sales 350-450cc Jul-24 Jul-23 Diff Growth % YoY % Share Jul 24 1 Royal Enfield Classic 350 21,373 24,889 -3,516 -14.13 30.02 2 Royal Enfield Hunter 350 14,091 17,813 -3,722 -20.89 19.79 3 Royal Enfield Bullet 350 9,949 9,094 855 9.40 13.97 4 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 7,901 8,243 -342 -4.15 11.10 5 Bajaj Pulsar 400 3,340 0 3,340  4.69 6 Triumph 400 3,101 477 2,624 550.10 4.36 7 Royal Enfield Himalayan 2,769 3,171 -402 -12.68 3.89 8 Jawa Yezdi (Retail) 2,131 2,188 -57 -2.61 2.99 9 Royal Enfield Guerrilla 1,469 0 1,469  2.06 10 Honda HNess 350 1,314 3,509 -2,195 -62.55 1.85 11 Honda CB 350 1,011 0 1,011  1.42 12 Harley Davidson X440 816 0 816  1.15 13 KTM 390 593 1,122 -529 -47.15 0.83 14 Bajaj Dominar 400 580 607 -27 -4.45 0.81 15 Aprilia RS 457 455 0 455  0.64 16 Hero Mavrick 269 0 269  0.38 17 Husqvarna 401 35 0 35  0.05 18 Kawasaki ZX-4R 3 0 3  0.00 19 Kawasaki Eliminator 400 0 42 -42 -100.00 0.00  Total 71,200 71,155 45 0.06 100.00

Similarly, Honda HNess 350 experienced a significant 62.55% YoY decline, with sales dropping to 1,314 units from 3,509 units in July 2023. KTM 390 also struggled, with a 47.15% YoY decline, selling 593 units in July 2024, down by 529 units from the previous year. Additionally, Bajaj Dominar 400 saw a slight decline of 4.45%, with 580 units sold.

Models like the Aprilia RS 457, Hero Mavrick, and Husqvarna 401 made their presence felt, albeit with smaller numbers. Aprilia RS 457 sold 455 units, while the Hero Mavrick and Husqvarna 401 sold 269 and 35 units, respectively. Kawasaki ZX-4R recorded just 3 units sold, while Kawasaki Eliminator 400 saw no sales in July 2024, down from 42 units in July 2023.
Kia Sonet and Hyundai Venue are currently the only sub 4m offerings to offer ADAS and Maruti Suzuki Fronx ADAS variant might be the third

Fronx is among the most popular sub 4m offerings in India. This coupe crossover has been based on Baleno and has garnered excellent sales in India. It even spawns a Toyota counterpart called Taisor. Recent developments show an ADAS variant of Fronx under testing. Does this ring launch bells? Or is it just an export-spec model testing in India?

Maruti Suzuki Fronx ADAS

Thanks to automotive enthusiast Kartikey Bansal, we now have a clear spy shot of a Maruti Suzuki Fronx ADAS variant on testing in India. This vehicle donned red temporary registration plates from Haryana State like most Maruti Suzuki test mules and engineering samples. There was some camouflage on this unit too.

Papped from the front, this spy shot shows Fronx ADAS variant up close, revealing its radar-based ADAS sensor system. This V-shaped quadrilateral module will continually monitor the road ahead and detect obstacles including cars, motorcycles, humans, cyclists, and other objects and acts in conjunction with a camera. Upcoming eVX also gets ADAS too.

In India, Maruti Suzuki doesnt offer ADAS with any of its vehicles, including the ones sourced and rebadged from Toyota. This includes the flagship Invicto. Seeing Marutis ADAS tech being tested on a smaller and more affordable vehicle, lends a positive light on Maruti Suzuki brand and its recent advances in vehicular safety.

Conversely speaking, this Maruti Suzuki Fronx ADAS variant spied testing in India can disappointingly be just an export-spec model and not India-spec. We say this because Maruti Suzuki has commenced exports of Fronx to Japan, where safety features like AEB are mandatory. Looking at Japan-spec Fronx, the test mule spotted in India looks identical.

Will it ever launch in India?

Currently, the most noteworthy safety attribute that Maruti Suzuki offers with its portfolio, is 6 airbags. Until proven otherwise, the company has had a negative reputation of selling cars with the low safety rating. We can look at Fronx ADAS as a major stride from the brand in upping its vehicular safety game in India.

Other than the ADAS module, recently spied Fronx test mule also gets front parking sensors, something not offered in India. Powertrains on Fronx in India include a 1.2L 4-cyl NA Petrol and a 1.0L 3-cyl Turbo Petrol unit. There are speculations in place suggesting Fronx facelift will get a 1.2L strong hybrid engine too. Launch of Fronx ADAS in India is still not confirmed.
Up until now, Tata Motors used battery packs developed in-house by Tata AutoComp Systems with battery cells sourced from Gotion

Ever since the company launched Nexon EV in 2020, Tata Motors has been using battery packs developed in-house by Tata AutoComp Systems. However, that lineage has been broken in favour of establishing a multi-sourcing strategy that mitigates dependency on a single supplier. The recently launched Curvv EV gets battery packs sourced from Chinese company Octillion Power Systems.

Tata Curvv EV Battery Pack From Chinese Company

This is not the first time Tata Motors has partnered up with Octillion Power Systems which has a manufacturing base in China. Tata Motors has been sourcing battery packs from Octillion for its Starbus EV commercial bus for the past two years. For the first time, Octillion-sourced battery packs have been used in a Tata PV.

Up until now, all Tata Motors PVs came equipped with battery packs made in-house by Tata AutoComp Systems. These battery packs were populated by electric cells sourced from Chinese Lithium Ion battery giant, Gotion, as part of a joint venture between both companies.

Now, the just launched Curvv EV has been equipped with Octillion-sourced battery packs. Interestingly, only the smaller 45 kWh battery pack in MR variants of Curvv EV get the Octillion-sourced battery packs populated by 15.2 Ah cylindrical cells sourced from another Chinese firm called EVE.

While the larger 55 kWh battery pack in Curvv EV continues to be powered by battery packs sourced from Tata AutoComp Systems, populated by 105 Ah prismatic cells sourced from Gotion. Octillion Power Systems has been supplying Tata Motors with its battery pack facility in India with up to 2 GWh capacity.

These developments have been revealed by LiveMint and marks a significant shift from Tata Motors practices of sourcing battery packs only from Tata AutoComp Systems. As of now, only the 45 kWh MR variants of Curvv EV seems to be the one with externally sourced battery packs. Economic Times states that these new battery packs from Chinese company will also help Tata Motors address performance issues in their EVs.

Multi-Sourcing Strategy

Tata Motors has revealed that this step is to keep up with the growth momentum that the company is currently on. As per Tata Motors, having a multi-source strategy will prove fruitful for the brand as it hedges supply chain risks, improves competitiveness, strengthens seamless supply of parts and eradicates dependency on a single supplier.

With advent of electric vehicle technology and evolving customer buying trends, there has been a major boost to EV sales in the recent past. Tata Motors seems to be fortifying its supply chain for a seamless manufacturing operation in the future. These measures should prove fruitful when Tata launches more EVs in the coming years.

Source
Volkswagen Virtus and Maruti Fronx showed off triple digit YoY growth while Maruti Jimny exports surged significantly

While Maruti Suzuki tops the passenger vehicle segment in domestic markets, it is also one of the leading exporters of cars with a large number of its models featuring high up in this list. Volkswagen, Hyundai, Nissan and Honda are also major players in terms of exports. Car exports in July 2024 grew by 3.98% YoY to 61,929 units. This was a 2,369 unit volume growth over 59,560 units shipped in July 2023 while MoM exports saw a decline over 76,297 units exported in June 2024.

Car Exports July 2024  VW Virtus No 1

Volkswagen Virtus has once again claimed a top spot on this list, a position it has held onto both in May and June 2024. With a market share of 10.81%, the Virtus accounted for exports of 6,694 units in the past month, a surge of 130.67% over 2,902 units shipped in July 2023. This was a volume growth of 3,792 units. At No. 2 was the Maruti Fronx. Exports improved by 474.62% YoY to 5,298 units in July 2024 from just 992 units shipped in the same month last year. This related to a noteworthy volume growth of 4,376 units with the Fronx commanding an 8.55% share on this list.

It was followed by the Hyundai Verna with a YoY decline in exports by 8.52%. Exports slipped to 4,673 units in the past month from 5,108 units shipped in July 2023. Exports of the Grand i10, also from the Hyundai stables, however, grew by 2.61% to 4,564 units. While the Maruti Jimny has failed to make its mark in domestic markets, it has been well received globally. Exports surged as much as 5705.13% YoY to 4,528 units in the past month from only 78 units shipped in July 2023. The new five-door version of Jimny is exported to countries across the Middle East, Latin America and Africa regions.

Nissan Sunny exports were up 19.06 % to 4,334 units while Maruti Baleno exports dipped 9.38% YoY to 2,685 units from 2,963 units shipped in July 2023. Hyundai Aura too saw its exports slip last month by 9.38% to 2,685 units. The 5-star GNCAP rated Volkswagen Taigun saw increased global demand last month with 2,546 units shipped, up 21.01% over 2,104 units exported in the same month last year to command a 4.11% market share.

No Car Exports Jul-24 Jul-23 Diff Growth % YoY Share % Jul 24 1 Virtus 6,694 2,902 3,792 130.67 10.81 2 Fronx 5,298 922 4,376 474.62 8.55 3 Verna 4,673 5,108 -435 -8.52 7.55 4 Grand i10 4,564 4,448 116 2.61 7.37 5 Jimny 4,528 78 4,450 5705.13 7.31 6 Sunny 4,334 3,613 721 19.96 7.00 7 Baleno 2,907 3,348 -441 -13.17 4.69 8 Aura 2,685 2,963 -278 -9.38 4.34 9 Taigun 2,546 2,104 442 21.01 4.11 10 Elevate 2,442 0 2,442  3.94 11 Dzire 2,387 2,630 -243 -9.24 3.85 12 HyRyder 2,123 1,152 971 84.29 3.43 13 Spresso 2,056 4,179 -2,123 -50.80 3.32 14 Grand Vitara 1,941 1,548 393 25.39 3.13 15 Ertiga 1,854 1,574 280 17.79 2.99 16 Alcazar 1,346 833 513 61.58 2.17 17 Exter 1,008 0 1,008  1.63 18 Seltos 932 1,088 -156 -14.34 1.50 19 Carens 833 821 12 1.46 1.35 20 Ciaz 830 1,011 -181 -17.90 1.34 21 Sonet 740 4,510 -3,770 -83.59 1.19 22 Eeco 651 699 -48 -6.87 1.05 23 Venue 591 1,176 -585 -49.74 0.95 24 Swift 582 2,939 -2,357 -80.20 0.94 25 Celerio 522 2,595 -2,073 -79.88 0.84 26 C3 Aircross 405 0 405  0.65 27 Meridian 398 277 121 43.68 0.64 28 i20 375 856 -481 -56.19 0.61 29 Xuv700 344 527 -183 -34.72 0.56 30 Creta 308 616 -308 -50.00 0.50 31 City 268 941 -673 -71.52 0.43 32 Alto 211 17 194 1141.18 0.34 33 Kushaq 114 145 -31 -21.38 0.18 34 C3 100 105 -5 -4.76 0.16 35 WagonR 49 36 13 36.11 0.08 36 Kwid 40 445 -405 -91.01 0.06 37 Magnite 39 392 -353 -90.05 0.06 38 Brezza 38 4 34 850.00 0.06 39 XL6 35 72 -37 -51.39 0.06 40 Compass 30 111 -81 -72.97 0.05 41 Scorpio 25 305 -280 -91.80 0.04 42 Kiger 20 1,171 -1,151 -98.29 0.03 43 Triber 18 168 -150 -89.29 0.03 44 Bolero 10 12 -2 -16.67 0.02 45 Trax 10 0 10  0.02 46 Xuv300 8 436 -428 -98.17 0.01 47 Ignis 7 434 -427 -98.39 0.01 48 EC3 4 44 -40 -90.91 0.01 49 Basalt 4 0 4  0.01 50 XUV400 1 0 1  0.00 51 XUV 3XO 1 0 1  0.00 52 Amaze 0 171 -171 -100.00 0.00 53 Kuv100 0 34 -34 -100.00 0.00  Total 61,929 59,560 2,369 3.98 100.00

Elevate exports stood at 2,442 units, significantly lower when compared to 4,108 units shipped in June 2024. It was followed by the Maruti DZire, exports of which also dipped by 9.24% to 2,387 units down from 2,630 units shipped in July 2023. Toyota HyRyder was much in demand with exports up 84.29% YoY to 2,123 units in July 2024. It was followed by two models from Maruti Suzuki with the SPresso posting a 50.80% YoY decline to 2,056 units while exports of the Grand Vitara surged by 25.39% to 1,941 units. Ertiga exports also grew by 17.79% to 1,854 units while Hyundai Alcazar was also much in demand globally with 61.58% YoY improvement to 1,346 units. Hyundai Exter also accounted for 1,008 units in terms of exports.

Sub-1000 Unit Car Exports July 2024

Lower down the export list, most models showed a decline in demand. Kia Seltos exports slipped by 14.34% to 932 units while Carens exports were up marginally to 833 units from 821 units shipped in July 2023. Maruti Ciaz (830 units), Kia Sonet (740 units), Eeco (651 units), Venue (591 units) and Swift (582 units) each accounted for significantly lower exports on a YoY basis while Celerio (522 units) also ended in the red in July 2024.

Citroen C3 Aircross had 405 units exported last month while Jeep Meridian exports improved by 43.68% to 398 units in July 2024. Hyundai i20 (375 units), XUV700 (344 units), Hyundai Creta (308 units) and Honda City (268 units) each saw double digit de-growth in exports in July 2024. Maruti Alto exports surged by 1141.18% YoY to 211 units in July 2024 whereas there had been just 17units shipped in the same month last year. Kushaq (114 units) and C3 (100 units) displayed lower demand globally while WagonR exports were up 36.11% to 49 units last month.

Renault Kwid (40 units) and Nissan Magnite (39 units) showed 91.01% and 90.05% YoY decline in exports respectively. The Maruti Brezza found 38 units exported last month relating to an 850% YoY growth. The export list also had XL6 (35 units), Jeep Compass (30 units), Scorpio (25 units), Kiger (20 units), Triber (18 units) and Bolero (10 units) each showing lower demand globally. There were also 10 units of the Trax shipped last month while XUV300 (8 units), Ignis (7 units), EC3 (4 units) and Basalt (4 units) saw YoY decline in exports with the list also showing off 1 unit each of the XUV400 and XUV3XO shipped last month.
TVS Jupiter, XL and Apache along with the Ntorq together commanded a 67% share of the company portfolio, reaching new heights with improved YoY sales

TVS Motor Company recorded monthly domestic two wheeler sales at 2,53,971 units in July 2024, a growth of 7.97% over 2,35,230 units sold in the month of July 2023. This was a volume growth of 18,741 units. Most models in the company portfolio have shown off a distinctive improvement in YoY sales except for the Raider and Apache 310.

TVS YoY Sales Breakup July 2024

TVS Motor showed off solid performance in July 2024 with a significant improvement in sales. It was the Jupiter that was most in demand with 74,663 units sold reflecting a 12.38% YoY increase when compared to 66,439 units in July 2023. This scooter commanded a 29.40% market share and was also the 2nd best-selling scooter in the country after the Honda Activa. In fact, TVS had three of its models on this list with the Ntorq and iQube, featuring at Nos. 6 and 7 respectively.

TVS XL moped posted a 3.74% YoY improvement in sales to 37,563 units, up from 36,208 units sold in July 2023 while the Apache showed off a 36.76% YoY growth to 30,681 units, a marked improvement over 22,246 units sold in the same month last year. The Apache was also the 5th best-selling motorcycle last month, leading over the Bajaj Platina and Honda Unicorn by significant numbers.

YoY sales of the Ntorq saw a growth of 3.83% to 26,829 units in the past month, up 990 units over 25,839 units sold in July 2023. However, sales of the Raider dipped by 33.48% to 24,547 units, a considerable volume decrease of 12,353 units when compared to 36,900 units sold in July 2023. TVS iQube, the electric scooter, saw outstanding demand in July 2024 with 21,064 units sold. This was a massive 58.30% YoY improvement from 13,306 units sold in the same month last year. The iQube currently commands an 8.29% share in this list.

Sales growth was also recorded for the TVS Sport by 1.39% and the Radeon by 9.13 percent to 12,106 units and 10,510 units respectively while the Zest too showed off a 41.76% YoY growth with 10,343 units sold last month. Star City (3,853 units) and Ronin (1,781 units) logged in 22.47% and 2.24% YoY growth respectively. However, sales of the Apache 310 saw a sharp decline of 91.09% to just 31 units sold last month while there had been 348 units sold in July 2023.

TVS Sales July 2024  MoM Performance

TVS sales performance on a MoM basis was rather lackluster. Sales dipped by 0.69% over 2,55,723 units sold in June 2024 with a large number of models noting lower sales. Jupiter sales improved 3.55% MoM over 72,100 units sold in June 2024 relating to a 2,563 unit volume growth. However, TVS XL saw a sharp decline of 7.02%. Apache sales dipped by 17.44% while Ntorq and Raider sales fell by 3.53% and 17.77% respectively.

With demand for electric two wheelers on the rise, TVS iQube has seen sales improve by 38.49% MoM from 15,210 units sold in June 2024. TVS was also the 2nd best-selling electric two wheeler maker after Ola Electric to command an 18.09% share in this segment.

TVS Sport and Radeon sales were up 4.19% and 2.30% MoM while Zest and Star City sales increased by even larger proportions by 17.82% and 718.05% respectively. TVS Ronin and Apache 310 ended with 1.82% and 86.81% MoM decline.
Illustration photo

The move was made as measles and whooping cough cases in some provinces and cities have increased and are showing complex developments and Ho Chi Minh City declared measles outbreak.

The ministry tasked provincial and municipal health departments to have plans to prevent and control any measles and whooping cough cases nationwide, with particular focus on the vaccination campaign.

Since the beginning of 2024, Viet Nam has reported over 2,000 infections of which Ho Chi Minh City confirmed 525 cases of fever.

The Southern city will launch a campaign to supplement measles vaccination for all children aged 1-5 in the locality, regardless of previous vaccination record.

Statistics from Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control showed that in the past week, the city documented 85 cases of fever accompanied by rash with 20 cases confirmed to be measles.

The Ministry of Health launched the campaign to provide measles vaccines for children nationwide at a hybrid conference on August 22, to mark World Immunization Week 2024.

The ministry targets to provide 1,134,200 doses of vaccine to educational units and medical facilities in districts at risk of measles outbreaks in 18 provinces and cities.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease that can spread rapidly following an incubation period of seven to 21 days.



Medical experts have cautioned the disease can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis, otitis media, keratitis, diarrhoea, and even death.

Measles can only be effectively managed when the community immunity rate reaches 95 percent and each individual has received two doses of the vaccine./.
In a recent interview, Peter Hitjitevi Katjavivi, Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia, highlighted the deep-rooted and enduring relationship between Namibia and China, which dates back to the period before Namibia's independence. Katjavivi emphasized China's significant role as a partner in Namibia's struggle for freedom and independence, recalling his personal visits to China during that era.

Over the past 30 years, the diplomatic ties between the two nations have only strengthened. Katjavivi expressed confidence in the continued growth of this relationship, underscoring the shared vision between Namibia and China on various global challenges. He noted that both countries share common interests, rights, and responsibilities in international affairs, which he believes will enable them to jointly tackle key global issues.

Reflecting on historical moments, Katjavivi also recounted his presence at the United Nations General Assembly when China reclaimed its rightful seat, describing it as a moment of international solidarity. He emphasized the importance of utilizing collective influence for the betterment of humanity, particularly through the contributions of developing countries in international discussions. Katjavivis remarks underscore the strong and evolving partnership between Namibia and China, with both nations committed to working together for mutual benefits on the global stage.

Editor: WXY
Paleontologists have added another species to the Cretaceous-period dinosaur fauna of Europe, and this one was found in Normandy, France.

Caletodraco cottardi lived in what is now France durign the Cenomanian age of the Early Cretaceous epoch, some 100 million years ago.

The ancient species was a member of Furileusauria, a subgroup of derived abelisaurid dinosaurs (medium- to large-sized bipedal predators that were predominant in the carnivorous fauna during the Late Cretaceous of the ancient southern supercontinent Gondwana) previously known only from South America.

When the family Abelisauridae was erected in 1985, it included the single species Abelisaurus comahuensis, a large carnivorous dinosaur from the Campanian of Patagonia, said Dr. Eric Buffetaut from PSL Research University and his colleagues.

It has since become apparent that the Abelisauridae actually constitute a major radiation of neoceratosaurian theropods that played an important part in the Cretaceous continental ecosystems of South America, Africa, the Indian subcontinent and Madagascar.

Although the Abelisauridae have a mainly Gondwanan distribution, an abelisaurid was reported from the Late Cretaceous of southern France as early as 1988, and they are now known from Cretaceous localities in several European countries, including France, Spain, Hungary and the Netherlands.

Two blocks containing the fossilized bones and teeth of Caletodraco cottardi were unearthed the paleotnologist Nicolas Cottard at the foot of the sea cliffs at Saint-Jouin-Bruneval on the coast of the Pays de Caux, in the department of Seine-Maritime, Normandy, north-western France.

The glauconitic chalk of the Pays de Caux is a marine deposit, as indicated in the present case by a shark tooth present in the matrix, close to one of the bones in the anterior block, the paleontologists said.

The nearest land area  where the dinosaur described below probably lived  must have been the Armorican Massif, about 100 km to the south-west.

The dinosaur specimen must somehow have been carried out to sea, possibly by a stream, after which it must have floated over a fairly long distance until it sank to the bottom.

Occurrences of dinosaur remains in marine deposits are rather frequent, although this seems to be the first record from the Late Cretaceous Chalk of the Pays de Caux, where the only relatively common vertebrate fossils are fish teeth.

The presence of the furileusaurian abelisaurid Caletodraco cottardi in the Cenomanian of Normandy suggests that the history of the Abelisauridae in Europe was more complex than previosuly thought.

The discovery of Caletodraco cottardi shows that dinosaur remains, although exceedingly rare, do occur in the Chalk of the Anglo-Paris basin and that a careful search for fossil vertebrates in these marine formations can yield surprising and important results, the researchers said.

The new species leads to a reassessment of the fossil record of abelisaurids in Europe, showing that, contrary to what could previously be assumed, majungasaurines were not the only abelisaurid subgroup present in that geographical area, since Caletodraco cottardi apparently belongs to the Furileusauria, a highly derived clade of Abelisauridae.

Caletodraco cottardi is one of the earliest known Furileusauria and its occurrence in Europe leads to reconsider the biogeographical history of this group of theropods, hitherto known from South America.

A paper on the findings was published online in the journal Fossil Studies.

_____

Eric Buffetaut et al. 2024. Caletodraco cottardi: A New Furileusaurian Abelisaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Cenomanian Chalk of Normandy (North-Western France). Foss. Stud 2 (3): 177-195; doi: 10.3390/fossils2030009
In a recent interview, Manzoor Nadir, Speaker of the National Assembly in Guyana, shared his reflections on Chinese President Xi Jinping's speech during the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of China's National People's Congress's (NPC) affiliation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) , emphasizing the alignment between their visions. Nadir noted that President Xi's call for a common vision, applicable solutions, and the upliftment of all humanity resonated deeply with his own remarks made just days earlier. He highlighted the necessity of placing people at the center of global efforts, regardless of origin, and commended the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the NPC for underscoring the importance of respecting cultural differences and various forms of democracy while advocating for peaceful coexistence.

Nadir further reflected on Guyana's longstanding relationship with China, particularly in the context of economic assistance. He praised China's approach, which has been supportive rather than directive, helping Guyana implement its solutions through the provision of resources. This cooperative relationship, he noted, has persisted across different governments in Guyana, demonstrating the deep and enduring ties between the two nations. Additionally, Nadir expressed gratitude for China's significant contributions to Guyana's healthcare sector, highlighting the decades-long presence of Chinese medical brigades providing advanced services to the Guyanese people.

Addressing criticisms of the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI), Nadir dismissed claims that it represents a new form of colonization in Africa and the Global South. He argued that participation in such initiatives is a choice, not an imposition, and that history teaches valuable lessons about the benefits of cooperation. Drawing parallels to the historical Silk Road, Nadir emphasized that initiatives like the BRI should be welcomed for their potential to benefit humanity. He concluded by reaffirming that Guyana and the Caribbean view their cooperation with China and other developing nations as a partnership that supports mutual growth and development.

Editor: WRX
KINSHASA, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has resulted in more than 17,801 suspected cases, including 610 deaths, DRC Health Minister Roger Kamba said Tuesday.

The minister urged the population to adhere to protective measures, especially with the upcoming school year in early September, and to get vaccinated as soon as vaccines become available.

Suspected cases are being reported in conflict-affected provinces that host the majority of the country's 7.3 million internally displaced people, which risks "worsening an already untenable situation for a population devastated by decades of conflict," said a statement released Tuesday by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

On Monday, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a Global Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan for mpox to end human-to-human transmission of smallpox through coordinated efforts at global, regional, and national levels.

"The mpox outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighbouring countries can be controlled, and can be stopped," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Editor: Zhang Zhou
Food-and-wine

Spotlight

How one of the oldest SF restaurants has 'lasted the test of time'

Craig Lee/The Examiner In 1967, Tadich Grill moved into its current location at 240 California St. in the Financial District following a tenure on Clay Street that dated back to the 1840s.

The owners and staff of Tadich Grill say the 175-year-history of the venerated San Francisco eatery is a badge of honor they all carry into the culinary institutions future.

The grill, which is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year, traces its roots back to a humble Croatian coffee stand on Clay Street in 1849. Tadich moved into its 240 California St. location in the Financial District in 1967. A mix of patrons have frequented the spot in the years since then, watching white-jacketed bartenders shake martinis behind an 80-foot bar while listening in on other guests chatter emanating from the wood-paneled booths dotting the wall.

Its a great place to work, Jose Paredes, Tadich Grills general manager, told The Examiner. Maybe if Im lucky, I can retire here. Thats my plan.

Paredes said he has worked for Tadich Grill since 2000 and been general manager for almost five. Since taking over, he said, hes rarely had time to take a vacation  but the workload is no problem for him.

You work long hours but its worth it just because I love it, he said. I know a lot of customers. I call them by names, or sometimes by faces and stuff like that, so its very fun to have these people know you and you know them.

Paredes said that his serving days were filled with a steady stream of regulars, and a handful of famous faces. He recalled waiting on San Francisco 49ers legend Joe Montana, as well as the bands U2 and Huey Lewis and the News.

We have all types of people here in San Francisco, Paredes said. You get regulars that Ive been waiting on in the past still coming, and attorneys  all types of people.

Brian Stroul, a server at Tadich Grill, said that he tries to give patrons a pleasant experience that makes dining enjoyable for them.

Its not just serving food and drinks, he said. Its also the personality you bring to the table thats important to me.

Stroul said he has been working in the restaurant industry for 45 years. He began working for Tadich Grill about two years ago, having been drawn to the spot in part due to its history dating back to the earliest days of San Franciscos incorporation as a city.

I got the opportunity and took it, and its a wonderful place to work, it really is, he said. Its old school. Its tradition and the food is fabulous, it really is. The staff is pretty cool, too.

Strouls previous jobs included working as an operations manager at Wayfare Tavern for six years, serving at the Mandarin in Ghirardelli Square and the Washington Square Bar and Grill, which he described as another traditional restaurant in the vein of Tadich Grill.

This ones lasted the test of time, I guess, is the correct adage for that, he said.

Stroul said that upon joining the staff, he was blown away by the quality of food that the kitchen makes and the amount of food that the team churns out on a daily basis. He also praised the cheap drinks, noting that bloody marys go for $10 and martinis are priced at $12.

The prices are reasonable, Stroul told The Examiner. That surprised me in this day and age, with prices skyrocketing and what have you.

Craig Lee/The Examiner Tadich Grills neon sign has been welcoming customers to its 240 California St. location since the restaurant moved there in 1967.

Executive chef Adriano De La Rosa said that before the COVID-19 pandemic, Tadich Grill would serve anywhere from 600 to 700 entrees per day. After dipping to 40% of those levels during the pandemic, the restaurant is now hovering between 70% and 80% of pre-pandemic business, according to the executive chef.

Were still good, De La Rosa, who has been working for Tadich Grill since 2000, said. Were hanging in there.

De La Rosa said he came to the restaurant as a sous chef and was promoted to his current position in 2019.

We have regular customers that keep coming back, said De La Rosa, who plans to retire at the end of the year. They like the food. They like the atmosphere.

He told The Examiner that working at Tadich Grill and ending his career at the institution are points of pride.

Thats a big thing to me, he said. This place is a good place to work.

Tadich Grills seafood cioppino, a smorgasbord of shellfish and seafood, is a personal favorite of De La Rosa. He said that the restaurant typically sells 50 to 60 such dishes per day, which involves bathing prawns, crab meat, scallops, whitefish, mussels and clams in a tomato broth with a side of garlic bread. He attributes the meals popularity to the kitchen crew making it fresh in the restaurant on a daily basis.

A lot of people will come here just for that, De La Rosa said. People like it, especially in the wintertime.

Tadich Grills other popular offerings include petrale sole, which De La Rosa described as a nice, tender whitefish, that is either pan-fried or charcoal-broiled, as well as Dungeness crab and prawns a la Monza, which involves baking crabs and prawns with mushrooms, vegetables and a paprika sauce on top.

De La Rosa said that the seafood for these dishes is usually locally sourced either from Half Moon Bay or Monterey Bay, further adding to a flavor profile that he said is hard to come by elsewhere in the country.

Having been part of Tadich Grills 175th anniversary celebration earlier this year, Stroul said he looks forward to continuing to make guests feel better when they leave than when they first came in.

That ethos is shared by Paredes, who said that seeing customers as few times as twice a week creates a relationship where they feel like family.

I treat [the guests] like family, like they were in my house, Paredes said.
Photo taken with a mobile phone shows the Sub-Saharan College damaged in an artillery attack in El Fasher, North Darfur State, western Sudan, on Aug. 26, 2024. At least 25 people were killed and 30 others injured in an artillery attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Monday in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State in western Sudan, a local official said on Tuesday. (North Darfur State's Health Ministry/Handout via Xinhua)

KHARTOUM, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- At least 25 people were killed and 30 others injured in an artillery attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Monday in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State in western Sudan, a local official said on Tuesday.

"The RSF targeted the Abu Shouk camp market with four shells yesterday (Monday), leaving 25 people dead and about 30 others injured," Ibrahim Khatir, the health chief of North Darfur State, told Xinhua.

The injured have been taken to health centers in the Abu Shouk area, the Saudi Hospital, and the army's medical corps hospital for treatment, Khatir added.

The resistance committee in El Fasher, a non-governmental group, said in a statement on its Facebook page on Tuesday that the RSF on Monday bombarded the private Sub-Saharan College in El Fasher, destroying its main hall, laboratory, morgue, and other buildings.

The RSF has not yet issued any comment regarding the incidents.

Since May 10, fierce clashes have been raging in El Fasher between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF.

Sudan has been witnessing a deadly conflict between the SAF and the RSF since April 15, 2023, 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.

Photo taken with a mobile phone shows a police station damaged in an artillery attack in El Fasher, North Darfur State, western Sudan, on Aug. 26, 2024. At least 25 people were killed and 30 others injured in an artillery attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Monday in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State in western Sudan, a local official said on Tuesday. (North Darfur State's Health Ministry/Handout via Xinhua)

Editor: Zhang Zhou
Investors' focus on Thursday would be on the latest quarterly results out of US semiconductor manufacturer Nvidia.

In a research note published the day before, analysts at Bank of America had told clients that investors might be underpricing the risk of disappointment from the company.

For many investors, Nvidia was a bellwether for corporate investment in artificial intelligence, expectations for which had driven what some appeared concerned had been outsized gains in the so-called 'Magnificent 7' year-to-date.

As well, over recent weeks some reports had also hinted at potential new delays in shipments of Nvidia's new Blackwell chips.

Yet BofA believed that "we're in the early innings of an AI arms race, confirmed by hyperscalers* in their 2Q earnings. Collectively, they spent $52B in 2Q, +54% YoY (vs. +30% in 1Q), marking the first quarter of a multi-year AI investment cycle."

Nvidia was scheduled to reports its earnings after the close of markets in New York on Wednesday.

Against that backdrop, German and Spanish harmonised consumer price figures for August were due out at 0700 BST and 1200 BST, respectively.

At 0900 BST the European Commission would publish its economic sentiment index for the euro area covering that same month.

Revised figures for second quarter US gross domestic product were scheduled for release at 1230 BST.

Investors would also be keeping tabs on the results of the US Treasury's auction of seven-year debt at 1700 BST.

There were no major UK economic reports on the economic calendar for Thursday.

Thursday 29 August

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INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Business Climate Indicator (EU) (10:00)

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Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Economic Sentiment Indicator (EU) (10:00)

Gross Domestic Product (US) (13:30)

Industrial Confidence (EU) (10:00)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

Pending Homes Sales (US) (15:00)

Personal Consumption Expenditures (US) (13:30)

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Auto Trader Group , Brickability Group , Diageo, Dr. Martens , Henderson Smaller Companies Inv Trust, Knights Group Holdings , Northern Bear, PayPoint, Zigup
Katelyn Cortez is the new owner of Twice Told Tales, a new and used bookstore in McPherson, Kan., that was put up for sale last month. Co-owners Libby and Ryan Monaghan made the announcement in a social media post, noting that after six years running the store, they are passing the torch to a new book-loving family:

"Katelyn is excited to carry on the name Twice Told Tales and has big plans for the shop. She can't wait to meet all of you, our wonderful customers, and continue providing a safe, welcoming space for all kinds of people to discover new and used books and all kinds of other goodies."

Libby Monaghan's last shift at the store will be August 24. After that, there will be a brief pause to do some behind-the-scenes work to facilitate a smooth transition, with a reopening date set for September 7, when "well be throwing an epic party to celebrate this new chapter (as well as Twice Told Tales' 9th Birthday)! Stay tuned for more details, and get ready for a season of fresh beginnings and endless stories," the post noted.

In July, while announcing that the bookshop was being put on the market, she had posted: "As many of you know, ever since I took over ownership of Twice Told Tales back in 2018, I have never seen this space as 'my' store, but more of Our Community's store. I just so happened to be the one tasked with minding the shop for the time being. I am looking to pass the torch to the next lucky person and I'm so curious to find out who it's going to be."
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.

Editor: Zhang Zhou
Poet and author Hettie Jones, who with her husband, LeRoi Jones (who later became the poet and playwright Amiri Baraka), "made her household a hub for Beat writers and other artists--but who was often described as a footnote in the rise of her famous spouse as 'the white wife' he disavowed,' " died August 13, the New York Times reported. She was 90.

The author of 20 books, many of them works for children and young adults that focused on Black and Native American themes, her works include Big Star Fallin' Mama: Five Women in Black Music (1974); poetry collections Drive (1997), All Told (2003), and Doing 70 (2007). She also co-authored No Woman No Cry: My Life with Bob Marley, a memoir for Rita Marley, widow of Bob Marley.

After dropping out of graduate school at Columbia University to work at the Record Changer, a jazz magazine, she met the young poet LeRoi Jones and they fell in love. In 1958, they started a literary magazine called Yugen--a Japanese word that, the table of contents noted, translated to "elegance, beauty, grace, transcendence of these things, and also nothing at all." Beat heroes like Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Corso, Diane di Prima, and Jack Kerouac were among the contributors, along with Frank O'Hara and Robert Creeley.

They also launched Totem Press to publish books of poetry by new writers when they were both 23. In her 1990 memoir, How I Became Hettie Jones, she wrote: "I thought there'd be no stopping us." Their apartment was a hub and sanctuary for artist friends, who often stayed with them for months at a time or gathered to help put together issues of the magazine.

In the early 1960s, however, as LeRoi Jones's fame increased and as his affairs multiplied, the marriage suffered. "He was also undergoing an ideological transition, caught up in the Black nationalist movement and its often harsh identity politics," the Times wrote. "A few months after Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965, he left Ms. Jones and their two young daughters for Harlem; he later moved to Newark, where he became Amiri Baraka, married the Black poet Sylvia Robinson and disavowed his former life."

"Hettie and LeRoi seemed to be so perfectly attuned to one another," said author Joyce Johnson, whose memoir Minor Characters (1983) includes a scene in which she and Hettie Jones came of age. "Another woman would have been bitter, but she came to an understanding of why he left. She was remarkable. The last time we spoke about it, Hettie said, 'Well, it was a necessary consolidation of identity.' She was referring not only to LeRoi's abandonment of her, but of the integrated arts scene they had been a part of, which had looked so hopeful for a time."

"Her default setting was joy," Lisa Jones Brown, her daughter, said. "She was the patron saint of lost children of all persuasions. Our favorite nickname for her was 'Mother of the Masses.' "

Hettie Jones worked as an editor at Partisan Review, and later for a several publishers. She taught writing at New York University, the New School, Hunter College, and other institutions; and ran a writing workshop at the New York State Correctional Facility for Women at Bedford Hills.

"Her poems are playful," the poet Bob Holman, founder of the Bowery Poetry Club, said in an interview. "She's not afraid of rhyme, she's not afraid of direct address--for Hettie, poetry was just another way of talking to people."
Binding Agents, a culinary bookstore featuring cookbooks and food-related literature for all ages, is coming to Philadelphia, Pa., this fall, and owner Catie Gainor has launched an Indiegogo campaign in advance of the store's opening.

The campaign has a fundraising goal of $30,000, which Gainor will put to use primarily filling out the bookstore's opening inventory. So far, Gainor has raised just shy of $16,500 and has roughly three weeks to go. The campaign's backer perks include stickers, store-branded merchandise, a meal plan custom made by Gainor, and the opportunity to curate a window display once the shop opens.

Binding Agents is located at 908 Christian St., in Philadelphia's 9th St. Italian Market, which Gainor described as "South Philly's culinary epicenter." Gainor has purchased the building and invested extensively in modernizing and renovating it; she plans to be there "for the long haul."

Alongside cookbooks, there will be culinary memoirs and food-related fiction for children and adults, as well as gifts, utensils, and cookware. Gainor plans to host cookbook clubs and other events that help connect customers with "cooks, authors, and the likeminded people who are and love both."

Prior to founding Binding Agents, Gainor worked in hospitality, retail, event production, the arts, and PR/communications, and she described herself as an enthusiastic home cook and avid reader. Like many lifelong readers, she said, "I'd imagined having my own bookstore on and off since I was a kid. I never took the idea seriously until the thought of a shop with a culinary focus a couple years ago."

Gainor realized it was something she wanted in her city after visiting and following other cookbook shops around the country. It immediately felt "like something Philly, an amazing food town at the height of its powers, needs." Gainor remarked that the city has been without a dedicated cookbook store since 2017, when the Cook Book Stall in Reading Terminal Market closed. She added that in many ways the shop is also a tribute to her mother, who passed away in 2021 and was a "consummate hostess and great cook."

In advance of the store's October opening, Gainor held a preview event over the weekend during the Philly Bookstore Crawl. The event featured snacks, drinks, and bingo cards to be used when the bookstore fully opens. Customers will be able to submit each bingo they get for a chance to win prizes and discounts.
Babeksingh Khalsa, Vice President of Sales for Africa at Panamax Inc., was honored with the prestigious Banktech Innovator of the Year award at the 15th Edition Connected Banking Summit - Innovation & Excellence Awards 2024, held on August 14th at the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel.

With over 25 years of experience in the industry, Babeksingh has been a transformative force in digital financial solutions across Africa. His leadership and strategic vision have driven significant advancements in the financial sector, making him a standout figure in the fintech landscape.

At Panamax Inc., Babeksingh has spearheaded initiatives that bridge financial gaps and enhance access to digital services across the continent. His commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies to address the unique challenges faced by African markets has earned him this well-deserved recognition.

The Connected Banking Summit Ethiopia 2024 brought together industry leaders, innovators, and visionaries. Babeksinghs award underscores his pivotal role in shaping the future of banking in Africa. His efforts continue to empower economic growth and advance digital transformation, reinforcing Panamax Inc.s position as a leader in the fintech industry.

Congratulations to Babeksingh Khalsa on this outstanding achievement! His dedication and innovative spirit are driving the future of financial services and inspiring positive change throughout Africa.

For more updates and information, visit our website: https://connected-banking.com/summit/ethiopia/
The Second Annual STEM Education Conference will take place on September 17-18, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Hosted by IBEForuM, this premier event brings together educators, industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to explore the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education.

This years conference, a pivotal part of Saudi Arabias efforts to align with Vision 2030, will emphasize innovation and excellence in education. The event will feature keynote addresses from influential leaders, interactive workshops, and dynamic panel discussions designed to empower educators, institutions, and organizations to adapt to the rapidly changing global educational landscape.

Key highlights of the conference include:

Influential Keynote Speakers: Leading voices from academia, industry, and government will present visionary ideas on the future of STEM education and its role in building the workforce of tomorrow.

Leading voices from academia, industry, and government will present visionary ideas on the future of STEM education and its role in building the workforce of tomorrow. Interactive Workshops: Hands-on sessions offering participants practical tools and strategies for innovating and enhancing STEM teaching methods.

Hands-on sessions offering participants practical tools and strategies for innovating and enhancing STEM teaching methods. Panel Discussions: Lively debates that tackle the critical challenges in STEM education, including curriculum development, technological integration, and promoting access and equity for all students.

Lively debates that tackle the critical challenges in STEM education, including curriculum development, technological integration, and promoting access and equity for all students. Exhibiting & Networking Opportunities: Attendees will have the chance to network with key stakeholders from across the STEM ecosystem, fostering collaboration and partnerships. Additionally, an exhibition area will allow participants to explore and showcase cutting-edge technology, educational tools, and resources that support the future of STEM learning.

"Inspired and in awe sharing the room with esteemed visionaries today. Together, were forging impactful partnerships with governments, schools, and non-profits. Special thanks to IBEForuM for this exceptional conference, tailored to our collective needs and ambitions. Not every day a kid like me gets to showcase their company Drone Cadets on the global stage. Honoured to present in Saudi Arabia alongside world-renowned giants like ARAMCO, NEOM, Visa, and Boeing at the IBEForuM STEM Conference in Saudi Arabia." said, Henze Gustave, Chief Metaverse Officer, Drone Cadets at the 1st Edition of Saudi STEM Education Conference, 2023.

The Second Annual STEM Education Conference is expected to attract a diverse range of attendees, including educators, government officials, and industry professionals. Attendees will also have the opportunity to explore an exhibition area featuring cutting-edge technology, educational tools, and resources that support the future of STEM learning.

Early registration is encouraged as the event is poised to be a landmark in Saudi Arabia's education sector. For more information and to register, please visit https://www.saudistem.com/.
ZF Group, a German technology manufacturing firm, plans to invest INR 2 billion (Rs 18,750 crore) by 2030 to enhance its material sourcing from India. This expansion will support both its local and global operations across passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and industrial technology, including wind power. Presently, the company spends INR 600 million on sourcing materials from India.

"India's economy is doing well. And with the good government policies, we see high growth coming in", said Akash Passey, president, ZF Group India, adding that the company has set a sales target of INR 3 billion by 2030. ZF India ended FY24 with a revenue of INR 10,000 crore. The company serves the passenger car and commercial vehicles segments, and also other market segments such as construction and agricultural machinery, wind power, marine propulsion, rail drives, and test systems.

ZF Group operates 18 manufacturing facilities and 10 engineering centers in India, employing over 16,000 people. Regarding sales distribution, Europe accounts for 44%, North America 28%, Asia Pacific 24%, South America 3%, and Africa 1%. The companys revenue comes from three primary segments: 74% from cars and light commercial vehicles, 18% from commercial vehicles, and 8% from industrial sectors, including wind energy.

The group's arm, ZF Wind Power is India's largest supplier of wind turbine gearboxes. Its factory in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, is the largest plant for wind gearbox production in the world, outside China. ZF Wind Power Coimbatore became the first plant in India to roll out 50 gigawatts of wind gearboxes since inception. ZF has globally produced 200 GW of wind gearboxes so far, with 50 GW or 25% being manufactured in Coimbatore.

ZF Wind Power plans to invest INR 50 million to increase the capacity of its Coimbatore facility from the current 9 GW to 12 GW by 2025. The company has already invested INR 230 million in this plant. "This facility primarily focuses on exports, particularly to the US, where market growth is driving the expansion. This is why we are now investing in increasing capacity from 9 to 12 GW. We are fully booked", stated Felix Henseler, CEO of ZF Wind Power.

"We have, in the economics of India, too less scrap. So, therefore, to produce our castings, we need scrap. And if you need to import scrap, it is very expensive", Henseler said, adding that energy costs are higher in India than in China. The company exports 80% of its production from the Coimbatore plant. The plant also serves as a service centre for the company with a capacity of up to 3 MW. The company is planning to increase the capacity in the near future.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Schools Chancellor David C. Banks announced Tuesday that all New York City Public School (NYCPS) nurses will participate in a new standardized suicide-prevention training course.

School nurses play a critical role in suicide prevention and are often the first point of contact for students experiencing mental health issues or emotional distress, Banks said in the announcement.

In New York state, youth suicide rates have recently reached at 20-year high, according to a report announced in 2023 by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Recently, Borough President Vito Fossella, government health officials, school leaders and local partners in health care unveiled a Behavioral Health Blueprint plan to help identify Staten Island children in need of support.

The nurses training stems from a partnership between the city Department of Health, and The Jed Foundation (JED), a nonprofit that focuses on preventing suicide in teens and young adults through awareness and education, and the city Office of School Health. The initiatitive will focus on developing a new standardized suicide prevention training course for those public school nurses working across more than 1,800 pre-K12 schools in all five boroughs.

The nurses, who support 1.1 million students in the nations largest school district, will complete JEDs 90-minute, eight-module online course, titled Suicide Prevention for School Nurses, by the end of October, according to the announcement.

Launched in June after pilot testing with 30 NYCPS nurses, the course uses scenario-based learning and the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions tool to enhance nurses abilities to identify, screen and refer students at risk for suicide.

To date, at least 375 nurses have completed the course, with ratings on ability to identify warning signs and risk factors of suicide increasing by three points on average (on a 10-point scale) post-training, the announcement said.

Participants have also learned about common mental health challenges, signs of distress, when to mobilize a crisis team, tips for managing emotional carryover and burnout, and more.

The 2023 NYC Teen Mental Health Survey from the Health Department found that 48% of teens experience depressive symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Nearly one in four NYC teens (24%) said that sometime in the past 12 months they needed or wanted mental health care but did not get it.

Our administration continues to remain laser focused on addressing the crisis of youth mental health, said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Todays announcement, in partnership with The Jed Foundation, to train approximately 1,500 school nurses in suicide prevention brings us one step closer to meeting our students where they are and supporting their mental health needs at every turn.

Whether it is filing a lawsuit to hold social media companies accountable, launching TeenSpace  a free tele-mental health service that has already supported over 1,800 youth in seeking help from licensed professionals  or providing more services directly in schools, we will do everything we can to ensure our future leaders have the support they need to thrive emotionally, mentally, and physically.

School nurses are champions of students well-being, said Banks, and they must be equipped to jump into action and help any student calling out for it.

Im so proud to be partnering with JED to bring this training to school nurses across the city as we continue the critical work of supporting the mental health of our students,' Banks said.

Mental health is health, said Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan, and nurses need as many tools as possible to work with children in our schools. This training will help them develop their abilities to recognize distress and step in, as a trusted adult, if they see a student who is hurting,' he said.

The new initiative is one of the ways New York City Public Schools provides mental health supports to students. Young people can also find support via social workers, mental health clinics and partnerships with more than 130 external community-based mental health providers offering services in more than 590 schools.
Media giant Nine has capped off a turbulent 12 months with a 31 per cent drop in profitability, but chief executive Mike Sneesby says its television division is reaching the point where digital growth can more than offset structural broadcast declines.

In a weakened advertising market, revenue from Nines total television division, which includes its free-to-air broadcast Nine Network and broadcast video-on-demand service 9Now, fell by $119 million, or 10 per cent, compared with 2023.

Nine chief executive Mike Sneesby. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

We expect, notwithstanding the cycle were going through and are in at the moment, that our total TV revenues are reaching an inflection point, Sneesby said after the result.

In other words, were at a point where we expect over the long term that the growth in BVOD [broadcast video on demand] revenues can more than offset structural declines in free-to-air television.
Manly Cove is one of the worst hotspots for microplastic pollution in Australia, and the tiny particles are widespread throughout Sydney Harbour because of urban stormwater run-off.

Marine scientist Dr Michelle Blewitt, the program director of Australian Microplastic Assessment Project (Ausmap), said Sydney Harbour was unfortunately filled with microplastics from consumer litter, industrial waste, and run-off from synthetic playing fields.

Dr Natasha Franklin, science officer at Ausmap, counting microplastics at Manly Cove. Credit: James Brickwood

The coastal beaches tend to be relatively clear  but around our estuaries and our wetlands there tend to be higher loads because a lot of that micro debris comes down our stormwater network, Blewitt said. If your pen falls out of your bag and gets run over by a car, it becomes automatic microplastic.

Microplastic is defined as plastic particles less than five millimetres, and Ausmap focuses on fragments in the 1-5 millimetre range. Or as Dr Scott Wilson from Macquarie University, who developed Ausmaps scientific program, puts it: Its about the size of a grain of rice.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size This story is part of the August 31 edition of Good Weekend. See all 11 stories . As years go by as a dog owner, you hone and craft your answers to the most frequent comments and questions. In my time with Reuben and Archer, when someone said, Beautiful dogs, Id reply, Thanks, theyve ruined my life. If the person was taken aback, I would prove I was joking with a follow-up. In the best possible way, of course! Wed laugh and continue walking. When people asked what breeds Reuben and Archer were, I would often point to Archer and say, Well, that ones probably a lab-greyhound cross. Then Id wave at Reuben. And hes at least eight different dogs, I reckon  all of them cranky. If I was in a particular mood, Id form a composite answer. Theyre a special kind of breed, Id say, designed to destroy your life. But again, Id be smiling, half-laughter. Loves not always kind. The more I think about Reuben now, all these years later, after his life and epic death, Im sure he was many and varied percentages of six main possible prototypes: great dane and mastiff. Wolfhound and German shepherd. Greyhound and possibly werewolf. He made noises like Chewbacca. I remember one afternoon in the valley of Centennial Park, near our home in Sydney. There was a mother and her young daughter  a little blonde girl in school uniform. They couldnt get their German pointer back. Reuben was doing what he always did, rousting with other dogs, but never straying too far. He ran with the German pointer, and as the mother and daughter kept calling her, growing more frustrated, I whistled for Reuben to come, and when the pointer followed, I grabbed her. I returned her and they were incredibly grateful. Next day, things were different.

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When a dog gets all talkative near another dogs throat, it doesnt help when he looks like Reuben. The pair were in the park again, and Reuben and the pointer were chasing each other. Reuben started up some noise  one of his more casual versions of Chewbacca. In terms of its menace-metre, it was probably around mid-range, somewhere between a calm conversation in Wookie with Han Solo and his strangling of Lando Calrissian. Hey, your dogs being vicious! called the woman. You have to do something about him! You remember me, dont you? I wondered. I called and Reuben came. Then I apologised, quietly seething. This is what I get for helping you yesterday. Im sorry he got a bit noisy, I said, and we walked up into the forest. I guess its hard to know the difference sometimes between a vicious dog and a vocal one, and I realise it never sounds good. When a dog gets all talkative near another dogs throat, it doesnt help when he looks like Reuben. When we left, he sauntered beside me, like the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood. What tall and rugged ears he had. What a galactic, terrorising growl! He blended into the shade. His teeth showed when he smiled.

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Markus Zusak with Archer and Reuben. Even the painful moments with his dogs were gifts that just keep giving, says the writer. Credit: Courtesy of Markus Zusak Fast forward to the following summer, and really, theres no non-humiliating way to put this: in January of 2011, Reuben knocked me out in the park. He busted my knee. I was knocked out cold. Even to this day, all these years later, I love Reuben and miss the hell out of him  but honestly, what a prick. As background, one of the nicer things about writing books, between the doubts, the fears and non-completions, is that you learn what your obsessions are, both the obvious and the hidden. There are certain threads that appear in almost everything Ive written. Running and training. Colours and sky. Stories within stories.

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And animals  and by animals, I mostly mean dogs. Look at my first three book titles: The Underdog, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, When Dogs Cry. Across almost everything Ive published, there have been dogs, both central or as cameos. Ive had a coffee-drinking dog called the Doorman in The Messenger. (One of my favourite characters Ive written, the fact that I was poisoning him with caffeine notwithstanding.) There was the Pomeranian heart attack victim named Miffy in the Wolfe trilogy. Then Rosy the border collie, who rounds up the clothes line in Bridge of Clay. Loading Perfectly enough, its only The Book Thief that doesnt have a dog  just the brief appearance of a bent-whiskered cat, modelled on Brutus, one of our cats. That aside, dogs have been an essential part of my writing personality. Ive rendered them with care and devotion, Ive written them with love and joy, which brings us to the necessary question. What does that owe me in life? The answer, of course, is nothing. Previous to having my own dogs, Id always conjured up images of optimism  of dogs who lived only for loyalty. Dogs who followed me everywhere. Dogs who were great and golden. And Ive received that, I really have, but its not the entire picture. As it stands now, the gifts have been far greater, because perfect dogs, identical to perfect lives, are pretty dull. Do you want your dog to be uncultured, unkempt, uncivilised? Of course not. Do you want him to roll in human waste in those haunted bushes in the park? No way on this planet, believe me  Ive scrubbed those necks and collars.

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And of course, the moment Ive been leading to: do we want our nearly 40-kilo, fit, formidable mongrel of a dog to come crashing into us from the side, while were holding our six-month-old child? Answering that one is pointless. Reubens head was more lethal than kryptonite; I went down, hit the ground, knocked out. The morning it happened was cloudy. When accidents happen, I have a tendency, probably like most people, to wonder if things might have gone differently if I hadnt made one small decision. On that morning, just before six oclock, I made two. First, I had coffee before I took Reuben out, whereas normally Id wait till we returned. Second, whenever I took our son Noah with me, which was rare, I carried him on my right arm, walking Reuben on-lead with the left. Then Id let him off in the park. (We never had problems bringing Noah along, and carrying him was easier than pushing the pram, dealing with the grass, the tree roots, the rocks.) This time, though, Id finally figured out how to work the BabyBjorn carrier, and Noah was strapped to my chest. That dog was born for stories, says Zusak of Reuben. Credit: Courtesy of Markus Zusak Maybe if I hadnt made either of those decisions, Id have made it through that morning conscious. Around quarter past six, we walked down to the valley of dogs, maybe 50 metres from the monument. There was a handful of people and their charges. I was talking to a woman named Valerie, who was also talking to Noah. Usually, I kept a good eye on Reuben, but that morning I was distracted.

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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 The decision by federal Education Minister Jason Clare to severely cut the number of foreign students studying in Australian universities is concerning (Foreign student cap a blow for unis, August 28). Concerning because universities are already struggling to carry on educating to the highest level those who could make significant contributions to caring for this planet and its people. Concerning, because the best foreign students should not be denied access to the best of Australias universities and be relegated to smaller and regional universities. Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin (ACT) It is a sad situation when education policy is influenced by immigration and politics rather than the health and needs of the education system. Credit: Louie Douvos The emotive argument put forward that students are no longer made to feel welcome is misleading. A correction of the failing Coalition model for tertiary education is needed, that being that our institutions can be bankrolled by overseas students. It is not sustainable. The federal government should reinstate funding to account for the loss of foreign student revenue. Anthony Connolly, Beacon Hill Universities claim their foreign student industry contributes $48billion to the economy. Respected economists have pointed out this overestimates the true contribution hugely. It should be closer to $20b because students who stay longer than a year and work locally should not be classified as providing export income through their spending. That spending should be treated the same as spending by a resident, as it is locally earned. By all means, debate the benefits, but use defensible data. Ronald Watts, Newcastle It is a sad situation when education policy is influenced by immigration and politics rather than the health and needs of the education system. Repeated studies have confirmed that overseas students have minimal effect on rental availability but rather, issues with supply and short-term rentals are the source of the crisis. This decision is about next years election and will lead to reduced local tertiary places, scholarships and courses, and is a retrograde step that is both cynical and media driven. Government funding has been greatly reduced over the years and forced a corporate structure onto universities. The government is now restricting their ability to fund themselves. Further demonstrating the power of media misinformation.

Rowan Godwin, Rozelle What is the Greens game? Just what is the Greens strategy in attacking the Labor government on all fronts, including the CFMEU (Death throes, August 28)? Is it, in the hope of ensuring a minority government, of becoming the de facto government? The trouble is, they could bring in a Coalition majority government. Do the Greens really want this?

Peter Hill, East Ballina

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PM, you sure have a lot on your plate at present, topped off by the ever-present malignancy of the CFMEU leadership. Remember all of us people out here who depend on you and your promises of getting things that matter done. Now is the time to prove your true leadership in life-changing reforms. No pressure. Judy Finch, Taree Over 49 years I worked with all types but the worst are aggressive bullies like those in the CFMEU. Why do posturing Greens hold these people up as someone to admire? To me, theyve damaged responsible unionism and brought deregistration on themselves. Helen Cremer, Auburn The methods used by certain people within the CFMEU to counter allegations with aggressive tactics should be recognised by naive union members, whove paid for all the goings-on. As for the Greens, far from being supporters of gradual and progressive policy, by their want-it-now ideology they are once again being shown up as despoilers of government progress, seeming to be merely a support for Dutton and co. The Australian Democrats revisited? Donald Hawes, Peel It is obviously no accident that ME is at the heart of the CFMEU. Philip Cooney, Wentworth Falls An aerial view of CFMEU Sydney crowd. Credit: Nine Nick McKenzies opinion piece is precisely on point (CFMEU members are right to rage, but theyre railing at the wrong people, August 28). I am outraged at the vitriol levelled at Anthony Albanese. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, I worked in a labour law firm that acted for the BLF. As it was right then to deregister the BLF, it is right now to deregister the CFMEU and start over. When thuggery is perpetrated by infiltrating criminal elements (whether it be physical, psychological, or financial), it is the beginning of the end for any union.

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I look forward to seeing construction industry workers represented by something that has the workers interests at heart rather than their own self-interest. I am an avowed unionist and believe there is a place for them still  if only others out there thought the same, workers may be in a better position. Peta Dixon, Surry Hills Honest toil How many employees who moan about being called out of hours can honestly say they have efficiently devoted every minute of the official work hours to actual work (Letters, August 28)?

Chatting to colleagues, surfing the net and inefficient work practices are lost hours that are impossible to calculate. Ive alway considered its a quid pro quo arrangement where managers can turn a blind eye to late arrivals or long lunches to those employees who deliver while those same employees are willing to go the extra mile to meet deadlines. Legislation to motivate both sides to toe the line will breed resentment and workplace disharmony. Elizabeth Maher, Fiddletown Are we seeing here a 21st century issue? When I first joined the permanent workforce as a graduate engineer almost 60 years ago, not every home had a telephone, and many workers did not own a car, let alone a second one. Each day we all attempted to arrive at the designated time, and a clerk would appear and draw a line across the timesheet so it was obvious who was late if we didnt bundy on and off. At the end of the day, the whistle would blow, and all would down tools and often go home on public transport. There was no way management could connect to many of the workers and staff out of hours except by going around to their houses and knocking on their doors or dragging them out of the pub. Modern ubiquitous technology has allowed management to steadily erode the freedom to balance work/life and to encroach on unpaid time. Perhaps we are now finally seeing a correction. Neil Crosby, Annandale Voting vexation There is no obligation to vote, just an obligation to turn up and have your name marked off (Letters, August 28). Michael Charlton, Petersham No doubt your correspondent believes paying tax should also be voluntary. David Salter, Hunters Hill

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How can compulsory voting exist in a democracy? Its oxymoronic. Mike Keene, Mollymook Beach One only has to look at the shenanigans of the American electoral system, where voting happens on a workday and polling booths are located well away from less affluent areas, to realise how important compulsory voting is. It behoves officials to provide easy access to polling stations and have them open on a day when most people are free. John Mizon, Collaroy PM must play his hand Tim Costello is right in saying our PM is facing his Port Arthur moment, but on the issue of gambling advertising (Albanese faces Port Arthur moment, August 28). More telling is the fact the PM has a credible report calling for a total ban to support him. The difference between John Howard and Albanese is that Howard could imagine what future Australia would be like if high-powered guns were not controlled. Unfortunately, our PM can only imagine a future without him in it as PM. Leadership requires the courage to back your convictions, even when your mates may turn on you for it. Albanese is too interested in pleasing everyone to see that. Brian Barrett, Padstow Artwork: Marija Ercegovac Credit: Costellos article sums up all the arguments for a ban, but Albanese aint no Howard. Why cant the government just do the right thing? Dierk Mohr, South Turramurra Urging (especially vulnerable) people to gamble is immoral and a form of theft. It preys on the unsuspecting like a parasite. It encourages financial, psychological and physical self harm, as well as social disorder and distress among families, and turns stable relationships into chaos. Banning gambling itself is the ideal. If thats not feasible, then lets at least drive a stake through the advertisers hearts. Frederick Jansohn, Rose Bay

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Admirable as the sentiments expressed by Costello are, limiting the target of his attack to gambling advertising does not confront the real problem. Advertising indeed induces participation in gambling, but the biggest losses  financial and social  are caused by poker machines, something that enjoys a protected status in Australia. The club lobby, determined to protect their huge income sources, would be a powerful opponent, but if Costello is serious about gambling generally and its distressing impact on Australian families, he must direct his attention beyond the advertising stimulus to the real problem  the one-armed bandit. Making advertising the whipping boy is only scratching at the surface of the gambling problem in Australia. Brian Kidd, Mt Waverley (Vic) Im with you Tim Costello, a total ban on all gambling ads would be a truly defining moment for Australia, and should, I believe, guarantee a Labor victory at the next election. Come on Albo, time to stand tall. Nicholas Beauman, Neutral Bay Aged-care failure Aged-care issues, like disability care issues, seem to be an intractable problem for our politicians to resolve (Baby Boomers face aged-care bed shortages as funding crisis worsens, August 28). Its almost like there is no common ground they can agree on, yet they continue to duck, weave, prevaricate, deny and avoid action while at the same trying to be popular. It seems this inability to resolve it is the only issue that they can agree on. What an appalling bunch of self-serving people we have selected when bipartisan issues like aged care, which ultimately will affect all of us, cant be resolved. Its no wonder politicians are generally held in contempt, given their self-serving behaviour. Alternatively, maybe we should bring aged care back into government ownership? Because at the moment it seems the industry cant do its job, despite the mountain of government money propping it up. At least then thered be accountability, transparency and consistency. Bernard Stever, Richmond One potential solution to the impending shortage of aged care beds might be the expansion and refinement of the government-sponsored homestay program. My mother, until the age of 94, provided accommodation to students in exchange for a few hours of household chores. She received daily visits from a nurse from a nearby aged-care facility to assist with showering and dressing. Meals were delivered once a day by a not-for-profit organisation. This approach could also be adapted to support Indigenous students from rural Australia in attending schools and universities. Since a significant portion of aged care costs likely comes from maintaining physical facilities, it could be more cost-effective to implement a stay-at-home model, supplemented by necessary services. John Kempler, Rose Bay Fossil fuel folly Hidden inside the Herald we can find a call by United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres for wealthy nations to stop new fossil fuel projects (Plibersek defiant on mine delay, August 28). Known reserves of fossil fuels alone will push global temperatures above the 2C rise limit set by global climate accords. Yet successive Australian governments continue to provide permits for new fossil fuel exploration projects, regardless of the dangers to the environment. To do so is fundamentally irrational. Neil Ormerod, Kingsgrove

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Sydney gangland identity Ibrahem Hamze almost met an untimely demise when police foiled an attempted assassination plot in North Sydney. Now police are on the hunt for two wanted men  Hamzes rivals and alleged would-be killers, who are believed to be hiding out in Lebanon.

Police believe Rafat Alameddine and John Bayssari, both 33, were part of the criminal conspiracy to murder their gangland enemy Hamze in August 2021.

Ibrahem Hamze (centre) was allegedly the target of John Ray Bayssari (left) and Rafat Alameddine (right). Credit: SMH / NSW Police

It was two months after Hamzes brother, Bilal, was gunned down while leaving the Kid Kyoto restaurant in Sydneys CBD and police had warned the gang figure that his life was at risk.

Luckily for Hamze, police identified a stolen Mercedes on Walker Street and unsuccessfully attempted to stop the vehicle, unwittingly foiling an alleged attempted assassination in progress. A pursuit was initiated but called off for safety reasons. The car was later found in Cammeray, and two armed men allegedly escaped by carjacking a Toyota Camry from its 76-year-old driver.
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore was heckled by a fiery crowd after she declared Sydneys nightlife settings for small bars and laneways were better than Melbournes, as she fought to defend her city-shaping legacy during a debate about the state of Oxford Street.

Telling Sydneysiders to wait one more year until Oxford Street was transformed into a fresh centre of cultural and nightlife activity, Moore told an audience at a lord mayoral candidate forum at the National Art School on Tuesday night that the stars are aligning for the citys prime LGBTQ strip.

Clover Moore speaks at the City of Sydney Mayoral Candidates Forum. Credit: Wolter Peeters

We did this work in 2007, the lord mayor said, referring to establishing special late-night trading areas for Oxford Street, which occurred before the Baird governments 2014 lock-out laws. Before that, she said, the work wed done in laneways and small bars had really sort of put us in front of Melbourne, so some said.

That comment was met by loud laughter and heckles from the audience, some of whom screamed back: What an absolute joke! and Lies! All lies!
A man is dead and a woman has been flown to hospital after a falling tree crushed their vehicle at Gellibrand on Wednesday afternoon as wild weather lashed Victoria.

Emergency services said the vehicle was travelling along Main Road in the Otway Ranges town about 1.30pm when the tree fell on the car, trapping both occupants.

The driver was fatally injured and a passenger suffered lower body injuries when a tree crushed their car at Gellibrand, south of Colac. Credit: Nine News

Ambulance Victoria said a woman aged in her 70s was flown to The Alfred hospital in a stable condition with lower body injuries. No details were released about the male driver.

The State Emergency Service said it had responded to more than 1200 calls for help over the past 24 hours, with multiple reports of fallen trees on vehicles, train lines and roads.
Greens leader Adam Bandt will ramp up a campaign to defeat Labor in five key seats at the federal election after defending his colleague, Max Chandler-Mather, against claims he endorsed union corruption and thuggery.

Bandt will head to Brisbane within days to appeal to Labor supporters to switch their allegiance to the Greens after he announced new policies including $514 billion in corporate tax increases.

In a fight for the loyalty of the union movement, cabinet ministers declared their support for ordinary union members but rebuked Chandler-Mather for joining former officials from the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union at a rally where protesters held placards likening Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to a Nazi.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said Australians could see the Greens throw in their lot with thuggery after the appearance at the rally.
Nothing can be more democratic than the members voting on whether to remove executive committee members that are not considered to be listening to genuine member concerns that we are trying to resolve. Let the members vote at the SGM and decide. Saville and Kelly said they supported Kangas three essential changes, which we believe are being opposed and impeded by the committee members sought to be removed by the SGM. An MRC executive committee spokesperson said the club was deeply saddened by and reject the recent allegations concerning the culture of our committee. These claims have understandably caused distress among fellow committee members and have unfairly tarnished our reputation, the spokesperson said. Our culture remains strong, inclusive and respectful, even amidst disagreements. Surprise attack

Melbourne Racing Club has become used to dealing with negative feedback from disgruntled members over its $160 million upgrades at Caulfield. But what it didnt expect was to be ambushed by one of its own. The MRC board was caught unaware when sitting committee member John Kanga hit them with demands for a special general meeting on Thursday afternoon. The old mounting yard and the Rupert Clarke Grandstand are at the centre of a political fight at Caulfield Racecourse. Credit: Getty Images It was a perfectly executed blindside. Kanga, who wants to spill the board, had sat through hours of a committee meeting at Caulfield on Thursday barely uttering a word.

He watched in silence as new Racing Victoria CEO Aaron Morrison delivered a state-of-the-industry address to the MRC executive committee about a drop in wagering and a commitment to freeze prize money. Loading Neither of these things were at the top of Kangas agenda. He waited for all matters of business to be discussed and for the meeting to close. And then he pounced. As the board meeting disbanded, Kanga approached outgoing CEO Josh Blanksby with a white envelope in his hand. It wasnt a thank you card. Two sources familiar with the moment, but not authorised to speak publicly, said they thought Kanga was going to wish Blanksby well.

After all, the CEO was finishing up in nine days time and was having a farewell dinner that night. Instead, Kanga handed him a list of signatures from more than 150 MRC members calling for the SGM. The trump card had been played. I wouldnt call it a blindside, Kanga said. I have suggested a spill motion for three months to individual committee members and our executive team. If we dont have structural change, the only option we would have is to have a spill, or an SGM. I communicate with all directors consistently, and I have asked them individually and as a group to please pivot, to please listen to our members, please listen to feedback. And it just hasnt happened. Rebel with a cause Kanga has a clear platform for change.

He wants to return the Caulfield mounting yard to its original position in front of the members area, he wants to stop a $250 million plan to replace the glass-fronted Rupert Clarke grandstand, and he wants to stop the sale of Sandown. He claims he is not doing it for the attention. Its not about me, Kanga says. Nobody needs to know who Kanga is; it is about the issues. An artists impression of how a new grandstand could work with the new mounting yard at Caulfield. The members are not voting for a celebrity. I am not a celebrity. Its all about the issues. The members have not been listened to for 10 years. With the MRC executive and board backpedalling late last week, Kanga went on the offensive. By 7pm on Thursday, a press release outlining his takeover bid had lobbed in the email inboxes of several members of the racing media in Melbourne.

For three weeks, he had been gathering signatures and pulling together a replacement executive team, without any word of his challenge leaking out. Loading In terms of stealth, he is a group 1 performer. Kanga says he needed to act. He says the MRC board has been divisive and divided for too long. He says the only way to set things right is to vote out six board members and vote in his handpicked replacements. He remained busy at the weekend. He pressed the flesh with racing people at Moonee Valley on Saturday, and gathered statements of support from powerful owners, well-known trainers and jockeys, such as his client Blake Shinn, to back his Save our MRC movement.

In doing so, the likes of Rupert Legh, Colin McKenna, J.D. Hayes, Danny OBrien and Sam Freedman said the new Caulfield mounting yard was soulless, poorly positioned, poorly designed and disconnected trainers from their owners. They said it was a problem that needed to be fixed. McKenna went a step further to say the people responsible need to be sacked. Timing is everything There was a strategic edge to the timing of Kangas strike  with the clubs annual general meeting only a month away, the MRC will soon find itself with a leadership void. Chair Matt Cain is stepping down and CEO Blanksby has resigned. The two men have been the public face of Caulfields $160 million renovations.

By acting now, Kanga can circumvent the AGM. Instead of waiting for committee member Mark Pratt to seek re-election and for Cain to be replaced, he can wipe out six in one go at an SGM. Instead of risking the status quo  the MRC continuing to be governed by a board in disarray  he can control the numbers to bring about change. Rupert Legh with the 2016 Victorian Racehorse of the Year Award, awarded to Chautauqua. Credit: Getty Images We had an opportunity to move the mounting yard back a few weeks ago and a couple of committee members decided to switch [their vote]. So we had no choice, he says of the move to spill six members of the board. The committee members he wants to oust are Cain, Pratt, Nick Hassett, Brooke Dawson and Scott Davidson. His Save our MRC movement has also asked for a representative of the Mornington advisory group to replace Jill Monk on the 10-person MRC board.

Even though Hassett and Monk were originally elected on a Save Sandown ticket, Kanga claims the Save Sandown faction has splintered. He says the only three committee members he wants to retain are those who voted to move the mounting yard  Saville (Save Sandown), Kelly (Save Sandown) and Tim Guille (Mornington advisory group). MRC hits back The MRC executive committee released a statement to members on Wednesday saying it strongly opposed Kangas tactics because they were designed to override the clubs election process and cause confusion and instability. It said it would continue to run legal checks over Kangas motion, including his request to reduce the eligibility criteria to join the committee from three years to six months to suit his ticket.

The board also responded to the three issues at the heart of the rebel push for change. Loading It said the committee would review the mounting yard at the end of the spring carnival because it was not operationally feasible to do so beforehand, construction of a new grandstand was on hold and has been for some time, and the rezoning of Sandown was a separate process to any decision to sell or cease racing at Sandown. Any decision to stop racing would require a member vote and would be up to the members to decide, the statement said. The MRC said that while serving on the committee Kanga has supported the rezoning process and has opposed a partial redevelopment of the racecourse.

Interestingly, while Kanga is saying it is time to give the members a voice, he was never voted onto the MRC board himself. He was appointed to the executive committee in July last year by the MRC to replace Shanyn Puddy in a casual vacancy. Loading The committee selected me for work that I have done, for my skill sets, he said. I believe there were 20 applicants at the time, and I was asked to apply because four years ago, I did a thorough review of the MRC gaming venues, and provided strategic advice to the board. Thats when I first became known to the board. Kangas five nominees to join him on the MRC committee are Lofts Quarries founder Paul Lofitis, communications executive Belinda Meyers, town planner and construction manager Robyn Gray, transport executive David Gambell and 5Ways Foodservice director Frank Pollio.
Its one of the most vibrant, interesting, soul-filling countries in the world. But for first-timers, India can also be terrifying, maddening and full of pitfalls. Some tips, then, to ensure your first visit goes smoothly.

India is a wildly diverse country, with so many different cultures and traditions that its almost impossible to talk about it as one place. To reduce befuddlement (and your carbon footprint) choose to explore either north or south, and save the other end for your next visit.

Navigating Indian train travel is a rite of passage. Credit: Getty Images

High season is in the winter months (October through March) as it can become blisteringly hot from April until the rains arrive in June. Monsoon usually runs until September, but this can be the coolest and least crowded time to visit certain areas including the Himalayas up north, or Goa or Kerala down south, which are great for Ayurvedic therapies.

Wherever youre headed, travelling between destinations by train is an experience not to be missed. The mysteries of making a rail booking via the government booking site IRCTC can take a few lifetimes to unravel, so save the hassle and use an expert. Fiona Caulfield from lovetravelguides.com, for example, knows her stuff.
This scenic jaunt not only offers an opportunity to visit the Sicilian Baroque showpiece city of Catania, destroyed by the 1669 eruption of Mount Eta, but also the chance to view the ornate Taormina-Giardini, considered the Italian islands most elegant railway station.

Hollywood film director Francis Ford Coppola notably shot a scene from The Godfather III, released in 1990, here. Al Pacino and Diane Keaton were pictured on the black and white-tiled platform of the 1866 liberty-style (an Italian version of art nouveau) station. Its claimed that Coppola opted to shoot most of The Godfather locations here in the eastern side of Sicily over its west and northwest  where the city and traditional mafia hotbed of Palermo is situated  after he was warned off by Cosa Nostra interests.

Diane Keaton (Kay Adams) and Al Pacino (Michael Corleone) in The Godfather III on the platform at Taormina-Giardini. Credit: Paramount/Alamy

One of the most remarkable features of the stations compact central hall are the historical frescoes and reliefs that adorn ceilings and walls below and around its antique furnishings. If youre travelling from the fashionable hilltop town of Taormina  famed location for the streaming sensation The White Lotus  Taormina-Giardini Station is located right on the coast and overlooking the Bay of Naxos, a 15-minute taxi ride down the hill though, buses are also available. At a tad over half-an-hour, this featured service is the fastest between the two eastern Sicily centres, though the journey can take up to 58 minutes on trains that stop at each station along the route.

Train tracks on the Sicilian coast near Taormina, Credit: iStock

The carriage


London: Australias diplomatic presence in Ukraines war-torn capital would be immediately restored under a Coalition government, would-be foreign minister Simon Birmingham has pledged during the first visit by a senior politician to Kyiv in more than two years.

The Liberal Senate leader arrived in Ukraine this week as the nation endured a huge missile and drone assault by Moscow following Kyivs incursion into Russias western Kursk region.

Ukrainian soldiers guard the sky with a machine-gun on a road in Kyiv during a Russian missile and drone attack. Credit: AP

Vladimir Putins forces are intensifying their fightback after Ukraines stunning cross-border assault into Russia earlier this month, with fierce combat on the ground and an aerial assault that has knocked out power and water across the country.

Australia remains an international outlier as it refuses to reopen the embassy in Kyiv more than two-and-a-half years after Russian troops invaded, as almost 70 of the 81 countries that temporarily shuttered their posts in February 2022 have now returned.
Washington: Donald Trump has blamed President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for the failed assassination attempt against him, accusing them of weaponising the government to such an extent that the Secret Service struggled to protect him.

The Republican presidential candidate made the claim in an interview with US talk show host Dr Phil, also known as Phil McGraw, in a significant escalation of his remarks about his near-death experience last month.

Former US president Donald Trump was wounded on his ear during an assassination attempt on July 13. Credit: AP

When this happened, people would ask, whose fault is it? Trump said on the show, which aired in the US this week as he ramps up his campaigning schedule against Harris.

I think to a certain extent its Bidens fault and Harris fault. And Im the opponent. They were weaponising government against me, they brought in the whole DoJ [Department of Justice] to try and get me, they werent too interested in my health and safety. They were making it very difficult to have proper staffing in terms of Secret Service.
PHILIPSBURG: --- Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina said on Wednesday that the declaration of intent with the four political parties, namely the URSM, DP, PFP, and SAM, is simply a document stating that the parties have committed to sitting around the table and working on a governing accord.

However, the document signed last Wednesday states that the coalition agreement must be signed within seven days. Today, Wednesday, August 28th, 2004, marks seven days since the declaration of intent was signed. SMN News has learned that the agreement will be signed on Thursday, August 29th, 2024.

Mercelina said the four coalition parties are still negotiating with the governing accord, which has to reflect all four political parties and their vision.

The Prime Minister said they have not yet reached the stage of selecting Ministers and denied any infighting.

However, SMN News learned that there are major disagreements with the Party for Progress and its elected candidates. The disagreements have been between Ludmilla de Weever, the partys highest vote-getter in the January and August 2024 elections.

According to well-placed sources, De Weever wants to be the Minister of VROMI, while party leader Melissa Gumbs intends to keep the current Minister of VROMI, Patrice Gumbs. PFP leader Melissa Gumbs is said to be the next Minister of Education. More significant is that URSM Member of Parliament Sjamira Roseburg wants to be appointed Minister of Justice even though the Ministry was assigned to the SAM political party.

In the meantime, the Democratic Party has decided to keep its current Ministers, Minister of TEATT Grisha Heyliger Marten and Minister of Finance, Marinka Gumbs.

The URSM will appoint Richinel Brug as the Minister of VSA. At the same time, Veronica Jansen Webster will take her seat in Parliament with Chris Weaver, Gracita Arrindell as the Minister of Plenipotentiary, and Dr. Luc Mercelina as the Prime Minister.

The SAM has yet to present its candidate to the coalition partners of the Ministry of Justice.
PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- The Collective Prevention Services (CPS) from the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA) was represented at the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) at a workshop by Maria Henry, Section Head General Public Health, and Cheyenne Gumbs, Epidemiologist.



The early August workshop was geared toward pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPR).



Sint Maarten as a member of CARPHA continues to maintain its partnership with the regional public health agency and will continue to participate in any relevant pandemic fund projects.



CARPHA is executing the Pandemic Fund Project from 2024 to 2026 with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) as the Implementing Entity.



As the Project Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Prevention, Preparedness, and Response begins to be fully implemented, it is imperative that countries and partners gain a better understanding of the project and how it fits into CARPHAs overall work of improving PPR and regional health security, according to CARPHA.



Sint Maartens participation could provide an additional lifeline to support the country in preventing, preparing for, and responding to future pandemics.



This could include but may not be limited to healthcare infrastructure, early warning systems, public health surveillance, climate health, antimicrobial resistance, and expanding the human resource capacity with training, CPS said on Wednesday.



The three-day Workshop in Trinidad & Tobago provided an opportunity for the Chief Medical Officers, National Epidemiologists, and Laboratory Directors of 22 CARPHA Member States (CMS), regional agencies, and International Development Partners to gain a better understanding of the project.



The workshop's objectives were to update CMS and partners on the CARPHA strategic work and the Pandemic Fund Project and to update and discuss the Projects execution plan, outcomes, outputs, and impact at regional and country levels.



Additionally, the workshop discussed collaboration, partnerships, and data-sharing agreements.
enomyc supports M&A Deal: Multinational AI Alliance Formed to Combat Online Hate

With the acquisition of the Spanish AI specialist Insikt AI by the British company Logically, the M&A experts at the consulting firm enomyc have successfully completed another international transaction. enomyc s Paris office, which led the deal with support from German colleagues, was exclusively commissioned by Insikt AI to find a strategic partner. The acquisition creates a new multinational player in the fight against online hate.

Logically uses artificial intelligence (AI) to combat the damage caused by misleading and fraudulent online content. The Barcelona-based Insikt Intelligence operates in the same field, also with the support of AI.

We thank the enomyc team, led by French Managing Partner Ian Kayanakis, for guiding us so successfully through this sales process, says Jennifer Woodard, founder and CEO of Insikt. With the acquisition, Logically strengthens its position as a leading company in using cutting-edge AI research to combat harmful content of all kinds. Woodard, who will assume the role of Vice President of Artificial Intelligence at Logically, is recognized as an expert in AI applications for counter-terrorism. She advises organizations such as the UN and the European Commission on balancing the use of AI to combat online harms with ethical considerations.

AI-Powered Fight Against Online Hate and Threats

The acquisition is a crucial step towards robust protection against increasingly sophisticated attackers, providing customers with new, advanced tools to protect freedom of speech and prevent the impact of harmful online content, said Lyric Jain, founder and CEO of Logically. The company is headquartered in Brighouse, UK. Through the acquisition, Insikt s technology will be integrated into Logically Intelligence, Logically s leading intelligence platform. Customers will gain access to the most advanced methods and innovative developments based on AI research. This will enhance their ability to combat a broader portfolio of online threats, including terrorism and extremism, areas where INSIKT possesses outstanding capabilities.

Founded in 2016, Insikt empowers governments, private companies, and intelligence agencies to detect problems early and predict and mitigate the spread of harmful content with its technology. Awarded four Excellence Seals by the European Commission, Insikt has developed domain-specific machine learning (ML) models to uncover trends, threats, and anomalous patterns in large volumes of online data. The company is known in professional circles for its advanced Social Network Analysis (SNA) capabilities, which allow clients to uncover hidden connections and networks by analyzing relationships critical to online intelligence operations.

About enomyc:

enomyc is a Europe-wide consulting firm for medium-sized businesses and was founded in 2003 with a clear mission: to promote crisis-proof, sustainable, and high-performing growth of companies in the digital age. Today, enomyc is one of the leading consulting firms for the mid-market, with offices in Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Cologne, Stuttgart, Munich, and Paris.Since its founding in 2003, enomyc has supported medium and large enterprises through strategic consulting, digital transformation, and innovative growth strategies. enomyc has been recognized as Best Consultants by brand eins eleven times in a row (since 2014), received the TOP CONSULTANT Award eight times (since 2017), and was honored by WirtschaftsWoche in 2020 as one of Germany s best consulting firms.

Contact:

Cathleen Mobius,

Head of Marketing

M +49 162 2544 592

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Original-Content von: enomyc, ubermittelt durch news aktuell
Burkina victims' families criticize army over jihadist massacre



Abidjan, Aug 27 (AFP) Aug 27, 2024



Families of Burkina Faso civilians killed in a massacre have accused the army of exposing them to their jihadist killers by making them leave their village to dig a trench.

Armed men carried out the attack in the village of Barsalogho in north-central Burkina Faso on Saturday, killing dozens of civilians and security personnel, local sources said.

A group linked to Al-Qaeda, known by its Arabic initials JNIM, claimed responsibility and said it had seized control of a local militia headquarters.

A group representing victims' families, the Justice Collective for Barsalogho, said in a statement seen by AFP on Tuesday that Burkina Faso military officials had "obliged people, through threats, to take part in construction work, against their will".

It said they forced the locals to dig a trench three kilometres (1.9 miles) from the village for forces to use in fighting off the jihadists.

The collective demanded that investigations be carried out to determine who was responsible for the alleged order.

In two videos apparently documenting the massacre, circulated on social media and attributed by various sources to JNIM, assailants in military dress are seen firing automatic weapons at a trench containing at least 91 bodies.

Authorities have not given a toll.

A member of the collective, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals by the army, told AFP they helped bury victims in mass graves that contained "more than 100 bodies".

Jihadist rebels affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group have waged an insurgency in Burkina Faso since 2015 that has killed more than 20,000 people, according to the NGO Acled.

A security source earlier claimed that "the response of the soldiers" and auxiliary troops "made it possible to neutralise several terrorists and avoid a greater tragedy".

After taking power in a putsch in September 2022, Burkina's junta leader Ibrahim Traore vowed to make fighting terrorism a priority.

This year he issued a call to civil auxiliary fighters who are aiding the army to "mobilise local people to dig trenches to protect yourselves" until machinery could be delivered.
North Korea test-fires rocket launcher with new 'guiding system'



Seoul, Aug 28 (AFP) Aug 28, 2024



North Korea's Kim Jong Un oversaw the test-firing of a 240mm multiple rocket launcher equipped with a new "guiding system", state media said Wednesday, as Pyongyang continues to upgrade its arsenal.

The announcement comes about three months after North Korea said it would equip its military with a "new" 240mm multiple rocket launcher (MRL) known to be capable of striking Seoul.

The isolated, nuclear-armed country has recently bolstered military ties with Moscow, and analysts have said the North could be testing and ramping up production of artillery and cruise missiles before sending them to Russia for use in Ukraine.

The United States and Seoul have accused North Korea of supplying ammunition and missiles for Russia's war effort, a claim Pyongyang has called "absurd".

The multiple rocket launcher, "technically updated in its maneuverability and concentrated firing capability, was proved to be advantageous in all indices," Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency said Wednesday.

Updates included "newly applied guiding system, controllability and destructive power," it said.

At the test-firing, Kim also "set forth an important policy to be pursued in producing new artillery pieces and equipping army units with them," it added without providing details.

The Wednesday report came just two days after the North unveiled a "suicide drone" designed to be deliberately crashed into enemy targets, effectively acting as guided missiles.

The North said in February it had developed a new control system for a multiple rocket launcher that would lead to a "qualitative change" in its defence capabilities.

In May, it said the updated launcher would be "deployed to units of the Korean People's Army as replacement equipment from 2024 to 2026".



- Seeking a firepower advantage -



North Korea's older MRL was produced around the 1980s, and while capable of striking South Korean frontline units or the Seoul metropolitan area, they had "limitations in explosive power and precision", said Hong Min, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification.

It was also difficult to "secure an advantage in firepower compared to US-South Korean forces" with the older weapons, Hong said.

To counter Seoul and Washington -- which have overwhelming air superiority -- Pyongyang is pursuing "enlargement, range extension, and guidance capabilities" of rocket launchers intended to "rapidly destroy" South Korean airfields, he told AFP.

Inter-Korean relations are at one of their lowest points in years, with Pyongyang declaring the South its "principal enemy".

It has shuttered agencies dedicated to reunification and threatened war over "even 0.001 mm" of territorial infringement.

The test-firing came as South Korea and the United States have been carrying out their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military drills, which run until Thursday, with new exercises aimed at containing the nuclear-armed North.

North Korea -- which attacked its neighbour in 1950, triggering the Korean War -- has always been infuriated by joint US-South Korean military exercises, decrying them as rehearsals for invasion.

"While maintaining a solid combined defense posture, our military will conduct the UFS exercise and combined field training drills normally as planned," Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff official said in a statement.

They added that the military was "closely monitoring signs of North Korean provocations and military activities".

"If North Korea engages in provocation, we will respond overwhelmingly and decisively in accordance with the principle of 'immediate, strong, and final' action," it added.
Lebanon security source says Israel strike hits Hezbollah missile truck



Beirut, Lebanon, Aug 28 (AFP) Aug 28, 2024



A Lebanese security source said Wednesday that an Israeli air strike hit a lorry loaded with Hezbollah missiles overnight, days after a major flare-up between the regional foes.

Contacted by AFP, the Israeli military did not immediately comment.

"The Israeli air force targeted two Hezbollah lorries" some 10 kilometres (six miles) from Baalbek, a stronghold of the Iran-backed militant group in eastern Lebanon, the Lebanese security source told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"One of the vehicles was hit and a series of explosions were heard in the area."

One person was wounded in the strike, the health ministry said.

A source close to Hezbollah confirmed the hit and said "the munitions which were inside the lorry caught fire".

Israel has repeatedly targeted truck convoys in eastern Lebanon that it suspects of delivering weapons to Hezbollah from neighbouring Syria.

In the latest flare-up between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese group on Sunday launched rockets and drones in retaliation for a top commander's killing as Israel carried out air raids the military said thwarted a larger attack.

Intense diplomacy had sought to head off a broader retaliation for the late July killings of senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in an Israeli strike on Beirut, and of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Israel later revoked a state of emergency declared early on Sunday, and Hezbollah said its operation was "completed".

Hamas ally Hezbollah has been exchanging near-daily cross-border fire with the Israeli army since the Palestinian group attacked Israel on October 7, triggering war in Gaza.
Israel army says killed nine in West Bank operation



Jerusalem, Aug 28 (AFP) Aug 28, 2024



Israel's army said Wednesday its forces killed nine Palestinian militants during an ongoing operation in the occupied West Bank, which was launched overnight.

The Israeli forces "began a counterterrorism operation in Jenin and Tulkarem" overnight, the army said in a statement.

It specified that three "terrorists" were killed "in an aerial strike" in Jenin, two others "eliminated" in Jenin and Tulkarem and four more "eliminated" in "an aerial counterterrorism operation in the area of Faraa" in the Jordan Valley.

"At the moment, there are no injured soldiers on our side," military spokesman Nadav Shoshani told reporters.

"We have met explosives already in the first hours, and we have met real-time fire exchanged with terrorists engaging in battle."

He declined to say how long the operation would last or how many troops were involved.

It was targeting "a mixture of terror groups and terror cells", Shoshani said.

In Jenin, Israeli forces "apprehended five wanted suspects and located and confiscated weapons" including rifle parts and ammunition, he said.

"Additionally, the forces exposed and dismantled explosives that were planted under the roads in the area and were intended to be detonated in attacks against the security forces operating in the area," he said.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said at least 10 were killed in the operation which involved air strikes, ground forces and bulldozers.

The operation was triggered by "a significant rise in terrorist activity in the past year" emanating from the targeted areas, Shoshani said.

This included "over 150 shooting and explosive attacks... from these areas alone", he said.

Since Hamas's October 7 attack, Israeli troops or settlers have killed more than 650 Palestinians in the West Bank, according to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry figures.

During the same period, at least 19 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks, according to Israeli officials.
Israeli soldier's remains returned from Gaza: municipality



Jerusalem, Aug 28 (AFP) Aug 28, 2024



The remains of an Israeli soldier killed in Hamas's October 7 attack that triggered the war in Gaza have been recovered and returned to his family, authorities in his home city said on Wednesday.

"The mayor and residents of Migdal Haemek share in the heavy grief of the Dahan family, who have recovered the body of their son Shaked, murdered on October 7 while defending the people," the municipality said on its Instagram account.

"His body was recovered in Gaza and returned to his family last night," it said.

The Israeli army said it could not confirm the report.

Hamas's October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,199 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

The Palestinian militants also abducted 251 people, 103 of whom are still captive in Gaza including 33 the military says are dead.

Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 40,534 people in Gaza, according to the territory's health ministry. The UN rights office says most of the dead are women and children.
NATO states condemn latest Russian strikes on Ukraine



Brussels, Belgium, Aug 28 (AFP) Aug 28, 2024



NATO countries on Wednesday condemned "indiscriminate" heavy Russian strikes across war-battered Ukraine, the Western military alliance said, after a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council in Brussels.

Russia fired a wave of attack drones and missiles at Ukraine on Monday and Tuesday, killing at least 11 people and battering the country's already weakened energy grid.

NATO members reaffirmed their commitment to "stepping up their military aid to Ukraine", NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said, following the meeting of ambassadors with Ukrainian officials at Kyiv's request.

"We must continue to provide Ukraine with the equipment and munitions it needs to defend itself against Russia's invasion. This is vital for Ukraine's ability to stay in the fight," Stoltenberg said in a statement.

Several NATO countries also called for lifting restrictions on Kyiv's use of weapons supplied by Western allies, especially long-range missiles, to help Ukraine better defend itself against deadly strikes, a diplomatic source said.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov "briefed allies" about the situation on the ground, NATO said.

The Ukrainian army is struggling in the east, where Russian troops have been steadily advancing for several months.

The Russian army has captured several towns and villages in recent days, even as Moscow scrambles to fight off a Ukrainian counterattack into its western Kursk region.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for European air forces to help Kyiv down drones and missiles in the future.

"In our various regions of Ukraine, we could do much more to protect lives if the aviation of our European neighbours worked together with our F-16s and together with our air defence," Zelensky said.

The air attacks on Ukraine are some of the largest in recent weeks, with 15 Ukrainian regions targeted by a total of 236 missiles and drones, Kyiv said, of which it claimed it shot down 201.
Lebanon security source says Israel strike hits Hezbollah missile truck



Beirut, Lebanon, Aug 28 (AFP) Aug 28, 2024



A Lebanese security source said Wednesday that an overnight Israeli air strike hit a lorry loaded with Hezbollah missiles, days after a major flare-up between the regional foes.

The Israeli military told AFP it had no comment.

The Lebanese source told AFP on condition of anonymity that "the Israeli air force targeted two Hezbollah lorries" some 10 kilometres (six miles) from Baalbek, a stronghold of the Iran-backed militant group in eastern Lebanon.

"One of the vehicles was hit and a series of explosions were heard in the area," the source said.

Lebanon's health ministry said one person was wounded in the strike late Tuesday.

A source close to Hezbollah confirmed the hit and said "the munitions which were inside the lorry caught fire".

Israel has repeatedly targeted truck convoys in eastern Lebanon, an area that is part of the supply route to Hezbollah from neighbouring Syria.

Hamas ally Hezbollah has exchanged near-daily cross-border fire with the Israeli army since the Palestinian group attacked Israel on October 7, triggering war in Gaza.

The Shiite Muslim movement claimed several attacks on Israeli troops an positions near the border on Wednesday, including one in stated retaliation for the overnight strike in east Lebanon.

The Israeli military said its air force struck Hezbollah "military infrastructure sites" as well as a military structure and "observation posts" belonging to the group in south Lebanon on Wednesday.

Lebanon's official National News Agency reported Israeli shelling and air strikes in a number of areas in the south.

In the latest major flare-up, the Lebanese group on Sunday launched rockets and drones in retaliation for a top commander's killing as Israel carried out air raids the military said thwarted a larger attack.

Intense diplomacy had sought to head off a broader retaliation for the late July killings of senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, and of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in an attack in Tehran blamed on Israel.

Israel later revoked a state of emergency declared early on Sunday, and Hezbollah said its operation was "completed".

The cross-border violence since October has killed some 605 people in Lebanon, 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 have announced the deaths of at least 24 soldiers and 26 civilians.
Israeli soldier's remains returned from Gaza: army



Jerusalem, Aug 28 (AFP) Aug 28, 2024



The remains of an Israeli soldier killed in Hamas's October 7 attack that triggered the Gaza war have been recovered and returned to his family, the Israeli army said Wednesday.

In an overnight operation "a fallen (Israel Defense Forces) soldier who was abducted on October 7th and held hostage in the Gaza Strip was rescued and returned to the State of Israel", an army statement said.

"At the request of his family, his name will not be published. We send our deepest condolences to the family and will continue to accompany them."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the soldier "fell in a heroic battle" and that "the heart of the entire nation grieves over the terrible loss".

Campaign group the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said the return of the soldier's remains offered "important closure" for the family, but demanded a negotiated deal to release those still held captive in Gaza since October 7.

"We must not be misled -- the remaining hostages don't have the luxury of waiting for rescue operations," the group said in a statement.

Hamas's October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,199 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

The Palestinian militants also abducted 251 people, 103 of whom are still captive in Gaza including 33 the military says are dead.

On Tuesday the Israeli army announced that one hostage, a 52-year-old Israeli Bedouin man, had been rescued from a Gaza tunnel.

On Wednesday, as he left a medical centre, the rescued man, Kaid Farhan Alkadi, said international mediators needed to secure a ceasefire.

"Those in Qatar and Egypt need to put an end to this. They travel and return to the negotiations, this is a waste of fuel," he said.

"You have to sit together until white smoke comes out and be done with it."

Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 40,534 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The UN rights office says most of the dead are women and children.

"My joy is not complete because I know that there are other hostages here and there, it doesn't matter if he is Arab or Jewish," Alkadi said.

"There is a family waiting for him and they want to be happy, so I hope and pray that there will be an end to this thing."
Trump entourage accused of shoving staff at hallowed US military cemetery



Washington, Aug 28 (AFP) Aug 28, 2024



Donald Trump was embroiled in controversy Wednesday after a report that his entourage shoved staff during a politicized visit to the United States's most hallowed resting place for its war dead.

National Public Radio reported late the previous day that an Arlington National Cemetery official tried to prevent the Republican's aides from filming and photographing in a section where those killed in recent wars are buried -- and where filming is banned.

Trump staffers responded by shoving and verbally abusing the employee, the report said.

Arlington National Cemetery confirmed on Wednesday there had been an "incident" at the location, after the 78-year-old Republican presidential candidate's visit on Monday.

Accompanied by top election aides, Trump was taking part in a wreath-laying with family members of some of the 13 service members killed in Kabul in 2021 during the desperate last hours of the US pullout from Afghanistan, ending a 20-year war against the Taliban.

Trump was invited to the ceremony by the families. He has made criticism of President Joe Biden's handling of the final US retreat from Afghanistan a key note of his reelection campaign, arguing that he would have managed the withdrawal in the face of a sudden and complete Taliban victory better.

The withdrawal was made as part of a peace deal signed by the Trump administration with the Taliban in Doha in February 2020.

After the visit to Arlington cemetery, Trump's campaign posted a photo of the former president standing with the relatives and giving a thumbs-up gesture.



- Campaign activities 'prohibited' -



Arlington National Cemetery, just outside Washington, said "federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidate's campaign."

The cemetery "reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants," it said.

Trump's campaign co-manager Chris LaCivita issued a very different interpretation of the dispute, saying a "despicable individual" had blocked the former president's team.

It is "a disgrace and does not deserve to represent the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery," he said.

Trump's running mate JD Vance accused the media of "creating a story where I really don't think that there is one."

"There is verifiable evidence that the campaign was allowed to have a photographer there," Vance said in Pennsylvania -- an assertion contradicted by the cemetery's statement.

Trump also posted a statement on social media attributed to relatives of victims of the 2021 bombing in Kabul, which said they had approved having Trump's media team present.

The Abbey Gate suicide bombing at Kabul's airport killed scores of Afghans and 13 American troops -- the last US troops to die in that war.

The uproar over the Arlington incident is the latest in a long line of controversies over Trump's relationship with the military.

While often touting his support for the armed forces, he privately mocked the war dead while president and did not want to be seen near military amputees, according to his former chief of staff.
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He told the publication: 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.
Minister Luminita Odobescu will participate, on Thursday, in the informal meeting of the ministers of Foreign Affairs from the EU member states, which will be hosted in Brussels, by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) reports.

According to the source, the ministers' talks will focus on Russia's aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. Also, the European Foreign Ministers will address the post-election situation in Venezuela and the situation in Georgia, respectively.

The discussion on Russia's aggression against Ukraine will take place with the participation of the Ukrainian minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, and will focus on the presentation of recent developments on the ground and on the EU's multidimensional support for Ukraine.

The situation in the Middle East will be approached from the perspective of the most recent developments, in the context of the increase in tensions in the area and the amplification of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as well as the sustained efforts of the USA in the direction of an agreement between the parties for a ceasefire and the release of all hostages held by Hamas.

At the same time, the European foreign ministers will have an informal exchange of views with the head of Turkish diplomacy, Hakan Fidan, on the topic of EU-Turkey relations.
Greenpeace Romania activists are protesting on Wednesday in the middle of the dried-up riverbed of the Comana Natural Park to draw the authorities' attention to the fact that Romania is currently facing a period of severe drought and that the new fossil fuel projects they are supporting are aggravating the climate crisis and the drought.

According to a Greenpeace Romania release sent to AGERPRES, the protesters are displaying messages to raise awareness on the effects of climate change: "The coldest summer we have left," "The future remains without water," "Stop fossil fuels, protect water," "Who pays?".

"Comana Natural Park, known as the Neajlov Delta or Balta Comana, is the second largest delta in terms of biodiversity and area after the Danube Delta. The Neajlov Delta is home to 141 bird species, half of which are internationally protected, 19 species of fish and 31 species of mammals. Romania is currently experiencing a period of severe drought, with a significant impact on water resources and ecosystems. 658 localities are still receiving restricted water at certain times of the day. Thus, 388 localities with centralised water supply systems receive water at certain times of the day. 270 localities without centralised water systems suffer from drought and have dry wells," notes Greenpeace, which qoutes data published by the Apele Romane National Administration (ANAR).

The environmental activists believe climate change is fueled by greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, mainly the burning of fossil fuels.

"This activity is intensifying not only heat waves with record-breaking temperatures, but also droughts, which are becoming more frequent, prolonged and devastating. The current summer is sending alarming signals and calling for swift action. The European Union has made firm commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, and Romania, as an EU member state, must meet these targets. The new fossil gas exploration projects are in contradiction with the objectives of limiting climate change (...) However, Romania supports new fossil fuel projects that aggravate the climate crisis and drought, such as the Neptun Deep project," the organisation notes.

The ERCST report estimates a total carbon footprint of about 209 million tonnes of CO2 over 20 years, which means, on average, about 10.4 million tonnes of CO2 per year, more than the emissions of some countries in a single year.

In this context, Greenpeace is calling on national and local authorities to take urgent action in the face of the devastating impact of the climate crisis.

"We must adopt urgent measures to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and to promote sustainable energy solutions that protect water resources and the environment for future generations," Alin Tanase, campaign coordinator at Greenpeace Romania, is quoted as saying.
In mid-August, the World Health Organization declared the highest level of alarm due to mpox outbreaks in a number of African countries and a new, potentially more dangerous variant. While the risk in Europe is low according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, calls for solidarity and vaccine sharing emerge.

On August 13, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared mpox - formerly monkeypox - to be a continent-wide public health emergency and asked for international help in achieving its target of providing two million vaccines

The World Health Organization (WHO) one day later declared the highest level of alarm due to the mpox outbreaks in Africa and a potentially more contagious new variant but advised against panic following the first imported case in Europe.

The virus causes a rash, fever, and muscle pain. Symptoms are mainly treated by medication to prevent fever, pain or allergic reaction. There are two vaccines, but they are in short supply in Africa.

Mpox was first detected in humans in 1970, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and is considered endemic to countries in central and west Africa.

New variant detected beyond Africa but mpox 'not the new COVID'

A new clade - or variant - has been circulating in the DRC since late last year.

According to the WHO, more than 18,000 suspected cases with 575 deaths have been registered in the country this year.

The viral illness has spread to other African countries in recent weeks, including Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda which count more than 200 confirmed infections with the new variant Ib. Cases of the variant have also been registered in people in Sweden and Thailand who had travelled to Africa.

Experts believe the new variant (called clade I) 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.

Briefing journalists on August 20, the WHO's regional director for Europe Hans Kluge said that the virus has been circulating in the region in an earlier, less aggressive variant, known as clade II, since the previous outbreak in 2022. According to Kluge, around 100 cases of this variant are currently occurring per month in Europe and 'mpox isn't the new COVID'.

'We know quite a lot about clade II already,' Kluge said, adding that 'we still have to learn more about clade I', causing the epidemic in Central and East Africa.

In July 2022, the WHO announced a first 'Public Health Emergency of International Concern' (PHEIC) related to mpox which was declared over in May 2023. During the 2022-2023 outbreak, over 22,000 cases of mpox were reported in Europe.

On Monday, the WHO estimated that it will need 135 million US Dollars over the next six months to combat mpox, not including the cost of two million vaccine doses, according to a planning paper from the UN health agency. The money is to chiefly be invested in diagnostic tests and research, the WHO said.

No European public health emergency, solidarity is key to tackling outbreakAccording to a European Commission spokesperson on August 20, the current situation in Europe shouldn't 'be considered a public health emergency'. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) stated in a risk assessment that more imported cases 'will likely occur' but considers the risk of the new mpox variant for the general public of the EU/EEA as low.

After a meeting with the ECDC and the European Medicine Agency (EMA), the Health Security Committee of the European Commission concluded that measures such as border controls or extending vaccinations to the general public are not necessary.

The European Commission has asked member states about their intention to donate mpox vaccines to affected African countries and offered to coordinate the effort.

Stella Kyriakides, EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, on August 22 sent a letter to the EU's health ministers calling for coordinated action in a 'spirit of global solidarity and cooperation' through the Team Europe approach which was also used during the COVID pandemic.

The European Union will send 175,420 doses of vaccines to the Africa CDC to prevent mpox, the European Commisson announced in mid-August.

The commission said in a statement that it would supply the vaccines via its Health Emergency Preparedness and Respose Authority (HERA). Pharmaceutical firm Bavarian Nordic, which manufactures the vaccine, will donate 40,000 doses to HERA, the statement said.

On Monday, a German government spokesman said that the country was donating 100,000 doses of mpox vaccine to African countries affected by the disease from army stocks. In the medium term, Germany, together with European partners, will also support the African Union in setting up local vaccine production, he said.

EU countries are preparing themselves

Several European countries are advising their citizens to be vigilant when it comes to travelling to affected areas, implementing measures in case of possible infections while recommendations for vaccinations remain limited to at-risk groups. EU and national health authorities remain calm but alert.

In Sweden, where the first case of the new variant in Europe was detected in mid-August, a special governmental crisis group called GSS had been activated.

'I take the situation seriously, but there is no reason for a major worry. The risk of spreading is low and we have a good preparedness for this, with good routines in the health system,' Sweden's Health Minister Jakob Forssmed said earlier this month.

Sweden has announced new travelling advice to people that need to visit the most affected countries in Africa, and also recommendations on who might need a vaccine.

'Most people going there do not need to be vaccinated. Vaccination may be relevant for health- and hospital personnel, aid workers or others that will be in the most affected area. We have enough vaccines for anyone covered by these recommendations,' chief epidemiologist Magnus Gisslan told Swedish News Agency TT.

The Czech health ministry said that people travelling to the African countries where the disease has been reported should consult a vaccination and travel medicine centre on the suitability of vaccination and other preventive measures. A spokesman further said that there were enough vaccines available in the country.

The Spanish Ministry of Health insists that Spain has a sufficient stock of vaccines, too. On August 21, the Minister of Health, Manica Garcia, sent a message of 'calm, caution and scientific rigor' regarding the mpox virus to the people. Garcia further said: 'We are going to go, as always, hand in hand with scientific rigor and the recommendations coordinated at European and global level.'

The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) expects that the new variant is 'probably' also coming to the Netherlands. 'As soon as we have a case of the new variant, the person will be isolated and there will be a source and contact investigation. People are on standby for that. We expect to be able to contain the spread quickly,' the RIVM informed. The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport stated that there are 'around' 100,000 vaccines available, deemed 'ample' in view of the infection numbers since the mpox outbreak in 2022.

The Italian National Institute of Health (ISS) doesn't currently recommend vaccines for the general population, stating that 'vaccination is currently offered to certain categories of people most at risk'. The country's Ministry of Health has set up a webpage dedicated to mpox including information on the disease or vaccination strategy and vaccination centres as well as a section on fake news among other subjects.

The Slovenian National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) estimates that vaccination of the general population against mpox is currently neither necessary nor recommended. Vaccination is recommended for laboratory workers and highly exposed health workers, as well as for humanitarian workers planning to work in affected areas.

After the first case of the new mpox variant was reported in Europe, Bulgarian health authorities said the risk of the disease spreading in the country was minimal and hence did not foresee further special measures to contain the infection.

Fact check: WHO mpox emergency declaration does not advise lockdowns

After the World Health Organization declared the mpox outbreak a global health emergency in August 2024, social media posts and an online article claimed the UN agency had ordered governments to prepare for large-scale lockdowns in anticipation of a new pandemic.

The fact-checking team of Agence France-Presse (AFP) debunked these claims, explaining that the WHO provides technical assistance to member states, cannot mandate specific health measures and has not recommended travel restrictions.

Read AFP's full fact check here: https://factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com.36EE2D8

The content is based on news by ANP, ANSA, BTA, CTK, dpa, EFE, STA, TT.
Government spokesman Mihai Constantin said on Wednesday that the total amount needed to prepare, organise and conduct this year's Romanian presidential elections in good conditions is estimated at 1.39 billion RON.

(1 euro = 4.9771 RON)

"Three Government decisions have been adopted today, which set out in detail the calendar of electoral actions, technical measures and expenses for the preparation, organisation and conduct of the elections for the President of Romania on November 24, 2024 - first round, and December 8 - second round. (...) The total amount necessary for the preparation, organisation and conduct in good conditions of the 2024 elections for the Romanian President is estimated at 1.39 billion RON," Constantin told a press conference at the Victoria Palace of Government.

He mentioned that September 24 is the deadline by which voters who wish to vote abroad must register in the electoral register as a voter abroad, through the online form on the website of the Permanent Electoral Authority.

"October 5 is the deadline for submitting candidacies and electoral signs to the Central Electoral Office. (...) October 25 - the beginning of the electoral campaign, November 23, 07:00 - the end of the electoral campaign. (...) November 22, between 12:00 and 21:00 is the first day of voting abroad, November 23 - the second day of voting abroad - voting begins on the second day at 07:00 local time and ends at 21:00. November 24 is voting day at home - voting starts at 07:00 and closes at 21.00," Constantin added.

On November 29, the public will be informed about the two candidates who will take part in the second round of the elections, and the campaign for the runoff election will start on the same day. On December 7, at 07:00, the nationwide election campaign ends and December 8 is voting day for the second round. Voting will take place between 07:00 and 21:00, Constantin said.
Two maritime cargo ships collided on Wednesday in the Sulina Canal as one of them was attempting emergency anchoring. No casualties were recorded in the incident that occurred at the Danube River 18th milestone, the Romanian Naval Authority (ANR) reports.

Sundry, a ship under Panama flag, was headed for Tunisia with 6,228 tons of barley on board, when it suffered a malfunction in the main engine, which forced the crew to anchor in emergency mode.

"During the maneuver, the ship was hit by the Liberian-flagged tanker Mazu Xiao, which was sailing upstream from Constanta to Izmail, carrying 6,620 tons of diesel fuel. The Mazu Xiao continued its march and will drop anchor in Tulcea Port for additional investigations into the incident. Sundry incurred damage in the stern area and will be kept in Sulina for investigations," the ANR release states.

No casualties or pollution were recorded following the incident, and traffic along the Sulina Canal carries on normally.

The Sulina Port Authority opened an investigation in order to determine the causes and circumstances of the event.
ST. LOUIS  McCormack Baron Salazar is finally starting the latest phase of a $111 million revamp of the 500-plus unit Preservation Square housing complex.

Among the hurdles the developer cleared to tee up the rehab of 91 units of mixed income housing near the intersection of 14th Street and Cass Avenue: a settlement late last year with the Carr Square Tenant Corporation, run by Rodney Hubbard Sr. of the politically influential Hubbard family.

McCormack Baron co-founder Richard Baron said Friday the firm was able to buy out Carr Squares ownership stake in the property where the latest phase is poised to begin.

We arrived at a settlement, Baron said Friday. We had never intended not to have them involved. The problem was simply there was overreach and, anyway, it got resolved. The lawyers worked it out. They disappeared, and were moving ahead.

A lawyer who represented Carr Square referred questions to the housing corporation. Rodney Hubbard could not be reached for comment.

For St. Louis and its hopes of future federal grant awards, the project north of downtown is an important one, underwritten with a competitive $30 million Housing and Urban Development grant awarded back in 2016, when Francis Slay was still mayor. Matt Moak, former director of the citys Community Development Administration, which administers the HUD grant, in 2020 called the project too big to fail.

The HUD money was supposed to have been used by the end of last year. HUD granted an extension because of the pandemic, and the developer now says it expects to spend the remainder of the grant this year.

Even before the pandemic, the project faced obstacles, mostly political.

McCormack Baron blamed delays on former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens attempt to kill a low-income housing tax credit. Later, it said a hostile alderwoman  Tammika Hubbard, Rodney Hubbards daughter  stymied the project by blocking requests for city right-of-way and local property tax breaks.

But representatives for the Hubbards accused McCormack Baron of reneging on a promise to incorporate the crumbling Carr School into the project as a new community center to serve the housing units Carr Square owns and manages. They said McCormack Baron tried to cut them out of the project despite Carr Squares partial ownership of a portion of Preservation Square  the portion now nearing groundbreaking.

McCormack Baron insisted that Carr Square and their attorneys were trying to gain undue leverage over the project through legal agreements, a claim Carr Square countered was to protect their interests after being burned by the developer before.

The dispute, and questions about Carr Squares ownership stake, caught the attention of HUD. The city and McCormack Baron tried to assure the agency that Carr Squares ownership was negligible.

Then, Tammika Hubbard narrowly lost her election in 2021, and a new alderman helped McCormack Baron win tax breaks and other action from a city whose bureaucracy often relies on the blessing of an alderman. New apartments have been popping up along Cass Avenue for the past several years, replacing the older Preservation Square models that had housed residents for decades.

On Tuesday, a city development board advanced a measure authorizing the agreements necessary to begin the fourth phase.

Since 2018, McCormack Baron, one of the nations largest for-profit developers of affordable housing, has won five rounds of low-income housing tax credits for Preservation Square from the Missouri Housing Development Corporation. In all, the awards have given the developer access to some $74 million in state and federal tax credits, each allocation paid out over 10 years, to finance the project. The first round of credits was awarded in 2018 to help finance the initial phase.

The city has chipped in with a $750,000 grant paid with federal pandemic relief money. And in this latest phase, the Missouri Department of Economic Development is contributing another $5 million.

Another phase of the project  a revamp of the nearby Brewery Apartments in the old Falstaff Brewery  could begin later this year, said McCormack Barons senior vice president of development, Emily Baron Bernstein.

To finance the projects final phase, along 14th Street just south of where the current phase is about to begin, St. Louis Development Corporation CEO Neal Richardson plans to write a letter of support for another round of low-income housing tax credits. Missouri is expected to consider low-income tax credit applications later this year.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY  Marcellus Williams could be dead in four weeks.

He was found guilty two decades ago of stabbing Lisha Gayle 43 times, and was sentenced to death.

St. Louis County prosecutors now say hes innocent.

The Missouri Attorney General disagrees.

On Wednesday, both sides will argue the facts of a case whose evidence does not clearly point to either guilt or innocence:

The DNA has been compromised, bloody fingerprints destroyed, and two main witnesses in the original trial had questionable motives  and are now dead.

Wednesdays evidence hearing comes a week after Williams made a surprise deal with the office of St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell to plead no contest to the murder charge against him. Williams, who continues to maintain his innocence, agreed to the deal in exchange for life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Attorney General Andrew Bailey immediately appealed, and the state Supreme Court nullified the deal and ordered this latest evidentiary hearing.

I dont think this is going to be kind of a strictly legal argument, said Peter Joy, a Washington University School of Law professor who is unaffiliated with the case. It is going to depend on how the evidence comes out at the hearing itself.

Heres how the case against Williams unfolded.

The crime

Felicia Lisha Gayle Picus was found murdered in her University City home on Aug. 11, 1998.

Her husband of almost 20 years, Dr. Daniel Picus, came home just before 8 p.m. and found their kitchen in disarray.

The freezer door was open with its contents rummaged through. The empty dishwasher was also open. And a drawer full of Chicago Cutlery brand knives was open and he saw a cardboard knife cover on the floor  where police would later say they found one of multiple bloody shoeprints.

Picus, a Barnes-Jewish Hospital radiologist, found his wifes body on the ground in a hallway. Gayle was wearing only a purple shirt and had one of their kitchen knives lodged in her neck.

He learned later that his wife had been stabbed 43 times and ultimately died from 16 stab wounds to her head, neck, chest, and abdomen, prosecutors wrote. Several defensive wounds indicated Gayle fought her attacker.

Investigators noted an empty Bud Light bottle on the kitchen counter, near some empty plastic shopping bags and a pile of papers. The wooden kitchen table had four chairs, two of which were pulled out.

Police found blood throughout the first floor of the home and up three steps on the staircase to the second floor, which appeared undisturbed.

Picus told police most of the house seemed untouched and the only missing things were his old Apple laptop, Gayles purse and one of her four canvas bags used for grocery shopping.

The break-in was the fourth burglary on that street in a month, the Post-Dispatch reported at the time.

The investigation

In the days following the murder, police investigators interviewed several of the couples neighbors on Kingsbury Drive, a private gated street, as well as other witnesses in the area on that day.

Most told police they hadnt noticed anything suspicious or werent around at the time of the murder. A neighbor and a babysitter working at a nearby home mentioned one unusual thing: a white man driving a dark-colored minivan in the area around 4:30 p.m.

Police believed the killer had entered through the front because the pane of glass on the front door had been broken. But no neighbors reported seeing anyone at Gayles door that day.

As far as Picus could tell, his wifes daily routine was undisturbed. Gayle, 42, a former Post-Dispatch reporter, usually went for a run after he went to work in the morning, and a neighbor reported she stopped by to give them some extra bananas on her jog around 10 a.m.

The streets longtime mailman told police he saw Gayle at around 1 p.m. that day in front of her door. They had a brief conversation.

The mailman noted one unusual thing. He said the couples front door was open the day of the murder and the day prior, even though it was usually closed when he dropped off their mail.

Another strange thing: 24 days before Gayles murder, another woman had been stabbed over 20 times in her home, also with her own kitchen knife that was left at the scene, the Post-Dispatch reported in 1998. In a 2017 writ filed by Williams attorneys, they said then St. Louis County Medical Examiner Dr. Mary Case believed the murders were connected.

Debra McClain, a 40-year-old drugstore clerk, was found dead in her home on July 18, just three miles from Gayles University City home. Both women were slim, short, with brown hair. There were no signs that McClains house had been broken into, police said, nor was anything taken.

No one has been charged in McClains killing.

As the weeks went on, Gayles murder remained a focus in the news media. It would take 10 months for police to get their first real lead, prosecutors wrote.

A break in the case

During those 10 months, Gayles family grew increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress in the investigation, prosecutors wrote. Police suggested the family offer a reward, so they began advertising a $10,000 incentive for any leads.

News coverage of the stalled investigation  and the reward  was prominent.

Investigators finally got a tip on June 4, 1999. A man named Henry Cole was released from the Workhouse, a city jail now shuttered, and immediately called the police to tell them he had information about who killed Gayle.

Cole had an extensive criminal history dating back to the 1960s. He had felony convictions and prison sentences for crimes ranging from stealing to robberies to weapons possession all over the country. He also had long struggled with drug addiction  he regularly used crack cocaine, marijuana and heroin  and with mental illness. Prosecutors also said he was HIV-positive.

Prosecutors said that before he told police anything, Cole asked them, Aint no way I can get any kind of money at all upfront?

Cole told police Williams confessed to killing Gayle while the two were in lock-up together. Cole said that Williams explained he needed money, so he took a bus to University City to find a house to rob.

About three months after Coles interview with police, a woman named Laura Asaro was arrested for sex work. Asaro told officers that she had information related to the murder of the woman in U. City.

But when detectives arrived to question her, she would not talk to them, stating she was just trying to get out of the arrest.

Police questioned her for two hours to no avail. They tried a different tack four days later: Detectives told her the charges would be dropped if she cooperated. They noted the reward for information.

She was not receptive, so detectives then told her that Ms. Gayles husband had posted a $10,000 reward in the case involving the death of his wife, and she would be eligible for some or all of the money if she helped out, prosecutors wrote.

Asaro then told police she was living in Williams' car with him at the time of the murder. On the day Gayle was killed, Asaro said Williams left her at her mothers house and returned with blood on his clothes and scratches on his neck. According to Asaro, he threw the clothing down a sewer and promptly went to a neighbor to trade Picus laptop for crack cocaine.

Asaro at one point told police she saw the laptop in Williams car. But her story on the computer, and when it was sold, changed several times.

Williams cousin testified that in August 1998 he saw Asaro get off a bus near his grandfathers home carrying the laptop and a purse, prosecutors said.

The neighbor had the computer 10 months later but denied in court that any drugs exchanged hands. In November 2022 he said in a sworn affidavit that he bought the laptop for his school-aged daughter and said Williams told him someone had given Williams the computer.

Asaro said the day after Williams returned covered in blood, she found Gayles purse in the trunk of Williams car and thought he was cheating on her. When confronted about it, Asaro said Williams told her it belonged to a journalist at the Post-Dispatch whom he had just killed, prosecutors wrote.

Police never found the purse.

Williams attorneys said the two witnesses stories changed throughout the investigation and often contradicted their versions of events.

The trial

Williams was charged with the murder on Nov. 29, 1999. Asaro testified at trial that she found Gayles ID in Williams car and that he told her that he killed Gayle.

Cole, too, testified that Williams confessed to the murder while the two were cellmates.

A jury, made up of 11 white people and one Black person, convicted Williams in June 2001 after five hours of deliberation. The conviction came as Williams was already serving 50 years for two unrelated robberies, the Post-Dispatch reported at the time.

Williams innocence claims also include allegations that the prosecutor at the time rejected two potential jurors based on their race.

In the days following his conviction, the jury then deliberated for 90 minutes before deciding Williams should be executed by lethal injection.

Asaro and Cole both died several years ago, according to Williams defense team. Their families have provided statements under oath that said the two were known for providing police false information for their own benefit.

Ed Hopson, a man who dated Asaros mother and had known Asaro since she was a child, told authorities she was a known police informant and had engaged in a pattern of lying to the police to get herself out of trouble in the past.

Coles nephew, Durwin Cole, said everyone in the family knew that Henry made up the story about Marcellus committing the Felicia Gayle homicide.

Williams is scheduled to be executed on Sept. 24.

St. Louis County Judge Bruce Hilton will have less than three weeks to review the case and decide whether to vacate Williams conviction.
JEFFERSON CITY  For the second time, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft has shot down emergency rules by Gov. Mike Parsons administration to crack down on sales of hemp-derived cannabis products.

Ashcroft said Parsons administration failed to provide the required legal justification for the emergency rule.

His office said a separate regulation filed would go through the normal rulemaking process, including a public comment period.

That could delay implementation until after Parson leaves office in January and a new governor replaces him.

Ashcrofts initial refusal to sign off on the regulations last week sparked an angry response from Parson, who in a letter accused Ashcroft of attempting retribution after Parson endorsed another candidate.

Ashcroft lost the GOP gubernatorial primary Aug. 6 to Parsons preferred pick, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe.

Parsons office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

The fight over sales of hemp-derived THC products in establishments across the state has pitted hemp producers and convenience stores against members of the states legal marijuana industry.

Parson issued an executive order Aug. 1 seeking to restrict hemp-derived sales beginning Sept. 1.

Since then, the hemp industry has vocally opposed the new rules, characterizing them as a move to strengthen the regulated cannabis industrys grip on the market in a state where the state strictly limits licensed operations.

Members of the legal cannabis industry support the crackdown. They have also backed Gov. Mike Parsons political action committee, with the MoCannTrade PAC contributing $50,000 to the PAC in June.

Parsons executive order earlier this month directed the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control to prohibit the sale of unregulated psychoactive cannabis products at establishments with liquor licenses.

The order also barred sale of food with psychoactive cannabis compounds from unapproved sources, directing officials with the Department of Health and Senior Services to classify food with unregulated psychoactive cannabis products as unapproved beginning Sept. 1.

The order also directs the DHSS to embargo and condemn any food containing unregulated psychoactive cannabis products.

The emergency rule that Ashcroft rejected was submitted by the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control, and prohibits the sale of food and drugs that the DHSS has embargoed.

Despite the emergency rule not taking effect, state health officials are still planning to take action beginning Sept. 1 to embargo unregulated psychoactive cannabis products, Lisa Cox, DHSS spokesperson, said Tuesday.
UNITED NATIONS  The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday demanded a halt to the increasing attacks between Lebanons Hezbollah militants and Israeli forces and warned that further escalation carries the high risk of leading to a widespread conflict.

Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah pulled back after an exchange of heavy fire across the U.N.-drawn boundary between Lebanon and Israel over the weekend. But their decades-old conflict is far from over and regional tensions linked to the war in Gaza are still high.

The Security Council demand that Israel and Hezbollah halt hostilities  which is not legally binding  came in a French-drafted resolution unanimously approved by its 15 members, urging the relevant actors to restore calm, restraint and stability.

The risk of open warfare remains real, and we are mobilized alongside our regional and international partners to avoid a regional conflagration, Frances deputy U.N. ambassador, Nathalie Broadhurst, said before the vote.

Israels U.N. ambassador, Danny Danon, told reporters that he had a message for the Lebanese people: You and your government have a choice to make, confront Hezbollah today or watch as your country is dragged into chaos and destruction.

Lebanons representative, Hadi Hachem, was far more diplomatic, thanking the council after the vote for its clear message in favor of stability and a cease-fire. And he urged members: Lets work together, not only to end the escalation but toward a just and comprehensive peace.

The resolution extended for another year the mandate of the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon known as UNIFIL, which was created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon after a 1978 invasion and has been there ever since.

The Security Council expanded the mission after a 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah so that peacekeepers could deploy along the Lebanon-Israel border to help Lebanese troops extend their authority into their countrys south for the first time in decades. That resolution also called for a full cessation of Israeli-Hezbollah hostilities, which has not happened.

Hezbollah supporters in Lebanon frequently accuse the U.N. mission of collusion with Israel, while Israel has accused the peacekeepers of turning a blind eye to Hezbollahs military activities in southern Lebanon.

During the ongoing clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL facilities or vehicles have been hit by shelling or gunfire on several occasions. Earlier this month, UNIFIL said three peacekeepers on patrol were lightly injured when an explosion happened near their vehicle.

Israels Danon blamed Hezbollah for launching unprovoked attacks against Israel starting the day after Hamas Oct. 7 attacks in southern Israel, which ignited the war in Gaza. Since then, he said, more than 8,000 rockets, 300 explosive drones and 1,500 anti-tank missiles have been launched against Israel, forcing over 60,000 Israelis in the north to leave their homes.

Danon accused Hezbollah of firing from southern Lebanon  within UNIFILs area of operations  in violation of the 2006 cease-fire resolution and showed the council photos that he claimed were near some of its facilities.

There will be no stability while Hezbollahs massive military buildup is ignored, he said.

Israel is determined to return its civilians to their homes, and while it favors diplomacy, Danon warned that time is running out. If diplomacy fails, we will use all the necessary means to restore calm and stability to the north of Israel," he said.

Israeli ally the United States supported Israel's right to defend itself against Hezbollah attacks.

Lebanon should not be a haven for terrorist organizations or a launch pad for attacks against Israel, U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood told the council, saying that Iran is violating the arms embargo in the 2006 resolution by providing Hezbollah with the majority of weapons it fires against Israel.

Algeria, the Arab representative on the council, and Russia said the crisis in Lebanon and the wider Middle East has deeper roots.

Nacim Gaouaoui, Algerias deputy U.N. ambassador, underscored the importance of UNIFILs role in ending hostilities but said its a critical moment for our region because of the brutal assault on the unarmed Palestinian people, in particular in the Gaza Strip.

My delegation believes that the leading reason for instability in the Middle East is the occupation of Arab territory, he said. The end of occupation is the condition for peace and security in the region.

That view was echoed by Russias deputy U.N. ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky, who said, It is clear that the current political military escalation is linked directly to the fact that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict remains unresolved and the unprecedented escalation in Gaza.

Associated Press writer Abby Sewell in Beirut contributed to this report.
Soldiers at Fort Moore, Ga., take a cognitive screening test as part of a new Army program aimed at improving brain health and recovery. The program will test all incoming recruits and officer trainees across the service for baseline brain health and assess them continually throughout their careers for signs of injury or cognitive decline. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes)

FORT MOORE, Ga.  The testing is simple: It requires only a computer and a mouse with two buttons  labeled 1 and 2  but Pentagon officials believe it will have a huge impact on the militarys ability to monitor the brain health of its troops.

Through a series of testing modules, soldiers are instructed to press button 1 as quickly as possible when a star or an X appears on their screen, press one of the buttons when a simple math equation is higher or lower than 5, and match symbols on dominoes displayed on the computer screen. The testing, which takes about 30 minutes, is meant to capture the soldiers cognitive performance at that moment in time, said Steven Porter, the chief of the neurocognitive branch for the Pentagons Surgeon Generals Office and Defense Health Agency.

Collecting baselines is very important because everyones brain functions differently, so using normative data typically is not as helpful for assessing cognitive change without that baseline, Porter said Monday at Fort Moore where officials gathered to roll out the new cognitive testing program for all recruits coming into basic training at the Georgia Army post. Being able to get that baseline prior to any significant injury allows us to identify the small cognitive changes that may be occurring that maybe would not have been to the point of diagnosis or even symptomology, so we can identify those changes even before the soldier notices any change within their own cognitive abilities.

Only milliseconds of change in a soldiers reaction time to stars appearing on the computer screen during the test can show health care officials that the individual needs assessment for a cognitive change, Porter said. The testing can also help those medical officials to understand where an issue or injury might have occurred in a soldiers brain, he said.

Fort Moore on Monday became the second Army basic training site to stand up its new baseline cognitive testing program for all incoming recruits, said Col. Jama VanHorne-Sealy, Army Medical Commands occupational health director. The Army opened testing last month at Fort Sill, Okla. It plans to begin testing at its final two basic training locations, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and Fort Jackson, S.C., by the end of September, she said.

Army Col. Greg McLean, center, the commander of Fort Moores 196th Armor Brigade, cuts a ribbon to open a new cognitive monitoring program for incoming recruits at the Georgia Army post, as Col. Jama VanHorne-Sealy, left, the Armys occupational health director, and Lt. Col. John Suprynowicz, the Fort Moore Soldier Recovery Unit battalion commander, look on. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes)

Army ROTC juniors and seniors underwent the baseline brain health testing in June during annual summer training for ROTC cadets at Fort Knox in Kentucky, VanHorne-Sealy said. By the end of the year, the service aims to open testing for all officer trainees, including for cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., she said.

The new testing is a marked shift in how the service monitors its troops cognitive health, VanHorne-Sealy said.

We are now looking across the brain health of the soldiers throughout their entire career, she said. We are baselining them as soon as they enter the service, and then theyre going to get periodic exams over their career based upon whatever occupation they have.

Soldiers serving in direct combat arms fields such as the infantry, armor, artillery, combat engineering and special operations, will likely be tested every year. Others in jobs where they are rarely exposed to weapons or blasts will typically be tested every three years, VanHorne-Sealy said.

The effort extends beyond the Army, Porter said, as the Pentagon aims to soon test all its incoming troops across the military branches.

Soldiers at Fort Moore, Ga., take a cognitive screening test as part of a new Army program aimed at improving brain health and recovery. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes)

New program, old test

While the program to provide baseline testing to all incoming troops is new, cognitive testing has been available in the Army since 2007, Porter said. For years, the service reserved those tests for soldiers preparing to deploy into combat and for those suspected of receiving a brain injury.

The change toward testing all incoming service members is a critical one, said Porter, who has spent more than 20 years studying brain injury as an active-duty Navy neuropsychologist and as a Defense Health Agency civilian. The new proactive approach is based on the latest scientific research on blast exposure.

Injuries that had been sustained at wartime, the [improvised explosive device] blasts, all of these exposures have given us  data that we didnt have previously, and now were able to  be proactive, said Porter, who helped develop the testing modules. We just didnt have the science [before] that we now have today.

The change will allow the military to catch cognitive issues in its troops quicker to give them a better chance at recovery, and it will also allow the Pentagon to study brain health trends it sees among its 1.3 million service members, he said.

The testing will also not disqualify anyone from serving in the military, VanHorne-Sealy said. Soldiers or recruits cannot fail it.

And it is not meant to assess troops intelligence nor will it be compared to the results of other individuals, VanHorne-Sealy said. Soldiers results will be kept confidential, per medical law.

She likened the test to a hearing screening.

How has your hearing changed over the last year? Then we need to refer you to somebody to see if theres an underlying cause, to get an actual medical exam, Van-Horne-Sealy said. So, this is really that [cognitive] screening process to determine who we need to send for a better medical evaluation.

The testing is only useful in comparing results to an individuals prior results, officials said.

In many cases, a soldiers cognitive function will return to the baseline with some rest away from blast exposures, Porter said.

If we identify [an issue] before any symptoms are evident  we can intervene, pull them out of an area with continued blast exposure and let them recover, he said. They take a knee for a short period, get back to baseline, and we get them back in the fight.

Soldiers at Fort Moore, Ga., take a cognitive screening test as part of a new Army program aimed at improving brain health and recovery. The program will test all incoming recruits and officer trainees across the service for baseline brain health and assess them continually throughout their careers for signs of injury or cognitive decline. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes)

Day zero testing

At Fort Moore, new recruits began taking the test last week. From now on, incoming recruits will take the cognitive test within days of arriving at the Armys home of infantry and armor training and before they ever set foot in the field or are exposed to a service weapon.

Col. Greg McLean, who commands Fort Moores 194th Armored Brigade, which will oversee the cognitive testing program, said it was important the baseline testing is done before recruits enter the field  around Day zero or when they arrive on post.

That way its a true baseline, instead of having them come test at some point when theyve already possibly done something in the Army, where theyve dealt with some blast exposure, he said.

The Armys other basic training locations will also aim to test recruits almost as soon as they arrive on post.

The colonel said he was pleased to see the Army moving to take a proactive response to brain injuries. The 26-year veteran suffered a traumatic brain injury in an explosion in Iraq in 2008 and experienced the Armys cognitive testing at that time.

This test was very hard to complete at that time to be able to prove to the Army I could get back to training, McLean said of his initial cognitive testing in Baghdad not long after his injury. I think it would be easier today.

While the cognitive testing in 2008 showed Army medical officials that McLean had improved from his injury, it could not show them if he suffered permanent damage or change.

So, its great now to have the baseline, he said. Its phenomenal that our character of medical care is continually updated [in the Army]. Now each and every citizen as they come in is going to have that baseline. Thats part of the handshake we have with America that were going to take care of  our soldiers.
U.S. Army Pfc. Dewayne Johnson sits with his teammates during an exercise at Helemano Military Reservation, Hawaii, in November 2023. (Joshua Linfoot/U.S. Army)

FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii  A Hawaii-based soldier whose pregnant wife went missing a month ago has been charged with making false statements, obstructing justice and distributing child pornography, the Army said Tuesday.

The Army Office of Special Trial Counsel preferred the charges against Pfc. Dewayne Arthur Johnson II, 28, in connection with the disappearance of his wife, Mischa Johnson, the service said in a news release.

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 release states.

Johnson reported his 19-year-old wife missing from their Schofield Barracks home on Aug. 1 to the Honolulu Police Department and military police. He told police his wife was emotionally distraught.

Army Criminal Investigation Division offered a $10,000 reward for a tip that led to finding the missing woman.

Mischa Johnsons family said in a video posted to social media last week that Army CID agents told them evidence found in her home and in her husbands car had led them to believe she was dead.

Mischa Mabeline Kaalohilani Johnson was last seen in her home at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, on the evening of July 31, 2024. (Honolulu Police Department)

Dewayne Johnson was arrested on Aug. 7 and is being held at Ford Island, according to the family. He will be held in pretrial confinement pending a preliminary hearing. The hearing is required before charges can be referred for trial by general court-martial, the news release states.

If the charges are referred, Johnson will be arraigned. A military judge would then preside over pre-trial hearings and the trial.

Johnson, of Frederick, Md., is a cavalry scout with the 25th Infantry Division, where he was assigned in June 2023.

He led his platoon on a six-mile search for his wife on and near Schofield Barracks days after he reported her missing, Marianna Tapiz, Mischa Johnsons older sister, said in an Instagram livestream Thursday.

Tapiz said the familys focus had morphed to justice for Mischa in light of the evidence investigators had found. She pleaded for anyone with information on Dewayne Johnsons movements in the last days of July to contact CID.

Anonymous tips can be submitted to the CID via an online form at www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=325 or by calling 808-208-0059.

This case remains an active investigation, Michelle McCaskill, a spokeswoman with the Office of Special Trial Counsel, said in the news release.

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, she said.
USS Hershel Woody Williams transits through the Gulf of Guinea on April 6, 2024. The ship, which is deployed throughout Africa, may be among 17 vessels sidelined as the Navy faces a shortage of civilian mariner manpower. (Ethan Morrow/U.S. Navy)

A Navy proposal to put more than a dozen support ships out of service to ease a crippling shortage of qualified civilian mariners could damage U.S. efforts to counter its competitors in Africa and the Middle East, naval analysts say.

The plan calls for putting the expeditionary sea bases USS Hershel Woody Williams and USS Lewis B. Puller, along with 15 other Military Sealift Command support ships, on a lengthy hiatus so the civilian crews staffing them can be retasked.

On Monday, the Navy said it would be inappropriate to comment on the plan given a final decision was pending. USNI News reported last week that Military Sealift wants to sideline 17 vessels in all, citing unidentified officials familiar with the plans.

Sidelining the ships would help the service better cope with a civilian mariner recruiting and retention problem that experts have likened to a national disaster threatening Americas ability to maintain sea power.

Based in Bahrain, Puller has supported missions to disrupt drug and weapons trafficking in the Middle East, among other tasks, as part of the Navys work to counter Iranian efforts to arm Houthi militants in Yemen.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Riley Netherland signals an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter on the flight deck of the expeditionary sea base USS Lewis B. Puller in the Gulf of Oman in July 2023. The vessel may be among 17 ships sidelined as the Navy deals with a shortage of civilian mariner manpower. (Elliot Schaudt/U.S. Navy)

Williams, assigned to U.S. Africa Command, is one of the few U.S. military vessels to almost continually transit African waters, a continent considered vital to American security interests.

The ship is part of collective U.S. efforts to build and sustain relationships in Africa, where Chinese interest in building a naval port on the Atlantic Ocean and growing Russian military influence come into play.

You have to be on the scene where you want to win friends and influence people, said James Holmes, chair of the maritime strategy program at the Naval War College in Newport, R.I. If China is on the scene, its competing, and its the only one competing if were not there. We lose by default.

Absence of the two sea bases also would be a blow to U.S. deterrence efforts, said Steven Wills, a retired Navy officer and research scientist at the Arlington, Va.-based think tank CNA.

He pointed out that the ships also work as evacuation platforms when conventional U.S. amphibious warfare forces arent available.

For example, Williams became the primary evacuation platform for Americans during the 2023 military coup in Sudan, he said.

In a world where the U.S. Navy cannot guarantee consistent amphibious ready group presence in the Mediterranean and Red Sea/Persian Gulf region, the (expeditionary sea bases) have proven to be valuable stand in ships and should not be sidelined, Wills said.

The ships in the proposal include two replenishment vessels, an oiler and 12 expeditionary fast transports that, along with Williams and Puller, would be placed into an extended maintenance period. It wasnt clear how long that would be.

The action would allow Military Sealift to send affected crews to other vessels, USNI reported Aug. 22.

Military Sealift operates about 125 civilian-crewed ships that replenish Navy ships, preposition combat cargo at sea and conduct specialized missions, according to the commands website.

Many of those ships  including Puller, Williams and U.S. 6th Fleet flagship USS Mount Whitney  are staffed by dual crews of civilian mariners and active-duty sailors.

For example, about 50 civilians are responsible for navigation and maintenance aboard Williams, while about 100 sailors manage air and other operations.

In all, about 5,500 civilians fill about 4,500 billets across Military Sealift. But that number of civilian workers does not allow for the ratio needed to properly crew a ship while giving other mariners much-needed leave time, according to USNI.

The grueling schedule has taken a toll on civilian mariners, many of whom have opted to leave the service, military and maritime historian Sal Mercogliano said Sunday on his account on X, formerly Twitter.

This has resulted in @MSCSealift churning through personnel, Mercogliano said.

The proposed reshuffle could ease staffing requirements for Military Sealift by as much as 700 billets and allow for a ratio of workers that would better support time off.

Holmes and Wills concede that the Navy doesnt have many options when it comes to the plan.

We are in serious trouble if we cant produce enough civilian mariners to crew our logistics fleet, a fleet that is already far too lean in terms of ship numbers, Holmes said. The question is whether we can get our mojo back, and how.
Sailors assigned to the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Cowpens (CG 63) participate in the ships decommissioning ceremony at Naval Base San Diego on Aug. 27, 2024. (Claire M. DuBois/U.S. Navy)

Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Cowpens (CG 63), a ship that helped establish the Tomahawk cruise missile as one of the militarys most feared weapons, was retired Tuesday at Naval Base San Diego.

Hundreds gathered at the decommissioning to celebrate the ships 33 years of service.

A guiding principle in the last chapter onboard has been to honor the legacy of Cowpens, said Cmdr. Jac O. Ullman III, the ships commanding officer.

The move is part of an effort to decommission all remaining Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers before the end of the decade. The Navy built 27 of the ships from 1980 through 1994 to counter the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Thirteen are still in service. The class is being replaced by Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

Cmdr. Jac Ullman III, commanding officer of the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Cowpens (CG 63), delivers opening remarks at the ships decommissioning ceremony at Naval Base San Diego on Aug. 27, 2024. (Claire M. DuBois/U.S. Navy) Cmdr. Jac O. Ullman III, commanding officer of the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Cowpens (CG 63), right, presents an American Flag representing the ships Ensign to retired Vice Adm. Edward Moore during the ships decommissioning ceremony at Naval Base San Diego on Aug. 27, 2024. (Claire M. DuBois/U.S. Navy) Sailors and guests render honors to the national Ensign at the decommissioning ceremony for the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Cowpens (CG 63) at Naval Base San Diego on Aug. 27, 2024. (Claire M. DuBois/U.S. Navy) Cmdr. Timothy Barry, executive officer of the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Cowpens (CG 63), left, watches as its crew leaves the ship during its decommissioning ceremony at Naval Base San Diego on Aug. 27, 2024. (Claire M. DuBois/U.S. Navy) Retired Vice Adm. Edward Moore delivers remarks at the decommissioning ceremony for the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Cowpens (CG 63) at Naval Base San Diego on Aug. 27, 2024. (Claire M. DuBois/U.S. Navy) Retired Vice Adm. Edward Moore delivers remarks at the decommissioning ceremony for the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Cowpens (CG 63) at Naval Base San Diego on Aug. 27, 2024. (Claire M. DuBois/U.S. Navy)

The Cowpens was launched in March 1989 in Charleston, S.C. It is the second warship to be named after the Battle of Cowpens, a Revolutionary War battle in which colonial soldiers defeated British troops near Chesnee, S.C. Historians say the fight occurred close to pastures known as cow pens.

The latter warship is affectionately known as the Mighty Moo and its crews as the Thundering Herd.

To honor the grit, determination, and creativity of the Continental Army and militiamen from that cold battlefield, Ullman said. To honor the service of those on the first USS Cowpens  CVL 25  and to honor the legacy of those who served before us during Mighty Moos 33-year career.  We have done just that.

The Cowpens was commissioned in March 1991. Less that two years later, the ship fired 10 Tomahawk cruise missiles into Iraq, which had violated no-fly zone sanctions in the region. The volley was part of a major strike by coalition forces. In March 2003, as part of the USS Kitty Hawk battle group, it was the first warship to launch Tomahawk missiles into Iraq, marking the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom  the campaign that brought down Saddam Hussein.

USS Cowpens participated in many operations and exercises, contributing significantly to U.S. naval power projection and security. From enforcing no-fly zones to conducting maritime security operations, the ship demonstrated versatility and capability across a range of mission profiles.

Contributing: The San Diego Union-Tribune (TNS).
Ethiopia and Egypt are also at loggerheads over the development of a giant hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile, which the North African nation fears may affect the flow of its main source of fresh water. (USAID)

Egypt delivered arms to Somalia and will help train the countrys troops, a Somali official said, potentially intensifying tensions in the Horn of Africa nation thats scrambling to impose control over a breakaway region.

The delivery follows a deal earlier this year for Ethiopia to recognize breakaway Somalilands sovereignty in return for a naval base and direct access to the Gulf of Aden. In response, Somalia sought assistance from Egypt and signed a military cooperation pact earlier this month.

Guns and ammunition arrived yesterday, Somalias Foreign Minister Ali Mohamed Omar said by phone of the Egyptian delivery.

The idea is to have in-house training and Egypt will supply some of that.

Ethiopia and Egypt are also at loggerheads over the development of a giant hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile, which the North African nation fears may affect the flow of its main source of fresh water.

Since 2006, Somalia has relied on foreign troops to help fight militant Islamist groups trying to overthrow the government. While about 13,000 soldiers in the current African Union peacekeeping mission are expected to leave by the end of year, the continental body has endorsed the creation of a replacement force.

Somalia will under no circumstances allow Ethiopian soldiers to join that new peacekeeping mission if the current deal with Somaliland still stands, Omar said. Donor nations are still discussing financing and composition of the new force, he said.

With assistance from Mirette Magdy.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 28. Azerbaijan needs significant investments in water infrastructure, the World Bank's (WB) Lead Water Resources Management Specialist Azad Abdulhamid said at the Role of Water Management Systems in Climate-Resilient Agriculture COP29 round table, Trend reports.

There have been many studies on water security, irrigation modernization, and agriculture, and I hope that the results of these studies will be followed by investments that will modernize infrastructure. However, as in many other countries, the investments that are allocated are often just a drop in the ocean. Azerbaijan has 1.5 million ha of irrigated land, and significant funds are needed to modernize the water infrastructure. We hope that the bank will be able to support the government in this matter, he noted.

Abdulhamid added that many countries pay great attention to the construction of dams and reservoirs, which can serve as a buffer against climate change; therefore, significant investments in storage capacities are needed.

According to him, there are also large investment needs in countries such as Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan to ensure climate sustainability of water infrastructure. The required investments are very significant; modernization is needed, as the facilities were designed almost 4050 years ago and many are already worn out.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observes a weapons test in this image released by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024. (KCNA)

SEOUL, South Korea  North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised the test-firing of an upgraded multiple rocket launcher this week at an unspecified location, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency.

The 240 mm rocket set-up tested on Tuesday was updated with a new guidance system, along with maneuverability and concentrated firing capability, KCNA reported the next day.

Kim reportedly called for the country to continue producing and equipping troops with new artillery weapons.

The test occurred while the U.S. and South Korea are engaged in the Ulchi Freedom Shield. The 11-day event is one of two large-scale military exercises conducted annually throughout the South.

Around 19,000 South Korean troops are participating in the exercise that began Aug. 19; roughly 2,000 flights were conducted by the U.S. and South Korean air forces last week.

North Korea has held several missile system tests so far this year. On March 18, Kim oversaw the firing of six super-large launchers firing 600 mm rounds simultaneously, which South Koreas military characterized as short-range ballistic missiles.

The communist regime also tested the 240 mm system on May 10. These launchers are meant to replace older systems intended for use until 2026, KCNA reported at the time.

During an Aug. 4 ceremony in Pyongyang, Kim showcased 250 tactical ballistic missile launchers that would eventually be deployed to frontline military units, according to KCNA.

North Korea conducts a weapons test in this image released by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024. (KCNA)

North Korea has fired at least two dozen ballistic missiles in eight separate days of testing so far this year. It last fired two ballistic missiles, one of them a short-range variant, toward the Sea of Japan, or East Sea, on July 1.

The second missile had an abnormal flight pattern and could not be identified, South Koreas Ministry of National Defense said at the time.

Also Tuesday, the chief Pentagon spokesman said the United States and South Korea take the drone threat posed by North Korea seriously, and its something that well keep an eye on.

Earlier this week, Kim oversaw the test of domestically produced military drones, including a one-way attack drone that struck an armored vehicle resembling the Souths K-2 Black Panther tank.

These suicide drones of various types were undergoing more tests and would be deployed to North Korean soldiers as early as possible, KNCA reported Saturday.

North Korea has a long history here of destabilizing rhetoric and activities and the U.S. and its regional allies are working to to be prepared for any threats that North Korea presents, Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said at a press conference in Washington, D.C.
Shelves that normally stock bags of white rice were empty at a supermarket in Yokohama, Japan, Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes)

TOKYO  Rice has become scarce or gone completely missing from shelves at some stores in Japan thanks to the threat of a megaquake, typhoons and a weeklong national holiday.

Japans agriculture minister asked consumers to refrain from panic buying rice, assuring them at a news conference Tuesday that this years harvest will arrive soon in their local grocery stores.

Demand for rice was high in August, when stocks are typically low, thanks to a conflation of events: earthquakes and a government warning to prepare for an imminent megaquake in central Japan, along with two typhoons, so far, this season, said Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Tetsushi Sakamoto.

Plus, transportation companies delayed their deliveries during the Obon holiday, a weeklong and usually offseason event, he said.

Nobuko Stratton, the Japan-born wife of Defense Department civilian employee Joseph Stratton, said shes been unable to find rice anywhere outside of Yokota Air Base, where her husband works for the 374th Maintenance Group.

I eat rice every day, she told Stars and Stripes on Wednesday via Facebook Messenger. Its just how I was raised. When I went to the states for the first time and spent the first week without eating rice, I started to have a stomachache. I dont want to see bread and pasta anymore.

In neighboring Fussa city, the Seiyu supermarket was out of bags of rice, a store clerk said by phone Wednesday morning.

When we get them in, they are sold out quickly, she said.

The Marufuji grocery store on Fussas east side is also out of rice, a clerk said by phone that day.

We do get some in but not every day, the clerk said. She said rice became scarce earlier this month.

Both stores limit sales to one bag per customer, said both clerks, who declined to be named because they did not have authority to speak to media.

At Yokotas commissary, plenty of rice is available, Stratton said. But its American brands like Nishiki, Minute and Blue Ribbon, which differ from Japanese rice.

I can tell the difference; Japanese is sweeter and stickier, she said. Id just like the situation to be back to normal, where I can find bags of rice anywhere at any time.

Rice was limited to one bag per household at a supermarket in Yokohama, Japan, Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024. The stock was sold out that day. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes)

In 2023, Japan consumed 18 billion pounds of rice, compared to 10 billion pounds in the United States, according to Statista, a consumer survey database.

Other factors contributing to the rice deficit include increased demand related to record numbers of foreign tourists and smaller harvests due to hot weather and water shortages, according to a Japan Times article Wednesday.

The shortages should be resolved soon, Sakamoto said. Newly harvested rice will be distributed in September.

We expect the rice shortage to gradually improve going forward, he said. We ask consumers to act calmly and purchase only the amount of rice they need.
Russia has claimed that the security adviser with the Reuters news agency who was killed when a missile struck a hotel in eastern Ukraine last week was a British spy, linking his death to Moscows assertion that foreign mercenaries are involved in Ukraines attack on the Kursk region.

Announcing at a press briefing Wednesday that security adviser Ryan Evans, 38, was killed in a strike Saturday on the Sapphire Hotel in the city of Kramatorsk, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed without evidence that he was registered as a former employee of MI6, an arm of the British secret services. But we are well aware that there are not former MI6 employees, she said.

This directly proves that Western intelligence agencies literally direct the mass media they control to carry out anti-Russian information campaigns. This has nothing to do with journalism, you see, she continued, claiming that other foreign mercenaries were eliminated in the strike.

A Reuters spokesperson said in a statement that the Russian Foreign Ministry was factually incorrect in its allegations about Evans. Ryan was not a former MI6 employee, the spokesperson wrote in an email to The Washington Post, adding, it is ludicrous to suggest that Reuters is under the control of Western intelligence agencies.

Evans was a former British soldier who had worked for the Reuters news agency since 2022, and was staying at the Sapphire Hotel as part of a six-person team, Reuters said in an earlier statement. Evans had also worked as a security adviser for the agency in Israel and Paris.

Two other Reuters journalists were injured in the strike, alongside five others, when a Russian Iskander missile hit the building, partially destroying it.

Numerous journalists have been killed or wounded during the years-long Ukraine conflict. News outlets often enlist safety advisers with military backgrounds in a bid to protect their correspondents in war zones. The eastern Donetsk region has experienced some of the fiercest fighting of the conflict because of its location near the front line. Journalists sometimes embed there with combat units, within miles of Russian forces.

Earlier this week, the Kremlin asserted that Russia only strikes military infrastructure in Ukraine - a claim that appears to be false, as Moscow continues to strike critical infrastructure, schools, hospitals, shops and residential buildings.

Ill repeat once again: [Russian] strikes are carried out against military infrastructure objects and/or against targets related to military infrastructure in one way or another, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call when asked about the strike on the hotel. Peskov did not say whether he included security advisers who protect journalists in the military category.

On Wednesday, the ministry also banned 92 additional U.S. citizens from entering Russian territory, including journalists from The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and New York Times.

A statement by the ministry said the ban list had been drawn up in response to the Russophobic course pursued by the Biden administration and includes business leaders, scientists, cultural figures, journalists and editors.

We remind the current U.S. authorities of the inevitability of punishment for hostile actions, whether we are talking about directly encouraging [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky and his henchmen to commit acts of aggression and terrorist attacks or attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of the Russian Federation, read the statement.
A truck moves humanitarian aid from the temporary pier in Gaza on June 11, 2024. (Jordan KirkJohnson/U.S. Navy)

President Joe Biden approved the plan for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza via a floating military pier despite warnings from within the U.S. government that rough waves could pose significant challenges and objections from officials who feared the operation would detract from a diplomatic push to compel Israel to open additional land routes into the war zone, according to an inspector general report published Tuesday.

The watchdog for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which oversees Washingtons humanitarian work abroad, cited various external factors that it said impaired the agencys effort to distribute food and other supplies brought to Gaza over the pier. Among them, according to the report, were the security requirements imposed by the Pentagon to protect U.S. military personnel working aboard the structure just offshore.

Multiple USAID staff expressed concerns that the Biden administrations focus on the pier undercut the agencys advocacy for opening more land crossings  an approach, the report said, deemed more efficient and proven.

Once the President issued the directive, the report states, the Agencys focus was to use [the pier] as effectively as possible.

The pier was attached to Gazas coastline in May amid rising concerns of famine that prompted the Pentagon to begin airdropping food into Gaza. But from the start, the mission was dogged by logistical and security setbacks, including rough seas that broke apart the structure, looting of aid trucks on land and a persistent logjam moving food from a staging area ashore due to worries that Israeli bombardments would kill the workers tasked with distributing it. The operation was halted for good last month.

The report is likely to embolden Bidens critics who have questioned why he put U.S. troops in harms way for a mission that could have been avoided if he had successfully persuaded Israeli officials to curtail their blockade on Gaza established in October after Hamas militants led the deadly cross-border attack that triggered the war. While Israeli officials have said they are allowing aid into Palestinian territory, humanitarian groups assess that it is insufficient to feed the roughly two million people trapped by the violence.

A National Security Council spokesman, Sean Savett, said in a statement after the reports publication that the pier was part of a comprehensive U.S.-led response to the dire humanitarian situation in northern Gaza, one that also included food deliveries made through border crossings and via airdrop.

From the beginning, we said this would not be easy, Savett said. We were honest and transparent about the challenges. But the bottom line is that  the United States has left no stone unturned in our efforts to get more aid in, and the pier played a key role at a critical time in advancing that goal.

Sabrina Singh, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said the Pentagon is aware of the new report. The pier, she said, achieved its goal of providing an additive means of delivering high volumes of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. USAID, the Defense Department and Israeli officials collaborated closely on the mission, she said, including about where along the Gazan coastline to attach the pier.

A senior administration official said there was consistent interagency coordination and communication about the pier as plans took shape and that internal concerns were taken into account. Like some others interviewed for this story, the official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

A USAID official said planning for the operation was a multiagency effort that included extensive discussions with the United Nations and humanitarian partners about how to reach the areas of greatest need. USAID staff advocated early in the planning process for additional personnel dedicated solely to the pier, to allow the agency to juggle issues about the land crossing and pier simultaneously, the officials said.

Critics have cast the pier project as a national embarrassment. The only miracle is that this doomed-from-the-start operation did not cost any American lives, Sen. Roger Wicker (Miss.), the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said earlier this summer as the mission faced one setback after another.

Within the U.S. government, discussions about employing the floating pier began before Biden announced during his State of the Union address in March that he was establishing a maritime corridor to assist starving Palestinians. While USAID officials initially observed that the pier system was not an option USAID would typically recommend in humanitarian response operations, they began looking for ways to use it in a way that would maintain a separation between the military and humanitarian actors inside Gaza, the report said.

Acting at Bidens direction, USAID requested Defense Department support for a 90-day operation that cost roughly $230 million, the report said. The pier, ferried to the eastern Mediterranean Sea by U.S. Army vessels, was first attached to the Gaza coast on May 16, but within days it broke apart in rough waves, causing about $22 million in damage and knocking it offline. U.S. troops repaired and reattached the pier days later but faced continued unpredictability about when weather would allow for aid deliveries.

From the start, rough weather posed a major challenge, the report said.

Defense Department guidelines for the sea-based pier make clear its usage was weather-dependent and that it could not operate when waves were taller than two feet, but the Mediterranean often has significant winds and waves that exceed that, the report said. This factor surfaced during a planning meeting by a Defense Department official with expertise working on the system, the inspector general found.

Ultimately, the report said, the pier operated for about 20 days and was decommissioned on July 17.

The deployment also generated concerns that U.S. personnel, working from a fixed site in an active war zone, could be targeted by militants. Defense officials, consulting with USAID and Israeli counterparts, decided they could best protect the site if it was attached in central Gaza, but that conflicted with a prerequisite from the United Nations World Food Program to have it located in northern Gaza, where the need was greatest, the report said.

The World Food Program also sought independent security due to concerns about remaining neutral in the conflict, but no solution was ever found, the report said. Instead, Israeli forces protected the beachhead facility where food was brought ashore.

The watchdog found that despite USAIDs role as the U.S. government lead on humanitarian assistance in Gaza, the agency had limited control over the decision to use the pier, where it would be located and who would provide security. The agency, the report said, should look for lessons it can draw from the experience.

Alex Horton contributed to this report.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 28. Frank Schwabe, a German Bundestag member and member of the German delegation to PACE, is prioritizing the interests of the Armenian lobby over Azerbaijans interests, Azer Garayev, an Azerbaijani political analyst, said in an interview with Trend.

The analyst claims that Schwabes actions over the years have been consistently aimed at undermining Azerbaijan and Turkiye.

Garayev accused Schwabe of making biased statements against Azerbaijan, particularly following the countrys victory in the 2020 Second Nagorno-Karabakh War. "Azerbaijan's liberation of its lands from occupation and restoration of sovereignty in Karabakh concerns individuals like Schwabe. These successes once again affirm Azerbaijan's strengthened position in the region and the world".

He noted that Schwabe has escalated his anti-Azerbaijan stance, organizing negative PR campaigns, and attempting to tarnish Azerbaijans image, notably ahead of the COP29 conference scheduled to be held in Baku. He pointed out that German politician is implicated in corruption scandals, suggesting that Schwabe is more concerned with the Armenian lobbys interests than addressing issues within German politics.

Despite these allegations and campaigns, Garayev emphasized that Azerbaijans international reputation and successes are resilient and will continue to thrive under President Ilham Aliyevs leadership.
Former president Donald Trump is assisted offstage after an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pa., on July 13. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

The FBI has still not determined what motivated a gunman to try to assassinate former president Donald Trump at a July campaign rally in Pennsylvania, officials with the federal law enforcement agency said on a call with reporters Wednesday.

Officials also released some photos from their investigation, including of the gunmans rifle and backpack, and homemade bombs found in his car trunk.

Federal investigators sifted through five years worth of online activity by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks and said they found no credible evidence that a foreign entity directed him to carry out the attack. Nor did they find credible material indicating that he worked with a co-conspirator.

The shooter did not display a consistent political focus in his online searches, officials said, with more than 60 queries about Trump and President Joe Biden in the month before the attack.

Crookss online activity indicates a mixture of ideologies, said Kevin P. Rojek, the FBI special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh field office. We see no definitive ideology associated with our subject, either left-leaning or right-leaning.

The gunmans online history shows he sought information about both the Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention and researched logistics about Trumps rally in Pennsylvania, officials said. They stressed that the investigation is ongoing and that they continue to pursue leads regarding the gunman and any possible associates.

Crooks shot at Trump while the Republican presidential candidate was speaking at an outdoor rally in Butler, Pa., on July 13.

He opened fire from a rooftop just outside the security perimeter of the campaign rally. The gunman fired at least eight shots, killing one person in the crowd, critically injuring two others and wounding Trumps ear, before being killed by a Secret Service sniper.

Officials said Crooks died of a single shot to his head. An autopsy determined that he had no alcohol or illegal drugs in his system at the time of the shooting, officials said.

The FBI officials said they conducted a productive interview with Trump as part of the investigation. They characterized the former president as cooperative. They also said Crookss parents have been cooperative throughout the investigation, handing over all the information they could to law enforcement.

Law enforcement officials previously said they were focused on Crookss online activity as they searched for his motive. They revealed in an earlier briefing that Crooks had searched online how far away was Oswald from Kennedy, referring to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

While many expect political motives behind attacks on politicians, a 1997 Secret Service study of American assassins and would-be assassins of public figures found that attackers and near-lethal approachers of public officials rarely had political motives.

There are multiple investigations into the apparent security lapses that allowed the gunman to shoot at Trump from relatively close range, including how he managed to use HVAC equipment to clamber atop an unsecured roof, traverse multiple rooftops and then fire shots during the campaign rally.
The Department of Veterans Affairs headquarters building as seen in Washington, D.C., on July 6, 2022. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)

WASHINGTON  Roughly 100,000 veterans who received bonuses to separate from the military early have been forced to return the money in the last 10 years because they were also receiving disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to agency officials.

The bonuses collected by the VA total more than $2.5 billion and the numbers could increase drastically as more veterans apply for compensation through a law passed two years ago to provide benefits for those suffering from illnesses caused by toxic exposure, including burn pits.

More veterans are filing new claims after many years, said Marquis Barefield, assistant national legislative director of Disabled American Veterans. I just heard from a 75-year-old disability veteran who filed a new claim. The VA went into his record and found they had never collected separation pay when he originally qualified for disability 30 years ago.

A federal law stops the VA from paying monthly disability compensation to veterans who accepted separation benefits to exit the military voluntarily at a time when the military services drew down troop strength, agency officials said. The monthly disability compensation that a former service member was approved to receive is instead applied to repaying the bonus amount, which can be tens of thousands of dollars in some cases.

The VA calls this double-dipping, said 63-year-old former Army sergeant Vernon Reffitt, whose monthly VA disability compensation for a leg injury recently went from $171 per month to zero.

The VA and veterans advocacy groups said they are fielding more questions and complaints about the rule because a recent spike in claims for disability by veterans is triggering a review of veterans records.

In fiscal 2023, the VA recouped separation pay from more than 9,200 veterans, compared to 6,600 in fiscal 2013, according to the VA.

The DAV and other veterans groups said they oppose the VA using a veterans disability compensation to pay down a special separation bonus. The lump-sum separation payment is not based on or due to disabilities incurred in service, DAV said.

Withholding a veterans VA disability compensation due to an unrelated military separation benefit must end, Barefield said. These are two totally different benefits and should be treated as such.

John Colage of Indiana, a Navy veteran, is making that argument in a federal court.

Navy veteran John Colage, 62, has a case before the federal Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to stop the Department of Veterans Affairs from taking back a $29,000 separation bonus that he received in 1992 to voluntarily leave the military early because he subsequently qualified for disability compensation. (John Colage)

Colage, 62, who is representing himself in the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, is trying to stop the VA from taking back a $29,000 taxable bonus that he received in 1992.

The federal court gave the VA until Sept. 16 to respond to Colages brief that states the VA acted incorrectly when it began in February to withhold his monthly disability checks as repayment of his incentive bonus.

Colage said he believes the VA has convoluted the law and is applying it incorrectly to justify collecting special separation bonuses from disabled veterans.

The simplest way to state this is that we veterans are being held to a legal standard for people who later receive retirement pay, when we should be held to the legal standard for disability compensation, he said.

The loss of the bonus can come as a surprise to a veteran who qualifies for VA compensation many years after receiving separation pay, according to the Rand Corp., a nonprofit that conducts research on veterans issues.

Separation pay can be thousands of dollars, so it can take years to fully recoup. In the meantime, veterans with disabilities do not receive disability compensation from VA, according to Rand.

The armed services have a history of offering special separation bonuses to reduce troop numbers, and the VA is required by law to recoup the lump-sum payments, according to Rand.

Colage, who was a petty officer first class, said he chose to leave the military after 13 years and forgo retirement pay that is typically awarded after 20 years of military service.

I cant stomach what the VA is doing to me and to my family, he said. This lawsuit should shame the VA. I have repeatedly asked for consideration on how this hurts me financially. The VA said I was wrongfully enriched by taking a separation bonus and now receiving disability.

In 1989, Colage was aboard the USS Iowa when a gun turret on the now-retired battleship exploded during a naval exercise and killed 47 people. He left the military three years later.

Colage was in good standing with the Navy and accepted a special separation bonus in lieu of longer service and a pension. He said receiving the bonus plus disability compensation is called concurrency, which is not permitted. But Colage said he received his bonus in 1992 and began collecting disability compensation in 2017.

I hardly see how that is concurrent, he said.

Reffitt, who lives in Twin Oaks, Ga., said he received a one-time taxable payout of $38,000 in 1992 to end his military career early.

When I left the military, the Army offered the payment as an early retirement, he said.

Reffitt, who hauls scrap metal for a living, said he figures he will be paying back the money for the rest of his life.

This is a part of the normal, legally required process during completion of the initial [disability] claim application, said Terrence Hayes, the VA press secretary.

Veterans completing forms for disability compensation are asked whether they received a separation bonus and the amount, Hayes said. The money is automatically deducted in installment payments from monthly disability compensation.

More veterans are getting collection notices now because fiscal 2023 was a record-breaking year for disability claims, according to the VA.

More than 2 million claims for compensation were filed, up 40% from 2022, since the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, or PACT Act, was signed into law in 2022.

Reffitt received a notice two months ago from the VA about the collection after he applied for additional disability compensation for burn pit exposure under the PACT Act.

Reffitt, who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, said his new health claim was rejected. But the VA did inform him that it was docking his monthly disability checks until his $38,000 separation bonus was fully repaid.

I started my service career in the ROTC at 17, while I was still in high school. My goal was to retire from the military. But the offer of separation pay sounded good 30 years ago, he said. They called this an early retirement, and my family was tired of the deployments. If I had not gotten the offer, I would have stayed 20 years for the pension.

Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., and Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., sponsored a bill in 2023 that would eliminate the requirement for VA to recoup separation pay for veterans who later receive disability compensation.

Gallego said the change is important because banning veterans from collecting their monthly disability compensation over prior acceptance of separation pay that often is decades old is shameful and slaps thousands of veterans with unconscionable financial penalties.

The bill was referred to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs subpanel on disability assistance and memorial affairs but has yet to be considered by the group.

The DAV and other veterans organizations, which support the legislation, are not hopeful about the outcome. Barefield said veterans bills that come with a cost  or loss of revenue  are getting pushback and often not advancing to approval this congressional session.

This was money I felt I had earned, said Shane Collins of Idaho, who left the Marine Corps in 2014 because of a knee injury that kept him from re-enlisting.

Shane Collins, a 41-year-old widower with two children, left the Marine Corps in 2014 after 14 years of service. But Collins, who is 100% disabled, said he was unable to collect monthly disability payments for three years until he had repaid a $30,000 separation bonus that he was awarded upon leaving the military early. (Shane Collins)

Collins was on active duty from 2001-2005 with a deployment to Iraq before entering the Marine Corps Reserve from 2005-2006. He then returned to active duty for eight years, serving in Marine Corps communications at the Pentagon.

But upon qualifying for VA disability when he was discharged in 2014, he said he learned a $30,000 separation payment that he had accepted would be recouped.

Collins, a 41-year-old widower with two children, said he did not receive disability payments for three years until the debt was fully repaid.

There was nothing I could do about it, he said.

Colage is 100% disabled now due to a service-connected spine injury and post-traumatic stress disorder, a mental health condition caused by witnessing traumatic events.

He is considered unemployable by the VA, which means he cannot hold a job because of service-connected disabilities.

I dont live extravagantly, said Colage, who remarried after his first wife died of leukemia in 2014. He and his second wife have four children, including a 12-year-old daughter with autism and a 9-year-old son who is deaf.

Colage said he will lose $400 a month in disability compensation, which should resume in five years.

Thats a utility payment or car payment, he said. Its an extra strain on the family. Theres zero for vets to get relief from this or to wipe the debt clean.
Stacy Fay had 14 previous convictions for offences including theft.

A woman who shoplifted food and household goods when she didnt have enough money to pay has been fined 150.

Stacy Fay (42) saw an opportunity and took the property in a Dublin city centre supermarket, Dublin District Court heard.

Judge William Aylmer gave Fay, already in custody, a two-day sentence in default of paying the fine.

Fay, with an address at a Dublin city centre hostel, pleaded guilty to theft.

A garda sergeant said the accused went to Lidl on Moore Street at 7.20pm on August 18.

She stole household goods and food, was detained by security and gardai were called. She was arrested and brought to Kevin Street garda station where she was charged.

The property was recovered.

The court heard Fay had 14 previous convictions for offences including theft.

The accused had a difficulty with substance abuse and in relation to the latest theft she just didnt have enough money, her solicitor said.

Unfortunately, she saw the opportunity and took the goods. The judge said he could not backdate the two days, so he said the sentence was to run from the date of conviction on the assumption she fails to pay the fine.
He is charged with contravening a safety order, criminal damage, threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour and obstructing gardai

A man threatened his brother with a pizza cutter in the middle of the night, terrorising his family in the process, it is alleged.

The accuseds mother told a judge she woke to hear the threats being made. She said it was the last straw.

The man, in his 20s, was remanded in custody when he appeared in Dublin District Court.

He is charged with contravening a safety order, criminal damage, threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour and obstructing gardai.

He initially sought bail before withdrawing that application and consenting to being held in custody.

Objecting to bail, the prosecuting garda cited the seriousness of the charges and the strength of the proposed evidence. He told Judge Monika Leech the accuseds mother was in constant fear.

He said it was alleged that the accused went to his mothers house in Dublin 7 in the early hours of last Thursday. She was asleep at the time and it was alleged she woke to hear him making a number of threats to her other son in the house, putting her in fear.

When gardai arrived, he allegedly resisted arrest, swearing at them and spitting blood at them. When taken into custody, he urinated on the cell door, it was alleged.

The court also heard evidence of an incident when gardai encountered the accused in Dublin 8. He allegedly approached their patrol car and spat blood on the vehicle.

The accuseds mother said in evidence: I feel that its too nerve-wracking at home now. She said she had given her son chances and that this time he terrorised us.

She said he threatened my other son with a pizza cutter and was abusive to other family members.

I have tried everything to help him, I have been his best friend. Its the last straw for my family at home, its just too much.

Defence solicitor Donal Quigley said that in light of the evidence, his client no longer wished to make a bail application. The judge thanked the alleged victim for coming to court and told her that her son would stay in custody until such time as matters were disposed of.

Judge Leech told the mother: He will not be going back to your home tonight.

Mr Quigley said he would give gardai 48 hours notice of any intention to renew the bail application.

The judge granted free legal aid after hearing the accused was unemployed and had no assets. The man will appear in Cloverhill District Court tomorrow.
Diarmuid O'Brien, 18, of Corduff Place, Blanchardstown, appeared at the Dublin Children's Court today

A YOUTH allegedly caught "digging up" a sawn-off shotgun linked to feuding crime gangs in Dublin has to face a non-jury trial in the Special Criminal Court.

Diarmuid O'Brien, 18, of Corduff Place, Blanchardstown, appeared at the Dublin Children's Court today. He was refused bail earlier after being charged with unlawful possession of a side-by-side double-barrelled shotgun on May 7 at Tolka Valley Park, contrary to the Firearms Act.

The youth has connected charges for possessing cocaine, cannabis, and heroin worth almost 70,000 for sale or supply at the same location.

He was 17 at the time and outset of the criminal proceedings but has since reached adulthood.

A State solicitor told Judge Shalom Binchy that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) directed that Mr O'Brien be sent for trial to the Special Criminal Court.

The DPP had furnished a certificate under section 46.2 of the Offences Against the State Act that, in this case, "the ordinary courts are inadequate to secure the effective administration of justice".

Judge Binchy told the accused that he must notify the prosecution if he intended to use an alibi.

She also ordered the gardai to hand over interview videos to the defence.

Solicitor Andrew Molony said his client sought bail, but the application faced objections from investigating Daniel Sweeney.

The officer contended that refusing bail was necessary to prevent the commission of a serious offence, and the teen was connected to an "ongoing feud in Blanchardstown".

He agreed with Mr Molony that the youth had not been holding the gun when caught but said "he was digging it out of the ground".

He also accepted that there was no DNA evidence or witness intimidation concerns.

Mr Molony submitted that the teenager, who has no prior convictions, has now experienced custody and would obey conditions. He argued that bail could be revoked in a straightforward manner if there were breaches.

However, Judge Binchy refused bail and granted a return-for-trial trial order, sending him forward, in custody, to the Special Criminal Court.

A date for his next hearing has yet to be allocated. The teenager, who did not address the court and has yet to indicate a plea, was granted legal for the trial, to be represented at his trial by solicitor Simon Fleming, a barrister and a senior counsel.
The court heard how the offence had unfolded on 12 November last year when Mitchell had taken umbrage during a verbal argument with his female victim

A man who choked a woman was jailed for nine months today after he abandoned his appeal.

Jamie Mitchell was due to appeal his jail sentence at Antrim County Court but defence counsel Alan Stewart confirmed the 23-year-old is not proceeding with the application and accordingly, Judge Alistair Devlin affirmed the nine month jail sentence handed down by the lower court.

Last June Mitchell, from Glenmanus Park in Portrush in Antrim, was jailed at Coleraine Magistrates Court after he was convicted of non-fatal strangulation or asphyxiation in that on November 12 last year, he intentionally applied pressure on or to the throat or neck intending to affect her ability to breathe or the flow of blood to her brain.

During his sentencing remarks at the time District Judge Peter King warned that for anyone convicted of non-fatal strangulation, no matter how brief, it is almost impossibleto avoid custody.

Once you put your hands round somebody's neck and apply pressure it is life-threatening. It is almost impossible for someone who fights it to avoid custody, declared the judge.

The court heard how the offence had unfolded on November 12 last year when Mitchell had taken umbrage during a verbal argument with his female victim and had grabbed her by the throat with both hands and applied pressure.

During police interviews and at his contest in May, Mitchell denied the offence which the court heard was committed in front of a young child.

Previously Stewart had submitted that with nothing else in his life that would raise red flags or give cause for concerns, community service would be available to him and he could do that around his employment.

Judge King disagreed however and emphasising how Mitchell has shown no empathy to his victim for the offence he imposed the jail sentence along with a five-year restraining order.

In court today with the appeal marked as withdrawn, Judge Devlin affirmed the jail sentence and the restraining order.
As Roes family and friends prepare to pay their respects at a funeral home in Crumlin today, Byrne and Byrnes brother-in-law Thomas Bomber Kavanagh appeared at an Old Bailey hearing

Two key members of the Kinahan Cartel are set to go on trial in London following loyal lieutenant Liam Roes death this week.

A first cousin of Byrne, Roe passed away in hospital this week and will be laid to rest following a funeral in Dublins Drimnagh on Friday.

As Roes family and friends prepare to pay their respects at a funeral home in Crumlin today, Byrne and Byrnes brother-in-law Thomas Bomber Kavanagh appeared at an Old Bailey hearing in a video link from Belmarsh Prison.

The Crumlin men are both charged over a conspiracy to have a cache of guns discovered by police in a bid to get a reduced sentence for Kavanagh.

They sat in separate video booths and spoke only to confirm their names during the pre-trial hearing where it was heard the case is to go ahead next Monday.

It is expected that legal argument over various issues including disclosure of documents to Kavanaghs defence team will take a week.

Judge Philip Katz said he saw no reason why the trial should not start as scheduled on September 2 with jury selection to take place over two days the following week before the case is opened by the prosecution.

At a hearing in March this year Kavanagh and Byrne denied being part of the conspiracy to acquire guns and ammunition, between January 2020 and June 2021.

Liam Byrne (left) and Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh (right)

The case centres on intercepted Encrochat messages, an encrypted phone system.

French police hacked the Encrochat messaging system used by suspected crime syndicates in 2020 and passed on their intelligence to the UKs National Crime Agency (NCA).

The conspiracy to pervert the course of justice charge against the men alleges they conspired acquire guns and then tip off the NCA.

Eleven weapons were found in Newry on May 20, 2021, including a Heckler & Koch and a Czech VZ61 Skorpion sub-machine guns and pistols along with ammunition.

Another Kinahan cartel member Peadar Keating is currently fighting his extradition to the UK to face charges over the same plot.

Keating was jailed for his part in a plot to kill James Mago Gately organised by Daniel Kinahan and Sean McGovern from Dubai and is not due for release until September 2028.

Liam Roe

Kavanaghs son Jack Kavanagh is also fighting extradition to the UK from Spain where he was arrested in connection with the alleged plot.

At the time of the plot Bomber Kavanagh was in custody facing charges over organising shipments of cocaine worth 35 million into the UK after being targeted by the NCA.

Kavanagh was subsequently sentenced to 21 years in prison which he is now serving in Belmarsh Prison.

At a previous hearing in the Old Bailey, it was heard that the trial is likely to be very complex and could last as long as two months.

NCA regional head of investigations Craig Turner previously said: These charges are a major milestone in what has been a long and complex international investigation.

We will continue to work with our partners to target criminals who we suspect are operating at the highest levels of organised crime impacting on the UK.

Bomber Kavanaghs troubles began in January 2017, after gardai acting on information from the UK raided a unit at Greenogue industrial estate, Dublin, which uncovered a weapons stash.
Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 28. On August 28, Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, made a phone call to Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Trend reports.

The heads of state commended the outcomes of President Vladimir Putin's recent state visit to Azerbaijan. The Presidents expressed confidence that implementing the agreements reached during the visit would serve to further strengthen the partnership and strategic alliance between Azerbaijan and Russia.

During the phone conversation, the situation in the South Caucasus was also discussed. Vladimir Putin emphasized Russias readiness to support the advancement of the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The Presidents exchanged views on the opening of a transport corridor connecting the western regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
James Shey Ryan, a father-of-four aged in his late 60s, was discovered with serious head injuries outside his Balbriggan home on August 10

A woman has been charged in connection with the investigation into the murder James Shey Ryan in Balbriggan, Co Dublin.

The woman, aged in her forties, is expected to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice at approximately 10.30am.

Detectives said investigations are ongoing.

James Shey Ryan, a father-of-four aged in his late 60s, was discovered with serious head injuries outside his Balbriggan home on August 10.

Emergency services responded to the scene at Hastings Lawns and he was rushed to Beaumont Hospital, where he died the following day.

Initially it was believed his injuries were caused accidentally but following the completion of a post-mortem examination and a review of CCTV footage, gardai launched a murder investigation.

Investigators arrested a woman on Tuesday, August 27 on suspicion of murder and brought her to Balbriggan Garda Station where she was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. She has now been charged in connection to the investigation and is due in court today.

Described as an absolute gentleman, Mr Ryan was originally from East Wall but had been living in Balbriggan with his partner and their teenage daughter. He also has three adult children from a previous relationship.

In a Facebook post, his daughter wrote an emotional tribute saying: Dad, you will always be remembered in my heart. Im happy youre in a better place now. Youll always be remembered for the love, wisdom, jokes and laughs you always had shared.

She also described him as the best father, adding I love you lots and forever.

His death notice said he will forever missed by his loving sisters, cherished daughters and son.

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, it read.

Mr Ryans funeral took place at the St Josephs Church in his native East Wall on August 22 before his cremation at Glasnevin.
It was alleged Ms Hertova "pushed the injured party, knocking him to the floor and fracturing his skull."

A WOMAN has been charged over the death of her partner after she allegedly pushed him during a row, causing him to fall and fatally fracture his skull.

Olesja Hertova (48) appeared in Dublin District Court today accused of causing serious harm to James Shey Ryan, who died a day after suffering head injuries.

Judge Monika Leech set bail at 15,000 and adjourned the case at Dublin District Court.

Ms Hertova was remanded in custody with consent to bail.

Mr Ryan, a father-of-four and grandfather, died in Beaumont Hospital on August 11, a day after he was found with head wounds on the street near his home in Balbriggan, north Dublin.

Ms Hertova, of Hastings Lawn, Balbriggan is charged with intentionally or recklessly causing him serious harm at Hastings Lawn on August 10.

Detective Garda Stephen Hughes told Judge Leech he arrested the accused for the purpose of charging her at 4.07am this morning. She made no reply after caution at 4.23am and was handed a copy of the charge sheet.

Objecting to bail, Det Gda Hughes cited the nature and seriousness of the charge, which carries a maximum potential sentence of life imprisonment, and the strength of the proposed evidence.

The detective garda said the accused was at home on August 10 when her partner, Mr Ryan, returned and a physical altercation took place.

During this, Mr Ryan received fatal injuries and passed away the next day, he said.

"These injuries are directly attributable to the physical altercation," Det Gda Hughes told the court. It was alleged Ms Hertova "pushed the injured party, knocking him to the floor and fracturing his skull."

He said there was CCTV evidence which captured the entire incident.

Gardai feared the accused could abscond or interfere with witnesses if released on bail. She had outlined her intention to return to the Czech Republic and "has family there who may be able to assist her," Det Gda Hughes said.

He told the judge Ms Hertova had also gone to the garda station on August 15 requesting the return of her passport. Later that day, she went to the home of a prosecution witness, Mr Ryan's daughter Karen Ryan, and gardai were called to remove her.

Ms Ryan gave evidence that the accused had shown up at her house intoxicated, did not leave when instructed and the gardai were called. An eyewitness was staying there at the time, the court heard.

The DPP's directions to charge the accused were received by gardai late last night and time was required for the completion of an investigation file. Further charges would be sought, Det Gda Hughes said.

Defence barrister Marc Thompson said Ms Hertova, who had no previous convictions, would abide by stringent conditions if granted bail. She had surrendered her passport, had no national identity card, would sign on at a garda station and keep a curfew. His client had been a carer for her Mr Ryan, a former defence forces member who had had COPD and Parkinson's disease.

Ms Hertova was on social welfare and of "no means whatsoever," Mr Thompson said. No witnesses were required in the case because the incident was on CCTV, he argued. His client had made no attempt to flee even when she had her passport, and when she went to ask for its return she was acting lawfully, Mr Thompson continued.

He accepted she had gone to the home of the witness but there was no evidence of any threats being made, he said.

Judge Leech said she was not satisfied there was sufficient evidence of witness intimidation, or that the accused was a flight risk.

Bail was set at 5,000, with an independent surety of 10,000, including half to be lodged in cash. Under conditions, Ms Hertova is to have "no contact whatsoever" with any prosecution witnesses, sign on at a garda station, observe a curfew and undertake not to leave her home without contacting the gardai.

The judge granted free legal aid before adjourning the case to September 4.

The accused was not required to address the court during the hearing, but became emotional and wept as she sat in the dock.

She has not yet entered a plea to the charge.
Nicola will be in discussion with social historian Carl Chinn where theyll delve into the Kinahan Organised Crime Group

Crime World host and Sunday World Investigations Editor Nicola Tallant is set to make her debut appearance on the CrimeCon stage in London later this month.

Unravelling Gang Culture: A Societal Retrospective will see her in conversation with social historian and author Carl Chinn. The duo will delve into gang culture, poverty and violence to examine the development of organised crime from Birminghams Peaky Blinders to the Kinahan Organised Crime Group.

Carl Chinn is the author of almost 30 books, most of which focus on the social history of Birmingham, with his later works focusing on the real Peaky Blinders.

Meanwhile Nicola has written numerous books on organised crime including The Witness, Clash of the Clans and Cocaine Cowboys, with more in the works.

Crime Con London takes place at Convene 133 Houndsditch on Saturday 21st September and Sunday 22nd of September.

The event will see hundreds of true crime fans flock to the English capital for a weekend of talks from crime experts, victims, investigators and journalists alike.

Donal MacIntyre, formerly of the Sunday World will kick off the schedule of talks on Saturday morning at 10.15am where hell discuss his career as an investigative journalist and criminologist in conversation with Lisa Howells.

Other speakers at the event include renowned paedophile hunter and star of To Catch A Predator Chris Hansen. The Emmy award winner will host The Takedown: Battling the Epidemic of Child Predators on Saturday evening at 5pm.

Manhunter and former Met Police Investigator Colin Sutton will appear on panels across the weekend as will former New Scotland Yard behavioural analyst Laura Richards and This Mornings resident Forensic Psychiatrist Dr Sohom Das.

Big names in True Crime non-fiction writing Christopher Berry Dee, Chris Atkins and Professor Patricia Wilson are also set to take to the stage.

Fans will also have the chance to meet their favourite content creators in the exhibit hall. Irish Podcast of The Year winner and host of The Troubles Podcast Oisin Feeney will be alongside fellow podcasters from shows such as Generation Why, Conning the Con and Crimepedia.

YouTubers in attendance include Eleanor Neale, Rachel Shannon and Sherrilyn Dale with TikTok stars Charley Bourne and True Crime Caitlyn also set to meet guests.

You can catch Nicola Tallant at Crime Con, London on Sunday September 22nd at 12.10pm at Exhibit B. She will also be signing copies of her books from 1pm.

Weekend passes for Crime Con on sale now.
Anthony Whyte (58) was charged with drugs offences after gardai made the seizure while searching his Dublin home under warrant

A groundskeeper allegedly found with 20,000 worth of cannabis hidden under his bed has been granted bail.

Anthony Whyte (58) was charged with drugs offences after gardai made the seizure while searching his Dublin home under warrant.

Judge John Brennan remanded him on bail for six months for DPP directions.

Mr Whyte, of Silloge Park, Ballymun, is charged with possession of drugs with intent to sell or supply. Objecting to bail, the prosecuting garda said the accuseds home was searched under warrant on August 20 and 1.24kg worth of cannabis was allegedly found hidden under his bed.

The garda said the accuseds name was on the tenancy agreement for the property. Applying for bail, Mr Whytes lawyer said the accused had no passport but would surrender any travel documents and abide by any conditions.

Judge John Brennan said he was satisfied the States concerns over bail could be met by strict conditions.

He set bail in Mr Whytes own bond of 500 on condition that he surrenders all travel documents and does not apply for new ones.

He is to live at his home address and be contactable at all times on a phone number to be provided to the gardai within 48 hours of his release.

Mr Whyte was remanded on bail to appear in court again on a date in February next year, for the prosecution to get a certificate of analysis of the drugs allegedly found.

The judge granted free legal aid, remarking that although the accused was working, he was on a low wage. Mr Whyte has not yet entered a plea.
Two masked men carried out the attack at around 9.30pm last night while wearing dark-coloured tracksuits, cutting a hole in shutters at the property on Templemore Street

Thugs behind a racially-motivated arson attack on a church in east Belfast must feel the full force of the law, the DUP leader said today.

An angle grinder was used at the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) church premises, police said.

UCKG was founded in 1977 in Brazil and has millions of followers.

Two masked men carried out the attack at around 9.30pm last night while wearing dark-coloured tracksuits, cutting a hole in shutters at the property on Templemore Street.

A flammable substance was thrown inside and then set alight.

This morning, workmen were at the church assessing damage to the building.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson, who is MP for East Belfast, led condemnation.

He said: Im disgusted by what happened here last night. It does not reflect the local community in which this church is based.

He added: I havent met anyone that supports the attack we saw last night though clearly individuals like them exist and I hope they feel the full force of the law.

Rev Mervyn Gibson of the nearby Westbourne Presbyterian Church condemned the incident, saying all arson attacks are wrong.

"I condemn it unreservedly," he said. "If those misguided people who did this did it in the name of racism or against immigration, it should be condemned.

"The people of east Belfast do not want to see racist attacks against their neighbours."

It was reported that two masked males, wearing dark coloured track suits, arrived at the church premises shortly before 9.30pm. Photo Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

Rev Sammy Robinson, chair of the East Belfast Churches Network said they unequivocally condemn the arson attack.

"Let us be clear; racism has no place in our community, he said.

We are deeply saddened that this has happened, especially to a church and organisation which seeks to help people regardless of race or creed here in East Belfast. The action of a few will not be allowed to tarnish the good name of ordinary, every day people of east Belfast who would stand with us in condemning this attack.

We would implore anyone with any information to cooperate with the police in their investigation, and we send our unwavering support, prayers and love to those involved in UCKG HelpCentre Belfast.

Sinn Fein MLA Deirdre Hargey said those responsible must face the full force of the law.

It is absolutely sickening that yet another racist attack has occurred in our city, she said.

This attack on a church premises is the latest in a series of disgusting, violent racist acts which are not reflective of the majority in our society who embrace the huge positives of diversity.

A police spokesperson said: Fire service personnel attended and extinguished the fire which caused damage to the shutters and the front hall of the building with further smoke damage caused inside the building.

"Both males are believed to have ran off along Templemore Street after the incident which is being treated as a racially motivated hate crime.

Officers appealed to anyone with information about the incident or who may have doorbell/CCTV or dash-cam footage from the area which may be able to help with the investigation, to contact police.
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.
The trio all appeared as contestants on Love Islands fifth season back in 2019.

Maura Higgins has broken her silence on best pal Molly-Mae Hagues shock split from Tommy Fury.

The trio all appeared as contestants on Love Islands fifth season back in 2019, with Tommy and Molly-Mae finishing in second place, while Maura and her then-partner Curtis Pritchard taking the fourth spot.

Tommy and Molly-Mae continued their romance after the show, going on to welcome daughter Bambi together in January 2023 and getting engaged last summer.

But earlier this month, Molly-Mae confirmed that their relationship was no more, announcing the news in an Instagram statement.

The 25-year-old took a break from social media afterwards but made her return to Instagram on Tuesday evening to thank her fans for their support over the past two weeks.

She posted a photo of herself clutching a mug outside a cabin, which she captioned: Thank you for being the best online friends I couldve wished for.

And Maura, who had previously stayed silent on her pals breakup, commented under the post, writing: LOVE & ADORE YOU.

It comes following reports that Molly-Mae kicked her other half out of their 4 million Cheshire mansion after rumours emerged that he had been unfaithful.

Danish woman Milla Corfixen (20) came forward this week about the allegations, claiming that she shared a kiss with the boxer while holidaying in north Macedonia.

The jewellery assistant said on Tuesday: I've had to delete all my posts due to the hate and nasty comments, as stated in the news story I have gave.

I didn't do anything with Tommy Fury. I didn't even know who he was, we only shared a kiss, nothing else happened. And if I'd have known about Molly-Mae, I would never have kissed him back.

She added: They invited us to his table and we had fun and that's it. We did not do anything. I would never have done anything with a married man, as he's basically married, with a little child.

Milla has also claimed to have spoken to Molly-Mae privately on Tuesday morning, noting that things have been cleared up between the pair.

In an Instagram statement, she explained: Thank you to everyone for all of the love and support shown to me in the past few days.

I've spoken to Molly and everything is cleared up.

Her management account blocked me but we have been in contact privately this morning.

Milla, who is in a relationship, then shared an ultrasound scan, announcing that she will welcome a baby of her own next year.

Molly-Mae had previously announced that she and Tommy had broken up in an Instagram statement earlier this month.

"Never in a million years did I think I'd ever have to write this. After five years of being together I never imagined our story would end, especially not this way, the influencer wrote.

"I am extremely upset to announce that mine and Tommy's relationship has come to an end.

"I will forever be grateful for the most important thing to me now and always, my beautiful daughter. Without us there would be no her, she will always be my priority.

"I want to thank you all for the love you have shown us over the last five years.

"You have all been a part of our journey and I feel it's right to share this with you all.

"Whilst I attempt to navigate the coming days and weeks please kindly respect my privacy over this difficult time, I'll be back when it feels right.

Following the shock announcement, boxer Tommy also commented on the split, saying he was heartbroken.

He wrote on Instagram: I am heartbroken to share that Molly & I have decided to end our relationship.

The past five years have led to us having our beautiful baby girl, Bambi, and I will be forever thankful to Molly for making me a dad. Bambi is our priority.

Please respect our privacy, and our families privacy, as we navigate our way through this difficult time.

Fans had theorised that the couple had hit a rocky patch in their five-year relationship over the past few months.

The pair have barely been seen together this year due to various work and family commitments and eagled-eyed fans noticed that Molly-Mae has been out and about without her 600,000 engagement ring several times.

Rumours of a rift continued to bubble when Molly-Mae failed to wish her other half a happy 25th birthday on social media back in May.

And last week, 24-year-old Molly-Mae admitted in a YouTube vlog she had been solo parenting.

"I have been solo parenting pretty much the entire week, she admitted.

"Actually I've been solo parenting for like, two weeks now, basically because Tommy's just been so busy.

"When he's home from doing work and stuff, he's so incredible and so helpful. I can't say any different, like, he's such an incredible dad, but I have been this week, like, just really mum life has been mum lifeing (sic)."
Since 2007, Immigration New Zealand has been receiving $1.3 million dollars a year to administer the scheme, and the Labour inspectorate less than $600,000.

Yet worker numbers have quadrupled from when the scheme started in 2007.

Two out of the country's 81 labour inspectors work full-time on RSE, with another two doing a mix of work. In the last year, they carried out 11 investigations.

The last one found on the authority's site dates back to 2019, related to an investigation three years previously.

A group of seasonal workers from the Solomon Islands are taking their former employer to court after wage deductions some weeks for expenses such as travel, insurance, wet weather gear and storage, reduced their pay packet to zero.

Funding for Labour inspectors checking on workplaces which employ seasonal staff from the Pacific has not increased in 17 years.

In that time worker numbers have quadrupled from 5000 when the scheme to more than 20,000.

The Government last week announced changes that increased worker numbers, opened the RSE (Recognised Seasonal Employer) scheme to workers from Timor Leste, and brought down wages.

Pick Hawke's Bay, an incorporated not-for-profit organisation, denies it acted in breach of the law or the workers' employment agreements.

President of the Council of Trade Union president Richard Wagstaff says labour inspectorate numbers are below those in Australia and RSE workers need them more than most.

"People are frightened to speak up, they're crowded into accommodation, they're treated badly, they're spoken to badly - and now, with those issues presenting our government's response is to only talk to employers, not to unions or workers.

"When you consider the increase in people coming into New Zealand and the demands that are placed on the inspectorate, the real concern here is that we're not doing the regulation of the labour market properly.

"Whether it be in Immigration New Zealand and MBIE, or whether it be at WorkSafe, there seems to be a light-touch approach which sort of rests on the idea that you can trust employers to do the right thing.

"Of course, many employers are doing the right thing, but not all can be trusted to do that."

The RSE changes allow employers to pay minimum wage, with that only rising if they return for more than two seasons.

"Eighty-five per cent of RSE workers come from just three countries - Vanuatu, Tonga and Samoa.

"Professor of international development at Massey University, Regina Scheyvens, researches the effects of RSE on Pacific countries such as Tonga and Vanuatu where one in five of all working-age men are in seasonal work schemes in Australia or New Zealand

"Now that means that they those places and sometimes particular localities are missing out on their maths teachers, their bank tellers, their mechanics, their baristas, their hotel workers - on a lot of people who otherwise would be contributing significantly to the economy and the society," she says.

"So if it's 20 per cent overall in Tonga and Vanuatu, imagine what it is in a particular community that has a longstanding relationship with the RSE scheme and sends higher numbers than that, it might be 30 or 40 per cent of the productive population is gone.

"That has really negative social and cultural consequences because you're taking a lot of people out of particular locations for a significant period of time, and so it might be seven months in one year, then they go home, and now they're being incentivised to come back even more than before, for multiple seasons, because the minimum wage is only going to be offered now if you're in the first year or second year of your RSE employment.

"So people are going to want to keep coming back for more and more seasons so they earn more money, and that means that a smaller number of people are getting benefits.

"But their families, meanwhile, are dealing with the long term impacts of being fatherless or motherless, missing some of the key people in the communities who could be otherwise taking on chiefly functions or other leadership roles in a rural community."

The Labour Inspectorate's specialist inspection manager Jeanie Borsboom says it completed 1600 RSE-related checks in the last year, including on employers' compliance, accommodation and wages.

"The Labour Inspectorate's work in relation to the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme is mostly proactive.

"When requested by Immigration New Zealand, the Inspectorate assesses applications for RSE Status Accreditation and Agreements to Recruit.

"This involves reviewing the employer's history of compliance with employment law, and immigration policies and standards, including those relating to accommodation and pastoral care.

"The Inspectorate makes recommendations to INZ by advising whether it supports an application for RSE status or an ATR from an employer with RSE status.

"That advice identifies any relevant issues of concern or non-compliance with RSE policy or employment standards so INZ can consider those issues when deciding whether to grant, refuse or revoke the accreditation of an employer and/or their ATR.

"There was no extra funding in this year's budget, but it now comes from visa fees rather than taxpayers," she says.

The increased worker numbers, wage cuts, increase in accommodation costs and freezing of funding for compliance activities worries Prof Scheyvens.

"You do the maths, how much has the scheme increased in terms of the number of workers coming in those years?

"We absolutely need to put more funding into labour inspectors and just keeping an eye on ensuring the workers are aware of their rights and feel really well supported in claiming those rights.

"There's been some shocking cases I've read about recently in Australia.

"But you know, it might just be that we've got some similar cases here, but they haven't necessarily been exposed at this stage."

And she says there are cultural barriers to workers making complaints.

"I think that for most employees, they will still feel that they need to do whatever their boss tells them, and if they don't, they they're at risk of being sent home," she says.

"Pacific cultures are highly communalistic, and people don't make individual decisions, in a sense, and so they're always thinking of the impact on the wider group of what they say or do.

"So it's seen as entirely shameful if you apparently did something wrong and got sent home from a scheme like the RSE and you're not just letting down yourself, but your family and your wider community, and yes, it could impact on what has been quite a good income stream for people from your area or country."

-RNZ
The University of Waikato is looking at adding more student accommodation near its Tauranga campus with enrollments set to grow.

A university spokesperson says the campus had ambitious plans to grow domestic and international student numbers and to contribute to future growth in the city and wider Bay of Plenty region.

It comes after a slower-than-planned start for the $55 million campus, which opened in Durham St in 2019, with students describing it as pretty empty in part due to students choosing more online study rather than making long bus commutes or paying for CBD parking.

The university had aimed to have 1800 students by this year. It has reached 1515 and the spokesperson says it was projected to have 2000 by 2028.

The share of international students was expected to grow from about 1 per cent now (17 students) to 10 per cent in 2028 and 15 per cent in 2029.

The targets reflected anticipated growth as international education in New Zealand returned to pre-pandemic levels.

The university recently sought expressions of interest to provide new student accommodation in Tauranga.

It sought the least supply of an about-150-bed facility purpose-built or purpose-fit for students.

The university initially required 100- to 130-bed facilities and further beds would be needed as the student body continued to grow.

Source: University of Waikato / Herald network graphic  * to June 13.

The spokesperson says the universitys planned growth in Tauranga was dependent on establishing programmes attractive to students and being able to provide quality accommodation options.

The expression of interest in providing a new student accommodation facility is key in planning for this intended future growth.

The accommodation would primarily be designed to cater for individual students, but consideration would also be given to rooms that could cater for couples and university staff.

It was envisaged the university would supply all administrative, housekeeping, and residential pastoral-care staffing requirements.

The process was at too early a stage to provide details on where the facility would be or when it could open.

The universitys self-catered studio rooms on nearby Selwyn St could accommodate 91 students and had been at full capacity for most of the year.

Priority One workforce and policy general manager Greg Simmonds says the University of Waikato was vital to Taurangas ecosystem.

The university plays a crucial role in not only preparing the future workforce, but also attracting local, national, and international students, delivering talent and insights that drive regional innovation, economic and environmental sustainability, and community engagement, Greg says.

Ultimately, further growth of the city campus also supports the vibrancy of our city centre and makes a significant impact on ensuring a sustainable economy and the well-being of our community.

Durham Mews flats available next year

As well as new accommodation, the existing Durham Mews flats will be made available as student accommodation from early next year.

The university says some remediation work was required before students moved in and that would happen this year to ensure the flats were ready in time.

The university leased Durham Mews in 2018 and provided it as student accommodation before Selwyn Street Studios opened in January 2022.

From then on, Durham Mews has been leased to the general public, with day-to-day management provided by a property management company.

One student who lived in the Durham Mews, who spoke on the condition she was not named, says residents living in the flats were given 90 days to vacate the flats on August 4, this year.

She says she had seen mould and water leaks during her time living at Durham Mews but severe leakages were dealt with efficiently, with affected student residents moved to different accommodation.

-Bay of Plenty Times
Motor neurone disease is a cruel condition that afflicts dozens of Bay of Plenty residents each year  now BayTrust is providing financial support to help sufferers make the most of life before their bodies shut down.

Motor Neurone Disease New Zealand Charitable Trust will receive $7500 to help fund their Bay of Plenty-based Support Advisor, Jeanette Tioke.

She works with patients, their families, GPs and other health professionals to help those with MND get the best medical care, equipment and emotional support following diagnosis.

MND mainly affects people over the age of 60 and life expectancy can be as little as 2-5 years as symptoms often progress rapidly.

Motor neurons deteriorate and die, causing muscles to weaken which eventually leads to paralysis and the inability to move, talk, swallow or breathe.

Former All Black Norm Hewitt died of MND recently, as did former Rotorua Trust manager Tony Gill.

My role is primarily about visiting and interacting with people and their families that are living with MND, Jeanette explains.

Motor Neurone Disease New Zealand - Jeanette Support Advisor. Photo supplied.

Its about providing really practical support and connection with others. Anything thats life enhancing, really.

Im committed to helping people live a good life and getting what they need, when they need it. And also thinking beyond that - lifting expectations, making everything count.

Without this support that BayTrust is providing, people would be left quite isolated so this funding means everything.

Jeanette says initial symptoms can include muscle weakness and people starting to drop things.

Possibly slurring, swallowing, chewing difficulty, fatigue sometimes there are cognitive or respiratory changes.

It often just starts with people having little falls or suddenly the dexterity of their hands starts to change, but everything else is okay. It builds up over time.

Theres no one test as such and thats the nature of a neurological condition. It's such a complex disease that affects multiple areas and has multiple symptoms.

With the right equipment and therapies in place, people can maintain their quality of life and remain mobile as long as possible.

The trust works to help connect patients with an appropriate team of clinicians to help monitor their health and organise whatever support is needed.

Powered wheelchairs, ramps, grip and holding aids, communication technology, sit-to-stand chairs, ventilators and feeding tubes may all be eventually required, and MND Support Advisors like Jeanette can help sort out funding applications and access equipment as quickly as possible so people are not languishing on DHB waiting lists.

It can be a lengthy process so the quicker we can start the ball rolling, the better as MND patients dont have the luxury of time.

BayTrust CEO Alastair Rhodes says Motor Neurone Disease New Zealand Charitable Trust is the sole provider of support and information to MND sufferers in Aotearoa.

They are a small charity but doing vital work, helping people access physiotherapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, counselling, and all the equipment necessary to make life more comfortable.

The emotional support that Jeanette provides to Bay of Plenty families cannot be underestimated. They are less isolated and more informed thanks to her face-to-face visits.

MND NZ receive next to no government funding so were pleased to be able to help support them financially so Jeanette, in turn, can keep supporting our community.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 28. First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva shared footage on her official Instagram page from the opening of LANDAU School and The Grand apart hotel at Sea Breeze Resort, Trend reports.

Opening of LANDAU School and The Grand apart hotel at Sea Breeze Resort. 08/28/2024, the publication reads.

On August 28, the LANDAU School and The Grand apart hotel were inaugurated at the Sea Breeze Resort in Baku.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, and their daughter Leyla Aliyeva attended the opening ceremony.
Rotorua kapa haka group Ngati Rangiwewehi will accompany Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to Malaysia and the Republic of Korea next week.

Long-time group member and former tutor Trevor Maxwell, who will accompany the 10 members chosen to represent the group, says it was an honour to accompany Christopher and help put Maori culture on the world stage.

State for Trade Minister Nicola Grigg, Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee and a business delegation would accompany the New Zealand contingent.

The trip is between September 2 and 8.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Photo / NZME.

Christopher says in a media statement Malaysia and Korea were strong partners for New Zealand on the world stage, crucial to prosperity and security.

I look forward to meeting with my counterparts and working with them to explore what more can be done to further deepen our relationships.

Trevor is accompanying the delegation in his role as a life member of Maori performing arts festival Te Matatini. The New Zealand Government has an agreement with Te Matatini to use the kapa haka groups judged among the top groups to accompany official delegations overseas.

Trevor says other groups have attended other official visits to the likes of Paris, Seoul and Japan and given former Te Matatini champion Ngati Rangiwewehi was named in the finalists at last years Te Matatini, it had been asked to go on this trip.

Trevor, who is also New Zealands longest-serving local body councillor having served on the Rotorua council for more than 40 years, says he and group members were used to overseas travel for such occasions and had accompanied former Prime Minister Jim Bolger to Spain years ago.

Any opportunity to put Maori culture on the world stage is a good one and we arent looking at it through political eyes.

Ngati Rangiwewehi member and Te Matatini life member Trevor Maxwell. Photo / Andrew Warner.

He says he was thrilled for the group chosen and reflected on its professionalism in delivering quality performances. He says they would perform at least four times, including at a gala dinner with the Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol.

Group members attending included: Joanna Tuhakaraina (tutor), Sarah Tamou, Mercia Yates, Miharo Dinsdale, Ngaio Maxwell, George Haimona, Te Teira Maxwell, Jaydyn Bidois and Takurua Bidois.

Ngati Rangiwewehi qualified to represent Te Arawa at Te Matatini in 2025 along with Ngati Whakaue, Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao, Te Piki Kotuku o Ngati Rongomai, Te Hekenga-a-Rangi and Te Hekenga-a-Rangi, according to results of the Te Arawa Kapa Haka Regional Competition in March published by Te Ao Maori News.

Christopher says in his statement he looked forward to reconnecting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and opening the door to more opportunities for New Zealand businesses. When he travelled to the Republic of Korea he says he would continue his discussions with President Yoon on regional and global challenges, and bilateral co-operation.

Korea is our sixth-largest trading partner and fourth-largest education source market. We have strong food and beverage exports, and this visit will help lift the profile of our world-class offering.
Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey says the rollout of mental health support to primary and intermediate school pupils in Hawkes Bay and Tairawhiti regions will continue.

The Government has committed sustainable funding to the phased rollout of Mana Ake, which will grow to $3.7 million a year by 2026/27. This will ensure these services will remain intact and available for young people needing mental wellbeing support, say Doocey.

Mana Ake is a school-based mental wellbeing programme that helps children learn skills such as coping with change or challenges, managing their emotions, building positive relationships and overcoming grief and loss.

It also provides advice, guidance and workshops for parents, whanau and teachers so they can respond to and support the wellbeing needs of children.

Once fully rolled out, Mana Ake will provide in-school wellbeing and mental resilience support and be available to around 25,500 students across more than 130 primary and intermediate schools in the regions, says Doocey.

Early intervention and prevention is one of my priorities. Ive committed to it in my mental health targets also as we know its one of the best ways to increase access and encourage better mental wellbeing for young New Zealanders.

Early intervention has the further advantage of setting up young New Zealanders to maintain better mental wellbeing throughout their lives. This is a strong example of a social return on investment.

Mana Ake was initially developed to support earthquake-affected communities in Christchurch and Kaikoura and has since been expanded to seven additional areas across the country - Northland, Counties Manukau, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Lakes and the West Coast.

As of May 31 2024, over 78,600 sessions have been provided to children as part of Mana Ake since services started in 2018. This includes individual therapeutic support, small group therapeutic support, and whole of classroom and school sessions.
The Buffalo Bills announced their initial 16-man practice squad on Wednesday.

Buffalos initial squad includes 15 players who spent some time on Buffalos roster this summer. The lone outside signing was veteran quarterback Mike White. White could be asked to backup Josh Allen depending on the injury status of Mitch Trubisky in Week 1.
Hootie & the Blowfish are bringing their Summer Camp with Trucks Tour to Syracuses Empower FCU Amphitheater at Lakeview on Friday, September 6. The concert starts at 7 p.m., with special guests Collective Soul and Edwin McCain opening.

This will be Hooties first Syracuse concert since performing at the New York State Fair in 2007 with Counting Crows and the bands first time touring since 2019, following their 2018 return after a ten-year hiatus.

Edwin McCain told someone at the time that touring with us felt like summer camp with trucks and thats exactly how we want next year to feel, too, lead guitarist Mark Bryan said in a statement reflecting on the tours name. We cant wait for you to join us!

Where to buy Hootie & The Blowfish concert tickets

Limited standard admission tickets are available online through Live Nation, where prices start at $36.30 for lawn general admission. However, greater availability and deals are offered by secondary market platforms like Vivid Seats, SeatGeek and StubHub.

Heres a look at the best resale prices available (including fees):

Prices and availability are noted at the time of publishing and are subject to change.

What is Hootie & The Blowfishs setlist?

Hootie & The Bloshfishs setlists vary by show. Based on past setlists from setlist.fm, fans can expect something similar to the one below:

I Go Blind (54-40 cover) Wishing I Will Wait Time Running From an Angel For What Its Worth (Buffalo Springfield cover) Hannah Jane Not Even the Trees Will the Circle Be Unbroken? / Desert Mountain Showdown I Hope I Dont Fall in Love With You (Tom Waits cover) Wagon Wheel (Old Crow Medicine Show cover) Miss California Hey, Hey, What Can I Do (Led Zeppelin cover) Solitude (Edwin McCain cover) Old Man & Me (When I Get to Heaven) Let Her Cry Losing My Religion (R.E.M. cover) Alright (Darius Rucker song) Hold My Hand Go and Tell Him (Soup Song) Interstate Love Song (Stone Temple Pilots cover) Only Wanna Be With You

Where else is Hootie & The Blowfish playing?

Following their Syracuse show, Hootie & The Blowfish will perform at the Budweiser Stage in Toronto, Canada, before finishing off the tour down south with nine more shows in Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida.

A complete list of Hootie & The Blowfishs tour dates is available here.

Cant get enough live music? Hootie & The Blowfish isnt the only touring artist. Catch other upcoming shows at the Empower FCU Amphitheater at Lakeview, including Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper on September 4, Pitbull on September 7 and Post Malone on September 14.
The annual music, art and ocean sustainability festival, Sea.Hear.Now, is returning to the iconic Asbury Park Waterfront in New Jersey for two days on Saturday, September 14, from 12 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Sunday, September 15, from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

More than 25 artists will perform across three stages: two in the sand and one in the park. Headliners include Noah Kahan and Jersey native Bruce Springsteen.

Other notable performers include The Black Crowes, 311, The Revivalists, The Gaslight Anthem, Trey Anastasio Band, Norah Jones and many more. See the full lineup and how to get tickets below.

In between sets, check out local food vendors, art installations and the North Beach surf contest.

Where to buy Sea.Hear.Now tickets

Although the festival is completely sold out, single-day and two-day tickets can still be purchased online through secondary market platforms like Vivid Seats, SeatGeek and StubHub.

Heres a look at the best prices available (before fees):

Two-day passes

Saturday, September 14

Sunday, September 15

Prices and availability are noted at the time of publishing and are subject to change.

Related: All Things Go Music Festival NYC 2024: Ticket prices, headliners and more
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 28. The famous Niko's Band from Georgia will perform at the opening of the Grape and Wine Festival in Shamakhi.

The song Georgian Disco by Niko's Band caused a real sensation on SHAZAM and became a world hit. The number of views of this song on the YouTube platform exceeded 66 million in a short time.

The collective is also a new social media phenomenon. Reels and memes for the song Georgian Disco are still being shot on various social media platforms.

The band members are renowned for their extravagant stage personas and humorous approach to performing. Originally created to appear on a humorous show on Georgian television, Niko's Band performed the famous Italian song Italodisco in its style in 2023. This rendition, originally intended as a joke, suddenly became a hit and gained widespread popularity around the world under the name Georgian Disco.

Niko's Band promises attendees an unforgettable performance with stunning vocals and great humor at the opening of the Grape & Wine Festival on September 7.

Don't miss this unforgettable performance!
New York state has $19 billion of other peoples money.

Every year, state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli visits the New York State Fair to talk about his effort to get the money back to its rightful owners  typically someone who forgot to cash a check or lost track of an old bank account.
The baby goat that got Steinmetz Family Farm booted from the 2024 NYS Fair didnt have a suspected virus after all, according to the goats owner, Justin Steinmetz.

Steinmetz last night received results from two separate veterinary labs indicating that his three-month old Nigerian dwarf goat named Monique did not have orf virus after all.

This is the best outcome ever, were so happy, Steinmetz said. Because I thought my reputation was going to be ruined for a while.

Orf is a contagious virus common in sheep and goats which causes sore mouth disease. Veterinarians working for the State Department of Agriculture and Markets, which oversees animal health at the Fair, determined that Monique might have sore mouth disease, during a routine animal health check.

The visual inspection took place last week, one hour before gates opened on the first day of the Fair, resulting in the Fair shutting down Steinmetz Family Farms large exhibit in the Horticulture Building.

The decision to close the exhibit for the remainder of The Fair was made out of an abundance of caution for other animals throughout the Fairgrounds as test results can be inconclusive, said fair spokesperson Sean Farnsworth, in a statement to syracuse.com.

Steinmetz believes the Fairs vets were too hasty in concluding that a crusty patch in the corner of Moniques mouth was evidence of sore mouth disease.

I know my goats, and I know shes a bottle baby, and I know it was dried milk and grains in the corner of her mouth, said Steinmetz. I mean, honestly, it wouldve taken five minutes to scrub it off.

A handwritten sign taped to the baby goat snuggling exhibit in the Horticulture Building at the 2024 NYS Fair announces the exhibit is closed.Steinmetz Family Farm

The baby goat exhibit, a first at the Fair, and the first time Steinmetz has exhibited his herd outside of his home state of Pennsylvania, featured unlimited baby goat snuggles for $10.

Steinmetz says the Fairs misdiagnosis cost him $30,000 in travel, lodging, and other expenses related to exhibiting at the Fair. He also says he lost an estimated $250,000 in revenue he expected to earn during the Fair run.

Thats a big hit for a small farm, he said.

When Steinmetz returned to his farm last week, he immediately had Monique tested for orf and sent samples to veterinary labs at Cornell University and Central Washington University. The negative results were a huge relief that allowed Steinmetz to start exhibiting his goats again.

We have the impossible to make happen, said Steinmetz last night from the road. Were already on the road heading to Allentown. We werent going to be able to do the Allentown Fair, but now we have 21 hours to get everything set up.

As for coming back to the NYS Fair next year, Steinmetz is weighing his options.

Will they allow us back next year? Steinmetz wondered aloud. Do [Fair officials] even want to try to make up for some of the lost revenue?

Stay up to date on all our New York State Fair news, food, music, schedules and more with Syracuse.coms free newsletter. Its emailed to you each morning. Click here to sign up.

More NYS Fair News

Steve Featherstone covers the outdoors for The Post Standard, syracuse.com and NYUP.com. Contact him at sfeatherstone@syracuse.com or on Twitter @featheroutdoors. You can also follow along with all of our outdoors content at newyorkupstate.com/outdoors/ or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/upstatenyoutdoors.
Value of healthy hedgerows highlighted as National Hedgerow Week is launched at farmland biodiversity event in Birr Castle

Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity, Pippa Hackett, today, Wednesday, 28 August launched National Hedgerow Week 2024 at an event in Birr Castle, County Offaly. National Hedgerow Week, which is jointly coordinated by Teagasc and the Heritage Council, is an initiative highlighting the value of hedgerows in our landscapes and provides an opportunity for farmers, ecologists and the public to celebrate the versatility of our hedges.

Pictured from (L to R): Pat Murphy, Head of Environment Knowledge Transfer, Teagasc; Dr Catherine Keena, Teagasc Countryside Management Specialist; Pippa Hackett, Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity in the Department of Agriculture; Catherine Casey, Head of Climate Change, The Heritage Council and Virginia Teehan, Chief Executive Officer, The Heritage Council. Photo: Paul Moore, Photography.

National Hedgerow Week is launched at farmland biodiversity event in Birr Castle today, Wednesday 28th August, 2024.

A programme of free events taking place between Friday, 30th August and Friday, 6th September are focused on how to plant and manage hedgerows to maximise the benefits for biodiversity, climate and farmers. Specialists from Teagasc and the Local Authority Biodiversity Officer Network will be on site at five Teagasc farms across the four provinces, where demonstrations of new Topped hedges and Treeline hedges have been established over the past 3 years to show Best Practice hedge management.

A full list of events taking place throughout the country is available here: www.teagasc.ie/hedgerowweek

The launch event for National Hedgerow Week 2024 in Birr Castle today, included talks on farmland biodiversity from a range of speakers including naturalist, author and broadcaster Eanna Ni Lamhna, Professor at the School of Agriculture and Food Science in UCD, Helen Sheridan and Birr-based author, ecologist and geologist, John Feehan.

The collaborative ethos of Hedgerow Week was reflected by the presence at the event also of representatives from ACRES Leinster; All Ireland Pollinator Plan; Farm Peat EIP; Farming for Water EIP; Inland Fisheries Ireland; LIFE on Machair; Local Authorities Water Programme; National Biodiversity Data Centre; the Heritage Council and Local Authority Biodiversity Officers.

Speaking at the launch in Birr Castle today, Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity, Pippa Hackett, said:

"Teagasc and the Heritage Council have organised a great programme of events to celebrate National Hedgerow Week, both online and in person, and I would strongly encourage farmers to get involved. Hedgerows are in many ways the lifeblood of our countryside, offering sanctuary to wildlife, improving soil health, and connecting fragmented habitats. By caring for and protecting our hedgerows, we can safeguard the natural heritage that defines our rural communities as well as delivering for carbon sequestration, soil health, water quality and biodiversity."

Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan T.D. highlighted the cultural and historical significance of hedgerows:

"Irelands hedgerows are not just a feature of our landscape; they are a living link to our past. These ancient boundaries tell the stories of our ancestors and provide a unique habitat that is central to our biodiversity. Protecting them is not just an environmental imperative but a cultural one."

Virginia Teehan, Chief Executive of the Heritage Council, remarked:

"Hedgerows are an integral part of our cultural and natural heritage. Their proper management not only preserves the beauty of our landscapes, but also ensures a thriving ecosystem for future generations. The Heritage Council is delighted to partner with Teagasc for this important and valuable celebration of our farming heritage. Our network of local authority heritage and biodiversity officers across the country will be a key component of the success of this week in raising awareness of the value of hedgerows."

Dr Catherine Keena, Teagasc Countryside Management Specialist said:

"Hedges are an integral feature of our countryside and farmers are the custodians of the land. Through sustainable management practices, farmers can enhance biodiversity, sequester carbon and protect water quality. National Hedgerow Week is an opportunity to showcase the benefits of well-managed hedgerows and to encourage continued best practices."

With a full schedule of events planned across the country, National Hedgerow Week 2024 is set to engage communities, raise awareness, and celebrate the vital role of hedgerows in Irelands environmental and cultural landscape.

For more information on National Hedgerow Week 2024 and to view the full list of events, please visit www.teagasc.ie/hedgerowweek
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 28. The level of the Caspian Sea may drop by six meters by the end of the century, the Deputy Head of the Environmental Policy Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Rafig Verdiyev told Trend.

He noted that the level of rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea has decreased over the past 30 years.

Moreover, precipitation is decreasing, evaporation is increasing, which will lead to a decline in the level of the Caspian Sea. There was a project envisioned in 1979 to bring northern rivers into the sea due to the lowering of the Caspian Sea level. However, the level of the Caspian Sea rose. Therefore, the project was postponed. The ongoing processes may bring this project up to date again, Verdiyev added.
SRISRI_90 BHPian



Join Date: Apr 2022 Location: Mangalore. Posts: 41 Thanked: 646 Times

Team-BHP Monsoon Meet 2.0 - Thirthahalli Team-Bhp Monsoon Meet 2.0 - Thirthahalli

Its the month of July, and it's time for our annual monsoon meet. After the lovely meet we had last year, we promised to do it every year and meet at an ideal place to enjoy the Monsoon and the company of fellow Bhpians. Thus the idea of Monsoon Meet 2.0 was conceived, and heres how we executed it to perfection.





Planning and some more Planning!

Following the success of the previous meet, it was decided that this year's meet would be organized by Bhpian @thirugata, @mohansrides and me. Due to other commitments, I could not help organize this years meeting, so it was the sole planning and execution by Bhpian @thirugata! The initial plan was to have the meeting at Valparai, a hill station in Tamilnadu. However, we were unable to reach a consensus and dropped it as an option. Thats when Bhpian @Thirugaata suggested we meet at Thirthahalli in Karnataka.



The tentative dates were proposed as the 3rd or 4th week of July and the 26-28th of July was finalized as the meet dates. We had set our priority right, It would be to Relax, Eat well and go for a Drive, and in that same order.



This is how the Final Schedule looked like



Day 1 (26th July): Arrival of Bhpians to Vihangama Resort at Thirthahalli.

Day 2 (27th July): A short drive to explore surrounding areas, and chill for the rest of the day

Day 3 (28th July): Check out of the resort, say final goodbyes and disperse back to respective homes.



Final List of attendees and their steeds!



@arunjosie from Bangalore  Jeep Compass MT

@iashishi from Bangalore  Honda Accord 2.4

@redcruiser from Bangalore - Riding shotgun in the Honda Accord 2.4

@deetee from Hyderabad/Mangalore  Mahindra TUV 300

@narayanang76 from Bangalore  Toyota Fortuner 3.0

@turrrb0 from Chennai - BMW 320D

@Malyaj from Bangalore - Kia Seltos

@Mohansrides from Mumbai  Honda BRV

@Osteon206 from Mysore/Bangalore  Volkswagen Taigun.

@thirugata from Surathkal - Skoda Fabia

@samaspire from Manipal - Kia Carens

@srisri_90 from Mangalore  Citroen C3 Turbo.





Day 1  26th July 2024.



It was D Day of the Monsoon meet and in contrast to the previous years' meet where we had barely any rains, this July we were getting belted by proper rains and even before I left Mangalore, I had a feeling that this would be an epic drive and the excitement would give me a sleepless night, at the end it was something else that gave me sleepless night, read on to find out! Osteon206 arrived in Mangalore the previous day and stayed at my place, so on the morning of the 26th me and him Left Mangalore at around 11 AM.



Just before entering the Agumbe Ghat !





We had a blast of a time driving the 2 little fun cars the C3 Turbo and the Taigun 1.0 TSI through the beautiful and curvy roads of Padubidri, Karkala and later the Agumbe Ghat. Halfway through the Agumbe ghats, we were greeted with torrential rains and after crossing Agumbe we were hit with heavy winds that were shaking the cars, It was all fun and Frolic and we reached the Location by 1 PM. By Then Bhpain @thirugata, Malyaj and Narayanang76 had already reached the location.



Fast 5 who reached early





We all met up had a small introduction of each other and headed for Lunch. After a sumptuous lunch, we ended up chilling at the open-air restaurant till evening, just discussing random topics whilst simultaneously tracking other members' journey progress. The weather was relentless, we got belted throughout the evening and superb rains and cold weather meant we were in no mood to go anywhere. By 9 PM couple of other members had arrived @mohansrides, @iashishi, @redcruiser & most notably @turrrbo who left Chennai at 11 AM and reached Thirthalli by 9 PM. We decided to have dinner at the resort itself and had a lovely night with good food and drinks, and before we knew it, it was 1 am and we decided to crash into our beds.



Dinner party





But remember I said that I had a sleepless night, that is because the Tunga River had been issued with a flood warning and our room was right on the banks of the river. There was even a landslide below one of the riverside cottages, but a few Brave Bhpains decided to stay in that room, with assurance from the resort owner that the rooms wouldn't get washed away overnight



View from the Room Balcony, below which the land had slid to the river







Day 2  27th July 2024



Woke up early to the sound of the steady drizzling noise of rain. It had rained pretty heavily throughout the night and the water level in the rivers had risen even more.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALEkcYixr_E



We all met up at the breakfast table to decide our agenda for the day, which was supposed to be a day-long drive to cover all the Points of interest near our resort. However thanks to the late end to the previous day, by the time all of us were done with breakfast and ready to roll it was already 11 AM. So we dropped the plans to visit POIs and decided to just go for a long drive, and as most hadnt driven through Agumbe ghat, we decided we would drive down the Ghat, have a small snack break at Seethanadi, and then drive back up the Agumbe ghat and reach back in time for Lunch. Alternative destinations were considered but dropped later due to multiple reasons - Kundadri, Jog Falls and Kavaledurga Fort.



We drove through a foggy Agumbe ghat and by 1 PM we had arrived at Hotel Seethanadi where we were able to park in a nice formation as this place had a mega parking lot.







A couple of Bhpains wanted to check out what the hype was about the C3 Turbo and took it for a spin and they all seemed to love it.

Meanwhile, the rest of them went inside the restaurant to have some Mangalore Buns and Coffee. By 3 PM we were on the way back to Thirthahalli, driving up the ghat. Everyone loved the challenging narrow roads and super twisty hairpin turns through the Agumbe ghat.

By the time we reached back to the resort, it was close to 4 in the evening, we had a super late lunch and Thanks to the lovely rainy weather nobody was in the mood to go anywhere.



By 6 PM a few of us gathered enough energy to get up and go to the town to fill fuel into our cars. The rains had receded and the sky was still bright and those roads were so goddamn inviting that we decided to go for a short spin, I ended up driving @narayanang76s Toyota Fortuner MT with ARB Suspension. My first time driving a Fortuner with a non-stock suspension and I loved it. It corners flat like a Sedan and the overall handling is superlative. We were being chased by the BMW 320D driven by @turbbb0. It was super fun chucking this massive SUV into the smooth-flowing corners around Thirthahalli.



Toyota Fortuner + BMW 320D





By 8 PM we had all gathered at the dining hall, it was too early for dinner, so I decided to use this time to Gift every member a small badge to honour their presence at this meeting. Bhpian @osteon206 had created a lovely design to represent our monsoon meet, so I decided it would be right to use that image on our badges. A Novel idea which stuck with me at the last moment just before I was leaving Mangalore for the meet.



Badge of Honour





Me handing over the badge to @arunjosie







After this, we all had a sumptuous dinner and by midnight we were all back in bed.



Day 3  28th July 2024



The agenda for today was to have breakfast, say our final goodbyes and drive back to respective homes.

By 10 AM all of us had finished our breakfast and were sketching out the routes for return Journeys



Final Group Pic. L to R : @thirugata, @narayanang76, @turrrb0, @iashishi, @deetee, @redcruiser, @malyaj, @srisri_90, @osteon206, @arunjosie, @mohansrides.





And thats the end of our short and sweet Monsoon Meet!



Or is it ?...



By 11 AM most of the members had left to their respective places. However, the remaining 4 of us had a last-minute idea of driving to Jog Falls, as it was very close by and the folks from Mumbai and Chennai did not want to miss this opportunity after having driven such a long distance. So it was 4 of us @thirugata, @turrrrb0, @mohansrides and me in 4 separate cars driving to Jog Falls in a Lovely Convoy. We took the Thirthahalli-Ripponpet- Sagara- Jog Falls route.



Convoy at Jog





The roads were good throughout and the scenery even better, the recent heavy rains meant that the green canopy was everywhere.

The rainy weather also makes the weather pretty cold and that brings a problem of its own, the urge to pee every once in a while !!!

It was @mohansrides who couldnt hold it any longer and asked us all to stop so that we could all relieve ourselves. So we stopped by the road in the middle of Nowhere, by the time we were all finished I spotted an Elephant with its Mahout slowly and graciously walking in our direction. It was such a unique experience to see an elephant up close. It turned out to be a 46-year-old female temple elephant from the nearby Humcha Jain Temple.



@Turrrb0 & @mohansrides with the Elephant





It blessed us all and even gave a blessing to my Citroen C3 as well.





After this we kept driving towards Jog Falls and reached there by around 1 PM. Due to the construction activities, we had to park our cars a kilometre before the entrance and walk the rest of the way. The water flow at the falls was decent enough.



Jog Falls





After this we drove to Kargal for Lunch and from there @turrrb0 said goodbye and drove back to Coimbatore. Whereas the rest of us decided to head back to the coast via the Nagavalli- Bhatkal road, which goes through the Sharavati Wildlife Sanctuary. It boasts some amazing Scenery with good twisty roads and there is even a waterfall by the roadside. I had posted about it in my previous thread of my Drive to Jog Falls and Banavasi.



Waterfall by the Road





We faced heavy rains throughout the ghat, but the scenery made the trip worthwhile. It was so good that @mohansrides quipped  Thank you Srinidhi for making us drive in this route, I dont know how to thank you for this, had you been a girl I would have kissed you by now 



Just Before Nagavalli





It was 5:30 in the evening when we reached Bhatkal, we stopped at a local restaurant for Coffee.

We said our Final goodbyes, and by 6 PM me and Kiran were driving back to Mangalore and @mohansrides drove on towards Mumbai.



Conclusion - Same Same, but different!



Its been nearly a month since the meeting was over, but the memories are still fresh! We hadnt set a high benchmark for this meet, we just wanted it to be as good as our previous meet. Not only did we match the benchmark set, we surpassed it by a good margin. Everything about this years Monsoon meet turned out better than the previous year's meet. From the Weather to the food to the number of bhpains who participated in the meet. But the Basic premise of having good food and enjoying the company of fellow bhpains remained the same, and the meet was a great success.



Looking forward to next year's Monsoon meet! Its the month of July, and it's time for our annual monsoon meet. After the lovely meet we had last year, we promised to do it every year and meet at an ideal place to enjoy the Monsoon and the company of fellow Bhpians. Thus the idea of Monsoon Meet 2.0 was conceived, and heres how we executed it to perfection.Following the success of the previous meet, it was decided that this year's meet would be organized by Bhpian @thirugata, @mohansrides and me. Due to other commitments, I could not help organize this years meeting, so it was the sole planning and execution by Bhpian @thirugata! The initial plan was to have the meeting at Valparai, a hill station in Tamilnadu. However, we were unable to reach a consensus and dropped it as an option. Thats when Bhpian @Thirugaata suggested we meet at Thirthahalli in Karnataka.The tentative dates were proposed as the 3rd or 4th week of July and the 26-28th of July was finalized as the meet dates. We had set our priority right, It would be to Relax, Eat well and go for a Drive, and in that same order.Day 1 (26th July): Arrival of Bhpians to Vihangama Resort at Thirthahalli.Day 2 (27th July): A short drive to explore surrounding areas, and chill for the rest of the dayDay 3 (28th July): Check out of the resort, say final goodbyes and disperse back to respective homes.@arunjosie from Bangalore  Jeep Compass MT@iashishi from Bangalore  Honda Accord 2.4@redcruiser from Bangalore - Riding shotgun in the Honda Accord 2.4@deetee from Hyderabad/Mangalore  Mahindra TUV 300@narayanang76 from Bangalore  Toyota Fortuner 3.0@turrrb0 from Chennai - BMW 320D@Malyaj from Bangalore - Kia Seltos@Mohansrides from Mumbai  Honda BRV@Osteon206 from Mysore/Bangalore  Volkswagen Taigun.@thirugata from Surathkal - Skoda Fabia@samaspire from Manipal - Kia Carens@srisri_90 from Mangalore  Citroen C3 Turbo.It was D Day of the Monsoon meet and in contrast to the previous years' meet where we had barely any rains, this July we were getting belted by proper rains and even before I left Mangalore, I had a feeling that this would be an epic drive and the excitement would give me a sleepless night, at the end it was something else that gave me sleepless night, read on to find out! Osteon206 arrived in Mangalore the previous day and stayed at my place, so on the morning of the 26th me and him Left Mangalore at around 11 AM.We had a blast of a time driving the 2 little fun cars the C3 Turbo and the Taigun 1.0 TSI through the beautiful and curvy roads of Padubidri, Karkala and later the Agumbe Ghat. Halfway through the Agumbe ghats, we were greeted with torrential rains and after crossing Agumbe we were hit with heavy winds that were shaking the cars, It was all fun and Frolic and we reached the Location by 1 PM. By Then Bhpain @thirugata, Malyaj and Narayanang76 had already reached the location.We all met up had a small introduction of each other and headed for Lunch. After a sumptuous lunch, we ended up chilling at the open-air restaurant till evening, just discussing random topics whilst simultaneously tracking other members' journey progress. The weather was relentless, we got belted throughout the evening and superb rains and cold weather meant we were in no mood to go anywhere. By 9 PM couple of other members had arrived @mohansrides, @iashishi, @redcruiser & most notably @turrrbo who left Chennai at 11 AM and reached Thirthalli by 9 PM. We decided to have dinner at the resort itself and had a lovely night with good food and drinks, and before we knew it, it was 1 am and we decided to crash into our beds.But remember I said that I had a sleepless night, that is because the Tunga River had been issued with a flood warning and our room was right on the banks of the river. There was even a landslide below one of the riverside cottages, but a few Brave Bhpains decided to stay in that room, with assurance from the resort owner that the rooms wouldn't get washed away overnightWoke up early to the sound of the steady drizzling noise of rain. It had rained pretty heavily throughout the night and the water level in the rivers had risen even more.We all met up at the breakfast table to decide our agenda for the day, which was supposed to be a day-long drive to cover all the Points of interest near our resort. However thanks to the late end to the previous day, by the time all of us were done with breakfast and ready to roll it was already 11 AM. So we dropped the plans to visit POIs and decided to just go for a long drive, and as most hadnt driven through Agumbe ghat, we decided we would drive down the Ghat, have a small snack break at Seethanadi, and then drive back up the Agumbe ghat and reach back in time for Lunch. Alternative destinations were considered but dropped later due to multiple reasons - Kundadri, Jog Falls and Kavaledurga Fort.We drove through a foggy Agumbe ghat and by 1 PM we had arrived at Hotel Seethanadi where we were able to park in a nice formation as this place had a mega parking lot.A couple of Bhpains wanted to check out what the hype was about the C3 Turbo and took it for a spin and they all seemed to love it.Meanwhile, the rest of them went inside the restaurant to have some Mangalore Buns and Coffee. By 3 PM we were on the way back to Thirthahalli, driving up the ghat. Everyone loved the challenging narrow roads and super twisty hairpin turns through the Agumbe ghat.By the time we reached back to the resort, it was close to 4 in the evening, we had a super late lunch and Thanks to the lovely rainy weather nobody was in the mood to go anywhere.By 6 PM a few of us gathered enough energy to get up and go to the town to fill fuel into our cars. The rains had receded and the sky was still bright and those roads were so goddamn inviting that we decided to go for a short spin, I ended up driving @narayanang76s Toyota Fortuner MT with ARB Suspension. My first time driving a Fortuner with a non-stock suspension and I loved it. It corners flat like a Sedan and the overall handling is superlative. We were being chased by the BMW 320D driven by @turbbb0. It was super fun chucking this massive SUV into the smooth-flowing corners around Thirthahalli.By 8 PM we had all gathered at the dining hall, it was too early for dinner, so I decided to use this time to Gift every member a small badge to honour their presence at this meeting. Bhpian @osteon206 had created a lovely design to represent our monsoon meet, so I decided it would be right to use that image on our badges. A Novel idea which stuck with me at the last moment just before I was leaving Mangalore for the meet.After this, we all had a sumptuous dinner and by midnight we were all back in bed.The agenda for today was to have breakfast, say our final goodbyes and drive back to respective homes.By 10 AM all of us had finished our breakfast and were sketching out the routes for return JourneysAnd thats the end of our short and sweet Monsoon Meet!By 11 AM most of the members had left to their respective places. However, the remaining 4 of us had a last-minute idea of driving to Jog Falls, as it was very close by and the folks from Mumbai and Chennai did not want to miss this opportunity after having driven such a long distance. So it was 4 of us @thirugata, @turrrrb0, @mohansrides and me in 4 separate cars driving to Jog Falls in a Lovely Convoy. We took the Thirthahalli-Ripponpet- Sagara- Jog Falls route.The roads were good throughout and the scenery even better, the recent heavy rains meant that the green canopy was everywhere.The rainy weather also makes the weather pretty cold and that brings a problem of its own, the urge to pee every once in a while !!!It was @mohansrides who couldnt hold it any longer and asked us all to stop so that we could all relieve ourselves. So we stopped by the road in the middle of Nowhere, by the time we were all finished I spotted an Elephant with its Mahout slowly and graciously walking in our direction. It was such a unique experience to see an elephant up close. It turned out to be a 46-year-old female temple elephant from the nearby Humcha Jain Temple.After this we kept driving towards Jog Falls and reached there by around 1 PM. Due to the construction activities, we had to park our cars a kilometre before the entrance and walk the rest of the way. The water flow at the falls was decent enough.After this we drove to Kargal for Lunch and from there @turrrb0 said goodbye and drove back to Coimbatore. Whereas the rest of us decided to head back to the coast via the Nagavalli- Bhatkal road, which goes through the Sharavati Wildlife Sanctuary. It boasts some amazing Scenery with good twisty roads and there is even a waterfall by the roadside. I had posted about it in my previous thread of my Drive to Jog Falls and Banavasi.We faced heavy rains throughout the ghat, but the scenery made the trip worthwhile. It was so good that @mohansrides quipped  Thank you Srinidhi for making us drive in this route, I dont know how to thank you for this, had you been a girl I would have kissed you by now It was 5:30 in the evening when we reached Bhatkal, we stopped at a local restaurant for Coffee.We said our Final goodbyes, and by 6 PM me and Kiran were driving back to Mangalore and @mohansrides drove on towards Mumbai.Its been nearly a month since the meeting was over, but the memories are still fresh! We hadnt set a high benchmark for this meet, we just wanted it to be as good as our previous meet. Not only did we match the benchmark set, we surpassed it by a good margin. Everything about this years Monsoon meet turned out better than the previous year's meet. From the Weather to the food to the number of bhpains who participated in the meet. But the Basic premise of having good food and enjoying the company of fellow bhpains remained the same, and the meet was a great success.Looking forward to next year's Monsoon meet! Last edited by SmartCat : 27th August 2024 at 19:16 . Reason: paragraph spacing
With features aimed at streamlining learning, AI-driven tutors, solving issues around notetaking and study methods, and with a firm emphasis on easing the academic burden for students from diverse educational landscapes, AnswersAi may have given us the blueprint for how the educational sector will be transformed in the near future.

A new Edtech startup out of UC Berkeley has secured $1.5 million in pre-seed funding. It offers timely educational solutions that could help hundreds of millions of students worldwide.

Headed by CEO Mamoun Debbagh, AnswersAi is set to play a decisive role in the future Edtech sector, where students worldwide have embraced an enthusiasm for AI solutions to help in their learning.

The startup has already achieved remarkable growth since it was first conceived. In recent months, it has marked several notable milestones, such as reaching over 300k lifetime users and answering 1.5 million questions. It also has an online presence of over 200k followers and 150 million views. Brianna Wilburn, AnswersAi's CMO, states, "As college students living in the AI revolution, we know firsthand the pain points that industry leaders don't. Marketing works very closely to development, ensuring that we consistently reiterate based on user feedback." Beyond this, AnswersAi has also prided itself on the fact that its app has ascended to #6 on the app store, with its reputation only continuing to grow.

The platform's standout features include 'Lecture Mode,' which distills lengthy lectures into concise summaries and notes, and the intuitive 'Snapsolve Mode,' capable of interpreting even the most illegible handwriting. It will also feature AI-driven tutors to meet students at their individual learning levels.

However, the defining mission of AnswersAiand the reason it is tipped to a major global successis that the startup attempts to support students from diverse educational landscapes, offering new ways to help them with their unique learning needs and communication.

Explaining the importance of this, AnswersAi's CTO, Siddhant Satapathy, said: "We understand the pressures of academic life, especially for students in diverse educational landscapes. Our technology is designed to ease this burden, making learning a more engaging and productive experience for students everywhere."

Both Satapathy and AnswersAi's COO, Shubhan Dua, moved to the US just three years ago from India. Both were well-educated and have gained plenty of experience (Dua was previously a data engineer at Artemis, while Satapathy has significant experience at Uber and Coinbase). Still, they faced barriers regarding the specifics of the American educational system. Due to this, they saw the pressing need for AI solutions to help students from diverse backgrounds better engage with individual educational systems.

Shubhan Dua elaborated: "We recognized the challenges higher learning had once we were stuck in Office Hour lines at Berkeley for hours." For their own part, the duo now leads the technical efforts at AnswersAi, with Siddhant handling a team of 5 engineers.

Their mission is, ultimately, a global one. The team behind the start-up wants to bring personalized AI education tools to 1 billion students worldwide. They aim to extend the services to the institutional level, aiming to revolutionize not just individual learning experiences but also high school and college frameworks.

These ideas might be ambitiousbut they have come at a pivotal moment in the contemporary education sectorwhich no doubt explains why AnswersAi's fundraising efforts have been so successful for the company.

As AI continues to mature and integrate deeper into the fabric of educational systems, the company has noted some of the hurdles of modern education. Now, they are playing an active role in leading the change in the entire sector.
Pavel Durov, the founder of the popular messaging app Telegram, was released from police custody in France on Wednesday, Aug. 28, a few days after he was arrested at an airport in Paris.

His arrest at Paris's Bourget Airport on Saturday, Aug. 24, sparked a controversy over freedom of speech and raised concerns about the app's moderation policies.

Dramatic Arrest at Paris Airport

Durov, the 39-year-old tech billionaire from Russia, was detained on Saturday at Paris's Bourget Airport under a warrant linked to Telegram's lack of content moderation. He is being investigated for serious charges, including allegations that his platform has been used by fraudsters, drug traffickers, and those involved in spreading child pornography.

The app has also faced criticism for its use by terrorist organizations and far-right extremist groups, further complicating Durov's legal situation, according to CNN.

Legal Proceedings in Paris

After his release from the anti-fraud office outside Paris, Durov was transported in what appeared to be a police vehicle to a court in the French capital.

According to the Paris prosecutor's office, Durov now faces "initial questioning and possible indictment," a process that could significantly impact his future and the operations of Telegram.

Under French law, Durov could be held in custody for up to 96 hours before charges are officially brought against him. This detention marks a critical moment in the ongoing investigation into Telegram's role in facilitating criminal activities through its unmoderated platform.

International Implications and Concerns

Durov's arrest has sparked a heated debate over freedom of speech, particularly in regions where Telegram is a vital communication tool. The app is extremely popular in both Ukraine and Russia, where it serves as a key platform for communication among military personnel and civilians during Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine. The potential indictment of Durov has raised concerns about the future accessibility and use of Telegram in these conflict zones.

In an unusual move, French President Emmanuel Macron publicly commented on the situation, asserting that the decision to bring charges against Durov was "in no way political."

Telegram's Global Influence and Controversy

Since its launch in 2013 by Pavel Durov and his brother Nikolai, Telegram has grown to become one of the most widely used messaging platforms in the world, boasting over 950 million users. The app's encrypted conversations offer users a high level of privacy, which has been both a selling point and a source of controversy.

Law enforcement agencies and even Telegram itself have limited ability to monitor user activity, leading to accusations that the platform provides a safe haven for illegal activities.

Durov, often referred to as the "Mark Zuckerberg of Russia," was born in the Soviet Union in 1984 and gained fame in his 20s as a pioneering tech entrepreneur. He left Russia in 2014, relocating to Dubai, where Telegram is now headquartered. Despite his global lifestyle, Durov also holds French citizenship, further complicating the legal and diplomatic dimensions of his current predicament.

The Future of Telegram and Free Speech

As Pavel Durov faces the possibility of indictment in France, the future of Telegram hangs in the balance. The outcome of this legal battle could have far-reaching implications, not only for the platform itself but also for broader discussions on the balance between free speech and the responsibility of tech companies to moderate content.

Durov's Arrest Opens Up Several Controversies

Following his arrest, Toncoin went downhill to almost 20%, according to Tech Times.

Another story by the Independent says that the Russian Mark Zuckerberg is a father to more than 100 children. He said that his friend had a "weird" request 15 years ago. Since the couple has fertility issues and they can't have kids, he was told to donate sperm so they could have a baby.

What's more, even Pavel's brother, Nikolai Durov was issued an arrest warrant in France as exclusively seen by POLITICO in a document.
The Dutch Data Protection Authority (DPA) has fined Uber 290 million eurosaround $324 millionfor allegedly transferring the personal data of European taxi drivers to the United States (U.S.) and failing to safeguard the data regarding these transfers appropriately.

According to the Dutch DPA, these transfers were a serious violation of the European Unions General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). However, the DPA added that Uber ended the violation last year.

In Europe, the GDPR protects the fundamental rights of people, by requiring businesses and governments to handle personal data with due care, said Aleid Wolfsen, Dutch Data Protection Authority (DPA) chairman, in a statement.

The Dutch data watchdog said Uber collected sensitive information about drivers from Europe, including account details and taxi licenses, location data, photos, payment details, identity documents, and, in some cases, even criminal and medical data.

Further, the taxi-riding company transferred those data to Ubers headquarters in the U.S. for over two years without using transfer tools because the protection of the data was insufficient.

The DPA initiated the investigation into Uber after more than 170 French drivers complained to the French human rights interest group Ligue des droits de lHomme (LDH), which then submitted the complaint to the French DPA. Since Ubers European headquarters is in the Netherlands, the Dutch DPA had to lead the investigation.

To calculate the fines for businesses in Europe, the DPAs charge a maximum of 4% of the businesss worldwide annual turnover. In 2023, Uber had a worldwide turnover of around 34.5 billion euros.

Uber said it planned to appeal the ruling and object to the fine.

This flawed decision and extraordinary fine are completely unjustified. Ubers cross-border data transfer process was compliant with GDPR during a 3-year period of immense uncertainty between the EU and US. We will appeal and remain confident that common sense will prevail, an Uber spokesperson said in a statement.

This is the third penalty the Dutch DPA has imposed on Uber. In 2018, it fined Uber 600,000 euros for not reporting the data breach to the Dutch DPA and the data subjects in time. Further, in 2023, it was fined 10 million for failing to disclose the complete details of its retention periods for data concerning European drivers or to which countries outside Europe this data was forwarded.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 28. The agreement on a visa-free regime between Azerbaijan and Morocco officially comes into force on 28 August, Trend reports.

According to the agreement, Azerbaijani citizens will be able to visit Morocco without a visa for a stay of up to 90 days, provided that their passport is valid for at least 180 days from the date of entry into the country.

Likewise, Moroccan citizens will be able to use visa-free privileges while visiting Azerbaijan.

To note, the two countries signed an Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco on the exemption of holders of general civil passports from visa requirements on May 4 this year.

This agreement was ratified on July 15.
Indebted UK water supplier proposes massive bill hike



London, Aug 28 (AFP) Aug 28, 2024



Britain's largest water supplier Thames Water on Wednesday said it needs to massively increase what it charges customers, saying that spending cuts proposed by the industry regulator were "not tenable".

The company -- dogged by financial troubles -- proposed a more than 50 percent increase in bills over the next five years to finance what it says are "much needed" investments.

Regulator Ofwat has already rejected an initial proposition by the company to increase bills by 44 percent by 2030, deeming that certain proposed expenses were "not well justified".

And in its recommendations for water companies last month, Ofwat proposed capping bill hikes at 23 percent over the next five years, and imposing spending limits. It will make a final decision in December, following a consultation.

Thames Water, which serves around 16 million homes and businesses in London and elsewhere in southern England, has been riddled with debt and has faced fines and criticism over failures to plug raw-sewage discharges in rivers.

Thames Water has now said that the proposed spending cuts would make it harder to attract investors.

Bills could rise by as much as 59 percent by 2030, bringing them to an average of pound696 ($920) a year, it said in its response to Ofwat.

While it rejected spending cuts and "unachievable" targets, Thames Water said it would accept "many" Ofwat recommendations including water performance commitments.

"The money we're asking for from customers will be invested in new infrastructure and improving our services for the benefit of households and the environment," said Thames Water CEO Chris Weston.

"They are not being asked to pay twice, but to make up for years of focus on keeping bills low," Weston added.

He also said the company would introduce an "improved social tariff for those struggling to pay", increasing the number benefiting from the support by nearly 70 percent.

Thames Water was placed under close regulatory scrutiny by Ofwat in July, with an independent supervisor set to monitor progress of the company's recovery plan.

The company is owned by a consortium of shareholders including Canada's Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System and the British Universities Superannuation Scheme.

The company's precarious situation has fuelled months of speculation about the need for a potentially costly public bailout if it fails to find the private financing it needs.

British water companies, privatised since 1989, have also been under fire for several years for allowing the discharge of large quantities of sewage into rivers and the sea, due to under-investment in a sewage system that largely dates back to the Victorian era.
Swiss govt denounces landmark European court climate ruling



Geneva, Aug 28 (AFP) Aug 28, 2024



The Swiss government on Wednesday denounced a landmark verdict against Switzerland issued by Europe's top rights court, which ruled that the country was not doing enough to tackle climate change.

The ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in April made Switzerland the first country ever to be condemned by an international tribunal for not taking sufficient action to tackle the issue.

The court found the Swiss state had violated Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees the "right to respect for private and family life".

The case was brought by the Swiss association Elders for Climate Protection, a group of 2,500 women aged 73 on average.

The organisation wants climate protection to be recognised as a human right and said the Swiss authorities' failure to mitigate the effects of climate change was having a negative impact on their lives and health.

Switzerland's biggest political party, the hard-right Swiss People's Party, demanded a withdrawal from the Council of Europe after the ruling.

And both houses of parliament later voted to spurn the court's decision.

The Swiss government discussed the verdict and its implications on Wednesday.

The government "is committed to Switzerland's membership of the Council of Europe and to the system of the European Convention on Human Rights", it said in a statement.

However, like the houses of parliament, "it is critical of the interpretation" of the convention "with regard to climate protection".

The government said it rejected the broad interpretation of the convention by the court, and said case law "must not lead to an extension of the scope" of the convention.

"It is also of the opinion that Switzerland meets the climate policy requirements of the ruling."

It said the court had not taken into account Switzerland's revised carbon dioxide laws of March 15 this year, in which Bern "defined measures to achieve its 2030 climate targets".
Greek port grapples with flood of dead fish



Volos, Greece, Aug 28 (AFP) Aug 28, 2024



Authorities in central Greece are racing to deal with an inundation of tons of dead fish at a popular port that locals say could threaten their livelihoods.

It is the second environmental catastrophe to hit the port of Volos, a three-and-a-half-hour drive north of Athens, after catastrophic floods hit the Thessaly region last year.

Those floods refilled a nearby lake that had been drained in 1962 in a bid to fight malaria, swelling it to three times its normal size.

"After the storms Daniel and Elias last autumn, around 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres) of plains in Thessaly were flooded, and various freshwater fish were carried by rivers" to the sea, Dimitris Klaudatos, a professor of agriculture and environment at the University of Thessaly.

Since then the lake waters have receded drastically, forcing the freshwater fish toward the Volos port that empties into the Pagasetic Gulf and the Aegean Sea, where they cannot survive.

On Tuesday alone, authorities removed 57 tons of the dead fish washed up on beaches near Volos, with cleanup efforts continuing on Wednesday.

Tourist traffic to the area has already plunged by nearly 80 percent since last year's flooding, according to the local association of restaurants and bars.

"The situation with this dead fish will be the death of us," said Stefanos Stefanou, the president of the association. "What visitor will come to our city after this?"

Local authorities have opened an inquiry to study water qualities and microbial levels in the estuary of Lake Karla, as well as potential pollution in the gulf.
Swiss govt denounces landmark European court climate ruling



Geneva, Aug 28 (AFP) Aug 28, 2024



The Swiss government on Wednesday denounced a landmark verdict against Switzerland issued by Europe's top rights court, which ruled that the country was not doing enough to tackle climate change.

The ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in April made Switzerland the first country ever to be condemned by an international tribunal for not taking sufficient action to tackle the issue.

The court found the Swiss state had violated Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees the "right to respect for private and family life".

The case was brought by the Swiss association Elders for Climate Protection, a group of 2,500 women aged 73 on average.

The organisation wants climate protection to be recognised as a human right and said the Swiss authorities' failure to mitigate the effects of climate change was having a negative impact on their lives and health.

Switzerland's biggest political party, the hard-right Swiss People's Party, demanded a withdrawal from the Council of Europe after the ruling.

And both houses of parliament later voted to spurn the court's decision.

The Swiss government discussed the verdict and its implications on Wednesday.

The government "is committed to Switzerland's membership of the Council of Europe and to the system of the European Convention on Human Rights", it said in a statement.

The council and the convention, "whose fundamental values include the protection of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, remain of great importance to Switzerland".

However, like the houses of parliament, the government "is critical of the interpretation" of the convention "with regard to climate protection".

The government said it rejected the broad interpretation of the convention by the court, and said case law "must not lead to an extension of the scope" of the convention.

"It is also of the opinion that Switzerland meets the climate policy requirements of the ruling."

It said the court had not taken into account Switzerland's revised carbon dioxide laws of March 15 this year, in which Bern "defined measures to achieve its 2030 climate targets".

Elders for Climate Protection and Greenpeace Switzerland slammed the government's stance, saying they were insisting on "maintaining climate policy that violates human rights".

The government "refuses to admit that its arguments have been refuted" by the court verdict and "provides no scientific evidence to justify its position", they said in a joint statement.

"So far, Switzerland has not been able to provide concrete figures for its national carbon budget."

Switzerland voters approved a law in June aimed at accelerating the development of renewable energies, as part of the country's bid to attain carbon neutrality by 2050.

It aims to boost wind and solar power's current miniscule contribution to Switzerland's energy mix and rapidly increase hydro production so the wealthy landlocked country is less dependent on imported electricity.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 28. President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Aktoty Raimkulova attended the international scientific and practical conference "The musical culture of Eastern nations: principles of creative harmonization in the era of globalization," held within the framework of the 13th Sharq taronalari ("Melodies of the East") International Music Festival in Samarkand, Trend reports.

Speaking at the conference, Aktoty Raimkulova greeted the guests and thanked the organizers for holding such an important event at a high level. Aktoty Raimkulova underlined the significance of the formation and preservation of national identity in the global environment, as well as the rich heritage and achievements of Uzbekistan, which is an integral part of the Turkic world, in the field of preserving and popularizing the material and cultural values of the Turkic peoples. The president of the Foundation noted that the transfer of the rich heritage of ancestors to the younger generation is the primary task of the Turkic world countries.

At the end of her speech, the president of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation wished good luck to all participants of the 13th Sharq Taronalari International Music Festival, organized by the Ministry of Culture of Uzbekistan with the support of the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan under the auspices of UNESCO.

The event was also attended by the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Ozodbek Nazarbekov, Secretary General of TURKSOY Sultan Raev, representatives of UNESCO, experts from foreign countries, including musicologists, folklorists, cultural scientists, rectors of prestigious universities, and heads of international research institutes and scientific and creative centers.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 28. The book of our compatriot has been published in the United States, Trend reports, referring to the State Committee for Work with Diaspora of Azerbaijan.

Furthermore, it was noted that the book GENESIS OF THE SUMERIAN AND ETRUSCAN TURKS AND THEIR LANGUAGE by Azerbaijani scientist, scholar of Azerbaijani origin, scholar of Sumerian origin, sumerologist, and professor Tariyel Azerturk living in the US was published by iUniverse Publishing House.

The publication describes the origin of the Sumerian and Etruscan Turks and their language. Based on the Babylonian cuneiform script, which is not less than 7,000 years old, and the Italian Etruscan script, which is not less than 5,000 years old, the proofs of the roots of the Azerbaijani people are given. Turkish translations of Etruscan inscriptions are collected in the book for the first time.

The book can be purchased online by following the link: http://surl.li/xtcduz.

To note, the scientist's book "The Genesis of Turk and Turkic Language (based on cuneiform writing)," previously called "The Golden Book of Turk" in 2017, was published in Kyrgyzstan.

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Every great actor has a means of telling us something more, a touch that takes the implicit to the explicit without resorting to easy explanation. With Asher Keddie, its the moment of surprise. Looking back through the Australian actors body of work, which has steadily been accumulating calling cards, theres often an instant where Keddies character is caught off guard. She has a mellifluous oh, one that ends in a note of uncertainty, but in her eyes is a sense of realisation. Something has changed.

When Keddie is caught out she catches on. It makes sense in the syntax of the comic-drama, which is where Keddies breakthrough role in Network Tens Offspring resided. Embarrassment can be funny and illuminating. But Keddie has instinctively taken it further. As her comic roles have found a harder edge and the dramatic pieces have started to provide a sterner accompaniment, Keddie has made that moment where awkwardness can become painfully telling a trademark. Its there in Fake, the recent Paramount+ drama where she gives a masterful performance.

Asher Keddie, with Kat Stewart (left), in Offspring.

Keddie, who recently turned 50, went from working actor to star when Offspring debuted in 2010. In the years afterwards, as audiences delighted in the travails of Melbourne obstetrician Nina Proudman, she won so many Logies, including the Gold in 2013, that her mantelpiece probably needed buttressing. Thats the short game of success, but Keddie has played the long one as well. The breadth of her roles, and the depths shes found in them, has been exemplary. Keddie is red-carpet famous, but at this point her craft is actually underrated.

To a degree, that stems from Keddie staying put. Any Australian actor who can attach Hollywood to their career automatically gets a glow-up in the publics eye  our national pride produces overt praise. But as with Claudia Karvan, with whom Keddie co-starred in the influential Australian drama Love My Way between 2004 and 2007, building a body of work in Australia allows you to have a surreptitious conversation with a national audience, to hit the high and low notes in a collective psyche.
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 Months before Australias oldest professional orchestra became engulfed in a political furore over the war in Gaza, relationships between key players in the MSO were strained to the point of dysfunction. The breakdown in trust between departing director Sophie Galaise, the board and the orchestra provide the untold backstory of how the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra became the latest cultural institution to be torn apart by social forces unleashed by the Israel-Palestine conflict. Galaise, managing director for the past eight years, resigned on Monday after the board lost confidence in her capacity to lead the organisation beyond a crisis she created by cancelling the performance of a renowned pianist over his on-stage comments about Gaza. But the genesis of the crisis is an administrative cold war that has been raging for months inside the MSO. Multiple sources with detailed knowledge of events agreed to speak to this masthead, on the condition of confidentiality, to explain how a world-class orchestra now finds itself without a managing director and under external review. MSO managing director Sophie Galaise. Credit: Laura Manariti They observed that the seeds of mistrust between Galaise and some MSO directors were sown two months ago when company chairman David Li questioned payments totalling nearly $300,000 she authorised to Sydney production company, Firefly Productions.

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Galaises explanation was that the monthly payments were reasonably made over several years to secure the international relations expertise of Rory Jeffes, a former managing director of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and chief executive of Opera Australia. Despite this, the board referred the consultancy to KordaMentha for review. That review was abruptly discontinued without passing judgment on the Firefly payments when Galaises tenure ended. Instead, Midnight Oil frontman and former Labor government minister Peter Garrett has been commissioned to conduct a more thorough examination of the MSO protocols and policies that regulate artistic expression. At the time pianist Jayson Gillham took the stage of Melbournes Iwaki Auditorium on Sunday, August 11 and accused Israel of assassinating journalists in Gaza, Galaises relationships within MSO had already broken down. The directors did not learn of the decision to cancel Gillhams second planned concert in Melbourne until two days later, when an email popped up on their phones announcing the decision and a statement Galaise intended to release. An exchange of text messages between board members over breakfast confirmed that none of them had prior warning of the decision. They then set about trying to undo the damage they believed Galaise caused by making Gillham a martyr and exposing the MSO to the ire of pro-Palestinian activists. Galaise, in response to questions from this masthead about her lack of consultation with the board, cited logistical issues in being able to contact them. She said the decision to refer the Firefly consultancy to external review surprised her but did not impact on her relationship with MSO directors.

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An MSO spokesperson said: The Board acknowledges a number of complex issues that remain a focus for the MSO. We are making good progress in finalising the terms of the external review and will provide an update as appropriate. Gillhams performance, which included a rendition of Witness, a piano piece composed by Connor dNetto as a tribute to journalists reporting from Gaza on Israels siege and bombardment of the occupied territory, did not provoke an angry response from Jewish community groups, members of Jewish families whose financial support is vital to the MSO, or members of the audience. Peter Garrett will lead an independent review into the MSO. Credit: Getty Images An MSO staff member sitting in the audience was taken aback by the comments and immediately left the auditorium to alert management in case of any backlash. But it was not until Tuesday, when the cancellation of Gillhams second performance was publicly reported, that it arrived. It was led by Palestinian supporters incensed that Gillham had been banished from the stage for making what they consider an inarguable political point. While Israel denies it deliberately targets journalists, international groups such as the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists claim that more than 100 have been killed by IDF strikes in Gaza. Gillham this week expressed surprise that what he said on stage caused a fuss. I feel that what I said about the piece was quite prosaic, he told ABC Radios Raf Epstein. It should have surprised no one when Gillham prefaced his performance of Witness with a pointed reflection about Gaza. Gillham has filled his social media with comments on the conflict and, by his own admission, his conflicted role as a performer in the 10 months since Israel declared war on Hamas in response to its October 7 atrocities.

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Writing in the early weeks of the conflict, he reflected: How can I remain an apolitical artist? Pressing some keys, bowing and smiling while nobody in my industry talks about this great crime happening before our eyes? I want to scream. But my profession demands decorum, to be gracious at all times. Pianist Jayson Gillham. Credit: Internet In the months that followed he called for an end to Zionism, apartheid and colonialism. Nothing else will suffice, he wrote on March 22. Two weeks later he declared on Instagram: If you are friends with friends of Israel, you need new friends. In May, he posted a picture of himself wearing a keffiyeh and decrying the leaders of the axis of genocide and anyone who wont publicly denounce them. After performing at a fundraiser for the Palestinian Childrens Relief Fund in June, he wrote: We must not let them get away with this! We must resist this evil with every fibre of our being. Gillham didnt flag what he was going to say with the MSO at his concert, but no one told him not to mention the war either. The MSO board, believing that Galaise overreacted about the comments, stepped in to correct what it saw as one of a series of misjudgments. The MSOs board includes former Qantas chair Margaret Jackson, former Victorian government minister Martin Foley and Edgar Myer, a regulatory lawyer now immersed in his familys extensive investment and philanthropic activities. Its directors sought the advice of external crisis managers and opened discussions with Gillhams management in the hope of convincing him to take the stage for his planned, second performance on August 15. The orchestra rehearsed two repertoires  one featuring Gillham and one without  in case he agreed to play.

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Once it became clear that Gillham was not prepared to return, the MSO board issued a statement describing the decision to cancel his involvement as an error. It also announced that the entire second show would no longer go ahead. Loading This was based on security advice provided by Emily OBrien, an arts industry risk and safety consultant, that the dangers of a concert audience having to navigate an expected protest outside Melbournes Town Hall were too great. Throughout these days, Galaises relationship with the board became even more distant. She didnt heed the advice of directors to prioritise the crisis in Melbourne and instead flew to Canberra for a series of meetings with government and other performing arts stakeholders. A week later, she flew to Singapore to join a large MSO delegation on a trip that had been planned over several years to cement the orchestras strategic relationship with its Malaysian counterpart. Although the MSO board acknowledged the importance of the trip, some directors urged her to remain at home to deal with the turmoil still raging. By that stage, the orchestra musicians had released a letter expressing no confidence in the MSO senior management and calling for Galaise and chief operating officer Guy Ross to stand down pending an independent investigation. Ross remains in his job and currently reports to Richard Wigley, an orchestral leader brought in to provide strategic advice to the management team.

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On Wednesday it was back to business at the Barton Milk Bar. Ex-premier Ted Baillieu was spotted enjoying a leisurely lunch. LET THEM EAT CAKE It was a press conference with a difference. Libertarian upper house MP David Limbrick appeared at the back doors of state parliament on Wednesday and proceeded to light sparklers on a cake shaped like a giant cigarette. Butt really? Libertarian MP David Limbrick (right) and the cake in question. All to draw attention to the spate of arson attacks on cigarette shops. The attacks now number more than 100 on shops nationally since March last year, the MP told CBD, an entirely arbitrary time frame which only a savvy media operator could deploy. In fact, Victoria Police later said there had been 97 such fires in this state alone since March 2023.

Limbrick and his band of brothers sang Happy Arson To You to the tune of Happy Birthday. He admitted to CBD that the press conference was a stunt and maybe even a bit cringe. But it has allowed me to draw attention to the fact that organised crime is now running the tobacco industry because of a massive policy failure. The government needs to stop listening to people who call themselves public health experts. Prohibition of vaping was a terrible idea because prohibition has never worked. Meanwhile, the overtaxing of cigarettes has turned tobacco into a multibillion-dollar industry for organised crime. A member of the parliamentary press corps told CBD, sounding enthusiastic, It was a chocolate cake and I had some of it. Two people who did not partake were the ministers with portfolio responsibility for the matters under discussion, Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes and Police Minister Anthony Carbines, who as luck would have it, emerged from parliament to hold a very serious press conference about the not unrelated matter of tough new bikie legislation. Theirs was an attitude of look but dont touch.

STATE OF DENIAL On Wednesday, Seven West Media struck back. The West Australian news story on Wednesday. The owner of Channel Seven and The West Australian was clearly stung by reports in The Australian Financial Review and this publication on the corporate decision to invite to a staff town hall meeting in Perth four performers dressed as sexy Santas dancing to Mariah Careys All I Want for Christmas. It was as if harassment and discrimination allegations had never been levelled at the corporation.

Some women left the meeting when the dancers appeared as Seven Perth news director Ray Kuka asked staff to support the forthcoming Alinta Energy Christmas Pageant, which they are performing in. Who knows what Sevens billionaire controlling shareholder, Kerry Stokes, who was also present, made of the incident? Perhaps an indication can be gleaned from Page 10 of Wednesdays West Australian, now under the control of former News Corp editor Christopher Dore, who has undergone a phoenix-like resurrection. The paper ran an article headlined Proud to be part of Xmas pageant, with a picture of some of the sexy Santas accompanied by two junior performers who were not part of the incident and were aged eight. Think of the children! The article quoted Raquel Muia, owner and creative director of The Performance Company and pageant veteran, who pointed out some pageant dancers had gone on to perform at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.

Ms Muia hit back at headlines in east coast media this week that negatively portrayed dancers who were hired to help launch the pageant at Seven West Medias Perth headquarters on Friday, the article, which had no byline, stated. Seven West shenanigans Credit: John Shakespeare Dancers work two jobs to make a living, and if it wasnt for companies like Seven West Media and Telethon Perth, performing artists would struggle for auditions and live experiences, she said. God forbid these four young professional women, all studying nursing and teaching, be judged negatively rather than commended for their confidence, energy, and performance talent. Rest assured, Ms Muia, the harsh criticism was not against the talents of Mia, Saba, Sofia and Georgia, but against the sheer effrontery of using a dance troupe as human shields against serious questions about corporate culture.

ONE OF THE BEST In one of the final outbursts in a career of headline-grabbing moments which would give Stonnington council shenanigans a run for their money, former North Sydney mayor Jilly Gibson likened her councils new social media policy to something out of North Korea. But Gibsons last council meeting on Monday, which ended with the 25-year local government veteran storming out after her colleagues refused to name a plaza in her honour, felt at times like something off the Hermit Kingdoms state television. For nearly an hour, the meeting was dominated by gushing tributes to Gibson  some from her children and grandchildren. Gibsons partner, Martin Williams, read paeans from the likes of former governor-general Sir Peter Cosgrove and business identity Tony Shepherd, who called for Hayes Beach in Sydneys Neutral Bay to be renamed Jillys Beach.
A Chinese woman has recently become the first person prosecuted in Japan for riding a three-wheeled electric suitcase through the streets of Osaka, as they are banned from use on roads and pavements, observes Clive Waterman of North Narrabeen. The cases can travel at top speeds of 13 km/h, and can go for 10 km before the need to recharge. These suitcases are very popular in Asia, so how long before we see them whizzing around Sydney Airport, given how far away some of the boarding gates are from check  in?

Helen Pitt (C8) is mistaken regarding the meaning of SMH, alleges Susan Bradley of Eltham (Vic). If you ask anyone under 30, it means Shaking My Head.

In last Saturdays Postscript, the Letters Editor, after a gripe by a reader, challenged scribes to send shorter and more witty missives, notes Edward Loong of Milsons Point. Now, if only C8 followed suit. In fact, in the good old days dating back to about 1988, during the time of its long-term editor, George Richards, C8 routinely comprised mostly pithy and witty one-liners. Not that Im bragging, but a few were mine. Is it just me or is this item slightly protracted?

If I were Allan Thomas (C8), living in an old house, and knowing that the diet of echidnas is mainly termites, Id be organising an urgent pest inspection, suggests Paul Barber of Windsor.

One night a few weeks ago, I was reading my phone in the dark (as you do), writes Colleen Starkey of Mount Colah. Suddenly, my left eye went cloudy. What new hell is this? After a few moments that eye cleared up and my right eye went cloudy. I suddenly realised a daddy long-legs spider was taking a shortcut across my glasses. I gave him his marching orders and we both survived the ordeal. My cardiologist will be pleased.
They were also about 300 times higher than the levels in Warragamba Dam, Sydneys main drinking water source. New sampling results published on Wednesday show the source of the contaminants is probably high levels of PFAS in Medlow Dam. The readings exceeded both Australian and more stringent US safety standards. Preliminary sampling has indicated Medlow Dam is the only dam in the network returning elevated readings, but WaterNSW said all dams would be subject to ongoing investigation and monitoring. WaterNSW will keep the community informed as the investigation progresses and work closely with NSW Health and Sydney Water to ensure drinking water remains safe, the statement said. The source of the contaminants in the Medlow Dam is unclear and experts have speculated at a link to the potential use of firefighting foam containing forever chemicals at the nearby Katoomba airfield.

A NSW EPA spokesman said the agency hadnt been advised of any activities at the airfield involving the use of such foams or any investigations at the site. The agency launched a statewide program in 2016 to determine the extent of forever chemicals pollution across NSW and identify significantly contaminated sites. High levels of forever chemicals have been discovered in Lake Medlow. The water supply has been shut down. Credit: Google Last week, it confirmed that there have not been any investigations at three fire stations which stored PFAS chemicals and are all within a two-kilometre radius of the Cascade water filtration plant. The NSW Rural Fire Service said investigations would begin in the near future at its fire stations on Valley Road and Fitzgerald Street.

A third station belonging to Fire and Rescue NSW in the Katoomba CBD has been deemed low risk. The NSW EPA oversees the investigations run by firefighting agencies. Loading [Firefighting] sites are triaged and prioritised based on available information on the legacy use and storage of fire-fighting foams containing PFAS, the EPA spokesman said. Not all sites have used or have stored PFAS fire-fighting foams. The chemicals, which are prized for the stain-repellent and water-resistant properties and have delivered Wall Street giant 3M billions of dollars in profits over decades, have been used in hundreds of consumer products and never break down in the environment.

One of the forever chemicals detected in Medlow dam, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), was recently declared carcinogenic by the World Health Organisation. Two others, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) returned combined readings of between .0944 and .0946 micrograms per litre. The Australian safe level for the two chemicals combined is .07 micrograms per litre. The highest level detected in the Cascade water filtration plant which supplies tap water has been .0338 micrograms per litre. It comes as a leading remediation expert said he was unsurprised that PFAS had made its way into Australians drinking water supplies, given how frequently it is found during construction projects.

Sean Halpin at a site in Seven Hills belonging to his remediation firm SciDev. Credit: Kate Geraghty If they test for it, its reasonably likely it will be there, said Sean Halpin, the chief executive of remediation firm SciDev. Halpin said a source of confusion for private industry was why they had to pay to clean up water discharged into the environment to a level up to 304 times stricter than what is permitted in Australias drinking water. What they [clients] have to treat and discharge, versus whats coming out of the taps in the lunchroom, are two different things, he said. A Department of Health spokesman said there were different methods for developing safety guidelines for drinking water and environmental water, depending on the specific sensitivities of the organisms they are protecting.

PFAS exposure may be more harmful to other animals compared with humans, the spokesman said, noting animals living in water often had a smaller body mass, underwent life cycle changes in the water and could be exposed to chemicals 24 hours a day. Halpin said the inconsistencies in the health advice between countries was also causing anxiety for the public and affected industries. Loading The Australian governments official website states: There is also limited to no evidence of human disease or other clinically significant harm resulting from PFAS exposure at this time. In contrast, links to adverse health effects are recognised by the World Health Organisation, United States, Canada, Europe and the UK.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 28. Four people have been extradited from Russia to Azerbaijan, Trend reports, referring to the General Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan.

Furthermore, it was noted that following the Convention on Legal Assistance and Legal Relations in Civil, Family, and Criminal Cases of January 22, 1993, the request of the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the extradition of its citizens Bolayev Farid Rashidovich, Khalilov Samandar, Babayev Panah, and Mashadiyev Ilham was satisfied by the General Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation.

As significant suspicions were revealed that the above-mentioned persons had committed criminal acts under the relevant articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, decisions were taken to indict them, and they were put on an international wanted list for evading the investigation.

The mentioned persons were detained in the territory of the Russian Federation and taken to Azerbaijan on August 23, 2024, accompanied by a special convoy of the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice.
Thanks for joining us for our live news updates today. Well be back tomorrow morning.

Here are some of the top stories making headlines in Brisbane today:

Two days after a baby boy was scalded with hot coffee in a random attack in Hanlon Park on the citys southside, police released new photos of a man they want to speak to.

Temperatures have been predicted to soar to within a degree of Brisbanes record August maximum on Saturday.

The families of two Queensland constables who were fatally shot in a religiously motivated attack have criticised police policies and procedures and how the inquest into their deaths was conducted.

The debate over rental e-scooters is set to continue after Sunshine Coast Council voted to end an 18-month trial and not revisit the issue until 2026.

And a disused brick building on Boundary Street has been brought back to life as a 400-seat cabaret club just in time for Brisbane Festival.
Brisbanes newest walking bridge will open to the public by sunrise on Thursday, hours before the opening of the citys Queens Wharf hotel, restaurant and casino precinct.

Spanning 335 metres, the Neville Bonner Bridge was expected to attract about 9500 walkers a day via a ramp or stairs next to the Wheel at South Bank.

The bridge would cross the Brisbane River and the Riverside Expressway into the city, landing in The Terrace, the restaurant and retail level of Queens Wharf.

The Neville Bonner Bridge will open to the public by sunrise on Thursday. Credit: Felicity Caldwell

But bikes and e-scooters would be banned from the bridge, with Destination Brisbane Consortium project director Simon Crooks saying: No bikes, please.
Victorian Ambulance Union secretary Danny Hill said paramedics wouldnt put the public at risk and therefore had to be innovative with the industrial action they took. He said the ban on paramedics taking billing details from patients added to the administrative burden for Ambulance Victoria because they had to track down the information. Andrew Crisp was appointed Ambulance Victorias interim chief executive last week. Credit: Getty Images We try to frustrate, disrupt, cause administrative burden to Ambulance Victoria to try to advance our claims. People still get billed it just takes them longer to do it, he said. Paramedics are fed up with hours of overtime, ambulance ramping at hospitals, a dispatch system they say wrongly classifies minor incidents as code-one lights and sirens emergencies, and internal turmoil.

The revelations came on another day of tumult for Victorias health system with an inquiry launched into an ambulance crew being sent to treat a cardiac patient in a Maroondah Hospital corridor and the new interim head of Ambulance Victoria admitting he is taking seven weeks leave just days after his appointment. Andrew Crisp  appointed the agencys interim chief executive last week  defended his decision to take a pre-booked seven-week holiday from Thursday hiking through mountains in Corsica, saying Ambulance Victoria would not live or die by Andrew Crisp being around. I think the Victorian community broadly  based on my experience  will see me as a safe pair of hands, said Crisp, the former emergency management commissioner. I think they will also see thats an organisation of more than 8000 people with some great leaders that will continue to lead based on the expectations Ill be setting up for them in the time that Im away.

He will return to work on October 23. Crisp said Ambulance Victoria management was meeting union representatives every day, indicating that the pay and conditions dispute, which has dragged on for eight months, was getting closer to resolution. Maroondah Hospital where an ambulance crew was sent to treat a cardiac patient in a corridor. Credit: Eddie Jim He said he would work with hospitals and unions to address issues in the system, including improving ambulance response times. With response times, there is a number of issues around that, whether its ramping of hospitals, whether its call-taking and dispatch. Theres a systems-wide issue that weve actually got to look at, right from primary health through to whats actually happening in the hospitals themselves.

Crisp said he thought the Maroondah Hospital incident seemed unusual, but highlighted the incredible work of paramedics. This incident will be reviewed. I have learnt over many years not to jump to conclusions. Hill said an ambulance crew had taken a patient with heart arrhythmia to Maroondah Hospital but no beds were available. The staff at the hospital declined to start treatment of the patient on the ambulance stretcher, Hill said. The patient actually started to deteriorate, their blood pressure dropped and their heart rate increased. Hill said the ambulance crew tried to get assistance from the hospital, but when that wasnt provided they called Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) paramedics to treat the patient in the hospital. In a major metropolitan hospital this is not something we see, Hill said.

Loading Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said the incident was unacceptable and she had ordered Ambulance Victoria and Eastern Health, the operators of the hospital, to investigate. Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said the governments inability to manage frontline agencies was impacting the delivery of vital health services across the state. Under Labor, the chaos engulfing Ambulance Victoria continues to grow. An Eastern Health spokesperson said that at times its emergency departments experienced significant pressures due to an increased volume of higher-acuity cases that could limit bed availability.

Despite the health system being under a great deal of pressure, we constantly strive to work with Ambulance Victoria to deliver the best care for our community, the spokesperson said. The public was encouraged to access alternative healthcare options, such as a local GP or Priority Primary Care Centres, for non-urgent or non-life-threatening conditions. An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said the agency continued to negotiate in good faith with employee representatives towards a mutually beneficial enterprise agreement. The spokesman also said it was known that Crisp had pre-booked leave when appointed to the role. Executive director of specialist operations Anthony Carlyon is an experienced paramedic and executive who will be acting CEO during this period. This will not impact enterprise negotiations, they said. A Victorian government spokesperson said paramedics played a critical role in keeping people healthy and safe.
Cash-strapped government schools are turning their backs on charitable funding over complaints the money too often comes with strings attached, new academic research has found.

Deakin University researchers were told that onerous conditions  including attending coaching sessions  and reporting requirements imposed on time-poor principals in return for grants of $20,000 or $30,000 meant they were simply not worthwhile.

Cash-strapped principals are turning their backs on charitable funding over complaints the money too often comes with onerous strings attached. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

Ill never touch them again, no matter how desperate I am, one principal told the researchers.

Efforts to establish charitable donations as a key plank of the public school funding architecture have had a mixed record since the notion was pushed by the landmark Gonski Review in 2011.
Find out who the candidates are and the key issues in your local area in our in-depth coverage of Victorian council elections.

A City of Melbourne electoral system held together by sticky tape could throw up surprise victors when voters go to the polls in October.

One potentially confounding outcome in a process with some extraordinary rules, including giving businesses two votes while residents only get one, is candidates vying for the top job can miss out but their supporters still fill council benches.

The Team Kouta ticket for the City of Melbourne elections comprises (from left) Intaj Khan, Anthony Koutoufides, Gladys Liu and Zaim Ramani. Credit: Penny Stephens

Former Carlton star Anthony Koutoufides entry into the race for lord mayor raised some eyebrows among his competitors, who claim the celebrity candidate is being used as a frontman to attract votes for the rest of his Team Kouta ticket.

Under this scenario, voters could support Koutoufides for lord mayor but see him miss out, while one-time federal Liberal MP turned fitness instructor Gladys Liu or property developer Zaim Ramani wins a spot on council.
Airbnb pros and cons

It is refreshing to see the state government proposing a modest levy on Airbnbs when owned by absentee landlords.

I have stayed at four hosted Airbnbs in locations lacking motels. The on-site hosts have all been non-intrusive but attentive to the few problems (e.g. malfunctioning equipment) that have arisen. Problems with Airbnbs seem to mostly arise in the case of non-hosted properties. Issues include non-enforcement of curfews, non-compliance with garbage collection provisions, guests bringing barking dogs and the infestation of Airbnbs at tourist towns driving out long-term renters.

Absentee landlords should be required to prominently display contact details of their own or their managers outside each of their units, details of the website that contains the terms and conditions agreed to by their guests and to pay a substantial fee if police are called to their properties. The proposal to allow body corporates to prohibit units to be used as Airbnbs is especially welcome given the security implications of allowing strangers to be onsite and the risk of visiting party animals interfering with the rights of owner-occupiers and long-term renters to quiet enjoyment.

John Carmichael,

Hawthorn Opt for remote learning

Many Australian universities are success stories with excellent research and courses that are in great demand here and overseas. Our housing is a sad failure in quantity, quality and value, so the government has put a cap on the number of overseas students who come here to study because we cant accommodate them.

But do they have to be here to study? During the COVID pandemic, many university courses were delivered remotely with a small amount of time for face-to-face teaching of essential elements. Why cant we deliver these courses to overseas students remotely and only require their presence for a few weeks over the three- to six-year duration of the course? This will save our university courses, hide our failure to build housing and still earn good foreign exchange for Australia and the states and territories. The best students would then become good candidates for professional immigration.

Kishor Dabke, Mount Waverley Who has more sway?

When then prime minister John Howard was preparing to introduce tougher gun laws after the Port Arthur tragedy he only had to deal with, in relative terms, a weak Australian gun lobby. Anthony Albanese, on the other hand, has to deal with powerful commercial TV companies as he tries to find a solution to gambling advertisements (Comment, Tim Costello, 28/8). Which of the two interest groups has more clout?

Phil Alexander, Eltham Harsher alternative

The CFMEU members are blaming the wrong people for forcing the union into administration. What do they think would have happened if the Liberals were in power?

I think probably deregistration.

Robin Jensen, Castlemaine Builds and blow-outs

The Sydney Harbour Bridge was double the original estimated cost on completion; by the time it was paid off in 1988 it had blown out to 350 per cent of the projected original cost. The Sydney Opera House originally was to cost $7 million and ended up costing $100 million.

Have they both made that money back ? Indeed they have.

Premier Jacinta Allan is correct that cost overruns are part of big builds.

Lets not mention the Snowy Mountain Hydro 2.0 being Australias biggest engineering and cost blow-out debacle.

Brent Baigent, Richmond

Diesel still popular

Your correspondents letter (28/8) reminding us that simple batteries can be made from potatoes raises the question whether a boot full of potatoes could power an EV.

On a recent road trip to Queensland I noted that massive caravans towed by diesel utes and SUVs were still the go to equipment for grey nomad exploration of the countryside.

Could a few sacks of potatoes change all that? After staying at overflowing caravan parks all the way up the east coast to Brisbane, my count of EVs towing vans was zero.

Graeme Lechte, Brunswick West Its a womans choice

Can we stop criticising women who bottle-feed their babies? The debate resurfaces every time a new report or research emerges, often shaming women who, for various reasons, cannot breastfeed (Overwhelming or overblown? The evidence for breastfeeding, 28/8). This relentless pressure overlooks that every mothers situation is different and deserves respect, forgetting that its up to the mother whether to breastfeed, as not all women can due to medical, physical, or emotional reasons.

Each mothers situation is unique, and she should decide based on her health, comfort, and whats best for her and the baby, free from societal pressure. Evelyne McMillan in the article wisely notes that only by trying can she determine whether breastfeeding or bottle-feeding is best.

Anne Kruger, Rye Not so humble

To say the facilities at a top private school is humble is ludicrous. The cream for private schools comes mostly from government grants, not privately funded. If parents wish to invest in an expensive education for their children they have to expect to pay and not rely on the taxes of people unable to afford those choices. Great teachers make great schools.

Margaret Raffle, Keilor East Not so modest

It is appropriate for MPs to advocate for schools in their electorate, but those seeking exemptions for payroll tax which our public schools are already obliged to pay, is disgraceful. As for referring to PLCs facilities as modest and their plan for a new sport, aquatic and fitness centre with a 50 metre pool as humble  beyond words.

Jenny Macmillan, Clifton Hill The shameful state

Victoria is the only state with jumps racing, and continues recreational duck shooting when others banned it long ago. Victoria is unprogressive, cruel and shameful, and needs to reform fast (Hulls backs new push to ban jumps, 28/8).

Barbara Fraser, Burwood

Spending to stay in power

Spending an extra $888 million to ensure that the Metro tunnel is finished and operating before the next state election is hardly a responsible use of taxpayers money.

Just another desperate effort to stay in power.

Don Burns, Ashburton Presidential traits

If it were possible to create a thumbnail sketch of the US presidential candidates in the following categories: work history, lies told, convictions, acceptance of the rule of law, impeachments, treatment of women, courtesy, statesmanship, honesty, politeness, general clarity of speech and expression etc, how would they be judged?

Peter Russo, West Brunswick Something to crow about

I feel that the analysis of the Adelaide Crows performance this season (The good, the bad and the excuses, 27/8) ignores how close many games were for a number of teams. To say their season was nothing short of a disaster fails to take into account that their season was defined by five games lost by under eight and a draw. Reverse these results and Adelaide would have finished third rather than 15th. I actually see this as an example of how close the competition has become and the AFL is the better for it.

Jae Sconce, Moonee Ponds PM, heed ad ban call

As educators, we applaud the call by Tim Costello for a complete ban on gambling ads across the media (Albanese faces Port Arthur moment, 28/8) . We abhor the incessant brainwashing of the younger generations, through exposure to a flood of gambling ads. Anthony Albanese does indeed need to heed this call to stare down the powerful vested interests in sports and gambling industries, and within the free-to-air media companies. It is imperative that he work to bring courageous bipartisan reform. Lets stand together for a better future, in legislating to protect young viewers from the harm of normalising gambling as mainstream entertainment.

Nick and Marianne Hale,

East Malvern

Credit: Matt Golding AND ANOTHER THING Schools

So PLC has modest facilities like a pool and fitness centre paid for by its own finances. Many state government schools would like to have sufficient finances to be able to have such facilities.

Marie Nash, Balwyn Maybe the Labor MPs seeking private school payroll tax waivers should visit local government schools to understand modest facilities.

James Lane, Hampton East

Its an indictment on society that politicians advocate so strongly for private schools while the public school system is marginalised.

Peter Baddeley, Portland If the development at PLC is humble, then the Taj Mahal is a one-star Airbnb.

Wendy Hinson, Wantirna Politics

The Tongans greeted Anthony Albanese with a lei. A slap in the belly with a cold fish would be understandable given his government approving new coal and gas projects.

Jenny Smithers, Ashburton Anthony Albanese, before having a bet each way on gambling ads, think, Is this a bet you really want to place?

Jenny Bone, Surrey Hills Black T-shirts, sleeves rolled up, Driza-bone, tie on/tie off, a blokey demeanour. Politicians adapt their stance to suit the crowd, but their spin remains the same.

David Cayzer, Clifton Hill
Western Australias bid to host the AFLs Gather Round will include a $5 million transformation to Leederville Oval, it has been confirmed, for both the men and womens games.

The state government confirmed it will revamp the grounds, including by replacing the maligned ground, the goal posts, boundary fencing and dug outs and upgrading the lighting for night games to be broadcast.

Leederville Oval will get a new surface and lighting as part of a 5 million dollar upgrade. Credit: City of Vincent

Deputy Premier and Treasurer Rita Saffioti told WAtoday the states $3.8 million dollar contribution would elevate the oval, which was renamed Sullivan Logistics Stadium in 2023, to a tier two football ground.

Fremantle Oval is the only other tier two venue in WA.
The Albanese government decided not to count the number of LGBTQ Australians in the census to avoid a divisive debate, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has said, as LGBTQ leaders threaten to boycott the national survey.

The government risks becoming embroiled in another highly charged culture war and faces a test of its progressive credentials having recently shelved plans to overhaul religious discrimination laws and disappointed anti-gambling activists with its plan for only a partial sports betting advertisement ban.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese marches at Mardi Gras in 2023. Credit: Nikki Short

Marles became the first Labor minister to give a reason for blocking moves to count transgender and sexuality in the census, telling reporters on Wednesday the government would stick with the current census questions, which do not account for gender and sexual diversity.

Weve seen how divisive debates have played out across our country, and the last thing we want to do is inflict that debate on a sector of our community right now, he said at a doorstop interview in Sydney.
A major Queensland union will redirect all funds earmarked for Labor Party donations towards fighting the Commonwealths takeover of the CFMEU.

At a packed rally of CFMEU members and their supporters in Brisbanes CBD on Tuesday, Electrical Trades Union state secretary Peter Ong accused the Albanese government of treachery and claimed Brisbane property developers were connected to organised crime, not union officials.

The Brisbane rally coincided with protests throughout the country after every branch of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime Employees Unions construction division was placed into administration by the federal Labor government last week.

It followed the Building Bad investigation by this masthead, 60 Minutes and The Australian Financial Review, which aired allegations of corruption, coercion and bikie infiltration in the CFMEU.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 28. Water resources in the territories liberated from the occupation are highly valuable, Head of the Land Use Control Department at the Ministry of Agriculture of Azerbaijan, Firidun Tagiyev, said at the Role of Water Management Systems in Climate-Resilient Agriculture COP29 round table, Trend reports.

He highlighted that the presence of 10 reservoirs and 17 rivers in these areas enhances the accessibility of freshwater reserves.

The territories liberated from occupation have been designated as a green energy zone. We have committed to making these areas a zero-emission zone. Consequently, harnessing hydropower resources and improving water management in these regions are key objectives, Tagiyev added.

This November, Azerbaijan will host COP29. On December 11 of last year, the COP28 plenary meeting in Dubai made this decision. Baku will become the center of the world and will receive about 70-80,000 foreign guests.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system. COP - the Conference of the Parties - is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change. There are 198 countries that are parties to the Convention. Unless the parties agree otherwise, the COP is held annually. The first COP event took place in March 1995 in Berlin, and its secretariat is located in Bonn.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
The Turkish community of Melbournes north has a name for the green, undulating parkland on the southern banks of Greenvale Reservoir: Fordun Arkas.

It translates as behind Ford, a nod to the car factory in nearby Campbellfield.

Greenvale resident Michelle Issa is fighting to see the reservoir park reopened after several years of closure. Credit: Chris Hopkins

Like the old Ford factory, the large southern section of the park has been shut for a decade  though it has nothing to do with economic forces. It was closed in 2014 for works to strengthen the reservoirs dam wall  and has never reopened despite occasional promises to do so.

Michelle Issa moved into a new housing estate across the road from the reservoir a few years ago, part of a wave of more than 10,000 residents who have shifted to Greenvale in the years since the parks indefinite closure.
Weve rounded up our top picks from across the countrys most luxurious properties.

Taking its cues from mid-century architecture, The Courtyard House is a near-new home with a focus on seamless indoor-outdoor living. Showcasing an array of natural stones, including striking Verona travertine in the kitchen, the two-storey home with pool and pizza oven is a short walk from the beach and James Street boutiques and eateries.
Los Angeles is the gateway to the Mexican Riviera, Alaska and Hawaii, as well as the South Pacific and Asia. Norwegian, Princess and Royal Caribbean home-port ships here. Other regulars include Celebrity, MSC, Oceania, Regent Seven and Viking. In 2023, 219 cruise ships visited, and the port processed more than 1.3 million passengers. Note that Carnival has exclusive use of separate Long Beach Cruise Terminal.

Thanks to cinema and television, we all have a picture of this city in our minds  but you wont get glamour on an approach by sea. Los Angeles port is at San Pedro, 30 kilometres south of downtown, and features vast shipping terminals along a huge stretch of coastline, which provides an industrial rather than romantic arrival in California.

Berth rites

Not much to be said about the World Cruise Centre. It processes you, sometimes slowly, and is unrelieved by distractions. Shuttles take you to the ships. If you have time to fill, Los Angeles Maritime Museum and the Battleship USS Iowa Museum are close to the terminal. As often in America, public transportation is convoluted, so best rely on cruise transfers, taxis or the airports LAX Cruise Shuttle.

Before and after

Many ships call into Los Angeles for the start or completion of a cruise, so consider a stopover, as you wont otherwise see much. Hard to resist one of the survivors of Hollywoods golden age, the Beverly Hills Hotel and its iconic swimming pool in which Marilyn Monroe, Faye Dunaway and Johnny Weissmuller (aka Tarzan) once splashed.
Washington: US Vice President Kamala Harris has agreed to her first prime-time interview as a presidential candidate amid pressure to explain her policies and U-turns as the race to the White House tightens.

After a month of avoiding scrutiny in favour of scripted events, Harris will face her first post-convention test at 9pm on Thursday (11am on Friday, AEST) when the 59-year-old and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, sit down for a joint interview on left-leaning cable news network CNN.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during last weeks Democratic National Convention. Credit: AP

The move comes after Hollywood legends, US talk show hosts, podcasters and rappers weighed into the debate over whether Harris should subject herself to the risk of a formal grilling, press conference, or town hall event given her past tendency to stumble under rigorous questioning.

Pulp Fiction director Quentin Tarantino urged the vice president to keep avoiding the media, saying that sometimes its just about f---ing winning, and it doesnt matter how we look at this moment.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 28. The COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev visited the Sydney Institute of Marine Sciences in New South Wales, Australia, as part of the COP29 presidency team's study of climate change issues, the statement of COP29's official website said, Trend reports.

This institute in Australia is the world's leading marine science institute where they are conducting important, cutting-edge, unique marine research on the impacts of climate change and urbanization, habitat restoration, ocean resources, and technologies, and the results of marine management approaches, the statement emphasized.

According to the COP29 chairmanship team, the visit to this institute is very important for awareness and efforts to combat climate change.

To note, the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) will be held in Azerbaijan in November this year. The decision was made at the plenary meeting of COP28 held in Dubai on December 11 last year. Within two weeks, Baku, having become the center of the world, will host about 70,000-80,000 foreign guests.

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Rio Earth Summit in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference in the climate system. The acronym COP (Conference of Parties) stands for Conference of Parties, which is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change.

A total of 198 countries are parties to the convention. Unless the parties have decided otherwise, COP is held annually. The first COP event was held in March 1995 in Berlin, and its secretariat is located in Bonn.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 28. President of COP29 Mukhtar Babayev has discussed cooperation with Australia's Minister of Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen, Trend reports via the COP29 page on X.

"Very productive and valuable meeting in Australia collaborating on global efforts to combat climate change ahead of COP29 and beyond.

The sides held key discussions on renewable energy, reducing emissions, and investing in clean industries.

The importance of climate finance at COP29 in November was also discussed. Finance is crucial to keeping 1.5C within reach and addressing the scale and urgency of the climate crisis," the publication reads.

This November, Azerbaijan will host COP29. This decision was made at the COP28 plenary meeting held in Dubai on December 11 last year. Baku will become the center of the world and will receive about 70-80,000 foreign guests.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system. COP - the Conference of the Parties - is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change. There are 198 countries that are parties to the Convention. Unless the parties agree otherwise, the COP is held annually. The first COP event took place in March 1995 in Berlin, and its secretariat is located in Bonn.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 28. Azerbaijani Deputy Energy Minister Elnur Soltanov discussed energy transition and other cooperation topics with the delegation of German company Uniper, the statement of Azerbaijan's Energy Ministry said, Trend reports.

Deputy Energy Minister Elnur Soltanov expressed satisfaction with the existing cooperation. The sides discussed gas supply, EU energy security and supply diversification, energy efficiency and transition, and renewable energy sources, the statement noted.

Moreover, the sides discussed the potential for cooperation on green energy (its production and export) and upcoming events in Baku within COP29.

The discussion focused on the development of the sphere of production and export of green hydrogen, its storage, utilization of blue hydrogen, and the latest technological solutions.
AIIMS, Nagpurdesignated as testinglab in Maharashtra





Monkey Pox

Staff Reporter :

INDIAN Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Department of Health Research (DHR) have identified All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Nagpur as the Regional Testing Center for Monkey Pox (Mpox), which is among the 35 laboratories designated for testing suspected cases of Mpox all over the country. The laboratory at Nagpur will be the first and only one in Maharashtra. Dr Meena Mishra, Principal Investigator, Viral Research Diagnosis Laboratory (VRDL) and Professor and Head, Department of Microbiology, AIIMS, Nagpur has informed that the laboratory is equipped with the necessary kits and reagents for Mpox testing, provided by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)- National Institute of Virology(NIV ), Pune and is currently accepting samples suspected of Mpox. Dr Meena Mishra explained, This state-of-the-art laboratory since its inception, has been instrumental in testing more than 5 lakh COVID-19 samples along with other viral diseases like influenza, hepatitis-B, hepatitis-C, Human Papilloma Virus, dengue, chikungunya etc. AIIMS will accept and test suspected cases of Mpox in entire Vidarbha and adjoining areas. WHO has declared Monkeypox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on August 14, 2024 due to the emergence of the new strain of the virus: Clade Ib.

The new strain has become a matter of concern because only in this year, among 15,600 reported cases, there have been a staggering 537 documented deaths. It has also spread to several African countries who have previously not reported the disease. In India, till date a total of 30 cases of Monkeypox have been detected with a death occurring in Kerala in March 2024. Monkey pox is to be suspected in a person if he/she develops fever, headache, muscle pain, back pain, weakness and/or fatigue along with developing skin rash that starts with the tongue and mouth before spreading to other parts of the body, especially in persons who have travelled to endemic countries for Mpox or have come in contact with a suspected or confirmed case of Mpox. It is also accompanied with swollen lymph nodes.

High risk groups have been identified as those who are immunocompromised, children, elderly, pregnant females and people with multiple sexual partners. Prof Dr Prashant Joshi, Executive Director, AIIMS elaborated, The characteristic rash associated with Mpox can also be confused with other diseases that are more commonly encountered in clinical practice like chicken pox, syphilis, Varicella zoster, measles, scabies, and hand, foot and mouth disease. Therefore, he has emphasised that if the above mentioned symptoms are seen along with travel history to endemic areas or coming into contact with a suspected or confirmed case of Mpox, it is advised to take medical help, added Dr Joshi. Prof Dr Prashant Joshi informed that there is no need to panic but nonetheless, precautions need to be taken to prevent the disease from spreading, to identify the vulnerable groups and to determine the spreading strain type in the population.
Attractive discount offerat Cardin receiving goodresponse from customers

Business Reporter :

CARDIN Mens Wear, a showroom of famous company which provides branded clothes to the customers at the lowest and most affordable price, has come with an attractive offer. The showroom is offering a special discount which includes 3 pcs designerT-shirts at 999. Office wear pants at 1399, 3 Pcs. 100 per cent cotton shirt at 1599/-, and 3 office wear trousers at Rs 1799 whose MRP is Rs 2397 and 3 Pcs Cotton casual wear is now available at Rs 1499/- whose MRP is Rs 2397. The offer is for a limited and thus the owners of the showroon have appealed to the customers to avail it as early as possible.

The prices of these clothes are very moderate as they provide ethnic collections like pants, shirts, trousers, jeans, trousers,T-shirts, Modi jackets, blazer suits, kurta-pyjamas, Sherwanis etc. directly to the customers without appointing any distributor from famous Cardin company of Maharashtra. Durability of shirts and pants is assured. Hence Cardin company is getting good response in Maharashtra. Company Director Malsi Gala said that Nagpur residents should take advantage of all these opportunities. The companys showroom in the city is at Vagadwala, Swami Arcade, Near Batukbhai Sons Jewellers, West High Court Road, Dharampeth, Nagpur Phone: 2525817. The showroom also accept debit / credit card.
City lad MRIDUL SINGHAI develops softwareto help US through EBT fight food insecurity





Staff Reporter :

THE 28-YEAR-OLD Jabalpur lad, Mridul Singhai developed a software that helped feed millions of people in America. The journey started in 2015, when Mridul received a full scholarship to Drexel University in Philadelphia. There, he noticed many neighbours who faced food insecurity due to limited access to affordable grocery stores. To address these issues, Mridul joined Instacart, a grocery technology company, after graduating in 2019. Instacart delivers groceries from 80,000 supermarkets to 98% of American postal codes and experienced a 15x surge in demand in March 2020. This surge strained operational and engineering systems. Isolated in his apartment, Mridul worked on the core engineering team, pulling 120- hour work weeks to help stabilise Instacart. In May 2020, Instacart was approached by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to launch a pilot programme to accept Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) of food s t a m p s online. EBT is the US Governments method of providing direct food assistance to low-income groups. In 2020, 4.2 crore (of 33 crore) Americans received this aid. An EBT card allows its holder to buy eligible food items at authorised retailers.

Due to his technical prowess, business acumen and dedication to social good, Mridul was asked to lead the online EBT project just a few months into his job. Accepting EBT online is complex due to nascent operating procedures, high security requirements and the need to innovate new UX patterns to meet compliance standards. Additionally, ensuring transactional anonymity is crucial to address the stigma associated with receiving Government assistance. In just five months, Mriduls cross-functional efforts led to Instacart becoming the first major provider to accept online EBT, allowing millions of Americans to order fresh food without leaving their homes during lockdown. Four years later, Instacart delivers hundreds of thousands of EBT orders weekly, reaching 97% of eligible recipients.

The son of Citybased Praveen Singhai, an expert in Water Resource and Dr Mamta Singhai, was even promoted to staff software engineer for his technical and business leadership, a position typically requiring a decade of experience. Mridul said, India can look to the EBT as a model for improving the delivery of aid through its Public Distribution System (PDS). The PDS, while crucial in providing food and essentials to millions, is plagued by inefficiencies such as leakage, corruption and ineffective targeting. By developing a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system, India can ensure that subsidies and benefits reach the intended recipients directly, reducing water and corruption while enhancing transparency and efficiency across the system.
FINAL PHASE OF NAXALISM





 BY LT GENERAL M K DAS, PVSM, SM**, VSM (RETD) :



The influence of LWE has shrunk with the sustained efforts of the Government. From the high of 107 Districts and 565 Police Stations affected by Naxalism in 2010, the current state has reached a manageable figure of 42 Districts and 171 Police Stations. After coming to power in 2014, Prime Minister Modi identified the serious challenge posed by this menace and the MHA under LWE Division has worked tirelessly to root out this major internal security threat.

We must now double the speed and intensity of our efforts compared to when the operations against Naxalism first began; only with such determination can we fully eradicate this issue from our nation. -Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah UNION Home Minister Shri Amit Shah chaired a review meeting on Left Wing Extremism (LWE) as also to coordinate inter State cooperation in fight against Naxal menace with the Chief Secretaries and DGPs of the affected States at Raipur, Chhattisgarh on August 24. the Union Home Minister also made a firm commitment to eradicating Naxalism from India by March 2026. The fight against LWE has reached a decisive phase, and the Modi 3.0 Government is resolute in its goal to eliminate Naxalism entirely in less than two years from now. As the country enters the final phase to eliminate Naxal menace, it is important to know the genesis of this problem which has troubled the country for more than four decades. After all, Shri Manmohan Singh, the then PM in 2009 had said, Naxalism is the greatest internal security threat to our country.

It is important to contextualise the period of statement, because at that point of time, J&K was under serious terrorism and most of the North East was engulfed in insurgency. In less than 15 years from that perilous State of internal instability, India is on the cusp of eradicating the Naxal menace. The final phase would require massive effort in coordinating the operations, as also to usher normalcy in the affected districts with developmental projects. The faith of the people, particularly tribals has to be restored in quality governance and respect for their land. The influence of LWE has shrunk with the sustained efforts of the Government. From the high of 107 Districts and 565 Police Stations affected by Naxalism in 2010, the current state has reached a manageable figure of 42 Districts and 171 Police Stations. After coming to power in 2014, Prime Minister Modi identified the serious challenge posed by this menace and the MHA under LWE Division has worked tirelessly to root out this major internal security threat. In my opinion, the decline in LWE is one of the major success stories of PM Modi Government and lot of credit has to go to the Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah who have executed the fight against Naxalism in a planned and calibrated manner.

The origins of LWE in India can be traced to Naxalbari, West Bengal in the year 1967 from where the name Naxal or Naxalism originated. LWE is a form of insurgency against the state, similar to one in the North East, with a secessionist agenda to disown the democraticallyelected Government. The thought process was motivated by leftist ideologies, thus the term Left Wing Extremism came about. Globally, similar armed struggles have been called Maoism and no doubt that LWE received moral, financial and armed support from the inimical forces within the country as also from abroad, particularly China. From 2004 onwards, the LWE in India took a serious turn and the Naxalites carried out a series of violent activities which shook the nation. By this time, the districts affected by LWE were in the States of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, MP, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and even parts of Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. In fact, the term Red Corridor indicated LWE affected region in India, stretching from Indo-Nepal border in the north to fringes of Tamil Nadu in the south. The armed upsurge of LWE was basically due to lack of any sort of development in the region, despite being mineral rich and the region had best forest cover of the country.

Red Corridor largely comprised the tribal belt, with little or no education, and thus LWE could find popular support amongst the people. Many young men and women could easily be indoctrinated with the Maoist ideology and they took to armed struggle with relative ease. On April 6, 2010, Naxals ambushed a large column of CRPF personnel in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh, leading to the killing in action of 76 CRPF troops. On May 25, 2013, CPI(Maoist) insurgents attacked a convoy of Indian Congress leaders in the Darbha Valley of Chhattisgarh and this dastardly action killed 27 people, including senior Congress leader Vidya Charan Shukla. After this massive attack, the Congress Government contemplated using the Assam Rifles to be inducted into the most notorious Bastar region of Chhattisgarh to fight the LWE. Successive Governments have wisely avoided employing Army in the fight against LWE. The Indian Army in that era was heavily committed into fighting terrorism in J&K as also a major portion of the North East had serious anti-insurgency operations of the Army.

Any further commitment of the Army in LWE would have denuded the forces guarding the borders, particularly against the Chinese. In fact, it was the larger game plan of Communist China to embroil Indian Army into the LWE so that they have a free run in our Northern and Eastern borders with China. Major impetus to fight against LWE came through Operation SAMADHAN of Modi 1.0 Government in 2015, when this multidimensional policy was initiated to tackle LWE. The twin approach of aggressive development push and proactive anti-Naxal operations, keeping the interests of tribals in mind has paid handsome dividends in curbing this menace to a large extent . New Chhattisgarh BJP Government has achieved 147 kills, 631 surrenders and 723 arrests of Naxals in the last eight months, a spectacular success indeed.

The final phase of fight against LWE should not bring any complacency amongst the local police and para military forces. Still a huge number of coordinated operations are needed to break the back of the menace. A multi-faceted approach to eradicate the menace of LWE should receive the support of national conscience. Restoring faith in democracy, ensuring dividends of development to the last village, fair and transparent governance, job creation, media engagement and public participation are some of major vectors in eradicating LWE from the map of India by 2026. This success would be a major precursor for India to be Viksit Bharat@2047.
Govt is attempting to disruptpolitical climate: Shukla





 Staff Reporter ;

RAIPUR,

STATE Congress Media Chief Sushil Anand Shukla has strongly condemned the lathi-charge on Congress workers in Bhilai. Speaking to the media at the state Congress party office, Rajiv Bhawan, in State Capital on Tuesday, Shukla expressed the partys outrage over the incident. He criticised the BJP government, accusing it of losing its democratic character. Shukla stated that such actions by the police, under the BJP government, are unacceptable, further alleging that the government is attempting to disrupt the political climate in State Shukla said that former CM Bhupesh Baghels convoy was stopped and subjected to rude behavior by workers from the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad few days back.

When Congress workers peacefully protested this at the police station, they were met with a brutal lathi-charge by the police. He further alleged that members of the BJPs affiliated organisations, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad, had misbehaved with the former Chief Minister and his security personnel. The State Congress Media Chief called on the State Government to take action against those responsible for the incident and claimed that a false FIR had been lodged against Krishna Chandrakar, Speaker of Charoda Municipal Corporation. State Congress In-charge General Secretary Malkit Singh Gaindu, State Congress Senior Spokesmen R P Singh, Dhananjay Singh Thakur, Surendra Singh Thakur, Spokesmen Nitin Bhansali, Satyaprakash Singh, Sariq Raes Khan and others were present
Magic ofacting





MALAYALAM star Parvathy Thiruvothu said greatness is all about how people feel when you are around, and not about mere words, and that's something common between the late Irrfan Khan and her Thangalaan co-star Vikram. The actor, who is paired opposite V i k r a m ' s Thangalaan in the Tamil period drama, made her Hindi film debut with 2017's romcom Qarib Qarib Singlle in which she shared the screen with Irrfan. At the press event of Thangalaan, Parvathy was asked whether there are any similarities between her two colleagues. "It's definitely the generosity I see in both of them.

Irrfan used to help me out with things because Hindi is not my native language. He used to help me get into that space... "You are as good as the other person on set... I find that greatness comes from that saying about people who don't remember what you might have said or given them. It's about how you make them feel. That's the similarity in Irrfan sir and Vikram," she told reporters here. Parvathy, who plays Gangamma in the Pa Ranjith directorial, recalled how Vikram would make everyone's day on set when he would share 'kamarkattu', a traditional South Indian candy. "It's called kamarkattu.

It has jaggery palm sugar... He'd just be walking around, he'd shake hands and suddenly you have a toffee in your hand. He just brightens the mood for everybody... I miss getting all the toffees," she added. Both on screen and off screen, Vikram was like a true leader, said the actor. "Everybody's like 'Have you eaten or not?' But (he would ask) genuinely. There's a concern about how everyone is doing. Our shooting location was very difficult. It was one of the harshest locations. It was all real locations that they shot in. He had everyone's back. In that sense, he was our Thangalaan. He was leading the pack." Set in the 19th century, Thangalaan is based on the real story of the Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) during its discovery by the British, who exploited and looted it for their own gain.
Mahadev App Hawala kingpin Dinesh Vyas arrested





The Hitavada State Bureau

RAIPUR/DURG,

On July 3, authorities issued a nationwide alert for 65-year-old Dinesh Vyas, which led law enforcement agencies to locate him from his native village Brahmanway, under Chansma police station limits, in Patan district of Gujarat, as part of a secretive operation

IN A major breakthrough, a joint operation by the Gujarat and Chhattisgarh Police culminated in the arrest of Dinesh Vyas, a key figure behind the extensive hawala network linked to the infamous Mahadev App. The arrest, which took place after an intense two-month pursuit, marks a crucial step in the ongoing crackdown on one of Indias most elaborate betting and money laundering operations. On July 3, authorities issued a nationwide alert for 65-yearold Dinesh Vyas, which led law enforcement agencies to locate him from his native village Brahmanway, under Chansma police station limits, in Patan district of Gujarat, as part of a secretive operation. Strikingly, the arrest comes after what police officials describe as a relentless pursuit across multiple states. Vyas had been on the run since he first caught wind of the investigation, employing various tactics to stay ahead of the authorities. Despite his attempts to remain undetected, the coordinated efforts of the Gujarat and Chhattisgarh Police, along with support from local intelligence networks, eventually led to his capture.

After his arrest by the Gujarat Police, he was placed on transit remand and subsequently transported to Durg, Chhattisgarh, for further investigation. This sequence of events underscores the importance of his capture, as Vyas is believed to hold critical information that could unravel the complex web of financial transactions tied to the Mahadev App. Vyas, son of Girjshankar Vyas, was arrested on Aug 11th at around 9.10 pm. Next day, he was brought to Durg on a 3-day transit remand that ended on Aug 15th after which he was produced in a local court from which granted Police Custody Remand (PCR) till Aug 16. Hereafter, he was sent to Jail under Judicial Custody Remand, a senior official of Durg Police told The Hitavada requesting anonymity.

According to sources close to the investigation, Vyas played a pivotal role in the hawala operations that powered the Mahadev Apps financial ecosystem. His responsibilities included orchestrating the transfer of vast sums of money across international borders, using a complex network of intermediaries to carry out transactions that were designed to be nearly impossible to trace. Vyass role was critical, as he managed the financial flows that kept the apps operations running smoothly, making him a central figure in the money laundering activities that have now come to light. Vyass arrest is expected to yield valuable insights into the financial networks that supported the app, the sources underscored. Sources also averred that the capture of Dinesh Vyas is not just a victory for the Gujarat and Chhattisgarh Police, but also a significant development in the broader efforts to curb illegal betting and money laundering in India.

The joint police operation leading to Vyass capture highlights the collaborative efforts being employed to tackle this issue, with authorities across multiple states working together to dismantle the networks that facilitate these illegal activities. Vyass arrest is expected to accelerate ongoing investigations into the Mahadev App, potentially leading to more breakthroughs in the near future, they asserted.
Modi shares his Modi shares his INSIGHTS INSIGHTS from Ukraine visit with Putin from Ukraine visit with Putin





NEW DELHI :

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin as he shared his insights from his recent visit to Ukraine and reiterated Indias firm commitment to supporting an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict with Ukraine. In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi said the two leaders also discussed measures to further strengthen special and privileged strategic partnership between the two countries. The Prime Minister 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 The Prime Minister had on Monday briefed US President Joe Biden on his visit to Ukraine and conveyed Indias full support for early return of peace to the region through dialogue and diplomacy.

The Ministry of External Affairs inastatement later said Modi duringhistelephoneconversationwith Putin recalled his successful visit to Russialastmonthtoparticipateinthe 22nd India-Russia Bilateral Summit. The two leaders exchanged views on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Prime Minister shared insights from his recent visit to Ukraine. He underlinedtheimportanceofdialogue and diplomacy as well as sincere and practical engagement between all stakeholderstoachieveanabidingand peacefulresolutionoftheconflict,the MEA said. Thetwoleadersreviewedprogress onanumberofbilateralissuesanddiscussed measures to further strengthen the special and privileged strategic partnershipbetweenIndiaandRussia, it said. They also exchanged views on a range of regional and global issues of mutual interest, the statement said, adding, the two leaders agreed to remain in touch.





Biden commends Modi for his message of peace, humanitarian support for Ukraine

By Lalit K Jha

WASHINGTON,

UNITEDStates President Joe Biden has commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his message of peace and humanitarian support for Ukraine, as they discussed his historic visit to Kyiv and the prospects for the early return of peace through dialogue and diplomacy. The phone conversation between Biden and Modi on Monday, initiated by the US President, came three days after Prime Minister Modi paid a high-profile visit to Kyiv during which he told President 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. Inapost on X, Biden said, I spoke with Prime MinisterModitodiscusshis recenttrip to Poland and Ukraine, and commended him for his message of peace andongoinghumanitariansupport for Ukraine.

We also affirmed our commitment to working together to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, Biden said. This was the first call between the two leaders after Modis trip to Russia, Poland and Ukraine and the recent political developments in Bangladesh. The White House readout of the call hadno reference toBangladesh,which was mentioned in an X post by Prime Minister Modi. Modis nearly nine-hour visit to Ukraine, the first by an Indian Prime MinistersinceitsIndependencein1991, came six weeks after he held summit talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin that triggered anguish in some Western capitals. TheWhite House, inareadout 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 byanIndianPrimeMinisterindecades, andforhismessageofpeaceandongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector, it said. Biden and Modi affirmed their continued support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict underinternational law, based on the UN Charter.
ALMATY, Kazakhstan, August 28. The Eighth CAREC Think Tank Development Forum, under the theme The Climate Challenge: Thinking Beyond Borders for Collective Action, kicked off today in Almaty. The forum convened over 120 participants from regional think tanks, CAREC member countries, universities, development partners, and the media, all united to tackle the escalating climate challenges through coordinated regional strategies.

Urgency for Coordinated Action

Mr. Kabir Jurazoda, Director of the CAREC Institute, emphasized the imperative for immediate, coordinated climate action in his welcome address. Referencing the World Meteorological Organizations data, he noted the dramatic impact of severe weather events on economies, particularly within the CAREC region.

Keynote Addresses and Strategic Insights

Mr. Yang Yingming, Vice President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), emphasized the forums critical role in shaping regional policies. The Asian Development Bank has been a steadfast supporter of the CAREC Institute, particularly in aligning its institutional strategy and programs with CAREC strategies, most notably the CAREC 2030 Strategy, remarked Mr. Yang. He underscored the importance of unity in confronting the growing impacts of climate change, advocating for the exchange of experiences, challenges, and successes to secure a sustainable, resilient, and prosperous future for the CAREC region.

Mr. Yang also highlighted the ADBs initiatives to address climate financing gaps. In response to identified climate financing gaps within these countries, we are actively progressing with the CAREC Climate and Sustainability Project Preparatory Fund (CSPPF), supported by ADB, with contributions from various multilateral and bilateral sources, he stated.

Ms. Assel Sarsenbayeva, Chairman of the Management Board of the Economic Research Institute and a Member of the Board of Directors at the Ministry of National Economy in Kazakhstan, underscored the significance of regional cooperation in promoting sustainable development. She detailed Kazakhstans commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, enhancing renewable energy use, and adhering to strict environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles.

Collaborative Dialogues and Technological Solutions

Throughout the day, the Eighth CAREC Think Tank Development Forum sparked crucial dialogues among thought leaders, experts, and development partners on key topics such as the efficacy of global climate initiatives, the exploration of sub-regional strategies, and the assessment of recent policy impacts on CAREC economies. Discussions delved into the role of innovative technologies in climate change mitigation and adaptation, emphasizing the potential of rapid technological advancements and the critical need to cultivate a supportive regional ecosystem for climate solutions.

The forum also shone a spotlight on the CAREC Think Tank Network (CTTN) Research Grants Program, showcasing research presentations that align with the forums climate agenda and underscore the vital role of research in boosting regional climate solutions.

Local and International Cooperation Highlights

Participants explored successful country-specific climate adaptation efforts, highlighting the indispensable roles of governments, local communities, and NGOs in crafting effective climate policies. These discussions underscored the significance of South-South cooperation in discovering and implementing sustainable practices.

Conclusion and Forward Momentum

As the forums first day concluded, a strong call was made for continued collaboration to tackle the climate challenges. Todays deliberations have laid a robust foundation for our future collaborative efforts, remarked Mr. Jurazoda, expressing gratitude for the contributions of all participants.

The forum will continue with a focus on refining actionable strategies and bolstering partnerships, encouraging participants to actively engage and collaborate on innovative solutions aimed at fostering a sustainable and resilient future for the CAREC region.
Mohan Yadav Govt to weave Malwastextile industries golden fortune







By Bhavana Aparajita Shukla ;

 State Government to facilitate employment to Ladli Bahnas

 Ujjain to come up with IT park like Bengaluru

AFTER fulfilling decades-old demand of Hukumchand Mill workers in Indore, now, Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav who is also a son of mill worker gave a ray of hope to the people of Malwa saying several projects will come up in the region to promote textile industry. Notably, several textile mills established in the pre-independence era were glory of the state and source of income for thousands of families but all of them have been reduced to rubble. The legal battle for ownership between the creditors of the mills and the State Government has subsided but it was a long wait for over a thousand workers who have died.

The surviving workers are not sure if they will ever receive their wages. But after becoming CM Dr Mohan Yadav initiated the settlement cases of Hukumchand Mill workers. after 31 years, they were given cheques. Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav has said that Ujjain is moving rapidly in the direction of industrialisation. 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. Best Apparel unit providing employment to more than 1,000 Ladli Bahnas 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 1,000 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 1,000 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 Ujjains 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 Ujjains name is emerging as an industrial area at the international level. Ujjains prosperous textile industry is now being revived. The skill of Ujjains 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. CM Dr. 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 Lifes unit in Ujjain is one of the largest textile industry units in the country
Nabanna Abhijan Rally Protesters, cops injured asclashes erupt in Kolkata





KOLKATA :

CLASHES broke out between police and protesters at different parts of Kolkata and its neighbouring Howrah on Tuesday, as the agitators tried to make their way through barricades to march towards the West Bengal Secretariat. 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. 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. Police lathicharged and used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters who threw stones and bricks at the security forces, and attempted to topple 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. 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. Earlierintheday, policelathicharged and used water cannons and tear gas to drive away the agitators at Howrah Bridges Kolkata end and near the Santragachhi Railway station on Kona Expressway, as they tried to march on. More than 200 people were arrested from across the State, police said. Protesters took to incessant pelting of stones and glass bottles on the police at several spots where their progress was stopped.FifteenpersonneloftheKolkata Police and14 fromthe statepolice force were injured in the clashes, police said. At Santragachhi, the agitators threw bricks at police, injuring some officers, evenasprotestersclaimedthatthepolice actioncausedinjurytostudents.

Trouble escalatedwhenthestudentorganisation Paschim BangaChhatra Samaj andthe dissidentStateGovernmentemployees platform Sangrami Joutha Mancha begantheirNabannaAbhijanrallyfrom various points. URGE STATE NOT TO USE POWER ON PEACEFUL PROTESTERS: GOVERNOR ANANDA BOSES: AMID theheightenedsecurityaroundtheWest 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 GovernorCVAnandaBose said,In the context of the peaceful protest, announced by the student community ofWestBengal andthe reportedsuppressions of the protest by certain instructionsoftheGovernment,Iwould urge upon the Government to remember the strong pronouncement of the SupremeCourtofIndia,letnotthepower of the State of West Bengal be unleashed on the peaceful protesters. Democracy cannot silence the majority, cannot silence the majority, cannot silence the majority! Remember that. TheNabannaAbhijanRallyiscalled by Paschim Banga Chatra Samaj and other organisations which aimed to protest the recent rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor in Kolkata. WB CONGRESS APPROACHES HC SEEKING PERMISSION FOR RALLY ON RG KAR CASE: WEST Bengal unit of Congress, on Tuesday, approached, asingle-judgebenchoftheCalcuttaHigh Court seeking permission to conduct a protest rally from College Square in central KolkatatoShyambazarinNorth Kolkata on August 29 condemning the rape and murder of RG Kar doctor.
New Ladakh





THE creation of five new districts in the vast Himalayan region of Ladakh is a very critical step towards better governance in the area as well as a promise of vastly improved national security -- from multiple angles. Though the development is administratively small, its importance in the direction of a better unification of the far-flung region with the rest of India cannot be overstated. Now, the organism of the Government will be available in vaster areas of Ladakh, right up to the international border with China. Until now, most of the areas of the five new districts, administration was available only for marking the presence -- naturally leading to a massive vacuum in governance. When a region is next to a hostile neighbour -- like China -- then a vacuum of this sort should be an anathema to good administration and governance. With the formation of five new Districts in Ladakh, the administrative vacuum will be removed. Now, the region will have a complete bureaucratic and administrative machinery to take care of the various tasks the Government is expected to do normally. Until now, that element was missing because there was no credible administration responsible for and empowered by good and just governance (in border areas).

Now that lacuna will be addressed -- on official terms as well as cultural considerations. This vaster spread of administrative outreach will benefit the country in another area -- of national security. That will be so because the region is in close vicinity of a zone of international conflict or hostility or dispute. When the whole administration is present in the area, the best benefit comes by way of a closer monitoring of all aspects of governance of which security is a major concern. Presence of a complete administrative machinery in more segments of the vast and thinly populated region in the Himalayan heights, therefore, will make a critical difference by way of an immediate reporting of minute developments right to the Government at the Centre. The five areas of Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra, and Changthang now will be districts. Each of these areas has had a history of problems of different nature including enemy intrusion. The military -- Army and Air Force -- is certainly taking care of strategic defence, all right, in all these areas. But in modern times, mere military presence without the framework of civil administration is only partially utilised in real sense.

For, in modern conflict, management of detail includes a closer monitoring of administrative matters and issues. For, as experience the world over shows, the enemy often makes sly entry into the eco-system whenever there is a gap or slackness of control or last-mile connect between the governors and the governed. Another implication -- whose benefit will be available in due time -- will be in the form of more number of elected representatives in various bodies from the local to national levels. That will mean the last-mile stake-holder presence in the overall eco-system of governance -- which is most welcome in a representative democracy since it serves the principle of devolution of power. In the final analysis, it may be said safely that the step of forming five new Districts in Ladakh will improve the quality of governance -- which, in Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modis words, is a step towards better governance and prosperity of Ladakh and thereby the rest of the nation. This step should be considered as one of the most critical decisions the Central Government has made in recent times in favour of better strategic and administrative considerations in the far-flung region of Ladakh.
NMRDA to give RLwith UNREGISTEREDDOCUMENTS of plot





By Vikas Vaidya :

State instructs NMRDA to provide RL on condition

ABOUT 1.5 lakh people who have applied for regularisation of their plots under Maharashtra Gunthewari Developments (Regulations Upgradation and Control) Act have heaved a sigh of relief as the Nagpur Metropolitan Region D e v e l o p m e n t Authority (NMRDA) will provide Regularisation Letter (RL) to the plot owners who dont possess registered documents. Metropolitan Commissioner of NMRDA had sought clarification about this issue. NMRDA had raised two questions- -whether the unregistered document be considered valid for the regularisation under Gunthewari and if such plot holders show readiness to submit registered documents under certain rules and conditions; then should those be considered as valid for regularisation. The Government replied that if people submit unregistered documents but show readiness to get those documents registered under rules and conditions, then only the applications submitted before December31, 2020 will be consideredvalid.

The plot holders will approach NMRDA with thedocuments available withthem, they are expected topay stamp duty on the plotsthey own. NMRDAwill give them RL onthe condition that the plot holders will submit registereddocument within astipulated time. The 2001 Act wasamended on March2, 2021 by the StateGovernment. According to theamendment made, all Gunthewari developmentsexisting as of December 31, 2020 shall be eligible for beingconsidered by the planningauthority for regularisation. Approximately 1.5 lakh plot holders applied for registrationof their unauthorised plots andpaid Rs 3,000 per plot.

The lastdate for accepting applicationwas November 30, 2023. Evenafter 8 months, the NMRDAauthorities have still not started issuing regularisationdemand to the applicants as theauthority sought clarification. Nowhere the act compels theapplicant to provide registered documents along with application. It is important to note that Gunthewari Developments are the plots which were formed unauthorisedly sub dividing privately owned land. It is practically impossible to expect a registered document of an unauthorised/non sanctioned plot. The revenue authorities/sub registrar did not allow registration of any unauthorised plot. Since 2001, NIT, which is the planning authority for area within city limits has accepted unregistered agreements and have issued Regularisation Letter to lakhs of plot holders. Gunthewari Regularisation in NMRDA region will boost infrastructure facilities.
Only free-ranging cheetah inKuno dies due to drowning





SHEOPUR :

THE only free-ranging cheetah in Madhya Pradeshs Kuno National Park has died, with officials suggesting drowning to be the primary cause of death. Wildlife activists, however, suspect poaching although there were no external injuries on the Namibian cheetah Pawan, found lying near the edge of a swollen nullah amid bushes around 10:30 am on Tuesday. According to a statement, veterinarians were alerted and a closer inspection revealed that the front half of the cheetahs body, including the head, was submerged in water.

The preliminary cause of death appears to be drowning. Further details will be provided after the postmortem report is received, the statement said. The incident comes as India is expediting efforts to bring a new batch of cheetahs by the end of the year. We are actively engaging with South Africa on the matter. A delegation will visit the country in late September or early October to hold ground-to-ground negotiations, an official from the National Tiger Conservation Authority told PTI on Tuesday. We have communicated to South Africa that we want to expedite efforts The Prime Minister had on Monday briefed US President Joe Biden on his visit to Ukraine and conveyed Indias full support for early return of peace to the region through dialogue and diplomacy.

The Ministry of External Affairs inastatement later said Modi duringhistelephoneconversationwith Putin recalled his successful visit to Russialastmonthtoparticipateinthe 22nd India-Russia Bilateral Summit. 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 stakeholderstoachieveanabidingand peacefulresolutionoftheconflict,the MEA said. Thetwoleadersreviewedprogress onanumberofbilateralissuesanddiscussed measures to further strengthen the special and privileged strategic partnershipbetweenIndiaandRussia, it said. They also exchanged views on a range of regional and global issues of mutual interest, the statement said, adding, the two leaders agreed to remain in touch.
PWD had warned about precarious condition ofShivajis statue; Navy had ignored the same





SINDHUDURG :

THE Public Works Department (PWD) Assistant Engineer Malvan Division had shot off a warning letter to the Indian Navys Area Coastal Security Officer Commander Abhishek Karbhari on the precarious condition of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue which crashedonAugust26intheFort Rajkot at Maharashtras Sindhudurg district, officials said on Tuesday. BesidesPWD,the13thdirect descendent of the legendary Maratha warrior king, ChhatrapatiYuvrajChhatrapati had also red-flagged the statues design, and how it was erectedinhastefortheunveilingbyPrimeMinisterNarendra 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 - designedandcreatedbyKalyan (Thane) sculptorJaydeepApte  hadrusted and corroded due to the twin effects of the monsoon and the salty airfrom the Arabian Sea.

As a result of these, the Chhatrapatis 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 sculptorto 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 gonethere andcarriedout 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 managedtocompleteitinbarely six months

Govt to install bigger one there: Fadnavi s

MUMBAI :

MAHARASHTRA Deputy Chief Minister Devendra FadnavisonTuesdaysaidthat the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj which collapsedinSindhudurgdistrict a day ago was built by the Navy, but the State Government hasnow decided to install a bigger statue of the Maratha warrior king at the same place. The 35-foot statue of the 17thcenturyMarathaempire founder, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil of Sindhudurg on Navy Day (December 4) last year, collapsedonMondayafternoon. Speakingtoreportershere, Fadnavis said, The constructionofthestatuewasnot overseen by the State GovernmentbutbytheNavy. The individuals responsible forthefabricationandinstallation 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 rustdue to its exposure to ocean winds. It is a question now whether the makers of the statuehadcomprehendedall these factors before making it,the senior BJP leader said. It is ourresolve to build a bigger statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the same site, he added. An inquiry into the statue collapseincidentwasunderway, he said. NAVY SAYS TEAM DEPUTED TO PROBE CAUSE OF THIS UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT: A DAY after a giant statue of Maratha warrior kingChhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj collapsed in Maharashtras Sindhudurg, the Indian Navy on Tuesday said it has deputed a team to immediately investigate the cause of this unfortunate accident. TheIndianNavynoteswith deep concern the damage caused to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj thatwasunveiledontheNavy DayasadedicationtothecitizensofSindhudurg,according to a statement by the naval force issued by its spokesperson.
Russias barrage of missiles, drones hits Ukraine





KYIV :

RUSSIA battered much of Ukraine on Monday, firing scores of missiles and drones that killedfourpeople, injured more than a dozen and damagedenergyfacilitiesinattacks that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as vile. Thebarrageof over 100missiles and a similar number of dronesbeganaroundmidnight and continued through daybreak in what appeared to be Russias biggest onslaught in weeks. Ukraines air force said swarmsofRussiandronesfired ateastern,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 criticalcivilianinfrastructure, Zelenskyy said, adding that most of the country was targeted-fromtheKharkivregion andKyivtoOdesaandthewest. Explosionswereheardinthe capitalofKyiv.Powerandwater supplies in the city were disrupted by the attack, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Ukraines Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Russia fired drones, cruise missiles and hypersonic ballistic Kinzhal missiles at 15 Ukrainianregionsmorethan half the country.

The energy infrastructure hasonceagainbecomethetarget of Russian terrorists, Shmyhal said, adding that the state-owned power grid operator, Ukrenergo, has been forced to implement emergency power cuts to stabilise the system. He urged Ukraines allies to provide it with long-range weapons and permission to use them on targets inside Russia.Inordertostopthebarbaric shelling of Ukrainian cities, it is necessary to destroy the place from which the Russianmissilesarelaunched, Shmyhalsaid.Wecountonthe support of our allies and will definitely make Russia pay. USPresidentJoeBidencalled the Russian attack on energy infrastructure outrageous andsaidhehadre-prioritised 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 precisionair- 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 Zhytomyrinthecountryscentre, and one in the partiallyoccupied Zaporizhzhia regionin the southeast, local officialssaid. Thirteen others werewounded - one in the Kyivregionthat surrounds the capital, five in Lutsk, three in thesouthern Mykolaiv region andfourintheneighbouringOdesaregion. Blackouts and damage tocivilianinfrastructure andresidential buildingswerereported from the region of Sumy inthe east, to the Mykolaiv andOdesa regions in the south, tothe regionofRivne inthewest. In Sumy local administration said that 194 settlementslostpower,while19othershada partial blackout.
TRIGGER-HAPPY





EVEN as the world deals with raging conflicts in different regions between nations, insurgents, terrorists and rebels, North Korean leader Mr. Kim Jong-un keeps rattling his threats in the form of different weapons. Latest addition to Mr. Kims threatening arsenal are the suicide drones which were tested on designated targets as part ofenhanced warpreparedness. The North Korean leader has the habit of keeping the world on tenterhooks with his preparedness for war as his team keeps testing Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles, strategic torpedoes, underwater weapons systems and spy drones. His triggerhappy nature has the United States as target along with its allies including neighbouring South Korea. The two Koreas have been accusing each other of aggression as the zone is always hot with possibilities of a full-scale war. In the overall international system, North Korea has come up as an irritant with huge nuisance value. That it has backing of top powers inimical to the United States is an understatement. The North Korean weapon systems have always found stealthy passage to such countries and in zones of armed skirmishes . It is nothing but a self-destruction mode if the world sees another big war.





MOVING AHEAD

ENGLAND have well and truly left the T w e n t y 2 0 World Cup loss behind as they are seeking investment for the future with uncapped players being included in the T20 Internationals against Australia. By naming as many as five uncapped players to play against the arch-rivals, England selectors have sent a clear message to the veterans that it is time to find players for the future. The shortest format is always billed as a game for youngsters. England had been steadily using newcomers in the T20s but the reliance on seniors was evident in each tournament. By excluding Moeen Ali and Johhny Bairstow from the Australia games theThree Lions have gone for another transition under new coach Marcus Trescothick. The uncapped players will not find it difficult to get into the culture of the team as the Bazball strategy is still prevalent in the teams thinking. It was seen in the Tests against Sri Lanka and the Twenty20 team is sure to replicate it against the Australians. What will be interesting to see is whether the newcomers have their own plans for the shortest format as they have been regulars in The Hundred tournament. All in all, these are exciting times for young English cricketers.
Wang Yi, Jake Sullivan hold new round of China-U.S. strategic communication

Xinhua) 07:56, August 28, 2024

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)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
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ASTANA, Kazakhstan, August 28. Kazakhstan maintains a principled stance on disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said during a meeting with Izumi Nakamitsu, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs, Trend reports via Akorda.

These issues are becoming increasingly acute and significant in the context of current global events. It is certainly a matter of concern. Tomorrow, we observe the International Day Against Nuclear Tests. This is a very important date meant to remind humanity of the dangers of nuclear testing and the use of nuclear weapons, Tokayev said.

He emphasized that Kazakhstan is committed to close cooperation with UN institutions and views the Organization as an indispensable and universal international body.

In turn, Nakamitsu praised Kazakhstans leadership in the global non-proliferation process.
Callan Family Office LLC reduced its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF (BATS:EFG  Free Report) by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 46,946 shares of the companys stock after selling 320 shares during the quarter. iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF accounts for approximately 0.9% of Callan Family Office LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 25th biggest holding. Callan Family Office LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF were worth $4,803,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Jones Financial Companies Lllp boosted its stake 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 worth $812,068,000 after acquiring an additional 137,178 shares during the period. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. increased its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 60.9% in the second 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 last quarter. SageView Advisory Group LLC raised its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 56,912.3% in the first 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 lifted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF by 54.3% during the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 2,767,095 shares of the companys stock worth $283,074,000 after buying an additional 973,742 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Park Avenue Securities LLC lifted its stake in shares of 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 worth $272,285,000 after buying an additional 965,407 shares during the last quarter.

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iShares MSCI EAFE Growth ETF Stock Performance

EFG traded down $0.84 on Monday, reaching $106.52. The company had a trading volume of 272,596 shares. The stock has a market cap of $12.53 billion, a P/E 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. The companys fifty day moving average is $102.78 and its 200 day moving average is $102.41.

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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Capital Insight Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG  Free Report) by 2.6% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 4,219 shares of the energy exploration companys stock after acquiring an additional 105 shares during the quarter. Capital Insight Partners LLCs holdings in EOG Resources were worth $531,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of EOG. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in EOG Resources by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 54,275,932 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $6,938,635,000 after purchasing an additional 146,674 shares during the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors lifted its stake in EOG Resources by 1.3% during the first quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 28,889,715 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $3,693,261,000 after buying an additional 373,365 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors lifted its position in shares of EOG Resources by 5.4% in the 1st quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 26,782,454 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $3,423,869,000 after acquiring an additional 1,361,538 shares in the last quarter. Capital International Investors boosted its position in shares of EOG Resources by 7.1% in the first quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 11,564,463 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $1,478,401,000 after buying an additional 766,056 shares during the period. Finally, DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main boosted its position in EOG Resources by 26.3% during the 4th quarter. DZ BANK AG Deutsche Zentral Genossenschafts Bank Frankfurt am Main now owns 4,948,119 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $598,475,000 after acquiring an additional 1,029,727 shares during the period. 89.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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EOG Resources Stock Performance

Shares of EOG Resources stock opened at $126.90 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $125.96 and a two-hundred day moving average of $125.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a quick ratio of 2.05 and a current ratio of 2.32. The stock has a market capitalization of $72.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.02, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.30. EOG Resources, Inc. has a 52 week low of $108.94 and a 52 week high of $139.67.

EOG Resources Dividend Announcement

EOG Resources ( NYSE:EOG Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 1st. The energy exploration company reported $3.16 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.98 by $0.18. EOG Resources had a return on equity of 25.65% and a net margin of 30.33%. The business had revenue of $6.03 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.07 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.49 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 8.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts predict that EOG Resources, Inc. will post 12.13 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 31st. Investors of record on Thursday, October 17th will be given a $0.91 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, October 17th. This represents a $3.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.87%. EOG Resourcess dividend payout ratio is 28.75%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other EOG Resources news, Director Charles R. Crisp sold 6,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $125.60, for a total value of $816,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 60,892 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,648,035.20. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, COO Jeffrey R. Leitzell sold 4,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $126.48, for a total transaction of $505,920.00. Following the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 35,058 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,434,135.84. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Charles R. Crisp sold 6,500 shares of EOG Resources stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $125.60, for a total value of $816,400.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 60,892 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,648,035.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.30% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Bank of America restated a buy rating and set a $151.00 price target on shares of EOG Resources in a report on Friday, June 14th. Citigroup lifted their price objective on EOG Resources from $124.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, May 24th. Sanford C. Bernstein cut their target price on shares of EOG Resources from $139.00 to $125.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Benchmark reiterated a hold rating on shares of EOG Resources in a research report on Tuesday, May 7th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating and set a $147.00 target price on shares of EOG Resources in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. Thirteen research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, EOG Resources has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $144.15.

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EOG Resources Profile

(Free Report)

EOG Resources, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, explores for, develops, produces, and markets crude oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas primarily in producing basins in the United States, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and internationally. The company was formerly known as Enron Oil & Gas Company.

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Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp trimmed its position in Welltower Inc. (NYSE:WELL  Free Report) by 4.2% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 8,000 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 350 shares during the quarter. Atlantic Union Bankshares Corps holdings in Welltower were worth $834,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of WELL. RDA Financial Network raised its holdings in Welltower by 0.6% in the second quarter. RDA Financial Network now owns 16,161 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,685,000 after buying an additional 104 shares during the period. Trueblood Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in Welltower by 1.2% during the first quarter. Trueblood Wealth Management LLC now owns 9,061 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $847,000 after buying an additional 109 shares during the period. Simplicity Wealth LLC increased its position in shares of Welltower by 0.9% in the second quarter. Simplicity Wealth LLC now owns 12,155 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,267,000 after acquiring an additional 113 shares in the last quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. raised its stake in shares of Welltower by 21.2% in the 4th quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 691 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $62,000 after acquiring an additional 121 shares during the period. Finally, Graypoint LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Welltower by 4.8% during the 1st quarter. Graypoint LLC now owns 2,687 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $251,000 after acquiring an additional 122 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.80% of the companys stock.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Kenneth J. Bacon sold 1,800 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $103.91, for a total transaction of $187,038.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 14,579 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,514,903.89. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.12% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Welltower Trading Up 1.3 %

WELL opened at $119.37 on Friday. Welltower Inc. has a 12-month low of $78.38 and a 12-month high of $119.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a current ratio of 4.07 and a quick ratio of 3.83. The stock has a market capitalization of $71.37 billion, a PE ratio of 147.37, a P/E/G ratio of 2.74 and a beta of 1.18. The firms fifty day moving average price is $109.22 and its 200 day moving average price is $100.02.

Welltower (NYSE:WELL  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Monday, July 29th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.42 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.34 by $0.08. Welltower had a net margin of 8.36% and a return on equity of 2.21%. The company had revenue of $1.82 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.89 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.90 EPS. The companys revenue was up 9.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that Welltower Inc. will post 4.16 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Welltower Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 21st. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 12th were paid a dividend of $0.67 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 12th. This represents a $2.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.25%. This is a boost from Welltowers previous quarterly dividend of $0.61. Welltowers dividend payout ratio is presently 330.86%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts recently issued reports on the company. Mizuho increased their price target on Welltower from $98.00 to $105.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, May 8th. Wedbush raised their target price on Welltower from $100.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Monday, August 5th. StockNews.com upgraded Welltower from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Saturday, August 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Welltower from $107.00 to $111.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. Finally, Evercore ISI raised their price target on shares of Welltower from $95.00 to $97.00 and gave the company an in-line rating in a report on Tuesday, July 16th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $108.88.

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Welltower Profile

(Free Report)

Welltower Inc (NYSE:WELL), a REIT and S&P 500 company headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, is driving the transformation of health care infrastructure. Welltower invests with leading seniors housing operators, post-acute providers and health systems to fund the real estate and infrastructure needed to scale innovative care delivery models and improve people's wellness and overall health care experience.

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BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, August 28. Saudi Arabian FAS Energy company will assist Kyrgyzstan with installation of solar panels on the rooftops of government buildings, Trend reports.

According to Kyrgyzstans Ministry of Energy, a cooperation memorandum was signed in Bishkek by Minister of Energy Talaibek Ibraev and FAS Energy CEO Turki Al Hokair.

During the meeting, the parties discussed interstate energy cooperation, Kyrgyzstans energy potential, joint project implementation, and the exchange of modern technology expertise.

FAS Energy, the renewable energy development arm of the Fawaz Al Hokair Group, provides private and public clients with guidance on establishing renewable energy facilities.

Kyrgyzstan generated a total of 9.08 billion kWh of electricity in the first half of 2024. This included 6.2 billion kWh from hydropower plants and 0.87 billion kWh from thermal power plants. The volume of imports was 2.02 billion kWh, with 909.8 million kWh from Russia and Kazakhstan, 837.5 million kWh from Turkmenistan, and 275.3 million kWh from Uzbekistan.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, August 28. Kyrgyzstan is considering a proposal to conduct all domestic trade exclusively in the national currency, according to a document prepared by members of the Kyrgyz Parliament, Trend reports.

"The effective development of the country's economy is largely determined by the state of monetary circulation. One of the key conditions for the stable functioning of the monetary system is legislative regulation of monetary transactions," the justification paper for the proposal states.

The document notes that internal trade in Kyrgyzstan, including transactions related to real estate, motor vehicles, loans, and travel services, is currently conducted in foreign currencies, which exerts pressure on the national currency.

The credit system and installment purchases of property create difficulties for citizens in repaying debts, particularly when there are sharp fluctuations or artificial increases in foreign currency exchange rates.

Under the proposed law, entities with income and expenses in foreign currencies would still be permitted to conduct export and import-related transactions in foreign currencies.
In contemporary discourse, the term "whizkid" can refer to two distinct, yet equally significant figures: the musical Wizkid, a Nigerian superstar known for his infectious rhythms and global influence, and the intellectual whizkid, a young prodigy excelling in academics or specialized fields. While the former captivates audiences with his artistry and cultural impact, the latter represents the potential and promise of the youth, driving innovation and progress in society.

However, recent developments in Nigeria, particularly the pegging of age limits for writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) at 18 years of age, have raised concerns about the future of these intellectual whizkids.

Nevertheless, critical stakeholders in the education sector have condemned the decision of the Federal Government to peg the age at which students can write the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations, SSCE, at 18, saying it will simply draw the sector back.

In fact, there have been flurries of reactions to the comment by the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, that from 2025, any candidate, who is not up to 18 will not be allowed to write the examination and without doing so, such candidate wont be able to seek admission into tertiary institutions.

This controversial decision has been met with criticism, as many view it as a retrogressive step that stifles the aspirations of young learners. The implications of such a policy could be detrimental, not only to individual students but also to the broader educational landscape. Are we, as a society, inadvertently placing barriers in front of our brightest minds? Who truly wants to kill the whizkid spirit in Nigeria?

The age limit for WASSCE examinations could potentially exclude many capable students who, for various reasons, may not fit the conventional timeline of education. This move raises questions about inclusivity and the recognition of diverse learning paths. The intellectual whizkids, who often demonstrate exceptional abilities outside the traditional framework, may find themselves marginalized, unable to showcase their talents and knowledge.

As we navigate this complex issue, it is crucial to advocate for policies that empower rather than restrict our youth. The future of Nigeria depends on nurturing its whizkids, musical and intellectual, ensuring they have the opportunities to thrive and contribute to society. Let us not allow outdated regulations to extinguish the flames of creativity and intelligence that our young people embody.

In a nation where academic brilliance is often celebrated as a ticket to a brighter future, recent pronouncements by the Nigerian Federal Government regarding age restrictions for writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASCE) and General Certificate of Education (GCE) have raised eyebrows. The move, which seeks to impose an age limit, has sparked a debate that strikes at the heart of educational equity and the nurturing of young talents. But who stands to gain from this policy, and more importantly, who stands to lose? Are we inadvertently stifling the very whizkids who could be the nation's future trailblazers?

Without a doubt, Nigeria has a proud history of young academic prodigies who have defied the odds, achieving extraordinary academic feats at tender ages. These whizkids, often seen as outliers, have brought pride not only to their families but to the entire nation. They are a testament to what can be achieved when talent is recognized and nurtured from an early age. These young geniuses have gone on to excel in fields ranging from science and technology to arts and humanities, both locally and on the global stage.

The new policy proposes that students must attain a certain age before being eligible to sit for the WASC/GCE exams. Proponents argue that this will ensure students are more mature and better prepared to handle the pressures of these examinations. However, this perspective overlooks a critical aspect of child development: the unique trajectory of gifted children.

In fact, gifted children often exhibit advanced intellectual capabilities far beyond their years. Imposing an age restriction on when they can sit for exams could result in unnecessary delays in their educational progression, potentially dampening their enthusiasm for learning. These children do not fit neatly into the conventional educational timelines; forcing them to do so could be detrimental to their intellectual and emotional growth.

One of the most significant risks of this policy is the potential to frustrate and demotivate young talents. Forcing a child who is ready to take on academic challenges to wait until they reach a certain age can lead to boredom, frustration, and even a loss of interest in academics. The very system that should be nurturing their gifts could instead become an obstacle in their path.

Moreover, this policy might inadvertently signal to society that conforming to a standard timeline is more important than recognizing and cultivating individual talents. It could create a culture where fitting in is prioritized over standing out, where the fear of being seen as "different" stifles the very essence of what makes these young geniuses special.

While the intentions behind the age limit policy may be rooted in a desire to protect students, it is crucial to recognize that one-size-fits-all solutions rarely work in education. The focus should be on creating a flexible system that caters to the diverse needs of all students, including the whizzkids. Instead of imposing age restrictions, the government should consider alternative measures such as personalized education plans, mentorship programs, and accelerated learning tracks that allow gifted students to flourish at their own pace.

Nigeria cannot afford to frustrate its young geniuses. These children represent the future, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure they are given every opportunity to succeed. The nations progress depends on how well we nurture and support the brightest minds, regardless of their age. Let us not be the ones to dim their light.
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, August 28. Kazakhstan is planning to import electricity from Tajikistan, Trend reports.

According to the Kazakhstans Ministry of Energy, the issue was discussed by Kazakhstans Minister of Energy Almasadam Satkaliyev, Tajikistans Deputy Prime Minister Usmonzoda Usmonali, and Tajikistans Deputy Minister of Energy and Water Resources Manuchehr Safarzoda.

It was noted that in 2023, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the supply of electricity generated by the Tajik Rogun Hydropower Plant (HPP) for the period of 2023-2032.

I am pleased to report that we are set to review the technical parameters and commercial conditions for the potential export of electricity from the Rogun HPP to Kazakhstan. This will be done considering technical feasibility and agreed transit arrangements through Uzbekistans electricity networks, Satkaliyev said.

According to the Ministry, the parties have agreed to work on establishing agreements to manage unscheduled electricity flows between the energy systems of neighboring countries by October 15, 2024, in coordination with interested organizations in Central Asia.
Man detained

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MOIRANG, Aug 28: A man who made monetary demands in the name of an armed group was held by AT, Bishnupur QRT team this afternoon. The person detained has been identified as Chabungbam Bishworjit (28), son of Ch Sanatomba of Bishnupur Awang Leikai, Ward No 1. Bishworjit was nabbed by the AT personnel at an area between Tiddim and Khoupum road. He was allegedly making monetary demands from goods carrier vehicles using a fake receipt book of an armed group. The person has been handed over to the family after counselling, said AT.
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, August 28. The regular meeting of the working groups of the Tajik-Uzbek Joint Demarcation Commission was held in the city of Termez in Uzbekistan from August 22 through August 28, 2024, the statement of Tajikistan's Foreign Ministry said, Trend reports.

During the meeting, joint work continued to agree on the passage of the project demarcation line of the Tajik-Uzbek State border. The meeting was held in a constructive atmosphere, in the spirit of friendship and mutual understanding. Following the results of the work, the relevant Protocol was signed. The next meeting will be held on the territory of Tajikistan, the statement of the Ministry reads.

To note, the length of the Tajik-Uzbek border is 1,332 kilometers.
Trinamul Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said that the conviction rate for rape cases in India is 26 per cent. He has also been demanded a stringent anti-rape law that ensures trials and convictions within 50 days.

Banerjee posted on X today, a chart that stated rapes and atrocities against women in the last 15 days after the R G Kar Hospital incident.

The TMC MP wrote, 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.

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If we are to deliver justice to the victims of this appalling crime, we must demand a time-bound anti-rape law from our state and Union government, he wrote.

Abhishek Banerjee also asserted that anything else is futile, merely symbolic and ultimately ineffective. The TMC MPs 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.

The Diamond Harbour MP had been vocal from the time the news of rape and murder of a trainee on-duty doctor at R G Kar hospital came to light.

On X on August 22, Abhishek had written:

Abhisheks post on 22 August read: Over the past 10 days, while the nation has been protesting against the #RGKarMedicalcollege incident and demanding justice, 900 RAPES have occurred across different parts of India  during the very time when people were on the streets protesting against this horrible crime.

Sadly, a lasting solution still remains largely undiscussed.

With 90 rapes reported daily, 4 every hour and 1 every 15 minutes  the urgency for a decisive action is clear. We need strong laws that mandate trials & convictions within 50 days, followed by the severest punishments, not just empty promises. State governments must act and urgently push the Union for a comprehensive anti-rape law that ensures swift and strict justice. Anything less is merely symbolic and tragically ineffective. WAKE UP INDIA!

This post is being widely circulated in social media with celebrities from Bollywood and from different spheres are using this as their frame on Instagram.

Bollywood actress and fitness expert Malaika Arora is among one of the many, who have reposted Abhisheks post.

The story has been shared by more than three lakh people. If the average followers are 500 per person, it has made impressions to more than 10 crore people, it can be estimated, said an IT cell expert.
Trinamul Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh urged people to foil the 12-hour Bangla Bandh called by the Bharatiya Janata Party state unit tomorrow.

The statewide bandh call has exposed the BJP that they were behind the Nabanna march called by the Paschimbanga Chatra Samaj demanding resignation of the chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

Mr Ghosh said the BJP is trying to create chaos in Bengal and urged people and Trinamul Congress workers not to fall in the trap of the BJP.

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People have seen, who have broken barricades put up by the police. More than 10 policemen were injured when the demonstrators pelted stones at them. The agitators demanded to enter Nabanna, the state administrative headquarters. It is not a place where anyone can go and enter.

He congratulated the police for maintaining cool. The demonstrators tried to provoke the police but they maintained their cool and handled the situation properly. It is not the trigger-happy police of Jyoti Basu, which killed 13 Congress workers on 21 July or Buddhadeb Bhattacharjees government that had killed five Forward Bloc supporters in Cooch Behar.

Mr Ghosh said todays movement was preplanned by the BJP. Not even one per cent of students were present in the rally. Those who had broken the barricades were anti-socials engaged by the BJP, he said.

He said 28 August is the foundation day of Trinamul Congress Chhatra Parishad and the sole attempt of the BJP is to foil the programme. He said, We all demand capital punishment of those involved in the rape and murder of a doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. The chief minister, Mamata Banerjee had taken part in a rally demanding capital punishment. The police arrested the prime accused within 24 hours of the incident. The high court and subsequently the Supreme Court had ordered a CBI inquiry. So, now the case is lying with the CBI.

He urged people not to get swayed by false propaganda of the BJP. The BJP IT cell is uploading fake stories on social media, he warned.
In the wake of the shocking murder and sexual assault of a young female trainee doctor in Kolkata, public outrage has surged. Actor-turned-politician Hema Malini has voiced strong condemnation of the heinous crime, urging swift action from authorities. Malini, known for her role in the BJP, supported the partys protest efforts, emphasizing the need for immediate justice.

What happened in Bengal is utterly unacceptable, Hema Malini said. The action must be taken without delay. BJP workers are right to protest. This atrocity against a woman demands that the perpetrator deserves punishment swiftly.

The August 9 attack on the victim at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital sparked widespread protests. The West Bengal Junior Doctors Forum organized a rally demanding justice and safer conditions for medical professionals. The protest aligns with the BJPs call for a 12-hour strike, known as Bangla Bandh, across West Bengal, highlighting the growing frustration and urgency for reforms in the medical field.

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Protests have escalated across Kolkata, with BJP activists blocking railway tracks in Asansol and chaos erupting on the Howrah Bridge. Security forces responded with tear gas, water cannons, and lathi charges to control the unrest as demonstrators marched towards the West Bengal State Secretariat, Nabanna.

In response, the Trinamool Congress has accused the BJP of inciting chaos and disrupting peace in Bengal. The situation remains tense as the state grapples with demands for justice and heightened security.
Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut is known for expressing her raw emotions without mincing words. As she prepares for the release of her directorial debut, Emergency, she has openly discussed her challenges. Recently, the BJP MP and actress criticized Bollywood stakeholders for allegedly conspiring against her. Ranaut claimed that members of the film industry were calling actors to advise them against working with her. In a new interview with Mashable India, she has once again taken aim at the industry.

During the interview, Ranaut accused Bollywood members of being envious of talent, alleging that they boycott talented actors. She also criticized them for not discussing her film, Emergency. Previously, Ranaut had asserted that the film industry had boycotted her during the trailer launch of Emergency.

Also Read: Kangana Ranaut claims members of the film industry conspired against her

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In her conversation with Mashable, she described herself as a no-nonsense person, stating that those who connect with her appreciate her, while only a few people have an issue with her. She said, If you look at how I won the election, its clear that I also received a lot of love from the industry. So it proves that only a few people have a problem with me. Is the problem with me or with them? It could be that theres an issue with them, dont you think? They should consider that.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kangana Ranaut (@kanganaranaut)

Taking a swipe at Bollywood, the actress commented, Bollywood is, to be honest, a hopeless place. Kuch nahi inka hone wala (there is no saving this place). Because, one, they are jealous of talent. If they find someone talented, they go after them to bring them down. Unka career barbaad kar dete hain (they ruin their career), unko boycott kar dete hain (they boycott them). Itna ganda PR kar ke unko badnaam kar dete hain (they defame people with bad PR).

Furthermore, Ranaut remarked that these individuals are venomous and envious. Citing examples of Anupam Kher and Shreyas Talpade, she said that if approached kindly, they will respond. She added that she has always supported films deserving of praise, regardless of whose they are.

Also Read: Kangana Ranaut slams bollywood stars as stupid and shallow

She further criticized the industry for remaining silent about Emergency. They are so filled with venom and envy because they have received everything in life easily and didnt have to work hard. They think they work hard because they go to the gym.

In Emergency, Kangana plays the titular role of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. She has also written and directed the film. Emergency will release on September 6.
The buzz around Bengali cinema is heating up as Nandita Roy, one half of the celebrated filmmaker duo Shiboprosad Mukherjee-Nandita, provides a sneak peek into their eagerly anticipated movie, Bohurupi. This upcoming film is breaking new ground as Bengals first action chase drama, promising a thrilling ride for audiences.

Starring a stellar cast including Abir Chatterjee, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Koushani Mukherjee, and Shiboprosad Mukherjee himself, Bohurupi has already created waves with its pre-teaser, which was recently released online. However, this launch comes in the wake of a tragic incidentthe murder-rape case at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkataleading the filmmakers to postpone the initial teaser release as a gesture of respect for the gravity of the situation.

NANDITA ROY  SHIBOPROSAD MUKHERJEE TO RELEASE BENGALI FILM BOHURUPI IN PUJA PRE-TEASER OUT NOW After making a splash last year with the political-thriller #Raktabeej, directors #NanditaRoy and #ShiboprosadMukherjee will release their next #Bengali film #Bohurupi  a pic.twitter.com/fGDf0LZPZ5 Advertisement  taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) August 28, 2024

Nandita Roy elaborated on this decision, stating, We had originally planned to unveil the teaser on August 14, but given the heartbreaking events at RG Kar Hospital, we felt it was appropriate to delay our release. Were now preparing for a digital launch during Pujo, which allows us to share our film in a respectful and timely manner. Bohurupi is the result of a journey filled with passion and dedication, spanning 12 years of meticulous planning and 34 days of intense shooting across 84 varied locations.

Bohurupi announcement teaser:

The pre-teaser hints at an exhilarating narrative that promises to capture the essence of high-stakes drama. At its core, the film revolves around a gripping tale of two fierce rivals and their devoted allies, set against a backdrop of intense challenges and dramatic chases. It promises a blend of love, conflict, and revenge, crafted to engage viewers with its emotional depth and action-packed sequences.

Shiboprosad Mukherjee, who stars as Bikram and co-directs the film alongside Nandita Roy, expressed his personal connection to the project, stating, This film holds a special place in my heart. Recent events have profoundly impacted us, and as filmmakers, we feel a duty to contribute to the broader conversation about justice and safety. I am deeply thankful to Windows and to Nandita Roy for this collaborative effort. The teaser provides just a glimpse into what weve created, and I am confident it will resonate deeply with audiences, especially now.

With Durga Puja as the release period, Bohurupi is ready to hit theaters during one of the most festive times of the year, adding to the excitement surrounding its launch. As the film gears up for its debut, it stands as a testament to the filmmakers commitment to pushing boundaries and offering a fresh take on the action drama genre in Bengali cinema.
In a notable development, Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, currently embroiled in the Renukaswamy murder case, is set to be transferred to Bellary Central Jail. This decision follows the circulation of a controversial photograph showing Darshan socializing with three other individuals, including a known rowdy-sheeter, in the grounds of the Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Karnataka.

The 24th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) court ordered the transfer of Darshan amid allegations of VIP treatment. Alongside Darshan, other accused individualsPawan, Raghavendra, and Nandishwill be relocated to Mysore Jail. Additionally, Jagdish will be moved to Shivamogga Jail, and Dhanraj to Dharwad Jail. Meanwhile, actress Pavitra Gowda, another accused in the case, will continue to be held in Bangalore jail.

The controversy has sparked significant concern, leading to the formation of three special investigation teams tasked with examining cases related to alleged special treatment within the prison system. This move underscores the gravity of the situation and the authorities commitment to addressing it thoroughly.

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Karnatakas Revenue Minister, Krishna Byre Gowda, has weighed in on the issue, emphasizing that any undue privileges for inmates are unacceptable. He asserted that the officials responsible for facilitating such treatment must face consequences. His comments highlight the seriousness with which the government is approaching the matter.

The controversy gained momentum after an image of Darshan Thoogudeepa, holding a cup and a cigarette, emerged online, showing him seemingly enjoying a relaxed environment while in custody. In response to the situation, the Karnataka government suspended seven prison officials. This action was taken following instructions from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who directed the states Director General of Police (DGP) to ensure the immediate transfer of Darshan and the other accused to different jails.

Karnataka Minister G. Parameshwara described the incident as a lapse in protocol and assured the public that measures would be implemented to prevent such occurrences in the future. The governments swift response reflects its commitment to maintaining integrity within the prison system and ensuring that no individual, regardless of their status, is given preferential treatment.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, August 28. President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow discussed the dynamic development of bilateral ties, Trend reports.

According to the Uzbek presidents office, the sides discussed topical issues of further strengthening Uzbek-Turkmen relations of friendship, good-neighborliness, and strategic partnership, expanding multifaceted cooperation between the two countries.

During the conversation, both officials emphasized the promotion of joint projects in the transportation, communication, and energy sectors.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistans trade turnover volume with Turkmenistan totaled $740.8 million from January through July 2024. This indicator has increased by 50.4 percent year-on-year ($492.4 million in JanuaryJuly 2023).

Turkmenistan ranked 6th among the countries with the largest volume of foreign trade turnover in Uzbekistan.
Ruling out the possibility of Tamil Nadu adopting the three-language formula, School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamazhi on Wednesday said accepting it would be akin to placing ones hands in a wild beehive.

The Union Government is exerting pressure to adopt the New Education Policy (NEP) which mandates the three language formula. But, accepting it in Tamil Nadu would be like placing your hands on a wild beehive, he said responding to questions at a media interaction in Trichy on Wednesday.

Funds are being withheld by the Union Government to force the state to implement the NEP. For the School Education Department, the Union Government had to release Rs 573 crore till June. The outstanding for last year is Rs 249 crore. Chief Minister MK Stalin, before his departure to the US, had written a letter to the Union Education Ministry seeking the immediate release of the funds. MPs from the state have met the Union Minister, urging him to disburse the amount, Poyyamozhi said, adding that the Union Ministry continues to insist upon NEP implementation.

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In the domain of school education, Tamil Nadu is performing well and the Union Government forgets that it has to encourage the state. The national target is to achieve 50% Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) by 2030. But, Tamil Nadu had surpassed it two years ago. Differences over policy should not be a reason to withhold funds and it is not justified, he said. Education of lakhs of students is at stake and there should not be any politics in this issue, he added.

For long, Tamil Nadu has been following the two-language policy  mother tongue Tamil and English and the state had witnessed massive agitation against the imposition of Hindi in 1965. It was this agitation which had catapulted the DMK to power in 1967 under the leadership of party founder CN Annadurai, affectionately called Anna (elder brother). Both the DMK and AIADMK, which continue to rule the state alternatively are steadfastly opposed to the three language formula.

Hindi is also a reason why the state has not allowed entry of centrally-funded Navodaya Schools.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday alleged that senior Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Champai Soren was being closely monitored by Jharkhand police ahead of his defection to the BJP.

The claim comes a day after Sarma announced that Soren would officially join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on August 30.

Champai Soren has decided to join the BJP. Till the time he does not resign, he is a minister in the Jharkhand government and also the former chief minister, Sarma said.

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He claimed that Soren had recently visited Delhi, and during both his visits, he was followed by Jharkhands Special Branch Police.

A week ago, he had gone to Delhi and he spent three days. Again on August 26, he had gone to Delhi. He stayed at the Taj Hotel during both his visits. But yesterday, it came to light that both times he went to Delhi, Jharkhands Special Branch Police followed him, Sarma said.

The Assam chief minister also went on to claim that two Special Branch personnel, who were allegedly tailing Soren in Delhi, were detained by local police.

Two Special Branch personnel, who were allegedly following Champai Soren, were detained by Delhi police. Both the policemen admitted that they were assigned the task of tracking Champai Soren wherever he went in Jharkhand and even in Delhi, he added.

Expressing concern over the possibility of deeper surveillance, Sarma said, I still doubt that maybe his phone is also tapped.

So far, there has been no official response from the Jharkhand government or its Special Branch regarding the allegations made by Sarma.
The 12-hour bandh called by the opposition BJP in West Bengal on Wednesday over the alleged police high-handedness during its Nabanna Abhijan rally saw workers of the party and the TMC clash with each other at several locations in the state.

Amid heightened political tensions, the saffron party also alleged that TMC workers attacked the car of its leader at Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district.

Terming the incident an assassination attempt, BJP leader Arjun Singh claimed that seven bullets were also fired at the car of Priyangu Pandey, another party leader, during the attack.

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Singh also alleged that the assault happened in the presence of a senior state police officer, raising concerns over the states law and order situation.

This was a planned attempt to kill Priyangu Pandey. The driver has been shot, and two people have been injured, one of them critically, Singh said.

Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, vowed to escalate the protests further, if what he termed police repression, continued. We will stall West Bengal if this oppression does not stop, he warned.

BJP MLA Ashok Kirtania and his supporters reportedly blocked trains at Bongaon railway station in support of the bandh. Bus services in several areas were also affected due to the statewide shutdown.

So far, the police has reportedly arrested around 200 protesters.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee strongly opposed the bandh, urging citizens to carry on with their daily routines.

Sharing a purported video on social media, TMC MP Mahua Moitra accused BJP workers of forcibly shutting down schools to enforce the strike. BJP goons forcefully shutting high schools today. Dont expect more from party whose leader has mystery degree in Entire Political Science. Thank you BJP for reinforcing why Bengal shuns you. Jai Shri Galgoatias, she said.

The BJPs 12-hour Bangla bandh comes in protest against the police action during the Nabanna Abhijan rally held on Tuesday.

The Nabanna rally was organized by a newly formed student group, Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj, demanding the resignation of the chief minister over the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkatas RG Kar Medical College and Hospital earlier this month.
A delegation of four BJP MPs from Delhi called on Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and submitted a memorandum concerning various issues related to the rural areas of the city.

The memorandum raises major issues of Delhis rural belt such as land mutation, alternate plot allotment against acquired agricultural land, DDA NOC for electricity meters, and PM Uday scheme survey.

Acknowledging the memorandum, the LG assured the delegation of appropriate action in the matter.

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As for the mutation issue, 5-6 years ago, 89 villages were declared urbanized leading to the cessation of land reforms in these areas, and the villages were handed over to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for development as a result of which mutations were stopped.

Consequently, farmers are not able to sell their land, nor can agricultural land be transferred to their legal heirs, causing significant difficulties for their families.

The MPs have requested the high official for his immediate intervention to resolve this issue.

Other than this, the MPs have told the LG that in the year 2002-03, the Delhi government acquired agricultural land in Delhis villages, and as per to the governments acquisition policy, farmers were to be compensated with both monetary compensation and an alternative residential plot, as well as a shop for employment.

However, after 20 years, this provision has not been fulfilled. This issue affects most villages in Delhi.

The delegation included MPs Manoj Tiwari, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Kamaljeet Sehrawat, and Yogendra Chandolia.
The Divya Yoga Mandir Trust has obtained dual accreditation from the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET).

The accreditation, which includes both Awarding and Assessment Body recognition, was presented at a ceremony held at Kaushal Bhawan, New Delhi.

This dual accreditation will allow Divya Yoga Mandir Trust to assess vocational skills and award certifications across more than 60 vocational education courses.

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Acharya Balkrishna, General Secretary of the Trust, emphasized that this achievement will enhance Patanjalis ongoing efforts in skill development, promoting self-reliance, and generating employment opportunities.

Balkrishna highlighted the importance of skill development in adapting to evolving global conditions.

He expressed confidence that the new accreditation will empower individuals, particularly the youth, by expanding their employment opportunities and contributing to national prosperity.

The event was chaired by Mr. Atul Tiwari, Chairman of NCVET, who commended the Trusts commitment to vocational education and skill enhancement.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday called out the double standard of the judicial machinery in preventing the MVA announced bandh in protest against the Badlapur rape, while allowing the BJP strike against the West Bengal government in connection with the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape and murder incident.

Speaking to reporters, he said when the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) parties called a bandh in Maharashtra over the Badlapur sexual assault case, they were stopped by the Bombay High Court.

When we had given a call for bandh, we were stopped because (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji is running the government here. Here, Amit Shah is running the government. The same incident of sexual assault took place here too, he said.

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Raut compared this to the situation in West Bengal, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called a 12-hour bandh in response to police action during the Nabanna Abhijan rally on Tuesday against the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata.

We were stopped. But it (Bengal Bandh) was not stopped as there is Mamata didi government in West Bengal or anti-BJP government. This is our justice system. Double standard, he added.

While the Bombay High Court restrained MVA from calling a bandh in Maharashtra, the Calcutta High Court dismissed a petition seeking to declare the BJPs bandh call illegal, allowing the strike to proceed.

The Calcutta High Court, in its ruling, dismissed the petition challenging the bandh, stating that the petitioner had provided false information about themselves in the PIL.

Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmoy Bhattacharyya also barred the petitioner from filing any further PILs.
BRS Working President KT Rama Rao lashed out at Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for showering hypocritical love on former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi as the latter hurriedly performed the rituals for the installation of the statue of Telangana Talli (Telanganas mother) inside the Secretariat premises.

The BRS and ruling Congress have been in a tussle over the state governments plan to install the statue of the late prime minister on a spot near the Ambedkar statue which had been earmarked for an idol of Telangana Talli by the previous BRS government. Rao slammed Congress for alleging collusion between the BRS and the BJP after his sister and party MLC Kavitha got bail in the Delhi Liquor scam cases from the Supreme Court.

On Tuesday morning, Revanth Reddy went ahead with the programme in the absence of the deputy chief minister and other senior ministers since there were no auspicious dates for the ceremony till Dussehra. He announced the statue would be installed on 9 December, the birthday of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.

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He criticized the BRS regime, saying, The previous government had acted in such a way that they considered Telangana as their own property or asset.

Reminding the people that the public was earlier barred from the Secretariat, he said his government would install the statue of Telangana Talli in the Secretariat as it is the heart of the state administration. The previous government presented Budgets worth Rs 22.50 lakh crore in ten years yet failed to spend a crore on the installation of the statue of Telangana Talli in the Secretariat, said Reddy.

Telangana Talli statue, he said, should reflect the cultural ethos of the state instead of feudal characteristics, and hence the task of designing the statue has been entrusted upon the fine arts department of Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University.

He said since the statues of Dr BR Ambedkar, PV Narasimha Rao, Indira Gandhi, and Jaipal Reddy were installed around Necklace Road and Tank Bund, the government, on the suggestions of intellectuals, has decided to install the statue of Rajiv Gandhi in the vicinity. He slammed the BRS for politicising the move by linking it with that of Telangana Talli.

But KT Rama Rao has a different take on it. He wrote in a post on X, Everyone is aware of the true colours of the hypocritical love he (Revanth Reddy) is showering on Rajiv Gandhi after becoming the PCC president through the backdoor. Reddy had called Sonia Gandhi a demon, a ghost, a sacrificial deity, and threatened to remove the statue of Rajiv Gandhi once again.

In another post, he slammed the Telangana Congress leader who suggested that the merger between BRS and BJP has begun with Kavitha getting bail. He cited the cases of Rahul and Sonia Gandhi and Manish Sisodia who are out on bail as was the Chief Minister Revanth Reddy himself.
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 JMMs approach to tribal representation.

Vallabh has accused the JMM of reducing the concept of tribal to merely a designation for Hemant Sorens family, rather than the wider tribal community.

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He also argued that the JMM, under Hemant Sorens leadership, has failed to extend its focus beyond the Chief Ministers immediate relatives.

In an exclusive conversation with IANS on Tuesday, Vallabh said that for JMM leaders, a tribal is essentially just Hemant Sorens 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 Sorens 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 Sorens 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 Sorens 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.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma lashed out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday, questioning how she could dare to threaten Assam.

Responding sharply to Mamata Banerjees remark, If Bengal burns, so will Assam, Sarma said in a post on X, Didi, how dare you threaten Assam? Dont show us red eyes. Dont even try to burn India with your politics of failure. It does not suit you to speak divisive language.

Addressing a party event in Kolkata earlier on Wednesday, the West Bengal Chief Minister claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is using his party to ignite unrest in Bengal over the Kolkata woman doctors rape and murder incident. She warned, If you try to burn Bengal, other states, including Assam, North-East, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Delhi, will also burn, and your chair will be toppled.

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Some people think this is Bangladesh. I love Bangladesh; they speak like us and share our culture. But remember, Bangladesh is a separate country, and India is a separate country. Modi Babu is using his party to ignite unrest in Bengal. If you burn Bengal, Assam, North-East, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Delhi will also burn! We will topple your chair, Mamata Banerjee said.

The brutal rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor on the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital premises has sparked nationwide outrage. The incident has shaken the entire country, leading to protests demanding justice for the victim.

The West Bengal Junior Doctors Forum held a protest rally in Kolkata on Wednesday and called for justice for the trainee doctor who was tragically raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The rally coincides with the BJPs call for a 12-hour Bangla Bandh on Wednesday across West Bengal that aims to highlight the growing frustration within the medical community over the need for improved safety measures and swift justice.

BJP workers staged a protest in Asansol as well and blocked railway tracks.

On August 27, chaos erupted on the streets of Kolkata as security personnel used tear gas shells, water cannons and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse protesters on Howrah Bridge who were marching towards the West Bengal state Secretariat, Nabanna, amidst the growing protests over the rape and murder incident. (with inputs from agencies)
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Wednesday suspended the membership of Dr Sandip Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Medical College in West Bengals Kolkatta, in the wake of of rape-murder of a woman postgraduate trainee (PGT) doctor.

In its suspension order addressed to Dr Ghosh, the IMA said, The disciplinary committee duly constituted by the national president (IMA) Dr RV Asokan today suo moto considered the rape and murder of a postgraduate resident and the subsequent developments in RG Kar Medical College Kolkata.

Stating that its national president had also visited the parents of the victim in their home, the IMA said, They had put up their grievances against you (Dr Ghosh) in dealing with the situation as well as lack of empathy and sensitivity in handling the issue in appropriate manner befitting the responsibility held by you in your dealings with them.

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The IMA Bengal state branch as well as certain associations of doctors also have demanded action citing the nature of disrepute brought by you to the profession on the whole. The disciplinary committee of IMA HQs has unanimously decided to suspend you forthwith from the membership of IMA, it said.

Notably, the Centre on Wednesday issued directives to the States and Union Territories (UTs) to take immediate measures to enhance the security and security and provide safer working environment for healthcare workers, in the wake of rape-murder of a woman postgraduate trainee (PGT) doctor in West Bengal.

Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra issued the directions while co-chairing a meeting along with Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan with Chief Secretaries and DGPs of States/UTs on immediate steps taken for safety and security of doctors and healthcare professionals.

The Health Secretary encouraged people to come up with innovative ideas and laid emphasis on some of the immediate measures which can be considered to enhance the security and provide a safer working environment for healthcare workers.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 28. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has called on the heads of diplomatic missions abroad who disagree with the government's policies to resign, Trend reports.

According to the information, Pashinyan stated this in Yerevan at a two-day meeting of Armenia's ambassadors abroad.

To note, the meeting of the ambassadors began on August 26.
India, on Wednesday, conveyed to Israel its serious concern over the conflict in West Asia and called for restraint, dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the crisis.

The 17th India-Israel Foreign Office Consultations were held in New Delhi. The Indian side was led by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri while the Israeli side was led by Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Yaakov Blitshtein.

Reflecting on the strength of the India-Israel Strategic Partnership, the two sides discussed various issues of bilateral interest in depth and reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral endeavours. They also shared views on the prevailing situation in West Asia and the Indo-Pacific, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

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Reiterating Indias strong and unequivocal condemnation of the October 7 terror attacks on Israel, Mr Misri called for the unconditional and immediate release of all hostages, ceasefire, the need for continued humanitarian assistance, and adherence to international humanitarian law.
The Kerala Police booked noted actor and former general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) Siddique on the charge of rape after a woman actor accused him of sexual assault on her at a hotel here.

The case was registered based on a complaint filed by the woman actor. She filed the complaint with the state police chief via email on Tuesday alleging that Siddique had raped her at a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram in 2016.

Siddique has also been booked on the charges of illegally detaining and threatening the actress. The case will now be transferred to a special investigation team (SIT) probing the allegations of sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry

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Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday expressed concern over the flood situation in Gujarat and condoled the loss of lives.

In a post on X, Kharge said, The flood situation in Gujarat is extremely worrying as several people have lost their lives and are missing. Our heartfelt condolences to the families of those who have lost their loved ones. Our thoughts are with the affected people, who are in need of urgent food and medical assistance.

We request the Central government to ensure more NDRF and SDRF teams. We are proud of our Armed Forces and Coast Guard, who are undertaking rescue efforts, the Congress chief said.

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Kharge, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabh, said party leaders and workers must coordinate all possible relief efforts, in this hour of tragedy.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Gandhi said, The flood situation in Gujarat is becoming more severe day by day. I express my deepest condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones and whose property has been damaged in this disaster. I wish speedy recovery for the injured.

He appealed to the party workers to provide all possible assistance to the affected people and the administration in relief and rescue work.

The government should take all necessary steps to reduce the impact of this disaster, the Leader of Opposition in the Lower House said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday came down heavily on the BJP and accused it of defaming her and spreading misinformation about the rape-murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, by using advanced artificial intelligence tools.

Addressing party workers on the Trinamool Congress (TMC) foundation day in Kolkata, she said, The BJP is insulting me for no reason and is using sophisticated Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to spread falsehood about the case.

She said her government had shown patience despite provocations and not taken action against protesters so far.

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Banerjee pointed to the recent observation by the Bombay High Court, which barred the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) from calling a bandh in Maharashtra, and called the BJPs bandh in West Bengal illegal. She said the focus should instead be on ensuring justice for the victim of the rape and murder case that has shaken the nation.

The saffron party had called for the bandh in response to police action during the Nabanna Abhijan rally held on Tuesday. The rally had witnessed clashes, with police resorting to lathicharge and firing tear gas shells.

Banerjee also expressed her disappointment over the delayed probe into the assault case, blaming the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for the lack of progress.

The state government wanted the investigation to be completed within seven days, but the case was transferred to the CBI, leading to a delay in justice for the victim. The CBI must answer what they have found so far, she said.

The TMC supremo added that a special assembly session would be called next week to introduce a bill seeking capital punishment for rape in the state. We want justice for the victim and all women in the state, she declared, dedicating the TMCs foundation day to the abused doctor.
Indias 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.

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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 Pawans 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. Its 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 KNPs 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.
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.

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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 247. 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.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday summoned Maharashtra governments the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) for Revenue and Forest Department to appear in person before it on September 9, to explain why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him fie making contemptuous comments in an affidavit filed by him in connection with the calculation of compensation to be given to a person whose land at Pashan in Pune was illegally occupied more than six decades ago.

Directing the Additional Chief Secretary Rajesh Kumar to appear in person on the next date of hearing, a bench of Justice B.R. Gavai, Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice KV Viswanathan summoned the senior tanking Maharashtra governments IAS officer stating We prima facie find such comments to be contemptuous in nature. We direct the Additional Chief Secretary to remain present before this court on September 9 and show cause as to why contempt should not be initiated against him.

In the last hearing of the matter, the top court had asked the Maharashtra government to make a reasonable offer of compensation to the person who was illegally deprived of his land, failing which it would summon the presence of the Chief Secretary.

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Evern today, when the lawyer appearing for the Maharashtra government sounded evasive to the queries from the court, the bench said that he wants that we should summon the Chief Secretary.

When the lawyer said that they were offering an alternate land within the limits of Pune Municipal Corporation, Justice Gavai remarked You take some ones land in Lutyens Delhi and offer him alternate land in Meerut.
In a bid to position Uttar Pradesh as the countrys most favourite tourist destination, the Yogi Adityanath Government is set to promote the states tourism hotspots at major airports across India.

Uttar Pradeshs tourist destinations are already being showcased at various railway stations, bus terminals, airports, and high-traffic locations within the state. Now, this initiative is expanding to include major airports across the country.

Preparations have been made to promote Brand UP at five major airports in India initially, with plans for further expansion as needed, officials here on Wednesday confirmed.

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Under this scheme, Brand UP will be highlighted through large display boards at strategic locations in airports, including the arrival and departure areas of both international and domestic terminals in Delhi and Mumbai. These displays will provide information on the diverse tourist attractions and the vibrant tourism landscape of Uttar Pradesh.

Similar promotional efforts for Brand UP will also be prioritized at various terminals in Kolkata, Coimbatore, and Indore. The Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department has already initiated this process, with preparations underway for its swift implementation.

Uttar Pradesh is known, both nationally and internationally, for its rich and diverse culture, as well as its numerous events and festivals. In line with this, the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department is actively promoting the states vibrant cities, attractions, natural landscapes, wildlife, adventure tourism destinations, cuisine, heritage, religion, and culture through various branding initiatives, aiming to establish the state as a top tourist destination in India.

Tourism plays a crucial role in the economic growth of Uttar Pradesh, significantly contributing to employment generation both directly and indirectly. This sector is also vital to the states goal of becoming a trillion-dollar economy.

Recognising the importance of tourism, the Yogi Government has already designated it as a priority sector. In line with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths vision, this initiative is being advanced as a strategic and organised effort to unlock the sectors vast potential and transform Uttar Pradesh into a major tourist hub.

A total of 60 display systems of various types will be installed and operated at both the T3 domestic arrival terminal and the T3 domestic departure terminal. Additionally, 40 and 25 display systems will be set up at the T3 international arrival and departure terminals, respectively. The T2 domestic arrival and departure areas will feature 28 display systems, while the T1 domestic departure terminal will have 32 display systems.

Similarly, 15 display systems will be installed at the domestic arrival terminal of Kolkata airport, with an additional 58 screens placed in various designated areas, including the departure terminal. At Coimbatore airport, a total of 20 display systems will be installed and operated across the arrival, baggage claim, departure areas, SHA hall, and the first floor. In Indore, 36 display screens will be set up at the departure and arrival terminals, bus gates, and rental areas.

In Mumbai, Brand UP will be promoted through 56 display systems at the T2 domestic and international arrival terminals, 58 at the domestic departure terminal, and 40 at the international departure terminal. The Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department has initiated the process of appointing and allocating an agency to complete all these installations.
Uttar Pradesh has Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is closely monitoring Operation Bhediya after rushing Forest and Environment Minister Dr. Arun Kumar Saxena to Bahraich on Wednesday to discuss ways to tackle the wolf menace with local public representatives and officials.

During his visit to several villages, the minister reassured the residents that the Forest Department was working overtime to capture the wolves to ensure their safety. The department is utilising drone mapping for enhanced security and deploying thermal drones to aid in capturing the wolves.

Recently, the district administration paid an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the dependents of four victims of the wolf attack. The payment to the families of the remaining victims will be processed soon.

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On the instructions of the chief minister, the forest minister visited the villages that have witnessed wolf attacks. He engaged with the affected families and local residents.

He assured them that the department was fully alert and is making every effort to capture the three remaining wolves. He urged the community to avoid sleeping outside at night, keep children indoors, and ensure the doors are securely locked. He also advised going out in groups and carrying sticks for protection until the wolves are apprehended.

Alongside the forest minister, Principal Chief Forest Conservator and Head of Department Sudhir Kumar Sharma and Principal Chief Forest Conservator (Wildlife) Sanjay Srivastava were present on-site.

Principal Chief Forest Conservator (Wildlife) Sanjay Srivastava stated, We have deployed 16 teams to capture the wolves, and 12 district-level officers are also stationed here. Additional Principal Chief Forest Conservator Renu Singh will remain on-site until the remaining wolves are captured. DFO Barabanki Akash Badhavan and DFO Naveen Prakash are also working diligently to ensure the success of Operation Bhediya.

The Forest Department is on high alert to capture the wolves, employing drone and thermal drone mapping techniques. Permission to tranquilize the wolves has been granted by the Chief Wildlife Warden. To assist in this effort, two doctors are actively working with the team in Bahraich.

During the meeting, the district magistrate reported that doors are being installed in homes lacking them, funded through various sources including CSR and other financial contributions. Night patrolling is being conducted in villages, and ASHA workers have been assigned to raise awareness among the public and women.

The families of the four individuals, who lost their lives in the wolf attacks, received cheques of Rs 5 lakh each. The district administration has issued these cheques to the families of Akhtar Raza, Pratibha, Kishan, and Sandhya. The ex gratia payments to the remaining victims families will be processed soon, and action is underway on the remaining cases.
President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday expressed deep concern on the recent spate of crimes against women and said this should force honest self-introspection to uncover the roots of the malaise.

In an article Womens Safety: Enough is Enough on the official X account of the President, she wrote The gruesome incident of rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata has left the nation shocked. I was dismayed and horrified when I came to hear of it. What is more depressing is the fact that it was not the only incident of its kind; it is part of a series of crimes against women.

She wrote that even as students, doctors and citizens were protesting in Kolkata, criminals remained on the prowl elsewhere. The victims include even kindergarten girls. No civilised society can allow daughters and sisters to be subjected to such atrocities.

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The President wrote: The nation is bound to be outraged, and so am I. On the occasion of Womens Day last year, I had shared my thoughts and hopes about womens empowerment in the form of a newspaper article. I remain an optimist, thanks to our past achievements in empowering women.

I consider myself as an example of that spectacular journey of women empowerment in India. But I myself feel deeply anguished when I hear about brutality against women in any part of the country, she wrote.

She wrote: More recently, I was in a unique predicament when some schoolchildren who had come to celebrate Rakhi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan asked me innocently if they could be assured that there would be no recurrence of the Nirbhaya type incident in future.

She said: I told them that though the State is committed to protect every citizen, training in self-defence and martial arts is essential for all, particularly girls, to make them stronger. But thats not a guarantee for their security as womens vulnerability is influenced by many factors. Obviously, the full answer to that question can come only from our society. For that to happen, what is needed first of all is honest, unbiased self-introspection. The time has come when we as a society need to ask ourselves some difficult questions.

Where have we erred? And what can we do to remove the errors? Without finding out the answer to that question, half of our population cannot live as freely as the other half. To answer it, let me explain it right at the beginning. Our Constitution granted equality to all, including women, when it was only an ideal in many parts of the world, the President wrote.

She wrote The State then created institutions to establish this equality, wherever needed, and promoted it with a series of schemes and initiatives. Civil society came forward and supplemented the States outreach in this regard. Visionary leaders in all spheres of society pushed for gender equality.

Finally, there were exceptional, feisty women who made it possible for their less fortunate sisters to benefit from this social revolution. That has been the saga of womens empowerment. Yet, this journey has not been without its obstacles. Women have had to fight for every inch of ground they have won. Social prejudices as well as some customs and practices have always opposed the expansion of womens rights, the President wrote.

Mrs Murmu wrote that This is a rather deplorable mindset. I wont call it a male mindset, because it has little to do with the gender of the person: there are many, many men who dont have it. This mindset sees the female as a lesser human being, less powerful, less capable, less intelligent. Those who share such views then go further and see the female as an object. It is this objectification of women by a few that is behind the crimes against women. It is ingrained deeply in the minds of such people.

The President wrote: Let me also note here that, regrettably, this is the case not only in India, but across the world. Difference between one place and the next is more of a degree than kind. Countering this mindset is a task for both the State and the society. In India, over the years, the two have fought hard to change the wrong attitude. There have been laws and there have been social campaigns. Yet, there is something that continues to come in the way and to torment us.

In December 2012, we had come face to face with that element when a young woman was gang-raped and murdered. There was shock and rage. We were determined not to let another Nirbhaya meet the same fate. We made plans and devised strategies. These initiatives did make a difference to an extent. Yet, our task remains unfinished as long as any woman feels unsafe in the environment where she lives or works, she wrote.

In the twelve years since that tragedy in the national capital, there have been countless tragedies of similar nature, though only a few drew nationwide attention. Even these were soon forgotten. Did we learn our lessons? As social protests petered out, these incidents got buried into a deep and inaccessible recess of social memory, to be recalled only when another heinous crime takes place. This collective amnesia, I am afraid, is as much obnoxious as that mindset I spoke of, she wrote.

The President wrote History often hurts. Societies scared to face history resort to collective amnesia to bury their heads in the sand like the proverbial ostrich. Now the time has come not only to face history squarely but also to search within our souls and probe the pathology of crime against women.

I am of the firm belief that we should not let amnesia prevail over the memory of such criminality. Let us deal with this perversion in a comprehensive manner so as to curb it right at the beginning. We can do this only if we honour the memory of the victims by cultivating a social culture of remembering them to remind us of our failures in the past and prepare us to be more vigilant in future, the President wrote.

She wrote: We owe it to our daughters to remove the hurdles from their path of winning the freedom from fear. Then we can collectively give a firm answer to the innocent query of those children in the next Raksha Bandhan. Let us collectively say enough is enough.
BAKU. Azerbaijan. August 28. Two Delta Air Lines employees were killed and another was injured after an explosion occurred while changing a plane tire at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, Trend reports.

The incident occurred at an aircraft maintenance station. The cause of the incident is not yet known, an investigation is underway.

Atlanta's airport initially did not comment on the reports. Later, the press service in X expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and injured.
India has set itself a bold target of $100 billion of exports in textiles and apparel by 2030. This is the right move. With one of the most labour-intensive products  apparel  accounting for 50-60 per cent of this total, this target will help immensely in overcoming our greatest challenge  better jobs for 20 crore farm labour, women who want to be in the labour force, and unemployed youth. Unfortunately, our track record suggests that this will prove to be a challenging task.

Indias apparel exports remain range bound at $16- 19 billion from 2015 to 2022 even as Vietnam increased its exports by 70 per cent ($20 billion to $35 billion) and Bangladesh nearly doubled its exports ($26 billion to $47 billion) during this period. The Union Government recognises the need for change. It has decided to back its vision with some fiscal action as it launched the much-awaited Employment Linked Incentive scheme in the Budget for 2024-25. The scheme provides incentives to employees for taking up formal sector jobs even as it incentivises employers to create capacities in labour intensive sectors (including but not limited to garment manufacturing).

This is a step in the right direction and will help bridge the gap with Bangladesh and Vietnam. However, to really understand this gap, we must look at the pure cost disability of an Indian garment manufacturer vis-a-vis the two countries. Lets take the example of a 1,000 machine garment unit  large by Indian standards but quite small by international standards. It employs 2,000 people and manufactures 60 lakh polyester T-shirts per annum at a unit cost of Rs 238 per t-Shirt. This is more than what it would cost to make in Bangladesh or Vietnam by roughly Rs 24, or 10 per cent.

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The net profit margin for such a product is typically Rs 10-11. Hence, at the factory gate itself, an Indian garment manufacturer faces a cost disadvantage rendering it uncompetitive without even accounting for preferential market access that Bangladesh and Vietnam enjoy in some markets such as the European Union (EU). This cost disability is largely driven by two factors. Firstly, India levies high import duty on fabrics, especially synthetic fabrics (20 per cent in India compared to 12 per cent in Vietnam). Local fabric also sells at the landed price of imported fabric leading to higher raw material cost for the Indian garment manufacturer.

Additionally, cumbersome trade and Customs procedures coupled with Quality Control Orders (QCOs) on import of Man Made Fibre (MMF) inputs have ensured that the cost of domestically produced MMF fabric is at least 20 per cent higher than international prices. Given that finished fabric accounts for 50 per cent of garment cost, the sub-optimal duty structure creates an unnecessary yet significant cost disability for the Indian exporter. While the Indian Government tries to offset this disadvantage through Duty Drawback and Refund of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) Scheme, it would be much simpler to just rationalize the duty on fabrics. If the intent is to strengthen the synthetic textile ecosystem in India (the infant industry protection argument), there is ample evidence across economic literature to show that such protection simply perpetuates the local industry to remain subscale and inefficient.

Targeted incentives to help scale up the local MMF textile ecosystem will yield much better results than distorting prices in the value chain. Secondly, Indias minimum wage at $0.7/hr (compared to $0.5/hr in Bangladesh and $0.8/hr in Vietnam) is amplified by overtime rates at 2x the regular wage rate (Bangladesh and Vietnam overtime rates are 1.5x), stringent ceiling on overtime hours/week and lower worker productivity due to efficiency and quality disadvantages driven by lack of manufacturing scale (Indias largest garment factories employ 2,000-3,000 workers compared to 10,000-20,000 workers in Bangladeshi and Vietnamese factories).

After accounting for the regulatory burden and scale-based inefficiencies, and incorporating statutory contributions, Indias effective wage rate jumps to $1.4/hr and compares unfavourably with Bangladesh ($0.6/hr) and Vietnam ($1.1/hr). For an industry where labour accounts for 25-30 per cent of total cost, this ensures that Indian garment exports remain uncompetitive. This brings us back to the Employment Linked Incentive. While the incentive to the employer (up to Rs 3000/man-month for two years under and part reimbursement of employer Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) contributions for four years for first time employees), will address Indias labour cost disability to an extent.

But it must be noted that these are temporary fixes, come at a substantial cost, and most importantly, do not address the structural and completely self-imposed reasons for the disability in the first place viz. high barriers on raw material import coupled with high regulatory burden on hiring labour in India. Until we address these, Indias sub-optimal performance in garment exports, an area where India has a right to win on account of its factor endowments, will continue unabated and the Vision of $100 billion exports by 2030 will remain a distant dream.

(The writers are, respectively, Programme Associate and Associate Partner at the Foundation for Economic Development.)
The British Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer, won a landslide victory in the General Elections held in July 2024 winning 412 out of a total of 650 seats in the House of Commons, thereby ending the 14-year long Conservative rule in Britain. After congratulating Mr. Starmer, who became the Prime Minister of Britain and discussing with him the road map for the development of Indo-British relations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote in  X (formerly Twitter): We remain committed to deepening Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and robust India-Great Britain economic ties for the progress and prosperity of our peoples and for global good. In response, the newly-elected British Prime Minister assured PM Modi of his commitment to deepening the strong and respectful relationship between the two countries.

Even outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, while in office, expressed similar sentiments and Prime Minister Modi lauded his active contribution to deepening India-UK ties. For a number of reasons, Indians came to look upon Labour as being more favourable to India than the Conservative Party. It was the Labour Party which had long campaigned for Indias independence, and many of its members were actively associated with the India League. After its electoral victory in 1945, the Labour government reopened negotiations with Indian leaders which ultimately led to the transfer of power in 1947.

Ideologically, Nehru and many of the Congress leaders were closer to the Fabian Socialists in Britain, and radicals in the Congress during the 1950s were influenced more by the ideas of Harold Laski than those of the Marxists. Both Jawaharlal Nehru and V.K. Krishna Menon, the two leading ideologues of Indias foreign policy in its formative years, were educated in Britain and had developed an intellectual affinity with leading Labour Party leaders. Nehru was a regular reader of the New Statesman while Krishna Menon, who was Indias first High-Commissioner to London (1947-1952)) and later became a member of Nehrus Cabinet, first as a Minister without portfolio (in 1956) and later as the Defence Minister (1957-62), was a member of the British Labour Party before Indias independence.

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He had developed friendly relations with many Labour leaders, including Clement Attlee and Aneurin Bevan. Both Attlee and Bevan were committed social reformers and in post War Britain, the government sought to expand the contours of the Welfare State by extending unemployment insurance benefits to virtually the entire male labour force, following the recommendations of the Beveridge Report (1942), at a time when the British economy was ravaged by the War. The Labour Government also introduced legislation for establishing the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948 to provide free medical care to all British citizens, nationalised the Bank of England, the railways, coal mining and oth  er heavy industries, although nationalisation of the steel industry was criticised as it was a profit-making industry.

The Indian governments economic policy, as depicted in the formulation of the Second Five Year Plan, particularly the creation of a large public sector for controlling the commanding heights of the economy clearly showed the influence of the Labour Governments decisions in the second half of the 1940s, when it was in power. The left-wing of the Labour Party in Britain had long admired Nehru and on many issues took their cues from his policies and actions. On 29 June 1956, for example, Jennie Lee wrote an article in the Tribune (London) paying a handsome tribute to Nehru and his Governments socialist policies, particularly the declaration that the achievement of a socialist pattern of society was the objective of the Governments economic policy. It was not only Nehrus commitment to socialism that won the praise of the left-wing of the Labour Party. As Professor S.E. Finer pointed out, In adulating India, pacifism, socialism, democracy and anticolonialism find common ground; and these form the syndrome of the Left.

Within the Parliamentary Labour Party, there were many backbenchers who supported Nehrus policy of opposition to colonialism, his emphasis on peaceful settlement of international disputes, and his plea for non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, and disarmament. In 1955, when the British Government was equivocal in their attitude towards the Indo-Portuguese dispute over Goa, a group of Labour MPs formed a Goa Committee in association with the Movement for Colonial Freedom to support the demand of the Goans for self-determination. They sponsored a resolution in the British Parliament asking the government to mediate in the dispute so as to create conditions under which Goans could decide their own future. On 17 November 1955, three Labour MPs wrote a letter to The Times urging the British Government to try to bring about a settlement of the dispute between India and Portugal. What is more, some of the anti-colonialists within the Labour Party, especially those belonging to the Left, shared Nehrus ambivalent attitude towards the Soviet Union which was clearly demonstrated during the Hungarian crisis of 1956.

On 12 November 1956, a motion was tabled in the British Parliament which, while welcoming the decision of the Government to withdraw British forces from Egypt, and deploring the continued use of violence by Russian forces in Hungary, ended with the suggestion that the Government should invite Nehru to use his good office secure withdrawal of Russian military force from Hungary, and to use his influence to effect a reconciliation between Russia and the Western Powers. This suggestion came at a time when Nehru was being severely criticised in the West for his double standards as his criticism of the Anglo-French invasion of Suez was instantaneous, while his response to the brutal suppression of the Hungarian nationalist movement by the Russian forces was ambivalent. The Suez and Hungarian crises broke out at a time when the Conservative Party was in power in Britain and criticism of Indias double standards in foreign policy was not entirely unexpected, especially because a section of the Conservative Party ~ the right-wing ~ was very critical of Nehru and his policies. But even the policies of successive Labour Governments have not necessarily been favourable towards India as became clear during 1945- 50, and again in 1965.

One of the principal causes of strains in Indo-British relations, right from the time of Indian independence, had been the British Governments attitude towards the India-Pakistan dispute over Kashmir. It is true that Indias membership of the Commonwealth, even after its decision to adopt a republican constitution, enjoyed bi-partisan support. But the British Governments declared policy of neutrality in a dispute between India and Pakistan ~ both members of the Commonwealth was not necessarily corroborated by its actions. Take, for example, the role of Philip Noel Baker, the Commonwealth Secretary, in the UN Security Council during the initial phase of the dispute.

The Government of India referred the Kashmir dispute to the UN on 1 January 1948 in a bid to prevent the escalation of the war with Pakistan that had ensued following Pakistans attack on the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir. In a letter addressed to the President of the UNSC, the Indian government alleged that a situation existed between India and Pakistan which was likely to endanger international peace and security. Such a situation arose because of the aid the Pakistani invaders ~ consisting of Pakistani military personnel not in uniform, and the tribal invaders from the NWFP ~ had received for operations against the State of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), which became a part of India after Maharaja Hari Singh decided to accede to India. The Indian government, therefore, requested the UNSC to ask the Government of Pakistan,

(i) to prevent Pakistani government personnel, both civil and military, from participating in or giving any form of assistance to those involved in the invasion of the State of J&K, and

(ii) deny the invaders use of Pakistani territory for aggression on India. The letter also made it clear that once the soil of the State of J&K was cleared and normal conditions were rest or ed, its people would be free to decide their future by the recognised democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite or referendum which, in order to ensure complete impartiality, might be held under international auspices. (Italics added). This assuran  ce by India was quite consistent with the commitment that India had made when Lord Mountbatten had accepted the Instrument of Accession signed by the Maharaja. India made a grave mistake by referring the J&K issue to the UN under Article 35 of the Charter, instead of referring the issue under the provisions of Chapter VII that deals with acts of aggression and Pakistan took full advantage of this.

The Pakistan government, in a letter from their Foreign Minister addressed to the Secretary-General of the UN, denied that Pakistan had aided the tribal invaders, though admitting that a number of independent tribesmen and persons from Pakistan were helping the Azad (Free) Kashmir Government as volunteers. Pakistan also denied that its territory was being used for military operations against India, and denied the legality of Kashmirs accession to India as it was secured through violence and fraud. What is more, the Pakistan government brought to the attention of the UNSC, under Article 35 of the Charter, to the existence of other disputes between India and Pakistan and requested that appropriate measures be taken to resolve these disputes for restoration of friendly relations between India and Pakistan, thus attempting to widen the issues to be considered by the UNSC, although Indias reference was limited to Kashmir only, the territory which had been invaded, its towns and villages sacked, its people massacred and its women abducted.

 The UNSC, instead of giving more importance to the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan and the withdrawal of Pakistani nationals and tribal invaders from Kashmir, as requested by India, became busy with the determination of the procedures for holding the plebiscite. Surprisingly, the British Governments stand in the UNSC was similar to that of Pakistan, that the cessation of hostilities must be preceded by guarantees for a fair and impartial plebiscite that had already been promised by India. As Mr. Noel-Baker said in the UNSC, whatever the Council did  must also seem fair to the Government of Pakistan, to the insurgents, to the tribesmen, to the Government of India, to the other inhabitants of Jammu and Kashmir and to the outside world. In Noel Bakers list of priorities, Indias claim to be treated fairly came far below that of Pakistan, and even below the claims of the invaders and the insurgents

(The writer is Professor (Retired) of International Relations and former Dean, Faculty of Arts, Jadavpur University)
In a world that is being shaped by artificial intelligence (AI), how can institutes prepare their students for the future? The future is undeniably intertwined with AI, and its crucial that students are not only aware of AIs potential but are also equipped with hands-on experience to harness its power. This hinges on access to cutting-edge AI infrastructure, practical exposure to AI-driven applications, and a curriculum that encourages experimentation and innovation.

Hands-on experience in building AI models

Theoretical knowledge alone is insufficient in preparing students for AI careers. Institutions must integrate practical AI training into their curricula. Students should be empowered to experiment with the full lifecycle of AI model developmentfrom data preprocessing and model training to deployment and optimisation. This practical experience is invaluable, as it mirrors the processes they will encounter in professional settings.

AI in high-impact research areas

AIs role is expanding rapidly into critical research areas such as drug discovery, computational biology, and other life sciences. Higher education institutions that wish to remain at the forefront of research must provide students with the tools necessary to contribute meaningfully to these fields. AI-powered platforms can significantly expedite research and development (R&D) processes by enabling simulations, modelling, and data analysis that would be impractical with traditional methods.

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Cultivating an AI-first mindset

Initially, it was believed that AI would predominantly replace repetitive and predictable tasks. However, recent advancements, particularly in Large Language Models (LLMs), Computer Vision, and Multimodal AI, are now impacting even skilled and creative tasks. For instance, accounting is evolving beyond routine data processing, with advanced AI systems now handling aspects of auditing and financial analysis. In transportation, computer vision models are becoming standard, and AI is increasingly managing complex logistics and route planning decisions.

In the service sector, AI is transforming work by shifting the focus from routine tasks to analytical and creative skills. Even in fields like healthcare and education, where the human touch remains vital, AI provides tools that enable more accurate diagnoses and personalised learning experiences.

Focus on human creativity

Additionally, there is a growing demand for skills that AI cannot yet replicate effectively, such as creativity, emotional intelligence, and complex problem-solving. Higher education must acknowledge these trends, ensuring that students understand AI and develop the competencies needed to work alongside it.

Fostering creativity and Innovation: As repetitive and systematic tasks become increasingly automated, creativity and innovation become invaluable assets. Higher education should cultivate these skills, empowering students to develop unique solutions to complex problemssomething that AI has not yet fully mastered.

Preparing for continuous learning: The rapid pace of change driven by AI makes continuous learning essential. Higher education must enhance students abilities to adapt, learn, and reinvent themselvescrucial skills for navigating an ever-evolving job market.

Building intelligent collaborations: The future of work will not be a simple dichotomy of humans versus machines but will instead revolve around effective human-machine collaboration. Higher education must prepare students to interact and collaborate with AI systems, readying them for a new dynamic in the workplace.

One way to view AI is as Augmented Intelligence, enhancing our human capabilities and leading to the creation of hybrid jobs. In an AI-driven job market, professionals are increasingly expected to take on diverse roles.

As we move deeper into an era shaped by artificial intelligence, higher education institutions have a critical role to play in preparing students for the future. The future of work will require a blend of technical expertise and uniquely human skills such as creativity, emotional intelligence, and complex problem-solving. Higher education must rise to the challenge, equipping students with the tools and mindset needed to thrive in an AI-augmented world where continuous learning and intelligent collaboration will define success. The time to act is now, ensuring that students are ready to lead in a future where AI is both a powerful tool and a catalyst for new opportunities.

The writer is VC & Startup Ecosystem Lead, E2E Networks Ltd
This year, it seems that the upcoming Venice Film Festival will be a very grand affair. Lots of stars are set to sail to the Festival venue, Island of Lido, a 20-minute boat ride from mainland Venice. Lady Gaga (performing in Joker: Folie a Deux), George Clooney and Brad Pitt (Wolfs), Nicole Kidman (Babygirl), Angelina Jolie (Maria), Julianne Moore (The Room Next Door) and Cate Blanchett (Disclaimer) will arrive throughout the 11-day cinematic event. And walk the red carpet.

According to a report, it is the Festivals artistic director, Alberto Barbera, who is responsible for making the event the most desired launching pad for the Academy Awards. He has been heading the Festival since 2012 (also, he held the same position from 1998 to 2001).

Before 2012, Venice had been tottering, and was far from enjoying the prestige and importance it has today. But in just a few short years, hes helped build the fest into the glamorous getaway its become, where dozens of films have begun their journeys to the Oscars over the past few years, a media publication wrote.

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Barbera told the journal that it was worse years before. In 2012, most of the American movies preferred to go to Toronto instead of coming to Venice, because Venice, of course, is more expensive. Toronto, its a lot cheaper and easier for them. In most cases, that was the option for the big studios. So it was not easy to convince all of them to come back to Venice. There were no studios films in Venice in 2012.

The following year, we opened the Festival with Gravity. That won the Oscar, and that was the beginning of a change in the relationship with the studios. After that, every year we had one or more than one movie that went to the Oscars, then won the Oscarslike Birdman, Spotlight, La La Land, Shape of Water, Joker. So of course now its easy to get a film, because the studios and the Americans understood that they can use the platform of Venice to launch the movie internationally, and to start a campaign for the Oscars, with all the press that we have in Venice. There is almost no press in Toronto, apart from the trades. We have something like 3,000 media representatives from all over the world, so they can really make a proper promotion with the film, the marketing of the movie, starting from Venice.

Speaking about celebrities, Barbera said: I think that Lady Gaga is a perfect example of a very special moment. Do you remember the red carpet of A Star Is Born? It was magic, because she was on the red carpet with this beautiful white dress with feathers and so on, and then it started to rain, but she didnt want to leave the red carpet. She stayed on the red carpet taking photos, signing autographs and so on. And then she was completely wet. So she came to my office, trying to dry herself and her gown. And Bradley Cooper was outside with me, discussing the film and the expectation around it.

Referring to this years Joker: Folie A Deux, Barbera contended: If you expect just a second part of the previous one (Joker), exactly the same kind of narrative and situation and so on, you are wrong, because the theme is much darker. It is much more inventive from every point of view. Its completely unexpected. I think it is very bold, and brave, and creative, and an incredibly original work

The Festival runs from 28 August to 7 September.

The writer is a senior movie critic and author who has covered the Venice Film Festival for over two decades.
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.

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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.
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 States 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.

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Siral-Khatim said he has inspected some agricultural and animal production projects in the northern part of Omdurman, a city north of Sudans 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 States 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.
Ukraines state-run energy company Ukrenergo has said that it has implemented nationwide power cuts following Russias 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.

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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 Ukraines 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, Ukraines 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, thats 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 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.

General Oleksandr Syrskyi also said Ukraine had 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 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 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 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 armys 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 Mondays 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 Mondays 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 Ukraines allies to provide it with long-range weapons and permission to use them on targets inside Russia.

US 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.

Russian officials reported four Ukrainian missiles were shot down over the Kursk region.
Saint-Laurent, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy. Low near 45F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy. Low near 45F. Winds light and variable.
Proponents of AI in the classroom say this technology is not only helpful for students, but its advantageous for teachers as well.
BAKU. Azerbaijan. August 28. An international team of scientists from the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute has carried out the first intergalactic search for alien radio signals at a frequency of 100 MHz. The study covered 2,800 galaxies, which was an unprecedented step in space exploration, Trend reports.

To carry out this scan, the team used the Wide Field Radio Telescope located at the Murchison Radio Astronomy Observatory in Western Australia.

Previously, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence has focused on signals coming from our galaxy. However, the new approach is aimed at studying more distant galactic systems, where, according to scientists, supercivilizations may exist that are significantly superior to humanity in terms of development.

The researchers stressed that transmitting an intergalactic signal would require energy equivalent to that of one or more stars.

Although the first scan failed to detect alien signals as predicted, the data obtained will help better focus further searches, scientists believe.
What began with the aim of providing cheap and better alternative treatment to poor and helpless cancer patients has now turned into a great responsibility. Cancer Super Speciality Clinic at Lahartara Road, Maduadih, Banaras, and Saraswati Hospital and Cancer Centre in Chunar have grown on peoples unprecedented trust and have shaped the urge to help more and more cancer patients not just from the region alone, but from districts across the state. The growth story is unique in many ways and is far from over.

The whole success story is a result of a dream sculpted by Dr Ajay Kumar, son of the famous Chunar sculptor Avinash Chandra.Dr Kumar, who provided surgery and chemotherapy facilities to the patients admitted to his hospitals during Corona, wanted all government schemes for cancer treatment to be connected to his hospital so that the poor could easily benefit from TPA or other government assistance.

He has done more than 4,000 surgeries in the last two years. Dr Ajay Kumar plans to start a new hospital soon on Lahartara Road to provide affordable and quality medical care to the poor. I never forget my days of poverty and suffering, says Dr Kumar.

Medical experts believe that the steps initiated by Dr Ajay Kumar over the years to treat cancer patients will be appropriately recognised in the coming times.

Childhood and Education

Dr Kumar was born in July 1980 in Chunar Tehsil of Mirzapur District, 25 km from Banaras. He was well aware that the financial condition at his home at the time was far from comfortable. Early on in school, he was identified as a promising student.

He had a deep interest in art and culture too, so along with his studies, Ajay Kumar would often help his father in his works. Due to financial constraints, my father could not study much, but he always understood the importance of education. My father encouraged me to dream big and acquire knowledge and higher education in pursuit of the same, says Ajay Kumar.

Ajay Kumar was determined to live up to the expectations and trust of his parents and pursued education wholeheartedly. After passing 10th, he chose Mathematics and completed his Intermediate studies in Mathematics.

Early days

Dr Kumar sat for the Combined Medical Service (CMS) examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. He cleared the exam with good grades, and in 2012, he got an offer from Indian Railways. Dr Kumar was posted in Allahabad as a Divisional Medical Officer in North Central Railway and served the Railways till 2016.

Dr Kumar however, was not content to do a regular job, and something in him urged him to do service for the society where there is a larger impact. He felt he was destined for it. It was not an easy decision to leave a secure and well-respected job in Indian Railways. But he recognised that his dream to do what he always thought of doing as a doctor could not be accomplished in government service. So, he returned to Banaras and resigned from the Railways. Amidst the dreadful first wave of Covid in 2020,

Dr Kumar started the Cancer Super Speciality Clinic at Lahartara Road, Maduadih, Banaras. Dr Kumar then studied further and obtained an MCh degree in Oncology from BHU, where he was awarded the Gold Medal by the University in the year 2022.

Family

Dr Kumars wife Dr Saraswati is the Director of the Hospital. She has done MBBS and MS from Safdarjung Hospital, Delhi, and is a renowned Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in Chunar.

Dr Ajay Kumars family has neither a doctor nor a Godfather. Whatever we are today is because of dedication, hard work, and honesty, said Dr Sarswati when asked if her husband is a Godfather to his juniors.

Achievements

In 2022, Dr Kumar was honoured with the IMA National President Special Appreciation Award by Dr Sahajanand Prasad Singh, National President of IMA. The National Integrated Medical Association (NIMA) honoured him the same year.

Looking at the good work done by Dr Kumar in the field of Medicine, he was awarded the Pioneers in Healthcare award by Harivansh, Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, in 2023.

Dr Kumars school day friend and colleague, Anubhav Pandey, says that Dr Kumar is sociable and believes in taking family and society together. One day, when he learnt I was in trouble and struggling, he held my hand and established an unbreakable relationship. That is the best I can remember of Kumar.

Despite studying Mathematics, Ajay Kumar remained unsatisfied during that period and decided to switch his ambition to become a doctor. So, he repeated the Intermediate with Biology, a decision that proved to be the turning point of his life. After completing his studies from 9th to 12th from PDND Inter College, Chunar, Ajay Kumar did his B.Sc. from BHU and started preparing for Medical Entrance Examination.

In 2001, he got admission in Kasturba Medical College under Manipal University; in 2006, he obtained an MBBS degree. After MBBS, Ajay decided to do an MS, and in 2008, he was admitted to the famous Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bangalore, and from here, Dr Kumar earned his Master of Surgery in 2011.

Dr Ajay Kumar, however, was not content to do a regular job, and something in him urged him to do service for the society where there is a larger impact.
BAKU. Azerbaijan. August 28. Former Democrats Robert Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard have joined presidential candidate Donald Trump's transition team, Trend reports.

Trump's campaign team issued a statement on the matter. Robert Kennedy, Trump's presidential rival until last week, and former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who ran in the 2020 election before dropping her candidacy and endorsing Joseph Biden, have both announced their support for Trump in the current election.

It is not yet known what roles the two new members will play in the Trump-Vance transition team.
Apple has decided to lay off approximately 100 jobs in its digital services group, reported Bloomberg, citing sources. Some of these reportedly included engineers.

The most impacted team was the one responsible for the Apple Books app and Apple Bookstore while Apple News team also saw job cuts, according to the outlet. The affected workers were informed on Tuesday.

In 2024, the Cupertino giant has seen at least four rounds of layoffs. These included hundreds of employees laid off from the now-defunct self-driving car project and the microLED display project. In January, the iPhone maker had laid off 121 employees working on AI technologies at its San Diego office. Apple earlier suspended its work on a high-end Vision headset.

The latest move comes amid 6.5 per cent loss recorded in the previous quarter as the US company faces hurdles in China. According to Apple's latest annual report, the tech giant had approximately 161,000 full-time equivalent employees as of September 30, 2023.

This comes after Apple appointed Kevan Parekh as its next Chief Fiancial officer. He will replace Luca Maestri, who has been serving as Apple CFO for a decade, and will assume the role on January 1, 2025. Parekh, 52, has been with Apple since June 2013 and is currently serving as the Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis.

Separately, Apple has announced that it will unveil the much-anticipated iPhone 16 models and the special event is taglined, "It's Glowtime". The iPhone 16 lineup is expected to include the base models, iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, and the top-end iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Even as several survivors of the sexual harassment and assault, perpetrated by some of the well-known faces in Malayalam cinema, have come out demanding justice, actor and BJP politician Khushbu Sundar has expressed support for and solidarity with these artists.

In a social media post, Khushbu Sundar revealed that she too is the victim of sexual abuse by her father.

Observing that demand for sexual favours exists in every field, she asked, "Why is a woman alone expected to go through the grind?"

ALSO READ: Mollywood MeToo allegations: Kerala police file 17 cases against Malayalam artistes including Siddique

Hailing the women of Malayalam cinema who spoke up about the abuse they faced, she said "#HemaCommittee was much needed to break the abuse."



"These acts of brutality shake the foundations of our trust, our love, and our strength. Behind every mother, there's a will to nurture and protect, and when that sanctity is shattered, it affects us all."



In a long post, she also spoke about the sexual abuse she faced from her father.



"Some ask me what took me so long to speak about my father's abuse. I agree I should have spoken earlier. But what happened to me, was not a compromise to build my career. I was abused at the hands of the person who was suppose to provide me the strongest arms to hold me if I fell," she wrote.



Khushbu said she stands with all the women who have been through sexual abuse and harassment as a mother and as a woman.

 This moment of #MeToo prevailing in our industry breaks you. Kudos to the women who have stood their ground and emerged victorious.  The #HemaCommittee was much needed to break the abuse. But will it?



Abuse, asking for sexual favors, and expecting women to compromise to  KhushbuSundar (@khushsundar) August 28, 2024

"Those who sit in front of the camera and speak about women, especially women actors, and say they live without any dignity or succeed only because they compromise, are the ones who probably are masters in pimping or run a brothel house," Khushbu said in another tweet.

Those who sit in front of the camera and speak about women, especially women actors, and say they live without any dignity or succeed only because they compromise, are the ones who probably are masters in pimping or run a brothel house. Even when a sex worker goes into business,  KhushbuSundar (@khushsundar) August 27, 2024

In what is being hailed as the #MeToo moment in Mollywood, allegations have been levelled against several high-profile names, including director Ranjith and actors Siddique and Mukesh, in the wake of the Justice Hema Committee report on sexual exploitation in the Malayalam film industry.

The release of the report and the revelations that followed have led to people from other industries demanding such an audit in their industries as well.

Bollywood actor actor Swara Bhasker, in a social media post, said, "Are other language industries in India even talking about such things? Until we don't face the uncomfortable truths we all know exist all around us, the brunt of existing abuses of power will continue to be borne by those who are vulnerable..."


Kerala police have registered at least 17 cases over sexual assault allegations in the Malayalam film industry. This includes a rape case against actor Siddique based on a complaint lodged by a young actress.

In the complaint, the actress alleged that she was molested at hotel in Thiruvananthapuram in 2016. On Sunday, Siddique had resigned as AMMA Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) general secretary a day after she alleged that Siddique had sexually assaulted and locked her in a hotel room when she was 21.

The actress had said that she had opened up about the incident back in 2019 and that she has nothing to lose now as she has been denied opportunities in movies.

Another actress has also filed a complaint with the DGP against an unidentified actor who allegedly groped her during the shooting of a movie in 2013, reported Manorama News. Earlier, she denied unconfirmed reports that she was harassed by Jayasurya and urged media to not link the actor to her allegations. Her statement has been recorded by the SIT.

ALSO READ: Aashiq Abu slams B. Unnikrishnan's hypocrisy over FEFKA response to Hema Committee Report

The SIT will also record the statement of a third actress who lodged sexual misconduct complaints against seven men, including actors Jayasurya, Mukesh, Edavela Babu and Maniyanpilla Raju.

The investigation team has also recorded a confidential statement by a Bengali actress who filed a complaint against director Ranjith who she accused of misbehaviour. Ranjith had stepped down as the chairman of Kerala film academy following the allegations. Coastal AIG Poonkuzhali is likely to interrogate the director in connection with the complaint, reported Manorama News, citing sources.
Actor Akef Najem has taken to social media to express his regret over playing a negative character in Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life.

In an Instagram post, Najem admitted he had not read the script properly and the true message of the film and his character, and that he realised it fully only after he saw the film.

He dedicated his post to the people of Saudi Arabia, stating that he had accepted the role because of a desire to portray the country and its people in the best possible way but did not realise the negative implications that were attached to his character.

ALSO READ: 'Aadujeevitham' review

He says he was informed that the plot was about the hero, who gets lost in the desert for several days, and a gallant Saudi man comes to his rescue, and that was what drove him to agree to the role.

His apology comes after he received a huge backlash for his role, with one user criticising him for letting the Indians distort the image of Arabs.

ALSO READ: Jimmy Jean Louis on making his Indian debut in 'Aadujeevitham'

Written and directed by Blessy, Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life follows the real-life experience of Najeeb (Prithviraj) who goes to Saudi Arabia to provide for his family back home, but is instead forced into slavery as a goat herder in the desert for over three years.

Aadujeevitham, which was released in March 2024, grossed over Rs 160 crore worldwide, becoming the third highest grossing Malayalam film of all time.
Agra witnessed an unfortunate development when a 20-year-old engineering student from Lucknow reportedly stripped in public demanding the arrest of the man who allegedly raped her. The accused, 22, is an MTech student at the Jammu campus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), reports said.

ALSO READ | Kolkata rape: Did R G Kar ex-principal Sandip Ghosh call an 'influential doctor' on August 9?

The woman is pursuing BTech as an engineering student at a college affiliated with a central university in Agra. She decided to go ahead with the extreme form of protest as the accused was not arrested by the police even after 14 days, news reports said.

Following her decision to strip in public, the young woman was taken to a mental asylum and placed under observation for three days, Indian Express said in a report. However, the IIT student, who hails from UP's Ghazipurr, was arrested on Tuesday -- 17 days after the woman filed a complaint, the daily added.

ALSO READ | CCTV footage shows doctor attacked by patient in Andhra, head banged on steel frame

The complainant alleged that she was raped in a moving car by the MTech student on the evening of August 10. She filed a complaint with the UP Police the following day and a FIR was filed. However, the police allegedly made no effort to arrest the accused, since the accused was in Jammu at the time of the alleged rape, the daily said.

Police inaction led to survivor's protest

Hellbent on bringing the accused before the law, the woman visited police stations and met with senior officers many times, Indian Express reported. However, the UP Police's approach remained cold and the student, on Sunday, stripped in public in Agra, as a show of protest.

She undressed on an Agra street and shouted anti-police slogans before getting covered by two onlookers, who later took her to a mental clinic. After restricting her to the observation ward of the institution for three days and confirming she was mentally stable, her mother was notified and reportedly sent home.

Gross negligence?

Following the development, the man was summoned to UP and was found to have harassed the woman mentally and physically. It is also claimed that the woman had filed a complaint against the man in July -- before she was allegedly raped. The UP Police took no action against the youth back then due to the lack of evidence.
As protests over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata's R G Kar Hospital boils over, the BJP leaders have sharpened their claws at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, with party chief Nadda leading the attacks.

The BJP chief took a swipe at the Bengal chief minister on Tuesday, stating "in Didi's West Bengal, to help rapists and criminals is valued". His reaction comes as Kolkata police used force to disperse protesters who threw stones and bricks at security forces and attempted to topple barricades blocking their way to the state secretariat.



"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," Nadda said on X.



Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya too joined the tirade, calling Mamata a dictator. "If there is any dictator after Hitler in today's time, it is Mamata ji," the minister said. He alleged that there was a nexus between police, anti-social elements and politicians. "You must have seen that the rapist went on a motorcycle with a police emblem on it. He himself is a member of the social police there. Now tell me, if the person working in the police is a rapist, then how will women be safe? It is a matter of great shame that in that state where there is a woman Chief Minister, women are not safe," he added.



Union Minister Lalan Singh also questioned whether there was a government in West Bengal. "There is a climate of anarchy. The CM of the state is a woman. But when there is a demonstration against the violence against women, Mamata Banerjee as the Chief Minister, orders a lathi charge and tear gas on the protesters," he said.



The political slugfest between TMC and BJP also saw other senior leaders hitting out at Mamata. The ruling party alleges an attempt to politicise the issue by the BJP, alleging that the violence during the rally was sponsored by the BJP itself. Senior Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh said 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 a call for a bandh to foment disturbances," Ghosh told reporters.



The Congress too have sided with its INDIA bloc ally and the alleged bid to politicise the issue. stating it would not help anyone."We all know that the Bengal doctors rape case is very sensitive and now after the Supreme Court intervention, it has come to the CBI. We should all try to wait for the correct investigation to happen and the truth should come out. Politicising it for political gains is not going to help anybody," Congress MP Manickam Tagore said.


Chaos ensued in many parts of West Bengal on Wednesday after the 12-hour bandh called by the opposition BJP triggered violence and disrupted normal life. The 'Bangla Bandh', which began at 6 am, was called by the BJP in protest against police action on participants of 'Nabanna Abhijan' on Tuesday.

Though the general strike was partial in the state, normal life was hit after rail and public transport services faced disruptions. The BJP and TMC workers clashed in many places, with the former accusing the ruling party of unleashing violence.

The usual bustle was missing in Kolkata as many private vehicles kept off the roads. A smaller number of buses and auto-rickshaws plied on Wednesday morning, with some bus drivers seen wearing helmets in Cooch Behar and Kolkata to protect themselves.

Though schools and colleges were open, students opted to stay at home. In many private offices, attendance was low with employees asked to work from home. However, attendance was as usual in government offices.

The state government also issued a notification stating that 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.

BJP MLA says he was fired at

Senior BJP leader Priyangu Pandey on Wednesday claimed that people belonging to TMC attacked and fired on his car in the Bharpara area of North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. He alleged that bombs were thrown at his car and then 6-7 rounds were fired at his vehicle.

Pandey said he was en route to Arjun Singh's residence when a jetting machine from Bhatpara Municipality stopped his vehicle. "The moment our car stopped, around 50-60 people targeted the vehicle. Bombs were hurled at my car before the 6-7 round firing happened. This is a joint conspiracy of TMC and the police. They planned my murder. The police supported and gave them information. The incident happened after my security was withdrawn," he said.

BJP demonstrations, rail disruptions

The workers of BJP held demonstrations in many places, including Sealdah, Shyambazar, Burrabazar and Wipro. Senior leaders Rupa Ganguly and Locket Chatterjee were seen taking part in the demonstrations. Chatterjee was later detained by the Kolkata police.

The BJP workers were also seen disrupting rail traffic at 49 places, including Krishnanagar, Ranaghat, Murshidabad and Baharampur. Local train services, including Bandel-Howrah local, were also disrupted at Hooghly station. Local media also reported instances of violence between TMC and BJP workers in various places, including Balurghat and Malda.

While the blockades were lifted at most places, it was continuing in nine stations, mostly in the Sealdah South section, an Eastern Railway official told PTI.

TMC and BJP activists clashed in Malda, Barrackpore and Alipurduar over the blocking of a road. Police intervened to disperse the two groups.
The 12-hour general strike called by the BJP in West Bengal to protest against the police action on protesters during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally, began on Wednesday morning. Over 200 people were arrested on Tuesday after the rally triggered chaos and disruptions.

Videos from Kolkata showed vehicles keeping off the roads. Private buses did not ply while government buses were few and far between.



#WATCH | RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case | Howrah, West Bengal: 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' called by BJP to protest against the state government



The bandh has been called after the police used lathi charges and tear gas on protestors during Nabanna Abhiyan, pic.twitter.com/22MmAKJol2  ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2024 #WATCH | RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case | Kolkata, West Bengal: 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' called by BJP to protest against the state government



The bandh has been called after the police used lathi charge and tear gas on protestors during Nabanna Abhiyan, pic.twitter.com/9EMoX1yNfo  ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2024

The BJP workers were also seen disrupting rail traffic at Krishnanagar railway station. Similar shutdowns were seen at several other railway stations, including at Ranaghat, Murshidabad and Baharampur. Local train services, including Bandel-Howrah local, were also disrupted at Hooghly station. Local media also reported instances of violence between TMC and BJP workers in various places, including Balurghat and Malda.



The BJP workers had hit the road in the morning to make the bandh successful. BJP leader Agnimitra Paul was also seen reviewing the bandh call.



However, the West Bengal government urged people not to respond to the bandh call. "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.



The state also issued a notification stating that 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. The ruling party also hit back at the BJP, stating the bandh call was given as the chaos on the streets during Tuesday's march revealed the BJP was behind it. The march exposed its conspiracy to create political conspiracy in the state, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.

The 12-hour general strike called by the BJP in West Bengal to protest against the police action on protesters during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally, began on Wednesday morning. Over 200 people were arrested on Tuesday after the rally triggered chaos and disruptions.

Videos from Kolkata showed vehicles keeping off the roads. Private buses did not ply while government buses were few and far between.

The BJP workers were also seen disrupting rail traffic at Krishnanagar railway station. Similar shutdowns were seen at several other railway stations, including at Ranaghat, Murshidabad and Baharampur. Local train services, including Bandel-Howrah local, were also disrupted at Hooghly station. Local media also reported instances of violence between TMC and BJP workers in various places, including Balurghat and Malda.

The BJP workers had hit the road in the morning to make the bandh successful. BJP leader Agnimitra Paul was also seen reviewing the bandh call.

However, the West Bengal government urged people not to respond to the bandh call. "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.

The state also issued a notification stating that 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.

The ruling party also hit back at the BJP, stating the bandh call was given as the chaos on the streets during Tuesday's march revealed the BJP was behind it. The march exposed its conspiracy to create political conspiracy in the state, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.

The 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally had turned violent after police lathi-charged, and used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters who threw stones and bricks at security forces. Chaos erupted after the agitators tried to make their way through barricades to march towards the West Bengal secretariat Nabanna'.

Kolkata Police sources told PTI that 126 members and supporters of Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj, one of the organisers of the rally, were arrested. Out of them, 33 were women. According to the police, they had to use a water cannon and resort to a lathi charge 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.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee jointly advocated for strict and time-bound anti-rape legislation while addressing the foundation day rally of the partys students wing - Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) - in Kolkata on Wednesday.

It was the first time the top two leaders of West Bengals ruling party appeared on the stage since the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkatas RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

After facing intense pressure from all corners due to the heinous incident and the state governments apparent mishandling, the TMC supremo and her nephew took direct potshots at the BJP.

While the Diamond Harbour MP put pressure on the central government to bring a law in the Parliament that would expedite the trial and conviction of individuals found guilty of rape, the chief minister said she would enact such legislation through the state assembly.

Abhishek said, Shouldnt there be a strict ant-rape law in the country? Isnt it necessary to come up with a law which mandates that the trial be concluded within one or two months and those found guilty be convicted?

Addressing the oppositions demands for Mamata Banerjees resignation, Abhishek said, Those calling for the Chief Ministers resignation should urge PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP President JP Nadda to enact an anti-rape law in the country if have the power. He added that if such legislation is ever implemented, BJP leaders will be jailed first. Banerjee asserted that the TMC plans to stage a large-scale protest in New Delhi if the Centre fails to enact this law in the next three to four months.

If overnight demonetization can happen and lockdown can be implemented, why cant there be an anti-rape law? He further added that he will introduce a private members bill if the Centre doesnt take any steps.

Mamata Banerjee, meanwhile, dedicated the foundation day of her partys student wing to all victims and survivors of rape across India. She specifically mentioned the victim of RG Kar Medical College Hospital and also acknowledged recent incidents in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtras Badalpur, Assams Dhing, Rajasthans Jodhpur, and Manipur.

The chief minister advocated for a stringent anti-rape law. She announced her plans to convene a special assembly session, during which she intends to pass a bill that would impose capital punishment on convicted rapists.

We will then send the bill to the Governor. I know he will not do anything. If he doesnt then women will sit in front of Raj Bhavan. He will have to sign the bill. He cant escape responsibility by referring the bill to the President, the CM said.

In a veiled attack on the BJP over the release of Bilkis Banos rapists, who were later sent back to jail by the Supreme Court of India, Banerjee said, Many criminals are released nowadays. I receive many cases where individuals argue that 10-12 years have elapsed and they should be set free. But why should oppressors and rapists also be released? What is this rule?

Meanwhile, the Trinamool supremo once again raised the issue of misinformation and the circulation of AI-generated content on social media in the context of the RG Kar incident. She asked her party leaders and workers to effectively counter the fake news campaign run by the BJP.

Mamata Banerjee also criticized the decision of handing over the investigation of the rape and murder of the trainee doctor to CBI. I visited the victims family and asked them for 5 days time. The next day the investigation was given to the CBI. Its been 16 days since the CBI took charge. Where is justice? We have to continue the movement for justice.
The CBI team, probing the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at R G Kar Medical College Hospital, is monitoring the call details of former principal Sandip Ghosh and the initial probe hints that he made a long phone call to "someone influential" on the day the woman doctor was found dead.

Investigative agency sources told Anandbazar Patrika online that Ghosh called an 'influential' doctor close to the top level of the administration on August 9, the day the woman doctor's body was found. The CBI source added that Ghosh also called several other people, including health department officials, around 7 am.



Ghosh had told the CBI that he came to know about the murder only at 9 am. But, the investigating officials are probing why he made the calls long before that.



The detectives reportedly scrutinised one-month phone records of the principal. But, it did not reveal regular calls with doctors or health officials so early in the morning.



Meanwhile, the CBI subjected Ghosh to polygraph tests on Tuesday, the third day of subjecting him to a series of Deception Detection Tests (DDT). He underwent a layered voice test on Saturday which was followed by a polygraph test on Monday. The test on Monday could not be completed and resumed on Tuesday, CBI officials told PTI.



The layered voice analysis is a new deception detection test (DDT) in the forensic arsenal used to detect the speaker's reaction to a lie. Though it does not identify a lie, it can detect stress, cognitive processes, and emotional cues in different properties of the voice.



The ED also tightened its noose around Ghosh by filing a money laundering case in conenction with alleged financial irregularities at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital during his tenure as the principal.



The federal agency has taken cognisance of a CBI FIR to file its Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), equivalent to an FIR, under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).



The agency has reportedly gathered banking and medical procurement documents related to the hospital and medical college from "various sources". Ghosh may soon get a summons for questioning and recording of their statements, the sources said.
BAKU. Azerbaijan. August 28. The UK and Germany plan to complete talks on an agreement to expand defence cooperation this autumn, Trend reports.

This was stated in a statement by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during his visit to Berlin.

"The new agreement between the UK and Germany will be a key element in a wider restructuring of Britain's relationship with Europe, and the defence deal currently being negotiated between the two countries will be finalised in the autumn," the Prime Minister said.

It should be noted that on July 24, the Ministers of Defense of Great Britain and Germany, John Healey and Boris Pistorius, signed a declaration on military cooperation between London and Berlin. The declaration expresses the parties intention to strengthen cooperation in the development, production and supply of weapons. The Times later reported that the British government was discussing with Berlin the possibility of jointly developing missiles with a range of 3,200 km.

The British government department added that a wider agreement covering technology, energy, economic and environmental cooperation between the two countries could be concluded in the first half of 2025.
Even as the state-wide 12-hour shutdown called by the BJP, demanding the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the rape and murder of the doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, is underway, the CM claimed that if the state government had power, it would have ensured capital punishment for the accused within seven days.

#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal | BJP workers vandalise police barriers placed at MG Road during party's protest and 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' call pic.twitter.com/SARXMA27Rv  ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2024



Addressing a TMC students wing rally, the chief minister said they plan to launch a movement to seek capital punishment for the accused in the doctor's rape and murder case. We will pass an amendment to state laws in assembly next week and fix death by hanging to perpetrators of rape, she said.



We will send this bill to the governor. If he doesn't pass, we will sit outside Raj Bhavan. This bill must be passed and he cannot evade accountability this time."



Kolkata | West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee says, "We don't support this bandh....BJP never demanded the resignations of the CMs of UP, MP and even Manipur...We saw pictures from yesterday (Nabanna Abhiyan rally), I salute the police for handling the situation well." pic.twitter.com/IH6j50Sfpg  ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2024

"We have dedicated this day to the RG Kar doctor. We want justice but BJP today called for a bandh. They don't want justice, they are only trying to defame Bengal," the CM said.

She accused the BJP of plotting a conspiracy to derail the probe and claimed that the state-wide bandh is aimed at defaming Bengal.

The CM said it has been 16 days since the CBI took over the probe and asked where is justice.



She urged the agitating junior doctors to join work now and promised that no action will be initiated against them.
The Indian Medical Association on Wednesday suspended the membership of Dr Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of Kolkatas RG Kar medical college hospital, where a junior doctor was raped and murdered earlier this month.

Ghosh, who is the vice president of the association's Kolkata branch, is accused of negligence in reporting the rape-murder incident to the police and is also facing charges of corruption in a separate case.

The decision to suspend Ghosh was taken by the IMAs disciplinary committee, which suo-motu considered the rape and murder case of the postgraduate resident doctor and the subsequent developments at the RG Kar hospital.

IMA national president Dr R.V. Asokan and other officials of the association had met the victims parents at their home.

"They (the victim's family) had put up their grievances against you (Ghosh) in dealing with the situation as well as lack of empathy and sensitivity in handling the issue in an appropriate manner befitting the responsibility held by you in your dealings with them," the order said.

"The IMA Bengal state branch as well as certain associations' of doctors also have demanded action citing the nature of disrepute brought by you to the profession on the whole," it said.

The CBI, which is probing the case, has questioned Ghosh multiple times and also carried out an extensive search of his house in Kolkata.

The CBI team is also monitoring the call details of Ghosh and the initial probe hints that he made a long phone call to "someone influential" on the day the woman doctor was found dead.

Ghosh resigned from his post days after the incident, taking moral responsibility, but within hours the West Bengal government appointed him as the principal of Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital. The governments move sparked a fresh wave of protests, prompting the Calcutta High Court to intervene and send him on long leave.
Bangladesh's interim government Wednesday revoked a ban on the rightwing Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir, less than a month after it was outlawed by former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

"It (lifting the ban) will come under effect immediately," the Home Ministry said in a gazette notification, noting that there was no particular evidence against the organisation.

The erstwhile Awami League government led by Hasina had imposed a ban on Jamaat on August 1, 2024, accusing the Islamist party as a militant and terrorist organisation. The government blamed Jamaat's student wing for inciting chaos over a quota system for government jobs.

Welcoming the interim government's decision, Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Shafiqur Rahman, called for an end to the politics of hatred and division in Bangladesh.

"We want the politics of hatred to be buried... it shouldn't rise again. We want the politics of division to be buried, he told journalists.

Rahman said that Jamaat-e-Islami does not support the division of the nation over any issue, saying, In all cases, we want the nation to be united.

The ban on Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing, Chhatra Shibir, was a deliberate attempt to divert attention from the anti-government movement, he said.

The government notification said the ban under the Anti-Terrorism Act 2009 has been lifted as there was no particular evidence against the organisation. The government believed that Jamaat and its associate bodies, including its student front Chhatra Shibir, were not involved in terrorist activities and violence.

The decision, formally published in a gazette notification on Wednesday, represents a significant change from the decision taken by the erstwhile Awami League government earlier this month, just days before its ouster.

The development came a day after Attorney General Mohammad Asaduzzaman urged the High Court to summarily reject a writ petition seeking an order on the government to ban Hasina's Awami League as a political party and scrap its registration.

"The current (interim) government has no intention to ban any political organisation, the government's top law officer told a two-judge High Court bench, which set August 29 for its decision on the writ filed by one Sarda Society as a public interest litigation.

The interim government's law adviser, equivalent to a minister, Asif Nazrul on Wednesday told reporters he was opposed to the call for a ban on Awami League or any other political parties unless there was any strong evidence of their involvement in terrorist activities.

"Awami League is the party which led Bangladesh's independence movement and contributed to different democratic movements. (But) what they did in the past 15 years does not go with their heritage, the spirit of the Liberation War, Nazrul said.

He said the party had established the "most barbaric fascism" in Bangladesh's history for which someone might have individual or its leaders might have collective responsibility but I don't think it will be a wise decision to ban it as a political party.

Secretary General of ex-premier Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that anyone should be able to form an independent political party, that is the main goal of democracy.

"We are not in favour of banning any political party; any party and any individual has the right to form an independent party. But they must be on the side of freedom and sovereignty. Those who do not believe in freedom cannot be supported," he said at a media briefing on Tuesday.

No senior leader of the Awami League, which ran the country for the past 15 years, is seen in the public domain while several ministers of Hasina's cabinet were arrested, on the run or believed to have fled the country since the ouster of the regime.

The Jamaat opposed Bangladesh's 1971 independence from Pakistan and sided with the Pakistani troops during the Liberation War.

The Jamaat, founded in 1941 in undivided India, was first banned in 1972, the year Bangladesh framed its Constitution, which disbanded the functioning of any association, union or political party based on religion.

But the subsequent military government led by General Ziaur Rahman revoked the ban by issuing a martial law proclamation, which allowed Jamaat to refloat and years later became a crucial partner of the then prime minister Khaleda Zia's 2001-2006 four-party alliance government. Two senior Jamaat leaders were inducted into her cabinet.

The Jamaat remained active despite losing its registration and being barred from elections due to court rulings.
Amid deportation fears, Indian students protest against Canadian government's immigration policy.

Thousands of Indian students in Canada have took to streets to protest against the Canadian government's move to reduce the number of low-wage, temporary foreign workers in the country.

"The labour market has changed. Now is the time for our businesses to invest in Canadian workers and youth," stated Justin Trudeau on Tuesday.

Naujawan Support Network, a student advocacy group, said thousands of immigrant students could be deported once they graduate as their work permits would expire this year.

International students, including Indians, are holding rallies across provinces like British Columbia, Ontario, Manitoba and Prince Edward Island. Some of the provinces have cut Premanent Residency (PR) nominations by 25 per cent, stoking fears of deportation among international students. In Prince Edward Island, students set up camps outside the legislative assembly.

The Internationa Sikh Student Organization has slammed the claims that immigrants are responsible for the ongoing job and housing woes in the country, saying the issues are actually caused by the government's policy failures and not immigration.

Students have demanded that their work permits should be extended and proper policies for permanent residency.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on Tuesday rescued a 52-year-old hostage from a tunnel in Southern Gaza 326 days after he was kidnapped by Hamas militants. The hostage, identified as Farhan al-Qadi, is said to be healthy and in a stable medical condition.

The rescue occurred when Israeli special forces were raiding the network of tunnels in Gaza after receiving a tip-off. Al-Qadi was reportedly alone, with no sight of other hostages of Hamas militants. Though Al-Qadi is the eighth hostage to be rescued alive in Gaza by the Israeli military, he is the first one to be saved from inside the Hamass tunnel network underneath Gaza, the IDF told CNN.



Though the IDF did not publish details regarding the hostage rescue, citing security, IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari described the operation as "brave and complex" and based on precise intelligence.



Israeli media reported that either Hamas guards fled the area after getting a hint of an Israeli operation or al-Qadi managed to escape the captors but remained inside the tunnel. However, Al-Qadis brother Abu Mohammad told CNN that his captors had fled when they heard Israeli troops approaching the tunnels, saying his brother had heard Hebrew voices and shouted out to communicate his whereabouts.



The IDF also said that they believe al-Qadi was not inside this tunnel for the entire ten months of captivity and was moved around several times.



Meanwhile, another close relative of the rescued hostage said his brother had been shot in the leg before being kidnapped. Al-Qadis leg appeared poorly treated and was operated on without anaesthesia, he added.



Ata Abu Madighem, the former mayor of the Arab Bedouin city of Rahat in southern Israel, close to where Al-Qadi is from, told CNN he had visited Al-Qadi in hospital. He said Al-Qadi had told him another hostage died next to him at the beginning of his captivity. "He told me that captivity was brutal. Constant darkness, did not see the light of day. He was treated like the rest of the hostages, like an Israeli in every way," he said.



It was the fourth successful operation of its kind since October 7, but the first to have taken place underground.


Pakistan, that fake, artificial entity (I refuse to call it a country ), created by a British swindle called Partition in 1947 on the basis of the bogus two-nation theory, is disintegrating, as was inevitable.

After the secession of Bangladesh in 1971, Balochistan is on the way to seceding from Pakistan.

ALSO READ | OPINION: The truth about the Pakistan military

The process of secession has begun and is gaining momentum daily. Mentally the Balochs have already seceded en masse from Pakistan, because for decades terrible atrocities were committed on them by the Pakistan army, which brutally beat, murdered or 'disappeared' hundreds of thousands of Balochs.

Balochistan is rich in natural resources like gold, gas, oil and copper. These should have been used for the welfare of Balochs, but instead, they were taken away by ravenous Punjabi businessmen, who behaved like wolves, while the Balochs were kept in abject poverty. And now these resources have been handed over by the Pakistan government to the Chinese vultures

No wonder that the Balochs, who have created the Balochistan Liberation Army, are up in arms.

Even Baloch women, led by Mahrang Baloch have risen up in revolt, and they are out on the streets holding massive demonstrations

ALSO READ | OPINION: Pakistani generals destroying themselves

They have told the world what Pakistan has been doing in Balochistan.

Long live the Baloch people!

Long live the Balochistan Liberation Army!

Long live Mahrang Baloch and the brave women of Balochistan!

Justice Markandey Katju retired from the Supreme Court in 2011.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK.


Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who lost power on August 5 following month-long violent street protests in Bangladesh, formulated her foreign policy based on her instincts and perceptions rather than sound diplomatic analyses. On her team, there had been hardly anyone whom she could rely on, especially regarding her dealings with America. Her understanding of how things work in Washington came mostly from decades-old views prevalent in the region and her interactions with Americans and Bengalis living in the United States.

Among her senior advisers with knowledge of inner workings of the United States was Gowher Rizvi, who taught at Harvard, worked as an academic administrator at the University of Virginia and for the Ford Foundation in India. But he remained busy tending to Hasina's top foreign affairs priority  keeping India in good humour.

The prime minister appointed Rizvi her international affairs adviser to keep a direct link with India bypassing the foreign office where her wishes got buried in bureaucratic logjam. Before visiting New Delhi in 2010, Hasina asked him to open a separate channel to the giant neighbour. This prime ministerial channel was unknown to anyone in Bangladesh outside the prime minister's office. Bangladesh's foreign ministry was unaware of Rizvi's activities, as was the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.

As for the United States, Hasina remained suspicious of its intentions. She perceived America to be hostile to her. Her suspicion dated to her father's assassination in 1975 in a bloody coup. She believed deep down that Washington was involved in the killing of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh's founder. During a two-hour talk in 1991, she aired her views to then US ambassador William Milam. She was then opposition leader and wanted to improve her image with Americans. She asked Milam whether America would oppose her becoming Bangladesh's prime minister.

Milam wanted to discuss the presence of the US Peace Corps in Bangladesh, in light of a pending visit of the Peace Corps director, Paul Coverdell, to Dhaka. In 1978, a Peace Corps agreement was signed by the Ziaur Rahman government, but a Peace Corps programme was never created, because of the negative reaction of the opposition parties, including Hasina's Awami League.

Hasina avoided the Peace Corps issue. Instead, she asked whether America was against her, noting there were rumours in Bangladesh that Washington opposed her or her party's coming to power.

The envoy replied that America did not take sides among political parties in any country. America would work positively with any government elected by the people of Bangladesh. Milam felt irritated by Hasina's comment. He fumed there were small elements of her party and of the leftist parties with which the Awami League was aligned had a penchant toward a knee-jerk anti-Americanism.

She responded that there was still a feeling among some members of her party's cadre that the United States was somehow implicated in the assassination of her father. Hasina said she had taken a great risk when she visited the United States for the first time in the mid-1980s. She had been criticised loudly by many members of her party as well as other parties for doing business with Americans. She said the United States should have worked harder to rebut these allegations in the early years after they occurred.

She mentioned that in part the anti-American cast of some Awami League workers might also stem from Washington's perceived proclivity to work with anti-democratic forces, such as the previous regime in Bangladesh. Hasina continually threw the Ziaur Rahman government into the anti-democratic forces.

Towards the end of the meeting, the envoy suggested that if Hasina were to become prime minister America would work closely with her. When he said that she might be prime minister, she lifted her eyes to the ceiling and said, God help me, implying very strongly that she was perfectly prepared.

Hasina felt misled by US

There had been yet another event that caused Hasina to question US intentions towards her. Back in the mid-1980s, neither the Awami League nor the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, the two major opposition parties, wished to take part in an election or to do anything that might give legitimacy to the military regime of General H.M. Ershad, who assumed power in 1982. Ershad was mounting efforts to return to constitutional government under him.

The Unites States was interested in fostering constitutional government. So the US embassy in Dhaka urged all political parties to participate in the political process. Ambassador Howard Schaffer had a trusting relationship between the embassy and the government as well as the embassy and the opposition parties. Both the major opposition parties, however, thought the Americans were in Ershads camp.

In addition, the leader of the Awami League believed that the US government was particularly opposed to her party. Indeed, some times in her darker moments, Hasina felt that the assassination of her father in 1975 was in part due to our involvement, according to Schaffer, who was in Dhaka until 1987.

Still he managed to develop personal relationships with both Khaleda Zia, chief of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, and Hasina, leader of the Awami League. This helped him persuade them that the US government was not favouring Ershad, despite carrying on proper diplomatic contacts with him.

One of the things the envoy did to support a return to constitutional processes was to persuade the Awami League to participate in the parliamentary elections in 1986. Schaffer proceeded with this very quietly against the advice of his political counsellor, who thought that the ambassador was taking too active a role.

He never cleared his intentions with the State Department; he felt that, given the trust the Awami League had in him and his knowledge of the political situation in Bangladesh, he could quietly lobby for its participation in the elections. The Awami League did participate in the polls, although the BNP did not.

The 1986 elections were seriously marred by fraud, giving rise to a very interesting situation on election day. As election results began to come in from the districts to the Election Commission headquarters, early indications were that the opposition was doing very well. Then, all of a sudden, the commission suspended counting for 24 hours. When counting resumed, the tide turned in favour of the ruling party. Hasina angrily made public her partys displeasure.

Hasina expressed her dissatisfaction to Schaffer and asked him to do something about it. He could do nothing to get the election results changed. He urged her to make the best of it and to participate in parliament. After his departure, the Awami League withdrew from parliament. Hasina felt the United States had betrayed her.

Hasina's displeasure with America resurfaced many times since then. On September 29, 2005, she proposed a regional anti-American alliance during a meeting with India's opposition leader, L.K. Advani, in New Delhi. Hasina called for unity among India, Pakistan and Bangladesh so that they could effectively prevent the US from dictating policies of developing countries.

Since her release from prison in June 2008, however, Hasina had been uniformly positive and reflected her desire to forge strong ties with the United States before her return to power for the second time. She had been saying all the right things to America. When Hasina returned to power in 2009, things started to roll in different directions.

Soon after she began her second term, she faced a brutal rebellion by the paramilitary border guards, the Bangladesh Rifles. Her handling of the insurrection, which resulted in killings of many ranking military officers, generated a strong reaction within the military.

To ease the tension she announced massive initiatives to develop the military as a modern force and spelled out government plans to further expand the armed forces and increase the numbers of officers. She opened up the purse strings for military spending, making Bangladesh the second largest arms importers in Asia after India.

On January 30, 2014, judges sentenced to death 14 people, including Motiur Rahman Nizami, a leader of the theocratic Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party and former cabinet member under Khaleda Zia. He had been accused of smuggling arms to the United Liberation Front of Assam, a separatist outfit seeking to turn the northeastern Indian state into a sovereign nation through an armed struggle, in 2004. Nizami was also sentenced for crimes committed during Bangladesh's independence war in 1971. He was among the several top pro-Islamic leaders condemned to death for war-related atrocities.

These death sentences were part of the governments bid to maintain Indias support for the Awami League. Hasina was dismayed by the prominence of Islamist groups in providing educational and social safety nets for the poor. Bangladesh's acute political violence and a dysfunctional political system gave a disproportionate influence to Islamist groups allied to the BNP. She felt it was time to crush the pro-BNP theocratic parties. In these efforts, she had a strong backer, India, which had been on its toes because of what it believed to a rise in Islamic extremism.

New Delhi, which regarded the BNP as anti-Indian and pro-Chinese, was backing Hasina against international and domestic criticism. China did not want to strain relations with Bangladesh. It had also accepted the Awami League administration as legitimate.

The United States, however, had been applying concerted pressure on Hasina. In 2014, at a U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Nisha Desai Biswal, the assistant secretary of state, reiterated Washingtons call for new elections in Bangladesh. Biswal depicted the United States as worried about the plight of garment workers. Hasina dismissed Washington's concerns as political moves intended to punish her.

Washington had no concern for garment workers or democracy. As Biswal indicated in her speech, Bangladesh was of strategic importance to the United States. Washington wanted to undermine Dhakas economic, trade and defence relations with China, as part the Obama administrations rebalancing to Asia to isolate and militarily encircle China.

Bangla-US relations turned really sour after 2009. Ambassador Dan Mozena told reporters in Dhaka: The US interaction with the sitting government is not business as usual. This was exacerbated by Washingtons efforts to exploit the turmoil for its own purposes as it sought to curb Chinas influence in the region.

World Bank, Padma Bridge saga

Added to all this was the Padma Bridge loan controversy. Bangladesh had been working for years to build a bridge over the river Padma to link Dhaka with the southern part of the country. The World Bank had agreed to lend $2 billion toward its construction. When Hasina was busy with her fight against Grameen Bank chief Muhammad Yunus, now de facto prime minister of Bangladesh, the World Bank cancelled the loan, alleging a bribery scandal involving her family members.

Hasina said Yunus influenced the bank. He (Yunus) and the editor of a renowned newspaper in our country went to meet the World Bank president, she told parliament. The World Bank stopped funding the Padma Bridge after all of them, including America's foreign secretary Hillary Clinton, lobbied for it. Both Yunus and editor Mafuz Anam of The Daily Star denied the charge.

Hasina might be justified in her belief that Washington opposed her. In February 2019, a bipartisan group of six influential US congressmen asked the Trump administration to address threats to democracy in Bangladesh. They urged Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to take action. Earlier, a top Pentagon commander said Hasina is trying to achieve a de-facto one-party rule.

Washington considered Bangladesh strategically important. US Indo-Pacific Command chief Admiral Philip S. Davidson told a House Armed Services Committee on February 12, 2019: Military-to-military engagement with Bangladesh fits into a broader strategy and commitment to uphold an international, rules-based order in the vital Indo-Pacific region and contributes to building a regional security framework.

The lingering suspicion of the US role in Mujib's assassination, coupled with continual pressure on Hasina to accommodate the BNP and Washington's support for Yunus, convinced the prime minister that America remained intrinsically hostile to her. She bowed to the US diktat during her initial years as Bangladesh's ruler, but since India put its weight behind her defying Washington, Hasina felt safe enough to ignore America.

(This is an excerpt from B.Z. Khasru's upcoming book, One Eleven, Minus Two, Prime Minister Hasina's War on Yunus and America, which will be published shortly by Rupa Publications, New Delhi. A US-based journalist, Khasru is the author of Myths and Facts Bangladesh Liberation War: How India, US, China and USSR Shaped the Outcome, and The Bangladesh Military Coup and the CIA Link.)
Jaipur, Aug 28 (PTI) The first road show ahead of the proposed Rajasthan global investor conference will be held in Mumbai on August 30, in which Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma will participate.

This investor summit will be held in Jaipur from December 9-11.

The website of 'Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit 2024' will also be launched in the road show in Mumbai on August 30, according to a an official release.

Sharma, Industry Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and many top state government officials will also be present in the Mumbai roadshow.

During the road show -- being organised in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) -- the Chief Minister will meet industry leaders and agreements and MoUs are expected to be signed, as per the statement.

The state government is also going to organise road shows in Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia, the UK, and Germany in the next two months, it said.
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 28: Following its resounding successful launch in India, which was celebrated in Delhi, 818 Tequila, the award-winning tequila brand founded by Kendall Jenner, is thrilled to announce its official launch in Mumbai. This expansion marks a significant milestone in the brand's journey as it continues to captivate tequila enthusiasts across the country.



Since its debut in India, 818 Tequila has garnered widespread acclaim for its commitment to quality, sustainability, and its smooth, sophisticated flavor profile. The brand's arrival in Mumbai is set to elevate the citys vibrant nightlife and beverage scene, offering residents and visitors a premium tequila experience like no other.



818 Tequila's entrance into the Mumbai market is part of a broader strategy to establish the brand as a leading choice for tequila lovers in India. The brand has already seen a positive reception in other major cities, and its arrival in Mumbai is expected to further solidify its presence in the country.



"We are incredibly excited to bring 818 Tequila to Mumbai," said Harsh Tuli, CEO of Berry Beverages, who are the official distributors of 818 Tequila in India "Mumbai is a city known for its energy, diversity, and appreciation for luxury, making it the perfect market for 818.



To celebrate the launch, 818 Tequila will be available at select premium bars, restaurants, and retail outlets across Mumbai.



About 818 Tequila



818 Tequila is a premium tequila brand founded by Kendall Jenner, offering a range of expertly crafted tequilas made from 100% Weber Blue Agave. Committed to sustainability and social responsibility, 818 Tequila prides itself on its environmentally friendly production methods and partnerships with local communities. The brand's tequila is known for its smooth taste, versatility, and award-winning quality.



About Berry Beverages



Berry Beverages, is an exclusive alcohol import and distribution company, owned by Sahir Berry, that has also previously brought in global brands like Clase Azul Tequila to India.



Phone Number - +91 99535 87799



Info@berrybeverages.in



(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PNN and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR

PWR
New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) The government on Wednesday expanded the scope of Rs 1 lakh crore-Agricultural Infrastructure Fund (AIF) scheme to make it more attractive, as part of its objective to strengthen farm-related infrastructure facilities in the country.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the "progressive expansion in central sector scheme of financing facility under the AIF to make it more attractive, impactful and inclusive", an official statement said.

In a significant move to enhance and strengthen the agricultural infrastructure in the country and support the farming community, the government has announced a series of measures to expand the scope of the AIF scheme.

"These initiatives aim at expanding the scope of eligible projects and integrate additional supportive measures to foster a robust agricultural infrastructure ecosystem," it added.

The government has allowed all eligible beneficiaries of the scheme for creation of infrastructure covered under 'viable projects for building community farming assets'.

This move is expected to facilitate the development of viable projects that will enhance community farming capabilities, thereby improving productivity and sustainability in the sector, it added.

The Centre has decided to include integrated primary secondary processing projects in the list of eligible activities under the AIF. However standalone secondary projects would not be eligible and would be covered under schemes launched by the food processing ministry.

The government has also allowed the convergence of Component-A of PM-KUSUM with AIF for farmers/group of farmers/farmer producer organizations/ cooperatives/ panchayats.

The alignment of these initiatives aims to promote sustainable clean energy solutions alongside the development of agricultural infrastructure.

In addition to CGTMSE (Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises), the government has proposed to extend AIF credit guarantee coverage of FPOs through the NABSanrakshan Trustee Company Pvt Ltd also.

This expansion of credit guarantee options is intended to enhance the financial security and creditworthiness of FPOs, thereby encouraging more investments in agricultural infrastructure projects, the statement said.

Since its launch by the Prime Minister in 2020, the AIF scheme has been instrumental in supporting creation of 6,623 warehouses, 688 cold stores and 21 silos projects, resulting in additional storage capacity of about 500 lakh tonnes in the country.

This includes 465 lakh tonnes of dry storage and 35 lakh tonnes of cold storage capacity.

With this additional storage capacity 18.6 lakh tonnes of food grains and 3.44 lakh tonnes of horticulture produce can be saved annually.

"Rs 47,575 crore has been sanctioned for 74,508 projects under AIF till date. These sanctioned projects have mobilized an investment of Rs 78,596 crore in the agriculture sector, out of which Rs 78,433 crore has been mobilised from private entities," the statement said.

In addition, infrastructure projects sanctioned under AIF have helped in generating more than 8.19 lakh rural employment opportunities in the agriculture sector.

"The expansion in the scope of the AIF scheme is poised to further drive growth, improve productivity, enhance farm incomes and contribute to the overall sustainability of agriculture in the country," the statement said.

These measures also underscore the government's commitment to strengthening the agricultural sector through holistic development of farm infrastructure in the country, it added.
GMT Watch Safari (day 5). For over two decades, the Grand Prix dHorlogerie de Geneve (GPHG) has been rewarding the finest watchmaking achievements of the year. A guided tour of the exhibition of the 90 pre-selected timepieces and an introductory watchmaking workshop await for day 5 of the first GMT Watch Safari

This week-long immersion in the heart of Switzerlands finest watch manufactures takes place from 27 October to 1 November 2024. Join us on Watch Safari!

To mark its 24th anniversary, GMT Magazine is offering 24 watch enthusiasts an unprecedented week-long adventure from Geneva to Schaffhausen, via Neuchatel and the Vallee de Joux. Participants will enjoy exclusive access to the workshops and manufactures where exceptional timepieces are born. Heres a sneak peek of Day 5, where participants will be able to visit the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Geneve exhibition and take part in an introductory watchmaking workshop, before enjoying a surprise cocktail reception and closing dinner in Geneva's Old Town.

Watchmaking culture

Often referred to as the "Oscars of watchmaking", the GPHG has earned an international reputation in the global horological landscape. Every year since 2001, this esteemed event has recognized and celebrated the finest watchmaking achievements as well as the people who bring vitality and creativity to the industry. The GPHG's traveling exhibition showcases the year's top 90 watches across 15 categories, culminating in the highly anticipated awards ceremony in Geneva on November 13, 2024. Among the awards is the coveted Grand Prix de l'Aiguille d'Or.

Participants of the GMT Watch Safari will be among the first in Geneva to discover the GPHG exhibition at the Musee Rath  a unique opportunity to admire the year's finest creations, displayed in a bold and original scenography.

GPHG 2023 exhibition  GPHG

In the wheels of time

For those who dream of exploring the beating heart of these mechanical marvels, the GPHG is offering an introductory watchmaking workshop with lEcole dHorlogerie de Geneve. This hands-on session will challenge you to assemble the components of a simple calibre - no easy task, but extremely instructive for anyone with a passion for watchmaking. Places are limited and only the first to register will be able to take part in this workshop.

If youd like to join the GMT Watch Safari, from 27 October to 1 November 2024, you can sign up here!
Islamabad, Aug 28 (PTI) Traders across Pakistan observed a nationwide strike on Wednesday to register their anger against the reforms that aimed to widen the tax net in the cash-strapped country.

The strike was held on the call of Markazi Tanzeem-e-Tajran Pakistan and All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajran, the two leading associations of the trading community, against the Tajir Dost Scheme introduced by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in March this year.

The FBR had launched the scheme to bring traders and wholesalers into the formal tax structure as required by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The higher cost of living and tax hikes have triggered widespread discontent and drawn protests.

The strike is aimed at forcing the government to reverse the recent hikes in the controversial tax that followed the recent talks with the IMF, which wants to see Pakistan broaden its tax base.

The rightwing Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) also joined the strike to press for its demand to reduce the prices of electricity in the country while supporting the traders demands.

Responding to the call, traders shut their shops and businesses in various parts of the country, including the major cities of Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Quetta and Peshawar. Rallies in various cities were also held.

JI Karachi chief Monem Zafar told the media that the Tajir Dost Scheme (trader-friendly scheme) was a Tajir Dushman scheme (traders enemy scheme).

The people do not accept this (taxes) and we once again demand that the politicians stop using delay tactics and giving lollipops to the traders and the business community, Zafar said.

Dawn News reported FBR chief Rashid Mahmood as saying after a meeting with traders on Tuesday that his department was willing to resolve legitimate issues raised during the meeting. We are ready to make amendments to the SRO to address their concerns, he said.

However, he emphasised the FBR would not withdraw the Tajir Dost Scheme, which aims to bring the retail sector under the tax net.

The FBR chief hinted at setting up a market-level review mechanism with representation from tax officers and traders to ensure that no shopkeepers face unfair tax rates.

Under the scheme, tax rates will be collected from shopkeepers in 42 cities across the country at a fixed rate of Rs100 to Rs20,000 per month, based on the fair market value of their stores.

The July deal was Pakistan's latest turn to the global lender for help in propping up its economy and dealing with its debts through big bailouts. Earlier this year, the IMF approved the immediate release of the final USD 1.1 billion tranche of a USD 3 billion bailout to Pakistan.
New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) Western cinema, as British actor Daniel Caltagirone sees it, is "dying", and Indians films are on the verge of supplanting Hollywood, which seems to have lost its way in the surge of streamers.

The actor plays the antagonist Lord Clement in Pa Ranjith's Tamil period drama "Thangalaan", fronted by Vikram in the title role.

Caltagirone, whose Hollywood film credits include the Oscar winning title "The Pianist", "Legionnaire", "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider  The Cradle of Life", and "The Fall", said he feels "privileged" to make his Indian cinema debut at a time when stars like Deepika Padukone are presenting at the Academy Awards.

"There is a shift. Western cinema is dying... Something is happening, I don't know what it is. I don't know if it is because of streaming, but I urge people to not abandon cinema... Indian cinema is having an effect globally...

"Indian cinema is exciting, colourful, fun, and passionate. There is amazing old-school storytelling. It just throws you in whereas we have lost something in the West. It's become dull, it's become sort of too self-reflective. Indian filmmaking... you are one step away, you are so close to superseding Hollywood. Big Indian stars like Deepika... They are now presenting at the Oscars... This is unreal," he told PTI in an interview.

This is not his first time working with an Indian filmmaker.

He previously worked with filmmaker Shekhar Kapur in 2002's "The Four Feathers" and India-born American director Tarsem Singh in 2006's "The Fall".

Calling Ranjith, known for hard-hitting social dramas like "Madras", "Kaala" and "Sarpatta Parambarai", a social commentator, Caltagirone said his education about Indian cinema is "just starting".

Asked if there was any Indian director he would like to work with, the actor said he wouldn't mind working with "RRR" filmmaker SS Rajamouli.

"If S S Rajamouli decides he is going to do something different in terms of the British representation..." he said, referring to the cliched bad guy roles for the British characters in "RRR".

When it comes to potential co-stars, Caltagirone said he would like to reunite with his "Thangalaan" colleague Vikram.

"We had this crazy understanding (on set). He could be 200 meters away and he would look at me like that (and I would know what to do)... He is one of the few actors in my life who I can trust... I know how exactly he is going to go when he is going to swing a punch at me. We had this trust with each other," he added.

After its worldwide release on August 15, "Thangalaan" is set for its North Indian premiere in Hindi on September 6. It also stars Malavika Mohanan and Parvathy Thiruvothu.
Chennai, Aug 28 (PTI) Actor-politician Khushbu Sundar on Wednesday said the Kerala government-appointed Justice K Hema Committee was "much needed" to break the abuse faced by female professionals in Malayalam cinema and urged women not to compromise and the men to speak up for victims of sexual harassment.

The "MeToo" moment prevailing in "our industry breaks you," the senior actor said in a post on 'X.'



"Kudos to the women who have stood their ground and emerged victorious. The #HemaCommittee was much needed to break the abuse. But will it?," the BJP leader added.



The Justice Hema Committee was constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case and its report revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry. It has revealed exploitation and abuse of women, leading to many women actors coming out with allegations of harassment at the hands of their male counterparts and other men in the cinema industry.



"Abuse, asking for sexual favours, and expecting women to compromise to gain a foothold or accelerate their careers exist in every field. Why is a woman alone expected to go through the grind? Although men too face it, it's marginally women who bear the brunt," Sundar said.



The fear of being shamed, victim blaming, and questions like "why did you do it" or "What made you do it" break the woman.



"The victim might be a stranger to you or me, but she needs our support, an ear to listen, and emotional backing from us all. When questioning why she didnt come out earlier, we need to consider her circumstances  not everyone is privileged to speak out," she said.



"To all the men out there, I implore you to stand by the victim and show your unwavering support," she added.
Jerusalem, Aug 28 (AP) Israel launched raids across the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, where its forces killed at least nine Palestinians and sealed off the volatile city of Jenin, according to Palestinian officials.

Israel has carried out near-daily raids across the West Bank since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack out of Gaza triggered the ongoing war there.

Palestinian militant groups said they were exchanging fire with the Israeli military. The governor of Jenin, Kamal Abu al-Rub, said on Palestinian radio that Israeli forces had surrounded the city, blocking exit and entry points and access to hospitals, and ripping up infrastructure in the camp.

The Israeli military confirmed it was operating in the West Bank cities of Jenin and Tulkarem but did not provide further details.

Over 600 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli fire since the war in Gaza began over 10 months ago, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Most have died during such raids, which often trigger gunbattles with militants.

Israel says the operations are required to dismantle Hamas and other militant groups and to prevent attacks on Israelis, which have also risen since the start of the war.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said seven people were killed early Wednesday in Tubas, another West Bank city, and another two in Jenin. The ministry identified the two killed in Jenin as Qassam Jabarin, 25, and Asem Balout, 39.

Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three for a future state.

Israel has built scores of settlements across the West Bank, which are home to over 500,000 Jewish settlers. They have Israeli citizenship, while the 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank live under Israeli military rule, with the Palestinian Authority exercising limited control over population centers. (AP)

NSA

NSA
Tokyo, Aug 28 (AP) Japan was preparing for powerful typhoon as it slowly approached the country's southwest at a bicycle speed, threatening to bring heavy rains and strong winds and causing airlines to cancel flights and train operators to delay or suspend services through the weekend.

Typhoon Shanshan was at about 120 kilometers (75 miles) south of the southern island of Yakushima on Wednesday morning as it headed north toward Kyushu, packing winds of up to 180 kilometers (112 miles) per hour, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The agency said the typhoon is expected to reach southern Kyushu and possibly make landfall Thursday, and issued a high-level warning against violent winds, high waves and heavy rain for the Kagoshima prefecture.

Disaster Management Minister Yoshifumi Matsumura, at a taskforce meeting Wednesday, urged residents in Shanshan's predicted path to take precautionary measures early, such as by checking their nearest shelters, to save their own lives. Matsumura urged residents, especially older adults, not to hesitate and take shelter whenever there is any safety concern. The government also canceled its annual earthquake drills Sunday to free up disaster response resources.

So far, no damage nor injuries have been reported from the typhoon.

Dozens of domestic flights connecting southwestern cities and islands will be canceled through Friday. Japan Railway companies said most bullet trains and local train services were operating normally Wednesday, but many on Kyushu would be suspended Thursday. Similar steps may be taken on the main island of Honshu through Sunday.

Postal and delivery services have been also suspended in the Kyushu region, and supermarkets and other stores announced plans to close early.

The JMA forecast up to 600 millimeters (23.6 inches) of rainfall on southern Kyushu over 24 hours. (AP)



NSA

NSA
Jena (Germany), Aug 28 (AP) When electrical engineer Preetam Gaikwad first moved to Jena in 2013, she was smitten by what the eastern German city had to offer: a prestigious university, top research institutions, and cutting-edge technology companies, global leaders in their field.

Eleven years later, the Indian native takes a more sober view.

I'm really worried about the development of the political situation here, Gaikwad, 43 said. Jena is in the eastern German state of Thuringia, which has elections on September 1.

The far-right Alternative for Germany party, or AfD, is currently leading the polls with about 30 per cent support, far ahead of the centre-right Christian Democrats (21 per cent) and the centre-left Social Democrats of Chancellor Olaf Scholz (7 per cent).

The AfD's anti-foreigner stance is the cornerstone of its campaign, raising concern among businesses like Jenoptik, Gaikwad's employer. The company, which supplied lens assemblies for Perseverance, the NASA remote vehicle on Mars, employs 1,680 people in Jena and more than 4,600 globally.

Jenoptik, one of the few internationally successful businesses in Jena,depends on being able to attract and retain a highly skilled workforce, much of it from outside Germany. The rise of the AfD is making that more difficult, says Jenoptik CEO Stefan Traeger.

More and more prospective employees tell Traeger that while they would love to work for Jenoptik, they won't take a job there because they don't want to live in a state dominated by a hard-right party that ostracizes migrants or other minorities such as members of the LGBTQI+ community.

Traeger, a Jena native who studied in the US, told the AP he hopes that after the election we will still be as open, free and democratic a country as we are now. That's what we need in order to move the company forward. (AP) AMS PY

PY
Al-Faraa Refugee Camp (West Bank), Aug 28 (AP) Israel launched a large-scale military operation in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, where its forces killed at least nine Palestinians and sealed off the volatile city of Jenin, according to Palestinian officials.

Israel has carried out near-daily raids across the West Bank since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack out of Gaza triggered the ongoing war there.

Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesman, said that large forces had entered the volatile city of Jenin, which has long been a militant stronghold, as well as Tulkarem and the Al-Faraa refugee camp dating back to the 1948 Mideast war, all in the northern West Bank.

He said the nine dead were all militants, including three killed in an airstrike in Tulkarem and another four in an airstrike in Al-Faraa. He said another five suspected militants were arrested, and that the raids were the first stage of an even larger operation aimed at preventing attacks on Israeli civilians.

Palestinian militant groups said they were exchanging fire with the Israeli military. The governor of Jenin, Kamal Abu al-Rub, said on Palestinian radio that Israeli forces had surrounded the city, blocking exit and entry points and access to hospitals, and ripping up infrastructure in the camp.

The Palestinian Health Ministry in the West Bank said Israeli forces had blocked the roads leading to a hospital with dirt barriers and surrounded other medical facilities in Jenin. Shoshani said the military was trying to prevent militants from taking shelter in hospitals.

An Associated Press reporter saw army vehicles blocking all the entrances to Al-Faraa camp. Military jeeps and bulldozers entered the camp and soldiers could be seen patrolling its alleyways by foot. Water leaked onto the damaged streets from houses where fighting had damaged tanks and pipes. Shots rang out every few minutes.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz drew comparisons with Gaza and called for similar measures in the West Bank.

We must deal with the threat just as we deal with the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza, including the temporary evacuation of Palestinian residents and whatever steps might be required. This is a war in every respect, and we must win it," he wrote on the platform X.

Shoshani said there was no plan to evacuate civilians.

Hamas called on Palestinians in the West Bank to rise up, saying the raids are part of a larger plan to expand the war in Gaza and blaming the escalation on U.S. support for Israel. The militant group called on security forces loyal to the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, which cooperate with Israel, to join the sacred battle of our people."

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, condemned the raids as a serious escalation and called on the United States to intervene, according to the official Palestinian news agency.

At least 652 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli fire since the war in Gaza began over 10 months ago, according to the Palestinian ministry. Most have died during such raids, which often trigger gunbattles with militants.

Israel says the operations are required to dismantle Hamas and other militant groups and to prevent attacks on Israelis, which have also risen since the start of the war.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said the bodies of seven people were brought to the hospital in Tubas, another West Bank city, and another two were brought to the hospital in Jenin. The ministry identified two killed in Jenin as Qassam Jabarin, 25, and Asem Balout, 39.

Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three for a future state.

Israel has built scores of settlements across the West Bank, which are home to over 500,000 Jewish settlers. They have Israeli citizenship, while the 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank live under Israeli military rule, with the Palestinian Authority exercising limited control over population centers.

The war in Gaza erupted on Oct. 7, when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel and rampaged through army bases and farming communities, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250. The militants are still holding some 110 hostages, around a third of whom are believed to be dead, after most of the rest were released during a November cease-fire.

Israel responded with an offensive that has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many were militants. Around 90% of Gaza's population has been displaced, often multiple times, and Israeli bombardment and ground operations have caused vast destruction.

Israeli strikes in Gaza overnight and into Wednesday killed at least 16 people, including five women and three children. Most of the strikes were in or near the southern city of Khan Younis, which has come under heavy bombardment over the last two months. Associated Press reporters at two hospitals confirmed the toll.

The U.S., Qatar and Egypt have spent months trying to mediate a cease-fire that would see the remaining hostages released. But the talks have repeatedly bogged down as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed total victory over Hamas and the militant group has demanded a lasting cease-fire and a full withdrawal from the territory.

There was no sign of a breakthrough after days of talks in Egypt, and the negotiations move to Qatar this week. (AP) AMS
Geneva, Aug 28 (AP) Switzerland's federal criminal court on Wednesday convicted two top managers of a Saudi oil company on charges including fraud and money laundering in a vast scam that swiped at least USD 1.8 billion from a Malaysian state-owned investment fund.

PetroSaudi executive Tarek Obaid, a Saudi-Swiss dual national, received a seven-year sentence and British-Swiss associate Patrick Mahony was handed a six-year sentence from the Federal Criminal Court in southern Bellinzona, officials said.

Swiss prosecutors had requested a 10-year prison sentence for Obaid and nine years for Mahony. The court also ordered them to pay $2 billion, plus interest, to the 1 Malaysia Development Berhad, or 1MDB, sovereign wealth fund, and other fees, officials said.

Over a six-year span starting in 2009, the executives and an adviser to Malaysia's then-Prime Minister Najib Razak hatched a joint venture with 1MDB built in part around false claims that PetroSaudi had access to oil fields in Argentina and Turkmenistan  leading the fund to pour money into the project.

During the trial, prosecutor Alice de Chambrier denounced the fraud of the century and said the executives were calculating and arrogant manipulators, with no scruples, and obscenely greedy", Swiss newspaper Le Temps quoted her as saying during the proceedings in April.

Defence lawyers denied the charges and had sought acquittals. It was not immediately clear whether their clients planned to appeal.

The 1MDB scandal and cover-up attempts upended the Malaysian government at the time. Najib suffered a stunning defeat in 2018 elections and began serving a jail term in 2022 for graft. He allegedly reaped over $700 million.

The scandal also sent ripples through Hollywood, where some of the stolen money financed lavish parties, a superyacht, premium real estate and even the 2013 film The Wolf of Wall Street.

Obaid used some of the money to donate USD 7 million to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota in honour of his parents, Swiss prosecutors said. (AP) PY

PY
Islamabad, Aug 28 (PTI) Pakistan's election commission has summoned the leaders of several political parties to appear before it on September 4 over their failure to allocate at least five per cent of the party tickets to women candidates in the February 8 general elections, a media report said on Wednesday.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued notices to heads of Jamat-e-Islami (JI), Awami National Party (ANP), Balochistan National Party (BNP), Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), and 10 other parties for not adhering to the legal requirement, The Express Tribune newspaper reported.

Political parties in Pakistan are mandated to field a minimum of five per cent of women candidates for general seats in the National Assembly and provincial assemblies under Section 206 of the Election Act.

The party leaders have been asked to appear before the ECP on September 4 to address the issue, the report said.

The February 8 elections were marred by allegations of widespread rigging mainly by jailed former prime minister Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

Independent candidates  a majority backed by Khans PTI party  won 93 of the 265 National Assembly seats that were contested. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won 75 seats while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) came third with 54 seats.

On March 4, Shehbaz Sharif took the oath as Prime Minister of Pakistan, assuming the cash-strapped country's reins for a second time after he agreed on a power-sharing deal to form a coalition government with Bilawal Bhutto Zardaris PPP and other smaller parties.

Besides the PPP, Shehbaz was backed by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League (Q), Balochistan Awami Party, Pakistan Muslim League (Z), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party and the National Party.

Shehbaz earlier served as prime minister of a coalition government from April 2022 to August 2023.
Kathmandu, Aug 28 (PTI) Nepal's Parliament Speaker Dev Raj Ghimire Wednesday certified the Transitional Justice (TJ) Bill that seeks to amend the contentious legislation to address the enforced disappearances allegedly perpetrated by state forces that occurred in the Himalayan nation during the 1996-2006 civil war.

According to sources, the Speaker certified the Commission of Investigation on the Enforced Disappeared Persons and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act (third amendment) Bill, 2081.

The bill has been endorsed by both houses of the Parliament. The House of Representatives passed it on August 14 and it was followed by the endorsement by the National Assembly on August 22.

Now, the bill would be sent to the President for authentication before it becomes legally validated for implementation.

Nepal underwent a civil war from 1996 to 2006, during which gross human rights violations were reported to be committed on a widespread and systematic scale by all parties involved, including extrajudicial killings, sexual violence and torture. In particular, the widespread practice of enforced disappearances of persons taken under control or arrested by the State forces was documented, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

At least 17,000 people were killed, including security personnel, during the insurgency.

A three-party panel, formed to sort out the differences over the amendment to the Enforced Disappearances Enquiry, Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act, submitted its report to top leaders on August 14.

After a stalemate on the issues for nearly two decades, three major parties - Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist Centre - had formed a task force comprising Ramesh Lekhak from NC, Janardan Sharma from Maoist Centre and Mahesh Bartaula from UML to sort out the differences.

On August 1, the panel reached an agreement on contentious issues, clearing the way for the federal Parliament to endorse the much-awaited bill.
GMT Watch Safari (Day 4). An integrated manufacture with rare capacity in balance springs, Schaffhausen's enfant terrible has grown into a creative powerhouse and has its sights set on new horizons

A fitting end to a week of behind-the-scenes visits to manufactures, for the first GMT Watch Safari.

In celebration of its 24th anniversary, GMT Magazine is hosting 24 watch enthusiasts for an unforgettable week-long experience that will take them from Geneva to Schaffhausen, from Neuchatel to Vallee de Joux. Highlights include curated visits to the workshops and manufactures that are the birthplaces of the most exceptional timepieces. Read on for a preview of Day 4 at H. Moser & Cie. and the big reveal of the limited edition of 24 watches for GMT's 24 years. Fresh from Biel/Bienne and a morning spent at Omega, participants will be greeted by CEO Edouard Meylan who will later join them for dinner. The next day, it's back to Geneva for a viewing of the 90 shortlisted watches at the 2024 GPHG  which will almost certainly include models by H. Moser & Cie., already a multiple winner.

Traditional spiral with Breguet terminal curve  H. Moser & Cie.

Anyone expecting to see silver-haired watchmakers hunched over benches at H. Moser & Cie. is in for a surprise. With an average age of 27, the production team (around two-thirds of the one hundred-strong workforce) is on a par with the brand's management: young and dynamic! Since taking the reins in 2012, the Meylan family has catapulted H. Moser & Cie. to a different plane and is getting ready to move up yet another level.

At the H. Moser & Cie. manufacture with Edouard Meylan and Brice Lechevalier  H. Moser & Cie.

Start to finish

The watchmakers at H. Moser & Cie. are proud and happy to be doing the thing they love most, and their enthusiasm is contagious. Chief Executive Edouard Meylan has nothing but respect and praise for these talented men and women: "The production team are all highly reactive individuals who focus on solutions, not problems. It's one of our strengths. We're remarkably efficient and can release a new model in the space of a few months, thanks to this agility and mindset." Participants will discover the entire process behind the conception and production of a H. Moser & Cie. watch, from the R&D division through to prototyping, never losing sight of the founder's visionary strategy and values: creative thinking, the desire for excellence and a talent for initiative. Edouard Meylan insists on the rare depth of the manufacture's savoir-faire, which extends from movement development to manufacturing balance springs. The twenty-some in-house movements run the gamut of horological beauty, from a three-hander to a tourbillon to a minute repeater, equipping more than 4,000 watches a year. Is it any wonder that other brands come to H. Moser & Cie. for their balance springs and escapements?

At the H. Moser & Cie. manufacture with Edouard Meylan and Brice Lechevalier  H. Moser & Cie.

King of the balance spring

Following the integration, in 2012, of Precision Engineering AG, H. Moser & Cie. has positioned itself as a strategic industrial unit with the capacity to develop, produce and assemble every component in a modular escapement - pallet levers, balance wheels, escape wheels and balance springs  in large runs or as a one-off. Its capacity for innovation in ferromagnetic and paramagnetic alloys for balance springs has proved decisive, given the complexity of formulating, shaping and integrating these materials into movements. In addition to its innovative double balance spring, H. Moser & Cie. has produced the world's smallest and largest balance springs, as well as every size in between, in conical, cylindrical and spherical form, and in alloys including niobium-titanium. Always ahead of the curve when it comes to escapements, modular in particular, the work of the R&D division is the hidden part of the iceberg because the thing that first grabs you about a H. Moser & Cie. watch is its powerful design and gorgeous dial.

Cylindrical spiral  H. Moser & Cie.

Success among collectors, and anyone with an eye for a beautifully crafted object, has resulted in impressive growth these past few years. So much so, in fact, that the brand's management is considering relocating to a space commensurate with this fabulous expansion. Says Edouard Meylan, "we're beginning to outgrow our facilities and would like to build a temple to the brand in Schaffhausen."

On Thursday October 31, 2024, he will welcome GMT Watch Safari participants and show them the latest limited edition: a GMT model, in a collection that doesn't yet include this function, with a unique dial, plus indices and hands not yet seen in this collection, produced as a 24-piece series for GMT's 24th anniversary. Later that evening, in Schaffhausen's picturesque old town, participants will enjoy dinner in his company: the ultimate immersive, exclusive experience! And with them from start to finish will be the founder of GMT Magazine, also the creator of the Watch Safari and author of these lines.

At the H. Moser & Cie. manufacture with Edouard Meylan and Brice Lechevalier  H. Moser & Cie.

Information and registration at www.watch-safari.ch
Caracas, Aug 28 (AP) Opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro took to the streets Wednesday in an attempt to revive protests against him as he tightens his grip on power following last month's disputed election.

The demonstration in the capital, Caracas, comes exactly a month after the fraught July 28 vote in which Maduro was declared the winner despite strong evidence that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez won by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, which drew international condemnation that the vote lacked transparency.

In weeks of on-again, off-again demonstrations, the opposition's rallying cry has been constant but so far ineffective. Opponents have demanded that officials publish results from each polling station that they say would expose Maduro's attempts to steal the election.

Voting records kill sentence, is how the opposition billed the latest protest, referring to the thousands of tally sheets it collected and posted online that contradict a recent sentence written by the loyalist Supreme Court certifying Maduro's purported victory.

Wednesday's protest was smaller than previous demonstrations. Tiny groups of Venezuelans also gathered in other Latin America capitals.

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who along with Gonzalez went into hiding following the election, re-emerged to attend Wednesday's rally, waving a Venezuelan flag and hugging small children from the back of a truck as supporters shouted Freedom!

Banned from running against Maduro, the conservative politician crisscrossed the nation for weeks to help elect Gonzalez, a previously unknown former diplomat.

Acknowledging the steep challenge of forcing Maduro from power, Machado said the movement she leads will be strategic about calling for additional demonstrations. But she said the international pressure on Maduro is unlikely to cease any time soon and pointed out that not a single Western democracy has recognised what she called Maduro's fraud.

Those who say the passage of time favours Maduro are wrong, Machado said to throngs of supporters who filled an avenue in Caracas. Every day he's more isolated, more toxic."

Not to be outdone, Maduro's supporters also planned to hold rallies Wednesday, vowing to defend Maduro's victory against what they claim is an attempt to sow unrest throughout the South American country.

Amid the ongoing crisis, Maduro has leaned heavily on security forces to preserve his power. On Tuesday, he appointed a hard-line ruling party boss as interior minister, with oversight of police forces. Diosdado Cabello has vowed to show no mercy against government opponents.

Cabello's appointment stoked fears that a crackdown that has already led to more than 2,000 arrests  of journalists, politicians and students  is likely to intensify.

The arrests featured prominently at a special meeting Wednesday of the Organization of American States in Washington to discuss a report on human rights violations by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

The commission condemns unequivocally practices of institutional violence in the context of the electoral process in Venezuela, Roberta Clarke, a lawyer from Barbados and member of the commission, said at the meeting. Democracy and the rule of law must be restored.

The commission called on Venezuelan authorities to cease all actions that generate terror in the population  including arbitrary detentions and the use of violence by non-state actors loyal to Maduro  and respect the popular will of Venezuelans for democratic change.

The Venezuela crisis has reached a new nadir, Ambassador Frank Mora, the US representative to the OAS, said at the meeting. The situation in Venezuela demands our urgent attention and our collective action." (AP) GSP
United Nations, Aug 28 (AP) Britain circulated a wide-ranging United Nations resolution on Myanmar urging renewed peace efforts, condemning attacks on civilians  especially by the Myanmar military  and calling for a halt to illicit arms transfers.

The draft resolution obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press expresses alarm at the increased violence across Myanmar, which is engulfed in civil war between the military-led regime and resistance forces.

It calls for safe, rapid, and unhindered humanitarian access at scale," expressing grave concern at the deteriorating humanitarian situation and restrictions on humanitarian access in the country that led to rising food insecurity and hunger.

The proposed resolution warns that the current situation has the potential to further exacerbate discrimination, ethnically motivated violence, violations of international humanitarian law, human rights abuses, and conflict-related sexual violence.

Myanmar's military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, 2021. It was the day Parliament was to reconvene following November 2020 elections, which her National League for Democracy party won overwhelmingly  an outcome the military claims without evidence was based on fraud. Suu Kyi and party members remain under arrest.

The takeover was met with massive public opposition, which has since turned into armed resistance and civil war.

The military regime now faces its greatest challenge from the ethnic minority militias and people's defense forces who support the main opposition and have captured wide swaths of territory in fierce fighting in recent months.

The draft resolution stresses the central role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the 10-country bloc whose 2021 peace plan has so far been rejected by Myanmar's generals. It calls for an immediate end to the violence and dialogue among contending parties brokered through an ASEAN envoy.

The draft resolution urges renewed efforts by the ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar, Alounkeo Kittikhoun, and new U.N. special envoy, Julie Bishop, to engage all relevant stakeholders to seek a peaceful, inclusive solution to the crisis in Myanmar.

Security Council negotiations on the draft resolution are expected to be tough.

The 15-member council approved its first-ever resolution on Myanmar in December 2022 by a vote of 12-0 with three abstentions  Russia, China and India, who all have ties to the Myanmar regime. India's two-year term on the council ended that month, but Russia and China are veto-wielding permanent members of the council.

The proposed draft demands full implementation of the December 2022 resolution, which demanded an immediate end to violence in the Southeast Asian nation and urged its military rulers to release all arbitrarily detained prisoners, including Suu Kyi, and to restore democratic institutions.

It also called for the country's opposing parties to pursue dialogue and reconciliation and urged all sides to respect human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law. (AP)



AMS
Mumbai, Aug 27 (PTI) A 55-year-old jeweller who approached Mumbai Police for registering a theft case against his 27-year-old woman domestic help was booked on the charge of sexual assault after the victim disclosed her ordeal during questioning, an official said on Tuesday.

The investigation into the theft allegations took a dramatic turn when the woman disclosed that she was raped by the jeweller on multiple occasions.

The jeweller, accompanied by his wife, approached the police on Saturday claiming his domestic help had stolen Rs 15,000, leading to the registration of a case under section 306 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the woman who was taken into custody.

The woman initially admitted to stealing the money. She, however, broke down during questioning and disclosed the details of repeated rape by the jeweller. She claimed that the assaults occurred in the jeweller's bedroom, often in the absence of his wife, the police official said.

The woman, who is married, stated that she had been working at the jeweller's residence since February 2024. She stated the jeweller would frequently molest her, taking advantage of situations when she was alone, the official said.

"The house help initially thought the touches were accidental, but in late June, the accused touched her inappropriately and expressed that he 'liked her'," an investigating officer said.

The woman also narrated how the jeweller threatened her whenever she confronted him, claiming that no one would believe her because she was just a servant. Despite her fear of losing her job and not being able to find another, she mustered the courage to tell him that she would report his behaviour to his wife. The threats, however, continued, the officer added.

The situation escalated on July 7 afternoon when the jeweller's wife left home to walk their dog.

The jeweller allegedly grabbed her in the kitchen and dragged her into the bedroom where he sexually assaulted her. She sustained injuries and her clothes were torn. The accused reportedly threatened her with dire consequences if she disclosed the incident, the officer added.

On July 18, the jeweller allegedly raped her again after his wife left the house. He threatened to kill her husband and their child if she disclosed the incident, he said.

To keep the matter under wraps, the jeweller began offering her money, which she refused. On one occasion, he even forced a gold locket into her bag after returning from an out-of-town trip.

The woman has been sent for medical examination. A senior police officer confirmed that a case has been registered against the jeweller under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including rape, assault, and criminal intimidation.

"The process of arresting the accused is underway, and we are conducting a thorough investigation into the matter," the officer said.
Mumbai, Aug 28 (PTI) No arrest should be made in a routine manner on mere allegation of offence and it would be prudent for the police to first check its genuineness, the Bombay High Court has said, holding as illegal the arrest of a Thane-based journalist in an extortion case.



A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Shyam Chandak, in its judgment of August 22, directed the Maharashtra government to pay a compensation of Rs 25,000 to journalist Abhijit Padale, saying his right to liberty was deprived after he was kept in jail for three days.

The court has also asked the Mumbai police chief to initiate a probe into the conduct of cops from the citys Vakola police station who arrested the journalist.

Padale had in his plea sought HC to declare his arrest and detention in the case as illegal as the police had not first issued him a notice under section 41A of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

Under section 41A, the police may issue notice to a person accused in a case to record his/her statement and the person shall not be arrested until the police are of the opinion that arrest is a must.

The high court in its order said the offences against Padale were punishable with an imprisonment of less than seven years and as such notice under Section 41A ought to have been served on him.

The bench noted that the notice was prepared by the police but not served.

Existence of the notice under section 41A is sufficient to presume that the arrest of the petitioner was not at all warranted, HC said.

The court said the arrest of Padale was in stark violation of the mandates of the CrPC.

The existence of the power to arrest is one thing, the justification for the exercise of it is quite another, the high court said, adding that police officers must be able to justify the reasons for the arrest.

No arrest can be made in a routine manner on a mere allegation of commission of an offence made against a person. It would be prudent and wise for a police officer that no arrest is made without a reasonable satisfaction reached after some investigation as to the genuineness of the allegation, HC said.

The court said the action of the state must be right, just and fair but in the present case, all these three cautions have been ignored.

The high court said Padales arrest was not legal and his right to liberty was deprived.

Therefore, a departmental enquiry is essential, the HC said directing the Mumbai police commissioner to appoint a deputy police commissioner-rank official to probe into the arrest and the conduct of the cops from Vakola police station.



The bench also directed the Maharashtra government to pay compensation of Rs 25,000 to Padale within ten weeks. The amount shall be "recovered from the police officer/s who are ultimately found responsible for Padale's arrest", it said.

The Vakola police registered an FIR against Padale on a complaint by one Mohammad Siddique on January 15, 2022, under sections 384 (extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

Padale was arrested the same day and produced before a magistrates court the next day.

The magistrates court noted that Padale was arrested without following the guidelines of the notice under section 41A of CrPC and remanded him in judicial custody.

Padale then filed a bail plea which was heard only on January 18 and he was granted bail then.

The journalist also sought a compensation of Rs 5 crore from the police for his illegal detention for three days from January 15, 2022, to January 18, 2022.
Mumbai, Aug 28 (PTI) Following are the top stories from the Western Region at 1700 HRS.













BOM4 GJ-RAINS

* Rains claim 9 more lives in Gujarat, flood-like scene in many areas; PM holds talks with CM





Ahmedabad: Rain-related incidents claimed nine more lives in Gujarat, taking the death toll to 16 in two days, while another 8,500 people were relocated and rescued from flood-affected areas with rains continuing to lash some parts of the state for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday, officials said. *















BOM17 GJ-RAINS-VADODARA

* Gujarat rains: Parts of Vadodara city remain flooded for 2nd day, Army called in





Vadodara: With many parts of Gujarat's Vadodara city remaining inundated on the second consecutive day, the situation is "alarming" and the Army has been called in to carry out relief and rescue work, the state government said on Wednesday. *





BOM14 MH-SHIVAJI STATUE-LD CLASH

* Sena (UBT), Narayan Rane supporters clash at Shivaji Maharaj statue collapse site





Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) workers and supporters of BJP MP Narayan Rane clashed on Wednesday at a fort in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra where the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had collapsed. *

















BOM11 MH-SHIVAJI STATUE-UDDHAV

* Corruption has peaked under Mahayuti govt: Uddhav on Shivaji Maharaj statue collapse







Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday hit out at the Eknath Shinde-led government over the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue, alleging that corruption has peaked under the Mahayuti dispensation. *















BOM2 MH-ASARAM-HOSPITAL

* Asaram brought to hospital near Mumbai for treatment of heart-related ailment





Mumbai: Self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, who is serving a life sentence in Jodhpur Central Jail for raping a minor, has been brought to a medical facility at Khopoli in Maharashtra's Raigad district for treatment of a heart-related ailment, officials said on Wednesday. *

















BOM12 MH-DESHMUKH-FADNAVIS

* Criminals do not fear police in Maharashtra under Fadnavis: Anil Deshmukh





Mumbai: Senior NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh on Wednesday alleged that the law and order situation has worsened in Maharashtra under the watch of home minister Devendra Fadnavis, claiming that criminals do not fear the police anymore. *

















BOM15 GA-HC-AAP LEADER

* Mercedes car crash: HC relief for Goa AAP leader Amit Palekar in bail violation case





Panaji: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday set aside the order of a lower court which had cancelled the bail of Aam Aadmi Party's Goa unit president Amit Palekar in connection with a 2023 road accident that killed three persons. *















BOM5 MP-COWS-RIVER

* Video shows group of persons throwing cows into MP river; four booked





Satna (MP): A video of several cows being thrown into a swollen river in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh by a group of persons has gone viral on social media, prompting the police to register a case against four men. **
Ahmedabad, Aug 28 (PTI) Amid heavy rains in Gujarat, the Indian Coast Guard has rescued 13 fishermen on board a boat adrift in the Arabian Sea off the coast in the states Devbhumi Dwarka district, the maritime security agency said on Wednesday.



Acting on an SOS message from the owner of the fishing boat Padmawati on Tuesday, the ICG deployed its advanced light helicopter (ALH) and a ship for their rescue, it said in a statement.

The vessel was around 15 km from Dwaraka and had suffered a machinery breakdown due to rough weather and inclement sea conditions off the coast, it said.

The ICG, as First Responder At Sea, immediately deployed an ALH helicopter to take stock of the situation. Meanwhile, ICG ship Abheek was diverted for the rescue operations, despite adverse weather and very rough sea conditions, it said.

In a nightlong operation, the ship towed the boat amid hostile weather conditions and brought it to Okha safely on Wednesday morning. All 13 crew members were safe, said the statement.

Multiple agencies have been engaged to carry out rescue and relief operations after heavy rains battered several parts of Gujarat, creating flood-like situations and leaving thousands stranded.

The state government has been allocated six Army columns for rescue operations, while 14 platoons of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRD) and 22 SDRF platoons have been deployed for disaster management efforts.

Additionally, the Navy and Coast Guard have joined in the rescue and relief operations, according to the state government.

The states Saurashtra region has experienced heavy to very heavy rains in the last 24 hours, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting extremely heavy rains at isolated places on Thursday as well.
Durg, Aug 28 (PTI) A 32-year-old constable of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service weapon in Chhattisgarh's Durg district, police said on Wednesday.

The incident took place on Tuesday night when constable Manoj Kumar, a native of Haryana, was on security duty at the gate of the SSB zonal headquarters in the Newai area of Bhilai town, an official said.

He shot himself with an INSAS rifle. On hearing the gunshot, his colleagues rushed to the spot and found him seriously injured, he said.

Kumar was immediately rushed to a private hospital in Bhilai where doctors declared him dead, he added.

The border guarding force constable was posted in the Antagarh area of Naxalite-hit Kanker district and shifted to the zonal headquarters for general duty, the official informed.

After the post-mortem examination, his body was sent to his native place on Wednesday, he said.

No suicide note was found and an investigation is underway to ascertain the exact reason that prompted him to take the extreme step, he added.

The SSB is deployed in Kanker for anti-Naxal operations.
Latur (Maharashtra), Aug 28 (PTI) Nationalist Congress Party chief and Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday asserted that his party is secular and follows the ideology of social reformers Dr B R Ambedkar, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj.

Pawar, who is part of the ruling coalition along with the BJP and Shiv Sena, was speaking at Ahmedpur during his party's Jan Sanman Yatra, an outreach campaign ahead of assembly elections in the state.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj established the Hindavi Swarajya' by uniting all communities, he said. <br>"The NCP follows the ideologies of Shahu, Phule and Ambedkar. We are a secular party, ensuring justice for everyone while governing. Our government is working to prevent any injustice, ensuring that no one is harassed unfairly or discriminated against based on their caste," Pawar added.<br>The Ladki Bahin' scheme of the state government for women will not be discontinued after elections, he averred.

The scheme will continue indefinitely, said Pawar who also holds the finance portfolio.



If a state government aligns with the central government's thinking, the state receives more funding, leading to its development, said Ajit who split away from his uncle and NCP founder Sharad Pawar last year to join the ruling coalition.

He also asked people never to believe the Opposition's "propaganda" that the NDA government at the Centre planned to change the Constitution.

The state government is serious about women's safety and will enforce stringent laws to ensure severe punishment for offenders, he said in the wake of the shocking incident of sexual abuse of two kindergarten girls at a school in Badlapur.

Meanwhile, some protesters shouted slogans in support of the Maratha reservation demand at the event, and were detained by police.
Kolkata, Aug 28 (PTI) Demanding enactment of stricter anti-rape laws by the Centre, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said he will move a private member's bill in the Lok Sabha.

The TMC national general secretary said that if the Centre "fails" to enact a stricter law that would ensure quick trial and sentencing of those found guilty, he will lead protests in Delhi.

"Our only demand is stricter anti-rape legislation," the TMC MP said, addressing a Trinamool Congress students' wing rally on its foundation day, here.

He said that the TMC will take to the streets if the Centre does not enact a new law to ensure a time-bound trial and sentencing of the accused found guilty of rape charges.

"If the central government does not enact this law, I will move a private member's bill for the new law," he said.

Banerjee said that the TMC was demanding justice and quick trial and sentencing in the rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor in R G Kar Medical College and Hospital.

He said that if this government could impose lockdown or notebandi in a day, why cannot they introduce stricter anti-rape laws.

The TMC leader said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had herself said that the probe into the rape-murder of the postgraduate trainee doctor would be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation if the Kolkata Police could not deliver within a specified period, but the agency has not been able to deliver so far despite being handed over the case by the Calcutta High Court on August 13.

Abhishek Banerjee claimed that the CBI has "failed" to bring to book the criminals in the probes it was already holding in the state, starting from the theft of the Nobel medal of Rabindranath Tagore in 2004.

He asked why the CBI has not been able to arrest Sandip Ghosh, who was the principal of R G Kar Medical College when the rape-murder took place on August 9.

Ghosh has been called to the CBI office for questioning for 11 consecutive days till Tuesday.

Banerjee claimed that the BJP workers had indulged in violence in the name of protests on Tuesday.

He claimed that the people of Bengal rejected the BJP's bandh call, maintaining that the TMCP rally had a record turnout on Wednesday.

"Do we have to learn about women's security from BJP?" he asked, stating that the Chief Minister of Manipur, in whose state several incidents of atrocities on women took place, should resign.

He also pointed to alleged incidents of atrocities on women at Unnao and Hathras in Uttar Pradesh, stating, "Those who are seeking the resignation of Mamata Banerjee, should ask for Yogi Adityanath's resignation.

Banerjee urged the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad leadership to ensure that in the next student body elections in the colleges in the state, 55 per cent seats be reserved for women candidates.
Aizawl, Aug 28 (PTI) The Mizoram government has ordered the closure of schools in four districts on Wednesday due to heavy rain, officials said.

District administrations of Aizawl, Lunglei, Hnahthial and Mamit have issued separate public notices on Wednesday stating that all schools will remain closed as a precautionary measure due to inclement weather conditions and torrential rain in the districts.

A notice issued by the Aizawl district administration also said that landslides, mudslides and rock falls have been witnessed in several areas within Aizawl town and its surrounding villages and there is still the possibility of such incidents in certain areas within the district.

Last week, schools were closed for five consecutive days in Aizawl and Kolasib districts and for a few days in south Mizoram's Siaha district due to heavy rain.

The northeastern state has been experiencing torrential rainfall since August 20 resulting in landslides and landslips in several places.

Officials said that landslides have occurred on certain crucial roads in Aizawl and other parts of the state due to heavy rain on Wednesday. The roads are being cleared, they said.

No casualty has not been reported so far in such incidents, they said.

At least 42 people have been killed in landslides and other natural calamities across the state since March this year, according to the state disaster management and rehabilitation department.
Vacheron Constantin unveils a new Metiers dArt series and a stunning tribute to the sixth sign of the Chinese Zodiac

A few months ahead of the upcoming Chinese New Year  the year of the snake that begins on January 29, 2025  Vacheron Constantin has unveiled its Metiers dArt The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac  Year of the Snake.

Launched to coincide with VCs participation at Watches & Wonders Shanghai, these two remarkable 25-piece limited editions  one in 18K rose gold, the other in 950 platinum  feature grand feu enamel dials adorned with 18K gold hand-engraved, hand-painted appliques of a majestic cobra arching its neck upon a rock.

Metiers dArt The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac  Year of the Snake  Vacheron Constantin

Apertures at the corners of the dial display hours, minutes, day of the week and date, all powered by the in-house automatic Calibre 2460 G4, on show through the display back.

A New Cycle Begins

For the past 12 years, Vacheron Constantin has devoted two limited series each year to a sign of the Chinese zodiac. With that cycle now complete, the company is beginning a fresh series  Metiers dArt The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac  the first instalment of which is based on the figure of the snake. Symbolising wisdom and renewal, this reptile  the sixth sign of the Chinese zodiac  is believed to bring good luck and prosperity.

The snake symbolising wisdom and renewal  Vacheron Constantin

The two Year of the Snake limited editions bring to the fore the talents of the artisans in Vacheron Constantins engraving and enamelling ateliers. Three days of painstaking work are needed to engrave the snake and the rock in 18K gold, of which the texture and relief are enhanced by miniature painting. On the rose gold edition of the watch, the cobra and rock are ochre-coloured, while on the platinum model they are anthracite grey.

Ochre-coloured snake  Vacheron Constantin

The appliques rest on a dial base made from gradient grand feu enamel, complemented by a foliage motif in flux-coated opaque enamel. This intricate process involves applying enamel powder with a fine brush and firing the dial at temperatures up to 850C, repeatedly, to achieve the desired hues.

Dial base made from gradient grand feu enamel  Vacheron Constantin

A Canvas for Artistic Expression

The colours chosen for the indicators in the four apertures harmonise with the surrounding enamel tones. The manufacture Calibre 2460 G4, introduced in 2005, powers these indications and its unique peripheral disc display allows the dial to become a canvas for the maisons artisans.

Manufacture Calibre 2460 G4  Vacheron Constantin

Turn the watch over, and you can admire the guilloche-decorated 22K gold oscillating weight and the movement components, all finished to Geneva Seal standards.

Guilloche-decorated 22K gold oscillating weight and the movement components  Vacheron Constantin

Art Meets Wearability

Despite their artistic focus, these timepieces are highly wearable. Both the 18K 5N rose gold and 950 platinum cases measure just 40mm in diameter and 12.72mm in height. The case profile is kept clean with buttons set into the caseband for adjusting the indications, operated by a corrector pen included with each watch.

The watches are paired with a Mississippiensis alligator leather strap  brown for the rose gold edition and blue for the platinum model  secured with a half Maltese cross-shaped clasp in the same material as the case.

Metiers dArt The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac  Year of the Snake  Vacheron Constantin

Historic Ties to the East

Watches & Wonders Shanghai 2024, held from August 28 to September 1, is the perfect stage for Vacheron Constantin to showcase its historic ties with China since the companys founding in 1755. The Metiers dArt The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac  Year of the Snake is the latest expression of this rich heritage.

Metiers dArt The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac  Year of the Snake  Vacheron Constantin

Our archives tell us that Vacheron Constantin very early on felt the need to explore Asian countries and establish commercial contacts, particularly with China, as early as the mid-19th century, says Christian Selmoni, Vacheron Constantin Style and Heritage Director.

According to watchmaking historian Alfred Chapuis, the manufacture established the jewellery watch on the Chinese market with models often sold in pairs, designed to withstand humidity and adorned with magnificent engraved, enamelled and gem-set decorations.

Metiers dArt The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac  Year of the Snake  Vacheron Constantin

In 1846, Vacheron Constantin sent 33 pairs of watches to Canton [now known as Guangzhou] in order to assess business opportunities in China. Over the generations, we have continued to create watches influenced by Chinese culture.

The two 25-piece limited editions of the Metiers dArt The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac  Year of the Snake are available exclusively through Vacheron Constantin boutiques. For more details, visit the companys website.
Araria, Aug 28 (PTI) Bihar Police arrested three more persons in connection with the brutal torture of a man by a group of people in Araria district after being caught on suspicion of theft, an official statement said on Wednesday.

A video of the incident, showing a group of people pulling down the man's pants, ruthlessly assaulting him and pouring chilli powder on his private parts, went viral on social media on Monday.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Araria district police described the act as "inhuman" and arrested three more persons in connection with the incident. Police on Tuesday had arrested two persons, both residents of Araria district.

"Three more persons have been arrested by the police. A total of five persons have so far been arrested by police in connection with the case", said the statement.

Police have also appealed to people not to share such videos of inhuman acts on social media platforms as it hurts the self-respect of a human being.

The district police should be immediately informed by people about such videos. Further sharing of such videos on social media is a crime and police will initiate action against those also who indulge in sharing such videos on social media platforms, said the statement.

"The video shows the victim with his hands tied and pants down. He was taken hostage and brutally assaulted by a group of people. A man pours chilli powder on his private parts...," said a local police officer on the condition of anonymity.

"The district police registered a case and verified the authenticity of the video and an investigation was launched and five people have been arrested in connection with the case. Police are also trying to nab other accused involved in the case," said the statement.
New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Wednesday slammed Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his "will not let 'Miya' Muslims take over the

state" remark, saying his comment was "pure communal venom" and silence was not the answer to such a statement.

Asserting that he would take sides, Sarma on Tuesday said he would not let 'Miya' Muslims "take over" Assam.

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 gangrape of a 14-year-old girl in Nagaon.

Reacting to the remarks, Sibal said on X, "Himanta (Assam CM): 'Will take sides. Will not let Miya Muslims take over all of Assam'. My take: Pure communal venom. Actionable. Silence not an answer."

'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.
New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) Amid uproar over the rape of a doctor in West Bengal, Union minister Annapurna Devi has said the situation of women in the state has been "deteriorating" and slammed the Mamata Banerjee government for failing to implement central government schemes such as fast track courts and emergency helplines to deal with crimes against women.

It is ironic that it is the only state in the country that has a woman chief minister and still the situation of women in the state is deteriorating, Women and Child Development minister Devi told PTI.

"There are states like West Bengal where we are trying to get the central government schemes implemented but it is not happening. There are central government schemes, such as fast track special courts and POCSO courts, that have been established to deal with crimes against women and children but the state (West Bengal) is lagging behind in it," Devi said.

"We are sponsoring the scheme so you don't have to spend money but the state has to implement it. We have been giving suggestions to the state to implement schemes related to women and children," she added.

Devi said the fast track special courts (FTSCs), which were allocated to West Bengal, are yet to become operational in the state.

"There are 752 fast-track special courts (FTSCs), including 409 exclusive POCSO Courts, functioning across 30 States and Union Territories and they have disposed of over 2,53,000 cases since the scheme began. West Bengal was allocated 123 FTSCs under this scheme, with 20 dedicated POCSO Courts and 103 combined FTSCs handling both rape and POCSO Act cases. However, none of these courts had become operational," she said.

The WCD minister also pulled up the state for failing to implement key emergency helplines -- the Women Helpline (WHL), Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) and Child Helpline. She said these services are vital for providing immediate support to victims of violence but have not been implemented in West Bengal despite repeated reminders from the Centre.

The minister's comments come amid massive protests in West Bengal following the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

The BJP has called for a 12-hour shutdown in the state on Wednesday, protesting police action against demonstrators during a march to the state secretariat.

Devi also spoke on the upcoming nutrition month, which is celebrated annually in the month of September. This year's celebration will be focused on the central government initiative, 'Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi' (PBPB), which was launched to improve the capacity of anganwadi workers to provide early childhood care and education, nutrition, and services to children under six years old.

The minister added that under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign, the anganwadis across the country have been advised to carry out a plantation drive.

The 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 5 to mark World Environment Day, under which some 140 crore trees will be planted across the country.
Lucknow, Aug 28 (PTI) A former Indian Army personnel from Uttar Pradeshs Hapur district has been convicted and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment by an NIA special court here in a Pakistan-operated espionage case.

As per investigations, Saurabh Sharma, formerly a signalman in the Indian Army, was lured into the spying racket by a pseudonymous entity operated by Defence/ISI agents of Pakistan, said an official statement issued by the NIA on Wednesday.

He had shared restricted and confidential secret information about the Indian Army with this pseudo entity, Neha Sharma, the statement said.

The leaked information included sensitive details pertaining to Indian military installations, it said.

"Sharma had received funds from multiple sources, including Pakistani sources, and also from the charge sheeted co-accused, Anas Yakub Giteli, in exchange of the secret, sensitive information," the NIA said.

Sharma has been given varying sentences, with a maximum jail term of five years, along with fines under different sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Official Secrets Act, it said, adding that "all sentences will run concurrently".

Sharma was arrested, along with Giteli, a resident of Gujarat, on January 8, 2021.

NIA had taken over from Uttar Pradesh ATS and re-registered the case on February 5, 2021.
New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) The CBI on Wednesday began the process of conducting a polygraph test on Kolkata Police ASI Anup Dutta to decipher his alleged links with Sanjay Roy, arrested in the rape and murder case of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, officials said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had taken permission from a Kolkata court to conduct the polygraph test on Assistant Sub-Inspector Dutta, who was earlier questioned by the agency in the case.

Dutta will be the eighth person to undergo a polygraph test in this case.

According to the officials, Dutta, posted in the Kolkata Police Welfare Committee, had allegedly extended a number of favours to Roy, a traffic police volunteer.

The CBI is trying to find out if Roy informed Dutta about the crime he allegedly committed and whether he sought any favours for covering up the crime, the officials said.

The information revealed during the polygraph test may not be used as evidence during the trial but the agency may gather corroborative evidence which could be used in court, they said.

A polygraph test can help in assessing inaccuracies in the statements of suspects and witnesses. By monitoring their psychological responses, heart rate, breathing pattern, sweating and blood pressure, investigators can determine if there are discrepancies in their responses.

The trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital when she had gone to rest during her graveyard shift in the early hours of August 9.

Her body with severe injury marks was found inside the hall by a doctor who was on rounds.

Roy was arrested the next day based on CCTV footage in which he was seen entering the seminar hall at 4.03 am on the day of the incident.

He was put through extensive interrogation when "recent injuries" on his left cheek, abrasion on the left hand and the back of his left thigh, among others, showing signs of struggle were recorded by police.

His biological samples like urethral swab and smear, semen, hair, nail clippings and nail scraping were collected during the medico-legal examination.

On August 13, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the probe from the Kolkata Police to the CBI, which took over the case on August 14.

After taking over the case, the CBI subjected Roy, former principal of the medical college Sandip Ghosh, four doctors who were on duty with the victim, and a civic volunteer to polygraph tests to get further leads about the crime.
New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) TMC leader Derek O'Brien has written to Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha J P Nadda expressing concern over the delay in the re-constitution of Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees (DPSCs), saying that it has profound implications for the democratic process.

In his letter to Nadda dated August 27, O'Brien said that as per the request of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat dated July 9, different parties had to submit their nominations before July 17, prior to the start of the monsoon session.

He said the Trinamool Congress submitted its nominations on July 12.

"When we met in the Rajya Sabha, I had verbally brought this up. You had verbally assured me that the committees would be formed within the duration of the Monsoon Session. Unfortunately, even as August slips by, the parliamentary committees have still not been constituted," O'Brien said in his letter.

"This has profound implications for our democratic process and the quality of legislation enacted. Allow me to point out that in recent years, there has been a marked reduction in the number of Bills referred to parliamentary standing committees or select committees for thorough scrutiny," said the parliamentary party leader of the TMC in the Rajya Sabha.

Only 13 per cent of the bills passed in the Rajya Sabha between 2014-24 were referred to parliamentary committees, while 16 per cent were referred to standing committees in the 17th Lok Sabha.

He listed legislations like the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Bill, 2023, farm bills and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023 as examples of important legislation passed without proper scrutiny.

O'Brien also said that there has been a reduction in the number of working days of Parliament.

"The duration of parliamentary sessions is a very limited time to consult stakeholders and get into the intricacies of the matters discussed in the House. Since DPSCs give more time for members to discuss important matters, the members are eager to start with the same," he said.

"I urge you to consider the importance of this issue and to ensure that the parliamentary process is adhered to," he said.

"I look forward to you constituting the DPSCs immediately. Enough precious time has been lost," the TMC leader added.

There are 16 DPSCs under the Lok Sabha and eight under the Rajya Sabha.

The 17th Lok Sabha, which had 272 sittings during its five-year tenure from 2019-2024, had the lowest number of sittings among the full-term Lok Sabhas, according to data compiled by think tank PRS Legislative Research.
Chandigarh, Aug 28 (PTI) Terming the Centre's Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) "anti-employee", Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda asserted his party will come to power in Haryana after the October 1 assembly elections and implement the Old Pension Scheme in the state.

"And the UPS is a bigger fraud with government employees than the NPS (New Pension Scheme)," Hooda said in Jhajjar on Tuesday.

He attended an event where wrestler Aman Sehrawat, who won a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, was felicitated in Birohad village in Jhajjar.

The Union Cabinet approved the UPS on August 24, announcing an assured pension of 50 per cent of the basic salary for those who joined service after January 1, 2004. Employees opting for the UPS would be eligible for an assured pension after service of 25 years.

Hooda claimed the Congress will form the government in Haryana after the assembly polls and fulfil government employees' demand for implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).

The UPS and the NPS "are anti-employee schemes". "And the UPS is a bigger fraud with government employees than the NPS," he said.

"A limit of 25 years of service has been fixed for full pension in the UPS. The biggest loss will be for paramilitary forces' personnel. Those personnel who retire before 25 years of service (VRS) will have to bear heavy losses. In such a situation, they will get only a meagre pension of Rs 10,000," a statement quoted Hooda as saying.

The Congress MP further said that when the NPS was implemented, it was said to be better than the OPS and now the UPS is being promoted the same way.

"The truth is that employees will not even receive 10 per cent of their contribution under the UPS. Employees will get half of their basic salary as pension after removing DA (dearness allowance). But in five years, the share of DA usually becomes equal to or more than the basic salary. So, pension under the UPS will be halved," Hooda said.

He said employees across the country and the state have been demanding implementation of the OPS.

Under the OPS, effective before January 2004, employees got 50 per cent of their last drawn basic pay as pension.

Unlike the OPS, the UPS is contributory in nature. Under the UPS, employees will be required to contribute 10 per cent of their basic salary and DA while the employer's contribution will be 18.5 per cent.
New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi handed over the appointment letter for a job on compassionate grounds to the wife of a deceased sanitation worker here on Wednesday.

A cheque of Rs 1,11,000 was also given by the mayor to the family of Dhanraj, a statement said.

His wife Rani will be posted near her home as she has a small child, the statement said.

"Shelly Oberoi today visited the residence of Rani, wife of deceased swachhata sainik Dhanraj of Narela zone and handed over the appointment letter for a job on compassionate grounds on the post of daily wage sanitation worker," it said.

The mayor said that since the Aam Aadmi Party has come to power in the MCD, this is the fourth such case where the dependent of a deceased employee is being given a job on compassionate grounds, according to the statement.

"The Aam Aadmi Party government of Municipal Corporation of Delhi and all the officials of MCD are committed to the welfare of employees," Oberoi said.

Narela MLA Sharad Chauhan, Councillor of Narela Ward No. 1 Shweta Kamal Khatri, Deputy Commissioner (Narela zone) Pawan Yadav and other senior officials of the corporation were also present at the occasion, the statement added.
New Delhi, Aug 27 (PTI) A two-day conference themed on the life and teachings of Guru Rinpoche, one of the most-revered figures in Buddha Dhamma, will be held at Bihar's Nalanda on August 28-29, the culture ministry said on Tuesday.

The event will be organised by the International Buddhist Confederation, in collaboration with the Nava Nalanda Mahavihara.

Guru Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche, lived in the eighth century in ancient India. One of the most-revered figures in Buddha Dhamma today, he is credited with the dissemination of Buddha Dhamma across the Himalayan belt, the ministry said in a statement.

"Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar will grace the event as the chief guest. Most Ven. Khenpo Chimed, Vice Chairman of the Lumbini Development Trust, Nepal, and Most Ven. Khenpo Ugyen Namgyel, Secretary/Chief Monk of the Royal Bhutan Temple, Central Monastic Body, Bhutan, will be the guests of honour at the conference," it added.

Guru Rinpoche is regarded as the "second Buddha", the statement said.

The key themes of the conference will include his life and teachings, his travels across the Himalayas and his relevance in the present time, the ministry said.
Sultanpur (UP), Aug 28 (PTI) Aam Aadmi Party leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh surrendered before a special court here on Wednesday in connection with a 2001 street-protest case and was granted bail.

"Sanjay Singh surrendered in the MP-MLA court here. The court granted him bail on a surety bond of Rs 50,000," his advocate Madan Singh said.

The surety was deposited on the directions of the Allahabad High court which had on August 22 stayed the execution of the sentence awarded by the Sultanpur court.

The special court had on January 11 last year sentenced the AAP leader to three months of rigorous imprisonment and slapped a fine for obstructing traffic and inciting violence during a protest in Uttar Pradesh's Sultanpur district.

Singh and five others were convicted by the MP-MLA court on January 11, 2023 and their appeal was dismissed by the sessions court on August 6 this year.

Hearing an urgent plea on January 11 last year, the Lucknow bench of the HC had held that Singh need not surrender before the Sultanpur court till its order comes on his bail plea, which was scheduled for hearing on Thursday.

On August 13 this year, a non-bailable warrant was issued by the MP-MLA court against Singh, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Anoop Sanda and four others.

The HC bench of Justice K S Pawar ordered that Singh will have to furnish a personal bond of Rs 50,000 to the satisfaction of the special court, with an undertaking that he or his counsel will appear before it when the revision petition is listed for hearing.
Honored Artist of Ukraine Irma Vitovska shared her opinion on the Russian language from the younger generation of Ukrainians. The actress believes that a part of the Russian-speaking population of the country instills Ukrainophobia in children through "family traditions."

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Vitovska spoke about this in an interview on the Yellow Sneakers YouTube channel with Yulia Borisko. According to the public figure, this happens because of the context that has long shaped young parents. "If they do nothing else, if they are encapsulated in that context and work for something, they are not creating. I mean, for themselves, for a ring, for their well-being, this is their zone," the actress explained.

According to the celebrity, such people do not aim to start something of their own, but instead join the usual traditions. "So they pass this habit on," the star continued, "No, of course, there is a certain percentage of convinced Ukrainophobes... The percentage of Ukrainophobia is stable. Because it is a long-standing family tradition to be Ukrainophobic." The position of such citizens is based on the belief that Russia did not attack their "particular ring."

ADVERTISIMENT

Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote about Irma Vitovska's explanation of why Ukrainians have returned to the Russian language. Despite the fact that at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, many citizens switched to the nightingale language, the opposite trend can now be seen. According to the actress, the reason for this phenomenon is extremely simple.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Don't fall for fakes!
Bengaluru, Aug 28 (PTI) Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara indicated on Wednesday that a delegation of ruling Congress legislators may meet President Droupadi Murmu to complain against Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot over his action of giving sanction for prosecution of Chief Minister in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case.

He said a tentative plan has been made in this regard and a call is likely to be taken on the move after considering developments in the court.

The Governor on August 16 granted sanction to open an investigation against the Chief Minister and to prosecute him in connection with alleged irregularities in the allotment of compensatory plots to his wife B M Parvathi by the MUDA.

The Chief Minister challenged the legality of the Governor's order in the High Court, which on August 19 deferred its proceedings to August 29 and asked a trial court to postpone till its consideration of private complaints till then.

"We have held discussions and have made certain decisions regarding the Governor's conduct. Our state President D K Shivakumar has informed that protests will be held from the party across the state; after that or simultaneously all the legislators and parliamentarians will try to submit a memorandum to the Governor," Parameshwara said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said a tentative plan has been discussed regarding all the legislators meeting the President, taking into consideration the "developments and decisions" in the court.

"On August 31, Raj Bhavan chalo has been planned...we want to exhaust the option of meeting the Governor and submitting a memorandum to the Governor," he added.

Shivakumar, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister, on Tuesday said that Congress legislators and MPs will take out foot march to Raj Bhavan on August 31, to submit a memorandum to the Governor, asking him to act on pending requests seeking sanction for prosecution, including against JD(S) leader and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy.

Regarding the eleven Bills that were sent back by the Governor, the Minister said: "Let's see, the legal team is examining. We will first clarify to him regarding the clarifications sought and send it back to him. In case he is still not convinced, we will have to go to the President."

On BJP reportedly planning a national level protest against the MUDA 'scam' and demanding Siddaramaiah's resignation, Parameshwara said in case the opposition party went ahead with it, the Congress will counter it in a similar fashion.

"Whether it should be done at the party level or by including INDI Alliance partners, the party high command will decide. In case the BJP takes the protests at the national level we will also counter it at the national level," he said.

On the Chief Minister's petition coming up for hearing in the High Court on Thursday, Parameshwara said there is hope that the HC will not consider the argument in favour of the Governor's decision.

"There should be material about Siddaramaiah's involvement. If they (materials) are there, they can be taken into cognisance. When there are no materials like -- his signature, his order, involvement and name...even in the registration his name is not there. When such is the case, the court will look into all these things and will decide on it," he said.

Responding to a question on whether there have been any discussions by the high command regarding the next course of action, in case the developments in the court on August 29 go against Siddaramaiah, the Minister said: "What developments will happen cannot be speculated, once things happen let's discuss, this is what they have told."

Asked about speculations that he may become CM (in the event of Siddaramaiah quitting), Parameshwara, who held a prolonged discussion with Congress leadership -- Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi -- during the recent Delhi visit, said that question doesn't arise at all, and the issue has never come up for discussion.

" (My) seniority may be there.....it is true that Rahul Gandhi spoke to me separately, but what was discussed cannot be speculated. I'm a disciplined soldier of the party and have fulfilled the responsibility given to me from time to time. He (Rahul) spoke to me regarding party things, other than that nothing was discussed," he added.

To a question on BJP petitioning the Governor seeking the dismissal of Minister Priyank Kharge over the alleged allotment of a land to a trust run by his family including his father and Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge, Parameshwara said: "let the Governor examine it, and if there is anything illegal, let him take necessary action. He is free to do it."

Ruling out any influence by the Kharges in the allotment of land, he said any one can seek for a land as per the conditions and the norms laid down. "Land can be purchased at the prescribed rate and not at a lower rate."

Noting that allegations are made during the tenure of every government, the Minister, replying to a question, said when baseless allegations are made, they have to be countered and proved as baseless. "We are in that process."


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In a revealing conversation on MSNBCs Inside With Jen Psaki on Monday, former CNN host Don Lemon shared insights from his interviews with Black voters, many of whom said they plan to vote for former President Donald Trump, citing their belief that Trump is on black peoples side.

Lemon, reflecting on his interviews across key swing states ahead of the Democratic National Convention, described the experience as eye-opening. Despite favorable economic metrics for the Biden-Harris administration, many voters still recall the 2021 stimulus checks bearing Trumps signature. I dont know if it was surprising, but it was certainly eye-opening to hear so many people, even people of color and women, saying they are going to support Donald Trump, Lemon said, expressing skepticism about the accuracy of current polls.

Lemon recounted how many black voters mistakenly credited Trump with the stimulus checks, forgetting that the payments came from a Democratic Congress. They did not somehow remember that the current president also gave them a stimulus check, except his name wasnt on it, Lemon explained. So, when they got the check, and his name was on it, they automatically thought it came directly from Donald Trump, which I think is good marketing.

When Psaki turned the conversation to Vice President Kamala Harris, Lemon noted that many voters, particularly in swing states like Ohio and parts of Pennsylvania, were unfamiliar with her. Many people did not know who she was I think she has to reintroduce herself to the public, he said.

Lemon also addressed his past public criticisms of Trump, saying, Of course, I think he is racist. Look at his rhetoric and his track record, and anyone can see that. However, he acknowledged that for many voters, their priority was not Trumps character but rather their personal economic situation. Maybe the economy is better, but prices are higher, and people have less money to put towards high prices and to feed their families, Lemon said.

Lemon concluded by noting that many voters he encountered were low partisan information voters, who were not following every political development but were acutely aware of their financial situations. They vote on that and not necessarily what they see on television, he said.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
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.

(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.

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.

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.

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.

(AP)
A body camera captured every word and bark uttered as police Sgt. Matt Gilmore and his K-9 dog, Gunner, searched for a group of suspects for nearly an hour.

Normally, the Oklahoma City police sergeant would grab his laptop and spend another 30 to 45 minutes writing up a report about the search. But this time he had artificial intelligence write the first draft.

Pulling from all the sounds and radio chatter picked up by the microphone attached to Gilmores body camera, the AI tool churned out a report in eight seconds.

It was a better report than I could have ever written, and it was 100% accurate. It flowed better, Gilmore said. It even documented a fact he didnt remember hearing  another officers mention of the color of the car the suspects ran from.

Oklahoma Citys police department is one of a handful to experiment with AI chatbots to produce the first drafts of incident reports. Police officers whove tried it are enthused about the time-saving technology, while some prosecutors, police watchdogs and legal scholars have concerns about how it could alter a fundamental document in the criminal justice system that plays a role in who gets prosecuted or imprisoned.

Built with the same technology as ChatGPT and sold by Axon, best known for developing the Taser and as the dominant U.S. supplier of body cameras, it could become what Gilmore describes as another game changer for police work.

They become police officers because they want to do police work, and spending half their day doing data entry is just a tedious part of the job that they hate, said Axons founder and CEO Rick Smith, describing the new AI product  called Draft One  as having the most positive reaction of any product the company has introduced.

Now, theres certainly concerns, Smith added. In particular, he said district attorneys prosecuting a criminal case want to be sure that police officers  not solely an AI chatbot  are responsible for authoring their reports because they may have to testify in court about what they witnessed.

They never want to get an officer on the stand who says, well, The AI wrote that, I didnt, Smith said.

AI technology is not new to police agencies, which have adopted algorithmic tools to read license plates, recognize suspects faces, detect gunshot sounds and predict where crimes might occur. Many of those applications have come with privacy and civil rights concerns and attempts by legislators to set safeguards. But the introduction of AI-generated police reports is so new that there are few, if any, guardrails guiding their use.

Concerns about societys racial biases and prejudices getting built into AI technology are just part of what Oklahoma City community activist aurelius francisco finds deeply troubling about the new tool, which he learned about from The Associated Press. francisco prefers to lowercase his name as a tactic to resist professionalism.

The fact that the technology is being used by the same company that provides Tasers to the department is alarming enough, said francisco, a co-founder of the Foundation for Liberating Minds in Oklahoma City.

He said automating those reports will ease the polices ability to harass, surveil and inflict violence on community members. While making the cops job easier, it makes Black and brown peoples lives harder.

Before trying out the tool in Oklahoma City, police officials showed it to local prosecutors who advised some caution before using it on high-stakes criminal cases. For now, its only used for minor incident reports that dont lead to someone getting arrested.

So no arrests, no felonies, no violent crimes, said Oklahoma City police Capt. Jason Bussert, who handles information technology for the 1,170-officer department.

Thats not the case in another city, Lafayette, Indiana, where Police Chief Scott Galloway told the AP that all of his officers can use Draft One on any kind of case and its been incredibly popular since the pilot began earlier this year.

Or in Fort Collins, Colorado, where police Sgt. Robert Younger said officers are free to use it on any type of report, though they discovered it doesnt work well on patrols of the citys downtown bar district because of an overwhelming amount of noise.

Along with using AI to analyze and summarize the audio recording, Axon experimented with computer vision to summarize whats seen in the video footage, before quickly realizing that the technology was not ready.

Given all the sensitivities around policing, around race and other identities of people involved, thats an area where I think were going to have to do some real work before we would introduce it, said Smith, the Axon CEO, describing some of the tested responses as not overtly racist but insensitive in other ways.

Those experiments led Axon to focus squarely on audio in the product unveiled in April during its annual company conference for police officials.

The technology relies on the same generative AI model that powers ChatGPT, made by San Francisco-based OpenAI. OpenAI is a close business partner with Microsoft, which is Axons cloud computing provider.

We use the same underlying technology as ChatGPT, but we have access to more knobs and dials than an actual ChatGPT user would have, said Noah Spitzer-Williams, who manages Axons AI products. Turning down the creativity dial helps the model stick to facts so that it doesnt embellish or hallucinate in the same ways that you would find if you were just using ChatGPT on its own, he said.

Axon wont say how many police departments are using the technology. Its not the only vendor, with startups like Policereports.ai and Truleo pitching similar products. But given Axons deep relationship with police departments that buy its Tasers and body cameras, experts and police officials expect AI-generated reports to become more ubiquitous in the coming months and years.

Before that happens, legal scholar Andrew Ferguson would like to see more of a public discussion about the benefits and potential harms. For one thing, the large language models behind AI chatbots are prone to making up false information, a problem known as hallucination that could add convincing and hard-to-notice falsehoods into a police report.

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 Ferguson, a law professor at American University working on whats expected to be the first law review article on the emerging technology.

Ferguson said a police report is important in determining whether an officers suspicion justifies someones loss of liberty. Its sometimes the only testimony a judge sees, especially for misdemeanor crimes.

Human-generated police reports also have flaws, Ferguson said, but its an open question as to which is more reliable.

For some officers whove tried it, it is already changing how they respond to a reported crime. Theyre narrating whats happening so the camera better captures what theyd want to put in writing.

As the technology catches on, Bussert expects officers will become more and more verbal in describing whats in front of them.

After Bussert loaded the video of a traffic stop into the system and pressed a button, the program produced a narrative-style report in conversational language that included dates and times, just like an officer would have typed from his notes, all based on audio from the body camera.

It was literally seconds, Gilmore said, and it was done to the point where I was like, I dont have anything to change.

At the end of the report, the officer must click a box that indicates it was generated with the use of AI.

(AP)
The U.S. State Department expressed strong opposition on Tuesday to Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvirs proposal to construct a synagogue on Jerusalems Temple Mount, a site of significant religious importance to both Jews and Muslims.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller criticized the plan, stating that the creation of a Jewish house of worship on the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount would show blatant disregard for the historic status quo concerning Jerusalems holy sites. Miller further warned that Ben-Gvirs reckless statements and actions could fuel chaos and heighten tensions during a time when Israel must remain united against threats from Iran and its proxy groups, such as Hamas and Hezbollah. They directly undermine Israels security, Miller added.

Ben-Gvirs remarks came during an interview with Israels Army Radio on Monday, in which he insisted that Jewish prayer is allowed on the Temple Mount. His comments were quickly countered by the Israeli Prime Ministers Office, which reaffirmed that the Temple Mounts policy is determined by the government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating, There is no change to the status quo.

The status quo, established after Israel recaptured Jerusalems Old City in 1967, allows Jews to visit the Temple Mount but prohibits them from praying there. Despite being repeatedly questioned during the interview about whether he would build a synagogue on the site, Ben-Gvir responded affirmatively, saying, yes.

Ben-Gvirs comments have drawn international condemnation from Muslim-majority countries, including Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. The Temple Mount, known as the Haram al-Sharif to Muslims, is Islams third-holiest site after Mecca and Medina. It is also the holiest site in Judaism, believed to be the location of the two ancient Jewish Temples.

Miller reaffirmed the Biden administrations commitment to maintaining the status quo and urged Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to ensure the policy remains in place. Prime Minister Netanyahus Office has made clear that the actions and statements of Minister Ben-Gvir are inconsistent with the government of Israels policy, Miller said, adding, It is critical that the government of Israel continue to ensure its policy is adhered to.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
The U.S. government has issued a strong warning to its citizens against traveling to Ukraine for Rosh Hashanah due to the ongoing war with Russia. The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine specifically advised against visiting Uman, where thousands of Jews travel annually to spend Rosh Hashana at the tziyon of Rebbe Nachman.

The U.S. Department of State recommends that U.S. citizens do not travel to Uman, Ukraine, for the annual pilgrimage during Rosh Hashanah, the embassy said in a statement. This guidance aligns with the current travel advisory, which discourages all travel to Ukraine amid the conflict.

The embassy highlighted security concerns, noting that Uman has been targeted by Russian missile strikes since the war began. Russian airstrikes have hit civilian buildings and critical infrastructure, including houses of worship, often with little or no warning, the statement read. Local authorities have also warned of insufficient air raid shelters for the anticipated influx of Jews.

The embassy further reminded dual U.S.-Ukrainian citizens that Ukraine has removed the residence abroad exception, preventing Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60 from leaving the country, even if they hold U.S. passports. The U.S. government emphasized the extremely high risk that travelers with dual citizenship may not be permitted to depart Ukraine.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
The U.S. federal government will allocate nearly $150 million more this year to secure religious organizations, a significant boost aimed at addressing a sharp rise in antisemitism following the October 7 Israel-Hamas conflict.

The Department of Homeland Security announced last week that it would provide $454.5 million this fiscal year through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), which supports security enhancements at houses of worship and religious institutions. This marks the largest sum ever allocated to the program, a notable increase from last years $305 million.

The funds announced today will provide communities across the country with vital resources necessary to strengthen their security and guard against terrorism and other threats, said Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who is Jewish. The impact of these grants will be measured in lives saved and tragedies averted.

Jewish organizations, which have historically championed the program since its inception in 2005 with just $25 million, continue to be major recipients of the funding. This year, the programs expansion comes amid a spike in antisemitic incidents across the country.

The increased funding is not just financial support; its a vital response to the virus of antisemitism spreading across our country, said Nathan Diament, executive director for public policy at the Orthodox Union. OU Advocacy spearheaded the creation of the NSGP, and we will continue fighting every day to make sure Jewish synagogues and schools can protect themselves.

Initially, the program was set to receive only $274.5 million as part of a bipartisan budget deal, but Jewish groups lobbied for more support. Their efforts led to an additional $180 million being included in legislation providing aid to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan.

We were very concerned that the original level appropriated for this lifesaving program would fall short amid the unprecedented spike in antisemitism, which is why we worked closely with appropriators and congressional leadership to include additional funds in the security supplemental, Karen Paikin Barall, vice president of government relations for Jewish Federations of North America told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Those additional $180 million in nonprofit security funds will make an enormous impact on our communitys security.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
The Vaad Harabonim of Hatzolah of Central Jersey has issued a public warning to the communities of Lakewood, Jackson, Toms River, Howell, Manchester, and Brick regarding a rival organization, Hatzulas Nefashos, promoting unsanctioned emergency services. This group, previously condemned by rabbinical authorities across these towns for offering unnecessary and unapproved services, has ramped up its marketing efforts.

Hatzulas Nefashos has been aggressively advertising its hotline number, using attention-grabbing tactics aimed specifically at children. The group has distributed stickers, magnets, and other paraphernalia that are finding their way into homes, raising the possibility of confusion in emergency situations.

The Vaad Harabonim expressed serious concerns about the way this organization is branding itself, noting that its visual marketing closely mimics that of Hatzolah of Central Jersey. Such similarities could lead to dangerous confusion in moments of crisis, potentially delaying the appropriate medical response and putting lives at risk.

The statement emphasizes that the resources, experience, and medical oversight of the rival organization are unknown, and the Vaad strongly cautions against calling this alternative hotline in emergencies. They reiterated that Hatzolah of Central Jersey has no affiliation with this group and stressed that dialing their number will not connect callers to Hatzolah responders.

In light of this, the Vaad Harabonim urged community members to remove any magnets or materials related to the rival organization from their homes. They reminded residents that in an emergency, only Hatzolahs official 24/7 hotline numbers732-370-3600 or 732-888-3000will guarantee fast, professional medical care, including advanced life support services.
A shocking survey by Alums for Campus Fairness has found that 44% of college students and recent graduates rarely or never feel safe identifying as Jewish on campus, amidst a terrifying surge in antisemitism. The survey of 1,171 students revealed that 81% avoid certain places, events, and situations due to antisemitism, while 60% have witnessed faculty members making offensive antisemitic remarks.

The results expose dangerous trend lines for Jewish and pro-Israel students on college campuses, said Avi Gordon, executive director of the group. Antisemitism is getting worse. Students are hiding their Jewish identity We are increasingly seeing a lack of safety in both digital and physical spaces.

The survey revealed disturbing accounts of antisemitism, including physical assaults, harassment, and professors making antisemitic statements. One student reported being targeted by social media trolls who tried to remove them from a progressive committee due to their Jewish identity. Another student claimed a professor called an Israeli student a terrorist after Hamas attacks on Israel sparked Israels ongoing military offensive.

The survey also showed a significant increase in threatening and antisemitic messages, with 81% of respondents reporting receiving such messages, up 10 percentage points from a 2021 survey. More than 50% of respondents said they or someone they knew were physically threatened for being Jewish, up from 44% in 2021.

However, the survey found a silver lining: students who were members of Jewish organizations reported feeling safer on campus. Students and recent graduates who attended organized Jewish community events were significantly less likely to report feeling unsafe on campus, Gordon said. This reaffirms that there is safety in community. It should inspire us to redouble our efforts to support Jewish life on campus.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Kate Middleton wowed Britain's Prince William when they attended the University of St. Andrews together in 2002. The future princess, then an ordinary student, joined the DONT WALK charity fashion show to mark the six-month anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York.

ADVERTISIMENT

She wore a see-through dress showing off her black underwear and walked the runway. Prince William, 19, who was sitting in the front row, was so taken by the student's looks that he told his friend Fergus Boyd, "Wow, Kate is hot." This was reported by the Daily Mail with a reference to the book "Battle of the Brothers" by Robert Lacey.

According to the author, William, through a friend, secretly paid 200 ($264) for a front row seat. Therefore, almost no one was aware of the prince's presence.

The source writes that Kate Middleton that night decided to wear a skirt, which was created by textile student Charlotte Todd. But the future princess tried to experiment and make it a mini-dress. Such a style was frank and unusual for a young student. Her usual clothes were white shirts, jeans and sweaters.

ADVERTISIMENT

It should be noted that in 2011, her dress was auctioned off for 78,000 ($103,000).

That particular night was a landmark night for Kate and William - they met even though they were both in relationships with other people. However, this did not prevent the prince at the after-party to make the first step and propose dating. The girl then refused the 19-year-old young man, but agreed to maintain friendly contact.

ADVERTISIMENT

It did not last long, because after a few weeks they became a couple. About the relationship became known in 2005, when the newspapers appeared in common photos of vacation at a ski resort. And in 2007, the lovers parted, but for a short period of time.

Three years later, the world learned that the British royal family will take Kate Middleton under its wing. The couple announced their engagement in November 2010, and married in a grand ceremony at Westminster Abbey in April of the following year.

Only verified information from us in Telegram-channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The IDF reports that nearly all of the hundreds of rockets and drones fired by Hezbollah into Israel early Sunday had been launched from civilian areas in Lebanon. Hezbollah positioned its rocket launchers and drones near mosques, schools, gas stations, and United Nations sites, the IDF said.

Of the 230 rockets and 20 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that crossed into Israeli territory, 90% were launched from the heart of a civilian area, according to the IDF. An infographic released by the military highlighted launch sites in southern Lebanon, including one located just 150 meters (492 feet) from a school and another 160 meters (525 feet) from a mosque in the village of Tallouseh. Another launcher was placed just 525 feet from a U.N. building in the Hanniyeh area, with many other launchers positioned nearby. The Hezbollah terrorist organization places its terrorist infrastructure in the middle of the civilian population while using Lebanese civilians as human shields, the IDF said.

The Israeli Air Force preemptively responded with a large-scale strike, destroying thousands of launchers and more than 6,000 missiles and drones, according to the IDF. The strike aimed to prevent a larger attack from Hezbollah.

Separately, on Monday night, Hezbollah launched what it called a swarm of UAVs targeting the Western Galilee and Hula Valley in northern Israel. The IDF confirmed that several suspicious aerial targets crossed into Israeli airspace after sirens sounded in the Upper Galilee and Western Galilee regions. The IDFs aerial defense systems intercepted most of the UAVs, with the remaining debris falling in Israeli territory. No injuries were reported in the attack.

The drone assault followed a series of Israeli airstrikes earlier on Monday targeting southern Lebanon, including one that hit a Hamas commander in the Sidon area. Lebanese media reported that Nidal Hleihel, the intended target, was seriously injured when two missiles struck his vehicle as he was leaving his house.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Israels Attorney Generals Office has officially classified the murder of Israel Prison Service dog handler , 40-year-old Yochai Avni hyd, as an act of terrorism. The ruling comes after Hamas member Ibrahim Mansur was accused of breaking into Avnis home in Givon Hachadasha, northwest of Jerusalem, stabbing him 66 times, and setting the house on fire.

The indictment, filed Tuesday morning at the Ofer Military Court, charges Mansur with murder motivated by a nationalist agenda. The accused did all this due to the fact that the deceased was Jewish, with the intention of causing his death and fleeing the scene, the Attorney Generals Office stated in its formal indictment.

Avnis sister, Nitzan, expressed the familys devastation during the court hearing, saying, We were informed that the killer stabbed the suspect 66 times in all parts of his body. Meaning he not only murdered him but also abused him. He then burned everything.

The military court judge reinforced the severity of the charges, confirming that Mansur, a resident of Biddu near Givon Hahadasha, intentionally targeted the settlement because it was inhabited by Jews. The indictment charges the defendant with the crime of causing death intentionally, the judge said, approving the military prosecutions request to detain Mansur until the end of legal proceedings.

Mansur was arrested two days after the brutal July 8 murder, but initial investigations did not immediately conclude terror as the primary motive. However, the latest developments, including the Attorney Generals ruling, have now made it clear that the murder was a terrorist attack with nationalist motivations.

In court, Mansur appeared unfazed, smiling and making victory gestures. His demeanor sparked outrage, but the Avni family, represented by attorney Ran Cohen Rockberger, expressed relief that the case was now recognized as a terror attack.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
The Israeli government will finance Jewish educational tours of the Har Habayis for the first time, in an effort to strengthen and stabilize the Old City, Israels Kan public broadcaster reported on Monday night.

According to the report, the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) and the National Security Council (NSC) have approved the Heritage Ministrys plan to offer state-funded guided tours of the Har Habayis. A total of 2 million shekels ($543,338) has been allocated from the budget of Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyah, a member of the Otzma Yehudit Party, to fund the program.

However, the NSC quickly issued a statement denying any involvement in the plan. The National Security Agency did not approve and was not asked to approve the Heritage Ministrys tours of the Temple Mount. Any publication regarding the involvement of the NSC in the matter is devoid of any foundation, the statement read.

The Prime Ministers Office also sought to clarify concerns over potential policy changes at the site, saying, There is no change in the status quo on the Temple Mount.

Despite the reassurances, the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah condemned the plan, warning that it could lead to increased tensions. This is an official policy aimed at Judaizing the Al-Aqsa mosque and changing the existing legal status. The decision could lead to an explosion in the West Bank and chaos, the Palestinian Authority said in a statement.

The educational tours are expected to begin after Sukkos. The Heritage Ministry said that the tours will provide an accurate historical perspective of the Jewish heritage of the Har Habayis, countering narratives that it says are aimed at promoting an anti-Israel agenda. The operation of the guided tours will take place with permission and authority, [having] received the approval of all the relevant parties [and] passed a legal tender committee, and will be done in coordination with the Israel Police, the ministry wrote.

Tensions surrounding the Har Habayis have been high, particularly following recent statements by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has openly advocated for Jewish prayer at the site, a move seen as a challenge to the status quo. The policies on the Har Habayis allow prayer, period, Ben-Gvir told Army Radio on Monday. He has consistently argued that his goal is to eliminate discrimination against Jews at the site.

Ben-Gvirs comments prompted Prime Minister Netanyahu to release a statement reiterating that there is no change to the status quo barring davening at the Har Habayis. It is the government and the prime minister who determine policy on the Har Habayis, Netanyahus office stressed.

The controversy surrounding Jewish prayer on the Har Habayis has been ongoing for years. Although the status quo barring Jewish prayer at the site has not been formally enshrined in law, it has been upheld by successive Israeli governments since 1967. Earlier this month, Ben-Gvir visited the Har Habayis on Tisha BAv.

Despite the ongoing debate, Jewish visits to the Har Habayis have surged. According to data compiled by the Israeli NGO Beyadenu, over 50,000 Jews have visited the site since last Rosh Hashana.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
A freed Israeli hostage has spoken out about her harrowing experience under Hamas captivity, revealing that the terrorists tried to force her to convert to Islam while also extorting her family for ransom.

Moran Stella Yanai, 41, who was abducted during the brutal attack on the Nova Music Festival on October 7, shared her ordeal in an interview with the Israeli N12 network. Yanai described how her captors tried to pressure her into conversion, promising she would be freed sooner if she accepted Islam.

Almost daily, one of them would enter the room, saying, It would be better for you to be a Muslim woman, Yanai recounted. At one point, they even sent a comrade to bring a head covering and show me what it means to be a Muslim woman.

Yanai, a jewelry designer, was held hostage in Gaza for 44 days. She spoke of her deepest fear during captivity: being sold into forced marriage and having to convert to Islam. As a woman, my biggest fear is being sold, that someone would forcefully marry me and that I will have to convert, she explained.

In addition to the psychological torture she endured, Yanai revealed that her captors targeted her family with emotional and financial abuse. They demanded a ransom for her release, intensifying the trauma by sending her father a photo of her, along with threats to kill her if the money was not paid.

My father received a picture of his daughter and was told that if he didnt pay money within an hour, they would start killing us one by one, Yanai said, describing the deep shock her father went into upon receiving the threat. My parents experienced trauma no less than I did, she added.

Yanai was one of the first hostages freed by Hamas in November as part of a temporary ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel. Under the deal, Hamas released 105 hostages in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials are expressing concern over two unrelated terror attacks in Europe last weekend and their implications for the 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, the NYPD briefing stated. 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 attacks referenced in the report include a fatal stabbing in Germany and an arson attack on a synagogue in France.

In Germany, a lone attacker armed with a knife targeted civilians at a music festival last Friday, killing three people and injuring eight others. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was to avenge Palestine, though the extent of the perpetrators direct connection to the terror group remains unclear. A 15-year-old boy was arrested in connection with the incident.

A day later, an arsonist in France set fire to two vehicles near a shul, one of which contained a gas bottle, leading to an explosion. The attacker then attempted to target the shul itself. A police officer was injured in the ensuing confrontation, and a suspect was arrested following a firefight with law enforcement.

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, the NYPD briefing noted. It added that the threat is exacerbated by tense global flashpoints, including the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

The NYPD expressed concern that these attacks may inspire copycat acts of terrorism in the U.S., noting that they could serve as tactical/targeting inspiration for follow-on acts of terrorism and targeted violence.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
A 19-year-old Israeli soldier, Staff Sergeant Amit Friedman, from Or Yehuda, has been killed in combat in the southern Gaza Strip, the IDF announced. Friedman was a member of the 932nd Battalion in the Nachal Brigade.

The incident occurred during military operations in the region, where Israeli forces have been engaged in ongoing conflicts with terrorists. The specifics of the circumstances surrounding Friedmans death have not been disclosed.

His death increases the toll of IDF soldiers killed in the ground war in Gaza to 339 and the number of soldiers killed since October 7 to 703.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
The IDF launched an extensive counterterrorism operation in the Shomron overnight Tuesday but targeted operations in refugee camps in terror hubs have been taking place on a smaller scale since October 7.

The IDF confirmed on Wednesday that a drone strike Monday killed five terrorists in a terror command center in the Nur a-Shams refugee camp near Tulkarm, including Jibril Jibril, a 20-year-old Hamas terrorist from Qalqilya who was released in the November 2023 hostage deal and who has since been involved in several shooting attacks against Israeli targets.

He is the third terrorist released in the deal who immediately returned to terror activities and was killed by Israeli security forces this month.

Earlier this month, Wael Misha, an 18-year-old terrorist released in the deal, was killed in an airstrike in Shechem during a counterterrorism operation.

Two days earlier, Tariq Daoud, an 18-year-old Hamas terrorist released in the deal, was killed by IDF forces after he shot and seriously wounded an Israeli in his 60s.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
The U.S. State Department on Tuesday blasted Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvirs suggestion to build a shul on Har Habayis, warning that such a move could dangerously disrupt the fragile status quo.

The proposed shul on the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount would show blatant disregard for the historic status quo with respect to the holy sites in Jerusalem, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement. He added that Ben-Gvirs reckless statements and actions were exacerbating tensions during a time when Israel needs unity against external threats from Iran and its proxy groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah. They directly undermine Israels security, Miller warned.

Prime Minister Netanyahus Office has made clear that the actions and statements of Minister Ben-Gvir are inconsistent with the government of Israels policy, Miller said, calling on the Israeli government to adhere to the longstanding arrangement.

The condemnation from the US came after Ben-Gvir said in a Monday interview with Israels Army Radio that Jewish prayer is allowed on Har Habayis and affirmed his intention to build a shul there. His remarks prompted a swift rebuttal from the Israeli Prime Ministers Office, which emphasized that policy regarding Har Habayis is determined by the government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. There is no change to the status quo, the Prime Ministers Office reiterated.

Under the status quo established after Israel recaptured the Old City of Jerusalem in 1967, Jews are permitted to visit Har Habayis but are not allowed to daven there.

Ben-Gvirs comments also drew condemnation from Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and other Muslim-majority nations.

Tuesdays edition of the Hebrew-language Yated newspaper also called out Ben-Gvir, stating clearly on its front page that it is assur gamur for Jews to go onto Har Habayis, and that Ben-Gvir is putting all Israelis at risk with his inflammatory and anti-halacha statements and demands.

Gedolei HaPoskim throughout the ages including Gedolei Hador Shlita today have ruled it is absolutely forbidden to visit Har Habayis, even if one does so in line with Halacha including tevila. This is also the ruling of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. This is an Issur Kares.

Fifteen years ago on Sukkos, then President Shimon Peres paid a visit to the Sukka of the late Posek Hador, Maran HaGaon Rav Elyashiv ZATZAL, where Rav Elyashiv called on the President to prevent Jews from visiting Har Habayis, stating it is an act that that is viewed as extremely provocative by the goyim. Maran stated everything possible must be done to avoid a religious war, and the provocateurs are playing with fire.

Maran is quoted as explaining to the president that Halacha forbids going onto Har Habayis but today, it is more than this, it is an act that may lead to a religious war and bloodshed.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
Debt-riddled Thames Water has slammed the industry regulator as it looks to raise prices.

Britains biggest supplier, buried under a 15billion debt pile, wants to increase household bills by 18.99 a month  or 52 per cent  by 2030.

Ofwat last month said it could only increase bills by 23 per cent over the five years.

Thames water, buried under a 15bn debt pile, wants to increase household bills by 18.99 a month  or 52%  by 2030

But lobby groups warn a cap would hamper companies ability to raise enough investment to stop problems like sewage spills.

Chris Weston, Thames chief executive, claimed Ofwats proposed 23 per cent rise would be neither financeable nor investible.

It would also prevent the turnaround and recovery of the company, he added.

Thames, which serves 15m households in London and the South East, faces a funding crisis leaving it on the brink of emergency nationalisation as it struggles under the weight of its debt.

It is currently clamouring to find 3.3billion and is on the hunt for more investors.

Last month, Thames Water lost its investment-grade credit ratings, putting it in breach of its licence conditions and pushing it closer to renationalisation.

Its bonds are now trading at deep discounts to face value and some major lenders have taken losses when cutting their exposure.

The industry had set out plans to invest 105billion over the next five years but Ofwat had proposed cutting this by 17billion.
The founder of AllSaints has blasted Shein's planned 50billion London float as 'ridiculous'.

Stuart Trevor, who set up the leather jacket maker in 1994, is the latest in British fashion to criticise the controversial Chinese giant's plans.

In a broadside shared on social media, the fashion designer dubbed the retailer 'fraudsters' who were 'making as much noise as possible'.

Stitch up: Stuart Trevor is the latest British fashion firm to criticise controversial Chinese giant Shein's plans

Trevor said Shein were 'desperately trying to make out as if they have some sort of respectable business practice in the hope that the British Government are stupid enough to allow their stock market listing to go through'.

A listing was 'absolutely ridiculous and cannot be allowed', he added.

Trevor was responding to reports that Shein has accused its Chinese rival Temu of running a 'fraud marketplace'.

Alongside his co-founder Kait Bolongaro, Trevor sold his shares in AllSaints in 2006.

The brand now operates 68 UK outlets, including department store concessions.

Trevor, who now runs his own label, is well known in the fashion industry.

He is a former head of menswear design at Kate Middleton favourite Reiss and founded fashion label Bolongaro Trevor.

The Government is thought to be supportive of a Shein float as it would help revive the troubled London markets.

Shein has reportedly filed papers with the Financial Conduct Authority, the first step to listing.

Its market debut would be one of the City's biggest-ever. Shein declined to comment on Trevor's remarks.
During the summer and fall period of thunderstorms, there is a lot of panic about where to hide during lightning strikes and whether it is safe to use the phone. Scientists claim that there is no direct connection between cell phones and dangerous discharges.

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However, there have been many cases around the world when a person who was carrying a phone during a thunderstorm was struck by lightning. But was the gadget the cause of the strike? OBOZ.UA asked an employee of the State Emergency Service about this, and we also took into account the advice of the famous doctor Yevhen Komarovsky and foreign experts.

Rumors about cell phones attracting lightning appear on the Internet from time to time. Despite the fact that scientists have repeatedly refuted them, many people still believe in these hypotheses. After all, there are certain circumstances when a phone can still cause an accident.

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The State Emergency Service of Ukraine still warns against talking on a cell phone during bad weather and generally advises on what guidelines should be followed during a thunderstorm.

Tips from the SES

Vitaliy Shylo, head of the guard of the 7th State Fire and Rescue Unit of the 3rd State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Volyn Oblast, warns that it is dangerous to be outdoors during lightning. "During a thunderstorm, it is better to stay indoors and unplug all electrical devices. Including cell phones from being charged. Also, close the windows and do not create drafts," the expert emphasized.

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However, if you are outside in the bad weather, the State Emergency Service does not recommend hiding under a tree or using an umbrella. "You should also take off all metal items. If lightning catches you in a field, do not stand in full growth, but hide in a ditch or some kind of depression. If you are in the mountains, stay away from the peaks and do not touch wet rocks. And do not go near water bodies, because water attracts discharges," said Vitaliy Shylo.

As for phones, the SES advises not to use phones in the open during a thunderstorm. It is best to put your phone away and wait out the storm.

Recommendations of mobile phone manufacturers

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Smartphone manufacturers do not recommend using your phone during a thunderstorm. The reason is that the atmosphere conducts radio waves much worse during a thunderstorm, and therefore the connection is impaired. In addition, there is interference or extraneous noise.

However, this is only a recommendation that you can disregard. After all, it concerns only the quality of communication and does not warn of the danger associated with a possible lightning strike.

However, there is still one risk. As already mentioned, the signal often disappears in a thunderstorm, and users in areas with low coverage often raise the device up to "catch the signal" in case of signal degradation. And this is a bad idea, especially if you are somewhere in an open area. This way, you can "catch" lightning that hits the highest areas, including your raised arm.

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Tips from scientists

Scientists see no reason to turn off your phone during a lightning storm. After all, there is no evidence that turning off your phone during a thunderstorm reduces the risk of lightning. However, physicists emphasize that the electrical energy of lightning can cause a short circuit. This can cause your smartphone battery to catch fire. So be sure to disconnect your phone from the charger during a lightning storm.

On his YouTube channel, the famous doctor Yevgeny Komarovsky debunks myths about the topic "Phone and lightning". According to the scientist, "in no serious medical source or physics textbook, from any physicist or medical scientist" is it possible to hear that lightning is attracted to a mobile phone.

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Dr. Komarovsky is sure that there is only one risk of using a mobile phone in a thunderstorm: due to communication problems, a person can raise his or her hand with a gadget, and accordingly, "there is theoretically more chance that lightning will hit this hand."

"As for physics: landlines with a bunch of wires are connected to poles, and if lightning strikes a pole, you may get a little bit of lightning in your ear, not much, but it can happen," the doctor said.

Lightning and its effect

To believe or not to believe in the theory of the threatening tandem of the phone and lightning, it is worth understanding how discharges work. According to physicists, during a thunderstorm, an electrostatic field arises between the ground and a storm cloud, which causes polarization of objects located on or near the ground. Air is a dielectric, but during rain or simply wet weather, its current conductivity increases. When any object on the ground accumulates a charge that exceeds the air's intensity, a discharge is formed and lightning strikes the object.

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Scientists emphasize that a smartphone alone cannot create such a static field and have such a polarization that the strike would fall on it. At the moment of a call, the strength of the electrostatic field increases, but not enough to attract lightning. Moreover, most phones have a plastic case, which is itself a dielectric.

Some physicists suggest that a smartphone can still initiate a lightning strike if a person is near a metal object that will become the center of the electrostatic field. However, this is just a hypothesis, not supported by facts.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration emphasizes that in any case, it is better to find a safe shelter during a thunderstorm, because it is impossible to predict where and how the discharge will hit. "Since lightning is one of the most capricious and unpredictable characteristics of a thunderstorm, no one can guarantee absolute protection of an individual or group from it. However, knowing and following proven lightning protection guidelines can significantly reduce the risk of injury or death," the agency emphasizes.

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So it's best to refrain from taking selfies against a lightning bolt. And not because you're holding a phone. It is simply dangerous to be outside in a thunderstorm because it is impossible to predict where lightning will strike.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Approximately 38 million years ago, three snakes died huddled together in what is now Wyoming. For decades, the identity of the fossils has been a mystery.

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In a new study, using high-resolution computed tomography, scientists were able to examine in more detail fossils discovered in the White River Formation in 1976, Live Science writes.

The scientists hypothesize that these snakes may have hibernated in groups, much like modern garter snakes (Thamnophis) do. The team concluded that the snakes are relatives of modern boa constrictors and belong to a recently described species they named Hibernophis breithaupti. Hibernophis combines the Latin word "hibernare," meaning "to overwinter," with the Greek word "ophis," meaning "snake." The name is an allusion to the unusual social behavior of snakes.

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"This is really unusual for reptiles. Of the nearly 15,000 different species of reptiles alive today, none of them hibernate the way garter snakes do," explains Michael Caldwell co-author of the study published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.

According to the National Park Service, garter snakes, common throughout North America, congregate in shared dens from October through April, sometimes traveling long distances to reach each other. By wintering in clusters, the snakes stay warm when temperatures drop.

"They can't regulate their body temperature, so they need to find a way to keep as much heat as possible in the winter, and they do that by hoarding," Caldwell said.

The snakes whose fossils scientists found may have huddled together when they died. The researchers suspect the snakes were caught in a small flood while they were in their winter den, so they were trapped and quickly became entrapped in the fine sandy mudstone. This also preserved complete, articulated skeletons. This is particularly rare for snakes, as they are made up of hundreds of easily scattered vertebrae.

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"There are probably almost a million dissected snake vertebrae in the world's museum collections. They are easy to find. But to find the whole snake? That's rare," Caldwell said.

Only verified information from us in Telegram-channel OBOZ.UA and Viber . Do not fall for fakes!
On July 18, the former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, after whom one of the most mysterious phenomena of human memory is named, could have turned 106 years old. Most citizens were mistakenly convinced that the politician died in the 1980s while in prison. In fact, the man passed away in 2013.

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Scientists have found that memories can change under the influence of various events, distorting the real facts, Medical News Today writes. However, scientists still do not have a clear explanation of what causes this phenomenon.

The Mandela effect is a unique phenomenon in which a group of people remember the same facts of a phenomenon or figure incorrectly. Individuals can be convinced that they know the smallest details of an event that never happened.

The name of this phenomenon was first coined by author and paranormal researcher Fiona Broome. The writer claimed that she clearly remembered the death of the former president of South Africa in the 1980s, recalling the speech of the politician's widow and riots in some cities. When she found out that the public figure was still alive, she was sincerely shocked by the falsity of her beliefs. Later, she began to communicate with other authors and realized that their memories of Nelson Mandela's death coincided.

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Scientists have found that the phenomenon affects not only human cognitive functions but also visual memory. For example, most Monopoly fans are convinced that the main character's image is a small monocle, which was never actually depicted on the cover. Despite a large number of experiments, scientists still cannot name the cause of the Mendelian Effect. Researchers are inclined to several different theories.

Confabulation

People are easily susceptible to suggestion and persuasion because our brains have a tendency to fill in memory gaps with information that is not always true. As a result, groups of people may have the same memories of a certain event, only some of which actually happened in real life.

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Alternate realities

Some researchers, including the writer Fiona Broome, believe that the Mandela effect is the result of the combination of different universes. According to the scientists, people's false memories are caused by parallel realities that cannot be confirmed.

The Mandela effect on the example of famous movies

"Star Wars"

One of the most popular phrases of the epic Darth Vader media franchise: "Luke, I am your father," did not sound like it was remembered by most viewers in the movies. The main antihero addressed Skywalker with the words: "No, I am your father."

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"The Wizard of Oz"

Dorothy never uttered the famous expression: "Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore." Instead, she said: "Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."

"The Lord of the Rings"

In one of the most intense moments of the movie, Gandalf shouted to the heroes "Fly away, fools" before falling into the mines of Moria. However, most fans remember this phrase as: "Run fools".

"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"

The witch of the cult animated movie did not address the spirit of the mirror with the words: "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the most beautiful of all?" She said: "Magic mirror, on the wall, who is the most beautiful of all?"

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Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Scientists have discovered a lost continent deep in the southern arm of the Arctic Ocean between Canada and Greenland. According to scientists, it was formed 60 million years ago.

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Researchers from the University of Derby in the UK accidentally discovered a 250-mile-long landmass under the Davis Strait while studying tectonic plate movements in the area. The team of scientists suggested that the proto-microcontinent separated from Greenland after tectonics between the country and Canada split into two parts about 118 million years ago, the DailyMail reports.

The Davis Strait proto-microcontinent is a tectonic block that has separated from the continent. According to the researchers, it was formed due to "a long period of rifting and seafloor spreading between Greenland and North America."

"Rifting and the formation of microcontinents are permanent phenomena. With each earthquake, we can work on the next separation of microcontinents. The goal of our work is to understand their formation well enough to predict the same future evolution," said Dr. Jordan Fetian.

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The researchers identified the new microcontinent using a combination of crustal thickness data from gravity maps, seismic reflection data, and tectonic plate modeling. Gravity maps provide information on rock density, depth, and distribution of anomalous rocks.

The team focused on how the crustal anomaly formed, creating a reconstruction of tectonic movements that lasted approximately 30 million years.

The scientists described the proto-microcontinent as larger than other microcontinents, with a thickness of 17 to 22 kilometers. They also emphasized that understanding how it was formed is vital for modern science.

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The mapping technique tracked how seafloor movements have changed over millions of years and identified "an isolated area of relatively thick continental crust that was separated from Greenland during a recently recognized phase of east-west expansion along West Greenland."

The researchers say that Davis Strait is one of the largest concentrations of known fault structures with well-defined changes in plate movement that can help us understand how microcontinents form.

Protomicrocontinents are part of the continental lithosphere, which is a section of the Earth's outer crust that is divided into several tectonic plates - plates of rocks.

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There is a semi-liquid layer of rock located about 80-190 kilometers below the Earth's surface that heats up and subsequently melts, causing the rock to flow. The movement pushes the tectonic plates, causing them to rub against each other for millions of years, resulting in earthquakes and volcanic explosions. When this happens, land separates from the main continents, creating its own proto-microcontinent.

The initial rift between Canada and Greenland began about 118 million years ago. But the seafloor didn't start spreading until 61 million years ago to form what is known today as the Davis Strait.

After about three million years, scientists reported that the seafloor spreading shifted from northeast-southwest to north-south, which cut off the proto-microcontinent of the Davis Straight. The shift lasted approximately 33 million years and only stopped when Greenland collided with Ellesmere Island, which is located to the north.

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The researchers hope that their findings can be used to understand how other proto-microcontinents around the world are formed, including the Jan Mayen microcontinent northeast of Iceland and Gulden Draak Hill off the coast of Western Australia.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Once again, Russians are complaining about their own resorts, but they are only complaining to the media, not to those who cause them discomfort. The Russian transportation system cannot cope with the rush of people who decided to vacation with their families at the end of summer, and vacationers themselves are afraid of not being able to send their children to school on September 2. This isn't the first beach season when Russian resorts have been hell, but people are ready to make the same mistakes over and over again.

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They complained about the inability to get home by plane because of delayed flights. Weather conditions force Russian tourists to sit for 6-9 hours at airports. Another reason for dissatisfaction was an intestinal infection that turns a vacation on a sandy beach into a hospital room. All this is reported in the Russian media.

They received the most complaints from tourists in Sochi, one of the most popular resorts on the Black Sea. In addition to these troubles, Russian residents were faced with dirt and a terrible stench of water, both sea and tap water.

"The stench on the beaches here is really terrible. It comes from the water, so even the residents of the most expensive villas with private beaches are not spared from it," Russians comment, and the Russian media adds: "But it turns out that it is dirty not only on the beaches, but also on the cherished trains, for which at the end of August Russians with children are ready to pay 72 thousand rubles (32.5 thousand hryvnias) one way.

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Interestingly, for such a huge sum of money, they are traveling in cars that are many times worse than the cheapest reserved seat.

"We are in a compartment, and the carriage is old, there is no hot water, there is a kettle but it does not work, the conductor runs to the next carriage for boiling water. The train manager who was called assures us that "boiling water is not provided on the way". There was no light in the car almost the whole way, and the air conditioners rarely worked. The handle on the compartment door was broken, and the repairman was unable to fix it because he had no tools, and in the middle of the trip it fell off," the Russians complain.

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Moreover, the opportunity to get out of the city is already a luxury for tourists. Amid the shortage of tickets for both trains and airplanes, fraud has increased. As a result, people are not only left helpless to solve their problems, but also lose money.

"We even ordered a paid search, but the result is zero. We have already had several people we know deceived by intermediaries who promised to "get" a ticket for 50% of its price. Maybe they bought 690,000 tickets, but if they are cheating, then why, we are really ready to spend any money to get home," says a woman who was vacationing near Anapa.

It can be assumed that traveling by plane would be much more comfortable, but Russian residents are forced to stay at resorts for longer periods of time because they cannot leave Sochi. The weather conditions - wind and thunderstorms - turned the Russians' "happy" vacation into a living hell.

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"Last year, we flew from here, with the same airline, around the same time. We sat in the airport for 12 hours, and this time we've only been sitting for five. Although the forecast is not good. My friends are mocking me: they say that the mice cried, but continued to eat the cactus - that I have again stepped on the same rake with the flight in the last days of August," admitted Maria, a resident of Moscow.

However, the problem is not only the inability to fly home from the resorts, but also intestinal infections, which prevent tourists from having a comfortable vacation. Interestingly, the city authorities are aware of the presence of bacteria in the water supply and in the sea, but they do not take any measures. According to the Russian media, more than 65% of tourists in Sochi fell ill.

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Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote that a Russian woman went on vacation to Sochi and shared her impressions of the trip, which turned out to be "one of the worst in her life." While Russians are shouting about "decaying Europe" and boasting about their own analogues of luxury vacations, the truth is gradually coming to the surface.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The Minister for Education has not ruled out introducing an allowance for teachers in Dublin to help resolve the national shortage of teachers.

Norma Foley said she is prepared to look at everything on the table, as many schools struggle to secure enough staff for the academic year.

The Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) has called on the Government to hold an emergency meeting of stakeholders to develop immediate and short-term solutions to help principals recruit teachers.

The INTO said that a lot of schools, particularly in Dublin, have not been able to hire enough staff ahead of the new school year.

A lack of housing and high rents are being cited among the issues for recruitment issues in the city.

Asked whether the Government would consider bringing in a city allowance for teachers, Ms Foley said: Were looking at all of the levers that are available to us, and we will look at more as time goes on.

Im prepared to look at everything being put on the table.

I want to acknowledge that geographically there can be challenges, and the government is conscious of that, not just within the education sector, but I think, across all sectors.

For that reason, were seeing measures in terms of cost of living measures being introduced, in terms of the rental breaks that have been introduced, and Ive absolutely no doubt that further consideration will be given across government in terms of those cost of living measures that can be introduced by the budget.

Speaking in Stoneybatter on Wednesday, the Fianna Fail minister said there are 74,000 teachers in the system, the highest on record.

But I dont underestimate that there are challenges, and I dont underestimate the difficulties that that poses for school principals or boards of management or whatever, she added.

We are engaging on an ongoing basis with all of the stakeholders in education.

Weve introduced a variety of different measures, and weve introduced more.

We have introduced the bursary of 2,000 euro for those who are doing the masters in education, and weve increased the number of places, a 20% increase in the places provided for teachers who are training in the area of education.

We have retired teachers who are making themselves available.

We have free upskilling course for particular subject areas where there are challenges, whether its in maths or the sciences or whatever.

However, INTO said the severe crisis is threatening the future of primary and special education.

The organisation said it has reached a critical level  and accused the Government of failing to adequately plan for teacher supply.

It said that an increasing number of teachers have left Ireland for work overseas, while many others are being forced to take leave due to the lack of affordable childcare.

The INTO also said that the loss of these teachers will only worsen the situation as the academic year progresses.

INTO general secretary John Boyle said: It is frustrating that 323 days have passed since the government adopted one INTO recommendation, promising a fee rebate for teachers who completed the Professional Master of Education course.

Yet, the Department of Education has failed to release a circular outlining the details of the 2,000 euro PME incentive scheme, leaving hundreds of postgraduate teaching entrants in the dark.

This delay and lack of urgency are unacceptable, highlighting the Departments failure to address the recruitment and retention crisis.
A nighttime rocket attack on the Aurora Hotel in Kryvyi Rih on August 26 killed the former head of the Cherkasy Regional State Administration, Serhiy Serhiychuk. He was in the city on a business trip.

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The tragic news was reported on Facebook by the Cherkasy Regional State Administration, Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Reuven Asman, and Serhiychuk's friend Ivan Fursenko. The former official headed the regional administration from August 28 to December 29, 2020. He was also a soldier, took part in the battles for Kyiv and Kyiv region, an ATO veteran, and a builder of the Armed Forces of Ukraine's TRO.

"I was closely acquainted with Sergiy Ivanovich, we talked a lot. He was a man of a good heart, a Colonel, a Patriot, a Defender of the State," said Moshe Reuven Asman, expressing condolences to Sergienko's family.

"We will not forgive. We will take revenge," Fursenko emphasized on his page.

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Late in the evening of August 26, Russian occupation forces fired a ballistic missile at the city of Kryvyi Rih in the Dnipro region. It hit a civilian infrastructure facility, the Aurora Hotel in the city center, killing four people. As of the morning of August 28, search and rescue operations in the hotel were completed. The shelling also damaged houses, shops, a catering facility, and vehicles.

On the Day of Mourning for the Ukrainians killed the day before, Russians attacked Kryvyi Rih again on August 28. As of 11:22 a.m., four civilian casualties were reported.

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As reported by OBOZ.UA:

- The Ministry of Internal Affairs showed the eerie footage from the scene of the hit to the Aurora hotel in Kryvyi Rih. As a result of the attack, the four-story building was partially destroyed.

- Ukrainian showman Anatoliy Anatolich reacted to the Russian shelling of his native Kryvyi Rih, which shook the townspeople on August 27. The star showed archival photos and revealed little-known facts about the hotel in Kryvyi Rih that was hit by the occupiers.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Many buyers skip new car lots and focus all their attention on the secondary market. Buying a used car is somewhat like a lottery.

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For the first time, Consumer Reports has expanded its online car rankings and recommendations to include used pickups, sedans, and SUVs. Experts have published the top 10 used cars that usually require minimal investment and can last for many years.

Given the price of a new car, it is not surprising that many buyers are turning to the used car market.

According to a survey by Consumer Reports, 40% of Americans who were looking for a car last year only considered used vehicles. 31% of buyers considered only new cars, and 24% were undecided.

Consumer Reports' analysis identified the top cars based on the reliability of models aged 5 to 10 years:

Lexus

Toyota

Mazda

Acura

Honda

Buick

BMW

Subaru

Nissan

Mercedes-Benz

According to Alex Knizek, deputy director at Consumer Reports, in surveys, drivers reported fewer problems with brands such as Lexus, Toyota, and Mazda. He said that these brands are also known for more modest redesigns and lean more towards high reliability.

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Knizek emphasized that just because a brand is lower on the list does not mean that every car of that brand is unreliable.

"Chevrolet is a good example. Overall, Chevrolet falls around the middle of the pack. If you look at the individual vehicles, something like the 2018 or 2019 Chevrolet Equinox actually has above-average reliability," the expert explained.

Auto mechanic Jeff Landrum of Ron's Service Center in Covington, Kentucky, says he's a big fan of Toyota for their reliability.

"Toyota came out with a very comprehensive maintenance schedule that you're supposed to follow in order to get that car to be able to go the 200,000, 300,000-mile interval. Parts are readily available. Parts are not overpriced," said Landrum.

An example is the 2012 Toyota Camry.

Consumer Reports also published a list of the most popular models in certain categories and price ranges. For example, Consumer Reports recommends the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze as the best small sedan under $10,000, while the 2019 Hyundai Elantra is the best small sedan under $15,000. The 2021 Kia Sportage made the rankings as the best small SUV under $20,000.

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The Toyota trio is included in CR's list of used cars:

hybrid SUV under $20,000: 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid;

small hybrid sedan under $20,000: 2021 Toyota Corolla Hybrid;

pickup truck up to $20,000: 2015 Toyota Tacoma.

Subscribe to OBOZ.UA channels on Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events.
The new Toyota Starlet Cross 2024 crossover has been officially unveiled and has already been shown in photos with all the details. The budget model of the Japanese company has a surprisingly low price.

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The new Toyota Starlet Cross 2024 turned out to be so cheap that Motor1 called the model a real surprise. The budget crossover is based on the Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor 2024 and is actually a copy of it.

The car is compact and very cheap - with a price starting at $16,000 and modern design. The large grille, multi-level front lighting, contrasting body color, and flowing planes look impressive.

The Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor is a clone of the Suzuki Fronx budget crossover. Toyota models differ in details such as bumpers. In fact, we are talking about three almost identical cars.

The new Toyota Starlet Cross 2024 is equipped with a 1.5-liter unit with 105 hp.

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Ukrainians are showing NATO what war will look like in the future. And the Russian war against Ukraine "could end in an unpredictable way." To break the deadlock, the Ukrainian state and its allies should quickly innovate in both technology and tactics.

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This was stated by retired American generals and other participants in a discussion at the American Security Project think tank, Voice of America reports. According to them, Ukraine's actions in confronting Russia, in particular its innovation, demonstrate to NATO countries how wars will develop in the future and provide valuable lessons on how to counter aggression.

The discussion focused on the future of NATO after Russia's war against Ukraine.

According to the organizers of the discussion, although the Alliance has been working on the concept of a strategic vision for its future (NATO 2030 initiative) for many years, the reality of the war in Ukraine can "dictate very different paths for the future of NATO" and it "may end in an unpredictable way."

"During the war in Ukraine, you can see a real technological revolution. I think we are learning a lot from the Ukrainians, they are great leaders, including President Zelensky's announcement of the successful test of Ukraine's first ballistic missile," said Matthew Wallin, chief operating officer of ASP, an expert on national and nuclear security strategy and US-Russia relations.

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Wallin also drew attention to a recent statement by former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley , who believes that the emergence of autonomous capabilities in warfare, capable of controlling a huge number of UAVs, is changing the military of today.

"War has always stimulated innovation. But today's changes are extremely fast, and they will have a much greater effect. Future wars are no longer about who can gather the most people or supply the best airplanes, ships and tanks. Instead, they will be increasingly dominated by autonomous weapons systems and powerful algorithms," Millie wrote in an article co-authored by Foreign Affairs.

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In addition, Milley warned that "unfortunately, this is a future for which the United States remains unprepared."

"Its jets, ships, and tanks are not equipped to defend against a drone onslaught. The military has not yet embraced artificial intelligence. The Pentagon does not have nearly enough initiatives to address these shortcomings, and its current efforts are moving too slowly."

According to Millie, the Russian army has sent many AI drones against Ukraine. And China has announced its largest military restructuring in nearly a decade, with a new emphasis on building a technological force.

"If the United States wants to remain the world's leading power, it will have to change course quickly. The country needs to reform the structure of its armed forces... And it needs to better train soldiers to operate drones and use artificial intelligence," Milley emphasized, referring to the experience of the war in Ukraine.

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If America fails to lead this revolution, "attackers equipped with new technologies will eagerly try to attack the United States and may succeed," he adds.

Retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General Douglas Lute voiced another remark to the U.S. authorities in the context of the war in Ukraine.

"American leaders sometimes pat each other on the back about how much we've done, but that needs to be measured in terms of how much Ukraine needs, not how much we've provided," he says.

Lyut adds: "Ukraine has shown that it is first and foremost a responsible military partner for the United States and other allies.

During the discussion, the participants agreed that one of the main lessons from the war in Ukraine was that "quality trumps quantity."

And the qualitative factors of conventional warfare should include the ability to innovate , as well as issues of morale, discipline, motivation and leadership, said Matthew Wallin.

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He also noted that Ukraine and Russia have similar technological capabilities, which has led to a deadlock.

For example, neither side can achieve air superiority because of the enemy's powerful air defense, and UAVs on an unprecedented scale "provide unprecedented intelligence capability available to both sides."

"To break the stalemate, Ukraine and its allies must rapidly innovate in both technology and tactics. Without a renewed spirit of innovation motivated by this war, the United States and its allies around the world will be unprepared to win the next conflict," Wallin says.

He also emphasizes that the innovations that the US has not been developing for a long time due to "complacency with existing military capabilities" can ultimately prepare the country for a potential direct conflict with China.

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As reported by OBOZ.UA, earlier the American newspaper The Washington Post concluded that the Ukrainian Armed Forces' offensive in Kursk region exposed the illusory "red lines" of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and showed his passive reaction, which is in sharp contrast to the Kremlin's rhetoric at the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The other day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Putin was spending billions on the war, which he had received from trade with India, China, and Arab countries, and if Russians felt they were being robbed, they would begin to "push" the Kremlin leader to peace.

Vadym Sukharevskyi, the commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, predicted that all future wars will be wars of robots (UAVs). According to him, the process of "separating fire from soldiers" is already underway and will be completed in the near future.

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Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Russia is facing new challenges for its air defense. The Kremlin will have to decide which territories to defend first, as Ukraine has intensified its strikes on targets in the aggressor country, forcing Moscow to reconsider the deployment of air defense assets.

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This is stated in an article in the American edition of Business Insider. During Russia's invasion of Ukraine, both sides actively used air defense to protect themselves from UAV and missile attacks.

However, Ukraine's successful strikes and tactics have led to the fact that Russia now has to decide where to deploy its air defense systems, which creates new opportunities for attacks on less protected areas.

Analysts at the US Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believe that Russia does not have enough air defense assets to protect all necessary targets, even in supposedly safe areas.

ISW Russia Analyst George Barros says Russian defense is focused on protecting the most threatened areas, leaving other areas unprotected.

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Ukraine continues to strike Russian targets, increasing pressure on its command.

Western allies have allowed Ukraine to use their weapons to attack some military targets in Russia, which was previously limited to targets in the occupied territory of Ukraine, the article says.

In addition, Ukraine has intensified the use of drones, striking airfields and oil facilities deep in Russia.

Experts note that Ukraine is pursuing a strategy aimed at weakening Russian air defense, forcing the Russian air force to either leave bases near Ukraine's borders or concentrate significant air defense forces there.

The escalation of strikes creates tension for Russian air defense, especially in regions such as the occupied Crimea, the publication notes.

In particular, Ukraine is targeting air defense in Crimea, which puts pressure on Russian forces.

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The UK Ministry of Defense has stated that Ukraine's attacks on defense installations in Crimea weaken Russia's ability to defend the airspace of the occupied peninsula.

Experts believe that the current conflict is increasingly turning into an air defense war, in which, despite the pressure, Russia still maintains an advantage.

However, Ukraine continues to strive for a level playing field, seeking permission to use long-range weapons to strike targets deep in Russia, Business Insider reports.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, on the afternoon of August 28, a powerful fire broke out at the Ryazanskaya SDPP in Novomychurinsk, Russia, after an explosion.

And at night, in the Rostov region of the Russian Federation, they complained about a UAV attack, another oil depot belonging to Rosrezerv caught fire there. Later, OBOZ.UA's sources reported that the attack was the result of a joint operation by the DIU and the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

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At the same time, a BC warehouse was attacked in the Voronezh region. The governor of the region reported "falling debris", "fire near explosive objects" and evacuation of the population.

On Wednesday afternoon, a UAV attack was reported in the Kirov region: a tank for oil products was hit.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Only for our most loyal late night & early morning denizens, we share some of our reading as we once again check in with pop culture, community reports and top headlines.



Check TKC news gathering . . .

HOME TEAM ON TOP!!!

Royals move to first place with win over Guardians Get off the tracks!

Courthouse Honors Old-School

Seniors Count: Initiative to aid those 60+ heads to voters Jackson County Executive Frank White signs the Seniors Count initiative onto the ballot in an effort to offer more resources and care for people over the age of 60.

Country Diva Shares Local Life Lessons & Resources

Dolly Parton celebrates Imagination Library expansion in Kansas City Since Dolly Parton's Imagination Library launched 29 years ago, it's gifted over 200 million books to young readers.

Local Newsies Work To Watch Drama Unfold

Kansas news outlets ask judge to allow cameras in court for former Marion police chief * Kansas Reflector Kansas Reflector and other news outlets have asked a district judge to reject former Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody's attempt to banish cameras from court proceedings in his criminal case.

Show-Me Legal Weed Branding Crackdown Coming Soon

Deadline for Missouri's new marijuana plain packaging is Sept. 1 * Missouri Independent The state constitution now requires regulators to put more rules in place to protect children from accidental consumption and poisoning.

Midtown Revival Exposed

Remodel of historic Kansas City church goes viral with completion of new wedding and event spaces In Westport, along Broadway Boulevard, a historic stone church building got new owners and new life.

Demi Worth Second Look

Demi Moore, 61, strikes some very suggestive poses Demi Moore struck very sexy poses for Interview magazine's September issue. In one shot she almost spilled out of her chartreuse green dress before looking at a magazine.

Prez Helps Pals & Party

Harris and Walz, with help from Biden, to target pivotal Rust Belt states on Labor Day Vice President Kamala Harris will spend Labor Day campaigning in Detroit and later Pittsburgh, where she will join President Joe Biden.

MAGA Lashes Out Against Push Poll Border Hype

'Total bulls---': Trump campaign rips 'preposterous' Harris pro-border wall narrative after media report The Trump campaign hammered what it said is a "preposterous" claim that Vice President Kamala Harris has become more in favor of border wall construction.

DOJ Indictment Redux

Trump special counsel files new election interference indictment Special Counsel Jack Smith appears to have tailored the charges to work under the recent presidential immunity ruling.

Media Claps Back Against Senator Vance By Digging Up Old Personal Attacks

In resurfaced remarks, Vance bashes teachers union president for not having 'some of her own' children The GOP vice presidential nominee took aim at American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten when he was running for the Senate in Ohio three years ago.

Pundit Talking Point Inspires Journalist To Blush

CNN's Scott Jennings Literally Facepalms When Former Harris Official Says Trump Is '0 For 1' In 2024 Debates Scott Jennings placed his face into his palms when Jamal Simmons asserted former President Donald Trump lost his first presidential debate of 2024.

Eastern Europe End Game?!?

Ukraine's Zelenskiy to present plan to Biden to end war with Russia 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.

Iran From Nuke Promises

Iran's supreme leader opens door to negotiations with United States over Tehran's nuclear program Iran's supreme leader has opened the door to renewed negotiations with the United States over his country's rapidly advancing nuclear program.

Unfriendly Skies Cont'd

Ukraine's F-16s Have Scored Their First Aerial Kills The nimble jets reportedly shot down Russian cruise missiles on Monday.

Global Tide Is High

UN Secretary General warns "ocean is overflowing" He says the crisis will "soon swell to an almost unimaginable scale."

Trimming Down & Acting Out

Armie Hammer forced to sell favorite truck after cannibalism scandal led to 'career death': 'Can't afford the gas anymore' Armie Hammer was forced to sell his truck after the cannibalism scandal led to his "career death." He revealed, "I can't afford the gas anymore."

Crypto Crash Redux . . .

Bitcoin falls 6.4% to $58,777 Bitcoin fell 6.4% to $58,777 at 2218 GMT on Tuesday. Bitcoin, the world's biggest and best-known cryptocurrency, is down 20.3% from the year's high of $73,794 on March 14.

Diva Shares Costume Preview

Katie Price shows off her huge boobs in see-through catsuit at Manchester Pride KATIE Price sizzled in a see-through catsuit as she performed at Manchester Price over the weekend. The former glamour model, 46, showed off her huge boobs in the skintight black lace one-piece. Th...

Local Tribute To History Revised

National WWI Museum and Memorial to Refresh Several Exhibits This Fall - IN Kansas City Magazine Sponsored Content In the earth below Liberty Memorial Tower is a world-class museum in constant motion. Its galleries are always growing and changing to better tell the story of one of the most consequential events in modern history. Next month, the National WWI Museum and Memorial will refresh three exhibits.

Helping Hand Starts Anew

Kauffman's new grants go live this week; here's what we know about the revised funding priorities New applications for funding through the Kauffman Foundation open Aug. 29. An over-arching goal for the organization: Make Kansas City a national model for equitable economic mobility by focusing the foundation's giving on impactful change and removing systemic barriers, setting generations on the path to prosperity.

Forecast For Now . . .

Scattered storms expected during the evening hours Heat is going to continue for a few more days in Kansas City

And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
Right now we celebrate hottie "Stassie" sweating it out for the benefit of social media branding as we check pop culture, community reports and top headlines.



Check TKC news gathering . . .

Urban Backstory Well-Remembered

From fabled family mansion to speakeasy and union hall-this Paseo building has seen it all Few buildings in Kansas City can claim a history as fascinating as the early 1900s Benton family home in Hyde Park. Known today as the Justice and Dignity Center (3114 Paseo, KCMO), the home serves as a bustling community center, hosting events such as Feed the Community, a program that serves meals to more than...

Local Crash Postscript . . .

Teen critical after being hit by car in front of Children's Mercy Park The accident occurred during the weather-delayed start of a U.S. Open Cup Match at Children's Mercy Park.

Show-Me New Rules

Five new Missouri laws to know that become official Wednesday A series of bills approved in this year's Missouri legislative session will officially take effect on Wednesday, Aug. 28 as laws.

Rock Chalk Regret

Kansas hired ex-official with felonies. Why didn't a national background check happen? Former Kansas Commerce official and Peabody resident Jonathan Clayton, who was missing, didn't undergo a national criminal background check.

Politicos Fear Popular Vote

2 Missouri lawmakers file lawsuit to block abortion question from going on November ballot Two Missouri lawmakers were among a group that filed a lawsuit aimed at blocking an abortion issue from going on the November ballot.

The Dotte Plagued By Trouble

Why is there a tuberculosis outbreak in Wyandotte County? Nearly 50 cases of tuberculosis have been confirmed in Wyandotte County - more than the total number of cases in the state of Kansas last year. Still, experts say overall public risk is low.

Serving Success . . .

4 KC-area restaurants on Yelp's 'Top 100 Pizza Spots' in Midwest The Kansas City area is home to some of the best pizza in the Midwest, according to Yelp.

Insta Fashion Influence Shared

Kylie Jenner's BFF Stassie drips sweat in a gray workout set Anastasia 'Stassie' Karanikolaou took to Instagram on Tuesday to share workout-themed content with her 10.5 million followers.

Prez Discounts Big Pharma

Biden cap on drug costs will save US seniors over $1,000 a year, study finds More than 1 million people in the U.S. will save over $1,000 a year beginning in 2025, when an annual $2,000 cap on prescription drug out-of-pocket costs kicks in, the leading lobbying group for older Americans said on Wednesday.

MAGA Blames White House

Donald Trump lays blame for assassination attempt on Biden and Harris Ex-president claimed Biden administration weaponized justice department and caused staffing shortages at Secret Service

Veep Jumps Back & Forth

Harris flip-flops on building the border wall It's the latest example of Harris flip-flopping on past liberal positions.

More Indictment Deets

Jack Smith isn't backing down: 5 takeaways from Trump's latest indictment Special counsel Jack Smith has refined his election interference case against former President Trump, keeping the bulk of his original indictment in the wake of a Supreme Court decision granting fo...

Vlad Push Back Reported

Russia faces "difficult fight" to retake Ukraine-held area, says top US spy Russian President Vladimir Putin will mount a counteroffensive to try to retake territory in the Kursk region captured by Ukrainian troops, but Russian forces will encounter "a difficult fight," Deputy CIA Director David Cohen said on Wednesday.

Not So Small World After All

A Global Problem Is Preventing the Wars in Ukraine and Gaza From Coming to an End We're seeing the cost of the breakdown of the international system.

Pop Fans Promote Veep

'Swifties for Kamala' think Harris is the 1 to beat Trump. And they want to help By the end of their call Tuesday, 14,000 attendees reported registering to vote.

Advice For Sweating It Out

The 5 Best Sex Positions for When It's Way Too Hot Out Beat the heat this summer with our top 5 sex positions designed to help you and your partner stay cool and connected.

Diva Shares Knowledge

Dolly Parton takes over 'Dolly' Theater to celebrate Missouri funding her Imagination Library Missouri legislators this year approved $11 million to fully fund Parton's program that sends free books to children ages 5 and under. Parton came to Kansas City's briefly-renamed Folly Theater to celebrate - and sing a few songs.

Urban Road Work Revealed

What is the Independence (Avenue) Corridor Overlay? - Northeast News The City of Kansas City in close partnership with Northeast neighborhood residents, businesses and institutions with the Northeast Kansas City Chamber of Commerce (NEKC) and Independence Avenue City Improvement District (CID) established a Special Character Overlay District (via Ordinance Number 160513) in 2016. The title "Independence (Avenue) Corridor Overlay" was selected.

Kegger Wastes Cash

Kelce buys stake in horse named Swift Delivery Three-time Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has bought an ownership stake in a racehorse named Swift Delivery, a purchase that was announced Tuesday by Team Valor International founder and CEO Barry Irwin.

Home Team Triumph Cont'd

All the times the Royals were in first place after the All-Star break First place feels so good!

Steamy Forecast For Now . . .

Summer heat and humidity will linger today Cold front Thursday night will bring our next round of rain and thunderstorms

The Linda Lindas - "Yo Me Estreso (feat. "Weird Al" Yankovic)" is the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
Credit where it's due . . .

The Missouri contender and Pentagon progressive did very well in this conservative news interview.

He's smart to talk with Fox News in much the same way that LT. COL. LUCAS KUNCE ISN'T BACKING VP KAMALA HARRIS.

Make of that what you will . . . It's an expedient decision but not very politically courageous.

Still . . . There's no doubt that his effort to reach out to conservatives deserves attention from both Democratic Party votes & Republicans . . .



Democratic Missouri Senate candidate Lucas Kunce lays out his political and economic agenda during an appearance on Cavuto: Live.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
Today, a major American progressive newspaper informed readers of a cruel reality:

Cool graphics, red light cameras and overpriced streetscaping doesn't keep drivers, cyclists or pedestrians safe. In fact, it's mostly a scheme to pay out political supporters who have garnered a nice living by squeezing into biker shorts or hanging a bike rack from their SUV.

Here's an example of a farcical scheme in action . . .



Meanwhile . . .

Look no further than the nation's capital and their similar "vision zero" traffic effort to understand that this kind politically charged anti-car rubbish does more harm than good.

Here's the money line . . .



"The number of fatalities has risen in all but two years since the initiative, dubbed Vision Zero, was launched. A Washington Post analysis of city traffic data shows that D.C. is on track this year to match last years 52 traffic deaths, which marked a 16-year high.



"D.C.s Vision Zero plan has relied heavily on camera enforcement to catch speeders, who are more likely to cause dangerous crashes. But The Post found that of the 33 people killed in traffic crashes so far this year, nine died within 250 feet of a traffic camera."

And so we share a truism tonight in no uncertain terms . . .

KANSAS CITY VISION ZERO & SO MUCH BIKE/WALK GARBAGE IS NOTHING MORE THAN A CRUEL SCAM!!!

So many consultants, activists and politicos play upon the goodwill of local who want to keep roads safe and then use that sentiments to siphon money from city hall and funnel it to friendly organizations.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
The US policy on striking the Armed Forces of Ukraine deep into the territory of the Russian Federation with American weapons has not changed. That is, the United States is not yet allowing the Defense Forces to attack Russia with long-range weapons.

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This was stated by US Department of Defense spokesman Patrick Ryder. At a briefing at the Pentagon, the major general emphasized that his country is not at war with the Russian Federation.

"We are not at war with Russia. We do not seek conflict with Russia. We're just supporting a democratic country... and giving them the ability to defend themselves," Ryder said.

According to him, the Ukrainian army can use American assistance to defend itself against cross-border attacks, i.e. to fire back.

"But as for long-range, deep strikes against Russia, our policy has not changed," the Pentagon spokesman said.

As reported by OBOZ.UA:

 On August 28, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg convenes a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council at the ambassadorial level. He does so at Kyiv's request.

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 Meanwhile, Russia has moved 90% of its aircraft to a distance beyond the range of ATACMS missiles.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) said in a report that 4.7 million passengers passed through the Qatar airport in July 2024, a significant increase of 10% as compared to 4.3 million travellers during the same period last year.

The latest Preliminary Air Transport Statistics revealed that flight movements continued to surge by 7% during the month, topping 24,179 as compared to 22,598 in July 2023, a Peninsula report said.

QCAA said that air cargo and mail also increased by an increase of 13.9% to register 222,415 tonnes in July 2024 as compared to 195,244 tonnes in July 2023.

During the same month, Dohas Hamad International Airport (HIA) announced that the country experienced its busiest month in its operations, by welcoming 4.73 million passengers.

The overall flight movement at HIA last month increased by 3.9% compared to June.

The countrys national carrier, Qatar Airways, announced the expansion of its network of destinations and launched seasonal summer operations, in addition to enhancing the airports connectivity.
The Ombak Festival at Desaru Coast in Johor, Malaysia, is a three-day event filled with music, art, food, and family-friendly activities. Hosted at Anantara Desaru Coast Resorts & Villas, the festival offers a unique mix of international and local talent, culinary delights and immersive experiences, making it a perfect weekend escape.



(TRAVPR.COM) MALAYSIA - August 28th, 2024 - Desaru Coast in Johor, Malaysia, will transform into a vibrant hub of music, art, food, and family-friendly activities with the highly anticipated Ombak Festival. This three-day extravaganza promises a unique blend of international and local talent, culinary delights, and immersive experiences, making it the ultimate weekend getaway at Anantara Desaru Coast Resorts & Villas.

Music & Performances

The festival boasts a stellar lineup of international headliners, including pop culture icon Grace Jones, Grammy-winning R&B star Macy Gray, and Swedish rock band The Cardigans. In addition to these global acts, the Ombak Main Stage will feature 16 hours of performances from notable regional artists such as Alena Murang, Thee Marloes, and Aisyah Aziz.

Culinary Delights

Food enthusiasts can look forward to a gastronomic journey with pop-ups and takeovers by Michelin-starred chefs and award-winning mixologists. Highlights include the Ember Beach Club Brunch by Chef Andrew Walsh, a kitchen takeover by Carbon KL, Latin Street Flavours by Feliz, and Flavours of Borneo by Reka: bar, Ver, and Chocha Foodstore.

Visual Arts & Craft

Art lovers will be enthralled by intricate installations that celebrate the regions artistic heritage. Featured works include fluid metal sculptures by Abdul Multhalib Musa and the Shore Debris Table installation by Ernest Goh. The festival will also host marketplaces such as Dia Guilds Southeast Asian fashion and lifestyle collection and the local artisanal designs at Lokal Market.

Ombak Kids

Ombak Kids ensures that even the youngest attendees have a blast with activities like the Silent Disco Kids edition, Junglewalla eco-adventures, kite flying, and interactive workshops. This dedicated program offers a variety of engaging and educational activities for children and families.

For more information - https://www.anantara.com/en/desaru-coast

###
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Berlin would continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine both from its own budget and together with its G7 partners. The draft budget for 2025 provides 4 billion euros for bilateral military support, and Kyiv will receive a total of $50 billion in loans from the G7, which will be covered by the proceeds from the frozen assets of the Russian central bank.

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Scholz announced on August 28 at a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after their talks in Berlin. "The draft budget for the next year provides and will provide 4 billion euros for bilateral military support to Ukraine. In addition, we, together with the G7 countries, will provide Ukraine with a $50 billion loan," he said.

The politician added that this should provide guaranteed, reliable financial support.

The loan, according to Scholz, will be covered by the proceeds from the frozen assets of the Russian central bank, as agreed at the G7 summit in Italy in June.

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The German Chancellor expressed confidence that this is not an easy task, but it is quite possible to implement it. All parties want to launch this mechanism very quickly, he said.

Currently, representatives of all interested countries are working intensively on the technical conditions, in particular, Scholz held consultations with the European Commission leadership on the European share, with the leaders of other G7 partners.

"I believe that we will be able to clarify the technical requirements soon," he said.

Despite recent attempts to sow doubts about Germany's readiness to continue helping Ukraine, Berlin will continue to provide its financial, economic, political, and military support to Kyiv as long as it is needed, Scholz said.

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He also reminded that Germany is Europe's largest aid provider and plans to remain so.

When asked about the possibility of transferring new types of weapons to Ukraine, in particular long-range missiles, Mr. Scholz said that there are no new decisions at the moment.

As OBOZ.UA previously reported, German media reported that Germany was planning to freeze new financial and military aid to Ukraine. Allegedly, Finance Minister Christian Lindner asked Defense Minister Borys Pistorius to stop these payments, saying that "new measures" should be taken only if "funding is secured" in the budget plans for 2024 and 2025.

Information about the plans to drastically cut military aid to Ukraine hit the shares of German defense companies, such as Rheinmetall, Hensoldt, BAE Systems, and others.

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As a reminder, Ukraine will receive a $50 billion loan from the G7 countries, which will be repaid from the proceeds of Russia's seized assets in the EU, the US, and other partner countries. The latter are estimated at $280 billion, and this amount will not change after the loan is repaid at Russia's expense.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade of Mauritius Maneesh Gobin have signed an agreement on the visa-free regime.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said this in a statement following the talks held between the two countries' foreign ministers in the Mauritian capital of Port Louis, Ukrinform reports.

The ministers discussed in detail the deepening of Ukraine's ties with African countries, the development of Ukraine's relations with the African Union, and the prospects for trilateral trade and investment cooperation between Ukraine, Mauritius and some African countries. Kuleba welcomed the interest of Mauritian businesses in the reconstruction of Ukraine. He invited Mauritius to participate in the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome next year.

"At the end of the negotiations, the ministers signed a visa-free agreement between Ukraine and Mauritius, which at this stage will primarily facilitate the trips of Mauritian investors and business executives to Ukraine in search of new work opportunities in our country," the statement said.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said the agreement would enter into force after internal procedures are completed in both countries.

The ministers also agreed to expand cooperation between Ukraine's Sumy State University and Whitefield Business School in Mauritius.

Kuleba invited Gobin to visit Ukraine and organize a business forum to establish partnerships between Ukrainian and Mauritian businesses.

Ukraine and Mauritius earlier agreed to start work on bilateral agreements on investment protection and avoidance of double taxation.

On August 4, Kuleba began his fourth African tour, during which he visited Malawi, Zambia and Mauritius.

Photo credit: Ukrainian Foreign Ministry
The Venice Film Festival is held on an island. It is a well-known fact. But it has also been a metaphor. Its nearly an hour away from Venice by boat. But a much larger ocean separates the worldviews of the worlds oldest film festival and the Italian government, led by the far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, and her party, the Brothers of Italy.

In 2023, the Venice Film Festival awarded two films on the odyssey of migrants to reach safety. But for the Meloni government, migrants should be sent back to their home countries or banned from reaching Italys ports. In 2021, the Golden Lion was awarded to Happening, a movie about a womans traumatic experience trying to get an abortion. While this year, Meloni worked to scrap any reference to safe abortion from the G-7 joint declaration. The festival shows movies about the trans community and refugees, films that fight against the discrimination of the marginalized, and vindicate feminism and anti-fascism. Issues that Meloni does not talk about, except to attack them.

With the far right in power in Italy, there was concern over what would happen to the artistic director of the Venice Film Festival, Alberto Barbera, whose contract was coming to an end after 13 years. The Meloni government had already replaced many of the leaders of Italys state TV network RAI, as well as the heads of the countrys main museums and the presenter of the Sanremo Music Festival, one of the most successful and also progressive.

Critics began to call Rai TeleMeloni, and claimed that the Meloni government was planning to install like-minded people in all the countrys senior artistic positions in order to combat the lefts alleged cultural hegemony. Local media hinted that Barberas fate was sealed. And yet, there he is, leading the 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival, which opens on Wednesday with the Tim Burton movie Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Not only that: his contract has been renewed until 2026.

All these concerns were due to the fact that when there is a new minister of culture, the first thing they usually do is renew the main leadership positions, Barbera tells EL PAIS over the phone. This has indeed happened in many institutions and initiatives. In fact, the president of the Venice Biennale has changed.

Indeed, the decision to appoint right-wing journalist Pietrangelo Buttafuoco as president of the Venice Biennale increased the uncertainty over the artistic directors future: it is the president of the Biennale who chooses the director of the Venice Film Festival.

Venice Film Festival director Alberto Barbera with Pedro Almodovar on the red carpet at the premiere of 'The Human Voice' in September 2020. ETTORE FERRARI (EFE)

Would Buttafuoco choose someone more like-minded? If so, who? Barbera didnt even know Buttafuoco. Many Italians probably didnt either, beyond his well-known conversion to Islam. But now that his contract has been renewed, Barbera has only thanks for him: He has shown great intelligence and vision, regardless of his political affiliation. He is more interested in the smooth running of the job. There are no differences to my work: I have total autonomy and freedom. I know he has received a lot of pressure, but he has hidden it from me. And the truth is that I have always defined myself as a technician.

Barbera may have tried to stay neutral, but he admits that there are obvious differences between the films he has chosen for the Venice Film Festival and the position of the Italian government: It is impossible to hide or avoid. Meloni has not attended the festival since she came to power. But she was referenced in the We are all anti-Meloni graffiti that appeared at last years event. She was also in a frame of the documentary March on Rome, by Mark Cousins, in 2022, which outraged the Brothers of Italy.

Melonis coalition partner, Matteo Salvini  the current minister of infrastructure and transport  did walk down the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival in 2023. He also attended in 2018, the same year he refused to see On My Skin, a film that denounced the death of Stefano Cucchi after a police beating. Salvini justified his absence from the audience by saying, I dont have time to go to movies.

Minister and leader of the League, Matteo Salvini, with his partner, Francesca Verdini, on the red carpet of the Venice film festival, on September 4, 2020. YARA NARDI (Reuters)

The decision to renew Barberas contract does not appear to have changed the artist director. This year, he is even upping the ante: on Thursday, September 5, the Venice Film Festival will show M: Son of the Century, Joe Wrights adaptation of Antonio Scuratis colossal biography about Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. In other words, a movie about the terrors of the fascist regime that Meloni and several representatives of her government continue to deny. Whats more, Scurati was recently cancelled by the RAI for criticizing Melonis failure to condemn that dark chapter in Italys history. He was meant to take part in a televised event, but was dropped from the program.

Perhaps Scurati will bring his message to the Venice Film Festival. I announced my intention to select it [M: Son of the Century], as well as some documentaries [on Trump and Bolsonaro, among others]. There has never been any objection, Barbera tells EL PAIS. But the movie is already shaping up to cause great controversy.

The 21 films in the competition also include stories about lost teenagers and women fighting for their sexual freedom; organized crime and sadomasochistic relationships; exploited workers and wild parents. Georgian film director Dea Kulumbegashvili will present April, a film focused on a clinic that performs clandestine abortions in Georgia. And Kill the Jockey by Luis Ortega  one of the most original voices in Argentine cinema, according to Barbera  will also be shown.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stands next to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at a NATO meeting in Washington, July 11. Yves Herman (REUTERS)

And, of course, the festival will have the usual line-up of highly anticipated films (and now also series): The Room Next Door, Pedro Almodovars first English-language feature; Joker: Folie a Deux, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga; Queer, a movie by Luca Guadagnino based on William S. Burroughs novel of the same name, starring Daniel Craig; Maria, a Pablo Larrain film with Angelina Jolie playing the opera soprano Maria Callas; and Disclaimer, Alfonso Cuarons small screen debut, starring Cate Blanchett. Hollywood stars like Nicole Kidman, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Julianne Moore and Jude Law will also be attending.

This is another one of Barberas hallmarks. Since he took over the festival, he has strengthened its relationship with Hollywood and the big streaming platforms. As a result, several films screened at the Venice Film Festival are later nominated for Oscars. Some critics accuse him of not giving enough space to auteur cinema, but the renewed visibility of the competition  which is a key event in global cinema  has worked in his favor, and may have contributed to his contract renewal.

The festival is, and must remain, a space for meeting and reflection on art, not one for the political terrain, he says. The island of the Venice Film Festival offers a different vision and a different Italy. Those who reject Meloni can climb aboard the festivals vaporetto. Its about to set sail again.

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A Nature Preserve in Assyria Township

Assyria Township, Michigan -- The Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy, or SWMLC, and Barry County Parks have announced a new park in Barry County.

Bailey Nature Preserve, formerly known as Metcalf Lake, is a 160-acre property in Assyria Township, just seven miles north of Battle Creek.

The preserve includes the 35-acre Metcalf Lake, and was donated by David and Eleanor Bailey in 1999 to the city of Battle Creek.

In order to ensure the property will continue to function and and be cared for as a natural area long-term, Battle Creek transferred ownership of the property to Barry County in the spring of 2024.

To help care for Bailey Nature Preserve, an endowment fund has been created by the Barry Community Foundation.

Anyone interested in donating to the fund can do so by visiting the Barry Community Foundation website here.

Barry County Parks will be working on creating a safe entrance and parking area to the preserve in the near future off of Baseline Road, according to officials.

A grand opening for the preserve, with more details to come later, is expected sometime later this fall.
Daniel Sancho will learn on Thursday August 29 whether the Thai court that has tried him for the death and dismemberment of the Colombian surgeon Edwin Arrieta has found him guilty of premeditated murder, as the prosecutor maintains, or if it accepts that on August 2, 2023, Arrieta accidentally lost his life during an argument between the two on the island of Koh Pha-ngan, as the defendant claims. Whether Sancho, a Spanish national, is sentenced to death  a punishment that the countrys judicial authorities usually reduce or do not carry out  or the extension of a possible prison sentence depends on whether the court rules that the events were premeditated. The court is set to issue its ruling at 10:00 a.m. local time (5 a.m. CET). After the sentence, the judge will set a deadline for appeals.

The trial of Sancho, son of the Spanish actor Rodolfo Sancho, has been one of the most publicized legal proceedings of the past year, despite the events having occurred 6,200 miles from Madrid and being investigated and tried under Thai law. The defendant, 29, and Arrieta, 44, had agreed to meet on August 2, 2023 on Koh Pha-ngan, a popular tourist island known for hosting the full moon party. The Spaniard arrived a couple of days before the meeting and planned to stay in the area for a few weeks. On August 3, he reported that his friend had disappeared and Sancho was formally arrested two days later.

Sanchos defense team and the co-accusation team, representing the Arrieta family, are already preparing for the court date, although not many details about the procedure for announcing the sentence have been revealed. Sanchos parents, Rodolfo Sancho and Silvia Bronchalo, have been summoned to court at 9 a.m. Thursday, along with their legal representatives in the country. When the scheduled time arrives, 10 a.m., other provisions will be communicated, such as whether access to the courtroom will be allowed to any members of the team of Spanish lawyers advising the defense, or the press. Daniel Sancho told the Efe news agency in an interview that he is prepared for the best and for the worst and was optimistic the judge will rule out Arrietas death being a case of premeditated murder.

The trial, held behind closed doors at the Provincial Court of Koh Samui between April 9 and May 2, was followed by a large delegation of journalists from Spain, mostly from television stations. During the sessions, the prosecution tried to prove through dozens of witnesses and evidence submissions  including the purchase of knives and a saw that the accused kept in the hotel room where Arrieta died  that Sancho planned the murder and dismemberment of the surgeon in the days prior to his death. The Thai penal code punishes murder with sentences of between 15 and 20 years in prison, life imprisonment, or the death penalty. Specifically, section 289 of the penal code cites premeditated murder as one of the aggravating circumstances for capital punishment. During the trial the prosecution also acknowledged the difficulty of proving premeditation, which would prevent the death penalty from being applied.

Sancho, who initially confessed to the crime, said during the trial that Arrietas death occurred in self-defense after the Colombian surgeon tried to rape him and threatened him and his family. At the end of the trial, the Spaniard expressed regret for what happened. I am sorry that a life has been lost and that parents have lost a son, Sancho told the court during closing arguments. I am sorry that his family was not able to bury him properly. Im sorry for what I did after the death. The Spaniard only admits to one of the three crimes of which he is accused, that of hiding Arrietas body, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison. He has pleaded not guilty to premeditated murder and destroying the victims passport, which is punishable with up to six years in prison.

A handout photo made available by the Royal Thai Police shows Daniel Sancho during a crime re-enactment in Koh Pha-ngan, southern Thailand, August 6, 2023. ROYAL THAI POLICE HANDOUT (EFE)

Possible appeals

Sancho has been held in pretrial detention in the district jail on Koh Samui, an island located about 40 minutes by ferry from the neighboring island of Koh Pha-ngan, where the events took place. If the sentence imposed on him exceeds 15 years in prison, he will be transferred to another center. The prosecutor in the case, Jeerawat Sawatdichai, has explained that if he is sentenced to more than 15 years, he would be transferred to the provincial prison of Surat Thani on the mainland, although it would not be immediate. Should Sancho be sentenced to over 25 years, he will be transferred to the prison of Nakhon Si Thammarat, a province located south of Samui. According to the countrys national correctional facilities report, Surat Thani holds about 5,400 inmates and Nakhon Si Thammarat prison has more than 4,200, compared with 542 in the Samui jail, which is considered friendly by the countrys standards because of its low density and lax security.

Once the verdict is handed down there are two possible routes of appeal for the parties, one to the Court of Appeals and another to the Supreme Court, a process that usually takes a year, according to legal sources.

In a previous case, Spaniard Artur Segarra was sentenced to death in 2017 by a Bangkok court for the premeditated murder of his compatriot David Bernat, and was transferred days after the ruling from the Bangkok remand prison to the capitals maximum-security Bang Kwang Central Prison, where he remains and where most inmates sentenced to capital punishment are held. Segarras sentence was reduced to life imprisonment in 2020 by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who has the power to grant pardons and commute the death penalty to a lesser punishment.

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Commander Teto used to sell spare auto parts. In the town where he lives, Coahuayana, however, the norm is to work in the powerful mining industry or in the banana fields: 7,000 hectares of plantations where more than 350,000 tons of fruit are harvested each year and sold in the United States and Mexico. These are profitable businesses; so much so that the criminal groups in the area have always stalked them. That is why, 10 years ago, Commander Teto left behind his old life, when he was still called Hector Zepeda, and became the leader of an armed self-defense group, one of many in Michoacan, to repel the harassment of the cartels. Initially the struggle was against the Knights Templar. More recently, the enemy has been the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

Over the weekend, Coahuayana was in the news for the same reason it is usually in the news, beyond the fertile banana industry. Eight people were killed on Saturday night when alleged community security forces clashed with a group of armed civilians on the border between Coahuayana and Colima, began an article in La Jornada. In areas such as the banana corridor, a group of armed civilians usually means organized crime. This time, of course, it was the CJNG. Those killed belonged to the self-defense group led by Commander Teto.

The dead were named as Mario, Pedro, Angel, Pedro, David, Francisco, Luis and Uriel. They were of Nahuatl origin. The local press says that their bodies were laid to rest in the town and a priest sang mass in their honor at the Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion church. It also says that Commander Teto personally asked their families for forgiveness. They were ambushed by the CJNG while patrolling the forests surrounding Coahuayana, between towns with the prophetic names of La Presa (prisoner or prey) and Sal Si Puedes (leave if you can); the Efe news agency reported that the CJNG used a monster truck in the attack, a large armored vehicles made of layers of steel that look like homemade tanks. All eight were buried on Sunday.

The CJNG and other armed groups are besieging the region, dotted with beaches giving access to the Pacific Ocean, which according to the state Attorney Generals Office are ideal for trafficking drugs from South America. They maintain an encirclement based on bullets, anti-personnel mines, drones that can be purchased on the internet and are modified to launch homemade explosives, threats, kidnappings, and disappearances.

The inhabitants of Coahuayana and the nearby municipalities of Aquila and Ostula, between the borders of the states of Michoacan and Colima, have for years been asking for help, for a stronger state presence to deter the narcos, arrests, better security, anything. At the moment, they are losing the battle. For decades, self-defense groups like Tetos have been sprouting up all over the region. When one is wiped out, another takes its place. It is the desperate solution of the people, to take up old hunting rifles or fifth-hand machine guns bought on the black market to try and fill the gaps left by the government.

Day laborers and workers cutting and packaging bananas in Coahuayana. Cesar Rodriguez

In May, in an interview for this newspaper, Commander Teto confessed to being exhausted. I am tired, but more disappointed with the government. The government continues to view us with distrust! We arent against them were against them supporting others [the CJNG]. Near Coahuayana, there are Mexican army and National Guard bases, but the CJNG roam free with few consequences beyond the occasional skirmish. On occasion even the military are targeted, as in February, when at least three soldiers were killed in a drone ambush in Tepalcatepec, a few hours from Coahuayana in an area disputed between the CJNG and a local group called El Abuelo, who are allied with the Knights Templar.

The balance in and around Coahuayana is precarious, a fine line where those who always come off worst are the unarmed civilians, the peasants who grow bananas, those who work in mining, and those who sell auto parts. Teto acknowledged, in that interview, that the farmers are forced to pay a revolutionary tax to the cartel of one peso for each kilo of plantain (which they sell for six pesos), so that the trucks transporting the fruit can pass through the criminal-controlled land without any issues.

The authorities have promised to reinforce security and increase military patrols, the standard response after events like last Saturdays, measures that for the moment remain insufficient for the local population. In addition to being a target for crime, in recent years displaced people have arrived in Coahuayana from the surrounding areas, from smaller or more isolated towns where the grip of the cartels is tighter, to seek refuge trusting that the self-defense forces will protect them. Commander Teto and his men try  the president of the local banana producers association stated that, since they have been patrolling the area, they have not faced any security problems on the plantations  but it is almost impossible to remain constantly alert.

Teto himself is an anomaly; it is unusual for men in his position to stay alive for so long, such as Hipolito Mora, another legendary leader of the Michoacan self-defense groups, who was shot dead last year. Or Juan Jose Farias, of whom little is known these days, in seclusion in Tepalcatepec and an enigma with uncertain loyalties. Or that of his eight men, gunned down in a town called Sal Si Puedes by a cartels homemade tank operating with impunity in plain sight.

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California is on the verge of becoming the first state to require public universities to hire undocumented students without legal work permits.

A bill addressing the issue passed the Legislature on Monday and now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk for his signature. Newsom has until the end of September to decide.

The measure would require the University of California, California State University, and California Community Colleges systems to start employing undocumented students by January 2025. This move follows the University of California's earlier decision to reject a similar proposal, citing legal risks and concerns about losing federal funding.

The legislation coincides with California's broader efforts to expand access to government programs and services for undocumented residents, such as state-supported home loans. Newsom, who has previously both supported and vetoed undocumented-centered legislation, has not yet taken a public stance on this bill.

"We will be helping students who struggle every day to stay financially afloat as they are earning their degrees, really changing their lives," lawmaker David Alvarez, who sponsored the bill, said on Monday.
The University of Colorado Boulder is mourning the death of junior Jeremiah Park, who was found off campus in the University Hill neighborhood on Friday afternoon.

Boulder police responded to an apartment complex on Pleasant Street, less than a mile from campus, around 4:42 p.m. on Aug. 23. The Boulder County Coroner's Office, which will determine the cause and manner of death, said they do not suspect foul play at this time, police said.

The university expressed its condolences over Park's death and is offering support through its Office of Counseling and Psychiatric Services, as well as other campus resources.

"The CU Boulder community is deeply saddened to confirm the death of CU Boulder student, Jeremiah Park, a rising junior who was found deceased off campus late Friday afternoon," the university released in a statement.

The Sigma Nu fraternity, where Park was a member, also mourned his loss, with Executive Director Brad Beacham telling CBS News:

"We extend our deepest condolences to the family, the members of Gamma Kappa chapter and all of those affected by this sudden loss. We appreciate the immediate support and care of the university administration and the greater CU Boulder community during this very difficult time. We will continue working with local leaders to provide ongoing support."
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2024) Industry leaders from Pakistan's fintech sector on Wednesday met with Chairman NADRA Lieutenant General Muhammad Munir Afsar and presented the current landscape, status and challenges to the industry.

The discussions focused on the progress made by fintechs, the potential they offer for growth, innovation and the challenges faced by the industry, said a press release.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman NADRA acknowledged the pivotal role of fintechs in driving financial inclusion and digital transformation in Pakistan and expressed his strong commitment to supporting the industry.

He also emphasized the need for a collaborative approach to overcome the challenges and assured the industry leaders that NADRA is fully aligned with the vision of a financially inclusive Pakistan.

He further said that the authority is keen to work closely with fintechs to develop solutions that will streamline processes and enhance the overall digital experience for consumers.

Syed Nadeem Hussain, Chairman Pakistan Fintech Network (PFN) said that the fintech industry is dedicated to developing a robust and secure digital financial ecosystem in Pakistan.

By integrating with NADRAs biometric verification technology and collaborating closely with regulators, we aim to enhance financial inclusion, ensure security, build trust, and foster a safer digital financial environment for all users, he added.
LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2024) A delegation from Proparco, a subsidiary of the French Development Agency, visited the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) in Lahore on Wednesday to explore financing opportunities in the textile sector to promote sustainable economic, social, and environmental development in the industry.

Led by Regional Director Diane Jegam, the Proparco team included Ms. Conselance Kelma, Project Manager Proparco, Mr. Laurent Chopiton, Economic Head, French Embassy and Mr. Habib Anwar, Honorary Counsel, French Embassy. APTMA North Chairman Kamran Arshad, along with Senior Vice Chairman Asad Shafi, M I Khurram, Haroon Elahi and Secretary General Mohammad Raza Baqir, welcomed the delegation here at APTMA office on Wednesday.

The delegation discussed financing modalities in the textile sector for promoting sustainable economic, social and environmental development in Pakistan. It also discussed potential collaboration with APTMA.

The delegation head said Proparco is interested in supporting climate-friendly initiatives, green energy projects, and environmental and social risk management in the textile sector.

APTMA sought financing for various projects, including the establishment of a Garment City, an International Textile Testing Lab, and training programs for EU Digital Passport and sustainability in supply chains.

APTMA Chairman Kamran Arshad presented the strengths of Pakistan's textile industry, highlighting its vast export potential.

He said the meeting comes as Pakistan's textile industry has made significant strides in sustainability, with APTMA members compliant with international standards like SA 8000 and Oeko Tex.

The industry has also shifted towards preferred fibres like organic cotton and recycled polyester, and implemented effluent and water treatment plants to reduce its environmental footprint.

With the GSP-Plus facility allowing duty-free access to EU markets, he added, Pakistan's textile exports have increased by 73 percent since 2013. Proparco's investment could further boost the industry's growth while promoting sustainable development.
Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) President Fuad Ishaq and Chief Secretary (CS) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry on Wednesday decided to establish liaison

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2024) Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) President Fuad Ishaq and Chief Secretary (CS) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry on Wednesday decided to establish liaison

between SCCI and secretary office for promptly resolve business community issues.

The decision was made during a meeting presided over by SCCI President Fuad Ishaq on the occasion of

Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry's visit to the chamber.

Leader of the Businessman Forum former senator Ilyas Ahmed Bilour especially participated in the meeting.

Fuad Ishaq apprised the meeting about reservations of the business community over the implementation of two percent tax on exports by the provincial government, obstacles in mutual trade, transit trade, taxes through various provincial departments/authorities, the security situation and other relevant issues, and gave practical suggestions for their resolution.

SCCI chief emphasized on solving all the issues through better policy and implementing business and trade friendly policies.

Ilyas Ahmed Bilour also spoke on this occasion and demanded provision of all rights. He said that the people of province has made numerous sacrifices for the country and peace and the business community should be given facilities and privileges.

He called for the abolition of all unnecessary taxes and the implementation of business-friendly policies.

Later, while addressing the meeting, Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry agreed with the proposals of the SCCI president and emphasized on strengthening the links between the Chamber and the bureaucracy for quick resolution of the problems.

The Chief Secretary said that facilitating business and trade and removing the difficulties of the business community are among the top priorities of the government. He said that all the problems should be presented at the sector level so that they can be solved immediately.

Nadeem Aslam fully assured to solve all the problems related to business and trade and taxes by utilizing all the resources at the government level.
The 56th academic council meeting of The University of Agriculture, Peshawar was held under the chairmanship of Vice Chancellor Emeritus Prof. Dr. Jehan Bakht

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2024) The 56th academic council meeting of The University of Agriculture, Peshawar was held under the chairmanship of Vice Chancellor Emeritus Prof. Dr. Jehan Bakht.

The meeting was attended by all Deans including Professors and elected members. After the recitation of the Holy Quran, the secretary of the meeting, Registrar Dr. Rizwan Ahmad presented the agenda of the meeting.

Vice Chancellor Emeritus Prof. Dr. Jehan Bakht welcomed the participants of the meeting.

The council gave its approval after discussing various academic items for academic improvement of the university, including starting new undergraduate degree programs as BS Agriculture Development, BS Development Studies, BS Economics and BS Sociology programs.

Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Jehan Bakht thanked the participants for organizing the successful meeting and said that practical steps are needed to get the university out of the financial crisis, the university employees should play their role in the development of the university, the curriculum of the students and focus on co-curricular activities and training.
MUZAFFARGARH, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2024) Deputy Commissioner Mian Usman Ali, along with Additional Deputy Commissioner General Muhammad Yousaf Cheema, visited various areas of the city to assess the drainage arrangements following recent rains.

During the visit, they examined the situation caused by the heavy downpour and directed the swift removal of water through pumps in the affected areas.

The Deputy Commissioner urged citizens to take necessary precautions during the rainy season, stressing that negligence could lead to severe harm. He instructed the installation of additional pumps to ensure the prompt drainage of water.

Furthermore, he directed municipal committee officers to remain in the field to address any issues that may arise.

Mian Usman Ali appealed to residents to maintain a safe distance from electric poles and wires during the rainy season. He also advised them to ensure proper roof maintenance, cleaning, and drainage to prevent water accumulation. The DC strongly cautioned against living in dilapidated or dangerous buildings and urged parents to keep children away from stagnant water in low-lying areas.
The Venezuelan political conflict has accelerated in the last month as it had not done since 2019. The presidential election on July 28 triggered a chain reaction with multiple effects: Chavismo, the governing force, has chosen to entrench itself in its unverified claim that President Nicolas Maduro won the election, while the opposition insists that the winner was their candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, and demands that the government make public the voting records. The goal of the Bolivarian apparatus is to corner its adversaries, led by the disqualified opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, and play the attrition game as it has done on other occasions. But this time, suspicions of serious irregularities on election day have caused an enormous shake-up in the foundations of Chavismo. Venezuela is once again in the spotlight of the international community; the president and his hardcore of aides are increasingly isolated, while tension increases and fear of repression spreads. In this climate, both the opposition and the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) will mobilize their followers this Wednesday in Caracas in two parallel marches.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks at the National Electoral Council (CNE) after it was announced that he won the country's presidential election, in Caracas, July 29, 2024. Leonardo Fernandez Viloria (REUTERS)

Machado and Gonzalez Urrutia have been holed up in a safe place for weeks to avoid reprisals. Their teams have been decimated by arrests and police harassment. The opposition candidate was summoned twice this week by the Attorney Generals Office, which accuses him of, among other crimes, conspiracy for publishing on a website the records that dismantle the official version of events and support his victory. Chavista leaders are trying to corner the opposition through judicial action and propaganda, to take away their visibility. That is why the parallel march called by Machado aims precisely to keep the spirit alive on the street, as the opposition did five years ago. There are similarities, but also substantial differences with the events of 2019, when Juan Guaido proclaimed himself interim president. In this case elections have been held, and Maduro has not shown the world evidence of his own victory.

The opposition demonstration is scheduled to be held on Francisco de Miranda Avenue, in the eastern end of Caracas, at the gates of Petare, one of the most densely populated slums in Latin America. The deployment of the so-called Bolivarian Fury, a social tool used by the PSUV to activate its grassroots, has also contributed in recent days to making the atmosphere more tense.

Baruta Municipal Police remove a barricade as people protest against the election results that gave President Nicolas Maduro a third term. Gaby Oraa (REUTERS)

Chavismo, on the other hand, is seeking to settle the dispute over the election results. For the first time, it has called on its supporters to celebrate the victory instead of rejecting what they describe as an attempted coup by the opposition. In other words, the idea is to interiorize the victory that was announced on the night of July 28 by the National Electoral Council and which weeks later was validated by the Supreme Court, the highest judicial body in the country and controlled by Chavismo. Maduro is still refusing to release the vote tallies despite the growing pressure from the international community and the attempts at mediation promoted by leftist presidents such as Brazils Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Colombias Gustavo Petro, and Mexicos Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

On Monday, during the virtual summit of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA), Maduro even put the focus on a new electoral process, announcing that in 2025 a mega-election will be held for the National Assembly, the governorships and the mayors offices of Venezuela. However, he took advantage of the announcement to threaten those who question his victory. That is, those who do not recognize and abide by the powers of the State will not be able to participate in those elections. The functioning of these powers is precisely at the core of the conflict, since all the controls of public management and administration are in the hands of Chavismo.

The complaints voiced by the CNEs principal rector, Juan Carlos Delpino, who recently reported a lack of transparency and veracity in the vote, provoked the sudden reaction of Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, who asked for his dismissal and replacement. But beyond the dispute over the vote, it remains to be seen how the crisis will evolve in the coming months. The road ahead remains unpredictable and Maduro has just remodeled the government to try to ensure direct control of strategic sectors such as oil and the police forces. However, the long transition period between election and inauguration also opens up new scenarios.

Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo Gonzalez, during a protest against the election results. Alfredo Lasry R (Getty Images)

Maduro is expected to officially take office in January 2025. There are more than four months left in which many factors can change. Until then, attempts at mediation driven from abroad will continue. The consequences of the November elections in the United States, in which the current vice president, Kamala Harris, will face former president Donald Trump, are still unclear. But there are no signs that Chavismo is willing to give in. On the contrary, the latest signs show a willingness to redouble pressure on the opposition while, at the same time, Maduro has refused to open up to a possible dialogue. He even accused the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, of pointing his rifles and cannons at Caracas. Borrell had asked for transparency, a word that on July 28 became taboo in the circles of power of Chavismo.

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(@FahadShabbir)

BAHAWALPUR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2024) A meeting of the district peace committee was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Zaheer Anwar Jappa in the committee room of his office.

The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner Finance Farooq Qamar, Assistant Commissioners, President of the Traders Association Hafiz Muhammad Khurram, religious scholars, and officials from relevant departments. The DC stated that the Bahawalpur district is peaceful and that its people love peace. He emphasized that the members of the district peace committee should play their role in maintaining a peaceful atmosphere.

The deputy commissioner urged that the message of peace be spread from the pulpit. He called for the teachings of peace, tolerance, and unity to be promoted. During the meeting, representatives from various schools of thought expressed their commitment to fostering peace, unity, and harmony in the district. They affirmed that the pulpit of Mosques would convey lessons of peace, tolerance, and patience. Subsequently, prayers were offered for the country's security, stability, and progress.
Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi on Wednesday visited Lahore for a two-day and paid a visit to the shrine of the renowned Sufi saint, Data Ganj Bakhsh

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2024) Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi on Wednesday visited Lahore for a two-day and paid a visit to the shrine of the renowned Sufi saint, Data Ganj Bakhsh.

At the shrine, Governor Faisal Kundi offered a floral tribute and prayed for the security and stability of the country. He emphasized the importance of fostering interfaith and inter-sect harmony in Pakistan.

Governor Kundi remarked, "It is crucial to promote interfaith and inter-sect unity. To achieve this, we must follow the teachings of Syed Ali Bin Osman Al-Hajvery (Data Ganj Bakhsh)." He further stressed that for improving the peace situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it is essential to abandon intolerance and violence.

The Governor highlighted the significant role of the Sufi tradition in promoting peace and tolerance. He also announced the initiation of conferences and seminars in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to promote the teachings of Allama Muhammad Iqbal and other Sufi saints, aiming to spread their messages of peace and unity.

Governor Kundi's visit underscores his commitment to enhancing peace and harmony in the province through the teachings of historical and spiritual leaders.

Meanwhile, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi was honored by the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI). The event was attended by key figures from the business community in Lahore, including Hassan Murtaza, Provincial General Secretary of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Punjab.

Upon arrival at the Lahore Chamber, Governor Kundi was warmly welcomed by LCCI President Kashif Anwar, Senior Leader Fariha Younis, and other members of the Chambers Executive Committee.

During his address, Governor Kundi emphasized the crucial role of industrialists and traders in the countrys development, stating that the PPP is committed to providing every possible facility to the business community.

Governor Kundi highlighted that landlords and traders have the potential to pull the country out of economic difficulties. He also stressed the need to reform the tax system and include more people within it.

He pointed out the pressing issues in his province, including the challenges of gas shortages despite being a major gas-producing area, and the high cost and frequent outages of electricity despite Khyber Pakhtunkhwas contribution of cheap power from the Tarbela Dam.

The Governor criticized the inequitable distribution of oil royalties and expressed dismay over the closure of wheat and flour supplies from Punjab, underscoring that efforts are underway to address these issues with the Punjab government.

He also outlined his priorities, which include engaging youth, empowering women, and presenting a positive image of the province to the world.

He stressed the importance of improving trade relations with Afghanistan and targeting markets in the middle East.

Governor Kundi praised the recent decision by the Prime Minister to increase the budget for the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) from 4 billion to 20 billion rupees, calling it a commendable move.

He also criticized the closure of utility stores as an inadequate solution, advocating instead for tackling the store mafia to provide relief to the public.

In response, LCCI President Kashif Anwar, Senior Member Fariha Younis, and other officials expressed their gratitude to Governor Kundi. They commended him for highlighting the issues facing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and for his efforts to address them. As a token of appreciation, the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry presented a special souvenir to the Governor.

Meanwhile, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also visited Jamia Ashrafia Lahore, where he was warmly welcomed by Naib Muhtamim Hafiz Zubair Hassan.

During his visit, Governor Kundi met with the esteemed Sheikh al-Hadith Maulana Fazlur Rehim, the Principal of Jamia Ashrafia.

He took the opportunity to visit Maulana Fazlur Rahim, offering him well-wishes and extending an invitation for him to visit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Governor Kundi also toured several departments of the Darul Uloom, accompanied by Sheikh al-Hadith Maulana Muhammad Yousuf Khan, Maulana Fayazuddin Chitrali, Maulana Asad Ubaid, and Hafiz Sheikh Osama Ajmal.

The Governors visit highlighted his commitment to engaging with educational and religious institutions and fostering closer ties between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and prominent scholars.

APP/ash
BAHAWALPUR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2024) The governing body meeting of Daanish School Hasilpur was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Bahawalpur Zaheer Anwar Jappa at the committee room of his office.

The meeting was attended by the principal of the girls' section Shehla Farhan, the principal of the boys' section Muhammad Akram, government body members, and relevant officials. The meeting reviewed the ongoing development projects and upgradation at Daanish School Hasilpur. The deputy commissioner emphasised that development work should be completed on time and to a high standard.

During the meeting, information regarding student admissions was shared. It was reported that recruitment for teachers and other staff was underway.

The meeting also highlighted the exceptional success of Daanish School students in the matriculation examination, with the boys' section achieving a result of 97.44 per cent and the girls' section 96.23 per cent. Discussions were held regarding the auction of the school canteen, with the Deputy Commissioner stating that high-quality food items should be made available at lower market prices. He also mentioned that tree plantation should be carried out within the Daanish School premises under the "Plant for Pakistan" initiative, with special attention to the care and watering of the plants. The principals informed about the tree plantation campaign and the curricular and extracurricular activities.
RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2024) Rawalpindi district police on Wednesday arrested coaster owner and adda munshi in Kahuta coaster accident case in which 26 people lost their lives.

According to a police spokesman, on the directives of City Police Officer (CPO), Syed Khalid Hamdani, Rawalpindi district police conducted raids and arrested the owner of the coaster namely Muhammad Safeer and Adda munshi, Abdul Qaddus.

The criminal negligence of the accused led to the loss of 26 passengers, the CPO said adding, the coaster owner operated vehicle on public service route without route permit and fitness certificate. Those who play with the lives of the citizens for petty gain deserve severe punishment, he added.

Syed Khalid Hamdani said that all legal requirements would be fulfilled to punish the accused.

The CPO said that special instructions have been given to SSP Investigation, SP Saddar and Legal Branch for effective follow up of the case.

Police investigating into Sundays coaster tragedy near Kahuta, which claimed the lives of all 26 passengers, have stated that the bus owner, the bus stand manager and driver all acted with serious negligence.

The vehicle was permitted to carry people without a route authorisation and fitness certificate.

The passenger coaster travelling from Rawalpindi to Palandri in Azad Kashmir fell into a deep ditch near Girari bridge in Kahuta. As many as 26 passengers, including children and women, were on board.

A case was registered with the Kahuta police station on the complaint of Assistant Sub-inspector for over speeding and negligent driving and causing damage to life and property. The owner of the coaster, stand manager along with others were booked under Section 109.
The experts on Wednesday emphasized that privatization in the power sector was the only way forward to improve energy supply, access, and innovation in the system amid growing energy demands

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2024) The experts on Wednesday emphasized that privatization in the power sector was the only way forward to improve energy supply, access, and innovation in the system amid growing energy demands.

The Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and Network for Clean Energy Transition (NCET) organized a consultative discussion on Privatization of Pakistans power utility sector: Opportunities and the lessons learned. The event also showcased a report launch on prospects of privatization of Pakistans power utility sector, a news release said.

Along with leading examples from across the world on privatization reforms, and potential challenges, the report that provided a critical review of K-Electrics transformation journey, underscored that the power sectors privatization was a strategic way forward to improve efficiency, achieve operational turnaround, and enhance consumer-centric initiatives.

In his welcome remarks, Deputy Executive Director, SDPI, Qasim Shah said the session has been convened to benefit from the lessons of K-Electric in the power sector.

He underlined that there were crises in the power sector including increased tariffs, taxation, political turmoil, and protests against power entities. The SDPI, he said has the mandate to provide advice to the government on key policy issues and social problems through dialogue with relevant stakeholders.

The current power crises, he said were mainly due to poor infrastructure, transmission lacunas, and outdated strategies.

Dr Khalid Walid, Research Fellow SDPI, in his presentation, provided a brief analysis of the report titled Privatization of Pakistan's Power Utility Sector: Opportunities and the Lessons Learnt. He added that there is a troika of economic turmoil, energy crisis and climate change woes unitedly driving the mix issues in the country.

In the power sector, he said there are inefficiencies in infrastructure, transmission, and generation systems, whereas privatization is seen as a solution to reduce inefficiencies in the power sector.

He also cited the global best examples of power sector privatization like in Chile and the UK that reaped convincing results.

In his keynote address, the CEO of K-Electric, Syed Moonis Abdullah Alvi said privatization of the power sector is the cornerstone of every sustainable development initiative for Pakistan. Before privatization, he said, K-Electric (which was KESC at that time) was receiving operational subsidies from the government to fund its operations which was reduced to zero after its privatization.

He said since privatization, KE has invested about USD 4 billion across its value chain. With regards to Tariff Differential subsidy (TDS), Moonis underscored that TDS was being provided to consumers of Karachi and not to K-Electric.

He also added that KEs success as a private entity was also evident from the 15 bids that it received for its renewable projects because the producer had confidence in KE meeting its expectations. He added that KE was able to attract the lowest bid of 3.88 cents for its renewable projects very recently.

Ameena Sohail, Former Advisor National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) said that NEPRAs role in privatization is important, adding, that post-2018, there has been tremendous development side on the regulatory side of the power sector.

Asad Mehmood, Energy Expert said the future of the electricity distribution companies (DISCOS) hinged on their ability to adapt and thrive in an increasingly competitive and regulated market. One of the most pressing needs is to increase electricity sales, which is essential not only for revenue growth but also for the broader expansion of our energy sector. Every DISCO stands to benefit from selling more, but achieving this requires a shift from the status quo.
(@FahadShabbir)

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2024) The Pakistan Solar Association (PSA) has expressed serious concerns regarding the growing import of B-grade and inferior quality solar panels by unauthorized third-party importers in the country.

In a strongly worded statement after a meeting held on Wednesday, the PSA highlighted the significant risks these substandard products pose, not only to consumers but also to the broader economy and the nations reputation.

The PSA emphasised that these poor-quality solar panels are not merely a consumer issue, but a matter of national importance. The influx of substandard solar materials is a substantial loss for consumers who invest in these products with the expectation of long-term savings and reliable energy solutions, Amir Chaudhry, chairman PSA, said and added that in reality these inferior products lead to inefficiencies, frequent breakdowns, and higher maintenance costs, ultimately negating the intended benefits of solar energy adoption.

The PSA warned that if the current trend of importing low-quality solar panels continues, Pakistan could become a dumping ground for the world's substandard solar products. This, the association stressed, would be detrimental to the country's efforts to transition to renewable energy and could severely undermine consumer confidence in solar technology.

Moreover, Amir Chaudhry clarified that these third-party importers, responsible for flooding the market with inferior solar panels, are not members of the PSA. These importers are operating outside the recognised framework of quality assurance and ethical business practices that our association upholds, the PSA Chairman noted. By prioritising profit margins over product quality, they are not only compromising the safety and satisfaction of consumers but also tarnishing the nations dignity in the international market.

Amir Chaudhry said that the ongoing supply glut in the Chinese market has resulted in the third party stockists in China unloading excess stocks, including B-grade stocks, without warranty or re-insurance. Unfortunately, some traders are importing the dumped stocks into the Pakistan market and selling to uninformed buyers.

The PSA urged the government and relevant regulatory authorities to take immediate action against these unauthorized importers. It called for stricter enforcement of quality standards and regulations governing the import and sale of solar products in Pakistan. The association also encouraged consumers to verify the credentials of suppliers and choose only PSA-affiliated manufacturers and importers to ensure they are purchasing high-quality, certified solar panels.
HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2024) The Vice Chancellor of Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) Tandojam Dr. Fateh Mari, emphasized the importance of keeping youth informed about global changes, advancements, and issues. He stressed the need to develop leadership qualities among the youth.

He made these remarks during the opening ceremony of a three-day training program titled "Developing Skills for Future Leadership" at the universitys A.M. Sheikh Auditorium. Dr. Mari highlighted that youth need to prepare themselves as future leaders and address economic, developmental, research and geographical challenges.

Renowned social reformer and motivational speaker Atiq Raja stated that young people need to reconstruct their thinking to gain comprehensive experience in leadership in a rapidly changing world.

He stressed that a thorough rethinking process was vital for equipping the next generation to lead effectively in a rapidly evolving environment. He encouraged self-assessment to stay aligned with technological advancements and innovative thinking.

Director of University Advancement and Financial Assistance Dr Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar described that the workshop was designed to empower youth for success in both their communities and professional spheres. The comprehensive training will cover leadership skill development, enhanced communication, emotional intelligence, problem-solving, critical thinking and organizational behaviour, setting the stage for future leaders to excel in a competitive world.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

MUZAFFARGARH, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2024) A woman was killed while six others sustained multiple injuries

in roof collapse incidents related to rains during the last 24 hours.

According to Rescue-1122, in a roof collapse incident that occurred

in Mahmud Kot Town where Sonia (34) w/o Muhammad Shafiq died

after being buried under the debris.

In another incident that took place at Street No.

6 Karimabad where

roof of a house caved in, leaving injured to as Sajida (20) and Sakeena

Mai (60). Both the victims were rushed to the DHQ hospital.

In the third incident that occurred at Nullah Khuda Dad where the roof

of a house collapsed, causing injuries to Bilal (6), three-year-old daughter

of Hamni Parvez, Jawaria (21) w/o, Aziz Bibi (50) w/o Muhammad Abdullah.

The injured were shifted to RHC Hospital Gujrat Town.
(@FahadShabbir)

Madrid, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2024) Spain's Canary Islands on Wednesday mark 30 years since two young men from Western Sahara arrived on their shores -- the first in an ever-growing procession of migrants from Africa.

Since then, over 200,000 migrants have landed on the Atlantic archipelago off the northwest coast of Africa after travelling hundreds of kilometres on packed, rickety boats in search of a better life in Europe.

The anniversary of the opening of the so-called Canaries route coincides with a tour by Spain's Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to three African countries where many of the migrants come from -- Mauritania, where he arrived on Tuesday, The Gambia and Senegal.

Sanchez will try to get these nations to step up their efforts to stop migrants from heading to the Canaries, which are struggling to cope with a surge in arrivals.

The archipelago received a record 39,910 migrants in 2023, a figure it is on track to surpass this year.

Over 22,000 migrants have already landed in the Canaries so far this year and the Spanish government estimates there are some 200,000 people in Mauritania, many from war-torn Mali, waiting to make the crossing.

At least 30,000 migrants arrived in the archipelago between 1994 and 2006 when arrivals took off. That year 31,678 migrants landed in the Canaries, a record figure that was only surpassed last year.

Since 2006 a total of 186,811 migrants have landed in the archipelago, bringing to over 200,000 the numbers of arrivals since August 28, 1994, according to interior ministry figures.

On that date, two Sahrawis arrived on the island Fuerteventura on a small wooden boat to request political asylum.

At their closest point, the islands lie 100 kilometres (62 miles) off the coast of North Africa, the shortest route running between the coastal town of Tarfaya in southern Morocco and the island of Fuerteventura in the Canaries.

"When you board a boat, the first thing you think of is death," Younousse Diop, who arrived on the island of Tenerife from Senegal in 2016 when he was just 13, told AFP recently.

"It was hell. The nights are hard, the days are hard," he said of the 11-day boat trip.

Spain has reached agreements with nations such as Senegal and Mauritania to make it easier to deport migrants who arrive illegally, and provide the countries with funds to step up efforts to stop people from making the crossing.

This helped bring down arrivals until around 2020 when tighter control in the Mediterranean Sea pushed more migrants to the Canaries route.

But the Atlantic route to the Canary Islands is particularly dangerous because of strong currents, with migrants travelling in overloaded, often unseaworthy, boats without enough drinking water.

The currents cause shipwrecks or sometimes push boats past the Canaries to end up across the ocean, in Brazil or the Dominican Republic -- with all their passengers dead, as has happened in recent years.

Since 2014 at least 4,857 people have died or disappeared while trying to reach the Canary Islands, according to the United Nations' International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Migrant rights group Caminando Fronteras (Walking Borders), which compiles its own figures from families of migrants and rescue statistics, has a higher figure. It says 18,680 people have died or disappeared since January 2018 on the Canaries route.

The explosion in the number of arrivals, especially of unaccompanied minors who cross alone and cannot legally be sent back, have overwhelmed the authorities in the Canary Islands, where migrant reception centres are full beyond capacity.

Fernando Clavijo, the regional leader of the islands, has urged the European Union to do more "so that the Canary Islands do not have to shoulder all of Europe's migratory pressure on their own".

"In the end, it's a pressure for Europe, because they are arriving in Europe, in Spain, and not just on the Canary Islands," he said Friday after meeting with Sanchez to discuss the issue.
Tatabanya, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2024) Goulash-flavoured gelato, anyone? Curious customers are flocking from all over Hungary to taste the summer's wackiest taste sensations -- a small ice cream parlour serving up savoury Hungarian staples.

Robert Reinhardt and his taste-bud-challenging flavours have become an overnight hit, creating a buzz on social media.

"We started with the beer and potato pancake flavours. That already blew some people's minds," the 44-year-old, who runs Roberto Confectionery in the city of Tatabanya north of Budapest, told AFP.

After receiving requests for new flavour creations from people online, Reinhardt began to experiment, mixing traditional Hungarian dishes such as paprika chicken, cabbage stew and hearty meat pancakes with a variety of ice cream bases.

But he doesn't limit himself to Hungarian cuisine, broadening his menu to include all-time favourites like spaghetti Bolognese and scrambled eggs with bacon.

"I realised that you could get really good flavours out of it. This is not a joke," Reinhardt said, who sells his ice cream for 500 forints (1.27 Euros) a scoop.

Turnover at the shop has since increased by "three or four times" since Hungarian media first got the scoop on his unusual treats, said his wife Ena.

"We are a little bit overwhelmed because we didn't expect that it would become such a hit," she told AFP.

"We're constantly looking for more staff.

"

- Fried cheese and tomato soup -

So far the savoury ice creams have been popular with customers, although some admitted they are more of an acquired taste.

"I thought they were going to be very unusual, but they taste great," said masseuse Ildiko, who declined to give her full name, after sampling all flavours for free before making her choice.

"The tomato soup, the sheep cheese with dill and the fried cheese tasted the best," she told AFP, adding that she would soon be back for more.

Others were not as enthused.

Krisztian Kiss, a 43-year-old lawyer from the country's northwest said he probably wouldn't be making the trip back.

"I had to check out this kind of quirky idea," he quipped, complimenting the authenticity of the flavours.

His 10-year-old son Zeteny was less excited, saying it is a "very strange feeling" to taste something salty when your tongue is "used to it being sweet".

While opinions on social media have been divided as detractors slammed the novel ice creams as "disgusting", posts about the wacky flavours have been viewed tens of thousands of times, with some even reaching a million views.

Banking on sustained demand for his offerings, Reinhardt plans to open up a second shop in the capital while continuing to provide his novel flavours even during the winter months.
Ukraines alleged support for the Tuareg rebels in their war against the Malian army and its Russian Wagner Group allies (now restructured as the Africa Corps), which came to public light after the battle of Tinzaouaten last July, represents a new twist in the complex conflict in the Sahel, where the hostilities between Moscow and Kyiv are reminiscent of the Cold War. On August 19, the military juntas governing Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, which make up the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), asked the United Nations to take measures against Ukraine. In a joint letter addressed to the U.N. Security Council, the foreign ministers of the three countries denounced the official and unequivocal support of the Ukrainian government for terrorism in Africa, particularly in the Sahel, which they claim is a violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity. In this sense, they demand that the U.N. take appropriate measures against these subversive acts, which reinforce terrorist groups in Africa.

On July 27, a convoy composed of Wagner mercenaries and Malian soldiers was attacked on the outskirts of Tinzaouaten, near the Algerian border in the north of Mali, by the Tuareg-majority pro-independence forces of the Permanent Strategic Framework for the Defense of the People of Azawad (CSP-DPA) and jihadists of the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (JNIM). Eighty-four Russian contractors and 47 Malian military personnel were killed in the battle, according to the CSP-DPA. In a subsequent statement, Wagner acknowledged suffering severe losses.

Two days later, Andriy Yusov, the spokesman for the Ukrainian Defense Ministrys Intelligence Services (GUR), said in an interview with a Ukrainian television broadcaster that the Tuareg rebels received necessary information, and not only information, which allowed them to carry out a successful military operation against Russian war criminals. Sources close to the CSP-DPA agree that Ukraine provided intelligence on the movements of the Wagner column, but also, in recent months, contributed to the military training of Tuareg rebels in the use of light drones capable of dropping small explosive charges.

These statements, coupled with the publication on social networks of a video celebrating Wagners defeat by the Ukrainian ambassador to Senegal, Yurii Pyvoravov, prompted first Mali and then Niger to break diplomatic relations with Ukraine. The Senegalese government also reminded Kyiv of the duty of discretion and non-interference of its diplomats, and denounced what it termed as the apology for terrorism carried out by its ambassador. Even the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), which is at odds with the AES countries, issued a communique days later to condemn any outside interference in the region that could constitute a threat to peace and security, as well as any attempt to drag the region into the current geopolitical confrontations.

The Ukrainian government denies that it supports international terrorism, as the AES accuses it of doing, and blames Mali for breaking off relations without presenting evidence of Ukraines involvement in the battle of Tinzaouaten. However, Kyiv is making notable efforts to counter the rise of Moscows influence in Africa. Its foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, has already made four tours of the continent and has promised to liberate Africa from Russia. Although his words refer to diplomatic efforts, Mali is not the first African country in which Ukraine is confronting Wagner: Ukrainian special forces are fighting in Sudan alongside the regular army against the Rapid Support Forces which, in turn, count Russian mercenaries among its allies.

The presence of Ukrainian forces on Malian soil has not been ascertained, but the words of its intelligence spokesman are clear. The question, not only semantic, is the expression support for terrorism, which Kyiv denies. In its communication strategy, the Malian military junta calls both jihadist groups and the Tuareg-majority pro-independence groups in the north of the country terrorists. Although these are different groups with different ideologies, rebels and Islamic radicals have collaborated in the past, there is a great porosity between them, and they have a common enemy: the Malian army and its Wagner allies. Although there is officially no common strategy, the fact is that in Tinzaouaten, both the CSP-CDA and JNIM harassed the same military convoy.

Ukraines support for a rebel group seeking independence, even though it is fighting a military junta that came to power in a coup, has not gone down well in many African countries and is a setback for Kyivs strategy to win the favor of a continent where Russia, the main arms exporter to Africa, has important allies and where some 20 countries have refused to condemn the invasion of Ukraine. The memory of how the U.S. and the USSR brought the Cold War to Africa in conflicts that became poisoned, such as those in Somalia, Angola, or the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is still very fresh. Ukraine would do well to remember this if it wants to have the African continent on its side, said an African diplomat.

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Nuku'alofa, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2024) Australia said Pacific Island leaders meeting at a summit in Tonga endorsed a contentious regional policing plan Wednesday, a move seen as trying to limit China's security role in the region.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said leaders had agreed to establish up to four regional police training centres and a multinational crisis reaction force.

Under the plan, a corps of about 200 officers drawn from different Pacific Island nations could be dispatched to regional hot spots and disaster zones when needed and invited.

"This demonstrates how Pacific leaders are working together to shape the future that we want to see," said Albanese, hailing the agreement.

He was flanked by leaders of Fiji, Palau, Papua New Guinea and Tonga -- a symbolic show of unity in a region riven by competition between China and the United States.

According to Mihai Sora of the Lowy Institute, a Sydney-based think tank, Wednesday's endorsement was a diplomatic victory for Australia and for the Pacific Islands Forum, which had appeared deeply divided on the topic.

China's regional allies -- most notably Vanuatu and Solomon Islands -- had voiced concern that the policing plan represented a "geo-strategic denial security doctrine", designed to box out Beijing.

While all members of the forum have endorsed the deal in principle, national leaders will have to decide how much they participate, if at all.

- Partner of choice? -

Australia and New Zealand have historically been the region's go-to security partners, leading peacekeeping missions in Solomon Islands and training in Nauru, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

Policing, however, has increasingly become a cornerstone of Beijing's efforts to build Pacific influence.

China tried and failed to ink a region-wide security pact in 2022, but has since been plying some under-resourced Pacific police forces with martial arts training and fleets of Chinese-made vehicles.

Australia and longtime ally the United States were caught napping in 2022 when China secretly signed a security pact with Solomon Islands -- the details of which have not been made public.

China now maintains a small but conspicuous police presence in Solomon Islands, sending a revolving cadre of officers to train locals in shooting and riot tactics.

Gleaming new police vehicles roam the capital Honiara emblazoned with the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force badge and stark red "China Aid" stickers.

Earlier this year, Beijing also started sending teams of police advisers to Kiribati.

There are fears in Washington that China may one day parlay these agreements into a permanent military foothold in the region.

- 'Not yet done' -

According to the Lowy Institute's Sora, some Pacific leaders will hope the deal can plug gaps in their own security, while Canberra will hope it helps "close the window for China to seek a regional security agreement".

Papua New Guinea's Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko told AFP on Wednesday that his country was keen to "work together with Australia" to implement the proposal.

But others signalled lingering misgivings.

Top Solomon Islands' diplomatic official Colin Beck told AFP that Honiara would have domestic discussions about the plan before anything is finalised.

"We have a national process that we have to dive into it," said Beck, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"We are basically reviewing our national security strategy and everything, so it will be part of the conversation."

"The matter is still going on. The forum is not yet done."
A top Swiss court sentenced two PetroSaudi executives to jail terms on Wednesday after finding them guilty over the embezzlement of $1.8 billion from the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB

Bellinzona, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2024) A top Swiss court sentenced two PetroSaudi executives to jail terms on Wednesday after finding them guilty over the embezzlement of $1.8 billion from the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB.

Tarek Obaid, the Swiss-Saudi chief executive of the oil exploration and production company, was sentenced to seven years in prison by the Federal Criminal Court, Switzerland's Keystone-ATS news agency reported.

Patrick Mahony, a Swiss-British director at PetroSaudi, was given a six-year sentence, the agency said.

Prosecutor Alice de Chambrier had sought a 10-year sentence for Obaid and a nine-year term for his right-hand man.

Obaid, 48, and Mahony, 47, were seen arriving separately at the court in the southern city of Bellinzona ahead of the verdict hearing.

The trial was heard by three judges at the court in April.

Obaid and Mahony were accused of involvement in a vast embezzlement orchestrated by Jho Low, an advisor to former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak.

Noting the sums involved compared to Malaysia's GDP, Chambrier called it the "scam of the century" and branded the defendants as "calculative, manipulative and obscenely greedy", Keystone-ATS reported during the trial.

The defence pleaded for acquittal, arguing that no fraud had taken place.
(@FahadShabbir)

Brussels, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2024) A showdown is brewing over the gender makeup of the next European Commission after member states put forward an overwhelmingly male candidate lineup -- in open defiance of EU chief Ursula von der Leyen.

With the clock ticking down on a Friday deadline for European Union capitals to offer nominees for von der Leyen's 26-person team, 16 of the 21 Names known so far are men.

That is despite the fact the commission chief asked states explicitly, following her re-election in July, to give her a choice of one male and one female candidate.

Not a single country has done so -- and as it stands, women may occupy as few as six posts in the next EU executive, including von der Leyen herself and the nominee for foreign policy chief, Estonia's outgoing leader Kaja Kallas.

The European Women's Lobby (EWL), an umbrella group working toward gender equality in the bloc, said the situation was indicative of an "old boys' club" mindset, calling it "beyond embarrassing".

"If member states truly believe only men are fit for these roles or that there are no qualified women in their countries, they're not just out of touch -- they're delusional," said the group's spokesperson Mirta Baselovic.

Lina Galvez, chair of the European Parliament committee on gender equality, likewise said the numbers suggested a clear lack of "political will" from member states that sent a "very bad signal, especially to younger women and girls".

At the root of the situation is a power play between von der Leyen and European capitals that may well back goals like gender parity on paper, but in practice resist having their hands tied in any way.

"As member states we expect von der Leyen to strive for gender parity," said an EU diplomat on condition of anonymity. "At the same time, we also believe that it is up to us to propose the commissioner we prefer."

"Unfortunately those two desires don't seem to align this time around."

Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris said the quiet part out loud when he unveiled his candidate -- a man -- reminding the EU chief that the bloc's treaties require only one nominee.
(@FahadShabbir)

Bangkok, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2024) Thailand's main opposition leader on Wednesday accused judges of mounting a "judicial coup", after court rulings that ousted the kingdom's prime minister and dissolved its most popular party.

The Constitutional Court earlier this month disbanded the progressive Move Forward Party (MFP) and banned its leaders from politics, before throwing then-premier Srettha Thavisin out of office for ethics violations.

MFP, which won most seats in last year's election, swiftly relaunched as the People's Party (PP), and its new leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut told AFP that reform was needed for the kingdom to progress.

"The Constitutional Court has ousted the PM, and also ousted the ex-executives of MFP -- we call it a judicial coup," he said in an interview at the Thai parliament.

"A power that is not accountable to the people overruled the executive branch and legislative branch which are elected by the people. This is a sign that Thailand is not a full democracy," he added.

Natthaphong, a 37-year-old tech entrepreneur, said his party will push for reforms to limit the Constitutional Court's powers to vet legislation -- removing its ability to dissolve political parties or sack prime ministers.

Thailand's politics over the past two decades has been scarred by a bitter struggle between populist progressive parties and the kingdom's pro-military, pro-royalist elite.

MFP's popular leader Pita Limjaroenrat led the party to a surprise first place in last year's election promising to reform Thailand's tough lese-majeste laws, reduce military influence and tackle powerful business monopolies.

But he was blocked from forming a government by senators appointed by the last military junta, ostensibly because of concerns about the party's plans for the royal insult laws.

A court later ruled that the proposals amounted to an attempt to overthrow the constitutional monarchy, and on August 7, MFP became the latest in a series of Thai political parties to be dissolved by judges.

The European Union, United States, United Nations and human rights groups blasted the court's dissolution of MFP, with the EU saying it harmed democratic openness in Thailand.

Natthaphong urged the international community not to stint in its criticism when Thailand breached democratic norms, saying the kingdom "deserves to know when it's doing wrong".
Recognizing the need for communities across Wyoming to retain and attract employees and entrepreneurs, the Wyoming Business Council (WBC) will host Shaping Wyomings Future: A UW Student Panel Tuesday, Sept. 10, at the University of Wyoming College of Business.

The WBC has been working closely with what it describes as some very motivated and inspiring college students to understand their goals and what factors contribute to deciding where they will spend their future. To broaden that reach, the council is hosting the public event in conjunction with its quarterly Board of Directors meeting -- creating a forum for UW students to share their perspectives on why they choose to stay in or leave Wyoming with partners and stakeholders who can make decisions that can influence that future.

Members of the student-led panel will share their experiences and vision for Wyomings future and discuss possible steps to ensure the next generation thrives in the Cowboy State.

We are thrilled to host this important conversation and look forward to the insights and ideas UW students will bring to the table, says WBC CEO Josh Dorrell. Students across Wyoming feel personally the states challenge of the loss of our graduates, entrepreneurs and young families. We will dig into this problem and engage with leaders and stakeholders across the state to create opportunities and build stronger, self-reliant communities.

The Sept. 10 event in the UW Business Building atrium is open to the public and UW students. It will begin with a 3:30-4:30 p.m. mixer event, followed by the panel discussion from 4:30-6:30 p.m. and a 6:30-7:30 p.m. burger bar dinner, with vegetarian options available.

For more information and to RSVP, visit https://pp.events/shapingwyfuture.

Those who cannot attend in person may do so virtually at www.wbc.pub/wbc_meeting.

About the Wyoming Business Council

Through leadership, policy and investments, the WBC stands firmly upon Wyomings heritage while advancing business creation, recruitment and growth to build self-reliant communities, identify and overcome barriers, and create opportunities. The council envisions a future in which traditional Wyoming values and innovation go together to create an environment where communities can confidently withstand economic uncertainties and continue to thrive for generations to come.
It has been somewhat of a surprise that the famous South Korean thinker Byung-Chul Han chose hope as the theme of his latest book, set to be published on September 26. Based in Berlin, this philosopher  who writes his short works in German  is known for his criticism of capitalism and neoliberalism thanks to books such as The Burnout Society and Non-things: Upheaval in the Lifeworld. Choosing hope is a way of finding the light at the end of the tunnel, it is a feeling or vision that seems to go against the current, but one we need in order to feel alive.

But The Spirit of Hope  a book of less than 150 pages  is not the vision of a naive person who believes that, in the end, everything will just work out. It refers to a hope that is born from being proactive, since it illuminates new paths that no one is going to take for us. As the thinker suggests, hope is born precisely from despair, from negativity, but it is a compass that leads us to new situations and territories, to that which does not yet exist.

Winston Churchill, a man who was very prone to depression, said: If you are going through hell, keep going. This advice implies that everything, the good and the bad, is temporary, like life itself.

What kills hope, according to Byung-Chul Han, is not despair; on the contrary, despair is its starting point, the beginning of the journey. As he explains in the prelude to the book, the opposite of hope is fear. In his own words: We go from one crisis to the next, from one catastrophe to the next, from one problem to the next. With so many problems to solve and so many crises to manage, life has been reduced to survival. For the South Korean philosopher, living in survival mode anchors us to depression and fear, which closes doors and robs us of freedom, as it makes it impossible for us to get moving. Someone who is afraid of the future will be unable to organize and create their own future. They enter into a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy.

As Byung-Chul Han points out, the German word for fear  Angst  comes from the Latina word angustia, meaning tensity and tightness. In other words, the greater our fear, the tighter our room of action. That is why someone who is anxious feels, in one way or another, cornered.

The antidote is hope, since, in the philosophers own words, it leaves us with signs and markers along the way. Hope is the only thing that makes us move forward. It gives us meaning and direction [] And actions need a horizon of meaning. Just as fear makes things impossible, hope, as defined by the Danish philosopher Sren Kierkegaard, is a passion for the possible.

Summarizing these reflections in a practical sense, we can conclude three things:

1. To have hope is to see new possibilities. In other words, to anticipate other scenarios, even if they are far from our current situation. Byung-Chul Han quotes an Epistle to the Romans from the New Testament: Hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? So there is something visionary about hope.

2. There is passive hope and proactive hope. The former puts us at the mercy of events. The latter involves working to make the new possibility materialize. In fact, the French playwright Gabriel Marcel said that hope is woven: In the fabric of an ongoing experience [] it is embedded in an adventure that has not yet ended. That is, it involves the process of moving toward something better.

3. Hope means assuming that everything is passing. Therefore, it is only a matter of time before we get out of a tough spot. The hopeless often believe that their situation is permanent. A depressed person convinces themselves that they will never feel better, while the person who feels that the world has turned against them believes that they are condemned for life. To escape this anguish, one must avoid taking the part for the whole. Every bad moment is just a chapter in the story. The next one can be different. With the right actions, events and circumstances will change.

The poet Emily Dickinson defined hope with this beautiful image: Hope is the thing with feathers. That perches in the soul. And sings the tune without words. And never stops at all.

Hope versus optimism In his latest essay, Byung-Chul Han makes a clear distinction between hope and optimism, which the philosopher sees as passive and limited. As he explains in The Spirit of Hope: "Optimism is devoid of all negativity. It knows no doubt and no despair [] The optimist is convinced that things will end up working out well," even though they don't view the future as an open field of possibilities. His criticism of extreme optimism includes the misunderstood law of attraction: the idea that thinking of a positive result is enough to make it happen. This effort begins by nurturing hope itself, which, according to Byung-Chul Han, "often has to be specifically aroused and encouraged."

Francesc Miralles is a writer and journalist specializing in psychology.

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Vietnam Briefing has developed into a premium source for insight on doing business in Vietnam. It publishes business news concerning foreign direct investment into Vietnam, including the most important tax, legal and accounting issues. The Vietnam Briefing Magazine was first published in 2009, and is contributed to by investment professionals based in Vietnam.


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In Somalias capital, Mogadishu, residents live in fear of deadly attacks carried out by the al-Qaida affiliate al-Shabab terrorist group. Its latest attack killed 32 people and wounded 63 in a beach hotel in Mogadishu on August 3.

But African Stream, a popular online publication registered in the U.K. as owned by Ahmed Kaballo, a former contributor of the Iranian state-owned Press TV, distorted the U.S. role in combating al-Shabab in Somalia.

In a resent post on X, the African Stream shared a collage showing former American presidents George W. Bush, a Republican, and Barak Obama, a Democrat, with a caption reading: U.S. Bipartisan bombing of Somalia.

In a comment to the poster, the African Stream said that for Africa there is no difference which of the two contenders, Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Kamala Harris, wins the 2024 presidential election in the United States.

"It is now a bipartisan tradition for each new U.S. president, whether Republican or Democrat, to rain drone bombs down on the East African country in which millions of civilians are simply struggling to survive."

That is false.

The U.S. conducts drone strikes in Somalia to protect civilians from the terrorists. Groups such as al-Shabab terrorize communities and entire regions, systematically targeting, killing and harming scores of civilians.

Created in 2006, al-Shabab has since become one of the most brutal and predatory terrorist organizations on the African continent.

The group is responsible for suicide and ground bomb attacks that deliberately target civilians, including political and religious figures, rights and aid activists, and journalists. It has killed thousands in Somalia. Al-Shabab has also conducted multiple high-profile terrorist attacks in Kenya and Uganda.

In two attacks in Kenya in 2013 and 2014, the groups militants massacred at least 217 college students and other civilians.

AFRICOM operates in Somalia at the request of the nations government and in support of Somali National Armys fight against al-Shabab. One drone strike in 2014 killed the groups leader, Ahmed Godane.

Since 2020, after a series of accusations of civilian casualties, the U.S. implemented strict transparency and accountability policy for its military operations, including in Africa.

Anyone could report civilian casualties using a public form provided on the Pentagon's website.

Additionally, the U.S. African Command, AFRICOM, monitors social media and news reports for any mention of civilian casualties attributed to the U.S. Those reports are thoroughly investigated and, if confirmed, AFRICOM publishes the information about them in its quarterly Civilian Harm Report.

Since 2020, AFRICOM said its drone attacks killed 3 civilians and injured 11 others in Somalia.

Most importantly, the African Streams claim is false because the U.S. does not intentionally target civilians. Contrary to that statement, the U.S. takes measures to avoid causing harm and protect the civilian population.

AFRICOM publishes on its website a list of drone strikes it has conducted, including the times and the locations of the attacks and the details about the Somalian governments requests for drone support.

The U.S. has pledged military support to the Somalia government, which includes drone attacks, intelligence support and training of the Somalian army in the fight against the terrorist group.

Contrary to the African Streams accusations, the U.S. is not ignorant to the struggle of millions of Somalians  for decades, the United States remains the largest donor to Somalia in humanitarian crises, conflict, climate change, public health and economic development.

When Somalia was battling the worst famine in 2022, the United States provided $1.3 billion of life-saving assistance to Somalia.

According to the Congressional Research Service, the United States provided more than $500 million in direct security assistance to Somali forces between 2010 and 2020.
As China and Russia look to deepen cooperation in the Arctic, analysts cite concern about increasing geopolitical competition in the region, forcing countries to think more about how to respond to potential threats.

Following a meeting between Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in Moscow on August 21, China released an expansive communique outlining ways the two countries are boosting cooperation.

On the Arctic, Beijing and Moscow pledged to strengthen cooperation in areas including shipping development, navigation safety, polar ship technology and construction.

Both countries will encourage their enterprises to actively engage in Arctic shipping routes cooperation based on market principles and pay special attention to the protection of the Arctic ecosystem, according to the communique.

Analysts say the latest announcement is part of Beijing and Moscows efforts to deepen collaboration in areas such as shipping, energy exploration and Arctic security.

China has invested in Russias energy projects in the Arctic, cooperated with Russia in shipping and infrastructure development, and conducted military exercises in the strategically important region, said Patrik Andersson, an analyst at the Swedish National China Center.

In July, the U.S. Canada North American Aerospace Defense Command revealed that it had tracked two Russian and two Chinese long-range strategic bombers that appeared in the skies off coastal Alaska.

Since 2023, Beijing and Moscow have worked jointly to develop the Northern Sea Route across Russias Arctic coastline, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has said is absolutely fundamental. The two also signed a memorandum of understanding aiming to deepen maritime security cooperation between their coast guards.

Despite attempts to deepen cooperation in the Arctic, Andersson said there are still several friction points between Beijing and Moscow.

Russia has historically been wary of inviting China into the Arctic because Moscow views the region as its backyard, he told VOA in an interview in Stockholm.

As the bilateral power balance increasingly shifts in Chinas favor since the start of the Ukraine War, Russia is becoming more economically and politically dependent on China, which may force Moscow to consider strengthening cooperation with Beijing in some areas where it was previously reluctant to do so, Andersson said.

And while the recent joint aerial patrol near Alaska has attracted a lot of attention, Andersson said the scope of their bilateral military cooperation in the Arctic remains unclear.

Its difficult to determine how much these exercises mean that they are really ready to establish a closer military cooperation in the region or whether they are mainly about posturing and deterring the U.S. and its allies in the Arctic, he told VOA.

Growing Arctic awareness

Even so, analysts say some Nordic countries are becoming more aware of the potential threat China may bring to the region through its cooperation with Moscow.

[While] officials in Finland are currently observing the developments in the Arctic, theres definitely a growing awareness about the potential threats or challenges that come with the growing Chinese presence in the region, said Minna Alander, an expert on Arctic security at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs.

She said Russia remains the main driver of the militarization of the Arctic but China could pose challenges to Finland and other Arctic states because of more opaque strategies.

Theres always this suspicion that most of the research that China is conducting at its research station in Norways Svalbard is not purely for the advancement of human civilization, she told VOA by phone.

Regional experts note that Nordic countries have yet to come up with a set of strategies to cope with the potential challenges.

I think we are realizing the complexity of hybrid threats that could be posed by China and Russia [in the Arctic] but we havent developed a toolbox to cope with those challenges, Patrik Oksanen, a senior fellow at the Stockholm Free World Forum, told VOA by phone.

He said economic ties with China complicate Swedens attempt to produce a strategic plan to cope with the new challenges.

There is an unwillingness to do something that could be interpreted as escalating the situation with China, but we will need to address the potential threats that China and Russia pose in the Arctic in a very short time, Oksanen said.

Ice pact

Alander in Finland said she expects countries like Finland and Sweden, which became NATO members in 2023, to increase cooperation in the Arctic with other NATO allies.

Finland has an interest in developing relations with [other NATO members] in sectors such as security, economy, and trade, and Finland has gone all in on this transatlantic link, she told VOA.

In July, the U.S., Canada, and Finland announced a trilateral initiative, called the Ice Pact, to collaborate on the production of polar icebreakers.

The Canadian government said the initiative recognizes the joint priority of upholding safety and security in the Arctic, including the continued protection of long-standing international rules and norms.

In addition to increasing cooperation with NATO allies, Joar Forssell, a Swedish MP from the Liberal Party, told VOA that lawmakers from Nordic countries also are looking to deepen coordination on issues related to the Arctic.

As NATO countries, along with Russia and China, look to increase cooperation with partners in the Arctic, Alander said the trend likely will lead to greater geopolitical tension in a region thats long been free from global power struggle.

There used to be a slogan High north, low tension [to describe the state in the Arctic] but unfortunately, it might be more like high north, high tension in the future, she told VOA.
When the wife of Indonesian snack seller Surya asked why he stopped sending money home to his West Java village, he broke down, confessing to a gambling addiction that had cost him more than $12,000.

"When I lost big I was determined to win back what I lost. No matter what  even if I had to borrow money," the 36-year-old father of two told AFP, declining to use his real name.

While gambling is illegal in the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation  with sentences of up to six years in prison  government figures show around 3.7 million Indonesians engaged in it last year, placing more than $20 billion in bets.

The stats prompted President Joko Widodo in June to set up a task force, headed by the country's security minister, and that month the government ordered telecoms providers to block overseas gambling websites  typically in Cambodia and the Philippines.

Some VPN services, which gamblers use to bypass firewalls on foreign sites, were also blacklisted, but diehard gamblers are still able to bet from their phones or through illegal bookies, and it is easy to borrow money from loan sharks.

Surya was earning up to $250 a month in the West Java capital Bandung, but once he started gambling, he said he was sending home to his family only one-quarter of that.

He would play mobile gambling games until dawn and squander away his hard-earned money.

"Even when you're winning, the money will be gone instantly. Now, I'd rather give money to my wife," he said.

'I want to quit'

Eno Saputra, a 36-year-old vegetable seller in South Sumatra, started buying lottery tickets five years ago but is now addicted to mobile gambling.

He spends at least $6 a day gambling and once won $500, but usually suffers losses.

"From the bottom of my heart, I want to quit, for my children," the father of three told AFP.

"I know this is wrong and forbidden by my religion."

There is hope for some in Bogor, south of the capital Jakarta, where a clinic at a psychiatry hospital, since the beginning of the year, has been treating patients struggling to break their gambling addiction.

So far 19 addicts have received counseling and therapy for anxiety, paranoia, sleep disorders and suicidal thoughts, said Nova Riyanti Yusuf, director of the Marzoeki Mahdi Psychiatric Hospital.

But doctors believe there are many more struggling without treatment.

"I believe this is the tip of the iceberg because not everybody understands that gambling addiction is a disorder," Nova told AFP.

The hospital is now conducting a study to collect data on how many Indonesians are addicted.

Crime spree

A spate of murders, suicides and divorces linked to illegal online gambling has further cast a spotlight on the surging trade.

In June, an East Java policewoman set her husband on fire because of his gambling, while last year a 48-year-old man in Central Sulawesi robbed and killed his mother to fund his habit, according to local media reports.

Local media have also reported a spike in suicides this year by gambling addicts while Islamic courts on Java island say they are dealing with more divorce requests from women whose husbands won't stop betting.

"Gambling puts our future at risk ... also the future of our family and our children," President Widodo said when launching the task force.

Experts say, however, that the governments initiative isn't enough.

Police say they arrested 467 online gambling operators between April and June, seizing more than $4 million in assets.

But Indonesian judges have been criticized for handing out lenient prison sentences, with operators receiving sentences ranging from seven to 18 months.

"The investigation must be extended to the big names," said Nailul Huda, an economist from the Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios) research group.

"Those operators did not work alone. They answered to someone big."

Surya, meanwhile, has quit gambling for the past month and says he is committed to stopping long-term.

"Nobody is getting rich from online gambling. Now I've learned my lesson," he said.

But for other addicts like Eno, breaking free from the habit is no easy feat.

"This is a stupid thing to do," he said, "but I am addicted."
In the necropolis of Las Gobas, in the northern Spanish town of Trevino, in Burgos province, 42 bodies were recovered that had been buried between the 7th and 11th centuries. The individual whose body was tagged as Number 29 had three children. One of them died as a newborn or was stillborn, another did not survive the age of four, and the third died young but had offspring, a child who died before his seventh birthday. The extent of this family drama is known thanks to the analysis of ancient DNA.

The study, published in the open-access scientific journal Science Advances, combines classical archaeology with genetics to uncover the secrets of a community that lived and died in isolation for five centuries. The sequencing of the genome of the buried bodies has revealed their high level of inbreeding, the pathogens they had, and even a case of smallpox that sheds light on the arrival of the disease to the Iberian Peninsula.

Las Gobas is a complex located in a gorge carved by the Lano River and which forms part of what some have called the Iberian Cappadocia. There is evidence that people have lived there since prehistoric times. But it was not until the 6th century when more than a dozen caves were excavated and repurposed. It must have been the refuge of a group of hermits who awarded the place a spiritual value. In the following century, two of these caves were converted into churches and a specific area was reserved for a cemetery.

From previous studies led by archaeologists such as the emeritus professor of the University of the Basque Country Agustin Azkarate, or Lourdes Herrasti from the Aranzadi Science Society, it is known that the beginnings of the community, formed by a population of Basque ancestors, must have been violent: two of its founders have sword wounds. One of them has a perimortem injury, with a tangential cut in the brain, Herrasti explains. The other also has a sword wound in the head, but it healed, so he lived, he adds. Now, a new investigation in the field of archaeogenetics has allowed researchers to learn that these two founders were cousins, to explore the family tree of individual number 29, and to certify that this group of people barely shared any genetic material with the groups that dominated the peninsula at that time.

The research, led by Ricardo Rodriguez Varela from the Centre for Palaeogenetics (CPG) at Stockholm University (Sweden), combines genetic, archaeological and historical data to reveal the high level of inbreeding in this northern community, which, as shown by its genes, remained relatively isolated despite the turbulence of those times. The first burials at the site date from a few decades before the Muslims arrived in the peninsula and the fall of the Visigoth kingdom. The Muslims managed to reach as far north as Pamplona, located just 100 km from Las Gobas, whose settlement was very close to the initial border between Christian and Muslim territory.

A section of the necropolis. Most of the buried individuals had family ties to at least one of the others. Asier Izaguirre/Sociedad de Ciencias Aranzadi

Of the 41 individuals that they [the Azkarate team] excavated, we have obtained DNA from 39, says Rodriguez Varela. From their analysis and genetic comparison with present and past populations, they were able to place the inhabitants of Las Gobas on a kind of genetic map of the peninsula. We know that the Muslim border should not be too far away, so we wanted to see the impact of this Islamic conquest, adds the researcher from Stockholm University. Much of the effort of conquering the new territory was was borne by Berber groups from northern Africa and only an elite were of Arab origin. In the ancestry of these individuals, over time, we see an increase in the North African component, but the levels are much lower during these five centuries than in the medieval populations of the south [of the peninsula].

This isolation from the rest of the world is confirmed by comparing the different genomes of those buried with each other. From previous archaeological studies, it was known that Las Gobas had two phases. In the first, until the 9th century, residents lived and were buried there. In the second period, the living abandoned the caves and went to the valley, leaving the caves only as a necropolis. What we found is that in the first period there was a lot of endogamy, high consanguinity, with a lot of offspring between close relatives, such as first cousins. In the second period this also occurred, although to a lesser extent, Rodriguez Varela points out.

Genetics has also made it possible to assess the presence of various diseases. Although pathologies of viral origin rarely leave their trace in the DNA of those who were affected, the same is not true for those of bacterial origin. Thus, they identified up to six conditions in the different remains. Almost all of them were zoonoses, originating from interaction with an animal, such as red fever, caused by the bacterium Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, or relapsing fever, caused by Borrelia recurrentis. E. rhusiopathiae, a bacterium that causes a skin disease through contamination of open wounds, usually infects humans through contact with domestic animals, which suggests that animal husbandry was important for this community, recalls CPG researcher and co-author of the study, Zoe Pochon, in a note.

Among those buried there is one person who had smallpox. The discovery is of great significance. It is the oldest case of smallpox detected by genetic analysis in southern Europe. Being one of the diseases that, until its eradication, caused the most deaths in the history of humankind, its entry into the Iberian Peninsula remains a subject of debate among scientists. This strain fits with those found in individuals of similar chronologies from Scandinavia, Germany and Russia, which suggests the pan-European presence of smallpox during the Middle Ages. Combined with the fact of the reduced North African genetic footprint, it would rule out the arrival of smallpox from the south through the Muslims, as some theories maintained.

For Professor Agustin Azkarate, Las Gobas is a special site: The artificial caves of Las Gobas are located 20-30 km from the important Basque necropolises of Aldaieta and San Martin de Dulantzi. Despite the proximity, the cultural funerary habits are completely different. While in the caves the deceased were buried, Azkarate points out that they did so without any grave goods and the serious stab wounds to the skulls are striking (in two cases) that reveal undoubted confrontations, while the Aldaieta-type cemeteries present grave goods and the frequent presence of weapons inside the burials.

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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 up 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 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 $63.59 million (350 million reais), according to the Organization of Cane Producers Associations, Orplana.

State Governor Tarcisio de Freitas estimated the overall losses in damage to crops and other properties and activities at more than 1 billion reais.

Since Thursday, four men have been arrested after being caught 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.
Special counsel Jack Smith has filed a new indictment against Donald Trump over his alleged efforts to undo the 2020 presidential election. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday he has a plan he wants to present to U.S. President Joe Biden which he believes will end the war with Russia. And at 102-years-old Manette Baillie becomes Britain's oldest skydiver.
Demand for processed food is on the rise in Africa as the population grows, according to a 63-page report from a group of food experts known as the Malabo Montpellier Panel.

Ousmane Badiane, co-chair of the panel, told VOA the growing middle class wants to consume African foods with modern conveniences like improved packaging and ready-to-eat options.

"The combination of population growth and income growth and urbanization has resulted in a large and growing middle class," Badiane said. "What's interesting about this middle class, though, is that they want to continue to eat the traditional food items that they have grown up with, but they want to eat it differently.

One such food is manufactured by Forna Health Foods in Uganda. Forna makes composite flour, which consists of mixing 12 different flours to produce porridge for children and older people.

The company director, Hilary Bainemigisha, said their food products are nutritious and easy to prepare.

"We have two versions. We have one that doesn't need to be cooked. It is popular among  corporate people who are at the office. It is popular among travelers, among students, among people in hospitals who have no facilities but can access hot water in a flask," Bainemigisha said. "But even  the version for cooking, you only need to cook water or milk up to boiling point then you add in the paste and you stir."

But Bainemigisha said the company faces hurdles, such as accessing a sufficient supply of raw food outside the harvest season.

Because of that, she added, providing good food at a fair price is not easy.

"Away from the harvest season, prices of grain are high. But for us, the product must remain at the same price. So, our profit margin reduces greatly the farther away we go from harvest," Bainemigisha said. "But during harvest, we need to invest in storage such that we buy a lot during harvest, and stabilize our profit margin. Secondly, we mix too many flours and that means our production costs are high."

The food processing sector also faces challenges due to a lack of infrastructure and logistical operations. The U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization says 30% to 40% of food produced in Africa is lost before it reaches the customer. The food waste or loss amounts to an estimated $1 trillion each year.

Agricultural experts blame African governments for failing to protect technology innovators whose work is copied and stolen, which has led to people shying away from doing business in Africa.

Badiane said the processing sector is critical to modernizing rural areas, and needs more government attention.

"This is the environment around the emerging processing sector, which I think in many cases hasn't yet gotten the level of attention it needs from governments. But this is the most important next thing in developing and modernizing the rural areas, Badiane said. It's far away from the rural areas, but this is going to be the trigger for progress and modernization of the rural areas."

The researchers say Ghana, Kenya, Senegal and South Africa have made progress in encouraging the growth of food processing firms.

They say those countries have established food safety and quality control, invested in technical and vocational education and training, offered tax breaks, assured the supply of raw materials, and provided access to financial credit, which helps processors acquire better machinery and improve production capabilities.
As the West clamps down on imports of green technology products from China, the worlds biggest manufacturer is looking for new markets, and that is a topic analysts say will dominate the agenda next month at a Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, or FOCAC, in Beijing.

The high-level meeting, held every three years, will be the first since the world emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic and China suffered its own economic slowdown. It also comes amid growing geopolitical rivalry and as China shifts the priorities of its global infrastructure-building project, the Belt and Road Initiative, or BRI, to what it has dubbed the green BRI and small is beautiful projects.

The theme of the meeting, which takes place from September 4-6, is Joining hands to promote modernization, and Lin Jian, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, said it will open up new vistas for China-Africa relations. One of these areas, according to Chinas ambassador to South Africa, Wu Peng, will be to support Africas green development.

While many African countries  some of which are facing energy crises  will welcome help with their transition to renewables, Paul Nantulya, a research associate for the Africa Center for Strategic Studies in Washington, explained that China also benefits greatly.

If you look at green growth for instance, the technology which is marketed to African countries, which African countries have to buy, either through loan finance or directly through commercial entities, thats one way in which China benefits, he told VOA.

And China needs new buyers.

Chinas overproduction woes

China is the largest producer of solar batteries in the world and in 2023 accounted for three quarters of global investment in overall green technology manufacturing, according to data from the International Energy Agency. It also produced more than half of the electric vehicles sold worldwide last year.

Its lead in these industries has resulted in rising competition with the West. The United States and European Union have enacted protectionist policies, increasing tariffs on products from China including electric vehicles, batteries, solar panels and critical minerals. Europe and the U.S. want to boost their own manufacturing and create jobs.

We see Chinas products are increasingly facing restrictions in the U.S. and Europe, and I believe China will be looking for alternative markets in Africa, Cliff Mboya, a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Africa-China Studies at the University of Johannesburg, told VOA.

However, he said African governments could use Chinas woes on that front as a bargaining chip. While China is the continents biggest trade partner, it exports a lot more to Africa than it imports.

We know that China previously promised more market access for African products, so as China looks for the African market for some of its products that are facing high tariffs and limitations in the Westit presents an opportunity to negotiate for more access of African products into the Chinese market, Mboya said.

The West is concerned about possible dumping by China, in which it floods foreign markets with cheap exports to get rid of its global trade surplus. Mboya said that should also be a concern for African governments.

We should also be able to negotiate and ensure it doesnt lead to dumping of these products into the continent because we also need to create employment for our youth and also ensure that we are also able to produce some basic goods in the continent, he said.

In sub-Saharan Africa, 70% of the population is under the age of 30, according to data from the United Nations.

Ambassador Wu didnt mince his words when talking about the sensitive issue at an event in South Africa earlier in August.

In 2023, China also produced nearly 9.5 million electricity vehicles, EVs, and exported nearly 1.8 million EVs to the world, he said. Some people blame China for so-called overcapacity.

Europeans or the U.S. already  or will  levy high tariff rates against these EVs.

Lets wait and see alright? If they can catch up to produce more EVs, affordable for the customers in a very quick wayno problem. But if they dont, I think its a little bit unreasonable, he continued.

China, however, is facing a mismatch in supply and demand for its products. Last year, its solar cell production doubled global demand and in July, major solar panel company Longi Green Energy Technology logged a net loss of some $750 million.

There's significant parallels between the excess capacity China faces now in its clean technology sectors, as with the excess capacity a decade ago in heavy industry and infrastructure, which was when the BRI was initially launched, Yunnan Chen, a researcher at London-based research group ODI, told VOA.

China used the BRI to offshore its domestic industries and build markets for its infrastructure in developing countries, and it is now doing the same with renewable energy, she added.

Tariffs from Western markets is another accentuating pressure that will make middle-income emerging markets even more important for Chinese goods, and even for the offshoring of production lines and supply chains to be able to access EU and Western markets via third countries - as we're already seeing in Vietnam and Mexico, she said.

Pivot to Africa

Chinese Ambassador Wu said the FOCAC will focus the needs of African countries in the energy transition and that China will encourage Chinese enterprises to invest.

He said that new energy cooperation could become a growth driver and a highlight in economic and trade cooperation between China and South Africa specifically.

But Yun Sun, director of the China Program at the Stimson Center in Washington, said FOCACs focus on green technology and energy wouldnt necessarily be a boon for Africa.

It does not necessarily put Africa in an advantaged position in the global supply chain. For example, China has a number of lithium assets (mines) in Africa and that technically could be called green energy and technology cooperation between China and Africa, she said.

Traditionally, Africa had been a source of raw materials for China, such as oil and minerals. If now it is lithium and other critical minerals used for green energy, how is it different from before? she added. Mining and processing whose benefit for locals are debatable.

Besides green technology, the analysts expect FOCAC will also focus on areas including agricultural modernization and trade, information technology and connectivity, and education and training. African leaders will also be looking to get a one-on-one with Chinas leader, Xi Jinping.

Some African countries, which borrowed heavily from China and are saddled with debt, are facing pressure at home.

Kenya, for example, has been rocked by anti-government protests. But experts say they doubt African leaders will push for debt restructuring publicly, to avoid embarrassing China.
Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency is warning that fatalities caused by severe flooding in the country will increase in September and October - the usual peak period for rainfall. The floods have already killed more than 170 people and displaced hundreds of thousands more in Nigeria this year.

According to the latest tally on the National Emergency Management Agency tracker, some 170 people have died and some 205,000 displaced by flooding in 28 out of Nigeria's 36 states.

Bauchi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger, and Jigawa states are the most impacted.

The flooding has been caused by unprecedented rainfall and the rising Niger and Benue rivers. And officials worry more bad weather may be ahead.

Ezekiel Manzo is the NEMA spokesperson. He spoke to VOA via phone.

"We are presently responding to a number of locations where flooding has occurred. The situation is not ending because we are just approaching the peak of the (rainy) season. The incidents we're having are mostly in the northern part of the country [and] from the reports available to us, River Benue is rising, River Niger is also rising. And once the water level is high there it will ultimately flow into our country, so we're expecting large volume of water coming from Niger," he said.

The floods have also washed away thousands of hectares of farmlands, compounding an already dire food security situation caused by widespread insecurity.

Manzo said authorities have been advising and helping to evacuate locals in flood-prone plains as well as providing relief for hundreds of thousands already impacted.

"We are conducting assessments, we are increasing our awareness to sensitize the people to move immediately from the flood plains to avoid being washed away by the waters. The situation is still that of a threat and people need to be aware and move out of the danger zone," he said.

The Nigerian government estimates 31 states will experience severe flooding this year.

In Jigawa - one of the most impacted states - authorities have been building embankments to reduce the impact of the flooding.

State Governor Umar Namadi told Al-Jazeera that the disaster is diverting crucial government funds.

"A lot of attention is being diverted to that area because you will need to save that situation. So, because of that, of course a lot of government revenue will be lost. Not only that a lot of extra expenditure will have to be incurred," said Namadi.

In 2022, Nigeria recorded its worst flooding in a decade. The deluge killed more than 600 people and destroyed swathes of cultivated lands.

Last week, the 2024 Global Report on Food Crises named Nigeria second among nations with the highest number of hungry people.

Nigeria's minister of state for agriculture said up to 51 percent of farming areas are susceptible to flooding this year.

Manzo said Nigerian authorities will compensate the farmers  but that in the meantime, it is paramount for everyone to get to safety.
A former Eritrean finance minister who was arrested in 2018 after calling Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki a dictator has died in prison, his family told VOA Horn of Africa Service.

The Eritrean government remained silent on the death of Berhane Abrehe, who was the country's finance minister from 2001 to 2012. The reason for his death has not been announced, but the government allowed his burial in Asmara on Aug. 22.

"He died while in prison after being held incommunicado [in] detention for about six years, despite his fragile health conditions," said Ephrem Berhane, Berhane Abrehe's son, who lives in the eastern U.S. state of Maryland.

Berhane was neither charged nor allowed family visitations, despite being in frail health, according to his Maryland-based nephew Solomon Habtom, who initially facilitated the publication of Berhane's controversial book critical of the Eritrean government.

"During the final days before his death, they allowed his wife to visit him in the air force hospital where he died," Solomon said.

Berhane fell out with the Isaias administration in 2012 following a disagreement on its handling of the country's finances. In 2018, he was arrested shortly after publishing two-volume book outside the country while living in Eritrea.

Before his arrest, he called Isaias a "dictator" and called on him to step down. In a widely circulated audio tape, Berhane challenged Isaias to debate him publicly.

His family paid tribute to a "principled and a family man, who very much cared about the public good," Solomon said.

The U.S. State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor condemned Berhane's long detention.

"Saddened to hear of the death in prison of former Eritrean finance minister Berhane Abrehe," the post on the social media platform X said. "He was apprehended in 2018 after publishing a book on the state of governance in his country, Eritrea. We call on the [Eritrean] government to respect its citizens' fundamental freedoms and release all those unjustly detained."

The Eritrean government has not acknowledged Berhane's arrest in 2018. The state media, which in the past announced the deaths of high-profile people, also did not broadcast news of his death. Yet supporters flocked to his funeral, said Solomon, who received the information from sources inside the country.

VOA has not received a comment from the Eritrean government despite several attempts.

In an honor bestowed only to people in active duty and an unusual move by the Eritrean government, Berhane's body was laid to rest in Martyrs' Cemetery in Asmara.

This story originated in VOA Horn of Africa's Tigrigna Service.
A Las Vegas court on Wednesday convicted a former Nevada official of the murder of investigative journalist Jeff German.

The jury returned a unanimous verdict of first-degree murder for former Clark County public administrator Robert Telles. The jury later sentenced him to life in prison with a chance for parole after 20 years. His lawyer said Telles plans to appeal.

Telles was found guilty of murder with use of a deadly weapon against a victim 60 years old or older. The jury unanimously said the murder was willful, deliberate and premeditated, and committed by means of lying in wait.

Over nine days of hearings, the Las Vegas court was told details of the killing of German, a 69-year-old reporter at the Las Vegas Review-Journal. German was found stabbed to death outside his suburban Las Vegas home on Sept. 3, 2022.

In the Review-Journal newsroom, journalists gathered around an editors desk to watch live video of the verdict being read, the newspaper reported.

Today a Clark County jury delivered a measure of justice for Jeff German, and we hope it brings some solace to his family, friends and colleagues, the Review-Journals executive editor, Glenn Cook, wrote in a statement.

Jeff was killed for doing the kind of work in which he took great pride: His reporting held an elected official accountable for bad behavior and empowered voters to choose someone else for the job.

Cook added: Lets also remember that this community has lost much more than a trusted journalist. Jeff was a good man who left behind a family who loved him and friends who cherished him. His murder remains an outrage. He is missed.

Angry with coverage

During the trial, prosecutors described how Telles was angry with Germans coverage of him. German depicted Telles as a harsh boss who bullied his staff and had an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate.

When Telles later lost a reelection bid in 2022, he posted a letter online in which he attacked the Review-Journal for its coverage.

And he did it because Jeff wasnt done writing, prosecutor Christopher Hamner said during closing arguments on Monday. Its like connecting the dots.

Evidence presented against Telles in court included that DNA found beneath Germans fingernails matched that of the former official.

Telles had pleaded not guilty. During his testimony he claimed  without evidence  that he was being framed as part of some vast conspiracy.

His defense attorney Robert Draskovich told the court none of Germans blood or DNA was found on Telles, in his car or at his home. In closing arguments Monday, Draskovich, told the jury, Ask yourself what is missing.

Jurors started their deliberations in the case Monday afternoon and returned the verdict Wednesday.

After the verdict was announced, Germans three siblings testified as part of the trials penalty phase. The jury used that testimony to decide Telles punishment.

Germans younger brother, Jay German, recounted how he woke up to a phone call from one of his sisters, who informed him that their brother had been killed.

It was devastating, German said. I certainly didnt sleep at all that night, the rest of the night.

Its been a hard couple of years. Jeff is our leader. He was the older brother that we all leaned on, German added.

Germans younger sisters, Jill Zwerg and Julie Smith, also testified.

I never imagined that Jeff himself would have become a national headline news story, Zwerg said. Hes so deeply missed every day, she added, tearing up.

Telles wife then testified, saying Telles worked hard and was a good father.

Robert was  he is  an amazing father, she said.

Telles ex-wife and mother also testified in his defense.

Grateful for accountability

Press freedom groups welcomed the verdict.

We are glad that a fair and open trial was held in this case and are glad that theres accountability in the killing of Jeff German, Katherine Jacobsen, the U.S. and Canada program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists, or CPJ, told VOA.

We extend our greatest sympathies to the family, friends and colleagues of Jeff German, Jacobsen added.

Reporters Without Borders, or RSF, also said it was important that there was accountability in Germans killing.

It definitely sounds like justice has been done, which is definitely a relief because this was just such a shocking case, Clayton Weimers, who heads the U.S. bureau of RSF, told VOA. Its great that the justice system was able to work for Jeff German and deliver this justice.

Journalist killings are rare in the United States, and this marked the first time that a current or former U.S. official was convicted of killing a journalist.

And while journalist killings happen infrequently in the United States, when they do occur, the perpetrators are often held accountable, according to Jacobsen.

But globally, impunity in journalist killings remains the norm. Nearly 80% of journalist killings over the past decade remain unsolved, CPJ reported in 2023.

Today also brought a measure of justice for slain journalists all over the world. Our jobs are increasingly risky and sometimes dangerous. In many countries, the killers of journalists go unpunished. Not so in Las Vegas, Cook wrote in his statement.

Our thanks to police and prosecutors, whose diligent work won this conviction.
French prosecutors on Wednesday freed Telegram CEO Pavel Durov from police custody after four days of questioning over allegations that the platform is being used for illegal activities.

Durov was detained on Saturday at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of a judicial inquiry opened last month involving 12 alleged criminal violations.

"An investigating judge has ended Pavel Durov's police custody and will have him brought to court for a first appearance and a possible indictment," a statement from the Paris prosecutor's office said.

Other allegations against Durov, who is a French citizen, include that his platform is being used for child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking, fraud and abetting organized crime transactions, and that Telegram refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.

His arrest in France has caused outrage in Russia, with some government officials calling it politically motivated and proof of the West's 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.

In Iran, where Telegram is widely used despite being officially banned after years of protests challenging the country's Shiite theocracy, Durov's arrest in France prompted comments from the Islamic Republic's supreme leader. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei weighed in with veiled praise for France for being "strict" against those who "violate your governance" of the internet.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that Durov's arrest wasn't 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."

In a statement posted on its platform after Durov's arrest, Telegram said that it abides by EU laws and that 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," Telegram's post said. "Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as means of communication and as a source of vital information. We're awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all."

Durov is a citizen of Russia, France, the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

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."

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry 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.

Telegram, which says it has nearly a billion users worldwide, was founded by Durov and his brother after he himself faced pressure from Russian authorities.

In 2013, he sold his stake in VKontakte, a popular Russian social networking site he launched in 2006.

The company came under pressure during the Russian government's crackdown following mass pro-democracy protests that rocked Moscow at the end of 2011 and 2012.

Durov had said 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 media outlets and officials use it to share information on the war and deliver missile and air raid alerts.

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 Telegram's 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.
White House officials welcomed the rescue of an Israeli hostage held by Hamas Tuesday and said they are finalizing a Gaza cease-fire deal. But even if an agreement is reached, a future U.S. administration will still inherit the problem of managing tensions in the Middle East. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara looks at potential U.S. policy under Vice President Kamala Harris should she win the November presidential election.
Southwestern Japan braced on Wednesday for what officials say could be one of the strongest storms to ever hit the region, as some residents in the path of Typhoon Shanshan were ordered to evacuate and major firms like Toyota closed factories.

Airlines and rail operators canceled some services for the coming days as the typhoon, categorized as "very strong," barreled towards the main southwestern island of Kyushu with gusts of up 252 km per hour (157 mph).

The meteorological agency issued an emergency warning saying the typhoon could bring flooding, landslides and wind strong enough to knock down some houses.

"Maximum caution is required given that forecasts are for strong winds, high waves and high tides that have not been seen thus far," Satoshi Sugimoto, the agency's chief forecaster, told a news conference.

After striking Kyushu over the next few days the storm is expected to approach central and eastern regions, including the capital Tokyo, around the weekend, the agency said.

Authorities issued evacuation orders for more than 800,000 residents in Kagoshima prefecture in southern Kyushu and central Japan's Aichi and Shizuoka prefectures.

In Aichi, home to Toyota's headquarters, two people believed to be residents of a house that collapsed in a landslide during heavy rains were unaccounted for. Three residents of the house had been pulled out, according to public broadcaster NHK.

Toyota will suspend operations at all 14 of its plants in Japan from Wednesday evening through Thursday morning, it said. Nissan said it would suspend operations at its Kyushu plant on Thursday and Friday morning, while Honda will also temporarily close its factory in Kumamoto in southwestern Kyushu.

Also, Mazda Motor plans to suspend operations at its Hiroshima and Hofu plants, both in western Japan, from Thursday evening through Friday, the automaker said.

Shanshan is the latest harsh weather system to hit Japan following last week's Typhoon Ampil, which also led to blackouts and evacuations.

ANA said it would cancel more than 210 domestic flights in total between Wednesday and Friday slated to leave or arrive in southwestern Japan, affecting about 18,400 passengers.

Japan Airlines said it would cancel 402 domestic flights over the same three-day period. A total of 10 international flights operated by both airlines will also be suspended.
Around 150,000 kilos of ripe tomatoes distributed in seven trucks departed from the Valencian town of Silla to dye the streets of Bunol red Wednesday during the traditional Tomatina, at which 22,000 revelers are expected. The annual battle of the tomatoes begins at noon and lasts for around an hour, although before and after there is music and various activities throughout the picturesque town in the mountains some 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Valencia.

This year, productions of the tomatoes for the festival was conducted by Frutas y Verduras Massanassa, based in Silla. The company said that as of the end of April it had been working to provide the ammunition for the Tomatina, a Festival of International Tourist Interest, which brings together people from all over the world.

The local authorities in Bunol have predicted this year will be a full house: tickets to the event start at 15 ($16.70). There is a lot of excitement and also a lot of respect because there are many people on the route, as this year will feature seven trucks. We hope that the party goes smoothly and that at 2 p.m. we can clean up and everyone is happy, said councilman Sergio Galarza.

This year, as a novelty, VIP tickets have been marketed at over $500 each, which offer the opportunity to ride in the trucks and throw tomatoes to experience Bunol as we do, Galarza said. However, the councilman admits that these tickets have not exactly flown off the shelf, with only five being sold, although he hopes that in the future there will be more interest. Participants on the trucks are held in place with a harness to prevent them from slipping.

Frutas y Verduras Massanassa pointed out that the tomatoes are produced exclusively for the Tomatina and not suitable for consumption. These tomatoes are of the Valencian pear variety and very soft, said Salvador Ribes, one of the owners of the family business, while expressing his pride at putting the seal of the province of Valencia on the 2024 Tomatina.

The history of La Tomatina began on the final Wednesday of August, 1945. Some young people were hanging out in the town square to watch the parade of carnival figures and other acts at the town festival. The boys decided to try and join the procession. When they pushed their way into the parade, they caused another participant to fall over, who in a fit of rage began to lash out at everything in his path. By a whim of destiny, there was a vegetable stand that became the target of the enraged crowd: People started to pelt each other with tomatoes until the local authorities put an end to the vegetable battle, says the official account of the origin of this unique festival.

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U.S. wildlife officials beginning next year will drastically scale up efforts to kill invasive barred owls that are crowding out imperiled native owls from West Coast forests. The plan finalized Wednesday faces challenges from barred owls returning after they've already been removed.

Trained shooters will target barred owls over 30 years across a maximum of about 23,000 square miles (60,000 square kilometers) in California, Oregon and Washington. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service goal is to kill up to 452,000 barred owls and halt the decline of competing northern spotted owls and California spotted owls.

Killing one bird species to save others has divided wildlife advocates and is reminiscent of past government efforts to save West Coast salmon by killing sea lions and cormorants, and to preserve warblers by killing cowbirds that lay eggs in warbler nests. The barred owl removals would be among the largest such effort to date involving birds of prey, researchers and wildlife advocates said.

Native to eastern North America, barred owls started appearing in the Pacific Northwest in the 1970s. They've quickly displaced many spotted owls, which are smaller birds that need larger territories. An estimated 100,000 barred owls now live within a range that contains only about 7,100 spotted owls, according to federal officials.

The newcomers' arrival also threatens to decimate frog and salamander species that barred owls prey on.

"It's not just one owl versus one owl," said David Wiens, a U.S. Geological Survey scientist who led a barred owl removal study that ended in 2020. "Because of their predatory behavior, they are basically eating anything in the forest and this includes amphibians, small mammals, other bird species."

Government officials say 15 years of killing barred owls experimentally, including on Northern California's Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation, shows the controversial strategy could halt the decline of spotted owls.

Yet researchers warn that few spotted owls remain in some areas, and it could take years to turn the tide on the barred owls' aggressive expansion of their range.

The wildlife service would designate government agencies, landowners, tribes or companies to carry out the killings. Shooters would have to provide documentation of training or experience in owl identification and firearm skills.

Public hunting of barred owls wouldn't be allowed.

"We're talking about managing in less than 50% of that northern spotted owl range to try and carve out space for those spotted owls," said Fish and Wildlife Service Oregon state supervisor Kessina Lee. "We're still going to have barred owls in the West. This is really just about trying to prevent the extinction of spotted owls."

Some wildlife advocates have backed the barred owl killings. Others say it's a reckless diversion from needed forest preservation and won't stop barred owls from migrating into the region.

Their spread has undermined decades of spotted owl restoration efforts that previously focused on protecting forests where they live. That included logging restrictions under former President Bill Clinton that ignited bitter political fights but also temporarily helped slow the spotted owl's decline.

Northern spotted owls are federally protected as a threatened species. California spotted owls were proposed for federal protections last year. A decision is pending.

Barred owls are highly territorial, which makes killing them relatively straightforward, according to researchers. Shooters use megaphones to broadcast recorded owl calls at night and lure the birds close to roads where they are killed with shotguns.

"The birds will come right in. They're very focused on this recording," Wiens said. "If we go into a site and detect a barred owl there, we have over a 95 % chance of removing that barred owl."

Other potential approaches  including capturing and euthanizing barred owls, collecting their eggs to prevent reproduction, or hazing them out of areas with spotted owls  were considered by the wildlife service but rejected as too costly or impractical.

About 4,500 barred owls have been killed on the West Coast since 2009 by researchers, according to officials.

That includes more than 800 birds from the Hoopa reservation, said tribal wildlife biologist Mark Higley.

Higley conducts the barred owl removals across 140 square miles (364 square kilometers) on the reservation primarily by himself, working two or three nights a week from early spring until late fall.

"The problem has been we get like 60 to 100 new barred owls each year," he said. "Don't get me wrong; barred owls are magnificent species. I just would really like to go see them where they're native and not invasive."
Journalists in Myanmar are calling for greater protections for media following the killing last week of two reporters, and the heavy sentences handed down to other media professionals since the military seized power.

A journalist with the Democratic Voice of Burma, or DVB, and a freelancer were both killed on Aug. 21 when the military raided the home of the freelance reporter in the town of Kyaikhto, in Mon state.

The killings come amid a crackdown on independent journalism, according to media watchdogs. Since the February 2021 coup, media have had licenses revoked, journalists have been forced into exile and dozens have been detained.

Aung Kyaw of DVB told VOA more than 30 military members entered the home of freelancer Htet Myat Thu and fatally shot both him and DVB reporter Win Htut Oo, along with two resistance fighters.

VOA was unable to determine if the journalists, the fighters, or both were the targets. Local authorities did not respond to VOAs request for comment on the raid.

"When Htet Myat Thu's mother heard the gunshots and ran back to the house, she saw DVB reporter Win Htut Oo falling down with a gunshot wound, said Aung Kyaw. Htet Myat and Win Htut Oo were childhood friends.

The journalists both reported on the resistance movement. For safety reasons they interviewed opposition members in private spaces, including their home.

Win Htut Oo had previously been arrested by the junta under Section 505  amended legislation that penalizes spreading anything deemed to be false information or fear about the military. The 26-year-old had more recently been living at the home of his friend, Htet Myat, 28.

The junta cremated the bodies of both journalists instead of returning them to their families.

Media watchdog the Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the killings as an atrocity against the free press [that] must not go unpunished.

Nay Aung, the editor-in-chief of The Nation Voice, told VOA that Win Htut Oo worked for the local media outlet.

"He was a reporter who sent us daily news about the resistance activities, not just the battle news, but also the economic news in the region, said Nay Aung.

Two days before the raid, Win Htut Oo had reported on a police officer arrested by the military over suspected connections to the local Peoples Defense Forces, or PDF fighters, and about a female lawyer who was also accused of supporting the local pro-democracy militia.

I think it must have been the reason behind the raid, which happened the day after the news were published, Nay Aung said.

"Not only our reporters risk [their] lives to file reports but also all the journalists in Myanmar are risking their lives, reporting news that is happening in the country and the suffering of the people, he added.

Nay Aung said that more needs to be done to ensure journalist safety in Myanmar and that reporters understand the security risks.

In addition, we need to prepare more to create safe conditions for journalists to live and travel in the country."

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders, known as RSF, condemned the killings.

In a statement, it said that the junta is demonstrating ruthless violence against the journalists still courageously reporting in the country despite the prolonged conflict.

We again renew our call on the international community to step up pressure on the regime to cease its campaign of terror against reporters, said RSF Asia-Pacific head, Cedric Alviani.

Myanmars journalists have also been renewing calls for the international community to pressure the military council on press freedom.

The editor in chief of the Dawei Watch news agency, Kyaw San Min, told VOA that two of its reporters were unjustly arrested and sentenced to lengthy prison terms.

Reporters Myo Myint Oo and Aung San Oo were arrested on Dec. 11, 2023, and questioned for four days. In separate military hearings, Myo Myint Oo was sentenced to life in prison in February and Aung San Oo was sentenced to 20 years in May.

"They were sentenced to long prison terms without knowing what section or article they were charged under. Looking back on this whole process, there is no transparency at all, said Kyaw San Min. There is no justice for journalists. There is no right to defend nor explain."

With the military leaders saying they will hold elections at some point in 2025, some analysts believe more media may face attacks or arrests.

Myanmar is already one of the top jailers of journalists globally, with at least 43 detained there for their work, according to data by the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Toe Zaw Latt, of the Independent Press Council of Myanmar, said that journalists are being oppressed unfairly.

"We also need to protect journalists more from this end, he said, adding that Myanmars media are discussing steps with groups including RSF.

This article originated in VOAs Burmese Service.
Slow internet speeds that have frustrated Pakistanis for several weeks may persist more than a month while repairs to a faulty submarine internet cable continue, the countrys telecom regulator announced Wednesday.

Internet speed and connectivity have been spotty across much of Pakistan since at least July, with users increasingly struggling to access popular messaging and social media apps.

On Wednesday, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, or PTA, announced that repairs to the faulty cable will likely be completed by early October. The cable in question, SMW-4, is one of two that authorities say needed repairs.

"The fault in SMW-4 submarine cable is likely to be repaired by early October 2024. Whereas submarine cable AAE-1 has been repaired which may improve internet experience, the brief statement said.

Pakistan relies on seven undersea cables for internet service. The regulator reported problems with the SMW-4 cable in mid-June.

Pakistan Telecommunication Corporation Ltd., or PTCL, is the landing party for most of the seven international internet cables, including the two that have experienced technical issues. The Pakistani government holds a majority share in the national telecom carrier.

Conflicting statements

With public anger mounting, officials have issued a variety of statements to explain the slump in services.

Earlier in August, the state minister for information technology, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, blamed increased use of VPNs by Pakistanis for the slowdown nationwide. She rejected the notion that the government was deliberately throttling internet speed.

I can say it under oath that the government of Pakistan did not block the internet or slow it down, Khawaja said at a press briefing in Islamabad on August 18.

Later in the month, the PTA chief told lawmakers the faulty submarine cable was to blame, saying it would be repaired by August 28.

Meanwhile, the secretary for the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication told a Seate committee hearing the problem with accessing certain app functions was on the end of mobile data providers.

Although Wednesdays statement by the PTA referenced two damaged cables, a PTA lawyer told the Islamabad high court this week that a third cable may also be damaged.

Firewall

Business community and internet service providers blamed the slump in services on the governments efforts to implement a firewall.

Speaking to VOA in late July, Khawaja confirmed that a firewall was being installed. However, the IT minister claimed the tool was meant to strengthen cybersecurity and not to control free speech.

Still, after a Senate committee hearing in mid-August, Khawaja told the news media the government was simply upgrading an older web management system.

The junior minister, currently the top IT official, has repeatedly accused the media of blowing the firewall issue out of proportion.

According to a source familiar with the implementation of the firewall, the tool, acquired from China and under installation by the Ministry of Defense since May, is deployed at cable landing stations in Pakistan, the place where the undersea internet data cable meets a country's internet system.

The firewall, also being installed on the servers of major internet providers, has the capability to detect and slow digital communication between individual users.

In a statement condemning the grave consequences of the hastily implemented firewall, the Pakistan Software Houses Association, an industry group of software developers, gaming and IT companies, said slow internet speed has cost the countrys fledgling IT industry more than $300 million in losses.

These disruptions are not mere inconveniences but a direct and aggressive assault on the industry viability, the statement released earlier in August said.

Another organization, Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan, said users are leaving smaller internet service providers because of poor internet speed.

Internet disruptions and implementation of the firewall have been challenged in high courts in Lahore and Islamabad.

Prominent Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir filed a petition requesting that the Islamabad High Court seek details of the firewalls scope and purpose. He said access to the internet is a fundamental right for the purpose of livelihood.

Expressing frustration with authorities conflicting responses this week, the courts top judge demanded a detailed report on the reasons for connectivity disruptions. The next hearing is scheduled for September 3.
Pakistan urged Afghanistans Taliban leaders Wednesday to explain their relationship with a globally designated terrorist group waging cross-border bloodshed and address concerns about sweeping restrictions they have imposed on Afghan women.

The remarks by Islamabads special representative to Afghanistan, Asif Durrani, came as the militant group in question  Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP  has intensified deadly attacks on Pakistani soil from its alleged sanctuaries on the Afghan side of the border.

The violence has claimed the lives of hundreds of security forces and civilians in recent months, with TTP formally claiming credit for most of them.

The TTP-led terrorism is linked with the Afghanistan problem. Therefore, both countries will need to address the menace of TTP together, Durrani told a seminar in the Pakistani capital.

The Taliban will have to come clean about their image as ideological cousins of TTP. This is the minimum for a durable [bilateral] relationship that [they] can do, he stressed.

The Pakistani envoy spoke just hours after the Taliban army chief, Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat, rejected previous allegations that TTP was based on and orchestrating attacks from Afghan soil.

There is no evidence, nor anyone can prove, that TTP is present in Afghanistan, Fitrat told a news conference in the Afghan capital, Kabul. TTP has bases in Pakistan and controls some areas from which it launches attacks inside Pakistan, Fitrat said without elaborating further.

TTP has publicly pledged allegiance to the Taliban leadership. The militant group sheltered Taliban commanders on Pakistani soil and provided recruits to support their insurgent attacks against U.S.-led international forces in Afghanistan for years until their withdrawal three years ago when the Taliban swept back to power.

Durrani highlighted on Wednesday that despite the mutual tensions resulting from TTP attacks, his government is assisting landlocked Afghanistan in conducting international trade through Pakistani land routes and seaports to help Kabul address national economic and humanitarian challenges.

The United Nations has, in a recent report, described TTP as the largest terrorist group in Afghanistan. It noted that Taliban authorities are supporting stepped-up TTP attacks against Pakistan, and the militants are being trained, as well as equipped, in al-Qaida-run terror training camps on the Afghan territory, charges Kabul rejected.

On Tuesday, the United States reiterated its worries about the growing threat of terrorism in Afghanistan.

We know that we can't turn a blind eye to the threats from organizations such as ISIS-K and that we must keep a relentless focus on counterterrorism, Pentagon press secretary Major General Pat Ryder told reporters in Washington, referring to the Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State. But there are many other terror groups that are resident right now in Afghanistan, Ryder added without elaborating.

Curbs on Afghan women

Durrani on Wednesday praised the Taliban for establishing national security since their takeover but reiterated concerns about restrictions on Afghan womens access to public life and supported international demands for their reversal.

"Many have acknowledged the positive aspects of the changed Afghanistan, including less corruption, a drastic reduction in poppy cultivation, and an improvement in the overall security situation, Durrani said. [However], there are concerns for girls education and womens right to work, which no society, whether Islamic or otherwise, should allow to happen."

Durrani also noted the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, comprising 57 Muslim-majority countries, had unequivocally called on the Taliban to lift the ban on girls education and their right to work.

De facto Afghan leaders have persistently denounced the U.N.-led global criticism of their policies, saying they are governing the country strictly in line with Islamic law, or Shariah, and local customs.

The Taliban have barred girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade and women from most public and private sector employment, as well as prohibiting them from making road trips without a male guardian.

Last week, the radical rulers enacted new regulations prohibiting women from speaking aloud or showing their faces in public at any time, drawing international outrage.

On Monday, Taliban chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid lambasted the U.N. and Western critics of their governance, claiming that the objections of non-Muslims stemmed from their lack of understanding of Islam.

We view this as disrespect to our Islamic Shariah, he said.
Pope Francis will embark on the longest overseas tour of his papacy next week, as he visits four countries across Asia and Oceania on a grueling 11-day trip.

The 87-year-old pontiff is scheduled to visit Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore on a journey emphasizing economic and religious diversity.

The pope has faced recent health challenges and concerns and this is set to be his first overseas trip of 2024.

Francis was forced to pull out of a visit to Dubai last November to recover from a bout of flu and lung inflammation. Ailing health has caused him to cancel several public engagements this year.

The pope currently requires a wheelchair or cane to move about as he deals with mobility issues, caused by persistent knee problems.

Poor health brings doubt on Francis ability to complete an 11-day tour in four nations.

I was extremely surprised when they announced a trip like this. Why four countries? Why so far? Why so long? said Michel Chambon, a Research Fellow with the Religion and Globalization Cluster at the National University of Singapore.

Added Chambon, he clearly doesnt want to slow down.

Francis will land in Indonesia on Tuesday, becoming the third pope to visit the worlds most populous Muslim-majority country.

He will start his visit with a meeting with outgoing President Joko Widodo in the countrys capital, Jakarta.

The pope will host an interfaith gathering with representatives of Indonesias six officially recognized religions. The meeting will take place at the largest mosque in Southeast Asia.

He is going to Indonesia clearly not for Indonesian Catholics. Instead, the priority is to remake and repeat a global statement about Christian-Muslim relations, Chambon told VOA.

Describing the current state of these relations generally as a matter of concern, Chambon says Pope Francis will be proactive in not letting Christian-Muslim ties be weaponized by political interests.

Though Francis will aim to promote interfaith tolerance and understanding in Indonesia, ensuring the pontiffs safety in the country will be a complex challenge.

Terrorist groups, especially those that target the Catholic Church, still exist in Indonesia and of course Southeast Asia, said Stanislaus Riyanta, a lecturer at the University of Indonesias School of Strategic and Global Studies.

Riyanta says Indonesias security services will be on high alert during the visit, enabling them to carry out early detection, early warning and early prevention of any threats to the pope.

Security will also be tight in Papua New Guinea when Francis arrives for his first visit to a country in Oceania.

The countrys capital, Port Moresby, was put under a state of emergency in January following deadly riots which spread to other cities in the island-nation of some 10 million people.

Trouble again flared-up in February when a gun fight broke out between tribal communities in remote highlands. Dozens were killed in the violence.

Papua New Guinea is made up of multiple ethnic indigenous groups, with hundreds of languages spoken, yet almost the entirety of the population are Christians, with roughly a quarter Catholic, according to a 2011 census.

Christianity is also dominant in Timor-Leste, the popes third stop on his tour. More than 95% of the near 1.5 million population are Catholics, making it one of only two majority-Catholic countries in Asia.

Excitement for the popes arrival is building in the former Portuguese colony, but questions remain about a clergy abuse scandal that has shocked the country.

In 2022, the Vatican confirmed that Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo had been sanctioned over allegations that he sexually abused young boys.

Belo, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and former Timor-Leste independence hero, was disciplined with restrictions placed on his movements and a ban on voluntary contact with minors. He now resides in Portugal.

We might see, maybe not protests but, strong questions in Timor-Leste from a number of people, because of the question of sex abuse, Chambon said.

The Vatican is hoping the pontiff will be able to highlight Catholic tenants such as compassion, caring and generosity during his tour, and especially in Timor-Leste, scholars say.

Pope Francis is seeking to shine a spotlight on, and remind the rest of the world about, struggling communities in Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste, said Jonathan Tan, the Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan Professor of Catholic Studies at Case Western Reserve University.

They are coping with immense poverty, high illiteracy and unemployment rates, and the effects of climate change on island communities, Tan told VOA.

Francis final stop will be in Singapore, a multi-religious city-state in the heart of Southeast Asia.

Less than 10% of Singapores population is Catholic which, according to Tan, presents the pope an opportunity to encourage and empower minority Catholic communities in the region.

Francis has made Asia a top priority during his papacy, visiting the continent several times, including trips to South Korea, the Philippines, Japan and Mongolia.

Chambon says the popes focus on Asia is a long-term investment for the Catholic Church, with his visits building communion and proximity between Catholics in Asia and the Vatican.

Trips to the region also present an opportunity for the Vatican to present the ideology of the pope to an Asian audience, says Tan.

It's a key issue for the papacy, for the Vatican, to translate its universal ambition into Asian terms and Asian language, he told VOA.
Din Tai Fung, a popular Michelin-starred Taiwanese restaurant known for its long lines and hot dumplings, says it is closing more than a dozen stores in China as the worlds second-largest economy loses steam and thrifty consumers seek out cheaper options for dining out.

The companys subsidiary, Beijing Hengtai Feng Catering Company, announced Monday that it plans to close all its 14 restaurants in northern China including one in Xiamen. The brand's parent company in Taipei told VOA that its 18 remaining restaurants across Eastern China, run by another Shanghai-based partner, will remain in normal operation.

We deeply apologize for the inconvenience and disappointment this decision may cause to our many loyal Din Tai Fung customers, the subsidiary said in a statement on the Chinese social media app WeChat. It added that employees severance and placement would be handled properly.

Some 800 employees will be impacted by the move, which comes as price competition between restaurants heats up and consumer habits shift in China.

Since Beijing began loosening its strict COVID-19 control policies in late 2022, allowing more people to eat out again, Chinese consumers have been more frugal in their spending, given a range of economic challenges the country is going through from a property market crisis to high unemployment and a slumping stock market.

The current situation in China is that while there is still traffic, the consumption power is weak, including in the restaurant service industry, said Darson Chiu, a Taiwan-based economist and director general of the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry. A high-end brand like Din Tai Fung may not be able to meet the consumers' needs as they downgrade their consumption in China's current economic environment.

Zhiwu Chen, a professor of finance at the University of Hong Kong, told VOA Mandarin in April that he found it unbelievable that some restaurants in Nanjiang were offering food for a table of 10 for 400 yuan ($56), or 40 yuan per head, down from its previous price range of 700 yuan.

Another factor posing challenges to companies like Din Tai Fung has been foreign companies decreasing confidence in Chinas economy coupled with a drop in foreign tourists to China.

In an interview with Taiwans Central News Agency, Beijing Hengtai Fengs General Manager Galvin Yang said foreign consumers accounted for 20% to 30% of Din Tai Fungs customers in China, and foreign consumers have still not recovered to pre-pandemic levels.

To adjust to weakening demand, Haidilao, a popular hot pot restaurant, has introduced a more affordable sub-brand hot pot called Hailao and begun offering personal services such as free hair washing.

According to DianPing, an app that connects people to local businesses and restaurants, the cost of a visit to a Din Tai Fung restaurant in China averages roughly $21. Most of the chains competitors in Beijing offer far more reasonable buffet deals, while fast-food chains serve full meals for just over a dollar.

Reactions to Din Tai Fungs closings have been mixed in China. Some consumers say they will miss their beloved dumplings, while others were indifferent, and some criticized the restaurant chain for poor service.

Despite Din Tai Fungs struggles in China, the company  which has more than 180 stores globally  has found success abroad in the United States, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirate.

In June and July, Din Tai Fung opened new branches in California and New York.
Ukraines surprise offensive into Russias Kursk region has left the Kremlin reeling, although the ultimate impact of the risky military maneuver remains to be seen, according to a top U.S. intelligence official.

CIA Deputy Director David Cohen told a security conference just outside of Washington on Wednesday that Kyivs ongoing incursion into Russia, launched earlier this month, shows no sign of letting up, forcing Russian President Vladimir Putin to face potential domestic consequences.

"They are remaining in Russia. They are building defenses, Cohen said of Ukraines forces in Kursk. They seem to be intent on retaining some of that territory for some period of time.

Putin is going to have to face not only the fact that there's a front line now within Russian territory that he's going to have to deal with; he has to deal with the reverberations back in his own society, Cohen said. That has the potential to change the dynamic a little bit going forward.

Ukrainian forces first entered Russian territory on August 6, mounting what has been the largest incursion into Russia since World War II.

Some 130,000 residents have been forced to flee the fighting in Kursk, waiting for Russian reinforcements.

Ukraines army chief said Tuesday Kyivs forces had captured almost 600 Russian troops and take control of some 1,300 square kilometers of land (500 square miles).

The CIAs Cohen Wednesday said the U.S. estimates Ukraine has hold of some 777 square kilometers (300 square miles) of territory in Kursk, although he refused to downplay the impact.

We can be certain that Putin will mount a counteroffensive to try to reclaim that territory. But that has not yet begun, Cohen said. And when it does begin, I think our expectation is that that will be a difficult fight for the Russians.

For now, Russias forces appear to remain focused on taking Pokrovsk, a key transportation and logistics hub in eastern Ukraine.

The Russians are making some progress there, Cohen said, noting the Russian advance is coming at extraordinary cost.

But even if the Russian offensive to take Pokrovsk is successful, Cohen warned the payoff for Moscow would be minimal.

At the end of the day, none of it is game changing in a strategic sense, he said.

Ukrainian strikes in Russia

Meanwhile, Ukraine sought to again put Russia on the defensive.

Ukrainian forces used drones Wednesday to target multiple areas of southwestern Russia, including one that caused a fire at a fuel depot in Rostov.

Vasily Golubev, governor of the Rostov region, said on Telegram that firefighters were working to put out the blaze and that there were no casualties.

Russias Defense Ministry said it shot down four Ukrainian drones over the Rostov region, along with eight drones over Voronezh.

Officials in Voronezh reported no damage or casualties.

In the Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said a Ukrainian drone attack damaged three houses but caused no injuries.

Russian air defenses also shot down a Ukrainian drone over the neighboring Kursk region, officials said.

Russian strikes in Ukraine

In Ukraine, Dnipropetrovsk Governor Serhiy Lysak said a Russian attack killed at least three people and damaged infrastructure in the city of Kryvyi Rih.

Lysak said the attack came as the city was in mourning, following a deadly Tuesday missile strike on a hotel.

Kharkiv Governor Oleh Syniehubov said a Russian missile damaged houses and injured 12 people.

Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
Russian opposition politician Ilya Ponomarev says he saw no reason to be suspicious when he received what appeared to be an email from former U.S. ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, a trusted contact with whom he communicates periodically.

"This letter was visually no different from his other letters. I believed that it was his letter because it was visually no different from his other letters, Ponomarev told VOA Russian in a Zoom interview.

But this email from several months ago turned out to be one of numerous phishing attacks targeting U.S. diplomats and others that have been identified as the work of two cyber-espionage outfits linked to the Russian government. And the fact that it accurately mimicked McFauls previous messages indicated the attackers had already seen those earlier messages.

The letter contained a reference to a report on Ukraine that McFaul supposedly intended to deliver in China, and also a request to check whether he had mixed something up," Ponomarev said. McFaul did in fact deliver a lecture to Chinese students in April.

McFaul has confirmed to VOA that he was the target of a hacker attack but did not elaborate. The details of the attack were revealed in a recent joint report from the digital rights group Access Now and the Canadian research nonprofit Citizen Lab.

The report says the attacks were conducted between October 2022 and August 2024 by two threat actors close to the Russian regime known as ColdRiver and ColdWastrel.

According to The Washington Post, multiple governments have said that ColdRiver works for the Federal Security Service, or FSB, the successor agency to the Soviet KGB, while ColdWastrel is believed to be working for another Russian agency.

Among their targets were exiled Russian opposition figures, employees of U.S. think tanks, former U.S. ambassadors to Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, political figures and academics, employees of American and European non-profit organizations, and media organizations.

VOA has spoken with several of those named as victims, including former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst, a Russian journalist and a Russian human rights activist, as well as Ponomarev and McFaul.

The goal of phishing attacks is to try to get a user to click on a malicious link or enter their data  login and password  on a fake website. If the attack is successful, hackers gain access to the victims confidential information, including correspondence, contact lists and, in some cases, financial information.

Hackers conducting phishing campaigns employ a technique called social engineering, which a leading American cyber security software and services company described as using psychological manipulation designed to trick users into divulging sensitive information.

Herbst, who is currently director of the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center, told VOA that he has been facing attacks from Russian hackers for the past 10 years.

The Kremlin didn't like from the beginning what I was doing because I was pointing out that they're conducting an illegal invasion of Ukraine, I guess going back to 2014, he said.

Herbst said that Russian hackers target people who take a public position aimed at countering Moscow's aggressive foreign policy: "So, it's not surprising that people like Steve Pifer or Michael McFaul, or myself have received attention from the FSB, the GRU [Russian military intelligence] and others."

Herbst added: I don't want to overstate the attention they give to us. You know, we are pretty much tertiary or even less than tertiary players on the international political scene, but they know they have such a massive security apparatus that they give some low-level guy the job of following people like me."

The stuff that linked me with Mike McFaul or Steve Pifer  was a fishing expedition, right? [To] see if they could get one of them to say something in confidence to me, which would be embarrassing.

Steven Pifer did not respond to a VOA request for comment on the details of the hacker attack.

Ponomarev said that he responded to the fake McFaul email, but did not have time to download the malicious file attached to it since he was on a plane when he opened the email, and it was inconvenient to download the file from a phone.

"When I opened it on my computer, I noticed that the address he sent it to me from was not his usual Stanford University address, it was something completely different, Ponomarev told VOA.

Being an IT guy, I looked at the IP address of the file in the email and was convinced that it was phishing. After that, I passed the information on to the competent authorities so that they could look into the matter further."

Ponomarev added that the fact the email ostensibly sent by McFaul came from a Proton service mailbox did not initially arouse any particular suspicions.

"I also have an address on Proton, for some kind of confidential correspondence," he said, noting that attackers can forge addresses on Proton by changing one letter, so that visually it still looks like a regular mailing address.

"They use it because it's completely anonymous, Ponomarev added. You can't trace an IP address to Proton, so when you use Proton, it's a dead end, you can't excavate it any further.

Polina Machold, publisher of Proekt, an independent Russian media outlet specializing in investigative journalism, told VOA that in the phishing attack targeting her, which took place last November, the hackers also employed social engineering and the Proton mail service.

I received a letter from a colleague from another media outlet, with whom we had previously done a joint project, asking to look at a new potential project or something like that, Machold told VOA.

We corresponded for some time, and when it came to opening the file, I discovered that something very suspicious was going on, because the link in the file supposedly led to Proton Drive, but the domain was something completely different.

Machold said she called a colleague who confirmed that the attacker was pretending to be him. The information was passed on to Citizen Lab, which determined that hackers likely associated with the FSB were behind the attack.

Dmitry Zair-Bek, who heads First Department, a Russian rights group, said that a member of his group was among the first targets of a hacker attack because we defend people in cases of treason and espionage.

"One of our employees received an email from an address that mimicked the address of one of our partners, he said. The email contained a link that led to a phishing site."

Zair-Bek added that the ColdWastrel group carried out the attack targeting First Department.

"They are the 'C' students of the hacker world, Zair-Bek said of ColdWastrel. The idea is the same as the ColdRiver group, they just paid less attention to some small details.

The fact that they are 'C' students does not mean that they are less effective. They choose a person who from their point of view, on the one hand, has the largest amount of information that interests them and, on the other hand, is the most vulnerable."

Even someone well-versed in digital security issues can fall for the bait of hackers, says Natalia Krapiva, an expert at Access Now, which co-authored the report on the Russian hacker attacks.

The ColdRiver and ColdWastrel groups use quite sophisticated social engineering, a very good understanding of the context, she told VOA.

They know how the organization is structured in general, which people are responsible for finance, HR, politics, and so on. That is, they know which employee to send this [phishing] email to. They also understand with whom these organizations interact and on what issues.

We have seen examples of exploiting existing relationships between a Russian and an American human rights organization, Krapiva added, noting that hackers knew that one of the organizations was waiting for a grant application and sent a malicious PDF file to the employee who was waiting for it.

This suggests that hackers already have a certain amount of information at the time they attempt to attack their victims, she said.
U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan met Tuesday in Beijing with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in an attempt to manage tensions between Washington and Beijing ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November.

Sullivan's visit, which ends on Thursday, also aims to set the stage for President Joe Biden to hold his final summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping before Biden leaves office in January, analysts say.

Before holding the closed-door talks, Wang told reporters that China-U.S. relations were "critical," of great importance to the world, but have taken "twists and turns." He said he hoped the relationship between the two countries would become healthy and stable.

Sullivan said the two sides would discuss areas of agreement and disagreement that "need to be managed effectively and substantively."

U.S. officials say the main purpose of Sullivan's visit is to maintain mutual communication that has been severely disrupted over trade tensions, rights concerns and Beijing's increasingly close relations with Moscow since its invasion of Ukraine.

At a press briefing last week, a senior administration official said on background that Sullivan and Wang are expected to spend about 10 to 12 hours over two days discussing bilateral, global, regional and cross-strait issues.

"It bears repeating that U.S. diplomacy and channels of communication do not indicate a change in approach to the PRC [People's Republic of China]. This is an intensely competitive relationship. We are committed to making the investments, strengthening our alliances and taking the common steps  common sense steps on tech and national security  that we need to take. We are committed to managing this competition responsibly, however, and prevent it from veering into conflict," the official said.

The official added that Sullivan would raise U.S. concerns about China's support for Russia's defense industrial base, the South China Sea and other global issues such as North Korea, the Middle East, Myanmar and the Taiwan Strait.

The visit is not expected to produce a major breakthrough, but media reports noted it could set the stage for Biden to hold his final summit with Xi before leaving office in January.

Although neither the Chinese Foreign Ministry nor the U.S. State Department has confirmed it, Biden and Xi could meet at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Peru from Nov. 10 to 16, or at the G20 summit in Brazil on Nov. 18 and 19.

With the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 5, Biden, who is not seeking reelection and is a "lame duck," has waning influence on U.S. policy. Nonetheless, Chinese leaders are interested in meeting the U.S. president, said Wesley Alexander Hill, lead analyst and international program manager at the International Tax and Investment Center.

"Because there is such an unusual bipartisan agreement and skepticism about China, I really wouldn't think that the lame-duck period is going to be a significant factor in terms of meeting with Biden or talking with Biden," Hill told VOA.

"Because with China, the theme to stress is continuity in terms of America's foreign policy. Even with Trump and his, let's say, very direct mannerisms and his hostility towards China, the Biden administration hasn't reversed course on the fundamentals of Trump's policies."

The senior administration official said at the press briefing last week that Sullivans trip shouldn't be associated too closely with the election.

"This meeting will be focused on the topics and the issues that we are dealing with now. There is a lot we can get done before the end of the year in terms of just managing the relationship," the official said.

Neysun Mahboubi, director of the Penn Project on the Future of U.S.-China Relations at the University of Pennsylvania, told VOA that regardless of who becomes the next U.S. president, the last meeting between Biden and Xi will not be just a formality.

Mahboubi said Chinese leaders, elites and ordinary people are very interested in the U.S. presidential election but said they don't have a consensus on which candidate would be more helpful to U.S.-China relations.

"I'm sure that there's a sense that for China, the trade war was particularly damaging. There would be an understanding that [a] Trump presidency is likely to pursue that approach with even more vigor. On the other hand, the Biden administration has been very effective in invigorating allies, including in Europe, including in the Asia Pacific, in a way that the Trump administration really has not done," he said.

Last week, the United States imposed sweeping sanctions on nearly 400 individuals and companies  42 of them Chinese  for helping Russia circumvent U.S. sanctions and contributing to Moscow's war on Ukraine.

China's Commerce Ministry on Sunday said the U.S. action "undermines international trade order and rules, obstructs normal international economic and trade exchanges, and affects the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains."

At a briefing for diplomats ahead of Sullivan's arrival in Beijing on Tuesday, China's special envoy for Eurasian affairs Li Hui reiterated those sentiments, calling sanctions on Chinese entities "illegal and unilateral" and "not based on facts." China calls US sanctions over Ukraine war 'illegal and unilateral."

Adrianna Zhang contributed to this report. Some information for this story came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
In the wake of Russias massive air attacks across Ukraine Monday, Ukrainians are moving quickly to get power and transportation back online. Ukraines military says Russia launched more than 200 missiles and drones during the attacks, with more strikes on Tuesday. As Lesia Bakalets reports, cities are dealing with power outages, water supply interruptions and train delays. Camera: Vladyslav Smilianets
Donald Trump has created enemies within his own party. The Republican National Convention in Milwaukee last month was meant to show the party closing ranks around Trump. But this picture of unity was broken by the fact that important figures from the party were noticeably absent. Neither George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Mitt Romney, nor Mike Pence participated in the event. The Democrats took advantage of their own convention to give voice to the Republicans who support Kamala Harris. They have been joined by lawyers who worked for the last Republican presidents and more than 200 former employees and officials of traditional Republican leaders, who believe Trump is a populist and a threat to democracy. Trump has also made an effort to win over renegade Democrats, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard.

While there have only been a few isolated defections in the Democratic Party, they are much more widespread in Trumps party and reflect a break with the traditional conservatism of the Grand Old Party (GOP), as the Republican Party is also known. Since he descended the golden stairs of his Fifth Avenue tower to announce his candidacy in 2015, Trump has turned the party upside down. He won the primaries against figures such as Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush, resorting to nicknames and personal insults. Although some wounds have healed  Rubio aspired to be a vice-presidential candidate  others remain open. Trump also leveled insults against previous Republican candidates such as John McCain and Mitt Romney. His presidency proved divisive not only for the country, but also for his party.

The Grand Old Party has been kidnapped by extremists and devolved into a cult, John Giles, mayor of Mesa  Arizonas third-largest city  and a great admirer of the late John McCain, a senator from his state and Republican presidential candidate in 2008, said at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) last week. Journalist Ana Navarro compared Trump to Latin American dictators Daniel Ortega, Fidel and Raul Castro and Nicolas Maduro, for attacking the free press and refusing to admit defeat at the polls.

Stephanie Grisham, a former White House press secretary, told the DNC she became disillusioned after being a true believer, who spent Christmas and Thanksgiving with the Trump family at Mar-a-Lago, the then-presidents mansion in Palm Beach, Florida. He has no empathy, no morals and no fidelity to the truth. He used to tell me, It doesnt matter what you say, Stephanie  say it enough and people will believe you. But it does matter  what you say matters, and what you dont say matters.

I never thought Id be here, said former lawmaker Adam Kinzinger, at the start of what was perhaps the most forceful speech against the Republican leader, who lost Kinzingers support after the assault on the Capitol. Donald Trump is a weak man pretending to be strong. He is a small man pretending to be big, Hes a faithless man pretending to be righteous. Hes a perpetrator who cant stop playing the victim, he told the DNC. We must put country first. [...] Democracy knows no parties. It is a living, breathing ideal that defines us as a nation. Its the bedrock that separates us from tyranny, he concluded.

Kinzinger said he became a Republican as a child because of his admiration for Ronald Reagan. The former president  who is played by Dennis Quaid in an upcoming biopic  is revered by many Republicans, including dozens of lawyers who worked with him in the White House. These lawyers  who also served George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush  have now taken a stand against Trump.

We endorse Kamala Harris and support her election as President because we believe that returning former president Trump to office would threaten American democracy and undermine the rule of law in our country, the lawyers wrote in a letter shared with the conservative network Fox News.

The same statement points out that Trumps own vice president, Mike Pence; many members of his administration and White House staff at the most senior levels, as well as former Republican candidates for president and vice president, have already refused to support his re-election. One of the signatories is former judge Michael Luttig, a prominent Reagan and Bush adviser, who was considered a possible candidate for the Supreme Court. Luttig said he will vote Democrat for the first time this year.

Trumps attempt to prevent the peaceful transfer of power after losing the election proved beyond any reasonable doubt his willingness to place his personal interests above the law and values of our constitutional democracy, said the lawyers for the Reagan and Bush administrations. We cannot go along with other former Republican officials who have condemned Trump with these devastating judgments but are still not willing to vote for Harris. We believe this election presents a binary choice, and Trump is utterly disqualified.

Authoritarian drift

Before the 2020 elections, after a mandate that showed the damage that Trump was capable of doing to institutions with his authoritarian drift and populist drive, numerous Republicans mobilized and created the Lincoln Project, which campaigned to try to stop Trump getting reelected. This initiative is still active, and working to achieve the same result at the November election.

The Lincoln Project includes some of the more than 200 Republicans who worked for former presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush, and former senators Mitt Romney and John McCain have also endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in a harsh open letter to Trump that was first reported by USA Today.

Of course, we have plenty of honest, ideological disagreements with Vice President Harris, the letter said. Thats to be expected. The alternative, however, is simply untenable. At home, another four years of Donald Trumps chaotic leadership [] will hurt real, everyday people and weaken our sacred institutions. Abroad, democratic movements will be irrevocably jeopardized as Trump and his acolyte J. D. Vance kowtow to dictators like Vladimir Putin while turning their backs on our allies. We cant let that happen.

Tulsi Gabbard, this Monday at an event with Donald Trump in Detroit (Michigan). Rebecca Cook (REUTERS)

Trump is trying to counter the attacks from fellow Republican by recruiting former Democrats. The two most prominent defectors have been offered spots on his transition team if he wins the election. The first is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who left the Democratic Party last year when he saw that he would not win the primaries against Joe Biden. He then ran for president as an independent, but due to his dwindling support, the politician  a vaccine skeptic known for supporting conspiracy theories  dropped out of the race last week and endorsed Trump. The Republican leader welcomed him with open arms, just months after calling him a radical left lunatic.

The second is Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic member of Congress from Hawaii who tried  with no success  to win the 2020 presidential primaries. After dropping out of the race, she renounced her party and became a guest star on ultra-conservative forums, playing the role of convert. Her name was even floated as a possible vice presidential candidate. Trump has been preparing for the September 10 debate against Kamala Harris with Gabbard, as the former Democrat debated the Democratic candidate in 2019 and managed to unsettle her.

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Ukraine's first lady wants her country's children to view themselves not as a generation enduring a grinding war but rather as "a generation of winners."

On the sidelines of a day spent at a rehabilitation camp for Ukrainian children in the relatively safe western city of Uzhhorod, Olena Zelenska said Tuesday that working with the next generation was a moral obligation and a "strategic priority" for Ukraine's future.

Many of the children will return to front-line cities after spending a few weeks at the camp created by Voices of the Children charity, barely enough time to overcome the trauma they face over and over.

"This issue needs to be addressed immediately, as soon as it arises, before it grows into something more," Zelenska told The Associated Press in a brief interview at the camp, which is sponsored by the foundation that bears her name.

A study by the Olena Zelenska Foundation, funded entirely by foreign donations, and the Kyiv School of Economics this year found that 44% of Ukrainian children show signs of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Since the start of the war, she has emerged as a global unofficial ambassador for Ukraine. She was the first member of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's family to leave the country after the Russian invasion in February 2022 to promote Ukraine's cause. However, she is equally active within Ukraine, and frequently visits displaced families and wounded soldiers.

Dressed casually in black pants, a white T-shirt and sneakers, with pearls around her neck, Zelenska took part in the camp's activities with the children. At an art therapy session, she sat beside a boy whose home was struck by an aerial bomb and who was later forced to evacuate from his hometown ahead of the Russian advance this summer.

Zelenska smiled and engaged with the children, examining each watercolor they presented. She even joined in, drawing a pink flower, a star and a heart. The conversation stayed away from the war.

"To ensure our children do not become a lost generation, we as adults must take quick action," Zelenska said. "It's difficult with the ongoing defense of the country. However, I am confident that political will combined with international cooperation can work wonders."

The first lady said she first heard about "war fatigue" in the summer of 2022, but refuses to believe in it.

"When your neighbor has a fire, it seems pointless to say: 'I'm tired of your fire. Stop it. Let's forget about it,'" she said. "We still need help and we will continue to ask for it. Not because we are bold, but because it is vital for our survival."

During one of the activities, a mystery guest connected via an online call and the children had to guess who he was. One child shouted it might be the Ukrainian president. The first lady quickly responded, "No, Zelenskyy is currently busy," prompting laughter from dozens of children.

The guest was revealed to be Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk.

Zelenska studied architecture but wound up working as a comedy scriptwriter, including for Zelenskyy, who was a comedian with a popular television show before winning the presidency in 2019.

The couple periodically appear in public together, visiting schools or rehabilitation centers and making formal visits abroad. The scrutiny has taken a toll on Zelenska, who was not a public figure before her husband became president.

"I feel a responsibility because I understand that all eyes are on us," she said. "Even when you're not doing anything particularly special, people still assess how the president's family is functioning during the war  what they're doing, where they are, how they are behaving."

Zelenska noted that since the start of the invasion, Ukraine has been in a constant humanitarian crisis, with one of the biggest issues being internally displaced people and several million refugees abroad. Fighting prevents many children from attending school in person, while blackouts across the country force many educational institutions in relatively safe regions to switch to online learning.

"We need the war to end, infrastructure for education to be in place, and for parents to feel secure," she said. "We would very much like these children to be able to physically go to school, see their teachers and peers, and interact together. But for now, it's impossible."

Zelenska said that one of the topics she regularly draws attention to during her foreign visits is the forcible deportation of more than 19,500 Ukrainian children by Russia from the occupied territories. In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's children's rights commissioner, accusing them of abducting children from Ukraine.

The first lady said holding Russia accountable must remain a key part of any end to the war.

"Only then will it be a victory," she said. "It may not be quick, but we need to constantly keep in mind this vision of how it should be so that nothing is forgotten and no one is left out."
The head of the World Food Program said Wednesday that the agency is indefinitely suspending the movement of its staff in Gaza, after one of its teams came under repeated Israeli gunfire near a military checkpoint the previous day.

This is totally unacceptable and the latest in a series of unnecessary security incidents that have endangered the lives of WFPs team in Gaza, Cindy McCain, WFP executive director, said in a statement.

As last nights events show, the current de-confliction system is failing, and this cannot go on any longer. I call on the Israeli authorities and all parties to the conflict to act immediately to ensure the safety and security of all aid workers in Gaza.

The two WFP personnel inside the vehicle were unharmed.

There was no immediate explanation from the Israel Defense Forces about the incident.

A request for more information from VOA to the Israeli mission to the United Nations did not receive an immediate response.

WFP said a convoy of two clearly marked armored vehicles was returning from escorting a convoy of aid trucks when the incident occurred. The vehicle sustained the gunfire a few meters from an Israeli checkpoint at the Wadi Gaza bridge, between central and northern Gaza.

The agency said the armored vehicle sustained at least 10 bullets  five on the drivers side, two on the passenger side and three to other parts of the vehicle.

Asked if the United Nations believed the IDF intentionally targeted the convoy, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters that we have no way to assess the mindset of those who are shooting at us. But he said the movement of the convoy had been coordinated with the Israeli military.

Whether the information was not passed down, whether it was deliberate, whether there was another reason  those are explanations we would like to get, he said.
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met for a second day in Beijing Wednesday, holding talks that touched on topics that included a potential meeting between the two countries heads of state and tensions in the South China Sea.

Both sides said the talks were candid, substantive and constructive, with state-run Xinhua news agency quoting Wang as saying the key to keeping China-U.S. relations on the right track lies in the guidance of the two heads of state.

The two discussed planning for a leader-level call in the coming weeks, according to a statement from the White House. Xinhua said the two also discussed a potential meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinas Xi Jinping.

Sullivan and Wang also discussed the importance of military-to-military communications and holding video calls between their military theater commanders at an appropriate time, according to the Chinese readout of the meeting.

The key to the smooth development of China-U.S. interaction lies in treating each other as equals," Wang said, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

In addition to maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, Wang and Sullivan also discussed disputes in the South China Sea, with Wang warning Washington over supporting the Philippines.

The United States must not use bilateral treaties as an excuse to undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, nor should it support or condone the Philippines' actions of infringement," according to CCTV.

A White House statement said Sullivan expressed concern about the PRCs destabilizing actions against lawful Philippine maritime operations in the South China Sea.

Chinas vessels have clashed with several Philippine ships in the South China Sea, unsettling Washington, which has a mutual defense treaty with Manila. On Tuesday, the head of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Samuel Paparo, said the U.S. military is open to consultations about escorting Philippine ships in the South China Sea.

Other topics discussed at the meeting between the top officials included China's territorial claims to Taiwan and recent U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods.

Wang told Sullivan the United States should stop arming Taiwan and support peaceful reunification.

Taiwan belongs to China, Wang said, adding that Taiwans independence is the biggest risk to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."

China claims democratically ruled Taiwan is part of its territory and says unification is the only option for the island, by force if necessary. Public opinion polling in Taiwan, however, shows little support for unification with its neighbor.

According to the Chinese readout, Beijing also voiced its disapproval of tariffs the U.S. has placed on goods, saying Washington should stop jeopardizing Chinas legitimate interests.

In addition to raising concerns about Chinas unfair trade practices and nonmarket economic practices, the White House said, Sullivan stressed that the United States will continue to take necessary actions to prevent advanced U.S. technologies from being used to undermine our national security, without unduly limiting trade or investment.

The talks between the top-level officials continue into Thursday and are expected to cover topics on which the countries butt heads, such as trade, the Middle East, Ukraine and the development of chemicals that are potentially used as components of fentanyl.
The U.N. World Food Program is investigating two of its top officials in Sudan over allegations including fraud and concealing information from donors about its ability to deliver food aid to civilians amid the nations dire hunger crisis, according to 11 people with knowledge of the probe.

The investigation by the WFPs Office of the Inspector General (OIG) comes as the U.N.s food-aid arm is struggling to feed millions of people in war-plagued Sudan, now suffering one of the worlds most severe food shortages in years.

As part of the probe, investigators are looking at whether WFP staff sought to hide the alleged role of Sudans army in obstructing aid amid a brutal 16-month war with a rival paramilitary for control of the country, according to five of the sources who spoke to Reuters.

One of those being examined in the inquiry is the WFPs deputy country director in Sudan, Khalid Osman, who has been given a temporary duty assignment outside Sudan, a de facto suspension, according to six sources.

A second senior official, WFP area manager Mohammed Ali, is being investigated in connection with the alleged disappearance of more than 200,000 liters of the U.N. organizations fuel in the Sudanese city of Kosti, according to four sources. Reuters could not confirm whether Ali remains in his role.

Osman and Ali declined to comment when contacted by Reuters, referring the news agency to the WFPs media office.

Asked about the probe by Reuters, the WFP said that allegations of individual misconduct related to irregularities in pockets of our operation in Sudan are under urgent review by its inspector generals office.

It declined to comment on the nature of alleged wrongdoing or the status of specific employees.

The U.S. governments aid agency, USAID, told Reuters in a statement that it was notified by the WFP on Aug. 20 of potential incidents of fraud affecting WFP operations in Sudan. USAID says it is the single largest donor to the WFP, providing nearly half of all contributions in a typical year.

These allegations are deeply concerning and must be thoroughly investigated, the USAID statement said. USAID immediately referred these allegations to the USAID Office of the Inspector General."

The investigation comes at a critical time for the WFP, which describes itself as the worlds largest humanitarian organization. It won the 2020 Nobel peace prize for its role in combating hunger and promoting peace.

The WFP is battling severe hunger on many fronts. It is seeking $22.7 billion in funding to reach 157 million people, including some 1.3 million on the brink of famine, mostly in Sudan and Gaza, but also in countries such as South Sudan and Mali. In addition to distributing food itself, the WFP also coordinates and provides logistical support for large-scale emergencies globally for the wider humanitarian community.

In recent years, however, its operations have been rocked by diversion and theft of aid in countries including Somalia and Yemen. The WFP and USAID last year temporarily suspended food distribution to Ethiopia following reports of the widespread stealing of food aid there.

More than half a dozen humanitarians and diplomats told Reuters they are worried that mismanagement at the heart of the WFPs Sudan office could have contributed to the failure so far to deliver enough aid during the war between Sudans army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has been raging for more than 16 months.

The investigation at the WFP comes weeks after the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), an international technical group tasked with measuring hunger, determined that famine had taken hold in at least one site in Sudans Darfur region. The IPC has classified 13 other areas across the country as being at risk of famine. And it says that more than 25 million people, or over half Sudans population, face crisis levels of hunger or worse.

Reuters reported in April that in some parts of the country, people were forced to survive by eating leaves and soil. In June, a Reuters analysis of satellite images showed that cemeteries were expanding fast as starvation and disease spread.

Aid workers say they have struggled to deliver relief, partly because of logistical constraints and fighting. But they also allege that army-linked authorities have hindered access by withholding travel permits and clearances, while RSF troops have looted aid supplies. Both factions deny impeding the delivery of humanitarian relief.

One focus of the investigation involves suspicions that senior WFP staff in Sudan may have misled donors, including U.N. Security Council member states, by downplaying the Sudanese armys alleged role in blocking aid deliveries to areas controlled by the RSF, according to four people with direct knowledge of the matter.

In one instance in June 2024, two people with knowledge of the probe said, WFP deputy country director Osman allegedly hid from donors that authorities aligned with the army in Port Sudan had refused to give permission for 15 trucks to carry life-saving aid to Nyala in South Darfur, an area that includes communities at risk of famine. The trucks waited for seven weeks before they finally were granted permission to proceed.

Osman, who was promoted within the WFPs Sudan office with unusual speed, had high-level army connections, according to eight sources. He exercised control over which WFP colleagues gained visa approvals to enter Sudan, allowing him to limit access and scrutiny of the armys management of aid, according to three people familiar with the system.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm the allegations against Osman or what possible motive he may have had in misleading donors.

In its written response to Reuters, the WFP said it had taken swift measures to reinforce its work in Sudan due to the scale of the humanitarian challenge and following the IPCs confirmation of famine in Darfur. WFP has taken immediate staffing actions to ensure the integrity and continuity of our life-saving operations, it added.

The war in Sudan broke out in April 2023. It has driven more than 10 million people from their homes, causing the worlds largest internal displacement crisis as well as worsening hunger, a spike of severe acute malnutrition among children, and outbreaks of disease such as cholera. The United States and rights groups have accused both sides of war crimes, which the combatants deny.

U.N. agencies have been operating out of Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast, where the army-aligned government relocated after losing control of most of the capital city of Khartoum early in the war.

The WFP and other U.N. agencies have complained that lack of access contributed to their inability to reach people in need, mostly in areas under RSF control such as Khartoum and the Darfur and Kordofan regions. But the aid agencies have largely avoided blaming either of the warring parties publicly.

In response to a request for comment about the militarys role in the hunger crisis, Sudanese armed forces spokesman Nabil Abdallah said the army is doing all it can to facilitate aid to alleviate the suffering of our people.

In response to questions, an RSF spokesperson said that the probe was a good step and that it should cover all humanitarian aid.

On Aug. 1, the IPCs Famine Review Committee said that the war and the subsequent restrictions on aid deliveries were the main drivers of the food crisis in Sudan.

Some aid officials said they feared making public statements assigning blame, worrying the army could expel them from Port Sudan and they could lose access to army-controlled areas where hunger is acute.
The White House welcomed on Tuesday the rescue of an Israeli hostage abducted October 7 by Hamas and said a Gaza cease-fire deal is being finalized.

But even if an agreement is reached, a truce is unlikely to extend beyond the six weeks of phase one of the three-phase deal. The next U.S. administration will still inherit the role of managing tensions in the region.

Since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris has aimed to strike a balance between reaffirming U.S. support for Israel and advocating for Palestinian humanitarian needs  in essence, signaling a continuation of President Joe Bidens policies on the Israel-Hamas war and, more broadly, the Middle East.

Harris summed up her position in her acceptance speech as the Democratic presidential nominee at the partys convention in Chicago.

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, she said.

Democrats are enthusiastic about Harris, even though she has not yet laid out her own policies. And unlike Biden, a longtime member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, most of Harris exposure to foreign policy was during her tenure as vice president.

Not having foreign policy baggage might benefit Harris in the eyes of Democratic voters, said Natasha Hall, senior fellow with the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Hall pointed out that in October 2002, Biden was one of 77 senators who gave President George W. Bush the authority to use force in Iraq, a decision that eventually became a liability for Biden, much as his staunch support for Israel has become the most divisive issue in his own party.

Advisers influence

Those looking to see whether Harris' Mideast policy will diverge from Bidens can look to her national security adviser, Phillip Gordon, who is expected to remain in the role if she is elected. He would be the principal adviser to the president on all national security issues, including foreign policy.

Phil Gordon is the type of adviser that colors in the lines, Hall told VOA. He's the kind of person that I think very much is sort of old-fashioned American foreign policy.

Gordon was against ousting Iraqi President Saddam Hussein from power in 2003. He chronicled American efforts to overthrow leaders in the Middle East in his 2020 book, Losing the Long Game: The False Promise of Regime Change in the Middle East.

The U.S. policy debate about the Middle East suffers from the fallacy that there is an external American solution to every problem, even when decades of painful experience suggest that this is not the case, he wrote. And regime change is the worst 'solution.'"

Such an outlook would make a Harris administration very, very cautious to deal assertively with Iran, said Jonathan Rynhold, head of the Political Studies Department at Israels Bar-Ilan University.

From an Israeli perspective, however, Harris' direct involvement in the administrations recent decision to deploy more military assets to the Middle East to deter Iran is good news, Rynhold told VOA.

If that is the policy that she goes on to adopt, then that crosses the minimal threshold of what Israel needs on Iran, he said. It may not be what Israel desires, which is a more forceful approach, but it is not a passive one.

Current Harris aides have told VOA that she intends to stay on the path that Biden has laid out: working beyond a cease-fire toward a two-state solution without sacrificing Israels security.

Harris former national security adviser while she was in the Senate, Halie Soifer, agreed.

The vice president and the president have supported U.S. military assistance to Israel, not just for the existing agreement that we have with Israel, said Soifer, who is now the CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America. But also an increase this year because of their security needs, she told VOA

Generational and personal background

Bidens generation, with a more visceral sense of the Holocaust, views Israel as a tiny democracy surrounded by hostile Arab powers. People of Harris generation and younger see Israel for what it is today: a thriving democracy and the regions top military power. While Biden and Harris may share the same goal for Israels security, theres not the same emotional resonance, Rynhold said.

Younger Americans don't remember a time when Jews and Israel were extremely vulnerable, he said. So they don't have a same sense of that continuing vulnerability that President Biden really has.

And for the president, Israel is integral to the story of Americas role in the world.

America is there to prevent the Holocaust. America is there to support democracies, and Israel is central to his way of understanding that role, Rynhold said.

If elected, Harris would become the first person to hold the highest office in the land whose parents are both immigrants. Barack Obamas father was born in Kenya, and Donald Trumps mother was born in the U.K. Harris father came from Jamaica and her mother, from India.

Unlike Biden, who often underscores that he is a Zionist, a loaded term often viewed with scorn in many parts of the world, Harris may be more sensitive to views from the Global South.

In a 2018 speech to an Indian American group, Harris spoke fondly of childhood visits to the home of her maternal grandfather, P.V. Gopalan, describing him as someone who had fought for freedom and for justice and for independence.

She is aware of how the rest of the world may feel about the Middle East, about neocolonialism, neoimperialism, Hall said. I really hope that she has the opportunity to bring those experiences to bear if she becomes the president.

But its hard to tell what a Harris doctrine would eventually look like.

What she says now is directed to winning an election and keeping the Democratic Party together, Rynhold said.

And since the party is evenly split between those sympathetic to Israel and those sympathetic to the Palestinians, she must express platitudes, he said.

And that's what she has done.
The 20-year-old gunman who tried to assassinate former President Donald Trump in July was dead set on carrying out an attack but appears to have seen the former U.S. leader and current Republican presidential candidate as a target of opportunity.

Senior FBI officials shared the updated assessment of Thomas Matthew Crooks on Wednesday, saying the findings are based on almost 1,000 interviews and extensive analysis of his internet search activity and social media accounts.

We saw through our analysis of all his  particularly his online searches  a sustained, detailed effort to plan an attack on some event, FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Rojek told reporters during a phone briefing.

He looked at any number of events or targets, Rojek said, adding that when the Trump campaign announced the July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the shooter became hyperfocused on that specific event.

As for what motivated Crooks to carry out an attack in the first place, officials said that remains a mystery.

At this time, the FBI has not identified a motive, said Robert Wells, executive assistant director of the FBIs National Security Branch.

Wells also said the FBI investigation has found no credible evidence to suggest that the shooter told anyone of his plans or that he had any help from any individuals or foreign governments.

I want to be clear. We have not seen any indication to suggest Crooks was directed by a foreign entity to conduct the attack, he said.

The FBI officials further rejected conspiracy theories that have been circulating on social media regarding a potential second shooter.

They said a forensic examination of the shooters gun, an AR-style rifle, conclusively linked the weapon to all eight shell casings found on the roof of the building where he carried out the attack.

The FBI officials said only two other shots were fired  one by a local law enforcement officer, and one by a U.S. Secret Service sniper  which hit the shooter in the head, killing him.

FBI investigators have been scouring Crooks internet searches and social media activity, and talking to anyone who knew him, ever since he climbed on a roof of a building overlooking the Trump campaign rally in rural, western Pennsylvania and began shooting, leaving Trump with a bloody ear and killing a rallygoer and injuring two others.

Last month, FBI Director Christopher Wray told lawmakers that Crooks appeared to have become fixated on high-profile public figures and that just a week before the attempted assassination, he searched for information on the 1963 killing of U.S. President John F. Kennedy by Lee Harvey Oswald.

On July 6, he did a Google search for, quote, How far away was Oswald from Kennedy?' Wray said.

Thats obviously significant in terms of his state of mind, Wray added. That is the same day that he registered for the Butler rally.

FBI officials on Wednesday presented a more-detailed account of Crooks mindset and planning, saying the shooter appears to have started preparing to carry out an attack or shooting as far back as September 2023, using an online account to look at Trumps campaign schedule.

Starting in April of this year, officials said, the shooter began researching campaign events for Trump and U.S. President Joe Biden.

In the 30 days prior to the attack, the subject conducted more than 60 searches related to President Biden and former President Trump, said the FBIs Rojek, adding the shooter also looked up the dates and locations of the Republican and Democratic national conventions.

But Rojek said that Crooks focus on carrying out an attack appears to go back even further, and that he began researching how to make explosives in September 2019.

He said there is also no indication, so far, that Crooks was motivated by any political leanings.

We've seen no definitive ideology associated with our subject either left leaning or right leaning, Rojek said. It's really been a mixture, and something that we're still attempting to analyze and draw conclusions on.

It also appears Crooks was clear-headed and methodical in his attempt to kill Trump. Lab tests showed no signs he was using alcohol or illicit drugs at the time of the attack, FBI officials said.
KYODO NEWS - Aug 28, 2024 - 18:31 | All, Japan, World

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is considering cutting short his trip to New York next month and not addressing the U.N. General Assembly due to a scheduling conflict with his ruling party's leadership election, sources close to him said Wednesday.

Kishida, whose popularity has plunged amid a political funds scandal in his Liberal Democratic Party, said earlier this month that he will not run in its presidential election slated for Sept. 27, marking the end of his three-year term as premier.

Japan has been allocated a slot for a speech on the afternoon of Sept. 26 in New York. But as Kishida would need to return to Tokyo in time for the LDP election, the government has failed to finalize arrangements, the sources said.

It is also uncertain whether Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa will make the trip to New York, given that she has expressed eagerness to run in the LDP race. Japan's ambassador to the United Nations might make the address at the assembly instead, the sources said.

During his stay in New York, Kishida is likely to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden, who has decided to drop out of the country's presidential race in November, and attend a summit of the four-way Quad grouping involving the United States, Australia and India.

The annual high-level session of the U.N. General Assembly is set to take place over seven days from Sept. 24. Kishida's planned visit to the United States from Sept. 22 will be his last overseas trip before resigning as prime minister. He took office in October 2021.

Kishida is also expected to join the U.N. Summit of the Future to discuss how best to tackle global challenges and the "FMCT Friends talks," aimed to negotiate a proposed fissile material cut-off treaty to ban further production of the substance for nuclear arms.

Related coverage:

Japan ruling party chief vote set for Sept. 27 to replace Kishida

Japan, U.S., South Korea renew resolve to keep stability in Indo-Pacific

Kishida to attend U.N. debate in New York in September before stepping down
Photo: Jerry Hsu/Netflix

At the end of Love You, Adam Sandlers new Netflix special, he moves into a different register. After an hour of Sandlerian humor, with jokes about no-wipe poops, Botoxing your dick, and the tragedy of ruining a lovely day at Disneyland by missing the exit on the way home and yelling Fucking cunt!, Sandler modulates into sincerity. Its a mode the specials actually working in all along  it drives Sandlers entire comedic outlook, really  but generally it stays more subterranean, present but implicit. At the end, though, the goal is to punch you in the feelings. After telling the crowd that hes playing with a guitar his dad gave him when he was 12, Sandler launches into a song about why he does what he does. Youre down, boy. No one around, boy. Head in your hands and pain, so much pain. How can you ever be yourself again? he sings. You know, its comedy.

Its almost too sweet to bear, too naked in its appeal to love and life and the healing power of a good dick joke. But Love You is not just a long windup toward a thesis about laughter being the best medicine. It is also a film directed by Josh Safdie, and it has a classic Safdie-esque drive of suspense and barely contained chaos. Throughout Love You, Sandlers a man beset by trials, the center of a slapdash production thats barely holding together. At every moment, the whole thing feels like it could come apart, and the combination of stress, sincerity, and inanity is what makes Love You so delightful. Its like a train full of clowns and fake plastic poop, perpetually flirting with derailment, that ultimately pulls into a destination of love and sentimentality.

The beginning is pure Safdie. Sandler arrives at the venue in a car with a broken windshield, and from the moment the door opens, its an onslaught of noise, requests, and stimuli that drag Sandler in a dozen directions. Paparazzi are chasing him. The alley is full of people shouting for autographs, including a kid holding what looks like candid surveillance photos of Sandlers real home. As he walks backstage, he realizes his lead-in act is a ventriloquist, and the crowds not that into it. He switches sweatshirts with a random guy backstage because Sandlers hoodie has coffee on it. Someone demands he sign 40 Happy Gilmore jerseys for a charity; he gets through about three of them before hes swept onto the stage, barely avoiding getting tripped by a random dog as he walks downstairs and saying hello to a theater employees hospitalized son via video call. Its mayhem.

The opening chaos is tightly wound, carefully shot, and scripted to feel like anarchy, but as Sandler finally walks onstage, the mishaps continue, and it becomes difficult to tell how much of it Sandler knew about in advance. Three screens behind him are meant to display visual aides throughout the set, but theyre stuck on a Windows desktop background, and a voice-over on the theater-mic system informs Sandler that theyre doing their best to fix it. Sandler launches into his set, doing all he can to shake off the absurdity of that opening and the sense that this whole thing is a ramshackle mess. But on and off over the next hour, the interruptions continue. A piece of equipment falls through a hole in the stage. Two people in the audience get into a fight, and Sandler has to pause to diffuse it. At one point, the dog he almost tripped over backstage runs out into the audience, and Sandler stops while everyone greets the dog (whose name is Gary).

For comedians who reach a certain level of cultural ubiquity, fame becomes a problem to overcome in the work  an obstacle to relatability that has to be named and, ideally, punctured, or a summit to continually surmount with bigger venues and over-the-top spectacle. But this is Sandlers (and Safdies) version of a special about fame, and its more effective and poignant than Kevin Hart doing self-deprecating jokes about his homes brick-pizza oven or Ellen DeGeneres attempting relatable comedy about how much airplanes suck. Sure, youre at the center of the stage, Love You suggests. Sure, everyones here to see you, and its an immense blessing, and ultimately you get to do this thing that you desperately love and believe in to the point that its almost painful. But youre also the key figure of a huge economic and creative ecosystem, and when things go wrong, success or failure depends on you. Sandlers just trying to keep it all moving. Hes trying to not be an asshole. And its worth it because people may laugh at an unnervingly detailed dream joke about an anthropomorphized balloon that wants Sandler to satisfy it sexually.

Sandlers two opening jokes both conjure the idea of fame as something to acknowledge and move past. One is about meeting a woman with a tattoo of Sandler on her calf. The other is about a friend coming up to Sandler while hes eating grapes and telling Sandler hes changed. Get outta here, Ive always liked grapes, Sandler tells the guy. But the other guy keeps insisting he doesnt like this version of Sandler, and eventually he storms out. So he left, and I said to the man who was feeding me the grapes, What do you think? Do you think Ive changed?

The rest of the hour tries to shake off that self-consciousness. There are no sweaty attempts to describe his life in falsely universal terms by focusing on parenting or marriage. When the observations are small or swerve into quotidian territory, Sandler usually turns them into songs, like one about how much time he spends doing household chores while muttering under his breath, or another full of Halloween sound effects that lists scary things in everyday life, like driving with the sun in your eyes at 3 p.m. When the jokes arent musical, or when hes leaning into an especially long anecdote, they lean surrealist, as in the horny balloon or another long joke about finding a genie who insists his current master is a real jerk. (Even that one, though, finds a little button about fame at the end.)

It is standard Sandler material operating in comfortable territory. Its occasionally a little underdeveloped, often quite juvenile, and sometimes rapturously specific about the oddities of modern life. The audience is present and palpable  in one joke, for instance, Sandler picks out a guy in the audience, highlights him with a spotlight, then sings a song about the guy who makes everyone uncomfortable by flying a drone around the beach. In another, the audience seems game when, for no particular reason, Sandler brings out his friend Rob Schneider as an Elvis impersonator, singing Its Now or Never.

But Sandler is still a man swimming upstream, battling to stay on track despite all the little things that keep going wrong, and it communicates a central idea thats difficult to pull off in a way that feels authentic in a special, especially for someone with Sandlers level of fame. This is not a glamorous job. This is not always fun. Its often surreal in very small, unexpected ways, like when Gary strolls out onstage. And its also important, which Sandler conveys with absolute earnestness in his final song. As he lays out his thesis, this idea that comedy is the counterbalance to all of the hardest things in life, the screens behind him thatve failed the entire time finally start working, playing a montage of scenes of everything from Monty Python and the Holy Grail to SNL to Abbott and Costello to Bridesmaids. Youre laughing so hard as you feel the pain pass / All because Ace Ventura just talked with his ass / Yeah, the comedy, he sings. Eventually the song becomes a list of gratitude, thanking dozens of Sandlers heroes, colleagues and friends, and ending with shoutouts to friends whove died, including Chris Farley and Norm Macdonald.

Ultimately, Love You works as well as it does because it embraces the opportunity of taping a special to do something more than just record a Sandler show. His investment in sentiment pays off bigger and better, because the entire performance has also been a joke on him. Hes so committed to the bit that hes willing to be the prank victim at his own show. Like any great special, Love You is a document of whats happening inside Sandlers head, but Safdies direction and the framing conceit turn it into a portrait of him, seen from the outside. Hes put upon and exhausted, and he loves this job with a clarity thats almost blinding.
Photo: Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Give it up, dude. Per the Associated Press, a federal judge has ordered pharma bro Martin Shkreli to turn over any digital copies he has of the rare, unreleased Wu-Tang Clan album Once Upon a Time in Shaolin to his lawyers by this Friday. According to the Monday ruling, he also has until September 30 to report the names of everyone he distributed the music to and how much revenue he has made from it. Shkreli bragged about owning the only physical copy of the album for years, but was forced to forfeit it after being convicted for securities fraud in 2017. He was sued this June by PleasrDAO, the cryptocurrency collective that bought the album for $4.75 million. PleasrDAO has accused Shkreli of holding onto digital copies and sharing them with his social-media followers. An attorney for PleasrDAO said in a statement that Mondays ruling was an important victory for our client, adding, We are pleased that Judge Chen recognized that immediate relief was necessary to thwart the continuing bad acts of Mr. Shkreli. A lawyer for Shkreli stated that the judges order maintained the perceived status quo of the lawsuits progression and has no bearing whatsoever on the final outcome of the case. All this over an album that has had its authenticity disputed anyway! Maybe the Wu-Tang Clan will feel inspired to clown him in another song?
KYODO NEWS - Aug 28, 2024 - 19:00 | All, Japan

Former Japanese ruling party member Manabu Horii resigned Wednesday as a lawmaker over condolence money allegedly given to supporters in his constituency in violation of Japan's election law.

Horii, 52, an Olympic bronze medalist in speed skating, tendered his resignation, which was accepted by House of Representatives Fukushiro Nukaga, according to the chamber. He left the Liberal Democratic Party led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida last month.

Horii apologized for betraying the people who voted for him in a statement issued prior to his resignation. "I have concluded that my decision not to run in the next lower house election will not suffice."

Prosecutors are expected to issue a summary indictment against Horii on suspicion of violating the Public Offices Election Law, sources close to the matter said Tuesday.

The law only allows lawmakers to give condolence money to their supporters if they attend a funeral in person. Horii allegedly had his staff hand condolence money to supporters in Hokkaido, northern Japan, in his name.

Horii also faces allegations that he did not properly report 21.96 million yen ($152,300) he received from the intraparty faction that he belonged to. The Tokyo prosecutors are considering building a case against him in violation of the political funds control law.

He served as parliamentary vice foreign minister and senior vice minister at the Cabinet Office.

Related coverage:

Ex-LDP member Horii to face summary indictment over money donations

Japan ruling party lawmaker's offices searched over election law violation
A local's guide to what's on in Rome in September.

September is one of the best times to visit Rome. The sweltering heat of August gives way to balmy sunshine and the nights are still warm enough to dine under the stars.

As summer draws to an end, Rome looks forward to a September of exciting cultural events, from cutting-edge art festivals to blockbuster exhibitions and open-air concerts.

The month kicks off with state museums and archaeological sites in Rome and across Italy opening for free on Sunday 1 September. The free landmark sites in the capital range from the Capitoline Museums to the Museo Forma Urbis where visitors walk across a glass floor over the surviving fragments of a famed marble map of ancient Rome.

Also on 1 September, Rome hosts the final day 14th leg of the Longines Global Champions Roma Tour, part of the world's most prestigious show jumping circuit, at the Circus Maximus.

For those interested in taking a culinary trip out of the city, the Castelli town of Ariccia hosts its popular Sagra della Porchetta, in honour of the savoury roast pork traditional to the area. The last day of the porchetta festival is 1 September.

Romaeuropa, Rome's cutting-edge arts festival, returns with a packed programme of contemporary dance, theatre, music, digital art and events for kids, from 4 September until 17 November. The festival will feature 100 different shows taking place in 20 venues across the city, with more than 700 artists from around the world.

Short Theatre also offers avant-garde theatre, dance, music, performance, prose, dj sets and workshops at the Mattatoio and a dozen other cultural venues around Rome from 5-15 September.

Although most of Rome's summer festivals are over, a number of popular out-door initiatives continue into September. These include Lungo il Tevere with pop-up restaurants, bars and live music along the banks of the river Tiber (until 29 Sept), a jazz music festival with a backdrop of the Colosseum (until 22 Sept), and outdoor jazz and swing music in the Villa Celimontana park (until 7 Sept).

Roma Summer Fest stages concerts by Francesco De Gregori (2 Sept), Fatboy Slim (4 Sept) and Ermal Meta (5 Sept), while the ancient Roman theatre at Ostia Antica hosts concerts by Patti Smith (3 Sept) and Carmen Consoli (7 Sept).

Spring Attitude, the international festival devoted to electronic music and its emerging sounds, returns to Rome from 13-14 September at Cinecitta Studios. The headliners include Viagra Boys, Cosmo, Kiasmos, Acid Arab, MACE and Daniela Pes.

Rome Future Week, taking place from 16-22 September, will host discussions and presentations relating to how the future will change the areas of technology, mobility, sustainability, economics, research and education, culture, smart cities, health and biotech.

The largest exhibition in Italy ever dedicated to Colombian artist Fernando Botero will open at Palazzo Bonaparte in Rome on 17 September. The show charts the more than 60-year career of the late artist who is famed for his paintings and sculptures of corpulent figures.

open-air concerts of classical, jazz and folk music every night until 29 September at the archaeological site of Teatro di Marcello, as part of the There areof classical, jazz and folk music every night until 29 September at the archaeological site of Teatro di Marcello, as part of the Concerti del Tempietto programme.

Ancient Rome comes to life every night until 22 September thanks to the comes to life every night until 22 September thanks to the Viaggio nel Foro di Cesare project, a multimedia display screened at the Forum of Caesar.

September ends with a series of concerts by Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour at the Circus Maximus, his first live shows in Italy for eight years.

Gilmour's concerts at the landmark Roman venue - where he played two nights in 2016 - are scheduled for 27, 28 and 29 September and 1, 2 and 3 October.
Children's Book on the Assyrian Genocide Published

(AINA) -- Join Ashur and Ninwe on a heartfelt journey through the pages of Bravery Beyond Borders: The Journey of the Assyrian People. This inspirational tale, written especially for children (ages 5-12), follows the resilience of the Assyrian community, blending history, courage, and strong family bonds. As Ashur and Ninwe's family celebrate Akitu, the Assyrian New Year, the story beautifully captures the essence of hope and the enduring legacy of their ancestors. This is a tale to be cherished and passed down through generations, impressing upon young hearts that even in the darkest times, love and family prevail.

The Our book on the Assyrian genocide is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Jaklen Alkyan, an Assyrian woman born in Iran, left as a refugee in 1989, finding refuge in Germany before settling in the U.S. in 1993. She holds a Bachelor's in Psychology from California State University, Stanislaus, and a Master's in Education from the University of Phoenix. A seasoned Human Resources Executive, Jaklen's love for children and animals inspired her to write. Her debut, A Lovebird Named Lucy, won the Purple Dragonfly First Place for Children's Non-Fiction and the Mom's Choice Gold Award. She also authored Audrey and Lucy's Backyard Adventure, Audrey's Christmas Wish, and Oliver's Journey.

Visit Jaklen Alkyan's website.
KYODO NEWS - Aug 29, 2024 - 08:45 | World, All, Japan

A senior Japanese ruling party lawmaker said he expressed concern on Wednesday over the breach of Japan's airspace by a Chinese military plane earlier this week and asked China's No. 3 leader Zhao Leji to ensure such incidents are not repeated.

Toshihiro Nikai, a heavyweight in the Liberal Democratic Party who leads a cross-party group of Japanese lawmakers advocating friendly ties with China, told reporters after meeting with Zhao at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing that the top Chinese legislator said the incident was "not intentional."

The unprecedented airspace breach on Monday triggered an outcry from Tokyo, with Defense Minister Minoru Kihara calling it a "totally unacceptable" violation of Japan's sovereignty and safety.

Nikai also called on China to revive at an early date the pre-COVID unilateral practice of exempting Japanese short-term visitors from visa requirements. Zhao said Beijing is aware of requests on the visa issue made by various circles in Japan.

At the outset of the talks, Zhao said China is ready to promote a "sound and steady development" of bilateral relations, while Nikai stressed the importance of achieving tangible progress on a host of issues that strain Sino-Japanese ties.

Zhao said China is willing to work with Japan to "continuously enhance mutual trust, deepen cooperation, properly handle differences and advance the bilateral relations," emphasizing that peace, friendship and cooperation are "the only correct choices" for the two countries, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

The top legislator also said that "Japanese friends from all walks of life," including parliamentarians, are welcome to visit the neighboring country and learn about "a true, multi-dimensional and panoramic China," Xinhua added.

Bilateral relations have been affected by issues including China's detention of Japanese nationals over espionage allegations and Beijing's total import ban on Japanese seafood, imposed after the country began releasing treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant in August last year.

Later in the day, the delegation led by Nikai met with China's top diplomat Wang Yi.

Wang praised Nikai for his long-term contribution to promoting friendship between the two Asian neighbors and stressed that bilateral relations are currently "at a critical stage," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

The top diplomat called on Japan to "establish an objective and correct understanding of China" and pursue "a positive and rational China policy," the ministry added.

Referring to Taiwan, which China views as its own, Wang said a claim that "any emergency surrounding Taiwan would also be an emergency for Japan" is an expression that "hurts the feelings of the Chinese people" since the territory is "an internal affair" of Beijing, a Japanese official accompanying the lawmakers said.

Wang also expressed willingness to discuss the resumption of Japanese beef and rice exports to China as well as boost bilateral exchanges, especially among young people, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.

Wang and Nikai agreed that China and Japan will promote school trips to each other's country, the Japanese ministry added.

Known for his pro-China stance and strong connections to the country, Nikai, 85, met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in 2019 as a special envoy from then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. However, the veteran lawmaker will not hold talks with Xi this time, according to sources close to him.

The lawmakers' group, on a three-day visit to China through Thursday, met Tuesday with Liu Jianchao, head of the Chinese Communist Party's International Department, and agreed to boost communications at various levels between the two countries, according to the Japanese Embassy in Beijing.

Separately, a group of lawmakers from the leading opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, led by its secretary general, Katsuya Okada, has also been in China on a visit since Tuesday.

Related coverage:

Japan says Chinese military's airspace breach "totally unacceptable"

Japan accuses China military of airspace violation for 1st time
The fifth annual Alzheimers Memory Walk will take place nationwide next month and two of the events will be held in Waterford.

The walks will take place on Sunday, September 22, and the organisers said they look like being the largest combined memory walk to-date.

Eilis Cantwell, from The Alzheimer Society of Ireland, is urging the people of Waterford to register now at www.memorywalk.ie and walk in one of the Waterford Memory Walks which will take place on the Waterford Greenway and in Dungarvan.

Commenting on the initiative, Eilis said: "It is going to be a great day to get together and walk with and for loved ones who are living with dementia and to remember loved ones who are sadly no longer with us."

"It is a chance to share memories and create new ones together and is such a lovely event for everyone who attends," she said.

The Alzheimer's Memory Walks will take place in Waterford on September 22

She is encouraging people across the Deise to register through www.memorywalk.ie and join with her at on September 22, at the Waterford Greenway at SETU Arena, Carriganore (X91XD96) at 11am.

"Alternatively, people can sign up for the Dungarvan Memory Walk, if that location is closer to you," she said.

This year's walks are supported by Payzone, and the overall aim of the initiative will be to raise awareness and funds for those living with dementia.

Registered 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 will cost 20 and a childs pack will be 5.

The Memory Walk honours, remembers, and celebrates the 64,000 people in Ireland living with dementia, along with their families and carers.

Last year, 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.
When Claire Gasper was diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder two years ago, her family refused to acknowledge she had the condition.

She is one of a growing number of women receiving ADHD diagnoses later in life and while the 32-year-old was relieved to finally put a name to her disorder, others were not so positive.

Pera Edwards, 29, says her recent ADHD diagnosis has ended years of uncertainty and given her more confidence.

My then-husband  hes now my ex-husband  didnt quite agree with the diagnosis and my parents flat-out disagreed, she said.

[My parents] said they didnt think it was the right diagnosis and that they hadnt seen anything from my childhood that was consistent with that, so that was hard for me.
Matildas star Mary Fowler says the national teams Paris Olympics flop will motivate them for the 2026 home Asian Cup.

Australia entered the 2024 Olympics aiming for the podium after finishing fourth at the 2021 Tokyo Games and the 2023 World Cup.

Fowler reacts during a womens Group B soccer match between Australia and the United States, at the Olympics. Credit: AP Photo/Daniel Cole

But it was clear from the outset the Matildas were off their game, losing their opener 3-0 to Germany and scraping a lucky 6-5 win over Zambia before finishing their campaign with a 2-1 loss to the US.

The poor on-field displays led to rumours about team disunity.

Tony Gustavsson stepped down as coach afterwards, with the Matildas still searching for his replacement.

Fowler said it was hard to look back without disappointment, and she had never felt that level of pressure before.

We definitely worked as hard as we could to prepare, she said.

Being at home and having that home advantage, its very different.

We reflect on that as a team.

We all really want to win something with the national team.

So having another opportunity to do that [in 2026] is really good for us.

Fowler is in Perth for the Perth International Football Cup pitting Manchester City, West Ham United, Leicester City and Paris Saint Germain against each other.

Manchester City, featuring Fowler and Matildas teammate Alanna Kennedy, will play Courtney Nevins Leicester City at HBF Park on Wednesday, with West Ham playing Paris Saint Germain Thursday.

Sundays double header will pit winners against winners and losers against losers.

AAP
It was a great photo op for Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong to walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge for World Pride. Or who can forget when the PM and the foreign affairs minister joined the Mardi Gras Parade with NSW Premier Chris Minns last year? But performative politics is easy; real and substantive change is more difficult.

The federal government has announced that it will not be including questions to identify the LGBTQ+ community in the 2026 census despite such a move being recommended by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and supported by the Actuaries Institute of Australia, among many others. This comes on top of the decision to exclude questions on ethnicity. Why are these groups being ostracised when it is well known that such information can help in the effective development of policy and planning, particularly regarding health?

Federal Labor has also reneged on its promise to deal with discrimination by religious schools against members of the LGBTQ+ community by deferring any consideration of this issue in the current parliament. We have teachers in religious schools at risk of immediate termination due to their sexuality and needing to mask their true identities.

In 2016, Labor promised to create an LGBTQ+ rights commissioner  this has also been relegated to the policy dustbin of history.
The United States and China are planning a call between President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping "in the coming weeks," the White House said Wednesday.

The plan was discussed between Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan and China's top diplomat Wang Yi during their two-day meeting in Beijing. The White House said the two countries will also aim to organize a phone conversation between military theater commanders "in the near future."

Sullivan and Wang confirmed that the two countries will build on their past agreements, such as keeping high-level communication channels open despite differences of opinion about a number of major issues and continuing to cooperate in areas including counternarcotics and climate change, according to the White House and the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Sullivan and Wang had similar lengthy talks before, but the U.S. top aide's visit to China is his first since the inception of the Biden administration in 2021.

During the latest discussions with Wang, Sullivan, whose trip to China runs through Thursday, stressed that the United States will continue to take necessary steps to block China from using U.S. advanced technologies to undermine its national security, the White House said.

Among other issues, it said Sullivan voiced concerns over China's help for Russia's defense industrial base and its impact on European and transatlantic security, and reiterated Washington's commitment to defending its Indo-Pacific allies.

China, which has been deepening its ties with Russia, denies the allegation that it assists Moscow's war in Ukraine. Wang said Washington "should not shift responsibility to China" over the Ukraine issue, nor should it impose "illegal, unilateral sanctions" on Russia, the Chinese ministry said.

On Taiwan, which Beijing views as part of its territory, Wang said the island will be reunified with the mainland, according to the Chinese ministry.

Noting the self-ruled democracy's independence poses "the biggest risk to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," he urged Washington to stop arming the island. Sullivan said the United States does not back Taiwan's independence, according to the Chinese ministry.

As for escalating tensions in the South China Sea between Chinese and Philippine vessels, Wang said Washington "must not undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity" based on a U.S.-Philippine mutual defense treaty, nor should it support or condone Manila's "acts of infringement," the ministry said.

Wang also urged the United States to "end its suppression of China" in the economic, trade and technology fields, and refrain from undermining China's legitimate interests, it added. Sullivan raised continued concerns about Beijing's unfair trade policies and non-market economic practices, the White House said.

The top diplomat countered U.S. complaints about China's overcapacity for items such as electric vehicles and solar panels, saying Washington is pursuing protectionism and it will "only harm global green development and impede world economic growth," the Chinese ministry said.

The two sides also exchanged views on shared concerns about the Middle East, North Korea and Myanmar, the White House and the Chinese ministry said.

Sullivan, on a three-day visit to the Chinese capital, is believed to be laying the groundwork for a possible final summit between Biden and Xi before the U.S. president steps down.

Biden abandoned his reelection bid in July and will leave office in January next year. He and Xi last held in-person talks in November near San Francisco.
On 22 and 23 August 2024, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and the Postal Union of the Americas, Spain and Portugal (PUASP) held a Regional Post-Customs Strategy Meeting in Oranjestad, Aruba. The World Customs Organization (WCO) strongly supported this important regional event, which brought together more than 40 officials from Customs administrations and postal operators in the Americas and Caribbean region. The objective of the meeting was to enhance cooperation between Customs and Posts at the strategic, policy and operational levels, and to share best practices necessary for the development of policies, regulations and associated project plans related to Electronic Advance Data (EAD), e-commerce and their implementation.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Goeffry Wever, Minister of Economic Affairs, Communication and Sustainable Development of Aruba, called for a proactive and unified approach to meet the demands of the modern world, driven by the global e-commerce market, and highlighted the key elements for an efficient postal supply chain: adopting new technologies; strengthening partnerships; sharing knowledge; and, providing mutual support.

During the high-level session, WCO Deputy Secretary General, Ricardo Trevino Chapa, spoke about the role of Customs in the rapidly changing global trade environment and the expansion of the e-commerce market. He emphasized the importance of facilitating and supporting the e-commerce supply chain through the implementation of the WCO Framework of Standards on Cross-Border E-Commerce and the development of an international Customs data ecosystem through the WCO Data Strategy, while strengthening cooperation with postal operators and other stakeholders to address the emerging threat of illicit drugs, weapons, IPR infringing goods, and other illegal goods smuggled through global postal supply chains.

UPU Deputy Director General, Marjan Osvald, and PUASP Secretary General, Franklin Castro, stressed the need to streamline the exchange of EAD with Customs and to implement risk management by modernizing techniques and equipment. They also called for a collaborative partnership at the national level to combat the smuggling of illicit goods through the mail.

During the event, participants shared their national experiences in promoting data exchange between Customs and Post and improving data quality to support effective risk management by Customs in destination areas. They also emphasized that collaborative efforts between Customs and Post are essential for the efficient processing of international postal items.

The WCO, UPU and PUASP commit to continue their efforts to assist their members in the region to further strengthen cooperation between Customs administrations and postal operators and to enhance facilitation, safety and security, and compliance of the global postal supply chain.
KYODO NEWS - Aug 28, 2024 - 23:00 | All, Japan, World

The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.

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Japan issues special typhoon alert for Kagoshima Pref.

TOKYO - Japan's weather agency issued a rare special typhoon warning Wednesday for most parts of Kagoshima Prefecture in the country's southwest as powerful Typhoon Shanshan, which has already caused several injuries in affected areas, approaches.

The storm is heading in a northerly direction south of Yakushima Island off the prefecture and could make landfall on the southwestern main island of Kyushu on Thursday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. Expecting disruptions, Toyota Motor Corp. has decided to suspend its plants nationwide and railway operators announced the cancellation of some services.

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Reactor in central Japan fails to pass post-Fukushima safety review

TOKYO - Japan's nuclear watchdog on Wednesday decided that a reactor in Fukui Prefecture failed to pass its restart safety review, marking the first such case since the regulatory body's founding after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.

The No. 2 reactor at the Tsuruga plant in central Japan, operated by Japan Atomic Power Co., fell short of the safety requirements due to a possible active fault underneath the offline unit. The Nuclear Regulation Authority plans to seek public comments on its assessment report before making its decision official possibly in the fall.

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Outgoing Japanese PM mulls skipping speech at U.N. General Assembly

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is considering cutting short his trip to New York next month and not addressing the U.N. General Assembly due to a scheduling conflict with his ruling party's leadership election, sources close to him said Wednesday.

Kishida, whose popularity has plunged amid a political funds scandal in his Liberal Democratic Party, said earlier this month that he will not run in its presidential election slated for Sept. 27, marking the end of his three-year term as premier.

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Biden, Xi planning talks by phone in coming weeks: White House

BEIJING - The United States and China are planning a telephone call between President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping "in the coming weeks," the White House said Tuesday.

The plan was discussed between Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan and China's top diplomat Wang Yi during their two-day meeting in Beijing, the White House said, adding that the two countries also aim to organize a phone conversation between military commanders in "the near future."

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2 of 5 family members rescued after landslide in central Japan

NAGOYA - Two women were rescued but their three family members remain unaccounted for after a landslide caused by heavy rain hit their house late Tuesday in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, local firefighters and city officials said Wednesday.

The natural disaster occurred in Gamagori after a record-breaking amount of rain in the city, the Nagoya meteorological observatory said, as Typhoon Shanshan approached the country's main islands.

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Ex-LDP member Manabu Horii resigns as lawmaker over monetary donations

TOKYO - Former Japanese ruling party member Manabu Horii resigned Wednesday as a lawmaker over condolence money allegedly given to supporters in his constituency in violation of Japan's election law.

Horii, 52, an Olympic bronze medalist in speed skating, tendered his resignation, which was accepted by House of Representatives Fukushiro Nukaga, according to the chamber. He left the Liberal Democratic Party led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida last month.

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Japan antitrust watchdog to set up new section to regulate IT giants

TOKYO - Japan's antitrust watchdog plans to set up a new section to regulate and investigate tech giants amid accusations they use their dominant position in the smartphone app market to hinder fair competition, sources close to the matter said Wednesday.

The Japan Fair Trade Commission's new section will be set up next April at the earliest with around 50 officials, the sources said. It will also strengthen cooperation with foreign counterparts to monitor IT giants such as Google LLC and Apple Inc., which provide the Android and iOS smartphone operating systems, respectively.

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Tennis: 2-time champion Naomi Osaka makes winning return at U.S. Open

NEW YORK - Two-time champion and wildcard Naomi Osaka made a winning return to the U.S. Open Tennis Championship on Tuesday as the Japanese eased past world No. 10 Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 6-3, 6-2 in the women's first round.

The former world No. 1 Osaka, back at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for the first time since returning from maternity leave, needed only 1 hour and 4 minutes to prevail in a solid outing, committing only five unforced errors compared to 21 from Ostapenko.

Video: Ex-NBA forward Watanabe unveiled by B-League team Chiba Jets
Photo taken on Sept. 23, 2021 shows ripe highland barley against the backdrop of snow-covered mountains at Ombu Township, Nyima County, Nagqu City of southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

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. 
There was a capacity crowd at the Lahardane Community Centre on Monday, August 12 last, to mark the official launch of the magnificent new book Addergoole, People and Culture - A Testament. The event took place just ahead of the annual Lahardane Harvest Fair Day Festival, celebrating local tradition and heritage.

The book is a fascinating account of the rich history of the Lahardane area and its environs. Detailing such high-profile events as the 1912 sinking of the Titanic and its strong links with Lahardane; right through to the Great Depression and even the naming of MacHale Park in Castlebar. Fascinating details of the life and times of individuals such as Irish Nationalist, newspaper editor and farmer, as well as friend of Michael Davitt, James Daly, who hailed from Boghadoon in Addergoole are also recorded. The book even features references to UFOs and the lesser-known Meejum of Guinness! There really is something for everyone! History is told through photograph and file, newspaper and local knowledge, as the steps of the Addergoole people are retraced forever.

Launching the book, Fr Brendan Hoban praised what he called "one of the greatest bodies of historical work on a single parish" and lauded the amount of historical data gathered, analysed and compiled for the comprehensive 700-page publication.

"This book will be an invaluable point of reference for years to come," he said.

While the area's links with the Titanic tragedy are widely known, Fr Hoban also outlined the extreme level of poverty in Addergoole parish during the Great Famine where a huge percentage lived in "fourth-class housing" or single room dwellings with no window or chimney. He paid tribute to the resilience of the community and reminded those in attendance of the importance of our history and our roots.

Author Peter McLoughlin with Fr Brendan Hoban who launched the book.

Author, Peter McLoughlin, called the project "a labour of love", recalling how his late father-in-law, Martin Syron, of Derrymartin, asked him to look at the family's genealogy back in 2005.

"This project has been going on since then and I am thrilled to see it reach fruition. I want to acknowledge the support and help of all those who kept me on task. While major events in history are of course significant, for me a work like this shines a light on the everyday person and their own stories."

Anne Sweeney was MC on the night and speakers also included parish priest Fr John Reilly and the author's brother-in-law, Gerard Syron.

Attendees also had a chance to view and purchase a number of vintage items on display courtesy of the Ballina St Vincent de Paul, where Peter McLoughlin is a long-standing volunteer, bringing history and community care together.

Addergoole, People and Culture - A Testament is available in all local bookshops.
A new Charlestown cafe has introduced a special item to their menu this week as the music world exploded to the news of the reunion of Noel and Liam Gallagher, with 14 concerts scheduled for next summer.

Jennys Cafe From the Ground Up seized the moment within hours of the big announcement with their special Oasis Soup being added to their new menu.

With the tagline You get a roll with it, the local cafe in the ancestral hometown of the Gallagher brothers has shown great marketing initiative which is sure to capture peoples imagination.

The east Mayo town is a well-known haunt for the rock celebrities, and they spent many summers of their childhood on holidays with their grandmother who lived locally. They have returned to Charlestown since coming to world fame in the mid-1990s, and have been known to frequent local bars and restaurants on their visits.

There is speculation that Noel and Liam might well return to the town when they revisit Ireland in the future.

When asked if they would be tasting the new Oasis Soup now being served at Jennys Cafe, one local said: Definitely, not maybe.
COMMUNITY NOTES: BALLINA - WESTERN PEOPLE (AUGUST 27 EDITION)

The Board of Management, Parents Association, and staff of Culleens NS Ballina are organising a social gathering to mark the retirement of Mrs Clair Cooke.

The function will take place in the school on Friday, September 6, at 7.30pm.

Join them to mark Mrs Cookes achievements, contributions, and lasting impact on Culleens NS.

Mrs Cooke began teaching in Culleens NS in 1978 and became principal in 2007.

Please RSVP through a link on the schools Facebook page or website www.culleensballina.ie, where there is a response form or call the school on 096-22084 during school hours. Over-18s only.
The departure of Ballinas most famous son, Joe Biden, from the US presidential race has opened up the opportunity for a woman to become the first-ever female President of the United States of America. The fact that Kamala Harris is a woman of colour adds a further intriguing dimension to the choice facing voters. Trump versus Harris. Harris versus Trump. Take your pick and live with the consequences.

Joe Biden was forced by the Democratic Party faithful to fall on his sword if thats not a contradiction in terms or even an out-and-out oxymoron. Biden was undoubtedly a genuine American patriot. He was a decent man who sought to do his best by the American people. He was hard-working and did his best to bring a divided country together. In that endeavour to bring unity, he failed. With Donald Trump around he was never going to win.

He also failed miserably to persuade his Israeli allies to stop the genocide in Gaza. He continued to supply the weapons of death to the Israeli Attack Forces. He contributed generously to the Israeli war effort and the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians. I dont know why and cant understand what it is about American foreign policy that it can turn a blind eye to the atrocities committed in Gaza. The fact that the US can point the finger at Iran, a supporter of Palestine, as a danger to world peace is hardly a valid excuse. The US, with its allies, could wipe Iran off the map as easily as it did Saddam Hussein with his weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. But, for some strange reason, it cant rein in Israel.

It would say something for the US and its people if the decision to oust Biden from the presidential race had to do with his failure to bring about a ceasefire in the Gaza war. But no. The decision by the Democratic Party to oust Biden was purely and simply down to their conviction that Biden was not a winning ticket. His performance in the televised debate with Trump sounded his death knell. It was a sad way for a decent man to end a solid political career. But thats politics and now it is all about Kamala.

Kamala did not exactly set the world on fire in four years as VP. I would find it difficult to come up with any single contribution to US or world affairs that Kamala was responsible for. But, she has a valid excuse. As Vice President, she lives in the shadow of the President and a sensible VP does not outshine the Boss.

And she was in no way slow to take the stage once her Boss announced that he was standing down. She was out of the blocks running and before any other potential challenger might show his or her hand, Kamala had the nomination sewn up. The Democratic Party convention was a foregone conclusion and, reluctant or otherwise, the party's big guns were lined up to celebrate their new candidate and her running mate, a previously unheard-of Tim Walz. Walz n Kamala. That could be set to music.

You would have to feel a smidgin of sympathy for poor old Donald. He would not be my favourite person and I dont think that, if I had a vote, I could give it to him. Listening to the nonsense that qualifies as political nous coming from America, Tim Walz has gained considerable notoriety by coming up with the sobriquet weird to describe Trump. Weird? Jesus, even I could come up with something more exhilarating than that.

Trump does not get fair coverage in the Irish newspapers or on RTE. That probably does not worry him, but it should worry us because we rely on our media to provide us with a balanced view of the US presidential race. We are told about all of Mr Trumps financial woes and his poor business acumen. But if you are not tuned into Irish business stories you would not become aware of the financial success of the Trump Doonbeg Resort where profits are up something like 50% this year. That sounds like a business success to me.

We had, recently, a snippet on RTE showing Trump welcoming Kamal Harris to the Presidential race. He referred to Ms Harris as a good-looking woman (which she is, but we are supposed not to say such things for fear of being sexist) and then went on to opine that she was not as good looking as himself. Clearly, he was having a bit of fun at Kamalas expense (or perhaps his own) for the benefit of his audience. I thought it was pretty hilarious myself but RTE does not allow hilarity. Everything Trump says is serious and so is Kilnaskully.

I know some US citizens, not very many, but sensible people, some working people and some business people, who believe in Donald Trump. Not in everything he stands for but in his economic policies which they say benefit them. It may be a selfish reason to vote for Trump but, when we have an election here, dont we give consideration to who will put something in our pockets?

I hope the weather stays fair for Kamala Harris and that the muck-rakers dont find too much to throw at her between now and November. It would be good, I think, to have a woman president in the US.

Here, we have, in recent times lost some women who have made a considerable contribution to literature and journalism. It seems to me we tend to lionise and exaggerate the contribution of our writers and especially journalists but in the case of Edna OBrien and Nell McCafferty, there is no need for exaggeration.

Both were giants in their own way. Edna OBriens finest work was her first book The Country Girls, part of a trilogy, published in 1960. The fact that it was banned here because of its fairly explicit dealing with sex in a rural Irish context, drawing out Justice Minister, Charlie Haughey, no doubt encouraged by Dublins archbishop Charles McQuaid, to describe it as filth, would have contributed considerably to its popularity and the fame of its author.

OBrien earned a reputation as a novelist, playwright, poet and short story writer and was a prolific writer. She became a celebrity long before celebrity came to mean what it is today. She was a genuine celebrity who did not require a Facebook following.

Nell McCafferty broke new ground as a journalist on the meanest of beats - the district courts. She took little interest in the fines imposed by the courts but sought an understanding of the lives and backgrounds of the miscreants. Her work showed how the law often discriminated between those who could afford a solicitor and those left to fend for themselves. The application of the law, very often, differed from the application of justice.

Nell was, well, Nell. She was not everyones cup of tea but she was herself and was at her best when she was taking the mickey out of those, especially men, who acted even a little above their station. She was a feminist when it was the thing to be, though she gave the impression she never took her feminist credentials very seriously. She had a wicked sense of humour and she will be missed.

Come on Kamala.

Thought for the Day

The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.
By Rachel Vickers-Price, PA

Ryanair chief executive Michael OLeary has called for alcohol limits in airports to tackle a rise in disorder on flights.

Mr OLeary said passengers should be restricted to two drinks per journey to curb what he says is an increase in antisocial behaviour and violence.

He told The Daily Telegraph violent outbursts are occurring weekly with alcohol, especially when mixed with other substances.

A Ryanair plane taking off from Stansted Airport (PA)

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, he said, adding it was difficult for airlines to identify inebriated people at the gate, especially when boarding in a group.

As long as they can stand up and shuffle, they will get through. Then, when the plane takes off, we see the misbehaviour.

Mr OLeary said crew members and other passengers have become targets with delays adding to the problem with longer drinking times at airports.

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, he said.

Its the mix. You get much more aggressive behaviour that becomes very difficult to manage.

Mr OLeary said Ryanair staff search bags before passengers are allowed to board flights to Ibiza, one of the party destinations he says are worst affected, which include some of the Greek islands.
This photo taken on Aug. 27, 2024 shows rescuers in operation at flood-hit Rua village in Ternate, North Maluku, Indonesia.

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. (Photo by Rifki Anwar/Xinhua)

JAKARTA, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- 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 emphasized 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.

"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-meter-high active volcano in North Maluku province, continues to pose risks to nearby residents. 
Two new prestigious and thought-provoking exhibitions opened at Ballina Arts Centre this month. Each focus on relationships with place, and explore our physical and psychological connection to nature and the consequences of breaking those connections.

'One Day: Borderlines of Memory', by Eamon OKane, is an evocative exhibition showcasing OKanes development of artworks based on childhood memories of growing up near the border with Northern Ireland.

The exhibition includes a series of silkscreen works on paper inspired by the Tree Test, developed by Swiss psychologist Charles Koch, which requires patients draw a broad-leaved tree on a blank sheet of paper. The drawings are used to analyse personality and emotional history.

Having drawn trees since childhood, OKane has spent the past decade exploring how these relate to human psychology. While processing his grief over the loss of his father, OKane transformed his detailed pen and ink drawings to silkscreen works. He pushes the process, deliberately flooding the screen, forcing errors and creating inkblots that evoke an eeriness reminiscent of the Rorschach inkblot test.

The exhibition also includes an animation of a charcoal wall drawing of a sycamore tree that stood on the front lawn of OKanes family home. This tree, which was over 300 years old, is said to have provided a canopy for a meal for King James II when he stopped at the house after the siege of Derry.

One of the paintings in Eamon O'Kane's new exhibition, 'One Day: Borderlines of Memory'.

The centrepiece of the exhibition is a new installation featuring drawings derived from photographs taken by his parents in 1976. They capture the family in the surrounds of their historic home, Cavanacor House. OKane reflects on how growing up there, and being close to his parents artworks, have influenced his own creative practice. Both his parents studied art in Belfast in the 1960s and taught art in Strabane in the 1970s. Video works draw on images, memories and interviews with family and friends as well as documentary footage to investigate the experience of being an artist in a conflict zone.

The exhibition also features a new series of sculptures, some inspired by the military surveillance towers of OKanes childhood, others featuring human heads concealed under cloth with tree-like supports intertwining the obscured human forms. These draw inspiration from art, history, and his mothers fiberglass and ceramic figure sculptures.

This exhibition explores various borders, and borderlines of memory related to the artists childhood. It addresses geographical borders established through military conflict and conquest, as well as the perceived border between humanity and nature.

The second exhibition at Ballina Arts Centre is entitled Fragile Island, by Catherine Weld. It is an exhibition that proposes that the land is both timeless and embodies all time. The land holds the memory of trees, animals, birds, small creeping creatures and the footsteps of man. Separation from the spirit of the land is leading to our demise; experiencing the sensations of the land will reconnect us, placing us in a continuum; land is the past, present and future, beauty and destruction combined.

Catherine explains: "As I walk and draw in the landscape, I have a sense of isolation and also connection; no one is here but I am not alone. There are the footprints of those few people who know this place and were here yesterday; they will come again tomorrow. There are deer tracks and the song of birds barely glimpsed. There are traces of the past in the abandoned turf cuts, and intimations of the future in the deciduous trees that will reach maturity long after I have gone.

"The paintings that follow are a conversation between materials and place, between the physical properties of oil paint and charcoal, canvas and paper and my passion for searching for what is real in a landscape through the process of abstraction. I aim for finished works that challenge the viewer, are rich in colour, line, tone, layering and texture and are imbued with atmosphere and a sense of place."

Catherine's creative career began in the UK as a social documentary photographer, followed by seven years as facilitator of a hospice-based project making books and films with people at the end of life. After obtaining a graphic design degree, she moved to West Cork in 2012.

Alongside painting, she loves life drawing and teaching and has been involved in several environmental campaigns through the arts. Her work has been exhibited widely including at the RA Summer Show in London, the RUA in Belfast, and the Vue Art Fair and RHA, Dublin. Her paintings are in the OPW and Cork County Council art collections as well as in private homes in Germany, Switzerland, the USA, the UK and Ireland.

These two prestigious and thought-provoking exhibitions are available to view in the Galley and main concourse at Ballina Arts Centre until October 5th. Opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm.
New US rules try to make it harder for criminals to launder money by paying cash for homes
SHANGHAI, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Lin-gang Special Area of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) has vowed to create at least 150,000 new jobs over the next three years, mainly in the digital economy, high-end services and advanced manufacturing sectors.

Located in the southeast of Shanghai, a major economic powerhouse in east China, Lin-gang is one of the city's fastest-growing areas.

Since the beginning of this year, Shanghai has introduced a new round of policies to support the development of the Lin-gang Special Area, offering more relaxed conditions for jobseekers to settle there. These policies have made it easier for key enterprises in the area to attract talent and facilitate their relocation.

"The Lin-gang Special Area offers significant policy support for talent in terms of housing purchase and rental. With relaxed conditions and relatively low housing prices, it is much easier for young people to buy homes in Lin-gang," said Chen Jinshan, director of the management committee of Lin-gang.

Since its establishment in August 2019, the Lin-gang Special Area has attracted approximately 100,000 talents, with an average annual growth rate of 97 percent over the past five years, according to local authorities. 
In this photo released by the Israel Prime Minister Office on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, 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)
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Tourism Information Session was held in New Zealand's largest city Auckland on Wednesday.

The session was jointly hosted by the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand, the Chinese consulates general in Auckland and Christchurch, the China cultural centers in Wellington and Auckland, and organized by China Travel Service New Zealand.

Wang Xiaolong, Chinese ambassador to New Zealand, said that tourism plays a unique role in improving the understanding between the people of New Zealand and China and "thus bringing us closer."

This year, the Chinese government has adopted a range of measures covering visa, payment, flight, and accommodation to improve the travel experience for overseas tourists. Following the successive measures introduced by the Chinese government, particularly since the implementation of more unilateral visa-free policies, a growing number of foreigners have opted to travel to China, said Wang.

"Meanwhile, Chinese tourists are also enthusiastic about traveling to New Zealand. According to Statistics New Zealand, as of May this year, New Zealand received 226,000 Chinese tourists, up by 336.7 percent year-on-year. This fully demonstrates the strong desire from both sides for more people-to-people interactions and two-way travel," he added.

David Carter, former speaker of the New Zealand Parliament, who has visited China many times for both official and personal reasons, shared with the participants his experience of traveling in Beijing with his family in April this year. In just two days, he and his family used shared bikes through Alipay and rode to the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Wangfujing, Beihai Park and other attractions. The transportation in China turned "very easy" thanks to the Alipay.

Data from Alipay shows that in the first half of this year, the amount of money spent by inbound tourists using Alipay increased by 8 times year-on-year. Among them, the amount of money spent by inbound tourists from countries that do not require a visa to come to China or have mutual visa exemption with China increased by 15 times year-on-year in the first half of the year.

Xu Tong, director of the China Cultural Center in Wellington, said that since the end of the pandemic, China and New Zealand have opened and resumed a number of direct flights, which has facilitated personnel exchanges between the two sides and benefited the development of tourism. Currently, six cities in the Chinese mainland have opened direct flights to New Zealand, with 50 flights per week, exceeding the pre-pandemic record.

Air China's Auckland office said that starting this winter, Air China's Auckland-Beijing direct flights are planned to gradually increase from the current four flights per week to one flight per day to meet the growing demand of passengers.

The China Cultural Center in Wellington introduced China's inbound tourism facilitation measures to nearly 200 New Zealand participants from various sessions. China Travel Service New Zealand and the China Cultural Center in Auckland promoted a number of routes such as the Chinese Cultural Heritage Exploration Route and the Yangtze River National Tourism Route.

Chinese cultural and tourism institutions displayed Chinese culture such as tea art, paper cutting, and Chinese martial arts, and exhibited a variety of tourism products and characteristic cultural and creative products. Before the session, the "Glory of Millennia Silk Road Photo Exhibition" was held. 
'For all the women who walk this journey'

Standard Bank CEO and Wits alumna, Funeka Montjane, honoured for her commitment to empowering women in the chartered accounting profession.

Funeka Montjane (BCom 1999, BCom Hons 2000), Standard Bank personal and private banking CEO, has received the 2024 Woman of Substance Award from the African Women Chartered Accountants (AWCA).

The accolade celebrates female leaders who have made significant contributions to the chartered accounting profession and promoted business, social and economic upliftment in South Africa.

By empowering excellence and inspiring change in her own career and the banking industry at large, Funeka Montjane embodies the AWCAs mission to identify, nurture and lead, said AWCA president Buhle Hanise.

Previous Witsie recipients include Brigalia Bam (DLitt honoris causa 2019), Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka (DLitt honoris causa 2019) and Chancellor of Wits Dr Judy Dlamini (MBA 1999, PGCE 2022).

Recipients play a significant role in raising funds for the AWCA Bursary Fund, which provides financial support to female tertiary students who aspire to be chartered accountants. The fund also helps to address the shortage of qualified African (black, Indian and coloured) women chartered accountants by providing critical funding for postgraduate studies, enabling students to complete training contracts, board exams and achieve the South African chartered accountant qualification.

Montjane said she learned about the chartered accounting profession when she read a news article, drawn to the amount that the professionals earned monthly. At the time, her grandmother earned a monthly salary of R100. She was in a school where one or two pupils passed matric and was not good at mathematics  a key subject to studying accounting. But her grandmother would not allow her to drop mathematics when she struggled with it. Instead, she got her a tutor who helped her get an A, allowing her to attend at university.

I am deeply honoured to receive the Women of Substance Award. This recognition is not just for me, but for all the women who are walking this journey. My path to becoming a CA (SA) began in grade 7 when I first read about [the profession's] existence. The journey was challenging, but I had a supportive environment, from my grandmother to my first manager, who helped me along the way, she said at the awards ceremony in Sandton earlier this month.

This achievement is a reminder that we must continue to create supportive and enabling environments where CAs can thrive and reach their full potential, regardless of gender. By working together we can build a future where women are empowered to lead, drive change and make a significant impact.

Montjane joined the Standard Bank group in 2008 as the chief financial officer of personal and business banking, moving to home loans and head of credit in 2011, until her current role since 2021.

Watch her recent Masterclass interview below.

Sources: African Women Chartered Accountants and Standard Bank
Sam Hou Fai, former president of Macao's Court of Final Appeal, delivers his election declaration at a press conference in Macao, south China, Aug. 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka)

MACAO, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Sam Hou Fai, former president of Macao's Court of Final Appeal, said on Wednesday that he will run for the sixth-term chief executive of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR).

Sam made the statement at a press conference where he also delivered his election declaration.

Born in Zhongshan of south China's Guangdong Province, in May 1962, Sam joined the first group of judicial auditors of Macao in 1995, according to information on the Macao SAR government's website. On Dec. 20, 1999, he was appointed president of Macao's Court of Final Appeal.

Executive Order No. 44/2024 published on Monday in the official gazette of the SAR, wrote that at the request of Sam, he was relieved of his duties as president and judge of the Court of Final Appeal, and member of the independent commission for recommending judges of the SAR. 
SANAA, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- At least 25 people were killed after flash floods hit Yemen's northwestern province of Al-Mahwit, a local health source reported on Wednesday.

The flash floods in Al-Mahwit, triggered by over 24 hours of heavy rain, caused the collapse of three dams and swept away dozens of houses in the Malhan district on Tuesday. Rescue operations are underway as several villagers are still missing, said the source.

Earlier this month, heavy rains and flash floods in the northern provinces of Hodeidah and Hajjah claimed 45 lives and damaged over 12,000 homes, according to local health authorities.

The WHO has expressed concern about the potential spread of diseases due to contaminated water and poor sanitation during the rainy season in the conflict-ridden country.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Houthi group seized several northern provinces, forcing the Yemeni government to flee the capital, Sanaa. 
RIYADH, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia will host the 19th edition of the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Riyadh from Dec. 15-19, with an aim to improve Internet governance, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported Wednesday.

The five-day event, under the theme of "Building our Multistakeholder Digital Future," will gather more than 10,000 participants from 160 countries, including over 1,000 international speakers, the SPA said.

According to the official website of the IGF, the forum, organized since 2006, is dedicated to facilitating a common understanding of how to maximize digital opportunities and address digital risks and challenges.

This year's forum will focus on harnessing innovation and balancing risks as well as advancing human rights and inclusion in the digital age, enhancing the digital contribution to peace, development, and sustainability, and improving digital governance for the Internet, the website showed. 
BEIJING, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) has ordered the arrest of Wang Yilin, former chairman of the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), on suspicion of bribery, the SPP said on Wednesday.

The case of Wang, who is also a former secretary of the leading Party members group of the CNPC, was handed over to prosecutors for examination and prosecution following the conclusion of an investigation carried out by the National Commission of Supervision, the SPP said.

Wang has been expelled from the Communist Party of China, according to an official statement released in late July. 
Some multinational corporations attending an international summit in China's Qingdao said China has made remarkable achievements in emerging industries, offering great opportunities for businesses around the world. #GLOBALink
JERUSALEM, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli Air Force killed a senior militant of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement on Wednesday near the Syria-Lebanon border, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement.

The militant, identified as Faris Qasim, was killed in a drone strike along with other PIJ fighters reportedly on their way from Syria to carry out an attack on behalf of Hezbollah, the IDF said.

Qasim, a "significant" operative in the PIJ's Operations Division, was responsible for developing the movement's operational plans in Syria and Lebanon and played "a central role" in recruiting Palestinians into Hezbollah, it said.

He was also responsible for carrying out attacks from Lebanon against Israel, it said.

The IDF accused Iran of "directing and funding" the recruitment of Palestinian operatives into Hezbollah to launch attacks against Israel from Lebanese territory.

Meanwhile, according to a report by Palestinian news agency Quds News, at least four people were killed in the airstrike targeting a vehicle on the Beirut-Damascus Highway near the town of Zabadani in Syria's Rif Dimashq Governorate.

The Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, allied with Iran, has been trading fire with Israel along the Israel-Lebanon border since the onset of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in October 2023. 
TAIPEI, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The number of students enrolled in undergraduate and junior college nursing programs in Taiwan dropped by 13.74 percent from the 2017 to 2023 academic years, while the number of vacancies offered by these programs decreased by 6.86 percent, according to the island's education department.

A health research institute in Taiwan estimated a significant shortage of nursing personnel this year, with a gap ranging between 15,000 and 24,000 individuals, local media reported Wednesday.

Lin Chin-tsai, a senior staff member of the Federation of Teachers Unions in Taiwan, noted that although the number of vacancies offered by nursing programs generally meets demand, a major issue is whether students actually pursue nursing careers after graduation. Lin pointed out that the long working hours and high stress associated with nursing have reduced its appeal to students.

Nursing programs in universities do not have corresponding specialized programs in vocational high schools, leading to a scattering of applicants across various majors, said Melody Wei, chief executive of a local academic counseling platform. She suggested that authorities should identify the issues and implement policy adjustments to address them.

Alongside increasing enrollment, more resources should be invested to improve the "high-risk, high-threat, low-reward" conditions of the nursing industry and make nursing a "trustworthy, attractive, and sustainable" career, which will surely help attract more young people to nursing programs, said Lin Shou-ju, vice president of the Taiwan Union of Nurses Association. 
Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, meets with Toshihiro Nikai, chairman of the Japan-China Friendship Parliamentarians' Union, in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

BEIJING, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Zhao Leji met with Toshihiro Nikai, chairman of the Japan-China Friendship Parliamentarians' Union in Beijing on Wednesday.

Zhao, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said that the four political documents between China and Japan are the political and legal basis for their bilateral ties. He emphasized that peace, friendship and cooperation are the only correct choices for the two countries.

He said China is willing to work with Japan to continuously enhance mutual trust, deepen cooperation, properly handle differences and advance the bilateral relations along the right track of sound and steady development.

The economic interests and industrial chains of China and Japan are deeply intertwined, and both sides have the conditions to, and should, strengthen cooperation and contribute to each other's success, Zhao said, adding the NPC of China is willing to carry out various forms of exchanges and cooperation with both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors of Japan.

Japanese friends from all walks of life, including Japanese parliamentarians, are welcome to visit China and learn about a true, multi-dimensional and panoramic China, he added.

Noting friendship among people boosts relations between two countries, Nikai said the Japan-China Friendship Parliamentarians' Union is willing to contribute to the sound and stable development of Japan-China relations. 

Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, meets with Toshihiro Nikai, chairman of the Japan-China Friendship Parliamentarians' Union, in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Tao)
Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, delivers a keynote speech to the 2024 China Internet Civilization Conference in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

CHENGDU, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The 2024 China Internet Civilization Conference opened on Wednesday in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Themed on promoting the spirit of the times and jointly advancing civility in cyberspace, the two-day event has brought together delegates from central and local authorities, major news portals, as well as heads of online social organizations and internet businesses, scholars and internet celebrities.

Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee delivered a keynote speech to the conference.

Delegates to the conference believe that advancing cyberspace civility is vital for adapting to the new trends of rapidly developing information technology. It is also an essential part of building a strong socialist culture and a strong cyber country.

They also called for further efforts to advocate socialism and augment positive energy in cyberspace, continuously build a positive and healthy internet culture, and strengthen cyberspace governance.

The conference is jointly held by the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission and the Central Commission for Guiding Cultural and Ethical Progress, along with Sichuan provincial authorities. 
LHASA, Aug. 27 (Xinhua)  In June 1998, Xi Jinping traveled thousands of miles from the coastal province of Fujian to the Xizang Autonomous Region on a special mission  to see off a new group of Fujian officials dispatched to assist this high-altitude region, known as the "roof of the world."

As many recalled, Xi, who served as Fujian's deputy Party chief then, was the most senior provincial official to accompany paired-up assistance officials all the way to Xizang back then.

During his tightly-scheduled journey, Xi also visited the previous group of Fujian officials in Nyingchi who had been stationed at the high-altitude region for several years.

In particular, Xi put Nang County on his itinerary, even though locals tried to dissuade him from going there due to the treacherous road conditions.

"Anyone but me has the right to flinch," Xi insisted.

After arriving at the county, Xi met with Fujian officials there and asked for details about their living conditions, such as how they cooked meals and managed to keep in touch with their families. He also attended symposiums to learn about Fujian officials' assistance efforts.

"The affairs in Nyingchi are as important as those in Fujian," Xi assured locals. "The officials we dispatch here should be the best of ours."

Fujian and Nyingchi established this close partnership as part of China's unique paired-up assistance mechanism, initiated in 1994, to provide direct and consistent support to localities in Xizang from more developed provinces and regions.

Through this mechanism, officials are selected to work in Xizang for a period, bringing capital, experience and skills to help launch infrastructure, industrial, cultural and livelihood projects in the region.

In his following tenures in Zhejiang Province and Shanghai City, Xi continued to attach great importance to the paired-up assistance initiatives.

In March 2013, not long after assuming the post of general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Xi stressed the need to accelerate Xizang's leapfrog development.

China has, under his leadership, dedicated unprecedented funds and manpower to Xizang's development.

Herder Sangtso, in her 60s, is among the beneficiaries of paired-up assistance projects.

Residing in a village perched at remote Nagqu City, her family had to put up with freezingly cold winters for years. The situation changed after the CHN Energy Investment Group installed solar panels to provide heat for every household in the village in 2023.

By harnessing the region's abundant sunshine in an environmentally friendly and low-carbon way, photovoltaic heating projects like this have substantially improved the living conditions of Xizang's residents.

"My house is now warm in winter and the children don't have to worry about frostbite on their hands and feet anymore," said Sangtso.

Paired-up assistance has also enhanced the ecological conservation of Xizang, considered a key ecological security barrier for China.

In Namling, a county once stricken by constant sandstorms, a paired-up assistance team planted over 2.8 million seedlings and built a corridor of green forest and waterways stretching 100 kilometers. This has reduced sandstorms by a third and boosted the humidity rates.

Overall, since 1994, approximately 12,000 officials have been dispatched to Xizang through the paired-up assistance mechanism. Among them, Party members have formed the backbone of this mission, which has been sustained across generations.

In 2021, Xi met with officials taking part in the paired-up assistance programs when he visited Xizang for the region's 70th anniversary of peaceful liberation.

"You are on the plateau, and your spirit is higher than the plateau," Xi praised them.

Xi said the cause of aiding Xizang reflects the noble ethos of the Party and the prominent advantage of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

"It should be carried on generation after generation," he added.

(Source: Xinhua)

Editor: Wang Shasha
BAGHDAD, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Unknown gunmen on Wednesday shot dead three family members and burned their bodies in the northern part of Iraq's Salahudin province, a provincial police source said.

The attack occurred when the gunmen stormed the house of Safaa al-Janabi in the town of Baiji, some 200 km north of Baghdad, killing al-Janabi, his wife, and their 10-year-old child, said Mohammed al-Bazi from the media office of the provincial police command.

The gunmen burned the victims' bodies and their house before fleeing the scene, al-Bazi said.

Iraqi security forces rushed to the scene and launched an investigation into the incident and a search operation in the area, looking for the attackers, al-Bazi added. 
Safety upgrades and major rail capacity boost planned for North Wales Mainline

The Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Transport and North Wales visited Flint Station today where he outlined plans to enhance rail services across the region.

As part of a broader 800 million investment by Transport for Wales (TfW), Ken Skates MS detailed upcoming improvements aimed at increasing rail capacity and improving passenger safety on the North Wales Mainline.

Speaking at Flint Station, he emphasised the importance of this investment for the future of rail travel in North Wales.

Im delighted that we now have firm plans in place to deliver this massive increase in rail capacity for North Wales, he said.

These safety upgrades will enable Transport for Wales to significantly increase connectivity with many more services, offering a real transport choice for communities in North Wales.

The 800 million funding package is expected to deliver a 40% increase in rail capacity, with a corresponding 50% rise in services, according to TfW.

This expansion will be supported by the introduction of new CAF trains and the recruitment of additional drivers and train crew, enhancing both the frequency and reliability of services for passengers.

As part of these enhancements, a series of safety upgrades are planned along the North Wales Mainline.

This includes the closure of four level crossings, which will be replaced by safer alternatives such as footbridges.

At Pensarn, a temporary footbridge will be installed, to be later replaced by a permanent and fully accessible bridge.

Similarly, in Prestatyn, two nearby crossings will be closed, and a temporary speed restriction will be removed to improve safety and efficiency.

Ongoing consultations are also underway regarding the closure of a footpath crossing on the Deganwy branch line, highlighting the comprehensive nature of the safety measures being implemented.

During his visit, Mr Skates also inspected a range of improvements already in progress at Flint Station.

These upgrades include new passenger shelters, waiting rooms, toilet facilities, and a new seating area, all designed to enhance the overall passenger experience.

A standout feature of the renovation is the new, fully accessible footbridge, which provides step-free access at Flint Station for the first time, significantly improving accessibility for all passengers.

Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, commented, Working alongside the Welsh Government, we are determined to make major improvements to rail services right across Wales.

The unlocking of increased rail capacity in North Wales is just the beginning, and we will continue to work together to transform services for passengers for generations to come.

Marie Daly, Chief Customer and Culture Officer at TfW, highlighted the importance of these changes for rail users.

TfW is continuing to invest in and transform rail services in Wales and the Borders, she said.

These future changes will help us further improve the customer experience, increasing connectivity and offering more rail services for the people of North Wales.

Last month, Jo Stevens MP raised doubts over the feasibility of a 1 billion plan to electrify the North Wales rail mainline, suggesting that funding may not be available.

The new Labour UK government is reviewing all infrastructure projects, including the electrification of the line, due to a 22 billion shortfall in public finances.

Although the electrification plan was a key proposal of the previous Conservative government, no formal development work has been undertaken since 2013.

The funding was expected to come from savings made by cancelling HS2 between Birmingham and Manchester. However, without a remit letter from the Department for Transport, the project cannot proceed.
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 parts workers on the picket lines on the Chicago South Side, near the Ford Chicago Assembly Plant. Photo taken on August 9, 2024.

Auto parts workers at the Dakkota Integrated Systems plants in Chicago are engaged in a heroic fight against the corporation and the United Auto Workers bureaucracy. On Sunday, workers voted down the fourth attempt by the UAW bureaucracy to ram through a sellout contract, defying threats from union officials of a lockout and the loss of their jobs.

The rebellion by the 450 Dakkota workers takes place as rank-and-file opposition throughout the auto industry grows against the escalating attack on jobs, wages and working conditions by the global automakers. Earlier this month, Stellantis announced it would cut 2,450 jobs at its suburban Detroit Warren Truck Assembly Plant by October 8, and the company is also threatening 12,000 jobs at its plants in Italy.

Dakkota workers deserve the support of all UAW members and workers everywhere, particularly workers at Ford Chicago Assembly, which the company is continuing to supply with scab-made parts. On Tuesday, the Dakkota Workers Rank-and-File Committee issued an urgent appeal to Ford workers to take collective action to stop the flow of parts from strikebreakers.

Dakkota workers are taking a stand not just for themselves, but for the rights of all autoworkers. In doing so, they are conducting a struggle against the collusion of the UAW bureaucracy with the efforts by the auto companies and the US government to shift the cost of the transition to electric vehicle production onto the backs of workers by suppressing wages and slashing jobs.

The sellout agreements signed by UAW President Shawn Fain at the Big Three automakers last year have led to the escalation of this global cost-cutting campaign. A major component of this process is to squeeze every penny in cost savings from the production and delivery of critical automotive components.

Dakkota Integrated Systems workers in Chicago [Photo: Dakkota Integrated Systems]

Dakkota was founded in 2001 as a joint venture between Rush Group LLC, owned by trucking and auto supply business owner Andra Rush, and Canada-based Magna International Inc. Magna, owned by multi-billionaire Frank Stronach is the largest auto supplier in North America and the fourth largest in the world, employing some 158,000 workers in 27 countries.

Rush had leveraged her background as a member of the Mohawk tribe in Ontario, Canada to win contracts from all the Big Three automakers, establish joint ventures with larger auto suppliers and create a niche for her business model of low-wage sweatshops. The Rush Group is now one of the largest Native American and woman-owned enterprises in the United States, according to the companys web site.

Detroit Manufacturing Systems

In 2012, Andra Rush established a joint venture with the North American subsidiary of French component supplier Faurecia (now Forvia) and was named president of Detroit Manufacturing Systems. The deal was orchestrated by Ford, which had sold its former Saline, Michigan, parts plant to Faurecia and had required the company to set up a minority-owned business to supply a substantial portion of its lower-costing parts.

Rush, whose trucking business had contracts with Ford dating back to the 1980s, was selected to do the job. DMS was awarded hundreds of millions in Ford parts contracts and more than $8 million in tax abatements from the state of Michigan and Detroit to set up shop.

During his 2014 State of the Union address President Obama praised Rush for creating over 700 jobs in Detroit, failing to mention that the workforce was being paid poverty wages to produce her profits. The Democratic president also appointed Rush to the US Manufacturing Council, a business panel that advises the US commerce secretary.

Andra Rush (left) and daughter and Dakkota vice chairman Lori Rush Lancaster [Photo: Dakkota Integrated Systems]

As one DMS worker told the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter at the time:

Theres a lot of dirty messy stuff going on in there. The owner Andra Rush is a minority, shes Native American, and gets all these tax breaks for bringing jobs to Detroit and hiring minority workers and felons on parole. They have newer management and supervision pushing lean manufacturing. It might be good for them, but it doesnt do anything for us. And the union representation is complete BS. Aside from a couple exceptions they all mingle with management and have their preferential list. One line has been on layoff for retooling, and they just hired 200 new people instead of calling them (the laid-off workers) back. The pay maxes out at $17-18. A lot of the guys laid off were in the $15 range. They just want to bring in new workers to pay them $12. Its like organized crime; thats really what it is. The company gets a tax break, and we are left struggling. I had to move because they raised my rent by $250.

In August 2018, Rush took the money and ran, selling her majority stake in DMS and handing over the company to another minority owner. While exact figures are hard to find, Rush is a millionaire many times over.

In addition to Dakkota and Rush Trucking, she is a major shareholder and a member of the board of directors at Terex Corporation, a worldwide manufacturer of lifting and material-handling equipment, whose clients include the US Defense Department. As its web site declares, Whether youre building barracks or reconstructing a nation, widening roads or extending a bridge, repairing phone lines or putting in transformers, Terex has the equipment you need to get the job done.

As of 2017, Rush was a member of the Ford Motor Company Supplier Council and previously served on the supplier advisory boards for General Motors and Chrysler. Other top executives at Dakkota are long time cost cutters for the Big Three automakers.

According to his corporate profile, Dakkota CEO Aaron Rivers is widely recognized as a distinguished leader in manufacturing and operations, having successful leadership contributions at Chrysler (now Stellantis), TRW, Dana, and ZF. His expertise leveraging lean business systems principles, particularly in Automotive and Aerospace, has been instrumental in driving efficiency and achieving operational excellence.

Map of Dakkota operations in US [Photo: Dakkota Integrated Systems]

Dakkotas operations in the US and Canada

Dakkota, based in Brighton, Michigan, says it employs 2,500 people at 14 locations in the US and Canada. Far from uniting these workers, the UAW has separate contracts at the plants, with different expiration dates.

In Louisville, Kentucky, 100 Dakkota workers rejected the companys last, best and final offer in June. Despite the unanimous vote by rank-and-file workers to authorize a strike, which would have immediately brought Fords nearby Kentucky Truck Plant to a halt, UAW Local 3058 kept workers at four facilities on the job. UAW officials then rammed through a sellout agreement later that month, which maintained poverty level wages.

In Detroit, Dakkota opened a new plant in May 2022 on the location of the closed Kettering High School on the citys east side. More than 500 workers producing components for Stellantis have a contract that expires in 2025.

According to the Detroit Works! web site, the company is hiring production operators and material handlers at the Detroit and the nearby suburban Hazel Park locations at the increased wages of $15-$15.75 an hour. Detroit-area workers have expressed their solidarity with their striking Chicago brothers and sisters and called for a common fight.

There are also hundreds of Dakkota workers in Lansing and Holt, Michigan; Toledo, Ohio; and other locations who are opposed to poverty wages and intolerable conditions. Like their counter-parts in the assembly plants, Dakkota workers are also facing job cuts.

In November 2023, Dakkota permanently closed its plant in Sterling Heights, Michigan, after Stellantis revoked its contract for Dakkota to produce shocks and struts for Ram trucks.

In June 2024, Dakkota shut down its Tecumseh, Ontario, plant in Canada after the nearby Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant cancelled its orders. For years, the Unifor auto union colluded in cost-cutting measures to supposedly save the plant, including allowing the company to use of video cameras to record the movements of each worker, according to an Automotive News report in 2013. Three months before the closure Unifor Local 444 officials called a bogus strike supposed to secure the transfer of the plants 138 workers and shut it down less than 24 hours later to make sure production at the Stellantis plant was not disrupted.

Unite auto and auto parts workers in a fight for jobs and higher wages!

The poverty wages and sweatshop conditions at Dakkota, Dana, Lear, Clarios and many other auto parts companies are the direct result of decades of collusion by the UAW bureaucracy.

In 1980, an auto parts worker earned roughly 15 percent lower wages than a worker at a Big Three assembly plant. After a series of deliberately betrayed strikes in the auto parts industry by the UAW bureaucracy, the wage differential rose to 31 percent by 2000.

Once again, the fate of auto and auto parts workers in the US and internationally is inseparably linked. The rebellion by Dakkota workers must be united with the fight against the job cuts at Warren Truck and the defense of the social right of every workers to a good-paying and secure job. That is why workers at the Big Three plants must take up the demand of the Dakkota Workers Rank-and-File Committee to ban the handling of scab parts and to prepare joint industrial action throughout the auto industry.
In the latest stage of the US-Israeli genocide and ethnic cleansing of Gaza, Israeli officials ordered the evacuation of parts of the city of Deir al-Balah, cramming the displaced and starving population of Gaza into an ever-smaller portion of the territory.

Palestinians crowd together as they wait for food distribution in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, Nov. 8, 2023 [AP Photo/Hatem Ali]

Gazas population, which stood at over 2 million before the start of the genocide, is now crammed into an area that is just 41 square kilometers, or 11 percent of Gazas total area, with the remaining 89 percent being placed on evacuation orders by the Israeli Defense Forces.

The United Nations warned, The area is lacking critical infrastructure and basic services, while aid provision is limited due to access and security issues. The severe overcrowding, with a density of 30,000 to 34,000 individuals per square kilometer has exacerbated the dire shortage of essential resources such as water, sanitation and hygiene supplies, health services, protection and shelter.

As a result of the latest ethnic cleansing measure, announced over the weekend, the United Nations announced that it was suspending its food distribution efforts for a second time, after UN staff were forcibly expelled from the city of Rafah during the earlier military operations there.

Where do we move now? ... The space to operate is being restricted more and more than ever, a UN official told Reuters on Monday. As of this morning, were not operating in Gaza to deliver food and medical care because were unable to deliver today with the conditions that were in.

Gilles Michaud, the UNs undersecretary-general for safety and security, added, Mass evacuation orders are the latest in a long list of unbearable threats to UN and humanitarian personnel. He said Israeli officials gave just a few hours notice to move more than 200 UN personnel out of their offices and living places in Deir el-Balah, a crucial humanitarian hub.

Louise Wateridge, senior communications officer at UNRWA, told Al Jazeera, It is nothing short of a struggle to provide what people need here because we dont have enough aid. We dont have enough supplies coming in; we dont have enough access to distribute to people.

She added, There are so many people dying in Gaza from things that can be treated, people can be saved, but we do not have the means to do this for them. We do not have the means to operate to our best ability.

Between August 23 and 26, 170 Palestinians in Gaza were killed and 390 were injured, amid non-stop bombing and ground offensives throughout the entirety of the Gaza Strip, according to the Ministry of Health. According to official statistics, 40,435 Palestinians were killed and 93,534 were injured since October last year. But this figure does not include 10,000 people thought to be killed and buried under the rubble.

According to the official figures, the death toll includes 17,000 children, meaning that 2.6 percent of all of Gazas children have been killed, with an average of 53 children killed every day since October 7.

Once the victims of Israels deliberate famine and promotion of disease are added, the real death toll could be 186,000 or more, according to an estimate published in the Lancet medical journal.

The latest ethnic cleansing operation in Deir al-Balah means yet another displacement for the Palestinians sheltering there.

Reuters interviewed one woman who said she and her children had been displaced 11 times. I left half of my children behind me near my furniture and I am now with my little ones and my daughter. Only God can help us ... I have no money for transportation, I will go to area 17, where my family is staying, on my feet. I took my kids and three are left behind. No idea where.

Hundreds of thousands of people had sought refuge near Al-Aqsa Hospital, the main medical facility still in operation in central Gaza, and are now being displaced once again.

The hospital is in an area covered by the latest evacuation order, forcing those seeking shelter there to flee. Our fate is to die, one woman fleeing the hospital told the Associated Press. There is no place for us to go. There is no safe place.

Doctors Without Borders said in a statement that a bombing near the hospital was forcing it to consider suspending medical care there. As a result, MSF is considering whether to suspend wound care for the time being, while trying to maintain life-saving treatment, the charity said.

Israel intensified its bombardment of Deir el-Balah Tuesday, with at least 40 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip.

A missile by an F-16 came down on the area and destroyed the whole placewe cant get the victims out of here. There are still lots of people in there, this house was full, one resident told Al Jazeera.

Another resident added, We are looking for a safe place, and truly there is no safe place in the entire Gaza Strip.

Al Jazeera journalist Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Deir el-Balah, added, Israeli evacuation orders are making families desperate, as they look for somewhere to sleep. Soon, theyll have another challenge: getting water. With 70 percent of desalination plants and water wells in Gaza located inside evacuation areas, theyve been cut off from their main sources. Some Palestinians are even considering going back, at the risk of getting killed.

According to the World Food Program, 96 percent of Gazas population face acute food insecurity, and nine out of 10 have spent 24 hours or more without food.

At least 50,000 children in Gaza require treatment for acute malnutrition, while more than 96 percent of infants from 6 to 23 months are not meeting their basic nutritional requirements.

Amid Israels protracted war on health care facilities, infectious disease is running rampant. In a statement, Human Rights Watch warned that Israels actions are leading to an outbreak of polio.

If the Israeli government continues to block urgent aid and destroy water and waste management infrastructure, it will facilitate the spread of a disease that has been nearly eradicated globally, said Julia Bleckner, a spokesperson for the organization. Israels partners should press the government to lift the blockade immediately and ensure unfettered humanitarian access in Gaza to enable the timely distribution of vaccines to contain the unfolding polio outbreak, she added.
BEIJING, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- China has developed an aerospace science and technology curriculum that primary and middle school students can use both in and out of class.

The China Association of Children's Science Instructors, universities such as Beihang University and Tsinghua University, and some aerospace experts, collaborated to develop and design the curriculum.

Containing 224 aviation sci-tech courses and 224 aerospace sci-tech courses, the curriculum incorporates multiple subjects such as science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

The curriculum was designed to cultivate students' abilities to explore, practice and think creatively, as well as encourage their interest in aerospace and promote scientific literacy. 
I, Pani Wijesiriwardane, presidential candidate of the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) for the forthcoming election in Sri Lanka, demand the unconditional and immediate release of Ukrainian socialist Bogdan Syrotiuk, jailed by the secret service (SBU) of the fascist Zelensky regime for opposing NATOs war on Russia.

Pani Wijesiriwardane

I am aware that he has been in jail in Nikolaev from April 25, on fraudulent charges of high treason under martial law and serving the interests of the Russian state. He is threatened with a prison sentence of 15 years to life and his life is in danger under harsh and life-threatening prison conditions.

The persecution of Syrotiuk, 25, a socialist opponent of the NATO-instigated Ukraine-Russia war, has been a blow to the most basic democratic and human rights and further exposes the utter lie that the war against Russia is based on the defense of democracy.

Bogdan, founder and leader of the Young Guard of Bolshevik-Leninists (YGBL), is an intransigent opponent of the capitalist Putin regime and its invasion of Ukraine. He has fought for the unity of the working class in Ukraine, Russia and throughout the former Soviet Union, against the US-NATO proxy war.

The arrest of our comrade was based on the fear of the Zelensky regime and its NATO backers over the prospect that the anti-war and socialist principles represented by Syrotiuk would win a broad hearing among workers and youth in Ukraine and globally.

This fact has been further confirmed as the arrest of Bogdan was followed by the Ukrainian regimes ban on the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS), based on the slander that it is a Russian propaganda and information agency. Anyone who reads the WSWS is aware of our consistent fight against oligarchic capitalist governments of both Ukraine and Russia that emerged out of the dissolution of the Soviet Union and restoration of capitalism, and our fight to unify Ukrainian and Russian workers with their global class brothers and sisters against war and capitalism.

I take this opportunity to emphasise that the persecution of Bogdan demonstrates that the defence of democratic rights is inseparable from the mobilisation of the working class throughout the world against imperialist war and the capitalist system. I call upon workers and youth in Sri Lanka, South Asia and internationally to oppose imperialist-backed war against Russia and Israeli genocidal war in Gaza. This is an essential part of my political campaign in the presidential election taking place in Sri Lanka.

It is no surprise that neither the present president Ranil Wickremesinghe nor any of his bourgeois opponents in the election has opposed the criminal wars of US imperialism and its allies. On the contrary, Wickremesinghe has been a longstanding US stooge, and others have pledged their subordination to the imperialist order. Successive Sri Lankan governments have increasingly integrated Sri Lanka into the US-led war drive against China by opening up the strategically-placed island to American military forces.

A youth scanning to sign petition to demanding the release of Bogdan during the SEP campaign in Kandy

In opposition to this capitulation to imperialism, the SEP is campaigning in the presidential election for the building of an anti-war movement in Sri Lanka and South Asia as part of the fight by the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) to build a unified international movement of the working class against war to put an end to capitalismthe root cause of war.

I demand the unconditional and immediate release of comrade Bogdan Syrotiuk from prison! I call on workers and youth in Sri Lanka, South Asia and internationally to do likewise and to send statements demanding his freedom to the WSWS and the SEP in Sri Lanka.
The arrest of independent journalist Richard Medhurst under anti-terrorism legislation is a dramatic intensification of the assault on democratic rights in Britain and internationally.

Medhursts arrest is part of a broader effort by the Labour government to criminalize and intimidate opposition to the genocide in Gaza that has seen mass demonstrations in Britain and throughout the world.

Richard Medhurst [Photo: Richard Medhurst/X]

Medhurst was arrested at Londons Heathrow Airport on August 15 as he disembarked from his plane, under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act (2000). He was held for almost 24 hours, questioned, and had all his electronic devices and journalistic equipment confiscated.

Medhurst said on his X account, I believe Im the first journalist to be arrested under this provision of the Terrorism Act.

Given the fact that Medhurst had only booked his plane ticket back to London earlier that day, the arrest confirms that he was under state surveillance. That same day he had criticised on his X account the fascist terrorism act being used to hold activists without charge or trial because they tried to stop actual terrorism and genocide by the IDF [Israel Defence Forces].

Medhurst was arrested under draconian provisions in the 2000 Act, amended in 2019, which allow a person to be jailed for up to 14 years for what is tantamount to a thought crimeexpress[ing] an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organisation and in doing so being reckless as to whether a person to whom the expression is directed will be encouraged to support a proscribed organisation.

Medhursts journalism focuses on exposing US, British and Israeli war crimes in Gaza and across the Middle East. He was arrested by a state whose leading politicians, Labour and Conservative, have for the last 10 months denounced protests against Israels genocide as antisemitic and hate marches.

The crackdown on democratic rights is necessitated by the war and austerity agenda of the ruling elite, with every major imperialist power backing the slaughter of the Palestinians by the fascistic Israeli regime and supporting NATOs war against Russia in Ukraine.

Faced with mass popular opposition and the need for a stepped-up offensive against jobs, wages and essential services to pay for war, the Labour government and the ruling class everywhere must turn ever more decisively to state repression, including targeting those journalists and political activists who oppose and expose war, war crimes and genocide.

The British ruling class has escalated its attacks on left-wing journalists as part of a broader offensive against democratic rights, ever since Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The invasion was deliberately provoked by decades of NATO encroachment to Russias borders, and following the 2014 regime-change operation that brought a right-wing pro-US regime to power in Kiev.

On April 17, 2023, French publisher Ernest Moret was arrested as he arrived in London St Pancras Station under anti-terror laws, justified by his participation in mass protests in France against Macrons pension cuts. Moret was stopped under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000, allowing examining officers at ports and airports to stop, question and/or detain people to investigate suspected acts of terrorism.

was arrested as he arrived in London St Pancras Station under anti-terror laws, justified by his participation in mass protests in France against Macrons pension cuts. Moret was stopped under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000, allowing examining officers at ports and airports to stop, question and/or detain people to investigate suspected acts of terrorism. On May 17, 2023, British journalist Kit Klarenberg was arrested at Luton Airport after arriving from Belgrade, Serbia. Klarenberg, a writer for The Grayzone, was interrogated, had his bank cards, electronic devices and SD cards seized, and his fingerprints, photo and DNA taken, under Schedule 3 to the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019.

On October 16, 2023, Craig Murray, a human rights activist, former British diplomat and prominent defender of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assangeimprisoned at the time in Londons maximum security Belmarsh prisonwas detained under Section 7 of the Terrorism Act (2000) at Glasgow Airport. Murray was returning from Iceland where he met with senior figures in the Julian Assange defence campaign.

The Assange precedent

Medhurst too was a trenchant opponent of Assanges incarceration. He reported from inside the High Court in London as recently as June as Assange battled the attempt to extradite him to the US for exposing the war crimes of the imperialist powers.

The detention of Assange from 2010 until his release in June this year was a milestone in the offensive of the ruling class against democratic rights. Assange was for 14 years the most prominent victim of the campaign to silence journalists involved in the exposure of imperialist war crimes, and many of those targeted for state repression were involved in the fight for his freedom.

This includes the late David Miranda, partner of then-Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald, who in 2013 was detained by the British government at Heathrow Airport under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000. Miranda was carrying a thumb drive with classified material provided by US National Security Agency whistle-blower Edward Snowden.

In a June 24 Perspective column on Assanges release, the World Socialist Web Site editorial board warned:

Though Assange is free, the global capitalist offensive against democratic rights is only accelerating. For every tactical retreat by imperialism, there is a more brutal counterattack In fact, by effectively torturing a journalist into admitting violations of the Espionage Act by disseminating true information in the public interest, the Biden administration has set a dangerous new precedent for the attack on press freedom.

The election of the Starmer Labour government one month later confirmed this warning.

Sir Keir Starmer played a central role in Assanges persecution as director of public prosecutions at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) from 2008-13. At a time when the CPS was overseeing moves to extradite Assange to Sweden to face questioning over bogus sexual assault allegations, Starmer made four trips to Washington--in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013. In 2013, the CPS pressured Swedish prosecutors into maintaining their fraudulent investigation into Assange as a pretext for his onward extradition to the US, with uncovered emails from the CPS to their Swedish counterparts warning, Dont you dare get cold feet!

Now, in a move that would have been agreed to by Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Labour has pioneered the use of an amendment to the Terrorism Act passed by the Tories to once again attempt to silence and criminalise a journalist and political activist.

The same course is being pursued by governments throughout the world.

In April this year, hundreds of police officers broke up a Palestine Congress in Berlin, Germany. The Ministry of the Interior banned former Greek finance minister and chairman of the pan-European party DiEM25 Yanis Varoufakis from entering the country, together with Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah, a medical doctor and rector of Glasgow University. Sittah had worked with Doctors Without Borders in Gaza hospitals during the war and testified at the International Court of Justice, where Germany stands accused of aiding and abetting genocide.

In May, anti-Zionist Israeli historian Ilan Pappewho was visiting the United States to speak at public meetingswas stopped and interrogated at Detroit airport. Agents from the Department of Homeland Security confiscated and copied the contents of his cell phone before returning it to him.

Earlier this month, the Federal Bureau of Investigation raided the upstate New York home of Scott Ritter, the former US Marine Corps intelligence officer and United Nations weapons inspector who is a vocal opponent of the US-NATO war against Russia in Ukraine. Ritter was raided based on a potential violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

In Britain, Germany, France and many other countries, the attack on anti-war sentiment has even seen the criminalisation of the slogan, From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free, leading to dozens of arrests.

This war on journalism has reached its horrifying conclusion with the murder of at least 116 media workers and journalists by Israel during its extermination of the Palestinians in Gaza.

The arrest of Medhurst is a confirmation of the analysis of the Socialist Equality Party regarding the pro-imperialist character of the Labour Party and the impossibility of fighting genocide and police-state rule by pressurising or making appeals to capitalist governments. Capitalism is no longer compatible with the preservation of democratic forms of rule under conditions of war and escalating social reaction.

Defending Medhurst and essential democratic rights such as freedom of the press and stopping the genocide in Gaza require mobilizing the working class against Britains Labour government and its counterparts internationally. It means building a mass movement against imperialist war, rooted in the working class and centred on the fight for socialism.
One week before fall semester classes resume, the social media platform Instagram has permanently shut down the accounts of pro-Palestinian organizations on two college campuses in New York City.

On Monday, at Columbia University, Instagram banned the account of Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) without notice or explanation. Columbia is one of the main campuses where mass protests against the US-backed Israeli genocide in Gaza took place during the previous school year, including the establishment of the first of many student Palestine solidarity encampments.

The Meta logo, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook is seen at the Vivatech show in Paris, France, June 14, 2023. [AP Photo/Thibault Camus]

In a post on X, Columbia SJP said, As the school year is just about to begin, Columbia SJP has been permanently banned from Instagram. Our account was permanently deleted at 124k followers at the same time as our backup account, and when we made a new page it was deleted within 2 days.

The group published a graphic of the message received from Instagram about the ban which said, We disabled your account. You no longer have access to sjp.columbia. It also asserted that the action was taken because Your account, or activity on it, doesnt follow our Community Guidelines.

The Instagram message concluded by stating, All of your information will be permanently deleted. You cannot request another review of this decision.

A subsequent statement by the group on X indicated that attempts by the organization to create a new account were taken down by Instagram within hours. SJP Columbia encouraged supporters to post activity on their Telegram account t.me/SJPColumbia.

At New York University (NYU), another center of student protest activity last year against the Gaza genocide, the account of the campus Peoples Solidarity Coalition (PSC) was terminated by Instagram. NYU PSC, a coalition of 44 campus student organizations, was at the center of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment on the NYU campus in Manhattan last school year.

Instagram is a photo and video sharing social media service owned by Facebook-parent Meta Platforms. It has 2 billion worldwide active users, 160 million of whom are in the US. The largest age group of Instagram users, 71 percent or 113 million, is between 18 and 29 years old.

The censorship by Instagram is being carried out against pro-Palestinian student groups alongside of the rollout across the country by university administrations of new campus policies aimed at clamping down on the freedom of expression by students.

Anticipating a renewal and broadening of the student protests, colleges and universities are imposing rules that eliminate the fundamental right to political expression and to place demands upon administrations and impose criminal penalties if the rules are violated.

The criminalization of protest is also being combined with an intensification of the slander that pro-Palestinian demonstrations are antisemitic.

At Columbia University, encampments have been totally banned, and fencing has been installed on the grassy areas of the campus quad. At NYU, the administration has updated its discrimination and harassment policy to include a ban on criticism of Zionism by conflating the racist and apartheid political ideology of the state of Israel with Jewish identity.

The right-wing, pro-Israeli hysteria that has been whipped up against protests on college campuses has led to the resignation of university presidents after they came under attack for failing to put a stop to the student movement.

On August 14, Columbia University President Minouche (Nemat) Shafik resigned even though she led a brutal police state-style crackdown on anti-genocide and pro-Palestinian student protesters last April. She was the third Ivy League president to resign over the past eight months after coming under attack by fascist Republicans in Congress.

Meanwhile, right-wing and pro-Israeli defenders of the Gaza genocide, in which more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, are demanding that the US Justice Department investigate SJP for violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

For example, the Shurat HaDinIsrael Law Center is calling on Attorney General Merrick Garland to bring FARA charges against SJP for being agents of Hamas with alleged ties to terrorists in Gaza.

Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, president and founder of the law center, sent a letter to AG Garland that stated, SJP is nothing more than the unregistered student wing of a foreign terrorist organization. They are Hamas chaos agents in the United States.

These slanders are being made because campus groups such as SJP and other organizations, including Jews for Ceasefire and Jewish Voice for Peace, express the widespread opposition that exists among students, faculty and campus workers to the US-backed Israeli war crimes in Gaza.

The censorship intervention by Instagram against SJP Columbia and NYU PSC is being orchestrated by the billionaire tech elites and the Biden White House in an effort to silence the growing student movement against the ethnic cleansing by Israel in Gaza.
On August 24, NASA announced that astronauts Barry Butch Wilmore and Sunita Suni Williams would remain aboard the International Space Station until next year after a return via the spacecraft on which they arrived, Boeings Starliner, was deemed unsafe.

The Starliner will return to Earth uncrewed in September, and Wilmore and Williams will return to Earth using a SpaceX Dragon capsule, which will arrive with the Crew-9 mission in September and depart the ISS next February or March.

Williams and Wilmore arrived at the ISS on June 6, 27 hours after their launch from Cape Canaveral the day before, and were originally slated to stay for eight days before returning to Earth on June 14. Before the craft docked with the station, however, three helium leaks in its propulsion system were discovered, in addition to one discovered before launch.

A child holds a poster of Sunita Williams as others pray during the all-religion prayer for the safe return of American astronaut of Indian origin, Sunita Williams, and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station (ISS) in Ahmedabad, India, on Sunday, August 25, 2024. [AP Photo/Ajit Solanki]

And just hours before docking, it was discovered that five of the Starliners 28 reaction-control system thrusters, used for fine maneuvering to dock with the ISS, were experiencing intermittent failures.

While the skill and training of the astronauts flying the capsule, supported by engineers on the ground, meant that they were ultimately able to ensure a safe docking of the Starliner with the ISS, immediate questions were raised about the safety of the vessel for reentry, two in particular:

First, can Starliner safely leave the vicinity of the ISS without causing potentially catastrophic damage? And what is the possibility that current or further issues will cause the vessel to burn up as it crashes into Earths atmosphere, killing those on board?

Even up to August 2, Boeing claimed it was confident that Starliner could return safely with crew and continued to insist that Wilmore and Williams could board the Starliner and depart.

In reality, Boeing was attempting to protect its bottom line, as it has in the massive safety scandal over the companys 737-MAX aircraft. The company has suffered numerous setbacks in 2024, starting with the blowout of a door on an Alaska Airlines flight of a 737 MAX 9 in January and continuing with a slew of accidents, some near-fatal, on virtually all types of Boeing commercial airlines in service.

In addition, numerous whistleblowers have come forward exposing an internal culture at Boeing of profits over quality and safety, citing numerous examples of management forcing workers to make planes faster and ignoring the inevitable quality issues that cropped up, all at the expense of the safety of the flying public.

Among them were John Mitch Barnett and Joshua Dean, both of whom had devastating testimony against Boeing but died mysterious deaths before they were able to fully provide what they knew.

The corporation was no doubt hoping that a successful Starliner launch would put to rest at least some of the concerns that have been building over its competency at building intricate flight machinery, and help to bolster its stock price, which is down more than 31 percent since the beginning of the year.

Instead, Starliner has even more exposed Boeings subordination of safety to profit, both for commercial flights and the far more perilous endeavor of space flight.

Boeing first unveiled its design for the Starliner, also known as the CST-100, in 2010. The basic design is a reusable capsule and expendable service module, modeled after the Apollo era command and service modules. Over the next four years, it received an estimated $586.9 million for further development and production. In 2014, it received a $4.2 billion contract to complete the Starliner.

Elon Musks SpaceX received $2.6 billion to develop its Dragon capsule under the same program.

Starliner was almost immediately plagued with design problems. After the Unmanned Orbital Test flight in 2019 was deemed a partial failure, NASA officials demanded a second test flight, which occurred in 2022. Finally, after a decade and going $1.5 billion over budget, NASA authorized the current mission, the Boeing Crew Flight Test.

Even before launch, it was replete with issues. The first launch attempt was on May 6 and was aborted because of a faulty oxygen release valve on the upper stage of the Atlas V launch vehicle. The first of several helium leaks in the Starliner was subsequently discovered.

The second launch attempt on June 1 was scrubbed after a power supply failed for a launch computer.

And while the third launch on June 5 was successful, it went ahead without a fix for the helium leak discovered in May. The subsequent leaks that developed while the Starliner was in orbit suggest a deeper problem with the propulsion system.

It also suggests that the Starliners crewed launch should have been further delayed for the safety of the crew. Clearly, NASA felt pressure from Boeing to go ahead with the launch.

And Boeing itself is no doubt facing multiple pressures for a successful launch. Its direct competitor, SpaceX, has had eight successful launches to the ISS, giving it the inside track as NASA and the US government are looking for further options to reduce its reliance on Russian Soyuz capsules to ferry astronauts to space.

Since the US-sponsored Maidan coup in Ukraine and the 2022 US-NATO provoked invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the US government has been feverishly seeking to divorce itself from extensive ties to the Russian space agency Roscosmos as it prepares for war with Russia and ultimately China.

Boeings Starliner is an integral part of this plan. The more made in America rockets that exist, the more secure are the war plans.

But as both Boeing and US capitalism are discovering, space is an unforgiving mistress. The hard physical realities of orbital mechanics, life support in a vacuum and the dangers of rocketing through Earths atmosphere are not overcome by simply throwing more money at the problem. Genuine and precise physics and engineering are required, and shortcuts result in death.

The question arises why NASA continued to trust Boeing to build spacecraft after two of its MAX 8 jets faulted and crashed in 2018 and 2019, killing all 346 men, women and children on board. Boeing is not trusted by the flying public to operate planes; what could one possibly expect in the much more hostile arena of outer space?

Ultimately, the problems of the Starliner are the result of the privatization of the space industry, where private companies are handed the reins and the expanse beyond Earths atmosphere is given over to the playground for the super rich.

For all the accolades given to the fascistic Elon Musk for having a craft that is slated to rescue the stranded astronauts and bring them home next year, his own record is hardly spotless. Three out of four test launches of SpaceXs Starship have ended in a loss of the vehicle, all the result of Musk and NASA more interested in launching the rockets to show progress and claiming success instead of proper engineering and ground testing.

And for all the claimed innovation of both Boeing and SpaceX, neither are using technology that is particularly novel. They are still based off of the designs of the 1950s and 60s, and even the Starship only has 45 percent the thrust capacity of the Saturn V, the rocket that launched the Apollo astronauts to the Moon.

The helium pressurization technology at the center of the Boeing Starliner crises predates even the 1950s.

The development of space technology under capitalism has remained stagnant since the end of the Apollo program in 1972. The only real advance has been that the price per pound to launch unmanned vehicles has dropped significantly in the past few decades.

To date, Williams and Wilmore remain safe on the ISS and will not be returning on the Starliner. The final analysis of that vessel will be after its return to Earth, or perhaps after it burns up during reentry.

It will take a far more enlightened human civilization, one based on scientific and rational planning and which has overthrown the retrograde shackles of capitalism, to make a true attempt to reach the planets and the stars.
BERLIN, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- In the town of Bad Koetzting in Bavaria, Germany, stands the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Koetzting Hospital, the country's first traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) hospital.

Founded 33 years ago, the hospital initially focused on treating pain-related conditions with TCM and, having received positive feedback, now offers all inpatients a combination of herbal medicine and acupuncture, achieving a 70 percent overall efficacy rate.

Stefan Hager, the German director of Koetzting Hospital, initially planned to stay only a year or two but chose to remain at the hospital due to the impressive results of TCM treatments.

"One patient who was on the verge of a heart transplant experienced significant improvement through TCM and recovered fully. This demonstrates the unique effectiveness of TCM," Hager said.

Since the late 1990s, Germany has seen a surge in interest in TCM, and the growing recognition of TCM in Germany, exemplified by the TCM hospital, has also contributed to substantial growth in the herbal medicine market.

In Bavaria, Germany began exploring the local cultivation of traditional Chinese medicinal plants in 1999. After more than two decades of research, the Bavarian Agricultural Research Institute has developed cultivation techniques for over 20 TCM plants. Among these, 11 varieties, including astragalus and angelica, are now suitable for large-scale production.

"Many Germans have developed a strong preference for TCM after experiencing its benefits firsthand in China," said Zhong Wenjun, founder of HerbaSinica, a company that supplies over 200 types of herbs used across Europe, including in Germany and other European countries.

Germany, a leader in biomedical and life sciences research, is also making significant strides in the field of traditional and complementary medicine.

By the end of 2022, the German traditional and complementary medicine sector had approximately 3,600 full-time practitioners, nearly doubling since 2012. This growth underscores the expanding role of TCM in advancing public health in Germany.

Notably, acupuncture treatments for conditions such as lower back pain and knee joint issues are now covered by German public health insurance.

In Brandenburg, south of Berlin, the German Tuina Academy has trained over 10,000 healthcare workers in TCM techniques.

Founded 18 years ago, the academy has collaborated with 15 German medical training centers, and its tuina techniques are recognized by the German Medical Association and the German Continuing Education Foundation.

"German medicine has limited methods for pain relief, besides medication, it often relies on surgery without addressing the root cause, leading to limited effectiveness," said Sun Weizhong, founder of the academy, noting "TCM tuina emphasizes a holistic approach, using different techniques for various body parts, filling the gaps in medication, and is well-received by many German patients."

Mary-Louise Muller, chair of the German-Chinese Nursing Association, has collaborated with Chinese medical departments and institutions for over 30 years. During her studies in China, she discovered the benefits of acupressure in TCM and has passed this knowledge on to German nursing staff.

"Through collaboration between China and Germany, Germany can gain deeper insights into TCM, while China can benefit from German nursing management practices," she said. 
Palestinians check a building destroyed by Israeli warplanes in Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 28, 2024. During the past 24 hours, the Israeli military killed 58 people and wounded 131 others, bringing the total death toll to 40,534 and injuries to 93,778 since the onset of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Wednesday. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

GAZA, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- At least eight Palestinians were killed and dozens of others wounded in an Israeli airstrike near a school with displaced people in the central Gaza Strip, Palestinian security and medical sources said Wednesday.

An Israeli warplane bombed with at least one missile in the vicinity of Al-Manfalouti School east of the city of Deir al-Balah, Palestinian security sources told Xinhua.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that the Israeli army has been operating in the Netzarim Corridor in recent weeks, having killed dozens of militants and dismantled hundreds of infrastructure.

Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage.

During the past 24 hours, the Israeli military killed 58 people and wounded 131 others, bringing the total death toll to 40,534 and injuries to 93,778 since the onset of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Wednesday. 

Palestinians check a building destroyed by Israeli warplanes in Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 28, 2024. During the past 24 hours, the Israeli military killed 58 people and wounded 131 others, bringing the total death toll to 40,534 and injuries to 93,778 since the onset of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Wednesday. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

Palestinians check a building destroyed by Israeli warplanes in Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 28, 2024. During the past 24 hours, the Israeli military killed 58 people and wounded 131 others, bringing the total death toll to 40,534 and injuries to 93,778 since the onset of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Wednesday. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

A girl checks a building destroyed by Israeli warplanes in Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 28, 2024. During the past 24 hours, the Israeli military killed 58 people and wounded 131 others, bringing the total death toll to 40,534 and injuries to 93,778 since the onset of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Wednesday. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

Palestinians check a building destroyed by Israeli warplanes in Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 28, 2024. During the past 24 hours, the Israeli military killed 58 people and wounded 131 others, bringing the total death toll to 40,534 and injuries to 93,778 since the onset of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Wednesday. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

Palestinians check a building destroyed by Israeli warplanes in Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, on Aug. 28, 2024. During the past 24 hours, the Israeli military killed 58 people and wounded 131 others, bringing the total death toll to 40,534 and injuries to 93,778 since the onset of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Wednesday. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)
Athena Likis represented Belgium in the first-ever edition of RuPaul's Drag Race Global All Stars. However, after impressing the judges with a hilarious and dazzling burlesque number at the grand premiere and showcasing her interpretations of "Boss Lady in Charge," "She-Vil Villain," and "International Queen of Mystery" in episode 3, Athena still became the first-eliminated queen of the series.

"We were all so stressed about the ball challenge," Athena tells Out in an interview. "Except people like Pythia, and maybe Vanity Vain, because they knew how to sew. I was like, 'Oh, let's be friends' [laughs]. It's about construction and respecting the theme, of course... but we still see, almost every season, people who know how to sew and land in the bottom."

She adds, "Because it's not only about the technique it's also about the storyline. It's about the whole thing. In my head, I was like, 'Okay, I think I have a bit of a sense of style, so maybe I can manage to do something.' But that's me: when I start panicking, I blank, and then I'm not doing good stuff."

The first season of Drag Race Belgique introduced fans to Athena as a creative and fierce drag artist who won that season's Talent Show and makeover challenge. Athena then made it all the way to the grand finale, but ultimately lost the crown to Drag Couenne and finished as runner-up.

www.instagram.com

Going into Global All Stars, fans expected that Athena would be a force to be reckoned with  and, indeed, she was! Moreover, the Belgian queen was excited to compete with queens from around the world and to be featured on this global platform.

"I was very excited," Athena recalls. "I already knew Pythia and Soa de Muse, so I was like, 'My sisters are here!' At the same time, I was like, 'Oh, damn. They all look so good.' And then, of course, when Alyssa Edwards came in, I was like, 'Oh, all right, let's go.'"

The judges had a blast with her Variety Show performance, and her ball looks got high praise from the overall Drag Race fandom. Unfortunately, though, Athena's take on the ball categories didn't resonate with the judging panel, which landed her in the bottom 2 along with Soa de Muse.

After lip syncing for their lives to "Bad Idea Right?" by Olivia Rodrigo, Mama Ru told Soa de Muse to shantay, meaning that Athena had to sashay away. This wasn't at all the outcome that many fans had predicted for Athena on Global All Stars, and Belgian drag artists also took to social media to defend the Drag Race Belgique superstar.

Athena Likis on RuPaul's Drag Race Global All Stars episode 3

Paramount+

Athena Likis' ball looks on 'RuPaul's Drag Race Global All Stars' episode 3.

When asked to explain what she'd like fans to know about Belgian drag, Athena tells Out:

"I want the world to know that the drag scene in Belgium is very political and very experimental. We don't have a lot of history of pageantry, or a similar drag history like that. We try very hard to experiment what we want to do, and to express ourselves the way we want that's what I like so much about the drag scene in Belgium."

"My Global All Stars journey was intense. Intense and short. But I had fun," she says. "The queens in the cast are really good friends now. I'm glad that I met these really cool queer artists, and that we were able to share our cultures and stories on the show. That was amazing."

Looking ahead, Athena is daydreaming of doing a solo show. She also hopes that Drag Race viewers can follow her on social media to "learn a bit more of my story, my past, and how I've come to this," adding that fans "can become a part of the Goddesses community."

www.instagram.com

If you want to support Athena as a drag artist after her Global All Stars exit, you can start by following her on Instagram, TikTok, and X/Twitter  but that's not all!

Athena's commitment to showcase Belgium's "experimental drag" on a global platform and get fans excited to learn more about that particular scene sparked an idea to turn this moment into a big celebration of Belgian drag excellence.

As a result, Out spoke with Drag Race Belgique season 2 winner Alvilda and asked her to recommend a list of drag artists that Drag Race fans might not know yet but who greatly represent the drag scene in Belgium.

Keep scrolling to discover and celebrate a list of fierce drag artists from Belgium  and make sure to watch new episodes of RuPaul's Drag Race Global All Stars every Friday on Paramount+.

Cherie Chapstick

www.instagram.com

Instagram: @cheri.e_chapstick

Krietjur

www.instagram.com

Instagram: @krietjur

Ernesto Coyote

www.instagram.com

Instagram: @ernestocoyote

Saskya Von Fotzen

www.instagram.com

Instagram: @saskya.vf

Veronika Deneuve

www.instagram.com

Instagram: @veronika.deneuve

Belligerency

www.instagram.com

Instagram: @belligerency

Krasna

www.instagram.com

Instagram: @itskrasna

Eve Is Sick Of Adam

www.instagram.com

Instagram: @eveissickofadam

Daisy Superb.tch

www.instagram.com

Instagram: @daisy_superb.tch

Thank you, Alvilda & Athena Likis, for taking us on this journey!

www.instagram.com
It's so hard to say goodbye to a beloved pet, even if they've lived a good, long life. But there are extra considerations to think about when we're talking about the death of a pet who has also become a public figure. The kind of animals I'm thinking about: viral pets on social media, pets who belong to celebrities, and in this case, pets who have become a vital part of the United Kingdom's government (and no, I'm not talking about any of the late Queen Elizabeth's Corgis).

Those in the UK probably know who I'm talking about when I mention Larry, the Chief Mouser at Downing Street (and if you don't, I'm thrilled I get to introduce him to you). Now that he's reached 17 years old, it sounds like plans are being put in place for when he passes... even though I wish he could live forever!

According to a new report published in The Times, Larry has become a well loved figure at Downing Street, having outlasted a whopping five prime ministers in his life that now spans nearly two decades, and as a senior cat, it's a matter of practicality that the humans in his life would start trying to figure out what's going to happen when he passes away.

There's even a name for the protocol officials will follow when he dies, Operation Larry Bridges (a play on Operation London Bridge, the protocol that was in place when the Queen died in 2022).

Multiple sources told the outlet that a press release, graphics, and a social media plan have been devised for the inevitable day when they have to inform the public that Larry is no longer with us.

We felt it had to be handled so sensitively," one of the sources said.

Of course it does  Larry is a national treasure!



More About Larry & the Cats of Downing Street

Larry was originally adopted from Battersea Cats & Dogs Home by David Cameron back in 2011 as a pet for his children, and with his top skill being pest control, he's stayed at Downing Street long after Cameron left.

He's so loved that people often send him gifts and treats and has quite a cushy life. UK government website says, "Larry spends his days greeting guests to the house, inspecting security defences and testing antique furniture for napping quality. His day-to-day responsibilities also include contemplating a solution to the mouse occupancy of the house. Larry says this is still in tactical planning stage.'"

He's also not the only cat who has lived at Downing Street; the Times pointed out that there's also Palmerston, who was at the Foreign Office, but he retired in 2020. There is also Gladstone, though he retired in 2019.

Here's hoping Larry still has a few years left in him. People are going to be heartbroken when he's gone!
Here's The Deeply Personal Reason Naomi Osaka Is Wearing So Many Bows At The US Open

On Tuesday, Japan's Naomi Osaka beat Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko in the first round of the US Open.

TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

It's a big deal for two reasons: Osaka, who is currently ranked No. 88, won against a Top 10 player for the first time in over four years. Ostapenko is ranked No. 10.

TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

Additionally, Osaka, a 2018 and 2020 US Open champion, returned to the New York City tournament after taking last year off. In July 2023, she gave birth to her first child, a daughter with rapper Cordae.

TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

Notably, Osaka is marking her US Open comeback with two matching custom outfits: one for daytime play that she debuted Tuesday and one for nighttime matches. Both are meant to honor her Japanese heritage.

TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

Osaka stepped onto the court in a green competition dress, white jacket, sneakers, and Bose headphones, all adorned with prominent bows. She even practiced in the full look, sans the headphones of course.

Mike Stobe / Getty Images

The looks are a collaboration between Nike and Japanese designer Yoon Ahn. Osaka opened up about the inspiration for the joyous look in an interview with the New York Times earlier this week.

TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

"The inspiration for me was definitely Japanese, like Harajuku," she told the publication. "I remember one of the first times I went to Japan, I saw so many frills and so many bows."

TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

Ahn described the two outfits as "Lolita goth," a popular Japanese style trend. They go out and wear pink, frills, bows, lace. Its about really owning the cutesy-ness and the girly-hood," she said.

TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

While Osaka doesn't consider her competition outfits "risky," noting she grew up on Serena Williams's groundbreaking competition style, the athlete does see them as akin to a "super-suit" that gives her confidence and can even be "a little intimidating" for her opponent.

Robert Prange / Getty Images

"Especially with this outfit. Its so big, maybe itll create a bigger presence," she said.

Robert Prange / Getty Images

As for the color choices, she associates green with "peace and serenity."

TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

Should Osaka play a night match at the US Open, she'll debut the black version of her outfit. There's a reason she picked black.

Robert Prange / Getty Images

"For me, black is strength," she told the publication. "For me, thats the super-suit color. I feel a little bit like Black Panther." New York Times debuted photos of Osaka in her black competition outfit, which you can see here.

Robert Prange / Getty Images

Naomi will take on Russia's Karolina Muchova in the second round on Thursday. A match time has not yet been announced.

Matthew Stockman / Getty Images
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands Embraces Sheer Details and Delicate Embroidery in Natan Dress for Beach Visit Alongside Husband King Willem-Alexander

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands favored a dress from her go-to designer, Natan, during a royal engagement with her husband King Willem-Alexander on Tuesday. The couple visited the beach of Domburg and historical center of Veere during their day of commitments.

Queen Maximas midi dress featured an asymmetric neckline with gathered fabric and short sleeves. The design of the dress, courtesy of the Belgian fashion label, included sheer detailing and intricate embroidery with botanical inspiration and netted design.

More from WWD

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, left, and King Willem-Alexander visit the beach of Domburg in the Netherlands on Aug. 27.

Queen Maxima coordinated her dress with her fascinator, designed by Maison Fabienne Delvigne of Belgium. When it came to the rest of her look, she favored neutrals in order to keep her dress and fascinator the centerpieces of her attire.

The royal wore a pair of Gianvito Rossi pointed-toe heels in a neutral shade of nude. She coordinated her shoes with her bag, designed by Sophie Habsburg.

King Willem-Alexander, left, and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, right, visit the historical center of Veere in the Netherlands on Aug. 27.

Whimsy is a signature quality of Queen Maximas royal wardrobe, and has been for several years. While the royal is accustomed to the occasional power suit moment, she often opts for looks that incorporate fantastical florals and vibrant colors.

More recently, Queen Maxima demonstrated her whimsical wardrobes versatility when she added a tropical edge to her ensemble for the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday. The royal wore shades of green, including a blouse with three-quarter-length sleeves, which she paired with flowing trousers that featured a pattern of tropical palm leaves and branches.

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands visits the historical center of Veere in the Netherlands on Aug. 27.

Since ascending the throne as queen consort in April 2013, Queen Maxima consistently merges her own unique approach to fashion and style with the duties of her position. Her wardrobe features appropriate pieces for any given daytime or evening occasion, but never sacrifices the idiosyncratic aesthetic Queen Maxima embraces time and again.

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Launch Gallery: Queen Maxima of The Netherlands' Style Through the Years: Bright Colors, Whimsical Patterns & More

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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.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Teresa Giudice Reveals the Exact Moment She Knew Her Marriage to Joe Giudice Was Over

Teresa Giudice Reveals the Exact Moment She Knew Her Marriage to Joe Giudice Was Over

More than five years after separating from her husband of 20 years, Joe Giudice, Teresa Giudice is revealing what exactly led to their split.

On the August 22 episode of her podcast, Turning the Tables with Teresa Giudice, The Real Housewives of New Jersey cast member shared that her mom's 2017 death was a major turning point in her marriage to Joe.

"When my mom passed away, she responded when asked about the moment she knew her marriage to Joe was over. "I was just like, I was so upset, you know? I was so devastated because I felt like I lost time with my mom, which I did."

Teresa went on to explain that she felt like she "lost time" with her mom, Antonia Gorga, because she was in prison from January 2015 until December 2015. Both Teresa and Joe pleaded guilty to bank, mail, wire, and bankruptcy fraud in 2014 (Joe, for his part, served three years behind bars).

Though Teresa did blame her ex for taking time away from her mom, she believes that everything is predestined. "I think your life is already planned out, so whats gonna happen is gonna happen, so this is the way my life was supposed to go," Teresa continued about losing her mom so soon after her prison sentence ended.

Here's What You May Have Missed on Bravo:

Milania Tears up Saying Goodbye to Teresa Giudice: Dont Want My Mom to Leave

Milania Giudice Has Moved from Home to Start College: "Sobbing at the Airport..." (PHOTO)

Joe Giudice Shares an Unfortunate Update on His Bahamas Home: "I'm So Pissed"

When did Teresa and Joe Giudice get divorced?

Teresa ultimately filed for divorce from Joe Giudice at the end of 2019, and the pair finalized their split in September 2020. The New Jersey resident began dating her now-husband, Luis "Louie" Ruelas, in the same year, and they tied the knot in August 2022.

Split image of Teresa and Joe Giudice

Where do Teresa Giudice and Joe Giudice stand today?

Though Teresa and Joe decided to end their marriage in 2019, the exes are on good terms today. Teresa and her second husband, Louie, even visited Joe in the Bahamas for New Year's Eve 2023.

"We had a great time," Teresa shared on the July 31 episode of Let's Talk Off Air with Kelly Ripa about the vacation, which also included the exes' four daughters, Gia, Gabriella, Milania, and Audriana Giudice. "We all hung out and it was totally fine."

Teresa also met Joe's new girlfriend when she was in the Bahamas. She told podcast host Kelly Ripa that meeting her ex's new lady was "not at all" weird for her.

The Bravo Fan Fest Miami logo overlaid onto the Miami skyline.

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Bravoholics are invited to take a trip to Miami for a party unlike any other! Bravo Fan Fest hits Miami on Saturday, November 23 for a one-day event featuring panels, activations, photo opps, and over 25 Bravolebs. Tickets are now on sale at www.BravoFanFest.com.

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Joe also recently came to Louie's defense after people began speculating that the two did not get along.

Related: Joe Giudice Speaks Out on Louie Ruelas: "I Want to Say..."

"I don't know why everyone has to take everything out of context. I know there are a lot of stories out there saying I commented badly on Louie," Joe began. "I've spent time with Louie, and I want to say I would never say anything wrong about him."

Joe continued, "Louie is a great guy and very good to my daughters. My daughters are very fortunate to have him in their lives. I'm grateful for that. That's all I have to say. Enough with this BS."

Stream The Real Housewives of New Jersey on Peacock now.
RAMALLAH, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Nine Palestinians were killed during a large-scale Israeli military operation in northern West Bank on Wednesday, according to Palestinian and Israeli sources.

Palestinian security sources said that the operation targeted the West Bank cities of Jenin, Tubas, and Tulkarm, as well as their camps, destructing local infrastructure.

The operation is being carried out by military vehicles reinforced with bulldozers, helicopters and drones, said the sources, adding that Israeli forces have imposed a siege on the three cities.

"An Israeli drone attack on a vehicle in southern Jenin killed three young men," the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said in a press statement.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces stormed Jenin overnight and clashed with local people, with the army's bullets killing two young men identified as Qassam Jabarin, 25, and Asem Dabaya, 39, according to a statement issued by the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Kamal Abu al-Rab, governor of Jenin in the Palestinian Authority, said the Israeli army threatened to storm hospitals and impose a siege on medical institutions in the city.

Besides, four young men were killed in a bombing carried out by an Israeli drone on the Far'a refugee camp south of Tubas, said the PRCS.

According to medical sources, the four dead were identified as Morad, 13, Mohammed Ja'aysa, 17, Ibrahim Ghanimi, 22, and Ahmed Nabrisi, 23.

In Tulkarm, Palestinian security sources told Xinhua that Israeli forces stormed the city and deployed infantry and sniper teams in the woods and farms surrounding the Nour Shams camp amidst intense aircraft flights.

On Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israel Securities Authority and Israel Police issued a joint statement, which said Israeli security forces carried out "counterterrorism" operations in the three cities, killing five "armed terrorists" in Jenin and Tulkarm and four in Far'a refugee camp from air and ground.

Israeli media reports said the operation in northern West Bank is the largest of its kind since 2002.

Israel has been carrying out almost daily raids in the West Bank since the Palestinian-Israeli conflict broke out on Oct. 7, 2023.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, more than 660 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks across the West Bank since the onset of the conflict. 
Two Panama City neighborhoods to host worldwide Play Music on the Porch Day

PANAMA CITY  Two neighborhoods are slated to host local celebrations of the global Play Music on The Porch Day event. Aug. 31, 2024 will be the 10th year of the event, with communities across the world participating.

12Eleven performs during the annual Music by The Bay event at Leslie Porter Park in Lynn Haven, Fla., Aug. 9, 2024.

Historic Downtown Panama City and the St. Andrews neighborhood both expect musical artists up and down their main streets at slightly staggered times.

The theme is: What if for one day everything stopped and we just listened to music? said Lesli Todd, who helped organize the downtown event.

Downtowns celebration will take place between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. There are 13 participating businesses:

Harrison's Bar + Grill

Sage Boutique

BridgeCare Health

Gallery of Art 850

Jute and Palm

Main Street Antiques

Bookish Boutique

Lazer-It

Minutes and Miles

Accents Home and Decor

History Class Brewing

House of Henry

Millie's

Some of the artists slated for the downtown venue include Emma Bunch, Ryan Keene, Shawn Underwood Fountain, Hanson Le Boeuf, Cody Bennett, 11th Street Dulcimers, Joseph Selindh, Norah Bass, Tracy Mick and Gabbee Gigs.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

The St. Andrews iteration will take place between 3-6 p.m. around the southern portion of Beck Ave with over 50 musicians expected to participate. Little Village at 2808 W. 12th St will pick up the festivities between 57 p.m.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

(Music on The Porch Day) is a worldwide event to support music and to get people to slow down and listed to the music, said Todd. Come ready to walk all over downtown to hear music in 13 spots, eat lunch, shop and sip and stroll the area as well as have a fun time in our beautiful historic downtown.

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Streets full of music slated for two Panama City Neighborhoods
The first clip from Peacock, led by All Quiet on the Western Front star Albrecht Schuch, has been revealed by MK2 ahead of the films world premiere in the Venice Critics Week competition.

The directorial debut of rising Austrian filmmaking Bernhard Wenger, the quirky tragicomedy revolves around the Rent a Friend concept prevalent in Japan and the U.S. and serves up a satirical view of societal values.

More from Variety

Peacock tells the story Matthias (Schuch), who works at a rent-a-friend agency and finds it increasingly difficult to open up again and be authentic in his private life. Wenger noted he had the idea of making a film about the subject after a research trip to Japan and that the character of Matthias was based on an agency employee he met there.

The premise of the film is therefore not an abstruse dystopian construct, but rather an imminent reality I am worried about, he said, adding that hes influenced by Scandinavian Cinema and British black comedy. Wenger said the film boasts very visual humour and places characters into weird situations we are all familiar with from everyday life.

MK2 Films team, spearheaded by Fionnuala Jamison, launched sales on Peacock at last years American Film Market. The film will be released in Germany and Austria by Wild Bunch Germany, with MK2 Films handling international sales of the film outside of Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Peacock is produced by NGF Geyrhalter Filmproduktion and Cala Filmproduktion.

See the clip below:

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A former Nevada politician was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty on Wednesday of killing journalist Jeff German in September 2022.

As the jury's foreperson read out the guilty verdict, former Clark County public administrator Robert Telles looked down and shook his head.

Telles was sentenced to life in prison with eligibility for parole after a minimum of 20 years served.

In a press conference after the verdict was announced, Clark County District Attorney Steven Wolfson thanked the jury for their work on the case.

"Today's verdict should send a message, and that message is a clear message that any attempts to silence the media, or to silence or intimidate a journalist, will not be tolerated," Wolfson said.

Prosecutors said former Clark County public administrator Robert Telles, 47, stabbed the Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter to death after German exposed corruption in his office, destroying both his political career and his marriage. German's story detailed an allegedly hostile work environment in Telles' office -- including bullying, retaliation and an "inappropriate relationship" between Telles and a staffer -- all of which Telles denied.

MORE: Jury hears opening arguments in trial against Nevada official accused of killing journalist

Telles was arrested days after German was found dead outside his Las Vegas home. Police said DNA evidence found in Telles' home tied him to the crime scene, and a straw hat and sneakers -- which the suspect was seen wearing in surveillance footage -- were found cut up in his home. His DNA was also found on German's hands and fingernails, police said.

He had pleaded not guilty to murder.

In her opening statement, Chief Deputy District Attorney Pamela Weckerly walked through the timeline of the murder and how Telles came to be pinpointed as the suspect.

"In the end, this case isn't about politics," Weckerly said. "It's not about alleged inappropriate relationships. It's not about who's a good boss or who's a good supervisor or favoritism at work -- it's just about murder."

PHOTO: Robert Telles during his murder trial at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas, Aug. 23, 2024. (K.M. Cannon/AP)

Telles took the stand in his own trial on Aug. 21, "unequivocally" maintaining his innocence and insisting he was "framed" in a sweeping conspiracy by a real estate company that he said he was investigating for alleged bribery.

"Somebody framed me for this, and I believe that it is Compass Realty, and I believe it's for the work that I've done against them," Telles told the court.

In a statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal in January, Compass Realty owner Takumba Britt denied Telles' conspiracy claims, calling him a "desperate man who has been charged with violently murdering a beloved local journalist" who would "do and say anything to escape answering for this charge."

Wolfson also hit back against Telles' conspiracy claims after the jury announced its verdict.

"There was no conspiracy," Wolfson said. "The only conspiracy was between him and his evil mind."

When police took Telles into custody, he had what they said were non-life-threatening, self-inflicted stab wounds. His defense attorney, Robert Draskovich, said the suicide attempt was not out of guilt, but because Telles' "life was coming apart."

MORE: 'He was our hero,' county worker says of journalist her former boss allegedly killed

Draskovich echoed Telles' claims of a conspiracy against him, saying in his opening statement the "old guard" in the public administrator's office had been upset by Telles' efforts to root out internal corruption. He also claimed that, because of German's track record of investigating corrupt figures, there were other people who may have wanted him dead.

"There were others that had far more motive to make it look like [Telles] was the killer, and to conduct this killing because Jeff German was a good reporter -- he would ultimately get to what the truth was," Draskovich said.

Ahead of sentencing on Wednesday, German's three siblings addressed the court, speaking about what their oldest brother meant to them.

"Jeff was our leader -- he was the older brother we all leaned on," his brother, Jay German, said.

The siblings remembered him as a "wonderful" uncle, a "fearless" journalist and a lover of football and sitcoms.

His sister, Jill Zwerg, who said German was "like a second father," recalled how he bought a whole round of champagne for the bar when she told me she'd gotten engaged.

"He's so deeply missed every day," Zwerg said through tears.

MORE: County official to be held without bail following death of Las Vegas journalist, judge rules

Telles' wife and ex-wife also spoke, tearfully asking the jury not to sentence him to life in prison without parole.

"I would love at some point to give my children the chance to have their father back," his wife, Mary Ann Ismael, said.

Telles wept as his mother, Rosalinda Anaya, took the stand.

"I accept the verdict, but if you could -- please -- give my son the chance of parole," Anaya said. "His family is still very young and I would like for him to someday be back with them again."

Before sending the jury off to deliberate on sentencing, Draskovich urged jurors not to hand down a life sentence.

"Give him the opportunity -- give his children the opportunity -- decades from now, to have their father back," Draskovich said.

But prosecutors argued a life sentence -- either with or without parole -- was necessary in such a case. Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Hamner said Telles "decided to be judge, jury, and literally executioner" of German "because he simply wasn't happy about what was being written about him."

"When you think about the situation he was in, the world wasn't going to end. He simply lost an election," Hamner said. "The way Robert Telles chose to handle this was devastating, and it was his choice and his choice alone."

German was the only journalist killed in the United States in 2022, with a total of at least 67 journalists killed worldwide that year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo previously described the case against Telles as "unusual," and said that "the killing of a journalist is particularly troublesome."

"It is troublesome because it is a journalist. And we expect journalism to be open and transparent and the watchdog for government," Lombardo said. "And when people take it upon themselves to create harm associated with that profession, I think it's very important we put all eyes on and address the case appropriately such as we did in this case."

In a statement published by the paper, Las Vegas Review-Journal executive editor Glenn Cook praised the verdict "as a measure of justice" for German, as well as for "slain journalists all over the world."

"Jeff was killed for doing the kind of work in which he took great pride: His reporting held an elected official accountable for bad behavior and empowered voters to choose someone else for the job," Cook wrote. "Robert Telles could have joined the long line of publicly shamed Nevada politicians who've gone on with their lives, out of the spotlight or back in it. Instead, he carried out a premeditated revenge killing with terrifying savagery."

"Let's also remember that this community has lost much more than a trusted journalist," Cook added. "Jeff was a good man who left behind a family who loved him and friends who cherished him. His murder remains an outrage. He is missed."

Nevada politician Robert Telles found guilty of killing journalist Jeff German, sentenced to life in prison originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
When I called Maya Gabeira, she was in her home in Nazare, Portugal, just 10 minutes away from the break that once nearly killed her. Shed just returned from a month in Indonesia and was shaking off the jet lag.

She has a lot more going on lately than just Indo trips. Though shes best known as a big wave charger who, in 2020, broke the Guinness world record for the biggest wave ever surfed by a woman, Gabeira has since become a multi-hyphenate. Her love of the ocean has led to work as an environmental activist, serving as an Oceana ambassador and UNESCO Champion of the Ocean and Youth. Beyond that, shes penned several childrens books, the second of which, Maya Makes Waves, is out now.

Maya also has a documentary coming out, called Maya and the Wave. In it, filmmaker Stephanie Johnes followed Gabeira for nearly a decade, through some of the highest, and lowest, points of her career. Notably, Johnes was there for a catastrophic wipeout in 2013 that almost killed Maya and turned her into a lightning rod for surfers attitudes towards women in big wave surfing. The movie is currently making the festival circuit.

I spoke to Maya to ask about the dizzying highs and crushing lows that have marked her formidable career.

What was it like having somebody there documenting your greatest successes and some of the most traumatic parts of your life?

Well, obviously, at some point [Stephanie Johnes and I] became friends, because thats what happens after, you know, eight to 10 years together. Steph was always very intimate and worked very lightly, so it wasnt very complicated to do it, but yeah, she happened to be there on a lot of the ups and then a lot of the downs, too, even more so. She got to see it firsthand, sometimes.

In an interview you mentioned that you told her not to come out to Nazare to see your season, and then she snuck out and took the house next to you.

Yeah, totally. She did that. In 2017, after its been like, I dont know, maybe four years [since the 2013 wipeout]. I didnt really want to have the pressure of the movie. I was coming to my first fully physically healthy season, but I was still pretty traumatized. Having her just added to the pressure and I kind of called it off and yeah, she snuck in.

That was around when you were diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. What was it like, learning about that, off this major physical injury youd been recovering from? What was your reaction to having another thing to deal with?

Yeah, definitely if you look at it that way, it was frustrating to go past such a big blockage, which was the physical capacity to surf big waves again, and then to get to a point where my mind started blocking me.

That had some frustrations for sure, but then also looking at it from a bigger perspective, Id taken care of my body for so many years, and I didnt do the same kind of work in my mind. When it was time to go back, it was just natural that the mind would ask for help, you know?

I imagine it must be kind of freeing, because now you have a game plan to help yourself.

Exactly. Thats the beauty of it, you know. Youre much more aware. You know how it comes, when it comes, what you can do for it. Then you start developing even more tools and becoming more aware of it. So, yeah, it tends to make the whole issue better as well.

Photo: Abrams Books

Theres this theme in your career of having to deal with criticism from other professional surfers, especially men. How did that affect your relationship with surfing and how did it affect the way you surfed?

I dont know if it affects the way I surf at all, to be honest. I think it definitely creates doubt in your mind. You have to dig deep and be so sure and really believe in yourself. Those kind of criticisms from people like that make you doubt yourself. Thats just a natural thing. Then you have to fight against that.

Watching interviews, you were treated so differently from your peers. What do you think drives the difference in reaction that a lot of big wave surfers, especially the old-school ones, have towards women?

Its an environment that used to, or still does in a way, glorifies the image of strength and adrenaline. We used to have an image of how we should look, to surf those waves, and I think when you break that stereotype its always hard for people to wrap their heads around that.

So I think it was just kind of that shock, of What is this girl doing here? a lot of times. And now you dont have that anymore. You have girls doing really well in heavy waves and its much more [an environment of] people mentoring those girls than it is judgment. It was a different time.

A big part of your advocacy for yourself and for womens surfing was getting the WSL and Guinness to acknowledge the worlds biggest wave record. Was that also a way to silence critics?

No, I think it was more a way to recognize it and establish the platform and have a starting point to grow from there.

I was always a fan of the world record for men. I grew up with Carlos [Burle], with his world record. I remember in 2001, listening to the story when I was like 15 at some random competition in Brazil. The world record was a big deal for me, and I deeply thought women should have access to that and should have their own to aim for.

So how did it feel when you finally got that world record and were recognized by Guinness?

It was supposed to be a celebration, but it was more just like this weight off my shoulders. Because at that point, it was such a fight and so much politics and so much back and forth.

To me, the hardest thing was just to surf again. Those were three spine surgeries and a trauma for life, and here I was trying to surf giant waves again, so to me that was the challenge. Then when I realized that I still had eight months of political challenge, it just broke me. So by the time they gave me that thing, I was just like, Oh, God, can we move on and go surfing?

Photo: Abrams Books

It sounds like since you came back and got the record, you dont necessarily have to prove yourself anymore. Now you can focus on the surfing itself.

Yeah, I feel [that was true] for me in a bigger sense, because theres the record, but then just the ability of getting back and enjoying something that became a memory of pain for a long time. I think that to me was the biggest question and that was my biggest fear, to not be able to get back that sensation that I loved.

With the reaction of other surfers to the 2013 Teahupoo wipeouts, did it feel like you kind of werent allowed to fail?

Yes.

That seems like it would just make training and progression difficult, because failure is part of learning.

Yeah, the thing was about deconstructing failure itself. I truly embody the fact that failure was lessons, and I needed to learn. Nobody could really judge me for wanting to learn.

So that, I think, was my main point, that nobody knew better than me. I should be capable of making my own judgments. I feel like I didnt have a lot of room for failure and that was hard, because its not a failure, its just a lesson. You improve on that and it goes on. But I doubted myself quite a bit.

Photo: Abrams Books

Do you still ever struggle with doubt?

No, not of that kind. I think time, more experience, more surfing, being able to come back from the injuries, I think that brought me back the confidence.

It must have been tough, because of the reaction  people were telling you to quit surfing because of the wipeouts. Everybody wipes out, thats part of surfing.

I wonder what it was that was so bad that I was the one that had to stop? Yeah, I dont know.

Well, you got everybody to shut up. Nobody can criticize you now.

I think I made it through the other side, you know? I think thats the beauty of it. If it doesnt kill you, it makes you stronger. I think its definitely one of those. Im sure thats part of my trajectory and my learning and some of my success.

The post Big Wave Surfer Maya Gabeira Has Nothing Left to Prove first appeared on The Inertia.
There is a bit of Colombia, South America in Charlotte. Its even better in the homeland.

I traveled to Colombia, South America with friends and family a few weeks ago, but here in Charlotte there is a growing population of Colombians.

There are nearly 50,000 Colombians residing in North and South Carolina, according to American Community Survey data from 2021. A decade earlier, combined, the Colombian population was half that size and about 6,000 Colombians reside in Mecklenburg County alone.

The growing numbers created a need for a new consulate, which opened to open in Charlotte in May. This consulate provides closer access to cities with sizable Colombian populations, including Raleigh, Durham and Winston-Salem, and speeds up documentation and legal processes for Colombians across the Carolinas.

With this population boom, much of the countrys spirit lives in Charlotte. The community brings a rich diversity  from great restaurants, such as, Savor Restaurant and Barto, which opened in May, to local dance clubs  that is inviting to Charlotteans who wish to learn about this group.

Experiencing the wonders and beauty of the Colombian culture first hand  in their native land  is the best. So, heres why you should consider traveling to Cartagena, Colombia. Its probably my favorite place in the world.

Dining and entertainment

I took a flight with my partner James Griffin, from Charlotte to Miami to Cartagena. After about six hours of flying and layovers, we made it to customs where we spent aboutthree hours in line in very humid air to get cleared.

It was about 5 p.m., when we officially got started with our evening in Colombia. We walked the walled city and immersed ourselves in its beauty. For dinner, we stumbled across a hotel restaurant nearby where I tried their catch of the day, which happened to be sea bass. This wasnt just a regular sea bass.It happened to be the best fish I had ever had. It was so insanely fresh.

Ive been out of the country a few times before but every time I go, I am reminded of how bad our food is in the states over processed, overpriced and not nearly as fresh.

And speaking of fresh, I expected the bill to be just as much as I would expect to pay in the U.S.

I was wrong. If I had had this dinner in Charlotte, I would easily have paid at least $80 or more in U.S. dollars. In Cartagena, our bill was under $35 for two individuals. I shouldve eaten more.

Breakfast was even better. Can you imagine only paying $18 (in American dollars) for coffees, cakes and breakfast for two people? Normally if youre getting a full breakfast its double the price.

The nightlife Cartagena is unlike any other place. In comparison, Charlottes nightlife is not that great unless you like listening to Drake over and over again at some bar or being at a brewery. The nightlife in Centro Historico de Cartagena, the historical center of the city, is amazing. Everywhere we went was its own entity.

The bars had two, three floors each with a different vibe. The first floors were for diners where youd see couples on dates, second was the bar and the third was usually the rooftop.

One of my favorite places I went to was Alquimico, which Forbes named one of the best bars in the world. The concept itself would make you wanna stay there. Its a colonial mansion that mixes Colombias diversity with a twist on classic cocktails.

But more than that, there were wedding celebrations happening and street performers dancing in the parks for a tip. Most people didnt start to fill the streets until about 11 p.m., which was when the party really started, but when youre in the sun all day doing activities youd never really make it past midnight.

Street performers dancing during the night in Cartagena, Colombia

Things you can do, things you can learn

Heres a tip I learned by day two: Dont tell anyone youre from the United States. Vendors will try to haggle with you, thats just what it is. They want you to buy their bracelets, keychains, paintings  even people in the streets with mini speakers making raps about you, but what they really want is a cash tip, especially from Americans.

Funny enough, while I was walking the wall, one tour guide came up to us asking where we were from. After telling him we werent American, he then said good, Americans are arrogant. I had to laugh.

Heres when things get interesting  we went paddle boarding for the first time. In this section of the city, most people only spoke Spanish and although I know un piquito (a little) Spanish, Google Translate became a good friend. Our instructor only spoke Spanish and even though he understood me, it didnt mean I understood him most of the time. Still, it was good practice!

A selfie of Tamia Boyd in Cartegena

We began paddling in the ocean and my partner and I thought hey this will be a leisure activity. Wrong.

We were paddling frantically for an hour straight in the middle of the Caribbean Sea, as if we were auditioning to be on the Colombian Olympic team.

The air was solid as if you were drinking thick water.

My partner wondered if we could try to stand up. Of course he decides to try and as he stands, his eyeglasses fall in the water so at this point, hes blind as a bat. I attempted to stand too, but fell in, which made me feel even more exhausted than I was.

I told our instructor I couldnt do it anymore. Who cares if I failed, get me to land! Our instructor hooks me onto his board and tells me to lie down. Cool. He gets an idea to hook us onto a speed boat, but I flip over  into the water. Mind you, Im not wearing life jacket. Literally my flight or fight response kicked in because I thought I was going to drown.

Since my partner lost his glasses at sea, we had to find an eye doctor. He knows no Spanish, so I was his eyes and ears. Thanks to the eye doctor at Optica Visonarios, he was able to get an eye exam and glasses for $150. I shouldve got one, my eye exam and glasses were $600 in American dollars in Charlotte.

One of the items on our to-do list was to visit Rosario Islands, a national park with a stunning coral reef. We started our morning at 8 a.m., sailing over an hour to the island. The pier was loaded with other boats doing the same, exploring other islands around Cartagena.

After a while we docked midway in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and the boat crew announced that we could snorkel and swim. I opted out of snorkeling, but I did jump into the water and swam for a while. The waves were calmer this day and the sun was beaming. I definitely was getting a tan. If anyone tells you to not wear sunscreen, dont listen, always wear it!

But after sailing for about four hours, we realized we were not going to Rosario Islands. We were just sailing by it, and if you wanted, while we docked close-by, you could swim towards it! Still, it was nice just laying on their catamaran, catching some sun. But the other boat excursions do take you to the island. We just booked the wrong one.

Monument of India Catalina, who was abducted at 14-years-old by a Spanish conquistador.

One of my favorite activities was visiting the salt mines and doing a mud bath in Galerazamba, a community about 45 minutes outside of Cartagena. During our tour, we learned about a monument dedicated to an indigenous woman, India Catalina, who was abducted at 14-years-old by a Spanish conquistador. She was returned some years later with and served as an interpreter and peacemaker with Pedro de Heredia, who founded the city of Cartagena.

But back to the mud baths, I highly recommend this activity. Its very slimy but theres health benefits like drawing toxins and impurities out of the body.

Another fun activity is learning how to salsa dance, which is a lot harder than I thought. My partner and I went to a local studio that was teaching one-hour beginner classes. Since then, for weeks Ive had a seven count dance step stuck in my head. During the night we put our skills to the test and went to Donde Fidel and Cafe Havana, two popular bars where many go to dance. At Cafe Havana, they have multiple local bands come and play and sing popular songs. Caution, you will dance all night and have the best time ever.

The only hiccup I faced was traveling during a tropical storm. Our flight was canceled from Cartagena to Miami for one day and then our return flight from Miami to Charlotte was canceled. We ended up driving 10 hours through the storm.

All in all, I would do this trip over in a heartbeat. Ill always remember the colors of the streets, the stunning sunsets, the music, the culture and scenery. Folks there made me feel like I was a part of their community and for that I am thankful for the experience.

Weeks later, I find myself yearning for Colombian coffee and huevos divorciados eggs with corn tortillas and spicy salsas.

For now, if you have any suggestions where I can find something similar in Charlotte, let me know!
ivind Haug

On a damp morning in Istanbul, I pay a visit to Zeyrek Cinili Hamam, a recently unveiled museum in a 500-year-old public bathhouse that once echoed with the chatter of the Ottoman middle class. Getting there involves zigzagging through the winding cobbled streets of Zeyrek, one of four UNESCO World Heritage sites in Istanbul. It was a holy place 1,000 years ago, during the Byzantine Empire, but these days it's uncharted territory for most Istanbulites. Few people are out: only the odd chain-smoking vegetable vendor and some meandering octogenarians doing their grocery shopping. The fall air smells faintly of raw meat, thanks to the butchers who have long populated the neighborhood. Trying to make sense of Google Maps on my phone, I almost collide with several men haphazardly carrying a sheep carcass from a van. I am lost. Or at least I think I am, until I realize that I've passed the hammam four or five times without noticing its domed roof.

As happens so often in Istanbul, the past is staring right at me, even when I don't see it.

ivind Haug

ivind Haug

My first plane flight, when I was six months old, was to Turkey. Since then, I've visited Istanbul more times than I can count. I have hazy memories of summer trips to see relatives in the 1990s: spitting watermelon seeds into the Bosphorus with my cousins; crying on a stifling August day after being stung by a bee; getting brain freeze from a cherry dondurma; listening to Careless Whisper playing on a taxi radio.

My father's deep connection to the country kept us returning. He grew up in the southern city of Adana, where my grandfather Dansa handsome man I know only through photographswas once the mayor. Dad left for London at 19 to train as an architect, but our family home is lined with photographs and ephemera collected by the previous generations. Now 79, he says he still dreams in Turkish.

Despite all of this living in my consciousness, I've never felt a tangible connection with this half of my identity. Growing up in central London in an English-speaking household, I thought of Turkey as a distant acquaintance I couldn't quite place, regardless of the endless mispronunciations of my name that made me all the more aware of my Turkishness. Later, when I was a teenager in the wake of 9/11, it seemed easier to be British than Turkish. Only in recent years have I learned that possessing a lineage to two places, two cultures, is infinitely more interesting than to one.

ivind Haug

ivind Haug

So I'd come to Istanbul to get to know the country on my own terms and to ask myself: Who might I have become if my parents had chosen to settle in Turkey? In a country famous for its dichotomiesold and new, conservative and liberal, East and Westthere is a generation of creative millennials who, like me, are trying to figure out their own relationship to this culture, while also making their own mark on this multifaceted city. Perhaps, I thought, the answer might lie with them.

Istanbul has had a rough go since I last visited in 2017. Besides the pandemic, the city has endured tense presidential and local elections and the ripple effect of the devastating 2023 earthquake in southern Turkey. And yet the city is full of promise: The 2018 opening of Istanbul Airport, the city's second international aviation hub and now one of the world's busiest, ushered in a new chapter for the metropolis. It was followed in 2021 by Galataport, a shiny shopping center and cruise terminal.

Walking through Galataport, I feel a long way from spitting watermelon seeds into the Bosphorus with my cousins. Seven years ago this half-mile stretch of buzzy Karakoy was populated mostly by fishermen and chestnut roasters; now hulking cruise ships abound. There's the impressive Renzo Pianodesigned Istanbul Modern and a slick pedestrian shopping area that bears little relation to the stacked antique shops of nearby Beyoglu. At one end sits the new Peninsula Istanbul, inhabiting a collection of early-20th-century buildings from which you can view centuries of Ottoman architecture across the Bosphorus.

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ivind Haug

This ostentatious $1.7 billion development might be the official face of change in Istanbul, but the city is evolving in subtler and more eccentric ways, often by reexamining its past. Zeyrek Cinili Hamam is a good example. After a 13-year restoration project, it now exhibits local and international artists alongside historical artifacts. It reopened this past May as a functioning hammam for the neighborhoodunusual in a city where so many bathhouses are aimed at tourists.

In 16th-century Ottoman society, hammams were gathering points where social identities or social class didn't matter, Anlam Arslanoglu de Coster, an artistic director at Zeyrek Cinili Hamam, tells me as we stroll through the intricately tiled women's quarters. In today's Istanbul, the city is so massive, and so dispersed, that even within our communities, we don't really have intimate spaces to gather in that way. Mementos of that earlier time were unearthed during the restoration process: remnants of Roman candles; shards of glassware; more than 3,000 fragments of intricately decorated Iznik tiles; an underground Byzantine cistern. We forget how layered this city is, she says.

Later I go to lunch at the popular Karakoy Lokantas with Mina Dilber, a former journalist at CNN Turkey and the founder of the joyful clothing and lifestyle brand Anim. As we graze on mince-stuffed zucchini, artichokes soaked in olive oil, a rich lamb and tomato stew, and buttery rice, she recounts a family history in textiles that goes back to Ottoman times. Young Turks aren't entering into the textile business as often as the generations before them, but Dilber, contemplating a career change, became curious about her heritage. I have it, she says. I know it. I should embrace it.

ivind Haug

ivind Haug

We finish with a shallow bowl of kazandibi, a type of caramelized milk pudding, and an order of lokuma traditional confection also referred to as Turkish delightinfused with raki. Between bites of these sweet treats, Dilber scrutinizes me for a second before asking, because of my last name, if I might be related to a friend of hers. And somehow, in a city of more than 15 million people, it turns out I am. Dilber knows my cousin Defne. We agree to start a WhatsApp thread and get drinks the next night.

I've come to Istanbul to understand my roots, but while I'm here I meet people who are planting new ones. One evening I zip past fluttering flags celebrating a century of Turkish independence to meet Anya von Bremzen, author of the recent book National Dish, which explores the relationship between nationalism and food. She's offered to take me on a tour of Little Syria, part of the historic Fatih neighborhood. Approximately 3.3 million Syrians have crossed into Turkey since 2011, and more than 532,000 live in Istanbul. Not unlike in America, anti-migrant sentiment is on the rise across Turkey, just as the new arrivals have begun impacting the culture of their adopted home.

We spend a few hours traversing stores and restaurants lined with buckets of Syrian pistachios, vats of tahini that we sample, stacks of silver tea trays, and baskets of dried roses. At the shoebox-size Buuzecedi, which was transplanted here straight from Damascus, an Arabic soap opera plays on the television as we order fatteha Levantine dish packed with crispy pita bread, chickpeas, tahini, and pistachios, and topped with gheealong with a basket of falafel. You can find this dish in Syria, but also in Palestine, Egypt, and Lebanon; it transcends the artificial borders that were drawn and redrawn during and after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. It reminds me of my own connections to Syria. My great-grandmother was born in Damascus; another ancestor was its governor.

ivind Haug

ivind Haug

Much of my family in this part of the world now lives in Arnavutkoy and Bebek, two tranquil, moneyed neighborhoods that creep up from the Bosphorus into the hills. The colorful wood houses and fishing boats bobbing on the water take me straight back to the '90slong, hot afternoons filled with walks to the ice cream parlor with my dad and great-uncle Korkut, who owned a talking parrot, and evenings spent running around with my cousins while the adults drank wine and smoked on the terrace of the family home.

I go to Arnavutkoy to visit jewelry designer Rafael Indiana Cemo Cetin at his studio, a beautiful appointment-only space inside an old Ottoman building with high ceilings and kilims thrown casually over wood floorboards. Cetin, who starts his mornings by jumping into the Bosphorus for a swim (like in the Amalfi), recently moved back to Istanbul to start his own brand after a stint as a filmmaker in New York. He bases his designs, which have already been picked up by cult label Maryam Nassir Zadeh, on ancient coins he finds in the underbelly of the Grand Bazaar. He has these discoveries engraved by an artisan in Adana, where my dad played as a child, near the epicenter of the 2023 quake. One piece of jewelry goes through a life of processes, he says.

Later I have my drinks date with Dilber and my cousin at Bebek Hotel by the Stay, a beloved (and recently spruced-up) 1950s property on the water. The early-fall weather is pleasantly cool, a breeze carrying the call to prayer below the hum of party boats. Inevitably we drink too much, and Dilber and I end up running late for dinner with her boyfriend, Fatih Tutak, who has promised to walk us through the menu at his new restaurant, Gallada, on the roof of the Peninsula. Rush hour traffic is at a standstill, so Dilber calls a water taxi. Suddenly we're flying along the Bosphorus, icons like the Dolmabahce Palace flashing past us. Our driver keeps one hand on the wheel and the other on his phone. This is how you get to dinner Istanbul-style.

ivind Haug

ivind Haug

The 39-year-old Tutak, whose Gallada is the only two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Turkey, has brought many traditional Turkish recipes into a fine-dining setting for the first time. His debut restaurant, Turk Fatih Tutak, opened in 2019 to great acclaim, so Gallada has been majorly hyped. Dinner is a glitzy Istanbul night out with a crowd to match, the food an adventurous fusion of familiar Turkish flavors with far-flung ones that Tutak discovered during restaurant stints across Asia. It's part ode to the Silk Road, part nod to the Peninsula's long history in Hong Kong. No good Turkish meal is complete without lamb, and there's plenty of it here, from the shashlk kebab sprinkled with shavings of vinegar-soaked red onion to my favorite, the Adana kebab dumpling, an unexpected play on a classic southern dish, grilled on an open mangal, which my dad grew up eating. There are other memorable bites, like tiny skinless tomatoes soaked in yuzu that we pop into our mouths like candy and a warm Medjool-date cake soaked with masala tea.

I ask Tutak about his approach to the cuisine of his homeland. After traveling around Turkey for a few months, he told me, he found himself drawn to what he describes as regional multiculturalism. The food can change here within just two kilometers, he explains as he refills my wine glass, a tattoo peeking from his sleeve. The same dish can be cooked in different villages, in the same region, in completely different styles. The world still has no fucking clue about Turkish cuisine. I'm only just discovering it right now! The more I travel around Turkey, the more I learn.

ivind Haug

ivind Haug

Sanayi, an industrial neighborhood filled with old car-repair shops, feels a long way from the buzz of Gallada. In recent years an artist community has taken hold there, and Enis Karavil, a well-groomed interior designer in his 30s, has offered to take me on a tour of its studio spaces. Each appears to be in as much flux as Istanbul itself, crowded with vast work-in-progress sculptures and chaotically stacked canvases as well as unexpected pockets of quietude; in a pottery studio a dog snoozes peacefully next to a wood-burning stove. Eventually we reach Sanayi313, the black-lacquered concept store and gallery that Karavil owns with his brother, Amir, where we eat lunch among thrifted antiques and the store's own furniture designs. As we part ways, Karavil splashes me with a dash of Etem Ruhi cologne, a fragrance introduced over a century ago by a local haberdasher and recently resurrected. It's a characteristically Turkish gesture, I later learn, when hosting guests at your home.

My next stop is Marsel Delights, a Bomonti shop and tasting room that specializes in lokum. Its proprietor, Selim Cenkel, is eager to convince me that there is more to lokum than kitschy storefronts slinging powdery pistachio flavors to tourists. His small team produces 100 kilos of the stuff here each day, in flavors like sour cherry, rose with blackberries, and mastic, a type of tree resin. These are flavor profiles that come from the richness of the region's products, says Cenkel. Like Dilber, he saw an opportunity to reinvent a Turkish product that had been virtually unchanged for centuriesno easy feat in a country that can be deeply conservative about its heritage. You can't touch tradition, he says. People think that you're out of your mind to modify it.

But Cenkel has, and the results are fantastic. In the back, he shares a wasabi concoction made for the Istanbul Nobu, followed by something a bit more classic: pomegranate with raspberry and sumac. The sweet, chewy cubes encapsulate modern Turkey. After years of working, I wanted to do something from scratch, he says. But I wanted it to be linked to my culture.

ivind Haug

ivind Haug

We're all searching for those links. I spent one morning wandering the Cukurcuma district of Beyoglu, popping into tiny junk shops to sift through piles of old postcards and vintage ashtrays. I paused to pet a stray cat and realized, in a moment of kismet, that I was outside Orhan Pamuk's Museum of Innocence. It's a companion piece to the Nobel Prizewinning author's novel of the same name, which charts its protagonist's obsession with building a repository of memories to honor his first loveand the bygone city where they met. Housed in a tiny 19th-century building, it is a fictional museum of life in Istanbul.

Inside, I couldn't believe how familiar the photographs on display felt: men and women who looked and dressed like the grandparents, great-uncles, and great-aunts in the black-and-white images that fill my parents' house. The sheer quantity of the pictures, hung alongside movie posters and trinkets and matchboxes, reminded me of my dad's collection of his own memories of Turkey: thick albums of family snapshots; the EP he played drums on with his high school band. What I'd always seen as an idiosyncrasy suddenly looked like a cultural trait. It turned out I'd had the answers about my roots all along. I'd grown up surrounded by themjust as my father had intended.

Where to stay

The Peninsula Istanbul which took over a collection of century-old buildings along the Bosphorus last year, wows with its grand Bauhaus-era lobby, rooftop restaurant by two-Michelin-starred chef Fatih Tutak, and sleek interiors by Zeynep Fadlloglu, who also designed Istanbul's carbon-neutral Sakirin Mosque. True to Peninsula form, the 177 rooms and suites come with monochromatic palettes of black and cream, thick Tai Ping carpets, and next-level tech. The spa has a marble hammam. More historic is Cragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul. First built as a gift for a 17th-century sultan's daughter, it remains an opulent oasis of plush red velvet, gilded details, and marble. And the recently renovated Bebek Hotel by the Stay, farther down the water, has suites done up in jewel tones that overlook the water.

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Where to eat and drink

High up in a 1960s villa in the hills above waterside Bebek, Arkestra recently won its first Michelin star. The downstairs restaurant is pure Mad Men, with mahogany-paneled walls and brown leather banquets, while a new, second dining room is more showy, with cherry-red drapery and mirrored walls. After enjoying small plates like grilled baby squid and beef sandos, guests can visit a listening room for cocktails and local DJs. For more classic food, Karakoy Lokantas has some of the best mezze; locals go at lunchtime for a spread of dolma, lamb kofte, and stuffed artichokes in olive oil. Blue-tiled Pandeli, inside the Egyptian Bazaar, was awarded a Bib Gourmand by Michelin in 2022 for its mezze and smartly comforting dishes like spicy wood-fired chicken.

Where to shop

Istanbul shopping is all about craftsmanship and local designers. Midnight carries cutting-edge womenswear and menswear labels along with a curated jewelry collection. In bohemian Cukurcuma, A La Turca stocks handwoven kilims, each sourced and restored by owner Erkal Aksoy, in addition to ceramics and antiques. At Marsel Delights in the Bomonti district, proprietors Selim Cenkel and Tugce Cenkel specialize in tradition-bending, produce-driven lokum (a.k.a. Turkish delight), in flavors like sour cherry or mastic. They also sell a small range of lace placemats and ceramic evil eyes.

This article appeared in the September/October 2024 issue of Conde Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here.

Originally Appeared on Conde Nast Traveler
Dionysus enthroned between a bacchant and a faun in a 1924 fresco by Antonio Maria Morera in the Great Hall of the Enological School, Conegliano, Veneto, Italy. DEA/V. GIANNELLA/De Agostini/Getty Images

If a Google search for "Dionysus" brought you here rather than to information on the hit song from South Korean K-pop megastars BTS, whoops! But also, welcome  let's find out why the ancient Greek god Dionysus has inspired artists to sing his praises.

"Dionysus is a complex god," Richard P. Martin, Antony and Isabelle Raubitschek professor in classics at Stanford University, says via email. "He has the power to transport his worshippers into religious ecstasy, and to drive his opponents into ritual madness. He seems to come from outside and to invade the consciousness."

That's probably primarily due to his connection with wine and its effects, from the very first mild and pleasant buzz it gives you to the wretched morning-afters when you have too much. Read on to learn more about the grape-loving Greek god.

1. He Symbolizes Wine and All Things Wine-related

In Greek mythology, Dionysus is the god of fertility and wine. But mostly, he's all about the vino.

"Dionysus introduced viticulture to Greece," Martin says. "Ancient Greeks knew about, wrote about, and did innumerable vase paintings of all of those situations. In fact, we still have pots of the sort used in drinking parties ('symposia') that show wild dancing, energetic celebration, and even young guys vomiting as someone holds their head."

The Greeks were keenly conscious of how you should keep control and what can happen when you don't. They had a number of myths related to wild creatures like satyrs and centaurs who crave wine but can't always handle it. These semi-human creatures go nuts and try to steal brides at weddings or start huge fights and so forth.

The message in these myths is: Be human, not semi-human, when it comes to drinking.

One of Dionysus' Roman names, Liber Pater, is also now the name of the most expensive wine in the world  no doubt in honor of the god's legacy.

2. He Has Two Sides. On One Hand, He's a Ton of Fun ...

Dionysus is known for having something of a dual personality: He brings joy, ecstasy and merriment, but also delivers "brutal and blinding rage."

He's the only god who can get you to join in ecstatic dance and make you raise a ritual cry of horror just as easily. So, in a sense, he represents all the possible side effects of overindulgence.

For instance, a marble sarcophagus found at New York City's The Met depicts Dionysus ushering in the joy of each season. The National Archaeological Museum in Greece shows him peacefully enamored with the nature around him. Many stories about the god depict him as a fun-loving party animal or proto-hippie, but that's just his good side.

"He's more than a symbol, which implies a kind of bloodless or over-intellectual pigeonholing; instead, he was a deeply felt personal and social reality for the ancient Greeks," Martin says. "He's associated with joy and terror, at once, which is why he always appeals to artists, philosophers and poets who are interested in the boundaries of consciousness and how emotions work. Friedrich Nietzsche, in his final months of madness, would occasionally sign letters 'Dionysos.'"

3. ... On the Other Hand, He's Totally Terrifying

The scariest stories are about what happens to people who resist Dionysus and his ecstatic bands of worshippers  usually female, called Bacchae or Bacchants, after his name in Roman literature, Bacchus  when they come to town spreading the god's special ritual practices.

"The Athenian dramatist Euripides wrote the most compelling depiction," Martin says of a tragic play produced in the late fifth century B.C.E. "In the drama, the young king of Thebes (named Pentheus) in Greece feels threatened by a mysterious visitor  Dionysus in disguise  who has come back to his own birthplace. He thinks the stranger is up to no good, seducing women. But at the same time he's fascinated by the new worship and spies on the ecstatic women as they celebrate the god"

He continues, "All of a sudden, he's caught  the women are driven to a frenzy, and they turn from tearing apart small animals to actually hunting Pentheus. They tear him limb from limb and his mother in a Dionysus-induced madness carries his head off, thinking she has slain a lion. So Pentheus and the Theban are punished for having resisted the idea that the local boy was really a powerful god."

As is the case with many Greek gods, the morale of the story is: Don't doubt the gods; you won't like them when they're angry.

4. He Has Two Different Birth Stories

Zeus managed to impregnate the mortal Semele with Dionysus. There was just one problem: Zeus was married to someone else besides Semele, and her name was Hera (you know, the head honcho of all Greek goddesses).

While other gods had plenty of dalliances outside of wedlock, Zeus was perhaps the premier philanderer on top of Mount Olympus.

"Hera, always jealous of his many affairs, visited Semele in disguise and convinced her to put Zeus to the test (implying that her lover was really just an ordinary man in disguise  the same motif as later crops up in this story)," Martin says. "So Semele begged Zeus to come to her showing himself as he really was  and he did, in the form of a lightning bolt. He incinerated her on the spot."

There's no doubt that's harsh. But even if he killed his son's mortal parent, he didn't want to lose his semi-divine son. He snatched the infant Dionysus from her womb and completed the growth process by sewing him into his own thigh.

Another version of the myth gives the god a different mother: Persephone. While his love for frivolity may not make him the most likely offspring for the queen of the Underworld, Dionysus knew his way around Hades' domain, no matter who his mother might have been.

5. He Was Also the God of Theater

"The most important to my mind is that he was the god of theater," Martin says. "You can still walk through the ancient Theater of Dionysus, built right next to an old shrine of his, on the southern slopes of the Acropolis in Athens."

How are drama (which the Greeks after all invented  both comedy and tragedy  related to the god of wine? It seems to have to do with masking and disguise, and of going out of your own self  whether by drinking or dressing up  into a fictional otherworld. It's not an accident that 'ecstasy' comes from the Greek ekstasis  and that the ultimate and wild 'outsider' god can cause it in those who worship him."

Now That's Interesting



Great Dionysia, also known as City Dionysia, was an ancient dramatic festival that's said to be the origin site for tragedy, comedy and satyric drama. The festival was held every March in Athens in honor of Dionysus.

Original article: Dionysus Was the Greek God With a Dual Personality

Copyright  2024 HowStuffWorks, a division of InfoSpace Holdings, LLC, a System1 Company
When it came to building a list of the greatest cities to visit in the summer, there's no way Copenhagen wouldn't be on that list. After our first visit to a Copenhagen Pro contest many years ago, we discovered all the rumors were true: The place is a skateboarding utopia. You can bicycle all over the city, everyone's out and in a great mood, there's Christiania, there're canals to swim in, and it stays light until 11p.m.

Word quickly spread, CPH Pro turned into CPH Open, skate jams and contests were held all over the city, and every skateboarder in the world tried to make the trek to Denmark every summer.

For this mini doc, we tapped CPH's own Simon Weyhe and Goodwind Studio to tell their story and they did an incredible job. Support CPH Skatepark and everything they do.

More from our Cities of the Summer series:

Related: The Best Skateboarding Cities of the Summer: San Diego is one of them
Get an inside look at the evolution of Counter-, Charlottes most creative restaurant

When you walk in the door at Counter-, youll want to do so with an open mind and an adventurous palate.

Staff members decked out in earpieces and pristine white sneakers will take the lead, navigating your way to your table around floor-to-ceiling black drapery marking off sections of the restaurant.

Its not an experience youll find anywhere else in Charlotte. But its not fussy, and its not stuffy.

Instead, youll find a place dedicated to pushing the limits of the culinary craft. Its a place where the staff reduces 100 watermelons into 1 gallon of juice and spends months blackening apples. A place where every detail of the experience is carefully arranged, with the perfect selected stemware at the ready for each sip and rotating, hand-picked utensils perched on a spoon rest for each bite.

As you take your seat, ground yourself for the culinary experience youre about to undertake.

On the walls at Counter-, youll find work from local artists thats available to purchase.

You see, its not the kind of high-end restaurant where you sit down and order from a menu of steak or seafood. At Counter-, you make reservations for themes  each offering a tasting menu that tells a story, paired with music meant to evoke your senses. You might find a nod to a familiar dish, but it will be entirely reinvented in a way you hadnt envisioned. Expect to pay $250 per person for dinner  or $150 per person at lunch  prices built to pay staff competitively and provide benefits without tips.

Nothing is static at Counter-, a brainchild of chef Sam Hart built on the idea of stretching creativity and changing over time. As you can taste a different theme each time you visit the seventh-generation Charlotteans creation, youll find that the restaurant itself has evolved in the few years that its been open, too.

Chef Sam Hart of Counter-.

Counter- opened in 2020 on Thrift Road, then moved to a new space on West Morehead Street in 2022. It shared space in the new building with wine bar Biblio, an innovative concept where you selected wine, then matched food to it  instead of the other way around. But Biblio closed in late 2023, making way for Counter- to further spread its wings. Were at Counter- 3.0 now and counting.

When the team from CharlotteFive visited, we were invited for a special edition of Counter-s RMS Titanic menu, arranged by Visit Jacksonville, that seamlessly incorporated seasonings and flavors from growers and purveyors in Jacksonville, Florida.

Counter- offers beverage pairings with each tasting menu from its deep stock of wines and spirits: spirit free, a global pairing, the absurd pairing or the insanity pairing.

What to expect at Counter-

Sommerlier Jaime Alicea starts off the evening with your selection of beverage pairing, whether that be the spirit free option or a global wine pairing carefully matched to each course. Upgrades to higher-end absurd and insanity pairings are also available.

Soon after the first drinks are poured, Hart, a finalist for the James Beard Awards Best Chef Southeast distinction, arrives at your table to start off the meal with hors deoeuvres.

Most of the fruits and vegetables you see tonight come from within a three-hour drive of this restaurant, Hart announced, before starting off his Titanic tales.

Hors doeuvres at Counter-.

Throughout the night, Hart, Alicea and the chefs visiting your table intertwine stories of how the food and drinks placed before you fit into the story being told  but well let you find out those fine details for yourself so as not to spoil the surprise for those awaiting a reservation.

[KEEP READING: Every Charlotte area chef, restaurant ever nominated for a James Beard Award.]

The food and drink

Each course is plated in a vessel tailored to that particular dish, although its possible that no two visits will be exactly alike. Gorgeous glimpses of the RMS Titanic themes menu via Instagram appear to vary from our experience as one particular dish was plated, the other nestled in a toureen. Accouterments and accents also may slightly fluctuate.

In the pause between courses, youll soak in the music. More than once, the diners in our party shifted conversation to the instrumental music filling the room, wondering aloud if they were hearing songs from the soundtrack of Bridgerton, another historical reference made modern.

Grilled mutton chop of the RMS Titanic menu at Counter-.

As you hear the descriptions and taste each course, youll notice that no bite is ordinary. In the salmon with mousseline course, dill is used not once or twice but four ways. In the soused halibut course, a variety of summer melons are infused with a medley of flavors, topped in watermelon and lime foam and paired with the accompanying grilled halibut, lacquered in watermelon molasses. Hart and their team have even entirely reinvented Chicken a la Maryland  a dish originally built from a pairing of chicken with gravy and bananas (yes, thats somehow correct).

Counter-s take on Chicken a la Maryland.

While most of my dinner companions left a bit on their plates here and there, I ate every single bite placed in front of me and scraped up every drop of sauce. I even sneaked in an additional fork full of the bread courses house-made butter, topped with saffron threads and flaky sea salt.

This bread pairing at Counter- included handcrafted butter, topped with sea salt and saffron threads.

I also drank every drop of the perfectly matched global wine pairing, leading to the kind of morning the next day where those of us who dont bounce back quite as quickly as we did in our youth might want to start off with a Gatorade Zero and a dose of Advil. (I have no regrets.)

The HMS Titanic dessert course includes a buffet of small bites.

On your way out or before, youll want to visit the restroom, if for no other reason than to marvel at how well stocked it is  hospitality at its finest. In fact, the facilities even got a recent shoutout in the Charlotte Foodies Facebook group. The basket of individually folded hand towels shows off Counter-s dedication to sustainability, while a well-stocked cart holds everything you could possibly need  and more. A Tide pen, eyeglass wipes, hair ties and Q-tips are at the ready, along with pads, tampons, mints and hairspray.

Counter- is located at 2001 W Morehead St., Suite D, next to Legion Brewing Morehead.

Location: 2001 W Morehead St., Suite D, Charlotte, NC 28208

Cuisine: Tasting menu

Instagram: @counterclt

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While we're still waiting with bated breath for the Snack Wrap's rumored comeback at McDonald's, the golden-arched fast food joint was casually paving the way for another return: the beloved Chicken Big Mac.

The decadent sandwich previously won over fans across the UK and Australia before it was unexpectedly pulled from menus due to supply issues. But now, according to food blogger Snackolator, the Chicken Big Mac is joining US stores sometime in 2024 after a trial run in Miami in 2022.

"McDonald's is *finally* bringing the Chicken Big Mac to the US this year," he wrote on Instagram, alongside a promotional photo of the sandwich. The Chicken Big Mac is also exactly what it sounds like: a Big Mac with the beef patties swapped out for two tempura chicken patties instead, the Snackolator reports.



The company's CEO Chris Kempczinski teased its return in a video just earlier this year, however, he did not specify the exact launch date.

"The chicken [is] gonna start to give [the traditional Big Mac] a run for its money," Kempczinski said in his own Instagram taste test. "[It has the] same build, so youll recognize. We still have three buns, we still have all the lettuce and cheese and of course the McDonalds Big Mac sauce, but we now have two chicken patties."

While describing the sandwich, he called it "really good" and raved about the crisp chicken patties. "One of the things I did like about this Chicken Big Mac is the crunchiness of the chicken. The Big Mac sauce works great with it," he says, before adding that you shouldn't choose just one. "Choose to buy both. You get a little bit more crunch with [the Chicken Big Mac] but you can't beat the beef you get with our original."

Customers were certainly excited about the return. "Chicken Big Mac! Lets go," one user commented on social media. "Omg need rn," another chimed in.

"This oughta be a good one!" a third person said.

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HEFEI, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Dong Yunhu, a former senior legislator of Shanghai, on Wednesday was sentenced to life imprisonment for receiving bribes.

Dong, former secretary of the leading Party members' group of the Standing Committee of Shanghai Municipal People's Congress and former chairman of the committee, was also deprived of political rights for life. His personal property will be confiscated, and his illegal gains from bribery will be recovered and turned over to the state treasury, according to the sentence of the Intermediate People's Court of Hefei, Anhui Province.

The court found that Dong had taken undue advantage of his various posts to provide assistance to various organizations and individuals in matters such as financing and loans, land transfers, business operations, and personnel arrangements. In return, he illegally accepted money and valuables worth more than 148 million yuan (about 20.8 million U.S. dollars).

The court also noted that Dong had been cooperative in the investigation and in returning the illegal gains, which had been recovered in full. These facts were taken into consideration when handing down the sentence. 
Michael February is in Morocco and thats all we need to know. Photo: Spearhead Unlimited

Mikeys in Morocco. Thats just about all the backstory we get for the latest surf edit from Michael February, entitled MOROCCO (SIDE A).

The video starts with a closeup of a man working a potters wheel, juxtaposed with quick shots of churning barrels off the North African coast. From there, February lets his surfing do the talking, and it has quite a lot to say. What follows is five minutes of the boundary-breaking South African surfer nimbly dancing over waves with breakneck speed and his signature effortless style.

The video is the first of three installments, to be released every Tuesday in the coming weeks. The film was produced by Februarys company Spearhead Unlimited and directed by Ian Thurtell.

The post Michael February Is in Morocco for New Surf Edit Series first appeared on The Inertia.
Its a bad year for mosquito-borne illnesses: Mosquitoes carrying Eastern equine encephalitis have prompted people in Massachusetts to stay indoors at night. Dr. Anthony Fauci was recently hospitalized with West Nile virus, while one New Hampshire man was fighting for his life after testing positive for three mosquito-borne illnesses, including both EEE and West Nile. More than 20 travelers have returned to the U.S. from Cuba with Oropouche, or "sloth fever." And record numbers of dengue fever cases are spreading globally, including in Puerto Rico and other parts of the U.S. Experts say the surge in human diseases spread by the insects is due, in part, to climate change. But that doesnt mean youre powerless against the bugs and the infections they carry.

Find out more about the diseases that mosquitoes are spreading and why  and how to stay safe from their potentially infectious bites.

What illnesses are mosquitoes spreading in the U.S.?

Mosquitoes carry multiple diseases that they can spread to humans, according to the World Health Organization. Some of these primarily affect other countries  especially those in the global south  but several are pressing issues in the U.S. Thats especially true this summer. Some making headlines in the U.S. this year include:

 West Nile virus is the most common mosquito-borne illness in the U.S. It can cause fever, headaches, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea and a rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Most people bitten by a West Nile-carrying mosquito never develop symptoms. People over 60 and those with underlying health conditions including diabetes are at a greater risk of getting severely ill and requiring hospitalization. Last month, Fauci spent nearly a week being treated in-hospital for the virus, though hes now recovering at home, a spokesperson told the Washington Post. Fauci is one of 659 people in the U.S. infected with West Nile virus this year, according to the CDC. Of those, 452 people have had infections that progressed to affect their spinal cords or brains. If the disease reaches this stage, survivors can suffer long-term fatigue and other neurological issues.

 Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) is caused by a virus that infects animals including horses (hence the name) and birds, primarily in eastern U.S. states. Mosquitoes that bite these infected animals and then bite humans can transmit the virus to us.

EEE causes flu-like symptoms, including fever, body aches and, most importantly, headache. The headache (and sometimes neck ache) that comes with the infection is a sign of the third E: encephalitis, or brain swelling. Some people may also develop confusion or can even fall into a coma, Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, chief of the infectious diseases division at Brigham and Womens Hospital, tells Yahoo Life. He adds that the disease is perhaps the most concerning mosquito-borne illness in the U.S., because about a third of infected people die, and many who recover have long-term neurological issues, according to the CDC.

Fortunately, its a rare infection, says Kuritzkes. Some seasons we [in Massachusetts] might have just one or no cases; others, a dozen or half a dozen. But the problem is that its a highly lethal infection. So far this year, 10 cases have been reported in the U.S. One individual in New Hampshire has died of EEE, officials there said on Aug. 27, while the September death of a New York resident prompted Gov. Kathy Hochul to declare EEE an imminent public threat. There are no effective vaccines or antivirals to treat EEE, so doctors can only provide supportive care, Kuritzkes adds.

 Dengue fever is a virus carried by mosquitoes that live primarily in tropical and subtropical areas, according to the World Health Organization. The disease is most prevalent in South America, Central America, Southeast Asia and in the Caribbean and Pacific islands. Its also a major issue in Puerto Rico, which declared a state of emergency over the disease this year. The CDC also issued a warning about dengue amid an unusually high number of infections (almost all of which were related to travel) this spring and summer.

Like West Nile, symptoms of dengue fever include a high fever, headache, body aches, nausea and a rash. Up to 400 million people are infected with dengue annually, and there are no specific treatments or vaccines (though rest, fluids and acetaminophen help), the CDC says. However, most cases are asymptomatic and its rarely lethal, according to the WHO.

 Oropouche virus, aka "sloth fever," is transmitted by tiny biting flies called midges, and some types of mosquitoes can carry the virus too. The virus primarily spreads among animals including birds, rodents, monkeys and sloths. Humans can get Oropouche from the bites of mosquitoes that previously bit infected animals. The virus commonly causes fever, headache, joint aches and a rash. Less commonly, people can develop neurological symptoms, including eye pain, dizziness or light sensitivity, but the disease is rarely fatal, according to the CDC.

Oropouche virus isn't present in U.S. animals, so mosquitoes here aren't spreading it. But the CDC issued a warning in August that doctors should be on the lookout for possible infections in travelers, after more than 21 cases of the virus in travelers coming back from Cuba were reported to officials.

Why are mosquito-borne illnesses on the rise?

Experts blame three main factors: warmer weather, wetter climates and the ever-expanding human habitat. Mosquito-borne infections are emerging or reemerging due to a confluence of climate change and urbanization and the ones were seeing now are only a start, Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of the Texas Childrens Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, tells Yahoo Life.

Mosquitoes breed in warm, still water. So the more it rains and the higher the temperatures climb, the more the bugs see a population boom. And with more development (and travel) near the marshes and swamps mosquitoes prefer, people are bound to get bit.

Thats why Kuritzkes suspects EEE is back in Massachusetts following the states particularly wet spring and summer. For dengue, on the other hand, he thinks that immunity rates have fallen cyclically, leaving more people vulnerable to infection this year than last.

4 ways to protect yourself

Drain any standing water. For example, dont let water collect in unused flowerpots, pools or pool covers, and change birdbath water frequently. Those items provide a perfect place for mosquitoes to breed. Dawn or dusk? Dont go out. Thats what Massachusetts health officials asked people in 10 communities to do (the state is also spraying pesticide to try to kill the infectious pests). The types of mosquitoes that are most likely to transmit EEE in the region are most active during sunrise and sunset. Dress in long pants and sleeves. If you have to be outside amid mosquito season (from late spring to early fall), covering up as much as possible can protect you from the bites of potentially infected mosquitoes. Legs may be particularly vulnerable to dengue-carrying mosquitoes, which are very skittish and adept at hovering around people, looking for the perfect opportunity to land and take a quick bite, Chad Huff, a public information officer with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, previously told Yahoo Life. Often, they choose to gravitate towards the lower legs and ankles where they are less likely to draw attention or a slap. So you might want to take extra care to cover and protect your lower body. DEET yourself. Make sure to spray yourself with mosquito repellent when youre going outside, advises Kuritzkes. Take particular care to spray any exposed skin not covered up with the long pants and sleeves, ideally with a repellent containing the safe and highly effective chemical DEET, he adds.

This article was originally published on Aug. 26 and has been updated.
Planning a Labor Day weekend getaway? Your destination may be hot and humid. What to know

if you're planning to skip out of town for the Labor Day holiday weekend, you may need to prepare for your destination to have hot, humid and perhaps rainy weather.

While you're booking last-minute Labor Day flights, here's what you need to know about the weather before you pack and depart for your Labor Day vacation.

It'll be hot, rainy across most of Mid-Atlantic over Labor Day weekend

For those traveling along the East Coast, AccuWeather is warning of a cold front moving in from the Appalachian mountains early this weekend, which could lead to thunderstorms in the Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions.

Know before you go: It will be rainy and hot for the majority of the country over the Labor Day holiday weekend, which could impact your travel plans.

"While there will be rain-free episodes on Saturday and Sunday that allow some outdoor activities, a small number of the storms that erupt can be severe, with strong gusts of wind and flooding downpours," read AccuWeather's Labor Day outlook. "Enough rain can fall to flood roads in some communities, while gusty winds can break tree limbs, toss canopies and lead to sporadic power outages.

"The showers and thunderstorms in the East will be most widespread and intense in the afternoon and evening, although there may be some exceptions."

AccuWeather also advised that Gulf Coast and states on the lower East Coast could see severe thunderstorms throughout Labor Day weekend, which could impact your plans if traveling to Florida or other destinations to the south.

Midwest, West Coast, ideal weather destinations for Labor Day travel

The weather is looking good, if not a bit warm, if you're planning on traveling to California, Mexico or other major destinations in the Midwest or on the West Coast.

"Much of the Rockies to the Pacific coast will be rain-free from Friday through Monday. There will be some trouble spots due to afternoon and evening thunderstorms that erupt in portions of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah at the start of the weekend that will expand northward by Monday," read AccuWeather's Labor Day weather alert. "Typical late-summer heat will have the biggest impact on tens of millions over the interior West, with temperatures that run up to several degrees above the historical average."

Damon C. Williams is a Philadelphia-based journalist reporting on trending topics across the Mid-Atlantic Region.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Labor Day holiday could be hot, humid, depending on destination
Daniel Wright Jr. experienced a breakthrough in his mental health thanks to a doodle he made that later turned into a tattoo business offering free ink for veterans.

Wright, a Purple Heart recipient and a retired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant, received in-patient treatment in 2013 for post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety.

"I wasn't participating with them because I didn't trust them," Wright tells TODAY.com of his care team.

He eventually decided to start doodling during sessions to pass the time.

"Next thing you know, they were like the meeting is over. And I'm like, 'OK, that's crazy. It went by so fast.' And they were like, 'Today was a great day for you. You were talking. You were expressing yourself.' I found out the whole time I was drawing, I was talking and engaging with the people," Wright recalls.

After he completed his in-patient care, Wright says he went to get a tattoo. He had a good experience with the artist, who was also a friend who encouraged him to become a tattoo artist.

"Maybe I can do this," Wright remembers thinking to himself. "I knew (that) I knew how to draw. I've been drawing since I was probably 2 years old. I bought a little kit. Never turned around."

Wright has more than 100 tattoos himself and has given out thousands to people across the country to advance his mission of bringing mental wellness through tattoos.

His business, Marzmade Mobile Tattoo Studio, is based in New Jersey. He has a parlor in his home and a converted bus he uses to bring tattoos to people. He's also on TV, with appearances in "Power Book III: Raising Kanan" and "Black Ink Crew: Chicago."

Wright is among a cohort of veterans living with PTSD and anxiety. A 2024 study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research estimated that 3 in 10 U.S. veterans report anxiety symptoms. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, that 7% of veterans experience PTSD at some point in their lives.

For fellow veterans, Wright offers free tattoos so they can experience the lightbulb moment he did through art. He has given away more than 1,000 tattoos to them.

"I saw the correlation of tattooing and trauma, and I know about the trauma we have, especially when we get out," Wright says. "I have tattoos over battle scars, and I've also tattooed over battle scars."

Wright says most of the veterans he inks get tattoos in honor of their military service, and they trade war stories during the session.

I can talk to you about the things youre going through because Ive been through it ... as well as giving you a dope tattoo, he adds.

Wrights approach is clinically sound, experts say.

Daniel Wright tattooing a client.

'Reintegrate that painful memory'

Chase Cassine, a licensed clinical social worker in New Orleans who has worked with veterans, describes Wright's work as "reintegration through tattoo therapy."

"This is beneficial to both the tattoo artist and the person receiving the tattoo," Cassine tells TODAY.com

"The tattoo is a symbol. The tattoo can also symbolize being a part of a group, being a part of a status, being able to commemorate a memory. But, also in that memory may be (another) painful memory. So you talk about what has happened and you can reintegrate that painful memory to a meaningful memory as a way to take back your power," Cassine explains.

Tattoo therapy with Wright was particularly effective for Matt Davies, a Navy veteran who received a tattoo from Wright in 2020. Davies, who lives with PTSD, says he previously saw licensed therapists whom he did not find helpful.

It felt more comfortable to talk with Daniel about the things that had happened to me than ... with a licensed therapist because most therapists that you go to with the VA have no military background, so youre speaking one language and theyre speaking another, Davies says.

It does get frustrating when youre trying to convey what is happening, and youre using terms that only a service member would use, Davis adds. This makes the ability to talk about it so much easier.

Daniel Wright (left) made a new memory with Matt Davies (right) during their tattoo session.

'Mimicking wartime adrenaline'

There's also the physical side of getting a tattoo that helps, Wright and Cassine say.

"In the process of (getting) that tattoo, your adrenaline is so high that it's mimicking wartime adrenaline," Wright says. "When you were in wartime, you saw things. You smelled things. You heard things. Just think about it like this lid was opened and all of these smells and sensory things were put into your jar, and then it closed when you left wartime. And you've never had that much adrenaline to open it up again. I'm giving you that adrenaline to open a jar, and we're talking about it to help release it."

Davies says tattoo therapy helped him unlock "answers" he hadn't previously known.

When I went to meet with Daniel, we started talking about our time in the service, which led into a deeper conversation as to the things that we miss, the traumas that are associated with being in the service and also acclimating to life outside of the military, Davies says.

I believe my session was around five hours long, and we talked the entire time. It was very profound because I was able to finally feel like I got answers and not feel so alone or isolated with my feelings, Davies adds.

Matt Davies showing off the free tattoo that Daniel Wright, Jr. gave him.

Raising awareness of tattoo therapy

Wright mainly uses social media and digital platforms to advertise the free tattoos that he offers veterans. He has interested veterans enter a raffle and the winner gets the tattoo.

Davies says social media is how he heard about Wright. Davies won the raffle and they hit if off from there.

Cassine says tattoo therapy is a novel way to have impactful mental health conversations that actually land with the person.

"It may not be traditional, and sometimes we've got to get out of that framework, too. They have found therapeutic ways to help them cope with stress, with faith, with love, with trauma  tattoo therapy, speaking therapy, all these different things," Cassine says.

There are other shops offering tattoo therapy, such as Tattoo Therapy BK and Therapy Ink NYC.

But Wright appears to be one of the only artists offering free tattoos for veterans.

Everybody says the military is a band of brothers and sisters, and that is true, Wright says. But, when you get out or retire, its like youre out of sight, out of mind. Everybody forgets about you. Its not the same camaraderie you had every day. And that is one of the biggest traumas we deal with. I started bridging that gap."

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
I was starry eyed and ambitious after completing my MBA. I took a job in the construction industry as a budget manager. Id envisioned myself as a CEO some day, and planned to hit the ground running.

I figured thered always be jobs in construction, and there was a forecast for enormous growth in the industry, so why not? My job entailed sitting in on production meetings for our Florida division.

One recurring meeting involved Matt, a 510 city boy in his mid 30s, with slicked back black hair. He was a nice enough guy and we got along. Hed grown up wealthy, his family owning a New York based train company. But he wasnt spoiled or lazy by any means.

His boss, Rick, was a moody, but very competent man in his 50s. He spoke with a deep southern twang that came from his years living in rural Georgia. Ill add that hes the most difficult man Ive ever worked with. He was an HR nightmare, who made racist and sexist jokes on a regular basis.

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Rick was a testament to the problem presented to us in grad school: What do you do with a high performing jerk? Leaders said in our surveys, almost unanimously, that theyd fire them or severely reprimand them in the office.

Yet, in practice, when leaders find themselves with these same employees, who make them a ton of money, or add tremendous value, they are much more hesitant to even reprimand them. This was Rick.

And I was deeply concerned from the get go for Matts fortunes. Id seen Rick chew up employees and spit them out before. Thered already been a ton of turnover in his department.

Matt came by my cubicle a week before hed officially started under Rick. First, he was curious about a senior living facility hed been handed the reigns to constructing. The project, Tranquility Senior Living, was only 15% complete and was a complete disaster. Wed under budgeted the project from the get go. We couldnt find labor teams to work in that area of Florida. In the end, we had to put Miami-based labor teams in hotel rooms which was outrageously expensive.

In our internal monitoring programs, effectively the scorecards, which all the company's managers and executives saw, Tranquility Senior Living was lighting up in red like a Christmas tree. It was running late and over budget. There were safety issues all over the place. It failed an initial inspection. Theyd made a mistake and had to chip the concrete away to repair pipes.

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Our superintendent got into a verbal altercation with another trade team, and allegedly threatened to harm the other man physically. This led to the superintendent's firing (leaving us with an underqualified foreman acting as the superintendent).

Even worse, this altercation began because of an accusation of theft. Someone on this opposing trade team had allegedly stolen very valuable tools from our lockers, which we then had to spend a huge sum to replace.

Every possible thing, short of an employee dying, was going wrong when Matt stepped onto the project. The prior PM had been fired. Now, Matt was expected to step in and remedy everything within a few months.

And to make matters worse, Matt was going to be working for Rick, the most nitpicky, and unempathetic boss you could ever work for. Did I mention hes self-serving and petty?

For example, we had a company fishing outing where everyone had to pay a $40 entry fee. All 50 people paid to enter this contest. Can you guess who refused to pay after already taking part in the contest? Rick.

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So this is who Matt was dealing with: Someone with zero accountability. All mistakes were someone elses fault. All successes were his own.

The meetings started to go off the rails about three months into them. Rick started nitpicking everything Matt did. For example, he asked him hyper specific questions about floor 11s third bathroom.

Matt said, I dont know that answer off the top of my head. Id have to get back to you.

Rick raised his voice and berated Matt right in front of me, and several engineers and managers who were also sitting in on the meeting.

Then, Rick began blaming Matt for the hotel fees we were incurring to the tune of $5,000 per week. Which was outrageous because Matt inherited this problem. What else could Matt do? Build them a bunch of tents to sleep in? We were in a rural part of Florida. There were no skilled construction workers there.

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In fact, the local workers we brought in initially are the reason the project had so many problems. They were trunk slammers (a term for amateur trade workers who show up in their small cars with a box of tools in their trunk).

The problem started at the top  with our estimating and bidding team, who threw a completely unrealistic estimate to win us this job. It left us adrift without a paddle.

So each month, for month after month, I sat in on these progressively more ruthless meetings, as Matt got hazed by Rick in front of crowds of employees. It was cringeworthy. And sure, Matt made mistakes in this process too. He wasnt a perfect employee. But hed stepped in a massive hornets nest by saying yes to this project. I wouldnt wish his job on any of you.

Rick was repeatedly threatening to fire him, saying, You cant survive another write down (recognizing a further loss of profit on the balance sheet).

I met with him privately for a few minutes each week and gave him some advice on how to better manage his budget. I helped him cut costs where I could. But having experience managing projects, I knew he was set up to fail.

Then things changed

Allegedly, Matt was walking by the regional vice presidents office, who was Ricks boss. He overheard the boss saying, We may fire Matt if he doesnt clean things up by the end of the month.

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Now, I knew the RVP often said stuff like this, but didnt actually intend to follow through on it. They were just words.

But the damage was done. It was the final straw. Matt made a few phone calls, and got a new job by the end of week. We were in a construction boom and there was a shortage of project managers across the industry, and in our company.

And my-oh-my did things change after Matt put his two weeks notice in. Rick was suddenly having conversations with Matt trying to get him to stay. Then the RVP met with him and was having these drawn out conversations and said, I dont remember saying I planned on firing you. I hope youll stay.

Then, the chief operating officer invited Matt in for a talk. They suddenly thought Matt was this crucial employee.

I couldnt believe the about face I was seeing. If these executives cared so much about retaining their project managers, why did they walk all over Matt?

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Why? Because he was an easy scapegoat. Matts project was a bunch of red numbers on their balance sheet and they didnt want the heat to fall on them.

But sure enough, after another employee came to replace Matt, that project remained the same mess it was before, and actually got worse because the new guy had to decode the mess and start fresh.

Before Matt left, he stopped by to see me and say goodbye. I said, Good luck Matt. Im sorry things were so rough here. It was an informative experience for me as well. I learned that companies arent always that smart about managing their own people and projects. And when you fall on the wrong side of the fence, its best to start looking for a new job before things get worse.
Writer Greg Dickinson (second from left) embarked on a European odyssey with friends in the summer of 2008

It is one of lifes great rites of passage. Just like a first kiss, a first alcoholic beverage and the first time behind the wheel of a moving car, the first overseas holiday taken without parental company is one of the key stations on the journey towards full and functioning adulthood.

On the track behind you lie the innocent joys of early childhood. In front sit responsibility, gainful employment and foreign getaways that, horrifyingly, you have to pay for with your own cash. And on the platform where you suddenly find yourself, in a late stage of adolescence a giddy vision of escape, minus a paternal or maternal safety net  and the prospect of mishap and misadventure that such untethered travels can bring.

Such holidays have been in the headlines in the last few days, via the mild controversy surrounding television personality Kirstie Allsopp, and the revelation that her 15-year-old son has just returned from an interrailing jaunt around Europe. This snippet of silly-season reportage has come with a side order of melodrama, via the news that this elaborate odyssey  conducted with an older friend in tow  has pricked the ears of social services.

But leaving aside the questions of how young is too young when it comes to going abroad without family back-up, and whether a property-show presenter really needs to be dragged through the court of public opinion for apparently violating some sacred code of matriarchal conduct, our first forays on our own two feet do tend to make for funny tales.

Below, several members of the Telegraph Travel writing team reach back  some farther than others  into their own late-teenage wanderings, recalling the optimism, occasional foolishness and inevitable oops moments that come with being let off the holiday leash. No doubt you have your own anecdotes to share  please do so, in the comments below.

Id love to paint this as an enlightened Grand Tour, but it wasnt

Greg Dickinson, Senior Travel Writer

'The trip offered us a first taste of proper independence and taught us how to solve problems in daunting situations'

In upper sixth form, the post-exams rite of passage was to go on a boozy trip to shagaluf, but I went interrailing around Europe with three friends instead. Id love to paint this as an enlightened Grand Tour, but it wasnt. We called ourselves Team Sparkle (a Donnie Darko reference) and woke up covered in mosquito bites after a beach party on Venice Lido, were threatened by skinheads in Krakow and sat through an excruciating ping pong show in Amsterdam (ask no questions). When my friend, Nathan, ran out of money halfway through the trip, he flew home and called us from the job centre the next day.

But I wouldnt change a thing. The trip offered us a first taste of proper independence and taught us how to solve problems in daunting situations abroad. Now in our mid-30s, Team Sparkle are all fathers now, and we meet up every few years in new European locations (such as Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, France or Comporta, Portugal) to reminisce over that ridiculous summer of 2008.

Every babysitting shift represented a night in a Sydney hostel

Hazel Plush, freelance travel writer

Quite ridiculously, my first time travelling solo  properly solo, not staying with relatives or cadging a lift from my mum  was a nine-month trip across Africa, Australia and New Zealand. I flew out to Kenya as a recently turned 18-year-old, laughably naive to the ways of the world, let alone how to get from the airport to my hotel in hot, frenetic Nairobi. It wasnt actually the travelling that catapulted me into adulthood, but the working (and scrimping) that it took to get me there. Id been saving since I was a babysitter for my parents friends, squirrelling away every 20 note as it represented a night in a Sydney hostel.

I joined an overlanding trip across Africa, the youngest in the 30-strong group  my first sip of beer, my first proper boyfriend, my first sniff of weed (not all unrelated). The journey matured me, shifted my outlook, inspired my career  and yes, it was the making of me. I wish more young people had the opportunity to travel; we bemoan the rising price of holidays, but it clips the wings of adventurous young people too  and at what cost?

Lacking busking skills, I took to gathering returnable bottles

Anthony Peregrine, Telegraph Travels France expert

'The steps of Sacre-Coeur were where the young, rootless and broke congregated' - getty

My first solo trip abroad was less a holiday and more a parting of the ways with university. After a few first-year months, Id had enough of supply curves, Hobbes and AJ Ayer  and theyd clearly had enough of me. I took off on the night train to Paris (via Dover; the Chunnel was then not even a distant threat). I needed liberty and time to myself. (Students in the late 1970s were quite as toxically self-indulgent as they are today.) Id told no one I was going, nor worried that anyone might care. For economic reasons, I ended up in the sort of moth-eaten doss house with which Paris used to welcome the impoverished.

The steps of Sacre-Coeur were where the young, rootless and broke congregated. Lacking busking and thieving skills, I took to gathering returnable bottles. This seemed less desperate than it sounds now, but only just. I hitchhiked to St Malo, went to the labour exchange and was sent to Jersey along with other long-haired youths of broad ideas and limited horizons. We were to undertake the early potato harvest. Following the tractor under an unfiltered sun, on the knees from dawn to dusk, it was the hardest work Id ever done. Ten of us lived in a rooming house, nine French drop-outs and me. We got on fine over cigarettes and beer  I dont remember food  and the fact that I could explain Dylans lyrics in French. Then the Jersey police turned up in the potato field. Id told a friend where I was. Hed told my family. They wanted me back. So did the university.

My parents were horrified, with just cause

Sarah Baxter, freelance travel writer

I blame a bloke called Emlyn. He was going to a talk at the student union about something called BUNAC, and did I want to go along? An hour later, the travel bug had bitten; I was determined to spend my first uni summer holidays with the British Universities North America Club. My parents were horrified, possibly with just cause. That first night in Manhattan, the sirens didnt stop. Then I headed to Massachusetts, where Id secured a job at a fancy yacht club  which wasnt me at all. So, shamefully, I did a runner, catching a succession of buses to Marylands Ocean City, where Id heard there was a better vibe. But I had no job, no friends, no home. As my first day there drew to a close, the horror began to dawn. Then a chance chat on a bus led to a floor to sleep on, potential work and new chums. A week later I was sorted. Only then did I call my mum.

The trip was life-enhancing, world-revealing  Im not sure I ever got over it

Chris Moss, freelance travel writer

I went camping with friends in the Lakes  hitching and trains  at age 15 and 16. We did long night walks to northern towns without parental support (or knowledge), just to escape the boredom of home and school. Aged 18, at university, I did my first Interrail and it blew my mind. I went with fellow student Bob, who was 19, and we zipped to Amsterdam, Paris and Toulouse, slept on benches, shared couchettes with random people, dossed in a building site on the Algarve, walked for miles without a plan, ate and drank anything and everything, and met a fascinating hermit in Lourdes. The trip was life-enhancing, world-revealing. In fact, Im not sure I ever got over it. I did another Interrail with a girlfriend at 21 and again at 50. I have never really stopped travelling since. Furthermore, Bob is still my best friend  travel creates lifelong bonds.

There were hiccups  a night in a Norwegian A&E, a gentleman with a chainsaw

Gemma Knight, Senior Commissioning Editor

Gemma Knight (right) and her friend at Amalienborg, the official residence for the Danish royal family

At 17, my best friend and I backpacked around Scandinavia for a month. It was glorious  safe, easy to navigate and full of friendly, helpful people  the perfect place to dip our toes into the intoxicating waters of parent-free travel. We overstuffed our backpacks (the first of many lessons learnt) and flew to Copenhagen, where we spent two nights with my Danish family (how wonderful, on that daunting precipice, to be met by two smiling, familiar faces). Then we set off into the great unknown. There were hiccups  a night in a Norwegian A&E; a gentleman with a chainsaw who unwittingly stepped off a building site and into our path one night in Gothenburg; a remote hotel in Flam where everything was made of antlers  but for the most part, it was a month of wonder, friendship and fun. It taught us much about each other and ourselves, confirmed a lifelong love of travel, and cemented a friendship that  many miles and many backpacks later  has never wavered.

I can still picture the puppy-dog version of me, trying and failing to find shelter in the unfinished Sagrada Familia

Chris Leadbeater, Travel Correspondent

As is often the case with these things, it involved a girl. I had mis-spent a youthful July and August, toiling at an uninspiring summer job in a windowless basement, where the only respite was the chance to flirt, increasingly openly, with a co-worker who happened to be newly single. A connection was made, and when we had both returned to our respective universities, an invitation was extended to come out and see her. Better still, she had just started a year abroad  in a Barcelona that was well advanced in its process of post-Olympic regeneration, but not yet swamped by overtourism. Who would say no?

This was not so many decades ago that the internet didnt yet exist, but the idea of buying a flight on your phone would have sounded like wild science fiction, had anyone suggested it. Instead, I wandered down to a high-street travel agent, sat in front of a desk where a nice lady listened to my request, and left with a hand-written return ticket to the Catalonian capital, complete with counterfoil versions, to be torn off. How very exciting.

As it turned out, about as exciting as it got. I landed in Spain to the news that the boyfriend who had been dispensed with in the August had managed to dislodge the ex prefix from his status. And though he wasnt there in Barcelona, his presence was never far away, via regular phone calls. I spent three largely solitary days exploring the city under damp skies; I can still picture this puppy-dog version of me, trying and failing to find shelter as the heavens opened midway through a tour of the very much unfinished Sagrada Familia. The rain was so hard that the ink on my plane ticket home, stupidly stowed in my backpack, became smudgy, blurred, and sufficiently illegible to prompt questions back at the airport. After a few tense minutes, I was issued with a replacement. Perhaps the check-in staff knew a forlorn young man when they saw one, and took pity.

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1 taken into custody after standoff with Van Buren County deputies

VAN BUREN COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN)  Community members were asked to avoid a certain section of Fall Creek Falls State Park due to what officials described as an active law enforcement emergency Wednesday morning.

The Van Buren County Sheriffs Department posted about the emergency along Park Road on the north side of the park shortly before 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28.

There is a heavy law enforcement presence as well as other emergency agencies, authorities said. No one except emergency personnel will be allowed to enter this area.

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Then, at 12:15 p.m., the sheriffs department updated its post, saying a person was taken into custody following a 2.5-hour standoff with negotiating deputies.

According to officials, no injuries were reported during the incident.

Authorities thanked Fall Creek Falls State Park rangers, Van Buren County E-911, 31st Judicial District Attorney General Chris Stanford, Tennessee Highway Patrol, the McMinnville Police Department, and the Piney Volunteer Fire Department for their assistance and support in resolving the situation.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

No additional details have been released about this incident.

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 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.

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10-year-old boy killed after he was hit by stray bullet in Broward home. No charges follow

Prosecutors wont be filing criminal charges after a 10-year-old boy was shot and killed while sitting on the couch in his Lauderhill home because the shooting was an accident, according to a document released by the Broward State Attorneys Office.

On Nov. 14, 2023, Mike Saint Jean was playing on his phone when a bullet pierced the wall and hit his neck. Mike, a student at Park Lakes Elementary School in Lauderdale Lakes, was waiting for his older brother to finish checking his homework at the time of the shooting, according to a GoFundMe post.

Mike, affectionately known by friends and family as the hugger, was a vibrant boy, loved ones said in the fundraiser. He died five days later at Broward Health Medical Center.

In an instant, a stray bullet shattered the tranquility of the household, the fundraiser says. The living room, once filled with the warmth of family, was now clouded with chaos and confusion.

Shooting was an accident?

The fatal bullet came from another unit in the building, located near the 5300 block of Northwest 19th St.

Moments before, a woman was picking up a blue bag that her boyfriend had left in her apartment, according to the memo. Inside was a 9 mm Glock handgun.

She told police she mistakenly picked the firearm up with her finger on the trigger, the document states. Forensic evidence backed up her account, and officers on the scene also didnt uncover any indication of foul play  or of intent to fire the weapon.

It is clear from the evidence gathered that there was not an intentional criminal act that caused the death of Mike Saint Jean, the memo says.

For that reason, prosecutors say, they didnt have evidence to prove a murder or manslaughter case. There also isnt anything pointing to the woman using the gun carelessly.

All witness statements to police were consistent with regard to how the shooting occurred and there are no other witnesses or physical evidence which contradicts that version of events, the memo states.

Mikes family, the memo indicates, urged prosecutors to consider moving forward with a shooting a deadly missile charge. The state attorneys office, however, says that wasnt possible because that charge also requires proof of intent.

In a statement provided to the Miami Herald on Wednesday, attorney Pedro Echarte, who represents the Saint Jean family, said they appreciated law enforcements efforts but were disappointed by the decision not to prosecute Mikes death.

Nothing can relieve the family of the pain they struggle with every day since this tragedy occurred, but they will continue to pursue justice for Mike and ensure that those responsible are ultimately held accountable.
12 arrested, 1 wanted following auto theft investigation in Fresno, police say

12 arrested, 1 wanted following auto theft investigation in Fresno, police say

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  Twelve people were arrested and one person is wanted following an auto theft investigation, the Fresno Police Department said on Friday.

Police say in May, the Career Criminal Auto Theft Team (CCATT) initiated an investigation into a group stealing GM trucks and SUVs.

On Aug. 22, police say the investigation concluded, resulting in multiple arrests and search warrants in northwest Fresno.

According to investigators, the following people were arrested during the search warrants on Aug. 22:

Adrianne Gonzalez in connection with a narcotics warrant.

Anthony Medellin for suspicion of an auto theft warrant and a trespassing warrant.

Ernest Martinez for suspicion of possession of narcotics, domestic violence, robbery, and an auto theft warrant.

Lorenzo Delatorre for suspicion of parole violation and auto theft warrant.

Michael Miller for suspicion of an auto theft warrant.

Richard Renteria for suspicion of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and a stolen firearm.

Robert Garcia in connection with a prostitution warrant.

Robert Helmuth for suspicion of felony narcotics possession and felon in possession of firearms.

Ernest Martinez

Robert Garcia

Richard Renteria

Robert Helmuth

Adrianne Gonzalez

Anthony Medellin

Lorenzo Delatorre

Michael Miller

Jose Casillas

Police say that 42-year-old Jose Casillas is currently wanted for auto theft.

According to police, eight illegal firearms were seized in the investigation. As well as 2 ounces of methamphetamine.

Twelve stolen vehicles were recovered and three chop shops were discovered, according to police. Police say there were 12 arrests in total, including three gang members.

Anyone with information regarding the location of Jose Casillas or auto theft in the Fresno area can call the CCATT tip line at 621-CCAT (2228) or email CCATT at ccatt@fresno.gov.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Numerous animals were rescued from a house in Southeast Portland Tuesday after neighbors reported hazardous conditions inside the home for months.

According to Portland police, they were joined by the Multnomah County District Attorneys Strategic Prosecution Unit, Multnomah County Animal Services and the Oregon Humane Society, to serve a warrant on the home near Southeast 86th Avenue and Southeast Tolman Street.

Neighbors had reported several malnourished animals in the home and upon executing the warrant, officials said they recovered 13 dogs and two cats who were neglected and living in unsanitary conditions, with many dogs stacked in cages.

Family member mourns death of man killed by Beaverton police

The animals were taken from the home to the Oregon Humane Society for evaluation.

The animals owner arrived home while officials were on the scene and police said that they cooperated with the investigation and animal neglect charges are pending.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Portland police.

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CAIRO, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit on Wednesday strongly condemned the recent deadly Israeli military operation in northern West Bank.

The "raids, brutal attacks, and killings" conducted by Israel in the northern West Bank, coupled with the destruction of infrastructure and the besieging of hospitals there, represent a serious escalation that threatens to push the region to the brink of catastrophe, he said in a statement.

"This aggressive approach aims to subjugate the Palestinian people, undermine existing agreements, and further annex Palestinian territories as part of an extreme right-wing agenda," he said.

Israel has been waging a "genocide war" against the Palestinians everywhere, with an aim to make their lives untenable, he said.

Aboul-Gheit accused the United States of failing to exert meaningful pressure on Israel and of yielding to Israeli maneuvers and procrastination, which has hindered efforts to reach a ceasefire deal in Gaza.

He urged the United States to take a clear stance on the recent Israeli military actions in the West Bank and to address the growing Israeli arrogance in the region.

According to Palestinian and Israeli sources, Israel on Wednesday carried out a large-scale military operation in the West Bank cities of Jenin, Tubas, and Tulkarm, as well as their camps, killing at least nine Palestinians, destructing local infrastructure, and imposing a siege on the three cities.

Israel has been carrying out almost daily raids in the West Bank since the Palestinian-Israeli conflict broke out on Oct. 7, 2023.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, more than 660 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks across the West Bank since the onset of the conflict. 
KEARNS, Utah (ABC4)  Two people were taken into custody on Tuesday, Aug. 27, after Unified Police officers found a 13-year-old child padlocked in what detectives describe as a makeshift cell in an alcove under the stairs of a Kearns home.

Travis Stacey Peterson, 49, and Melissa Ann Gray, 41, were both booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on charges of aggravated child abuse, a second-degree felony. Gray also faces an additional misdemeanor of child abuse with an injury charge.

Investigators say the child had been locked in the cell under the stairs for about 24 hours by the time officers arrived at the home. The child reportedly told officers they were hungry, lonely, and had to sleep curled up in their makeshift cell.

The victim was also at one point allegedly spanked by Gray for screaming inside the house.

Tooele County mother arrested on child abuse allegations

Before being moved to under the stairs, the child was allegedly locked in a makeshift cell made out of their loft bed. The child told investigators they were locked under the loft bed for months and were only let out when they had to use the restroom.

[The victim] talked about a time when [they were] desperate to get out of the cell to use the restroom, a police affidavit states. [The victim] was able to break out of the cell and use the bathroom because no one was responding to [their] pleas to get out.

Both Peterson and Gray allegedly told officers they did not believe there was anything wrong with locking the child in a cell. Gray allegedly said she wanted the child to know what it was like in a city and in the real world while Peterson reportedly said the child would be put back in the cell if returned to the home.

Peterson and Gray have been ordered to be held in the Salt Lake County Jail without bail, pending a pretrial hearing.

Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Vice President Kamala Harris is conducting her first interview as nominee alongside Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who is seen here looking on at a campaign stop in Pennsylvania. ANGELA WEISS/Getty Images

This article is part of HuffPosts biweekly politics newsletter. Click here to subscribe.

Vice President Kamala Harris has had an extraordinary first month as the Democratic presidential nominee. She has spoken before packed rallies, won acclaim for picking Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate and even become something of an internet meme.

Harris has not, however, conducted a press conference or an interview with a journalist.

All thats slated to change on Thursday when CNNs Dana Bash interviews Harris alongside Walz. The pre-taped interview will air at 9 p.m. Eastern.

The timing of the interview  nearly 40 days after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race and threw his support behind Harris  has generated an unusual degree of anticipation as politics-watchers look to see how the new Democratic presidential nominee holds her own in an unscripted format. Many candidates who feel confident about their standing in the polls limit their exposure to potentially risky media coverage. But Harris refusal to engage with the press for anything more than a minute or two between campaign stops has given Republicans fodder for attacks  and prompted griping from some mainstream journalists.

Setting aside political concerns, Harris lack of interaction with the press has also deprived the public of opportunities to learn more about her agenda as president. In an Aug. 16 economic policy speech in Raleigh, North Carolina, Harris outlined plans to lower the cost of living, including by expanding key tax credits for low- and middle-income families, banning price gouging, building 3 million new homes and providing first-time homebuyers with $25,000 toward a down payment.

But even these plans raised new questions  about, for example, how Harris defines price gouging and what she means by a ban. Harris has also yet to outline her complete policy views on issues like energy and climate, corporate regulation, health care and whether to reform the Supreme Court, as well as how she would tackle the all-important sphere of foreign affairs.

In addition, Harris has evolved ideologically over the years. As a prosecutor, Harris often cut a moderate figure, pursuing tough punishments for offenders, including those charged with drug-related crimes. As a presidential candidate in 2019, Harris courted progressives with plans to transform health care, immigration and energy policy. Now as a candidate, Harris is quietly backing away from the left-leaning stances she took during the last presidential race and tacking to the center once again.

Its a lot to unpack. Which is why over here at HuffPost, we definitely have a lot of questions.

We crowdsourced across our team and came up with 13 questions that we really, really hope Harris gets the chance to answer  on topics ranging from the Supreme Court to the Israel-Hamas conflict to just, literally, what does she mean when she talks about price-gouging?

1. If you win in November, what would be your first actions as president? What do you want to have achieved at the end of your first 100 days in office?

2. This is a question for both Harris and Walz: What role do you envision Walz playing in a Harris administration?

3. How would you describe your ideal Supreme Court justice? If Congress sent you a bill to expand the size of the court or impose term limits on justices, would you sign it?

4. Top Democratic donors, including LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, have called for you not to re-appoint Lina Khan as chair of the Federal Trade Commission, claiming she is hurting innovation. Do you plan to re-appoint Khan? More broadly, do you support the Biden administrations aggressive approach to antitrust policy?

5. What exactly does a ban on price gouging look like? How would you define the practice and enforce a law against it?

6. You said during your DNC address that you and Biden were working round the clock to get a Gaza cease-fire and hostage deal done. But your national security adviser, Philip Gordon, said youve ruled out an arms embargo for the Israeli military. First, can you confirm youve ruled out an arms embargo? And if thats the case, what leverage are you open to using on the Israeli government to achieve a cease-fire?

7. What do you see as the United States goal in arming Ukraine? Pushing Russia out of Ukraine entirely seems very unlikely, to say nothing of the death toll it would entail. At what point would it be wise to encourage Ukraine to sit down with Russia at the negotiating table?

8. As a presidential candidate in 2019, you argued for treating unauthorized border crossing as a civil, rather than criminal offense, and said public health care plans should cover undocumented immigrants. Do you stand by those positions today? Why or why not? If you no longer hold these beliefs, why did you change your mind? If you still hold those beliefs, what do you say to critics  like Donald Trump  who say that its wrong to spend taxpayer dollars on people who are here illegally?

9. As a presidential candidate in 2019, you called for banning the natural gas extraction technique known as fracking. Your campaign has said you no longer support this proposal. Can you confirm? If so, why?

10. Likewise, as a presidential candidate in 2019, you rolled out your own Medicare for All proposal. It would have preserved a role for private insurers as providers of Medicare plans, but envisioned all Americans dropping their current coverage for one of these modified Medicare plans. Your campaign has said you no longer support this proposal. Can you confirm? If so, why? What health care reforms do you support?

11. Do you have a national greenhouse gas emissions target you would support as a country?

12. Is growing nuclear energy part of your vision for decarbonizing the economy? What about permitting reform, which some experts say is necessary to getting energy projects off the ground faster and more efficiently?

13. As a candidate, you have only ever competed for votes in California, a solid Democratic state. How do you plan to win in swing states  like Pennsylvania, Michigan and Nevada where your appeal is untested?

Related...
15-year-old boy stable after being shot in Hartford

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH)  A 15-year-old boy has non-life threatening injuries after being shot in Hartford on Tuesday afternoon, according to police.

Fugitive from Washington arrested after walking on shoulder of highway in Windsor Locks

Police say the incident happened at 54 Huntington Street in Hartford. When police arrived to the scene, the boy was alert and conscious. He was transported to a local hospital shortly after.

This is an ongoing investigation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.
Gov. Jim Pillen, center, celebrates 19 Nebraska students as the inaugural recipients of a state-funded scholarship for veterinary medicine at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Pillen is a former veterinarian who began his college education at UNL. Aug. 26, 2024. (Courtesy Office of Gov. Jim Pillen)

LINCOLN  Sydney Hutchinson had a lifelong dream to attend a veterinary program offered in Nebraska and Iowa for her doctoral medicine degree, but in February she was on track to attend Kansas State University instead.

Hutchinson said while it wasnt her dream, an early admissions offer from the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine was just too good to pass up. She said the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, along with Iowa State University, didnt offer a similar opportunity of the same magnitude.

Conveniently enough, the day that I had my interview with Kansas State was the same day that the press conference announcing Nebraskas Elite 11 program took place [on Feb. 29], Hutchinson said at a Monday news conference.

Nebraska Elite 11 program

Hutchinson and 18 other students joined Gov. Jim Pillen in celebrating the inaugural class of the Nebraska Elite 11 Veterinarian Program that Pillen and UNL launched in February. The state-funded program fully covers six years of tuition for up to 11 Nebraska residents through eight years of veterinary education, with a competitive selection process.

Pillen graduated with his veterinary medicine degree in 1983 from K-State after getting his bachelors degree in animal science at UNL four years prior.

Up to 25 first-time freshmen can start in the program and have 50% of their tuition covered in their first two years. Up to 13 students will be selected to continue and have 100% tuition covered in years three and four before graduating from UNL.

Nebraska began a joint four-year doctoral veterinary medicine program with Iowa State in 2007. Tuition is assessed at Iowas resident tuition level. The State of Nebraska plans to fully cover related tuition and fees for up to 11 students  the Elite 11  in the professional program.

In return, those students will sign a contract with the Nebraska Department of Labor agreeing to return to Nebraska after graduation and practice veterinary medicine for eight years in the state.

That work must be done in a Nebraska county with fewer than 40,000 people, which excludes five of the 93 counties: Douglas, Lancaster, Sarpy, Hall and Buffalo, according to recent legislative estimates. The new veterinarians must also spend more than 50% of their time working with production animals (cattle, swine, sheep, poultry and other forms of livestock).

Elite 11 students who fail to complete the terms of their contract would agree to pay back their covered educational expenses.

Dont let anybody steal your dream

Pillen, a former University of Nebraska regent, said one of the barriers to having production-animal veterinarians is cost, so multiple states have struggled to recruit large animal veterinarians. He thanked UNL for taking a proactive approach that will give back to Nebraska.

Having that North star of your dream, thats why you will all be successful, Pillen told the students at his news conference. You dont let anybody steal your dream because you can accomplish anything you want if youre willing to work hard enough.

The scholarships are funded through the Nebraska Department of Labors newly created Workforce Development Program, which is established in the states annual budget. The Legislature approved transferring $40 million to the development program collected originally through a tax on state unemployment insurance. Up to $10 million will be available for a four-year period.

A similar $10 million workforce grant program was created in 2022 through federal COVID-19 recovery funds, and the state later picked up the tab in 2023.

Scholarship recipients will receive specific programming, mentorship and internship opportunities. A spokesperson for Pillen said current veterinarians indicated that extra support would have made a difference had it been in place when they went to school.

Truly a game changer

Tiffany Heng-Moss, dean of UNLs College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, said the program is a big win for Nebraska, including for its veterinary workforce and agriculture.

Heng-Moss and UNL Chancellor Rodney Bennett noted the livestock industry contributes more than $6 billion to Nebraskas economy. Heng-Moss said it will be truly a game changer.

Hutchinson said the Elite 11 program will cause Nebraska students to stay in the state, help the veterinary industry overcome one of its biggest challenges of high college debt and ensure Nebraska will be able to continue what we do best, and thats feed the world.

I would not be here at the University of Nebraska without the Elite 11 program, Hutchinson said Monday. Although not every student situation is the same as mine, the reality is that Nebraska students, both now and in the future, would be lost to other states without it.

The 19 inaugural students for the first year and their hometowns are:

Brooklyn Ahrens (Weeping Water).

Meg Anderson (Dodge).

Alannah Crabtree (Lincoln).

Bailey Denton (Oakland).

Haydn Farr (Maywood).

Peyton Fisher (Hershey).

Klayton Hilbers (Hooper).

Haylie Hoatson (North Platte).

Sydney Hutchinson (West Point).

Hannah Keilian (Dix).

Lynsie Lancaster (Hastings).

Chase Martin (Wellfleet).

Presley Nowak (Keystone).

Addison Pool (Naponee).

Chloe Scheer (St. Libory).

Emma Snider (York).

Claire Stauth (ONeill).

Jack Steenson (Phillips).

Jacob Wood (Palmyra).

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TOPEKA (KSNT)  A big Arab Shrine event will bring 22 temples together for various activities starting Wednesday.

Starting on Aug. 28, members from 22 different Shriner temples will be in Topeka to kick off the Central States Shrine Association (CSSA) session. A lot of special events are planned from Thursday through Saturday. The public can visit the Emerald Ballroom at Hotel Topeka during this three-day period to shop with 31 different vendors.

On Saturday, Aug. 31 the CSSA will be holding a parade in downtown Topeka starting at 9:30 a.m. An afterglow celebration will be held from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

63% of rural hospitals in Kansas at risk of closing

Marshall demands answers for overestimated job numbers

You can visit the Arab Shriners website by clicking here.

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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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY)  Suffolk Fire & Rescue responded to an apartment fire early Wednesday morning.

According to officials, crews were dispatched to the 5700 block of Godwin Boulevard just after 9 a.m. for reports of an apartment fire.

Crews arrived to the scene and found smoke coming from a two-story townhome style apartment building. Once entering the building, crews were able to locate the fire in the kitchen area of the first-floor of the apartment.

Godwin Boulevard apartment fire (Courtesy: Suffolk Fire & Rescue)

Godwin Boulevard apartment fire (Courtesy: Suffolk Fire & Rescue)

Godwin Boulevard apartment fire (Courtesy: Suffolk Fire & Rescue)

Godwin Boulevard apartment fire (Courtesy: Suffolk Fire & Rescue)

Godwin Boulevard apartment fire (Courtesy: Suffolk Fire & Rescue)

Godwin Boulevard apartment fire (Courtesy: Suffolk Fire & Rescue)

The fire was considered under control by 9:30 a.m. and no injuries were reported.

Due to moderate smoke damage, two adults and one juvenile were displaced. The American Red Cross is assisting the family.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
2 charged with involvement in sex trafficking child in Mahoning County

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  A tentative trial date of Oct. 21 has been set for a city couple who were arraigned Tuesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court for their role in allegedly sex trafficking a 12-year-old child.

Terrance Jefferies, 64, pleaded not guilty to a charge of rape, a first-degree felony. Mildred Woods, 47, pleaded not guilty to rape, first-degree felony counts of trafficking in persons and compelling prostitution, and a third-degree felony count of compelling prostitution.

The two were indicted by a grand jury earlier this month and have been in the county jail since they were arrested. They remain in jail after their arraignment.

The indictment in the case said Woods forced or enticed a 12-year-old child to engage in sexual activities with other people between April 1 and June 13.

Jefferies is accused of engaging in sexual activity with the victim during the same time period.

A pretrial date has not been set yet.

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LONDON, Ky. (FOX 56)  Two London teens have been reported missing.

The London Police Department announced on Tuesday that 17-year-old Naveah McDermott and 16-year-old Emonie Adams were both reported missing.

 MISSING IN KENTUCKY

The department said the girls were last seen around 4:29 p.m. on Tuesday and are believed to be together.

McDermott is described as being 5-foot-3 and weighing 165 pounds with black hair. She was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt with NIKE in white print on the chest, black leggings, black socks, white Crocs, and possibly a purple backpack.

17-year-old Naveah McDermott (Via London Police Department)

17-year-old Naveah McDermott and 16-year-old Emonie Adams (Via London Police Department)

16-year-old Emonie Adams (Via London Police Department)

Adams is described as being 5-foot-5 and weighing 115 pounds with brown hair. She was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt with a gray square on the front, blue leggings, black slippers, and a pink hair tie.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

Anyone with information about their whereabouts is asked to contact the London-Laurel County 911 Center at 606-878-7000 or your local law enforcement agency.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
2 unlicensed smoke shops in Niagara Falls shut down in one of largest seizures to date

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  A pair of unlicensed smoke shops in Niagara Falls have been shut down by the city following search warrants conducted on Tuesday, according to city officials.

The searches were conducted at Something Serious Smoke Shop located on Connecting Road as well as First Class Cannabis, located on Hyde Park Boulevard, according to police. An extremely large amount of cannabis, cannabis edibles and vape cartridges were allegedly seized at the locations.

Both of the shops were allegedly owned by 49-year-old Lawrence Humphrey, police said. Humphreys residence, located on Lincoln Street in Niagara Falls, was also raided. Cannabis products were allegedly seized from the home as well.

The warrants resulted in one of the largest seizures to date, according to police.

Humphrey will be charged in Niagara County Court, fined by the NYS Office of Cannabis Management as well as the NYS Office of Taxation after the evidence has been processed. It is currently unclear what charges he will face.

The closures in the Falls are part of a three-month crackdown on unlicensed cannabis shops across the state. As of earlier this week, 345 unlicensed cannabis shops have been shut down across New York during those three months, resulting in the seizure of nearly $29 million in illegal products, according to Gov. Kathy Hochuls Office. Including past closures, state and local agencies have shut down more than 1,000 stores.

There are currently 168 licensed dispensaries across the state open for business. Of those, 15 are located in Western New York.

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.
Two suspects were arrested for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from an Orange County mall.

The suspects were identified as Priscilla Irene Raygosa, 20, of Whittier, and Felix Angelique Marie Nicholasa Felix, 21, of Los Angeles, according to the Irvine Police Department.

The women are accused of entering a Sephora beauty store at the Irvine Spectrum mall and escaping with over $4,000 worth of merchandise, police said.

During their arrest, authorities discovered an additional $700 worth of stolen merchandise from another theft inside their vehicle.

The suspects were arrested for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from Sephora and other retailers. (Irvine Police Department)

The suspects were arrested for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from Sephora and other retailers. (Irvine Police Department)

The suspects were arrested for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from Sephora and other retailers. (Irvine Police Department)

Investigators believe the women are responsible for another theft where they escaped with over $10,000 worth of stolen merchandise.

The suspects were taken into custody on multiple felony charges including grand theft and organized retail theft. They remain booked at the Orange County Jail.

Anyone with additional information can call Irvine Police at 949-724-7000.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
JINAN, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The fifth Qingdao Multinationals Summit commenced on Wednesday in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, drawing over 500 attendees from more than 450 multinational corporations to exchange insights on their experience and strategies in the Chinese market.

"China's new quality productive forces are on the rise, and we believe that multinational companies must actively engage and contribute to this growth to truly benefit," said Leon Wang, executive vice president, international and China president of British biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. "We are committed to enhancing our independent research and development in China and fostering deeper cooperation to help bring China's innovations to the global stage."

AstraZeneca has announced additional investment in its Qingdao production and supply base, bringing the total to 750 million U.S. dollars.

"AstraZeneca is in sync with China's reform and opening-up, feeling the vitality of the market, the resilience of manufacturing and the continuous improvement of its business environment. These factors bolster our confidence and create opportunities," Wang said, emphasizing that the company has invested over 1.2 billion U.S. dollars in China in the past two years.

Many entrepreneurs expressed their resolve to further expand in the Chinese market during the event, indicating an eagerness to collaborate with Chinese partners to realize a brighter, shared future.

Kuniharu Nakamura, a special advisor at Sumitomo Corporation, said that increasing global instability and economic uncertainty have underscored the importance of extending dialogue and promoting mutual understanding, which the summit aims to facilitate.

"China's remarkable achievements and economic transformation are influencing the world. We see the long-term growth potential of China, which is why we continue to increase our investments," said Yasser M. Mufti, executive vice president of the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco). "We aim to be China's partner of choice."

Delegates from industries such as new-generation information technology, biomedicine, new energy and high-end equipment also expressed optimism about China's emerging industries. They said they believe that the resilience of China's economy and its high-quality development are creating new market space and investment opportunities for multinational companies.

"I have been looking forward to visiting Qingdao for five years, and I deeply appreciate the remarkable achievements made here," said Keita Ishii, president of ITOCHU Corporation. "China is leading the world in many new industries, including artificial intelligence and green energy, and we remain highly interested and expectant of China's development."

A report released during the summit by the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce indicates that multinationals are active participants in China's development, important supporters of the country's pursuit of high-quality development, and key links in its deep integration into global industrial and supply chains.

Multinational companies have also benefited from increased profit margins, improved cost structures and optimized resource allocation through their operations in China, according to the report.

Data from the Ministry of Commerce shows that 53,766 foreign-invested enterprises were established in China in 2023, up 39.7 percent year on year. And another 31,654 were established from January to July this year, an 11.4 percent year-on-year increase. 
LONDON, Ky. (FOX 56)  A London woman is being held in the Fayette County Detention Center after a late Sunday night shooting.

According to the London Police Department, around 11 p.m., Heather Manning was found lying on the ground outside of a home with a gunshot wound in her arm. Inside the home, the police said they found Judy Roberts injured on the floor.

Investigators said Roberts appeared to have been injured after Manning reportedly attacked her while armed.

Both were taken to a nearby hospital before being transferred to the University of Kentucky hospital for treatment, according to LPD.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

Manning is being held in the Fayette County Detention Center and has been charged with:

Second-degree assault

Fourth-degree assault

First-degree wanton endangerment (two counts)

Unlawful Imprisonment (two counts)

She is awaiting transfer to the Laurel County Correctional Center.

Dustin Massengill contributed to this story.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Gov. Tim Walz hit the road today on a two-day bus tour through southern Georgia, an indication that the campaign hopes to keep the state in play after President Joe Biden flipped it in 2020.

Walz started the day in Boston, where he spoke to a firefighters union, before joining Harris in Georgia. JD Vance, former President Donald Trumps running mate, is talking about the economy in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, two other battleground states.





Latest Developments





Aug 28, 7:48 PM

Harris, Walz make campaign stop at Georgia high school

Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz stopped by Liberty County High School in Georgia as part of their bus tour and were greeted by the schools principal and superintendent and met with the school marching band during rehearsal.



Harris and Walz delivered brief remarks to band members, football players and faculty. After welcoming the class to the "role model club," Harris told the class that as "leaders" the nation is "counting" on them.



"You are showing what hard work can achieve, what discipline, what teamwork. And that's the stuff of greatness," she said.

PHOTO: Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Governor Tim Walz, pose with members of the marching band during a visit at Liberty County High School in Hinesville, Georgia, Aug. 28, 2024. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

She continued with a music metaphor that encouraged them to keep up their hard work.



"I will tell you I was in band when I was your age," she said. "And all that you all are doing, it requires a whole lot of rehearsal, a whole lot of practice, long hours, right? Sometimes you hit the note, sometimes you don't, right? All that practice makes for beautiful music."



-ABC News' Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Will McDuffie.









Aug 28, 6:41 PM

Harris spokesman defends joint interview

A spokesman for the Harris-Walz campaign defended Wednesday the decision to make the vice president's first televised interview as the Democratic presidential nominee a joint interview with her running mate Gov. Tim Walz.



Ian Sams responded on X to a post by journalist Mark Knoller who questioned if CNN should have "insisted on a one-on-one interview," by saying that "The joint ticket interview is an election year summer tradition going back 20 years."



"Kerry/Edwards, Obama/Biden, Romney/Ryan, Trump/Pence, Clinton/Kaine, Biden/Harris all did them. Almost always right around the conventions. Harris/Walz join this rich tradition on CNN tomorrow," he said.



-ABC News' Will McDuffie, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Fritz Garrow





Aug 28, 6:15 PM

Vance claims he doesn't need to prepare for a debate

Vance told reporters hes preparing for the October vice presidential debate by talking to people on the campaign trail, contending he doesnt need other preparation against Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.



Look, the way I'm doing debate prep is by spending time with these fine people. This is how I do debate prep is to get out there. You get out there, you talk to people, you talk about the issues that matter, Vance said.



We don't need to prepare for a debate with Tim Walz. We need to get out there and talk. We need to get out there. Look, we need to get out there and talk to the American people. That's the biggest way that we're going to prepare for that debate on October the first, he added.



-ABC News' Soo Rin Kim and Hannah Demissie





Aug 28, 6:24 PM

Vance says Harris 'can go to hell' for criticizing Trump for Arlington Cemetery visit

Sen. JD Vance continued to defend Trump's visit to Arlington Cemetery during a campaign event Wednesday in Erie, Pennsylvania, and went on the attack against Harris, blaming her for the deaths of 13 soldiers three years ago.



"Look, sometimes mistakes happen. That's just the nature of government, the nature of military service. But to have those 13 Americans lose their lives and not fire a single person is disgraceful. Kamala Harris is disgraceful, Vance said.

PHOTO: Republican vice presidential nominee, Sen. JD Vance speaks at a rally at trucking company, Team Hardinger, on Aug. 28, 2024, in Erie, Pa. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

We're gonna talk about a story out of those 13 brave innocent Americans who lost their lives, it's that Kamala Harris is so asleep at the wheel that she won't even do an investigation into what happened, and she wants to yell at Donald Trump because he showed up. She can, go to hell, he continued.



The federal government conducted a probe into the final days of the war and American withdrawal and the Pentagons Central Command concluded in 2022 that the attack was not preventable despite others' assertions that it was preventable.



The Pentagon has conducted multiple rounds of reviews, including the latest review published in April that reaffirmed the initial investigation's findings that the attack was not preventable.



Congress has also scrutinized the attack and heard from many military leaders, including former Marine Sgt. Tyler Vargas-Andrews, who told lawmakers last year that he was thwarted in an attempt to stop the suicide bombing.



-ABC News' Soo Rin Kim, Cindy Smith and Hannah Demissie





Aug 28, 2:47 PM

Biden to travel to Wisconsin next week to tout economy

President Joe Biden will travel to the battleground state of Wisconsin on Sept. 5 to highlight his economic agenda, according to the White House.



Exact details of the trip, including the locations in the state, weren't immediately revealed.



-- ABC News' Justin Gomez





Aug 28, 1:57 PM

Walz promises to fight for labor freedoms at International Association of Fire Fighters

Gov. Tim Walz addressed the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) convention on Wednesday in Boston, making the case that the Democratic ticket was the one that would fight for their freedoms, including labor protections.



People tell me, look, I'm really not that into politics. My response to that is, too damn bad -- politics is into you, Walz said to what he acknowledged as a bipartisan audience.



Walz said that Harris is proudly part of the most pro-labor administration in history, and that when they win this election, we'll have your back like you've had ours.

PHOTO: Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, left, addresses an audience at the International Association of Fire Fighters convention, as IAFF General President Edward Kelly, right, looks on, Aug. 28, 2024, in Boston. (Steven Senne/AP)

We believe that you, not politicians, should be made free to make your own health care choices, Walz concluded. We believe that workers deserve to collectively bargain for fair wages and safe working conditions.



-- ABC News Isabella Murray





Aug 27, 7:35 PM

Harris-Walz campaign responds to superseding indictment

Quentin Fulks, the Harris-Walz campaigns principal deputy campaign manager, reacted to the news of the superseding indictment against Donald Trump Tuesday afternoon on MSNBC and avoided remarking on "ongoing legal cases" but characterized Trump as a danger.



"They saw it with their own eyes, and so we're going to continue to take the fight directly to Donald Trump on the issues that matter. But American voters aren't stupid. They know who Donald Trump is, and they know what he will do if he gets more time in the White House," Fulks told MSNBC.



-ABC News' Isabella Murray, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Will McDuffie





Aug 27, 7:20 PM

JD Vance responds to new special counsel indictment

Sen. JD Vance, asked by ABC News on the tarmac in Nashville about the superseding indictment in former President Donald Trump's federal election interference case, and the GOP vice presidential candidate framed the special counsel's actions as an effort to influence the election.



I haven't read the whole thing, but it looks like Jack Smith doing more of what he does, which is filing these absurd lawsuits in an effort to influence the election," he said.



The new indictment adjusts the charges to the Supreme Court's immunity ruling.



Vance pushed back against the Harris-Walz campaign's assertion that the Supreme Court ruling goes too far and grants the former president too much immunity, arguing that the president needs some immunity in order to do the job.



"If the president doesn't have some level of immunity in how he conducts his office, in the same way that judges have to have immunity, police officers have to have immunity. There has to be some recognition that people can't be sued for doing their job," Vance said.
SANAA, Yemen (AP)  Rescue workers in northern Yemen have recovered the bodies of 13 people who went missing after a flash flood inundated a village, authorities said Wednesday, as officials said 99 people have been killed since the start of heavy seasonal rains.

Yemen's current monsoon season has been particularly deadly, with some experts saying the war-wrecked country is increasingly vulnerable to severe weather events caused by climate change.

The Al-Masirah TV channel run by the Houthi rebels who control the country's north said the 13 bodies were recovered in Melhan district of Al-Mahwit province. It said a child had been rescued but 20 other people were missing.

Yemen was already the poorest Arab nation before civil war began in 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthis took control of the capital, Sanaa, and much of the north, forcing the government to flee to the south and then to neighboring Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis in a statement on Wednesday said 86 people had lost their lives in flooding in Hodeida, Reema and Hajjah provinces since the monsoon season started in mid-July. The statement, issued after a meeting called by the prime minister to address the emergency response, said some 33,000 families had been affected by the floods.

Yemen's Red Crescent had projected that the country would see less precipitation overall this year but that flooding events would be more severe in the monsoon season. The rainy season begins in late March, and rains intensify in July through mid-August.

The World Health Organization this week said Yemenis were suffering disproportionately from climate change due to their already undermined capacities, limited resources and fragile infrastructure. It warned that more heavy rains were expected in the coming weeks.

The conflict makes determining the floods' true toll difficult.

A Saudi-led coalition entered the war in March 2015, backed at the time by the U.S., in an effort to restore the internationally recognized government. The war has killed more than 150,000 people including civilians and combatants. It has largely deteriorated into a stalemate and caused one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises.
38,000 people remain in Pokrovsk as Russia closes in on the Donetsk Oblast town, governor says

Thirty-eight thousands people and 1,900 children remain in Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast as of Aug. 28, as Russian troops are closing in the town, Governor Vadym Filashkin said on the national television.

The Pokrovsk sector has been the scene of fierce fighting for several months and a focal point of Russia's offensive in Donetsk Oblast. Filashkin described the situation in the region as "dangerous and very difficult."

Pokrovsk is an important logistical hub for the Ukrainian forces that supports their operations in Donetsk Oblast, which had a pre-war population of around 80,000.

When asked how much time people have for evacuation, Filashkin said that banks in Pokrovsk will be open until the end of this week.

"Starting Monday (Sep. 2), only ATMs will work. There will be no banking institutions. This also applies to all areas of other services that cater for our population," the governor said.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier that Pokrovsk had become Russia's main target after its Kharkiv Oblast offensive failed.

The military administration of Pokrovsk called on residents on Aug. 15 to evacuate immediately, as the Russian army was about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the town's outskirts.

Read also: Russian advance towards Pokrovsk slowed down after Ukraines Kursk incursion, Zelensky claims

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Asia Alyce Poole, 21, was shot outside a Birmingham apartment building on Aug. 20 in a fight caught on video that lead to the arrests of her alleged killers

Birmingham Police Department; Jefferson County Jail Left to right: Ja'Niyah Hendrix, Justin Hendrix, Taylor McCloud and Aacoreyah Denae Woods.

Four individuals have been arrested in connection with an Alabama shooting that resulted in the death of a 21-year-old mother

Officer Truman Fitzgerald tells PEOPLE that Facebook live videos  capturing both the shooting and a fight at the apartment complex that escalated to shots being fired  played a major role in the investigation leading to the four arrests

Fitzgerald also noted that Detectives are still actively working to determine if more suspects were involved"

Four arrests have been made in connection with an incident that saw a 21-year-old Alabama mother murdered in a hail of gunfire.

Birmingham police estimate that 168 shots were fired at the Monarch Ridge apartment building around 10 p.m. local time on Aug. 20.

When police arrived at the scene, Asia Alyce Poole was lying on the ground unresponsive and suffering from an apparent gunshot wound, according to a statement from the Birmingham Police Department.

Though cameras line the apartment building, they were not feeding into the police's Real Time Crime Center as they were supposed to, Police Chief Scott Thurman said at a press conference shared on Facebook last week.

Since the shooting, police have pieced together footage from the complex, along with social media video collected from bystanders, according to the chief.

In a compilation of social media videos obtained by local outlet AL.com, two people  one referred to by a voice off camera as JaNiyah  can be seen fighting on the hood of a car.

The fight moves toward the apartment complex where others mill about. Then, the edited video goes dark as bullets ring out, ending with footage from a phone pointed up to an outside staircase with gunfire popping.

Officer Truman Fitzgerald tells PEOPLE that Facebook live videos  capturing both the shooting and a fight at the apartment complex that escalated to shots being fired  played a major role in the investigation leading to the four arrests.

Jefferson County Jail Aacoreyah Denae Woods

On Aug. 27, police booked Aacoreyah Denae Woods, 20, into Jefferson County Jail, according to her online inmate roster. She is charged with murder, attempted murder and two counts of discharge of a firearm into an occupied dwelling or vehicle once from the date of the murder and one from the morning of her booking, according to those arrest records.

Justin Hendrix, 20, and Taylor McCloud, 22, are each charged with intentional murder and attempted murder, according to Cindy Collins, supervisor of the criminal division of Jefferson County Circuit Court. They are both held at Jefferson County Jail without bond, per police.

Hendrix is slated for a hearing on the afternoon of Aug. 28 to determine if he qualifies for bond based on the violence of the crimes he is charged with, his lawyer, Scott Boudreaux, tells PEOPLE.

JaNiyah Hendrix, 19  who allegedly fought with Poole prior to her death and is accused of driving off with Pooles car around the time of the shooting  is charged with auto theft and currently being held at Jefferson County Jail on $30,000 bond, per police. Pooles unoccupied vehicle was quickly recovered a 3-minute drive from the crime scene.

Police have suggested that the motive of the killing may have been connected to the physical altercation, saying that once the individuals were separated, shots were fired.

Birmingham Fire and Rescue Services pronounced Poole dead at the scene, per police.

A second person  identified only as a male by the police chief  was wounded by gunfire and hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. He is not considered a suspect.

Boudreaux tells PEOPLE that the man, who was shot in the leg, was Pooles best friend and likely a pivotal witness in the case.

Birmingham Police Department Justin Hendrix.

Justin Hendrix appeared in court Aug. 27, where he was assigned his lawyer, according to Boudreaux, who said he had not yet met his client as of Wednesday morning but was not aware of any criminal history.

McCloud also appeared in court Tuesday, although Collins could not confirm details of the proceeding and no lawyer was yet listed for him.

Calling the case a big mess, Boudreaux said there were a lot of people involved in the shooting.

With 160 some bullets being fired, there was obviously a lot of shooting going on and no telling how many shooters, Boudreaux noted. So it will be interesting to see how they claim how Justin was involved and how other people were involved.

Boudreaux said he was looking into speculation that Poole had accidentally been shot by someone intending to fire at the other group, adding he was uncertain what ballistics would be able to ascertain.

It was not clear if McCloud and Woods would join Justin Hendrix for the 1:30 p.m. hearing on Aug. 28 to determine if bond would be set.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

The courts had no pleas recorded for any of the four arrested. Furthermore, no other lawyers had been assigned to the case, according to Collins, who as of Aug. 28 only had upcoming court dates slated for JaNiyah Hendrix on Sept. 16 at 9 a.m., and Justin Hendrix, whose preliminary hearing is slated for Oct. 2 at 10 a.m.

As of Wednesday morning, the courts only had a June arrest connected to drug possession charges on file for Woods. PEOPLE contacted Rachel Smith, Woodss public defender assigned to the drug possession case, but she did not return the call in time for publication.

The Jefferson County Public Defenders Office did not have another case for Woods yet on the books, the office confirmed to PEOPLE on Aug. 28.

We can never bring her back unfortunately but this is a step in the right direction, Thurman said of the initial arrests during the press conference, adding, Well continue to investigate until we can find everyone involved.

Fitzgerald told PEOPLE that Detectives are still actively working to determine if more suspects were involved.



For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.
At least three children ended up in the hospital after taking a liquid form of clonidine dispensed at a Kentucky pharmacy

Google street view Med Save Pharmacy, which reportedly dispensed the ADHD medication that sickened three children

At least three children are in the hospital after taking a liquid form of a popular ADHD medicine, which was dispensed at a Kentucky pharmacy.

Tabitha Drew, whose 5-year-old daughter, Rayven, takes clonidine oral suspension, told WLKY, that her daughter started feeling ill within ten minutes of taking the medication  and she is now in the intensive care unit at a local hospital.

"She started rubbing her eyes, saying, 'Mommy, I'm very sleepy,'" Drew told the outlet. "And at the time she had her tablet in her lap, she dropped it and she just went, completely, just lifeless."

Rayven was rushed to Norton Childrens Hospital in Louisville, where she remains.

Two other children were also hospitalized after taking the medication, WLKY said, prompting Henry County emergency medical services to post an alert to their Facebook page.

Alamy Stock image of a liquid medication.

If your child has been prescribed clonidine oral suspension and it was filled at MedSave in Eminence, DO NOT administer it to your child. We have reason to believe that there is something wrong with their shipment. DO NOT USE, the post said.

They later updated their page, sharing that the Investigation has resulted in enough information to be confident that this incident was isolated to prescriptions for Clonidine Oral Suspension that were filled at the MedSave in Eminence. Thank you all for sharing this as widely as you have.

Related: Pharmacy Accidentally Gives Abortion Pill to Woman Undergoing IVF: 'That Mistake Took Something from Me'

wlky/youtube Tabitha Drew, whose daughter is in the ICU after taking compounded ADHD medication.

Beth and Ian Burkett's 21-month-old son Henry also took medicine from the pharmacy, they told WDRB. He was put on a ventilator following a dose of the medication, which they said was filled at Med Save pharmacy.

"It was definitely an overdose because he received Narcan on the way to the hospital," Burkett told the outlet. "And then he actually received the maximum amount of Narcan in the ER that he was allowed to have."

They told the outlet that their son is home, but has a "long road" ahead.

Related: Mom Transfers Son's ADHD Medication to Clear Pills  and Makes Alarming Discovery About Dosages (Exclusive)

Drew is staying by her daughter's side at Kentucky Children's Hospital. As Drew told WLKY, "She's been waking up a couple more times, but she's hallucinating. She's having nightmares."

"These moments only last 30 seconds to a minute, and she is back out," Drew said. This is the last thing I want, is another kid to end up here.

Clonidine can be compounded  meaning, turned into liquid form  for children who struggle with taking pills.

However, regarding one case study of a 12-year-old who took compounded clonidine, the Journal of Emergency Medicine said, this can add to the risk of dosing errors.

That patient suffered generalized sedation, bradycardia, and hypotension because his medications concentration was approximately eight times higher than indicated on its label.

PEOPLE reached out to Med Save, who said they had No comment.



For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.
5th Circuit rules for Tesla in its fight to sell electric vehicles directly in Louisiana

The Tesla model S sedan on a glistening roadway with a cityscape in the background

A three-judge panel U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeal has revived a lawsuit Tesla filed against Louisiana auto dealers and the state board that regulates. The electric vehicle maker contents dealers have conspired to prevent them from selecting their vehicles directly to buyers in Louisiana. (Tesla photo)

A federal appellate panel has jump-started what had been a stalled lawsuit from electric automaker Tesla against Louisiana auto dealers and the state commission that regulates them.

A change the Legislature made to state law in 2017 has prevented Tesla from selling or leasing its vehicles directly to buyers in Louisiana, forcing customers to go out of state if they want to purchase one. In August 2022, the company sued the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission and the Louisiana Automobile Dealers Association, whose members hold a majority of the seats on the commission.

The case was dismissed last year in the U.S. District Court for Eastern Louisiana. But in a 2-1 decision issued Monday, judges from the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeal sent the case back to the lower court. Its decision found that the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission, with the deck stacked in favor of dealers, is biased against Tesla.

In its original court complaint, Teslas attorneys cited email correspondence between members of the auto dealers association and the Motor Vehicle Commission that revealed they have collaborated to keep the EV brand from conducting direct sales in Louisiana.

 (T)he bias is predictable. The Commission will always be incentivized to exclude new business models from entering the market, 5th Circuit Judge Jerry E. Smith wrote in his opinion.

Smith, a federal court appointee of President Ronald Reagan, ruled in the majority with Judge Catherina Hayes, who President George W. Bush selected for the court. Judge Dana Douglas, a selection of President Joe Biden, dissented.

We disagree with the opinion and expect further appeals to follow, Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a text message through her spokesman. Her agency represents the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission.

Claude Reynaud Jr., attorney for the auto dealers association, declined to comment on the 5th Circuit ruling or a possible appeal.

Mark Beebe, a New Orleans-based attorney representing Tesla, also declined to comment, citing the companys policy for not discussing ongoing litigation.

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5th Circuit rules for Tesla in its fight to sell electric vehicles directly in Louisiana

A three-judge panel U.S. Court of Appeal for the Fifth Circuit has revived a lawsuit Tesla filed against Louisiana auto dealers and the state board that regulates auto sales. The electric vehicle maker contends dealers have conspired to prevent them from selecting their vehicles directly to buyers in Louisiana. (Tesla photo)

A federal appellate panel has jump-started what had been a stalled lawsuit from electric automaker Tesla against Louisiana auto dealers and the state commission that regulates them.

A change the Legislature made to state law in 2017 has prevented Tesla from selling or leasing its vehicles directly to buyers in Louisiana, forcing customers to go out of state if they want to purchase one. In August 2022, the company sued the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission and the Louisiana Automobile Dealers Association, whose members hold a majority of the seats on the commission.

The case was dismissed last year in the U.S. District Court for Eastern Louisiana. But in a 2-1 decision issued Monday, judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit sent the case back to the lower court. Its decision found that the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission, with the deck stacked in favor of dealers, is biased against Tesla.

In its original court complaint, Teslas attorneys cited email correspondence between members of the auto dealers association and the Motor Vehicle Commission that revealed they have collaborated to keep the EV brand from conducting direct sales in Louisiana.

 [T]he bias is predictable. The Commission will always be incentivized to exclude new business models from entering the market, Judge Jerry E. Smith wrote in his opinion.

Smith, a federal court appointee of President Ronald Reagan, ruled in the majority with Judge Catherina Hayes, who President George W. Bush selected for the court. Judge Dana Douglas, a selection of President Joe Biden, dissented.

We disagree with the opinion and expect further appeals to follow, Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a text message through her spokesman. Her agency represents the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission.

Claude Reynaud Jr., attorney for the auto dealers association, declined to comment on the ruling or a possible appeal.

Mark Beebe, a New Orleans-based attorney representing Tesla, also declined to comment, citing the companys policy for not discussing ongoing litigation.

This story first appeared in the Louisiana Illuminator, a member with the Phoenix in the nonprofit States Newsroom.

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6 Polish students and a lecturer freed from detention in Nigeria, foreign ministry in Warsaw says

WARSAW, Poland (AP)  Six Polish students and a lecturer from the Warsaw University who were detained in Nigeria during protests there have been released, the Polish foreign ministry said Wednesday. They are in good health and will be returning home this week.

The ministry's spokesman, Pawel Wronski, said the seven Polish citizens have had their passports, laptops and belongings returned and were staying at the university campus in the northern Nigerian city of Kano, waiting for the trip back.

The seven were in northern Nigeria to take part in a program to study the Hausa language. They were detained earlier this month in the state of Kano during a political protest, allegedly for carrying Russian flags, Nigerias secret service said.

Officials in Poland, which has frosty relations with Russia, said that was unlikely and that the whole situation was a misunderstanding. The seven were held at a hotel in Kano while Warsaw was actively seeking their release.

Our students were at the wrong time at the wrong place, Wronski said, urging people to be cautious when traveling to distant locations.

Wronski said the ministry posts warnings and advice to travelers on its website, including a warning about the Nigerian state of Kano, where it described the political situation as being quite complicated."

Pro-Russian sentiment is rare in the Central European nation, which has bad memories of suffering under Russian rule in the past. Polish society is today deeply critical of Russian aggression in Ukraine and strongly backs Ukraine.

The protests in Nigeria saw thousands, mostly young people, rally against the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation and against alleged bad governance that has stifled development even though the country is a top oil producer.

In several northern states, a few protesters were seen waving Russian flags, a trend that until now was only common in Africa in coup-hit countries where pro-Russian sentiments are growing off the back of coups by militaries severing ties with the West.
A delegation of more than 20 Brazilian media practitioners visited China's Hubei to feel the pulse of China's development of science and technology, and show the real China to Brazilian audiences with their pens and lenses. #GLOBALink








A three-vehicle collision last week killed a man after a pickup truck driver collided into a van, setting off a chain of crashes in Foothill Farms, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Officers were called about 2:40 p.m. Friday to Elkhorn Boulevard, east of Andrea Boulevard, after a pickup truck driver headed east didnt see a vehicle in front of him and rear-ended a van, said Officer Justin Fetterly, a spokesman with the CHPs North Sacramento office.

The van hit a pole and its driver was rushed to a hospital, Fetterly said. The pickup truck driver also then collided into another car, a sedan, that was in front of the van and headed in the same direction as the two vehicles.

Drivers in the pickup truck and sedan suffered no injuries, Fetterly said.

The vans driver later died Saturday at a hospital. The Sacramento County Coroners Office identified him as Sacramento resident Charles Bourassa, 76.
An 80-year-old man fell into the Colorado River and died Sunday, marking the fifth death at the Grand Canyon National Park since July 31.

At approximately 3:40 p.m., there was an emergency call about an 80-year-old man who had gone into the water after his boat flipped near Fossil Rapid on the Colorado River, according to the national park.

The man, whose name as of Tuesday morning had yet not been released, received CPR but resuscitation attempts failed, according to the national park. The Coconino County medical examiner and the park are investigating, the park added.

Since July 31, four other people have died at the national park:

Gilbert resident Chenoa Nickerson, 33, was discovered dead Sunday morning by a commercial group traveling on the Colorado River. Nickerson was swept away Thursday afternoon about 19 miles upstream near the confluence of the Havasu Creek and the Colorado River following flooding that led to hundreds of Havasupai Tribe members and tourists being stranded.

On Aug. 6, an estimated three days after she entered the park, 20-year-old New Mexico resident Leticia Castillo's body was found 150 feet below the Grand Canyon's rim. No cause of death was given at the time.

An unnamed man trying to execute a BASE jump, which involves jumping from a fixed spot and parachuting, died Aug. 1 at the Grand Canyon.

Just the day before, 20-year-old North Carolina resident Abel Joseph Mejia was killed after he fell 400 feet from the rim near the Pipe Creek Overlook.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 5 Grand Canyon deaths within a month. Here's what we know
TROY, Ohio (WDTN)  A community benefit fund will allow local families to receive over 160,000 free childrens books.

The Troy-Miami County Public Library and Upper Valley Medical Center have partnered to support Dolly Partons Imagination Library in Miami County. The UVMC Parent Boards Community Benefit Fund will fund the Imagination Library program through 2025.

Voters to see Dayton Metro Library levy on November ballot

Through the Community Benefit Fund, $90,000 will be donated to the Miami County Imagination Library. This will cover the mailing costs of 163,636 books to children throughout Miami County.

Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine says the Troy-Miami County Public Library has managed the Imagination Library for over 10 years. The partnership with UVMC will allow the program to remain free for families.

I applaud Upper Valley Medical Center for supporting Dolly Partons Imagination Library in Miami County and investing in early childhood literacy, said DeWine. This investment will allow the library to expand the program, reaching even more children in the community.

More than 4,300 children are currently enrolled in the Miami County Imagination Library program. Through the program, each child receives a free book each month.

The program is funded by public libraries across Ohio, with matching funds provided by Dolly Partons Imagination Library of Ohio.

To learn more about the program and how to participate, go to OhioImaginationLibrary.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 WDTN.com.
ABBEVILLE, S.C. (WSPA)  An Abbeville man is headed to prison after pleading guilty to charges on Wednesday, stemming from an incident where he killed another man with a machete.

19-year-old Jaylon Thomas Elmore, pleaded guilty to charges of murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crimes. Elmore was sentenced to 30 years in prison on the murder charge and five years in prison on the weapon possession charge.

Under South Carolina law, a sentence for murder must be served day-for-day with no eligibility for parole.

In July 2023, officers with the Abbeville Police Department were dispatched to the home of 41-year-old Albert Moultrie, after friends and family found Moultrie unresponsive in his home, according to investigators.

Moultrie had a number of wounds caused by some type of large blade, which investigators later identified as a machete owned by Elmore.

After initially denying even being at Moultries residence, Elmore admitted to killing Moultrie with the machete, but claimed he was defending himself after Moultrie pulled a gun on him, according to investigators.

According to investigators, Elmore had become obsessed with Moultries sister, leading Moultrie and others to tell Elmore to stay away from her and to stop contacting her.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
CORRECTION: Abbott was interviewed by NewsNations Ali Bradley on Elizabeth Vargas Reports. A previous version of this story included incorrect information.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said in a Tuesday interview with NewsNations Ali Bradley that the immigration and border issue in Texas has been solved but still exists nationally.

Weve solved the Texas problem, but the United States problem  that requires a new president to make sure that we are actually going to secure our border, Abbott said on Elizabeth Vargas Reports.

Abbott has continually clashed with the Biden administration over the influx of migrants arriving at the Texas-Mexico border. After Vice President Harris took over the Democratic ticket from President Biden, Abbott said he thinks the state needs to triple the razor wire barriers at the border.

In the interview, Abbott mentioned some of his most controversial border actions.

Last month, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Abbott could keep the floating barrier in the Rio Grande. Installed more than a year ago, the buoy barrier is meant to dissuade migrants from crossing into the state.

The Biden administration has accused Texas of violating the federal Rivers and Harbor Act and said immigration enforcement is the purview of the federal government.

Abbott said people can expect to see an increase of the buoys in the Rio Grande but said he is waiting for the final court decision before making that investment.

Abbott said migrants arent just crossing into the state from the river but are coming from other U.S. states such as Arizona and New Mexico.

He said his state has begun putting razor wire on its borders with those states, to keep migrants and the cartel out of Texas.

Theyre not able to make money in Texas like they are in New Mexico, Arizona and California, and thats why, after we put up the resistance that we did, the cartels took their business to those other states, Abbott said.

Abbott has also bused migrants to Democratic states, including New York, Illinois and Colorado, as part of his larger plan, Operation Lone Star.

He said Tuesday that his goal isnt to bus anyone, because he wants the states efforts to deter people from coming to Texas to work.

Abbott said he expects to see a higher volume of migrants heading to Texas in the coming months but said the state stands ready to start the busing operations again.

NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill.

This story was updated at 10:08 a.m. on Aug. 29.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
If you are old enough to remember the tumultuous protests of the Vietnam War era, you probably remember the ideological combat waged on car bumpers.

People who supported the war slapped America: Love It or Leave It bumper stickers on their cars. To which those who opposed the war responded, America: Change It or Lose It.

Patriotism means many things to many people. But one thing should be obvious to anyone lucky enough to be a citizen of this country: No political party has a lock on it.

For Republicans, that should have become uncomfortably clear during last weeks Democratic National Convention, when the party of traditionally unherdable cats became a flag-waving, Born in the U.S.A.- singing single-celled organism.

For everyone here and everyone watching, I want you to proudly claim your patriotism, said Michigan Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA officer who served in Iraq. You are here because you love your country. Do not give an inch to pretenders who wrap themselves in the flag but spit in the face of freedoms it represents.

Wrapping oneself in the flag is usually a metaphor. Former President Trump literally grabs it by the pole.

The Democrats full-throated embrace of patriotism discombobulated Republicans, who have always tried to claim the flag and freedom as their own.

These American flags are sort of startling to me, said CNN political analyst (and Times contributor) Scott Jennings, a longtime advisor to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell who rarely misses a chance to insult Democrats. Normally you guys are burning these things, but tonight, youre waving them.

The Wall Street Journals Peggy Noonan was also annoyed by what went down at the DNC. They stole traditional Republican themes (faith, patriotism) and claimed them as their own, she wrote, even as she confessed that the Springsteen sing-along brought her to tears.

Republicans have abandoned the values they traditionally embraced. In the past, you could define the GOP by its commitment to a strong national defense, free-market capitalism, lower taxes and limited government.

Now it is the party of Trump  the party of whatever narcissistic whim the former president is indulging at the moment. That necessarily means Republicans have no consistent ideology.

For instance, Trump crowed about appointing three of the ultraconservative Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe vs. Wade and, as a candidate in 2016 and during his presidency, vowed that he would sign a national abortion ban. But now that he understands that stripping women of a fundamental right hurts him and other Republican candidates politically  and will continue to hurt them  he has backtracked.

He has trashed immigrants seeking better lives in the U.S. and fomented paranoia about those coming across the southern border. But when a bipartisan immigration enforcement bill was finally hammered out last year, he demanded that Republicans withhold their support. Why? So he could continue hammering Democrats over immigration.

Loving your country means loving it warts and all. But more than that, loving your country means being able to grapple honestly with its history and hold contradictory views of it in your head: America is a country founded on freedom, and America is a country founded on slavery. The flag is a beloved symbol of America, and Americans have a constitutional right to burn it if they choose.

That is what the Supreme Court ruled in 1989. And even the cranky conservative Justice Antonin Scalia agreed. "If it were up to me, I would put in jail every sandal-wearing, scruffy-bearded weirdo who burns the American flag," Scalia said. "But I am not king."

On Monday, the man who would like to be king wrongly implied that Democrats burned flags during their convention.

Theyre burning American flags all over the place, and the fake news doesnt want to show it, Trump said. (There was one widely reported instance of pro-Palestinian protesters outside the convention burning American and Israeli flags.) Anyone who burns a flag should spend a year in jail, he said.

They say, Sir, thats not constitutional,' " he said. "Well make it constitutional.

In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, patriotic fervor surged in every corner of America. Flag sales skyrocketed. In the months after the attacks, it was not unusual to see American flags flying everywhere  on cars, homes, commercial buildings, construction cranes.

Even in liberal bastions, Americans who had eschewed the flag suddenly waved it. Left-wing baby boomers who came of age during Vietnam and the civil rights era, who were rightfully skeptical of performative patriotism, embraced the flag as never before.

It was a rare moment of national unity. Before long, however, President George W. Bushs misbegotten war in Iraq shattered the sense of oneness.

During President Obamas first White House run, he decided to stop wearing a flag pin on his lapel as a gentle protest against the Iraq invasion. Republicans, already bent on "othering" him, were apoplectic.

My attitude is that Im less concerned about what youre wearing on your lapel than whats in your heart," Obama said at the time. "You show your patriotism by how you treat your fellow Americans, especially those who serve. You show your patriotism by being true to our values and ideals.

It was true then. It is true today. And it will be true forever.

@robinkabcarian

If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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.

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.

Read: Osceola County School Board to discuss whether to establish volunteer chaplain program

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.

Read: Search underway for 2 suspects who led deputies on chase on I-95 in stolen Ferrari

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.

Read: Woman connected to Leesburg store clerks death turns herself in, police say

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.

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Advocacy groups for military personnel and families are pressing the Pentagon to handle moldy, infested or otherwise dirty and dangerous barracks on U.S. bases across the globe.

Hots&Cots, the group leading the effort, said the substandard living conditions that many service members face are unacceptable.

From barracks with mold issues to outdated HVAC systems and water quality concerns, these arent just inconveniences  theyre serious issues that undermine the health of our service members, Rob Evans, a former sergeant in the Army Reserve and National Guard and founder of Hots&Cots, told The Hill in a statement.

Evans hopes the release of photographs collected by Hots&Cots  first reported by NBC News and showing mold covering the ceiling of an Army dining room in Korea and a faucet dispensing brown water at a New Jersey base, among others  will push the military to act quickly to fix the issues.

There are leaders who are truly committed to improving the quality of life for their service members.  However, I also recognize that some leaders are constrained by barriers beyond their control, he said. Hots&Cots aims to bring awareness to these issues while also highlighting the positive aspects of military life.

Evans created Hots&Cots  an app similar to Yelp that was launched in October  to help hold leaders accountable for troops living conditions after he saw reports about dirty and moldy barracks across the military.

I want soldiers to be heard because being a lower enlisted, sometimes you dont feel like youre heard, he told Task & Purpose at the time.

Evans also noted that he and a volunteer team of current and former service members evaluate the photos to verify them to the best of our ability without actually being present in the situation.

He said as of now, no one from the Defense Department or any of the military branches have reached out to his organization.

Asked about the effort, a Pentagon spokesperson told The Hill that DOD provides approximately 250,000 homes for service members and their families and that on Aug. 12 it launched its Housing Feedback System to enhance transparency and accountability in DoD privatized military housing.

The system allows active-duty service members and their dependents to submit feedback about their current housing, ensuring that their concerns are addressed in a timely manner, they said.

The U.S. military has been called out for poor living conditions in the recent past, including in a damning investigative series released by Reuters in 2019.

That series prompted Congress to enact a sweeping overhaul of Americas military housing program, the largest in more than two decades, in the annual National Defense Authorization Act.

But progress has appeared to be slow, with the Government Accountability Office releasing a report in September 2023 pointing out the consistently bad living conditions in both government-owned barracks and private company-owned military housing due to lack of oversight.

This story was updated at 4:14 p.m.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The New Mexico Human Services Department turned in an application for a SNAP outreach program for the first time ever to the U.S. Department of Agriculture in October 2023. SNAP oversight along with many other health duties were later moved to the Health Care Authority. (Photo by Shaun Griswold / Source New Mexico)

Advocates are asking New Mexico lawmakers to ensure the state always takes the opportunity for federal help to cover the cost of outreach and support for people applying for public food benefits.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program  called SNAP  isnt the only solution to food insecurity, but it is the most effective tool we have to ensure families have enough to eat, said Cody Jeff, poverty and public benefits attorney at the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty.

How we do that is is making sure that as many eligible New Mexicans are enrolling, especially families with children, Jeff said.

In February, New Mexico was one of 32 states and two territories that were called out by the feds for being late in processing benefits applications.

U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines call for 95% of claims to be processed within 30 days. New Mexico was only finishing applications on time in 72% of cases, USDA Secretary Thomas Vilsack wrote to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

That means some New Mexicans benefitting from SNAP that includes food support for families, children, elderly and disabled people  were missing out on benefits.

And in some cases, they have had to either go hungry or forego paying other bills, Jeff said.

Benefits are getting delayed in part because of the time it takes the New Mexico Health Care Authority to process applications, due to staffing issues, Jeff said.

Jeff and two officials from Roadrunner Food Bank asked the Legislative Health and Human Services Committee on Tuesday to carry a bill in the upcoming regular session in January to require a state law for the Health Care Authority to submit a SNAP outreach plan every year to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Making the outreach program permanent and expanding it would allow more outreach workers to educate the public about what SNAP is, pre-screen people for eligibility, and follow up with them as their application is being processed, Jeff said.

How this program could work for the Health Care Authority is alleviating some of that pressure, by allowing New Mexicans to enroll in places like Roadrunner, and to help potential applicants apply for SNAP there, Jeff said.

They also asked for $150,000 to be added to the New Mexico Health Care Authoritys budget so they can hire a dedicated staff member to manage SNAP outreach, and create an application portal so outreach workers can track peoples progress toward getting their benefits.

Not only do applicants need high-quality translation and interpretation services, they also need training to be literate in how the SNAP program works, Jeff said.

Roadrunner Food Bank outreach since 2013

The New Mexico Human Services Department turned in an application for a SNAP outreach program for the first time ever to the U.S. Department of Agriculture in October 2023. SNAP oversight along with many other health duties were later moved to the Health Care Authority.

The plans goal is to ensure SNAP-eligible New Mexicans are getting accurate, culturally relevant, and developmentally appropriate information and help when they are applying for it, according to the 127-page outreach plan.

For the better part of a decade, Jason Riggs, advocacy and public policy director at Roadrunner Food Bank, said he has been tormenting anyone I can talk with about getting a New Mexico SNAP outreach plan into law.

Colorado, Nebraska, Texas, and New Jersey already have robust outreach programs, Jeff said.

The Health Care Authority has made a lot of progress in the past year, Riggs told lawmakers on Tuesday.

The state government got $60,000 from the feds for SNAP outreach in 2023, and that helped Roadrunner Food Banks existing outreach program, which had existed for a decade prior, Riggs said.

Food banks were designed to be emergency services, and SNAP is really the first line of defense against extreme hunger, Riggs said.

The state outreach program improved communication between the Health Care Authority and people in the community asking about their applications, which eliminated peoples apprehension to apply because of the wait time, said Shannon Hudson, SNAP and public benefits outreach manager at Roadrunner Food Bank.

So we can encourage people to apply because we have the information from the Health Care Authority, Hudson said.
CORONADO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)  A group of advocates in Coronado are fighting City Hall once again  this time, trying to save a group of trees near the library.

When several Canary Island pines were headed for the chopping block last year, a small group with loud voices pushed back and won. Now, their attention has shifted as they hope to save yet another cluster of trees from the chainsaws.

Once again, its like deja vu here, the City of Coronado wants to chop down five healthy, mature trees because they want to expand this building  cutting into our precious park space and building out more paved patio, losing all of our trees, our habitat for wildlife  when the majority, we believe, of this community did not want that change, Christine Mott, a candidate for Coronado City Council, told FOX 5/KUSI Tuesday.

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But a majority of the city council did, voting 3-2 in favor of removing the trees to make way for expanding the library.

There were three people that made this happen, and I think its awful and its heartbreaking. Youre going to lose this shade. They want to plant a little tree to take its place. Come on, Coronado resident Mary Beth Milliken said to FOX 5/KUSI.

Unless something changes, five trees are going to be cut down. The trees are located at the entryway of the Coronado Library, on public land, and serve as a canopy for the park.

JD Vance scheduled to visit San Diego area next week

The City Council voted 3-2 to remove the four trees that would be in the way of the option to expand this room, resident Shannon Player said. There were three other options, and I think all of them were adequate, and they could have chosen those without removing the trees.

As a member of Tree City USA, the Crown City has a longstanding relationship with planting and maintaining what it calls its urban forest. When and if these trees come down, they will be replaced with saplings.

They will put trees back in and well hold them to that, but it takes a lifetime to get trees this big and all this biomass, Player added.

San Diego ranks second for highest annual home price increases

The citys tree advocates are planning to hold a rally Sunday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the corner of Sixth Street and Orange Avenue.

Well, somebody has to speak for the trees, and were the people who are going to, and always have and always will  til the last bit of oxygen they give me is out of my body, Milliken added.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
RAMALLAH/JERUSALEM, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- At least nine Palestinians were killed and 11 others injured during a large-scale Israeli military operation in northern West Bank on Wednesday, said the Palestinian Health Ministry and the official Palestinian news agency WAFA.

The Israeli army launched the operation in the West Bank cities of Jenin, Tulkarm, and Tubas in the northern West Bank, which is expected to last for several days, according to Israeli media.

Israel's state-owned Kan TV news reported that ground troops, as well as attack helicopters and drones, raided several locations in the West Bank to "eliminate" militant cells.

In the Far'a refugee camp near Tubas, paramedics reported that ambulances were struggling to reach injured people following a drone strike, and in a video posted on social media, armored vehicles were seen patrolling around a hospital in Jenin.

The Israeli military issued a statement saying its troops were operating in the West Bank cities of Jenin and Tulkarm, without providing further details.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz wrote on social media that Israel Defense Forces began an "intense" raid overnight to "thwart terrorist infrastructure." He blamed Iran for supporting militants in the West Bank and said, "We must deal with the threat just as we deal with the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza, including the temporary evacuation of residents and whatever steps are required."

Israeli military spokesperson Avichai Adraee also said Wednesday in a statement that Israeli security forces have begun an operation to "thwart terrorism" in Jenin and Tulkarm.

Israel has been carrying out almost daily raids in the West Bank since the beginning of the war in Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023. The ongoing Israeli attacks have so far claimed more than 40,400 lives in Gaza, according to local health authorities. 
Edited By Chase Clements, COMMERCE CONTENT OPERATIONS MANAGER SPONSORED CONTENT is content paid for by a partner. The McClatchy Commerce Content team, which is independent from our newsroom, oversees this content.

The aerospace industry, led by Boeing, is a cornerstone of economic growth and community support in the South Sound. As the region sees an unprecedented influx of new businesses and residents, the contributions of the aerospace industry stand out not just for its economic impact but also for its dedicated support of the veterans community.

Boeing, with its fabrication site in Frederickson, employs a large local workforce and supports multiple suppliers, playing a pivotal role in the South Sound economy. Beyond its well-known products, Boeings economic influence is profound. The Manufacturing and Industrial Council, a program at the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber, helps to track data and support manufacturing businesses and workers. Manufacturing jobs are some of the lowest barrier, highest earning potential jobs in our State.

According to a recent report by the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Community Attributes, Inc., the aerospace sector generated over $71 billion in business revenues, supported 194,000 jobs and contributed $19.4 billion in worker wages in Washington in 2023. In Pierce County and South King County alone, aerospace employee households spent $500 million in 2022, supporting numerous local businesses, including the equivalent of 25 regional restaurants.

And just as Boeing is invested economically in our region, the companys commitment to veterans is second to none. In 2023, Boeing provided $1.4 million in charitable funding to Washington state-based veterans nonprofit organizations. This support underscores the aerospace industrys broader commitment to military veterans and their families, particularly those transitioning from service.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber and NineLine Veteran Services are proud to be among the beneficiaries of Boeings generosity. NineLine is one of many veterans nonprofits in the region receiving grant funding from Boeing.

Boeings membership in the Chamber and sponsorship of several Chamber events further amplify its impact. Both our organizations work together to connect military veterans and families to essential services, addressing issues such as veteran suicide, employment for non-military spouses, and meeting healthcare and basic needs. This collaboration is crucial for equitable economic development in the South Sound.

The Chambers Military Affairs Forum epitomizes this collaboration. In partnership with South Sound Military and Communities Partnership (SSMCP) this quarterly forum brings together organizations like NineLine and Boeing to identify gaps in support for active and veteran military personnel and explore opportunities for collaboration between the civilian community and defense installations. Regular meetings in Tacoma provide a venue for a diverse group of military organizations, nonprofits, business owners, and government partners to focus on topics such as veteran hiring and support for active-duty military and their families.

By cultivating a unique workforce development partnership that focuses on employing recently homeless, at-risk, and in-need military families, NineLine provides fulfillment services to organizations in the South Sound region. And through a dedicated contract, NineLine has delivered outsourced services to Boeing for 23 years.

These are just a sample of the many reasons why Boeings dedication to hiring veterans is nationally recognized. Fair360 ranked Boeing #2 in its top companies for hiring veterans, with veterans comprising approximately 15% of Boeings U.S.-based workforce.

Veterans employed in the aerospace sector continue to give back to the military community. Boeings Veteran Engagement Team volunteers at events like the 11th annual Veterans Resource Fair at the Tacoma Dome. The event supported over 1,100 military members and their families by providing connections to housing, employment, mental health support, and more.

Additionally, Boeings partnership with the Seattle Mariners and the annual Salute to Armed Forces game at T-Mobile Park is another prime example of the companys unwavering commitment to honoring and celebrating the military community.

The South Sound community and our veterans benefit immensely from the presence and growth of the aerospace industry. We extend our gratitude to our aerospace partners, like Boeing, for their continued support and investment in organizations like the Chamber and NineLine. Together, we enhance our ability to support South Sound veterans, making our community stronger.

Together, with our veterans, we are stronger.
The U.S. Army has awarded Aerovironment a contract worth up to $990 million to provide Switchblade loitering munitions for infantry battalions, according to a Pentagon announcement posted Tuesday evening.

The Defense Department announced the contract to supply an organic, stand-off capability to dismounted infantry formations capable of destroying tanks, light armored vehicles, hardened targets, defilade and personnel targets.

Funding will be determined with each order and the Pentagon estimates the work will be completed in five years.

Aerovironment said in a statement Wednesday it expects to begin delivering systems to the Army in months.

The contract fulfills the services directed requirement for loitering munitions for soldiers in infantry battalions, the company said.

Switchblades are tube-launched munitions with small wings that pop out like a switchblade knife when ejected and can be flown like drones. They are designed to hit targets and detonate.

The Army has used the Switchblade for more than a decade, but as the systems have been sent to Ukraine and used with great success by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the service has recognized its broader utility within its own force.

Army to buy more than 1,000 Switchblade drones through Replicator

The United Kingdom is the only other current Switchblade operator, but France, Lithuania and Australia have all signed on to buy the systems since war broke out in Ukraine.

U.S. Defense officials revealed earlier this year that the Switchblade 600 would be one of the systems selected for the Pentagons Replicator program, which is aimed at speeding up the purchase and delivery of drones to the services.

The Pentagon wants the services, through Replicator, to field thousands of drones by August 2025 while learning how to run acquisition sprints to get weapons quickly when an urgent demand must be met.

Aerovironment won a previous contract to fulfill the Armys loitering unmanned systems directed requirement in December and is delivering systems to the Army under the contract.

AV is proud to have been selected to provide Switchblade for this critical and urgent Army requirement, Brett Hush, AVs senior vice president and general manager of loitering munition systems, said in the statement. This latest contract underscores the unmatched maturity and effectiveness of our system, as well as AVs strategic positioning to rapidly produce and deliver these cutting-edge solutions to operators in the field.
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL)  Hundreds of leaders in Tri-Cities education and business met for a summit in Jonesborough on Wednesday.

Roughly 200 leaders gathered at Grace Meadow Farms for the annual Education to Employment Summit. The goal of the summit, which is hosted by the First Tennessee Development District (FTDD), is to bring together key figures in local industry, business and education to help the region move forward.

Dozens of animals surrendered in Hawkins County after welfare check

Its really about building the pipeline of the workforce of the future, said Lottie Ryans, the FTDDs director of workforce and literacy initiatives. Every year, we look to see what the trends are, get feedback from past participants and what are the hot topics we need to address.

Photo: WJHL

The keynote speaker at the summit was Dr. Lynn Parker, an expert in the field of artificial intelligence.

During the summit, a panel of Gen Z participants spoke about what is important to them as they prepare to enter the workforce.

We invited some high school students to be our guests so they are actually sitting at the table with a superintendent or with an HR leader and they are getting to give their ideas, Ryans said.

Ryans said the event helps the community advance by creating bridges between key figures in education and executives in various industries.

Its such a regional thing we have all the major chambers and the economic development entities who are sponsors and to just see how we can do something together as a region is powerful.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
A middle school student was taken into custody after an airsoft gun was found in his backpack in Ohio.

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Sheriffs deputies responded to the Miami Trace Local School in Fayette County around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday after a student told the school resource officer (SRO) that another student had a weapon, according to the sheriffs office.

All students were ordered to shelter in place in their classroom while deputies responded.

The SRO detained the 12-year-old suspect, secured his backpack, and found a weapon determined to be an airsoft weapon.

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All students resumed a normal schedule after the incident.

The student was taken to a juvenile detention center and charged with delinquency counts of illegal conveyance or possession of an object indistinguishable from a firearm in a school safety zone.

The suspect is scheduled to appear in juvenile court to answer the charges.

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Alabama lawmakers and industry officials are exploring ways to provide employment benefits to independent workers through a portable benefits system. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Alabama lawmakers and industry officials are trying to figure out how nontraditional full-time workers can get employment benefits through their jobs.

The Alabama Portable Benefits Task Force Tuesday discussed the potential for developing a portable benefits system for independent workers in the state.

Portable benefits are employment benefits that are not tied to a single employer but instead follow the worker across different jobs or gigs. The meeting centered on the absence of an existing framework across the United States. to provide benefits like health insurance, retirement savings, and paid leave to gig workers, who currently lack access to such services and protections.

Its important work for us to review and see the landscape, and see if theres a way our state can address this issue even incrementally, bit by bit, said task force co-chair Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur.

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The rise of the gig economy has created a growing population of workers who do not have access to traditional employment benefits. In Alabama alone, an estimated 79,000 active app-based workers are engaged in the rideshare and delivery work and its a growing kind of work, said Kristin Sharp, CEO of the Flex Association, an organization representing app-based economy workers.

There are also some number of millions  23 to 30 million  app-based workers, and the app-based workers are very much prioritizing the flexibility that goes with their work and is interested in what would it look like to sort of get some kind of equivalent benefits in a nontraditional way, Sharp said.

The task force was established in the 2024 legislative session. Orr said developing a model for the future is an important issue to address for independent contractors, freelancers, and gig economy workers who do not have access to traditional work benefits, but also for employers, though he did not say why.

Co-chair Rep. Neil Rafferty, D-Birmingham, said that creating a structure that provides benefits to independent contractors and gig workers is especially important for families who depend on this type of work, though there is not a successful example of a framework from other states that have worked.

I hope that Alabama can at least be putting our foot in the door to be on the forefront of this innovation, Rafferty said.

Unlike traditional benefits tied to full-time employment, portable benefits are either self-funded, employer-funded, or supported by contributions from multiple organizations. The task force briefly discussed an employer-funded model, and Orr asked which benefit to start with or if its all the above, but settled on keeping options open.

I think its all of the above. I really think we ought to have a very wide scope here for now, said Mark Smith, director of state government affairs for Shipt, an app-based delivery service.

States like Utah and Pennsylvania have begun exploring portable benefits through legislative action. Utah passed SB 233 in 2023, allowing both public and private entities to offer portable benefits plans while protecting employers from liability concerns related to employee classification.

Pennsylvanias approach includes a pilot program where DoorDash drivers can access benefits like those provided to formal employees. These state-level initiatives could offer possible models for Alabama to consider, though Orr showed concern about legal challenges from the federal government.

Legal issues surrounding portable benefits primarily revolve around federal versus state jurisdiction in defining employment and benefits. Sharp said the U.S. Department of Labors multi-factor test for determining employee status could complicate state efforts to implement portable benefits.

The task force plans to meet in late October or early November. Orr also said there is no deadline for developing recommendations for the Legislature.

Its very important for us to take this on  and again, weve got time, the luxury of time  do it and do it right and keep our eyes and ears open and see whats going on across the country, Orr said.

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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT)  U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) secured $200,000 for Alabama A&M University for improvements and upgrades regarding campus security in the Fiscal Year 2025

(FY25) Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.

The congressionally directed spending secured by Senator Britt would allow the University to upgrade campus security at residence halls.

Alabama A&M University takes campus safety seriously and has already been working to improve security measures across campus, said Senator Britt. This $200,000 would enable the university to upgrade security systems for their students residential buildings. This would help ensure students at the University feel safe and secure while giving parents greater peace of mind.

Download the WHNT News 19 App to stay updated on the go.

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We appreciate the $200,000 in community project funding that Senator Britt was able to include in the FY25 appropriations bill. We know public safety and the well-being of all Alabama students, staff, faculty, and citizens are as important to the Senator as they are to us. We see this as a down payment and worthy federal investment and look forward to continuing working with the Senator to increase and improve public safety and security at AAMU, said President of Alabama A&M University, Dr. Daniel K. Wims.

Alabama A&M University has been working to upgrade their campus security for several years including their latest round of upgrades announced in April of 2024.

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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 WHNT.com.
Alleged burglar who cooked and cleaned is still at large, Thurston Sheriffs Office says

A Yelm area burglar who had the time to make a meal, clean up and point out an appliance that wasnt working is a wanted man in Oregon, according to the Thurston County Sheriffs Office.

Residents of the Clearwood Community Association, a gated community of about 1,300 homes on three lakes southeast of Yelm, reported that the man allegedly broke into homes and a car and tried to break into a garage last week.

Sheriffs Lt. Mike Brooks said Tuesday the man is wanted on an outstanding warrant out of Oregon. He also is potentially facing new criminal charges for burglary and prowling, according to KING 5 news, which reported Monday that the sheriffs office and a partner agency searched the community unsuccessfully on Sunday.

When I arrived Friday morning, I noticed there was a note on my kitchen table, Eddie Andujo told KING 5. It says, I needed food, badly. I broke into your house. Please forgive me. I ate your food and washed my clothes and showered.

Although he broke into the residence, nothing was taken, according to the television station.

He made spaghetti, Andujo told KING 5. But the funny part is, he washed his dishes. So he was a nice crook I guess, I dont know ... and he folded the blankets he used.

He continued, And then he goes on to say, P.S. Your popcorn maker wasnt working properly.

Andujo told KING 5 he thought he was being pranked. I thought it was a joke at first, he said.

But as he surveyed the home, he learned otherwise.

My kitchen window was broken. Theres glass all over the sink and so forth, Andujo said.
The 96-year-old woman whom Regina Hill is accused of scamming is suing the now-suspended Orlando city commissioner and a nonprofit organization she controls, asking a judge to order the sale of two properties that tether the woman to Hill.

Though a judge ordered Hill to stay away from the elderly woman earlier this year, the womans name still appears on the deeds for two Orlando-area homes closely tied to Hill, including one that has become a key piece of the criminal case against her and one whose ownership status the Orlando Sentinel recently disclosed.

The suits, filed this week in Orange County, ask a judge to order the sale of homes on Baywood Avenue and Domino Drive. The elderly womans name appears on the deed for both of those homes and attorney Jason ONeal said he filed the suits on her behalf in hopes that the proceeds from the sale of the home could be used to reimburse the elderly woman for some of the money that Hill is accused of stealing from her.

Hill helped herself to improper benefits from the elderly woman, including her money, credit, and identification, the suits allege.

But attorney Fritz Scheller, who is representing Hill in her criminal case, dismissed the allegations on Wednesday in an emailed statement.

To paraphrase Dorothy Parker, the complaints filed against Ms. Hill are not pleadings to be lightly tossed aside, he wrote. They should be thrown with great force. As the product of limited facts and a biased investigation, I hold the allegations in little regard. They are, in the end, another effort inspired by state-led actors to destroy an individual who has done so much for her community.

Hill and her alleged victim first met in early 2021 after city enforcement officers reported deplorable conditions at the elderly womans residence in west Orlandos Lake Mann neighborhood. Alerted to the problem, Hill worked to clean up the home, but a former Hill aide later told authorities of her suspicions that Hill had begun to take advantage of the woman. After a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation that spanned more than a year, Hill was indicted on several felony counts related to elder abuse in late March.

In addition to stealing money from the elderly woman, Hill is accused of leveraging her credit in order to obtain a mortgage to buy a home on Domino Drive, on the shore of Lake Mann in Hills district that Hill subsequently listed as her primary residence. The elderly woman, who suffers from memory loss, did not appear to understand her own involvement in the purchase of that home, FDLE says. The Orlando Sentinel is not naming her because of her age and vulnerability.

ONeal wrote in his complaint that Hill ensured she would inherit the property after the elderly womans death because Hill, 59, believed she would outlive her.

The second suit concerns a home on Baywood Avenue that Hill used to own and live in. The Sentinel revealed in a story published August 19 that the home was deeded in May to a nonprofit organization controlled by Hill, along with the elderly woman, even after Hill was prohibited by court order from going to any of her alleged victims properties. Hill is listed as the president and registered agent on state business records for Arvonni House of Hope and Refuge, the nonprofit organization that is named on the deed along with the elderly woman.

Hill previously owned the home for 25 years before selling it to two LLCs in 2022 while she was going through bankruptcy.

She last claimed a homestead exemption on the property, which is in unincorporated Orange County, in 2008, before she was elected to the city commission. Subsequently, it appears, Hill used the Baywood Avenue property as a family home. Five people, including two of Hills sons, were arrested there in a 2015 raid when deputies recovered methamphetamine, cannabis and cocaine, as well as two handguns, one of which was stolen.

Earlier this year, the LLCs transferred the Baywood Avenue property for $10 to Arvonni House of Hope and Refuge as 70 percent owner and the troubled former commissioners alleged victim as 30 percent owner. The legal mechanism they used, known as a quitclaim deed, is generally reserved for transactions among family members or close friends, and not used for arms-length transactions. Its not clear why the elderly womans name also appears on the deed.

But ONeal said it appears Hill took massive advantage, of the elderly woman and he hopes to make it right by ensuring the woman is reimbursed for the money that was taken from her.

Justice comes in a lot of forms, ONeal said. It looks like there were injustices here and I want to get justice relating to these two houses.

anmartin@orlandosentinel.com
Panchen Erdeni Chos-kyi rGyal-po visits a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Zayu County of Nyingchi City, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Aug. 26, 2024. (Photo by Chogo/Xinhua)

LHASA, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Panchen Erdeni Chos-kyi rGyal-po concluded his tour of Nyingchi City in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, and returned to the regional capital Lhasa on Wednesday.

Panchen Rinpoche arrived in Nyingchi on Aug. 22. During his stay there, he inspected rural vitalization work in a village of the Deng minority in Zayu County, visited a local family, and toured a kiwi fruit plantation base.

On Aug. 26, he delivered a lecture and performed head-touching rituals for monks and believers in a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Zayu. He visited a tea planting base and a tea processing plant in Bome County the next day.

On June 25, Panchen Rinpoche traveled from the Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Qinghai Province to Lhasa. During his time in Lhasa, he performed his regular duties at the Xizang Branch of the Buddhist Association of China, and carried out a series of social research and religious activities.

Panchen Rinpoche is a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body. He is also vice president of the Buddhist Association of China and president of the association's Xizang branch. 

Panchen Erdeni Chos-kyi rGyal-po visits a local family in Zayu County of Nyingchi City, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Aug. 24, 2024. (Photo by Chogo/Xinhua)
Allies advise us to be restrained  Polish PM on downing drones above Poland

Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of Poland, has stated that when it comes to the issue of downing Russian missiles or drones above the territory of Poland, it is often hard to determine right away whether it is a civilian object or not, so the allies of Warsaw ask it to be restrained.

Source: Tusk at a press conference on 28 August, as reported by European Pravda with reference to Rzeczpospolita

Details: Tusk was asked whether the Polish government was ready to change the law in order to facilitate the downing of the objects, which enter the Polish airspace during Russian large-scale attacks targeting, among other things, the west of Ukraine.

At the moment, the procedure requires that General Maciej Klisz, Commander of the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces, give permission to down such an object in peacetime.

Tusk replied that he was "open" to the change in the rules, "and we can change the rules as soon as possible", but then specified that "the problem with downed aircraft often has a different nature".

"Often, it's the split second that makes it impossible to check whether it's a civilian object. Or whether it is a lost aircraft," he added.

Tusk added that "our allies recommend some restraint" when it comes to shooting down unidentified aerial objects "if there is no threat, if its not aggression".

"I highly value the smart and balanced position of our military. They are not interested in opening fire every time something moves in the sky. We feel more secure this way," Tusk believes.

Background:

On 27 August, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that he wanted Warsaw to help Ukraine with downing missiles over the western part of Ukraine heading towards Poland.

The Polish Defence Minister has already stated that the decision to allow Russian missiles and combat drones to be shot down in Ukrainian airspace using Polish air defence systems has been met with scepticism among NATO countries.

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ODANAH, Wisconsin  Daniel Wiggins Jr. sipped his coffee, which he took light and sweet. The sip gave him a moment to slow the tears welling up in his eyes.

It was Fathers Day, and he recalled his fondest memory in the Kakagon Sloughs, a system of wetlands on the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewas land that houses the last natural wild rice bed remaining on Lake Superior.

One late summer morning, he had argued with his mom about going ricing with his stepdad. Your dad needs a partner, he recalled her shouting. Wiggins, didnt want to do it that day, but ultimately lost the argument. Hours later on the Kakagon River, his stepdad handed him the ricing stick and told him it was his turn to knock the ripened grains into the canoe. It was the first time he was allowed to do it.

As the grains landed in the bottom of the canoe, Wiggins registered how important ricing was to his family and what it meant to do the work.

Daniel Wiggins Jr., a tribal council member and former deputy director of the Bad River Bands natural resources department, talks about the risks associated with Enbridge's Line 5 reroute. The new 41-mile stretch of pipeline will go south of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewass land further inland into Ashland and Iron counties. It will sit further upstream of the Bad River, and cross more than 180 waterways that drain into Lake Superior.

I felt like I knew who I was in that moment, and I think my dad recognized it too, he said.

Wiggins is a tribal council member and former deputy director of the Bad River Bands natural resources department. Both his mom and stepdad have since passed.

The Kakagon Sloughs hold everything that the Bad River Band holds dear  food, medicines, teachings. And nearly half of all the wetlands on Lake Superior are in the Sloughs, making it an ecological powerhouse that helps keep Lake Superior clean.

However, all that is considered at risk from Enbridges Line 5, the Canadian pipeline that carries oil through 645 miles of the Great Lakes region. The pipeline crosses 12 miles of the Bad River Bands land in northern Wisconsin, even though the tribal council chose not to renew the right-of-way easement when it expired more than a decade ago.

As winter approaches, with another presidential election promising a new administration regardless of who wins, tribal leaders are uneasy. Climate change is having a profound and frightening impact, and while it's part of tribal culture to think long-term, American business practices and political decisions typically are geared more short-term, which makes the environment more vulnerable.

The Band sued Enbridge in 2019 to have the pipeline removed from its lands. A federal judge found the company has been illegally operating on the tribes land, and ordered the pipeline be removed or rerouted by June 2026. That decision is being appealed, but the deadline is looming.

Enbridge proposed a 41-mile reroute around the tribes reservation in 2020, but it has yet to be permitted by any agency. The Bad River Band, other Great Lakes tribes and environmental groups warn that the reroute still puts the Sloughs and Lake Superior in grave danger.

The new stretch of pipeline would sit further upstream from the Kakagon Sloughs, Bad River and many other waterways that empty into Lake Superior, home to about 10% of the worlds surface freshwater.

The new pipeline would sit just outside the tribes reservation. But that's merely a political boundary, Wiggins said, and it doesnt make sense from an environmental perspective.

If the reroute project were to go ahead, it is estimated to have a $135 million economic impact in northern Wisconsin, creating jobs for 700 workers with a total labor income of $27.5 million, according to the oil company.

However, that area of Wisconsin is a draw for tourism with its scenic views, pristine waters and proximity to the Apostle Islands, which are just a short ferry ride away. According to the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, $93 million and $66 million came into Bayfield and Ashland counties, respectively, just in 2023.

Enbridge isnt only taking advantage of the Bad River, Wiggins said, its taking advantage of a lot of smaller towns that need financial support and are coming out of struggling times.

The reroute isnt going to reduce the risks of an environmental catastrophe, he said. Its just moving the issue to another persons backyard.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is undergoing an environmental review of the reroute project; opponents have submitted more than 150,000 public comments.

Juli Kellner, a spokesperson for Enbridge, told the Journal Sentinel models from a third-party firm have confirmed the reroute "is the best route based on the relatively shorter construction length, and a reduced potential to impact the Bad River Reservation, stands of wild rice, Lake Superior, and populated areas."

"Line 5 has been operating safely for 70 years, with no impact to the shores of Lake Superior," Kellner said. "Pipelines remain the safest, most efficient method to transport these products."

Politically, what to do with the 70-year-old pipeline has splintered Democrats, pitting support of labor unions against the commitment to protect natural resources and end the countrys reliance on fossil fuels. Republicans around the Great Lakes have argued that projects to update Line 5 can be done safely and that the pipeline is needed for economic growth.

The Canadian government has continued to throw its support behind Enbridge, filing amicus briefs on behalf of the company that cite a 1977 treaty preventing interruption of the flow of oil between the U.S. and Canada. Line 5 has even garnered attention beyond the two countries. Last year, an advisory body to the United Nations recommended the two countries shut down the pipeline, and asked Canada to reconsider its support.

More: Great Lakes tribes teach 'water is life. But theyre forced to fight for a voice in safeguarding it.

A hotly debated watershed line

The new 41-mile stretch of pipeline would go south of the Bad River Bands land further inland into Ashland and Iron counties. It would go through Iron County State Forest, around Copper Falls State Forest and cross more than 180 Lake Superior tributaries, including the Bad River, all at a cost of $450 million.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that the reroute would remove Line 5 from tribal waters, said Mike Wiggins Jr., former chairman of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and cousin to Daniel Wiggins. The rerouted pipeline would still pass through tributaries that connect with the tribe's drinking water, Mike Wiggins said.

Wild rice, or manoomin, lies on the Kakagon River in the Kakagon Sloughs on June 16, 2024. During this time, the wild rice is at it's most vulnerable stage, called the floating leaf stage where only a single tap root lightly clings to the sediment below. Wild rice is central to Ojibwe people .

Whether Line 5s new location would be in or out of the watershed was even a contentious topic during the appeals case.

But the watershed is much bigger than the reservation, said Stefanie Tsosie, senior attorney with the Tribal Partnerships Program at EarthJustice. And there is no question that where the pipeline will go is hydrologically connected" to tribal waters.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is currently reviewing the environmental impacts of the project under the Clean Water Act. It released a draft of its environmental assessment earlier this year, which drew contentious testimony during public hearings. The Bad River Band is currently putting together a comment letter on the assessment, due by Aug. 30.

If the Army Corps determines the environmental impacts are significant, Enbridge must prepare a federal environmental impact statement. If the agency determines they arent significant, it may issue the permits, although other steps may be required.

Enbridge also need permits from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources as well as local agencies.

While the reroute project has not been permitted and the deadline is looming, Kellner told the Journal Sentinel, "We are confident we can complete the project by June 2026."

The Kakagon Sloughs right before sunset on the Kakagon River on June 16, 2024. The sloughs are full of wetlands that are home to the largest natural wild rice bed remaining in the Great Lakes.

A project to build a tunnel that runs through the Straits of Mackinac, the 4.5 mile stretch that separates Lakes Michigan and Huron, is in the process of being permitted in Michigan as well. That project has been just as contentious as the reroute project in northern Wisconsin, and is the centerpiece of a lawsuit brought by Michigan's attorney general against Enbridge.

By permitting projects to reroute the pipeline around the Band's land and pursue a replacement tunnel underneath the lakes, federal and state agencies are choosing to extend the lifeline of the aging pipeline, said Whitney Gravelle, president of the Bay Mills Indian Community in what is now Michigan.

It's a choice that will continue to keep the threats to the Great Lakes alive, Gravelle said.

A sweeping change to dynamic landscape

Northern Wisconsins cliff-laden landscape near Lake Superior is dominated by red clay soil that is quick to erode. There are rapid seasonal shifts as well as changes to the levels in surface water, groundwater and aquifers.

The area also has been battered by multiple 500-year rain events that dropped more than 10 inches of rain in a matter of hours.

Tsosie said the Army Corps of Engineers environmental assessment does not take the dynamic landscape into consideration, explaining that many measurements were only taken at one point during the year.

The Kakagon Sloughs right before sunset on the Kakagon River on June 16, 2024. The Sloughs are one of the many places at risk if Enbridge's Line 5 oil pipeline were to rupture or spill.

Vague and missing information is the reason the permit process has been so drawn out, Tsosie said.

Asking for more information is a plus, but its unfortunate that we have to prod companies to do that, she said. They should be forthright in the first place instead of relying on the Bad River Band to do that for them.

Tsosie hopes the Army Corps will look into the environmental impacts further by doing an impact statement so many of these questions can be answered.

Were not talking about a small area, were talking about 41 miles, Tsosie said. Its a very sweeping change to that part of the ecosystem.

More: As battles over Enbridge Line 5 oil pipeline grind on, tribes fear Great Lakes, treaty rights at risk

The Band has experience with what can go wrong

The Bad River Band has firsthand experience with how such a dynamic landscape can put a pipeline at risk of rupture.

Flooding and erosion along the river has moved one bank deep in the reservation, known as the meander, as close as 11 feet to the buried pipeline. The bank stood more than 300 feet away only five years ago.

During oral arguments, the appellate judges questioned the Bands willingness to help the fossil fuel company fix the erosion.

But manipulating the river's meander to change how it moves and progresses goes against Ojibwe teachings, Daniel Wiggins said, especially when it's to accomplish the goals of a company that the tribe does not want there.

Its our choice to make, he said.

The Bad River Band offered a solution to help fix erosion at the meander in July, one that was temporary and minimized the environmental impacts compared to the one proposed by Enbridge. Enbridge said it appreciated the invitation and has since met with the Band's natural resources department to discuss the project.

Kellner said that Enbridge believes progress is being made and that the company and Band have been working together to resolve erosion and emergency response issues.

But the Bad River Band and environmental groups have another example to point to in highlighting their concerns: Enbridges Line 3 replacement project in northern Minnesota.

The company breached four aquifers while building the pipeline. It also paid more than $11 million to address environmental damage during construction, and faced a criminal misdemeanor charge for using state waters without permission.

More: Wisconsin tribal officials opposed to making Apostle Islands a national park

An environmental justice issue

For tribes around the Great Lakes, the Line 5 pipeline has raised larger questions about whether tribes have a say over their own land.

The 34-federally recognized tribes around the region are unified when it comes to the pipeline, Gravelle said. Earlier this year, 30 tribes sent a letter to the Biden administration urging it to honor treaty rights and tribal sovereignty, and speak out against the pipeline. The federal government has since spoken up, but with a lack of clarity, offering mixed opinions depending on the issue.

Daniel Wiggins said hes baffled because many federal agencies are trying to include environmental justice in their objects, and what Enbridge is doing is an environmental justice issue, he said.

Mike Wiggins Jr., former chairman of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, drives his boat near the mouth of the Bad River where it meets Lake Superior on June 16, 2024.

When economic development translates to destruction of the environment and drinking water, that's when corporate goals and profits need to give way to treaty rights, which are rooted in notions of homeland reservations and habitat, Mike Wiggins said.

If wild rice or certain aspects of the Kakagon Sloughs disappear, there is a certain part of Ojibwe people that wont live on, Daniel Wiggins said.

Its not the end, its just a transition

Fathers Day not only offers fond childhood memories, but its a reminder of what can be lost.

In mid-June 2012, historic weeklong rains flooded much of Lake Superiors Minnesota and Wisconsin shorelines, dropping upwards of 10 inches in some areas.

The heavy rainfall flooded much of the wild rice beds on the Bad River Bands land. It hit during the wild rices most sensitive stage, called the floating leaf stage, where only a single tap root lightly clings to the sediment below.

What became known as the Fathers Day Flood to the Band wiped out the wild rice that year, leaving nothing to harvest.

Daniel Wiggins explained this was fresh on peoples mind when the Line 5s right-of-way easement expired in 2013. It was a reminder of what was at stake.

The Bad River just before it flows into Lake Superior at dusk on June 16, 2024.

On a boat ride along the Bad River with Mike Wiggins this Fathers Day, the horizon lit up pink just before the river joined Lake Superior.

Mike Wiggins said that place  right before the river and the lake become one  is his favorite along the river.

Its not the end, he said. Its just a transition.

More: A new chapter of a very old story: Documentary shows Bad River Band's fight against Line 5

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: As clock ticks, Line 5 continues to pit tribal culture against Big Oil
A marijuana activist holds a flag during a march on July 4, 2021, in Washington, DC. Members of the group Fourth of July Hemp Coalition gathered outside the White House for its annual protest on marijuana prohibition, which the group said dated back to more than 50 years ago during the Nixon administration. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

A marijuana activist holds a flag during a march on July 4, 2021, in Washington, D.C. Members of the group Fourth of July Hemp Coalition gathered outside the White House for its annual protest on marijuana prohibition, which the group said dated back to more than 50 years ago during the Nixon administration. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Contributor Tom Dean urges we go slow and put the brakes on efforts to legalize and regulate marijuana use (More research needed on health effects of recreational marijuana, Aug. 23). For those of us who have spent decades working to end over a century of marijuana prohibition and stigmatization, these changes cannot come soon enough.

The initial push for cannabis criminalization, which began in earnest in the early 1900s, had little to do with any legitimate concerns about public health or safety. Rather, the move to ban marijuana and to criminally prosecute those who consume it was based primarily upon myths and xenophobia. In many cases, these myths have persisted through modern day  resulting in the arrest of an estimated 30 million Americans for marijuana-related violations.

By 2012, however, the public had heard and seen enough. Thats when voters in Colorado and Washington decided in favor of citizen-initiated ballot measures legalizing and regulating the adult use, possession, production and sale of cannabis.

Contrary to opponents claims, legalizing marijuana did not increase crime. States that have legalized cannabis see improvements in their overall crime clearance rates, including improvements in law enforcements ability to close cases involving violent crimes.

Legalization is also associated with declines in teens marijuana use. According to data recently provided by the governments National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the percentage of those ages 12 to 17 who reported having ever tried marijuana fell 18% from 2014 to 2023 . Those reporting having consumed cannabis during the past year fell 15%. The percentage of teens reporting current marijuana use fell by 19%.

Compliance check data from California, Colorado, Nevada and other legal marijuana states show that licensed marijuana retailers do not sell products to underage patrons.

Lets be clear. Legalization doesnt create or normalize the marijuana market. The market is already here. But under a policy of prohibition, this market flourishes underground  and those involved in it are largely unaccountable. They dont pay taxes, they dont check IDs and they dont test the purity of their products.

By contrast, under regulation, cannabis products are available from licensed manufacturers at retail stores. Cannabis is cultivated, and products are manufactured, in accordance with good manufacturing practices. Products are lab-tested and labeled accordingly. And sales are taxed, with revenues being reinvested in the community. Since 2014, retail sales of adult-use cannabis products have generated more than $15 billion in tax revenue.

Legalization also disrupts the unregulated cannabis market. According to 2023 survey data, most consumers residing in legal states say that they obtain their cannabis products from licensed establishments. By contrast, only 6% of respondents say that they primarily purchased cannabis from a dealer. In Canada, where marijuana sales have been regulated since 2018, nearly 70% of consumers say that they purchase cannabis from the legal market.

Today, 24 states and the District of Columbia have adopted policies regulating adults use of cannabis. No legislature has ever repealed their laws. Nationwide, public support for legalization has never been higher. This is evidence that these policies are working largely as voters and politicians intended and that they are preferable to cannabis criminalization.

After a century of failed policies and canna-bigotry, most Americans are ready to move in a different direction  one that legalizes, regulates and educates.

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A strong majority of Americans continue to view labor unions in a positive light, according to a new Gallup survey released Wednesday.

Seventy percent of respondents said they hold a favorable view of unions, up slightly from 67% in 2023. Only 23% said they disapprove of unions.

This years approval rating marks the second-highest in nearly 60 years, topped only by 71% in 2022.

Union favorability has risen and remained elevated after dropping around the time of the Great Recession in the late 2000s. Their growing popularity has come with an increase in union election petitions, with more employees trying to organize their workplaces.

More workers have also been walking off the job to demand better working conditions, with the number of striking workers more than doubling in 2023. Polling showed the public largely supported the auto workers who went on strike against Ford, General Motors and Jeep parent company Stellantis last year.

But so far, the rise in popularity of unions has not translated into a bigger labor movement in the U.S., where union density has been on a decadeslong decline.

Around 1 in 3 workers belonged to a union in the 1950s, compared to just 1 in 10 today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Although the raw number of union members increased by an estimated 139,000 last year, union density actually fell slightly because the U.S. workforce had grown.)

Polling has shown strong support for labor unions like the United Auto Workers in recent years. via Associated Press

Labor leaders have pointed to the high favorability ratings in Gallups surveys to make case for a union resurgence. They also say its a reason unions could be pivotal in the 2024 elections, persuading members and their families to back Democratic candidates in swing states like Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

The largest unions quickly came out in support of Vice President Kamala Harris after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race against former President Donald Trump in July. Several union leaders, including UAW President Shawn Fain, gave speeches at the Democratic National Convention this month.

Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO labor federation, argued in a speech in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday that union influence would be pivotal in the race for the White House. The federation, which includes 60 unions, says that 22% of voters in Pennsylvania are either union members or retirees whod been in unions.

We can run up the margins where it counts, we have built an organizing machine that can mobilize on a dime, and we have built a singular trust and connection with workers, families and neighbors, Shuler said. There is no question that the road to the White House runs through Americas union halls.
The Salt Lake County District Attorney building in Salt Lake City is pictured on Wednesday, January 3, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

The Salt Lake County Sheriffs Office is pushing for a bill they say will help fight gang violence by making it easier to prosecute adults who recruit minors.

Officials from the office presented to lawmakers on Monday during a meeting of the Legislative Organized Crime Subcommittee, amid a recent spate of gang violence along the Wasatch Front that killed two teenagers in two separate shootings.

To be frank with you, were really, really tired of dealing with dead kids getting shot over gang violence, Salt Lake County Sheriffs Lt. Dustin Ballard said during the meeting.

On Aug. 3, 18-year-old Naod Welday was shot and killed at the Mount Olympus Trailhead in Holladay. Police later made two arrests in connection to the shooting, including a 15-year-old boy.

On Aug. 10, a man and woman were injured, the man critically, after a gang-related shooting in downtown Salt Lake City. Last week, the Salt Lake City Police Departments Gang Unit arrested two men connected to the shooting. The victims names have not been released.

And on Sunday, an unnamed 14-year-old boy was killed in Millcreek in what Unified Police believe was a gang-related shooting, according to KSL.com, which reported four people, including teens, were seen driving away from the scene.

Less than 24 hours later, Ballard told lawmakers that the problem is definitely growing.

We could always use more funding, I could always use more detectives, he said.

The sheriffs office hopes a bill  Organized Crime Amendments  will target what they call puppet masters, who recruit teens to carry out violence in an attempt to shield themselves from prosecution.

It would create a new penalty for adults who recruit or intimidate minors to join a street gang, now a third-degree felony. If that adult uses a weapon during their intimidation that results in injury or emotional harm, they could be charged with a second-degree felony.

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These adults, they know what theyre doing. They are targeting children because they know the penalties are less and they think that they can get away with not being there, not being the one holding the gun, but having someone else do it in their place. And this language targets those individuals that are standing in the background as the puppet master, said Deputy Salt Lake County District Attorney Morgan Vedejs.

The bill also defines gang-related predicate offenses, which are underlying crimes that could be components of a larger crime. In this case, the predicate offenses are often unique to and carried out in connection to gangs, including human trafficking, theft, conspiracy-related crimes, homicide or rape.

If a typical person goes out and commits theft, it will just be theft. But if they go out and commit theft to benefit a gang, then it becomes a predicate offense, said Shad Larson, associate general counsel for the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel.

And the bill requires the documentation of criminal street gangs to make it easier for law enforcement around the state to compile data.

The bill will likely be heard during a Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee meeting this fall, said the committees chair, Rep. Ryan Wilcox, R-Ogden.

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Analysis warns that the cost of an everyday household item may surge by over 60%  here's what could happen

If the U.S. government approves newly proposed tariffs on Southeast Asian imports, solar panel prices could rise by two-thirds.

With this dramatic cost increase, solar project progress would be stunted and far less profitable for companies working to advance clean energy goals.

What's happening?

Reuters reported that Clean Energy Associates studied the impact of the proposed tariffs and how they will threaten America's solar plan. The supply chain advisory firm investigated how much solar cells and modules from Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Vietnam would cost.

In April, major solar equipment manufacturers asked Biden's administration to impose new tariffs on imports to protect U.S. factories and billions of dollars in domestic investments. Southeast Asian countries have been criticized for flooding the American market with much lower prices than U.S.-made solar panels.

According to a new Clean Energy Associates analysis, the new tariffs could increase the cost of U.S.-produced solar panels by 45% and imported panels by 66%.

To complicate matters further, there is no domestically produced cell supply in America, so the U.S. must depend on Southeast Asian solar cell imports.

Why are solar panel tariffs important?

These massive cost increases for solar panels are counterproductive for expanding the power and reach of clean energy. The tariffs set the U.S. back on its established climate goals and diminish hope that solar power can replace gas, coal, and other polluting energy sources.

With solar energy, we can generate our own electricity using the sun's power without producing harmful carbon pollution, which contributes to rising temperatures and extreme weather.

Scientists have been researching how to make solar technology more efficient and developing incredible breakthroughs for energy storage. However, if the U.S. approves these tariffs on imported solar equipment, the costs may become too high to expand projects and put those innovations to any feasible use.

What's being done about clean energy policy?

Environmental advocates have been bringing significant attention to the fact that these tariffs conflict with the Biden Administration's climate goals, putting pressure on the Administration to rethink policies that stand in the way of achieving a cleaner, greener planet.

As the Tax Policy Center pointed out, such tariffs would likely increase consumer prices, cause fewer jobs for American workers, and extend Americans' reliance on dirty energy.

One of the best things you can do as a citizen and consumer is to stay informed about energy policies by educating yourself about critical climate issues and sharing the facts with people you know.

Armed with the latest updates, you can advocate for clean energy more accurately and knowledgeably and then make your opinions heard by contacting elected officials who represent you in government.

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.
Paul Giacopelli, who was the chief anesthesiologist at Putnam County Hospital, was initially arrested in December 2023

Putnam County District Attorney Paul Giacopelli

A now-former anesthesiologist in New York state admitted to drugging and sexually abusing his familys nanny, authorities said.

Paul Giacopelli, who was the chief anesthesiologist at Putnam County Hospital, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Aug. 21 to first-degree sexual abuse and second-degree assault, according to a press release from the Putnam County District Attorneys Office.

The district attorneys office said an investigation revealed that Giacopelli used a chemical to render his victim unconscious. He then sexually abused her.

According to an indictment obtained by The Journal News, Giacopelli, 60, was accused of sexually abusing the 25-year-old victim, who was later identified as his familys nanny, four times in December 2023.

The woman claimed she set up a hidden camera in the home on Dec. 29, 2023, after repeatedly waking up to a chemical-soaked rag over her face and losing consciousness, CBS News reports, citing court documents. After watching the footage, which reportedly showed Giacopelli sexually assaulting her, she showed it to authorities, according to the outlet.

Giacopelli was initially arrested on Dec. 30, 2023 by the Putnam County Sheriffs Office, per a statement shared at the time.

According to The Journal News, Sheriff's Investigator Keith Simone testified before a grand jury earlier this year, saying that Giacopelli confessed to fondling the woman after using the anesthetic Sevoflurane on a rag and putting it over the womans face until she blacked out.

Simone further testified that Giacopelli also admitted to taking drugs home from the hospital he worked at, having a chloroform fetish and that he chose the nanny as his victim because she was the "easiest target, The Journal News reports.

After his arrest, Giacopelli was barred from practicing medicine by the state Board for Professional Medical Conduct, according to CBS News.

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Public court records show Giacopelli is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 20 in Putnam County court.

As part of his plea agreement, Giacopelli will be sentenced to four years in state prison with up to 10 years of post-release supervision, the district attorney's office said. He is also required to register as a sex offender.

Im very proud of the work of the Sheriffs Department and ADA Lynch; but Im mostly proud of the victims courage in going through this process which led to the defendants arrest and conviction, Putnam County District Attorney Robert V. Tendy said.



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(Resorts World Las Vegas public relations photo)

Professional poker player Damien LeForbes, a customer at Resorts World and a number of Las Vegas casinos, agreed Monday to a federal plea deal for money laundering and operating an illegal gambling business. He faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offenses.

The plea agreement says from January 2022 through December 15, 2023, LeForbes gambled $148 million at Casino A.

Its unknown if Casino A is Resorts World, where LeForbes racked up $12.3 million in losses during close to four dozen trips, as reported by the Current in May.

Earlier this month, the Nevada Gaming Control Board filed a complaint against Resorts World for allowing illegal bookie Matt Bowyer and other gamblers to bet, despite their lack of a credible source of funds. Among four gamblers cited in the GCB complaint is Patron A, an unnamed individual suspected of being an illegal bookmaker.

The GCB complaint stated Patron A, who told his Resorts World host that he was a bookie, lost $10 million at Resorts World between September 2022 and December 2023, and gambled 150 separate days during that period.

In some instances, Defendant recruited casino hosts to be agents of the LeForbes Gambling Business, according to the federal plea agreement. This included at least two hosts at Casino A, who referred at least two new potential bettors to LeForbes.

From Oct. 1, 2021 through Dec. 22, 2023 defendant executed at least 17 personal or cashiers checks to Casino A, totalling at least $9,105,000 from a bank account used to conduct the illegal gambling ring. LeForbes also paid Casino A at least $2.8 million in cash.

LeForbes paid bettors in chips from Casino A, and at one point texted another illegal bookie (Casino A) is most important because the chips are so versatile for me.

LeForbes also used cryptocurrency wallets to receive payment from bettors and pay them, and instructed bettors on how to avoid detection, the plea agreement says.

Id just send like $100,000 at a time to different addresses, he told a bettor who voiced concerns via text. You can create a different address in a wallet every time [.] Just dont send to an exchange [.] Wallets are fine though Just remember fresh address [.] No exchanges [.] I do it every week for millions back and forth [.]

The government, which seized millions of dollars from LeForbes California home during a December 2023 raid, agreed not to seek forfeiture of $249,000 in cash as well as 5,000 Chainlink digital currency coins  worth $11.32 a coin as of Wednesday.

A casino record obtained by the Current reveals Resorts World turned over a bad check earlier this year for $2.5 million from LeForbes to the Clark County District Attorney for prosecution, however, no case has been filed against the gambler.

His Las Vegas attorney, David Chesnoff, declined to comment. District Attorney Steve Wolfson did not respond to requests for comment.

LeForbes also owes $1 million to the Venetian, according to a source at that casino. That marker has also been sent to the district attorney, according to the source, however no case has been filed.

The Current was first to report last year on the federal probe out of California into money laundering at Las Vegas casinos.

Scott Sibella, the former president of Resorts World, who was terminated weeks after the story broke, entered a plea deal with the feds for allowing illegal bookie Wayne Nix to pay more than $100,000 in cash to MGM Grand toward a gambling debt without filing a suspicious activity report, as required by federal law.

MGM Grand and the Cosmopolitan have since entered into non-prosecution agreements with the government and paid a $7.45 million fine. Resorts World has not been charged by the federal government with wrongdoing.
The Arkansas Supreme Court building in Little Rock. (John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate)

A lawsuit challenging the certification of an anti-casino ballot measure began Tuesday at the Arkansas Supreme Court.

The lawsuit boasts an added layer of interest since the court ruled last week in a 4-3 decision to keep the states abortion amendment off the ballot due to a paperwork error. That decision could influence the outcome of the anti-casino measure suit.

Special Master William Wright was selected to hear arguments in the lawsuit, which the Arkansas Canvassing Compliance Committee (ACCC) filed the day after Secretary of State John Thurston approved the Local Voter Control of Casino Gambling Amendment for the November ballot.

The amendment aims to repeal a Pope County casino license and require any new casino built in Arkansas to be approved in a countywide special election before a license is issued. An out-of-state casino operator, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, donated $5.3 million to the ballot question committee, Local Voters in Charge.

In a petition filed with the court on Aug. 1, ACCC asked that the ballot measure be disqualified based on what it said were fraudulently collected signatures from Local Voters in Charge.

Thurstons office accepted more than 162,000 signatures from Local Voters in Charge on the submission deadline of July 5. The group turned in signatures from all 75 counties.

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ACCC alleged that Local Voters in Charge hired out-of-state residents to collect signatures, offered monetary incentives to encourage collection and spread misleading information to potential signees.

Elizabeth Robben Murray, the attorney representing Local Voters in Charge, on Tuesday admitted that a small number of canvassers received bonuses. Those canvassers collected approximately 1,500 signatures, Murray said.

Local Voters in Charge was not initially named in the lawsuit, but it later joined as an intervenor.

Attorney John Tull, representing ACCC, argued that it is illegal under Arkansas law to pay or even offer to pay a person for the number of signatures obtained on a statewide petition. Tull said all paid canvassers involved with the anti-casino amendment were offered financial incentives, which should render all signatures invalid.

ACCCs attorneys also argued on Tuesday that the recent decision from the Arkansas Supreme Court to support Thurstons rejection of the Arkansas Abortion Amendment of 2024 should disqualify all signatures collected for the anti-casino measure based on who signed their paperwork.

Tuesdays hearing was largely spent listening to a deposition recording of Thurston, in which Murray questions him for over an hour about his role as secretary of state and how he delegates tasks to his office staff.

Thurston said his staff regularly drafts content and applies his electronic signature to documents, including letters related to the rejection of the Arkansas Abortion Amendment. He struggled to recall specifics about the canvasser registration process. He also said he didnt know one of the primary contacts or the ballot question committee name for a measure that his office oversees.

When asked about the change his office made to reject signatures on ballot initiative affidavits from anyone who isnt the sponsor, Thurston said, Personally, Im embarrassed we had it wrong for so long.

He said he didnt know it was wrong before talking to legal counsel at the attorney generals office, but he does not defend error. It was our [the secretary of states office] error.

Thurston was elected as secretary of state in 2018. Jordan Broyles and Justin Brascher with the attorney generals office are representing him in this case.

The hearing will resume Wednesday at 8 a.m., potentially starting with videos of ACCC-hired observers that their attorneys said is devastating to Local Voters in Charge. The ballot question committee has requested the videos be excluded.

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MACAO, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Sam Hou Fai, former president of Macao's Court of Final Appeal, announced his decision on Wednesday to run for the sixth-term chief executive of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR).

Sam made the remarks at a press conference where he also delivered his declaration of candidacy. He noted that Macao has, since its return to the motherland, seen a sea change and impressive achievements in the practice of "one country, two systems," which he said would not have been possible without the long-time strong support by the country and the concerted efforts of the various sectors and residents in Macao.

His decision to run for the election, according to him, is driven by the call of times for the implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle to contribute to national rejuvenation, as well as a commitment to Macao's prosperity, stability, even better future and Macao residents' well-being.

Sam described his administration philosophy as "to forge ahead together by upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground." He pledged to fully, faithfully, and resolutely implement the principle of "one country, two systems," and to fulfill duties in strict accordance with the constitution and the Basic Law.

Born in Zhongshan of South China's Guangdong Province in May 1962, Sam later moved to Macao, according to information on the Macao SAR government's website. He joined the first group of Macao's judicial auditors in 1995, and on Dec. 20, 1999, he was appointed president of Macao's Court of Final Appeal.

Executive Order No. 44/2024 published on Monday in the official gazette of the SAR, said that at the request of Sam, he was relieved of his duties as president and judge of the Court of Final Appeal, and member of the independent commission for recommending judges of the SAR.

According to the Electoral Affairs Commission for the Chief Executive Election of the Macao SAR, the nomination period for candidates will be from Aug. 29 to Sept. 12, and the election for the sixth term chief executive of the Macao SAR will be held on Oct. 13. 
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  A federal appeals court has shot down Tennessees attempt to collect millions of dollars in family planning funds without complying with federal rules requiring clinics to provide abortion referrals due to its current ban on the procedure.

Last year, Tennessees Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti filed a federal complaint seeking to overturn the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services decision to disqualify the state from receiving money offered through a family planning program known as Title X. A lower court later determined that Tennessee was unlikely to succeed and the state appealed that decision.

In 2021, the Biden administration announced that clinics that accept Title X funds must offer information about abortion. However, Skrmettis argued that HHS did not alert officials how the rule would apply in states with abortion bans now allowed under the U.S. Supreme Courts 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Yet the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals argued in a ruling Monday that Tennessee could not use its abortion ban law to dictate eligibility requirements for Title X funding. The 31-page ruling means the federal government will not reinstate Tennessees Title X funding while the lawsuit continues through the courts.

Furthermore, the appeals court said that the state was not obligated to accept the money and noted that the Tennessee Legislature approved of replacing the lost federal dollars with state funding.

Tennessee was free to voluntarily relinquish the grants for any reason, especially if it determined that the requirements would violate its state laws, the ruling stated.

A spokesperson for Skrmettis office said they were reviewing the opinion and considering next steps.

Tennessee has been a recipient of the program since it launched in 1970, recently collecting around $7.1 million annually to help nearly 100 clinics provide birth control and basic health care services mainly to low-income women, many of them from minority communities.

Under the latest rule, clinics cannot use federal family planning money to pay for abortions, but they must offer information about abortion at the patients request.

Tennessee bans abortion at all stages of pregnancy but includes some narrow exceptions.

In March of 2023, HHS informed Tennessee health officials that the state was out of Title X compliance because of its policy barring clinics from providing information on pregnancy termination options that werent legal in the state  effectively prohibiting any discussions on elective abortions. The state defended its policy and refused to back down, causing the federal government to declare that continuing Tennessees Title X money was not in the best interest of the government.

HHS later announced that Tennessees Title X funds would largely be directed to Planned Parenthood, the leading provider of abortions in the United States, which would distribute the money to its clinics located in Tennessee.

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When most people think of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), southern schools like Morehouse, Spelman, and of course Howard immediately come to mind. This is understandable, given the history of when most HBCUs began to pop up around this country. Before the Great Migration sent many Black people north in search of prosperity, the bulk of Black Americans lived in the South.

So, when white colleges and universities barred Black students from attending, the community answered the call and began to create institutions of higher learning, and eventually also fraternities and sororities. However, the first HBCU was actually Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, founded in 1837. Overwhelmingly, most HBCUs are located in the South, with a sprinkling of schools in a few northern states. But, there is an HBCU on the West Coast, and its located in California.

The Only HBCU in California

Even though theres just one HBCU in California, its an integral one. Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) was established in 1966. Los Angeles serves as the home of this HBCU. Its named after Charles Richard Drew, a Black surgeon who pioneered blood transfusion techniques that also included separating components like plasma. Known as the Father of the Blood Bank, Drews extraordinary guidance in creating preservation and transportation achievements. These achievements provided blood banking support during World War II in the United Kingdom.

An HBCU Addressing Health Disparities

Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science focuses on not just teaching the next generation of healthcare professionals, but also providing equitable healthcare to underserved communities. Likewise, increasing diversity within the medical professional is also critical, since biases and prejudices can directly impact patient care and outcomes. To this day, CDU has the second-most diverse student and faculty groups in the country.

In particular, CDU works to provide essential healthcare services to vulnerable populations located in south Los Angeles. While the university offers undergraduate and graduate programs, the studies are limited to healthcare tracks.

Undergraduate Opportunities at Charles Drew University

CDU offers both associates and bachelors programs. For bachelors studies, students can apply to medical, healthcare and nursing programs. The school also offers a three-year bachelor program that works in conjunction with nearby Dominguez High School and Compton Community College. With this program, high school juniors undergo a preparatory track to enter into careers in healthcare.

Finally, students can also study for a BS in psychology with an emphasis on community counseling. This program prioritizes behavioral health for underserved communities.

Graduate Opportunities at Charles Drew University

CDU has a strong graduate program and is one of only four Historically Black Medical Colleges in the US. Within the universitys graduate studies, CDU focuses on medical, healthcare, and nursing programs  all of which are on-campus only.

Are There Any More HBCUs in California?

To date, the only entirely-California-founded HBCU is Charles Drew University. However, it leans more towards post-grad studies with a smaller undergraduate offering. That said, more HBCUs are coming to California.

A collaborative HBCU initiative launched in the state in the summer of 2024 just in time for the 20242025 academic year. Students can apply to attend satellite campuses in San Diego and Los Angeles from the Austin-based HBCU, Huston-Tillotson University (HTU). HTU coordinated with the National College Resources Foundation (NCRF), the University of La Verne and the San Diego County Office of Education and is welcoming students for the 20242025 academic year.
A temple burial discovered in Peru from roughly 3,800 years ago pre-dates the rise of the Incan Empire.

Archaeologists found four skeletal remains, all laid facing the mountains, the source of water for the region.

Finding burial remains from pre-Incan times casts a new light on the history of South America.

In the pre-Incan region of northwest Peru, the worship of water isnt hard to understand considering that, while located in the Andes, the area also features high desert, meaning water coming from the mountains offered a vital source of life.

The dependence on that source of life was enough to inspire a cult roughly 3,800 years ago. And archaeologists now know just a tad more about that time, thanks to the discovery of four skeletal remainstwo children, a teenager, and an adultin a temple associated with water worship.

Each of the bodies uncovered in the Temple Queneto 2 in the Queneto archaeological site in Peru was placed on its side facing the mountains, according to a translated statement from the National University of Trujillo. The temple is known for its association with the water-centric cult, and that they would place the bodies of their dead in some form of prostration towards their primary water source adds a lot of credence towards the idea that they believed the nourishment they got from some good old-fashioned H2O was not just physical.

The burial area included funerary goods of stone pendants and snail shells, decorum that was previously associated with the group, and pottery shards were found across the temple site

Located in Perus Viru Valley, the temple site is likely from sometime between 1800 to 900 BC, known as the Early Formative period, predating the powerful Incan Empire. The people living in the region were known for helping start the craze of constructing large buildings, including some of the earliest pyramids of the area. They also featured ceramics in their construction.

The temple in particular was built with cobblestone and clay plaster walls that featured curved corners.

These environments, Castillo Lujan, professor in the universitys Professional School of Archaeology, said in a statement, characterized by curved corners, show unique architecture from the Early Formative periodt. Furthermore, fragments of early ceramics found at the site are similar to those observed in other important settlements such as Gramalote, in the Moche Valley, and Huaca Negra, near the coast in the Viru Valley.

The Viru Valley is known for a richness in archaeological evidence of the ancient civilizations of the region, but locating such a find from upwards of 3,800 years agothe research team says that this excavation covered just 1 percent of the total area of the massive archaeological siteimproves the knowledge base from a time there is still relatively little burial information to draw from.

The research team hopes the government will take these recent discoveriesand others in the archaeological areaas a call to transform the Viru Valley into a benchmark for cultural tourism and a bastion of Peruvian identity.

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CRAWFORD COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  A jury convicted a Van Buren man of six counts of rape of a child.

Milton Beltran, 49

Milton Beltran, 49, has been sentenced to six consecutive life sentences in the Arkansas Department of Corrections, according to a news release from Crawford County prosecuting attorney.

Six arrested in Springdale drug bust; multiple pounds of drugs seized

We are proud to bring justice for our victim who testified with courage and strength to put this pedophile where he belongs, Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Holmes said.

Holmes originally asked for 25 counts of rape charges and two counts of witness bribery against Beltran. Court papers say that he had first sexually assaulted the victim when they were 10 and began raping them from age 13 until they turned 17.

On August 22, Holmes re-filed for five counts of rape under the age of 14 and one count of rape of a minor.

It took three days of intense testimony from the victim, the release states. They stood and told their story with two victim witness coordinators who assisted them.

The Crawford County judicial system has sentenced three rape or sexual assault convictions in the past 21 days, dubbing it Pedophile Conviction Month.

Arkansas State Police issues more than 200 tickets within 8 hours in Northwest Arkansas

Beltran still faces bribery charges. The trial date has not been updated.

Court documents state he paid a witness $200-$300 in cash, as well as some clothes, along with some brand-new school supplies. Court documents state someone involved with the witness bribery was paid $200.

Chief Deputy Will Cosner and Deputy Prosecutor Lena Pinkerton presented the case against Beltran for the state. Judge Marc McCune sentenced him.

Holmes praised the work of the Van Buren Police Department, Officer Chase Decroo, the Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Division, the Hamilton Child Safety Center, and Bikers Against Child Abuse. Holmes said that the effort of all these departments and people helped play a role in securing the conviction.

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Arkansas to receive more than $761,000 in unclaimed money settlement with Delaware

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Arkansas state officials announced Wednesday that the state has reached a settlement in a case related to unclaimed property against the state of Delaware.

In 2016, Arkansas filed a lawsuit seeking more than $250 million in unclaimed money from uncashed money orders sent through MoneyGram and wrongly handed over to Delaware. Arkansas led a coalition of 30 states in this case.

Arkansas, states win unclaimed money case before U.S. Supreme Court

In 2023, the United States Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the funds should be returned to the states where unclaimed money orders or similar products were purchased.

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin said the states share of the settlement totals $761,907.91 plus interest earned and expenses, adding that he was looking forward to reuniting the people of Arkansas with their money.

This settlement concludes nearly eight years of litigation over unclaimed Official Checks and returns more than $190 million to the people of Arkansas, our coalition partners, and other states, Griffin said. Im proud of our work on this important case, and Im grateful to our coalition partnersparticularly the attorneys general of California, Texas, and Wisconsin, and attorneys for Pennsylvaniafor their hard work on this matter.

Arkansas AGs office argues case against Delaware before U.S. Supreme Court

State officials said Delaware will transfer more than $102 million to the coalition states under the settlement. Another $89 million from MoneyGram will be distributed among all 50 states and the coalition states will receive nearly $55 million plus interest.

Arkansas state officials said that MoneyGram has been required to report sums on unclaimed unofficial checks and funds have been deposited with the state auditor unclaimed property fund.

Arkansas to get $12.7 million as part of Johnson & Johnson talc baby powder settlement

Officials with the attorney generals office said that the money deposited with the unclaimed property fund can be reclaimed by Arkansas residents.

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Delegates to the Arkansas Republican Party convention earlier this summer have sued the party chair and the Secretary of State for refusing to implement changes in the party's rules, including closed primary elections. (Getty Images)

A simmering rift among Arkansas Republican activists and leaders spilled into federal court on Tuesday with the filing of a civil rights lawsuit against party Chair Joseph Wood and Secretary of State John Thurston.

The plaintiffs claim Wood and Thurston have refused to enforce a new party rule to close the states Republican primaries.

Attorneys Luther Sutter and Lucien Gillham of Little Rock filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas on behalf of Jennifer Lancaster, chair of the Republican Party of Arkansas State Convention, and 22 other delegates to the partys biennial convention in June.

The suit claims a violation of the First Amendments right to free speech and the 14th Amendments right to due process. It seeks a declaratory judgment and asks the court to compel the defendants to comply with state and federal law by closing the Republican Partys primaries and accepting the rules and platform changes adopted at the June convention.

LANCASTER v THURSTON

Arkansas has open primaries, which means voters can choose which partys primary they want to vote in. At the RPAs biennial convention in June, a majority of convention delegates approved a rule to close the partys primaries and require those who cast a ballot in the primaries to be a registered Republican.

The state convention can consider changes to party rules recommended by the rules committee, but the closed primary proposal did not come from that committee, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Lancaster, party chairwoman for the 2nd Congressional District, defeated Wood for leadership of the partys convention. She ran on the promise of allowing consideration of proposed rule changes, including the closed primary proposal the rules committee had rejected, the Democrat-Gazette reported.

According to the complaint filed Tuesday, the RPA violated party rules by refusing to acknowledge the convention and its proceedings, and instead choosing to pretend as though it never happened. The plaintiffs contend Wood also refused to acknowledge the newly adopted rules or respond to the convention chairmans multiple emails, texts and calls.

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At a closed meeting in July at the partys Little Rock headquarters, the RPAs executive committee voted to nullify the new rule because it was not put on the agenda prior to the convention. A parliamentarian at the June convention noted that party rules require 60 days notice of a proposed rule change, according to the Democrat-Gazette.

The plaintiffs argue the executive committee does not have the authority to nullify or change anything done by the RPAs State Convention body because according to the RPA rules, Article 1, Sec 1 Sub. B, The final authority in all party matters shall rest in the biennial Republican State Convention.

Following the July executive committee meeting, Wood issued a statement in which he argued that while the State Convention is the final authority on RPA matters, the body adopted party rules in their entirety, and then repeatedly violated the notice requirements included in Article 1, Section 6, Items F-G of the rules.

Wood said violation of those rules was predictable because the convention chair twice tried to strip them from adoption, which he called an admission of their necessity.

The will of the body was to preserve those sections of the Rules; sections which protect against the chaos of unknown and unvetted proposals, Wood said. Todays decision is not about any one proposal or group of proposals, but about applying the Rules equally to protect the will of the delegates, which was to preserve required notice.

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U.S. Army: Female Arlington Cemetery Employee Was Abruptly Pushed Aside During Trump Photo Op, Then Unfairly Attacked For Trying To Enforce Rules  Update

UPDATE: The U.S. Army released a statement this morning defending an Arlington National Cemetery employee who got into an altercation with one or more Trump campaign staffers over the use of a photographer at a site where recent fallen soldiers are buried.

The employee, who was unidentified, reported the incident, but ultimately decided not to file charges, according to an Army spokesperson.

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But in a statement, the Army also pushed back on the Trump campaign response to the incident, in which a campaign spokesperson, Steven Cheung, said that the employee was clearly suffering from a mental health episode.

The Army spokesperson said, Participants in the August 26th ceremony and the subsequent Section 60 visit were made aware of federal laws, Army regulations and DoD policies, which clearly prohibit political activities on cemetery grounds. An ANC employee who attempted to ensure adherence to these rules was abruptly pushed aside. Consistent with the decorum expected at ANC, this employee acted with professionalism and avoided further disruption.

The spokesperson said, This incident was unfortunate, and it is also unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked. ANC is a national shrine to the honored dead of the Armed Forces, and its dedicated staff will continue to ensure public ceremonies are conducted with the dignity and respect the nations fallen deserve.

Cheung did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

He has previously denied that there was a physical altercation, and said that the campaign has video that would affirm that account. But that video has not been released. The campaign also has claimed that they had permission to have a photographer present, and posted statements from family members of Afghanistan veterans saying that they gave their OK. The campaign has posted video of Trumps visit to social media accounts.

Trump was at the cemetery on Monday for a wreath laying and visit to the gravesite to commemorate the anniversary of a terrorist attack during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Thirteen service members were killed during that attack.

PREVIOUSLY: An Arlington National Cemetery official and Trump campaign staffers had an incident earlier this week, apparently over the use of a photographer in one of the areas where recent fallen soldiers are buried.

A spokesperson for the cemetery said in a statement, Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidates campaign. Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants. We can confirm there was an incident, and a report was filed.

Trump visited the cemetery on Monday to participate in a wreath-laying ceremony and also to visit the gravesite of Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover as part of a tribute to those killed in a 2021 attack in Afghanistan as the U.S. was withdrawing forces from the region. In his presidential campaign, Trump has attacked the Biden administration for the chaotic exit.

There is 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 pic.twitter.com/tR6dhpMYsB  Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox (@GovCox) August 26, 2024

Trumps campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said that they had permission to have a photographer at the event. The campaign also posted a statement from family members of fallen soldiers, in which they said that they had given our approval for President Trumps official videographer and photographer to attend the event, ensuring these sacred moments of remembrance were respectfully captured and so we can cherish these memories forever.

NPR first reported on the incident. Cheung said in a statement to the outlet that the fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trumps team during a very solemn ceremony.

He also told the outlet that they were prepared to release footage of what happened, but has not done so yet.

NPR cited a source who said that the cemetery official tried to prevent campaign staffers from filling in the area, and that only cemetery staff members were authorized to do so. The source told NPR that a verbal and physical altercation then ensued. Cheung denied there was a physical altercation.

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The Trump campaign has blamed Arlington National Cemetery for a confrontation during former President Trumps visit there Monday.

The incident occurred when a photographer walked around the cemetery with Trump, sparking concerns about violations of restrictions on political activities in military cemeteries.

According to Arlington National Cemeterys media policy, filming and photographing is not authorized for partisan, political or fundraising purposes, in accordance with the Hatch Act.

The Hatch Act is a federal law that restricts the political activity of individuals employed by executive agencies and those who work for programs financed by federal loans and grants.

In a statement, the cemetery confirmed an incident occurred and a report was filed but did not provide additional information.

Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes or in direct support of a partisan political candidates campaign, the cemetery said in a statement.

Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants. We can confirm there was an incident, and a report was filed.

Additionally, services and ceremonies at the Army National Military Cemeteries may not include partisan political activities, according to the Army Public Affairs Program handbook.

Military installations cannot be used by incumbents or office-seeking candidates, their staff members, or their campaign representatives for political campaign or election events, including public assemblies or town halls, meetings, speeches, press conferences, or fundraisers, the handbook said.

The Trump incident was first reported by NPR. On Monday, he attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to mark the third anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

The outlet reported a cemetery official tried to stop Trump staffers from filming and photographing an area dedicated to soldiers who were recently killed in Afghanistan and Iraq, known as Section 60. NPRs source said Trump staffers pushed the official aside when they tried to stop campaign staff from entering the area.

The Trump campaign has denied there was any physical altercation.

That fact is that a private photographer was permitted to the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trumps team during a very solemn ceremony, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement.

After the wreath-laying ceremony, Trump walked to Section 60 with some family members of some of the 13 U.S. service members killed at the Kabul airport. That section of the ceremony was closed to the press, but Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) posted a photo with Trump and some family members who gave a thumbs-up.

Trump posted a video on TikTok using footage from Monday, captioning the video should have never happened, referring to the Kabul attack.

Some veterans were alarmed about the incident. VoteVets, a progressive organization that works to elect veterans, shared a screenshot of the TikTok, criticizing Trump for the incident and video.

And there you go. Donald Trump is using footage and photos his campaign took at Arlington National Cemetery for political purposes  against the rules and law that govern this hallowed ground, VoteVets said.

This whole episode is sickening and [an] affront to all those hundreds of thousands of families who never agreed to allow their deceased loved ones to be dragged into politics.

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The Army on Tuesday charged a Hawaii-based cavalry scout soldier whose pregnant wife is missing with several crimes.

Pfc. Dewayne Arthur Johnson II is charged with false official statements, obstruction of justice and the production and distribution of child pornography, according to the Army.

His wife, Mischa Mabeline Kaalohilani Johnson, was last seen in her home on Schofield Barracks, the home of the 25th Infantry Division, on July 31.

Officials declined to say whether the charges are directly connected to the womans disappearance, but said in a release that the charges stemmed from the investigation into Johnsons disappearance.

US soldier detained over pregnant wifes disappearance in Hawaii

Johnson has been in pretrial confinement since Aug. 19 and is currently awaiting a preliminary hearing, known as an Article 32 hearing.

Originally from Frederick, Maryland, Johnson reported to the 25th ID in June 2023 and serves as a cavalry scout.

After those proceedings, a hearing officer will make a recommendation as to whether charges should be referred to court-martial.

If the charges are referred, Johnson will be arraigned and a military judge will schedule pre-trial hearings and the trial, the Army said.

The Army Office of Special Trial Counsel, a wing of the military that prosecutes serious crimes, preferred the charges.

This case remains an active investigation, Michelle McCaskill, an Office of Special Trial Counsel spokesperson, said in a statement. 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.

The Armys Criminal Investigative Division, which is leading the investigation, is offering $10,000 for information about her disappearance.

Anyone with details about the case is instructed to contact the Army CID Pacific Field Office at (808) 208-0559, or via cid.army.mil/tips.
BELGRADE, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Serbia's ongoing drought has drastically lowered crop yields, forcing farmers to start their harvests much earlier than planned, according to local media reports.

As reported by Radio Television of Serbia (RTS), sugar beet harvesting has begun earlier than the usual mid-October timeline, with corn and sunflower harvests also starting about a month and a half ahead of schedule.

Experts indicate that the drought has sped up the corn harvest, leading to a projected yield decrease of 16 to 20 percent. Serbian agroeconomic analyst Zarko Galetin noted that last year's corn yield was around 7.2 tons per hectare, but this year, a yield of 5 to 5.5 tons per hectare would be deemed acceptable.

Galetin also estimated that the drought-related financial losses for fruit and vegetable crops, when adjusted for market prices, could reach around 550 million U.S. dollars.

In response, the local government is investing in irrigation systems to support agriculture. Petar Samolovac, assistant secretary for Agriculture, Water Management, and Forestry in Vojvodina, said that the total investment in these irrigation systems amounts to 646.6 million dinars (6.15 million U.S. dollars). 
The U.S. Army has awarded a massive contract valued at close to $1 billion to AeroVironment for Switchblade-series loitering munitions, also known as kamikaze drones, over the next five years.

The U.S. Army has awarded a massive contract valued at close to $1 billion to AeroVironment for the delivery of Switchblade-series loitering munitions, also known as kamikaze drones, over the next five years. This is part of a larger effort that the service has said is intended to help make its infantry units just as lethal as formations with tanks and other heavy armored vehicles amid a pivot to preparing for potential high-end fights, especially one against China in the Pacific.

The Pentagon first announced the Armys $990,000,000 hybrid cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price contract to AeroVironment in its daily contracting notice yesterday, but provided only limited information. A company spokesperson has now told The War Zone that this new deal covers deliveries of both Switchblade 300s and 600s, but did not say how many of either type the Army is now set to receive. AeroVironment also said in a press release today that the contract is in response to what the Army currently calls its Lethal Unmanned Systems (LUS) Directed Requirement (DR), which was formalized in 2022.

A rendering of a trio of Switchblade 600s. AeroVironment

AV is proud to have been selected to provide Switchblade for this critical and urgent Army requirement, Brett Hush, AeroVironments Senior Vice President and General Manager of Loitering Munition Systems, said in a statement today. This latest contract underscores the unmatched maturity and effectiveness of our system, as well as AVs strategic positioning to rapidly produce and deliver these cutting-edge solutions to operators in the field.

Starting with the LUS Directed Requirement, we are well positioned to meet the Armys emerging needs, leveraging our robust production capability and supply chain capacity to ensure rapid fielding and enhanced combat overmatch for our soldiers, Hush added.

AeroVironment has already been supplying Switchblade 600s to the Army under a contract it received in December 2023 as part of the Low Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance (LASSO) program, which is also tied to the LUS DR. The Army has also been getting additional help in buying Switchblade 600s through the Pentagons Replicator initiative. The U.S. military has been acquiring Switchblade 300s for years now, especially for use by special operations forces, as well.

A member of the US Marine Corps fires an early version of the Switchblade 300. USMC

The Switchblade 300 and the larger 600 model are both tube-launched loitering munitions that can be employed individually by dismounted personnel. A multi-round launcher that can be mounted on vehicles or other platforms is also available for the Switchblade 300, as seen in the video below.

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) is advancing lethality and the combat capabilities of unmanned surface vehicles during Exercise Digital Talon in international waters @US5thFleet, Oct. 23. During the exercise, NAVCENTs Task Force 59, the Navys first Unmanned and pic.twitter.com/N9jkv4vpeM  U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) November 2, 2023

Both Switchblade types have highly automated target engagement capabilities, as well as man-in-the-loop control functionality. The latter allows the operator to see the view through the drones onboard electro-optical and infrared cameras throughout its flight and provides the option for fine manual core course corrections right up until the moment of impact. This also gives the human at the controls the ability to retask the drone or abort its attack entirely. The cameras give the Switchblades a limited secondary surveillance and reconnaissance capability, as well. You can read more about these capabilities in this previous War Zone feature.

Current Block 20 versions of the Switchblade 300 can stay airborne for at least 20 minutes and, with the help of a range-extending antenna system, can reach targets up to (30 kilometers) away. A single one of these drones packed in an individual launch tube weighs just eight pounds and can be stuffed in a backpack.

The larger Switchblade 600 offers increased flying time and range with an endurance of at least 40 minutes and the ability to reach out to nearly 25 nautical miles (40 kilometers), or even further by handing off control to operators closer to the desired operating area. It also has the same warhead used in the shoulder-fired Javelin anti-tank missile, giving it hard-hitting anti-armor capabilities that the Switchblade 300 lacks.

As already noted, the Army and others within the U.S. military have already been buying Switchblades. For the Army, specifically, its huge new order for these kamikaze drones reflects a major push to field them in far greater numbers, especially within infantry units. Loitering munitions offer dismounted infantry formations, even at the lowest levels, valuable new ways to engage various kinds of targets well beyond the reach of traditional man-portable missiles, rockets, and similar weapons, and from the safety of cover.

On top of that, Switchblades will give those same units a new tool to actively hunt for, as well as engage, tanks and other targets miles away from the air. This is something in years past that would have required calling in close air support-capable aircraft.

Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs) lack adequate proportional organic capabilities at echelon to apply immediate, point, long range, and direct fire effects to destroy tanks, light armored vehicles, hardened targets, defilade, and personnel targets, while producing minimal collateral damage in complex terrain in all environmental conditions, the Army said about the driving factors behind the LASSO program within the larger LUS DR effort in its 2025 Fiscal Year budget proposal released back in March. The goal of the LASSO program is to make Infantry Brigades as lethal as Armored Brigades.

The capability enables precision engagement against near peer tanks, armored vehicles, dismounted formations, and reinforced/protected positions, provided the Soldier stand-off from enemy fires, significantly reducing risk to the Soldier, the section on LASSO in the proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget documents added. Unlike existing direct and indirect fire weapon systems, LASSOs discreet payload and unique capability delivers Soldiers the ability to abort against targets in a dynamic situation (e.g., use of human shields) or prosecute targets that would have been deemed non-viable in past due to the higher collateral damage associated with alternative munitions.

Despite the large scale of AeroVironments new contract, the Army has already said that it expects Switchblades to be just one element of a larger LUS family of systems.

Were gonna have multiple variants and were gonna have competition. So, to meet the urgent need, weve gone sole source to a limited number of SB 600 [Switchblade 600], which is a very good system. But theres a lot of companies in this space with a lot of good tech, Doug Bush, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, said in an interview with DefenseScoop in December 2023. So, we want to have really continuous competition because different companies have things that fit different parts of the mission space better.

The U.S. Marine Corps is now investing heavily in new loitering munitions, as is Americas special operations community (which is where capabilities like Switchblade really started gaining traction first in the U.S. military), for many of the same general reasons as the Army. Kamikaze drones that can be air-launched and/or fired from ships and submarines, and employed against targets on land and at sea, also look set to become increasingly ubiquitous across the U.S. military.

This all reflects a broader surge in interest in loitering munitions around the world that is being driven in large part by observations from the ongoing war in Ukraine. The Ukrainian militarys arsenal includes Switchblade 300s and 600s. An expansive array of other kinds of kamikaze drones, including weaponized commercial types, are also in daily use on both sides of the conflict, which is having a transformative impact on the face of war globally.

#Ukraine: Ukrainian SSO (SOF) published rare footage of a kamikaze drone in action, which we identied as a US-supplied Switchblade 300  hitting a Russian T-72B3 tank with its crew on top.

The tank is unlikely to receive any serious damage, which cannot be said about the crew. pic.twitter.com/sRm5GQNRyL  Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) May 24, 2022

#Ukraine: The first external view of a Ukrainian Switchblade 600 loitering munition, donated by the US- Russian soldiers filming the wreckage after detonation.



Compared to SB300, the SB600 can carry a more powerful payload (incl. anti-armor) and can hit targets over 40km away. pic.twitter.com/HkLcjQ6TKb  Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) April 20, 2023

Kamikaze drones, a category of weapons that has already been evolving for decades, are also a major feature in current crises across the Middle East and in and around the Red Sea.

For the U.S. military, loitering munitions could be especially critical in helping to provide the volumes of fire against targets right at the tactical edge and deeper behind the front lines that potential high-end conflicts will demand. In particular, there is ever-growing evidence that swarms of networked uncrewed systems in the air and down below could be a deciding factor in any future crisis across the Taiwan Strait. The U.S. military is now actively pursuing a strategy to help defend that island against an invasion from the mainland that involves turning the airspace and waters around it into a hellscape full of uncrewed platforms.

Deals like the one AeroVironment just got from the Army could be vehicles to help get kamikaze drones to allies and partners like Taiwan and Ukraine, too. The LASSO contract the company previously received already has a foreign military sales (FMS) component. The U.S. government also notably approved the potential sale of 720 Switchbalde 300s, as well as up to 291 ALTIUS 600M-V loitering munitions from up-and-coming defense contractor Anduril, to Taiwan in June, as you can read more about here.

So, while the Army awarding a nearly $1 billion contract to AeroVironment for Switchblade 300s and 600s is a huge development in of itself, it is also a sign of even bigger things to come for the entire U.S. military.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A Nevada prison parolee is back behind bars after being arrested in a deadly shooting that occurred nearly two weeks ago in a vacant apartment in the east valley.

Melvin Alexander, 34, was taken into custody on Tuesday, Aug. 27, and booked into the Clark County Detention Center on charges of murder with the use of a deadly weapon. According to detention center records, Alexander is also facing charges of aggravated stalking constituting domestic violence, harassment, and other felony charges from previous arrests.

Man fatally shot in vacant east Las Vegas apartment, police seek leads

Las Vegas Metropolitan police said officers responded to a shooting on Thursday, Aug. 15 in an apartment in the 3000 block of S. Nellis Boulevard near Vegas Valley Drive and found a man suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Alexander served time in the Nevada Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to charges of larceny from a person and attempted possession of a firearm by an ex-felon.

He is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing on Sept. 11, 2024.

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Arrest warrant issued for suspect in Dutchtown murder who fled state

ST. LOUIS  A St. Louis Circuit Court judge signed an arrest warrant Wednesday for a man who killed one person and injured two others in a triple shooting last month.

According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Departments probable cause statement, the shooting happened just after 2 a.m. on July 7 at a home in the 4400 block of Grace Avenue, located in the citys Dutchtown neighborhood.

Police said Brayan Adalberto Rodriguez-Banegas, 20, was at a party with the victims and several other people. At some point, Rodriguez-Banegas and the victims got involved in a fight outside the residence.

Rodriguez-Banegas eventually took out a gun and shot the three victims, police said.

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Officers found one victim, Denis Perez-Canales, with a gunshot wound. EMS pronounced Perez-Canales dead at the scene. His age was not provided.

Police said a man and woman, both in their 20s, later arrived on their own at the hospital. The woman had been shot in the leg and the man suffered a gunshot wound to his back.

Rodriguez-Banegas is believed to have fled Missouri to avoid arrest. Police allege hes in the country illegally.

The St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office charged Rodriguez-Banegas with first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault, and three counts of armed criminal action.

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U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland was visiting the future site of Smoky Hollow Park on Tuesday when someone told her there is a stream running under the asphalt lot she was standing on.

Converting the area near the intersections of Peace Street and Capital Boulevard to a park and restoring the section of Pigeon House Branch that runs through it is one of three parks projects the U.S. Department of the Interior has funded in Wake County in recent weeks.

Its a natural wetland, so nature doesnt forget what it should be and we should help in every way that we can to return nature to the way it wants to be and the way it was meant to be, Haaland said shortly after.

Earlier this month, Interior announced that Raleigh would receive nearly $8.68 million to build Smoky Hollow Park and restore the stream running through it. The same round of Outdoor Recreation Legacy Program funding also included $8.5 million for the Town of Garner to fund the first phase of Yeargan Park, which will include four multipurpose fields and a path to Garners downtown area, among other upgrades..

Haaland and Interior staff visited the site sf both projects as part of a two-day trip to North Carolina. They also visited several restoration projects on the Blue Ridge Parkway, which has received $253 million in Great American Outdoors Act funding to address deferred maintenance projects.

Cabinet secretaries have been frequent visitors to North Carolina in recent months, touting federal investments as the 2024 election draws closer.

Haalands tour ended Tuesday at Raleighs Norman and Betty Camp Education Center at Walnut Creek Wetland Park.

Raleigh received $845,000 from Interior in March to provide bicycle and pedestrian connections between Walnut Creek Wetland Park and the Biltmore Hills and Rochester Heights neighborhoods. The so-called Bailey Drive Gateway project involves reclaiming 10 acres on the parks southern edge to help residents of Southeast Raleigh access green space more easily.

Shannon Estenoz, Interiors assistant secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, said the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of accessible outdoor space. Having safe outdoor space readily accessible was a matter of community resilience during the pandemic, Estenoz said, and it became clear that that many of the countrys most sought-after communities prioritized parks.

People who have choices choose to have parks in their neighborhoods. So we want all Americans to have that choice. It shouldnt matter what your ZIP code is, you should have access to places like this, Estenoz said.

The Walnut Creek project merges environmental justice and conservation concerns, Gov. Roy Cooper said Tuesday

Cooper, a Democrat, said the park project bolsters a pair of his executive orders. In Executive Order 305, Cooper directed state agencies to conserve a million acres, restore a million acres and plant a million urban trees by 2040. And in Executive Order 292, Cooper directed every cabinet agency to consider environmental justice when making permitting decisions and awarding funds.

What we want to do is combine our conservation efforts with environmental justice as was done with this area right here and to make sure that we are making opportunities for everyone, that everyone can enjoy the conservation and enjoy the outdoors and to participate, Cooper said.

The Wake County park projects could play a role in climate resilience, Haaland added, pointing to the Smoky Hollow project. Right now, the future park site is 90% impervious surface, a site the city has used for decades as a lot for its dump trucks and garbage trucks.

Raleigh officials plan to replace that with walkable greenspace and a large wetland impoundment.

Its going to be cooler, theres going to be animals, theres going to be fish in that creek. Its just going to be a more welcoming area. Its going to be a place where people can cool off in the summer heat, Haaland said.

This story was produced with financial support from the Hartfield Foundation and Green South Foundation, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. The N&O maintains full editorial control of the work. If you would like to help support local journalism, please consider signing up for a digital subscription, which you can do here.
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  An Angelo State University political science student has been selected to become an intern at Washington, D.C., as part of an internship program.

Senior and political science major Joe Chaney of Daphne, Alabama, earned the internship through the ASU Department of Political Science and Philosophys 2024 Government and Public Service Program. The program was launched in 2013 and is designed to help participating students develop networking skills and build knowledge of public policy, according to the university.

Joe was selected for his combination of academic excellence and extracurricular involvement, said Dr. Matthew Gritter, chair of ASUs Department of Political Science and Philosophy. He has a strong work ethic and has been involved in a wide variety of campus activities, including the Student Government Association.

Chaney will spend the fall 2024 semester as an intern under Rep. August Pfluger, the representative of the 11th District of Texas. During the internship, Chaney will live at the Texas Tech House with other interns from Texas Tech University and receive an $8,000 stipend to help cover the costs of living in Washington, D.C. He will also earn six ASU credit hours in political science.

I have always been passionate about geopolitical issues and their impact on American domestic life, Chaney said. I believe this internship can help me develop interpersonal skills, proactive leadership, and the fundamental requirement most jobs or careers are seeking: direct experience. All these skills and qualities could ultimately aid me in my endeavor to attend law school. However, I will keep an open mind about all the possibilities my internship could create in the future.

Chaney, a former foster care youth, is a member of ASUs Fostering Ram Success program. He previously completed a successful internship in the San Angelo City Attorneys Office, and he is also active in the Political Science Association and Kappa Sigma fraternity. A regular on the ASU Deans List, he is scheduled to graduate in December with his Bachelor of Arts in political science with minors in English and history.

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HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH)  A Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection employee on administrative leave for pending criminal charges was paid $114,983  $109,239 more than allowed, according to an audit released Wednesday.

The Connecticut Auditors of Public Accounts states that the employee should not have received the funds over the course of 19 months because it was over the legal threshold of 30 days.

The criminal charges were not listed in the report.

The Department acknowledges the importance of complying with state agency regulations regarding paid administrative leave, DEEP said in a response included with the report. In the first instance mentioned, the employee was placed on administrative leave pending criminal charges. This happened during the COVID19 pandemic when courts were hearing cases at an extraordinarily slow rate. This led to the employee remaining on leave for an extended period as management felt it inappropriate and possibly unsafe to allow the employee to return to work pending charges. Ultimately the charges were nulled, and the employee returned to work.

Insurance denies Connecticut flood victims claims

DEEP also placed an employee on paid administrative leave for 11 days without having the supporting documentation to do so, according to the audit. In that case, DEEP said in the report that the employee resigned after making derogatory comments. He was placed on leave afterward with pay until his last day.

In response, the audit recommends that the department should comply with requirements concerning employees placed on paid leave.

In a comment Wednesday to News 8, DEEP said that Workplace investigations bring the possibility of employee discipline. Administrative leave is a tool that agencies use in consultation with the Office of Labor Relations (OLR) to ensure the conduct of investigations and regular operations can occur appropriately while investigations are underway. Each case is unique, and investigations must be thorough and fair to ensure due process. Every case needs this element to be successful. 

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.
As the temperatures rose into the triple-digits in August, Ryan Walters remained the subject of heated commentary from The Oklahoman's guest columnists. Commentators also offered their thoughts as Kamala Harris selected her running mate in the presidential race, and they weighed in on several other topics. Here are some of the August highlights.

Most of the rhetoric has been juvenile on both sides, writes Jim Young. "My goodness, America!! Where are the adults in the press and in the political realm? Where are our leaders?"

Writing on Walz

ACCORDING TO JIM: As a Republican, Jim Young was ready to vote for Biden. Now, he says he will vote for real, intelligent leadership. The press and political leaders in Washington must ask the difficult questions and demand intelligent solutions on policy instead of personalities.

PUBLIC SQUARE: We asked readers to share their impressions of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, chosen as Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate. Read some of their responses.

Schools of thought

UNDER FIRE: Public school teacher Alex Shirley writes that Ryan Walters is the result of Oklahomans not diligently scrutinizing the people who crave power. Walters, Shirley writes, is "hell-bent" on ruining the teaching profession, and Oklahoma lawmakers should fire him.

WHO'S FAILING?: Oklahoma students will surely fall behind due to Ryan Walters' extreme mismanagement of the state Education Departments resources, writes Alona Whitebird Medina.

SHOW SUPPORT: By empowering and valuing our educators, we are investing in the success of our students and the prosperity of Oklahoma as a whole, writes Jena Nelson, 2020 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year. It's time to end rhetoric against Oklahoma teachers and show them support.

DEMAND BETTER: Ryan Walters has occupied the headlines frequently  but not for improving our schools or lifting our students to new academic heights, Colby Ingram writes in a letter to the editor. Remember the failures of Ryan Walters when you vote.

RUBBER STAMP: Ryan Walters craves national spotlight while Oklahoma education remains low in rankings. Between Walters and his board, any public school experience is drastically limited and administrative public school experience is nonexistent, Janis Blevins writes.

GOP IRE: Republican lawmakers stood by as Ryan Walters stonewalled Oklahomans. Now hes doing it to them, writes Oklahoma Voice's Janelle Stecklein.

WHAT YOU SAID: The Oklahoman readers share their thoughts on state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters, who reiterated that schools are required to teach the Bible in classrooms.

Center of debate

Norman wants to "reimagine" Lloyd Noble Center with a $1 billion price tag, writes William L. Ridley. Could that money be better spent elsewhere?

OKC's golden opportunity

Hosting some Olympic events in 2028 will position Oklahoma to shine on the global stage, writes Lance Walker. The economic rewards of hosting the Olympics will be considerable, bolstering local businesses, tourism and employment.

Rx remedy?

Main Street pharmacies in Oklahoma are closing. The deck is stacked against them. Congress can help save these vital health care access points, writes pharmacist Oliver Lackey.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: August opinion highlights: Ryan Walters again a hot topic
AUSTIN (KXAN)  A man employed at a mental health facility in southeast Austin was arrested Aug. 21 and charged with the sexual assault of a patient, according to court documents.

Documents stated on Jan. 20, 48-year-old Jerry Wayne Johnson Jr., an employee at the Judge Guy Herman Center for Mental Health Crisis Care, sexually assaulted a woman who was also a patient at the facility by causing her to participate in the act by exploiting her emotional dependency.

KXAN reached out to Johnsons attorney for a statement. This story will be updated if a statement is received.

The Judge Guy Herman Center for Mental Health Crisis Care is a mental health facility owned and operated by Integral Care.

Integral Care released the following statement regarding Johnson:

We have been made aware of the incident. The safety and well-being of our clients and staff is our top priority. As a Joint Commission accredited healthcare organization, we are accountable to the highest standards throughout our therapeutic system of care and undergo rigorous monitoring. We routinely evaluate procedures, training protocols, and other safety measures to maintain the highest standards. Integral Care statement

According to court documents, the victim was previously sex trafficked and told investigators she feared punishment.

[The victim] stated she knew that Johnson was powerful in his place as a staff member at the mental health facility, and that if he wanted something he was going to get it, the documents said.

According to the records, the victim told investigators that once she was at the mental health facility, she had no intention of having sex with anyone. She continued by saying she had never met Johnson before, and if it were not for his position of power, she would not have wanted to have sex with him.

On April 15, a DNA search warrant was issued, and a sample of Johnsons DNA was taken. The sample was then compared to DNA from the victims sexual assault exam.

Documents said Johnson could not be excluded as a possible contributor to the DNA profile.

As of Wednesday, Johnson remained booked in the Travis County jail on a $30,000 bond.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Nearly six weeks after an IT outage caused by CrowdStrike halted air travel, commerce and government operations, the Austin-based company is still being hit by a wave of lawsuits.

The latest comes from Plaintiffs Christopher and Sara Harlan who filed a class action lawsuit against CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. and CrowdStrike Inc. Similar to previous lawsuits, the Harlans claim that CrowdStrike failed to adequately test its software update before pushing it out worldwide on July 19, directly causing global flight cancellations and other issues. The CrowdStrike class action lawsuit was filed in Texas federal court this week.

A similar lawsuit was filed earlier this month by three travelers who accused CrowdStrike of negligence in testing and deploying its software, which they claim caused the outage.

The plaintiffs in that suit state in the suit that travelers were sent into a frenzy and in response were forced to spend hundreds of dollars on lodging, meals and alternative travel. The suit goes on to add that others missed work or suffered health problems from having to sleep on the airport floor.

The lawsuit concludes that CrowdStrike should pay compensatory and punitive damages to all fliers whose flights were disrupted.

In a statement about the suit filed earlier this month, CrowdStrike said: "We believe this case lacks merit and we will vigorously defend the company."

John Box (right) talks on the phone while waiting for his Delta flight in Terminal 3, July 19, 2024, at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Investors in CrowdStrike have also filed a lawsuit. The Plymouth County Retirement Association alleges CrowdStrike maintained deficient controls and did not adequately test its software, despite repeated statements touting the efficacy of the Falcon platform, according to a complaint filed this month in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.

Investors claim the share price of the company dropped sharply as a result of the outage and are seeking compensation.

The Statesman previously reported that Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said there is "no choice" but to initiate a lawsuit against CrowdStrike after it caused widespread software outages in July that cost the airline $500 million.

How has CrowdStrike responded to its recent outage?

Beyond public apologies from its CEO, CrowdStrike released a blog post detailing how it will change operations to avoid a similar event. Changes include adjusting its update verification system to better filter faulty code. Additionally, the company said it was no longer going to release mass updates to avoid the possibility of mass outages.

Not long after the crash, CrowdStrike sent Uber Eats gift cards worth $10 to its partners who worked long hours to restore systems for customers. According to TechCrunch, a tech news website, the Uber Eats voucher was accompanied by an email that read: And for that, we send our heartfelt thanks and apologies for the inconvenience, and the email continued, "To express our gratitude, your next cup of coffee or late night snack is on us!

The response to the voucher was a mix of confusion and frustration, and, due to high usage rates, Uber flagged some of the vouchers as fraudulent making them unusable. CrowdStrike is adamant that it sent the voucher as a thank you and not as an apology.

What is CrowdStrike?

CrowdStrike is a major player in the cybersecurity field. The company is known for its unique approach to threat detection and response  which it ingrains in its products. Founded in 2011 in Sunnyvale, Calif., the company is now headquartered in Austin and, in the last decade, has specialized in endpoint security, threat intelligence and cyberattack response services.

CrowdStrike's flagship product, Falcon, uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify and mitigate threats in real time. The system the company has created is versatile in that it is able to provide protection across various devices and networks  which is why last weeks outage was so widespread.

CrowdStrike has a fairly good reputation and, in the past, has been able to uncover high-profile cyberattacks by North Korea. The company is known for its ability to rapidly respond to security breaches, helping organizations safeguard their digital assets against sophisticated cyberthreats.

Beck Andrew Salgado covers trending topics in the Austin business ecosystem for the American-Statesman. To share additional tips or insights with Salgado, email Bsalgado@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin's CrowdStrike facing mixture of lawsuits after July outage
Back to School: Getting kids adjusted to healthy sleep and homework routines

Back to School: Getting kids adjusted to healthy sleep and homework routines

WALLINGFORD, Conn. (WTNH)  This summer has been a free-for-all,' said parenting blogger and podcaster Caitlin Houston, which means vacation season was a whole lot of fun!

My favorite part of the summer was going to the beach a lot, said her 8-year-old daughter, Ailey.

But Houston is looking forward to getting her daughters back on schedule.

Were craving some organization in our life. Were looking forward to some routine again and some structure, she said.

This Wallingford family begins with bedtime.

Like, OK, Everybody, at this time every single night, were going to do our routine, and then its quiet time in your rooms,' she said.

Then, mornings revolve around a personalized chart with notes that are specific to each child.

The girls are encouraged to speak up and tweak the plan themselves.

I feel like sometimes I want to pack lunch at night instead of in the morning, 10-year-old Annabelle said.

Thats a good idea, Houston said as they looked at the chart together.

Any of those executive functioning skills that they can take on earlier in life, it will help them later on in life, said Dr. Ryan Loss, a clinical psychologist with Connecticut Behavioral Health in Cheshire.

He said parents should support students in creating good homework habits.

A little downtime, get a snack in you because that will help power your brain, power your energy and then block off a certain period of time, he said.

I just like the feeling of knowing what were going to do every single day versus this playing cruise director all summer, Houston said of back-to-school season.

Fall means healthy growth and change.

Making new friends, doing all the classes and stuff, and meeting my teacher, Ailey said excitedly.

Its a time to reflect on sweet summers and prepare for a productive school year.

Good luck to all moms out there. Dads, good luck! Kids, try to go to bed early before the first day of school so its not a shock when you have to wake up that first day! laughed Houston as she looked ahead to the changes in store.

BACK TO SCHOOL

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RIYADH, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia is set to host the third edition of the Global AI Summit from Sept. 10 to 12, aiming to establish the kingdom as a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and to emphasize the role of governments in leveraging AI for economic growth, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Tuesday.

The summit, themed "Leveraging AI for the Betterment of Humanity," will take place in Riyadh. It will address topics such as ethical AI development and AI applications in urban life, focusing on transportation, urban design, mental health, and resource management. It will also address the role of AI in governance, according to SPA.

"The summit will delve into AI's current capabilities, its future, and the ethical boundaries we must establish to ensure its beneficial impact on society," said Abdullah bin Sharaf Alghamdi, president of the Saudi Data & Artificial Intelligence Authority, the organizer.

The summit will gather over 300 experts and speakers from 100 countries and feature more than 120 interactive sessions and workshops. These will explore diverse aspects of AI, including generative AI and its integration into smart cities, as stated by the organizer. 
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. (WBOY)  The West Virginia State Police and Bureau of Justice Administrations Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) have reached a major milestone in ensuring justice for sexual assault victims in the state.

In 2015, the State Polices Forensic Laboratory partnered with the SAKI along with other organizations with the mission of testing all eligible untested or unsubmitted sexual assault kits and enter qualifying DNA profiles into the FBIs Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a database that houses DNA profiles for comparison purposes.

Now, they have completed that goal, with more than 2,400 sexual assault kits (SAKs) being tested.

According to West Virginia SAKI Coordinator Larry Hasley, the kits that were analyzed under the project were from before 2018. Although West Virginia now has a system where kits are sent directly to the West Virginia State Police crime lab, that wasnt always the case. For decades, officers were responsible for picking up and submitting sexual assault kits themselves, resulting in many slipping through the cracks.

Doctor charged with sexually abusing victim near his medical practice in Star City

When we talk about the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative project, it makes me think of the gaps that have occurred over the past decades that have enabled these kits to not be submitted to, for testing to the crime lab, said Nancy Hoffman, State Coordinator for the WV Foundation for Rape Information Services, And the quote that it made me think of was that when you have a gap in the system or a hole, thats the hole that the victim falls through, and its also the hole that perpetrators crawl through.

From the thousands of tested kits, more than 1,000 DNA profiles have been entered into the (CODIS) database, allowing law enforcement across the country to connect possible suspects with sex crimes in West Virginia, even decades after they happened.

Just this summer, at least two suspects have been charged in sexual assault cases from the 1990s and early 2000s in Monongalia County because of processing from the SAKI program.

Suspect in Monongalia County sexual assault arrested in Pennsylvania

The processing of previously unsubmitted kits was the first phase of SAKI in West Virginia, but after its completion, the SAKI program will continue to work toward enhancing the criminal justice response to sexual assault in West Virginia.

Just a few weeks ago, Gov. Jim Justice announced $1.2 million in SAKI grants to continue with projects across the state that will help improve the criminal justice systems response to violence against women.

Information for victims of sexual assault in West Virginia is available online here or by calling 1-800-656-HOPE.

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View a previous report on the partnership between Three Bites and Little Cat in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  The partnership between a bakery and a bubble tea shop is now open Downtown.

Three Bites Bakery and Little Cat Boba moved into the 12 E. Broad St. space with help from a city initiative aimed at bringing small minority and women-owned businesses Downtown. The joint location had a soft opening on Aug. 16 but held its official grand opening Wednesday.

The shop right by the corner of Broad and High streets will be open Tuesday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Three Bites and Little Cat will be located in the building right by the corner of Broad and High Streets. (Courtesy Photo/Franklin County Auditors Office)

Opened in 2019, Three Bites is a Filipino-Italian bakery with a variety of sweet and savory pastry items. Owner Isabella Bonello described her business, including its ties to her family roots.

Three Bites Bakery specializes in small treats made from scratch, that combine tried and true methods with creativity and care, Bonello said. We are inspired by our family history and our taste for the world beyond our kitchen.

Little Cat is a Korean-American cafe and boba shop owned by Raymond Kim. With roots in the West Coast, he opened the business to bring some of the areas fantastic bubble tea to Columbus. His shop also offers coffee, which he said hes always had an affinity for. He named the shop in honor of his mother, who gave him the nickname little cat when he was a child.

In honor of this cherished memory and the woman who made it possible, this shop stands as a tribute to my mother and the joyous moments we shared, Kim said.

Bonello and Kim said in April that their partnership couldnt be a better fit.

Given the relationship between baked goods, coffee and boba, its almost a marriage of sorts, Kim said at the time.

Raymond Kim, owner of Little Cat, and Isabella Bonello, owner of Three Bites, will operate their businesses under one roof. (NBC4 Photo/Aaron Burd)

The Ground Floor Growth Initiative was passed by Columbus City Council in October. It helps minority and women owners of small businesses bring their shops Downtown through things like rent assistance. In addition to the Three Bites and Little Cat partnership, an East African coffee shop, a clothing store and more are opening Downtown as part of the program.

Diversity has been and always will be our biggest strength which is why having a strong Downtown is synonymous with having a diverse Downtown, Councilmember Nicholas Bankston said. I am proud to lead the charge on this initiative which will ensure that our Downtown reflects the beautiful diversity of our city.

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FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  A ban on trespassing at Fresno businesses was presented to the public by three members of the Fresno City Council on Tuesday.

Councilmember Gary Bredefeld, one of the three behind the proposed ban, is basing it on an ordinance approved by Fresno City Council last month designed to decrease unhoused activity along public spaces.

The ordinance met that goal, Bredefeld said.

Fresno City Council approves ordinance to remove homeless encampments

On Tuesday, Bredefeld was joined by fellow council members Mike Karbassi and Tyler Maxwell. The three council members are all sponsoring the bill. They say it is time to address private businesses and what was described as the homeless folk who harass them.

According to Bredefeld, the new proposed ordinance would allow private business owners to ask people creating problems to leave the property and not return. If the person refuses to leave they could be subject to a criminal act of trespassing, a misdemeanor, or possible jail time as well as a fine of $1,000.

I want to be clear, Bredefeld said. We want to help those who are homeless and truly want help and want to change. Theres plenty of help available in the city.

According to Bredefeld, the city has spent hundreds of millions of dollars creating housing, providing necessities, support services, medical care, and more.

But theres a subculture of the homeless who want that toxic lifestyle, regardless of the help offered to them, Bredefeld said.

Those who choose to engage in drugs, criminal behavior, live on the streets, harass business owners, create unsafe and unhealthy conditions in our community, must be held accountable

Councilmember Mike Karbassi says, as a small business owner, he shares in the struggle his constituents face daily.

[Business owners are] dealing with unprecedented increases in insurance rates, Karbassi said. On top of that, for years, small businesses in this community and communities across California have had to deal with folks that just arent well.

Karbassi says that, while homelessness is not a crime, the unhoused should not be allowed to participate in behaviors that burden small business owners.

Small business owners are people like you and I, Karbassi said. We cant afford to allow Fresno to turn into San Francisco.

But Karbassi wants the proposed ordinance to help the unhoused  as well as business owners.

This is not a solution to homelessness, Karbassi said. But this, along with the recent measures weve taken and the Supreme Court ruling, are steps we can take to hopefully push the unhoused to places they need to go to get treatment.

Councilmember Tyler Maxwell says Fresno is a hotbed for affordable housing, first-time home ownership, and low taxes. If it is to stay that way, Maxwell says the unruly and unhoused need to be held accountable.

I cant even begin to tell you the number of phone calls my office gets from business owners who are desperately struggling to stay open but are having a hard time because of difficult individuals. Not patrons, but people loitering, starting fights and sleeping in and around their businesses, said Maxwell.

Fresno City Attorney Andrew Janz confirmed there is currently no municipal code that addresses trespassing of this nature.

Janz says many cases and court rulings related to trespassing have been dismissed due to an inability to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that trespassing occurred. Janz says those cases would now come directly to the City Attorneys office as municipal code violations rather than civil matters.

Weve seen time and time again are courts and judges moving to dismiss these cases, Janz said.

Police officers out there, are dealing with multiple calls and they have to decide what call theyre going to go to. Are they going to go to a call where their case is not going to get filed by the D.A. or a case where its going to get dismissed by a judge or do you go to a different call?

Janz says leaving these cases up to small businesses to go after in court is not helping anyone and the proposed ordinance is at the very least solution when it comes to prosecuting these cases.

The ordinance is scheduled to be heard at the Fresno City Council meeting on Aug. 29.

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Bank branches to close in Pokrovsk on Monday

Bank branches in the city of Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast, will close beginning Monday 2 August.

Source: Vadym Filashkin, Head of Donetsk Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote: "Banks will continue to operate in Pokrovsk until the end of the week, but only ATMs will be available beginning Monday," he said.

According to him, there are still 38,000 people and about 1,900 children in the city.

"All of them should evacuate to safer regions of Ukraine," Filashkin believes.

Background:

Earlier, Filashkin ordered to tighten the curfew in Pokrovsk hromada and in the city of Pokrovsk itself (a hromada is an administrative unit designating a town, village or several villages and their adjacent territories).

On 19 August, Serhii Dobriak, Head of Pokrovsk City Military Administration, noted that considering the pace of the Russian army's advance, the residents of Pokrovsk have one to two weeks to evacuate.

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LITTLE SILVER, NJ  In a breaking news update to the Sickles Market bankruptcy saga, a federal bankruptcy judge on Tuesday approved the proposed Sickles Market land deal to go through.

Hon. Christine Gravelle issued her decision Tuesday, allowing a proposal from an LLC called 1663 Partners to proceed.

1663 Partners is composed of three Rumson residents, Jennifer Griffin Karp, Dennis Devine and one-time Council candidate Timothy McCooey. What they seek to do is purchase three properties currently owned by Robert Sickles, Jr. and his wife: The six-acre lot at 1 Harrison Avenue that houses the market and all its related assets; a one-acre lot at 5 Harrison Avenue, immediately next door, on which sits a small house; and third, the Sickles' private family home on Heathcliff Road in Rumson. (The liquor license used by Bottles by Sickles has already been sold.)

With the judge's approval yesterday, the sale can proceed. It's big news.

How much is 1663 Partners paying for all this?

A total sale price has not yet been worked out, said Dan Stolz, chair of the bankruptcy department at major New Jersey law firm Genova Burns. Sickles hired Genova Burns as his bankruptcy lawyers.

"(A sales price) hasn't been defined. I cannot even answer, I don't hold the purse," said Stolz. "A judge yesterday allowed the plan to proceed, and all the parties are now talking to each other and assessing."

Whenever that price is made public, it will be quite the sum: The two Little Silver properties combined, including the Sickles Market building and its assets, were appraised at $6.25 million, according to court filings. However, the Sickles believe the lot is worth far more than that.

Separately, their Rumson home was appraised at $2.4 million.

1663 Partners wants to re-open Sickles Market and run it as a gourmet food store and nursery again. Sickles, Jr. and his two daughters will work there, at proposed six-figure salaries, and receive minority ownership (5 percent) shares in the market. Sickles and his wife will be allowed to keep living in their Rumson home, as tenants, but will not immediately have to pay rent. There is the understanding they will have the chance to buy the home back from 1663 Partners.

This is all according to a memorandum of understanding between Sickles and 1663 Partners, which Patch broke the details of last week.

1663 Partners does propose building residential around the market: They propose tearing down that small house at 5 Harrison and building residential, said Stolz Wednesday.

Are they thinking condos? He said he could not answer.

"The idea is they will keep the market open and build residential around it," he said. "They are currently evaluating what is the highest and best use for that land."

Patch replied that Little Silver residents may not react favorably to new housing construction.

"They are all residents of the area, they know that area," he said, referring to the 1663 trio. "They all believe having the market re-open enhances the value of the property for residential purposes. I also know they have already talked to the town of Little Silver (about building residential)."

Are 1663 Partners personal friends of the Sickles?

No, said Stolz. He said they simply are a trio of local residents who heard Sickles, a local institution, filed for bankruptcy. After finding Sickles' bankruptcy filing online, they contacted Stolz, who put them in touch with his client, Bob Sickles, Jr.



What happens next?

Now that a federal judge approved the "1663 Plan" to move forward, it will have to be proposed to everyone who is owed an outstanding debt from Bob Sickles. This includes all the employees who worked for him, the bank, and all the meat and vegetable companies who have not been paid for food deliveries (they are owed $1.3 million combined), plus other creditors.

For the 1663 plan to go through, a majority of those parties  two thirds  need to approve it, with an understanding that some or all their debts will be paid to them, said Stolz.

"The former employees of the market and the liquor store will be paid in full for the wages they are owed," said Sickles' lawyer. "They will absolutely be paid in full. Sickles has made clear from the very beginning of all this that all employees will be paid. There are other creditors they may attempt to negotiate with. There are some claims we are likely to dispute, and they will either be paid in full, or paid an amount they will accept."

While all this is happening, the Sickles family is also trying to prevent the bank from foreclosing on their Rumson home before the 1663 deal goes through: Last week, Northfield Bank filed a motion to start foreclosure proceedings on the Heathcliff property. Genova Burns filed an objection motion Tuesday. Stolz and his team argue that the 1663 plan is a way to keep the Sickles in their home.

"We believe they have more than adequate collateral, and we are hopeful and confident the judge will deny their motion," said Stolz.

"The Sickles family ran this market from 1908 until the COVID crisis hit," said Stolz. "For years, they supported themselves, their employees and the community. Then they opened up the Red Bank offshoot, an extraordinary financial strain that happened exactly at the time COVID hit. Nobody left their houses. Every business suffered. All of these factors converged for people who for years had operated successfully and profitably. They fell into a financial black hole they could not get out of."

Last Wednesday's wowzer: New Owner Attempts To Take Over, Reopen Sickles Market (Aug. 21)

Additional details Friday: More Details Revealed About Proposed Sickles Land Deal (Aug. 23)

Bankruptcy Judge Approves 1663 Purchase Of Sickles Market, Rumson Home originally appeared on the Little Silver-Oceanport Patch
William Barr, Jeff Sessions and two other former U.S. attorneys general have suggested two debate questions about the Supreme Court for Vice President Harris and former President Trumps scheduled Sept. 10 showdown on ABC News.

Signed by Barr, Sessions and fellow former Attorneys General Michael Mukasey and Edwin Meese, a letter to ABC moderators and executives proposes that the candidates explain their positions on expanding the size of the Supreme Court and describe the criteria theyd consider for a nominee if a vacancy should arise during their presidency.

In the wake of recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions, including the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade, a national debate has arisen over the structure and role of the U.S. Supreme Court. However, the presidential candidates have had little opportunity to explain their stances on this crucial issue, the letter reads. Kelly Shackelford, president and chief counsel for First Liberty Institute, is also a signee.

As Americans prepare to vote for president, it would be helpful and appropriate for them to hear how former President Trump and Vice President Harris would seek to impact the Court, the letter argues.

The Hill has reached out to ABC for comment.

Harris and Trump are set to face off on the debate stage next month in a Philadelphia appearance moderated by ABCs David Muir and Linsey Davis. Trump already went head-to-head with President Biden in a debate seen as a driver behind the incumbents historic exit from the race.

The campaigns clashed this week over disagreement about debate rules, raising questions about whether the event would move forward, but Trump said Tuesday that hes agreed to the terms.

The debate is set to be a high-stakes event on both sides of the aisle as Trump and Harris head toward a competitive election. The Hill/Decision Desk HQ national polling average shows Harris with a 4.3 percentage point lead, a shift from when Biden was trailing Trump in late July, but the newly minted Democratic nominee must now maintain her momentum as she faces the upcoming debate and her first major interview.

Questions are already swirling about what topics Harris and Trump will address on the ABC stage next month. Barr, who served during the Trump administration, and Shackelford have previously expressed concerns about Bidens reform proposals for the nations highest court, including term limits and a code of ethics.

Trump nominated Barr in 2018 to replace Sessions, who was forced out after that years midterm elections. Meese served in the Reagan administration, and Mukasey served under former President George W. Bush.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A bat that flew into the window of a home in Lake Oswego tested positive for rabies on Friday, according to Clackamas County officials.

The bat was tested by the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory after it was found on the property. However, officials said the infected animal did not have any contact with any humans or pets.

Fred Meyer employees begin week-long strike

While this bat did not bite any people or pets, we do want to remind people that rabies is a serious illness and its important to take precautions to protect yourself and your family, Clackamas County Health Officer Dr. Sarah Present said.

Oregon public health officials say bats are the states main animal of concern for rabies and that interactions with bats are more common in the summer.

Steps to prevent a rabies outbreak in your home include vaccinating your pets, feeding pets indoors, and bringing a pet to the vet if they happen to come into contact with a bat. Other precautions involve keeping garbage cans secured, never touching bats, and sealing open attics, sheds and basements in your home.

Oregon men charged in $18 million real estate fraud scheme

If someone is scratched or bitten by a bat, they are encouraged to call the doctor and wash the affected area with soap and running water for at least five minutes.

Pet owners are required to get their dogs a rabies vaccine before they turn six months old. Cats are not required to get vaccinated, but Clackamas County officials strongly recommend it.

Unvaccinated cats require four months of strict quarantine per public health protocol if they are exposed to a rabid bat, officials said. If quarantining the animal is not possible, euthanasia could be recommended for unvaccinated pets exposed to rabid bats.

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MORGANTON, N.C. (WNCN)  A small battery inside a childrens sound book sparked a fire that gutted the interior of a car in a North Carolina county this week, officials said.

The blaze happened Sunday in Burke County after the book was left under a childs seat in the rear seating area of the car, according to a news release from George Hildebran Fire & Rescue Department in the Connelly Springs area.

The blaze began soon after the child and family exited the car and went inside their home, the fire department news release said.

Photo courtesy: George Hildebran Fire & Rescue Department

Photo courtesy: George Hildebran Fire & Rescue Department

Photo courtesy: George Hildebran Fire & Rescue Department

Photo courtesy: George Hildebran Fire & Rescue Department

Photo courtesy: George Hildebran Fire & Rescue Department

The release included a photo of the book JJs Potty Time and several images of the burned seat, car and book.

The Burke County Fire Marshals Office investigated and said a button battery inside the childrens book caused the fire, the news release said.

No one was injured.

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PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB)  Oscar Patterson Academy was added to the Bay District School Board meetings agenda as an emergency item Tuesday afternoon. District officials say the schools F grade has to make a big upward jump.

Board members approved a turnaround plan to do just that.

Bay alum, Robinson earns spot on Raiders 2024 roster

We will have two years to bring the school to a grade C or better, so we are working on that. We want to get the school grade up to a C or better in one year. Thats our goal, Teaching & Learning Deputy Superintendent Denise Kelley said.

The 2023-2024 school year is the first year Oscar Patterson received a grade since it reopened in 2022. The school was closed for about 4 years following Hurricane Michael. Kelley said a turnaround is possible.

We have increased school grades and we have brought schools out of turnaround in the past, so we are using those same sort of implementation plans and actually providing additional support for teachers and training for teachers, Kelley said.

Several community resources are being used to help Oscar Patterson teachers and students perform their best this year.

We have ideas on bringing teachers in. Master teachers that can tutor other younger, less experienced teachers, bringing people from clergy, from business, from other education pieces into it so that we can get a good, comprehensive look at how can the community help out Oscar Patterson, Bay District School Board Member Christopher Moore said.

Walton County looks to create an Opioid settlement committee to disperse funds

Moore said they owe it to students and teachers to help save Oscar Patterson.

This plan is absolutely essential to bringing Oscar Patterson out of the low depths that they are in right now. We owe it to those students, teachers and faculty there, Moore said.

Bay District Schools Superintendent Mark McQueen will present the Oscar Patterson Academy turnaround plan to the State Board of Education the first week of September.

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RAMALLAH, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army began on Wednesday a large-scale military operation in the Jenin, Tulkarm, and Tubas camps in the northern West Bank, according to Palestinian and Israeli sources.

"The Israeli forces have begun military operations in Jenin, Tubas, and Tulkarm to thwart terrorism," Avichai Adraee, spokesman of the Israeli army, said in a statement.

Palestinian sources told Xinhua said that large forces, along with huge bulldozers, are involved in the Jenin operation.

The sources added that Israeli military vehicles stormed the city from multiple directions, penetrating its neighborhoods and the refugee camp.

According to the Ramallah-based health ministry, two Palestinians were killed and two others wounded by Israeli army gunfire in northern Jenin.

Wiam Bakr, director of Jenin Governmental Hospital, said that the Israeli forces surrounded the hospital and prevented medical staff from entering.

In Tubas and the Far'a refugee camp, Israeli forces clashed with Palestinian gunmen as they stormed the area. Tubas governor Ahmed al-Asaad told Xinhua that the scale of the operation suggests that Israel is following through on threats of a military campaign in the northern West Bank.

Meanwhile, the Israeli forces clashed with Palestinian gunmen as they stormed the city of Tubas and the Far'a refugee camp.

Ahmed al-Asaad, the governor of Tubas, told Xinhua that the scale of the operation suggests that Israel is following through on threats of a military operation in the northern West Bank.

Similarly, Israeli forces stormed the Nour Shams refugee camp east of Tulkarm, where Palestinian sources told Xinhua that the forces besieged Thabet Thabet Governmental Hospital and seized a Palestinian ambulance.

Palestinian armed groups said that their members were fighting Israeli forces with explosive devices and gunfire in Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas.

Since Oct. 7, the northern West Bank have witnessed a major escalation, with over 650 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire across the West Bank, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. 
Beaufort tries to correct botched lease with Safe Harbor. There is no excuse for this

Five years ago, the city of Beaufort ran afoul of South Carolina state law when it authorized a 40-year lease with Safe Harbor Marinas to run its downtown marina, the city manager acknowledged on Tuesday.

The news comes as Safe Harbor is preparing a controversial expansion of the marina it manages for the city, raising questions about the lease going forward and future management of the picturesque docks in Waterfront Park on the Beaufort River.

On May 7, 2019, the city, worried about the rising expense of managing the marina, approved a lease agreement with Safe Harbor, which operates marinas up and down the East Coast.

Under the agreement, Safe Harbor was required to invest at least $1 million in the docks during the first 10 years of the lease. Another $100,000 would be required during each 10-year term the lease is renewed, up to 40 years.

The arrangement helps to fund city projects and other expenses. Safe Harbor pays the city 15 percent of its gross revenue from dock fees, 7.5% of money made from retail sales and 20 cents of each gallon of fuel sold.

But City Manager Scott Marshall told City Council Members Tuesday that the agreement was passed five years ago without any public input and with a single vote. Both moves, he said, were deeply troubling.

State law, Marshall noted, requires municipal governments to convey property only through the approval of an ordinance. And ordinances require two public readings to be approved.

In this instance, however, the lease was approved with one vote and the document itself wasnt even included in the City Councils packet of information so the public had no chance to look at it.

There is no excuse for this in my opinion, Marshall said.

Paul Trask, a Beaufort developer, submitted a freedom of information request about the lease, and that led to the city discovering the error once it checked its records, said Marshall, adding that the city owed Trask a debt of gratitude.

Bill Prokop was city manager when the lease was approved. Marshall, who replaced Prokop in early 2023, said he would never present a contract to a City Council without first giving the public the chance to see it first.

City tries to correct mistake

Fast-forward five years and the city is trying to correct the mistake using an action called nunc pro tunc. Thats a Latin term that usually refers to a court retroactively taking action to correct an earlier ruling.

On Tuesdays City Council agenda was the first reading of a nunc pro tunc ordinance ratifying the leasing of the city property to Safe Harbor. The terms of the lease would remain the same.

Residents raise concerns

But City Council members decided to postpone a decision on the first reading of the lease after encountering criticism from several residents, including two City Council candidates in the Nov. 5 election. They criticized not only the improper way in which the lease was handled, but also the details of the lease itself.

This is a terrible lease ladies in gentlemen, Paul Trask said. Its bad.

Trask also noted that the city never received the required permission from the federal government before it leased the marina to a private entity. That approval was among the stipulations the city had to meet when it accepted federal funds for the construction of Waterfront Park, which opened in 1979, Trask said.

The net result of the faulty approval of the lease by the City Council, and the failure to get approval from the federal agencies, Trask contends, is the city illegally converted a public park into a private commercial property under lock and key that keeps the public out for 40 years for the exclusive use for Safe Harbor members.

As for the need to consult with the federal government, City Manager Marshall says the city is now working to determine whether the marina property is considered part of Waterfront Park and therefore subject the consultation requirement.

Will lease be renegotiated?

In light of the marina expansion, some residents are arguing that now is the time to negotiate a lease with better terms or seek out a new manager of the marina.

Were a small town and all we really need is a small marina, said Wallace Scarborough, a Bay Street resident.

Scarborough also criticized the city for trying to pass the contract using the nunc pro tunc, which he called an obscure procedure and an extreme stretch. The city should start over with meetings and input from residents, Scarborough said.

You have a very unique opportunity to get it right and hope you do, Scarborough said.

Two current members of the 2024 city council  Phil Cromer and Mike McFee  were on the 2019 council when the original lease was passed.

Prokop, the city manager at the time, retired in late 2022. Bill Harvey, who was city attorney in 2019, resigned in May 2023, seven months before his term was set to expire.

McFee was not at Tuesdays meeting.

It was a mistake

Mayor Cromer said he wanted the proposed re-approval of the lease postponed to give the city more time to consider the path forward.

I was on the council at the time, Cromer said. It was a mistake. I own up to it. But we can fix it and were going to fix it.

Councilman Josh Scallate, who is running against Cromer for mayor, said he went back and watched the meeting when the council approved the original lease. A resident who stood up and asked when the public would see the lease was told, after it was signed.

Although some members of the community are not in favor of the original marina expansion plans that Safe Harbor submitted, Scallate said, My interpretation of Safe Harbors response to that is that they were absolutely willing to work with the community.

The issue going forward, Scallate said, is not the administrative error but forming a lease negotiating committee and getting feedback on what the city wants to see in a marina. The relationship, he says, can be salvaged, but it has to start right with transparency.

Councilman Neil Lipsitz originally said hell no to the marina plans but now finds Safe Harbor to be an honorable partner after meeting with them and looking at the latest plans, which he said address his concerns.

Councilman Mitch Mitchell said he wanted to hear from Councilman McFee, who was not at the meeting, before moving forward. One question Mitchell has is what will happen to the marina if we do nothing.

What happens if there is no contract and Safe Harbor decides to walk away? Mitchell said. What does that mean to the city in terms of expense, to maintain it and keep it viable? I dont know.

He said the city also needed to gather more information on the pros and cons of the current lease.

Marshall, the city manager, said allegations City Council members have been having secret meetings with Safe Harbor about the lease are not true.

However, council members did meet individually and in pairs with Safe Harbor officials about a potential redesign of the marina on June 3-4. He said Safe Harbor was hoping to learn from its previous design proposals, which were widely criticized.

Safe Harbor and the city are hosting a meeting on Safe Harbors revised layout on Thursday, Sept. 5, at Waterfront Park.

Following a June 25 executive session, City Council members advised city staff to meet with Safe Harbor officials to discuss how the lease was incorrectly approved and also to inquire whether they would be open to negotiating new lease terms, Marshall said. That meeting was conducted July 23. Marshall said Safe Harbor officials agreed at that meeting that they would be willing to renegotiate as long as the current lease remains in effect if those negotiations fail.
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI)  A new day means more students are heading back to school including some in New Bedford.

The district has almost 13,000 students this year. Those in grades 9 and 12 will return to the classroom on Wednesday, with the rest having their first day on Thursday.

When do RI, Mass. students go back to school?

Our enrollment is very, very strong this year. Large record numbers in Pre-K, and our numbers here at New Bedford High and throughout the grades are very, very high so we have the students we have the staff and were ready, Superintendent Andrew OLeary said.

OLeary said they are excited for the new school year, but one of the biggest issues they hope to combat is chronic absenteeism, which they saw increase during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Submit your first day of school photos

There will also be some changes in place for the year, including adjustments to the cell phone policy in the middle and high schools.

Cell phones should not be out in the classroom. Thats our longstanding policy. But maybe having a completely phone-free environment is the way to go, OLeary said. So, were going to see a pilot of phone lockers at one of our middle schools, of pouches at another middle school, and a slow roll out of pouches here as well.

SEE ALSO: Students from Spain excited to start school in New Bedford

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BEREA, Ky. (FOX 56)  Its an exciting year for Berea students, as many will be saving a few hundred bucks this year.

Berea College President Cheryl Nixon said that thanks to a generous donor, school fees are waived for all students, another free expense paired with tuition.

I think for our students, the most important thing is we want to say, academic opportunity is yours and we want to connect that to financial freedom. That you dont have to worry about finances as youre going after your academic dreams, and so this is a perfect expression of that, said Nixon.

Some of the students benefiting most are in the nursing program.

Read more of the latest Lexington & central Kentucky news

Coumba Ngaide, a senior nursing student, said all her life she has had a love for caring for others. She even shared a lot of time with a friend who spent much of his life in the childrens hospital before passing away.

Although her passion for care has led her to nursing, it hasnt always been easy to pay the extra fees that come with the program.

Books were costing $1,000, thats books and access codes and uniforms were costing another $200, and all that comes out of our pockets, said Ngaide.

She said she is very thankful that her last year will look different, with her balance due shrinking by more than $100.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

For the first time, Im like only $120, wow. Just every now and then I check and make sure its not a prank. You know, just like, oh, Im just making sure theyre not adding actual $500, she added.

The extra money has allowed her to invest in a different class, this one was quite different from learning how to care for humans, its focused on the yellow and black insects buzzing around town.

Nixon said the school will continue to find ways to make college affordable, and she hopes to have fees free for students from here on out.

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SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV)Sweet treats are a year-long necessity for many, so WSAV asked our viewers for their favorite bakeries and confections.

Here are WSAV viewers top picks for bake shops in the Hostess City:

Auspicious

Auspicious Baking Company was one of the most commented bakeries on WSAVs post asking what bakeries our viewers love. Auspicious Baking Company is located at 7360 Skidaway Road in Savannah and open Wednesday-Sunday 7 a.m.-3 p.m. One of the main treats mentioned was their croissants.

They offer a variety of croissants such as ham and cheese, smoked salmon, chocolate, everything and seasonal options. Auspicious also carries sweet pastries like pop tarts and scones, crackers, granola, breads, baguettes and confections such as brownies. If baked goods arent your thing, they also have savory salads, soups, humas, crackers and sandwiches. They also have vegan options.

Bakers Pride

Bakers Pride was another one of WSAVs viewers. Its located at 840 E. DeRenne Ave. in Savannah and is open Monday-Saturday from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. except on Saturdays when they close an hour earlier.

Bakers Pride carries gourmet pies, cookies, birthday and specialty cakes, cheesecake, miniatures tea pastries, tarts, breads, cupcakes and donuts, including a jumbo donut option. One viewer mentioned that the chocolate chewies were their personal favorite. Bakers Pride is also a local, family-owned bakery that has been open in Savannah for over 30 years.

Savannah Scone Company

Savannah Scone Company, located at 713 E 65th Street in Savannah, specializes in scones. They are open Tuesday-Friday from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. With a specialty in scones, they serve a lot of, you guessed it, scone and scone-based delights such as their scuffin. Their website says that they have over 150 scone flavors and variations like peach, very berry, banana toffee, cheddar green Chile, German chocolate and cinnamon crunch. Savannah Scone Companys website also said that they offer a gluten free scone for each day. Their website explains that Sara, the owner, decided that if the treat couldnt be made into a scone, it wouldnt be baked.

Sweet Patricias

Sweet Patricias is our next bakery stop suggested by WSAV viewers. Sweet Patricias Bakery is located at 1722 Habersham St. in Savannah. Theyre open Wednesday-Sunday, with their weekday hours being 8 a.m.-3 p.m. and their weekend hours being 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Sweet Patricias Bakery is an Italian-inspired bakery and cafe that serves bread, pastries, desserts, paninis, salads and breakfast foods. Patricias also said that they offer gluten free and vegan options. Their website reads that the bakery is named after the owners late grandmother, whose recipes have been incorporated into their menu.

Flirt with Dessert

Flirt with Dessert, operated by a mother-and-daughter baking duo, is located at 205 Johnny Mercer Boulevard in Savannah. They are open Tuesday-Saturday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. with special hours on Sunday when they close at 4 p.m.

They offer cookies, cupcakes, brownies and bars, cheesecakes, pound cakes and pies daily in a variety of flavors. Flirt with Dessert also has several special-order items that are not carried daily like breads, pastries, cakes, fruit bouquets, breakfast quiches and muffins.

Marche de Macarons

Marche de Macarons is a macaron-only bakery, located at 42 Abercorn Street in Savannah and open from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. on Monday-Friday and noon-5 p.m. on weekends.

Their website said they carry 31 daily flavors including the Tybee Turtle, key lime, green tea, the Savannah Banana and Mexican spice. They also have seasonal flavors based on seasons or months depending on the holiday like eggnog, pumpkin spice and Irish cream.

Donnas Delicious Delites

Donnas Delicious Delites is located at 4711 Montogomery St in Savannah. They are open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., with special hours on Saturday when they close early, at 2 p.m. Many reviewers said that Donnas cupcakes and cakes set her bakery apart from others. The red velvet cake and cupcakes appear to be the fan favorite.

Donnas also has a hot lunch menu with options of turkey wings, fried shrimp, devil crab and other meat options that come with three sides. The sides include rice, mac n cheese, lima beans, potato salad and peaches. Their weekly menu can be found on Facebook.

Reviewers did mention that they may have a $10 minimum for credit or debit card purchases.

Flora and Fauna

Flora and Fauna can be found on 2401 Bull Street in Savannah. The bakery-diner duo opened in the same location as the Back in the Day Bakery after they closed. Flora and Fauna offer a daytime and nighttime menu, with the daytime hours being Monday 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and Wednesday-Sunday 8 a.m.-2 p.m. The shop is closed on Tuesdays.

Their Supper Club hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday from 5 p.m.-9 p.m., closed Tuesday, and Friday-Saturday from 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Their daytime menu offers breakfast such as biscuits, starters like watermelon salad and sandwiches. The breakfast menu features a call back to the Back in the Day Bakery, with one of the previous owners Cheryls biscuits still on the menu. To be included on this list, they offer bread, sweet pastries, croissants and other baked goods.

Stevedore Bakery

Stevedore Bakery is the next on our list and is located on 402 Passage Way in Savannah. They are open Monday-Sunday from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Stevedore Bakery as a variety of baked goods like muffins, cinnamon rolls, coffee cake, croissants, cookies, baguettes, focaccia and some premade options.

They have a few gluten-free options such as their turtle brownie and blueberry brown butter muffin. They also offer a dairy-free coconut chia pudding and a vegan lemon poppyseed muffin. To pair with your baked goods, they also offer lattes, drip coffee, and teas with different flavorings.

Unforgettable Bakery & Cafe

Of course, we cant forget the Unforgettable Bakery & Cafe for this list, WSAV viewers didnt. The Unforgettable Bakery is open 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and is located at 238 Eisenhower Dr in Savannah. They offer several kinds of breads, including brioche, sourdough, baguette, pumpkin loaves and banana plantain bread.

Sweets wise, they have pound cake, cookies, cheesecake and pies. Their signature cakes range from chocolate cream cheese to key lime, with options in between to tickle anyones fancy. The Unforgettable Bakery also has a fundraiser pound cake, which is a sour cream pound cake, which puts 100% of the proceeds into their Dream Fund. This fund goes towards underserved students to attend Black colleges or universities, according to the website.

Savannah Rum Runners Bakery and Cafe

Savannah Rum Runners Bakery and Cafe is running right onto this list according to WSAVs viewers. With a specialty in signature Rum Cakes their Facebook said that they offer butter and chocolate, Kahlua and key lime. They are located at 324 W Bolton St in Savannah and are open Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

They also have breakfast foods, which are served all day, sandwiches, quiches, soups and salads. Rum Runners advertises fresh baked cakes, breads and pastries. They also said that they carry gluten-free, sugar-free, lactose-free free and vegan options.

Sweet Soirees by Nicole

Sweet Soirees by Nicole is another WSAV viewer favorite. According to Sweet Soirees by Nicoles Facebook page, this bakery offers red velvet cheesecake, carrot cake cheesecake, dessert bowls, banana pudding, key lime cupcakes, coated strawberries, cheesecake bars, cobbler, turtle brownies, cookies and cakes. They are located at 6610 Water Ave in Savannah and are open Tuesday-Friday from noon-6 p.m.

Have the urge to learn how to decorate cookies? Sweet Soirees by Nicole also advertises group cookie decorating classes on Facebook where they provide you with everything to learn.

Miss Pollys Cake Giants

Miss Pollys Cake Giants is next up, with their Pooler location getting a specific shoutout from one WSAV viewer. With three locations, they are open Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. For convenience, their downtown Savannah location is 104 E. Broughton St, and their other Savannah location is located at 2325 Ogeechee Rd.

For Pooler folk, their address is 120 Towne Center Dr #200 Pooler, Ga. 31322. Through Miss Pollys website, you can order a whole red velvet cake, key lime cake, sour cream pound cake or a four-pack of red velvet cupcakes. Ordering in store, you can have different cakes ranging from carrot to chocolate to coconut. They also offer sweet potato pie, pecan pie and key lime pie.

Cake Corner Bakery

Also located in Pooler, the Cake Corner Bakery was suggested by WSAV viewers. Located at 105 Moore Ave, they are open Tuesday 1 p.m.- 5:30 p.m., Wednesday 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.- 3 p.m.

The Cake Corner posted on Facebook in July that they were celebrating 39 years in operation. They offer a variety of cupcake flavors, cookies, cake slices, cakes, pies and brownies. Some items are seasonal and rotate in and out, so call ahead if you have something specific in mind!

Allys Bakery

Allys Bakery is located in Rincon on 202 East Fourth St. They are open Tuesday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Allys offers wedding tastings and specialty cakes. On a daily basis, Allys has a breakfast menu with items like cinnamon rolls, quiche, croissants, focaccia and scones.

Regarding baked goods, Allys offers bagels, bread and desserts like cheesecake cups, banana pudding, cake pops, cookies, cupcakes and cakes. On Allys Bakerys website, the full menu shows the different flavors that you can choose from. Ally is an Effingham local and opened her bakery in 2020.

The Green Spork Cafe and Market

The Green Spork Cafe and Market is the last stop on our bakery list. Located in Richmond Hill, they are open Monday-Saturday from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. The Green Spork is a bakery that is gluten and soy-free, plant-based and vegan.

Their bakery case is filled with the chefs choice of treats like muffins, cupcakes, brownies, cinnamon rolls and cookies daily. Otherwise, they offer all day food in the form of bowls, toast, sandwiches and paninis. They also offer brewed drinks with homemade syrups and sweeteners, alongside other drinks like smoothies and teas.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV.
Best employers in Sacramento? These are the top local companies to work for, Forbes say

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.

Progressive Corp, based in Mayfield Village, Ohio, was No. 1 on Forbes list of the best employers in California.

Two companies headquartered in the Golden State landed next on the list. In-N-out Burger in Irvine came in second place, while Google, based in Mountain View, was third.

Heres where Sacramento-area employers ranked

UC Davis Medical Centers emergency room is seen in 2010. UC Davis Health is among the top 20 employers in California, according a new Forbes study.

What are the best employers in the Sacramento area?

UC Davis Health was the highest ranking Sacramento-based company on Forbes list of the best employers to work for in California, landing at No. 20.

Founded in 1973, the health care company has a total of 11,600 employees.

According to its website, UC Davis Health has a total of 15 medical facilities offering primary care in the Sacramento area, including locations in Auburn, Citrus Heights, Davis, Elk Grove, Folsom, Rancho Cordova, Rocklin and Roseville.

Those include UC Davis Medical Center and UC Davis Childrens Hospital, both in Sacramento.

The company also operates a number of specialty care clinics.

Other Sacramento-based employers on the list included the California Department of Transportation, which landed at No. 38 on the list, and health care company Sutter Health at No. 50.

Caltrans has a total of 20,913 employees, while Sutter Health has 51,000 workers.

Further down the list, UC Davis was No. 67 on Forbes list of top employees, Golden 1 Credit Union was No. 90 and the state of California was No. 92.

Progressive Insurance is the No. 1 employer in California, according to Forbes.

What are the top 10 companies to work for in Cal ifornia?

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

A general view of the In-N-Out Burger on Sunset Blvd on October 21, 2021, in Hollywood. In-N-Out is among the top 10 employers in California, according to a new Forbes study.

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

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.
The best and worst airports to have a red-eye flight, according to a travel expert who flies 200,000 miles a year

Travel expert Gilbert Ott shared his favorite and least-favorite airports for red-eye flights.

Ott emphasizes the importance of sleeping on the plane, and arriving refreshed.

He highlights the role of restful lounges, healthy food, and transit ease at airports.

Flying through the night can be ideal for those trying to save time while traveling long distances  assuming you can sleep and arrive feeling refreshed, Gilbert Ott told Business Insider.

And he would know  the travel expert who flies 200,000 miles a year on average has had his fair share of red-eye flight experiences.

"People shouldn't hate on red-eyes  I think they can be really cool," he said. "But you don't want to show up haggard."

Ott added that restful lounges, healthy food, and ease of transit can make some airports better for red-eye flights compared to others. He shared with BI his favorite and least favorite airports for nighttime flights.

A food court at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

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John F. Kennedy International Airport also has quality food options, in Ott's opinion.

Inside a terminal at JFK International Airport. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Like LAX, John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) has healthy options, Ott noted.

"They've done a good job of courting in a few decent restaurants," he said. "They have lots of lounges and there are lots of ways you can access the lounges."

Ott highlights the Amex Centurion Lounge and the Chase Sapphire Lounge, which has dishes like farm-raised Atlantic salmon over braised leeks for light, healthy options.

"All of these spaces do a better job than fast food," he added.

And there's no better sushi than at Tokyo International Airport, Ott said.

A sushi restaurant at Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport) Dukas/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

At Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport), Ott said he's dined on the best sushi he's ever had.

"You can get it before your flight and carry it on," he said. "I love that."

Singapore Changi Airport is a great option for red-eyes because of the array of food and lounges, in Ott's experience.

Inside a terminal at Singapore Changi Airport. Carola Frentzen/picture alliance via Getty Images

"Singapore Changi Airport is always the leading G.O.A.T. of local food stalls," Ott said. "Some of the best local food is at the airport because famous places in Singapore set up locations there."

Ott added that the airport has impressive lounges with luxury amenities.

To Ott, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is another leading airport for local cuisine.

Inside Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. Christophe Ena/AP

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is another airport with a wide selection of local foods, Ott said.

"They've tried to flip the model of having big chains and have hyper-local places that deliver an authentic Parisian experience," Ott told BI.

"Travel can feel very stale. It can feel very boring. So I think when you bring in something that makes people feel like they're in a certain place  that's a really cool thing," he added.

Ott said Stockholm Arlanda Airport is one of the best for red-eye arrivals because it's easy to get to your destination.

A train runs behind parked airplanes at Stockholm Arlanda Airport. Anders Wiklund/TT News Agency/via REUTERS

When it comes to red-eye arrivals, centrally located airports with efficient mass transit are ideal, Ott told BI.

"Proximity to the city is the biggest clutch thing for red eyes. I would shout out that Stockholm Arlanda Airport has amazing train links," he said. "They leave all the time, they're reasonably priced, and it takes 20 minutes to get to the center of town."

Conversely, Ott said Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is one of the worst for red-eyes because it serves mostly fast food.

A McDonalds at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Rob Carr/Getty Images

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is generally a good airport  especially for lounges, Ott said. Still, its restaurants make it less ideal for red-eye departures.

"Atlanta's food options are weak," he said. "It's very fast-food-oriented."

While London Heathrow Airport can be great for some arrival passengers with lounge access, it's one of the worst for departing red-eyes because it's tough to get around.

A bus outside of London Heathrow Airport. Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images

Ott said that Unlike Stockholm, London Heathrow Airport isn't well-connected, making it a drag for red-eye flights.

"I hate Heathrow for departure for red eyes," he said. "There aren't many of them, but it's just a long grinding airport  everything is disjointed."

At the same time, Ott said Heathrow can be great for arrivals if you're a rewards member of Virgin Atlantic or British Airways  which have lounges exclusively for arriving passengers.

"A great red-eye experience occurs when airlines curate it for frequent flyers or business-class travelers, including what they need when they land," he said.

For example, Virgin Atlantic's arrival lounge offers custom breakfasts and shower suites.

"They have the perfect setup for helping you freshen up," he said. "A lot of red-eye customers are flying for work and don't want to show up to work smelling like a sewer without having brushed their teeth."

Ott has found that small regional airports are some of the worst for red-eyes  like Hollywood Burbank.

The exterior of Hollywood Burbank Airport. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Not many small regional airports have red-eye flights, according to Ott.

"For the most part, red-eyes are more focused on those hub cities where they get people from all the regional airports into their big flying hub and then ship them off from there," he said. "Most red-eyes have a transatlantic or transcontinental demand, with very few exceptions."

He added that one of these exceptions is Hollywood Burbank Airport in California, which has red-eye flights to New York.

Hollywood Burbank has fewer food and lounge options than larger hub airports, which Ott understands because regional airports are smaller.

"I think there's just an inherent advantage to being a big airport because big airports can attract retail," he said.

However, it's worth noting that Hollywood Burbank Airport has one of the shortest walks to the gate in the US.

Check out Ott's best tips for air travel on his blog, God Save the Points.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The Biden administrations effort to forgive millions of student loans was just dealt another blow

The Supreme Court is seen Monday, July 1, 2024, in Washington. | Mariam Zuhaib

The Supreme Court on Wednesday announced that the Biden administrations latest plan to forgive millions of dollars of student loan debt will remain on hold as legal challenges to loan forgiveness work their way through the lower courts.

The decision centered on the Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan, which was introduced last year.

More than 8 million people are enrolled in the new program, with debts already cleared for more than 400,000 borrowers, per The Washington Post.

The Supreme Courts order, which addressed an emergency appeal from the Biden administration, was unsigned and it did not include any dissents.

The Court expects that the Court of Appeals will render its decision with appropriate dispatch, the order said.

If the lower courts ruling does indeed come quickly, its possible that the justices will be asked to fully brief and hear oral arguments in a student loan case as soon as this fall, according to The Washington Post.

Biden administration on student loan forgiveness

Wednesdays Supreme Court order is the latest in a series of challenges affecting the Biden administrations efforts to offer student loan relief.

The Supreme Court previously blocked a different policy, ruling that the administration could not use a 2003 law related to national emergencies to justify widespread loan forgiveness.

The majority said Education Secretary Miguel Cardonas plan rested on an exhaustive rewriting of the statute from 2003, The Washington Post reported in June 2023.

In response to the ruling, President Joe Biden unveiled a new plan to forgive student debt through the federal rulemaking process. Once again, lawsuits were quickly filed to block the administrations work, including by red state leaders.

One of those lawsuits led the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to temporarily block the SAVE plan. The Supreme Court order leaves that block in place.

Also on Wednesday, the Supreme Court announced that it would not overturn a separate ruling in favor of the Biden administration regarding the SAVE plan, since the 8th Circuits injunction keeps that ruling on hold.

Applicants represent that they do not require emergency relief from this Court as long as the Eighth Circuits injunction ... is in place, the second order said.

The Biden administration has argued that all this legal wrangling harms American borrowers.

Because of the Eighth Circuits orders ... many borrowers are now experiencing intense confusion from being told that their payments must be recalculated and from being placed in forbearance  which will delay any eventual loan forgiveness, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar wrote in a Supreme Court filing, per CBS News.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  Oklahoma City voters approved a hotel tax increase on Tuesday.

Officials say the citys portion of the tax will increase from 5.50% to 9.25% and will be charged to people staying overnight in hotels or renting home-sharing properties in OKC.

YOUR ELECTION HQ: Oklahomans headed to the polls to decide primary runoff races, bond issues, OKC hotel/motel tax hike

The extra funding will go towards advertising and marketing efforts to improve tourism. The funds will also support events and festivals, the OKC Fairgrounds and OKC Convention Center, venues for national and international equine, sporting events and conventions that may bring in millions of guests.

All OKC does is win, said Mayor David Holt. This is a big victory for our city. By giving us the resources to compete  without taxing our residents  this solidifies our status as a tourist destination. Those visitors fuel our economy and help fund our core city services. This result also illustrates why I call us the most mission-focused city in America. Our voters commitment to progress remains strong. We continue to do what it takes to remain a top 20 city.

According to the City of OKC:

The 3.75% increase is predicted to bring in an extra $11.6 million, which will be used for the following:

75% tourism promotion, direct funding to promote and/or foster the convention and/or tourism (visitor) development of Oklahoma City.

13.3% event sponsorships.

6.7% OKC Fairgrounds for improvements, not including operational costs.

5% OKC Convention Center for improvements, not including operational costs.

The hotel tax is currently 5.5% and is allocated as follows:

55% OKC Fairgrounds for improvements, not including operational costs.

36% Tourism Promotion, direct funding to promote and/or foster the convention and/or tourism (visitor) development of Oklahoma City.

9% Event Sponsorships.

The city says the 9.25% hotel tax is in addition to the 4.5% state sales tax and the 4.125% City sales tax, for 17.875%.

YOUR ELECTION HQ: Oklahoma election officials confirm accuracy of recent elections

On behalf of Visit Oklahoma City and the nearly 35,000 locals that work in hospitality, I want to thank the citizens of OKC for voting in support of tourism and the vital role it plays in our community and economy, Visit Oklahoma City President Zac Craig said.

Visit OKC hopes to put the additional funds towards conventions and sporting events that encourage visitors to utilize hotel rooms, restaurants and facilities.

Weve built a dynamic destination, and this increased funding allows us to attract visitors that are the lifeblood of our districts, small businesses, hotels and attractions. Craig added.

The hotel tax ordinance was presented at the May 7 City Council meeting, a public hearing was held on May 14 and the citywide election was August 27, 2024.

The new rate will begin on October 1, 2024.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
HONOLULU (AP)  Hawaiis tourist hotspot of Waikiki is known for bikinis, shopping and surfboards. But resident Andrew Roberts has recently introduced a different item on evening walks through his neighborhood: a long-poled battle-axe.

Roberts, director of the nonprofit Hawaii Firearms Coalition, has been taking the 15th-century-style European halberd on strolls since May. Thats when Hawaii loosened its weapons laws in response to the U.S. Supreme Courts 2022 decision that Americans have a right to carry firearms in public for self-defense.

The so-called Bruen decision upended gun laws nationwide, but especially in Hawaii, which long had some of the countrys toughest restrictions  and some of the lowest rates of gun violence.

A subsequent federal appeals court ruling applied Bruen to the states ban on butterfly knives and found it unconstitutional. While that case and others related to Hawaiis weapons laws continue to be litigated, lawmakers responded this year by passing a measure that generally allows deadly or dangerous weapons to be openly carried in public. Previously, anyone found armed with them was subject to immediate arrest.

Members of Hawaii Firearms Coalition walk around Waikiki with their non-firearm weapons on Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Honolulu, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

Members of Hawaii Firearms Coalition walk around Waikiki with their non-firearm weapons on Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Honolulu, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

Michael Rice holds a Hawaiian war spear, Ihe, which his uncle made with koa wood 20 years ago, at Kapiolani Park on Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Honolulu, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

Members of Hawaii Firearms Coalition showcase their halberd, swords and balisong at Kapiolani Park on Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Honolulu, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

Andrew Roberts, center, director of the Hawaii Firearms Coalition, holds a halberd while talking to a Honolulu police officer at Kapiolani Park on Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Honolulu, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

Members of Hawaii Firearms Coalition gather in Waikiki with their non-firearm weapons on Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Honolulu, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

Andrew Roberts, director of the Hawaii Firearms Coalition, poses for a portrait with his halberd while talking to a Honolulu police officer at Kapiolani Park on Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Honolulu, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Mengshin Lin)

The new law is providing opportunities for some to connect with Native Hawaiian and other cultures through traditional weapons. Its also generating concern that as the display of weapons becomes more common, people will be more likely to use them.

Roberts called himself a true believer in the Second Amendment. He said his walks with the halberd or a shorter battle-axe help promote awareness of the laws and ensure police dont give him a hard time about being armed with unusual weapons.

I get stopped probably two or three times on an average evening walk and just have a conversation about what gun laws are in Hawaii and what the weapons laws are, he said.

On a recent Saturday morning, a halberd-toting Roberts gathered with other coalition members in Waikikis sprawling Kapiolani Park. A few carried samurai swords. One had a butterfly knife  also known as a balisong, prominent in martial arts in the Philippines, where many Hawaii residents have roots. A wooden, Scottish sword dangled from the waist of a man in a red kilt.

Honolulu police officers, who got wind of their plans to march through Waikiki in celebration of the law, chatted with them. Roberts told one he got his halberd blade on Amazon for $56.

With officers escorting them, they strolled along Waikikis main oceanfront drag, Kalakaua Avenue. Some tourists did double takes, but many seemed unfazed by the armed men bearing a large U.S. flag.

Nobodys been overly shocked, Roberts said. Its just an opportunity to talk to people about whats going on in Hawaii, talking about Second Amendment rights.

In a statement, the Hawaii attorney generals office stressed that the new law didnt create a free-for-all when it comes to carrying weapons in public.

The notion that you can just carry weapons however and wherever you want is simply not correct, it said. There are numerous existing laws and regulations that govern the use and possession of weapons in many respects. All of these laws will continue to be enforced.

It remains a misdemeanor to carry the weapons in a concealed fashion, and the law increased the penalties for carrying them while committing a crime. Its also illegal to carry a weapon in a way that threatens harm or terrorizes other people.

While bladed weapons and clubs are not as dangerous as firearms, they dont belong on the street, said Chris Marvin, a Hawaii resident with the gun-violence prevention group Everytown for Gun Safety.

I totally can understand the self-defense argument that people make and I would rather they choose to use a knife or a blunt instrument over a firearm, but the cultural attitude that were starting to adopt is not the norm for Hawaii, he said. In making these laws, were becoming more and more like the mainland, which is full of aggressive, argumentative people who resort to violence too quickly.

Michael Rice carried a wooden spear on his hourlong bus ride to the Waikiki gathering. Studying traditional weaponry like the spear, which his uncle made from koa wood, has helped him connect to his Native Hawaiian roots: I dont get to express my culture that often.

Soleil Roache, a self-defense instructor who did not attend the walk, said the law now allows her to incorporate the balisong into her lessons and to learn about its importance in the Philippines, where her grandfather was from. The law gives her the opportunity to dive into that part of my ancestry, she said.

Filipino martial arts instructor Burton Richardson said he can now teach and practice in public parks using weapons, including balisong. In the Philippines, the tradition of knife, stick and sword fighting  has been important to the culture, he said.

The weapon has two pivoting handles that open and close, like butterfly wings, and aficionados make deft work of flashing the blade.

Umi Kai, who makes traditional Hawaiian weapons such as spears, daggers and clubs, was not part of the walk. He mostly uses the implements for ceremony or education; theyre impractical for self-defense in modern Hawaii, he said.

For self-defense I wouldnt be carrying around a shark-tooth-laden club every day, 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.
This photo taken with a mobile phone shows flooded houses in Dongola, Sudan, Aug. 27, 2024. The death toll from heavy rains hitting so far 10 states in Sudan has reached 138, the country's Health Ministry said Tuesday. (Photo by Abdul-Rahman Awad/Xinhua)

KHARTOUM, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from heavy rains hitting so far 10 states in Sudan has reached 138, the country's Health Ministry said Tuesday.

"A total of 138 deaths have been recorded, while 31,666 families, comprising more than 129,650 people, were affected," the ministry's Autumn Emergency Room said in a statement, adding that 12,420 houses completely collapsed.

Meanwhile, Sudan recorded 102 new cases and five new deaths of cholera in five states, bringing the number of total infections and deaths to 1,223 and eight, respectively, the statement said.

Flooding is a recurring problem in Sudan, typically occurring between June and October. Recent severe rains have resulted in significant loss of life and damage to agricultural land.

Since the war broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in mid-April 2023, epidemic diseases such as cholera, malaria, measles and dengue fever have spread, leaving hundreds dead.

On Aug. 17, Sudan's Health Minister Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim officially declared a cholera outbreak in the country.

The deadly conflict between the SAF and the RSF has resulted 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 most recent UN data. 

This photo taken with a mobile phone shows people wading through floodwater in Dongola, Sudan, Aug. 27, 2024.

The death toll from heavy rains hitting so far 10 states in Sudan has reached 138, the country's Health Ministry said Tuesday. (Photo by Abdul-Rahman Awad/Xinhua)

This photo taken with a mobile phone shows a car soaked in floodwater in Dongola, Sudan, Aug. 27, 2024.

The death toll from heavy rains hitting so far 10 states in Sudan has reached 138, the country's Health Ministry said Tuesday. (Photo by Abdul-Rahman Awad/Xinhua)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  Birmingham police are conducting a homicide investigation after a man was found dead in Ensley on Wednesday morning.

According to the Birmingham Police Department, officers responded to a person down call after 6:30 a.m. in the 2900 block of Avenue F. At the scene, police saw a man lying unresponsive. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service personnel pronounced the man dead.

Birmingham police searching for missing man

The BPD stated its preliminary investigation shows the Jefferson County Coroners Office came to the scene. The office later concluded the man was shot. The victim was identified as Johnny Lewis, 34, of Fairfield.

There is no one in custody in connection to the shooting. Those with information on the case are urged to call the BPD at 205-254-1764 or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. Crime Stoppers may award tipsters up to $5,000.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  The Birmingham Police Department is asking for the publics help to locate a missing man.

Adrian Kvec, 34, was last seen at 1501 3rd Avenue West in Birmingham driving a Chrysler van with Virginia tag #TWG7015. He has not been heard from since Aug. 19.

He was wearing a green shirt and white shorts. He has brown eyes and black hair, stands at 511 and weighs about 220 pounds.

Anyone with any information on Kvecs whereabouts is urged to call BPD at 205-328-9311.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.
TOPEKA (KSNT)  A local brewery is announcing the release date for a new beer produced solely in Shawnee County.

Blind Tiger Brewery announced Tuesday, Aug. 27 that local farmers collaborated with its brewers to produce a never before brewed, brand-new beer. Fourth and fifth generation Shawnee County farmers Roger and Jason Hamm worked with Blind Tiger Brewerys Brewmaster John Dean and Head Brewer Alvaro Canizales to produce the specialty beer, according to a news release from Blind Tiger Brewery.

The original beer is called Shawnee County Golden Ale.

Topeka Boulevard to close for month-long waterline replacement project

Talk about hyper-local, Dean said. Talk about a low carbon footprint. This malt originated within five miles of our brewery. I can assure you, our beer is only as good as our ingredients, and this top notch barley-malt from the Hamms easily passes the test.

Roger and Jason Hamms company, Two Mule Malting, is responsible for growing the barley and malting the grain that was used by the brewery, according to the news release.

Blind Tiger said to its knowledge, this is the first time brewing-quality barley has grown in Shawnee County, as well as the task of malting the barley.

Gage Park named top green space in HGTV article

Our mission is to provide brewers with malt varieties not currently available on the market as a form of seed conservation, Roger Hamm said. We started this journey seven years ago and it is now reaching fruition. So many barley varieties may vanish, so I want to do my part and hopefully those rare varieties can find a place in award-winning beer.

Shawnee County Golden Ale is described by the brewery as having a rich, malty flavor and 5.2% ABV and 16 IBUs. The beer will be available on tap starting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28 at Blind Tiger Brewery, located at 417 SW 37th St.

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway continue to be two of the National Park Service sites with the greatest economic impact in the country, according to NPS data. The report shows that the Smokies maintains its position as the national park unit in the country bringing in the most dollars to local communities, with the parkway trailing not far behind. Both saw moderate increases in economic activity from 2022 as the parks remain two of the most visited in the country.

The Smokies contributed to more than $2.2 billion in visitor spending in 2023, putting it ahead of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco at $1.5 billion, and visitors to the parkway contributed $1.4 billion, according to data released by the National Park Service Aug. 21.

Both the Smokies and the parkway exceeded their reported 2022 economic impact estimates and the economic output from the two parks in 2023  meaning the estimated value of goods, services and sales indirectly supported by the national parks  was reported to be over $5.1 billion cumulatively.

Im so proud that our parks and the stories we tell make a lasting impact on more than 300 million visitors a year, National Park Service Director Chuck Sams said in an Aug. 27 news release. And Im just as proud to see those visitors making positive impacts of their own, by supporting local economies and jobs in every state in the country.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which sprawls across a half-million acres of rugged, forested terrain in Western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, is routinely one of the most-visited national parks in the country, with some 13.3 million visitors in 2023. But the most visited unit of the NPS is still the historic Blue Ridge Parkway, with 16.7 million visiting the winding park in 2023, according to the NPS.

The 2023 visitor spending report is a reminder of the important relationship between the historic, 469-mile Parkway, the numerous communities the park passes through, and park visitors, said Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent Tracy Swartout in a Aug. 27 news release on the economic data.

More: Answer Woman: Will Asheville see good fall color? What makes for vibrant fall color?

The long, skinny park stretches 469 curvy miles from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and crests the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains, passing directly through Asheville to its terminus at the entrance of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Cherokee.

For 2023, most of the visitor spending on the parkway  estimated to be around 62%  occurred in North Carolina, where visitors can enjoy parkway trips across the Linn Cove Viaduct and past Grandfather Mountain, down through the Craggy Mountains and Asheville, passing by other popular attractions including Mount Pisgah and Graveyard Fields. For the Smokies, roughly 44% of the visitor spending came to North Carolina. The Smokies, spread almost evenly across North Carolina and Tennessee, has some of the most popular natural attractions in the country's national parks, including the Cataloochee Valley and its growing elk herd, to Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the park at 6,643 feet in elevation.

"Our ability to care for these special places is strongly linked to the vitality of local economies of present and future generations. Simply put, Americas national parks continue to be great investments," Swartout continued.

In total, the parkway is estimated to support over 19,000 jobs between Virginia and North Carolina in 2023, according to NPS data. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park supported over 33,748 jobs.

More: Growing up hiking in Asheville, couple is still enthralled with WNC's wilderness wonders

More: Answer Man: Big Weaverville home connected to a famed Asheville architect and old college?

Will Hofmann is the Growth and Development Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Got a tip? Email him at WHofmann@citizentimes.com. Consider supporting this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smokies, saw record economic impact in 2023
Body of fourth person found under rubble of Kryvyi Rih hotel after Russian strike

Rubble clearance at the Kryvyi Rih hotel struck by the Russians. Photo: SES in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast

Ukrainian rescue workers have recovered the body of another person at the hotel in the city of Kryvyi Rih struck by the Russians.

Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Details: This brings the total number of casualties from the missile strike on the hotel in Kryvyi Rih on the night of 26-27 August to four killed and five injured.

The search and rescue operation has been completed.

Background:

Earlier it was reported that the Russians had attacked a hotel in Kryvyi Rih with a ballistic missile, killing and injuring people.

As of the morning of 27 August, two people had been reported killed, five injured and two were missing following the attack.

Later, the death toll rose to three people.

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Boeing is still disappointing us, says CEO of Europe's biggest airline

Boeing is still disappointing us, says CEO of Europe's biggest airline

Ryanair's Michael O'Leary criticized Boeing for ongoing delivery delays of 737 Max aircraft.

Boeing slowed production rates in the wake of January's Alaska Airlines blowout.

O'Leary also doubted certification timelines for Boeing's 737 Max 7 and Max 10.

The boss of Ryanair, Europe's biggest airline, is still unhappy with Boeing despite its new leadership.

In a recent interview with Reuters, Michael O'Leary voiced concerns about delivery delays.

"Things are continuing to slip slightly, it's been disappointing," he told the news agency.

O'Leary added there was a risk that Ryanair would only receive 20 to 25 of the 737 Max aircraft before next summer rather than the 29 scheduled to be delivered.

The Financial Times reported the airline was supposed to receive 10 jets this month, but O'Leary said, "We'll be lucky if we get five."

"We're working closely with Stephanie Pope and the new team in Boeing, but they continue to disappoint us," he told Reuters.

Pope, appointed in March, heads Boeing's commercial airplane division. The planemaker also has a new CEO, Kelly Ortberg, who took on the role earlier this month.

The AFP reported O'Leary said Boeing has also been paying Ryanair "modest amounts of compensation" for delivery delays.

Boeing slowed production rates following January's Alaska Airlines blowout. A failure in quality control saw a 737 Max leave the factory missing key bolts, causing a door plug to come off the plane in midair.

The industry as a whole is hampered by supply chain problems, too.

O'Leary also appeared unconvinced by the certification timescale for Boeing's 737 Max 10 and Max 7.

He told Reuters the Max 7 was supposed to be certified by the end of this year, but he expects this will happen in the first half of 2025.

He added it was "impossible to know" if certification of the Max 10 would be on time in the first half of 2025.

Certification delays are another task for Boeing's new CEO to contend with. Emirates' president Tim Clark and Qatar Airways' CEO have suggested the long-awaited widebody 777X could be delivered in 2026.

Boeing declined to comment, deferring to Ryanair when reached by Business Insider.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Sens. Barry Usher (left) and Jason Ellsworth (right) address the Senate Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform on Monday, April 29, 2024. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan)

Most of us have heard the story about boiling the frog. Drop a frog in boiling water, and hell jump right out. But, drop the frog in cool water, and then increase the temperature of the water slowly, and the frog wont notice. Soon hell be cooked.

Thats exactly what is happening to state courts around the country. The Brennan Center for Justice comprehensively reports that as state courts have taken on greater importance over polarizing issues involving abortion, voting, gerrymandering, judicial selection and independence, judicial decision-making, judicial review, Medicaid coverage of womens health, climate change, and limiting enforcement of court rulings, right wing politicians and legislatures have redoubled their efforts to assert political power over state judicial branches and ensure judges will not be an obstacle to their partisan policy goals.

These attacks on state judicial branches have been incremental, a law here, a law there, chip, chipping away at the third branches of government, with the ultimate goal of bringing judges and the courts under the control and heavy thumbs of the legislative and executive branches of government.

These political branches refuse to recognize that under our tri-partite, constitutional systems, judicial branches are co-equal and coordinate branches serving as checks and balances against the other two.

Montana has not escaped these sorts of attacks. Indeed, starting with the 2021 supermajority legislature, and continuing in the 2023 session, the political branches launched a veritable jihad against this states judicial branch and its judiciary. For the most part, these attacks have not succeeded, but the war goes on, nonetheless.

One of the latest attempts by the political branch camels to get their noses under the judicial tent involves the 2023 legislatures formation of a Senate Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform. It is a quintessential example of the arrogance and hubris of the extremists in this Legislature to believe that they have either the duty or the power to oversee, much less reform, the operations or decisions of a coordinate, co-equal branch of state government.

Quite simply, the judicial branch does not work for the legislature or the executive branches. Rather, the judicial branch serves as a co-equal Constitutional check and balance on the two political branches. This most basic principle of constitutional law (not to mention, middle school Civics 101) is enshrined in Article III, Section 1 of Montanas Constitution, which provides:

Separation of powers. The power of the government of this state is divided into three distinct brancheslegislative, executive, and judicial. No person or persons charged with the exercise of power properly belonging to one branch shall exercise any power properly belonging to either of the others, except as in this constitution expressly directed or permitted. (Italics added).

The committees opening shot across the bow of the judicial branch was its letter demanding the that the Montana Supreme Court answer a number of questions involving the courts procedures in calling in substitute judges in some cases, in retired justices filing an amicus curiae brief, and in other matters. And this follows on the heels of the 2021 legislatures attempts to investigate the courts emails and its upending the 50 year-old system for appointing judges on merit, in favor of a partisan system under the control of the governor.

These are examples only. The point is that every attempt to oversee and reform turns up the temperature of the water in which the political branches have placed the judicial branch.

Unless the voters stop the political branches, the judicial branch soon will be boiled. It will be cooked!
'Be bold and think big': UTSA to merge with UTHSA into world class university in 2025

The University of Texas at San Antonio and UT Health San Antonio plan to merge by fall 2025, establishing the foundation, leaders say, to transform the joint institution into a world-class, high-impact research university in one of the largest U.S. cities.

This has been studied before and talked about for decades, UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken said in an interview with the American-Statesman after regents approved the merger Aug. 22. The trajectories of these two institutions have been fabulous over the last 15 years. So this is the right time to do it.

The consolidation will join the institutions resources to better serve both students and patients, setting the stage for rapid momentum in research and instruction in fields such as engineering, computational science, artificial intelligence and medicine.

The University of Texas at San Antonio

Once the merger is complete, UTSA will be the third largest public research university in the state, Milliken said.

It's not only great for San Antonio, but it's good for the whole state of Texas, he said. We are starting because of the growth in Texas, the wealth in Texas and the ambition in Texas, and particularly this board, we're building the capacity of research universities that'll make a difference in this state forever.

San Antonio  now the second largest city in Texas and the seventh largest in the nation  is uniquely positioned for this project, regents said. UTSA, a top-tier research university, serves about 35,000 students, and UT Health San Antonio, the system says, is South Texas largest academic health research institution.

San Antonio, it is probably our hidden gem in the entire UT System, Chairman Kevin Eltife told the Statesman. San Antonio is the future. The growth over there is unbelievable.

To Eltife, the merger better organizes the systems resources while better serving students, patients and faculty members. It was the common sense approach that expands opportunities for all.

The UT Health campus is about 5 miles from UTSAs main campus. The merger also builds upon the institutions previous partnerships, such as establishing a joint School of Public Health, UTSA President Taylor Eighmy, who will also lead the new institution, told the Statesman.

This creation of a world class university will be so epic for our community, our state and our nation, the notion of it is entirely powerful and exciting, Eighmy said. This isn't about just linearly merging two institutions. It's about bringing together two institutions and creating the infrastructure and focus to take us forward.

The goal is to obtain merger certification from the accrediting agency in June and officially consolidate in fall. Eighmy said he has received positive feedback from the community, and believes this university will grow in exponential ways.

We want to be bold and think big, Eighmy said. We have all the flexibility now to create the foundation to (be) on a trajectory, eventually to become something like a UCLA or Michigan or Florida or UNC, we need to think that way about this.

James Weaver, who grew up in San Antonio and serves as vice chairman of the system's Board of Regents, said the moment is fantastic.

Ive witnessed the successes of UTSA and UTHSA over many years, and this merger is the catalyst that will supercharge our region as a national leader in learning, innovation, health and economic vigor, Weaver said.

Three years ago, the University of Tyler and UT Health Science Center at Tyler merged to better meet the needs of East Texas students and community members. The UT System invests more than two thirds of its budget into its health institutions each year.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: University of Texas System regents OK UT San Antonio, UTHSA merger
Boston police looking to identify man in prowler incident in Brighton

Boston police are looking to identify the suspect in a prowler incident in Brighton.

Police say the suspect is a male seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, thick gray gloves, light gray pants, and black and gray sneakers with white soles, white logo on the sides, and a black fabric covering his entire face with no eye or mouth openings.

Anyone with information is asked urged to contact Boston Police Detectives at (617) 343-4256.

an do so by calling the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1 (800) 494-TIPS or by texting the word TIP to CRIME (27463), Boston police said in a statement. The Boston Police Department will stringently guard and protect the identities of all those who wish to help this investigation in an anonymous manner.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
by Olatunji Saliu

LAGOS, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Isabella Adams-Israel stepped out of her apartment in Nigeria's southwestern state of Lagos on a late July morning, ready for another day on the rails.

For the 30-year-old mother of one, driving trains is not just a job, but a dream come true. Over the past three years, she has enjoyed the excitement and fulfillment of being the country's first female driver of an electric multiple-unit train.

"My experience has been good, challenging, and most especially, fun -- because it is like practicing what I love to do every day," she said in an interview with Xinhua during her "warm-up" at the iconic Marina Station of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line, a China-built electric-powered light rail network.

She described the "warm-up" as the preparation before a train's departure. "I am privileged to be driving passengers, including students, business officials and dignitaries," she said, adding that she runs up to 54 trips daily.

The story of Adams-Israel, like many others fueled by the cooperation between China and Nigeria, exemplifies the success of bilateral collaboration.

Her fascination with trains began in 2018 when she joined the local branch of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC). Initially working in the train signal and telecommunication department, she was captivated by the sight of trains in motion and knew she wanted to be part of it.

Her passion was not without impediments, one of which, she said, was the challenge of convincing her husband to support her relocation from Abuja to Lagos, to pursue her dream.

"He initially doubted me, saying it was a man's job. But after some persuasion, he supported me, and we made the move," she said, noting that it was a decision that led to the beginning of "a happy life."

After eight months of classroom training and three months of hands-on experience, she faced her most daunting test: driving a train solo while being observed by officials from the Nigerian Railway Corporation. "The pressure was immense, but I proved myself, and from then on, I was frequently entrusted with the train."

Constructed by CCECC in July 2010 and completed in December 2022, the first phase of the LRMT Blue Line corridor spans 13 km and covers five stations. It began commercial operation in September of 2023. As a symbolic project of the Belt and Road Initiative, the Blue Line project is the first electrified railroad and cross-sea light rail project in West Africa.

Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during the project's commissioning in September 2023, said that the light rail was expected to reduce travel time, improve the quality of life for citizens, and help make Lagos one of the most resilient megacities in Africa.

Adams-Israel takes pride in her role, especially in watching the excitement of children boarding her train. "It is a privilege to serve and make a difference in people's lives," she said, adding that the Blue Line's success has improved commuter convenience and raised public awareness about train travel, inspiring many who had never experienced a train before.

Thanks to the rigorous training from her Chinese and local mentors, covering everything from train mechanics to emergency protocols, Adams-Israel is now confident in her ability to handle challenges that arise while driving. She has gained experience with various types of trains.

Looking ahead, she expressed her desire to "gain more knowledge and experience in train operations globally, especially in China." 
A boy was taken to a hospital in critical condition Tuesday evening after he was injured in a shooting on the southwest side of Indianapolis.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department detectives believe the injury was self-inflicted. Police have arrested two people involved with the shooting and preliminarily charged them with neglect of a dependent.

'100% preventable': Indiana kids killed by unsecured guns hits record. Would new laws help?

According to a police news release, officers initially received a report of a person shot at the 2600 block of South Belmont Avenue but were told to reroute to the intersection of South Harding Street and West Morris Street.

When police arrived they found the boy suffering from gunshot wounds. He was then taken to a local hospital in critical condition. The boy's age hasn't been released but early reports indicate he is a toddler.

After conducting their investigation, police found a firearm within the vehicle.

We cant stress enough that firearms in the hands of children with no supervised adults is devastating, IMPD Officer Drew Brown said during a media briefing, according to Fox59.

This is an absolute tragedy.

This is the fourth child involved in a shooting during the past 10 days. Three of the shootings were labeled as possibly self-inflicted.

Last week, 4-year-old, Corione Monte Butts Jr. and 5-year-old Jayden Ewing were sent to the hospital in critical condition within 24 hours after they suffered self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Both boys died on Aug. 23, 2024, from their injuries.

Monday night, 3-year-old Armonie Booker died in the parking lot of the Shadeland Station Shopping Center after he was injured in a shooting.

"This is the second time in 24 hours that Indianapolis has had to receive news of this nature. Our hearts are with the family, but were devastated to have to continue to respond to something like this," Brown said Tuesday night.

We cant speak enough to the fact that gun ownership and gun responsibility are one and the same. If you are a firearm owner, you must be responsible.

In 2023, 24% of shootings investigated by Indianapolis police that involved youth were ruled accidental.

The Marion County Sheriffs Office and national gun safety program Project ChildSafe helped fund the gun locks. Gun locks are limited to two per person.

People can pick up free gun locks sponsored by the Marion County Sheriffs Office at their local Indianapolis Public Library branch.

Police have not said if anyone would face charges in any of these shootings.

The Indianapolis Star is not naming the people arrested in this shooting, because they have not been formally charged yet.

This article will update.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: 4th Indianapolis boy hurt in shootings in past 10 days
Brace yourself: Feel-like temps over 100 degrees blanket the tri-state area

Brace yourself: Feel-like temps over 100 degrees blanket the tri-state area

NEW YORK (PIX11)  Heat and muggy conditions will cover the tri-state area on Wednesday, with feel-like temperatures expected to reach over 100 degrees.

New York City is opening cooling centers. If you need to find a cooling center in the Big Apple, you can call 311.

More Local News

Nassau County officials will also open at least three cooling centers on Long Island, with one in Uniondale operating 24 hours a day.

The forecast prompted the city of Newark, N.J. to activate a code red weather warning. Five northern New Jersey counties: Passaic, Bergen, Essex, Union and Hudson are under heat advisories.

Gov. Phil Murphy released the states new extreme heat resilience plan last month, which outlines a series of actions to protect the public. The plan includes expanding the states cooling center network and developing heat-related worker safety standards.

Remember to stay hydrated, wear light, loose-fitting clothing, limit your time outdoors if possible and have a cool place to go.

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.
We all know the story of Donald Trumps endless fury for Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who refused to allow the former president to use his state to further MAGA efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

It seems like Kemp now has the opportunity to serve as a roadblock for another Trumpian election subversion scheme. It remains to be seen if he will.

As my colleague Khaya Himmelman has been reporting, there are three new, Trump-backed members on the Georgia Election Board who are using their positions to create new openings for chaos in the election certification process this fall. In recent weeks the board adopted rules that will, essentially, make it easier for local authorities to delay certification while they air out various disputes around the results, regardless of their worthiness.

One of the rules requires county-level election administrators to conduct what the board calls a reasonable inquiry into any discrepancies in the voting process before the state board will certify those results. The problem is, the election board also does not define what a reasonable inquiry might entail and characterizes election administration issues in broad terms.

As Khaya has reported, experts believe this is all intentional.

It has potential to allow those election deniers who have made it onto seats on election boards in our state to hold up a perfectly viable election to hold that up and to keep it from moving forward as pace as it should, Stephanie Jackson Ali, policy director of the nonpartisan New Georgia Project recently told TPM.

TPM reported earlier today that Democrats have filed a lawsuit challenging the new rules, claiming they go against state law.

Its not just voting rights advocates and Democrats who are concerned. Kemp is reportedly seeking out advice from his state attorney general on whether he has the authority to remove members from the election board upon the passage of the alarming new rules. Per the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

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

Its unclear if Kemp is himself concerned about the actions of the members who form the new far-right majority on the board, or if hes just following up on an inquiry from state lawmakers. But the Republican governor finds himself in a familiar spot: deciding whether to intervene as members of his own political party, who are aligned with Donald Trump, attempt to inject chaos into his states election administration system.

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Former Centre, Alabama, police officer Michael Kilgore has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. According to the plea agreement, in early January 2023, Kilgore stopped a vehicle and found drugs. He offered the driver a chance to avoid charges by working for him. Kilgore contacted the driver about a week later and said he wanted to make a methamphetamine arrest. At Kilgore's direction, the driver planted drugs in a woman's car, then Kilgore pulled the woman over in a "sham" traffic stop and pretended to discover the drugs. Kilgore wanted to repeat the scheme about a week later, but his co-conspirator got rid of the drugs and reported Kilgore to an acquaintance in law enforcement.

The post Brickbat: What Have We Here? appeared first on Reason.com.
Bridget Anne Kelly told New York City Council members Tuesday that Mayor Eric Adams choice for top city attorney is a conniving and ruthless politician and political operative. (Danielle Richards for New Jersey Monitor)

A New York City Council meeting might seem an odd place for one of New Jerseys most notorious political scandals to arise.

But Bridgegate defendant Bridget Anne Kelly took the microphone there Tuesday night to deliver a scathing takedown of Randy Mastro, who New York City Mayor Eric Adams picked to become the citys top attorney.

She did not mince words.

Randy Mastro is a conniving and ruthless politician and political operative who happens to be an attorney, she tearfully told council members. When would somebody hire Randy Mastro? Perhaps you hire him when you need to threaten or scare someone, or when you need to take someone down for your own political security, or when you need a scapegoat to get you out of trouble.

Former Gov. Chris Christie hired Mastro to investigate Bridgegate, the 2013 incident in which workers closed two of the three toll lanes in Fort Lee approaching the George Washington Bridge  the worlds busiest bridge  for several days. Mastro accused Kelly, who was then one of Christies top aides, of playing a central role in the scheme after her romantic relationship with another Christie staffer soured.

Kelly was federally indicted in 2015 for fraud and conspiracy but appealed her conviction all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which unanimously reversed it in 2020. The state paid $7.2 million in 2022 to cover her legal expenses.

Tuesday, Kelly told New York City Council members that Mastros report was a little Harlequin novel, called him sexist, and urged them to oppose his nomination. She noted that his report came out in 2014, years before the MeToo movement sparked a national reckoning about workplace sexual harassment.

Confirming Randy Mastro to serve as corporation counsel to the city of New York will send a very strong and direct message to every woman who has ever been scapegoated or slut-shamed to protect a man in power, Kelly said. And unfortunately, there are far too many of us to whom that resonates.

Kelly told the New Jersey Monitor Wednesday that shes not sure her testimony changed any minds.

I dont know New York politics, nor do I care. I was a political pawn, unfortunately, she said. To me, its more about the workplace environment, and, quite frankly, as the mother of two daughters, I think that it was important for me to remind them and other young women  because it was 10 years ago, everybody forgets  that it can happen to anybody.

Kelly, who brought her 27-year-old daughter to the hearing for support, told council members she still cant get a job in government, feels like she continues to be shunned in New Jersey politics even by her fellow Republicans, and remains in therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder.

I am in PTSD therapy. I should be billing him for it, she said.

During her testimony, Kelly threw a shout-out to former state Sen. Loretta Weinberg, who told Randy Mastro where to go with that report.

Mastro, a former federal prosecutor and chief of staff to Rudy Giuliani, did not respond to the New Jersey Monitors request for comment. The 51-member city council is expected to vote on his nomination next month.

City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams told Kelly that she and her colleagues, some of whom have publicly rejected Mastros nomination, certainly feel your pain.

We watched your ordeal, as Im sure a lot of the nation watched your ordeal through Bridgegate, and your courage is admirable, Adams said.

Kellys 12 minutes of testimony came nine hours into a contentious 11-hour hearing on the nomination, which has sparked widespread opposition in the city. As she sat down to testify, Mastro walked out of the chambers. She addressed him anyway.

Your investigation led to the destruction of not only my career, but my reputation, she said.

She reminded council members that Mastro, who testified earlier Tuesday, expressed no regrets about his Bridgegate report.

He could have said something today  not that it would have made it better, but to show maybe some of you that he has a soul, she said. But Im not sure he does.

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BRISTOL, Tenn./Va. (WJHL)  On Tuesday, the Bristol, Virginia and Bristol, Tennessee city councils held a joint meeting to discuss the redevelopment of West State Street.

During the meeting, they heard a presentation about different options for re-developing the right of way on West State Street.

The current right of way is 56 to 60 feet, one option is to keep it that way and redevelop it within those parameters.

Upgraded punishment for camping on public property, parks in Bristol, Va. goes into effect Sept. 26

The two other options are to expand the right of way to 65 or 75 feet.

Expanding the right of way can help with extending bike lanes, adding more crosswalks, widening sidewalks, widening vehicle lanes and adding more parking.

But we can still make great improvements even within the 56 to 60 foot right of way width, its just a different way of looking at things and a different design that we can work through, Kelli Bourgeois, Bristol, Tennessee City Manager, said.

WJHL Photo

WJHL Photo

WJHL Photo

One of the many difficulties that can come with expanding the right of way is permission from property owners. Some properties may have to be bought by the cities if the right of way is expanded.

What we want the property owners along the corridor to think about and to know from us, [is] were not trying to buy up buildings and force people out, Bourgeois said. Were really trying to plan for that future and how can we just expand what we already have on State Street into that next step, that next level.

Bourgeois said other difficulties include money and working on city ordinances on both sides.

She also added congestion and safety are key factors in redeveloping West State Street.

We have seen it taking longer for people to get, lets say from Volunteer Parkway down to the Gate City Highway intersection. And so we just really want to make sure were accommodating vehicle traffic as best we can, especially given the casino and the other development for those vehicles that will be using West State more.

We want to make sure that we have a safe corridor, Bourgeois said. And right now with turning movements and parking on varying sides of the street throughout, its just theres opportunity to do quite a bit of improvement there.

Many of the ideas provided in the presentation came from public input and various research in the initial study.

If people have feedback, they think of something or theyre, walking or driving down in that area and something pops into their heads, even though the study is done, we still certainly want all of the public input that we can get. So, we would appreciate them reaching out to us to do that.

No timeline is set for the project yet. Both city councils still need to talk through the designs and gather more input.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has already planned for the re-striping and re-pavement of West State Street to happen next summer.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
Brownwood man sentenced to life in prison for sexual assault of child  bigamy

BROWNWOOD, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  A Brownwood man has been sentenced to life in prison for sexual assault of a child  bigamy.

Jason Anthony Padilla received his life in prison sentence for Sexual Assault of a Child  Bigamy, Indecency a with a Child by Contact, and Possession of a Controlled Substance after he was convicted during a trial in Brown County this week.

Court documents state Padilla is accused of sexually abusing a teenager beginning in 2020. The abuse allegedly lasted for more than 2 years, and Padilla would have the teen ingest alcohol and narcotics as well.

The child made an outcry in Fall 2022, and court documents state that afterward, detectives found evidence of sexual abuse and domestic violence that led to Padillas arrest.

We are grateful to have had the opportunity to advocate for a woman who has survived the unimaginable and has had the courage to come forward and confront her abuser, Assistant District Attorney Cara Landers says.

Padilla received the maximum sentence allowed by law for his crimes.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com.
HONOLULU (KHON2)  The alleged shooter of a teenage boy who was exiting a bus was out on bail for a separate case when the incident happened.

Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You

Mr. Ten already faces charges of Kidnapping and Sexual Assault in the First Degree in a separate case in which his victim was a minor under the age of 14. He was out on $250,000 bail pending trial in that case when the shooting on TheBus occurred, said Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm.

Nineteen-year-old Ten has been indicted for Attempted Murder in the Second Degree and three firearms offenses.

Alleged bus shooting suspect identified after extensive amount of video recovered

The victim, a 16-year-old high school student, was seriously injured from the gunshot but has since been released.

Ten escaped the scene on a moped driven by a yet unidentified second suspect.

Attempted Murder in the Second Degree carries a mandatory life sentence with the possibility of parole.

Ten is being held without bail until his 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.
As business debts mount, Justice takes stage at The Greenbrier to announce economic investments

Gov. Jim Justice spoke at the West Virginia Chamber of Commerces Annual Meeting and Business Summit at the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024. (Amelia Ferrell Knisely | West Virginia Watch)

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va.  Gov. Jim Justice took the stage Wednesday at his familys Greenbrier resort to announce a string of high-profile business investments totaling $219 million in the state of West Virginia.

His public remarks in White Sulphur Springs came one day after the resort had been scheduled to be auctioned off because the Justice family defaulted on loans for the property. Justice and his family reached an agreement to pay on the loan by October, but financial issues linger and Greenbrier employees health insurance could be cut off next month.

The Republican governor, who has been under fire for additional family debts soaring over $1 billion, made no mention of the financial muddle as he spoke at the West Virginia Chamber of Commerces Annual Meeting and Business Summit.

This road started on pretty doggone rough, but absolutely today we are celebrating in this great state like we cant imagine, said Justice, who is pursuing a U.S. Senate seat. What Ive wanted is right here, right now  for Toby and Edith to do so much better and to be so much happier.

Justice received a warm welcome from the chamber, who touted his gubernatorial tenure focused on improving roads, lowering the states personal income tax and economic investments.

He told the crowd that three new businesses will bring hundreds of jobs across the state.

Prime 6, which makes fire logs for grilling, will open a new facility in Upshur County. The $35 million investment is expected to bring 75 jobs.

The company got its start on the TV competition show, Shark Tank.

In a video announcement, Shark Tank host Kevin OLeary, who goes by Mr. Wonderful, praised Justice and West Virginia.

Not all states are the same  One great place to do business is West Virginia. Why? Great leadership, OLeary said. Gov. Jim Justice and the entire team, they get it  They run businesses. Theyve made payroll. These are not politicians, these are leaders.

Justice also said that HandCraft Services, a medical linen and apparel company, will invest $59 million to open a new facility in Berkeley County, creating 220 new jobs.

Were going to start moving dirt next week and start washing laundry next year. Were excited to be a part of the West Virginia community, said Ward Hackett, the companys vice president of business development.

Additionally, energy and environmental technologies company Babcock & Wilcox (B&W), will invest $125 million in Mason County involving low-carbon hydrogen production. It is expected to bring 28 high-paying jobs.

Today we are doing great things like you cant possibly imagine, Justice said.

Along with financial issues plaguing the Greenbrier, Justice is facing a mountain of debt due to unpaid mine safety violations at his familys mining companies, nonpayment of a $35 million COVID-19 relief loan in 2021 and more.

Justice has maintained that none of the financial challenges are legitimate. He said that they were political attacks due to his U.S. Senate race.

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A California bill seeking to create new safety rules for artificial intelligence (AI) has opened up a divide in Silicon Valley, drawing top lawmakers into the debate in a rare foray by national policymakers into Golden State politics.

California Senate Bill 1047, known as the Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Intelligence Models Act, would require powerful AI models to undergo safety testing before they can be released to the public and would hold developers liable for severe harms caused by their models.

The bill must pass the state Legislature by the end of the week to reach Gov. Gavin Newsoms (D) desk.

Major technology firms, AI startups and researchers are split over whether the legislation would stifle innovation on the rapidly developing technology, or put in place much-needed guardrails.

Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk, who owns the AI company xAI, came out in support of S.B. 1047 on Monday, saying it was a tough call and acknowledging that his decision might make some people upset.

All things considered, I think California should probably pass the SB 1047 AI safety bill, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO wrote on his social platform, X. 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.

But former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and several other California lawmakers have come out against S.B. 1047. In a statement earlier this month, Pelosi said many in Congress view the legislation as well-intentioned but ill informed.

AI springs from California, the former Speaker said. We must have legislation that is a model for the nation and the world. We have the opportunity and responsibility to enable small entrepreneurs and academia  not big tech  to dominate.

Eight California Democrats  Reps. Zoe Lofgren, Anna Eshoo, Ro Khanna, Scott Peters, Tony Cardenas, Ami Bera, Nanette Diaz Barragan and Lou Correa  also sent a letter to Newsom urging him to veto the bill if it reaches his desk.

It is somewhat unusual for us, as sitting Members of Congress, to provide views on state legislation, they wrote. However, we have serious concerns about SB 1047  and we felt compelled to make those concerns known to California state policymakers.

The lawmakers argued that the methods for understanding and mitigating AI risks are still in their infancy, noting that the National Institute of Standards and Technology has yet to issue the guidance companies would be required to follow, and that the bills compute thresholds will almost certainly be obsolete by the time it goes into effect.

They also criticized the legislation for focusing too much on extreme misuse scenarios and hypothetical existential risks instead of real-world risks and harms, such as disinformation or deepfakes.

In short, we are very concerned about the effect this legislation could have on the innovation economy of California without any clear benefit for the public or a sound evidentiary basis, they wrote. High tech innovation is the economic engine that drives Californias prosperity.

California state Sen. Scott Wiener (D), who introduced the legislation, has argued it would only impact the largest AI developers, not small startups, and requires them to perform safety tests they have already promised to complete.

While I have enormous respect for the Speaker Emerita, I respectfully and strongly disagree with her statement, Wiener said in a statement in response to Pelosis opposition.

When technology companies promise to perform safety testing and then balk at oversight of that safety testing, it makes one think hard about how well self-regulation will work out for humanity, he added.

Wiener also emphasized that legislators have amended the bill in response to industry concerns, limiting the California attorney generals ability to sue developers before actual harm has occurred and creating a threshold for fine-tuned open-source models.

Under the amendments, open-source models that are fine-tuned at a cost of less than $10 million would not be covered by the legislation  a welcome addition for the open-source community.

If youre a model developer, and youre working on an open-source project way downstream, you dont necessarily know how much compute was used to initially train a model, because you might be the third or the fourth person changing that original model, Joel Burke, a policy analyst at Mozilla, explained to The Hill.

Thats part of what open source is, so its great that theyre including a floor, he continued.

Mozilla, EleutherAI and Hugging Face sent a letter to Wiener in early August, voicing concerns about S.B. 1047s potential impact on the open-source community. Not all of their concerns with the legislation were addressed in the amendments, Burke noted.

Anthropic, whose feedback prompted several of the amendments, similarly said Thursday that the latest version of the legislation was halfway between our suggested version and the original bill.

In our assessment the new SB 1047 is substantially improved, to the point where we believe its benefits likely outweigh its costs, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei wrote in a letter to Newsom.

However, we are not certain of this, and there are still some aspects of the bill which seem concerning or ambiguous to us, he added.

OpenAI, on the other hand, came out against S.B. 1047 last week. The ChatGPT maker joins tech giants Google and Meta in opposing it.

Jason Kwon, OpenAIs chief strategy officer, argued in a letter to Wiener that regulation of frontier AI models should come from the federal government and warned the bill could stifle innovation and harm the U.S. AI ecosystem.

S.B. 1047 has also split key figures in the field. Fei-Fei Li, who is known as the godmother of AI, argued in a Fortune op-ed earlier this month that the well-meaning legislation would have unintended consequences for the entire country.

If passed into law, SB-1047 will harm our budding AI ecosystem, especially the parts of it that are already at a disadvantage to todays tech giants: the public sector, academia, and little tech, Li wrote.

The Golden Stateas a pioneering entity, and home to our countrys most robust AI ecosystemis the beating heart of the AI movement; as California goes, so goes the rest of the country, she later added.

Yoshua Bengio, who is often referred to as the godfather of AI, disagreed in a responding op-ed in Fortune.

We simply cannot hope for companies to prioritize safety when the incentives to prioritize profits are so immense, Bengio said. Like Dr. Li, I would also prefer to see robust AI safety regulations at the federal level.

But Congress is gridlocked and federal agencies constrained, which makes state action indispensable, he continued. In the past, California has led the way on green energy and consumer privacy, and it has a tremendous opportunity to lead again on AI.

Fellow AI godfather Geoffrey Hinton has also endorsed the legislation, calling it a very sensible approach and describing California as a natural place to start addressing AIs risks.

Forty years ago when I was training the first version of the AI algorithms behind tools like ChatGPT, no one  including myself  would have predicted how far AI would progress, he said in a statement, according to Wieners office.

Powerful AI systems bring incredible promise, but the risks are also very real and should be taken extremely seriously, Hinton added.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the terrorist attack in central Burkina Faso over the weekend, his spokesman said on Tuesday. The secretary-general also strongly condemned the attacks in Pakistan's Balochistan province on Monday. #XinhuaNews
A lake in Northern California is getting a dye job, but its not to improve its aesthetic. No, this makeover will serve an important function.

Researchers from the California Department of Water Resources are dyeing McLeod Lake in downtown Stockton, turning it from its greenish-blue hue to a muted pink.

Scientists from the California Department of Water Resources added rhodamine dye to Lake McCleod in Stockton to study how water moves throughout the lake in hopes of learning more about harmful algal blooms on Aug. 27, 2024. (CA DWR)

Its part of a study that researchers hope will shed some light on a question that theyve been unable to answer themselves:

Why do harmful algal blooms happen some years, but not others?

In 2022, McLeod Lake was the site of a harmful algal bloom that turned the waters into a vibrant shade of green. But in 2024, the lake is fine, much to the surprise of researchers.

So, what gives?

Lake McCleod was the site of a harmful algal bloom in 2022, but no such bloom has taken place in 2024, much to the surprise of researchers. (CA DWR)

Lake McCleod was the site of a harmful algal bloom in 2022, but no such bloom has taken place in 2024, much to the surprise of researchers. (CA DWR)

This year is an above normal water year type, and we did expect to see blooms out here. Were a little bit surprised that we havent, and so were not quite sure why, but were hoping that this study can help inform that, said Ellen Preece, senior environmental scientist at DWR.

DWR scientists added rhodamine dye to McLeod Lake earlier this week to track how water flows in and out of the lake and how it behaves differently at various depths.

Video shared by DWR on social media showed the progress of the harmless pigment as it spread throughout the lake. It was expected to turn the entire Stockton waterfront into a fuschia-esque color before dissipating throughout Thursday, officials said.

Scientists from the California Department of Water Resources added rhodamine dye to Lake McCleod in Stockton to study how water moves throughout the lake in hopes of learning more about harmful algal blooms on Aug. 27, 2024. (CA DWR)

Scientists from the California Department of Water Resources added rhodamine dye to Lake McCleod in Stockton to study how water moves throughout the lake in hopes of learning more about harmful algal blooms on Aug. 27, 2024. (CA DWR)

McLeod Lake is considered a hotspot for cyanobacteria and harmful algal blooms, Preece said. She hopes that by tracking the dye as it spreads throughout the lake, scientists will be able to have a better understanding of these blooms and one day develop a forecasting model to predict when and where they might form in the future.

Algal blooms are of concern because they can produce toxins that are harmful to pets and humans and aquatic life, and we want to try to find ways to mitigate them or prevent them from occurring, Preece said.

DWR plans to dye the lake again in early 2025, hoping to compare how the dye moves throughout the lake in both a dry time of year  now  versus the wetter months.

For more information on algal blooms in California, click here.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
California lawmakers on Tuesday voted to put a stop to legacy admissions at private universities.

The State Senate voted 26-5 to approve Assembly Bill 1780, by Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, sending the bill to Newsoms desk. Opposing the bill were GOP Sens. Marie Alvarado-Gil, Brian Jones, Roger Niello, Kelly Seyarto and Scott Wilk. The bill previously passed out of the State Assembly, 55-0.

The bill was then sent back to the Assembly for a concurring vote, before it could move on to the governors desk.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto the bill.

AB 1780 is Tings second attempt at ending the practice of giving preferential admission to the children of alumni and donors at institutions such as Stanford University or University of Southern California. A previous bill was watered down.

However, while the bill originally called for denying CalGrant funding to private universities that practice legacy admissions, that provision was stripped out of the bill in committee.

Now, the bill merely empowers the California Attorney Generals Office to look into it if a university is suspected of violating the ban and, if found to be true, the AG can require that college or university to submit more detailed reporting of students being given preferential treatment.

Tings office points to the fact that in 2022, 14% of Stanfords new admissions had ties to donors or alumni, while citing a study that found that children from high-income families were twice as likely to gain admission to such universities than were middle- and low-income students who had comparable test scores.

Public universities and colleges already do not allow legacy admissions.

A spokesperson for Stanford University did not respond to The Bees request for comment by deadline.
California schools can apply for funding to get zero-emission school buses

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  California school districts have the opportunity to apply for funding for zero-emission school buses, the governor of California announced Tuesday.

Governor Gavin Newsons Office has announced school districts and other educational entities can apply to replace old diesel-powered school buses with zero-emission buses through Sept. 30, 2024.

The new program will distribute $500 million to put 1,000 new zero-emission school buses on California roads, to add to the 1,100 zero-emission school buses already on the roads, the governors office said. And another 1,200 will be coming.

The Zero-Emissions School Bus and Infrastructure (ZESBI) program is accepting applications for funding through 5 p.m. on Sept. 30.

More San Diegans are using buses, Trolley, MTS says

School districts can apply to get up to $375,000 to replace internal combustion engine school buses with zero-emission vehicles, along with up to $95,000 per school bus to purchase and install charging infrastructure.

The governors office says California leads the country in the amount of clean buses and zero-emission sales, along with the infrastructure to support it.

Earlier this year, the Biden-Harris Administration announced more than $91 million in rebates to help California school districts switch to zero-emission school buses.

The governors office says this is the single-largest investment in state history.

First-of-its-kind climate resiliency center in San Ysidro breaks ground

California is showing the nation and the world how to move from ambition to action. This is yet another record state investment that puts the health of our kids and communities first  replacing 1,000 older polluting school buses with clean buses, Newsom said in the announcement.

The governors office cited a CARB study that said a child gets 33% of their daily exposure to air pollutants on the school bus, even though they are only riding the bus for less than 10% of their day.

In Los Angeles today, the Newsom Administration and local officials celebrate the launch of $500 million for clean school buses. (Photo: Governor Gavin Newsom's Office)

The program is a collaboration between the California Air Resources Board and the California Energy Commission, and is administered by transportation nonprofit CALSTART.

Across the state, more than 300 California school districts and education agencies have purchased at least one zero-emission bus, with some even making the switch entirely to clean vehicles, the governors office says.

In the state of California, all school bus purchases made by school districts are required to be zero-emission by 2035, and 2040 for school districts in rural communities.

Districts will be required to scrap one old school bus for every new bus purchased.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
On Tuesday, California lawmakers in the State Senate approved a bill allowing undocumented immigrants to qualify for first-time homebuying loans.

The measure passed on a 23-11 party-line vote in the State Senate. The proposed legislation has been sent back to the Assembly for its final vote of approval before being sent off to Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The bill, formally known as AB 1840, would expand the eligibility requirement for the states first-time homebuyer loan program, the California Dream For All Shared Appreciation program, to allow undocumented immigrants who live in the state to use it.

Elon Musk backs California AI safety bill, but critics voice concerns

The California Dream For All Shared Appreciation loan program launched in 2023 and helps qualified first-time homebuyers with down payments.

The program was initially created to help low-and middle-income individuals buy homes. Still, Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno), who introduced the bill, previously told KTLA that the program doesnt address eligibility based on immigration status.

The program hasnt been clear about eligibility for undocumented individuals, and AB 1840 addresses that issue, Arambula told KTLA in an emailed statement.

Republican California lawmakers have pushed back on the bills progression.

This is outrageous. Democrat politicians care more about handouts for illegal immigrants rather than improving the quality of life for legal California citizens. I will strongly oppose this measure when it comes to the Assembly Floor this week, Assemblyman Bill Essayli (R-Corona) said in a statement.

GOP Assemblymember Joe Patterson, who represents a largely suburban district north of Sacramento, during a committee meeting this summer said that he just cant get behind using our limited dollars for people who are in this country undocumented, Politico reported.

Democrats who support the bill have said that those applying for a loan must have a taxpayer identification or social security number, emphasizing that the loans wont be given to just anybody.

The bill would need to be signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom before it officially becomes law.

The current legislative session ends on Aug. 31 and Newsom has until Sept. 30 to sign any bills passed by the Legislature.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
How the Camden City community is turning up the heat on school official Muhammad

Members of the Camden City community continued their crusade against school district advisory board President Wasim Muhammad on Tuesday night, creating chaos at a board meeting.

Many of those who attended the meeting were visibly angry in a video recorded by FOX29 Philadelphia. They were seen and heard booing, yelling and even blowing whistles to disrupt Muhammad's address.

In June, Muhammad and the district agreed to a settlement of nearly $2 million after a woman accused him of sexually abusing her during her time as a Camden City student in the 1990s.

Muhammad was a middle-school teacher during this period. He was also using a different name.

Prior to the settlement, a jury awarded the woman  identified in court documents as Jane Doe and later as Salema Hicks Robinson  a total of $1.6 million.

By way of this settlement, the district does not take liability for any of the allegations made by the plaintiff from 30 years ago, the district said in a statement at the time of the settlement.

Muhammad has continued to ignore requests for his resignation, remaining steadfast in his claim of innocence.

In the two-week trial, members of the jury found that Muhammad "did not sexually assault Doe when she was under 18 years of age and that he did not engage in nonconsensual contact with her."

They did, however, believe that the district was liable for negligent supervision and for creating or permitting a hostile school environment.

More: Camden City school district and Wasim Muhammad agree to settle sex-abuse lawsuit

Multiple community members took to the floor to address the board and again demand Muhammad's resignation, including Robinson's attorney.

"This is her in eighth grade," attorney Jeffrey Fritz, who represented the former student, said in videos of the board meeting. He held up a large board plastered with the smiling, teenage face of Robinson and the words "Remember it."

Footage posted to X, formerly Twitter, by the Philadelphia Inquirer's Melanie Burney shows people behind Fritz cheering and wearing shirts that say "Fed up, fired up!"

Jeffrey Fritz, attorney for Salema Robinson in a $2 million sexual abuse case against @CamdenSchoolsNJ prez Wasim Muhammad speaks to the board and calls for his resignation. pic.twitter.com/OlQ6d4TWED  Melanie Burney (@MLBURNEY) August 28, 2024

As reported by multiple news outlets, the audience erupted in shouting, boos and whistles when Chabree Muhammad, one of Muhammad's wives, attempting to speak to his defense.

Multiple eyewitness reports of the meeting show chaos, including photos of a woman being restrained by a young man. WHYY.org identified the man as one of Muhammad's sons.

In addition to community members calling for the board president's resignation, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has also previously voiced his opinion on the matter, calling for Muhammad's resignation, as reported by multiple news outlets.

More: Can Camden, N.J. rise when neighborhoods are ground zero for the opioid epidemic?

As of Wednesday morning, a video of the school meeting had yet to be posted to the district's YouTube channel.

A call to the district superintendent's office had yet to be returned.

Jim Walsh contributed to the reporting in this article.

Kaitlyn McCormick writes about trending issues and community news across South Jersey for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and the Burlington County Times. If you have a story she should tell, email her at kmccormick@gannett.com. And subscribe to stay up to date on the news you need.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Camden City urges Wasim Muhammad to resign, creates chaos at meeting
Influencers and the DNC: "Federal Election Commission rules require paid campaign advertising to carry a disclaimer notice identifying who paid for the communication," reports Lee Fang for his Substack. "However, payments to individual influencers represent a grey area of completely unregulated campaign finance. No federal rules require disclosure when a TikTok star or Instagram personality is paid to promote an election-related message. Although efforts have been made to reform election transparency rules, little has changed. Last December, the FEC formally punted on the issue."

But Fang has found that campaignsincluding those of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walzhave been "showering funds on social media influencer marketing agencies," which in turn contract out with individual content creators. Given the lack of disclosure from these agencies, it ends up being very difficult to see which influencers ultimately get paid.

What we do know, per Fang's reporting: Harris-Walz shelled out $1.9 million to Village Marketing Agency. "The company previously worked on the 2020 Biden campaign and several efforts to promote the Obama family," notes Fang. "Village Marketing, now a part of the marketing conglomerate WPP Group, is reportedly working to recruit 5,000 social media influencers to promote the Kamala Harris presidential campaign."

At the Democratic National Convention last week, the party "treated influencers like celebrities, hoping that free stuff and copious access in Chicago would reap buzzy posts on Instagram, TikTok or YouTube," reports The New York Times. There were parties with tiki drinks; there were free Lake Michigan boat rides; there was a "hotties for Harris" neon sign with which you could take pictures. A lot of influencer travel and lodging was paid for by progressive groups.

"I know why they want me here," one foodie influencer told the Times. "I'm not here to ask any embarrassing questions."

In a sense, this lays bare what we already knew to be true: Social media influencers are down to be purchased, whether it's sponsored content for products or sponsored content for ideas. And many voters are also not especially ideological or even thinking about these issues very deeply.

Perhaps this also lends some credence to Harris' strategy of running a policy-lite, vibes-heavy campaign; it's about the joy and the TikTok egg-cracking videos and how Daddy Walz can fix your car for you, not about the economic despair that would come from instituting price controls. If you're operating in a landscape where the youth vote is being influenced (and you're attempting to put your own thumb on the scale), maybe we've transcended any hopes of political seriousness.

Israel raids West Bank: On Wednesday, Israel conducted raids and airstrikes in Jenin and Tulkarmboth in the West Bankin an attempt to stamp out terrorist groups. Nine are dead so far. "We are in the first stages of this operation," Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, a military spokesman, told reporters.

Earlier this week, on Monday, Israel carried out an airstrike on the West Bank's Nur Shams area, killing five people it claims were terrorists, one of whom had been released in November as part of one of the prisoner exchanges.

Iran has reportedly been using Bedouin smugglers to get arms across international borders, specifically the border between Jordan and Israel, and into the West Bank, allowing terrorist cells there to be flush with weapons. "Iran is working to establish an eastern terrorist front against Israel in the West Bank, according to the Gaza and Lebanon model," said Israel's foreign minister, Israel Katz.

The Israeli military reports that, since the Hamas attack on October 7, more than 500 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, with more than 4,500 arrested. This most recent round of fighting is not altogether new, but it does show an escalation in the region, as Israel continues fighting on multiple fronts, including Hezbollah to the north and Gaza to the west.

Scenes from New York: Did you know that 48 percent of bus riders fail to pay their fare? That's roughly one million bus riders per weekday. "The skipped fares are a crucial and growing loss of revenue for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which is under severe financial pressure," reports The New York Times. It's worth noting that this form of antisocial behavior, like many others, has spiked post-pandemic. Before COVID-19, it was more like one in every five bus riders who refused to pay their way.

QUICK HITS

"'I feel like a Jew in Nazi Germany. The regime's security forces are going door by door, arresting human rights activists,' a 21-year-old activist from Barquisimeto in northwest Venezuela, who asked to remain anonymous," tells Jorge Jraissati for Reason. "In the past two weeks, security forces have been systematically stopping citizens to inspect their phones, including photos, social media profiles, and WhatsApp conversations. Detainees are often held based on content uncovered during these searches, such as images or conversations related to protests or anti-government expressions."

"Today's young online political spaces are vastly different from the shitposting antics of a few years earlier," writes Joshua Citarella for default.blog. "On the right, there is noticeable shift away from the free market evangelism that characterized conservative politics for the millennial generation. No one under the age of 25 is a 'lolbertarian.' They make jokes about Ayn Rand and call Paul Ryan a cuck. Everyone believes in climate change. Young conservatives have aligned themselves with an older set of values that emphasize tradition and hierarchy. They no longer seek to fix market failures by further deregulating the economy. Instead, a heterodox economic populism has emerged among the young right. Many of them are economic protectionists and some are isolationists." ("On the Left, there remains a big eco-anarchist hangover that is bolstered by a techno-pessimism towards all climate technologies.")

"Books are not being banned; I reject the framing completely," says Erika Sanzi on Honestly.

Hamas-sympathizer spring, in one chart:

This is such an amazing chart: pic.twitter.com/dny7MSbg2U  Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) August 26, 2024

U.S. consumer confidence rises to a six-month high.

Tim Ballard, a MAGA-world hero who claimed to be fighting sex trafficking, actually stands accused of abusing many of the women with whom he worked.

The post Campaign Finance Rules Can't Stop Hotties for Harris appeared first on Reason.com.
Cannot solve it quickly. With shelter full, Macon tries to reduce number of stray dogs

The Macon-Bibb County Animal Services shelter has reached capacity, but there are still reports of stray dog packs in Macon.

Strays in Macon have been an issue for at least a decade, according to Sonja Adams, the animal services enforcement manager. But the shelter was rarely full until recently. The county shelter receives about 1,500 calls for service per month, which often include animal neglect, strays and safety. But it is impossible to save all strays, Adams said. Its unclear how many strays are in Macon.

It will take several years to get that stray population down, Adams said. You just cannot solve it quickly.

Adams said every call is taken seriously, but public safety and animal welfare has to be prioritized, Adams said. Dog attacks on humans take priority over attacks on other animals, for example.

A juvenile was reportedly bitten Monday near the intersection of Cherry and Brentwood avenues, Adams said. Her team brought the mother and four puppies to the shelter Monday afternoon.

Bibb County Animal Services enforcement manager Sonja Adams discusses the departments response to shelter overcrowding and strays in the community on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, at Bibb County Animal Services in Macon, Georgia. Its not a problem that can be solved in a day, in a month, or even a year, said Adams.

Would a bigger shelter in Macon help?

The team only responds to reported cases, rather than patrolling in search of strays.

I wish that we could patrol and be proactive instead of reactive, Adams said. That is the goal to get to a point where we can patrol and not just be on the run from emergency to emergency.

The facility usually houses around 80 dogs and 40 cats, according to animal services Capt. Sean DeFoe. A larger shelter or increase in staff wouldnt make much of a difference in cutting down the strays, he said.

Animal services now has five officers and three people in training. Last year they only had one officer, DeFoe said.

Its a partnership between the community and animal services, DeFoe said. Its more than just taking dogs off the street. Its a public safety issue.

Why does Macon have so many strays?

Adams said poverty, unlicensed breeding, and unspayed or unneutered dogs contribute to Macons stray dog population.

Most people in Macon do not have a license required to breed.

I havent issued (a breeding license) in 10 years, Adams said. Nobody ever qualifies.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture requires dog breeders to have a license if they birth more than one litter per year. However, Macon requires a breeding license no matter how many litters.

The county also requires most dogs to be spayed or neutered, with some exceptions.

A pet is legally ones responsibility once you intentionally take custody of an animal by harboring it, feeding it, taking care of it, Adams said.

Once a person takes custody of a dog and they dont have a breeding license, it is their responsibility to ensure they dont impregnate another dog  even if they say it was an accident.

People chain up their females in the backyard, and theyre like Well, I got a fence, Adams said. Just because your dog is chained up in your fenced yard and youre like, I dont know how she got pregnant. Okay, well I do.

Male dogs can smell a female in heat from over 2 miles away, she said.

If we see a (dog) pack pop up that we havent known about before, its generally because theres a loose female in heat and attracting all the boys to the yard, Adams said.

She said adoptions are slow and most rescues nationwide are full. Stray pets in Macon are most common during spring and into the fall, according to Adams.

Nearly 200 million stray dogs and even more stray cats are part of the daily reality on the streets nationwide, according to a World Health Organization report in 2023.

The last resort

Pets are usually housed at the Macon shelter for 28 days before they are euthanized. The shelter has about seven days to find a pets owner before its made available for adoption.

During that time, the shelter calls pet rescues, adoption and foster facilities across the country, and posts the pets on social media, in hopes theyll find homes before the deadline.

While animal services cant take every stray pet off the streets and into their facility, Adams encouraged people to report all stray animals anyway. Each report could assist another case.

The other day I was here until 10:30 at night calling people back about their cases, Adams said while tearing up. I wish it was as easy as just grabbing dogs and putting them in a home.

All adoption fees at the shelter are waived until the end of September, which typically costs $100 for dogs and $75 for cats. This includes a spay or neuter, vaccinations and microchip.
PHNOM PENH, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- A truck transporting garment workers to their factory collided with a cargo truck in southwest Cambodia's Preah Sihanouk province on Wednesday, leaving two persons dead and 24 others injured, a local police officer said.

The fatal accident took place at 5:30 a.m. local time on National Road 4 in Kampong Seila district when the cargo truck was attempting to overtake a car and hit head-on with the garment worker truck coming from the opposite direction, said Seang Solina, acting police chief of Kampong Seila district.

"A driver and a garment worker were pronounced dead in the crash, as 24 other workers, including 16 women, sustained injuries," he told Xinhua over telephone.

The injured were shifted to hospitals, he said, adding that police are hunting the negligent cargo truck's driver, who escaped the scene soon after the collision.

Transporting workers in open trucks to and from factories is common in the Southeast Asian country. In June, some 61 garment workers were injured when their truck flipped onto its side in southwest Cambodia's Kampong Speu province. 
Captain Who Saw Sicily Yacht Sink Says Mike Lynchs Wife Didnt Want to Leave Scene Without Husband and Daughter

Borner says rescued passengers, which included Angela Bacares  whose husband Mike Lynch and daughter Hannah didn't survive  said there were still people inside

Courtesy of Karsten Borner Karsten Borner

Karsten Borner, the captain of the Sir Robert Baden Powell, recalls the weather deteriorating rapidly in the early morning of Aug. 19 when the Bayesian sank

He tells PEOPLE that he and his first mate located the survivors of the sinking aboard a raft

Borner says survivor Angela Bacares didnt initially want medical attention following her rescue because her husband Mike Lynch and their daughter "were still not found"

The captain of a nearby boat who witnessed the Aug. 19 sinking of the luxury yacht amid a storm off the coast of Sicily says the wife of British tech billionaire Mike Lynch did not want to leave the scene until her husband and daughter were found.

When things calmed down and the storm abated somewhat and the wind dropped a bit, we were looking around and couldn't see the Bayesian anymore, Karsten Borner, the captain of the Sir Robert Baden Powell, tells PEOPLE. We checked the AIS [automatic identification system], and we also couldn't see the Bayesian anymore. Two passengers and two crew members saw what looked like a whale in the water and realized afterwards it was the capsized boat."

A moment later, Borner continues, I saw a triangle in the sea in a split second that the sky was lit up by lightning, and that must have been the bow of the ship while sinking over the stern.

The Bayesian, a 183-foot craft carrying 22 people, was anchored off the coast of Porticello in Sicily when it was hit by a violent storm and sank, according to the Italian coast guard. The bodies of seven people, among them Lynch and his daughter Hannah, were later recovered from the sunken vessel.

Related: Could Open Hatches or a Large Mast Have Contributed to Sicily Yacht Sinking? What We Know So Far

Borner, whose boat was nearby, tells PEOPLE that he noticed the weather deteriorated very rapidly around 3 a.m. local time on Aug. 19.



The weather turned very quickly and reached us even more quickly, he says. And the Bayesian was there at the time. It was anchored like us. We kept an eye on it. We had turned the engine on to maintain our position in case the anchor didnt hold and were carefully watching it to keep at a distance from it as well. We were the only two ships out in the bay.

According to Borner, the weather turned into heavy rain, wind and lightning for a brief period. Then, the captain and his crew saw the Bayesian sink.

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.

Borner and a passenger saw a red flare and then a white one. It prompted Borner and his first mate to board a tender, and they headed in the direction where the Bayesian had been. We first found things floating in the water like cushions and chairs and stuff, Borner continues. And then we saw a flickering light. This was a life raft with a light on the top. And they also waved at us with a torch.

So we went there, and then we found the crew and part of the passengers  15 people in a 12-person raft, including a little baby, he adds.

Courtesy of Karsten Borner The Sir Robert Baden Powell sailing ship.

Related: Authorities Launch Manslaughter Investigation After Identifying the Victims of Sicily Yacht Tragedy

Borner also noticed four injured people, including Lynch's wife and Hannah's mother, Angela Bacares. This was after the storm had passed, he says, because the wind appeared very suddenly out of the blue and it also stopped very, very quickly. When it passed, it was quiet again. And thats when we were able to go out to search.

He learned that the crew of the Bayesian gave first aid to those in the raft. The yacht survivors later boarded his ship, and his crew took care of them. We helped them with bandages and stuff, and dry towels and a blanket for the baby, Borner says. We also handed out blankets to everyone and dry clothes and so on.

ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Karsten Borner, captain of the sailing boat Sir Robert Baden Powell, is pictured on a small boat in Porticello near Palermo, on August 20, 2024 a day after the British-flagged luxury yacht Bayesian sank with 22 people onboard.

The captain tells PEOPLE that he was busy contacting the coast guard and urging for medical help. The coast guard hadn't arrived yet at that point, Borner says, but when we came back with the survivors, they had already been on the VHF radio and were asking for news of the Bayesian as they too noticed it had disappeared. It took some time for them to arrive, as they have one small in Porticello and the rest came from Palermo and elsewhere.

The survivors told Borner there were still people inside the capsized yacht, which led the tender to be sent out again. They looked around at sea and obviously didn't find anything, Borner says.

Related: Friends Pay Tribute to Hannah Lynch as 6th Body Recovered from Sunken Sicily Yacht: 'Beautiful Soul'

Borner says that the injured survivors were taken by the Italian coast guard and brought to waiting ambulances.

[Bacares] didn't want to leave because her husband and her daughter were still down," he adds. "She was picked up a little bit later because I asked the coast guard to take her as I thought she needed medical help. Then, over the course of the next two, three hours  [I] don't know exactly how much later  the coast guards came and the rest of the Bayesian people went away with them.

The exact cause of the yachts sinking remains unknown and there are several theories about what contributed to the disaster.

Ambrogio Cartosio, the Chief Prosecutor of Termini Imerese, announced on Aug. 24 that authorities were launching manslaughter and negligent shipwreck investigations in connection with the sinking.

Meanwhile, the yachts captain, James Cutfield, 50, of New Zealand, had been interrogated for the third time by prosecutors, PEOPLE previously reported.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.
The Captain of the Sunken Italian Yacht is Under Investigation. Is He Responsible for the Tragedy? (Exclusive)

James Cutfield is under investigation in connection with the yacht that sank off the coast of Sicily, claiming seven lives

PERINI NAVI PRESS OFFICE/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock The Bayesian

The captain of a sunken Italian yacht is under investigation after the accident off the coast of Sicily last week that killed seven people and left 15 survivors.



New Zealand-born James Cutfield, 50, was chief officer of the British-flagged yacht Bayesian, which sank during a storm in the Tyrrhenian Sea near the Sicilian port of Porticello on Monday, Aug. 19.

He has been questioned several times by Italian authorities, a source close to the investigation previously told PEOPLE. Police have opened manslaughter and negligent shipwreck investigations in connection with the sinking, per Ambrogio Cartosio, the Chief Prosecutor of Termini Imerese.

Despite investigators focus on him, his actual culpability for the tragedy remains uncertain, as Italian attorney and legal expert Praxilla Trabattoni explains in this Q & A. (Trabattoni is also a contributing writer for PEOPLE).



What does the interrogation of Cutfield mean?

Cutfields questioning does not immediately imply that he will be tried, Trabattoni says, given that this kind of investigation is commonplace for such incidents.



This and similar cases require a preliminary investigation in which authorities notify parties involved so that they can appoint their own forensic experts and legal teams to participate in investigations, including, in this case, the autopsies of the victims.



Is Cutfield under arrest?

While Cutfield is being investigated for negligent shipwreck and homicide, he is not under arrest. For a pre-trial arrest  as happened in the 2007 Amanda Knox case  there are certain criterion the prosecutors have to meet.

First, the crime should foresee a sentencing of no less than five years, Trabattoni says. Secondly, there needs to be a serious indication of guilt.

Third, she says, prosecutors would have to have concerns that the purported defendant is at risk of tampering with evidence or is a flight risk and could commit a similar crime.

HANDOUT/Vigili del Fuoco/AFP via Getty Bayesian yacht search operation

Related: Could Open Hatches or a Large Mast Have Contributed to Sicily Yacht Sinking? What We Know So Far

Is there a precedent for a case like this?

This kind of investigation is not entirely unchartered territory.

Trabattoni notes similarities with the 2012 capsizing of Costa Concordia off the Tuscan island of Giglio, which killed 32 and left 4,200 survivors, as previously reported by the Associated Press and BBC.

Francesco Schettino, the captain of that ship, was later sentenced to 16 years in prison on charges similar to the ones Cutfield is possibly facing, per the outles. The search and rescue of the Bayesian is being conducted by the same crew that assisted with the Costa Concordia disaster, she says.

But there's a long way to go before Cutfield could meet a similar fate - including a bulletproof case from prosecutors.

How could authorities prove the captain's guilt?

Prosecutors have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the actions or omissions of the captain caused or contributed to the tragedy, Trabattoni says. They can do so by examining the boat and seeing if survivor and witness accounts are consistent with the physical evidence they find.



For example, if the captain had heard that there was a weather alert and he failed to deploy the stabilizer, or if he decided not to go into a port that would have been provided a safe haven, or if he didnt ensure that all the doors were shut during the night. These constitute behavior that would have contributed to the tragedy, Trabattoni says.

Prosecutors also have a legal obligation not only to look for evidence against the party, but also in favor of the defendant, requiring a diligent investigation of the case, she says.



FABIO LA BIANCA/BAIA Santa Nicolicchia/AFP via Getty The Bayesian

What Could Cutfield Argue in His Defense?

The captain has to prove that he behaved and maintained his duties and obligations both during the tragedy and after, says Trabattoni. There's also the question, Was there anything he could've done to save lives?

He could also claim that it was an unforeseeable and unpredictable weather phenomenon and there was nothing he could've done to avoid a disaster, she says. He could also claim that there was design or manufacturer flaw in the vessel.

Are other surviving crew members culpable?

Several crew members are now expected to be placed under investigation, local news outlets Rai, Adnkronos and Sky Italia report. One of them is the first mate of the yacht, Tijs Koopman, who has been asked to not leave the Sicilian city of Palermo so that he can be questioned, per Corriere della Sera and TV channel TG La7.

What often happens, and what happened in the Costa Concordia case, is that those further down the pecking order will cut deals and explain everything that happened, Trabattoni says. This usually implies the captain would get most of the blame and, in turn, a harsher sentencing, she adds.

Maritime law dictates that the captain is in charge and responsible for the boat, crew and all the people sailing with him so the ultimate responsibility and liability lies with him, she says.

The accident claimed the lives of several high-profile individuals. They have been identified by authorities as British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his daughter, Hannah Lynch; the yacht's chef Recaldo Thomas; prominent New York attorney Christopher Morvillo and his wife, Neda, and Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy.



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AUSTIN (KXAN)  A company that helps people find babysitters, nannies and adult caregivers faces accusations it misled subscribers about job postings and pay.

The Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint against Austin-based Care.com. The online platform is where people trying to hire for things like child and older adult care can post jobs and people looking for those jobs can apply.

Care.com is headquartered in Austin, with offices in New York, Shelton, Berlin and Germany. (Photo: KXAN)

As a result of the complaint, Care.com agreed to a $8.5 million settlement. The FTC said it plans to give that money back to consumers harmed by its alleged practices.

What did the complaint say?

In the FTC complaint, the government agency said Care.com makes unsubstantiated claims about how much people could earn through its job postings.

In 2021, Care ran a national advertisement on a third-party website promising Childcare jobs from $18/hr, while simultaneously stating on its website that, On average, the national pay rate for babysitting jobs and The average rate for babysitters on Care.com was between $13 and $14.25 per hour, the complaint said.

Along with earnings claims, the FTC said the website persuaded people to buy subscriptions by overstating the number of jobs available on the site.

When it comes to those memberships, the FTC accused Care.com of dark patterns to prevent both job seekers and posters from being able to cancel their subscriptions.

In the four required pages, Care.com poses a variety of obstacles to cancellation, including two pages that contain optional questions, one page with confusing options from which to choose, and a save offer of a new negative option, auto-renewing membership, the complaint stated.

What is Care.coms response?

While Care.com agreed to a settlement, the company told KXAN that doesnt validate the FTCs claims.

Though Care.com was fully prepared to litigate this matter and confident in its position, we decided to enter into an agreement with the FTC to resolve it now and keep our focus on helping families and caregivers. Weve been in business for nearly 20 years, and successfully connected millions of American families with caregivers. We are proud of our rich history of serving our customers and have always put them first. Care.com Spokesperson

Regarding the misleading pay allegations, Care.com said it does not set rates and we never make promises about earnings. The data we provide about posted rates is based solely on what families say they are willing to pay, which varies significantly.

As far as the cancellations go, the company said members can easily cancel if they wish and that it is further streamlining the process.

Cancellation instructions for desktop and mobile users are included in every confirmation email upon sign up, accessible in our Help Center and available through our Customer Care support team which also offers 24 hour support via chat, the company said.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
A 69-year-old man is fighting for his life after being shot three times during an attempted carjacking in Los Angeles Tuesday night, authorities confirmed to KTLA.

The violence unfolded just before midnight at the intersection of Marmion Way and Pasadena Avenue in the area of Montecito Heights, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Authorities say the incident occurred when the suspect approached the victim, identified by friends as Jose Ayala Martinez, from behind and demanded his vehicle. When he refused, police say the 19-year-old suspect, a documented gang member, opened fire on him.

Officers in the area heard the gunfire and spotted the suspect, who was taken into custody without incident, fleeing eastbound on Marmion Way.

Martinez, who suffered gunshot wounds to the mouth, neck and shoulder, managed to drive a mile north to the parking lot of a Food 4 Less at the intersection of Figueroa Street and North Avenue 51 where he called police and a friend.

Bullet holes seen in the windshield of carjacking victims truck on Aug. 26, 2024. (KNN News)

L.A. police taking a carjacking and shooting suspect into custody in the area of Montecito Heights on Aug. 26, 2024. (KNN News)

L.A. police on the scene of a violent carjacking and shooting in Highland Park on Aug. 26, 2024. (KNN News)

L.A. police on the scene of a violent carjacking and shooting in Highland Park on Aug. 26, 2024. (KNN News)

L.A. police on the scene of a violent carjacking and shooting in Highland Park on Aug. 26, 2024. (KNN News)

He called me, Martinezs friend Lourdes Moarde told KTLAs Carlos Saucedo as she tried hold back her emotions. He was speaking very slowly. I said, What happened? He said, They tried to rob or kill me, I dont know.

Medical personnel with the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the Food 4 Less parking lot and rushed the 69-year-old to the hospital where he was listed in critical condition.

Footage of the aftermath obtained by KTLA shows Martinezs truck with several bullet holes in the windshield.

People who live in the area that spoke to KTLA said these types of crimes make them fear for their safety.

Naked homeless man terrifying residents of Southern California neighborhood

Highland Park resident Noah Collier said the minute he heard the helicopter circling, he locked all the doors in his house.

Another resident, Alan Resnick, said a situation like that is terrible.

Its scary, I dont want anyone to get shot.

So far, authorities have not released the identity of the suspect.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Carthage Council says no to forensic financial audit of CWEP

Carthage Council says no to forensic financial audit of CWEP

CARTHAGE, Mo.  A comprehensive financial audit of vital city services in Carthage is met with opposition during Tuesdays (8/27) city council meeting.

Several council members were clearly against a proposed ordinance that would hire an accounting firm to conduct a forensic financial audit of Carthage Water and Electric.

Councilmember Alan Snow claimed the in-depth audit was part of a personal vendetta by Carthage Mayor Dan Rife against Carthage Water and Electric (CWEP).

Snow even went as far as to ask for the mayors resignation for requesting the comprehensive audit, which fellow Councilmember Tiffany Cossey seconded.

Mayor Rife responded by saying the audit was recommended by the Missouri Attorney Generals Office.

Council voted against a forensic audit of CWEP, six-to-two.

Just after 8 p.m. the council went into closed session, where the discussion of hiring a new fire chief continued.

Recently, a hiring committee recommended the council approve interim chief Jason Martin for the position.

Many in the community have backed the promotion of Martin, including former Carthage fire chief John Cooper.

Theyve had an awful lot of people come in and talk tonight  I mean, theyre having protests. The other council  that was the big gripe about them  they didnt listen to the people. I think that youve got enough people complaining now that they need to listen to the people. Its time to back down. So, well see, said Cooper.

Cooper originally hired Martin to the department in 1998 and says theres no better person for the job.

Around 10 p.m., council returned from a two-hour-long closed session, and adjourned the meeting without naming a new fire chief.

| The Latest From Carthage City Council:

(Story Date: April 1, 2024  April 30, 2024)

(Story Date: May 1, 2024  May 31, 2024)

(Story Date: June 1, 2024  June 30, 2024)

(Story Date: July 1, 2024  Present)

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com.
Cause of Death Revealed for Madeline Soto, 13, Whose Mother's Boyfriend Is Accused of Molesting and Killing Her

Stephan Sterns was charged with murder weeks after Soto disappeared on her way to school, per police

GoFundMe Madeline Soto

Authorities have released the cause of death for 13-year-old Madeline Soto, whose disappearance prompted the arrest of her mother's boyfriend earlier this year.

Soto was found dead in a wooded area on March 1, days after she was reported missing on Feb. 26, from her Kissimmee, Fla., home, the Orange County Sheriffs Office previously said.

A medical examiner has now ruled the manner of her death as homicide and determined she died as a result of strangulation, FOX 35 Orlando, WESH and Click Orlando report.

Before her body was found and while investigating her disappearance, police arrested her mothers boyfriend Stephan Sterns, 37, on charges of sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material, the sheriffs office said.

He was not facing these charges in connection with the teenager's disappearance, but police said they considered him a prime suspect in the case.

Orange County jail Stephan Sterns

In April, Sterns was charged with first-degree murder in connection with Soto's death, Osceola County authorities announced. Investigators "found several disturbing pictures and videos" which led to 60 charges including capital sexual battery, lewd or lascivious molestation and possession of child pornography, the State Attorney's Office said in a statement.



Related: A 13-Year-Old Fla. Girl Has Been Missing Since Monday  and Her Mother's Boyfriend Was Just Arrested

The sheriff's office said they had evidence indicating Soto "was never dropped off near her school" on the morning of Feb. 26, as shared on X (formerly Twitter). Sterns was the last person to be seen with her.

On the night before she disappeared, Soto's mother allegedly sent her to sleep with Sterns because the mother needed to rest after returning home late from work, she told authorities, according to a "supplemental case report" cited by WESH.



The next morning, Sterns was seen in video discarding items in a trashcan in the apartment complex where he lived with Soto and her mother, investigators said, per WESH. Authorities later recovered the child's backpack and laptop from the trashcan.

About an hour later, Sterns was seen with Soto in the car and the sheriff's office believes the teen was already dead at the time, per WESH.



Related: Missing Fla. Girl Madeline Soto, 13, Found Dead, Police Suspect Mothers Boyfriend Moved Her Body

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Sterns is accused of sexually abusing Soto and recording his abuse on video, authorities alleged, per the Orlando Sentinel, WESH and Click Orlando. His alleged abuse has been traced as far back as to 2022 when Soto was 11, per authorities.

Sterns has pleaded not guilty to all 60 charges, per Click Orlando and the Osceola News-Gazette.



If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.



If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.



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An employee of Neighborhood Health, which provides primary care services through multiple health clinics in Fairfax County, administers a COVID-19 vaccine to a pediatric patient. The nonprofit led efforts to vaccinate low-income children in Northern Virginia. (Courtesy of Neighborhood Health)

While respiratory illnesses like the flu typically trend higher in the winter months, COVID-19 is not totally seasonal. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate high or very high levels of COVID nationwide this summer. But with new vaccines expected to be available next month and the winter months on the horizon, medical professionals in Virginia suggest people get their shots sooner rather than later.

COVID mutates quicker than the flu, said Heather Harmon-Sloan with Virginias Department of Health. This makes it incredibly important to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine that will be coming out here shortly.

This is because the newer vaccines  approved last week and expected in September  will be more effective at guarding against the latest variants of the virus. The new Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will target the specific strain of the virus that has been attributed to spikes in infections this past spring and summer.

Over 3% of emergency room visitors each week for the past three weeks in Virginia have been diagnosed with COVID-19, a number that has been rising over the summer. And while not every case may lead to an emergency room visit, wastewater surveillance to detect the presence of COVID indicates high levels around the country. Virginias latest surveillance shows mostly a plateau around the state with an increase in the Eastern Shore.

What were seeing right now is higher than what we saw this time last year, Harmon-Sloan said.

She also attributes some of the spikes in cases and emergency visits to the inclination to spend more time indoors amid the summer heat  not unlike how indoor gatherings in the winter contribute to infection spikes.

Respiratory viruses tend to be able to spread more efficiently when were all indoors, especially if we have poor ventilation, she said.

This is where opening windows, practicing social distancing and mask use can help reduce infection potential, Harmon-Sloan said.

And while the new vaccines should target the same variant that has been driving the summer wave, Harmon-Sloan said that anyone who was infected this summer could consider delaying the new vaccine for about three months.

This is because those people may have a temporary resistance to the strain having just recovered from it, but she still suggests that people speak with their doctors if theyre weighing when they should get their newest shots.

People overall should get the new vaccine  even if they were vaccinated or were sick with COVID 19 earlier this year, she said. The vaccine thats emerging is going to better target those particular variants that are new, that are in circulation right now in our communities, and the cause for these high trends.

The CDC will be launching a vaccine locator through the vaccines.gov website. Additionally, President Joe Bidens administration announced last week that it will once again offer free at-home COVID test kits that people can receive by mail. They can be ordered through covidtest.gov.

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM)  Dauphin County Treasurer Nick DiFrancesco announced a new initiative to recover the $500,000 that a Central Pennsylvania hotel owes in back taxes.

In July, DiFrancesco requested an audit of The Red Lion Hotel in Swatara Township. Dauphin County Controller Mary Bateman recently released the audit results, revealing that the Red Lion owed more than $500,000 in back taxes, according to Dauphin County.

While the majority of hotels in Dauphin County support tourism promotion by collecting and remitting the hotel tax as required by law, there are a select few who collect the tax but fail to remit it, DiFrancesco said at a Dauphin County Commissioners meeting today. This inaction violates the public trust and the trust of their peers.

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After taking office in January, DiFrancesco uncovered numerous audits since 2022 that demanded action, according to Dauphin County. DiFrancesco joined forces with the Dauphin County Solicitors Office to create a plan to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in back hotel taxes.

Hotel room taxes are collected by hotel management and are required to be remitted monthly to the county for distribution to tourism venues and promotional authorities, including the Hershey Harrisburg Regional Tourism Bureau, to continue supporting the tourism industry, according to Dauphin County.

As public servants, we have an obligation to uphold the laws of this Commonwealth, DiFrancesco added. The majority of our hotels collect and remit their share of the hotel tax, and they benefit from the marketing support dollars generated by their investment. Those who collect hotel tax but fail to remit it violate not only the community trust but state law.

Tourism is a leading industry in Central Pennsylvania, according to Dauphin County.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
Bunky Echo-Hawk (Photo/Native News Online file)

A case that lingered for over two years in a state court system involving sex charges against Native American artist Bunky Echo-Hawk has been dismissed by a Tulsa County, Oklahoma district court.

On Friday, August 23, 2024, the State of Oklahoma dismissed two felony charges against Indian Country artist Walter Roy Bunky Echo-Hawk Jr. (Pawnee Nation/Yakama Nation) due to a need for additional investigation to fully develop potential evidence in this case, according to the motion for dismissal filed in the District Court of Pawnee County.

Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning.

In February 2022, Echo-Hawk Jr. was criminally charged for allegedly inappropriately touching a minor. Five months later, District Attorney of Pawnee County Mike Fisher added a second felony charge of allegedly possessing child pornography, based on evidence police found during a court-approved search of Echo-Hawks home.

The victim, who was under the age of 16 at the time, reported the behavior to a local Department of Human Services (DHS) worker on October 5, 2021, according to documents filed in January by the state of Oklahoma in the District Court of Pawnee County and obtained by Native News Online.

In an interview with a Pawnee County DHS worker, the girl vividly recounted incidents where she was repeatedly touched inappropriately by Echo-Hawk, 48, between from the time she was 7 or 8 until 11 or 12 years old, but that she didnt realize what was happening was sexual in nature until she got older.

Based on the information in the report, Fisher charged Echo-Hawk with lewd or indecent acts to children under 16, a felony and punishable with three to 20 years in jail.

On July 8, 2022, Fisher added a possession of child pornography charge based on evidence police found on Echo-Hawks iPad.

The iPad listed IBunk Pro as the device name and the device owner as Walter Echo Hawk, court documents read. Located on the device were 9,978 images and of those images, 8,049 were classified as possibly containing images of child sexual abuse.

Inappropriate images of that an apparent pre-pubescent child who is believed to be the victim in this case were also found on the iPad, in addition to numerous images of apparent child sexual abuse and numerous images of suspected child sexual abuse.

Echo-Hawk has denied both allegations, calling them blatantly false, according to statements from him provided to Native News Online by his attorneys.

The case was transferred for prosecution to the Tulsa County District Attorneys Office in March 2024, due to a conflict arising from the Osage-Pawnee District Attorney's Office, according to the motion to dismiss.

Echo-Hawk was scheduled for a trial date in spring 2024, but the trial was delayed to allow the district attorney taking on the case, Stephen Kunzweiler, time to familiarize himself with the case.

It has become apparent to the State of Oklahoma that additional investigation is necessary to fully develop potential evidence in this case, the motion to dismiss the case, signed by Kunzweiler on August 23, reads.

Echo-Hawks attorneys said in a statement to Native News Online that Echo-Hawk has maintained his innocence over the last two and a half years, though hes been canceled by much of the world in response to the felony charges he faced.

Kunzweiler did not respond to Native News Onlines request for comment.

About the Author: "Jenna Kunze is a staff reporter covering Indian health, the environment and breaking news for Native News Online. She is also the lead reporter on stories related to Indian boarding schools and repatriation. Her bylines have appeared in The Arctic Sounder, High Country News, Indian Country Today, Tribal Business News, Smithsonian Magazine, Elle and Anchorage Daily News. Kunze is based in New York."

Contact: jkunze@indiancountrymedia.com
Charges for man who killed pedestrian in south Charlotte crosswalk after running red light

A man accused of hitting and killing a pedestrian in a south Charlotte crosswalk after running a red light on Aug. 19 is facing charges.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said Scott Austin, 44, turned himself in Wednesday to be charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle. Police say he struck and killed Eric Macken, 41.

A CMPD press release said Macken was using a crosswalk at the intersection of Pineville-Matthews Road and Providence Road when Austin failed to stop at a red light and collided with another vehicle. Austins truck began to spin from the impact, striking Macken and then going on to crash into another vehicle.

Macken was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, and died the next day.

The crash is still under investigation, but police said they dont believe speed or impairment contributed.

A GoFundMe page started by Mackens family to help with funeral costs said he would be transported to New York for a funeral and burial.

He was a remarkable person  funny, incredibly goofy, with an infectious laugh that could brighten any room, the page said. His love for music and his ability to see the good in everyone made him truly special. Its still hard to believe that hes no longer with us.
Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, addresses the fourth work conference on paired-up assistance for Xizang in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Aug. 27, 2024. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

LHASA, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Wang Huning has urged efforts to deliver solid paired-up assistance for southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region toward the goal of building a modern socialist new Xizang.

Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made the remarks at the fourth work conference on paired-up assistance for Xizang, which was held in Lhasa on Tuesday.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the country's implementation of paired-up assistance in Xizang.

Hailing the notable achievements in the paired-up assistance work for Xizang over the past three decades, Wang urged efforts to promote targeted, systematic and long-term assistance for the region, and elevate the comprehensive benefits yielded by the assistance work.

Efforts should be made to promote exchanges and integration among all ethnic groups, improve people's livelihoods, rally people's support, and strengthen the sense of identity with the motherland, the Chinese nation, the Chinese culture, the CPC, and socialism with Chinese characteristics among officials and people of all ethnic groups, Wang said.

It is imperative to improve the work regarding officials and talent dispatched to assist Xizang and strengthen the organization and leadership of the paired-up assistance work, Wang said.

The conference also awarded honorary titles to exemplary individuals who have participated in the paired-up assistance for Xizang. 

Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, visits a hospital in Shannan City, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Aug. 27, 2024. Wang made a research tour on paired-up assistance for Xizang in Lhasa and Shannan. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)
The Charles Douglas-Home Memorial Trust has made the biggest donation in its history to support the Kyiv Independent's front-line reporting. The donation will cover a full year of salary for the Kyiv Independent's leading front-line reporter Francis Farrell for 2024-2025.

The donation comes at a pivotal time for Ukraine when reliable news and on-the-ground reporting are of paramount importance. As Russia continues its decade-long war against Ukraine, reporting from the front lines is crucial for a true reflection of the situation on the ground and delivering critical information to the global audience.

"This funding is supporting our core operations and is crucial for us during such challenging times, but this is not just about money. For the Kyiv Independent, this is also an indication that we are not alone in our daily struggle to inform the world about Russia's war in Ukraine, such support gives us reassurance and strength to continue," said Daryna Shevchenko, Chief Operating Officer of the Kyiv Independent.

The Charles Douglas-Home Memorial Trust was established by Trust Deed on July 29, 1986, to honor the memory of the late Charles Douglas-Home (editor of The Times 1982-1985), recognizing his lifelong commitment to the cause of free opinion, freely expressed.

The Trust aims to advance public education concerning social and democratic conditions, developments, and institutions worldwide. It promotes research, writing, and publication of educational materials and provides bursaries, scholarships, and prizes.

Each year, the trustees evaluate proposals and subjects suitable for the annual awards, continuing their mission to support quality journalism and research. Previous award winners have included American journalist and historian Anne Applebaum and politician Michael Gove.

Read also: Kyiv Independents Francis Farrell shortlisted for European Press Prize 2024

For Francis Farrell, who has reported from some of the most dangerous spots along the front over the past two years, the donation has a significant impact.

"Whether you are writing about soldiers or civilians, producing field reports from the very front lines of Russia's war against Ukraine is a challenging endeavour; not in the least financially. When fuel, transport, and accommodation costs can mount up per day while the situation changes quickly, like with Russia's attack on Kharkiv Oblast this May, it makes a huge difference to have the peace of mind to be able to stay out in the field as long as needed," he said.

"Given the resources needed to consistently provide front-line coverage from the field, it's crucial to support smaller, independent media organizations, especially the Ukrainian outlets reporting on the war in their own country," Farrell adds.

As the Charles Douglas-Home Memorial Trust continues its mission to support quality journalism worldwide, its latest contribution to the Kyiv Independent exemplifies the enduring power of solidarity and the vital role of the press in shaping informed and resilient societies.

"The world needs unbiased, clear information about what is happening in Ukraine. The grant we are making to fund the front-line reporting of the Kyiv Independent is four times larger than any we have ever made. That is the measure of how important we think the story of the war in Ukraine is," said Christopher McKane, the Charles Douglas-Home Memorial Trust trustee.

Read also: Kyiv Independents Uprooted investigation wins Bucha Journalism Conference Prize

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A Charlotte man has been sentenced to five years in prison for illegally possessing a loaded firearm fitted with an extended magazine.

Based on court documents and proceedings, on July 21, 2021, law enforcement was surveilling an area known for its drug trafficking and illegal firearms activity. During this surveillance, they observed 32-year-old Monwazee Raymon Boston with an extended magazine sticking out of his pants, leaving the area in his vehicle.

Shortly after, law enforcement located Boston and his vehicle. When Boston saw them, he fled on foot and hid behind a parked truck.

U.S. Army soldier had thousands of AI-generated child porn images

Officers were able to locate Boston and place him under arrest.

Officers found a Glock pistol, fitted and fully loaded with a 30-round extended magazine, behind the same truck where Boston hid. As officers searched Bostons vehicle, 445 methamphetamine pills and half a kilogram of marijuana was found.

Court documents show that, in 2011, Boston was convicted of drug trafficking and firearms offenses in South Carolina federal court. Boston was on federal supervised release for that conviction at the time he possessed the loaded firearm.

Queen City News is tracking CRIME in your area  >> Latest stories here

On May 1, 2023, Boston pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is in federal custody awaiting the designation of a federal facility.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Charlotte Pride said it condemns and is disheartened by Lowes and other corporations and institutions that are cutting diversity, equity and inclusion programs, the group said Wednesday.

On Monday, the home improvement chain became the latest company to scale back on DEI work following last years Supreme Court decision reversing affirmative action policies in college admissions and amid conservative activists backlash.

Charlotte Pride is urging corporate partners like Mooresville-based Lowes  a longtime supporter of its annual August parade and festival  the UNC System and other organizations to recommit to DEI initiatives.

NC LGBTQ group caught off guard as Lowes ends DEI programs amid conservative backlash

DEI programs and resource groups create safe spaces for people with shared identities, interests or goals to share challenges, discuss shared experiences and support each other professional and personally, Charlotte Pride said in a news release Wednesday afternoon.

In the face of growing challenges for our states LGBTQ+ citizens, it is more important than ever to stand in solidarity as a united community and to uplift each and every person, the nonprofit said.

Another Charlotte-based group, Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce, was caught off guard by Lowes decision, director of operations Abby Mederos told The Charlotte Observer Wednesday. The chamber and Lowes officials were meeting Tuesday and Wednesday about changes in their partnership.

The chamber expects to have more information later this week, Mederos said.

Lowes, corporate DEI retreat

On Monday, the Mooresville-based home improvement chain said in an internal memo that the company was changing its DEI policies. Most are LGBTQ+-related. Lowes launched a multi-year program to integrate diversity and inclusion initiatives in 2019.

Lowes said it is shifting focus to projects that align with our business affordable housing, disaster relief and skilled trades education. The company will no longer participate in Human Rights Campaign survey or LGBTQ surveys, or support community events outside of this scope, such as festivals, parades and fairs.

The chain has 1,700 stores nationwide and 300,000 workers, including 11,000 in the Charlotte region.

DEI programs ensure that workplaces do not feel isolating or hostile, Charlotte Pride said.

We call on corporations, organizations, and institutions to strengthen their support for DEI programs and for employees, stakeholders, and customers who represent a variety of identities and perspectives, the group said.

Lowes did not immediately respond for comment Wednesday regarding Charlotte Prides statement.

Charlotte Pride said its hopeful other corporate partners and institutions will reaffirm their commitment to recognize that DEI programs are essential for the long-term success and sustainability.

Lowes isnt the only company to recently drop DEI policies. Others include Tractor Supply, John Deere, Harley Davidson, Polaris and Indian Motorcycle.

DEI program elimination is a setback

Earlier this month, UNC Charlotte closed three DEI offices.

That followed the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors decision in May to eliminate DEI programs across the university system ends years of progress toward a more inclusive and equitable environment for students, faculty and staff.

Charlotte HBCU president says UNC systems DEI policy repeal is disservice to students

These impactful programs sent a clear message that diversity and inclusion were priorities within the UNC system, Charlotte Pride said Wednesday. The decision to eliminate them represents a setback not only for the people whom these programs served, but for the institution as a whole.
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV)  A Chatham County man could face a five-year prison sentence after he pled guilty to making a bomb threat.

Mohammed Arafat Afaneh, 28, of Savannah, is waiting for sentencing after pleading guilty to False Information and Hoaxes, Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia said in a press release.

The guilty plea means that Afaneh could face up to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison and substantial financial penalties, and up to three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term, according to the press release.

There is no parole in the federal system, so Afaneh will not have parole as an option.

Bomb threats terrorize innocent people and needlessly burden first responders with identifying and investigating the reported danger, Steinberg said in the release. Such threats exacerbate tensions in a world already on edge; this defendant and any other person considering a similar course of conduct will face serious consequences for their actions.

According to the press release, the court documents and testimony show that, on Nov. 17, 2023, Afaneh wrote and published a social media post on Facebook and Instagram stating, They said there is a BOMB inside the WTOC Center on Chatham Parkway that will detonate at 3 p.m. Its in one of the employees (sic) trunks. #Helpppppp!!!!! My friends are housed in the jail next door.

Afanehs hoax resulted in evacuations of the office park which houses the federal courthouse and a television station and caused emergency responses from multiple agencies including the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI, the Savannah Police Department and the Chatham County Sheriffs Office, the press release said.

Investigators determined the threat was a hoax and Afaneh was later located and arrested on unrelated state charges in Louisville, Kentucky according to the press release. The release continued, saying that he was remanded to the custody of U.S. Marshals.

We will not normalize violent threats in America, whether targeting businesses, federal courthouses, or average citizens, said FBI Atlanta Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian Ozden. The FBI will pursue to the fullest extent of the law anyone who threatens violence.

The press release said that case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darron J. Hubbard and L. Alexander Hamner.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE)  Theyre almost becoming a weekly news headline, ransomware attacks, that paralyze computers until you pay a big fee. Still, an old-fashioned way of stealing money remains: check washing.

Several East Tennessee businesses have had checks washed recently. Check washing consists of thieves using chemicals to remove some written information on a check and then rewrite it as they please. Postal inspectors say this form of theft has also become increasingly prevalent in recent years.

Crews fighting wildfire in the Smokies, closures reported

At the Better Business Bureau of Greater East Tennessee, President Tony Binkley and his staff help people find trustworthy businesses, brands, and charities. Binkley is also aware of scams. Recently, the bureau was targeted by a fraudster. A paper check sent through the mail to the BBBs health health insurance company was intercepted.

The insurance companys name was washed allowing a new name to appear as the payee. The monthly check was sent to pay health care benefits for the BBBs employees, including Binkley.

So, we get a notice that we havent received your check for health care for a particular month. So, we just assumed the check was tied up in the mail, lost in the mail, or misplaced. So, we issued another check, said Binkley.

As time passed, he found both checks had cleared the account. However, the BBB was credited for only one check.

New Pigeon Forge ordinance changes parking along the Parkway ahead of Rod Run

On further investigation, we realized that both the checks had been cashed. We contacted the insurance company, but they had only received one. So when we looked at the picture of the physical check. It had been acid-washed and cashed and made out to somebody completely different, said Binkley.

He added that the BBB has seen additional reports of this from around the Knoxville area.

It happened to one of our board members. So we know of at least five or six other companies this has happened to in the Knoxville area alone over the past few months, Binkley said. We just got a report last week from some businesses in the Pigeon Forge area that this has happened to. Two different businesses. We now have alerted the FBI and theyre doing an investigation into this.

Reports: Checks stolen from Maryville mail used to steal $81,000

Here are ways to foil check washers:

If possible, pay your bills online. Paying bills online is safer than a check through the mail.

If you write a check, deliver your mail to a post office, and dont leave envelopes containing checks in your mailbox.

Use a pen with blue or black non-erasable gel ink. Gel ink soaks into paper and may be more difficult to remove than ballpoint pen ink.



We got the money back and every business I have talked to so far has gotten their money back. But it is a process and its cumbersome. It involves changing your bank account because your bank account has been compromised, said Binkley.

The East Tennessee Better Business Bureau is now sending payments online to their health care company.

How to avoid becoming a victim of check washing

In the case of check washing, the number one rule is to only write a check with a gel pen, not ballpoint, a gel ink seeps into the paper, making it unwashable, unlike other pen ink. Most bills are payable online now, which can eliminate the need for physical checks, making it far less likely to experience check cooking or washing.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.
CHICAGO  While not everyone benefitted and the full economic impact is still to be determined, city officials are touting last weeks Democratic National Convention in Chicago as a success that residents and visitors wont soon forget.

With an estimated 50,000 visitors to the United Center and McCormick Place and staying at luxury hotels, business was booming.

Everyone was loving the city. I mean it was incredible, said Ald. Walter Burnett (27th Ward), who also serves as vice mayor and helped Mayor Brandon Johnson show visiting dignitaries a good time. They was like, We need you, vice mayor. The mayors not here. We need you to talk to the Secretary of Defense, secretary of this, this secretary.'

Mayor Johnson on DNC: Chicago hosted the best convention this country has ever seen

Chicago police, working in concert with the Secret Service, kept the peace. Demonstrators made their voices heard with only minor skirmishes. The biggest challenge came Monday, Day 1 of the convention, when protesters breached a security wall. The next day, authorities arrested a group in front of the Israeli consulate.

Burnett on Tuesday was among many praising Supt. Larry Snelling.

I was so impressed with the superintendent. I mean, hes like a general in the army. Hes like one of those generals who be the first one of the horse riding into the battlefield. He was right there with his men, Burnett said.

While some small businesses downtown closed due to security and traffic, the CEO of Choose Chicago said the overall benefit of last weeks success is immeasurable.

Really the impact is the interest and the enthusiasm that has been gained about Chicago. Weve gotten so many more inquires for wanting to travel and have leisure time here, said Rich Gamble. I think Chicago had a wonderfully bright moment and I hope the narrative that has been out there that has not been the most positive has now begun to shift.

Choose Chicago is among the groups that will do a benefit analysis.

Gov. JB Pritzker has hinted about a push to host the next Democratic National Convention in 2028.

The Democratic National Convention in Chicago concluded Thursday night with Vice President Kamala Harris accepting the partys nomination to the lands highest office.

DNC Highlights:

Walz accepts Democratic nomination for vice president: Its the honor of my life

Thats my dad! Gus Walz wins over social media with emotion for father

Police and FBI investigate maggot incident at DNC breakfast in Chicago

Chicago authors book inspired by Kamala Harris vice-presidential speech gains new relevance

Sketch artist captures scenes from Democratic National Convention

Why are so many people wearing camo at the DNC?

Illinois student journalists get firsthand experience at the DNC

Blue Carpet: DNC delegates make fashion statements to stand out in the crowd

Photos: Celebs spotted at the DNC

Dozens arrested after protestors clash with Chicago police near Israel Consulate

Chicago has hosted Democrats 12 times, the last being nearly 30 years ago when President Bill Clinton was nominated for a second term.



WGN Cover Story: Why Chicago has hosted more presidential conventions than any other city.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP)  International Overdose Awareness Day is observed this Friday, and communities in western Massachusetts are holding events to acknowledge this ongoing public health crisis.

Overdose awareness vigil held in Easthamptons Millside Park

Chicopee Mayor John Vieau was joined by representatives from Tapestry Health and other organizations for a flag raising outside City Hall Wednesday morning. Vieau told 22News that the police department and his office both work to assist people living with addiction who are looking for resources.

Theres some nonprofit groups right here in Chicopee or my office and well help and guide people and well keep it anonymous and help you find the resources you need and hopefully to get the help.

There were more than 2,100 opioid overdose deaths reported in Massachusetts last year.

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.
The aftermath of a car fire is pictured after the George Hildebran Fire & Rescue Department said that a "button battery" in a children's book caused a fire.

Firefighters in North Carolina are warning parents after a childrens book with a battery caused a minivan fire in the state.

The George Hildebran Fire & Rescue Department said on Sunday that a child car seat caught on fire soon after the child had gotten out of the car in Burke County, roughly 70 miles northwest of Charlotte.

After firefighters put out the flames, the Fire Marshals Office determined that the fire was started by a button battery inside a childrens book that was left underneath the seat, according to a Facebook post from the department.

Pictures from the fire damage showed the majority of the bottom of the seat burned, with the padding of the car seat burned along with some of the plastic melted. While the department shared a cover image of a Cocomelon book titled, JJs Potty Time that makes sounds, it's unclear what book caused the fire.

Girl's parents talk about 'crazy' fire

Destiny Williams told WSOC-TV that she and her family had just returned from church on Sunday and were inside for about 20 minutes when the fire began. Her daughter Misty had been in the car seat during the drive.

"This is crazy but thank God for protecting her, Williams said.

Misty's father, Pressley Williams, echoed the sentiment.

When the fire marshal came and confirmed it was from a lithium battery from a childs book, I was honestly shocked and surprised, Pressley Williams said.

He said the book that started the fire didn't have a warning label and that they've reached out to the company to pay for the damages to no avail. They said they do hope other families learn from their experience.

How can I prevent battery fires?

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, keeping lithium-ion batteries in direct sunlight or inside of hot cars can be a hazard and they should ideally be kept at room temperature.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.

This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Children's book ignites car seat in North Carolina family's minivan
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  The owners of the proposed Chill Can development missed the foreclosure deadline to repay the money it owes to the city and a consulting firm, and as of Tuesday, steps have been taken to place the property up for sheriffs sale.

Monday was the deadline for M.J. Joseph Development Corp., the owners of Chill Can, to repay the approximate $2 million owed to the City of Youngstown and consulting firm MS Consultants, Inc. The company did not pay.

In May, a Mahoning County judge closed Youngstowns case against the owners of the Chill Can plant. However, the city still had plans to recollect the money it invested in constructing three still-unoccupied buildings on the lower East Side.

In an Aug. 22 ruling, the court found the development company owed the city $1,500,000 plus a 3% interest and owed MS Consultants $322,907 plus an 18% interest. The court gave the company three days to pay.

Immediately following the missed payment deadline, a document was filed in Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas requesting the issuance of an order of sale to Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene.

The sheriff will appraise the property before it is sold at a public sale, with the date yet to be determined.

The plant was supposed to create 230 new jobs to manufacture self-chilling beverage cans, but it never opened.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
China and the US will plan a Biden-Xi call in the coming weeks, the White House says

Wang Yi, right, the director of the Communist Party's Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office gestures to 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)

BEIJING (AP)  Beijing and Washington will plan for a phone call in the coming weeks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden, the White House said Wednesday after National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing.

Sullivans first trip to China as national security adviser was aimed at keeping high-level communications open and stabilizing bilateral relations to avoid conflict.

The White House statement said both sides would keep lines of communication open, including planning for a leader-level call in the coming weeks.

There was no indication the two leaders might meet in person before Biden leaves the Oval Office.

The White House said the two sides also planned to hold a military theater commander telephone call in the near future.

China has rapidly expanded its military, and there are concerns that Taiwan and the South China Sea are becoming flashpoints.

Wang told Sullivan that Taiwans independence poses the greatest threat to stability in the immediate region. He demanded that the U.S. stop arming the island but support Chinas peaceful unification, according to a statement released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Taiwan, a self-governing island democracy that split from authoritarian communist China in 1949, has rejected Beijings demands that it accept unification with the mainland by peace or by force. The U.S. is obligated under a domestic law to provide the island with sufficient hardware and technology to deter invasion.

The White House statement said Sullivan underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

Sullivan planned to meet with Chinas Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Zhang Youxia on Thursday morning, according to a senior Biden administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the yet to be publicly announced meeting.

Zhang has spoken in the past of Beijings determination to take control of Taiwan. At an international naval gathering earlier this year in northeast China, Zhang said China would strike back with force if its interests came under threat.

He said Chinas territorial sovereignty brooks no infringement and its core interests cannot be challenged. We do not provoke trouble, but we will never flinch in face of provocation. The Chinese military will resolutely defend the reunification and interest of the motherland.

Beijing also warned Washington not to support or indulge the Philippines to infringe upon Chinas rights and interests in the South China Sea. China and the Philippines have clashed over the Second Thomas Shoal and lately the Sabina Shoal.

The U.S. military has pushed back against Chinas claim to virtually the entire South China Sea, saying this week it would be open to consultations about escorting Philippine ships in the disputed sea amid a spike in hostilities between Beijing and Manila on the issue.

The White House said Sullivan reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to defending its Indo-Pacific allies and expressed concern about Beijings destabilizing actions against lawful Philippine maritime operations in the South China Sea.

The Philippines has 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.

The U.S. has shifted its policy with China from engagement to competition. The Biden administration has made it a priority to prevent the competition from spiraling out of control, while seeking to collaborate with China in areas such as climate change, artificial intelligence and enforcement against illicit drugs.

John Podesta, the senior adviser to the president for international climate policy, will travel to China, and Sullivan and Wang discussed next steps to reduce the flow of illicit synthetic drugs and continue repatriation of undocumented migrants, the White House said.

The U.S. Border Patrol in July made 1,851 arrests of Chinese immigrants on the border with Mexico, down from the December high of 5,951.

The two sides also agreed to hold a second round of dialogue over artificial intelligence, the Chinese foreign ministry said.

Sullivan raised continued concerns about Chinas trade policies and non-market economic practices, the White House said.

Wang demanded the U.S. stop suppressing China in the areas of trade, economic and technology, the Chinese foreign ministry said.

By resorting to protectionism, the U.S. would only hurt the global green development and affect the global economic growth, Wang told Sullivan.

___

Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report.

___

This story was republished on Aug. 30, 2024, to restore content from Aug. 28 that was erroneously removed.
Children mourn for victims of a school mass shooting at a square in Uvalde, Texas, the United States, on May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

According to an analysis by Everytown for Gun Safety, gun violence in schools rose by 31 percent last year. Even more alarmingly, firearms have become the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 17 in the United States, surpassing other causes such as traffic accidents and cancer.

SACRAMENTO, the United States, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- As students across the United States are returning to classrooms for the new school year, the specter of gun violence looms large over American communities, with recent data and events highlighting the ongoing crisis, and some cities and organizations launching new efforts to address the issue.

In Indianapolis, Indiana, more than 100 residents participated in a peace walk on Saturday to raise awareness about youth gun violence. The event, which took place on the city's far east side, marked the fifth anniversary of the tragic murders of two teenagers who were shot and killed by another teenager in 2019.

"Our children are hurting," said Antonia Bailey, the mother of the slain siblings, to The Indianapolis Star. "They're being raised by parents that are hurting and have no clue what to do."

The peace walk came at a time when youth homicides in Indianapolis were steadily rising. According to data from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, 25 homicides of individuals 17 years or younger were investigated in 2023, with additional cases handled by neighboring police departments.

Meanwhile, in Seattle, Washington, city officials and the school district announced a combined 14.5 million investment to protect youth from gun violence. The funding, unveiled last week, aimed to implement safety measures before the start of the new school year on Sept. 4.

Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Brent Jones outlined some planned improvements, including new cameras, additional signage, fencing, and access control measures. The district also doubled security specialist staff at key schools and creating a new position called "executive director of student and community safety."

The investment came in the wake of recent tragedies, including the shooting death of a 17-year-old student in a school parking lot in June and the fatal shooting of another 17-year-old high school student in 2022. Despite significant budget shortfalls, city and district leaders emphasized the importance of investing in school safety.

Recent national data underscored the urgency of addressing youth gun violence.

According to an analysis by Everytown for Gun Safety, gun violence in schools rose by 31 percent last year. Even more alarmingly, firearms have become the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 17 in the United States, surpassing other causes such as traffic accidents and cancer.

People display photos of victims of gun violence during a march to the Capitol to protest for a ban on assault weapons, in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 17, 2023. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

The impact of gun violence on Black children is particularly severe. The Giffords Law Center, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reported that gun violence had been the leading cause of death for Black children since 2006. In 2022, Black children were more than 18 times more likely to be killed in a gun homicide than white children.

The pervasiveness of firearms in U.S. society continued to be a subject of debate and research. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association examined the association between the start of deer hunting season and shootings in rural U.S. counties.

The study found that the first week of deer hunting season was associated with a significant increase in shootings relative to the week prior. The researchers concluded that their findings "align with a body of research showing that firearm prevalence is associated with an increase in the risk of firearm violence."

As the gun violence crisis persists, some advocates are calling for more comprehensive approaches to address the issue.

In Tennessee, where educators are allowed to carry guns in schools, some parents expressed concern about the presence of firearms on school grounds, regardless of who is carrying them.

Rebekah Schuler, an 18-year-old survivor of a school shooting in Michigan, has become a volunteer for Students Demand Action, advocating for laws requiring background checks for handguns, secure storage for firearms, and other measures to keep children safe.

"We've normalized this crisis for too long, and it doesn't have to be this way," Schuler told the USA Today newspaper. 
St John's Church in Hanley, Staffordshire, was built in 1788 but has been out of use since the 1980s owing to structural concerns - Pete Stonier/Stoke Sentine/BPM Media

The Church of England has intervened to stop a disused Grade II-listed church from being turned into a mosque.

An Islamic charity won planning permission earlier this month to convert the Georgian church of St Johns in Hanley, Staffordshire, into a Muslim place of worship.

However, the Church of England has blocked the development using a legal clause that prevents the building from being used for worship by any religion other than Christianity.

The restrictive covenant was placed on the church when the diocese of Lichfield sold it in 2009.

Built in 1788, it had been out of use since the 1980s owing to concerns for its structural integrity.

The church initially became a cafe and antiques centre, before being sold on to the Zamir Foundation which won permission from Stoke-on-Trent city council to turn it into a mosque on August 15.

The charity also planned to install a museum, multi-faith library and womens only gym inside the building.

But the Church of England has declined.

Restrictive covenant prohibits conversion into mosque

A spokesman for the Church Commissioners, which manages the Anglican churchs investments and assets, said the owners had been informed that it would not permit the change.

The Church Commissioners is aware that planning permission has been granted for changes to St Johns Hanley, the spokesman said.

We support former churches being used for community purposes, but a restrictive covenant prohibits the use of the building as a place of worship other than as a church, and the Commissioners has explained this to the owner.

Building works had already started at the church before planning permission was granted.

A bulldozer had levelled and cleared the grounds for a car park and internal partition walls and washing facilities were installed before being removed at the councils request because permission had not yet been granted.

Zabi Zamir, a spokesman for the Zamir Foundation, had previously hailed the granting of planning permission as a positive step towards enhancing community services and fostering inclusivity.

The Church of England will consider bringing legal action against the charity if it ignores the covenant and goes ahead with the mosque conversion, The Telegraph understands.

Churches converted into nightclubs

Other uses for former churches include climbing walls, such as St Marks in Newcastle and St Benedicts in West Gorton, Manchester.

Other churches have been converted into nightclubs, including the Grade II-listed St Andrews in Bournemouth and Salisburys Chapel nightclub, which was built in the 19th century as a Pentecostal church.

The chapel of the former Claybury Asylum in Woodford, north London, is now a swimming pool and sauna, while Nottinghams Grade II-listed High Pavement Chapel was converted into a bar in 1998.

The Zamir Foundation and Stoke-on-Trent city council were approached for comment.

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Russia will launch a counteroffensive to reclaim territory in Kursk Oblast, which Ukrainian troops have captured, but Russian forces will face a "difficult fight," the CIA says.

Source: CIA Deputy Director David Cohen, writes Reuters, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Cohen stated that the significance of the Ukrainian operation, which encompassed 777 square kilometres of Russian territory, remains to be seen.

On 6 August, Ukrainian troops broke through Russia's western border into Kursk Oblast, launching an unexpected offensive that has continued to this day.

While Kyiv has stated that it has no intention of annexing the territory it has captured, Ukrainian troops are erecting defensive lines and appear to intend to keep "some of that territory for some period of time," Cohen said at an intelligence and national security meeting.

Quote: "We can be certain that Putin will mount a counteroffensive to try to reclaim that territory. I think our expectation is that that will be a difficult fight for the Russians," Cohen said.

He stated that Putin will have to "deal with reverberations back in his own society" due to the loss of Russian territory.

Ukraine claims to have captured 100 settlements during its incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast, while Russian forces continue to advance in eastern Donetsk.

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 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.

The media previously reported that 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.

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CIA Official Says Thwarted Terrorist Plot At Taylor Swift Concert Was Intended To Kill Tens Of Thousands Of People Including Americans  Reports

The foiled terrorist plot at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna earlier this month was intended to kill a huge number, tens of thousands of people including Americans, the deputy director of the CIA said today.

David S. Cohen, speaking at the Intelligence Summit outside Washington D.C. also revealed that the information used by Austrian police on August 7 to disrupt the plot was provided to the authorities by the CIA.

More from Deadline

They were plotting to kill a huge number, tens of thousands of people at this concert, I am sure many Americans, Cohen said, as reported by The New York Times, NBC and other news organizations. The Austrians were able to make those arrests because the agency and our partners in the intelligence community provided them information about what this ISIS-connected group was planning to do.

Swift canceled three shows at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna after being informed by Austrian authorities about a bomb plot planned by four people with ties to the Islamic State. At least three arrests have been made.

The Eras Tour superstar called the cancellations devastating, writing in a social media post, The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows. But I was also so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives.

More than 170,000 people were expected to attend the Vienna concerts. Cohen did not disclose how the CIA obtained the information that thwarted the planned bombing.

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Cigarette to blame for house fire that hospitalized one

WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)  Officials with the Wichita Falls Fire Department said a cigarette appears to have started a house fire on Wednesday morning that caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage and sent one to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

LOCAL NEWS: 3 dead, 11 injured in rollover on US 287 near Alvord

According to Eddie Mawson, Assistant Fire Marshal for the WFFD, the fire department was alerted to a structure fire in the 500 block of Fillmore Street just before 11 a.m. on Wednesday, August 28, 2024.

WFFD on scene of a fire in the 500 block of Fillmore St. on August 28, 2024 (Photo credit: Curtis Jackson, KFDX/KJTL)

House fire in the 500 block of Fillmore St. on August 28, 2024 (Photo credit: Curtis Jackson, KFDX/KJTL)

WFFD on scene of a fire in the 500 block of Fillmore St. on August 28, 2024 (Photo credit: Curtis Jackson, KFDX/KJTL)

House fire in the 500 block of Fillmore St. on August 28, 2024 (Photo credit: Curtis Jackson, KFDX/KJTL)

WFFD on scene of a fire in the 500 block of Fillmore St. on August 28, 2024 (Photo credit: Curtis Jackson, KFDX/KJTL)

House fire in the 500 block of Fillmore St. on August 28, 2024 (Photo credit: Curtis Jackson, KFDX/KJTL)

Mawson said upon arrival at the scene, firefighters reported smoke showing from the residence and went into quick attack.

Officials with the WFFD said all residents exited the house on their own, as well as two dogs. They said a 79-year-old woman was transported by AMR to the hospital for treatment from some smoke inhalation.

According to Mawson, there was around $50,000 in damage done to the structure and around $10,000 in damage done to the contents of the residence.

LOCAL CRIME: One arrested in connection to shooting in Cinemark parking lot

Mawson said in all, nine units and 21 WFFD personnel were on the scene. He said the Red Cross was called for four adults, two dogs, and a cat.

According to Mawson, the fire was caused by the woman who was hospitalized. Mawson said she had lit a cigarette and was on oxygen.

This is a developing story. Stick with Texomas Homepage for updates as more information becomes available.

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WESTON W.Va. (WBOY)  The City of Weston has received a $10,000 grant from the State Historic Preservation Office to restore a cemetery with graves that date back to before the Civil War.

Arnold Cemetery, also known as the Old Hill Cemetery, was established by a Catholic church in 1820 and has graves of veterans from World War II, World War I as well as the Civil War. Most of the Civil War graves are those of Union soldiers, but at least one is a Confederate Soldier.

The cemetery is also the site of West Virginias largest poplar tree, which is estimated to be 400 years old, according to the US Forest Service.

Efforts to restore the cemetery started with a small volunteer group called Friends of Arnold

who cleaned the stones and picked up fallen tree limbs. However, with the grant, the city plans to fix broken tombstones, repair fences, and build an archway at the entrance.

Local company helping restore South Harrisons football field

Marty Lewis, an official with the City of Weston, said that a member of the Friends of Arnold is applying to have the cemetery placed in the National Register of Historic Places, which would open up more funding opportunities.

The Friends of Arnold are looking for other community members to join them in restoring the cemetery. A 911 Day of Remembrance Workday to clean, paint, and repair the cemetery is scheduled on Sept. 14 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com.
A City whistleblower has been awarded more than half a million pounds after he was fired for exposing an alleged Chinese spy.

An employment tribunal has awarded Bharat Bhagani, a former compliance officer at Goldenway Global Investments, nearly 565,000 in compensation, according to a ruling published earlier this week.

Mr Bhagani took his former employer Goldenway, a UK subsidiary of a Hong Kong-registered company, to tribunal for unfair dismissal.

The executive claimed he was ordered to secure a work visa for an employee who later turned out to be a Chinese agent and was sacked after raising the alarm with authorities.

Goldenway Global claimed that Mr Bhagani was dismissed for gross misconduct and failing to obey the instructions of its directors.

However, a judge concluded last year that Mr Bhaganis complaint was well-founded and ruled that he was unfairly dismissed because he shared his concerns with the Financial Conduct Authority.

Mr Bhagani went to the City watchdog to alert them to the alleged Chinese spy in 2022.

He also alerted the FCA of alleged money laundering, fraudulent loans and Goldenway Globals attempts to appoint two Hong Kong-based residents as UK directors without regulatory approval.

According to the tribunal, he told his superiors in Hong Kong: I have asked the regulators to come in ... Please stop all communication with London staff. You will prejudice the regulators investigation ... I have called in the regulators and I am certainly not stepping down. I represent the FCA.

Mr Bhagani claimed he was interrogated by UK authorities after raising the alarm and alleged that officials told him the worker he had asked to secure a visa for was a Chinese espionage agent and had been deported.

Witnesses for Goldenway Global claimed to have no knowledge about the alleged Chinese spy. However, in a ruling, Judge Emery said the evidence about the issue was not seriously challenged during the tribunal hearing.

Although recognising Goldenway Global may have seen Mr Bhaganis conduct as obstructive, the tribunal concluded that Mr Bhagani genuinely believed that he was required to disclose the alleged espionage attempt to the FCA despite spying falling outside of the watchdogs remit.

The tribunal found that Mr Bhaganis dismissal was a breach of contract because Goldenway Global failed to launch an investigation or disciplinary procedure before his departure.

Mr Bhagani also claimed to have lost out on a job offer after Goldenway Globals bosses provided a reference claiming that he was sacked for gross misconduct, without proving the allegations or providing him an opportunity to comment.

The whistleblower also claimed pay for unpaid holiday and notice period.

Goldenway Global was subject to restrictions by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) before it was shut down in 2022.

The company, based in a central London office near Liverpool Street Station, provided foreign exchange services. It is owned by Goldenway Precious Metals, a Hong Kong-based platform for trading gold and silver.

Goldenway Global was contacted for comment.

The Chinese embassy rejected the tribunals findings at the time of the initial judgment. A spokesman previously said: The so-called Chinese espionage agent related to an employment dispute case, is completely based on hearsay evidence and also is created out of nothing. We firmly oppose any malicious slander against China.

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CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  A Clarksville mother of seven was terrified when her child didnt get off the school bus Monday afternoon.

Thankfully, she was later able to locate her child. However, shed now like to see changes on district buses.

Its too hot: United Way, other organizations host fan giveaway in Clarksville

Chasney Lyons-Beard said that she took matters into her own hands on Monday afternoon after her 5-year-old son, Adonis, didnt get off the bus. Home surveillance video shared with News 2 showed the moment when her other children tried to tell the driver Adonis hadnt gotten off.

Lyons-Beard said the driver reportedly told the children Adonis never got on the bus and drove off. Lyons-Beard then called the school and started to drive her sons bus route.

It was literally nobody but God that led me to the last street, Lyons-Beard said. But when I looked on the bus, you couldnt see anyone on the bus but the bus driver, so I immediately started sobbing.

Fortunately, Adonis was on the bus with the driver at a stop roughly a mile away. Lyons-Beard said that the bus driver told her that he did not have time to do a walk-through.

He [Adonis] was panting when he got off the bus. His skin was very clammy from being hot. He was very sweaty, Lyons-Beard added. I can just only imagine  had I not stopped the bus, if God did not lead me to that bus stop  what the story could have been for today.

Lyons-Beard said that she would like to see bus monitors placed on her sons route. The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System told News 2 that the kindergartener was never left unattended on the bus. They added that Adonis got on at Woodlawn Elementary at 3:55 p.m., and was located less than 10 minutes after Lyons-Beard called.

Wilson County ethics committee dismisses complaint against former teacher of the year

Still, Lyons-Beard said that she worries about the remainder of the school year.

I was fearful this morning of even sending my kids to school, fearful of the same thing happening again, Lyons-Beard said. My son did not want to get on the bus, but I reassured him that hes okay and Gods got us.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) A man from Carbon, Indiana turned himself in to the Federal Courthouse in Indianapolis Wednesday due to his alleged involvement in the January 6 breach at the capitol, according to a news release.

The news release from the U.S. Department of Justice states that 34-year-old Nicholas Scott Ingram Hofer, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in D.C. with felony offenses of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and civil disorder. Along with the felonies Hofer is also being charged with multiple misdemeanors.

Hofer is charged with several misdemeanor offenses, including entering and remaining in restricted grounds or buildings, disorderly and disruptive conduct in restricted grounds or buildings, engaging in physical violence in restricted grounds or buildings, and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds, committing an act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings, according to the press release.

The release states that Hofer was one of the many identified among the rioters in the West Plaza during the January 6 breach. Hofer has been identified through several photos in the release as being one of the rioters on January 6. He is alleged to have been one of the rioters toward the front of the crowd that pushed through police lines and barricades. According to the release, Hofer was identified as one of the individuals who entered through the Senate Wing Door after rioters broke two windows to get in and then broke the door open to let others in.

The release stated that after Hofer was in he allegedly picked up and threw a wooden exhibit sign. After this Hofer and other rioters are alleged to have tried to breach the East Rotunda Door and repeatedly assaulted a small group of USCP officers there. The release stated that Hofer reached over fellow rioters and with assistance from them ripped a riot shield from an officers grasp. Hofer then passed the shield into the crowd and it disappeared as another rioter sprayed an orange-colored chemical irritant into the face of the officer.

The release states in an open source video that Hofer can be seen pushing against officers while rioters forced their way back into the capitol. Hofer is also alleged to have placed himself at the front of the line of rioters after entering the Rotunda, standing for 10 minutes refusing to leave before officers forced him out. In total, he spent around 38 minutes in the capitol, according to the release.

The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Divisions Counterterrorism Section. Hofer will make his first appearance in the Southern District of Indiana.

The release stated that in the 43 months since the breach more than 1,488 individuals have been charged in nearly every state including 550 of those with felony charges.

photos of the alleged man involved in the capitol breach provided by the Department of Justice

photos of the alleged man involved in the capitol breach provided by the Department of Justice

photos of the alleged man involved in the capitol breach provided by the Department of Justice

photos of the alleged man involved in the capitol breach provided by the Department of Justice

photos of the alleged man involved in the capitol breach provided by the Department of Justice

photos of the alleged man involved in the capitol breach provided by the Department of Justice

photos of the alleged man involved in the capitol breach provided by the Department of Justice

photos of the alleged man involved in the capitol breach provided by the Department of Justice

photos of the alleged man involved in the capitol breach provided by the Department of Justice

photos of the alleged man involved in the capitol breach provided by the Department of Justice

photos of the alleged man involved in the capitol breach provided by the Department of Justice

photos of the alleged man involved in the capitol breach provided by the Department of Justice

photos of the alleged man involved in the capitol breach provided by the Department of Justice

photos of the alleged man involved in the capitol breach provided by the Department of Justice

photos of the alleged man involved in the capitol breach provided by the Department of Justice

photos of the alleged man involved in the capitol breach provided by the Department of Justice

photos of the alleged man involved in the capitol breach provided by the Department of Justice

photos of the alleged man involved in the capitol breach provided by the Department of Justice



photos of the alleged man involved in the capitol breach provided by the Department of Justice

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The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) vehicles are on patrol in Marjayoun, Lebanon, Aug. 28, 2024.

The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on Wednesday to extend the mandate of the UNIFIL until Aug. 31, 2025. (Photo by Taher Abu Hamdan/Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on Wednesday to extend the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) until Aug. 31, 2025.

By adopting resolution 2749the Security Council also demanded the full implementation of resolution 1701 (2006) and urged all relevant actors to implement immediate measures toward de-escalation -- including those aimed at restoring calm, restraint and stability across the Blue Line.

The council also encouraged the UN secretary-general to ensure that UNIFIL remains ready to adapt its activities to support de-escalation, and requested continued reporting on the implementation of resolution 1701 (2006) every four months.

After the vote, Lebanon's representative said the unanimous vote on the resolution "is proof of the international community's interest in Lebanon" and was "a gesture of hope for all Lebanese who reject war, violence and destruction."

He affirmed Lebanon's commitment to ensuring UNIFIL's security and safety, and urged those present to work together toward de-escalation, ceasefire and the implementation of relevant resolutions.

UNIFIL was originally created by the Security Council in March 1978 to confirm the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security and assist the Lebanese government in restoring its effective authority in the area. After the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, UNIFIL's mandate was expanded to monitor the cessation of hostilities and to accompany the deployment of Lebanese armed forces throughout southern Lebanon as Israel withdraws its troops.

According to UNIFIL, the force has around 10,500 peacekeepers coming from 48 troop contributing countries. 
(The Hill)  Michael Cohen, former President Trumps ex-fixer, said Tuesday that the GOP nominee has been drawing from the same old playbook by raising questions publicly about whether he will participate in the presidential debates.

This is not new, Cohen said in a CNN interview, responding to Trumps recent comments about his potential debate participation.

Donalds been playing the same old play from the same old playbook going back to 2015. He wants the debate to go the way he wants the debate to go, he continued.

Questions have swirled in recent days over whether the ABC News presidential debate will take place as planned, as the campaigns revisit the rules that were set before President Biden was replaced atop the Democratic ticket.

Trump and his allies have also been bashing ABC News, host of the debate in question, labeling the outlet fake and suggesting the deck was stacked against him. He has been pushing for a debate hosted by Fox News.

Cohen said Trump is attacking ABC News because he wants to control all the levers.

Now, with Fox News, he can do that, Cohen said. With CNN, he cannot do that. With ABC, NBC, CBS, et cetera, he cannot do that.

So, of course, hes going to claim that theres a bias against him, Cohen said. None of it is true. Its all a figment of his imagination, which is getting more and more weird each and every day.

Cohen predicted Trump would show up regardless of the host network because he wouldnt want to yield the stage to Vice President Harris, who would then have more of a platform to attack her Republican opponent.

But hes going to end up showing up, despite all of the nonsense because he knows what Kamala Harris is going to do to him if he doesnt show up, he said. She will just put a cardboard cutout of him in the spot and she will talk to him as if hes there.

Cohen, for years, was the former presidents fixer and personal lawyer. He turned on his boss and served a three-year sentence after pleading guilty to federal campaign finance and other crimes. He maintains that he committed some of the crimes at Trumps direction and testified to that effect as the star witness in Trumps New York criminal case, which returned a guilty verdict.

In response to Cohens remarks, a Trump spokesperson referred The Hill to a social media post, in which Trump said he reached an agreement to debate Harris on ABC News. In the post, Trump referred to the outlet as ABC FAKE NEWS, by far the nastiest and most unfair newscaster in the business.

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Colorado authorities are investigating the suspicious death of a dog breeder and looking for 10 Doberman puppies who were missing from his property, authorities in Clear Creek County said.

Paul Peavey.

Paul Peavey, 57, was first reported missing Aug. 21 before a privately organized search party discovered his body Saturday, the sheriff's office said in a statement Sunday.

His death is considered a homicide; however, we do not believe the public is in imminent danger, the sheriffs office said on X.

Peavey's autopsy was to be conducted Wednesday. It is unclear when the results will be released, and the coroner's office didn't immediately respond to an inquiry.

Officials confirmed Wednesday that as the homicide investigation continues, 10 of Peavey's Doberman puppies remain unaccounted for.

The sheriff's office posted a series of updates on social media, asking the public for help searching for the puppies.

The missing puppies may have been sold since last week, officials said. All puppies were microchipped, so anyone who had bought a puppy in the area within the last week was asked to check for a microchip to determine whether it was one of Peavey's.

According to officials, Peavey ran a business called Elite European Dobermans in Idaho Springs, a city 35 miles west of Denver. The business' website said it delivers up to two litters of Doberman dogs per year that are raised on 110 acres of land.

"Paul Peavey has been a dog lover since he was 10 years old and has had various dogs since," the website said.

Bruce Boynton, one of Peavey's closest friends, organized the more than 40-member search party that discovered Peavey's body. He spoke with NBC affiliate KUSA of Denver about the horrifying moment they found Peavey, who was covered with sticks, stones and debris.

Nothing that anyone wants to see in their life. Its something that would haunt you for the rest of your life, Boynton said.

The sheriff's office continues to investigate with help from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the 5th Judicial District Attorney's Office.

No public announcements about arrests have been made, and the sheriff's office declined to share any additional details.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials release 1 of 5 gray wolves onto public land in Grand County, Dec. 18, 2023. This wolf is known as 2302-OR. (Courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife)

Following months of attacks on livestock in and around Grand County, state wildlife officials said Wednesday that they have begun an operation to relocate the first wolf pack to be established as part of efforts that began last winter to reintroduce gray wolves to Colorado.

The animals being relocated include two mated adults and the three pups they had this spring. By reproducing in the wild, the wolves, which were captured in Oregon and released by Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials late last year, became the first established wolf pack to result from the states reintroduction program, and were named the Copper Creek pack.

The decision to capture and relocate the Copper Creek pack was made with the careful consideration of multiple factors and feedback from many different stakeholders, CPW Director Jeff Davis said in a press release. Our options in this unique case were very limited, and this action is by no means a precedent for how CPW will resolve wolf-livestock conflict moving forward.

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The states wolf reintroduction program fulfills a voter-approved 2020 ballot initiative to reintroduce the animals in Colorado in the name of restoring ecological balance. The measure, Proposition 114, was passed by a narrow 51% to 49% margin, and though it includes provisions to compensate livestock producers for depredations, it has been bitterly opposed by Colorados ranching industry.

At least 15 cattle and nine sheep are confirmed to have been killed by wolves in Grand and Routt counties following last years reintroductions, according to CPW data. The agency and local livestock producers say that many of the depredations were caused by the Copper Creek pack. Last month, CPW denied a request submitted in May by the Middle Park Stockgrowers Association for a permit to kill wolves deemed to be chronic depredators.

In an Aug. 14 letter to CPW and Gov. Jared Polis, the Colorado Cattlemens Association and local livestock organizations criticized that decision and wrote of their deep concerns regarding the current direction and implementation of Colorados wolf reintroduction and management program.

Since the inception of the wolf reintroduction program, we have actively engaged and cooperated in good faith while also expressing our concerns throughout the process, the letter read. However, our concerns have been consistently overlooked. If the current trajectory of wolf management persists, it will become increasingly difficult for us to continue our cooperation.

This decision is being driven by politics, is not rooted in science-based management and stands to significantly delay the progress of the reintroduction program.

 Mike Senatore, Defenders of Wildlife

The advocacy group Defenders of Wildlife sharply criticized the states decision to relocate the pack, calling it a risky, short-term solution and accusing livestock producers and CPW officials of not pursuing more effective means of nonlethal control and deterrence.

This decision is being driven by politics, is not rooted in science-based management and stands to significantly delay the progress of the reintroduction program, Mike Senatore, Defenders of Wildlifes senior vice president of conservation programs. All parties involved in the events that led to this deeply flawed decision should be held accountable for failure to effectively utilize proven coexistence tools.

A total of 10 reintroduced wolves were released in Grand and Summit counties in December 2023, and have ranged widely in the mountains north of the Interstate 70 corridor since then. CPW said it would not disclose additional details of the Copper Creek packs relocation for the safety of these animals and staff.

The ultimate goal of the operation is to relocate the pack to another location while we assess our best options for them to continue to contribute to the successful restoration of wolves in Colorado, Davis said.

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Colorado House gives first approval to property tax bill on second day of special session

The Colorado House of Representatives debates a property tax relief bill during a special session on Aug. 27, 2024. (Sara Wilson/Colorado Newsline)

The Colorado House of Representatives gave preliminary approval to a property tax bill on Tuesday afternoon after about three hours of debate.

The bill underwent some minor revisions but is largely the same version that passed through committee on Monday that is expected to satisfy supporters of two ballot initiatives that lawmakers are hoping will be withdrawn.

It will need to win a recorded vote in the chamber Wednesday morning before it heads to the Senate.

Its important to provide certainty to local governments so that they know what essential services they can provide, so they can make the hard decisions on how to provide for their communities in public safety, public health, human services and all of the things county commissioners and local governments and special districts do, Minority Leader Rose Pugliese, a Colorado Springs Republican, said.

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Gov. Jared Polis called the Legislature into a special session to pass a property tax relief deal in order to avert deep tax-cut ballot initiatives. Initiatives 50 and 108, backed by conservative activists from Colorado Concern and Advance Colorado, would reduce property tax revenue on a level that lawmakers say would be catastrophic to the budgets for local governments, school districts and other local tax districts that rely heavily on property taxes to operate.

The bill makes minor cuts to assessment rates for residential and some non-residential properties and sets revenue growth caps for taxing entities. It builds on a much larger property tax measure from May and gives some relief, but would not slash revenue to the extent the two ballot initiatives would. If this bill passes, those initiatives would be pulled from the ballot, according to the conservative groups that brought them forward.

One successful amendment Tuesday adjusts the bills growth gaps by letting local governments and school districts roll over growth allowance if they dont hit the ceiling during an assessment cycle.

Under the bill, school districts would have a 12% growth cap per cycle. But if a district sees just 5% growth, they can carry that 7% allowance over to the next cycle for a total of a 19% growth cap.

This provides a smoothing if there is some sort of up and down in our assessed valuation, House Speaker Julie McCluskie, a Dillon Democrat, said.

Not every lawmaker is completely on board with the legislative deal being considered. Rep. Tammy Story, an Evergreen Democrat, read concerns she received from fire officials about what further property tax cuts, and therefore revenue cuts, could do for their operations during a time of increased wildfires across the state.

Costs have escalated dramatically over time, and yet were continuing to operate with budgets that are well below any kind of element that would make them whole and allow them to do their work. Continuing to cut property taxes, which we are on this trend where weve done it a number of times, is just making the situation worse, she said.

Progressive lawmakers attempted to amend the bill on Tuesday with concepts that died the previous day in committee. Rep. Javier Mabrey, a Denver Democrat, offered an amendment that would have applied home value exemptions  lowering the amount of a homes value used to calculate taxes  only to primary residences, not additional homes or rental properties.

These value reductions are a way for us to target relief at homeowners whose value may be (lower), he said. We should not allow this additional tax benefit that is supposed to be targeted at working and middle class families to those who own multiple homes.

Mabrey withdrew the amendment.

Rep. Lorena Garcia, an Adams County Democrat, also presented an amendment that mirrored legislation rejected by a House committee. Her amendment would have created a way for homeowners with a median property value to save more on property taxes than people with more expensive homes. She also withdrew the amendment.

The House also gave preliminary approval to two other bills: one related to a tax exemption for agricultural equipment and another for a ballot referral that would require local voter approval of any statewide property tax ballot initiative.

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This still image from a 2020 video of Teak Brockbank firing a weapon appears in a U.S. criminal complaint against Brockbank.

U.S. officials charged a Cortez man with making interstate threats against election officials and others in Colorado and Arizona.

The U.S. Attorneys Office announced Monday that it arrested Teak Brockbank, a 45-year-old Cortez resident, after he allegedly made detailed threats against election officials, judges and law enforcement officers online between September 2021 and August 2022.

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, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

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The complaint alleges Brockbank posted on two social media platforms  Rumble, a video platform similar to YouTube, and Gab, a platform similar to X  claiming elections officials need to be put to death and threatening to use a rifle to kill a Colorado judge. In another post, Brockbank allegedly threatened to shoot any federal agents that may arrive at his residence.

Ill truly believe there is no other way to fix this mess in Colorado and places like Arizona without executing these evil people, one of the posts says.

The complaint also says Brockbank was convicted of a felony in Utah and therefore is barred from owning firearms but has a history of illegally possessing firearms and ammunition, according to photos recovered under a search warrant. The Federal Bureau of Investigation Denver Field Office is investigating the case and is seeking to detain Brockbank until trial, as he poses an imminent risk to others given the violent nature of the allegations.

Public servants must be able to do their jobs without fear, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole Argentieri said in a statement. The Criminal Division will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who target public officials with threats of violence.

The initial complaint was redacted to protect the identities of the victims allegedly threatened by Brockbank.

If convicted, Brockbank could face a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Brockbank appeared in federal court in Durango Monday, and is scheduled to return Wednesday for preliminary and detention hearings.

The case is part of the U.S. Justice Departments Election Threats Task Force, which was established to investigate threats against election workers.

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FILE - In this photo provided by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, wildlife officials release five gray wolves onto public land in Grand County, Colo., Monday, Dec. 18, 2023. (Colorado Natural Resources via AP)

Wildlife agencies are trying to capture and relocate the first pack of wolves that formed under Colorado's ambitious wolf reintroduction program after the animals repeatedly attacked livestock, marking an early stumble in the voter-driven initiative.

The move comes only a week after state officials touted three pups born to the Copper Creek pack, which formed after 10 of the predators from Oregon were released in December over bitter opposition from livestock groups. The pack has at least two adults.

The bid to capture them goes against Colorado's wolf management plan that was adopted last year. It included guidance that relocation has little technical merit because it could create problems elsewhere if the animals continue attacking livestock. The plan calls for using non-lethal approaches, such as patrolling ranches with range riders and scaring away problem wolves, or killing them if necessary to stop ongoing attacks on livestock.

Officials did not say where the Copper Creek pack would be relocated, nor whether they would be released into the wild or kept in captivity.

Ranching groups had wanted the wolf pack killed. Wildlife advocates said more should have been done to keep them from killing livestock, such as using electric fencing that can better deters attacks.

In other parts of the U.S. where wolves are well-established  including in the Northern U.S. Rocky Mountains and around the Great Lakes  the predators are routinely killed by wildlife officials in response to livestock attacks. Wolves are prolific breeders so removing some animals doesn't have population-wide effects.

Colorado's attempt to instead capture problem wolves comes after an agency spokesperson told The Associated Press last week that officials wanted to avoid killing them because it's too early in the process of reintroduction.

We don't have enough wolves on the landscape to lethally remove the pack, spokesperson Travis Duncan said.

State officials did not disclose where the capture operations were taking place but said the work was being done with help from federal officials and under U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rules. More details will be released after the relocation is completed, Duncan said Wednesday.

Michael Saul with Defenders of Wildlife said it was a big setback for the reintroduction.

There are lots of ranchers using existing tools who are living with wolves and not having this problem, Saul said. Even if the individual wolves survived, taking them out of the wild is removing the one successful breeding pack for Colorado.

Saul said he was concerned the pups might not survive the capture operations and that the two adult wolves might not be released. That would be contrary to the voter-approved plan to reintroduce the animals to the wild, he said.

Rancher Ted Ritschard, who lives about 15 miles (24 kilometers) from the ranch in Grand County, Colorado, where most of the livestock attacks took place, said he was glad the pack would be removed. He blamed them for killing at least 16 cattle and sheep and wants them in captivity so they don't kill again.

These pups have learned to kill livestock so they're going to keep doing it, said Ritschard, president of the Middle Park Stockgrowers Association. Once they get a taste of sheep or cattle, thats a whole different world."

Ritschard said area ranchers sought permission earlier this year to kill the wolves that were causing problems but were denied. The state's denial notice said livestock attacks had decreased when a rancher in the area buried a dead pit used to dispose of dead animals that was suspected of attracting wolves.

Ritschard refuted the claim that the dead pit played a role in the attacks.

We would see the wolves go by that dead pit at night. There was nothing fresh in that dead pit, he said.

In a statement issued late Tuesday, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director Jeff Davis characterized the Copper Creek pack relocation as a unique case, but did not elaborate.

This action is by no means a precedent for how CPW will resolve wolf-livestock conflict moving forward, Davis said in the statement. He said the goal was to relocate the pack while we assess our best options for them.

Wolf reintroduction in Colorado was narrowly approved by voters in a 2020 ballot measure. Wildlife officials expect to release an additional 30 to 50 wolves over the coming years. A handful of wolves have also wandered into Colorado from Wyoming.

Proponents argued that the apex predators would reestablish an ecological balance in the area. Wolves were largely hunted out of the state by the 1940s.

Owners of calves that are killed can be compensated by the state for the animals market value, up to $15,000. Ranchers have said that's not enough.

Gray wolves killed some 800 domesticated animals across 10 states in 2022, including Colorado, according to a previous Associated Press review of depredation data from state and federal agencies.

While the losses can affect individual ranchers, it has a negligible effect on the industry at large. Ranchers say many additional kills go unrecorded because the dead livestock is never found or the cause of death cant be confirmed.
A man charged in a 2022 mass shooting at Columbiana Centre is asking a judge to excuse his involvement under South Carolinas Stand Your Ground law.

Jewayne Price  one of three suspects charged in the 2022 Columbiana Centre mass shooting  said he was acting in self defense when he fired at two people he said were out to harm him. Following two days of testimony in Lexington, Circuit Court Judge Walton McLeod heard closing arguments on Wednesday and gave lawyers in the case 15 days to submit briefs in support of their arguments. There is no indication when McLeod will render a decision.

Citing South Carolinas Stand Your Ground law, Prices lawyer, Todd Rutherford, said his clients behavior was justified on April 16, 2022, when he fired 11 shots inside the Columbiana Centre mall.

A witness said Price was being hunted like an animal, Rutherford said during closing arguments. At no point did anybody say that (the witness) was unreasonable. At no point did anybody say that (the witness) could not have perceived what exactly she saw. You can see (the witness) on the camera diving into the store to get away from everything that happens.

My client says that he received the threats, and an independent witness saw him receive that threat, Rutherford said.

On Easter weekend in 2022, a total of 14 people, ranging in age from 15 to 73, were injured during theshooting at the mall in Harbison. Three suspects  Marquise Love Robinson, Amari Sincere-Jamal Smith, and Price  were indicted on a flurry of charges, including attempted murder, aggravated assault and unlawful possession of a handgun.

11th Circuit Solicitor Rick Hubbard said Prices self defense claim was unreasonable because he fired first. Price said that he let Robinson get close to him and that he pulled his weapon first and shot at him first, Hubbard told McLeod.

Price is facing two counts of attempted murder, nine counts of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature and unlawful carry of a pistol, as concealed weapons were prohibited in Columbiana Centre.

Of those injured in the shooting, nine were hit by gunfire and five others were hurt as people fled to the exits, according to the Columbia Police Department.

After the shooting, Police Chief Skip Holbrook said he believed the suspects all knew each other, and that the shooting was not a random act of violence.

Hubbard suggested that Price was acting within a gang culture, where disrespect wasnt tolerated. That culture, Hubbard said, resulted in the mall shooting, to which Price was the primary aggressor.

No evidence submitted during this weeks pretrial immunity hearing proved that Price was ever a part of a gang, according to both Hubbard and Rutherford.
Columbus Police searching for teen last seen near Buena Vista Road

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL)  Columbus Police are still searching for a teen who was reported missing July 31.

According to the Columbus Police Department, 17-year-old Skyler Wassmer was last seen near the 3700 block of Buena Vista Road. Wassmer was reported missing Jul. 31, but was seen again on Aug. 5, according to CPD.

Wassmer is described as standing 5-foot-7-inches tall with black hair, brown eyes and weighing about 100 pounds. Police say he was last seen wearing black jogging pants, black slides and a black hoodie.

Anyone with information is asked to call the CPD Special Victims Unit at 706-225-3449, lead investigator Sgt. Keven Moore 706-225-4384 or 911.

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For a brief moment this weekend, it looked as if the looming regional war that officials and analysts inside and outside the Middle East were concerned about for weeks had finally reared its ugly head.

Acting on intelligence that Hezbollah was about to launch a large-scale drone and missile attack on targets deep into Israel, 100 Israeli aircraft were scrambled for a bombing run into southern Lebanon.

About 40 Hezbollah military targets were struck simultaneously, derailing what Israeli security sources claimed was an imminent Hezbollah attack on northern and central Israel. Hezbollah retaliated shortly thereafter, sending approximately 340 rockets into Israel  the largest Hezbollah barrage since the cross-border fighting occurred in October. When all was said and done, two Hezbollah fighters and one Israeli sailor were killed.

Thats the bad news. The good news: Both sides are claiming victory and seem to want to move on. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israel Defense Forces, or IDF, are playing up Israels tactical proficiency against the Lebanese militia, stating that a much more deadly Hezbollah attack was averted.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is puffing out his chest and alleging that the group has avenged the death of one its senior commanders in an Israeli airstrike last month. At this current stage, the country (Lebanon) can take a breath and relax, Nasrallah said in a speech after the rocket attack.

Although Israel and Hezbollah have been sending ordinance at each other for nearly a year, both sides appear to understand just how devastating a full-scale war would be for Israel and Lebanon, let alone the region at large.

Indeed, according to Reuters, Israeli and Hezbollah officials exchanged messages stating that neither wished to escalate the fighting further. This is in keeping with an 11-month-long track record in which both parties effectively straddle the very thin line between contained military exchanges along the Israeli-Lebanese border region and full-fledged war that could cause thousands of civilian casualties. Israel has at times challenged that thin line, most notably on July 30 when it killed senior Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur in al-Dahiya, a southern suburb of Beirut, where the Hezbollah leadership is based.

Its no surprise that Israel and Hezbollah would prefer to avoid an all-out confrontation. Simply put, the stakes and costs are too high, and whatever benefits may be accrued would be overshadowed by the sheer destruction, both economically and in human terms, that would result.

Israel, of course, would do immense damage to Hezbollahs military infrastructure and capability during a hypothetical war with the group. Israeli military intelligence on Hezbollahs movements, weapons caches and facilities throughout Lebanon is quite good. Israels three-tiered air defense system has saved countless lives. And the IDF holds escalation dominance over the group, which means that Israel retains military advantages  large, well-trained ground forces, air power and higher-quality intelligence  that Hezbollah cant match.

Yet even escalation dominance isnt cost-free. A war against Hezbollah would make the ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza look like a day at the park. Unlike Hamas, Hezbollah possesses the kinds of weapons  medium-range, precision guided missiles, attack and surveillance drones of various ranges and a ground force that could be as high as 100,000  that would make daily life in Israel hard to function.

With upward of 150,000 missiles, Hezbollah has the capacity to hit targets anywhere in Israel, and you can bet that Tel Aviv, Israels largest city, would be on the list. Israels economy, which contracted in the last quarter of 2023, would likely contract further as the country mobilizes more military personnel  subtracting from the civilian workforce.

The IDF would seek to destroy Hezbollah in its entirety just as its now trying to do with Hamas. Yet the probability of the Lebanese militia simply vanishing into thin air  Hezbollah is also a political party and a decadeslong social movement  is about as low as winning the Powerball jackpot.

Israels international reputation would also take a beating; any war against Hezbollah would likely involve striking infrastructure, like airports, ports and highways, that sustain a country that is already suffering an economic catastrophe.

Hezbollah wouldnt win by sparking a war either. Its last major conflict with Israel in 2006 was commonly viewed as a relative success in that it forced Israel to withdraw from Lebanon without achieving all of its military objectives. But the damage to Lebanon during the one-month war was extensive, and it took years for the country to rebuild. In fact, weeks after a cease-fire was declared, Nasrallah openly regretted going through with it.

The regrets would be even heavier today. The Lebanese people, after all, are already dealing with extensive financial calamity. Lebanons economy has contracted by two-thirds since 2018, the product of a banking crisis, systemic corruption and a decline in international donor support.

The World Bank assesses that Lebanons poverty rate has more than tripled over the last decade. The wealthy Gulf States like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar will think twice before helping Lebanon rebuild again. A war against the Middle Easts most formidable power would exacerbate all of these problems, running the risk of souring Hezbollahs popular support within the Lebanese public and giving its political opponents an opportunity to paint the movement as the prime instigator of the countrys misery. In short, Hezbollah cant ignore all of these economic and political considerations.

None of this means that were out of the woods. A war between Israel and Hezbollah is still very much a live possibility  and it will continue to be a possibility as long as a cease-fire deal in Gaza is elusive. But rationality has ruled the day thus far.

_____

Daniel DePetris is a fellow at Defense Priorities and a foreign affairs columnist for the Chicago Tribune.

_____
KIEV, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that the Ukrainian troops have taken further areas in Russia's Kursk region.

"The Commander-in-Chief (Oleksandr Syrskyi) also reported on our operation in the Kursk region. We continue to expand the territory under our control in the designated areas near the border of Ukraine," Zelensky said in his daily video address on Wednesday evening.

Ukrainian armed forces invaded Russia's Kursk region on Aug. 6.

"We must also understand now that all the pressure we have transferred to Russia means that they cannot put any more pressure on our Donetsk region," Zelensky said in his address.

However, Zelensky also noted that the situation in Pokrovsk and other directions in the Donetsk region "is extremely difficult."

"The key Russian efforts and their largest forces are concentrated there, and the resilience of each of our units, our ability to destroy the occupier, are now very important," he said. 
BEAVERCREEK, Ohio (WDTN)  Residents of Beavercreek are encouraged to attend several upcoming community meetings regarding the citys finances, projects and services.

The city will host the first of two town hall meetings on Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Main Elementary School. The second town hall meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Beavercreek Senior Center.

Each meeting is free to the public, and will focus on answering questions about the citys finances. Registration is not required.

Springfield residents protest at city hall over concerns about resources

Beavercreek plans additional city council meetings

There are three meetings scheduled in the near future that will give residents the opportunity to discuss ideas, projects and city services with members of city council.

The first occasion is on Tuesday, Sept. 10 from 6-7 p.m. at Southern Ohio Brewing.

The second is set for Monday, Sept. 16 from 8:30-9:30 a.m. at Panera Bread.

The third will be on Friday, Sept. 27 from 12-1 p.m. at Beavercreek Pizza Dive.

Food and drinks will be available for purchase at each of the three meetings.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
Community members call for charges related to pro-Palestinian protest at Yale be dropped

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH)  More than 100 community members rallied outside the New Haven County Courthouse Wednesday morning in support of the dozens of Yale University students and workers arrested by campus police during a pro-Palestinian protest in April.

Police make 48 arrests after Yale students camp outside for pro-Palestinian protest

On April 22, Yale officers charged nearly 50 people with first-degree criminal trespass after they refused to leave a protest in the Beinecke Plaza area.

Community members on Monday continued pushing for Yale administrators to request that all charges be dropped. Attendees also reiterated their demands that Yale disclose its investments in military weapons, divest from them entirely and reinvest in the city of New Haven.

According to OccupyYale, judges heard motions to dismiss from lawyers representing half of the arrestees on Wednesday morning, and the other half will have their hearings on Thursday morning.

News 8 reached out to Yale University for comment on Wednesdays rally.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.
Company receives funding that could transform future of geothermal energy in America: 'We're doing something that hasn't really been done'

A geothermal energy developer in Colorado received $1 million in funding to help harness the power beneath our feet.

Mt. Princeton Geothermal, led by CEO Hank Held and chief scientist Fred Henderson, was awarded $500,000 as part of the Colorado Energy Office's $12 million Geothermal Energy Grant Program to advance the technology in the state.

Held told The Colorado Sun that Western Geothermal  which merged with Mt. Princeton alongside Reykjavik Geothermal in June  doubled that influx of cash, helping the company inch closer to its goal of drilling two exploratory wells in Chaffee County to access a reservoir 4,500-6,000 feet below the surface near the Rio Grande rift.

While Held noted that Mt. Princeton is seeking more financiers to subsidize its operations, suitors could be part of a "massive investment" of $40 million to $43 million should the wells generate at least 10 megawatts of energy. Despite this, several obstacles lay ahead.

Held and Henderson will encounter plenty of red tape now that the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission adopted a new set of standards for deep geothermal practices in August, making it difficult to get their proposals approved. Henderson added that the state's green energy rules and regulations are already some of the strictest in the nation.

Gudmundur Heidarsson, one of Western Geothermal's investors, shared a different sentiment, stating that he "can't think of a government that's more helpful than the Colorado government" after living in three European countries and three U.S. states.

"I mean of course we're doing something that hasn't really been done in the state, so there's a lot of learning," he continued. "There's a lot of change in legislation and processes that needs to take place. But I've found officials to be easy to get hold of, to be helpful, and also, which I actually appreciate, a little bit careful in terms of making sure nobody's coming in and doing something that is hard to reverse."

There's also the backlash from residents of the Lost Creek Ranch subdivision, who live a mile from where Mt. Princeton plans to drill. Locals believe that 900 private wells could be impacted and that the drilling could trigger an earthquake from a fault line that runs beneath homes and the drill site.

Additionally, opponents are worried about potential noise pollution and odors from the proposed plant. Heidarsson doesn't believe the latter will be an issue, as the team plans to use a closed-loop system that limits air pollution by pumping gases back into the ground after its heat is exhausted.

It's one of many advantages of geothermal energy, which can help shoulder the load of electricity demands when intermittent energy sources such as solar and wind fall short. Though the renewable resource is still in its infancy in the United States  it was responsible for just 0.4% of the country's utility-scale electricity generation in 2022  several companies have begun exploring the feasibility of geothermal energy, including in California and Nevada.

As for Mt. Princeton and its partners, Heidarsson thinks crews can begin drilling as early as spring.

"But geothermal is one of those industries that just takes a bit of time to get everything right," he added. "It's not just turning on a spigot."

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.
Ethleen Peacock is the founder of Alaafia Women's Corporation, an agency providing services for African immigrants and people living with sickle cell disease who are victims of domestic and sexual violence.

A social club started to help African immigrant women adapt to life in Milwaukee has evolved into a nonprofit that addresses not just the social needs but the wellness needs of the citys growing African immigrant community.

Ethleen Peacock founded Alaafia Women's Corporation in 2015 to provide services for African women living with sickle cell disease. But she found that some of those women also were experiencing domestic and sexual violence.

Most disabled women, people just dont believe them, Peacock said when it comes to gender-based violence, especially for those living with sickle cell. That's the problem. So, it is important for me to speak up, because I have a voice.

Peacocks own experiences with sickle cell disease led her to start Alaafia.

Sickle cell is a life-threatening genetic blood disorder that causes frequent infections and severe pain. About 100,000 people in the U.S. have the disease, with more than 90% of them being Black, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Diagnosed with the disease as child in Sierra Leone, Peacock, now 35, was basically looking at a death sentence.

Her grandmother, who raised Peacock and whom the nonprofit is named after, refused cultural practices that called for her granddaughter be taken to a witch doctor to be cured. Instead, she took Peacock to a hospital. But still, appropriate sickle cell care wasn't available.

I would have been dead if she listened to all these people, Peacock said. Thats the reason Im still alive. So thats why I want to pass on this education because it is important. It will save someones life.

When Peacock immigrated to the U.S. in 2013, she noticed a lack of culturally competent resources to help people with sickle cell. She said she was denied medical benefits because her sickle cell type wasn't severe and had few hospitalizations. That's when she knew she had to do something.

It came in the form of a social club.

Peacock and three other women  all from Sierra Leone  started it to help other African immigrants navigate the states social services system. But as the group encountered more women experiencing domestic and sexual violence, Peacock realized the club's mission needed to change.

She had her own experience with gender-based violence. As a young woman in Sierra Leone, Peacock was assaulted twice, including while at work at a television news station.

I just couldn't take that anymore, she said.

Here in Milwaukee, she found other immigrant women struggling to report abuse to authorities. Many come from patriarchal cultures where they have few rights and laws arent designed to protect them. In their home countries, Peacock said women are often discouraged from leaving abusive relationships or are told by police to settle it within the family.

Most dont have the education that the United States doesnt have that same culture, Peacock said, adding that their immigration status also makes women hesitant to seek police help.

We started educating people that your immigration status doesnt matter when you are a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault, she said. The system is designed to help you.

When the demand for services became than the social club could handle, it became a nonprofit in 2021.

Alaafia got its first grant from the states Department of Children and Families to create a virtual sexual violence center. A virtual space ensured privacy and made it easier for African women to seek help. Most, Peacock said, are reluctant to share their struggles with other women publicly.

As African women, we dont want people to know our business, said Peacock, who also used social media to host candid talks about women rights.

As the only agency serving this population, Alaafias clients and reputation in the domestic violence arena grew along with the clients and the services it offered. But the most vulnerable for abuse are immigrant women with sickle cell, she said.

Sickle cell can be a debilitating disease that can prevent a person from working and living independently. That makes individuals, especially women, reliant on caregivers and susceptible to physical and sexual violence. Abuse can be emotional, financial or even withholding medication, Peacock said.

She said it's important to reach these women and let them their rights now that they're in the U.S.

If you dont want to go to the police, we are fine with that," Peacock said. "All we are telling you is there is a way out of abuse. And we are going to navigate that for you.

Part of that is connecting with local resources to ensure women get the help they need. That includes finding emergency housing, securing gift cards to buy groceries or allaying fears that their spouse or partner wont come after them.

Alaafias services have since expanded more  to provide educational outreach to religious leaders and African braiding salons about domestic and sexual violence. Peacock also does cultural competency training for social service providers to better help African-immigrant women.

Alaafia got a grant from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation that focuses on sickle cell research to determine the disease's impact on patients' lives. Another grant from University of Wisconsin-Madison's Wisconsin Partnership Program funds health care navigation services, including support in finding and using resources, preventive care and mental health support.

The initiative's broader goal is to get immigrant women to prioritize their health, Peacock said, noting that most put their family's health above theirs.

They do all the cleaning and cooking. They dont take of themselves at all, she said. "When you have a chronic health condition, there are so many resources for you. We want to educate them about that. We want to navigate the system for them."

Peacock wouldn't be able to operate a nonprofit like this in Sierra Leone. For her, the American dream means being able to help survivors of domestic and sexual assault and educating about sickle cell disease.

Me coming to the United States and having the opportunity to have this business is a whole different kind of feeling," she said. "It is a kind of hope for people living with sickle cell. Ive done it and you can do it."

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Alaafia helps Milwaukee's African-immigrant women facing sickle cell
ALBANY, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY)  A report released by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli on Wednesday, August 23 shows that hate crimes are on the rise across the state over the last five years.

The report says there were 1,089 reported hate crimes in 2023, a 69% rise from 2018. That is the highest number reported since the Hate Crimes Act of 2000 mandated data collection and annual reporting. The report also found that the most common hate crime motivation was for religion, with nearly half the incidents reported. Both anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim hate crimes more than doubled from 2018 numbers, with 501 combined incidents in 2023. That reflects an 89% and 106% rise, respectively.

Crimes targeting Jewish victims made up 44% of all incidents and 88% of all religious-based hate crimes. Those are the largest shares of all such crimes.

We are deeply grateful to State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli for producing this critical report, Mark Tryeger, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, said in a statement. It is more than timely; its a crucial reminder that each hate crime statistic represents a New Yorker who is suffering. This isnt merely about dataits about upholding our state and citys core values of compassion and inclusion. This report challenges every New Yorker, from our government offices, religious institutions, private industries, to our schools, to actively build strategies to combat all forms of hatred.

The Comptrollers report also showed the following rises from 2018:

Anti-black reported hate crimes almost doubled from 2018, from 91 to 183. Nearly 17% of all recorded hate crime incidents and over half of racially-motivated hate crimes were anti-black, according to the Comptrollers report.

Anti-gay male reported hate crimes had a 42% rise from 2018  from 54 to 130. According to the report, 71% of all reported LGBTQ+ hate crimes were against males.

Anti-Asian reported hate crimes saw a seven-fold rise  from 8 to 57. The Comptroller said that during the pandemic in 2020, anti-Asian hate crimes saw a spike from five in 2019 to 140 in 2021, dropping by half in the last two years. However, it is still 11 times the 2019 number.

The split between New York City and the rest of the state was approximately 60-40, with the city reporting 669 hate crimes in 2023. That number represents an almost 13% increase from the previous year. New York State reported 420 incidents last year, an increase of approximately the same amount as the city.

New York is a diverse hub of cultures, beliefs and identities, whose strength has always been in the creation of community bonds that unite us, DiNapoli said in a statement. Fighting hatred and bigotry demands that we communicate with, respect and accept our neighbors. It requires our spiritual, political, community and business leaders to take active roles in denouncing hate, investing in prevention and protection efforts, and increasing education that celebrates the value of New Yorks diversity.

You can read the Comptrollers full report at this link 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 WUTR/WFXV - CNYhomepage.com.
Credit: Rubberball/Mike Kemp

The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) is calling out Yelp over claims that the review site is putting misleading or fake concert ticket listings on venues Yelp pages, with NIVA sending a letter to the companys CEO Jeremy Stoppelman late Tuesday demanding the listings get taken down.

In the letter, NIVA executive director Stephen Parker wrote that the Yelp website redirects users from purchasing legitimate tickets at face value from small businesses and nonprofits, instead sending them to a Yelp-branded TicketNetwork website that is price gouging and selling fake tickets.

More from Rolling Stone

This is a brand that has built a lot of trust for transparency and being a neutral arbiter for customer reviews, Parker tells Rolling Stone. On its face, Yelp is a brand that has nothing to do with ticketing, but now that we dig into these deceptive links that exist, its leading consumers down a path where they either pay a lot more money than they need to, or they get tickets that ultimately arent going to work.

Ticket listings on Yelp dont appear to be a new feature, with the company announcing a partnership with TicketNetwork in 2016 to bring the resale ticket services platform directly to Yelp. In a press release at the time, the companies said the feature allows Yelp users to transact with a local business without ever leaving the Yelp site.

But NIVA says it only discovered the feature this month when some of its venue members saw the listings on their Yelp pages, which the organization said misleads ticket buyers into thinking theyre buying directly from the concert venues while theyre actually using a ticketing platform operated by a company with a long history of anti-competitive and predatory practices, as NIVA claimed.

NIVA members began contacting Yelp at the beginning of August, a rep for the organization said, but that everyone was directed to talk with TicketNetwork. NIVA itself started reaching out to Yelp around a week ago, the rep added, sharing examples with the companys leadership, but they didnt get a response.

In a statement to Rolling Stone on Tuesday, a Yelp spokesperson said that the companys mission has been to connect people with great local businesses, including independent venues. The spokesperson thanked NIVA for bringing their concerns about TicketNetwork to our attention and said Yelp has taken immediate steps to turn off that integration.

In the letter, NIVA shared several screenshots its member venues had provided, including a case in which four tickets for Comedy Gumbeaux next month at the Howlin Wolf in New Orleans were selling on Yelp for $750, versus the $50 face value the venue was selling them for on its own website.

NIVA also shared screenshots for ticket listings at the Fox Theatre in Boulder and the Crafthouse Stage and Grill in Pittsburgh for shows that werent actually scheduled at the concert venues. (When Rolling Stone clicked on links to shows that werent listed, wed get prompted with a message that read Sorry, there are no results for this event.)

Another screenshot showed a ticket checkout for a seat section that doesnt exist at the concert venue, while also detailing a venue policy that isnt actually the venues ticketing policy, per NIVA.

A Yelp ticket page for a Cigarettes After Sex show at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Maryland lists so-called speculative tickets, or tickets that the seller doesnt actually have yet. That practice has been controversial among critics who argue its little more than fraud, and its recently been banned in several states including Maryland and Minnesota.

TicketNetwork is a well known secondary ticketing platform that allows concert goers as well as brokers and scalpers to buy and sell tickets. Its faced controversy before, as NIVA states in the letter, with the company settling complaints with the Federal Trade Commission as well as the New York Attorney General and Canadas Competition Bureau in years past.

In a statement to Rolling Stone, TicketNetwork called it unfortunate to see the consumers on Yelps platform lose access to a free and independent marketplace hosting resale tickets to events across the globe. TicketNetwork called NIVAs efforts a desperate attempt to distract consumers and lawmakers from the real causes of wildly surging prices for live events  centralized, coordinated control by a handful of major players working together to squash consumer choice.

NIVA and other industry astroturfing efforts are pushing for legislation designed to enhance Live Nation Entertainments allegedly monopolistic dominance of ticketing by extending it to ticket resale, TicketNetwork said.

NIVA heavily denied that claim, saying that stands as a counterweight to the anti-competitive practices of publicly-traded, multinational conglomerate promoters.

It is no surprise that TicketNetwork is spreading disinformation about the small businesses and nonprofits that make up the independent live community to distract from the price gouging and fraud rampant on their legally-fraught platform, the organization said.

Parker told Rolling Stone the situation further reflects the need for Congress to past the Fans First Act, which if passed would look to crack down on some of the issues in the secondary market including speculative tickets and the use of bots to buy up tickets to shows.

We implore Yelp to take immediate corrective action to protect consumers, uphold the integrity of independent stages, and maintain the trust of the millions of users who rely on Yelp for accurate and honest information, Parker wrote to Stoppelman in the letter Tuesday. Every day these deceptive practices continue, the fabric of our communities is eroded, and the unique cultural experiences that independent stages provide are jeopardized.

This article was updated at 3:57 a.m. ET on Aug. 28 to include a statement from a Yelp spokesperson.

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A solar and battery storage development operated by Entergy. (Photo by Robert Zullo/ States Newsroom)

The leader of a local anti-solar energy group admitted to Ohio regulators last week that a well-connected natural gas executive is among the groups largest donors.

The testimony by Jared Yost, founder of Knox Smart Development, offered the fullest view yet of the groups ties to fossil fuel interests, undercutting its claims to be a grassroots advocate for local farmers and other residents.

It changes the story quite a bit, said David Pomerantz, executive director of the Energy and Policy Institute, a watchdog group that recently published a report on the fossil fuel industrys long history of using money and misinformation to stoke local opposition to renewable energy projects.

Knox Smart Development emerged late last year as a high-profile local opponent of the proposed 120 megawatt Frasier Solar project, located near Mount Vernon, Ohio. Questions emerged about its funding source after it hosted a town hall meeting at a local theater with complimentary food and drinks for approximately 500 attendees.

Yost disclosed during an Ohio Power Siting Board hearing last week that one of its largest donors is Tom Rastin, the former vice president of Ariel Corporation, which makes compressors for the oil and gas industry. The Washington Post reported last year that Rastin is also a leader of The Empowerment Alliance, a dark money nonprofit that advocates for the natural gas industry.

Yost said he did not have knowledge about Rastins work with The Empowerment Alliance, but said the fossil fuel group provided non-financial resources to Knox Smart Development to help oppose the Frasier Solar project.

Yost denied being swayed by corporate interests and said his group has not received corporate funding. The Empowerment Alliance has nothing to do with me or [Knox Smart Development], he told the Energy News Network via email. I have reached out to them and asked questions on a couple of occasions, as can anyone, and as I have done of others.

Multiple links

When asked in his hearing testimony if Knox Smart Development was funded by any individuals or entities having any interest or providing any goods or services to the fossil fuel industry, Yost answered, No, not directly to the best of my knowledge.

On cross-examination, however, Yost admitted Rastin was one of the groups largest funders. Yost is a former IT specialist at Ariel Corporation, and his work supported Rastins department. Rastins wife, Karen Buchwald Wright, is a former president and CEO of Ariel and continues as board chair. Her son Alex Wright succeeded her in 2021 as CEO.

A July 2024 report from the Energy and Policy Institute includes links to recently produced public records. A September 2023 email shows Rastin was slated to speak to the Ohio General Assemblys Business First caucus in October. The email attached a copy of Rastins biography with The Empowerment Alliance logo on top.

Mitch Given, who was identified in a meeting with Ohio lawmakers last year as The Empowerment Alliances Ohio director, spoke at a Knox Smart Development town hall meeting last November. There he was introduced as someone who travels across the state to help farmers and others find their voice and push back against solar projects.

The emcee for that town hall event, Tom Whatman, is a chief strategist for Majority Strategies. The Empowerment Alliances Form 990 filing for 2023 shows it paid the political consulting firm more than $620,000 that year, making it the groups highest paid contractor for five years in a row.

Yost last week also discussed a dinner meeting last summer about the Frasier Solar project where the attendees included Rastin, Given, Whatman, Ariel employee Trina Trainor, and Lanny Spaulding. Spaulding is listed as a contact person for The Empowerment Alliance on an Ohio lobbyist registration form. Yosts dad and others also attended. Yost had earlier said he did not organize the meeting.

Yost denied being influenced by The Empowerment Alliance or other corporate interests.

No one has ever tried to direct me in any way with my opposition to this project. I am nobodys puppet, Yost told the Energy News Network. I am doing this for me, my family, my township, and my neighbors. He also said it was insulting that people try to question my intentions, integrity, and intelligence. Frankly, it hurts.

Misinformation at work

Nolan Rutschilling, managing director of energy policy for the Ohio Environmental Council, said arguments presented by behind-the-scenes special interests can be more believable if they seem to come from a grassroots effort.

People trust their neighbors because they are often believed to not have any outside agenda other than the best interest of their community, Rutschilling said. Unfortunately, this allows misinformation to spread quickly, and communities have stopped renewable energy projects from moving forward.

The stakes are significant, he said, because local public sentiment is among the factors the Ohio Power Siting Board considers in judging whether a project is in the public interest, along with statewide interests.

If the fossil fuel industry wants to oppose solar projects, they should intervene in the open  not by amplifying misinformation in communities, Rutschilling said.

The Empowerment Alliance prefers to stoke fear in hopes of snuffing out perceived competition from clean, cheap, local renewable energy, said Craig Adair, a vice president for Frasier Solars developer, Open Road Renewables. As always, Frasier Solar stands ready and willing to address local residents legitimate concerns about potential impacts of solar development.

Statements at Knox Smart Development meetings and in ads have included multiple examples of misinformation. For example, Yost admitted during cross-examination he was unaware that a photo showing damaged solar panels was taken in St. Croix after a strong hurricane  a highly unlikely event in central Ohio.

This was intended to show what I believe could happen, Yost said.

Other examples include unsupported claims about solar panels and other components releasing toxic chemicals. Steve Goreham, a speaker at the groups November 2023 town hall, made unsupported claims about climate change. Goreham also drew spurious correlations between electricity price rises and high levels of renewable energy in California and Texas. In fact, wildfires, extreme heat and transmission upgrades were the driving factors.

Misinformation was rife in opposition testimony people gave at three local public hearings held by the Ohio Power Siting Board in Knox County.

Half of more than 100 unique arguments made by project opponents at those hearings were not supported by the facts, said Heidi Gorovitz Robertson, a professor at Cleveland State University College of Law, in her August 22 expert testimony for the Ohio Environmental Council.

In the aggregate, the arguments do not present credible or compelling opposition to the proposed project, Robertson said.

This article first appeared on Energy News Network and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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(Bloomberg) -- The political party that governed British Columbia for 16 years at the start of this century has withdrawn from its election after a collapse in its poll numbers.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The BC United Party, formerly known as the BC Liberals, will suspend its campaign ahead of the Oct. 19 election in Canadas third most populous province, representatives said in an emailed statement on Wednesday.

The dramatic move may help consolidate votes behind the BC Conservatives, giving that party a boost in its battle to wrest control from the left-leaning BC New Democratic Party, which has been in power since 2017.

I know that the best thing for the future of our province is to defeat the NDP, but we cannot do that when the center-right vote is split, BC United Leader Kevin Falcon said in a joint statement with Conservative Leader John Rustad. Falcon said the partys supporters should back Rustad.

A BC Conservative victory would herald significant policy changes. The party has promised to cut taxes, including a carbon tax, while expanding development of liquefied natural gas and pipelines for oil and gas.

Its a stunning admission of defeat for BC United  a party that, under the Liberal name, finished first or second in every provincial election since 1991. In 2001, it won 77 of 79 seats in the legislature, the first of five straight elections in which it won the most seats.

But in 2022, the party expelled lawmaker John Rustad, a former provincial cabinet minister, after a social media post in which he cast doubt over the link between carbon dioxide and climate change. Rustad has exacted revenge  he subsequently became leader of the BC Conservative Party and led it out of the political wilderness. Polls say he has a shot at defeating Premier David Ebys NDP, though its a close race.

The BC Liberal Party was independent and not formally affiliated with the Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus Liberal of Party of Canada. Still, the relative unpopularity of Trudeau and the Liberal brand in Western Canada may have encouraged Falcon to rename the party last year. It didnt work.

Right-leaning parties are now in power in most of Canadas provinces, and Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, has built a large lead over Trudeaus Liberals in opinion polls. A federal election is scheduled for October 2025, though the timing may change.

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Unlock Michigan poster at a Michigan Attorney General's Office press conference

State Rep. Andrew Fink (R-Adams Twp.) has hired a consultant for his Michigan Supreme Court campaign whos facing several charges, including a felony, related to an alleged dark money scheme involving a ballot question initiative put forth by Unlock Michigan, a group that opposed COVID health restrictions.

Heather Lombardini, a founder of Lansing-based consulting firm Bright Spark Strategies, was charged in February by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel with fundraising violations related to the Unlock Michigan petition that sought to repeal 1945 Emergency Power rules which Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer utilized to curb the spread of COVID-19 in 2020. The Michigan Supreme Court later determined that rule was unconstitutional.

A check of Michigans Campaign Finance Database shows that Finks campaign paid more than $33,000 to Bright Spark Strategies in 2024, over $28,000 of that was in July alone. There also is a single $75 payment from the campaign in April 2024 directly to her listed as campaign travel reimbursement.

When asked by the Michigan Advance about Lombardinis role, Fink sent a statement.

Our justice system affords everyone the right to due process and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. As a judicial candidate, I am prohibited from commenting on the merits of any ongoing case by the Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct, he said.

A request for comment was also sent to Lombardini, but was not returned.

There are two Michigan Supreme Court seats on the Nov. 5 ballot and party control is up for grabs. Democratic-nominated justices have a 4-3 majority.

Fink is seeking a full, eight-year term for a seat left open by retiring Justice David Viviano, who was nominated by Republicans. Democrats have nominated University of Michigan law professor Kimberly Ann Thomas

Republicans also nominated Branch County Circuit Judge Patrick William OGrady for a partial four-year term against incumbent Justice Kyra Harris Bolden, who was appointed in 2022 by Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Lombardini, 44, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of failing to file a statement of organization, which carries a maximum $1,000 fine, and one count of failure to file a campaign statement, a 90-day misdemeanor. However, she also faces a single felony count of uttering and publishing, which carries a maximum 14-year prison sentence. She has a preliminary exam set for Sept. 23 in Lansings 54A District Court.

Also charged in the case was Sandy Baxter, 64, of Caledonia. She faces a single count of perjury for lying to investigators. Her case was bound over earlier this month for trial in Ingham County Circuit Court, where an arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday.

Lombardini and Baxter were involved with fundraising for Michigan! My Michigan! (MMM), a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization with ties to former Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake) and other Republican lawmakers. Shirkey, however, was not charged in the case.

Groups using a 501(c)(4) designation are deemed to be social welfare organizations that, according to the IRS, cannot directly participate or intervene in political campaigns. However, they can raise money for ads that dont expressly endorse or advocate for any particular candidate or ballot question, but instead educate voters on various issues. Most importantly, 501(c)(4) nonprofits do not have to reveal their donors or otherwise reveal where their money comes from.

The investigation began after Robert LaBrant filed a complaint in May 2021 alleging a dark money scheme to fund the Unlock Michigan ballot question initiative. Labrant served for nearly 35 years at the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, which typically endorses Republicans and conservative causes.

Unlock Michigan is not a spontaneous grassroots effort to repeal the law granting a Michigan governor emergency powers, stated Labrants complaint. Unlock was conceived by  Shirkey to achieve his political goal of repealing that law, a plan executed by his agents under his direction and control, and funded with his dark money. Shirkeys scheme involved the illegal use of dark money on a scale never before seen in Michigan as millions of dollars in dark money was raised and spent.

Heather Lombardini

Facebook post from Heather Lombardini from MIGOP convention in support of MSC candidacy of Andrew Fink. Screenshot

Facebook post from Heather Lombardini supporting MSC candidacy of Andrew Fink. Screenshot

Facebook post from Heather Lombardini supporting MSC candidacy of Andrew Fink. Screenshot

Labrant told the Advance that it may be Lombardinis success in raising soft, or so-called dark money that makes her valuable even with a legal cloud over her head.

Obviously, her expertise over the years has been raising issue and money through a 501(c)(4) organization to do issue ads. and issue ads by definition, unless they use words of express advocacy fall outside the scope of the Michigan Campaign Finance law. So, maybe the reason that Andrew Fink hired Bright Spark Strategies is to raise funds for a 501(c)(4) type organization to do issue ads on his behalf that will allow him to raise his name ID for a statewide campaign.

Nessel said that between MMM and another 501(c)(4) called Michigan Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility (MCFR), of which Lombardini was president, the two nonprofits contributed over $2.6 million in funding to Unlock Michigan, almost 86% of the total funding.

Jeff Timmer is the former executive director of the Michigan Republican Party who is also a senior adviser to the anti-Trump Lincoln Project who also advised Nessels 2022 reelection campaign.

Given the breadth and depth of criminality within the ranks of the Michigan Republicans it shouldnt surprise anyone that accused felons also populate their consulting class, he said. After all, this is a party who nominated a convicted criminal to be their presidential nominee.

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Contaminated deli meat may have led to deaths in South Carolina, health officials say

A national Listeria outbreak involving contaminated deli meat might have contributed to two deaths in South Carolina, the state Department of Public Health said Wednesday in a news release.

As a result, South Carolina health officials are urging residents to avoid recalled Boars Head deli meat, according to the release.

Information about the victims, and where they lived was not available, but the S.C. Department of Public Health said the deaths happened in the states Lowcountry region.

Unfortunately, an outbreak of Listeria has reached our state, and is potentially the cause of two deaths here, State Epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell said in the release. We want to ensure South Carolinians are aware of this outbreak and that everyone takes necessary steps to avoid consuming products that could be the source of infection.

Data shows that some meats sliced at delis, including Boars Head brand liverwurst, are contaminated with Listeria and are making people sick, the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Boars Head Ready-to-Eat Liverwurst Products and other deli products from the same processing plant have been recalled, according to the release.

As of Aug. 8, the Listeria outbreak had led to 43 hospitalizations and three deaths  not counting the two recent deaths in South Carolina  across 13 states, the CDC said.

Listeria is especially harmful to people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older or who have weakened immune systems, according to the release.

Listeria symptoms usually start within 2 weeks after eating contaminated food but could start as early as the same day or as late as 10 weeks after, the CDC said. The symptoms include fever, muscle aches, and tiredness, and also could be manifest in a headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures, according to the CDC.

Both the S.C. Department of Public Health and the CDC said to avoid Listeria, residents should not eat recalled meats.

Throw them away or contact stores about returns, officials said.

Additionally, officials recommend checking refrigerators for any recalled deli meats and throw them away or return them to the store as Listeria can grow on foods kept in the refrigerator.

Officials also said to clean refrigerators, containers and surfaces that may have touched recalled meats.

Delis that received recalled meats should thoroughly clean and sanitize all food and non-food surfaces and throw away any open meats and cheeses in the deli, according to the release.
DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Wednesday congratulated her fellow citizen Faustine Engelbert Ndugulile on being elected as the World Health Organization (WHO) regional director for Africa, succeeding Matshidiso Moeti, who has held the position since 2015.

Ndugulile, former minister for Information, Communication and Information Technology and former deputy minister for Health, was elected Tuesday during the 74th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa in Brazzaville, the Republic of the Congo, after beating Boureima Hama Sambo of Niger, Richard Mihigo of Rwanda, and Ibrahima Soce Fall of Senegal.

"Heartfelt congratulations to Dr Faustine Engelbert Ndugulile for being elected the World Health Organization Regional Director for Africa," Hassan said on her X platform.

The head of state said Ndugulile has made Tanzania proud, and the African continent will greatly benefit from his work.

"I am confident that your expertise and experience in the health sector will enable Africa to have a vital voice on the global stage in tackling health challenges for millions of our people across the continent," said President Hassan.

Ndugulile was elected to the position against the backdrop of epidemics in the African continent, including the latest outbreak of mpox, a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus. 
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  The Shelby County District Attorneys Office says it has filed an emergency request for another court to review the case of a Memphis man released from jail without paying bond.

30-year-old Detawn Gunn is accused of shooting at least four people outside of Railgarten, a Midtown restaurant, earlier this month. But Monday, following his bond hearing, he was released on his own recognizance.

This comes after his initial bond was set at $500,000 by a judicial commissioner. The District Attorney requested to keep that bond amount, and Gunns attorney asked for the bond to be reduced to $75,000.

But, Gunn was still able to leave jail without paying anything.

Im glad hes out, said Joe Gunn, Detawns father.

Joe Gunn talked to us about his son, who is accused of shooting multiple people after a fight over a parking space outside Railgarten.

He says he relies on his son to take him to dialysis appointments.

He go to the store with me, buy me food, stuff like that, said Joe. He takes care of me. I turned 75-years-old, so Im glad hes out.

He says he is standing by his sons innocence.

There are plenty of others making their voices heard following Gunns release.

Corey Coleman says he was shot by Gunn. We spoke to him last week when he showed us his extensive injuries.

Texas father shot several times over parking dispute at Railgarten

Shots in the rib, the back, stomach. I got staples all the way across. Whole back ate up here and the back of the head, said Coleman.

Corey Colemans wounds after being shot multiple times during an altercation outside Railgarten (Photo by: WREG Staff)

Corey Colemans wounds after being shot multiple times during an altercation outside Railgarten (Photo by: WREG Staff)

On Wednesday, we briefly talked to him by phone about the release, as he said hes in excruciating pain.

He told us he is really confused and he doesnt feel safe and is trying to get back to Texas where he permanently lives.

Lawmakers are also sharing concerns.

Tennessee State Senator Brent Taylor wrote letters to District Attorney Steve Mulroy and Disciplinary Counsel Marshall Davidson for the board of Judicial conduct saying he wanted to make Davidson aware of the circumstances surrounding Gunns release.

He also said that Judge Bill Anderson, who made the decision, violated a new state law requiring the safety of the community to be the first consideration of bail.

We also spoke with Judge Anderson today, who told us he cannot comment on pending cases, but encouraged us to request the audio from the bond hearing to understand why he made the decision he did.

WREG has filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the audio from the hearing.

A date does not appear to have been set yet on the D.A.s request to have another court review the case. We will keep you updated as we learn more.

We also looked into Gunns criminal history. Beyond driving infractions, court records show he was arrested in 2016 on drug and weapons charges, but they were dismissed.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Cook Out burger and milkshake chain plans 3 new stores in Charlotte and Cabarrus County

A popular North Carolina hamburger chain with a long list of milkshakes is expanding locally.

Cook Out, based in Thomasville, is opening at least three more stores around Charlotte, the companys website shows.

The never frozen burger chain will open in the former Jack in the Box spot at 10525 Mallard Creek Road. That site next to a CVS and near the Interstate 85 interchange has been vacant for years, even as the restaurants signage remained up.

Two other stores, both in new buildings, are planned at 1025 Frank Bailey Drive in Charlotte and 5161 Z-Max Blvd. in Harrisburg, Cabarrus County.

Cook Out purchased the Frank Bailey Drive off East Independence Boulevard in June 2023 for $1.3 million, Mecklenburg County property records show. The plan is to construct a fast-food restaurant building with parking, according to the latest city permits filed in February.

Cook Out, based in North Carolina, is known for its milkshakes, chargrilled burgers and Cook Out tray combos.

Cook Outs menu includes combo trays with char-grilled burgers and chicken, barbecue, and over 40 milkshake flavors. The fast-food chain is open for lunch and dinner, and late night.

In June, Cook Out gained some celebrity fanfare. Actor Kevin Costner sampled a banana milkshake from Cook Out while promoting his film Horizon: An American Saga in Atlanta. President Joe Biden also is a fan of Cook Outs shakes, visiting twice during stops in Raleigh and Durham.

Cook Out was founded in 1989 in Greensboro by Morris Reaves. His son Jeremy Reaves is CEO. Cook Out now has over 300 stores in 10 Southeastern states, including nearly 20 in the Charlotte region.

Cook Out officials did not respond to repeated requests for comment by Wednesday.

Cook Out is pictured on Elliot Road in Chapel Hill, N.C. on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022.

Other burger chains expanding

Cook Out isnt the only burger chain expanding in Charlotte.

 Connecticut-based Wayback Burgers is opening near year in Prescott Village in Waxhaw. The burger joint, which was founded in 1991, has over 170 locations around the world. This will be the eighth in North Carolina, and the first in Union County.

 Texas-based Whataburger has plans to open three stores in Charlotte. The chain has filed plans with city at 5018 Sunset Road in north Charlotte, 12809 Albemarle Road and 5301 South Blvd. The company has not disclosed plans for opening dates yet for its store.

 California-based The Habit Burger Grill, known for its chargrilled burgers, plans to open 15 stores in the Charlotte region. Recent restaurant openings include 7266 NC-73 Highway in Denver, 379 W. Plaza Drive in Mooresville and 2121 W. Roosevelt Blvd. in Monroe.

 Charlotte-based Harriets Hamburgers opened its second store this month at The Bowl at Ballantyne. The first store debuted four years ago at Optimist Hall at 1115 N. Brevard St., north of uptown. Two more locations are opening in the Charlotte area, at 3070 Derita Road in Concord later this year and in Matthews early next year, according to the company website.
The nonpartisan group Cook Political Report shifted North Carolinas presidential race from lean Republican to toss up as Vice President Harris narrows the gap with former President Trump.

Despite the optimism and hype, [President] Biden was never able to keep this race [in North Carolina] close. By the time he dropped out of the race in late July, the president was trailing Trump by almost seven points, Cook Editor-In-Chief Amy Walter wrote in an analysis Tuesday. Today, however, the Tar Heel State looks more competitive than ever.

Pointing to polling averages from FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, Walter wrote that Harris and Trump are in a dead heat at about 45.7 percent support each.

She noted that Trump has not lost political ground since President Biden dropped out last month; the change comes from Harriss 7-point improvement on the presidents vote share. On July 21  the day Biden dropped out of the race  Trump led him in FiveThirtyEights average with 45.6 percent support to Bidens 38.7 percent, per the analysis.

In other words, the race is tightening, not because Harris is cutting into Trumps vote, but because Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are coming home, Walter wrote.

The shift is the latest sign of good news for Harris in North Carolina, which Biden notably did not win in 2020.

Last week, Sabatos Crystal Ball, a leading election forecaster, said it also moved North Carolina from a leans Republican column to a toss-up but said it was skeptical the Tar Heel State could turn blue for Harris.

A polling index by Decision Desk HQ and The Hill shows Harris has a 1.1 percentage point lead over Trump in North Carolina.

A survey released last week found Harris is also faring well against Trump when it comes to Hispanic voters in the Tar Heel State. A TelevisaUnivision Consumer Strategy & Insights/Media Predict poll, first obtained by The Hill, found Harris with 56 percent support from Hispanic likely voters in North Carolina, compared to Trumps 34 percent.

Harris has seen a surge in support since replacing Biden atop the Democratic presidential ticket last month, posing a threat to the healthy lead Trump once held over the president nationally and in swing states.

Some political strategists and some Democrats, however, have warned it is too early to make conclusions about the November election and that the momentum for Harris could slow down between now and Election Day.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Cop Accused of Sexually Abusing Pregnant Woman Charged with Killing Her and Staging Death to Look Like Suicide

Former Stoughton, Mass. police officer Matthew Farwell is accused of killing Sandra Birchmore in 2021

Facebook Sandra Birchmore

A former Massachusetts police officer is accused of killing a pregnant woman who accused him of sexual abuse and staging her death to look like a suicide.

Sandra Birchmore, 23, died in 2021, PEOPLE previously reported. The Stoughton, Mass., police department previously alleged that three former officers in the department had engaged in inappropriate relationships with Birchmore, beginning when she was 15 years old.

Now, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts has announced an indictment against one of the officers, Matthew Farwell, 38, on a charge of killing a witness or victim. Farwell was arrested on Wednesday, Aug. 28, the justice department says.

It is not immediately clear if Farwell has entered a plea or retained an attorney.

Prosecutors claims that, Farwell killed Birchmore with the intent to prevent law enforcement from learning about Farwells commission or possible commission of federal offenses, according to a press release.

Related: Death of Woman Who Accused Cop of Sex Abuse Was Ruled Suicide. But Prominent Pathologist Doesn't Think So

Birchmores death was originally ruled a suicide, but prosecutors say that the federal investigation resulted in a probe of old evidence and revealed new evidence that led to Farwell being charged.

Prosecutors claim that Farwell began a relationship with Birchmore when she was 15 years old. The relationship continued after she became an adult, with Birchmore eventually becoming pregnant in December 2020 with a child that she said was Farwells, prosecutors say in a press release.

When the alleged relationship began, Birchmore was a member of the Stoughtons Explorers program, which provides kids a chance to explore a law enforcement career and interact with officers. Farwell, a former Stoughton cop, was an instructor in the program.

Federal authorities allege that Farwell killed Birchmore in Canton, Mass., on Feb. 1, 2021, nearly two weeks after a friend of Birchmore called the Stoughton Police Department and reported the relationship.

If convicted, Farwell would face a mandatory sentence of death or life in prison, prosecutors say.

The Boston Globe previously reported that Birchmores family had hired Dr. Michael Baden, the former chief medical examiner for New York City, to examine her cause of death. Baden wrote a letter in June disputing the original determination of a suicide and claimed that she had been strangled to death, The Globe reported.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Stoughton police Chief Donna McNamara released a statement in June regarding the recent attention focused on Birchmores death.

Every good and decent police officer should be aware of and angry about the injustices inflicted upon Sandra Birchmore, McNamara said. Sandra idolized police officers and what policing stood for in America, and she was victimized as a result.

Neither of the other two former officers that Stoughton police had alleged engaged in an inappropriate relationships with Birchmore are currently facing charges.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.



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Read the original article on People.
Couple from Milwaukee assaulted in Walmart parking lot in West Milwaukee, police say

A 19-year-old Milwaukee man was arrested for allegedly assaulting a couple with a gun in a Walmart parking lot in West Milwaukee, according to the West Milwaukee Police Department.

At 3:57 p.m. Sunday, West Milwaukee police responded to Walmart, 4140 W. Greenfield Ave., for reports of a person being struck in the head with a gun.

When police arrived, they found two people with injuries, a 29-year-old Milwaukee woman and her 34-year-old husband. Both told police they were struck in the head by the butt of a pistol. The woman was bleeding heavily, police said.

As the woman was talking to police, she pointed out the offender's vehicle, which was in the progress of leaving the parking lot.

An officer followed the suspect to 46th and Greenfield, where the suspect was seen outside of his vehicle, near a water truck.

Police then held the man at gunpoint. The man resisted arrest, but was eventually taken into custody police said.

Another officer later found the pistol used in the attack hidden inside the water truck, police said.

Police did not provide additional information about the incident.

The Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office is currently reviewing the case for charges.

Contact Adrienne Davis at amdavis@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @AdriReportss.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Man arrested for allegedly assaulting couple in Walmart parking lot
When should you get new COVID, flu shot in Austin? Here's what to know and where to go.

Four coolers of the new COVID-19 vaccines arrived on Monday to the CVS on Slaughter Lane and South First Street. "We were happy to see it," said Pharmacy Manger Rochelle Guyse.

Doctors' offices like Harbor Health and Austin Regional Clinic are expecting to get their first shipments of the new shots within the next week or two.

These shipments are coming after the FDA approved the newest versions of the COVID-19 vaccines last week.

You can schedule your vaccine either online through a pharmacy website or your doctor's office portal, or by calling the pharmacy or doctor's office for a vaccine appointment. Many pharmacies take walk-ins, but give preference to people with appointments.

Monica Ortiz receives her flu vaccine from CVS Pharmacy Manager Rochelle Guyse at the CVS on Slaughter Lane last year. Doctors recommend getting the new COVID-19 and flu shots in September and October to prepare for cold and flu season starting around Thanksgiving.

How are these vaccines different than the previous COVID shots?

Just like the flu vaccine, COVID-19 vaccines will be updated annually to try to best fit the virus' mutations.

Right now the predominate variant in the U.S. is KP.3.1.1, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The new Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines are based on the KP.2 strains, which are very similar to the current strain and previous strains  all of which are omicron variants. "We have every reason to believe it will be effective," said Dr. Manish Naik, the chief medical officer at Austin Regional Clinic, of the new vaccines.

The manufacturers  Moderna and Pfizer  are the same as previous versions, as is the mRNA technology.

If I've had COVID recently, do I still need a vaccine?

Yes, but not right away. The CDC recommends waiting 90 days after your last COVID-19 infection before getting a new vaccine because you still have natural immunity to the virus and you don't need a new vaccine to boost your immunity. Most pharmacies and doctor's offices won't give you a vaccine until at least two months after the last illness.

You will still need a new COVID-19 vaccine this cold and flu season because that immunity from a natural infection starts to wane around the three-month mark.

Read more: Is COVID still around in Central Texas? Austin area seeing spike in cases this summer.

If I just got a COVID-19 shot, do I need a new one?

If you have had a COVID-19 vaccine in the past two months, you cannot get a new one. Once that two-month period passes, you can get the newest version, which is more closely aligned to the current variants than last year's vaccine.

How many COVID-19 vaccines do I need?

Children ages 5 to adults only need one COVID-19 shot a year now, even if they have never had one. The CDC has not yet recommended a second shot in the spring for people who are immune compromised or have underlying health conditions.

Children ages 6 months to 4 might need a second shot to bring their immunity up, the same way kids younger than 8 typically get a second flu shot a month later the first year of receiving a flu shot.

Why should I get the new COVID-19 vaccine?

These vaccines are designed to keep the effects of the virus mild and allow your body to prevent a severe illness and hospitalization, Naik said.

Being current in vaccination also can minimize your risk of long COVID, said Dr. Andrea Gabel, a family practice doctor at Harbor Health. Long COVID happens when someone is still having some of the effects of the virus such as fatigue and headaches three months after the onset.

Is COVID-19 still going around?

Yes. Texas still has a high level of the infection in our wastewater, and Travis County's most recent wastewater surveillance had a virus level at 77.4%.

With kids returning to school and the return of fall festivals, we could experience another small spike in coming weeks, but the bigger surge is expected to come after Thanksgiving and Christmas travel. That has been the case for the past three years.

Right now, in addition to COVID-19, Harbor Health offices are seeing a lot of strep as well as other non-COVID respiratory viruses.

Read more: 'If you feel sick, test': Austin sees increase in COVID-19 in wastewater

When should I call a doctor about COVID-19?

If you have a pre-existing condition or are older than 65, you should check with your doctor about getting an antiviral to lessen the symptoms. Anyone who is not better after five day or is having severe symptoms should also call a doctor to see about symptom management and check for another infection, Gabel said.

CVS Pharmacy Manager Rochelle Guyse gives a flu shot at the CVS on Slaughter Lane in South Austin in September.

Can I get another vaccine with the COVID-19 vaccine?

Yes. In fact, it's recommended to get the flu shot at the same time, Gabel said. It's easier for most people to get it all done together, rather than have to return to the pharmacy or doctor's office for another shot, she said.

You also can do your RSV shot for people 65 and older or who are at risk for a severe infection, as well as a pneumonia shot for people ages 65 or older. If you are 50 or older and haven't received a shingles shot, throw that one in, too.

How can you make getting a shot not hurt?

The key is being relaxed so you do not tense up your muscles, Guyse said. If you do tense up or flex your muscle, you will feel that syringe going into your muscle. For some people counting down works, as well as looking away, she said.

Occasionally, Guyse will have to bribe both kids and adults with stickers or candy.

Are these vaccines free?

No, but most insurance companies will cover them. You should check with your insurance before you go because some insurance companies require certain shots to be done in a pharmacy.

For people who don't have insurance, the COVID-19 shots at CVS cost $201.99. The regular flu shot costs $68.99 and the flu shot for people ages 65 and older costs $115.99. You can find less expensive or even free vaccines through Austin Public Health's mobile vaccine drives and clinics.

What about flu shots?

The newest versions are out and ready for you. Just like COVID-19 shots, you should get your flu shots in September and October to have full protection by Thanksgiving. Vaccines usually take about two weeks to become effective.

Do these vaccines cause the disease?

No. These are not live viruses in the vaccine. "The vaccine does not make people sick," Gabel said. As she explains, if someone becomes sick with the disease or another respiratory virus after the vaccine, it's usually a coincidence and before the vaccine has fully taken effect.

These vaccines can cause a sore arm, low-grade fever, body aches and nausea.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: When should you get new COVID, flu shot in Austin? Where to get shot.
CHICAGO  A 19-year-old man was shot in Albany Park early Wednesday morning.

Officers responded to the 4700 block of North Kedzie after 2:40 a.m. on the report of a shooting.

CPD believes a man, 19, was standing outside of his vehicle when he heard gunshots. The man returned to his vehicle and kept hearing gunshots.

He drove away and then realized he was shot multiple times. The man was transported to Masonic in serious condition.

No one is in custody. Anyone with information can leave an anonymous tip at cpdtip.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 WGN-TV.
CHICAGO  Police are asking for the publics help to identify a man in connection with a shooting at a South Loop diner.

The shooting happened just before 3 a.m. on Aug. 23 at the White Palace Grill, located at 1159 South Canal Street.

According to police, a 42-year-old man was inside the diner and as he was walking out, another man fired gunshots. The victim was shot multiple times and the offender fled the scene nortbound in a silver Ford Focus.

The shooting happened while delegates, who had just attended the Democratic National Convention earlier that evening, were dining.

The man is wanted by police for aggravated battery with a firearm in connection to the diner shooting.

Man shot multiple times at White Palace Grill while DNC delegates were inside

Police describe the offender as a Black man between 25-35 years old, 57-511 and 150-200 pounds. He was seen wearing a blue ball cap, black T-shirt with OFFICER printed in white letters, a black vest, an unknown bronze in color security badge on his right hip, blue jeans with black and gold stripe along the seam, and white gym shoes.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Area Three Bureau of Detectives at (312) 744-8261 or submit an anonymous tip to CPDTIP.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 WGN-TV.
VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WAWV/WTWO)  According to a post on the Vigo County Sheriffs office Facebook page, Tuesday morning, deputies were dispatched to the Willow Crossing Apartment in reference to a subject with a weapon.

Upon arrival, deputies learned the altercation was between two neighbors. Individuals on the scene advised deputies that one of the individuals was displaying a knife, before they then fled the scene.

Deputies were able to identify the vehicle in Clinton, Indiana, by Vermillion County Deputies. A male was located in the suspected vehicle, later identified as 30-year-old Kyle Abney, of Crawfordsville, Indiana.

IDOC employee rushed to hospital after being electrocuted

Abney was then taken into custody and transported back to the Vigo County Sheriffs Office. Abney was charged with criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon and battery with moderate bodily injury.

At this time, the charges against Abney are based on the original altercation between Abeny and his neighbor. No parties involved required treatment at a hospital.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyWabashValley.com.
Crimean Tatar Riza Omerov sees family for first time in five years since being arrested by Russia

Riza Omerov, a Crimean Tatar political prisoner, was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment on trumped-up charges by a "court" in the Russian Federation in 2021. Now, his family have travelled more than 2,000 km to see him in a Russian prison for the first time since his arrest.

Source: Nariman Dzhelyal, Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis (Assembly) of the Crimean Tatar People, who was recently released from Russian captivity, spoke about Riza's meeting with his loved ones.

Quote from Dzhelyal: "I received some good news yesterday, but there is so much deep sadness and tragedy.

Sevila [Riza's wife  ed.] told me about this very important event for their family, followed by rejoicing and then crying. And I rejoiced and cried with her."

Dzhelyal said Riza had been able to see his mother, his wife, and their four sons.

Rizas wife, Sevila, told Dzhelyal that for the sake of the brief three-day meeting in a strict regime penal colony, they had to drive 2,000 km and wait for five hours for permission to enter the institution, as well as undergoing a personal examination and inspection of their belongings.

Riza Omerov's children

Photo: Nariman Dzhelyal /Facebook

Isa, the youngest son of an imprisoned Crimean Tatar Riza Omerov.

Photo: Nariman Dzhelyal /Facebook

Rizas youngest son, Isa, was born after his arrest, so this was the first time he had met his father.

According to Sevila, the children have struggled the most during their father's long absence, especially 10-year-old Suleiman, who abandoned his favourite hobby  doing jigsaws  because he couldn't do it without his father.

"There were seven people in two rooms, with only four beds. But that wasn't what shocked me. I was horrified to see what it means to be behind prison walls. How hard it is to bear. Knowing that your family and your children need you, but you are unable to provide for them," Sevila said.

Sevila also stated that Riza is in poor health: he has a persistent cough and white spots on his skin. The family attempted to persuade the Russian prison staff to allow them to leave Riza some dried apricots and honey. Eventually, their request was denied.

Read also: Russia withholds information about condition of Crimean political prisoner Ziza after hunger strike

Dzhelyal said he met Riza in February 2024 in a prison in Minusinsk, Krasnoyarsk Krai, in Russias southwest, while they were both waiting to be transported to Chuvashia.

"He is a positive, calm and balanced person. He has a strong faith in God, reads the Koran regularly, and strives to live a good life.

Riza didn't like talking about personal matters, but I could see how difficult it was for him when it came to his family. It was obvious that he was in emotional turmoil, but he would not let his emotions out," the activist recalls.

Riza Omerov was one of eight Crimean Tatars detained by the Russian authorities in Crimea in June 2019. They were accused of belonging to Hizb ut-Tahrir, an organisation which is banned in Russia and whose activists describe their mission as uniting all Muslims worldwide.

Read also: Over 14,000 Ukrainians in Russian captivity  Ukraine's Ombudsman

However, members of the group condemn terrorist tactics and claim that they are being unjustly persecuted in Russia and occupied Crimea.

Earlier, activist Nariman Dzhelyal, who was detained in Crimea in September 2021 and accused of sabotage, was reunited with his family.

Dzhelyal had been sentenced to 17 years in prison, but in June 2024, he and nine other civilians were released from Russian captivity.

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by Zhao Weiping

How should we characterize the relationship between China and Namibia? This is the question often asked of me as the Chinese Ambassador to Namibia, and it is quite pertinent given the upcoming 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in China's capital city of Beijing. The answer is a relationship characterized by traditional friendship, shared interests and growth potential.

The friendship between China and Namibia was forged long before their establishment of diplomatic relations in 1990, dating back to the 1960s when China gave full support to Namibia's struggle for national independence led by the South West Africa People's Organisation Party, which has since then become a close friend of the Communist Party of China. Almost every year, on important occasions such as celebrating Namibian Independence Day and Heroes' Day, Namibian leaders mention the country's history with China. Many Namibians cordially call their Chinese friends "comrades."

The past 34 years of China-Namibia relations have been smooth, amiable and fruitful, fully demonstrating the mutual support and help between two faithful friends. Namibia never wavered in its firm adherence to the one-China principle and has always stood with China on issues concerning the latter's core interests. China, for its part, has been consistently developing its diplomatic relations with Namibia in the spirit of South-South cooperation and according to the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith under China's Africa policy as put forth by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Successive leaders of both countries have provided strategic guidance for developing bilateral relations through frequent exchanges of visits and meetings on international occasions. In 2018, President Xi Jinping and former Namibian President Hage Geingob established the China-Namibia comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation, and the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Cooperation, which opened a new chapter in China-Namibia relations.

There are many wonderful stories of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries since China has long been Namibia's second-largest trading partner and a key source of foreign investment. Bilateral trade exceeded 1.3 billion U.S. dollars last year, and China now accounts for about 30 percent of the total foreign direct investment in Namibia.

Husab Uranium Project, China's largest single investment in Africa, and the Rossing Uranium Mine, two flagship mining projects, have contributed to about 7 percent of Namibia's GDP and created 6,000 high-paying jobs for the local communities. In the meantime, they have helped ensure a stable uranium supply for China's nuclear power industry.

As the largest developing country in the world, China has always been keen to assist Namibia in its social and economic development, which has brought tangible benefits to the Namibian people.

The various grant projects by the Chinese government have contributed to Namibia's efforts to combat drought and upgrade infrastructure, including in education, health care, agriculture, public transportation, youth training, scientific research and government buildings.

Every year, dozens of Namibian students get Chinese Government scholarships to study in China, and more than 300 Namibians head to China to undertake various training programs.

China was the first country to provide vaccine assistance to Namibia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 1996, China has sent 15 medical teams to Namibia, providing traditional Chinese medicine therapies to approximately 10,000 Namibians each year.

Namibian youth have displayed a strong interest in studying the Chinese language, with around 7,000 students attending Chinese language courses at the University of Namibia's Confucius Institute -- and demand is growing.

When the Chinese people celebrate the remarkable achievements of the Shenzhou spaceships, they will never forget the contribution of the China Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Station in Namibia. This station was the first one built by China in the Southern Hemisphere with Namibia's support.

While the historical and current state of China-Namibia relations is built on deep traditional friendship, shared interests and significant accomplishments, the future fills us with enthusiasm due to the limitless potential for development.

Despite a small population of 3 million, Namibia ranks as the 34th largest country in the world in terms of land size. It's a country with long-term political stability, a sound legal system and a strong determination for development. In addition to the endowment of rich mineral resources, Namibia is on the way to becoming the fourth-largest oil producer in Africa, thanks to the intensified exploratory efforts in recent years.

As China advances its path to modernization, Namibia is ready to accelerate its industrialization. The two countries will attach greater importance to the strategic alignment of the China-proposed BRI and the Global Development Initiative with the Namibia Vision 2030 and the Harambee Prosperity Plan, creating enormous opportunities for deepening bilateral practical cooperation.

The upcoming FOCAC Summit will map out the grand blueprint for the future development of China-Africa relations, with China-Namibia ties playing a crucial role. As Namibia's President Nangolo Mbumba travels to China for the FOCAC Summit and meets with his Chinese counterpart, this year marks another milestone in the relationship.

At this historic juncture, we should prepare for even greater development of China-Namibia relations in the coming years. It will be a future with increased Chinese investment in Namibia's economic development, including energy, mineral cooperation, agriculture and other sectors. Additionally, we anticipate enhanced bilateral trade and a rise in Chinese tourists visiting this beautiful "land of the brave."

By working together, China and Namibia will usher in a new period of ties and make more outstanding contributions to building a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future.

Editor's note: Zhao Weiping is the Chinese Ambassador to Namibia.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Xinhua News Agency.
Critics are taking Donald Trump back to Sunday school after he made a bizarre claim about Jesus during his latest interview with Phil McGraw, aka TVs Dr. Phil.

The former president attacked California for its extensive vote-by-mail program, which he falsely claimed leads to voter fraud, and insisted without evidence that hed win the state if not for that supposed fraud.

I guarantee you, if Jesus came down and was the vote counter, I would win California, he said. In other words, if we had an honest vote counter, a really honest vote counter, I do great with the Hispanics, great, I mean I had a level that no other Republicans ever done, but if we had an honest vote counter, I would win California.

No Republican presidential candidate has won deep blue California since President George H.W. Bush in 1988. Trump lost California by about 30 percentage points in both 2016 and 2020.

Kamala Harris campaign released a statement saying Trump reached a level of delusion difficult for even Dr. Phil to diagnose.

Other critics also put the former president on blast:

Im just an ordinary Catholic, but Im thinking that Jesus probably wouldnt come down for a man found liable by a jury for sexual assault.



And since Jesus invented the laws of the universe, including math, He would certify that Trump lost California. And GA, NV, AZ, WI, MI, PA. https://t.co/NVfVyr1bVh  Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) August 28, 2024

If Jesus came down, Donald would demand that he be deported.  Fabius Americanus (@ToadstoolC) August 28, 2024

Parents, Expose your children to adversity. Allow them to fail, teach them mistakes are normal. Never shield them from failure by lying to them and telling them they succeeded.



You dont want them to grow up and claim they were cheated out of victory in a state they lost by 30%. https://t.co/MC8OY1H83L  Jason Kander (@JasonKander) August 28, 2024

Trump says if Jesus counted the votes he would win California.



Imagine believing this guy would ever concede an election. Hes out there saying he should win 50 states every time. pic.twitter.com/N8avPGh5hu  Richard Hanania (@RichardHanania) August 28, 2024

If Jesus, Mary, Shiva, Krishna, Holy Spirit and Buddha all came down as vote counters, he would still lose California.  POTUS Kamala Harris  Kamala's the new Karma! (@terry_pali) August 28, 2024

A real doctor would be scheduling Trump for a rush visit to get an MRI. https://t.co/NYZIdGZFjg  Jeff Nichols (@backwards_river) August 28, 2024

If Jesus came down youd demand to see the birth certificate and then call him a liar and dont even get me started on what youd say about his mom https://t.co/YXWAGtDeOu  Matt Israel (@Matt_is_Real) August 28, 2024

Im an atheist and sometimes feel like a better Christian than this clown  Bear (@Big_Blue_Bear94) August 28, 2024

The Bible literally warns you to beware of charlatans like this. https://t.co/arryYobxkX  Geoff Valent (@geoffvster) August 28, 2024

BREAKING NEWS: Trump accuses Jesus of not being able to count.  SAY IT TO MY FACE!! (@BlueAryaStark) August 28, 2024

Hes truly a delusional, narcissistic buffoon. https://t.co/LH2fQcfKjL  Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) August 28, 2024

How did we get here?



The GOP is being ran by a Madman. https://t.co/bo6D55pB9A  Kyle Sweetser (@sweetser_kyle) August 28, 2024

Trump to Dr. Phil tonight: "If Jesus came down and was the vote counter, I would win California."



Jesus: pic.twitter.com/3YqtoIPgkX  Karen DaltonBeninato (@kbeninato) August 28, 2024

Bro is completely delusional. I wonder if Dr.Phil is ready to make his diagnosis yet? https://t.co/2cVatzJcbK  Tristan Norris (@TheGrassManx) August 28, 2024

This was an absolutely bonkers interview, even for Donald Trump. He did himself no favors with this conversation with Dr. Phil. What an absolute Looney Tune he is. A buffoon. Cartoonishly so. pic.twitter.com/lGxBnJN1If  Russell Drew (@RussOnPolitics) August 28, 2024
Croatia: Split suburbs under threat as fire rages in nearby hills

Several houses in suburbs near Split were in danger from the raging fires that quickly spread due to strong winds.

Several homes were evacuated and local roads around the Zrnovnica hills were closed.

Croatian firefighters said the situation was "much better" after more than 100 firefighters and two planes worked to fight back the wildfire overnight in Zrnovnica.

In the Balkans, weeks went by without a drop of rain, and temperatures during July and August were extremely high.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (CANARIES)  The Sioux Falls Canaries blanked rival Sioux City 5-0 on Tuesday, fueled by a gem from Ty Culbreth and a four homerun effort offensively.

Hunter Clanin and Josh Rehwaldt smacked back-to-back roundtrippers with two outs in the first inning and the Birds never looked back. Jabari Henry blasted a two-run shot in the sixth and Trevor Achenbach followed with a solo homerun.

Culbreth tossed eight shutout innings and allowed just two hits as he earned his league-leading 12th victory. Clanin finished with three hits to lead the effort offensively. The Canaries are now 52-41 and will look to surpass last seasons win total when the two teams meet again Wednesday at 6:35pm.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
NEW YORK  The City University of New York is beefing up security and surveying students on discrimination across its 25 campuses, university officials announced on the first day of school for many of its colleges.

After a wave of pro-Palestinian protests last semester culminated in hundreds of arrests at City College, its Harlem campus, CUNY said Wednesday it has hired about two dozen new public safety personnel going into the training academy and deployed 50 additional private officers to campuses.

Officials also announced a system-wide campus climate survey  coming later this fall  of students perceptions of feeling included or experiences with discrimination. Those results are expected to inform CUNYs plans to combat hate on campus and track its progress, they said.

Im full of hope for the year ahead, and I want to congratulate all of our students on their return to school, Chancellor Felix Matos Rodriguez said in a statement. Lets use these opportunities to grow, both as individuals and collectively, and never forget that were stronger when we come together as a community.

As classes resumed at CUNYs four-year colleges Wednesday and at all but three of its community colleges this week, it appeared unlikely that students and some faculty were through with their protest of Israels war in Gaza and demand that CUNY divest from companies with ties to the Jewish state.

Protesters at the Borough of Manhattan Community College overnight spray painted DIVEST on the sidewalk outside a CUNY public safety outpost in lower Manhattan, social media posts show. At Queens College, students unfurled banners on campus, including: It is right 2 rebel.

Our demands have not changed, and we will do anything that is in our power to achieve them, the Brooklyn College chapter of Students for Justice on Palestine said in a statement.

CUNY is currently the subject of a state antisemitism investigation, ordered by Gov. Kathy Hochul in October. A report of Judge Jonathan Lippman and his firm Latham & Watkins findings was expected last spring  but has yet to be publicly released.

In June, CUNY entered into a voluntary agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, which had launched a civil rights probe into the public university systems concerning response to allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has dropped the charges for most protesters arrested on April 30 at City College, but cases involving people accused of assaulting police officers or possessing a weapon were still ongoing this summer.

With the steps announced on the first day of school, CUNY will try to avert some of the conflicts that came to a head last school year, as students and faculty with differing views on the war accused administrators of quashing the protests with too heavy of a hand  or for not taking action sooner.

CUNY was part of a meeting earlier this week with Gov. Hochul to prepare for campus protests, and this fall will launch faculty trainings on navigating difficult conversations in our campuses, officials said.

Milton Gordon, a senior at Baruch College in Gramercy Park, created illustrations through an internship this summer for a social media campaign launched Wednesday, called #OurCUNY, that connects students and faculty with resources on free speech, doxxing and other issues related to discrimination.

As the semester resumes, Gordon hoped his art could promote togetherness on campus, after a school year roiled by campus protests.

The need is always important, and as a matter of fact, its always there, he said. I just think that in these times, we just need to emphasize it  but it doesnt mean its not always there.

_____
Water and Fire

A Tesla Cybertruck burst into flames after crashing into a fire hydrant outside a Bass Pro Shop in Harlingen, Texas  and getting doused in copious amounts of water, igniting the battery.

As local news station Valley Central reports, first responders were optimistic that they had successfully battled the flames, only for the fire to resume after they stopped to spray the truck's battery with even more water.

It's unclear if any injuries resulted from the accident.

The incident highlights just how difficult it is to put out a burning EV  even if it happens to crash into a device intended to fight fires. Fire departments have had to change tactics, using full PPE due to toxic fumes, tapping multiple fire hydrants or multiple water tankers, and developing new solutions like EV fire-specific fire blankets.

Smoke Show

Ironically, Tesla had just released a detailed rescue sheet for its Cybertruck last week. The guide is designed for first responders, informing them where the vehicle's low and high-voltage power cables terminate.

In case of fire, Tesla advises responders not to "submerge vehicle to extinguish/cool battery fire."

"Use of firefighting foam is not recommended and only water should be used to cool the battery enclosure," the rescue sheet reads.

Over the years, first responders have found out the hard way that it takes far more water to put out an EV fire. In 2021, Austin Fire Department division chief Thayer Smith said that Tesla vehicles may take up to 30,000 to 40,000 gallons of water  roughly 40 times as much as is needed to put out a combustion engine car.

And with more EVs being produced than ever before, those kinds of incidents can be devastating. A lithium-ion battery fire is still extremely dangerous. In 2019, the family of a Tesla Model S owner, who died after being trapped inside his burning Model S, sued the carmaker, arguing that the car's retractable door handles malfunctioned.

While it's still unclear if anybody was hurt during the latest fire, we've already come across incidents involving the Cybertruck that didn't end well.

Earlier this month, a Texas driver died after his Cybertruck crashed into a culvert and caught fire.

More on the Cybertruck: Burglar Discovers You Can Peel Cybertruck and Access the Inside
Editors Note: Sign up for CNNs Meanwhile in China newsletter which explores what you need to know about the countrys rise and how it impacts the world.

A stretch of uninhabited, low-lying reefs in the South China Sea is fast becoming a dangerous new flashpoint between China and the Philippines, dealing a blow to recent efforts to de-escalate tensions in one of the worlds most vital waterways.

Over the past week, Chinese and Philippine vessels have engaged in multiple collisions and face-offs near Sabina Shoal, a disputed atoll lying just 86 miles from the Philippines west coast and 745 miles from China, which claims almost all of the South China Sea as its sovereign territory despite an international ruling to the contrary.

The violent confrontations came just weeks after Beijing and Manila struck a temporary deal to lower tensions that had been rising all summer at another nearby reef, where Chinas increasingly aggressive tactics had raised alarm across the region as well as in Washington, a mutual defense ally of the Philippines.

Renewed tension in the South China Sea is expected to be on the agenda of meetings between US national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during Sullivans visit to China this week.

Following a particularly violent encounter at the Second Thomas Shoal in June, which saw Chinese coast guard personnel brandishing axes at Filipino soldiers and slashing their rubber boats, Chinese and Philippine officials sat down for talks and agreed to de-escalate.

For a while, tensions appeared to be cooling, but the detente proved short lived.

On August 19, in the middle of the night, coast guard ships from China and the Philippines collided near Sabina Shoal. Manila said the Chinese ships rammed into its vessels, tearing a 3.6-foot hole in one and a 3-foot-wide gap in another. Beijing blamed the Philippines for the collisions.

Then, on Sunday afternoon, another clash took place, with the Philippines accusing China of ramming and firing water cannons at a vessel from its fisheries bureau in an encounter with eight Chinese ships, including a warship from the Peoples Liberation Army Navy. China said the Philippine ship refused to accept control by a Chinese coast guard vessel and deliberately collided with it.

The following day, in yet another tense encounter, the Philippines said China deployed an excessive force of 40 ships  including three PLA Navy warships  to block two Philippine Coast Guard vessels. Beijing said it took control measures against two Philippine ships that intruded into waters near Sabina Shoal.

Analysts say Sabina Shoal is fast becoming the latest confrontation zone in what is already a highly contested part of the world, where a mistake could quickly spiral into a conflict with hugely damaging consequences.

All indications seem to point to the fact that this is an emerging third flashpoint after the Second Thomas Shoal and another atoll to the north named the Scarborough Shoal, said Collin Koh, research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

Manila is trying to avoid what they call a repeat of the Scarborough Shoal, which China seized in 2012 after a long standoff with the Philippines and on which it has maintained a permanent presence since, Koh added.

China, on the other hand, is trying to see off another Second Thomas Shoal, where the Philippines ran aground a World War II-era ship in 1999 to stake its claim over the reef and has stationed a small group of marines since.

The violent clashes around Second Thomas Shoal earlier this summer occurred during Beijings attempts to block Manilas missions to resupply its soldiers stationed on the rusting BRP Sierra Madre.

Resupply missions

A similar blockade is playing out at Sabina Shoal, which is about 40 miles closer to the Philippine coast than the Second Thomas Shoal. Both lie within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Philippines.

Since April, the Philippines has deployed a coast guard vessel to Sabina Shoal to monitor what it said were signs of Chinas illegal land reclamation activities, after Filipino scientists discovered piles of crushed corals on the sandbars amid an increased presence of Chinese ships in the area. China has denied the accusation.

Displacing 2,300 tons, the 318-foot-long BRP Teresa Magbanua anchored at Sabina Shoal is one of the two largest ships that the Philippine Coast Guard has and is its flagship. Acquired from Japan in 2022, it is also one of the newest ships in Manilas fleet, carrying a crew of 67.

This has really annoyed China and they want that (Philippine) vessel to go away, said Ray Powell, director of SeaLight, a maritime transparency project at Stanford Universitys Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation.

China refers to it  as a quasi-grounding, so theyre basically treating it like its the Sierra Madre all over again even though it is not grounded, its anchored.

And Beijing has been gradually upping the pressure on Manila.

In July, China anchored one of its monster coast guard ships, the 12,000-ton CCG-5901, near Sabina Shoal. The CCG-5901 is more than five times the size of the Philippines Teresa Magbanua and larger than any other regular coast guard ship in the world.

Initially the Chinese were trying to warn Manila to roll back at Sabina Shoal. Thats why they send the monster ship just to create an impression, Koh said.

But the Filipinos were sitting still and not moving at all. So I guess the Chinese likely have reached a point where they concluded that they need to up the pressure on the Filipinos, which is why we saw whats happening recently.

Philippine Coast Guard cutter BRP Teresa Magbanua. - Philippine Coast Guard/Facebook

In recent weeks, Chinese state media have accused the Philippines of trying to establish a long-term presence at Sabina Shoal to occupy the reef and indicated that China will not allow any resupply missions to proceed.

China will never be deceived by the Philippines again, Chinese state news agency Xinhua said in a commentary about the Sunday faceoff, citing Manilas grounding of the Sierra Madre at the Second Thomas Shoal back in 1999.

On Monday, the Philippine Coast Guard said it had deployed two ships on a humanitarian mission to deliver vital food and supplies to its personnel stationed abroad the Teresa Magbanua, including a special ice cream treat in honor of the countrys National Heroes Day.

(Teresa Magbanua, one of the heroes commemorated on the day, was one of the few women to lead Filipino troops in battles against Spanish colonizers during the Philippine Revolution and against American forces in the Philippine-American war.)

But the mission failed due to the obstruction of 40 Chinese ships, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.

If China continues to block the Philippines from resupplying the Teresa Magbanua with food, water and fuel or rotating its crew, the Philippine ship will have to sail away, Powell said.

High-stakes game

For now, neither Beijing nor Malina appear willing to back down.

Its a high-stakes game for Manila, Koh said. The domestic circumstances all point to the very fact that now Sabina Shoal is where you could not yield an inch to the Chinese Marcos Jr is definitely right on the chopping board for that, he added, referring to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Since coming to power in 2022, Marcos Jr has strengthened Manilas alliance with the US and increasingly challenged Chinas expansive claims in the South China Sea, which an international tribunal said had no legal basis in a landmark ruling in 2016.

His predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, a firebrand populist who launched a notoriously brutal anti-drug war, favored a much warmer relationship with Beijing and was much less willing to confront Beijing over the South China Sea.

Manilas current transparency initiative to expose Chinas growing assertiveness in the disputed waters has won it international support, especially from Western countries, but Beijing is not deterred by negative press, Powell said.

China seems to be speeding up its agenda for taking control of West Philippine Sea features, he said. They have the capacity and they have the will, and they have not seen anything yet that says to them that the cost is going to be too high.

Meanwhile, both Beijing and Manila are watching closely for how Washington will react.

American officials have repeatedly pledged to defend the Philippines from any armed attack in the disputed waters, stressing Washingtons ironclad commitment to a 1951 defense treaty between the two allies.

Samuel Paparo, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, said Tuesday that American ships could escort Philippine vessels on resupply missions in the South China Sea, describing what he called an an entirely reasonable option that required consultation between the treaty allies, according to Reuters.

But being dragged into another global conflict will not be in US interests, especially in the run-up to its presidential election, Koh said, adding that Washington is already occupied with Russias invasion of Ukraine and the raging war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

The Chinese know that Manila has very limited options if they could not depend on US help, Koh said. China is deliberately escalating the situation, with a likely intention to test how far Washington would support Manila.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Police capture 'aggressive' water buffalo that had been on the loose for days in Iowa

Police in Iowa said they have captured a "dangerous," injured water buffalo that had been on the loose since Saturday.

The Pleasant Hill Police Department said the animal was transported Wednesday morning to the Iowa State University Veterinary Hospital after being located in Des Moines the previous evening.

PHOTO: The water buffalo is seen in this still from a Ring camera video in Pleasant Hill, Iowa, on Aug. 26, 2024. (Courtesy Jessica Eshelman)

The capture followed a dayslong search that at one point saw an officer shoot the animal, nicknamed "Phill" by some in the community, and sightings of the water buffalo in yards and on a home Ring camera.

Officers said they initially responded to a call Saturday morning about an "animal in the road" in Pleasant Hill, located about six miles east of Des Moines.

The owner "shared that it was an aggressive animal they were preparing to butcher for its meat and asked the Pleasant Hill Police Department to 'put it down,'" the Pleasant Hill Police Department said in a statement Wednesday.

MORE: Circus animals rescued from semi-truck fire on Indiana highway

The responding officer said the department does not "put animals down" unless they pose a threat to the public, according to the police department.

An officer did shoot the animal, injuring it, later Saturday morning after the water buffalo showed "aggressiveness" toward responding officers, the police department said. The water buffalo was near a busy intersection "creating a dangerous situation," police said.

The injured animal was then able to escape.

PHOTO: The water buffalo is seen in this still from a cellphone video in Pleasant Hill, Iowa, on Aug. 26, 2024. (Courtesy Martin Pontier)

Pleasant Hill police said they employed ATVs to search bicycle trails and a creek for the loose animal. They said they also partnered with the Polk County Sheriffs Office to use their drone technology and with "local individuals who have expertise in containing this type of animal," they said.

Amid the search, the water buffalo was seen on Ring footage on Monday near the front door of a home in Pleasant Hill. A Pleasant Hill resident also filmed the animal in his backyard on Monday.

The water buffalo was located around 7:30 p.m. CT Tuesday in water in a sand pit in Des Moines, though first responders decided to wait to corral the animal until daylight, police said.

The animal was coaxed out of the water and a tranquilizer dart was administered around 9:30 a.m. CT on Wednesday, police said. A second tranquilizer dart was administered about 30 minutes later, police said.

PHOTO: The water buffalo was transported to a veterinary hospital following its capture on Aug. 28, 2024. (Pleasant Hill Police Department)

The immobilized water buffalo was then loaded into a trailer and treated with reversal drugs, antibiotics and vitamins, police said.

"The water buffalo was awake and prognosis is guarded," police said.

The animal was transported to the veterinary hospital to be monitored and receive any necessary medical care, police said.

MORE: Bull gets loose on tracks at Newark Penn Station, taken into custody

The Polk County Conservation, Blank Park Zoo, Animal Rescue League of Iowa and other law enforcement agencies were involved in the capture, police said.

"An investigation into the escape of the animal is being conducted," the Pleasant Hill Police Department said. "Based on the results of the investigation charges may be filed."

The owner has since surrendered the animal to the Des Moines Police Department, police said. The animal is now a resident of the Iowa Farm Sanctuary and won't be sent to slaughter, the organization said while commending the humane capture of "Phill."

"The local community absolutely rallied for Phill and didnt rest until he was given a fair chance at safety and freedom," the Iowa Farm Sanctuary said in a statement on Facebook. "The outpouring of love for Phill, a farmed animal, in the epicenter of animal agriculture, is so incredibly heartwarming."

Police capture 'aggressive' water buffalo that had been on the loose for days in Iowa originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
CHICAGO  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 the homeless, elderly and those with pre-existing 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 remains in effect until 10 p.m. in northern Illinois, as the weather service warns 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 lead Metra to implement hot weather speed restrictions, lowering train speed by 10 miles per hour.

Zachary Yack, a meteorologist with Chicagos National Weather Service, 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 waves, 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 remains 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 will keep its doors open for cooling until 8 p.m.

DFSS spokesperson Brian Berg said the agency is sending out additional outreach teams to connect homeless individuals with resources, and seniors received robocalls warning them of the excessive heat. The Salvation Army has 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 pre-existing 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 are 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.

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 impacted 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 plans to head over the beach to cool down even more, saying its amazing for kids.

____
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (DC News Now)  In Alexandria, the DASH Bus is on the move, and officials are getting ready to celebrate a new milestone.

In August, DASH Bus announced that it broke the Fiscal Year 2024 record with 5.3 million riders, smashing the transportations 2023 record of 4.3 million.

4 Red Line stations to reopen after months of construction

The bus first hit the streets of Alexandria 40 years ago and has evolved and adapted its routes to help meet the communitys needs.

Now, officials are inviting community members to celebrate the new mark in history.

On Sept. 19, DASH Bus will host a block party at the William Ramsey Recreation Center. From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., neighbors can join the fun.

For more information, visit the DASH Buss Facebook page.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
LUSAKA, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Zambia wants to see increased partnerships between Chinese and local entities from deals that would be reached at the forthcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), a senior government official said on Tuesday.

Authorities in Zambia were adequately preparing the delegation that will be traveling to China for the FOCAC to ensure that maximum benefits were derived from the summit, said Minister of Tourism Rodney Sikumba.

He said Zambia wants to leverage China's advancement in various sectors such as energy, tourism and agriculture, as well as get experience that could be utilized to advance the country's development from the FOCAC.

"The mechanization of agriculture that we have seen in China is something we want to learn from," he told Xinhua.

Zambia, he said, was aware that China was one of the leading countries in sustainable production of electricity, which is worth learning from.

Sikumba said Zambia has a lot of potential in the tourism sector and wants China to be a key partner in tourism development.

The minister said the Zambia Development Agency was instructed to ensure that the business delegation traveling to China for the FOCAC can engage meaningfully with their Chinese counterparts.

He said the government expects that Zambian businesses would partner with Chinese enterprises in various projects such as those under the Belt and Road Initiative.

"We are very delighted that our president has confirmed participation and we should be able to see a number of Zambian businesses participating and we expect fruitful outcomes," Sikumba said.

The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation will be held in Beijing from Sept. 4 to 6. 
(WHTM)  Pennsylvania U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormicks social media account appeared to mistake a news report involving a shooting in Philadelphia, Mississippi for the City of Brotherly Love; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

McCormicks account reposted a news clip of a Mississippi television station reporting on a shooting involving an alleged MS-13 gang member who police say shot multiple people after entering the United States illegally.

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The repost included a comment criticizing McCormicks opponent, incumbent U.S. Senator Bob Casey, and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.

MS-13 gang members are terrorizing Philadelphians because of Harris & Caseys radical open border policies, posted McCormick in response to the Mississippi shooting.

The post was taken down several minutes after another account pointed out the story was from Mississippi.

Maddy McDaniel, the Communications Director for Caseys campaign, responded on X saying, Dave, this story is from Philadelphia, Mississippi  not Philadelphia, PA and shared a picture of a City of Philadelphia police car.

McDaniel added in a subsequent statement Since David McCormick lives in Connecticut, its not surprising he cant tell the difference between Pennsylvania and Mississippi. We can help, Dave  Pennsylvania is the state that is going to reject you in November.

A McCormick spokesperson responded to the post saying We made a mistake in our tweet, and thats not nearly as bad as what Bob Casey did when he enabled illegal immigrant gang members to terrorize Americans because of his and Harriss radical open border policies.

Pennsylvania Senate Race: Dave McCormick open to increasing minimum wage

McCormick has faced criticism from Democrats for his ties to Connecticut where he worked for several years at a hedge fund. McCormick has touted himself as a 7th generation Pennsylvanian raised in Bloomsburg and was the CEO of a company that employed hundreds in Western Pennsylvania.

In 2022, McCormick unsuccessfully sought the Republicans U.S. Senate nomination, losing to Mehmet Oz in the primary by less than 1,000 votes.

In 2024, McCormick won the primary with no competitive challenger after State Senator Doug Mastriano decided not to run for U.S. Senate.

This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as more information becomes available

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
A Day After Receiving Police Endorsement, Gallego Asks DOJ To Ease Up On Oversight Of Phoenix PD

Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego is running for U.S. Senate in Arizona against Republican Kari Lake. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

On the heels of a surprising endorsement from a pro-Trump police group, Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego asked federal law enforcement not to impose reforms on the Phoenix Police Department, following an investigation that uncovered an alleged pattern of civil rights violations.

The Phoenix Law Enforcement Association posted a copy of the letter from Gallego to the DOJ on Facebook Tuesday  a day after the Arizona Police Association, an umbrella advocacy organization for more than 50 police agencies (including Phoenixs), announced its endorsement of Democratic candidate Gallego for U.S. Senate against Republican Kari Lake.

The timing of Gallegos letter is notable, given how quickly it was sent following Gallegos endorsement by the Arizona police group, whose leader has also made a show of endorsing Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Gallegos campaign declined to comment regarding the letter to the DOJ. The Arizona Police Association did not respond to a request to discuss its endorsement.

Gallego, an ex-member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus who was critical of law enforcement after George Floyds murder in 2020, has been recasting himself as a moderate to win over Arizona independents.

In the letter to Assistant U.S. Attorney General Kristen Clarke, Gallego wrote that he was deeply concerned about the DOJs attempt to impose a consent decree  essentially, a court-ordered improvement plan  on the Phoenix Police Department, in response to the DOJs findings that Phoenix officers used excessive force and violated the rights of people of color, homeless people and protesters.

Gallego, whose ex-wife, Kate Gallego, is Phoenixs Democratic mayor, cited a mere 120 incidents uncovered by the DOJ over an eight-year period.

This amounts to an exceptionally small fraction of one percent of service calls, he wrote, arguing that federal oversight would cost Phoenix taxpayers $50 million and result in a staffing crisis on its police force. Gallego urged the department to consider a softer option.

Phoenix officials also staunchly oppose federal oversight of the citys police department, and Lake in June called the DOJs findings the latest power grab by federal bureaucrats.

That stance, however, puts them at odds with civil rights advocates who want to see the department held to greater account.

We think [a consent decree] is a pretty crucial tool, and it is a tool that has fortunately come to use after the previous administration stopped using it, said Chloe White, a senior policy counsel at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, who would not comment specifically on Gallegos letter.

We understand that there is always going to be conflict when an outside body finds there has been misconduct on the part of a local body. This is something the DOJ and the city of Phoenix will work out.

The timing of the Arizona Police Associations endorsement and Gallegos letter raises eyebrows not only because the group endorsed Trump at a rally in Glendale, Arizona, last Friday, but because it previously backed Lake for governor in 2022.

It is clear who supports law enforcement, law and order, and thats President Trump, Arizona Police Association President Justin Harris said onstage with Trump this past Friday.

Whats less clear is what prompted the group to snub Lake and cross party lines for Gallego.

Lake competed in the GOP Senate primary against Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, calling him a total coward during a candidate forum in May. The comment earned a rebuke from some officers, who took it as a personal attack.

Lake, who claims Arizona has become the fentanyl state because Democrats ceded the border to drug cartels, has the support of other law enforcement agencies in Arizona. But the Arizona Police Association is the largest of these groups in the state. Lakes campaign did not respond to a request for comment on Gallegos endorsement.

Following Mondays endorsement, Lake accused Gallego of being weak on crime and the border. [He] supported defunding the police and vilified law enforcement while serving in Congress, she said.

In a statement Monday, the Arizona Police Association cited Gallegos military background and his support for bipartisan bills aimed at increasing resources for local law enforcement.

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 publics expectations, the statement said.

Gallego, in a statement included with the associations release, said he looked forward to ensuring officers have the resources necessary to combat fentanyl trafficking, train the next generation of officers and, above all, keep Arizona families safe.

HuffPost reporter Phillip Jackson contributed reporting.

Related...
GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN)  Williamson Countys four Justice of the Peace judges trickled in one by one.

Williamson County Justice of the Peace judges talk with County Judge Bill Gravell before budget vote. (KXAN Photo/Arezow Doost)

Its a moment they did not want to miss as County Commissioners voted on next years budget.

For months the judges have been talking with commissioners and County Judge Bill Gravell about relief as they juggle court dockets and growing death investigations.

Tuesday morning, they said they were heard.

Williamson County Commissioners moved forward with the hiring of death inquest specialists. Commissioners budgeted $309,083.72 for four death investigators  one would be a supervisor. The new hires will work alongside the JPs and will take death calls, go to scenes and prepare reports.

Letter from Williamson County Justices of the Peace after budget approvalDownload

Today is a monumental achievement for the Williamson County Justices of the Peace. We each will be getting a full-time death investigator, said Judge Evelyn McLean, Williamson County Justice of the Peace in Precinct 3 I do want to say thank you to the Commissioners Court, because they heard the need that we had  they took action.

McLean added that this will give them time back in their courtrooms because they wont be traveling all over the county on death calls at all hours of the day and night.

READ: Williamson County years away from getting medical examiner, county looking at other options

The four judges first shared concerns about the need for a medical examiner with KXAN investigators in March. They pointed to data which shows death cases across the county have increased by 122% over the past decade and include everything from natural causes, suicides and overdoses to murders.

Judge Evelyn McLean responding to a scene in Williamson County. (Courtesy: Judge Evelyn McLean, Williamson County Justice of the Peace in Precinct 3)

Ultimately having judges back on the bench, hearing cases in the courtroom and having skilled death investigators in the field responding to the scenes across the county serves the public. And its such a great day for Williamson County not only to have the leadership of the Justice of the Peace, but the partnership of the Commissioners Court, explained Judge KT Musselman, Williamson County Justice of the Peace in Precinct 1.

Texas law requires counties to establish a medical examiners office when the population hits 2.5 million, but a county commissioners court may create one at any time. Gravell said this is the first step as the county eventually looks to establish an MEs office over the next several years.

READ: Williamson County families frustrated over lack of medical examiner as area grows

The judges said they look forward to being part of discussions with commissioners and Gravell.

Were so grateful that we have taken this first step, because without them, we wouldnt be moving forward. So very appreciative to Commissioners Court. We absolutely look forward to working with them on the next steps, said Judge Rhonda Redden, Williamson County Justice of the Peace in Precinct 4.

The county administrator would hire the death investigators starting in January. As part of the budget the new hires would also get uniforms and share a vehicle.

Neighboring Travis County has long established its MEs office and has a series of jobs, which focus on death investigations from a chief who manages the investigation division to investigators who handle cases. The salaries range depending on the positions from nearly $60,000 a year to more than $120,000.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Dr. Molly McClain treats many out-of-state patients at her New Mexico clinic, though she said around 1 in 5 find the cost too prohibitive.

Dr. Kade Goepferd has received death threats for their work treating transgender youths at Childrens Minnesota Hospital, but Goepferd said the harassment isnt the most worrying part of the job.

The waitlist is what keeps me up at night, said Goepferd, who uses they/them pronouns. It has grown every year, and it got particularly long after the bans went into effect.

Goepferd is the medical director of the hospitals Gender Health Program, the only multispeciality pediatric gender clinic in Minnesota. The program has experienced a 30% increase in calls since surrounding states outlawed gender-affirming care for minors, and the waitlist is now at least a year for new patients, even after Goepferd hired additional staff to help the hundreds of trans youths requesting appointments.

Dr. Kade Goepferd said the waitlist at their Minnesota clinic "has grown every year" and has gotten "particularly long after the bans went into effect.

Twenty-six states now have restrictions on transgender health care for minors, according to the LGBTQ think tank Movement Advancement Project. The laws have left those still able to provide this type of care, like Goepferd, struggling to keep up with demand.

NBC News spoke to a dozen clinicians in states where gender-affirming care for minors remains legal, from Connecticut to California, and found all are treating transgender youths fleeing bans. Not only does the surge in out-of-state and newly relocated patients create logistical challenges  from waitlists to insurance denials  it also presents a legal risk for health care professionals. Although some states have enacted protections for gender-affirming care providers, these shield laws remain untested in court, and they have done little to deter anti-trans attacks. Many doctors said theyve had to take added security measures as transphobic rhetoric has intensified.

Theres been a growing awareness over the last year that the environment is only getting more and more dangerous for providers, said Kellan Baker, executive director of the Whitman-Walker Institute, a nonprofit advancing LGBTQ health care.

Tenuous protection

Not all transgender youths seek medical intervention, and while the total number of minors diagnosed with gender dysphoria has increased in recent years, the percentage pursuing transition care has decreased, according to data collected by Reuters and Komodo Health Inc. In a 2022 report, the organizations found around 13% of trans youths sought medical intervention in 2021, down from 17% in 2017. Meanwhile, the number of laws targeting providers has risen rapidly since 2021, when Arkansas became the first state to ban gender-affirming care for minors. Now, more than half of U.S. states have such restrictions in place.

Proponents of these laws say they prevent harmful experimentation on children, who they argue are not mature enough to make life-altering decisions about their bodies. However, the bans contradict the consensus among major medical associations, which recommend the treatment of gender dysphoria before age 18.

Care for young children involves only social changes, such as a new name and pronouns. For some preteens, the next step is puberty blockers, medication that suppresses the development of distressing secondary sex characteristics like facial hair. Once patients reach adolescence, they can start gender-affirming hormone therapy, which allows teens to mature into the gender matching their identity and is the same protocol used with trans adults. Gender-affirming surgery, such as the removal of breast tissue, is rarely performed on minors, but these procedures are also outlawed for youths in dozens of states.

The consequences for violating transgender care bans range from loss of medical license to criminal charges. It is now a felony in six states  Alabama, Idaho, Florida, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Carolina  to prescribe puberty blockers or hormone therapy to transgender youths, according to KFF, formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation. Twenty states impose civil and professional penalties, such as empowering parents to sue or subjecting providers to discipline from the medical board, KFF reports. Those sanctions are paired with an aiding and abetting clause in eight states, preventing doctors from even referring families elsewhere for treatment.

Jennifer Pepper, president and CEO of CHOICES Center for Reproductive Health, an LGBTQ and womens health care organization, said the bans are borrowing tactics from the anti-abortion movement.

Its having the same nightmare all over again, said Pepper, whose Illinois clinic offers gender-affirming hormone therapy to teens 16 and up. You make it about safety, and you make it about these providers who dont actually care about patients. And those are all the same words and plays that we saw right after the Roe v. Wade decision.

Sixteen states have enacted so-called shield laws or executive orders that help gender-affirming care providers practice without repercussions, according to Movement Advancement Project. These policies prohibit information-sharing with prosecutors in states with bans and block the extradition of health care professionals.

Milo Inglehart, a staff attorney at the California-based Transgender Law Center, said the clash between bans and shield laws has created tremendous uncertainty for providers.

We havent seen this much state legal conflict since the Civil War, practically, Inglehart said.

Inglehart and other advocates fear the shield laws aimed at gender-affirming care providers may not hold up in court. So far, the only test has come from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who demanded the medical records of transgender patients at Seattle Childrens Hospital. The hospital  which falls under Washingtons shield law  filed a lawsuit against Paxton and, as part of a settlement, he dropped the request.

Nonetheless, Kellan Baker said he advises health care professionals not to rely on these policies. Many providers under shield laws agreed, telling NBC News they still feel at risk treating out-of-state patients.

Its a tenuous protection, said Dr. Molly McClain, medical director of the University of New Mexicos Deseo clinic for transgender youths. Im not afraid now, but I think were just going to have to see.

Dr. Molly McClain said shield laws are a "tenuous protection" for providers of gender-affirming health care for minors.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear its first case on gender-affirming care next term, marking a potential turning point for providers. The court will weigh whether Tennessees ban violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.

In the meantime, the patchwork of state policies makes telehealth especially fraught. Dr. Izzy Lowell, founder and director of the online clinic QueerMed, is based in Georgia but serves transgender teens and adults nationwide. Shes able to avoid the bans by asking patients to travel for their virtual appointments.

The way the telemedicine law works is that wherever the patient is located at the time of the visit, that states laws apply, Lowell said. So we have patients drive or fly or whatever from wherever they are over the border into a state without a ban.

Lowell said she also employs about a dozen attorneys to monitor gender-affirming care laws. Last year, she received a demand for patient records from the Texas attorney general, and she later told The Washington Post she would not be complying. She declined to comment on the matter to NBC News.

Dr. Molly McClain leads the Deseo clinic, which is run out of the UNM Southeast Heights Family Health Clinic in Albuquerque, N.M.

Telemedicine provider Dr. Crystal Beal said they consider their own practice a form of civil disobedience. Beal, who uses gender-neutral pronouns, is the founder and CEO of QueerDoc, a telehealth clinic treating patients in 10 states, including a few with bans. As a nonbinary femme, Beal said, they feel compelled to defy anti-trans laws.

I provide care in a different way than my allied colleagues, Beal added. Im worried about my community dying.

A completely clogged system

More than a third of transgender teens in the U.S. now live in states with bans on trans health care for minors, according to the Movement Advancement Project. These restrictions have driven thousands of young people to seek transition-related care out of state, straining resources at the network of gender clinics still open.

Three-quarters of the providers NBC News interviewed had waitlists of at least three months, with some as long as a year. Dr. Sumanas Jordan, medical director of Northwestern Medicines Gender Pathways Program in Chicago, said her clinic is flooded with calls every time a ban passes.

We actually have a script, because the volume increases so much that we have to have a lot of people help us, Jordan said, noting that Northwesterns calendar has remained constantly full even as more appointments have been added.

Overcapacity is a common problem for gender-affirming care programs, according to Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy, president-elect of the U.S. Professional Association for Transgender Health (USPATH) and medical director of the Center for Transyouth Health and Development at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

Our waitlists get long, we hire a provider, and then our waitlist goes down, and then it goes up again, Olson-Kennedy said. But thats like the L.A. freeways. Well never catch up to the amount of traffic.

Many gender clinics are also experiencing a rise in insurance issues due to the bans. Because Medicaid and some private plans wont reimburse for out-of-state care, transgender youths often lose insurance coverage if they travel. That forces families to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars out of pocket per dose of puberty blockers or hormone replacement.

McClain said the cost is a major barrier for her out-of-state patients, with around 1 in 5 unable to continue treatment after arriving at her New Mexico clinic.

Even the ones who are privileged enough to get here arent always wealthy enough to be able to afford the medications, McClain said.

Finding a pharmacist to fill these prescriptions presents another challenge. McClain relies on a pharmacy that ships over state lines but has no backup if it closes.

I dont know what well do at that point, she said.

While telemedicine offers more flexibility, Lowell said her patients in states with bans get pushback from pharmacists all the time and have to shop around. Many of them use travel grants from the Campaign for Southern Equality, a nonprofit that helps transgender youths access services in non-ban states.

But even with funding available, the frequent trips required to keep a transgender teen current on medication can put care far out of reach for some families. Unlike with an out-of-state abortion, they need to return for appointments multiple times a year, if not relocate entirely. And moving to a shield-law state such as California typically comes with a high cost of living.

Related stories:

<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/appeals-court-florida-ban-transgender-health-care-minors-rcna168395" target="_blank">U.S. appeals court clears way for Florida ban on transgender care for minors </a>

<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/dnc-2024-missed-trans-rights-implications-election-rcna167990" target="_blank">Transgender issues were largely absent from the DNC agenda </a>

<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/new-hampshire-transgender-sports-healthcare-laws-rcna163028" target="_blank">N.H. governor signs bills restricting trans health care and sports participation </a>

Melissa Santos, head of pediatric psychology at Connecticut Childrens, is concerned low-income patients will be shut out of care altogether if leaving home becomes their only option. She oversees a research project on transgender youths and has seen firsthand how families are struggling to restart their lives in Connecticut.

It is going to end up being a completely clogged system where only those with means will ever be able to access it, Santos said of the overburdened clinics in shield-law states.

Although telemedicine has allowed some gender programs to expand, Lowell warned that its inaccessible to most practices. Its very, very difficult to get additional state licenses, she said.

At the same time, the bans are limiting medical school and residency choices for the next generation of gender-affirming care providers. That creates a vicious cycle, said USPATH President Dr. Carl Streed, where there arent enough new doctors to handle the influx of patients in shield-law states.

When you shut down locations where you provide this care, youre losing opportunities for people to be trained there as well, Streed said. Therefore, we lose the opportunity to have more folks be able to provide this care.

Simmering in the background

The spread of health care restrictions has also made providers a political target, with some saying theyve been harassed relentlessly by the far right. Olson-Kennedy said the anti-trans attacks have come as a shock to most medical institutions.

These are probably not the things that pediatricians and pediatric hospitals are used to, she said. But these are things that trans people are used to.

The majority of gender-affirming care providers NBC News interviewed had received threats, ranging from angry calls and emails to arson. Even a doctor in liberal San Francisco said he had someone vow to kill him and his dog.

Its always kind of simmering in the background, Dr. Kade Goepferd said of the harassment directed at their field. It strengthens my resolve that this is really important work.

Dr. Kade Goepferd said the anti-trans messaging they face in their line of work weighs on them, despite the joy and purpose theyve found in their profession.

Last year, an arsonist destroyed Lowells practice in Georgia, leaving behind graffiti that made their intentions clear. The FBI is now investigating the incident as a hate crime, according to Lowell.

Mine was the only office that was burnt, and it was burnt completely, Lowell said. To the point where they had to ask, Was there a computer on the desk?

This climate of fear has led many clinics to avoid publicity and increase security measures for their staff. Some practices have removed contact information from their websites or considered erasing their online presence entirely.

Several of the largest pediatric gender programs in the country, including Seattle Childrens, Childrens Hospital Colorado in Denver and Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago, declined interviews with NBC News.

Dr. Joshua Safer, director of Mount Sinais Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery in New York, said he had to stop sharing his teams street address online due to threats. He decided to risk keeping the rest of the website up to reach teens in states with gender-affirming care bans.

If youve got some kid, Safer said, and their only access to information is in their bedroom on their computer, I wanted them to find Mount Sinai.

The waiting room at the Children's Minnesota Specialty Center, where Dr. Kate Goepferd's Gender Health Program is located.

Some transgender health care providers under shield laws said they feel a kind of survivors guilt, a sense that they could be doing more to help patients and colleagues in states with bans. Olson-Kennedy described it as a moral wound for the doctors still able to practice.

Goepferd said the anti-trans messaging weighs on them, despite the joy and purpose theyve found in their work.

Its emotionally exhausting to be targeted, Goepferd said. Its also really sad and painful to watch the patients and families that you care for be targeted.

Im glad that I can offer them care, but I cant take that away from them.

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This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH)  The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Mosquito Management Program plans to spray insecticide in the Mt. Misery area of Pachaug State Forest on Thursday as a precaution to minimize the potential spread of mosquito-borne illnesses.

DEEP officials said that while there have been no cases of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus in humans in Connecticut so far this season, the risk level for EEE in the eastern part of the state is elevated.

New Hampshire resident dies after testing positive for mosquito-borne virus

DEEP officials said the spraying will be done on Thursday, Aug. 29, in an area of eastern Connecticut where mammal-biting mosquitoes carrying EEE have been consistently detected.

The entrances to the Pachaug State Forest in Griswold will close at 5 p.m. Thursday, and the forest and nearby roads will be closed for the evening. They will reopen at 8 a.m. Friday.

DEEP said residential portions of these roads will remain accessible to residents.

According to DEEP, EEE has been detected in the following Connecticut towns this year: Canterbury, Ledyard, North Stonington, Sterling and Voluntown. No human cases have been reported in Connecticut in 2024, but human cases have been reported in Massachusetts, Vermont, New Jersey and New Hampshire, where one death has been reported.

A white-tailed deer died from EEE in Lisbon earlier this month.

DEEP officials said the insecticide that the Mosquito Management Program will spray contains sumithrin and prallethrin. When applied at appropriate rates, the spray does not affect humans, pets or other non-target organisms.

Campers have been notified of the spraying and advised to leave the area while spraying is happening.

Road closures

The following forest roads will close beginning at 5 p.m. Thursday:

DEP Trail 1, Gardner Road, Stone Hill Road, Trail 1, Lee Road, Lawrence Road, Trail 2, and Route 49 North entrance.

Road gates in these areas will close during this time. Residential portions of these roads will remain accessible.

Visitors are advised to avoid the area while spraying is conducted.

Campers have been advised to avoid the area until at least 10 p.m. Thursday and will be permitted to return afterward.

Reducing the risk of mosquito-borne illnesses

To reduce the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes, DEEP officials said residents should:

Minimize time spent outdoors between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.

Consider the use of mosquito repellents containing an EPA-registered active ingredient, including DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone when it is necessary to be outdoors.

Wear shoes, socks, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt when outdoors for long periods of time, or when mosquitoes are more active. Clothing should be light-colored and loose-fitting and made of tightly woven materials that keep mosquitoes away from the skin.

Be sure door and window screens are tight-fitting and in good repair.

Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in an unscreened structure and to protect infants when outdoors.

Residents also are encouraged to take steps at home to protect against mosquitoes, such as making sure door and window screens are tight-fitting and in good repair and not letting stagnant water collect around your home.

Dump water out of old tires, wheelbarrows, and wading pools.

More information on mosquito control around the home can be found on the Connecticut Mosquito Management Program 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 WTNH.com.
Jacksonville, FL  To combat the ongoing crisis of human trafficking in Florida, the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Funds has awarded a $500,000 challenge grant to Villages of Hope, a Jacksonville-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting survivors of sexual exploitation and addiction. This grant is a critical step toward the construction of a new 14-tiny-house community designed to provide safe, supportive housing for women escaping the horrors of trafficking.

Florida ranks third in the nation for sex trafficking cases, with Jacksonville being the third highest city within the state. The need for specialized housing where survivors can heal and rebuild their lives has become increasingly urgent. Existing facilities, such as sober living homes and shelters, often fall short of providing the long-term, comprehensive care these women need.

The Villages of Hope project has already secured over $1.3 million toward its $2.4 million capital goal, with full permitting approval from the City of Jacksonville. However, to unlock the full $500,000 challenge grant, the organization must raise an additional $600,000.

We are incredibly grateful for the challenge grant, said Donna Fenchel, Co-Founder of Villages of Hope. This grant represents more than just funding; it symbolizes hope and the opportunity for our community to come together to make a tangible difference in the lives of these brave women.

Villages of Hope calls on the Jacksonville community to help meet this fundraising challenge. Through their Build With Us campaign, they aim to raise awareness of human trafficking and rally support for this critical initiative.

For more information on how to get involved or to donate, visit www.villagesofhope.org or contact Donna Fenchel at 904-253-3123.





About Villages of Hope

Villages of Hope is a nonprofit organization based in Jacksonville, Florida, focused on providing safe, supportive housing for survivors of human trafficking. Their mission is to create a sanctuary where women can heal, restore their dignity, and rebuild their lives free from exploitation. For more information, visit www.VillagesOfHope.org .

About the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Funds

Delores Barr Weaver, a philanthropist with a long-standing commitment to Northeast Florida, established the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Funds in 2012. Her generous contributions have supported over 300 organizations, helping to build a stronger, more compassionate community. Learn More

About the Community Foundation for Northeast Florida

The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, founded in 1964, is the states oldest and one of its largest community foundations. With over $650 million in assets, the Foundation works to foster philanthropy and enhance the effectiveness of nonprofits in the region. Learn More

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Michigan's delegation to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Ill., hold up foam mittens that read "FIGHT LIKE HELL" as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks on Aug. 22, 2024. (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.

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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:

 Health care  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.

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A demon did it: Jury finds Derek Ward guilty of rape and murder of cousin

A demon didnt do it. A cousin did.

A Charlotte jury  after deliberating for the whole day Wednesday  found Derek Ward guilty of first-degree murder and first-degree rape after a unique week-and-a-half-long trial resting at the intersection of the paranormal, religion and mental health.

Ward was accused of raping and strangling his cousin, Brittini Ward, to death on May 5, 2010.

Ward hadnt met Brittini or her family before, but he messaged her sister on Facebook and soon after showed up to her home. He was with another cousin  someone the family did know. But the two came uninvited and unannounced. Ward and the other cousin stayed and left, eating, playing games and going on walks with the family.

Then, a week later, on April 29, 2010, Ward returned.

This time, he was alone.

Ward quickly convinced the family  who were devoted Jehovahs Witnesses  that Brittini was possessed by a demon. In reality, she had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia since she was a teenager. Days before Brittini died, her family testified, Ward tried to choke the demon out of her. When the two were home alone, Ward raped and strangled Brittini until she died, the jury found.

She was 23, and he was 24.

For 14 years, Ward has repeatedly been found mentally unfit to stand trial  until now. In the Mecklenburg County Courthouse last week, Ward made it in front of a jury and opted to represent himself as family members testified against him.

It was Charlottes first pro se murder trial  where the defendant refuses representation  since 2012.

After the jurys guilty verdict Wednesday, Chief Superior Court Judge Carla Archie sentenced Ward to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

She offered Ward the opportunity to speak to the courtroom. He declined. Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Gardner read a letter from Brittini Wards family thanking the judge, jury, and district attorneys office.

After the trial, Wards mother, who declined to give her name, said she questioned why Archie not only allowed her son to stand trial, but also represent himself when she was aware of his untreated mental illness.

The case against Derek Ward

Days before Brittini died, family said they saw Ward choke Brittini three times.

He was trying to get the demon out, he said as his hands squeezed her neck, according to their testimony.

They believed him then, and they believed him days later, on that hot 2010 Cinco de Mayo when he told them Brittini  who had a bruised neck and bloody legs  was still alive. They just had to clean her up to expel the demon.

The family of once-devoted Jehovahs Witnesses also believed the Bible, they said, and its mentions of demonic possession.

During closing arguments Tuesday, prosecutors told the jury Ward had fooled the family.

You are Brittinis last true voice, said Gardner, the assistant district attorney. Dont be fooled.

She reminded the jury of Wards peculiar behavior. He quickly made himself comfortable in a home he wasnt invited into  sitting on counters and telling the teenage Ward girls to clean the Providence Court apartment in southeast Charlotte, the family said. After Brittini died, he moved into her room and filled her drawers with his clothes.

Beyond the familys damning testimony, Gardner said, there was the DNA evidence. Wards DNA was found in a collection of Brittinis pubic hairs.

Lawyer at murder trial alleges criminal activity in lab at Charlotte police department

Ward said he cleaned Brittini up earlier on May, 5, 2010  before family got home.

Brittini hadnt needed help cleaning herself since she was a child, family said.

Brittinis aunt testifies

Michael Kabakoff, Wards standby public defender, spent half the trial banished to seats reserved for onlookers while Ward stumbled through the trial and cross-examinations. Ward removed Kabakoff from the seat at the defenses desk after he told Archie he didnt think Ward was mentally well.

Wards mother expressed the same concerns.

Ward tapped Kabakoff back in before closing arguments, as a DNA expert took the witness stand. Kabakoff immediately tried to question the DNAs validity, revealing new information about an ongoing investigation into Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Departments crime lab. An employee hired in 2016 had been found tampering with DNA tests in March.

Archie removed the jury from the courtroom as Kabakoff, prosecutors and Aby Moeykens, the DNA expert, discussed the employee. Prosecutors argued she was not involved in this case, so the jury should not doubt the DNA tests validity.

Kabakoff, speaking to the jury Tuesday, revisited the circumstances surrounding the trial. He argued prosecutors rested too heavily on testimony from the Ward family  and specifically Dawn Wheeler, who was formerly Dawn Ward.

Dawn, Brittinis mother, shouldnt be trusted, he argued. She was Wards co-defendant in 2010, and her 2010 interviews and recent testimony contradict each other.

She, after being arrested in Brittinis murder, pleaded guilty to concealing her daughters death. Prosecutors dropped a murder charge and incest charges against her  which was related to her and Wards relationship.

While testifying in court, Dawn said she and Ward  who were made aunt and nephew by a marriage in the family  had sex before and after Brittinis death. She denied it was a relationship, though, saying he forced her to have sex with him.

Dawn never told investigators that, Kabakoff said. In fact, Dawn used to wear a necklace Ward had given her after Brittinis death, photos show.

It had a star on it, and Ward, in 2010, went by Stars Russ.

Kabakoff continued, questioning Dawns credibility.





Investigators on May 5, 2010, interviewed only Derek and two elders from the familys Kingdom Hall  where Jehovahs Witnesses congregate.

It wasnt until May 24, 2010, that detectives revisited Dawn and her children.

Detectives said Dawn didnt cry when they told her Brittini didnt just die  she was raped and murdered.

She fake cried, a sergeant  the only witnesses Kabakoff called to the stand  testified. A transcript of the interview showed when the sergeant told her to try sniffling once or twice. Her performance was not cutting it, he said.

Ward, at the beginning of trial, refused the suit his family brought him to wear. He wanted to stay in the orange Mecklenburg County Detention Center jumpsuit, he said, so the jury could see what the last 14 years has done.

Observer reporter Jeff A. Chamer contributed.
The photo taken by a mobile phone on Aug. 27, 2024 shows a scene of the rain-inflicted flood in Dongola, the capital city of Sudan's Northern State. (Photo by Abdul-Rahman Awad/Xinhua)

KHARTOUM, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from heavy rains hitting so far 10 states in Sudan has reached 138, the country's Health Ministry said Tuesday.

"A total of 138 deaths have been recorded, while 31,666 families, comprising more than 129,650 people, were affected," the ministry's Autumn Emergency Room said in a statement, adding that 12,420 houses completely collapsed.

Meanwhile, Sudan recorded 102 new cases and five new deaths of cholera in five states, bringing the number of total infections and deaths to 1,223 and 48, respectively, the statement said.

The photo taken by a mobile phone on Aug. 27, 2024, shows rain-inflicted floodwater surrounding houses in Dongola, the capital city of Sudan's Northern State. (Photo by Abdul-Rahman Awad/Xinhua)

Flooding is a recurring problem in Sudan, typically occurring between June and October. Recent severe rains have resulted in significant loss of life and damage to agricultural land.

Since the war broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in mid-April 2023, epidemic diseases such as cholera, malaria, measles and dengue fever have spread, leaving hundreds dead.

On Aug. 17, Sudan's Health Minister Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim officially declared a cholera outbreak in the country.

The deadly conflict between the SAF and the RSF has resulted 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 most recent UN data.

People are seen on a bridge damaged due to floods after the collapse of Arbaat Dam in Red Sea State, Sudan, on Aug. 26, 2024. Arbaat Dam in eastern Sudan collapsed on Sunday, causing severe flooding that has killed at least 60 people, with hundreds still missing, a Sudanese official reported on Monday. (Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council/Handout via Xinhua)




The Sacramento County Sheriffs Office is investigating a homicide after a female victim was found dead with bruises, authorities said.

A homicide investigation is underway in the 11500 block of Alta Mesa Road, said Sheriffs Office spokesman Sgt. Amar Gandhi. The area is north of Galt and south of Wilton.

Deputies were called about 2:30 p.m. to help firefighters with an incident at that location, according to archived audio dispatch calls reviewed by The Sacramento Bee.

Gandhi just after 3:20 p.m. said the victim died possibly by blunt force trauma and that the suspect was possibly barricaded inside a home.

SWAT deputies are at the scene, the Sheriffs Office said in an update posted to social media shortly after 5 p.m.

@sacsheriff SWAT Team (SED) on scene at a homicide on Alta Mesa Road, where a subject is believed to be barricaded inside. Deputies initially responded to assist the Fire Department with a subject down, when they discovered a deceased female, likely via blunt force trauma. pic.twitter.com/NzKoNgTqbG  Sacramento Sheriff (@sacsheriff) August 29, 2024

Authorities found a victim, described as female, who was wearing burned clothes and suffered severe injuries to her face, according to archived audio dispatch calls reviewed by The Bee. It also appeared the victim had been dead for a while, according to the audio.

It looks like she was wearing the clothes when they were burned, a deputy said to dispatchers, according to the audio.

This is a developing story; check back with sacbee.com for updates.
DES MOINES, Iowa  A man was seriously injured in a shooting on Des Moines northeast side on Wednesday.

At around 1:20 p.m. the Des Moines Police Department responded to a report of shooting victim near the intersection of Arthur Avenue and Hubbell Avenue. According to a DMPD post on X, the adult male victim was transported to a hospital in serious condition.

Multiple people injured in crash on Des Moines south side

Police said a firearm was recovered at the scene and that there is no indication of any ongoing danger to the public.

Hubbell Avenue will be temporarily closed from Guthrie Avenue to East 29th Street while law enforcement investigates the scene.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com.
A recent viral Facebook reel shows a large shipment of U.S. military equipment arriving in the northern Polish city of Gdynia, located on the countrys Baltic coast. Eight hundred pieces of American military equipment, including cars and tanks, arrived in Poland, the video stated in text. Bad news for Russians.

The video is based on genuine footage from the Department of Defense (DOD), but it includes an incorrect figure for the amount of equipment delivered. Its lack of a time stamp means that it is also missing context. The video was posted to YouTube in December 2022 and was reposted under an account with the same nameMilitary Superiorityto Facebook on July 29.

The original footage comes from the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS), a multimedia archive maintained by the DOD, which identified more than 640 pieces of equipment arriving at a U.S. military base in Gdynia, Poland, in early December 2022. Soldiers assigned to the 80th Movement Control Team, 330th Transportation Battalion, assisted the 598th Transportation Brigade with more than 640 pieces of equipment from the U.S. Armys 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Calvary Division, stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, were off-loaded at the port facility located in Gdynia, Poland, December 3, 2022, the DVIDS video caption says.

In November 2022, the U.S. Army announced it would send more than 2,400 pieces of equipment in total to U.S. Army bases stationed in three different European port cities: Alexandroupolis, Greece; Thessaloniki, Greece; and Gdynia, Poland. The delivery was part of a broader Army brigade deployment, which the Army described as a regularly scheduled rotational deployment.

The Army said the brigade deployment accompanying the equipment in three European port citiesincluding Gdynia, Polandis part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, a U.S. military operation that seeks to deter Russian aggression. Operation Atlantic Resolve (OAR) is the U.S. contingency operation in and around the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) area of operations to deter Russias aggression against NATO and to reassure and bolster the alliance in the wake of Russias February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the Defense Department explained in a quarterly review of the operation. OAR also includes security assistance activities in support of Ukraine.

If you have a claim you would like to see us fact check, please send us an email at factcheck@thedispatch.com. If you would like to suggest a correction to this piece or any other Dispatch article, please email corrections@thedispatch.com.

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  Police and prosecutors in two states scrambled in the early morning hours of Sunday, trying to figure out if they could legally draw blood from a man suspected of driving drunk and killing a 10-year-old boy in a car crash in Plainville.

Michael Escolas, 42, of Oxford, was transported after the crash to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence after police said he rear-ended a family of six, killing the boy and injuring the other passengers.

BACKGROUND: 10-year-old boy killed in Route 1 crash involving OUI suspect

Escolas told troopers he drank a little while attending a Kenny Chesney concert at Gillette Stadium. But investigators didnt buy his story, saying he appeared drunk and was driving a stolen car, so they wanted to get a blood sample to confirm it.

But Escolas, whos been charged with operating under the influence before, refused every attempt from police and medical professionals to have his blood drawn. And crossing state borders caused a jurisdictional headache for investigators.

OUI suspect charged with manslaughter in crash that killed 10-year-old

I asked Escolas if he would consent to a blood draw to be performed by hospital staff, Massachusetts State Trooper Joel Devine wrote in a police report. Escolas did not consent to a voluntary blood draw and signed a form acknowledging this.

Crossing the border for a medical emergency is common in southeastern Massachusetts, as Rhode Island Hospital is the closest level-one trauma center for severely injured patients.

And while Rhode Island law allows medical professionals to forcibly draw blood from patients who are suspected of committing certain violent crimes, Massachusetts doesnt have a comparable law.

In an early morning decision, the R.I. Attorney Generals office said the Rhode Island law couldnt be applied in Escolas case because the crash happened in Massachusetts where people must consent to having their blood drawn. He refused to have his blood drawn  even for medical reasons.

His attorney didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Escolas was eventually brought to the Massachusetts State Police barracks in Foxboro, where he also refused a breathalyzer test. Now, without proof of his blood-alcohol content, prosecutors will have to rely on other evidence to prove he was drunk.

Police said they could smell alcohol on Escolas and he appeared intoxicated in different ways. Police also said they recorded Escolas calling his wife after the crash, telling her Still, still one too many, one too many. Messed up.

Defense attorneys, however, routinely try to get such evidence tossed from a case before it is ever heard by a jury.

R.I. State Police Lt. Col. Robert Creamer said they will work with their Massachusetts counterparts if prosecutors seek to subpoena Escolas medical records  which is allowed under Massachusetts law.

A spokesperson for the Norfolk County District Attorneys office declined to comment.

Escolas on Monday pleaded not guilty to 14 criminal counts, motor vehicle homicide with OUI liquor, OUI second offense and larceny of a motor vehicle. Police said he was driving a car stolen from a Vermont couple who were also attending the concert.

A judge ordered bail at $100,000. As of Tuesday, he was still in custody of the Norfolk County Sheriffs Office.

At the Foxboro barracks, police said Escolas appeared confused about which car he had been driving. Troopers said Escolas told his wife, Its your car. He later said, Huh? You have the car?

Ill find out what I did, he said.

Tim White (twhite@wpri.com) is Target 12 managing editor and chief investigative reporter and host of Newsmakers for 12 News. Connect with him on Twitter and Facebook.

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56)  Kentucky is under fire by the Department of Justice (DOJ) after allegedly violating the Americans with Disabilities Act in the Louisville and Jefferson County Metro area.

The DOJ said the metro government has unnecessarily segregated adults with serious mental illness in psychiatric hospitals rather than providing care in integrated community settings.

LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS:

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division said people with serious mental illness in Louisville are caught in a cycle of repeated psychiatric hospitalization.

People with serious mental illnesses in Louisville are caught in an unacceptable cycle of repeated psychiatric hospitalizations because they cannot access community-based care, Clarke said. 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. Our goal is to work collaboratively with Kentucky so that it implements the right community-based mental health services and complies with the ADA. The Justice Department will continue to safeguard the rights of people with disabilities to ensure that they can fully participate in and contribute to their communities.

A 30-page findings report said between 2021 and 2022, around 7,400 people were admitted to Central State Hospital or had a psychiatric inpatient admission in Louisville that was billed to Medicaid. Of those, more than 2,300 people had at least two admissions, and over 500 had three or more.

The report includes notes from interviews, which included a man recapping his experience of having around 10 hospitalizations at Central State Hospital in recent years. The department said 42-year-old Charles would often move between extended-stay hotels, subsidized apartments, his parents home, and jail without the intensive services and in-home support he needs.

When the investigative team met with Charles, he spent a year at Central State Hospital.

Notwithstanding the fact that CSH was already familiar with Charles and

had over a year to prepare for discharge, his family observed that there was no thought given

to his release during most of his lengthy hospitalization. He was abruptly discharged to a

boarding home, which his family said was unsafe, then moved to a hotel, reads the report.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

A DOJ news release said Kentucky fails to provide access to community-based mental health services for many people with serious mental illness who need them. Those services include things like mobile crisis response, crisis stabilization and crisis respite, case management, assertive community treatment, permanent supportive housing, supported employment, and peer support.

Instead, Kentucky relies unnecessarily on psychiatric hospitals in violation of the ADA. Each year, thousands of people are admitted to psychiatric hospitals in Louisville, and more than a thousand people experience multiple admissions to these restrictive and often traumatizing settings. With the right community-based services, many of these hospitalizations could be prevented. Kentucky can remedy this violation by expanding community-based services and implementing processes to ensure that individuals can receive those services, reads the release.

The Department of Justice said the lack of community-based services also impacts law enforcement, contributing to avoidable law enforcement encounters and incarceration.

Latest central Kentucky weather forecast

These findings demonstrate that the Commonwealth of Kentucky fails to provide adequate community-based mental health services for individuals with serious mental illness in the Louisville Metro area, said U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett for the Western District of Kentucky. Beyond the violations, however, these findings are also about recognizing the dignity and potential of every individual who has mental illness.

Key findings:

Adults with serious mental illness in Louisville experience repeated, preventable psychiatric hospitalizations Adults with serious mental illness are appropriate for community-based services Adults experiencing psychiatric hospitalizations do not oppose receiving services in the community instead Psychiatric hospitals are congregate, segregated settings Kentucky offers community-based services to adults with serious mental illness in Louisville but fails to provide sufficient services to prevent avoidable hospitalizations Kentucky provides insufficient access to the community-based services needed to prevent hospitalization Kentucky fails to ensure that people are connected to needed community-based services after hospitalization

In March 2023, a separate DOJ investigation found that the Louisville Metro Government and Louisville Metro Police Department violated the ADA by unnecessarily involving police in situations involving people with behavioral health disabilities. Negotiations about that case are ongoing.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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COOK COUNTY, Ill.  For months, Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyards administration repeatedly refused to release spending records, in violation of the states government transparency laws.

Even when Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raouls office ordered the village to turn over the documents, Henyard and her allies took no action.

WGNs parent company filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court.

In response, a judge recently ordered Dolton to release dozens of pages of documents, including months worth of credit card statements. A review of those records shows Henyard and her allies spent tens of thousands of dollars on first-class flights, airline upgrades, high-end hotels, Uber Eats and more.

The statements cover a five-month span, from July to November 2023.

When you see things like this  its just a punch in the gut, said Dolton Trustee Tammie Brown. Brown is among a group of board members who publicly oppose Henyard. She also had not seen the statements, despite numerous requests for copies.

[Henyard] hid it from us because we would definitely have questions, Brown said.

In addition to her role as mayor of Dolton, Henyard is supervisor of Thornton Township, an elected position that pays her more than $200,000 a year.

Last January, WGN Investigates reported how Henyard and her allies charged more than $67,000 to township credit cards for out-of-town travel during a five-month span in 2023.

Based on a review of Doltons credit card statements, WGN Investigates found village taxpayers were charged an additional $33,920 for the same trips to New York, Atlanta, Portland and more.

Expenditures include a five-day trip to Austin in July 2023. In attendance were Henyard, her top aide Keith Freeman and three township officials. In all, the group spent more than $20,000 of Dolton taxpayer money in Texas.

Charges include $11,609 at the high-end Fairmont Austin hotel; $389 at Ruth Chris Steakhouse; $503 for sports/riding apparel and $413 at a local Walgreens.

Officials have not said why they traveled other than to attend conferences.

Im sure you guys had an awesome time on the backs of taxpayers, said Brown, who was not on the trips. But what do we gain from any of these trips? We gain nothing.

Besides the travel, other notable Dolton credit card charges include:

+ $24,778 at retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target

+ $14,425 at Amazon

+ $5,009 at Uber Eats and local restaurants

+ $3,491 for Henyards personal photographer

The village also released records relating to Henyards village vehicles. Copies of the three leases, allegedly signed by Henyard, show the luxury SUVs cost residents more than $374,000.

In a recent interview with WGN Investigates, Henyards attorney Beau Brindley said the mayor was not responsible for the spending, alleging it was done at Freemans direction.

Freeman has been charged in federal court with bankruptcy fraud. He could not immediately be reached for comment.

WGN Investigates shared its findings with Kelly Richmond Pope, a DePaul University professor who has investigated municipal spending.

Im just shocked a leader would think they can get away with this type of behavior and no one is going to ask them about it, she said.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
Coffee is just as popular as beer at the Wetherspoons in airports, according to Sir Tim - Heathcliff O'Malley

The boss of Wetherspoons has defended pre-flight drinking as he said the pub chain removed two-for-one alcohol deals and shooters from airport menus years ago.

Sir Tim Martin said Wetherspoons airport pubs no longer served shots such as Jagerbombs, adding that alcoholic drinks made up just a third of sales at these sites over the past four weeks.

He said: Weve had no complaints about our pubs from the airport authorities or airlines that Im aware of in recent years.

Years ago we stopped selling shooters at airports, as well as double-up offers. Ryanair in contrast offers a discount on Irish whiskey if a double is ordered.

It comes after Michael OLeary, the group chief executive of Ryanair, called for a two drinks per passenger limit at airport bars to curb drunken disorder on flights. Mr OLeary said this was one of his chief recommendations to the new Labour Government.

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has called for a two drinks per passenger limit at airport bars to curb drunken disorder on flights - Hollie Adams/Bloomberg

Over the past four weeks, the height of the summer travel season, Wetherspoons airport pubs derived only 33pc of sales from alcohol, Sir Tim said. A total 25pc of sales came from soft drinks, tea and coffee, with the remainder from food purchases.

Sir Tim said: Coffee volumes, which include free refills, approximately match lager volumes at our airport pubs.

Wetherspoons operates The Windmill pub at Stansted Airport, Ryanairs biggest base, and also has three outlets at Gatwick and two at Heathrow, all but one of them located after passengers have cleared security checks.

Ryanair identified four airports  Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh  as being particularly problematic for in-flight rowdiness. Wetherspoons only has a pub in Edinburgh, having closed several outlets during Covid.

Wetherspoons has several pubs across UK airports including The Windmill at Stansted, Ryanair's biggest base - geogphotos/Alamy Stock Photo

Sir Tim said that all Wetherspoons premises were covered by CCTV, so that problem drinkers could be readily identified.

He said: Supervised consumption of alcoholic drinks in a controlled environment isnt perfect but has considerable advantages.

The entrepreneur said that evidence suggested most instances of drunkenness and violence were on inbound flights, and were therefore a result of lax controls on alcohol consumption at airport bars overseas, rather than in the UK.

He added other investigations had shown that some of the problems stemmed from alcohol purchased in the off-trade, such as duty free drinks surreptitiously downed by passengers.

UKHospitality, which represents pubs, bars and restaurants, said airport outlets provided robust staff training and that many already limited servings of alcohol.

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Kate Nicholls, chief executive, said: Pubs are not the only places in airports that serve alcohol and all venues, including lounges and duty-free, have a duty to act responsibly.

She added that the vast majority of passengers are able to responsibly enjoy a drink or bite to eat before taking off on their travels.

Ryanair said on Tuesday that instances of in-flight violence had surged this summer with attacks now occurring on a weekly basis, some of them involving assaults on cabin crew and others physical confrontations between passengers.

Mr OLeary blamed a combination of alcohol and powder and tablets for the surge in incidents, which he said were most pronounced on flights to party destinations such as Ibiza and some Greek islands.

Ryanair has resorted to searching the bags of passengers bound for Ibiza before they board and no longer allows them to carry on water bottles in case they contain vodka.

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The News

Facing a new opponent who has energized the base and brought the race back to an effective tie, Donald Trump is beginning to bury the hatchet with former foes: Birdbrain Nikki Haley would now be welcome out on the campaign trail; hes thanked bad guy Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp for all his help and support in the state; Radical Left Lunatic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is now a part of his transition team.

The timing isnt exactly coincidental or out of the blue: The Trump campaign has engaged in multiple behind-the-scenes conversations about the need to unite the party and get some of these folks back into the fold. The theory among many in Trump world is simple: If the party doesnt unite, they risk losing.

We need to make sure that the basics of our coalition are nailed down, one person close to the campaign explained. The president definitely gets it.

At least for right now, Trump does seem to get it: His embrace of these characters hes long attacked a shift, and a recent one at that  at a rally earlier this month in Georgia, the former president dismayed many of his allies when he went on a rant against Kemp, who remains popular in the key state.

Theres a few reasons for the change: The biggest one being, of course, that Trump himself has decided (swayed by multiple reasons) that this is what he needs to do to win. The advisors in his ear certainly played a role, although they only hold so much influence. But the overall story is that a candidate who seemed to treat his return to the White House as inevitable in July is contending with a much tougher race in August.

Trump rarely, if ever, publicly apologizes for insulting a political rival, and hasnt in any of the cases listed here, but his allies have more flexibility to repair the damage. There have been concerted efforts in some of these cases to privately mend fences  Donald Trump Jr., Tucker Carlson, and Omeed Malik worked for months to build up the relationship between Kennedy and Trump, and JD Vance told reporters that hed talked to Kemp, who was entirely behind the ticket before Trump came out with his praise. And it doesnt hurt that Trump saw some of these figures strategically backing down: Kemp with a Fox News interview expressing his support for Trump and Haley slowly tamping down on her criticisms of him after bowing out of the race being two prime examples.

Shelbys view

Its important to remember that weve seen versions of this show before. Trumps inner circle is filled with politicians who he once denounced and advisors he once exiled. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, for one, was widely seen as one of Trumps top three vice presidential options this campaign cycle  a stark contrast to the 2016 presidential race, where Trump ridiculed him on the trail as Little Marco. So, while this week Trump might be building a unity coalition, next week he might decide he doesnt like the fact that Kemp is exploring ways to remove certain Trump-aligned members of the State Election Board.

One campaign adviser said that internally, the amends felt kind of familiar, as the team has long been focused on building out a broad coalition and Trump often jumps between denouncing and embracing political rivals.

Sometimes his level of honesty is unfettered, this person said. Hes still not ever going to meet the traditional political vein, [but] hes somebody who still understands the dynamic of relationships in politics.

The shift in his relationships, though, is still notable, if only because of what it says about how he views the election. After he won the nomination for a third time, he showed much less interest than is typical from a winning candidate in bringing fallen rivals and their supporters back into the fold, confident that he didnt need to in order to defeat a weakened President Biden. That calculus has clearly shifted with Vice President Harris in the race.

Notable

Trump isnt just trying to bring in non-MAGA Republicans to his camp: His team confirmed on Tuesday that Kennedy and Tulsi Gabbard have been tapped to play a role in his transition team.
JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Ten foreigners were killed when a bus they were traveling in overturned in South Africa's Limpopo Province Tuesday night, local authorities said Wednesday.

The bus was en route to Johannesburg from neighboring Zimbabwe when the accident happened on the N1 highway near Makhado, just before midnight, the Limpopo Provincial Department of Transport and Community Safety said in a statement Wednesday.

"All the deceased, five males and five females, are reportedly foreign nationals," said the department.

"According to reports, the bus drove over a round-about, the last traffic circle from Makhado toward Polokwane, at high speed, lost control and overturned, killing and injuring its passengers in the process," the statement said.

"The bus driver is reportedly new in his job, and not familiar with the surroundings," it added.

According to a separate statement issued by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), three people were seriously injured while 20 others suffered slight injuries and 22 passengers were unharmed in the accident.

"Preliminary reports indicate that the bus was traveling southbound when the driver allegedly failed to negotiate a traffic circle, leading to the vehicle overturning," the RTMC said. "The exact cause is still under investigation. We urge all road users to exercise caution, especially when approaching traffic circles."

Limpopo province witnessed two major road accidents earlier this year. In May, 13 people died in a head-on collision involving a heavy motor vehicle and a minibus taxi. In March, 45 people traveling from Botswana to South Africa were killed in another bus accident. 
WASHINGTON  The prosecutor in former President Donald Trumps federal election interference case secured a new indictment against Trump on Tuesday. The superseding indictment is intended to deal with the Supreme Courts decision in July that Trump had broad immunity from charges relating to official acts as president.

The new indictment basically seeks to distinguish Trump's private actions, which could face charges, from public duties, which would be immune from prosecution. For example, the indictment says his false statements about election fraud in social media posts and during his speech near the White House on Jan. 6, 2021, were campaign-related and thus "private" rather than official.

One of the starkest changes in the indictment removed allegations against an unindicted co-conspirator, Jeffrey Clark, who was then an assistant attorney general. Clark helped Trump pressure other Justice Department officials to overturn the results of the 2020 election, but numerous references to the department and that effort were removed from the indictment.

The Supreme Court had ruled that Trump couldnt be prosecuted for that conduct because the Justice Department is part of the executive branch he oversaw as president.

Trump called the new indictment "ridiculous" in a post on Truth Social and argued it has all the problems of the old indictment, and should be dismissed IMMEDIATELY.

Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Glendale, Arizona, on Aug. 23, 2024.

Trump's claims of widespread voter fraud in 2020 'were false,' indictment says

A grand jury that had not heard evidence in the case updated the indictment to respect and implement the Supreme Courts decision, according to Peter Carr, a spokesperson for Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith.

"Despite having lost, the Defendant  who was also the incumbent president  was determined to remain in power," the indictment said. "So, for more than two months following election day on November 3, 2020, the Defendant spread lies that there had been an outcome-determinative fraud in the election and that he had actually won. These claims were false, and the Defendant knew that they were false."

Trump was accused of trying to use the Justice Department to open baseless election crime investigations to influence state legislatures with claims he allegedly knew were false. State election officials and then-Attorney General Bill Barr had told him the allegations about widespread voter fraud had been investigated and dismissed.

But the high court ruled that the former 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, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court.

A pedestrian walks past the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, on July 29, 2024.

Chutkan must still decide which charges against Trump conform with the Supreme Court's ruling

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is presiding over the case, must still decide which charges  if any  can survive the Supreme Courts ruling. Trump has pleaded not guilty and argued that the case should be dismissed. But Smith is scheduled to submit a proposed schedule for arguments about the charges Friday.

The new indictment added phrasing that then-Vice President Mike Pence was acting in his capacity as president of the Senate when he oversaw the counting of Electoral College votes on Jan. 6, 2021. Pence defied Trump's pleas to recognize Republican slates of electors in states that President Joe Biden had won.

The Supreme Court had ruled that Trump's presumed immunity for official acts could be rebutted by the circumstances. For example, the court said despite the vice presidents expansive role of advising and assisting the president, his responsibility of presiding over the Senate is not an executive branch function.

"It is ultimately the Governments burden to rebut the presumption of immunity," Roberts wrote in sending the case back to Chutkan for review.

Another change in the new indictment was that unindicted co-conspirators were listed as private lawyers and consultants. The change applied to lawyers Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro, who promoted Trumps claims of widespread fraud and developed the plan to submit alternate slates of electors.

The private lawyers weren't charged in the federal case, but they face charges in state cases in Arizona and Georgia. Powell and Chesebro have pleaded guilty in Georgia. The "private" political consultant was Boris Epshteyn, who has been charged in Arizona.

The indictment says Trump made false claims about the election on the social media site X, which was then known as Twitter. The indictment says that even though Trump used social media to communicate with the public as president, "he also regularly used it for personal purposes  including to spread knowingly false claims of election fraud."

The indictment also describes Trump's speech on Jan. 6, 2021, "filled with disproven lies," as "a Campaign speech at a privately-funded, privately-organized political rally held on the Ellipse in Washington, D.C."

Contributing: Maureen Groppe

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump faces new indictment after Supreme Court immunity ruling
For the first time since the Republican National Convention in July, former president Donald Trump will return to battleground Wisconsin, for a town hall event Thursday night in La Crosse.

Town halls typically give voters a chance to ask candidates questions, a different format than the high-energy rallies Trump is known for. Tthis year, Trump has held rallies in Racine, Waukesha and Green Bay, and Thursday will be his first time campaigning in competitive western Wisconsin this cycle.

Here's what to know about where and when Trump will hold his town hall, who will moderate the event, the politics of western Wisconsin and more:

What time is Trump's town hall?

The town hall is expected to begin at 6 p.m. CT. Doors will open at 2 p.m. CT.

Where is Trump holding a town hall?

Trump is holding the town hall at the La Crosse Center in downtown La Crosse. The venue sits along the Mississippi River, which is the border between Wisconsin and Minnesota. The center hosts conventions, concerts and other events.

Vice President Kamala Harris also used the La Crosse Center as a venue for a campaign stop in April, before President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and she became the nominee. She rallied a room of supporters around abortion access during that visit.

More: VP Kamala Harris talks abortion in La Crosse, announces minimum nursing home staff levels

The La Crosse Center arena can seat up to 8,000 people, according to its website. The Trump campaign hasn't said how many voters are expected to attend the town hall.

City officials said South Riverside Park and the southern levee area will be closed Wednesday and Thursday to accommodate the event.

Can I get tickets for Trump's town hall?

The campaign has a link where people can sign up for first-come, first-serve tickets. Only two tickets can be registered under each cell phone number.

Who's moderating Trump's town hall?

Former Democratic congresswoman and 2020 presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard will moderate the debate, the Trump campaign said. Gabbard endorsed Trump on Monday.

Gabbard served as the representative for Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District from 2013 to 2021. She left the Democratic Party in 2022.

In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in June, Gabbard didn't rule out joining the Republican Party or serving in Trump's administration if he wins the November election.

More: Ex-Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard meets with Wisconsin GOP groups

How did La Crosse vote in the last election?

La Crosse County voted blue in 2020, with about 56% of the vote going to Biden and 42% to Trump. Eau Claire County is the only other county in that part of the state that voted blue in the last election. Both are home to University of Wisconsin campuses.

Trump's outcome was about the same as in 2016, when he received about 41% of the vote in La Crosse County. Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton took 51% of the vote there.

La Crosse is in Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District, one of the most competitive seats in Wisconsin. Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden will face Democratic challenger Rebecca Cooke, who advanced from a heated primary on Aug. 13.

Donald Trump (left) and Anderson Cooper talk during the CNN town hall on Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee. The CNN town hall was with the three remaining Republican presidential hopefuls: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Donald Trump.

Where else has Trump held town halls in Wisconsin?

Neither campaign has hosted many town halls yet this election year, so Trump's choice of Wisconsin is notable.

Wisconsin is one of a handful of states that will decide the election, and both campaigns are expected to return often ahead of November. Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz and Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz will visit Milwaukee on Labor Day, a few days after Trump's town hall.

During the 2016 campaign, Trump was part of several town halls in Wisconsin, including one hosted by MSNBC at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. CNN also hosted a town hall at Milwaukee's Riverside Theater featuring Trump, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who were still in the race.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Donald Trump's town hall in La Crosse on Thursday; time, tickets
Donald Trump likes to pretend he is still president  but his act caught up with him at Arlington

Over the weekend Donald Trump whined that the Harris campaign was treating him like the incumbent and it's totally not fair:

Kamala and her handlers are trying to make it sound like I am the Incumbent President, so that they can blame me for the failure of the past four years. No, it was their failure! It is one of the worst Presidencies in History, and she is definitely the Worst Vice President.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2024

The fact is that they are framing some of the campaign as a referendum on Trump. And why wouldn't they? The former president is running on the lies about the alleged halcyon days when America was great (2017 -2019) and the vice president is running on "a new way forward" and "we're not going back." If he doesn't want to be seen as the incumbent maybe he should stop pretending he is one.

From the moment Trump glumly flew off to Mar-a-Lago on January 20, 2021, he's been acting like a president in exile. He flies around on a plane he calls "Trump Force One" and uses an ersatz presidential seal at any podium he stands behind. He insists on being called "Mr. President" (never "former") and everyone around him treats him as if he still is. He's been running a shadow government, with GOP officials rushing to get his permission before they take any action and everyone clamoring for his dispensation in their campaigns. One of the most obvious examples of his power over the GOP was his thumbs down on the painfully negotiated bipartisan border bill. He didn't even pretend that it had anything to do with the policy, he just didn't want Biden to be able to run on it as one of his accomplishments. He essentially vetoed the bill from his Gilded White House in Florida.

And he routinely meets with foreign leaders at his beach club as if they are there for an important state occasion. The events are small and somewhat tawdry (more like people dropping by to see the Duke of Windsor and Wallace Simpson back in the day) but he's managed to persuade a number of his foreign allies to kiss the ring on the chance that he'll be back in power soon and will deliver for them.

It's not usual for presidential candidates to take a foreign trip to demonstrate that they can be presidential on the world stage. (Recall former Wisconsin GOP Gov. Scott Walker's disastrous trip abroad just before he imploded in the 2016 presidential race.) But having foreign dignitaries come to the U.S. and pay homage to Trump at his Florida resort, as if they are supplicants, is something else altogether. Here's some footage of a visit from Hungarian President Viktor Orban last spring.

President Trump and Melania hosted and Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban at Mar-A-Lago dinner reception yesterday.



Orban, will not meet with Biden during his U.S. visit.



The Hungarian leader has become an European icon for advocating restrictions on immigration. pic.twitter.com/9heDLK6OCs  I Meme Therefore I Am  (@ImMeme0) March 9, 2024

Trump recently met with Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu and staged a fake summit in what appears to be the Mar-a-Lago dining room:

Former President Trump & Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago. pic.twitter.com/e138BeBPJN  CSPAN (@cspan) July 26, 2024

He's reportedly been talking to his pal Netanyahu in recent days discussing the situation in Gaza. I think it's fair to assume that he may be exhorting him not to agree to a ceasefire or hostage deal in order to ensure Harris doesn't benefit from any agreements before the election. After all, as we saw with the border bill veto, that's his M.O.

And then there is the fact that he claims he is the rightful president having supposedly won the 2020 election. Millions of his followers believe that he won that campaign and that he should be sitting in the White House today  maybe forever. There are even people interviewed at his rallies who think he actually is the current president, pulling the strings from behind the curtain.

This week he performed one of the most audacious presidential acting jobs I've seen him do since he went into exile. In fact, when I first saw the footage I thought it must be from when he was in office:

President Trump Lays Wreath At Arlington National Cemetery...This Is How A Feal President Shows Honor and Respect 



Subscribe and share  @TrumpSource pic.twitter.com/OYmFVVAkB3  Scott McKay  (@ScottMcKay817) August 28, 2024

He is not a real president yet he used Arlington National Cemetery this week as a campaign prop to hit his political opponent for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. It later turned out that he was also taking smiling thumbs-up souvenir pics with unauthorized personnel, as NPR reported:

A source with knowledge of the incident said the cemetery official tried to prevent Trump staffers from filming and photographing in a section where recent U.S. casualties are buried. The source said Arlington officials had made clear that only cemetery staff members would be authorized to take photographs or film in the area, known as Section 60. When the cemetery official tried to prevent Trump campaign staff from entering Section 60, campaign staff verbally abused and pushed the official aside, according to the source.

Trump's crude spokesman Steven Cheung said it didn't happen and accused the official of mental illness. Trump's campaign manager Chris LaCivita called the official a "disgrace." Officials at Arlington told NPR that they've filed a report with local authorities.

Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course.

This is, of course, just the latest in a long line of Trump's insults to the military. For someone who loves the idea of being commander in chief, he sure doesn't have a high regard for the people who gave their lives in war. (Yes, "suckers and losers".) It's something I've always found a little bit mystifying. He loves cops. He loves uniforms. But he has absolutely no respect for service members, especially the brass. It's odd considering that they are required to salute smartly and follow orders. You'd think he'd love that. But I suppose the fact that he issued so many illegal and maniacal orders that they had to object makes him angry.

Trump goes on deranged rant against Americas military generals: Stupid person. Very stupid. One of the dumbest people I've ever met pic.twitter.com/g0ux4WJo6U  Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) August 26, 2024

There are exceptions, of course. The cracked former General Michael Flynn, the disgraced former Admiral Ronny Jackson and certain war criminals he pardoned and invited down to his resort. But for the most part, Trump was always uncomfortable around the military, maybe because it's not in their nature to sycophantically tell him what he wants to hear. Even when he's play-acting, as he was on Monday at Arlington, he can't seem to get it right.

Trump has spent the last four years pretending to still be the president and continuing to dominate our political culture even though he's really just some rich guy who lives in Palm Beach and likes to run for president. If he didn't want people to think of him as the incumbent maybe he shouldn't have acted like he was for the past four years.
Donald Trump tells Dr. Phil hed win California if "Jesus Christ came down and was the vote counter

Donald Trump insists he would win the state of California in November if the votes were counted by Jesus himself.

If Jesus Christ came down and was the vote counter, I would win California, OK? Trump said Tuesday in an interview with Dr. Phil McGraw.

He criticized Californias mail-in voting system, falsely claiming it leads to more voter fraud. Without it, he said he would win the deep-blue state, which has consistently been won by Democratic presidential candidates since 1992.

In other words, if we had an honest vote counter, a really honest vote counter, I do great with the Hispanics, great, I mean I had a level that no other Republicans ever done, but if we had an honest vote counter, I would win California, the former president told Dr. Phil, himself a Trump supporter.

You think so? the TV host replied.

Oh I think so, I do, Trump responded.

In 2020, Trump lost California, Vice President Kamala Harris homestate, by over 30 points. Harris currently leads Trump in most national and several battleground state polls, with a national polling average lead of 49-46, according to The New York Times.

The Harris campaign said in a statement that Trump has reached a level of delusion difficult for even Dr. Phil to diagnose.

Dr. Phil also asked Trump about his comment to a group of Christians last month, when he said they wouldnt have to vote anymore if they voted for him in November. The comment sparked outrage and was called anti-democratic by critics who said Trump was implying he would no longer hold elections if he wins again.

It doesnt mean were not going to have elections. Youre going to have elections. But you have to vote this time, because we have to win, Trump responded to Dr. Phil.

So, you didnt mean, Vote me in once cause I aint never leaving? Youre meaning, This is an important one. Vote this time? Dr Phil asked.

Of course thats what I meant, Trump replied.
TOPEKA (KSNT)  The City of Topeka is asking locals to consider signing on to its WaterShare program to help out their neighbors.

Topekans getting their utility bill this month may see an option to sign on to the WaterShare program and help others in the city pay off their water utility bills in times of need, according to a recent social media post from the city. The program is funded completely through generous donations and even $1 can go towards helping someone in need.

The City of Topeka partners with Doorstep, Lets Help and the Salvation Army to distribute funds and select eligible recipients for the program. Each donation is clearly marked as a charitable contribution on Topekans utility bills. Those who want to apply for help can reach out to any of the organizations listed above for assistance.

People who sign up for the WaterShare program can add an automatic amount of their choosing to go to charity and help out those who are less fortunate, according to the City of Topekas website. You can sign up to contribute by calling 785-368-3111 or by completing forms online. Learn more about the program and how to sign up by clicking here.

Five Guys tests new menu option in Kansas

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.
Douglas Anderson School of the Arts has alerted parents that one of its teachers is under investigation for alleged "inappropriate communication" with a student that took place in the 2022-2023 school year.

The school has reassigned the teacher to "duties at a district site with no student interaction," according to an email from the school's new principal, Timothy Feagins, who took up the position at the beginning of this school year.

Feagins says the investigation is confidential and the school expects to give parents more details when it has concluded. First Coast News has requested any available materials related to the investigation. The teacher will not be named at this time because he has not been charged with a crime.

Parents in their vehicles line San Diego Road to pick up their children as students leave the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in this 2021 photo.

This announcement comes about two months after the district voted to pay $1.45 million to victims of previous misconduct at Douglas Anderson.

Not the first

The teacher is accused of misconduct in the same school year that former Douglas Anderson music teacher Jeffrey Clayton was arrested for sex crimes with a minor student. He was later sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Also in 2023, three other teachers were removed from classrooms at Douglas Anderson for undisclosed reasons. In April 2024, former DA math teacher Chris Allen-Black was arrested after he was allegedly seen exposing himself at a hotel in Disney World  and allowed to stay in the classroom for 45 days afterward. The district later apologized for the decision not to remove him immediately.

In the wake of Clayton's trial, Duval County Public Schools worked up a new plan to protect student safety, announced in June. Then-Superintendent Dana Kriznar said in June that the plan was developed because Clayton's arrest exposed "weaknesses" in the district's policies protecting students.

New policies

The plan involved adding investigators to its staff to expedite misconduct investigations.

In August, following the implementation of this plan, investigations into former DA principal Tina Wilson and former vice principal Lordes Gee began. The conclusions of these investigations have not been released.

Part of this plan also modified the district's policy on "fraternization with students," qualifying that employees texting students (like Clayton), interacting on social media, and/or being alone with students who are not their family members could be grounds for disciplinary action, including termination.

If students want to report misconduct without speaking to someone in person, the district has provided a form that can be filled out by clicking here. Students can also report issues through the DCPS app, explained here.

The full student safety plan document can be found at this link.

This story was first published by First Coast News.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville teacher accused of inappropriate communication with student
Nearly 80 new defense technologies were on display at Camp Atterbury on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. The creations were tested by members of the Indiana National Guard through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense. (Casey Smith/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Members of the Indiana National Guard are testing dozens of new defense technologies this week as part of a federal program meant to expedite new tools to the battlefield.

The event, dubbed Technology Experimentation 2024 or T-REX, runs from Aug. 19-28 at Camp Atterbury, in Johnson County. Its the second year the program has been held in Indiana.

Hosted via a partnership between the U.S. Department of Defense and the Indiana National Guard, the technology demonstrations and tactical scenario exercises support the Pentagons Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve (RDER), which funds promising prototypes that can be quickly fielded to military users.

Technology changes quickly. Threats change rapidly, and our traditional acquisition process just doesnt often keep pace, said Marcia Holmes, the principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for mission capabilities, speaking at Camp Atterbury on Tuesday. RDER reaches down into development, and it pulls out those capabilities that show promise to the joint fight to accelerate now. They might have been overlooked through a service lens  and you just dont see them.

Need to get in touch?

Have a news tip?

CONTACT US

Holmes called RDER a priority for her office. The effort, which T-REX is intended to support, is aimed at identifying and fast-tracking prototypes so that promising technologies can be more rapidly fielded to combatant commanders to address joint warfighting needs, Holmes said. The DOD requested $450 million for the program in the 2025 fiscal year.

Joint warfighting is a key part of the Pentagons science and technology strategy, released in 2023, in which RDER plays a key role. The department created the experimentation fund in 2021 to address high-need capability gaps shared across the military services.

Too often, our commanders find gaps when they analyze joint operations in the joint battlefield, and those gaps can often be filled with technology somewhere out there, either in industry or out in our service labs, and thats where RDER steps in, Holmes added. Let me be very clear, we cannot close those gaps and scale production without this type of experimentation.

New defense tech put to the test

Holmes said the nearly 80 technologies currently on display at Camp Atterbury were selected for testing in 2022. If successful, those projects will advance towards acquisition and operation in 2025.

Various signal devices, cyber protection, counterintelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities were up for testing and assessed during simulated disaster scenarios, according to state and federal officials.

San Diego-headquartered Firestorm Labs, for example, showcased its Tempest 50 drone, which can be easily assembled, disassembled and transported, in addition to being rapidly produced at a low cost, according to representatives at the defense technology startup.

Altaeros, based in Massachusetts, separately tested its ST-Flex, a portable, rapid-response aerial cell tower. The blimp is designed to provide network capabilities for first responders, rural communities and other remote application needs.

Also present was Swiftships, a Louisiana-based shipbuilder, which introduced a new maritime innovation  a small, unmanned surface vehicle called the Swift-Sea-Stalker.

Designed for surveillance and interdiction missions, the drone is tailored to operate in challenging waterways found in conflict zones, including the Horn of Africa and South China Sea regions. The technology can be remotely operated or function autonomously, offering flexibility and efficiency in maritime operations, company representatives said.

The experimental technology was developed by small businesses, non-traditionals, universities and various Big Defense entities, Holmes said.

The best part is that we partner with the Indiana National Guard to provide soldiers already here on training to operate and evaluate the technologies under assessment, Holmes said. Soldier-centered design, their user experience, is another influential factor in the ability to accelerate prototype development, and it allows you to address those human-machine interfaces, logistics concerns and a myriad of other challenges early in the development process. And that saves you a lot of time and a lot of money.

Still, Holmes said projects that arent yet mature enough to progress will benefit from the exercise.

Every project and every vendor will understand their potential contribution to a joint operation when they leave, she said.

Indiana Guard plays helpful role

Brig. Gen. Justin Mann, with the Indiana National Guard, noted there are more than 11,000 Army soldiers and airmen in the Hoosier guard. Most are traditional, he said, meaning they complete service and training one weekend every month, plus two full weeks each year.

Mann emphasized, too, Indiana has the 11th largest national guard across the 54 states and territories.

Many of Indianas soldiers have previously been on deployments, which Mann said provides valuable operational experience and insight.

Theyre able to give the RDER team a look at, Hey, this is how we did it in theater, he said.

The Indiana National Guards 38th Infantry Division has additionally been training and preparing for deployment to Southwest Asia. Mann said theyre expected to mobilize in October.

So much time is usually spent on why you cant do something, or red tape. What we strive to do in the Indiana guard  and for our customers that we support across DOD and academia  is how do we get to yes? How can we accomplish that, to help you? Mann said. Because theres also benefit to us, with our soldiers getting to participate in and getting those experiences  reps and sets  and the building of those relationships across these experimentations that will last well into the future.

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Dozens of Haitian migrants, most of whom are children, slept a second night outside the Wollaston MBTA station Tuesday as they wait for emergency shelter.

Forty-seven migrants slept on the street Monday night, Sam Kohler, volunteer for Boston Immigration Justice Accompaniment Network (BIJAN) told Boston 25 News, with at least that number expected to spend the night outside again on Tuesday night.

A humanitarian crisis: Migrants dropped off at MBTA station with no place to go

Weve got kids sleeping on the street, you know? And everybody else is going back to school, Kohler said. Its uncomfortable, its dangerous.

Wisler Sol, who spoke through a translator, said he waited for eight months in Mexico with his wife before getting approval to enter the United States. They walked to Texas before taking a bus to Boston and spending the first overnight inside Logan Airport.

Sol is now awaiting emergency shelter for himself, his wife and three kids.

It was kind of cold in the middle of the night, and because of the kids, that was the only reason that it was difficult, because I have to keep watching over the kids and my wife, Sol said of sleeping outside. A little depressing because of the kids. The kids just dont deserve that.

But Sol is grateful to be here, far away from the gang violence that has overrun his homeland.

The condition in Haiti is dire. You cant compare it, Sol said. Even though were sleeping outside, its a much better situation than what we have going on in Haiti.

BIJAN and other groups have stepped in to help find temporary housing for homeless migrants whom the state cannot house as Massachusetts has exceeded its emergency shelter capacity.

But by Monday, BIJAN, funded by donations and grants, had run out of money. Many migrants who receive services during daytime hours from the states Quincy Family Welcome Center at nearby Eastern Nazarene College were returning to the Wollaston T stop by night to tuck their kids into bed on the sidewalk.

I come here every day and try to be with people and play with their kids and let them know theyre not alone, and we feed them and whatnot, Kohler said. But this is so far beyond myself or other volunteers.

Kohler called on the state to do more to fund housing for the families.

Im happy to be here, Ill continue to be here, Kohler said. We shouldnt have to be doing this. The state should be doing this. We pay a lot of taxes, and I think we should be able to figure out how to keep kids off the street.

At this time last year, Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency, calling on the federal government to expedite funding and work authorizations for migrants.

This summer, she sent members of her administration to the Southern border to warn migrant families of the lack of shelter available in Massachusetts.

A spokesperson for Gov. Maura Healey told Boston 25 News Tuesday: Its terrible that families slept outside last night. We hope they will visit our Family Welcome Centers so that they can be referred to a Temporary Respite Center and connected with case management and other resources to help them identify their next steps.

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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  The Dayton Police Department provided information on recent incidents that officers have responded to.

DPD Addresses Overcorrecting

According to Dayton Police Sgt. Gordon Cairns, officers have recently responded to several crashes regarding drivers overcorrecting. Some drivers who have been impacted by their overcorrecting have likely swerved to either the left or right side of the roadway.

Swerving on a roadway or off-road surface and back on to the roadway can cause friction to the vehicle.

In an attempt to avoid overcorrecting and causing serious injuries, Cairns said drivers should not steer in a fast motion. Drivers are encouraged to remain calm, slow down and not step on the brake too fast.

Impaired and Distracted Drivers

During the press conference, Cairns said the department has also witnessed impaired drivers. Citing alcohol and an increase in the use of marijuana, the Dayton Police Department is urging individuals to refrain from getting behind the wheel while impaired.

According to Cairns, officers recently responded to a crash that occurred on I-75. Cairns claims the driver of one of the vehicles involved passed out and got physically sick while officers were conducting a breathalyzer test. That driver is accused of consuming nearly three times the legal limit of alcohol.

With the rollout of Ohios Distracted Driving Law, drivers are reminded to put the devices down behind the wheel. If you have something or someone in your vehicle needing attention, you are encouraged to safely pull off to a secure location to remediate the issue, rather than putting yourself and others in danger.

People need to stop being selfish, said Cairns.

Neighbor Dispute turned SWAT Standoff

Officers from the Dayton Police Department were called to South Trenton Street in the Arlington Heights neighborhood just before 9 p.m. on Aug. 27. Officers responded to the scene for a reported shooting.

When authorities arrived at the scene, they learned a window at a residence had reportedly been damaged, as well as shots fired into the house. One resident of the home reported being injured.

According to Cairns, the incident reportedly occurred between two neighbors over a $20 debt.

Once officials obtained a description and name of the alleged individual involved, authorities went to the location where they believed the person was, just a few homes away.

As attempts to call the person out of the residence failed, officers called the Dayton SWAT team Aug. 27 around 11:15 or 11:20 p.m. Members of SWAT discovered the response was not going to be a negotiation situation, since all other family members of the person had already exited the house.

Law enforcement obtained a court-ordered warrant, and continued to attempt to make the person leave the house. Authorities deployed pepper balls, which caused the person to exit the home.

The suspected individual involved was then taken into custody.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  A local school district is addressing a transportation concern impacting some of its students.

Dayton Public Schools put out a message to families using rideshare apps to check the companys policies. Uber offers a teen account for riders aged 13 to 17. Lyft requires all minors to be accompanied by an adult.

When was the last time Dayton saw 100+ degree temperatures?

The district is reminding families to avoid inconvenient trip cancellations. Additionally, bus transportation is available for kindergarten through eighth graders. RTA passes are available for high school students.

Families needing transportation assistance can call the Transportation Call Center at 937-542-4010.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
TUNIS, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian President Kais Saied on Wednesday met with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani to discuss bilateral ties and the situation in Gaza, according to a statement released by the presidency.

During the meeting, Saied reiterated his country's support for the Palestinian people's struggle for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, underscoring the need to "intensify efforts to end the war of genocide and the crimes committed in Palestine."

He also expressed Tunisia's readiness to strengthen ties with Iraq and explore new avenues for cooperation based on shared interests.

Saied added Tunisia is ready to expand cooperation with Iraq in such areas as air transport, tourism, culture, energy, agriculture and trade exchange.

Earlier in the day, the Iraqi prime minister said during a press conference in Tunis that there are important opportunities in Iraq, which is witnessing unprecedented development, highlighting the willingness of private sectors to invest in Tunisia. 
BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN)  A man who stole a car from the Cleveland Hopkins Airport and led police on a chase that spanned two states and caused a cruiser-involved crash was been identified and charged, according to a release from the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

According to OSHP, Makele Scruggs, 23, is the suspect who led authorities on a chase from Cleveland to Interstate 76 in Butler County, Pennsylvania, where he was apprehended.

The chase brought Scruggs and authorities through Boardman, causing a trooper-involved crash in a busy intersection. The trooper had been responding to the chase when the cruiser and another vehicle collided at the intersection.

Earlier the vehicle that the suspect had been driving hit another cruiser involved in the chase.

For the Ohio portion of the pursuit, Scruggs faces charges of failure to comply, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and felonious assault.

For the Pennsylvania portion, court records show Scruggs is charged with receiving stolen property, criminal mischief, fleeing or attempting to elude officers, recklessly endangering another person, reckless driving, careless driving, and minor traffic charges.

He is set for arraignment in the Common Pleas Court of Butler County on Sept. 24.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
Photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

A fire broke out near explosion-hazardous facilities in the Rossosh district of Russias Voronezh Oblast on the night of 27-28 August, following a drone attack. The local authorities decided to evacuate residents from two settlements.

Source: Voronezh Oblast Governor Alexander Gusev on Telegram

Details: Gusev reported that a fixed-wing UAV had been destroyed by air defence and electronic warfare systems. No casualties or damage were reported.

Despite the fire near the explosion-hazardous facilities, Gusev stated that there was no detonation of explosives.

Emergency services decided to temporarily evacuate residents of two settlements, providing a temporary accommodation point in the district centre and arranging buses for transport.

The fire was later extinguished, the situation stabilised and residents began returning to their homes.

However, the threat of further drone attacks in the region remains.

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Namibia has authorized the culling of hundreds of animals, including elephants, as part of a plan to feed people in the drought-stricken southern African country.

About half of Namibia's population is experiencing acute food insecurity, the United Nations said last month. Meat from the 723 culled animals will be distributed as part of a drought relief program, the country's Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism announced Monday.

"This exercise [is] necessary and is in line with our constitutional mandate where our natural resources are used for the benefit of Namibian citizens," the ministry said.

Namibia has experienced a 53% decline in cereal production and a nearly 70% reduction in dam water levels amid the drought, the United Nations said. A national state of emergency was declared on May 22.

Professional hunters and safari outfitters will handle the culling, which is being limited to national parks and communal areas with sustainable game numbers. The plan is to cull 30 hippos, 60 buffalos, 50 impalas, 100 blue wildebeest, 300 zebras, 83 elephants and 100 elands.

Officials said the culling will provide meat for people while also reducing the negative impact of drought on the conservation of wild animals, which are competing for grazing areas and water as the drought continues.

Other countries, such as Australia, have previously permitted the culling of animals. The country has approved the deaths of thousands of kangaroos over the years, with officials warning in the past that there wasn't enough food available to support the population of kangaroos.

The severe drought in Namibia was brought on by El Nino, a natural climate phenomenon that occurs when the Pacific Ocean experiences warmer-than-average surface temperatures. Climate change can exacerbate El Nino, leading to new record temperatures, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Increasing temperatures and inconsistent rainfall are two of the biggest threats to natural resources in Namibia, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Wildlife with access to fewer resources can also push into human settlements.

Namibia, in its release about the culling plan, noted that the National Conference on Human Wildlife Conflict Management in 2023 determined elephant numbers should be reduced as a way to cut down on human-wildlife conflict.

"With the severe drought situation in the country, conflicts are expected to increase if no interventions are made," officials said.

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DUBLIN, CA  Dublin Assistant City Manager Colleen Tribby will serve as the next city manager, the city announced. The Dublin City Council voted to appoint Tribby to replace Linda Smith, who will retire in October.

Tribby got her masters in business from the European School of Economics in Italy, and completed the Strategic Management of Public Organizations course at the U.C. Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy. Before joining the City of Dublin in 2013, she worked for Maximus as a government consultant, and advised the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles Police Department, among others. She was then budget and finance manager for the City of South San Francisco for almost eight years.

Tribby began working for the City of Dublin in April 2013 as Director of Administrative Services, where she was responsible for finance and information technology. She created a Fiscal Sustainability Task Force to educate the community about the citys finances, oversaw the formation of Dublins first Community Facilities District for the Boulevard project, and created a master plan to guide citywide technological improvements.

In December 2019, Tribby was appointed Assistant City Manager. In that role, she has overseen the citys parks, public works, and finance departments, and its human resources, city clerk, and information technology functions. Tribby helped Dublin maintain its services during the coronavirus pandemic, and has overseen the planning and funding of high-profile projects like the citywide energy efficiency improvements, the upcoming Dublin Arts Center, the future Dublin Boulevard extension, and the future Village Parkway reconstruction.

The Dublin City Council is excited to have Colleen Tribby serve as the next Dublin City Manager," Dublin Mayor Michael McCorriston said in a statement. We have the utmost confidence in her ability to lead her team and carry Dublin into the future. Her passion for the Dublin community is inspiring.

Im proud to call Dublin home and Im honored that the Dublin City Council has chosen me to serve as its next leader, Tribby said. Im grateful for the opportunity to guide this talented and dedicated team and help shape the future of our dynamic and diverse community.

Dublin Selects New City Manager originally appeared on the Dublin Patch
By Mariela Nava, Tibisay Romero and Vivian Sequera

MARACAIBO/VALENCIA/CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) -Supporters of Venezuela's political opposition and backers of the ruling party each held rallies on Wednesday to mark the one-month anniversary of July's disputed presidential election, as arrests of opposition figures continued.

Venezuela's electoral council and its top court have proclaimed President Nicolas Maduro, in power since 2013, as the winner of the July 28 election, but has not published complete voting tallies. Venezuela's opposition has published its own tallies showing a landslide win for its candidate Edmundo Gonzalez.

The disagreement has sparked international calls for the release of full tallies, deadly protests, and moves by authorities to arrest opposition figures and journalists.

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado told Reuters on Tuesday that peaceful street protests and international pressure still have the potential to unseat Maduro.

Later that day, opposition groups reported at least two arrests of staff, including a lawyer for Machado's movement.

"Around the world the cry of Venezuelans is being heard," Machado - the main face of the opposition - told supporters at a lunchtime rally in Caracas, urging them to keep up pressure and "at the same time protect one another, because what the regime has let loose is brutal."

Shortly after the rally, the opposition coalition said party leader Biagio Pilieri, who appeared alongside Machado, had been arrested.

The last known location of Pilieri, the head of the Convergencia Venezuela party, was outside the Helicoide prison in Caracas, the coalition said on X, adding a screenshot of his cellphone's location and saying he had been with his son Jesus, an opposition youth leader.

"Does Venezuela want a civil war? It will be resolved with laws, with justice, with the established order, that is how it has been, that is how it will be," Maduro said at his own rally.

'LEAVING THE COUNTRY'

In the western oil city of Maracaibo, fewer than 100 opposition supporters gathered for a brief protest early on Wednesday, closely watched by police.

"This is the last gathering I'll attend, I'm leaving the country on Friday," said engineering student Stiward Prieto, 23. He said he lost his job at a public power company after the election and that he had to support his elderly father, a retired teacher with diabetes.

"It hurts me to leave like this, but there is no option," Prieto said as he waved a Venezuelan flag.

Small crowds also gathered in San Cristobal, near the border with Colombia, in the central cities of Barquisimeto and Valencia and in eastern Puerto Ordaz.

Many attendees were older adults, Reuters witnesses said. Gonzalez and Machado, aged 74 and 56, respectively, focused much of their campaign rhetoric on older populations who would like to see migrant children and grandchildren return home.

"My family was huge - between aunts and uncles, cousins, siblings, children and others we were nearly 600 people. Now there are only 25. There are family members in Chile, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Australia, everywhere," said retired teacher Maria Carrasquel, 63. Her public pension, equivalent to $5 a month, was not enough to buy food, she added.

More than 7.7 million Venezuelans have left in recent years and others have said that they would seek to go too if Maduro's socialists continued in power.

At a pro-government rally in Caracas, ruling party supporter Andres Guillen said Maduro was the election winner.

"The fascists tried a month ago to destabilize our country but we did it thanks to the strength of the people, the nobility, the humility," he told state television.

Protests since the vote have led to at least 27 deaths. Human rights group Foro Penal says some 1,780 people are being held as political prisoners, including 114 adolescents.

Gonzalez, who along with Machado, is being investigated for incitement and other crimes by Attorney General Tarek Saab, has ignored two summons to testify about the opposition website where vote tallies have been posted.

Saab told a press conference on Wednesday afternoon he would issue a third summons, which would mark the final opportunity for Gonzalez to appear before Venezuelan law allows an arrest warrant to be issued for him.

"If he misses it, the public ministry will announce a corresponding action," Saab said.

The electoral council says it has not yet posted detailed tallies of what it says is Maduro's victory, with just over half of votes, because a cyberattack affected its system.

(Reporting by Mariela Nava in Maracaibo, Tibisay Romero in Valencia, Tathiana Ortiz in San Cristobal, Keren Torres in Barquisimeto, Maria Ramirez in Puerto Ordaz and Deisy Buitrago, Vivian Sequera and Mayela Armas in CaracasWriting by Julia Symmes CobbEditing by Rosalba O'Brien)
DWP is changing PIP assessments from September  what you need to know

DWP is changing PIP assessments from September  what you need to know

Major changes to disability benefits assessments are set to come into place from next month as the DWP brings in new providers to oversee a new system.

From September, the way Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims are assessed will change across the UK as new companies take over.

The change will see all benefits that require a functional health assessment carried out by a single provider in any given region as the DWP awards new contracts. This means PIP assessments, as well as Work Capability Assessments for ESA and Universal Credit, will all be assessed by just one provider in one region, rather than several as before.

DWP secretary Liz Kendall (PA)

The new providers have been awarded contracts on a regional basis:

Scotland and North England: Maximus UK Services Limited (currently Atos)

Midlands and Wales: Capita Business Services (currently Capita)

South West England: Serco (currently Atos)

South East England, London and East Anglia: Ingeus UK Limited (currently Atos)

Northern Ireland: Capita Business Services (currently Capita)

The new system and providers should not greatly impact the process, as all assessments are required to follow DWP guidelines. However, the change may be leaving some claimants worried about what can often be a stressful process.

Face-to-face appointments will still need to take place within a 90-minute public transport journey from the claimants home, which DWP contracts state should be the absolute maximum. All assessments must also take place in ground-floor locations that are easy for all customers to reach.

As with before, claimants can be accompanied in their assessment by a companion who is allowed to provide evidence. The contracts also say that only therapists, nurses, physiotherapists and doctors will be able to carry out assessments. Paramedics will also be allowed to carry out PIP assessments.

The changes come as thousands of PIP claimants are still due back payments worth an average of 5000 from the DWP. This follows a Supreme Court ruling which has forced the DWP to review certain claims based on changes to the assessment criteria.
According to the U.S. militarys Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, better known as DARPA, anti-tank weaponry has come a long way. In the late 1990s, after a period of sustained research and development, the military procured bearable Javelin weapons, the worlds first medium-range, one-man-portable, fire-and-forget anti-tank weapon system. But the day may be coming when you will no longer have to enlist in the armed services to easily enjoy this firepower: An extreme new Second Amendment ruling apparently makes owning weapons like these the constitutional birthright of every Americanrhetorically justified on the grounds that it merely implemented the Supreme Courts guidance to review all gun laws using history and tradition, a framework announced in the justices 2022 decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen.

But history and tradition are unruly guides, and the courts framework simply licenses lower courts to reach their own preferred outcomes on questions concerning gun rights. And already the once-formidable line between the ordinary firearms available to private citizens and cutting-edge military hardware is blurring.

Last week, in United States v. Morgan, a Kansas federal judge appointed by Donald Trump declared that the Second Amendment forbids the government from banning the possession of machine guns. This is a new frontier for the Second Amendment: Federal law has heavily regulated those weapons since 1934, soon after they first became commercially available, and has prohibited private ownership since 1986 (with an exception for those guns lawfully owned prior to that time). Despite this uninterrupted history of regulation, the Kansas federal court concluded that machine guns are arms within the Second Amendments protection because they are bearable weapons and that no historical tradition supported banning the mere possession of such lethal weapons.

The courts conclusion is brazen and stunning. It credits an argument that other federal judges have recently and easily dismissed as absurd and beyond outlandish. Indeed, the Supreme Court itself cabined its watershed 2008 decision in District of Columbia v. Heller by underscoring that its ruling certainly did not mean machine guns would become freely available. As the court said, the historical tradition of regulating dangerous and unusual weapons meant that weapons that are most useful in military serviceM-16 rifles and the likemay be banned.

The Morgan court was having none of it. Hellers statement, the judge said, was not binding on lower courts because the Supreme Court had not confronted a machine gun ban in that case. So, he was free to ignore it. He also found that none of the historical regulations the government cited supported banning the possession of any bearable arms, as opposed to (at most) restricting how one carried them around publicly. Although the court did not mention the application of its ruling to cases like the bearable Javelin anti-tank weapons, its hard to see where the judge could draw the line if the principle of his decision were taken to its logical conclusion.

The Morgan ruling illuminates a central flaw in recent Second Amendment doctrine. The history and tradition framework announced in Bruen provides lower courts no guide. Judges are now free to read the historical record broadly or narrowly, draw strict or loose historical analogies, demand identical or just barely related historical precursors, and adopt high or low levels of generality when assessing the historical landscape of gun regulationall within the confines of Bruens capaciously vacuous framework. In short, Bruen created a test that constrains judges not at all. Its been wreaking havoc on gun laws nationwide.

Since Bruen, there has been a host of similar extreme and unprecedented decisions. One federal court ruled that the Second Amendment forbids a state from outlawing guns on playgrounds or in banks and hospitals. Others have said that individuals found to be a credible threat to their children or intimate partners cannot constitutionally be disarmed for even a temporary period. Still other courts have held that the Constitution dooms the federal law that prohibits individuals charged with felony offenses from acquiring new firearms, even when it remains legal for them to keep the guns they already possess.

These judicial rulings were novel, even though some of the laws they struck down have existed for decades. Whats remarkable is that in these cases, just as with the machine gun ruling in Morgan, no other courts had resolved challenges in those ways prior to Bruen. All such laws had been upheld or unchallenged, thought to be quite clearly constitutional.

This past summer, the Supreme Court firmly corrected one of these lower court errors. In United States v. Rahimi, the court chastised a lower federal court for invalidating the gun ban on those subject to domestic violence restraining orders. In a nearly unprecedented 81 decision on a contested constitutional question, the justices were adamant that this life-saving law was valid. Its prior cases, the justices insisted, were not meant to suggest a law trapped in amber. Indeed, the Second Amendment permits more than just those regulations identical to ones that could be found in 1791. Rather than search for identical laws in the past, the appropriate analysis involves considering whether the challenged regulation is consistent with the principles that underpin our regulatory tradition. The focus should be on the principles in the past, the Court insisted, not on whether the challenged law mirrored isolated historical statutes.

Morgan was having none of that either. In a decision that spans all of eight meager pages of substantive analysis, the court barely mentioned Rahimi at all. It certainly did not focus on the principles to which the historical record attests. Its analysis instead reads much more like that of the lower court ruling the Supreme Court reversed in Rahimirejecting potential comparisons in the historical record because they do not match the challenged law in all particulars.

Its no great surprise that Morgan was decided by a judge appointed by the former president. Recent empirical research has demonstrated that the judges appointed by Donald Trump have been astonishingly friendly to all manner of Second Amendment claims. According to researchers who studied the data closely, these judges are almost twice as likely as even other Republican-appointed judges to vote in favor of a Second Amendment challenge. The data suggest, they write, that Bruen had the greatest impact on the Trump appointees.

Heres the good news: Morgan is not likely to stand for long. The federal appeals court overseeing Kansas will probably reverse the decision and agree with every other court to review the issue that machine guns are not Second Amendmentprotected firearms. But we cant pretend that solves the problem. Bruen makes decisions like Morgan possible, in a way they simply were not previously. The Supreme Courts history and tradition framework unjustifiably replaced the workable and conventional constitutional test that takes account of contemporary conditions, like the harms machine guns cause and how ill-suited they are to lawful self-defense.

In its stead may not quite be a law trapped in amber, but it is a law trapped in ambition. As the recent empirical research suggests, gun rights cases present an opportunity for promotion-seeking judges to show their partisan chops to would-be appointers, and Trump judges are most likely to audition with such pro-gun rulings. Those auditioning today may find themselves high on the Supreme Court short lists for future Republican presidential administrations. Until the Court is prepared to reverse course, we can expect increasingly extreme decisions that further dismantle this countrys already threadbare system of regulating the weapons that claim the lives of roughly 50,000 of our fellow citizens each year and the peace of so many countless others.
Earthquake simulator to 'shake things up' in Marysville this week

Have you ever wondered what a big earthquake feels like? The worlds largest mobile earthquake simulator can give you some insight.

The Big Shaker is headed to the Delta Plaza in Marysville tomorrow.

The simulator is capable of recreating magnitudes up to 8.0.

Earthquake experts including the Washington Emergency Management Division and Pacific Northwest Seismic Network will be in attendance to teach people how to prepare for an earthquake.

The Center for Independence will have information specifically tailored for people with disabilities.

The free event takes place from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.





We're teaming with @WA_Marysville & @PNSN1 and bringing an earthquake simulator to to Marysville on Aug. 29. Join us if you're in the area or want to make the drive. Details here: https://t.co/UnuH64eNii pic.twitter.com/dc9JnXaIzv  WA Emergency Management (@waEMD) August 16, 2024
ECTOR COUNTY, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)  The National Association of Music Merchants Foundation has recognized the Ector County Independent School District as one of the Best Communities for Music Education for the 10th year in a row. The award is given to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement for providing music access and education to all students.

The award program looks at various aspects of the music program, including funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, as well as support for the music program and community music programs.

We are incredibly proud to receive the Best Communities for Music award, which is a testament to the dedication and talent of our music educators, said Dr. Aaron Hawley, ECISD Executive Director of Fine Arts. Their unwavering commitment to nurturing our students musical abilities has created a vibrant and enriching environment for all. This recognition highlights the exceptional work happening in our schools and the profound impact it has on our community.

ECISD said the following aspects that set the fine arts program apart:

Permian High School qualified for the UIL State Marching Contest for the past three years

Odessa High School earned Superior Division ratings at the UIL Regional Marching Contest for a state-record 84 consecutive years

Annually, ECISD produces Texas Music Educators Association All-State Musicians, an elite honor signifying a student is among the best, individually, in the state

ECISD students consistently earn top ratings at UIL concert/sightreading evaluation

The harp program is one of the few of its kind in Texas

An elementary strings program is beginning its third year, and showcased 300 students at last years elementary strings concert

All elementary students receive music instruction weekly

ECISD said the Best Communities for Music Education award considers the ways students art taught to create, perform, and respond to music. It also accounts for the opportunities provided to students to be part of music programs outside the school day, such as music camps and academies offered by other organizations.

There are currently 8,505 students between 6th and 12th grade involved in all ECISD fine arts programs, including performance and visual arts, according to a release from the district.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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SYDNEY, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- A large grass fire that broke out on Wednesday in southwestern Sydney in Australia's state of New South Wales (NSW) and had threatened homes around the area has been put under control by fire crews.

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) said in a statement on Wednesday evening that the blaze broke out just before 2 p.m. local time at a former amusement park site at the corner of Camden Valley Way and Cowpasture Road.

The FRNSW responded with the Rural Fire Service and the Rail Fire and Emergency Service, supported by NSW Police, NSW Ambulance and Transport for NSW.

More than 20 fire units, including bushfire tankers, and 80 firefighters fought the fire. Two helicopters were also used to water bomb the fire, which was fuelled by strong winds.

The fire spread in an easterly direction over 12 hectares, damaging two buildings, including an abandoned home, as well as multiple outbuildings and a number of caravans and trailers, said the FRNSW.

At the scene, one firefighter was medically treated for smoke inhalation and another was hit in the eye by smoke debris. A civilian was treated for chest pains at home by paramedics.

The fire has been downgraded to the "advice" level from "emergency warning" issued earlier. Firefighters are now engaged in mopping up operations to extinguish a small number of spot fires at the scene, said the FRNSW.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. 
Education professionals from across Maryland testified before the State Board of Education on Tuesday, expressing apprehension about a proposed policy that would require students to repeat third grade if they dont read at grade level, noting that there can be adverse effects that come with grade retention, particularly on marginalized students.

Michelle Corkadel, the president of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education, said research indicates that students who are held back experience adverse impacts on their academic self-concept, self-confidence, pleasure in learning, motivation, behavior and interpersonal relationships. She expressed concern that parents would not understand the long-term consequences of retention, and would be unable to make informed decisions about their childrens education path.

Additionally, Corkadel said that retained students are more likely to be suspended in subsequent academic years, and their risk of dropping out nearly doubles.

She also implored the board to consider school budgets, which are already tight and could be further strained by the costs of professional development, extended school programs and logistical adjustments for increased retention.

For many school systems, the current budgets do not have the ability to absorb these new expenses without cutting other vital programs, Corkadel said. Without additional funding, many school systems may find it difficult to sustain the level of support and training required by this policy, potentially compromising its effectiveness and the overall quality of education.

Riya Gupta, the incoming interim executive director of Strong Schools Maryland, said that marginalized students, particularly those from low-income households, multilingual students and students of color, are disproportionately retained.

She suggested, instead, that the board prioritize early intervention policies before students reach grade three, as well as family engagement.

Family engagement requires more than informing or involving them in meetings, Gupta said. It involves proactively equipping them with community resources, like public libraries, knowledge and support they need to actively participate in their childs literacy development  especially those from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

State Superintendent of Schools Carey Wright proposed the policy, which would also provide additional support for struggling readers in kindergarten through third grade, in July. Mandated grade retention was a feature of Wrights success in raising Mississippis low reading scores during her time as the states superintendent.

The proposal includes exemptions for some students with disabilities, those with less than two years of instruction in an English language development program, and any who have been held back in earlier grades and received intensive reading intervention for two or more years but still show a reading deficiency.

Leslie Seid Margolis, an attorney for Disability Rights Maryland, said that the exemption policy for students with disabilities fails to take students individual circumstances into account and makes assumptions about them based on their disabilities.

At a time when expectations for students are rising, expectations for students with disabilities should not be lowered, she said.

Students would not repeat the third grade more than twice, and a provision has been added to the proposal that would allow parents to opt out of having their child repeat the third grade. Those parents would commit to ensuring their child receives additional support through summer school, tutoring before or after school, or additional support outside school hours.

Maryland State Education Association President Paul Lemle said he has serious concerns about the ability of parents to waive retention, saying that it may be overused by affluent families, in turn widening opportunity gaps.

The board could vote to approve the policy as soon as September. If approved, the third grade retention policy would take effect during the 2026-27 school year.
TEXARKANA, Texas (KTAL/KMSS)  Two Texarkana organizations are working to give those in the prison system the tools they need to become members of the community again.

For years, Texarkana College has been working to provide the same vocational education they provide on campus to inmates housed at the Barry B. Telford Unit in Bowie County.

And so were starting with the high-in-demand jobs of things like welding and electrical technology, says Doug Saffel, the Director of Prison Education Programs at Texarkana College.

Now that new federal legislation passed through the FAFSA Simplification Act allows for incarcerated students to access Pell Grant financial aid, the college is working on expanding to provide credit courses to more inmates, including ones housed at the Federal Correctional Institution in Texarkana.

We were now able to expand our offerings and opportunities because now inmates will have an additional way to pay for whereas before they were just having to pay out of their own pocket, which was very limiting obviously in their situation, says Saffel.

The students would be able to pursue a workforce certificate or an applied associate degree.

Texarkana College says they are one of only a few community colleges in the country exploring how providing inmates with education can set them back on the right path upon release.

Many of the individuals who were working within the prisons will become our friends and neighbors in the next few years. says Saffel, And so by us being able to give them these opportunities while theyre still incarcerated, its much more likely that they will not return into prison in the future.

They still need official approval from the Department of Education to provide Pell-eligible credit courses, which they hope to be able to do next fall. For now, they are making sure they are ready to hit the ground running with their new program.

Meanwhile, a local non-profit is giving the formerly incarcerated another path to a second chance free of charge.

So, if Restoration of Hope wasnt here to help them, when they got out of prison, they would just be out here on their own with no car, no money, trying to find a place to go work and really have a start from nowhere, says Danny Stone, the Co-founder and Executive Director of Restoration of Hope.

They are a faith-based ministry providing shelter and the tools people need to get their lives back on track.

But the first thing we do is we kinda help in their thinking process and the choices they make. But then we start working on teaching them trades, painting carpentry, welding, electrical, HVAC, says Stone.

They say their approach is successful in fulfilling their motto, turning a mess into a message.

Ive got many men thats graduated this program that are now business owners, theyre husbands, theyre fathers again, they got full custody of their kids. Theyre restoring relationships back with their kids. And when you get to see thats the reward in itself. says Stone.

Restoration of Hope is expanding its dormitories to house more people who are coming out of the prison system, recovering from addiction, or need a fresh start. Any donations of supplies or money are greatly appreciated. Visit its website to find out more about how you can help.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
(WJET/WFXP)  A new. free resource has been released to the public in hopes of further educating Pennsylvania voters before the upcoming election.

To prepare people for the big day, Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt launched a voter education toolkit to ensure success for voters in November.

Preparations underway for JD Vances upcoming visit to Erie

The toolkit includes graphics and facts regarding important election information.

It also includes key dates voters should be aware of, including:

Monday, October 21  Last day to register to vote in the general election

Tuesday, October 29  Last day to apply for a mail-in ballot

Tuesday, November 5  Election Day

No voter should miss out on the opportunity to have their voice heard, so the department is providing early, clear, nonpartisan information about how Pennsylvanians can cast their ballot and have it counted, said Schmidt.

Local political experts speak on how RFK Jr. leaving race affects voters

Schmidt also wants to remind those who intend to vote via mail-in ballot that those ballots have been redesigned in an attempt to avoid error and confusion.

The Shapiro Administrations redesigned mail ballot instructions and materials have made voting by mail clearer and easier to understand for Pennsylvania voters, said Schmidt. When most of these changes were first introduced for the April primary, we saw a significant decrease in the number of mail ballots rejected for being improperly filled out.

For more voter information, you can call the voter hotline at 1-877-VOTESPA or visit the Commonwealth of Pennsylvanias 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 WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
Flowers and Candles can be seen 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. Federico Gambarini/dpa

German authorities on Wednesday said all eight people injured in last week's deadly knife attack in the western city of Solingen are expected to survive.

Herbert Reul, the interior minister for the state of North Rhine Westphalia, said the injured victims would recover.

Three people were killed in the attack in Solingen on Friday, reigniting debates about immigration policies and deportations in Germany. The suspected perpetrator has been identified as Issa al-H under German privacy laws, a 26-year-old Syrian who has been remanded in custody.

The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating him for murder and on suspicion of membership of the Islamic State terror group.

"WE Mourn" is written on a black banner hanging on a balcony 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. Federico Gambarini/dpa

Flowers and Candles can be seen 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. Federico Gambarini/dpa
At least eight people have died after becoming ill due to listeria found in Boar's Head deli meats that were the subject of a massive recall in July, according to federal health officials.

Two people in South Carolina and individuals in Florida, New Mexico and Tennessee have been confirmed to have died from listeria tied to the recalled meats. Three deaths  one each in Virginia, New Jersey, and Illinois  were previously confirmed.

One man, Gunter Morgenstein, 88, of Newport News, Virginia, died on July 18 after he developed a brain infection due to consuming listeria-contaminated Boar's Head meat.

Morgenstein, a German-born Holocaust survivor who moved to Canada and then the US, had purchased the company's liverwurst, his son told the Associated Press.

Its really just a senseless accident and tragedy for something that just should not have ever happened, his son said. He still had many good years left.

At least eight deaths have been linked to listeria-contaminated deli meats sold by Boars Head. The deli meat company recalled 7 million pounds of deli products since July 25 (US Department of Agriculture)

Virginia Department of Health officials have said they are working with the CDC to monitor the listeria outbreak.

Boar's Head issued a statement in the wake of the initial death reports.

No words can fully express our sympathies and the sincere and deep hurt we feel for the families that have suffered losses and others who endured illness, the company said on July 30, five days after it announced the recall.

Illnesses related to the deli meat were first reported in late May and continued into August, prompting the recall on July 25.

"On July 25, 2024, we voluntarily recalled our Strassburger Brand Liverwurst because it had the potential to be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes," the company said in a recall announcement. "As a precaution, we also recalled nine other products made on the same line and on the same day as our liverwurst."

In total, Boar's Head has recalled more than 7 million pounds of its deli products. The contamination was discovered after health officials in Maryland discovered a sample of liverwurst that tested positive for listeria.

Since late may, at least 57 people have required hospitalization as a result of the outbreak.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, listeria can withstand refrigeration and causes food poisoning. Infections can be difficult to diagnose because they can emerge up to 10 weeks after consumption of the contaminated food, according to the CDC.

CDC officials have urged consumers to check their refrigerators to check to see if they have purchased any of the recalled products.
A close-up stock image of a blue siren on a police car at night. Credit - Getty Images

Husband and wife Daniel Menard, 79, and Stephanie Menard, 73, have been missing for several days from their California residence at a family nudist resort Olive Dell Ranch.

The Menards were reported missing by a friend on Aug. 25, and were last seen at their residence, located a few miles from San Bernardino and Riverside, around 10 a.m. on Aug. 24, according to the Redlands Police Department.

Daniel suffers from dementia and is diabetic, and authorities have shared the urgency of finding the couple. The couples dog, Cuddles, a small white shih tzu, is also missing.

The Redlands Police Department said Menard's unlocked vehicle was located down the road from the couples home, and that Stephanies purse and both of their cell phones were located inside their residence.

Stephanie Menard Redlands Police Department

Daniel Menard Redlands Police Department

"Theres no way that Stephanie or Dan could have walked away from that car," a friend of the couple, Tammie Wilkerson, told ABC News "She has a cane. It was at home, her purse, their cellphones  things they would never have left at home."

There has been no indication from police about foul play, but friends and family of the couple have expressed fears about their safety.

"They don't deserve this. ... They're just good people. They go to church. They don't deserve any of this," Sandy Marinelli, who has been friends with the couple for more than a decade, told CBS News. "They) went inside their home to see if they would be OK inside and they didn't find them in there," Marinelli said. "It was just very suspicious for them to be gone."

The Redlands Police Department told TIME Wednesday that they dont have any further information about the couples disappearance.

Carl Baker, spokesperson for the City of Redlands, also told CBS that there are "search dogs from Riverside Sheriff's Office and a helicopter from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office" on the case, searching for the pair.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Redlands Police Department at (909) 798-7681 or Detective Thomas Williams at twilliams@redlandspolice.org

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Campaign signs for Anastacia Williams and Javier Santos hang next to each other on fences on Manton Avenue in Providence's Olneyville section. Both are looking to unseat Rep. Enrique Sanchez in the Democratic primary for the House District 9 on Sept. 10, 2024. (Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)

The mud is flying in the three-way Democratic primary for Providences House District 9, with a new set of accusations surrounding the incumbent.

Santos Javier, who is challenging Rep. Enrique Sanchez for the seat, accused the incumbent of vote stealing, and misconduct, including threatening voters and tampering with mail ballots. Javier filed a complaint with the Rhode Island Board of Elections over these allegations, he said in a statement Tuesday.

Chris Hunter, a spokesperson for the Rhode Island Board of Elections, declined to comment when asked to confirm whether the complaint had been received, or an investigation opened.

The accusations fuel an already fiery primary, with all three candidates  Sanchez, Javier, and former seatholder Anastacia Williams  offering up a smorgasbord of criticism, from personal attacks to alleged ethical violations and accusations over election interference.

The new complaint accuses Sanchez, and one of his campaign workers, of submitting fraudulent votes and otherwise manipulating voters mail ballots, as well as scaring voters away from voting or influencing their choice through a letter circulated to district voters accusing Javiers campaign of election tampering.

He told Rhode Island Current Wednesday that the voters alleging mail ballot manipulation or scare tactics by the Sanchez campaign had filed separate reports with local law enforcement. Providence Police did not immediately return requests Wednesday confirming the reports had been filed.

These allegations are deeply troubling, and, if true, represent a grave violation of the democratic process, Javier said.

Michael Garman, Sanchez campaign manager, dismissed the accusations by Javier as false and completely baseless in a social media statement.

Our campaign has been extremely careful to only present the facts and to avoid making any allegations that we cannot fully substantiate, Garman said in a post on X on Aug. 27. It is deeply unfortunate that Mr. Javier has not chosen to hold himself to the same standard.

Sanchez filed his own complaint with the state elections board on Aug. 21, accusing Javiers campaign of changing phone numbers on voters mail ballot applications. The Sanchez campaign also asked the state ethics panel to investigate both his opponents over alleged omissions on their annual financial disclosures; the Rhode Island Ethics Commission opened dual reviews on Aug. 20.

Meanwhile, Williams, who held the seat for 30 years before being ousted by Sanchez in the 2022 primary, filed her own complaints with the Providence Police Department and the elections board, alleging both her opponents were involved in mail ballot tampering and stealing campaign signs.

Lindsay Lague, a spokesperson for Providence Police, confirmed on Monday that the investigation into Williams complaint was ongoing, but declined to provide further comment.

The state elections board has scheduled a closed-door meeting Thursday to discuss and/or possibly vote on an investigation, according to a meeting agenda filed on Tuesday. The agenda does not provide any details about which race or investigation the board will discuss.

The flurry of accusations and ongoing investigations come in the midst of early voting for the primary, which began on Aug. 21.

In Providence, which includes but is not limited to the 9th House District, 854 voters had turned in mail ballots to the elections board, while another 120 voters had cast votes early, in-person as of Tuesday, according to the Rhode Island Department of States online data tracker.

As of Aug. 20, the Providence Board of Canvassers had received 585 mail ballot applications from voters in the legislative district, 58 of which were rejected for various inaccuracies, according to Josh Estrella, a city spokesperson.

The primary is Tuesday, Sept. 10.

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Elgin News Digest: Elgin officer cleared in non-fatal shooting; Love on the Lawn music event being held Saturday in Elgin; fire-damaged Armanettis to be demolished

Love on the Lawn music event being held Saturday in Festival Park

The third annual Love on the Lawn musical fest will be held from 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, in Elgins downtown Festival Park.

Dedicated to family, music and community love, according to its website, the event will feature performances by Grammy Award-winning DJs, food, local vendors and childrens activities.

Tickets are $30 for the general public and free for children under age 10. VIP tickets are available for $60.

For more information, go to www.lotlfest.com.

Elgin police officer cleared in non-fatal shooting of suicidal man

Elgin police Officer Fernando Camacho is back on the job after being cleared of any wrongdoing in a non-fatal shooting that occurred in January, a city news release said.

An independent internal investigation conducted by a law firm hired by the city concluded that Officer Camachos actions were justified and in compliance with department policies, the release said.

Camacho also was cleared in an investigation done by the Illinois State Police Public Integrity Task Force, which found his actions were justified and criminal charges not warranted.

The shooting occurred after Camacho responded to a Jan. 13 call about a suicidal person at a home in the 900 block of Oak Ridge Boulevard.

According to reports, Camacho arrived at the residence to find a 29-year-old man with wounds to his neck and torso. He attempted to assist the victim, who struggled with him and grabbed a knife to stab himself. When the man advanced on Camacho with the weapon, he fired his weapon and then rendered aid until medical personnel arrived, the report said.

Per police policy, a second internal probe is done in all shooting cases to ensure no department rules or regulations were broken. Camacho was on paid administrative leave while the reviews were conducted.

Waiting list now open for Wildwood Trace Apartments in Elgin

Full Circle Management has announced that, in collaboration with the Association for Individual Development, the waiting list for Wildwood Trace Apartments in Elgin is now open.

The apartment complex at 695 S. State St. offers affordable housing for applicants who qualify under the current Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Limits, according to a news release. There are 50 one- and two-bedroom apartments available.

To apply, go to www.rentwt.org. For more information, contact Laura Erickson at 224-407-4445 or larkin.manager@fccommunities.org.

Fire-damaged Armanettis in Carpentersville to be demolished

The owners of Shars Armanetti Fine Wine and Spirits, 222 W. Main St., have obtained a village permit to demolish the fire-damaged store in Carpentersville.

Village Manager JohnOSullivan said it is not known if the owner plans to build a new structure. They would need to go through a permitting process and reviews by villages planning and zoning commission and village board before construction could begin.

A May 19 fire at the store resulted in an estimated $1 million in property damage and $500,000 in property loss, Fire Chief Bill Anaszewicz said at the time.

Lions Club mobile unit to offer free hearing and retinal screenings

The Lions Mobile Health Screening Unit will be providing free hearing and retinal screenings from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 8, at St. Edward Preparatory School, 274 Division St., Elgin.

Sponsored by the Elgin Lions Club and the Lions of Illinois Foundation, the event is funded through donations made to the two organizations, a news release said.

Hearing loss is one of the most common chronic disabilities in the United States, with about 15.5% (44.1 million) of American adults age 20 and older have some level of hearing loss, according to the release.

Early detection of retinal disorders, such as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, is critical for those who might need treatment, which is why anyone 55 or older is encouraged to have a screening, the release said.

For more information on the programs and services, go to www.lionsofillinoisfoundation.org.
Elon Musks artificial intelligence company xAI is allegedly worsening a serious smog problem in Memphis, Tennessee, through the unauthorized use of gas turbines at its new data center, environmental advocates say.

The Southern Environmental Law Center wrote this week to the local health department and regional Environmental Protection Agency office urging regulators to probe the allegedly permitless turbine use and their pollution, according to CNBC.

Musks New AI Image Generator Immediately Used to Troll Him

The letter sent on behalf of local groups reportedly says Musks company has installed at least 18 gas combustion turbines over the last several months (with more potentially on the way). It also claims the turbines combined capacity could power roughly 50,000 homes.

The billionaire founded xAI last year with the goal of understanding the true nature of the universe. Its since launched Groka chatbot that is supposed to be more humorous than its main rival, OpenAIs ChatGPTwhich has been accused of spreading false information about the 2024 presidential election and allowing users to make images that would fall foul of some similar products content moderation filters.

AI models typically need large amounts of power for processing and data training. In their letter, the environmental advocates said xAIs data center requires an enormous amount of electricity, according to CNBC.

The letter also reportedly claims the facilitys 18 turbines emit nitrogen oxidesair pollutants that contribute to an enduring smog issue in Shelby County, where Memphis is located. The American Lung Association gives the county an F grade in its State of the Air rankings.

The turbines could emit up to around 130 tons of nitrogen oxides every year, which would allegedly make them the ninth-biggest source of the pollutants in the U.S., the letter says.

Tennessee businesses usually require permits to run the kind of turbines being used by xAI, CNBC reports. The permits specify acceptable emission limits, efficiency requirements, and would further mandate air quality tests.

The overarching concern remains that there has been very little transparency and opportunity for public input for the xAI project, Amanda Garcia, a senior attorney with the Tennessee office of the Southern Environmental Law Center, told CNBC. She added that there is also concern that its already having significant health and environmental impact on the surrounding community.

Neither the EPA office covering Memphis or xAI answered CNBCs requests for comment.

The environmental impact of Musks companies has previously come under scrutiny. An analysis of satellite imagery recently concluded that about 500,000 trees were cut down to build Teslas new gigafactory outside Berlin in Germany, while SpaceX rocket launches have reportedly damaged wildlife habitats and carpeted homes and vehicles with a layer of grime.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Adel Hagekhalil, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, speaks to new managers at MWD headquarters in Los Angeles in 2023. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)

More than two months after he was placed on leave by the board of Californias largest urban water supplier, embattled General Manager Adel Hagekhalil defended his performance and insisted the accusations against him are unfounded.

The board of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California met in closed session Tuesday to discuss the status of investigations into multiple complaints and voted to extend Hagekhalils leave of absence until Oct. 23 as the investigation continues. The leave had been scheduled to end in September.

We understand the desire for an expedited investigation, but as difficult as this is, we believe due process is paramount above all considerations, for all parties involved, said Adan Ortega Jr., chair of the MWD board. We are committed to ensuring a thorough, fair and impartial investigation.

Hagekhalil spoke to the board publicly for the first time since the agencys leaders announced they were placing him on leave on June 13.

I can assure you, the board and all the Metropolitan employees, that I have not committed any misconduct, Hagekhalil said. Everything I've done has always been for the best interests of Metropolitan.

Some of the accusations surfaced in a letter to the board from Chief Financial Officer Katano Kasaine, who alleged Hagekhalil had harassed, demeaned and sidelined her and created a hostile work environment. Hagekhalil denied the accusations, saying he has always treated the staff with respect and professionalism.

These complaints are nothing more than disagreements on management decisions, Hagekhalil told board members. Over 74 days ago, you unfairly placed me on leave, and as of today, I still have not been contacted about the investigation.

Kerry Garvis Wright, a lawyer for Hagekhalil, said her client has been locked out of his email account and denied access to agency documents, hampering his ability to prepare for his interviews in the investigations.

We have significant concerns about the investigative process, including but not limited to the lack of independence, lack of impartiality and the lack of confidentiality, Wright said.

She urged the board to address the concerns promptly and reinstate Hagekhalil.

The sidelining of Hagekhalil has left in question the future leadership of the nations largest wholesale supplier of drinking water, which serves cities and agencies that supply 19 million people across Southern California.

In the more than three years that Hagekhalil has led the agency, he has sought to focus on adaptation to climate change, in part by reducing reliance on water supplies from distant sources and investing in local water supplies. His efforts to shift priorities at MWD have also included management changes that he and his supporters say have helped address problems of workplace harassment and retaliation.

We have had many successes and accomplishments, Hagekhalil said. You tasked me to change this toxic culture and put the agency back on track. Im proud to say we all did. We supported a culture of transparency and accountability.

Hagekhalil said, however, that some within the agency have sought to undermine his reform efforts.

In a letter to the board, Hagekhalil said that every action I took on your behalf and at your direction was faced with a frivolous complaint to undermine and stop the reform that you directed.

He said when he was hired by MWD, he arrived at a time of turmoil following harassment and retaliation complaints by employees, unhealthy workplace conditions in desert outposts, and outdated human resources policies and hiring practices.

Hagekhalil noted that before he was hired, the Los Angeles Times had published an investigation about womens complaints of harassment, discrimination and retaliation, and that some MWD board members had pushed for an independent investigation by Shaw Law Group, a Sacramento firm.

The full investigative report, which remains confidential, substantiated the womens complaints, Hagekhalil said. A scathing state audit later determined that the district had failed to commit resources to properly investigate complaints of misconduct and had engaged in unfair hiring practices, among other problems.

We wanted a healing and a reset to the organization. You charged me to do that, Hagekhalil said. Those efforts, he said, included creating an independent office for discrimination complaints, creating an office of diversity, equity and inclusion, and reforming policies to address bullying and harassment, among other things.

But he said some within the agency didnt accept that and continued to try to undermine us by weaponizing the complaint process with bad faith claims. He said that a small number of people resisted change and accountability and that every action I took was faced with frivolous complaints.

Read more: As California water agency investigates top manager, some worry progress could be stymied

Hagekhalil said he has been subjected to other anonymous complaints that have been investigated and shown to be unfounded. In one case, he said, an anonymous complaint regarding the hiring of a chief of staff led to an investigation that ended on Aug. 15, when MWDs ethics office notified him there was no violation and the matter was closed.

I am very concerned about the fairness and objectivity of the investigation process. It is very clear that these are unfounded and frivolous allegations and complaints, leaks, lies being used to smear us with the goal to force the boards hand, Hagekhalil said in his letter, urging board members not to fall for these tactics.

About 20 people spoke in favor of Hagekhalil during the meeting, including employees, environmental advocates, residents and others.

Bruce Reznik, executive director of the group Los Angeles Waterkeeper, called for reinstating Hagekhalil while the investigations are completed with as much transparency as is possible.

My experience with Adel has always been extremely positive, Reznik said, calling him a thoughtful, inclusive, transparent leader.

Caty Wagner, water campaign manager for the Sierra Club, said that there appears to be a group at MWD who want to take the district back in time, and that Hagekhalil is being targeted for standing against them.

I am shocked by what I heard from Adels lawyer this morning  that he has not yet been contacted by investigators and did not know what todays meeting would be about, Wagner said. The public is watching and we are appalled.

Others who voiced support included Marty Adams, the former general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, who said Hagekhalil has brought the water community together throughout the whole state.

Some praised Hagekhalils efforts to have better communication with communities and tribes in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, where water is pumped to provide a portion of Southern Californias supplies.

We need more California water leaders like Adel, not less, Krystal Moreno of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians said.

Others were critical of Hagekhalil and said the investigations should get to the bottom of the complaints.

I'm here today speaking for those who cannot speak because of fear of retaliation and harassment, said Trish Gonzales, a retired employee who worked in the human resources department. She said some employees are fearful for speaking up and have been harmed and traumatized by Adel and his people.

Gonzales said the general manager has engaged in unethical practices and urged the board to do the right thing.

John Vrsalovich, president of the Management and Professionals Employees Assn., which represents some MWD employees, urged the board to continue methodically investigating the allegations and not be swayed by the clearly solicited support coming from inside and outside the agency today and over the past few months, which we believe was orchestrated to sow doubt across the various investigations.

Vrsalovich said the serious allegations demand a thorough investigation to fairly resolve issues for all parties so the organization can move forward.

Read more: Adel Hagekhalil: Southern California's embattled 'water doctor'

The board has temporarily appointed Assistant General Manager Deven Upadhyay, who has been at the agency for 29 years, as the interim general manager.

Several union members and leaders of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1902 said employees have continued to face unfair treatment, harassment and retaliation.

Gonzalo Pantoja, an electrician, said one manager recently felt comfortable enough to shove an employee to the ground and, to this day, has received little to no discipline for his actions.

Alan Shanahan, president of Local 1902, said that Hagekhalil brought positive efforts toward change, but that since his removal we have seen a complete disconnect of HR and management from collaboration.

Ellen Mackey, a senior ecologist and leader of the MWD womens caucus, said the attitude of the manager who shoved the employee is indicative of the abusive attitude towards employees that Adel sought to change.

Mackey said she believes some middle, upper and retired managers have colluded to oust Adel.

We're still unsure of the number of sides involved in this 'Game of Thrones' farce, she said. The investigation should follow the lines of evidence wherever they go.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
SYDNEY, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The treasurer of Australia's state of Victoria has warned that a national cap on international student numbers will devastate the economy.

The state's Treasurer Tim Pallas on Wednesday said that the federal government's international student cap could cost Victoria 12,000 jobs and billions of dollars.

"A cap on international students is a cap on economic growth. These caps will devastate our state's economy, lead to skills shortages and cost us thousands of jobs," he told local media The Age.

Australia's Federal Education Minister Jason Clare on Tuesday announced that the government will cap new international student enrolments at universities and vocational education providers at 270,000 in 2025.

The cap will allow for 145,000 international student commencements at publicly-funded universities in 2025, 95,000 in the vocational education and training (VET) sector and 30,000 at other universities and non-university higher education providers.

Overall, the cap would set new international student commencements at about 7,000 below 2019 levels and 53,000 below the 2023 figure.

Pallas said that Victoria, Australia's second-most populous state, holds approximately 30 percent of the national market share of international student enrolments and that education is its biggest export, generating 14.8 billion Australian dollars (10 billion U.S. dollars) in revenue in 2023 and supporting 63,000 jobs.

Duncan Maskell, the vice-chancellor of Victoria's University of Melbourne, said in a statement on Tuesday that the university is strongly opposed to the cap.

"The cap on international students will have detrimental consequences for our University, the higher education sector generally, and the nation for years to come."

He said that the effects of the cap would be felt by students and staff in the form of inadequate funding to teach and do research and that it would jeopardize the sector's reputation and long-term sustainability. 
Last years Canadian wildfires, which blanketed much of the eastern U.S. in smog, released more carbon emissions than all but three countries worldwide, according to research published Wednesday.

Not only did the fires burn nearly 4 percent of the countrys forests, but they also generated 647 million metric tons in carbon emissions, quadruple that of the emissions from fossil fuel consumption the same year.

The study, published in the journal Nature, found that only China, the U.S. and India produced more carbon emissions than the fires in 2023. Those three countries are the three leaders in carbon emissions worldwide. Canada is the No. 10 emitter, producing just under 2 percent of worldwide emissions.

Large boreal forests like those affected by the Canadian fires have long been considered a major carbon sink, or a location that absorbs more carbon than it emits, but the data in the study suggests that if a fire is big enough, the forests may not reliably absorb the damage. Canada is the site of nearly 9 percent of forestland worldwide.

Last year was also the hottest year on record worldwide, creating conditions like extreme heat, early snow melt and dry conditions that made it easier for forest fires to rage out of control in the first place, potentially contributing to a feedback loop, the study noted.

Climate models project that the temperatures of 2023 will become normal by the 2050s. Such changes are likely to increase fire activity, risking the carbon uptake potential of Canadian forests, the study authors wrote. This will impact allowable emissions for reaching warming targets, as reduced carbon sequestration by ecosystems must be compensated for by adjusting anthropogenic emissions reductions.

The results are more ominous than those reached by the European Unions Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service in December, which used different methodologies to estimate the fires generated about 480 megatons worth of emissions.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Emmanuel Macron's visit to Serbia: Why is it important and whats at stake?

Emmanuel Macron's visit to Serbia: Why is it important and whats at stake?

After having declared that Serbia's future lies "within the European Union ... and nowhere else back in April, French President Emmanuel Macron continues his charm offensive in the Western Balkans.

The head of state is set to travel for an official visit to Belgrade on 29 and 30 August, according to the Elysee Palace.

One of the most burning topics will be the sale of 12 French-manufactured Rafale fighter jets worth 3 billion.

Belgrade has been ramping up its arms spending this year and France has become a favourite destination for the Serbian rearmament effort, said Dr Sophie Gueudet, a researcher specialised in Western Balkans at the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna within the Horizon RE-ENGAGE project in Italy.

Its an attempt by Macron to solidify bilateral relations by trying to divert Serbia from its Russian dependency on defence and security systems.

Serbia will sign a deal on the purchase of 12 French Rafale fighter jets, in what would mark a shift from its traditional military supplier Russia. - Darko Vojinovic/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved.

Bringing back Aleksandar Vucic, President of Serbia, closer to the EU sphere could be seen as a smart diplomatic move by Macron, Dr Gueudet told Euronews.

A false illusion, most experts believe. Serbia has been cultivating good ties with Russia and China these past few years too, explained Florian Bieber, a professor of Southeast European History and Politics at the University of Graz.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited Belgrade in May as part of his first visit to Europe since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Beijing has poured billions into Serbia, particularly into mining and manufacturing.

As for Russia, Serbia remains its closest ally in the Western Balkans due to their robust energy cooperation, opposition to Kosovos independence, and shared Eastern Orthodox religion.

Every time, there are these partnerships with the EU, Belgrade manages to also balance its relationship with China and Russia. Serbia will never put all of its eggs in one basket, said Strahinja Subotic, a senior researcher at the European Policy Center in Belgrade.

As long as Serbia remains energy and Kosovo-dependent on Russia, the Kremlin will always have leverage, said Subotic to Euronews.

The thorny subject of Serbias accession to the EU

Another major issue in the works will be Serbias accession to the EU, which relies heavily on the normalisation of relations with Kosovo.

Belgrade doesnt recognise the sovereignty of Pristina, which declared independence in 2008. Numerous Brussels-led attempts at appeasement and dialogue have failed in recent years.

Due to the tense geopolitical context and no system of checks and balances with what Serbia is going to do with these increased defence capabilities, I am sceptical that it's a wise decision for France to even sell arms to Serbia, said Dr Gueudet.

Macron has appeared to side with Serbia on the conflict. In early August, France condemned "the multiplication of unilateral actions by the Kosovar authorities", which "jeopardise the normalisation efforts.

"France has finally, after a long time of slowing down and refusing to talk about EU enlargement, become interested in the matter. We expect France to help on the opening of new clusters in the negotiations on Serbia's membership in the EU," said Tanja Miscevic, Serbian Minister of European Affairs in a televised interview with Euronews Serbia.

But analysts remain sceptical of Vucics political will to actually move forward with EU integration.

These attempts are more trying to bring Serbia closer to the EU through economic elements rather values of EU integration, said Florian Bieber.

Officially, Serbia is committed to its accession to the EU but there has been no substantial progress these past few years, he explained.

While Belgrade has made some progress in the judiciary, limited progress was made in the rule of law, the fight against corruption, organised crime, and freedom of expression, according to the annual progress report on Serbia released by the European Commission in 2023.

Vucics would love to be part of the EU, but only if he can act like Hungarys Viktor Orban, quipped Subotic.

The European Parliament has accused EU member-state Hungary of increasingly backsliding on the rule of law, corruption and LGBTQ+ rights these past few years.

By adhering to these democratic principles needed to join the EU, experts believe Vucics government  often accused of repressing political opponents and muzzling independent media outlets  could have much to lose.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  El Paso County has a new voluneer coordinator.

Monica Jasso started in the role with County Operations on Aug. 5, the County said.

The County says she has more than 25 years of experience working with youth, adult learners and volunteers in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, the County said.

Jasso is a native El Pasoan who attended Texas A&M University.

I am honored and humbled to take on the role of volunteer coordinator for the El Paso County. I look forward to collaborating with our many departments so that we may partner alongside volunteers to advance our shared mission. My aim is to not only enhance our operational capacity as a result but to strengthen the spirit of volunteerism throughout our County, Jasso said.

Jasso volunteers with BOOST, Border Out-of-School Time Network, a hub for out-of-school time providers to increase the quality and effectivneess of programs for youth and family throughout the region, according to the County.

Jasso is also considered a subject-matter expert on volunteerism and has spoken before numerous groups.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP)  The federal government is leading a cleanup of the hazardous remains of a Detroit-area storage site for vaping supplies, five months after explosions destroyed the building, sent debris flying for miles and killed a man.

Goo Smoke Shop in Macomb Countys Clinton Township was stuffed with vape pens, butane cannisters, nitrous oxide cylinders and lithium batteries. While loads of debris have been recovered in the surrounding area, there is still more work to be done.

We dont know what were going to find in there, Sean Kane of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency told reporters Tuesday, though more butane and nitrous oxide are likely.

We are actually going to go in and start segregating all the hazardous materials, and we will be doing a full removal of everything that you see in the background, Kane said.

Behind a fence, the 28,000-square-foot property is in ruins. The roof collapsed during the March fire and explosions. Mounds of charred, twisted metal framed by a few steel girders still remain.

Were going to be ramping up after Labor Day with more personnel on site, said Kane, who is coordinating the effort.

Authorities said the disaster was caused by the poor storage of volatile materials. The owner has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of a 19-year-old man who was struck by a nitrous oxide cannister a quarter-mile away.

Kane said the EPA took on a larger role when cleanup talks between the government and responsible parties reached a standstill. The estimated cost is more than $2 million.

Theres a stockpile of materials here the local fire department didnt know about, the state of Michigan didnt know about, Kane said.

Clinton Townships top elected official, Supervisor Bob Cannon, said the EPA grabbed it by the horns and has been fabulous.

The owner said through his attorney that he doesnt have enough money to fix the mess, Cannon said.

When theyre done, this property will be pristine and it will go for sale, and we will have something here that we can be proud of again, 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 WOODTV.com.
ERIE, PA (WJET/WFXP)  Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance heads to northwest Pennsylvania on Wednesday to speak about two timely and important issues impacting people around the country and especially with Erie voters.

Doors opened at noon for the rally at Team Hardinger, located at 1280 W. 18th St.

While Vance hadnt arrived yet, many supporters were already on site anxiously awaiting his arrival at Team Hardinger, located at 1280 W. 18th St.

JET 24/FOX 66 Reporter Nicole Lee went live in Millcreek Township where many folks were streaming in the doors.

What to know ahead of JD Vances visit to Erie

Senator Vance chose the trucking and logistics company to speak about two important campaign issues: the economy and energy.

Lee spoke to those in attendance who wanted to hear their issues brought to light, one being Harborcreek resident Linda Kennedy.

The economy definitely impacts everyone, everybody here all across America. Thats definitely important. Energy independence is what keeps us strong. It impacts all Americans and the border. Border security with without a border, we dont have a country. And that in every state is a border state, Kennedy said. Its not going to impact just people down by the border. It impacts all of us, impacts us all.

Senator Vance will be speaking starting at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

Stay tuned to JET 24 Action News tonight for the latest coverage.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
EU ministers to meet in Brussels: Russo-Ukrainian war on their agenda

Photo: website of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine

EU ministers will convene in Brussels on Thursday and Friday for informal meetings, beginning with foreign ministers and followed by defence ministers.

Source: press service for the European External Action Service; European Pravda

Details: An informal meeting of EU foreign ministers will be held on 29 August to discuss the current situation in the Russo-Ukrainian war. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will personally attend the meeting.

The EU ministers and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will then discuss bilateral relations between the EU and Ankara and issues of common interest.

Discussions on the conflict in the Middle East and the political crisis in Venezuela are scheduled for the afternoon.

An informal meeting of defence ministers is scheduled for 30 August, during which representatives from Ukraine's Defence Ministry will provide an update on the situation at the front. The communique does not specify who will represent Ukraine or whether they will attend in person.

During this phase, participants will discuss various topics, including the status of Western military aid, the EU training mission for Ukrainian forces, and progress in using the proceeds from frozen Russian assets to fund military assistance for Ukraine.

Afterwards, European ministers will discuss the common security and defence policy and the situation in the Middle East.

They will also discuss how to increase the defence preparedness of member states and their ability to address the most urgent capability gaps.

Background: A meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council will take place on 28 August due to Russia's large-scale aerial attacks on Monday and Tuesday night.

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A former police detective was arrested by a SWAT team Wednesday after being accused of grooming an underage girl, forcing her into a years-long abusive relationship then murdering her when she became pregnant.

Matthew Farwell could face the federal death penalty if found guilty of strangling Sandra Birchmore to death to cover up his abuse.

Birchmore was 23 and three months pregnant when she was found dead in her Canton, Massachusetts apartment in February 2021. Her death was initially ruled a suicide but an FBI investigation prompted by her family, which hired its own own forensic examiner, led to federal charges against Farwell.

Federal prosecutors allege that Farwell began the sexual relationship with Birchmore when she was 15, then used his position of power in the Stoughton Police Department to manipulate and control her. After she disclosed her pregnancy in 2021, Farwell is accused of strangling her and staging the scene to make it look like Birchmore had taken her own life.

Trump Wants Death Penalty for Child Rapists and Traffickers

Prosecutors allege that Farwell met Birchmore when she joined a police program to give young people exposure to careers in law enforcement.

Farwell, 27 at the time, used his authority and access to groom, sexually exploit and ultimately sexually abuse Birchmore when she was 15 years old and continued to have sex with her when she became an adult, prosecutors allege.

When it became clear that Mr. Farwell, that he could no longer control Sandra Birchmore, he allegedly silenced her permanently, Joshua Levy, acting U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts, said at a press conference, according to WBZ-TV. He allegedly attempted to cover his tracks to literally try and get away with murder. And he almost did, until today.

A pathologist hired by Birchmores family had initially challenged the medical examiners suicide ruling, leading to an FBI investigation which uncovered new evidence, including Farwells alleged attempts to erase evidence of the relationship.

Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara condemned the former officers actions as a horrific injustice Wednesday and vowed to support the federal prosecution to ensure justice is served.

As I have stated previously, Sandra Birchmore received no justice during her life, McNamara said. It is imperative that justice be served in her death, and todays actions appear to bring our society one step closer to justice.

Farwell is not the only officer allegedly implicated in the abuse of Birchmore. His twin brother, William, and another Stoughton officer, Robert C. Devine, were also accused in a civil suit of inappropriate conduct, although only Matthew faces criminal charges.

Farwell was arrested by a SWAT team at a Revere shopping plaza where he was driving a gravel hauler. The federal charges carry a mandatory life sentence and are eligible for the death penalty. During the Biden administration the only time capital punishment has been sought by prosecutors was for Pittsburgh synagogue mass-murderer Robert Gregory Bowers, who killed 11 and wounded 6 in an anti-semitic mass shooting.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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A fired sheriffs deputy is behind bars months after the shooting death of Roger Fortson, a Black U.S. Air Force airman who heard someone incessantly pounding on his apartment door in the Florida Panhandle in May when he answered it holding a gun that was pointed downward  only to get hit with a barrage of bullets moments later, court records show.

On Tuesday morning, Eddie Duran Jr. had his first court appearance to face a charge of manslaughter with a firearm following his arrest the day prior, records show. The rare charge against a Florida law enforcement officer is a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

He was booked into the Okaloosa County jail Monday afternoon. Its not clear yet whether he was issued a bond.

READ MORE: Black airman shot to death by a Florida deputy who blitzed wrong apartment: attorneys

Fortsons family and attorney, Ben Crump, released a statement Friday on Durans criminal charge, emphasizing the unnecessary use of force and that justice is beginning to be served.

This decision marks the first step towards justice for the family of Roger Fortson, the statement read. 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.

Duran was terminated from the Okaloosa County Sheriffs Office for his alleged actions in late May. At the time, Sheriff Eric Aden decried Durans unnecessary use of force.

The objective facts do not support the use of deadly force as an appropriate response to Mr. Fortsons actions, he said. Mr. Fortson did not commit any crime. By all accounts, he was an exceptional airman and individual.

On May 3, Duran was called to an apartment complex after a possible physical disturbance was reported. After being told which unit, the deputy went to the apartment. What happened next, which was recorded on the deputys body cam, led to Fortsons death.

READ MORE: Black airman shot to death by a Florida deputy who blitzed wrong apartment: attorneys

According to the sheriffs offices objective facts, Doran waited at Fortsons door and listened for sounds of the possible disturbance. Hearing nothing, he knocked without announcing he was a deputy with the sheriffs office.

Doran said he heard something to the effect of its the (expletive) police. Doran knocked loudly two more times, this time announcing himself.

When Forston opened the door, Doran saw him holding a gun in his right hand. The gun was pointed at the ground sufficiently enough for the former deputy to clearly see the rear face of the rear sight, according to the sheriffs offices account.

Almost immediately after opening the door, Doran shot him six times.

In its finding, the sheriffs office concluded Fortson did not physically resist in any way and did not point the gun at Doran, which was seen on earlier released body camera footage.
Brenna Swindell, the daughter of former Major League pitcher Greg Swindell, was found safe in Klamath Falls, Ore., early Tuesday and her ex-boyfriend was arrested. Photo courtesy of Austin Police Department/Facebook

Aug. 27 (UPI) -- The daughter of former Houston Astros pitcher Greg Swindell, Brenna Swindell, is safe after local police in Oregon arrested her ex-boyfriend in Klamath Falls after midnight PDT Tuesday.

Klamath Falls police spotted the pair traveling in a stolen vehicle in the southeastern Oregon city and arrested Brenna's ex-boyfriend, Morgan Guidry on an outstanding warrant for domestic assault in Travis County, Texas.

"She has been found. That's all we have for now," Greg Swindell posted on X Tuesday. "Thank you to everyone ... who helped in the process."

Brenna, 29, is the mother of three and was reported missing on Sunday in Austin, Texas.

The Travis County warrant for Guidry's arrest accused him of a third-degree felony for assaulting and strangling Brenna on July 7, and she filed a complaint on Aug. 20.

Brenna had been missing since Thursday and had no contact with her family, including her three children.

Guidry allegedly strangled Brenna several times and slammed her head onto an apartment floor on July 7.

Brenna suffered injuries to her shoulder, neck, head and hand and told local police Guidry was going to kill her after he left the apartment armed with a rifle.

Greg Swindell was a former pitcher for the University of Texas and pitched in the major leagues for 17 years.
UPDATE (Aug. 29, 2024, 8:05 a.m. ET): Former Nevada politician Robert Telles was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday after he was found guilty of murdering local reporter Jeff German. Telles, 47, is eligible for parole after at least 20 years in prison.

A Nevada jury has found Robert Telles, a former local politician, guilty of murdering an investigative journalist who was reporting on alleged mismanagement of Telles' office months before he was killed.

Jurors convicted Telles of murder with use of deadly weapon on Wednesday, two days after deliberations began. As the verdict was read in court, Telles' gaze was lowered and he shook his head.

The trial will move into the penalty phase later on Wednesday, when jurors may hear additional testimony to determine Telles' sentence. He faces up to life in prison.

The verdict wraps a weekslong trial over Telles' role in the gruesome killing of veteran Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German in September 2022.

A former Democratic administrator of a Clark County office that handles unclaimed estates, Telles had been at the center of German's investigation into allegations of bullying and hostility. German also reported on the then-politician's alleged romantic relationship with a female employee. Telles denied the allegations at the time. He subsequently lost his re-election bid in the Democratic primary, and he later singled out German for criticism on social media.

Days after German was found dead with stab wounds in his home in September, Telles was arrested on suspicion of murder.

During the trial, jurors heard emotional testimony from German's neighbors, as well as Telles' allegations on the stand of a bizarre conspiracy against him. Telles maintained his innocence throughout, claiming that his office co-workers, a real estate company, prosecutors and Las Vegas police were trying to frame him for fighting corruption.

Im not crazy. Im not trying to avoid responsibility, Telles testified. I didnt kill Mr. German, and Im innocent.

Prosecutors disputed those claims during the trial, telling the jury that they simply didnt make sense. Germans own attorney, Robert Draskovich, did not side with him, though he said in closing arguments that his clients belief in a conspiracy against him was understandable.

What other options does he have under these circumstances? Draskovich asked.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's largest bank Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank) on Wednesday reported higher earnings in the second quarter of 2024.

The bank said in a bourse filing that its net profit grew 8.17 percent year on year to 2.53 billion ringgit (580 million U.S. dollars). The group's revenue also rose 6.43 percent year on year to 17.17 billion ringgit during the quarter.

As for the first half of the year, the firm's net earnings increased 9 percent year on year to 5.02 billion ringgit, while its revenue went up 13.4 percent to 35.52 billion ringgit.

In a separate statement, Maybank said the commendable results were driven by strong growth in non-interest income, arising from higher core fees, improved insurance performance as well as an increase in treasury and market gains.

Looking ahead to the second half of 2024, Maybank Chairman Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa said the bank remained optimistic about its prospects.

"We will continue to focus on enhancing customer centricity, with an emphasis on providing a more values based ecosystem of financial solutions, leveraging digital innovation whilst maintaining prudent risk management practices," he said. (1 ringgit equals 0.23 U.S. dollars) 
Former Stoughton Police Department detective Matthew Farwell has been indicted on charges that he killed Sandra Birchmore, a 23-year-old woman who was pregnant with his child, inside her Canton apartment and then staged her death as a suicide, court records show.

The federal indictment charges Farwell, 38, of North Easton, with killing a witness or a victim, Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Boston announced Wednesday afternoon.

Farwell, who pleaded not guilty in federal court in Boston, is accused of sexually exploiting Birchmore when she was underage and then trying to make her death look like a suicide after she told him she was pregnant.

Levy detailed the allegations against Farwell to reporters during a press conference.

He strangled Sandra Birchmore to death. Thats the allegation in this case. He used his knowledge and experience as a law enforcement officer to stage her death to look like a suicide, Levy said.

He allegedly attempted to cover his tracks to literally try and get away with murder. And he almost did, until today, Levy said.

The criminal indictment comes after Birchmores family suggested in a new report that the young woman was the victim of a homicide, not a suicide as first announced by authorities following her death in 2021.

The indictment alleges that Farwell killed Birchmore on or about Feb. 1, 2021, by strangulation and then staged her apartment to make it appear as if Birchmore had committed suicide.

An FBI Boston SWAT team arrested Farwell in Revere on Wednesday morning. Farwell, who authorities said was driving a dump truck when he was arrested, was slated to make an initial court appearance Wednesday afternoon.

Farwell killed Birchmore with malice aforethought, willfully, deliberately, maliciously, and with premeditation to prevent law enforcement from learning about his commission or possible commission of federal offenses.

In his capacity as a police officer, Farwell served as an instructor for the Stoughton Police Departments Explorers Program, which is a vocational education program designed for youth to learn about careers in law enforcement. Court documents showed that Birchmore joined the program in 2010 when she was 12 years of age.

Farwell allegedly used his authority and access to groom, sexually exploit, and ultimately sexually abuse Birchmore when she was 15 years old and continued to have sex with her when she became an adult up until her death.

Before Birchmore attained the age of 16, Farwell engaged in sexual intercourse and other sex acts with Birchmore, court documents stated. Farwells sexual contact with Birchmore continued until in or around early 2021.

Matthew Farwell indictment by Boston 25 Desk on Scribd

This embedded content is not available in your region.

Levy said that early on, Farwell had befriended Birchmore, then a teenager, and contacted her online, becoming her friend on Facebook, essentially grooming her.

Farwell, then 27, began having sex with Birchmore when she was 15, which is statutory rape, Levy said.

He continued to have sex with her until her death, meeting her for sex regularly while he was on duty and paid by the Stoughton Police Department, Levy said.

To conceal his having sex with the young Birchmore while on duty, Farwell allegedly falsely represented that he had worked certain hours, when in fact he was not working but engaging in sex acts, investigators said.

Birchmore learned that she was pregnant in December 2020 and was excited about the pregnancy, scheduling doctors appointments, purchasing items for childcare, and telling loved ones how happy she was to become a mother, according to court documents.

Birchmore was very excited about becoming a mother, Levy said, and had good friends, a good job, and dreams of becoming a nurse.

Birchmore told Farwell that he was the father of the child and that she expected him to be at least somewhat involved in the childs life.

AUGUST 27, 2013 FROM THE ARCHIVES: File photo: Former Stoughton Police Officer Matthew Farwell shown at a traffic stop on Glen Road in Wellesley in 2010, while he was working as a police officer in that town. Photo credit: Wellesley Police Facebook

Birchmore disclosed to loved ones that Farwell allegedly became violent with her when they discussed the pregnancy and his role in the childs life. At one point while she was pregnant, Farwell allegedly held Birchmore in a headlock and told her that he wished she were dead.

Birchmores friend reportedly called Stoughton police in late January 2021 to report that Farwell had been having sex with her. According to the paperwork, a Stoughton Police Department employee informed Farwell of the phone call and days later, Birchmore was found dead in what initially appeared to be a suicide by hanging.

Facing perceived imminent disclosure of his criminal conduct, Farwell murdered Birchmore to silence her, federal investigators said.

This case is about seeking justice for Sandra, who we believe was killed by Matthew Farwell after he allegedly groomed and sexually abused her when she was just 15 years old, violating her body and her civil rights, Steven Kelleher, Assistant Special Agent in Charge for FBI Boston, said during Wednesdays press conference.

Its also about keeping Mr. Farwell from getting away with murder and from harming someone else, Kelleher said.

We in law enforcement are entrusted with immense authority, because our decisions can have life-changing consequences, both good and bad, Kelleher said. To temper that power we must adhere to the highest of ethical standards.

What we believe Officer Matthew Farwell did as outlined in todays indictment is depraved and a gross betrayal of his sworn oath and the publics trust, Kelleher said.

A 2022 internal investigation by Stoughton police found that Matthew Farwell, his twin brother and coworker William Farwell, and Robert C. Devine, a former deputy chief in Stoughton, had all had inappropriate relationships with Birchmore.

In a wrongful death lawsuit filed in Norfolk Superior Court against the three officers, Stoughton police, and others, Birchmores family disputed her death was a suicide. The suit alleged the officers were involved in a conspiracy to sexually groom Birchmore when she was as young as 15.

In July, the state attorney generals office confirmed its criminal investigation into the death of Birchmore.

Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara called Birchmores killing a horrific injustice.

The alleged murder of Sandra is a horrific injustice. The allegations against the suspect, a former Stoughton Police Officer, represent the single worst act of not just professional misconduct but indeed human indecency that I have observed in a nearly three-decade career in law enforcement, McNamara said in a statement.

After Birchmores death, McNamara said she ordered a lengthy and aggressive internal affairs investigation, the instructions of which made it clear that no stone should be left unturned.

Sandra Birchmore received no justice during her life. It is imperative that justice be served in her death, and todays actions appear to bring our society one step closer to justice, McNamara added.

In a statement, the Norfolk DAs office said, The Birchmore investigation has remained open and active...We look forward to supporting and assisting federal authorities as they pursue this prosecution.

The Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner says theyre cooperating with the feds:

The Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is aware of the federal indictment related to the tragic death of Sandra Birchmore. The Medical Examiners Office has fully cooperated with the U.S. Attorneys Office on this investigation and will continue to do so. To uphold the integrity of this active federal investigation and prosecution, the OCME respectfully declines to publicly comment on this matter at this time.

In Birchmores death certificate, an OCME spokesperson says the cause of death was listed as asphyxia by hanging, and the manner was suicide.

The charge of killing a witness or victim carries a mandatory sentence of death or life in prison.

#25 Investigates just confirmed that former Stoughton Police Detective Matthew Farwell has been indicted by Federal Authorities in Boston for the death of Sandra Birchmore who was pregnant at the time of her death.



The case was originally investigated by the Norfolk DAs  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) August 28, 2024

#BREAKING: #FBI Boston's SWAT Team has arrested former Stoughton Police Officer Matthew Farwell for allegedly killing Sandra Birchmore. We took him into custody without incident. Details to follow at a 1:45 p.m. news conference with @DMAnews1 at the federal courthouse in Boston.  FBI Boston (@FBIBoston) August 28, 2024

#BREAKING U.S. Attorney to host press conference TODAY at 1:45 pm to announce the arrest and charges against a former Stoughton Police Officer in connection w/ the death of a young woman. Valid credentials from accredited media organization required.  U.S. Attorney Massachusetts (@DMAnews1) August 28, 2024

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Former Stoughton police Officer Matthew Farwell, with his dog Orry, in an undated photo.

A grand jury indictment released Tuesday in Boston alleges Matthew Farwell strangled Sandra Birchmore to death inside her Canton apartment, and staged it look like she died by suicide.

The former Stoughton Police detective has been indicted on charges he strangled the pregnant young woman, 23, in her Canton apartment amid allegations he was the father of her unborn child and then staged the death to look like a suicide.

Matthew Farwell was arrested Tuesday and will be charged with killing a victim/witness, according to court documents.

Key moments from live press conference announcing indictment

"We allege that Sandra Birchmore survived years of grooming, statutory rape, and then sexual violence all at the hands of Matthew Farwell, who was employed throughout their relationship as an officer and a detective for the Stoughton police department," Acting United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Joshua S. Levy said during a press conference Wednesday afternoon at the federal courthouse in Boston.

"He committed statutory rape by having sex with her when he was a 27-year-old police office and she was just 15 years old," Levy said.

Levy also said: "When it became clear to Mr. Farwell that he could no longer control Sandra Birchmore, he allegedly silenced her. Permanently."

In the two weeks before her death, Sandra Birchmore "told her friends that Mr. Farwell has pushed her and shoved her and put her in a choke hold," Levy said.

"He used his knowledge and experience as a law enforcement officer to stage her death to look like a suicide," Levy said.

'One step closer to justice': What Stoughton Police Chief says about indictment

Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara spoke at a press conference Wednesday about Sandra Birchmore's death and the indictment of Farwell. Here is what she had to say:

Sandra Birchmore is a young woman who idolized policing and what its supposed to stand for in society. She saw none that in the way she was treated by Matthew Farwell," McNamara said.

"Sandra is on my mind today as well as her family and what they have gone through, McNamara said.

This is a horrific situation, McNamara said.

Sandra Birchmore received no justice in life. Immediately after her death an internal affairs investigation was opened up by my department and we worked tirelessly on that investigation, she said.

Today Sandra Birchmore in this case is one step closer to justice, McNamara said.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Matthew Farwell charged with killing Sandra Birchmore: Press conference
Donald Trump was easily taken advantage of by foreign leaders, according to a new book by one of the former presidents exnational security advisers.

In At War with Ourselves: My Tour of Duty in the Trump White House, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster detailed the inner workings of the Trump administration between February 2017 to April 2018. McMaster has given new insight into just how easy it was for foreign leaders to outwit Trump, who has been desperate to paint himself as a strongman on the international stage.

According to The New York Times, McMaster wrote that he once tried to prepare Trump for a trip to China in November 2017, the most consequential stop on the former presidents tour through Asia. McMaster recalled attempting to explain to Trump that Chinese President Xi Jinping would attempt to get Trump to say things that were good for China, but not in the best interest of the U.S. and its allies. McMaster warned Trump to steel himself, and the former president seemed to understand.

When it came time to meet with Xi, however, everything came apart. Trump ended up mindlessly agreeing with Xi that South Koreas military exercises were provocative and a waste of time. Trump also suggested that China might have a legitimate claim to the Senkaku Islands, which have been controlled by Japan since 1895.

Dismayed, McMaster wrote a note to Trumps chief of staff, General John Kelly, bluntly stating that Xi ate our lunch.

McMaster also wrote that hed once been asked by Trump to deliver a fawning message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, scrawled across a New York Post article that reported Putin had slammed the U.S. political system but found Trump notably compliant. I have no disappointment at all, Putin reportedly said about Trump.

McMaster refused to pass on the note, later telling a furious Trump that it would reinforce the narrative that you are somehow in the Kremlins pocket.

McMaster wrote that Putin, a ruthless former KGB operator, played to Trumps ego and insecurities with flattery, attempting to create a rift between Trump and those on his staff who sought a tougher stance against Russia. McMaster warned the former president that Putin was not and would never be Trumps friend, but Trump didnt take the straight talk very well.

And in an interview on CNN earlier this week, McMaster said that Trump forced the Afghan government to release 5,000 members of the Taliban, as part of his negotiations for a U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Two years before Iranian hackers breached Donald Trumps campaign this summer, they used a similar ploy to target a former administration official and onetime confidant of John Bolton, Trumps national security adviser and prominent Iran critic.

After infiltrating the persons email account, the hackers sent what seemed like a harmless request to a group of fellow US-based Iran hawks, asking them to review a supposed book the person was writing about Iranian and North Korean nuclear programs.

I am close to finishing the manuscript and have begun asking experts like yourselves to review the chapters, read the email from June 2022, a copy of which was obtained by CNN.

The email encouraged the half-dozen recipients to click a link that promised to take them to the supposed manuscript. Instead, it contained malicious code that would have granted the hackers unfettered access to the targets computers.

Not long after the email was sent, the person notified the FBI and warned colleagues in a subsequent email of a pretty sophisticated hack that was impersonating them.

A CNN review of the hacking group, which experts believe works on behalf of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reveals previously unreported details of the hackers multiyear operation, including how they have targeted former members of both the Trump and Biden administrations.

Along with the June 2022 incident, CNN has also learned that earlier this year, the same group of hackers targeted a former Biden administration senior diplomat in the Middle East with a nearly identical phishing scheme.

In April, the former diplomat received a seemingly innocuous email from someone who introduced themselves as a scholar at a prominent Washington, DC, think tank.

Dear Ambassador, the email began, according to a copy obtained by CNN. The message went on to explain that the think tank was researching the evolving dynamics of the Israel-Palestinian situation and would be honored if you could spare an hour of your time for a discussion.

Its unclear whether the hacking effort succeeded. Reached by CNN, the ex-diplomat declined to comment. But access to their email account would likely provide a valuable foothold from which the hackers could target Democratic foreign policy circles through a similar impersonation scheme.

Sowing discord

The quiet but relentless Iranian effort to hack current and former US officials across multiple administrations has attracted fresh attention from US intelligence agencies in recent weeks, as Iran has emerged as one of the most aggressive foreign powers trying to sow discord ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

In June, the same group of IRGC-linked hackers successfully targeted the Trump campaign, stole internal campaign documents and shared them with news organizations. The hackers breached the email account of longtime Trump ally Roger Stone to target campaign staff, CNN has reported.

Roger Stone addresses Turning Point's convention on June 15, 2024, in Detroit. - Jeff Kowalsky/AFP/Getty Images/File

Irans embrace of a hack-and-leak playbook that Russia used to target the 2016 election has US officials on high alert for what Tehran might do next.

Conducting a hack-and-leak clearly shows not just cyber means, but an intention to stoke societal divides and use them against us, a senior US official tracking the activity told CNN. Iran is increasingly willing to do so, and we must remain resilient to those efforts.

Iran has consistently denied US allegations of cyberattacks, including US intelligence agencies accusation that it had conducted a hack-and-leak targeting the election.

US intelligence officials are on edge partly because its hard to know when Iran would use the access it may have gained to current and former US officials email accounts, whether to collect more intelligence, leak documents or try to sow discord through other tactics.

Irans sheer unpredictably in cyberspace is a wild card for US officials, who have blamed Tehran for a cyberattack on Boston Childrens Hospital in 2021 and for creating a website in 2020 that threatened US election officials with bulls-eyes over photos of their faces.

Irans hacking program is not as advanced as that of China, Russia or the US, but Tehran has built up a capable cadre of cyber operatives who have regularly attacked critical infrastructure in the US and the Middle East over the last decade and a half, according to experts.

A senior FBI counterintelligence official shed light on Irans modus operandi last year in a rare interview.

Because Iran has a much smaller presence than [other US rivals and adversaries] in the US due to sanctions and due to the state of relations, they have to be more creative about how they collect the information theyre looking for, the FBI official told CNN. So cyber is a key tool for them.

In going after the email correspondence of journalists, think tankers and former US officials, the hacking group has shown a desire to know what doesnt get published  whats being held back, said Josh Miller, a former FBI analyst who now tracks Iranian hacking groups at email security firm Proofpoint. Because that has a lot of intelligence value.

Hackers and assassins

There is a darker element to some Iranian cyber activity that goes well beyond traditional espionage. Hackers linked to the IRGC appear to have a broad mandate to collect data the Iranian regime might find useful for kidnapping and assassination plots.

In November 2022, the head of the United Kingdoms MI5 spy agency made a rare public speech in which he revealed there had been at least 10 potential threats by Iran to kidnap or kill people in the UK in that year alone. At least one of those plots was aided by Iranian hacking efforts, a UK official told CNN.

Masih Alinejad, a US-based Iranian journalist who has been the target of multiple assassination or kidnapping plots, told CNN last year that she receives a near-daily stream of text messages and emails from hackers trying to break into her phone.

Theyre not leaving me alone at all because I have the biggest social media platform among all opposition leaders, all the opposition activists, Alinejad said.

Other Iranian expatriates said they were targeted by suspected IRGC-linked hackers but declined to go on the record for fear of their safety or privacy.

The ex-Trump official who was hacked in 2022 to target critics of Iran was hacked just months before the Justice Department charged a member of the IRGC with trying to kill Bolton. One possible reason the hackers targeted the ex-official was to try to track Boltons movements as part of the assassination plot, Proofpoints Miller told CNN.

Bolton is just one of multiple Trump administration alumni  including the former president himself  whom Iran has allegedly plotted to kill to avenge the 2020 US killing of top IRGC commander Qasem Soleimani (Iran denies the assassination plot allegations.)

The number of Iranian external operations in various countries (defined as plots to kidnap, kill, surveil or intimidate targets) has surged since Soleimanis killing, according to a study by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. The think tank tallied 115 such operations since Soleimanis death, more than half the total number of operations since the founding of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979.

In recent years, Iranian cyber activity has broadened from espionage alone to efforts to collect actionable intelligence on the location and movements of people Iran seeks to target, Matthew Levitt, head of the counterterrorism and intelligence program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told CNN. This typically involves creating false personae and penetrating computers to be able to sit in systems over long periods of time and collect intelligence.

This election cycle, the FBI has already investigated both an Iranian hack of the Trump campaign and an alleged Iranian plot to kill the candidate himself. While separate activities, US officials believe they come from a singularly desperate regime.

Iran perceives this years elections to be particularly consequential in terms of the impact they could have on its national security interests, increasing Tehrans inclination to try to shape the outcome, US intelligence and security agencies, including the FBI, said in an August 19 statement.

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Marcellus Williams has been waiting years for the evidence that challenges his conviction and death sentence to be fully presented in a Missouri court.

With less than a month until his scheduled execution, a DNA expert on Wednesday reiterated that Williams DNA was not found on the murder weapon.

He cannot be a source, expert Charlotte Word testified.

Williams, 55, sat with his attorneys before St. Louis County Circuit Judge Bruce Hilton during the long-awaited evidentiary hearing Wednesday. Daniel Picus, who was married to the victim at the time of her death, listened to testimony from the front row of the courtroom.

Williams team of attorneys brought experts to the stand who raised concerns about his initial trial, including the way DNA evidence was handled, the veracity of witnesses and alleged infringements on his rights during the trial.

The hearing had first been scheduled for Aug. 21. Dozens of Williams supporters, including some of his family members, gathered in the courtroom that morning. In an unexpected twist, the judge later announced that the parties had reached a consent judgment, including a plea deal.

When court was called into session that afternoon, an attorney for the St. Louis County Prosecutors Office said that DNA evidence on the murder weapon had been compromised.

Williams has never been forensically linked to the 1998 murder of Felicia Gayle.

But attorney Matthew Jacober said a new round of testing showed two investigators were likely contributors to DNA on the knife, meaning the evidence had been contaminated. DNA had likely been removed and added as the weapon was handled during the investigation and trial, apparently without gloves.

Jacober announced that Williams had agreed to plead no contest with a new sentence of life without parole, instead of the death penalty. Williams was to be formally resentenced the next day, Aug. 22.

Gayles family supports a life without parole sentence and does not want the execution to be carried out.

The Missouri Attorney Generals Office opposed the deal and filed a challenge. The Missouri Supreme Court halted the proceedings, and Judge Hilton scheduled Wednesdays evidentiary hearing instead.

Experts testify Wednesday

Williams was convicted in August 2001 on the word of two witnesses, who have since died. Henry Cole and Laura Asaro said Williams had told them he had murdered Gayle.

David Thompson, an expert on forensic interviewing testified Wednesday, saying he had reviewed statements they made. Thompson concluded the two had incentives to point to Williams, including a monetary award. Some of their assertions conflicted with each other or with the evidence. Other information was already known to the public through news reports at the time.

St. Louis County Associate Circuit Judge Joseph Green was an attorney on Williams original trial. He said another high profile death penalty case took a lot of his focus around the time of Williams case.

I dont believe he got our best, Green said.

Several documents, he also said, were never turned over to the defense, including forensic evidence, Missouri Department of Correction records and Coles medical records, which connected to his credibility, memory and mental health.

The Attorney Generals Office raised several objections throughout the proceedings Wednesday morning.

Word, the DNA expert, said she has testified in more than 300 cases, mostly for prosecutors. She said evidence should be handled with gloves and that evidence that isnt properly preserved could damage an exoneration case.

Third execution date

Williams previously faced execution dates in January 2015 and August 2017. Those were halted to conduct DNA testing and further investigation.

After issuing the second stay, former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens appointed a board of inquiry to look into the case.

In June 2023, Gov. Mike Parson lifted the stay and dissolved the board with little explanation. Its unclear if the board made a recommendation in Williams case or not.

A law unique to Missouri allowed St. Louis County prosecutors to intervene on Williams behalf. They filed a motion in January to vacate his conviction. The Missouri Attorney Generals Office, which has been hostile toward claims of wrongful conviction across the state, opposed the motion.

Williams conviction is the first death penalty case to be tested under the new law. Hilton said the statute created unchartered waters.

Despite the prosecutors pending case, the Missouri Supreme Court issued the third execution warrant in June.

Last month, the Missouri Attorney Generals Office filed to stop the Aug. 21 evidentiary hearing, but that was overruled by the Missouri Supreme Court.

Last week, when the plea deal was announced, the attorney generals office argued in favor of holding the evidentiary hearing, saying the judge could not accept the consent judgment including the plea deal without the hearing.
Experts see low mpox risk in Europe as WHO makes $135m vaccine push

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

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared mpox  formerly monkeypox  to be a continent-wide public health emergency on August 13.

A day later, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the highest level of alarm due to the mpox outbreaks in Africa and a potentially more contagious new variant.

The WHO, however, advised against panic following the first imported case in Europe.

Meanwhile the Africa CDC, while raising the alarm, has called for international help in achieving its target of providing 2 million vaccines.

There are two vaccines, but they are in short supply in Africa.

The virus causes a rash, fever and muscle pain. Symptoms are mainly treated by medication to prevent fever, pain or an allergic reaction.

Mpox was first detected in humans in 1970, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and is considered endemic to countries in Central and West Africa.

New variant detected beyond Africa

A new variant has been circulating in the DRC since late last year. According to the WHO, more than 18,000 suspected cases - with 575 deaths - have been registered in the country this year.

The viral illness has spread to other African countries in recent weeks, including Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda, which have jointly counted more than 200 confirmed infections of the new variant.

Cases of the variant have also been registered in people in Sweden and Thailand who had travelled to Africa.

Experts believe the new variant (called clade I) 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 to spread.

The WHOs regional director for Europe, Hans Kluge, said on August 20 that the virus has been circulating in the region in an earlier, less aggressive variant, known as clade II, since the last outbreak in 2022.

According to Kluge, around 100 cases of this variant are currently occurring per month in Europe. However, he stressed that mpox is not the new Covid-19.

We know quite a lot about clade II already, Kluge said, while adding that we still have to learn more about clade I," which is causing the epidemic in Central and East Africa.

In July 2022, the WHO announced a first Public Health Emergency of International Concern related to mpox, which was declared over in May 2023.

During the 2022-2023 outbreak, over 22,000 cases of mpox were reported in Europe.

On Monday, the WHO estimated that it will need $135 million over the next six months to combat mpox, not including the cost of 2 million vaccine doses, according to a planning paper.

The money is to chiefly be invested in diagnostic tests and research, the WHO said.

No European public health emergency

A European Commission spokesperson said on August 20 that the current situation in Europe should not be considered a public health emergency.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said more imported cases will likely occur, although it considers the risk of the new mpox variant to be low for the general European public.

After meeting with the ECDC and the European Medicine Agency (EMA), the commission's Health Security Committee concluded that border controls or an extension of vaccinations to the general public were not necessary.

The commission has asked member states about their intention to donate mpox vaccines to affected African countries and has offered to coordinate the effort.

The European Union will send 175,420 vaccine doses to the Africa CDC, the commission announced in mid-August.

Pharmaceutical firm Bavarian Nordic, which manufactures the vaccine, will donate 40,000 doses, the commission said.

On Monday, a German government spokesman said that the country was donating 100,000 doses of mpox vaccine to African countries affected by the disease from army stocks.

In the medium term, Germany, together with European partners, will support the African Union in setting up local vaccine production, he said.

EU countries watchful

EU and national health authorities are alert but remain calm about the mpox situation.

Several European countries are advising their citizens to be vigilant when visiting the most affected areas in Africa.

Measures in case of possible infections are also being taken, but vaccine recommendations remain limited to high-risk groups.

In Sweden, where the first case of the new variant in Europe was detected in mid-August, Health Minister Jakob Forssmed said the health system is well prepared.

Sweden announced new travel advice for African countries as well as vaccine recommendations for health and hospital personnel, aid workers and others who will be in the most affected areas.

Sweden's chief epidemiologist Magnus Gisslen said the country had enough vaccines.

Other countries, including the Czech Republic and Spain, have announced they have enough mpox vaccines available for those who need them.

The Italian and Slovenian health authorities are advising against mpox vaccines for the general population, while reccomending them for those most at risk.

On standby

After the report of the first case of the new mpox variant in Sweden, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) said the Netherlands was prepared for its first incident.

The person will be isolated and there will be a source and contact investigation. People are on standby for that. We expect to be able to contain the spread quickly, the RIVM said.

The content of this article is based on reporting by ANP, ANSA, BTA, CTK, dpa, EFE, STA and TT as part of the European Newsroom (enr) project.
(Reuters) - Libya's latest oil shutdown has pushed up global energy prices. This explains the situation.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

Since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi and thrust Libya into chaos, access to its oil wealth has become the biggest prize for all political factions and armed groups.

Both small local groups and major national ones have previously shut down oil production as a tactic to demand a bigger share of state revenue or political changes.

Libya's current political stalemate emerged from the faltering peace process that followed a split in 2014 between warring eastern and western factions that set up rival governments.

In 2020, there was a ceasefire with the collapse of an eastern assault on Tripoli and a move towards reunifying the state in the run-up to a planned election in December 2021 under Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah's interim Government of National Unity.

That effort failed leaving eastern and western factions at loggerheads again and competing over access to state energy revenues, with the latest standoff focused on control of the Central Bank of Libya (CBL).

Eastern factions, including the House of Representatives (HoR) parliament led by speaker Aguila Saleh and Libyan National Army (LNA) under commander Khalifa Haftar, oppose the Tripoli-based Presidency Council's bid to oust CBL governor Sadiq al-Kabir.

WHO IS BLOCKADING LIBYAN OIL FACILITIES?

For much of Kabir's 13-year tenure as CBL governor, eastern factions wanted to ditch him and for a while they backed an alternate governor heading a parallel central bank based in the east. But it is now they who demand he stay in place.

HoR speaker Saleh warned last week of an oil shutdown if Kabir was deposed.

On Sunday, protest groups in the oil regions, often a front in recent years for eastern authorities, said they were occupying energy fields and shutting them down.

The HoR then issued a statement to say that Libya could not produce or export any oil because of the protests.

Haftar, whose LNA remains in military control of all the areas where the shutdowns are taking place and who analysts say has developed a lucrative alliance with Kabir in recent months, has called the move to replace him illegal.

WHAT DO THEY WANT?

In short, eastern factions have one simple demand: return Kabir to his post as CBL governor.

Behind that stance is the endless tussle among rival Libyan factions for control of energy revenues.

The last major shutdown, in 2022, ended with Prime Minister Dbeibah in Tripoli replacing the veteran National Oil Corporation head Mustafa Sanallah with Farhat Bengdara, long seen as close to Haftar.

That move facilitated a tacit alliance of convenience between Dbeibah in the west and Haftar in the east, with looser controls over Libya's lucrative oil sector and fuel imports, and state money splurged in spending across the country.

When Kabir fell out with Dbeibah last year and started tightening the Government of National Unity's purse strings, the stage was set for a confrontation.

IS THERE ANY PROSPECT OF A DEAL?

Nobody looks willing to back down now.

Eastern factions are betting that by depriving the central bank of any more funds, and by making it harder for the bank to work internationally by contesting its legitimacy, the Tripoli authorities will be forced to cave in.

The central bank is the sole legal repository for Libyan oil revenues and it pays state salaries across the country. If those functions are compromised by the current crisis, Libyans will soon feel the pinch.

However, the pain will affect both sides and Tripoli authorities may think the alternative of backing down and in effect ceding any influence over the bank, the sole source of state spending, would be worse.

Meanwhile, Libya's wider political dispute shows no sign of resolution and international diplomacy to resolve it through elections has stalled.

If either side is contemplating armed action to resolve the dispute over the central bank, worse could be in store.

HOW LONG COULD AN OIL BLOCKADE LAST?

Oil blockades have become a familiar tactic in Libya's chaotic, violent politics since the 2011 ousting of Gaddafi.

However, while smaller localised shutdowns have sometimes been resolved within days, larger blockades tied to major political or military struggles have sometimes lasted months.

The longest major blockade, when Haftar stopped nearly all production in 2020 for eight months, was only resolved as part of a wider agreement when his assault on Tripoli collapsed.

(Reporting by Angus McDowall; Editing by Ros Russell)
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. (Photo by 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.

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?

 New York Democratic state Sen. Liz Krueger

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.

This story was originally published on Stateline. Like Maine Morning Star, 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.

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Voters in Mecklenburg Countys House Districts 105 and 98 received mailers this month warning that Democrat Beth Helfrich wants to legalize heroin and hookers and that Democrat Nicole Sidman wants to legalize prostitution and hard drugs.

Its a claim Helfrichs campaign calls an alarming mischaracterization. And one Helfrichs Republican opponent says she wasnt involved in.

The mailers paid for by the North Carolina Republican Party urged residents to vote for Melinda Bales, the former Huntersville mayor, over Helfrich in House District 98, and Rep. Tricia Cotham over Sidman in House District 105. One mailer says Bales will increase funding for law enforcement, while Helfrich supports legalizing heroin, prostitution and methamphetamine. Both mailers feature black-and-white images of the Democratic candidates with their smiles altered into grimaces.

When someone takes the time to photoshop your face and think up alliterative scare-tactics, it gets people talking, Helfrich said in a statement to The Charlotte Observer. However, the facts of this issue are not amusing. Addiction and overdose have real and devastating impacts in our communities Serious issues call for serious, holistic approaches, not absurd scare-tactics.

The race for House District 98 in northern Mecklenburg County has consistently produced close results. Republican John Bradford III, who currently holds the seat, won by less than 1,000 votes in the 2022 election, and by just over 2,000 votes in 2020. The district is 48% Democratic and 49.9% Republican according to the website Daves Redistricting, which uses a composite of election results from 2016 to 2022.

The House District 105 race in southern and eastern Mecklenburg is similarly competitive. The recently redrawn district favors Republicans slightly, with 51.3% of votes in 2016 to 2022 elections.

Heroin and hookers claim

The claims that Helfrich supports legalizing heroin and prostitution stem from an endorsement made by the Progressive Caucus of the North Carolina Democratic Party, according to a citation on the mailers. Helfrich won the endorsement in February, posting on Instagram a pledge to uphold the values of the caucus.

The caucus platform, posted online in 2020, states a goal of decriminalizing sex work and narcotics as well as legalizing and regulating all drugs.

Thats where the claim about heroin and hookers comes from, because they very plainly say they want both heroin and hookers to be legalized, said Stephen Wiley, caucus director for the North Carolina House Republicans. Bales is a better fit to be a state legislator for a multitude of reasons, but I think it is safe to say she isnt going to be advocating for an organization that promotes prostitution or heroin.

In order to receive an endorsement from the progressive caucus, candidates must apply and go through a multi-step process that includes answering a questionnaire.

Nicole Sidman, left, and Tricia Cotham, right, are running for the N.C. House District 105 seat, which covers parts of southern and eastern Mecklenburg County.

The mailer about Sidman cites the North Carolina Democratic Party platform from 2022 and 2024 to support the idea she wants to legalize prostitution and hard drugs like heroin and meth. The adopted platform supports decriminalizing sex work and narcotic use in an effort to remove discriminatory practices.

Both mailers say they were not authorized by any candidate and paid for by the states Republican Party. Bales told the Observer she was not involved in creating or sending them. Cotham did not respond to requests for comment.

Its important voters know about the stark contrast between our campaigns. The difference is, what were saying is true, Sidman wrote in a statement to the Observer. (Cotham) betrayed her constituents, voted for the most restrictive abortion ban in North Carolina history, and lied about all of it in the process.

Criminal justice reform

Helfrichs race is one of several that Democrats are especially focused on winning. A spokesperson for her campaign called the mailers claims a distortion of her values and the platform of the states Democratic party.

The platform advocates for a compassionate, evidence-based approach to public health and criminal justice reform a desire for pragmatic solutions to complex societal problems, not an endorsement of the dangerous behavior the mailer suggests, said Josh Artis, a spokesperson for the North Carolina Democratic House Caucus. Helfrich believes in policies that keep our communities safe, support public health, and address systemic inequalitiesnot in reckless legalization of harmful activities.

The partys platform considers substance abuse disorders to be diseases and prioritizes rehabilitation over incarceration, Artis said. He said the approach is about reducing criminalization in order to help people recover, not legalizing dangerous substances. He also said the party supports decriminalizing sex work in order to reduce mass incarceration and protect sex workers from exploitation and abuse.

Steins endorsement

This isnt the first time a North Carolina Democrat has been accused of having radical policies by Republicans based on an endorsement.

In July, the Republican Governors Association released an ad accusing gubernatorial candidate Josh Stein of touting an endorsement from a group run by a defund-the-police radical just days after a Charlotte shooting that left four law enforcement officers dead.

In Steins case, the ad accused him of being soft on crime and pointed to a 2020 Instagram post made by the groups leader in support of defunding the police as evidence. A spokesperson for Steins campaign said he has never supported defunding police and is a staunch supporter of law enforcement.

Artis said the claims about Helfrich are unsurprising given the partys prior moves.

The NCGOP seems proficient at using these tactics, and this mailer is just another attempt to distort reality and mislead voters, he said.

In our Reality Check stories, Charlotte Observer journalists dig deeper into questions over facts, consequences and accountability. Read more. Story idea? RealityCheck@charlotteobserver.com.
MANILA, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) launched a new country partnership strategy on Wednesday that will help Turkmenistan develop "a competitive, diversified, and knowledge-based economy driven by an innovative private sector."

The new plan, covering 2024-2028, commits the ADB to support the Central Asian nation's green transformation, including investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy, low-carbon pilot projects, and policy reforms.

The ADB will also support the development of sustainable and integrated transport networks focusing on railways along key trade corridors, including the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation corridors.

The bank vows continued support for Turkmenistan's accession to the World Trade Organization while building an export-oriented private sector with wider access to capital for small and medium-sized enterprises.

To support the development of human capital, the ADB plans to help reform the country's health sector by improving access, quality, and the range of services available. The bank will also support the development of skills in the health workforce, taking advantage of the young population and promoting entrepreneurship. 
Claim:

Two different photographs authentically show former U.S. President Donald Trump giving a thumbs-up and smiling while posing next to the graves of fallen Marines in Arlington National Cemetery.

Rating:

Rating: True

Context:

In the photographs, Trump was standing alongside the fallen Marines' family members, some of whom were smiling and giving a thumbs-up themselves.

In August 2024, a pair of photographs shared online purported to show former U.S. President Donald Trump standing at the graves of fallen soldiers while smiling and giving a thumbs-up. The images appeared to have been taken when Trump visited Arlington National Cemetery on Aug. 26 to honor U.S. Marines who were killed in a 2021 suicide bombing at the Kabul airport during the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. Thirteen American soldiers died alongside more than 100 Afghans.

An anti-Trump X account posted (archived) one of the images, which showed Trump standing next to the grave of Sgt. Nicole Leeann Gee and was captioned, "Smiling thumbs up over the graves of soldiers is beyond disgusting." Another account's post (archived) showed Trump posing in similar fashion next to the grave of Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover.

Smiling thumbs up over the graves of soldiers is beyond disgusting pic.twitter.com/HdIbGCGSF8  Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) August 26, 2024

I have no words to describe the disgust and anger I feel seeing Donald Trump smile and give the thumbs up next to the grave of one of our fallen heroes https://t.co/jrHn1VGmwI pic.twitter.com/SdXLqavQqS  Tom (@Lawmadillo) August 26, 2024

The above photographs are authentic and were originally shared on X by the official accounts of Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and people affiliated with the Trump campaign. As such, this claim is rated "True."

The first photograph was shared on Aug. 26 by Corey Lewandowski, who was Trump's campaign manager in 2016 and who returned to consult for the Trump presidential campaign for 2024.

Lewandowski wrote on X: "President @realDonaldTrump visiting @ArlingtonNatl Cemetery this morning to lay wreaths with Gold Star families at the graves of our brave men & women who lost their lives 3 years ago today during the disastrous Afghanistan withdraw in 2021. Pictured with the family of Sgt. Nicole Leeann Gee."

https://x.com/CLewandowski_/status/1828074919713706423

The second photograph was shared by Cox, who was also in the picture with Trump, though Cox did not give a thumbs-up. Other people in the photograph did, however, join Trump in smiling and making a thumbs-up in front of the camera.

Cox wrote on Facebook:

There is no greater sacrifice than giving one's 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.

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1055811452569641&set=pcb.1055811565902963

Two of Gee's family members spoke in support of Trump at the Republican National Convention in July 2024. Christy Shamblin, Gee's mother-in-law said, "While Joe Biden has refused to recognize their sacrifice, Donald Trump spent six hours in Bedminster with us. He allowed us to grieve. He allowed us to remember our heroes. Donald Trump knew all of our children's names. He knew their stories and he spoke to us in a way that made us feel understood, like he knew our kids."

Trump's visit to Arlington National Cemetery generated some controversy when reports emerged that Trump's staff had some sort of altercation with a cemetery official. According to an unnamed source speaking to NPR, the official tried to stop Trump's staffers from taking video and photographs in a part of the cemetery designated for the burial of recent U.S. casualties.

In a statement, Arlington officials said only cemetery staff members were authorized to take photographs or film, and a "report was filed" about the incident:

Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidate's campaign  Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants.

Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said no physical altercation took place. "We are prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made," he told NPR. "The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trump's team during a very solemn ceremony."

Photographs in Getty Images' archive show Trump participating in a wreath-laying ceremony at the cemetery that same day, alongside retired Marines who were injured during the 2021 Kabul airport bombing. Former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard also was present at that ceremony.

We have covered previous controversial claims around Trump's attitude toward U.S. soldiers, including one in which he allegedly called fallen soldiers "suckers" and "losers," a claim we were unable to independently verify.

Sources:

Allison, Natalie. "Former Trump Campaign Manager Corey Lewandowski Is Back." Politico, 21 May 2024, https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/21/corey-lewandowski-trump-rnc-00159260." target="blank">https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/21/corey-lewandowski-trump-rnc-00159260.">https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/21/corey-lewandowski-trump-rnc-00159260. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.

"Donald Trump Visits Arlington Cemetery to Pay Tribute to the 13..." Getty Images, 26 Aug. 2024, https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/donald-trump-visits-arlington-cemetery-to-pay-tribute-to-news-photo/2167840374." target="blank">https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/donald-trump-visits-arlington-cemetery-to-pay-tribute-to-news-photo/2167840374.">https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/donald-trump-visits-arlington-cemetery-to-pay-tribute-to-news-photo/2167840374. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.

"Family Members of Fallen Roseville Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee Speak in Support of Donald Trump at RNC." KCRA, 18 July 2024. https://www.kcra.com/article/roseville-marine-sgt-nicole-gee-gold-star-family-members-donald-trump-rnc/61637119. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.

Fiallo, Josh. "Trump Flashes 'Unusual' Thumbs Up and Smile at Graves of Fallen Marines." The Daily Beast, 26 Aug. 2024. www.thedailybeast.com, https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-flashes-a-thumbs-up-and-smile-in-photo-at-graves-of-fallen-marines." target="blank">https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-flashes-a-thumbs-up-and-smile-in-photo-at-graves-of-fallen-marines.">https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-flashes-a-thumbs-up-and-smile-in-photo-at-graves-of-fallen-marines. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.

"Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Arrives to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier..." Getty Images, 26 Aug. 2024, https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/former-rep-tulsi-gabbard-arrives-to-the-tomb-of-the-unknown-news-photo/2168622133." target="blank">https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/former-rep-tulsi-gabbard-arrives-to-the-tomb-of-the-unknown-news-photo/2168622133.">https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/former-rep-tulsi-gabbard-arrives-to-the-tomb-of-the-unknown-news-photo/2168622133. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.

Ibrahim, Nur. "Trump Really Said Fallen US Soldiers Were 'Suckers' and 'Losers'?" Snopes, 18 Apr. 2024, https://www.snopes.com//news/2024/04/18/trump-soldiers-suckers-losers/." target="blank">https://www.snopes.com//news/2024/04/18/trump-soldiers-suckers-losers/.">https://www.snopes.com//news/2024/04/18/trump-soldiers-suckers-losers/. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.

Lawrence, Quil. "Trump Campaign Staff Had Altercation with Official at Arlington National Cemetery." NPR, 27 Aug. 2024. NPR, https://www.npr.org/2024/08/27/nx-s1-5091154/trump-arlington-cemetery." target="blank">https://www.npr.org/2024/08/27/nx-s1-5091154/trump-arlington-cemetery.">https://www.npr.org/2024/08/27/nx-s1-5091154/trump-arlington-cemetery. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.

"Republican Presidential Nominee, Former U.S. President Donald Trump..." Getty Images, 26 Aug. 2024, https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/republican-presidential-nominee-former-u-s-president-donald-news-photo/2168584133." target="blank">https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/republican-presidential-nominee-former-u-s-president-donald-news-photo/2168584133.">https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/republican-presidential-nominee-former-u-s-president-donald-news-photo/2168584133. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.

"Trump Rebukes Harris and Biden on Anniversary of Afghanistan Bombing That Killed 13 Service Members." AP News, 26 Aug. 2024, https://apnews.com/article/trump-michigan-afghanistan-war-46eb2b0861939bf022747920c0ee0234." target="blank">https://apnews.com/article/trump-michigan-afghanistan-war-46eb2b0861939bf022747920c0ee0234.">https://apnews.com/article/trump-michigan-afghanistan-war-46eb2b0861939bf022747920c0ee0234. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.
(Reuters) -The city of Jenin, a Palestinian militant stronghold in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has been a hotbed of conflict between the Israeli military and Palestinians in recent years.

The Israeli military killed at least nine people on Wednesday in a major operation in the West Bank that involved Jenin and other cities, ratcheting up tensions as a war rages in Gaza between Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel.

Here's what you need to know about Jenin.

REFUGEE CAMP

Jenin is a small city in the hilly, far north of the West Bank, near the border with Israel, and contains a teeming, concrete and cinder-block refugee camp by the same name housing some 14,000 people.

They are descendants of Palestinians displaced when Israel was created in 1948, and most are impoverished and unemployed. This has generated die-hard hostility to Israel and support for Palestinian militant groups.

Jenin has one of the highest rates of unemployment and poverty among 19 refugee camps in the West Bank, according to UNRWA, a U.N. agency that delivers basic services to Palestinian refugees.

Alienated from mainstream Palestinian leadership and raised in an era of social media, a new generation of Palestinians has formed a clutch of militant groups in the West Bank such as the Jenin Brigade which includes fighters from Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Fatah's al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.

Jenin produced many of the suicide bombers who spearheaded the second Palestinian Intifada, or uprising, between 2000 and 2005. To curb it, Israeli armoured forces carried out devastating raids in the city where militants had an array of light weapons and a growing arsenal of explosive devices.

The Israeli military regularly accuses militant groups of basing fighters within densely populated urban areas such as refugee camps that date back to 1948. Many of the militants live in the Jenin camp, often with their families.

Since March 2022, Jenin and outlying areas in the north of West Bank have drawn intensified Israeli raids after a spate of Palestinian street attacks.

Militant groups present in Jenin include the Iran-backed Islamic Jihad and Islamist Hamas.

FADING PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY

Jenin used to be a bastion of 88-year-old Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction, a rival of Hamas, which started the Oct. 7 war in Gaza with a cross-border raid on Israel which killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies.

But Fatah has lost ground to Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Their growing presence has arisen in part from inaction by the security forces of Abbas' Western-backed Palestinian Authority (PA), which exercises limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank and says Israel has undercut its credibility on the street.

But their strength also feeds on what critics say is the weakness of Abbas, whose formula of statehood negotiations with Israel collapsed in 2014, with no revival on the horizon, and perceived endemic incompetence and corruption within the PA.

Israel says the Jenin refugee camp is a hub for planning and preparing militant attacks as well as a safe haven for fighters funded by Hamas or Islamic Jihad.

BATTLEGROUND DURING 2000-2005 UPRISING

Jenin was the scene of some of the worst violence during the second Intifada, which began after the collapse of U.S.-backed peace talks in 2000 and mushroomed into an armed conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant groups.

In April 2002, Israel carried out a major armoured assault on the Jenin refugee camp, part of a wider West Bank operation which Israel said aimed to stop militant attacks including a spate of deadly suicide bombings.

A U.N. report issued in August 2002 said 52 Palestinians had been killed in Israel's Jenin incursion, as many as half of them civilians, while Israel lost 23 soldiers there.

The report, which disputed a claim by then-Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat that 500 people had been killed in Jenin, faulted all combatants for putting civilians in harm's way.

The report listed more Israeli than Palestinian abuses, especially Israel's refusal to let humanitarian workers enter the camp. But it also said Palestinian fighters were lodged in civilian homes.

RENEWED VIOLENCE

Jenin has re-emerged as a flashpoint during the current wave of Israeli-Palestinian violence that has convulsed the West Bank for more than two years, with frequent deadly confrontations.

Violence in Jenin persisted in 2024.

In May Israeli forces killed 10 Palestinians and wounded 25 others. A doctor and a teenager were among those killed during a major operation that involved dozens of vehicles.

In June, Israeli forces killed three Palestinians and wounded at least 13 others in a raid on Jenin.

This month, Israel said it killed two senior Hamas militants in an airstrike on their car in Jenin.

(Writing by Ahmed Elimam; Editing by Michael Georgy)
New Jersey law provides our state residents with even more protections than federal law, but many New Jerseyans may be unaware of this. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor)

Housing discrimination is an unfortunate reality in New Jersey.

Thankfully, federal law protects anyone treated differently by a housing provider, realtors, and landlords because of their race, color, familial status meaning pregnancy or children under the age of 18  disability, national origin, religion, or sex.

New Jersey law provides our state residents with even more protections, but many New Jerseyans may be unaware of this. People who have criminal records or court involvements, and people who receive government assistance for housing, are often discriminated against but have additional protections under New Jersey law.

Fair Chance

New Jerseys landmark Fair Chance in Housing Act, which was signed into law in 2021, bars housing providers from asking applicants about their criminal history on housing applications in most instances. It is the first state law in the country to do so.

Housing providers cant ask about criminal history on applications or during interviews, and they cant advertise their housing as available only to those without criminal histories. The Fair Chance in Housing Act also prohibits housing providers from requiring drug and alcohol testing as part of the application process.

There are two exceptions to the criminal history rule. Housing providers can ask if an applicant has ever been convictedof drug-related criminal activity for the manufacture or production of methamphetamine on the premises of federally assisted housing. They can also ask if an applicant has any conviction that requires them to register as a sex offender for life.

New Jerseys Law Against Discrimination

As someone who works for a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-designated fair housing investigation agency, I help provide fair housing counseling for people who have faced housing discrimination. One of the most common incidents involves people applying for housing in New Jersey who are told this: We cant take anyone who gets Section 8. Theyre usually trouble.

Section 8 refers to the federal governments voucher program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and people with disabilities to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. In New Jersey, housing providers are not allowed to reject applicants for this or any other lawful source of income or housing assistance.

New Jerseys Law Against Discrimination, for the most part, mirrors federal housing discrimination laws. But its also more robust. It protects against discrimination not only for lawful sources of income but also for military status and marital status.

Click here to learn more about the Fair Chance in Housing Act and click here to learn more about the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination.

To contact New Jersey Citizen Action about fair housing issues and discrimination, call us at 732-246-4772 Ext. 115 or email us at fhintake@njcitizenaction.org.

To find other HUD-designated fair housing investigation agencies and learn more about fair housing in general, visit www.hud.gov/fairhousing.
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.

Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, Jian-Yang Li (PSI) IMAGE PROCESSING: Joseph DePasquale (STScI)

Millions of tiny space rock fragments may be on a collision course with Earth and Mars after NASA deliberately crashed a probe into a far-away asteroid two years ago, a new study reveals. The celestial shrapnel, which could start hitting our planet within a decade, poses no risk to life on Earth  but it could trigger the first ever human-caused meteor showers.

On Sept. 26, 2022, NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft purposefully collided with the asteroid Dimorphos, smashing right into the middle of the space rock at around 15,000 mph (24,000 km/h). The epic impact, which occurred more than 7 million miles (11 million kilometers) from Earth, was the first test of humanity's capability to redirect potentially hazardous asteroids that pose a threat to our planet.

The mission was a major success . Not only did DART alter Dimorphos' trajectory  shortening its trip around its partner asteroid Didymos by around 30 minutes  it also completely changed the shape of the asteroid . It demonstrated that this type of action, known as the kinetic impactor method, was a potentially viable option for protecting our planet from dangerous space rocks.

Photos of Dimorphos captured in the aftermath of the impact showed that the collision also ejected a large plume of debris into space, including dozens of large boulders that researchers believe could smash into Mars in the next few decades . None of these larger fragments are expected to hit Earth.

But in the new study, which was uploaded Aug. 7 to the preprint server arXiv and has been accepted for publication in The Planetary Science Journal, researchers turned their attention to Dimorphos' smaller fragments.

The researchers used a NASA supercomputer to analyze data collected by the European Space Agency's Light Italian Cubesat for Imaging of Asteroids (LICIACube) spacecraft, which flew alongside DART as the spacecraft smashed into Dimorphos. They then simulated the initial trajectory and velocities of 3 million fragments. This revealed that many of the asteroid pieces will likely reach Mars or the Earth-moon system.

Related: Could scientists stop a 'planet killer' asteroid from hitting Earth?

DART's final moments before it crashed into Dimorphos's surface.

The ejected fragments are harmless because of their diminutive size  between 0.001 inches (30 micrometers) and 4 inches (10 centimeters) across. But their arrival in Earth's atmosphere could trigger a new light show in the night sky.

"If these ejected Dimorphos fragments reach Earth, they will not pose any risk," study lead author Eloy Pena-Asensio , an aerospace engineer and astrophysicist at the Polytechnic Institute of Milan in Italy, told Universe Today . "Their small size and high speed will cause them to disintegrate in the atmosphere, creating a beautiful luminous streak in the sky."

a photo of Dimorphos with large fragments highlighted

However, there is still some uncertainty about when these fragments will reach us or when they will be visible.



RELATED STORIES

NASA's most wanted: The 5 most dangerous asteroids to Earth

'Planet killer' asteroids are hiding in the sun's glare. Can we stop them in time?

The 8 most Earth-shattering asteroid discoveries of 2023

The smallest fragments, which are likely traveling at speeds up to 3,350 mph (5,400 km/h), could reach us within seven years but will likely be too tiny to create any shooting stars in the sky, researchers wrote in the paper. But the larger fragments, which could be spotted as they burn up in the atmosphere, are moving more than four times slower and might not arrive for more than 30 years.

If and when these larger fragments arrive, they could create a brand new meteor shower, which the researchers have preemptively nicknamed the "Dimorphids." However, we won't know if this will really happen until these pieces start getting much closer to our planet.
An alleged white supremacist, who reportedly claimed he travels the U.S. teaching martial arts to other right-wing extremists, has been training with a family friendly Tennessee grappling school that caters to children from the age of four, The Daily Beast has learned.

Ian Michael Elliott was previously a senior member of the regional chapter of the neo-fascist hate group Patriot Front, according to the Alabama Political Reporter. According to the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, Patriot Fronts ideology is built on the perception that White American culture and heritage are under threat from multiple angles and are facing complete annihilation if no action is taken... It can be classified as a neo-fascist hate group that is organized around the goal of preserving white American identity.

Athens Jiu Jitsu, based in Tennessee, said it was proud to have Elliott as a training partner and friend in a March Facebook post that praised his performance at a tournament in Louisville, Kentucky.

A Facebook post shows Athens Jiu-Jitsu praised Ian Elliott and expressed pride in having him as a training partner and friend. A Facebook post shows Athens Jiu-Jitsu praised Ian Elliott and expressed pride in having him as a training partner and friend. Screenshot/Facebook

The schools website extols its safe, clean, family friendly, fun & affordable environment in which to learn and grow, adding that the best time to start Jiu-jitsu is 4 yrs old. Images on its website and posted to its social media show dozens of young children and adolescents in attendance.

But other images and videos posted by the school as early as October 2023 and as recently as last month show Elliott, one of several alleged far-right extremists who reportedly participated in white nationalist fight clubs in Nashville last year, training with its members. One video, posted to the schools Instagram page on July 23 and set to the Beastie Boys Sabotage, shows him grappling with several others.

Screenshot of an Instagram Video Showing Ian Elliott at Athens Jiu-Jitsu, posted July 23 Screenshot of an Instagram Video Showing Ian Elliott at Athens Jiu-Jitsu, posted July 23. Screenshot/Instagram

The Nashville fight clubs were reportedly put on by the Tennessee chapter of the white supremacist Active Club movement, a loosely connected network of combat training cells with ties to neo-Nazi groups. A report published last year by the Counter Extremism Project described Active Clubs as a stand-by militia of trained and capable [right-wing extremists] who can be activated when the need for coordinated violent action on a larger scale arises.

An image posted in October 2023 by Athens Jiu-Jitsu on Facebook shows Ian Elliott at the Tennessee school. An image posted in October 2023 by Athens Jiu-Jitsu on Facebook shows Ian Elliott at the Tennessee school. Screenshot/Facebook

Athens Jiu-Jitsu's cover image on its Facebook page, updated July 13, 2024, shows Ian Elliott alongside other members of the school. Athens Jiu-Jitsu's cover image on its Facebook page, updated July 13, 2024, shows Ian Elliott alongside other members of the school. Screenshot/Facebook

I dont see how you can be family friendly and associated with a dedicated white supremacist like Ian Elliott, said Jeff Tischauser, a senior researcher at the Southern Poverty Law Center who studies far-right movements. A lot of these Active Club guys are using local mixed martial arts gyms as a recruiting ground. Theyre trying to bring their ideology into those spaces and recruit teenagers and adults to try and pull them into their white supremacist worldview.

Athens Jiu-Jitsu did not reply to requests for comment sent via email, Facebook message and text message. The voicemail for the number on the schools website was full and a second number that the schools voicemail message said to text for a quicker response did not reply to text messages. The voicemail for that second number was not set up. Multiple attempts to reach both numbers by phone went unanswered. Attempts to reach Elliott were unsuccessful.

It is unclear if Elliott has trained with any underage students at Athens Jiu-Jitsu, but in one picture, taken at the same Louisville tournament earlier this year, he can be seen posing alongside other members of the school and two young children.

A Facebook post shows Ian Elliott with fellow members of Athens Jiu-Jitsu and two small children at a combat sports tournament in Louisville, Kentucky. A Facebook post shows Ian Elliott with fellow members of Athens Jiu-Jitsu and two small children at a combat sports tournament in Louisville, Kentucky. Screenshot/Facebook

The tournament, one in a series called the Chewjitsu Open, is affiliated with Nick Chewy Albin, a popular martial arts influencer based in Louisville who has nearly 170,000 Instagram followers. Albin even presented Elliott with a $100 award and novelty belt for winning his category at the February event, which he, the tournament, and Athens Jiu-Jitsu all shared on social media.

Albin did not reply to requests for comment via e-mail and Instagram message. The Chewjitsu Open, which also caters to school-aged children, did not reply to requests for comment via their Facebook page or via an e-mail sent to the contact person listed on their website.

MMA influencer Nick Albin presents white supremacist Ian Elliott with an award at the Chewjitsu Open Louisville, February 2024. MMA influencer Nick Albin presents white supremacist Ian Elliott with an award at the Chewjitsu Open Louisville, February 2024. Image Posted to Instagram and Facebook by Chewjitsu Open.

Elliott, meanwhile, has reportedly stated his desire to spread the cause of hate through martial arts in the past. I spend most of my time traveling, and training, with White Nationalists, he wrote in leaked Telegram messages that were published by an Atlanta-based antifascist blog in 2021.

Formed in Texas in the aftermath of the deadly 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, Patriot Front is the most prolific distributor of racist, antisemitic, and hate propaganda in the United States, according to the Anti-Defamation League. Of the 7,500 cases of hate propaganda distribution documented by the ADL last year, 60 percent were done by Patriot Front.

The Patriot Front manifesto explicitly states that membership to the American nation is inherited through blood, emphasizing the movements ethnonationalist understanding of identity, notes the Institute for Strategic Dialogue.

Elliott reportedly stepped down from the group sometime after his white nationalist activities were first revealed in 2021. Huntsville, Alabama-based grappling gym Triad Martial Arts, where Elliott previously trained, is reported to have stripped him of all ranks and expelled him.

He is a major player in one of the most hostile and aggressive white power networks in the country, in a region around southern Tennessee and Northern Alabama and into Georgia and South Carolina that includes overlapping neofascist, neo-Nazi and other far-right extremist groups, added Tischauser, the SPLC researcher.

Evidence suggests that Elliott has retained links with the white nationalist community at the same time as apparently training with family friendly Athens Jiu-Jitsu. The Daily Beast found images of him training earlier this month with Devotion Jiu Jitsu, a Virginia-based grappling school affiliated with the neo-fascist hate group Wolves of Vinlands members have been convicted of attempting to burn down a historic black church and plotting to rob a bank. They were posted to Devotions Telegram account.

An image posted on Telegram on August 11, 2024 shows Ian Elliott with members of the far-right, Virginia-based Devotion Jiu-Jitsu group. An image posted on Telegram on August 11, 2024 shows Ian Elliott with members of the far-right, Virginia-based Devotion Jiu-Jitsu group. Screenshot/Telegram

Devotion also recently congratulated Elliott on its X page for winning at a tournament it held earlier this month, which was said to include an afterparty with bare-knuckle fights.

An X post of August 11, 2024 shows Ian Elliott with members of the far-right Devotion Jiu-Jitsu school. An X post of August 11, 2024 shows Ian Elliott with members of the far-right Devotion Jiu-Jitsu school. Screenshot/X

One of the images on Athens Jiu Jitsus Facebook page featuring Elliott even shows him wearing a uniform that appears to bears a Devotion logo at the school. A YouTube video posted by the far-right-affiliated Virginia grappling school shows similar logos visible at their gym.

A video posted on YouTube and image posted on Telegram show Elliott wore far right Devotion Jiu Jitsu insignia to Athens' family friendly school. A video posted on YouTube and image posted on Telegram show Elliott wore far right Devotion Jiu Jitsu insignia to Athens' family friendly school. Screenshots/Facebook, YouTube, Telegram

Athens, the seat of McMinn County, is a city of 14,000 located between Knoxville and Chattanooga. Athens Jiujitsu has approximately 1,200 followers on Facebook.

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Wednesday marks one month since a shooting at Rochesters Maplewood Park that killed two people and injured an additional five. The family of one of the victims is still searching for answers.

Phylicia Council was killed alongside Tyasia Manning last July at a large gathering at the park. Police said a large gathering turned into people running away after gunshots rang out. Five people were also injured in the shooting.

Alex Council told News 8 Tuesday its been nearly a month since the last time he talked to his daughter before she was killed that day. He says they were close, and he wont rest until he knows who did this.

If this was your daughter. How would you feel?, Alex said. Would you want somebody to sit back and just be silent? And knowing your daughter was innocent. She did nothing. She was just enjoying herself at the park.

Alex says his daughter was a special type of person.

She worked for autism kids. She made a difference in this world, and some cowards just took her life just because, Alex said.

Photos of persons of interest (RPD)

Police have released pictures of the suspects in the shooting, but no announcement has been made of any arrest. This led to Councils father setting up a GoFundMe page asking for donations to put toward a reward for information.

My daughter would tell me to keep, keep, keep going and find a person who did this to her, Alex said. I could see her now, saying, Dad, find a person who did this.

According to the page, Alex Council set it up with a goal of $10,000 towards a reward for whoever is able to find the suspects. As of Tuesday morning, $2,495 has been raised from 44 donations.

The more money thats donated, the more money is out there, the better chance I have of catching those killers, Alex said.

Alex has been in contact with Mannings family and said he wanted to offer this reward to bring justice for her family as well. And in hopes they wont be able to hurt anyone else.

This is not just for me, Alex said. This is for you too. And its also for those five people who got shot and thank God they survived because that could have been one of your children. We need to understand that: You see something. You have to say something.

Rochester police continue to ask anyone with information or videos of the event to call 911, the Major Crimes Section at (585) 428-7157, Crime Stoppers at (585) 423-9300, or by emailing MajorCrimes@cityofrochester.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 RochesterFirst.
Tragic, sudden loss: Family of NH man who died from EEE commends spraying in Massachusetts

The family of a 41-year-old Hampstead, New Hampshire man who died from EEE is commending proactive spraying thats underway in at-risk Massachusetts communities.

Steven Perry was hospitalized on Aug. 12 due to a severe central nervous system disease and died on Aug. 19.

His sister and mother told Boston 25 News that an autopsy revealed the cause of death was a rare mosquito-borne illness.

Perry, whos the first human case of the virus in the Granite State in ten years, was laid to rest on Monday.

His loved ones want others to be aware of the potentially deadly disease.

It was such a tragic, sudden loss, and the progression of this virus is rapid. Its horrible, said sister Susan Hamilton.

Perrys family said he was healthy and had no underlying medical conditions that they knew of.

They dont know where he contracted Eastern Equine Encephalitis.

Given how deadly this virus is, even though its rare, the only prevention is doing the things that the news is now encouraging people to do, Hamilton told Boston 25 News.

Several towns in Plymouth and Worcester Counties were sprayed on Tuesday night to try to prevent the spread of EEE.

Two small aircrafts, contracted by the state of Massachusetts, took off from Plymouth Municipal Airport at dusk and began releasing the EPA-registered pesticide Anvil 10+10.

Some people are thinking this is going to be crop dusting or something like that when in fact we use about a shot glass worth of product to treat an acre, said Laura McGowan with Illinois-based Clarke.

McGowan said the planes rely on wind direction to disperse the pesticide.

She anticipated that the aircrafts would remain in the sky until about 4:30 a.m. Wednesday.

If you happen to be outdoors during that time, theres no reason for concern, she added.

Health officials encourage people to use bug spray with DEET, wear long-sleeved clothing, and avoid being out between dusk and dawn when possible.

The town of Plymouth announced on Friday that it was closing public outdoor recreation facilities from dusk to dawn every day after a horse was infected with EEE.

State health officials are also warning that a cluster of four towns south of Worcester Oxford, Sutton, Douglas, and Webster  are at critical risk after a man from Oxford contracted the virus earlier this month.

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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The family of fallen U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole Gee, a Roseville native who was killed in Afghanistan in August 2021, commemorated the third anniversary of her death with former President Donald Trump at the Arlington National Cemetery on Monday.

The anniversary of Gees death is always emotional and hectic, said Gees mother in law, Christy Shamblin, on Wednesday morning. We just try to take it as it comes every year.

Gee and 12 other U.S. Marine Corps service members were killed August 26, 2021 in a terrorist attack at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, which killed more than 170 people. The soldiers have since been called the Fallen 13.

Richard Herrera, whose daughter Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee died in a bombing at Afghanistans Kabul airport, takes a moment to collect his thoughts while speaking at a community vigil in her honor in Roseville on Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. A 2016 Oakmont High School graduate, Nicole enlisted in the Marines a year after she graduated.

Shamblin said that the families of the Fallen 13 are close, and commemorate the anniversary at Arlington together. The Hoover family, whose son Taylor Hoover was killed in the attack, reached out to the Trump campaign and invited them to lay a wreath down on Taylors grave together.

The Trump team is very, very respectful and cognizant, Shamblin said. They wanted to be respectful to everyone there.

A conflict at Arlington?

On Tuesday afternoon, NPR reported that the Trump campaign forced its way into the cemetery on Monday, which led to a verbal and physical altercation with cemetery staff.

Cemetery officials reportedly told the campaign that only cemetery staff members can photograph or film in the section where the wreath-laying ceremony was going to take place, which NPR said resulted in a Trump campaign staffer shoving the Arlington official aside.

Shamblin denied any such conflict occurred. The Trump campaign has also denied the report.

There was no physical altercation as described and we are prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made, said Trump campaign communications director Steven Cheung. The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trumps team during a very solemn ceremony.

We saw no altercations or disagreements whatsoever, Shamblin said. We were respectful. There were no problems there ... I put this in the same category as the media that says we lied when we talked about (President Joe) Biden checking his watch at the dignified transfer.

Three days after the Fallen 13 were killed in 2021, their remains were returned to their families in caskets draped in American flags  a process called dignified transfer  at the Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

Shamblin and other Fallen 13 families recalled that Biden checked his watch during the ceremony, and some media outlets, and Bidens former press secretary Jen Psaki, reported that the families were lying.

The big news stories that the mainstream media covers about the (Fallen) 13 arent stories of honor and respect, she said. Its hard to understand why. There are always stories about some kind of conflict that didnt happen ... The Trump team worked diligently with us and with Arlington to make sure there werent any disruptions to services, or even to any school groups.

Families have not heard one word from Vice President Kamala Harris

Shamblin, who spoke at the Republican National Convention last month, has thrown her support behind Trumps campaign in large part because she feels the Biden-Harris administration has made the Gold Star Families feel pushed aside.

Shamblin and Gees family also said they nearly had to shoulder the $60,000 cost of transferring Gees remains from California to Arlington, though the Pentagon denied this. An nonprofit organization, Honoring Our Fallen, paid for Gees remains to be transferred to Arlington on a private airline rather than a commercial flight.

Shamblin is confident that a second Trump presidency will be better for veterans and their families. The families of the Fallen 13 have not heard one word from Trumps opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, though they say they have reached out and requested to meet with her but not received any response.

At least Biden sent us a form letter, she said.

Misty Fuoco, whose sister Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee died in a bombing at Afghanistans Kabul airport, gets a hug at a community vigil in Roseville on Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. Gee, 23, died with 12 other U.S. service members.

The Sacramento Bee reached out to Harris campaign and did not get a response in time for publication.

I think one of the most devastating parts of having the administration really just ignore this and not speak their names and speak to us is that you start to feel like your loss is really in vain, Shamblin said.

The Fallen 13 will be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor next month, Shamblin said. The effort was organized by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, and Republican California Congressman Darrell Issa, as well as veteran Florida Republican Reps. Brian Mast, Cory Mills, and Michael Waltz.
Family of victim killed in DUI wrong-way crash upset with drivers plea: He took their lives

LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  The sister of a man killed by an accused drunk driver who traveled on the wrong side of the road near Boulder City, says shes disappointed the driver took a plea deal.

Antonio Aguilera was 21 years old when he and his 19-year-old girlfriend Virginia Whitting died in a head-on collision on June 1. Nevada State Patrol arrested Martin Andino, 37, and two weeks ago and he pleaded guilty, avoiding a trial.

Accused drunk driver left hit-and-run minutes before double-fatal freeway crash outside Las Vegas: police

Were disappointed. I know a trial wouldve been a long journey or a long road for us, but I think it was kind of a cop-out for him, Aguileras sister Beronica Ramos told 8 News Now. He just didnt ruin one life, he ruined many.

Aguilera, who was from Phoenix, was the youngest of five.

Going to pick my brothers flowers was one of the hardest things, because we shouldve been picking his flowers for his wedding not his funeral, Ramos said, holding back tears.

Antonio Aguilera (Beronica Ramos)

Antonio Aguilera (Beronica Ramos)

According to court documents, Andino was driving drunk and on the wrong side of Interstate 11 when he crashed his Ford F-250 into a Toyota Tacoma outside Boulder City.

Inside that Tacoma were Aguilera and Whitting. Ramos says they were returning from Utah and passing through Clark County to get to Arizona.

He took their lives. He ended their lives, and wanted to reverse and leave them on the side of the road dead, Ramos said.

According to court documents, Andino had two of his children inside his pick-up. He was involved in a hit-and-run minutes before killing the young couple. Police reportedly found an open alcoholic drink in Andinos pick-up.

The Clark County Detention Center booking photo for Martin Andino.

(Credit: LVMPD)

We keep hearing he needs a second chance, give him a second chance. Wheres my brothers second chance at life? Wheres Virginas second chance at life? Ramos said.

Andino pleaded guilty to three charges on Aug. 14. Two of them were for driving under the influence resulting in death, and the third was for reckless driving resulting in substantial bodily harm and/or death.

Andino originally faced 15 charges, but as part of the plea prosecutors dropped 12 of them.

Court records show he faces a minimum of two years in prison. Ramos says the families will request that the judge impose the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

His sentencing is scheduled for 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 KLAS.
Family of Woman, 32, Paralyzed After Acroyoga Accident Determined to Help Her 'Next Chapter' (Exclusive)

Abby Weiss was a practitioner of Acroyoga, the fusion of yoga and acrobatics

Gofundme Abby Weiss

A 32-year-old woman became paralyzed from the neck down after doing the sport she loved  now, her family and friends are doing everything they can to help.

It's been two months since Abby Weiss fell and injured her spinal cord while doing acroyoga, a sport that combines yoga and acrobatics, and something she's been practicing for four years, reports the New York Post.

The life-altering accident has caused her to have to move from San Diego  where she had lived for a few years  back to Chicago with her loved ones, as she is no longer able to live on her own.



Gofundme Abby Weiss

Renee Smith, who created a GoFundMe to help Weiss with her medical care and rehabilitation process, tells PEOPLE that her friend has her "sights high on walking one day" as she continues therapy at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago.

"She has had sensation return to different parts of her body, which is always incredible news to hear. She will eventually leave acute care and begin outpatient therapy. This next transition is another complex step and her family is preparing for this actively."

The fundraising campaign, created in late June, has garnered over 1,700 donations and raised over $160,000 of its $250,000 goal  something Weiss' family is forever grateful for as they remain "focused on helping Abby through this next chapter," says Smith.

Related: Man Dedicates His 'Whole Life' to Saving Thailand's Street Dogs After Facing Near-Death Experience (Exclusive)

Gofundme Abby Weiss

"This past week marked two months since her accident; her close friends paused to take a moment to reflect on all the events that have occured in the past two months, and wholeheartedly appreciate the community that has come together and shown up to support Abby and her family during this period," Smith says.

"It's truly been moving to see all the support from the community," she adds. "I know that Abby was personally touched, and her mother has shared several times that she is truly humbled and thankful for the outpouring of support for her daughter."

In the GoFundMe campaign, Weiss is described as someone with a "love for life extended to hobbies like acroyoga, Zouk dancing, hiking, yoga, learning Spanish, and world travel."



Related: Why Mom Grieves Deaths of Her Kids with Rare Disorder Despite Them Being Alive: 'Is This Real Life?' (Exclusive)

Gofundme Abby Weiss

In an interview with KGTV, her father, Rory Weiss, spoke about his family's determination to help her medical journey, expressing that "everything has to be done for her."

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.

The medical bills are astronomical," he said. "We have insurance, but caregivers and therapy, theres no end. People we dont even know have contributed [to the GoFundMe]. Its just amazing.



For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.
WELLINGTON, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand and Tonga renewed their statement of partnership on Wednesday, which set out the common priority areas for cooperation including climate change, security, education, labor mobility and trade.

"New Zealand and Tonga have a close, long-standing relationship, underpinned by strong people-to-people ties, our shared love of sport, and our commitment to a safe and prosperous Pacific region," New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said after meeting with his Tongan counterpart Hu'akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni on the sidelines of the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting in Tonga.

The two leaders also acknowledged the notable success of the long-term partnership between Tonga and New Zealand in strengthening policing and combating trans-national crime.

The progress has been welcomed by the two sides on two projects funded through the New Zealand international development cooperation program - the installation of a second under-sea telecommunications cable and preparations for the construction of new parliament complex in Tonga.

These two priority infrastructure projects will strengthen governance and make Tonga more resilient to disasters, Luxon said, adding that New Zealand partners with Tonga and Australia to deliver the projects. 
(Getty Images)

Springfield and Aspen have almost nothing in common other than being county seats in Colorado. They also happen to be in electrical cul-de-sacs, at the end of transmission lines.

Microgrids may help both in their relative electric isolation.

Aspen, of course, has a mountain backdrop that inspires calendar photographers and has several dozen billionaires among its residents. It also has daily plane service for those who cant afford their own jets. Thinkers from around the globe gather to puzzle through the worlds problems. Its a small town unlike nearly all others on the planet.

Springfield is a more humble place, its scenery esoteric, its economy more sketchy, with the most productive farms dependent on the declining Ogallala and other aquifers. Oklahoma lies a half-hour south, Kansas just a bit farther east. Theres just one real restaurant, and it goes dark after 2 p.m. on Sunday, remaining so until Tuesday morning.

Both places have gone dark in the past when transmission has been disrupted. Might microgrids help soften the isolation?

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A new round of state grants is helping Springfield and others plan microgrids. Other microgrids were created without state aid.

Aspen came close to going dark on its very busy Fourth of July weekend in 2018. The Lake Christine wildfire had started burning one of the transmission poles that delivers electricity from the lower Roaring Fork Valley. Had firefighters arrived just a little later, Aspen might have been un-electrified on one of its busiest weekends.

A microgrid nearing completion will not keep Aspen fully electrified if something similar happens, but a few core functions will continue to get power.

The site is located along Highway 82 near the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport, adjacent to the Pitkin County public works headquarters and a bus barn for Roaring Fork Transit.

Concrete foundations have been poured and two batteries the size of shipping containers were to arrive this month and be installed this autumn. They were ordered in June 2023. Switching and communication control equipment that will pilot the system wont be operational until the middle of 2025.

Gerald Fielding, a Pitkin County engineer, describes this microgrid as a little island. It will have maximum electricity consumption at the airport and the two other facilities for two hours  longer yet, if some demands can be shaved. None of this includes electric charging of buses.

The airport already has backup electricity via a natural gas generator, as required by the Federal Aviation Administration. These batteries will provide a secondary and non-fossil fuel backup.

Batteries arent just for emergencies, though. The microgrid will be managed by Holy Cross Energy, an electrical cooperative whose service territory includes about half of Aspen and the rest of the Roaring Fork Valley. The batteries should be drained twice a month, and Holy Cross can incorporate their capacity into its operations.

Unlike Denver, which has peak demand on a summer afternoon or evening, Aspen and Vails demands peak during winter evenings.

If transmission to the upper Roaring Fork Valley were disrupted, how would this microgrid help? Not much. The batteries will have sufficient capacity to satisfy just 2.9% of the total peak winter demand for the Aspen area. That includes downtown Aspen, which is served by the municipal electricity provider.

To be able to provide a complete backup for all maximum power needs in the upper Roaring Fork would require far more investment. This small island so far costs $3.35 million. To quadruple the batteries and directly tie in production from a 5-megawatt solar project a few miles away would escalate the cost to $25 million.

Ben Luck, a Holy Cross engineer, says because of their great expense, other microgrids in the Holy Cross service territory will likely be community-driven.

By definition, a microgrid is a large investment that benefits one small part of our system, he explains. This project was driven by Pitkin County. We will play a supporting role, but the driving force will have to come from the community to which it will deliver benefits.

What exactly is a microgrid?

Microgrids have been defined in various ways. A draft microgrid roadmap ordered by Colorado legislators uses a definition with a broad scope. It could include individual buildings, universities or other campuses, even entire communities. Or something in between.

Other definitions use the analogy of an island. In normal times, the island has connections to the mainland, i.e. the broader electrical grid. It can, however, function solo.

A microgrid can connect and disconnect from the grid to enable it to operate in both grid-connected or island-mode, according to the U.S. Department of Energy definition.

Microgrids are not particularly new, though. Hospitals and other critical infrastructure have long had backup generators that typically burn diesel or other fuels.

Todays microgrids hew to this same idea of providing backup power but, with the aid of batteries, can create larger islands.

Interest has been spurred by an uptick in violent weather. Boulder resident Peter Lilienthal, former chief executive at HOMER Energy, a company specializing in microgrids and other electrical innovations, points to Hurricane Sandy in 2012 as a pivotal event.

Lilienthal, speaking on a recent webinar sponsored by Boulders Empower Our Future, explained that the multi-day power outages provoked by the hurricane illustrated the need for alternatives when the electric grid goes down.

You are realizing that its not just hospitals that need backup generation, he said. Grocery stores and gas stations become critical infrastructure.

This summers Hurricane Beryl seemed to prove the point in Houston. Microgrid Knowledge reported that grocery stores and homes with microgrids weathered outages for more than a week.

It is past time to start recognizing that the 20th century Big Grid model doesnt work well as weather gets increasingly extreme in the 21st century, said Boulders Leslie Glustrom in passing along the story.

One of the biggest barriers for microgrid development around the country is the challenge of interconnecting multiple customers into a multi-customer community microgrid. That is really where microgrids bring value.

 Cameron Brooks, of Think Microgrid

Interrelated with the rise of microgrids is the growing role of electricity in our lives. If were going to ask the grid to deliver power not just for our lights and dishwashers but also to heat our homes and power our cars, we need some backup strategies, right?

Microgrids can be created in densely settled urban areas.

Xcel Energy, for example, is wrapping up completion of six microgrid pilot projects that resulted from 2018 state legislation. Those microgrids seek only to provide backup power for individual buildings.

They have been completed at the Alamosa Recreation Center, the Arvada Center, and Nederland Community Center. One is also planned at the Denver Rescue Mission.

Xcel explains that the sites were selected after communities were encouraged to submit projects that would support facilities they deemed critical in nature. The Arvada Center  a concert and arts venue  was chosen because it was designated as a recovery and shelter hub in the citys disaster recovery plan.

The calculus for Denver International Airport was a little different. There, the battery system will have 4,500 kWh for the tram that moves passengers between the main terminal and the three concourses.

Rural areas exhibit greater need. For example, Red Feather Lakes, an unincorporated hamlet in the foothills northwest of Fort Collins, has had a small microgrid since 2018 to power crucial services if deliveries from the electric grid get disrupted, as nearly happened during the wildfires of 2020. It has a 140-kW, 447-kWh Tesla Powerpack battery connected to 8 kW of solar photovoltaic and a 130-kW propane generator. That wont provide power for outlying cabins but does provide power for the volunteer fire department, the community building, post office, area businesses, and other buildings.

Thinking of rural areas

Colorado legislators had rural areas primarily in mind in 2022 when they passed House Bill 22-1013 with strong bipartisan support. Tellingly, the bill used the word rural 16 times but urban not once. It says that microgrids can help increase a communitys resilience regarding severe weather or natural disaster events that can affect the electricity grid by providing the community with an alternative, reliable source of electricity that is not dependent on the electric grid.

The law ordered a microgrid roadmap but also allocated $3.5 million for seed money for microgrid planning and implementation. The Microgrids for Community Resilience Program recently announced $2 million in grants, including much of the $40,000 that Springfield and its wholesale supplier, Arkansas River Power Authority, will use to explore backup power and microgrid opportunities.

Also included in the July announcement:

$46,9000 to assist in the installation of a small solar and battery storage system that will provide 1.5 days of backup power at Ridgway.

$350,000 to the Platte River Power Authority for 5-megawatt, 20-megawatt-hour battery installation at Estes Park.

$700,000 to United Power, an electrical cooperative that serves a broad swath of northern Colorado, for batteries at four fire stations in its service territory.

$900,000 to Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association for installation of 350-kW and 1,200-kWh batteries and microgrid controller in Livermore. The hamlet is located on Highway 287  yes the same highway that gives Springfield its main street  between Fort Collins and Laramie, Wyo.

The Livermore microgrid will create another resiliency hub at the local school, fire department, convenience store, and other essential infrastructure locations, explained Jeff Wadsworth, the chief executive of Poudre Valley REA.

Wadsworth said Poudre Valley is studying another location in its service territory, this one along U.S. 36 in the Big Thompson Canyon area between Loveland and Estes Park. That work in the Pinewood Springs area would be the result of a direct Congressional allocation sponsored by both of Colorados U.S. senators.

Grants previously were delivered to:

CORE Electric Cooperative for a microgrid project at Bergen Park, in the foothills southwest of Denver

San Isabel Electric Association for a project in the Beulah and Gardner areas of the southern Front Range

San Miguel Power Association for two communications sites in Montrose County

a microgrid in Delta

another project in Ridgway

Electrical cooperatives, as the state law suggested was necessary, are getting the bulk of grants. The program was abetted by $10.3 million in federal money received by Colorado in 2023.

The remaining $17.2 million in federal money will be allocated to grid-hardening for small communities, advanced grid-monitoring, and preparing the Colorado Microgrid Roadmap.

The roadmap must guide how microgrids may be used to harden the grid, improve grid resilience and reliability, and deliver electricity where extending distribution infrastructure  think power lines and maybe substations  may not be practical.

Public meetings to develop that roadmap have been conducted via webinars since February. The Colorado Energy Office hopes to have it wrapped up by December, several months ahead of the deadline specified by legislators. At least one microgrid expert thinks the roadmap needs a lot of work before it is completed.

Drawing on data from federal agencies, the draft Colorado microgrid roadmap has this graphic showing a general increase in expensive weather-related disasters since 1980.Microgrids and electric cul-de-sacs

Extreme weather has been emphasized in the draft roadmap. It cites the National Centers for Environmental Information in reporting that Colorado has had 70 confirmed weather/climate events since 1980 with economic losses exceeding $1 billion. The draft emphasizes functionality of the small network of interconnected electrical components  when necessary, such as during extreme weather events.

Transmission lines can be vulnerable to extreme heat, cold and wildfire. Renewable energy resources can also be weather-dependent.

In addition to more climate-driven natural disasters, the roadmap points to social vulnerabilities, places where populations are particularly susceptible to the impacts of outages.

Five distinct regions with the highest combined vulnerabilities and risk attributes are identified in the draft roadmap. The regions cover parts of 19 of Colorados 64 counties and have 10% of the states population:

Pueblo, Las Animas, Bent, and Otero

Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Rio Grande, and Saguache

Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma, and San Miguel

Mesa, Moffat, and Rio Blanco

Lake and Grand

The states microgrid roadmap

Cameron Brooks has been monitoring the creation of the roadmap. At one time he lived in Ophir, a town of 181 humans and 51 dogs, according to the municipal website.

It might be viewed as a suburb of Telluride, but the context is the San Juan Mountains. Its 11 miles away but 25 minutes of driving.

Along the way is the hydroelectric plant, which was one of  if not the  first commercial systems to produce and transmit electricity for industrial uses using alternating current. Beginning operations in 1891, it was a triumph for the AC technology advocated by George Westinghouse (and Nicholas Tesla).

Ophir is like Springfield in that theres just one power line to the town (although a transmission line passes overhead on the way to Ophir Pass and then Silverton).

Now located in Boulder, Brooks directs Think Microgrid, an advocacy group launched in 2021 that seeks to serve as the unified voice for the microgrid industry.

The technology has advanced a lot in the last 5, 10, to 15 years to the place where things that might have been more aspirational are now technically very viable, he said.

Brooks calls the draft a good resource; It feels like a good primer on microgrids here in Colorado.

However, it falls short in identifying the solutions to the economic and policy barriers that make it very difficult to properly value microgrids in Colorado. And he contends Colorados draft microgrid roadmap should better identify needed changes.

One of the biggest barriers for microgrid development around the country is the challenge of interconnecting multiple customers into a multi-customer community microgrid. That is really where microgrids bring value, said Brooks.

The roadmap suggests that is a challenge, but it does not suggest any kind of pathway.

Colorados draft microgrid should explore more deeply what has been done elsewhere, said Brooks. He cited work in Maine, which has addressed the issue of right-of-way restrictions. In Michigan, Ann Arbor has a structure for establishing a supplemental energy utility.

The easiest example is a shared battery, that can be shared by four or five homes or businesses, Brooks explained.

Like Lilienthal, Brooks sees hurricanes and tropical storms as delivering a clear understanding of why microgrids should be assigned more value.

Its kind of astounding how we as a society give a collective shrug to millions of people losing power, he said. If its true that storms are getting more powerful, its not as though they are unknown things.

Colorado doesnt have hurricanes, but it has wildfires. Xcel Energy is proposing a $1.9 billion wildfire mitigation plan. Xcels plan, he said, lacks the best available technology.

Microgrids dont seem to be part of that strategy in any way.

In this view, islands both large and small provide the best option.

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Farmers forced to abandon fields as drought threatens to wipe out centuries-old practices: 'This is a ticking time bomb'

Italy has been suffering from the effects of a devastating drought for months, and farmers in Sicily have been forced to make heartbreaking decisions.

What's happening?

As explained by The Guardian, Sicily is experiencing a historic water crisis in which just 150 millimeters (5.9 inches) of rainfall dropped on the island over the last six months of 2023. A European record temperature of 48.8 degrees Celsius (119.8 degrees Fahrenheit) was recorded in the Mediterranean in 2021, and Sicily is the most populous island in the region. At this point, 70% of the land is at risk of desertification, according to the Italian National Research Council.

Most of Sicily's lakes are on the verge of drying out, and reservoirs have been reduced to "mud puddles" that emanate the smell of dead and rotting fish, The Guardian stated. The necessity for water rationing has forced multiple businesses to shut down and thousands of families to resort to storing water containers in their homes. As of March, some of the reservoirs designated for drinking water were operating at just 10% capacity, according to the National Association of the Agricultural Water Board.

"This is an unprecedented drought emergency," Sicily President Renato Schifani said, per The Guardian.

In May, the national government in Italy declared a state of emergency and allocated 20 million ($21.7 million) to address the ongoing crisis.

Why is this important?

The droughts in Italy and other parts of the world are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of extreme weather exacerbated by rising global temperatures. In addition to the drought in Italy, summer wildfires have destroyed vegetation, putting farmers in difficult positions.

"According to the association of young agricultural entrepreneurs, drought is driving young Sicilian farmers off the island, while dozens of breeders have been forced to sell or slaughter their livestock," The Guardian reported.

Liborio Mangiapane, a 60-year-old farmer who owns 100 cows and 150 goats, explained his dilemma to The Guardian.

"Without water, my cows no longer produce milk," Mangiapane said. "The land is slowly becoming desertified. Even in our own family, we are forced to shower and cook using bottled water because there is no running water left."

To make matters worse, Sicily remains a popular tourist destination that constantly draws an influx of visitors who put even more pressure on resources that are already dwindling to dangerous levels.

What's being done about this?

According to The Guardian, Coldiretti, Italy's biggest farmers' association, is doing its part by using its own funds to provide tankers that can refill artificial lakes in Sicily. Unfortunately, this effort alone was described as "insufficient."

Some hotels and bed and breakfasts have installed water tanks on their properties in preparation for the dry season. Others have been forced to turn to private water truck services to fill their tanks.

The most promising development is the discovery in November of a subterranean aquifer, which The Guardian called "an important potential resource." Geologists speculate that it contains 17 billion square meters of water. Farmer Vito Amantia stressed the urgency of finding a way to make use of the aquifer.

"They'd better hurry," he told The Guardian. "They'd better realize that this is a ticking time bomb."

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Western Dakota Technical College. (Courtesy of WDTC)

A new program director from North Carolina and a series of protocol changes have put Western Dakota Technical College back in the good graces of the states Law Enforcement Officers Standards and Training Commission.

Commissioners unanimously voted to reinstate the Rapid City schools articulation agreement during a virtual meeting Wednesday after hearing from that new program director, Jonni Joyce, and from the schools president, Ann Bolman.

The articulation agreement represents a fast track to a South Dakota law enforcement career for students in the schools two-year criminal justice program. Students can take reciprocity tests and get certified to work a policing job in South Dakota through the program, which allows them to skip the 13-week basic law enforcement academy course in Pierre.

Western Dakota Tech rejoins Southeast Technical College in Sioux Falls and Lake Area Technical College in Watertown as one of three schools in the state with fast-track articulation agreements.

We need Western Dakota and we appreciate the steps that theyve taken, said Attorney General Marty Jackley, who is a member of the commission. Theyve taken this very seriously, and I think these improvements are going to help the officers in the future.

Commissioners voted to revoke the schools articulation agreement in January after two years of back-and-forth between the programs administrators and law enforcement training officials.

There were four problems behind the vote:

Inaccurate or false reports sent to the state by program administrators.

Students taking the law enforcement certification test before their final semester.

Failure to report required student retention information.

Failure to produce instructor credential records.

Bolman told commissioners on Wednesday that communication was the primary deficiency. The qualifications for adjunct instructors werent maintained by the schools human resources department, for example.

Thats no longer true, she said. The programs student retention reports will be shared with the program director and the schools vice president now, Bolman said, and student grades must be logged for the program director within 48 hours of a test or assignment.

Our communication process was lacking, and I feel like it has been significantly improved, Bolman said.

Joyce came to Western Dakota Tech this year after teaching law enforcement at two schools in North Carolina. She told commissioners her focus will be on accountability, using the states basic law enforcement certification curriculum as a guide and increasing the amount of time students spend with high-liability training areas like emergency vehicle operations and firearms.

That is going to improve our student success, and that will result in an increase in our pass rates in the reciprocity exam, and also put qualified people out into the workforce as professional law enforcement officers, Joyce said.

After Wednesdays meeting, Rapid City-based commission member Steve Allender told South Dakota Searchlight he was pleasantly surprised by the schools aggressive action to address concerns. The school began to work with him and officials in Pierre quickly after Januarys revocation, even including Allender, a former Rapid City mayor and police chief, in its interview for Joyce.

I was a little cynical about the whole thing, Allender said. I thought the program had gone downhill and that it would be a long recovery, but this new director has really taken this bull by the horns.

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PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY)  The National Transportation Safety Board is recommending tougher safety regulations after an investigation into the fatal crash between a party bus and a semi-truck on I-64 in Williamsburg.

The Dec. 16, 2022, crash left three people dead and several others injured when the semi-truck slammed into the rear of the much slower moving bus. The bus was going between 20 to 25 miles per hour at the time, well below the 70 mph speed limit, which contributed to the crash, the NTSB said.

Previous coverage: NTSB reveals findings from deadly York County party bus crash

Previous coverage: Court documents reveal new details in deadly York County party bus crash

The truck driver meanwhile didnt brake or take any evasive action, which the NTSB said was due to fatigue from excess driving time and the lack of opportunity for sleep. The NTSB said it found the trucks carrier, Triton Logistics, created fake driver accounts in its electronic logging device system, which allowed drivers to go beyond the federal regulations for driving time.

Previous: Under pressure: Truckers exceed own limits to make deliveries

The NTSB is now issuing these six new recommendations following the crash, including:

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration should strengthen electronic logging device requirements to prevent opportunities for the creation of fake driver accounts.

The Commonwealth of Virginia should offer management safety guidance to new intrastate motor carrier licensees covering license class, drug and alcohol testing, fatigue management, vehicle maintenance, and safe commercial vehicle operation.

Triton Logistics should implement a process to regularly verify the accuracy of drivers records of duty, implement a robust fatigue management program, and proactively use onboard inward- and forward-facing video event recording to improve driver training.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance should use this crash to educate its members on the importance of safeguarding the electronic logging device system to prevent falsification of information.

Theyre also reiterating these recommendations:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration should complete the development and application of performance standards for the assessment of forward collision avoidance systems in commercial vehicles. NHTSA should also require that all buses and trucks over 10,000 pounds be equipped with onboard video recorders that record parametric data associated with an event.



The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration should provide guidance to motor carriers on the use of onboard video recordings to ensure driver compliance with regulations and safe operations.

You can read the full report here.

This is a breaking article and will be updated.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
OGDEN, Utah (ABC4)  Officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested an Ogden man on Monday, Aug. 26 for his alleged role in the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot.

Hal Ray Huddleston, 66, was identified in a press release by U.S. Attorneys Office as the person involved.

READ NEXT: Utah man sentenced to 6 years in prison for Jan. 6 breach on U.S. Capitol

He is charged with a felony offense of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder. Huddleston was also charged for several misdemeanors including disruptive and disorderly conduct.

The U.S. Attorneys Office stated in the release that Huddleston will make his initial appearance in federal court here in Salt Lake City.

According to court documents, Huddleston was identified entering the U.S. Capitol building at about 3:08 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021, via the Senate Wing Door. After entering the building, Huddleston made his way toward the Crypt and later exited the building at approximately 3:24 p.m., the release from the U.S. Attorneys Office states.

The Attorneys Office release said that Huddleston allegedly remained on the property for over an hour after his initial entry into the Capitol and joined in one violent confrontation.

Police line began to push the crowd north, several members of the crowd near Huddleston pushed back against the police line and began fighting with officers, the release states. One of the rioters pushing against the police line did so by holding a wooden flagpole horizontally and pushing it into the backs of rioters pushing into police in order to reinforce them. Open-source video footage shows Huddleston allegedly grabbing the pole and joining the other rioter in pushing it as part of the effort to hold back the police line from advancing.

The Attorneys Office states the FBIs Salt Lake City and Washington Field Offices are currently investigating. Assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
By Andrew Goudsward and Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The gunman who tried to kill Donald Trump mounted a "sustained, detailed effort" to attack a major gathering of some sort before deciding to target the Republican presidential candidate at a Pennsylvania rally in July, FBI officials said on Wednesday.

FBI officials said Thomas Crooks, 20, searched more than 60 times for information about the Republican presidential candidate and his then-rival, Democratic President Joe Biden, before registering for the Trump rally in early July.

"We saw ... a sustained, detailed effort to plan an attack on some events, meaning he looked at any number of events or targets," Kevin Rojek, the FBI's top official in western Pennsylvania, said in a telephone briefing to reporters.

Rojek said Crooks became "hyper focused" on the Trump rally when it was announced in early July "and looked at it as a target of opportunity."

Rojek said the FBI has not yet been able to determine what motivated Crooks to try to assassinate Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.

Crooks' computer activity showed he was interested in a mix of ideologies, but did not show definitively that he was motivated by a particular left-leaning or right-leaning point of view, Rojek said.

FBI officials said they had not found any evidence indicated that Crooks had worked with other people, or had been directed by a foreign power.

There were no traces of illicit drugs or alcohol in his system.

The assassination attempt prompted questions about how Crooks was able to climb a nearby building and fire eight shots at the former president before being killed by a Secret Service sharpshooter. Several congressional and government probes are examining the event's security measures.

The FBI, meanwhile, is investigating Crooks himself. Officials said they had gained some understanding of his mindset, even if they still did not know what motivated him.

Crooks searched for Trump's campaign events as early as September 2023, FBI officials said, and began searching in April for campaign events for both candidates near where he lived in western Pennsylvania.

He also searched for the dates of both the Republican and Democratic presidential conventions, they said.

In the days leading up to the July 13 rally, he searched for information about the site, including where Trump would speak and details of the company that owned a nearby building where he would later fire the eight shots, one of which grazed Trump's ear. Video evidence shows Crooks was only on the building's roof for about six minutes.

Crooks, who left several explosive devices in his car, had searched for information about bomb components as early as 2019.

(Reporting by Andrew Goudsward and Andy Sullivan; Editing by David Gregorio and Jonathan Oatis)
Six weeks after the assassination attempt against Donald Trump, the FBI still doesnt know what motivated the shooter.

Extensive analysis of the subjects online search history as well as his specific online activity has provided us valuable insight into his mindset, but not a definitive motive, Kevin Rojek, the head of the FBIs Pittsburgh Field Office, told reporters Wednesday.

So far, he added, the FBI sees no definitive ideology  either left-leaning or right-leaning associated with the shooter, Thomas Crooks.

Rather, Crooks had a sustained, detailed effort to plan an attack on some event and considered multiple targets, according to Rojek. He became hyper-focused on Trumps July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, after it was announced. Crooks fired eight shots at Trump from a rooftop that day, killing one person in the crowd, injuring two others and injuring Trumps ear. Within seconds, a Secret Service sniper shot and killed Crooks.

There are no signs that Crooks had any co-conspirators or had links to foreign entities, officials said.

The FBI has accessed and analyzed material from encrypted email accounts he used, officials added.



In September 2023, an account connected to Crooks was used to search for Trumps campaign schedule and upcoming Pennsylvania appearances. Then, from April through July of 2024, Crooks searched for campaign events for both President Joe Biden  who was running for reelection at the time  and Trump. On July 6, he registered to attend Trumps rally in Butler and searched, How far was Oswald from Kennedy? That day, he also searched for Where will Trump speak from at Butler Farm Show? Butler Farm Show podium and Butler Farm Show photos.

In the 30 days before the attack, Crooks conducted more than 60 internet searches related to Biden and Trump, including for the locations of the Democratic and Republican conventions, authorities said.

And as far back as September of 2019, he searched for information about explosives, including how to make a bomb from fertilizer and how remote detonators work. Crooks had two homemade explosives in his car at the time of the shooting, and the FBI lab concluded that the materials he used to build them were legal to buy and readily available online.

Crooks flew a drone over the Butler event grounds from 3:51 p.m. to 4:02 p.m. on the day of the shooting, Rojek said. Based on its flight pattern, Crooks could have gleaned insight about the security posture at the event.

We will never be able to determine exact motivation for why the subject flew the drone, he added.

The FBI also concluded that Crooks moved across multiple roofs at the rally site from 6:05 to 6:11 p.m. on the day of the shooting, based on camera footage from a local business, as well as police dash cam and body camera footage.
A judge recently dismissed a couple of the federal charges against two former Louisville, Kentucky, police officers who instigated the 2020 drug raid that killed Breonna Taylor. The ruling was by no means a vindication of the defendants, who still face several misdemeanor and felony charges, and it was an implicit indictment of the reckless tactics that led to Taylor's death.

That outcome, U.S. District Judge Charles Simpson emphasized, did not hinge on the validity of the search warrant, which federal prosecutors say was not supported by probable cause. Rather, Simpson said, Taylor's death resulted from "the late-night, surprise manner of entry"an approach that drug warriors still favor despite many years of experience with its dangers.

Former Detective Joshua Jaynes wrote the affidavit supporting the warrant to search Taylor's apartment, and former Sgt. Kyle Meany approved it. An August 2022 federal indictment says they both knew that the affidavit "contained information that was false, misleading, and out-of-date"; that it "omitted material information"; and that "the officers lacked probable cause for the search."

Based on those allegations, Simpson let stand the charge that Jaynes and Meany aided and abetted a violation of Taylor's Fourth Amendment rights. But he said the facts did not support the claim that the offense involved the "use" of "a dangerous weapon" or that it resulted in Taylor's death, either of which would have dramatically increased the potential penalties.

Even if the search warrant had been valid, Simpson reasoned, the outcome would have been the same. By the government's own account, he said, the "key" factor was "the 'late night' surprise," which precipitated the exchange of gunfire that mortally wounded Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT.

Although they had a no-knock warrant, the three plainclothes officers who approached Taylor's apartment around 12:40 a.m. on a Friday in March 2020 banged on the door before smashing it open with a battering ram. They said they also announced themselvesa claim was contradicted by nearly all of Taylor's neighbors.

Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was in bed with her at the time. He later said he heard no announcement and had no idea that the men breaking into the apartment were police officers. Alarmed by the banging and the ensuing crash, he grabbed a handgun and fired a single shot at the intruders, striking one officer in the thigh.

The three cops responded with a hail of 32 bullets. Six rounds struck Taylor, who was unarmed and standing near Walker in a dark hallway.

A "midday, announced entry" would not have caused Walker "to believe he needed to fend off intruders," Simpson noted. He is by no means the first observer to highlight the hazards of breaking into people's homes to serve drug warrants, especially in the middle of the night.

In 2014, a Georgia SWAT team gravely injured a toddler with a flash-bang grenade after breaking into the room where he and his family were sleeping around 2 a.m. The cops were looking for a methamphetamine dealer who was not there.

Like the raid that killed Taylor, that horrifying incident involved an iffy search warrant affidavit. But that was not the only problem.

A local grand jury described a "hurried" and "sloppy" investigation that culminated in a paramilitary home invasion. That sort of aggressive approach, it said, "should be reserved for those cases where it is absolutely necessary," and "there should be no such thing as an 'emergency' in drug investigations."

The grand jurors noted the "inherent danger both to law enforcement officers and to innocent third parties in many of these situations." They specifically cited the risk that cops will be mistaken for robbers, with possibly lethal results.

That is what happened in Louisville six years later. It also has happened in many other places, including Prentiss, Mississippi; Burleson County, Texas; Chesapeake, Virginia; and Los Angeles County, California.

I could go on, but you get the point. Unfortunately, drug warriors do not.

 Copyright 2024 by Creators Syndicate Inc.

The post Federal Judge Highlights the Hazards of Reckless Drug War Tactics appeared first on Reason.com.
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.
HANOI, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's coconut exports are projected to hit 1 billion U.S. dollars this year, driven by the signing of a protocol for official export of fresh coconuts to China earlier this month, Vietnam News reported, citing the Vietnam Coconut Association, on Wednesday.

The newspaper quoted Nguyen Huu Tai, a farmer with 1 hectare of coconut trees in Ben Tre Province, as saying that the protocol was good news for coconut growers, as opening up the Chinese market will develop a stable consumption market for coconuts and avoid falling prices.

The Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association expected the export of fresh coconut to increase by around 200-300 million dollars by the end of the year and continue to grow significantly in the near future.

Vietnam's fresh coconut exports reached around 800 million dollars in the 2022-2023 period with China being the biggest importer. 
Gov. Jim Justice stands with his family  daughter Jill, wife Cathy and son Jay  at his final State of the State address in Charleston, W.Va., on Jan. 10, 2024. (Office of the Gov. Jim Justice | Courtesy photo)

Federal attorneys asking a court to hold 23 of Gov. Jim Justices family-owned coal companies in contempt for nonpayment of health and safety fines entered a filing this week saying the companies shouldnt have entered into a payment plan if they knew they couldnt honor it.

The filing, entered Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia and first reported by West Virginia MetroNews, comes in response to a memorandum filed last week by Justice family attorneys. In that filing, they contend that the companies in question are too broke to pay the nearly $600,000 they still owe to the government.

In Tuesdays filing, the federal attorneys say this claim has been made with no evidence and, as such, should not be considered as a valid defense against putting the companies in contempt. Further, the companies should not have entered into a settlement agreement in 2020 if they knew they would not be able to pay what they owe on the set schedule.

[The companies] willingly and knowingly entered into the payment plan and consent judgment in this case, representing to the government and the Court that it would comply with the payment plan in the consent judgment, the filing reads. However, they now claim that they faced financial difficulties at the time of the consent judgment that preclude them from being able to pay. If [the companies] knew they could not comply with the consent judgment at the time of execution, they should have said so.

In 2023, according to the filing, representatives for the Justice companies told the government that they had difficulty making payments, but that the situation would be remedied by borrowing money from another business to catch up on payments. Federal representatives agreed at that time to adjust the payment plan.

Yet once again, [the companies] failed to comply with the adjusted payment plan. [They] have not provided any explanation for their noncompliance, the federal attorneys write. Between August 2023 and present, [the companies] did not communicate to the government an inability to pay on the modified schedule, nor did they seek alternative payment arrangements with the government.

In a memorandum earlier this month asking the court to hold the companies in contempt, federal attorneys provided dozens of emails sent between Aug. 14, 2023 and July 9, 2024 reminding the companies of their debts and the past due amounts.

Responses from the companies attorneys were few, even as the companies fell months behind on their payments.

Instead of notifying the government about their alleged inability to comply with the consent judgment, [the companies] have kept their proverbial heads in the sand, the federal attorneys wrote in Tuesdays filing. Even when the government notified Defendants in July 2024 that the government would have no choice but to seek action with the Court unless payment in full was made, [they] offered no explanation or response.

In last weeks memorandum from the Justice companies, attorneys argued that it would be improper to hold the companies in contempt since their financial struggles are not self-inflicted and have existed since they agreed upon the payment plan. They said the economic downturn in the coal industry is to blame for the financial challenges at the companies. The federal government, they continue, was aware of these challenges.

Since payments were being made  albeit sporadically  from 2020 on, the feds argued Tuesday that this defense shouldnt stand.

Also in last weeks memorandum, Justice family attorneys requested discovery for the ongoing case. While alleging a dire financial situation at the companies, they did not provide any exhibits or evidence to back up this claim in their filing.

In Tuesdays filing, federal attorneys say that the request for discovery is unnecessary and a delay tactic. The companies, they say, are responsible for proving they are unable to meet their financial obligations and evidence underscoring that claim can be presented at a hearing for the case if it exists.

The nearly $600,000 the federal government is seeking to collect comes from a decades worth of unpaid health and safety fines at Justice-owned coal mines. The debt, at one point, totaled about $5.13 million from hundreds of violations incurred since 2014.

The government initially filed suit against the Justices in 2019 to collect the money. In 2020, the Justice-owned companies and the government entered into an agreement where the family would make monthly payments to pay off the debt by March 2024. The debt, however, was not paid off.

Justice has maintained that he is not at all directly involved in his familys business empire, leaving the companies in the leadership of his children despite refusing to enter most of his businesses into a blind trust.

He said earlier this month that, if theres a problem, it gets taken care of  We may be a few minutes late to the fire, but we always show up at the fire.

Last week, however, Jay Justice  Jim Justices son and president of several of the familys companies  failed to show up at the fire.

A federal judge in Alabama filed an order last Thursday finding Jay Justice and Bluestone Coke  of which he is president  in civil contempt.

The order, according to Inside Climate News, came after Jay Justice failed to attend a hearing  despite being ordered to do so by the federal court  for a lawsuit alleging the coking plant is responsible for polluting groundwater and rivers and violating the Clean Water Act.

[Jay Justice and Bluestone Coke] have violated three separate court orders requiring them to produce responses and negotiate, in good faith, dates for depositions, the order reads.

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Feds will keep large-scale development ban in place on 28 million acres in Alaska

A female caribou runs near Teshekpuk Lake in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska on June 12, 2022. The Teshekpuk Caribou Herd gives birth to its calves in the land around the vast lake, the largest on the North Slope. (Photo by Ashley Sabatino/ U.S. Bureau of Land Management)

A female caribou runs near Teshekpuk Lake in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska on June 12, 2022. The Teshekpuk Caribou Herd gives birth to its calves in the land around the vast lake, the largest on the North Slope. (Photo by Ashley Sabatino/ U.S. Bureau of Land Management)

The federal government will continue to prohibit mining, drilling and other forms of development on 28 million acres of federal land spread across Alaska, the Interior Department announced Tuesday.

The move, hailed by environmental groups and scorned by Gov. Mike Dunleavy and the states congressional delegation, reverses an action taken in the final days of President Donald Trumps administration.

That administration sought to open the land to development, but after President Joe Biden took office, the Interior Department said that the Trump administrations process was flawed and it would redo the work.

Earlier this year, the Bureau of Land Management published an environmental impact statement saying that the agency was inclined to keep the old rules in place.

The land in question is collectively known as D-1 lands because it was withdrawn from development under Section 17(d)(1) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

In public comments, more than half of the states federally recognized tribes urged the federal government to keep the land undeveloped.

The United Tribes of Bristol Bay was one of several groups celebrating Tuesdays action, with the organization stating by email that the decision is a significant victory for the Tribal communities across Alaska whose voices have been crucial in advocating for the protection of these lands.

Anaanarar Sophie Swope, executive director of the Mother Kuskokwim Tribal Coalition, said the decision announced by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is an important step toward a future full of healthy lands, waters, and people who thrive on wild salmon, waterfowl, other migratory animals, and seasonal plant life.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy, in a statement posted on social media, denounced the decision, calling it a sanction against Alaska.

Dunleavy has supported mining and drilling, calling it beneficial to the states economy and in turn, its people.

Joe Plesha, a spokesperson for Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, noted that both Murkowski and Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, supported the Trump administrations actions, which were issued as public lands orders.

Under this administration, PLOs have become political land orders. Alaskans have been completely railroaded as the BLM goes back on their own recommendation and commitment to return Alaskas lands to federal multiple use status, Plesha said by email. That they wont lift a single PLO on a single acre belies belief that this is anything other than election-year politics.

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USC students and others pass through new identification checkpoint at a campus entrance. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

When Lawrence Sung returned to USC this week, he encountered a campus starkly different from the one he's come to know over the last three years.

In place of open gates for public access, students lined up, waiting for staff to scan their IDs. Once inside, new signs warned of a possible "secondary verification screening" and that bags and personal items would be

"subject to inspection.

Tall, black fencing cordoned off parts of Alumni Park, the heart of campus and site of the spring's pro-Palestinian encampments. Students are allowed to enter the park, where they typically rest beneath shade trees, only through specified entries and exits.

Sudents and guests show identification to enter a USC pedestrian entrance. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Its overblown, said Sung, a senior studying international relations and global business who never himself protested. "It feels like a fortress closing itself down to the community."

Last academic year, college campuses throughout the nation were roiled and divided by dueling rallies between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian groups, accusations of antisemitic and anti-Palestinian bias and tensions over an anti-war movement pushing for divestment from Israel. Presidents struggled with how to respond to a slew of fortified protest encampments, many that ended only after police were called in to make arrests  numbering in the thousands across the country.

Now administrations are clamping down ahead of a potentially volatile fall of continued protests opposing the Israel-Hamas war, compounded by a divisive presidential election.

"They gave us one big task: Keep the protesters out, said a worker manning check-in on a recent day at USC, which is also installing a permanent gate at McClintock Avenue, a main campus entrance. "Thats our main job, said the staffer, who did not give his name because he was not authorized to speak to journalists.

Pro-Israel protesters wave an American flag during a pro-Palestinian protest at UCLA in May. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Across California colleges and universities  including the 10-campus University of California and 23-campus California State University systems  administrators say they will strictly enforce codes of conduct: There will be zero tolerance for encampments and violations of protest policies, rules that were unevenly enforced at many institutions.

That's not all.

More campus safety officers

At Pomona College, which began classes Monday, a rule prohibits anyone without a campus ID from accessing buildings year-round  something that previously applied only in the summer. Campus safety officers have been positioned at Alexander Hall, the administrative building where police arrested pro-Palestinian students occupying the president's office last year, to control who can enter.

A security officer on a bike patrols near the Tommy Trojan statue as USC students move in on campus this month. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

A campuswide message recently warned students that erecting encampments  such as the one on the commencement stage in May that led Pomona to move its graduation to the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles  could lead to "detention and arrest by law enforcement."

The college has also hired new campus safety officers  one sergeant and four officers  solely to patrol Pomona. They're in addition to the more than 30 campus safety workers and officers who are shared among the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of five undergraduate and two graduate colleges including Pomona.

Read more: 'I can't focus on anything but rage.' Pro-Palestinian protests roil elite Pomona College

Student activists feel singled out.

"They'll happily arrest you again," said a recent Instagram post by Pomona Divest from Apartheid, a pro-Palestinian group. "They're lashing out because it's working," the post said, referring to the organization's protests. The group has already taken part of several protests, including one where keffiyeh-clad students walked out of back-to-campus dinners at the dean of students' home and a "rally against repression" outside the convocation ceremony Tuesday.

Protests to begin

A test will come Thursday, when Bay Area students at UC Berkeley, San Jose State University, San Francisco State University and the University of San Francisco plan to hold coordinated protests on their campuses.

For students, who have unsuccessfully pushed for administrations to divest from weapons companies connected to Israel, the effort will focus on trying to bring back crowds as large as those in spring. For administrators, these first protests will test their avowed zero tolerance of encampments  if they are erected  or, in the case of UC, rules that ban using face masks to conceal one's identity and prohibit blocking pathways to buildings.

Read more: Zero tolerance at UC campuses in new order banning encampments, masking, blocking paths

Protests unfolded at USC last week when students rallied outside of the Coliseum during convocation. The event typically is held in Alumni Park but was moved to the stadium, where security procedures included a clear-bag policy and metal detectors.

About 9,100 students, parents, faculty and staff attended the celebration. Outside, students held signs that said "USC funds genocide" and "long live the student intifada." About two dozen activists, many of whom were part of the spring encampment, turned out  a smaller crowd than the hundreds that protested in the spring.

During Pomona College's May 12 graduation ceremony at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, more than 100 pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Many of the largest schools  including all UC campuses except Berkeley and Merced  still have weeks to go before the fall quarter opens in late September. That includes UCLA, where police arrested 206 protesters while clearing an encampment on May 2, two days after a violent mob attacked pro-Palestinian activists amid a delayed law enforcement response. The melee led to the removal of UCLA's police chief and the creation of a campus safety office.

In addition to orders from UC President Michael Drake to strictly follow protest policies, UCLA is under a court order over how it handles pro-Palestinian protests.

Read more: Judge orders UCLA to ensure equal campus access to Jewish students after pro-Palestinian protests

The university was sued by three Jewish students who alleged administrators failed to protect their right to equal campus access during spring protests. In the suit, students accused UCLA of knowingly tolerating an encampment that they said prevented pro-Israel Jews from crossing through. This month, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction ordering UCLA "not to aid or participate in any obstruction of access for Jewish students" to campus.

The university, plaintiffs and student and faculty activists have disagreed on whether such discrimination took place, although UCLA dropped an appeal of the injunction and said it will abide by the order while the case proceeds in court.

UC is also facing a new challenge from UAW 4811, the union representing 48,000 academic workers across its campuses. The union is demanding UC meet to bargain over its "unilateral change" to protest policies. The ban on camping is not new. The ban on covering one's face with the intent to conceal identity while committing a crime is a state law that has been publicly displayed on signs at some campuses. Under the directive, all UC campuses have added it to campus rules.

Debate over antisemitism

The Jewish Faculty Resilience Group, an official faculty association at UCLA, has praised the Drake directive.

The university system "must ensure that all people  regardless of religion, nationality or beliefs and other categories protected by law, including Jews and Zionists, must be able to work, learn and live on campus free from exclusion, discrimination and intimidation," the group said in a statement.

However, Benjamin Kersten, a UCLA doctoral student who was part of the encampment, said the restrictions make him upset.

A protester uses an anti-Israel sign as a mat for prayers near a pro-Palestinian encampment on the UC Irvine campus in the spring. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Phillip Schatkowski carries a pro-Israel sign outside a pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times)

"The idea of Jewish safety is once again being deployed to enact policies that invite greater police presence, which is part of what exposed me and many of my peers to violence and now also to risk public health," said Kersten, who is active in Jewish Voice for Peace, a pro-Palestinian Jewish organization, and studies art history.

"The university is taking an authoritarian response to political dissent. ... We need more just and democratic investment practices. That's what's at the crux of this and this is how the university is responding."

Tensions continue at USC

Similar debates have taken places at USC, where pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian movements have clashed in side-by-side protests and verbal altercations since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel and Israel's ongoing war in Gaza.

Tensions grew after the university pulled a commencement speaking slot from Asna Tabassum, a valedictorian who pro-Israel groups accused of antisemitism based on a pro-Palestinian link in her Instagram profile.

USC, which cited unnamed security concerns, later canceled the university-wide commencement entirely and installed fencing and metal detectors around campus during dozens of smaller graduation events.

For those who were at USC at that time, the current security measures feel softer.

"It's actually easier to get into USC now than it was in the spring," said Yoav Gillath, a senior who is earning an undergraduate degree in political economy and a masters in business analytics.

Freshman Joaquin Williams rolls a bin toward his new dorm room as USC students moved in last week. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Gillath, who is Jewish and active in USC Hillel, said he hoped USC would make sure any new rules were "applied predictably, fairly and equitably to people across the board, no matter what side of the issue they are on."

Regarding safety, Gillath  who didn't take part in protests  said he already "felt very safe" last year during spring demonstrations on campus.

As for the new ID check-in, students said the first few days went smoothly, with few jams to get in via foot or car. Express lanes for people with USC IDs who didn't have a bag to check sped up the process.

Sung, the USC senior, said entering campus "was very smooth and quick."

Still, he said, he continues to feel the measures are "too much."

Times Staff writer Teresa Watanabe contributed to this story.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  FEMA announced on Monday that they opened a Disaster Recovery Center in Worthington to provide in-person assistance with FEMA grants and U.S. Small Business Administration low-interest loans.

Kimberly Keblish, Public Affairs Specialist for FEMA Region 5 said that Disaster recovery centers are staffed by representatives from FEMA and The US Small Business Association.

The disaster recovery centers are operating Monday  Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. All disaster recovery centers will be closed on Monday for Labor Day.

Carroll pleads not guilty to stealing $1.8 million

Keblish said anyone with damage can apply.

Anyone with damage in the 19 designated counties in Minnesota from the summer floods and severe floods in Minnesota can come and visit any recovery center thats closest to them, said Keblish.

Keblish added that affected individuals dont need to go to a disaster recovery center, they can apply for FEMA assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA app, by calling the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362,

Keblish said what information you should have ready when you are seeking FEMA assistance.

Make sure you know your social security number, you have an ID, you have your banking information if you want direct deposit, and make sure you have a list or receipts of damaged items from the floods, said Keblish.

South Dakota also has its first disaster recovery center located in North Sioux City.

Keblish said what kinds of FEMA assistance people can get.

The kinds of FEMA assistance, some types of assistance that FEMA may provide include temporary housing assistance, monies for home repair or home replacement and coverage for other disaster related expenses like moving in or storage costs, vehicle repair or replacement, and essential appliances like an HVAC or a furnace, said Keblish.

Keblish said homeowners are not the only people who can apply for assistance.

The center is also staffed by the US Small Business Association and they provide low interest disaster loans for homeowners and renters, non profits and certain businesses so thats also a really great option of federal assistance that may be available, said Keblish. I do want to make a distinction that FEMA assistance is grant assistance which means this is money that does not have to be repaid.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
The tragic story of a young wolf in Wyoming, named Theia by some, has captured widespread attention and sparked outrage.

This yearling wolf was run down by a 700-pound snowmobile, her mouth taped shut, and paraded, still alive but severely injured, around a local bar before being killed outside.

The brutality of this act has shocked many, but whats even more alarming is that it was completely legal. In Wyoming, gray wolves are not protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), leaving them vulnerable to such heinous acts.

Statistics reveal that in Wyoming, wolves can be killed on sight in 85 percent of the state. This means that wolves, a species integral to the health of our ecosystems and culturally significant to many Native American communities, can be shot, trapped, or even run over without facing legal consequences.

Theias only chance for protection was a quicker death, as the states laws focus more on how quickly an animal is killed rather than the cruelty inflicted.

Wolves play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems. As apex predators, they regulate the populations of prey species such as deer and elk, which in turn helps prevent overgrazing and promotes biodiversity.

The presence of wolves in an ecosystem can lead to a phenomenon known as a trophic cascade, where the effects of their predation ripple through the ecosystem, benefiting numerous other species, including plants, birds, and even fish.

The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park in the 1990s is a prime example of this. Before wolves were reintroduced, overgrazing by elk led to the degradation of riverbanks and the loss of vegetation. After wolves were brought back, their predation on elk allowed vegetation to recover, which stabilized riverbanks and provided habitat for other wildlife.

For many Native American communities, wolves hold deep cultural and spiritual significance. Wolves are often revered in Native American mythology and are seen as symbols of strength, loyalty, and endurance. They are considered to be kin, and their protection is intertwined with the preservation of cultural heritage.

For example, the Ojibwe people believe that wolves are their brothers, and the health of wolf populations is directly linked to the well-being of the tribe. The loss of wolves is not just an ecological tragedy but also a cultural one, as it represents a loss of identity and connection to the land.

The lack of protections for wolves, as illustrated by Theias tragic death, is not just a legal oversightit is a failure to recognize the importance of wolves to our ecosystems and to the cultural fabric of Native American communities.

The Endangered Species Coalition is leading the charge to change this. They are working with partners on the ground in Wyoming and other states to push for stronger protections at both the state and federal levels.

Their efforts include organizing Congressional letters of support for wolf protection, bringing experts to Washington, DC to advocate for these animals, and mobilizing hundreds of thousands of activists to pressure decision-makers.

Statistics show that when wolves are protected, entire ecosystems thrive. When they are left unprotected, as they currently are in Wyoming, the consequences are direnot only for the wolves themselves but for the health of the environment and the cultural identities that are tied to these majestic creatures.

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
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  The Caddo Parish School Board has narrowed its search for the next school superintendent to a lone finalist.

According to Marquel Sennet, Director of Communications and Marketing for Caddo Parish Public Schools, Keith Burton, the Chief Academic Officer of Caddo Parish Public Schools, is the only individual selected by the board to move on to a full interview with the board on September 11.

The decision was made at a special public meeting on Tuesday evening.

More: Education News

According to Sennet, during the meeting, board members reviewed applications, resumes, and video interviews of six semifinalists brought forward by McPherson & Jacobson, LLC, the search firm retained to assist in the selection of the next superintendent.

Burton has served as the Chief Academic Officer since 2013.

Prior to his current role, he served as a principal at the Caddo Parish schools from 2000 to 2013. He was a teacher within the system for nine years prior to becoming a principal.

From 1995 to 2013, Burton also served as graduate faculty at LSU Shreveport, earning his Bachelors and Master of Education degrees.

Sennet says the board has established a goal of October 1 for selecting a superintendent.

Leisa G. Woolfolk has served as interim superintendent since Dr. Lamar Goree stepped down to become the superintendent of the Duncanville, Texas, Independent School District at the end of the previous school year.

Dr. Goree served as the leader of Caddo schools for more than ten years.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. Firefighters in Marshall County, Mississippi, are fighting a grass fire in the Potts Camp area that has reportedly grown from 30 to 175 acres.

A WREG viewer shared video and pictures of thick black and gray smoke billowing off Interstate 22 near mile marker 38 Tuesday afternoon.

Deputy jailer arrested in connection to Joshua Zimmermans escape

The smoke delayed drivers in the area. This is the second largest grass fire crews have battled in the Potts Camps this week.

There was no word of whether any homes or businesses were being threatened by the fire.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Fires broke out at two separate oil depots in Russia's Rostov Oblast in an apparent drone attack on the region, local Russian media reported overnight on Aug. 28.

Residents in the region reported hearing explosions around 3 a.m. local time, local Russian state-controlled media outlet Rostov Novosti claimed. The explosions were followed by thick black smoke rising from depots near the community of Kamensky.

Rostov Oblast's Governor Vasily Golubev claimed that four Ukrainian attack drones had been shot down over the region.

Social media videos of a fire filmed by a local resident depict a large blaze and black smoke rising from the apparent oil depot.

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Golubev claimed that there were no reported casualties.

The Kyiv Independent cannot verify the claims and Ukraine's military has not yet commented on the alleged attacks.

Ukraine's Armed Forces have regularly targeted Russian oil depots in an attempt to downsize Russias military potential in its war against Ukraine.

In nearby Proletarsk in Rostov Oblast, Satellite images obtained by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty suggest that an oil depot fire keeps spreading at the Kavkaz oil and petroleum storage facility. The fire has been ongoing for at least ten days.

The fire began on Aug. 18 following a Ukrainian strike on the oil depot.

Rostov Novosti claimed that the severity of the fires caused by the alleged overnight attack on Aug. 28 also poses a significant risk of the fire spreading to nearby holding tanks.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Russia redeploys 30,000 troops to Kursk Oblast; Ukraine tests its first ballistic missile, Kyiv says

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The first day of school set for Wednesday was canceled in the Mount Vernon School District after hundreds of paraeducators called for a strike. Then Wednesday afternoon, the district said classes would be canceled Thursday as well.

According to their union, some paraeducators are working two and sometimes three jobs to support themselves.

Labor representatives say paraeducators are often the lowest paid workers in schools.

In a statement to the Washington State Labor Council publication the STAND, chapter president Freedom Galloway said, We love our jobs, and we love working with the students, but most of us cant afford to keep working here if we do not receive the wage increase we need to survive.

The district and union have been negotiating since April.

Those rounds continued through August, then last week on Aug. 22, the union voted to strike if an agreement was not reached by Wednesday. The teachers union also voted to not cross the picket line.

Then at 2 p.m. Tuesday, a deal had not been reached so the district canceled school for Wednesday.

In a statement, Mount Vernon School District Superintendent Victor Vergara said, We understand the significant impact this has on Mount Vernon families, and we wanted to inform you as early as possible so that you can make any necessary arrangements.

The district points to past year salary raises, including an 11% increase in the 2021 school year, totaling a 38% increase since 2018.

But there is just a $7 per hour difference in pay between someone starting out in the district and someone who has been working for more than 26 years.




The first Jan. 6 rioter to enter the Capitol, a Kentucky man, is sentenced to prison

A Kentucky man who was identified as the first person to breach the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection was sentenced to federal prison Tuesday, according to the United States Attorneys Office.

Michael Sparks, 47, from Elizabethtown, was sentenced to 53 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. He will also be on supervised release for 36 months after hes released, and he was ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.

Sparks was found guilty of multiple felony and misdemeanor offenses by a federal jury in March. Kelly sentenced him on a felony offense of civil disorder and misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Sparks was arrested roughly two weeks after the riot in Elizabethtown, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Court documents said multiple anonymous sources turned him into the FBI.

Kentucky Man Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Prison on Felony and Misdemeanor Charges for Actions During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach https://t.co/BPiayb1xFf@WDKYnews @FBILouisville @FBIWFO @CapitolPolice @DCPoliceDept pic.twitter.com/jVKAoSt5ld  U.S. Attorney DC (@USAO_DC) August 27, 2024

How many people have been changed in Jan. 6 riots? How many are in jail?

Since the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, over 1,488 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the riot, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Twenty-three of those individuals were arrested in Kentucky.

Approximately 749 people have received sentences for crimes related to the riot as of Jan. 5, 2024, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. And 467 of those sentenced are serving a period of incarceration.
LONDON, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The amount of cannabis seized from smugglers at airports in the United Kingdom (UK) so far this year is already three times the total for 2023, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said on Wednesday.

According to the NCA, an estimated 15 tons of cannabis have been seized so far this year, compared to approximately five tons in all of 2023. This also represents "a staggering increase" from the two tons seized in 2022, the agency said.

The trend has been fueled by organized crime gangs, who have access to cannabis grown overseas in locations where it is legal, the NCA said. These gangs recruit couriers to transport the drugs to the UK, where they generate greater profits.

"Illegal drugs cause harm to communities and fuel criminal gangs," said Seema Malhotra, minister for immigration and citizenship. "We will not tolerate people attempting to bring them into our country."

So far this year, 378 people have been arrested in connection with investigations into cannabis smuggling by air passengers. A total of 196 people have already been convicted, and handed sentences totaling 188 years.

Around half of all arrests this year involved cannabis originating from Thailand, while several dozen more were related to cannabis from Canada and the United States.

"We would appeal to anyone who is approached to engage in smuggling to think very carefully about the potential consequences of their actions, and the risks they will run," said NCA Director General of Threats James Babbage.

The maximum sentence for importing cannabis into the UK is up to 14 years in prison. 
The United States is experiencing its first cases of 'sloth fever' after 21 travelers returned from Cuba infected with the oropouche (pronounced or-oh-poosh) virus earlier in August.

Officials at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that most of these patients have fully recovered from the insect-borne disease, although three are experiencing recurrent symptoms.

To date, there is no evidence that the oropouche virus can jump from human to human. The pathogen is thought to develop in some tropical insects of Central and South America, which then infect forest animals  principally sloths, but also some primates, rodents, and birds.

The risk of local transmission in the US is deemed low, however the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recently put out an advisory warning urging member states to strengthen their surveillance of the disease, as cases in Central and South America and the Caribbean surge for unknown reasons.

Officials at PAHO say they are highly concerned by the oropouche virus spreading into regions where it was not previously considered endemic, such as Bolivia and Cuba. Public health experts suspect factors like climate change, deforestation, and unplanned urbanization are facilitating disease spread.

There are currently no medicines that can treat or prevent the ongoing outbreak. As of July, the World Health Organization has reported more than 8,000 cases, spread across Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, and Peru.

The oropouche virus is spread by at least two insects  a mosquito and a midge  and it was first observed in a three-toed sloth, hence its colloquial name. In humans, the viral infection is easily mistaken for dengue fever, chikungunya, Zika, or malaria. Symptoms include a sudden fever, a severe headache, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, chills, muscle aches, or joint pain. In rare cases, the disease can prove fatal.

Twenty of the travelers who returned to the US with sloth fever were identified by the Florida Department of Health (FLDOH), after the entire group tested negative for dengue. The travelers had just visited Cuba, where the oropouche virus has been circulating since June.

The other case of sloth fever was identified in a traveler who returned to the state of New York from Cuba.

"Oropouche and dengue viruses can co-circulate and cause similar symptoms" explain officials at the CDC; "patients with clinically suspected dengue should be managed according to dengue clinical management recommendations until dengue is ruled out."

European health officials recently issued similar guidance after 19 cases of sloth fever were detected in travelers returning from South America.

This isn't the first time an outbreak of oropouche virus has struck South and Central America. Since the virus was first detected in the Caribbean in 1955, roughly half a million people have been infected, bitten by the midge species Culicoides paraensis or a type of mosquito called Culex quinquefasciatus, both of which are found in tropical regions.

Nevertheless, this is the first time that human deaths have ever been attributed to the virus. Sloth fever has so far claimed the lives of a 21-year-old woman and a 24-year-old woman in Brazil.

Experts fear the oropouche pathogen is also having a fatal impact on fetuses in a similar way to the Zika virus. Antibodies against oropouche were recently found in newborns in South America with microcephaly, a congenital condition that severely impacts brain development.

The life cycle of the oropouche virus. (Romero-Alvarez and Escobar, Microbes and Infection, 2017)

"Acknowledging that these observations are still in the initial stages of investigation and the true trajectory is unknown, the risk level for the region has been upgraded to high," PAHO warned on 3 August 2024.

Whether the pathogen can be spread by insects found in other regions is currently unknown. A recent study, however, found evidence that a species of midge in the US and Canada can also transmit oropouche if it becomes infected.

This could be a route by which the disease starts to spread on a new continent.

The CDC says they are working with partners like PAHO to better understand how this disease is spilling over to humans, and why there is a current outbreak. The potential risks that can occur during pregnancy have officials warning that pregnant people should defer travel to areas experiencing outbreaks.

Protection from mosquito bites while traveling in these areas is a must.

Related News
Bible on a school desk in a classroom.

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.

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.

This story was originally produced by the Florida Phoenix 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.
The property insurance crisis is one many Floridians are familiar with: insurers completely leaving the Sunshine State and high rates among those that stay. However, things may be turning around soon enough.

Twelve companies have filed for rate decreases year-to-date, 24 others have filed for flat rates, Mark Friedlander with the Insurance Information Institute said. That means stabilizing rates.

Friedlander, who spoke with Action News Jax Wednesday about the current insurance market, explained this comes down to multiple factors. Those factors include major legislative change last year cracking down on legal system abuse and insurance claim fraud, as well as Citizens Property Insurance Corp. now awaiting state regulatory approval on a 14% premium price hike.

Citizens [Insurance] has grown at a record pace. There are over 1.2 million customers today, the largest market share by far in the state, 18.5%, Friedlander said. You never want your backstop insurer to be your largest market.

[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Friedlander added that all of these changes, including Citizens rate increases -- which aim to increase market competition for private policies -- mean one thing for policyholders in the Sunshine State.

More competition equals more competitive rates, he said.

A spokesperson with Citizens Insurance also got back to Action News Jax, saying after their 14% rate increase recommendation, it now falls on the Office of Insurance Regulation to set the rates, which would go into effect on January 1 of the new year.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Florida teacher uses legs to put 3-year-old in headlock during storytime, deputies say

Florida teacher uses legs to put 3-year-old in headlock during storytime, deputies say

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  A Florida teacher was arrested Saturday after she allegedly used her legs to put a 3-year-old boy with autism in a headlock during class.

Vilma Otero, 59, is facing child abuse charges after a paraeducator assigned to her classroom witnessed the incident unfold and filed a report with the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), an arrest affidavit said.

Frustrated students walk off bus in Hernando County

The paraeducator in Oteros classroom at Forest Lake Elementary told Volusia County deputies she was setting up an activity during the childrens storytime when she heard a child start to scream and cry from the other side of the room.

When the paraeducator turned around, she saw Otero sitting in a chair with the 3-year-old between her legs in a chokehold. According to the report, the boys face was turning red from crying and screaming as he tried to free himself.

Deputies said the paraeducator took photos of the incident, which showed Oteros legs and feet placed on both sides of [the childs] neck appearing to hold him in place on his back, while Otero continues reading to other children in the classroom.

Credit: Volusia County Sheriffs Office

According to the Volusia County Sheriffs Office, deputies later spoke with the childs family and the toddler after receiving the DCF report.

Since the boy is so young and also has autism, authorities werent able to communicate that much with him. However, the affidavit showed he was able to tell deputies he got in trouble at school and said, she hurt me.

While speaking with the toddler, deputies also noticed slight redness on his neck.

After speaking with the boys family, deputies arrived at Oteros home, where she told officials she has been a teacher for 36 years with the majority of her experience working with special needs children, the affidavit said.

Florida woman wins $1 million lottery prize

She also told deputies she had received specialized training for teaching children with special needs, adding that the most common practice was to move the child to a different room when they needed to calm down.

According to the arrest report, the 59-year-old teacher denied physically restraining the child in the way the paraeducator described, even after deputies showed her photos the paraeducator provided.

Due to deputies observing physical marks on the boys neck and being told by the paraeducator that the child tried to escape the position he was put in, the sheriffs office said there was probable cause to arrest Otero.

The woman is facing a felony charge of child abuse without great bodily harm.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. (Illustration by James Archer/CDC)

One person in Florida died this month after eating Boars Head sliced deli meat contaminated with listeria, bringing the number of deaths related to the recalled products to eight.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in its latest food safety alert on Wednesday that 57 people have gotten sick and been hospitalized from the foodborne bacterial illness, which is the largest outbreak in 13 years.

Since the outbreak started in July, people have died in Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, and most recently in Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico, and South Carolina.

The Florida Department of Health has reported three cases of listeria in Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties. The state and counties departments of health had not provided any details about the cases at the time of publication. The CDC didnt immediately respond to Florida Phoenixs request for additional information about the death.

People should throw away any Boars Head products marked with EST. 12612 or P-12612 inside the USDA mark of inspection on the product labels. Some of the products have sell-by dates into October, according to the CDC.

Symptoms of listeriosis include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, convulsions, fever, and muscle aches. People may feel those symptoms the same day they ate contaminated food or up to 10 weeks later.
Two foreign nationals have been charged in a swatting conspiracy against dozens of individuals, including senior U.S. government officials.

Thomasz Szabo of Romania and Nemanja Radovanovic of Serbia were each charged with one count of conspiracy, 29 counts of threats and false information about explosives and four counts of transmitting threats in interstate and foreign commerce, according to the press release from the U.S. attorneys office in Washington, D.C.

The indictment alleged that Szabo, 26, and Radovanovic, 21, were involved in a swatting conspiracy that began in December 2020 and continued through January 2024. The duo allegedly carried out the campaign by reporting false emergencies to provoke a police response at the victims homes, according to the indictment.

The indictment alleged that the two of them targeted 40 private victims and 61 government officials. The officials included members of Congress, Cabinet-level executive branch officials, senior officials of federal law enforcement agencies and state officials, per the press release.

The swatting incidents allegedly also included committing bomb threats against four businesses, four religious institutions and one university, the attorneys office said.

Swatting is not a victimless prank  it endangers real people, wastes precious police resources, and inflicts significant emotional trauma, said U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves, who announced the charges Wednesday. We will use every tool at our disposal to find the perpetrators and hold them accountable, no matter where they might be.

A number of senior U.S. officials said over the past year that they were the victims of swatting incidents, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Brandon Williams (R-N.Y.). Former Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) also said in a recent interview that a swatting incident involving his family ultimately drove him to his decision to leave the House earlier this year.

The FBI last year launched a swatting database amid the number of rising incidents that also involved educational institutions and places of worship.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BARCELONA, Spain, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Around half of Spain's municipalities are seeing declining populations, and many of these are at risk of extinction, according to researchers in Barcelona.

The United Nations has been warning of the phenomenon of urban concentration for some time. Although Spain's population surpassed 48 million for the first time in 2023, in the so-called "Espana vacia (Empty Spain)" regions, over 4,000 Spanish municipalities, about half of the total, have seen falling populations.

Meanwhile, 1,840 localities are considered rural areas at risk of irreversible depopulation, according to experts at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB).

The term "Empty Spain" refers to the agricultural-reliant regions in the vast interior of Spain that have suffered massive emigrations during the rural exodus of the 1950s and 1960s.

The towns most at risk of extinction have an average of 110 inhabitants, and very low population densities (an average of 4.3 inhabitants per square kilometer), while the average age of inhabitants is close to 60.

"As no one new is moving there, the effect is that depopulation is being accentuated, and this loss of population probably means that in the next 10 to 30 years a lot of these municipalities will disappear," Albert Esteve, director of the UAB's Center for Demographic Studies, told Xinhua on Tuesday.

According to Spain's Ministry for Territorial Policy, 90 percent of the country's population lives in 1,500 towns and cities occupying 30 percent of the land while the other 10 percent are distributed across the remaining 70 percent of the territory.

This issue has now become up to date but "the seed of what is now really becoming noticeable in the declining population figures was planted 40 or 50 years ago," Professor Esteve said.

"The origin of this population decline is in rural migrations in the mid-20th century when a lot of people left. While those who stayed were relatively young, these people are now getting older, and ... are beginning to die," he explained.

In August, Spain's National Institute of Statistics (INE) published the country's birth figures, confirming that this year, most babies were born in populated areas such as Madrid (25,936) and Barcelona (19,411). Meanwhile, the fewest births were registered in rural places such as Soria (242) and Zamora (350).

This phenomenon affects rural regions all over the country, especially Castilla y Leon, Asturias and Galicia in the northwest, Castilla-La Mancha in central Spain, Extremadura in the west, Rioja in the north, and Andalusia in the south.

The trend is set to continue, with the INE predicting that Spain will lose more than half a million inhabitants in the next 15 years, of which more than 70 percent will be in these communities.

As a response, the Empty Spain political party was formed in 2021 to defend the rights of Spain's sparsely-populated rural areas, while organizations like Greenpeace have been calling for policies to promote the development of these rural areas and preserve their environmental heritage.

However, passing legislation to deal with the problem is a slow-moving process, and so far this political term, only two of 22 legislative initiatives on the issue have been approved by parliament. One of these promotes mobility for young people in rural areas, while the other obliges local administrations to guarantee access to artistic higher education in rural areas. 
Former cop accused of killing pregnant woman and staging her death to look like a suicide

A former Massachusetts police officer is accused of killing a pregnant 23-year-old woman who he began sexually exploiting when she was a teenager and staging her death to look like a suicide, a federal indictment unsealed in Boston on Wednesday alleges.

Former Stoughton police officer Matthew Farwell allegedly strangled Sandra Birchmore to death in February 2021 after she told him she was pregnant with his child and "staged" her apartment "to make it appear as if Birchmore had committed suicide," the indictment stated.

He was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of killing a witness or victim.

PHOTO: Sandra Birchmore is seen in a photo she posted on Facebook on Jan. 9, 2021. (Sandra Birchmore/Facebook)

"We allege that Sandra Birchmore survived years of grooming, statutory rape and then sexual violence all at the hands of Matthew Farwell, who was employed throughout their relationship as an officer and then detective with the Stoughton Police Department. And when it became clear to Mr. Farwell that he could no longer control Ms. Birchmore, he silenced her permanently," acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said during a press briefing on Wednesday.

Farwell, 38, was arrested Wednesday morning at a shopping center and is scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said. ABC News has reached out to Farwell's attorney for comment.

MORE: Former deputy arrested in connection with fatal shooting of airman Roger Fortson

Prosecutors alleged that Farwell befriended Birchmore after she joined a Stoughton Police Department youth program he was an instructor for and "essentially groomed her."

The indictment alleges that the two began a sexual relationship when Farwell was 27 and Birchmore was 15. Farwell allegedly engaged in sex acts with Birchmore when she was a minor while on duty as a police officer "falsely represented that he had worked certain hours" to conceal the activity, the DOJ said.

Their affair continued up until her death on Feb. 1, 2021, while Farwell was married with children, according to prosecutors. She was found dead in her Canton apartment on Feb. 4, 2021.

Prosecutors allege that after Birchmore told Farwell in October 2020 that she wanted a child of her own, the two "reached an agreement": He would try to impregnate her "in exchange for her silence about his criminal conduct (i.e., child sexual abuse) and years-long extramarital affair," a motion in support of pretrial detention stated.

Prosecutors allege that after Birchmore told Farwell in December 2020 that she was pregnant and wanted him to be more involved in the planning of the birth, he became angry and "was losing control."

"The information she possessed about his illegal conduct was in danger of slipping out," Levy said. "In fact, word started to get out about their relationship."

PHOTO: This file photo shows the exterior of the Stoughton Police Department in Stoughton, Mass. (WCVB/FILE)

Less than two weeks before Birchmore was found dead, a friend called the Stoughton Police Department and disclosed the sexual relationship between Birchmore and Farwell, according to the DOJ. Farwell allegedly became "visibly angry" upon learning about that call and "started to lose his patience" and that she disclosed to friends that he had become physically violent with her, Levy said.

In one instance, Farwell allegedly held a pregnant Birchmore in a headlock and told her that he wished she were dead, prosecutors said.

"Then it all came to a head on Feb. 1, 2021," Levy said.

Prosecutors allege that Farwell went to Birchmore's apartment that evening wearing a mask "despite being well known as a resistant to COVID-19 mask mandates" and strangled her to death using a duffle bag strap, according to court filings. He then "used his knowledge and experience as a law enforcement officer" to stage her death to look like a suicide, Levy said.

He also allegedly lied repeatedly to Massachusetts State Police detectives investigating her death about the nature of their relationship, according to FBI Boston Special Agent in Charge Steve Kelleher. He allegedly told detectives that their sexual relationship began in 2020 -- when text messages with Birchmore showed it began in 2013, prosecutors claimed in court filings. He also allegedly told detectives they last had sex in October 2020, "attempting to avoid suspicion about whether he was the father of Birchmores unborn child," though "text messages indicate that Farwell met Birchmore to have sex after that date," court filings stated.

Before Birchmore's death, Farwell allegedly directed her to delete evidence of their sexual relationship, according to court filings.

"He attempted to cover his tracks to literally get away with murder, and he almost did, until today," Levy said.

MORE: Murder suspect on the run for months found after falling through ceiling during home search

State officials initially ruled Birchmore's death a suicide, though Levy said that over the past year, federal investigators uncovered "critical new information" and examined existing information, leading to the indictment. Levy did not elaborate on what initially led federal authorities to investigate Birchmore's death.

Kelleher said investigators reviewed tens of thousands of text messages, emails and financial records, as well as conducted dozens of interviews and analyzed the crime scene as part of their investigation.

He said the investigation "uncovered evidence inconsistent with someone dying by suicide" -- including the fact that Birchmore had reached out to a photographer to ask about booking a newborn photo shoot and to a friend about obtaining baby clothes in the hours leading up to her death.

She also was in the middle of doing laundry when she died, he said, calling the alleged murder "depraved."

"Committing murder to eliminate victims and witnesses is heinous and it shakes the very core of our justice system, which depends on people truthfully testifying to what they know," he said.

If convicted, Farwell faces a minimum sentence of life in prison. The charge is also eligible for the death penalty. Levy said the DOJ has not yet made a determination on seeking it.

Levy said they are sharing their information with local and state authorities so that they can assess whether any state charges may be warranted.

Farwell served as a police officer and then detective for the Stoughton Police Department from March 27, 2012, to April 1, 2022, according to the indictment.

Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara said the department supported the FBI in its investigation resulting in the indictment.

"The alleged murder of Sandra is a horrific injustice," McNamara said in a statement. "The allegations against the suspect, a former Stoughton Police Officer, represent the single worst act of not just professional misconduct but indeed human indecency that I have observed in a nearly three-decade career in law enforcement."

Former cop accused of killing pregnant woman and staging her death to look like a suicide originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Former DC police officer sentenced for involvement in selling victim information to attorneys

WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  A former Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) patrol officer was sentenced on Wednesday for his role in a bribery scheme, selling attorneys non-public police information.

Vincent Forrest, 36, will spend over a year and a half behind bars after being found guilty in January on charges of conspiracy, bribery and making false statements.

The U.S. Attorneys Office (USAO) stated that in April 2019, Forrest began accessing MPDs databases to review and record the names and contact information of people involved in traffic accidents.

He then sent the victims information to 43-year-old Raquel DePaula, who owned RD Legal Solutions, LLC. DePaula acted as a runner, providing the information to local attorneys in exchange for referral fees.

HCPD searching for 17-year-old boy wanted for murder in connection to Columbia Mall shooting

Attorneys would then reach out to the victims within days of their accidents, in violation of D.C. law.

DePaula, according to the USAO, said she paid Forrest $1,200 to $1,800 per week in exchange for the information.

Over the course of the scheme, she paid the former officer over $15,000 and received the contact information for 2,667 traffic crash victims.

DePaula pleaded guilty to one count of bribery of a public official in October 2021. She was sentenced in April to five years of probation.

She and Forrest are two of seven people convicted for illegally selling traffic crash reports. Previously, MPD Officers Walter Lee and Kendra Coles, MPD employee Aaron Willis, business owner Marvin Parker and law firm employee Michelle Cage pleaded guilty to related charges, according to the USAO.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced John Abel Baca, a former Inglewood police officer, to 30 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay a $40,000 fine. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

John Abel Baca pulled up to the meeting in a Ferrari with a gram of cocaine in a medical glove.

The man he was there to meet was a customer, and Baca, an Inglewood police officer and the department's union rep at the time, said he had a kilogram more of the product he could sell for $22,000.

But Baca wasn't working an undercover case. Instead, the meeting in 2021 was being recorded by the FBI.

On Tuesday, Baca, 48, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine and ordered to pay a $40,000 fine.

In a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, Baca admitted he'd stolen drugs from Inglewood Police Department's evidence room and sold them on the side for profit.

"Former officer Baca tarnished the badge and dishonored the majority of those who serve and protect our communities with integrity," said Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles field office.

U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada echoed that sentiment in a statement, saying Baca "abused his position as a law enforcement officer to promote his drug trafficking activities."

Baca bragged to a potential buyer in September 2020 that he stole narcotics and money during routine traffic stops, prosecutors said. He offered to sell "White China" heroin, an unlimited supply of black tar heroin and a kilogram of cocaine, according to his plea agreement. The buyer informed the FBI of what Baca was saying in February 2021.

The buyer, later identified as a confidential witness in court records, asked Baca what he should say if anyone asked where he got the cocaine.

Baca reportedly told him, "Tell them it came from f Mexico," according to court records.

Prosecutors focused on two meetings in their case against Baca.

In April 2021, Baca drove to a buyer's home in his 2012 Ferrari FF with a small sample of cocaine in a medical glove. The meeting was recorded by federal agents, according to court records.

Afterward, the buyer gave the cocaine to the FBI. The product tested at 75% purity, prosecutors said.

In a follow up call, Baca arranged to sell the confidential witness a kilogram of cocaine. He met the buyer at his business on May 4, 2021. On that visit, he drove up in a Nissan Maxima with no license plates.

He delivered a brick of cocaine wrapped in a plastic bag and tape, which he carried in a Target shopping bag, according to court records. He asked the buyer for $22,000, which was provided by the FBI as part of their operation. Baca claimed he was making only $1,000 as part of the deal, but the government never recovered the cash.

Baca told a federal informant that he often traveled to Las Vegas to gamble at casinos and launder his money, according to court records.

Baca was also accused of recruiting a second person to help in his drug dealing. That person, Gerardo Ekonomo, 42, from South L.A., was arrested in Las Vegas in June 2021 with 3 kilograms of heroin in his car, prosecutors said.

According to federal prosecutors, Baca called Las Vegas police and tried to intervene in Ekonomo's case. He claimed he was Ekonomo's "handler" and suggested he "work the case off" by helping them.

Ekonomo was eventually charged with intent to distribute the heroin, and on Oct. 28, 2021, the FBI dug in his yard and found large quantities of drugs wrapped in black plastic, including 1,258 grams of fentanyl and roughly 462 grams of heroin, court records show. FBI agents also found evidence of a drug trafficking operation in his home.

Ekonomo claimed he worked for Baca as an informant and was authorized to transport the drugs to Las Vegas as part of a law enforcement operation, prosecutors said, but he also claimed ignorance of the drugs in the yard.

Prosecutors said Baca had $300,000 in his bank accounts and a similar amount in investments around the time of his arrest in October 2021. The amount of money in his accounts dwarfed his household income, prosecutors said. He also owned or partially owned multiple homes in California and Arizona, along with a 2018 Audi Q7, a 2001 Chevy pickup truck, and the Ferrari.

Baca offered a "sincere apology" in court, according to a statement from his attorney Victor Sherman.

He said he recognized that "he disgraced the police badge which he will live with for the rest of his life."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Former Largo pool contractor arrested on fraud charges, authorities say

Former Largo pool contractor arrested on fraud charges, authorities say

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  Jordan Hidalgo was arrested Friday and charged with two felonies related to unfinished projects by one of his now-closed companies, Modern Pools.

Hidalgo was the central character in a Better Call Behnken investigation, involving unfinished pools in multiple counties. He was also a short-term partner in the now-defunct Olympus Pools, which closed with dozens of unfinished pools.

Residents call for pause on development after significant flooding in Sarasota County

Last September, amid a state investigation into more than 50 complaints about his companies, Hidalgo surrendered his nine licenses used by several pool companies.

Now, he has been arrested and charged with two contractor fraud felonies related to two unfinished pools by modern pools. Public records show the case was investigated by a criminal investigator for Pinellas County Consumer Protection.

In both cases, the state alleges Modern Pools was paid in full for projects that werent completed.

In one case, the state said nearly $29,000 worth of work for a screen enclosure and roof and wi-fi controller werent provided.

In a separate case, the state alleges $17,000 in work wasnt done for travertine decking and window alarms.

These cases involve only Modern Pools.

Hidalgos licenses surrendered licenses represented the following companies: Modern Pools, West Bay Pools, Staycation Pools & Spas, Pinellas Construction Services, LLC, 30 day Pools, Pools By Jordan and A to Z Gulfcoast Service. For two of the companies, he held two licenses.

Meanwhile, there are several ongoing criminal investigations in multiple jurisdictions into Hidalgos business dealings.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Robert Telles waiting in the courtroom during his murder trial at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas. - Credit: K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Getty Images

Former Nevada politician Robert Telles was convicted of murdering the Las Vegas journalist, Jeff German, who had published several articles that accused Telles of workplace harassment and misconduct, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.

Telles was convicted of first-degree murder, with the jury finding that the killing of German was willful, deliberate and premeditated. Telles, who once served as the Clark County Public Administrator, faces up to life in prison, with the penalty phase of the trial set to begin today, Aug. 28. A lawyer for Telles did not immediately return Rolling Stones request for comment.

More from Rolling Stone

Prosecutors accused Telles of lying in wait in the bushes outside Germans home, then stabbing him to death in September 2022. The killing, prosecutors said, was in retaliation for articles German had written for the Review-Journal, which contained accusations that Telles had created a toxic work environment and had an inappropriate relationship with a staffer (Telles denied these claims). Not long after Germans articles were published, Telles lost his bid for reelection.

During the two-week trial, the prosecution bolstered this shocking retribution narrative with a variety of evidence. They said DNA found under Germans fingernails matched that of Telles; they said they recovered a wide-brimmed straw hat, sneakers, and gray bag at Telles home that matched items seen on the assailant in the surveillance footage; and they said the surveillance footage appeared to show Telles car driving around Germans neighborhood the morning German was killed before heading back to Telles neighborhood.

In response, Telles and his lawyer, Robert Draskovich, tried to claim the former public administrator was framed. Telles even testified on his own behalf, suggesting he was framed by officials and a real estate company he was supposedly investigating during his time as public administrator (the company has denied this accusation).

Following the verdict, Review-Journal Executive Editor Glenn Cook said, Today a Clark County jury delivered a measure of justice for Jeff German, and we hope it brings some solace to his family, friends, and colleagues. Jeff was killed for doing the kind of work in which he took great pride: His reporting held an elected official accountable for bad behavior and empowered voters to choose someone else for the job. Robert Telles could have joined the long line of publicly shamed Nevada politicians whove gone on with their lives, out of the spotlight or back in it. Instead, he carried out a premeditated revenge killing with terrifying savagery.

German was widely revered for his decades of dogged reporting for both the Review-Journal and the other major local paper, the Las Vegas Sun. He was the most tenacious reporter I had ever dealt with and would not take a simple platitude for an answer, former Gaming Control Board Chairman Mike Rumbolz told Rolling Stone in 2022. He also wouldnt take no for an answer, or no comment. He found more ways of asking the same question from different aspects to try to get to what he was interested in than any reporter Ive ever dealt with. He was amazing that way.

Best of Rolling Stone
Former Nevada Politician Found Guilty of Killing Investigative Reporter Over Unflattering Articles

Jeff German, a Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter, was found stabbed to death outside his home on Sept. 3, 2022

K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal; Ethan Miller/Getty Jeff German; Robert Telles

A former Las Vegas area elected official was found guilty on Aug. 28 in the murder of a veteran investigative reporter.

A jury deliberated a day and a half before finding Robert Telles guilty the murder of Jeff German, a Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter, who was found stabbed to death outside his home on Sept. 3, 2022.

At the time of his death, German, 69, was investigating Telles, a Democratic public administrator who handled unclaimed estates.

In his reports, German described his office as mired in turmoil and internal dissension over the past two years, with allegations of emotional stress, bullying and favoritism leading to secret videotaping of the boss and a co-worker outside the office.

At one point, German quoted current and past employees who alleged a hostile work environment and an "inappropriate relationship" Telles allegedly had with a staffer.

Related: At Time of His Death, Investigative Reporter Was Researching Story About Politician Who's Now Murder Suspect

A month later, Telles lost his 2022 Democratic primary bid and criticized the Review-Journal for their coverage.

In the days after the slaying, police released surveillance video of a suspect wearing a wide brimmed straw hat and a reflective orange jacket, carrying a duffle bag.

Investigators recovered a matching straw hat that had been cut up, as well as a pair of shoes the suspect was described as wearing at Telles home.

K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Robert Telles

The police also identified a maroon-colored GMC Denali stopping multiple times around the neighborhood. Authorities said the Denali was registered to Telles' wife.

During the trial, prosecutors claimed Telles DNA was found beneath Germans fingernails, according to the Associated Press.

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Telles, 47, testified that he didnt know how his DNA wound up under Germans fingernails, per AP.

During long, rambling testimony, Telles denied killing German and claimed that he had been framed by a real estate company opposed to his plan to clean up corruption.

Related: A Reporter Viciously Stabbed to Death and a Politician Arrested for Murder: Nobody 'Saw It Coming'

Ive never beat anybody up, Ive never killed anybody. I didnt kill Mr. German. Thats my testimony, Telles said, per CNN.

Prosecutor Christopher Hamner argued Telles killed German because "Jeffs writing destroyed his career, it destroyed his reputation, it threatened probably his marriage and exposed things that even he admitted he did not want the public to know, he said Monday, per CNN. He did it because Jeff wasnt done writing.

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NICHOLAS COUNTY, WV (WVNS)  A former Nicholas County Deputy Sherriff was sentenced to prison for the production of child pornography.

According to a press release, former Nicholas County Deputy Sherriff, 38-year-old Jarrod Steven Bennett, of Mount Nebo, was sentenced on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, to 20 years in prison, followed by 30 years of parole, for the production of child pornography, and will also need to register as a sex offender.

Former Nicholas County Deputy Sheriff pleads guilty to child pornography crime

Jarrod Steven Bennett violated his position of trust as a law enforcement officer and victimized a child he was meant to protect and care for. He also perpetuated that trauma for her and the other children in the images he distributed, because those images cannot be contained or removed from the hands of pedophiles throughout the world. Will Thompson | United States Attorney

The press release stated that according to court documents, around March 2, 2023, Bennett filmed two videos on his cell phone of a female minor sleeping on a couch when he was still a Nicholas County Sheriffs Office deputy.

According to the press release, Bennett stated that at the time the recordings were made, he knew the girl was younger than 12 years old. The press release stated that in the videos, the minor was laying on the couch with a blanket on her torso and her legs uncovered.

Princeton man pleads guilty to sexual assault from the 1980s

The press release stated that the first video showed Bennett recording as he walked toward the minor while zooming the camera to focus on her buttocks, while the second video showed that Bennett filmed his exposed penis, as well as him masturbating near the sleeping girl.

According to the press release, Bennett then distributed a picture of the female minor, as well as other child pornography, to various users on the social media instant messaging app, Snapchat. When his account was shut down by Snapchat, he continued to distribute child pornography by making a new account on the social media app.

The press release stated that after receiving a cybertip about the information spread on Snapchat from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), members of law enforcement tracked the activity back to Bennett.

According to the press release, during the investigation, child pornography was found on Bennetts cell phone, as well as further evidence that a large amount of data was deleted from the device, including when Snapchat informed Bennett that his account was reported.

Beckley man pleads guilty to 2023 drug crime

In addition to the evidence found on Bennetts cell phone, the press release stated that members of law enforcement discovered that Bennetts Nicholas County Sheriffs Office issued laptop was used to access Snapchat. According to the press release, those investigating the incident found that data on the laptop was erased remotely.

The Wheels of Justice have prevailed. Evil can try to hide in the shadows, however it will be brought to light. I would like to thank the investigators and the U.S. Attorneys Office for a complete investigation and swift prosecution. We Nicholas County Citizens are sickened by Bennetts actions. Those sworn to uphold the laws of this Country and State will never stand idle to it. This is why we have the best justice system in the world. William F. Nunley | Nicholas County Sheriff

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Will Thompson, who thanked the West Virginia State Police-Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), the Beckley Police Department, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for their work on the investigation.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
Former Nevada official gets life sentence for murder of reporter

By Andrew Hay

(Reuters) -A Las Vegas, Nevada, jury on Wednesday found a former elected county official guilty of killing an investigative reporter who wrote critical articles about him, sentencing him to life in prison with eligibility for parole after 20 years.

Robert Telles, a former Clark County public administrator, was convicted for the 2022 murder of Las Vegas Review Journal journalist Jeff German in a case that highlighted the increased risks for journalists in the United States.

The jury found the killing was "willful, deliberate and premeditated," saying Telles "lay in wait" for German, 69, before stabbing him to death outside his suburban Las Vegas home.

"A journalist wrote a story, or a series of stories, and lost their life over it because someone, a politician, an outgoing politician, just did not like them," said county prosecutor, Christopher Hamner.

Telles' lawyer, Robert Draskovich, asked the jury to show leniency and grant him a chance of parole as he had no previous criminal record.

Telles shook his head as a court clerk read the verdict. In the public gallery, Germans family members wept and hugged one another. Employees from the Clark County public administrator's office, some of whom asked German to investigate Telles, embraced and wiped away tears, all wearing red shirts and pins showing the reporters face.

"Jeff was killed for doing the kind of work in which he took great pride: His reporting held an elected official accountable for bad behavior and empowered voters to choose someone else for the job," Glenn Cook, executive editor of the Las Vegas Review Journal, said in a statement.

"In many countries the killers of journalists go unpunished," Cook said. "Not so in Las Vegas."

German spent months reporting on complaints Telles oversaw an abusive workplace and had an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate.

The state's evidence included Telles' DNA found underneath German's fingernails and video of a car driven by the attacker that matched a vehicle registered to Telles' wife.

The former official told the court he was framed for German's murder after trying to expose an alleged kickback scheme.

Las Vegas defense attorney, Robert Langford, who was not involved in the case, said the DNA evidence under German's fingernails was "an insurmountable bit of evidence."

Soon after one of German's stories on Telles, 47, was published in June 2022, the former official lost his re-election bid in a Democratic primary to a rival from within the public administrator's office.

The day before German's murder, Telles learned the reporter had gained information through a records request on communication between Telles and the colleague he had an affair with.

"The conviction sends an important message that the killing of journalists will not be tolerated," said Katherine Jacobsen, U.S., Canada and Caribbean coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a press rights group.

German was known for decades of reporting on corruption and organized crime in Nevada's largest city. His book "Murder in Sin City" inspired the 2008 movie "Sex and Lies in Sin City" on the killing of gambling executive Ted Binion.

He was the only journalist murdered in the U.S. in 2022 among 69 media workers and journalists killed worldwide, according to CPJ data.

The U.S. dropped 10 places to 55th in a 2024 ranking on journalist safety, according to the World Press Freedom Index published by advocacy group Reporters Without Borders.

The study cited shrinking public trust in the media and antagonism from political officials as factors in the decline.

(Reporting By Andrew Hay; Editing by David Gregorio, Diane Craft and Tom Hogue)
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Amid the countdown to Election Day, former Oregon Congressman Kurt Schrader announced his endorsement of Portland Commissioner Rene Gonzalez for mayor.

Rene has the values, vision and heart to help Oregons largest city reach its fullest potential, Schrader said Tuesday. At this critical moment, we need Democrats like Rene at the helm more than ever. Hell protect and leverage what makes Portland special as he leads the city through its next chapter.

This marks the latest endorsement from Schrader  a seven-term Democrat who represented Oregons 5th congressional district from 2009 to 2023. During Oregons 2022 gubernatorial race, Schrader endorsed unaffiliated candidate Betsy Johnson.

Old Farmers Almanac releases Pacific Northwests 2024-2025 winter weather extended forecast

Im so thankful to Congressman Schrader for his endorsement and for recognizing Portland needs a change in direction, Gonzalez said. He understands how important Portlands image is on the national stage. Improving the citys reputation by cleaning up the streets and establishing accountability is one of my top priorities.

Gonzalezs campaign noted the endorsement follows several others hes received in August, including support from the Columbia Pacific Building and Construction Trades Council, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (Local 48), the International Union of Operating Engineers (Local 701) and the Multnomah County Deputy Sheriffs Association.

The slate of endorsements come after a poll commissioned by Gonzalezs campaign the week of Aug. 19 found Gonzalez was leading with 21% of the first-choice vote along with a swath of undecided voters.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
STOUGHTON, Mass. (WPRI)  A former Stoughton police officer is now accused of killing a woman he sexually exploited while on duty and staging her death as a suicide.

Matthew Farwell, 38, has been charged with killing a witness or victim in connection with the suspicious death of Sandra Birchmore back in February 2021.

The 23-year-old Canton woman was found dead in her apartment after her employer requested a wellbeing check, having not heard from her for several days.

Sandra Birchmore

It has since been revealed that Farwell allegedly strangled Birchmore to death with a duffle bag strap following a nasty argument in which he called off their relationship, according to prosecutors. Investigators also believe Farwell killed Birchmore to prevent her from revealing the truth about how long the two had been intimate.

Farwell then used his police knowledge to stage her apartment and make it look as though she had committed suicide, according to acting United States Attorney Joshua Levy.

When it became clear to Farwell that he could no longer control her, he allegedly silenced her. Permanently, Levy said. He tried to cover his tracks to literally get away with murder, and he almost did.

Court documents show that Farwell had been mentoring Birchmore through the Stoughton Police Departments youth explorers program, which has since been disbanded. Birchmore was 12 years old when she first joined.

An internal affairs investigation following Bichmores death uncovered hundreds of explicit text messages between her and three Stoughton officers, including Farwell and his twin brother, over the course of several years. It was also discovered that Birchmore had several sexual encounters with each of them.

The first time Farwell had sex with Birchmore was when he was 27 years old and she was 15, according to Levy. He noted that Farwell had sex with Birchmore regularly while on the clock and lied about the hours he worked.

RELATED: 3 former officers under fire following womans death

Birchmore learned she was pregnant in December 2020, according to court documents, and later told Farwell she expected him to be involved in their childs life.

She was very excited about becoming a mother, Levy said. She was buying baby clothes and taking precautions to ensure the health of her child.

Farwell did not share in that excitement, he continued, adding that Birchmore asked him to attend her doctors appointments and be there for ultra sounds.

Matthew Farwell (Stoughton Police Department via AP)

Levy said Farwell began to lose his patience and temper with Birchmore after her friend notified Stoughton police of their inappropriate relationship.

Birchmore told her friends that Farwell had pushed her, shoved her and put her in a chokehold, Levy said. She was scared, and during that same time, Farwell was planning her murder.

Farwell, his brother William and the third officer, identified as Robert Devine, have since resigned from the department, though the exact reason for their departure remains unclear. William Farwell and Devine are not facing charges at this time.

Giving a voice to the voiceless, ensuring that no one is above the law and protecting the vulnerable  thats the highest calling for those in law enforcement, Levy said. This case represents those principles.

Farwell violated those principles and now faces very grave consequences, he continued. It is disheartening to have to charge law enforcement officers, especially for crimes this serious. But it is our job to investigate potential crimes without fear and without favor.

The investigation is ongoing into Birchmores relationship with the other officers in question, Levy said.

If convicted, Farwell would face a minimum sentence of life in prison. He pleaded not guilty Wednesday afternoon and was escorted out of the courtroom in handcuffs.

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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.
Tourists visit the archaeological site at the ancient Agora of Athens in Athens, Greece, on Aug. 27, 2024. Greek tourism revenue surged by 12.2 percent in the first half of 2024 year-on-year to reach 6.921 billion euros (7.75 billion U.S. dollars), according to recent data from the Bank of Greece. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

ATHENS, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Greek tourism revenue surged by 12.2 percent in the first half of 2024 year-on-year to reach 6.921 billion euros (7.75 billion U.S. dollars), according to recent data from the Bank of Greece.

The revenue growth was driven by a 15.5-percent increase in inbound tourist arrivals despite a 3.1 percent decline in average expenditure per trip.

Germany led by contributing over 1.2 billion euros of tourism revenue, followed by the United Kingdom at just over 1 billion euros and the United States with 540 million euros, according to the report.

In June alone, travel proceeds grew by 7.7 percent year-on-year, totaling 3.1 billion euros, due to an 8.8-percent rise in inbound traveler numbers.

In June, Greece recorded the highest revenue from British tourists, with income from the UK rising by 42.5 percent to 608.9 million euros. Meanwhile, earnings from France increased by 1.0 percent to 163.9 million euros and from Italy grew by 12.9 percent to 144.9 million euros.

Greece's strong performance in tourism in the first half of 2024 signals a positive trend for the country's economy, which relies heavily on tourism as a key driver of growth. The increase in inbound tourist arrivals and revenue highlights Greece's enduring appeal as a travel destination, particularly among European and American tourists.

According to the Bank of Greece, visitor arrivals to Greece jumped 120 percent from 2019 to 2023. (1 euro = 1.12 U.S. dollars) 

Tourists visit the archaeological site at the ancient Agora of Athens in Athens, Greece, on Aug. 27, 2024. Greek tourism revenue surged by 12.2 percent in the first half of 2024 year-on-year to reach 6.921 billion euros (7.75 billion U.S. dollars), according to recent data from the Bank of Greece. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

A man visits the archaeological site at the ancient Agora of Athens in Athens, Greece, on Aug. 27, 2024. Greek tourism revenue surged by 12.2 percent in the first half of 2024 year-on-year to reach 6.921 billion euros (7.75 billion U.S. dollars), according to recent data from the Bank of Greece. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

Shadows of tourists are seen at the ancient Agora of Athens in Athens, Greece, on Aug. 27, 2024. Greek tourism revenue surged by 12.2 percent in the first half of 2024 year-on-year to reach 6.921 billion euros (7.75 billion U.S. dollars), according to recent data from the Bank of Greece. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

Tourists visit the archaeological site at the ancient Agora of Athens in Athens, Greece, on Aug. 27, 2024. Greek tourism revenue surged by 12.2 percent in the first half of 2024 year-on-year to reach 6.921 billion euros (7.75 billion U.S. dollars), according to recent data from the Bank of Greece. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

Tourists visit the archaeological site at the ancient Agora of Athens in Athens, Greece, on Aug. 27, 2024. Greek tourism revenue surged by 12.2 percent in the first half of 2024 year-on-year to reach 6.921 billion euros (7.75 billion U.S. dollars), according to recent data from the Bank of Greece. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

Tourists pose for a photo in front of statues of philosophers Socrates and Confucius at the ancient Agora of Athens in Athens, Greece, on Aug. 27, 2024. Greek tourism revenue surged by 12.2 percent in the first half of 2024 year-on-year to reach 6.921 billion euros (7.75 billion U.S. dollars), according to recent data from the Bank of Greece. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

A woman visits the archaeological site at the ancient Agora of Athens in Athens, Greece, on Aug. 27, 2024. Greek tourism revenue surged by 12.2 percent in the first half of 2024 year-on-year to reach 6.921 billion euros (7.75 billion U.S. dollars), according to recent data from the Bank of Greece. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)
BOSTON (WWLP)  A former Stoughton Police officer has been arrested and charged in connection to the death of a pregnant woman.

Police catch suspect stealing items from Westfield, Southwick lawns

According to FBI Boston, former Stoughton Police Officer 38-year-old Matthew Farwell of North Easton was arrested for allegedly killing 23-year-old Sandra Birchmore. Farwell is accused of having inappropriate sexual relations with Birchmore, who died in February 2021 after becoming pregnant.

Birchmore joined the Stoughton Explorers Program in 2010 when she was 12 years old where she met Farwell who served as an instructor. It is alleged that Farwell used his authority and access to groom, sexually exploit, and ultimately sexually abuse Birchmore when she was 15 years old and continued to have sex with her when she became an adult.

Hundreds of messages were uncovered over several years and according to the departments chief, Birchmore died just days after Farwell ended their relationship. Birchmores death was initially ruled a suicide however, the federal investigation revealed new evidence leading to the charge against Farwell.

According to the Department of Justice in Boston, Farwell allegedly murdered Birchmore and staged her death to look like a suicide to prevent law enforcement from learning about their sexual relationship which began when she was a minor.

Massachusetts State Police arrested Farwell on Wednesday and he has been indicted on one count of killing a witness or victim. If convicted, he faces life in prison.

VIDEO: FBI News Conference

The FBI held a news conference on the arrest of former Stoughton Police Officer Matthew Farwell charged in connection with the death of Sandra Birchmore in 2021.

The day after Sandra Birchmore was found dead in her Canton apartment, I ordered a lengthy and aggressive internal affairs investigation, the instructions of which made it clear that no stone should be left unturned. The Stoughton Police Department has supported other agencies and worked with other agencies, including the FBI investigation that today resulted in a murder indictment that concluded that Sandra was killed. The alleged murder of Sandra is a horrific injustice. The allegations against the suspect, a former Stoughton Police Officer, represent the single worst act of not just professional misconduct but indeed human indecency that I have observed in a nearly three-decade career in law enforcement. It has been my lifes work over these past three years to ensure that justice was served. As I have stated previously, Sandra Birchmore received no justice during her life. It is imperative that justice be served in her death, and todays actions appear to bring our society one step closer to justice. Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara said in a statement.

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.
Former US Rep. Bob Carr, who served 18 years in the House, dies at 81

U.S. Rep. Bob Carr, an East Lansing Democrat who served 18 years in the U.S. House and rose to become a subcommittee chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee before losing a U.S. Senate bid in 1994, died Tuesday. He was 81 years old.

Carr's family released a statement saying he passed away peacefully and noted he has been struggling through health problems in recent years. Carr had fought multiple myeloma, a cancer of a type of white blood cell that fights infection, and esophageal cancer for years.

Born Milton Robert Carr in Janesville, Wisconsin, and moving to the Lansing area after attending college and law school in Wisconsin, he had been living in the Washington, D.C. area for years after leaving Congress, teaching at George Washington University's Graduate School of Public Management and working with the Brookings Institution fellows. Earlier, he had worked at the Dow Lohnes law firm in Washington, and prior to that, represented clients, including General Motors.

From left: Robert Clenn, Detroit, talks with Bob Carr outside of Presentation Our Lady of Victory Catholic School in Detroit on Carr's third campaign stop of the morning on Nov. 8, 1994.

As chairman of the Transportation Subcommittee, he helped craft funding measures that provided billions annually to the transportation industry and infrastructure. Carr also held a wide array of interests, being a pilot and a photographer, and serving as chairman of the Congressional Arts Caucus for some years.

He also traveled extensively, including to Russia. And while in Congress, was an adviser to the SALT II arms control treaty signed in the late 1970s.

"He was an enormously talented person," said former Michigan Gov. Jim Blanchard, who worked with Carr when both were assistants under the late Frank Kelley, the state's longest serving attorney general. "He seemed to be interested in everything and when he took on a subject, he always tried to master it."

Both Blanchard and Carr entered Congress after winning elections in 1974, the same year Republican President Richard Nixon resigned. Carr, a Democrat running on an anti-war platform amid the Vietnam War, took the seat of former U.S. Rep. Charles Chamberlain, also a Republican, whom Carr nearly beat two years before.

Robert Carr, shown on March 25, 1980, is lawyer and politician from Michigan who lives in the basement of his apartment in Washington, D.C.

Carr would serve three two-year terms before being beaten by Republican Jim Dunn in the 1980 election. In 1982, Carr ran again, beating Dunn, 51%-48%. Carr would go on to serve six more two-year terms in the U.S. House, transforming from what the Free Press called "a brash, anti-war liberal" who called on then-House Speaker Carl Albert to resign on national television, to "a tight-lipped conservative power broker" in Washington.

In 1994, when U.S. Sen. Don Riegle retired, Carr ran for the seat but was pilloried by Republican Spencer Abraham as a tax-and-spend liberal and as a Washington insider who collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in special interest money for his campaigns. In what was a wave election that also heralded the election of then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich and GOP control of both chambers of Congress for the first time in decades, Carr lost 52%-43%.

Abraham would be defeated after one term six years later by U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, who is stepping down after this year's election. No Republican running for a U.S. Senate seat in Michigan has won since Abraham.

Blanchard said Carr remained close to those he served with in Congress and those who followed.

U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, said Carr was a true public servant. He went above and beyond for his community, students, fellows, and friends. Michigan was lucky to have him."

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, who had known Carr for nearly 40 years, noted Carr's long battle with multiple myeloma, saying on social media platform X: "We worked together on the art caucus, Michigan issues & cancer funding, which was a personal fight for him."

"He loved his daughter, his state & was tough, gutsy & strong through many difficulties," she wrote.

Carr's family said a celebration of his life will be held sometime after this fall's election. They also said that, in lieu of flowers, donations to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation are welcomed.

Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@tsspangler.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Former US Rep. Bob Carr dies at 81
On Wednesday, a Las Vegas jury convicted former Vegas politician Robert Telles in the 2022 stabbing murder of veteran Las Vegas investigative reporter Jeff German. Photo by Activedia/Pixabay

Aug. 28 (UPI) -- A Las Vegas jury Wednesday convicted former Vegas politician Robert Telles in the 2022 stabbing murder of veteran Las Vegas investigative reporter Jeff German.

The guilty verdict was read during a video livestream after about 12 hours of jury deliberations. The jury unanimously found the murder was willful, deliberate and pre-meditated.

When the verdict was read, Telles was standing, his hands clasped in front of him and his head bowed.

The judge released the jury and said a penalty phase of the trial would start later Wednesday afternoon.

The seven women, five men jury deliberated for four hours Monday, about six hours Tuesday, and two hours Wednesday, before reaching their verdict.

Telles is a former Clark County Public Administrator charged with stabbing German to death because Telles was angry about articles written by the reporter. Telles lost a primary election after the articles came out.

Prosecutors presented some two dozen witnesses, using video and physical evidence, including DNA from under German's fingernails, to prove Telles killed the reporter.

Telles took the stand in his own defense and testified he believed the DNA evidence was planted.

He said in court that he wasn't happy about the articles German had written, but testified, "I don't know that I ever hated him."

Telles claimed he was framed for the murder by colleagues, real estate agents and business owners over his alleged efforts to uproot corruption while serving as public administrator.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter was discovered stabbed to death outside his Las Vegas home Sept. 3, 2022.

He had published articles detailing bullying and favoritism allegations by the office Telles ran.

Among the evidence the jury considered was a security video showing someone wearing bright orange clothing and a straw hat enter German's yard and "lying in wait" for the reporter.

German was attacked when he opened his garage and entered the yard. A different video depicted the person dressed in orange get into a maroon SUV similar to one owned by the Telles family.

The Review-Journal editor Glenn Cook said at the time of the arrest, "The arrest of Robert Telles is at once an enormous relief and an outrage for the Review-Journal newsroom, We are relieved Telles is in custody and outraged that a colleague appears to have been killed for reporting on an elected official."
Court records show that a former Fort Liberty soldier has been placed on home confinement and can't access the internet after he was charged in federal court last week for allegedly selling guns without a license and lying on a federal background check.

Kai Liam Nix, also known as Kai Brazelton, 20, of West End, was arrested Aug. 15 and had his initial court appearance Aug. 19.

An Aug. 14 indictment states Nix is charged with one count of making a false statement or representation to a U.S. department, one count of dealing guns without a license and two counts of possessing and selling stolen guns.

A spokesman for the 82nd Airborne Division said last week that Nix joined the Army in 2022 and was stationed at Fort Liberty in 2023. He was administratively separated from the Army on Aug. 20 as a private, the spokesman said.

Kai Nix is charged with selling stolen guns and lying about being associated with a violent group on his security clearance application.

Indictment

According to a redacted indictment, Nix allegedly made a false statement on his security clearance application by stating he had never been a member of a group dedicated to the use of violence or force to overthrow the United States Government.

The indictment doesnt name the group Nix was allegedly associated with, but a Southern Poverty Law Center article posted last week stated that Nix appeared to have been active in the Patriot Front, a Texas-based white nationalist hate group.

The group, formerly known as Vanguard America, was founded by Thomas Rousseau in 2017 and organized the August 2017 deadly Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

The indictment further alleged that Nix sold guns without a license between Dec. 10, 2023, to Feb. 5 this year, while also possessing and selling stolen guns on Dec. 16. and Jan. 5.

Prohibited access to internet and guns

An order filed Thursday outlines the conditions of Nixs release, stating he must not have access to wifi or the internet, and there are to be no firearms in the home.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Nix appeared to operate a Telegram mobile messaging channel, originally called Appalachian Archives and later rebranded as American Archives.

The channel allegedly worked with white power groups in the South to release personal information like names, phone numbers and addresses of perceived political enemies, the Southern Poverty Law Center article stated. The activity is commonly known as doxxing.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, New Yorker reporter David Kirkpatrick conducted a separate investigation that linked Nix to a phony pizza delivery at the Greensboro home of a Raw Story journalist who was working on a story about a neo-Nazi gang.

According to the New Yorker article, a photo of the Raw Story journalist answering the door was later posted to Appalachian Archives connected to Nix.

A few weeks later, half a dozen men gathered outside the journalist's home wearing neo-Nazi skull masks and gave straight-armed salutes, while one carried a sign warning of "consequences" for the journalist's reporting, according to The New Yorker.

The Southern Poverty Law Center stated it reviewed photos allegedly showing Nix at a July 2021 protest against public health policies in Raleigh and attending another two rallies in February 2022 that protested vaccines and health mandates.

Appalachia Research Club, which bills itself as an "antifascist research collective," linked the car in the pizza delivery ruse to Nix, The New Yorker reported.

More: Fort Liberty soldier arrested, accused of lying about his ties to extremist group

Denied activity and leaked documents

According to the Sothern Law Poverty Center, when the New Yorker contacted Nix, he denied being a member of Patriot Front and an administrator for the Telegram channel.

"You cant be in the military and in a hate group at the same time," Nix purportedly told the New Yorker, saying the publication they had the wrong guy, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

The Southern Poverty Law Center stated that it connected Nix to the username of the Telegram operator by comparing images from leaked Patriot Front training videos to an image of Nix posted on a family members Instagram account.

The Southern Poverty Law Center's investigation further connected Nix to the Telegram username by reviewing leaked documents, obtained by a journalism collective known as Unicorn Riot, that were verified by independent researchers with the Appalachia Research Club.

Among the leaked documents, the Southern Poverty Law Center stated that a message, purportedly from Nix in a Telegram chatroom in 2021, characterized his math teacher as a liberal and showed a photo of his teachers car.

The Southern Poverty Law Center stated that an independent researcher identified the high school in the photo as one in Fayetteville, where Nix lived before moving to West End.

In a statement Wednesday, Cumberland County Schools spokesman Linsday Whitley said the district had no record of Nix in its system.

Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Former Fort Liberty soldier banned from having internet access
Fort Mill neighbors frustrated with lack of answers over solar panel plant during meeting with congressman

Fort Mill neighbors frustrated with lack of answers over solar panel plant during meeting with congressman

FORT MILL, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  No answers. Fort Mill neighbors werent happy with the results of the community meeting with Congressman Ralph Norman and other state agency leaders regarding the Silfab Solar manufacturing plant.

Neighbors had hundreds of questions go unanswered during the hour-long forum. They left very unhappy.

Silfab Solar to remain in Fort Mill due to previous zoning docs

Nothing, nothing no answers. It was so whitewashed. Its all excuses. Its fabrication of cover-up, thats all it is, said one neighbor.

Many people left halfway through Tuesday nights community meeting at Catawba Ridge High School on the Silfab solar manufacturing plant. They say theyre frustrated with the lack of clarity and answers from Congressman Ralph Norman and officials from South Carolina agencies.

Were concerned about the local impacts and all they could really address were state and federal impacts, which they already knew thats not the answer that people were after. People are after the local people that made the decisions to put it there, said Perry Starke. He and his wife live within a mile away from the plant.

Community reiterates opposition to Fort Mill solar plant proposal

Neighbors demonstrated against the solar panel facility outside the school. They want the plant moved away from residential and school zones to a safer location.

Can you justify to me that my kids will be breathing these chemicals day in and day out while theyre just trying to get an education and what if they get cancer? Marissa Robbins asked the panelists.

She didnt get the answer she was looking for.

Congressman Norman told many of the neighbors with questions to send their concerns in an email to DHEC, if those officials didnt get back to him then his office would step in.

He also suggested neighbors send their questions to county officials who could answer their questions.

Just a few months ago, York Countys zoning board of appeals reversed its decision regarding light industrial zoning locations but the decision was aimed at similar plants in the future  not Silfab.

The company already has state and local approval to open with production expected by the end of the year.

York County leaders say they received death threats over Silfab Solar plant

Thats why I wanted to come out here to get some names because I do want to keep up with this. Were getting the runaround, I feel like its a spin, each one blames the next one, said one man during the Q&A.

York County officials did not attend Tuesdays meeting due to pending litigation over Silfabs approval.

Norman says Silfab leaders were also invited to the meeting. They were not formally in attendance.

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The president of the Fort Worth Independent School Districts board said the district is committed to partnering with the city to deal with challenges the district is facing.

At a school board meeting Tuesday, Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker publicly pushed board members to do more to improve stagnant academic performance, calling for a bold, unified approach to turn the district around.

In a statement, board President Roxanne Martinez, who took over the gavel at Tuesdays meeting, said she appreciates Parkers support and commitment, and said the district is committed to working with city leaders to make Fort Worth ISD the school district that our children and families expect and that we can all be proud of.

Together, we can rise to the challenges before us and strengthen our public education system for the betterment of our students, families, and community, Martinez said.

Martinez pointed to the districts newly developed strategic plan as one tool to drive student achievement and hold school leaders accountable for the districts performance. The district started the new school year without a strategic plan in place after the board rejected a proposed plan earlier this month. District officials expect to bring another proposal before the board in September.

Martinezs comments come in response to a letter sent to school board members by Parker laying out her concerns of where the school district has fallen behind and what actions she thinks the district needs to take to improve its academic performance. Parker cites examples of the district lagging behind academically in comparison to other urban school districts such as Dallas ISD and Houston ISD, calling on officials to create ambitious student achievement goals in addition to conducting audits of budget priorities and personnel.

The Star-Telegram reached out to all nine school board members for comment. Michael Ryan and Kevin Lynch deferred to Martinez. Wallace Bridges, Anne Darr, Tobi Jackson, Anael Luebanos, Quinton Phillips and Camille Rodriguez didnt respond.

Fort Worth ISD superintendent acknowledges challenges

Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Angelica Ramsey said in a statement that the district is grateful to Parker and other community leaders for their commitment to improving Fort Worth ISD. She reiterated Parkers point about working collaboratively to achieve growth and ensure that every student receives the high-quality education they deserve.

Ramsey acknowledged that the district isnt where its leaders would like to be in terms of student achievement. She said she expects to present the districts school ratings, its instructional focus and student achievement indicators at a board workshop next month.

This is the reason I came to FWISD  to realize the potential of every student and the district. I am committed to making FWISD an outstanding school district, Ramsey said.

She also noted that the districts driving force continues to be delivering excellent Tier one instruction so that all students can reach their highest potential. Tier one instruction refers to the baseline of all students receiving instruction on core curriculum.

We are One Fort Worth, united in purpose. By maintaining a strong, collaborative relationship with the city, we can overcome challenges and build a brighter future for our students and our community, she said. Together, we will create the educational excellence that Fort Worths children and families deserve.

UEA chief welcomes mayors comments

Steven Poole, executive director of the United Educators Association, said he was happy to see Parker weigh in on the need for change in the district. Hes hopeful that her comments will help rally broader public support for education. That community support will be critical if the district hopes to turn itself around, he said.

School districts cant do it alone, he said. They need the support of businesses, nonprofits, parents, the community and our city government. And so for the mayor to speak out as forcefully as she did sends a strong message.

Poole said the district needs to improve its academic outcomes, which will help reverse its enrollment declines. District leaders also need to do more to support teachers, he said. Good teachers are leaving the district in large numbers, which affects the quality of instruction students get, he said.

Poole said hes never seen a mayor weigh in on education issues as forcefully as Parker did Tuesday. Mayors in Texas have no formal role in the education system, although they can advocate for schools and partner with school districts. The fact that Parker chose to get involved is a sign of how dire things have become in the district, Poole said.

We have to do something different in this district, he said. And hopefully, this is the impetus for it.

Parkers call to action included an offer to provide city resources where needed, alongside contributions from multiple community organizations and members that signed onto Parkers letter in support. Some of the signees include Trenace Dorsey-Hollins of Parent Shield Fort Worth; Estella Williams of the Fort Worth-Tarrant County branch of the NAACP; Robert Ahdieh of Texas A&M University School of Law; and Brent Beasley of the Fort Worth Education Partnership.

Those undersigned, and countless others, stand ready to continue to provide the resources necessary to see that Fort Worths flagship school district is the best urban school district in Texas and, ultimately, the nation, Parker said. Together, we can create a future where our city continues to thrive, and every Fort Worth family can confidently choose our public schools, knowing their children will receive a world-class education. Thank you for your dedication to serving on the school board. Let us seize this moment to lead Fort Worth to new heights, together.
Fort Worth school board members voted Tuesday to close McLean Sixth Grade Center and consolidate it into McLean Middle School, about three months after trustees tabled voting on multiple consolidation plans involving seven middle school campuses.

The Fort Worth Independent School District school board approved the decision in a unanimous vote after hearing mixed perspectives during public comment. The schools closing comes in the midst of an ongoing facilities master plan study that is looking at the districts school building capacity as enrollment declines. Officials say the impacts of its underutilized buildings are fewer academic offerings and higher operational costs.

Combining McLean 6th and McLean Middle School into a single campus would allow the district to address the inequitable distribution of resources among schools and create improved opportunities for all students to attend a thriving campus community, school district documents state. This would also increase alignment of middle grades instructional programming by consolidating the last remaining sixth grade campus in Fort Worth ISD.

Tuesdays decision follows the closures of other sixth-grade campuses, including Wedgwood Sixth and Forest Oak Sixth. Both closed starting this school year with students transferring to Wedgwood Middle and Forest Oak Middle.

Board member Kevin Lynch said he understood school closures are an emotional decision, but it is a necessary action for the district to take.

I feel very strongly that the teachers and the people in that building are the most important people to impact kids, but I do think this goes a long way in addressing some of the things that really need to be addressed at those campuses, and I support it, Lynch said of McLean Sixth Grade Center.

The vote comes about three months after the board pulled items from a May meeting agenda that proposed closures of Kirkpatrick Middle, transferring students to J.P. Elder Middle; Daggett Middle and McLean Sixth Grade Center, transferring students to McLean Middle; and Morningside Middle, transferring students to William James Middle. Several community members at the meeting pleaded with the board to keep all the schools open.

Tuesdays vote only included McLean Sixth Grade Center and McLean Middle.

Some community members criticized officials during public comment, stating that they felt betrayed by the district changing its use of a $1.2 billion bond that voters barely passed in November 2021 to renovate individual campuses. Other community members spoke in support of the consolidations, stating it would be for the greater good long-term.

The school board also approved an agenda item terminating a previously approved contract to renovate McLean Middle and McLean Sixth Grade Campus and approving a new contract for consolidation that is not to exceed about $5.1 million, according to district records. The school board also transferred bond funds earmarked for each respective campus and combined them to create a $73.7 million budget for the consolidation.

McLean teacher Karen Gonzalez said she was disappointed in the districts community meeting held last week to discuss the consolidation. She said the campus keeping sixth-graders separate from older grades allows them to avoid pressures from their peers and thrive better as a result.

It was a sales pitch. There was no opportunity for anyone to offer a counter argument as to why these schools should not be combined, she said of the community meeting. I am also concerned about the legality of using bond money for projects that voters previously rejected.

Jessica Morrison, a parent of a sixth-grader at McLean Sixth Grade Center, spoke in favor of the consolidation and urged officials to listen to community feedback during the design phase of the consolidation.

I am speaking in support of the consolidation of McLean Sixth and McLean Middle School, so that we can ensure that the middle school bond money is used as intended, to improve the learning environment for middle schoolers. If the bond money is spent at McLean Sixth now, and that building is repurposed or sold in a few years, middle school students would not get the benefit of the bond investment long term, she said.

The school board also received a brief update Tuesday on its facilities study by consultant Tracy Ritcher, who spoke about the creation of a community task force that will provide input toward the study over the next six months. The study, expected to include rightsizing recommendations, was originally planned to be finished by the end of the year but was extended to March to account for more community involvement, Ritcher said.

All of this vetting and vetting and vetting (is) to make sure that when we come to some conclusion to what a 10 or 15 year facilities portfolio of this district looks like, that we have vetted it very well, Ritcher said. This is to really address every campus, every building in this district, and what its going to look like in the future. And so this task force is going to be critical to that and have very, very much a community lens on this throughout the entire process.
ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)  ECISD superintendent Dr. Scott Muri announced his retirement after 36 years in public education at a special board meeting in August. The district is already prepared to fill his shoes.

Dr. Keeley Boyer was approved as interim superintendent during the same board meeting  led by the ECISD Board of Trustees.

Im honored that the board selected me to lead the district during this time of transition, Dr. Boyer said. And Im very excited to be able to support our staff as we continue to move our work forward together.

Dr. Boyer has been with ECISD for four school years  previously serving as chief of schools. She is looking to continue the success that the district has seen so far.

RELATED: ACE Outreach Program encourages kids in the Basin through tennis

My priority as interim superintendent is to continue to celebrate the work that weve done over the past couple years, and also to move it forward. And to support our students and our staff in any way that I can to make sure that we continue to be successful, Dr. Boyer said.

While Dr. Muri is getting ready to retire, he still has a hand in helping with the transition.

For the past three years, Ive had the opportunity to work with and learn from Dr. Muri, Dr. Boyer said. Dr. Muri is an exceptional leader, and I feel like those three years that Ive been able to learn from him have given me a lot of confidence to step into this role. But, also knowing that hes going to be here with us through the end of January. So, I have an opportunity to call him and hes still available to support me and support the district as we go through this transition and leadership.

Dr. Muri will remain with the district until January 31, 2025.

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After more than 300 days in Hamas captivity, a frail and malnourished Farhan Al-Qadi sat in a large tent set up by his family and friends in the Negev desert, where loved ones came by to welcome him home on Wednesday.

I am well, Al-Qadi told reporters, adding that he wishes that the war ends for all Palestinian and Israeli families.

I know that there are negotiations in Cairo, he said regarding ongoing discussions on a proposed ceasefire-for-hostages deal aimed at halting the fighting. I wish to God that this is all resolved.

The 52-year-old Bedouin Israeli citizen from southern Israel lost some 65 pounds (30 kilograms) in captivity, his family told CNN, and his complexion appeared pale from lack of sun exposure. His eyes were glassy, often seeming tired.

The Israeli military said Tuesday that Al-Qadi is the eighth hostage to be rescued alive in Gaza by the Israeli military since the beginning of the war  but he is the first to have been reclaimed alive from inside Hamas tunnel network underneath Gaza

Al-Qadi sat at the center of long rows of plastic chairs, where visitors greeted him with long embraces and kisses on the cheek in a gathering near Tarabin  one of Israels many unrecognized Bedouin villages.

With limited power and water services, the village is about 20 miles from the Gaza Strip and is not protected by Israels Iron Dome defense system. The closest city is Rahat, which is the largest Arab Bedouin city in Israel.

The Bedouin community  a Muslim, semi-nomadic, and ethnically Arab group  is considered a subset of Israels Arab population, which makes up about 20% of the total population.

While some identify as Bedouin Israelis, others see themselves as Palestinian citizens of Israel. Unlike Jewish Israelis, Bedouins are not required to serve in the Israeli military, though some choose to volunteer, often serving in specialized units like the Gadsar 585, known as the Bedouin battalion, which operates in the Negev desert, where most Bedouins originate.

Isolated alone

From the village, CNNs team on the ground could hear heavy strikes and impacts from the nearby Gaza Strip.

Fayez Sohaiban, Al-Qadis relative and the former mayor of Rahat city, said the former hostage had lived in captivity not knowing what his fate would be the next day, and food was almost nonexistent.

Al-Qadi was working as a security guard in Kibbutz Magen when he was taken 11 months ago.

He told reporters on Wednesday that he spent a lot of his time in a tunnel, adding that he did not meet other hostages during his time in Gaza. No one, no. Not once, Al-Qadi said. His brother, Jumaa Al-Qadi, said he was isolated alone the entire time.

Ali El-Ziyadne, whose brother and nephew were also kidnapped on October 7 and remain in Gaza, joined the Bedouin community to welcome Al-Qadi home. His brother, Youssef Ziyadne, and nephew, Hamza Ziyadne, have been held hostage by Hamas for 11 months, he said.

We are afraid for their lives. We dont know anything about them, El-Ziyadne told CNN, adding that Youssef suffers from diabetes. El-Ziyadne said he pleaded several times to Hamas that they release his relatives, who are Muslim, hoping to appeal to the groups Islamic values and humanity.

El-Ziyadne asked about his brother and nephew when he met Al-Qadi, but the former hostage did not see them, he said.

Bedouin Israeli former hostage Al-Qadi, whose rescue from the Gaza Strip was announced by the Israeli army on Tuesday, is welcomed by his relatives in Karkor village of Beer Sheva, Israel, on August 28, 2024. - Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu/Getty Images/File

Before Israels founding in 1948, the Negev was home to 92,000 Bedouins, but only 11,000 remained after the Arab-Israeli war of that year, according to Minority Rights Group. Those who stayed are treated harshly, uprooted time and again and forced to live in reservations, the international human rights organization added.

According to the National Library of Israel, there are almost 250,000 Bedouins, many of whom live in towns that are yet to receive recognition from the state, while others live in unincorporated villages.

Al-Qadis rescue means there are now 103 hostages from the October 7 attack being held in Gaza, according to figures from the Israeli prime ministers office and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. Last week the bodies of six Israeli hostages were retrieved from Gaza during an overnight military operation in Khan Younis, Israeli authorities said.

Hopes of a ceasefire-for-hostages deal, which would halt fighting in Gaza and see the return of people held by Hamas, have repeatedly been raised and dashed in recent months.

Negotiators are continuing to work on a deal, and have met with increasing intensity in recent weeks. Talks made progress over the weekend, according to a senior US official familiar with the discussions in Cairo, Egypt, where mediators discussed final details of a potential agreement. An Israeli delegation is expected to head to Doha on Wednesday for ceasefire talks.

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France issued arrest warrants for Pavel Durov and Nikolai Durov, founders of the Telegram messaging service, already in March, Politico reported on Aug. 28, citing a document obtained from an undisclosed source involved in the case.

Telegram CEO Pavel 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.

The document obtained by Politico showed that the French investigation into Telegram is more extensive and was launched several months earlier than previously thought. The French media reported earlier that the investigation was opened in July.

The case concerns the messaging platform's refusal to cooperate with a French police inquiry into child sexual abuse, according to Politico.

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The arrest warrants for the Durov brothers were issued on March 25 after Telegram "gave no answer" to a previous judicial request to identify a Telegram user, the media outlet wrote. The warrants were issued on charges including "complicity in possessing, distributing, offering or making available pornographic images of minors, in an organized group."

The document also notes "Telegram's almost non-existent cooperation" with both French and European authorities in other cases.

Nikolai Durov is a mathematician and programmer who was also a co-creator of the Russian VKontakte social network. He lives outside Russia, but his exact whereabouts are unknown, Politico reported.

Pavel 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 the Russian social media platform VK, which he subsequently sold.

Durov has claimed he is a pariah and has been effectively exiled from Russia, but on Aug. 27, it was reported he had visited Russia over 60 times since leaving the country, according to Kremlingram, a Ukrainian group that campaigns against the use of Telegram in Ukraine.

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 institutions against the advice of Ukraine's TV and radio-broadcasting body.

Read also: Macron asked Pavel Durov to move Telegram HQ to Paris in 2018, WSJ reports

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
ANKARA, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish police detained 20 suspects across Turkiye over their alleged links to a network accused of orchestrating a coup attempt in 2016, the country's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said Wednesday.

The police carried out simultaneous raids across 11 provinces, Yerlikaya wrote on social media platform X, without specifying the time of the operations.

According to Yerlikaya, the suspects were allegedly operating within the "military elite structure" of the Gulen Movement, which the Turkish government accuses of attempting a coup on July 15, 2016.

They allegedly communicated via pay phones and had contact with responsible individuals within the Gulen Movement, and were users of the movement's crypto communication program "ByLock," Yerlikaya said.

He added that the suspects' names were mentioned in testimonies of previously arrested group members.

The Turkish government has long accused the Gulen Movement of orchestrating the 2016 coup attempt, which resulted in at least 250 deaths. Following the coup, Ankara launched a widespread crackdown targeting individuals suspected of having ties to the movement. 
The icon of the Telegram app can be seen on the screen of a smartphone. Telegram founder Pavel Durov was brought in front of an investigative judge for questioning following his arrest in France last weekend, dpa learned from Paris prosecutors on 28 August. Fabian Sommer/dpa

Telegram founder Pavel Durov has been released on bail after being arrested in France last week and after being questioned by an investigative judge, Paris prosecutors said on Wednesday evening.

Formal proceedings have been launched against Durov on suspicion of insufficient cooperation with authorities in criminal investigations and aiding and abetting criminal offences on his messaging app, among other things, the Paris public prosecutor's office said.

The Telegram boss was placed under judicial supervision and has been ordered to post 5 million ($5.5 million) in bail, prosecutors said.

He must also report to a police station twice a week and is not allowed to leave France.

Durov was detained after arriving at Paris' Le Bourget airport on Saturday upon arrival from Azerbaijan.

His arrest came amid 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.

In a statement released following Durov's arrest, Telegram said the online messaging service was complying with EU laws and had not violated any regulations.

According to prosecutors, French authorities launched preliminary investigations into Durov some time ago, under suspicion that he was complicit in drug trafficking, fraud and several offences relating to child abuse due to a lack of intervention at Telegram and insufficient cooperation with the authorities.

It was initially unclear why Durov, who was born in Russia and holds French citizenship, had travelled to Paris while being wanted in France. Telegram, a popular messaging app, has long faced accusations of not taking a strong enough stance against hate speech and other illegal activities.

The investigation against Durov may ultimately lead to a criminal trial if the investigators believe there is sufficient evidence. Otherwise, the proceedings can be dropped.

According to the public prosecutor's office, Durov could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of 500,000 for the accusation of aiding and abetting illegal transactions on the messaging app alone.
Kennebec Valley Community College students on campus. (Photo by Maine Community College System)

Enrollment at Maines community colleges continues to increase, two years after the state made the system free for students to attend.

According to early estimates, enrollment increased by almost 9 percent compared with last year. The incoming headcount as of late August for this fall is 16,670 students, compared with 15,334 students on the same date last year. That number is likely to continue rising; between August and October last year, enrollment increased by more than 400 students to reach an all-time high of 19,477 students.

This year, more students are expected to sign up as the semester begins, and the system is on track to exceed last years numbers, according to Noel Gallagher, spokesperson for the Maine Community College System. High schoolers taking early college classes are included in the headcount, which will also boost enrollment numbers after schools start.

Such programs, in addition to campuses offering more night and weekend classes, and increased capacity for popular programs such as nursing, are credited with drawing more students to the system, Gallagher said.

This is in addition to the bump seen since Gov. Janet Mills first launched the free college scholarship in 2022, which has since been extended.

All seven campuses across the state saw enrollment go up this year based on the late August headcount, with a significant increase at the states smallest community college in Washington County, according to enrollment data.

Much like the University of Maine System, which reversed a four-year trend of declining enrollment this fall, Maines community colleges are recruiting a broader range of people and offering classes in different modalities and locations that make it convenient for people to work and take classes, Gallagher said.

Were sort of targeting new populations to come in and be students, she said. Weve done a lot of work in their communities to find out what are the needs in the immediate area for both people who want education, and then also, what the employers need.

For example, a midcoast hospital needed more trained nurses but was having trouble recruiting since the closest college that taught nursing was two hours away, Gallagher said, so the system is now offering nursing classes at the hospital..

All of these factors are playing a role in ongoing strong enrollment at the colleges, and we couldnt be more pleased that were able to offer more low- or no-cost educational opportunities to more students, said David Daigler, president of the Maine Community College System, in a statement.

Its also a reminder that the clock is ticking on the free college scholarship  so we strongly urge all high school seniors to plan for a tuition-free college experience at Maines community colleges.

The last high school class eligible for the free college initiative will graduate next year, but they have until the 2027-28 school year to enroll in community college. The system hopes the Maine Legislature will help make free community college permanent, Gallagher said.

The increase in community college enrollment coincides with a 39 percent increase in transfer students at Maines public universities this year. The two systems are launching a partnership this fall that guarantees admission to community college students at one of the University of Maine System schools.

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FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  Two teams of Fresno fire firefighters were deployed to help support the firefighting efforts at the Park Fire and the Boise Fire in Northern California.

Fresno Fire says as part of Californias Master Mutual Aid program for wildfires, the Fresno Fire Department recently deployed two teams who work in Rapid Extraction Module Support (REMS).

Fresno Fire Rapid Extraction Module Support Team

Fresno Fire Rapid Extraction Module Support Team

Fresno Fire Rapid Extraction Module Support Team

Fresno Fire Rapid Extraction Module Support Team

Fresno Fire Rapid Extraction Module Support Team

The Rapid Extraction Module Support is a team of four firefighters with rope rescue equipment trained to extract firefighters suffering from an injury or illness while conducting fire suppression in remote steep terrain.

The teams are also aided by using a UTV to help move a patient to a vehicle or aircraft for medical transport.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Front of the mob: Horry Co. man facing charges tied to Jan. 6 Capitol riot

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  An Horry County man is facing multiple charges related to Jan. 6, 2021 violence at the U.S. Capitol and made an initial appearance in court on Wednesday.

Jason Brian Barrett, 49, was arrested by the FBI on the 1200 block of Burcale Road. His charges are:

Assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers

Obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder

Entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds

Disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds

Engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds

Disorderly conduct in a Capitol building

A criminal complaint filed last week by the Justice Department details Barretts alleged behavior that includes body worn camera footage of him picking up a helmet from the ground and throwing it toward authorities.

Barrett-SOFDownload

The FBI said it identified Barrett in October as a man who until then was only known by his attire of a dark green hoodie, brown jacket, white and blue baseball cap, sunglasses, gray and black gloves, torn blue jeans a light grey backpack.

Photo courtesy of the FBI

Video footage shows that, while rioters were attempting to overwhelm officers and breach the police line, (Barrett) grabbed a Metropolitan Police Department officer from behind, the complaint states.

At another time, the man identified by the FBI as Barrett picked up a patrol officers helmet and threw it in the general direction of security barriers and posts.

Authorities compared images on social media platforms they said were tied to Barrett from Jan. 5 and Jan. 6 that discussed his planned travel to Washington, D.C. Barrett was wearing the same clothing in one post as the person depicted on body camera footage, officials said in the complaint.

The FBI made consensual contact in May with a person it believed was Barrett, comparing his physical likeness to footage taken on Jan. 6.

By 1 p.m. that day, a mob breached the U.S. Capitol grounds and poured into the West Plaza.

As officers attempted to fend off the crowd, BARRETT can be seen climbing over a short wall, retrieving a blue Trump 2020 flag, assisting other rioters over the wall, and making his way closer to the line of police officers, the complaint says.

Photo courtesy FBI

Less than 15 minutes later, Metropolitan Police Department officers arrived on scene as back up, forming another line of bike rack barricades to push the crowd away.

As officers continued to fend off constant attacks from the crowd, BARRETT remained at the front of the mob, the complaint states.

He then forcefully grabbed a Metropolitan Police Department bicycle officer from behind and wrapped his arm around his neck, according to the complaint and footage captured on surveillance cameras.

More than 1,470 people from every state have been charged with crimes related to the U.S. Capitol breach, including more than 530 charged with felony assault or impeding law enforcement, according to the FBI.

No South Carolina arrest data showed up for Barrett, the state Broadcasters Association told News13.

* * *

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.
Whats the future for Miami condos? Experts to talk on crisis, solutions at Herald panel

Theres a condo crisis in South Florida, with owners coming face to face with rising association fees, special assessments and dwindling reserves. The perfect storm is all but crippling Miamis once vibrant condo market, with some owners struggling to pay the new costs or even to escape them by selling.

Tom Hudson of WLRN

On Sept. 18, the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald are hosting a panel on the condo crisis, Priced Out Of Paradise, moderated by WLRNs Senior Economics Editor and Special Correspondent Tom Hudson. Real estate analysts, academics and politicians will join Hudson on the Herald panel to talk about the challenges and offer possible solutions.

South Florida condo owners today face unprecedented challenges, from skyrocketing costs and special assessments to the looming requirement for reserves, said Alex Mena, executive editor of the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald. These financial pressures are creating a perfect storm, leaving many struggling to keep up.

Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald Executive Editor Alex Mena

Our goal, Mena said is to provide residents with the insights and strategies they need to navigate these turbulent times and to spark a broader conversation about the future of home ownership in our community.

TICKETS: RESERVE HERE TO ATTEND PRICED OUT OF PARADISE

Four real estate experts  including political leaders and academics  will join the discussion:

 Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine-Cava

 State Rep. Vicki Lopez, R-Miami

State Rep. Vicki Lopez

 Ned Murray, associate director of the Florida International University Jorge M. Perez Metropolitan Center

Above: Ned Murray, associate director of the Jorge M. Perez Metropolitan Center at Florida International University.

 Peter Zalewski, founder of real estate consulting firm Condo Vultures

Peter Zalewski of Condo Vultures

A new state law has forced condo owners, some on a fixed income, to dig further into their wallets and tighten other spending. In 2022, state lawmakers banned associations from waiving reserve contributions  a form of savings for routine maintenance projects  and waiving structural repairs. Now, condo associations with buildings three stories or higher owe the state a reserve study by January 2025, essentially providing a savings plan for repairs needed every 15 to 25 years.

The changes came after the collapse of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, which killed 98 people. In addition reserves, communities have to resolve any immediate structural issues. All of this is costing owners a lot of money.

The fallout?

Miami-Dade condo owners saw a 60% increase in the median monthly association fee over the past five years, to $900 from April through June up from $567 during the same period in 2019.

High-rise living is only expected to get pricier come 2025 when every condo dweller has to contribute to their communitys reserve. Those itching to sell face unfavorable conditions, with a dip in sales activity and rising inventory, leaving many owners in a tough financial situation.

At this critical juncture, Mena said, the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald are convening a panel of experts and policymakers to shed light on these complex issues and explore viable solutions.

Event details

 What: Priced Out Of Paradise: Real Estate Experts Discuss Miami-Dades Condo Crisis.

 Where: United Way Miami at 3250 SW Third Ave., Suite 305.

 When: Doors open at 8 a.m. Sept. 18. Event starts at 8:30 a.m. Exclusive networking session begins at 10 a.m.

 Details: After a light-bite mixer, Miami Herald Executive Editor Alex Mena will kick off the discussion with an introduction at 8:30 a.m. The panel and Q&A are expected to conclude by 10 a.m., followed by a 30-minute exclusive networking session with the panelists.

 Tickets: General admission tickets are $25. VIP tickets $90 and include access to some panelists during a VIP networking session. Reserve a ticket on Eventbrite at MiamiHeraldRXPanel.eventbrite.com. All proceeds will go to the Miami Herald Impact Journalism Fund at the Miami Foundation. Donations are tax deductible and help expand local journalism.
CHEMUNG, N.Y. (WETM)  Traffic was diverted on I-86 in Chemung on Wednesday morning after a garbage truck caught fire on the highway.

According to an 18 News reporter at the scene, the fire took place just after 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28, in the westbound lane of I-86 near Exit 59 in Chemung. Upon arrival at the scene, thick white smoke was seen billowing from the truck and filling the area.

Several fire trucks were set up in the Exit 59 off-ramp to tend to the fire which appeared to be coming from the engine area of the truck and the exhaust. After driving through the area and returning, the fire had been put out by the fire department.

Three motorcyclists injured by downed wires in Tioga County, NY

The Chemung County Sheriffs Office, as well as New York State Police, were at the scene blocking off the road, which caused only a minor diversion in traffic.

It is unknown if there were any injuries as a result of the fire, but an ambulance was not spotted at the scene.

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(Quentin Young/Colorado Newsline)

Voters in Garfield County, located in Colorados Western Slope, recalled school board member Tony May, according to unofficial results.

As of 10 p.m. Tuesday, nearly 58% of the 4,823 votes supported removing May from office. Voters also overwhelmingly chose Scott Bolitho, a longtime county resident, as Mays replacement. Bolithos was the only name that appeared on the ballot, though write-in candidates picked up 253 of the 3,097 votes.

Bolitho earned the endorsement of the Coalition for Responsible Education in RE-2, the parent-led nonpartisan organization that led the recall effort.

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May faced criticism from parents and community members in the small Garfield Re-2 school district after attempting and failing to pass the conservative American Birthright social studies curriculum. The standards, developed by the New York-based conservative coalition Civics Alliance, were rejected by the State Board of Education during a 2022 review of civics standards.

Garfield County is known for its conservative political leanings, particularly in local and national elections. Former President Donald Trump earned more than 50% of the vote in 2016 and 2020.

The countys most famous politician, Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, often emphasized her local roots and experiences in the rural Western Slope in her political campaigns and public statements before moving to Weld County this year to run in Colorados 4th Congressional District.

Mays partisan beliefs found him at odds with the districts Latino community when an email surfaced through a public records request about including Voces Unidas, a nonprofit that advocates for the Latino community in rural areas, in a Latino Youth Summit hosted by the district.

In the email, which was addressed to fellow board member Jason Shoup and superintendent Heather Grumley, May stated, As you research The Voces Unidas group, you will find they are pro BLM and play the victim in identity politics. Alex Sanchez of Voces Unidas uses classic Noam Chomsky communist revolutionary tactics. This group believes in socialistic government overreach and advocates radical resistance to American law.

Attempts to contact May on Wednesday were unsuccessful.

According to a Voces Unidas statement, many of its members graduated from or are parents of students in the district and took issue with the fact that, on average, Latino students, which account for 54% of the districts total, are 2.7 grades behind their white peers.

As parents, alumni, voters and members of the community, Voces Unidas believes we have a responsibility to get involved and take an active role in our schools and local government. That includes elected officials accountable for taking concrete steps to address those disparities rather than prioritizing radical political agendas, the statement said.

The Voces Unidas Action Fund, a separate 501(c)(4) nonprofit, joined the Coalition for Responsible Education in RE-2, hiring canvassers to collect signatures and providing information on accessing voters likely to support the effort.

According to the recall petition signed by nearly 3,000 community members, May misused his position to marginalize, disregard and bully parents, staff and community members he disagreed with. They also accused him of engaging in highly partisan actions that jeopardized long-standing relationships and fundraising efforts in the community.

We look forward to closing this chapter and beginning the transitional period of our school board, said Willow Brotzman and Leanne Richel in a joint statement from the Coalition for Responsible Education in RE-2. This victory solidifies that our community does not want divisive politics played out in our school district. We formed this non-partisan coalition centered around the common goal of protecting the educators and the education of the children of Garfield RE-2. The Coalition is proud of what we have accomplished and looks forward to the progress that the board will make with their new member, Scott Bolitho.

Editors note: This story was updated at 8:18 a.m., Aug. 29, 2024, to clarify that Willow Brotzman and Leanne Richel issued a joint statement.

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A new Taliban edict banning women in Afghanistan from baring their faces and speaking in public places is spotlighting the betrayal felt by Afghan women and their allies three years after Americas withdrawal from the country.

After seeing major progress in womens rights during the U.S. war in Afghanistan, Afghan women now face restrictions on their movements without a male relative, and women have to cover their bodies and faces with a thick, heavy cloth while in public. Secondary school for girls is nonexistent, and more and more of their freedoms have eroded.

Parasto Hakim, who runs underground schools for girls, called whats happening on the ground in Afghanistan gender apartheid. Women on the ground say the latest ban is rolling out unevenly, depending on the Taliban fighter or official they encounter.

But in the days since the new edict came into effect, billboards and banners have been going up throughout the South Asian country dictating how women should dress.

In posts on the social platform X, Hakim said the restrictions will likely expand, possibly even to primary schools. Afghan women will once again face the worst gender apartheid under Taliban rule, as they did after 1996, she added.

In the 1,095 days since the U.S. withdrew and the Taliban rapidly took power, Heather Barr, interim co-director of the Womens Rights Division at Human Rights Watch, said women, girls and their families in Afghanistan are slowly giving up hope on the situation changing.

[Over] time, they give up and they start thinking about who you should marry, and the support you have to try and study at home drifts away in terms of people supplying you with books, people supplying you with computers, internet, and stuff like that.

Living in that environment, and the impact on their mental health, is the toughest toll Afghan women and girls face, according to Barr.

Youre stressed and angry at first, but over time, you kind of subside into depression and hopelessness, which I think is what a lot of the women and girls that we talk to are now feeling, Barr said.

Its also getting harder for women under the Taliban regime to see any light at the end of the tunnel, she added.

To sustain this belief that youre going to win in the end. How can you? Its very hard to kind of stay in that mindset when three years have passed.

But women in the country are also mounting their own, quiet resistance to the new Taliban edicts  at times risking their safety to express their dissent.

Women are posting and sharing videos of themselves singing, despite the Talibans laws forcing them to stay silent in public.

Afghan women are defying the Talibans ban on women speaking in public by singing out loud. Lets stand with them and support their powerful voices, Habib Khan, founder of Afghan Peace Watch, wrote on X.

In a statement to The Hill, Rina Amiri, the U.S. special envoy for Afghan women, girls, and human rights, said that the Talibans relentless, discriminatory edicts are unparalleled.

Their institutionalized efforts targeting the women and girls of Afghanistan constitute gender persecution. These extreme policies are self-defeating and reinforce views that the Taliban are pursuing the same approach that made them a pariah in the 1990s, Amiri said.

The special envoy added the U.S. will use every tool at our disposal to support Afghan women and girls, including working with and mobilizing the international community to ensure we collectively make clear to the Taliban any progress in normalized relations will be contingent on ending these extreme policies and making significant improvements in the human rights situation in Afghanistan.

In an interview with LBC, Hakim asked: isnt it time to ask the world leaders who handed Afghanistan over to the Taliban  what were you thinking?

This sentiment is echoed by Women for Women Internationals country director for Afghanistan, Payvand Seyedali, who told The Hill that America, Canada, and the UK seem to have washed their hands  on the ground, we see very little impact from their engagement today.

What we saw on American TV during the evacuation was exactly how it felt on the ground  a mad, shocking, nonsensical withdrawal, Seyedal said. That chaos still has reverberations we feel today.

She is also critical of United Nations Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo, who recently highlighted Afghan womens concerns at the Doha III meeting in June this year but had Afghan women excluded from those talks with the Taliban.

According to Seyedali, protests from womens rights groups led to a hurriedly planned two-hour event the day following Doha III, where select Afghan women were invited with little notice, and no time to consult with wider groups of women. Many did not attend, expressing feelings on media of being a tokenized afterthought.

Seyedali, who is based in Kabul, said the U.N. really struggles to walk the walk.

They seem to be at a loss politically, and disconnected beyond humanitarian engagement. This stalemate comes at an incredibly high cost, draining donor investment with questionable return on investment  especially for women, she added.

The Hill has reached out to the U.N. about the criticisms.

Roza Otunbayeva, head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, said in a statement the new laws 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.

The statement added that, The international community has been seeking, in good faith, to constructively engage with the de facto authorities.

Rights groups after the May meeting in Doha strongly criticized the controversial U.N. move to exclude the groups, including womens rights activists, from the two-day meeting on Afghanistan as the toll for the Taliban governments participation.

A statement issued by a group of U.S. policy advocates for Afghan women and girls said that despite these egregious violations of womens rights, there has not been a coherent, coordinated and rights-based response to this crisis from the international community.

The response has been piecemeal. It has lacked a commitment to upholding human rights and international law through concrete steps such as measures to hold the Taliban accountable for their abuses. Instead, the international community has engaged in a pattern of gradually accepting the Talibans violations of the rights of women and girls. This poses a dangerous trend toward the normalization of such abuses, the statement added.

According to Lina Tori Jan, a policy officer at the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, the U.S. can help fund women-led organizations both inside and outside the country to effectively engage with women in Afghanistan.

She added that there are a few steps that can be taken including delivering on the commitments made to the Afghan allies and well as including Afghan women in all policy dialogues in relation to the country.

In a statement to The Hill, a British embassy spokesperson said the U.K. continues to provide humanitarian support to the most vulnerable and press the Taliban on human rights.

As part of UK diplomatic engagement, we regularly meet a range of Afghan women to ensure our policy and programming reflect their views. Afghan women must have a say in their countrys future governance, the statement added.

However, Seyedali said that while they see those who visit from these governments try to speak up and push, we see a common refrain of charge daffaires on the ground advising headquarters  but unable to move the needle.

According to Barr, there is a kind of deep rage at the international community, particularly Western countries like the U.S. and U.K., that were involved in military operations from 2001 on.

They feel like you created this situation, Barr said of the sentiment of Afghan women toward Western governments. You made the deal with the Taliban in Doha, which we were shut out of. You handed the country over to the Taliban. And now were the ones who have to live with it. And you dont seem very interested in hearing about it anymore.

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Georgetown County 14-year-old accused of threatening to bring gun to school over text

GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  A Georgetown County 14-year-old has been charged with making threats after allegedly sending a text threatening to bring a gun to school, the Georgetown County Sheriffs Office said.

The Carvers Bay Middle School student is accused of threatening to bring a gun to school in a text message to his friend. The boy was stopped from entering the school by the school resource officer when he exited the school bus. The bus was searched but no weapons were found.

Georgetown County deputies and a K9 team searched the school for weapons. The boy was interviewed and his room was searched for weapons, but none were found.

The student will be charged with making school threats and will be subject to the Georgetown County School District disciplinary policy.

Carvers Bay Middle School is operating as normal.

* * *

Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
Georgia Power wants to burn wood for fuel, but environmentalists say no. Who decides?

Georgia Power will make a case Thursday to the Public Service Commission to add more biomass, a form of energy generation that burns wood pellets or other organic matter, to the states energy portfolio.

The energy provider uses oil/gas, coal, hydropower, nuclear, and renewables like solar, wind and battery storage to serve 2.7 million customers. It generates 19,000 megawatts of energy, according to the Energy Information Agency. A sliver of that is the existing biomass plants that generate 350 megawatts that Georgia Power calls renewable.

They want to add 80 MW in the form of three plants that would begin operation in the next two to five years as part of its 2022 Integrated Resource Plan, a deal with the Public Service Commission that guides how the company provides power to its customers for long periods of time. The plan requires approval from the five-member body of the Public Service Commission, but there are critics of the plan.

The Georgia Forestry Commission told the Ledger-Enquirer in April that biomass and bioenergy remains a key part of Georgias long-term strategy and a key element for our economys evolution.

Georgia is second in the nation for biomass generation, trailing only California, according to the latest data from the Energy Information Agency.

Critiques from Georgia Interfaith Power and Light and Dogwood Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting Southern forests and communities from logging, say biomass is not renewable. They say it exacerbates the climate crisis and pollutes vulnerable communities.

The burning of biomass isnt efficient, clean, or green, Treva Gear, the Georgia campaign manager for Dogwood Alliance, said. We know this based on our European neighbors who are complaining of those biomass burning in those Drax facilities.

Gear is referring to a wood burning power plant, Drax, which has been cited as Britains largest carbon emitter receiving major subsidies since 2012.

The pollution generated by these plants is major. The process of sourcing of the wood (is one thing), but just drying it creates formaldehyde, acrolein, multiple volatile organic compounds, and harmful air pollutants, most cancer causing agents.

The largest biomass processing plant in the Southeast is in Waycross, and is owned by Enviva. Waycross produces 800,000 dry metric tons of wood pellets per year. It started operations just three years ago.

The company takes wood pellets by train to Savannahs port and ships it to Europe. Enviva filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, which some said pointed to signs of a shifting industry.

Enviva biomass plant in Waycross, Georgia is the largest wood pellet plant in the world.

But the Georgia Forestry Commission says Georgia forests are in a good place from a sustainability standpoint because we grow more wood every year than we harvest by 50%.

Georgia Power claims Biomass is carbon-neutral since the emissions equal the carbon dioxide absorbed by trees as they mature, according to its website.

Burning of wood pellets for power emits more carbon per megawatt produced than burning coal, said Othelllious Cato, an organizer for Georgia Interfaith Power and Light in southern Georgia.

The Southern Environmental Law Center will cross-examine Georgia Power in the hearing Thursday in Atlanta.

There are two things the SELC said the Public Service Commission need to consider in this request from Georgia Power: the price and whether it is in the public interest.

An independent evaluator, Accion Group LLC, gave testimony for Georgia Power a few weeks ago and said the price is not in the interest of bill payers.

The prices of the contracted biomass are exceptionally high when compared to the Companys avoided costand the cost to ratepayers is three times the avoided cost, Harold Judd, president of Accion Group, said. It would be beneficial to Georgia Power ratepayers if the developer chose to terminate the (contract).

SELC and Georgia Power could not provide the total cost of the biomass power purchase agreement, citing trade secrets.

The Public Service Commission proposed and approved an amendment to the 2022 resource plan directing Georgia Power to reissue the Biomass proposal to procure up to 140 MW of new biomass capacity and energy for Georgia Power Customers, Matthew Kent, a spokesperson for Georgia Power, said in an email.

Georgia Power received four bids for the 80 MW, and a case will be made Thursday for three of the bids. They include:

International Paper Flint River Mill at 3.6 MW of biomass in Macon County. A 10 year term starting in 2026.

International Paper  Port Wentworth Mill at 4.3 MW of biomass in ChathamCounty. A 10 year term starting in 2027.

Altamaha Green Energy at 70 MW of greenfield biomass in Wayne County. A 30 year term starting in 2029.

Why biomass?

The case comes as a way to finalize the 2022 resource plan contract. Kent said a mix of resources is necessary to provide clean, safe, reliable and affordable electric services 24/7, but did not say why Georgia Power isnt pursuing more renewables like solar, wind, or batteries. He instead said biomass is renewable.

As recognized by the Commission, the benefits of biomass as a renewable resource support Georgias forest industry and rural and economic development growth, he said in an email. It is a non-intermittent resource with an onsite fuel source and can provide capacity and energy in any hour of the day.

The demand for energy has increased rapidly in Georgia. More companies, specifically technology companies, are coming to the Peach State. Georgia Powers own forecast in 2022 changed from 400 MW to 6,600 MW through 2031, prompting the a 2023 update to the resource plan.

Public Commissioner Jason Shaw told the Ledger-Enquirer in April that 80% of the growth is attributed to artificial intelligence and data centers.

You cannot put all your eggs in one basket, moving toward clean energy transition is very challenging with this unprecedented growth, he said.

Brionte McCorkle, executive director of Georgia Conservation Voters, also pointed to data centers as the latest reason for demand increase. But she said there is also a structure at play that lends itself to Georgia Power succeeding by growing. She said these projections should be viewed with caution.

The fact is Georgia Power as its currently structured is incentivized to build expensive things, because overbuilding the grid above and beyond whats needed (even factoring in reserve needs) is profitable for its shareholders at the expense of its captive base of Georgia Power customers, McCorkle said in an email.

McCorkle, Dogwood Alliance, and the SELC encourage Georgia Power customers to email and call Public Service Commissioners or attend hearings.

The schedule for requesting 80 MW of biomass as part of the 2022 resource plan is as follows:

Aug. 29: the commission will hear Georgia Powers testimony

Sept. 12: Closing comments

Sept. 17: The final vote. The public has up to 24 hours before the vote on the 17th to submit written comments.

All events open to the public, but individuals must sign up the morning of the meeting to speak.
PARIS, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the encrypted messaging service Telegram, was released on Wednesday after paying a 5-million-euro (about 5.6 million U.S. dollars) bail, but he is required to report to the police twice a week, Paris Public Prosecutor Laure Beccuau announced Wednesday night.

Durov is officially placed under investigation on six charges and he was prohibited from leaving France during the investigation, Beccuau added.

Durov was arrested by French police at an airport outside Paris on Saturday night. Beccuau said on Monday that the Telegram founder is accused of 12 criminal offenses, including failing to act against Telegram users involved in cyberbullying, sharing pedophilic content and glorifying terrorism.

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.

In response 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.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that the arrest of Durov is "in no way a political decision."

Durov's arrest in France "took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation," Macron said on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

After the arrest, Russia's embassy in Paris has referred a note to the French foreign ministry demanding consular access to Durov, the TASS news agency quoted Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk, owner of the U.S. social media platform X, and Edward Snowden, former U.S. National Security Agency contractor, condemned on Sunday Durov's arrest. 
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV)  The 60th United States Presidential Election will be held on Tuesday, November 5, and all eyes will be on the Peach State.

Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz will tour the state, culminating in a Thursday night rally in Savannah. Earlier this month, Former President Donald Trump rallied in Atlanta. Both campaigns are trying to earn every last vote ahead of Election Day.

Why so much emphasis on Georgia? Political junkies will be the first to tell you that while states like Ohio and Iowa dwindle in their habits of being pivotal, decisive states in modern politics, Georgia is a newly-christened swing state.

Georgia has a fascinating political history and record of voting.

The first slate of electors went to George Washington in 1788 and again in 1792. Thomas Jefferson was the first member of a political party to win in the state, the then-newly-formed Democratic-Republican party.

In 1864, there was no presidential election held in the state due to Georgias allegiance with the Confederacy during the ongoing Civil War.

Following the end of the war and the ratification of the From 1868 to 1960, the state voted Democratic in every Presidential Election, from Rutherford B. Hayes, Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt to John F. Kennedy.

Barry Goldwater was the first Republican Presidential Candidate to win the states electoral votes in 1964. Georgia joined four other deep southern states (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and South Carolina) in switching from solidly Democratic to Republican. The party switch, similar to the decidedly Democratic swing post-Civil War, was due to the overwhelming backlash from White southerners towards Civil Rights for African Americans. President Lyndon B. Johnsons passage of the Civil Rights Act that summer rallied the majority of voters in opposition of the Democratic Party.

The switch was dramatic among the electorate. In 1960, the state voted for Kennedy 63% to 37% for Republican Richard Nixon. Goldwater won 54% to 45% four years later, a 17-point swing towards the Grand Old Party (GOP).

Four years later, Georgia joined three of those four states in voting for segregationist Alabama Governor George Wallaces American Independent run for President.

It would be 8 more years before Georgia voted for a Democrat again when native son Jimmy Carter ran successfully in 1976, then unsuccessfully in 1980 against Ronald Reagan. The state did gift Reagan its electoral votes by an overwhelming margin when the Republican powerhouse ran for re-election in the landslide election of 1984.

Bill Clinton, the Comeback Kid, made a Democratic comeback in Georgia by edging out a half-percentage-point win in his first run in 1992. That year would be the last time a Democratic nominee for President won in the state. Al Gore, John Kerry, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton all lost the state by 5 points or more.

After the election of Donald J. Trump, who carried the state, in 2016, the state began to see another change.

African American voter registration rose on the part of organizers like former gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and scores of activists who monitored and strengthened voter rolls. Democratic candidate for President Joseph R. Bidens efforts to win them along with White moderate suburban voters and female voters across the board led to a shift not only in the margins within these demographics but the size of these demographics.

In 2020, Joseph R. Biden became the first Democrat in nearly three decades to win Georgia. A month later, the U.S. Senate Runoffs with Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff saw both Democrats winning for the first time in 20 years and cementing Georgias new status as a swing state. The win was by the narrowest margin in the history of Presidential elections in the state: 0.23% (11,779 votes out of nearly 5,000,000 cast). The race was so close that while Election Day was held on November 3, the state wasnt called by media outlets until November 19 due to the slow trickle of provisional ballots and a state law allowing manual recounts for close elections.

The way of the 2024 Presidential Election, and Georgias political future, relies on you, the voter. Visit WSAVs Your Local Election HQ for places to check your voting status, polling location and any registration deadlines that may approach.

VP Harris and Gov. Walz to rally in Savannah

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German expert says legal age for consuming alcohol should rise to 18

A leading German drug and addiction expert on Wednesday said the legal age for consuming alcohol in the country should be raised to 18 years old.

"The consumption of alcohol should only be allowed from the age of 18," said Burkhard Blienert, the government's commissioner for narcotics and addiction, in an interview with the Dusseldorf-based Rheinische Post newspaper.

Germany has relatively loose age restrictions on the consumption and purchase of alcohol. Beer and wine are available to buy from the age of 16, while young people are allowed to consume alcoholic beverages in public if they are accompanied by a legal guardian.

"I don't think much of accompanied drinking from the age of 14," said Blienert, stating: "Alcohol is a toxin that takes effect from the first drop."

"There is no such thing as a harmless amount of alcohol. Of course, alcohol has a particularly strong effect on adolescents who are still developing physically. It has been proven to damage the brain," he added.

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has also previously spoken out in favour of banning drinking for 14- to 16-year-olds.

Just weeks ago, the German Nutrition Society (DEG) advised against drinking alcohol, changing an earlier assessment.

Even in moderation, alcohol is not healthy, the trade group wrote in a paper in August.

"Alcohol is a psychoactive drug" that has been identified as the cause of more than 200 negative health consequences, the paper stated.

The study found that children, adolescents, pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding should in particular avoid alcohol.

Alcohol consumption has come under renewed focus after a landmark paper by the University of Victoria in Canada found that previous studies suggesting a moderate amount of drinking could be beneficial were incorrect.
(Bloomberg) -- More than 80% of German companies fell victim to data theft, industrial espionage or sabotage over the past year, with the cumulative damage caused rising by almost a third to a record 267 billion ($298 billion), according to a survey by tech lobby Bitkom.

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Some 70% of firms polled between April and June were able to attribute the attacks  both digital and analog  to organized criminal gangs, the survey of around 1,000 companies published Wednesday showed. Foreign security services were identified as the perpetrators in a fifth of cases, up from 7% in the previous year.

China surpassed Russia as the most frequent source of attacks. Attacks from non-European Union nations in eastern Europe also increased, Bitkom said.

The damages, which represent more than 6% of Germanys gross domestic product in 2023, highlight concerns over Chinese cybercrime as tensions escalate between Beijing and the EU and its allies.

International conflicts and systemic rivalries are shaping the security situation in cyberspace as well as in the geopolitical sphere, Sinan Selen, a vice president of Germanys domestic security agency, said in an emailed statement published with the report.

The threat to Europes biggest economy is increasing, according to Bitkom President Ralf Wintergerst, who urged companies to boost security measures.

This applies to digital as well as classic attacks, such as eavesdropping on meetings or the theft of physical documents, Wintergerst said.

Some two-thirds of the companies surveyed see their existence threatened by cyberattacks, up from about half a year ago and 9% in 2021, he added.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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German Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser makes a press statement during her visit to the Gifhorn base of the Federal Police Air Wing. Moritz Frankenberg/dpa

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said she wants to work more closely with France in the fight against Islamist terrorism after a deadly knife attack by a Syrian refugee with suspected ties to the Islamic State group in the city of Solingen in western Germany last week.

"These are difficult times for us in Germany at the moment after the terrible terrorist attack in Solingen, which is why I was also moved to exchange views with my French colleague on how we can counter the terrible acts of violent Islamists," Faeser said at a meeting with French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin in Paris on Wednesday.

"It was important to me that we exchanged views on how we can combat Islamism to a greater extent by working together, but also how we can continue to push back irregular migration," said Faeser.

In particular, she said it is about curbing so-called secondary migration, which is the movement of refugees between EU member states.

The European Commission must put pressure on member states who will not take back refugees who made their initial application for asylum there.

Berlin says the suspected perpetrator who killed three people in Solingen - 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. Germany believes Bulgaria was the EU county responsible for processing his claim.
From 2022 to 2023, Germany saw installations of new wind and solar power nearly double, a shift driven in part by sweeping changes to simplify permitting for clean energy projects.

With war raging in Ukraine, imports of Russian gas have dwindled, forcing Europe to quickly ramp up its buildout of clean power. In line with EU directives, Germany has digitized permitting, streamlined the approval process, and declared clean energy to be of overriding public interest, a designation that shields projects from burdensome legal challenges. It also required states to set aside 2 percent of their land for wind turbines, helping to further accelerate approvals.

Germany shows whats possible if youre serious about expanding wind, said Giles Dickson, head of WindEurope. Many more new projects are getting approved than before, especially in onshore wind.

From 2022 to 2023, new wind and solar capacity in Germany rose from 9.7 gigawatts to 18.6 gigawatts, Bloomberg reported, adding that figures from last year still dont reflect the full impact of regulatory changes, as many recently permitted projects have yet to be built.

Permitting is one of the silver bullets of the energy transition, said Jonathan Bonadio of SolarPower Europe. When we get the paperwork and bureaucratic procedures right, solar and renewables will have a true fighting chance. In a 2023 analysis, Bonadio found that Germany is leading most of its European peers on cutting red tape.

Speaking to Bloomberg, Barbel Heidebroek, head of the German Wind Energy Association, said that Germany can certainly be a model for other European countries.

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Germany to hold crunch talks on migration policy after knife attack

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (R) and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer attend a joint press conference at the Chancellery, following their meeting during his visit to Germany. Christoph Soeder/dpa

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday outlined plans for formal talks with opposition parties and the country's state governments, as the fallout from the deadly knife attack in the western city of Solingen continued.

The talks are to focus on the deportation of migrants, the fight against Islamist terrorism and weapons law reform, Scholz said after a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Berlin.

Scholz said Interior Minister Nancy Faeser would invite representatives of state governments, opposition parties and federal ministries to the discussions.

The attack in Solingen, which left three people dead and eight injured, has reignited debates on Germany's immigration policies. The 26-year-old suspect is Syrian and has been remanded in custody after allegedly pledging allegiance to the Islamic State terror group.

Government figures released on Tuesday showed deportations from Germany increased in the first half of 2024, but Scholz said more could be done.

The chancellor said the German government would "continue its efforts to further limit irregular migration."

Scholz also announced "stricter gun laws, measures against violent Islamism and residence law measures to further facilitate deportations."

While Scholz did not provide a time frame, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said in Berlin that discussions were at the "final drafting stage" and a new package could appear "very soon."

Scholz's comments came a day after opposition leader Friedrich Merz from the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) offered his cooperation on the reform of immigration policies.

Merz reportedly wants to send his colleague Thorsten Frei to the high-level talks.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (R) speaks during a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the Chancellery, following their meeting during his visit to Germany. Christoph Soeder/dpa
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reacts during a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the Chancellery, following their meeting during his visit to Germany. Christoph Soeder/dpa

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday outlined plans for formal talks with opposition parties and the country's state governments, as the fallout from the deadly knife attack in the western city of Solingen continued.

The talks are to focus on the deportation of migrants, the fight against Islamist terrorism and weapons law reform, Scholz said in Berlin.

The chancellor said Interior Minister Nancy Faeser would invite representatives of state governments, opposition parties and federal ministries to the discussions.

The attack in Solingen, which left three people dead and eight injured, has reignited debates on Germany's immigration policies after it emerged the 26-year-old suspect from Syria had evaded deportation to Bulgaria under EU migration rules.

Government figures released on Tuesday showed deportations from Germany increased in the first half of 2024, but Scholz said more could be done.

The chancellor said the German government would "continue its efforts to further limit irregular migration."

Scholz also announced there would be "stricter gun laws, measures against violent Islamism and residence law measures to further facilitate deportations."

While Scholz did not provide a time frame, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said in Berlin that discussions were at the "final drafting stage" and a new package of measures could appear "very soon."

Vice Chancellor Habeck criticizes Merz

Scholz's comments came a day after opposition leader Friedrich Merz from the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) offered his cooperation on the reform of immigration policies without Scholz's coalition partners from the Greens and the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP) if necessary.

Merz has called for the government to allow deportations to Syria and Afghanistan, despite concerns over human rights violations in the two countries.

His "divisive rhetoric" was criticized on Wednesday by Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck of the Greens, who told the Sat.1 broadcaster on Wednesday that Germany needs to come together following the latest incident.

Habeck said Merz's suggestion that he would not hold talks with the Greens was divisive, especially as the state of North Rhine Westphalia, where the attack took place on Friday, is governed by a CDU-Green coalition.

The vice chancellor also took issue with Merz's proposal to implement a "national emergency" to override EU law on migration and speed up deportations.

"That's not how Europe works," said Habeck.

All eight injured in Solingen attack to recover

Elsewhere on Wednesday, Herbert Reul, the interior minister for the state of North Rhine Westphalia, said all eight people who were injured in the Solingen attack were expected to recover.

The suspected perpetrator has been identified as Issa al-H under German privacy laws, a 26-year-old Syrian who has been remanded in custody.

The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating him for murder and on suspicion of membership of the Islamic State terror group.
Getting ready for a Labor Day roadtrip? Good news: Gas prices down in California

Motorists preparing for Labor Day weekend are seeing lower gas prices at the pump in California and nationwide.

The states average price Wednesday was $4.622, down from $5.287 on the same date in 2023, according to AAA.

Its good news for those taking road trips to see that prices are lower than what we were paying last year, said Doug Shupe, corporate communications manager at the Auto Clubs office in Los Angeles. But he added that gas prices arent the deciding factor in vacation plans, which are typically made far before a holiday such as Labor Day.

Gas in California continues to cost more than the national average, which AAA said was $3.361 Wednesday, down from $3.819 one year ago.

Prices county by county

Within the state, prices varied slightly, but stuck around $4.60 a gallon in Southern California, AAA reported.

The average Wednesday was $4.676 in Ventura County, $4.691 in Santa Barbara County, $4.576 in Los Angeles County, $4.491 in San Bernardino County, $4.459 in Riverside County and $4.683 in San Diego County.

Prices rose as motorists headed north along the coast. San Luis Obispo Countys average was $4.861 a gallon, and San Francisco Countys prices averaged $4.831. Northern California counties along the coast saw prices around $5 a gallon.

News was better inland in the northern and central parts of the state. Averages were $4.54 in Shasta County, $4.511 in San Joaquin County, $4.596 in Tulare County, and $4.594 a gallon in Fresno County.

The map shows average gas prices nationally on Monday.

Less expensive gas in Oregon, Nevada

Gas is cheaper in states next to California, according to AAAs figures.

In Oregon, gas prices averaged $3.799 a gallon Wednesday, down from $4.745 one year ago.

Motorists heading to Las Vegas will find cheaper gas in Nevada. The average price was $3.968 on Wednesday. At this time, in 2023, the average was $4.49.

But Shupe advises motorists leaving California for Las Vegas on Thursday and Friday to leave in the morning. Interstate 15, the freeway from California into Nevada, will be congested in the afternoon on both days, the AAA spokesman said.

He has other tips for motorists such as saving gas by packing luggage inside the car and not on top of it.

Finding the lowest gas prices

Some stations Wednesday were selling gas for $4.25 a gallon or less in Ventura County, $3.89 gallon or less in Fresno County and $3.83 a gallon or less in Riverside County, according to gasbuddy.com.

The website lists the cheapest gas stations throughout California, county by county. Stations include those at big box stores such as Costco and Sams Club, which are popular for their lower gas prices.

Why are prices down?

Lower oil prices have led to falling gas prices, according to USA Today. The U.S. benchmark, West Texas Intermediate, is down more than 10% from early July. The decrease is fueled by factors such as weakening oil demand in China, a top consumer, and the ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, said Matt Smith, an oil analyst with commodity data firm Kpler.

Why is gas so expensive in California?

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, several factors influence gas prices, including crude oil prices, refining costs, taxes, distribution, and marketing.

As of Aug. 26, the average price of a gallon of gas in the United States is $3.35. In California, the average gas price is $4.45.

Why are California gas prices higher than the rest of the nation? California requires a special, more expensive blend of gasoline that reduces pollution. Another wrinkle? According to the California Energy Commission, that special blend of gas is only processed by 11 refineries within the state.

Finally, California's high taxes are also a factor. According to the Energy Information Administration, the state has the highest gasoline taxes in the nation at 60 cents a gallon.

Driving tips to save on gas

Looking for ways to save money on gas? American Automobile Association (AAA). First, AAA research has found that unless premium fuel is recommended or required by your cars manufacturer, it provides no added benefit, so choose the cheaper blend.

AAA also suggests:

Slow down: On the highway, aerodynamic drag causes fuel economy to drop off significantly as speeds increase above 50 mph.

Avoid jackrabbit starts and hard acceleration. These actions greatly increase fuel consumption.

Avoid extended idling to warm up the engine, even in winter. Its unnecessary and wastes fuel.

When approaching a red light or stop sign, take your foot off the gas early and allow your car to coast down to a slower speed until it is time to brake.

Use cruise control to help maintain a constant speed and save fuel.

Minimize your use of air conditioning. Even at highway speeds, open windows have less effect on fuel economy than the engine power required to operate the air conditioning compressor.

In hot weather, park in the shade or use a windshield sunscreen to lessen heat buildup inside the car. This reduces the need for air conditioning (and thus fuel) to cool down the car.

Remove unnecessary and bulky items from your car. Accelerating a heavier car requires more fuel, and the reduction in fuel economy is greater for small cars than for larger models.

Use roof racks sparingly and remove special carriers when not in use. On the highway, even an empty bike, canoe, or ski rack can reduce fuel economy, and a loaded rack or car-top container will have a major effect on gas mileage.

Dave Mason covers East County for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at dave.mason@vcstar.com or 805-437-0232.

This story included previous reporting by Bailey Schulz of USA TODAY.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Gas prices down in California as Labor Day nears
The Rev. John A. Reed Jr. often preached about the trials and triumphs of the Oklahoma City civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s because he lived through those years on the frontlines as a young pastor, challenging the racism and bigotry of Jim Crow.

Affectionately known as "Pop," the longtime Oklahoma City minister, community and civil rights leader died Monday at 86. Reed was known for having achieved a remarkable feat  serving as pastor of his beloved congregation at Fairview Baptist Church, 1700 NE 7, for more than 60 years. He was considered a pastoral father to numerous preachers and pastors in Oklahoma and beyond, and praised as a tireless leader for the Oklahoma City Black community and the community-at-large.

"Pastor Reed is one of the most impactful residents our city has ever known," Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt said.

More: 'I'm still in the race': Oklahoma City preacher celebrates 60 years at one church

"Due to the way stories were told in this community, and in many others, that wasnt always widely known. But it was certainly known to the leaders of this city. Pastor Reed was a part of every initiative in this city for half a century. He was always at the table."

Just a few days before his death, Reed took to the pulpit for what was to be the last time, to commemorate the anniversaries of the Oklahoma City sit-in movement and the 1969 Oklahoma City Sanitation Strike.

The Rev. Derrick Scobey, his friend and colleague in the ministry, said the sermon was "prophetic."

The Rev. John A. Reed Jr. is seen on Feb. 28, 2023, at Fairview Baptist Church in Oklahoma City.

Scobey said Reed's last sermon emphasized the importance of pursuing dreams and acting on those dreams, something that Reed continued to do until his death.

"He stayed in the race all the way to the end  still lucid, still driving, still walking, still preaching," Scobey said.

Other elected leaders, along with Reed's friends and "sons in the ministry," also spoke about Reed's enduring legacy.

More: 'I'm still in the race': Oklahoma City preacher celebrates 60 years at one church

State Rep. Jason Lowe, D-Oklahoma City, a member of Reed's church, said the nation lost "a statesman."

When you look at the walls of history in Oklahoma, you will find that Dr. Reed played a vital role in leading the Civil Rights Movement and other movements in our state," Lowe said in a statement. "He pastored many leaders in our nation, and I am grateful he served as my pastor for the last several years."

Holt, like Scobey, talked about Reed's lengthy life and ministry career that the preacher often likened to a race.

"His legacy is great and he kept building it till the day he died," Holt said. "He used to say Im still in the race. It may be that his race on this Earth has finally ended, but he ran through the tape."

Oklahoma County Commissioner Carrie Blumert spoke of Reed's influence.

"Pastor Reed's impact on his congregation and community was immeasurable," she said in a statement.

Rev. Major Jemison, longtime senior pastor of St. John's Missionary Baptist Church, said he worked together with Reed in the community for 41 years on several different projects and several different fronts.

"He was faithful, loving, kind and concerned about the progress of northeast Oklahoma City and the state of Oklahoma as a whole," Jemison said.

The minister said Reed's leadership of Fairview made the churcha staple in the surrounding community and Reed and his congregation were well respected in the ecumenical community and nationally, in his denomination, the National Baptist Convention USA Inc.

Like Hildreth, Jemison also spoke of Reed's leadership in the civil rights movement.

"This made him an icon in his community with the likes of the Rev. W.K. Jackson (Jemison's predecessor at St. John) and Clara Luper and so many of the other pioneers of our community, Jemison said. "He was a part of that, and so he leaves a legacy of great respect, great contribution and great admiration among those of us who knew him and loved him."

The Rev. Jerry Young, pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi, and president of the National Baptist Convention USA Inc., said Reed was one of his closest friends. Reed had been set to preach at a service at the denomination's meeting in September in Baltimore, Maryland.

"He was an outstanding preaching pastor, just a Christian gentleman and an exceptional kind of fellow, he really was," Young said. "It has been the privilege of my life to have met him, have worked with him, served with him, and some of the best advice I've ever received, I received from him."

The Rev. John A. Reed Jr.

A 'preacher's kid' who took a stand

Reed, a native of Kingfisher, was born into a Christian household as a "PK"  "preacher's kid"  to the Rev. John. A. Reed Sr. and his wife, Mae Ella Reed. He felt called to preach at an early age, but he ultimately was inspired to accept the divine call after seeing his best friend stabbed to death during a fight outside a rodeo. In 1957, he preached his first sermon at age 19 at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Stillwater and was ordained as a minister in 1961.

His ministry at Fairview began on the second Sunday in January 1963, when the church's senior pastor, the Rev. S.S. Fairley, officially presented Reed to the congregation as his assistant pastor. The older preacher became ill two years later, and Reed said the pastoral "yoke of responsibility" soon fell upon him. The Fairview congregation officially installed Reed as senior pastor after Fairley's death in 1975.

Oklahoma City Ward 7 Councilwoman Nikki Nice said Reed was "a giant in the community that led from a civil rights aspect, but also from a ministry aspect."

Nice grew emotional as she said Reed's death is "a hard blow to our community." She said she was grateful that she was sitting in the pew when he recently preached at the worship service culminating the Freedom Fiesta activities commemorating the Oklahoma City sit-in movement.

"I just remember his message was 'be a dreamer,'" she said. "After church, I gave him a hug and said, 'Alright, Reverend, you better tell us to dream.' He said,' 'That's right, baby, if your mind can conceive it and believe it, you can achieve it.'"

More: Freedom Fiesta to commemorate two of OKC's most notable civil rights anniversaries

Civil rights leader Marilyn Hildreth also expressed sadness at Reed's passing.

Hildreth said Reed was the last of Oklahoma City's civil rights leaders of a certain generation. With the death of her mother, civil rights icon Clara Luper, who died in 2011, and the 2023 death of the Rev. W.B. Parker, longtime pastor of Spencer's St. James Baptist Church, she said Reed was the only one left.

"He leaves a void  where do we go from here?" she said. "We have to and we're obligated to lean on the teachings that we've been taught through history because no more do we have anybody to call and ask for their advice and help facing the struggle."

A constant presence

Preachers who considered themselves Reed's "sons in the ministry" spoke of the many ways he influenced their lives and their ministries.

The Rev. Ray Douglas, senior pastor of Mount Olive Baptist Church, said Reed was a constant and steady presence in his life.

"As a child, he baptized me. He licensed and ordained me, and I served as his youth pastor, and then the assistant to the pastor," Douglas said. "Really, most of my ministry is really connected to him and the relationship that we've had."

More: Oklahoma City clergy unite for community forum about youths, racism and violence

Douglas said he was proud to be one of Reed's sons in the ministry and he knew of ministers both in Oklahoma and throughout the country who also considered themselves blessed to have been mentored by the longtime pastor.

"He has a long legacy. Really, he's an icon," Douglas said.

The Rev. Jon Middendorf, senior minister of OKC First Church of the Nazarene, said he came to know Reed when he became the leader of his church in northwest Oklahoma City in 2007.

"I leaned on Pop Reed for some guidance and for some ideas, and we just hit it off, and I knew him to be a reliable, trustworthy voice," Middendorf said. "And the thing is, he always had time for me. Got to the point where he started calling me one of his sons and I I felt that in my soul and took great pride in being referred to as one of his sons. I will miss that terribly."

Douglas said he has spoken to other "sons" of Reed and they all discussed one of the most important lessons that Reed taught them: The importance of faithfulness in doing the Lord's work.

"The great thing about it is, even as we sorrow, we don't sorrow as if we have no hope," he said.

"He would have said, 'You've got to do this, this is the thing that we've been called to. So you have church on Sunday and you have people to minister to.' I think the legacy is about faithfulness and that if you take care of the Lord's work, then the Lord will take care of you."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: The Rev. John A. Reed Jr. remembered for longtime service, activism
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV)  College students in the City of Jackson are making a difference in the community by addressing gun violence and providing solutions to the issue.

Girls Against Gun Violence hosted their first event on the campus of Jackson State University (JSU) on Wednesday, August 28. The organization hopes to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community.

The Lets Talk panel discussion provided students a chance to connect with law enforcement organizations, such as the Jackson Police Department (JPD), and to discuss strategies to combat violence crime in the capital city.

One year into job, Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade wants to improve quality of living in city

Autumn Gould, a senior criminal justice major at JSU, is the president of Girls Against Gun Violence. A death in her family prompted her to become an activist and push for change.

My godfather was killed. He was murdered, and the case was being open for years. So, I was like, Okay, well, this is something I need to be a part of, because I feel as though I dont want people to experience what I experienced as so young, she said.

Gould said the community can expect more events, initiatives and collaborations with law enforcement throughout the year.

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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. 
Who are the global super-rich of tomorrow? We interviewed teens at one of the worlds most expensive schools to find out

While super-rich kids make for great TV subjects, their real lives, perspectives and ambitions are often shielded from the public. To learn more about them, we interviewed students at one of the most expensive secondary schools in the world, where fees come to 120,000 Swiss Francs (around 125,000) per year  and followed up with them five years later.

We started our research when these young people were studying together in the Swiss Alps, observing and interviewing them over 15 months. We asked about their backgrounds, thoughts on their school environment, and plans for the future. Five years later we asked them about what had happened since they graduated, their daily lives, and their ambitions. At that point, most had finished their university studies and were starting their careers.

Our findings, which we discuss here, have been published over several articles.

Certain features were universal  these young people came from extremely wealthy families in their own countries, and their parents had pushed them to study abroad, learn English and live a global lifestyle. However, their paths to joining the ranks of the global super-rich varied depending on where they were from and what they wanted to do with their lives.

Citizens of the world?

Their exclusive Swiss school promised to turn its students into citizens of the world, but these Gen Zers friendship groups were in fact usually determined by their national background or language  partly because they shared cultural references and values, and partly because of pressure to conform. As one student told us, If I wanted to sit with other friends, [my national group] would be like, Are you mad at us?

Even when starting careers abroad, these wealthy young people did not entirely break their ties to their home countries. Living abroad could feel lonely, they told us, while home offered more resources and more support  family and also friends.

However, these young people were also aware that meeting wealthy peers from around the world at school could lead to international business opportunities down the line. As one explained, Theres definitely benefits of making friends from all over the world, no doubt. The general profile of students here is that of upper-class to high-class families so, regardless, youd be making powerful and wealthy friends and thats a plus.

I dont fly commercial

As teenagers, these Gen Zers embraced conspicuous consumption. They stayed at five-star hotels and shopped for luxury brands, and one even donated a lightly used Louis Vuitton backpack to local refugees. They did not, in the words of one student, fly commercial.

Their families financial resources made these habits possible, but the habits themselves were a product of boredom: Im going after something when I want that thing, you know? I look forward to it. I need it. Like, Ill move mountains to have it. But when I actually have it  its just meaningless to me, one young woman told us. Buying items and experiences provided short-term relief from boredom, but the ease with which things could be bought just made these young people more bored.

As young adults, however, they found meaning in taking on jobs and living within their income, though often with family money and connections to fall back on if needed. Still, these young people took pride in self-sufficiency, which they connected to growth, character, and self-respect.

Though one of our interview subjects still drove an Aston Martin, the luxurious, stereotypical super-rich lifestyles from their younger years seemed to matter less as they got older.

Racism and geopolitics: leaving the boarding school bubble

At their boarding school, wealth was the norm  the few scholarship students were largely left out of social cliques  and this defined much of these young peoples social identities. As one young Russian explained, The type of people who come here, theyre really rich, right? So, people here often see Russians as really rich people. I dont know  strange but it suits.

When transitioning to university, however, their privilege was challenged by the realities of geopolitics and racism. This intensified with time.

Geopolitics, for example, meant that one wealthy Ukrainian student had to think about more important things  than just like, whatever things I want.

Racism meant that a young Chinese man who had moved to the US was rethinking his decision: Basically, going back to China is effectively saying like, Oh, I could just be the white person. I could be the white male in the room. And wouldnt that be nice?  I dont want to live in a place where people think I have no personality, or  where people tell me  you have a glass ceiling at the top.

Limitless possibilities make for an uncertain future

One question for these young people was what they wanted to be. Some knew  artist, entrepreneur or, most often, owner of their familys business  while others were figuring it out.

Another question was where they wanted to be. These young people were weighing going home versus staying abroad, and whether they would put down roots or keep moving.

Some of these wealthy Gen Zers were aiming to join the global super-rich, while others wanted to remain part of the wealthy in their countries of origin. Some embraced the adventure of the unknown. Others felt anxious about the uncertainty. Despite similar starting points and opportunities, their paths and goals hugely varied.

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:



This research received ESRC funding. Karen Lillie worked at the school that this article's interview subjects attended while conducting research there.

Claire Maxwell 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.
Editors note: The transcript of this interview has been edited for clarity.

Latvia has been one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters since the start of the all-out war. Sharing a border with both Russia and its ally Belarus, the small Baltic country understands Ukraines struggle all too well.

As well as committing to providing military support at the level of 0.25% of GDP every year, the country is also the leader of the drone coalition, an allied initiative established to supply Ukrainian forces with a much-needed capability.

On Aug. 23, the Kyiv Independent sat down with Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds and asked him what he thinks of the Kursk incursion, if Russia is running low on weapons, and if he can ever envisage a future where the Baltic states can cooperate with the Kremlin on friendly terms.

The Kyiv Independent: Let's jump straight in and start with the biggest story of the moment, the Kursk incursion. Can you just tell me how you found out about that and what your initial reaction to it was?

Andris Spruds: Russia has a lot of vulnerabilities, internal vulnerabilities in terms of the political regime stability, but also in terms of the efficiency of the military.

That's why I think (Ukraine's Kursk incursion) is an excellent example showing that Ukraine has all the capabilities to defend its territory, and also to take the initiative militarily.

The Kyiv Independent: Russia has struggled, well, failed so far to push Ukrainian troops back. And despite all of the rhetoric and saber rattling, they haven't responded with a nuclear weapon, like has been suggested by the Kremlin. What does that mean for the argument that some Western nations make, when they don't provide certain weapon systems because of fears of escalation?

Andris Spruds: If you fall into the trap of Russian blackmail, and start to think what we can do or not do, of course, I think this is basically promoting the Russian cause, and this is what they want to achieve.

So in this case, our aim is to sustain support regardless of some kind of escalatory logic from the Russian side.

Latvia supports fully that Western weaponry can be used for self-defense, which means also self-defense on Russian territory, because Ukrainian cities, Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, Ukrainian people, civilians are being shelled from Russian territory.

Read also: Latvia to expand Drone Coalition, provide Ukraine $126 million in military support, defense minister says

The Kyiv Independent: Russia's strategy for winning the war at the moment appears to be one of attrition and just grinding advances. What do you think Ukraine's strategy has to be to win?

Andris Spruds: Well, I think it's always important to have a clear goal  and it's a clear goal for Ukraine and also a clear goal for the Western support  I believe the goal must be the strategic defeat of Russia in Ukraine.

Which also means that, of course, territorial integrity of Ukraine must be restored.

I would add to this that Russian military strength must be undermined so it is not able to launch any aggressive activities against its neighbors.

Also, the financial resources of Russia, which are frozen, must be used for reconstruction of Ukraine. War criminals must be persecuted, and Ukraine must be part of NATO.

The Kyiv Independent: Slightly, earlier in the year, there were quite a few headlines about things happening in the Baltic Sea region. It hasn't been in the headlines quite as much in recent weeks, but what can you tell us about Russia's continuing actions, if any, in that region?

Andris Spruds: Basically, we are in a hybrid war right now. So that's why for Latvia and the Baltic countries, it's nothing new for us.

For us, there is no need to panic because we've been used to hybrid activities already for years. It's cyber attacks, it's weaponization of illegal immigration, it's disinformation campaigns, it's incidents against critical infrastructure. So we've seen it and we are experiencing it permanently.

"Basically, we are in a hybrid war right now. So that's why for Latvia and the Baltic countries, it's nothing new for us."

Defence Minister of Latvia, Andris Spruds in Kyiv, Ukraine on Aug. 23, 2024. (Viacheslav Ratynskyi / The Kyiv Independent)

It just once more shows the aggressive nature of our neighbor and what we are facing.

The Kyiv Independent: Germany announced it was investigating alleged Russian drone flights over a nuclear power plant in the north of Germany.

Obviously, there's been quite a few stories about possible Russian espionage across Europe. Do you see these as, like you said, something that's always happened that countries are used to? Or has there been an escalation in this over the last year or two?

Andris Spruds: Well, I think there are, in a sense, ups and downs. And we see sometimes escalation, sometimes perhaps less of those provocations.

Of course, Finland and Sweden joining NATO is extremely important, but it doesn't mean that the Baltic Sea has become a NATO lake.

There is still a Russian presence, there are still Russian provocations, there is still Russian, in a sense, posturing. And we should be ready for this, and again, not panic.

The Kyiv Independent: Obviously, the war in Ukraine has accelerated the distance between Russia and the Baltic states. Can you ever envisage a time in the future when that could slow or even reverse?

Andris Spruds: Well, of course, we would like to live next to a norms-compliant, democratic, economically-developed nation with whom we can cooperate.

Unfortunately, we have never seen this in history. As I mentioned previously, what we are facing is a Russia which might change every five or ten years, but in the end, it doesn't change every 100 years.

So it pretty much stays the same. It's imperialistic, it has expansionist instincts or reflexes. This is what we have been facing already for years.

And that's why, of course, at the moment, it is about containing Russia rather than thinking about some kind of idealistic form of cooperating.

Of course, we would like to cooperate, but we cannot cooperate with a dictatorship which is aggressive against its neighbors. And of course, on the one hand, we might say it's (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's Russia, and after Putin, some changes might take place, but we must also remember that this is Russia's Putin.

So Putin is, in many ways, embodiment of some of the grievances, some of the resentments, some of the ambitions of Russian society.

And unfortunately, what we see is a DNA of imperialism and expansionism.

The Kyiv Independent: Latvia and Lithuania recently reintroduced conscription. Are you concerned that despite all of the political unity across Europe, that maybe the public perception of the threat that Russia poses isnt a shared vision, and the further away both geographically and historically you are from Russia, people in countries like the UK dont quite grasp the threat that Russia poses?

Andris Spruds: I would say there are shades of, lets say, opinions and approaches. Of course, as you mentioned, certainly the understanding of what Russia is and what specific activities must be taken, they also correlate with some of the geographical locations and also historical experiences.

Certainly they are important for the mindset, but still I would also underline that there is a common understanding that Russia is a threat. This common understanding was very clearly defined in the NATO strategic concept already in 2022.

And this has been underlined in every NATO meeting, also at the recent Washington summit, that Russia should be in many ways contained, contested, and constrained. So thats why, yes, of course, sometimes we might differ in terms of some specific policies. But what is good is that certainly there is a shared understanding of threat assessment, what we are facing.

So thats why there is understanding that, yes, this is for the long haul.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
As Goes California, Goes The Rest Of The Country, Except On Black Reparations

Through a series of films in the 1990s, from Boyz n the Hood to Menace II Society and Friday, the perception of Black Los Angeles became ingrained in the minds of people of all backgrounds across the nation. Palm trees and hood politics became synonymous with the neighborhoods. But in a rarity, the films also showed entire communities in a large American city where Black families owned homes for generations.

Today, nearly every majority-Black haven in the city brought to the big screen, like Watts, Compton, Inglewood, and Exposition Park, looks different. These areas across South Los Angeles, which was once 80% Black and home to upwards of 75% of all the Black folks in the city, have since become more than two-thirds Latino. In all, the citys share of Black residents has dropped from nearly 20% to less than 8%.

It wasnt by chance, residents and researchers say. Black People are keenly aware, said Khansa Jones-Muhammad, an LA resident who often goes by Friday Jones. Theres a sense of feeling that people are being moved out. Black people know when we are being abused.

On Tuesday, the city of Los Angeles released a policy report outlining why reparations should be enacted and funded for Black Angelenos.

The report, which took roughly three years to complete and included the surveying of Black Angelenos, found a series of policy decisions  aided by the housing crash of the mid-2000s, the rising cost of living, and the war on drugs  have made life untenable for many Black residents. The report explicitly named policy decisions like redlining, building highways through Black neighborhoods, unequal placement of hospitals, a 1996 law that eliminated the citys ability to combat discriminatory hiring practices, and several policies around policing and incarceration that specifically hurt Black Angelenos.

Read More: Why the LA City Council Scandal Is About More Than Racist Slurs

A report with specific policy recommendations is expected later this year, although the city has already compiled an analytic report on how to fund the venture. It will come a year after similar assessments were released by the city of San Francisco and a California statewide policy task force. Currently, 14 reparation-based bills born from the statewide task force sit in the California legislature.

California has put forth the nations strongest reparations plans, with Los Angeles and San Francisco following suit. But California is not alone in implementing policies that have stunted Black life outcomes. How it proceeds could be a model for the rest of the country.

At a reparations event earlier this month, Cheryl Tawede Grills, the director of Loyola Marymount Universitys community-based Psychology Applied Research Center, posed a simple question: Where in the U.S. are outcomes for Black residents equal to their white neighbors? Think about it.

The answer is nowhere, she said.

In California, Black activists, residents, and policy advocates argue that reparations are an electoral issue that can make or break Black participation in the voting process. Yet, despite a nationwide conversation around reparations in the aftermath of 2020, they believe national leaders have abandoned the fight because they dont see the issue as a legitimate electoral priority.

Theres a history of reparations in the United States. Its just Black people have been excluded from that, explained Rashawn Ray, a reparations scholar and director of the University of Marylands Social Justice Alliance. It feels like Democrats think that by focusing on reparations, it will be political suicide for the party.

He noted that many past champions of Black reparations are no longer in power or alive, such as former U.S. Reps. John Conyers Jr., Karen Bass (now LAs mayor), and Sheila Jackson Lee.

But the national movement, he said, is here and momentum has built up. The various examples of California-based commissions have crafted a blueprint for making the local case for reparations nationwide, he added.

In California, a statewide survey released earlier this month found that more than 90% of Black residents say a politicians support of reparations or lack thereof will dictate their likelihood of voting for them.

Are reparations political suicide?

Following the murder of George Floyd, both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris called for a federal examination of enacting Black reparations through a formal study. Yet despite this, policy around reparations has failed to advance this election season.

While a bill outlining the creation of a Black reparations commission and study has sat idle in Congress since 1989, the Biden administration failed to use executive orders to propel the movement.

A coalition of Black, Latino, and Indigenous activists marched outside of the Democratic National Convention calling for a federal commission on Black reparations. (Courtesy of E.A.T. Chicago)

Outside the Democratic National Convention last week, activists wearing bright orange shirts with the text Reparations Now! We are far past 40 acres and a mule called on Black Americans to withhold their vote without serious commitments from the Harris-Walz campaign. The campaign has not outlined a plan to conduct a formal study.

Nothing happened after Biden was given all the tools to make something happen, and so now here he is stepping down, and Kamala Harris is the party nominee, and we have valid questions for her, explained Jones-Muhammad, who is vice chair of Los Angeles reparations committee.

We know that as goes California, goes the rest of the country, and we are at a historical moment where we can set the tone for what repair looks like, explained Kevin Cosney, cofounder of the California Black Power Network. New York is the only state to join California at the state level in advancing task forces, reports, and legislative priorities around reparations.

The question that remains, he said, is: How can national policymakers and candidates leverage and take the opportunity of reparations, interest, and motivation from Black Californians.

California vs. America

A bill requiring a newly formed state agency, the California American Freedmen Affairs Agency, to implement some of the 115 policy recommendations by the states task force is being deliberated in Californias Senate. The bills currently in the legislature would do things like establish a fund for community-driven solutions to decrease community violence in Black communities, eliminate barriers for formerly incarcerated people to obtain business licenses, and craft a formal apology from the governors office for human rights violations against African slaves and their ancestors.

Read More: Californias Reparations Plan Exposes Deep Divides in Black Communities

Still, at the states current pace of closing the racial equity gap, it would take over 248 years until a Black child would have the same average life outcomes as a white one, according to a recent report by the University of California, Los Angeles. Experts say this slow progress underscores the urgent need for immediate and effective policy changes.

A 2020 statewide poll found that most state residents support at least some reparations-based policy shifts. As expected, the survey also found that Black and younger Californians supported reparations more than their counterparts of other races and ages. Still, while much of the state supports more structural elements of reparations, more than half oppose direct payouts for Black residents.

Still, last year, San Francisco abruptly axed its reparations office, effectively ending any legislative work around it.

Some activists and researchers have said the overwhelming concentration of Black people experiencing homelessness in the state and nationwide is the strongest case for reparations. Los Angeles reparations report found that about 60% of Black residents report being impacted by environmental injustices. The report also found that over 75% of Black residents say the city policies and law enforcement practices negatively impact them.

Read More: The Quiet Toll of Oil Drilling on Black Los Angeles

But not everyone is sold on the likelihood of reparations. Brooke Floyd, the co-director of the Jackson Peoples Assembly, a social justice organization in Mississippi, said the federal government is unlikely to pass reparations for slavery because it means federal agencies, like the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Environmental Protection Agency, would also be forced to acknowledge their modern-day failures in protecting Black people.

These are whole communities that have been, over time, divested from and disinvested in, and these have led to things like lack of investment in education, health care, and housing with crippling effects over time, said Floyd, a prominent activist around Jacksons water crisis.

When you have this happen, have these long-term ramifications for whole races of people, acknowledging it and providing reparations is going to open a whole can of worms. I dont think the federal government wants to do that because it shows these things are all linked together.

The post As Goes California, Goes The Rest Of The Country, Except On Black Reparations appeared first on Capital B News.
A school board candidate endorsed by the Wake County Republican Party is dropping out of the race and backing the Democratic supported incumbent.

Robert Morales Vergara announced Wednesday hes withdrawing from the race for the District 4 Wake County school board seat that represents Southeast Raleigh. Morales Vergara said hes endorsing incumbent board member Toshiba Rice because they share a commitment to improving education.

The school board is officially non-partisan, but it has a 7-2 Democratic majority. Rice was endorsed by the Wake County Democratic Party. Morales Vergara was endorsed by the Wake County Republican Party.

In his announcement, Morales Vergara said his decision came after much reflection and a deep disappointment with the leadership of the Wake GOP.

I am deeply disappointed in the direction the Wake GOP leadership has taken, Morales Vergara said in a news release. Their recent decisions and actions do not reflect what I believe is best for our people, families, and community.

As someone who has always put the needs of our community first, I cannot in good conscience continue to align myself with an organization that does not prioritize the well-being of our people and the future of our district.

The Wake County GOP did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday from The News & Observer.

Endorsed by Wake County GOP

Five school board seats are on the Nov. 5 ballot. Republicans hope to win at least four of the seats to gain a majority.

Morales Vergaras name will still appear on the ballot because he missed the deadline to withdraw. Sean Callan and Mike Williams are opposing Rice for the District 4 seat.

Morales Vergara had been among the applicants when Rice was appointed to the school board in February. She replaced Tara Waters after Waters resigned to join the Wake County Board of Commissioners.

Promotional card showing Wake County Republican Party endorsement of school board candidate Robert Morales Vergara. He announced on Aug. 28, 2024 that he was withdrawing from the race due to being deeply disappointed in Wake GOP leadership.

Morales Vergara had campaigned as recently as Monday at the Western Wake Republican Club meeting with the other GOP-backed school board candidates and GOP state superintendent nominee Michele Morrow.

Endorses Deborah Ross

Morales Vergara, 27, is a fiscal analyst for the City of Raleigh, He had unsuccessfully run in the March GOP primary for the U.S. House District 2 seat.

Morales Vergara announced Wednesday that hes also endorsing U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross, the Democratic incumbent. Ross will compete in District 2 against Republican Alan Swain and Green Party candidate Michael Dublin.

Deborah Ross has consistently demonstrated her dedication to our community, and I am confident that she will continue to serve our district with integrity and commitment, Morales Vergara said.
There seem to be three camps of people in this country when it comes to reliving U.S. history:

Those on the side of embracing our history  even when its discriminatory  remembering and teaching from it.

Those who believe we should bulldoze racist history: Change street and building names, and knock down statues of slave owners and racist leaders.

And those who dont care about any of it and want to move on with their lives.

I thought I was firmly in the first camp: Our history happened. Slavery happened. Japanese incarceration in the U.S. during World War II happened. Racist practices in America happened. Lets remember and learn from these failures, I thought. Maybe I still do think this way.

But why should we be able to use overturned racist laws and try to resurrect them, legally?

Supreme Court cases

I asked myself this question when Atlanta defense attorney and pundit Andrew Fleischman raised the question on X about a resolution from the National Federation of Republican Assemblies to prevent Vice President Kamala Harris from holding the office of president, citing precedent-setting U.S. Supreme Court cases.

Among the six cases in the document attributed to the NFRA was the Dred Scott v. Sandford decision of 1857.

Dred Scott? Are you kidding me? Dred Scott is widely regarded as one of the worst Supreme Court decisions of all time. Its so bad, I wish we called it something else, as to not disparage the Black man whose name it uses.

At the Supreme Court Historical Society Annual Lecture in 2009, Justice Stephen Breyer said the title worst reflects the immorality of the decision.

If you dont remember your U.S. history, this decision ruled that enslaved people arent protected citizens. According to archives.gov: In 1846, an enslaved Black man named Dred Scott and his wife, Harriet, sued for their freedom in St. Louis Circuit Court. They claimed that they were free due to their residence in a free territory where slavery was prohibited.

From Oyez.org, a free law project from Cornells Legal Information Institute, the legal reference website Justia and the Chicago-Kent College of Law: The majority held that a negro, whose ancestors were imported into (the U.S.), and sold as slaves, whether enslaved or free, could not be an American citizen and therefore did not have standing to sue in federal court.

The document argues that candidates Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy and Harris (whose parents were not American citizens at the time of their birth) are ignoring this old, fallacious and unsound law.

You know why its unsound? Constitutional amendments overturned Dred Scott. The 13th (abolishing slavery), 14th (all those born here become citizens) and 15th (the right to vote cant be denied based on race, color or previous condition of servitude) said so.

But here we are. Because this old ruling still appears in the legal books, a political group can attempt to deploy it like a weapon.

Discriminatory laws

Here is my problem: Dred Scott happened, and kids today should learn about it. But why cant we say, Nope, that ruling and many other discriminatory laws like it technically dont exist. And you cant use it in a legal argument.

Why cant we do that?

There are many state laws that have been overturned by Supreme Court rulings here in Kansas and Missouri, but look at the ones here in Missouri that the state itself repealed:

Racial covenants limiting Black peoples property rights were still on the books as of 2021. But in 2022, Gov. Mike Parson signed the Missouri Human Rights Act into law that dictates old housing restrictions based on race, national origin or religion be removed in all newly-recorded deeds.

Missouri repealed a ban on interracial marriage in 1969, two years after the 1967 Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court case allowed people of different ethnicities to marry. Kansas repealed its ban early, in 1859 before reaching statehood in 1861.

Missouri repealed a ban on interracial adoptions that lasted between 1865 and 1952.

Repealing these laws takes it a step further, even if history still bears their name.

This argument attributed to the NFRA is a waste of time, brain cells and taxpayer money if it goes any further. I say lets make any laws overturned by the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments invisible to legal arguments.

And lets go further: Lets add the 19th Amendment (women have the right to vote). And dont get me started on the First Amendment.

Are we done?
(Bloomberg) -- A group of Republican state treasurers called on the Business Roundtable to reverse a position it took five years ago that says a corporations purpose is to serve employees and communities as well as shareholders.

Amid growing public discontent over income inequality and rising costs for health care and higher education, the Business Roundtable, which represents some of the worlds largest companies, said in 2019 that it would shelve the long-held view that companies should prioritize shareholders interests. The decision was backed at the time by 181 signatories, including JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon and BlackRock Inc. CEO Larry Fink.

In a letter to the Business Roundtable on Wednesday, GOP officials said the statement was fatally flawed and that institutions of all kinds are being pressured to depart from their proper purpose to serve a left-wing ideology.

American companies must focus on maximizing returns, the group of 14 treasurers from Alabama to Wyoming wrote. That process necessarily includes taking care of stakeholders along the way.

The letter comes on the back of a years-long attack by Republican politicians on the environmental, social and governance invetment approach. Theyve launched investigations into Wall Streets ESG efforts, introduced anti-ESG bills  many of which have failed  and filed lawsuits. They also have pushed to thwart efforts to diversify workforces.

Read More: CEOs Spurn Investor-First Model. Now Critics Ask Whats Next

Jennifer Cummings, a spokeswoman for the Business Roundtable, referred to an essay the group published on Aug. 16 that said the 2019 effort to redefine corporate purpose reflected the view that the best-run companies focus on producing good products and services. They also offer fair compensation and excellent training; create mutually beneficial partnerships with suppliers; and take care of communities they do business in.

In the long term, the interests of a companys stakeholders are inseparable, the group said. No single stakeholder will succeed unless they all do.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
CNN

Republican strategist Doug Heye apologized Tuesday for making a joke about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s voice.

On CNN, the former RNC communications director referred to comments he had made last week about Kennedy, who has spasmodic dysphonia.

Last week I was on this network and I made a joke about the way he speaks, which is totally out of bounds and just wanted to acknowledge that and apologize for it, Heye said. His ideas? Totally in bounds.

On last Fridays edition of CNN News Central, Heye said about Kennedy: One, you cant understand what he says. Two, if you can, you cant understand what he says.

Kennedys condition is neurological. It causes involuntary spasms of the muscles that move vocal chords, resulting in a shaky-sounding voice.

In speaking to the Los Angeles Times about it in April, Kennedy explained, My voice doesnt really get tired. It just sounds terrible. But the injury is neurological, so actually the more I use the voice the stronger it tends to get.

Kennedy, after abandoning his independent presidential bid, is now not only supporting Donald Trump but is a member of the former presidents transition team, alongside former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Brian Kemp will attend a fundraiser for the Donald Trump campaign on Thursday in what appears to be the latest move to repair the relationship between the Georgia governor and former president.

Multiple sources told ABC News that Kemp will attend Thursdays fundraiser in Atlanta hosted by former Trump officials and former Georgia U.S Sen. Kelly Loeffler.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Kemp and Trump have had a fractured relationship since the 2020 election where Trump lost Georgias electoral votes, which he believes cost him the White House.

At a rally in Atlanta earlier this month, Trump blamed Kemp for his 2020 loss in Georgia while repeating false claims of election fraud.

Hes a bad guy, he is a disloyal guy, and hes a very average governor. Little Brian. Little Brian Kemp. Bad guyand all he had to do is sign something where the senate would like to look at election integrity, Trump said.

RELATED STORIES:

In a Truth Social post, Trump doubled down with remarks about Kemp and also Georgia First Lady Marty Kemp.

The governor retorted back that hes focused on helping Republicans win in November.

My focus is on winning this November and saving our country from Kamala Harris and the Democrats - not engaging in petty personal insults, attacking fellow Republicans, or dwelling on the past. You should do the same, Mr. President, and leave my family out of it, the governor wrote.

My focus is on winning this November and saving our country from Kamala Harris and the Democrats - not engaging in petty personal insults, attacking fellow Republicans, or dwelling on the past.



You should do the same, Mr. President, and leave my family out of it. pic.twitter.com/m8y6CSuZKY  Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) August 3, 2024

But last week, Kemp and Trump started to mend fences. Kemp appeared on Hannity on Thursday night calling on Republicans to get out the vote and win elections all the way from the top.

We need to send Donald Trump back to the White House. We need to retake the Senate. We need to hold the House, he said.

Trump took to his Truth Social account to thank the governor for his support.

Thank you to #BrianKempGA for all of your help and support in Georgia, where a win is so important to the success of our Party and, most importantly, our Country.

I look forward to working with you, your team, and all of my friends in Georgia to help MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

ABC News reports that the fundraiser will be held in Atlanta on Thursday.

While Kemp attends a fundraiser for Trump campaign, Georgia Democrats will be in Savannah for Vice President Kamala Harris rally on Thursday.

Harris and Gov. Tim Walz are kicking off a south Georgia bus tour on Wednesday.

ABC News contributed to this article.

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Gov. Ron DeSantis is making a stop in Central Florida on Wednesday afternoon.

DeSantis plans to hold a news conference in Polk County at 12 p.m.

The governor will be speaking at the Polk County Sheriffs Office Operations Center in Winter Haven.

Read: CDC issues warning over sloth fever, 2 cases reported in Orange County

Joining DeSantis at the event is:

Attorney General Ashley Moody

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd

State Attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida Andrew Bain State

Attorney for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida Susan Lopez

To watch it live when it happens, click here.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
ELKINS, W.Va. (WBOY)  A civil lawsuit has been filed against a Randolph County logging company that allegedly cut down $28,000 worth of timber from Monongahela National Forest land.

According to a press release, the suit was filed by the United States Attorneys Office against John Fox, of Valley Bend, and Fox Logging, LLC. According to the release, Fox submitted paperwork to timber 319 acres of private property bordering the Monongahela National Forest in Pocahontas County.

While the company was logging in that area between 2015 and 2019, the operations are accused of also timbering 10 acres of Mon Forest land. According to the release, the company timbered more than 45,500 cubic feet of mature hardwood and pine saw timber valued at nearly $28,000.

Forest Service proposes large-scale red spruce restoration project in southern & central Appalachia

Fox was also accused of damaging and taking timber from an adjacent private property, the release said.

The government has asked for more than $80,000 in monetary damages from Fox and Fox Logging, LLC, as well as compensatory and punitive damages. A trial is scheduled for October of 2025 and will take place in Elkins.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng has said that in the face of the new circumstances and challenges, "scapegoating solves no problem, and trade war, industrial war or tech war produces no winner."

Xie made the remarks at the sixth U.S.-China Business Forum held by Forbes China in New York on Tuesday.

"A major inspiration we can get from China-U.S. relations over the past 45 years is that when we work together, both countries and peoples will fare well; but when we turn against each other, both sides and the world will suffer. Cooperation is the only right choice," Xie said.

As the top two engines of world economic growth, China and the United States make up over one-third of the global economy, and about one-fifth of global trade, the ambassador noted.

"Any decoupling between us would only make the world poorer," he said.

Over the past 45 years, two-way trade expanded over 200 times, surpassing 600 billion U.S. dollars annually, he noted, adding that in the first seven months of this year, two-way trade grew 4.1 percent when denominated in RMB.

"Therefore, we are already deeply intertwined and basically inseparable from each other," he said.

As a new round of the scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is unfolding, all countries are on a boat sailing upstream, i.e. facing challenges together, the Chinese ambassador said.

"Only when we face the challenges squarely, make ourselves more competitive and paddle together can we ride the tide and forge ahead," he said.

"We need to both expand cooperation in traditional areas including economy, trade and agriculture, and nurture cooperation in new areas such as climate change and AI, so that both our countries and the world will come out as winners," he said.

The ambassador also noted that "there is simply no reason" why the China-U.S. relationship should be a zero-sum game.

"Our two countries can help each other succeed in a race to the top, and both develop ourselves and prosper together on this vast planet," he said. 
NEW YORK STATE FAIRGROUNDS (WSYR-TV)  Governor Kathy Hochul will visit the New York State Fair on Wednesday, August 28, to celebrate Womens Day, her office confirms first to NewsChannel 9.

As the first woman governor in New York State history, Hochul will deliver remarks at the Womens Day Brunch upon arrival before touring the Fairgrounds for some State Fair favorites.

Her past Fair tours have included Basillios Sausage, the Pan African Village, the New York State Police K-9 puppies and the Dairy Products Building.

The governor was unable to be on the Fairs opening day last Wednesday, August 21, because of her attendance at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Grambling State Becomes First HBCU In The Country And First Overall University In Louisiana With A Digital Library

Grambling State Becomes First HBCU In The Country And First Overall University In Louisiana With A Digital Library | Photo: Capelle.r via Getty Images

A ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the opening of Grambling State Universitys new Digital Library and Learning Commons on Thursday.

It was a historic moment for GSU, as it is the first digital library at an HBCU and the first digital library at a Louisiana institution. The updated 50,000-square-foot facility boasts 150 computers as well as multipurpose rooms for events.

This day in history: Grambling State becomes the first HBCU and the only university in Louisiana with a Digital Library! The $16.6M, 50,000 sq. ft. facility features 150+ computer stations, study spaces, and multipurpose areas. FMI: https://t.co/RpslHVp2Xj #TellThemWeAreBuilding  Grambling State Univ (@Grambling1901) August 22, 2024

The institutions prior facility, A.C. Lewis Memorial Library, was opened in 1962, and an addition was built in 1986. During his tenure as president, Rick Gallot initiated a project to replace the existing library with a digital one. Grambling State began construction on the digital facility in 2019 after alumni, faculty and students donated funds.

The ribbon cutting of the GSU Digital Library and Learning Commons marks a transformational moment for Grambling State University, the University of Louisiana System, and the global landscape of academia, Gallot said, according to a news release. This modern marvel provides GSU scholars with a digital learning environment that rivalsand indeed, exceedsthe offerings of many world-renowned and well-resourced institutions.

Adrienne Webber, GSUs dean of Digital Library and Learning Commons, said the renovated facility will advance GSU.

Let me tell you whats going to happen with this program  were going to have a Makers Space because our students think differently than I did when I would go to class, learn something, graduate, and do what I learned.

The process of opening the $16.6 million library was slowed due to circumstances beyond the universitys control, per the news release. At the time when GSUs Digital Library and Learning Commons were being planned, Dr. Martin Lemelle Jr. was the universitys executive vice president. On Thursday, Lemelle described the grand opening as a test of dedication.

It will be where we light the torch of victory, he said, according to the news release. Victory in learning. Victory in innovation. And victory in community. It is here that we will fight for Dear Ole Grambling, and in this fight we will arm ourselves with the knowledge, perseverance, and the unyielding spirit that defines us.
A day after prosecutors expressed concern in a Maricopa County courtroom that grand jury information in Arizona's fake electors case might be made public, they confirmed their fears when they told the judge overseeing the case that an attorney representing defendant Christina Bobb had publicly filed a court document that included transcripts of grand jury proceedings and grand juror names.

Before breaking for lunch on Tuesday, Nick Klingerman, the head of the criminal division of the Arizona Attorney General's Office, alerted Superior Court Judge Bruce Cohen of an "urgent housekeeping matter."

"As we discussed yesterday, a motion with attachments was filed, not under seal, with grand jurors' names, in violation of this court's protective order," Klingerman said. "I'd like to approach to talk about that so we could get that taken off the public docket."

When court resumed after lunch, Cohen confirmed the document, which used grand jury transcripts to support the argument that the prosecution of Bobb was politically motivated and had been posted publicly since Aug. 19, was now sealed.

On Monday, prosecutors asked for an order to be imposed that would require the defendants to meet with their lawyers in person to review grand jury materials rather than allow them to keep their own copies. Prosecutors cited the Georgia fake elector case as a justification, saying some grand jury members there received death threats after their names were made public.

Though Cohen did not then rule on the prosecution's request, he proposed a compromise of redacting grand jurors' names to protect their identities, making it less risky to give defendants copies of grand jury documents.

A representative for Thomas Jacobs, the Tucson attorney for Bobb who, according to statements made in court, filed the document, said Tuesday evening that Jacobs was out of the office and unavailable for an interview. Jacobs made his Tuesday court appearance virtually.

Tuesday was the second day of arguments on several motions, including defendants' requests to dismiss the criminal charges against them. Bobb, an attorney for Trump's 2020 campaign, was among several defendants who sought to dismiss the case on the theory that it was motivated by political retaliation.

In April 2024, a grand jury indicted 11 Arizona Republicans and seven top aides to Donald Trump on felony charges stemming from a plan to keep him in the White House by falsely certifying he won the state in 2020.

Two defendants have resolved their cases since the indictments were revealed.

Jenna Ellis agreed to testify against the other defendants in exchange for her charges being dropped. Ellis was an attorney for Trump who encouraged the Arizona Legislature to change the outcome of the election.

Loraine Pellegrino, one of the Arizonans who signed the false certificate of Trump's win, pleaded guilty to a less severe charge earlier this month and was sentenced to three years of unsupervised probation.

Defense attorneys argue attorney general's case was political retaliation

The bulk of Tuesday's hearing was dedicated to defense lawyers arguing the cases against their clients should be dismissed because of an Arizona law known as an anti-SLAPP statute.

SLAPP stands for "strategic lawsuit against public participation," and the law creates a framework for cases to be quickly dismissed if a defendant can prove the case was substantially motivated by retaliation because they exercised a constitutional right, like freedom of speech.

Defense attorneys argued that the indictments were political in nature on their face, and Attorney General Kris Mayes sought the prosecutions because it was an election year.

"Our attorney general campaigned to go after what she called 'fake electors,'" said Brad Miller, attorney for Kelli and Michael Ward, who falsely certified Trump won Arizona in 2020. "She said she was going to prosecute these individuals."

Miller said the Wards were open about their actions, saying they acted with legitimacy and good sense while setting up a second set of electors. He argued the defendants should be able to probe the prosecution's reasoning behind the case.

"Maybe our attorney general has a very good basis for bringing this particular prosecution," Miller said. "But at first glance  at prima facie  she does not, and therefore, we believe that we are entitled to question her, to seek out discovery, to determine what motivation she actually had."

Moving forward: Court sets trial date in AZ fake electors case; parties argue over grand jury material

Jacobs said his client, Bobb, presented "a really good example" of a defendant worthy of winning an anti-SLAAP motion to dismiss. He said Bobb had little involvement with the 2020 Trump elector process compared to the other defendants, claiming she was only mentioned a handful of times in grand jury transcripts.

"There is a showing of an improper motivation to try to keep her from saying bad things about the Arizona election, lobbying Congress, and participating in the Trump campaign," Jacobs said. "She wouldn't have been indicted if she didn't have this profile. There's no other explanation for it."

Mike Bailey, an attorney for Boris Epshteyn, a Trump campaign adviser, said his client truly believed there was fraud in the 2020 election.

"This was an intensely held view and a viewpoint on one side, that our constitutional order, our democracy, is in crisis because of the way this election was conducted," Bailey said.

Dennis Wilenchik, representing Jim Lamon, another 2020 Arizona Trump elector, argued there was no clearly established precedent for bringing such a case years after the alleged actions.

"Bringing this action in 2024 reeks with political vengeance and retribution  reeks with it," Wilenchik said. "Let's not kid ourselves. Let's not dance around it. Let's not try to gild it with legal maxims and principles. There's only one reason this case was brought."

Wilenchik said Lamon and his co-defendants were "good people who did the right thing." He said Lamon told others openly that the electors were merely part of a contingency plan.

"How much time and energy has been spent on this?" Wilenchik asked rhetorically of the prosecution. "God only knows. All I know is, it's breaking the back of innocent people for no good reason other than a political one."

Oral arguments expected to continue Wednesday

Defense attorneys went longer than expected, taking all of Tuesday to finish their arguments in favor of dismissal. Klingerman will have at least an hour to respond to the defense claims on Wednesday.

Outside the courtroom at the end of the day on Tuesday, Klingerman defended the state's prosecution.

"I fully intend, with the time allotted tomorrow, to address these accusations," Klingerman said. "I want to remind everyone that this case was indicted after a lengthy, multi-month grand jury presentation by members of the defendants' peers from across the state. That grand jury was independent and made its own decision to indict this case."

No charges: Why Arizona Attorney General Mayes didn't want to indict Trump in fake elector case

Republic reporters Miguel Torres and Stacey Barchenger contributed to this article.

Have a news tip? Reach the reporter at jjenkins@arizonarepublic.com or 812-243-5582. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @JimmyJenkins.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Christina Bobb's lawyer exposes grand jury info in fake electors case
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said Wednesday that an outside investigation is reviewing the awarding of federal pandemic aid after a now-dead former official at the state Department of Commerce alleged he helped manipulate the process.

The Democratic governor also said state law should change to allow for expanded criminal background checks after The Kansas City Star and The Wichita Eagle reported that the Kansas Department of Commerce hired the former official, Jonathan L. Clayton, without a national criminal background check  failing to uncover that he had committed multiple financial felonies in Pennsylvania.

Clayton, who left Commerce in 2023 after serving as its director of economic recovery, had been working as the interim city clerk of Peabody. He went missing on Aug. 3 and his husband, Christopher King, said he was found dead on Sunday after his truck went off the road near Newton and crashed into a tree.

On Aug. 8, an email purporting to be from Clayton was sent to officials and journalists. The message, with the subject line Message from Jonathan Clayton following his death or incapacitation, alleged that Lt. Gov. David Toland, who leads Commerce, had employed a scheme to alter the recipients of the first round of the Building a Stronger Economy, or BASE, grant. Clayton wrote that at Tolands direction, he had helped alter the scores of applicants for the grant, which launched in 2022.

Asked on Wednesday whether she was confident the BASE grants were awarded appropriately, the governor responded that were actually investigating that to ensure that they were.

I know that when the BASE grants went out initially that there was some concern, not necessarily on the specific grants, but on the geographic distribution of the grants, Kelly told reporters after an unrelated event in Olathe. So we addressed that in future BASE allocations but in terms of the fidelity of the grants themselves, we think that was OK but we want to make sure.

Kelly said independent investigators were examining the grants. The governor said she didnt know who is conducting the investigation but that they are independent of Commerce and Kansas as whole.

Claytons email alleged that the Kansas Department of Commerce, directed by Toland, concocted a scheme to alter the results of the BASE Grant program by changing application scores to steer grants to the districts of the House speaker and Senate president. Those legislative leaders were then-House Speaker Ron Ryckman, a Johnson County Republican, and Senate President Ty Masterson, a Butler County Republican.

Clayton said the first round of BASE funding involved an inordinate number of projects that were awarded in Butler and Johnson counties. The two counties  which combined have less than a quarter of the states population  received nearly half (47.8%) of the award funding for the entire state. The other 103 Kansas counties competed for the remaining 52.2% of the funding in BASE 1.0.

Of 440 applicants for the more than $100 million in grants, 35 projects were awarded in the first round.

Clayton said in his email that he was ultimately forced to resign after he refused to alter the results in the second round, an additional $50 million of grant money. In that round of funding, projects in Johnson County received just 8% of the funding while no Butler County projects were awarded BASE grants. Projects in Sedgwick County, home to the states largest city and to Republican Dan Hawkins, who was House speaker during the second round, received 25% of the funding in BASE 2.0 after receiving less than 5% of BASE 1.0 awards.

Spokespeople for Hawkins and Masterson didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Ryckman couldnt immediately be reached.

Commerce spokesman Patrick Lowry said last week in response to questions about Claytons allegations that the agency was aware of allegations of misconduct against a former employee in connection to activity that occurred after they left state employment  a reference to Clayton, who is suspected of embezzling pandemic aid while working for local associations in Peabody and Mullinville.

We are reviewing the matter to determine what, if any, impact the alleged activity may have to the agency or community partners, Lowry said. We are also assisting state and federal law enforcement, as appropriate.

Lowry said at that time the agency would have no further comment. He has not responded to questions this week.

Kelly on Wednesday said that she of course stands by Toland.

David Toland is an absolutely phenomenal secretary of Commerce who has been spearheading the most capital investment in state history  $20 billion in new capital investment  and its been because of the hard work of the secretary and his people at the Department of Commerce, she said.

Background check changes

Clayton, 42, went missing in early August as his Pennsylvania criminal record was becoming more widely known locally after the Peabody Gazette-Bulletin reported on it. He and King were also served in a debt collection lawsuit on the day he went missing.

Jonathan L. Clayton, interim city clerk in Peabody and former director of economic recovery for the Kansas Department of Commerce, went missing Aug. 3 amid investigations into his handling of COVID-19 federal funds.

Clayton previously pleaded guilty to theft and forgery in Pennsylvania stemming from his misuse of an employers credit cards to bolster his and his husbands fledgling theater company, which ultimately closed. He was sentenced in 2018 to five years probation and was ordered to pay $210,000 in restitution.

But Commerce has said the agency was unaware of the felony record when it hired him in 2020  first as a regional project manager in southwest Kansas and then as director of economic recovery, where he oversaw economic recovery programs within the agency funded by federal pandemic dollars.

The Kansas Department of Administration, which handles some personnel functions for state agencies, said Commerce was unable to perform a national criminal background check. State law must authorize specific positions to seek national checks from the FBI  the positions held by Clayton werent on the list.

Kelly indicated she thinks state law needs to change.

I think the process worked the way the process usually works, Kelly said. I think what we discovered now, though, is that we have some statutory language that we need to address that will allow us to do more comprehensive background checks.

Clayton was also on probation when he moved to Kansas from Pennsylvania and landed a job with the states Commerce Department.

Ordinarily, his probation officer or some other Pennsylvania authority would have transferred Clayton to a Kansas probation office to take over responsibility for his supervision when he moved. Claytons husband, Christopher King, told The Eagle that Clayton continued reporting to his Philadelphia-based probation officer via phone calls while working at Commerce.

Kansas corrections officials said Clayton was never under their supervision, and they dont know how he fell through the cracks.
Santorini may be considered the star of the Cyclades, but an increase in tourists makes Milos is a strong alternative, with its ancient archeological sites, quaint villages, delicious seafood fare, and postcard-perfect views. Photograph by Borut Trdina, Getty Images

Despite its otherworldly beauty, Milos, Greecelocated more than 94 miles (152 kilometers) northwest of Santoriniwas dismissed by travelers as an ideal island vacation destination. For a long time, Greeks avoided visiting because of the islands reputation as too industrial. Since the Neolithic era, Milos main industry was mining.

Santorini and Milos share similar landscapes and geology. The islands' similarities in minerals and precious metals is due to a volcanic eruption that caused the submersion of the African continental plate beneath the Eurasian continental plate more than three million years ago.

Today, Santorini is expensive, overdeveloped, and crowded because of its notoriety as a port for cruise ships and attraction as a Instagram-worthy destination. For those reasons, the lesser-known Milos should be on the radar of travelers in search of awe-inspiring rock formations, archeological sites, and beaches. An abundance of minerals on Milos is one of the reasons why visitors will notice a palette of colors splashed across the cliffs of this islandmore varied than the cliffs of Santorini.

Photographer, tour guide, and web designer Andreas Belivanakis explains that Santorini is known for its burnt orange cliffs, Red Beach and black lava beaches, but Milos offers more. In Milos, though, theres all colors of the rainbow. All along the rocky shoreline, youll see all different colors. Green is bentonite, red is iron oxide, blue is amethyst.

And theres no better place to marvel at the many hues of the island than on its more than 70 beaches or from the deck of a boat, especially on the west coast where Milos is uninhabited and not accessible by road.

(What are the 31 best Greek islands to visit in 2024?)

Archeological sites reveal the island's rich history

However, its not just the landscape that attracts visitors to Milos now; its also the Greek islands rich history. I believe that with the exception of Delos and Crete, Milos has more history per square mile than any other island in Greece, says Andreas, a Milos native who recommends four must-see sites when visiting the island.

Ancient Theater

The relatively well-preserved Ancient Theater is a must-see sight for visitors. It overlooks the Aegean Sea and the harbor of Klima, a small fishing village. Originally built during the Hellenistic period with Roman constructed additions, the Milos theater had four to five thousand seats, but only 700 remain, according to Andreas. Locals deconstructed the marble seats to build their homes and courtyards. After a five-year restoration project that ended in 2015, the theater is now open to the public for hosted cultural events.

Catacombs of Milos

History buffs visiting Milos should visit its historic catacombs that date back to the first century A.D. Situated west of Trypiti, these catacombs are older than Romes catacombs and substantially smaller at 600 feet (183 meters) in length. However, guides in Milos say that outside of Rome, these catacombs represent one of the best-preserved and extensive catacomb sites in the world. Its also touted as the most important early Christian monument of worship and burial site in Greece.

Add the Catacombs of Milos to your itinerary when visiting the lesser-known Greek island. The extensive underground tunnel system is touted as one of the best-preserved catacomb sites in the world. Photograph by Odyssey-Images/Alamy Stock Photo

Venus of Milos

Amongst a stand of olive trees and stone ruins, a plaque marks the area where a farmer discovered the Venus de Milo sculpture in 1820. Greeks refer to it as The Aphrodite of Melos. The original resides in The Louvre in Paris, but a replica was installed at the discovery site in 2022. A better quality replica can be seen at the Archaeological Museum of Milos.

Ancient ruins of Phylakopi

Although it's temporarily closed, the ruins of Phylakopi is another place Andreas recommends people see when visiting Milos. While much of the site has suffered from substantial erosion, history enthusiasts can visit one of the most important and biggest settlements of the Cycladic cultureremnants including a cyclopean wall, the Mycenean sanctuary, and a megaron, an architectural form consisting of an open porch, vestibule, and a large hall with a central hearth and a throne. The stone, clay, and bronze figurines, in addition to the ceramics excavated from the site, are on display at the Archaeological Museum of Milos .

Visit otherworldly beaches and sea caves

From the most photographed beach to one of the most impressive spots to visit by boat, here are a few recommendations specifically for travelers in search of the best places for sun, sand, and sea in Milos.

Sarakiniko Beach

For most of its history, [Sarakiniko] was underwater, says Andreas. Then there was a volcanic explosion, the last known eruption in Milos, 90,000 to 100,000 years ago. Thats when Sarakiniko rose from the water.

Not so much a beach as a rare geological phenomenon, the moonscape of Sarakiniko was named after the Saracen pirates who used it as a hideout. Beachgoers can take in the ghostly white volcanic cliffs and sea caves, sculpted by wind and water, while catching sunrays, taking a dip, or canon balling into the water from the tops of sea caves.

Thrill-seekers can jump 20-feet off this moon-like cliff and into the sea at Sarakiniko beach, one of more than 70 beaches in Milos. Photograph by Matteo Colombo, Getty Images

Kleftiko

Located on the southwest coast of Milos, the cove at Kleftiko can be reached only by boat. Luckily, several outfitters offer day tours to some of the islands sea caves, rock formations, and hard-to-access swimming locations. With its sea caves and giant rocks rising out of the sea, Klefitko provides a postcard-perfect setting for visitors to cavort in the lapis-lazuli waters, explore its sea caves, and enjoy lunch on a boat.

Andreas suggests that the south coast of Milos is home to the best beaches, such as the mile-long Paliochori Beach with its color-sprayed cliffs and the additional bonus of the restaurant Sirocco. Theyll cook your food in a sandpit, Andreas says. Because of the volcanic heat, its very hot (215F / 102C). Its an experience not to be missed.

Other recommended beaches include Gerakas, a beach only accessible by boat; Fyriplaka, an accessible beach with fairly shallow waters; and Ammoudaraki, a small, secluded stretch of sand surrounded by greenery, and nearby cave.

(Go diving! See our list of the best diving locations in Greece.)

Five recommended villages to explore

Of the islands 14 towns and villages, these five places are recommended for first-time visitors along with a few restaurants to try the local culinary fare.

Adamas

The port town of Adamas, also known as Adamantas, is the largest town on the island. Cretan refugees settled here, establishing it as an official town in 1835. Its charms are hidden in the narrow stone-paved alleyways behind the main strip. Visitors will enjoy its charming shops, white staircases, and pretty churches. Dont miss O! Hamos, the family-run taverna that serves hyper-local cuisine at Papikinou Beach.

Plaka

Like Santorinis capital Fira, Plaka, the capital of Milos, is perched atop a high cliff. It features whitewashed churches, quaint boutiques, snoozing cats, and a labyrinth of alleys lined with homes adorned with brightly painted shutters and bougainvillea-draped balconies. Visitors should head to the remains of the 13th-century Venetian Castle for panoramic views of the town and the Bay of Milos, especially at sunset.

The capital of Milos, Plaka has all the hallmarks of an idyllic Greek island village, including whitewashed dwellings and churches. However, the real wow factor is the panoramic views from the Venetian Castle. Photograph by Getty Images

Klima

Klima is the largest of the islands colorful boathouse (or syrmata) settlements. Exclusive to Milos, a syrmata is a small, traditional two-level boathouse home inhabited by local fishermen. Today, many of the syrmata have been flipped to be used as vacation homes.

Mandrakia

In Mandrakia, the fishermens houses are caves carved into the rock by the sea. According to Andreas, this small fishing village has some of the best seafood restaurants, such as Medusa, which has outdoor seating for guests to dine while enjoying the view of the Aegean Sea.

Pollonia

This picturesque fishing village must be entered via an inlet. Its also known for its cave-aged Melian wine produced by vintner Kostas Mallis , who ferments wines in clay amphoras.

So, if youre planning a trip to Greece and youre looking for a less-crowded option to Santorini, you may want to consider exploring Milos and its history, quaint villages, picturesque beaches, and the local cuisine.

(Globetrotting gastronomes should visit these Greek islands.)

Based in Canada, Elizabeth Warkentin is a freelance travel writer and photographer covering culture, history, nature, and wildlife for outlets such as Smithsonian, Travel + Leisure, the Guardian, BBC, and the Toronto Star.
One week after Greeces Oscar selection process descended into chaos, with all but two of the 23 eligible films withdrawing from consideration for the international feature film race at the 97th Academy Awards, industry reps met with government officials this week to hash out their grievances and plot a way forward amid growing frustrations with the state of the beleaguered Greek film biz.

Producer Maria Drandaki, who was part of a delegation from the Audiovisual Producers Association of Greece (SAPOE) that met with culture ministry reps on Tuesday, said the Oscars fiasco is just the tip of the iceberg.

More from Variety

I think the problem now is getting bigger than the Oscars, she said. This whole mishandling of the situation is getting combined with the tension that was here in the audiovisual sector for months now. She added: Theres a lot of tension that weve been trying to handleand we were never heard [by the government].

Earlier this month, the Greek culture ministry selected four industry professionals to choose the countrys submission for the international Oscar race. They included film critic Leda Galanou, actress Kora Karvounis, screenwriter Kallia Papadakis and director Vassilis Kekatos, who won the Cannes short film Palme dOr in 2019 for The Distance Between Us and the Sky, with Kekatos tapped to head the committee.

Two days later, the committee members received an email informing them theyd been abruptly canned, with a government official saying they had been notified of their selection by mistake and that their participation had not been finalized. A replacement committee was quickly announced, with Greek industry reps crying foul over the ministrys unacceptable and distressing handling of the situation.

That kicked off a frantic week of recriminations and accusations, as old grievances resurfaced and more than two dozen filmmakers withdrew their films from the Oscar race, penning a blistering open letter to the Ministry of Culture casting serious doubts on the credibility and validity of the procedure.

Meanwhile, several members of the replacement committee subsequently stepped down, including Asimina Proedrou, director of last years Greek Oscar submission Behind the Haystacks, who while announcing her resignation on Facebook said she refuse[d] to legitimize the governments bungling of the selection process.

The plot thickened throughout the week, with Deputy Minister of Culture Iasonas Fotilas attempting to pass the buck at a press conference last Thursday onto an unnamed subordinate who he claimed had acted unlawfully during the selection procedure.

In a scathing letter shared with Variety, a union of culture ministry employees shot back, accusing Fotilas of looking for scapegoats and insisting that he and government colleagues assume their responsibility without passing it on to employees who have performed their duties with integrity and diligence, conscientiously and with sensitivity to meritocracy and transparency.

We will not tolerate any prefabricated disciplinary procedure to deflect responsibility from the political leadership, the letter stated. We stand by our colleagues in the relevant directorate and the employee who is being unfairly targeted, so that responsibility is not attributed where it really belongs.

Locarno prizewinner Animal was considered a frontrunner for the Greek Oscar bid.

For Drandaki, the producer behind Sofia Exarchous 2023 Locarno prizewinner Animal, which was considered one of the frontrunners for the Greek Oscar bid, the scandal has simply highlighted ongoing grievances between the industry and the government, which earlier this year announced the creation of a new body, Creative Greece, that will oversee all audiovisual production in the Mediterranean nation. The organization unites the Greek Film Center, formerly responsible for domestic production, and the National Center of Audiovisual Media and Communication (EKOME), the body that manages the countrys 40% cash rebate scheme.

The Oscars is a very small thing compared to what is happening in Greece in general, she said, citing frustration with Creative Greece, which is yet to announce its board of directors, as well as ongoing funding shortfalls at the Greek Film Center.

Moreover, she echoed the position of other Greek filmmakers that deputy minister Fotilas  who assumed his post in June and is meeting with industry reps for the first time  is ill-equipped to manage the situation as local filmmakers demand a bigger discussion than the Oscars. The deputy minister doesnt know how to handle this, she said.

Reached by Variety, Fotilas doubled down on his claims of illegal behavior on the part of a civil servant at the culture ministry, insisting: I have no problem with the academy or the producers. My problem was with the procedure.

He said he floated a proposal for industry reps to form a new selection committee, insisting he would willingly accept their recommendations, while also asserting that he would change the law  today, if its possible  to hand over the Oscar selection process to the Hellenic Film Academy, a move long championed by the film body and its nearly 700 members.

I hope that my commitments will be enough to make them reconsider, Fotilas said. Otherwise, I am afraid that we will kill Greek cinema.

With just over two weeks to go until the Sept. 13 deadline announced by the deputy minister to name Greeces Oscar selection, Drandaki said the industry needs more from the government before filmmakers would even begin to consider resubmitting their films, with even that possibility remote. I find it difficult to return if we are not really, really heard, she said. I dont know how this can happen in two weeks.

Last week, the Hellenic Film Academy penned an open letter asking for this years selection process to be scrapped and for Greece not to submit a film for the international feature film race at next years Academy Awards, which will take place on March 3.

Its very radical. We know its not good for the country, and the reputation of the country, said academy president Lefteris Charitos. Given the events of the past week, however, he added it would be very difficult for the damage to be undone ahead of the Academys Oct. 2 submission deadline. Theres solidarity at the moment, and most of us are united and trying to move things forward.

Yorgos Zois gave an impassioned speech after winning best director in Sarajevo.

As Greek filmmakers circle the wagons, Yorgos Zois, who won best directing honors at the Sarajevo Film Festival for his existential sci-fi drama Arcadia, delivered an impassioned speech at that events closing ceremony on Friday, connecting the Greek Oscar fiasco to recent tragedies  including the deadly train crash last year that claimed 57 lives  in which government officials have dodged accountability while pinning the blame on low-level employees.

I can sometimes understand their ignorance, but their arrogance towards the working people is unacceptable, Zois said. The government should be the servants of the people and not the rulers. As long as they are violent, disrespectful and arrogant to us, we will continue to resist, united on all fronts.

Best of Variety

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(WFRV)  The waterfowl hunting season for several species begins on September 1, and authorities are reminding the public of dates, hours, and regulations in the Green Bay Area.

According to a release from the Green Bay Police Department, the waterfowl hunting season goes from September 1, 2024, through January 29, 2025, and hunting is permitted 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset.

Biden plans to travel to Wisconsin next week to highlight energy policies and efforts to lower costs

Hunters may lawfully pursue migratory birds in the bays water, beginning at the edge. This area includes the waters in front of Bay Beach Park, the warehouse/marina shoreline, the west shore, including Ken Euers Nature Trail, and the east shore northeast of Mahon Creek.

Additionally, in the residential area east of Bay Beach Park and west of Mahon Creek, hunters must be 100 feet from the bulkhead shoreline, which is about five car lengths.

Hunters must stay in the water as the water levels change so they are not on dry land. If hunters have a duck blind that starts in the water and gets brought to shore, they have a right to retrieve their blind without breaking the trespassing law.

Second Brown County Frogger event of 2024 resulted in 88 warnings, lower compliance rate

If a bird falls on private property, it does not belong to the landowner. However, hunters need to ask the property owner for permission before retrieval. If theyre denied, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources should be called for retrieval.

For more information on the upcoming waterfowl hunting season, visit the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
GREENFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  The man suspected of murder in Greenfield earlier this year is due in court on Wednesday.

Greenfield names Todd Dodge as Police Chief

Taaniel Herberger-Brown pleaded not guilty to a single count of murder in connection with the death of 35-year-old Christopher Hairston formerly of Pittsfield and Greenfield.

On April 22nd Greenfield police were called to an apartment on Chapman Street after a report of a foul odor. When officers entered the home, they found Hairstons body lying on the floor

After being found at the Albany International Airport parking garage, he was extradited back to Massachusetts. According to the police report, Herberger-Brown told investigators he was at the airport because he was planning to visit his mother out of the country. The suspect mentioned several destinations, including Germany, Vancouver, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland.

He allegedly told police that he had gotten into a physical altercation with an unknown person who had broken into his apartment. Herberger-Brown said he believed the intruder to have been on drugs, and said that after the altercation, he died because his heart stopped. Afterward, Herberger-Brown said he left the apartment to get a tire rotation. Police were not able to determine exactly when this alleged altercation took place.

He is due in court Wednesday morning for a pre-trial hearing.

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.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  Investigators say a mother has been arrested and charged with killing her 18-month-old daughter in a horrific case of child abuse.

The Grand Rapids Police Department said it was called Aug. 22 for a woman who said her child had died at an apartment complex on Eastern Avenue SE south of Wealthy Street SE. The call came in around 5:20 p.m., according to the probable cause affidavit.

First responders say they could not save the child, identified in court documents as 18-month-old Skii Swope, and she was pronounced dead around 5:55 p.m.

Skii Swope (Courtesy Karry Torres)

According to the affidavit, Skii appeared very malnourished, with sunken eyes and visible bones. She also had deep wounds that her mother attributed to diaper rash, the affidavit says.

First responders also saw that Skiis twin brother appeared lethargic, and he was taken to the hospital, court documents say. The boy remains in critical condition, according to a GRPD news release.

Its a scene that Grand Rapids police chief Eric Winstrom described as horrific.

Top three most horrific things I have ever seen in my life, he said. The pictures of this baby and the abuse to this child is probably the worst images that I have seen in years if not ever and its going to be difficult to get out of my brain.

An 8-year-old also lived in the home, the affidavit says. Police say the child was taken into Child Protective Services custody due to the conditions in the house.

An autopsy by the Kent County Medical Examiner ruled the girls death a homicide, the release says.

(The examiner) determined that she died of starvation and malnutrition, the probable cause affidavit says, listing Skiis weight as 13 pounds. He explained that this would be an intentional act not to feed a child to this extent and that Skii was also extremely dehydrated.

Winstrom told News 8 that the child was living in deplorable conditions and was severely malnourished.

Sores extensively on her body, exposed ribs, just absolutely horrific scene in that house with feces from an animal, he said Live bedbugs, just the worst conditions possible.

Police say the mother, 24-year-old Brooklynne Davis, was arrested Monday on felony murder and first-degree child abuse charges. She was arraigned Wednesday and bond was denied.

Given the information provided by court services regarding out-of-town families, allegations of maybe leaving the state raise concerns concerning flight risk, 61st District Court Judge Michael Distel said. More importantly, though, is the severity of the crime. This court takes the severity of what is being alleged today as the significant determination for bond. Again, bond can always be revisited, but at this point Im going to deny bail or bond.

A memorial outside an apartment complex on Eastern Avenue SE on Aug. 28, 2024.

Davis was the only caretaker of the three children, court documents show. Investigators say they found signs of abuse and extreme neglect. According to the probable cause affidavit, the home was infested with lice and bedbugs, and the children slept on a single soiled mattress. The affidavit says the apartment had a strong odor and was home to an emaciated dog, which would go to the bathroom inside and did not have food or water.

Davis told investigators that she fed the twins chicken nuggets, pancakes, French toast sticks, water and protein shakes, which she purchased when she noticed they were losing weight, court documents say. She never contacted a doctor, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Davis said she would often put the children to bed and not change or feed them until 14 hours had passed, the document shows.

On this occasion, she said she put the twins to bed around 8 p.m. the night before and did not check on them until around 10 a.m. Aug. 22, according to the affidavit.

(Davis told investigators that) Skii appeared to be sleeping still so she did not check on her, not wanting to wake her, the document says. Brooklynne did not check on Skii again until around (3 p.m. or 3:30 p.m.) that day, almost another five to five and a half hours. At this time, Skii was deceased and Brooklynne described her as dead weight and cold to the touch.

FAMILY: SHES AN ANGEL IN HEAVEN NOW

Skiis great aunts Karry and Angela Torres told News 8 that they are still wrapping their heads around the loss, saying it should have never happened.

She was our great niece, she couldve been somebody, something. I dont know, its hurtful, its very hurtful, Karry Torres said. Even thinking about it or talking about it is terrible.

Karry Torres added that she wished Davis would have asked for help before it led to this.

Dont kill your child, reach out. Theres always an outreach, theres always somebody out there that can steer you in another direction, she said.

Skiis other great aunt Angela left a message behind.

I love you baby; I know shes an angel in heaven now. And I even love Brooke, shes like family. I love her and I do forgive her but it hurts, it hurts, she said.

CHILD ABUSE ON THE RISE IN KENT COUNTY

Data provided to News 8 by the Kent County Prosecutors Office showed the number of child abuse charges in the county rose from 64 to 2021 to 92 in 2022 and 131 last year  an increase of 42% from 2022 to 2023.

Data included in the Kent County Prosecutors Office annual report for 2023 shows child abuse charges each year since 2019.

Weve seen maybe more serious cases. We just had the one where a child was locked in a box. I mean, that was a pretty serious one. Fortunately the child didnt die, but weve seen maybe unique ones or things like that, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker told News 8 Wednesday.

However, he also noted that child abuse homicide cases, in which a child dies as a result of abuse, have not increased overall.

Davis probable cause hearing is set for September.

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As U.S. stock markets edge higher and investors await key earnings reports, the focus remains on companies that demonstrate robust growth potential and strong insider ownership. In this environment, stocks with significant insider investment can signal confidence in a company's future prospects, making them particularly noteworthy for growth-oriented portfolios.

Top 10 Growth Companies With High Insider Ownership In The United States

Name Insider Ownership Earnings Growth Atour Lifestyle Holdings (NasdaqGS:ATAT) 26% 21.6% GigaCloud Technology (NasdaqGM:GCT) 25.7% 24.3% Atlas Energy Solutions (NYSE:AESI) 29.1% 42.7% Victory Capital Holdings (NasdaqGS:VCTR) 12% 32.3% Hims & Hers Health (NYSE:HIMS) 13.7% 40.7% On Holding (NYSE:ONON) 28.4% 24.4% Credo Technology Group Holding (NasdaqGS:CRDO) 14.3% 60.9% BBB Foods (NYSE:TBBB) 22.9% 66.5% Carlyle Group (NasdaqGS:CG) 29.5% 22% EHang Holdings (NasdaqGM:EH) 32.8% 78.8%

Click here to see the full list of 176 stocks from our Fast Growing US 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: LINKBANCORP, Inc., with a market cap of $253.33 million, operates as a bank holding company for The Gratz Bank, offering a range of banking products and services to individuals, families, nonprofits, and businesses in Pennsylvania.

Operations: The company's revenue segment includes banking, generating $68.14 million.

Insider Ownership: 29.4%

LINKBANCORP has demonstrated strong growth potential with substantial insider ownership and notable revenue increases. Recent earnings reports show significant improvements, with net interest income rising to US$24.48 million from US$8.09 million year-over-year, and net income reaching US$5.8 million from US$1.35 million a year ago. The company has been added to several Russell indices, indicating market confidence in its future performance, despite previous shareholder dilution concerns.

NasdaqCM:LNKB Ownership Breakdown as at Aug 2024

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: Allegiant Travel Company, with a market cap of $753.75 million, is a leisure travel company that offers travel services and products to residents of under-served cities in the United States.

Operations: Revenue segments include Airline services generating $2.46 billion and a Segment Adjustment of $43.59 million.

Insider Ownership: 15.5%

Allegiant Travel is forecast to achieve profitability within 3 years, with earnings expected to grow significantly at over 100% annually. Despite recent financial challenges, including a net income drop to US$13.7 million in Q2 2024 and suspended dividends, insider ownership remains strong with more shares bought than sold recently. The company continues strategic reviews and leadership changes aimed at enhancing operational performance and maximizing asset value, particularly for Sunseeker Resort.

Story continues

NasdaqGS:ALGT Ownership Breakdown as at Aug 2024

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: Credit Acceptance Corporation provides financing programs and related products and services in the United States, with a market cap of $5.77 billion.

Operations: The company generates $815.20 million from offering dealers financing programs and related products and services in the United States.

Insider Ownership: 14.1%

Credit Acceptance Corporation, with substantial insider ownership, is forecast to achieve significant earnings growth of 72% per year and revenue growth of 49.1% per year. Despite a recent net loss of US$47.1 million in Q2 2024 and declining profit margins, the company continues strategic share buybacks and has made several amendments to its credit agreements to improve financial flexibility. The stock trades at a discount to its estimated fair value by 24.5%.

NasdaqGS:CACC Earnings and Revenue Growth as at Aug 2024

Make It Happen

Click through to start exploring the rest of the 173 Fast Growing US Companies With High Insider Ownership now.

Are any of these part of your asset mix? Tap into the analytical power of Simply Wall St's portfolio to get a 360-degree view on how they're shaping up.

Discover a world of investment opportunities with Simply Wall St's free app and access unparalleled stock analysis across all markets.

Ready For A Different Approach?

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.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 NasdaqCM:LNKB NasdaqGS:ALGT and NasdaqGS:CACC.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WKBN)  The Cleveland Guardians have selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Erik Sabrowski from Triple-A Columbus.

To make room on the roster, Anthony Gose was designated for assignment for the third time this month.

Sabrowski, who will make his MLB debut in his first appearance, joined the Cleveland organization when he was selected from the San Diego Padres in the Rule 5 Draft in 2021.

He has split the 2024 season at Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus.

Sabrowski has posted a combined record of 8-3 with a 3.51 ERA. He has struck out 79 batters in 48.2 innings of work in the minor leagues.

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With its pristine landscapes and wealth of scenic hiking trails, the Grossarl Valley offers a tranquil escape away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Photograph by Getty Images

Tucked into the folds of some of Austrias most idyllic mountains, the Grossarl Valley is home to nature on a monumental scale. Here, travellers can hike to a cross-topped mountain at sunrise to witness the first rays touching imposing peaks, listen in silent wonder to the stag rut on a misty autumn morning or kick back with a freshly prepared cheese platter at an Alpine hut embedded in wildflower-flecked meadows.

Daniel Hettegger loves the outdoors and has been leading hikes throughout the Grossarl Valley for more than 20 years. Photograph by Das Edelweiss Mountain Resort

This is where hiking guide Daniel Hettegger plies his trade. "I was born in the Grossarl Valley and have been walking these mountain trails for as long as I can remember," he says. My connection to nature stems from a free-range childhood spent outdoors  I used to hike alone several times a day up to Niggeltalalm and back to bring meals to my older brothers and father, who worked in the woods. I had no fear of nature. I was always building tree huts or crafting in the forest. Some 50 years down the line, not much has changed. Children still climb trees and mountains as soon as they can stand, he states enthusiastically.

Back in 1979, Daniels brother Peter Hettegger, with the support of their father Opa Hettegger, opened an inn called DAS EDELWEISS Salzburg Mountain Resort, planting the seed for what would grow into a five-star spa hotel reflecting the familys deep-rooted love of nature. Today, Daniel leads guided hikes for the hotel guests into the Grossarltal Valley, located in the foothills of Hohe Tauern National Park.

It's a special place, says Daniel. Here, everything is in harmony with nature, and you feel the full healing power of the Alps. The mental and physical benefits of hiking are profound  I love the feeling of freedom as you crest a rise and the views reach far into the distance. The fresh air is invigorating, the crystal-clear water pure enough to drink. Were far removed from the chaotic environs of city life  sleep certainly comes easily out here, he laughs. But visitors shouldnt have too much of a lie-in.

Rise early and hit one of the many mountain trails to view nature at its best, Daniel claims, whose hikes from the hotel range from short, easy, family-friendly strolls to challenging multi-day hikes diving into proper Alpine terrain. My tours make the most of those quiet morning hours to glimpse herds of grazing chamois on high pastures, say, or a farmer splashing his face with ice-cold water as he prepares for the day. With patience and good timing, we can spot all sorts of Alpine wildlife and birdlife, including red deer, marmots, capercaillie, eagles and bearded vultures.

Each season is said to bring its own charms, too: in spring, azure gentian and crocuses carpet the undulating landscape, while summer brings long, warm days and autumn is a feast for foraging chanterelles and penny bun mushrooms with the sound of the stag rut as a rousing backdrop.

As a hiking guide, I know every flower, tree and rock  and theres a beauty in that, Daniel explains. Its not about being the first to the top, its about slowing the pace, switching off and letting nature work its magic. I sometimes take guests on unmarked trails through woods and meadows that they wouldnt otherwise find. Grossarltal is home to 40 cultivated Almen (mountain pastures), so we always stop en route for a Jause (snack) of farm-fresh produce, such as cheese, butter, bacon, bread, sausage and feisty schnapps made with foraged berries.

Surrounded by the majestic peaks of the Grossarltal Valley, DAS EDELWEISS Salzburg Mountain Resort is an ideal base to relax and unwind.

After a long days hike, its all about unwinding back at DAS EDELWEISS Salzburg Mountain Resort. In the onsite restaurant, head chef Alexander Hettegger serves creative dishes and vegan delicacies, all sourced from local ingredients, while the resort's spa references the Alpine surrounds with treatments that play up the healing power of its indigenous plants and herbs  from pine and arnica to peppermint and lemon balm. Other experiences include infrared cabins and brine pools for weary limbs and saunas of varying temperatures, some of which afford panoramic views over the surrounding mountains.

The Grossarl Valley is also incredible for stargazing, Daniel concludes. If the skies are clear at night, be sure to pop your head out. I find it enables a different sense of mindfulness and freedom  gazing out into infinity and considering ones' place in world.

Daniels three favourite hikes in Grossarltal

1. Schuhflicker

Around 7,200ft high, Schuhflicker is a peak that feels close to heaven. Pick a clear day for this trail, starting before the crack of dawn with an aim to be at the summit before 5am. We take a taxi up to Aualm at 5,889ft and walk with torches or headlamps. Anyone can tackle it, but the final stretch is challenging, with a roped section and stony steps, Daniel explains. When we get there, its entrancing to watch the light change from pink to red to yellow as the first rays hit the tips of the summits. The view is extraordinary, too, reaching all the way to the Hohe Tauern mountains and Austrias highest peak, 12,460ft Grossglockner. I bring coffee, tea and schnapps for those who want it.

2. Hollwand

Hollwand (Hell Wall) is a personal favourite, but you need Alpine experience and a head for heights to tackle it, says Daniel. This challenging nine-mile, six-hour hike takes travellers into the real wilderness and rewards them with tremendous views of the Grossarl and Salzach valleys. Theres a good chance of spotting chamois up here, Daniel explains. The limestone summit is breathtakingly sheer and the narrow ridge isnt for the faint-hearted! Afterwards, stop at Mooslehenalm to refuel with Schwarzbeernocken (blackberry dumplings).

3. Hirschgrubenalm

This idyllic, fairly flat, four-mile trail leads to Hirschgrubenalm through meadows and forests that feel primeval, with everything covered in lush green moss. Walking there is like walking on clouds, Daniel claims. After heavy rain, locals head here to look for Schwammerl (mushrooms). Its a relaxed tour as theres a leisurely 10am start and plenty of time at the Alm to stop and talk to dairy farmers and get a nice little snapshot into Alpine life.

This paid content article was created for DAS EDELWEISS Salzburg Mountain Resort. It does not necessarily reflect the views of National Geographic, National Geographic Traveller (UK) or their editorial staffs.



To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
A woman was injured when gunfire erupted Monday night on a bustling street lined with bars and restaurants in the North Hollywood Arts District.

The terrifying ordeal unfolded at around 8 p.m. on Magnolia Avenue between Lankershim Boulevard and Vineland Avenue, outside The Fat Dog Bar and Restaurant where a patio full of customers were dining.

In surveillance footage of the incident, a barrage of gunfire, a single shot followed by at least a dozen others can be heard.

A couple on the sidewalk are seen ducking, clinging to one another and running for cover.

The female victim, who has yet to be identified, was shot in the leg. Its unclear if she was a customer at The Fat Dog.

Personnel with the Los Angeles police and fire departments responded to the scene and located the woman, who was conscious and breathing, authorities said. She was taken to a nearby hospital by paramedics.

Her condition was not immediately available.

L.A. police on the scene of a drive-by shooting in North Hollywood on Aug. 27, 2024. (Aimee Conn)

L.A. police on the scene of a drive-by shooting in North Hollywood on Aug. 27, 2024. (KTLA)

L.A. police on the scene of a drive-by shooting in North Hollywood on Aug. 27, 2024. (Aimee Conn)

Bullet holes scene in space heaters on the patio of The Fat Dog bar and restaurant after a drive by shooting in North Hollywood on Aug. 26, 2024. (KTLA)

I think about 18 shots were fired on Magnolia Avenue, David Chalem, who works a few doors over at DMC Real Estate, said. It wasnt one or two in the morning. It was 8 p.m.

Chalem told KTLAs Rachel Menitoff that in the last two years, criminal activity has increased along this once safe street of bars, restaurants, theaters and vintage shops.

Weve been here so long, and we always felt at least practically safe, he explained. But after something like that, we had a long discussion today about potentially leaving the spot.

Aimee Conn was working across the street at the Cheba Hut and documented some of the harrowing experience.

It was mayhem. Everybody started running different places and we didnt know if it was a mass shooter or actually a drive-by, she said. Ive lived 20 years in L.A., and I have never experienced that before, never in this neighborhood.

When she saw the active crime scene, Conn said she immediately thought of her friend, actor Johnny Wactor, who was shot and killed on May 25 in downtown L.A. after a bartending shift.

This shouldnt have happened, Conn said. It was preventable. What are we going to do about it? Whats the solution, together?

Police in Orange County execute high-risk PIT maneuver on pursuit suspect

Police are looking into the possibility that the shooting was the work of two gunmen who fled on foot and possibly got into a white BMW SUV that fled the scene.

Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact the Los Angeles Police Departments North Hollywood Division.

Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-222-8477 or leave tips online at www.lacrimestoppers.org.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
The Guy Who Wants to Be Trumps Secretary of Health and Human Services Keeps Doing Weird Stuff With Animals

On Friday, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. abandoned his presidential campaign and endorsed Donald Trump as commander-in-chief.

Kennedy has signaled that he's gunning for a role in the Trump administration. Trump, meanwhile, recently told CNN that he was considering giving Kennedy a role in his administration, and in an interview that aired on Monday, Kennedy told the conservative pundit Tucker Carlson that he and Trump are "working on policy issues together."

As for which position Kennedy is specifically looking to nab? Nothing's been confirmed, but last week, prior to the campaign's suspension, Kennedy's running mate Nicole Shanahan  the ex-wife of Google cofounder Sergey Brin  offered a hint: per NBC, while speaking to a podcaster Shanahan floated the suggestion that Kennedy would make an "incredible" secretary of health and human services.

That Kennedy would want this position in the administration  or any other health or environment-related role  isn't surprising. A former environmental lawyer, Kennedy has gained notoriety in recent years for his open-armed embrace of a slew of health-related conspiracy theories, most famously the debunked notion that vaccines cause autism. His campaign has largely been based on his rejection of the COVID-19 vaccine and pandemic protocols in general, and he even made the ludicrous claim that the COVID-19 virus had been genetically modified to avoid "Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese."

In other words, based on his conspiratorial and unscientific approach to human health alone, putting Kennedy anywhere near a position like health secretary would be dangerous  and that's before you even get to the animal stories.

The Kennedy scion has long been known as an animal aficionado with a penchant for taxidermy; per the NYT, his taxidermy collection includes the stuffed body of a pet turtle and a Sumatran tiger once gifted to his father, the late Robert "Bobby" Kennedy, Sr. But his presidential campaign has revealed a string of increasingly bizarre stories about various concerning interactions with deceased animals, the latest of which may warrant an official inquiry.

It started back in May, when The New York Times reported that during divorce proceedings in 2012, Kennedy disclosed that a parasitic worm "got into [his] brain and ate a portion of it and then died." (Per the NYT, Kennedy invoked the alleged brain worm to explain self-described "cognitive problems" he was experiencing.)

Shortly after that, in July, a Vanity Fair article  which also included resurfaced sexual assault allegations brought against Kennedy by a former babysitter for his children  included a photo of Kennedy, taken in Korea in 2010, posing with the carcass of what strongly appears to be a dead, barbecued dog. It was later that year that doctors would allegedly discover the worm in his brain.

And barely a month after that, Kennedy himself released a deeply strange video in which he told the one-time comedian Roseanne Barr that he had dumped a dead bear cub in New York's Central Park and staged it to look like a bike accident. Basically, as he tells it, in 2014 he was on his way to go falconing  again with the animals  when a woman driving ahead of him hit the young bear, killing it. At first, Kennedy told Barr, he'd intended to skin the bear and store its meat in his fridge, as it was in "good condition." But he left the bear in the car for too long  as one does?  causing it to spoil, and so, because there had apparently been a string of bike accidents in Central Park, he decided to drop the bear there. Because there aren't any bears in Central Park, however, the dead cub became big news. (Kennedy released the video to get ahead of a forthcoming New Yorker article that revealed the incident.)

And you'd think that would be the end of it, right? Alas, not yet. Just this week, a bizarre Town & Country interview with Kennedy's daughter, Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy, resurfaced  and it might just contain the most deranged Kennedy story of them all.

In the interview, which was originally published back in 2012, Kick recalled that her father had wielded a chainsaw to saw off the head of a dead, beached whale at Hyannis Port, Massachusetts  and then, with the family in tow, strapped it to the roof of their car for the drive back to the family's home in Mount Kisco, New York. The drive was five hours long, and per Kick's retelling, it sounds hellish.

"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 Town & Country. "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," she added.

It's one thing to be interested in oddities, like taxidermied critters or even old bones. But lopping off the allegedly still-juicy head of a beached whale is extremely weird behavior that goes way beyond simply being a hobbiest, even by Kennedy's increasingly weird standards. On Monday, according to The New York Times, the "political arm" of the Center for Biological Diversity called for an investigation into Kennedy's alleged whale-sawing, citing federal laws prohibiting individuals from collecting soft tissues from protected marine mammals and, separately, carrying those collected parts across state lines.

Though no specific role for Kennedy in the Trump administration has yet been confirmed, Kennedy is on Trump's transition team, meaning that he'd at minimum play a role in staffing, reviewing, and organizing a Trump-led government. And at the end of the day, Americans deserve to have real experts helming government agencies, including the ones responsible for human, animal, and environmental health  and not a weirdo conspiracy theorist who can't seem to stop desecrating animal corpses.

More on RFK: RFK Junior Threatens to Eat "Five More Brain Worms"
Springfield, VT- A Littleton man is facing a first-degree murder charge in connection to the killing of a Springfield man in June 2022.

Paul Lachapelle, 28, from Littleton, NH, was arrested by New Hampshire State Police on Wednesday in Lisbon. Hes expected to be in court in New Hampshire sometime on Thursday before he can be extradited to Vermont.

Vermont State Police got a warrant for Lachapelles arrest on Friday for charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. The charges are connected to the homicide of Justin Gilliam, 38, from Springfield, who was found dead on June 6 on Greeley Road. He had been shot in the head, police said.

Police search for suspects connected to 2 bank robberies & dispensary attempted robbery

Police say Lachapelle lived in Springfield at the time of the killing. According to investigators, the homicide was related to a dispute between several people involved in illegal drug trafficking.

Gilliams body was first found by someone who lives on Greeley Road and reported finding the body alongside the road. The autopsy results determined the cause of death to be a gunshot wound to the head.

Lachapelle is currently held at the Grafton County Jail in New Hampshire. He will face murder charges in court in White River Junction, and his arraignment in Vermont has not been scheduled yet.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44.
(The Hill)  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.

Ozempictown, USA: Kentucky city becomes weight-loss drug capital of US

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 currently 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 repellants, 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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HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT)  Campers will be able to have campfires at Harmonie State Park during Posey Countys burn ban.

Officials with the park tell Eyewitness News that a waiver has been finalized and granted to allow this.

Officials state the fires have to be contained, dug a little deeper and be near water.

Labor Day weekend is one of the busiest times of the year for campgrounds.

Warrick and Gibson counties in Indiana and Union County in Kentucky are currently under burn bans as of noon on Wednesday.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).
Kamala Harris returns to Georgia this week in her first post-convention campaign stop  and shes swinging through a part of the state Democrats at the top of the ticket have long ignored in the final stretch to Election Day.

The vice president and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are setting off on a bus tour in southeast Georgia on Wednesday, where theyll meet with supporters, small business owners and voters. Harris will finish it out with a rally Thursday night in Savannah, part of the campaigns renewed effort to prioritize the battleground state now that her team believes its in play.

The vice presidents campaign isnt just relying on metro Atlantas bluest counties, a strategy that speaks to the lessons gleaned from President Joe Bidens ultra slim victory in 2020, when he flipped the swing state by less than 12,000 votes. If Democrats want to win Georgia again, they also must continue to improve their margins in the states urban, suburban and rural areas outside the perimeter, too, particularly among Black and working class voters.

They are campaigning all across this country, and they see a path through Georgia. We have multiple paths to 270 so that we can win the White House once again, and coming to Georgia is an affirmation that we are still a battleground state, we are still in this, said Rep. Nikema Williams (D-Ga.), chair of the state Democratic Party. And they know just like we know  that weve been counted out before.

Its a high-risk, high-reward strategy, returning to the trail after the convention to visit a state many Democrats feared was out of reach in recent months. And with roughly two months until Election Day, Harris and Walz are in a race to try to make up for lost time. Former President Donald Trump has campaigned in Atlanta, but also outside the metro area in places like Rome, Dalton, Commerce and Valdosta.



While our highly engaged and energetic operation in Georgia is focused on turning out votes across the entire state, Democrats in Georgia are finally learning an important lessonthere is more to Georgia than just Atlanta, said RNC spokesperson Morgan Ackley.

While the latest polls still show Trump with a slight lead in Georgia, Harris has started to close the gap there since Biden exited the race, and her aides argue its one of the Sun Belt states that has become more competitive with her at the top of the ticket. They believe that makes it worth spending time there in the final election stretch, even as they also need to make a serious play for the competitive blue wall states in the Midwest.

This is going to be a tight race, and its going to be won on the margins. So I really think its important to underscore that Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Walz are fighting for every single vote, said veteran strategist Jonae Wartel, a senior adviser for the Harris campaign in Georgia. And thats a statewide strategy, especially in a place like Georgia. Her having these rallies in Atlanta and metro Atlanta is great but also having her in south Georgia  it represents the coalition of voters in going to power this election.

Democrats have benefited from Georgias population growing larger and more diverse, as well as the years of work activists have been doing in the state to turn out first-time voters, many young and voters of color, who helped send Biden over the top four years ago. And the Harris campaigns strategy also pulls a page directly from Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnocks winning playbook in 2021 and 2022, when his campaign appealed to swing voters and drove up turnout among rural and Black voters across the state.

The win in 2020 did not start with work in 2020. The work had started long before that, and it was a culminating moment, said Ranada Robinson, research director at the New Georgia Project Action Fund. So even if we are working for this years election, we have to be focused on the future and not only creating but maintaining the infrastructure  where were building the relationships with these voters.



In past cycles, Democrats like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton rarely made appearances in the state once they locked up the partys nomination, as Democrats at the top of the ticket wrote it off as a GOP shoo-in. Biden, who became the first Democratic nominee to win Georgia in 28 years, made gains in parts of the state Harris team hopes to expand on. (Biden also closed his 2020 campaign with a speech in Warm Springs, Georgia.) Compared with 2016, Democrats in 2020 netted roughly 10,000 more votes in Savannahs Chatham County, and another 1,700 votes in Liberty County  margins that can make or break a battleground race.

Harris aides point to their opponents surge in spending as a sign of GOP unease amid Harris emergence. The Trump campaign and the biggest Trump-aligned super PAC spent four times as much on TV ads in Georgia in the first two weeks of Harris campaign than in the entire rest of the 2024 race. The former president has also tried to make nice with Georgias popular Republican governor, Brian Kemp, after publicly feuding with him  slights his allies have feared could hurt his prospects in the state.

Harris bus tour will mark her seventh trip to the state this year. She held a rally in Atlanta earlier this month, featuring Megan Thee Stallion, her first as the presumed Democratic presidential nominee. And the campaign has seen a groundswell of momentum since Harris launched, with more than 35,000 volunteers joining since she announced her campaign. They also have almost 50 full-time staff across seven offices in southern Georgia, including in Valdosta, where Trump carried in 2020.

Georgia is bigger than just Atlanta, said Gerald Griggs, a voting rights activist and the president of the Atlanta NAACP. We need to recognize where a large majority of diverse voters are, and that would be in the south. Places where people had written it off  and places where voters had written off both parties because they dont engage with them.
WASHINGTON  Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign for president launched a new television and digital ad blitz Wednesday warning voters of the Project 2025 conservative policy blueprint.

And there's a certain individual the campaign hopes will see it.

While the ads will air across seven critical battleground states, the Harris campaign is also paying to have it run specifically in Florida's Palm Beach-Fort Pierce media market  so that former President Donald Trump might come across it while flipping through channels from his Mar-a-Lago home.

"Donald Trump's back, and he's out for control, and he has a plan to get it. It's called Project 2025," a narrator says in the ad while showing clips of the former president saying, "I would have every right to go after them" and "I will wield that power very aggressively."

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Aug. 08, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla.

The ad, which is not running in other parts of Florida, describes Project 2025 as a "922-page blueprint to make Donald Trump the most powerful president ever."

Project 2025, the creation of the conservative think-tank the Heritage Foundation, contains controversial proposals to eliminate the Department of Education, limit access to abortion pills, overhaul the FBI and reinstate a Trump executive order to allow the president to replace civil servants with political appointees throughout the federal government.

More: Is Trump nervous about Florida? Dems say new ad buy is proof state's competitive

The Trump campaign has worked aggressively to try to distance itself from Project 2025, with Trump saying he has no idea who is behind it. But the plan was produced by more than 100 former Trump administration officials, and Project 2025's director was Paul Dans, who served as the U.S. Office of Personnel Management chief of staff in the Trump administration.

The Palm Beach, Florida market is also the recent target of Trump campaign ads  a move also seemingly made with the former president in mind as the primary audience. The Trump campaign this week booked $48,000 work of ads, a small amount for political advertising, in the Mar-a-lago market, according to AdImpact, which tracks paid media buys.

"Florida is deep red, Trump country but we will never take any state for granted," Trump spokesman Brian Hughes said. "We have robust campaign organizations across the nation and make investments throughout."

More: What is Project 2025? Inside the conservative plan Trump claims to have 'no idea' about.

The new Harris campaign ads focused on Project 2025 are part of a $370 million paid media plan the Harris campaign has reserved between Labor Day and Election Day on Nov. 5.

Trump's home state of Florida is not among the seven top battleground states that are the most closely contested  Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, Nevada, Georgia and North Carolina. Still, it's a state that the Harris campaign has targeted with some investments, encouraged that a ballot amendment added to the November ballot to ensure abortion access puts the state in play.

More: Donald Trump says he'll participate in Sept. 10 debate after casting doubt

A USA TODAY/Suffolk University/WSVN-TV poll this month found Trump leading Harris among likely voters in Florida, 47%-42%. President Joe Biden lost Florida to trump in 2020 by 3.3% percentage points. The last time a Democratic presidential nominee won Florida was Barack Obama in 2012.

Reach Joey Garrison on X, formerly Twitter, @joeygarrison.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Harris campaign targets Trump's Mar-a-lago home in new TV ad blitz
Antonio_Diaz / Getty Images/iStockphoto

No matter what stage you find yourself in with your finances, theres always room for improvement. And theres never been a better time to get on track with your money than now.

Check Out: Im a Self-Made Millionaire: 6 Steps I Took To Become Rich on an Average Salary

For You: 7 Reasons You Must Speak To a Financial Advisor Before Spending $10,000 or More

The future of financial planning is a topic thats really exciting to me, especially as we look ahead to 2025, said Peter Murphy Lewis, finance expert and head of growth at WebStreet. The financial ecosystem is evolving rapidly, and there are a few key trends that I believe will shape the way we approach financial planning in the coming years.

Keep reading for five key financial trends to look for in 2025 and beyond.

Earning passive income doesn't need to be difficult. You can start this week.

Digital Transformation

According to Lewis, the financial planning landscape will be deeply intertwined with digital transformation by 2025.

Were not just talking about mobile apps and online banking anymore  those are already the norm. The real shift will come from AI and machine learning, which will enable hyper-personalized financial strategies tailored to individual needs, he said.

These tools, he explained, will analyze vast amounts of data in real-time, offering insights that were previously only available to those with deep pockets. This means that the average investor will have access to sophisticated financial planning tools that were once out of reach.

My advice is to embrace these technologies wholeheartedly, Lewis added. Start incorporating AI-driven financial tools into your planning now, and youll be well ahead of the curve by the time 2025 rolls around. Remember, technology isnt here to replace human advisors, but to augment their capabilities, making financial planning more precise and accessible.

Justin Godur, finance advisor and founder of Capital Max, highlighted the same. One of the key trends I anticipate is the increased integration of AI-driven tools in financial planning.

These tools, he said, will not only streamline the process of budgeting, investing and forecasting, but will also offer hyper-personalized advice tailored to an individuals spending habits, financial goals and risk tolerance.

The days of generic financial advice are numbered; were moving toward a world where AI understands your financial behavior better than you might yourself, said Godur.

Read Next: I Followed Mark Cubans Genius Advice and Am on Track To Become a Millionaire

Sustainable Investing

According to Lewis, sustainable investing is not just a trend; its the future.

Story continues

By 2025, we expect ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria to become a central pillar in financial planning strategies. Investors are increasingly aware of the impact their money can have on the world, and theyre choosing to align their investments with their values, he explained.

This shift is driven by a growing demand for transparency and accountability from companies. Sustainable investing is not only about doing good, but its also about securing strong returns.

Lewis added that companies with solid ESG practices are proving to be more resilient and better positioned for long-term success. For those looking to future-proof their portfolios, now is the time to start exploring ESG funds and opportunities. Integrating sustainability into your investment strategy is not just ethical; its smart business.

Godur emphasized the same, and explained that with growing awareness around ESG factors, more investors are looking to align their portfolios with their values. This shift isnt just a passing fad  its becoming a fundamental part of financial planning. I encourage clients to start exploring ESG funds now to get ahead of the curve.

Financial Wellness Programs

As we approach 2025, the importance of financial wellness in the workplace will become increasingly evident. The traditional model of offering a 401(k) and calling it a day is no longer sufficient, said Lewis.

Employees are seeking more comprehensive financial wellness programs that address their overall financial health. This includes everything from debt management and budgeting to retirement planning and investment advice.

Companies that offer robust financial wellness programs will not only attract top talent, but also increase employee satisfaction and productivity, Lewis continued.

For employers, he said this is an investment in your workforces future that will pay dividends in the form of a more engaged and financially secure team. My advice to employers is to start thinking about how you can enhance your financial wellness offerings. This isnt just a benefit; its a strategic advantage in a competitive job market.

Cryptocurrency and Digital Assets

According to Lewis, cryptocurrencies and digital assets are rapidly moving from the fringes to the mainstream, and by 2025, they will play an even more significant role in diversified portfolios. While the crypto market can be volatile and is still evolving, it offers unique opportunities for those willing to navigate its complexities.

However, he noted its essential to approach digital assets with caution. Diversification remains the golden rule  crypto should be a part of a well-balanced portfolio, not the entire strategy.

His recommendation for investors is to educate themselves thoroughly about the risks and rewards of digital assets. Dont jump in blindly. Take the time to understand the market, seek advice from experts, and consider how these assets fit into your broader financial goals. The potential is enormous, but so are the risks, so proceed with both enthusiasm and caution.

Financial Literacy Will Continue To Grow

One of the more surprising trends predicted by Godur is the importance of financial literacy continuing to grow. In a world where financial products are becoming more complex, those who take the time to educate themselves will have a significant advantage, he said.

His advice? Dont rely solely on your financial planner  empower yourself with knowledge. The future of financial planning is bright, but it requires us to be proactive, informed, and open to embracing new tools and strategies.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Future Trends in Financial Planning for 2025
NEW YORK (AP)  As Vice President Kamala Harris begins her fall campaign for the White House, she can look to history and hope for better luck than others in her position who have tried the same.

Since 1836, only one sitting vice president, George H.W. Bush in 1988, has been elected to the White House. Among those who tried and failed were Richard Nixon in 1960, Hubert Humphrey in 1968 and Al Gore in 2000. All three lost in narrow elections shaped by issues ranging from war and scandal to crime and the subtleties of televised debates. But two other factors proved crucial for each vice president: whether the incumbent president was well-liked and whether the president and vice president enjoyed a productive relationship.

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden stand on stage with Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff during the first day of Democratic National Convention, Monday, Aug. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

You really do want those elements to come together, says Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. If the person the vice president is working for is popular, that means people like what hes doing and you can gain from that. And you need to have the two principals working together.

In 1988, Bush easily defeated Democrat Michael Dukakis, the Massachusetts governor whom Republicans labeled as ineffectual and out of touch. Bush was otherwise helped by a solid economy, the easing of Cold War tensions and some rare luck for a vice president. President Ronald Reagans approval ratings rose through much of the year after falling sharply in the wake of the 1986-87 Iran-Contra scandal, and Reagan and Bush worked well together during the campaign. Reagan openly backed his vice president, who had run against him in the 1980 primaries. He praised Bush at the Republican convention as an engaged and invaluable partner, appeared with him at a California rally and spoke at gatherings in Michigan, New Jersey and Missouri.

FILE  Vice President George Bush fields a question during a news conference in front of his Kennebunkport, Maine, home, May 27, 1988, with his wife, Barbara, right. (AP Photo/Pat Wellenbach, File)

Reagan was not a man to hold grudges, said historian-journalist Jonathan Darman. And Bush did a good job of navigating the complexity of their relationship while he was vice president.

Past vice presidents who ran

When Gore ran in 2000, his advantages were similar to those enjoyed by George H.W. Bush. The economy was strong, the country was at peace and the president, Bill Clinton, had high approval ratings despite his recent impeachment over his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

Gore had worked closely with Clinton over the previous eight years, but the scandal led to enduring tensions between them. He minimized the presidents presence during the campaign and pronounced himself my own man during his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. Commentators would cite his distance from Clinton as a setback in a historically close race, decided by a margin of fewer than 1,000 votes in Florida.

Instead of finding a way to embrace the accomplishments of the Clinton administration, Gore ran away from Clinton as fast as his legs could carry him, Slates Jacob Weisberg wrote soon after the election.

Like Gore, Nixon could not  or would not  capitalize on the incumbent Dwight Eisenhowers popularity. In 1960, Eisenhower was still so admired as he neared the end of his second term that Nixons opponent, Democrat John F. Kennedy, feared the presidents active support would prove critical. But Eisenhower and Nixon had a complicated relationship dating back to when Eisenhower ran eight years earlier. He had chosen Nixon as his running mate, but nearly dropped him because of the so-called Checkers scandal, in which Nixon was accused of misusing funds donated by political backers.

Nixon was more than 20 years younger than Eisenhower, the victorious World War II commander who often looked upon his vice president as a junior officer, according to Nixon biographer John A. Farrell. At the end of a summer press conference in 1960, Eisenhower was asked if he could cite Nixons influence on any important decision. He answered, If you give me a week, I might think of one. Meanwhile, Nixon was reluctant to have Eisenhower campaign, out of a desire to forge his own path, and, allegedly, out of concern for the 70-year-old president.

Nixon very much wanted to be his own man, says Farrell, whose prize-winning Richard Nixon was published in 2017. He always said he was worried about Eisenhowers health, but there are also anecdotes that Eisenhower was chafing at the bit. Both could be true.

Nixons luck changed when he ran eight years later against Lyndon B. Johnsons vice president. No vice president was more entrapped by his predecessor than Hubert Humphrey, whose candidacy was only possible because Johnson decided not to seek reelection.

Humphrey faced challenges within the party from the anti-war candidates Eugene McCarthy and Robert F. Kennedy (who was assassinated in June 1968 after winning the California primary) and was tied to Johnsons divisive, hawkish stance.

Humphrey privately advocated a less hardline approach to the war, but Johnson intimidated him into silence and he trailed Nixon badly in many polls. Only in the fall did Humphrey diverge and call for a bombing halt with North Vietnam. The vice president rallied, but ended up losing the popular vote by less than a percentage point while falling short more decisively in the Electoral College.

Johnson did catastrophic damage to Humphrey, in my opinion, says Boston Globe columnist Michael Cohen, author of a book on the 1968 election, American Carnage.

How does Harris fare?

Like Johnson, President Joe Biden declared he wouldnt seek a new term less than a year before Election Day, though he waited much longer in the cycle than Johnson did. Unlike Humphrey, Harris quickly consolidated Democratic support and accepted her partys nomination at an uplifting convention that concluded without significant damage from protests, unlike the violence-marred 1968 event in the same city, Chicago.

In an AP-NORC survey conducted in July, after Biden dropped out of the race, about 4 in 10 Americans approved of his performance as president, roughly where his approval numbers have stood since the summer of 2021 and comparable to those of the Republican nominee, Donald Trump. Eisenhower, Reagan and Clinton frequently held higher approval ratings than Biden, although all served in less polarized eras.

Harris wants to succeed a president who himself served as vice president and ran for president, four years later. President Barack Obama discouraged Biden from seeking election in 2016 and waited to endorse Biden in 2020 until the crowded Democratic primary field was clear.

Obama became an enthusiastic backer, which helped unify the party at a time when Bidens record on race in the 1990s, including his support for the crime bill, was fueling doubts among young progressive voters, Biden biographer Evan Osnos says. Obamas endorsement of Biden was about more than his candidacy; it was about his character, and that proved to be important.

As president, Biden has worked to include Harris on his major policy calls and conversations with foreign leaders. Hes pledged to be Harris top campaign volunteer and to do whatever she asks of him for her election, though aides are still determining where the still-unpopular president would best be utilized. On Labor Day, Biden and Harris will appear together in Pittsburgh for a campaign event in a key swing state, Pennsylvania.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Vice President Harris is the first presidential nominee from a major political party to also have graduated from one of the nations historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), putting a bigger spotlight on those schools at a critical time.

Harris, an alumna of Howard University, accepted the Democratic nomination Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

It served as a moment of great pride for many who went to HBCUs.

She has shown the world that graduates of our esteemed HBCUs are leading the way to a more just and equitable society, Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), who attended Central State University in Ohio, told The Hill in a statement. She is a vanguard for women and HBCU graduates everywhere.

HBCUs were created in the 19th century to offer higher education opportunities to Black Americans. Existing schools often did not welcome Black students.

In 2024, 107 HBCUs around the nation serve more than 228,000 students, according to the Department of Labor, and produce nearly 20 percent of the countrys Black college graduates.

Some of the most prominent leaders from the civil rights era are HBCU graduates, including the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., a graduate of Georgias Morehouse College.

HBCUs have a long line of Black excellence and groundbreaking work, and so it really actually stands to reason that the first Black woman presidential nominee for a major party is a graduate of an HBCU, said Adrienne Jones, a political science professor at Morehouse College. The environments are very good for Black people, because they nurture folks in a country where that is not necessarily the norm.

Harris graduated from Howard with a degree in political science and economics in 1986. She then received her law degree from the University of California Hastings College of the Law.

Elsie Scott, director of Howards Ronald W. Walters Leadership and Public Policy Center, said HBCUs beyond Howard are celebrating.

Everybodys claiming her. This is something for all of us, Scott, the former president and CEO of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, told The Hill. She has definitely made Howard University proud.

Scott said this moment is particularly inspiring for students, who are now able to see someone from an HBCU aspire all the way to the top position in the United States.

Students will say, if she can do it, I can do it, Scott said.

Scott said she also hopes that Harriss HBCU history will lead to a better and more widespread understanding of why the schools are important, particularly amid a movement to limit how topics related to race and racism can be taught. Scott also noted that funding for HBCUs is dwindling in some states.

Some people, some congressional people, have said that its throwing away money and we ought to just close down all these HBCUs because now that segregation is gone, they can go to any school they want to, Scott said. But they dont understand the cultural aspect of going to an HBCU.

Though racial justice movements have led to a surge in donations and attendance at HBCUs, according to The Associated Press, there remains a disparity between funding for HBCUs and institutions that have predominantly white student populations. Last year, federal officials told 16 states that they had been underfunding their historically Black colleges and universities by $12 billion in total.

When it comes to donations, public schools that are predominantly white on average have endowments that are three times larger than public HBCUs while their endowments are seven times that of private HBCU endowments, according to a report by the Century Foundation.

Scott attended historically Black universities for both her bachelors and her doctorate degrees but graduated from University of Iowa, a predominantly white institution, for her masters.

When I was in Iowa, I spent a lot of time with Black undergraduate students, because I saw them struggling, Scott said. They didnt feel like they were wanted there. There was no culture for them there. So theres still a need for HBCUs because they provide that community, that call to a connection that a lot of the predominantly white schools do not offer.

A spokesperson for the university, in response to Scotts remarks, said, We believe strongly in the power of community at Iowa and are disappointed when we fall short of students expectations.

Harriss educational path stands out among presidential candidates and nominees, who typically have gone to Ivy Leagues for their undergraduate or law degrees. Barack Obama, the first Black president, attended Occidental College in Los Angeles before transferring to Columbia University. He also attended Harvard Law School.

Former President Trump, Harriss fall opponent, enrolled in New Yorks Fordham University before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania.

While Harris did not mention her time at a historically Black university in her acceptance speech at the convention, she did talk about her upbringing and reflected on how she decided on her educational path as a lawyer.

I wanted to be a lawyer and when it came time to choose the type of law I would pursue, I reflected on a pivotal moment in my life. When I was in high school, I started to notice something about my best friend Wanda. She was sad at school and there were times she didnt want to go home. So, one day I asked if everything was all right. And she confided in me that she was being sexually abused by her stepfather. And I immediately told her she had to come stay with us. And she did, Harris said.

That is one of the reasons I became a prosecutor. To protect people like Wanda because I believe everyone has a right to safety, to dignity and to justice, she added.

Trump touted his work with HBCUs at his debate with President Biden in July, saying he got [HBCUs] all funded. While this claim was disputed, the former president did sign more funding into law for HBCUs.

In the FUTURE Act, Trump gave $225 million in annual funding to minority-serving institutions, with $85 million allocated specifically to HBCUs. Since 2021, the Biden-Harris administration has given $16 billion to HBCUs.

Biden also gave a a commencement speech at Morehouse College in May and at Harriss alma mater last year.

HBCUs hope Harriss Bison history will inspire more students to consider attending one of the historied schools.

Its sort of revealing and exposing what HBCUs have already done in terms of producing people who are very productive members of our nation and of the world, but its also showing what the possibilities are, said Jarvis Hall, associate professor of political science at North Carolina Central University.

And again, that is good for the nation as a whole. Thats good for the students who are at HBCUs and well send a message that HBCUs can produce people who can do anything, and not for just Black students, but all kinds of students, white students, other nationalities, other races. HBCUs are there for everybody. We are historically Black, but not all Black, he added.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Its officially anybodys game in North Carolina, a key battleground state.

The Tar Heel State is looking at a toss up between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, according to the Cook Political Report out Tuesdaya change from its previous leaning Republican status.

Its not clear that Harris is picking up any Trump voters, moreso that she is shoring up support among Democratic and independent voters, gaining 13 points with each group.

Across the board, it seems that North Carolina is slipping further out of the grasp of Republicans. Sabatos Crystal Ball has also recently updated its rating of North Carolinas gubernatorial race, from toss-up to leaning Democratic, signaling a slight shift in the race for Josh Stein over Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson, the MAGA acolyte who once proclaimed that some folks need killing!

The Trump team has been forced to play defense in North Carolina, which the former president won by an extremely thin margin of 1.34 percent in 2020. Since Joe Biden dropped out of the race, Trump has made three campaign stops in North Carolina. Earlier this month, Trump appeared at a messaging event in Asheville, which predictably devolved into his usual word salad and ad hominem attacks against Harris. In Asheboro, Trump repeatedly complained about his teams desperate attempts to keep him on topic.

Harris debuted her economic agenda at an invite-only rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, and another event was canceled due to inclement weather. That trip was her eighth visit to the state in a year, having visited twice previously as part of Bidens campaign.
Coming off of a brief respite from the campaign trail after a star-studded week in Chicago at the Democratic National Convention, Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Gov. Tim Walz are heading to Georgia for a two-day bus tour that ends with Harris holding a solo rally in Savannah on Thursday.

The tour marks the first time the two campaigns will be in the crucial swing state together, with a planned stop for their first sit-down interview since Harris ascended to the top of the ticket with CNN's chief political correspondent and anchor Dana Bash on Thursday.

MORE: Harris and Walz agree to joint sit-down interview airing Thursday on CNN

The tour's first stop was at Liberty County High School, where Harris, Walz U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams and state Rep. Al Williams were greeted by the schools principal and superintendent, before listening in on the school marching bands practice. In remarks to the band and football players, Harris told them that they were leaders that the country is counting on.

PHOTO: Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speak to marching band members at Liberty County High School in Hinesville, Ga., on Aug. 28, 2024. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

"We wanted to come up just to let you know that our country is counting on you. We're so proud of you," she said. "You are showing what hard work can achieve."

Walz, a former teacher and football coach, told the students that education is a path to the middle class.

Education is the key to the middle class," he said. "The pathway to the middle class shouldn't be burdened with debt given the opportunity to get there. This is truly about building towards the future, and you're that future.

The pair later stopped at Sandfly BBQ in Savannah, where Walz chatted with a group of teachers, telling them their job is "noble work."

Although there is no notable post-convention polling that has been released to date, the campaign saw a bump in donations of $82 million during the week of the DNC, bringing the total haul since launching her candidacy last month to $540 million, her campaign said.

Hoping to build on that momentum, Harris and Walz are scheduled to travel through Georgia's southeast where they will meet with supporters, small business owners and Georgia voters, according to the campaign. It will be their second bus tour after they previously went on a bus tour through western Pennsylvania before the DNC.

The Harris campaign is looking to sway voters in battleground Georgia -- a state President Joe Biden only narrowly won in 2020, beating former President Donald Trump by about 12,000 votes.

Currently, Harris is neck-and-neck with Trump in the polls in the state, according to 538's average. Trump barely leads in Georgia with 46.6% compared to Harris' 46%, 538's polling average shows.

"Campaigning in southern Georgia is critical as it represents a diverse coalition of voters, including rural, suburban, and urban Georgians -- with a large proportion of Black voters and working class families," said Harris-Walz Georgia state director Porsha White in a memo.

This is all in addition to their 35,000 new volunteers, as well as more than 190 Democratic campaign staffers in 24 coordinated offices across the state, officials said.

Through extensive "Get Out the Vote" organizing efforts, Black voters were a huge contributing factor to Biden's win in a state that former President Barack Obama and former Secreatary of State Hillary Clinton had all but skipped during their presidential runs.

Harris' tour is a testament that the campaign still feels like Georgia's 16 electoral votes are in play.

"We turned Georgia blue for the first time in three decades in 2020, and we're seizing on the energy and putting in the work to win again in 2024," White said in the memo.

A Harris spokeswoman told ABC News said that the vice president will make two stops at local small businesses in South Georgia on Thursday, then thank volunteers in Chatham County, before rallying in Savannah late in the afternoon.

Walz, meanwhile, will travel to North Carolina for a local political event and a campaign reception.

Following CNN's interview, Walz will head to Massachusetts for a solo rally on Thursday. Voters will see Harris, Walz and their spouses -- second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Gwen Walz, respectively -- on the trail again for a Labor Day blitz across several battleground states prior to ABC News' debate on Sept. 10.

Band and BBQ: Harris-Walz bus tour makes stops in southeast Georgia originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
By Andrea Shalal and Nandita Bose

HINESVILLE, Georgia (Reuters) -Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz campaigned together on Wednesday in Georgia, a state that Democrats narrowly won in 2020 and could play a decisive role in this year's election, with an appeal to young voters.

The duo arrived to cheers in the band room at Liberty County High School, where students were seated with their instruments and with members of the football team and cheerleaders also present.

"Our country is counting on you, all of you," Harris told them. "You are leaders."

Your generation ... is what is going to propel us into the next era," she said.

Harris and Walz are riding a bus through southern Georgia, home to some of its largest Black populations and where the campaign has added staff and opened field offices. Liberty County, with a population of around 65,000, is about 40% Black and voted overwhelmingly for Joe Biden in 2020.

The 2024 race has changed dramatically since Harris became her party's candidate, and she hopes to galvanize Black voters who make up about one-third of Georgia's electorate and will be crucial in the effort to win the state.

Before President Joe Biden dropped his reelection bid last month and endorsed Vice President Harris, opinion polls showed Republican candidate Donald Trump with a clear lead in Georgia, and that some Black voters were disillusioned with Democrats.

Since then, however, Harris has steadily gained ground in national polls and has been boosted by well over $500 million in donations.

The latest polls compiled by FiveThirtyEight show Harris just behind Trump, 46.0% to 46.6% in Georgia, compared with about a 5 percentage point lead for Trump before Harris entered the race on July 21.

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll on Tuesday showed that Harris has eroded Trump's advantage on the economy and crime.

Before the 2020 race, Georgia last backed a Democrat for president in 1992.

If elected, Harris will be the first female president in U.S. history. As a Black and South Asian woman, she is seeking to shore up support for Democrats among Black voters and motivate new groups of voters.

In Boston earlier on Wednesday, Walz made a pitch to the 350,000-member International Association of Firefighters, which has not joined other large unions in endorsing Harris. She has pledged support for labor rights and cutting taxes for the middle class, he said, while Trump blocked overtime benefits and opposed efforts to raise the minimum wage.

"We're going to need you with us to win that fight," Walz said. "Sisters and brothers in labor, it's time for you to step up to the plate."

Harris was expected to focus on the economy and abortion rights during the Georgia trip, including a pledge to lower consumer costs, a campaign official said.

The tour will culminate with a Harris rally in the Savannah area on Thursday.

It is Harris' second Georgia trip since she became the Democratic candidate. A rally in Atlanta earlier this month featured hip-hop star Megan Thee Stallion and drew more than 10,000 people.

Harris, 59, pledged then that Democrats will win the state, which has 16 Electoral College votes and is one of several swing states that can lean either to Republicans or Democrats. Democrats won it by less than 12,000 votes in 2020.

Republicans have dramatically ramped up spending in Georgia and the Republican-controlled state election board added a new rule that voting rights advocates say could delay certification of the vote in November.

Trump, 78, said in a social media post last week that winning Georgia "is so important to the success of our Party, and most importantly, our Country." He is expected to campaign in the state several more times before Election Day on Nov. 5.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Nandita Bose in Washington; Additional reporting by Jim Oliphant; Writing by Nandita Bose and Steve Holland; Editing by Heather Timmons, Jonathan Oatis and Bill Berkrot)
HINESVILLE, Ga. (AP)  Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, dropped in on a high school band practice Wednesday as part of a two-day bus tour through southeast Georgia, a critical battleground state that Democrats just narrowly won four years ago.

Harris and Walz paid a visit to Liberty County High School in Hinesville, listening to the marching band perform its school fight song and delivering brief remarks to students and faculty on the first day of their Georgia swing, which will culminate in a rally in Savannah on Thursday night.

Were so proud of you and were counting on you," Harris told the students, some shrieking with excitement at the sight of the vice president. "Your generation  is what is going to propel our country into the next era of what we can do and what we can be.

Harris told the students that she, too, played in the band  an aide said the vice president had played the French horn, xylophone and kettle drums.

The visit is part of a two-pronged strategy by the Harris-Walz campaign to make inroads in GOP strongholds and to use smaller, more intimate settings to showcase a softer side of the ticket  which is still relatively unknown by the electorate. Campaign officials believe that in order to beat Republican Donald Trump in the state, they will need more than Atlanta and the suburbs that delivered for Joe Biden in 2020.

Harris campaign communications director Michael Tyler said bus tours offer an "opportunity to get to places we dont usually go (and) make sure were competing in all communities.

The campaign wants the events to motivate voters in GOP-leaning areas who dont traditionally see the candidates, and hopes that the engagements drive viral moments that cut through crowded media coverage to reach voters across the country.

Harris and Walz also stopped at Sandfly, a barbecue restaurant outside Savannah, where some of the patrons were teachers. One thanked Walz, a former high school teacher himself.

Tyler said the campaigns strategy of using informal engagements to reach voters has been consistent from when President Biden was on the ticket, but the nature of the events has shifted along with the candidates. During a bus tour in western Pennsylvania, for example, they stopped at a football practice  Walz is a former assistant high school football coach.

Walz met Harris on the tarmac in Savannah, and the two greeted students from Savannah State University before setting off in their bright blue bus with Harris Walz emblazoned in big letters on the side, along with the phrase A New Way Forward.

It looks like a regular campaign bus, but this one is an armored U.S. Secret Service vehicle driven by agents that comes with lights and sirens and secure communications. After the first stop, Harris shifted back to her traditional SUV, the bus relegated to the back of the motorcade.

Harris and Walz are also sitting down with CNN anchor Dana Bash for their first joint interview. The interview will air Thursday night.

The Democratic strategy to peel off votes in Republican parts of the state has had some success before. Raphael Warnock, Georgias first Black senator, won reelection in 2022 by nearly 3 percentage points  while Biden carried Georgia by only a quarter percentage point about two years earlier  in part by venturing into the deepest red areas. The operatives involved in Warnock's win are now on Harris campaign team.

The Georgia trip is a makeup visit from earlier in the month, when the duo was set to embark on a seven-state swing tour introducing the new Democratic ticket. The North Carolina and Georgia legs of the trip got scrapped as Tropical Storm Debby battered the region.

The easygoing stops were a contrast to a bakery visit last week by Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance in Valdosta, Georgia, where he struggled to banter with employees while buying doughnuts and one worker asked to be kept off camera.

During an NBC interview Tuesday, Vance said that he felt terrible for the worker.

We walked in, and theres 20 Secret Service agents, and theres 15 cameras, and she clearly had not been properly warned, and she was terrified, right? I just felt awful for her.

Vance also said Wednesday that he was among those who spoke with Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp after Trump's blistering attacks against him at a rally in the state just a few weeks ago. Trump blamed the governor for his narrow 2020 loss in the state, railed against Kemp for not giving in to his false theories of election fraud and attributed his legal problems in the state to Kemp's not stepping in to stop a local district attorney from prosecuting him.

"I encouraged him to support the president, and he didnt take much persuasion. He wanted to support the president because he thinks Kamala Harris is going to be a disaster, Vance said.

Trump changed his tune last week, thanking the governor in a social media post for all his help and support in Georgia, where a win is so important to the success of our Party and, most importantly, our Country.

On the eve of Harris visit, Kemp told Fox News that Republicans "need to be telling people why they should vote for us, what were going to do to make things better than they are right now. And theres a host of issues that I think you could contrast Kamala Harris and her record."

To me, thats what we need to stay focused on, not some dustup from two or three weeks ago," he said.

Meanwhile, the Harris campaign launched a new ad across the battleground states, seeking to tie Trump to the conservative Project 2025."

The first ad asserts that Trump is out for control over voters, juxtaposing Trump quotes with ominous screenshots of the plan. Its part of Harris $370 million in digital and television ad reservations between Labor Day and Election Day.

Led by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, Project 2025 is a detailed 920-page handbook for governing under the next Republican administration, including ousting thousands of civil servants and replacing them with Trump loyalists and reversing the Food and Drug Administrations approval of medications used in abortions.

Trump has tried to distance himself from Project 2025, though it was drafted by longtime allies and former officials of the Trump administration. Last month, he posted on social media that he had not seen the plan, had no idea who is in charge of it, and, unlike our very well received Republican Platform, had nothing to do with it.

___

Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price in New York contributed to this report.
HCPD searching for 17-year-old boy wanted for murder in connection to Columbia Mall shooting

HOWARD COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  Howard County police have announced that they are searching for a 17-year-old boy who is wanted for murder in connection to the deadly shooting at the Columbia Mall on July 27.

In an update on Aug. 28, the Howard County police announced that investigators are searching for 17-year-old William Marshall III, of Columbia.

Marshall, who also goes by Junior, is wanted for first-degree murder and related charges, according to police.

On July 27, around 6:10 p.m., officers responded to the mall for a shooting. There, they found 17-year-old Angelo Little, dead.

2 people die in hospital after shooting in Sterling; LCSO investigating

After reviewing hundreds of hours of video footage from the mall, police captured photos of the alleged shooter. On Aug. 5, HCPD released the pictures and a video that allegedly shows Marshalls movements leading up to the shooting and the aftermath.

As the investigation developed, detectives obtained a warrant for his arrest.

HCPD said officers conducted an exhaustive search for Marshall and reviewed troves of digital evidence but have been unable to locate him.

Woman hospitalized after shooting in Southeast DC

Police said that according to the Howard County Public School system, Marshall is an Oakland Mills High School student but has not attended any classes this year. At this time, detectives believe he may have left the immediate area.

While Maryland state law typically does not allow a juvenile suspects identification to be released, even when charged as an adult, an exception exists for the sole purposes of facilitating apprehension of a child and ensuring public safety when a criminal arrest warrant is issued, said HCPD.

Marshall is considered a potential threat to the public, police said.

Anyone with information about this case or who knows where Marshall is should call the police at 410-313-STOP. All tips can remain anonymous.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
China-Africa cooperation opens up new path for Africa's poverty fight

Xinhua) 08:09, August 28, 2024

An exhibitor presents Ethiopian coffee during the third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo at the Changsha International Convention and Exhibition Center in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, June 29, 2023. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo)

Platforms such as the China International Import Expo, the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, and the African Goods Online Shopping Festival have become crucial for African agriculture, enhancing its international visibility.

BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Over the years, China has worked diligently to help reduce poverty and hunger in Africa. The country has launched the Program for Strengthening China-Africa Cooperation on Poverty Reduction.

With mechanisms like the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Africa-China Poverty Reduction and Development Conference, and the China-Africa Youth Exchange Program on Poverty Reduction and Development, China has supported local governments, academics, enterprises, and youth and non-governmental organizations in both China and Africa in carrying out various forms of exchange and pragmatic cooperation to end poverty.

TRANSFERRING TECHNOLOGIES

China-Africa cooperation promotes agricultural development in Africa, bringing tangible benefits to local communities. Chinese crop varieties and agricultural technologies have been introduced and adapted in various nations across the continent.

Meanwhile, many Chinese expert teams have been dispatched to Africa to share their knowledge and expertise and help African countries enhance their agricultural production capacity.

Located in the Huye district in the Southern Province of Rwanda, the China-Rwanda Agriculture Technology Demonstration Center (C-RATDC) is one of 24 demonstration centers of Chinese agricultural technology that China has established in Africa over the years.

The center occupies an area of 22 hectares of land and comprises facilities for Juncao technology for mushroom growing, paddy rice farming, water conservation and sericulture-related technologies.

"I have been working here at the center for the past four years and I am able to support and feed my family from the salary I get here. I work in the production of mushroom tubes," 32-year-old Delphine Uwanyirigira, one of the local workers at the center, told Xinhua in an interview.

The mother of eight children said she works passionately to improve her family's wellbeing through mushroom production.

Juncao is a hybrid grass and an important multifunctional agricultural resource developed and used for mushroom farming in China. Invented by Lin Zhanxi from China's Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University in the 1980s, Juncao has benefited more than 100 countries, including Rwanda, allowing smallholder farmers to grow mushrooms from dried, chopped grass without cutting down trees and damaging the environment.

Chen Xiaobin (2nd R) prepares mushroom tubes with local farmers at the China-Rwanda Agriculture Technology Demonstration Center in Huye District, Rwanda, Aug. 13, 2024. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

Since 2006, experts from Fujian Agricultural and Forestry University have been working with the Rwandan government on Juncao technology, teaching and promoting Juncao and other agricultural technologies at the C-RATDC.

Official data showed that more than 50 training courses on Juncao mushroom cultivation technology have been organized to date, benefiting more than 35,000 local mushroom farmers.

ENHANCING VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS

China-Africa agricultural cooperation extends beyond the fields, encompassing the entire industrial chain to enhance the processing capacity and added value of African agricultural products, thereby increasing farmers' incomes.

During Cote d'Ivoire's rubber harvesting season, trucks queue up outside the Mainland Group's rare rubber factory in Dabou. The newly harvested rubber will be processed into standard rubber at this Chinese factory before being shipped to China for further processing into rubber products.

Brou Bonaventure, from the Ivorian Interprofessional Fund for Agricultural Research and Advice, said the Chinese factory has boosted local processing capacity and provided fair, stable shipping channels, allowing farmers to expand rubber production.

"The Chinese factory has increased the value of our rubber products. We are grateful to China," Bonaventure exclaimed.

Kenya, a major global exporter of fresh flowers, faced challenges accessing new markets due to high tariffs and complex regulations.

However, China's "green channel" for African agricultural products has expedited inspection and quarantine processes and expanded tariff exemptions, benefiting Kenya's flower industry and other African agricultural products like avocado, citrus, pineapple and coffee.

As of June 2023, 16 agricultural products from 11 African countries have accessed China through the "green channel," with more African specialty commodities entering the Chinese market.

China's trade promotion measures have significantly boosted Africa's exports to China, positioning China as Africa's second-largest destination for agricultural goods.

Platforms such as the China International Import Expo, the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, and the African Goods Online Shopping Festival have become crucial for African agriculture, enhancing its international visibility.

"MADE IN AFRICA"

The Sino-Uganda Mbale Industrial Park, located in the eastern district of Mbale, Uganda, was invested in and operated by the private Chinese company Tian Tang Group. The park spans thousands of hectares and encompasses a wide range of sectors, including household appliances, daily beauty products, home fabrics, building materials, medicines, smartphones, televisions and automobiles.

"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 David Bahati, Uganda's minister of state for trade, industry and cooperatives.

People work at Chint Meters & Electrical Uganda Electric Co., Ltd. at the Sino-Uganda Mbale Industrial Park in Mbale, Uganda, on April 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Yahui)

Many industrial zones of various types in Africa were built and operated by Chinese enterprises, such as 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.

Africa's natural resources and labor have enormous potential. Through cooperation with China, Africa has begun to bolster its own production capabilities, while eco-friendly manufacturing and innovative technologies allow African brands to gain a foothold in the global market.

China and Africa are shaping a promising future for "Made in Africa." Cooperation has allowed African countries to develop more advanced technologies, gain professional skills, and access larger markets.

With the determination of both parties and the support of the international community, "Made in Africa" is entering an era of prosperity and sustainable development, contributing to the global economy and improving the lives of the African people.

"Between China and Africa, we respect each other, and we respect our differences. We see these differences as what make us so strong together and why we cooperate with each other," said Victor Gao, vice president of the Center for China and Globalization, a Beijing-based non-governmental think tank.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
The Chinese government has recently reiterated its commitment to promoting green finance along the Yangtze River Economic Belt, aiming to support the region's green, low-carbon and high-quality development.

According to a set of guidelines released by various government agencies, including the People's Bank of China and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the country will make full use of structural monetary policy tools and encourage more social investment in the green, low-carbon transformation of the economic belt.

Financial institutions and businesses along the belt will be guided to issue green bonds in line with both domestic and international standards, facilitating global participation in the country's low-carbon transition, per the guidelines.

Eligible green and low-carbon firms will be permitted to obtain funding through such pathways as initial public offerings, refinancing, and mergers and acquisitions.

The country will use its national green development fund to boost pollution reduction, ecological restoration, and the development of green transport networks and clean energy along the economic belt.

China launched the Yangtze River Economic Belt initiative in early 2016, aiming to transform the region into a golden economic belt featuring a more beautiful ecology, smoother transport networks, a more coordinated economy, a better-integrated market and a greater quantity of scientific mechanisms.

The Yangtze River is China's longest waterway, running more than 6,300 kilometers through 11 provincial-level regions before flowing into the East China Sea. A number of China's economic powerhouses, megacities and major rice-producing areas are located in and around the river basin.
GOBankingRates

If your paycheck is on the smaller side, you might think investing is out of the question  but it isnt.

Find Out: Im an Investor: Im Making These Money Moves Immediately If Trump Wins

Learn More: 6 Money Moves You Must Make If You Want To Be Like the Wealthy

Putting aside extra cash when theres barely enough to make ends meet can certainly be challenging. However, if youre committed to the cause, you might surprise yourself with what you can do.

Investing as a low-income earner might seem daunting, but with the right strategy, its entirely possible, said David Watson II, a prosperity planner at Goodwill Industries of Central Florida.

If youre ready to start investing, he created a step-by-step guide to help grow your wealth. Keep reading to learn his tips for investing on a limited budget.

GOBankingRates

Set a Budget and Prioritize Savings

Before investing, its important to have a budget that helps you save consistently, he said.

To get started, he recommended taking these three steps.

Track your expenses:  Write down everything you spend for a month, he said. Look for areas where you can cut back.

Create a budget: Allocate your income toward essentials, savings and discretionary spending, he said.

Set aside savings: Even if its a small amount, make sure you save regularly, he said. You can start with as little as $10 per week.

For example, he said if your monthly income is $2,000, your expenses  i.e., rent, food and utilities  are $1,700 and your discretionary spending is $200, you can save $100.

By saving $100 each month, youll have $1,200 saved by the end of the year, he said.

Read Next: In 5 Years, These 2 Stocks Will Be More Valuable Than Apple

Check Out: Im a Self-Made Millionaire: 5 Stocks You Shouldnt Sell

Earning passive income doesn't need to be difficult. You can start this week.

GOBankingRates

Build an Emergency Fund

If you dont already have an emergency fund, Watson said you need one before you start investing.

This is typically three to six months worth of living expenses, he said. This will protect you from having to dip into investments if an emergency arises.

If your monthly expenses are $1,700, he said you should aim to have $5,100 to $10,200 in your emergency fund. For example, if you saved $100 per month, with an emergency fund goal of $5,100, he said you would reach your goal in 51 months  or 4 1/4 years.

For You: 6 Things the Middle Class Should Sell To Build Their Savings

GOBankingRates

Start Investing With Small Amounts

Once youve built an emergency fund, you can start investing, even with small amounts, he said.

Story continues

He shared three different options to choose from.

Option 1: Invest In Low-Cost Index Funds or ETFs

Index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are collections of stocks or bonds that track a market index (e.g., S&P 500), he said. They offer diversification and have low fees, which helps you grow your money over time.

A major bonus, you can get started with a minimal investment.

Many brokers allow you to start with as little as $50 to $100, he said. Look for platforms like Vanguard, Fidelity or apps like Robinhood or Acorns that offer no-fee trading.

For example, if your initial investment was $100, you contributed $50 per month thereafter and your annual return was 7%, after 10 years, your total contribution would be $6,100, he said. However, your total investment  assuming monthly compounding  would be $8,855.21.

Just like that, youve earned another $2,700-plus thanks to small investments.

Option 2: Use a Robo-Advisor

Robo-advisors are automated platforms that create and manage a diversified portfolio for you based on your financial goals and risk tolerance, he said. They often have low fees and can be a good option for beginners who dont want to pick individual stocks.

He said investment platforms like Betterment and Wealthfront allow you to get started with as little as $500 or less.

Option 3: Invest In Fractional Shares

Fractional investing allows you to buy a small portion of a share, instead of the whole share, he said. This makes it easier to invest in expensive stocks like Amazon or Tesla with smaller amounts of money.

He said this can be a good idea if you want invest in high-quality companies, but cant afford to purchase a full share.

Many brokers, such as Robinhood or Schwab, allow you to buy fractional shares, he said.

GOBankingRates

Reinvest and Be Patient

The key to growing wealth through investing is to stay consistent and reinvest your earnings, he said.

For example, if you continue to invest $50 per month at a 7% annual return, he said the compound interest will add up. Specifically, youll have $8,855.21, after 10 years, $26,450.21 after 20 years and $61,810.20 after 30 years.

Over time, your contributions combined with the power of compounding will significantly grow your wealth, he said. The longer you stay invested, the more your money can grow.

GOBankingRates

Keep Learning and Adjust

As you learn more about investing, you may want to adjust your strategy, he said. Consider diversifying into other assets like bonds, real estate (through REITs) or dividend-paying stocks.

Ultimately, he said patience and consistency are a must when investing as a low-income earner.

By budgeting, saving and investing small amounts over time, you can build wealth and secure your financial future, he said. Even if you start small, your investments will grow as long as you stay committed.

It might take awhile before you amass a notable wealth, but try to stay motivated by thinking about the financial gift youre giving your future self.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Ways Low-Income Earners Can Still Invest
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  California Governor Gavin Newsom signed two new bills into law on Tuesday that are aimed at addressing the states homelessness and housing crisis.

One is focused on extended hotel and motel stays for the homeless, and the other would cut out some of the environmental regulations for people who want to convert part of their homes into additional living spaces.

The first one, AB 2835, would make it easier for the homeless to stay at hotels and motels for more than 30 days.

Ban on homeless trespassing in Fresno proposed by councilmembers

Its a strategy many cities have already been using to get people off the streets.

It really extends the use of the hotels that we have for emergency shelter. That was something that was slated to go away in 2025, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer said, reacting to the news.

He said both of the bills signed into law would help city governments by giving them more tools to address homelessness and housing issues.

I think the message from the state of California is they want to do everything they can to increase housing and take away some of the restrictions that weve seen in the past, Dyer said.

Newsom also signed AB 3057. It would ease environmental regulations for people trying to remodel part of their home, into a separate living space.

This new law exempts junior ADUs from requirements the state mandates in the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA.

It aims to make it easier for people to build the units that are similar to in-law suites but are still a part of the main house.

Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi said the law should help people build the units faster, and in turn save money, while getting people into the space sooner.

ADUs are to help increase housing supply, this will go a long way to reduce some statewide red tape, Karbassi said.

How am I supposed to make it?: Homeless moved from Fresno County encampment

Both believe these laws are progress but are just one step towards making a real difference.

Its definitely a supply problem. This will help with that, but we need more, Karbassi added.

Anything that increases the flexibility of local government to be able to continue to do things that weve been able to do to increase shelter beds, as well as permanent housing, thats a win for local cities, Dyer said.

Dyer also said, unrelated to these laws, that the city itself is working towards more housing. This year alone, Fresno will open up 800 affordable housing units in within the city.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KELO) Its wildfire season across the United States, and out on the West Coast they are having issues containing them.

Fire departments across the Black Hills are sending their units to help with these wildfires outside of the state.

All firefighters that get sent out volunteer to help these other locations with wildfires.

We do like to help out when were available and we have had crews out all summer throughout the country. Anywhere from Colorado, to California, Oregon, Idaho, Nebraska and of course within the hills here in South Dakota, Fire Operations Division Chief Brian Povandra said.

Firefighter Ben McKee has helped out in both Wyoming and California this summer.

SF police to target reckless driving

When you go to a different state or a different forest, theyll give you a big briefing to let you know about all their communications. Hat radio channels theyre working on, kind of surrounding resources youll get, and specific weather factors that are different than here in the hills, Firefighter Paramedic Ben McKee said.

Rapid City Fire Department can send up to 14 firefighters at one time.

We make sure we have enough crew members to staff our stations. Make sure were fully staffed so when we send people out were not short at home. The fires that we do send our crews out to help pay for backfill also, Povandra said.

That payment steps in so taxpayers dont have to pay for overtime in these situations.

Firefighters are all the same right, whether theyre in California, Idaho, the hills. Everybody just wants to help their community so its kind of pretty cool to see guys from all over coming out to help, Mckee said.

Chief Povandra has been with the RCFD for over 20 years and says this kind of help has been going out since before his 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 KELOLAND.com.
Did you know the White House has a serious rat problem? That's one of the many realities Corey Mead uncovers in his new book, "The Hidden History of the White House: Power Struggles, Scandals, and Defining Moments," which looks at the experience of living in the U.S. president's residence.

In addition to his work as an author, Mead is an associate professor of English at City University of New York's Baruch College.

On Tuesday, ABC News' Stephanie Ramos talked to Mead about writing the book in an election year, where the Obama administration got the sandwiches to eat while they monitored the operation to hunt down Osama bin Laden and the horrible conditions some residents have had to endure.

PHOTO: 'The Hidden History of the White House: Power Struggles, Scandals, and Defining Moments,' 2024, by Corey Mead. (William Morrow)

ABC NEWS: Our next guest takes readers on what goes on behind the scenes of some of the most defining moments in American history, right inside the People's House, where it all happens.

Corey Mead's new book, "The Hidden History of the White House: Power Struggles, Scandals, and Defining Moments," is inspired by Wondery's chart-topping American History Tellers podcast, which is known for its immersive signature style of putting the listeners in the story, experiencing that history. Corey Mead is joining me now in studio. Great to have you here.

MEAD: Thanks so much for having me Stephanie, appreciate it.

ABC NEWS: Nice to meet you. So your book places readers in the shoes of historical figures and really takes them through these defining moments. So what made you want to write this book, and how did you find these incredible stories?

MEAD: Well, I mean, in terms of wanting to write the book, it was a partnership with American History Tellers, this podcast. And so their thought was in an election year when everybody's thinking about who's going to be the next occupant of the White House, or most people are thinking about that, what about giving some context to the personalities that occupied the White House, the nature of the White House itself, some of the building.

And then, it's this incredible place where, within these four walls, people have experiences that they don't have anywhere else. Nobody else in history has these experiences, so it's incredible.

So in terms of picking or finding the stories, I mean, there could be, we could have done God knows how many volumes of this book because every story that happens in there are so incredible. So this was just some of the ones that gave kind of the scope of the experiences.

ABC NEWS: Yeah, it's so interesting and it's smart to do it around this time, leading into an election. In the last chapter of the book, you shared details about the SEAL team operation to assassinate Osama bin Laden. Without giving away too much 

MEAD: They got him.

ABC NEWS: They did. But as you were researching it and looking into this operation, along the way, was there anything that surprised you?

MEAD: It was funny, That's the chapter that I was actually the most familiar with beforehand. But the idea with the way to tell the stories of all the chapters, including that one, was to kind of tell it in this immersive, you-are-there way. So with that chapter, I was struck by some of the things like that, the platter of sandwiches in front of the, y'know, Obama and Clinton and all the people gathered around in that picture is from Costco, right? Or in that famous 

ABC NEWS: Were they really?

MEAD: Yeah.

ABC NEWS: Costco does good stuff.

MEAD: Costco does a good job. Or that famous photograph where they all look kind of stricken -- I don't know if I ever knew this -- it was taken because one of the helicopters actually crashed, one of the SEAL helicopters.

But it turns out it was an intentional crash. They were trying to clip the wings, they couldn't hover the way they were supposed to. But Obama and his team watching it had no idea. So for all they knew, the entire operation had just gone south and was a disaster. So it's those kinds of human moments, like in that chapter, that really open it up, I think.

PHOTO: President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and members of the national security team receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in the Situation Room of the White House, May 1, 2011. (Pete Souza/The White House via Getty Images)

ABC NEWS: Yeah, that's really eye-opening. And also you weave in so many different stories, like Andrew Jackson's 1829 inauguration. I mean, taking it way back.

MEAD: Right.

ABC NEWS: It's so many interesting stories. So before writing this book, what were some of the details that completely shocked you?

MEAD: I was really shocked, over and over again, at how completely decrepit the White House has been at many times in its history. I mean, it's rat-infested; apparently it still is. That's just like a faction of it. But there've been so many times during its history when the White House has been literally crumbling.

Like, for example, when Harry Truman moved in and his wife Bess, and his child Margaret, in the 1950s, I mean, literally threadbare carpets, curtains hanging by a thread, the floors when you would walk would rotate like this because they were so wobbly. You know, there were massive chandeliers wobbling over people's heads during receptions.

And finally it all came to a head when Margaret Truman, his daughter, was playing her piano and the piano plunged through the floor because the floors were in such bad shape. So they had to do a complete rebuild. So I really, you know, you have this exterior image of the White House as being so fancy and I think they try to keep the reception rooms nice. But that hasn't always been the case with the actual living quarters.

ABC NEWS: Well, congratulations.

MEAD: Thank you.

ABC NEWS: It seems like a fascinating book, very excited to read it. Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing with us.

MEAD: Appreciate it.

ABC NEWS: "The Hidden History of the White House" is available wherever books are sold.

'The Hidden History of the White House' dives into presidential secrets originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  The Centers for Disease Control has shown that COVID-19 infections have grown in 27 states, but are likely declining in four states, which included North Carolina.

However, new data from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services has shown that high levels of the virus and bacteria linked to COVID-19 have continued to be discovered in wastewater.

Should you get a COVID shot now or wait for the updated booster?

DHHS has monitored wastewater treatment sites across North Carolina since the virus arrived in 2020, as a way to track where it may be.

This has acted as an alarm even when individuals in the community have not shown symptoms.

Dr. Dale Bratzler with OU Health in Oklahoma explained that if the levels are high in the wastewater, that suggests that the virus is being transmitted through the population.

DHHS is used to monitor wastewater networks throughout the state. However, the number of sites studied has decreased in recent years once the pandemic slowed down.

Four sites in Charlotte are still monitored and detailed a summer uptick.

Three Mecklenburg County wastewater sites show COVID-19 levels in the 80 to 100 percentile range as of Aug. 14. (NC Department of Health and Human Services)

Queen City News spoke with one researcher who used to help monitor the sites. She explained that the new data that demonstrated an uptick in the Mallard Creek location was concerning.

In our Charlotte-3 sewer shed, the levels of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater are higher than they were in January 2022 when Omicron first emerged, and at the moment the upward trend hasnt yet shown signs of reversing, she said. So theres a concerning amount of virus out there.

Queen City News requested an interview with the DHHS, but they were unavailable to speak on camera.

However, Bratzler stressed that, the good news is it hasnt translated to huge increases in hospitalizations.

SC HS football player suffered 3rd-degree burns during workout punishment: Docs

Matt Delfino, a South Carolina doctor with Urgent Care at Bon Secours, said the timing isnt great. Many school districts in the South have returned to class, which is sooner than states in the North.

Because were in a southern state, and we do return to school earlier than most you know, states that that increased social activity has happened here before it has in some of the other states, he said. If we can suppress the infection or the spreading rate here  that takes a lot of burden off of our health care system.

Queen City News reached out to Novant Health about the number of recent emergency visits its had due to COVID-19.

In a statement, a spokesperson said, We are observing an increase in COVID-19 cases among our patients, both in our ambulatory sites and hospitals. As in previous years, there is a smaller summer wave of infections, which is also evident from the rising levels of COVID in state wastewater. Although we are far from the peak levels of the pandemic, COVID-19 still poses a risk, particularly for older adults and those with chronic health conditions. Anyone who suspects they have COVID-19 should consult their physician to determine if antiviral treatments are right for them.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) The Sarasota Police Department is starting a High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) program again to help pedestrian and bicyclist safety.

According to SPD, the city of Sarasota is ranked one of the top 25 cities in the state for traffic crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists resulting in serious or fatal injuries.

SPD will be conducting HVE from September 2024 through May 2025, focusing on numerous roadways throughout the city.

We are committed to educating every driver, pedestrian, and bicyclist about the rules of the road, said Officer Jason Frank, Sarasota Police Traffic Unit. Ensuring the safety of our community is our top priority, and it requires all of us working together to prevent traffic fatalities.

According to SPD, the roadways were selected based on crash data involving vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists by the Florida Department of Transportation.

The goal for the HVE program is to increase awareness and compliance for traffic laws that protect pedestrians and bicyclists.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  Many Hillsborough County residents have now received postcards advising them they can apply for a $100 settlement in a tax refund case, but a number of people are wondering if the postcards are real and if the refund offer is legitimate.

A spokesperson for Hillsborough County said they were not advised before the postcards went out.

Pam Davis and her husband, Don Davis, received the postcards in the mail.

We are kind of suspicious people, so we decided that maybe this wasnt so true, Pam Davis said.

Don Davis said several things just didnt look right with the offer.

It kind of looked real, but when you clicked submission form, the very first part, theres like six parts to it, Don Davis said. The very first part is they want your name, your address and all of that. They wanted my birthdate. Well, they dont need that, I dont think, and to me thats a clue that its a scam.

News Channel 8 contacted the Florida State Department of Revenue about the issue.

The notices were not sent by the Department of Revenue, but by a court-appointed administrator, the agency said in a statement. We do not have any other information regarding the notices. The Department will issue a Taxpayer Information Publication in November regarding Hillsboroughs temporary surtax suspension when details are finalized.

The Davises said the postcard still looks fishy to them.

You look at it and you think this is kind of cool because youve heard about the tax, sitting there and waiting and you think they are finally going to give us some money, Pam Davis 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.
For Glenn Geigler, the two-minute walk from his doorstep to his car can feel like a treacherous journey.

Depending on where hes parked, he must carefully tip-toe down from the curb and into the drivers seat to avoid soaking his feet in a filthy puddle.

For nearly a month now, the parking lot at the Lake Azzure apartment complex where he lives has been inundated with shin-deep standing water. Heavy rain Monday night raised the water level even higher, residents said.

To think that hundreds of families are living in this sewer, its absurd, Geigler said.

He and other residents accused management of ignoring the situation.

But representatives from Goldelm Capital, the company that owns the complex said its not for lack of trying. Regional manager Rick Cowan said theyve spent weeks navigating a bureaucratic gauntlet of city, county and state agencies just to get permission to clear the mess.

We understand that this has been a very difficult situation for the residents, Cowan said. Were working within the system and trying everything to get the water out of there as fast as we can.

This is the eighth installment of Housing Horror Stories, an occasional series exploring the unique challenges that come with buying or renting in Tampa Bay.

Reporters from the Tampa Bay Times visited the property  at 8505 Lincoln Cove Drive, just outside Tampa city limits  on Friday and spoke with residents as they slogged through murky waters.

Though the parking lot occasionally flooded after storms, the problem escalated when Hurricane Debby dumped nearly seven inches of rain on Tampa early this month. In the immediate aftermath, the water was knee-deep in certain areas and spilled onto the sidewalk, tenants said.

Cowan said they sent a contractor out to the property to start pumping the following week. At first, the water was moved to a grassy patch between the apartment and Himes Avenue. But when water started flowing out onto the road, Hillsborough County ordered the pumping to stop.

Since then, he said theyve spent weeks trying to come up with a plan for where to pump the water and receive approval from county officials.

Cowan said he was also communicating with the city and the Southwest Florida Water Management District, a state agency. But representatives from both said they have no jurisdiction.

By Friday afternoon, Cowan said they got the go-ahead to resume pumping. But rain in the forecast may thwart their plans to finally dry out.

As of Tuesday morning, the water was higher than its ever been after a downpour the night before, residents said. Some were unable to drive in or out of the parking lot at all.

Multiple pipe failures within the apartment complexs outfall system are contributing to the flooding, Josh Bellotti, the Director of Engineering & Operations for Hillsborough County said in a statement. One source of the problem is a blocked drain that runs under Himes Avenue.

Bellotti noted that county officials will continue to work with apartment management to pump the water and repair the pipes.

Cowan said that a lake behind the property overflowed into the parking lot. He said theyd like to come up with a plan to prevent future flooding, but that its unclear who owns the lake.

A map from the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser shows that the lake is split between two parcels, one owned by Lake Azzure and the other by a neighboring apartment complex called Innovo Living on the Water.

The parking lot for Innovo Living showed no signs of flooding.

Tenant Julianna Diaz, who lives on the first floor of her building, said shes noticed mold spores in her apartment and a damp feel in the air since Debby. Another tenant, Scarlett Vargas, said the front bumper of her truck was damaged from repeatedly driving through deep water.

Cowan said they havent received any complaints about water getting inside the apartments or damaging vehicles. There are no plans to offer discounts on rent or options for tenants to exit their leases.

Rent ranges from $1,255 for a one-bedroom to $2,000 for the largest three-bedroom floorpan, according to apartments.com.

This is just one of those acts of God, Cowan said.

Several longtime residents said this is not the first time theyve experienced problems. They complained about six-foot high mountains of trash piling up near the dumpsters and a pool thats been closed for months at a time.

Cowan said he has never personally witnessed either of those issues.

When Jackson Denly moved to Lake Azzure three years ago, he said he awoke on his first night to find cockroaches crawling over him. He noticed broken fire alarms and fire extinguishers in his building. Despite his constant complaints both to the front office and the Fire Marshall, things never seemed to improve.

So when the parking lot flooded, he did nothing.

Ive had so many issues in the past, I figured whats the point? he said. He plans on moving out early next year once his lease expires.

Times Staff Photographer Douglas Clifford contributed to this report.

If you have a housing horror story of your own, we want to hear about it. Fill out the form below for an opportunity to be featured in the series.
Hitler was right: Police hunt suspect for spitting on man on Upper East Side

Hitler was right: Police hunt suspect for spitting on man on Upper East Side

UPPER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (PIX11)  Police are searching for a suspect who spit on a mans face and yelled Hitler was right during an antisemitic attack on the Upper East Side last month, according to police and sources.

The suspect pulled down the 65-year-old mans face mask and spit on him while he was walking near Fifth Avenue and East 68th Street at around 4:10 p.m. on July 27, according to the NYPD.

Hitler was right, the suspect told the man before adding, Should I slap you or punch you?, according to sources.

More Local News

The victim was not injured.

The perpetrator was last seen walking along Madison Avenue, police said. There have been no arrests.

The NYPDs Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the incident.

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).

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Hole in road shuts down all but one lane of Anna Maria Island Bridge

ANNA MARIA ISLAND, Fla. (WFLA)  Repairs to fix a hole in the road have closed most lanes on Anna Maria Island Bridge, the Florida Department of Transportation announced.

Needed repairs to Manatee Avenue have closed all but one eastbound lane, leaving Manatee County officials to suggest motorists use alternate routes.

Credit: FDOT

Credit: FDOT

Credit: Holmes Beach Police Department

Due to a needed roadway repair on State Road 64 / Manatee Ave., the Anna Maria Island Bridge is down to one lane, Manatee County wrote on Facebook. Motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes. A flagging operation is currently in place.

On X, the Bradenton Police Department suggested traffic leaving the island should take Cortez Bridge instead.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Home for Freedom looks to add new gated fence to Wichita County Cemetery

WICHITA COUNTY (KFDX/KJTL)  A non-profit is fundraising to improve the Wichita County Cemetery, and its latest rendering is underway. The idea was sparked at a Memorial Day event a few years ago.

I looked down and saw a little disc that was a grave covered up with weeds and stuff. And theyre hard to see. But I said this is not acceptable, Home for Freedom Founder Lisa Lothenore said.

The Loft at Pickers Universe opening this weekend

That was six years ago.

Now Lothenore and partner Kenny Reynolds are providing a new entrance for veterans in the Wichita County Cemetery.

It is so neat to see your vision and your passion become a reality, Lothenore said.

Lothenore presented the final rendering to the Wichita County Commissioners Court on Aug. 20, 2024.

Home for Freedom has received support from commissioners and the community, a feeling that has Vietnam veteran Reynolds fired up.

It really, really excites me and gets me more and more ready to get it done. So Im pretty anxious, Reynolds said.

Precinct 1 County Commissioner Mark Beauchamp said the new entrance will be off Henry S Grace Freeway to prevent vandalism.

The new fence is a goal, but more is expected in the future to provide a more prideful place for veterans.

The longer-term goal is to take the Glen Aikman Pavilion and improve that and put above-ground mausoleum, Beauchamp said during a session.

Reynolds said the communitys support helps show how much they care about their veterans.

That part really, really does please me to see that the community is concerned about veterans and their treatment and that theres somebody willing and wanting to do something about it, Reynolds said.

The fundraising starts now for Home for Freedom, as they go above and beyond for local veterans.

It shaped me: Former Boys and Girls Club members presented with $41K in scholarships, new laptops

Home for Freedom is accepting donations to put the gate up. To learn how to donate, click here.

The non-profit will host its first fundraiser for the fence project and tiny homes for veterans on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, at the Texoma Cowboy Church Arena. Its a music festival with various acts from noon to 10 p.m., with 2020 Christian Country Artist of the Year Curtis Grimes to end the show.

For more details on the musical festival, click here.

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Honduras promises to end extradition treaty with US after ambassador comments

First meeting of the Global School Meals Coalition in Paris

By Orfa Mejia and Brendan O'Boyle

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) -Honduras' foreign ministry on Wednesday said it would end a more than a century-old extradition treaty with the U.S. after Washington's ambassador expressed concern about a meeting between Honduran and Venezuelan defense officials.

In a letter to the U.S. embassy shared on social media by Foreign Minister Enrique Reina, Honduras' foreign ministry expressed "the decision of the Government of the Republic of Honduras to terminate the extradition treaty."

Earlier on Wednesday, Honduran President Xiomara Castro ordered a denunciation - a unilateral withdrawal of a treaty in international law - and accused Washington of meddling in her country's affairs.

"The interference and interventionism of the United States, as well as its intention to direct the politics of Honduras through its embassy and other representatives, is intolerable," the leftist leader said in a post on social media.

The U.S. embassy in Honduras did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

U.S. Ambassador to Honduras Laura Dogu had earlier told local TV reporters the United States was concerned after a meeting last week between Honduran Defense Minister Jose Manuel Zelaya and his Venezuelan counterpart, Vladimir Padrino.

Zelaya was joined by the country's head of the military joint chiefs of staff. Dogu said she was "surprised" they met with "drug traffickers."

The United States indicted Padrino on drug trafficking charges in 2020.

"Insinuating or implicating us as drug traffickers and disqualifying our authorities is really a direct threat to our independence and sovereignty," Reina said on social media.

Honduras is a staunch ally of Venezuela's socialist government.

The extradition treaty has allowed for the extradition of high-profile Hondurans, including former President Juan Orlando Hernandez and former Police Chief Juan Carlos Bonilla.

Hernandez, a one-time U.S. ally, was extradited to the U.S. after Castro took office in 2022 and has since been convicted and sentenced in U.S. courts on drug trafficking charges.

(Reporting by Orfa Mejia; Writing by Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by Kylie Madry and Cynthia Osterman)
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  An Horry County man was arrested by the FBI Wednesday in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot.

Jason Brian Barrett made an initial appearance in U.S. District Courts Florence Division, federal Department of Justice spokesman Brook B. Andrew told News13.

More than 1,470 people from every state have been charged with crimes related to the U.S. Capitol breach, including more than 530 charged with felony assault or impeding law enforcement, according to the FBI.

This is a developing story.

* * *

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.
COVID cases are spiking across the country and here at home.

A local healthcare professional said right now the virus is affecting people of all ages, not just one particular age group.

More mosquito groups test positive for West Nile Virus in Erie County

A pharmacist with LECOM said local COVID cases are scattered and many are failing to take the necessary prevention measures.

Its all over the place, weve had limited outbreaks in many of the long-term care facilities over the past several weeks, said Jason Turba, a pharmacist for LECOM. Its been so erratic I cant really even pick a point to specify.

Over at AHN Saint Vincent, Monica Lewis said very few have been admitted and those that have been admitted were elderly and immunocompromised.

She said the hospital has had 46 total patients between June 29 and August 27.

Upgrades to Savocchio Park continue with completion set for next year

Turba with LECOM said it is still recommended for everyone six months and older to get the newest COVID vaccine.

Which is called the 2024-2025 COVID vaccine it specifically targets that KP2 subvariant thats what the newest vaccine is its been signed off by the FDA is in the distribution pipeline right now, he explained.

Turba said a reason for the spread is a lack of prevention of the virus among people.

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Masking or anything like that so people who are out in public places are exposed all day long, especially in crowded environments and then those people of course in turn take that into the institutions where the higher risk people get exposed through outside contact, he went on to say.

A statement from the Erie County Department of Health said the health department encourages people to contact their doctor, personal healthcare provider, or pharmacy to ask about the latest updated vaccine.

Saint James A.M.E. Church to celebrate 150-year anniversary

Turba said LECOM will offer walk-in clinics for COVID and flu vaccines all flu season at their Schaper Avenue location on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
House Republicans are taking a victory lap after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a letter Monday that senior Biden administration officials repeatedly pressured the social media company to take down content related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

GOP lawmakers said Tuesday that Zuckerbergs letter lends credence to the allegations of censorship that they have long levied against social media companies.

The @HouseGOP has long known the Harris-Biden administration pressured Facebook to censor Americans, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) said in a post Tuesday on social platform X.

Mark Zuckerbergs letter to @JudiciaryGOP leaves no room for doubt: this was an intentional assault on our First Amendment rights, Emmer added. This abuse of power must end now.

In a letter to the House Judiciary Committee on Monday, Zuckerberg said he regrets not being more outspoken about the government pressure on Meta to take down content related to COVID-19, including humor and satire.

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 to House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).

Were ready to push back if something like this happens again, the Meto CEO added.

Although Zuckerberg did not provide details about the posts that Meta was pushed to take down or their political leanings, several Republican lawmakers understood this to refer to conservative content.

Mark Zuckerberg finally admits what everyone already knew that Facebook throttles conservative content on their platforms, Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.) wrote on X. This is a great win for free speech, conservatives must continue to put pressure on government-media censorship.

Its time to finally hold Big Tech accountable for their blatant censorship of conservatives, Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) also said on X.

The White House defended its actions during the pandemic, noting that 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, a spokesperson said in a statement.

House Republicans also claimed that Zuckerbergs letter showed that Meta helped suppress a New York Post story about corruption allegations against President Biden ahead of the 2020 election.

In Mondays letter, Zuckerberg said the FBI warned Meta in 2020  during the Trump administration  about a potential Russian disinformation operation related to Bidens family and Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company linked to the presidents son Hunter Biden.

When the New York Post story broke featuring emails from Hunter Bidens laptop, Meta demoted the story while waiting for fact-checkers to review it.

Its since been made clear that the reporting was not Russian disinformation, and in retrospect, we shouldnt have demoted the story, Zuckerberg wrote.

He also noted that Meta has since changed its policies and processes, including no longer demoting content while waiting for fact-checkers.

Social media companies like Meta have been hijacked by the Biden-Harris admin to censor conservative voices and attempt to cover up the corruption of the Biden Crime Family, Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) wrote on X.

They should NEVER be able to suppress our Constitutional rights! We must hold them accountable, he added.

However, Zuckerbergs letter does not mention any discussions with the Biden administration about the Hunter Biden laptop story.

The purported contents in the Hunter Biden laptop hard drive that was shared with multiple news outlets were not confirmed by him or his lawyers. Portions of it were later confirmed by other sources and authenticated by some news outlets.

Republicans spent years combing through the contents of the laptop in search of fuel for scrutiny of Hunter Bidens foreign business deals, including with Ukrainian energy company Burisma, which was a factor in the first impeachment of former President Trump.

GOP probes into Hunter Bidens business dealings culminated in an impeachment inquiry report released earlier this month that argued President Biden engaged in impeachable conduct.

The report relied on circumstantial evidence to argue it was inconceivable that the then-vice president did not know how his family was using his name to gain influence without directly connecting him to any foreign money.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Howland man found guilty on all counts following sex with dog videos

HOWLAND, Ohio (WKBN)  A verdict was reached Tuesday in the case of a Howland man facing sex charges.

Trent Addicott was accused of creating and possessing child sex abuse material and having sexual relations with a dog.

On Tuesday, a jury reached a verdict in 30 minutes and found Addicott guilty on all 11 counts.

Hes set to be sentenced Sept. 3.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
It is a humbling experience: Sailors give back to Central New York during Navy Week

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)  You may have seen an increase in Naval presence this week in Central New York. Thats because its Navy Week. Sailors are giving back to our community through a variety of ways all week.

Seaman Chloe Whaley has been a sailor for seven months and is experiencing her first navy week.

Helping those in need or that are less fortunate, it is a humbling experience, Whaley said.

She and a few other sailors spent their afternoon packaging up food for the Cortland community at the Food Bank of Central New York. Each box represents a thank you from these men and women.

Without the community, there is no Navy. I think thats a very good thing to give back too, Whaley said.

Though theres no rest and relaxation this week, they dont mind.

It is a refreshing change to be able to come out here with a schedule, knowing what Ill be doing for the week and to devote the week to giving back to the community, said Hospital Corpsman First Class Petty Officer Daniel Falcocchio.

While a crew of sailors helped feed the community, another crew was helping finish building a home on Fairdale Avenue in Syracuse.

Today, we are helping out building a house for a good cause for a family that needs it, said Gunners Mate Petty Officer Second Class Kevin Leon.

Theyve been working on the home since Monday, August 26. In the process, theyve learned that home maintenance is a lot different than ship maintenance.

Its fun to learn life skills and good to help out a family in need, said Electronics Technician Petty Officer Second Class Jesse Collier.

And they enjoy the time away from sea to check out new places.

Its nice to be able to explore new cities. I didnt think Syracuse would be something Id be interested in, but Im here. I love it. Its a beautiful city. The food and everything is great, said Collier.

If you want to keep up with the sailors while they are in Syracuse, you can follow Navy Outreach on all social media platforms and search #NavyWeek.

The Navy will also be at the New York State Fair all week.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSYR.
More than 340,000 people are still living in flats with unsafe cladding  seven years after the Grenfell disaster.

The Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 prompted a nationwide review that found thousands of people were living in buildings with dangerous cladding and legislation was later strengthened to improve safety regulations.

The scandal saw homeowners living in blocks with unsafe cladding left with worthless properties that they were unable to sell or remortgage until it was removed.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner on Tuesday said the process to remove dangerous cladding was too slow, adding: These are not assets, these are peoples homes. People need to feel safe in their own homes.

It comes as a major fire broke out over the weekend in a high-rise residential building in Dagenham, East London, which had non-compliant cladding.

The Government estimates there are around 11,000 buildings over 11 metres that require work in order to remove unsafe cladding. However, just 4,630 buildings are being actively monitored or in programme, leaving thousands of homeowners in limbo.

Cladding has so far been removed from 1,350 buildings, according to official figures, just 12pc of the estimated total over 11 metres. By the Governments own estimates there are still 172,000 dwellings in unsafe buildings that are yet to be sorted. The average dwelling has two residents leaving 344,000 living in dangerous accommodation, according to analysis by campaign group End Our Cladding Scandal.

However, Giles Grover from the group, said these figures do not give a full picture of the scale of the building safety issue in the UK.

He said: Part of the issue is that the statistics are only monitoring the buildings over 11 metres, because thats where they say the highest risk is, even though theres a number of buildings that need remediation under 11 metres.

He also said there were additional safety issues aside from cladding, such as the construction of balconies that also need to be looked at and are not included in the government programme.

Grenfell United, a group representing the survivors of the 2017 tragedy, said the fire highlighted that the work to remove dangerous cladding had been painfully slow and a lack of urgency for building safety as a whole.

Matt Hodges-Long, of the Building Safety Register, said as many as 6,000 more buildings that are below the 11-metre threshold to receive government funding could be unsafe.

The Government says theyre not significantly dangerous, therefore theres no need for a funding package, he said.

Even where remediation work has been carried out, Hodges-Long says that combustible material not covered by government legislation is permitted to be left on properties trapping homeowners with higher insurance costs.

Because developers are paying these bills they reduce the costs of the remediation as much as they can. So while they comply with regulation, you are left with buildings that insurers arent interested in insuring and paying huge premiums compared to other properties as a result, he said.

In 2020, a House of Commons report estimated that the total cost of the remediation work across public and private housing would come to 15bn. However, because there is no definite number of buildings that need work, the figure could be much bigger with estimates going as high as 50bn. Ahead of the election, Labour watered down its commitment to cladding victims.

Initially, the Party said: Leaseholders should be protected from the costs of remediating cladding and non-cladding defects in all buildings irrespective of circumstances. But its manifesto only committed to take steps to accelerate the pace of remediation and ensuring those responsible for the crisis put it right.

Next week, the final report from the official public inquiry into Grenfell will be published. The report is expected to cover the causes of the fire and the condition of Grenfell Tower at the time of the blaze. It is also likely to offer recommendations on building safety.

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.
Alaska Energy Metals Corporation

Alaska Energy Metals invites individual and institutional investors, as well as advisors and analysts, to attend online at VirtualInvestorConferences.com

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alaska Energy Metals (TSXV: AEMC) (OTCQB: AKEMF) (FRA: V7F) today announced its participation in the Clean Energy Metals Virtual Inference Conference hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com on Thursday, August 29th at 1:00 PM ET. Alaska Energy Metals CEO and President, Gregory Beischer, will virtually present insights on the companys projects and provide a deep dive into the companys progress to date and ongoing drilling and exploration programs.



Company Highlights:

Experienced Alaskan management team

Drilling has confirmed a large accumulation of nickel

More than 3.9 billion pounds of nickel Indicated Resource 814 Mt @ 0.29% NiEq

More than 4.2 billion pounds of nickel Inferred Resource 896 Mt @ 0.27% NiEq

Drilling and updated resource calculation analysis underway

Deposit is open in all directions

Current drilling is designed to trace a higher-grade core zone at surface along strike

Favorable jurisdiction and infrastructure

Domestic nickel and other critical and strategic metals are crucial for Americas electric energy expansion



DATE: Thursday, August 29th

TIME: 1:00  1:30 pm ET

LINK: https://bit.ly/3AiLX3w

One-to-one meeting times can be booked for Thursday, August 29th, Friday, August 30th, and Tuesday, September 3rd, between 9AM EDT and 5PM EDT. These meetings can be booked through the portal linked above.

This will be a live, interactive online event inviting investors to ask the company questions in real time. If attendees cannot join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.

It is recommended that online investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.

Learn more about the event at https://www.virtualinvestorconferences.com/

About Alaska Energy Metals

Alaska Energy Metals Corporation (AEMC) is an Alaska-based corporation with offices in Anchorage and Vancouver working to sustainably deliver the critical materials needed for national security and a bright energy future, while generating superior returns for shareholders.

AEMC is focused on delineating and developing the large-scale, bulk tonnage, polymetallic Eureka deposit containing nickel, copper, cobalt, chromium, iron, platinum, palladium, and gold. Located in Interior Alaska near existing transportation and power infrastructure, its flagship project, Nikolai, is well-situated to become a significant domestic source of strategic energy-related metals for North America. AEMC also holds a secondary project, 'Angliers-Belleterre,' in western Quebec. Today, material sourcing demands excellence in environmental performance, carbon mitigation and the responsible management of human and financial capital. AEMC works every day to earn and maintain the respect and confidence of the public and believes that ESG performance is measured by action and led from the top.

Story continues

About Virtual Investor Conferences 

Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.

Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access. Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Alaska Energy Metals

Sarah Mawji, Public Relations

Venture Strategies

Email: sarah@venturestrategies.com

Virtual Investor Conferences

John M. Viglotti, SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access

OTC Markets Group

Phone: (212) 220-2221

Email: johnv@otcmarkets.com




Huntsville man sentenced to one year in prison for possession of child pornography

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT)  Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced that a Huntsville man has been convicted of possession of child pornography.

According to the Attorney Generals Office, Dana Wesley Coffelt, 47, of Huntsville, pleaded guilty to three counts of possession of obscene matter depicting a person under the age of 17.

Two arrested, bonds set at $1.5 million for drug trafficking

This heinous crime inflicts never-ending harm, perpetually exploiting the victims. It is not only damaging to our society but inflicts unimaginable pain and suffering upon the most vulnerable victimschildren, said Attorney General Marshall. My office will always make it a priority to fight against child exploitation and send a message to those deviant predators that they will be caught and punished to the fullest extent of the law for their crimes.

Coffelt was sentenced to 10 years, which was split for him to serve one year in prison followed by a term of three years of supervised probation.

After his release he will be required to register as a sex offender and abide by all requirements of Alabamas Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

Latest Headlines

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SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  Two Utah Fire Departments are spending part of the Utah fire season on fires outside of state lines.

The Moab Valley and Hurricane Valley Fire Departments have deployed engines to two separate areas of the United States

According to a Hurricane Valley Fire social media post, an engine unit of Hurricane Valley Fire is out in Texas assisting the Texas Forest Service. The unit is currently operating near San Angelo, Texas, assisting in nearby fires. San Angelo lies around 200 miles northwest of Austin, the state capital.

In northwest Wyoming, Moab Valley sent a unit to help with the Fish Creek Fire.

The Fish Creek Fire is still currently burning and crews are working to set up fire lines for the massive fire in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. The Shoshone National Forest has been closed due to the fire.

The fire in Wyoming has burned over 11,000 acres, according to WyoToday Media. There are 10 hand crews, 13 engines, two dozers, three pieces of heavy equipment, and multiple helicopters.

The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports that well over 300 people are fighting the massive blaze, including the unit from Moab Valley.

According to Moab Valley Fire, this assignment is expected to last for the next two weeks.

We wish [the firefighters] health and safety on their assignment, the post from the Moab Valley said on Facebook.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Before Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ended his long-shot, independent bid for president last week, he beat expectations in his state-by-state battle to access ballots and left some voters intrigued about looking beyond the two-party system.

Increasing hostility between Democrats and Republicans in the lead-up to the 2024 election created an opening for unaffiliated or independent candidates, the Pew Research Center reported. Iraq War veteran Paul Rieckhoff seized on that moment, launching Independent Veterans of America earlier this summer.

Twenty years ago, Rieckhoff founded Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, one of the largest organizations of post-9/11 veterans in the United States. Now, hes looking to harness the recent interest in unaffiliated candidates by encouraging independent veterans to run for office.

While independents arent likely to win many spots this year  in the race for president or in other national, state and local elections  Rieckhoff is taking a long view, with his new group aiming to propel unaffiliated candidates onto ballots and someday spark a movement in which independents gain more votes.

Independents can win. Its possible this year, at the local level, undoubtedly, Rieckhoff said. And in the future, were trying to create an America where independents can win at every level, where people vote on the candidate and not just on the party.

Veterans in particular have a political edge, and they bring a voice of reason and clarity to politics, he argued.

Rieckhoff said his new group isnt focused on the presidential election this year. Instead, its vying to get independent veterans into other offices, ranging from local school boards to the U.S. Senate. Starting last week, candidates could apply to be endorsed by the group.

Candidates have until Aug. 31 to apply. To be considered for an endorsement, candidates must register as a member of Independent Veterans of America, file as an independent or unaffiliated candidate for office and complete an interview with the groups leaders. Independent Veterans of America will confirm the military service record of all candidates, Rieckhoff said.

Those veterans selected by the group will receive funding, campaign management tools, voter data, media opportunities, technology training and the opportunity to speak at the groups candidate convention in September in New York City.

Were going to get behind them as best we can, Rieckhoff said. We hope to be able to drive media attention, drive online support, drive volunteers and drive money. These folks are against the machine. Were able to bring them together, and we think thats going to be a powerful force.

Independent Veterans of America is expected to announce its endorsed candidates next week. The first wave of endorsements is likely to include about a dozen candidates, Rieckhoff said.

Rieckhoff began interviewing some of those potential candidates in May on his podcast, Independent Americans. The first was Shelane Etchison, an Army veteran whos running for Congress in North Carolinas ninth district, home to Fort Liberty.

Etchison was based at Fort Liberty for the duration of her military service. She was part of a Cultural Support Team, a pilot program that inserted women alongside Special Operations soldiers on combat missions in Afghanistan.

She later deployed to Syria, where she served with Kurdish women to fight against the Islamic State. After 11 years in the Army, she earned two masters degrees from Harvard.

The district where shes running is a Republican stronghold, with the GOP holding it since 1963. Etchison is campaigning against the incumbent, Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., who has served in Congress since 2013 and touts his status on his website as the 12th most conservative member of the House.

I dont care how entrenched an incumbent is, we have to have competitive elections. We have to at least try, Etchison said on the podcast. People still need to have choices on the ballot. Im excited theyre going to have another choice.

Rieckhoff was inspired to create Independent Veterans of America by his experience serving as CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. That group trained veterans to be political advocates in Washington.

Some of those veterans have since joined the Democratic or Republican parties and continued their careers, but most didnt want to choose a party  and didnt find their path in politics, Rieckhoff said. Since then, Rieckhoff said he has seen more veterans he knows skew independent.

According to a Gallup poll from January, independents constitute the largest political bloc, with 43% of U.S. adults identifying as such in 2023.

Theres a promising generation of leaders that dont want to be a Democrat or Republican, Reickhoff said. Especially now, with our bitterly partisan and divided political landscape, veterans want to be able to continue to serve without having to compromise their values to a party.

This story was produced in partnership with Military Veterans in Journalism. Please send tips to MVJ-Tips@militarytimes.com.
IDOC employee rushed to hospital after being electrocuted

SULLIVAN COUNTY, Ind (WAWV/WTWO)  Tuesday afternoon, an Indiana Department of Corrections (IDOC) employee was flown to an Indiana hospital after sustaining an electrical shock.

According to the IDOC chief communications officer Brandi Pahl, an employee at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility was electrocuted while performing maintenance work.

The employee was then transported to an Indianapolis hospital via Lifeline for further care.

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Illinois may be getting a new flagor they may keep the old one.

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias says the Illinois Flag Commission will start accepting public submissions for a new state flag design beginning Tuesday, September 3. The commission is accepting design ideas from the public  online or via mail  until October 18. The commission also plans to work with schools and local libraries to inform Illinoisans about the process and encourage residents to take part. The commission was created in 2023 after Senate Bill 1818, sponsored by State Senator Doris Turner (48th DistrictSpringfield) and State Representative Kam Buckner (26th DistrictChicago) was signed into law.





Im excited to see the creativity of Illinois residents and how they display their passion for our great state, said Giannoulias, whose office is chairing the commission. The symbols that represent and unify our state are important and this presents an excellent opportunity to engage Illinoisans and showcase their pride.



History is living, breathing and ever-evolving, said Turner. We need to ensure government is evolving with the times so people are engaged and a part of what is going on across the state. To start the conversation, I led the initiative to create the Illinois Flag Commission, which is tasked with deciding whether the current state flag should be replaced with a redesigned state flag. We need a flag that truly represents Illinois  a state with a strong workforce, an agriculture champion and so much more.



Our flag embodies the rich tapestry of Illinoisfrom the mighty Mississippi to the shores of Lake Michigan. It reflects our history, our people, and the spirit of our state, said Buckner. A new design presents a unique opportunity to honor our heritage while showcasing the evolving story of Illinois.



The commission will choose 10 designs based on how they reflect the Illinois identity. An online survey allowing residents to choose a favorite or keep the current flag starts January 1 and will last about two months.



General guidance for submissions includes:

Design elements can include natural features of the state, history and culture of the state.

There is no limit on flag shape or ratio, but designs may be edited by the commission.

There is no limit on colors, but the commission recommends less than three colors for clarity of design.

Artists can click here to upload their designs online or mail them to:

Illinois Flag Commission,

Howlett Building, Room 476,

501 S. Second Street,

Springfield, IL 62756

Participants must provide their first and last name, address, email address and phone number. They must explain their relationship to Illinois and provide a description of their flag entry. Each category is limited to 500 characters.

Uploaded files must be 5 MB or less and in PNG, GIF or JPG format.

There should be no watermarks or frames around the image.

By submitting a design to the Commission, the designer is authorizing the Commission and the State of Illinois to take ownership of the design.

Artists under 18 may submit designs in coordination with a parent/ guardian, teacher or adult mentor.

Designs cannot be copied from other designs or use existing logos or copyrighted materials. Designs can include elements or reproductions of the State Seal or any prior Illinois State flag.

Designs cannot be AI generated.

Submissions are limited to three per person.

Submissions from outside the United States, i.e. military bases, must submit by regular mail.

The commission will report its findings to the Illinois General Assembly after a public feedback period. Commission members will vote to adopt a new flag or keep the current design.



The commission is chaired by David Joens, Director of the Illinois State Archives, on behalf of the Secretary of State. Its members include:

Three members appointed by the governor.

Four members each appointed by the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Senate Minority Leader and the House Minority Leader.

A representative from the State Superintendent of Education and one from the Board of the Illinois State Museum.

Illinois isnt the only state reconsidering its flag. Minnesota unveiled its new flag in December 2023 and both Michigan and Maine are considering an official change in their state flags.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Illinois wants YOU to design a new state flag

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO)  Illinois is having a competition to design a new state flag, and residents are encouraged to submit their proposals.

The contest will open on Tuesday, September 3rd and run until October 18th.

The Illinois General Assembly will then decide whether to adopt a new flag, or keep the existing design.

Im excited to see the creativity of Illinois residents and how they display their passion for our great state, said Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. The symbols that represent and unify our state are important and this presents an excellent opportunity to engage Illinoisans and showcase their pride.

According to a press release, the commission [will] evaluate if a new state flag would better represent the states diversity of urban, suburban and rural communities and inspire renewed state pride among Illinoisans.

Sen. Doris Turner (D-48th Dist.), who sponsored a bill creating an Illinois commission to design a new flag, said, We need a flag that truly represents Illinois  a state with a strong workforce, an agriculture champion and so much more.

The commission will select 10 designs based on how they reflect the identity of Illinois, and will then allow residents to vote on their favorite, beginning January 1st, 2025.

Some general guidance for submissions includes:

Design elements can include natural features of the state, history and culture of the state.

No limit on flag shape or ratio but designs may be edited by the commission.

No limit on colors but recommend less than three colors for clarity of design.

Participants can visit www.ilsos.gov and upload online or submit their design via mail addressed to Illinois Flag Commission, Howlett Building, Room 476, 501 S. Second St., Springfield, IL 62756

Participants are required to provide their first and last name, address, email address and phone number. They are also required to explain their relationship to Illinois and provide a description of their flag entry (each category limited to 500 characters).

To upload an image, the file will need to be 5 MB or less and in PNG, GIF, or JPG format.

There should be no watermarks or frames around the image.

By submitting a design to the Commission, the designer is authorizing the Commission and the State of Illinois to take ownership of the design

Persons under 18 may submit designs if submitted in coordination with a parent/ guardian, teacher or adult mentor.

Designs cannot be copied from other designs or use existing logos or copyrighted materials; however, the design can include elements or reproductions of the State Seal or any prior Illinois State flag.

Designs cannot be AI generated.

Submissions are limited to three per person.

Submissions from outside the United States, i.e. military bases, need to be made by regular mail.

Besides Illinois, other states have changed or are considering changing their state flags. Minnesota unveiled its new flag in December 2023; Michigan and Maine are considering an official change to their state flags.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
A Green Bay Correctional Institution watch tower and guard. (Photo | Isiah Holmes)

Micah Laureano, a 19-year-old who was incarcerated at Green Bay Correctional Institution (GBCI) died Tuesday night following an incident involving his cellmate, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections told the Examiner.

Beth Hardtke, the departments communications director, told the Examiner over email that no staff were injured, and the incident took place at 9:30 p.m. She said the institution is operating normally with all scheduled programming and activities.

The Brown County Sheriffs Office said the victim and suspected assailant, Jackson Vogel, 24, were cellmates and the incident happened in their cell. Hardtke said both individuals involved in the incident were in temporary lockup status.

The suspect and victim had occupied the same cell for only hours before the incident, the sheriffs office said.

According to the sheriffs office, the victim was beyond help and pronounced dead at the scene, and the initial death investigation led to what is now being considered a homicide investigation. The medical examiners findings confirmed Laureano died of strangulation/suffocation by manner of homicide, the sheriffs office said. Filing of formal charges is expected late next week.

According to court records, Vogel was found guilty of attempted first-degree intentional homicide. Laureano was found guilty of taking and driving a vehicle without consent and as party to a crime for substantial battery intending bodily harm, robbery with use of force and first-degree recklessly endangering safety.

Jordan Coombe, who is currently incarcerated at GBCI, said he observed the prisons response to the incident. He thinks having single cells would cut down on conflict in the prison.

Thats what needs to happen here if they want things to change less assaults will happen, less fights will happen, less everything, Coombe said. I go to the shower, I go to rec. You rarely ever see issues. You see a lot of people getting pulled out of double cells and going up to segregation.

Green Bay Correctional Institution returned to normal operations in late July. Incarcerated people say problems persist in the prison, the Examiner reported on August 20.

This story has been updated.

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Indiana city council approves Pride event after lawsuit accused them of trying to block it

After a group filed a federal lawsuit accusing an Indiana city council of trying to block an LGBTQ Pride event, the celebration will now take place in September.

The Loogootee City Council voted Monday to approve the city's PrideFest 2024 for Sept. 7. They had previously approved the event in late 2023, but a controversial ordinance passed in February essentially revoked that, casting the event in doubt.

The Patoka Valley AIDS Community Action Group  working with the Indiana chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union  sued in U.S. District Court. They called the ordinance "unconstitutional."

According to the complaint, the ordinance changed the application process for city events and added an extra layer of approval for any group that wanted to stage something in Public Square: a prime spot for celebrations in the city and the location of the 2023 PrideFest. Council then delayed approval for Pride for months, all while OK-ing other events in Public Square without requiring the additional approvals.

"These actions clearly indicate that council members are trying to deny Loogootee Pride the ability to hold their Pride event because they disagree with a celebration of the LGBTQ community," the ACLU wrote on its Facebook page in June.

According to a status report filed in the case Monday, Pride will now unfold in Public Square as originally intended. Council also voted to close several streets for the event. Because of that, both parties in the lawsuit agreed to cancel a scheduled injunction hearing. The case is still ongoing, court records state.

In a Monday news release from the ACLU, event organizers Timothy and Tracy Brown-Salsman praised the decision.

"PrideFest is about equality and acceptance, and we are thrilled that we will once again be able to host this important celebration of diversity and inclusion in the heart of our community  just as we successfully did in 2023," they said. "We welcome everyone to come and celebrate Pride with us.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Loogootee City Council approves LGBTQ Pride event amid lawsuit
RICHMOND, Ind. (WXIN)  An Indiana man who conspired to poison his wifes Coca-Cola with various drugs, kill her and marry her daughter has been sentenced after entering a guilty plea.

Alfred W. Ruf, 71, pleaded guilty Monday in Wayne County Court to aggravated battery posing a risk of death  a level 3 felony. A conspiracy to commit murder charge originally filed against Ruf was dismissed. He was sentenced to four years in prison and five years of probation.

The charges against Ruf stem from several incidents in 2021 where his wife was hospitalized and tested positive for illegal drugs that she said she did not willingly take. Ruf admitted to police that he was poisoning her in an attempt to kill her and marry her daughter, prosecutors said.

Honestly frightened: Family terrified after childrens book caught fire under car seat

Rufs wife first contacted police in January 2022 after her husband reportedly told her that he had been trying to kill her with poison. She said she had been hospitalized six times over the past weeks with unexplained headaches, drowsiness, diarrhea and more.

The woman said that she tested positive for MDMA, cocaine and benzodiazepines at the hospital. However, she denied using the drugs that were found in her system.

Alfred Ruf is pictured here. (Richmond Police Department)

When police responded to Ruf and his wifes home, officers reportedly heard Ruf say that he had indeed been spiking his wifes drink with an unknown substance given to him by his wifes daughter. The wife gave police a pill bottle full of the powdery substance and a Coca-Cola can with an off-white residue on it.

The wife was transported to a hospital for a blood and urine screening, while Ruf was taken to the sheriffs department for an interview, where confessed to the crime, authorities said.

According to court documents, Ruf told police that his wifes daughter from a previous marriage had given him a pill bottle with a white powder inside of it about three months ago. The daughter  who Ruf admitted he had been having sex with  told him to put the powder into his wifes drink.

Ruf stated that the substance would then make [his wife] go to sleep for approximately 13 hours or so, the documents state. He stated that he would do this to eventually kill her.

Police said Ruf explained how the daughter and a friend had told him to sprinkle the powder into the wifes Coke can and wait for her to fall asleep. The daughter and friend would then come to his house and put on a show, Ruf said.

Ruf explained that while he was having intercourse with one of the two women, the other woman would usually go through the house and steal his wifes personal items. He would then reportedly pay the woman for the sex acts.

The daughter told Ruf that they should get mom out of the picture and inherit the life insurance policy, the documents stated. Ruf also claimed that the daughter would want to get married to him after they took care of his wife.

VOTE: Charlotte area products nominated for Coolest Thing Made in NC

Ruf told officers from the beginning of September 2021 to the end of December 2021 he poisoned his wifes drink approximately 12 times. Every time, he said the daughter and her friend would come over once the wife was asleep.

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 reportedly admitted to his wife that he had been poisoning her on Jan. 3 because he felt bad. However, the wife told officers that she confronted Ruf after becoming suspicious and that he admitted to drugging her so that he could sleep with the daughter and friend.

According to court documents, Rufs wife had made several reports with local police about missing personal items in the months leading up to her husbands arrest. She had also previously reported to Indiana State Police that she thought she was being drugged.

At the time of Rufs arrest in Jan. 2022, local police said that they were still investigating two other suspects connected to the case. However, no arrests have been made.

Nexstars WXIN is not naming the daughter or friend reportedly involved in the case as no charges have been filed against them.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Altria Just Hiked Its Dividend and Is Firing On All Cylinders, But Should You Buy It Now?

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

Over time, stock prices rise and fall, but predictably, most people will be extremely bearish near the bottoms and largely bullish near the tops. Only four months ago, many investors on social media predicted the demise of Altria Group Inc (NYSE:MO) as it once again traded below $40 per share. Altria had traded between $35.50 and $43.00 for many months.

But Altria broke out of its trading range in May and has been climbing ever since. Following last week's dividend increase announcement, it recently closed at $52.44.

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Those who purchased during the toughest times in 2023 have been handsomely rewarded with nearly 40% appreciation and a double-digit dividend yield. Those who forecast the end of times for Altria and didn't buy it may have wished they had.

But will investors get a second chance to buy Altria with a dividend yield that's an income collector's dream? Take a look:

Altria is a Richmond, VA-based tobacco company that, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells oral and smokable tobacco products throughout the U.S. Some of its products include Marlboro cigarettes, Black & Mild cigars and pipe tobacco and Copenhagen, Skoal and other smokeless tobacco and snus products. More recently, it developed on! nicotine pouches and acquired NJOY Holdings, Inc. to add the NJOY ACE brand of e-vapor products to its inventory of smokeless tobacco products. As of March 2024, Altria owned 10% of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA (NYSE:BUD), the Budweiser beer manufacturer, but planned to sell off about 35 million of its 197 million shares.

After decades of lawsuits and a declining population of smokers which dropped the share price from over $70 to the mid $30s, Altria decided to expand its product line into non-smokeable tobacco products. Many health care professionals still caution users that these other products can be harmful to health, but many applaud Altria's attempts to offer alternatives to smoking for adult customers.

Story continues

Big News

On Aug. 22, Altria announced that its Board of Directors had approved a 4.1% increase to the quarterly dividend from $0.98 to $1.02 per share. The new dividend is payable to shareholders of record as of Sept. 16, with payment on October 10. This was the 55th consecutive year of dividend increases. The yield is now 7.78% as of its recent close at $52.44.

Over the past five years, Altria has raised its dividend six times with a total dividend growth of 27.5%. The dividend has tripled since the 2008 spinoff of Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM). Altria targets its dividend payout ratio at about 80% of adjusted earnings per share (EPS).

One factor that has helped Altria's share price this year is the improvement in the share price of Anheuser-Busch following its marketing fiasco of Bud Light in 2023. Another factor is the reduction of 3.60% of outstanding shares this year from Altria's share repurchase program.

Read More:

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Commercial real estate has historically outperformed the stock market. This platform allows accredited investors to invest in commercial real estate, invest today for a 1% boost.

One reason Altria can be important in a balanced portfolio is that, as a defensive consumer stock, it provides a haven during volatile market periods. Of course, another reason to own it is for the income.

However, the question now is whether the present share price is sustainable. Technically, in the short term, Altria seems very overbought. The weekly 14-period Relative Strength Index (RSI) is now above 77 (70 or more is overbought) and the Full Stochastic is at 95.93 (80 or higher is overbought). Volume has recently declined on the up days as the rally has matured. The price has risen far from its 50-day moving average at $42.14 and the 200-day moving average at $39.30.

Of course, stocks can move higher even when overbought. The RSI moved into overbought territory in early July when the share price was $47.80. Overbought simply means that the stock is above its fair value. Therefore, the risk of a decline now exceeds the potential for further appreciation.

Since 2021, there have been two other times when the RSI touched or was above 70. In March 2021, the RSI reached the high 70s, and the stock peaked at $40.37. Within a month, the share price fell to $34.67. However, it rebounded, and in May 2022, the RSI again touched 71 as the price peaked at $47.04. What followed was an even greater sell-off to $34.50 by the end of June.

Therefore, history suggests a pullback could develop, perhaps as much as 10% to $47 or $48. However, the future continues to look bright for Altria, and if an investor purchases shares that are a few dollars too high, the dividend payments can compensate for that in just a few quarters. Most investors buy Altria for the income rather than the potential appreciation. However, younger investors may want to reinvest dividends to acquire more shares rather than collect the income.

The most recent analyst coverage for Altria was on Aug. 14, when Barclays analyst Gaurav Jain maintained it at Underweight and raised the price target from $37 to $44. However, the price is now well above the analyst's price target.

Some investors avoid Altria because of the harmful effects of smoking and other tobacco forms. Owning this stock is not for everyone, but for those who want to own it, the three-year total return of 30.71% makes a compelling argument. Dollar-cost averaging into one's total position to reduce the risk of paying too much can also be a prudent way to go.

Better Yields Than Altria?

The current high-interest-rate environment has created an incredible opportunity for income-seeking investors to earn massive yields, but not through dividend stocks... Certain private market real estate investments are giving retail investors the opportunity to capitalize on these high-yield opportunities and Benzinga has identified some of the most attractive options for you to consider.

For example, the Jeff Bezos-backed investment platform just launched its Private Credit Fund, which provides access to a pool of short-term loans backed by residential real estate with a target 7% to 9% net annual yield paid to investors monthly. The best part? Unlike other private credit funds, this one has a minimum investment of only $100.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to take advantage of high-yield investments while rates are high. Check out Benzinga's favorite high-yield offerings.

This article Altria Just Hiked Its Dividend and Is Firing On All Cylinders, But Should You Buy It Now? originally appeared on Benzinga.com
INDIANOLA, Iowa  The Indianola Police Department arrested two people on Tuesday in connection to a child sexual abuse case.

According to the Indianola Police Department, 41-year-old Jason Witzke and 39-year-old Valerie Cross attempted to entice a minor to a residence in Indianola for sexual purposes.

On Tuesday a search warrant was executed at about 4:30 a.m. at a residence in the 1600 block of West 3rd Avenue in connection to the attempted sexual abuse case. During the execution of the warrant Witzke was located and taken into custody. A few hours later, at about 7:40 a.m., law enforcement officers located Cross in Greenfield and also took her into custody.

Both are currently being held in the Warren County Jail on a slew of charges.

Ankeny man charged with OWI after crashing into shoe store

Witzke has been charged with:

Conspiracy to Commit Forcible Felony

Conspiracy to Commit a Felony

Assault with Intent to Commit Sexual Abuse

Possession of a Controlled Substance

Possession of Marijuana, 2nd Offense

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Cross has been charged with:

Conspiracy to Commit Forcible Felony

Enticing a Minor

Assault with Intent to Commit Sexual Abuse

Child Endangerment

The Special Response Team was deployed for this investigation. The team consists of law enforcement officials from the Indianola and Carlisle Police Departments, the Warren County Sheriffs Office, and the Warren County Attorneys Office. The Iowa DCIs Cyber Crime Bureau, Greenfield Police Department, Creston Police Department, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, and the Blank Childrens STAR Center also assisted in the case.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Indy gets federal money to put EV charging stations in underserved neighborhoods

Indianapolis is expected to receive $15 million from a federal grant program to put more electric vehicle charging stations in city neighborhoods.

The grant, which U.S. Rep. Andre Carson and Mayor Joe Hogsett announced Wednesday, will aim to place charging stations in underserved parts of the city. The federal dollars come from a grant program created by President Joe Bidens bipartisan infrastructure bill in 2021.

The $15 million heading to Indianapolis will come from the Federal Highway Administration and is expected to specifically target placing electric vehicle charging stations in areas critics say were missed by the Indiana Department of Transportations Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan, according to a news release from Carson and Hogsetts offices.

Indianas plan was approved in 2022, but racial justice groups at the time criticized it for not providing charging station access for communities of color, especially Black neighborhoods. In 2022, Carson, who represents most of Marion County in Congress, wrote to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg with concerns that Indianas plan failed to provide connections to disconnected communities.

From 2022: Feds approve Indiana electric vehicle plan despite concerns from racial justice alliance

Charging station placements will be made locally, and Indianapolis residents will have opportunities to give feedback on the locations, according to the news release.

In a statement, Hogsett said Indianapolis looks forward to bringing electric vehicle technology to city neighborhoods most impacted by environmental injustice.

Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at brittany.carloni@indystar.com or 317-779-4468. Follow her on Twitter/X @CarloniBrittany.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indy gets money for EV charging stations in underserved neighborhoods
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  R.I. Department of Education Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green is preparing to announce whether she will recommend that the struggling state-run Providence schools should remain under a state takeover or be returned to the city.

An outside review of the school district conducted in 2019 by the Johns Hopkins University Institute for Education Policy said Providence schools were struggling to support many of their students academically, socially and emotionally, and that the district was bogged down by an organizational structure and red tape which impedes progress.

The states Council on Elementary and Secondary Education voted in favor of R.I. Education Commissioner Angelica Infante-Greens plan to take state control in July 2019, under then-Gov. Gina Raimondo.

More than five years later, the education commissioner is preparing to return to the council with one of three recommendations: returning the schools back to the city, renewing the turnaround plan, or creating a new one. An agenda shows the council may take a vote in its meeting on Thursday night.

RIDE spokesperson Victor Morente told Target 12 that as of Wednesday afternoon, the commissioner was still in the process of finalizing her recommendation.

Earlier this month, RIDE released two reports that evaluated the progress of the state takeover that began in 2019, and saying the next phase of the review process is underway.

A Massachusetts-based consulting firm, SchoolWorks, analyzed the districts current performance data against the goals listed in the Turnaround Action Plan (TAP).

SchoolWorks said in its report that 23 metrics from the TAP were not on track, 12 were on track and seven had already been met, and while notable progress had been made, the consultant firm did not offer any guidelines or its own recommendation.

RIDE also released an analysis from the Harvard Graduate School for Educations Center for Education Policy Research. It evaluated the districts academic performance during and after the pandemic, but compared it to similar New England districts.

Between 2019 and 2022, authors of the Harvard report found PPSD had incurred less learning loss in reading compared to all three states, and less learning loss in math compared to Massachusetts and Connecticut, while it remained the same as Rhode Islands comparison district average.

In a letter to the school community on Aug. 16, Infante-Green said the reports showed the district was moving in the right direction, but that more work remained.

The district is on the right track, but it remains at a vulnerable point where progress can be easily reversed if the right conditions for long-term success are not in place, Infante-Green said.

In an interview with Target 12 last week, Providence Superintendent Dr. Javier Montanez would not definitively say how he felt the school district should move forward.

We have to let the process finish, Montanez said. Whatever decision is made, my focus is, and always will be, on the student.

How do we continue to close the achievement gap? How do we continue to move the district forward? That has always been my Northern Star, he added. All the decisions that I make are based on whats best for our students.

In an interview with 12 News on Wednesday, Infante-Green still did not disclose her recommendation, but said she was focusing a lot of her attention on the Harvard report. The commissioner said she felt the analysis showed Providence had the fastest recovery from learning loss during the pandemic compared to other districts in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.

However, theyre not where they need to be, so theres still more work to be done, Infante-Green told 12 News. Theres work that everybody needs to do as we move forward.

Infante-Green said she would discuss what that work looks like when she releases her recommendation on Thursday.

In the past, the state took over Hope High School and the moment that it was given back to the district, it declined again. We dont want to see that happen again, Infante-Green said. No false starts. We are really focused on the students getting better outcomes, better opportunities.

Sept. 3 is the first full day of classes for Providence Public Schools.

Where does the Providence School Board stand?

Last week, the Providence School Board unanimously voted to return the schools back to city control at the end of the 2024-25 school year. However, the vote is nonbinding since the district is controlled by RIDE.

The school board will look different next year, regardless of if the district remains under state control or not, as the city moves to a partly elected board. Under the new system half the board is elected, while the other half is appointed by the mayor. Voters will choose the elected members later this year.

How is the city preparing?

The city has been preparing to regain control ahead of any decisions.

Last year, Mayor Brett Smiley established a working group tasked with helping the city figure out what needs to happen before the city regains control.

Smiley has previously indicated that he feels the city needs at least a year to prepare for schools to be able to return to local control.

Meanwhile, the city is still pushing for more community members to take its Return to Local Control Survey.

Providence will also host two in-person community conversations about education in September and December.

The first Mayors Community Conversation on Education will be held on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Providence Career & Technical Academy.

Alexandra Leslie (aleslie@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter covering Providence and more for 12 News. Connect with her on Twitter and on Facebook.

Alex Torres-Perez contributed to this report.

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About 100 people convened in downtown Lexington to hear from and raise money for Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance Monday evening.

Vance, a freshman senator from Ohio who was recently selected by former president Donald Trump to be his running mate on the GOP ticket, announced mid-speech that they had raised $2 million at the event, according to three people in attendance.

The fundraiser was hosted by GOP power couple Kelly and Joe Craft at downtown Lexingtons Central Bank Center.

Co-hosts included Sixth Congressional District Congressman Andy Barr and his wife, Davis; Republican National Committee Treasurer K.C. Crosbie and her husband Scott; banker Terry Forcht and his wife Marion; Kathryn and Terry Green of Jackpot Farm; top Frankfort lobbyist John McCarthy and his wife Cindy; and Fifth Congressional District Congressman Hal Rogers.

The main theme of Vances speech was the economy, those who attended the event said. The rising costs of childcare, food and more during the last four years were all part of his remarks aimed at criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now the Democratic nominee for president.

The Herald-Leader is not naming event attendees as they were not given authorization to speak publicly about the private event.

Vance was critical of Harris plans for day one of her presidency in his speech, remarking that shes already been in office as vice president for 1,300 days.

The Lexington event was initially scheduled for Pikeville in Eastern Kentucky. Those in attendance said that it was mentioned during the event that the location was changed due to secret service logistical issues.

Joe Craft, a billionaire coal magnate and philanthropist originally from Eastern Kentucky, introduced Vance. He was the only other person to speak at the event, and his remarks lasted about 5 minutes, the people in attendance said.

Vance spoke for about 20 minutes with no notes or teleprompter, they said.

Vances mother, who played a central role in his bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy, was in attendance.

The vice presidential nominee made no mention of Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, according to the people who attended the fundraiser. Vance has been the focus of negative comments by Beshear, particularly when the governor was one of a handful of politicians being vetted to run alongside Harris.

Tickets to attend started at $2,500 per person. The host committee level required a couple to give or raise $100,000; a photo opportunity with Vance was $15,000.

All the money raised at the event went toward Republican-supporting causes or organizations.

According to copies of the invitation, the first $3,300 went to the Trump for President general election account; the next $3,300 goes to the Trump for President recount account; the following $5,000 to Save America, a group thats spent tens of millions footing Trumps various legal and investigation-related bills; the next $289,100 to the Republican National Committee; and the remainder to various state Republican parties.
Heat Waves And Poor Air Quality Are Causing Babies To Be Born Early. What Experts Want You To Know.

When summer temperatures soar, Nathaniel DeNicola, an ob-gyn in California specializing in environmental health, often sees an upsurge in pregnant women rushing to the hospital because theyre experiencing labor painssometimes well in advance of their due dates. Often, the contractions subside with rest and rehydration.

However, he says, studies show that the risk of these so-called practice contractions transitioning into true labor increases when the heat lasts more than a few days. Heat waves are beyond an inconvenience, he says, they are a risk factor for a preterm birth.

Yet, while pregnant patients are usually counseled to stay hydrated and cool, they might not understand why, exactly, those habits are so critical. I dont think the next step has been taken to say, This isnt just a matter of best practice for pregnancy. Its not just a matter of helping you avoid some contractions. This is a risk factor for a pretty serious outcome, says Dr. DeNicola.

The connection between soaring temps and preterm birth has been formally studied now for nearly two decades thanks, in part, to Rupa Basu, an Oakland-based epidemiologist at the California Environmental Protection Agency. Back in the summer of 2007, Basu was pregnant with her second child when she started experiencing what felt like intense hot flashes. She drank lots of water, avoided the midday sun, and began combing through scientific literature to see if anyone had studied how pregnant women respond to high temperatures. If she was suffering in temperatures in the high 80s, what must it be like for women in areas of India and Africa where blistering heat and humidity are pushing the limits of human survival?

Basu discovered that no one had yet examined the question of whether high temperatures lead to premature births or other negative pregnancy outcomes. After her son was born, she collected state weather data and 60,000 records of summertime births across 16 California counties, paying special attention to babies born before 37 weeks, or full term. Sure enough, she found greater numbers of preterm births correlated with higher temperatures, and published her findings a few years later. It was the first large-scale study looking at temperature and preterm delivery specifically, that found a positive association, she says.

More and more data has since backed up Basus initial findings: Preterm birth rates jump one percent after four straight days of high heat, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association that analyzed 53 million births from 1993 to 2017 in the nations 50 most populous cities. Similarly, in a 2020 literature review , every one-degree Celsius rise in environmental temperature brought a 5 percent increase in preterm birth. During a heat wave, it jumped to 16 percent.

Unfortunately, the planet is only going to get hotter. Its no secret that the earth is warmingclimate scientists predict that in the next four years, temperatures will rise between one and nearly two degrees Celsius higher than a 18501900 baseline . In the coming years, experts also predict that the frequency, intensity, season length, and duration of heat waves will become even more serious, which means these extreme weather events health impacts have the potential to be so much worse, Basu says, especially for pregnant women and their babies.

Raising The Heat Alarm

The early arrival of a baby before the 37th week of gestation is one of the leading causes of infant mortality, and is linked to a range of health problems for surviving infants, including lung disorders, anemia, heart defects, and stillbirth. Longer term, premature babies can experience trouble learning, vision and hearing problems, and behavior and mental health conditions.

Yet, even with more than a decade of research now clearly showing how vulnerable pregnant people are in extreme heat conditions, when the temperature warms, health officials often warn elderly people, outdoor workers, and pets about the risks. Pregnant people are too often overlooked, Basu says. If people dont realize that theyre at high risk, there wont be any precautions taken, she says.

Thats why health experts are starting to call for better public education campaigns and new legislation in the hopes of better protecting pregnant women and their babies in the face of worsening environmental conditions driven by climate change.

Pushing The Limits

How heat triggers preterm labor is still somewhat unclear. Doctors have found growing evidence that pregnant women exposed to extreme heat and dehydration may experience a reduction of blood flowing to the uterus and placenta, a boost in hormones, or an inflammatory responsewhich can in turn cause Braxton Hicks contractions and spur labor.

And when it comes to extreme heat, there seems to be a tipping point when rest and rehydration is no longer enough to stop the Braxton Hicks contractions, says DeNicola. It converts into actual labor, where that hormone cascade continues and you start having organized contraction patterns that open the cervix. And once that starts, we really cant stop it. We have ways to stall preterm labor, but we really cant stop it.

In the years since Basu first published her research, theres been an explosion of studies examining how, exactly, increasing heat affects expectant mothers.

In February 2024, a study of 1.2 million births in Sydney, Australia found a strong association between exposure to extreme heat during the third trimester and an increased risk of preterm birth.The research also provided insight into how city planners might be able to help address the problem: The risk was lower for women living in areas with more green space, suggesting that tree cover and grassy areas incorporated into urban planning may be one way to help mitigate heat levels and improve health outcomes.

A growing number of studies also illustrate the wide health disparities for minority ethnic and racial groups in cities, including mothers who have premature or early-term births after a heat wave hits. In one recent study of 108 urban areas in the U.S., almost every citys historically redlined neighborhoods (with racially segregated housing) were hotter than non-redlined neighborhoods due to a number of factors, including a lack of greenspace, trees, or bodies of water in the area. In some cases, the difference was nearly 13 degrees.

Scientists often consider factors such as higher education, income, and social status when studying health outcomes. And the research tends to show that the better off you are financially, the fewer problems youll have. Thats why University of Minnesota researchers investigating climate change and racial inequities in the Twin Cities were surprised when their study showed college educated Black women were more likely to experience premature labor and birth than white women without a college education.

Epidemiologist Morrison Luke Smith, one of the researchers involved in the study, says the finding likely has something to do with a phenomenon known as the weathering effect. Marginalized people suffer nearly constant stress from living with discrimination, which damages their bodies at the cellular level and can lead to poor health outcomes, he explains. Heat is not a chronic stress, Smith says. It comes and goesbut its just one more thing.

getty images - Hearst Owned

Breathing For Two

Heat isnt the only health stressor pregnant women face in a warming world. Climate change sparks more frequent and intense wildfires, which have similarly been shown to affect expectant mothers and their babies. While it can sometimes be difficult to untangle the impact of poor air quality and heat, there are strong indications that exposure to contaminated air can lead to poor birth outcomes, says Camille Raynes-Greenow, an Australian epidemiologist at the University of Sydney studying how air contamination affects pregnant women in Bangladesh.

Exposure to wildfire smoke during pregnancy can increase the odds of preterm birth , particularly in the second and third trimesters, and can raise the risk of preeclampsia, a serious pregnancy and postpartum condition causing high blood pressure that can be life threatening.

Studies also show that air contaminants can cross the human placenta, directly exposing fetuses to that polluted air. This is especially concerning considering Dr. DeNicola says women breathe in more oxygen during pregnancythey literally breathe faster during the first trimester due to increased estrogen and progesterone in the body. That could expose them to more fine airborne particles during a wildfire.

And last years fire seasonwhere smoke drifted thousands of miles from Canada and painted New York City an eerie orangeshowed that you dont have to live in a wildfire-prone area to encounter bad air. Fine particle pollution from wildfire smoke is a nationwide health concern, according to Climate Central , a nonprofit formed by an independent group of scientists. Studies suggest that U.S. smoke exposure has increased 27-fold in the last decade, the group reports.

Work To Be Done

While theres still a lot of research needed to unpack all the ways our health is impacted by heat and wildfires, experts are clear that pregnant women should know how both can increase the risk for preterm birth and poor birth outcomes.

Basu is sometimes tempted to paper grocery store bulletin boards warning women about environmental hazards, including heat waves and bad air quality, that may affect their pregnancies. Shes worried about what shes learning from a recent California study examining how wildfire smoke in conjunction with heat waves affects pregnancies. The combined effect is even greater than either one alone, she says. Basu hopes that by showing strong evidence that heat and wildfires are causing adverse birth outcomes, health officials will work to promote better awareness for pregnant people, who are often overlooked in health advisory warnings. All people who are pregnant are at increased risk, she says.

And while Raynes-Greenow also doesnt want to overly worry expectant mothersespecially since not everyone has the option to simply avoid the heatshe encourages them to take a sensible approach to keeping themselves comfortable.

getty images - Hearst Owned

Beating The Heat

Stay safe with these best practices.

Know The Signs

Signs of overheating include headache, dizziness, muscle cramps, nausea, and vomiting, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If youre experiencing any of these symptoms, its best to get in touch with your doctor. Similarly, on bad air-quality days, or during wildfire season, you can call your doctor to talk through your options for creating or moving to a healthy and safe environment.

Stay Up-To-Date

Dr. DeNicola says its important for pregnant people to be prepared for high heat and poor air-quality days. He recommends using mobile apps such as the governments Heat Safety Tool and AirNow , which offer real-time temperature and air quality alerts, when planning outdoor activities.

Be Proactive

During a heat wave, try closing the curtains in your home during the hottest part of the day. Schedule outdoor activities in the early morning and late afternoon, and lay low during the midday heat. Wear loose, light-colored, breathable clothing. And if you dont have air conditioning, sleep in the coolest part of the house, which is often on the ground floor. Its also extremely important to stay hydratedso grab your water or electrolyte beverages before you feel thirsty. Always drink ahead of your thirst, says Dr. DeNicola.

Breathe Better

If you live in a wildfire-prone area or in a big city experiencing bad air-quality days, its best to take measures to avoid breathing in fine particulate matter, particularly if youre pregnant, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The agency recommends using N95 respirator masks, which you can usually buy in hardware stores or drugstores, on days with particularly bad air quality. Other steps can include keeping doors with windows closed, adjusting your HVAC or air conditioning system to keep smoke from coming into the house, and adding a portable air filter or high-efficiency HVAC filter to your home.

Find Your Local Refuge

If youre having a hard time finding somewhere cool to rest, you may be able to visit a community cooling center, or the waiting rooms of health facilities, libraries, and shopping malls. On bad air-quality days, you can also try going to these public centers, which may have better ventilation and air filtration systems.

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The interviews Harris bombed as VP  and why her CNN appearance might be different

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz share the stage at the DNC on Thursday, August 22. Theyll share a stage again this week as they sit down for their first joint interview. (EPA)

On Thursday, Kamala Harris will sit down with CNN and her running mate, Tim Walz, for their first joint interview since the pair were officially nominated by their party.

It will be Harriss first sit-down interview with a cable news outlet in months  and you better believe theyll be watching at Mar-a-Lago.

Thursdays interview presents the first post-convention challenge for the vice president, who already passed one hurdle with her selection of Walz as a running mate. That selection ended up wowing both progressives and centrists in her party; even anti-Trump conservatives who say they are voting for Harris this year seem to be on board.

But the interview is another ballgame.

Harris has yet to face a real sustained grilling from a journalist in the wake of taking over the ticket. She took a few questions on the tarmac while welcoming home American captives from Russia, and has gaggled with reporters on the campaign trail  so she isnt hiding from the cameras. But interviews are different, with extended follow-ups and more opportunities for misstep.

Harris, as a politician, is no stranger to this. And its part of the reason why she had seemed so far out of the public eye before Joe Biden dropped out of the race.

A series of awkward answers to questions in interviews over the course of her vice-presidency opened her up to political attacks and caused negative headline cycles for the White House in the press.

Take her 2021 interview with NBCs Lester Holt. It took place just a few months after Harris was tasked with leading the Administrations diplomatic efforts to address the root causes of migration from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, per a White House statement. During their conversation, Holt repeatedly asked the vice president when she planned to visit the USs southern border with Mexico.

Harris initially insisted that she had: At some point, you know, we are going to the borderweve been to the border. So this whole thing about the border  weve been to the border. Weve been to the border.

You havent been to the border, Holt shot back.

Then Harris corrected herself, while adding: And I havent been to EuropeI dont  understand the point that youre making. Im not discounting the importance of the border.

The fallout from that exchange was immediate and damaging. CNN reported at the time that Biden White House officials were "quietly perplexed about what they perceive as her bumpy answers to questions about whether she will go to the US-Mexico border. Another report from the news outlets Edward Isaac-Dovere a few months later described exasperation amid the Biden team over Harriss frustrating start to the job.

Harris staff has repeatedly failed her and left her exposed, and family members have often had an informal say within her office, Dovere reported multiple sources as saying in November of 2021.

It was a rocky start for sure, and one Bidens team were all too willing to write off as caused by Harriss weaknesses rather than the myriad of burdens weighing her down. Even as she was put nominally in charge of taking on issues for the administration like migration and voting rights, she was seemingly set up to fail  Congress has made little progress on addressing either one, with an election-year compromise bill to address border security going down in flames after pressure from Donald Trump on the GOP caucus.

Complicating the issue for Harris is her history of defensiveness in interviews when pressed on sensitive topics, which has verged at times into a combativeness that has not served her in the way it has for her Republican opponent. A recent example was her talk with The Breakfast Club co-host Charlamagne Tha God, who asked her whether Biden or Senator Joe Manchin, a conservative Democrat who has often been a deciding vote on Biden administration policies, was really president. Harris responded by calling the question disrespectful. But, somehow, that wasnt the worst part  that honor went to the pair of moments where Symone Sanders, Harriss now-ex-spokesperson, was then heard trying to cut off the interview early.

Harriss campaign faces a very unclear future. The momentum is undoubtedly on her side; an announcement from her team last week indicated that she had crossed more than half a billion dollars in donations in the first month of her campaign. National and state-level Democratic Party organizations continue to report thousands of new volunteers pouring through the doors.

Yet the vice president, in the past, has faced questions about her strength as a campaigner  her 2020 bid for the presidency underwhelmed expectations and she dropped out without winning a single state that year, even after delivering a memorable strike against Biden on the debate stage.

Another awkward moment and the resulting news cycle could derail some of that momentum at a time when Harris looks to be on the cusp of clearly taking the lead over Trump. But if her performance is an echo of her speech to the Democratic convention last week  praised by progressives and conservative Democrats alike  Trumps team could have to contend with a promising candidate whose greatest weakness just disappeared.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  A murder investigation is underway after a victims body was found in a car in northeast Oklahoma City after being run over by a car on Monday.

The car was parked in a neighborhood just a few blocks away from OU Healths complex.

LOCAL NEWS: Two arrested, accused of afterhours assault at Scissortail Park

Its really kind of a shocker, said Bertice Abercrombie, who lives in the area. I just saw a whole bunch of police cars It was different because this is a quiet neighborhood.

According to the Oklahoma City Police Department, the victim and Jessica Yeahquo got into a fight earlier in the day on the I-35 Service Road near SE 29th Street.

Jessica Yeahquo. Photo courtesy Oklahoma County Detention Center.

It appears that during that disturbance, the victim was run over by the suspect in a vehicle. It appears they were living in and out of this vehicle, said Sgt. Dillon Quirk with OKCPD.

LOCAL NEWS: Oklahoma man convicted after illegal gun possession and fleeing police

Police said the victim wasnt taken to a hospital and later died inside the car.

Yeahquo was questioned then booked into the Oklahoma County Jail on a murder complaint.

OKCPD said the investigation is still in its early stages. The victims name will be released once their family is notified.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
The courtyard at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown. (Photo and logo courtesy of the State of Iowa)

An Iowa Democratic lawmaker is asking for a state audit of the Iowa Veterans Home following July staffing changes.

Rep. Sue Cahill, D-Marshalltown, sent a letter to Iowa Auditor Rob Sand this week calling for an audit of the state-run veterans home, located in Marshalltown.

The request follows the July news that the Iowa Veterans Home would undergo a restructuring process that would eliminate 11 full-time positions and reduce four other full-time jobs to part-time beginning Aug. 15. Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs Communications Specialist Karl Lettow said in a statement to the Marshalltown Times-Republican that the staffing changes were made to meet the challenging needs of our residents amid a financial squeeze.

The cost of care is increasing while federal reimbursements arent keeping pace, Lettow said. This realignment will result in more efficient and responsive support and care for our residents by putting more staff in a direct care role. This is a strategic decision to position ourselves to provide the very best support to our residents now and into the future.

In the letter to Sand  the only Democrat to currently hold statewide elected office in Iowa  Cahill said the decision to cut staff positions at the care facility were made without input from lawmakers, and occurred despite a $1 million increase in state funding for the home.

Cahill, who represents the residents of the Iowa Veterans Home, requested the auditors office review of whether the facility is using appropriated state funds in a lawful manner, consistent with state regulations and contractual agreements. She wrote that the audit was being requested out of concern for Iowa taxpayers and the veterans who have served our country.

Veterans have sacrificed so much for our country, and we have to ensure they receive the highest level of care and respect in their later years, Cahill said in a statement. I am calling on the State Auditor to ensure that the Iowa Veterans Home meets the highest standards of care and transparency.

The staffing cuts primarily affect positions focused on recreational services for residents, Cahill wrote  eliminations that will conflict with the Veterans Home mission of providing a continuum of care to veterans and spouses with services focused on a high quality of life.

Lettow said in a statement sent to Iowa Capital Dispatch that there has been disinformation about the staffing changes at the Iowa Veterans Home.

Our new structure is built to improve service delivery for our residents, Lettow said. Unfortunately, theres been disinformation throughout the transition, and the main points of the press release also appear misinformed and factually wrong. The assertions in the press release that 11 employees were laid off and the realignment would negatively affect our quality of care are objectively, verifiably false.

New positions were created at the same time as the elimination and changes to previous full-time positions, Lettow said, a detail that has been consistently, selectively omitted by multiple sources. He also said a majority of staff whose positions were affected by the July changes are still working at the facility in newly created positions, and that three were promoted.

Three other staff members will pursue other opportunities, he said, but added there are multiple open positions available at the veterans home.

Our people are what make Iowa Veterans Home the greatest place in Iowa for our veterans and spouses, Lettow said. Thanks to them, weve achieved and sustained a 5-Star CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid) rating since 2016, meaning IVH has been in the top 10-percent of long-term care facilities in the U.S. for eight straight years. Any change we even consider, must improve our home for our residents and staff.

Lettow also said the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs recently received the results of their annual state audit from fiscal year 2023 with no discrepancies, and are already in the auditing process for the upcoming year.

Sand released a statement Tuesday confirming that Cahills request was received.

The Auditors office will review Rep. Cahills request and make a determination on how we might move forward to ensure Iowas veterans receive the highest level of care and tax dollars are spent as intended and consistent with the law, Sand said in a statement.
Iran opens the door to resuming nuclear talks with US

Irans supreme leader has hinted that his country is open to renewed talks with the US on the Islamic Republics vast nuclear programme.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told his government that it was possible to interact with the enemy in certain situations.

There is no harm in that, but do not place your hopes in them. Do not trust the enemy, Mr Khamenei warned, according to a transcript of remarks posted on his website.

It comes after Irans new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, promised in his election campaign to restart negotiations with the West.

While Mr Khamenei still holds ultimate authority in the country, Mr Pezeshkian is considered to be less hardline than both Mr Khamenei and late Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi.

The Supreme Leader told his ministers interacting with the 'enemy' was not unthinkable - KHAMENEI.IR/AFP via Getty

Mr Khameneis remarks follow comments by Abbas Araghchi, Irans foreign minister, who said Tehran was willing to reopen revisions in some sections of a previously agreed deal on its nuclear programme, a deal the US pulled out of in 2018 during Donald Trumps presidency.

Mr Araghchi said last week that the deal  the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)  would no longer be viable in its original form but said that new negotiations need to take shape.

In a sense, this document must definitely be reopened, and parts of it amended, he said, according to Iranian state media.

After the JCPOA deal collapsed in 2018, Tehran began accelerating its nuclear programme.

Iran now has enough highly enriched uranium to potentially make several atomic weapons, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). It would need to be enriched further before it could be used in bombs.

Heightened tensions

Tensions in the region are heightened after decades of shadow war between Iran and Israel exploded into direct confrontation in April, when Tehran launched missiles and drones into Israel.

In July, the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Iranian soil pushed Tehran to threaten Israel with an attack, which experts fear could become all-out war.

In June, the board of the IAEA  the UNs nuclear watchdog  voted to censure Iran for failing to cooperate fully.

Iran has barred several UN inspectors, while insisting that its nuclear programme is peaceful and for civilian purposes, with no plans to develop dangerous weapons.

While direct talks have occurred between Iran and the US during Joe Bidens presidency, it is unclear how a new administration might approach the situation following the US election in November.

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By Christopher Bing

(Reuters) - An Iranian hacking group ran a fake professional recruiting business to lure national security officials across Iran, Syria and Lebanon into a cyber espionage trap, according to new research by U.S. cybersecurity firm Mandiant, a division of Alphabet's Google Cloud.

Researchers said the hackers are loosely connected to a group known as APT42 or Charming Kitten, which was recently accused of hacking the U.S. presidential campaign of Republican candidate Donald Trump. APT42 is widely attributed to an intelligence division of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, an expansive military organization based in Tehran. The FBI has said it is investigating APT42s ongoing efforts to interfere in the 2024 U.S. election.

The mission uncovered by Mandiant dates back to at least 2017 and was active until recently. At different times, the Iranians made their operation appear as if it was controlled by Israelis. Analysts say the likely purpose of the impersonation was to identify individuals in the Middle East who were willing to sell secrets to Israel and other Western governments. It targeted military and intelligence staff associated with Irans allies in the region.

The data collected by this campaign may support the Iranian intelligence apparatus in pinpointing individuals who are interested in collaborating with Irans perceived adversarial countries, the Mandiant report said. The collected data may be leveraged to uncover human intelligence (HUMINT) operations conducted against Iran and to persecute any Iranians suspected to be involved in these operations.

Iran's mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mandiant found that the digital spies used a network of websites impersonating human resources companies to manipulate Farsi-speaking targets. The bogus firms were named VIP Human Solutions, also known as VIP Recruitment, Optima HR and Kandovan HR, among others. They leveraged dozens of inauthentic online profiles on Telegram, Twitter, YouTube and social media platform Virasty, which is popular in Iran, to promote the front companies. Nearly all the associated internet accounts have since been removed.

VIP Recruitment, a center for recruiting respected military personnel into the army, security services and intelligence from Syria and Hezbollah, Lebanon, said a statement on one of the websites. Join us to help each other impact the world. Our duty is to protect your privacy.

The hackers cast a wide net by using various social media platforms to disseminate links about their fake HR scheme. It is unclear how many targets ultimately fell for the ruse. The collected data, which included addresses, contact details and other resume-related data, could still be exploited in the future, Mandiant said.

(Reporting by Christopher Bing in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
By Michelle Nichols and Mohamed Ghobari

UNITED NATIONS/ADEN (Reuters) - Yemen's Houthi group has agreed to allow tugboats and rescue ships to reach a damaged crude oil tanker in the Red Sea, Iran's mission to the United Nations said on Wednesday, after the Iran-aligned militants attacked the Greek-flagged vessel last week.

The Sounion tanker is carrying 150,000 tonnes, or 1 million barrels, of crude oil and poses an environmental hazard, shipping officials said. Any spill has the potential to be among the largest from a ship in recorded history.

"Several countries have reached out to ask Ansarullah (the Houthis), requesting a temporary truce for the entry of tugboats and rescue ships into the incident area," Iran's U.N. mission in New York said.

"In consideration of humanitarian and environmental concerns, Ansarullah has consented to this request," it said.

Yemen's Houthis spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam told Reuters on Wednesday there is no temporary truce and the group only agreed to allow the towing of oil tanker Sounion after several international parties contacted the group.

The Sounion was targeted last week by multiple projectiles off Yemen's port city of Hodeidah. There have been seemingly conflicting reports about oil escaping from the ship. Reuters has not independently confirmed if the oil is leaking or spilling from the vessel.

The Houthis, who control Yemen's most populous regions, said they attacked the Sounion. The militants began aerial drone and missile strikes on the Red Sea in November in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. In over 70 attacks, they have sunk two vessels, seized another and killed at least three seafarers.

The Pentagon said on Tuesday a third party had tried to send two tugs to help salvage the Sounion, but the Houthis threatened to attack them.

In a statement on Wednesday, Iran's U.N. mission said "the failure to provide aid and prevent an oil spill in the Red Sea stems from the negligence of certain countries, rather than concerns over the possibility of being targeted." (This story has been refiled to fix the byline)

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols and Mohamed Ghobari; Additional reporting by Yomna Ehab and Lisa Baertlein; Editing by Katharine Jackson, Jonathan Oatis and Richard Chang)
(Bloomberg) -- Israel launched a large-scale military operation in the West Bank to combat what the army said was terrorist activity, the latest surge in hostilities in the Palestinian area since the start of the war in Gaza.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Ten Palestinians have been killed and 11 have been injured, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, which said Israeli soldiers blocked access to hospitals and destroyed infrastructure in towns of Jenin, Tubas and Tulkarem.

The Israel Defense Forces said the raids, which began early on Wednesday, were intended to target militants. It said it killed five of them, including one released from prison as part of an exchange for Hamas-held hostages in Gaza in November.

Israeli forces have stepped up operations in the West Bank since Hamass Oct. 7 assault on southern Israel from the Gaza Strip, a separate Palestinian territory.

An Israeli military spokesman, Nadav Shoshani, said Iran has been smuggling weapons into the West Bank as part of its effort to undermine the Jewish state, and this weeks operation was a pre-emptive strike. His comments on Iran  and similar ones by Foreign Minister Israel Katz on X  could not be corroborated. He added that the blockade of hospitals was to prevent terrorists hiding in them.

Iran sponsors Hamas and other regional militant groups fighting Israel, including Hezbollah in Lebanon. Both Hamas and Hezbollah are considered terrorist organizations by the US. Earlier Wednesday, the IDF said it killed a member of the Islamic Jihad group  also linked to Tehran  in the Syria-Lebanon border area.

The IDFs move in the West Bank will not bring security and stability to anyone, and everyone will pay the price, said Nabil Abu Rudineh, a spokesman for the West Bank-based Palestinian presidency.

Hamas said in a statement that resistance operations in the West Bank are escalating.

This situation can only be addressed by open conflict, the group said on Telegram. It called for mass protests in the area and elsewhere in the Arab world in support of Hamas.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate cessation of Israels West Bank operations and strongly condemns the loss of lives, including of children, according to a statement by his spokesman, Stephane Dujarric on Wednesday evening.

The West Bank has seen a significant rise in violence since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict, with more IDF operations happening alongside clashes between Palestinians and Jewish settlers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus far-right coalition government has approved the expansion of settlements in recent months, worsening tensions.

The US State Department announced new sanctions related to West Bank settler violence against Palestinians, targeting an Israeli group, Hashomer Yosh, that it said prevented 250 people expelled from their village from returning. It also sanctioned Yitzhak Levi Filant, who it said led a group of armed settlers that attacked Palestinians on their lands and forcefully removed them.

Movement Restrictions

The Palestinian Health Ministry says more than 650 West Bank Palestinians had been killed since October and 5,400 injured before this weeks operation. Movement restrictions have further exacerbated problems in the territory, limiting access to essential health services.

Shoshani, the IDF spokesperson, said there has been a spike in anti-Israel violence in the northern part of the West Bank with scores of shootings and attacks originating there in the past year. He said the groups involved included Hamas and others funded by Iran.

The economic situation in the West Bank has deteriorated dramatically since last October. More than 178,000 Palestinian workers have lost their jobs after being banned from entering Israel for security reasons. Many of them worked on Israeli construction sites.

Hamas fighters killed 1,200 people and took another 250 hostage in their Oct. 7 attack. Israels subsequent offensive has killed more than 40,000 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry there.

--With assistance from Julius Domoney, Alisa Odenheimer and Augusta Saraiva.

(Updates with Guterres statement in 10th paragraph.)

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Members of the Israeli forces inside an armoured vehicle check an ambulance during a military operation in the West Bank city of Jenin, Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)

Ten Hamas fighters were killed during a large-scale Israeli military operation in the occupied West Bank, the militant group said Wednesday, with troops sealing off the city of Jenin  long a militant stronghold.

Israeli forces also conducted operations, including airstrikes, in Tulkarem and the Al-Faraa refugee camp. All of the locations are in the northern West Bank. Hamas said that 10 of its fighters had been killed in the West Bank.

At least 652 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli fire since the war in Gaza began nearly 11 months ago, Palestinian health officials say. Most of the fatalities come during raids that Israel says target militants.

The reports of the latest operation came a day after the Israeli military rescued a hostage who was among scores of people abducted in Hamas Oct. 7 attack. Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, was rescued in a complex operation in the southern Gaza Strip, the military said Tuesday. Alkadi left a hospital and returned home on Wednesday.

___

Here's the latest:

UN food agency 'pauses' movement in Gaza after its vehicle is hit by bullets

UNITED NATIONS  The U.N. food agency says it is pausing the movement of all staff in Gaza until further notice after one of its clearly marked vehicles was hit by at least 10 bullets as it was moving toward an Israeli military checkpoint at the Wadi Gaza bridge in the center of the territory.

The World Food Program announcement Wednesday afternoon said the vehicle was struck Tuesday evening despite receiving multiple clearances by Israeli authorities to approach. None of the employees onboard were physically harmed, WFP said.

The agency said two armored WFP vehicles were returning from the Kerem Shalom crossing after escorting a convoy of trucks carrying humanitarian cargo routed to Gazas central area.

Though this is not the first security incident to occur during the war it is the first time that a WFP vehicle has been directly shot at near a checkpoint, despite securing the necessary clearances, as per standard protocol, the Rome-based agency said.

It called the incident a stark reminder of the rapidly and ever shrinking humanitarian space in the Gaza Strip, where increasing violence compromises our ability to deliver life-saving assistance.

WFP said this critical situation is exacerbated by restricted access and heightened risks which has led to a decrease in the amount of food reading Palestinians in desperate need.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the vehicle was struck by Israeli military gunfire, including with bullets targeting front windows. He said the incident shows the need for more U.N. armored vehicles, saying the two people inside the WFP vehicle were saved because it was armored.

Israeli authorities recover body of a soldier abducted and killed by Hamas

JERUSALEM -- Israeli authorities said Wednesday that they have recovered the body of a soldier who was abducted and killed by Hamas on Oct. 7 and who had since been held in the Gaza Strip.

Israelis military and the Shin Beit internal security agency rescued the remains of the fallen soldier in a joint operation overnight and returned them to Israel, according to a statement.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mourned the mans death, saying he had fallen in a heroic battle on Oct. 7 while defending Israeli communities near Gaza.

The heart of the entire nation mourns the terrible loss, Netanyahu said.

The soldier was not identified at the familys request.

The war in Gaza erupted when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel and rampaged through army bases and farming communities, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250. The militants are still holding 107 hostages, about a third of whom are believed to be dead, after most of the rest were released during a November cease-fire.

Israeli military investigation into deadly rampage by Israeli settlers says army didn't respond decisively enough

JERUSALEM  The Israeli military on Wednesday published its findings from an investigation into a deadly rampage by Israeli settlers in the West Bank earlier this month, concluding that the army did not respond decisively enough, but did not announce any punishments.

The Aug. 15 settler riot in the village of Jit, near the city of Nablus in the northern West Bank, killed one Palestinian and badly injured others. It triggered a rare denunciation by government leaders of the settler violence growing more common since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

Residents said at least a hundred masked settlers entered the village, shot live ammunition at Palestinians, burned homes and cars and damaged water tankers. Video showed flames engulfing the small village, which residents said was left to defend itself without military help for two hours.

The investigation found that the first troops deployed to the scene did not assess the situation adequately, hurting the response at first.

They attempted to disperse the rioters and prevent harm to Palestinians, but they needed to act more decisively. After a few minutes, additional reserve troops and Israel Border Police forces arrived and began to contain the rioters, it said.

It noted that they acted to usher Palestinian families to safety.

UN rights office says Israel's West Bank operation worsening situation in Palestinian areas

GENEVA  The U.N. human rights office says Israels security operation in the West Bank risks seriously deepening the already catastrophic situation in Palestinian areas.

The use of airstrikes and other military weapons violates human rights norms, U.N. Office for the High Commissioner of Human Rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said.

She called on the Israeli government to abide by its obligations under international law as the occupying power in the West Bank.

At least 652 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli fire since the war in Gaza began on Oct. 7, according to Palestinian health authorities. Most have died during raids, which often trigger gunbattles with militants.

Shamdasani said that Israeli forces employ a disproportionate use of force in some cases.

Many children have been killed while throwing stones at highly protected" Israeli forces "as have other Palestinians posing no imminent threat to life or serious injury, she said. Such unnecessary or disproportionate use of force and the increase in apparent targeted and other summary killings are alarming.

US hits West Bank Jewish settler group and security chief with sanctions

WASHINGTON  The Biden administration is imposing sanctions on a West Bank Jewish settler group and the security chief of another group in the latest push to target Israeli organizations and people responsible for violence against Palestinian civilians.

The U.S. State Department announced Wednesday that it had imposed sanctions on Hashomer Yosh, an Israeli nongovernmental organization that supports a previously designated settler outpost known as Meitarim Farm and several of its leaders. The department also imposed sanctions on Yitzhak Levi Filant, the security coordinator for Yitzhar settlement.

Extremist settler violence in the West Bank causes intense human suffering, harms Israels security, and undermines the prospect for peace and stability in the region, department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

It is critical that the government of Israel hold accountable any individuals and entities responsible for violence against civilians in the West Bank, he said.

The department said that Hashomer Yosh volunteers erected fences around the Palestinian village of Khirbet Zanuta to prevent its residents from returning, after they were forced to leave in January, and also sought to guard outposts of settlers who had been previously targeted by U.S. sanctions.

It said Filant had led a group of armed settlers to set up roadblocks and conduct patrols to pursue and attack Palestinians in February.

The sanctions freeze any assets that the targets may have in U.S. jurisdictions, and generally bar Americans from doing business with them.

Israeli hostage rescued from Gaza leaves hospital and returns home

KARKUR, Israel  An Israeli hostage rescued from Gaza has been discharged from a hospital and returned to his home in an unincorporated Bedouin Arab village in southern Israel.

Qaid Farhan Alkadi arrived in the tiny village of Karkur to great fanfare, as members of his Bedouin community clustered around him and journalists jostled for pictures.

Surrounded by reporters, he called on the Israeli government to reach a deal to bring home all of the remaining hostages held by Hamas.

It does not matter if they are Arab or Jewish, all have a family waiting for them. They also want to feel the joy, he said.

I hope, I pray for an end to this, he added, saying he had delivered the same message in a phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. I told Bibi Netanyahu yesterday, work to have an end to this.

Alkadi, 52, was rescued Tuesday as Israeli soldiers combed a tunnel network in southern Gaza in search of hostages, Israels military said.

His friend, Mazen Abu Siam, said he spent a few minutes with Alkadi and said he was very thin.

He told us he was kept 50 meters (165 feet) underground and he wasnt allowed to do anything, but they did allow him to pray, Abu Siam said at the hospital, shortly before his release.

Israeli negotiators were traveling to Qatar on Wednesday for more cease-fire talks.

Israel says 108 hostages remain in captivity in Gaza. It believes roughly one third of them have died.

Israeli airstrike hits tents housing displaced people, killing at least 8

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip  Palestinian health officials say an Israeli airstrike hit a cluster of tents housing displaced people, killing at least eight people.

The strike occurred Wednesday near the central town of Deir al-Balah, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where the bodies were taken. Another 10 people were wounded.

An Associated Press reporter at the hospital saw the casualties arrive.

The dead included two brothers, 6 and 17 years old. Their mother could be seen crying as the teenagers body was taken to the morgue, saying, Hes alive! Later, she could be seen cradling her two sons.

Israel says it only targets militants and tries to avoid harming civilians, but Palestinians say nowhere is safe more than 10 months into the Israel-Hamas war.

Around 90% of Gazas 2.3 million people have been displaced from their homes, often multiple times. Hundreds of thousands are crowded into a narrow area of squalid tent camps along the coast. Israeli evacuation orders cover nearly 90% of the besieged territory, according to U.N. agencies.

Gazas Health Ministry says at least 40,534 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war, which was ignited by Hamas Oct. 7 attack. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count.

Israeli strike kills 4 in Syria near Lebanon border, Syrian media say

Beirut  Four people were killed in an Israeli strike that hit a car in Syria near the border with Lebanon, Syrian media and an official with a Lebanese group said.

The Lebanese official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, said the strike killed one member of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and three members of the allied Palestinian Islamic Jihad group.

There was no immediate comment from Israeli or Syrian officials on the strike.

The Islamic Jihad has sent a stream of fighters from Syria to join Hezbollah militants in Lebanon who have been clashing with Israeli forces along the border since Oct. 8, a day after the Hamas-led incursion into southern Israel sparked the ongoing war in Gaza.

Israel also frequently targets Iran-backed militants in Syria, although it rarely acknowledges the strikes.

 Associated Press reporter Bassem Mroue contributed to this report

Israeli strikes on Gaza kill at least 16 people, including 3 children, Palestinian officials say

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip  Palestinian officials say Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 16 people, including five women and three children.

Most were killed in strikes overnight and into Wednesday on the southern city of Khan Younis, which has come under heavy bombardment over the past two months. Their bodies were taken to the citys Nasser Hospital, where an Associated Press journalist confirmed the toll.

The dead include a brother and sister and their relative, who were killed in a strike on their home east of Khan Younis, the hospital said.

Another strike hit a house south of Khan Younis, killing at least five people, including two women, according to the hospital.

First responders resumed search-and-rescue efforts in a house that was flattened by an Israeli strike southeast of Khan Younis late Tuesday. They have recovered six bodies, including three children, a woman and two men, according to the hospital.

In central Gaza, an Israeli airstrike late Tuesday hit an apartment, killing Mohamed Abdrabu and his sister, Sumaia, both local journalists, said the al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. An Associated Press journalist saw the bodies.

The Israeli military says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames their deaths on Hamas, which positions fighters, tunnels and rocket launchers in residential areas. The army rarely comments on individual strikes, which often kill women and children.

Council set to vote on extending UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon

UNITED NATIONS  The Security Council is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a resolution that would extend the U.N peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon for a year and demand a halt to the escalating exchanges between Hezbollah militants and Israeli forces.

Israel and Hezbollah pulled back after an exchange of heavy fire across the U.N.-drawn boundary between Israel and Lebanon known as the Blue Line over the weekend, but their decades-old conflict is far from over and regional tensions linked to the war in Gaza are still high.

The French-drafted resolution demands full implementation of a 2006 resolution demanding a cessation of hostilities between the two sides and underlines that further escalation carries the high risk of leading to a widespread conflict.

The draft, scheduled for a vote Wednesday morning, would extend the mandate of the U.N. peacekeeping force known as UNIFIL until Aug. 31, 2025.

UNIFIL was created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon after a 1978 invasion.

The Security Council expanded the mission after a 2006 war between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants so that peacekeepers could deploy along the Lebanon-Israel border to help Lebanese troops extend their authority into their countrys south for the first time in decades. That resolution also called for a full cessation of Israeli-Hezbollah hostilities, which has not happened.

The resolution to be voted on Wednesday strongly urges the relevant actors to implement immediate measures towards de-escalation, including with a view to restoring calm, restraint and stability across the Blue Line.

Houthi rebels blocking efforts to help Greek-flagged tanker that's ablaze in the Red Sea

WASHINGTON  Efforts to reach and assist the Greek-flagged tanker that remains ablaze in the Red Sea have been blocked by Yemens Houthi rebels, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters that the U.S. is aware of a third party that attempted to send two tugs to the vessel to help salvage, but they were warned away by the Houthis and threatened with being attacked.

He did not identify the third party, but said the Houthis actions demonstrate their blatant disregard for not only human life, but also for the potential environmental catastrophe that this presents.

A French destroyed previously rescued the crew and security personnel from the tanker.

He said U.S. Central Command has been monitoring the situation to determine how best to assist the Sounion, which is loaded with 150,000 tons (136,000 metric tons) of Iraqi crude oil, and mitigate any environmental impact.

Right now, however, there are no U.S. Navy ships in the Red Sea or nearby in the Gulf of Aden.

Biden's top Mideast adviser meets with Qatari leaders

DOHA, Qatar  President Joe Bidens top Middle East adviser on Tuesday held talks in Doha with senior Qatari leaders on the ongoing efforts to complete a cease-fire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, according to a U.S. official.

White House senior adviser Brett McGurks meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Foreign Affairs Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani comes after the prime minister traveled to Tehran to speak with Irans President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday.

The talks also come as ongoing cease-fire talks to pause the war between Israel and Hamas are set to shift to Doha after several days of intense negotiations in Cairo.

The official, who was not authorized to discuss the sensitive talks and spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that McGurk met with the Qatari officials and discussed the negotiations and the prime minister's recent meeting with Iran's president.

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 in Iran.

___

Associated Press reporter Aamer Madhani contributed to this report.

Site of negotiations to move from Egypt to Qatar, US official says

WASHINGTON  Ongoing talks aimed at bringing about a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in the 10-month Israel-Hamas war in Gaza are shifting to the Qatari capital of Doha after several days of intense negotiations in Cairo, according to a U.S. official.

A round of high-level talks in Cairo meant to bring about a cease-fire and hostage deal to at least create a temporary pause in the war ended Sunday without a final agreement. Those talks included CIA director William Burns and David Barnea, the head of Israels Mossad intelligence agency. A Hamas delegation was briefed by Egyptian and Qatari mediators but have not directly taken part in negotiations.

But lower-level working teams had remained in Cairo as media as mediators from the United States, Qatar, and Egypt in hopes to address remaining disagreements.

The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly, said White House Middle East adviser Brett McGurk, who has been a key U.S. negotiator, has arrived in Doha and is expected to take part in the talks.

The official did not offer explanation for why the parties have decided to move the talks. Both Cairo and Doha have served as hosts for talks aimed at ending the war throughout the conflict.

The Israeli Prime Ministers office confirmed that an Israeli delegation will head to Doha on Wednesday. They did not release further details about who will be traveling or what is on the agenda.

___

Associated Press reporter Aamer Madhani contributed to this report.
Nablus, West Bank  Israel launched a large-scale military operation Wednesday in the occupied West Bank, where the army said it killed nine Palestinian fighters, while the nearly 11-month Gaza war showed no sign of abating despite ongoing U.S. efforts to help broker a truce. Violence has surged in the West Bank during the Gaza conflict sparked by Islamist group Hamas' unprecedented Oct. 7 terrorist attacks on Israel, which saw the militants kill some 1,200 people and take about 250 others hostage.



The war has killed more than 40,000 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatant and civilian casualties. It has also caused widespread destruction in the Palestinian territory, displaced nearly all of its 2.4 million people  many of them multiple times  triggering a worsening humanitarian crisis.



In the West Bank in the early hours of Wednesday, the Israeli military launched a series of coordinated raids across four cities  Jenin, Nablus, Tubas and Tulkarem. The army said it was carrying out a "counterterrorism operation" involving airstrikes, ground forces and bulldozers.

A Palestinian boy shows Israeli forces in an armored vehicle that he is carrying a bottle of water during a raid in Jenin, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Aug. 28, 2024. / Credit: RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP/Getty

The Palestinian Red Crescent said Israeli forces killed at least 10 people, including two Palestinians in Jenin, four in a nearby village and four more in a refugee camp near Tubas. Fifteen others were wounded, according to the group.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas cut short a visit to Saudi Arabia and headed home to "follow up on the latest developments in light of the Israeli aggression on the northern West Bank," Palestinian official media said.



The Israeli army said it had killed nine Palestinian "terrorists" in its ongoing operation, adding that so far there were no casualties on the Israeli side. Soldiers encountered explosives and were engaging in exchanges of live fire with militants, it said.



"We have met explosives already in the first hours, and we have met real-time fire exchanged with terrorists engaging in battle," spokesman Nadav Shoshani told reporters.

The troops were targeting a "mixture of terror groups and terror cells," he said, declining to say how many were involved or how long the operation would last.

Israeli soldiers stand outside their vehicle during a raid in Jenin in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Aug. 28, 2024. / Credit: RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP/Getty

Shoshani said the current operation was not "extremely different or special," after months of Israeli military operations in the West Bank.



Israeli Foreign Minster Israel Katz had a different take, however, saying the military was "operating in full force since last night" in a bid to "dismantle Iranian-Islamic terror infrastructure."



In a social media post, he accused Iran, Israel's main foe in the region, of seeking to "establish an eastern front against Israel" based on the "model" for Gaza and Lebanon, where it backs Hamas and Hezbollah, respectively.



"We must address this threat with the same determination used against terror infrastructures in Gaza, including temporary evacuation of residents and any necessary measures," he said. "This is a war, and we must win it."



Since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, Israeli troops or settlers have killed more than 650 Palestinians in the West Bank, according to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry figures. During the same period, at least 19 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks, according to Israeli officials.



While Israeli military operations have become a daily occurrence in the West Bank, which has been occupied by Israeli forces since 1967, it is rare for them to be carried out in multiple cities simultaneously.

In recent weeks, Israeli operations in the West Bank have focused on the north of the territory, where armed groups fighting against Israel are particularly active.



The latest operation comes two days after Israel said it had carried out an airstrike on the West Bank that the Palestinian Authority said had killed five people. The Israeli army confirmed the five deaths Wednesday and said the strike hit a structure "used by the terrorists to conduct terrorist activity and harm (Israeli) soldiers operating in the area."

People attend a funeral ceremony for five Palestinians killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Nur Shams Refugee Camp, in Tulkarm, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Aug. 27, 2024. / Credit: Issam Rimawi/Anadolu/Getty

It identified one of the dead as Jibril Jasan Ismail Jibril, who was released in November as part of the only Gaza truce negotiated so far, which lasted about a week.



Last week, the army announced it had killed a senior Palestinian militant in Lebanon, accusing him of "directing attacks and smuggling weapons" to the West Bank and collaborating with Iranian forces.



Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian Islamist movement allied with Hamas which has a strong presence in the north of the West Bank, issued a statement early Wednesday denouncing an "open war" by Israel.



"With this aggression, which aims to transfer the weight of the conflict to the occupied West Bank, the occupier wants to impose a new state of affairs on the ground to annex the West Bank," the statement said.



Hamas, whose popularity has soared in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war, late Tuesday reiterated its call for Palestinians in the territory to "rise up."



Its statement came in response to comments by far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who said this week he would build a synagogue at Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound if he could. Ben Gvir, a settler himself, has openly called for the annexation of the West Bank.

Record travel expected for Labor Day as gas prices, flight costs dip from 2023

Israeli operation in West Bank likely to complicate Gaza cease-fire talks

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Updated Aug 28, 2024, 12:25pm EDT Middle East

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Israeli soldiers raided the West Bank on Wednesday, killing at least nine people in an unusually large incursion into the occupied territory.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described the move as a counterterrorism operation, targeting at least four cities, while the Israeli foreign minister said the attack aimed to dismantle Iranian-Islamic terror infrastructures. He also accused Iran of seeking to open a new front against Israel, alongside Gaza and the Lebanese border.

Hours later, the United States moved to impose fresh sanctions on an Israeli non-governmental organization that supports settlers in the West Bank and a settler official over extreme levels of violence towards Palestinians and called on Israel to hold settlers accountable.

Extremist settler violence in the West Bank causes intense human suffering, harms Israels security, and undermines the prospect for peace and stability in the region, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

While Israel has been fighting in Gaza for nearly a year, persistent violence in the West Bank  largely by Israeli settlers towards Palestinians  has garnered little attention.

SIGNALS

Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories.

Growing fears Israel will use Gaza tactics in West Bank

Source: Al Jazeera

The Israeli operation is the countrys largest in the West Bank since 2002, and the IDF have suggested that it could continue for days. The incursion has also raised fears that Israel will carry out Gaza-style attacks, which have displaced millions and killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, in the occupied West Bank: The Israelis think this is a golden opportunity for them to use some tactics used in Gaza unchecked, Hassan Barari, a professor of international affairs at Qatar University, told Al Jazeera. Following the raids Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas cut short his visit to Saudi Arabia to return to the West Bank.

Israeli forces have used war to seize Palestinian territory

Source: BBC

Jewish extremists in the West Bank have capitalized on the war to seize territory that has historically belonged to Palestinians, one Israeli organization that monitors settlers in the area told the BBC. Tensions following Hamas Oct. 7 attack on Israel have run high, and a mix of rage and fear has driven some extremists to seize even more land, Yonatan Mizrahi of Peace Now told the broadcaster. Settler violence is rising, he added. I think its extremely dangerous, Mizrahi said. Its increasing the hate on both sides.
A Palestinian inspects a destroyed car that was bombed by Israeli forces, during a raid near the city of Jenin. Nasser Ishtayeh/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

Israel launched a large-scale military operation in the northern West Bank, blaming Iran for the spread of terrorist infrastructure there, as Palestinian health authorities reported at least 10 people killed so far.

The military deployed numerous infantry soldiers as well as drones and snipers, destroyed infrastructure with bulldozers and blocked all access routes to Jenin, according to media reports. There were firefights with armed Palestinians. Several wanted Palestinians were detained.

Seven of the dead were taken to hospital in Tubas in the northern West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, while confirming two deaths in Jenin and another in a village near the city.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) surrounded hospitals in both cities and blocked ambulances, according to Israeli and Palestinian media. An IDF spokesman said the army was controlling access to the hospital buildings to prevent militants from entrenching themselves there.

IDF: Military operation due to increased attacks

The deployment was prompted by a recent significant increase in the number of attacks on Israelis originating in the northern West Bank, the spokesman said. He referred to the recent detonation of an explosive device in Tel Aviv, in which the attacker was killed and a passer-by injured.

According to Israel, the target of the large-scale operation, particularly in Jenin and Tulkarem, is a terrorist network supported by Iran. Both cities are considered strongholds of Palestinian militants. Since the beginning of the Gaza war almost 11 months ago, around 150 attacks with firearms and explosive devices have been carried out against Israelis from there alone, the IDF spokesman said.

"We must deal with the threat just as we deal with the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza, including the temporary evacuation of Palestinian residents and whatever steps are required," Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz wrote on X.

"This is a war for everything and we must win it."

The IDF spokesman said that he was not aware of any plans to evacuate the civilian population in the northern West Bank.

Report: West Bank operation could last for days

The Times of Israel, citing IDF sources, reported that the military operation could go on for several days. Katz has blamed Iran for the weapons build up.

He said overnight the army began working intensively "in the Jenin and Tulkarem refugee camps to thwart Islamic-Iranian terrorist infrastructures that have been established there."

He accused Iran of "working to establish an eastern terrorist front against Israel in the West Bank" following a model in Gaza and Lebanon "by financing and arming terrorists and smuggling advanced weapons from Jordan."

The already tense situation in the occupied West Bank has worsened significantly since the Hamas attacks against Israel on October 7, which resulted in some 1,200 deaths and the start of the current Gaza war.

The Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah says more than 630 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed in IDF operations, armed clashes and attacks by extremists since then.

Efforts for Gaza ceasefire continue

Meanwhile, fighting in the Gaza Strip continues, as do efforts to achieve a ceasefire and release the remaining hostages held by Hamas.

An Israeli delegation was due to travel to Doha for further talks on an agreement with Hamas. The indirect negotiations, in which Qatar, Egypt and the US are mediating between the parties to the conflict, have been at a standstill for months.

People gather around the body of their relative, who were killed by Israeli forces during a raid near the city of Jenin. Nasser Ishtayeh/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  Fighting in the Middle East continues as Israel launched a major raid into the West Bank.

Now, U.S. officials are continuing to try to avoid a larger regional war.

Israel says it killed ten Palestinian militants as it launched an operation inside the West Bank.

Israeli raids into the West Bank have been common since the October 7th attack, as Israel also engages in cross-border fighting with Iranian-backed Hezbollah forces in Lebanon.

This past weekend, Secretary Austin underscored the United Statess ironclad resolve to support Israels defense against threats from Iran and its regional partners, said Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder.

U.S. officials continue to support Israel even as military leaders prepare for the possibility of a broader regional war.

What you saw over the weekend, of course, was a much larger scale than what weve seen previously. But it is, in our view, not a wider regional conflict at this stage, said Ryder.

Ongoing ceasefire talks to ensure that the war doesnt expand have been unsuccessful, as U.S. military forces remain at the ready around the gulf region.

The secretary wanted, those two carrier groups, carrier strike groups, to remain in the region for now, to be able to provide us with additional capability and capacity to protect our forces, support the defense of Israel, and also be ready for a variety of contingencies, said Ryder.

The White House says President Joe Biden continues to monitor the situation, even as he remains in Delaware on vacation.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Aftermath of an Israeli strike in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

CAIRO (Reuters) - Israeli forces sent tanks deeper into Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip and launched strikes across the enclave as they battled Hamas-led militants, killing at least 34 Palestinians on Wednesday, according to medics.

Residents of Khan Younis said Israeli tanks made a surprise advance into the centre of the city, and the military ordered evacuations in the east, forcing many families to run for safety, while others were trapped at home.

Palestinian health officials said the Israeli strikes in Khan Younis killed at least 11 people.

In the central city of Deir Al-Balah, where at least a million people were sheltering, an Israeli airstrike killed eight Palestinians near a school housing displaced families, medics said.

In Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, journalist Mohammed Abed-Rabbo was killed along with his sister in an Israeli attack on their house, medics said. Gaza's Hamas-run government media office said Abed-Rabbo's death raised the number of Palestinian journalists killed by Israeli fire to 172 since Oct. 7.

In recent days, Israel has issued several evacuation orders across Gaza, the most since the beginning of the nearly 11-month-old war, prompting an outcry from Palestinians, the United Nations, and relief officials over the shrinking of humanitarian zones and the absence of safe areas.

The Israeli military said it ordered the evacuation in areas where Hamas and other militants staged attacks, including rocket firing into Israel.

The armed wings of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad said fighters were engaged in clashes with Israeli forces in different areas across the territory, firing anti-tank rockets and mortar fire.

More than 40,500 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to Gaza's health ministry. The crowded enclave has been laid to waste. Most of its 2.3 million people have been displaced multiple times and face acute shortages of food and medicine, humanitarian agencies say.

(Reporting and writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Editing by Ros Russell)
(Bloomberg) -- Brazils government will propose a tax on big tech companies as it seeks to narrow the nations fiscal deficit.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The plan will be presented in the second half of this year, deputy Finance Minister, Dario Durigan told reporters in Brasilia.

Durigan didnt elaborate on what form the tax might take, or which companies or services it will affect.

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An Israeli freed from Gaza returns to a village where 70% of homes are targeted for demolition

Qaid Farhan Alkadi, 52, who was held hostage by Hamas militants in Gaza Strip, meets his relatives and friends after arriving in the Khirbet Karkur village, near Rahat, southern Israel, Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

KHIRBET KARKUR, Israel (AP)  An Israeli hostage rescued from Gaza returned to a heros welcome tinged with a bitter reality: Much of the small village he calls home, Khirbet Karkur, is targeted for demolition.

Qaid Farhad Alkadi, 52, is one of Israels roughly 300,000 Bedouin Arabs, a poor and traditionally nomadic minority that has a complicated relationship with the government and often faces discrimination. While they are Israeli citizens and some serve in the army, about a third of Bedouins, including Alkadi, live in villages the government considers illegal and wants to tear down.

Since November, about 70% of Khirbet Karkur residents have been told the government plans to raze their homes because they were built without permits in a protected forest not zoned for housing, according to a lawyer representing them. Alkadis family hasnt received a notice, but the looming mass displacement of this close-knit community has cast a pall on what has otherwise been a joyous 24 hours.

Its so exciting, we didnt know if hell come back alive or not, said Muhammad Abu Tailakh, the head of Khirbet Karkurs local council and a public health lecturer at Ben Gurion University in nearby Beersheba. But the good news is also a bit complicated, because of everything thats going on.

Alkadi was greeted by dozens of well-wishers Wednesday  and a crush of media. He was released from the hospital and returned home a day after his dramatic rescue, which he recounted in appreciative phone calls with Israels prime minister and president.

Neighbors and family erected a huge tent in his honor, and served tea and coffee from the early morning as they eagerly awaited his arrival. When the clean-shaven but gaunt Alkadi arrived  seemingly overwhelmed by the attention after 326 days in captivity, some of it an underground tunnel  he spoke with reporters and pleaded with Israeli leaders to free all the hostages.

It does not matter if they are Arab or Jewish, all have a family waiting for them, said Alkadi, a father of 11 who was kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7 while working as a security guard at a packing plant near the Gaza border.

They also want to feel the joy, he said. I hope, I pray an end to this.

Alkadi was one of eight Bedouins abducted on Oct. 7, and three are believed to still be alive in captivity; two teenagers were released, one was accidentally killed by the Israeli army, and one declared dead is still in Gaza.

On Oct. 7, many Bedouins rushed to help attendees of an Israeli music festival, saving hundreds of lives at a time when the army and police were in disarray.

A spokesperson for the Israel Land Authority said that in light of the situation it would not serve a demolition notice to the Alkadi family. But it would not comment on the plight of his neighbors or their lawyers' efforts to save their homes.

On Wednesday, most family members and neighbors tried to focus on the good news, rather than legal fights that could drag on for years.

We need that this problem be resolved so that people here ... receive an appropriate solution that fits the needs of the Bedouins," said Nasser Amran, 59, a friend of Alkadi. "There is no electricity. For water, they bring a pipe from some community, and it arrives here, but it is still difficult to live in a village without water and electricity the way it should be.

Unrecognized villages are not connected to state water, sewage, or electricity infrastructure, and the roads to many, including Khirbet Karkur, are dusty and potholed. Khirbet Karkur is nestled in the shadow of a large dump, and the smell of rotting garbage drifts over the short, squat corrugated metal homes. Piles of construction debris and trash ring the small cluster of dwellings.

Israels Supreme Court has previously deemed many of the unrecognized Bedouin villages illegal, and the government has said they are trying to bring order to a lawless area and give a better quality of life to the impoverished minority.

For decades, Israel has been trying to convince scattered, off-the-grid Bedouin villagers that it is in their interest to move into government-designated Bedouin townships, where the government can provide them with water, electricity and schools. Bedouin leaders have rejected many proposals, saying they would destroy their lifestyle or send them to less desirable areas.

There have been 2,007 Bedouin structures demolished in the first six months of 2024, according to the Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality, which tracks demolitions in the Bedouin community. Thats a 51% increase over the same period in 2022, when a more moderate government was in power.

The increase in demolitions has coincided with the ascendance of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and other members of his party have consistently championed the demolition of illegal Bedouin construction in the Negev desert and Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Ben-Gvir last year traveled to witness a demolition himself, expressing kudos and calling the destruction sacred work.

Abu Tailkha says he and his neighbors want to maintain their rural lifestyle, and the government should officially recognize their villages. He said residents of Khirbet Karkur, who were placed there in the 1950s by the government, would be open to moving to another rural area, but not a city.

The government wants to move them north to Rahat, an urban Bedouin settlement of about 70,000, according to Netta Amar Shiff, a lawyer representing families who received demolition notices. She called it disgusting cynicism for the government to say it will not serve Alkadi's family with lawsuits.

If there's a good reason for one person not to get the notice, there's a good reason for everyone, she said.

Regavim, a right-wing group that studies land issues in Israel and supports the governments relocation plan for Bedouins, said the Bedouin are being offered an excellent deal with free land, and it is in their interest to move in order to receive services that every Israeli citizen is entitled to receive.

Israel cant provide services to people who just build wherever they want, said Naomi Kahn, the head of Regavims international division.

The unrecognized villages do not have adequate bomb shelters or a warning system in the case of incoming rockets, and at least 11 Bedouin have been killed by rockets fired into Israel since the war began.

The entire country is in a war, and I also have to fight this demolition order, said Abu Tailkha, the head of Khirbet Karkur's local council. 

Abu Tailkha said that while the country and its leaders were embracing Alkadis return, he isn

I think in a bit they will forget about Farhan, and they will send another round of demolition orders, he said.

___

This story was first published on Aug. 28, 2024. It was updated on Aug. 29, 2024, to correct the number of Bedouin structures demolished in the first six months of 2024.
Israeli military says it failed to protect civilians in settler attack on Palestinians

Aftermath of an Israeli settlers' attack in the village of Jeit

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The Israeli military said on Wednesday that it had failed to protect civilians when settlers carried out a deadly attack on a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank, amid mounting international pressure on Israel to crack down on such violence.

Four suspects have been arrested over the attack in the village of Jit on Aug. 15, when around 100 settlers went on a rampage, burning cars and houses and killing at least one Palestinian. Additional arrests are planned, the military said.

In a report on its investigation into the incident, the Israeli military said troops and police initially failed to manage the situation and should have acted more decisively.

"This is a very serious terror incident in which Israelis set out to deliberately harm the residents of the town of Jit," Avi Bluth, the head of the army's Central Command, said. "We failed by not succeeding in arriving earlier to protect them."

The report also said that off-duty members of a rapid response security team from a nearby settlement arrived in uniform without authorisation and "acted contrary to the authority defined for the members of the rapid response team".

Two members of the rapid response team were disciplined and their weapons confiscated.

The Jit attack was larger than recent raids by West Bank settlers but hardly unique, with violence against Palestinian villages already on the rise as settlement construction has spread unchecked across the West Bank and Israel wages war in Gaza after a cross-border assault by Palestinian militants.

However the Jit incident, coinciding with rising pressure on Israel from its Western allies to curb settler violence, drew unusually strong criticism in Israel as well, including from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and settlement leaders.

Prosecutions over settler violence are relatively rare.

On Wednesday, just as the findings of the investigation were published, the United States imposed sanctions on a Jewish West Bank settlement security official and on Hashomer Yosh, a non-governmental organisation that says it helps protect settlers.

Most countries deem Jewish settlements built on land Israel captured in a 1967 war to be illegal. Israel disputes this and cites historical and biblical ties to the land. Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future independent state.

(Reporting by Emily Rose; editing by Mark Heinrich)
ROME  Japanese military officials have been invited on board an Italian aircraft carrier visiting Japan to see how F-35Bs operate from naval vessels as part of growing defense ties between Rome and Tokyo.

As Japan gets set to receive the first of 42 purchased F-35Bs which will fly from two carriers, Italy sent its Cavour carrier  which already hosts the fighter  on a visit this week to Yokosuka naval base.

The Cavour was carrying six Italian Navy F-35Bs as well as two ItalianAir Force F-35Bs as it undertakes a tour of the Pacific.

Italian Navy Rear Adm. Giancarlo Ciappina told the Japan Times the Cavour would host Japanese naval and air force officials to pass on information about flying the Short Take and Vertical Landing (STOVL) jet from carriers.

Theyre going to come aboard Cavour, where they will follow the activity with the F-35Bs, he told the publication. With our partners we are increasing the way we work together, he added.

The Italian Air Force and Navy are due to receive 15 Bs each, part of an overall Italian order of 90 F-35s which includes another 60 F-35As for the Italian Air Force. Italian Air Force F-35B pilots will be trained to fly their aircraft from Italian navy vessels.

Japan is converting two helicopter carriers to host the F-35Bs it plans to start receiving this year. Changes include painting the decks with jet engine-resistant material and reshaping the flight deck to better host the aircraft.

We are talking about ships and aircraft from different countries preparing to operate, should the need arise, as if they are all part of the same force, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto told Japan Times as he joined the Cavour in Japan on Monday.

The two Italian Air Force F-35Bs and two of the Italian Navy F-35Bs took part in the Pitch Black multinational exercise in Australia in July before embarking on the Cavour, which is now set to visit the Philippines.

Crosetto said the Cavours visit to the Pacific was not a matter of sending a message to China or North Korea, adding, Were simply forging deeper ties with friendly countries, with partners, as we want to maintain freedom of navigation and maritime security in this region to promote and protect trade and secure supply chains.

Last year, Japanese military officials visited the British Royal Navy carrier HMS Prince of Wales to watch British F-35Bs executing short take-offs and vertical landings.

Cooperation on flying the aircraft between Italy, the U.K. and Japan comes as the three nations work together to develop the sixth-generation Global Combat Air Programme.
I've been on more than 20 cruises. Here are the 9 things I never buy on board.

I rarely ever buy a drink package, regardless of which cruise line I'm sailing with. Shutterstock

After going on more than 20 cruises, I've learned simple ways to save money on ships.

I never buy drink packages, spend money on spa products, or splurge at onboard art auctions.

If I save money during a trip, I always put it toward my next adventure.

Cruise ships are my happy place.

I've been on more than 20 of them since the '90s, sailing with over five different cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Princess, Carnival, and Regent Seven Seas.

I inevitably spend money each time I'm on board, but there are several things I've learned to avoid buying during my voyages. After all, if I save money during a trip, I can put it toward my next adventure.

Here are the activities and items I never splurge on during cruises.

My kit always has Advil, Tylenol, Neosporin, and Band-Aids. Michelle Glicksman

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Drink packages are convenient, however, I rarely get my money's worth from them.

Before buying an unlimited package, calculate how many drinks you'd need to break even. Jallypix/Shutterstock

The cost of beverages can add up quickly when you're lounging by a ship's pool, sipping pina coladas, and ordering several rounds.

Unlimited drink packages might make sense for cruisers who don't want to worry about their bar bill. If that's the case, I advise purchasing one prior to embarkation, when there are sometimes better pricing incentives. The moment you step on the ship, prices usually increase.

Before you buy a package, figure out how many beverages you'd need to drink each day in order to get your money's worth. Often, it doesn't even out, especially if you're off the ship exploring during port days.

I refuse to buy lanyards on the ships.

I purchase my lanyards ahead of my trip, and it saves me a couple of dollars. Michelle Glicksman

Many cruise lines give travelers a credit-card-sized room key that doubles as an onboard charge card.

I keep mine in a lanyard around my neck so I don't have to worry about where I should put it as I wander around the ship.

I purchased a pack of five lanyards from Amazon for $10. On a recent cruise, I saw a staff member selling similar individual ones for about the same price.

Ships' art auctions can be entertaining, but I usually don't buy pieces without conducting proper research.

I recommend thinking twice before making a big-ticket purchase. Michelle Glicksman

I love art and used to enjoy going to art auctions on the ships. I even bought some pieces way back when. But now, I admire the pieces on display and only purchase one if it really speaks to me.

Although I've heard some art-selling auctioneers say the works they're selling are an investment, some have also been accused of misrepresenting the value of their wares.

I usually don't have a strong enough Wi-Fi connection to look into the artists and get a fair appraisal before buying a piece, and I don't want to spend hours of my trip trying to find one.

Buy the art if you love it and are happy with the price, but don't do it to try to fatten your pockets.

Instead of spending money on a water package, I bring my own reusable bottles.

I have no trouble refilling my water bottles in cruise dining rooms and buffets. Michelle Glicksman

It's important to stay hydrated when you're traveling. A lot of people are used to having water with them at all times thanks to popular water bottles like Hydro Flasks and Stanley cups.

Some cruise lines offer water packages, where you can order multiple bottles for a fixed price. I recommend saving some cash by bringing your own water bottle and refilling it at the ships' dining venues and poolside buffets.

Photos are a lovely way to capture memories, but I don't feel the need to pay for an entire package.

I recommend snapping your own pictures instead of paying for a photo package. Michelle Glicksman

It's tempting to document every step I take on my voyages.

Everywhere I look on cruise ships, I see photographers ready to snap my photo, whether I'm eating dinner in the main dining room or disembarking at a port. The ship staff also sometimes sets up photo backdrops in the evenings.

I've noticed that these photos are often the same size, typically 8 inches by 10 inches, and expensive.

If you love photos, a package may be worth it, but purchase it prior to embarkation when you have a chance to find a better deal.

Alternatively, you can snap your own pictures and invest in one or two professional photos on the ship instead of buying an entire package.

I prefer to get manicures and pedicures before embarkation rather than during my cruise.

Many large cruise ships have salons, but I get my nails done before my trips. Ground Picture/Shutterstock

Most ships I've been on have salons on board. While it might seem nice to indulge in a manicure or pedicure, I don't want to miss out on cruise activities or experiences.

Plus, I've found many onboard salons charge double or triple as much as the ones at home.

I never buy the products sold in cruise spas.

Almost every time I've gotten a treatment at a cruise spa, the staff tries to sell me products. Michelle Glicksman

If you want a massage to help you relax during your time away, go for it. You might even be able to score better deals than what's listed on the menu if you attend a spa open house or book a treatment when the ship is in port.

Just be prepared for the spa staff to try to upsell you products during or after your treatment. I've found that a lot of these items are marked up, and I've always been able to find them for lower prices at home.

I wait to buy jewelry and watches until I'm off the ship.

Research pricing for jewelry and watches before you board the ship. Michelle Glicksman

Buy a piece of jewelry or a watch if you love it. However, I've found that prices are often much higher on ships, even if the onboard stores selling them advertise special deals.

If you're going to buy expensive jewelry, do your research and ensure the items' quality meets your expectations.

This story was originally published on March 21, 2023, and most recently updated on August 28, 2024.

Read the original article on Business Insider
J.D. Vances press secretary might be even stranger and more frightening than Vance himself.



According to an investigation by The Guardian, the senior aide has a number of connections to far-right think tanks and extremist Christian nationalist groups. Parker Magid was recently promoted to Vances press secretary after serving as deputy press secretary since March 2023. Since graduating college in 2021, according to his LinkedIn, Magid has created a troubling new right network in a short amount of time.



Before joining Vances office, Magid worked for Beck & Stone, a brand consultancy group whose clients include secret societies, counter-revolutionary magazines, and think tanks. The firm also has close connections to the Claremont Institute, a right-wing think tank that is also filled with Vance allies.

Beck & Stone is led by Austin Stone and Andrew Beck. Beck identifies as a civilizationist, a rebrand of Christian nationalism.* Earlier this year, Beck wrote in the Claremont Institutes online publication that those who want Christian civilization should prioritize re-Christianizing America, not re-nationalizing Christianity.

Recently, Beck & Stone has done work for the far-right organization the Society for American Civic Renewal. Beck claims to have created the brand identity, designed the mark, and crafted the website for the men-only club, which, according to a Guardian analysis of internal SACR documents, wants to replace the government with an authoritarian aligned regime to achieve civilizational renewal. Beck also claims to be a member.

Magid, along with Beck and Stone, also attended a private fundraising event for then Senate candidate Blake Masters in November 2021. Masters, like Vance, is a Peter Thielbacked far-right political candidate who keeps losing elections, most recently failing to win the Arizona Republican primary for a House of Representatives seat.



If you need any more proof that Trumps pick of Vance for vice president shows a frightening vision for a more extremist, Christian nationalist country, just take a look at the company he keeps.



* This article was updated to clarify that Andrew Beck was not a co-founder of the Claremont Institute.
Even when Ohio Senator J.D. Vance thinks hes winning, hes losing.

During a rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, the Republican vice presidential pick took a moment to pat himself on the back for his ability to speak off the cuff.

Maam, I dont need a teleprompter, Ive actually got thoughts in my head, unlike Kamala Harris, Vance told the crowd.

But the high didnt last long. Moments later, Vance appeared to need a scripted reminder when he misremembered the name of Abbey Gate, the location of a horrific suicide bombing in 2021, for the location of The Beatles London recording studio. Monday marked the three-year anniversary of the terrorist attack just outside of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan, which killed 170 Afghans and 13 American service members.

The unfortunate flub was wrapped into an answer for a genuine scandal plaguing the Trump campaign, which was caught Tuesday violating federal law as staff members filmed Donald Trump laying a wreath in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, where recent military casualties are buried. Campaign staffers then launched into a verbal and physical fight with cemetery officials, who reportedly asked the campaign to stop videos. Federal law prohibits politically related activities in the cemetery, including taking photos and videos in support of a political campaign.

The altercation at Arlington Cemetery is the media creating a story where I dont really think there is one, Vance told the crowd. There is verifiable evidence that the campaign was allowed to have a photographer there. They were invited to have a photographer there. There is verifiable evidence that the families of these poor people who had their loved ones die three years ago at Abbey Road, excuse me, Abby Gate, those 13 Americans, a lot of them were there with the president.

First half of clip is JD Vance today saying he doesnt need a teleprompter like Kamala Harris because hes smart. Second half of clip is him minutes later calling Abbey Gate in Afghanistan Abbey Road, which is a Beatles album. pic.twitter.com/UgBjhioQ7I  Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) August 28, 2024

It is amazing to me that you have, apparently, somebody at Arlington Cemetery, some staff member had a little disagreement with somebody and the media has turned this into a national news story, Vance continued. You know what I think our veterans care more about? That Kamala Harriss V.P. lied about his military service.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz served as an enlisted soldier in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, ultimately attaining the rank of command sergeant major. He enlisted in the Nebraska National Guard at the age of 17 and transferred to the Minnesota National Guard 15 years later in 1996. As part of the job, he responded to natural disasters, served with the European Security Force to support the war in Afghanistan, and was stationed around Europe to train with NATO militaries. He received several Army medals and retired as a master sergeant shortly before running for Congress in 2006. Walz has repeatedly said he left the military in order to run for office, not out of cowardice as Vance has suggested.

Vances boss, meanwhile, received a conveniently timed bone spur diagnosis that helped him skirt the Vietnam War draft in 1968. Hes also managed to recently upset veterans with his anti-military rhetoric, including for claiming that the Presidential Medal of Freedom he awarded to one of his billionaire donors was much better than the nations highest military honor, the Medal of Honor.
J.D. Vance Said He's 'Really Disturbed' by Teachers Who Are Not Parents in Resurfaced 2021 Audio

The Ohio senator said educators who do not have children of their own "disorient" him in unearthed audio

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty J.D. Vance at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on July 17, 2024

J.D. Vance is facing backlash again after comments he previously made against teachers who are not parents.



In resurfaced audio from 2021 obtained by TMZ, the 2024 running mate of former President Donald Trump is heard saying that teachers without children really disturb him while taking a shot at the president of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten.

You know, so many of the leaders of the left, and I hate to be so personal about this, but theyre people without kids trying to brainwash the minds of our children. And that really disorients me and it really disturbs me," Vance, 40, said in the clip.

Randi Weingarten, whos the head of the most powerful teachers union in the country, she doesnt have a single child. If she wants to brainwash and destroy the minds of children, she should have some of her own and leave ours the hell alone, the Republican continued.

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.

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Randi Weingarten at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Aug. 22, 2024

Related: J.D. Vance Agreed That the Whole Purpose of the Postmenopausal Female Is to Help Raise Grandkids

Vance's targeting of Weingarten, 66, in the unearthed audio came before the educator shared in April 2023 that she is stepmother to wife Sharon Kleinbaums children from her previous marriage, after being questioned about her motherhood by Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene at a hearing.

Kamala HQ, the official response account for Vice President Kamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign, reposted the audio of Vance on Instagram, writing, He is obsessed about Vance, following his comments.

A spokeswoman for Vance told TMZ regarding the released audio, J.D. clearly says in the audio that our leaders on the left, especially anti-child radical Randi Weingarten, who brainwash our kids, are deeply disturbing  and he stands by that statement."

A Vance spokeswoman also followed up with PEOPLE about the audio, sharing a similar statement that added, "There are a lot of great teachers across the country, and JD's criticism of Randi Weingarten's actions is not about them," before adding that Vance wants to end "the leftist indoctrination in our schools."



Andrew Harnik/Getty Images J.D. Vance in Washington, D.C., on April 23, 2024

Vances remarks follow more derogatory comments he has made about women, including his mother-in-law in recently resurfaced audio from 2020.

Speaking in an interview on The Portal podcast at the time, Vance appeared to agree with a reference to his wife Usha Vances mother as a "postmenopausal female" as he spoke about when she came to live with their family after one of his children was born.

Related: J.D. Vance Isn't the Bridge-Building VP That Moderates Wanted: What He's Said About Women, Voting and Project 2025

The Republican vice-presidential candidate said that having a grandparent around the house made his son "a much better human being." He continued, "And the evidence on this, by the way, is, like, super clear."

"That's the whole purpose of the postmenopausal female in theory," host Eric Weinstein interjected, before Vance agreed, "Yes."



Vance spokesperson Taylor Van Kirk refuted that the senator went along with Weinsteins comments in a statement to PEOPLE.

"Of course he does not agree with what the host said," he said. J.D. reacted to the first part of the host's sentence, assuming he was going to say, 'That's the whole purpose of spending time with grandparents.' "

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.
We may never learn if special counsel Jack Smiths new indictment passes the Supreme Courts immunity test. If Donald Trump wins a second term in November, hell be empowered to end the prosecution that accuses him of breaking the law in trying to overthrow the last election.

The superseding indictment filed Tuesday more closely conforms to the Republican-appointed majoritys broad grant of presidential immunity last month, which didnt exist when the special counsel initially brought the case last year.

But while the new indictment puts Smith in a better position to take Trump to trial, the biggest obstacle the government faces isnt a legal one but the political question of whether Trump will take office again, which would put him in position to thwart the case. But even if Trump loses, the Supreme Court could still decide that Smiths new indictment doesnt meet its recently created test.

The next major step is for U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to apply the vague immunity test to the new indictment. Its unclear what precise form that analysis will take  including whether there will be a hearing in addition to written arguments, or what such a hearing would entail. Before the superseding indictment issued Tuesday, Chutkan had set a Friday deadline to hear from the parties about how they want to proceed, and she had set a Sept. 5 status conference to discuss the case.

A court filing from Smith accompanying the new indictment said that the Government will confer with the defense and make a joint proposal, to the extent possible, regarding pretrial litigation in the status report due Friday.

Like any defendant, Trump needs to be arraigned on the superseding indictment, though whenever that happens, he would not necessarily have to appear in court for it. (He has, of course, pleaded not guilty, which is why the case is still proceeding.)

But even if Chutkan rules on the immunity tests application to Trumps new indictment before November  a complex task, to be sure  the Supreme Court can still have the last word on whether it thinks the trial judge correctly applied its vague test. The justices werent in a rush to decide the initial immunity appeal; dont expect them to speed up any review as the election nears.

The new indictment cant overshadow the reality that a Trump victory in November could moot the issue, legally. If elected, Trump could try a legally untested self-pardon or just order his newly installed attorney general to dismantle the case. The Justice Department also has a policy against prosecuting sitting presidents. (Presidents cant pardon or dismiss state cases, however.)

Its an open question whether the Supreme Court would agree that Smiths more-targeted indictment passes its immunity precedent, as well as the high courts other recent Jan. 6 decision, Fischer v. United States, which narrowed obstruction charges against Jan. 6 defendants. Trump still faces the same four charges in the new indictment, including two obstruction-related counts.

In a footnote in the immunity ruling, which came out after Fischer, Chief Justice John Roberts opinion said, referring to the relevant obstruction statute: If necessary, the District Court should determine in the first instance whether the Section 1512(c)(2) charges may proceed in light of our decision in Fischer. But well only learn the answer to that question if Trump loses.

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
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 C3.ai, Inc. (NYSE:AI) 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 computer engineer debugging a complex AI application on a powerful workstation.

Share Price Upside: 16%

Number of Hedge Fund Investors In Q2 2024: 18

Average Analyst Share Price Target: $28.39

C3.ai, Inc. (NYSE:AI) is a software company that allows users to develop and deploy applications along with managing their customer relationship management, supply chain, and other business processes. Despite having rebranded itself recently to capitalize on Wall Street's fervor for AI stocks, C3.ai, Inc. (NYSE:AI)'s story is mixed as while the firm has somewhat delivered on the growth aspect of its business valuation, it has nevertheless left a lot to be desired on the cost control front. In its latest fiscal quarter, C3.ai, Inc. (NYSE:AI)'s revenue grew by 20% annually, and as management was keen to point out during the earnings call, the quarter also accelerated revenue growth over the previous three quarters' 11%, 17%, and 18% annual growth. However, this growth also came at the expense of higher operating costs, which jumped by 11% annually. C3.ai, Inc. (NYSE:AI) is currently transitioning into a pay per use business model, and this might have affected its subscription revenue which marked a 41% annual growth during the quarter a marked jump over the previous quarter's 23%. Oppenheimer is bullish on C3.ai, Inc. (NYSE:AI) primarily because of its platform level support for ChatGPT.

However, Bireme Capital isn't. Here's what it had to say during the Q4 2023 investor letter:

"Our final new short position is in a company called C3.ai. Originally named C3 Energy, C3.ai has changed its name multiple times based on whatever hot new trend they were supposedly capitalizing on. The energy theme was about smart grid and cap-and-trade. Then the firm changed its name to C3 IoT to attempt to capitalize on the Internet of Things buzz. After that trend fizzled out, the moniker was altered once more, with the company capturing the AI ticker in December 2020  a savvy move if it wants to sell stock to credulous investors, but irrelevant to its business prospects. As Kerrisdale put it, the company is a minor, cash burning consulting and services business masquerading as a software company. The company incinerated $200m last year and is set to burn more cash in this one. They may grow mid-teens this year after just 5% growth in FY 2023, but there is really no comparison to truly fast growing software businesses like SNOW (33% growth this year), Gitlab (31%), and Datadog (26%). With an EV/sales multiple of 9x, we think the stock is grossly overvalued."

Overall AI ranks 15th on our list of Oppenheimer's favorite stocks for the next 12 months. While we acknowledge the potential of AI 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 AI 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.
New Jan 6 footage reveals Nancy Pelosis fury with Trump after Capitol riot: I feel sick about what he did

New footage following the harrowing events of January 6 captures Nancy Pelosis anger at Donald Trump over the Capitol riot which saw a pro-MAGA mob temporarily halt the certifiying of the 2020 election results and left five people dead.

The previously unaired footage came from documentary maker Alexandra Pelosi, who was accompanying her mother in the early days of 2021 to make a film about her role as House Speaker. The film, Pelosi in the House, was released by HBO on December 13, 2022.

Some 50 minutes of footage was handed over by HBO to the House Administration Committee, headed by Republicans, this week.

The committee has established a new investigation into the Jan 6 riot in an attempt to undercut the now-disbanded bipartisan House Select Committee, according to Politico. The committee, which released its final report in December 2022, found that Trump was liable for the chaos and violence of his supporters at the Capitol.

In the new footage, Pelosi can be seen in the back of her car in the early hours of January 7 and appears exhausted.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (pictured in the new unaired footage from January 6, 2021) can be seen sharing her fury at Capitol security. Footage also showed her anger at Donald Trump, whose supporters carried out the riot (Screenshot / Alexandra Pelosi)

I just feel sick about what he did to the Capitol and the country today, the House Speaker says. Hes got to pay a price for that.

In a conversation with her staff the next morning, Pelosi asked for a list of Trumps cabinet so she could call on them to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office. She added that she was going to describe Trump as a domestic enemy in the White House in a statement.

Lets not mince words about this, she said. But in the end, she didnt call out any cabinet officials or call Trump a domestic enemy.

The HBO footage also gives a more detailed look at Pelosis evacuation from the Capitol, revealing her agitation at being forced to leave the chamber at the hands of the rioters.

She appears concerned that those targeting the Capitol would see lawmakers leaving as a victory for their cause and pushed for members of Congress to return that night to finish the certification of President Joe Bidens election win.

The footage also showed Pelosis anger quickly morphing into her desire to impeach Trump - for the second time in his presidency.

It also reveals her willingness to fire Capitol security staff whom she thought hadnt properly handled possible threats to the building.

Earlier in the footage, Pelosi is seen walking at speed through the building surrounded by her staff and asking if Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had approved a request for the National Guard to be called in, which her chief-of-staff confirms.

Not long after, an official told Pelosi that the rioters had breached the Capitol building. She is heard saying that she doesnt want lawmakers to evacuate.

I did not appreciate this. I do not support this, she said. If they stop the proceedings, they will have succeeded in stopping the validation of the presidency of the United States.

Pelosi then criticizes Capitol security.

How many times did the members ask, Are we prepared? ... Were not prepared for the worst, Pelosi said. Were calling the National Guard, now? It shouldve been here to start out. I just dont understand it. Why do we empower people this way by not being ready?

The footage shows congressional leaders including Pelosi, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, and Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer huddling at the designated evacuation zone, Fort McNair, in southern Washington DC, as they slam Trump for his actions.

The lawmakers watch a video statement from Trump, shared on the afternoon of January 6, where he lauds the rioters and falsely claims that the 2020 election had been stolen from him, before telling the mob to go home.

Insurrection. Thats a crime, and hes guilty of it, Pelosi said.
By Kaori Kaneko

TOKYO (Reuters) -Southwestern Japan braced on Wednesday for what officials say could be one of the strongest storms to ever hit the region, as some residents in the path of Typhoon Shanshan were ordered to evacuate and major firms like Toyota closed factories.

Airlines and rail operators cancelled some services for the coming days as the typhoon, categorised as "very strong", barrelled towards the main southwestern island of Kyushu with gusts of up to 70 metres per second (252 km per hour/157 mph).

The meteorological agency issued an emergency warning saying the typhoon could bring flooding, landslides and wind strong enough to knock down some houses.

"Maximum caution is required given that forecasts are for strong winds, high waves and high tides that have not been seen thus far," Satoshi Sugimoto, the agency's chief forecaster, told a news conference.

After striking Kyushu over the next few days the storm is expected to approach central and eastern regions, including the capital Tokyo, around the weekend, the agency said.

Authorities issued evacuation orders for more than 800,000 residents in Kagoshima prefecture in southern Kyushu and central Japan's Aichi and Shizuoka prefectures.

In Aichi, home to Toyota's headquarters, two people believed to be residents of a house that collapsed in a landslide during heavy rains were unaccounted for. Three residents of the house had been pulled out, according to public broadcaster NHK.

Toyota will suspend operations at all 14 of its plants in Japan from Wednesday evening through Thursday morning, it said. Nissan said it would suspend operations at its Kyushu plant on Thursday and Friday morning, while Honda will also temporarily close its factory in Kumamoto in southwestern Kyushu.

Also, Mazda Motor plans to suspend operations at its Hiroshima and Hofu plants, both in western Japan, from Thursday evening through Friday, the automaker said.

Shanshan is the latest harsh weather system to hit Japan following last week's Typhoon Ampil, which also led to blackouts and evacuations.

ANA Holdings said it would cancel more than 210 domestic flights in total between Wednesday and Friday slated to leave or arrive in southwestern Japan, affecting about 18,400 passengers.

Japan Airlines said it would cancel 402 domestic flights over the same three-day period. A total of 10 international flights operated by both airlines will also be suspended.

(Reporting by Kaori Kaneko, Chang-Ran Kim, Maki Shiraki and John Geddie, Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Lincoln Feast, Hugh Lawson and Mark Potter)
Republican Vice Presidential nominee JD Vance downplayed reports that Trump campaign members pushed an Arlington National Cemetery staffer enforcing policies at a rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday afternoon.

It is amazing to me that . . . some staff member had a little disagreement with somebody and the media has turned this into a national news story, Vance said, referring to an altercation condemned by veterans and Democratic elected officials as deeply disrespectful.

Vance went on to repeat claims that Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz, who served in the National Guard, lied about his military service.

Trumps photo-op in Arlington on Monday ruffled feathers when reports emerged that the candidates team had gotten into a physical altercation with cemetery staff, who were attempting to inform the campaign of a rule against filming in a section where recent U.S. military casualties were buried. The cemetery confirmed the altercation in a statement to NPR and said the campaigns activities were prohibited.

Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes or in direct support of a partisan political candidates campaign, the cemetery said.

As the cemetery notes in its media policy, it enforces a ban on filming for political or fundraising purposes as mandated by the Hatch Act, a law banning civil service employees from engaging in political acts in the workplace.

Vance, whose candidacy has been plagued by resurfaced recordings and awkward public appearances, slammed the Biden administrations response to the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan, which he referred to in a verbal slip as Abbey Road, when asked about the Arlington altercation.

Vance accused Vice President Kamala Harris of being asleep at the wheel for failing to investigate the incident, a duty far outside the scope of the office of the Vice President.

She can go to hell, Vance said of Harris.

In a later event in Wisconsin on Wednesday, Vance added that the media was "acting like Donald Trump filmed a TV commercial at a gravesite," defending the act while acknowledging cameras were present to capture the moment.
GOP vice presidential candidate JD Vance in 2021 made yet more disparaging comments about people without children, this time turning his ire to teachers.

Part of Vances remarks were resurfaced on Tuesday by Heartland Signal, a digital outlet based in Chicago. NBC News later reviewed and shared video of the entire event.

During a forum for Republican Senate candidates in Ohio hosted by the Center for Christian Virtue in October 2021, Vance weighed in on the question of how to make schools more responsive to parents.

Vance claimed the left wants to control what our children learn.

I think our conservative idea is that parents and family should determine what children learn, what values they are brought up with, he said.

Vance went on to call out Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, accusing her of trying to brainwash children while not having a single child.

So many of the leaders of the left, and I hate to be so personal about this, but theyre people without kids trying to brainwash the minds of our children. That really disorients me, Vance said.

Weingarten, whos the head of the most powerful teaching union in the country, she doesnt have a single child, he added. If she wants to brainwash and destroy the minds of children, she should have some of her own and leave ours the hell alone.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Weingarten, who is a stepmother to her spouses two children and has previously described herself as a mother by marriage, called Vances words gross.

JD Vances comments are sad and insulting to millions of modern families, and school teachers including Catholic nuns, none of whom should be targeted for their family decisions, Weingarten wrote.

Vances spokesperson told NBC News the Ohio senator will continue speaking out in defense of children.

There is no bigger threat to American children than the left wing indoctrination being peddled in our schools by radicals like Randi Weingarten, with the support of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, Taylor Van Kirk said.

Vance has previously come under fire for referring to Vice President Kamala Harris as a Democrat who is part of the childless left during a speech in 2021.

He doubled down on those comments in a Fox News interview in the same year, also singling out Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

Were effectively run in this country, via the Democrats, via our corporate oligarchs, by a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that theyve made and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable too, Vance said.

Its just a basic fact: You look at Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, AOC, the entire future of the Democrats is controlled by people without children, he added. And how does it make any sense that weve turned our country over to people that dont have a direct stake in it.

Vance has since claimed those comments were sarcastic.

What Ive simply said is that I think that its really a profound change thats happened in our country, where weve become anti-family, he told NBCs Meet the Press in an interview released Sunday. And I would like to change that.
On the campaign trail, vice presidential hopeful JD Vance has been stopping at local eateries, most recently at an A&W in Big Rapids, Michigan. Speaking with NBC News, Vance responded to one spontaneous stop that didn't quite go as planned: the now-viral donut shop video.

In the clip shared on social media last week, Vance, members of his team and Secret Service agents visited a bakery in Valdosta, Georgia. One employee asked not to be on camera while the Ohio senator tried to make small talk and buy donuts.

I just felt terrible for that woman, Vance told NBC in a story published Wednesday, referring to the bakery employee. We walked in, and theres 20 Secret Service agents and theres 15 cameras, and she clearly had not been properly warned, and she was terrified, right? I just felt awful for her.

JD Vance buys donuts in Holts Sweet Shop in Valdosta Georgia pic.twitter.com/xOO2j3AoRf  Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) August 22, 2024

Vance said his stops aren't "scripted events," referring to Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris' recent stop at a Pennsylvania Sheetz. But he did say he told his team that future visits need to be more carefully planned.

I like to get out there and talk to people and we want to make sure were doing it, but definitely make sure that people are at least ok with being on camera, or were going to walk in and youre going to have a person who has, practically, a panic attack because shes got 15 cameras in her face," he said.

Vance's mother joining son on campaign

Vance's mother, Beverly Aikins, who lives in Middletown, joined him for his campaign event in Michigan on Tuesday.

Headed to Michigan and Tennessee today, Vance is accompanied by his mother, Beverly Aikins  pic.twitter.com/3Waoma0Y2l  Alec Hernandez (@AlecAHernandez) August 27, 2024

I just want everybody to know him like I know him, Aikins told NBC. Hes an amazing human being and he really, truly thinks he can make a difference.

What JD Vance told Georgia governor Kemp

Vance also told the outlet he called Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, possibly weighing in on the Republican's decision to publicly declare his support for the GOP ticket on Fox News.

Donald Trump later praised Kemp on social media, reconciling a years-long feud that Republicans had worried could impact votes in the swing state.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: JD Vance responds to viral donut shop video
RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)  Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance is expected to attend an event in the San Diego area next week.

The luncheon fundraiser will take place in Rancho Santa Fe on Friday, Sept. 6, according to the invitation.

Dr. Bob Shillman, the founder and former chairman and chief culture officer of Cognex, as well as June, will be hosting the event which costs from $1,000 per person to $50,000 per couple, the invite said.

Two killed, including SDPD officer, in crash after high-speed pursuit

Those who want to be a part of the roundtable can do so for $25,000 per person, while photo opportunities cost $15,000 per photo.

Vance was selected as former President Donald Trumps running mate in mid-July. The Ohio senator is known for his service in the Marines, his degree from Yale Law School and his best-selling memoir, Hillbilly Elegy.

Vances wife Usha Chilukuri Vance, a Yale law graduate and trial lawyer, has ties to Americas Finest City. Usha was raised in San Diego by Indian immigrants, as her mother is a biologist and provost at the University of California at San Diego, according to JDs campaign.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
Fox News

Fox News host Jesse Watters wanted viewers of The Five on Tuesday to know that when he said on the show the day prior that generals in the Situation Room would have their way with Kamala Harris if she were to be elected president, he didnt mean anything sexual, despite the suggestive phrasing.

Theres been some attention to comments I made on the show yesterday about VP Harris, Watters said to close out the opening block of Tuesdays broadcast. People are misconstruing my comments to mean something inappropriate. I wasnt suggesting anything of a sexual nature. I was expressing my opinion that VP Harriss current leadership style could be an issue if elected.

After Watters made the initial comment on Monday, he was promptly called out by colleagues Jeanine Pirro and Dana Perino. Watters claimed then that he was only speaking figuratively, and not in a sexual way.

Fox Hosts Gang Up on Jesse Watters After Unsavory Harris Comment

Still, several notable criticisms of Watters followed. Barbara Comstock, a Republican former congresswoman for Virginia who supports Harris candidacy, said Watters misogyny against the vice president was intentional. Kerstin Emhoff, the ex-wife of second gentleman Doug Emhoff, also wrote on X, There are many things to worry about, but Kamala being manhandled in the situation room is not one of them.

Watters, who landed the 8 p.m. primetime slot last July after Tucker Carlsons ouster, has made controversial comments about women for years. Not only did he suggest on air in early 2022 that Harris was having a typical female problem as vice president, but in 2019 claimed that female journalists sleep with sources all the time.

Two years before that, Watters announced he would be taking a vacation from co-hosting The Five the day after he made suggestive remarks and gestures about Ivanka Trump holding a microphone.

Then, as now, Watters insisted there was nothing sexual about it.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now.

Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now.
The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday subpoenaed a company run by the daughter of Justice Juan Merchan, the judge presiding over Donald Trumps hush-money case, over faulty allegations of political bias.

Loren Merchan, the president of Authentic Campaigns, a political consulting group that has worked with Democrats, became a focal point of Trumps attacks against New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan. The justice is expected to dole out the former presidents sentence for his hush-money trial on September 18.

In a letter sent Wednesday, the House Judiciary demanded that Authentic Campaigns provide any evidence regarding whether Loren Merchans company worked for Trumps political adversaries, and whether she mightve financially benefited from Trumps trial and subsequent conviction.

House Republicans have been attempting to get their hands on documents from Authentic Campaigns for the past month, which they hope will prove Trumps claims that Merchans company worked with Trumps enemies, and therefore her father could be dismissed from the case for bias.

Mike Nellis, the founder of Authentic Campaigns, publicly shared his companys response to Republicans first request for information earlier this month, criticizing the committee for wrongly villainizing his colleague.

Authentic had no role, involvement, or influence whatsoever in those judicial proceedings, Nellis wrote, claiming that his company had no contracts with Biden for President, Harris for President, or the Democratic National Committee since January 1, 2023.

Authentic Campaigns list of clients includes both Joe Biden and Kamala Harriss 2020 presidential campaigns, according to its website. In 2019, Harriss campaign doled out $7.5 million to the firm for digital advertising and creative consulting, and more than $2.1 million in 2020, per CNN. Authentic has also touted Representative Adam Schiff as one of its biggest clients.

Nellis called Trumps claims that Loren Merchan had raised tens of millions off of Trumps trial unequivocally false. He also lambasted the committee for using valuable time and taxpayer dollars to perpetuate a false right-wing conspiracy theory, calling it a disgraceful misuse of power.

What started as a long-shot bid to oust Justice Merchan during Trumps trial has become a quest by his staunchest defenders, such as House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, to see his conviction vacated. Trump claimed that Merchan was totally compromised because of his daughters work for Democrats, and escalated his rhetoric by naming her directly.

Trumps personal attacks against Merchans daughter led to a political firestorm, causing crazed MAGA fanatics to harass and even send death threats to Loren and her colleagues, according to Nellis.

After Merchan placed a gag order on Trump, prohibiting him from making rampant, baseless accusations against the judge, courtroom staff, and family members, Fox News took up the task of claiming Lorens work was grounds for her fathers dismissal from Trumps trial.

Earlier this month, Trumps team had once again requested to delay Trumps sentencing, suggesting it would mitigate the appearances of impropriety created by Loren Merchans prior work for Harris, and Nelliss donations to the Harris-Walz campaign.
POLLOCKSVILLE, N.C. (WNCT)  The second groundbreaking ceremony for Jones County Emergency Services this summer took place Wednesday.

Elected officials and those working with the new EMS station gave speeches to celebrate the project, which is mainly funded by the state. Its future sister station in Trenton is funded by the Department of Agriculture.

The population is sparse and for years, rural areas are just not gotten the funding that they deserve, North Carolina Rep. for District 12 Chris Mumphrey said. I mean, they dont have the tax base to fund buildings like this.



This is a big accomplishment. Ive been with Jones County for 12 years, full-time, 14 years in total, Jones County Emergency Services Director Ryan Mills said. Its been a vision thats been happening before then.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WNCT.
A consortium led by U.S.-based Chevron Corporation CVX, an integrated oil and gas company, is facing pressure to submit a revised development plan for its gas field of the coast of Cyprus. The group, which holds the licensing rights for the Aphrodite field, has been given a three-month deadline by the Cypriot government to make the necessary revisions.

Overview of the Aphrodite Gas Field

Cyprus's Aphrodite gas field, a significant energy discovery in the Eastern Mediterranean, was discovered in 2011. Located southeast of the island, the field holds an estimated 3.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. As the region's energy landscape evolves, the development of this field has become increasingly important for both Cyprus and the involved international consortium. However, the country has since made additional gas discoveries in four other areas, all of which remain untapped.

The Chevron-led Consortium and its Role

A Chevron-led consortium, which includes Israel's NewMed Energy and BG Cyprus Ltd., a subsidiary of Shell plc SHEL, holds the licensing rights to the Aphrodite field. The consortium is tasked with developing the field, a project that has seen numerous delays and negotiations, following Chevron's acquisition of Noble Energy in 2020. Noble Energy had initially agreed on a field development plan with Cyprus in 2019, but changes proposed by Chevron have led to extended discussions and adjustments to the original plan.

Cypriot Government's Ultimatum: A Three-Month Deadline

In a recent development, the Cypriot government issued a "notice of breach" to the consortium on Aug. 25, 2024. This notice grants the consortium a three-month deadline to submit an updated development plan and initiate the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) process. The FEED process is a critical step in the project, allowing for a detailed assessment of the engineering and cost aspects of the field's development.

Implications of the Government's Notice

The Cypriot government's ultimatum highlights the commitment to advancing the energy program within the framework of the contract. Failure to meet this deadline could result in the termination of the contract, which would be a significant setback for the consortium. The urgency of the situation reflects the strategic importance of the Aphrodite field to Cyprus's energy security and economic future.

Chevron's Strategic Position in the Eastern Mediterranean

Chevron's involvement in the Aphrodite field is part of its broader strategy in the Eastern Mediterranean, a region that has emerged as a vital hub for natural gas exploration and production. The company's acquisition of Noble Energy and by extension, its stake in the Aphrodite field, signals CVXs commitment to expanding its presence in this energy-rich region. The successful development of the Aphrodite field would not only strengthen Chevron's portfolio but also strengthen its influence in the Eastern Mediterranean's energy dynamics.

Story continues

Challenges in the Development of the Aphrodite Field

The development of the Aphrodite field has faced several challenges, from technical complexities to geopolitical tension in the region. The proposed changes to the 2019 development plan by CVX have also contributed to delays, requiring extensive negotiations with the Cypriot government and the other consortium partners. The volatile nature of global energy markets and the increasing focus on renewable energy sources have added layers of complexity to the project's execution.

Technical and Environmental Considerations

Developing an offshore gas field like Aphrodite involves intricate technical operations, including deepwater drilling and the construction of subsea infrastructure. Environmental concerns also play a significant role, with stringent regulations in place to ensure that the development minimizes its impact on the surrounding marine ecosystem. The FEED process will be crucial in addressing these challenges, providing a detailed blueprint for the project's execution.

The Future of the Aphrodite Gas Field

As the Chevron-led consortium prepares to submit its updated development plan, the future of the Aphrodite gas field hangs in the balance. Meeting the Cypriot government's deadline is important for the continuation of the project, which has the potential to transform Cyprus into a key player in the regional energy market. The field's development could also have broader implications for energy security in the Eastern Mediterranean, in the context of Europes efforts to diversify the continents energy sources.

Strategic Importance for Cyprus and the Region

For Cyprus, the successful development of the Aphrodite field is more than just an economic opportunity. This represents a strategic asset that can enhance the country's energy security and geopolitical influence. The gas produced from the field could be exported to the markets in Europe, reducing the region's reliance on energy imports from less stable regions.

Conclusion

The next three months will be a critical period for both the Chevron-led consortium and the Cypriot government. The outcome of this ultimatum will determine the future of the Aphrodite gas field and its role in the region's energy landscape. As the consortium works to meet the deadline, the decisions made in this period will have long-lasting implications for all stakeholders involved.

Zacks Rank and Key Picks

Currently, CVX and SHEL carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Investors interested in the energy sector might look at some better-ranked stocks like SM Energy Company SM, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and TechnipFMC plc FTI, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), at present. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Denver, CO-based SM Energy is valued at $5.37 billion. The company currently pays a dividend of 72 cents per share, or 1.53%, on an annual basis.

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JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL)  At a meeting on Tuesday night, the Washington County, Tennessee Board of Education voted to reject an offer by the Town of Jonesborough for the former Jonesborough Middle School property.

Washington County BOE declines $1.8 million for old Jonesborough Middle building

The town offered the board $1.8 million to purchase the property, but school superintendent Jerry Boyd said the board wanted a better offer.

It was $1.8 million for the building and included property with the building, said Boyd. But the board members still believe that amount for that piece of property in the location its in is below what theyre willing to accept.

Boyd said the board appears set on their previous offer of $2.2 million. However, Jonesborough Mayor Chuck Vest said he wants a proper assessment done on the property.

Were hopeful that maybe the school board can put it out there and see what the property is worth and they can come back to us, said Vest.

Vest said the town already has a plan for how to use the property.

We have a big need to expand our fire department, said Vest. Weve had such growth out in the county and even in Jonesborough with new homes. Were getting to a point where weve reached capacity in our current location.

Vest said this plan wouldnt involve demolishing the building.

Theres not many taxpaying entities that can take that property without having to take down that school, said Vest. Another one of the reasons why we got involved was a lot of community members hated to see the school taken down.

Vest said that while he understands that the board wants more, the town cant afford to up their offer.

Were coming out of a really tough budget year, said Vest. We really had to negotiate a lot to come out with no tax increase. So were excited about that, [but] we cant really afford to pay much more than that.

Boyd said that as of Wednesday, the town is the only party interested in the property. Both Boyd and Vest hope an agreement can be reached between the town and the school board.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
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The peculiar circumstances surrounding the killing of a tenacious Las Vegas investigative reporter culminated in an even more bizarre trial this month for the disgruntled county official who was found guilty on Wednesday of his murder.

Former Clark County public administrator Robert Telles, 47, was accused of fatally stabbing Jeff German, 69, outside his home on Sept. 2, 2022, after the journalist wrote a series of articles for the Las Vegas Review-Journal about alleged misconduct in Telles office. After its publication, Telles lost his reelection bid and feared that the release of his emails and text messages with several officials, which German was about to receive via a public records request, would further damage his career and reputation.

The killing sent shockwaves among journalists nationwide, which then-Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo acknowledged at a news conference following Telles arrest six days later.

This is a terrible and jarring homicide, one that has deeply impacted Las Vegas. Every murder is tragic, but the killing of a journalist is particularly troublesome, said Lombardo, who is now governor of Nevada.

Telles pleaded not guilty and claimed he was framed for the murder. Against the advice of his attorney, he took the stand in his defense last week and spun a tale of a hired killer wearing an improbable disguise and driving a car exactly like his.

He did not offer an explanation for how investigators found his DNA under the fingernails of the victim.

Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles, right, talks to Review-Journal reporter Jeff German in his Las Vegas office on May 11, 2022. K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

The Motive

On May 16, 2022, German published an article headlined County Office in Turmoil With Secret Video and Claims of Bullying, Hostility, detailing staff members complaints of a hostile work environment under Telles during his time as the public administrator. Telles, an attorney who had previously focused on civil litigation, was elected to the position in 2018, overseeing an office that handled unclaimed estates and other probate cases in the county.

Germans investigation also exposed what current and former staff members described as an inappropriate relationship Telles had with his subordinate, Roberta Lee-Kennett. Telles employees also provided German with a video they had secretly filmed of the two, both married, in the backseat of her car in a parking garage. Germans story included a video clip of the woman straightening her dress as the two emerge separately from the car, as well as an interview German conducted with Telles at his office.

Following Germans expose, Telles, a Democrat, lost the primary election in June 2022, which meant he would lose his job at the end of that year. German continued to write about Telles, noting his combative behavior toward staff members after he lost the election.

Telles railed against Germans reporting and attacked him personally on social media and in a letter he posted on his campaign website titled, Addressing the False Claims Against Me. He described the article as intentionally gut-wrenching and ugly. He accused his employees of lying but said their claims were probably persuasive because of the writers skill at pushing buttons.

At 5:45 p.m. on Sept. 1, 2022, Telles was notified that German would soon receive the results of a public records request for all communications between Telles and Lee-Kennett, including messages on their cellphones.

German was killed the next morning.

Las Vegas police shared these photos on Sept. 5, 2022, of a person suspected in the killing of journalist Jeff German. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

The Killing

German, whose journalism career in Las Vegas spanned four decades, was killed in broad daylight outside his one-story house on a quiet cul-de-sac 10 miles northwest of the Las Vegas Strip. Footage from a neighbors doorbell camera across the street, later obtained by investigators and played for jurors, captured the attack, which occurred at around 11:20 a.m. on Sept. 2, 2022. In the video, a man, whom prosecutors identified as Telles, is seen in an unmissable orange long-sleeve construction shirt with reflective stripes and a giant sun hat strolling up Germans driveway to the side of the house and disappearing behind the bushes. At about 11:21 a.m., Germans garage opens, and he walks outside, heading toward the spot where prosecutors said the man in the orange shirt was lying in wait.

The blurry video shows German approach the side gate when it opens and the man comes out. There appears to be a tussle, lasting less than two minutes before the man in orange emerges from the other side of the bushes and walks casually back to the sidewalk and past Germans open garage.

German was not seen again on the video.

Neighbors discovered his body in the side yard around 10:30 a.m. the following day.

The Clark County coroner ruled his death a homicide, saying he had died from multiple sharp-force injuries.

The medical examiner who performed Germans autopsy testified that he had been stabbed 13 times in his neck and torso. German also had cuts on his hands and arm consistent with defensive wounds, she said.

Prosecutors said a cut-up straw hat found by police during a search of Robert Telles home and garage is consistent with the one worn by the suspect in Jeff German's killing. K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP, Pool

The Peculiar Suspect

In addition to the neighbors doorbell camera, investigators obtained video footage from dozens of cameras throughout the area that captured the man in the orange shirt and a maroon GMC Yukon Denali on the morning of Sept. 2.

The Yukon, noticeable because all its windows were tinted except in the front, left Telles home, less than six miles from Germans house, at around 9:12 a.m. The Yukon was captured at 10:26 a.m., a few blocks from Germans house. Between 10:48 a.m. and 10:54 a.m., it was seen driving around a nearby street. By 11:01 a.m., it was parked about a block away from Germans house.

After the man in oranges encounter with German around 11:20 a.m., cameras captured him returning to the SUV. Inexplicably, the Yukon returned to Germans house, parked in front, and the man in orange walked over to the side of the house where Germans body lay. He disappeared for about 30 seconds behind the bushes before he emerged and returned to the car. The Yukon is then seen returning to Telles neighborhood at about 11:51 a.m.

On Sept. 5, three days after the killing, Las Vegas police shared two surveillance photos of the suspect.

Although temperatures were approaching 110 degrees that day, he was largely covered with black gloves, black pants and gray Nike sneakers in addition to the long-sleeve orange work shirt. A large blueish-gray bag with dark straps on its side was slung over his right shoulder. The brim of his straw hat was so wide that it grazed his shoulders and concealed his face.

Even so, his gait was so distinctive that two former colleagues of Telles recognized it as him. They contacted police the next day after authorities released photos of the Yukon, which the coworkers were sure was the same color, make and model of an SUV theyd seen Telles drive.

LVMPD distributed this photo of GMC Yukon Denali on Sept. 6, 2022, saying they believed it connected to the suspect in Jeff Germans killing and asking for the publics help locating it. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

Evidence Collection

After learning about his vocal criticism of German and receiving the tips, police zeroed in on Telles as a suspect. Investigators obtained warrants for his home, phone and person, photographing a nasty cut on his left fingertip. They also obtained his DNA, which police said matched DNA obtained from Germans fingernail clippings.

Underneath a couch at Telles home, investigators said they found a gray Nike shoe that resembled those worn by the assailant and its companion shoe  which had been cut in half. A Ziploc baggie next to it contained bits and pieces of the remaining shoe.

In a bin in the garage, prosecutors said, investigators found a gray commuter-style bag that looked identical to the one the suspect was carrying. At the bottom of a tool cabinet, they said they found a plastic grocery bag containing what was left of a straw hat matching the one worn by the attacker. It had been cut into five large pieces.

Police said they found a cut-up Nike shoe consistent with the pair worn by the suspect in reporter Jeff Germans murder beneath a couch in Robert Telles home. A Ziploc baggie found next to it contained bits and pieces of the companion shoe, prosecutors said. LVMPD

The orange shirt and other clothes seen in the surveillance footage of the suspect were never found  nor was the murder weapon.

When investigators analyzed Telles phone, they said they found that he had searched Google Maps for Germans address, and a phone extraction showed pictures of Germans house.

Telles claimed that on the morning of the killing, he went for a walk and to the gym and simply ignored several texts and calls. Prosecutors alleged that he actually left his phone at home to prevent police from later tracking his location. A text from his wife at 10:30 a.m. asking, Where are you? had been deleted from both his phone and his wifes, but police said they later recovered it from his wifes iPhone. Telles offered no explanation for the discrepancy.

A digital forensics laboratory supervisor for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department testified that on Aug. 12, 2022, just weeks before German was killed, more than 130 images were downloaded on Telles phone from Google Maps showing the reporters house, including the side yard where his body was found, and the cul-de-sac where he lived. Telles phone also contained more than 100 downloaded images of German, prosecutors said.

When police arrived to arrest him on Sept. 7, 2022, Telles refused to leave his home. A SWAT team moved in after authorities said he was threatening to harm himself. He was transported to the hospital after authorities said he was suffering from non-life-threatening self-inflicted wounds.

He has been in jail for the past two years since his arrest.

Robert Telles shows that he wears shoe lifts during his narrative on the witness stand during trial at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas on Aug. 22. K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal via Associated Press

Telles Bizarre Testimony

Against the advice of his attorney, Telles took the stand in his own defense. Instead of a typical question-and-answer format, the judge allowed Telles to testify in a narrative style  so he shared his story with the jury uninterrupted.

Over three days of bizarre, rambling testimony, Telles was preternaturally calm as he claimed that he had been framed for the murder by a real estate company he had accused of wrongdoing. He insisted that a hired assassin was responsible for Germans killing and that evidence against him had been planted  by his enemies or overzealous police officers. The killer had even driven a car exactly like his, he claimed, to further incriminate him.

Telles acknowledged he had been having an affair, and he said that Germans articles and his reelection loss were a bummer. But, he said, he would never kill the journalist.

Although he was innocent, he said he had tried to kill himself for his family to collect on his life insurance policy and spare them from the circus surrounding his arrest.

At one point, he inexplicably took off his shoe to show jurors that he wore custom lifts to make himself appear taller. That proved, he said obliquely, that he would never wear shoes like the attackers Nikes, which couldnt accommodate the lifts  even though police found the shoes hidden at his home.

During cross-examination, Telles struggled to explain how his DNA had been found beneath Germans fingernails  which he did not address during his narrative testimony. The prosecutor also grilled him about why, if he was being framed, the murder weapon was not found in his home and why a hired assassin would parade around the neighborhood in broad daylight in a clownish disguise that only drew attention to himself and was easy for investigators to spot when reviewing surveillance cameras in the area.

How Mr. German was murdered ... speaks to, I think, something or someone who knows what theyre doing, Telles insisted on the stand.

But he acknowledged that the man in orange captured in the surveillance footage must have been the killer.

The jury on Wednesday found Telles guilty on its third day of deliberations, then sentenced him to 20 years to life in prison.

The killing of Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German and the arrest of an elected county official in connection with his death has drawn national attention and renewed concern about attacks on journalists. K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Related...
Jacksonville police detectives are actively searching for people involved in a deadly hit and run.

WOKV told you last month when a 29-year-old man was hit by at least two, possibly three vehicles on Collins Road.

JSO released surveillance video showing a dark-colored car speeding, followed by a dark-colored SUV. Investigators believe the vehicles have front-end damage.

One of the drivers called police and stayed on scene. The others did not.

Anyone having any information is asked to contact the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office at 904-630-0500.

To remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward of up to $3,000 call First Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS (8477).

Can you help us solve this hit and run? Take a good look at this video. It shows two vehicles of interest from 8700 Collins Road on the Westside July 26 at approximately 5:30am. While its hard to see, this shows a dark sedan at a high rate of speed followed by a dark SUV. We believe the vehicle or vehicles involved would have significant front end damage. The crash killed a 29-year-old pedestrian who was later struck by a different vehicle whose driver stayed and cooperated with our investigation. #YourJSO Traffic Homicide detectives continue to investigate the case and will track down all leads to bring answers to the mans grieving family. There is a reward of up to $3,000 for information leading to an arrest. Call First Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS (8477). Remember, you can remain anonymous. Additionally, you can call the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office non-emergency number at (904) 630-0500 or e-mail JSOCrimeTips@jaxsheriff.org. Posted by Jacksonville Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, August 27, 2024








With new judge on the case, man withdraws guilty plea in crash that killed 3 people

Andrew Blankenship, wearing a jail uniform, speaks with his attorney, Bradley Groene, in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday.

A man who pleaded guilty in February to killing three people and seriously injuring a fourth in a crash on Interstate 275 withdrew that plea Wednesday.

In a courtroom packed with the families of the people killed and injured, Andrew Blankenship, who faced up to 33 years in prison, was allowed to withdraw his plea to charges including aggravated vehicular homicide and aggravated vehicular assault.

The case, which is in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court, has an unusual procedural history, and prosecutors on Wednesday didn't object to the withdrawal.

Blankenship, 31, initially pleaded guilty before Judge Tom Heekin. But Heekin went on medical leave earlier this year, and Robert Ruehlman, a retired judge, was appointed in April by the Ohio Supreme Court to oversee Heekins cases.

The plea did not include an agreed prison term, which meant the judge would decide that. Based on the charges Blankenship pleaded to, he was facing a maximum of 29 to 33 years.

Ruehlman, who was on the bench for more than three decades, was known to impose severe sentences in certain cases.

On Wednesday, he accepted Blankenships plea withdrawal, pointing out that he is a new judge on the case.

A trial is now set for Feb. 11, 2025, although its possible another plea agreement will be worked out before then.

The crash happened the night of April 9, 2023 on I-275 in Anderson Township. Blankenship, of Cold Spring, Kentucky, was driving a pickup without its headlights on, officials have said, passing vehicles on the highways shoulder.

He struck a Lexus that had stopped to assist a disabled vehicle. The Lexus then slammed into the disabled vehicle, which then struck a tow truck that also was on the shoulder.

Janaya Glover, 22, who was standing on the highways shoulder, was killed. A family member, John Glover, who also was standing on the shoulder, was seriously injured. The tow truck driver, 38-year-old Keith Skaggs, who officials said was kneeling by the disabled vehicle, also was killed.

The driver of the Lexus, Richard Glaser, 66, had to be extricated from the vehicle and died from his injuries.

Investigators determined Blankenship was under the influence of alcohol at the time.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Andrew Blankenship withdraws guilty plea in crash that killed 3
WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI)  The deputy chief of special investigations at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC) whos facing child pornography and video voyeurism charges can now be around children while supervised.

Seth Crosbys attorney filed a motion earlier this month to modify his clients bail conditions.

Crosby, 46, was initially ordered not to have contact with anyone under the age of 18, with the only exception being his biological children.

His attorney noted in the motion that several of Crosbys relatives and friends have children and his bail conditions would prevent him from maintaining his personal connections with them.

Crosby wishes to continue his relationships  to include visiting their homes at times when the children may be present, the motion said. His family and friends are aware of the pending charges.

RELATED: ACI deputy chief arrested on child porn, voyeurism charges

The request to modify his bail conditions to no unsupervised contact with minors was granted Tuesday morning in Kent County District Court, which means he can now be around children other than his own as long as another adult is present.

Crosby is accused of using his phone to record a teenage couple having sex inside a Cranston home in July. Hes facing two counts of production or attempted production of child pornography and one count of video voyeurism.

Prosecutors noted that the voyeurism charge stemmed from a separate 2021 incident, in which Crosby is accused of hiding a camera in the bathroom before the victim took a shower.

Crosby is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, according to a RIDOC spokesperson.

John Calcagni, whos representing Crosby, said the charges against his client are completely uncharacteristic since he is an Army veteran and retired police officer.

My client has an unblemished record, a long history of honorable public service, and is of high moral character, Calcagni said.

Crosby also served as a member of the Rhode Island National Guard for 17 years. He climbed the ranks to captain and later served overseas for six months in Kuwait between 2014 to 2015.

The Rhode Island National Guard told 12 News that Crosby later became the subject of a commander-directed investigation. In 2017, he was accused of having an unprofessional relationship with two members, including one of his subordinates.

Crosby was also accused of giving them false information, which resulted in a reprimand. He went on to retire from the Rhode Island National Guard in 2018.

Calcagni stressed that no crime was committed, noting that he was previously a judge advocate in the military for 20 years. He explained that, had a crime been committed, Crosby would have either faced administrative separation or criminal charges.

The fact he received a reprimand means very little, and in the grander scheme, nothing as it relates to his honorable military service, honorable service to the Johnston Police, or similar service to the DOC, Calcagini said. Most importantly, it has nothing to do with the pending criminal charges, for which he is presumed innocent.

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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.
Gov. Tony Evers signs the 2023-25 state budget in July 2023. A circuit judge ruled Tuesday that Evers' use of partial vetoes was proper on legislation enacted in February 2024 to fund Wisconsin's 2023 reading initiative. (Baylor Spears | Wisconsin Examiner)

Gov. Tony Evers partial veto that changed legislation funding a state reading education initiative was proper under Wisconsin law and the state constitution, a Dane County judge ruled Tuesday.

But the judge rejected the Evers administrations claim that Republican lawmakers were wrongly holding back money appropriated for the program.

The reading initiative was created in Act 20, legislation that lawmakers passed and Evers signed in June 2023.

The 2023-25 state budget included $50 million for the new program, and in February this year, lawmakers passed legislation creating a mechanism for deploying the money. Evers signed that bill, now Act 100, using his partial veto power to change some of the language.

Evers veto had the effect of consolidating the funds into a single appropriation, which the governor wrote in his veto message would allow the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to administer it more effectively.

Republican leaders in the Legislature sued DPI and Evers, claiming that Act 100 wasnt an appropriation bill and therefore not subject to the governors partial veto power.

On Tuesday, Dane County Circuit Judge Stephen Ehlke ruled on summary judgment that, based on previous rulings involving the partial veto, Act 100 was properly considered an appropriation bill and that Evers partial vetoes were therefore lawful.

The Legislatures GOP-controlled Joint Finance Committee has, meanwhile, been holding back the $50 million budgeted for the literacy program  part of $250 million that the budget directed to the budget committees supplemental appropriation account.

As part of their response to the lawsuit over the partial vetoes, DPI and Evers asked the judge to direct the finance committee to release the $50 million, arguing that it was already budgeted by the Legislature for the reading program.

Ehlke, however, declined to do so. The budget as enacted clearly put the $250 million in the supplemental account, including the $50 million for the reading program, for the purpose of JCFs [the Joint Finance Committee] providing supplemental funding to governmental units, the judge wrote.

The use of the supplemental appropriation process, giving the finance committee greater jurisdiction over how and when those funds are spent, is well established, Ehlke wrote.

The Legislature thus clearly did not intend to give $50 million to DPI, but instead knowingly put funds into JCFs supplemental account for JCF to use to supplement funding at its discretion, he wrote. Accordingly, I reject DPIs request that the $50 million be transferred to its account based on the budget process

On the social media platform X, Evers praised the ruling for upholding his partial veto authority but said he would appeal it over the release of the money, charging that the decision allowed Republican lawmakers to continue obstructing the release of $50 million we already approved to improve kids reading across our state.

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SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  Jurors deliberated for less than 15 minutes before they found a father not guilty of pushing women who cut in line at a San Francisco event held for children with disabilities.

The jury acquitted 47-year-old Marcos Ortega of misdemeanor battery following a jury trial this August, according to the San Francisco Public Defenders Office.

Ortega was falsely accused of pushing two women who cut in front of him and his young daughters at a community childrens event held in Golden Gate Park on June 1, SFPDO said.

The women cut and jostled for a place in line to get prizes, defense attorneys said.

The jury did the right thing in acquitting Mr. Ortega, who did nothing wrong, and only verbally called out the women for cutting in line, said Deputy Public Defender Jess McPeake. Mr. Ortega and his family were trying to have a nice day in the park, and these two women, who didnt like being called out for cutting in line, turned it into an ordeal that resulted in police grabbing Mr. Ortega in front of his children and setting him up to face these unfounded charges.

Ortega verbally protested the line cutting, his defense attorney said. However, the women told a staff member at the event and police officers that the father had pushed them.

Police then located Ortega and his family at the face-painting booth and physically grabbed him in front of his children. Ortega denied pushing the women, but police issued him a citation to appear in court, and prosecutors charged him with battery, the public defenders office wrote.

San Francisco will close schools due to dramatic drops in enrollment

At trial, attorneys called Ortega and the two women to testify on the stand. One of the women admitted that she and her friend were holding and switching places toward the front of several lines for friends. The father testified that he was saddened that adults would behave that way during an event for children with disabilities.

The womens statements to police did not match their statements on the witness stand, according to the public defenders office.

Public Defender Mano Raju said, A case like this highlights the importance of having public defenders who fiercely defend their clients by taking cases to trial when someone is unfairly accused of a crime, especially when prosecutors are making offers for them to plead to something they didnt do. Im grateful to the jury for returning this just verdict.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
MORGAN COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT)  After seven days of testimony, a jury has found Frederic Rogers guilty of multiple counts of capital murder.

The jury received full instructions on August 27 at 12:42 p.m. and began deliberations at 2:02 p.m. The jury was called back into the courtroom and asked the judge to reread the definitions of the charges. They left to deliberate again at 3:38 p.m. but decided to go home without a verdict.

Deliberations lasted four hours over two days. The jury returned a guilty verdict on Wednesday, August 28.

PREVIOUS: Jury continues deliberation in Seven Deadly Sins capital murder trial

Rogers was convicted of three counts of capital murder:

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

The jury found him not guilty of the robbery charge.

Counts three and five were thrown out earlier in the trial.

The state rested its case on Monday and Tuesday morning, the defense rested.

Rogers was found guilty of murdering seven people in what investigators said was a dispute within their motorcycle club dubbed The Seven Deadly Sins. John Legg is also accused of killing the seven people but does not have a trial date yet.

The investigators call it the worst crime in Morgan County history.

The pair was arrested in Oregon after surveillance video showed them at Rogers grandmothers house. The Morgan County Sheriffs Office was initially tipped off about them after a traffic stop in Colorado.

In 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.

Now, the case will go to a penalty phase. The state is seeking the death penalty against Rogers.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
A jury has sentenced Robert Telles, a former Nevada politician found guilty of fatally stabbing a Las Vegas investigative reporter, to life in prison with eligibility of parole after a minimum of 20 years.

Telles, a 47-year-old former Clark County public administrator, was convicted in the September 2022 death of Jeff German, a longtime Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter in a trial that highlighted concerns around press safety. The jury found the murder was willful, deliberate and premeditated and it was carried out by lying in wait. Telles shook his head as the verdict was read aloud.

Telles faced three possible sentences with the minimum being 50 years in prison and the maximum being life in prison without parole.

During Wednesdays penalty phase, Germans siblings spoke about their brother and how his death impacted their lives.

It was devastating to the family, it really was. We loved him, said Jay German, who earlier characterized Jeff as the big brother the three siblings all leaned on.

Telles mother also testified during the penalty phase, turning toward the jury and asking for mercy so her son could get out of prison on parole and be a part of his childrens lives.

Coworkers get a measure of justice

Las Vegas Review-Journal executive editor Glenn Cook issued a statement praising the verdict, calling it a measure of justice for German and for slain journalists everywhere.

Jeff was killed for doing the kind of work in which he took great pride: His reporting held an elected official accountable for bad behavior and empowered voters to choose someone else for the job, Cook said.

Today also brought a measure of justice for slain journalists all over the world. Our jobs are increasingly risky and sometimes dangerous. In many countries, the killers of journalists go unpunished. Not so in Las Vegas. Our thanks to police and prosecutors, whose diligent work won this conviction.

Lets also remember that this community has lost much more than a trusted journalist. Jeff was a good man who left behind a family who loved him and friends who cherished him. His murder remains an outrage. He is missed.

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said the verdict sent a clear message: Any attempts to silence the media or to silence or intimidate a journalist will not be tolerated.

German wrote about corruption

The trial in Clark County comes nearly two years after the killing highlighted concerns about violence against journalists, even in the United States. There have been 14 journalists killed in the US since 1992, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

German, 69, wrote about the underbelly of Sin City and had covered mobsters, crooked officials and corrupt government agencies in an ink-stained life. Yet prosecutors said it was his coverage of a little-known office run by an elected county official that led to the murder.

German had written about allegations of wrongdoing in the Clark County Public Administrators office, reporting that Telles created a hostile work environment and carried on an inappropriate relationship with a staffer. In part because of those articles, Telles lost his bid for reelection in a Democratic primary in June 2022.

The reporter was found dead with stab wounds outside his home on September 2, 2022.

Prosecutors alleged Telles killed German because he was angry about the reporters articles and was concerned about another upcoming article. Telles wore a disguise  including a large sun hat  and hid outside the reporters home before fatally stabbing him, prosecutors said.

About two dozen witnesses testified for the prosecution, which used video and physical evidence to tie Telles to the suspects disguise, a maroon vehicle at the scene and DNA from under Germans fingernails.

He murdered him because Jeffs writing destroyed his career, it destroyed his reputation, it threatened probably his marriage and exposed things that even he admitted he did not want the public to know, prosecutor Christopher Hamner said in rebuttal arguments Monday. He did it because Jeff wasnt done writing.

In contrast, the defense said Telles had been framed for the death because he was trying to make changes in his political office that upset the Old Guard. Telles testified in his own defense during the trial and denied wrongdoing, offering up a conspiracy that a real estate company had hired an assassin to kill the reporter and then frame him.

I want to say, unequivocally, I am innocent. I didnt kill Mr. German, Telles testified.

The court case began about two weeks ago, and the jury began deliberating on Monday.

What happened at trial

Surveillance video of the murder suspect, left, compared to a straw hat cut into pieces, right, that was found in a search of Robert Telles' home. - KVVU

The prosecutions case focused on surveillance video from Germans neighborhood on the day of the killing showing a suspect wearing a large sunhat, orange jacket and gray Nike sneakers, and driving a maroon SUV. The suspect hid in the bushes on the side of Germans house, waited for the reporter to arrive home, and then fatally stabbed him and left him to die, prosecutors said.

The maroon SUV belonged to Telles, and he was later seen washing the vehicle in front of his house, according to prosecutors. In a search warrant of Telles house, police found a large sunhat and gray Nike sneakers that had been cut into pieces and hidden, according to prosecutors.

Further, DNA from under Germans fingernails was consistent with Telles DNA, prosecutors said. Investigators also examined Telles phone and found images from Google Maps of Germans house, prosecutors said.

At closing arguments Monday, Chief Deputy District Attorney Pamela Weckerly summarized the evidence again and showed Telles texts criticizing Germans articles.

He was clearly incredibly upset that those articles were written and that it resulted in him losing that primary, Weckerly said.

Defense attorney Robert Draskovich focused the defense on challenging the quality of the investigation and argued there was a lack of evidence. He said investigators did not find Germans blood on any of Telles items and questioned the damage to the hat and shoes.

Telles, who is trained as a lawyer, took the stand and testified in a narrative style, meaning he spoke without being questioned by his own attorney. He offered a conspiratorial version of events in which a real estate company, his office colleagues, police, the DNA lab and prosecutors all agreed to hire an assassin to kill German and then frame him.

I did not cut up a shoe and hide it under my couch. I did not cut up a hat and put it in an open door of my toolbox. I did not kill Mr. German, he said.

Telles said on the day of the killing, he was at home watching TV before going for a walk and heading to the gym. He showed a phone log of his activities that day, saying there was nothing suspicious about it.

But in a tense cross-examination, prosecutor Christopher Hamner showed an inconsistency between Telles phone records and text exchanges on his wifes Apple Watch, which included a message from his wife asking, Where are you?

In closing arguments, Telles own attorney did not fully endorse Telles theory about the conspiracy, although he empathized with his clients mindset.

Its understandable why he believes this wide-reaching conspiracy, Draskovich said. What other options does he have under these circumstances?

But in the prosecutions rebuttal, Hamner mocked the conspiracy and told the jury plainly, It didnt make sense.

What it does give you a window into is whats in his mind. That is how important Mr. Telles views himself. That every single one of these people, these entities, were literally willing to kill another human being  who is not him  just to frame him, Hamner said. Does that make sense? And more importantly, where is the evidence to support that?

This story has been updated with additional information.

CNNs Cindy Von Quednow and Liam Reilly contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Justice has been served, DA says after jury finds Robert Telles guilty of killing Las Vegas journalist Jeff German

LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  As the guilty verdict was read, former politician Robert Telles shook his head gently from side to side as if he was in disbelief as he listened to each juror say guilty when polled by the court.

Finally, todays verdict should send a message and that message is to silence or intimidate a journalist will not be tolerated. Thats what occurred in this case and thats why today justice was served, District Attorney Steve Wolfson said.

Telles, 47, was found guilty of first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon on a person 60 or older. Jurors found Telles guilty of killing Review-Journal investigative journalist Jeff German on Sept. 2, 2022. Telles was enraged over articles written by German about turmoil in his Clark County Public Administrators Office. Telles believed those news articles led to him losing his seat in the 2022 election.

File photo of Jeff German an investigative reporter at Las Vegas Review Journal. German, 69, was found stabbed to death outside his home on Sept. 3, 2022. Photo courtesy: Las Vegas Review Journal

Murder suspect Robert Telles talks with defense attorney Michael Horvath during the trial.

The prosecution contends Robert Telles was angry over the articles that German had written about turmoil in the Clark County Public Administrators Office.

Prosecutors present a map of the crime scene.

Robert Telles watches as defense attorneys Robert Draskovich and Michael Horvath present their case.

Jeff Germans home on the day his body was discovered (Sept. 3, 2022) and police began the murder investigation.

Deputy District Attorney Pam Weckerly listens to defense attorney Robert Draskovich during opening statements.

LVMPD Detective Clifford Mogg, who is now retired, testified he was in charge of collecting all the surveillance videos that captured images of the vehicle and suspected killer in and around Jeff Germans neighborhood.

Cliff Mogg, a retired Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department detective, said a team of 25 detectives tracked down business and home surveillance videos of Robert Telles dark red SUV in an around journalist Jeff Germans home on the day of the murder.

Clark County District Court Judge Michelle Leavitt presides over the Robert Telles murder trial. Prior to the trial, Telles told Judge Leavitt that he planned to represent himself. She strongly advised he should have an attorney.

Clark County spokesman Dan Kulins email to Robert Telles about the request made by journalist Jeff German for emails between Telles and other county employees, specifically Roberta Lee-Kennett. She was the woman later identified as being involved in an affair with Telles. The request was also made for emails between Telles and employee Rita Reed who beat Telles in the 2022 election and would take over Telles seat.

An email from journalist Jeff German to Clark County requesting all emails between Robert Telles and his employee, Roberta Lee Kennett. Telles admitted in court he was having an affair with her. (KLAS)

An email from Robert Telles to murder victim Jeff German.

Deputy District Attorney Pam Weckerly presents a calendar she says shows significant dates from when Robert Telles received notification that Jeff German made a public records request for emails between Telles and and a female employee. She said it also shows the date Telles began searches on Google Maps, took screenshots of Germans car and conducted searches regarding German on his work computer.

Police served a search warrant at Robert Telles home on Sept. 7, 2022, five days after Jeff German was killed. These photos were taken inside the Telles home after the police searched for evidence.

Police also photographed Telles body. The only injury found on Telles body was a cut finger. Defense Attorney Robert Draskovich argued if his client had killed someone in a struggle, there should be bruising or more injuries.

Las Vegas Metropolitan police took this photo of Robert Telles left hand with what appeared to be a cut on one finger. Shortly after the photo, police took a DNA sample from Telles fingernails that police say matched murder victims Jeff Germans DNA. Telles told the jury he cut his finger while cooking fried rice for one of his children.

Robert Telles talks to his attorneys Michael Horvath, left, and Robert Draskovich in the courtroom during a break in proceedings on the fourth day of his murder trial at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas Thursday, August 15, 2024. Telles, a former Clark County public administrator, is charged in the murder of Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative journalist Jeff German and has pleaded not guilty. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP, Pool)

Shoes that matched the ones worn by the suspect in the surveillance videos were recovered following a search of the house of Robert Telles before he was arrested in connection with the death of Jeff German. (LVMPD)

Prosecutors show a report of extracted information from Robert Telles phone showing that Telles had taken a photo of his shoes months earlier and those shoes matched the shoes found under Telles couch.

During a narrative given by Robert Telles, he explains to the jury that he wears lifts in his shoes to appear taller and no lifts were found in the tennis shoes taken as evidence.

A police photo used as evidence to show Telles shoes were found hidden under a couch in Telles home. The shoes match ones worn by the killer. Telles maintains the shoes were part of the planted evidence.

A hat matching the one wore by the suspect was recovered following a search of Robert Telles house before he was arrested in connection with the death of Jeff German.

Robert Telles tears up as he talks about the police searching his home.

Prosecutor Chris Hamner challenges Robert Telles theory that the killing of Jeff German involved a conspiracy of several people, including a real estate company that the Clark County Public Administrators Officer used to sell the homes of deceased people.



Defense attorney Robert Draskovich represents Robert Telles.

FILE  Jeff German poses on the Strip in Las Vegas, on June 2, 2021. A Nevada judge decided not to punish Las Vegas police for taking an initial look at a slain investigative journalists cellphone after he was killed in September. Judge Michelle Leavitt said Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, it will be up to the state Supreme Court to decide whether a thorough police review of slain Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff Germans phone and computers would improperly expose confidential notes and sources. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP, File)

Robert Telles is found guilty of murder in the death of Las Vegas Review-Journal journalist Jeff German on Aug. 28, 2024. (KLAS)

The Review-Journal released the following statement, in part.

Today a Clark County jury delivered a measure of justice for Jeff German, and we hope it brings some solace to his family, friends and colleagues. Jeff was killed for doing the kind of work in which he took great pride: His reporting held an elected official accountable for bad behavior and empowered voters to choose someone else for the job. Glenn Cook, Las Vegas Review-Journal executive editor

Wolfson said jurors gave Telles the benefit of the doubt and listened to him but the evidence was overwhelming. He said there were around 400 exhibits entered into evidence.

Wolfson said there are three possible sentences the jury can decide on:

Life without the possibility of parole

Life with the possibility of parole after serving a minimum of 20 years

A sentence of 50 years with minimum parole eligibility after serving 20 years

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
We think of planets as the inherently confined children of host stars.

Space, however, is a strange and mercurial thing; objects do not always follow the rules we think they ought.

Using JWST, astronomers have caught six 'rogue', planet-sized objects, zooming untethered to any star, wild and free through interstellar space, in the gorgeous environment of a star-forming nebula in the constellation of Perseus.

"We are probing the very limits of the star forming process," says astrophysicist Adam Langeveld of Johns Hopkins University.

"If you have an object that looks like a young Jupiter, is it possible that it could have become a star under the right conditions? This is important context for understanding both star and planet formation."

There are a couple of ways we can build a cosmic object. Stars are thought to form top-down: a clump in a suitably dense cloud of dust and gas collapses under gravity and accumulates more and more mass from a disk of material that swirls around it until the pressure and heat at its center are high enough to ignite hydrogen fusion.

At least some planets are thought to form from a bottom-up process, from the material left behind in the disk when the star finishes forming. In this scenario, clumps of material start to stick together electrostatically, then gravitationally, eventually building up enough material to form a differentiated core and mantle.

It's unclear where the boundary lies between these formation mechanisms. And it was this question that drove the researchers to point JWST at a nebula called NGC 1333 in Perseus, a region filled with clusters of young stars newly formed from the gas within.

"We used Webb's unprecedented sensitivity at infrared wavelengths to search for the faintest members of a young star cluster, seeking to address a fundamental question in astronomy: How light an object can form like a star?" says astrophysicist Ray Jayawardhana of Johns Hopkins University.

"It turns out the smallest free-floating objects that form like stars overlap in mass with giant exoplanets circling nearby stars."

Astronomers estimate that there could be billions of rogue planets, drifting through the Milky Way. A large proportion of these would have formed in the usual way, in the leftovers of the meal devoured by a baby star; hectic gravitational interactions could free these worlds of their stellar moorings and send them off to have star-free adventures (or become snared by the gravity of an alien star).

But it's possible that some rogue planets start their development in the same way as stars do. We know of a population of objects that form like stars, but don't get enough mass for hydrogen fusion; these are the brown dwarfs, between about 13 and 85 times the mass of Jupiter. These objects are massive enough to support the fusion of deuterium  a form of heavy hydrogen whose fusion requires lower pressure and temperature. They glow, but dimly.

Modeling suggests that the upper mass limit for a planet to form bottom-up, through core accretion, is less than 10 Jupiters. In addition, the population of NGC 1333 is young, and such accretion would take a bit of time  as would the gravitational interactions that would yeet them out into the big, wide galaxy.

So when JWST spotted six objects between five and ten times the mass of Jupiter, Langeveld and his team thought they must have formed from gravitational collapse. This was confirmed when they found disks around each of the relatively tiny objects, just like baby stars in miniature.

"Our observations confirm that nature produces planetary mass objects in at least two different ways  from the contraction of a cloud of gas and dust, the way stars form, and in disks of gas and dust around young stars, as Jupiter in our own solar system did," Jayawardhana says.

Interestingly, although JWST is sensitive enough to detect even smaller objects, the researchers found no rogue worlds smaller than five Jupiters. This suggests that this is the cutoff point. Below that mass, it's likely planets need to form via core accretion.

The team's findings suggest that these objects are plentiful, accounting for as many as 10 percent of all objects in the cluster they studied. And the discovery of these worlds suggests fascinating possibilities, blurring the line between a star and its planets, and a planet and its moons.

"Those tiny objects with masses comparable to giant planets may themselves be able to form their own planets," says astrophysicist Aleks Scholz of the University of St Andrews in the UK. "This might be a nursery of a miniature planetary system, on a scale much smaller than our Solar System."

The research has been accepted into The Astronomical Journal, and is available on arXiv.

Related News
Kalamazoo moms can apply to get $7,500 next year. What to know.

A program that provides cash payments to expectant mothers and families with babies is slated to launch next year in Kalamazoo, as part of a statewide expansion to help eliminate infant poverty.

Rx Kids, which started in Flint earlier this year, and is regarded by officials as a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, gives moms $1,500 mid-pregnancy for essentials like food, prenatal care, cribs or other needs. Then, after birth, families get $500 a month for the first year of the infant's life, adding up to $7,500 in total. The program received $20 million in a recent state budget allocation to allow it to grow beyond Flint to communities across Michigan.

The program is designed to help 840 babies  covering the more than 800 expected to be born in 2025 Kalamazoo. It's the city's first "cash prescription" program for expecting mothers and babies, according to a news release.

During a news conference at Kalamazoo's City Hall, Dr. Mona Hanna, director of Rx Kids and associate dean of public health at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, applauded the upcoming program expansion and the state's contribution.

"From Flint to Kalamazoo to the Upper Peninsula to Southeast Michigan, Rx Kids is spreading, and we are redefining how we should proactively and collectively care for our children," Hanna said.

Rx Kids seeks philanthropic matches to support the program across the state, which would open it up to people regardless of their income. Doing so, Hanna has said, would make the program simpler to administer, without the step of determining income eligibility.

Hanna, a pediatrician who gained national fame after she spotted high lead levels among children in Flint and was among the key people to expose the water crisis, said moms in Flint who participate in the Rx Kids program spend their cash payments on baby supplies, food, rent, utilities and transportation. Diapers, child care and out-of-pocket medical expenses contribute to the cost of raising children.

"Income plunges right before babies are born," Hanna said. "Moms often have to come out of the workforce and poverty is at its highest spot in the life course at childbirth. Can you imagine? Families are poorest right when a baby is about to be born, and that dip in income persists until the whole first year of life."

More: Program providing $7,500 for Flint moms and babies expected to expand across Michigan

The five-year Kalamazoo Rx Kids program received $5 million from the Stryker Johnston Foundation, $500,000 from the Kalamazoo Community Foundation and contributions from the United Way of South Central Michigan and the Bronson Health Foundation, to kick off its first year. Kalamazoo Rx Kids has a funding goal of more than $5 million each year and is seeking donations to continue the program. Kalamazoo will get about $1.4 million per year from the $20 million in federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) for the statewide expansion of Rx Kids.

"We know that every growing family and every baby can benefit from extra support during pregnancy in the first year of life," said Alyssa Stewart, chief impact officer at the Kalamazoo Community Foundation.

A survey conducted in May by the nonprofit YWCA Kalamazoo of 102 pregnant people found that about half reported an anticipated increase in expenses once their baby was born, and 74% reported "little to no confidence" in their budget after their child was born, according to Jameca Patrick-Singleton, executive director of Cradle Kalamazoo, a coalition working to reduce infant death, and vice president of community health for YWCA Kalamazoo.

Participants said extra money from a program like Rx Kids would help moms-to-be pay off debt, save money, keep up with housing costs and cover child care. It would reduce stress, they said, and allow families to enjoy time with their new baby without worrying about finances.

"Families will have the ability to immediately access funding that can make the difference in how they feed their children, afford medication, secure safe housing and obtain access to many other helpful resources. ... We know that reducing infant mortality is not a quick overnight task, but helpful tools like Kalamazoo Rx Kids will definitely help us get closer to achieving our goal," Patrick-Singleton said.

About 22% of children under the age of 5 in the city of Kalamazoo live below the poverty line, according to 2022 census estimates. Fifty-three percent of households in 2022 fell below the United Way's ALICE threshold, which includes people living in poverty and families earning more than the federal poverty level, but who still don't make enough to afford the basics where they reside.

Toward the end of the year, Kalamazoo families can fill out a form to express interest in the Kalamazoo Rx Kids program before the program is slated to go live in January. For more information, go to rxkids.org.

With state funding, Rx Kids could expand into Wayne County cities, including parts of Detroit, River Rouge, Highland Park, Melvindale, Ecorse and Romulus, and the eastern Upper Peninsula, according to Hanna. There is interest in parts of Oakland County, like Pontiac and Royal Oak Township, as well, she said.

"We are working hand in hand with many communities. The number one effort right now is leveraging the private dollars to be able to match the public dollars to able to launch the program. But you will see this throughout the geographic and demographic diversity of the state next year," Hanna said.

In Flint, where nearly 78% of children under 5 live in poverty, Rx Kids has so far distributed more than $2.7 million in cash to nearly 1,000 families, since launching in January. More than half of the applicants make below $10,000 a year and 4% earn more than $50,000 a year.

There's evidence that cash benefits for children can lift them out of poverty.

The pandemic-era expanded Child Tax Credit, which provided $250 to $300 per month for each eligible child, reached more than 61 million children and cut child poverty nearly in half in 2021, compared with the year before, according to Columbia University's Center on Poverty and Social Policy. After the benefits ended, child poverty rose sharply in 2022. January of that year saw 3.7 million more kids in poverty compared with December 2021.

This story was produced through the New York & Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations and community groups dedicated to rigorous and compelling reporting about successful responses to social problems. The group is supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. The collaboratives Health Equity Solutions Project focuses on potential solutions to challenges in health care.

Contact Nushrat Rahman: nrahman@freepress.com. Follow her on X: @NushratR.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Cash program for moms with babies to launch in Kalamazoo next year
Vice President Kamala Harris will debate former president Donald Trump for the first time on Tuesday, September 10, and Charlamagne tha God is pretty sure he knows wholl come out on top.

Vice President Kamala Harris is not Joe Biden, the Breakfast Club host said on Wednesday. Im actually kinda shocked that Donald Trump agreed to all of the rules because I thought that he would want a hot mic.

He was referring to the recent disagreements between the two campaigns over whether the candidates mics should be muted when the other is talking. Harris team pushed for the mics to remain unmuted, a surprise departure from President Joe Bidens insistence in June for a muted one.

I would think [Trump] would want a hot mic, because in just a straight-up debate, the vice president would dog walk Donald Trump, Charlamagne said. Shell dog walk him about policy and all that type of stuff. But with the hot mic open, hell attempt to over-talk her and interrupt her and insult her.

When his co-host brought up the possibility of Harris doing plenty of the interrupting herself throughout the debate, Charlamagne responded, I think she would be respectful, because she knows how to properly debate. He wouldnt. Hed over-talk her, interrupt her, insult her. But if he did that she would still win, because hed look like a mad man.

The speculation comes two months after the infamous June 27 presidential debate, in which Bidens performance was so poor it essentially ended his campaign. Its a moment that proved that debates really can have a massive effect on the race. Now, with Harris and Trump nearly tied in most election forecasts, the stakes for both candidates are as high as ever.

Just How Bonkers Will the Harris-Trump Debate Actually Be?

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now.

Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz hold a campaign rally at University of Las Vegas Thomas & Mack Center on Aug. 10. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will sit down with CNN's Dana Bash on Thursday for their first joint TV interview as the 2024 Democratic presidential ticket.

The network announced Tuesday that Harris and Walz will tape the interview for airing at 9 p.m. Eastern and 6 p.m. Pacific.

Journalists and commentators have been noting for weeks that Harris has not done a formal media interview since President Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed her as a replacement on July 21.

Harris will do the first interview alongside Walz as they embark on a bus tour through the swing state of Georgia. Presidential candidates have typically done their first postconvention interviews with their running mates in tow.

Read more: The stars are coming out for Kamala Harris at the DNC with a healthy dose of joy

The selection of Bash comes after she and CNN anchor Jake Tapper moderated the June 27 presidential debate between Republican nominee Donald Trump and Biden. Trump, no fan of CNN, praised the anchors for taking an evenhanded approach during the event, although some critics were unhappy with the lack of real-time fact-checking.

The debate was arguably the most consequential in U.S. history as harsh reaction to Biden's poor performance led to his withdrawal from the campaign.

Harris appeared on several networks after the debate to speak on behalf of Biden and the record of their administration. The vice president's robust defense that night probably helped in her elevation to the top of the Democratic ticket after Biden made his decision.

But Harris has answered only a handful of reporter questions since and has not done a formal news conference.

The former attorney general and U.S. senator from California is coming off of what was widely considered a successful Democratic National Convention last week in Chicago. She has improved her standing in the polls against Trump.

Trump and Harris are scheduled to debate on Sept. 10 in Philadelphia. The event will be staged by ABC News with anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis and shared with other broadcast and cable outlets.



Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
AUGUSTA, Maine  Vice President Kamala Harris has the chance to win a district in Maine twice won by former President Donald Trump, according to a poll from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center.

The poll, released Aug. 21, found that 49% of likely voters in Maine's second congressional district say they plan to vote for Harris and 44% plan to vote for Trump. However, the error margin for the poll is 3.1%, and pollsters describe the race as tied and close.

Its still a telling result in a district that voted for Trump by 10 points in 2016 and by seven 2020. Maine awards one of its four Electoral College votes to the winner in each of its two congressional districts, plus two to the popular vote winner. The southern, more populous part of the state votes strongly Democratic. The northern, more rural area is where Trump has won a single Electoral College vote in Maine in the past two elections.

The fact that it's even close is good news for the Democrats, said Jim Melcher, a professor of political science at the University of Maine at Farmington. He said voters have tended to stay pretty steady in their support for either candidate this cycle, so the recent swing for Harris is notable.

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump

If I were the Democrats, I would not be resting on my laurels from that poll, that district could certainly go either way, depending on how the rest of the campaign goes. But generally, the race has not been particularly volatile, Melcher said. That might also be a sign that some people that might not have voted for Biden, or might not have voted, perhaps have turned to Harris.

Melcher thinks the district is reflecting the same trend as much of the nation, where Harris is seeing a surge in popularity and Democrats are more excited for the race.

Walz more popular in Maine with Democrats than Vance is with Trump voters

The poll also found that Maine voters are pleased with Harris running mate pick, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. 59% of Harris supporters are enthusiastic about Walz, compared to the 37% of Trump supporters enthusiastic about Ohio Sen. JD Vance, Trumps running mate.

More: Kamala Harris expands lead over Donald Trump in two NH polls

I think Tim Walz is the kind of candidate who can come to rural Maine and campaign probably better than Harris herself, Melcher said. I think that people would probably relate to his more rural background, right, from the little town in Nebraska.

Overall, 55% of likely voters in Maine said they would vote for Harris, over 38% for Trump. This is a wider margin than in July, when Harris took 48% of the polled vote over 40% for Trump. In Maines first congressional district, which leans Democratic, Harris receives 63% of the vote compared to just 33% for Trump.

What does this mean for Jared Golden?

Harris positive polling is good news for Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat who represents Maines conservative second district, Melcher said. He faces Trump-backed Republican Austin Theriault in November in a race that has been rated a toss-up by the Cook Political Report.

Golden has run ahead of the Democratic, ran quite a bit ahead of the Democratic presidential candidate in 2020, so if the race is statistically a dead heat at that point  that's very good news for Jared Golden in his race for re-election, because he's likely to run better than Harris in the second congressional district, Melcher said. Golden won his district by over 6% of the vote in 2020, while Biden lost by 7%.

Golden has not endorsed Harris (he has never made an endorsement in presidential races). But while some Democrats might find Golden too conservative, Melcher thinks Democrats animated by Harris will still show up and vote for him, too.

But who knows? Melcher said. It's been a volatile year, and weird things have happened.

Will Maine change how it awards Electoral College votes?

Maine is one of two states that distributes its electoral votes by the winner of each congressional district. (Nebraska is the other.) With four total electoral votes, two are awarded to the winner of the state as a whole and one to the winner of each of the two congressional districts.

The last two elections, Maines second districts electoral vote has gone to Trump.

In a blowout election, it doesnt matter very much, Melcher said. But in a lot of these races, I mean, look how close 2000 was. You know, it was five electoral votes in the end. (In 2000, former President George Bush beat Al Gore 271 electoral votes to 266.)

In an election as close as 2024 is expected to be, there are scenarios where the one electoral vote in Maine could be pivotal.

Maine recently passed a law making it the 17th state to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, an agreement that awards all electoral votes from states in the compact to the candidate who won the national popular vote. However, the agreement needs states with a combined 270 electoral votes to be enacted. It currently only has 209, so it will not go into effect this year.

Melcher thinks it likely will never be enacted; it's a highly partisan issue with most Republicans and Republican states against the measure, and polling suggests Maine residents support the current system.

Of people who have heard something about the NPV in Maine, 58% strongly or somewhat support Maine joining the NPV, while 70% somewhat or strongly oppose, according to another poll out of UNH. 48% prefer Maines current congressional district system of allocating electoral college votes, over the 37% who want a winner-take-all system.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Kamala Harris leads Donald Trump in Maine conservative district
Kamala Harris looks to energize southeast Georgia with rural bus tour ahead of Savannah rally

Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris is campaigning in rural southeast Georgia this week, aiming to energize her base and encourage voter turnout in an area not typically considered a Democratic stronghold.

Channel 2 Action News learned that Harris landed in Savannah at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, accompanied by her vice-presidential running mate Tim Walz.

They were greeted by Georgia U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams and Savannah Mayor Van Johnson.

After meeting with students, Harris and Walz embarked on a bus tour across rural southeast Georgia.

Political analyst Bill Crane told Channel 2s Richard Elliot that this move is significant.

The last time I can recall a Democratic presidential candidate doing that in Georgia was 1992, Crane said, referencing the campaign efforts of Bill Clinton and Al Gore.

RELATED STORIES:

Crane emphasized that Harris visit aims to both galvanize Democratic supporters and impact voter turnout in a region largely considered Trump country.

Emory University Political Science Professor Andra Gillespie acknowledged the challenges Harris faces in rural Georgia but highlighted the importance of canvassing the entire state.

You have to find votes everywhere, and so while metro Atlanta is certainly the base part of that vote, you cant ignore the fact that there are other Democratic strongholds in the state, Gillespie said.

In a statement, the chair of the Republican National Committee responded by saying, In November, Georgians will end the Kamala Harris nightmare and unite behind President Trump.

Harris will hold a rally in Savannah on Thursday as her bus tour continues.

RELATED NEWS:
Kamala Harris steals another idea from Trump. Now she wants to build the wall  no joke.

I thought I was reading a headline from The Babylon Bee when I saw on Tuesday that Vice President Kamala Harris now wants to build the border wall.

But it wasnt satire.

Rather, the Democratic presidential nominee has decided she supports one of former President Donald Trumps signature ideas  and one despised by progressives.

Here's how left-leaning Axios described Harris' newfound desire to build the wall: "It's the latest example of Harris flip-flopping on her past liberal positions such as supporting Medicare for All and banning fracking  proposals that aides say she now is against."

We havent gotten any explanations, either, as Harris hasnt done a single interview or press conference since President Joe Biden dropped out of the race last month.

Finally, the campaign has agreed to an interview with CNN on Thursday, but it won't just be Harris. Her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will be there, too. That makes it seem like Harris can't handle an interview on her own and feels like a cop-out.

No there there: We need more than vibes to know what Kamala Harris is all about

Just scheduling this one interview has caused a lot of consternation for Harris' campaign. Im guessing a lot of that turmoil has to do with the fact that Harris doesnt have a coherent agenda for what her presidency would look like. (The rest of the angst is tied to Harris general incompetence on camera when off teleprompter).

Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, celebrate after she accepted the Democratic presidential nomination on Aug. 22, 2024, in Chicago.

From 'un-American' to full steam ahead

Lets take a quick trip down memory lane. In 2019, when Harris was running in the Democratic presidential primary, the U.S. senator of California had some thoughts on the border wall.

Harris called it Trumps medieval vanity project then and un-American in a 2018 social media post. She also posted in 2020 that Trumps border wall is a complete waste of taxpayer money and wont make us any safer.

Seems pretty straightforward.

In addition, Harris is on the record during her first presidential run vowing to decriminalize illegal border crossings and offering undocumented immigrants health care under her Medicare-for-all plan. She also said she wouldnt deport immigrants here illegally, if they hadnt done anything else wrong.

Fast-forward to now.

Immigration has rocketed to one of the most important issues for voters  in no small part because the Biden-Harris administration oversaw chaos at the southern border amid record numbers of illegal crossings.

Even though Biden appointed Harris as border czar in 2021, she accomplished nothing to deter illegal migration across the border.

You can't say that: It's no laughing matter. Humorless scolds on the left want to silence your 'offensive' views.

So she knows shes weak on this issue, and now her campaign is trying to make Harris look like a tough border enforcer.

But thats all hard to believe when one looks at her record the past four years and at what she has said.

Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store.

Last week at the Democratic National Convention, Harris pledged to sign a bipartisan Senate bill that would spend hundreds of millions of dollars to continue building the border wall. And she has released a campaign ad that features the wall several times.

I guess that settles that.

Harris can't make up her mind on anything

The border wall is just the latest example of Harris backtracking on former stances. Her convictions seem about as deep as what the polls tell her to support.

Her few actual policy ideas since becoming the Democratic nominee, including price controls on groceries, are so terrible that Harris fellow Democrats are downplaying the idea by saying that price controls would never pass through Congress.

And the wall isnt the only talking point Harris has stolen from Trump. Earlier this month, she pledged no taxes on tipped wages. Problem is, Trump already had proposed that idea weeks earlier.

Fudging the facts: From IVF to his military service, Walz is a bit of a fabulist. Can't we get the truth?

That means, of Harris limited proposals, one isnt likely to go anywhere and two are copied from Trump, whom Democrats portray as the archenemy of democracy.

The general vagueness over what Harris actually believes and supports has led to confusion in the campaign over how to best leverage her running mate, Walz.

As Politico reports, the danger in sending him out to do big solo interviews is that he might not have a full command of where Harris is on every issue.

Boy, I wonder why.

I have one question for Harris: Who are you?

Id honestly like to know.

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: Harris wants to build border wall. She can't stop stealing from Trump
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach announces he is suing Pfizer during a June 17, 2024, news conference at the Statehouse in Topeka

Americans for Prosperity Foundation of Kansas filed a complaint Wednesday asking Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach's office to investigate the state Department of Commerce for records request delays. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA  A libertarian organization requested the Kansas Attorney General investigate the state Department of Commerce for failing to respond to an open records request and demanded the records be turned over within 10 days.

The Americans for Prosperity Foundation of Kansas filed a complaint Wednesday with Attorney General Kris Kobachs office based on a request it sent to the commerce department in January for copies of annual and quarterly reports detailing the performance of the Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion Act, or APEX.

APEX provided the framework to lure big businesses to Kansas, which included Panasonic in 2022 with a $1.3 billion incentive package and a semiconductor company in 2023 with $304 million in tax incentives.

The foundations Kansas director, Elizabeth Patton, said in a news release the commerce department needs to be held accountable for its apparent disinterest in complying with open records law.

The APEX program doled out over $1 billion in incentives to favored companies. The public deserves to be able to inspect the quarterly and annual reports the law required Commerce to complete, she said.

The department hasnt responded to the foundations inquiries since its original reply on Jan. 9, foundation spokesperson, Dana Stancavage, wrote in the news release. According to the complaint, Kevin Schmidt, the foundations director of investigations, contacted the commerce department via email on three occasions  in February, May and August  for an update on the status of the request. He was met with no response, the complaint showed.

This is the second such complaint the foundation has filed with the Attorney Generals office. It filed one in December 2022 related to a 2021 request to the commerce department for studies, reports and communications related to state tax and revenue bonds, also known as STAR bonds. At the time, commerce officials said the foundations request sought voluminous documents, which prompted the delay.

Open government should be a priority for the AGs office, and for all state agencies. Without strong oversight, agencies like the Department of Commerce are flouting the law and keeping the public in the dark, Patton said in an email.

The complaint is one of several open records complaints awaiting the Attorney Generals review, including one from Kansas Reflector, which was filed April 13, 2023.

Neither the commerce department nor the Attorney Generals office immediately responded to the Reflectors questions Wednesday.
Kanye West's gutted 4,000-square-foot Malibu mansion is set to sell for $21 million.

West bought the home in 2021 and began preparing for a full renovation that was never completed.

The 4,000-square-foot home is missing windows, doors, plumbing, and electricity.

Kanye West, now known as Ye, has found a buyer for his stripped-down beachfront property in Malibu, California.

In 2021, the controversial rapper paid $57 million for the concrete home, according to Dirt.com, which reports on the real-estate transactions of celebrities and is now part of Robb Report.

According to its Zillow listing, West formally listed the unfinished house, designed by legendary Japanese architect Tadao Ando, for $53 million in January. In April, he reduced the asking price to $39 million.

Now Belwood Investments, a California-based home-flipping firm, is set to buy it for $21 million  less than half its original asking price. The Real Deal first reported that Belwood was in contract to buy the property.

The property has sat empty since West begam to completely gut the home in a move to start fresh. The Wall Street Journal reported that, as of December 2023, it lacked plumbing, electricity, windows, and doors.

The home's listing agent, Jason Oppenheim of "Selling Sunset" fame , told the Journal that the house is a "blank canvas" for anyone who wants to add their own touch.

Belwood, which has been in the fix-and-flip business since 2018, plans to invest about $5 million to restore the property to its original condition.

Take a look at what the home looked like before West purchased it.

The home was originally built in 2013.

The exterior of the home. Roger Davies/The Oppenheim Group

The property was originally built for art collector Richard Sachs.

Ando, the Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect who built it, seamlessly blends minimalist design with natural elements.

Ando has also designed homes now owned by celebrities like Jay-Z and Beyonce.

His other famous works include the Church of the Light in Osaka, Naoshima, an art island with contemporary works in Japan, and the Pulitzer Arts Foundation in St. Louis.

The structure uses "Ando's trademark design of smooth-as-silk concrete," Oppenheim told Business Insider.

The exterior of the home. Roger Davies/The Oppenheim Group

According to the Oppenheim Group's listing, the home spans 4,000 square feet and has four bedrooms and five bathrooms.

Ando used over 1,200 tons of concrete and 200 tons of reinforced steel to construct the home.

It is anchored to the ground with twelve "massive pylons" that extend more than 60 feet deep into the sand.

The house is located on Malibu Road, which book-lovers might recognize as a key location in Taylor Jenkins Reid's novel "Malibu Rising."

The view from above. Google Maps

Malibu, located just 13 miles northwest of LA's Santa Monica neighborhood, is a hot spot for celebrities and wealthy homeowners.

It's also the setting for many books and movies.

Notable residents include Sarah Paulson, Cher, Jason Statham, and Halle Berry.

The area features some of the country's most expensive and luxurious homes.

As of July, the median home price in Malibu was $3.8 million, according to Redfin.

The home is located right on the beach. Any resident would be steps from the ocean.

An ocean-view room. Roger Davies/The Oppenheim Group

The home features 1,500 square feet of outdoor deck space with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, according to the Oppenheim Group listing.

This is what it looked like when West bought it in 2021.

The interior of the home with the staircase and floor-to-ceiling windows. Roger Davies/The Oppenheim Group

Photos obtained by TMZ in late 2023, however, show its state  let's just say it's a fixer-upper, lacking windows, doors, and even a roof.

West stripped the home of nearly everything, leaving it uninhabitable.

Inside the house. Roger Davies/The Oppenheim Group

In September 2023, West was sued by Tony Saxon, a former employee  his caretaker for the Malibu property  who claimed the rapper fired him after forcing him to sleep on the floor during renovations and ordered him to remove the windows and electricity.

Saxon also alleges that West failed to pay him wages.

West denied the allegations.

In January, lawyers representing Saxon filed a lien on the home following reports that he put the property on the market for $53 million, according to records shared with Business Insider.

Despite its current state, the home has a lot of potential.

An old photo of a bedroom inside West's Malibu home. Roger Davies/The Oppenheim Group

The home is currently bare, lacking the furnishings and details shown in some of the listing photos.

While it might seem cold and unwelcoming now, the right furniture and decor could turn it into a warm and inviting space.

The homes decks face the Pacific Ocean.

One of the outdoor decks. Roger Davies/The Oppenheim Group

The home's outdoor areas look perfect for hosting gatherings or simply unwinding in a serene environment.

There was some doubt about whether the home would sell.

Backyard ocean views of West's Malibu home. Roger Davies/The Oppenheim Group

Some people believed the renovations needed to make the home livable would be too extensive and costly, leading potential buyers to dismiss it altogether.



"For this price, you can find properties that are complete and more turnkey," Cara Ameer, an agent with Coldwell Banker in California, told Realtor.com in June.

Belwood, the real-estate investment firm in contract to buy the house, apparently didn't mind  but is paying a substantial discount from its original asking price.

"This is not just a phenomenal real estate investment; it is an opportunity to revitalize and preserve an architectural gem by the renowned Tadao Ando, ensuring it remains a jewel of Malibu," Bo Belmont, Belwood Investments' CEO, said in a statement.

Read the original article on Business Insider
By Casey Hall

SHANGHAI (Reuters) -Chinese food delivery giant Meituan posted a bigger than expected 21% rise in second-quarter revenue on Wednesday, defying a slowing Chinese economy.

Meituan, which has an app that provides services as varied as bike-sharing, ticket-booking and maps, reported revenue in the three months to June 30 at 82.3 billion yuan ($11.55 billion), up from 67.9 billion yuan in the same period a year earlier.

That compared with the 81 billion yuan average of analyst estimates compiled by LSEG.

A lacklustre economic recovery in China has led to more firms pivoting towards low-cost and discounted products in the world's second-largest economy and Meituan has benefitted from delivering these goods for a small fee.

Chief Executive Wang Xing told analysts in a post earnings conference call that Meituan had managed to adapt to China's latest consumption environment to achieve solid results.

"Compared to other segments, the local commerce industry in China still has significant growth potential through digitalisation," he said.

Meituan's total segment operating profit for the second quarter increased from 5.9 billion yuan to 13.9 billion yuan, and the total segment operating margin increased from 8.7% to 16.9%.

Revenue from core local commerce, which includes food delivery and non-food delivery service Meituan Instashopping, rose 18.5% to 60.7 billion yuan.

Sales from new initiatives grew by 28.7% year-over-year to 21.6 billion yuan.

Meituan's hotel booking and travel sector businesses "maintained strong growth" with order volumes rising 60% in the second quarter, the company said in its earnings report.

Last year, Meituan announced it was buying Light Year, an artificial intelligence (AI) startup established by Meituan co-founder Wang Huiwen, for $281 million as major tech firms in China increase their bets on AI.

Recent innovations also include drone deliveries. Since mid-August, Meituan has launched a drone delivery service to the Great Wall, with a minimum order of 20 yuan plus 4 yuan delivery fee, to tourists wanting food or emergency supplies delivered within 15 minutes.

In April, shortly after CEO Wang Xing took control of the firm's international business, Meituan began advertising jobs in Riyadh for food delivery platform Keeta, which had launched a year before in Hong Kong.

Wang has stressed that exploration into new markets for Keeta was still in the "early stages", with Gulf countries, European and Southeast Asian markets all under consideration.

Story continues

Meituan remains China's biggest delivery platform, with a 69% share of the 1 trillion yuan market, according to data from researcher ChinaIRN.

($1 = 7.1257 Chinese yuan renminbi)

(Reporting by Casey HallEditing by David Goodman, Miral Fahmy and Mark Potter)
WAILUA, Hawaii (KHON2)  After three days of searching, the Kauai Police Department and other first responder agencies have called off the search for a missing Lihue snorkeler.

Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You

Fifty-year-old Gary Gushiken was reported missing on Saturday around 6:40 p.m. when he was separated from his snorkeling group at Nukolii Beach in Wailua.

Kauai officials continue search for missing snorkeler off Nukolii Beach

Search efforts were conducted in the air, on land and at sea throughout the weekend by the U.S. Coast Guard, Ocean Safety Bureau and the DLNR.

We are grateful for everyones efforts in the search for Gary, especially during the elevated surf and high wind conditions. Our deepest condolences go out to his loved ones during this difficult time. Michael Gibson, Fire Chief

On Tuesday evening, the search was suspended. Lifes Bridges volunteers have offered support to Gushikens family.

Our hearts go out to Garys family, friends, and loved ones. We truly appreciate all our search partners involved these past three days, said KPD Assistant Chief Mark Ozaki.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Keir Starmer wants to reset relationship with Europe  what are the UKs options?

Keir Starmer has vowed to turn a corner on Brexit and rebuild relationships with EU member states as he visits Germany and meets with chancellor Olaf Scholz today.

Touching down in Berlin, the prime minister says he wants to fix broken relationships left by the previous governments, and strike new deals with European neighbours.

The prime minister will add: we have a once in a generation opportunity to reset our relationship with Europe.

Details of the deal UK negotiators are looking to strike with German officials have not been shared, but No 10 indicates that the trip will kick of talks that are expected to go on for the next six months.

Flags of Britain, Germany and the EU flutter ahead of the arrival of Olaf Scholz and Keir Starmer in Berlin (REUTERS)

They add it will cover vital areas for increased collaboration, including better market access, clean energy, and defence. It will sit alongside the UKs longstanding treaties with France.

Sir Keirs approach represents a departure from the previous government, which remained less open to the prospect of greater collaboration with the EU.

The new prime minister has said he respects the results of the 2016 Brexit referendum, but notably campaigned for the UK to remain in the European Union, and acted as shadow Brexit minister under previous Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn from 2016 to 2020.

Here are some of the options Sir Keir might be looking at as he heads to Berlin:

Defence agreement

No 10 says the UK-German talks will build on a defence agreement which is already being negotiated. In July, the two countries released a joint statementment committing to enhanced bilateral defence cooperation in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Sir Keir Starmer greets Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky at Speakers House in the Palace of Westminster in 2023 (Stefan Rousseau/PA) (PA Archive)

The talks commencing in Berlin will likely reaffirm these pledges, with negotations beginning on a bilateral treaty model modelled on the UKs deal with France. These were the 50-year Lancaster House Treaties, that were ratified by then-prime minister David Cameron in 2010.

As part of the trip, Sir Keir will also meet Armin Theodor Papperger, the chief executive of Germanys largest defence and security company, Rheinmetall. The company has several defence contracts with the UK, with work described by No 10 as vital to the modernisation of the British Army.

Border security deal

Sir Keir is also looking to increase joint action on illegal migration during his visit to Germany. No 10 specifies that this will include furthering intelligence sharing to intercept and shut down organised immigration crime rings.

Tackling illegal immigration was one of the prime ministers key pledges before the general election, with a key focus on combatting criminal gangs which exacerbate the issue.

He is likely to find an ally in Mr Scholz, who last week reaffirmed his position that irregualar migration to Germany must go down after three were killed in an attack by an asylum seeker in the town of Solingen last week. Sir Keir says he will also use his trip to pay condolences to the German people.

Priority for British business

The prime minister is also reportedly looking to secure preferential access for British businesses to the German market during his visit to the country. This would include tackling trading barriers like certifications, tender information and German laws, a source told The Times.

Traffic at the Port of Dover, Kent (Gareth Fuller/PA) (PA Wire)

Sir Keir will say in Germany that he believes boosting economic growth both in Europe and the UK is a crucial mission, with market access also listed as a talking point. No 10 points out that Germany is the UKs second-largest trading partner, accounting for 8.5 percent of all UK trade.

Youth mobility scheme

As the prime minister looks to improve UK-EU relations, many have speculated that the groundwork could be laid for a scheme which would allow young people to live and work in EU nations.

However, ministers have ruled out the possibility. Sir Keir joined then-prime minister Rishi Sunak in April to reject a formal offer from the EU to negotatiate a bloc-wide mobility scheme, with government sources reiterating his opposal in August.

We are not considering it, there are no plans for this, or any work being done on it, a government spokesperson said. Our negotiating team has very clear red lines, and none of the preparatory work involves this.

Its thought this could cause some disagreement during negotiations in Berlin, as German officials are reportedly looking to push the UK to take up such a deal in return for lucrative new trade agreements.
Gov. Brian Kemp (R) is slated to participate in a Georgia fundraiser for former President Trump, two sources confirmed to The Hill, bringing in campaign funds for the GOP presidential nominee as the two look to tone down their lengthy feud.

Kemp, who will appear alongside Georgias first lady Marty Kemp, will co-headline the Thursday event in Atlanta with former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a person associated with the Pompeo and person familiar with Trumps campaign plans told The Hill.

The reception comes as the former president offered praise for Brian Kemp following the governors appearance on Sean Hannitys Fox News show last week. Kemp during that interview said the focus needed to be reelecting Trump.

We need to send Donald Trump back to the White House, Kemp said. We need to retake the Senate. We need to hold the House.

Following the TV hit, the former president thanked Kemp.

Thank you to #BrianKempGA for all of your help and support in Georgia, where a win is so important to the success of our Party and, most importantly, our Country, Trump posted on Truth Social. I look forward to working with you, your team, and all of my friends in Georgia to help MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

The former president has had a tense relationship with Kemp since the 2020 election, when Trump barely lost Georgia to President Biden.

In the weeks following the defeat, he kept applying pressure on Kemp and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) to challenge the outcome, and their relationship has stayed fractured since.

In 2022, Trump supported Kemps primary challenger, but the governor won reelection by a wider margin than in 2018. Kemp told CNN in late June that he did not vote for Trump in the Georgia presidential primary in late May.

Earlier this month, the former president went after Kemp during a rally in Atlanta. The move made some Republicans question why Trump was not focusing more on Vice President Harris, who by that point had ascended to the top of the Democratic ticket.

Georgia will be a key battleground state in the 2024 presidential election. In 2020, Biden won it by fewer than 12,000 votes.

A Decision Desk HQ/The Hill average of polls of the state has Trump leading Harris Harris by almost 3 percentage points.

The Thursday fundraiser is hosted by ex-Trump State Department Counselor Ulrich Brechbuhl, former Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) and former ambassadors Ed McMullen and Duke Buchan, according to ABC News, which first reported on the reception.

The Hill has reached out to Kemps political operation spokesperson for comment.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A voting feather flag near Firemans Park voting station in McAllen on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022. Credit: Jason Garza for The Texas Tribune

McALLEN  Filomena Leo began to weep this week as she reminisced about her late husband William Billy Leo and how he would encourage their neighbors to vote.

Billy Leo, who died in 2018, was at one point mayor of La Joya, a Rio Grande Valley city of about 4,600 people, and Hidalgo County clerk  among several other public roles he held in South Texas.

As a politician and civic leader, he also was influential in popularizing the focus on absentee voter turnout in local races here.

To help increase voter turnout starting in the mid-1980s, he hired campaign workers to engage elderly residents and help them vote by mail. Such campaign workers came to be known locally as politiqueras, though Leo moved away from the term when it became associated with unscrupulous strategies such as paying for votes, his wife said.

He did not like that at all, Leo said. He was very clear with those that helped him get the vote out  yes, he would pay them for their day, but never, never to offer voters pay for their casting a vote.

The mobilization of campaign workers to assist elderly and disabled voters has been criticized locally and throughout the state in recent years, becoming the target of crackdowns by state lawmakers who have enacted tighter restrictions on voting by mail.

[Texas Latino leaders label voter fraud investigation nonsense, call for federal, state reviews]

Inspired in large part by the unverified claims of voter fraud by former President Donald Trump and his allies following the 2020 election, the Texas legislature enacted one of the largest rewrites of election laws.

Known as Senate Bill 1, it barred local election officials from sending unsolicited applications to request a mail-in ballot, even to people who automatically qualify to vote by mail. The law also established new rules for assisting voters with mail-in ballots, requiring the assisting person to fill out paperwork disclosing their relationship to the voter.

Last week, Texas authorities searched the homes of at least six Latinos as part of an ongoing election integrity investigation launched by Attorney General Ken Paxton.

In their search, authorities seized cellphones amid allegations that a longtime Frio County political operator had illegally harvested votes for multiple local races in recent years, according to court records obtained by The Texas Tribune. Vote harvesting is the act of collecting completed mail-in ballots from a wide swath of people.

Among the targets of the search were Cecilia Castellano, a Democratic candidate for the Texas House, and Manuel Medina, a former chair of the Bexar County Democratic Party and chief of staff to state Rep. Liz Campos, D-San Antonio. They and the campaign workers whose homes were raided deny any wrongdoing.

News of the raids went viral, especially after one of the nations leading Latino advocacy organizations accused Paxton of intimidating voters in an attempt to sway an upcoming state House race for Republicans.

Allegations of voter harvesting conducted by politiqueras often surface after elections in the Valley which has seen its fair number of heated election contests.

In 2018, the city of Mission, which abuts McAllen to the west, was embroiled in a legal dispute over the results of an election, a dispute that pitted former Mayor Norberto Beto Salinas against then-Mayor Armando Doc O'Cana.

Salinas accused O'Cana's campaign of bribery, illegal voting, and tampering with mail-in ballots during a runoff election that had unseated Salinas after 20 years as mayor.

After nearly two weeks of testimony, the judge presiding over the trial ruled the election invalid. However, a re-do election was never held because the 13th Court of Appeals reversed the decision, allowing O'Cana to remain mayor.

Rick Salinas, a Mission attorney who represented Beto Salinas, his father, in the election contest, blames ballot harvesting for what he views as the decay of the local political scene.

A large number of the people that are holding public office right now, they are the product of these politiqueras and this underground movement that has existed for a long time, Salinas said.

Gilberto Hinojosa, the Texas Democratic Party chair who represented O'Cana in the 2018 election contest, argues there was no evidence of ballot harvesting in the OCana case.

Salinas and Hinojosa are again locked in a dispute centered around another court trial related to the issue of assisting voters at polling sites.

Hinojosa said he believes vote harvesting has occurred in the Valley and in other parts of Texas. However, he said, Republicans only investigate alleged election fraud in Latino and Democratic strongholds like the Rio Grande Valley.

What Paxton has done is misuse his office to intimidate normally Democratic voters from participating in the process, Hinojosa said.

The difference between helping elderly voters in a systematic way to drive turnout and breaking the law can be a thin line, especially as the law has changed in recent years, election observers say. What may be illegal now might have just been normal practice a few years ago, said Alvaro Corral, a political scientist at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

I think it's a shift in perception, he said. This can't be disentangled from the broader post-2020 crackdown on, just generally, access to the ballot in Texas.

And the attorney generals investigation, he added, could have a chilling effect on voter engagement efforts in Latino communities.

My sense, Corral said, is that election officials are increasingly hesitant to just provide basic language assistance for folks post SB 1 in Texas.

Reporting in the Rio Grande Valley is supported in part by the Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.

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People with mental illness in Louisville are being unnecessarily placed in psychiatric hospitals when they could be cared for in the community, an investigation by the Justice Department found.

The department said theres reasonable cause to believe the state is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The investigation, which began in May 2022, found that access to community-based services  which could prevent people from being admitted to psychiatric hospitals in Louisville  is insufficient. And after people are released from a hospital stay, they still are not being connected to the services they need.

The findings were released Tuesday in a 28-page report.

Because of the lack of community-based services, law enforcement officers are routine responders to mental health crises in Louisville, the Justice Department 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.

More than 1,000 people end up having multiple admissions to Louisvilles psychiatric hospitals each year, and hundreds spend more than a month out of the year there.

These hospitals are highly restrictive, segregated settings in which people must forego many of the basic freedoms of everyday life, the DOJ. 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.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke, of the DOJs Civil Rights Division, said in a news release Tuesday that people with serious mental illnesses in Louisville are caught in an unacceptable cycle of repeated psychiatric hospitalizations because they cannot access community-based care.

Clarke thanked the state for cooperating with the investigation and said 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. Our goal is to work collaboratively with Kentucky so that it implements the right community-based mental health services and complies with the ADA.

Kentucky can reasonably modify its service system to avoid this discrimination, the report states.

The report indicates that the DOJ is prepared to file a lawsuit against the state to force compliance with the ADA if improvements are not made.

Crystal Staley, communications director for Gov. Andy Beshears office, issued a statement saying the report took the administration by surprise, since they had not heard from the Justice Department since September.

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, she said.

The administration continues to prioritize Kentuckians mental health, Staley wrote. Gov. Beshear has signed legislation requiring mental health to be treated equally with physical health and has worked to expand Medicaid coverage and telehealth services and has successfully launched the 988-crisis hotline. The state has also received a waiver from the federal government to help individuals with serious mental health needs in areas like affordable housing. We have also increased the number of treatment beds in the state and improved the ability to access mental health treatment providers.

Staley said the governor also wanted to set up crisis response teams, but the legislature did not fund them during the last General Assembly.

These findings demonstrate that the Commonwealth of Kentucky fails to provide adequate community-based mental health services for individuals with serious mental illness in the Louisville Metro area, U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett, who represents the Western District of Kentucky, said in the news release. Beyond the violations, however, these findings are also about recognizing the dignity and potential of every individual who has mental illness.

The Justice Department said this investigation is different from one in which the results were released in March 2023, where it found that the Louisville Metro Government and Louisville Metro Police Department violated the ADA by subjecting people with behavioral health disabilities to an unnecessary police response.

The department and Louisville are currently negotiating a consent decree to resolve these and other issues.
For years, inadequate state funding for public education has forced Kentuckys kids to make do with outdated textbooks and technology, deprived them of vital supports and left them without the attention and enrichment all students deserve.

But in the past several years, the federal government stepped up. Thanks to more than $3 billion in federal funding designed to accelerate academic recovery and meet other student needs in the post-pandemic period, school leaders were able to hire necessary staff and better meet student needs. It filled a gap left when the legislature mostly prioritized large budget surpluses and income tax cuts over restoring funding to public schools.

That federal funding, known as Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER), expires this fall, and superintendents across the commonwealth say students will be much worse off for it. In fact, national research shows Kentuckys kids will be among the hardest hit in the nation because ESSER funds provided more support to schools with the greatest needs and Kentucky has one of the nations highest rates of high-poverty school districts.

Districts used these vital resources to adopt curriculum that addresses learning loss, hold summer programming for kids who need help catching up and provide tutoring. These needs existed before the pandemic and will continue long after. But without ESSER funds, important programs will end for many high-poverty districts, public education leaders told us.

The loss of ESSER funds] widens the gaps between haves and have-nots and widens the inequities, said Superintendent Alvin Garrison of Covington Independent Schools.

The challenge of this loss is sharpened by the potential to lose even more. This November, Kentuckians will vote on Amendment 2, which would allow public money to be spent on private schools, most likely through school vouchers. If this amendment passes, Kentuckys public schools can expect to see their state funding deeply reduced, with the most harm falling on the highest-poverty rural districts.

On average, ESSER funding afforded school districts in Kentucky $1,421 per student annually to provide critical academic support, address social, emotional and mental health needs, promote physical safety and sustain school operations.

Johnson County Public Schools, in eastern Kentucky, spent the bulk of its ESSER funding on high-quality instructor resources for distance and online learning, as well as Chromebooks that the district couldnt otherwise have afforded. Warren County Schools, in western Kentucky, used ESSER funds to double substitute teacher spending to at least temporarily address the extreme teacher shortage.

Rockcastle County, in central Kentucky, invested ESSER funds in student mental health positions that Superintendent Carrie Ballinger said were designed initially to be temporary. But we have reached a point where there is absolutely no way we could operate without those employees, she said.

As the ESSER funding cliff approaches, Kentucky school districts are inevitably needing to cut staff and scale back or eliminate services. And the need to make cuts is especially challenging in districts that used ESSER funds to add staff or maintain existing capacity. According to a recent survey by Kentuckys Office of Educational Accountability, Kentucky superintendents plan to keep only 20% of newly created positions. In other words, 1,500 positions were expected to be eliminated as districts planned for the ESSER funding cliff.

ESSER funds provided a temporary glimpse of what is possible with additional resources to address both immediate and longstanding needs in Kentucky schools. But the end of those funds brings back severe funding challenges.

Additional state investment in K-12 funding is one way to mitigate the ESSER fiscal cliff, but the biennial budget passed by the Kentucky General Assembly earlier this year provided only modest funding for public schools. It was not enough to stabilize districts financial situations during the post-ESSER transition  despite extra revenue being available to do so.

One way Kentuckians can ensure that the post-ESSER loss isnt made worse is to reject Amendment 2 this fall. Not only would that prevent the inevitable loss of public funding that would come with a private school voucher program, but it would send a message that lawmakers should put the focus back on Kentuckys public schools, where the vast majority of students will always attend and where the needs are pressing and clear.

Ashley Spalding is Research Director at the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy (kypolicy.org).
A Kentwood High School teacher is on administrative leave after he was charged with first-degree sexual misconduct with a minor earlier this month.

Charging documents state the teacher, 55-year-old Steve Bilvais, took advantage of his position at the Covington school to have a two-year sexual relationship with a 17-year-old female student between Oct. 1, 2017, and June 10, 2019.

The documents allege that Bilvais clearly knew their relationship was illegal, as he told the student he could lose his job or go to jail if anyone found out.

The defendants behavior causes the State great concern that he is likely to commit a violent sexual offense against other minors if released from custody, charging documents dated Aug. 9 said.

The victim told investigators they were hypervigilant about electronic communication and took such steps as using iCloud Notes because they were sneakier.

Bilvais pleaded not guilty to the charge on Aug. 22.

Court records show he doesnt have any previous criminal convictions or warrants.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s sister appeared in Arizona on Tuesday to campaign in support of the Democratic presidential ticket her brother spurned in favor of Republican former President Donald Trump.

Following an intimate meet-and-greet with a group of Arizona Republicans supporting Harris campaign, Kerry Kennedy argued that Trumps vision is anathema to her familys legacy and values.

I love Bobby, she told The Arizona Republic. But I think this is dramatically misguided. And I think it tramples on my fathers and my uncles and aunts reputations and their vision.

The visit serves as a reminder of the disapproval her brother has found from many in RFK Jr.'s famous family as he has drifted from a Democratic presidential candidate to an independent to a prominent supporter of Trump.

Her visit comes several days after RFK Jr. announced Friday 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 the former presidents packed rally in Glendales Desert Diamond Arena.

In an interview, Kerry Kennedy framed the presidential election as a choice between a vision of opportunity and one of anger offered by Trump. She ticked off a list of criticisms of the former president: panning what she described as his anger, rage, chaos, racism and 34 felony indictments.

The list also included his hatred of immigrants, his rage at ordinary Americans who are struggling in this country, and his promise that he will suspend the Constitution in order to go after people who criticize him.

Those are stark choices, she said.

RFK Jr., who has embraced a range of conspiracy theories on the campaign trail, 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 Kennedy said the endorsement was a significant pivot by her brother and said she had extensively voiced her view of Trump to him via text. 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.

In Phoenix she was also scheduled to 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 5, 1968, in Los Angeles. Trump has used the matter to bond with RFK Jr., who has been openly doubtful of the assassinations official narrative. At last weeks rally, the former president, who recently survived an attempt on his own life, pledged to release all of the documents pertaining to the assassination of the elder Kennedy.

In 2017, RFK Jr. visited Sirhan Sirhan, his father's convicted assassin, in a California prison and told the Washington Post that he had concluded that Sirhan was not the assassin. In 2021, his then-93-year-old mother, Ethel Kennedy, publicly contradicted RFK Jr.'s call for Sirhan to be paroled.

Kerry Kennedy called conspiracy theories about her father's assassination "gobbledygook.

She has previously campaigned for President Joe Biden in Pennsylvania in April.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kerry Kennedy meets with Arizona Republicans on behalf of Harris
This photo taken on March 25, 2024 shows assembly lines at a plant of Xiaomi in Beijing, capital of China. [Photo/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.

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.
(Bloomberg) -- 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.

Most Read from Bloomberg

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.

Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said in an email,  Volt Typhoon is actually a ransomware cyber criminal group who calls itself the Dark Power and is not sponsored by any state or region.

He added that China sees signs that the US intelligence community has secretly collaborated with cybersecurity companies to falsely accuse China of supporting cyberattacks against the US as part of an effort to boost congressional budgets and government contracts. Bloomberg couldnt verify those claims.

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.

Story continues

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.

(Updates with comment from Chinese Embassy starting in fifth paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY)  Rep. Jen Kiggans secured $1,000,000 in federal funding for the G. Robert House Water Treatment Plant in Suffolk.

Photo Credit: Congresswoman Jen Kiggans Office

She recently visited the facility to learn more about how the money will be used for facility upgrades. The funds will go towards the removal of excessive fluorides common in groundwater in the Western Tidewater region. The fluoride removal process involves replacing Electrodialysis Reversal (EDR) Membranes.

As the 10th largest city in Virginia, Suffolk needs a sophisticated water system to effectively serve its 100,000 residents, said Congresswoman Kiggans. The funding I secured will go towards guaranteeing Suffolks residents and visitors have access to safer, cleaner drinking water.

Kiggans was joined by Suffolk Mayor Michael Duman and members of the Suffolk City Council.

The City of Suffolk extends its sincere gratitude to Congresswoman Jen Kiggans for her support securing $1 million in Congressionally Directed Spending Funds for the Potable Water Treatment Plant Upgrade of the Electrodialysis Reversal (EDR) Membranes, said Suffolk Mayor Michael Duman.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
KILGORE, Texas (KETK)  Kilgore College announced on Tuesday that they were awarded $150,000 from the Greater Texas Foundation toward emergency aid for students.

FAFSA frustration continues into fall semester

According to a release, the grant will be dispersed over the course of three years and will support the colleges emergency aid program.

We are so grateful to Greater Texas Foundation for this opportunity. Not only will this grant allow us to provide direct emergency aid services to our students, but our staff will also receive intensive training as well, said Ebony Dennis, KC dean of support services and retention. Our overall goal is help our students stay in school so they can reach their educational goals.

Angelina College students return to classrooms for fall semester

The Greater Texas Foundation President and CEO Sue McMillin described the grant saying, emergency aid support can mean the difference between students leaving college without a degree and a student becoming a college graduate.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
'Kind of disturbing': Wrong city's skyline in draft brochure for new Dallas city manager

Dallas, we've got a problem: A draft of a brochure advertising the position of Dallas city manager features the wrong city's skyline.

The recent brochure featured Houston's skyline instead  and that's just one of several issues that the city council brought forward over the seven-page brochure.

People are also reading: Dallas man accused of shooting 2-year-old had 'many satanic and Nazi symbols' in his home

'I hate this photo'

In May, the council had paid roughly $134,000 to a consultancy group called Baker Tilly to organize the national search for the next city manager.

Five Dallas councilmembers, who serve on the Ad Hoc Committee on Administrative Affairs, met with Baker Tilly representatives on Monday to discuss the latest draft of the brochure, which intends to attract applicants for the city's top-paying job.

NBC News' coverage of the meeting shows the committee's less-than-enthusiastic reactions to the brochure. Unsurprisingly, their first concern regarded its cover photo  but it took a few minutes of discussion to identify what, exactly, was wrong with it.

"Im just going to say first off I hate this photo. I don't think it's representative of Dallas," District 12 Councilmember Cara Mendelsohn said, pointing at the front of the brochure. "And I had to look at it for quite a few minutes before I realized it actually was not the city."

Mendelsohn would soon learn her instincts were correct: The featured skyline was not, in fact, Dallas.

Click here to view the latest brochure draft.

"To me this looks old and dated," District 2 Councilmember Jesse Moreno said. "We have one of the best skylines in the country, and I think we need to be able to highlight that."

Jan 17, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; General overall view of Super Bowl LI Live at Discovery Green and the downtown Houston skyline and the Marriott Marquis hotel prior to Super Bowl LI between the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

What council said about the Houston skyline photo

It has been confirmed the brochure's cover photo actually shows Houston's skyline, with the Dallas city logo at the top. The Gulf Building, One Shell Plaza building and 71-story Wells Fargo Plaza building in Downtown Houston can be spotted in the image.

Mendelsohn spoke to NBC News upon learning where the photo had come from.

"I didnt know it was Houston, but thats kind of disturbing," Mendelsohn said. "I would want [Baker Tilly] to be uniquely working on our project - I think they are. Hopefully, theyre focused on the content."

Councilmember Paul Ridley said he would like to see the cover photo changed to include recognizable Dallas structures.

"Reunion Tower and the Pegasus, those have to be in the photograph," Ridley said.

In addition to the cover photo, the committee also suggested the seven-page brochure was too long and could be reduced for clarity.

Feb 5, 2011; Dallas, TX, USA; General view of downtown Dallas skyline before Super Bowl XLV between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Feb. 6, 2011. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Photo of wrong skyline was from a 'trusted image library'

Baker Tilly spokesperson Nicole Berkeland spoke with The Dallas Morning News the day after the meeting, saying the group appreciated the feedback from the council.

"[Baker Tilly is] working with the city to update the cover to reflect the unique identity of Dallas," Berkeland said. "The selection was sourced from a trusted image library that had tagged the image as representing Dallas."

Baker Tilly found the cover photo on Adobe Stock and used Getty Images to confirm the image depicted Dallas.

Representatives from Baker Tilly said a new version of the brochure would be submitted to the committee by Wednesday, according to NBC News. Committee Chair Tennell Atkins said this would give enough time for another review before publishing it for candidates Tuesday, Sept. 3.

More Dallas news: Texas driver stabs bystander, hits others with stolen vehicles after I-635 crash in Dallas

Dallas looks to hire new city manager before 2025

Former City Manager T.C. Broadnax resigned in May to take the same position in Austin. Kimberly Brizor Tolbert has been acting as interim city manager but has not yet announced if she plans to seek the permanent position.

The city council hopes to fill the position by the end of 2024.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Wrong skyline featured in draft of Dallas brochure for city manager
The Reliance, Kitsap Transit's newest passenger-only fast ferry, is expected to be delivered in early April.

Fast ferry sailings between Kingston and Seattle have been canceled until further notice. Kitsap Transit forecasted such a disruption just one month ago.

The Rich Passage 1 has been pulled from the Kingston-Seattle route to fill in for a broken vessel on the Bremerton-Seattle route. The Reliance, which normally services Bremerton, suffered a blown head gasket and will be out of service until repairs are completed, said Kitsap Transit spokesman Sanjay Bhatt.

Mechanics are working to fix the engine issue and Kitsap Transit expects to be able to restore service on the Kingston-Seattle by early next week, Bhatt said.

Kitsap Transit warned that cancellations like these were going to be more likely when two backup vessels were pulled from the Kingston and Southworth ferry routes in late July.

The Enetai and Commander ferries were taken off their routes after both suffering unanticipated failures in their jet propulsion system and arent anticipated to return to service for months. The Enetai will be out of service until mid-November and the Commander could be benched until early 2025, Kitsap Transit reported at the time.

Without the backup ferries, Kitsap Transit told riders that sailings could be canceled on the Kingston and Southworth routes if one of the vessels fails. In this instance, the Rich Passage will be taken from Kingston to cover for the failed Bremerton-Seattle ferry.

Kitsap Transit reported over 12,8000 riders on the Kingston-Seattle route in July and nearly 54,000 riders on the Bremerton-Seattle route the same month. The routes saw 97% and 93% sailing reliability respectively in July.

While the Reliance is being repaired, riders can buy a ticket for Washington State Ferries sailings at the Seattle passenger-only deck.

Kitsap Transit advises passengers who ride Kitsap Transit buses to the Kingston Ferry Terminal to use routed services from one of its Park & Rides that go to Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal. These are Route 390Poulsbo/Bainbridge and Route 333Silverdale/Bainbridge.

For passengers traveling from the Kingston or Suquamish area, Kitsap Transit advises taking Route 302Kingston/Suquamish Fast Ferry or Route 307Kingston/North Viking Fast Ferry to connect with Routes 390 or 333.

Passengers who booked a Kingston Ride Fast Ferry Commuter trip can call 844-475-7433 to check on the status of their trip and pick-up location if they haven't been contacted already. To cancel a trip on the Kingston Fast Ferry, riders should call 844-475-7433 in advance.

This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Fast Ferry sailings cancelled between Kingston-Seattle
What to know ahead of JD Vances visit to Erie

ERIE, PA (WJET/WFXP)  Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance is visiting Erie on Wednesday to rally up more support for the GOP ticket.

The Ohio senator and Donald Trumps running mate will take the stage at 3 p.m. on Wednesday at Team Hardinger, located at 1280 West 18th St. Doors will open at noon for the event.

According to advance publicity from the campaign, Vance is expected to discuss economic and energy policies.

General admission tickets are available to purchase online here but will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Educational toolkit aims to provide voters important info. regarding upcoming election

Team Hardinger is a logistics company that handles trucking, brokerage, transportation and warehousing.

We think thats the fabric of America. We think our team represents America and so were thrilled to have a vice presidential candidate come and connect with our team, the folks here, and whoever wants to attend, said Herold Bender, president of Team Hardinger.

Security for the event will be on high alert as multiple organizations are working together for a smooth operation.

The Secret Service, Pennsylvania State Police, Erie police, Millcreek police and Trump campaign managers were out making safety plans in the week leading up to the rally.

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Usually its under a weeks notice and causes a little scramble. We do a site survey to make sure were familiar with the area theyre going to. But the good thing is weve been doing this for years, said Dan Spizarny, City of Erie police chief.

Chief Spizarny added that the different agencies involved in security efforts all provide different resources and may offer options that other departments lack.

Trump will also be in the Keystone State this week as he plans to hold a rally in Johnstown  about an hour and a half drive from Pittsburgh  on Friday, Aug. 30.

JD Vance was elected as a U.S. senator for Ohio back in 2022.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
What you need to know about the new Flu and COVID vaccines

HONOLULU (KHON2)  Flu season is just around the corner and the new influenza vaccine is now available. Heres what you need to know.

Check out whats going on around the nation on our National News page

Kakaako resident Gerard Kaleohana gets his flu shot every year and he said he hasnt been sick in a long time.

Everybody should get it, Kaleohana said. Stay protected, inoculated.

Flu season may have reached its peak

According to the state health department, the updated influenza vaccine protects against three different flu strains. Since it recently came out, they said it should be widely available.

Scott Sutton, regional director for CVS/Longs Drugs, said the flu shot is in high demand.

Text scam uses your phones SMS to target your contacts

Its really recommended to get a flu vaccine every year, he explained. The body diminishes that vaccine over time so its really helpful to immunize against all variants of flu, including COVID. That is always top of mind for all of us and keep our friends, family, keiki and loved ones safe.

Sutton said its best not to wait.

Its up to two weeks to take full effects so its advised to get your flu vaccine early fall till the end of October, he explained.

Tropical twists: Discover Hawaiis wild wine scene

CDC recommends everyone six months of age and older receive an updated 2024-2025 influenza vaccine. Flu vaccination has important benefits. It can reduce flu illnesses, visits to doctors offices, and missed work and school due to flu, as well as make symptoms less severe and reduce flu-related hospitalizations and deaths. Department of Health in a statement

According to Sutten, the new COVID vaccine is also available.

We received the COVID vaccine, most locations, just a few days ago so its brand new, FDA approved, he said. I would also just recommend that youre able to get your flu vaccine and COVID vaccine at the same time.

Both COVID and flu vaccines can be taken at no cost, the pharmacy will go through the patients insurance.

CVS/Longs Pharmacy is accepting walk-ins. Its best to call the location before you go to make sure they have the vaccines in stock. You can also book an appointment online.

To make an appointment, visit CVSs 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 KHON2.
CHRISTCHURCH, News Zealand  Australia and the local subsidiary of Norway-based Kongsberg will establish a new missile production in the country, as the company joins other global munitions players in a multibillion-dollar, local push to ramp up munitions production.

Construction of the new factory is slated to commence before years end, producing and servicing Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) and Joint Strike Missiles (JSM).

Canberra is contributing up to A$850 million  around US$578 million  to the project. Employing 100 people, the Kongsberg factory will be located at the airport precinct in Newcastle, New South Wales  the first such plant outside of Norway.

A Kongsberg Defence Australia spokesperson told Defense News: Itll take approximately 18 months to build, and we expect the factory to be complete in Q2 2026.

At that point it will go through a commissioning and certification process, with the commencement of missile manufacturing from 2027, ramping up the capability for full-rate production by the end of 2028.

The new plant will primarily make weapons for the Australian forces, but the company expects to have enough capacity later on for other clients in the region, according to the spokesman.

Eirik Lie, president of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, said the expansion follows strong international demand for the companys strike missiles

Although the JSM has yet to be ordered by Australias Air Force, the governments so-called Integrated Investment Program stated it is exploring options for putting the weapon on F-35A fighter jets.

Meanwhile, the NSM is replacing Harpoon missiles on Australian Anzac-class frigates and Hobart-class destroyers under a deal signed in December 2022. Incidentally, an Australian destroyer fired an NSM for the first time during the RIMPAC 2024 exercise in July.

The missile factory announcement coincided with the news that Kongsberg Defence Australia would join Lockheed Martin Australia and Raytheon Australia as a third strategic partner in the governments Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise.

Established last year, GWEO is the agency charged with expanding Australias sovereign weapons production capacity.

The program has prioritized four weapons for Australian production so far: the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System, Evolved SeaSparrow Missile, 155mm artillery ammunition, and the NSM.

This is about investing in our advanced, high-tech manufacturing industry and developing our sovereign defense industrial base in areas which have been identified as strategic priorities, which in turn means we can accelerate capability delivery to the countrys armed forces, Australias minister overseeing the defense industry, Pat Conroy, said.
Kouri Richins, Children's Book Author Accused of Killing Husband with Fentanyl, Will Go to Trial, Judge Rules

The mother of three is accused of trying to kill her husband with fentanyl on more than one occasion

Rick Bowmer/AP Photo Kouri Richins

Kouri Richins will stand trial for the alleged murder of her husband, a Utah judge has ruled.

On Tuesday, Aug. 27, the second day of Richins preliminary hearing, Judge Richard Mrazik said there was enough evidence from prosecutors to move forward in charging the 34-year-old mother of three for the alleged murder of 39-year-old Eric Richins.

Kouri is accused of lacing his drink with a fatal dose of fentanyl on March 3, 2022.

Kouri Richins/Facebook Kouri and Eric Richins

She pleaded not guilty to all 11 counts she's facing in court on Tuesday. Her trial is scheduled to begin on April 28, per the Associated Press.

Kouri allegedly used fentanyl purchased from the familys housekeeper, Carmen Lauber, to poison Eric that March. She is also accused of adding fentanyl to his sandwich on Valentines Day in 2022, after nine years of marriage.



Related: Author of a Children's Book About Grief Said Husband Would Be 'Better Off Dead' Before Killing Him: Prosecutors

Two of Erics friends said in written testimony he told them he used his sons EpiPen and drank a bottle of Benadryl after eating a portion of the sandwich.

After waking up, Eric allegedly told one of his friends, I think my wife tried to poison me, AP News reported, citing charging documents.

After that alleged incident, Eric became sick and broke out in hives.

Deleted text messages recovered by police and location data suggest Kouri was possibly having an extramarital affair and left to see her alleged lover after bringing the sandwich home.

She allegedly texted, If he could just go away ... life would be so perfect, the day after Valentines Day, according to the AP.

Related: Author of Children's Book on Grief Accused of Killing Husband Allegedly Tried to Poison Him Multiple Times in Past

In court on Monday, Aug. 26, detective Jeff ODriscoll said Lauber told police that Kouri asked her for stronger fentanyl when the Valentines Day attempt didnt work.

She learned that putting it in a sandwich, where Eric Richins could take a bite, feel the effects, set the sandwich down, was not the proper way to administer a fatal dose of fentanyl, Summit County prosecutor Brad Bloodworth told Judge Mrazik, per the AP. She learned that it takes a truckload to kill him.

Rick Bowmer/AP Photo Kouri Richins and attorney Skye Lazaro; September 2023

Seventeen days later, Kouri called 911 in the middle of the night claiming she found Eric cold to the touch at the foot of their bed, per AP News, citing a police report.

Following his death, a medical examiner found five times the lethal dosage of fentanyl in Erics system.

Kouri later released a self-published childrens book about grief, titled Are You with Me? before she was arrested in May 2023. The AP added that prosecutors could describe the book as a calculated killing with an elaborate cover-up attempt.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

We are not determining in any degree guilt at all, Mrazik said, per Park City public radio station KPCW.

Ms. Richins was presumed innocent of all charges yesterday, she is presumed innocent of all charges today and she will remain presumed innocent of all charges through trial.

Kouris defense attorneys, Kathy Nester and Wendy Lewis, also shared a statement on Tuesday.

Our focus now is on ensuring that justice is served through a fair trial, they said, per KPCW. These past 15 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.



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Read the original article on People.
Kremlin, dismissing Zelenskiy's talk of plan to end war, says Russia will keep fighting

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin on Wednesday dismissed talk by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy about a plan he has to end the war and said Russia would continue what it calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine.

Zelenskiy said on Tuesday he would present his plan - full details of which he did not publicly disclose - to U.S. President Joe Biden and his two potential successors.

Zelenskiy, addressing a news conference, said Kyiv's three-week-old incursion into Russia's Kursk region was part of his plan, but that it also comprised other steps on the economic and diplomatic fronts.

The idea, said Zelenskiy - who is pressing Washington to allow his forces to use long-range U.S.-supplied arms to strike deep inside Russia - was to force Moscow to end the war.

"This is not the first time that we have heard such statements from representatives of the Kyiv regime. We are aware of the nature of this Kyiv regime," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about Zelenskiy's plan.

"We are continuing our special military operation and will achieve all of our goals."

Russia is currently engaged in repelling the Ukrainian incursion that began on Aug. 6, and is pressing ahead with its own offensive in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.

Peskov also said that Russia supported India's view on the need for a peaceful settlement, but said it was "more than obvious" that there was no basis for talks right now.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that he had told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call that he backed an early, peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict, days after Modi held talks with Zelenskiy in Kyiv.

(Reporting by Gleb Stolyarov; Writing by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
The Kremlin has once again accused Ukraine of being responsible for attacks on the Kursk nuclear power plant in western Russia.

The allegation came a day after Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), visited the facility and warned about the "extremely serious" risk of a nuclear accident there.

Grossi noted that so far the plant has operated normally, despite claims by Russia that Ukrainian forces have tried to attack the site with drones as part of their major cross-border incursion into Russian territory.

He said during his visit that he had been informed by Russia about alleged drone attacks, but did not elaborate or attribute blame.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday suggested that Grossi had not been totally forthcoming.

"Grossi saw the results of the drone attacks on the plant, assessed the threat those attacks could pose, as well as a potential threat that remains," he said.

"For understandable reasons, the IAEA says it is not authorized to name the perpetrator of the attacks, but in this case, it is so obvious that there is no question about it. The guilt of the Ukrainian side in escalating the nuclear danger is more than obvious," Peskov was quoted as saying by the TASS state news agency.

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of an attempted attack on the nuclear power plant, without providing any evidence. Kiev denied the accusation.

On August 6, Ukrainian units occupied Russian territory for the first time since the start of the all-out invasion ordered by Putin in February 2022.

The exact location of the Ukrainian front inside Russia's Kusk region is not clear, although reports say the forward troops could be less than 30 kilometres away from the nuclear plant.
(Reuters) -Chipotle Mexican Grill on Wednesday appointed Adam Rymer as its chief financial officer from Oct. 1.

Rymer is a 15-year Chipotle veteran, who previously served as vice president of finance.

Rymer will report to interim CEO Scott Boatwright.

The company also said Jack Hartung, former chief financial and administrative officer, will serve "indefinitely" as president and chief strategy officer beginning from October to support Boatwright.

(Reporting by Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur and Maju Samuel)
PORTLAND, Ore. - Just as Kroger seeks to convince a federal judge that its proposed $25 billion takeover of rival Albertsons is good for its workers and shoppers, the local union called for a week-long strike and accused it of violating its contract.

Local 555, of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, said the strike began Wednesday morning. The strike involves 4,500 workers walking off the job from all 28 Fred Meyer stores (a Kroger subsidiary) in the Portland metro area. Workers began to picket stores across the city and ask shoppers to take their business elsewhere, union officials said. The next bargaining session is scheduled on Thursday.

The Kroger Headquarters building in Downtown, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024.

The union said the move was in response to a string of alleged unfair labor practices, including withholding information in an ongoing contract negotiation. Union officials also accused the grocer of distributing misleading information about talks and failing to make contractually required pension contribution payments. Early this month, the union sued the grocer in federal court, claiming a breach of the labor agreement in procedures for resolving contract disputes.

Awkward timing and place for Kroger strike

The strike also comes as Local 555 president, Dan Clay, is expected to be called as a witness on Wednesday during a hearing regarding Krogers merger proposal.

Regulators from the Federal Trade Commission are suing in the U.S. District Court for Oregon for an order to halt the deal for months while it fights to stop the merger permanently. A Kroger attorney told the court Monday such an order would effectively kill the merger. Kroger has argued the deal is good for its workers because it helps it compete more effectively against non-union retailers. Union workers and other opponents, meanwhile, fear jobs will be lost.

(The) strike is crucial to force Fred Meyer to comply with their obligations  Our membership came out in overwhelming support of this action and the community has our back, Clay said in a statement Tuesday evening.

Union supported merger before contract talks went sour

Local 555 was the only union chapter that initially endorsed the merger. But it withdrew that support this month as local tensions over a new contract grew.

In a statement, Todd Kammeyer, the president of Fred Meyer, said the company respects our associates right to collectively bargain and their decision to strike, but vowed to keep the stores open to serve the Portland community. He also noted preserving union jobs was why Kroger wanted to win its fight to merge with Albertsons.

The company believes associates should have a voice in choosing what is right for them and their families, he said. Protecting our associates right to collectively bargain  is exactly what Krogers proposed merger with Albertsons will do. If the merger is blocked, the only winners will be non-union food retailers such as Walmart, Costco and Amazon.

Fred Meyer president testified in merger

Meanwhile, Kammeyer testified during the hearing on Tuesday as regulators and supermarket officials analyzed and argued over whom Kroger and Albertsons compete with the most. Kammeyer and two other Kroger executives, Andrew Groff and Michael Marx, testified as well as Albertsons executive, Carl Huntington. Two other retail executives testified on Tuesday: Scott Neal of Sprouts Farmers Market and Kurt Unkelbach.

Kroger executives said the Cincinnati-based supermarket giant was focused on competing with Walmart, not traditional grocery stores. In the case, Kroger and its Albertsons are stressing rivalries with other retailers that sell groceries to downplay the impact of removing the Boise, Idaho-based grocer from the competitive landscape.

Still, regulators have revealed several internal Kroger documents that refer to Albertsons as a major competitor and that the company closely tracked price changes at its more traditional rival. On Tuesday, Kammeyer admitted Fred Meyer slashed prices on beer during Super Bowl week in 2023 after they learned local Albertsons and Safeway stores planned a steep discount on the beverage.

It was a big move  shockingly low, Kammeyer recalled, adding that his stores were forced to follow suit to stay competitive.

For the latest on Kroger, P&G, Fifth Third Bank and Cincinnati business, follow @alexcoolidge on X (formerly Twitter).

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Kroger workers strike in Portland as grocer defends Albertsons deal
Wednesdays Top Stories

Wednesdays Five Facts

[1] Albuquerque police chief faces lawsuit over crash  Court documents show the family of the man injured in a car crash involving APDs Chief of Police is now filing a lawsuit against the city and Chief Harold Medina. Todd Perchert had serious injuries when Chief Medina crashed into his vehicle in February. Medina says gunfire caused him to speed through a red light. An internal investigation uncovered that Medina did not turn on his body camera after the crash. The chief claimed he was invoking his fifth amendment right to not self-incriminate. The investigation revealed police department policy did not permit Medina to do that.

[2] Albuquerque police investigate after two people shot and killed -The Albuquerque Police Department is investigating a double homicide in the area of Parsifal St. and Chico Rd. APD says officers responded to reports of a shooting in the area. When officers arrived they found one victim that had suffered from gunshot wounds and was dead on scene. A second victim was taken to a hospital, where they died from their wounds.

[3] Slow-moving pockets of storms impact New Mexico  As temperatures across the region rise into the upper 60s, 70s, 80s, and lower 90s by the afternoon, an influx of moisture in the air from the southwest, along with just enough daytime heating, will lead to plenty of areas receiving at least some heavy doses of rainfall. The west-central part of the region has the best chance of rain for today with the flash flooding risk higher in the early-to-mid afternoon hours.

[4] Iconic building in downtown Albuquerque up for sale  The iconic building that houses The Range Cafe in downtown Albuquerque is up for sale. The building, on Central near Broadway, opened in 2006 as the Standard Diner before taking on the Range Cafe name in 2020. Vince DiGreggory, the current owner of the building, says his family are willing to entertain the idea of continuing to run downtown cafe under a lease if any future building owner is interested in keeping them around. The property is listed for $2.8 million.

[5] Bernalillo County launches Mobile Rec Unit to offer kids safe recreational activities  Kids in the metro will now have more access to activities thanks to the Bernalillo Countys community center on wheels. The mobile rec van travels to parks and provides kids with games to play. The Mobile Rec Unit aims to build trust with the community and to provide information on city services for parents. The county said providing kids with this outlet will help keep them out of trouble.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Ukraines military incursion into Russian territory in the Kursk region is covering some of the same territory on which the Soviet Union scored one of its most important victories over German invaders in World War II, one that some historians say turned the tide of the war in Europe almost a year before the D-Day invasion of Normandy.

The June 6, 1944, landings on the beaches of France are often thought of in the West as the turning point in Nazi leader Adolf Hitlers conquest of Europe, but the die was cast for Germanys defeat from July 5 to August 23, 1943, when millions of troops and thousands of tanks and armored guns did battle around Kursk, the historians say.

With victory in Kursk, the Soviets seized the initiative in the east and never surrendered it until the end of the war, said Michael Bell, executive director of the Jenny Craig Institute for the Study of War and Democracy at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.

What was the Battle of Kursk?

In the spring of 1943, Hitlers army in the east was badly wounded by the Battle of Stalingrad, where the Germans lost almost a million men in their attempt to take the city on the Volga River, rout a battered Soviet army, and capture oil fields in the southern Caucasus that could provide the fuel for Germanys full conquest of Europe.

Soviet leader Josef Stalin ordered Stalingrad defended at all costs and German advances during the late summer and fall of 1942 were pushed back during the winter, and what was left of the German forces in the city surrendered by February 1943.

As German forces were pushed back along the Eastern Front after Stalingrad, Hitlers generals looked for a way to regain the initiative in the east and settled on trying to pinch off a Soviet salient, a 150-mile, north-to-south bulge in the German lines, defended by more than a million men and centered on Kursk.

The generals wanted to attack in the spring, but Hitler pushed back the start of the operation, dubbed Operation Citadel, so some of Germanys newest tanks could be dispatched to the battlefront.

Battle of Kursk bulge, July 1943. - Sovfoto/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

This gave the Soviets ample time to prepare defenses for what was an obvious point for an attack, said Peter Mansoor, a professor of history at The Ohio State University and former US Army armored cavalry commander.

It was pretty easy to tell that the Germans would have an interest in squeezing this bulge out of the front, Mansoor said.

Germany would commit as many as 800,000 troops and around 3,000 tanks to take that salient.

But they faced formidable defenses.

Bell, from the World War II museum, said the Soviets prepared a series of defensive lines, dug 3,000 miles of anti-tank ditches and laid 400,000 land mines to defend the bulge, while putting 75% of its armor and 40% of its manpower on the Eastern Front in the Kursk salient or in reserve behind it.

While the new tanks Hitler wanted in the battle were more powerful than Soviet armor, Stalins forces had the numerical advantage, Bell said.

The Germans have some superior equipment, but the superiority in numbers is clearly on the Soviet side, Bell said.

Some estimates of Soviet strength in the Battle of Kursk surpass 2 million troops and more than 7,000 tanks.

The numerical advantage tipped even further to the Soviet side when on July 9, Allied forces landed on the Italian island of Sicily, opening a new front Hitler had to defend and prompting him to transfer some forces from the Eastern Front to Italy, the historians said.

The German forces that remained could not break the Soviet defenses, falling well short of objectives and never penetrating deep into rear areas.

The cost to Hitlers forces was steep, with casualty figures ranging up to 200,000 or more killed and around 1,000 tanks lost, according to histories of the battle.

The Germans were never able to mass forces again to the magnitude that they attempt with this battle, Bell said.

What Kursk did was eliminate the German armor reserves and thereby made it impossible for the Germans to successfully defend the Russian front for the rest of the war, Mansoor said.

After Kursk, the Germans could no longer replace their manpower losses and they lost the cream of their armored corps there, he said.

The Kursk battlefield today

When Ukrainian forces crossed the border into the Kursk region on August 6, they had an advantage that the Germans didnt have in 1943  surprise.

The offensive was planned in complete secrecy, and troop movements were made to look like reinforcements of defensive positions or an exercise inside Ukraine.

And Russia was not prepared to defend that territory like it was in portions of Ukraine which it has taken, Mansoor said.

In fact, the defenses Russia set up  layers of trenches, mines, anti-tank weapons backed by artillery and armor  in parts of the Donbas region of Ukraine which it occupies are much like the Soviet defenses of Kursk in 1943, he said.

The Russians have not changed their way of war all that much, Mansoor said.

And that may play to Ukraines advantage today, said the former US Army armored cavalry officer.

Ukraine has created maneuver space inside Russian territory using combined arms warfare  successfully synchronizing infantry, long-range artillery and aviation in support of each other  something Kyivs forces had not been able to do before.

It really changes the nature of the war, at least in that area of the front line, Mansoor said.

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Kyiv dam not in danger of breaching after Russian attack, company says

The Kyiv dam is not under threat of breaching following a recent Russian attack on Kyiv Oblast, Ihor Syrota, the director of the state-owned Ukrhydroenergo hydroelectric energy company, said on Aug. 28.

Russia launched on Aug. 26 its largest attack on Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion, hitting the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant that is adjacent to the Kyiv dam. Authorities said at the time that the facility suffered "no critical damage."

"There is currently no danger of breach or flooding of the Kyiv dam," Syrota said on air on national television. The Kyiv dam is built over the Dnipro River just north of Ukraine's capital.

The official added that debris removal from the plant is ongoing, and it is currently impossible to assess the full consequences and required repairs. Not a single employee was injured, as the staff strictly followed safety protocols and hid in shelters, the director noted.

"As of today, unfortunately, there is no station (of Ukrhydroenergo) that has not been attacked by Russia," Syrota said.

The occupied Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant and the adjacent dam in Kherson Oblast were blown up from the inside by Russian forces in June 2023, with the resulting floods causing devastating economic and environmental damage in southern Ukraine.

Zaporizhzhia's Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant was hit and heavily damaged during a massive Russian aerial campaign against energy infrastructure in March 2024, though the dam itself was not breached.

According to Syrota, Kakhovka is currently "completely lost" to Ukraine, while the Dnipro station "practically doesn't work" as of today.

Ukrhydroenergo is doing all it can to restore its infrastructure, but it is difficult to make long-term predictions in the light of Russia's ongoing attacks, the director added.

Russia has repeatedly used mass attacks against Ukraine's energy grid to break the country's ability and resolve to fight off the invasion, first during the autumn-winter period of 2022-2023 and then again in the spring of 2024.

After a relative lull over the summer that gave Ukraine a chance to restore some of its capacity, Russia launched fresh attacks in the past few days, again necessitating restrictions on energy consumption.

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.
The Kyiv city authorities have reported that the water supplied to the city residents is safe.

Source: press service of Kyiv City State Administration

Quote: "The information that poisonous substances flowing from the side of the Russian border were detected in the Desna River near the city of Kyiv is being actively spread online. In this regard, the Kyivvodokanal water supply company emphasises that the situation with water treatment and water supply in the capital is under control."

Details: The experts of Kyivvodokanal constantly take water samples both at the stage of water intake and at all the stages of water treatment. Any changes in the quality of river water will be promptly noticed and a disinfection process will be adjusted accordingly. The water supplied to Kyiv households is safe, its quality is constantly under control, so there are no threats for consumers," the water supply company states.

The representatives of Kyivvodokanal, jointly with state services, constantly conduct the monitoring of water quality in the Desna River. In the event that any threats are detected, all necessary measures will be taken.

Quote: "As for the quality of water in the capital, we call for trusting only the information published on the information resources of Kyivvodokanal and Kyiv City State Administration."

Background:

Earlier, Ukrainian media outlets reported with reference to the State Agency for the Development of Melioration, Fishing and Food Programmes of Ukraine that on 14 August Russian troops had started a large-scale pollution of water in the Seym River (which is a left tributary of the Desna River).

At the same time, the State Ecological Inspection of Ukraine tested the water samples from the Desna River within Kyiv Oblast and detected no significant deviations.

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This is going to be the worst budget in decades, a milestone in Britains accelerating decline, a farrago of deceit, vindictiveness and economic illiteracy. Having sworn that its spending commitments were fully costed, that it had no plans for further tax rises, Labour is now warning of painful increases to come, especially on those with the broadest shoulders.

Not content with having lied so grotesquely, and being elected under false pretences, Labour is continuing to take the voters for fools. The Government is showering union comrades with cash and the economy is recovering, but we are meant to believe that it has no choice, that a supposed fiscal black hole inherited from those dastardly Tories must immediately be filled by higher taxes. Yes, the Conservatives were useless, but Keir Starmer didnt need much of a casus belli to unleash a socialist war on wealth.

Life is about to become a lot nastier for what the Left describe as the rich but who would usually be more accurately categorised as belonging to the coping classes. These are the kinds of people who often struggle to pay their mortgages, afford childcare and accumulate a little wealth for retirement. Those likely to be singled out for a shakedown belong to five overlapping groups: the top fifth of income taxpayers (soon to be anybody on 50,000, where the 40p tax rate begins, or above); small investors; private school parents; owners of expensive homes; and pensioners.

Gordon Browns raid on pension funds in his first Budget was one of the most destructive decisions ever taken by a chancellor. He removed the 20 per cent tax credit enjoyed by pension funds on dividends from UK companies, trashing returns, fatally undermining retirement schemes and triggering a series of other unforeseen catastrophes.

Rachel Reeves could go one further if she chooses to follow a blueprint from the Fabian Society that is being widely discussed in Left-wing circles. Tax relief on employee and employer pension contributions, the last big loophole in the tax code, is worth 66 billion a year; only a third of that (22 billion) is offset by tax levied on pensions paid out. Some 53 per cent of the tax relief went to the top fifth of income tax payers, which to the Fabians is terribly unfair.

Their answer: slash tax relief to a flat rate of 25-30 per cent; drastically reduce the tax-free lump sum that pensioners can take out of their pots; charge national insurance on private pension incomes; slap employer national insurance on pension contributions; and charge inheritance and even income tax on pension assets.

The end result: a massive increase in tax, special privileges to protect public sector final pension schemes and, to rescue private schemes, an increase in employer contributions under automatic enrolment from 3 to 7 per cent of earnings, depressing pay rises for years.

Such a proposal would be a disaster for Britains army of 40p and 45p taxpayers, the linchpin of the economy. Why should they bother staying in Britain? If the 40p rate were to affect the same, smaller share of people as it did in 1991, its threshold would need to double to 100,000 in 202728, the Institute for Fiscal Studies calculates. On top of that, taxpayers used to enjoy mortgage tax relief (phased out by Brown) as well as generous pension tax relief.

This has been hacked back, but the Fabian plan would be the final nail in the coffin. The top fifth of taxpayers would also bear the brunt of Reeves likely decision to increase capital gains tax, perhaps aligning the rate to that of income tax, and also to widen the scope of inheritance tax. Those on somewhat higher incomes are already being hammered by Reeves class war against private schools, and many professionals will see their opportunities diminished as non-doms leave London.

Pensioners, reeling from the removal of the winter fuel allowance, might be hit again: the Treasury would love those still in work to pay National Insurance Contributions. Last but not least, I fear that Reeves will either revalue council tax, landing millions of families with higher bills, or introduce a property wealth tax, replacing council tax (and perhaps stamp duty) by a proportional, annual levy on houses, forcing hundreds of thousands of asset-rich but cash-poor homeowners to sell up.

In The Politics of Procrustes, Antony Flew identified the malady at the heart of the socialist project. Procrustes was an egalitarian bandit who would lurk between Athens and Eleusis. He would force travellers to lie in a metal bed. If their legs were too long, he would amputate them; if they were too short, he would stretch them to make them fit.

Starmer and Reeves are Procrustean technocrats. Their egalitarianism is their central value, which explains why they are so confused about growth. They seem to think that the economy is driven by house building, infrastructure projects, mass immigration, green energy and trade with the EU, all of which can be partly directed by the state.

Of course, we need more homes and infrastructure, but real, sustainable growth requires gifted entrepreneurs to create new, more productive companies that compete globally. It involves growing the City of London again, as well as tech and science firms; it necessitates a boom in private investment and innovations by flexible workforces; it needs cheaper energy and less regulation. Real growth stems from, and leads to, inequality: it entails a tax system that rewards work, investment and success.

In Denver, aimed at 5- to 6-year-olds, David McKee, the best-selling childrens author, tells the story of a wealthy man. He is kind and generous, and employs many villagers. He is popular until a stranger turns up and begins to foment jealousy by telling the villagers it isnt fair that he is richer than them. Disgusted, Denver divides his money equally between his neighbours and moves to a more welcoming town, where he rebuilds his fortune. The original villagers burn their cash on a holiday, before returning to their impoverished, jobless hamlet, destroyed by the green-eyed monster.

McKee, who lived in France, was inspired by that countrys disastrous wealth tax. Britain is now equally set on a path to ruin, and it is the middle classes that will bear the brunt of the coming calamity.

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.
(WHTM)  Auditor General Timothy L. DeFoor released a performance audit today that showed Pennsylvania taxpayers paid $7 million more for Medicaid prescription drug benefits than they should have in 2022.

The audit cites a lack of oversight by the Department of Human Services and spread pricing by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) as the reason for the excess cost.

Our auditors found evidence of spread pricing, inadequate monitoring by DHS and overcharging of taxpayers by PBMs, resulting in a loss of $7 million in taxpayer money in just 2022 alone, Auditor General DeFoor said. PBMs are counting on the fact that no one is checking their reporting so they can get paid a higher rate and still collect a fee from the pharmacy. We made recommendations to ensure more accountability and process improvements, but what really needs to happen here are changes in the law.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General (PDAG), DHS contracts with managed care organizations (MCOs) to implement the Physical HealthChoices Medicaid program. MCOs then contract with PBMs to manage the prescription drug benefits for the program. According to DHS, more than 2.8 million Pennsylvanians utilize this taxpayer-funded benefit.

The PDAG says spread pricing occurs when PBM charges an insurance plan more for a prescription drug than what is paid to the pharmacy for that medication. The PBM then keeps the fee as another source of revenue.

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This is not just a process issue, Auditor General DeFoor added. Pharmacies are going out of business because of the impact of spread pricing. Spread pricing in any form is hurting the very people we promised to help.

The auditors found that DHS did not effectively monitor the HealthChoices programs expenditures of $4.6 billion in 2022. This resulted in undisclosed spread pricing in which PBMs were not reporting transmission fees charged to pharmacies to the MCOs and DHS. This lack of transparency resulted in overstated pharmacy data, per the PDAG.

In addition, the PDAG says auditors found that DHS did not effectively monitor contracts between MCOs and PBMs. DHS did not have specific written policies for its contract monitoring efforts and did not verify that PBM contracts complied with the HealthChoices contract.

Auditors also found that the company was transparent with pharmacies regarding the additional fees, however it never provided that information to the MCOs or DHS.

The Auditor Generals office says PerformRX is legally required to inform the MCO and DHS of any fees it charges to pharmacies.

The audit objectives were to:

Determine whether DHS effectively monitored the PBMs pharmacy claims, including, but not limited to, the accuracy of the pharmacy information used to prepare the capitation rates for the HealthChoices Medicaid program.

Determine whether DHS effectively monitored the PBMs contracts to ensure compliance and transparency for the HealthChoices Medicaid program; and

Determine if the PBM PerformRX was compliant with 62 P.S.  449(h)(3) and (4) of the Human Services Code (as amended by Act 120 of 2020) regarding charges and fees paid to the PBM by the pharmacies, or pharmacy service organizations, as compared to the corresponding amounts billed to the applicable HealthChoices MCOs to ensure transparency, compliance, and accountability for the HealthChoices Medicaid Program.

A lot of work has been done on both sides of the aisle to implement changes to how PBMs operate in Pennsylvania, DeFoor added. Now is the time to focus on the taxpayer-funded Medicaid system and close the loophole that allows PBMs to charge pharmacies transmission fees. We need changes in the law to make sure there is no room for spread pricing to occur with our tax dollars and the law needs to clearly define that DHS is accountable for the information reported to them by their contractors.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
A Lake-Sumter State College spokesman confirmed the systems president is on a paid leave of absence for now as questions swirl about the schools leadership.

Heather Bigard, who has led the school since March 2022, officially went on leave last week, the spokesman said.

Bigard has worked for the school in different capacities since 2016. The school did not provide any details about what led to her stepping away.

Read: CDC issues warning over sloth fever, 2 cases reported in Orange County

The schools Board of Trustees has called a meeting for 5 p.m. Friday at the chairmans Clermont law office to discuss the current and future direction of the College.

Several phone calls to trustees went unreturned Wednesday.

Read: Regina Hill case: 96-year-old files lawsuit to force sale of home

The District Board of Trustees remains committed to the strategic priorities of the institution and has empowered the Presidents leadership team to continue daily operations of the College in this interim period, the spokesman relayed.

As of earlier this month, Lake-Sumter enrolled more than 5,600 students across its four campuses, though that number was expected to rise as the school year approached. Its website boasts of being one of the highest-ranked community colleges in the state.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
The removal of dams and the draining of reservoirs has enabled the Klamath River to return to its historic channel.

Excavators clawed at the remnants of Iron Gate Dam, clattering loudly as they unloaded tons of earth and rock into dump trucks.

Nine miles upriver, machinery tore into the foundation of a second dam, Copco No. 1, carving away some of the last fragments of the sloping concrete barrier that once towered above the Klamath River.

Over the last few weeks, crews have nearly finished removing the last of the four dams that once held back the Klamath River near the California-Oregon border.

On Wednesday, workers carved channels to breach the remaining cofferdams at the last two sites, allowing water to flow freely along more than 40 miles of the Klamath for the first time in more than a century.

The draining of reservoirs on the Klamath River has left a dry lake bed beside a flowing creek.

Indigenous leaders and activists cheered, smiled and embraced as they watched the river slowly begin to pour through what was left of Iron Gate Dam. Some were in tears.

For activists who have been waiting for this moment for years, the feelings of joy and excitement have been building in recent weeks as the undamming work neared completion.

The biggest thing for me, the significance of the dam removal project, is just hope  understanding that change can be made, Brook M. Thompson, a Yurok Tribe member, said recently as she stood on a rocky bluff overlooking the remnants of Iron Gate Dam.

This is definitely one of the highlights of my entire life, seeing this view that we're looking at right now, Thompson said. This is everything.

The dismantling of four hydroelectric dams, which began in June 2023 and has involved hundreds of workers, is the largest dam removal effort in U.S. history.

The project's goals include reviving the rivers ecosystem and enabling chinook and coho salmon to swim upstream and spawn along 400 miles of the Klamath and its tributaries.

Salmon are central to the culture and fishing tradition of Native tribes along the Klamath River. But the dams have long blocked the fish from reaching ancestral spawning areas, and have degraded water quality, contributing to toxic algae blooms and disease outbreaks that have killed fish.

Thompson, a 28-year-old restoration engineer for the Yurok Tribe, is one of many Indigenous activists who began protesting to demand change after witnessing a mass fish kill in 2002, when tens of thousands of salmon died, filling the river with carcasses.

Brook Thompson a restoration engineer for the Yurok Tribe, walks along Camp Creek, a tributary of the Klamath River where crews have been doing watershed restoration work.

Brook Thompson of the Yurok Tribe stands above the removal site of the Iron Gate Dam. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Thompson was 7 when she saw the dead fish floating in the river, and that memory has stayed with her. She saw it as evidence that dam removal was essential for restoring the river's health.

In high school, she traveled by bus to demonstrations in Sacramento, Portland, Ore., and other places. She grew accustomed to hearing some say their calls for dam removal would never become a reality.

Now, those hard-fought dreams are finally coming to fruition.

Read more: The largest dam removal in history stirs hopes of restoring California tribes way of life

It happened so quickly, Thompson said as she watched machinery carving into the base of the dam in mid-August. It's like a magic trick, like it was there and now it's not.

She hopes the dam removals will mark a historic turning point and eventually restore a thriving salmon population and reinvigorate fishing traditions.

This is something where I can show my grandkids and be like, 'There was a dam here. There's not anymore,' she said. And part of that is because of the tribal people and our persistence in bringing this down.

Visiting an overlook during the final phase of dam removal work at the Iron Gate Dam, Mark Bransom, chief executive of the Klamath River Renewal Corp., said: "In a month's time, you won't see any concrete or equipment. The river will be free flowing. There will be no evidence of a dam."

Accompanying her on the visit was Mark Bransom, chief executive of the nonprofit Klamath River Renewal Corp., which is overseeing the project.

"We've achieved what we set out to do here, standing on the shoulders of our tribal partners, and getting the job done ahead of schedule, which ultimately is good for the environment, good for the fish," Bransom said. "It's amazing to see the progress."

Crews hired by the contractor Kiewit Corp. have excavated an estimated 1 million cubic yards of rock, soil and clay at Iron Gate Dam. They have hauled the material to a location nearby, using it to reform a hill that was removed during the dam's construction decades ago.

Now that the river has returned to its natural channel, work crews will pour concrete to plug diversion tunnels where water has been rerouted and will demolish a concrete tower that was used to control the flow. Those tunnel sites will be covered with large rocks, Bransom said, and the work of taking out the dams will be complete in September.

There really won't be any visual reminders that there was a dam here, Bransom said.

Read more: The Klamath River's dams are being removed. Inside the effort to restore a scarred watershed

The projects $500-million budget includes funds from California and from surcharges paid by PacifiCorp customers. The utility agreed to remove the aging dams  which were used for power generation, not water storage  after determining it would be less expensive than bringing them up to current environmental standards. Two other dams, which aren't affected by the project, will remain farther upstream in Oregon.

The removal of the four dams, which were built without tribes consent between 1912 and the 1960s, has cleared the way for California to return more than 2,800 acres of ancestral land to the Shasta Indian Nation.

Since the reservoirs were drained in January, the river and its tributaries have returned to their original channels, exposing lands that were submerged for generations. This winter and spring, workers scattered millions of seeds of native plants to begin to restore natural vegetation in the reservoir bottomlands.

Sonny Mitchell, a member of a Karuk Tribe fisheries team, looks for juvenile Chinook and coho salmon in Wooley Creek, a tributary of the Salmon River, which is one of the major tributaries of the Klamath River.

The approach draws on lessons from previous efforts, including dam removals on the Elwha River in Washington. Bransom said he and others believe the Klamath project will serve as a model for future restoration efforts aimed at helping salmon.

What we're doing with dam removal is essentially creating more favorable conditions for these amazing species of fish to return, Bransom said. Because these fish know. They have ancestral DNA that will lead them back to this place to do what they have done for thousands and thousands of years, to come back from the ocean and to spawn here and die and contribute themselves to the health of the watershed. And for the next generation of those fish to return to the ocean.

With the river flowing freely, salmon will be able to pass upstream to access creeks that provide spawning habitat. Fall-run chinook have already been entering the mouth of the river and are heading upstream.

The emptying of the reservoirs has released vast amounts of sediment that had accumulated behind the dams, sending pulses of turbid brown water into the river. But the current sediment levels aren't expected to be a major problem for the returning salmon.

Watching the dark water flow past, Thompson said: The river is healing. The river is clearing itself out.

The work of planting seeds in the empty reservoirs will continue this fall.

The Klamath River flows freely once again upriver from where the Copco No. 1 Dam once stood, returning to the route seen in a photograph from 1911.

Thompson, who is currently a doctoral student in environmental studies at UC Santa Cruz, said she is looking forward to watching the vegetation return in the coming years.

Restoration crews have also been using a helicopter to carry logs and place them in the creeks, where they will create stream habitats for aquatic insects and fish.

Thompson watched as one helicopter soared over Camp Creek, a log dangling from a cable. A gripping device set the log down on the creek bed while the whirling rotor blades kicked up dust.

It's not a usual thing where you see fish get their habitat taken away for decades and then its given back all of a sudden, she said. So seeing how they behave will be interesting.

Work on the removal of the earthen Iron Gate Dam is in its final phase. The removal of four dams on the Klamath River is intended to restore the ecosystem and upstream spawning habitats for salmon.

One morning in mid-August, on a tributary creek downstream from the dams, a group of men wearing wetsuits, masks and snorkels swam in clear pools, scanning the water for small fish. The team, part of the Karuk Tribes fisheries program, was searching for juvenile chinook and coho salmon.

Did you see anything? Toz Soto, the tribes fisheries program manager, asked one of the snorkelers.

No, the man said. Saw some steelies  steelhead trout.

Soto, who has worked for the tribe for more than two decades, said that 15 years ago, it wouldnt have been difficult to find chinook salmon here in Wooley Creek.

Now its hard. Just finding fish is challenging now, he said.

The team continued searching in a pool below a sheer rock face. Using a seine net, they formed a circle and pulled up their catch.

Juvenile steelhead trout are released back into the water after they were caught during a fish survey in Wooley Creek.

At first, they didnt find any salmon. But after a few tries, the net came up filled with small wriggling fish, including some salmon.

Sitting on the bank, the team went to work. They inserted tracking tags in the small coho salmon, and clipped tiny pieces from chinook salmon fins, placing them in envelopes for genetic testing.

The sampling will provide data that can support efforts to rebuild salmon populations, which have declined dramatically because of a mix of factors, including dams and water diversion as well as the worsening effects of climate change.

Read more: Salmon populations are struggling, bringing economic woes for California's fishing fleet

In May, California banned commercial and recreational salmon fishing for a second straight year due to low numbers. Members of the Karuk and Yurok tribes continue small-scale subsistence fishing.

Tribal leaders have said they hope salmon populations will gradually rebound as the fish return to productive cold water upstream.

I think dam removal couldn't come at a better time, Soto said. We just tripled the amount of habitat. So that's pretty exciting.

The nation's largest dam removal project is nearing completion on the Klamath River.

On a recent evening, Karuk men and boys gathered by the Klamath wearing traditional regalia and holding spears, bows and quivers made of animal skins and filled with willow branches. They sang, let out cries and danced facing a fire.

Their celebratory dance was part of the tribes annual World Renewal Ceremony. Leaf Hillman, an elder and ceremonial leader of the Karuk Tribe, said that through this sacred ritual, people come together to help to put the world back in balance.

It's a resurgence, it's a revival. It's a renewal that we do every year, but this one feels significant, Hillman said. The added meaning for us is that we've been praying for the dams to come down for all these years.

Hillman and others spent more than two decades campaigning for the removal of dams, including filing lawsuits, holding protests and speaking out at meetings of utility shareholders.

We consider ourselves fix-the-world people, and really the whole effort around dam removal and activism, he said, was kind of a natural extension of that.

With the dams now gone, he said, the Karuk are finally celebrating victory.

People are feeling inspired, he said. I'm feeling hopeful about the future.

Updates:

1:33 p.m. Aug. 28, 2024:



This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Urijah Reyes Thiago Man Martinez, 8, holds up a trout he caught Friday, May 6, 2022, at Storrie Lake, as the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon fire rages behind him. He and an elderly relative wore their masks to protect from smoke particles. The city of Las Vegas will be getting $98 million to restore the city's water treatment facilities. (Photo by Patrick Lohmann / Source NM)

The town of Las Vegas will soon receive $98 million to replace its water treatment facilities damaged more than two years ago in the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire, officials announced Tuesday afternoon.

The April 2022 wildfire, which is the biggest in state history, caused debris flows and floods that polluted the citys reservoirs. It also turned the Gallinas River black for a short period as it trickled under a bridge into the town of 12,000. Congress approved nearly $4 billion to compensate families, businesses and governments for their losses in the fire, caused by two botched federal prescribed burns.

Included in the $3.95 billion appropriation was $140 million specifically for the City of Las Vegas to repair its water systems. At a special City Council meeting Tuesday, the city and the federal claims office overseeing the compensation fund inked a memorandum of agreement that allows the city to receive what it calls the first installment toward fixing its water problems.

Post-fire flooding has occurred in and around the burn scar, often flowing into the citys drinking water supply, repeatedly since the fires.

A huge flood event June 21 caused major infrastructure damage and prompted the city to place water restrictions on households and local businesses, including car washes and laundromats. The last of those restrictions was lifted a week ago.

After the June 21 floods, town officials said they recognized the severity and complexity of the adopted a new approach to the citys water challenges, based on recommendations from the Sulzer Group, a consulting firm the city hired.

While the original plan concentrated mainly on the need of water treatment facilities, the current administration recognized the necessity of broadening their strategy, according to the news release from the City of Las Vegas. This expanded approach now includes not only the repair and upgrading of infrastructure but also a comprehensive reassessment of emergency response protocols, flood management systems, and community resilience measures.

A significant milestone

Previous water restrictions have required restaurants to serve food on plastic plates and water in bottles. Residents have regularly received notices in their mailboxes about potential contaminants in the water supply. At one point in summer 2022, the city had only a couple weeks of water left.

Las Vegas Mayor David Romero did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday afternoon, but he said in a news release that Tuesday was a significant milestone for the City of Las Vegas and its future in water sustainability.

In February 2023, the city received $2.6 million to pay for engineering reports related to the water system.

The memorandum signed in the small town on Tuesday authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is overseeing the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Claims Office, to pay $98 million to the city. That is the most-recent estimate for costs to replace water treatment facilities and systems, though it notes that additional funding may be required as designs are completed and construction begins.

The city is required to submit a scope of work and ensure that all payments go solely to the water treatment problem. The city and the federal claims office will also begin meeting every 30 days, according to the memorandum.

Its not clear from the memorandum when the process could be completed or how much work has already been done to complete the project, but it lays out a 12-month planning phase, a 23-month design phase, a 3-month bid phase and a 34-month construction phase. That totals six years.

Jay Mitchell, director of the FEMA claims office overseeing the nearly $4 billion compensation fund, said in the news release Tuesday that the funding will help the city build a sustainable and effective solution to the citys long-term water needs.

The project will provide access to clean, safe drinking water to the City of Las Vegas  an achievement that is crucial for the health and well-being of its residents, Mitchell said. It is gratifying to see this initiative progressing.
The Indian market has shown impressive momentum, climbing 1.7% in the last 7 days and achieving a remarkable 46% gain over the past year, with earnings forecasted to grow by 17% annually. In this thriving environment, high-yield dividend stocks like Coal India and two others can offer investors a reliable income stream while benefiting from the market's robust performance.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks In India

Name Dividend Yield Dividend Rating Balmer Lawrie Investments (BSE:532485) 3.94%  D. B (NSEI:DBCORP) 5.18%  HCL Technologies (NSEI:HCLTECH) 3.04%  VST Industries (BSE:509966) 3.16%  Indian Oil (NSEI:IOC) 8.08%  Bharat Petroleum (NSEI:BPCL) 6.02%  Redington (NSEI:REDINGTON) 3.05%  Balmer Lawrie (BSE:523319) 3.02%  Bank of Baroda (NSEI:BANKBARODA) 3.03%  PTC India (NSEI:PTC) 3.67% 

Click here to see the full list of 17 stocks from our Top Indian Dividend Stocks screener.

Underneath we present a selection of stocks filtered out by our screen.

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: Coal India Limited, along with its subsidiaries, is involved in the production and marketing of coal and coal products in India, with a market cap of 3.32 trillion.

Operations: Coal India Limited generates revenue primarily from coal mining and services, amounting to 1.35 trillion.

Dividend Yield: 4.8%

Coal India Limited's recent earnings report showed a net income of INR 109.59 billion for Q1 2024, reflecting steady growth. However, its dividend payments are not well covered by free cash flows despite a low payout ratio of 42%. The stock offers a high dividend yield at 4.8%, making it attractive among Indian market peers. Recent strategic alliances and joint ventures indicate potential future growth, but past dividend volatility raises concerns about reliability.

NSEI:COALINDIA Dividend History as at Aug 2024

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: HCL Technologies Limited provides software development, business process outsourcing, and infrastructure management services globally, with a market cap of 4.65 trillion.

Operations: HCL Technologies Limited's revenue segments include $9.91 billion from IT and Business Services, $2.16 billion from Engineering and R&D Services, and $1.42 billion from HCL Software.

Dividend Yield: 3%

HCL Technologies has a robust dividend history with payments increasing over the past decade. Its recent strategic partnership extension with Xerox and the appointment of a new CFO, Shiv Walia, indicate ongoing corporate stability. Despite a high payout ratio of 85.7%, dividends are covered by earnings and free cash flows (64.3%). However, its dividend track record is somewhat volatile, though it remains in the top 25% of Indian market payers at 3.04%.

Story continues

NSEI:HCLTECH Dividend History as at Aug 2024

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: PTC India Limited, with a market cap of 60.99 billion, engages in power trading across India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh through its subsidiaries.

Operations: PTC India Limited generates revenue primarily from power trading, amounting to 159.67 billion, and its financing business, contributing 7.35 billion.

Dividend Yield: 3.7%

PTC India offers a compelling dividend yield of 3.67%, placing it in the top 25% of Indian market payers, with a payout ratio of 54%. Despite its volatile and unreliable dividend history, recent earnings growthnet income rising to 1.74 billion in Q1 2024 from 1.30 billion a year agosuggests improved financial health. The company's dividends are well-covered by both earnings and cash flows, although past instability remains a concern for long-term reliability.

NSEI:PTC Dividend History as at Aug 2024

Turning Ideas Into Actions

Dive into all 17 of the Top Indian Dividend Stocks we have identified here.

Already own these companies? Bring clarity to your investment decisions by linking up your portfolio with Simply Wall St, where you can monitor all the vital signs of your stocks effortlessly.

Discover a world of investment opportunities with Simply Wall St's free app and access unparalleled stock analysis across all markets.

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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 NSEI:COALINDIA NSEI:HCLTECH and NSEI:PTC.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Its a case thats captured the community and the hunt is still on for who could be responsible for what happened to the English bulldog named Reba.

Across the valley, events are raising awareness and hoping to find out who left Reba to die.



The dog was found taped inside a plastic tote near Maryland Parkway and Flamingo Road in the triple-digit heat on the night of July 25.

Reward rises to $50K leading to arrest in Reba the English Bulldogs death

Carlos Herrera was there when Reba was found and rushed her to the vet where she died days later. Its been an emotional roller coaster seeing everybody here that we are still fighting for her and her story hasnt gone dark. We are still going to fight for her and still going to find who did this, Herrera explained.

Its a case thats captured the community and the hunt is still on for who could be responsible for what happened to the English bulldog named Reba. Now events across the valley are raising awareness and hoping to find out who left Reba to die. (KLAS)

Now more than a month later there are still no answers. Thats why Vegas Pet Rescue and local radio station 98.5 KLUC are canvassing the valley.

Dozens of people showed up at the Terribles gas station in Centennial Hills on Tuesday to support Reba at the first of many Justice for Reba events this week.

Weve heard from people around the world about this and its not really what we want Las Vegas to be known for. Lets get this case wrapped up somebody knows something, local radio host Chet Buchanan from 98.5 KLUC explained.

Its a case thats captured the community and the hunt is still on for who could be responsible for what happened to the English bulldog named Reba. Now events across the valley are raising awareness and hoping to find out who left Reba to die. (KLAS)

They are helping turn up the heat with more than 10,000 flyers, hundreds of Justice for Reba t-shirts, 48 billboards around town, and a $50,000 reward leading to an arrest in the case. Nearly all of it comes from donations across the community.

Its all for one dog that has moved so many people.

Its just really too close to home I think that is what really brought us out here to support, Estefany Herrera who came out for Tuesdays event with her bulldog named Cosmo said.

Its a case thats captured the community and the hunt is still on for who could be responsible for what happened to the English bulldog named Reba. Now events across the valley are raising awareness and hoping to find out who left Reba to die. (KLAS)

Events for Reba are happening across the valley this week from 11 am  1 pm each day at the following locations:

8/27  6030 Centennial Centers Blvd, las Vegas, NV 89148,

8/28 1420 Paseo Verde Pkwy, Henderson, NV 89012

8/29 1220 E Lake Mead Blvd, North Las Vegas, NV 89030

8/30 8594 Blue Diamond Road, Las Vegas, NV 89178

T-shirts are available while supplies last.

Las Vegas metro police said they have new surveillance video that could help with solving the case, but they continue to ask for the publics help.

According to Nevada law, the person connected to the crime could face up to four years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Anyone with a tip in the case can call 702-660-8970 or email NevadaVoters4Animals@gmail.com.

Anyone wishing to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555. The LVMPD Animal Cruelty Unit tip line can also be reached at 702-828-3364.

Donations can also be made to the Vegas Pet Rescue Project.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 the first Las Vegas Strip implosion in almost a decade, more questions than answers are currently going up in smoke.

The Ballys Corporation, operators of the former Tropicana Las Vegas, confirmed an Oct. 9 implosion date for the 1950s relic pending approvals with a commemorative event. An implosion permit filed in July is still being reviewed, Clark County told 8 News Now on Tuesday.

Much else remains confidential. But, a neighbor to the property says information they need to know is being relayed.

The Shrine of the Most Holy Redeemer, located across Reno Avenue from the former hotel and casino, prayed for answers and got them. Montie Chavez, director of communications for the Archdiocese of Las Vegas, says this came after a previous 8 News Now story about the lack of it.

Implosion, fireworks and drone show will happen, 2:30 in the morning, Chavez said. Theres a couple different barriers of where police will be closing down the roads, some sound barriers that were communicated to us.

One of the Tropicana Towers and its deconstruction on Tuesday. (KLAS)

A closed sidewalk around the perimeter of the former Tropicana Las Vegas property on Tuesday. (KLAS)

Deconstruction of one of the Tropicana Towers as seen from a perimeter fence on Tuesday. (KLAS)

Deconstruction of one of the Tropicana Towers as seen from a perimeter fence on Tuesday. (KLAS)

As were prior implosions on the strip, this one is expected to be loud, flashy and dusty. Demolition crews have spent months since the April closure to remove asbestos from inside 22 floors of each tower. All the while, Clark County has been reviewing its implosion permit application.

The application then gave a cut-off for the implosion of Oct. 8. Now, the implosion is planned for the morning after. A Clark County representative told 8 News Now on Tuesday that the property owner will need to update the application with the planned date/time for implosion.

The approval could come in the days prior to the scheduled event, the representative said. They add that an asbestos abatement permit and blasting permit  both needed before the implosion permit is approved  are still under review.

Where and how the public will be able to witness history come down has yet to be detailed, though Chavez says for his property, concerns have been laid to rest.

Immediately after the implosion, theyre going to be out making sure that theres no extra dust or putting water on areas that might be extra dusty, Chavez said. Our parking lot, our grounds will look just as they did right before the implosion, so were grateful to them.

Additionally, Harry Reid International Airport told 8 News Now Tuesday that they do not expect any impacts to its operations besides potential dust on some of the airfields.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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)  Did a very hot July leave a mark on Las Vegas tourism? Numbers were slightly down for the month, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

But whether a month of scorching temperatures made any difference at all is just guesswork. After all, people flock to Death Valley at the suggestion the all-time record could be broken. Why would tourists avoid the Las Vegas Strips air-conditioned casinos just because the thermometer says 120 degrees?

Average win now means $1.3 billion for Nevada casinos

We do know that more than 3.5 million people made the trip, down 0.4% compared to July 2023. Hotel occupancy was 83.7%, down 1.5%, and the average daily rate (ADR) was $160.17, down 1.8%. The average price on the Strip was about $10 higher, but occupancy was slightly better at 86.5%.

An important measure for resorts  RevPAR, or revenue per available room  was $134.05, down 3.6%. On the Strip, RevPAR was $147.38, down 3.6%. And downtown, it was $61.54, down 0.6% compared to July 2023.

The monthly glimpse at tourism numbers was released at the same time Reid International Airport announced its statistics for July. The airport said 5,060,568 arriving and departing passengers for the month was the fourth highest in history.

Domestic carriers reported about 4.7 million arriving and departing passengers.

Southwest Airlines, the largest carrier at Reid, showed a 1.6% improvement in passenger numbers compared to July 2023. A total of 1.9 million passengers used the airline last month, far higher than second-place Spirit Airlines, which had 774,530 passengers  a 20.6% improvement. Rounding out the top five: Delta (424,452), American Airlines (377,279) and Frontier Airlines (351,252).

International passenger traffic (290,886) was almost the same as levels in July 2023, but it is about 16.1% higher year-to-date.

LVCVA reported convention attendance was 6.9% lower in July, with 251,600 people coming to Las Vegas for business and group meetings. That segment of Las Vegas visitation plays an important role for hotels, often providing midweek business.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
'His last butchered patient': Ex-doctor owes $100 million to family of boy whose penis he severed

WEST PALM BEACH  Ten days after the Florida Board of Medicine voted to revoke his medical license, OB-GYN Berto Lopez performed a circumcision anyway. He botched it, severing the childs penis and adding another name to a long list of patients whose mangled procedures caused the board to revoke his license in the first place.

Jurors saw graphic photos of the circumcision Monday, some squirming in their seats while attorney Gary Cohen described the procedure that reduced the infants penis to a bleeding, scabby mess. They deliberated for 30 minutes Tuesday before awarding the childs parents $100 million, twice the amount they had asked for.

"I was somewhat astounded myself," said Cohen, who represented the family for free.

Lopez did not attend the trial or hire an attorney to represent him. He offered no defense for his actions in filings to Circuit Judge Maxine Cheesman and did not respond to requests for comment by The Palm Beach Post. Cohen said Lopez previously blamed the failed circumcision on a congenital deformity, though the midwife who delivered the child testified Monday that no such deformity existed.

6 patients dead, catastrophic injuries: Why Florida let OB-GYN Berto Lopez practice for decades

The child's mother and father cried Tuesday while jurors offered their congratulations from the other side of the courtroom. The Post is not naming the parents in order to protect the identity of their son, now 3.

Lopez, who insists he has no money to give, has yet to pay the settlement amount he owes the husband of another patient, 40-year-old Onystei Castillo-Lopez. The doctor delivered Castillo-Lopez's second child in 2017 and left the hospital to change his blood-stained scrubs, returning in time to watch his patient die.

In a 2017 investigation, The Palm Beach Post traced the deaths of six patients to botched procedures throughout Lopez's 33-year career. Castillo-Lopez's death came three months after a number of those deaths and injuries prompted the Board of Medicine to restrict the doctor's license.

Lopez didn't tell Castillo-Lopez about the restriction then, nor did he tell the infant's parents about his license revocation when preparing to perform the circumcision four years later.

"If he did, they would have run out that door so fast it would have broken," Cohen said.

Instead, they agreed to Lopez's request for a $250 cash payment and met at his office in West Palm Beach on Feb. 15, 2021. The mother waited outside while the doctor cut off a third of her baby's penis, severing his urethra. Lopez told the father, who stood beside him, not to worry. The bleeding was normal, he said.

It wasn't.

Who is Dr. Lopez? Average OB-GYN faces 2 or 3 lawsuits during a career. This Palm Beach County doctor had 9

OB-GYN Berto Lopez amputated another infant's penis years earlier

Dr. Berto Lopez at a deposition for the malpractice lawsuit against him in the 2017 death of patient Onystei Castillo-Lopez.

Lopez sutured the wound and tried to stop the bleeding using wooden sticks tipped with silver nitrate, a caustic material. After 45 minutes without success, he sent the family home with gauze and told them the bleeding would eventually stop. He recommended they give the child Tylenol to help with the pain.

The child's parents brought their baby to an emergency room the following day and were sent immediately to a pediatric urologist. The doctor welcomed the young couple into his office with reassuring words about the complications that sometimes happen during circumcisions. Then he removed the child's diaper.

"He was visibly shocked," the child's father testified. "He said he'd never seen anything like this."

The swelling and bleeding were so severe the doctor didn't immediately know what he was looking at. The father said he was "astounded" that Lopez hadn't referred the parents immediately to the emergency room, and that he hadn't made an effort to save the amputated tissue. Too little tissue remained for reconstructive surgery, the doctor told them.

Dr. Berto Lopez: Florida Medical Board vows to address red tape gap after botched circumcision

He advised that they return in a month, once the bleeding stopped and the scabbing reduced. When they did, the doctor confirmed that Lopez cut off at least 50% of the head of their son's penis.

The boy's father began to cry Monday while he told jurors about the future he fears his son will have. One where public showers in a middle school gym means torment from his peers; one where the fear of rejection is so strong that he avoids dating altogether.

"I wish it was me," the father said. "I would have done anything to be in his place."

The parents sued Lopez in January 2022 after learning that Lopez performed the circumcision after the Board of Medicine voted to revoke his license. Cohen said the children's parents also urged the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office to file criminal charges against the doctor for practicing without a medical license.

However, a lawyer for the Board of Medicine told prosecutors that even though Lopez attended the hearing where the board voted to revoke his license, the revocation didn't go into effect until the doctor received an official order in the mail two weeks later.

"What kind of system is that?" asked Cohen, who also represented Castillo-Lopez's family. "He should have at very very least been suspended for those days."

The botched circumcision wasn't Lopez's first, either. According to court records, Lopez amputated another infants penis in 2017. That case concluded with a confidential settlement.

If Lopez pays off his settlement to Castillo-Lopez's family and begins making payments toward the infant's parents, Cohen said the couple intends to put it in a trust for their son. Cohen said it's unlikely they'll receive the $100 million they're owed but will keep after the ex-doctor anyway.

"This man is a monster," the attorney said. "We're going to be chasing him, believe me. We're going to chase him. We're not giving up."

Hannah Phillips covers criminal justice at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at hphillips@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism and subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach County doctor owes $100 million for severing baby's penis
A senior FBI official says the gunman in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump searched online for events of both Trump and President Joe Biden and saw the Pennsylvania campaign rally where he opened fire last month as a target of opportunity.

Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are kicking off a two-day bus tour in Georgia on Wednesday that will snake through rural areas in the southern part of the state before culminating in a big rally in the coastal city of Savannah.

The Democratic ticket will meet with supporters, campaign staff, small business owners and voters.

Follow the APs Election 2024 coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024.

Heres the Latest:

Gunman in Trump assassination attempt saw rally as target of opportunity, FBI official says

The gunman in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump searched online for events of both Trump and President Joe Biden and saw the Pennsylvania campaign rally where he opened fire last month as a target of opportunity, a senior FBI official said Wednesday.

Thomas Matthew Crooks, who shot at Trump from a nearby roof before being killed by a Secret Service countersniper, did extensive research for an attack before the shooting and had looked at any number of events or targets, including events the current and former president, said Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBIs Pittsburgh field office.

The new details were disclosed as FBI officials, in the latest in a series of briefings about the investigation, revealed that they had yet to uncover a motive for the July 13 attack in Butler, Pennsylvania, despite conducting nearly 1,000 interviews.

(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Trump shares doctored images and messages from QAnon conspiracy theory in flurry of social media posts

Donald Trump s attempts to stay focused on the policy issues veered off course Wednesday as the Republican former president shared more than a dozen posts on his social media network that call for the trial or jailing of House lawmakers who investigated the attack on the U.S. Capitol, and special counsel Jack Smith, along with images that include messages from the QAnon conspiracy theory.

Trump also shared a doctored image that was made to look like President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in orange prison jumpsuits, among other political figures, and a lewd post about Harris and Clinton that referenced a sex act. One post seemed to suggest former President Barack Obama should be tried in a military court.

Trumps campaign did not respond to a message seeking comment Wednesday about the flurry of posts on Truth Social, the former presidents social media network where he communicates primarily to his most devoted base of supporters.

Harris and Walz are kicking off 2-day bus tour in Georgia

Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are kicking off a two-day bus tour in Georgia on Wednesday that will snake through rural areas in the southern part of the state before culminating in a big rally in the coastal city of Savannah.

The Democratic ticket will meet with supporters, campaign staff, small business owners and voters. The party believes that in order to win the critical battleground state over Republican Donald Trump in November, they need more than Atlanta and the suburbs that delivered for Joe Biden in 2020 and must also make inroads, however small, in GOP strongholds.

The Georgia trip is a makeup visit from earlier in the month when the duo was set to embark on a seven-state swing tour introducing the new Democratic ticket. The North Carolina and Georgia legs of the trip got scrapped as Tropical Storm Debby battered the region.

In addition to the bus tour and the Thursday rally, Harris and Walz will be sitting down with CNN anchor Dana Bash for their first joint interview. The interview will air Thursday night.

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

Vance criticizes Harris for doing an interview along with her running mate

Republican Sen. JD Vance on Wednesday blasted Vice President Kamala Harris for bringing her running mate along for her first television interview since President Joe Biden dropped his reelection bid.

Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, said on Wisconsin conservative talk radio that Harris doing the CNN interview with running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was like a teenager bringing their mom or dad to their first job interview.

Thats a little bit the feeling that gives off, Vance said on WISN-AM. Kamala Harris is just a little too nervous, a little too anxious, about this interview. So shes going to bring Tim Walz with her to help her out and make sure that if she gets in any hot water, he can bail her out.

Vance referred to Walz as Harris battle buddy.

She cant talk about her record, Vance said. But what she can do is use Tim Walz as a bit of a lifeline.  It is a bold strategy to hide from the American people, but thats what shes doing.

Vances interview came ahead of a planned campaign stop Wednesday night in De Pere, Wisconsin.

Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will not appear on ballot in Maine

Kennedy said last week that he was withdrawing from the race in states where he might be a spoiler candidate. He also endorsed former President Donald Trumps bid to return to office.

Maine election officials said Wednesday that Kennedy met a deadline to withdraw from the ballot in the state.

Maine is a reliably blue state in presidential elections, but is also one of two states that apportions electoral votes by congressional district. Trump has won an electoral vote in the rural 2nd Congressional District in the last two elections.

That 2nd district vote could factor in a close presidential election. Maine also uses ranked choice voting for presidential elections, which further complicates the states electoral picture.

New Harris ad campaign seeks to link Trump to Heritage Foundations Project 2025

Vice President Kamala Harris campaign says it is launching a new ad campaigning meant to tie former President Donald Trump to the conservative Project 2025 hes sought to distance himself from.

The first ad asserts Trump is out for control over voters, juxtaposing Trump quotes with ominous screenshots of the plan. Its part of Harris $370 million in digital and television ad reservations between Labor Day and Election Day.

The ad will be airing across battleground states, as well as the television market that encompasses Trumps home in Palm Beach, Florida  a move also undertaken by Trumps campaign at times  seemingly in an effort to influence the former presidents social media habits.

Led by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, Project 2025 is a detailed 920-page handbook for governing under the next Republican administration, including ousting thousands of civil servants and replacing them with Trump loyalists to reversing the Food and Drug Administrations approval of medications used in abortions.

Trump has tried to distance himself from Project 2025. He posted on social media he hasnt seen the plan and has no idea who is in charge of it, and, unlike our very well received Republican Platform, had nothing to do with it.

Having a family is expensive. Heres what Harris and Trump have said about easing costs

The high cost of caring for children and the elderly has forced women out of the workforce, devastated family finances and left professional caretakers in low-wage jobs  all while slowing economic growth.

That families are suffering is not up for debate. As the economy emerges as a theme in this presidential election, the Democratic and Republican candidates have sketched out ideas for easing costs that reveal their divergent views about family.

On this topic, the two tickets have one main commonality: Both of the presidential candidates  and their running mates  have, at one point or another, backed an expanded child tax credit.

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris has signaled that she plans to build on the ambitions of outgoing President Joe Bidens administration, which sought to pour billions in taxpayer dollars into making child care and home care for elderly and disabled adults more affordable. She hasnt etched any of those plans into a formal policy platform. But in a speech earlier this month, she said her vision included raising the child tax credit.

Former President Donald Trump, the Republican, has declined to answer questions about how he would make child care more affordable, even though it was an issue he tackled during his own administration. His running mate, Sen. JD Vance, has a long history of pushing policies that would encourage Americans to have families.

Kamala Harris election would defy history. Just 1 sitting VP has been elected president since 1836

As Vice President Kamala Harris begins her fall campaign for the White House, she can look to history and hope for better luck than others in her position who have tried the same.

Since 1836, only one sitting vice president, George H.W. Bush in 1988, has been elected to the White House.

Among those who tried and failed were Richard Nixon in 1960, Hubert Humphrey in 1968 and Al Gore in 2000. All three lost in narrow elections shaped by issues ranging from war and scandal to crime and the subtleties of televised debates. But two other factors proved crucial for each vice president: whether the incumbent president was well-liked and whether the president and vice president enjoyed a productive relationship.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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A group of Democratic lawmakers are pushing the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to increase regulation on artificial intelligence (AI) deepfakes following the release of the social platform Xs chatbot Grok.

In a Monday letter to the FEC, Rep. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) and a handful of other House members asked the regulatory agency to clarify whether AI-generated deepfakes of election candidates are classified as fraudulent misrepresentation.

In doing so, the lawmakers threw their support behind a July 2023 petition by Public Citizen, a progressive consumer rights watchdog group. The group asked the FEC to propose rules on deceptive AI in political campaigns amid rising concerns about the dangers deepfakes pose during the election season.

The advanced technology can generate images, audio and video and digitally alter likenesses and voices.

The proliferation of deep-fake AI technology has the potential to severely misinform voters, causing confusion and disseminating dangerous falsehoods, the letter wrote. It is critical for our democracy that this be promptly addressed, noting the degree to which Grok-2 has already been used to distribute fake content regarding the 2024 presidential election.

The lawmakers said this comes after Xs launch of its AI image generator Grok-2, released earlier this month with seemingly few guardrails.

The House members discussed how fake images of presidential candidates Vice President Harris and former President Trump have circulated on X and other social media platforms in the weeks following the release. They pointed specifically to Trumps sharing of several fake images of pop star Taylor Swift and her fans supporting his campaign earlier this month, though it was not immediately clear what platform was used to generate the images.

Other signatories on the letter include Democratic Reps. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.), Greg Landsman (Ohio), Summer Lee (Pa.) and Seth Magaziner (R.I.)

Sean Cooksey, the Republican chair of the FEC, pushed back against the letters demands, writing, Our First Amendment rights dont disappear when we use an AI image generator to express ourselves.

While the FEC will continue to enforce the campaign-finance laws on the books to promote transparency and accountability, I oppose any effort to suppress political speech by regulating a technology that few agencies even understand, he wrote in a statement to The Hill. Our elections should be decided at the ballot box after a free exchange of arguments and ideas.

Cooksey has been a vocal opponent of efforts to have the FEC regulate AI and wrote in an op-ed earlier this month the agency has no business in passing rules to do so for political campaigns.

He proposed halting any rulemaking on AI with no further action. The proposal was supposed to be voted on during an Aug. 15 meeting, but it was canceled. The commission is again slated to take up the proposal during Thursdays meeting.

The Hill reached out to X for further comment.

Grok is only available to subscribers of the premium versions of X, though some have expressed concerns the content is being shared across multiple social media platforms.

Earlier Tuesday, Grok was updated after five secretaries of state warned it was spreading false information about the election. After President Biden announced his withdrawal from the 2024 race last month and endorsed Harris in late July, the AI chatbot suggested the ballot deadlines already passed in a handful of states.

Now, when people use election-related terms in their inquiries to Grok, it directs them to Vote.gov, a nonpartisan government website, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon said in a release.

Since Elon Musk purchased then-Twitter in 2022, watchdog groups and some lawmakers have mentioned concerns over a potential increase in hate speech and misinformation on the platform given its loosened content moderation policies.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Many exhausted parents rely on weighted sleep products to help their little ones rest. Companies say they can help babies fall asleep and sleep longer.

This was the kind of relief Alyssa was looking for with one of her kids.

With our daughter, she was having a hard time connecting sleep cycles. She really loves to move, she said Were up every 45 minutes, trying to put the [pacifier] back, trying to calm her down.

Alyssa is a mom of three. She didnt want to share her last name for this story. She said her youngest daughter had a hard time sleeping and after many sleepless nights, she decided to try a weighted sleep sack.

I was so desperate to find something that would work for us, that when I found something that said, this will help your baby sleep, and you will sleep too selfishly, like, thats what I wanted, said Alyssa.

Alyssa said she only used it once because her daughter had difficulty breathing while using the product.

I could tell that the sleep sack did its job in that it prohibited her from moving so much so that she wouldnt wake herself up, she said. But it put so much weight and so much pressure on her little chest and on her lungs that she was having to work overtime to try to breathe.

Fortunately, Alyssas daughter wasnt hurt.

But the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) told the Washington News Bureau it is aware of multiple fatalities associated with infant weighted products. The agency spokesperson said the investigations are ongoing, and the findings will be included as part of our information collection and larger examination of infant weighted products.

We also found at least four reports to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission about safety concerns involving these products.

In one report, a parent said their son died after using a weighted sleep sack from the company, Dreamland Baby. They wrote their sons face was visible when he went to sleep but they later found him face down, they believe unable to turn over because of the added weight.

In response, Dreamland Baby wrote it is committed to product safety, and any incidents are investigated to ensure there are no larger safety concerns to address. As part of the report, the company added Dreamlands weighted sleep sacks were designed in collaboration with pediatricians, NICU nurses and certified sleep consultants and are safe when used as intended.

Now, Congressman Tony Cardenas, Congresswoman Kim Schrier, and Senator Richard Blumenthal are introducing the Safeguarding Infants from Dangerous Sleep Act. It would ban weighted sleep products like swaddles, sleep sacks, and blankets that may limit movement and make it difficult for babies to breathe while sleeping.

Alyssa said she supports the bill. She believes there isnt enough information about these products.

I think having that ban in place is only going to not only protect infants, but its going to protect parents to help make good decisions, she said.

Dreamland Baby and Nested Bean are two of the major companies that design and sell these weighted sleep products. Both companies declined my request for an interview.

But in a statement, a spokesperson for Dreamland Baby said these actions by Congress dont identify the root causes of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and unfortunately, show a disregard for the millions of families who have relied on gently weighted sleep products as safe and effective sleep solutions for over a decade.

We firmly oppose this overreaching and misguided anti-science bill that is neither rooted in data nor aligned with the legitimate interest of infant safety, said Manasi Gangan, CEO of Nested Bean in a written statement.

Earlier this year, Target, Walmart, Nordstrom, and Babylist announced they would stop selling weighted infant products after the CPSC Chairman wrote letters to those companies warning them about the potential dangers.

The American Academy of Pediatrics also first warned against these products in 2022. The AAP says weighted sleep products are unsafe for infants.

Full statement from Dreamland Baby:

We are deeply disappointed that Senator Blumenthal has chosen to promote unsubstantiated claims about the causes of SIDS. As the American Academy of Pediatrics posted as recently as July 30, 2024: No one knows exactly what causes SIDS, so theres no guaranteed way to prevent it. The Senator should be supporting further research into the causes of SIDS, not insinuating that weighted products are at fault when no data supports this association.

As a public figure, the Senator has a responsibility to ensure the accuracy of the information he shares rather than stating information that may mislead parents in Connecticut and nationally. The Senator knows that further research is needed in this area because, on May 22, 2024, I had a meeting with the Senator, during which he acknowledged to me personally that he knew of no incident data that would support a ban on weighted sleep products. In fact, the CPSCs data over the past ten years shows no hazard pattern with weighted products. Despite this, the Senator is attempting to ban these products instead of supporting real research.

The Senators actions will not help identify the root causes of SIDS and, unfortunately, show a disregard for the millions of families who have relied on gently weighted sleep products as safe and effective sleep solutions for over a decade.

Full statement from Manasi Gangan, CEO of Nested Bean:

For over 13 years, Nested Bean has sold over 2.5 million products while maintaining an exceptional safety record, thanks to our commitment to rigorous safety designs and both mandatory and voluntary testing conducted under expert guidance. Our track record and commitment to safety speaks for itself.

We firmly oppose this overreaching and misguided anti-science bill that is neither rooted in data nor aligned with the legitimate interest of infant safety. This bill, unfortunately, mirrors the CPSCs unfounded targeting of our minority-owned small business, driven by Commissioner Trumkas abuse of authoritycurrently under congressional investigation. Trumkas baseless and unwarranted claims about the safety of our products lack supporting science, and data and undermine due process.

We must correct the false information propagated by some government officials:

 Innovative Safety: Our products contain only a few ounces of filling designed to gently mimic a parents touch, weighing the same or less than an infant car seat chest clip or a parents palmtouches that infants are naturally accustomed to from birth. Our products are loved by babies and supported by parents and caregivers.

 Robust Testing: Our products successfully passed stringent mandatory and voluntary safety tests overseen by leading experts. Preliminary studies confirm that the gentle pressure applied by our products does not impede infants breathing, as evidenced by our impeccable safety record.

 Government Findings: In January 2023, the CPSC launched an extensive four-month evaluation of Nested Bean products to assess potential risks of suffocation or related hazards. The findings confirmed there were no grounds for further action under the Consumer Product Safety Act, and the report was closed in April 2023.

Despite reckless and harmful statements made by certain government officials, our customersloving parents, grandparents, and caregiverscontinue to stand firmly with us. We are committed to delivering safe, high-quality products and will not be deterred by unfounded accusations.
(Getty Images)

LINCOLN  A Douglas County woman asked the Nebraska Supreme Court this week to overrule Secretary of State Bob Evnen and stop an abortion-rights amendment from appearing on the November ballot.

Carolyn LaGreca of Douglas County was identified in her court filing as a founder, first director and board member of the Womens Care Center in Omaha, which became Bethlehem House and housed and served women with unplanned pregnancies.

LaGrecas lawsuit, filed Monday, is separate from a formal complaint that a number of Nebraska medical providers sent Monday to Evnen.

She declined a request for comment through her attorney, who works for the nonprofit Thomas More Society. The socially conservative group opposes abortion and funded the lawsuit on her behalf, said Matthew Heffron, one of her lawyers for the Chicago-based organization.

Her legal push asks the states high court to skip steps and make a ruling before Evnen must certify the states ballot Sept. 13. The petition for such a so-called original action argues that LaGreca has no time to wait for normal District Court proceedings.

If this matter had been filed in district court after the Secretary of States decision on August 23, it would have been nearly impossible to conclude the matter, as well as the inevitable review by the Court, before the September 13 deadline, the lawsuit says.

Allie Berry of Protect Our Rights, the group behind the abortion-rights ballot initiative, described the latest legal maneuvering as distractions. She said the work appears funded and driven by anti-abortion politicians who are doing everything in their power to undermine the process and lay the groundwork for  a total abortion ban.

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.

Protect Our Rights leaders have said they expected administrative and legal challenges from abortion opponents.

The core of the lawsuits argument is that the abortion-rights amendment sought by Protect Our Rights attempts to codify more than just a right to abortion in the Nebraska Constitution until fetal viability.

The lawsuit argues the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized a distinction between a fundamental right to an abortion and making sure it is granted without interference from the state, as the proposed constitutional amendment spells out.

The filing says the language also sets out a new definition for viability, which it says could be virtually unlimited. Support Our Rights and other abortion-rights groups have argued that most medical experts set fetal viability between 22 and 24 weeks.

The lawsuit alleges the proposed language would create conflicting standards for abortion before and after viability by allowing exceptions for the life and health of the mother. A competing amendment backed by anti-abortion groups contains similar exceptions.

Much like a complaint a group of Nebraska medical professionals filed Monday with the Secretary of States Office, the lawsuit also argues that by allowing a treating health care practitioner to decide viability, it broadens the definition of the term.

The Nebraska Supreme Court has not yet decided whether to take up the lawsuit. The court is hearing oral arguments Wednesday in a lawsuit challenging an Evnen decision to stop registering felons to vote after they have finished serving their sentences, despite a new state law allowing them to vote.

The single subject rule was the topic of another recent case before the Nebraska Supreme Court, when the court agreed the Legislature has the right to combine measures under a single heading or subject. One of the dissenting judges in that case questioned other justices for leaving room to more strictly interpret the single-subject rule for citizen-led petition initiatives.

Regarding the complaint filed by the doctors, Evnen could choose to remove the measure from the ballot administratively. But that would likely spur legal challenges from abortion-rights supporters.

Those groups may yet sue to stop a competing ballot measure that would constitutionally limit abortion to the first trimester of pregnancy and keep the door open for the Legislature to pass stricter bans in the future. Both ballot initiatives qualified for the November ballot on Friday, Evnen announced.

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Lawyers for ComEd Four say case was built on rotten foundation, ask for acquittal

Lawyers for four ex-ComEd executives and lobbyists convicted in a scheme to bribe then-House Speaker Michael Madigan argue in a new court filing that the entire prosecution was built on a rotten foundation and the charges should be dismissed in light of a key Supreme Court ruling in June.

The motion filed late Tuesday lays out in the starkest detail yet how defense attorneys for the so-called ComEd Four view the impact of the high courts ruling in the bribery case of a former Indiana mayor, James Snyder, which said the federal bribery statute known as 666 does not criminalize gratuities, which are favors or gifts given to a public official without any agreement ahead of time to take some kind of official action.

From the outset of this case, the government maintained that giving things of value to a powerful politician as a reward for past acts or to curry favor without a quid pro quo is criminal, the ComEd Four defense teams argued in the motion. On that foundation, the government built an edifice of overlapping charges. But as with all structures, if the foundation is rotten, the structure will fall. And in Snyder v. United States, the Supreme Court confirmed that the governments theory has been rotten from the start.

The ComEd Four defendants  former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore; Madigan confidant and longtime lobbyist Michael McClain; internal ComEd lobbyist John Hooker; and consultant Jay Doherty  were convicted in May 2023 in an alleged scheme by the utility to funnel payments to Madigan-favored contractors in exchange for the longtime Democratic speakers influence over legislation in Springfield.

Since the case relied heavily on allegations of gratuities, sentencings have been delayed since January while the parties awaited the Snyder decision. Meanwhile, the judge who had presided over the trial, Harry Leinenweber, died in June at age 87, and the case has since been reassigned to U.S. District Judge Manish Shah.

The defense motion Tuesday said the prosecutors theory of the case was wrongheaded from the get-go, including in the grand jury, where they told the panel it could indict the defendants on the conspiracy charge based on the legal conduct of paying a gratuity.

The new motion asked Shah to reverse the jurys decision and acquit all four defendants  which would be an extremely rare move in any criminal case, let alone a high-profile public corruption prosecution. Alternatively, the defense has asked that the indictment be dismissed and the government forced to recharge the case under the new standard.

Prosecutors are scheduled to respond on Oct. 15.

Meanwhile, the same ComEd allegations form the backbone of the pending racketeering indictment of Madigan and McClain, which is set to go on trial on Oct. 7. Attorneys in that case are still hashing out what to do in light of the Supreme Court ruling, though both sides have said it should not delay the trial any further.

The motion does, however, offer a preview of what likely will be a key portion of Madigans defense: that there was never any agreed-upon quid pro quo to help ComEd with its legislative goals.

The motion argued that, even after years of investigation, hundreds of hours of wiretapped calls and the assistance of a key insider, then-ComEd Vice President Fidel Marquez, who secretly recorded his own colleagues talking about the plan, the evidence amounted to nothing more than a business seeking to curry favor with a powerful politician in the hopes it would help their bottom line  an everyday occurrence in politics that the Supreme Court has said is not illegal.

The government could not come up with anything more than that Speaker Madigan had power, everyone knew it, and regulated entities like ComEd responded to that power, the motion stated.

Even prosecutors own cooperator, Marquez, testified at trial he did not believe ComEd was doing favors for Madigan in exchange for any official acts by him, the motion said.

As the governments star witness, Marquez testified in March 2023 that the roster of subcontractors hired by ComEd was curated by McClain and read like a whos who of Madigans vaunted political operation, including two legendary precinct captains, a former assistant majority leader in the House and two former Chicago aldermen at the center of Madigans Southwest Side base of power.

Over the course of eight years, ComEd paid them hundreds of thousands of dollars, even though they had no particular expertise and ultimately did virtually no work for the utility. Some seemed to be downright incompetent, Marquez told the jury.

I know that they were brought on as a favor to Michael Madigan, Marquez testified on direct examination. For Madigan to see ComEd positively. So that he could perhaps be helpful for our legislative agenda in Springfield.

On cross-examination, Marquez, who pleaded guilty to bribery conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing, acknowledged that there was no guarantee that Madigan was going to help pass ComEd bills, but added that the company still tried to make him happy because not doing it would cause us to be negatively looked on by the speaker.

He also admitted that he initially told the FBI he didnt believe any of it was bribery.

You did not believe that ComEd had bribed Mike Madigan, did you? Pramaggiore attorney Scott Lassar asked.

Correct, Marquez answered.

The defense motion Tuesday said Marquezs testimony showed he was motivated by his own personal fear of retaliation by Madigan rather than any promises to help ComEds agenda.

Mr. Marquezs well-prepared testimony leaves no doubt that there was no offer or agreement that Mr. Madigan would take any official acts in exchange for ComEds acceptance of his recommendations, the motion stated.

After the Supreme Courts decision in Snyder in June, Lassar, a former U.S. attorney, told the Tribune that in his view, the ComEd convictions will not stand.

The Supreme Court has made clear that what Anne Pramaggiore was charged with was not a crime, Lassar said.

In the high courts 6-3 ruling, which had been highly anticipated in Chicagos federal court, the justices agreed that the anti-corruption law under which Snyder was convicted is vague and could potentially criminalize innocent, everyday conduct.

Madigans attorneys filed a motion in July arguing that that 14 of the 23 counts of the indictment are fatally infirm and should be dismissed, in part because there is no proof that the once-powerful leader agreed to use his official position for personal gain.

The motion argued that the prosecutors, in their highly publicized, lengthy speaking indictment, failed to allege facts that would support the notion that Madigan acted corruptly or agreed to, or intended to agree to, a quid pro quo.

In response, prosecutors argued there is plenty of evidence Madigan engaged in a long-running conspiracy to enrich himself, including standard quid-pro-quo bribery, not just isolated instances of corrupt gratuities.

The Supreme Courts decision does not affect prosecutions that target schemes that involve a stream of benefits over time that are offered or received for official action, according to the U.S. attorneys office.

Prosecutors also brushed off the extensive pretrial filings as an attempt by Madigan and McClain to prevent a jury from considering their conduct and holding them accountable for their gross abuses of power.

jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
Companies are not wasting any time trying to weaken federal rules in the wake of some key Supreme Court decisions that reined in the power regulators have to intervene in many industries.

In just two months since the high court handed down those decisions, companies ranging from a tax adviser to a supermarket chain to a poultry farming giant are using the rulings to dismantle actions taken by agencies across Washington, D.C.

"The only clear losers are federal agencies, who have had their authority significantly curtailed," said Richard Schoenstein, vice chair of litigation for Tarter Krinsky & Drogin.

The Supreme Court cases that reduced the scope regulators have over American businesses have already been cited in more than 100 US court decisions over the past two months, according to Schoenstein.

Some of these challenges have resulted in major victories. Last week a federal judge in Texas blocked a controversial Federal Trade Commission ban on noncompete agreements that was set to take effect in early September after the rule was challenged by tax service provider Ryan LLC and the US Chamber of Commerce.

The Federal Trade Commission building in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

When Dallas US District Judge Ada Brown issued her decision blocking the FTC's noncompete ban, she cited Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, the Supreme Court decision from late June that overruled a 40-year-old legal doctrine known as the "Chevron deference" that gave federal agencies leeway to interpret laws.

A federal judge in Pennsylvania disagreed with the findings of the Texas judge, ruling that the FTC was in fact authorized to ban noncompetes. Another such case is still pending in federal court in Missouri.

Legal experts predict the matter will be decided on appeal and that its ultimate fate could be determined by the Supreme Court or a new presidential administration, should that administration choose not to challenge the rulings.

Another battle that has yet to be decided is the FTCs litigation to block the merger of supermarket chains Kroger (KR) and Albertsons (ACI). A trial over the tie-up began in a federal district court in Oregon last Monday.

Where Kroger is trying to use a recent Supreme Court decision to its advantage is a separate request it made to block a parallel merger objection the FTC filed before its own in-house panel of judges.

A customer removes her purchases at a Kroger grocery store in Flowood, Miss., in 2019. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Kroger argues the reliance on in-house judges rather than elected judges violates the US Constitution.

It cites a recent Supreme Court case, titled SEC v. Jarkesy, that stripped the SEC of its ability to use in-house tribunals to impose fines for civil violations while depriving a defendant of a jury trial.

Story continues

"Many federal agency rules and statutory interpretations, old and new, are more vulnerable to challenge now that courts have significantly more discretion over whether to accept an agencys statutory interpretation," Ballard Spahr lawyers Brian Pedrow and Katherine Cordry said in a note released last month.

Judges now have "much greater discretion" to overrule agency actions and guidance, they said.

'Likely unlawful'

The FTC is not the only agency on the defense.

Perdue Farms and Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) have also targeted in-house tribunals run by the Labor Department, suing to have whistleblower claims heard before a court instead of Labor Department judges. They both cited the Jarkesy case.

Other lawsuits target climate rules from the Securities and Exchange Commission designed to force companies to disclose more about their environmental footprint, as well as Labor Department rules designed to enforce unbiased financial advice and make millions more salaried workers eligible for overtime pay.

The US Department of Labor headquarters building in Washington, DC. (Photo by J. David Ake/Getty Images) (J. David Ake via Getty Images)

A federal district judge did grant a motion from the state of Texas to postpone the Labor Departments new overtime rule from taking effect, calling the rule "likely unlawful." The judge also narrowed the temporary pause so that it applied only to state workers.

Not all of these cases are going against the federal agencies, however.

At least five appellate courts, for example, have affirmed the findings of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Just one appellate court so far, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, broke with those decisions and instead said no deference should be given to the Board's interpretation of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).

Courts tend to view the NLRB differently than some of the other agencies challenged to date because the NLRB relies almost exclusively on case adjudications  and not traditional rule-making  to create binding interpretations of the NLRA, according to lawyers from Hunton Andrews Kurth.

"That said, there is no guarantee that courts will adopt employer-friendly interpretations of the NLRA," the lawyers added.

In fact, the NLRB last month still stopped its appeal of an injunction that blocked a new NLRB rule that would have made it easier for millions of workers to form unions at big companies.

Opponents of the rule  which would have established new standards for when two companies would be considered "joint employers" in labor negotiations  have argued it would make companies liable for workers they dont employ.

In pulling its appeal NLRB said it was "keenly interested in receiving wisdom from multiple courts to help resolve the complex matters underlying this rulemaking."

Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled the name of Ballard Spahr lawyer Katherine Cordry and law firm Hunton Andrews Kurth. We regret the errors.

Alexis Keenan is a legal reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow Alexis on X @alexiskweed.

Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events moving stock prices

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At least nine Palestinians were killed overnight after Israel carried out a broad raid in the West Bank, according to local health officials.

The Israeli military said on social media it was carrying out counterterrorism operations in Tulkarm and Jenin, as well as other territories in the region. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz confirmed Wednesday that the countrys military conducted the operation to thwart terrorist groups and suggested some residents may need to evacuate.

The [Israeli military] has been operating with full force since last night in the Jenin and Tulkarm refugee camps to dismantle Iranian-Islamic terror infrastructures established there, Katz said in on the social platform X. Iran is working to establish an eastern terror front against Israel in Judea and Samaria, following the Gaza and Lebanon model, by funding and arming terrorists and smuggling advanced weapons from Jordan.

We must address this threat with the same determination used against terror infrastructures in Gaza, including temporary evacuation of Palestinian residents and any necessary measures, he added. This is a war, and we must win it.

The Israeli military has conducted frequent raids in the West Bank and Gaza Strip following Palestinian militant group Hamass Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which sparked the war in the region. In the overnight raid, the Israeli forces blocked off the main hospital in Jenin, according to the local health officials  a method to ensure the militants could not seek refuge, Reuters reported.

Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesman, wrote on X that the expanded operation in both West Bank cities came after increased terrorist activity that, he said, endangered both the lives of Israelis and Palestinians in the region.

Our troops are currently operating in the areas of Jenin and Tulkarm, carrying out intelligence-guided, counter-terrorism operations to prevent further attacks on civilians, Shoshani said.

WAFA, the state-run Palestinian news agency, said Israel has imposed curfews in the eastern region of Jenin and the military has already performed field interrogations.

More than 600 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and more than 1,400 structures have been demolished, according to the United Nations.

In its initial strike last fall, Hamas killed more than 1,100 Israelis and took around 250 hostages. Since then, the Israeli military operation in Gaza has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, though the tally does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

The latest raid comes as the U.S. and partners in the region have tried to push for a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas that would release the remaining hostages.

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The Supreme Court's lack of clarity in its presidential immunity ruling's definition of "official" conduct leaves room for former President Donald Trump to fight the refiled indictment alleging he conspired to thwart the results of the 2020 presidential election.

On Tuesday, Special Counsel Jack Smith filed a slimmed down indictment  which he secured from a grand jury that only heard streamlined evidence.

Smith's new indictment again includes four felony charges against Trump but excluded evidence concerning Trump's official conduct in office, including the removal of former DOJ official Jeff Clark and his alleged efforts to place him in control of the department to pursue his election fraud claims.

Legal observers say the refiled indictment has an overall stronger chance of holding up on appeal by excluding evidence that appears to fall squarely into the Supreme Court's definition of official conduct in last month's ruling.

But some legal experts warn that the refiled indictment isn't a slam dunk.

"Its not clear whether this will work, because on appeal the Supreme Court can manipulate the category of official conduct to create a broader immunity covering other elements of the indictment," said Syracuse University law professor David Driesen, an expert in constitutional law and the author of the book The Specter of Dictatorship: Judicial Enabling of Presidential Power.

In July, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that presidents have "absolute immunity from criminal prosecution" for acts that fall within the "exercise of his core constitutional powers he took when in office."

Presidents, according to the ruling, have "at least presumptive" immunity from other official acts, and no immunity for unofficial acts.

In a section of the ruling that drew 5-4 support from justices, the ruling also stated that prosecutors can't present evidence of official acts when charging former presidents.

Dissenting justices warned that the ruling would empower presidents to use their official power for political and private reasons to escape accountability.

And Dreisen said the ruling still leaves room for Trump to topple any convictions.

Its difficult to know whether Trump will end up in prison or not," Dreisen said. "The Supreme Court has been very creative in protecting MAGA misdeeds. It ruled, for example, that invading the Capitol is not an obstruction of an official proceeding, thereby wiping out some criminal convictions of Jan. 6 insurrectionists."

Dreisen added that the fact that Smith felt he had to refile the indictment in the first place is troubling.

The Supreme Court ruling clearly overrode longstanding constitutional norms forbidding presidents from issuing orders to investigate political opponents or to challenge election results," Dreisen said. "The forcing of these amendments to the indictment highlights how the high court has opened the door wide to autocracy.

University of Texas Law professor Lee Kovarsky said the indictment is "weaker than what it was."

"The allegations about Jeffrey Clark and Trump's attempt to have DOJ intimidate states with false accusations about widespread voter fraud was extremely incriminating, and now it's gone," he said on X.

He called the new indictment a "smart move"  but agreed that Trump could dispute how Smith characterized and described his alleged conduct.

"Amendments to the [superseding indictment] ensure that DOJ won't accidentally plead itself into an immunity problem, but the Trump folks will still have a chance to dispute the [superseding indictment's] characterization of various conduct, in an attempt to have it designated as official, & potentially immunized," Kovarsky wrote.

Trump has complained that the superseded indictment violates the DOJ's practice of avoid filing new criminal charges or undertaking investigative activities within 60 days of an election.

But former federal prosecutor and University of Michigan Law School professor Barb McQuade told Salon: "These are not new charges or new investigative activity, but rather following the guidance of the Supreme Court to advance a pending case."

McQuade noted that Smith included Trumps conduct to pressure Mike Pence to block the certification of the election.

"Smith characterizes Pence as acting in his role as president of the Senate when counting votes, but I expect Trump to argue that any conversations between him and the vice president is core executive activity," McQuade said. "This is the only set of allegations that strike me as potentially protected by immunity. The remaining allegations seem to be clearly unofficial acts that should be fair game for prosecution."

If Trump wins, McQuade expects he'll direct his attorney general to dismiss the case.

Otherwise, she said it's likely the case will go up to the Supreme Court before any trial as the court figures out how to apply the immunity ruling to the allegations.

"That means trial in this case likely will not occur until a year or so from now," she said.
Legality of cannabis abroad blamed for surge in smuggling into UK

The huge haul of cannabis seized at Manchester Airport found in suitcases belonging to Fernando Mayans Fuster - National Crime Agency/PA

The decriminalisation of cannabis overseas has contributed to an exponential rise in the number of passengers smuggling the drug through UK airports in suitcases, police believe.

The National Crime Agency revealed that the amount of marijuana Border Force officers seized at airports had tripled in the past year.

Charles Yates, NCA deputy director, said people were brazenly walking through airports with luggage full of cannabis following the relaxing of drug laws in countries such as the US, Canada and Thailand.

The NCA said that in 2023, around five tons of cannabis had been seized at airports and 136 people were arrested.

This year, that figure is already three times higher with officers seizing 15 tons of the drug. A total of 378 people have been arrested.

Vacuum-packed cannabis in a suitcase brought into the UK from Los Angeles by Fernando Mayans Fuster - National Crime Agency/PA

More than half of those arrested in 2023 had flown to the UK from US airports. A further 24 came from Thailand and 24 from Canada.

Around half of all arrests this year related to cannabis that originated in Thailand, the NCA said, while 75 arrests related to cannabis originating from Canada, and 47 to cannabis from the US.

Mr Yates said that the influx of cannabis was being fuelled by organised criminal gangs who have access to cannabis grown overseas in countries where it is legal.

The gangs then recruit couriers to transport it to the UK where the cannabis can be sold for a far higher profit.

The NCA said that couriers claimed they were being told by their bosses that they would only be given a fine if they were caught bringing the drug into the UK.

Some couriers can earn up to 10,000 per trip. The maximum sentence for cannabis importation in the UK is 14 years in prison.

Mr Yates said that couriers were typically found to be carrying around 15-40 kg of cannabis with much of it simply carried in suitcases.

He added: We have seen an exponential rise in people flying into the UK with cannabis stowed in luggage People are brazenly walking through airports with suitcases full of cannabis.

In one case, Fernando Mayans Fuster, a 51-year-old Spanish national, was caught at Manchester Airport with eight suitcases containing 158 kilos of the drug, after arriving on a flight from Los Angeles in May this year.

Gangs make huge profits by smuggling high-quality cannabis legally grown abroad, says the NCA's James Babbage

The NCA said it was one of the largest passenger seizures of its kind at Manchester Airport.

Mayans Fuster was jailed for three years and four months at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on July 19.

In another incident, on Aug 9, 11 British passengers were arrested at Birmingham Airport after a total of 510 kilos of cannabis was found inside 28 suitcases. All the passengers had travelled from Thailand.

James Babbage, NCA director-general of threats, said: Gangs can make significant profits by selling and smuggling perceived high-quality cannabis legally grown in the US, Canada and Thailand illegally in the UK.

The NCA is actively working with partners like Border Force here in the UK, and law enforcement internationally to target those involved in drug supply, including the networks behind it.

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The American Legions top official on Tuesday sharply criticized both Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump  the major party nominees to become the next president  for skipping the major veterans organizations conventions this summer, saying both candidates need to do more to prioritize veterans issues.

I know both of you have a tremendous campaigning schedule, and I know yours prevented you from actually gracing us with your presence [at this event], Legion National Commander Daniel Seehafer said in a speech at the groups convention in New Orleans on Aug. 27.

However, lets have no conflict in getting together. We want to be the first called and the first seated at your presidential table, if elected, when you come together and discuss these life changing and life-saving issues that affect us, veterans and families.

The American Legions summer convention and other similar gatherings from groups like the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Disabled American Veterans typically draw tens of thousands of veterans from around the country to discuss major veterans policy and outreach issues.

Suicide prevention campaign urges vets to be the one who reaches out

The Legions is the last major one this cycle. AMVETS held their convention last week in North Carolina.

The large veterans events have been a regular stop for presidential candidates and the sitting commander-in-chief for decades.

Both Trump and then Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton addressed the Legions convention in 2016 ahead of their election showdown. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney appeared at the Legion event in 2012, while then-President Barack Obama spoke at the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention a few weeks earlier.

Before President Joe Biden took office, every incumbent president had been to at least one of the major veterans conventions during his term in office, dating back to at least the administration of Harry S. Truman in the 1940s.

However, when most of the conventions were moved online or dramatically scaled down during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic in America, both Trump and then-Democratic presidential candidate Biden were unable to attend the events. Since Biden was elected, he has sent video messages to the gatherings, but not appeared in person.

Legion officials said they invited both Harris and Trump to resume the tradition, but were rebuffed. Trump initially agreed to speak at the event, but backed out in recent days.

Trump did speak earlier this week to the National Guard Association of the United States conference in Detroit, where he mentioned issues including veterans homelessness and trust in Veterans Affairs operations.

But Seehafer, whose organization boasts roughly 1.6 million members nationwide, said officials there hope for more attention and inclusion in either candidates future plans.

My friend, President Trump, if you truly want to make America great again, dont ever forget to make our veterans great too, he said. For without great veterans, theres no greatness in America.

And Vice President Harris, also my friend  we hear you talk about joy and democracy on your campaign trail, but you dont forget who defended and who continues to defend that democracy. I think some people forget that freedom isnt free.

The Legion convention runs through Thursday. Officials have already announced the 2025 convention will take place in Tampa, Florida, in late August of next year.
Let go of the baby!: Auburn PD release bodycam footage after woman attempts to choke child

AUBURN, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)  Auburn Police bodycam video shows the struggle between three officers and 39-year-old Chelci Love.

Police Chief James Slayton said her child was wedged between her legs.

Let go of the baby, yells an officer, with the cries of a child heard after. Let go of the baby!

Police were called to Loves apartment to assist Child Protective Services (CPS) after finding out she was sleeping with both of her children, ages six and three, on the floor of the West Middle School apartment building. Loves mother agreed to take the children, but after a disagreement between the two, the mother rescinded the offer.

If my kids get taken, Im going to beat her ***. Understand that. I will beat my mom, yells Love in the video. Dont touch my kids because I will beat my mothers ***. I will beat her to death.

Love then tries leaving with both kids, but police tried to handcuff her after she made threats to the CPS worker.

You cant take the kids with you. Heres the paperwork, says the worker.

Im about to **** you up, Love replies.

A struggle ensues, and thats when Loves three-year-old becomes trapped between her legs.

Police tell her to release her child.

An officer then tries to spread her legs apart and applies pressure to Loves thumb to get her to stop. That doesnt work. He then delivers multiple strikes to her left shoulder and around her head and neck.

I told you! Let go of the ******* baby, yells an officer before delivering the strikes.

Hes punching me, Love yells.

That officer then pulls the child out, and Love is placed into custody.

After reviewing the incident  Slayton says, The amount of necessary force used to obtain the officers objective was met, and the officer followed his training to meet this objective, which was to protect the child from harm.

Love is now facing multiple charges, including harassment, obstructing governmental administration, endangering the welfare of a child, and resisting arrest.

We have contacted multiple organizations who have spoken about this video for comment but have not yet heard back.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Letters to the Editor: Newsom caved to Google on saving journalism. What would Thomas Jefferson say?

To the editor: Columnist George Skelton is too kind to Gov. Gavin Newsom for gutting the California Journalism Preservation Act. ("Newsom and lawmakers bow to Google, sticking it to the news industry," column, Aug. 26)

In the governor's latest turnaround, he has scuttled legislation to require internet giants such as Google to pay back to news organizations some of the billions they've scooped up stealing from that ancient and proud profession.

Shockingly, the tech industry continues to benefit from newspaper stories it steals without compunction. This thievery takes places as newspapers continue to hurt across the country and our democracy suffers.

Does Newsom know what Thomas Jefferson thought about newspapers? In 1787, he wrote: "The basis of our government being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter."

No doubt that if he were alive today, newspaper publisher Benjamin Franklin would be occupied writing to Newsom and many letters to the editor.

June Maguire, Mission Viejo

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava is calling on Florida lawmakers to do something about a looming condominium crisis that could see thousands of owners priced out of their homes.

In a letter to the incoming Republican leaders of the Florida Legislature, the newly re-elected Democrat said lawmakers should prioritize changes to the states condo laws when they reconvene for the 2025 legislative session in March. In response, incoming House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, said the fixes are not as easy as some suggest.

The important question that is not being asked about this very important issue is not when? but what? How do we properly balance issues of economic impact with the safety of our citizens? Perez said in a statement to the Miami Herald on Wednesday. He added that lawmakers need to first figure out how to strike that balance before talking about changing existing laws.

Condominium associations across Florida are facing a Jan. 1 deadline to figure out how much they need to set aside for repairs. The repairs could cost the associations millions of dollars. Unit owners would be forced to shoulder the burden with hefty special assessments and higher monthly fees  all while facing rising insurance costs.

Residents across our state are feeling the pressure, and we are deeply concerned that these challenges will intensify the affordability crisis we have worked so hard at the state and local level to address, Levine Cava wrote. We ask that you tackle this escalating issue and urge the Legislature to work collaboratively across the aisle for solutions.

Read more: Whats the future for Miami condos? Experts to talk on crisis, solutions at Herald panel

The call comes a week after Florida lawmakers rejected calls to reconvene the Legislature before March to amend new condo safety laws passed in the aftermath of the Champlain Towers collapse in Surfside in 2021 that killed 98 people.

After the collapse, state lawmakers banned association from waiving reserve contributions  a form of savings for routine maintenance projects  and delaying structural repairs. Champlain Towers was doomed by structural issues, and despite several warnings from contractors, the owners deferred repairs due to the multi-million-dollar cost for renovations and upkeep.

Now, condo associations with buildings three stories or higher owe the state a reserve study by January 2025, essentially providing a savings plan for repairs needed every 15 to 25 years. If those buildings are 30 years or older, theyll have to undergo a structural inspection, too. As a result, many condo association leaders are approving higher homeowner fees.

I know some residents are anxious, understandably, but the people of Florida deserve something better than us taking the easy way out and just letting history repeat itself  because I said then, and I will say it again now, I will never let a tragedy like Surfside happen again under my watch, Perez said.

Incoming Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Bartow, echoed that his focus is on ensuring a tragedy like Surfside doesnt happen again.

As a father and grandfather, my gut tells me that when I look to prioritize affordability and safety, safety is going to win every time, Albritton said in a statement to the Herald on Wednesday. With that being said, I do hear the economic side of this issue loud and clear. Inflation is stretching budgets across the state, and families and seniors are having a hard time making room for increased assessments needed to cover years of deferred maintenance.

Read more: Condo HOA fees jumped 60% in South Florida in past 5 years. Why higher costs are ahead

Rising HOA fees and insurance costs are some of the reasons condo prices keep falling in South Florida. Across the state there are similar trends. The number of condos and townhomes on the market has shot up 92% since last year, according to the most recent data from Florida Realtors. Meanwhile, sales fell 20%.

Levine Cava said affordability should be prioritized along with safety when it comes to rethinking the statutes that govern condominiums. While she did not suggest specific proposals, she noted the county has distributed millions of dollars in loans to help low-income condo owners pay for special assessments.

But to truly tackle this crisis and provide relief to homeowners while continuing to promote building safety, we need further support and action from the state level, she said.

Perez said he will continue to have conversations with condo owners and state lawmakers to come up with solutions.

And once we know what to do  how to strike the right balance between affordability and safety  then we can talk about when to consider changing the existing laws, Perez said.

Albritton agrees.

These are serious issues that are going to take time to sort out, he said. Im open to ideas.
The Lexington Police Department has arrested one person and cited two dozen others for unlawful camping following the implementation of a controversial new Kentucky law that critics say criminalizes homelessness.

A sweeping anti-crime law in Kentucky  House Bill 5, called the Safer Kentucky Act by its supporters  took effect July 15. Among its many provisions is the establishment of a new crime, unlawful camping.

It bans people from trying to sleep or camp in specified public and private spaces that are not designated for camping, including on sidewalks or roadsides, under bridges, or in parks, parking lots, garages or doorways. Sleeping in a vehicle could count as camping, as could sleeping in tents, huts or other temporary shelters.

A first offense for unlawful camping is a violation, punishable by a $250 fine. Repeat offenses would be a Class B misdemeanor, which can bring up to 90 days in jail on top of a $250 fine.

As House Bill 5 worked its way through Frankfort, advocates for the homeless said the bill would punish people for not having a place to live without actually providing anyone with a home, especially as there arent enough shelter beds.

An estimated 2,410 people were homeless in Lexington in 2023, and there are only about 568 year-round shelter beds available.

As of Aug. 28, every shelter is full, said Ginny Ramsey, the executive director of the Catholic Action Center, one of the citys three main shelters.

We were hoping there would be leniency when all shelters are full, she said.

System that continues to fail them

To date, there has been one local man arrested for the new crime of sleeping outside where not allowed.

LPD Officer Matthew Barrett arrested a 61-year-old man on Aug. 8 for one charge of unlawful camping while he was sleeping outside a post office, the citation reads.

The location of this incident is a public sidewalk with an overhang for a makeshift cover. (Vincent) was observed asleep on camping paraphernalia such as cardboard. Listed subject was previously warned not to camp at this location, Barrett wrote.

Lexington police issued nine unlawful camping citations on the first day the law was enacted, department records show. Most of them were in the citys downtown corridor.

Police issued at least 24 unlawful camping citations from July 15 to Aug. 14, according to documentation provided through the Kentucky Open Records Act.

The Herald-Leader requested records of any citations issued ... that include KRS 511.110 (unlawful camping) as part of the citation.

The department made a spreadsheet with citation data instead of providing the actual citations because the Herald-Leader did not ask for copies of citations. The Herald-Leader has filed an additional records request to obtain the citations.

Thirty calls regarding homeless encampments were made to the citys 311 hotline,  where residents request services or report nuisances or problems  since July 15, according to Susan Straub, the city spokesperson.

Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers is photographed at the departments headquarters in downtown Lexington, Ky., on Monday, Dec. 11, 2023.

In a July 10 interview with the Herald-Leader, Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers said the new law wouldnt mean more arrests by his officers. Instead, police would do what theyve been doing: identify needs and contact resources like the Office of Homeless Prevention, the Community Paramedicine unit and such partners as the nonprofit Catholic Action Center.

We talk about it all the time, and the truth of the matter is these situations are different, they vary from person to person. If we get a call, our first priority is not to arrest  thats not even going to be our second, third, fourth, or fifth priority, Weathers said days before the first citation would be issued.

Ramsey, the executive director of a local homeless shelter, was pleased to hear that.

But what advocates for the homeless were told to expect of law enforcement is different than what they have experienced, she said.

The Catholic Action Center announced an expansion in order to help respond to upcoming cold winter weather and COVID-19 in Lexington, Ky., Wednesday, September 9, 2020. Weve been through a lot of ups and downs, said Ginny Ramsey, director and co-founder of the Catholic Action Center.

Ramsey said homeless providers thought people were going to get a warning prior to a citation. But Ramsey and others have heard people are being cited. In almost all of those cases, people are being cited for other charges such as fleeing from police or failure to appear, not just camping violations.

The judges are dismissing it and dismissing the court costs, Ramsey said. They are getting warnings.

Although Weathers said the law wouldnt change their policing, his department  and every police department in the state  is required to enforce the ban.

The law says that government officials cannot directly or indirectly discourage their officers from enforcing the law, or ordinance that prohibits unlawful camping. If they were to do so, the attorney general can bring a civil action in any court against the officials.

Still, the law is new, and Ramsey and homeless advocates are worried those camping citations will put vulnerable people into a vicious cycle where they are cited, fail to show up for court and then cited again for failure to appear.

It puts them in a cycle that is just not helpful, Ramsey said. Our folks that are mentally ill are going to end up in jail. They will not be getting treatment. Our folks are very fearful.

The law also prohibits overnight parking or sleeping in cars for more than 12 hours. There are a lot of people, particularly families, who are now living in cars, Ramsey said. A group of churches is trying to come up with a plan to allow people to use church parking lots to park and sleep.

The people who need the help are being put into a system that continues to fail them, Ramsey said.

When the U.S. Supreme Court upheld an Oregon citys ban on public camping by homeless people in June, it undermined a planned legal challenge to Kentuckys ban on camping.
A view of the Central Bank of Libya in Tripoli

August 28 (Reuters) - Here is a timeline chronicling Libya's years of chaos and division:

2011 - Revolt and civil war

An uprising against Muammar Gaddafi's four-decade rule rapidly spreads, becoming an armed revolt aided by NATO airstrikes. Gaddafi is ousted in August and killed in October by rebels as flees his hometown.

2012 - Missed opportunities

A rebel council holds elections for an interim General National Congress which creates a transitional government. True power lies with an array of local armed groups.

Islamist militants gain ground and attack the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, killing the ambassador.

2013 - Growing divisions

Armed groups are ever more powerful, besieging government buildings and forcing the congress to bow to their demands. The body is increasingly divided and trust is ebbing as it seeks to extend its 18-month term and delay elections.

2014 - East-West schism

The congress rejects the results of an election to a new parliament - the House of Representatives (HoR) - and sets up a government that is backed by armed groups in the west.

The newly elected parliament moves from Tripoli to the east in support of a rival government backed by Khalifa Haftar, a former general who has brought together several armed factions as the Libyan National Army. Libya is now split between warring administrations in east and west.

2015 - Islamists on the march

Islamist groups take advantage of the chaos and Islamic State seizes the central city of Sirte in February.

In December, the warring parliamentary bodies sign the Libyan Political Agreement to set up a new transition under a Government of National Accord.

The agreement confirms the HoR as Libya's parliament but gives members of the congress a new role as an advisory second chamber - the High State Council.

2016 - Islamic State driven back

The HoR rejects the new government as it takes office in Tripoli, entrenching Libya's east-west divide. Western armed factions eventually take Sirte from Islamic State as Haftar fights militants in Derna and Benghazi and seizes the so-called oil crescent region of central Libya.

2017-18 - Chaos

Fighting intensifies around the country as armed groups in the west battle for Tripoli and major factions fight Islamist militant groups around the country. New peacemaking efforts quickly fall apart.

2019 - Haftar attacks Tripoli

Haftar drives his LNA through southern Libya, bringing most remaining oil fields under his control. In April, as the U.N. secretary general flies into Tripoli for peace talks, Haftar launches a surprise offensive against the capital, taking Sirte en route. His assault is backed by the UAE, Egypt and Russia.

Western Libyan armed groups come together to support the Tripoli government with help from Turkey, their alliance bolstered by a deal on maritime borders that angers Egypt and Greece.

2020 - Ceasefire

Turkey openly sends troops to support Tripoli and Haftar's offensive collapses. As his forces pull back, evidence of atrocities is found in the town of Tarhuna. The sides agree a formal ceasefire and the U.N. convenes Libyan politicians and civil society in Tunis for a new peacemaking effort that aims at holding national elections the following year.

2021 - A failed election

The eastern and western factions all accept a new Government of National Unity (GNU) and Presidency Council, meant to oversee elections in December. But the HoR in the east and the HSC in the west cannot agree on a new constitution or rules for the vote and the election falls apart at the last minute.

2022 - Standoff

Both parliamentary bodies now say the unity government has lost its legitimacy but the prime minister refuses to quit. The HoR in eastern Libya again appoints a rival administration, but it fails to enter Tripoli leaving the unity government still in control but the political standoff unresolved.

Groups in eastern areas controlled by Haftar

2023 - Paralysis

As efforts to end the impasse stalled, the major players worked to consolidate their positions.

The catastrophic flood that hit Derna in the east in October, when two poorly maintained dams collapsed in a storm destroying much of the city, underscored the havoc caused by 12 years of chaos and division.

2024 - New crisis

Veteran Central Bank of Libya head Sadiq al-Kabir is in increasing conflict with the GNU over state spending. In August Presidency Council chief Mohammed al-Menfi sacks Kabir, a move opposed by the HoR and Haftar in the east prompting an oil shutdown that impacts global energy prices.

(Compiled by Angus McDowall; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
With lifted spirits, Black Michiganders took their souls to the polls

From left to right: Jeff Bulls, Dawn Granberry and Terry Pruitt greet community members at a Souls to the Polls table across the street from an early voting center in Saginaw, Mich., on a warm Sunday this month. This was the first year state law allowed the event in Michigan. Matt Vasilogambros/Stateline

SAGINAW, Mich.  Ann and Kenneth Patrick were in high spirits.

The couple had just gotten out of a two-hour Sunday service earlier this month at Prince of Peace Baptist Church and had taken a 10-minute drive to vote early with fellow parishioners and members of their tight-knit community in central Michigan.

Gospel music rang out from speakers sitting in the grass across the street from Saginaw Countys early voting center, in a two-story concrete building that normally serves as a probation office. Local social justice activists offered free water and voter registration materials under the shade of trees, while a close-by soul food truck dished out fried catfish and turkey legs.

Black worshippers from many of the citys churches laughed, hugged and caught up with friends. It was the final day of early voting for Michigans Aug. 6 primary, and voters were choosing congressional and state legislative candidates.

Thanks to changes in state law, this is the first year that Black activists in Michigan have been able to organize the get-out-the-vote event Souls to the Polls, in which the faithful travel from pew to poll right after the benediction.

Hey, you out  you can go vote, said Ann Patrick, 59, still in her Sunday finest, a matching black jacket and skirt, under the blazing summer sun.

You already out, her husband, 71, agreed, nodding.

You motivated, and it is fresh on your mind, she added. This affects our way of life. If you want to have an impact, you got to vote.

The Patricks were among roughly 150 voters who braved the high humidity to participate in Souls to the Polls in Saginaw that Sunday. As part of the event, Black pastors throughout the state encouraged their congregations to vote early after services that day. Many churches also organized rides for worshippers.

Providing multiple avenues

This was the first year Michiganders could participate in the nationwide Souls to the Polls effort.

In 2022, voters approved a constitutional amendment that introduced early voting to the state. Then, last year, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill overturning an 1891 law that made it illegal to transport voters to the polls unless they had a physical disability.

We are providing multiple avenues for people to vote, said Democratic state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet, who swung by the Saginaw early voting site after visiting a nearby congregation.

We know that work can get in the way, she said. Kids can get in the way, all kinds of things. And now we just have a place for peoples voices to be heard.

The primary election didnt include the race for the White House. But in November, Souls to the Polls and similar mobilization efforts could tip the balance in Michigan, a closely contested presidential battleground state.

It is illegal under federal tax law for pastors to endorse political candidates. But by mobilizing Black voters  83% of whom are Democrats or lean Democratic, according to the Pew Research Center  Souls to the Polls has drawn the ire of some Republicans.

While GOP-controlled Georgia and Texas have unsuccessfully tried to limit Sunday voting over the past four years, Democratic-led Michigan has embraced Souls to the Polls.

Its just another avenue to get people back into the process, said Jeff Bulls, president of Community Alliance for the People, a Saginaw-based social justice grassroots organization that helped organize the early voting event. I think a lot of people have been jaded with the political process.

Since it launched in 2021, the group, known locally as CAP, has tried to reengage and educate residents of Saginaw, a city that is more than 45% Black, with a positive attitude, saying its OK if residents arent yet registered to vote or dont yet know whats on the ballot.

You must vote

Along with new early voting opportunities, the rise of Vice President Kamala Harris to the top of the Democratic ticket for president has ignited an enthusiasm about the voting process, Bulls said. Indeed, many voters told Stateline they felt renewed energy after Harris became the presumptive nominee.

Ive never seen a political season like this, said Chuckie Lawrence, a local organizer who puts together a kickball league in the community. These are the most critical times in my 56 years Ive ever seen.

Polling backs up that excitement. The percentage of registered Black voters nationally who said they will vote in November shot up 16 points to 74% after Harris became the presumptive Democratic nominee, according to a recent CBS News/YouGov survey.

In 2020, President Joe Biden won Michigan by 154,000 votes, in large part due to his support among Black voters. A few days after the Saginaw Souls to the Polls event, Harris told a rapturous crowd in Detroit that her path to the White House runs right through Michigan.

No one can afford to sit this one out, said Terry Pruitt, president of NAACP Saginaw Branch, who held a Facebook livestream across the street from the early voting center that Sunday to encourage viewers to rush over before polls closed. You have to be all in this time.

The event attracted not only churchgoers, but also first-time voters such as Lionel Baldwin II and KaVarion Purifoy, both 19.

I just know its right, Purifoy said.

Its my civic duty to vote. Im going to do that every time I get a chance.

 Tammy Johnson, Michigan resident

Fateya Miller, 35, had just gotten off work when her mother, Tammy Johnson, 62, picked her up to go vote. She said it was either go Sunday afternoon or go early before work on Tuesday, primary day.

She was going to make me wake up at 6 to go vote, Miller said.

Amen, Johnson said. Its my civic duty to vote. Im going to do that every time I get a chance.

An hour before Souls to the Polls began, Chris Pryor, lead pastor of Victorious Believers Ministries, stood before nearly 200 of his congregants as a pianist played softly to his right, and reminded worshippers that it was the last Sunday to vote.

If anyone had any questions about any of the contests, he said, the churchs political action team was in the back with sample ballots and could help explain what was on it.

I dont want you to go as an uneducated voter, Pryor told his congregation, holding a mic in his left hand and standing behind a wood-and-glass lectern. I want you to know the people that youre voting for. Amen?

Amen, many responded.

His sermon focused on how congregants could only improve the world if they first improved themselves, not just through prayer but also through the vote. Along the wall behind him were the churchs five pillars of faith, one being community development.

I can never tell you how to vote, but I can tell you that you must vote, Pryor preached. Dont complain about things in life if you dont vote.

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.
By Anna Tong

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California lawmakers passed a hotly contested artificial-intelligence safety bill on Wednesday, after which it will need one more process vote before its fate is in the hands of Governor Gavin Newsom, who has until Sept. 30 to decide whether to sign it into law or veto it.

Tech companies developing generative AI - which can respond to prompts with fully formed text, images or audio as well as run repetitive tasks with minimal intervention  have largely balked at the legislation, called SB 1047, saying it could drive AI companies from the state and hinder innovation.

Some Democrats in U.S. Congress, including Representative Nancy Pelosi, also opposed it. Proponents include Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who also runs an AI firm called xAI and has said he supports the bill.

The measure mandates safety testing for many of the most advanced AI models that cost more than $100 million to develop or those that require a defined amount of computing power. Developers of AI software operating in the state also need to outline methods for turning off the AI models if they go awry, effectively a kill switch.

The bill also gives the state attorney general the power to sue if developers are not compliant, particularly in the event of an ongoing threat, such as the AI taking over government systems like the power grid.

As well, the bill requires developers to hire third-party auditors to assess their safety practices and provide additional protections to whistleblowers speaking out against AI abuses.

The bills author, Democratic State Senator Scott Wiener, represents San Francisco, home to OpenAI and many of the startups developing the powerful software. He has said legislation is necessary to protect the public before advances in AI become either unwieldy or uncontrollable.

Martin Casado, general partner at venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, said before the vote that he hoped Newsom would veto it. Its got the most bipartisan, broad opposition Ive ever seen, he said.

Alphabet's Google, Microsoft-backed OpenAI and Meta Platforms have expressed their concerns in letters to Wiener. Amazon-backed Anthropic has said the benefits to the bill likely outweigh the costs, though it added there were still some aspects that seem concerning or ambiguous.

(Reporting by Anna Tong in San Francisco; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
Lightning and rainbows, Austal settlement, and a new addition for Spring Hill College | Aug. 27, 2024

Editors Note: News 5 Now streams live Monday through Friday at 5:30 p.m. Watch the video above.

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  Welcome to WKRG.coms new streaming show, News 5 Now, where we discuss the days 5 big stories and interact with you, our viewers.

Top 5 Stories

Its time to count down the Big Stories were following for you.

5. Weather: Lightning and Rainbow

Minnesota residents were in for a view as a combination of lightning and a rainbow hit the skies Monday night.

The weather phenomenon happened in Golden Valley, Minnesota, and took place during a severe thunderstorm warning.

A video of the lightning and rainbow mashup was posted to X.

austal-tool-1_310496

4. Austal USA Settlement

Austal USA LLC is out over $800,000 after the company settled allegations that it violated the False Claims Act, according to the United States Department of Justice.

The Mobile-based company agreed to pay a total of $811,259 to resolve allegations that they knowingly supplied valves that did not meet military specifications.

USDOJ said the claims are only allegations and that there has been no determination of liability.

(Getty Images)

3. Mississippi Broadband Expansion

Broadband access in the state of Mississippi is expanding as officials approved nine projects.

Those projects will be funded by the Capital Projects Fund and will provide more than $21 million in grant funding to expand internet service to more than 12,000 households.

This is in addition to a $70 million award for 24 other projects approved in June.

2. Charges Dismissed Against Local Priest

A Mobile Priest is no longer facing a sexual misconduct case following a judges ruling, News 5 has learned.

Father David Tokarz, a pastor at Our Savior Catholic Church in West Mobile, was previously arrested in April and charged with sexual misconduct and harassment.

The case was dismissed by a city court judge, according to reports.

Tokarzs attorney, Jeff Deen, said the victim requested for the case to be dismissed.

Rendering Courtesy: William Blackstock Architects

1. $1.5 Million Addition to a Local College

Spring Hill College will soon have a new building on its campus following a Mobile City Council vote on Tuesday.

The vote approved city funding for a new health and science building, News 5 has learned.

This comes two weeks after the Mobile County Commission voted to approve partial funding and means the college now has $1.5 million to support the new center.

Question of the Day

Monday, Aug. 26, was National Dog Day, but not everyone is a fan of dogs. WKRG News 5 asked, Which do you prefer: cats or dogs?

Here are your responses.

Poll of the Day

In honor of National Womens Equality Day, WKRG News 5 asked, Do you think women have equal rights?

Heres how you voted.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is targeting the Affordable Care Act again. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

The Affordable Care Act is back under attack. Not as in the repeal-and-replace debates of yore, but in a fresher take from Republican lawmakers who say key parts of the ACA cost taxpayers too much and provide incentive for fraud.

Several House Republican leaders have called on two watchdog agencies to investigate, while Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) fired off more than half a dozen questions in a recent letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

At issue are the ACAs enhanced subsidies, put in place during the covid-19 pandemic as part of economic recovery legislation. Grassley said in a recent news release that the subsidies left Obamacare, a program already riddled with problems, wide open to new waste, fraud and abuse.

While potential fraud in government programs has always been a rallying cry for conservatives, the recent criticisms are a renewed line of attack on the ACA because repealing it is unlikely, given that more than 21 million people enrolled in marketplace plans for this year.

I see whats happening right now as laying the groundwork for the big fight next year, said Debbie Curtis, a vice president at consulting firm McDermott+.

The enhanced subsidies are set to expire in late 2025. Without them, millions of Americans would likely see their premiums go up.

But the debate will also likely draw in other issues, including Trump-era tax cuts, which also must be addressed next year. Also potentially in play are other aspects of the ACA, including a special year-round enrollment period and zero-premium plans for low-income consumers.

Much of what eventually happens will depend on the makeup of the Senate and House, as well as control of the White House, after the November elections.

The fate of the enhanced tax credits is dependent on the Democrats holding some majority in Congress and/or winning the presidency and is also tied inextricably to the Trump tax cut expiration, said Dean Rosen, a partner at Mehlman Consulting and a former senior Republican congressional staffer. Thats because both sides have incentive to extend all or part of the tax cuts, but each will want some kind of compromise on other issues as well.

The growing outcry by Republicans about the subsidies goes hand in hand with a controversial recent report from a conservative think tank that estimates millions of people  or their brokers  may be misstating their incomes and getting the most generous ACA subsidies.

The Paragon Health Institute report estimates that the number of people who enrolled in ACA coverage for this year who projected they would earn between 100% of the federal poverty level and 150%  amounts that qualify them for zero-premium plans and smaller deductibles  likely exceeds the number of people with that level of income, particularly in nine states.

It recommends several changes to the ACA, including letting the enhanced subsidies expire, increasing repayment amounts for people who fail to project their incomes correctly, and ending the Biden-backed initiative that allows very low-income people to enroll in ACA coverage year-round rather than having to wait for the once-a-year general open enrollment period.

The Paragon report was cited by both Grassley and the House GOP lawmakers in their letters to government overseers. It also notes what they consider a related concern: ongoing problems of unscrupulous, commission-seeking agents enrolling people in ACA coverage or switching their plans without their permission, often into highly subsidized plans. KFF Health News uncovered the enrollment and switching schemes in the spring.

Some critics, though, question how the Paragon analysis was done.

For instance, Paragons findings rely on two unrelated data sets from different years. Combining them makes many people who are eligible for subsidies appear to be ineligible, said Gideon Lukens, a senior fellow and director of research at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The analytic approach is not careful or sophisticated enough to provide accurate or even meaningful results.

Paragon President Brian Blase, a former senior Trump administration official and a co-author of the report, said it used publicly available data that others could use to confirm its results.

Paragons recommendations also drew mixed reactions.

Sabrina Corlette, a co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University, said they would make coverage less affordable, disproportionately affecting low-income people, and thats the opposite of the goals of the ACA.

Another ACA expert, Joseph Antos of the conservative American Enterprise Institute, agrees with one of the recommended fixes: changing the structure of the subsidies to limit zero-premium plans.

Giving health insurance away is the problem, said Antos, who said it is probably contributing to the unauthorized switching by some rogue brokers, who know if they sign someone up for a free plan without their permission, theyre unlikely to get caught for a while because the person wont get monthly bills.

Another potential solution to people misstating their income is that the seven or eight states that still havent expanded Medicaid should do that, Antos said. The expansion would open Medicaid eligibility to more people who earn less than the poverty level, reducing the incentive to overestimate their income to qualify for ACA subsidies.

Among other things, the subsidies are larger now for low-income enrollees. For example, families at the poverty level or just above it ($30,000 to $45,000 for a family of four) can currently qualify for coverage with no monthly premium, whereas before they would have had to pay 2% to 4% of their annual income toward such a plan.

President Joe Biden has pushed to make the subsidies permanent and has often touted the record enrollment in ACA plans under his watch. Across all income groups, nearly 20 million people out of 21 million ACA enrollees this year got at least some subsidy, according to a KFF report.

Subsidies, also called premium tax credits, are generally paid directly to health insurers, and applicants must estimate their income for the coming year to qualify.

Those who incorrectly project their incomes  possibly because they work irregular retail hours, are self-employed and give a best guess of business, or get an unexpected raise or a new job  must pay back all or part of the subsidy, on a sliding scale linked to income.

The cost of the enhanced subsidies has been sharply criticized by some GOP leaders after the Congressional Budget Office recently estimated that making them permanent would add $335 billion to the federal budget deficit over 10 years.

Democrats have pointed to another recent CBO report estimating extending the Trump-era tax cuts would add $4.6 trillion to the deficit over 10 years.

The enhanced subsidies cost a lot less than that and its actually helping people, Curtis said.

Ultimately, every health care debate comes down to money, said Larry Levitt, executive vice president for health policy at KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News. There is a trade-off here. Millions of people have gotten coverage and more affordable premiums due to these enhanced subsidies, but extending them would cost the government a lot of money.

Despite the attention paid by some GOP lawmakers to the fraud concerns, many political observers say they dont think they will play a direct role during the election campaigns of either party.

For Republicans, theyll stay away from health care period. It is not a winning campaign issue for them, Curtis said. With Harris campaign, we will see a continued drive for affordable coverage being key, particularly drug costs. In neither party will you hear much about the importance of extending the enhanced subsidies. Its too complicated.

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.
Lithuania sends Ukraine new package of military assistance

Lithuania has provided Ukraine with loaders, anti-drone systems, and folding beds for its military.

Source: Lithuanian Defence Ministry in a statement, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The aid package arrived in Ukraine on August 28.

According to the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence, Lithuania has already delivered 155-mm ammunition; M577 armoured personnel carriers; M113 armoured personnel carriers; anti-drone systems; winter equipment and warm clothing sets; ammunition for the Karl Gustav anti-tank grenade launchers; remote RISE-1 blasting systems; generators; spare parts for light attack aircraft L-39ZA Albatros; loaders; trailers; clamshells, and other equipment.

Lithuania has provided Ukraine with military assistance totalling over 647 million since the full-scale Russian invasion began. Lithuania's total support for Ukraine is long-term and exceeds 1 billion.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte announced a new package of military assistance, including air defence systems and other equipment, expected to arrive in Ukraine by early September.

Earlier this month, Lithuanian-made combat drones were tested in frontline conditions in Kyiv Oblast.

These tests were conducted so that Ukraine could select products that best meet the needs of its military.

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Lithuanians send Ukraine last of over 1,100 anti-drone systems they raised 8 million to buy

Lithuanian activists have announced that they are sending Ukraine the last of more than 1,100 anti-drone systems purchased with funds donated in response to the Radarom campaign.

Source: LRT, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The final 22 small anti-drone systems of 1,141 purchased using funds raised by Radarom, a campaign launched by a group of NGOs and media outlets  public broadcaster LRT, Blue/Yellow, Laisves TV, Stiprus kartu, and journalist Rita Miliute were sent to Ukraine on 28 August.

Lithuanians donated more than 8 million in response to the campaign, which came to a close on the second anniversary of the full-scale war in February 2024. The equipment was purchased from two Lithuanian companies, Brolis Semiconductors and NT Service.

In addition to electronic warfare equipment, night vision devices and sights were also purchased. About 300 of these are still to be delivered.

"The generosity of the Lithuanians and Lithuanian businesses who donated to the Radarom campaign has helped save the lives of many Ukrainian soldiers. And this money stays in Lithuania, because we chose Lithuanian manufacturers," campaign manager Laura Paukste said.

Background:

Last year, on the first anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the campaign raised more than 14 million to purchase 17 tactical surveillance radars to monitor Ukraine's airspace, as well as other equipment.

In July 2024, Blue/Yellow, together with former president Dalia Grybauskaite, launched the fundraising campaign Greetings from Lithuania to purchase Lithuanian-made drones for Ukraine.

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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (WFLA)  Governor Ron DeSantis speaks about Floridas law enforcement in Winter Haven on Wednesday.

The SAFE grant has helped law enforcements get drugs off the streets all over Florida, DeSantis claimed. The Florida governor said the state has achieved a 50 year low in the crime rates.

1 dead after train, pickup collide near Lakeland

That is what we expect for people who are involved in law enforcement. Dont turn criminals back on the street dont let the inmates run the asylum, you need to care more about protecting the general public and innocent people then you do about coddling criminals, DeSantis said.

According to Suzy Lopez, Hillsborough County is down 15 percent in overall crimes.

DeSantis was joined by Attorney General Ashley Moody, Polk County Sheriffs Office Sheriff Grady Judd, State Attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida Andrew Bain, and State Attorney for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida Suzan Suzy Lopez

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
People attend a makeshift memorial on November 7, 2021 at NRG Park in Houston days after the fatal crowd rush at the Astroworld Festival. - Credit: THOMAS SHEA/AFP/Getty Images

Live Nation is aggressively pushing to prevent a deposition of its chief executive officer Michael Rapino over the deadly Astroworld Festival crowd rush, and the live music giant hopes Texass Supreme Court will support their efforts.

While all of the wrongful death suits have been settled earlier this year, the suits tied to hundreds of attendees injured at the show are still active. The Astroworld Trial Court had first granted a motion for Rapinos deposition last April, and Live Nation went to an appellate court to challenge that decision. The appeal was dropped after the Astroworld Plaintiffs Liaison counsel had withdrawn the deposition when the wrongful death cases had settled. By late June, though, a deposition was scheduled again for the remaining plaintiffs. Live Nation appealed again, escalating the matter to the Supreme Court last month.

More from Rolling Stone

The company argued in the appeal that Rapino played no role in the 2021 Astroworld Festival and that he had no unique or superior personal knowledge; relevant to any claim or defense. The news was first reported by Puck.

Mr. Rapino neither attended the Festival nor visited the grounds, Live Nations counsel wrote in the appeal. He relied on others, who had superior knowledge of the Festival, to complete their tasks. In the Festivals aftermath, Mr. Rapinos communications were limited to those necessary for him to conduct his duties as Live Nations CEO.

However, the plaintiffs responded to Live Nations petition last week, arguing that Rapinos personal involvement was key to establishing the Festival. The plaintiffs wrote that Rapino was a major figure in booking Travis Scott in 2018 and 2019, also claiming that Rapino knew of Scotts dangerous concert antics.

Rapinos personal involvement in the 2021 Festival must be evaluated in light of his years of experience with Scott, plaintiffs counsel wrote.

The plaintiffs response referenced some of the details of the crowd rush that were first detailed in the Houston Police Departments extensive report on the incident released in 2023. The response references an ominous message a security worker named Reece Wheeler had sent to security executive Shawna Boardman, saying that I would want it on the record that I didnt advise this to continue. Someones going to end up dead.

The response also referenced an email Rapino sent to Live Nation executive Brad Wavra in the immediate aftermath of the crowd rush, after Wavra had emailed him noting that authorities hadnt canceled the second day but noted several cardiac arrests and 5 know [sic] dead and asked if the show would proceed Saturday or not.

Lets wait for confirmation on deaths once statement is made, we can decide, the email said. If 5 died we would cancel.

Remarkably, Live Nation claims that Rapino was not the decision maker on whether to cancel the Festival, plaintiffs counsel wrote. This email proves otherwise, and Plaintiffs want an opportunity to examine Rapino about it.

The counsel further referenced a private call between Scott and Rapino after the festival, noting that Scott spoke about it during his own deposition last year. They called that conversation central to the need for his deposition, further noting that Scott has testified about this conversation, but Rapinos version remains a mystery.

This is not a case where the CEO merely received business reports and only had final policy authority, the plaintiffs counsel wrote. It is a case in which the witness has unique knowledge of key facts; there is no other way to discover those facts.

Last week, Live Nation asked the court to give until August 30 to issue a response to the plaintiffs. Regarding Rapinos email, a rep for the company said that the email shows Michael Rapino doing what one would hope any CEO would do: confirming that if there were deaths the second show would be canceled.

The Astroworld fallout is just one of the major legal actions Live Nation is currently facing. The Department of Justice filed a bombshell complaint against the company in May, accusing the company of operating as a monopoly and calling for Live Nation and Ticketmaster to be broken up 14 years after merging in 2010. Ten more states jumped on that suit as plaintiffs earlier this month. Live Nation has consistently denied the monopoly allegations.

Best of Rolling Stone
MORGAN COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT)  The jury reached a verdict after four hours of deliberation over two days. Frederic Rogers is charged, along with John Legg, with killing seven people in Valhermoso Springs in June 2020.

News 19s Investigative Reporter Dallas Parker was in the courtroom providing updates about the case. She said Tuesdays testimony began with the defense resting its case around 9:51 a.m. This comes after the state also rested its case on Monday.

Jury deliberation to continue Wednesday in Seven Deadly Sins capital murder trial

Both the state and the defense then provided their closing statements/arguments. The jury started deliberations on Tuesday, August 27, around 2:02 p.m. then decided to end the day around 4 p.m.

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.

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

Earlier this week, counts three and five were dismissed.

Dallas is in the courtroom again today to provide live updates of the trial.

At 9:04 a.m., the bailiff took evidence into the jury room and told the court reporter to start the clock. Jury deliberations have resumed.

The jury reached a verdict at 11:02 a.m.

Rogers was convicted of three counts of capital murder:

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

The jury found him not guilty of the robbery charge.

Counts three and five were thrown out earlier in the trial.

Dallas said it seemed like a juror had an important appointment tomorrow so the parties discussed how to handle it. She said it sounded like theyre going to give the jury a break for one day, then bring them back Friday morning for the penalty phase.

Monday is a holiday so the jury will also not be in court.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.  A local development company has confirmed that a downtown Springfield movie theater will reopen in November 2024.

Paul Tillman of Tillman Redevelopment, LLC. tells OzarksFirst that the company hopes to have the previous Hollywood Theater (415 W. College St.) open ahead of the new movie Gladiator II, which releases on Nov. 22.

New beginnings in store for Hollywood Theaters, businesses in Downtown Springfield

Renovations have been focused inside the building, Tillman said, and have primarily been technological and amenities upgrades.

Tillman said moviegoers will get to enjoy heated recliners, and movies will be shown using laser projectors. Four theaters inside the building are receiving Dolby Atmos sound, which Tillman says is considered the top-of-the-line for theaters.

The theater opened for the first time in 2008 and has been closed since January 2023.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com.
KETTERING, Ohio (WDTN)  A local nurse practitioner put her healthcare skills to the test while off the clock.

It was about a four or five hour flight. And then over the P.A. system we heard someone say, you know, we need medical personnel. If anyone on the plane will come help, hit your call button, says Katie Copeland, a nurse practitioner in the ICU unit at Kettering Health Dayton.

Copeland was enjoying a relaxing trip to Panama with her husband when the medical incident occurred. While the location was different than the hospital setting she works in usually, her instincts were sharp as ever.

In my role at Dayton, I respond to emergencies on the regular units and then critically ill patients. So emergencies happen quite a bit, Copeland says. You just kind of go into a mode. Its like your instinct. Youre like, okay, lets go see whats going on.

Share your good news with 2!

Copeland rushed to the front of the plane where she was joined by a family doctor on-board, the two then ensured that the passenger was okay. The passengers wife was able to give Copeland and the doctor all the information they needed to keep him stable until the plane landed.

After landing, Copeland was able to speak with the passenger, who thanked her for her help. The experience was one that Copeland expects as part of her profession.

At some point in your life, like, its at the gym, is it on the plane? And it was just my turn. But youre always ready, youre always prepared, but you never know when these things are going to happen, Copeland says.

Copeland advises that passengers flying with a medical condition carry on their person a medication list and travel with someone whos knowledgeable of said condition. Those traveling alone should consider carrying a medical ID bracelet.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BELLEFONTE, Pa. (WTAJ)  Rep. Paul Takac and the House Majority Policy Committee visited Actuated Medical to tour a prime example of rural economic development, while also discussing the needs of the community.

Upon arrival, the group took a tour of the facility to see what they are developing. Actuated Medical focuses on developing and researching medical equipment to suit the needs of patients.

They, of course, could relate to several of the devices were developing, Owner Maureen Mulvihill said.

Mobile government offices in Centre County allow residents to be heard

After the tour, the group sat down for a roundtable discussion. The main topic was rural economic development and the policies surrounding it: whats working, and what isnt. Rural areas in Pennsylvania all face similar issues according to the committee: Population loss, lack of transportation and no broadband internet.

Takac says that in order to increase rural development, they need to invest in the local businesses there. Investors can be picky with where they choose to go, but Takac says he has already sweetened the deal by championing a $50 million rural jobs investment tax credit from the latest budget, which he thinks will help.

Get the latest news, weather forecasts and sports stories delivered straight to your inbox! Sign up for our newsletters.

What we want to do is create opportunities for entrepreneurs and business owners, Takac 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 WTAJ - www.wtaj.com.
Costco Wholesale took another step toward building a second store in the Tri-Cities, even as it continues to negotiate a long-term lease for 28 state-owned acres in Richlands Queensgate area.

Costco does not yet own or control the site, which is behind the Target-anchored Vintner Square shopping complex. The property is owned by the state of Washington and managed by the Department of Natural Resources. The two sides have negotiated a lease for more than a year.

Negotiations are ongoing but the latest estimate indicates they could be complete in September, the agency confirmed.

We are currently wrapping up the Agreement to Lease negotiations and heavy into final lease negotiations. We plan to have several meetings over the next few weeks to wrap up negotiations, Courtney James, DNR spokeswoman, told the Herald.

While negotiations continue, Costco is taking steps to secure approvals to begin construction.

The Issaquah-based company applied for both grading and construction permits from the city of Richland. Records indicate it will build a 182,644-square-foot structure, which is nearly 20% larger than its lone Tri-Cities store, on Gage Boulevard in Kennewick.

Lydig Construction will build the project for Costco Wholesale, represented by its director of real estate development, John Shaw.

Mike Stevens, Richlands planning manager, confirmed the permits are pending and were submitted by Costco as an authorized representative of DNR.

Costco itself is remaining silent on the subject of its second Tri-Cities location.

A spokeswoman reaffirmed that it only discusses stores that will open in the coming months. The 13 stores on the Costco calendar include two in the Northwest  Ridgefield, Wash. (August) and Bend, Ore. (October).

The timeline for completing the Richland lease has been a moving target.

In March, when Costco submitted the project for review under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), negotiations were described as being in their final stages, with a potential deal expected in April.

The building permit application gives a construction value of $24.6 million to the future Richland store. If approved, it will be nearly one-fifth larger than Costcos lone Tri-Cities locale, its 155,000-square-foot store on Gage Boulevard in Kennewick.

The store will have a gas station with 16 pumps, under plans previously submitted to the state. Construction would take about a year.

Costco Wholesale is finalizing lease negotiations for a new store at Richlands Queensgate area. The Kennewick store is on Gage Boulevard.

Costco has long been in the hunt for a second location.

After rejecting a site west of Broadmoor Boulevard in Pasco for undisclosed reasons, it lit on the DNR property, which was being marketed for commercial use after orchards were pulled out.

Story continues

In June 2023, the state agency confirmed it was negotiating with Costco.

The confirmation came after the city of Richland released documents assessing the traffic impacts of a Costco at Queensgate. The study was prepared in 2022 and was released under the state Public Records Act. The study contemplated an additional 652 vehicle trips during peak hours.

Costco Wholesale, the Issaquah-based warehouse club, is taking steps to secure a building permit for its future Richland store even as it negotiates terms to lease 28 acres at the northwest corner of the Kennedy Road and Truman Avenue intersection with the Washington Department of Natural Resources.

Costco would have to pay the city about $550,000 in traffic impact fees.

While terms of the final deal are not public, it could be a valuable agreement for the state agency, which manages lands to benefit the state and schools.

In its initial offer, Costco proposed a 55-year deal worth $12.2 million to the state in the first 25 years.

The rent for subsequent terms would be based on a reappraisal after the first 25 years. Costco requested the option to buy the property if DNR is legally able to sell it in the future.

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In the spring, Channel 11 told you about a change in Pennsylvania school code that opens the door for school districts to go to four-day school weeks.

School districts in Pennsylvania are required to have 180 days of instruction, or 990 hours, per the new school code.

One local school made the change.

A Thursday is only the third day of school for students at City Charter High School. They are off every Monday because theyre on a four-day school week.

I like it. I like it a lot because the Monday, its like an extra day to do whatever you want to do, 10th grader RoShell Moye said.

RoShell says she usually catches up on laundry and hangs out with friends on Mondays.

Dara Allen, CEO/Principal of City High, said other students get internship hours, work or use the day for appointments.

The school started testing a four-day school week during the pandemic and adopted it once the students returned to the classroom three years ago. City High is on a year-round schedule, with three months on and one month off.

Looking at ways to build more breaks into our schedule basically to be more refreshed and also to have more balance 31 in realizing that students needed balance just like staff needed balance, Allen said.

Allen says its helped with teacher retention, too.

I feel like its really stemmed, the burnout aspect of it. So knowing that you have four days, you can really prep on it, teacher Nathan Budziszewski said.

Teachers like Budziszewski are required to be in the classroom on what City High calls their 4 PLUS Mondays, one Monday a month. Its also a time for students to voluntarily get extra help from teachers or participate in fun activities like canoeing, video games and basketball.

Allen says her school data shows the biggest challenge with the 4-day school week has been attendance, but notes they do have a 90% attendance rate. The school day isnt longer for students because they already go more days during the year, so teachers have had to adapt their curriculums to fit it all in.

We have more efficient curriculum that we teach and better stuff and you really have to pay attention and make it have a better impact and thats been a value, Budziszewski said.

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In their first week back to school, students at Penn State Behrend gave the gift of life at a Community Blood Bank blood drive.

According to Megan Solensky, the blood banks community relations specialist, students at the high school and collegiate level make up about 20% of their blood supply this time of year.

Hospitalizations remain low as COVID cases spike in Erie County

The blood bank will be traveling to different schools over the next several weeks to continue pushing for people to get involved and help fight blood shortages.

Unfortunately this time of year, everybody is so busy. Its summertime, everyone wants to be outside, its back to school, so we just want to remind people that were here and you can still donate. We are in a critical blood shortage right now. Were operating out of about a days supply of blood, so were really trying to get the message out, said Solensky.

Patients receive makeovers thanks to Cancer Wellness Centers Beautiful You event

The blood drive at Behrend will continue at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday.

Also, the blood bank is operating on emergency hours on Saturday, August 31, and is taking donations throughout the day.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
These locations are on the Massachusetts Ice Cream Trail

PALMER, Mass. (WWLP)  Over 100 historic homemade ice cream locations in Massachusetts are featured in the states first-ever Ice Cream Trail to highlight dairy farms.

The Healey-Driscoll Administration launched the ice cream trail map on July 25th as an initiative to encourage residents to explore these destinations and learn about the local dairy farmers. Ninety-five dairy farms in Massachusetts contribute more than $61 million to the state economy each year. Most are small, family-owned farms that produce milk that is used to make products like cheese, yogurt, butter, and ice cream that are sold in the state and across the country.

Herrells Ice Cream opens pop-up location in North Amherst

The most common breeds of dairy cows in Massachusetts are Holstein, Red & White Holstein, Jersey, Brown Swiss, Ayrshire, Milking Shorthorn, and Guernsey. Most are milked two to three times a day and each cow produces 6 to 8 gallons each day.

There are 14 locations in western Massachusetts listed on the ice cream trail.

Barstows Dairy Store and Bakery Elsies Creamery at Randalls Farm Ferrindino Maple, LLC Flayvors of Cook Farm Herrells Ice Cream High Lawn Farm Maple Valleys Scoop at the Silos McCrays Country Creamery Mt. Toms Homemade Ice Cream North Hadley Sugar Schack and Market Rice Fruit Farm Rondeaus Dairy Bar The Apple Place Townline Ice Cream LLC

This is the signature dessert from Massachusetts

Alvin Rondeaus Dairy Bar in Palmer

Rondeaus Dairy Bar in Palmer was started back in 1940 and is best known for its homemade ice cream. The popular drive-up is located on Route 32, 1300 Ware Street in Palmer.

Massachusetts Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt stopped here on Tuesday to highlight the destination on the states ice cream trail.

Gellars Snack Bar in Plymouth

The snack bar serves homemade ice cream from Richardsons and handpicked burgers from Perrys Market. They have been in business for nearly 100 years.

(MassDOT)

Four Seas Ice Cream in Centerville

Governor Healey stopped at this hidden gem on Cape Cod and said that her favorite ice cream is mint chip. Four Seas Ice Cream mixed their homemade mint chip and made it pink for the governor.

(Governor Healey)

We are excited to launch the Massachusetts Ice Cream Trail, a delicious route that highlights the incredible diversity of our dairy farms and ice cream shops, said Governor Maura Healey. Massachusetts has a vibrant agricultural sector that thrives thanks to the hardworking farmers who diligently support our communities. This new tourism trail is designed to invite residents and visitors to experience our creative dessert offerings at traditional parlors, innovative shops, and local farm stands.

Massachusetts Ice Cream Trail Map

For more information on the Ice Cream Trail or a list of things to do in Massachusetts, visitMA.com offers guides and ways to plan your trip.

MA Ice Cream TrailDownload

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.
Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth presents first of dozens of F-35s to NATO member Poland

The Lockheed Martin Corp. presented Poland with its first F-35 aircraft at a ceremony on Wednesday in Fort Worth.

The transfer of ownership, held in Lockheeds coatings facility, was attended by company executives, Polish and American dignitaries, parliamentarians, defense officials from the U.S. and Poland, and dozens of Polish journalists and soldiers.

A member of NATO and the European Union, Poland agreed to a roughly $4.6 billion deal with the United States for 32 fifth-generation F-35A Lightning II aircraft in January 2020. A timeline for delivery of future aircraft to Poland is unclear.

Polands first F-35A Lighting II aircraft on display in Lockheed Martins coating facility in Fort Worth on August 28, 2024. Poland has ordered 32 F-35s.

Speakers at Wednesdays event addressed Lockheeds role as a pillar of Fort Worths economy.

My family literally still lives just a few minutes away from here, and Ive watched planes fly around this plant literally my entire life, and I consider this facility like a member of my family., said U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, a Democrat from Fort Worth, at Wednesdays event.

Lockheed employs about 18,000 people in Fort Worth. The company has a $9 billion economic impact on Texas each year. Chief Operating Officer Frank St. John said Lockheed has about 2,000 employees in Poland.

Polish and American dignitaries highlighted the strong alliance between the United States and Poland.

Our F-35 globalization is a powerful testament that our military alignment is not just a photo-op, but shows true synchronicity between our nations, said the U.S. ambassador to Poland, Mark Brzezinski.

Officials also spoke on the importance of the F-35 in deterring future conflicts and keeping NATO borders unchanged.

I am proud to be part of history today, introducing the F-35 as the next generation, which will protect and defend Polands future for many years, said Maj. Gen. Ireneusz Nowak, inspector of the Polish Air Force, in a statement. We are joining a strong coalition of 5th generation fighters across Europe, bolstering air superiority through allied deterrence.

Polish pilots will start training to fly the F-35 at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Arkansas, later this year. Polands first F-35 will be delivered to the Polish Air Force in December, at which time it will be used for training in Arkansas. The Polish Ministry of National Defence already uses Lockheeds F-16 jet and Black Hawk helicopters.

Wednesdays event was the 11th F-35 rollout in the programs history. Considered one of the most advanced fighter jets in the world, F-35s operate at 32 bases across the globe. Lockheed has delivered over 1,000 F-35s, according to the company.

Lockheed began delivering F-35s with Technology Refresh 3 to the U.S. military in July, after months of delays stalled delivery of aircraft with the long-awaited hardware and software update. F-35s with TR3 currently have a truncated version of the update to be used only for training. A software update to complete TR3, and make the aircraft combat-ready, is expected in 2025.

A report released by the Government Accountability Office in April estimated the cost of the F-35 program will exceed $2 trillion over the course of its lifetime.

Branches of the U.S. military that fly the F-35 plan to decrease use of the aircraft, though the Department of Defense estimates using the F-35 until 2088. The U.S. maintains roughly 630 F-35s, with plans to acquire about 2,500 in the next two decades.
A spate of dolphin attacks on swimmers in Japans Fukui Prefecture is being blamed on one bottlenose dolphin, who researchers believe may be particularly lonely, having been separated from a pod.

According to NBC News, Japanese news service NHK reported last week that a man had been bitten on both hands by a dolphin while swimming at a beach in the city of Tsuruga. The man was the 18th person to be bitten by a dolphin in the area since July 21. Since 2022, more than 45 people have been injured in the area.

Based on unique fin markings captured on film and in video, it is believed that many of the incidents are linked to a single male bottlenose dolphin.

Watch: Viral video captures bottlenose dolphins rocketing high through the air

A lonely dolphin

Because bottlenose dolphins are generally highly social animals that live together in pods, and this dolphin has been spotted swimming alone, marine researchers say that the dolphins unusual behavior may be caused by loneliness and sexual frustration after being isolated from a pod.

Tadamichi Morisaka, a dolphin ecologist at Mie University in Tsu, Japan, told Nature.com that playful biting is a common behavior amongst male bottlenose dolphins, who almost always live in pairs and groups.

This includes behaviors like chasing each other and rubbing the other dolphin with their pectoral fins  which is thought to signal fondness  and even sexual behaviors, such as pressing their penises against each other, Morisaka said, adding that Gentle biting is one of these pro-social behaviors. So the dolphin in Fukui is acting like hes playing with a male pairmate, but with humans instead.

James Cook University researcher Putu Mustika said that dolphins can also become aggressive when exhibiting mating behaviors and may misinterpret human interactions.

It remains unclear, though, why this dolphin, in particular, has become isolated from its companions.

In response to the increasing attacks on swimmers, officials have increased lifeguard patrols in the area and reduced swimming hours to try and reduce human interaction with the lonely marine mammal.

Another lonely dolphin in 2018 exhibited similar behavior

Its not the first time a dolphin has found itself alone and run afoul of humans.

In 2018, the French village of Landevennec had to temporarily ban swimming after a lone bottlenose dolphin, nicknamed Zafar, became overly playful with humans in the water. The 10-foot long Zafar tried to block multiple swimmers from returning to land and repeatedly bumped against swimmers and kayakers while swimming next to them.

Much like the bottlenose dolphin spotted off the coast of Japan earlier this month, Zafar was described as sexually frustrated.

Max Hauptman is a Trending Reporter for USA TODAY. He can be reached at MHauptman@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lonely dolphin in Japan is blamed for biting swimmers, researchers say
Longtime assistant county manager to retire and her replacement has already been named

Thurston Countys longtime assistant county manager will retire by the end of the year and her replacement has already been selected.

Robin Campbell decided to retire after 41 years of service with the state of Washington and Thurston County, according to a county news release.

I want to give my utmost thanks to Robin as she begins to transition out of her role here at the county and into her next chapter of retirement, County Manager Leonard Hernandez said in the news release. Robins leadership and organizational knowledge will be missed greatly.

Joshua Cummings, the former director of the countys Community Planning and Economic Development department, has stepped into the role to overlap with Campbells last few months.

Moving Josh into this role now allows for enough time for a transfer of knowledge, making this transition as smooth as possible for the county and staff, Hernandez said. Josh has a proven record with the county of tackling tough issues, with a customer service-oriented approach.

Campbell started as the countys assistant county manager and budget director in 2010, according to her LinkedIn profile. In that time, she has served under several county managers and even served as an interim county manager herself.

Ive had a long, rewarding career in government services  27 years with the State of Washington, and over 14 years with Thurston County, Campbell said in a statement to The Olympian. Im excited about retirement! My husband and I have been planning this for quite a while  we are ready for the next chapter in our life.

The countys announcement comes nearly five months after the Board of County Commissioners hired Hernandez as its new county manager. Hernandez replaced former county manager Ramiro Chavez who left the role in October 2023. Campbell served as interim county manager until Hernandez started in April.

In his new role, Cummings will help Hernandez oversee county departments and internal services. He will be paid $185,064 a year, which is higher than the $168,948 he earned as CPED director, according to Maria Aponte, the countys Human Resources Director.

Campbell called Cummings a great choice for the role.

Ive worked with Josh since he joined the county, Campbell said. Hes passionate about providing excellent service to our community, and Im sure he will continue to do an outstanding job in this new role.

Cummings has led CPED since September 2017, according to his LinkedIn profile. To replace him, Cummings has appointed Ashley Arai as interim director for CPED until a permanent director may be hired.

Ashley brings a depth of planning experience and a community-oriented demeanor that will serve her well in the role of interim director, Cummings said in the news release. I look forward to her leadership of the department and will be available to support her during this transition.

Hernandez offered Cummings the assistant county manager position after an internal hiring process, Aponte said. The county did not post the open position for anyone to apply, she said, because a competitive recruitment process is not required for this role in the countys at-will pay plan, she said.

The Board of County Commissioners supported Hernandezs decision to hire Cummings, Aponte added.

Conducting a recruitment process for a position at this level is time consuming and costly, Aponte said. The county sourced internal candidates and identified qualified employees who not only met or exceeded the qualifications of the position, but also were familiar with county operations, governance, county policies and procedures, experience with complex county issues, and had established professional relationships with internal employees and external stakeholders.

Cummings joins Rob Gelder, another assistant county manager who was hired in April 2023. Notably, Gelder was not an internal hire. He served as a Kitsap County commissioner prior to being hired at Thurston County, then under the management of Chavez.

Hernandez said Gelder has been an excellent addition to the team.

His past experience with elected offices and county management has been invaluable to our county as we move forward with the two additional commissioners and growth in staffing and population, Hernandez said.

So whats next for Campbell? She said shes planning to enjoy her retirement, but as a long-time county resident, she said she will still look for ways to be involved.

I am looking forward to spending time with my family and friends, and enjoying hobbies such as traveling, music, cooking, crafting and genealogy research, Campbell said.

Ive lived in Thurston County for over 50 years, and while I havent settled on anything yet, Ill be looking for ways to volunteer and continue to serve my community.
Several people have been arrested and tens of thousands of pounds of copper recovered as part of a crackdown by Los Angeles police and staff on thieves and rogue recyclers that at times have left the city paralyzed and dark in the last few years, officials announced at a Tuesday news conference.

Flanked by members of the Los Angeles Police Department and Caltrans, City Council President Paul Krekorian announced that 16,000 pounds of copper wire valued at $40,000 has been recovered during a recent two-month crackdown.

The consequences to the taxpayers of Los Angeles are far, far greater than that, he said of the copper's value. The cost of repairs to replace that copper wire are estimated to be over a half-million dollars already.

As part of the push in enforcement, LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said eight East Valley recyclers have been fined and arrests made, but he did not provide details on how many or for what charges. Police also made arrests at other facilities on suspicion of theft, failure to report and receiving stolen property.

Read more: 'Significant victory': More than 80 arrested in copper wire theft crackdown

"We are aware of and have observed some of our businesses being less than honest brokers," Hamilton said, adding that some area recyclers have been purchasing stolen wire from outside the city as well.

Krekorian's office said at least two people were arrested at a North Hollywood recycler on June 19, followed by more arrests, including a manager, three days later at another North Hollywood recycler.

"We have refocused our efforts on the most egregious individuals and businesses that we've identified through our tracking system as continually having involvement in this illegal activity," Hamilton said.

Hamilton said that one time, the California Department of Transportation incurred a $150,000 loss from a single individual.

Read more: L.A. is being 'stripped for parts.' Here's what the City Council wants to do about it

"If you just multiple that over the course of a year, that can be very expensive for the taxpayer," Hamilton said.

More arrests are expected, the deputy chief said.

Over its last three North Hollywood operations, the LAPD has reclaimed 1,668 pounds of stolen copper wire, along with hundreds of pounds of aluminum cable and backup batteries for roadway safety systems, it said. In late July, the city announced it had made 82 arrests and recovered 2,000 pounds of wire.

City Councilmembers Kevin de Leon and Traci Park attributed the efforts to the citys copper wire task force, a partnership between the LAPD and the Bureau of Street Lighting.

In November, Krekorian acknowledged that copper wire theft had been seen too often as a minor crime despite recent spikes that left neighborhoods darker and more dangerous.

That day Krekorian announced the city would target unscrupulous metal recyclers  the upstream part of the problem  who were not checking identifications of vendors or material provenance.

City Atty. Hydee Feldstein Soto eventually sent letters to 600 recyclers throughout the city warning them they were subject to searches and inspections.

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.
MARQUETTE, Mich. (WJMN)  A private search and recovery company has found the missing wreckage and human remains from a 2007 plane crash in Lake Huron, according to Michigan State Police.

The findings give closure to family members, who have waited 17 years with little evidence.

Searcher: New data, ear-witness was key to finding missing plane 17 years after disappearance

The crash happened on the afternoon of August 24, 2007 when a pilot and a passenger left in a SOCATA TB-20 Trinidad, a small single-engine aircraft, from an airport from Mackinac Island to Bad Axe. It was a calm, cloudy day in the 70s with wind picking up to 5-10 mph after noon.

The plane was flown by Karen Dodds, a 52-year-old woman from Washington, D.C., according the the Associated Press. With her was one passenger; her 56-year-old fiancee H. Brooke Stauffer Jr.

Another pilot told investigators they were headed to visit the pilots parents.

An FAA crash investigation said they also had the goal of touring the scenery and coastline on the way.

Two pilots reported talking over radio with the pilot as they took to the air over Mackinac. Those brief conversations would be the last time anyone heard from the planes two occupants.

After the craft was reported missing, a large-scale search as launched for the plane wreckage and any survivors.

One witness directed MSP to the general area they said they heard what sounded like a plane crashing into the water, which became a focal point of the search. Investigators spoke with the pilots who communicated with the Trinidad pilot over radio said they discussed current weather conditions, with one telling the Trinidad pilot that recent reports were incorrect.

After that, there was no sign of the Trinidad or her occupants until October 2007 when human remains matching the pilot and some cushions from the plane washed on shore.

In October of last year, family members of the victims asked Great Lakes Search and Recovery to look for the planes wreckage and evidence of the missing passenger.

Nearly a year later in August of 2024, members of their team found a plane down in Lake Huron near Bois Blanc Island and alerted MSP.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

MSP divers collected evidence confirming the wreck was in fact the Trinidadand a set of skeletal remains was verified by forensic anthropologists at Northern Michigan University as having belonged to the 56-year-old passenger.

Case docs reveal details of rekindled search for Nancy Renkas in Iron Mountain

What happened?

The official investigation into the crash had no definitive explanation of what happened, but in their findings investigators noted how one aspect of the weather could have been a factor.

In aviation terms, a ceiling in the distance between the ground and the bottom of the clouds. If the ceiling is too low, pilots are not legally allowed to fly by eyesight and landscape (Visual Flight Rules, or VFR), or rely on their instruments in low visibility (Instrument Flight Rules, or IFR).

One of the pilots who spoke with the Trinidad pilot was leaving around the same time as them. They reported talking about how the AWOS (Automated Weather Observing System) was incorrect.

For most planes, the Federal Aviation Administration says it is generally unsafe for planes to fly VFR with a ceiling below 1,000 ft.

An inbound pilot noted in their interview that another automated weather system indicated the ceiling was as high as 12,000 ft. When that pilot asked the Trinidad what they were observing, they said it was about 1,000 ft.

I was quite puzzled over [the pilots] decision to depart VFR. They did not seem to be in any great hurry to depart  I believe they were going to her parents and I dont recall any discussion of any event that they needed to reach at a specific time. I stated I was getting a void time clearance off the field as I didnt think I could maintain VFR long enough to pick up my clearance. I asked her why she didnt file IFR and she said they wanted to fly down the coastline to show [the passenger] the scenery. Other outbound pilot in statement to investigators

Investigators also spoke with the Trinidad pilots flight instructor, who said she was no stranger to flying in the clouds. He stated that he believed most of the pilots flying was instrument cross country flights. He said that the pilot definitely preferred flying on instruments and being in the system as compared to flying VFR, said the flight instructor.

No official conclusion was ever reached on a cause, and no new information toward the question has been released since the plane was found.

In 2022, the National Transportation Safety Board prepared a report on low ceiling/visibility accidents, concluding that low ceilings/visibility conditions is the highest weather cause of fatal weather-related accidents and account for 53% of weather-related fatalities, and that a large portion of the low ceiling/visibility accidents, the pilot failed to obtain or received an inadequate preflight weather briefing.

You can read about how the private search and recovery team found the Trinidad in our latest story.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJMN - UPMatters.com.
A Lot of Hatred: What Trump Said When Dr. Phil Asked If Harris Wanted Him Shot

Dr. Phils sit down with Donald Trump got a little weird on Tuesday night.

The TV doctor, whos infamously not been a licensed psychologist since 2006, asked Trump if he thought Kamala Harris and Joe Biden were OK with him being shot.

Im not saying that they wanted you to get shot, but do you think it was OK with them if you did? he asked.

Trump responded by saying I dont know twice before adding, Theres a lot of hatred. I dont know why. He went on to boast about his presidencys achievements, claiming those successes created a hatred among Democrats that meant some wanted to see him assassinated.

Elsewhere in the interview, Trump spoke even more pointedly against Harris and Biden, alleging they directly had a hand in Thomas Matthew Crooks attempt on his life. Hed previously posted online that the Biden/Harris administration did not properly protect him, but his interview escalated his claims a step further.

When this happened, people would ask, whose fault is it? Trump said. I think to a certain extent its Bidens fault and Harris fault... Look, they were weaponizing government against me, they brought in the whole DOJ to try and get me, they werent too interested in my health and safety.

Trump later added, They were making it very difficult to have proper staffing in terms of Secret Service. He offered no evidence to support this claim.

Secret Service agents rushed to shield Donald Trump on stage after shots rang out. Brendan McDermid/Reuters

Biden and Harris immediately condemned the attempt on Trumps life on July 13. The U.S. Secret Service has been under intense scrutiny since the shooting, with its director resigning and other agents placed on leave.

The FBI said it still doesnt know definitively why Crooks, a 20-year-old nursing home worker who lived with his parents, tried to assassinate Trump. Some Google searches suggested he was itching to kill someone prominent, with him having sought information on public appearances for Biden, Trump, and other top U.S. government officials.

On Tuesday, however, Trump suggested that it was Democrats rhetoric that nearly got him killed.

Theyre saying Im a threat to democracy, Trump said. They would say that, that was standard line, just keep saying it, and you know that can get assassins or potential assassins going. Thats a terrible thing Maybe that bullet is because of their rhetoric.

USA-ELECTION/TRUMP An aerial view shows the stage where Donald Trump was shot and the building his attempted assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired from. Brendan McDermid/Reuters

Trump added that he took a bullet for the country, again recalling how grateful he was that he turned his head to the right just as Crooks first bullet reached him.

Trump, 78, also spoke about why he thinks divine intervention saved his life, saying, God loves our country and he thinks were going to bring our country back. He wants to bring it back.

Trump even evoked Jesus name while discussing his 2020 election loss, bizarrely claiming that he wouldve won deep-blue California had his votes just been counted correctly.

If Jesus Christ came down and was the vote counter, I would win California, OK? Trump said. In other words, if we had an honest vote counter, a really honest vote counterI do great with Hispanics, great, I mean at a level no Republican has ever donebut if we had an honest vote counter, I would win California.

Trump has also assailed Harris for not sitting down for an interview but has himself been spending time with conservative podcasters and non-network television.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Ava Williams, a junior at Central High School in Louisville, addresses the Efficient and Effective School Governance Task Force. (Kentucky Lantern photo by McKenna Horsley)

LOUISVILLE  Several speakers, including Jefferson County Public Schools students, warned a legislative task force against breaking up Kentuckys largest school district in a Tuesday evening meeting.

However, the co-chairs of the Efficient and Effective School Governance Task Force said deciding to split the district, which serves almost 97,000 students, was not under its purview. Some Republicans in the legislature have called for studying whether the district is too big to be successfully managed.

The task force met at Central High School Tuesday evening. It was the first of two meetings the group will hold at a public school in Louisville. It typically meets in Frankfort at the Capitol Annex.

I fear that splitting up the district could jeopardize the unique experiences and support that Central provides their students, said Ava Williams, a junior at Central High School. Smaller districts may be faced with resource constraints that could limit access to specialized magnet programs, especially for students in disadvantaged areas like Central High School.

Williams told the committee that the magnet teaching and learning program she is in has provided her opportunities that she did not think she could have in another school district, such as touring Kentucky State University, an internship available only to students in her magnet program and sitting in on classes at the University of Louisville. Williams also spoke of support shes had from her connections to teachers at Central.

Other speakers  including JCPS students, employees, parents and representatives of community groups, such as the local NAACP chapter and the Louisville Urban League  also warned against possible ramifications of dividing JCPS into smaller school districts. They instead argued for lawmakers to strengthen education resources through increased funding, citing the need for adequately supporting transportation and teacher pay.

The meeting lasted around 90 minutes and had more than two dozen speakers.

After a handful of community members addressed the task force, Co-chair Rep. Kim Banta, R-Ft.Mitchell said Co-chair Sen. Michael Names, R-Shepherdsville, asked her to reiterate that the task force would not determine splitting up the district.

He wanted me to say that were not talking about splitting up the district, Banta said to jeers from the crowd.

According to the House resolution that created the task force, the group must make any recommendations by Dec. 1 in a report to the Legislative Research Commission. The resolution also directs the task force to only review the governance of Kentucky school districts with more than 75,000 students. JCPS is the only district that meets that criteria.

Nemes told reporters after the meeting that he suspected no legislation could come from the task force next legislative session because of the amount of information the task force wants to review. While some of the lawmakers backing the initial House resolution may have wanted to see the district split, Nemes said thats not the task forces intention.

Out of this task force, were going to have recommendations, possibly, but mostly a good report, Nemes said. And yes, we may ask for more time to do things. Whether there be legislation or not  there may be some minor things, but were going to work with Jefferson County Public Schools on what can be done and what should be done.

Questions from the task force

Those signing up for public comment were prompted to answer two questions: How would you like to see the districts academic offerings, educational capabilities and operations improved? and How have these factors affected the enrollment decisions for your child?

Terrance Sullivan, the vice chair of the JCPS Advisory Council for Racial Equity, said told the task force that the questions presupposed the fault on the district and dont add any space or culpability of the legislature.

Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfiled, told reporters after the meeting that she felt like speakers did answer the questions the task force posed, particularly about different programs and opportunities the district offers students. She added that she hoped the task force hears more community perspectives at its next meeting.

In response to the issue of funding that some speakers brought up, Tichenor said the General Assembly approved additional funding for school transportation in its most recent two-year state budget.

I think the idea of fully-funded never has an end, Tichenor said. Its always a moving target, so when that gets brought up from the public, we never really have an answer of what fully funding means.

Nemes added that teacher pensions are now pretty much solvent because of money the legislature has added to recent state budgets, as was reported at a Tuesday meeting of the Pension Oversight Board.

Senate Democratic Floor Leader Gerald Neal, of Louisville, told reporters that theres no way to tell if the task force has been effective in reviewing JCPS governance so far through the interim session. He also said that lawmakers behind the resolution had initially pushed for breaking up the school district.

The main message is were stronger together, he said. Were stronger in uplifting all people.

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According to the Crypto Wealth Report 2024 from international wealth and investment migration specialists Henley & Partners, there are currently 172,300 people worldwide holding over $1m in crypto assets, a 95% increase from the previous year. The number of bitcoin millionaires has also increased to 85,400, up 111%.

Since the firm's first study last year, the overall market value of crypto assets has increased to an astounding $2.3trn, representing an 89% growth.

The wealthiest segments of the cryptocurrency community have also experienced significant growth.

For example, the number of crypto centi-millionaires, or people with assets worth at least $100m, has shot up by 79% to 325, while the exclusive group of crypto billionaires has seen a 27% increase to 28 worldwide.

The Crypto Wealth Report 2024 features exclusive information on crypto and Bitcoin millionaires, centi-millionaires, and billionaires compiled by global wealth intelligence group New World Wealth, as well as views from noted academics, industry experts, and crypto players.

It also includes a new edition of the Henley Crypto Adoption Index 2024, which compares the best residence and citizenship options for crypto investors.

The Crypto Wealth Report 2024 delves into the changing cryptocurrency market, regulatory frameworks, technological infrastructure, estate planning, decentralised finance, and the impact on established financial institutions, outlining an overview for investors and entrepreneurs.

Dominic Volek, group head of private clients at Henley & Partners stated: The cryptocurrency landscape of 2024 bears little resemblance to its predecessors. Bitcoins rise to over $73,000 in March set a new all-time high, while the long-awaited approval of spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs in the USA unleashed a torrent of institutional capital. Anticipation now builds for potential Solana ETFs joining the Wall Street party. These milestones have seeded a new era of crypto adoption, one where digital assets increasingly cross-pollinate with traditional finance and global mobility.

Head of research at New World Wealth, Andrew Amoils added: Of the six new crypto billionaires created over the past year, five came from Bitcoin, underscoring its dominant position when it comes to attracting long-term investors who buy large holdings.

Borderless assets fuel demand for global citizenship

Moreover, Henley & Partners has observed a large increase in crypto-wealthy clients exploring alternate residence and citizenship possibilities in 2024.

To help make sense of the shifting cryptocurrency ecosystem, the business has released its second annual Henley Crypto Adoption Index.

Story continues

This thorough tool assesses investment migration plans from the perspective of the crypto investor, taking into account aspects such as public adoption, infrastructure, innovation and technology, regulatory environment, economic issues, and tax-friendliness.

With a top score of 45.7 out of 60, the index highlights Singapore's sustained supremacy as the most prominent digital currency hub.

Singapore is an innovator in sectors including infrastructural development, regulatory frameworks, and technology innovation.

Nonetheless, Hong Kong (SAR China), stands out for having solid economic foundations and tax laws that are favourable to investors, comes right behind and the UAE, with its substantial tax benefits and quickly growing digital sector, takes third place.

Interestingly, none of these three nations impose capital gains taxes, which is a big benefit for high-net-worth individuals and cryptocurrency investors in particular.

Furthermore, investment migration programmes are gaining importance in attracting crypto wealth, with European countries like Cyprus and Malta implementing progressive regulations and innovative digital asset approaches.

Meanwhile, Eleanor Gaywood, Coincover's head of strategy, expressed that not all crypto investors become millionaires, and caution is needed to ensure the safety of private keys and seed phrases.

She noted: The rise in the number of crypto millionaires highlights the huge returns that the market can offer, but investors still need to be aware of the security risks. What often doesnt make the headlines is the growing number of new entrants buying crypto for the first time and losing access to their holdings. These are often people hoping to make a profit but arent familiar with the risks of not storing their private keys and seed phrases securely.

Unlike in traditional banking theres no forgot my password button. Once youre locked out, its incredibly hard to regain access to your account which creates a nightmare scenario for so many users. Volatility will continue to attract new investors seeking lucrative returns, meaning it is vital that exchanges and wallet providers adopt robust recovery systems so that users can recover their funds if and when loss occurs.

"Crypto millionaires will rapidly rise in 2024" was originally created and published by Private Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand.







The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
I love my career path: Meet the woman behind IDOTs cement testing across Central IL

I love my career path: Meet the woman behind IDOTs cement testing across Central IL

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA)  In Central Illinois, summertime also means construction season. Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) workers know that all too well. One civil engineer in particular plays an important part in the process before concrete is poured at job sites.

Spending the day outside and on the side of the road isnt everyones first pick of a career path. But, Mary Severson jumped at the idea.

Engineering was a clear path for me, she said.

Right now, she works with construction crews to re-pave part of Sixth Street in Springfield.

Were doing the sidewalks, driveways, drainage improvements, curb and gutter, Severson explained.

Before the concrete even comes out of the truck and into the curb, she tests it to make sure its good to go. That includes tamping down the concrete in cylinders to make sure the strength is correct and they have the right air in the concrete.

Central Illinois pipefitter launches labor union chapter for women

Severson said checking all the numbers is an important step to make sure safety remains the top priority.

When we are putting in this concrete for driveways for people to drive their cars on, you want to make sure youre getting the right strength, she explained.

Its not always easy to hit the ground running in the summertime heat, especially as she expects a baby any day now.

Honestly, sometimes I forget about it until Im putting on my vest and I realize its a little tighter today than it was yesterday, Severson joked.

Meet the traveling plumber representing Central Illinois in a national competition

Now more than ever, she is grateful to have a caring crew right along her side.

I know someone has my back 24/7, she said. Theyre always checking on me, making sure Im aware of where Im stepping.

She is often the only woman on a job site, but that doesnt bother her.

Its a lot of responsibility, Severson said. Ive met so many women in this industry that really encourage me to continue on this career path that I love so much.

She hopes that positive influence continues and inspires the next generation of women to follow in her footsteps.

I love what Im doing and I feel the impact in the community and thats whats important to me, Severson said.

She has been on the job the last four years at sites across Central Illinois. Its a career she has dreamed of ever since watching her grandfather work in aerospace and mechanical engineering. He worked on several space missions including Apollo, Gemini and Mercury.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Six area and state mental health professionals and politicians gathered Wednesday to discuss the regions mental health programs and needs.

The round table, which was moderated and organized by State Rep. Mike Andrade, D-Munster, discussed the laws that the legislature passed in the 2023 and 2024 sessions, the need for more mental health professionals and local resources for mental health, including for first responders.

Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, one of the panelists, said her family has been impacted by mental health issues as her mother struggled with depression, her sister committed suicide, her brother died from alcoholism and her daughter is 16 years sober and has bipolar disorder.

When you have lived with people that have struggled, through no fault of their own, because of the genes theyve inherited, you understand that theres more you have to do. We have to all be joined in this battle to be able to get help to those that are struggling, Crouch said.

During and since the COVID-19 pandemic, Crouch said a lot of people experienced mental health-related issues, whether that be depression, anxiety, fear or isolation. The good thing that came of that, she said, was that state officials began to pass more mental health laws to help those who need it.

In the 2023 legislative session, the legislature passed Senate Enrolled Act 1, which created operational outlines and funding for the 988 crisis hotline, mobile assessment teams and crisis stabilization units.

On the budget side, the legislature approved $100 million for the programs first two years, Crouch said. The 2025 legislative session is a budget session, Andrade said, and he will work with fellow legislators to secure funding to continue SEA 1.

Crouch said she testified in support of the SEA1 when it was before the house and senate.

There has been a lot of progress here in Indiana. I think the fact that we are gathered here today is indicative of that, Crouch said. Its not a perfect system, but weve made a lot of progress.

Angie Arreola, the founder and clinical director of Benchmark Counseling, a private practice located in Munster, said 988 calls are answered by trained professionals to assist in emergency mental health situations, provide mental health resources, and connect callers with other support, like food banks or daycare centers.

The Indiana Behavioral Health Commission recently released a report that Indiana is short approximately 6,000 mental health clinicians, Arreola said.

When Crouch asked Arreola if the process to become a mental health clinician should be shortened, Arreola said no. Becoming a licensed mental health counselor requires undergraduate and graduate degrees, 3,000 clinical hours, and two licensing exams, Arreola said.

It is a lengthy process, but that is what provides high-quality mental health care, Arreola said.

Panelist Brian Dieckmann, a psychologist and director of access to care for Regional Health Systems, said the process of becoming a mental health clinician presents a Catch-22 scenario: While the state needs more mental health clinicians to provide care, those clinicians have to be well-trained.

We want to get the help there where its needed. But the help that gets there needs to have the ability to provide that help, Dieckmann said.

Panelist Erica Rios, the Griffith Police Department social worker, said addressing mental health clinician burnout and higher salaries, compared to the cost of education and credentials, could attract more people to become mental health professionals.

In 2024, the state legislature passed House Enrolled Act 1138 which addresses professional licensing for behavioral health, simplifying the licensing process for social workers, counselors, marriage and family therapists, and addiction counselors.

HEA 1130 allowed for licensing to happen more quickly, Arreola said, to allow students to take their licensing exam in their final semester of graduate school, which allows recent graduates to submit paperwork to get their license.

Previously, the exam was taken after graduation, Arreola said, which meant recent graduates, many of whom are hired at the company where they do clinical hours, would go on hiatus from their employment while waiting for their license.

In 2023, Indiana joined The Counseling Compact, which allows states to join after meeting minimal guidelines of care to provide mental health care across state lines, Arreola said. As president of the Indiana Counseling Association, Arreola said the state joining The Counseling Compact benefits military members, as well as their families, and college students because these groups of people can move freely and likely keep their same therapist.

Dyer Fire Department Chief Joseph Martin said he worked with Andrade and Rios to establish the peer support team to help area first responders with their mental health needs.

The team, which has been in place since March 2023, has been deployed 52 times to area departments, Martin said. The team also received 117 one-on-one calls for service, he said, which means that an area first responder called for a team member, also an area first responder, to talk.

First responders are more susceptible to seeing trauma, Martin said, and they deserve to retire physically and mentally healthy.

The culture is changing, and our culture needed to change in that aspect, Martin said.

The Mental Health of America issues a report card on how states rank with mental health services for its citizens, Crouch said. While the state has improved from 2023 to 2024, Crouch said more could be done.

But we arent where we all want to be, Crouch said. While we have made great strides  were not done. Weve only begun.

akukulka@post-trib.com
The oldest and largest Latino civil rights group has asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) for the home searches carried out in connection with his voter fraud probe.

In a letter sent Monday to DOJs civil rights division, the president and CEO of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) expressed the groups deep concern that Paxtons probe violated the civil rights of Latino citizens in Texas.

These actions echo a troubling history of voter suppression and intimidation that has long targeted both Black and Latino communities, particularly in states like Texas, where demographic changes have increasingly shifted the political landscape, LULAC President Roman Palomares and CEO Juan Proano wrote in the letter, shared with The Hill on Tuesday.

CBS News was the first to obtain the letter.

The LULAC leaders asked the DOJ to take immediate action and conduct a thorough investigation into Paxtons actions.

Last week, state agents from Paxtons election fraud unit executed search warrants of at least six Latino organizers across three Texas counties.

Paxton said the searches were necessary to secure state elections and help ensure accountability for anyone committing election crimes.

LULAC alleged Paxtons searches are a violation of the Voting Rights Act and other federal civil rights laws.

Were not going to stop just because they come in and raid a few of our houses, LULAC state director Gabriel Rosales told reporters Monday.

Individuals targeted in the raids spoke with news outlets last week to recount the experience.

Manuel Medina, former chair of the Bexar County Democratic Party, told The Texas Tribune that authorities broke down his door and pointed six assault semiautomatic weapons in my face.

The Tribune reported last week that state agents spent seven hours in Medinas home, leaving with 65 cellphones, 41 computers, and documents, including family photos, according to a legal filing.

Paxtons office maintains the searches follow a two-year investigation, as part of a broader push by Paxton to prosecute election fraud.

The office said its election integrity unit was looking into a referral from District Attorney Audrey Louis, a conservative Republican, over allegations of ballot harvesting.

Democrats lambasted the searches, alleging they are intimidation of primarily Latino and Balck voters.

The Hill reached out to the DOJ and Paxtons office for further comment.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB)  It was standing room only Tuesday night at the Lynn Haven city commission meeting.

On the agenda was a motion to censure City Manager Vickie Gainer for her decision to not fire Lynn Haven Police Chief Ricky Ramie.

Ramie was accused of a vehicle hit and run in December of 2023.

The public showed up to voice their opinions on how Ramies case should have been handled.

City manager Vickie Gainer said that this move was not so much about her as it was about Ramie.

I think that we need to look at why that censure was even there. If you look at the censure, it really had nothing to do with me. It had to do with a decision I made. And while, you know, the meeting was about many of it, much of it was about Chief Rainey. Some of it was also about the decision I made, said Gainer.

Gainer said shes not worried about further problems with the police department.

Gainer says, We have an excellent police department. And that was surely evidenced when the auditors came in to do a pre-audit for the accreditation. There was nothing out of line. Matter of fact, quotes from them were you have a high-level department. It is well organized. They know the rules. They have an amount of training. I think that you just continue to be sensitive to the needs of every employee here, that you continue to be consistent in what you do. And then, you know, you create an atmosphere where every employee understands that we care about them.

Mayor Jesse Nelson said he hopes the discussion helps the community move forward from the situation.

I hope todays discussion did close the chapter on that situation. I dont know how individuals feel personally. For me, that closed a chapter on the situation that we can move forward, and hopefully it allows the community to hear us and to see the commission being unified in our decision to not censor the city manager, which means that we are giving her a great vote of confidence that we believe and the leadership that shes providing, we believe in the decisions that shes making, said Nelson.

Commissioner Warrick motioned for the commission to censure Gainer, but the motion failed due to a lack of a second.







Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com.
Im not gonna put up with it; Sheriff wants mall to pay reward after alleged shoplifter captured

After deputies arrested an alleged shoplifter, Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones is asking a mall to pay the $5,000 reward.

As News Center 7 previously reported, Tiara Lashae Roberts, 35, was arrested and booked in the Butler County Jail for a theft that took place last week at Dicks Sporting Goods at the Liberty Center.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Roberts and another woman are accused of stealing $2,300 in clothes on Aug. 21.

>> RELATED: Dayton woman accused of stealing over $2,000 in clothing arrested

The sheriffs office offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

In a press conference, Jones said this is a continued problem at the mall.

The Liberty Mall, Liberty Township, Ohio.. this is where these thefts take place and from this day Im going to go ahead and charge the Liberty Mall for the $5000 reward. They should have to pay this, they dont do the proper security out there, they dont take care of it. Somebodys going to die, Jones said.

TRENDING STORIES:

The other suspect in the theft has not been arrested.

We will continue to follow this story.

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Michigan's third graders  at a stage of development when stakes are high to master reading  slid in those scores on the state M-STEP test compared with 2023, while elementary schoolers largely improved in math, according to data made public Wednesday by the Michigan Department of Education.

The state test scores, from assessments students took in the spring, show third- and fourth-grade scores haven't rebounded to pre-pandemic levels. While 45% of third graders scored proficient or higher on the test in 2019, this year's scores show that number dipped below 40% for the first time, a grim milestone for students, educators and policymakers. Overall, statewide student performance on the reading and math tests varied: Most grade levels showed improvement on the test, particularly in math.

M-STEP results database 2024: Find scores from your school district here

Scores indicated that the state's youngest readers, who entered school in the height of the pandemic, are struggling.

This year, 39.6% of third-graders scored proficient or above on the state reading test, compared with 40.9% in 2023. While nationally parents and policymakers have advocated for stronger reading instruction, these scores follow some stalled efforts to improve reading instruction in Michigan by state lawmakers and others.

In a news release, officials with the Michigan Department of Education wrote that students considered impoverished and those who attended school online in the 2020-21 school year struggled on the test, further widening the achievement gap between students from low-income homes and students from wealthier homes.

"Being in the learning-to-read window  in preschool or early elementary grades  when COVID-19 hit also affected assessment results on average," wrote Michael Rice, state superintendent of instruction.

In the states largest school district, Detroit Public Schools Community District, 11.7% of third graders scored proficient or advanced on the reading test, compared with 12.4% last year. However, fifth graders scores increased quite a bit: from 11.6% proficient or higher in 2023, to 15.4% this year, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. In math in Detroit, scores in most grades improved, and many proficiency levels passed pre-pandemic levels.

Statewide, math M-STEP scores did improve in third to seventh grade between the 2023-24 and 2022-23 school years. Reading scores improved in grades 5 and 7, stayed the same in sixth grade and declined in grades 3 and 4. Older students took either the PSAT or SAT in math and reading.

National researchers have echoed Rice's concerns about pandemic recovery, finding students haven't made up for losses sustained between 2019 and 2022, when schools were intermittently closed over fear of the coronavirus spreading and sickening children.

Following the release of M-STEP scores on Wednesday, EdTrust Midwest, an advocacy organization based in Michigan, called for more state funding directed to students from marginalized communities in a statement written by spokeswoman Jennifer Mrozowski.

"Its clear from the M-STEP data that we need to urgently invest more in Michigans students with the greatest needs, so they not only catch up from pre-pandemic levels but also accelerate their learning," Mrozowski wrote.

Mixed results in reading

Third-grade reading scores have dropped every year since 2019, when 45% of students who took the test were proficient or advanced.

While the scores may show a need for more intervention in English Language Arts instruction in younger grades, whether that intervention is feasible in classrooms strapped for time and districts strapped for money is unclear. Federal aid for pandemic recovery has largely dried up.

The scores are also a reminder to education leaders such as Rice that state lawmakers have not passed legislation that advocates say would require schools to identify and help students with disabilities that contribute to reading struggles. Rice also wrote that the department will continue to encourage educators to take LETRS training, which emphasizes skills in phonics and how students process and identify sounds in words. More budget money in recent years has been directed to training educators, including $10 million in last fiscal year's budget for LETRS training.

Students considered economically disadvantaged across grades 3-7 performed significantly worse than students not economically disadvantaged, with 27.3% of economically disadvantaged students scoring proficient or higher, and 57.6% of not economically disadvantaged students scoring proficient or advanced.

Eighth graders who took the PSAT saw vast improvement, going from 59.7% proficient or above in 2023 to 64.5% in 2024.

Showing improvement in math

Rice hailed improvements seen in math scores in grades 3-7, which are still below pre-pandemic levels, but show students rebounding.

"We are encouraged to see continued gradual improvement in proficiency levels measured on most M-STEP and SAT/PSAT tests, particularly on M-STEP math assessments, Rice wrote.

But, similar to reading, there were wide achievement gaps based on income, with 21.8% of economically disadvantaged students in grades 3-7 scoring proficient or higher on the math test, and 53.6% of noneconomically disadvantaged students scoring proficient or higher.

Eleventh graders, who take the SAT, scored lower on the math portion of the test this year than last year, with 29.9% scoring proficient or higher in 2023 and 26.3% scoring proficient or higher in 2024.

The results underscore larger tensions brewing around school funding this year after lawmakers didn't increase per-pupil funding for students for the first time since the 2020-21 school year. Leaders also made a major cut to mental health funding, which school leaders decried.

Lawmakers argued that schools ended up with more per-pupil funding due to a budget maneuver that saves schools nearly $600 million in retirement payment costs, but many school superintendents have not been convinced by the argument.

How students performed in metro Detroit

Heres how students fared in some of the largest districts in metro Detroit:

Detroit Public Schools Community District : The percent of proficient third and fourth graders declined from 2023 in reading, while proficiency levels for grades 5-8 increased. In math, proficiency levels increased in grades 3, 5, 6 and 7.

Utica Community Schools: Third through seventh grade reading proficiency levels declined. Math proficiency is down in Utica for grades 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8.

Ann Arbor Public Schools: Reading proficiency levels increased in every grade except for sixth grade, and all grade level reading proficiency levels remain below pre-pandemic levels. Math proficiency levels declined in grades 4, 7 and 8.

Dearborn City Schools : Third grade proficiency levels declined in reading, while the percent of students scoring proficient or higher in all other grade levels tested increased. In math, the percent of students scoring proficient or higher increased in every grade except for third and eighth grade, where the percent of proficient students declined from 2023.

Plymouth-Canton Community Schools: Third- and sixth-grade proficiency levels in reading declined while levels increased in all other grades, with the percent of proficient sixth-graders declining from 58.2% in 2023 to 53.7% in 2024. In math, proficiency levels declined in grades 3, 5, 6 and 8, and increased in grades 4 and 7.

Contact Lily Altavena: laltavena@freepress.com and Kristi Tanner: ktanner@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Here's how Michigan students performed in math, reading on M-STEP test
French President Emmanuel Macron had lunch with Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in 2018, and tried to persuade him to move his headquarters to Paris, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Aug. 28.

According to the outlet, the meeting occurred a year after French intelligence services, in a joint operation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), hacked Durov's phone over concerns his app was being used by Islamic State to organize terror attacks.

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.

The WSJ says there is no indication that Durov's meeting with Macron and the hacking of his phone is linked to his recent arrest, but the revelations shed light on the years-long and tumultuous relationship between him and French authorities.

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.

Durov has claimed he is a pariah and has been effectively exiled from Russia, but on Aug. 27, it was reported he had visited Russia over 60 times since leaving the country, according to Kremlingram, a Ukrainian group that campaigns against the use of Telegram in Ukraine.

Kremlingram was anonymously sent a spreadsheet in December 2023 with data on Durov's crossings of the Russian border between 2015 and 2021.

"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.

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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 "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: Zelensky to present US with victory plan in September

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Sen. JD Vance, the Republican Partys vice presidential nominee, mocked the idea this week that Vice President Kamala Harris wants to build the border wall. Hours later, GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham appeared on Fox News and told viewers, Graham: Do you really believe shes going to build a wall? Thats just bulls---.

As for what prompted the partisan pushback, it apparently stems from a report Axios published. The headline read, Harris flip-flops on building the border wall, and the article began:

If shes elected president, Kamala Harris pledges to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on the wall along the southern border  a project she once opposed and called un-American during the Trump administration. Its the latest example of Harris flip-flopping....

A typical person reading this might believe that the Democratic presidential hopeful recently endorsed investing in a border wall, but thats not quite what happened.

Lets take a brief stroll down memory lane.

As regular readers might recall, it was last fall when congressional Republicans said they were so desperate to deal with U.S./Mexico border policies that they took a radical step: GOP officials said that unless Democrats agreed to a series of conservative reforms, Republicans were prepared to cut off military aid to Ukraine and let Russia take part of Eastern Europe by force.

Democrats, left with little choice, agreed to pay the GOPs ransom and endorsed a conservative, bipartisan compromise. At that point, Republicans killed the compromise plan theyd demanded  largely because Donald Trump told them to.

Making matters worse, the calculus was electoral, not substantive: The former president didnt want Congress to hand President Joe Biden an election-year victory on one of the partys top priorities. Republicans followed Trumps lead and concluded that theyd rather have a campaign issue than a solution.

What does this have to do with allegations of Harris flip-flopping? The bipartisan compromise, which featured concessions from both parties, included some wall funding in the hopes of generating GOP support. It was a relatively modest sum  $650 million, roughly 3% of what the Trump administration sought in 2018  and the funding wasnt even new. (As Team Harris reminded Axios, the provision just extended the timeline to spend funds that had been appropriated during Trumps last year as president.)

The vice president has never been a wall advocate  in fact, shes been a fierce critic of Trumps plan  but she endorsed the Senate agreement in the hopes of getting something done on the issue.

Six months after Republicans killed the deal they requested, using Harris' convention speech as a news hook, Axios summarized this in bullet-point form, at which point the right effectively declared, A ha!

As lines of attack go, this is weak tea. If the Democratic nominee were to actually endorse the merits of a border wall, that would be a dramatic reversal worthy of attention. But her willingness to back a bipartisan compromise  which included provisions she and her party would not support on their own  does not a flip-flop make.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Following a mind-numbing process, featuring multiple reversals, Donald Trump issued an unexpected announcement by way of his social media platform: The on-again, off-again ABC News debate against Vice President Kamala Harris is back on again.

I have reached an agreement with the Radical Left Democrats for a Debate with Comrade Kamala Harris, the Republican wrote in his predictably juvenile and whiny style. 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.

In the same online missive, the former president claimed that the Rules will be the same as the last CNN Debate  Ill never know why he capitalizes random words  suggesting the candidates microphones will be muted except when theyre answering questions, just as the Republican's team had hoped.

So, alls well that ends well? Not exactly. As is too often the case, when it comes to his own candidacy, Trump is an unreliable narrator. The New York Times reported:

Donald J. Trump announced for a second time that he would participate in a presidential debate with Vice President Kamala Harris hosted by ABC News and suggested that the question of whether microphones will be muted when a candidate isnt speaking had been resolved. But a person briefed on the Harris campaigns thinking said the issue of whether the microphones will be muted  something the Trump team favors and the Harris team does not  remains an open discussion.

A Harris campaign official also confirmed with NBC News that negotiations are still underway over microphone rules.

In other words, the GOP nominee told the public that the debate over the debates had been resolved, which came as something of a surprise to members of Team Harris, who knew better.

For those who might benefit from a refresher, Trump initially agreed to a debate schedule three months ago, which included a Sept. 10 event on ABC News. That, of course, was when the former president assumed his opponent would be President Joe Biden.

After the Democratic incumbent passed the torch to Harris, Trump abandoned his anywhere, anyplace chest-thumping and took a variety of clumsy steps to back out of his earlier debate commitments. In fact, three weeks ago, Team Trump made what appeared to be a categorical announcement: The GOP candidate would not participate in ABC News Sept. 10 presidential debate.

Seven days after backing out of the debate, however, Trump reversed course and re-accepted the invitation. Around the same time, the former president held a Mar-a-Lago press conference in which he also announced the dates of other upcoming debates that hadnt been negotiated and therefore might not occur.

Two days later, on Aug. 11, Trump published a middle-of-the-night missive to his social media platform, further alerting the public to a made-up debate schedule, pointing to events that no one had agreed to.

Earlier this week, the former president took all of this in an even weirder direction, signaling his newfound reluctance to participate in the Sept. 10 debate. As members of his campaign team worked behind the scenes to keep microphones muted during the event, the Republican candidate himself said he didnt much care either way, necessarily undermining his own team in public. He added that he believed ABC News should be shut out of the process.

Two days later, Trump agreed to the terms of the ABC News event  but he did so in a way that wasnt altogether true.

All of which is to say, the first Harris-Trump debate could be two weeks away, or it might not happen at all. The GOP nominee told the public that the underlying disputes had been resolved, but he apparently made that up, and negotiations over the relevant details are still ongoing.

Im reluctant to guess whether the event will actually happen, though one thing seems obvious: The former president was desperate to share a stage with Biden, and he appears genuinely afraid of Harris.

This post updates our related earlier coverage.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Its been about six weeks since Donald Trump tapped Sen. JD Vance as his new running mate, and the rollout for the Ohio Republican hasnt exactly been smooth. In fact, theres quantifiable evidence that much of the public just doesnt like the young senator  and his standing hasnt improved since he became a candidate for national office.

There are different explanations for Vances unpopularity, but it seems likely that his lengthy record of condemning Americans without children has contributed to his troubles. Unfortunately for the GOP ticket, that record is still growing. NBC News reported:

Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, the Republican vice presidential nominee, attacked teachers who dont have children in remarks in 2021 that resurfaced Tuesday. In his public comments, he reserved specific criticism for Randi Weingarten, the head of the American Federation of Teachers.

You know, so many of the leaders of the left, and I hate to be so personal about this, but theyre people without kids, trying to brainwash the minds of our children, Vance said at a forum in October 2021, about a year before he was elected to office for the first time.

He added, in reference to the AFT leader, If she wants to brainwash and destroy the mind of children, she should have some of her own and leave ours the hell alone.

Unearthed audio: JD Vance says teachers who do not have biological children disorient and really disturb him: She should have some of her own [children] pic.twitter.com/Rqx2PLfjT5  Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) August 27, 2024

Such ugly language would be controversial on its own, but it's made vastly worse by the totality of his record.

As weve discussed, during Vances first campaign, the then-candidate appeared on Fox News and diagnosed what he saw as a crisis plaguing the United States. The country, Vance told a national television audience, was being run by a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that theyve made, and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too. Its just a basic fact.

The future senator specifically included Vice President Kamala Harris  who has stepchildren, but no biological children of her own  in his societal condemnation.

Whats more, CNN uncovered related comments from November 2020, when Vance said on a podcast that childless Americans, especially those in the countrys leadership class, were more sociopathic than those with children and made the country less mentally stable. The Republican went on to say that in his experience, the most deranged and most psychotic people he sees on social media were also typically childless.

Alas, we can keep going. Media Matters, for example, uncovered several additional Fox interviews in which Vance lashed out at childless Democrats. Media Matters also found a Breitbart news interview in which the Ohioan claimed that the lefts next generation leaders, including the Kamala Harrises, they dont have kids. And so theres this weird way where they want to take our kids and brainwash them so that their ideas continue to exist in the next generation.

Theres also been extensive reporting of late about Vance suggesting that parents should have greater voting rights than Americans without children, and federal tax policies should punish those without children for their bad choices.

Mother Jones David Corn, meanwhile, uncovered a speech in which Vance said he receives unflattering media coverage because he thinks most journalists are childless adults. HuffPost added a report of its own, shining a light on comments the Republican senator made in 2021 about the need to go to war against the idea that women can decide not to have children, suggesting that someone who focuses on building their career instead of making babies will be a sad, lonely, pathetic person.

About a month ago, Trump told Fox News that hed encourage voters concerned about Vance to listen to his words. The trouble, of course, is that whenever people do listen to Vances words, his problems get worse.

This post updates our related earlier coverage.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
The ITMF, IAF conference, titled Innovation, Cooperation, and Regulation  Driving Forces of the Textile and Apparel Industry, will explore the most pressing issues and trends in the global textile industry through expert discussions and multiple panel sessions.

Organised in collaboration with the Uztextileprom Association, the event will bring together over 500 industry professionals, including representatives from leading international textile companies, brands, financial institutions, and retailers.

Conference schedule - Day 1

The first day will focus on fibres, specifically the production and processing of raw cotton. Experts from Indorama Corp. (Singapore), Global Textile (Uzbekistan), and Cotton Analytics (USA) will discuss the journey of cotton from field to fashion, Uzbekistan's shift from tradition to innovation, and the significant changes in the global cotton industry over the past 50 years.

The second part of the session will address the production of man-made fibres and the challenges posed by the scarcity of natural materials in the global textile industry.

Conference schedule - Day 2

The second and main day of the ITMF, IAF conference will cover a broad range of current issues and global trends. Euratex (Belgium) will present the EU Strategy for Sustainable Textiles and explore prospects for international cooperation, while Steve Lamar president and CEO of the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) will provide insights into the regulatory landscape in the US.

Key topics will include digitalisation, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the textile production chain, and solutions to the skills shortage within the textile industry. Participants will also delve into digital labelling with AAFA and the digitalisation of distribution with Christian Lott from DMIx (Germany). Additionally, the session will cover the role of AI in addressing the industry's skills gap.

The conference will conclude with the ITMF Awards and ITMF Start-up Award ceremony, recognising outstanding achievements and start-ups in the global textile industry.

A final session on collaboration will feature representatives from Inditex (Spain), Epic Group (Hong Kong, China), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), discussing the future of sustainability and strategies for waste reduction.

After the formal agenda, delegates will have the opportunity to tour local textile factories and visit the ancient city of Bukhara, a key site along the Great Silk Road.

Following the conference, the Global Textile Dialog forum will be held in Tashkent on 13 September 2024, continuing the international dialogue among textile industry leaders and bringing together local and international organisations once again.

Story continues

"Digitalisation, AI, regulatory challenges to take centre stage at ITMF, IAF conference" was originally created and published by Just Style, a GlobalData owned brand.







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Todays installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.

* In Tulsa, Oklahoma, the local mayoral race wont be decided until the fall, but the two finalists for the office to emerge from this weeks primary are both Democrats, which means the party will flip the office from red to blue.

* In Donald Trumps latest interview with Phil McGraw (TVs Dr. Phil), the former president said: I guarantee you, if Jesus came down and was the vote counter, I would win California. The GOP candidate lost the Golden State four years ago by roughly 29 points, and Republicans have presented no evidence of election irregularities in the state.

Things are getting unhinged in Trumps interview with Dr. Phil.



In less than 30 seconds, he lies about CA voters getting seven ballots, election officials automatically marking Republican candidates as losers in elections, and that if Jesus counted the votes hed win CA. pic.twitter.com/RtN9nVXefh  American Bridge 21st Century (@American_Bridge) August 28, 2024

* As debate negotiations continue, a spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris campaign said in a statement: 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!

* In Ohios closely watched U.S. Senate race, Republican Bernie Morenos past as a car dealer has been mocked and scrutinized, but NBC News reports that hes nevertheless returning to the industry. Despite claims that hes sold off all of his companies, the GOP candidate is investing millions in two ventures that are developing a new car dealership.

* Several Democratic strategists are launching a new super PAC focused specifically on election protection and battles that could come after Election Day. The effort will be called Democracy Defenders, and itll be led by Jim Messina, who was Barack Obamas 2012 campaign manager.

* Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s presidential campaign is over, but the independent conspiracy theorist ended his candidacy too late to be removed from ballots in some states, including Michigan and Wisconsin.

* And a new $10 million ad campaign from Building Americas Future and Americans for Consumer Protection will apparently try to discourage Black voters from supporting Harris, whod be the nations first Black woman to serve as president. The attack ads will reportedly focus on battleground states, including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina and Wisconsin.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
In modern American politics, the vast majority of officials in both parties have taken care to treat the military, service members and veterans with respect. Donald Trump, for reasons that defy comprehension, has chosen a radically different path.

Over the last decade or so, the Republican has reportedly denigrated those who serve in the military and condemned fallen American heroes as suckers. (He denies doing so.) Trump has also complained bitterly about American military leaders, reportedly disparaged wounded veterans, blamed military leaders for failed missions he approved, downplayed the importance of traumatic brain injuries suffered by soldiers, feuded with Gold Star families, downplayed the significance of the Medal of Honor, and famously declared in reference to American prisoners of war, I like people that werent captured, okay?

But a different aspect of his disrespect for those who wear the uniform was on display this week.

Despite his record, the former president, seeing a possible campaign opportunity, appeared eager on Monday to exploit the third anniversary of a terrorist attack in Afghanistan that killed 13 U.S. service members and more than 150 Afghans. This included attending a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, quickly followed by a thumbs-up photo-op at a gravestone in Section 60 of the cemetery, where many service members killed in Afghanistan and Iraq are buried.

If we were to stop the story here, it would already be the basis for a legitimate controversy. Indeed, Esquire published a memorable headline alongside a Charles P. Pierce column this week: How The Hell Was Trump Allowed To Use Arlington National Cemetery As A Campaign Prop?

But that was before the story managed to get even worse. NBC News reported:

Arlington National Cemetery on Tuesday confirmed an incident took place when former President Donald Trump visited there Monday to commemorate the third anniversary of the Abbey Gate attacks in Afghanistan. We can confirm there was an incident, and a report was filed, the statement read.

The details of what transpired are still coming together. NPR reported, for example, that a source familiar said two members of Trumps campaign staff had a verbal and physical altercation with an official at Arlington National Cemetery, but that hasn't been independently confirmed by MSNBC or NBC News.

Other relevant details, however, are clear.

Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidates campaign, the statement added. Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants.

Im mindful of the fact that multiple reports emphasized that Trump was at the cemetery at the invitation of some family members who lost loved ones in Afghanistan three years ago. Thats apparently true. But while those family members deserve respect and sympathy, politicians still arent supposed to exploit Arlington to advance their personal ambitions.

For its part, Trump communications director Steven Cheung denied any wrongdoing and accused an Arlington National Cemetery official of suffering from a mental health episode during the incident.

Cheung didnt deny that the former president was accompanied by a photographer at Section 60, but he insisted the photographer was allowed to be there. Trump co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita added that the cemetery official was despicable.

I dont imagine weve heard the last of this story, but as it progresses, its hard not to wonder what the political worlds reaction might be if a Democratic candidate were caught up in a similar controversy. How many GOP officeholders would call for him or her to quit the race?

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT)  The Madison County District Attorney says legal action is not likely after reviewing evidence of a deadly police shooting Saturday.

In the statement, Madison County District Attorney Robert Broussard said that the investigation into the shooting that killed Naimmikal Wayne Sanders, 38, of Decatur is ongoing.

However, he said early analysis by the district attorneys office shows that the office likely will not pursue legal action against the officer.

He [the officer involved] engaged a shooter who was actively chasing and firing at an innocent woman in her own home, his statement said.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said a Huntsville Police officer shot and killed Sanders following a standoff at an apartment complex on Rime Village Drive on Saturday, August 24.

Broussard says the incident was captured on police body camera footage, showing Sanders chasing a female victim out the apartments front door and firing his weapon at her  hitting her twice.

He continued to fire at her, then turned the gun towards the officer on scene. Within seconds of Mr. Sanders firing at the victim, the officer shot and killed Mr. Sanders, he said.

Below is the full statement sent to News 19 by the Madison County District Attorneys Office:

On August 24, 2024, Huntsville Police Department responded to a call in Rime

Village. The call resulted in an officer-involved shooting where Naimmikal

Sanders was shot and killed by police. This incident is still under investigation

by authorities, but the Madison County District Attorneys Office has viewed

video footage ofthe incident. Our offices preliminary review of this incident

indicates that the officer was not only legally justified in shooting Mr. Sanders,

but that he likely saved multiple lives thanks to his quick action. Just before 10:00 a.m. on the 24th, Mr. Sanders broke into the victims

apartment. The victim was home alone with her toddler. Mr. Sanders pulled a

pistol and threatened to kill both the victim and her toddler. He held her

hostage at gunpoint with the gun to her head for several minutes. This was all

captured by a security camera inside the apartment. The first responding

Huntsville Police Officer was outside the door of the apartment when the

victim managed to escape briefly and run out the front door screaming for

help. Mr. Sanders chased her out the front door and fired his weapon at her

multiple times in front of the officer. He hit her twice. He continued to fire at

her, then turned the gun towards the officer on scene. Within seconds of Mr.

Sanders firing atthe victim, the officer shot and killed Mr. Sanders. Mr.

Sanders attempt to murder the victim and the officers intervention were both

captured on the officers body-worn camera. Though the investigation is ongoing, our preliminary analysis indicates that

the Huntsville Policer Officer involved saved the lives of the victim, her child,

and himself. He engaged a shooter who was actively chasing and firing at an

innocent woman in her own home. Our office will continue to investigate but

does not anticipate any action will be taken against the officer. Madison County District Attorneys Office

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
Maines marketplace health insurance rates will increase again, but not as much as last year

It is worthwhile to spend a little time and make sure that you are purchasing an authorized insurance plan from a Maine licensed company," said acting superintendent Timothy Schott. (istock photo)

Marketplace health insurance rates for individuals and small group employers will go up by eight and nine percent respectively next January. But the rate increases are not as high as this years double digit hikes, nor are they as large as the insurance companies originally proposed.

Maine Bureau of Insurance Superintendent Bob Carey recently approved health insurance rates that go into effect January 1, 2025. The bureau worked with health insurers including Anthem, Harvard Pilgrim and Taro Health to lower their initially proposed rates, according to a news release. The approved rate increases were reduced from a proposed average increase of 14.2 percent across different providers to an average increase of 8.6 percent for individuals, and from the proposed average increase of 14.5 percent to an approved average increase of 9.4 percent for small employers with fewer than 50 employees.

Its a lot. Yeah, of course, its better than what it was in 2024 you know, when it was, you know, close to 15 percent, but nobodys happy, I dont think, Carey said about the 2025 increase.

For next year, the bureau also asked insurance companies to consider Maines regional economic disparities, affecting rates between southern and northern Maine. Insurance companies were charging almost 25 percent more for insurance in the northern part of the state, despite the southern part of the state being much more affluent.

As a result of the bureaus intervention, individuals and small groups in Aroostook, Hancock and Washington counties will see very modest or no premium increases in 2025 compared to other parts of the state.

Whats been happening over time is that for competitive reasons, carriers were essentially charging more in those three northern Maine counties than they were in the southern Maine counties, Carey said. So were narrowing the gap between the rates charged for those three counties versus the rest of the state.

Depending on individuals income levels and insurance plans, not everyone will be impacted equally by the increases, Carey said. People who qualify for subsidies based on their income may not face an increase at all.

Why insurance premiums are increasing

There are three factors determining how much insurance rates will increase, according to the bureau press release

The first one is the price of service, which means how much hospital charges, healthcare provider fees and prescription drugs cost. The second one is the utilization of services, meaning how frequently people use the emergency department and increases in outpatient surgery, for example. And the final one is the mix of services  what people are treated for and how.

This year, two key drivers of the rate increase are prescription drugs and hospital and healthcare provider costs, which are higher due to both price and utilization.

We need to get drug manufacturers to have a greater share in the cost than the consumer and the insurance carriers do, said Courtney Cowan, an independent insurance consultant in Maine. If we could ever make that happen, legislatively, wed probably see different insurance structures.

Maines reinsurance program, which uses state and federal funds to reduce premiums, allowed the bureau to negotiate lower rate increases, Carey said. Essentially, federal and state money  amounting to $70 million per year  covers the cost of some claims so insurance companies can seek reimbursement from these funds and keep premiums from increasing.

Without reinsurance, the rate increases for 2025 would be almost double, Carey said.

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Incumbent Michigan State Supreme Court Justice Kyra Harris Boldentalks to the Arab American Democrats Caucus in Lansing ahead of receiving the Michigan Democratic Party's official nomination for state Supreme Court on Aug. 24, 2024 | Photo Anna Liz Nichols

The partisan majority of the Michigan State Supreme Court hangs in the balance in November. Justice Kyra Harris Bolden and University of Michigan law professor Kimberly Ann Thomas  who were both nominated by Democrats last weekend  are spending $1.5 million on a TV ad campaign.

This is the largest TV ad buy that Supreme Court candidates have made in Michigan, the Michigan Democratic Party says, and a review of campaign finance records from the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice for the last decade backs that up.

Although state Supreme Court candidates appear on the nonpartisan section of the ballot, state parties endorse candidates.

Democrats secured a slim 4-3 majority on the state Supreme Court in 2020 after Republican-nominated justices controlled the court for most of the last few decades. In fact, GOP-nominated justices secured a 5-2 supermajority in 2013 when Republican Gov. Rick Snyder appointed Republican Judge David Viviano, who is retiring this year.

Now with Viviano retiring, Thomas and Republican state Rep. Andrew Fink are campaigning against each other for an eight-year-term. The other seat is a partial term and will last four years, finishing out the term of former Chief Justice Bridget Mary McCormack, who retired in 2022. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appointed Bolden to the slot and she will face Branch County Circuit Court Judge Patrick William OGrady, who was nominated by Republicans.

In recent years, the Democratic-majority Supreme Court has made rulings on key issues, including ordering that a ballot initiative to enshrine the right to an abortion into Michigans state constitution be placed on the 2022 ballot. A majority of voters then approved the change to the state constitution after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal right to an abortion that summer.

The Michigan Democratic Party told the Michigan Advance that it is also making its single biggest investment in Supreme Court races putting more than $1 million toward digital advertising across multiple streaming platforms, social media platforms, Youtube and Google search ads from September until Election Day. The ads will echo Democrats messaging that abortion is still on the ballot, even though Michigan doesnt have a ballot initiative, unlike several other states, because there are still reproductive rights cases working their way through Michigan courts.

As the country faces down a presidential election that both Republicans and Democrats say is pivotal for the countrys future, Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes told the Michigan Advance that it is important to not lose sight of the state Supreme Court races at the bottom of the ballot.

To vote for Supreme Court candidates on Nov. 5, the nonpartisan section of the ballot must be filled out, as a straight-ticket vote does not include the Michigan Supreme Court section.

Lets be clear: The MAGA fanatics on the other side would do everything they can to strike down the rights and progress Michigan Dems have been fighting for over the past two years if they make it onto Michigans Supreme Court  but we wont let them, Barnes said. This investment demonstrates stark contrast between the strength and unity of our party and candidates and the chaos on the Republican side.

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Man, 28, dies in Augusta construction accident, family raises funds to send body to Mexico

The Richmond County Coroner's Office is investigating after a 28-year-old man was killed on a construction site in Augusta.

Adan Binzha, 28, of Augusta, died Friday at Doctors Hospital, according to a news release from the coroner's office.

Binzha was struck by an excavator bucket while working Friday at a construction site on the 2400 block of Gordon Highway, according to the release.

An autopsy is scheduled, according to the coroner's office. OSHA was notified and is investigating.

Family members took to social media to share the news and raise funds via a GoFundMe campaign to return Binzha's body to Mexico.

Binzha leaves behind his wife, a young son, parents and siblings in Mexico, according to the GoFundMe.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the campaign raised $4,256 of the $25,000 goal.

To donate, visit https://tinyurl.com/zk82ev59.

Family speaks out after fatal ATV crash: 'I'm covered in cuts and bruises from running to him': Widow mourns after ATV crash in Hephzibah

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Man, 28, dies in Augusta construction accident
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A man has been charged with sexual battery after police say he fondled a Delta Specialty Hospital patient in the middle of the night.

Neal Sowell, 64, was booked in the Shelby County Jail but has since been released on his own recognizance.

The victim said she was sleeping in her bed when she felt someone reach under her nightgown, grab her buttocks, and begin fondling her body. The victim said after she screamed, a man left the room.

Railgarten shooting suspect released from jail without bond

Police said surveillance video showed Sowell leaving the womans room on August 19.

MPD said when investigators questioned Sowell, he told them he knew he was not allowed to come in contact with anyone on the floor but went into the womans room.

Police said Sowell also told them that he had been accused of sexual assault at least five other times at other facilities. Its not clear if Sowell was also a patient or an employee.

Delta Specialty Hospital treats patients with drug addiction and mental health issues. Its website states the hospital is a safe place for patients and families.

Man shot at while driving with wife, baby in car

WREG contacted Delta Specialty Hospital for more information about what happened, but we have not heard back from anyone.

Police said the victim was able to pick Sowell out in a photographic line-up. He is scheduled to be back in court on September 5.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Man accused of trying to kill fellow Woodbury County inmate pleads not guilty

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  A man charged with the attempted murder of a fellow inmate in the Woodbury County Jail has pleaded not guilty.

Bengerman Housh, 32, of Sioux City, was arraigned on Monday, Aug. 27, and had his plea accepted, according to court documents. He is charged with attempted murder, willful injury, and fourth-degree criminal mischief.

Bengerman Housh (courtesy: Woodbury County Sheriffs Office)

In the late night of Aug. 8, Housh allegedly tried to kill a fellow inmate in a racist assault that lasted more than 10 minutes. He had been put in jail earlier that evening after allegedly throwing a brick through a car window.

Court documents state that Housh repeatedly punched, kneed, and stomped on the victim. At one point, he allegedly held the victim in a chokehold for about 45 seconds.

Vehicular homicide charge dismissed for Nebraska truck driver

According to a witness, Housh, who is white, had mentioned how the victim was Native American. He allegedly said that the victim was not a man and said several times that he did not deserve to live.

The victim was taken to a hospital with a hematoma on the back of his head and serious facial injuries, including a cut on the left side. He needed plastic surgery to repair the damage, court documents say.

Houshs jury trial is set to begin Oct. 22 at 9:30 a.m.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports.
DELHI, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH)  A Margaretville man is facing jail time for stealing thousands of dollars from a residence that employed him.

District Attorney Shawn Smith announced that Claude Manon, 56, pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a Class E Felony, in Delaware County Court on Tuesday.

Manon was accused of stealing over $3,000 in cash from a home he was doing work in on February 1. He appeared in court for a conference on the pending charges and pleaded guilty to the crime.

The guilty plea was entered as part of a negotiated disposition. It is anticipated that Manon will be sentenced to 6 months in the Delaware County Jail, to be followed by 5 years of felony probation supervision. He will also be ordered to pay back restitution.

Manon was remanded to the Delaware County Jail pending final sentencing.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Man arrested after asking several Wisconsin women for a hug and touching them inappropriately

SUPERIOR, Wis. (WFRV)  Authorities in Wisconsin have arrested a man who allegedly would ask women at several businesses for a hug and proceed to touch them inappropriately.

According to a release, the Superior Police Department says there have been several recent reports made of a younger man making women uncomfortable at several businesses in Superior.

Brown County Sheriffs Office opens homicide investigation at Green Bay Correctional Institution

Witnesses have told police the man would reportedly approach women and initiate conversation, saying something terrible was going on in his life.

The man would then ask the woman for a hug when hed then simultaneously touch the woman inappropriately.

The Superior Police Department says the unwanted touching of a private area, whether on the skin or over the clothing, constitutes a fourth-degree sexual assault charge in Wisconsin.

Unlicensed, intoxicated biker with arson warrant arrested after evading Menasha police officers

The departments investigation has resulted in an arrest, but the police believe there may be additional unreported recent incidents.

Anyone who may have been a victim is encouraged to contact the Superior Police Department at 715-395-7234. No additional details were provided.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Hani Levy and her husband, who owns a construction company, thought they were making an investment in their Fort Lauderdale, Florida neighborhood. But after spending $350,000 on an empty lot, they are now facing a real estate nightmare.

Initially advertised as suitable for new residential construction, the couple bought the lot with plans to build two or three houses  something they shared with the real estate agent.

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However, shortly after the purchase, they discovered a significant challenge  the lot was landlocked. The only road that led to their property was owned by the existing homes that surround it and not available for public use  a detail that was never disclosed by the seller or real estate agent. This left them with no legal access to their lot.

The unforeseen obstacle not only stalled their dreams of development, but also resulted in a legal battle against the seller and their real estate agent.

We (are) hoping that soon, this nightmare will be over, Levy told NBC6 Investigates. All of our dreams are out of the window.

No firm road access solution

The Levys were clear about their development plans before they bought the lot, and the seller made an effort to ensure the land could be developed. The seller's attorney filed a document releasing the lot from a covenant that prevented new construction before the couple went through with the sale. Levy also sent several emails to the city asking about developing on the property  and even went in person to get more information.

But after the purchase, Levy says she received an email from the Fort Lauderdale zoning department saying the city requires access to a public right of way and that It appears the lot may be unbuildable.

A spokesperson from the city's Development Services Department told NBC:

"The City may be a resource used by a buyer when doing their due diligence about the propertys development potential. Understanding the Citys zoning regulations including permitted uses and development standards is often part of a purchasers due diligence. Ultimately, it is up to the purchaser to use the information available to make a final decision."

Story continues

With no solution in sight, the Levys also tried negotiating with their neighbors to purchase part of the private road to gain access to the lot. While none of them went for this idea, given their concern over flood risk, one neighbor was willing to offer the couple a small strip of land from their property. That way, they now own a portion of land that reaches a public street, but it's not clear if it's enough for the city.

We still don't have a clear answer with the cityif this is good enough, Levy told NBC6.

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)

How to avoid similar issues when purchasing a property

The Levys' situation raises important questions for prospective buyers. How could such a large oversight occur? Here are a few steps buyers can take to protect themselves.

Hiring professionals before the purchase can make a huge difference. While the Levys did ask about the development potential, it's not clear if they hired a real estate attorney or land surveyor before closing. These professionals help ensure you understand exactly what you're purchasing and uncover any potential challenges, such as lack of access and construction permissions.

A deeper understanding of local zoning and easement laws may also have prevented this issue. Florida easement laws make some provisions for landlocked property to receive developments "by means of the nearest practical route."

In other words, this type of agreement can allow a property owner to enter a predetermined portion of anothers land without needing their permission. Had the Levys known to ask about an easement or known the lot was landlocked from a survey, they may have been able to carve out a legal access point beforehand  or backed out of the purchase before it was too late.

Finally, buyers should always consider purchasing title insurance. While most mortgage companies require this, the Levys purchased the land outright and may not have considered the option. Title insurance protects against any limitation in the title, including liens and sometimes easement challenges, depending on the context.

Instead, the Levys will have to wait and see what the city makes of their workaround.

What to read next

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Man arrested after dangerous police chase with stolen Ferrari, deputies say

Deputies in Flagler County said a man has been arrested after a dangerous pursuit in a stolen Ferrari.

Officials released new video Wednesday that shows the supercar flying through red lights in Palm Coast.

Deputies said a Rhode Island teenager stole the car days earlier when he robbed a home at gunpoint.

See: Childs book starts fire in moms minivan

He then attempted to hide it behind a Palm Coast home.

Deputies said Jonathan Costa, 19, was later found inside the home and was arrested.

Read: CDC issues warning over sloth fever, 2 cases reported in Orange County

They say he and a 17-year-old boy are also suspects in an armed home invasion in Rhode Island.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG)  The man accused of making death threats against President Joseph Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former President Barack Obama is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.

ORIGINAL STORY: Memphis man charged with threatening Biden, Harris, Obama

Kyl Hall is facing a judge in a DeSoto County courtroom for charges that happened in Southaven. The 37-year-old is charged in Mississippi for receiving stolen property, contempt of court, and being a fugitive from justice.

His other charges are on a Federal level after being indicted on threats towards President Biden, Vice President Harris, and former President Obama.

WREG spoke with Halls mother last week and she says Hall has always had a background of suffering from mental illness since he was a child. His parents also say they dont believe prison is the solution, but that they have done all they can to support him.

 See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South.

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It hurts us what hes going through mentally, theres nothing we can do for him. We tried. try to get him on meds, sent him to the hospital and stuff so he can get help. Theres not much more we can do, said Sharron Hall, Kyls mom.

If Hall is found guilty of the federal indictment charges, he will spend 15 years in jail.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
LEVITTOWN, N.Y. (PIX11)  Police arrested a man for allegedly violating Nassau Countys mask ban while trying to hide a knife in his pants on Sunday, authorities said.

The incident happened in Levittown around 7:55 p.m., according to the Nassau County Police Department.

More Local News

Police responded after receiving reports of a suspicious man walking on Spindle Road while wearing a mask to hide his identity, authorities said.

Police arrested the suspect after he allegedly refused to comply with the officers orders, authorities said. He was found with a 14-inch-long knife in the waistband, according to police.

Police arrested 18-year-old Wesslin Omar Ramirez Castillo and charged him with violating Nassau Countys Mask Transparency Act, criminal possession of a weapon, and obstructing governmental administration.

Nassau Countys Mask Transparency Act was recently signed into law on Aug. 14. The law bans people in Nassau County from wearing masks in public. It provides exemptions for health and religious reasons.

Finn Hoogensen is a digital journalist who has covered local news for more than five years. He has been with PIX11 News since 2022. See more of his work here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  Days after their breakup, a 30-year-old man threatened to burn his exs home down and confronted her brother with pruning shears.

Convicted on Monday of charges including assault with a deadly weapon, Jose Armando Velasquez-Duran faces up to eight years and four months in prison, prosecutors said. Sentencing is set for Oct. 1.

Man arrested for annoying and photographing minors at Beach Park

Early on Feb. 4, Velasquez-Duran went to his exs home in Wasco, according to an account of the incident contained in a District Attorneys Office release. She had ended their relationship four days earlier.

Her brother woke up and found Velasquez-Duran going through his vehicle. He told him to leave, but Velasquez-Duran demanded to speak to the ex and threatened the brother.

The (brother) managed to close the front door as Velasquez-Duran poured charcoal on the doorstep and threatened to burn the family home down, the release says. Velasquez-Duran then banged on the doors, windows, and walls, shouting for his ex-girlfriend.

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Velasquez-Duran got in through the back door and stood inches from the brother while armed with pruning shears.

The brother was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher. Velasquez-Duran said, You better call an ambulance because he is going to need it.

Deputies took Velasquez-Duran into custody after finding him seated on a couch, the shears nearby. Hes being held in Lerdo Jail on $100,000 bail.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17.
A man is in the hospital after he was seriously hurt in a fire in Seattles Rainier Valley Wednesday morning.

At 12:51 a.m., crews were called to a fire at an apartment building on Rainier Avenue South, near South Fontanelle Street, where they found a fire burning in a third-floor unit.

Firefighters rescued a man from a burning room inside the apartment.

He was taking to a hospital in critical condition.

The fire was contained to one unit.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Man drowns in Texas lake moments after being baptized in it

A view of Lake Waxahachie where 21-year-old Lincer Lopez drowned minutes after he was baptized there (Google Maps)

A man drowned in a Texas lake while trying to save a teenage girl moments after being baptized.

Lincer Lopez, 21, was at Lake Waxahachie  just outside of Dallas  with a large group of churchgoers from Garland, Texas on August 24 to be baptized.

Minutes after Lopez was baptized, he spotted his friend, 15-year-old Genesis Delgado, struggling to swim farther out in the lake, local outlet WFAA reports. Lopez swam out to rescue her, but his strength eventually failed and he disappeared underneath the water.

I was like this is it, Im just gonna die here, and nobodys gonna be able to find my body, Genesis told WFAA. All these flashbacks were coming, and memories, and then I just blacked out.

Jacob Bell was boating on the lake when he saw Lopez trying to save Delgado and jumped in the water to help.

A view of Lake Waxahachie where 21-year-old Lincer Lopez drowned minutes after he was baptized there (Google Maps)

[I got her] into my boat and gave her CPR, got her breathing again, and got her to the shore, Bell told NBC DFW.

Bell then rushed to rescue Lopez  but it was too late.

[I] ran across the dock area into the lake and swam around and dove down and finally found the boy and pulled him up to safety, Bell said. And he had already passed.

Lincer was being just a hero and going and helping people, he continued.

Community members have launched a GoFundMe to send Lopezs body back to his hometown of Chiapas, Mexico, where his parents, seven siblings and other family members are mourning.

I thank you Lincer for everything you tried to do, and I hope I can see you again soon, I believe I will, Genesis told WFAA.

Lopezs uncle, Jacobo Lopez, said the 21-year-old was so excited for his baptism that he had trouble sleeping the night before. The young adult worked in construction and sent money home to his family in Mexico, Jacobo Lopez told WFAA.

He was a hero, Bell told WFAA. He didnt think twice about rescuing someone else. He didnt think about the risk that he could die. And he did risk his life to save somebody elses.

Local law enforcement also shared a statement mourning the 21-year-old: The Waxahachie Police Department, along with the entire community, would like to extend our deepest condolences to the victims family.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  A man who shot an Albuquerque police officer in the hand last year after being caught in a stolen car is now facing federal charges. Santiago Perez is now facing federal charges for being a felon in possession of a gun and possession of a gun to help him traffic drugs.

VIDEO: Santa Fe murder suspect arrested in Las Cruces

On December 30, the Albuquerque Police Depratment said an officer pulled up behind a stolen car at the Adams Food Mart on Central Ave. They said Perez, who was driving the car, got out and opened fire hitting Officer Zachary Garris in the hand. Perez was shot in the arm and leg by another officer as he attempted to run away. Officer Garris ended up losing part of his finger.

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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.
A motorcyclist who Newark police said fled a University of Delaware police traffic stop late Tuesday night is accused of hitting and killing a UD freshman and injuring four others.

The freshman was an 18-year-old New Jersey woman. Her name is not being released by police until her family has been notified. UD's president and vice president issued a statement Wednesday afternoon calling for the school to support one another.

"Late last night, a first-year University of Delaware student died in a traffic accident near campus, which was witnessed by many of her friends and classmates," President Dennis Assanis and Vice President Jose-Luis Riera's statement began. "Incidents such as this are unimaginably tragic. We cannot express enough how sorry we are for the family, friends, and greater community as we are all so deeply shaken by the sudden loss of one of our own. Our hearts are very heavy today."

The statement added the school must come together and lean on one another "and to do so with extra kindness and empathy." Support and assistance is available to students who need it, according to the statement.

What happened?

The events unfolded just before midnight on Tuesday, when a UD police officer tried to stop a motorcyclist for a traffic offense, Newark police said. The attempted stop occurred at East Main Street, just west of South Chapel Street.

The motorcyclist, whom police have not yet identified, "disregarded the police officers emergency lights and fled at a high rate of speed." They continued west on East Main Street.

A light pole rests in the street as Newark police investigate after a fatal accident involving a motorcycle near the intersection of Main Street and N. College Avenue, reported just before midnight late Tuesday, August 27, 2024.

"The University of Delaware police officer did not engage in a pursuit with the motorcycle and extinguished his emergency lights when the motorcycle fled at a high rate of speed," a news release said.

As the biker sped away, they hit the 18-year-old woman, who was crossing on West Main Street, just west of North College Avenue. The driver was ejected, while the motorcycle continued on.

The vehicle hit four additional pedestrians and a light pole.

Bystanders tried to save the young woman in the crosswalk, but they were unable to and she was pronounced dead at the scene. The other four pedestrians suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Only one was taken to the hospital.

The motorcyclist was also taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. They have not been charged "at this time," police said, but the investigation remains ongoing.

Classes at UD began Tuesday.

Crash occurred a week after another fatal wreck with similar circumstances

Tuesday night's wreck occurred about a week after another, similar crash killed a mom and a daughter. In that crash, the driver was also fleeing a traffic stop.

DeJuan Robinson, 26, is being held in prison on nearly $1 million cash bond for the multicar wreck, which occurred Aug. 21 near New Castle.

STORY: Man charged with murder for crash that killed mom, daughter, injured others near New Castle

He was charged with two counts of murder, possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony, disregarding a police officer and failing to stop at a traffic light. That crash happened about 11:20 p.m. on a Wednesday.

According to police, a little more than 10 minutes before the crash, a Delaware State Police trooper had tried to stop Robinson in the 100 block of Route 13 (South Dupont Highway). He fled in his Kia.

The trooper lost sight of Robinson soon after, police said. The agency said that "at no point was the Kia actively pursued by law enforcement."

Robinson, however, raced toward Christiana Road and Airport Road, where 29-year-old Karisma Elivo-Stevens was trying to turn left in a car with 10-year-old Zamiyah Elivo and five other kids, police said. They had a green light, while Robinson's light was red.

Robinson's car hit Elivo-Stevens', causing it to spin and roll over. His car then crossed over a concrete median and hit a Hyundai that was trying to turn onto Christiana Road.

Elivo-Stevens and her 10-year-old daughter died on the scene, while the other children, ages 8, 5, 3 and 1, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Hyundai, a 43-year-old woman, suffered "serious" injuries and was taken to the hospital, police said.

Police have not said why Robinson fled, but court records show that he has a lengthy criminal history.

Got a story tip or idea? Send to Isabel Hughes at ihughes@delawareonline.com. For all things breaking news, follow her on X at @izzihughes_

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Man fleeing officers hits, kills UD freshman, injures others: Police
Man found dead after being hit by two cars in Merced

MERCED, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  A pedestrian passed away after an initial hit-and-run and then being hit again by another vehicle in Merced, the Merced Police Department said.

Officers say a man in his 40s was crossing E. Yosemite Avenue near Cordova Avenue on Monday just before 9 p.m. At the same time, a vehicle believed to be a Toyota was traveling eastbound and hit the pedestrian. The vehicle then fled the scene and the pedestrian was left in the roadway.

Later, police say a Honda Civic then struck the pedestrian in the roadway. The Honda immediately pulled out of the road and stayed on the scene to wait for the police. The pedestrian was found deceased on the scene when officers arrived.

The Police Department is asking anyone with information regarding the collision to contact Traffic Officer C McKeeman at 209-388-7752 or by email at mckeemanc@cityofmerced.org. or Traffic Officer D Drees at 209-388-7809 or by email at dreesd@cityofmerced.org.

The identity of the pedestrian has not been released.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
Man gets 23 years in prison for selling drugs, guns in Upstate

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA)  A man will spend more than 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to owning a machine gun in order to sell cocaine and methamphetamine.

According to the U.S. Attorneys Office, Esteban Colon Pacheco, 27, of Puerto Rico, was sentenced to 23 years in prison, followed by following his guilty plea.

According to the attorneys office, in 2022 and 2023 Pacheco was selling cocaine and methamphetamine in the Upstate. He also enlisted women to buy guns for him which he could modify to be fully automatic and then sell.

According to the attorneys office, on one occasion Pacheco fired one of the fully automatic guns in a neighborhood to demonstrate its capabilities.

Two of the women Pacheco used to purchase guns for him previously pleaded guilty to gun trafficking charges. One received 102 months in prison and another is awaiting sentencing.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
The new issue of Ship Technology Global magazine is out now!

Maritime traffic at major ports around the world has grown over recent years, causing serious port congestion. In this issue, we explore the causes and solutions to the problem. We also look at some of the new hardware coming to market aiming to improve seafarer safety as the wearables market continues to grow.

Whether you are on a desktop, tablet or smartphone, you can read the magazine for free online.

Elsewhere, we examine whether the Northern Sea Route has the capacity to become commercially viable in the near future, hear industry reaction on the IMO's ban on heavy fuel oil in Arctic waters, and consider how commercial ports are adapting to the climate crisis.

Lastly, we speak to SmartSea, a new company backed by SITA, about the lessons the maritime sector can learn from aviation when it comes to industry digitalisation.

For all this and the latest maritime industry news, comment, and analysis from GlobalData, read on. And don't forget to stay up to date with everything at @ShipTechMag.

Peter Nilson, editor

In this issue

How to solve growing port congestion

Keri Allan explores the current congestion problems ports are facing  and the solutions being considered to overcome them.

The wearable tech improving maritime safety

Over recent years the maritime sector has embraced the rise of new wearable tech to improve seafarer safety. Keri Allan explores some of the new hardware coming to market, and how wearables are helping raise safety.

Will the Northern Sea Route become commercially viable in the near future?

Melting Arctic ice and Houthi Red Sea attacks have prompted interest in the Northern Sea Route, with Russia and China leading the pack. Alex Blair investigates how viable the route is.

IMOs ban on dirty fuel in Arctic waters met with industry scorn?

Shipping firms and environmental bodies say the IMOs new restrictions on heavy fuel oil in the Arctic are riddled with loopholes. Alex Blair investigates.

Commercial ports are on the climate crisis front line. How are they adapting?

With $67bn in world trade at risk annually from climate damage to commercial ports, the sector needs to bolster resilience. Sraddha Sabu explores the matter.

SmartSea CEO on the lessons maritime can learn from aviation

Noah Bovenizer speaks to Julian Panter, CEO of SmartSea, about the company's mission to bring a digital revolution to the maritime sector.

Navigating maritime insurance using innovative 3D scanning

Vessel inspections dont have to delay operations, says Artyom Yukhin, CEO at Artec 3D, if 3D scanning technology is utilised.

Story continues

How the eBL is shaping the future of shipping

Omer Guy, general counsel at DCSA, explores the opportunities and challenges when it comes to implementing the electronic Bill of Lading.

Next issue preview

As the industry moves towards more sustainable fuels, route planning around fuel availability will become increasingly important, as not all ports will stock all fuel options. In the next issue of Ship Technology Global, we'll look into the knock-on effects of the fuel transition on route planning.

As well as this, we find out what impact the Mediterranean becoming an IMO emission control area next year will be for the cruise sector.

In the meantime, you can stay up to date with everything at @ShipTechMag.

Would you like to be notified when a new issue of Ship Technology Global is out? Sign up for email alerts here!

We will only use your email address to let you know when a new issue is available. Ship Technology Global is published quarterly.

"Easing port congestion: STG91 is out now!" was originally created and published by Ship Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.







The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Lacy Lakeview, Tx (FOX 44)  An 18-year-old Georgetown man was taken into custody in Lacy Lakeview Tuesday night, accused of leading police on a 130 mile per hour chase in Bell and McLennan County on his motorcycle.

Quincy Thomas Lynch remained in the McLennan County Jail Thursday afternoon on felony charge of evading arrest with a motor vehicle and additional charges of reckless driving and possession of a controlled substance.

An arrest affidavit stated that officers had begun a pursuit of a baby blue Suzuki GSXR motorcycle about 8:54 p.m. in Troy that was going north on I-35 at a high rate of speed and not displaying a license plate. As other units joined the pursuit the affidavit stated the motorcycle entered McLennan County maintaining speeds of 120-130 miles per hour.

Other officers in other agencies attempted to stop the rider with the affidavit stating he actually passed some officers who had deployed ahead of him and was weaving through traffic and passing between vehicles on multiple occasions at speeds in excess of 130 miles per hour.

The motorcycle continued through the city of Waco and through Bellmead and exited the interstate at East Crest Drive in Lacy Lakeview, coming to a stop in the 1700 block of Crest in a parking lot.

Neighbor takes pictures, helps police working burglary

He was arrested and put in handcuffs and read his Miranda rights. The affidavit stated that he gave statements regarding the pursuit and that he knew officers were trying to stop him.

A search turned up a glass container with a waxy substance in it with a cover stating the jar was THCA Diamonds with Live Rosin and THCP.

He was booked into the McLennan County Jail. His bond had not been set as of midday Wednesday.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WSPA)  A man accused of pointing a rifle at police officers and Asheville residents is dead after an officer-involved shooting occurred Tuesday evening.

According to the Asheville Police Department, officers were called around 5 p.m., receiving reports of a man pointing a rifle at people on Chatham Road.

Officers said the man also assaulted a City of Asheville contract worker with a shovel.

Upon arrival, police asked the man to drop the rifle, but he refused and pointed the rifle at officers. An officer-involved shooting then occurred, with the man retreating in his home.

The man was later found dead inside the home.

Officials have contacted the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation to continue the shooting investigation.

Police asked the public to avoid the area of Merrimon Avenue and Chatham Road at this time.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Man Left Behind by Co-Workers During Office Retreat Survives Night Alone on Colorado Mountain

"One member of their party was left to complete his final summit push alone," rescue officials said

Getty Mount Shavano, Colorado

A work retreat took an unexpected turn when a man ended up spending the night alone on Colorado's Mount Shavano.

On Friday, Aug. 23, around 9:00 p.m. local time, the Chaffee County Search and Rescue said they responded to a report of an overdue hiker.

The unidentified man was in a group of 15 hikers on an office work retreat that had left the Blanks Cabin Trailhead at sunrise that morning, rescue officials said. The group split off in sections, with one group completing summit attempts and a separate group ascending to the saddle and returning from there."

"In what might cause some awkward encounters at the office in the coming days and weeks, one member of their party was left to complete his final summit push alone," they added.



Representatives from the Chaffee County Search and Rescue South did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment.

Chaffee County Search and Rescue - South/Facebook Colorado Man Left Behind by Co-Workers During Office Retreat Survives Night Alone on Mountain Summit

Related: Hypothermic Hiker Rescued After Falling, Hitting Head and Losing Shoe on New Hampshire Mountain

After reaching the summit of Mount Shavano earlier in the day, the hiker attempted to descend the mountain, but became "disoriented."

"In his initial attempts to descend, he found himself in the steep boulder and scree field on the northeast slopes toward Shavano Lake. Concerned for himself, he sent a pindrop to co-workers already descending," officials wrote. "These co-workers informed him his route was wrong and to climb back up the slope to regain the trail."

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories

A while later, officials said "he sent another pin drop and text to his group that he was near" the trail they began their hikes from, but that then a "strong storm passed through the area."

"He again became disoriented, losing cell phone signal as well," officials said.

Related: Solo Mount Baldy Hiker Still Missing, 3 Others Rescued After Spending a Night amid Severe Weather

At around 9:00 p.m. local time, the overdue hiker was reported to rescue officials, who deployed two teams as well as a drone pilot. However, with the "high winds and freezing rain" complicating search efforts, officials could find "no trace of the missing subject" until the following morning.

Luckily, that morning the hiker was able to establish cell phone service and called 911. He was then located above the North Fork drainage, in a gully below Espirit Point," rescue officials said.

Related: Injured Hiker Defends Friends After Officials Said They Left Him in Grand Canyon: 'Unjustly Vilified'

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 South said of the hikers rescue.

After being stabilized and evaluated by search and rescue officials, the hiker was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation.

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Read the original article on People.
ST. LOUIS  A man lost a finger in a shooting outside a gas station in the Benton Park neighborhood of south St. Louis.

According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Departments probable cause statement, the shooting happened on August 13 in the 3200 block of South Jefferson Avenue.

Police said the victim was at the gas station when a vehicle pulled alongside him. The victim recognized his girlfriend in the passenger seat and Darren A. Howard, 25, behind the wheel.

Howard allegedly shot the victim four times at close range and in rapid fashion.

Police said Howard was also in a romantic relationship with the victims girlfriend and this had caused a dispute between the two men.

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Surveillance video shows the shooting and license plate readers were used to help investigators track and identify the vehicle, police said.

Howard was taken into custody on August 26. Police said he had a Glock 22 with a sear switch on it, which would allow the gun to function as a fully automatic weapon.

Police said Howard has a prior felony conviction from 2018 in Illinois.

The St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office charged Howard with first-degree assault, armed criminal action, unlawful possession of an illegal weapon, and two counts of unlawful 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 FOX 2.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  A Sioux City man accused of impersonating a police officer during a planned robbery on Christmas Day in 2023 has pleaded not guilty.

On Aug. 16, Wiley Spencer, 28, pleaded not guilty to first-degree robbery in a written arraignment. His plea was accepted on Monday, Aug. 26.

Man accused of trying to kill fellow Woodbury County inmate pleads not guilty

Spencer was originally charged for his role in stealing $3,000 to $4,000 from a Sioux City man, according to court documents. On Christmas, the victim went to a residence on 7th Avenue with three other people to buy THC cartridges. The victim kept his money in a zippered pouch, which some of the others knew about.

The victim had gone into the garage of the residence with the others when Spencer allegedly came in, claimed he was with the Sioux City police, and told them to get on the ground.

According to court documents, the victim was hit several times with a blunt object and then brought out to the street, where the assault continued. The money was reportedly taken from the victim during the assault before he was able to get away.

The victim went to a hospital with a serious cut to his head, which required staples.

Investigations revealed that Spencer and some of the other individuals allegedly conspired to steal the money from the victim.

Officials begin moving into new Woodbury County jail

Witnesses reported seeing Spencers vehicle in the area around the time of the incident. They also reported seeing the individuals who were present at the time of the robbery get into the vehicle.

Spencers jury trial is set for Nov. 5, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. He waived his right to a speedy trial.

Ariel Pokett contributed to this report.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports.
A man is headed to prison after raping a woman while her children hid in their bedroom in Kennewick.

Alex Scott Rambo admitted to a December 2023 rampage that left a woman with several broken ribs and facial injuries. The damage required multiple surgeries and she ended up being physically and emotionally devastated by the attack.

Rambo, 21, pleaded guilty in Benton County Superior Court to third-degree rape, first-degree burglary, two counts of second-degree assault and unlawful imprisonment.

All of the crimes were domestic violence, committed within sight of the womans children and left her with severe injuries. These factors allowed the judge to sentence Rambo above the 8 1/2 years maximum prison sentence he initially faced.

Prosecutors and his defense attorney, Karla Kane, agreed to recommend a nine year sentence.

Judge Joe Burrowes had a difficult time reading the details associated with the brutal case, he said as he was sentencing Rambo last week. He paused before accepting the recommendation.

I was taken aback by the affidavit of probable cause, he said. This cant ever happen again. Take advantage of all of the services available to you.

Deputy Prosecutor Holai Holbrook explained the woman Rambo raped couldnt bring herself to come into the courtroom for his sentencing. Instead she sent a message to the deputy prosecutor.

She didnt want to relive the attack, but she did want Rambo to know that it was his fault that she had lost her home.

His defense attorney Karla Kane explained that Rambo had been in a sad situation, and the crime was exacerbated by this youth and by alcohol.

I cant express how bad he feels about how he let his anger get the better of him, she said. This is a very harsh sentence and hes going to have a lot of time in DOC (Department of Corrections) custody. ... Hes going to come out a better person.

Rambo didnt add anything.

Break-in and rape

The victim had picked up Rambo from a Spokane rehabilitation facility on Dec. 23, 2023 and brought him back to Kennewick. He lived in the neighboring home and was visiting while she was talking with her boyfriend in California.

Rambo became angry when the woman turned down his advances and began punching her. When she threatened to call police, he hid her phone.

The womans three young daughters were in the house at the time, and she yelled at them to run to a bedroom and shut the door, which they did.

The woman was able to escape at one point and Rambo chased her outside, grabbed her and started to punch her face and side.

After the second attack, the woman managed to lock Rambo out of her apartment. He then busted his way through the sliding glass door and broke into the bathroom where she was heading.

Then he raped the woman.

At some point during the multiple attacks, he also strangled her and bit her. Police noted there were bruises on her face and neck.

After his attack, he left the apartment with another woman and the victim called police. She was brought to a local hospital for treatment.

Rambo showed up at the hospital she had been taken to about three days after the attack and reported that he tried to bite his girlfriends nose off.

He admitted to police that he attacked the woman, claiming that she was his girlfriend. He denied raping her and said the sex was consensual.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  A city man who was arrested following a chase last May was sentenced Wednesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to 21 months in prison.

Judge Anthony Donofrio gave the sentence to Devon Smallwood, 31, after he pleaded guilty in two separate cases.

In the first case, Smallwood pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, obstructing official business and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

In the second case, Smallwood pleaded guilty to charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, tampering with evidence and possession of fentanyl.

The sentence was agreed upon by the attorneys and upheld by Judge Donofrio.

Smallwood was arrested on May 9, 2023, by city police after he jumped out of a car he was a passenger in that was pulled over at Cambridge and South avenues for a traffic violation.

Smallwood was shot with a stun weapon when he was taken into custody. A police dog found a gun in the area where he fell, reports said.

He was not allowed to have a gun because he had a warrant in a pending criminal case.

Details of the other case were not available.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
Man sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to sixth OVI

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  A Springfield man Tuesday was sentenced to 90 days in prison after he pleaded guilty to his sixth OVI.

Stephen Kness, 62, received the sentence from Judge Anthony Donofrio in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court after he entered his guilty plea July 18 to the charge, which is a third-degree felony.

Kness license was also suspended for three years to life.

Kness was charged after he was arrested in December by Boardman police after he was driving against traffic and fishtailing on Southern Boulevard.

Officers discovered when they were processing Kness that he had five previous OVIs between 2017 and 2020, reports said.

Kness failed a field sobriety test and his eyes were glassy, reports said. He refused to take a breath test, reports said.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
Man spit on in antisemitic incident on the Upper East Side, police say

Man spit on in antisemitic incident on the Upper East Side, police say

UPPER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (PIX11)  Police are searching for a man accused of making antisemitic comments and spitting on a man on the Upper East Side in July, NYPD officials said.

More Manhattan News

A 65-year-old man was walking when a man walked up to him and started making antisemitic comments near Fifth Avenue and East 68th Street around 5 p.m. on July 27. Police said the man also pulled down the victims face mask and spit on his face.

NYPD officials said their Hate Crime Task Force is investigating.

Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

Jonathan Rizk is a digital journalist who has covered local news in New York City and Washington, D.C. He has been with PIX11 since August 2022. See more of his work here, and follow him on X and Facebook @OfficialRizk. Get in touch at jonathan.rizk@pix11.com.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
A renminbi-denominated bond that will fund sustainability-linked, green and social activities, has been listed in Frankfurt Stock Exchange, Germany, marking the latest step in boosting the global presence of the Chinese currency.

Bank of China, the issuer, said the SGS bond has received favorable responses from global investors. According to Xinhua News Agency, this is the first listing of a renminbi-denominated SGS bond.

Experts said the bond's successful issuance reflects renminbi-denominated assets' wide appeal among global investors and the potential for China to further internationalize its currency, also known as the yuan, by advancing international green finance cooperation and innovation.

The bond, listed in Frankfurt on Monday, was issued through BOC's Frankfurt branch on Aug 13.

With an issuance size of 2.5 billion yuan ($351 million) and a two-year tenor, the bond has a framework that adheres to latest market standards, ensuring that the funds raised are directed toward qualified SGS projects that cover a variety of loans for environmental, social and governance (ESG) projects.

ESG loans are special loans that encourage businesses to be on the right side of the environment, society and corporate governance by tying the loan terms to these best practices.

"The bond has offered international investors a new avenue to support ESG development," BOC, one of the largest banks in China, said in a statement.

The bond issuance has further promoted BOC's offshore renminbi business in Frankfurt and enhanced its participation in ESG financial innovation, it added.

According to a resolution adopted at the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in July, efforts should be made to steadily and prudently advance the internationalization of the renminbi and develop offshore renminbi markets, while vowing to actively develop green finance.

Financial experts have pointed to green finance cooperation as the potential driver for renminbi internationalization, as China has one of the world's biggest green bond and credit markets.

China is collaborating with the European Union and Singapore to develop a new version of the Common Ground Taxonomy, which is a list of economic activities that are recognized both by China's and EU's green standards and which make it easier for borrowers from both jurisdictions to access green funding in each other's capital markets.

The new version, when unveiled, will upgrade the existing bilateral cooperation initiative into a multilateral project and further boost international green capital flows, said Ma Jun, president of the Institute of Finance and Sustainability.

Efforts will be made to facilitate foreign investment in Chinese green bonds, the country's central bank said in a guideline to support regional green development on Tuesday.

"We will guide financial institutions and enterprises in the Yangtze River Economic Belt to issue green bonds in accordance with domestic and international standards, and facilitate international capital investment in China's low-carbon transformation," the central bank said.

Huang Yiping, dean of Peking University's National School of Development, said China can outline a plan to provide commercial investments, low-cost funding and government aid to other developing economies to help them bridge a funding gap in achieving their green transition.

The plan will be a win-win as it will facilitate the global pursuit of carbon neutrality while helping bolster China's new energy exports and promote the internationalization of both Chinese financial institutions as well as the renminbi, Huang added.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / August 28, 2024 / Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas Ltd. (AIM:ECO)(TSXV:EOG), the oil and gas exploration company focused on the offshore Atlantic Margins in South Africa, Namibia, and Guyana, is pleased to announce completion of a farm down of a 13.75% Participating Interest in Block 3B/4B offshore the Republic of South Africa ("the Block") and Transfer of Operatorship of the Block after receipt of the requisite regulatory approvals (Section 11) from the government of South Africa ("Completion"). Eco now holds a 6.25% interest in Block 3B/4B.

Further to the Company's announcement on 6 March 2024 detailing the Farmout Agreement ("FOA"), Azinam Limited ("Azinam"), Eco's wholly owned subsidiary, has farmed down a 13.75% Participating Interest in Block 3B/4B, offshore the Republic of South Africa as part of an aggregate 57% farm down transaction along with its Joint Venture ("JV") Partners Africa Oil SA Corp. ("Africa Oil") and Ricocure (Proprietary) Limited ("Ricocure") to TotalEnergies EP South Africa S.A.S., who will become Operator ("TotalEnergies") and QatarEnergy International E&P LLC ("QatarEnergy") (the "Transaction").

Pursuant to the terms of the FOA, following Completion Eco is now due to receive US$8.3million in total as part of the 3B/4B Transaction, including Completion linked milestone payments of US$4m from Africa Oil and US$1.56m from Ricocure, as referred to in the Company's announcement of 6 March 2024. Further payments, amounting to $11.5m will be payable to Eco from TotalEnergies, QatarEnergy and Africa Oil on spudding of the first exploration well.

Following Completion, TotalEnergies is now the Operator of the Block, holding a 33% Participating Interest; QatarEnergy International E&P LLC, holds a 24% Participating Interest; Africa Oil SA Corp, a wholly owned subsidiary of Africa Oil Corp. retains a 17% Participating Interest; Azinam Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eco Atlantic, retains a Participating Interest of 6.25%; and Ricocure (Proprietary) Limited, retains a 19.75% Participating Interest.

Gil Holzman, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Eco Atlantic, commented:

"I am grateful to the Eco team and our advisors for their support in completing this transaction. We look forward to continuing our strong working relationship with all the JV partners, the South African Government, and the new Operator TotalEnergies. Block 3B/4B sits in a prolific hydrocarbon jurisdiction and we are excited to continue preparations for first drilling on the block under the leadership of TotalEnergies.

"Completion of the transaction further strengthens Eco's balance sheet and enables us to focus and continue progressing our wider work programmes and farm out processes in Eco's asset portfolio in Guyana and Namibia, with no shareholder dilution."

**ENDS**

For more information, please visit www.ecooilandgas.com or contact the following:

Eco Atlantic Oil and Gas c/o Celicourt +44 (0) 20 8434 2754 Gil Holzman, CEO Colin Kinley, COO Alice Carroll, Executive Director





Strand Hanson (Financial & Nominated Adviser) +44 (0) 20 7409 3494 James Harris James Bellman Berenberg (Broker) +44 (0) 20 3207 7800 Matthew Armitt Detlir Elezi Celicourt (PR) +44 (0) 20 7770 6424 Mark Antelme Jimmy Lea

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 as it forms part of United Kingdom domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (as amended).

About Eco Atlantic:

Eco Atlantic is a TSX-V and AIM-quoted Atlantic Margin-focused oil and gas exploration company with offshore license interests in Guyana, Namibia, and South Africa. Eco aims to deliver material value for its stakeholders through its role in the energy transition to explore for low carbon intensity oil and gas in stable emerging markets close to infrastructure.

Offshore Guyana, in the proven Guyana-Suriname Basin, the Company operates a 100% Working Interest in the 1,354 km2 Orinduik Block. In Namibia, the Company holds Operatorship and an 85% Working Interest in four offshore Petroleum Licences: PELs: 97, 98, 99, and 100, representing a combined area of 28,593 km2 in the Walvis Basin. Offshore South Africa, Eco holds a 6.25% Working Interest in Block 3B/4B and pending government approval a 75% Operated Interest in Block 1, in the Orange Basin, totalling some 37,510km2.

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.

SOURCE: Eco (Atlantic) Oil and Gas Ltd.





View the original press release on accesswire.com




Man wanted for homicide in Dallas arrested in Prairie Village

PRAIRIE VILLAGE, Kan.  A man wanted for a homicide in Dallas, Texas, was found by police in Prairie Village.

Prairie Village police officers located the suspect near 76th and Norwood Street on Saturday after receiving a call about a suspicious vehicle. When they arrived, they located the vehicle and contacted the driver.

New 3D proposals show Kauffman Stadium near Union Station, Crown Center

After searching the vehicle, police found drugs in the car and recovered a firearm that was recovered from Fort Worth, Texas.

The driver was also found to be a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to the Prairie Village Police Department, they were notified that the suspect was also wanted for a homicide in Dallas.

The suspect is not being identified until formal charges have been filed.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
MANITOWOC, Wis. (WFRV)  Authorities in Manitowoc are currently investigating a suspicious object that was found on Wednesday that they say may contain hazardous materials.

According to a release from the Manitowoc Police Department, the Manitowoc City Inspections Department conducted a routine inspection on a vacant property on the 700 block of Magnolia Avenue on Wednesday.

During the inspection, a suspicious object was found which led to the Manitowoc Police Department and the Manitowoc County Metro Drug Unit being called to the scene.

Police say the suspicious object was examined further and is believed to be used as a vessel to produce controlled substances and could contain hazardous materials.

Police in Wisconsin find cocaine during traffic stop, three people arrested

The Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI)  Clandestine Laboratory Response Team was also called to the scene along with the Manitowoc Fire Department who stood by during the initial investigation process due to the flammability of the chemicals involved in making controlled substances.

The suspicious object was then safely collected by the DCI and was removed from the area. Further testing is expected to be done to determine if the contents of the object are hazardous and/or related to a controlled substance.

At this time no other information is available and an investigation into the incident is ongoing. Local Five will update this story as more details are released.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Many in Pa.s county jails can vote but dont know that. Voting rights advocates look to help

Members of Pennsylvanias Legislative Black Caucus and voting rights advocates heaped praise Wednesday on Centre County for its commitment to ensuring people who are incarcerated can vote, describing it as one other counties can look to as a leader.

State Reps. Aerion Abney, D-Allegheny, and Rick Krajewski, D-Philadelphia, said Centre County is one of the few in the state to have formal voter outreach policies and dedicated staffers.

Pennsylvania has a lot of work to do when it comes to our carceral system and criminal justice reform, Krajewski said Wednesday after touring the jail. I think this is one of the places we can look to as a shining example of what real reform looks like.

Most people who are incarcerated are eligible to vote, but Krajewski said only about 4% of the estimated 25,000 people in Pennsylvanias county jails even request an absentee ballot.

People who are incarcerated while awaiting trial, those convicted of misdemeanors and people who were released after completing their sentence for misdemeanor or felony convictions are among those eligible to vote.

People who are on probation or released on parole are also eligible, as are those who are under house arrest.

The conditions that bar people from voting  namely those serving time for a felony conviction  make up a smaller list. Pennsylvania is one of 23 states that automatically restores voting rights for those convicted of a felony once their prison sentence is complete.

Centre County is definitely a good model, Abney said. They were very open and receptive to new ideas and how to expand access to the ballot for folks in the jail. I want to commend them for that.

State Rep. Rick Krajewski and State Rep. Aerion Abney, members of the Pennsylvania Black Legislative Caucus, visit with Centre County officials after touring the Centre County Correctional Facility to talk about voters rights on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024.

The jails policy is still relatively new, Centre County Correctional Facility Warden Glenn Irwin said. The jails average daily population in July was 167.

The correctional facility did not offer voting access to inmates prior to 2018. Four years later, a policy that Irwin described as robust was adopted by the countys prison board of inspectors.

Some details of the policy include offering a voting guide to each person who is incarcerated, and he also touted his staffs efforts to coordinate with elections directors from other counties that have inmates at the jail.

Irwin also said the jail is also working with the League of Women Voters to make even more information available.

The last day to register to vote for the upcoming election is Oct. 21. Election Day is Nov. 5.

Centre County Correctional Facility Warden Glenn Irwin talks with State Rep. Rick Krajewski and State Rep. Aeiron Abney from the Pennsylvania Black Legislative Caucus on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024.
Marblehead jogger bitten by dog off leash, not coyote, officials say

Authorities clarified on Wednesday that a jogger previously thought to have been attacked by a coyote was actually bitten by a dog off its leash.

We are updating this messaging to inform neighbors and visitors that use the path, that the biting animal in this incident has been contained and not a threat to those using this space, Marblehead Police wrote in a social media post.

The original incident occurred on Monday night in the area of Brown Street in the Neck neighborhood.

Officials are reminding residents to remain vigilant of coyotes in the area.

Our co-existence with them depends on following the best practices outlined in the link below, police said.

For more information, click here.

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MARION, Va. (WJHL)  Chief John Clair with the Marion Police Department will serve as Vice President of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police (VACP).

The association elected new members for the 2024-2025 VACP Executive Board at the 99th annual conference on Aug. 26.

Courtesy of the Marion Police Department

At the conference, Clair was named the 1st Vice President of the association.

Before joining the Marion Police Department, Clair began his career in the U.S. Army and graduated from the branchs police academy in 1999.

Bristol, Tennessee, Virginia discuss redeveloping West State Street

As a military police officer, [Clair] undertook traditional law enforcement work at Fort Sam Houston in Texas and then was transferred to Korea, where his work focused on black market investigations and drug suppression, a release from the VACP said.

Clair returned to Fort Myer where his duties ranged from dog handler to presidential support missions. He was sent to Guantanamo Bay during Operation Enduring Freedom and was honorably discharged in 2005.

Clair then provided protective services as a private contractor for the U.S. State Department and the Department of Justice.

He has also worked with the Dumfries Police Department, the Prince William County Police Department and was appointed Quantico police chief in 2013.

For more information on the VACP, click here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
MARSHALL COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT)  The Marshall County School System was awarded a large grant towards its Hydroponics program.

On August 27, Marshall County Schools was awarded nearly $20,000 by the Alabama Mountains Rivers and Valleys. Three state representatives were present to help award the funding: Wes Kitchens, Brock Colvin and Jeana Ross.

Incumbent McCamy wins another term as Scottsboro Mayor

Marshall County said the system would use the money for its Hydroponics program at DAR School on Grant Mountain.

School Child Nutrition Director Casey Partain said students work in the program to grow fresh produce such as lettuce and parsley. The produce is then used for lunches throughout the school system.

Another round of funds will go towards Douglas High School for its conversion lab. The lab is part of the school systems effort to use technology in every area to enhance student learning.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
KANSAS (KSNT)  U.S. Senator Roger Marshall has sent a letter to the Department of Labor demanding answers for overestimated U.S. job numbers.

Marshall is seeking information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) after several downward revisions in the job numbers after they were published. The letter alleges the BLS revised their job numbers for January 2024, the BLS annual 2023 benchmark review and for the 12 months through March 2024. In total, the reports had been revised by over 1.2 million jobs.

There were multiple instances over the last year in which news outlets reported that the job market was strong, red-hot, or sizzling, to name a few, Marshalls letter to Acting Secretary Julie Su reads. News outlets took initial BLS data at face value, concluding that the job market was strong.

Marshall argues the numbers paint a false impression of the validity of the Bureaus accuracy and legitimacy.

63% of rural hospitals in Kansas at risk of closing

Given the woeful record of the Bureau over the last two years, it is time for the BLS to accurately assess labor participation at the outset and admit the fact that the number of full-time employed Americans decreased by 510,000 from July 2023 to July 2024, Marshall said in the letter.

Marshall demanded answers to the following questions:

Why has BLS repeatedly revised downward its monthly job estimates over the last two years?

Why has BLS repeatedly revised downward its annual benchmark revision for each of the last two years?

Of the jobs created under the Biden-Harris Administration, how many were simply recouped from the COVID-19 pandemic job losses?

Of new jobs added that were not recouped from the COVID-19 pandemic, what percentage were full-time jobs versus part-time jobs?

Of new jobs added that were not recouped from the COVID-19 pandemic, what percentage are jobs within the federal government?

What percentage of new jobs in 2024 have been full-time rather than part-time?

What percentage of the revised job numbers are going to foreign workers?

What in the BLSs methodology is malfunctioning so badly that it must revise its job numbers downward by almost a million jobs?

Are there any protections in place guarding these important statistics against influence from presidential administrations that have an interest in having their BLS report favorable job outcomes?

Marshall requested a response to his letter by Sept. 9, 2024.

The department has received the letter and will review it, a U.S. Department of Labor Spokesperson told 27 News.

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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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
Aerial and truck-mounted ground spraying for mosquitoes began Tuesday night in more than a dozen Massachusetts communities amid heightened fears and the risk of the rare but deadly Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile viruses.

Ten communities in Plymouth and Worcester counties were raised to high or critical risk for EEE after state health officials announced last week that a man in his 80s had caught the disease, the first human case found in Massachusetts since 2020.

Aerial spraying will be conducted in Carver, Halifax, Kingston, Middleboro, Plymouth, Rochester, and Wareham. Truck-mounted ground spraying will happen in Douglas, Dudley, Oxford, Sutton, and Uxbridge.

The state noted that the spraying will continue for additional days, and the timeline is subject to change due to upcoming variable weather patterns.

State and local health officials urged people in those towns to avoid the peak mosquito biting times by finishing outdoor activities by 6 p.m. until Sept. 30 and then by 5 p.m. after that until the first hard frost.

They also recommend that people across Massachusetts use mosquito repellents when outdoors and drain any standing water around their homes.

SEE BELOW: Latest Massachusetts EEE risk map

In Oxford, town officials approved a curfew last week due to the elevated EEE risk.

Jennifer Callahan, Oxfords town manager, wrote in a memo that the family of the man who caught the virus in mid-August had reached out to her office.

They want people to be aware this is an extremely serious disease with terrible physical and emotional consequences, regardless if the person manages to live, Callahan wrote.

She said the infected person had often recounted to his family how he never got bitten by mosquitoes. But just before he became symptomatic, he told them he had been bitten. She said the man remains hospitalized and is courageously battling the virus.

In Plymouth, town officials said that all public parks and fields will be closed daily from dusk until dawn in response to the towns high-risk status.

The presence of the virus in Massachusetts this year was confirmed last month in a mosquito sample, and has been found in other mosquitoes across the state since then. In a 2019 outbreak, there were six deaths among 12 confirmed cases in Massachusetts. The outbreak continued the following year with five more cases and another death.

In New Hampshire, the family of a 41-year-old Hampstead man who died from EEE is commending the proactive spraying thats underway in at-risk Massachusetts communities.

Tragic, sudden loss: Family of NH man who died from EEE commends spraying in Massachusetts

There are no vaccines or treatments for EEE.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that although rare, EEE is very serious and about 30% of people who become infected die. Symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea and seizures.

People who survive are often permanently disabled, and few completely recover, Massachusetts authorities say. The disease is prevalent in birds, and although humans and some other mammals can catch EEE, they dont spread the disease.

The CDC says only a few cases of EEE are reported in the U.S. each year, with most infections found in the eastern and Gulf Coast states.

West Nile Virus is another concerning mosquito-borne illness that Bay State Health officials are continuing to monitor.

Dozens of communities across the state are now considered moderate or high risk for West Nile Virus.

SEE BELOW: Latest Massachusetts WNV risk map

Massachusetts on Tuesday announced two new human cases of West Nile Virus, bringing the total number of cases this season to four.

Several communities risk levels have been raised to high risk as a result of the two latest cases, including Cambridge, Everett, Medford, Newton, Somerville, and Watertown in Middlesex County, and Brookline, Milton, and Quincy in Norfolk County.

We are currently in the peak time for West Nile Virus activity in Massachusetts, which will continue into September. As the amount of disease in mosquitoes increases, so do the chances for human infection, Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein said in a statement.

West Nile Virus is usually transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. No animal cases have been detected so far this year.

The risk of West Nile Virus in Massachusetts will not go away until the first hard frost, Goldstein warned.

While not everyone will get sick from West Nile Virus, people over the age of 60 and those with certain chronic medical conditions are more likely to develop severe illness, State Epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Brown said.

There were six human cases of West Nile Virus in 2023.

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FILE - Automatic knives are on display at Bonds House of Cutlery/Knives & More, Jan. 27, 2017, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

Residents of Massachusetts are now free to arm themselves with switchblades after a 67-year-old restriction was struck down following the U.S. Supreme Courts 2022 landmark decision on gun rights and the Second Amendment.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decision on Tuesday applied new guidance from the Bruen decision, which declared that citizens have a right to carry firearms in public for self-defense. The Supreme Judicial Court concluded that switchblades arent deserving of special restrictions under the Second Amendment.

Nothing about the physical qualities of switchblades suggests they are uniquely dangerous, Justice Serge Georges Jr. wrote.

It leaves only a handful of states with switchblade bans on the books.

The case stemmed from a 2020 domestic disturbance in which police seized an orange firearm-shaped knife with a spring-assisted blade. The defendant was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon.

His appeal claimed the blade was protected by the Second Amendment.

In its decision, the Supreme Judicial Court reviewed this history of knives and pocket knives from colonial times in following U.S. Supreme Court guidance to focus on whether weapon restrictions are consistent with this nations historical tradition of arms regulation.

Georges concluded that the broad category including spring-loaded knifes are arms under the Second Amendment. Therefore, the carrying of switchblades is presumptively protected by the plain text of the Second Amendment, he wrote.

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell criticized the ruling.

This case demonstrates the difficult position that the Supreme Court has put our state courts in with the Bruen decision, and Im disappointed in todays result, Campbell said in a statement. The fact is that switchblade knives are dangerous weapons and the Legislature made a commonsense decision to pass a law prohibiting people from carrying them.

The Bruen decision upended gun and weapons laws nationwide. In Hawaii, a federal court ruling applied Bruen to the states ban on butterfly knives and found it unconstitutional. That case is still being litigated.

In California, a federal judge struck down a state law banning possession of club-like weapons, reversing his previous ruling from three years ago that upheld a prohibition on billy clubs and similar blunt objects. The judge ruled that the prohibition unconstitutionally infringes the Second Amendment rights of American citizens.

The Massachusetts high court also cited a 2008 U.S. Supreme Court opinion that Americans have a right to own guns for self-defense in their homes as part of its decision.
By David Ljunggren

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Before Canada said this week it was imposing a 100% duty on Chinese-made electric vehicles, Tesla approached Ottawa and asked for a lower tariff on its autos, a Canadian government source said on Wednesday.

Canada, following the lead of the United States, said on Monday it was setting the tariff for all Chinese-made vehicles sold in the country because of what it called China's intentional, state-directed policy of over-capacity.

The duties - effective Oct. 1 - apply to all EVs shipped from China, including those made by Tesla. In June, Ottawa had flagged its intention to impose duties.

The source, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation, said Tesla approached Canada before the official announcement. The automaker asked for a rate similar to what it received in the European Union, the source said.

Tesla does not disclose its Chinese exports to Canada. However, vehicle-identification codes showed that the Model 3 compact sedan and Model Y crossover models were being exported from Shanghai to Canada.

The EU softened its stance on Tesla this month when it imposed a 9% tariff on cars the company made in China, compared to a 36.3% rate it slapped on other Chinese EV imports.

While the EU only considered direct subsidy costs when calculating its tariff for Tesla, the United States and Canada looked at subsidies, industrial over-capacity, non-market policies as well as environmental and labor standards, the source said.

Tesla has not contacted Ottawa since Monday, the source said.

Tesla was not immediately available for comment.

The office of Canada's Finance Minister, Chrystia Freeland, who has overall responsibility for tariffs, declined to address talks with Tesla.

Canadian imports of automobiles from China to its largest port, Vancouver, jumped 460% year over year to 44,356 in 2023, when Tesla started shipping Shanghai-made EVs to Canada.

U.S. President Joe Biden in May announced a quadrupling of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles to 100%, a doubling of duties on semiconductors and solar cells to 50%, as well as new 25% tariffs on lithium-ion batteries and other strategic goods. Tesla has never shipped China-made models to the U.S. market, according to a company letter in July 2023 to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Implementation of the U.S. tariffs has been delayed until September and there is a possibility planned duties might be softened this week.

Volvo Cars said it was looking into the effects that the increased tariffs in Canada would have. The Swedish carmaker said it imported EX30, XC60 and a limited number of S90s models from China to Canada, but did not disclose specific numbers.

Story continues

Swedish EV maker Polestar, partly owned by Volvo Cars and China's Geely, ships the Polestar 2 from China to Canada. The company said it was reviewing the Canadian tariff's impact.

(Additional reporting by Divya Rajagopal in Toronto and David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Ben Klayman and Rod Nickel)
The state of California has a new tool to battle forest firesand its a big one.

California is the first state in the nation to own, operate and deploy a C-130 Hercules airtanker to fight wildfires. Its the first of seven similar aircraft that the state is retrofitting for that purpose.

The Hercules is capable of flying faster and further than any other aircraft in CAL FIREs fleet, with a range of 800 miles and a payload of 4,000 gallons of fire retardant, state officials announced.

The first of seven C-130 Hercules airtankers to be retrofitted to fight California wildfires is officially in service, state officials announced on Aug. 26, 2024. (CAL FIRE)

The first of seven C-130 Hercules airtankers to be retrofitted to fight California wildfires is officially in service, state officials announced on Aug. 26, 2024. (CAL FIRE)

One of the international hot spots for fire activity, California already maintains the worlds largest aerial fleet for battling wildfires. But even then, it has sometimes needed extra resources and has even called in help from the nations neighbors in the north, Canada, to borrow their massive airtankers.

State leaders, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla and the late Dianne Feinstein, led the charge in procuring the aircraft, hoping to add a game-changing piece of firefighting technology to CAL FIREs arsenal.

The first of seven C-130 Hercules airtankers to be retrofitted to fight California wildfires is officially in service, state officials announced on Aug. 26, 2024. (CAL FIRE)

Newsom said the state was motivated by a desire to be more aggressive and prepared for wildfires, which have become more destructive due to climate change.

We need to match these threats with new resources, Newsom said in a news release. This aircraft will beef up CAL FIREs ability to hit fires earlier and harder, better protecting Californians.

The effort to obtain the massive firefighting plans began in 2018 when the state began negotiating a purchase of seven C-130H aircraft from the U.S. Coast Guard. But California ran into a few speed bumps along the way and wasnt able to complete the purchase until December 2023 when Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act.

Padilla said hed been pushing the U.S. Air Force to complete the transfer since taking office.

The first of seven C-130 Hercules airtankers to be retrofitted to fight California wildfires is officially in service, state officials announced on Aug. 26, 2024. (CAL FIRE)

Newsoms Office said the Air Force and the Coast Guard played a crucial role in maintaining the planes in the interim, including replacing the inner and outer wing boxes and providing crucial spare parts.

After they were finally transferred into CAL FIREs possession, the aircraft underwent significant modifications to make them fit for duty.

The completed airtankers now feature massive 4,000-gallon tanks and special delivery systems for flame retardant.

When all seven Hercules aircraft are retrofitted and ready for service, theyll be strategically placed at CAL FIRE bases across the state to ensure theyre never too far from where theyre needed.

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.

To view more detailed information about the C-130 Hercules, click here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT)  Mayor Stephanie Terry gives her first budget, as mayor, to city council at a budget hearing. The $514 million proposal hopes to prioritize public safety, neighborhood revitalization and roads.

Evansville Mayor Stephanie Terry says the proposed budget addresses several hot button issues. Among those, public safety and employee retention.

Mayor Terry proposed a 3% raise for city employees, who have not seen a raise since 2013, and a 7% raise for firefighters and police officers.

Mayor Terry also wants to add $300,000 to the fire departments building maintenance fund and allocate funds for a new fire house. She says it will be the citys first new fire house in 25 years.

The Mayor says she hears more about road issues and construction, so shes proposing to increase the road budget by more than 2 and a half million dollars.

The next budget hearing is scheduled for September 3.

To view Mayor Terrys full speech, as well as the budget document, click here.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).
MUSCOGEE COUNTY, Ga. (WRBL)  The Muscogee County Sherriffs Office Special Operations Unit arrested fugitive on child abuse and family abuse charges.

MCSO says Youhan Jones was arrested Aug. 26 and is being charged with felony aggravated assault, third degree cruelty to children felony, and aggravated battery: family violence.

According to the Sheriffs Office, Jones was taken into custody without incident and is being held in the Muscogee County Jail.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL.
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV)  A Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) Conservation officer and K-9 received Medals of Valor for their lifesaving efforts while searching for three missing children in Monroe County.

According to the MDWFP, the Medal of Valor is presented to an officer who has exhibited exceptional courage in the attempt to save or protect human life.

Forest Service urges Mississippians to prevent wildfires

On July 25 at 3:15 p.m., Cpl. Bradley Starling and K-9 Charlie were requested by the Monroe County Sheriffs Office to assist in the search for three missing children, who had been missing for around two hours from their residence.

At 4:15 p.m., Starling and K-9 Charlie arrived on the scene. After receiving an article of clothing from one of the children, K-9 Charlie picked up the scent and tracked for 200 yards, finding footprints. Within 15 minutes, K-9 Charlie located all three children, who were safely returned home.

Cpl. Bradley Starling and K-9 Charlie received Medals of Valor. (Courtesy: MDWFP)

Cpl. Bradley Starling and K-9 Charlie received Medals of Valor. (Courtesy: MDWFP)

Cpl. Bradley Starling and K-9 Charlie received Medals of Valor. (Courtesy: MDWFP)

We are proud of the K-9 Unit for their hard work, continued training, and efforts to assist communities in situations like these. Congratulations to Cpl. Starling and K-9 Charlie for this outstanding achievement said Chief of Law Enforcement, Col. Jerry Carter.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJTV.
A Medford man was ordered held on $7,500 bail and other release conditions after being charged with multiple sexual assaults on an 88-year-old Chelsea woman with dementia, District Attorney Kevin Hayden said Wednesday.

Edwin Lam, 66, was charged in Chelsea District Court on Aug. 19 with eight counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over 60/disabled person. Judge Jane Prince ordered Lam to stay away from the victims home, surrender his passport, not engage in ride share employment, remain in Massachusetts and wear a GPS device with an exclusion zone around the victims home.

All of the assaults were captured on Ring camera surveillance video, Hayden said. Lam, who regularly drove the victim to an elder care facility, was charged last week.

Surveillance video from the victims home shows Lam assaulting the woman eight times between May 20 and July 11, Hayden said.

The videos show Lam, who drove for Joyful Living Center Adult Day Health in Charlestown, touching the victims breasts and groin area, Hayden said. The videos also show Lam grabbing the victims hand and placing it on his crotch.

A relative of the victim looked at the Ring footage after noticing the victim crying. The relative contacted Chelsea police, who then secured the video documenting the eight assaults and obtained a summons for Lam, Hayden said.

Hayden praised the victims relative and police and pointed out the importance that the video evidence will have in the case.

We live in an era of widespread commercial and domestic video surveillance, which when used judiciously and appropriately can be a tremendous asset to investigators. But even the best surveillance must be noticed and then brought to the attention of diligent investigators. Fortunately, both of those factors happened here. And its particularly fortunate because this is a case where the victim was unable to communicate what was happening to her, Hayden said.

Victims of any crime, including domestic or sexual violence, should call 911 in an emergency.

SafeLink, a statewide DV hotline, can be reached at 877-785-2020. SafeLink is answered by trained advocates 24/7 in English, Spanish and Portuguese, as well as TTY at 877-521-2601. It also has the capacity to provide multilingual translation in more than 140 languages. RAINN, the nations largest anti-sexual violence organization in partnership with more than 1,000 local sexual assault service providers across the country, can be reached at 800-656-4673.

Help is also available for members of the LGBTQ+ community experiencing domestic or intimate partner violence through The Network/La Red by calling 617-742-4911 or 800-832-1901.

Lam will return to court Oct. 17 for a probable cause hearing.

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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Medical examiner reveals cause of death for Oklahoma Co. inmate

Medical examiner reveals cause of death for Oklahoma Co. inmate

OKLAHOMA COUNTY (KFOR)  The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has released the probable cause of death for an Oklahoma County inmate who passed away in February.

Officials say 31-year-old Derek Strother was found dead in his jail cell on February 26, 2024. His case dates back to December 2023 when he allegedly ran through a stop sign, causing a crash that killed one person and sent others to the hospital.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Mother seeking answers after sons death in jail

Oklahoma City Police arrested him on murder complaints and driving under the influence.

I got a call on February 26 from St. Anthonys Hospital, Im sorry. Your son is dead.' said Debra Stanton, Strothers mother. I didnt get a call from the detention center. A couple of hours later, We want to give you our condolences'.

Stanton told News 4 in February that she was searching for medical records that might shed light on what happened with help from the Peoples Council for Justice Reform.

The medical examiners office has since determined Strothers probable cause of death to be accidental fentanyl and methamphetamine toxicity.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Workers in Guadalajara stage a mock funeral in protest against the government's package of judicial reforms - ULISES RUIZ/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

Mexico is considering using masked judges to try organised crime suspects in an attempt to protect them from drug cartels brutal retribution.

The proposal was added this week to a controversial package of judicial reforms being pushed by Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the outgoing president.

It comes after a spate of murders of police chiefs, prosecutors and judges as the cartels power and reach has grown since Mr Lopez Obrador took office in 2018.

In one case, the judge Roberto Elias Martinez was gunned down by two men as he got into his car in the crime-wracked central state of Zacatecas in December 2022.

The amendment to the court system calls for "judges without faces" - FERNANDO LLANO/AP PHOTO

Prosecutors subsequently alleged that the hit had been ordered from a prison where two men whose cases the judge was overseeing were being held. In Zacatecas alone, 103 judges are reported to have received threats.

The amendment to the planned overhaul of the court system calls for judges without faces, but would leave it up to senior judges to decide how to implement that.

A similar system was used in Peru in the 1990s to try alleged members of the Shining Path terrorist group that regularly killed police officers, magistrates and other authority figures.

Some judges were masked while others sat behind screens in court. But the system was hugely controversial and resulted in multiple miscarriages of justice requiring eventual retrials in which many defendants were acquitted.

Striking federal court workers stand next to a sign that reads: "Judging is not a popularity issue. Stop the lies. The judiciary is an honest power" - FERNANDO LLANO/AP PHOTO

The United Nations has warned that anonymous judges can represent a violation of suspects rights to due process.

The proposed overhaul of Mexicos courts would also result in judges being appointed by elections. The package has been heavily criticised as populist and authoritarian, ending meritocracy within the judiciary and potentially allowing politicians to control the courts. But it appears to have the necessary votes in the Mexican congress to pass.

It comes during a fall in the value of the peso as investors worry about the rule of law in Mexico. Ken Salazar, the US ambassador, has even warned that the package is a threat to democracy, in an unusually outspoken criticism of Mexican authorities by their US counterparts.

Mr Lopez Obrador responded on Tuesday by saying that he was putting on pause relations with the United States and Canada, which also questioned the legal reform.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
When we think about Latin American dictatorships, the first countries that come to mind are  rightly so  Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. But there are growing signs that we may soon have to add a much bigger country, Mexico, to a subcategory of non-democracies.

Leftist populist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who leaves office on Oct. 1, has announced plans to make constitutional changes that would leave his protege, President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, with almost absolute powers.

That would not only turn Mexico into an elected autocracy, but threaten to disrupt Americas trade with its biggest commercial partner in the world, and increase political strife and illegal migration. Last year, Mexico became the top U.S. trade partner, surpassing China for the first time in 20 years.

Lopez Obradors proposed constitutional changes would change the way in which judges are elected and eliminate several autonomous government agencies. They are very likely to pass, and have already sparked a rare public confrontation with the Biden Administration.

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar, who until now had gone out of his way to avoid criticizing the Mexican government, said on Aug. 22 that Lopez Obradors planned judicial reform poses a risk to Mexicos democracy, and threatens the historic commercial relationship between Mexico and the United States.

Under Lopez Obradors judicial reform, which is supported by Sheinbaum, Mexico would start electing its judges and Supreme Court justices by popular vote. That would allow the ruling party to use its huge electoral machinery to pack the courts with loyalist judges, and would in effect leave the government in full control of the executive, legislative and judicial powers.

If these reforms are implemented, the U.S.-Canada-Mexico free trade agreement will be in serious trouble, U.S. and Canadian trade experts say. The three-decade-old treaty is coming up for a new renegotiation in 2026, and neither the United States nor Canada are likely to accept renewing it without an independent Mexican court system.

A day before Salazars statement, investment bank Morgan Stanley downgraded its Mexican stocks appraisal, in effect telling its clients to sell Mexican shares, in part because of Lopez Obradors planned judicial reform.

The Mexican president reacted angrily to Salazars remarks, calling the U.S. envoys statements improper and an intervention in Mexicos internal affairs. On Tuesday, he declared a pause in Mexicos ties with the U.S. and Canadian ambassadors, although he did not extend it to their respective governments.

Sheinbaum said that neither investments in Mexico nor the countrys democracy are in any danger by the planned reforms.

I have serious doubts about that. The proposed legal changes are already on shaky ground because the government has twisted the law to get a questionable two-thirds majority in Congress it needs to change the Constitution.

Using a dubious interpretation of the law, Mexicos government-controlled National Electoral Institute awarded the ruling party and its allies 73% of the seats in the lower house of Congress, despite the fact that they only won 54% of the vote in the June 2 elections.

In addition, Mexico has a long history of elected authoritarian governments, which would make Sheinbaums near absolute powers hardly a novelty. An all-powerful party, the Institutional Revolutionary Party, ruled Mexico for about 70 years in the 20th century, before the countrys transition to democracy in 2000.

Nearly 30 years ago, when I covered Mexico as a correspondent for The Miami Herald, I wrote a book on Mexico titled Bordering on Chaos, in which I portrayed the country as a nation grappling with record homicide rates, besieged by drug trafficking, plagued by corruption and dominated by an almighty ruling party.

Three decades later, after a democratic transition that in part thanks to closer ties with the United State helped modernize Mexico, the country seems to be going back to where it was then. Thats very bad for Mexico, and will be bad for the United States.

Dont miss the Oppenheimer Presenta TV show on Sundays at 9 pm E.T. on CNN en Espanol. Blog: andresoppenheimer.com
In recent weeks, the Canadian market has been closely monitoring the U.S. Federal Reserve's annual symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where discussions around potential rate cuts have kept investors on edge. As markets await clearer signals from monetary policymakers, identifying high-growth opportunities becomes crucial for navigating these uncertain times. In this article, we explore Constellation Software and two other promising high-growth Canadian tech stocks that could offer significant potential amidst evolving economic conditions.

Top 10 High Growth Tech Companies In Canada

Name Revenue Growth Earnings Growth Growth Rating Docebo 14.74% 34.09%  Constellation Software 16.17% 23.55%  Wishpond Technologies 12.72% 113.87%  HIVE Digital Technologies 54.20% 100.27%  GameSquare Holdings 38.08% 86.64%  Medicenna Therapeutics 62.37% 57.20%  Cineplex 8.05% 179.27%  Sabio Holdings 12.97% 122.50%  BlackBerry 20.61% 76.74%  Alpha Cognition 62.98% 69.54% 

Click here to see the full list of 22 stocks from our TSX 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: Constellation Software Inc., along with its subsidiaries, acquires, builds, and manages vertical market software businesses across Canada, the United States, Europe, and internationally with a market cap of CA$91.58 billion.

Operations: Constellation Software generates revenue primarily from its Software & Programming segment, amounting to CA$9.27 billion. The company focuses on acquiring, building, and managing vertical market software businesses globally.

Constellation Software's earnings surged by 33.5% over the past year, outpacing the software industrys 1.9% growth. Revenue is forecast to grow at 16.2% annually, faster than the Canadian market's 7%. Their R&D expenses reflect a strategic focus on innovation, with $2.47 billion in revenue for Q2 2024 and net income rising to $177 million from $103 million a year ago, underscoring robust financial health and strong future prospects in tech solutions across diverse sectors.

TSX:CSU Revenue and Expenses Breakdown as at Aug 2024

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: Docebo Inc. operates as a learning management software company that provides an AI-powered learning platform in North America and internationally, with a market cap of CA$1.82 billion.

Story continues

Operations: Docebo generates revenue primarily from its AI-powered educational software, amounting to $200.24 million. The company focuses on providing advanced learning management solutions across North America and international markets.

Docebo's recent performance highlights its strong growth trajectory in the tech sector. For Q2 2024, sales surged to $53.05M from $43.59M a year ago, while net income swung to $4.7M from a net loss of $5.67M previously. The company's R&D expenses underscore its commitment to innovation, with substantial investments driving future capabilities and product enhancements. Forecasted annual earnings growth at 34.1% and revenue expansion at 14.7% per year outpace the broader Canadian market trends, signaling robust prospects ahead for Docebo in the SaaS landscape.

TSX:DCBO Revenue and Expenses Breakdown as at Aug 2024

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: Kinaxis Inc. offers cloud-based subscription software for supply chain operations across the United States, Europe, Asia, and Canada, with a market cap of CA$4.38 billion.

Operations: Kinaxis Inc. generates revenue primarily from its cloud-based subscription software for supply chain operations, reporting $457.72 million in the Software & Programming segment. The company operates across multiple regions including the United States, Europe, Asia, and Canada.

Kinaxis has demonstrated a robust growth trajectory, with earnings expected to grow at 48.02% annually, outpacing the broader Canadian market's 15.5%. Recent Q2 2024 results showed sales rising to $118.28M from $105.77M a year ago, and net income improving to $3.43M from a net loss of $2.54M previously. The companys R&D expenses underscore its commitment to innovation; investments in AI-powered platforms like Maestro are pivotal for future scalability and efficiency in supply chain management.

TSX:KXS Earnings and Revenue Growth as at Aug 2024

Taking Advantage

Unlock our comprehensive list of 22 TSX High Growth Tech and AI Stocks by clicking here.

Are these companies part of your investment strategy? Use Simply Wall St to consolidate your holdings into a portfolio and gain insights with our comprehensive analysis tools.

Simply Wall St is a revolutionary app designed for long-term stock investors, it's free and covers every market in the world.

Ready For A Different Approach?

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Companies discussed in this article include TSX:CSU TSX:DCBO and TSX:KXS.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
Mexico's ruling party edges closer to a majority in both houses of Congress after 2 senators defect

FILE - Legislators fill the lower house of Congress as the wait for the presidential inauguration ceremony of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, at the National Congress in Mexico City, Dec 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, File)

MEXICO CITY (AP)  Following a pair of defections by opposition senators, Mexicos ruling party said Wednesday it is edging closer to a steamroller two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress.

The ruling Morena party of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said it had won over two senators from the now-defunct Democratic Revolution Party, or PRD. The PRD disappeared as a national party after failing to win a minimum of 3% of the vote in the June 2 elections.

After being awarded a two-thirds majority in the lower house, the Morena party and its allies are now one vote away from a similar majority in the Senate. Those majorities would allow Morena to push through controversial changes to the Constitution.

Those changes include a proposal to force all judges to stand for election, a move that critics say would concentrate power further in the presidency, erase the independence of the judiciary and open it to influence by those who provide cash to fund those election campaigns. The U.S. ambassador to Mexico publicly voiced similar concerns last week.

After days of speculation, President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum  a member of Lopez Obrador's party  said Wednesday that two opposition senators had decided to join the ruling party block in the Senate.

The two senators, Araceli Saucedo and Jose Sabino, were immediately called traitors by their former allies and fellow party members in the opposition.

History will judge them as traitors who took part in the attack on democracy, wrote Xochitl Galvez, the former opposition presidential candidate, in her social media accounts.

Social media users also pointedly posted campaign videos of the two in which they had promised not to switch parties prior to the June 2 election.

Just like you, I'm tired of the same old grasshopper politicians (who jump from party to party), Sen. Sabino said in the video. You have to keep your word.

While some had hoped Sheinbaum might be more open to consensus and negotiation than her predecessor and political mentor, Lopez Obrador  who leaves office Sept. 30  there was more disappointing news.

Sheinbaum's party named Sen. Gerardo Fernandez Norona as the leader of the Senate. Fernandez Norona is known for his taunting, invective-filled speeches and his steadfast refusal to wear a face mask in meetings even when rules required him to do so during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the party with most seats gets to name the leader of the lower house as well, Congress will be led by Rep. Adan Augusto Lopez, an old-style political enforcer whose style is reminiscent of the regional political bosses of the 1940s and 50s.

Electoral court judges signed off on the ruling party's two-thirds majority in the lower house after a final appeal this week, and little now stands in the way of a slate of about 20 Constitutional changes the Morena party plans to push through.

Morena will probably be able to lure away one more senator from one of the smaller parties. Constitutional changes also require approval by two-thirds of state legislatures, and Morena and its allies control about two dozen of Mexico's 32 states.

U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar said last week the proposed judicial changes pose a risk to Mexicos democracy and threaten the historic commercial relationship between Mexico and the U.S.

Salazar said the proposed overhaul would help cartels and other bad actors take advantage of inexperienced judges with political motivations, and create turbulence both economically and politically for years to come.

That raised the ire of the outgoing president, who said this week he had put relations with the U.S. Embassy on pause after the ambassador's remarks.
Michael Moore has a critical bone to pick with the Democratic National Convention.

The Fahrenheit 9/11 director had nothing but praise for last weeks jubilant convention in Chicago, save for its complete lack of Palestinian American voices amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

Wheres the Palestinian voice on the stage? That was sad, Moore said Tuesday on the latest episode of his Rumble podcast. The big tent, the big rainbow, everybody allowed in except one group of our fellow Americans. Kind of shameful.

Moore was among the earliest Democratic pundits to urge President Joe Biden to step down in this years presidential election, paving the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to secure the nomination. But he sharply criticized Harris speech at the DNC Thursday.

In her speech, Harris repeatedly affirmed Israels right and ability to defend itself in wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, and then seemingly tried to drown out the applause that her acknowledgement of the suffering in Gaza spurred.

Shes trying to cut off the applause and the screaming and the cheering, in favor of the Palestinians and their right to liberty and to life and to their own identity and their own country, said Moore, and [the crowd] just kept going  so she had to try to cut them off.

She had to say something like, Im gonna stand up against Iran, and  about how pro-military she is, he continued. We learned that with Hillary [Clinton], that if youre a woman running for commander in chief, you better show the country that you got a pair.

Moore concluded: Oh my god, please, in my lifetime, make it so that doesnt happen anymore.

Moore said Harris tried to drown out the applause for her own point on the suffering in Gaza. Robert Gauthier via Getty Images

The director helped organize a protest vote at the Michigan Democratic primary in May where thousands cast uncommitted ballots in objection to U.S. military aid for Israel.

Members of the uncommitted movement requested speaking time at the DNC in order to highlight worsening conditions for Palestinians amid the conflict, but ultimately were unsuccessful.

Moore slammed the DNCs schedule Thursday mere hours before Harris speech.

Theres just one thing that is missing: Not a single word about how you and I as Americans are paying for and providing the bombs to kill over 40,000 Palestinians  over half of them children and the elderly, he wrote in a Substack post.

Moore wasnt the only notable name to critique the lack of pro-Palestinian representation. Jon Stewart also called out the glaring absence on The Daily Show.

Despite his objections, Moore said Tuesday that he believes Harris can defeat Trump.

Youre stuck with Kamala Harris, he said Tuesday. I dont think weve ever been stuck with anybody this good. She, at 1:46 in the afternoon on July 21st, got thrown into this  but she was ready  Life has given us a happy moment right now. Lets act on it.

Lets put Trump away for good, he concluded.

Related...
Donald Trump produced an enormous and now months-long backlash during his June debate with President Joe Biden by referencing Black jobs. Some took offense, while many others pounced at the opportunity to make memes, jokes, and jabs against the former President. Two big clap-backs at Trump came first during the Paris Olympics when multiple gold medal gymnast Simone Biles tweeted I love my black job, and then during last weeks Democratic National Convention when former First Lady Michelle Obama asked Whos going to tell [Trump] that the job hes currently seeking might be one of those Black jobs?

Biles and Obama were pushing back against an unspoken message conveyed by the phrase  the idea that only certain jobs are appropriate for Black Americans, specifically menial, more physical, and less glamorous ones. And history illuminates why their interpretation  that the descriptor Black jobs is loaded with a veiled, racially charged message  is correct. The term has its roots in centuries-long attempts by white Americans to define a racialized hierarchy of labor, one that supported a white supremacist worldview.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Americans developed new categories and conceptions of work. Not coincidentally, these developments corresponded with the rise of capitalism and chattel slavery. As capitalism emerged across the Atlantic World in the 1700s, Americans increasingly regarded work that produced monetary profit or wages as more valuable than that which didnt.

This evolution had as much to do with gender as race: it redefined housework as an extension of a womans inherent feminine nature rather than the actual labor that it was. Cleaning, cooking, laundering for the familyif it didnt produce money, was it even really work? American husbands were increasingly laboring outside the home, bringing home wages. That was work.

But there was a second, later piece of this transformation. Over the 18th and 19th centuries, Americans subdivided work into two separate categories. Mental and manual labor became not only separate, but qualitatively different, with work of the mind seen as superior to that of the body. American philosopher and religious leader Alonzo Potter wrote in 1840 that by far the most productive labour of all is that of the mind. He went further, noting that mental labor, unlike manual, is not susceptible of compulsion.

Read More: Michelle Obama's DNC Speech Was a Reclamation and Proclamation of Black Womanhood

Potter was arguing that only physical labor could be forced upon another  a defining factor of enslavement. Potter was a northerner and an abolitionist, yet pro-slavery southerners took this idea to an extreme: enslaved people, which by the antebellum era signified Black people, were inherently suited for physical labor.

While enslavers thought of their work (the business of slavery) as being of the highest order, they argued that slave labor was inferior and even brutish. The work of enslavers was labor of the mind, suitable for white elites, while physical labor was ideally carried out by enslaved people. Dating back to the first European encounters with Africans, whites had believed that Black bodies were naturally meant for manual labor. Yet, as race-based slavery developed and intensified in the Americas, the perception grew and hardened.

By the end of the antebellum era, Joseph A. Turnera Georgia enslaver and newspaper printerproclaimed that the work of slaves was menial servicefor so far as real labor is concerned, I myself work harder than any negro on my plantation. So anathema was physical labor for Southern white men and women that former First Lady Dolley Madison wrote that she was willing to let her enslaved housemaid Sukey steal from me, to keep from labour myself.

As much as Southern white men and women wanted to avoid manual labor, they also were wary of Black people engaging in a "higher" order of labor. Their fear was that doing even artisanal workblacksmithing, coopering, carpentryrequired both physical strength and mental acuity and therefore tapped into imagination and innovation. If workers could imagine a new design or process, could they also imagine a life outside of slavery?

It seemed no accident that Gabriel Prosser, Denmark Vesey, and Nat Turnerwho led or were alleged to have led slave revolts in 1800, 1822, and 1831had all practiced carpentry. In the name of safety, by 1858, the city of Savannah, Ga., had barred free Black individuals from most skilled trades. This wouldnt stop plantation owners from exploiting the labor of enslaved artisans, but defining work in more narrow terms could placate white fears of Black rebellion and freedom.

At the same time Savannah sought greater safety by legislating a racialized hierarchy of labor, the pro-slavery firebrand and South Carolina enslaver James Henry Hammond brought this southern belief to a national stage. In an 1858 speech to Congress, he argued that Black people were innately fit for the punishing work demanded by monocrop production. Hammond claimed that their work was essential  though only because it was important and valuable to those for whom they performed it. Black labor provided a stable base that enabled white people to do the work of the mind, of building governments and economies and societies: Such a class you must have, or you would not have that other class which leads progress, civilization, and refinement.

In this same speech where he famously declared, Cotton is king, Hammond proclaimed that Black people must remain at the bottom of society to provide a foundation for (white) American society to flourish. [Y]ou might as well attempt to build a house in the air without this mud-sill. In Hammonds view, Black bodies must forever provide physical labor and thus forever remain in the mudsill, unable to ascend because of white Americans need of them at the bottom.

Read More: A Full Transcript of Michelle Obamas Speech at the 2024 Democratic National Convention

Hammond died in 1864 while the Civil War waged around him, and thousands of Black southerners fled the forced labor required of them on plantations. Slavery ceased to legally exist within a year of Hammonds death, but in many ways, the essence of his mudsill theory lived on.

Black men continued in agricultural labor for decades after emancipation; while some were able to purchase land, most found themselves caught in inequitable labor systems, like sharecropping, that replaced slavery while keeping Black freedpeople trapped in cycles of poverty. In the late 19th century, the vast majority of working Black women  more than 90%  were employed in domestic work, many of them still toiling in the houses of and for the benefit of white families.

Segregation infiltrated the job market at every level; by 1913, Black federal employees found themselves relegated to menial positions. But Black activists like A. Phillip Randolph fought back, successfully pressuring the government into integrating the defense industries and military in the 1940s.

They didnt stop with the federal government. The Civil Rights Movement focused not only on securing civil liberties but on this quest for better employment. High unemployment was an issue, but so were the types of jobs available to Black Americans: they remained limited to low-wage, menial occupations with few opportunities for upward mobility. Civil Rights activists demanded that more jobs be opened to all, a call they took to the streets. Often forgotten today, the seminal 1963 March on Washington was for Jobs and Freedom.

And yet occupational segregation remains today, fueling the racial wealth gap that continues to grow in the U.S.

When white people invoke Black jobs, therefore, a history of pernicious racialized hierarchies lurks behind it. Some conservatives rolled their eyes at the uproar over Trumps Black jobs comment, brushing it aside as another example of media deception and liberal race-baiting. They claimed that Trump simply meant what he said: Black jobs are just jobs held by Black individuals.

Yet, history suggests that Michelle Obama, Simone Biles, and so many others were right to push back. The mudsill theory is deeply ingrained, and the recent controversy over Black jobs shows it isnt going away. As long as the concept of Black jobs exists  one that associates unskilled, manual labor with people of color  so too will the racial hierarchy underpinning it, which places white Americans above all others.

Whitney Nell Stewart is author of This Is Our Home: Slavery and Struggle on Southern Plantations (University of North Carolina Press, 2023) and an associate professor of history at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Made by History takes readers beyond the headlines with articles written and edited by professional historians. Learn more about Made by History at TIME here. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors.

Write to Made by History at madebyhistory@time.com.
Michigans two largest utilities scrambled Wednesady to reconnect utility lines brought down in storms in which 60-70 mph winds mowed down trees throughout the state, leaving, at one point, more than 365,000 Michigan residents in the dark.

By about 9 a.m. Wednesday, there were still more than 325,000 customers without power.

It was unclear when all the power would be restored or how Michiganders would keep cool Wednesday, with temperatures forecasted to be hot and muggy again. Temperatures are expected to be in the upper 80s. But with the humidity, it could feel like it was in the low to mid 90s.

"We had a significant, severe weather event that rolled through Michigan," Steve Freitag, a National Weather Service meteorologist in White Lake Township, told the Free Press early Wednesday. He added that the damage reports were still coming in. "Theres a 35% chance of a thunderstorm during the day."

Several school districts and private school announced closings and delays as a result of the power outages and heat, including Ann Arbor, Clarkston, Eastpointe, Farmington, Fowlerville, Imlay City, Royal Oak, Southfield, Warren, Waterford and Ypsilanti.

And social media, as you might expect, was overflowing with complaints  and a few compliments.

Fallen trees and a downed wires seen Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, near Eureka and Clifford Streets in Lansing.

The weather  which spawned the damaging winds and triggered a heat advisory and tornado sirens in southeast Michigan  was no doubt the story of the day Tuesday, and a reminder why the weather service exists, to protect lives.

The federal agency said that fortunately, in metro Detroit, no tornadoes touched down.

But there were severe storms in the morning, then oppressive heat that felt like 100 degrees or more, which led to weather warnings and school closings in the afternoon, and then more thunderstorms, which crackled and took out even more power lines in the evening.

More: 365,000 without power in Michigan after severe storms, scorching heat

In addition to the power outages, winds damaged homes and other structures. Flooding closed roadways. And out of commission traffic signals led to chaos at intersections.

"We appreciate peoples patience as Tuesdays storms caused devastation on one of this summers hottest days," Norm Kapala, and official with Consumers Energy said early Wednesday, adding it still had 120,000 customers in the dark. "Our focus now is to get the lights back on."

The Jackson-based public utility promised to hand out free water and ice in Rockland and Midland.

DTE, Michigans other large utility, was hit even harder when storms swept through metro Detroit, with more than 203,000 customers without power, nearly 80,000 in Oakland County alone. It said it was "bringing in 800 line workers from outside our area to help speed restoration."

The utility said it expects that 90% of its customers would have their power restored by late Thursday.

On social media, several customers pushed back. They complained that going days without power was too long. Some even directed their complaints to the utilities, commenting, for example, on a DTE Facebook post about how the company was fixing lines.

An irritated customer blasted DTE, noting that "the unreliable power grid in Michigan is more than an inconvenience," pointed out that it "costs Michigan families and businesses" every year and demanded "no more rate increases!"

And another questioned how realistic the electric vehicle targets were with an unreliable grid.

There were a few terrifying and touching stories about the outages on social media, too.

A mom asked if she could give her 10-month old baby "some whole milk in a pinch?" because "hes usually on Similac soy" but was running out. The internet responded to her with all sorts advice, suggestions and offers to help.

And a small business owner said in a Downriver community group that another small business saved her meal-prep company by offering some fridge space to prevent food from spoiling. The owner of the charitable company, BC's Pizza in Lincoln Park, didn't hesitate to help. The recipient thought "everyone should know ."

Longer term, climate scientists have said, that the problem, however, is more than upgrading utility lines.

They are concerned that human-caused climate change is leading to hotter and more volatile weather patterns globally, which, over time, if it is not addressed, it would turn Tuesday's weather into something that occurs much more regularly.

Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: As another hot day begins, 320,000 Michiganders are without power
The Haditha massacre was one of the worst U.S. actions during the Iraq War. After a roadside bomb killed a Marine in the town of Haditha in November 2005, the rest of his squad shot dead 24 unarmed Iraqi men, women, and children, many of them inside their own homes. The Marine Corps then lied about it, claiming that the victims were all killed by the bomb or by running gun battles with insurgents.

Only dogged reporting by Time Magazine forced the military to open an investigation. No one was ever jailed for the killings or the coverup. Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich, the commander of the squad, pleaded guilty to one count of dereliction of duty and was demoted.

The military avoided a public relations disaster, Gen. Michael Hagee would later brag, because graphic photos of the massacre were never published. Until now.

In the Dark, a true crime podcast published by The New Yorker, dedicated its latest season to re-investigating the Haditha massacre. The producers filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for the U.S. military's files on the incident, then sued when the military refused to hand them over.

Officials claimed they were withholding photos of the massacre out of respect for the victims' families. Two survivors, Khalid Salman Raseef and Khalid Jamal, then went around Haditha collecting signatures for a petition to release the photos. They won the support of 17 relatives of the victims.

The military gave in. On Tuesday, with permission from the survivors, The New Yorker published several unredacted crime scene photos taken by investigators and by Lance Cpl. Ryan Briones and Lance Cpl. Andrew Wright, two Marines who arrived shortly after the massacre.

The FOIA files also included a recording of a 2014 interview between Hagee and a Marine Corps historian, meant for internal use. The massacre "could have been horrific for the Marine Corps if we did not handle that correctly. Another My Lai. Or another Abu Ghraib," Hagee claims, referring to the My Lai massacre, which helped turn American opinion against the Vietnam War, and the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, where U.S. soldiers and CIA officers were photographed torturing and sexually assaulting inmates.

Hagee "learned from" the Abu Ghraib scandal not to let Briones and Wright's photographs of the Haditha killings be published. "Those pictures today have still not been seen, and so I'm quite proud of that," he says.

Indeed, the photos are pretty shocking; the victims range from a three-year-old girl to a 76-year-old man. "I'll never be able to get that out of my head. I can still smell the blood. This left something in my head and heart," Briones told The Los Angeles Times in 2006.

One of the photos shows the body of Ayda Yassin Ahmed surrounded by her three dead daughters and her dead son. "Knowing it was a kid, I still shot him," Lance Cpl. Stephen Tatum told U.S. military investigators, according to Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) notes also released under FOIA. Tatum later denied making that statement, and his lawyer declined to let The New Yorker interview him.

Another photo shows what appears to be the execution of a mother and her child. Asmaa Salman Raseef lies dead on the ground, her arm wrapped around the body of her son Abdullah, as if she is shielding him. NCIS investigators concluded that the boy was shot from close range.

A version of one of The New Yorker's photos had previously been obtained and published by The Washington Post in 2007. It shows the bodies of five college students spread out around the car they had been riding in, with a Marine standing over them.

Some of the Marines claimed that the students were running, which is why they were mistaken for insurgents and shot. According to retired homicide detective Kevin Parmelee, who was interviewed for the podcast, the photo suggests that at least one of the college students was kneeling on the ground when he died. Iraqi witnesses told NCIS the same thing.

Photos, eyewitness statements, and NCIS records also show that the Marines lied about killing Jamal's father and uncles in self-defense. After Jamal's family surrendered their legally-owned rifles to the troops, The New Yorker concluded, the Marines separated out the men, shot two of Jamal's uncles in a doorway, shot Jamal's father while he was sitting against a wall, and shot Jamal's third uncle while he hid in a wardrobe.

Haditha has suffered a lot of other violence since then. After the near-collapse of the Iraqi government in 2014, Haditha was one of the few towns in the area that resisted the Islamic State. Locals paid a heavy price, with 400 people dying in a nine-day battle.

But Jamal never stopped thinking about the day the Marines took away his father and uncles. He even found Wuterich on Facebook, and considered sending a message, Jamal tells In the Dark. "How did they die? Did they die like brave men, or were they scared? Like, what happened?" he wanted to ask.

The FOIA case gave Jamal an answer, albeit a sad one. The photos of his father and uncles were not published in The New Yorker article.

For the rest of us, the release of the photos should be a chance to reflect on the Iraq War. Americans often think of that war as a mistake to walk away from. But the desire to move on has allowed American leaders to sweep a lot of deceptive and dangerous behavior under the rug. And forgetting how bad the last big war was is perhaps making it too easy to sell the next one.

The post The Military Tried To Hide Evidence of a Massacre. A Lawsuit Just Exposed It. appeared first on Reason.com.
LEMOORE, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  Paws of War reunited a military working dog with its former trainer at Lemoore Naval Air Station on Monday.

Carlos Arana and Military Training Dog Donnie spent three years together in Norfolk before Aranda was restationed to Lemoore Naval Air Station last year.

In the navy as a new handler, you dont really know much they put you with a dog who knows what they are doing, who has been around multiple handlers, said Araneda. He really helped me helped me become the handler I am today he really showed me the ropes I know its crazy a dog showing me that.

After Aranda left, Donnie suffered an injury to his leg while on duty forcing the military to retire him last month medically.

During Donnies career, he performed thousands of sweeps for explosives and even performed some with the security detail for the President of the United States.

When Aranda heard that Donnie was being medically retired he called the organization Paws for War to help him adopt Donnie.

I called them, they picked up on the first ring and were immediately happy to help.

Nicki Dawson was a part of the team that drove Donnie across the country from Norfolk.

She says that is just the first of a lifelong commitment they have made to Donnie.

They are either medically retired or theyre advancing in age and can no longer perform their duties, so what that means is extensive vet bills, we will provide whatever medical care or dining needs for the rest of his life, which is very important, said Dawson.

Those who would like to donate to help Paws of War continue their mission can do so 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 WAVY.com.
A militia member was sentenced Wednesday to five years in prison for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, during which former President Trumps supporters tried to stop the peaceful transfer of power to President Biden.

Federal prosecutors say Dan Edwin Wilson, a 48-year-old Kentucky resident, planned for weeks to travel to Washington, D.C., and attack the Capitol on Jan. 6  the day Congress counted and certified the electoral votes cementing Bidens victory over Trump in the 2020 election.

As the riot unfolded at the Capitol on Jan. 6, Wilson was communicating with members of the far-right extremist Oath Keepers group, as well as with members of the Three Percenters, to provide them updates on the status of the breach and to call for all hands on deck, according to court documents. Prosecutors say Wilson has identified as a member of the Oath Keepers and as a member of the Gray Ghost Partisan Rangers, which is a Three Percenters militia.

He entered the Capitol shortly after 2:30 p.m., wearing a gas mask. He was not charged with committing any acts of violence at the Capitol.

Wilson pleaded guilty in May 2024 to a felony charge of conspiring to impede or injure police officers. He also pleaded guilty to charges related to illegal possession of firearms, which officials discovered in June 2022 when executing a search warrant at his home.

Wilson told U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich that he regrets entering the Capitol on Jan. 6 but that he got involved with good intentions, The Associated Press (AP) reported.

Our country was in turmoil, Wilson said. I believe it still is.

Friedrich said there is no question that Wilson was intending to interfere with the congressional certification of the electoral votes.

Hes not being punished for what he said that day. His comments are reflexive of his intent, the judge said, the AP reported.

Prosecutors said Wilson began planning for the Jan. 6 events in the winter of 2020 and pointed to messages he sent from mid-December on encrypted social media platforms.

He discussed on Dec. 24, 2020, the possibility of bringing guns to the Capitol riot but ultimately said, In my opinion I dont think its time to gun up for the sixth we have to play this out.

But if they seat biden on the 20th, Wilson continued, all bets are off its gonna happen even if Trump wins we have to get this government under control its been crossing my mind if we go to a Civil War do we try to take Washington DC first or do we try to take state capitals first.

I am ready to lay my life on the line. It is time for good men to do bad things, Wilson wrote on Dec. 27, 2020, according to prosecutors.

Wilsons defense attorney, Norm Pattis, argued Wilson truly believed that the presidential election was stolen from Trump and that the defendant did not plan an insurrection.

He appeared at a protest and was swept up in events that turned violent, Pattis added.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Mariano noted that while Wilson did not commit violence that day, his role in preparing for violence and helping to organize a conspiracy makes him particularly dangerous.

Wilson sought out violence and endeavored to organize others to join him in his violent aims, Mariano said.

Wilsons crime was an attack on not just the Capitol, but the United States and its system of government, Mariano added. He joined a mob and struck a blow to a central feature of the American system: the peaceful transfer of power.

The Associated Press contributed

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
FILE - Democratic State Sen. Nicole Mitchell, right, of Woodbury, speaks with Sen. Robert D. Farnsworth, a Republican from Hibbing, on the floor of the Minnesota Senate on April 2, 2024, at the State Capitol in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski, File)

DETROIT LAKES, Minn. (AP)  A Minnesota state senator has pleaded not guilty to burglarizing the home of her estranged stepmother after her father's death.

Sen. Nicole Mitchell, a Democrat from the St. Paul suburb of Woodbury, was charged in April. She told police at the time that she broke into the home in the northwestern Minnesota town of Detroit Lakes because her stepmother refused to give her items of sentimental value from her late father, including his ashes, according to the felony criminal complaint.

In a joint court filing Tuesday, defense and prosecution attorneys said Mitchell was pleading not guilty, and was asking the court to schedule both a settlement conference and jury trial.

The two sides also agreed that prosecutors won't be able to argue that Mitchell stole a laptop computer that police seized when they arrested her. Ownership of the laptop had been in dispute. The agreement says that prosecutors can, however, use evidence from the laptop if the case goes to trial.

Mitchell's arrest roiled the 2024 legislative session, which came to an acrimonious end, and ethics proceedings against her remain on hold pending developments in her criminal case. She denied stealing and rejected Republican calls for her resignation. Her status posed a dilemma for her fellow Democrats because they held only a one-seat majority in the Senate, so they needed her vote to pass anything that lacked bipartisan support. They excluded her from caucus meetings and took her off her committees but did not publicly ask her to step down.

Mitchell was dressed all in black and wearing a black hat when she was arrested, the complaint said, and it quoted her as saying, I know I did something bad.

Her attorney has said that her dispute with her stepmother arose out of a fractured relationship that was aggravated by age-related issues.

Mitchells father died in March 2023 at the age of 72, according to his obituary. He had been married to Mitchells stepmother for 40 years, it said.
Missing Climber Who Separated from Group Found Dead After Apparent Fall at Glacier National Park

Grant Marcuccio's body was found on Sunday, Aug. 25  a week after he was last seen

Grant Marcuccio/Facebook Grant Marcuccio

A week after Grant Marcuccio went missing, the mountaineer was found dead on Sunday, Aug. 25, in Montana's Glacier National Park, according to officials.

Marcuccio, 32, was last seen by his hiking party on Sunday, Aug. 18 around 1 p.m. local time, according to a statement from the National Park Service.

Officials said that while hiking from Heavens Peak to McPartland Peak he "separated from his party," but "planned to rendezvous at a designated location." That night, after he never showed up, the group alerted rangers.

Glacier National Park/Facebook; Getty Grant Marcuccio, Glacier National Park

Related: Hiker Has Been Missing for Days After Getting Separated from Group at Montana's Glacier National Park

Beginning Monday, Aug. 19, a search operation began, with help from the United States Forest Service and the local support organization Two Bear Air. The aviation team first flew over the Heavens Peak area to search for him on that day and then again on Tuesday, Aug. 20. The next day, Glacier National Park issued a formal missing person alert.

The search involved help from Glacier National Park officials, North Valley and Flathead County Search and Rescue, USFS, US Geological Survey, Flathead County Sheriffs Department, Two Bear Air Rescue, NPS staff and tips from the public.

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.

On Aug. 25, around 2 p.m., Two Bear Air located his body from the air, and his body was recovered one-third of a mile east of McPartland Peak "below the ridgeline between Heavens Peak and McPartland Peak."

His body was transported to the Apgar horse corrals, where Two Bear Air met with the local coroner.

As of Monday, Aug. 26, Marcuccios cause of death is still under investigation. However, NPS said that his "traumatic injuries" as well as the "location of the body are indicative of a fall."

"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.

Grant Marcuccio/Facebook Grant Marcuccio

Related: 26-Year-Old Woman Drowns After Getting Swept Up into Waterfall at Glacier National Park

In the past two years, at least eight people have died in Glacier National Park, and half of those deaths occurred this summer.

Before Marcuccios death earlier this month, park rangers said they recovered the body of Siddhant Vitthal Patil, 26. Patil went missing with Raju Jha, 28, on July 6. Jha drowned in the park's Lake McDonald, NPS said.

The month before, Gillian Tones, 26, died after being swept up into a waterfall "and trapped under water for several minutes, per an NPS press release. Ambulance personnel arrived and performed CPR on the woman, but she was pronounced deceased after about 40 minutes of assistance.



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Read the original article on People.
We recently published a list of 10 Best Dividend Paying Stocks To Buy According to Quant Hedge Fund AQR. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) stands against the other dividend-paying stocks to buy according to Quant Hedge Fund AQR.

Only a handful of hedge funds have pursued unique investment strategies, and Cliff Asness Applied Quantitative Research, or AQR Capital, stands out among them. Known for its quantitative value strategies, Asness co-founded AQR in 1998 after working at Goldman Sachs. He and his partners developed the firms investment approach during their time in the University of Chicagos Ph.D. program, emphasizing value and momentum strategies. These distinct approaches have delivered strong results for the fund over the years. In fact, AQRs longest-running multistrategy fund returned 18.5% last year after fees, and had its best year in 2022, with a 43.5% gain. In January 2023, Asness forecasted that buying undervalued companies while shorting overvalued ones in particular sectors would be especially advantageous for that year.

Given the growing focus on generative AI and machine learning, Asness mentioned that his natural inclination is to be contrarian. However, he acknowledges that he needs to move past this instinct because he recognizes significant opportunities in machine learning. During a recent Bloomberg Invest conference, Asness highlighted that they increasingly rely on automated decision-making at AQR, expressing a belief that the machine might have a slight edge over human judgment. The firms improved performance in recent years is partly attributed to market cycles, but it has also implemented some changes.

Though Asness is now directing his focus toward artificial intelligence, diversification has always been a fundamental aspect of his investment strategy. He believes that concentrating investments into a single asset does not adequately address the inherent risks in financial markets. According to Asness, the rationale for preferring a diversified portfolio lies in its potential to provide a higher return for the risk taken, rather than simply offering a higher expected return.

When discussing diversification, different investment strategies can have varying advantages. Dividend investing is particularly popular among investors. In his paper published in the Financial Analysts Journal, which earned him the Graham and Dodd Award for the best paper of the year twice, Asness emphasized the value of dividends. He explained that companies that distribute higher dividends generally experience stronger earnings growth over the following decade compared to those that pay out less. Asness elaborated that substantial dividend payouts often indicate a companys confidence in its future prospects, as firms are reluctant to cut dividends and typically wouldnt pay them if they anticipated poor performance. Furthermore, companies paying large dividends must be more selective with their investment projects, potentially leading to wiser investment choices. On the other hand, companies that pay minimal dividends might be either struggling (as seen with inflated earnings in 1999) or engaging in empire building, where managers, having plenty of cash, may invest imprudently in less profitable ventures.

Story continues

Asnesss preference for dividend stocks is also apparent in his Q2 2024 portfolio, which features a significant number of dividend-paying equities. With that in mind, we will take a look at some of the best dividend-paying stocks according to AQR Capital.

Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletters strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points. (see more details here).

Is Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) The Best Dividend Paying Stock To Buy According to Quant Hedge Fund AQR?

Aerial view of a major oil rig in the middle of the sea, pumping crude oil.

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM)

AQR Capitals Stake Value: $410,117,578

Dividend Yield as of August 22: 3.33%

An American energy company, Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) continued to be a favored choice for AQR Capital. The hedge fund significantly increased its stake in the company by 106% during the second quarter of 2024. The fund owned over 3.5 million shares in the company, valued at over $410 million. The company represented 0.62% of the firms 13F portfolio.

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) is one of the most popular energy stocks among investors because the company gains a lot from its acquisitions. Earlier in May, the company completed its acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources. The transaction involved issuing 545 million ExxonMobil shares, valued at $63 billion at the time, and assuming $5 billion in debt. This merger created the worlds largest potential for high-return unconventional resource development. Following the acquisition, the company increased its annual share repurchase program to $20 billion through 2025, contingent on favorable market conditions. The company plans to repurchase over $19 billion worth of shares in 2024.

Madison Investments highlighted a strong business momentum for Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) in its Q1 2024 investor letter. Here is what the firm has to say:

This quarter we are highlighting Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) as a relative yield example in the Energy sector. XOM is a leading integrated oil and natural gas company. It has upstream assets that develop and produce oil and natural gas, along with downstream refining and chemical manufacturing assets. We believe it has attractive low-cost acreage in the Permian basin and has a sizeable growth opportunity in Guyana. Further, we think XOM has a sustainable competitive advantage due to size and scale, and its ability to integrate refining and chemical assets provides a low-cost advantage versus competitors. Our thesis on XOM is that it will grow production volumes of oil and gas moderately over the next few years, while limiting excessive capital investment that plagued the industry from 2014-2020. Production growth will come from its 2023 acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources, which is the largest producer in the Permian basin. XOM plans to double its Permian output by 2027, to 2 million barrels per day. Capital spending will be limited to $20-25 billion per year through 2027, which should allow for significant amounts of cash to be returned to shareholders including a $35 billion share repurchase program and continued dividend increases. Higher oil prices would provide a tailwind to our thesis but are not necessary. We think XOM can grow earnings and cash flow if oil prices remain above $60 per barrel (Click here to read the full text)

In addition to its acquisitions, Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM)s cash flow makes it one of the best dividend-paying stocks on our list. In the second quarter of 2024, the company generated $10.6 billion in operating cash flow and its free cash flow for the period came in at $15.2 billion. The company also returned $4.3 billion through dividends to shareholders. It offers a quarterly dividend of $0.41 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.33%, as of August 22. The company holds a 41-year track record of consistent dividend growth.

The number of hedge funds owning stakes in Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) grew to 92 in Q2 2024, from 81 in the previous quarter, as per Insider Monkeys database. The stakes held by these hedge funds have a collective value of nearly $6.2 billion.

Overall XOM ranks 6th on our list of the best dividend paying stocks to buy according to Quant Hedge Fund AQR. While we acknowledge the potential of XOM as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some deeply undervalued dividend stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for a deeply undervalued dividend stock that is more promising than XOM but that trades at less than 7 times its earnings and yields nearly 10%, check out our report about the dirt cheap dividend 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.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  The daughter of retired MLB pitcher Greg Swindell was found in Klamath Falls, Ore. early Tuesday morning after she was reported missing and possibly endangered out of Travis County, Texas on Aug. 24, KXAN in Austin reports.

The woman, identified by authorities as 29-year-old Brenna Swindell, was found by Klamath Falls Police during a traffic stop at 12:32 a.m. on Aug. 27, after she was last seen at a bar with her ex-boyfriend Morgan Guidry on Aug. 22. Guidry, 36, who was wanted out of Texas for felony domestic violence charges, was also located during the traffic stop, according to authorities.

Patrol officers from the Klamath Falls Police Department had received an automatic license plate reader alert regarding a vehicle flagged as stolen out of Texas in our area, KFPD said. The patrol officers searched the area and located the vehicle near south 6th Street and Klamath Avenue. The officer continued to follow the vehicle and waited for an additional patrol unit before attempting to make a traffic stop.

Beaverton police shoot, kill man near Washington Square Mall

Officers performed a high-risk traffic stop on the car and Guidry was arrested for the outstanding felony warrant and booked into the Klamath County Jail without incident. Brenna Swindell was found unharmed, police say, and called her parents to make arrangements to travel back to Texas.

According to an affidavit filed on Aug. 26 by Travis County Sheriffs Office Detective Jason Heck, Guidry allegedly strangled and violently assaulted an unnamed person he was in a domestic relationship with on July 7 in the Austin area. Guidry also allegedly wielded a rifle during the fight, the affidavit reads.

[The victim] stated as quickly as she could she ran for the door to exit as Guidry was grabbing his bolt action rifle, so she knocked the box of ammunition over that was sitting on the counter to make it harder for him to locate the correct bullets, the affidavit reads. [The victim] stated she believed Guidry was going to kill her. Deputies later checked the apartment and located the loose ammunition on the floor, but Guidry and the rifle were gone.

Special counsel Jack Smith files new indictment in Trump Jan. 6 case

Swindells disappearance became national news after her father, Greg Swindell, shared that she was missing on social media, TMZ reports. Swindell played 17 seasons in the MLB and was a member of the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks team that defeated the New York Yankees to win the World Series.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR, Utah (ABC4)  The body of the second person who was feared to be drowned at the Flaming Gorge Reservoir was found today, according to a press release from the Daggett County Sheriffs Office.

[The Sheriffs Office] can report that the missing paddle boarder has been recovered, Erik Bailey, the Daggett County Sheriff stated in the release.

The two victims have been identified by the department as Ramiza Cejvan, 66, and her daughter, Emina Cejvan 44, both of Sandy. Ramiza Cejvans body was found on Saturday. Emina Cejvans body was found just before 11:30 this morning, Aug. 27.

BACKGROUND INFO: Mother drowns, daughter still missing after paddle boarding incident at Flaming Gorge Reservoir

Daggett County Sheriff Erik Bailey said the entire search team extended their condolences to the family during their grief.

The two were paddle boarding on Saturday, Aug. 24. Ramiza Cejvans body was found at the scene while her daughter was immediately reported missing, according to the Sheriffs Office. Search teams had to scale back search efforts on Sunday due to hazardous weather. Emina Cejvans body was recovered this morning.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
(FOX40.COM)  The identity of a mans body that was found more than 20 years ago in a Solano County waterway has been identified, according to the Solano County Sheriffs Office.

After being exhumed in 2023 and meticulously analyzed by Solano County Coroner investigators and forensic staff the body has been identified as Craig William Ott of Sacramento.

Sacramento woman goes missing from Northern California mining camp

Otts body was discovered in 2001 along Minor Slough on Ryer Island near Rio Vista and remained known as John Doe #3 after a year-long attempt to identify him failed and he was laid to rest.

Advancements in DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy allowed for Otts body to be identified.

The Solano County Coroners Office extends our thanks to Othram Inc. and the California Department of Justice for their invaluable assistance in identifying Mr. Ott, the sheriffs office wrote in a news release. Their expertise and dedication have been instrumental in this process.

With Otts identity being confirmed the sheriffs office is now asking for those with information about his disappearance to contact Detective Christopher Cavazos at 707-784-7050.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WJTV)  Mississippi State University (MSU) received a $180,000 donation from the C Spire Foundation. The funds will support STEM and the development and implementation of online computer science classes.

The C Spire Foundation partnered with the Center for Cyber Education at MSU to provide high schools with free access to quality computer science courses for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years.

Belhaven University launches Pre-Law degree

We recognize the importance of improving lives through technology, said Beth Pickering, president and executive director of the C Spire Foundation. We remain committed to supporting the best STEM education, digital literacy, and professional skills development for students in our region, and collaboration with organizations such as the Center for Cyber Education help make this a reality.

The Center for Cyber Education plans to offer two online courses: Exploring Computer Science and Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles (AP CSP).

Collaborating with a partner such as the C Spire Foundation, who not only acknowledges the significance of computer science education for students but also consistently contributes financially to advance our state, speaks volumes, said Shelly Hollis, director of the Center for Cyber Education at MSU. Our mutual commitment has directly impacted the growth we have seen in teachers empowered through computer science training and the number of students enrolled in computer science courses across the state.

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Mississippi students can apply for 2025 U.S. Senate Youth Program

JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV)  U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) encouraged Mississippi high school juniors and seniors with student leadership roles to apply for the 2025 U.S. Senate Youth Program (USSYP).

The program offers $10,000 college scholarships to two junior or senior students from Mississippi who hold elected or appointed leadership positions for the 2024-2025 school year. Those selected will join 102 other students for the 63rd annual Washington Week, taking place in the nations capital from March 1-8, 2025.

Established by the U.S. Senate in 1962, the USSYP is designed to introduce student leaders to the federal government and public policy.

During Washington Week, participants will have the opportunity to meet with U.S. Senators, cabinet members, Defense and State Department officials, senior media representatives, and other key figures in policy-making.

Mississippi State receives $180K for STEM education

Interested students can review the USSYP 2025 Washington Week brochure and visit the U.S. Senate Youth Program website for more information.

The Mississippi Department of Education has set a deadline of September 30, 2024, to apply for the program. The Mississippi USSYP application is available here.

To apply, students should also contact their high school principal or Mississippis state selection administrator:

Mrs. Sandra Hilliard

Coordinator of Recognition Programs

Office of Teaching and Learning, Division of Educator Effectiveness

Mississippi Department of Education

shilliard@mdek12.org  (601) 359-3513

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Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft this week, for the second time, rejected emergency rules from Gov. Mike Parsons administration designed to crack down on unregulated hemp-derived cannabis food products.

Ashcrofts initial rejection of the rules drew swift condemnation from Parson, a Republican, who argued that Ashcroft was putting children in danger of consuming the products. The Republican secretary of state followed with another rejection on Tuesday.

The moves are likely to delay the implementation of the emergency rules, potentially until after Parson leaves office in January. Parson, in defense of his decision to crack down on the products, has cited an extraordinary rise in cannabis poisonings among children.

Parsons office, in two recent press releases, has said the number of children five and under who visited emergency rooms or were hospitalized with cannabis poisoning has increased 600% since 2018.

That sharp increase is based on data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services or DHSS and was collected through a system that collects hospital discharge information.

The data, provided to The Star, shows the number of people, based on age groups, that went to the emergency room or an inpatient facility with cannabis poisoning. In 2018, 21 children under the age of six went to the emergency room or were hospitalized with cannabis poisoning. In 2023, the figure jumped to 152 people  an increase of more than 623%.

For adults 21 and over, the number of people with cannabis poisoning increased by 55% since 2018, the data shows.

Lisa Cox, a spokesperson for DHSS, said that the data uses a code from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to identify cannabis-based poisonings. That data includes both marijuana and hemp. The agency was unable to show the number of hemp-based poisonings compared to marijuana, she said.

That comparison could be important because Missouri voters voted to legalize medical marijuana in 2018 and recreational marijuana in 2022.

Hemp industry pushes back

The MO Hemp Trade Association, which represents the states hemp industry, has opposed Parsons rule, arguing that the association said a ban on certain hemp products would force consumers back to the black market.

Brooklin Hill, the associations president, in a statement, did not refute the data from Parsons administration. But she cited a recent report from the Missouri Poison Center, the states main poison center, that showed adverse events related to the overconsumption of hemp products do not rank among the top ten reasons for poison control calls, she said.

Instead, substances like ibuprofen, household cleaners, and antidepressants are responsible for a significantly higher volume of calls and pose greater dangers than hemp products, Hill said.

Still, Hill said that her association supports the stringent regulation of hemp products to ensure they remain inaccessible to children.

While we cannot control instances where parents leave these products in places within their homes that children might reach, we recognize the importance of increasing public awareness about the potential risks associated with children accessing such items, she said.

Ashcrofts office said on Tuesday that he rejected the most recent rule due to Parsons administrations failure to justify the rule as required by state law.

Statute determines the requirements for such a designation and I have a responsibility and a duty to follow the law, Ashcroft said in a statement.

Due to his rejection, the initial rule that Ashcroft rejected will go through the normal rulemaking process, which includes an opportunity for people to provide public comments, his office said.

The executive order from Parson, issued Aug. 1, bans what the governors office terms psychoactive cannabis products  including food and drinks  from being sold in Missouri unless from approved sources. DHSS was also directed to block retail stores that hold a liquor license from selling the products.

The ban doesnt apply to products sold by legal dispensaries regulated by the state.
Missouri Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick will have new powers to initiate audits of local governments under a law taking effect Wednesday (Jason Hancock/Missouri Independent).

On July 23, State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick released an audit detailing how a former mayor of Excelsior Estates improperly paid himself more than $37,000 and funneled more than $200,000 to a business he owned.

During the course of their work, auditors found that the records for the village of 209 people on the border of Ray and Clay counties were in total disarray with missing financial records (and) other vital city records stored in a makeshift camper trailer made from the bed of a pickup truck

The audit was conducted at the invitation of the village Board of Aldermen after an investigation of a whistleblower complaint showed possible wrongdoing. Without the boards consent, the auditor wouldnt have had the authority to conduct the probe.

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But not every local governing body is so cooperative. And as of Wednesday, when a new law took effect, Fitzpatricks office will have the power to initiate audits of local agencies when an initial investigation shows improper government activity  including fraud, waste of resources or violations of law  or when a county prosecutor or law enforcement agency requests it.

Missouri lawmakers gave the auditors office power to investigate reports of improper actions by local government officials in 2013 but withheld the authority to force those officials to open their accounts for a full-scale audit. The only way for the auditor to follow up on the investigation was to convince the governing body of the political subdivision to request an audit, like in Excelsior Estates, or for a resident to gather enough signatures on a petition to force an audit.

The new law eliminates those restrictions.

This is not designed to give us unfettered access to auditing any political subdivision for any reason, Fitzpatrick said. It was to make things easier for taxpayers. If theyve made a credible whistleblower complaint to us that theres a problem somewhere that we investigate, that we could then initiate the audit instead of forcing somebody to have to go gather a bunch of signatures.

The bill, passed unanimously in the second year it was introduced, originated with concerns about cost overruns at the new Francis Howell School District high school in St. Charles County, said the sponsor, Republican state Rep. Phil Christofanelli of St. Peters.

A school district was the only local government entity that the state auditor had discretion to audit, he said. The auditors office is legally obligated to audit every county without a county auditor.

If the cost overruns had been at a municipal construction project, Christofanelli said, only the willingness of the governing board or the determination of citizens to complete a petition drive could bring the auditor in.

For a small community like Excelsior Estates, the petition would have to include signatures from 25% of the citys registered voters. For a city the size of St. Peters, the requirement would be 10% of the votes cast for governor in the most recent election, with a minimum of 750 signatures.

The idea of doing something like this in a city like St Peters, for instance, is completely impractical, and youd have to have a remarkable campaign put together to do it properly, Christofanelli said.

During work on the bill, he said, he was told that up to 90% of petition audit attempts are unsuccessful.

The state auditors office will be taking on the new powers at a time when Fitzpatrick is trying to rebuild his staff, which had shrunk to 89 full-time employees  out of 167 authorized in the budget  when he took office.

Fitzpatrick was elected auditor in 2022 after four years as state treasurer and six years in the Missouri House, where he was chairman of the House Budget Committee.

In recent years, the audit output of the office, especially detailed audits of state agencies and programs, has declined significantly.

During the first eight months of 2004, the office issued 27 audits and reviews of state agencies and programs ranging from elected official offices to tax credit programs and agency operations in determining Medicaid eligibility and the acquisition of highway right-of-way. In the same period of 2014, the number of state agency audits and reviews was 10.

This year, through Wednesday, the total was three  the operations of the attorney general and secretary of states offices and how the Missouri State Highway Patrol uses highway fund money.

The two factors limiting the number of individual agency and program audits are time devoted to the annual audits of the state financial report and the federal funding awards. Work that once took 18,000 to 20,000 staff hours in a year is now approaching 50,000, Fitzpatrick said.

That workload, combined with the staffing shortages, has reduced the number of individual agency and program audits. There are 10 agency or program audits in process, including the Department of Conservation, pandemic food programs and the cannabis programs within the Department of Health and Senior Services.

Its a huge report, Fitzpatrick said of the cannabis program audit. Its going to be, in terms of the number of staff hours, what will probably be the largest performance audit thats been done in the auditors office in recent history.

The cannabis program audit should be released early next year, he said.

The routine work of the auditors office includes checking tens of thousands of local property tax rates against the legal maximums, receiving and publishing reports of spending by local taxing agencies and auditing counties that do not have an elected auditor.

To help rebuild staff, lawmakers have added $4.2 million to the auditors budget over the past two years, increasing it to $13.5 million. That increase, he said, recognizes that the pay raises given by his predecessor, Democrat Nicole Gallaway, to retain staff is the salary level needed to attract new talent as well.

They were adjusting the salaries to try to be more competitive, which needed to happen, he said.

The new authority should not interfere with the statutory responsibilities of the office, Christofanelli said.

Just because we give the auditor the power to initiate new investigations does not necessarily mean that if there are other matters that are not discretionary, that he would have to pursue those audits, he said. It just provides him the authority to do it, should the need arise.

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NORTH KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Data shows there are more construction projects than there are construction workers.

Thats according to a study from the Associated General Contractors of America.

According to that study, 92% of construction firms in Missouri have open jobs theyre struggling to fill. One of the biggest roadblocks theyre facing is finding qualified workers.

At the Builders Training Center, students are learning the ins and outs of the construction industry.

Finish date for Turner Diagonal Bridge project shifts

Career exploring is what it looks like to be an iron worker, what its like to be a cement mason, what its like to be a roofer, said Outreach Manager Romond Holt.

Industry leaders say that 92% of construction firms in Missouri have open jobs theyre struggling to fill. The shortages impacting the industrys ability to finish projects both on time and on budget.

We have an incredible wave, a boom thats happening here in the heartland and its our job to make sure that our industrys prepared and that our workforce is prepared to meet that demand, said Builders Training Center President Lance Claiborne.

To help with the national shortage of qualified workers, industry leaders are investing in more educational programs like this one in North Kansas City.

Students enroll in free, five week programs, where they learn a variety of skills in the industry and then decide that sector they want to pursue a career in.

Hey that school wasnt there ten years ago and now its a place where hundreds and hundreds of students go and learn something new every day. we can look and see hey that hospital wasnt there 15 years ago, this is now a place where people can seek care and get the help that they need, said recent graduate Ariana Tormes.

See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri

Students like Tormes leave with certifications and sometimes even a job already lined up.

Leaders say theyre also calling on Congress for more program funding and policies to develop more programs like this one.

If you want to learn more or get yourself or someone you know signed up, see here.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
Missouri lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are calling for emergency interim committees to investigate the states monthslong child care subsidy backlog.

Meanwhile, the powerful House Budget Committee has scheduled a hearing in September to question state education officials about the issues plaguing the program.

I think it is safe to say The Office of Childhood is a massive disaster, Senate Majority Leader Cindy OLaughlin, a Republican from Shelbina, wrote in a Facebook post Tuesday, referring to the office within the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education that is responsible for administration of the subsidy.

 instead of creating more child care, she wrote, this office is running day cares out of business.

Child care providers have been struggling to keep their doors open, and in some cases forced to shutter, due to technical issues with the education departments disbursal of federal funds.

Child care providers have been struggling to keep their doors open, and in some cases forced to shutter, due to technical issues with the education departments disbursal of federal funds.

State education officials have largely blamed a contracted vendor for the monthslong backlogs. The system launched in December after the program shifted from the Department of Social Services to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The subsidy, part of a federal block grant program that is state-administered, helps cover the cost for day care owners serving low-income and foster children. Some day cares rely on the program to pay their staff.

OLaughlin said due to the incompetence of the office, she is requesting that Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden appoint an interim committee to look into the issues.

The technology vendor, along with leadership of the Office of Childhood, parents and child care providers would be asked to testify, she wrote.

The vendor contracted to develop and implement the new system for the subsidy program is World Wide Technology, a large technology services provider headquartered in St. Louis.

In addition to OLaughlin, House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, a Springfield Democrat running for governor, demanded that her chambers leadership create an interim committee to look into the issues surrounding the subsidy.

The problems administering the program have escalated to the point of crisis, with families losing access to care, Quade wrote in a letter to House Speaker Dean Plocher, as some facilities have been forced to close, due in large part to the departments failure to remit the payments owed in a timely manner.

Crystal Quade

Quade requested a standalone committee, or alternatively, that the already-planned interim committee designed to review the ongoing fiscal years budget expenditures also include this investigation.

The education department has been less than forthcoming in communication, she wrote.

Since members of the House Democratic Caucus are being inundated with pleas for help from desperate families and struggling providers, Quade wrote, Im certain our Republican colleagues are as well.

If the department is unable or unwilling to provide answers, it is our duty to demand them.

A day later, Plocher announced the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee will hold a hearing Sept. 10 to investigate the causes and impacts of delays in the state issuing child care payments.

A House Budget Committee hearing was already scheduled for Sept. 11 to discuss child care with the education agency.

A spokesperson for the education department didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

In recent State Board of Education meetings, leadership of the Office of Childhood has said the agency has worked to bring on more vendors to overcome the payment backlog, as well as process new requests.

We should have addressed it this way three months ago, Karla Eslinger, who has been commissioner of education since July 1, told the board earlier this month. Eslinger added that she has no patience when it comes to this. We will get these folks paid. We will take care of these children.

This story was first published at missouriindependent.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri lawmakers sound alarm over delayed child care payments
They mocked Matthew Perry as 'Chandler' and 'moron.' Actor was exploited before his death, feds say

In the month before Mathew Perry's death, a doctor the actor contacted to acquire ketamine called him a "moron" in a text message, according to federal prosecutors.

A dealer who authorities say supplied the drug to Perry referred to him as "Chandler"  the sarcastic yet sweet-natured character he played on the hit television show "Friends," court documents say.

Federal authorities have depicted in court filings and public statements a scheme in which medical professionals and street dealers exploited Perry, who had been open about his years-long struggle with addiction, to enrich themselves.

Five people  two doctors, an alleged drug dealer known as "Ketamine Queen," a former film director and Perry's live-in assistant  have been charged in a conspiracy to distribute ketamine, an anesthetic, to the actor.

Prosecutors laid out a criminal case against the defendants. But experts familiar with addiction treatment say the picture of drug use alleged in court papers followed an all too common path: An addict is desperate for a fix and those supplying the drug are happy to maintain the business.

"People can be victimized because they are really highly motivated to seek that substance and nothing else is going to satisfy them," said Jessica Borelli, a professor of psychological science at UC Irvine.

Perry was found dead in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home on Oct. 28. Authorities later determined he had died from acute effects of ketamine .

U.S. Atty. Martin Estrada said during a news conference this month that those charged in the case "cared more about profiting off of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being."

Drug dealers selling dangerous substances are gambling with other peoples lives over greed," he said.

Read more: Column: The arrests in Matthew Perry's death expose a system built to prey on addicts

Federal prosecutors said Perry started ketamine therapy at a local clinic, where he had sought treatment for depression and anxiety. Ketamine use for depression is a relatively new therapy, but some medical professionals who spoke to The Times say it shows promising results when administered correctly.

While the most frequently used antidepressants affect serotonin, dopamine and other neurochemicals in the brain, ketamine works on the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) system and can be helpful for treatment-resistant depression. Still, there are risks and the potential for addiction to the powerful drug, said Dr. Robert McCarron, a professor of psychiatry and associate dean of medical education at UC Irvine.

"Ketamine has the potential to harm someone or kill someone if not monitored carefully and used in an approved therapeutic way," McCarron said, adding that Perry likely didn't know that taking additional amounts of ketamine outside of therapy could be fatal.

"He didn't go to medical school. He probably figured it made him feel good and lowered his depression so maybe more was better," McCarron said.

The American Society of Ketamine Physicians, Psychotherapists & Practitioners has raised concerns about whether Perry was a good candidate for ketamine treatment at all.

"In order to safely continue ketamine infusions with his history of substance abuse, his treatment plan would needed to have been implemented by someone highly knowledgeable and experienced with ketamine as one part of an overall substance abuse treatment program," the organization said in a statement.

Federal authorities say Perry became addicted to the powerful drug, and when clinic doctors refused to increase his dosage, the actor turned to Salvador Plasencia, an internist who went by the nickname Dr. P.

Federal prosecutors allege that Perry's live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, worked with two doctors  Mark Chavez and Plasencia  and drug dealers Jasveen Sangha and Erik Fleming to obtain thousands of dollars worth of ketamine for Perry in the month before his death.

Sangha and Plasencia have both pleaded not guilty. Their attorneys could not be reached for comment. Iwamasa pleaded guilty this month to a count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death. Fleming pleaded guilty this month to a count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and a count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Chavez has agreed to plead guilty to a count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, according to court records.

In text messages with Chavez, who had experience with ketamine, Plasencia pondered how much to charge Perry for the drug, writing in a text message: I wonder how much this moron will pay and lets find out, according to an indictment filed in court.

Plasencia also wrote in messages to Chavez that he didn't want Perry to "look elsewhere" for his ketamine supply. According to the indictment, Plasencia wrote that he wanted to be "his go to."

In total, the doctors distributed 20 vials of ketamine to Perry for $55,000 in cash, charging him $2,000 for a vial that cost Chavez $12, authorities said.

"Matthew Perry's journey began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust because they saw him as a payday and it ended with street dealers who sold him ketamine in unmarked vials," U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Anne Milgram said during a news conference this month. "The desperation that led Perry to these individuals was not met with help, as it should have been from the doctors, but instead it was met with exploitation."

Read more: With arrests in Matthew Perry death, is L.A.'s ketamine bubble about to burst?

By mid-October, Perry and his assistant had been communicating with Fleming  an acquaintance of the actors  who had a source that could provide the drugs at a lower cost.

Fleming texted Perry that he had a bunch of the K in liquid, which he would sell at a good price and a fair tip for delivering it, according to a plea agreement Fleming made with prosecutors.

"I wouldn't do it if there wasn't a chance of me making some money for doing this," Fleming told Iwamasa, according to the indictment.

Fleming delivered a sample to Perrys home for $180 on Oct. 13, according to the indictment. Iwamasa told Fleming the drug seems good and asked for more.

When Sangha communicated with Fleming about the sale, she referred to Perry "using the name of a well-known character that [Perry] portrayed in a television series," according to Fleming's plea agreement. Law enforcement sources told The Times she called him "Chandler."

The next day, Fleming arrived at Perrys home with 25 vials, charging $5,500 and pocketing an additional $500 for coordinating the deal, prosecutors said. While Sangha had quoted Fleming $160 per vial of ketamine, authorities say Fleming charged Perry $220 per vial.

Ten days later, Fleming delivered another 25 vials to the actors home along with ketamine lollipops that prosecutors say Sangha threw in as a bonus for the large order, according to the indictment.

In the final days of Perrys life, court records indicate there were signs the actors addiction was spiraling out of control. Iwamasa was injecting the actor with ketamine six to eight times a day, authorities said. The aide had found Perry unconscious at his house on at least two occasions in October, the indictment showed.

Read more: Matthew Perry's shocking last month on ketamine: 'I wonder how much this moron will pay'

In less than a month, Fleming and Sangha sold about 50 vials of the drug to the actor for about $11,000, according to prosecutors.

Experts say it's not uncommon that someone abusing a drug would spend exorbitant amounts of money to get access to it.

When someone is abusing a drug, their way of processing rewards changes, so "what's rewarding to most people ceases to be rewarding to people who have a substance use disorder," said Borelli.

This can lead to people disregarding consequences in their pursuit of the substance, experts said.

"Addiction is like an ironclad compulsion," said Dr. Michael McDaniel, the medical director of Heartland House in San Diego. "For the person suffering from substance-use disorder, there is practically nothing they can do to not use. So with something like ketamine, where the supplies are pretty strictly controlled and limited, the suffering person would be at the mercy of whoever was supplying them."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Nvidia may have exceeded Wall Street estimates as its profit jumped  buffeted by the chipmaking dominance that has cemented Nvidias place as the poster child of the artificial intelligence boom  but investors seemed less than impressed.

The company reported a net income of to $16.6 billion. Adjusted for one-time items, net income was $16.95 billion. Revenue rose to $30 billion, up 122% from a year ago and 15% from the previous quarter.

By comparison, S&P 500 companies overall are expected to deliver just 5% growth in revenue for the quarter, according to FactSet. Still, Nvidia shares slipped nearly 4% in after-hours trading.

Ryan Detrick, chief market strategist at Carson Group, said that despite growing revenue it appears the bar was just set a tad too high this earnings season.

Death, taxes, and NVDA beats on earnings are three things you can bank on, Detrick said. Heres the issue. The size of the beat this time was much smaller than weve been seeing. Even future guidance was raised, but again not by the tune from previous quarters.

The company reported second-quarter adjusted earnings per share of 68 cents per share, up from 27 cents a year ago. Nvidia said it expects third quarter revenue to grow to $32.5 billion, plus or minus 2%.

Nvidia has led the artificial intelligence sector to become one of the stock markets biggest companies, as tech giants continue to spend heavily on the company's chips and data centers needed to train and operate their AI systems.

The people who are investing in Nvidia infrastructure are getting returns on it right away, Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of Nvidia, said on a call with analysts. Its the best ROI infrastructure, computing infrastructure investment you can make today.

Demand for generative AI products that can compose documents, make images and serve as personal assistants has fueled sales of Nvidias specialized chips over the last year. In June, Nvidia briefly rose to become the most valuable company in the S&P 500. The company is now worth over $3 trillion.

Nvidia CFO Colette Kress said during the analyst call that the company is planning to increase production of its Blackwell AI chips beginning in the fourth quarter and continuing through fiscal 2026. Kress said Nvidia expects several billion dollars in Blackwell revenue in the fourth quarter, with shipments of its Hopper graphics processor unit, or GPU, expected to increase in the second half of fiscal 2025.

In an interview with Bloomberg Television, Huang said the company will have a great next year as well.

Story continues

Through the years first six months, Nvidias stock price soared nearly 150%. At that point, it was trading at a little more than 100 times the companys earnings over the prior 12 months. Thats much more expensive than its been historically and than the S&P 500 in general. That's why analysts warn of a selloff if Wall Street sees any indication that AI demand is waning.

Dan Ives, an analyst with Wedbush Securities, called the earnings part of a historic, meteoric rise from Nvidia and the godfather of AI, Jensen (Huang). Investors, Ives added, are picking apart robust numbers and trying to find holes in them. Although Nvidia said it estimates about $32.5 billion in revenue in the third fiscal quarter, some analysts expected a slightly higher figure, he said.

I view it as kind of like splitting hairs, Ives said. The demand for AI technology is only accelerating, he added, echoing Huang's previous statements that the world is in the midst of the next industrial revolution.

This is the most watched earnings  not just in tech, but in the market, in many years, he said. Investors will initially overreact to any sort of short-lived weakness. But I believe this actually put more fuel into the tank of the bull market.
Modesto Junior College president reveals plans to elevate education. See what he said

After completing his first year as Modesto Junior Colleges 18th president in 23 years, Brian Sanders said his focus has been on restoring stability and promoting growth at the institution.

Sanders, who described his experience so far as terrific, said hes committed to rebuilding relationships and ensuring that MJC plays a pivotal role in educating Modestos diverse population.

We love our role in helping grow our own, he said.

He said both he and the new Stanislaus State University president, Britt Rios-Ellis, saw that Modesto recently ranked as one of the least educated cities in the country.

His solution is to plant seeds early by bringing as many young people on campus as possible so they can visualize themselves as future college students and get the bug to return.

Its sort of our mutual need, mutual goal, to increase the college success rate in our area, Sanders said. Enrollment in Modesto Junior College dropped in 2020, but has since begun to rise.

He cited the Great Valley Museums program that brings third-graders onto the MJC campus to see the planetarium.

Another way is through dual enrollment, a program that allows high school students to take college-level courses. Sanders acknowledged past criticism of the colleges limited dual enrollment offerings, but hes proud of the strides made.

Dual enrollment skyrockets

Last school year, MJC offered 61 sections of dual enrollment classes with about 2,380 students. This fall, MJC is offering 85 sections, serving approximately 3,000 students across various high schools. Modesto City Schools has 1,615 students enrolled, while all other school districts have 1,466 students enrolled this fall.

MJC also is developing program maps that outline the classes students need to take to earn their associate degrees and transfer to four-year universities, such as Stan State and UC Merced.

While Sanders encourages students to explore the world, he also recognizes MJCs vital role in building local capital by retaining students within the community.

He highlighted the regions emerging industries, like bioindustrial manufacturing, as potential future job opportunities for MJC graduates. He said MJC already offers the necessary programs and training, such as for welding and industrial automation, to support these industries and contribute to Modestos economic growth.

Id rather have people start here at MJC, become a chemistry major and know that some of the chemical training that theyre going to get could help us convert leftover almond hulls into some sort of useful product for our community in our society, Sanders said.

He also remains committed to sticking to the colleges strategic plan, which focuses on student success and closing equity gaps.

MJCs commitment to success extends to supporting the diverse student population through various affinity groups and programs, Sanders said. The college hosts events like the Hispanic Education Conference in October and recently hired a dedicated staff member for its Native American students program.

He noted that in the past three years, theres been a 5.5% increase in success rates for Black students and 6.5% for Hispanic students. Success rates are measured by how many students earn passing grades compared to the total number of students enrolled in a course during a semester or academic year.

In 2023-24, the course success equity gap with white students shrank by 40% for Black students, 56% for American Indian/Alaskan Native students and 45% for Hispanic students.

While the gaps still exist, they are closing. Our efforts are working, Sanders said.

Sanders said he has made it a personal goal to help create as many second-generation college students as possible, believing that by helping first-generation students succeed, they can inspire their children to pursue higher education.

That hopefulness is something thats new, Sanders said.
In the Spotlight is a Modesto Bee series that digs into the high-profile local issues that readers care most about. Story idea? Email tips@modbee.com.

The Community Police Review Board convened last week to discuss with Modesto Police Chief Brandon Gillespie his departments use-of-force history, weighing the potential benefits of looking further into its practices.

The meeting underscored the complexities of addressing potential bias in policing and raised questions about the need for further investigation.

The discussion was prompted by an article in The Bee, which revealed that while Black residents make up just 4% of Modestos population, they accounted for nearly 17% of the use-of-force incidents involving MPD in the past decade.

Gillespie recognized the concerning statistics highlighted in the article but questioned whether an academic study assessing police bias would result in a change of peoples perceptions. He also cautioned against interpreting the data as evidence of police bias without thorough analysis.

What my concern is, I can get data all day long, but theres always going to be multiple questions after that. If I convened a study that said that there was no police bias by academics somewhere, is that going to move the needle? Gillespie said.

He mentioned that 23 of the 29 use-of-force incidents cited last year involving Black residents were dispatched calls for service, with only six being self-initiated by officers. About 11 of these incidents involved individuals who were not residents of Modesto, Gillespie said.

Thats a big discrepancy. So that, to me, is a perfect example of why data should be data, he said. Data should absolutely raise our curiosity, and raise our concerns  but you have to continue to dig into the data to really get to the root.

Board member Nancy Smith recognized the chiefs point about the complexities of assessing the data but was surprised by the findings and emphasized that they should not be overlooked.

Even if theyre not conclusive, it did seem like the statistics were surprising or maybe not surprising to some people. But I dont think they can necessarily just be dismissed, right? Smith said.

Wendy Byrd, another board member and president of the local NAACP, urged a deeper examination of the 10-year pattern highlighted in the article. Byrd also had written a letter on behalf of the NAACP, requesting a probe into the departments use of force.

Its not about shame and blame, its about fix, Byrd said. She acknowledged that the issue extends beyond Modesto and is part of a national trend.

However, the discussion about commissioning a study on police bias was met with caution.

Gillespie expressed concern about the cost, which he said could run into several hundred thousand dollars. He also questioned whether such a study would yield actionable results.

Do we want to undertake this type of study that were talking about, which obviously would be a significant cost to the city of Modesto, in hopes of achieving whatever the outcome is? he asked.

Still, he remained open to considering scientifically backed-up data.

Board member Austin Grant said he was confused over the hesitancy to conduct a study, noting that it seemed there already was an assumption about what the study would uncover. Lets say if we did do the 10-year study ourselves, and it shows that the Modesto Police Department has progressed in some of these things, wouldnt that be a positive? he asked.

The meeting also highlighted concerns about the transparency of the data. Byrd questioned why the board was learning about the use-of-force data from The Bee article rather than through official reports from the department. She also suggested that the board could model its own report after similar studies conducted elsewhere.

Toward the end of the meeting, Gillespie said he would contact other departments that have conducted studies on police bias, such as those in San Jose and Dallas, to gather insights on their effectiveness.

Board member Trish Christensen said efforts to improve community relations and address existing issues should not be paused while waiting for the results of any future study.

Although she didnt indicate whether she supports or opposes the possible study, she said she doesnt want to pause and do nothing while waiting for it to be completed. We have an opportunity to make a difference while some of those types of data collections take place.

The next Community Police Review Board meeting is scheduled for Sept. 18 at 5:30 p.m. at 1010 10th St. in the basement-level chambers.

Bee reporter Trevor Morgan contributed to this report.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova has refuted the fake news spread by Russian propaganda media, which claimed that the US was allegedly transporting biological material samples from Ukraine through Moldova.

Source: Moldovan Foreign Ministry, citing TVR Moldova, as reported by European Pravda

The ministry described the information spread by Russian propagandists as "pure fabrication".

This report continues a series of fake news intended to promote the idea that Ukraine might potentially use biological agents, the ministry added.

Quote: "We firmly state: these are fake [new]s designed to create confusion and ambiguity with the aim of discrediting the Moldovan authorities and undermining our country's European path," emphasised the ministry.

The Foreign Ministry also added that Moldova strictly adheres to all international norms against the proliferation of biological weapons.

Background:

Earlier, Romania's Defence Ministry stated that the claims circulating on Telegram channels that Ukrainians are being trained on F-16 fighter jets on the Romanian territory were false.

Before that, Romania refuted claims that Romanian Gepard anti-aircraft systems had shot down Russian Shahed drones.

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Mom in AMBER Alert same mom whose baby was beaten to death in Syracuse

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Celeta Johnson, 35, was named in the AMBER Alert issued Tuesday night as police were looking for a missing a 7-year-old boy.

The AMBER Alert said the boy was last seen with his mother, Celeta Johnson, around North Water Street in Rochester, NY.

Police have since reported they found the boy unharmed and told News 8 his mother has yet to be charged.

After the boys disappearance, Johnson posted several videos accusing Child Protective Services of misconduct.

In one of the videos, Johnson said she lost a child 10 years ago.

News 8 learned through court documents that in 2014, Johnsons 18-month-old daughter, Azaleyah, was beaten to death in Syracuse.

Johnsons boyfriend at the time, Kendall Cooper, of Syracuse, was accused of the crime and charged with manslaughter, but was acquitted at trial.

Johnson was never charged in the case.

Before the trial, News 8s sister station in Syracuse, NewsChannel 9, reported in 2015 that Johnson was arrested at the Onondaga County Courthouse for getting into a fight with Coopers family.

News 8 has reached out to Celeta Johnson, her attorney, Child Protective Services, Syracuse Police and the AMBER Alert unite with New York State Police, but have yet to hear back from any of them.

The Rochester Police Department said they would not comment on the case Wednesday.

New York States Office of Children and Family Services said all child protective investigation information is confidential per NYS social service law.

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Mom Charged After Her Baby Dies of Overdose. When Investigating, Police Discovered She Was Allegedly Running Dogfighting Ring

A South Carolina woman has been charged after her 10-month-old daughter died of a fentanyl overdose

Charleston County Jail Sara Shakeri-Taylor

A South Carolina woman has been charged with homicide by child abuse after her 10-month-old daughter died of a fentanyl overdose while she and the baby's father were allegedly running a dogfighting ring, according to authorities

Evidence collected from the scene included baby bottles, formula, a pacifier, and a dollar bill with a powder substance, the sheriffs office alleged in a press release

Sheriff Kristin Graziano said in the release, As a parent, it shakes me to my core to see people be so careless and negligent with their children"



A South Carolina woman has been charged after her 10-month-old daughter died of a fentanyl overdose while she and the babys father were allegedly running a dogfighting ring, police said.

Sara Shakeri-Taylor, 39, of Ladson, is charged with homicide by child abuse, the Charleston County Sheriffs Office announced in a press release on Monday, Aug. 26.

The Charleston County Coroner has identified the baby who died as 10-month-old Aminah Gathers, WCSC and WTVM reported.

Toxicology tests allegedly showed the baby had a large amount of fentanyl in her system when she died, according to the coroner, WTVM noted.

Her death was ruled a fentanyl overdose, according to the coroner, WTVM shared.

The charges against Shakeri-Taylor stem from May 15, at about 4 p.m., when CCSO deputies responded to reports about an unresponsive child at a home on Harwood Street in Ladson, the sheriffs office said in the release.

Shakeri-Taylor and Gathers were home when deputies were called to their house, according to the release.

Deputies began performing lifesaving measures until firefighters and EMS personnel arrived. The baby was rushed to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead later that night.

Evidence collected from the scene included baby bottles, formula, a pacifier, and a dollar bill with a powder substance, the sheriffs office alleged in the release.

These items were sent to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) for analysis, it continued, further noting, All the items were presumptive for the presence of fentanyl."

Sheriff Kristin Graziano had strong words for Shakeri-Taylors alleged actions.

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As a parent, it shakes me to my core to see people be so careless and negligent with their children, she said in the release.

This mother made a terrible decision, and she is where she belongs, Graziano added.

Shakeri-Taylor was initially held at the Dorchester County Detention Center but was transported to the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center on Friday, Aug. 23, the sheriffs office said in the release.

During the subsequent investigation into the babys death, deputies and SLED agents found 15 dogs, mostly believed to be pit bulls on the property where she and Gathers live, the release alleged.

Other items found in the residence and on the property are widely known to be used for dog fighting, the sheriffs office alleged in the release.

On May 29, 2024, CCSO deputies and SLED agents executed a search warrant and allegedly found two dogs on the property. One dog they found was dead, it alleged. The three dogs were taken to the Charleston Animal Society.

Deputies also seized items known to be used for dog fighting, the release alleged.

On June 4, CCSO deputies and SLED agents located Gathers at a home in the 4400 block of Garwood Street in Ladson and took him into custody.

Gathers is charged with two counts of animal fighting or baiting, one count of conspiracy and 15 counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a violent crime, the release said.

Since May, Shakeri-Taylor has also been charged with three counts of conspiracy, three counts of animal fighting or baiting and one count of ill treatment of animals, the release said.

There is a co-defendant in this case, however, no details are being released at this time, it said.

Gathers is being held in the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center. It is unclear whether the two have retained lawyers who can comment on their behalf.



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Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed endorses Democratic 2nd Congressional District candidate Shomari Figures on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024 in Montgomery. Figures faces Republican nominee Caroleene Dobson in the November election. (Alander Rocha/Alabama Reflector)

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed endorsed Shomari Figures for U.S. House 2nd Congressional District during a press conference on Tuesday in Montgomery.

Reed, a Democrat like Figures, said it was important to elect leaders who would advance equality, justice, and economic opportunity, particularly in the face of challenges to the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act.

The progress has to continue, and so for that, we believe we need someone who is ready to stand for the people of our great city, ready to stand for the people of this great district, and so this is not a time to sit on the sidelines, said Reed, the first Black mayor of Montgomery.

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He said Figures is a candidate who understands the needs of central and south Alabama and who is prepared to represent the district in Washington, D.C.

What weve seen is a leader who may be new to the scene but is not new to service. He has shown a dedication to doing just that, Reed said, referencing his time in the Department of Justice under the Obama administration.

Figures, who spoke after Reed, discussed the history of civil rights in Montgomery and the broader district. He called Montgomery the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement and stressed the importance of federal representation that reflects the districts history.

Montgomery is the single most important American city in the 20th century because of the movement that was birthed out of here. That is a sentiment that I know Mayor Reed has expressed in the past before. Its something that I genuinely believe, Figures said.

Figures also addressed concerns about recent state-level efforts to restrict voting rights by passing a law that restricts absentee voting assistance and said the campaign would fight against disenfranchisement and will promote voter participation. He said that voters will have to pop out and show America that were not going back. We are going forward.

We have faced much worse in terms of disenfranchisement efforts in this state and in this country. People risk their lives to vote in the past. So, well get around this bill. Well continue to work and organize around it and educate voters about it  about the dos and donts under this new bill, Figures said.

Figures faces Republican nominee Caroleene Dobson in the November election. The 2nd Congressional District, redrawn last year, includes Montgomery and stretches from Mobile County in the southwest corner of the state across the southern Black Belt to the Georgia border.



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Mooneys Pharmacy provides free diapers to 500+ families during first month of program

JOHNSON CITY. Tenn. (WJHL)  Hundreds of families have taken advantage of TennCares new free diaper program at a Johnson City pharmacy in August.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced the new diaper program would go into effect on Aug. 7. Families with children under the age of 2 who are enrolled in TennCare or CoverKids healthcare can receive 100 free diapers per month. Enrolled families can walk into a participating pharmacy and show the necessary identification to get the diapers.

How some TN families can get free diapers with new state program

Mooneys Pharmacy is one of nine pharmacies participating in the program in Johnson City, according to an updated list from TennCare. The pharmacy on N. Roan St. has seen a large turnout of people who need diapers.

Were one of the only pharmacies in our area who are doing this so the rush has been a little intense, Mooneys Pharmacy owner and pharmacist in charge Chris Lopez said. Its started to slow down a little bit, but our staff has done a great job of adjusting and helping out these moms and dads.

On the pharmacys first day in the program, Lopez said 75 families arrived seeking diapers for the month.

Since Aug. 7, weve had around 550 families come in to get a box of diapers.

Lopez and other staff at Mooneys Pharmacy have had to make trips to big box stores to resupply diapers due to the demand. TennCare does not supply participating pharmacies with diapers, leaving it to them to acquire the diapers themselves from providers who will accept the programs billing.

Lopez said choosing to participate in the diaper program was an easy decision.

When this program initially rolled out, it was a no-brainer that we were going to take part of it, even if it was additional work because it is a service to the community, and its an extra benefit to these people, Lopez said.

Lopez hopes more parents and guardians will learn about TennCares program.

A lot of moms and dads, they dont know that that benefit is available, Lopez said. TennCare will cover 100 diapers a month, and thats a huge deal for a lot of families.

Lopez encouraged other local pharmacies to register and take part in the diaper program. More information on the program can be found online.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
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 Bidens 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 Trumps 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 Bidens 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 weeks 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

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV.
More than 21 people have sloth fever. What to know about the deadly virus.

A mosquito is sucking blood, by piercing its proboscis mouth into the skin

U.S. health officials are warning travelers about a potentially deadly insect-borne virus known as sloth fever that has infected 21 U.S. residents returning from Cuba and thousands more in South America and the Caribbean.

More than 8,000 cases of Oropouche virus disease have been reported through Aug. 1 in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Cuba. Cases also have also surfaced in the U.S. and Europe involving travelers returning from Cuba and Brazil, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday.

What is sloth fever?

Sloth fever is an informal name for Oropouche virus infections first found in Trinidad and Tobago in 1955. The virus spreads by midges and mosquito bites and is endemic in central and eastern South America.

During the current outbreak, cases have been detected in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Cuba. In the U.S., cases have been limited to travelers returning to Florida or New York from Cuba. While Oropouche virus is informally known as sloth fever, the disease also can be transmitted to rodents, monkeys and birds.

What are the symptoms of sloth fever?

Most infections are mild but two otherwise healthy Brazil women, ages 24 and 21, died after contracting Oropouche virus, officials said. The symptoms, which appear three to 10 days after a person has been infected, include fever, chills, headaches and muscle and joint pain or stiffness. Other symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, rash, stomach pain, light sensitivity and eye redness. Doctors treat symptoms with rest, fluids and acetaminophen for fever and pain.

Public health officials say they are especially concerned about cases involving mother-to-fetus transmission.

There is no vaccination and there are no antiviral treatments for Oropouche.

Can the virus be transmitted from a mother to a fetus?

Lab testing identified five cases in which an infected mother appeared to pass the virus to a fetus. One fetus died and four others reported microcephaly, a birth defect in which a baby's head is smaller than normal. The CDC said the reports suggest the virus is linked to "fetal death and possible congenital malformations" that have "raised concerns about the threat of Oropouche virus to human health."

The CDC said these cases highlight the urgency of reducing the spread to the U.S. and other regions that have largely been unaffected.

I'm pregnant. Should I avoid travel to certain regions?

Because of the possible risk that pregnant individuals could pass the virus to a fetus, the CDC recommends doctors and other medical providers warn pregnant women who plan to travel to areas where cases have been transmitted about the dangers. Pregnant travelers should take steps to avoid insect bites and consider deferring travel to regions experiencing outbreaks of sloth disease, officials said.

Where were the U.S. cases reported?

A total of 20 Florida residents and one New York resident returning from Cuba had confirmed Oropouche virus infections.

Most patients were evaluated when they initially became ill, but three people experienced recurring symptoms. The median patient age was 48. The most common symptoms included fever, muscle pain, headache, fatigue and joint stiffness or pain. Other patients reported having diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, rash, back pain and bleeding.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sloth fever found in US. What to know about insect-borne virus
A billboard of the ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich e. V. Dresden branch. Arno Burgi/ZB/dpa

A leading German economic institute on Wednesday said businesses in Germany are considering job cuts as Europe's leading economy continues to splutter.

The Munich-based ifo Institute for Economic Research's Employment Barometer fell in August for the third month in a row, dropping to 94.8 points from 95.3 in July.

Weak economic growth is also reflected in weak employment numbers, said study leader Klaus Wohlrabe. "The lack of orders is causing companies to put the brakes on hiring."

The ifo barometer is regarded as an important early indicator for the German labour market.

Every month, the institute asks around 9,500 companies whether the number of their employees is likely to increase, decrease or remain roughly the same over the next three months.

In the industrial sector, "more and more companies are thinking about cutting jobs," the August report said. A downturn in consumer spending has also hit the retail sector, it suggested.

Despite the crisis in Germany's construction sector, employers expect to retain their workers, while a slight rise in employment could be seen among service providers, particularly in the IT and tourism sectors.
More than $70 million announced by U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito for projects in West Virginia

CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS)  More than $70 million was announced by U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito for various projects in West Virginia.

According to a press release, more than $70 million in grant funds for projects, which include education, economic development, healthcare, drug use prevention, research, infrastructure, and environmental cleanup, in the Mountain State were announced by U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.).

$400K announced by Senator Manchin for water infrastructure upgrades in Monroe County

Health projects that received funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) include:

$1,327,481 in HHS Early Head Start Program funding to the Raleigh County Community Action Association, Inc. (Beckley, WV).

$3,234,495 in HHS funding for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (WV DHHR) (Charleston, WV) for the Money Follows the Person program.

$3,234,495 in HHS funding for the WV DHHR (Charleston, WV) for Ryan White Part B Supplemental program funding.

$1,250,000 in HHS funding for the WV DHHR (Charleston, WV) for Substance Abuse prevention.

$1,066,800 in HHS High Impact HIV Prevention and Surveillance Program funding to the West Virginia State Department of Health (Charleston, WV).

$929,187 in HHS HIV prevention funding to the Community Education Group (Lost River, WV).

$741,917 in HHS Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation research funding to West Virginia University (WVU) (Morgantown, WV).

$634,631 in HHS funding for the WV DHHR (Charleston, WV) for Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility.

$619,477 in HHS research funding to WVU (Morgantown, WV) for a project studying biological response to environmental health hazards.

$506,013 in HHS Drug Abuse and Addiction research funding to WVU (Morgantown, WV).

$445,180 in HHS block grant funding for the WV DHHR (Charleston, WV) for Community Mental Health Services.

$380,000 in HHS Vision research funding to WVU (Morgantown, WV).

$379,998 in HHS Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation research funding to WVU (Morgantown, WV).

$370,000 in HHS Maternal Mortality Prevention funding to the West Virginia State Department of Health (Charleston, WV).

$269,646 in HHS Mental Health Research Grant Funding to WVU (Morgantown, WV).

$228,000 in HHS Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biological Chemistry research funding to WVU (Morgantown, WV).

$175,000 in HHS Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System funding to the West Virginia State Department of Health (Charleston, WV).

$169,703 in HHS funding for the WV DHHR (Charleston, WV) for the Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program.

$131,846 in HHS Poison Control Stabilization and Enhancement program funding to WVU (Morgantown, WV).

$100,000 in HHS funding for the West Virginia State Department of Health (Charleston, WV) for the Improving Adolescent Health and Well-Being Through School-Based Surveillance and the What Works in Schools Program, collected through the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System.

$60,000 in HHS funding for The Martinsburg Initiative, Inc. (Martinsburg, WV) for Mental Health and Substance Abuse services.

$26,340 in HHS funding for Harmony Mental Health, Inc. (Parkersburg, WV) for the Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children program.

Concord University receives $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation for STEM Scholarships

Projects that received funds from the National Science Foundation (NSF), include:

$1,000,000 NSF award to Concord University (Athens, WV) for the Science Engagement and Active Mentoring to Build Science Identity among Students in Computer Science, Chemistry, and Geosciences project.

$429,750 NSF award to Concord University (Athens, WV) for the Collaborative Research: Sustained Resources: Prototyping a Framework for FAIR Data Communities: The Tephra Information Portal (TIP) project.

$50,000 NSF award to Concord University (Athens, WV) for the Conference: Teacher Workshop: Science and Technology Applied to Radio Signals (STARS) project.

$1,674,172 NSF award to WVU (Morgantown, WV) for a project titled DISES: Enhancing ecological and community resiliency through sustainable forestry and forest-based climate solutions.

$580,810 NSF award to WVU (Morgantown, WV) for a project titled Expanding the reach of GREENBURST  searching for the brightest pulses in the Universe and the slowest rotating neutron stars in the Galaxy.

$382,123 NSF award to WVU (Morgantown, WV) for a project titled WoU-MMA: Multi-messenger Observations in the Era of Supermassive Black Holes.

$338,657 NSF award to Marshall University (Huntington, WV) for a research project titled MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of SmartLab SE X-ray Diffractometer for Multidisciplinary Research Enhancement at Marshall University.

$224,544 NSF award to WVU (Morgantown, WV) for a project titled EAGER: Towards Multicellular Robotic Organisms: Exploring Physical Form, Behavior, and Environmental Response.

$200,000 NSF award to WVU (Morgantown, WV) for a project titled Research Initiation: Investigating engineering identity and student support in undergraduate civil engineering students.

$115,000 NSF award to WVU (Morgantown, WV) for a project titled Measuring extremal dependence of functional data.

$54,943 NSF award to WVU (Morgantown, WV) for a project titled Collaborative Research: Planning: CHIRRP: Science to Advance Freshwater Ecosystem and Community Resilience in the Appalachians (SAFER Apps).

$750,000 award given for new food incubation hub in Fayette County

Projects that received funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), include:

$6,507,704 in DOT funding to the Greenbrier County Airport Authority (Lewisburg, WV) for a project that rehabilitates 7,000 feet of Runway 4/22 to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement and to minimize debris from foreign objects.

$1,008,338 in DOT funding to the Greenbrier County Airport Authority (Lewisburg, WV) for a project that rehabilitates 7,000 feet of Runway 4/22 to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement and to minimize debris from foreign objects.

$126,288 in FAA funding to the Mercer County Airport Authority (Bluefield, WV) for a project that conducts an aeronautical survey for an area navigation instrument approach for Runway 23.

$520,785 in FAA funding to the City of Philippi/Barbour County Airport Authority (Philippi, WV) for a project that constructs a new 1,290 square foot terminal to accommodate the movement of passengers and baggage.

$265,771 in FAA funding to the Fairmont-Marion County Regional Airport Authority (Fairmont, WV) for a project that rehabilitates 1,000 feet of the existing taxi lane pavement to extend its useful life.

$222,785 in FAA funding to the Braxton County Airport Authority (Sutton, WV) for a project that acquires and installs a new automated weather observing system AWOS III P/T to provide site-specific weather information.

$193,418 in PHMA funding to the West Virginia Emergency Management Division to help communities prepare for a potential hazardous materials transportation incident.

$153,598 in FAA funding to the Mingo County Airport Authority (Williamson, WV) for a project that reconstructs 522 feet of existing perimeter fencing and one gate.

$138,221 in FAA funding to Buckhannon-Upshur Airport Authority (Buckhannon, WV) for a project that installs one new airport rotating beacon to enhance safety.

$134,940 in FAA funding to the Central West Virginia Regional Airport Authority (Charleston, WV) for a project that constructs a new 1,200 foot retaining wall to stabilize the apron embankment to bring the airport into conformity with current standards.

$122,532 in FAA funding to Logan County (Logan, WV) for a project that constructs a new 3,000 square foot snow removal equipment building to bring the local airport into conformity with current standards.

$93,530 in FAA funding to Grant County (Petersburg, WV) for a project that rehabilitates 10,300 square yards of the existing Main Apron pavement to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement and to minimize foreign object debris.

$72,483 in FAA funding to the Braxton County Airport Authority (Sutton, WV) for a project that constructs new drainage ditches, drop inlets, and pipes to bring the airport into conformity with current standards.

$60,084 in FAA funding to the Wood County Airport Authority (Parkersburg, WV) for a project that reconstructs 600 square feet of the existing terminal. This grant funds the reconstruction of restrooms that have reached the end of their useful lives.

$58,876 in FAA funding to Buckhannon-Upshur Airport Authority (Buckhannon, WV) for a project that installs one new airport rotating beacon to enhance safety.

$36,090 in PHMA funding to the Miss Utility of West Virginia to help pay for a legal assistant in the general counsels office.

$32,517 in FAA funding to Buckhannon-Upshur Airport Authority (Buckhannon, WV) for reimbursement of a project that reconstructed a hangar in August 2005.

More than $1.1 million in funding granted to domestic violence prevention efforts

Projects that received funds from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), include:

$600,000 in DOJ funding to Child Protect of Mercer Count y, Inc. (Princeton, WV) to improve the response of the civil and criminal justice system to families with a history of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, or in cases involving allegations of child sexual abuse.

$807,816 in DOJ funding to GO33 Justice and Community Services (Charleston, WV) to assist and support sexual assault crisis centers.

Projects that received funds from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), include:

$1,460,000 in EDA funding to the Center for Applied Research and Technology, Inc. (Princeton, WV) to establish the WV CREATE Center, providing support to small businesses and entrepreneurs.

$848,800 in EDA funding to High Technology Foundation (Fairmont, WV) to support a statewide collaborative entrepreneurial assistance program.

Projects that received funds from the U.S. National Parks Service (NPS) for Land and Water Conservation (LWCF) projects and a historic building preservation grant. include:

$200,000 in NPS LWCF funding for Oak Hill City Park Playground Improvements (Oak Hill, WV) to support a project supporting the site preparation and grading for the construction of a new inclusive playground with poured in place rubber safety surface and new equipment.

$748,785 in NPS funding for Coalfield Development Corporation (Huntington, W.Va.) to support the Nenni Building Second Level Stabilization Project.

$100,000 in NPS LWCF funding for Masontown Park Court Improvements (Masontown, WV) to support a project supporting the demolition of the existing court and equipment, and replacement of the drainage system surrounding the court.

$91,163.50 in NPS LWCF funding to the Martinsburg War Memorial Park Inclusive Playground (Martinsburg, WV) to support a project supporting the installation of an accessible poured rubber surface, site excavation, concrete curbing, construction of a Sensory Dome, swing, playhouse, and carousel.

Concord University receives Title III funding to implement improvements to programs

Projects that received funds from the U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and Rural Development (RD) Program, include:

$5,468,000 in USDA RD funding to the McDowell County Commission (Welch, WV) to upgrade the county commission building.

$833,000 in USDA RD funding to the Montgomery Building Commission (Montgomery, WV) to upgrade the city hall, including a roof replacement and HVAC upgrades.

$334,000 in USDA RD funding to the Red Sulfur Public Service District (PSD) (Peterstown, WV) to extend water service.

$4,200,000 in USDA RD funding to the City of Williamson, WV to upgrade the citys water system.

$343,719 in NIFA funding to WVU (Morgantown, WV) to support a substance abuse prevention project titled Safety First: Preventing Rural Youth Risk Behaviors.

Projects that received funds from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), include:

$2,640,000 in ARC grant funding to the City of Philippi, WV for the citys reservoir raw water line.

$1,920,000 in ARC grant funding to the Town of Sand Fork, WV for wastewater system improvements.

Projects that received funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as the the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), include:

$3,868,000 in EPA funding to the Clarksburg Water Board (Clarksburg, WV) to support clean water projects in the city.

$1,675,572 in EPA funding to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) (Charleston, WV) to help localities address development and stormwater and to support farmers on Nutrient Management Plans.

$888,823 in EPA IIJA grant funding to the West Virginia DEP (Charleston, WV) for Brownfields Revitalization.

$720,000 in EPA grant funding to the West Virginia DEP (Charleston, WV) for water quality monitoring and assessment.

$709,235 in EPA grant funding to the West Virginia DEP (Charleston, WV) for water quality restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

$500,000 in EPA IIJA grant funding to the City of Wheeling, WV for Brownfields cleanup.

$481,249 in EPA grant funding to the West Virginia DEP (Charleston, WV) to support the Leaking Underground Storage Tanks (LUST) program.

$465,979 in EPA grant funding to the West Virginia DEP (Charleston, WV) to provide low interest loans for clean drinking water projects.

$235,428 in EPA grant funding to the West Virginia DEP (Charleston, WV) for collection and analysis of water quality sampling data in West Virginia, quality control and assurance, and providing water quality data to support calibration and verification of Chesapeake Bay watershed models.

$177,900 in EPA grant funding to the West Virginia DEP (Charleston, WV) for compliance enforcement of Underground Waste Storage Tanks.

$168,775 in EPA grant funding to the West Virginia DEP (Charleston, WV) for water pollution control programs across West Virginia.

$42,665 in EPA grant funding to the West Virginia DEP (Charleston, WV) for superfund site administrative support and feasibility studies.

$23,477 in EPA grant funding to the West Virginia DEP (Charleston, WV) for superfund site management needs.

West Virginia Department of Transportation receives three awards at 2024 Americas Transportation Awards competition

Projects that received funds from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), include:

$5,000,000 in DOE funding to WVU (Morgantown, WV) for a project where researchers, working with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), aim to show the advantages of direct solar-thermal integration with hydrogen production by using a high-temperature solid oxide electrolyzer, with the intent of using the technology in a wide range of applications, such as creating hydrogen and oxygen in space.

Projects that received funds from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), include:

$3,000,000 in VA funding to West Virginia Community Action Partnerships, Inc. (Charleston, WV) to support homeless and at-risk veterans.

$397,923 in VA funding to Helping Heroes, Inc. (Wheeling, WV) to support homeless and at-risk veterans.

$262,981 in VA funding to the Greater Wheeling Coalition for the Homeless, Inc. (Wheeling, WV) to support homeless and at-risk veterans.

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  While at times it seems crime is increasing across Southern Nevada, the North Las Vegas Police Department said positive changes have occurred when it comes to car break-ins, vandalism, and thefts.



The department provided crime statistics to 8 News Now stating that stolen car incident reports are down nearly 45% and car burglaries have declined 8.5%.



Its a good feeling to know that the numbers are going down, North Las Vegas resident, Shatevia Boykin said.



North Las Vegas Police have praised theft prevention devices, which have been given out for free to community members along with recent security software updates from manufacturers like Kia and Hyundai.



Additionally, the department has more officers patrolling the city with the intent of catching thieves in the act.



I remember a lot of people talking about the KIA thing. Kia boys and stuff like that, North Las Vegas resident, Brandon Johnson said. It makes me feel a lot safer, especially for my vehicle alone.



With North Las Vegas seeing drastic improvements in property crimes declining, those who live in the area say its up to the car owners to take precautions in any way they know how.



I take everything out. I dont leave anything in the car, Piere Cervantes said. I have a security system in there. I got the viper for extra protection of course.

The department personnel also grew to over 300 officers with an additional 26 police recruits entering the police academy in three weeks. There was a 6.5% decrease in calls for service in the first six months of 2024 in comparison to the same time frame in 2023.

North Las Vegas Police officials also shared the grand opening of the new North Central Area Command Center which they believe has enhanced their presence throughout the city and hotbed crime areas.

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In the past five years, doctors in New Jersey have evaluated and approved almost 300 people to end their lives by self-administering prescribed medication. (Getty Images)

Since New Jersey lawmakers passed an aid-in-dying law five years ago, the number of terminally ill patients who have sought to end their lives by self-administered medication has jumped almost tenfold.

Now, advocates are working on two fronts to push state policymakers to course-correct the law and make it more accessible to people nearing death with unbearable pain and suffering.

They want to abolish a provision in the law that restricts it to New Jersey residents. Two terminally ill patients from Delaware and Pennsylvania and two New Jersey doctors sued the state last summer, calling the residency restriction discriminatory and unconstitutional.

They also want state legislators to move on a stalled bill that would allow doctors to waive the mandatory 15-day waiting period after patients initial requests for life-ending medication. The wait was meant as a safeguard but instead has become a barrier, supporters say.

Between 25 and 30% of patients that initiate the process dont make it the 15 days to their second visit, either because they die or they lose their eligibility because mentally theyre no longer with us or theyre too weak to self-medicate, said Dr. Deborah Pasik, a rheumatologist for more than 35 years in Morristown. Its really, really tragic when that happens.

The advocacy comes as bodily autonomy in health care decisions has become a flashpoint nationally, with conservative states increasingly restricting abortion rights and access to gender-affirming care.

I definitely worry, Pasik said. This is a sanctuary state for abortion care and for gender-affirming care. Why cant it be sanctuary state for medical aid-in-dying too?

An upward trend

New Jerseys Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act was deeply controversial, with critics, including former Gov. Chris Christie, raising ethical and religious objections and supporters insisting people deserve dignity and autonomy in death. Even Gov. Phil Murphy, who signed the law into passage seven years after it was first introduced, acknowledged mixed feelings, writing that he was torn between the principles of his long-held Catholic faith and compassion for those who face intolerable suffering as their lives end.

But by April 2019, it had mustered enough votes to pass, and the law went into effect in August 2019, 22 years after Oregon became the first state to pass such a law.

Now, 10 states and the District of Columbia have similar laws, and another 18 states  including New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware  have pending legislation, according to Compassion & Choices, a Colorado-based nonprofit that advocates for end-of-life autonomy.

Medical aid-in-dying is something that few people will need, want, or qualify for, but such laws are important for terminally ill people who want to direct their own care and avoid unnecessary suffering, said Corinne Carey, Compassion & Choices senior campaign director for New Jersey and New York.

These laws give everyone the peace of mind of knowing that they have this freedom to make their own decisions at the end of life and chart their own death experience, Carey said.

Data shows theres a growing demand for it.

In the past five years, doctors in New Jersey have evaluated and approved almost 300 people to end their lives by self-administering prescribed medication, with the number steadily climbing from 12 in 2019 to 101 last year, according to the Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner.

Those who applied last year ranged in age from 37 to 100, but most  81%  were 65 or older, data shows. Most (83%) chose to die at home, while the rest died at hospice facilities, nursing homes, someone elses home, and a hotel. Terminal cancer was the most common diagnosis for people who used the law last year, representing 61% of cases. Applicants also tended to be female (57%), college-educated (71%), single, divorced, or widowed (62%), and white (95%).

Carey attributed the racial disparity to cultural objections and health literacy, and she consequently has done outreach in communities of color.

If you lack health literacy, youre certainly not going to know about this option, Carey said. Theres a whole range of options, and the important thing is that youre in the drivers seat, no matter what your decisions are.

Waiting period

In New Jersey, people given a diagnosis of six months or less to live can seek a prescription for life-ending medication under the law, as long as two doctors confirm the diagnosis. The law requires the patient to make two verbal requests 15 days apart, as well as one in writing.

Under a bill Assemblyman Herb Conaway Jr. (D-Burlington) has introduced twice since 2022, that 15-day waiting period would be eliminated for patients not expected to survive for 15 days.

Most laws need to be adjusted at one point or another, driven by the data that we accumulate in the wake of the initial passage, Conaway said.

Most states that have legalized aid-in-dying used Oregons law as their blueprint, but the waiting period is a remnant of that pioneering law that many have since eliminated, Carey said.

New Jerseys bill has no co-sponsors or Senate companion, but Carey said she has been lobbying lawmakers to sign on to it  an especially urgent task if Conaway wins his bid for Congress in November and leaves state politics.

Conaway, a doctor who chairs the Assemblys health committee, said he remains committed to the bill and said it could see traction this fall.

We in health care are taught to trust our patients and their judgment and offer to them the best advice that we can under the circumstances before us, he said. The decision should always rest with the patient.

Residency requirement

Last August, two terminally ill women from neighboring states filed a federal lawsuit looking to end New Jerseys residency requirement for aid-in-dying.

Plaintiffs Judith Govatos, a Wilmington, Delaware, resident with stage-4 lymphoma, and Andy Sealy, a Philadelphia resident with metastatic breast cancer, wanted to apply for life-ending medication under New Jerseys law but couldnt because of the residency requirement, according to the complaint.

Sealy, 44, died earlier this month at her home, seven years after her cancer diagnosis.

Pasik, founder of New Jersey Death with Dignity, and Dr. Paul Bryman, a geriatrician and medical director of a Camden County hospice, joined as plaintiffs, saying the requirement prevents them from treating out-of-state patients because of potential criminal or civil liability.

Attorney General Matt Platkin asked a judge in January to dismiss the case. There has been no ruling on that motion.

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Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and Huntington Mayor Steve Williams spoke back-to-back at the West Virginia Chamber of Commerces Annual Meeting and Business Summit at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024. (Amelia Ferrell Knisely | West Virginia Watch)

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va.  Patrick Morrisey and Steve Williams, the Republican and Democrat seeking to be West Virginias next governor, on Wednesday laid out their plans for how they would tackle some of the states pressing issues: population decline, economic development and the substance abuse crisis.

The candidates, who havent publicly debated, spoke back-to-back at the West Virginia Chamber of Commerces Annual Meeting and Business Summit at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

Morrisey, the states attorney general, said hed take a data-driven approach to improving the state, vowing to compare West Virginias business policies, regulations and taxes with those in neighboring states to see where changes could be made.

If you want West Virginia to rise, we first have to start competing better regionally with the states that we touch, said Morrisey, who won a competitive Republican primary to secure the nomination. I plan to challenge many of the basic assumptions that have been in place for a long time so that West Virginia can grow, and you can measure its growth and so that our kids can be proud to stay home.

Morrisey also reminded the audience, which included the states business leaders and elected officials, that the attorney generals office had fought what he called federal overreach on attempts to curtail carbon emissions and regulate wetlands under the Clean Water Act.

Huntington Mayor Steve Williams, who previously worked in finance, focused on his years improving the citys economics and livability, saying that Huntington had transformed from being the epicenter of the opioid epidemic to being the epicenter of the solution to the problem.

Weve lowered the crime rate, particularly violent crime, said Williams, who is serving his third term as mayor. It has been the only large metro market in West Virginia to increase employment levels above pre-COVID levels.

In fact, weve cut taxes, including eliminating the B&O tax on manufacturing and on retail businesses, and we also cut in half service business B&O taxes. All of this was done to encourage businesses to choose locations in our downtown area  and in our industrial areas.

Morrisey also acknowledged the states ongoing substance abuse crisis. An estimated 208,000 people in West Virginia used illicit drugs in the last month, according to a survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shared with lawmakers earlier this week.

He pointed to the states record $1 billion in opioid settlement money that is supposed to help communities and individuals around the state.

West Virginia is number one per person for settlements in the nation, Morrisey said, adding that fentanyl use had become a new challenge for the state. But all of that doesnt mean anything unless we build upon the success from the past and we look into the future  for the first time ever in our states history, we now have a plan of attack against the dreadful drug menace, and we have resources to deal with that.

Neither candidate laid out plans to improve the states public education system, which faces a teacher shortage, funding crises and pervasive student discipline issues as it serves thousands of children in foster care and who are homeless.

Morrisey focused on expanding school choice, saying enrolling more students in the states controversial and broad education savings account program  the Hope Scholarship  would help improve education outcomes that lag behind the rest of the country.

I want to be your education governor, and not just for the sake of having the title, he said. As your next governor, I want to make sure that school choice in our state is known as the best and the broadest school choice policy in America.

Williams comments on education were limited to, We should expect platinum standards in innovation, economic development, health outcomes, infrastructure, development, education, attainment and prosperity.

With a close U.S. presidential race, Morrisey said it is crucial to have former President Donald J. Trump elected. Otherwise, the kind of policies theyre going to spit out, thats a full time job defending against all that nonsense, and we have to make sure that West Virginia is out in front on all of these new governmental changes that were going to push forward.

While Williams didnt mention Vice President Kamala Harris, he did make it a point to say that West Virginia should become a haven for womens health and reproductive freedom.

When we say mountaineers are always free, we need to make sure that that means mountaineer women too, he said.

Williams, who is running in a red state, said he could care less about party affiliation and would work across the aisle to move the state forward.

The two letters I do have after my name are all that matters, W V. Im a West Virginian  We need all hands on deck, not just hands of the proper political party, gender, race or any other designation.

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Morristown Police are asking the public to stay informed as vehicle thefts increase.

While its smart to lock your doors and bring valuables inside, officers also believe that the conversation needs to go further. Police want people to think about possible root causes for car theft, such as rising mental health issues, drug use, and more.

MPD Detective Lieutenant Todd Baxter told us that this situation is not as simple as saying, We arrest these people and theyre out the next day. That may be true, but that has been a long time coming, and that comes from Montpelier.

I dont think that anybody here in the state of Vermont wants to just throw people in jail, leave them in jail. But what were lacking is: Wheres the adult timeout?

Officers in Morristown held two community meeting last year to address this issue. They say those meetings were well attended, and theyre planning to host more this fall.

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If you or someone you know is dealing with suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or text "Hopeline" to the National Crisis Text Line at 741-741.

Back-to-school preparation often comes with new outfits and a fresh supply of school supplies, all in service of getting kids ready for that first day back  and for good reason. Returning to school is among the most stressful times of the year for young people.

Some may be quietly (or not so quietly) anxious. Will my peers like me? Will I be smart enough? What if I've changed? What if they've changed? Who will I sit with at lunch?

The concerns are nothing new, but the mechanisms for handling them are worlds apart from when most parents and caregivers were last in school, said Linda Hall, director of the Wisconsin Office of Children's Mental Health.

Students arrive for their first day of school at the new Neenah High School last fall in Fox Crossing, Wis.

The reliance on smartphones, the aftermath of the pandemic, the dearth of school-based mental health professionals and, worth noting, Wisconsin's particular challenge with alcohol use have created a gyre of anxiety, sadness and hopelessness. Six out of 10 Wisconsin high schoolers last year reported they felt anxious, depressed or suicidal every day, a number that has climbed since 2017, according to the 2023 Wisconsin Youth Risk Behavior Survey summary report.

Related: 'An urgent and difficult message': 59% of Wisconsin youth feel anxious, depressed or suicidal

What do you need to know?

Listen to young people without trying to 'fix' the problem

We've all experienced trying to open up to someone only for the listener to spend more time interjecting their thoughts and opinions than taking in our words. Chances are, we thought twice before going back.

Young people get this in spades, from friends, teachers, family members and community members. Hall often hears from kids that their reluctance to speak up isn't for lack of trying. Many young people want their parents to listen to them, Hall said. What they don't want is a lecture.

"If they want their parents to listen to them, (parents) should be really engaged in hearing them," Hall said. "Don't rush to fix what they're stressed about. Listen to what they really have to say and be with them."

Be sensitive to the around-the-clock nature of social media

Social media has made it nearly impossible for students to put distance between themselves and social pressures and bullying, Hall said. That's especially true for high school-aged girls, who struggle with bullying  both on school property and online  at nearly twice the rate as high school-aged boys.

"Those of us who went to school before smartphones were in everybody's hands, there might have been some conflicts during the day, but you got away from it at night. You got to go home to your family, a loving place, hopefully, where you were welcomed," Hall said. "There was not this continual stress going on 24 hours a day."

But young people aren't behaving in a vacuum, Hall said. Most adults also have an unhealthy relationship to their phones and screens. In fact, 62% of U.S. adults between the ages of 18 and 29 have reported being online "almost constantly," according to a Pew Research Center report released in January. U.S. adults aged 30 to 49 aren't much better  54% also report being online "almost constantly."

Hall often hears from young people who say they're troubled by how often their parents are on the phone. This, too, interferes with their ability to open up.

"Kids are telling us it's important for parents to walk away from their screens, put down their phone, listen to them, be with them," Hall said. "Our whole way of living and interacting has changed a lot."

Put a priority on regular, consistent sleep

More than three-quarters of all students reported three or more hours of recreational time in front of a TV, computer, smartphone or other electronic device each day, not counting time spent on schoolwork, according to the 2023 Wisconsin Youth Risk Behavior report. And more than half of all students surveyed said they're on their screens after midnight at least one school night per week.

Related: Youths in both urban and rural Wisconsin report troubling levels of food insecurity, poor mental health

Although using social media isn't inherently bad  many marginalized groups find solace in connecting to others with shared experiences and interests across the world  one negative is clear: Heavy use of social media, and smartphones in general, is disrupting sleep, Hall said.

Getting enough sleep is an important protective factor for young people against anxiety, depression and suicidal thinking, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Wisconsin students who use screens late into the evening are, on average, getting less than eight hours of sleep per night. As of 2023, just 26% of students are getting eight or more hours of sleep per night.

Students who got less than five hours of sleep per night were also three times more likely to report depression than students who slept eight or more hours per night, according to the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Report.

Underage drinking today too often means binge drinking

Alcohol use is not something to chalk up as a Wisconsin rite of passage. Allison Weber, the multicultural coordinator for the Department of Health Services' Bureau of Prevention Treatment and Recovery, said that she's seen many parents use their own past with high school drinking as a way of permitting similar activities in their kids. That has led to underage drinking in Wisconsin youth exceeding the national average, even as trends point to a national decrease in use.

But much has changed since many of us were teenagers. Most underage drinking takes the form of binge-drinking, which is defined as a woman having four or more drinks, and a man having five or more drinks, within about 2 hours, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. And binge-drinking has a tendency to exacerbate feelings of anxiety, depression and even suicide, especially among young people, Weber said.

"We know a lot more about child development, child brain development than when many of us were in our teens," Weber said.

Don't be intimidated by conversations about alcohol use

Weber said the reluctance of parents to strike up conversations about alcohol use with young people is part of what led her and others to launch Small Talks in 2018. It's an initiative through DHS that helps guide parents and caregivers to have casual five- to 10-minute conversations with kids as young as 8 about underage drinking.

"(Small Talks) is a call to action, to be less intimidated about having these conversations," Weber said.

These short conversations will look different, depending on the age of the child. Some examples, according to the Small Talks resources page, include questions for 5- to 7-year-olds like: "When do you think someone is ready to try alcohol?" and "Why do you think it's illegal for kids under the age of 21 to drink alcohol?"

Weber emphasized that the purpose of these talks is never to be punitive. It's to help begin conversations without judgment, using honesty and curiosity as prompts.

Get outside, be a healthy role model

Exploring green spaces, taking part in healthy group activities and doing things that don't involve screens or alcohol can do a lot to help improve young people's mental health, both Hall and Weber said.

For Weber, it's crucial to show young people that fun alcohol-free activities can be had by all.

According to research from the Wisconsin Bureau of Prevention Treatment and Recovery, 26% of teenagers reported drinking over a 30-day period. But that also means about 75% of young people aren't drinking, which Weber sees as a silver lining to Wisconsin's troubling alcohol culture.

"Most children see their parents as role models. They tend to mimic what parents do," Weber said.

Related: Young people are struggling. What they need is deceptively simple.

Natalie Eilbert covers mental health issues for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She welcomes story tips and feedback. You can reach her at neilbert@gannett.com or view her Twitter profile at @natalie_eilbert.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Back to school 2024: How to help students limit back-to-school stress.
The FBI has been able to gain extensive analysis on the mindset of the suspected shooter who carried out the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, officials said Wednesday, but it has so far been unable to establish a clear motive.

In a media call Wednesday afternoon, the FBI said it has conducted nearly 1,000 interviews, served numerous search warrants, issued dozens of subpoenas and analyzed hundreds of hours of video footage as part of its investigation into the shooting.

As part of their investigation, officials said, they've found that Thomas Matthew Crooks engaged in a "sustained, detailed effort" to plan an attack on some kind of major event, but when the Trump rally was announced, he became "hyperfocused" on it as a "target of opportunity."

MORE: At least 5 Secret Service officials involved in planning Trump's Butler rally put on administrative duty

In addition to a previously revealed online search conducted by Crooks on July 6 that stated, "How far was [Lee Harvey] Oswald from [John F.] Kennedy," officials said he also searched "Where will Trump speak from at Butler Farm Show?" as well as "Butler Farm Show podium" and "Butler Farm Show photos."

In the 30 days prior to the attack, Crooks reportedly conducted "more than 60 searches related to former President Trump and President Biden," the FBI said.

Through a review of Crooks' online activity dating back to 2019, investigators said they've also found he had conducted multiple searches related to explosive devices including, "How to make a bomb from fertilizer" and "How remote detonators work."

MORE: Acting Secret Service director grilled about Trump assassination attempt as new details emerge

The FBI released a picture in tandem with its briefing Wednesday showing an improvised explosive device it has said was found inside Crooks' vehicle. The FBI said that after an analysis of the device, it determined the components were all purchased legally and "readily available online."

PHOTO: The FBI released a picture in tandem with its briefing Wednesday showing an improvised explosive device it has said was found inside Crooks' vehicle. (Allegheny County, PA Police Department)

PHOTO: The FBI released a picture in tandem with its briefing Wednesday showing what it said was the suspect's 'rifle broken down as was likely done for transport and the backpack recovered onsite.' (FBI)

Officials also provided an update to the timeline of the actions leading up to the moments of the shooting. According to video obtained from a local business, Crooks first climbed onto the roof of the AGR complex at 6:05 p.m. and traversed a series of rooftops before allegedly firing eight rounds at 6:11 p.m., officials said, meaning he was on the rooftop for a total of six minutes before he allegedly began firing and then was killed by a Secret Service countersniper.

MORE: Local SWAT team blames Trump assassination attempt on lack of planning, communication

Motive still a mystery in Trump assassination attempt originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Mountain Dew wants to pay people to move to the midwest

(WSPA)  If youre looking for a change of scenery, soda maker Mountain Dew may be able to help.

The company announced this week a new promotion to celebrate the great outdoors, and encouraging people to visit or relocate to states in the Mountain Time Zone.

Six states are fully in Mountain Time Zone  Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and Arizona  and eight states  Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas are partially split between Mountain Time Zone and another time zone.

Until the end of the year, anyone who visits this website can register to receive a free Mountain Dew drink while visiting a state in the time zone.

Additionally Mountain Dew is offering to give five people who want to move to the Mountain Time Zone states $10,000 to get there.

To enter, anyone interested can create a TikTok video using the hastags #MountainDewHauls and #contest and explain why they want to move and how they plan to enjoy the outdoors in the midwest.

Winners will get the money to help with their move, as well as a free year of Mountain Dew and some Mountain Dew Outdoor gear.

The contest runs through December 31.

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Mourners remembered the late U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell of Paterson at his funeral Mass Wednesday as a witty, fiercely dedicated public servant. (OIT/NJ Governors Office)

Despite holding many public titles throughout his life, Bill Pascrell was remembered by his family Wednesday as a lifelong Patersonian who had a fierce dedication to helping the working people of New Jersey.

Pascrell had endless energy, a witty sense of humor, spoke with conviction, and made friends with anyone, family members said at Pascrells funeral Mass in Paterson. His son David recalled two family friends the family referred to as Uncle Grasshopper  a truck driver who helped support his six siblings  and Uncle Larky, a sign painter who lost his arm when he fell off a moving train.

Uncle Larky and Uncle Grasshopper were the kinds of people my parents, and my father especially, were drawn to and deeply admired, and they wanted us to learn from them as their children, said David Pascrell at a packed Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson.

Pascrell died Aug. 21 at 87 after a prolonged hospital stay. For more than a quarter-century, he represented the 9th Congressional District, which includes his native Paterson.

The first pews of the church were filled with prominent state and national politicians, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-California), Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), members of New Jerseys House delegation, Gov. Phil Murphy, and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin.

But Pascrells decades-long career wasnt the focus of his funeral  it was his commitment to Paterson (spelled with only one T,' a remark Pascrell made many times).

Im glad they really focused on the family, because in the end, thats what it was really all about. He fought for our families. He fought for our future, said Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh.

Family and friends said Pascrell was a late bloomer when it came to his political career. He first entered the political sphere in his 50s after serving in the U.S. Army and working as a teacher. His son Bill Pascrell III said that meant he and his brothers were able to spend time with their dad throughout their entire childhood.

Pascrell was elected to the state Assembly in 1987, started serving as Patersons mayor in 1990, and was elected to the House of Representatives in 1996.

He was married to his wife, Elsie, who sat in the front pew, for more than 60 years. There would be no Bill Pascrell without Elsie, son Glenn Pascrell said during his eulogy, prompting hundreds of mourners to stand and give her a round of applause.

He loved people, their stories, their journeys, their struggles, and their humanity, and I think the most important achievements in his life came from those personal connections, said Glenn Pascrell.

Pascrell became motivated to advocate for first responders after Paterson firefighter John Nicosia died while responding to a massive 1991 fire at the former Meyer Brothers department store.

As mayor, he helped modernize the citys communication equipment and later spearheaded similar efforts in Congress. He spearheaded the Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement Act of 2000, which delivers federal dollars directly to fire departments across the country.

As recently as March, more than $1.3 million was allocated to 25 fire departments in Pascrells district.

Monsignor Geno Sylva, who delivered the homily, remembered Pascrell as a self-proclaimed tough guy who was able to fight without hate. They often debated issues, but Sylva said Pascrell was a devoted Christian who fought battles daily on Capitol Hill.

His work in Congress led to Murphy designating Route 19 as the William J. Pascrell Highway. Sylva quipped to the governor, sitting in the front pew, that he didnt know about the honor because theres no sign noting it.

May you speedily arrive home to heaven, where therell be no need for you to be fiery and fierce, Sylva said. Were going to get that sign up on Route 19.

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(Bloomberg) -- Alphabet Inc.s Google said on Wednesday that it would resume allowing some consumers to use its artificial intelligence models to generate images of people, after a scandal earlier this year prompted the company to suspend the feature.

Most Read from Bloomberg

In February, Google came under fire for its image-generation tool, which depicted historically inaccurate scenes, including incorrect racial depictions, when prompted to create images of people. Alphabet Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai called the responses completely unacceptable, and the Mountain View, California-based company stopped accepting prompts for people while it worked to address the concerns raised.

Six months later, Google is ramping up once more. The company said it will begin rolling out image generation of people to English-language users who pay for its Gemini Advanced product, which offers access to some of the companys most cutting edge AI models. Businesses will also be able to use the tool, which will be available in the coming days.

Dave Citron, a senior director for product management at Google, wrote in a blog post that the company had made significant progress in generating depictions of people through Imagen 3, an AI model that underpins some of its products.

Weve worked to make technical improvements to the product, as well as improved evaluation sets, red-teaming exercises and clear product principles, Citron wrote. Red teaming simulates using a product to find its potential harms before it reaches the public. Of course, not every image Gemini creates will be perfect, but well continue to listen to feedback from early access Gemini Advanced users as we keep improving.

Citron said users would not be able to create photorealistic imagery, identifiable individuals, portrayals of minors or excessively gory, violent or sexual scenes. Google will gradually bring the feature to more users, he added.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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In harbors and factories, news of the fraud spread fast.

Its a tremendous slap in the face, said Ryan Bradley, the executive director of Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United.

Its totally unfortunate, said David Gautier, who sells seafood from the Pass Christian Harbor.

But the Coasts commercial fishermen and seafood processors were not surprised that Quality Poultry & Seafood pleaded guilty on Tuesday to conspiring with Mary Mahoneys Old French House restaurant to pass off cheap, foreign fish as fresh Gulf catch.

Many had guessed Quality was next. The federal government did not name the business when Mary Mahoneys pleaded guilty this summer. Court records unsealed Tuesday confirmed that Quality sold Mahoneys the misbranded fish, and that both businesses profited by charging the same price they would for premium local seafood.

Authorities now say Quality will forfeit $1 million, pay a criminal fine of $150,000 and could spend up to five years on probation. Its sales manager, Todd Rosetti, and business manager, James Jim Gunkel, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges and could also face penalties.

The criminal case cracked the guise of a place that has long worshiped local seafood.

If I were a betting man, Id guarantee you theres other people doing it, Gautier said. They just havent gotten caught yet.

Clell Rosetti, an owner of Quality Poultry & Seafood, far left, his son Todd Rosetti, the sales manager, far right, and their attorneys walk out of the 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.

Fishermen condemn mislabeled seafood

The latest blows stung, Bradley said. He said it is hard for honest fishermen who abide by strict regulations to compete with Quality, the largest seafood wholesaler in the state. It was not a victimless crime, he said, because fishermens prices have plummeted while Quality apparently profited.

They dont treat the real fishermen right, he said. Now we know why. They didnt feel like they needed us.

The news also struck Bethany Fayard, a fourth-generation processor and distributor whose father owns Ocean Springs Seafood. The federal government fined her father in the 1980s for buying imported shrimp, adding it with domestic shrimp and not properly labeling the box, she said. She was a young teenager, and said it was hard when the news spread to friends and even some of her school teachers.

Now, she wonders why a seafood processor would not know better, given how the federal government has cracked down in the past and how much oversight processors endure. She said in the past six months, the Food and Drug Administration, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Marine Resources all showed up at her plant for surprise inspections.

She does not believe what Quality and Mary Mahoneys did was right. But she also said she understands the pressures in a market flooded with cheap imports.

These people are doing this out of desperation, she said. It would be better to shut the doors than break the law.

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.

Fishermen and processors say they suspect restaurants have long used imports legally and illegally because they are cheaper than domestic fish and can meet the high demands of consumers. But the fishermen have protested imports for decades. In 2021, they tried but failed to force state leaders to require restaurants to label imported seafood, as Alabama and Louisiana have done already. Supporters of that law argued labeling imports would level the playing field by letting customers know they are eating fish from overseas.

Warning for MS Coast industry

Fishermen and processors said they were hopeful the the governments penalties would convince other seafood businesses to follow the rules. Gautier said the government should work more with the seafood industry to help, not hinder it.

The families at Quality and Mary Mahoneys are good people, he said. They just got caught up in something they shouldnt have been doing.

Sympathy is harder for fishermen. Bradley said many felt disparaged by customers outpouring of support for Mary Mahoneys even after the business pleaded guilty. He, too, hopes customers begin to demand fresh, local seafood.

The case could become a lesson.

It looks like the government is trying to make an example out of these two, Gautier said. Maybe other people will straighten up and fly right.

And now, Fayard predicted, any processor or restaurant still labeling imports as domestic will face the federal government sooner, rather than later.

People are looking, she said. People care.

Staff writers Anita Lee and Margaret Baker contributed reporting.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  Michigan State Police have confirmed that wreckage found weeks ago near the Straits of Mackinac is a plane that was presumed to have crashed 17 years ago.

The small plane was believed to have crashed into Lake Huron in August 2007 while flying from Bad Axe to Mackinac Island. The pilot, a 52-year-old woman, and her passenger, a 56-year-old man, were both from Washington, D.C.

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The pilots body was found two months later near the Mackinac Bridge, but the passenger and the plane wreckage were never found. According to MSP, a private company called Great Lakes Search & Recovery resumed the search efforts after being contacted by family members last year.

Earlier this month, the search team found what is now confirmed to be the plane wreckage near Bois Blanc Island. The skeletal remains of the passenger were also found inside.

The discovery was reported to MSP and the departments Marine Services Team went to the site and collected evidence to confirm the finding. Northern Michigan Universitys Center for Forensic Anthropology used dental records to confirm the skeletal remains found at the site belonged to the passenger.

MSP credited the work done by Great Lakes Search & Recovery to help bring closure to the victims families.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
KAILUA, Hawaii (KHON2)  Honolulu Ocean Safety opened its newest lifeguard tower at Kalama Beach Park on Wednesday, a much-needed tower that has been in the works for decades.

Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news

Wake Up 2Days Chris Latronic went live from Kailua to learn more and witness a traditional Hawaiian blessing performed by Kahu and retired Ocean Safety lifeguard Dennis Sallas.

Kauai agencies call off search for missing Lihue snorkeler

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, Honolulu City Councilwoman Esther Kiaaina, acting director for Honolulu Ocean Safety Kurt Lager and current and retired lifeguards attended the historic blessing.

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Our Honolulu Ocean Safety Department is stepping up like never before, making sure that everyone who enjoys our beaches feels secure and protected in our waters. Our commitment to public safety is unwavering, and were dedicated to bringing this heightened level of care and vigilance to every beach across the island, so residents and visitors can enjoy our beautiful shores with peace of mind, said Mayor Rick Blangiardi.

In the last five years, lifeguards stationed at Kailua Beach Park responded to more than 500 911 calls in Kailua Bay and along the shoreline. Amongst the 911 calls, nearly 100 were in the area of the new tower and were for emergencies including drownings, medical calls, missing persons, boaters in distress and shark sightings.

Tropical twists: Discover Hawaiis wild wine scene

Before the tower opening, a 40-year-old man was caught in the rip current and needed help to the shore by bystanders. EMS transported him to an emergency room after swallowing water and experiencing exhaustion. Ocean Safety mobile responders stood by for the remainder of the day and rescued three more people, including a child.

Kailua Beach is one of several beaches where we needed more lifeguard coverage. This is an exciting time for Ocean Safety and because of our city and resident support we are continuing to increase lifeguarding services to help ensure beachgoers are safe, said Kurt Lager, Acting Director of Honolulu Ocean Safety.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN)  Multiple Lawrence County fire and rescue companies responded to a commercial structure fire on Tuesday evening.

Manchester residents start to rebuild after devastating apartment fire

A Facebook post from Lawrence County Fire & Rescue said that at 5:30 p.m., multiple fire and rescue companies responded to a commercial structure fire in the Ethridge Fire District. Units confirmed that there was a working fire and requested additional resources to fight the blaze.

In a 5:57 p.m. update, the rescue company said that Ethridge Fire Command confirmed that the fire was under control.

Total devastation: Clarksville firefighter in need after losing home in fire

A residential structure less than 75 feet away has been saved. The residence sustained only radiant heat damage, the post reads, in part.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Three people were arrested in connection to an alleged human trafficking operation in metro Atlanta.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Last Thursday, Roswell police along with other neighboring police departments, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security conducted search warrants at the following apartments and homes:

1006 Applegate Dr., Roswell

900 Jameson Pass, Alpharetta

6890 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd., Sandy Springs

1050 Hammond Dr., Sandy Springs

1105 Mount Vernon Hwy NE, Sandy Springs

4021 McGinnis Ferry Rd., Suwanee

2037 Weems Rd., Tucker

According to Roswell police, the warrants stem from an investigation that began in March of this year. Investigators were looking into the solicitation of prostitution in Roswell. Detectives learned suspects were providing illicit massage or prostitution out of some Roswell apartments and throughout the Metro Atlanta area.

Police arrested Jeannot Joseph, age 39, of Roswell, Qin Zhen, age 48, of Sandy Springs, and Jinpei Li, age 72, of Norcross.

The suspects were charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and labor trafficking.

TRENDING STORIES:

RPD said while conducting the search warrants, one victim was identified, adding to the two victims who were found earlier this year as part of the same investigation.

Roswell police executed a similar operation in September 2023, resulting in several arrests and more than 50 trafficking victims rescued.

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This is more than just a victory for law enforcement; it is a significant step forward in our ongoing fight to protect the vulnerable and bring justice to those who exploit them. Human trafficking is taking place in our communities, and we are committed to putting an end to it, Roswell Chief of Police James Conroy said.

The investigation is ongoing, with more charges and arrests anticipated. Anyone with information is urged to contact Det. Fields via email, or 770-640-4455. Tipsters can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477 or submitting a tip online.

IN OTHER NEWS:
Murder Suspect Caught After Falling Through Ceiling of Memphis Home While Trying to Hide from Authorities

Deario Wilkerson was taken into custody on Aug. 26 after attempting to hide in an attic, the U.S. Marshals Service said

US Marshals Service Memphis/x Deario Wilkerson

A Memphis murder suspect has been taken into custody after falling through a ceiling while attempting to hide from authorities in an attic space.

On Monday, Aug. 26, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) confirmed in a news release that they had captured Deario Wilkerson, 20, amid his alleged involvement with the killing of Troy Cunningham, who was shot to death on April 2, 2024.

The victim was found at the 1500 block of N. Merton Street in the Tennessee city, before "an arrest warrant for first-degree murder and reckless endangerment-deadly weapon was issued for Wilkersons arrest," just over a month later on May 9, the release stated.

Memphis murder #Fugitive, Deario Wilkerson, tried to hide in the attic. He was captured by U.S. Marshals after he fell through the ceiling. pic.twitter.com/ZhQJp4Sbo2  U.S. Marshals Service Memphis (@USMSMemphis) August 26, 2024

"The case was adopted for a fugitive investigation by the U.S. Marshals Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force (TRVFTF) in Memphis," authorities confirmed, adding that the TRVFTF managed to track the suspect down to a residence in the 1400 block of N. Merton in Memphis on Aug. 26, which is where images showed the ceiling had collapsed after he attempted to hide in the attic.

Photos shared by the U.S. Marshals Service showed a hole in the ceiling of the property, while dust and chunks of debris were seen on the kitchen floor.

"Deputy marshals, with the assistance of the Shelby County Sheriffs Office and Memphis Police Departments Fugitive Apprehension Teams, surrounded the home," the release stated, adding that Wilkerson "was not injured from the fall and was taken into custody with no further incident."

The Shelby County Sheriffs Office and the Memphis Police Department did not immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information.

US Marshals Service Memphis/x Deario Wilkerson was captured by the U.S. Marshals Service after falling through a ceiling in a Memphis home

Per a previous release shared by the Shelby County District Attorney's Office on May 8, Wilkerson is one of three people suspected of being involved in Cunningham's death. He hadn't been arrested at the time of the release.

The Attorney's Office confirmed the victim had been "discovered on the sidewalk near Peres and Merton Street, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the back of his head" while trying to run away from the suspects on April 2.

US Marshals Service Memphis/x Deario Wilkerson

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"Additionally, during the incident, gunfire struck the vehicle of two female victims traveling westbound on Peres Avenue, resulting in one of the women sustaining a gunshot wound to the shoulder," the release said at the time.

Per local media outlet WREG, the female victim received treatment in hospital, but was in "noncritical condition."



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Read the original article on People.
MUSCOGEE COUNTY, Ga. (WRBL)  Muscogee County Sheriffs Office Special Operations Unit and the Russell County Sheriffs Office arrested a woman wanted for child sexual exploitation.

Elsa Rose was located and arrest by law enforcement Aug. 26. Rose was wanted in Muscogee County for two counts of felony sexual exploitation of a child.

Authorities say Rose is being held in the Russell County Jail where she awaits extradition back to Georgia.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
This article was originally published in EducationNC.

A partnership between The Innovation Project and North Carolina Central University (NCCU) is providing $1.5 million in scholarship funding for aspiring principals from small, high-need North Carolina school districts.

The Recruitment, Retention, and Promotion of Effective Educators scholarship initiative covers the cost of a two-year Master of School Administration degree program. This includes tuition and a salary for their full-time principal internship, which is completed during their second year. Funding for the scholarship comes from grants, one via the U.S. Department of Education and another from N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

This partnership underscores our shared dedication to advancing educational equity and excellence and preparing our aspiring leaders to lead with integrity, purpose, and through innovation, NCCU MSA Program Director Portia Gibbs-Roseboro said.

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The Innovation Project is a nonprofit that connects school district leaders throughout the state with the purpose of inspiring change and equity.

Sharon Contreras, CEO of The Innovation Project, said that with strong support, great teachers can become great principals.

The interview process was especially dynamic and illuminated those candidates with the potential to do the work our students need and deserve. Im thrilled with the outcome and I look forward to seeing these professionals advance in their careers and continue to serve in smaller districts, Contreras said.

Candidates were selected to be in the scholarship programs first cohort after nominations, applying, and a group interview process. The 16 scholarship recipients are listed below.

Cecelia Aguilar, Warren County School District

Trevor Beverly, Lexington City Schools

James Brown, Warren County School District

QuaShana Brown, Edgecombe County Public Schools

Sylvia Carver, Elizabeth City  Pasquotank Public Schools

Wilonda Gillespie-Cates, Vance County Public Schools

JVonn Davis, Elizabeth City  Pasquotank Public Schools

Megan Gentry, Mt. Airy School District

Pamela Jordan, Warren County School District

Ashley Knowles, Sampson County Schools

Brandon Powell, Sampson County Schools

Jennivise Lindsay, Vance County Public Schools

Kenya Raynor, Edgecombe County Public Schools

Elaine Reales, Mt. Airy School District

West Scherer, Asheboro City Schools

Danielle Wissner, Elizabeth City  Pasquotank Public Schools

The cohort members will begin classes in the upcoming fall semester. In addition to their course work, recipients also committed to a five-year service obligation.

This article first appeared on EducationNC and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Namibia plans to kill more than 700 animals including elephants and hippos  and distribute the meat

Namibia is planning to kill more than 700 wild animals, including elephants, zebras and hippos, and distribute the meat to the people struggling with food insecurity as the country grapples with its worst drought in 100 years.

The animals set to be culled include 83 elephants, 30 hippos, 60 buffalo, 50 impala, 100 blue wildebeest and 300 zebras, the countrys Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism announced Monday.

They will come from national parks and communal areas with sustainable game numbers and will be killed by professional hunters, the ministry said in a press release.

The aim of the program is to help alleviate the impacts of drought in the southwest African country, the ministry said.

Namibia declared a state of emergency in May as the impacts of drought worsened. An estimated 1.4 million people  around half the population  are expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity.

The culling program will take pressure off water resources by reducing wildlife in areas where their numbers exceed available grazing and water, the ministry said.

It also aims to reduce the potential for conflicts between elephants and humans, which can increase during drought when animals search for food and water can bring them into contact with people.

To this effect, 83 elephants from identified conflict areas will be culled, (and) meat will be allocated to the drought relief programme, the ministry said.

Southern Africa is a stronghold for elephants, home to more than 200,000. These animals have also been negatively affected by drought, with hundreds believed to have died across the region last year as their water sources dried up.

Meat from other animals set to be killed will also be distributed to those struggling with hunger, according to the ministry, which pointed to people living in rural areas as being particularly affected.

More than 150 animals have already been killed, providing more than 125,000 pounds of meat, the ministry said.

We are happy that we can assist the country in this very difficult time and when its absolutely needed, it said.

Some have criticized the governments plan, however.

It risks setting a dangerous precedent of reliance on wildlife populations to solve human problems, said Keith Lindsay, a conservation biologist and natural resources consultant.

Looking to wildlife to alleviate food insecurity in emergency situations is very likely to lead to a more regular, ongoing demand for bushmeat that would be unsustainable, he told CNN. Wild animals are much more susceptible than domestic livestock to changing seasonal conditions as well as the impacts of the climate crisis, he added.

Lindsay also cast doubt on the idea that the program would reduce conflict between elephants and humans, given the scattered locations for the elephants set to be killed.

Namibia is one of several countries across southern Africa struggling with devastating drought driven by El Nino  a natural climate pattern which has led to sharply reduced rainfall in the region  and exacerbated by the human-caused climate crisis.

A dearth of rain combined with scorching temperatures has led to shriveled crops and soaring levels of hunger for tens of millions of people in the region.

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NASAs Perseverance rover took this selfie, made up of 62 individual images, on July 23. A rock nicknamed Cheyava Falls, which has features that may offer clues about whether Mars was once home to microscopic life, is to the left of the rover, near the center of the image.

A road trip has begun on Mars.

NASAs Perseverance rover, which has been roaming the red planet since 2021, has embarked on a long trek to the top of the crater in which it landed, the space agency said Tuesday.

It marks a new chapter of the rovers mission: Its expected to spend the next few months making a steep ascent up to the western rim of Jezero Crater, a 28-mile-wide basin north of the Martian equator that scientists think was once home to a river delta.

The trip comes after 3 years of exploration on the floor of Jezero Crater, where Perseverance found evidence of ancient flash floods and collected several rock samples that NASA intends to bring back to Earth on a future mission.

Perseverance has completed four science campaigns, collected 22 rock cores, and traveled over 18 unpaved miles, Art Thompson, the missions project manager at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, said in a statement this month. As we start the Crater Rim Campaign, our rover is in excellent condition, and the team is raring to see whats on the roof of this place.

A mosaic made of 59 individual images showing the area Perseverance will climb in the coming weeks.

Perseverance is likely to encounter some of the steepest and most challenging terrain it has experienced so far, according to NASA. The journey involves an elevation gain of around 1,000 feet and will most likely wrap up at the end of the year.

Throughout its travels, Perseverance will study Mars terrain, comparing rocks on the crater rim with those on its floor and in previously explored areas. The comparisons should give scientists a richer understanding of Mars landscape and its geological history.

Once the rover reaches the top, it is expected to focus on two regions: a spot nicknamed Pico Turquino and another dubbed Witch Hazel Hill.

Photos snapped from orbit suggest that Pico Turquino has some ancient fractures that may be remnants of hydrothermal systems from Mars distant past, according to NASA. Scientists are eager to investigate the possibility that heated water circulated beneath the Martian surface long ago; if that was the case, it could indicate that conditions were once ripe for microbial life to exist on the planet.

At Witch Hazel Hill, NASA scientists plan for Perseverance to investigate layers of bedrock that are likely to contain clues about the planets climate over billions of years.

Eleni Ravanis, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and one of the science leads of the Crater Rim Campaign, said the findings will help researchers understand more about Mars geological evolution.

This is because we expect to investigate rocks from the most ancient crust of Mars, Ravanis said in a statement. These rocks formed from a wealth of different processes, and some represent potentially habitable ancient environments that have never been examined up close before.

Perseverance launched on July 30, 2020, and landed on Mars on Feb. 18, 2021. The mission is the first step in what is known as the Mars Sample Return campaign, a collaboration between NASA and the European Space Agency. The plan calls for subsequent missions to send another spacecraft to Mars to collect the samples Perseverance has gathered and bring them back to Earth.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Nvidia employees are becoming multimillionaires as they endure grueling, seven-day weeks at the office  and workers at rivals including Goole and Meta are green with envy.

One employee at Nvidia  the AI chipmaker whose stock surge this year has made it one of the worlds most valuable companies  took to Blind, the app where tech workers can post anonymously, and responded to a question from a Google worker who asked Nvidia engineers how rich are you?

Bought a 100k family car in all cash and didnt have to think about it, the Nvidia worker wrote on the social media app.

Nvidia employees are the object of envy across Silicon Valley due to their newfound wealth. AP

Really depends on your level, he wrote, adding that their net worth was only around $3 million though they still have 3M unvested and very comfortable.

In response, workers at rival tech firms  including Google and Meta, among the most prestigious in Silicon Valley  are admitting to their envy.

The more I hear about Nvidia employees and their riches, the more jealous I feel, a Meta employee wrote on the Blind app.

The Meta worker griped that some people have to only work for like couple of years to build generational wealth while I need to work like forever to feel safe about retiring!

Another Meta employee wrote on Blind that a neighbor who started at Nvidia five years ago as an entry level engineer was now worth $20 million.

An employee from another tech rival, Snap, took to Blind and wrote that he and his wife are worth $14.8 million at age 32.

But when compared to old timer friends at Nvidia, every single one of them is worth over $25 million.

Its nuts, the Snap employee wrote on Blind.

Shares of Nvidia have soared by more than 3,700% in the last five years. REUTERS

The Nvidia employee who dished on his newfound wealth ended his post with: Thanks JHH.

JHH are the initials for Jen-Hsun Jensen Huang, the co-founder and CEO of Nvidia who is credited with steering the company and molding it into the worlds dominant maker of semiconductors used to power artificial intelligence.

Under Huangs leadership, Nvidias stock has surged by more than 3,700% in the last five years.

Huang has also bragged about his reluctance to fire employees  instead opting to torture them into greatness.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is credited with steering the company through a period of unparalleled success. AFP via Getty Images

Some current and former employees at Nvidia described a pressure-cooker environment that demands seven-day work weeks, long hours and frequent shouting matches and fights at meetings.

But employees decide to brave it all due to the golden handcuffs that the company places on them in the form of stock compensation packages that vest after four years  meaning that workers are free to exercise stock options once the vesting period ends.

The Post has sought comment from Nvidia.
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A gray rough rock in space. | Credit: NASA/JHUAPL

Rogue asteroids, to put it simply, pose a threat to Earth. Though there hasn't been a cataclysmic event in about 65 million years, that's not to say there haven't been nail-biting moments during space rock flybys  in 2013, for instance, the Chelyabinsk asteroid slammed into Earth's atmosphere "blazing like a second sun" and sending shockwaves through the surrounding area.

Space agencies around the world understandably want to be prepared. To this end, NASA launched the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft in 2022, its first mission dedicated to demonstrating asteroid deflection through kinetic impact. DART successfully collided with a near-Earth asteroid called Dimorphos, which is part of a binary system as it orbits a larger asteroid named Didymos. Lots of incredible information has been gleaned from this impact already, and we just got a little more. According to a paper published this year about the event, DART created a large crater in Dimorphos, in fact reshaping the rock so dramatically it derailed from its original progression.

"For the most part, our original pre-impact predictions about how DART would change the way Didymos and its moon move in space were correct," Derek Richardson, a professor of astronomy at the University of Maryland and a DART investigation working group lead, said in a statement. "But there are some unexpected findings that help provide a better picture of how asteroids and other small bodies form and evolve over time."

One surprise was just how much DART was able to alter Dimorphos. Prior to the collision, the asteroid was oblate, meaning it was somewhat flattened or squished along one axis, likely due to its own rotation or gravitational effects.

Related: NASA radar images show stadium-size asteroid tumbling by Earth during flyby

After the collision, Dimorphos' shape became prolate, meaning the asteroid was stretched along its axis, making it longer in one direction. The impact likely caused this elongation by redistributing the asteroid's mass and altering its rotational dynamics.

"We were expecting Dimorphos to be prolate pre-impact simply because that's generally how we believed the central body of a moon would gradually accumulate material that's been shed off a primary body like Didymos. It would naturally tend to form an elongated body that would always point its long axis toward the main body," Richardson explained. "But this result contradicts that idea and indicates that something more complex is at work here. Furthermore, the impact-induced change in Dimorphos shape likely changed how it interacts with Didymos."

The DART collision has indeed affected the dynamics and equilibrium of both parts of the targeted binary system, shortening Dimorphos' orbit overall, just as scientists had hoped.

"Originally, Dimorphos was probably in a very relaxed state and had one side pointing toward the main body, Didymos, just like how Earth's moon always has one face pointing toward our planet, Richardson explained. "Now, its knocked out of alignment, which means it may wobble back and forth in its orientation. Dimorphos might also be 'tumbling,' meaning that we may have caused it to rotate chaotically and unpredictably."

Scientists also observed that Didymos' shape remained unchanged, suggesting that the larger asteroid is structurally stable and resilient enough to retain its form.

The team is now waiting to find out when the ejected debris will clear from the system, whether Dimorphos is still tumbling in space and when (or if) the object will eventually regain its previous stability.

Related Stories:

 NASA's asteroid-impacting DART mission completely changed the shape of its target

 NASA's DART asteroid impact mission revealed ages of twin space rock targets (images)

 China plans to deflect an asteroid by 2030 to showcase Earth protection skills

"One of our biggest questions now is if Dimorphos is stable enough for spacecraft to land and install more research equipment on it," he said. "It could take a hundred years to see noticeable changes in the system, but its only been a few years since the impact. Learning about how long it takes Dimorphos to regain its stability tells us important things about its internal structure, which in turn informs future attempts to deflect hazardous asteroids."

These findings will have important implications for future missions, including the European Space Agency's follow-up flight to the Didymos system in October 2024.

"DART gave us insight into complicated gravitational physics that you can't do in a lab, and all of this research helps us calibrate our efforts to defend Earth in the event of an actual threat," Richardson said. "There's a nonzero chance that an asteroid or comet will approach and endanger the planet. Now, we have an additional line of defense against these kinds of external threats."

The paper was published on Aug. 23 in The Planetary Science Journal.
A man accused of beating his wife to death, burying her on DeKalb County property and lying to her children about her whereabouts pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in a Davidson County Courtroom Wednesday morning.

Joseph Glynn, 71, was sentenced to life in prison.

Jackie Glynn, 76, was reported missing at the beginning of the year by her children after Joseph Glynn told them she'd been recently diagnosed with a terminal illness and had left home for an undisclosed location. According to her medical provider, she was never diagnosed with a deadly illness, police said.

Joseph Glynn is sworn in by Judge Khadija Babb as public defender Jonathan Wing listens during Glynns plea hearing at the Justice A.A. Birch Building Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. Glynn pleaded guilty to bludgeoning his 76-year-old wife, Jackie Glynn, to death on New Years Day with a hammer and burying her.

Deputy District Attorney General Roger Moore said Jackie Glynn's family then began checking tracking apps and noticed "some odd travel" by Joseph Glynn. Information from the apps led her son to a dumpster in the back of McCabe Park, where he found some of his mother's belongings, Moore said.

In an interview at police headquarters, Joseph Glynn admitted to bludgeoning his wife's head with a hammer at their Abbott Martin Road home on Jan. 1, Moore said. Joseph Glynn told police he drove her body to their property in DeKalb County and buried her in a ditch he had dug, Moore said.

Police found her body on Jan. 5. Joseph Glynn was arrested on Jan. 6 and charged with criminal homicide, evidence tampering and abuse of a corpse. He was indicted on charges of first degree murder, evidence tampering and abuse of a corpse charges in late February. The other charges were dropped Wednesday as part of the plea agreement.

The family of Jackie Glynn remembered the Nashville woman for her love and loyalty to her children and grandchildren.

Jackie Glynn's son Chad Folk began his speech by thanking the police and prosecutors who handled the case.

"We feel like the justice system has been effective and fair," Folk said.

Jackie Glynn was a loving mother and grandmother, Folk said, adding that she also "was a caring and loving wife to her husband of more than 24 years, and she loved him unconditionally," referring to Joseph Glynn.

Jackie Glynns son Chad Folk speaks on behalf of her family members after Joseph Glynn pleaded guilty during a hearing at the Justice A.A. Birch Building Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. Glynn admitted to bludgeoning his 76-year-old wife, Jackie Glynn, to death on New Years Day with a hammer and burying her.

She was someone who could dole out love as if it was just an endless resource," Folk said, his wife and daughters crying from the gallery.

Folk said he and his family also love Joseph Glynn.

"My belief in Christ teaches me that hating the man that killed my mother wont make that darkness recede any faster, nor does anger or revenge bring back Jackie," he said. "Although its hard to imagine forgiving the many acts that were committed, and the deep hurt that was inflicted, I do know that like everyone of us and everybody in this courtroom, that Mr. Glynn is a child of God."

Jackie Glynns daughter-in-law Kady Folk and granddaughter Conner Folk comfort each other after Joseph Glynn pleaded guilty in court at the Justice A.A. Birch Building Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. Joseph Glynn pleaded guilty to bludgeoning his 76-year-old wife, Jackie Glynn, to death on New Years Day with a hammer and burying her.

Joseph Glynn entered Judge Khadija Babb's courtroom at 9:18 a.m. wearing an orange jumpsuit and short white stubble. He faced the judge and kept his held slightly down while entering his plea and during Folk's statement from a podium to his right. He exited at 9:39.

Evan Mealins is the justice reporter for The Tennessean. Contact him at emealins@gannett.com or follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @EvanMealins.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville man pleads guilty to murdering wife Jackie Glynn, burying her
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Two men with a collective total of 12 outstanding warrants are the newest additions to Nashvilles list of Top 10 Most Wanted fugitives.

This list is updated every Wednesday on the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) Criminal Warrants Divisions Facebook page. According to detectives, those featured on the list are often considered to be some of the most violent offenders in the city.

Felon accused of robbing Nashville couple at gunpoint, stealing their RV

Of the suspects on this weeks list, close to half are wanted for either homicide or charges related to alleged sex crimes. The rest of Nashvilles Most Wanted suspects are accused of crimes such as aggravated assault, aggravated robbery and child endangerment.

Following several arrests over the last few weeks, two new faces are on the list. One man has eight warrants out against him, while the other is wanted for multiple counts of child abuse and aggravated assault by strangulation.

According to Metro Nashville police, the list has aided the agency in several arrests, partly due to the number of tips submitted to investigators. On Monday, Aug. 12, authorities were able to track down the suspect in a deadly 2021 shooting based on intelligence gathered by detectives.

Tyrone Walker had reportedly been on the run for more than a year after being identified as the suspected gunman. He was taken into custody following a short pursuit in the Edgehill area.

Suspect in 2021 Nashville murder arrested after late-night pursuit

In total, at least 129 Most Wanted fugitives have been arrested since the program was launched in October 2022. Below is a list of the suspects who made the police departments Top 10 Most Wanted list the week of Aug. 28, 2024.

1. Adrian L. Cameron

Adrian Cameron (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department)

At number one, Adrian Cameron, 19, is considered this weeks Top Most Wanted fugitive, according to the MNPD. Its now been three months since Cameron first appeared at the top of the list. However, police began looking for him in mid-April.

Investigators said Cameron is one of three suspects in the death of 32-year-old rapper Chris King, who was shot and killed just before 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 20. King and his friends were reportedly hanging out in an alleyway between Hayes Street and Church Street that night.

PREVIOUS: 1 killed, 1 injured in shooting along Hayes Street

Eventually, three other men began interacting with the group. Kings friends told police it started out cordial, but after some time, the three suspects allegedly tried to rob them. Thats when gunfire ran out, injuring King and his 29-year-old friend.

Both of them were brought to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, but King did not survive. Cameron, who was out on bond for the 2021 murder of 50-year-old Josh Evans at the time, was identified as a suspect in the shooting only days later.

Officials believe Cameron cut his ankle monitor shortly after the shooting. Cameron had just turned 17 years old when police said he turned himself in for Evans murder. Evans was found shot and wrapped in trash bags in the Cumberland River in Sept. 2021.

Unbelievable: Mourning Lebanon family outraged teen murder suspect was out on bond, accused of killing again

Cameron was arrested again for gun charges in Rutherford County less than four months after turning himself in for the 2021 murder. Hes now charged with criminal homicide in connection with Kings death, as well as failure to appear.

However, efforts to locate him have been unsuccessful. Anyone with information on Camerons whereabouts is asked to contact the MNPD at 615-862-8600 or Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.

2. Lagarrion L. Blacksmith

Lagarrion Blacksmith (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department)

Lagarrion Blacksmith, 35, has been at the top of Nashvilles Most Wanted list for close to nine months as police continue to try to track him down.

He was initially added to the list on Nov. 29, 2023, after investigators said they were able to connect him to a deadly shooting that took place outside a Dickerson Pike bar last year.

Officers found 35-year-old Chancellor Eddins lying on the ground just outside of Trvth Lounge on Feb. 18, 2023. He had been shot and later died at the scene. Another man who had also been hit by the gunfire was able to give officers an account of what happened.

RELATED: Man wanted for homicide, other charges following fatal February shooting on Dickerson Pike

According to police, the injured man told them he and Eddins had gotten into an argument with the suspect inside of the bar. Then, shots were fired as they left the location. At the time, the identity of the alleged shooter was unclear.

Months later, investigators announced Blacksmith had been identified as a suspect. On Nov. 22, 2023, officials said arrest warrants had been issued against Blacksmith for criminal homicide, attempted homicide, and felon in possession of a handgun.

However, efforts to locate him have reportedly been unsuccessful.

3. Ladonte J. Groves

Ladonte Groves (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department)

Ladonte Groves, 24, was added back to the list on April 3 after first being featured among Nashvilles Most Wanted on Aug. 16, 2023. Police said Groves has since been indicted by a grand jury on multiple charges related to alleged sex crimes.

The charges against him include two counts of rape, two counts of sexual battery and one count of domestic assault. Authorities said Groves was last seen in the East Nashville area. However, efforts to locate him have been unsuccessful.

4. Adrian Abernathy

Adrian Abernathy (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department)

Adrian Abernathy, 31, is believed to have been behind the wheel of a stolen car in a deadly October 2022 crash on the Rosa L. Parks Boulevard exit ramp from I-65 North.

Abernathy has outstanding warrants for vehicular homicide, three counts of aggravated assault, felon in possession of a weapon, theft of a motor vehicle, theft of a firearm, reckless endangerment and making a false report.

RELATED: Man wanted after allegedly lying about driving stolen car involved in deadly crash

According to police, Abernathy initially said he was a backseat passenger in the stolen Lincoln Navigator SUV. However, over the course of the investigation, detectives determined the seating positions were reversed, and Abernathy was the one driving the car.

Authorities said he was traveling over 100 mph shortly before the crash, which killed 29-year-old Todd Bryant of Antioch.

Abernathy has been featured on the Most Wanted list several times since early February 2023. He was added back to the list on May 1 after last being featured in November. Officials said he was last seen in Hermitage.

5. James A. Briggs

James A. Briggs (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department)

James Briggs, 27, is a new addition to Nashvilles Most Wanted list. Authorities said Briggs is wanted on eight outstanding warrants. The charges against him include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated burglary and six counts of reckless endangerment.

Court records show Briggs has been in and out of jail since 2017, when he was found guilty of domestic assault. He was arrested again in 2021 for a misdemeanor assault charge and spent a day behind bars in 2023 for violating a protection order.

Police said Briggs last location is unknown.

6. Magic E. Johnson

Magic E. Johnson (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department)

Magic Johnson, 36, is wanted on outstanding warrants for two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault by strangulation and felon in possession of a weapon, according to officials.

FBI offering $50K reward for info leading to missing Tennessee teen Sebastian Rogers

Court records show Johnson has an extensive criminal history dating back to 2006. He has previously been convicted of charges such as disorderly conduct, misdemeanor evading arrest, aggravated robbery, assault and multiple order of protection violations.

Johnson was added to the list on July 31. However, efforts to locate him have been unsuccessful.

7. Quierra C. Spear

Quierra C. Spear (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department)

Quierra Spear, 27, is wanted on multiple outstanding warrants stemming from an incident in which she fired gunshots from within a vehicle, according to authorities.

The charges against her include two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, reckless endangerment and vandalism. Detectives said Spear, who was added to the Most Wanted list on Aug. 7, was last seen in the West Nashville area.

8. Joseph V. Brintle

Joseph V. Brintle (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department)

Joseph Brintle, 46, is another new addition to the list this week. According to police, Brintle has been indicted by a grand jury on multiple felony charges.

The charges against him include two counts of child abuse involving a victim between the ages of 9 and 17 and two counts of aggravated assault by strangulation.

CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime news from Middle Tennessee

Court records show Brintle has a criminal history dating back to 1998, when he was convicted of a drug charge and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was arrested again in 2002 for aggravated assault and driving under the influence.

He also has previous convictions for disorderly conduct, public intoxication, resisting arrest, assault of an officer and domestic assault, based on Davidson County court records. Authorities said Brintles last location is unknown.

9. John R. Etter

John R. Etter III (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department)

John Etter III, 47, was added back to Nashvilles list of Most Wanted fugitives on Aug. 7 after last being featured in February. The first time he ever appeared on the list was Jan. 24. According to officials, Etter still has not been located.

He is wanted on outstanding warrants for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated child endangerment involving a child between 9 and 17 years old, child endangerment and failure to appear. Etters last location remains unknown.

10. Joshua R. Starkey

Joshua R. Starkey (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department)

Joshua Starkey, 19, is among some of the youngest suspects to ever appear on Nashvilles Most Wanted list. Police said Starkey is wanted for one count of aggravated robbery with a weapon or object. He was added to the list on July 10. His last known location was in Hermitage.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

Anyone with information on any of the suspects listed is asked to contact the MNPD at 615-862-8600 or Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 National Railroad Museum has hosted the Festival of Trees event since 2005.

ASHWAUBENON - The National Railroad Museum will change this years Festival of Trees to an invite-only event to return the event to its community focus and to minimize chances it becomes a target of outrage.

The museum this year will invite specific community groups, none of them religious, to decorate the 65-70 trees for this years festival, which runs from Nov. 21 to Jan. 5 and is focused on the theme Community Celebration.

The museum's staff and board enacted the changes after the Satanic Temple of Wisconsins participation last year outraged local and national politicians, religious groups and conservative media.

There was so much pressure to get rid of (the Satanic Temple tree), but that would be against the law, said Jacqueline Frank, CEO of the National Railroad Museum. It was a very difficult situation.

The Satanic Temple of Wisconsin joined the 2023 Festival of Trees at the National Railroad Museum in Ashwaubenon.

There was no perfect solution

As many as 20,000 people visit the museum during the Festival of Trees, which is included in the price of daily admission. Frank said the majority of those visitors come for the museum's popular Polar Express rides and the trees add to the festive spirit. The event charges groups a $100-$175 fee to cover some expenses and support the museum's educational mission.

In an interview Monday with the Press-Gazette, Frank said leadership found no way it could comply with state and federal anti-discrimination laws, adhere to its mission to welcome everyone, and comply faith leaders demands to remove/exclude the Satanic Temple from the event.

There was no perfect solution, she said.

She discussed the overwhelmingly disappointing, discouraging responses the museum received last year, the changes that resulted and how it helped the museum refocus the Festival of Trees on its original mission when it began in 2005.

Rather than focus on what happened last year, rather than focus on the malice, we wanted to try to find ways to make our community a better place, Frank said. Were making changes based on last year to alleviate those issues going forward.

A Festival of Trees entry at the National Railroad Museum in 2019.

Museum considered all options, including ending Festival of Trees

Early this year, museum staff and the board of directors began to review its policies, the event feedback and its legal responsibilities under state law, federal law and its congressional designation. Frank said the museum also wanted to respect the desires of local religious leaders as they discussed how to proceed.

We took it all very seriously, Frank said.

They weighed several options:

Continue the event as-is under its longstanding rules which allow any group who applies to participate provided their design does not depict violence, drugs or sexual content.

Choose a different holiday season symbol such as a wreath.

Cancel the event altogether.

Make the event invite-only with a board-approved list of groups selected for their relation to an annual theme.

The Satanic Temple of Wisconsin joined the 2023 Festival of Trees at the National Railroad Museum in Ashwaubenon.

Why the National Railroad Museum chose to go invite-only and make other changes this year

Frank said the organization opted for the "invite-only" route. She said the board also approved a plan to not invite any religious groups to participate in this year's Festival of Trees to minimize chances the museum and staff will encounter the same outrage again going forward.

Weve updated our policies to address future concerns and offer everyone an even playing field for expectations and content of designs/trees, Frank said.

The museum could not just ban the Satanic Temple from the event without violating state and federal laws, not to mention opening itself up to legal challenges. Staying with the current rules would likely create the same negative response as last year, which overshadowed efforts to highlight community organizations. Canceling the event would deprive nonprofits, community groups and small businesses an opportunity to market themselves. And other holiday symbols didnt have the more universal connection that the tree did.

The museum sought to respect the opinions of those who spoke out last year without further upsetting them, while also seeking to maintain the spirit off the event, Frank said. The museum plans to review its rules regularly, including this year's decision not to invite religious organizations, and make changes as necessary.

"We can't invite one faith and exclude others. We've looked to follow state law and do what's fair to everybody," Frank said. "It's hard. We want to be kind and respectful to everyone."

An entry in the 2019 Festival of Trees.

The spirit of the Festival of Trees

The theme selected, Community Celebration, arose as the museum staff and board decided to move forward with the event.

She said the organization's discussions helped it return to what was really important about Festival of Trees: the community groups, small businesses and nonprofits that support Green Bay area residents in ways large and small, seen and un-seen.

"We wanted to step back and focus on who's helping other people," Frank said.

This year's list has already been endorsed by the board of directors and the invitations will likely be sent out by early September, Frank said.

She encouraged community groups, small businesses, other museums and nonprofits to contact the National Railroad Museum if they want to be considered in the future, noting that a $15 million expansion currently under construction will give the museum ample space to increase the number of participants beyond 70.

The National Railroad Museum is a privately funded 501(c)(3) educational organization and is among the largest railroad museums in the nation, according to its website. It receives no tax dollars beyond the occasional grants.

What to know about the 2024 Festival of Trees

Theme : Community Celebration

When : Nov. 21 to Jan. 5

Where : National Railroad Museum, 2285 S. Broadway, Ashwaubenon.

What : 65-70 trees decorated by Green Bay area nonprofits, small businesses, museums and individuals to highlight what they do and how they serve the Green Bay area

Cost : Included with a museum attendance, which ranges from $9 to $13. Admission is free for museum members.

More information: Festival of Trees website

What happened during last years Festival of Trees?

The Satanic Temple of Wisconsin was one of the six religious groups and 66 total groups who applied to decorate a tree for the National Railroad Museums annual Festival of Trees.

The temple decorated its tree in red lights, pentagram ornaments, inclusive messages and ornaments that declared Hail, Santa. The group does not worship the devil nor is it affiliated with satanic churches.

The Satanic Temple of Wisconsin joined the 2023 Festival of Trees at the National Railroad Museum in Ashwaubenon. Although its name may shock some visitors, the organization says it stands for peace, equality, empathy and an end to tyrannical thinking and injustice.

The festival opened with little fanfare and about 250 visitors. Several days later, though, the museum and its staff began to receive a wave of criticism, complaints and attacks after groups criticized the tree's decorations as anti-Christian. The furor only increased as local media and politicians drew national attention to it.

The Catholic Diocese of Green Bay said the tree is offensive to Christians and harms the unity and joy the Christmas season brings. Then-U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher told Fox News more parents should express outrage over the display and said the fury over the tree was about trying to defend basic tradition.

Contact Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 or jbollier@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JeffBollier.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Why National Railroad Museum Festival of Trees is now invite-only event
Tune in this Friday, August 30, 2024 at 12 noon - EDT, as Native News Online editor Levi Rickert interviews Assiniboine (Nakoda) and Gros Ventre (Aaniih) Nations of the Fort Belknap Indian Community President Jeff Stiffarm and Tom Rodgers (Blackfeet), President of Carlyle Consulting about the lack of law enforcement on Indian reservations.

Two weeks ago, Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) wrote a letter to the comptroller general at the Government Accountability Office (GAO), to say the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)s public safety efforts in Montana are unacceptable.

Tester went further. He demanded answers as to why the BIA there is a shortage of law enforcement officers.

Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning.

While there are many shortcomings to discuss, none are more clear than the extreme lack of trained law enforcement officers on each reservation, Tester wrote. Tribal law enforcement officers are being asked to patrol reservations the size of some U.S. states while consistently understaffed.

The shortage of tribal law enforcement on reservations has yielded a myriad of problems, such as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) epidemic, large flow of drugs onto tribal lands.

Stiffarm and Rodgers discuss the issue and offer some recommendations on how to arrest the ongoing problems.

Tune in to Native Bidaske LIVE this Friday, August 30, 2024, at 12 Noon ET on Native News Online's Facebook, X (Twitter), or YouTube channel.

About the Author: "Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at editor@nativenewsonline.net. "

Contact: news@nativenewsonline.net
NATO must learn lessons from Ukraine to keep its air superiority, US general says

NATO must learn lessons from Ukraine to keep its air superiority, US general says

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has upended what air superiority looks like, a US general says.

Neither Russia nor Ukraine has achieved sustained or substantial air superiority.

NATO must draw lessons from it to keep its air supremacy, per the top US Air Force general in Europe.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the swift proliferation of drones have transformed what air superiority looks like, according to the top US Air Force general in Europe.

NATO must draw lessons from it if it wants to maintain its own aerial supremacy, Gen. James Hecker, commander of US Air Forces in Europe, said in a paper published in the ther Journal last month.

"Russia's war in Ukraine reaffirms that air superiority remains job number one," he said, not only because it allows forces to conduct successful air operations but also because it prevents air stalemate like the one seen in Ukraine.

So far in the two-and-a-half war, neither Russia nor Ukraine has achieved sustained or substantial air superiority.

One side is said to have air superiority when it can carry out operations to achieve its goal without excessive resistance from the opponent.

Russia has tried to establish air control over Ukraine  and appeared to have done so momentarily over a limited part of the skies around Avdiivka in Ukraine in February.

But Ukraine has protected its skies, using air-ground defenses, modern aircraft, electronic warfare, and drones  denying Russia air supremacy over its skies.

'Abundant' lessons from Ukraine

According to Hecker, the NATO alliance needs to learn "abundant" lessons from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine to avoid the "terrible" cost of a stalemate in the air.

He said this includes deterrence by denial, a strategy that aims to make the aggressor question their ability to achieve their objectives, such as invading a country.

This can be achieved by showing that NATO has the forces with enough training, proficiency, and equipment to forcibly deny the adversary its objectives, he said.

Hecker also said NATO members cannot rely solely on advanced weapons because the emergence of low-cost threats, like drones, makes their use unsustainable.

Ukraine has frequently used its cheap drones, worth a few hundred dollars, to take out high-value Russian military targets, like helicopters and tanks, sometimes worth millions.

Hecker said another lesson from the conflict in Ukraine is that any war between large combat forces that is not resolved in its early stages will turn into an industrial war of attrition.

Despite sending up to 200,000 soldiers into Ukraine in February 2022, Russia failed to take over Ukraine in the early stages of its full-scale invasion, with the conflict still grinding on in the eastern Donbas region two and a half years later.

Finally, Hecker said winning such a war requires economic strength and resilience, adaptability, innovation, political will, and social cohesion.

Hecker said NATO allies have "tangible strengths" in those areas. In the event of a NATO invasion, they would quickly overcome obstacles like slow procurement processes and legislative barriers to interoperability and information sharing.

Ukraine, however, has suffered from delays in Western weapon deliveries and struggled to fend off Russian offensives at multiple stages of the conflict.

"We must address those issues with the same vigor now to create the day-zero capabilities we need to deter and defend in the future," Hecker said.

A dozen air warfare experts, including former fighter pilots and current and former Western military commanders and officers, made similar observations to BI last month.

They said the Ukraine war has underscored how some elements of modern air combat are radically changing.

They added that NATO needed stronger air defenses, innovative drone countermeasures, and fresh basing concepts to confront Russia and that without these, the alliance could face a bloodier conflict should Russia attack a NATO member.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Participants in the NATO-Ukraine Council meeting on Aug. 28 condemned Russia's recent attacks across Ukraine and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities, according to NATO statement.

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. Seven civilians had been killed and over 40 injured across Ukraine.

Subsequently, 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.

"Ukraine continues to intercept Russian missiles on a daily basis, saving countless lives. But Ukraine's ability to maintain its defenses requires increased supply and more support," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.

"We must continue to provide Ukraine with the equipment and munitions it needs to defend itself against Russia's invasion. This is vital for Ukraines ability to stay in the fight."

The NATO-Ukraine Council meeting was held at the ambassadorial level at Kyiv's request. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov briefed NATO members via video all on the current security situation and priority capability needs, the statement read.

Following the recent strikes, the EU's chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, urged to lift restrictions on Ukraine's use of Western long-range weapons to strike Russian military targets.

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.

Ukraine has dismissed these arguments and has amped up pressure to lift the ban in recent weeks following the Kursk incursion on Aug. 6.

Read also: Why some in Ukraine dont seek shelter during air raid alerts

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Polish officials have said that the decision to allow Russian missiles and combat drones to be shot down in Ukrainian airspace using Polish air defence systems has been met with scepticism among NATO countries.

Source: Polish Defence Minister Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz in a comment to Polish press agency PAP, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Kosiniak-Kamyszs statement was made in response to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's words about negotiations with Warsaw on the possibility of shooting down missiles at least over the western part of Ukraine.

But, as Zelenskyy stressed, the Polish side does not want to be "left alone" with this decision.

Kosiniak-Kamysz stressed that there is "great scepticism" on this issue among NATO countries and stressed that "no country will make such decisions alone".

"I don't see any supporters in NATO for this decision," he said.

In addition, Kosiniak-Kamysz added that he was not surprised that Zelenskyy stressed the importance of such a decision, as this is his role.

However, Kosiniak-Kamysz noted that the role of the Polish Ministry of Defence is "to make decisions in the interests of the Polish state".

Background:

On 27 August, Zelenskyy said that he wanted Warsaw's help in shooting down missiles over Ukraines west, at least the ones heading toward Poland.

In July, Zelenskyy said that the security agreement with Poland included a provision to develop a mechanism to shoot down Russian missiles and drones fired in the direction of Poland in Ukrainian airspace.

Zelenskyy also expressed confusion as to why Western NATO allies shot down Iranian missiles and drones flying towards Israel, while they were afraid to do the same in Ukraine, fearing the Alliance's involvement in a war with Russia.

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What is a 'natural born' US citizen and who is allowed to run for president?

What is a 'natural born' US citizen and who is allowed to run for president?

Donald Trump has a long history of baselessly claiming his political opponents are ineligible for election  and some of his supporters are making similar false claims about Kamala Harris.

A group known as the National Federation of Republican Assemblies has launched a long-shot effort to delegitimise Harris candidacy on the basis that her parents were not themselves citizens at the time of her birth.

The federation has adopted this theory as its official position  and in doing so, it cited the infamous 1857 Dred Scott case, in which the Supreme Court found that enslaved people were not citizens of the US and thus not entitled to constitutional protections.

Several states, candidates, and major political parties have ignored this fundamental presidential qualification, including candidates Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Kamala Harris whose parents were not American citizens at the time of their birth, the federation argues in its official position, pointing to two former Republican candidates alongside the current Democratic nominee.

There is no realistic prospect that Harris will fall foul of this legal argument, which relies on a highly unorthodox reading of the natural born citizen clause of the US Constitutions first amendment:

No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this constitution, shall be eligible to the office of president; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty-five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United States.

Harris meets this standard in every way. Nonetheless, Trump and others have begun to raise spurious questions about her identity  the former president has falsely claimed that she had turned black after years of supposedly "pretending" to be Indian  while he and various other Republicans repeatedly mispronounce her first name, emphasising that she is not from a European-American background.

This is a callback to the so-called birther panic of the 2010s, a phenomenon that Trump used to move himself into the political arena.

A question of breeding

In the 2010s, long before he ran for president, Trump became the US loudest exponent of an unfounded theory that Barack Obama was born in Kenya, meaning that he was excluded from running for the presidency under the natural-born-citizen clause.

A claim that Obama was born in Kenya, not the US, took hold among right-wing media and grassroots activists well before Trump and others picked it up. So-called birthers claimed the president had concealed the truth and that he needed to provide hard proof of his birthplace to be accepted as a legitimate preference.

Related

This was often combined with a false claim that Obama was secretly Muslim, a notion that drew on a picture of him visiting Kenya in 2006 and his middle name, Hussein.

In reality, Obama was able to present his birth certificate and his citizenship was never doubted by anyone in the political mainstream. Trump, however, banged the drum for several years.

In 2011, Obama used his appearance at the annual White House Correspondents Association dinner to ridicule Trump for his obsession with the birther theory while Trump himself was seated in the audience.

In the light of Trumps explicit and continuing personal hatred of Obama, this incident is often held up as a precipitating moment that encouraged Trump to finally run for president after years of considering it.

Obamas 2008 election rival, John McCain, was also briefly the subject of questions about his eligibility because he was born not in the US per se but in the Panama Canal Zone, then under US control.

In his case, the discussion did not revolve around a discredited theory with xenophobic and anti-Muslim overtones but a somewhat arcane debate over whether the natural-born-citizen clause applied to people born within the zone at the time of McCains birth because it was under US jurisdiction at the time.

But unlike with Obama, who had to endure conspiracy theories about his biography throughout his presidency, it quickly became clear there was no appetite to chase McCain off the ballot over a technicality or bring his identity into question.
A Durham man will serve at least 24 years in prison for killing a psychiatric nurse practitioner two years ago, Durham County District Attorney Satana Deberry announced Wednesday.

James Robert Gomes, 49, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the Oct. 18, 2022, death of 44-year-old June Onkundi, court records show.

Onkundi, a registered nurse at WakeMed, was working at Freedom House Recovery Center in Durham when Gomes arrived for a medication management appointment, according to a news release.

Witnesses reported hearing screams and found Gomes standing over Onkundi stabbing her with a knife, the release said. Coworkers attempted to intervene and one was able to take the knife from Gomes.

According to an autopsy report, Onkundi was stabbed eight times, including once in the heart, and died at Duke University Hospital a little over an hour later.

Gomes had been scheduled to meet with her at 2:05 p.m. but arrived around 1:30 p.m., entered Onkundis office and attacked her with a kitchen knife, the medical examiners investigative report states.

Gomes, a janitor at Merrick-Moore Elementary School, told investigators he had stopped taking medication for schizophrenia and stabbed Onkundi because a voice in his head told him to destroy her, according to the release.

June Onkundi

Charge reduced in plea deal

Gomes was arrested that evening on a charge of first-degree murder, which was lowered to a charge of second-degree murder in exchange for his guilty plea this week, court documents show. His sentence was based on his prior offenses, the release said.

According to the plea agreement, Gomes was previously convicted on charges of assault on a female, second-degree kidnapping and assault by strangulation in February 2021 and charges of attempted first-degree rape and second-degree kidnapping in July 2006. Court records indicate Gomes was ordered to receive mental health treatment for at least one of those convictions.

This was a horrific act of violence that took the life of a generous, bright individual who was loved by her family and friends, Deberry said in the release. While this sentence does not bring Ms. Onkundi back, it does ensure that Mr. Gomes is held accountable and demonstrates how seriously the Durham DAs Office takes violence in our community.

As if it was all a bad dream

Victim impact statements submitted to the court before Gomes sentencing depict the lives shattered by Onkundis murder. Each of her four children turned in statements describing their mother as a kind, generous person and pleading for accountability in her killing.

Some days I still feel as if it was all a bad dream and she is just about to come home after a long shift, Onkundis second-oldest daughter wrote.

Addressing Gomes, she added, I know you are mentally challenged and because of that I give you my prayers but your illness will never excuse the violence you inflicted on my mother that day and all the women you traumatized before that.

Now, Onkundis husband must raise four teenagers alone, his daughter said in her statement.

In another statement, another of Onkundis daughters said her mother loved shopping, cooking and singing and was devoted to her children above all else.

There are many milestones Ive had to face without her; milestones she was eager to witness, the 14-year-old wrote. She wasnt just a mom to me, she was a best friend & my biggest supporter.
After Google pulled the ability for its AI chatbot to generate images of people, the search giant is reintroducing the feature following a high profile backlash.

Google on Wednesday said that it will start to roll out an updated image generation tool for users of the English-language version its AI chatbot, Gemini Advanced. The service will also feature Google's latest image generation model, Imagen 3.

In February, Google disabled the ability of users to generate images of humans after the company acknowledged that its tool would "overcompensate" in seeking to depict diverse ranges of people, even in unrealistic or absurd scenarios. The episode highlighted the company's scramble to get in on the AI frenzy and the risks of releasing new technology without rigorous vetting.

A social media firestorm drew attention to images that, for example, depicted a Black woman as a US founding father and showed Black and Asian people as Nazi-era German soldiers.

Some users wielded the results as evidence of an anti-white bias in what the tool generated.

The viral images sparked criticism from prominent figures, including X owner Elon Musk, who has previously criticized the perceived liberal bias of AI tools. Google CEO Sundar Pichai told staff at the time that some of the faulty responses were unacceptable, and that "we got it wrong."

"With Imagen 3, weve made significant progress in providing a better user experience when generating images of people," said Dave Citron, a senior director at Google, in a blog post on Wednesday.

The reintroduction is the latest development in Google's AI rollouts, which have been uneven at times.

Last year, Google fumbled the release of its initial AI chatbot Bard when it spit out inaccurate responses during a promotional video.

Taken together, the episodes underscored the perceived sloppiness of the launches and undermined Google's credibility just as tech giants were jostling for position amid the AI hype.

Google said it has upgraded its creative image generation capabilities and will bring its latest image generation model, Imagen 3, to Gemini Apps (AP Photo/Juliana Yamada) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

In an effort to prevent abuse, the tool won't support the generation of photorealistic scenes of identifiable individuals, minors, or excessive violence, Citron said.

"Of course, as with any generative AI tool, not every image Gemini creates will be perfect, but well continue to listen to feedback from early users as we keep improving. We'll gradually roll this out, aiming to bring it to more users and languages soon."

Google's re-release comes at a fraught moment in the AI world.

In the months since the search giant originally released and pulled the tool, investors have wavered in their support of AI investments. Recent market volatility has resurfaced questions about the valuations of tech companies that have thrown enormous resources behind ambitious AI buildouts.

Story continues

The competitive landscape has also changed.

While Google was previously seen as playing catch-up to Microsoft (MSFT), Apple has since joined the Big Tech AI party. And while the iPhone maker's rivals were dealing with boardroom drama and public backlash over AI developments, Wall Street has applauded Apple's efforts, highlighting the company's success at marketing AI tools in ways that other tech giants have struggled through.

Google's reintroduction of the image generation feature also came just ahead of a pivotal earnings release from Nvidia (NVDA).

Shares of the AI chip designer fell about 4% in after hours trading following a quarterly report that beat estimates for the top and bottom lines but failed to impress Wall Street. AI bulls saw a promising turn from Nvidia as a catalyst in what has been a challenging market for chips and AI companies.

Hamza Shaban is a reporter for Yahoo Finance covering markets and the economy. Follow Hamza on X @hshaban.

Click here for the latest technology news that will impact the stock market

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance
Now that the political conventions are over, South Carolina has officially been rendered irrelevant to the national political press.

That doesnt mean the state wont have an outsized effect on what has become a Donald Trump vs. Kamala Harris election. Though the Palmetto State wont be generating many national political headlines between now and November, a slave-era political relic gives it more political power than its size suggests it should.

Issac Bailey

The state began this election cycle with two high-profile presidential candidates, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and former S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley. Scott quickly became an afterthought. He got no traction during debates or in GOP primary polls, and seemingly got no serious consideration to become Trumps running mate.

Haley at times sounded like a grown-up on issues such as abortion access and performed better than many expected, often receiving double-digit percentages of the GOP primary vote, but she couldnt topple the former president. The results proved once again the GOP is Trumps for as long as he wants it.

With the attempted assassination of Trump and the unprecedented exit from the race by President Joe Biden dominating headlines, the Republican primary  when South Carolina was still relevant  seems so long ago. The states limited involvement between now and Election Day will be through S.C. Democratic officials such as Jaime Harrison and Rep. James Clyburn helping Harris or candidates in other states. It will also likely include Haley, Scott and S.C. Sen. Lindsey Graham going on the Fox News to beg Trump to become a more disciplined nominee.

The rallies and press conferences and the national media attention will go to North Carolina and Georgia. North Carolina went blue in 2008 and may again, while Georgia has two Democratic senators and Biden won there in 2020. Their status as swing states guarantees millions of dollars will continue to be poured into their coffers.

South Carolina stopped electing Democrats statewide when I was a teenager. The only way the state sees significant national action over the next couple of months is if Harris or Trumps caravans take a wrong turn and accidentally end up in the Palmetto State on their way to visit our neighbors.

That reality is a shame, but it was utterly predictable. The United States unwisely elects its president in a way no other democracy does. Instead of by popular vote  you, know, the person who convinces the most people to vote for them wins  the presidency is decided by the Electoral College.

South Carolinas nine Electoral College votes have all but been pocketed by Trump, just as New Yorks 28 will go to Harris. That system means liberals in dark red states and conservatives in dark blue ones will be casting what feel like empty presidential votes, that their votes dont matter. In North Carolina, liberals and conservatives are still being courted by Harris and Trump.

Though South Carolina wont be generating many national political headlines the rest of this year, its nine Electoral College votes will play an outsized role in the election. The state is tiny compared to New York and California, but it still helps give the GOP a structural Electoral College advantage because small states get proportionally more electors, according to the Brookings Institute. South Carolinians wont get to see Harris and Trump up close the rest of the way, but know the state has already made its mark on this election.

Modern Democratic presidential candidates have had to win the popular vote by a few percentage points to gain a victory in the Electoral College. Hillary Clinton and Al Gore didnt become president even after winning more of the popular vote than their Republican opponents. That could happen again in November.

Whats frustrating is that this system, which largely began as a way to give slave-holding states power they should not have had, could mean minority rule becomes more probable as the nation diversifies.

Its an insane, undemocratic way to elect the most powerful person on the planet. Thats why its easy to imagine Republican South Carolinians are likely content. Though the state might not get the national headlines, it still gets to flex its electoral muscle without them.

Issac Bailey is a McClatchy Opinion writer in North and South Carolina.
The bench of the Nebraska Supreme Court at the Capitol in Lincoln. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)

LINCOLN  Nebraska Supreme Court justices on Wednesday peppered lawyers from the ACLU and the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office with questions about whether the Legislature has the constitutional authority to restore the voting rights of people who committed felonies.

During the oral arguments, justices probed whether that power is instead reserved for the executive branch via the Pardons Board, which was the argument advanced in an advisory opinion by Attorney General Mike Hilgers.

Some justices asked whether the court should consider the broader constitutional question on voting rights and pardons or decide only whether Secretary of State Bob Evnen had the authority to avoid implementing a law the Legislature passed this spring.

Justice William Cassel seemed to hint in his questions that the broader issue might need resolving. But others, including Stephanie Stacy and retiring Chief Justice Mike Heavican, seemed open to a narrower approach.

Questions for ACLU lawyer

Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman pressed Jane Seu, the legal and policy counsel for ACLU Nebraska who represented three Nebraskans seeking to register to vote in 2024, about whether Hilgers missed a step and whether he should have filed a separate lawsuit pushing Evnen to halt implementation of Legislative Bill 20. Other justices questioned who Hilgers would sue.

Seu did not directly address whether the executive branch should have had to sue separately to stop LB 20. But she argued that in the absence of a court ruling on the constitutionality of the statute, Evnen should have implemented the law.

She argued that years of established law and practice showed that the Legislature has the authority to change the timing of when people who have committed felonies can vote. She said the Legislature sets criminal penalties and voting laws and has the authority to adjust both.

Nebraska statutes enjoy a presumption of constitutionality, Seu told the justices Wednesday. The secretary here made a unilateral determination on his own to declare our statutes unconstitutional. The Court should correct this overreach.

LB 20, passed 38-6 this spring, eliminated a two-year waiting period to vote after completion of a criminal sentence, a restoration the Legislature created in 2005 with Legislative Bill 53. Hilgers advisory opinion also described LB 53 as unconstitutional.

Evnen spurred the lawsuit by ending all voter registrations of people newly eligible under LB 20 and pausing new registrations of people eligible under the earlier law. He did not purge the voter rolls of others who had registered under the old law.

RISE, a re-entry program for incarcerated Nebraskans and others involved with the justice system, estimates that more than 7,000 Nebraskans could have their voting rights restored by LB 20. LB 53 has allowed tens of thousands to have their voting rights restored sooner since it was enacted.

Solicitor general argues separation of powers

Nebraska Solicitor General Eric Hamilton, representing the executive branch, argued that only the three-member Pardons Board has the constitutional authority to restore a persons civil rights after commission of a felony. Hilgers and Evnen sit on the board with Gov. Jim Pillen.

Pillen, who agreed with Hilgers and Evnen on the constitutional question about separation of powers and the Pardons Board, refused to either sign or veto LB 20, allowing it to become law without his signature. It became law by a veto-proof majority of state senators.

LB 53 and LB 20 are unconstitutional, Hamilton told the justices. They unconstitutionally exercise the Board of Pardons exclusive authority to grant clemency.

Justice Jonathan Papik questioned whether laws from the late 1800s that spelled out how the process would work might show that the Legislature has a role. He asked where the line should be drawn between legislative authority and a pardon.

Justice Jeffrey Funke asked how the court should weigh the fact that LB 53 has been the law of the land for nearly two decades without a legal challenge.

Hamilton argued that the past 19 years of LB 53 should not overcome 130 years of the state restoring voting rights through executive-granted clemency. He said getting rid of the legal consequences of a crime after someone has been sentenced is a role for the executive branch, not the Legislature.

Wayne weighs in

State Sen. Justin Wayne, an Omaha lawyer, attended the oral arguments. One of the Legislatures leading voices on the felon voting issue, he expressed frustration after the hearing that some of the arguments drifted too far from the core of the case.

From 1873, to 1881 and again in 1923, all the way down the road to today, it was a statute that outlined how voting rights were controlled, Wayne said. That means the Legislature has the power to do that. It was a statute.

Wayne said Hilgers had options if he had wanted to sue to keep LB 53 or LB 20 from being implemented. He said Hilgers could have sued Douglas County or Lancaster County for the previous registrations under LB 53 or that he could have sought a declaratory judgment.

By taking executive action, Evnen and Hilgers forced aspiring voters to sue. Wayne criticized the idea that Hilgers and perhaps the courts would put the onus on people affected by an executive action to force them to implement new laws.

What I am concerned about is if the court says a constitutional officer can just decide that they dont want to implement the law, and then it requires the citizens to force that issue, he said. Thats not what our Constitution is about.

The founding document of the state is a set of restrictions on government, he said, setting limits on what each branch of government can do. The people, he said, should not carry the burden of policing the state through the courts.

Evnen says he will follow court ruling

Evnen, after the hearing, said he followed Hilgers advisory opinion. He said he thinks its important for the court to resolve this issue, and whatever the court decides, thats what Im going to do.

He said the executive branch must consider the constitutionality of laws passed by the legislative branch, which considers the Constitution when it passes laws. He called the judicial branch the ultimate arbiter of what is and isnt constitutional.

But that doesnt mean that there isnt a role for the other two branches, Evnen said. There certainly is.

Seu, in a follow-up interview, said she sees no constitutional issues in LB 20 or LB 53. She said Evnen has a duty to follow the law and that is the case she made. She said Hilgers and Evnen had other avenues they could have pursued.

She said the focus should be on the people who were excited to vote who have not been able to register. She disagreed with Hamiltons assertion that the Legislatures action to restore voting rights tramples on what is reserved for executive clemency.

Rights restoration is not, its just not a pardon, she said. It doesnt violate separation of powers. There are a number of other states that have this exact same structure like Nebraska, and none of them have found constitutional violations.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  Negotiations between over 800 University at Buffalo resident physicians and University Medical Resident Services remain at an impasse on Wednesday after the union representing the physicians rejected the latest offer, the union said.

The union that represents the medical residents is the Union of American Physicians and Dentists.

The latest offer from UMRS, submitted to the union on Monday, called for sliding scale raises between 6.6% and 10.85% from 2024-2025, 5.48% to 10% from 2025-2026 and 3.5% to 9% from 2026-2027.

It is in response to the unions offer dated Aug. 19, which called for 8% to 10% from 2024-2025, 6.5% to 9.95% from 2025-2026 and then 4% to 6.26% from 2026-2027.

The union said in a statement to WIVB News 4 on Wednesday that the offer does not address retirement benefits, hazard pay, training stipends and more.

The union also upped its intended strike length to four days beginning on Sept. 3 after they previously said it would last two days. The striking will be across hospitals across the area with picketing focused at Buffalo General Hospital. For contractual reasons, residents at the Buffalo VA Medical Center will not strike there while on duty.

None of my colleagues want to strike, but I dont know what else to do at this point: UB resident physicians discuss intended strike

This is a narrow, regressive offer from UMRS and the hospitals that doesnt even address the lack of retirement benefits, hazard pay, training stipends, or our terrible healthcare policy, UAPD lead negotiator Robert Boreanaz said. It falls way short.

The physicians are seeking higher wages, affordable healthcare for themselves and dignity and respect in the workplace. Union officials claim that some physicians sometimes work up to 80 hours per week, which breaks down to minimum wage. UB resident physicians work at several hospitals across the area, including ECMC, Buffalo General, Buffalo VA Medical Center, Oishei Childrens Hospital and more.

The union also claims that they are the lowest-paid resident physicians in the state, including ones in Rochester and Albany.

UMRS said Tuesday that the offer is virtually the same as was proposed by the union and that if ratified, it would have taken effect for the first full pay period following the ratification.

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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.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom talks with news reporters in 2022 in Sacramento after calling for a special session of the state Legislature to pass a new tax on oil companies in response to high gas prices. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)

Gov. Gavin Newsom threatened to call a special session this fall as Democratic lawmakers wobbled on a package of energy bills that he wants to pass this week before the Legislature adjourns for the year, according to sources involved in the negotiations at the Capitol.

The governor delivered the last-minute ultimatum in private discussions with Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) and Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) this week as tension among Democrats escalated under a Saturday deadline to pass legislation.

The threat is intended to counter the pressure oil interests are putting on lawmakers to reject Newsom's proposal to require petroleum refiners to maintain a stable inventory in order to prevent fuel shortages and price spikes when equipment is taken offline for maintenance.

The bill is part of a package on energy costs that the governor's office has been negotiating with the Legislature. The governor is calling for legislation that would offer a customer credit for electricity and gas bills, accelerate environmental reviews for clean energy projects and require oil refiners to maintain reserves, among other proposals. Some environmentalists criticized the plan because of the push to expedite environmental reviews.

Mary Creasman, chief executive of California Environmental Voters, said the state must accelerate the development of clean energy and clean energy infrastructure, but needs to do so in a way that protects biodiversity and offers enough time for community engagement.

"Year after year trying to jam solutions to this through at the last minute is not how we tackle the toughest issues our state is facing in a powerful and effective way," Creasman said.

A special session could force lawmakers to return to Sacramento this fall, instead of in January when the regular session begins, and shorten the time they have to spend with their families or to campaign for the election in their respective districts.

Sources involved in the discussions said Assembly Democrats in particular are concerned that adopting new requirements on oil refiners might ultimately increase the cost of gasoline. Rivas shared those reservations with Newsom, which prompted the threat of a special session to give lawmakers more time to weigh the proposal. The Assembly is prepared to embark on a special session if necessary, sources said.

Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City) said she and her colleagues are concerned about gas prices, but "we havent really had time to digest the problem."

"The special session is a good opportunity to talk about it," Wilson said outside the Assembly chamber. "We either have to accept policy as is or craft the new policy together. I think its a good thing."

Other legislators seemed more neutral.

Its a coin flip," said Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park). "Im ambivalent. I understand the argument to get it done now and that some others want to slow the process down a little bit.

The threat is not necessarily idle from a governor who called a special session two years ago to penalize oil companies for excessive profits as gasoline prices spiked during his war with Big Oil.

Lawmakers were ultimately reluctant to adopt a penalty in the last special session and Newsom refined his request to instead demand more transparency from the industry.

Instead of enacting a cap and penalty on oil refinery profits, Newsom and lawmakers gave state regulators the ability to do so in the future. Consumer advocates and the governor celebrated the resulting law as a groundbreaking tool that could keep gas prices from escalating.

The law established the Division of Petroleum Market Oversight within the California Energy Commission, and gave it the authority to gather new data from the industry in order to investigate price spikes. Earlier this year, the division wrote a letter recommending the state impose minimum inventory and resupply requirements for refiners based on its findings so far, arguing that the oil companies did not maintain enough refined gasoline to backfill production shortfalls or protect against the impact of unplanned maintenance.

Newsom continued his fight with oil last week when he announced that he wants lawmakers to give regulators the ability to mandate the new supply requirements for oil refiners.

Price spikes at the pump are profit spikes for Big Oil, Newsom said in a statement at the time. Refiners should be required to plan ahead and backfill supplies to keep prices stable, instead of playing games to earn even more profits. By making refiners act responsibly and maintain a gas reserve, Californians would save money at the pump every year.

As Newsom goes harder on refiners, he's also sought to delay parts of an existing law in order to give the industry more time to submit plans for leak detection and response on existing wells. The proposed changes do not affect a prohibition on new permits for oil wells within 3,200 feet of homes, schools, parks and hospitals, which is the main thrust of the original law that took effect after oil interests agreed this year to remove a referendum on Senate Bill 1137 from the 2024 ballot.

H.D. Palmer, a spokesperson for the California Department of Finance, said the Newsom administration asked lawmakers to delay the new leak-detection plans to give the state more time to implement that part of the law. Current staffing levels, he said, are insufficient to make rapid progress on the implementation of SB 1137.

A budget trailer bill was published on Tuesday evening that could reflect a compromise between the governor, lawmakers and environmentalists on the delay.

The governor's office and the Assembly Speaker's Office declined to comment about the possibility of a special session. A spokesperson for McGuire did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Times staff writer Anabel Sosa contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The next chapter in Oregons fight against fentanyl starts next week

The new deflection programs aim to get people using drugs into treatment. (Getty Images)

The new deflection programs aim to get people using drugs into treatment. (Getty Images)

Oregon is about to embark on a new experiment as it seeks to stem the tide of fentanyl overdoses across the state.

Starting Sunday, 14 counties in Oregon will start deflection programs that are intended to help people enter recovery and avoid criminal charges and jail. The timing of the programs coincides with the start of a new misdemeanor penalty for low-level drug possession.

Both are the product of House Bill 4002, which state lawmakers passed this year after fentanyl overdoses killed about 1,400 Oregonians in 2023, up from 280 in 2019. The bill recriminalizes possession of small amounts of drugs, while prioritizing recovery instead of jail time.

The bill allows  but does not require  counties to set up programs to help people avoid criminal charges and get help, whether through treatment or other recovery services. The programs require law enforcement, community mental health providers and prosecutors to work together for the best response. Under the law, people who dont have access to the programs or decline them will be offered treatment and the expungement of their charges if the case goes to court.

Weigh in on Oregons drug addiction crisis

The Oregon Capital Chronicle wants to hear from Oregonians affected by the states drug addiction crisis and from providers and others involved in treatment or other services.

To share your thoughts and experiences here.

So far, officials in 28 of Oregons 36 counties intend to start new programs. Of those, 14 will start by Sept. 1, while the others will launch later this year or early next year, grant applications filed with the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission show.

The new law unwinds part of Measure 110, which voters passed in 2020. That measure decriminalized low-level drug possession and put a system of $100 citations in place to encourage people to seek help. But law enforcement said the citation system lacked teeth and failed to motivate people to enter treatment.

The new law didnt entirely undo Measure 110. It preserves the provision to put a share of cannabis revenue toward addiction programs and services, including peer mentors, harm reduction and housing services.

In the upcoming months, lawmakers, prosecutors and treatment providers will closely watch the impact of the approach each county takes.

We know this is going to be a period of innovation and experimentation, Rep. Jason Kropf, D-Bend and a chief sponsor of the bill, said in an interview.

Different counties, different approaches

Each county is charting its own path.

In Multnomah County, Oregons largest, officials plan to launch a mobile response with outreach workers as its deflection center opening is delayed, the Oregonian/Oregonlive.com reported. Portland police officers have the discretion to cite and book people for low-level possession.

In Deschutes County, police will be able to take people to an existing 24/7 drop-in crisis stabilization center rather than jail.

In Washington County, police in Hillsboro and Beaverton will summon outreach workers to encourage people with drugs to enter a treatment program. Elsewhere in the county, police will give them a citation and court date with information about how to avoid charges.

In Clatsop County, officials will offer people tailored treatment that can include counseling, medication and group activities depending on their needs. Along the journey, people will have the opportunity to get gift cards to continue to participate.

In Marion County, officials are building upon its existing Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program, or LEAD, which already diverts people away from jail for low-level crimes, like vandalism, so they can get treatment.

It's sort of like that moment when you're teaching a kid how to ride a bike, and you're going to let go. You only let go if you think there's a pretty good chance they're going to keep pedaling.

 Kevin Barton, Washington County district attorney

Regardless of the approach, the goal remains the same: help people move away from drugs while avoiding criminal charges and jail.

But there are caveats: Counties that have deflection programs are not required to offer it to every person who is arrested or cited for misdemeanor drug possession. Counties also have the discretion to limit the services and decide how often to offer second chances to past participants who relapse.

This also means that more people are likely to enter jails, compared to the past, even as others enter new deflection programs. A state analysis suggests that 226 people annually could end up in jail for low-level possession, with a disproportionate impact on people of color.

Its better for the new programs to be selective rather than accept everyone and lack the means to care for them, said Dr. Dan Hoover, an assistant professor of medicine at Oregon Health & Science Universitys School of Medicine. Through an OHSU contract with the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, Hoover is providing technical assistance on a project to help local deflection programs be successful.

You are going to have some counties that have a narrower criteria to enter the program than others, and that may be really wise, just thinking about what the capacity is to take people in and give them something useful, Hoover said in an interview. We dont want to take so many people into a deflection program that we cant offer them something useful when it comes to those services or substance use disorder care.

Gauging success

From county to county, there will be differences in how people can enter deflection programs  and what the requirements are to successfully finish.

In Washington County, a person will get a court date set for one week after the officer cites them. During that one-week period, they can still sign up for treatment and avoid the court system entirely.

Washington County District Attorney Kevin Barton said officials wanted to have a tighter timeline than the typical 30-day period people have to show up for their first court appearance. The seven-day period can speed up the process and get the person into treatment sooner, Barton said.

If the person does not enter the treatment program before the court date, the county plans to set up a table in the courthouse and encourage people to sign up for treatment before their first hearing.

A successful participant will need to engage in treatment for six months and appear committed to continuing treatment, Barton said.

Its sort of like that moment when youre teaching a kid how to ride a bike, and youre going to let go, Barton said. You only let go if you think theres a pretty good chance theyre going to keep pedaling. You dont let go if you know theyre going to fall. So if we know someones going to fall at the end of six months, then were going to consider that not successful.

Washington Countys program also takes into account that recovery is a lifelong process. As a result, success is not based upon whether a person demonstrates their sobriety and passes drug tests.

Relapse can be part of recovery, Barton said. So if we had a clean and sober requirement in six months, thats really not an attainable standard. In reality, thats not going to happen.

That approach developed after input from recovery providers.

The goal of deflection is to get people engaged meaningfully in treatment, Barton said. Its not to solve all of lifes problems.

The goal of this program really is to help people and get them treatment, not to punish them for having a substance use disorder.

 Amy Baker, executive director of Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare

Clatsop County program

In Clatsop County, officials will offer several potential pathways toward recovery. During regular business hours a worker in the program will go meet the person who was stopped by police. A police officer could also take that person to one of two clinics. And if an officer cites the person, they will have 72 hours to contact the program.

During that period, outreach workers will try and get in touch.

Were going to be looking to do outreach to them and say, Hey, were just here to help you get engaged and get you enrolled in the program, said Rick Martinez, program manager for the recovery services team at Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare, the countys community mental health provider.

At this point, he said, its unclear how many people they will serve when the program launches.

Are we going to have five clients the first month, or are we going to have 50? Martinez said. We just dont know yet.

Amy Baker, executive director of Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare, said officials will consider that people who engage in treatment for 90 days have succeeded, though officials will take into account a persons circumstances and their progress.

Like Washington County, officials will not expect complete abstinence but their goal is to help people make headway, Baker said.

The goal of this program really is to help people and get them treatment, not to punish them for having a substance use disorder, Baker said.

Chad, a 52-year-old man experiencing homelessness and drug addiction, walks through Marion Square Park in downtown Salem on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024.

Incentives planned for participants

Clatsop County will use simple rewards to lure participants into treatment, like gift cards and T-shirts.

Were going to allow them to choose what prizes are available to pick, and then theyll have opportunities to win those prizes, Martinez said. So everyone coming through is going to be receiving some type of recognition and some type of award for being here with us.

Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare has tried incentives before and found they motivate people to show up for group activities.

We saw their attendance increase, their timeliness increase, Martinez said. We had clients showing up before the facilitator. They were 30 minutes early for a group, and that doesnt happen in regular programming. They were more engaged. They were doing homework.

Baker said the investment is better than the alternative.

From my perspective, its money well spent, Baker said. I would rather do that than the cost of them going through an expensive criminal justice system.

Gabriel Tankersley, house manager for a recovery house in Gresham ran by 4D Recovery, talks about the responsibilities of residents on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024.

Needs outpace resources

Lawmakers allocated nearly $20 million to counties for the programs as part of a $211 million package of related services, such as recovery houses, residential treatment facilities and medication treatment for jails.

That $20 million is not enough, county officials said with so much demand.

Washington County, which has a population of more than 600,000 people, will receive $1.34 million for its new deflection program. But Barton, the countys district attorney, has said officials would need millions more to build and run the most effective programs, which means theyve had to curtail costs. Thats why outreach workers will only go to police calls in Hillsboro and Beaverton.

The Legislature, I think, was building a complex, complicated machine, Barton said. And it makes sense that out the gate, theres going to be some things that they missed in the short session, because it was a really, finite amount of time.

Opponents of recriminalization agree the state needs to do more.

Jason Renaud, the board secretary of the Mental Health Association of Portland, said the bill criminalizes mental illness and addiction without meeting the pent-up demand for services.

What we need is medical detoxification, inpatient addiction treatment without barriers, without six-week waiting lists or six month waiting lists, he said. We need housing for people in their early recovery from addiction. Those are the things that we need, but those are the things that have been on the table for years.

Kropf, the Bend Democrat behind the new law, said discussions about how to fund behavioral health and addiction treatment will continue in the next session.

Long-term future

Lawmakers and local officials anticipate that the Legislature will tweak the law after they get feedback about how the programs roll out.

Kropf said lawmakers will get data about the programs and people who go through deflection programs, go through the court system and on those who complete and fail treatment.

Well be able to look at those populations of people and see how successful these different approaches have been  hopefully in moving people from a period of instability in their life to more stability, he said.

In each participating county, there likely will be lessons learned that will guide the work forward, Kropf said.

Capital Chronicle reporter Ben Botkin produced this story as a 2024 USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism National Fellow and Engagement Grantee.

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Nicaraguas strongman President Daniel Ortega has offered to send Sandinista fighters to Venezuela in support of his embattled fellow authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro, in case there is an attempt at an armed counterrevolution following Julys disputed presidential election.

Maduro has been under some pressure since his declaration of victory in the vote sparked widespread suspicion among the opposition and abroad. Thousands of Venezuelans have since taken to the streets in protest and political violence has killed at least 24 civilians and one soldier. The governments security forces have detained at least 2,000 opposition sympathizers.

Ortega, speaking at a virtual summit with heads of state from other Latin American countries on Monday, offered his support to Maduro in the case of an armed counterrevolution, assuring him that if battle were to come, they (Maduros government) will have Sandinista fighters accompanying them.

Demonstrators clash with police during a protest against President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, on July 29, 2024, a day after the disputed election. - Federico Parra/AFP/Getty Images/File

In Nicaragua, Sandinista generally refers to members of the left-wing political movement, the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) that came to power in the Nicaraguan Revolution at the end of the 1970s. Ortegas party is the FSLN.

However, Ortega didnt specify whether he was offering up police, soldiers from the military, or pro-government armed groups that rights groups have accused of conducting crackdowns alongside the police in Nicaragua, which Ortega has denied any links to.

CNN has reached out to the Nicaraguan government for comment.

Ortega also criticized other leaders of Latin American nations, including Brazils Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (also known as Lula) and Colombias Gustavo Petro  both leftists  for not recognizing Maduro as the winner of what is set to be his third consecutive six-year term. The Nicaraguan strongman himself is serving a fifth term as president and has been accused of rigging elections in the past.

During the summit, Ortega said it was shameful that Lula hadnt recognized Maduro and accused him of dragging himself before the US. The president made similar comments about Colombias Petro.

Petro responded to Ortega in a post on X saying, At least I do not drag down the human rights of the people of my country, much less those of my comrades in arms and those fighting against dictatorships.

CNN has reached out to Brazils foreign ministry for comment.

President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, on August 17, 2024. - Alfredo Lasry R/Getty Images

According to Venezuelas electoral council, which is controlled by government sympathizers, Maduro won his reelection bid with just over 50% of the vote. But the countrys opposition coalition, as well as electoral observers from the United Nations and the Carter Center have questioned the councils numbers. The US, the EU and various other countries and multilateral institutions have urged Venezuela to release granular data showing the results by polling station.

Meanwhile, Venezuelas opposition has published more than 80% of tallies printed and collected from voting machines across the country, some 25,000 documents in total. Though partial, the painstaking documentation appears to show that the opposition candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia had in fact defeated Maduro, several experts told CNN.

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Nicole Eggert attends the premiere of ABC News Studios docuseries "After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun".

Actor Nicole Eggert opened up about the hardest part of her breast cancer journey since her diagnosis last year.

Eggert, 52, gave People an update on her health while attending the premiere of After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun in Los Angeles on Aug. 26.

I am good, she said. I am in sort of a gray area and I finished my treatment, waiting for more imaging and hopefully maybe surgery.

Theres a lot of waiting in this and its sort of something I didnt really realize and nobody really talks about, she added. But the gray area is the hardest because you dont know whats happening. When Im doing treatment, I felt like I was doing something productive.

The Charles in Charge actor continued: So it felt positive and I was like, OK, Im doing something positive. And now that its just like nothing, its like, well wait a minute. We got to get this out. So its just frustrating.

Eggert said in an interview with People earlier this year she had been diagnosed with stage 2 cribriform carcinoma breast cancer in December 2023.

Cribriform breast cancer is a rare type of breast cancer that is slow growing, according to Breast Cancer Now. Surgery is one of the most common forms of treatment, along with radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Eggert told People in January she had gained 25 pounds in three months and had "terrible pain" in her left breast, but dismissed them as signs of menopause until she felt a lump in her breast during a self-exam.

After a discovery mammogram and three biopsies, her pathology reports were positive for cancer, she said. Eggert said earlier this year she would need surgery to remove the cancer, and that she was working with an oncologist to determine if she would need radiation and chemotherapy.

This journeys been rough for me. This hasnt been a breezy sale through life, she said. I always read inspirational quotes and corny stuff, but it gets me through.

Eggert told People in August she meditates, does guided imagery and attends breath workshops to help keep herself occupied during her treatment.

I do whatever I can, whatever I can ... going walk or if its doing a meditation ... I just do whatever I can to distract myself.

She added that her two children, Dilyn, 25, and Keegan, 13, have been supportive since her diagnosis.

I mean, they kept me on my toes, she said. My 13-year-old didnt give me any special treatment. It was still like, Mom, give me that, lets go here, lets do that."

So she just kept me going and kept it lively, Eggert added. And I really loved that about both of them. And both treated it like nothings changing, just keep the days the way they are.

Eggert said her children and working on "After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun" have given her a sense of purpose throughout her health journey.

Having a young daughter and having this project has been a great motivation for me to not just sit and think about my health and my wellbeing. Its giving me purpose, Eggert said. Its keeping me driven every day. I think the timing of life is always for a reason.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
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 HCI Group, Inc. (NYSE:HCI) 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 homeowner happily smiling while holding a copy of their new insurance policy.

HCI Group, Inc. (NYSE:HCI)

Share Price Upside: 46%

Number of Hedge Fund Investors In Q2 2024: 21

Average Analyst Share Price Target: $138.75

HCI Group, Inc. (NYSE:HCI) is a Florida based insurance company. It primarily caters to the needs of homeowners and provides them with insurance against fires and floods. HCI Group, Inc. (NYSE:HCI) also operates properties and provides software products for claims management and other services. The fact that HCI Group, Inc. (NYSE:HCI) is based in Florida creates a risk for the firm due to the evolving nature of climate related impacts on the insurance industry in the region. As they face rising damages from climate catastrophes, insurance providers are either exiting the market or raising premiums, both of which make business difficult. At the same time, it also means that if HCI Group, Inc. (NYSE:HCI) is able to manage its portfolio efficiently, then it could raise premiums following the exodus of other insurance firms. On this front, it is already facing tailwinds from the depopulation of Citizens Property Insurance, and HCI Group, Inc. (NYSE:HCI)'s software business also provides it with a high margin division to boost profits. Oppenheimer believes that the stock is undervalued and HCI Group, Inc. (NYSE:HCI)'s shares "will move toward fair value, which we think is significantly above the current price."

HCI Group, Inc. (NYSE:HCI)'s management shared key details for the Citizen Insurance depopulation during the Q2 2024 earnings call:

"First, Condo Owners Reciprocal Exchange, known as CORE, assumed additional policies from Citizens, and its total run rate premium is approximately $70 million. Second, we completed our annual reinsurance program in the quarter, which included a structure similar to last year, and retention at both of our insurance carriers was largely unchanged. We were pleased with the outcome and we appreciate the continued support of our reinsurance partners. We believe reinsurers recognize the value of our technology and our claims organization. With reinsurance now secure, we expect our total reinsurance spend across all reinsurance towers to be approximately $92 million per quarter. This includes the consolidation of COREs reinsurance spend and minor risk transfer enhancements. Id like to reaffirm a few statements I made last quarter related to the assumption of policies from Citizens. First, I mentioned that we were retaining more policies than we expected. As more policies come up for renewal and transition to our paper, this is still the case. The retention of policies continues to exceed our expectations. Second, I mentioned that the loss ratio was coming in better than expected. As this book becomes more seasoned, this is still the case. The loss ratio on policies we assumed from Citizens is continuing better than expected. Given the proven success of our technology to select attractive policies from Citizens, we have applied to assume additional policies from Citizens. Homeowners Choice has been approved to assume up to 25,000 policies in October. TypTap has also been approved to assume 25,000 policies in October. And both companies have applied to participate in a November assumption as well. Additionally, CORE has been approved to assume policies from Citizens in October. We will update everyone on our plans closer to the assumption date. Overall, we posted another quarter of solid profitability, and we continue to make solid progress on our top line and bottom line."

Overall HCI ranks 6th on our list of Oppenheimer's favorite stocks for the next 12 months. While we acknowledge the potential of HCI 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 HCI 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.
NIH statement: As a result of these investigations, 112 scientists reportedly lost their jobs, casting doubt on the integrity of many and harming U.S. life sciences research. While the NIH stopped short of apologizing, its director, Monica Bertagnolli, expressed support for Asian researchers. I recognize that certain government actions to protect against concerning activities by the PRC have had the unintended consequence of creating a difficult climate for our valued Asian American, Asian immigrant and Asian research colleagues who may feel targeted and alienated. While I fully support NIHs efforts to address serious integrity breaches instigated by the PRC, I believe there are opportunities to do this in a way that protects our relationships with our trusted Asian research colleagues, Bertagnolli stated.
The Supreme Court decision ending the constitutional right to abortion has highlighted the inhumanity of attempting to legislate and restrict potentially life-saving care. As a Latina abortion physician, I see this every day. Each day brings another harrowing story of someone denied the abortion they need.

People who want to ban abortion want you to believe that this conversation can be reduced to an arbitrary number: a number of weeks after which abortion becomes illegal. But the complexities of our lives  particularly of pregnancies  cant be captured in black and white. Existing in the gray area are peoples hopes, dreams, families, dignity and health. They are things that politicians should never attempt to control.

This black and white conversation cant hold every step that has brought someone seeking abortion care to me. Ive witnessed all kinds of barriers that stand in the way of someone getting an abortion once theyve made the decision to do so. Many of my patients face countless hurdles: inability to take time off from work, coordinating childcare, and abortion restrictions that force them to travel hundreds or even thousands of miles. Some patients are scraping enough money together to pay for everyday living expenses, never mind an unexpected cost like abortion that often isnt covered by health insurance. Ive encountered patients who have decided not to pay their utility or credit card bills that month because they knew the longer they waited, the more expensive their abortion would become.

In our San Francisco clinic, I have seen far too many young girls who come to us later in pregnancy because they were raped while crossing the border into the U.S. Some as young as 11 years old, whose small pelvises arent ready to have a baby. They arrive scared, alone and unsure who to trust. Those are the hardest days for me. Theyve had their innocence taken away and had to fight so hard just to make it to their appointment. The last thing they need is to worry that on top of every other horror theyve faced, its too late for them to get the abortion care they need.

Black and white cant account for the times when life doesnt go as planned. Someone might get a diagnosis that means their baby cant survive or discover a medical condition that puts their own life at risk. Someone might feel they could take on a pregnancy, and then find themselves in a different situation financially, physically, psychologically or emotionally. They could lose a job, a partner or a safe place to live. Only the person who is pregnant can decide what their life can handle. My role is to support people as they make the right decision for them based on their judgment about what they need to stay healthy and whole.

Want more health and science stories in your inbox? Subscribe to Salon's weekly newsletter Lab Notes.

Black and white has no room for me as a mother, guided by my Catholic faith, to provide abortion care. What some people see in the doctrine of the church, a rigid doctrine that clearly influences the recent abortion bans, does not align with how so many Catholics live our lives. Ive seen patients whove made the very conscious decision to end their pregnancy make the sign of the cross or grasp a rosary as they drift off under anesthesia. Ill often provide an abortion and then share a moment of prayer to mark the moment. This isnt rare. It happens on a daily basis.

My Catholic faith guides me to care for my patients, to meet them where they are, and support them in their journey to determine for themselves whether or not they can handle a pregnancy. This is essential for Black and Latinx patients who face the most barriers and dont have the same access to high-quality health care. I can see a weight lift from my Latinx patients shoulders when they realize they have a Spanish-speaking physician taking care of them.

Those moments fuel my commitment to spending as much time as I can in the clinic providing abortion care. The people who have abortions are our friends, neighbors and families; theyre the people who form our communities. We need to end stigma and allow individuals the dignity they deserve by being able to make their own medical decisions. We also need to ensure they can access the quality health care that every person in this country has a right to.

When people are turned away because of an arbitrary limit imposed by politicians, they face a heavy burden in trying to find the care they need. They have the additional stress of having to travel to another state, get time off from their job, and make sure someone can take care of the children they may already have. They lose the trust and comfort of the relationship formed with a clinician who has been guiding them through their pregnancy. It makes them feel like pawns in a cruel or indifferent system rather than a partner in determining their medical care and future. They could be forced to continue a pregnancy theyve decided they shouldnt have. That was true when the arbitrary Roe standard was in place, and it remains true to this day.

The tragic fallout of the Dobbs decision has shown the public that the government has no place in deciding how and when someone can end their own pregnancy. Every pregnancy is different. There is no list in black and white words on a paper that can encompass the broad spectrum of individuals and scenarios where abortion care is necessary. There is no good law that tells us which abortions are acceptable, and no situation in which physicians like me or my patients should be treated like criminals for recognizing that.

In the face of persistent attacks from people who want to ban abortion in all its forms, we must fight for a world in which no politicians stand in the way of peoples ability to make their own decisions about their pregnancies.
No threat of Kyiv dam breach or flooding, says Ukraine's hydropower generating company

There is no threat of a dam breach for the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP), and there will be no flooding of adjacent areas.

Source: Ihor Syrota, CEO of Ukrhydroenergo, a Ukrainian state-owned hydropower generating company, on Telegram

Quote: "Today, we are dealing with the rubble clearing after the missile attack. We cannot yet assess all the technical consequences, what we have lost, and the required restoration time. However, there is no threat of a dam breach for the Kyiv HPP, and there can be no flooding," Syrota noted.

At the same time, no employees were harmed during the attack on the station.

Reportedly, Ukrhydroenergo has lost over 40% of its generation capacity. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the company's stations have been hit around 130 times.

Currently, the Kakhovka HPP has been lost, and the Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP) is not operational. Other hydroelectric and pumped-storage stations of the company are currently in the process of being restored.

Background: The Russian attack on the morning of 26 August did not cause critical damage to the Kyiv HPP.

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The last few days of the summer holidays are closing in. Many parents will be welcoming the return of routine  no more chasing teenagers out of bed, frantically planning activities or trying to get some work done on the park bench. Its back to reality, with new pencil cases, new shoes and a new set of behavioural problems.

According to the Department for Education, this years cohort of year nine and 10 students are some of the worst behaved on record, with over 50 per cent more suspensions when they were 11 and 13 back in 2022-23. As the fear and novelty of secondary school wears off, pupils with a behavioural problem tend to worsen as they reach GCSE age without adequate intervention. Perhaps surprisingly, the rate of exclusion and suspension rose fastest among girls, with 1,000 more female exclusions compared with 2018-19.

Unsurprisingly, most officials from union bosses to DfE bods put the problem down to the pandemic. The experience of home schooling during lockdown may well be responsible for the deterioration of some social skills, suggested behaviour adviser Tom Bennett, with the NASUWTs Patrick Roach agreeing that there was no doubt that bad behaviour had been worsened by the pandemic. The kids in question are the lockdown guinea pigs - missing the crucial transition from primary to secondary school while the UK was in enforced social isolation. You dont need a PhD in child psychology to know that the years of missed school and missed friends was going to take some kind of toll on the normal behaviour of many youngsters.

But can schools get away with blaming the pandemic  even parents  for the crisis of discipline? Not quite. For a start, its a bit rich that Labour officials are talking about the years of lockdown as if they were a natural phenomenon which happened to affect our children. While it was the Tories, and Mr libertarian Boris Johnson, who created a government policy of de-socialisation by locking the school gates, Labours pushback was always for harder, faster and longer periods of lockdown.

Likewise, teachers unions spent very little time during the pandemic thinking about the impact of closures on their charges, and most of the time worrying about having the right plastic aprons  even when it was widely accepted that children werent the little vectors of disease theyd been made out to be. We cannot let the pandemic be talked about as if it were merely an unfortunate fact of life. Accountability for the decisions made by a previous government - and a current one while in opposition  matters if we intend to prevent any future assault on childrens education.

Many educationalists are keen to point out that there are other factors at play when considering the problem of behaviour in schools. The fact that far more exclusions and suspensions take place in poorer schools leads many to argue that the issue is simply a matter of underfunding and under-resourcing, with teacher shortages and burnout contributing to a lack of discipline. But this too is a cop out  the problem is not simply that schools have a lack of manpower to throw at naughty kids, but an unwillingness to do so.

The school exclusion debate is a tricky one  a failure to get to grips with how to handle challenging kids has led to cowardly practices, with many schools simply shunting on those deemed to be problem children. Tragically for parents with kids with genuine SEND issues, this means a system that quite literally gives up on their child. Obsessions with Ofsted reports, grade targets and ratings mean that pupils are seen as problems to be managed for the books, with a sense of educational purpose  the calling of educational work  getting lost in concerns about school image.

The problem of school discipline is far more existential than financial. Even since my years as a loud-mouthed teenager, the role of teachers has drastically changed. Rather than simply being expected to impart knowledge onto the next generation and inspire a love of learning, teachers are now expected to be social workers, behavioural experts, family liaisons and sexual-identity advisers. Labours solution to the issue of behaviour is to promise specialist mental health professionals in every school. This ignores the fact that most kids who act up in class dont have a mental-health problem  theyve got an attitude problem. Authority, fear and respect  crucial tools to socialise children into being able to sit still enough to learn what they need to at school  have become dirty words.

The crisis of behaviour in schools isnt really a problem with kids  its with us, the adults. Teenagers will act up, its in their nature. The question is, what do we do as the authority figures in their lives to curtail, encourage and lead their behaviour? We are not facing a generation of lost children  the pandemic was a terrible experience for them, but there is still hope. What schools need is a reorientation in priorities, and a reminder of whos in charge.

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WALLACE, N.C. (WNCN)  Hope for the Warriors, a national non-profit that supports post-9/11 military families, has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation.

According to Wells Fargo, the $200,000 unrestricted grant funds will be used to advance financial wellness and career readiness of the post-9/11 veterans, transitioning service members, their families and caregivers through HOPEs Critical Needs and Warriors Compass programs.

Wells Fargo, Capital Ford of Raleigh, and Capital Ford of Wilmington also donated $66,000 for a new 2024 Ford Transit XL 15-passenger van, which will support HOPEs various programs and events across the country.

The van was presented during the organizations 15th Annual Hope For The Warriors Celebrity Invitational hosted in Wallace.

Sanford teachers receive $12,500 donation and 25 school supply kits from Johnson Subaru of Cary

We know how critical emergency funds and career transitions assistance are to the military families we support, HOPE CEO and co-founder Robin Kelleher said in a statement. It means stability for the entire family. Families not having to move, yet again.

In addition to the grant money, the donated 15-passanger van will continue to have a huge impact on the families we serve for years to come, she continued in her statement. From transporting military families at our events, warrior athletes and their adaptive equipment, to allowing our staff to attend and set up events, this new van is a wonderful blessing to the organization.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com.
North Texas deputy fire chief retires after being charged with driving drunk in fire vehicle

A Pantego deputy fire chief has retired after being arrested last month on a drunk driving charge, city officials said in a statement.

Robert Franklin, who was also the emergency management coordinator for the city, was arrested July 24. Pantego City Manager Joe Ashton told KDFW-TV that Franklin was wearing his uniform and driving a fire department SUV when he picked up a stranded woman. The woman believed Franklin was drunk due to his driving and behavior and asked to be let out.

When Franklin let the woman out, she called 911 to report him, Ashton told KDFW. Pantego police officers found Franklin sitting in the SUV behind the fire station and arrested him. The SUV had suffered some damage to the exterior.

He didnt ask for any special treatment, Ashton said to KDFW.

Franklin was booked into the Pantego Jail Facility while he waited transfer to the Tarrant County Jail, according to the news release. His case was filed with the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorneys Office.

Franklin submitted his application to retire soon after his arrest, the release said. His retirement became effective Aug. 5.

 More top stories from our newsroom:

 Mayor calls Fort Worth ISD scores 'unacceptable'

 How Houston, Dallas schools outperform Fort Worth

 School board approves closing last 6th grade campus

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A North Texas preschool is being sued after one its teachers pleaded guilty to the 2023 abuse of a 3-year-old that occurred at the campus.

The lawsuit was filed by the McCathern Law Firm on Monday in a Denton County district court.

The defendants named in the suit are Parker-Chase Preschool in Carrollton, its parent company Endeavor Schools LLC, and the former teacher, Nyomi Reyes.

Parents Vanessa Ippolito and Joseph Musselman are seeking over $1 million to recover damages for the severe injuries sustained by their 3-year-old child, the suit says.

The abuse around March 10, 2023, when Ippolito and Musselman found marks on their sons skin, according to the suit.

When Musselman picked up the boy at the school that day, he was told the 3-year-old was talking back in class. When he took him home, the father discovered significant markings on the childs buttocks, according to the plaintiffs account.

The parents decided to send the child back to the preschool as they considered the marks could have been caused by roughhousing on the playground, the suit says.

However, the next evening, they again noticed new markings on the child, but they were worse and widespread, according to the suit.

The injuries occurred while the 3-year-old was in the care, custody and control of Parker-Chase Preschool, the parents said.

As a result of the abuse and failure to notify the parents of the childs injuries sustained at the school, they have lost their faith in schools, the suit reads. Ippolito withdrew both of her children from Parker-Chase and is having them home-schooled instead.

Ms. Ippolito has been traumatized by the whole experience, the suit says.

The Texas Department of Family Protective Services and Carrollton police opened an investigation of the abuse, confirming a finding of child abuse at the school caused by Reyes. She was arrested and charged with injury to a child.

Despite Reyes arrest, the parents said, the school never contacted the family regarding the incident or the developments in Reyes case.

Reyes pleaded guilty to the charge this week, according to a news release from the McCathern Law Firm.

This abuse is widespread and made possible by Endeavor Schools lack of appropriate policies and procedures. Our hope with this lawsuit is to bring awareness and force change in the private preschool system, starting with this Defendant, said Noah McCathern, the parents attorney.

The Parker-Chase Preschool failed to follow its policies on not permitting spanking or physical abuse of a child at the campus, according to the lawsuit. The school also did not follow its policy on notifying parents if and when an act of abuse occurs, the suit says.

In a statement sent to the Star-Telegram, Endeavor Schools said it first learned of the abuse when contacted by the plaintiffs attorneys. School officials immediately reported the matter to authorities and ultimately dismissed Reyes from her position, according to the statement.

We take any claim seriously and have zero tolerance for any behavior that does not align with our high standards for care. The safety and wellbeing of the children in our care remains our highest priority, and we have not found any evidence that would substantiate the allegations made against the teacher, the parent company said in the statement.
A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced a 51-year-old Northern California man to 27 years in prison for sexually exploiting an autistic child three years ago.

Brent Hooton of Marysville was convicted of sexual exploitation of a child and distribution of child pornography, the U.S. Attorneys Office in Sacramento announced in a news release.

Federal prosecutors said Hooton in May 2021 produced three images of a severely autistic child younger than 12 years old engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Hooton shared these explicit images on the Kik Messenger app with an undercover FBI agent, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Prosecutors said FBI agents served a search warrant, examined Hootons cellphone and discovered that Hooton sent sexually explicit images of the child to at least six other Kik users, along with at least four images of other children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

This case was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
People visit the 20th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition in Shanghai, east China, April 25, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

The 21st Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition, known as Auto Shanghai 2025, will be held from April 25 to May 2, 2025, at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai, according to a press conference on Tuesday.



The event aims to embrace globalization and promote high-quality development by leveraging technological advancements and new business models in the digital era. By focusing on science and technology innovation, the event seeks to enhance supply chain collaboration and mutual cooperation, driving a new era of development in the global automotive industry.

Organized by the Shanghai Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, with support from the Shanghai International Exhibition Group and Messe Munchen GmbH, the exhibition is expected to cover a vast area of 360,000 square meters. The schedule includes press days on April 23 and 24, trade days on April 25 and 26, and public days from April 27 to May 2.

Kicking off with the 2025 Global Automotive Leaders Closed-door Summit on April 22, the event will spotlight China's automotive industry on the global stage, marking a significant milestone in its 40-year history.

The theme of Auto Shanghai 2025, "Embracing Innovation, Empowering the Future", underscores a commitment to innovation and collaboration. The summit on April 22 will gather government officials, industry experts, and global leaders to explore industry trends and insights, fostering high-level cooperation and mutual benefits in the automotive sector.

As Auto Shanghai embarks on this new journey, it remains dedicated to being a key player in automotive technological innovation, advocating for open cooperation and contributing to high-quality industry development, said the organizer.
Fingerprint Cards AB

NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, BELARUS, HONG KONG, JAPAN, CANADA, NEW ZEALAND, RUSSIA, SINGAPORE, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. PLEASE SEE IMPORTANT INFORMATION AT THE END OF THIS PRESS RELEASE.

On 17 June 2024, a total of 2,557,212,981 shares of series B (B-shares) were, as previously communicated, allotted in Fingerprint Cards ABs (publ) (Fingerprints or the Company) partially guaranteed issue of B-shares of up to approximately SEK 312.4 million with preferential rights for its existing shareholders (the Rights Issue).



As previously communicated, the guarantee commitments which are entered into by an entity managed by Heights Capital Management, Inc. (HCM) are, to the extent they would entail that HCMs shareholding corresponds to 10 percent or more of the total number of votes in the Company, conditional upon a prior positive decision from the Inspectorate of Strategic Products (Sw. Inspektionen for strategiska produkter) (the ISP) pursuant to the Screening of Foreign Direct Investment Act (Sw. lag (2023:560) om granskning av utlandska direktinvesteringar). Since HCM as of 18 June 2024 had not obtained such FDI Decision from the ISP, HCM was allotted 323,747,886 B-shares (corresponding to 9.99 percent of the total number of votes in the Company) of their total guarantee commitment of 822,090,460 B-shares. HCM has informed the Company that they have divested the B-shares that were allotted to them on 18 June 2024 and that HCM, as a result thereof, have subscribed for an additional 359,679,909 B-shares in the Company (the Subscription). The Subscription entails that HCMs holding in Fingerprints corresponds to approximately 9.99 percent of the total number of votes in the Company and is thus not conditional upon a prior positive decision from the ISP. Through the Subscription, Fingerprints will receive additional proceeds of approximately SEK 32.4 million. The subscription of the 138,662,665 B-shares, which remain of HCMs guarantee commitments after the completion of the Subscription, is still conditional upon a prior positive decision from the ISP if such subscription would entail that HCMs shareholding corresponds to 10 percent or more of the total number of votes in the Company.

The B-shares in the Subscription will, following registration with the Swedish Companies Registration Office, entail an increase of the Companys share capital by approximately SEK 15,661,364.85 to approximately SEK 153,684,343.92, an increase in the number of shares with 359,679,909 to 3,529,524,493 and an increase in the number of votes with 359,679,909 to 3,600,399,493. The Subscription will thus entail a total dilution effect corresponding to approximately 10.19 percent of the number of shares and approximately 9.99 percent of the number of votes in the Company following the completion of the Subscription. The new B-shares in the Subscription are expected to be delivered to HCM on or around 30 August 2024.

Story continues

As HCMs subscription period in the Rights Issue ends on 31 August 2024, the Company and HCM have agreed to extend HCMs subscription period in the Rights Issue up to and including 30 September 2024 as well as to extend the latest day for redemption of the Companys outstanding convertible bonds to 31 October 2024.

Advisers

Pareto Securities acts as Sole Manager and Bookrunner in connection with the Rights Issue. Gernandt & Danielsson Advokatbyra KB acts as legal advisor to the Company in connection with the Rights Issue.

For information, please contact:

Adam Philpott, CEO

Investor Relations:

+46(0)10-172 00 10

investrel@fingerprints.com

Press:

+46(0)10-172 00 20

press@fingerprints.com

This is the type of information that Fingerprint Cards AB (publ) is obligated to disclose pursuant to the EUs Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, on 28 August 2024 at 3:20 pm CEST.

Important information

This press release does not contain and does not constitute an offer to acquire, subscribe or otherwise trade in shares, subscription rights, BTA, convertibles or other securities in Fingerprints. The offer to relevant persons regarding the subscription of shares in Fingerprints will only be made through the prospectus that Fingerprints will publish on its website after approval and registration with the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (Sw. Finansinspektionen).

The information in this press release may not be disclosed, published or distributed, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States (including its territories and possessions), Australia, Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore or South Africa or any other jurisdiction where distribution or publication would be illegal or require registration or other measures than those that follow from Swedish law. Actions that violate these restrictions may constitute a violation of applicable securities laws.

No shares, subscription rights, BTA, convertibles or other securities have been registered, and no shares, subscription rights, BTA, convertibles or other securities will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 as currently amended (Securities Act) or the securities legislation of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States and no shares, subscription rights, BTA, convertibles or other securities may be offered, sold, or otherwise transferred, directly or indirectly, within or into the United States, except under an available exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements under the Securities Act and in compliance with the securities legislation in the relevant state or any other jurisdiction of the United States.

In all EEA Member States (EEA), other than Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway, this press release is intended for and is directed only to qualified investors in the relevant Member State as defined in the Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (together with associated delegated regulations and implementing regulations, the Prospectus Regulation), i.e. only to those investors who can receive the offer without an approved prospectus in such EEA Member State.

In the United Kingdom, this press release is directed and communicated only to persons who are qualified investors as defined in Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation (as incorporated into domestic law in the United Kingdom) who are (i) persons who fall within the definition of professional investors in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended) (the Regulation), or (ii) persons covered by Article 49(2)(a) - (d) in the Regulation, or (iii) persons to whom the information may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons referred to in (i), (ii) and (iii) above are collectively referred to as Relevant Persons). Securities in the Company are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will only be processed in respect of Relevant Persons. Persons who are not Relevant Persons should not act based on or rely on the information contained in this press release.

The Company considers that it carries out protection-worthy activities under the Foreign Direct Investment Screening Act (the Swedish FDI Act) (Sw. lag (2023:560) om granskning av utlandska direktinvesteringar). According to the Swedish FDI Act, the Company must inform presumptive investors that the Companys activities may fall under the regulation and that the investment may be subject to mandatory filing. If an investment is subject to mandatory filing, it must prior to its completion, be filed with the Inspectorate of Strategic Products (the ISP). An investment may be subject to mandatory filing if i) the investor, a member of the investors ownership structure or a person on whose behalf the investor is acting would, after the completion of the investment, hold votes in the Company equal to, or exceeding any of the thresholds of 10, 20, 30, 50, 65 or 90 percent of the total number of votes in the Company, ii) the investor would, as a result of the investment, acquire the Company, and the investor, a member of the investors ownership structure or a person on whose behalf the investor is acting, would, directly or indirectly, hold 10 percent or more of the total number of votes in the Company, or iii) the investor, a member of the investors ownership structure or a person on whose behalf the investor is acting, would acquire, as a result of the investment, direct or indirect influence on the management of the Company. The investor may be imposed an administrative sanction charge if a mandatory filing investment is carried out before the ISP either i) decided to leave the notification without action or ii) authorised the investment. Each shareholder should consult an independent legal adviser on the possible application of the Swedish FDI Act in relation to the Rights Issue for the individual shareholder.

This announcement does not constitute an investment recommendation. The price and value of securities and any income from them can go down as well as up and you could lose your entire investment. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. Information in this announcement cannot be relied upon as a guide to future performance.

Forward-looking statements

Matters discussed in this press release may contain forward-looking statements. Such statements are all statements that are not historical facts and contain expressions such as believes, expects, anticipates, intends, estimates, will", may, continues, should and other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on various assumptions, which in several cases are based on additional assumptions. Although Fingerprints believes these assumptions were reasonable when made, such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other material factors that are difficult or impossible to predict and beyond its control. Such risks, uncertainties, contingencies and material factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in this communication through the forward-looking statements. The information, perceptions and forward-looking statements contained in press release speak only as at its date, and are subject to change without notice. Fingerprints undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or other circumstances, except for when it is required by law or other regulations. Accordingly, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements.

Information to distributors

Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended (MiFID II); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local implementing measures (together, the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any manufacturer (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the shares in Fingerprints have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that such shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II (the Target Market Assessment). Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, Distributors should note that: the price of the shares in Fingerprints may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the shares in Fingerprints offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the shares in Fingerprints is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Rights Issue.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the shares in Fingerprints.

Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the shares in Fingerprints and determining appropriate distribution channels.

About Fingerprints

Fingerprint Cards AB (Fingerprints)  the worlds leading biometrics company, with its roots in Sweden. We believe in a secure and seamless universe, where you are the key to everything. Our solutions are found in hundreds of millions of devices and applications, and are used billions of times every day, providing safe and convenient identification and authentication with a human touch. For more information visit our website, read our blog, and follow us on Twitter. Fingerprints is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (FING B).

Attachment




Do not drink order issued for Saline Co. mobile home park

SALINA, Kan. (KSNW)  The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a rare Do Not Drink order for a mobile home park in Saline County.

The agency says the water at Sundowner Mobile Home Park West is unsafe to consume due to unsafe levels of manganese and a recent loss of pressure in the system. Usually, with a loss of pressure, the KDHE issues a boil advisory. However, due to the high concentration of manganese, the water is unsafe to use.

While it is one of the most abundant elements on earth and a necessary nutrient, high levels of manganese are toxic, especially to children and pregnant women. Boiling the water will not remove it, but it will concentrate it.

Its not the first time there have been water issues at the mobile home park. Ten days after KSN reported on residents complaints about the water system, the KDHE issued a boil order for the park.

The KDHE says residents of Sundowner West Mobile Home Park should take the following precautions:

DO NOT GIVE TAP WATER TO INFANTS . Infants up to six months who drink water containing manganese exceeding the EPA Health Advisory Level for infants (300 ug/L) could experience adverse health effects.

Tap water should not be used to prepare water, juice, and formula for infants. Instead, use bottled water or other water low in nitrates.

DO NOT BOIL TAP WATER. Boiling cannot reduce manganese levels. Excessive boiling can concentrate the manganese as the water evaporates because the manganese remains in the water.

Do not use water to cook or prepare food.

Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic icemaker.

Tap water can be used for bathing. However, children must be supervised while bathing to prevent water from being ingested.

Tap water may be used to flush toilets.

Click here to learn more about manganese from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
Were not going away: Tonya Whipps family vows to attend all her boyfriends court appearances

Were not going away: Tonya Whipps family vows to attend all her boyfriends court appearances

POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA)  The family of Tonya Whipp said the missing womans boyfriend can get used to seeing their faces in court.

I will be here every time hes here, Whipps sister, Jenny Shelton, said.

We want our presence to be known, honestly, and were not going away. Were not going away. Somebody else is gonna go away but it wont be us until we see this through, Donna Martin, Tonya Whipps sister, added.

2 accused of illegally harvesting 801 pounds of saw palmetto berries in Hillsborough County

Russell Carroll, Whipps boyfriend, has been in jail for months, accused of accessing and spending Tonya Whipps money after her disappearance in the spring of 2023.

The Auburndale Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement executed at least two search warrants at the home Carroll shared with Whipp.

During a minute-long hearing on Tuesday, Carroll was in front of a judge on the grand theft and criminal use of personal identification information charges involving Whipps finances.

His attorney was granted a continuance and declined to comment to News Channel 8.

The family was joined in the courthouse by an Auburndale Police detective and Nico Tusconi, a co-founder of We Are The Essentials.

It sucks that it was continued today but at least we know where hes at until the truth comes out, Martin said.

We wished that it would move forward. Its dragging out now for three months. Either an attorney leaves, or we just want it to get done, to get moving forward, not just keep continuing, Lisa Textor, Whipps aunt, said.

Ronde Barber says Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles would destroy Tyreek Hill in race

Carroll has not been charged with any crimes related to Whipps actual disappearance but prosecutors wrote in a court filing he has been notified he is the only suspect in Whipps homicide investigation.

Ive seen him in the orange jumpsuit and I loved it. Thats where he belongs until he takes his last breath, Shelton said.

Carroll is due back in court on Oct. 22.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Now We Know What Jack Smith Was Up To In The Jan. 6 Case

A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPMs Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version.

An Abundance Of Caution

In a case marked by Donald Trumps determined efforts to delay it at any cost, it was a little perplexing when Special Counsel Jack Smith asked the judge in the Jan. 6 case to push back a deadline by a month to give him more time to evaluate the impact of the Supreme Courts noxious decision on presidential immunity. Now we know why.

During the interregnum, Smith took the case back to a new federal grand jury in DC but stripped out evidence that the Supreme Court ruled would be inadmissible and pared down other elements of the case that the high court squarely immunized. The new grand jury, untainted by the now-inadmissible evidence, returned a superseding indictment against Trump that otherwise largely mirrors the original indictment.

The abundance of caution exhibited by Smith and DOJ is another indicator, if we needed any, of the stakes in this case. The new indictment is different in three fundamental respects:

It ditches the allegations related to Trumps effort to enlist the Justice Department itself in his scheme to overturn the 2020 election. This includes the whole sordid Jeff Clark episode. The Supreme Court was clear that these were immunized official acts by Trump, a travesty of its own. It removes the extended narration of evidence of Trumps knowledge and state of mind that was based on evidence the Supreme Court indicated would be inadmissible because it would weaken the presidents immunity protection, another screaming travesty that is now the law of the land. It leans more heavily into Vice President Mike Pences constitutional role as Senate president, which placed him at the center of the Jan. 6 certification of the Electoral College vote. Smith appears to be responding to the Supreme Courts invitation in the immunity decision (pp. 23-24, citations removed):

Despite the Vice Presidents expansive role of advising and assisting the President within the Executive Branch, the Vice Presidents Article I responsibility of presiding over the Senate is not an executive branch function.  So the Government may argue that consideration of the Presidents communications with the Vice President concerning the certification proceeding does not pose dangers of intrusion on the authority and functions of the Executive Branch.

If I havent satisfied your nerd curiosity enough, heres a red-lined version of the old indictment compared to the new one.

New Unaired Video Of Nancy Pelosi On Jan. 6

Politico has a good rundown of the previously unaired video footage of Nancy Pelosi during the evacuation of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021:

TPM On TV

WATCH: Last night @maddow cites @TPM @KhayaHimmelman reporting on the new rules being implemented by MAGA members of the Georgia Election Board, including some that will make it easier to delay election certification in the state. pic.twitter.com/mZXbTppaGv  Talking Points Memo (@TPM) August 27, 2024

WTF?

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA  AUGUST 26: Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump departs Arlington National Cemetery after an event to honor the lives of those who died at the Abbey Gate Bombing, on August 26, 2024 in Arlington, Virginia. August 26, 2024, marked the three year anniversary of the bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport, which killed 13 American service members in 2021. (Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

Donald Trumps effort to politicize the deaths of service members during the Afghanistan withdrawal by filming and photographing himself graveside at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday not only violated the shrines rules but allegedly included a physical altercation between Trump campaign staff and cemetery staff, NPR reports.

The physical altercation : Two members of Donald Trumps campaign staff had a verbal and physical altercation Monday with an official at Arlington National Cemetery, where the former president participated in a wreath-laying ceremony, NPR has learned.

The verbal abuse : When the cemetery official tried to prevent Trump campaign staff from entering Section 60, campaign staff verbally abused and pushed the official aside, according to the source.

Further abuse: Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung responded to NPR by claiming, without any obvious basis, that the unidentified cemetery staffer was clearly suffering from a mental health episode.

Prediction: This story is going to be around for a while.

Dude, What Is Your Problem?

Lingering in the background of JD Vances peculiar fixation on childless women is an anti-gay animus. The silver lining to another newly resurfaced Vance audio clip is that it much more clearly foregrounds the anti-LGBTQ spirit of his crusade because it targets a favorite right-wing foil: AFT President Randi Weingarten, an open lesbian in a same-sex marriage:

NEW VANCE AUDIO: During a Center for Christian Virtue forum in 2021, JD Vance attacked American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten for "brainwashing" children while not having children of her own:



"So many of the leaders of the left, and I hate to be so personal pic.twitter.com/g7fXb1ReZV  Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) August 27, 2024

Most of the coverage of these Vance remark have framed it as an attack on teachers, but I think thats sidesteps the real issue here. Admittedly, childless is a very blunt instrument and covers a lot more than gay people, which is partly why theres been so much backlash to his remarks. But the fact that other people are ending up as collateral damage to his attack on LGBTQ folk doesnt change who the intended target was.

For context, consider this excruciating exchange last year in a House hearing between Weingarten and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) in which Greene repeatedly asserts that Weingarten is not a mother. It led to this belabored headline in National Review: Is Randi Weingarten a Mother? Its Complicated

Motherhood is the coin of the realm in this right-wing world view, a prerequisite to participation in the public square, and that conveniently excludes many LGBTQ people, especially if adoptive parents and stepparents are excluded from the definition, as they are.

Sentence Of The Day

The whale has now joined a baby bear, at least one emu and a worm that have been intimately associated with Mr. Kennedy, the independent presidential candidate  and environmental lawyer  who last week joined forces with former President Donald J. Trumps campaign. The New York Times

Always Be Closing On The Grift

It still challenges the limits of my imagination that the fascism and the grift are so closely intertwined. It makes me want to go back and re-read everything about 1930s fascism through that prism, which I think was recognized by most close observer then and since, but it didnt fully register with me until seeing it up close:

This is a real video Donald Trump just posted pic.twitter.com/YigJ26hrAf  Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) August 27, 2024

The Antidote To The Grift: Authenticity And Irony

This a deep cut of Minnesota references, but the combination of authenticity and enough savvy to be in on the joke does set Tim Walz apart from most pols:

And in case you missed our whimsical slideshow, behold: Tim Walz loves balloons  or should it be balloons love Tim Walz?

Do you like Morning Memo? Let us know!
NYC Public Schools is hiring: Find your next job today

NYC Public Schools is hiring: Find your next job today

NEW YORK (PIX11)  With the first day of school quickly approaching, the New York City Department of Education is looking to fill numerous positions in public schools across the city.

The positions are listed on the NYC Public Schools job website.

More Local News

Many of the openings are for school aides and family workers. Teaching certificates are not required unless specified.

The job listing will provide information on how to apply. For school aides and family workers, applicants will be directed to send a cover letter and resume to the employer.

All applicants are subject to a fingerprint and background check.

Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
(KRON)  The California Highway Patrols law enforcement surge in Oakland has resulted in 803 arrests since February, according to California Gov. Gavin Newsom. In addition to the arrests, 81 illegal firearms have been seized and 1,641 stolen vehicles have been recovered.

Fatal shooting at Oakland Dollar Tree on Tuesday

Our ongoing presence and the results yielded by the CHP in Oakland demonstrates the states commitment to prioritizing public safety, said Gov. Newsom. All Californians should feel safe in their communities, and the state will continue its work to put criminals on notice and families more at ease.

The Oakland CHP surge was launched in February in an effort to improve public safety in the East Bay. The effort is focused on crime like auto theft, cargo theft, retail crime, violent crime and high-visibility traffic enforcement.

In July, Newsom announced the state was ramping up its efforts to further crack down on crime in the East Bay by increasing CHP officer deployment in Oakland.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
A worker on an office hiking retreat to a national forest in Colorado had to be rescued after 14 of his colleagues allegedly left him stranded on a 14,230-foot mountain, authorities said.

"In what might cause some awkward encounters at the office in the coming days and weeks, one member of their party was left to complete his final summit push alone," Chaffee County, Colorado, Search and Rescue said in a statement.

The team-building expedition gone wrong unfolded Friday on Mt. Shavano in central Colorado's San Isabel National Forest, according to search-and-rescue officials.

PHOTO: Rescue crews search for a worker stranded by his colleagues on Mt. Shavano in Colorado during an office retreat Aug. 23, 2024. (Chaffee County Search and Rescue)

"Initial reports to our communications center indicated a group of 15 hikers on an office retreat had left the Blanks Cabin Trailhead at sunrise that morning, with a group completing summit attempts and a separate group ascending to the saddle [area of the mountain] and returning from there," rescuers said in the statement.

While 14 employees made it down the mountain safely, rescue officials said one was left to complete the summit push alone.

The lone employee made it to the summit at 11:30 a.m., but when he tried to descend, "he became disoriented," according to rescue officials.

MORE: Body found during search for missing hiker in San Diego: Police

Making matters worse, his colleagues descending the mountain ahead of him inexplicably collected belongings left in a boulder field to mark the path down, officials said.

"In his initial attempts to descend, he found himself in the steep boulder and scree field on the northeast slopes toward Shavano Lake," according to officials.

The man, whose name and company were not released, used his cellphone to pin-drop his location to his co-workers, who informed him that he was on the wrong route and instructed him to hike back up to the summit to get to the correct trail down, officials said.

PHOTO: Rescuers get briefed on a lost hiker who was stranded by his work colleagues on Mt. Shavano in Colorado during an office retreat on Aug. 23, 2024. (Chaffee County Search and Rescue)

Just before 4 p.m. local time on Friday, he sent another location pin-drop to his colleagues that he was near the correct trail.

"Shortly after that message, a strong storm passed through the area with freezing rain and high winds, and he again became disoriented, losing his cell phone signal as well," rescue officials said.

MORE: 89-year-old hiker missing in Idaho

When his colleagues didn't hear from him, they reported him missing to Chaffee County Search and Rescue at 9 p.m., some eight-and-a-half hours after he started his descent, officials said.

A search was immediately launched, but rescue teams on the ground encountered freezing rain and high winds that hampered their hike to the Mt. Shavano summit, officials said. The foul weather also made it difficult to operate a search-and-rescue drone in the area, authorities said.

PHOTO: Rescuer operates a drone searching for a hiker stranded by his work colleagues on Mt. Shavano in Colorado during an office retreat Aug. 23, 2024. (Chaffee County Search and Rescue)

While an aerial search continued, a rescue helicopter crew flew several search patterns over the area where the lost hiker pin-dropped his last location but found no sign of the man, who was dressed in all black clothing, leaving him to spend the night stranded on the mountain, officials said.

Rescue teams continued to search for the man into Saturday morning and summoned other teams from across the region to help.

MORE: 13 hikers, including several children, rescued after getting lost on Arizona trail amid high heat

The lost hiker regained enough cellphone service Saturday morning to call 911 and report his location, enabling rescuers to find him in a gully near a drainage creek, extract him and take him to a hospital, where he was in stable condition, officials said.

"He reported being very disoriented on his descent and falling at least 20 times on the steep slopes," rescue officials said in the statement, adding that the hiker was unable to get up after his last fall.

"This hiker was phenomenally lucky to have regained cell service when he did, and to still have enough consciousness and wherewithal to call 911," said rescue officials.

Office retreat gone awry: Worker rescued after allegedly left stranded on Colorado mountain by colleagues originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  On Tuesday, the LEC Authority released more information about activity at the Woodbury County jail project.

The LEC Authority turned over the keys to Woodbury County back on Aug. 21 and Aug. 22. Officials say the sheriffs office and other county officials have started to move into the building, along with completing the setup, training, and other activities necessary to be ready to have inmates in the new jail.

Local campgrounds prepare for Labor Day weekend campers

On Aug. 19, utilities were transferred from Hausmann Construction to the LEC Authority. The committee received a certificate of substantial completion for the new LEC on Aug. 16. A contractual 60-day window remains open for Hausmann to complete a number of smaller projects at the site.

A ribbon cutting ceremony and open house is scheduled for Sep. 18.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports.
OLDSMAR, Fla. (WFLA)  A manatee was rescued from a retention pond earlier this week in Oldsmar, the city announced on Tuesday.

The sea cow was found in a pond at Bicentennial Park, although it is unknown how long the animal was there.

Dog at Lakeland shelter for over a year looks for his furever family

Officials were able to save the manatee and safely return it to the waters at Veterans Park.

This gentle giant is now back where he belongs, the City of Oldmars wrote in a Facebook post.

City of Oldsmar

City of Oldsmar

City of Oldsmar

City of Oldsmar

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, manatees are typically found in rivers, estuaries, bays, and canals.

To report a sick, injured, or distressed manatee, you can call the FWC at 888-404-3922 or dial #FWC or *FWC from your phone.

To learn more about manatee research and rescue, click here.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Ohio felon sentenced to 20 years for being caught with meth and firearm in Iredell County: DOJ

IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A meth dealer from Ohio has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after being caught in Iredell County, according to the United States Attorneys Office.

On Wednesday, 40-year-old Michael Lamar Gaines was sentenced to 20 years in prison for trafficking methamphetamine and illegal possession of a firearm.

Records: CMPD officer indicted on sextortion charges, facing new charges for slashing tires

On Feb. 6, 2023, a deputy with the Iredell County Sheriffs Office attempted to stop Gaines on I-77 for a traffic violation. He instead fled at a high rate of speed before crashing once he left I-77 and ran a stop sign. Court documents state Gaines tried to escape on foot before getting arrested.

In Gaines vehicle, law enforcement found a handgun with an extended magazine, two bags that contained nearly half a kilogram (500 grams) of methamphetamine, and $8,940 of cash that he had on him.

Nearly one year later, on Feb. 2, 2024, Gaines pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, officials said.

Not even two months after his guilty plea, on March 18, 2024, Gaines was caught trying to have a controlled substance sent from Cleveland, Ohio, in the detention center.

READ MORE: Inmates tried to have controlled substance mailed in: Iredell County Sheriff

Gaines is now in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons once assigned to a federal facility.

Following his 20-year sentence, he will have five years of supervised release.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
This story mentions suicide. If you or someone you know needs support now call, text or chat the 988 Lifeline.

Ohios largest school district recently started using surveillance software on students devices.

Columbus City Schools partnered with Gaggle  a Texas-based student safety technology company that provides constant surveillance  at the end of last school year, district spokesperson Jacqueline Bryant said in an email.

This is an added layer of security to ensure students are not visiting unapproved sites, she said in an email. Gaggle employs advanced technology and human insight to review students use of online tools 24/7/365 days a week and provides real-time analysis, swiftly flagging any potentially concerning behavior or content; this includes signs of self-harm, depression, substance abuse, cyberbullying, or other harmful situations.

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Gaggle is currently partnered with about 1,500 school districts across the country, but would not answer how many of those districts are in Ohio, Gaggle spokesperson Shelby Goldman said.

We have a practice to not answer questions about specific school districts, she said in an email.

Ohios three largest school districts  Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati  use Gaggle. Cleveland did not answer questions the Ohio Capital Journal sent about Gaggle.

Cincinnati Public Schools started using Gaggle in 2013 and it is active for all grades, according to the district. It costs the district $323,780 to use Gaggle.

Cincinnati Public Schools prioritizes the safety and well-being of its students and staff, and utilizes Gaggle to monitor threats for individual student safety and the safety of each school community, according to the district. The District monitors content on District-provided devices and applications based on specific language and phrases, generating trigger alerts for review, rather than continuous monitoring.

Gaggle, which started in the 1990s, monitors school platforms such as Google Workspaces and Microsoft Office 365, but does not look at students personal email addresses or private social media accounts.

Gaggle is an early warning system that identifies children in crisis so that schools can intervene before a tragedy happens, Goldman said in an email. Gaggle partners with school districts to help them monitor student activity on the technology (devices and accounts) provided by the school district.

The company estimates it helped save 5,790 lives from 2018-23, according to their report from last fall.

We believe finding the right balance between monitoring for safety purposes and protecting student privacy and confidentiality is important, and were committed to continuing to support districts in achieving both, Goldman said in an email.

Gaggle uses Artificial Intelligence technology to spot things that could be an issue and a Human Safety Team reviews them before contacting the school.

Our reviewers are looking at the context to determine if an item is related to an actual concern or maybe a simple reference to something that is harmless when in context, Goldman said in an email.

Gaggle can flag things as early warning signs or an imminent threat, which is treated with a higher level of urgency. It altered Ohio school districts to 1,275 student incidents that required immediate intervention in 2021, according to an October 2022 Facebook post from Gaggle.

Columbus City Schools, which has about 47,000 students, is implementing Gaggle in middle and high schools. Students cant opt out of it.

The district signed two contracts with Gaggle  the first for $58,492.40 in January and $99,180 in June, according to school board documents.

During the districts Gaggle pilot from April 2022 to December 2023, 3,942 pieces of content were looked at by Gaggles Safety Team which led to 226 actionable student safety concerns that were sent to Emergency Contacts, according to a school board document.

Even though Sharon Kims two students are in elementary school and wont yet be affected by the districts Gaggle implementation, she is concerned about the district using surveillance technology.

School should be a safe place for our kids, Kim said. They spend so much time in their lives at school, it should be a place where they feel safe, not where they feel like theyre being monitored and surveilled every single minute of the day. I really feel that this kind of surveillance is a huge hindrance to that.

Ohio Capital Journal is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Ohio Capital Journal maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor David Dewitt for questions: info@ohiocapitaljournal.com. Follow Ohio Capital Journal on Facebook and X.
U.S. wildlife officials beginning next year will drastically scale up efforts to kill invasive barred owls that are crowding out imperiled native owls from West Coast forests, under a plan finalized Wednesday that faces challenges from barred owls returning after they've already been removed.

Trained shooters will target barred owls over 30 years across a maximum of about 23,000 square miles (60,000 square kilometers) in California, Oregon and Washington. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service goal is to kill up to 452,000 barred owls and halt the decline of competing northern spotted owls and California spotted owl s.

Killing one bird species to save others has divided wildlife advocates and is reminiscent of past government efforts to save West Coast salmon by killing sea lions and cormorants, and to preserve warblers by killing cowbirds that lay eggs in warbler nests. The barred owl removals would be among the largest such effort to date involving birds of prey, researchers and wildlife advocates said.

Native to eastern North America, barred owls started appearing in the Pacific Northwest in the 1970s. They've quickly displaced many spotted owls, which are smaller birds that need larger territories. An estimated 100,000 barred owls now live within a range that contains only about 7,100 spotted owls, according to federal officials.

The newcomers' arrival also threatens to decimate frog and salamander species that barred owls prey on.

Its not just one owl versus one owl, said David Wiens, a U.S. Geological Survey scientist who led a barred owl removal study that ended in 2020. Because of their predatory behavior, they are basically eating anything in the forest and this includes amphibians, small mammals, other bird species.

Government officials say 15 years of killing barred owls experimentally, including on Northern California's Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation, shows the controversial strategy could halt the decline of spotted owls. Yet researchers warn that few spotted owls remain in some areas, and it could take years to turn the tide on the barred owls' aggressive expansion.

Former Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Kent Livezey said the mass killing of barred owls was ill-advised and could cost hundreds of dollars per bird. Livezey has documented more than 100 bird species that expanded their range in recent years.

We should let nature take its course, he wrote in an email. Birds (and all animals) move. Competitions arise. Should we be stepping in and killing mass numbers of them like this?

Story continues

The wildlife service would designate government agencies, landowners, tribes or companies to carry out the killings. Shooters would have to provide documentation of training or experience in owl identification and firearm skills.

Were still going to have barred owls in the West. This is really just about trying to prevent the extinction of spotted owls, said Fish and Wildlife Service Oregon state supervisor Kessina Lee. She declined to give a cost estimate and said that would depend in part on the willingness of other government agencies and land managers to participate.

Northern spotted owls are federally protected as a threatened species. California spotted owls were proposed for federal protections last year. A decision is pending.

Barred owls arrived in the Pacific Northwest via the Great Plains, where trees planted by settlers gave them a foothold, or via Canadas boreal forests, which became warmer and more hospitable as the climate has changed, researchers say.

Their spread has undermined decades of spotted owl restoration efforts that previously focused on protecting forests where they live. That included logging restrictions under former President Bill Clinton that ignited bitter political fights and temporarily helped slow the spotted owl's decline.

Wayne Pacelle with the Washington D.C.-based advocacy group Animal Wellness Action said the government's plan was a distraction from the threats of logging. He said federal officials were misusing the term invasive species at a time when animals are migrating to new areas because of global warming and other human-caused changes.

It's ludicrous to think animals are going to stay in some historical range, Pacelle said.

Barred owls are highly territorial, which makes killing them relatively straightforward, according to researchers. Shooters use megaphones to broadcast recorded owl calls at night and lure the birds close to roads where they are killed with shotguns.

The birds will come right in. They're very focused on this recording, Wiens said. If we go into a site and detect a barred owl there, we have over a 95 % chance of removing that barred owl."

Other potential approaches  including capturing and euthanizing barred owls, collecting their eggs to prevent reproduction, or hazing them out of areas with spotted owls  were considered by the wildlife service but rejected as too costly or impractical.

About 4,500 barred owls birds have been killed on the West Coast since 2009 by researchers, according to officials.

That includes more than 800 birds from the Hoopa reservation, said tribal wildlife biologist Mark Higley.

Higley conducts the barred owl removals across 140 square miles (364 square kilometers) primarily by himself, working two or three nights a week from early spring until late fall.

The problem has been we get like 60 to 100 new barred owls each year, he said. Don't get me wrong; barred owls are magnificent species. I just would really like to go see them where they're native and not invasive.
Editors note: This story corrects incorrect information provided to WKBN as to when postmarked ballots need to be received in order for votes to be counted.

(WKBN)  With just 68 days until the November general election, registered Ohio voters are beginning to receive absentee ballot request applications in the mail.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced Wednesday that since 2012, Ohio has mailed absentee ballot application forms to registered voters in every even-year general election. The application is then verified by bipartisan teams at a county board of elections and then a ballot is mailed to the voter.

Absentee ballots will be sent out Oct. 8 and can be returned by mail or hand-delivered to your local county board of elections.

Ohioans who choose to vote by absentee ballot must return their completed application form to their county board of elections to receive the absentee ballot for the November 5 general election.

LaRose advises voters to return the applications as soon as possible to allow the U.S. Postal Service enough time for processing.

Voters may be getting a lot of political mailings, and LaRose suggests they closely examine any mailings or forms they are filling out.

every Ohioan should be vigilant when completing any forms that are not labeled official election mail or from Ohios trusted source for election information, VoteOhio.gov, LaRose said.

You can see a sample of an absentee ballot request form here.

In all, nearly 8 million registered Ohio voters will receive the absentee ballot application.

Tips for using the absentee ballot option:

Double-check the information on your application. Review your ballot request to ensure you have filled it out properly, including writing the appropriate date, providing your required identifying information, and signing the form.

Include your e-mail and/or phone number. Continuing a successful practice from the 2020 general election, county boards of elections will be calling or e-mailing voters who may need to remedy information on their ballot request form or absentee ballot envelope. Including your contact information will ensure you can be reached if your ballot application isnt filled out properly.

Dont Wait. To accommodate necessary processing time at the county boards of elections and the time required for the U.S. Postal Service to deliver election mail, voters should not procrastinate  fill out and mail your absentee ballot request as soon as possible.

Track your ballot. After your ballot request is received and fulfilled by your county board of elections, voters may track their ballot at VoteOhio.gov/Track. As long as your ballot is postmarked by the day before the election and received within four days after the election at your county board of elections, your vote will be counted.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
Oil depot in Russia's Rostov Oblast attacked by drones of Ukraine's Defence Intelligence and Special Operation Forces  videos

Ukrainian-made attack UAVs have hit an oil depot in Russias Rostov Oblast as a result of a joint operation by Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) and the Special Operation Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (SOF).

Source: an Ukrainska Pravda source in DIU

Details: This facility is part of the Russian defence industrial base and is directly involved in supplying Russian forces.

Eyewitnesses report that the oil depots tanks are still on fire.

The detailed results of the operation are currently being confirmed.

For reference: The Atlas plant of the Federal Agency for State Reserves in the Southern Federal District specialises in the supply of petroleum products to the Russian Armed Forces.

Russian media reports indicate that in August 2020, the plant hosted joint exercises by the Russian Ministry of Defence and Rosrezerv as part of the Caucasus 2020 exercise.

The demonstration exercises on the supply of petroleum products for the needs of the army involved three methods  road, rail and pipeline.

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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  United States Attorney Robert J. Troester announced on Tuesday, the settlement with an Oklahoma physician after they allegedly issued invalid prescriptions.

According to the Justice Department, Tuan Alex Nguyen, M.D. (Dr. Nguyen), paid $165,000 to settle civil penalty claims which alleged violations of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 (Act) and its regulations.

Authorities confirm, Dr. Nguyen was licensed and practiced medicine in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Practitioners prescribing controlled substances must be registered under the Act and meet the applicable Act requirements. Among other things, when issuing a prescription for a controlled substance, the Act requires the practitioner be authorized to prescribe that substance by the jurisdiction in which he or she is licensed to practice.

Other Headlines

The Justice Department says, from November 2022 to September 2023, Dr. Nguyen issued prescriptions in the state of Oklahoma for Schedule III Controlled Substances without the required certificate of registration from the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. To resolve these allegations, Dr. Nguyen agreed to pay $165,000 to the United States.

In reaching this settlement, Dr. Nguyen did not admit liability, and the government did not make any concessions about the legitimacy of the claims. The agreement allows the parties to avoid the delay, expense, inconvenience, and uncertainty involved in litigating the case.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
More than most, Pat McFerron knows what Oklahomans are thinking.

By the age of 12, growing up in Nowata in northeastern Oklahoma, McFerron was campaigning door-to-door for a local congressman. In his 20s, shortly after graduation from college, he was working for an Oklahoma City company to pass a major bond issue, calling potential voters to ask for their support.

Now, about three decades later, he's a principal in a consulting firm, CMA Strategies, that does regular polling for businesses and political candidates. He is an adviser to and business partner with Oklahoma's 4th District U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, recently named chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee. Ballotpedia, the nonpartisan online political encyclopedia, calls McFerron one of the nation's "top influencers."

Q: It often seems that no one makes a move these days without checking the polls, particularly the politicians. And many are conflicting and may not necessarily be accurate, right?

A: Right. We do polling all over the country, and what I generally say is you get what you pay for. So if it's free and you're reading about it or learning about it on TV, how much is it worth?

Q: But you do enough polling to get a sense over time of trends that are supported by later election outcomes. I've always been curious ... what caused Oklahoma to switch from being a Democratic state to a Republican one?

A: This happened across most of rural America and especially the rural South. The fundamental beliefs of Oklahomans have not changed. I have access to polling data going back to 1982. At that point 70% of Oklahomans identified as being conservative. It's about 68% today. I think what's happened, with the advent of cable news accelerated by social media channels, is that Oklahomans are now able to place themselves more in a national context than a local contest. So when they look at someone like an AOC (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the outspoken liberal Democratic congresswoman from New York), they say, 'Oh, no. That's not who I am. I'm a conservative. I'm on the other side.' Their ideologies haven't changed.

More: Art as therapy for OKC painter Kiona Wooton Millirons after her sister's brutal murder

Q: The parties have changed, then. You often hear, "I didn't leave the party. The party left me."

A: Yeah. I think what we've had is a natural alignment of ideologies with parties. Oklahomans are more focused on the issues that are being talked about nationwide than they are local economic issues and that sort of thing. Someone told me that there was a county clerk race in the last primary and they were talking about immigration as an issue. But that's what motivates people and gets eyeballs not just on newspapers and websites and TV, but to direct mailers, as well.

Q: Have you seen a shift in political involvement, where the process has basically been taken over by people with extreme views on both ends of the spectrum? Is that contributing to the polarization we see all over the country?

Pat McFerron with CMA Strategies is pictured in Oklahoma City, Thursday, July 11, 2024.

A: Yes. I will tell you I think that as a voting society we have shifted away from consensus building to market share. That's the way I put it. You're criticized under the current system for trying to bring people together, and you're rewarded for being intense. The example I use is Marjorie Taylor Greene (the outspoken conservative Republican congresswoman from Georgia). She and AOC are the same person.

Q: Does it seem like the moderates have left the playing field and the battle is between the extremes on both sides?

A: I don't know that there are a great deal of moderates, but there are a lot of people who are disinterested. I think they have left because they're frustrated, and they don't see the impact in their daily lives. They don't think their vote matters because the reality is in Oklahoma, in the general election, it really doesn't. We were 50th in the nation last year because, again, those November elections just don't matter in the state.

Q: Is finding a moderate, or compromise approach to a complicated problem like immigration even possible?

A: On immigration I've done some polling. The one thing Oklahomans agree on is that neither party wants to solve the problem. 80% will say neither Republicans or Democrats want to solve the immigration issue because they want to use it as a political issue. I think that's somewhat accurate, wouldn't you say?

Q: So was it a misguided effort for (Republican Sen.) James Lankford to try to build a bipartisan consensus on immigration?

A: It depends on what your goal is. If your goal is to solve the immigration crisis, then, yes, it's the right thing to do. If your goal is to demonstrate your extremist bonafides, then no. But was it a statesman-like thing to do? Yes. I know from polling that with the general population he came off looking good. It did hurt him among Republican primary voters. But is it anything that makes him vulnerable? No.

Q: Do you see a growing dissatisfaction with the political parties?

A: I think the real dissatisfaction is among those that aren't even registered to vote. It's not like they're so turned off. They just don't want to engage. I think it's something we really have to solve. I don't know if there's any panacea. I'm going to be working on a project to create what I'm calling a unified primary in Oklahoma. This would be a primary in which members of both parties would be on the same ballot. And then the people would pick the top two to vote on in the general election. It could be two Republicans or two Democrats. And I think that would make our November elections matter again.

Q: This would take a state initiative vote to establish, to change the system?

A: Yeah, it would be a state question.

Q: Are you seeing more and more efforts to basically bypass state legislatures by going the initiative route? That's been happening in some states on the abortion issue.

A: Yeah, I think anytime you have one party control, the primaries control the legislature. So you have the ability for the legislature to be at odds with where the general public is. I think most people are pro-life. The question becomes where you define that. Most Oklahomans still believe that abortion should be very, very rare, only in the case of rape, incest, life of the mother. This is another area, like immigration, where you see a lot of political opportunism going on.

Q: What are the issues that your polling shows are of greatest concern to people in Oklahoma?

A: Education and the economy are the top two concerns. Now they might disagree on what to do on those issues, but those are the top two. The one that's probably growing is about public safety, and that has an element of immigration in it. Crime, fentanyl use in particular, that's something else that's growing. And what you see pop up a little more right now is concern about infrastructure  roads, bridges, potholes, water systems and everything else.

Q: Oklahomans, including Republican primary voters in 2016, weren't as enthusiastic about Donald Trump then as they seem to be today. Trump lost to Ted Cruz in that primary vote. Do you think Trump is popular in Oklahoma because of his conservative positions or his personality?

A: No, no. He has a populist streak that is very appealing to Oklahomans. It's really broadened some of the Republicans. He might be closer to Woody Guthrie on some things on the populist side. Anti-establishment. That's really what Oklahoma's roots are and where its strength is, absolutely. I believe he's tapped into that.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: What are Oklahomans thinking? Pollster Pat McFerron keeps tabs
The race for Tulsa mayor won't be decided until November.

In an unusually tight race among three candidates, neither Monroe Nichols, 40, a state legislator, nor Karen Keith, 70, a county commissioner and former local news anchor, were able to collect the required 50% of the vote for an outright victory and will face each other in a runoff Nov. 5.

In unofficial results with all precincts reporting, Nichols received 33.1% of the vote, Keith 32.6%.

Brent VanNorman, president of an investment company, former attorney and former pastor, came in a close third with 31.8% of the vote after a campaign in which he stressed his conservativism and Republican party affiliation. City elections in Tulsa are nonpartisan, although Nichols and Keith had run in other elections as Democrats, they did not emphasize that.

Fewer than 500 votes separated Nichols from Keith and Keith from VanNorman in the nip-and-tuck race.

Oklahoma election results 2024: Tulsa mayor race headed to runoff, OKC hotel tax passes

If he prevails in the runoff election, Nichols would be Tulsa's first Black mayor, a significant step in light of the city's legacy of violence toward Black residents. In 1921, according to historical accounts, Tulsa was the site of one of the most severe incidents of racial violence in U.S. history. The massacre left somewhere between 30 and 300 people dead, mostly Black residents, and destroyed Tulsas prosperous Black neighborhood of Greenwood, known at the time as Black Wall Street. More than 1,400 homes and businesses were burned, and nearly 10,000 people were left homeless.

Monroe Nichols watch party in Tulsa mayoral race.

The winner in November will replace current Mayor G.T. Bynum, first elected in 2016. Bynum is stepping down after two terms to become vice president of community and government affairs for the St. Francis Health System in Tulsa.

Other candidates active in the race were Casey Bradford, a U.S. Army veteran, and owner of Shady Keys Dueling Piano Bar - he received 1.6% of the vote - and John Jolley, owner of an advertising company, who got 0.6%.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Tulsa mayor election results: Two candidates head to November runoff
Jason Beaman was appointed as the chief medical officer for the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Wednesday. (Photo provided by Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services)

OKLAHOMA CITY  The states mental health department has tapped a psychiatrist to serve as its first chief medical officer.

Jason Beaman was appointed to the newly created position at the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services by Commissioner Allie Friesen.

Kelsey Davis, an agency spokesperson, said the position was created to improve the agencys standards for evidence based practices and to add experience to the team.

Beamans first day in this role will be Monday.

A spokesperson for the mental health department said Beaman will be compensated with the agency reimbursing 30% of his time in partnership with Oklahoma State University. This equates to $109,260 paid by the agency.

Hell also continue to work as the chair of the School of Forensic Sciences at OSU Center for Health Sciences. In that role, he focuses his research on criminal behavior, the intersection of methamphetamine and violence, and the epidemiology of Adverse Childhood Experiences.



Beaman said in a statement that he was excited to work at the department and alongside Friesen.

My diverse background equips me to see the broader picture of the behavioral health system, Beaman said. I am particularly focused on stabilizing and improving our physician workforce while ensuring we provide evidence-based, high-quality care to those in need.

Beaman said he hopes to adopt a data-informed, research driven approach at the mental health department to develop effective models to prevent or reduce risk for Oklahomans with mental, emotional or behavioral disorders.

Beaman completed his undergraduate education at OSU and earned his medical degree from the OSU Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa.

Friesen said Beaman will enhance the departments team with his extensive expertise in behavioral assessment and threat management and knowledge of psychiatric care and family medicine.

His specialized training in forensic psychiatry and addiction medicine is a significant asset that will greatly benefit our agency, she said. With his diverse background, Dr. Beaman is exceptionally equipped to tackle the complexities of behavioral health through a comprehensive, evidence-based approach.

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Amanda Moffett, 39, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her 16-year-old daughter in Nowata County.

TULSA, Okla.  A Nowata County woman was sentenced to three years probation for shooting her daughter.

Amanda Moffett, 44, of Nowata, pleaded guilty in October to involuntary manslaughter. Her 16-year-old daughter, Laramie Moffett, died six years earlier on Oct. 5, 2018.

On Tuesday, she appeared in District Court in Tulsa for her sentencing before District Judge John Russell.

Mother of 16-year-old Oklahoma rodeo rider pleads guilty to accidentally shooting daughter

Clark Brewster, Moffetts attorney, filed a motion before the sentencing, arguing for a lighter sentence, saying, The remorse Amanda feels is profound and genuine. Her suffering is a punishment in itself that no legal sentence can match in severity or permanence.

Amanda Moffetts life over the past six years has been consumed with the anguish of losing her daughter, compounded by guilt and shame of causing her daughters death. DEFENDANT AMANDA MOFFETTS MOTION FOR DOWNWARD VARIANCE, Aug. 13, 2014

Moffett told authorities she accidentally shot the teen, an accomplished barrel racing winner, while attempting to shoot a stray dog. The younger Moffett qualified for the world barrel racing finals in the National Barrel Horse Association.

Amandas complex grief has been aggravated by the public ridicule and false narratives about her and her family following the accident, the motion states.

The motion says, Since Laramies death, Amanda has received extremely negative, unwarranted judgment from some people in the small community of Nowata.

Laramie Moffett told her mother that a stray dog was attacking kittens outside their home. Amanda Moffett confessed to stepping out onto the front porch and discharging the handgun into the dark at what she believed was a stray dog, according to federal court documents.

Moffett also admitted that she did not confirm the whereabouts of her daughter before shooting the handgun.

She was initially charged in Nowata County District Court with first-degree murder with deliberate intent. The case was dismissed after Winston Connor II, Moffetts attorney, argued that the mother, a Cherokee Nation resident, was wrongfully charged in state court.

Initially, there were discrepancies in how many times the teen was shot and that before the shooting, the mother and daughter had been arguing, according to Nowata County District Court documents.

The Nowata County court motion states Moffett fired at the dog, which yelped and ran away. Moffett told Nowata County deputies the gun was firing by itself, and she threw the gun into the yard, and it fired again.

Brewsters motion stated when former Nowata County Sheriff Kenny Freeman investigated the shooting he called the younger Moffetts death a tragic accident.

Freeman resigned and was replaced by Sheriff Terry Sue Barnett. One day after being sworn in as sheriff, Barnett executed several warrants in the case and aggressively pushed for murder charges against Amanda Moffett despite no involvement in the initial investigation, the motion states.

Barnett also resigned, and despite obvious and fundamental flaws in the Nowata Sheriffs investigation, including a sheriffs office barely able to function at all, Amanda Moffett was charged with first-degree murder in state court, the motion states.

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I once criticized James Lawson for MLK killer's memorial service. Now I know he was right

As a newspaper columnist, I learned many years ago that when you have made a mistake in the space in which you have been given to voice your viewpoints, you should own up to that mistake.

And thats regardless of how long it may take to admit that mistake.

In this case, it was my criticism of the Rev. James M. Lawson Jr., the civil rights and peace activist, scholar who helped spearhead the Nashville sit-in movement back in the late 1950s and early 1960s and led the fight for social justice throughout America and elsewhere before his death in Los Angeles at age 95 on Sunday, June 9.

A quarter century ago, I had trouble with Lawson's decision on James Earl Ray

On Sunday, May 31, 1998, I wrote a column in this space criticizing Reverend Lawson and a few other Black clergy members in Nashville for allowing a memorial service for convicted assassin James Earl Ray to be held at the Metropolitan Interdenominational Church, a mostly Black church, following Rays death on April 23, 1998.

With a warrant of arrest in hand, Nashville Police arrested the Rev. James Lawson, center, expelled Vanderbilt University divinity student, in front of the First Baptist Church March 4, 1960. Rev. Lawson, shaking hands with a supporter, was arrested on charges of conspiring to violate the state's trade and commerce law.

"Rays rites in black church: What were they thinking?"

That was the headline on the column in which I started by saying, I didnt know which way to turn. I felt uncomfortable. I felt like I didnt belong. I thought about walking out, but I didnt want to create a scene.

I had never experienced anything like this before. It kept me from singing even though I was in church  in Gods house. I even had a hard time bowing my head for prayer.

I was attending memorial services for James Earl Ray, the convicted assassin of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

The Tennessean published this column "Rays rites in black church: What were they thinking?" by staff columnist Dwight Lewis on May 31, 1998.

When I asked Reverend Lawson on May 28, the day of the memorial service, why Rays memorial church was being held in a Black church, one of the things he told me was: Dwight, every person, regardless of what they are said to have done in life or where they come from or who they are deserves a decent funeral and burial.

I interviewed James Earl Ray many times. He left me no doubt of his guilt.

He added: The Black community has been the primary community in America for 380 years calling for liberty and justice for all. Were calling for every American to be recognized as a human being.

I didnt agree with what Reverend Lawson was saying that day. I even wondered aloud whether Rays memorial service should have been held in a penal facility chapel instead of the Metropolitan Interdenominational Church in North Nashville.

Lawson challenged me to live MLK's "Beloved Community" vision

Just a couple of months earlier, in January 1998, Reverend Lawson autographed my copy of David Halberstams book, "The Children," which recalls some of the early days of the Civil Rights movement in Nashville and some of its participants, including Reverend Lawson, Diane Nash, John Lewis, Robert Churchwell Sr., Bernard Lafayette, Hank Thomas and Candie Carawan by writing, May Your Work Produce The Beloved Community."

The Tennessean columnist Dwight Lewis, left, poses with Martin Luther King Jr.s convicted assassin James Earl Ray, who is battling a liver disease, after an interview at the Lois DeBerry Special Needs Facility in West Nashville April 7, 1998.

The Beloved Community was a vision of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., that called, or hoped for a completely integrated society based on love and justice, and that transcends race, sex, class, religion, nationality, and other artificial barriers according to Lewis Baldwins "There Is a Balm in Gilead."

Every time I open my book, "The Children," with autographs from others such as John Lewis, the Rev. C.T. Vivian, John Seigenthaler, Rodney Powell and Guy Carawan, I see Reverend Lawsons challenging words, May Your Work Produce The Beloved Community.

Tennessee Voices, Episode 76: Dwight Lewis, retired Tennessean reporter and columnist

I thought about my work as a newspaper journalist for more than 40 years. Have I worked hard enough to help produce that beloved community that so many still hope comes about?

We have not achieved the society of equality, liberty and justice for all, Reverend Lawson told me over the telephone in January 2006 as he was preparing to return to Nashville to be honored by Vanderbilt University after being expelled by the schools board of trustees in 1960 for his involvement in the civil rights movement here. And, we have not overcome the obstacles within ourselves to make that happen.

Former Tennessean editorial page editor Dwight Lewis in the Civil Rights Room at the downtown library. Thursday Jan. 3, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn.

Reverend Lawson was right, and all of us who really care need to do more still to bring about a beloved community wherever we may be.

Dwight Lewis, a Knoxville native, served as a reporter, columnist and editorial page editor at The Tennessean for 40 years before retiring in 2011.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Civil rights icon James Lawson was right about MLK killer's memorial
How one group is trying to weaken Harris' standing with Black voters: From the Politics Desk

An attendee of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Aug. 22.

Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics teams latest reporting and analysis from the campaign trail, the White House and Capitol Hill.

In todays edition, national political reporter Ben Kamisar breaks the news of a conservative group's new campaign aimed at denting Kamala Harris' numbers with Black voters. Plus, national political correspondent Steve Kornacki breaks down how Democrats' path to victory in North Carolina has changed since 2008.

Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here.

How one group is trying to weaken Harris standing with Black voters

By Ben Kamisar

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 Houses proposal to ban menthol cigarettes.

The new ad campaign from Building Americas Future and Americans for Consumer Protection, described to NBC News by a Building Americas Future official, will primarily target 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.

Weve 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 in April. 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.

Republicans see messaging like this as a potential way to blunt Harris consolidation of her partys 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 Americas Future summarizing the groups 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 wins the White House.

Read more from Ben 

Democrats will need to follow a different path than Obamas to win North Carolina

By Steve Kornacki

All year, Democrats have talked up the idea of North Carolina being a core battleground state. And now, polls suggest it is one and Republicans are behaving like they believe it.

I have that 2008 feeling, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper told NBC News recently, referring to Barack Obamas narrow win in North Carolina that year  the last time Democrats carried the state in a presidential election.

Of course, the state and its political geography have changed over the last 16 years. If theyre going to produce a 2008-like result this year, Democrats will have to forge a different path than the one Obama took.

One way to look at this: Overall, North Carolina shifted by just 1.66 percentage points from 2008 (when Obama won by 0.32 points) to 2020 (when Trump won by 1.34 points). But in 76 of the states 100 counties, the margin moved more than 5 points in the Republicans direction. And in 57 of them, the shift was at least 10 points in the GOPs favor.

These GOP surge counties are spread around the state. Many of them are smaller and more rural, with substantial populations of white blue-collar voters. In 2008, Obama was able to run reasonably competitively in these counties. Collectively, he lost them by 17 points to John McCain. By 2020, though, Joe Biden was crushed in them by 35 points. This mirrors the national trend of white voters without college degrees moving toward the GOP, and Trump in particular.

Meanwhile, Democratic growth from 2008 to 2020 is much more concentrated. There are only seven counties in the state where the margin moved more than 5 points in the partys direction, all of which are in higher population metropolitan areas:

Democrats are boosted in these counties by large Black populations and above-average concentrations of white voters with college degrees  again, mirroring a national trend.

These counties are not just big, they are growing rapidly. Democrats came within 74,483 votes of beating Trump in North Carolina in 2020; they hope that four years of growth and further improvement in their margins will more than erase that gap. Of course, Republicans have so far managed to offset these Democratic gains with their own surge areas and could do so again this year.

A major question surrounds the Black vote, particularly in smaller, rural areas. In total, 17 counties in North Carolina currently have a Black population of at least 35%.

In 2008, Obama benefited from enormous Black turnout in these counties and won them cumulatively by 15.5 points. (These counties also tend to have substantial GOP-friendly blue-collar white populations.) In 2020, Biden carried these same counties by only 11.2 points. Whether Harris posts an Obama- or Biden-like margin in these counties could end up being the decisive question in North Carolina.





 Todays top stories

 <strong>Legal latest:</strong> Trump has once again been indicted for his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment following the Supreme Court's decision on presidential immunity last month, which barred the government from using certain "official acts" taken by Trump as part of his role as president in the prosecution. <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/trump-indicted-federal-election-interference-case-supreme-court-immuni-rcna168503">Read more </a>

 <strong>Joining forces:</strong> Trump has added Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to his <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/live-blog/trump-harris-election-live-updates-rcna168311/rcrd53526?canonicalCard=true">transition team</a> . Meanwhile, RFK Jr. will be unable to remove himself from the ballot in the key swing states of Michigan and Wisconsin. <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/rfk-jr-remain-on-ballot-michigan-wisconsin-rcna168506">Read more </a>

 <strong>Lights, camera, action:</strong> Harris and Tim Walz will sit with CNN for their first joint interview on Thursday. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/27/politics/kamala-harris-cnn-interview/index.html">Read more </a>

 <strong>Crossing the aisle:</strong> More than 200 former staffers for both Bush presidents, John McCain and Mitt Romney endorsed Harris campaign. <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/200-former-bush-mccain-romney-staffers-endorse-harris-rcna168363">Read more </a>

<strong> Georgia on her mind:</strong> The Atlanta Journal-Constitution details Harris upcoming bus tour in Georgia, and why its significant that she is traveling outside metro Atlanta. <a href="https://www.ajc.com/politics/why-kamala-harris-outside-the-atl-bus-tour-is-a-big-deal/NB4ITM7IYBCARKT5FBIES667WA/">Read more </a>

 <strong>Immigration watch:</strong> A federal judge temporarily blocked a Biden administration program that allowed undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens to apply for green cards without leaving the country. <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/judge-blocks-biden-pathway-citizenship-undocumented-spouses-rcna168339">Read more </a>

 <strong>Open book:</strong> A new book from H.R. McMaster, one of Trumps former White House national security advisers, depicts the Republican presidential nominee as an insecure personality whose need for flattery and approval made him an easy target of foreign adversaries bent on weakening the U.S. <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/former-trump-national-security-adviser-hr-mcmaster-new-book-rcna168299">Read more </a>

 <strong>Drive my car:</strong> Ohio Republican Senate nominee Bernie Moreno, whose past as a car dealer has been mocked and scrutinized by Democrats, is preparing a return to the auto industry. <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/ohio-gop-senate-candidate-new-car-dealership-scrutiny-business-rcna168229">Read more </a>

<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/live-blog/trump-harris-election-live-updates-rcna168311"><strong><em>Stay up to date with the latest 2024 election developments on our live blog </em></strong></a>

Thats all from the Politics Desk for now. If you have feedback  likes or dislikes  email us at politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com

And if youre a fan, please share with everyone and anyone. They can sign up here.





This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Mo.  Across the country, online groups of civilians are working to expose child predators.

A man in southwest Missouri was recently lured in by one of those groups, leading to an arrest and charges in Douglas County.

The Douglas County Sheriff, Chris Degase, says they have worked a few cases with online groups where people pose as children to try to chat with and catch child predators, but there are a few concerns.

Be careful. Dont go too overboard with it, Degase said. Get law enforcement involved pretty early on.

Degase says 61-year-old Timothy Brill had reached out to someone posing as a child as part of the online group Bikers Against Predators, thinking they were an 11-year-old girl.

We have predators out there that prey on our children daily, Degase said. We are very proactive in trying to stop that.

He says the work Bikers Against Predators did helped build this case.

Theres a lot of things that we wouldnt solve if it wasnt for the publics help, Degase said. And obviously, this is one of them.

Degase says citizens need the proper training to make sure the case will hold up in court.

Even if it was an undercover officer working it, theres certain guidelines that we have to follow, Degase said. And obviously, the people that are doing this in the public need to follow the same guidelines.

Webster County Prosecutor Benjamin Berkstresser says he has two current active cases where information from private citizens pretending to be minors was then turned over to police.

I wouldnt encourage everybody to do it at all, Berkstresser said. But I think if you have the right training and background and maybe theres a law enforcement agency or program that is helping, maybe thats possible.

He says under Missouri law these cases can only be prosecuted if the victim is either an actual child or a law enforcement officer posing as a child. He encourages these citizen groups to bring in law enforcement before setting up any meetings.

They have to know the age, and you cant offer things out there as a sexual favor right off the bat, Degase said. They have to initiate that conversation.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com.
Klarna CEO, Sebastian Siemiatkowski, plans to reduce the company's workforce by half, citing increased productivity and revenue with AI. Dave Benett/Getty Images

Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski said that he plans to reduce the company's workforce by half.

He said the company can "do much more with less" through artificial intelligence.

The buy-now-pay-later company is gearing up to go public.

Klarna plans to employ half the people it did last year, betting on artificial intelligence to enhance efficiency and cut costs.

CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski said in a statement to the Financial Times that the company could operate effectively with half its current staff, which numbered about 4,000 at the end of June. Siemiatkowski said the company can "do much more with less" using AI.

The Swedish buy-now-pay-later company lost about 24% of its staff in the last year, per its annual report. Spokesman Joel Hedin told Business Insider those losses were "natural attrition" and that with the company's hiring freeze, "headcount is gradually decreasing."

Last year, Klarna halted hiring for most positions outside its engineering team as it increasingly relied on AI technology to fill gaps left by departing staff.

In May, Siemiatkowski wrote in a post on X that the company had saved millions by "spending less on photographers, image banks, and marketing agencies."

He added that the marketing team had been more productive, working with half its size compared to the previous year.

In a February blog post, the company claimed its AI assistant could handle the workload of 700 full-time employees. Klarna said that the chatbot outperformed human agents in "errand resolution" accuracy and matched human employees in customer satisfaction levels.

Klarna also projected that this technology could boost the company's profits by $40 million this year.

Meanwhile, Klarna competitor Affirm is also doubling down on AI chatbots  but it isn't publicly seeking to cut its staff.

"No one has yet to lose their job to be replaced by robot at Affirm, so that's not a short-term cost saving," CEO Max Levchin said on a May earnings call, adding that AI could save the company money over the next one to three years.

AI shakes up tech staff

Other tech companies are axing staff as they transition to AI-centric businesses.

Earlier this month, Dell announced the significant restructuring of its sales division, resulting in mass layoffs.

Tech companies, including Google and Apple, have laid off over 350,000 workers since the beginning of 2023, according to data from online tracker Layoffs.fyi. While many of these layoffs were attributed to overhiring during the pandemic, the need to reallocate capital for AI investments is also a significant factor for the layoffs.

Story continues

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a February earnings call that layoffs were necessary to invest in "long-term, ambitious visions around AI."

Google CEO Sundar Pichai also wrote in a January memo that job cuts were needed to "create the capacity for investment" in AI.

Klarna had credited an improvement in its financial performance to AI, with net losses declining from 854 million Swedish Krona, around $84 million, during the second quarter of 2023, to 10 million Krona, around $900,000, in the most recent quarter.

The company also reported a 27% increase in revenue and a 73% increase in revenue per employee over 12 months.

Klarna is gearing up for an initial public offering as early as next year, although Siemiatkowski told the FT that the company has not made any IPO decisions yet.

Klarna did not respond to a request for comment by BI sent outside standard business hours.

Correction: August 28, 2024  This story has been updated with a more exact headcount change and to specify why Klarna lost staff in the last year. After publication, a Klarna representative told Business Insider that the loss  about 24% of staff  came from natural attrition.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Britains misadventure inside the elite project to force European political integration took more than four decades to end.

One reason for its longevity in the face of the staunch Euroscepticism among the British public was the prime technique deployed by Brussels for removing sovereignty from EU member states.

Rather than grabbing it all at once, the European Commission and certain national elites transferred little bits at a time in a process often compared to a salami-slicing machine. Successive treaties handing more power to Brussels were passed off as mere tidying-up exercises.

The lobster of UK freedom of political action was thermidored away very gradually, as a former columnist of this paper who went on to spearhead Brexit might have put it.

It is now becoming clear that Keir Starmer will seek to deploy a similar method as he seeks to reverse Brexit a little bit at a time.

Starmer is today meeting German Chancellor Olaz Scholz for the fifth time since he became Prime Minister early last month.

We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reset our relationship with Europe and strive for genuine, ambitious partnerships...We must turn a corner on Brexit and fix the broken relationship left by the previous government, he says.

Note the language used here  the once-in-a-generation framing is the very same as was deployed in the famous official pamphlet sent to every UK household before the Brexit vote. And Starmer wants to turn a corner rather than a page  signalling a change of political direction not just of atmosphere.

Nils Schmid, foreign affairs spokesman for Scholzs SPD, says the two leaders are more or less on the same page when it comes to EU-UK relations. He told BBC Radio Four this morning: There is a constant push by the German government to bring the UK closer to Europe and to facilitate cooperation between Great Britain and the EU in as many fields as possible, ranging from trade to student mobility rights to defence.

A youth mobility scheme was a major feature of our wish list, he said. That sounds very much like the first step in restoring free movement. Scholz and Starmer are said to be determined that there should be a new EU-UK treaty resetting relations within six months, to be followed no doubt by an endless stream of individual sectoral agreements on adopting common standards and approaches.

Given that the senior reaches of the Starmer administration are stuffed with people who broke their word about honouring Brexit by campaigning for a second referendum to overturn it  including David Lammy at the Foreign Office, Yvette Cooper at the Home Office and Starmer himself  we would be foolish even to believe its declaration that it will not seek to take Britain formally back into the EU. It is only the enormous expenditure of political capital required to mount such a bid that is holding them back. But if the British public acquiesces in this gradual re-entry into the Brussels orbit then the Labour europhiles will become more ambitious. It is not so much a case of give them an inch and they will take a mile as all the inches they seek to take one day adding up to that full mile.

What will stop the re-entanglement in its tracks is a surge of antipathy towards the Government that leaves Labour fearing it is on course to blow its loveless landslide majority in a single term. Starmer and his top team are already showing promising signs in this regard, making a plethora of decisions that seem almost laser-guided to offend the sensibilities of key parts of the electorate.

But to kibosh it properly would require pro-Brexit political parties also to get their acts together: a strong Tory revival under a charismatic new leader; some kind of sensible accommodation with Nigel Farages Reform party. And we are, alas, a very long way away from that.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Opinion - AI is here to stay, but who is in charge?

Economic and social euphoria over the emergence of nonbiological forms of intelligence commonly known as generative artificial intelligence or AI  have captured the imaginations of businesses and individuals alike.

Whether you are an AI accelerator or a doomer, you know that something monumental is happening that may change the shape and trajectory of the future.

In the last two years, Big Tech companies have poured hundreds of billions of dollars into the development of powerful AI systems as hundreds of start-ups have been launched. If money could talk, it would say that AI is the future. And yet 56 percent of Fortune 500 companies say AI poses a risk to their business model.

Much like the frequent question asked in Ayn Rands Atlas Shrugged  Who is John Galt?  we should be asking, Who is in charge?

There is no doubt that, like the internet, AI will positively affect every aspect of life, driving revolutions in healthcare, defense, transportation, finance, communications, food production, manufacturing and the knowledge business itself. But like most tech, it brings with it a form of peripheral blindness that seems to obscure our instinct to weigh the enhancements and threats evenly before using a new product. With tech, the question is usually, How fast can I download it?

For example, 100 million starstruck enthusiasts rushed to use ChatGPT in its first 60 days, even though the overwhelming majority likely did not know who its creator was, how large language models work or what data it might be extracting from them. Could they even be sure it was not a massive subterfuge by Chinese hackers? Most consumers spend more time researching the purchase of a microwave oven.

AI can exponentially magnify the untrustworthiness of an insecure internet and hand malevolent users even more powerful ways to defraud, cheat and steal on a scale never seen before. The AI Risk Repository recently documented over 700 potential risks that advanced AI systems and intelligent agents could pose, including system safety, bias, proliferation of falsehoods, alternative deep-fake universes, emotional addiction and shrinking privacy. It claims that 90 percent of the risks will not be detected until deployed.

So again, who is in charge?

A revolution this significant will alter the worlds economic underpinnings, and it may not be all good news. While little to no productivity increases have been detected so far, long-term increases are expected. But Goldman Sachs economists point out that as many as 300 million full-time jobs could be lost or diminished globally because of the rise of generative AI.

Noted futurist Ray Kurzweil explains in his latest book, The Singularity is Nearer, that those jobs may never return. That will force governments to deal with a population that is increasingly unemployed as machines conceptualize, research, think, create and complete work more effectively and efficiently. Who is in charge?

Governments may also have to be fundamentally transformed to match the changes that occur as machines alter how societies function.

Private-sector machine intelligence will increasingly have to be regulated by public-sector algorithms, which will offer governments vast new opportunities to exert control. Authoritarian nations such as China are learning how to exert that control using facial recognition cameras, GPS tracking, cellphone apps and social scoring algorithms, which they are happily exporting around the world.

Even the most democratic governments may eventually come to realize that they must limit their use of AI so that political parties will not be tempted to use it to solidify and maintain their power.

Ultimately, some expect increasing humanization of nonbiological intelligence that will replicate human consciousness. If we reach that point, we will need new laws both to govern machine consciousness and reward it for social behavior. Conscious machines may one day qualify for Social Security, unemployment insurance and healthcare benefits. While such forms of machine intelligence may still be many years or decades away, if there is a 10 percent chance that they will arrive, we should be planning for them now.

While much that AI will do will be for the better, humans will increasingly become less capable of determining their own futures, as massive amounts of personal data continue to be collected and life-altering decisions are made before they even realize it. If governments are constantly playing catch-up, the value of any oversight they can offer will be modest at best. Are we prepared to cede critical decisions about our futures to unelected tech titans such as Elon Musk (X), Sam Altman (OpenAI), Jeff Bezos (Amazon), Sundar Pichai (Google) and Mark Zuckerberg (Meta/Facebook)?

As with most things, the future probably lies somewhere between the euphoric predictions of AI accelerators and the machine apocalypse predicted by doomers. But one thing seems clear  the future we want will have less chance of coming to fruition if we dont take charge of writing the script and stop defaulting to an inevitability over which we have no control.

Democratic nations working together have the power to create the rules and implement the governance standards that can keep people in charge of their own lives and use technology to make technology safe.

Those who believe we will choose people this election season who will lead on these issues can sleep well at night. For my part, I dont sleep much these days.

Who is in charge?

Thomas P. Vartanian is the Executive Director of the Financial Technology & Cybersecurity Center and author of the new book, The Unhackable Internet.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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As more species are pushed to the brink of extinction, conservationists are responding to our biodiversity crisis in new and sometimes controversial ways. One such novel approach could be described as the mammoth in the room: de-extinction technology that has the potential to protect and restore species on the brink of extinction and, more provocatively, those that disappeared from the planet long ago.

We can avoid such innovation and the controversy that comes with it. But the reality is that many milestone moments in conservation have been contentious.

Take the California condor, whose population was down to 22 known individuals in 1982. At the time, taking all the animals out of the wild for a captive breeding program sparked outrage among conservation professionals and in local communities. Today, however, thanks to those efforts and subsequent reintroductions of the birds into the wild, their population exceeds 500. Now captive breeding programs are regularly used to maintain and restore a variety of threatened species.

Read more: Opinion: Can the Sierra Nevada bighorn dodge extinction? It may mean reining in another wild animal

Or consider conservationists difficult decision in 1995 to relocate eight female mountain lions from Texas to infuse new genes into the population of Florida panthers, a subspecies of the puma. Only about 30 Florida panthers were left at the time, and inbreeding had rendered them susceptible to disease and other health problems. Although this genetic rescue effort was highly controversial at the time, it was also very successful, decreasing the effects of inbreeding and allowing the population to steadily grow. Today about 200 adult panthers live in southwest Florida , and the intervention is regarded as a model.

The use of assisted reproductive technology such as artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization to bolster dwindling species has been a more recent subject of debate within the conservation community. But since these tools were introduced, they have become standard among zoos insurance populations of threatened species and in captive breeding programs aimed at reintroducing species into the wild.

Our organizations, the biotechnology company Colossal Biosciences and the conservation group Re:wild, recently announced a partnership to use de-extinction technology to protect and restore species on the brink of extinction. It is a powerful collaboration between an organization with extensive experience in wildlife and ecosystem conservation and a company that is using gene editing and genetic engineering technology to make extinction a thing of the past.

Read more: Opinion: Is the restoration of California's cutest keystone species worth it?

Both Re:wild and Colossal want to save species that are going extinct now. But at the heart of Colossals mission is a belief that the science to restore and recover species on the brink can be accelerated by moonshot projects such as reviving the mammoth or the dodo. This focus on de-extinction, or bringing back extinct species, is understandably a subject of vigorous debate.

So its no wonder that our partnership caught some in the conservation community by surprise. Even internally, it took lots of thoughtful and nuanced discussion  involving often passionate and sometimes seemingly insurmountable differences  to align around shared goals.

In the end, even though Re:wild has reservations about whether the woolly mammoth and other extinct species should be returned to Earth, the organization will advise on the feasibility of such reintroductions because of the projects potential to generate technology that could save hundreds of critically endangered species. We will work together to study the advantages, disadvantages and feasibility of each reintroduction, working with local interests and a cross-section of the conservation community. With the worlds sixth great extinction event upon us, we need every available tool to prevent extinctions and accelerate species restoration.

The conservation community has recovered species from the brink of extinction  some of which were down to a few individuals  but every one of those recoveries has been hard-fought. We will be able to restore critically endangered species much more quickly by combining Colossals technology with proven approaches such as conservation breeding programs, translocations of endangered species populations, assisted reproductive technology, biobanking of threatened species tissues and cells, and genetic rescue.

We are already seeing the benefits of Colossals technology for threatened species. The tools and techniques developed for every effort to bring a species back from extinction will also benefit closely related species that still live.

The woolly mammoth project, for instance, has sequenced the genomes of both the Asian elephant and the African elephant; has developed induced pluripotent stem cells with the ability to differentiate into other types of elephant cells; and is accelerating a cure for the deadly elephant herpes virus. Many extant marsupials will likewise benefit from the technology Colossal is developing to bring back the thylacine, an extinct carnivorous marsupial also known as the Tasmanian tiger or Tasmanian wolf. That includes the development of artificial pouches and synthetic milk, which will enable expanded conservation breeding programs and reintroduction efforts.

Were also using or planning to use this technology to protect and restore northern white rhinos, Sumatran rhinos, pink pigeons, Tasmanian devils, northern quolls (a small carnivorous marsupial) and many other species.

Not everyone agrees that a headline-grabbing de-extinction of the woolly mammoth would be beneficial to our planet. But its hard to dismiss the projects capacity to create tools and technologies that can prevent countless species from going extinct in the first place.

Our partnership is also allowing us to tap into new sources of conservation funding that would not be available without the interest that de-extinction generates. Even though it will always be cheaper and easier to save a species from extinction than to bring it back, we still need more resources to combat the biodiversity crisis.

Conservation is not easy, and the extinction crisis has no single solution. With an estimated 12% of bird species , 26% of mammals, 31% of sharks and rays, 36% of reef-building corals and 41% of amphibians at risk, we need to consider every tool we have to secure the future of our planet and all the life on it. We look forward to the day de-extinction technology is commonly used to restore endangered species and were considering the next conservation moonshot.

Matt James is Colossals chief animal officer. Barney Long is Re:wilds senior director of conservation strategies.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Last weeks Democratic National Convention saw Vice President Harris and party leaders bringing housing policy back into the national conversation in a way not seen since Lyndon Johnsons Great Society era in the 1960s. The new mantra within the Democratic Party now sounds a lot like Build, baby, build.

There is a serious housing shortage. In many places, its too difficult to build and its driving prices up, Harris said at a North Carolina rally on Friday. I will work in partnership with industry to build the housing we need, both to rent and to buy. We will take down barriers and cut red tape, including at the state and local levels.

Harriss embrace of an ambitious plan to expand the housing supply while supporting first-time homeowners with a $25,000 mortgage credit caught the pundit class by surprise. But its just the latest example of her embrace of the populist attitude sweeping the nation.

It also brings Democrats back a core party value they seemed to have forgotten in recent years: ensuring Americas working class can enjoy the benefits of home ownership.

Democrats new boldness on housing is a winning message in a country where the median home price now tops $400,000, and where 40 million potential homebuyers now find themselves priced out. After years battling its NIMBY fringe, Democrats are ready to get building again.

Its about time.

America is not a museum, San Francisco Mayor London Breed said at last weeks Democratic convention in Chicago. That might as well be the partys new rallying call as it tries to build its way out of an unaffordable housing crisis. We build museums for preservation purposesbut cities are valuable because of their people, and in order to serve and protect those people, and to make sure they have a safe affordable place to call home, all roads lead to housing.

Unlike many of Donald Trumps light-on-the-details proposals, Harriss team came to the table with actual blueprints for increasing the total supply of housing. Those include making it easier for localities to zone and plan for multi-family residences and providing federal incentives for building more deeply affordable housing.

Harriss big plans to put new foundations in the ground should help address her critics sharpest attack  that subsidizing homeownership will only lead to higher prices for existing real estate.

For millions of young Americans, Harriss call for more housing touches on an issue they feel on a daily basis. Over seven in 10 Americans between the ages of 23 and 40 want to buy a home but say theyre priced out of their local market. Housing affordability is also causing more young Americans to live with their parents: a Bloomberg-Harris poll released late last year found that roughly half of people ages 18 to 29 still live at home.

That isnt just emotionally stressful for young adults who are ready to start independent lives  it also creates a pronounced economic drag effect, as millions of potential homebuyers drop out of the market. Those young would-be buyers are also delaying starting families, which provide huge economic boosts to local communities. Both parties have known about this double crisis for decades, but Democrats are now claiming a first-mover advantage by putting forward serious proposals to address the core problem.

Its also a message that likely cuts across party lines. An increase in affordable housing is one of the few housing infrastructure issues with broad support from both Democratic and Republican voters, according to new research from the nonpartisan Urban Institute. Red states have already embarked on local-level efforts to reduce zoning red tape and spur construction. Harriss pledge to increase federal support for those efforts could end up creating an unlikely alliance between pro-housing Republican lawmakers and a federal government that is finally eager to help.

In an era of increasing political polarization, voters are eager to embrace big ideas that provide benefits to both red states and blue states alike. Vastly expanding the construction of new housing  and making that new housing more affordable to young people and renters  achieves that goal while remaining true to the bipartisan solution-seeking that defined the Biden administration. Harris now has the opportunity to continue that legacy with an issue uniquely her own.

By championing a generational rethinking of our housing infrastructure, Kamala Harris has started a much-needed conversation that tens of millions of Americans have been demanding for decades. Done correctly, Harris could reshape yet another political debate while providing a long-term solution to one of the nations most intractable problems.

This is what leadership looks like.

Max Burns is a veteran Democratic strategist and founder of Third Degree Strategies.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Aug. 22 marked the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief, a day that was created by the United Nations five years ago to highlight the plight of minorities around the world who are persecuted for their religion or belief.

Religious persecution is on the rise globally, and it takes many forms. One form that is becoming increasingly popular is that of prolonged pretrial detention. Individuals from religious minority groups are imprisoned after the authorities learn of their faith, but no official charges are brought. No trial takes place. The process itself is the punishment.

This is taking place in Egypt right now.

A 55-year-old father of five has been languishing in an Egyptian prison for two-and-a-half years for no reason other than his status as a religious minority.

Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo, a Yemeni citizen, was raised in a Muslim family and practiced Islam throughout his adult life in Yemen until he and his wife converted to Christianity. Because of her conversion, Abdos wife was murdered by her extended family  they covertly switched out her cooking oil with gasoline, causing an explosion when she was preparing breakfast one morning in 2014.

With Abdo and his childrens lives similarly at stake for their Christian affiliation, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees granted Abdo and his children refugee status and they fled to Egypt to seek asylum.

Abdo remarried in Egypt and his family was settling into their new country until he was arrested in December 2021. To this day he has not been officially charged with a crime, nor has he had an official court hearing. The government has given Abdos lawyers very limited access to him, allegedly citing him as a security risk.

His arrest came about after he and another man, Nour Girgis, who was born into an Egyptian Christian family, joined a Facebook group with other converts. The group provided what seemed like a safe and peaceful space for those who had converted to Christianity to discuss theological questions.

But shortly after participating in this group, both Abdo and Girgis were arrested. Girgis, like Abdo, has also been held in prison to this day, without official charges or an end in sight to his detention.

Egypt has one of the largest populations of Christian minorities in the Middle East, with approximately 16 million Christians living in the country, according to one estimate. The majority of Christians in Egypt are Coptic Christians, who are viewed differently by the authorities than converts from Islam to Christianity.

According to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, the persecution of Christians in Egypt has remained consistent over the last several years, with the government selectively protecting religious minorities.

Under Egyptian law, religious minorities, including those who leave Islam, have equal rights with Muslims. Article 64 of the Egyptian Constitution states that freedom of belief is absolute. However, only members of revealed religions (Muslims, Christians and Jews) can publicly practice their faith and build places of worship.

No law criminalizes or prohibits Egyptian Muslims from converting to Christianity. In practice, however, the authorities view conversions from Islam to Christianity as challenges to the authority of the state and catalysts for sectarian violence.

The principles of Sharia law regulate the personal status and religious affairs of Muslims in Egypt. Under certain interpretations of Sharia law, conversion from Islam to Christianity warrants the death penalty. The family members of Christian converts are also discriminated against and are targets of violence, threats and social exclusion.

As a result, many Egyptian converts are forced to lead a double life, where they profess their Christian faith in private and act publicly as Muslims.

Those who choose not to live in secret risk not only societal discrimination and harassment but also state punishment. Numerous laws in Egypt are routinely used to get around the states official protection of minorities and punish converts.

For example, Article 98(f) of the Egyptian Penal Code criminalizes actions or expressions of unorthodox religious views, includingdisparaging or contempt of any divinely-revealed religion or its adherents, or prejudicing national unity or social harmony. Such vaguely worded laws allow the authorities leeway to criminally prosecute religious minorities at their discretion.

Most commonly, Christian converts are detained over false accusations of terrorism but are never officially charged or tried, as there is no evidence to substantiate such allegations.

Terrorism is defined broadly in Article 86 of the Egyptian Penal Code and includes all use of force, violence, threatening or frightening with a goal of disturbing public order, or exposing the safety and security of society to danger. It also prohibits preventing or obstructing the work of public authorities, worship houses or educational institutions, or interrupting the application of the constitution, laws or statutes.

Terrorism laws have been used as weapons against minority groups, including Jews, who were prohibited by the Supreme Administrative Court in 2020 from observing their annual Abu-Hasira celebration.

Earlier this month, Abdo announced in a heartbreaking letter to his wife and children that he would start a hunger strike to protest his unjust and unlawful detention. The lack of due process has brought him to a breaking point. With no charges or upcoming hearings to give him hope of release, he is protesting the injustice against him with the only means he has left, his very life. With his health rapidly deteriorating, it is feared that his days are very limited.

Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), who also serves as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Global Human Rights Subcommittee and co-chairman of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, said that it is now more urgent than ever that Abdo be released. Smith asked the government of Egypt to release Abdo into a safe situation, and appealed to the UNHCR to protect and prioritize vulnerable or endangered applicants, including Christian converts from Islam and those accused of blasphemy.

As Smith is well aware, it is not uncommon for prisoners of conscience to die in custody. Since 2022, individuals who were wrongfully imprisoned because of their religious beliefs and breathed their last breaths in custody include Dzhemil Gafarov in Russia, Asghar Kalar in Pakistan, Abune Antonios in Eritrea, Mahsa Amini in Iran and Phan Van Thu in Vietnam.

International pressure in Abdos case has been lacking, with the conflict in the Middle East leaving little air space for individuals across the region who are suffering grotesque human rights abuses unrelated to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. U.S. diplomatic pressure, which is historically strong in cases such as Abdos, has dwindled as diplomatic relational capital is being reserved for a resolution in Gaza.

In light of the difficult relational dynamics the U.S. government is in, members of Congress, like Smith, have an opportunity and an obligation to fill the void and pressure Egypt to release Abdo and Girgis. Congress can also threaten punitive measures as outlined in the International Religious Freedom Act if these cases are not swiftly addressed.

Kelsey Zorzi serves as director of advocacy for Global Religious Freedom with ADF International. She leads efforts to address and counter global persecution against Christians and other religious minorities.

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It has now been three years since the fall of Kabul. Three years since the Taliban took over the country and hundreds of thousands of Afghan nationals fled their homeland in search of a safe place to raise their families and rebuild their lives.

The Afghan people did not choose to leave behind their homeland but were forced to like so many before them.

I had a great life back in Afghanistan, a 29-year-old Afghan asylum seeker currently living in the UK told PA Media. I was working with humanitarian organizations and in the development sector. I was also working as a volunteer.

After the Taliban takeover, however, it became impossible for Afghans to live freely or safely. Girls are now banned from attending school. Poverty has nearly doubled. Arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings are commonplace. The threats of violence and persecution are woven into daily life.

There is a diverse array of experiences within the Afghan evacuee community. While some are subject to violence and hatred in their new homes, others experience welcome and kindness. In many cases it is a mixture of both.

I had the pleasure of helping to stand-up the welcoming efforts on our military bases as evacuees were brought to the U.S. and was able to meet so many of these incredible U.S. allies. I met remarkably dedicated individuals and families reeling from the loss of their lives in Afghanistan yet ready to contribute to our country with their skills and talents.

Here in the U.S., we have a long history of welcoming refugees. We remain the country with the largest resettlement program in the world and have been a leader in the global community for decades, welcoming those who are looking for safety after they are forced to flee precarity at home. Our countrys refugee community has made America more vibrant, innovative and prosperous.

In the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, 70,000 people were brought to the U.S. to begin the resettlement process. Today, there are even more who have come to our country for refuge.

But three years after arriving in the U.S., Afghans who were evacuated amid the Taliban takeover still face a harrowing level of uncertainty, because Congress has failed to create a path to permanent legal status for this community.

Because they were not resettled through the traditional refugee process, Afghan evacuees  many of whom risked their lives working with the U.S. military in their home country  have no clear way to obtain permanent residency or citizenship in their new home.

Although the Biden administration has tried to help this population by expanding humanitarian parole, legislative action from Congress is the only real path to permanent change for Afghan evacuees in the U.S. The bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act, for example, would offer a solution by providing a path to permanent citizenship, while expanding the efforts for those Afghans left behind. There is massive support for such legislation, including from national security leaders on the Council on National Security and Immigration. Yet we see almost no movement on such legislation, forcing those who have already been through so much to wait out their limbo.

Despite this uncertainty, Afghan evacuees have built new lives in the U.S. Theyve joined our schools, neighborhoods, workplaces and churches. While we see so many stories of American welcome, we also see the individuals and families that still await permanent solutions, even after their long and difficult journeys.

During the U.S. presence in Afghanistan, our military relied on Afghan men and women to assist our efforts and provide important skills such as translation. Through the work of many Afghan nationals, the lives of U.S. troops were saved.

Our Afghan allies deserve stability. As we mark three years since the evacuation of those who risked their lives to assist us, Congress must pay heed and do right by these heroes and their families. The Afghan Adjustment Act is an opportunity for bipartisan action that upholds our nations legacy of welcome, allows Afghans to fully resettle and contribute to their new communities, and shows the world that when it comes to our allies across the world, we keep our word.

Jennie Murray is president and CEO of the National Immigration Forum.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Special Counsel Jack Smiths superseding indictment of former President Donald Trump in the Jan. 6 election interference case makes me wonder if Smith and his team feel like they are fighting the legendary multi-headed Hydra from Greek mythology.

Most prosecutors need only contend with the defendant and defense counsel but Smiths team also seems to be up against judges and justices. In the Mar-a-Lago mishandling of documents case, they are appealing Judge Aileen Cannons dismissal of the charges against Trump on her noveland baselesstheory that for some 150 years the attorney general has been unconstitutionally appointing special counsel.

In the same spirit, the United States Supreme Court came up with a heretofore-never-discovered doctrine of presidential immunity to shield defendant Trump from substantial parts of Smiths original indictment.

New Grand Jury Returns Same Charges Against Trump After Immunity Ruling

There had been much speculation about whether the Supreme Courts decision would cause Smith to seek a kind of mini-trial to sort out what evidence would be admissible and what acts would be immunized under the high courts ruling. Because the ruling drew hard lines of protection around official conduct, a hearing might be one way for trial court Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which parts of the indictment in the Jan. 6 case would survive. But Smith reportedly will not ask Chutkan for such a hearing, although the issue may still arise at a status hearing convened by Chutkan about how to proceed in the case after the presidential immunity ruling.

But Smith has revealed that part of his strategy is to slim down his case by using whats known as a superseding indictment, which is an indictment that replaces the previous one. An examination of the new indictment reveals that the core charges against Trump survive (Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, Conspiracy to Obstruct an Official Proceeding, Obstruction and Attempt to Obstruct an Official Proceeding, and Conspiracy Against Rights); however the underpinnings of the legal charges have been cut back to avoid any whiff of official duties.

For example, the Supreme Court was quite explicit about the idea that any communications Trump had with the Justice Departmenthowever allegedly ill-intentionedwould be fully immunized. Accordingly, while the original indictment mentioned DOJ over 30 times, the new one makes no mention of DOJ at all. Similarly, communications Trump may have had with White House counsel and staff are now trimmed, leaving only the non-federal government actors in play.

Special Counsel Jack Smith's signature is seen on a revised indictment in the 2020 election subversion case against Donald Trump after U.S. prosecutors obtained the indictment in Washington, U.S., August 27, 2024. U.S. Department of Justice

Similarly, the original indictment referenced multiple communications with federal officials like then-Vice-President Mike Pence, DOJ, the Director of National Intelligence and White House attorneys in which Trump was told his claims of the election being stolen were untrue. The new indictment removes all of those and simply asserts that Trump was on notice that his claims were untrue.

The new indictment also takes pains to assert that Trump had no official responsibilities related to state certification of election results and also distinguishes between when Trump was acting allegedly not as President but in his capacity as a candidate for office.

If all this strikes you as being like a version of Wordle, where the prosecutors are not allowed to use certain words like DOJ or president, you wouldnt be alone. Smiths re-tooling of his indictment really points up the absurdity of a SCOTUS opinion which teaches presidents to make sure they tell the DOJ about their intentions to commit crimesor even enlist DOJs aideso that their actions will be immunized from any prosecution.

Nor does the mere changing of the indictments factual narrative and characterizations solve the special counsels problems.

Evidentiary issues will abound even with the pared down indictment and look for Trumps defense team to argueand appealthat even Trumps communications with non-federal government identities still amounted to official acts. The distinctions between when Trump is acting as a candidate versus president are already blurry, particularly with the Trump administrations blatant disregard for the Hatch Acts prohibition against using official office for politicking.

But an even bigger potential problem for the prosecution awaits with the question of what aspects of the factual narrative will be kept from the jury. Withholding from the jury conversations with White House counsel and DOJ leaves a narrative hole that may lead to inevitable common sense speculation by a jury as to how the hell did all this go on without anyone at DOJ or White House lawyers knowing about it

The Greek Hydra of legend had nine heads and its destruction was one of Hercules 12 Labors. The Supreme Courtwith its nine membershad imposed a Herculean task upon Smith in the Jan. 6 election interference case. It remains to be seen if heor any prosecutoris up to such a challenge.

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Just over a year ago, special counsel Jack Smith indicted former President Donald Trump over his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. There was a bit of deja vu then on Tuesday when Smith revealed that he had obtained a superseding indictment against Trump, keeping the same four charges in place but with the backing of a different federal grand jury.

When comparing the version that was handed up on Tuesday with the original from last year, the changes appear to be focused on deconflicting the charges against Trump with the Supreme Courts recent rulings on the matter. Smith opted against the most cautious approach he could have taken, stripping the case down to its essence to fully bulletproof it from further Supreme Court intervention. Instead, he has chosen to attempt the strongest case available against Trump within the fetters that the court has now placed on him.

The most obvious changes relate to the courts sweeping decision in Trump v. United States. Chief Justice John Roberts majority opinion found that all presidents, including Trump, have absolute immunity from criminal charges for exercising their core Constitutional duties. Roberts specifically cited Trumps communications with the Justice Department  in which he tried to force the DOJ to back his false election claims  as off-limits for prosecution.

Smith has complied accordingly, deleting the entirety of the DOJ evidence from the indictments narrative, along with any references to Justice Department officials pushing back on his lies about mass voter fraud. Former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark is no longer an unnamed, unindicted co-conspirator. Also gone are any references to the White House counsel and most references to any conversations Trump might have had with people on his staff within the executive branch.

Beyond the absolute immunity for a presidents core duties, Roberts also ruled that there is presumptive immunity for things that fall within the scope of the presidents remaining official actions. It now falls to Smith to convince U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan which of Trumps actions were unofficial and thus beyond the reach of this presumed immunity  but he is blocked from being able to use official acts as evidence to make the case for why immunity should not be granted. The special counsel has accepted that challenge with gusto.

In the new indictment, Smith carefully makes clear why many of the steps Trump and his allies took were in no way part of the presidents job. Nowhere is that more evident than when it comes to Trumps pressure campaign against former Vice President Mike Pence. After numerous other avenues had failed, Trump leaned on Pence to simply declare him the winner when presiding over the electoral vote count on Jan. 6, 2021. The opinion in Trump v. U.S. hinted that those conversations between the president and vice president might fall within the scope of presumptive immunity, but Smith didnt mince words in disagreeing:

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. All of the conversations between the Defendant and Vice President below focused on the Defendant maintaining power.

Moreover, Smith takes great pains to emphasize how many of the people acting on Trumps behalf did so in the name of his presidential campaign, not his presidency. There are still six unindicted co-conspirators listed in the document, he writes, none of whom were government officials during the conspiracies and all of whom were acting in a private capacity. The new indictment also addresses the role of then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, who has attempted to use his former position as cover from being investigated or indicted. Smith now clarifies that Meadows sometimes handled private and Campaign-related logistics for the Defendant when describing Trumps now infamous call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

Interestingly, the new indictments edits also appear to consider a second Supreme Court ruling as well. A few days before the decision in Trump v. U.S., the court ruled in Fischer v. United States, which considered the Justice Departments use of a federal statute on obstructing an official proceeding. Roughly a quarter of the Jan. 6 defendants were charged under Section 1512(c)(2) for their role in disrupting the counting of electoral votes, according to the Justice Department.

There was concern when the case was being adjudicated that the court might entirely invalidate two of the four charges against Trump. The 6-3 decision did narrow the scope of the law in question but did so in a way that let the charges against the former president stand. Roberts, again the author of the majority opinion, wrote that prosecutors must now show that defendants impaired the availability or integrity for use in an official proceeding of records, documents, objects, or as we earlier explained, other things used in the proceeding, or attempted to do so.

In the new indictment, Smiths team has done just that. When describing the actual events of the Jan. 6 attack, the new version adds in more details about Congress work that day to certify the Electoral Colleges votes, focusing on the documents that the rioters threatened after breaching the Capitol. With that shift, the prosecution now also highlights the timing of the attack and its aim of disrupting the vote count.

At approximately 1:11 p.m., the Vice President opened the certificates of vote and certificates of ascertainment that the legitimate electors for the state of Arizona had mailed to Washington, consistent with the [Electoral Count Act], the indictment now reads. Two paragraphs later, having noted that Trump was back in the White House watching events unfold, the prosecution describes the Capitol being breached and forcing the Senate to recess. At approximately 2:20 p.m., the official proceeding having been interrupted, staffers evacuating from the Senate carried with them the electors certificates of vote and their governors certificates of ascertainment, Smith wrote.

The superseding indictment is not guaranteed to kickstart the trial, which was originally scheduled to begin this past March. There are still several elements that will require Chutkan to rule on whether they can be included in his arguments. Trumps lawyers are most likely to object to the prosecutions references to his conversations with Pence, arguing that those discussions were within the scope of his office. But they may wind up throwing whatever they can into their filing to attempt to delay the proceedings further.

And, thanks to the vagueness of the immunity test that Roberts put forward, whatever ruling Chutkan makes will likely be appealed. The matter may even make its way back up to the Supreme Court, as I predicted previously, giving the conservative justices another chance to cover for Trump. But Smith has done a lot of the heavy lifting to ensure that, should Trump lose in November, this case can continue forward into the next administration.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Now that the political parties have held their conventions, the next big date on the election calendar is Sept. 10, the only scheduled debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. If it happens, which is not a sure thing. Not since the days of Ross and Rachel has there been such a propitious Will they or wont they? First, it was on. Then it was off. Then it was back on. Now Trumps grumbling about the microphone situation, and even making noises about backing out of the thing altogether.

The Great Debate debate has taken on added significance since the meeting between Trump and Joe Biden ended up costing Gampy Joe a shot at a second term. Trump was certainly feeling his oats after that one, though Bidens withdrawal had nothing to do with Trumps performance and everything to do with the fact that he spent the entire performance looking like hed just woken up on a planet whose name he didnt know.

Dont Silence Me! Trump On Steroids Fights With Aides Over Debate Mics

Now, with a new nominee at the top of the ticket, a nominee who has so far appeared immune from Trumps dumb nicknames (Kamabla???) or any of his stupid insults (She turned Black???), Trump finds himself struggling and on the defensive. His best shot at turning around a campaign that appears to be flailing would, naturally, be on the debate stage. So why is he being alland yes, Im going to use the wordweird about it?

Some say hes afraid. Sen. Elizabeth Warren told MSNBCs Jen Psaki, The felon is afraid of the prosecutorand for damn good reason. On CNN, Trumps former aide, Alyssa Farah Griffin, said she thinks Trumps reluctance has to do with facing potentially tough questions: There are things hes going to have to answer for in this debate and I think hes afraid of that. On Bill Mahers show, CNN anchor Kaitlin Collins said, I think Trump is really nervous about [the debate] I talk to a lot of sources in his world he really has struggled with how to combat her.

For their part, the Republicans are saying its Harris whos afraid to debate, though shes given no indication that she has any plans to back out of their meeting. Fox News Sean Hannity said, [Harris] is evidently afraid to debate Trump, then cited the fact that she rebuffed Trumps suggestion of a debate on his network, stating it would be too risky and shes too incompetent, to visit the land of Fair and Balanced.

The conservative Washington Examiner published the headline, Kamala Harris is scared of debating Trump, as she should be. It goes on to say Ill be honest; I didnt read the full article because, you know, Washington Examiner.

So whos scared of who? My best guess is Trump probably is nervous about debating Harris. After all, shes younger, sharper, and smarter. Plus, her hair is so much more luscious than his. But I dont think theres any chance hell actually back out of the debate for a few reasons.

First, hes terrified of being perceived as weak. Second, he knows hes currently fading in the polls and needs to make up some ground. Third, and the reason Im most convinced he wont back out, is he just likes being on TV. Dudes a whore.

For her part, I think Harris also probably has a bit of unease about debating Trump for the simple reason that his unpredictability is his superpower. He thinks nothing of just stitching together lies cut from the thinnest of cloths. This week included his assertion that Harris allowed 325,000 children to be trafficked into our country, further stating that many of these children are now in sex slavery or theyre dead.

Too bad his friend Jeffrey Epstein is no longer around to help Trump locate some of those children. Debating Trump is like debating a chimpanzee holding a handful of shit. You know hes going to fling it. You just dont where its going to land.

Vice President Kamala Harris delivers her acceptance speech during the final night of the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Thursday, August 22, 2024. Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

While Im reluctant to make too many predictions, it seems to me that if the Kamala Harris who delivered that DNC acceptance speech last week shows up, shell clean the floor with Dirty Don. She was focused, forceful, and polished. She looked presidential.

Unlike speeches, though, debates are unscripted affairs. A misspoken word, a mangled fact, a wayward fly landing on your head. For Trump, none of it matters. His supporters expect neither eloquence nor facts.

For Harris, the expectations are different. She needs to be precise and she needs to directly confront the Shrek-like creature who will undoubtedly be hovering, interrupting, and displaying all the ogrish behavior weve all come to know and loathe. America needs to see the current VP going toe-to-toe with the former presidentnot just standing her ground, but taking his. In other words, she needs to be brilliant. He just needs to stay awake.

Presidential debates are strange electoral tangents. Their usefulness has probably run its course in terms of helping voters compare and contrast candidates on policy. Their utility now is much closer to the utility of YouTube.

Debates are opportunities for candidates to DESTROY, DOMINATE, and DECIMATE. Its why Trump manages to survive them. Not because he has anything substantive to say, but because he knows the more outrageously he behaves, the more likely he is to generate that viral moment, the one that might inspire the next ear tampon or JD Vance jizz cup.

My best guess is, whether the microphones remain on the whole time or end up muted when the candidates opponent is speaking, Trump will do all the Trump things. Weve seen them, theyre boring. Far more interesting will be Harris performance. How will she handle his petulance, his interruptions, his lies? Will she go high when he goes low? Or will she reach out and grab him by the covfefe? I hope she does. Shes a star now, and when youre a star they just let you do it.

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Opinion - Kamala Harris has united her party, now she must transcend it

This summers Republican and Democratic nominating conventions were anything but conventional. Absent from both were the personal rivalries and factional infighting that usually flare up when these coalition parties gather to anoint their standard bearer.

What explains these rare displays of party cohesion? That would be Donald Trumps genius for polarizing Americans.

Julys Republican convention in Milwaukee looked like a gaudier and more raucous version of a Chinese Communist Party plenum. Speaker after speaker acclaimed Trump as their partys great helmsman as he looked on approvingly from his imperial box.

Trumps third nomination essentially was a mass conversion ceremony in which Republicans swore fealty to his brand of apocalyptic populism. Peruse their platform, and youll see that Republicans no longer stand for free markets, small government, individual autonomy, fiscal rectitude, judicial restraint and muscular U.S. leadership for a freer world.

Instead, the Republican Party has degenerated into a groveling cult of personality. Theres no room in todays Republican Party for anyone who questions Trumps firehose of lies and insults, including his grotesque claims that America is in the terminal stages of national decline.

To hear voices of Republican dissent you had to tune into the Democrats convention in Chicago.

Donald Trump has suffocated the soul of the Republican Party, former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) told delegates last Thursday night before endorsing Kamala Harris.

Kinzinger was one of only 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for inciting the Jan. 6 coup attempt. MAGA zealots have hounded him and all but one of the others out of office for putting their duty to defend the Constitution above loyalty to Trump.

Trumps GOP conquest in Milwaukee galvanized the anti-Trump party in Chicago. Harris cruised to the nomination unopposed despite not having campaigned for the job or won a single vote in the primaries.

President Bidens delegates were elated by the opportunity to rally around a relatively young (59 years-old) nominee who has swiftly reenergized core constituencies and erased Trumps summer surge in the polls.

The paucity of dissent left me wondering if I was really at a Democratic National Convention. In yet another stroke of good fortune, threats by anti-Israel protesters to disrupt the convention fizzled.

While the Trump Republicans are now severed from their own partys past, Democrats had no problem fitting Harris into their partys traditional narrative of civic inclusion and liberal pluralism.

In Milwaukee, the only living GOP president besides Trump  George W. Bush  was conspicuous by his absence. Nor were prominent Republicans from other administrations heard from.

In Chicago, prime-time speeches by former Presidents Clinton and Obama as well as Hillary Clinton and Michele Obama underscored the continuity of Democratic principles and placed Harris squarely in the partys pragmatically liberal mainstream.

She drove home the point in an eloquent acceptance speech Thursday night. Harris introduced herself as the mixed-race child of immigrants growing up in a working-class neighborhood of Oakland. It was a classic only in America story of social mobility.

Sounding nothing like the San Francisco radical of Trumps fancy, Harris steered clear of identity politics. She didnt complain of discrimination or structural racism or dwell on the ceiling-shattering nature of her quest to become the first woman president.

Instead, she stressed her background as a prosecutor and identified herself with a working middle class that believes in the American dream, plays by the rules and expects others to do the same.

Calling U.S. democracy the most important story ever told, Harris rebuked Trump for denigrating America as a failing country, as well as for dallying with dictators rather than standing by U.S. friends abroad.

Harriss unabashed patriotism stands in refreshing contrast to the low esteem in which many college-educated elites hold their country. Her unequivocal support for Israels right to exist and condemnation of Hamas terrorism also sets her apart from the progressive left.

For Harris, the Chicago convention was a coming out party that at last put her determined yet joyous persona front and center. Unlike Trump, she seems to be enjoying herself.

Crucially, her speech showed shes reaching beyond her partys base to the swing voters in battleground states  moderates, independents and working-class voters  who will pick the next president.

Even so, she has a lot more work to do. Over the next two-plus months, Harris will have to assuage doubts about Democrats that, along with his age, fed cratering public confidence in Biden.

That means rebuilding voters trust in her partys ability to manage a dynamic and growing economy, expanding opportunities for Americans without college degrees, getting public debts under control, embracing a more realistic transition to clean energy and taking center-ground positions on cultural issues like immigration, crime and what kids are taught in school.

It also will require doing things party activists wont like. For example, she needs to ease up on the hackneyed rhetoric about corporate greed and price-gouging that makes her sound like Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) circa 2010.

Having united her party, Harriss job is now to transcend it  to become a national rather than a partisan leader, someone who can bind together a country fractured by Trumpian malice and rage.

Steeped in declinist pessimism and nostalgia, the Republicans have lost faith in Americas ability to turn diversity into a source of national dynamism and self-renewal. Harris and the Democrats still believe America is working as it should to make freedom and democracy work for all citizens. In that optimism lies their best hope for victory in November.

Will Marshall is president of the Progressive Policy Institute.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Lowes (LOW) is scaling back some of its diversity initiatives, becoming one of the largest companies yet to make such an about-face as activist pressure mounts.

The home improvement retailer reportedly communicated a decision to stop participating in diversity surveys issued by LGBTQ civil rights advocate Human Rights Campaign in a memo to employees Monday.

Lowes also reportedly told employees in the memo that the company would stop sponsoring and participating in community parades, festivals, and fairs.

Similar changes discarding so-called DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives have been picking up momentum at major US corporations in recent months as critics target what they describe as "woke" policies.

In June, under pressure from shareholders, rural retailer Tractor Supply (TSCO) announced that it would retire its DEI goals. In July, tractor maker John Deere (DE) announced that it would continue to track workforce diversity but end participation in cultural and social awareness-focused events.

Harley-Davidson, Jack Daniels maker Brown-Foreman (BF-A), Polaris (PII), and its motorcycle subsidiary Indian Motorcycle have also scrapped DEI policies.

Lowe's reversal is the only one from a company run by a black CEO. Its boss, Marvin Ellison, is the only black executive to have run two Fortune 500 companies: Lowe's and JCPenney.

Marvin Ellison, Lowe's CEO, in 2021. (AP Photo) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Conservative activist Robby Starbuck said in a post on X that Lowes and the other companies that discarded diversity initiatives did so after he communicated plans to "expose" woke policies.

So far youve helped me change corporate policy at Tractor Supply, John Deere, Harley Davidson, Polaris, Indian Motorcycle and now Lowes, Starbuck wrote Monday in a post on X.

Lowe's did not respond to Yahoo Finance's request for comment.

Big news: 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.



Here are the changes:



 Ending participation in the @HRCs woke Corporate Equality Index pic.twitter.com/qOUr2JLGV7  Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) August 26, 2024

A US Supreme Court ruling last year has been cited as a factor in corporate decisions to alter diversity policies.

Story continues

The court specifically ruled against race-conscious student admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, saying the programs violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Lowe's reportedly cited this ruling in its memo to employees, saying that it began reviewing its programs following that decision.

Ellison, Lowe's CEO, has diversified the executive ranks of Lowe's since becoming the boss and also had meetings with employees to discuss race following the police killing of George Floyd.

Ellison is also a member of the Business Roundtable, an association of more than 200 CEOs that posted an essay this month re-endorsing a stance that a company's purpose is to serve "all" stakeholders.

That philosophy adopted in 2019 includes shareholders, customers, employees, and suppliers, along with the communities where a company operates.

Business Roundtable CEO Joshua Bolten said that purpose has been misinterpreted as an endorsement for ESG (environmental, social, and governance) initiatives, which include DEI.

The ideological left and right both incorrectly interpreted the position to mean that companies had decided to commit resources to solving every societal ill, he added.

"Right from the beginning, there's been a fair amount of misunderstanding about what the statement was about," he said.

Alexis Keenan is a legal reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow Alexis on X @alexiskweed.

Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events moving stock prices

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance

Correction: A previous version of this article had a misspelling of Joshua Bolten's name. We regret the error.
Marcellus Williams is living a legal nightmare straight out of a Kafka story. And just last week, his strange and tragic case took another unexpected turn.

The overwhelming weight of the evidence points to the conclusion that Williams is the victim of a serious miscarriage of justice, for which he has been sentenced to death. Even the prosecutors office, which secured that sentence, now acknowledges this fact.

Still, on Aug. 21, Williams entered a plea in return for the promise that he would serve life without parole instead of being executed.

He only did so because the prosecutors in his case mishandled critical evidence that could have shown that Williams is actually innocent. Their negligence deprived Williams of the chance to show how badly the state of Missouri has messed up his case.

To make matters worse, after the trial court accepted Williamss plea, Andrew Bailey (R), Missouris zealous, pro-death-penalty attorney general, went to the state Supreme Court seeking to overturn that judgment.

The thought of an innocent person being caught up in Williamss situation is shocking enough. But all that is compounded by the fact that a bloodthirsty attorney general seems determined to see Williams put to death, whether hes innocent or not.

As long as America clings to the death penalty, law enforcement officials like Bailey will try to secure death sentences in cases like that of Marcellus Williams. And people like Williams will be induced to abandon innocence claims in return for a guarantee that they wont be executed.

Both are reasons enough to end capital punishment. But that aside, lets look more closely at the Williams case and what gave rise to this latest turn of events.

Williams was convicted and sentenced on March 31, 2000, for the 1998 murder of former St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter Felicia Gayle. The crime was particularly gruesome: She was stabbed between 10 times and 43 times with a butchers knife taken from her kitchen.

Williams was convicted on the testimony of two police informants  both with criminal records. Their testimony was false, and none of the evidence from the crime scene implicated Williams. As journalist Madiba Dennie put it, The bloody footprints (from the crime scene) did not match his shoes. The fibers didnt match his clothes. The hairs didnt match his body.

At trial, the prosecutor struck six prospective Black jurors, so that the final jury selection included only one Black person out of 12.

In January, Wesley Bell, the current St. Louis County prosecutor whose office first prosecuted Williams, finally acknowledged the miscarriage of justice in Williamss case after an analysis of DNA found on the murder weapon determined that it could not have come from Marcel Williams. He asked the Circuit Court of St. Louis County to vacate Williamss conviction.

That brings us to last weeks events. A Missouri trial court was scheduled to hold an evidentiary hearing that seemed likely to finally free an innocent man. But nothing seems simple in the Williams case.

Two days before the scheduled hearing, the prosecutors office revealed, without explanation, that it had conducted further DNA testing on the weapon used to kill Felicia Gale. But The murder weapon was handled without proper procedures then in place.

The result was that the DNA evidence was contaminated. The only DNA found on the murder weapon was consistent with that of a prosecutor and an investigator in the case. Tragically, as the New York Times explains, Bells office concluded that the new findings had weakened the claim of innocence, though the prosecutors maintained that the case was still riddled with problems.

Those problems were so glaring that, even without the DNA evidence, their office still believed that Williamss constitutional rights had been violated. As a way out of the mess, they proposed a settlement.

Williams would enter a so-called Alford plea, in which the defendant maintains his innocence but concedes that the state has enough evidence to obtain a conviction. In return, the death penalty would be off the table.

Williams, who has always maintained his innocence, took the deal. He is not alone in doing this. All over the country, in all kinds of cases, innocent people enter guilty pleas. One study reports that, on the federal level, between two and eight percent of convicted defendants plead guilty to crimes for which they are factually innocent. Other research has shown that there are many reasons why they do so.

The most important involve draconian sentence differentials, like those in the Williams case, which await those who go to trial and are found guilty rather than take a plea.

Pleading guilty or entering an Alford plea also is quite common in death penalty cases. As law professor William Barry explains, Given the choice between a death sentence and a plea deal, many defendants  innocent or not  choose to plead guilty, even if the cost is life in prison without the option of parole.

Berry argues that in death cases, bargained sentences almost certainly reflect the coercion of the prosecutor in an unequal bargaining dynamic rather than a voluntary acceptance of a proportional punishment for ones crime.

Whatever Marcellus Williamss motivation, the judge in his case, Bruce F. Hilton, after reviewing some 8,000 pages of records in the case and speaking with the victims husband, determined that the consent judgment is a proper remedy in this case.

But that was not good enough for Attorney General Bailey, who instead insisted that Judge Hinton did not have the authority to accept the plea without first holding a full evidentiary hearing and permitting the attorney general to participate in that hearing. On Aug. 21, the Missouri Supreme Court agreed with Bailey.

So now Williams is back to square one, still living under the shadow of a death sentence for a crime he didnt commit and with an attorney general determined to pull out all the stops until that sentence is carried out. He is trapped in a system whose failures put him behind bars in the first place and whose other failures now make it impossible for him to prove what he knows  namely, that he is an innocent man.

Williamss story is so grotesque and cruel that it should lead people in Missouri and elsewhere to say that they have had enough of the death penalty. So long as we remain wedded to that punishment, we will do great damage, not just to people like Williams but to everyone who cares about the pursuit of justice.

Austin Sarat is the William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science at Amherst College. His views do not necessarily reflect those of Amherst College.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Ten years ago, President Barack Obama appeared at a press conference wearing a pale khaki suit and a gray, striped tie. The outfit choice prompted a slew of outraged headlines, particularly from Republicans. Then-New York Congressman Peter T. King contended that the choice was unpresidential and that it pointed to Obamas lack of seriousness.

On the first night of the Democratic National Convention, Vice President Kamala Harris stepped onto the stage in a flared-leg tan suit designed by Chloe creative director Chemena Kamali. Harris paired the suit with a cream crepe de chine lavalliere blouse, also by Chloe, and high-shine pointed-toe pumps. A similar double-breasted version of Harris jacket is available on Chloes website. The color listed below its steep price tag is fittingly and, given the tenor of the Harris campaign, unsurprisingly called coconut brown.

The internet was quick to draw parallels between the two outfits. Many X users posited that Harris was deliberately evoking Obamas tan suit, subtly trolling Republican pundits. Responses to a post made by MSNBCs The Weekend Executive Producer Kyle Griffin included troll game strong and I yelled and then had to explain to my kid why the tan suit was an expert level choice for her.

While the Harris-Walz campaign is quick to embrace all Obama-era commentary and has proven its internet fluency, this fashion moment was Harris alone.

Harris campaign outfits are a sign of a new era of political dressing. Her campaign wardrobe, from the now iconic Chloe suit to her brightly colored tailored separates with pared down Chucks, is not representative of the bygone 2010s Lean In girlboss dressing or 1980s suiting as a means to battle in-office sexism. No, Harris outfits exist wholly in the context of today.

The year 1992, dubbed the year of the woman for electing four women to the Senate, led to a significant moment for womens suiting. The following year, then-Maryland Sen. Barbara Mikulski became the first woman to wear a pantsuit on the Senate floor when she and then-Kansas Sen. Nancy Kassebaum launched a subdued but effective protest: They wore pants and told female staffers to do the same. In the years after, the pantsuit became the accepted and almost compulsory apparel for women in Washington, including for Hillary Clinton.

How it started. How it's going.



Ten years later, and it's still a good look! https://t.co/NKXRGNgJPv pic.twitter.com/KeI1gn7HSg  Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 28, 2024

Donning pants instead of skirts is historically revolutionary. Selecting clothing that exists outside of what is attractive to a patriarchal society is a weapon that women have used to protect themselves for generations, as a means to demand respect and safety. A contemporary, more grim, version of this can be seen in a viral TikTok trend showing young women covering their fashionable miniskirts with baggy t-shirts on the New York subway.

Being a woman on public transportation, on Capitol Hill, in court rooms, on Wall Street and in newsrooms has until very recently been viewed a detriment. And while clothing, of course, neither protects you nor precludes you from sexual harassment or assault, the way you dress is a vehicle for respect, power and self-confidence. In the aftermath of #MeToo, standing on the shoulders of women trailblazers, traditionally male silhouettes are no longer required. Today, two things exist at once: womanhood and power.

Harris Chloe suit set the tone for the rest of DNC and for the rest of her campaign. In wearing her suits and not, say, a more conventional navy, knee-length skirt, Harris is signaling that she is unafraid to carve her own path forward. (As the first Black and Indian American woman on the ticket, this is impossible anyway.) In this way, this suit  a modern spin on traditionally accepted political womens wear  mirrors her candidacy. Harris is demanding respect in her own way. Perhaps the most radical and revolutionary of all: Harris looks pretty. She looks presidential.

Suits, although awash on the DNC stage, have little practical space in a contemporary womans wardrobe, except as subversive. It is chic and popular, in perpetuity, to wear a deconstructed suit to a formal event a la Bianca Jaggers seminal Yves Saint Laurent wedding outfit. With more employees working from home, very few workplaces require the sort of formality that Washington still does. The suit has mostly been replaced with so-called power dressing: shoulder pads, oversized blazers, slouchy boyfriend-without-the-boyfriend jeans. Clothing that skews more gender neutral is not just trendy, but it is also mainstream.

Once again, Harris has proved incredibly adroit at reading and tapping into the zeitgeist. Chloe and boho chic are experiencing a resurgence. A few weeks ago, Sydney Sweeney wore head-to-toe Chloe in black thigh-high leather boots, a cream-colored mini dress and capelet. Daisy Edgar-Jones spent much of her "Twisters" press tour in Chloe, including a stunning sky blue, sheer ruffled maxi dress. And Harris, having publicly worn the French brand at least three times, is now listed in their ranks.

In 2008, one of the campaign slogans Obama ran on was change we can believe. Then, Americans were craving something different, something outside the beltway. His tan colored suit signaled that he was going to do things his way. It signaled that he was that change. Ten years later, Americans still want change they can believe in. Despite her policies, her record, her personal beliefs, Harris, as a powerful Black and Indian woman, will never be inside the beltway. Indeed, Harris fashion choices will be picked apart and analyzed in ways Barack Obama could never even fathom. She may as well wear a tan suit.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Since the start of its war of aggression against Ukraine some two-and-a-half years ago, the Kremlin has worked diligently to shape the domestic narrative surrounding the conflict. Among other things, it has done so by promoting a vision of a patriotic struggle against fascism, deploying extensive domestic censorship measures, obscuring damning figures about battlefield casualties and passing new laws that effectively criminalize any critical coverage of the conflict.

Cumulatively, this campaign has succeeded in maintaining a comparatively high level of support from ordinary Russians for a fight that has lasted much longer and exacted a much heavier toll than authorities in Moscow originally advertised. But since mid-July, Ukraines unexpected incursion into Russias Kursk region  and Moscows inability to marshal a serious response to it  has shaken public sentiment within Russia.

By just how much? This is documented in a new study by OpenMinds, a Ukrainian data analytics and communications firm. By extensively parsing Russian social media and news outlets, it chronicles that the events in Kursk have impacted popular support for the war among ordinary Russians, as well as increased their dissatisfaction with the Kremlin.

Specifically, it notes a surge of content relating to the war as a result of Ukraines raid, as well as a significant decline in positive sentiment in posts, broadcasts and messages regarding the broader conflict. This, the study attributes to two causes.

First, it notes, there have been fewer cheerful publications about the war by Russias extensive state propaganda organs. Second, there were more grievances compared to the previous two months  [both] blaming the Russian authorities and general panic regarding the incursion.

Local fears are indeed rising. Russias September 2022 partial mobilization, as Vladimir Putins domestic conscription effort was euphemistically known, proved to be profoundly unpopular at home, sparking a mass exodus of citizens eager to avoid the draft. Now, worries are rising anew that Moscows ongoing struggles on the Ukrainian front could prompt the Kremlin to launch a new effort to beef up its military ranks.

The study documents a growing concern for renewed mobilization to respond to Ukraines incursion. During the first week of Ukraines offensive, it notes, approximately 39 percent of the publications about mobilization mentioned the Kursk incursion as a potential precipitating factor. So significant was the furor that Russian lawmakers were forced to speak out publicly to refute rumors that plans for a new conscription drive were in the works.

All this has profoundly constrained the Kremlins options. Ordinarily, Moscow would be quick to rally the country around Kyivs incursion, which it would invariably depict as an existential threat to its sovereignty. However, it hasnt yet done so  something the OpenMinds study suggests is because the Russian government understands the sociopolitical risks of a new wave of mobilization and fears the potential consequences related to it.

What all this might mean for Russia is still too early to tell. Policymakers in Moscow have initiated an array of measures in response to the Ukrainian incursion, ranging from declaring a state of emergency in Kursk as well as the neighboring Belgorod region, surging troops into the area, and creating new administrative units to manage the crisis). Still, as NATO officials have noted, Russias official response has been slow and scattered  at least so far.

Whether it stays that way is still an open question. Its already clear, however, that Ukraine has accomplished one of the principal aims of its daring military raid: to bring the conflict home to ordinary Russians and underscore that the war of choice embarked upon by their president carries potentially dire consequences for them personally.

Ilan Berman is senior vice president of the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington, D.C.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Latching onto RFK Jr. is Donald Trumps way of edging back into the news cycle after weeks of being sidelined by the Democrats. Never mind that Kennedy is a fringe player whose polls cratered before he allegedly traded his endorsement for a Cabinet post should Trump win.

Now Trump has put him on his transition team to help pick the people who will be running the government, Kennedy said in an interview posted on X. He joins another presidential wannabe, former Democrat Tulsi Gabbard, as honorary co-chairs.

These odd bedfellows go back to at least 2016 when, according to RFK Jr., Trump promised to create a vaccine commission to study the safety and efficacy of vaccines and appoint him as the chair. This was long before COVID-19 when the animating concern was the link between childhood vaccines and autism, which has since been debunked while remaining core to anti-vaxxers like Kennedy.

Why Trumps Campaign Embraced RFK Jr. After Calling Him Leftie Loonie

At the Friday rally celebrating RFK Jr.s endorsement, the Kennedy sibling (hes one of 11) led the crowd in a MAGA-style chant to Make America Healthy Again while Trump, a lover of fast food, looked on at what hed created. Trumps right-wing populism doesnt align with Kennedys left-wing suspicion of corporate power, but Trump is so enamored of his new sycophants storied name and faux celebrity that there is talk of putting him on the campaign plane for joint appearances.

What could go wrong? Kennedy will say something that is totally nutty, and Trump will be asked whether he agrees with it, says Jack Pitney, a professor of American politics at Claremont McKenna College. He could also be a tremendous liability. What he says about vaccines are not exaggerations, theyre flat-out lies.

Relying on 70-year-old Kennedy to add youth and vigor to the GOP ticket seems fanciful, but Democratic pollster Celinda Lake finds that non-college Blacks and Latinos, particularly men, are voting their down-scale class rather than voting on race. That opens the door for Trump, but theres no evidence RFK Jr adds to that downscale allure.

Kennedy voters hate Trump, Lake told the Daily Beast. Kamala Harris has already picked up half of his support. Endorsing Trump is a fundamental violation of RFK Jrs brand to align with a billionaire right-wing populist. Voters perceive Kennedy as a populist on economic issues, taking on toxic polluters as an environmental lawyer in the tradition of JFK, his uncle, who as president stood up to a tiny handful of steel executives whose pursuit of private power and profit exceeds their sense of public responsibility.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr speaks at Bitcoin 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. July 26, 2024. Kevin Wurm/File Photo/Reuters

Trump and Kennedy are aligned on Ukraine, with Trump opposing more unconditional aid to Ukraine and RFK Jr. parroting Russian talking points about Putin wanting to de-Nazify Ukraine.

On vaccines, RFK Jr. is more openly anti-vaccine than Trump, having built a movement that predates COVID and that questions routine vaccinations for children. Trump put his presidential clout and money behind rapid development of the COVID vaccine, but many times in recent months, he has said he would cut off money to schools with vaccine mandates.

They are far apart on environmental issues, and earlier this year Trump posted on social media that RFK Jr. and his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, would be indicted any day now, probably for Environmental Fraud. Trump called him the most Radical Liberal Candidate in the race, by far! Hes a big fan of the Green New Scam, and other economy killing disasters.

There are big policy differences between Trump and RFK Jr., but when it comes to personality and character, they align well. They are both prolific liars who appeal to kooks, says Pitney, the professor of American politics. He was crashing in the polls, and as long as Biden was in the race, he was a proxy for none of the above. Low-information voters would say, Im for him, but the numbers are so small, theyre almost negligible.

Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Forum River Center in Rome, Georgia, U.S. March 9, 2024. Alyssa Pointer/File Photo/Reuters

Not many Democrats will be fooled into voting for him, says Elaine Kamarck with the Brookings Institutions governing program. He really had no place to go. These are two desperate people. Trump is going after anything that can get him momentum, and Kennedy is going nowhere fast.

The swing states are not exactly hotbeds of health movements, that might go over well in California, she adds. Hes become a sideshow. Im glad he fizzled.

We politely refer to it as a transactional deal where RFK Jr.s endorsement is implicit collateral for a Cabinet post, specifically HHS (Health and Human Services) should Trump win the election. The whole business of him wanting a Cabinet jobmy God, thats illegal, Kamarck exclaims, recalling that Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich went to jail for trying to sell a Senate seat.

Sometimes transactional is highly illegal, and thats what we could be dealing with here, she says. Trump commuted Blagojevichs sentence after he served eight years.

Its hard to see whats in it for Trump to have a Kennedy by his side other than the psychic victory of having won over one of the power names of his generation. Theres little that could go right and a lot that can go wrong when two self-centered narcissists are vying for attention on a crowded campaign trail.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Opinion - The US has a problem on its northern border too

Since the 1970s, Canada has cultivated a reputation for having one of the most liberal immigration systems in the world, with a strong emphasis on diversity. But the countrys unique, decades-old immigration consensus is being eroded. Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus open-border approach has permitted unchecked immigration to thrive at the expense of economic stability, social integration and national security.

Acting on a tip-off from a European ally, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police recently arrested an ISIS-inspired father-son duo for allegedly plotting to carry out a mass casualty attack in Toronto. Under the aegis of the Trudeau government, the father was deemed admissible to Canada on a track to citizenship, despite allegedly appearing in an open-source ISIS propaganda video in which he is seen dismembering a prisoner with a sword.

Terrorists and criminals have long sought ways to exploit Canadas liberal immigration system and acquire Canadian citizenship. The Canada Border Service Agency is mandated to remove inadmissible foreign nationals, yet it struggles to locate and deport individuals with serious criminal offenses.

A recent Canada Border Service Agency audit noted that most of the agencys criminal investigators lack basic training. A 2023 federal government audit found that between 2014 and 2019, Ottawa admitted 3,314 foreign nationals who had been flagged for serious criminal offenses including war crimes and terrorism.

Citing the example of an internal cover-up of a human smuggling operation via Quebec, a Canada Border Service Agency whistleblower recently alleged that transnational criminal elements had penetrated the agency and compromised its databases to help terrorists, spies and drug cartels enter Canada. That comes on top of widespread concerns about the infiltration of Canadas federal civil service by foreign agents sympathetic to hostile powers intent on well-documented foreign interference in the countrys democratic institutions.

With the Trudeau governments surging immigration, severely under-resourced federal security agencies are struggling to vet new arrivals thoroughly. Immigration Minister Marc Miller even conceded that Canada routinely admits individuals from countries that provide unreliable police certificates for security screening.

Regardless, the Trudeau government has authorized the admission of 5,000 Palestinians from Gaza into Canada. About 1,000 are presumed to have already arrived. A senior Israeli government source, requesting anonymity, admitted to me that they had obvious security concerns about Canada taking people out of Gaza.

Christian Leuprecht, professor at the Royal Military College of Canada and senior fellow at the Center for North American Prosperity and Security, has similar concerns.

As the Canadian government readily admits large swathes of people from areas of the world such as Gaza where political violence is part and parcel of the daily modus operandi, there is necessarily a greater risk of spillover effects of violent anti-Israel behavior or latent sympathies for listed terrorist entities.

The Trudeau government has allowed support for Hamas and the atrocities of Oct. 7 among select ethno-religious groups, along with deep-rooted antisemitic and anti-U.S. sentiments, to fester. It also has a proven track record of grounding decisions on immigration and national security in diaspora politics instead of security and national interest. In 2016, the government lifted visa requirements on Mexican nationals, against the advice of Canadian civil servants. Predictably, frivolous asylum claims surged, yet it took them eight years to reimpose visa requirements.

In light of the pervasive vulnerabilities in Canadas immigration system, the decision to admit Palestinians exacerbates the increasingly risky gamble the Trudeau government has been willing to wager on politicizing immigration and refugee resettlement at the expense of Canadas longstanding commitment to continental security and social harmony.

Recent arrests of suspected Palestinian terrorists at Americas southern border confirm intelligence assessments of bad actors from the war-torn region destined for the U.S.

This has not been lost on Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). In late July, on the occasion of a congressional bill to review security along Americas northern border in light of an escalation of irregular southbound crossings across the border from Canada, Rubio wrote a letter pointing it out to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

The Trudeau governments tolerance of rising antisemitism and Islamist radicalization, along with its dubious record on immigration policies and screening programs, should give Washington pause. As the Biden administration continues to manage the migrant crisis at the southern border and growing threats from resurgent terror groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda, more accountability and action must be sought from its counterparts in the north to preserve and protect the long-term security interests of both countries.

Joe Adam George is a national security analyst on Middle East and South Asia affairs and has written for the Center for North American Prosperity and Security.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Once again, this election season is proving to be unprecedented. We discuss new campaign tactics, convention vibes and yet another surprise announcement.

Both presidential candidates are courting young voters in unconventional ways, Kamala Harris through TikTok and Donald Trump through podcasts. Will these efforts affect the presidential election?

Cowley: Trump has appeared on several major podcasts with Jake Paul, Shawn Ryan, Elon Musk, Adin Ross and Theo Von. These influencers boast millions of listeners, but if you dont recognize their names, it just means youre not a millennial white male. This is a strategic move, since millennials make up the plurality of voters. These are all long-form interviews  no editing or structured air times, which is great because Trump cant stop rambling.

Harris team is focused on TikTok, where viral 15-second videos do not teach you about the candidate  just that their staff can use CapCut and find trending audio. Harris is using it to recruit volunteers and small dollar donations, but TikTok caters to Gen Z, who are not a significant voting bloc.

Cable news is dead. Social media influencers are taking the place of traditional news pundits. Move over, Barbara Walters  Joe Rogan is now who people trust to get their news.

Pignanelli: Candidates dont need journalists to get their message out in this ecosystem.  Amna Nawaz, PBS Newshour

The generational difference between Renae and me as to our personal experiences with the media is massive. Most of my life, Americans consumed news and deliberated civic affairs through three major commercial television networks, their hometown newspapers and national magazines. These journalistic enterprises provided a rigorous and needed analysis of candidates and issues. But today, every citizen  regardless of age  garners news and formulates opinions from new formats. Social media is altering Americans deliberative process, just as television did commencing 72 years ago.

Because prior presidential campaigns focused on battleground states, Utah was paid minimal attention by the candidates. Now, the ubiquitousness of social media allows Utahns (and others in flyover states) to share the experiences of the target audiences. Not only does this alter campaign tactics but it also influences how news is digested and policies are deliberated. Further, operatives will utilize these actions in future local elections. The past has definitely passed.

National Democrats recently concluded their convention confirming Harris as the official nominee. How did the two conventions compare and will they impact local politics?

Cowley: Ill hand it to Democrats, they know how to throw a party! The DNC had a live DJ, a drum line and celebrities. It remains clear that Harris campaign plans to run on vibes, not policy.

Comparatively, the coolest celebrities Republicans could round up were Dana White and Lee Greenwood. The RNC wasnt cool. What they did have was confidence. Trump supporters were riding high. Trump survived the assassination attempt and Bidens approval ratings were plummeting. What a difference a month makes.

There were some noteworthy contradictions. At the DNC, Bernie Sanders put billionaires on blast, and then JB Pritzker proudly proclaimed hes an actual billionaire. The president of United Auto Workers spoke while hecklers shouted about right to work. Conventions are all about building enthusiasm, showing unity and expanding the base. Both were successful in their own right.

Pignanelli: As someone who watched almost every presidential nominating convention for half a century, I can state unequivocally these two events were unparalleled. Usually Republicans highlight former officials to demonstrate a lineage of tradition. There was very little reminiscing with elder statesmen this year. Through sheer personality, Trump governs the GOP without attachments to prior legacies, an element that compels regard.

Dumping an incumbent president, constructing an exciting unified convention and painting the current vice president as a challenger are unprecedented feats. More importantly, there was never any question that a woman of color would be the nominee, a dynamic that documents a strength for our republic.

Joe Biden was dragging national Democrats so that even blue states were becoming competitive. His unpopularity in Utah was creating the same effect for seats normally in Democrat hands. But the convention may prevent the slide unless the Republicans can paint Harris as Biden 2.0.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. officially ended his independent bid for the White House and endorsed Trump. Will this surprise move alter local and national elections?

Cowley: There was a chance Kennedys candidacy could have had a Ross Perot effect. After Biden withdrew, Kennedys support dwindled as many of his supporters backed Harris. Some criticize Kennedy for not being committed to the third-party movement, but I dont believe he ever was. He is a disgruntled Democrat who wanted a shot at the White House. This is his way of exerting what small influence he has left.

Political onlookers are trying to determine if Kennedys single-digit percentage of supporters will help Trump. If it is even a few thousand votes in key counties from Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan, it could make all the difference.

Pignanelli: A Deseret News/HarrisX poll reveals Trump gains 11 points in Utah and 5 points nationally. The prevailing guess is a slight benefit for Trump in battleground states.

Republican Renae Cowley is a political consultant, lobbyist, social media influencer and professional rodeo athlete. Email: capitolcowgirl@gmail.com. Frank Pignanelli is a Salt Lake attorney, lobbyist and political adviser who served as a Democrat in the Utah State Legislature. Email: frankp@xmission.com.
The situation around Israel has grown increasingly volatile, and it is essential to understand the driving forces behind the conflict  particularly the intentions of Hezbollah.

Although the narrative around international negotiations and peace talks often focus on proportional responses and de-escalation strategies, the reality on the ground tells a different story.

Hezbollahs overarching goal is clear: the establishment of an Islamic state in Lebanon and, accordingly, the liberation of Jerusalem from the Jews. This ambition has significant implications for regional stability and international efforts to defuse the growing hostilities.

The world watched in horror as Hamas attacked Israel from Gaza on Oct. 7, but less well-known was that Hezbollah was preparing to launch a simultaneous invasion of Israel alongside Hamas.

Fortunately, the Israel Defense Forces had already substantially degraded Hezbollahs capacity to invade, which played a crucial role in delaying the expansion of the war into Israels north. But the threat from Hezbollah remains acute, as evidenced by their ongoing military buildup as well as daily rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel.

Since Oct. 8, Hezbollah has launched more than 2,700 attacks against Israel, including an estimated 1,000 UAVs and more than 10,000 anti-tank missiles and rockets, which claimed the lives of 25 civilians and 20 soldiers. At the same time, approximately 60,000 Israelis have been evacuated from their homes due to the daily attacks and threat of invasion and cannot return to their homes.

This mass displacement highlights the immediate and severe impact of Hezbollahs operations on civilian life and underscores the necessity for robust preventive measures. As the situation continues to deteriorate, it is vital that any ceasefire agreement focused on the return of Israeli hostages from Gaza also incorporate rigorous mechanisms for monitoring Hezbollahs disarmament in south Lebanon. Without such oversight, there is a substantial risk that the terror group could rebuild its military capabilities and resume hostilities in the future.

The dominant narrative suggesting that a limited response can lead to de-escalation oversimplifies the complexities of the situation. While international negotiators, including the U.S., urge restraint to avoid a full-scale war, this perspective often underestimates the severity of the threat posed daily by Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed forces. It is crucial to recognize that Irans backing of Hezbollah is not merely a strategic maneuver but a conscious and constant effort to destabilize Israel in their quest for regional hegemony.

Hezbollahs actions are a testament to this aggressive strategy. Despite efforts to downplay their intentions, the ongoing barrage of rocket attacks, anti-tank missiles and UAV strikes against northern Israel reveals the truth: These attacks are not isolated incidents but part of a larger campaign designed to wipe Israel off the map.

In this context, the notion that Iran is committed to avoiding escalation while Hezbollah continues its attacks is a false narrative. Irans claims to seek a negotiated peace are undermined by its persistent support for hostile actions against Israel. Iran seeks and benefits from prolonged conflict and instability in the region, and its actions through proxies, including Hezbollah, are a direct manifestation of this strategy.

Any nation subjected to such sustained violence would not think twice to respond forcefully and protect its civilians. Israels response, characterized by limited offensive measures, defensive efforts and evacuations, is a testament to its commitment to protecting civilians while navigating an incredibly precarious situation.

As we move forward, it is imperative that any ceasefire agreement include robust, independent mechanisms for monitoring and verification. This will help ensure that Hezbollah cannot exploit the lull in hostilities to rearm and prepare for future attacks. The current approach of managing limited responses and hoping for de-escalation is inadequate given the scale of the threat posed by Hezbollah and its Iranian backers.

Understanding Hezbollahs true goals and the broader implications of their actions is essential for developing effective strategies to address this ongoing conflict. It is not enough to rely on superficial assessments of proportionality and restraint. A comprehensive approach that includes vigilant monitoring and robust safeguards is necessary to ensure that any ceasefire holds and that the threat from Hezbollah is genuinely squelched.

Sarit Zehavi is founder and president of the Alma center for research and education, a lieutenant colonel in the Israeli Defense Forces, and an adviser to the Council for a Secure America.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Back in Action

Killer whales are back at it again off the coast of Spain  and this time, there's a new theory about their mysterious motivations.

As the New York Times and other outlets report, a pod of orcas destroyed the rudder of the Amidala, a sailboat with a two-person Belgian crew that became stranded after the attack near Cape Finisterre, a peninsula near Galicia, Spain.

Though the boat didn't sink, the rescue effort was hindered by high winds and waves, resulting in injuries to one of the crew member's hands as the Amidala was being towed. Ultimately, it took four hours to get the boat back to shore.

While far from the most severe, this latest orca ramming again raises questions about the animals' motives as sailors share tips  and apps  with each other on how to survive such attacks.

A previous theory circulated last year suggested that the Iberian Coast's killer whales may be acting out of revenge due to traumatic events in their pasts. Other scientists have suggested, as the NYT notes, that the animals may just be bored teenagers goofing off.

Wave Theory

As this latest attack garners headlines, a new research paper out of Spain's Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute (BDRI) posits that these pods of Iberian orcas are essentially using boats as target practice when teaching their young how to hunt for bluefin tuna, which can be up to 10 feet long and are very fast.

Soon to be published in the journal Ocean & Coastal Management, the paper points out that although the sailboat-pursuing orcas are generally younger, adult pod members are sometimes seen during these ramming incidents.

This suggests, per the Spanish researchers' line of reasoning, that the older orcas are teaching their young  and with most going straight for the rudders, it seems their lessons are taking hold.

"This is like a training toy," Bruno Diaz Lopez, the institute's chief biologist, explained to the NYT. "Its a shame that we humans are in the middle of this game, but they are learning."

More on marine disasters: Billionaire's Body Recovered From Sunken Superyacht
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Two Oregon businessmen have been accused of cheating real estate investors and commercial lenders out of more than $18 million.

On Tuesday, 54-year-old Sherwood resident Robert Christensen and 55-year-old Damascus resident Anthony Matic were indicted with 21 federal charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and money laundering.

Missing daughter of former MLB pitcher found in Oregon with wanted ex-boyfriend

The U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Oregon reported that the suspects convinced investors to finance the sale and renovation of multiple undervalued residential properties from January 2019 to 2023.

According to officials, the men told investors they would generate a profit by renting out the properties and refinancing them to extract their increased value from the renovations.

The Attorneys Office alleged Christensen and Matic claimed investors would be fully repaid with interest between 8% and 15%, and a generous lump sum payout, within 30 to 90 days.

The suspects then used new investments to repay their original investors when the business failed to generate income, authorities said.

Survey: Less than half of Portlanders say city pretty seriously off on the wrong track

USAO accused the colleagues of launching a separate scheme in December 2020, when they would submit fraudulent financial information to commercial lenders who would loan them millions of dollars.

Federal officials suspect that Christensen and Matic defrauded investors out of about $11 million, and commercial lenders out of around $7 million.

The suspects pleaded not guilty this week and were released on conditions pending a 7-day jury trial, which is set to begin in late October.

Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud both impose a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and three years of supervised release. For money laundering, Christensen and Matic could receive up to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release.

All three charges may also result in fines of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gains or losses resulting from the offense, the Attorneys Office said.

Fred Meyer employees begin week-long strike

The men were previously charged with violating the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

In June 2023, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission reported Christensen and Matic misled investors through a Ponzi-like scheme conducted through their businesses Foresee Inc., The Commission PDX LLC, The Policy PDX LLC, and Innings 150 LLC.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Orlando Proud Boy Arthur Jackman has pleaded guilty to his role in the 2021 attempted insurrection at the U.S. Capitol building ahead of the certification of the 2020 election results.

Jackman, who is married to an Orange County deputy sheriff, admitted Wednesday in federal court to illegally entering the Capitol along with other members of the Proud Boys on Jan. 6, 2021, after believing false claims the election months earlier was stolen from former President Donald Trump. He is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 6.

According to federal court documents detailing Jackmans actions, he and other members of the far-right organization had discussed the possibility of invading the Capitol as early as two days after the election. By Nov. 24, 2020, nearly two weeks after Joe Biden won the race, he wrote in the text-messaging app Telegram, We can fight the vermin in the streets all day, but unless something big happens, the problem is really the vermin in the FBI, CIA, Congress, the Corporations, Hollywood, our courts, Governors, schools  thats a lot of cleaning up to do.

The text messages exchanged ahead of election certification, documented by prosecutors as being part of a group chat of the Proud Boys Ministry of Self-Defense, further envisioned a violent attack on the Capitol, in which the organizations members would make the whole country stand up and [expletive] do bad things to bad people.

[W]hat would they do [if] 1 million patriots stormed and took the capital (sic) building. Shoot into the crowd? I think not, one unnamed member wrote according to records attached to Jackmans plea agreement. An unnamed leader replied They would do nothing because they can do nothing.

The day the election was being certified, Jackman was in Washington, D.C., as vice president of the Orlando-based Space Force branch of the Proud Boys. He and other members of the Proud Boys  including Kevin and Nathaniel Tuck, a father-son duo of former Central Florida cops  followed a crowd into the Capitol, pushing past a police barricade overwhelmed by thousands of fellow rioters.

Osceola school board rejects putting religious chaplains in schools, at least for now

Once inside, Jackman and Kevin Tuck, a former Windermere police officer also expected to plead guilty, made it to the Senate gallery  where they stayed for several minutes before leaving the room and later the building  but not before stealing an American flag, according to prosecutors.

Along with entering a restricted building, Jackman was charged in part with disorderly conduct and assaulting police officers, charges which will be dropped as part of the plea agreement. He was also charged with obstructing an official proceeding, which was also dropped following a Supreme Court ruling forcing prosecutors to prove defendants charged with obstruction tried to tamper with or destroy documents.

Jackmans arrest came as a shock at the time after his marriage to Orange Sheriffs Deputy Sarah Jackman was revealed. The Sheriffs Office conducted an internal investigation into the matter and concluded Deputy Jackman was not aware of her husbands activities ahead of and during the riot.

As for the Tucks, theyll appear in a plea hearing Sept. 9. Like Kevin Tuck, who was a senior pastor at Lighthouse Church in Apopka, his son Nathaniel was a former police officer, working for the Apopka Police Department until months before the riot. He was also a former local Proud Boys leader.

The elder Tuck, however, resigned from the Windermere Police Department shortly after his arrest by federal authorities.

Along with the criminal case, Jackman and the Tucks are among many members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers  a far-right paramilitary groups whose members were also implicated in the J6 riot  named in a lawsuit filed by the District of Columbia in 2021. The lawsuit accuses the organizations and its members of orchestrating a coordinated act of domestic terrorism.

That case is ongoing.
(Bloomberg) -- Meituans stock gained its most in about six months after Chinas meal delivery leader beat quarterly results estimates and unveiled a $1 billion buyback, positive signals for investors increasingly worried about domestic consumer malaise.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The shares climbed as much as 9.7%, the biggest intraday gain since early March. Meituans outperformance suggested the restaurant delivery business remained resilient, despite worries about a deepening economic downturn seeping into even low-cost arenas. It also underscored how Meituan is beating back rivals like Kuaishou Technology and ByteDance Ltd., which have joined Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. in its main market.

This week, PDD Holdings Inc.  long viewed as a beneficiary of Chinas consumption downgrade  stunned markets with an unexpectedly gloomy outlook that drove home the weakness plaguing the worlds No. 2 economy. Meituan founder Wang Xing on Wednesday acknowledged external challenges and that consumers were turning far more price-conscious as a post-Covid recovery sputters.

But the company was also drawing more traditional merchants to its food and local services platforms and seeing significant long-term growth potential in e-commerce, the billionaire said.

Like PDD, Meituan is considered a more resilient model during an economic downturn. It reported a 21% rise in revenue to 82.3 billion yuan ($11.6 billion) for the June quarter, after the closely watched core local commerce segment grew a better-than-projected 19%. Adjusted net income was 13.6 billion yuan, surpassing an estimated 10.6 billion. The board also approved another $1 billion buyback.

The companys report is a positive validation of Meituans solid execution and operation efficiency in navigating through macro headwinds, Citi analysts wrote in a post-earnings note.

Still, Wang cautioned investors against getting overly optimistic.

Going into the second half of this year, we will keep optimizing operational efficiency, and how much loss we can cut will also depend on the total business scale, so dont get too excited, he told analysts during a post-earnings call. The company is exploring new formats to capture demand in the low-price segment.

Meituans shares were up about 25% this year, after losing more than half of their market value in 2023. The company has consistently outperformed projections on growth.

What Bloomberg Intelligence Says

Story continues

Meituans stronger-than-expected 2Q core local commerce (CLC) margin that came in alongside the units revenue beat suggest strong traction for the firms services that can support gains through December even if consumer sentiment stays weak in China. CLC revenue in 2Q beat consensus estimates by 1.3% with more than 3 percentage points of margin gain from a year earlier vs. projections for lower profitability.

- Catherine Lim and Trini Tan, analysts

Click here for the research.

Investors are keeping an eye also on its international expansion  emblematic of a push by Chinese companies to seek growth abroad as competition at home intensifies. In February, Wang took direct control of the companys overseas businesses, now centered on the Keeta app for Hong Kong.

Its now preparing for a potential Middle East entry, which would be its first expansion beyond the China region. Its even starting to consider the feasibility of other markets from Europe to Southeast Asia, executives said in June.

In past years, Meituan has also ramped up investments in newer initiatives such as grocery retailing, group-buying and live-streaming. It held talks with Delivery Hero SE about potentially acquiring the Foodpanda business in Southeast Asia, though those discussions fell through.

--With assistance from Mayumi Negishi and Jeanny Yu.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Outrage grows as school textbook writers asked to censor their books: 'These ill-considered actions are going to cheat Florida students'

A new Florida announcement limiting the phrase "climate change" in school textbooks across the state has sparked frustration among scientists and writers, per an article published in the Orlando Sentinel.

What's happening?

Textbook authors in Florida recently spoke out against a new update to Florida's curriculum policies. State officials originally contacted the publishers, requesting authors remove some uses of the phrase "climate change" in order for the books to be accepted by Florida's public schools.

On top of removing several instances of "climate change," the state also required a high school biology textbook to provide citations to support a line stating that "human activities" caused rising global temperatures, according to a report in Newsweek.

"How do you write an environmental science book to appease people who are opposed to climate change?" an anonymous school district science supervisor told the Orlando Sentinel.

While some of the textbook authors also asked to remain anonymous, one author spoke out against the edits. Ken Miller, a biology professor at Brown University, noted that the state removed a sentence urging governments to take action against the climate crisis because they classified it as a "political statement."

Glenn Branch, deputy director of the Center for Science Education, co-authored a 2020 study that graded Florida as a D in climate education. Branch said cutting the phrase "climate change" will make education on the subject in the state even worse.

"These ill-considered actions are going to cheat Florida students," he added.

Why is climate education important?

When state officials limit the use of climate-related phrases in school textbooks, they prevent students from learning the impact of dirty energy on the environment and local communities.

Each generation is an opportunity to make changes that ultimately lead to a cleaner, more sustainable future. However, when the next generation is being deprived of science-backed climate awareness, it's more challenging to catalyze the necessary action to encourage change.

The new edits also reflect the state government's previous stance against the phrase "climate change." This past May, Governor Ron DeSantis passed a bill that removed the term "climate change" from a significant portion of Florida law, which ultimately weakened Florida's position on clean energy, per an article published by NPR.

DeSantis stated that the new bill aimed to "reject the agenda of the radical green zealots."

What's being done about state textbook policies?

Scientists and educators are speaking out against climate deniers in the Florida government in an effort to provide students with an accurate portrayal of the climate situation.

As more key players continue to advocate for an updated science curriculum in Florida, activists will need to spread climate awareness among young students.

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.
List of districts back to school in western Massachusetts

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP)  More students will go back to school on Wednesday.

Local schools launch cell phone pouch pilot

Here in western Massachusetts, more than 20 districts head back to the classroom Wednesday morning.

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.
A group of over 200 Republicans have published an open letter endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris over former President Donald Trump. The Republicans, who all previously worked for recent Republican presidents or GOP presidential candidates, warn of the dangers of another Trump presidency and throw their support behind Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Staffers of former GOP presidents, candidates unite for Harris

The new letter, shared with USA Today on Monday, builds on an earlier anti-Trump letter published in 2020 by over 100 former staff members of Sen. John McCain, as well as similar letters by staff members of Sen. Mitt Romney and former President George W. Bush, totaling over 150 Republicans in all. This time, the group has grown to 238 and additionally includes staffers of former President George H.W. Bush, all of whom have joined in a single document condemning Trump and throwing their support behind Harris. We reunite today, the current letter states, 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.

Harris and Walz will make our country and our children proud

While acknowledging that the group of Republicans will have plenty of honest, ideological disagreements with Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz, they justify their support for the Democratic ticket by arguing that the alternative, however, is simply untenable. The letter declares 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. They further warn that Trump and running mate J.D. Vance would harm democracy abroad as they kowtow to dictators like Vladimir Putin while turning their backs on our allies. The letter closes with a declaration that Harris and Walz are leaders that will strive for consensus, not chaos; that will work to unite, not divide; that will make our country and our children proud.

Growing list of anti-Trump Republicans

This new letter is the latest in a significant trend of prominent Republicans refusing to support Trump or even endorsing Harris. Last weeks Democratic National Convention featured a number of Republicans, including some former White House officials, condemning Trump and endorsing Harris. Olivia Troye, who worked as homeland security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence and as an official within the Defense Department under George W. Bush, signed the letter and spoke at last weeks DNC. Speaking of Pence, he is among the nearly half of Trumps former cabinet officials who are not backing the Republican candidates campaign for a second term.

With about 10 weeks left between now and Election Day, expect more prominent political figures to make their opinions on the current race known. And if trends continue, more Republicans will split with their partys nominee as they warn of the dangers of another Trump presidency.
This overflowing dam swept away a family's legacy. It's a growing risk across the US.

The bank of the Blue Earth River next to the Rapidan Dam southwest of Mankato, Minnesota, June 26, 2024.

A few miles outside Mankato, Minnesota, painted blue and white with a vintage Pepsi sign hanging out front, the Rapidan Dam store stood for more than 50 years.

Thats how long Jenny Barnes and her family owned the store, set just back from the landmark dam on the Blue Earth River. Their store was a local favorite, but theyve also had tourists from as far away as Alaska. Work has always started early here; on a typical night, shortly after midnight, Barnes would be busy preparing and baking pies for the next day.

Thats where she was at 1:32 a.m. on June 24 when she heard the first explosion. She looked outside and saw not fire, but water.

"We noticed water in the parking lot, she said. She had lived alongside the Blue Earth River for 50 years, and never seen water that high.

The explosion, Jenny and her neighbors believe, was the sound of a transformer breaking. Rapidan Dam, an earth-and-concrete structure and electrical generating station, built in 1910, had begun to overflow.

A crowd watches the Blue Earth River after its bank collapsed at Rapidan Dam, June 26, 2024.

The past week of rainy days had brought as much precipitation as that part of Minnesota normally sees in an entire summer. Now, water was pouring past one edge of the dam and downstream, toward the store.

In the dark, Barnes and her husband tried to rush toward the dam but found the way hindered by rising water. It had already passed the parking lot and was rising toward her childhood home next door. She knew her father and brother were inside, asleep.

Federal inspection reports show the dam was rated in poor condition as of its 2022 inspection, the second-worst possible rating.

The next inspection wasnt due until 2025, so its condition this year isnt known. But the records also show one other thing, something Barnes already innately understood: The dams hazard rating, meaning the amount of damage it would cause if it failed, was significant, meaning if the dam fails, the flood is likely to harm the environment, or structures.

In 2022, a USA TODAY investigation identified more than 3,000 U.S. dams in poor or unsatisfactory condition that are likely to destroy property or kill people if they fail. Another 7,000 dams had no condition rating, even though theyre in places where they endanger lives and structures. All of them are also predicted to face stress from increasingly severe rainfall.

Upmanu Lall, a professor of Engineering at Columbia University and director of the Columbia Water Center, has raised concerns over dam safety in the U.S. According to Lall, approximately 500 dams have failed across the country since 2000.

Often, worries boil down to the broad idea of climate change. Thats become the bogeyman for everything, Lall said. The real issue here is we are not paying attention to these issues, not addressing them, and not putting the money in to address them.

See dam hazards in your area. Click on a county below to see how many dams are in poor or unsatisfactory condition. Don't see a map? Click here.

Special report: The warming climate means record rainfall. See what that means for your state

Most of those failures, he said, were because of overtopping  in essence, water backs up more quickly than the dam can release it, until it flows over the top or sides uncontrolled.

"When you talk to regulators or engineers," Lall said, "theyll tell you that these dams are engineered to withstand the probable maximum precipitation. That benchmark for dam design predicts the most intense rainfall, and builds a dam prepared to face it.

At Rapidan Dam, the rainfall happened not just in one storm, but as a cumulative rainfall over several days.

It's definitely an extreme, said Tyler Hasenstein, meteorologist from the National Weather Service in Chanhassen. It was about a summer average, about as much rain fell in the week prior to when all of the flooding started happening.

Like so many other dams, Rapidan  which is run by Blue Earth County  saw overtopping after intense rainfall. The rain, though, was not the only problem.

The dam, built as a generating plant, had seen its powerhouse equipment damaged in a 2019 flood. Since then, according to a memo a Blue Earth County official sent to federal regulators, the power plant itself was inoperable. The dams spillway gates had been locked open to let water flow freely past.

But the three years before 2024 had been dry. A large amount of fallen dead trees had accumulated in the river valley upstream. Instead of those logs washing away slowly, the heavy rainfall that week pushed years worth of debris downstream all at once.

A drone view from June 25, 2024, shows how debris accumulated at Rapidan Dam after torrential rain along the Blue Earth River, southwest of Mankato, Minnesota.

The result was dead tree trunks blocking five of the gates at Rapidan Dam, choking off the flow through the open gates and backing up water at the same time an extraordinary amount of rainfall was rushing downstream.

Dams fail across country

Summer rainfall has triggered dam failures, overflows or near-misses across the country.

In early July, the Little Wolf River overflowed Manawa Dam west of Green Bay, Wisconsin, after a morning that brought almost 6 inches of rain. The overtopping caused major flooding downstream and triggered the evacuation of a 1,400-person town even though the federal dam inventory lists its hazard rating as low. That dam was listed in satisfactory condition as of 2019.

Later that month, local officials in Nashville, Illinois, warned of an imminent dam failure after a 6-inch rainfall as the Nashville City Reservoir Dam overtopped. Some residents reported waist-high water in the flooding at the time. (That dams condition was listed as not available in the most recent records, but its hazard level is high, meaning it is likely to be deadly if it breaks.)

Two dams breached in early August in Bulloch County, Georgia, as heavy rain fell from Tropical Storm Debby.

Lall emphasized that many recent dam failures have been triggered by relatively moderate rainfall, raising critical questions about current dam design standards and their ability to cope with even ordinary weather conditions.

He likens a dam and reservoir to a bucket. If it starts out empty, it can take a significant amount of rain and not overflow.

But if the bucket is already full, he said, even a modest amount of rain can lead to a quick overflow.

In several dam disasters in recent years, they were just keeping water levels high, and when it rained more than a little bit, they overtopped, he said. That's the more common story of what's actually going on.

The results mean more families may face sudden disasters like the one that swept through Jenny Barnes life that rainy June night.

You knew things were going to happen, she said, but never in a million years.

How Rapidan Dam overflowed

After water overtopped Rapidan Dam, the Blue Earth River cut a new bank, threatening the Rapidan Dam store.

At Rapidan Dam, the people around Barnes saw the disaster unfolding, too. Jeremy Jordan, who lives nearby, says he used to work on the dams power plant as a fill-in employee. He said he could see the debris clogging the dams outlet in the days before the flood, and claims the operators didnt do enough to keep those outflows open.

They knew the water was going to climb higher. They knew they had significant blockage in the gates, he said.

In memos to energy regulators, Ryan Thilges, the Blue Earth County public works director, described how county employees had been monitoring the dam daily. They saw masses of downed trees lodged against a bridge just upstream, and noted that some logs that broke free managed to work their way through the open spillway gates.

Blue Earth County officials had reported efforts to remove debris the Friday before the incident. However, contractors hesitated, citing concerns for worker safety and placing equipment on the dam. It would have required operators to go directly on top of the structure to clear the debris  a risk they werent willing to take.

County Administrator Bob Meyer also told USA TODAY that his team was closely monitoring the dam throughout the weekend. On Sunday, June 23, staff went to the site after reports that the reservoir was filling up.

Meyer said the dam, even in normal operation, doesnt retain much water. Its hydroelectric systems failed during an earlier flood, so the gates are now left fully open.

Meyer said inspections over the weekend showed sufficient water flow through the gates. He said the masses of trees had been clogged against a bridge piling, and that once those logs began clogging the dam, it was too dangerous to operate heavy equipment above the rushing water to try to clear them.

There was significant risk to human life, Meyer said. And so to me, it was a natural disaster.

Under an emergency action plan, with notifications issued as water flows reached critical thresholds. On Friday, June 21, alerts were triggered when flows hit 10,000 cubic feet per second. Two days later, with flows reaching 15,000 cubic feet per second, another set of notifications went out. Then, at around 3 a.m. that Monday, residents downstream were alerted to the potential for a dam failure. "We followed that emergency action plan," Meyer said.

As the water rose, it reached the edges of the dam. The east side, as described in the countys memo, is solid rock, but the west side of the dam is pure topsoil and easily eroded.

Lall, the Columbia University expert, believes the Rapidan flood was an operational and infrastructure failure. This is obviously an operational maintenance issue. They should not have had this happen.

In what felt like seconds, the river claimed the Barnes family's 2 acres of property.

With only 15 minutes to salvage 15 years worth of belongings, Barnes saw her community start to rally. Neighbors and firefighters came together to retrieve clothes, family picture books and their businesss paperwork.

As the water continued to pour past the dam, the county took another emergency measure. It bought the structure of the Rapidan Dam store from Jenny Barnes family. On Friday, just a few days after Barnes first heard the explosion, the county had crews demolish the store and haul it away, to prevent it from becoming dangerous debris downstream.

Word of the devastation quickly spread through the community. In the days following the flood, neighbors rallied around the Barnes family, launching a fundraising campaign with "Dam Store Strong" shirts and donations to the family.

As the flood abated, the Rapidan Dam Store was gone  its vintage sign, its 50 years of memories.

Rapidan Dam remains in place, but the Blue Earth River now rushes around it in the new channel it scoured from the earth. County officials are now debating whether to leave the eroded dam in place, tear it down or replace it.

As for Jenny Barnes family, the Rapidan Dam Store is set to reopen in a building in downtown Mankato.

Looking back, though, Barnes knows that some things are gone forever. Cherished childhood keepsakes, irreplaceable documents.

"It's a huge loss, she said. A house that you grew up in. There are things, memorable things, that money can't replace."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rapidan Dam breach doomed family's home. It could happen again.
Overland Park names its new police chief, the first woman to lead the department

Overland Park has named Doreen Jokerst, leader of the University of Colorado Boulder Police Department, as its next police chief. She will be the first woman to run the department.

Jokerst, who has served for six years as the assistant vice chancellor for public safety and chief of police overseeing the Boulder campus, will replace former Overland Park police chief Frank Donchez, who resigned last year. The city spent several months conducting a national search for a new leader for the department, which included hearing from community organizations and neighborhood groups.

Doreen brings vast experience to our team, with service and expertise in a variety of policing roles. She is a lifelong learner and leader in modern, progressive community policing practices, City Manager Lori Curtis Luther said. I am confident her leadership and focus on inclusivity will improve our department, and our community, in the future.

Jokerst and her family will live in Overland Park, according to a city news release. Her first day will be in October.

Under Jokersts leadership, the CU Boulder Police Department became the first local police department in Boulder County to gain national accreditation. Jokerst was named chief of the department in 2018.

At the university, she oversaw a staff of more than 40 sworn personnel and 60 civilians, according to a university news release announcing her appointment at the time.

Jokerst will lead a much larger department in Overland Park, with 330 full-time employees, including 280 sworn officers.

Overland Park is an outstanding city with a premier police department, and Im excited to work collaboratively with the community and all members of the organization, Jokerst said in the release. I am eager to begin working with our officers and the community, and to call Overland Park home.

Prior to serving at the university, Jokerst spent nearly 20 years at the Parker Police Department in Colorado, where she rose to the rank of commander, according to the release. She holds a Doctor of Education degree in Leadership for Educational Equity, Higher Education, a masters degree in psychology and a bachelors degree in criminal justice.

Jokerst will take over the Overland Park Polie Department following a shaky exit from Donchez. City officials previously told The Star that Luther was preparing to fire Donchez when he submitted his resignation. That move came as Luther considered a heated conversation between Donchez and Sheila Albers  the mother of a teenager who was killed by an officer  to be inappropriate and grounds for termination.

Donchez at the time contradicted the citys telling of what happened in an interview with The Washington Post, which quoted him saying he resigned for personal reasons. He said that he was not forced to resign and that he left because of family matters, rather than because of the exchange with Albers.

Donchezs resignation came about a year after Luther took over as city manager.

Basic empathy and progressive policing policies are essential for any police chief in Overland Park, Luther said in a statement to The Star at the time.

Tensions were already building for several months before that, after four Overland Park police officers were placed on administrative leave over allegations that they misused charity funds. Eighteen months after the officers were put on leave, Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe announced his office would not pursue criminal charges, despite evidence the officers violated the charitys bylaws regarding self-enrichment.

The four officers resigned late last year.
The News

Leaders from several Pacific island nations backed an Australia-funded plan to establish a regional police force, part of growing efforts by Canberra to curb Chinas influence.

The plan, which would see four police training centers established, would pull officers from Pacific island nations that can respond to to crisis incidents as needed. Australia will back the plan with $271 million in initial funding.

This demonstrates how Pacific leaders are working together to shape the future that we want to see, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

China has historically provided police to under-resourced island nations.
By Kirsty Needham and Lewis Jackson

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Leaders of several Pacific Islands have endorsed an Australian-funded A$400 million ($271 million) plan to improve police training and create a mobile regional policing unit as Canberra tries to block China from expanding its security role in the region.

The leaders of Tonga, Fiji, Palau and Papua New Guinea said the programme would assist island states to tackle drug trafficking, illegal fishing and economic crimes across a region that spans millions of square kilometres of ocean.

"The entire Pacific is the biggest unpoliced space in planet earth," Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape told reporters in Tonga on Wednesday.

Papua New Guinea, with assistance from Australia, will host the first of four police training centres to be built across the region under the Pacific Policing Initiative, he said.

The initiative will create a multinational policing force that can be deployed to countries in the region in the event of major incidents or crises.

A coordination hub will be based in Brisbane, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said after the plan was agreed during the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga.

AUSTRALIAN BACKING

Australia and New Zealand have historically provided policing support to the region in crises, but the new model will boost the ability for Pacific Islands to play a greater role.

"Sovereign nation states will determine how they participate in this, but this is an ongoing process led by the Pacific police and police chiefs for the Pacific, with backing, substantial financial backing, from Australia," Albanese said.

"By working together, the security of the entire region will be much stronger and will be looked after by ourselves," he added.

Palau's President Surangel Whipps Jr said his country, among three Pacific nations that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, was hit by three major cybersecurity incidents last year, and the initiative was "an effort for all of us to work together to solve the security challenges that we have".

Tonga's Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni said members of the 18-nation Pacific Islands Forum had discretion to decide how they participate, after diplomats from Vanuatu and Solomon Islands, both with close ties to Beijing, earlier expressed reservations. Solomon Islands spoke in support of it at Wednesday's meeting, Albanese later told reporters.

China has been a major infrastructure lender in the region and is now seeking a greater role in policing.

Australia has previously said there should be "no role" for China in policing the Pacific Islands, after China said in January it had a strategy to help island states with security. Wednesday's initiative seeks to reduce the need for countries in the region to turn for help to China, which already has police operating in Solomon Islands and Kiribati.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a news briefing on Wednesday in Beijing that China's policing cooperation with Pacific Island countries was normal and conformed to international law.

"It is not directed at or subject to any third party," he said.

($1 = 1.4738 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Lewis Jackson and Kirsty Needham in Sydney and Liz Lee in Beijing; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Angus MacSwan)
Ukraine's newly developed Palianytsia missile-drone costs less than $1 million, Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov told the Associated Press on Aug. 27.



Ukraine developed the Palianytsia in order to respond to Russian attacks with its own domestically produced long-range weapons. The military's first successful use of the missile-drone was confirmed by President Volodymyr Zelensky during his Independence Day speech on Aug. 24.



It costs less than $1 million to produce each new Palianytsia, Fedorov told the AP. The military aims to further decrease costs by collaborating with private companies.

"The private market generates solutions incredibly quickly," he said.



Fedorov said Ukraine aims to expand production and develop "all types of missiles." Russia's enormous territory is in some ways a disadvantage, he said.

"It is impossible to develop enough air defense systems to protect such a large territory. For us, this opens up the possibility to operate deep behind the enemy's rear," he said.



Ukraine has been prohibited from using some Western-supplied weapons to strike deep within Russia, prompting Kyiv to develop its own unrestricted alternatives. The Palianytsia, designed to strike Russian military airfields, is part of this effort.



"I think this will be a game changer because we will be able to strike where Russia doesn't expect it today," Fedorov said.



The name of the new weapon is also symbolic  as well as referring to a type of traditional Ukrainian bread, the word "palianytsia" is famously difficult for Russians to pronounce correctly.

Read also: Ukraines new Palianytsia missile-drone pictured for first time

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
A Palmetto man charged with several counts of possessing child sexual abuse materials pleaded no contest just before the case went to trial.

Anthony Richie Medina, 33, entered a plea of no contest in a Manatee County courtroom on Aug. 19 to 30 charges of possessing child sexual abuse materials, according to court records. Medina was set to go to trial that day.

Medinas attorney declined to comment when contacted by the Bradenton Herald Friday afternoon.

The Manatee County Sheriffs Office arrested Medina in 2021 after detectives said they found at least 50 images and videos depicting child sexual abuse or exploitation material on Medinas electronic devices.

Detectives wrote in an affidavit that the sheriffs office flagged an IP address for downloading child sexual abuse material around that time. Detectives said they confirmed some of these files as fully downloaded images and videos depicting child sexual abuse material using live pictures of real human beings.

The sheriffs office subpoenaed Frontier Communications for the subscriber information connected to that IP address and found it belonged to Medina, according to court records. The sheriffs office said the subpoena also turned up a Palmetto address connected to the account.

When detectives executed a search warrant at the address, , they said they seized multiple electronic devices from Medinas room, including a desktop computer and a thumb drive. On these devices, detectives said they located 52 images or videos depicting child sexual abuse or exploitation material.

Detectives wrote in an affidavit that the videos and images depicted young girls anywhere from 1 to 15 years old.

Judge Frederick Mercurio will sentence Medina at a later date, according to court records.
Image source: The Motley Fool.

Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN)

Q2 2024 Earnings Call

Aug 27, 2024, 4:45 p.m. ET

Contents:

Prepared Remarks

Questions and Answers

Call Participants

Prepared Remarks:





Operator

Greetings and welcome to the Nordstrom second quarter 2024 earnings conference call. At this time, all participants are in a listen-only mode. We will begin with prepared remarks followed by a Q&A session. [Operator instructions] As a reminder, this conference is being recorded.

At this time, I'll turn the call over to Jamie Duies, for Nordstrom. Jamie?

James Duies -- Head of Investor Relations

Good afternoon, and thank you for joining us today. Before we begin, I want to mention that we'll be referring to slides, which can be viewed in the investor relations section on nordstrom.com. Our discussion may include forward-looking statements, so please refer to the slide with our safe harbor language. Participating in today's call are Erik Nordstrom, chief executive officer; Pete Nordstrom, president; and Cathy Smith, chief financial officer, who will provide a business update and discuss the company's second quarter performance.

Please note that when discussing our results and outlook, we will be referring to them on an adjusted basis for EBIT, EBIT margin, and earnings per share. Reconciliations to the most directly comparable GAAP measures can be found in our Q2 2024 earnings press release, which is available on our website. As we begin, I want to acknowledge the company's April 18th announcement of the board of directors' exploration of potential avenues to enhance shareholder value and formation of a special committee to evaluate any proposal that might be presented by Erik and Pete Nordstrom to take the company private. The special committee will carefully evaluate any proposal that may be received and consider whether it is in the best interest of Nordstrom and all shareholders.

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We do not have an update to share on this topic and will not be speaking to it during our call today. I'll now turn the call over to Erik.

Erik B. Nordstrom -- Chief Executive Officer

Thank you, Jamie, and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us today. I'll begin with our second quarter performance. We delivered solid results in the second quarter with net sales of $3.8 billion and earnings per share of $0.96.

We grew net sales, as well as comparable sales, and expanded margins. At both Nordstrom and the Rack, customers responded positively to newness and their favorite brands. The momentum in our digital business continued with net sales growth of 6%. Our teams executed well throughout the quarter and delivered a successful anniversary sale.

We are pleased that our efforts are resonating with customers. During the second quarter, we made progress on our three key priorities of driving Nordstrom banner growth, optimizing our operations, and building upon the momentum at the Rack. Driving Nordstrom banner growth is a key area of focus. For us, it all begins with helping our customers feel good and look their best.

We do this by offering a compelling selection of great merchandise supported by our commitment to service and experience. In our Nordstrom stores, we continued our efforts to provide a more consistent offering of the brands that matter most to our customers across our entire fleet. This includes ensuring that we have the newness, relevance, and depth of merchandise that our customers value, including our Nordstrom private brands, which were relaunched earlier this year. As we have shared previously, growing the digital customer journey is a key part of our strategy to drive Nordstrom banner growth.

In the second quarter, Solid sales growth at nordstrom.com was driven by an increase in our assortment across a balance of price points, improvements to search and discovery, as well as high in-stock rates of our fastest-turning items. In April, we successfully launched our marketplace and have since added over 15,000 items to our digital offering in nearly 100 new brands. While we're pleased with the initial response from our customers, Marketplace is not yet a material driver, and we will continue to scale it in the months ahead. Operational optimization is another key priority for 2024, which is intended to further build upon the success we've had in optimizing our supply chain operations to serve customers with increased speed and reliability while lowering costs.

Our business is driven by newness. Consistent inventory flow ensures we have the right product at the right time for our customers. Our teams have made a lot of progress in this area, which helped drive the success at both banners in the second quarter. At the Nordstrom banner, consistent flows drove regular price sales, including during the anniversary sale.

We also processed inbound merchandise and returns faster, enabling freshness in all channels. And even with the volume of the anniversary sale, the Rack had a steady flow of fresh merchandise throughout the quarter, which contributed to its high single-digit sales growth. We have also made progress in implementing RFID technology across our locations. RFID enables faster real-time inventory data helping us to improve the accuracy of our inventory.

Not only does this technology provide us with new insights to improve product flow and reduce shrink, inventory accuracy enhances the customer experience, allowing us to fulfill the items our customers are looking for. During the second quarter, we made the strategic decision to cease build-out and planning of a leased omnichannel center intended for future use in the Pacific Northwest. Logistics networks have recovered from the supply chain challenges that began during the pandemic, and we've improved our supply chain operations over the last few years. We found that we can serve West Coast customers more efficiently from our existing supply chain network while avoiding additional costs to build out the facility.

Therefore, we have taken an asset impairment charge that is reflected in our results. Turning now to our priority to build on our momentum at the Rack. During the second quarter, we opened five new Rack stores, bringing our year-to-date total to 11. We're planning to open 12 more new Rack stores this year ahead of the holiday season.

Financial results continue to be strong at the Rack banner. Rack stores that were opened last year are performing well delivering a solid return on investment while attracting new customers. The Rack banner's digital business is a differentiator in off-price retail, enabling our customers to shop when and how they want. We've built and refined industry-leading digital capabilities at nordstromrack.com, which delivered strong results in Q2, an expanded merchandise offering of great brands at great prices combined with a focus on in-stock rates drove the results.

In summary, we are pleased with our second quarter results and the direction we are heading. In the quarter, we grew sales and expanded margins. Our teams executed a successful anniversary sale, and we made progress on our key priorities. This progress, along with our results provides us with confidence in our full year guidance.

And with that, I'll turn it over to Pete.

Peter E. Nordstrom -- President and Chief Brand Officer

Thank you, Erik, and good afternoon, everyone. I'll focus my remarks on our anniversary sale, touch on category performance in the second quarter, and offer some commentary on our inventory health. Our anniversary sale is a unique event that rewards and engages our customers with brand-new products from the best brands, markdown for a limited time. The sale is meaningful to our best customers who look forward to the event each year.

We are always humbled by the stories we hear from customers every year. We have learned about generations of shoppers that make the sale an annual family event planning their summer activities around it. This year, we had great participation in the anniversary sale, especially by our most loyal customers with 75% of our Icon and Ambassador Nordy Club members shopping the sale. Anniversary sales were driven by newness and fall fashion from the brands that matter most to our customers, including our Nordstrom private brands.

Growth in beauty sales provided support to anniversary success and the active category, which includes shoes and apparel continued to show strength throughout the event, registering double-digit growth. As Erik mentioned, our Nordstrom private brands are gaining traction, especially in women's apparel. Our private brands delivered mid-single-digit growth during the anniversary sale with the Nordstrom brand and Zella as the top two volume brands of the event. Since the refresh of our namesake Nordstrom brand, it's become the most reviewed on our site and customer sentiment about it has grown impressively.

Our private brands helped improve the balance of price points in our selection. Customers are finding that the merchandise is high quality and offers a great combination of value and style. Although we still have a way to go, we're encouraged by the progress our private brands are making. Our anniversary sale provides us with a special opportunity to engage our customers, and one way we do so is through in-store and online events.

We strive to make our Nordstrom stores not only a compelling place to shop, but an interesting, fun, and engaging environment. This year, our teams rolled out new events and offers to serve and engage customers which drove incremental purchase trips throughout the sale from refresh and expanded private shopping events to truck shows featuring notable brands, our teams hosted over 900 in-store events, roughly 20% more than last year. With nearly 500 of those events exclusive to our Nordy Club members. Customers responded positively as event attendance tripled compared to last year.

We continue to focus on growing our New York City store, for all the obvious reasons, our New York flagship store is important to us. Year-to-date, it is the top sales store in our fleet and among our fastest growing. In advance of our anniversary sale, we opened our first-ever icon lounge in that store. It is a place where our highest-tier Nordy Club members can enjoy a private lounge experience, complete with complimentary food and drink, as well as dedicated services to enhance their in-store shopping experience.

Turning to category performance in the second quarter. Our top-performing categories were active, women's apparel, beauty, and kids. The active category was our top performer for the sixth consecutive quarter. Active sustained growth across both banners in the second quarter with sales increasing by double digits.

This growth was supported by brands that include New Balance and VRE. Sales growth in women's apparel continued in the second quarter, driven by contemporary styles with notable strength in dresses and knit tops. In the Nordstrom banner, well-known brands such as Vince, Syncoset, and Free People were strong. At the Rack, a key driver of the growth is a high degree of overlap with the brands customers find at our Nordstrom stores.

We continue to focus the rack selection on these brands, which drove notable growth in women's apparel for the Rack in the second quarter. The beauty category continued to be a top performer for us at both banners. Its second quarter sales growth was supported by the strength of fragrances and hair care essentials throughout the anniversary sale. The kids category sustained its momentum in Q2 as well.

Baby gear has been a solid contributor to growth and has become a more sizable business for us. The growth is a direct reflection of customer interest in this type of product as we've leaned into car seats and strollers with great brands like Nuna. Overall, customers responded well to our curated assortment, which helped to drive an increase in regular price sales and margin expansion in the second quarter. Moving on to our inventory health.

In the second quarter, our increase in inventory exceeded our sales growth for the first time in several quarters as we invested in inventory primarily to support our existing Rack stores our new Rack stores and our digital channel, nordstromrack.com. While the growth was higher than we typically like, we feel good about the content of our inventory. We closed the quarter with an increase in newness and a commensurate decline in clearance and age inventory at both banners. In the future, we do expect our sales to inventory spread to improve.

In closing, I'd like to echo Erik's comments. We're pleased with our second quarter results and confident that we are heading in the right direction. And with that, I'll turn it over to Cathy to discuss our financial results and outlook.

Cathy Smith -- Chief Financial Officer

Thanks, Pete. And thank you all for joining us today. I'll begin by covering our second quarter results, then discuss our outlook and close with our capital allocation priorities. In the second quarter, we delivered solid results with growth in net sales and EBIT, as well as margin expansion.

Total company net sales increased 3.4% in the second quarter, driven by strength in both banners. The timing shift of the anniversary sale with one-day falling in the third quarter this year versus 8 days last year, benefited net sales by approximately 100 basis points. Comparable sales increased 1.9%, with positive comps in both banners and particular strength in digital channels and GMV increased 3.5% in the second quarter. Nordstrom banner net sales and comparable sales each increased 0.9% and GMV increased 1.1% in the second quarter.

The timing shift of the anniversary sale had a positive impact on Nordstrom banner net sales of approximately 200 basis points. Nordstrom Rack's net sales increased 8.8%, with comparable sales increasing 4.1%. On a two-year stack basis, we are pleased to see the quarter-over-quarter sales increases. Digital sales grew by 6.2% in Q2, representing the fifth consecutive quarter of sequential improvement.

The timing shift of the anniversary sale had a positive impact on digital sales of approximately 100 basis points. Digital sales represented 37% of total sales during the quarter. Gross profit as a percentage of net sales expanded 155 basis points to 36.6% on strong regular price sales, leverage on higher sales, and slight improvements in shrink. Ending inventory increased 8.3% versus a year ago.

As Pete said, while the quality of inventory is good and largely supporting the Rack momentum, we aim to bring the inventory growth more in line with sales demand. SG&A expenses as a percentage of net sales increased 160 basis points to 34.4%, largely due to the supply chain asset impairment charge that Erik discussed. When excluding the $54 million charge, SG&A expenses increased 20 basis points to 33% as last year's second quarter results included a gain on sale of a real estate asset. Our EBIT margin expanded by 115 basis points to 6.4% in the second quarter.

Income tax expense of $42 million or 25.7% of pre-tax earnings, was higher than the 17.2% recorded in the year-ago quarter. Last year's second quarter income tax benefited from the favorable resolution of certain tax matters. Second quarter earnings per share of $0.96 is favorable to last year's $0.84, largely driven by the expansion of our gross margin and to a lesser extent, expense management. We ended the second quarter with $1.5 billion in available liquidity, including over $650 million in cash.

Our balance sheet and financial position remain solid. Before moving to our outlook, I'd like to offer some additional commentary on our second quarter results. First, our efforts to improve the customer experience are taking hold, as evidenced by the strength of our top line. In the second quarter, we grew our customer count, recorded an increase in customer trips, and expanded margins.

Second, our credit card revenues as a percent of total revenue declined modestly versus Q2 of last year. The decline was driven by higher losses, partially offset by higher balances and yield on the portfolio. This was consistent with our expectations, continuing the general trend over the last few years as the consumer has faced increased budgetary pressures. Turning to our outlook for the year.

While we are pleased with our first half results, the external environment remains uncertain. When considering the puts and takes and appreciating that there is still a lot of this fiscal year left, we believe it is prudent to be appropriately cautious with our outlook. We are updating our guidance for the year slightly. Our updated guidance includes full year revenue in the range of a decline of 1% to an increase of 1%, which includes a headwind of approximately 135 basis points from the 53rd week in 2023 results.

We continue to expect revenue to follow a typical quarterly cadence. As a reminder, the timing shift of our anniversary sale with one day falling in the third quarter this year versus eight days in 2023, is expected to have a negative impact of approximately 100 basis points in our third quarter net sales this year. We now expect the total company comparable sales in a range of flat to an increase of 2% in 2024, versus 52 weeks in 2023. As our fiscal 2023 included a 53rd week, we calculate our 2024 comparable sales using a realigned 52-week 2023 period for comparability.

Turning to profitability. We expect a full year EBIT margin in the range of 3.6% to 4%. We continue to expect our effective tax rate to be approximately 27% for the full year. From an earnings per share perspective, we now expect full year results in the range of $1.75 to $2.05 excluding the impact of any share repurchases.

Another note regarding expected reported results. During the second quarter, we made the strategic decision to change how we store and access data. This transformational change will enable us to improve data access and analysis capabilities and enhance our ability to leverage generative AI solutions and services at a faster pace. We expect to complete this change by the end of the year, and as a result, plan to accelerate the depreciation of the IT assets that we will stop using.

This is expected to result in charges approximating 10 basis points to our reported SG&A expense as a percentage of net sales in Q3, as well as Q4. Our capital allocation priorities remain unchanged. We'll invest in the business to better serve our customers with high ROI projects, reduce our leverage, and return cash to shareholders. Last week, our board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.19 per share.

In closing, we are encouraged that our focus and priorities are resonating with customers, driving top-line strength and expanding margins. I continue to look forward to the progress that we'll make this year with the growth opportunities we have both in the Nordstrom banner and the Rack. We thank you for your interest in Nordstrom. And with that, Jamie, we are ready for questions.

James Duies -- Head of Investor Relations

Thank you, Cathy. Before we get started with Q&A, we will ask participants to please limit themselves to one question and one follow-up. We'll now move to the Q&A session.

Questions & Answers:





Operator

Thank you. [Operator instructions] One moment please while we poll for questions. First question comes from the line of Dana Telsey with Telsey Advisory Group Please proceed.

Dana Telsey -- Analyst

Hi, good afternoon, everyone. As you went through the anniversary sale, any cadence to the anniversary sale that you saw that gives an indicator of consumer health for the balance of the year? And also with your private brand launch versus the brands and the good reception on women's wear, how are you thinking about the women's category overall? And then just lastly, on credit Cathy, the debt levels and what you're seeing there, how did that differ from the first quarter? And how are you planning for the balance of the year? Thank you.

Peter E. Nordstrom -- President and Chief Brand Officer

Dana, it's Pete. With regards to anniversary, and we were essentially on plan. I think there's really nothing there relative to the cadence specifically, but we do have -- one of the things that's great about the sales, we get an early read on fall categories. Because as you know, the sales as new product ends up getting marked up.

And we had good performance in both outerwear and sweaters, which I think bodes well for the fall for us. But over the years it's become a bit of a balance on people buying with anticipation of fall and also buying out wear now. So, we're always trying to find that balance. So, I don't think I have any super impactful information for you about how it's going to relate to future sales.

But we were happy with how anniversary went. With regards to private brands, we've had strength really across all categories, which is super encouraging because as you know, we've been talking about for a while that we have a lot of headroom there to grow that business. But the most important part is when we have success in women's apparel because it's such a big category, and we had a lot of success in women's apparel. The anniversary sale in private brands.

So, again, that gives us a lot of confidence going forward.

Cathy Smith -- Chief Financial Officer

Good afternoon. Dana, I'll take the last two parts of your question. With regards to customer insights, possibly, we saw good growth across all income cohorts at the Rack. And then at Nordstrom stores, our higher-income consumers or customers, we saw spending improve the most in that banner.

And then on credit losses, we shared early in the year that we expect to see losses tick up modestly this year. That's, I think, consistent with what the industry has been seeing and that's no different, but it's within our plan and our guidance. So, nothing that's unforeseen there, but we are seeing credit losses tick up a little bit.

Dana Telsey -- Analyst

Thank you.

Operator

And the next question comes from the line of Oliver Chen with TD Cowen. Please proceed.

Oliver Chen -- Analyst

Hi, Erik, Pete, and Cathy. You had strong regular price sales on the gross margin. which was quite nice. How did that triangulate with the inventory position that you're in now? Which parts of the inventory might you be a little bit over inventory? And you mentioned operational optimization.

Just would love details on that. that headline. Rack continues to see great progress as well. It's a difficult business and the inventory flows are so important.

Do you see continued positive comps and great momentum there? Are you in the right place for where you want to be there? Thank you.

Peter E. Nordstrom -- President and Chief Brand Officer

Oliver, it's Pete. With our inventory levels, as Cathy mentioned in terms of the quality of what those are, I think that's probably the most important point. We were a little over in that inventory grew faster than the sales. But if you look at where it is and what the content of inventory is that helps, I think, bring some clarity.

So, most of that really showed up in the Rack business. And to your point that we have this Rack momentum, I think particularly with the new stores we're opening and then the rack.com business, that's really solid. If you look at where we have the quantities that are over last year, it's largely there. And I think that's a pretty good sign.

Also, what you would see in terms of being able to forecast how this impacts our profitability going forward, if you look at aging, primarily and our aging is really good across both banners, both Rack and Nordstrom. So, I think we feel pretty good about it. Obviously, we pay really close attention to inventory levels, and we want to bring it down some, but we're not particularly concerned. And certainly, it doesn't create any overhang for us that we're anticipating for the second half.

Cathy Smith -- Chief Financial Officer

And Oliver, I'll pick up on operational optimization and then throw it to Erik on the Rack. On operational optimization. It's been, as you know, a priority of ours all year and we'll continue to focus on it. Our team is making really good progress.

And I think you hit on the one that's really encouraging, which is that a consistent flow of merchandise is so important. To continue that threat of newness for our customers in both banners. It helps to drive those regular price sales, and we saw the increase in regular price sales again this quarter, which is great. But underneath that, we're seeing us process inbound merchandise faster, which gets us and returns faster, which enables the freshness, and again, a better customer experience.

And RFID, we continue to roll it out across our fleet. But more importantly we're now starting to get the benefits that, that insight gives us. And again, it enhances the customer experience as we're able to fill their orders. And then lastly, we'll continue to look to leverage our existing supply chain network, always balancing the best customer experience, we can with speed and cost.

So, just good progress across the board.

Erik B. Nordstrom -- Chief Executive Officer

Hey, Oliver, this is Erik. On Rack, we feel good about our results. Our team is executing well on the plan. Rack is an important growth vehicle for us.

And that's new stores. We continue to see opportunities to add new stores at the pace we're currently adding. And certainly, the comp store business, as well as our digital business. You mentioned flow.

Yes, customers come to Rack to find a constant flow of newness from the brands that they associate with us. So, our focus on great brands at great prices continues to serve us well. And we feel really great about that. The digital piece -- it is a point of differentiation.

There's not many online off-price retailers out there. It works for us because it's part of our bigger ecosystem. And we see more opportunities there to leverage on the capabilities to engage with customers more and get a bigger share of the wallet. So, we're delivering on our plans and have plans going forward to continue that growth.

Oliver Chen -- Analyst

Very helpful. Best regards. Thank you.

Operator

And the next question will come from the line of Simeon Siegel with BMO Capital Markets. Please proceed.

Simeon Siegel -- Analyst

Thanks. Afternoon, everyone. Hope you all had a nice summer. Cathy, what's the margin impact from anniversary sale timing shift in 2Q? You guys have a nice gross margin, called out strong full-price sales.

So, just curious about how to think about anniversary sale gross margins versus the nonsale and just that impact of the timing shift to margins on top of the revenue that you mentioned. And then just appreciate the accelerated depreciation commentary you gave us for the tech that you're not going to be using anymore, any costs we should be thinking about for the new approach to storing data ahead? Thanks.

Cathy Smith -- Chief Financial Officer

Yes. Thank you. Good afternoon, Simeon. So, gross margin, I'm smiling on your comment around impact anniversary sale and Pete should weigh in here, too.

The great news is our team does a good job of negotiating with our vendors and we get good new merchandise for our customers. So, I wouldn't have called out a specific margin impact specifically for the anniversary. And we also noted strong rig price sales. So, I think in total, I wouldn't have necessarily called anything special out for the anniversary impact on margin.

We did share in the prepared remarks rate price sales up, just more volume, which helps on margin on that gross margin benefit year over year you're seeing and then slight improvement in shrink all of those favorably impacting our gross margin. And then I'll answer on tech and then if Pete wants to add anything more on the anniversary specifically to margin. on the technology. No, I would say, generally, we'll always think about total technology spend within a budget or a level that we want to afford.

So, we'll fit our expenses inside that envelope going forward. The specific call-out was to help with a little bit of reported guidance we're giving. So, you can see there's going to be a small impact in the next two quarters.

Peter E. Nordstrom -- President and Chief Brand Officer

Yes, this is Pete. Just real quick on the anniversary thing. If you're looking for how that impacts margin, it has a lot more to do with going forward than it does with looking backwards. If we sell through according to plan, then we don't have any kind of overhead that creates markdowns if we don't and potentially that does.

As I mentioned, we were just right about on plan there with our sell-throughs. And so, I think we feel good about how that impacts our margins and profitability going forward.

Simeon Siegel -- Analyst

That's really great. Maybe just quickly a follow-up on that then. What would the expected gross margin trajectory be built into the full year EBIT guidance? How should we think about that?

Cathy Smith -- Chief Financial Officer

Yeah, I can help there. So, what's included in our full year guidance little bit of change between Q3 and Q4, but all in for the full year, taking in the first half, we'll see a small amount of margin expansion in gross margin for the year.

Simeon Siegel -- Analyst

Great. Thanks so much, guys. Best of luck for the rest of the year.

Operator

And the next question comes from the line of Lorraine Hutchinson with Bank of America. Please proceed.

Lorraine Hutchinson -- Analyst

Thank you. Good afternoon. I wanted to follow up on the Rack rollout. What's the payback on a typical new Rack store? Have the new stores been hitting your plan? And what's the runway for the number of reps you expect to open over time? Thanks.

Erik B. Nordstrom -- Chief Executive Officer

This is Erik. I'll start, and Cathy can chime in if she has more color. We've opened a lot of Rack stores and our return on investment is pretty darn consistent. We get mid- to high-teens IRR and again, we see lots of opportunity to continue to add stores there.

Cathy Smith -- Chief Financial Officer

We shared in the prepared remarks too. We've opened 11 year to date, we intend to open 12 more this year. So, that's 23. That's pretty consistent with last year.

So, it seems reasonable that we would expect it to be in the same range going forward next year. Thank you.

Operator

And the next question comes from the line of Alex Straton with Morgan Stanley. Please proceed.

Megan Alexander -- Analyst

Perfect. Thanks a lot for taking the questions, Just to follow up on the inventory question. I think you said that Rack was where some of that excess was concentrated. Was that intentional, like built into a holiday? Or if you can just give us some more color there.

And then just on the full year guidance, given you beat the second quarter EPS by a lot, but you're only increasing the full year by a little. Does that mean you have a worse back half outlook than you did three months ago? Or how should I contextualize that? Thanks a lot.

Peter E. Nordstrom -- President and Chief Brand Officer

Pete. I'll start with the Rack inventory levels. I don't want to overstate this. I mean, we're slightly over there.

And as you mentioned, it really is concentrated mostly in the Rack. And I think most of that -- there are some timing issues when you're receiving inventory like this. We want to be opportunistic about that. Sometimes we have the opportunity to buy something and bring it in, in anticipation of stores opening.

So, I think when you look at it in a month-by-month way, that doesn't really paint the whole picture. So, we're always concerned about inventory levels, and we appreciate being lean, but we are not particularly concerned about being a little bit over at this moment. Rack particularly, given the fact that we've got the positive momentum in our comp Rack stores, we have new Rack stores coming on and the rack.com business is growing, too.

Cathy Smith -- Chief Financial Officer

And Alex, I'll take the guidance question. So, I appreciate your question. We are encouraged, obviously, by the performance through the first half. We're really pleased to see the continued strength on the top line at those banners.

But the environment does remain uncertain, and we've got a really big part of the back half of the year as with all retailers. Two-thirds of our profits typically come in the second half, and we're just being thoughtful around that. So, we're being prudent and hopefully a little appropriately cautious with our outlook. And we'll see how the next two quarters play out.

Megan Alexander -- Analyst

Thanks a lot. Good luck.

Operator

The next question comes from the line of Chuck Grom with Gordon Haskett. Please proceed.

Chuck Grom -- Analyst

Hey, thanks very much. Congrats on the success at the Rack, Curious, about the traffic ticket composition of the 4.1% comp, how was the comp phased throughout the quarter? And any thoughts on the first few weeks of August, specifically at the Rack?

Cathy Smith -- Chief Financial Officer

Yeah. I'm happy to start. So, throughout the quarter, I wouldn't say there was any specific pattern for the Rack in particular. The quarter generally played out stronger toward the end of July, but I wouldn't have picked out any particular pattern there.

And then total Rack banner, 8.8% sales, comp was 4.1%. New stores are largely the difference. We have, I think, one or two small closures in there. Other than that, that's pretty much what's making up the balance of it.

Chuck Grom -- Analyst

OK. Just anything on traffic and ticket composition?

Cathy Smith -- Chief Financial Officer

Traffic was strong across the digital channels, in particular. I would have said the stores channels were both on a comp basis, fairly flat. New store is obviously strong. And then the digital was a particular standout in both banners for us.

Chuck Grom -- Analyst

OK. Great. And then my follow-up is just on the gross margin, 36.6%. If it's not your best ever, it's probably one of your best quarters ever.

I'm curious about the impact across the two banners on that success. And in particular, how much is being driven by the Rack in particular? And I guess, the sustainability of that 36.6% going forward? It sounds like you're guiding to a little bit of compression relative to that number in the back half. But just any color there would be helpful? Thanks.

Cathy Smith -- Chief Financial Officer

Yeah. We don't typically break out the P&Ls for the banners just yet. Maybe we'll get there eventually. So, in total, to your point, though, we're pleased with the gross margin expansion over 155 -- or about 155 basis points year over year, strong rate price sales, that's in both banners.

That comment is definitely both banners, leveraging the volume continuing. And in the shrink comment, the improvement off of our historical highs on shrink is both banners as well. So, those are our comments for both -- to your point, I think it is at least in recent history, a high that we're seeing. So, good progress there.

But as we provided in our guidance, we're cautiously planning for the back half of the year.

Chuck Grom -- Analyst

Great. Thank you.

Operator

The next question comes from the line of Blake Anderson with Jefferies. Please proceed.

Blake Anderson -- Jefferies -- Analyst

Hi, thanks for taking our question. I wanted to ask on designer, in particular, how is the performance there during the quarter? And then can you comment on kind of the full-price sell-through you're seeing in that category? And then how is that inventory position for the back half? I know you mentioned most of the increase was Rack, but just curious how Designer was faring in terms as well. And then just wanted to ask on Nordstrom Banner more broadly. I think you guys mentioned a few initiatives such as broadening assortment and price points.

I was wondering if you could comment a little bit more on what you did there. That would be great. Thanks so much.

Peter E. Nordstrom -- President and Chief Brand Officer

Hi, this is Pete. With the designer, I mean, it feels like it's been kind of a consistent theme here for a while. And certainly, you're seeing it with other retailers in that space as well. It's been challenging.

There was a lot of growth for a couple of years, and now it's we've been articulating that's kind of rightsizing. So, we're looking at '19 numbers, and we're pretty close to what '19 was. It's hard for us to predict if that has leveled out entirely or not. As Cathy just said, I guess we'll see what the next couple of quarters bring.

So, what we've just tried to put ourselves in an advantageous place with inventory levels. So, we're not caught in a tough spot. Our team worked really hard on that, and we've had a lot of good collaboration with our vendor partners. So, not a lot to report other than it's still relatively challenging in that space.

Erik B. Nordstrom -- Chief Executive Officer

So, the merchant banner, as called out, let me start with stores. It always starts with customer service, and I think our team there has done a lot of the blocking and tackling, and taking care of customers has a great focus there. Secondly, as Pete mentioned, we've had a lot of events just making our stores interesting places to come to events particularly leveraging our Nordy Club, our loyalty program. We've seen some good traction there.

And last, I'd call out for stores, the merch mix there, that includes the balance of price points. We have a broad offer, and we need to manage that well to have everything from Vince to Valentino, and our team had a good job on that. And also really having authority around our best brands, making sure we're stuck with them in that. On the digital business, we as Cathy mentioned, we had a strong digital business over the quarter.

Again, I think just the execution, the enhancements to search and discovery have been helpful. That balance of price points is particularly important online. And we had a really strong focus on in-stock rates of our fastest-churning items. That was a big part of it.

The choice count is always important. That played out a little more on rack.com and nordstrom.com. And then lastly, as we mentioned, we did launch our marketplace earlier this year. It's still small, but the feedback -- one of the numbers have been a little ahead of our plan.

While not material yet, it's obviously encouraging. And more qualitatively, we've got good feedback from our vendors on that. So, we feel like we're on track with our marketplace.

Blake Anderson -- Jefferies -- Analyst

That's very helpful. Thanks so much.

Operator

And the next question will come from the line of Dylan Carden with William Blair. Please proceed.

Dylan Carden -- Analyst

I really appreciate it. Just curious on Rack, particularly as it relates to guidance, did you feel like you have the inventory in that banner from a price point standpoint and just sort of access and availability and flow in a place where that could be a continued source of upside, or at the very least, kind of comping more in line with sort of the peer set there? Go forward back half.

Peter E. Nordstrom -- President and Chief Brand Officer

Yes, this is Pete. We're definitely on the right track there. You've heard us talk about great brands at great prices and what makes our offer different than the off-price space is access to some of these premium brands that we carry in the Nordstrom banner. And the more we lean into that, the better we do, we've got a lot of confidence around the proof point of that strategy.

Our teams are well connected to the opportunities to be able to procure that merchandise. And so, at least so far, we've seen no reason to believe we can't keep going even as we add new stores there. There's a good opportunity for us to buy great merchandise out there, and we pursue that every day.

Dylan Carden -- Analyst

And just on the beauty side of things, you're calling that out as sort of a bright spot, which kind of bucks the industry right now. Do you feel like you're doing a better job defending share in that channel? Is that just a comparison? How should we think about why you might be outside some of the broader trends in that space? Thanks.

Peter E. Nordstrom -- President and Chief Brand Officer

Yeah, it's Pete again. That's a great question. I think relative to our offer, the low single-digit growth we've had there, it's been solid, been pretty good. But as you're remarking on there, it's the whole industry has done pretty well.

So, market share is an important thing that we look at. And I think it's important that we don't get complacent because we've had pretty good business relative to the rest of our categories. We do pay a lot of attention to what's going on out there relative to market share and we're always really looking for new and better ways to serve customers in that space and thinking about newness and innovation with products. So, yes, I don't want to say the signal that we've got it all figured out there and we're chasing it.

We know we can do better, and it's a competitive market.

Dylan Carden -- Analyst

Thanks. Appreciate it. Nice work.

Operator

And our last question will come from the line of Paul Lejuez with Citigroup. Please proceed.

Paul Lejuez -- Analyst

Hey, thanks, guys. Curious, I don't know if I missed it, but did you say what the performance was during the anniversary sale, like numerically, how it performed versus the rest of the business during the quarter? And then second, I'm curious if just with the switch to the cost method of accounting, was there any impact on gross margin and/or inventory from that switch in the second quarter. And then if there's anything you should be thinking about in the third quarter related to that switch? Thanks.

Cathy Smith -- Chief Financial Officer

Paul, I'll take the cost accounting. I think the first part of your question was just the performance of anniversary sale, if that's not it, then come back to us, and Pete can finish up there on accounting. No, no particular impact I would call out in the quarter. Remembering when we went -- we talked about our full year guide at the beginning of the year, we said there's probably about 10 basis points that we are going to see this year.

And that's it's purely a timing impact as we move between periods from period to period, it's possible that I would say, generally, I would think of cost accounting as the move to cost accounting from retail as a driver of the performance, it really is just a timing conversation at times. And Pete will finish up if there's anything. I think your question was anniversary performance.

Paul Lejuez -- Analyst

Yes, exactly. Just like was it up or down versus last year during the anniversary sale period?

Peter E. Nordstrom -- President and Chief Brand Officer

Yeah. As we mentioned, we were essentially right on plan with the sell-throughs and the sales and everything. Yes, it's not remarkable necessarily one way or the other. It was solid.

It was good. But yes, some categories performed better than others. I think what we talked about in women's apparel in particular was the strength there. And we got a lot of good read on newness and fall stuff.

So, we feel good about that.

Cathy Smith -- Chief Financial Officer

Yes. Good sell-through and good regular price sales year over year, too.

Paul Lejuez -- Analyst

Was it above the rest of the quarter or below? Anything you could talk about directionally? I know it was on plan, but we didn't know your plan.

Cathy Smith -- Chief Financial Officer

I'm sorry, Paul, can you say that again? We're having a difficult time hearing you.

Paul Lejuez -- Analyst

Sorry, just curious if you could say how that period performed versus the rest of the quarter.

Cathy Smith -- Chief Financial Officer

How that period perform? Sorry. I understood what you said there now. Yeah. So, we didn't call out, obviously, the anniversary sales in July.

And so, that impacts and we talked about the impact on the full year versus last year on a year-over-year comparison is 100 basis points for the full quarter for the total company. So, you do see some strength, obviously, in July because of the anniversary sale. If you pull that out, I wouldn't have called out anything. I think we saw good strength across all months in the quarter.

James Duies -- Head of Investor Relations

All right. We want to thank you for joining today's call. A replay, along with the slide presentation and prepared remarks, will be available for one year on our website. Thank you for your interest in Nordstrom.

Operator

[Operator signoff]

Duration: 0 minutes

Call participants:

James Duies -- Head of Investor Relations

Erik B. Nordstrom -- Chief Executive Officer

Peter E. Nordstrom -- President and Chief Brand Officer

Cathy Smith -- Chief Financial Officer

Dana Telsey -- Analyst

Pete Nordstrom -- President and Chief Brand Officer

Oliver Chen -- Analyst

Erik Nordstrom -- Chief Executive Officer

Simeon Siegel -- Analyst

Lorraine Hutchinson -- Analyst

Megan Alexander -- Analyst

Alex Straton -- Analyst

Chuck Grom -- Analyst

Blake Anderson -- Jefferies -- Analyst

Dylan Carden -- Analyst

Paul Lejuez -- Analyst

More JWN analysis

All earnings call transcripts

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Nordstrom (JWN) Q2 2024 Earnings Call Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool
A fire captain talks during training for technical rescue team instructors in Bay County in 2022. Panama City Beach is poised to open its first high-tech firefighter training tower next week.

PANAMA CITY BEACH  The city is slated to unveil its first firefighter training tower.

The event on Sept. 4 at 11:30 a.m. at 160 N. Nautilus Street in Panama City Beach is open to the public and will include a ceremonial ribbon cutting, live demonstrations and a tour of the new facilities. The four-story building includes a burn room and reconfigurable walls that will help firefighters and area emergency responders train for search and rescue operations.

"You're only as good as the training you get," said Ray Morgan, Panama City Beach fire chief. "We want our firefighters to be the best they can be and not be hindered by training capabilities. [The training tower] will allow them to train here where they work and live so they can be available when the call comes."

This embedded content is not available in your region.

The $1.2 million facility is expected to be operational by fall, according to a release from the city. This is one of several infrastructure projects slated for Panama City Beach Fire Rescue this year funded between state grants and the city.

The fire rescue and beach safety departments serve approximately 15,000 residents and 4.5 million visitors to each year.

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Panama City Beach set to unveil its $1.2M firefighter training tower
The parents of a teenage passenger killed in a high-speed car crash in Michigan are pushing for authorities to charge the mother of the driver.

In November 2023, Flynn MacKrell was riding in a car with his then-16-year-old friend who was driving over 100 mph in a 25 mph residential zone, according to police. The 16-year-old lost control and crashed into a tree, killing the 18-year-old MacKrell, according to police.

MacKrell died two months into his freshman year at the University of Dayton, according to his obituary.

PHOTO: Anne Vanker, of Grosse Pointe, stands by the ashes of her late son Flynn MacKrell at her home in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, July 26, 2024. (Ryan Garza/Detroit Free Press via USAToday Network)

MORE: 2 workers killed, 1 seriously hurt in 'possible explosion' at Delta Air Lines' Atlanta maintenance facility

The teen driver was charged with second-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty. He is awaiting trial. A lawyer for the family declined to comment, citing pending litigation.

But MacKrell's family said they want the driver's mother held responsible, too, saying the mother knew her son had a habit of driving excessively fast.

"He had no regard for his passenger safety, no regard for pedestrian safety. And the mother knew it," MacKrell's dad, Thad MacKrell, told ABC News.

PHOTO: Orange ribbons are tied around trees all around the home of the late Flynn MacKrell in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, July, 26, 2024. (Ryan Garza/Detroit Free Press via USAToday Network)

The 16-year-old's phone had Life360 -- an app that shows how fast a car is going and where it is, according to an investigation report obtained by ABC News.

The driver's mom repeatedly texted him in the weeks and months before the crash to stop speeding, at one point writing, "I have screen shots of you ... driving 123 mph," according to the report.

"Any reasonable person would have done something very, very simple -- they would have taken the keys away. And she didn't do it. And our son is dead," Thad MacKrell said.

MORE: Couple in Lamborghini kidnapped and beaten while house hunting, police say

"Every day, we wake up in shock and disbelief that our beloved Flynn is gone," MacKrell's mom, Anne Vanker, said. "And it was 100% preventable."

The MacKrell family is pointing to the Oxford, Michigan, school shooter case, in which the teenage gunman's parents were held criminally responsible for giving their son the gun he used in the 2021 shooting, which killed four people. This April, the gunman's parents, Jennifer and James Crumbley, were sentenced to 10 to 15 years after each was found guilty of four counts of involuntary manslaughter in separate trials.

PHOTO: Anne Vanker, of Grosse Pointe, sits with her son Thaddeus MacKrell, left, as they talk about the loss their 18-year-old family member Flynn MacKrell, who was killed in a car crash. (Ryan Garza/Detroit Free Press via USAToday Network)

ABC News legal contributor Brian Buckmire said, "In the Crumbley case, we're talking about a gun that is a, per se, dangerous weapon. One of its intentions is to harm or kill another. A vehicle or car is not necessarily a, per se, dangerous weapon."

"It becomes a dangerous weapon when used reckless or negligently," he continued. "So the way we view those two objects may have a different opinion as to how this case is pursued."

The prosecutor's office said it is reviewing the MacKrell case. Investigators have submitted a "warrant request" for a relative of the teen driver, prosecutors told ABC News.

The driver's case is "adult designated," according to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. If convicted, "an adult designation allows the judge to have the option of sentencing the defendant as a juvenile, or as an adult, or to fashion a blended juvenile sentence with the option of imposing an adult sentence if the juvenile is not rehabilitated," the prosecutor's office said.

Parents of car crash victim push for teen driver's mom to be held accountable originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
If you looked at Tuesdays Wichita City Council agenda, you may have noticed something a little different.

The list of ordinances up for a second and final approval vote has been changed to include brief summaries of what the ordinances are actually about.

City Hall has added the summaries at the request of Mayor Lily Wu.

Its a good change. It could be better (more on that in a minute).

To really understand the issue, you need to know a little bit about how ordinances (city laws) get approved, and some governmental jargon that goes along with it.

In general, ordinances come up on what is called a first reading in an open meeting, where the issue is discussed and voted on.

But the ordinances arent truly enacted until after a second reading and a second vote.

Items up for second reading are generally voted through, without further discussion, as part of the consent agenda, a list of council action items deemed routine that are approved in bulk with a single vote.

The current issue goes back to Jan. 9, the councils first meeting after three new members, Wu, Dalton Glasscock and J.V. Johnston, were sworn in.

It had to do with a parking plan for central Wichita that was initially approved by the outgoing council on Jan. 2. The plan will bring paid parking to virtually all city-owned parking in downtown, Old Town, and Delano.

As you might imagine (and the city probably should have), not many people noticed that change was coming until late June, after the city inked a contract with an Idaho-based company to install new parking meters and gates and establish a private-sector parking police force to write tickets.

When the plan did get noticed, people got up in arms about having to pay 75 cents to $2 an hour  possibly a lot more when special events are in town  for parking spaces they now can use for free (something else the city should have seen coming).

The backlash has been so strong that the parking plan is now on hold at the council while members try to figure out a way forward.

As I said earlier, this goes back to early January when the parking plan was initially approved. Wu has complained that at the Jan. 9 meeting, the second reading and final approval was added to the agenda the night before the meeting via the consent agenda.

That agenda item in question read, in total:

k. CHARTER ORDINANCE NO. 239 A CHARTER ORDINANCE AMENDING CHARTER ORDINANCE 237 PERTAINING TO MUNICIPAL COURT PROCEDURES BY CREATION OF A SUBSTITUTE PROVISION.

Wu was absolutely right to complain about that. It didnt even mention parking, the language was impenetrable, and it doesnt convey any of the gravity of what was happening.

Now, compare that to this example from Tuesdays list of ordinances up for second reading:

a. ORDINANCE NO. 52-539 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 2.04.190 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF WICHITA, KANSAS, PERTAINING TO ORDER OF COUNCIL BUSINESS AT REGULAR MEETINGS. Amendments to the Public Agenda comments portion of the City Council meeting.

With the summary, you can tell its about the public speaking at public meetings.

Much better. But the process still can be improved:

1) Ordinances up for second reading are not on the council agenda summary, but in a separate list. The online version of the agenda requires following a link to that list, an extra step thats easy for the general public to miss.

2) On the list of ordinances, there are no links to any background materials, so anyone trying to figure out what the council is actually doing has to find and search the previous weeks council minutes, or go back and watch the meeting video.

Adding the summaries is a step in the right direction, and I dont want to downplay that at all. Hiding important business on the consent agenda has been a thing at City Hall for at least the 20 or so years that Ive been covering our local government.

And I fully agree with Wu when she says its unfair to expect our community members to have to wade through legalese without context.

So the change thats been made is a good one.

Id respectfully request the city make it even better by putting second readings on the cover sheet of the council agenda, and adding some links to make it easier for all of us to follow along at home.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Portlands airport and roads are anticipating a bustling holiday weekend.

The Transportation Security Administration has projected the 2024 Labor Day travel period  which runs from Thursday, Aug. 29 through Wednesday, Sept. 4  will be the busiest ever recorded. The national agency estimates it will screen more than 17 million people nationwide.

Rolling-stop bike laws dont lead to unsafe behavior, Oregon State study finds

Locally, the Portland International Airport will see a 7% increase to almost 270,000 visitors from Thursday to Monday.

Friday is expected to be the busiest day of the holiday weekend, with more than 59,000 flyers  but that still wouldnt exceed PDXs most active travel days this summer. The Port of Portland said Sunday, June 16 and Sunday, Aug. 11 both ranked within the airports top 10 busiest days.

The Port is still urging travelers to arrive at the airport at least two hours before their flights, or earlier if they want more time to see the airports latest improvements.

For drivers, the American Automobile Association anticipates the most congestion ahead of the weekend.

Beaverton consignment shop makes earth-conscious choices

Most Labor Day travelers will leave on their trips on Thursday or Friday before the holiday, and return home on Labor Day or Tuesday, AAA Oregon/Idaho Public Affairs Director Marie Dodds said in a statement. Those taking a Labor Day road trip will find lower gas prices than last year  in fact, the Oregon average is about 90 cents a gallon less than a year ago.

Bend, Portland, Eugene, Newport and Lincoln City are the top-booked regional destinations for the holiday. Dodds advised drivers to begin their trips early in the morning or in the evening.

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PLAQUEMINES PARISH, La. (WGNO)  The Louisiana State Police is investigating a fatal crash in Belle Chasse that happened Wednesday morning, on Aug 28.

According to troopers, a pedestrian, identified as 19-year-old Kyrin Dotson, of Baton Rouge, was struck and killed by a vehicle on the northbound lane of Louisiana Highway 23 near Seatrain Road.

Former TPSO jailer arrested in contraband case

The initial investigation showed that a 2004 Toyota Tundra was in the left lane heading north. At the same time, Dotson was walking east, across the highway and directly into the flow of northbound traffic, where the pedestrian was hit by the Toyota.

Dotson was declared dead at the scene. The driver of the Toyota was restrained and is reportedly uninjured. Routine toxicology samples were collected from both Dotson and the driver of the Toyota.

The crash is still under investigation.

No further details were provided.

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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YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM)  A Pennsylvania woman may spend decades in prison for the death of a woman years ago at Gifford Pinchot State Park.

Online court documents show that Jolie Harris, 44, of Delaware County, was sentenced Thursday, Aug. 22, to spend between 15 and 30 years in prison by Judge Harry Ness. Following her release, Harris will have to undergo a year of probation.

Harris had previously pled guilty in April during a hearing to a charge of causing suicide, while two other murder charges were dismissed.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE -> Woman pleads guilty in 2020 Gifford Pinchot State Park death

Harris was charged in the death of Lauren Gallagher, 37, who was found dead at the park near a campsite that was being rented in June 2020.

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An autopsy found that she died from sharp force trauma to the neck, according to the York County Coroner. Her death was ruled to be a homicide.

Harris will have to pay $13,000 in restitution to the Gallagher family and $6,500 to Victim

Compensation Assistance Program, court docs state.

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Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Patrick Ryder has stated that the Pentagon has not changed its policy regarding Ukraine's restrictions on "deep strikes" into Russia.

Source: Voice of America

Quote: "The Ukrainians can use US security assistance to defend themselves from cross-border attacks, in other words counterfire. But as it relates to long-range strike, deep strikes into Russia, our policy has not changed."

Details: Ryder also emphasised that the US is not at war with Russia and does not seek conflict. "We are simply supporting a democratic nation... and enabling them [Ukrainians] to protect themselves," Ryder said.

Background:

John Kirby, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House, emphasised at an online briefing on Monday, 26 August, that the US is aware of Ukraine's calls for an expansion of permission for Western weapons to be used to attack Russian territory, and that discussions with its Ukrainian counterparts will continue.

Last month, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was gradually changing the West's position on strikes on military targets in Russia's rear and was already receiving "positive signals" regarding the expansion of permission to use weapons provided by Western allies.

He recently said the Ukrainian Armed Forces operation in Kursk Oblast might not have happened if the West had not imposed restrictions on strikes on military targets in Russia.

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PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  A man was rescued from the Illinois River on Tuesday morning by members of the Peoria Fire Department.

At about 11:40 a.m. firefighters were told that a man was in the river just outside of Detweiller Marina, said Battalion Chief Jeff Hascall. Within minutes, they were on their boat and plucked him out of the river.

Man rescued out of the Illinois River by Peorias Marine 1 rescue boat

The man had minor injuries. He did not explain to firefighters who were on the departments rescue boat how he ended up in the river, said the chief.

The man was being treated by a crew from Advanced Medical Transport, Hascall said. It was unclear if he was transported to an area hospital.

No one was arrested, Peoria Police Department spokeswoman Semone Roth said. The police account said the man had refused a request to get in his boat when the fire boat arrived at the scene.

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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang displaying products onstage during the annual Nvidia GTC artificial-intelligence conference at SAP Center in San Jose, California, in March. JOSH EDELSON/Getty Images

Nvidia stock could see a $298 billion swing in market value after its second-quarter earnings report.

Goldman Sachs said options-pricing data suggested a 9% move in Nvidia's stock in either direction.

"The bar for Nvidia this earnings season is a lot lower than it has been," Goldman said.

Nvidia stock could see a massive $298 billion swing in market value after it reports its second-quarter earnings results on Wednesday.

That estimate is based on recent options-pricing data, according to a Monday note from Goldman Sachs' trading desk.

A swing of that size in market value in either direction would equate to a more than 9% move in the $3.17 trillion chipmaker's stock price.

Nvidia holds the record for the biggest one-day market-value swing, at $330 billion, which occurred in late July as the stock rebounded from a painful weekslong decline.

According to the bank, if the company can report a solid quarter of growth with even stronger forward guidance, it could catch the stock market by surprise and lead to a big move.

"Can you imagine if NVDA beats expectations on Wednesday?" Goldman Sachs' trading desk, led by its managing director Scott Rubner, asked.

"Info tech was net sold for the 4th straight week (13 of the last 16) and saw the largest net selling in 2 months as the sector was net sold in every region, driven by both long and short sales," Rubner said. "The prime book is now under-weight Info Tech vs. the MSCI World Index by -9.7% - at the lowest level on our record."

In other words, stock-market positioning suggests that most investors could be caught off guard if Nvidia rises after its earnings results on Wednesday.

"The bar for Nvidia this earnings season is a lot lower than it has been in recent quarters given fundamental selling in tech," Rubner said.

Nvidia is the second-largest company in the S&P 500, with a weight of about 6.5%, so its results could have a big impact on the broader market.

In fact, Steve Sosnick, an Interactive Brokers strategist, highlighted just how integral Nvidia is to the rest of the market.

In a note on Tuesday, Sosnick analyzed the 25 most active trades on the Interactive Brokers platform, and more than 70% of them had a connection to Nvidia.

The top spot belongs to Nvidia, followed by Tesla, which is a key customer of the chip firm. AMD, Nvidia's closest competitor, is No. 3, and No. 4 is a semiconductor exchange-traded fund.

Overall, of the 25 most active trades at Interactive Brokers, Nvidia was connected to 18 names, Sosnick said.

Story continues

"We've gotten quite used to seeing NVDA atop the leaderboard most weeks, cementing its key role in investor psychology," Sosnick said. "Looking beyond that, it is quite clear that the company plays a crucial role affecting a wide range of other popular investment vehicles."

Read the original article on Business Insider
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  A Peoria man was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison last Wednesday for threatening a judge in 2022.

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office, Paul Jordan Klawer, 34, was sentenced to 42 months in prison for threatening a federal judge, followed by three years of supervised release.

In May 2022, Klawer was representing himself in a civil rights case. Klawer became frustrated with the case and sent a threatening email to the opposing party.

Peoria teen accused of threatening a judge, faces additional time behind bars

Klawer made several threats in the email, including a threat towards the judge on Dec. 1, 2023, that stated: Tell the judge if he doesnt take my warnings serious Ill blow his f****** brains out in broad daylight and put on his Tombstone exactly how much value he gave our future by suppressing evidence of misconduct

He also made threats against others and threatened to blow up the Department of Human Services in Springfield.

Klawer was arrested in December 2023 after a criminal complaint was filed in federal court, and a grand jury returned an indictment in mid-December. He initially pleaded not guilty but changed his plea to guilty in April 2024. He has remained in custody since his arrest.

The judiciary is designed to be insulated from intimidation, harassment, and fear of retribution so judges can render fair, impartial and independent decisions. The defendants actions were an attack on the justice system itself, said Assistant U.S. Attorney. We will not tolerate actors like Klawer who try to use fear and intimidation to get their way.

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Sometimes, small events raise important issues. A recent spat between Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman and his communications director raises several: Should a subordinate ever publicly dissent, and why? When is it acceptable? How do generational politics affect this?

Heres what happened: Fetterman was interviewed by Peter Savodnik of The Free Press and discussed how his stance on Israel changed his standing with Democrats. Afterwards, Carrie Adams told Savodnik in a phone call that she doesnt agree with her boss, suggesting that Fettermans views arent as nuanced as her generations.

I have a sense that his international views are a lot less nuanced than my generation, because when he was growing up, it was might makes right, and for my generation and younger who, of course, are the ones protesting this, they have a much more nuanced view of the region, Adams said, per The Free Press.

Savodnik said, in 26 years of political reporting, hed never heard a staffer say something like that. And I can confirm: As a former communications director for a congressman, Id never talk to a reporter like that.

Ironically, Adams has a masters degree in crisis communications. She might need it.

Gainsaying Fettermans views directly contradicts Adamss job, which is to communicate to the public the senators actions and views. Claiming that younger generations have a more nuanced view of the Middle East, and that those who disagree believe might makes right, is doubly flawed: It assumes the reasoning behind the older generations views, and assumes that younger Americans views are nuanced.

Only someone deeply inside their own bubble can believe that most people who favor Israel prosecuting its war against Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organization that murdered and kidnapped over 1,400 people on Oct. 7, do so because might makes right. Ghaith al-Omari, a former negotiator for the Palestinian Authority, makes the case that Hamas must be defeated to deny its ability to influence politics through violence and to have any hope of a two-state solution.

Most people who disagree with Adams have some version of al-Omaris views, including Fetterman, who said during a trip to Israel, There will never be any meaningful peace as long as Hamas is allowed to occupy (Gaza)  and Gaza will need to be rebuilt. And how could anybody think thats possible if that organization is there?

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., holds a small Israel flag as he heads to the chamber for a vote, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024. | J. Scott Applewhite

While too many media organizations uncritically cite Hamas-provided casualty figures, there is no real disagreement that innocent Gazans are dying. The real debates are the ratio of innocent Gazans to Hamas militants, who are responsible for the deaths of innocents, and what can be done to minimize them, weighed against the goal of preventing further atrocities by Hamas.

Adams is also wrong to paint this debate as generational. True, younger people tend to have less rosy views of Israel, but that does not make their view more nuanced. Also, Israels loudest critics include octogenarians like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

However, she does, inadvertently, make a point: Separating herself from her boss, to a reporter, suggests she values her brand over her loyalty to Fetterman. Yuval Levin, a historian and political analyst, has rightly observed, We now think of institutions less as formative and more as performative, less as molds of our character and behavior, and more as platforms for us to stand on and be seen. This troubling phenomena skews younger.

But Adams is not an inexperienced kid. She previously worked for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Facebooks parent company Meta. Adams seems to see herself more as a part of the wider Democratic establishment, which, while still broadly pro-Israel, is increasingly beholden to Israel-skeptic forces that Fetterman has openly scorned. In other words, this is a classic principal/agent problem, which is not new to politics, but has been especially acute in recent years. Ask former Vice President Mike Pence, who certified Joe Bidens victory contrary to the wishes of Donald Trump. While the vice president is an independent constitutional officer, Pence broke from the centuries-old practice of vice presidents supporting the president, no matter what. Pence correctly claims that he had a higher responsibility, to the Constitution. Thats something no official should ever overlook.

Another fascinating example of public disagreement occurred in 1971. A career diplomat named Archer Blood, the head of the consulate in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), authorized the first-ever dissent cable, a system which allowed lower-level State Department functionaries to message the secretary directly. This telegram, signed by many on the ground, stated that Our government has failed to denounce atrocities and has chosen not to intervene, even morally with regard to atrocities committed as part of the ongoing Bengali genocide, perpetrated by the Pakistani military and their allied radical group such as Jamaat-e-Islami.

The cable did leak to the press, and the Nixon White House suspected it was deliberate, but there is no evidence that Blood or his associates were responsible. Rather than performative dissent, the Blood telegram was a firsthand report of ongoing events that harmed U.S. interests and values. In 2022, Bloods actions were celebrated by the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs on the 50th anniversary of Americas relationship with Bangladesh.

Still, there were consequences. While civil servant rules kept him from being fired, Bloods career stalled. Blood was willing to live with it. He never expressed any bitterness about the treatment meted out to him, one associate explained.

Last November, more than 500 Biden political appointees registered dissent on the subject of Gaza in an intentionally public letter. But their dissents remain different in kind from Bloods. The political appointees were either junior or had little expertise on the topic, and they were not offering on-the-ground expert views, unlike Bloods crew, whose expertise and observations were unquestionable. Offering his expertise, of course, is why Blood was there. That cannot be said of Adams, who appears to have no special knowledge of foreign policy or Gaza.

A subordinate should have moral lines over which they would choose to quit rather than cross. There are even times where rank insubordination can be condoned. But Adams has demonstrated the opposite of the examples of Pence and Blood. Her action made no difference, was self-aggrandizing, was backed by no law or policy, and brought nothing new to the debate.

As of this writing, Fetterman has not fired Adams. If he doesnt, its an act of grace. Adams has shown how not to handle yourself as a subordinate, and how not to think about your own importance. I hope she, and the rest of us, learn from her mistake.

Cliff Smith is a lawyer and a former congressional staffer. He lives in Washington, D.C., where he works on national security-related issues. His views are his own.
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT)  Pitt County Schools announced the Public Health Department is investigating a case of pertussis (whooping cough) at Wintergreen Intermediate School in Greenville.

Pitt County Health Director Wes Gray said the department was notified Tuesday of the case. Gray said a letter was sent to all parents/guardians informing them.

Though there is no immediate public health risk from this case, we are investigating and have informed staff and the parents and guardians of students who need to be evaluated, Gray said.

They said the majority of staff and students will not need any testing or treatment. Pertussis is an infection that impacts the lungs and airways.

Pertussis can affect anyone, but infants younger than 12 months and people with weakened immune systems are at the highest risk for severe complications and death.

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A petition for a grand jury investigation of an Oklahoma County official failed. What's next?

A judge has ruled that a petition attempting to impanel a grand jury investigation into an Oklahoma County commissioner failed to amass enough signatures.

Judge Kory Kirkland dismissed the petition as "null and void" Friday, saying that the necessary number of 5,000 signatures had not been met.

"The signatures of qualified electors to impanel a grand jury in Oklahoma County is the maximum number of 5,000," Kirkland wrote, citing Oklahoma Constitution Article 2, Section 18.

A group of Del City leaders said they had gathered more than 5,000 signatures when they submitted the petition on Aug. 12, but officials with the Oklahoma County Election Board announced Aug. 20 they'd validated only 4,180 of them.

The organizers, headed by Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Del City; Mayor Floyd Eason; and local school board member Gina Standridge, alleged that Oklahoma County Commissioner Myles Davidson should be investigated for "corruption in office and willful maladministration."

More: Del City leaders uncertain if petition effort against OK County commissioner met threshold

Kirkland's previous June 28 order gave the group 45 days to gather "a sufficient number of signatures" to impanel a grand jury. Signatures submitted by the group to Oklahoma County Court Clerk Rick Warren were turned over to the election board Aug. 13, and officials had seven business days to verify that the signatures were from valid Oklahoma County voters.

Although the 4,180 validated signatures fell short of the required 5,000 signature threshold, the election board declined last week to specifically determine if the group's petition effort had failed, saying Kirkland held that authority on the final decision.

Del City Mayor Floyd Eason and his wife, Shelly, put up a sign as a group tries to gather signatures for a petition for a grand jury investigation into Oklahoma County Commissioner Myles Davidson.

Why petition organizers want an investigation into Myles Davidson

Despite admitted confusion by Eason and other organizers on exactly what the number of required signatures needed to be, they are still hopeful for future efforts to see Davidson investigated.

The commissioner has attracted heavy criticism and accusations of corruption amid negotiations regarding a new proposed county jail site at 1901 E Grand Blvd., near the boundary between Oklahoma City and Del City.

Many residents called for Davidson to recuse after it was discovered hed held a decadeslong friendship with the property's co-owner, Patrick Garrett, and that he had accepted donations from Garrett during his successful 2022 commissioner campaign. Davidson denied, however, that the donation influenced his support for the potential jail site.

Eason told The Oklahoman Tuesday that Del City Ward 4 Councilman Scott Tatom is preparing to send a letter to Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, requesting further assistance in matters regarding Davidson.

The mayor also said Del City leadership would continue to closely watch the ongoing legal dispute between Oklahoma City and Oklahoma County. Citing "superior sovereignty," the county has pursued legal action against the city after the Oklahoma City Council rejected the county's special use permit to rezone the E Grand Boulevard site.

Scott Tatom gets a sign out of his car in July as a group tries to gather signatures for a petition for a grand jury investigation into Oklahoma County Commissioner Myles Davidson in Del City.

Eason added that there was talk of others attempting another petition against Davidson, but the mayor said he himself would not take part in filing it, admitting that the process was too time-consuming in his capacities as a city official and as a business owner.

"This was the first time I've ever been involved in a petition like this, but I learned a lot," Eason said. "So if someone else in Del City wants to spearhead the petition drive, I would be happy to advise them and help them steer away from some of the pitfalls that we got into."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Judge dismisses petition to investigate Commissioner Myles Davidson
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  The Philip A. Morris Fund for the Design Arts of the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham 2024 grants have been announced.

Since 2015, the Morris Fund has provided resources to support the design arts, including urban planning, design and the built environment, architecture, graphic design, landscape planning and more.

The Morris Fund was established by Philip Morris, the former executive editor of Southern Living Magazine, to create and expand awareness of the design arts and the impact of quality design.

LIST: Former Alabama players cut from NFL rosters

This year, the Morris Fund awarded $115,000 in grants to five Birmingham-based nonprofits. Grants were awarded to the following:

Alabama Moving Image Association, $4,000 to help choose a blade signage design consultant. Alabama Moving Image Association (Sidewalk Film) needs exterior signage for the Pizitz Building redevelopment.

Birmingham Aids Outreach , $10,000 to support muralist design fees for the new facade of the Magic City Acceptance Centers inclusive space. A design will be selected from options provided by local LGBTQ muralists, who will also oversee the implementation of the project.

Freshwater Land Trust , $56,000 for design work on the Valley Creek Rails-to-Trails multi-use project that will connect the existing three-mile High Ore Line Greenway to Rickwood Field.

HICA , $40,000 for design fees and architectural renderings for a redevelopment project which will be a vibrant public gathering space.

Wallace Center for Arts and Reconciliation, $5,000 for the DesignAlabama DesignDash for its planning of a trail system in Harpersville. This system is focused on the Harpersville Heritage Area, agritourism sites, parks, and the proposed town center, with the Wallace House and grounds as the trailhead.

Applications for the 2025 grant cycle will open in spring 2025. More information on the Morris Fund can be found here.

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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 companys 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 factorys 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 thats part of a growing segment of nicotine-based alternatives for consumers switching from cigarettes or other tobacco products.

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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 dont 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.

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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.

Read more of the latest news in politics

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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(Bloomberg) -- The Philippines and Vietnam will likely sign agreements to bolster security ties during Vietnamese Defense Minister General Phan Van Giangs visit to Manila on Friday, according to a top Philippine official.

Manila wants to advance the relationship between the two nations defense and military sectors, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said Tuesday.

Vietnam and the Philippines have been deepening cooperation, including between their coast guards, as they face disputes with China over parts of the South China Sea. The two Southeast Asian nations have recently submitted separate information to the United Nations, asserting exclusive rights to resources in the disputed sea.

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A pickleball tournament in Brookfield this September will raise money for a cause close to the organizers' hearts.

Pickleball for Palestine will bring players and families to the courts at Krueger Park, 100 N. Columbia Blvd., on Sunday, Sept. 22, to benefit the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, a nonprofit providing medical aid to children in Gaza.

A donation of at least $25 gets participants a tournament T-shirt and a spot on the court to play against other players at their skill level.

All entry fees and 10% of sales by the restaurant Senor Gordito's will go to PCRF, according to Mazin Hamdan, the co-owner of Chubby's Cheesesteaks and Senor Gordito's.

Hamdan is organizing the event with friends Mohamed Lubbad and Randy Soudah. Hamdan and his brother Murad Hamdan will sponsor the event with their restaurants.

Participants can sign up here to play from 9 a.m. to noon or 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. As of Aug. 27, both time slots had spaces available for intermediate or advanced players on the Krueger Park pickleball courts, which opened in June.

The organizers chose to donate to PCRF due to the organization's long-standing commitment to improving the lives of Palestinian children, they said in a statement. They chose pickleball since it's an accessible, popular sport that can bring people together.

"By centering the event around pickleball, were creating a joyful and inclusive atmosphere where people can connect over a shared love of the sport while supporting a meaningful cause," the organizers said.

PCRF has provided free medical care to children in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria for more than 30 years. Its latest efforts have been focused on evacuating children from Gaza to countries abroad including the United States, for critical medical help they wouldn't get otherwise.

More: A nonprofit providing medical relief to Palestinian children now has a Milwaukee chapter

There are more than 2,200 Palestinians in Wisconsin, who make up about 0.04% of the state's population, according to 2022 U.S. Census data analyzed by World Population Review.

In the last 10 months, Palestinian Wisconsin residents have mourned the loss of family members who have been killed and worry about the safety of their loved ones in the region.

Since the Oct. 7 attacks that sparked the war, at least 40,435 Palestinians have been killed and 93,534 have been injured, according to reports from the Ministry of Health in Gaza. More than 1,200 Israelis have been killed, according to Israeli authorities and about 5,430 have been injured, according to reports from Israeli officials.

Some in the Milwaukee area have called for a ceasefire in Gaza and protested the U.S. sending aid to Israel for months, most recently at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Others have organized events to educate about Palestinian history and culture and raise funds locally for medical and humanitarian aid, including those who started their own chapter of PCRF.

While spots to play pickleball are filling up quickly, anyone can come watch the tournament Sept. 22 or make a donation so PCRF "can continue their life-saving work," Hamdan said.

Contact the reporter at bfogarty@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brookfield pickleball tourney to fundraise for medical aid in Gaza
A barred Owl at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, in Oregon. (Ray Bosch/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

The federal government will move ahead with plans to kill tens of thousands of barred owls in Washington, Oregon, and California to protect threatened spotted owls.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a decision on Wednesday to adopt a controversial barred owl management strategy that calls for lethal removal of the birds by shooting them with shotguns and, in some cases, capturing and euthanizing them.

Barred owls are native to the eastern U.S. but began expanding their range in the early 1900s and arrived in the Pacific Northwest around the 1970s. The invasive birds prefer the same habitat as spotted owls and compete with them for the same foods.

They are blamed as a primary cause for declines in northern spotted owl populations  along with habitat loss from logging on non-federal lands and wildfires.

As wildlife professionals, we approached this issue carefully and did not come to this decision lightly, said Kessina Lee, the Fish and Wildlife Services Oregon office state supervisor.

Spotted owls are at a crossroads, and we need to manage both barred owls and habitat to save them. This isnt about choosing one owl over the other, Lee added. If we act now, future generations will be able to see both owls in our Western forests.

Megan Nagel, a Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson, said that spring of 2025 is the earliest that barred owl removals are likely to begin and emphasized the program would ramp up over time.

Animal welfare groups deride the plan as costly, unrealistic and inhumane.

The Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing the largest-ever plan to slaughter raptors anywhere in the world, and by a country mile, Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, said in a statement on Wednesday.

The agency is stepping onto a killing treadmill that it can never dismount. The two outcomes likely to result from the plan are a massive body count of barred owls and no long-term improvement in the survival prospects of spotted owls, Pacelle added.

It would not be open season on the birds.

No public hunting of barred owls is allowed under the strategy and it is illegal for anyone to kill a barred owl without authorization under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. And, under the plan, no removals of the birds will be permitted outside approved areas in the Northwest and California.

The killing would be done by professional removal specialists who meet certain training and competency requirements, including an ability to differentiate barred owls from spotted owls, which are known for a distinctive, four-note hoot, hoot-hoot hoooooot territorial defense song.

These specialists could be government employees or contractors working with landowners or land management agencies, Nagel explained.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates a maximum of about 15,600 invasive barred owls per year could be removed over 30 years, which adds up to between 400,000 and 500,000 of the birds if the strategy is maintained over three decades.

While an environmental impact statement for the program used a 30-year time frame, Nagel noted that it is not possible to forecast the duration of the barred owl management activities themselves. Permits under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to kill the owls are good for up to three years, but can be renewed.

At most, the federal agency says the strategy would result in the annual removal of less than one-half of 1% of the current North American barred owl population.

In the near term, plans call for a maximum of 2,450 of the owls to be killed in year one of the project, 11,309 in year two, and around 15,600 in year three.

The northern spotted owl was designated as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act nearly 25 years ago.

In the Pacific Northwest, it is known for its central role in the timber wars of the 1980s and 1990s, which pitted environmentalists concerned about saving old-growth trees against loggers.

This conflict eventually led to the 1994 Northwest Forest Plan, which put new protections in place for forests where the spotted owl lives.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says that the rate of spotted owl population declines showed signs of improvement until about 2008 but accelerated soon after and that the downturn coincided with the expansion of barred owls into spotted owls territory.

Washingtons departments of Fish and Wildlife and Natural Resources are listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as cooperating agencies in the barred owl removal plan.

Julia Smith, endangered species recovery section manager with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, said the state agency backs the federal plan but has not made decisions yet about how to support implementation of it, or what department resources to devote to the effort.

Thats something we have yet to determine because we were, too, waiting on the final federal decision, she said. Were talking with agency leadership about it.

The Department of Natural Resources didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Washington Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz, who leads that department, has previously voiced skepticism about the plan for killing the barred owls, suggesting it could have unintended consequences and that it might be unworkable.

Nagel, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the agency would work with interested landowners and land managers, including State agencies, to implement barred owl management on their lands.

Each agency will determine how, and if, they will be involved in the Strategy, she added. No one is required to implement the Strategy. Implementation is fully voluntary.
Whats better than receiving a signing bonus? Maybe getting a bigger one just over a year later. Delta gave Mike Spanos a $250,000 signing bonus to join the airline as its chief operating officer last June, but hell now get double that just by signing the dotted line to become CEO of Bloomin' Brands, the parent of Outback Steakhouse, in a move announced Monday.

All told, Spanoss initial compensation package is valued at almost $12.3 million. That's over 1 million orders of the Bloomin Onion, Outbacks signature fried appetizer currently priced at $10.99.

Meanwhile, Spanos will continue to receive perks from Delta, including free flights for himself and his family. In a filing with the SEC, Delta said Spanos would receive the benefits provided under the companys officer and director severance plan. Under that plan, Spanos is entitled to up to $15,000 of complimentary travel and access to the airlines members-only lounge for himself, his immediate family, and other designated guests, according to the companys latest proxy statement, as long as his departure is considered termination without cause instead of resignation for good reason.

Under that same plan, Spanos is also eligible to receive almost $2 million in severance pay, including 18 months of his base salary, which was $650,000 per year, and 150% of his target incentive, an amount equal to just over $950,000.

In the SEC filing, Delta also said that Spanos would receive his existing award agreements under the companys performance compensation plan. Spanoss 2023 compensation package at Delta was valued at roughly $8.6 million, including over $6.8 million in stock awards.

According to the proxy statement, an executive who is terminated without cause or resigns for good reason will receive prorated performance stock awards that vest as if the executives employment had continued. When asked whether Spanos was entitled to all or part of his outstanding stock awards, Delta did not provide clarification or comment.

In any case, Spanos can look forward to a raise at his new gig. His $12.3 million pay package from Bloomin' Brands includes a base salary of $1 million, plus an annual target bonus of $1.75 million. Hell receive one-time stock awards worth $2.5 million, with an annual equity award valued at $6 million starting in 2025.

In addition to his signing bonus, Spanos will also receive half a million dollars in relocation expenses to help offset the costs incurred in the likely event he and his family move from Deltas home in Atlanta to Tampa, where Bloomin Brands is based. The company did not respond to requests for comment regarding this story.

Story continues

We have found an ideal strategist, operations and cultural leader in Mike, Bloomin Brands board chairman Michael Mohan said in a press release Monday. Our board believes that his experience operating complex, multi-unit businesses will benefit our iconic, founder-inspired brands.

Spanos, who is scheduled to assume the new role on Sept. 3, will succeed former Bloomin' Brands chief executive David Deno, who is retiring after 12 years with the company, including the past five as CEO. His annual compensation last year was valued at about $6.8 million, accordingly to the companys latest proxy statement.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
A barred Owl at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. (Ray Bosch/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

The federal government will move ahead with plans to kill tens of thousands of barred owls in Washington, Oregon and California to protect threatened spotted owls.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a decision on Wednesday to adopt a controversial barred owl management strategy that calls for lethal removal of the birds by shooting them with shotguns and, in some cases, capturing and euthanizing them.

Barred owls are native to the eastern U.S. but began expanding their range in the early 1900s and arrived in the Northwest around the 1970s. The invasive birds prefer the same habitat as spotted owls and compete with them for the same foods.

They are blamed as a primary cause for declines in northern spotted owl populations  along with habitat loss from logging on non-federal lands and wildfires.

As wildlife professionals, we approached this issue carefully and did not come to this decision lightly, said Kessina Lee, the Fish and Wildlife Services Oregon office state supervisor.

Spotted owls are at a crossroads, and we need to manage both barred owls and habitat to save them. This isnt about choosing one owl over the other, Lee added. If we act now, future generations will be able to see both owls in our Western forests.

Megan Nagel, a Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson, said that spring of 2025 is the earliest that barred owl removals are likely to begin and emphasized the program would ramp up over time.

Animal welfare groups deride the plan as costly, unworkable and inhumane.

The Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing the largest-ever plan to slaughter raptors anywhere in the world, and by a country mile, Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, said in a statement on Wednesday.

The agency is stepping onto a killing treadmill that it can never dismount. The two outcomes likely to result from the plan are a massive body count of barred owls and no long-term improvement in the survival prospects of spotted owls, Pacelle added.

It would not be open season on the birds.

No public hunting of barred owls is allowed under the strategy and it is illegal for anyone to kill a barred owl without authorization under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. And, under the plan, no removals of the birds will be permitted outside approved areas in the Northwest and California.

The killing would be done by professional removal specialists who meet certain training and competency requirements, including an ability to differentiate barred owls from spotted owls, which are known for a distinctive, four-note hoot, hoot-hoot hoooooot territorial defense song.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates a maximum of about 15,600 invasive barred owls per year could be removed over 30 years, which adds up to between 400,000 and 500,000 of the birds if the strategy is maintained over three decades.

At most, the federal agency says the strategy would result in the annual removal of less than one-half of 1% of the current North American barred owl population.

In the near term, plans call for a maximum of 2,450 of the owls to be killed in year one of the project, 11,309 in year two, and around 15,600 in year three.

The northern spotted owl was designated as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act nearly 25 years ago.

In the Northwest, it is known for its central role in the timber wars of the 1980s and 1990s, which pitted environmentalists concerned about saving old-growth trees against loggers.

This conflict eventually led to the 1994 Northwest Forest Plan, which put new protections in place for forests where the spotted owl lives.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says that the rate of spotted owl population declines showed signs of improvement until about 2008 but accelerated soon after and that the downturn coincided with the expansion of barred owls into spotted owls territory.

Nagel, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the agency would work with interested landowners and land managers, including State agencies, to implement barred owl management on their lands.

Each agency will determine how, and if, they will be involved in the Strategy, she added. No one is required to implement the Strategy. Implementation is fully voluntary.

UPDATED at 4:33 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024 with additional comment from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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Washington State Standard, like Oregon Capital Chronicle, is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Washington State Standard maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Bill Lucia for questions: info@washingtonstatestandard.com. Follow Washington State Standard on Facebook and X.
The light aircraft came to rest on a busy Gloucestershire road - Mila Vukelia/SWNS

A pilot and passenger narrowly escaped disaster after a light aircraft crashed into a busy road next to an airfield in Gloucestershire.

The plane landed on the A419 at around 4.45pm on Tuesday. It happened close to Aston Down Airfield, in Frampton Mansell, between Cirencester and Stroud.

Pictures show the shocked pilot and passenger sitting in the cockpit after the plane crash-landed. One of the planes wings is missing, and debris can be seen strewn across the road.

Other images show members of the public surrounding the aircraft as they check on those on board.

Drivers get out of their cars to help the pilot and passenger out of the aircraft - Mila Vukelia/SWNS

Two members of the Cotswold Gliding Club were involved in the incident, a spokesman for the club confirmed.

Chris Cooper told The Telegraph that the Air Accidents Investigations Branch, which investigates serious aircraft incidents, was looking into the crash.

He said: Two members of the Cotswold Gliding Club were taken to hospital with minor injuries to be checked on after an incident involving one of the clubs motorised gliders.

The Air Accident Investigation Branch is now involved, so we cant say much more than that. We are trying to get more information on the status of the survivors.

The gliding club is one of the largest in the UK and has around 150 members, according to its website.

Emergency services were called to reports of the downed powered glider, with Great Western Air Ambulance mong the respondents.

Describing the incident, an eyewitness told Gloucestershire Live that it looked as though the aircraft stalled and nose-dived into the main road.

Gloucestershire Constabulary said: Motorists are advised that road closures are in place while emergency services are in attendance. There were two occupants on board [the plane] who will be assessed by the ambulance service, and it is understood that no other vehicles were involved.

Gloucestershire Constabulary and Great Western Air Ambulance were contacted for comment.

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Plies Reaffirms Kamala Harris Support After Back And Forth With Charlamagne Tha God: Vote For An AKA Or The KKK

Plies Reaffirms Kamala Harris Support After Back And Forth With Charlamagne Tha God: Vote For An AKA Or The KKK | Photo: Getty Images

Plies, a longtime supporter of Vice President Kamala Harris, recently shared a video on social media explaining why he believes Harris is a better presidential candidate than former President Donald Trump.

Vibe reported that the Florida rapper shared the clip on X, formerly known as Twitter, listing several comparisons between the two presidential contenders and highlighting his support for Harris.

Its mothaf**kin simple wit me, the Hypnotized rapper began in the two-minute video. Until Kamala Harris go to jail, until Kamala Harris become a convicted felon, until Kamala Harris file mothaf**kin bankruptcy six times, her and her company, until Kamala Harris is impeached twice, until Kamala Harris is indicted four mothaf**kin times, until Kamala Harris is found liable for sexual abuse, until Kamala Harris is found guilty of mothaf**kin fraud and gotta pay $300-and-something-million, until Kamala Harris start a mothaf**kin insurrection, until Kamala Harris try to overthrow a mothaf**kin election, until Kamala Harris is married three mothaf**kin times, until Kamala Harris have five kids with three different mothaf**kin men, until Kamala Harris do any of that, shes a better mothaf**kin candidate to me.

The 48-year-old emphasized that it didnt matter whom Americans voted for, but he would not support a rich white man to be able to do whatever the f**k he wanna do while in office. He also criticized some Black men who have hesitated to support Harris due to her once being a prosecutor.

I dont hate motherf**kin women that much, Plies said. And I damn sure dont hate a Black woman that much.

Plies also urged people to choose between the two presidential nominees, highlighting that Harris represents an HBCU sorority while Trump aligns with a far-right, white supremacist group.

So you can vote for a mothaf**kin AKA or the KKK, you can vote for whatever f**kin K you want to vote for, the musician said.

Additionally, Plies called out critics who demanded that Harris explain herself on various issues, pointing out that Trump has neither explained his policies nor completed his promises during his presidency.

On Monday, Charlamagne Tha God responded to Plies remarks, asserting that Black people are entitled to question the candidates they plan to vote for in the upcoming election.

I dont understand Plies, or any Black person for that matter, telling Black people to just settle. Just accept whatever the candidate is giving you. Dont ask questions; just vote. They dont have to explain anything to us. No, Charlamagne said.

He continued, Plies is absolutely, positively wrong. If people are asking questions, thats great I dont even know why Plies is making this a Black woman vs. Black men thing. This isnt about Black men and Black women. Its about elected officials and potential voters.

"Votes are earned, not given." Charlamagne says Plies is a billion percent wrong and that Kamala Harris has to explain her agenda and why she should be president, just like Donald Trump. (The Breakfast Club/YouTube) pic.twitter.com/rOVSMrtHGZ  The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) August 26, 2024
Poland can only provide additional MiG fighter jets to Ukraine when it receives modern F-35s, Polish Defense Minister says

Ukraine can only expect to receive additional Polish MiG-29 fighter jets once the country receives modern F-35 fighter jets as replacements, Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Aug. 27, in response to President Volodymyr Zelensky's call for Poland to provide additional Soviet-era jets.

During a press conference on Aug. 27, President Zelensky called on Poland to provide MiG-29 jets to supplement Ukraine's air defense systems. Zelensky said he previously discussed the issue with Polish President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Donald Tusk but to no movement on the issue.

"We really need your MiGs, because of their good avionics and because we wouldnt need additional time to train our pilots (to operate the aircraft)," Zelensky said.

In response to Zelensky's plea, Kosiniak-Kamysz said that amid an uptick of Russian provocations in and around the country's airspace, Poland is focused on safeguarding its own borders.

"I know that Ukraine needs a lot of weapons, but our partners from Ukraine must also understand that the Polish state must maintain its (defense) capabilities," Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

Poland has ordered modern F-35 fighter jets from the United States with an expected delivery date sometime in 2026, Polish outlet Wiadomosci reported.

"Only after receiving the new aircraft will it be possible to dispose of the old aircraft, such as MiG-29s, which are still being used, in particular, for the protection of Polish airspace," he continued. "Only then will we make a decision."

Earlier in the day on Aug. 27, Polish Brigadier General Tomasz Drewniak said Russia is likely testing Poland's air defense system after a likely Russian drone flew into Polish airspace on Aug. 26 amid a mass attack on Ukraine.

Zelensky confirmed earlier in the day that Ukraine's Air Force used newly-delivered F-16 jets as part of its defense against Russia's mass missile and drone attack on Aug. 26.

Read also: Ukraine used F-16s to repel Russias mass missile attack, Zelensky confirms





Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
On 26 August, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that Warsaw does not yet have complete confidence that an unknown object violated the country's airspace during Russia's massive attack on Ukraine.

Source: Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The Prime Minister of Poland stated that the incident with a drone that possibly flew over Poland on 26 August is still defined as "probable", since the authorities have "no evidence" that this happened.

Quote: "Almost 400 soldiers 24 hours a day are looking for any sign of a drone or two drones, as some say, but so far there is no 100 percent certainty that they have invaded Polish airspace," Tusk says.

"We don't know to whom they belong. And if there were any at all," he added.

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 Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces, said 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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Polaris Dawn mission: What to know about SpaceX launch and its crew

Four civilians comprising the trailblazing Polaris Dawn crew are soon to embark on a daring cosmic mission that includes the first-ever spacewalk made by anyone other than government astronauts.

The ambitious venture will be under the command of none other than billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, the man behind another historic commercial mission in 2021 that marked the first time an all-civilian crew went to space. Isaacman and his crew arrived in late August at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to finalize preparations for liftoff, which has since been delayed three times as SpaceX looks for a viable launch date.

Latest forecasts continue to show unfavorable weather conditions in the areas along Floridas coast where Dragon would splash down upon returning from space. Once teams identify the next best opportunity for launch and return of the Polaris Dawn mission, well provide an update. pic.twitter.com/f0ZJpcbQf7  SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 30, 2024

When Polaris Dawn does finally get underway, ahead of the crew is a daunting journey to the upper reaches of Earth's orbit where they will spend five pivotal days performing tests that could set the stage for future deep space exploration.

Here's what to know about Polaris Dawn, its potentially historic mission and its intrepid crew.

Boeing Starliner: Astronauts wont return until 2025

What is the Polaris Dawn mission?

Polaris Dawn is far from simply a billionaire-funded joyride to space.

While in orbit, Isaacman and the crew will endeavor to make history while testing space technology on behalf of SpaceX that could prove crucial as NASA and other space agencies set their sights on destinations like Mars.

The four members of the Polaris Dawn crew marvel at the Falcon 9 rocket that will soon take them into orbit aboard a SpaceX Dragon.

The objectives for the crew's five-day stay aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule include:

Reach altitudes higher than any human has traveled since NASAs Apollo lunar program came to an end in the 1970s: The Dragon will tread a path that will take the crew high enough for the vehicle to travel through the treacherous Van Allen radiation belt 870 miles from Earth's surface  or more than three times higher than the International Space Station.

Attempt to become the first-ever private citizens to conduct a spacewalk while 435 miles above Earth: Two crewmembers will open the hatch and exit the spacecraft while wearing Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) suits designed by SpaceX. But because the Dragon does not have an airlock, its entire interior will be exposed to the vacuum of space, meaning all four astronauts will wear the suits to receive oxygen through tethers.

Conduct nearly 40 scientific experiments and test a new laser-based satellite communication system using Starlink  all while using the publicity to raise funds for St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital.

On the sixth day of the mission, the SpaceX vehicle will reenter Earth's atmosphere and splash down at one of seven sites off the Florida coast.

"We hope the results from our mission will accelerate SpaceXs vision to make life multiplanetary," Isaacman said in a statement. "Throughout our mission, we will aim to inspire humankind to look up and imagine what we can achieve here on Earth and in the worlds beyond our own.

How to watch the Polaris Dawn launch

The Falcon 9 rocket with the SpaceX Dragon capsule perched atop it are photographed at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

It could be a matter of days until the four-member crew of Polaris Dawn will finally be able to embark on their Earth orbit mission when they board a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule perched atop a Falcon 9 rocket.

Despite a series of launch scrubs, the Falcon 9 and Dragon remained vertical on the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center as of Thursday, Aug. 29, SpaceX said in its most recent update.

When the launch does finally get underway, SpaceX will stream the takeoff via X, formerly Twitter; the NASA facility also sold tickets to watch the launch in person at the Florida base.

FLORIDA TODAY, part of the USA TODAY Network, will provide live coverage starting about two hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.

Why has Polaris Dawn been delayed?

The Polaris Dawn mission has been scheduled for launch three times since Isaacman and his crew arrived to quarantine in Cape Canaveral, and all three launches were scrubbed.

Most recently, the Falcon 9 rocket was slated for a Aug. 28 liftoff before SpaceX scrubbed the mission at the last minute due to poor weather forecasted for their return to Earth. Because Polaris Dawn is not docking with the International Space Station, a favorable weather forecast is crucial not just for the launch, but also for the crew's water landing five days later off the Florida coast.

The launch had also previously been delayed to provide more time for preflight checks, and also when a helium leak  since fixed  was detected.

Fortunately, the mission was not threatened when the Federal Aviation Administration briefly grounded Falcon 9 rockets last week following a landing mishap.

What are the Van Allen radiation belts?

The Van Allen belts pose one of the largest hazards to future spacefarers venturing deep into the cosmos.

According to NASA, the belts are two areas of trapped cosmic radiation in the magnetosphere surrounding Earth like "an enormous donut." The outer belt is made up of billions of high-energy particles that originate from the sun, whereas the inner belt results from interactions of cosmic rays with Earths atmosphere.

The four Polaris Dawn crew members are seen inside their spacesuits.

The International Space Station's orbit keeps the outpost safely below the radiation belts, but future astronauts will have to fly through them to reach the moon and eventually Mars.

When the Polaris Dawn crew travels through the radiation belts, their SpaceX crafts nose will be oriented to minimize the astronauts exposure to harmful radiation.

"In the future, if we are going to have (SpaceX) Starships regularly going to the moon or Mars, we are going to have to fly through the Van Allen belts regularly," Isaacman told Florida Today in an email.

Why is it called the Polaris Program?

The space program is named after Polaris, a constellation of three stars more commonly known as the North Star  a guiding navigational light throughout human history.

Who is Jared Isaacman, billionaire behind Polaris Dawn?

Billionaire Jared Isaacman self-funded Project Dawn, a mission to orbit Earth. He will serve as mission commander when the four-member crew launches Aug. 26.

Isaacman, a billionaire who helped bankroll the Polaris Dawn mission, won't be watching from the ground when it takes off: The experienced aviator and adventurer from Pennsylvania will be aboard the Dragon capsule and will serve as the mission commander.

Isaacman famously dropped out of high school at 16 years old to start his internet company Shift4 Payments and in recent years has become something of an avid spacefarer.

In 2021, he served as mission commander of Inspiration4, the worlds first all-civilian mission to space that introduced commercial space tourism to the world. The mission, which Isaacman self-funded, saw four civilians head to space for three days in orbit, raising more than $250 million for St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital.

With more than 7,000 flight hours of aviation experience, Isaacman is also an aviation enthusiast who is qualified to fly military fighter jets.

Isaacman said in his email to Florida Today that he didn't expect to go to space again after the Inspiration4 mission.

"I was not planning to go back until after visiting Elon at Starbase in October of 2021," Isaacman said in an email to the outlet. "At that point, we discussed possibilities for test and development missions that would help move the needle on SpaceX's bigger vision to make life multi-planetary."

Meet the rest of the Polaris Dawn crew

Isaacman will lead a crew that includes a pilot and two mission specialists.

Pilot Scott Kidd Poteet , a retired United States Air Force lieutenant colonel who flew with the Thunderbirds. Poteet, a native of New Hampshire, previously served as mission director for Inspiration4.

Mission specialist Sarah Gillis, a Colorado native who is a lead space operations engineer at SpaceX, where she is responsible for overseeing the companys astronaut training program. Gillis trained the Inspiration4 astronauts.

Mission specialist and medical officer Anna Menon, a SpaceX lead space operations engineer who served in mission control during multiple crewed missions. Menon, of Houston, has written a childrens book, "Kisses from Space," which was inspired by her experience preparing for the Polaris Dawn mission and her desire to share her spaceflight experience with her two young children. She plans to read it from space during the mission.

What's next for the Polaris Program?

Polaris Dawn is the first of three human spaceflights under the Polaris Program, all of which are intended to test SpaceX technologies needed to carry humans deep into the cosmos.

The second mission "will continue to expand the boundaries of future human spaceflight missions, in-space communications, and scientific research," according to the program's website. Additional details, including a launch date, have not yet been announced.

When the day comes that the third and final Polaris Program mission launches, it's intended to be the first human spaceflight on the SpaceX Starship rocket. The gargantuan rocket, which has so far only undergone uncrewed tests, will one day ferry NASA astronauts from lunar orbit to the moon's surface as part of the space agency's Artemis program.

Contributing: Brooke Edwards, Florida Today

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Polaris Dawn: What to know about SpaceX mission ahead of launch
Reality Check is a Bee series holding officials and organizations accountable and shining a light on their decisions. Have a tip? Email realitycheck@sacbee.com.

The city of Sacramento might have violated state law when it blocked journalists from entering the entire block where it was clearing a homeless camp Monday.

Unlike other times officers have cleared camps, when officers arrived Monday morning to shut down Camp Resolution in North Sacramento, it directed all media and members of the public to stand behind police tape, 200 feet from the camps entrance.

When a Sacramento Bee reporter and photojournalist walked past the tape, officers within seconds ordered them to walk back behind the tape or risk arrest.

If youre obstructing police then yes you are subject to arrest under 148(a)(1) Penal Code, Sacramento police Officer Nicholas Raleigh said.

Sacramento Police put up crime scene tape on Monday to move journalists farther down Colfax Street toward Arden Way, indicating that the area surrounding Camp Resolution is a crime scene and blocking media access while they cleared the longtime homeless encampment.

That state law Raleigh referenced states, Every person who willfully resists, delays, or obstructs any public officer, peace officer, or an emergency medical technician ... in the discharge or attempt to discharge any duty of his or her office or employment, when no other punishment is prescribed, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by imprisonment in a county jail.

When the journalists said they would not interfere with the operation, the officers again ordered them to walk back behind the tape.

David Loy, attorney for the First Amendment Coalition, said it appears the city may have violated state law by severely restricting media access to the camp.

I have very substantial concerns this violates the First Amendment, Loy said. The press and public have the right to record police from a reasonable distance. They cannot interfere with operations but they have a right to observe. This sounds like an excessive restriction on the right to record and cover police activities ... I dont see how they can close off an entire block.

Police often cordon off crime scenes such as shootings or stabbings to keep members of the media out, which is allowed because they have to protect the integrity of their investigation, Loy said.

Sacramento police do not typically do so for a homeless sweep, however.

Police move crime scene tape to push media down Arden Way or in an alley beyond where trucks came to tow vehicles during a city sweep of the Camp Resolution homeless encampment Monday.

Aaron Field, a First Amendment lawyer who represents The Sacramento Bee, agreed with Loy that it appeared the police had violated state law.

The city cannot prevent journalists from covering its camp-clearing efforts from out of the way, public places for no good reason, Field said. However, that is unfortunately what appears to have happened here.

Jennifer Singer, a city spokeswoman, defended the citys handling of the sweep.

Maintaining that perimeter was a key element to ensure that the camp was secured, to provide for the safety of everyone involved, to prevent any interference with ingress and egress, and to ensure emergency access, Singer said in an email. We understand the complexity of this situation and are always striving to achieve the best possible outcome for everyone involved.

In addition to state law, the action also appears to violate the Sacramento Police Departments media relations policy.

Media representatives may enter a closed disaster scene at their own risk if they do not impede emergency personnel in the performance of their duties, the policy states. When an area is closed, media representatives will be accommodated with whatever limited access to the sites may be afforded without material and undue interference to emergency personnel.

Sacramento Bee photojournalist Renee C. Byer, a Pulitzer Prize winner, has visited the camp of disabled seniors dozens of times since it opened in 2022. She had been there for hours before police arrived and ordered her behind the line.

I identified myself to police, who I was working for and said Ive been working on this story for two years, Byer said. I cant get back those missed vital images of the police storming the gate from the area I should have been allowed access and was told I had to leave earlier that morning ... I was in no way impeding on their work and never have in my 40 years as a trusted renown photojournalist.

Before being told by police to this leave this area by Sacramento police while they cleared Camp Resolution on Monday, Sacramento Bee photojournalist Renee C. Byer made this image of a homeless resident pulling her things under crime scene tape across from the longtime homeless encampment.

The camp residents largely decided to vacate the property peacefully. But it could have been a massive standoff with uses of force and arrests. Thats what happened in 2019 when the Sheriffs Office cleared a lot on Stockton Boulevard, where members of the media were restricted from the area with crime tape.

Later Monday, police detained and cited four people, who werent media, for what police have described as resisting/obstructing/delaying.

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 at 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 was 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 city posted notices at the camp earlier this month stating the residents were in violation of a state law against trespassing.

The lot is now vacant

The city has not yet decided what to do with the now-vacant lot at the corner of Colfax Street and Arden Way, city spokesman Tim Swanson said Monday.

The City Council did not discuss Camp Resolution in open session at its meeting Aug. 20 and it is not on the agenda for Tuesday.

The Bees Renee C. Byer contributed to this report.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  It took almost two years and a new mayors administration to finally get an update on pertinent evidence that sat in storage for decades and allowed the attackers to walk free.

In 2010, WREG Investigators first told you about the evidence connected to 12,000 sexual assaults that police stuffed into storage for decades instead of sending them to a lab to be analyzed for DNA.

Fourteen years later, the city reports those rape kits have all been sent to a lab, but the work isnt over.

Memphis Police told us theyve launched more than 11,000 investigations. Theyve closed just over 10,800 cases, but 557 cases still remain active.

762 rape kits resulted in an indictment against a person or DNA profile, and 2,600 returned insufficient or degraded DNA.

More than 1,500 cases were past the statute of limitations, which means the limited window of time to criminally charge them per state law has passed even if an attackers DNA was identified.

In those 1,500 cases, the attacker will never stand trial in criminal court.

The information took us almost two years to find out. We filed an open records request in September 2022, but every few weeks, wed get an email stating the city needed more time to gather the information.

When Mayor Paul Young was elected, his administration dedicated more staff to help with records requests. In June, his staff finally got the answers to our questions.

For years, WREG Investigators have been committed to pressing for answers as we track the progress of the rape kit backlog.

The questions weve been asking were typically addressed when the council requested monthly updates from police on the backlog. Those updates were promised by city officials as they tried to regain the communitys trust.

In April 2019, the updates suddenly stopped.

After our questions, council members said they would call for quarterly updates. That didnt happen.

The issue entered the spotlight again in September 2022 when Memphis mother Eliza Fletcher was kidnapped and killed on her morning jog.

The man accused of that crime also raped a woman a year before, but due to another backlog at the state crime lab, the rape kit wasnt tested for months.

The day they finally made a DNA match was the day police found Fletchers body.

We realized theres still issues with the processing times. Thats why were turning our attention to it now, Councilman Chase Carlisle stressed to us then.

He and other councilmembers were upset by the news, and once again, vowed to get answers on the old and new backlog. Police gave them a brief update in September 2022 but that was it.

Council chairman J.B. Smiley said recently that doesnt mean its no longer a concern.

We are going to have robust discussion particularly, probably, about the rape kits, but other things coming before the city council, Smiley said.

The state has signed off on more funding and resources to help lower processing times at the state labs. At last check, the turnaround time for rape kits was about three months at the Jackson lab where Memphis and Shelby County send their evidence.

Meanwhile, the Shelby County District Attorneys Office said they continue to persist in testing older kits in hopes of seeing more cold cases prosecuted.

In February, they announced a guilty verdict in a 35-year-old case. They stated a rape kit from a violent assault in 1988 was among the giant backlog. It happened when there was no statute of limitations on aggravated rape cases. The law has since changed.

Prosecutors say the evidence was finally sent to a lab in 2015 and returned a DNA match to a man with prior sex offense convictions in Tennessee and Utah.

Weve also asked the district attorneys office several times for an update on their work pertaining to the backlog like how many cases theyre working, how many convictions there have been, and how many suspects are linked to more than one attack. Once we get those answers, we will let you know.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Man shot to death inside barbershop after argument, police shut down 10th Street

Police shut down a busy northwest Atlanta street for a deadly shooting investigation on Wednesday morning.

Channel 2s Steve Gehlbach was live off 10th Street where the street was blocked off between Howell Mill Road and Brady Ave.

Atlanta Homicide Unit Commander Lt. Andrew Smith said a man was found shot to death at a barbershop.

Smith said there was a large gathering inside the shop when an argument broke out between two men.

One of them shot and killed the other.

Police said the victim knew the suspect, who is on the run.

Police have not released a suspect name or description.

The victims name and age have not been released.

Its kinda scary in a way that it happened so close and that it happened to people that I talk to every day and see every day. Its just really tragic, Tasha Grant said.

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IN OTHER NEWS
Police locate missing child who walked away from charter school in Barnstable

2:00 PM UPDATE: Barnstable police tell Boston 25 News the child has been found safe

--------------------------------

ORIGINAL STORY BELOW:

Police are searching for a child who walked away from a charter school in Barnstable on Wednesday.

The child walked away from the Sturgis Charter School, Massachusetts State Police told Boston 25 News.

Members of the Barnstable Police Department, a Massachusetts State Police Airwing, and State Police K9 units are currently scouring the area for the missing child, MSP said.

Boston 25 has reached out to Barnstable police for more info.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
SCRANTON, Pa. (AP)  A Pennsylvania ammunition plant that makes a key artillery shell in Ukraines fight against Russia has managed to boost production by 50% to meet surging demand, with more capacity set to come on line.

Government officials revealed the increase in production this week as they showcased the historic factorys ongoing, $400 million modernization.

The Scranton Army Ammunition Plant cuts and forges 2,000-pound (907-kilogram) bars of steel into 155 mm howitzer rounds that are then shipped to Iowa to be packed with explosives and fitted with fuses. From there, many of them make their way to the fight in Ukraine, where they are highly sought.

The Scranton plant, along with two other ammunition plants in nearby Wilkes-Barre, recently increased production from 24,000 rounds per month to 36,000 rounds per month. Three new production lines are under development that will allow the Scranton facility to churn out even more of the critical munitions, the factory's top official said.

Right now were concentrating on 155. Thats pretty much all were concentrating on," Richard Hansen, the Army commanders representative at the plant, said Tuesday while giving news outlets a tour of the sprawling factory grounds near downtown Scranton. We're working really hard to ensure that we achieve the goal that the Pentagon has established.

The U.S. has sent more than 3 million 155 mm artillery rounds to Ukraine since Russia invaded the country in 2022, according to government figures. Earlier this month, the White House announced another $125 million in weapons to assist Ukraine in its military operations against Russia, including 155 mm shells.

The Scranton factory began life as a locomotive repair shop at the beginning of the 20th century before the Army bought it and converted it into a production facility for large-caliber artillery for the Korean War. It's been operated by General Dynamics since 2006 under contract with the U.S. government, which owns the plant.

Officials are about halfway through one of the biggest modernization projects in plant history, with about 20 projects underway. Tuesday's tour included a new production line with a sleek new machine that will do the job of three, helping maximize use of space at the 500,000-square-foot (46,452-square-meter) factory.

The plant employs about 300 people, according to a General Dynamics spokesperson. Some of them have been there for decades running the equipment that cuts the steel, heats it to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1,093 degrees Celsius), and forges, machines, washes and paints the finished shells. Each round is manually inspected at each step to ensure it meets specifications.

We want it go where we point it," Hansen said. We want it to go as far as we need it to go to do its job. Lives depend on it  the lives of the gun crew, the lives of innocent civilians depend on this round doing exactly what we want it to do out in the field.
Detectives are on the hunt for three suspects allegedly involved in a Southern California purse-snatching spree.

The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department is warning the public that these suspects are targeting victims who leave their purses unattended in high-end restaurants, hotels and convention centers.

The department urges anyone with information about these cases to contact Detective Lopez with the Malibu/Lost Hills Station at 818-878-1808.

To provide information anonymously, call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org for more options.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
MASCOUTAH, Ill.  Police are looking for the driver in a fatal 2023 Christmas Eve collision. Cale H. Dees Jr. now faces multiple charges and is now considered a fugitive.

The incident occurred on Illinois State Route 4 at Fuesser Road around 3:50 p.m. Dees, driving a GMC Terrain, allegedly swerved into oncoming traffic to avoid a turning vehicle, colliding head-on with a Honda CRV. The crash resulted in one death and multiple injuries.

Chesterfield Mall is in its final days. Whats next?

Pamela Meekins, an occupant of the CRV, died from her injuries after being airlifted to Barnes Jewish Hospital. Two other occupants, Janice and Carole Meekins, suffered serious injuries.

Following an investigation by the Mascoutah Police Department and Illinois State Police, the St. Clair County States Attorneys Office has charged Dees with several felonies, including aggravated driving under the influence resulting in death, reckless homicide, and multiple counts of aggravated reckless driving.

Dees has not been apprehended and is considered a fugitive. The Mascoutah Police Department asking for the publics help to find him.

Anyone with information about Deess whereabouts is urged to contact the Mascoutah Police Department.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
KILLEEN, Texas (FOX 44)  Detectives with the Killeen Police Departments Robbery/Homicide Unit would like to speak with a person seen burglarizing multiple vehicles in the area of a Murder on August 25.

Officers took multiple Burglary of Motor Vehicle reports in the areas of Old FM-440 and Andover Drive. Officers obtained videos of a man burglarizing vehicles in the area of the murder while holding a handgun.

(Courtesy: Killeen Police Department)

(Courtesy: Killeen Police Department)

(Courtesy: Killeen Police Department)

(Courtesy: Killeen Police Department)

(Courtesy: Killeen Police Department)

The man appears to have black hair, shaved on the sides by the ears down the shoulders in the back. He was seen wearing a gray color shirt with a white pattern, possibly a bird, on the front. The man was wearing a black pants and white shoes, and appears to have tattoos on both arms.

Killeen Police Officers subsequently responded to the 2300 block of Andover Drive around 4:33 a.m. Sunday in reference to a call of shots fired. While en route, dispatchers informed officers of an accident which occurred in the 1000 block of Westover Drive. When officers arrived, they found an unconscious woman inside a crashed vehicle suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The female succumbed to her injuries on scene.

SEE ALSO: Woman killed in Killeen identified

Detectives with the Killeen PD Robbery/Homicide Unit are asking anyone who may have information on the man, or if they have videos or security footage of these areas, to contact the Criminal Investigation Division at 254-501-8830.

Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 254-526-TIPS (8477) or online at www.bellcountycrimestoppers.com.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.
The Los Angeles Police Department is looking for the driver of a car that struck and severely injured a pedestrian in May without stopping to help.

The collision at 65th Place and Western Avenue in the Harvard Park neighborhood of South Los Angeles occurred at about 8:30 p.m. on May 15, police said in a news release.

The victim, a 41-year-old man, was crossing Western when he was hit by a black sedan headed north.

Surveillance footage shared by police shows that the sedan never appears to slow down or attempt to aid the pedestrian, who was crossing against moving traffic and had stopped in the northbound No. 1 lane before he was struck.

The impact of the collision sent the man briefly airborne before he landed laying across the roads center dividing line. Other vehicles either avoided the man or stopped entirely.

He was eventually taken to a local hospital to be treated for severe injuries.

Using a drivers side mirror that was left at the scene, police deduced that the vehicle theyre searching for is likely a 2016-22 model Chevrolet Malibu.

A reward of up to $25,000 is available for information leading to the drivers identification, apprehension, and conviction or resolution through a civil settlement.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Karla Carrillo at 323-421-2500.

During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to the South Traffic Watch Commander at 323-421-2577 or contact 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247).

Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (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.
DENVER (KDVR)  The Lone Tree Police Department is searching for witnesses with video showing a crash on northbound Interstate 25 near Ridgegate Parkway after an electric vehicle crashed and burst into flames, killing one.

The city of Lone Tree said the northbound vehicle struck the median and caught fire, killing the driver. The crash occurred at about 4 p.m. on Monday and closed the interstate in both directions.

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On Tuesday, the Lone Tree Police Department said it was actively seeking witnesses who may have observed the actual accident on the interstate.

South Metro Fire Rescue posted photos of the response to a crash that occurred on I-25 northbound, just south of Ridgegate Parkway, in Lone Tree.

South Metro Fire Rescue posted photos of the response to a crash that occurred on I-25 northbound, just south of Ridgegate Parkway, in Lone Tree.

South Metro Fire Rescue posted photos of the response to a crash that occurred on I-25 northbound, just south of Ridgegate Parkway, in Lone Tree.

South Metro Fire Rescue posted photos of the response to a crash that occurred on I-25 northbound, just south of Ridgegate Parkway, in Lone Tree.

Multiple lanes of I-25 are closed in both directions near Ridgegate Parkway in Lone Tree (Colorado Department of Transportation)

The agency is asking anyone who was driving in the area and had a dash cam or other recording technology in their vehicle to contact Detective Shannon Jones at 720-509-1176 or email shannon.jones@citylonetree.com.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
Police in the western German city of Recklinghausen have shot dead a suspected knife-wielding attacker, police in nearby Dortmund said on Wednesday evening.

Initial findings suggest that a 33-year-old man went on a rampage in an apartment block in the evening, police said.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing him carrying a knife.

When officers arrived at the scene, a threatening situation developed and "as a result, a firearm was used against the 33-year-old," according to the statement.

The man was fatally injured in the shooting, police said.

A spokesman for Dortmund police said that it was not yet possible to say how many police officers were on the scene and who had used the weapon.

The criminal investigation department in Dortmund took over the investigation for reasons of neutrality.

The incident comes just days after three people were killed and eight injured in a stabbing attack in the western city of Solingen.

On Tuesday, a suspected attacker armed with knives was killed by police gunfire in a separate incident in the city of Moers, also in western Germany.
Police: Three-year Lebanon officer killed in off-duty crash on Aviation Way

A Lebanon police officer was killed Tuesday in an off-duty, single vehicle crash, according to the city's police department.

Brendan Myers, a three-year department veteran, died on Aviation Way in Lebanon.

Brendan Myers

The Tennessee Highway Patrol has been asked to investigate the cause of the crash. The exact time of the crash wasn't immediately clear.

"Officer Myers was incredibly passionate about serving this city and its citizens, and his love for this community was evident through his daily actions as a police officer," the Lebanon Police Department posted on social media Tuesday.

This is a developing story.

The Tennessean will provide additional details as they become available.

Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com or 615-726-5939 and on X, formerly known as Twitter @ AndyHumbles.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TBI called in after Middle Tennessee cop dies in off-duty crash
Attorney General Matt Platkin said its critical for law enforcement to ensure that efforts to tamper with our elections are investigated and prosecuted. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor)

A political consultant admitted to filing nominating petitions with more than 1,900 fraudulent signatures in his quest to get a candidate on the gubernatorial ballot in 2021, Attorney General Matt Platkin announced Wednesday.

James Devine pleaded guilty to charges that he submitted fraudulent nominating petitions on behalf of Lisa McCormick, a Democrat and perennial candidate who has previously launched campaigns for U.S. Senate, the House of Representatives, and New Jerseys governorship.

For the public to have faith in our elections, its critical for law enforcement to ensure that efforts to tamper with them are investigated and prosecuted, Platkin said. This defendants plea is a testament to my offices commitment to fair elections and to holding bad actors accountable when they attempt to taint our democratic system.

A judge must still approve Devines plea deal. The charge he pleaded guilty to carries penalties of up to five years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $15,000, though prosecutors recommended Devine, 62, be sentenced to two years of probation.

Authorities accused Devine of filing roughly 1,948 fraudulent signatures to get McCormick onto the ballot as a contender for the 2021 Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

The Democratic State Committee challenged McCormicks nominating petitions, noting voters purported to have signed them said they never did. The signatures included some belonging to dead voters. Others had misspelled names or addresses, and in one instance form fields appeared in place of a voters name.

An administrative law judge ordered McCormick to be removed from the ballot in mid-April 2021.

Authorities said their investigation revealed Devine uploaded false voter information to the petition forms before submitting them to state election officials.

The defendant in this case has now admitted to fraudulently trying to get a candidate on the primary ballot for governor, said Drew Skinner, executive director of Platkins public integrity and accountability office. Anyone who might try to cheat our democratic system should know: We will hold you accountable.

McCormick mounted a write-in campaign for the nomination but failed to gain measurable support.

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(Bloomberg) -- After a period of relative calm during the Olympics, the risks weighing on French stocks are again on the rise.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The CAC 40 Index is trailing the continents major markets, up less than 1% this year even as benchmarks including Italys FTSE MIB, Spains IBEX and Germanys DAX post double-digit returns. Political gridlock is dragging on in Paris, fueling concern that the country will fail to tackle its budget and economic challenges. French bonds and stocks are struggling and the cost of insurance against default is rising.

The risk of a French fiscal crisis in the near-term is real, said Charles-Henry Monchau, chief investment officer at Banque SYZ in Geneva. French assets thus need to be traded cautiously in the coming weeks.

Monchau added that theres an elevated risk of social unrest because of the political fight over the formation of a new government, but the core scenario of a center-right coalition would be rather positive for French bonds and stocks.

President Emmanuel Macron, who shocked markets by ordering a snap election after his party lost European Parliament elections in June, has been meeting with political representatives over the past days to find the next prime minister. But talks  already delayed by the Olympics  are difficult as parties ranging from the far-left to center-right vie for power.

Political discussions drag on and political uncertainty grows, CIC Market Solutions economist Benoit Rodriguez wrote in a note on Tuesday. Given the division of the National Assembly into three blocs, uncertainty over the trajectory of public finances remains.

Rodriguez notes that the government will need to table the 2025 budget bill in parliament by Oct. 1. It will also have to submit a multi-annual fiscal plan to the European Commission on Sept. 20 as part of an excessive deficit procedure initiated against France. Regardless of who will run the next cabinet, the diverse coalition is set to have limited room to reduce the budget deficit.

Besides politics, French earnings have also turned into headwinds. In fact, global demand  which is responsible for the majority of revenues of French firms  has been an even bigger drag than politics, with luxury goods and consumer stocks turning into major underperformers. LVMH and LOreal SA are mostly responsible for the CACs recent weakness, due to their reliance on demand from China. That said, profit trends may be stabilizing as seen in the chart below.

Luxury companies reported flat revenue in the second quarter and their first-half profit margin implies a 12% year-on-year earnings decline, according to Bank of America Corp. analysts, including Ashley Wallace. 2024 consensus estimates have come down 5% since May, and share prices underperformed the market by 9% over the same time period, she wrote in a note.

One silver lining comes from positioning, which has become less negative on France in the past two months, according to the Bank of America fund manager survey, with the proportion of investors looking to underweight the country dropping. Yet, it remains a net underweight for asset managers, the survey shows.

Since the snap election announcement, the valuation premium that French stocks had enjoyed all of last year over other European markets has vanished. While risks for the broader European bloc are now more balanced, France remains a specific case. Domestic stocks  including banks and other stocks sensitive to policy decisions  are also still trailing.

The political risk is still there for French equities but I think the market considers it localized instead of a full-blown political crisis, said Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Kaidi Meng. The one sector still feeling the burn of the French election is the French banks, she said, while, luxury goods and other consumer-related firms are weighed down by demand headwinds.

--With assistance from Allegra Catelli.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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The CSX worker who discovered his friend run over by a pair of remote-control locomotives in a railyard last year sees a simple solution to preventing similar deaths in the future: two-person crews.

But that idea won't be popular with the railroads that have come to rely heavily on having one person control trains moving around a railyard with a remote control as they take apart and reassemble trains. The tactic that was first approved in 2005 started with two people on the job to watch for hazards, but today one-person remote-control operations are common.

Using remote control operators helps limit costs by using less experienced workers to move locomotives that help assemble trains  a task that once required licensed engineers who are among the highest-paid rail workers. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Trainmen and Engineers and other unions have been raising concerns about the practice recently, particularly because remote-control trains are now being used in places outside of railyards to make local trips to pick up and drop off cars.

Railroads are confident the practice is safe based on their experience using it for years. But Federal Railroad Administration spokesman Warren Flatau said the agency is scrutinizing the use of remote control after this death and several other recent incidents. The expanded use of remote-control trains outside of rail yards is also attracting attention.

The National Transportation Safety Board provided an update on its investigation into the death of Fred Anderson on Wednesday when it posted transcripts of its interviews with the workers involved and other information. Anderson was killed on September 17, 2023, when he stepped in front of two locomotives in CSX's railyard in Walbridge, Ohio.

Railroad safety has been in the spotlight ever since last years disastrous Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, forced evacuations and left residents with lingering health fears after a cocktail of toxic chemicals spilled and burned.

At the time Anderson was killed, the remote control operator was riding on a ladder on the back of the second locomotive with no view of the front of the train. That practice is perfectly acceptable under federal and railroad rules because earlier in the shift the remote-control operator had cleared the area around the tracks where he was working.

Anderson and the other carman he was working with, George Oliger, had radioed ahead to get permission to enter the area, but Anderson was still struck by the train. Oliger told investigators afterward that he thinks Anderson's death would have been prevented if the remote-control operator was on the front of the locomotives or if a conductor or engineer were controlling them from the cab. He said a traditional crew would have likely seen Anderson and rang the bell to alert him to the danger.

Story continues

What does it cost for an engineer for the night? $350? If we had two guys on every crew, to spend $350 to save someones life or to make our yard a little bit safer, I think thats what we need to do, you know. Like I said if there had been a two man crew on that crew that night, we wouldnt be talking, Oliger said, according to a transcript of his interview.

It's not clear if anyone would have been able to stop the locomotives in time before they hit Anderson, but if someone operating the train had seen him step onto the tracks, they may have been able to warn him. The locomotives were moving at 10 mph (16 kph) when they struck Anderson, and the remote control operator told investigators that he believes it would have taken the length of an engine to stop them at that speed.

But Randy Fannon, who leads the engineers union's Safety Task Force, said he thinks, This tragic incident in Ohio involving a remotely operated train, blindly controlled from behind, would not have happened if there had been a locomotive engineer in the cab.

Fannon said railyard workers are more alert to the risks presented by remote-control trains, but the union is adamantly opposed to remotely operated trains being used outside fenced-in yard environments where pedestrians or vehicles could come in contact at rail crossings.

CSX and all the unions directly involved aren't allowed to discuss Anderson's death until the NTSB completes its investigation, which the agency has said is focused on CSXs carmen safety procedure training and awareness.

The Federal Railroad Administration and CSX both put out advisories after Anderson's death reminding all rail workers that they need to be careful when crossing tracks and should always be aware that a train can move down a track at any time. CSX had its managers stress to all its maintenance workers that they must look both directions before they ever cross tracks.

The railroad said last year that it wasn't planning any changes to its remote control operations after Anderson's death because it appeared that all federal and CSX rules were being followed at the time.

Safety statistics on railroad crashes are unclear on how safe this practice is because Federal Railroad Administration reports dont break out those involving remote control trains from incidents involving trains operated by engineers and conductors.

The Brotherhood of Railway Carmen union has said that three of its members have died in incidents involving remote-control trains since 2015.
Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are running neck-and-neck in Miami-Dade, according to a new Republican poll that raises serious questions about whether Democrats can hold Floridas largest county in the November presidential election.

The poll, which was commissioned by Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kevin Cabrera, shows Trump and Harris tied with 47% support each. Only 6% of likely voters remain undecided.

The survey of 500 likely general election voters in Miami-Dade County, conducted from Aug. 22-25 by the Miami-based firm Inquire, paints a much different picture of the presidential race than another recent poll released earlier this month by Christian Ulvert, a Democratic strategist and top adviser to Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.

That poll, which included a larger sample of 1,071 likely voters, found Harris leading Trump by roughly 14 percentage points among Miami-Dade voters. Harris double-digit advantage in that survey was touted as a sign of improving fortunes for Democrats in a state that has edged toward Republicans in recent years.

Cabreras poll, however, suggests that Miami-Dade, a county that Democrats long relied on to help deliver statewide wins in Florida, is effectively a toss-up in this years election.

Once a Democratic stronghold, Miami-Dade is no longer a guaranteed win as our community embraces conservative values and rejects the failed Biden-Harris policies ruining our nation, Cabrera, a staunch Trump ally who worked for the former presidents 2020 campaign in Florida, said in a statement to the Miami Herald. The results show that President Trumps message resonates more powerfully than ever, and that he is poised to be elected as our 47th President.

While both Trump and Harris perform similarly among voters from their respective parties in Cabreras poll  90% of Republican voters say they are backing Trump, and 90% of Democrats say they will vote for Harris  Trump has an advantage among unaffiliated voters, 49% of whom say they plan to vote for Trump, compared to 41% who are backing Harris, according to the poll.

The poll shows Harris favorability slightly higher than Trumps. Forty-nine percent of likely voters say they have a favorable view of the vice president, compared to 45% who hold an unfavorable opinion of her. Trumps favorability stands at 48%, while another 46% of voters say they have an unfavorable view of the former president.

A polling memo shared with the Herald argued that the surveys findings are in line with recent trends in Miami-Dade; Democratic presidential candidates have seen their margins of victory in the county shrink in recent elections, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis managed to win the county in his 2022 reelection bid.

A Trump win in Miami-Dade would be huge for the GOP. The last Republican presidential candidate to carry the county was former President George H.W. Bush in 1988.

While there are still more than two months to go with Labor Day in front of us, considering the growth in President Trumps coalition, he has the potential to become the best performing Republican presidential candidate in Miami-Dade County since 1988, the memo from Inquire reads.

The U.S. Senate race

Cabreras poll also found Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott with a slight 1-percentage-point lead over his Democratic opponent, former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. Forty-seven percent of likely voters in Miami-Dade County say they plan to vote for Scott, compared to 46% who are backing Mucarsel-Powell.

Scotts lead, according to the poll, is due in part to his strength among Republican voters, 91% of whom are backing his reelection bid. Mucarsel-Powell, on the other hand, has the support of 86% of Democratic voters in Miami-Dade, the survey found. Scott also performs slightly better among non-affiliated voters, leading Mucarsel-Powell 44% to 41%, though 15% remain undecided in the race.

While polls typically represent a snapshot in time and arent predictive of final election outcomes, Cabreras survey suggests a massive improvement in Scotts standing in Miami-Dade. He lost the county in his first Senate bid in 2018 by more than 21 percentage points, even as he went on to narrowly beat Democratic former U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson statewide.

Methodology

The poll from Cabrera and Inquire surveyed 500 likely general election voters in Miami-Dade County. Thirty-one percent are registered Republicans, 36% are registered Democrats and 33 percent are registered as no party affiliation, or NPA. It has a margin of error of +/-4.5 percentage points.
Pope Francis delivers his the Angelus prayer from the window overlooking St Peter's square in the Vatican. Vatican Media/IPA via ZUMA Press/dpa

Pope Francis has spoken out against the tightening of immigration laws and called for a "global management of migration" based on humanitarian principles.

The pope, in his weekly general audience on Wednesday, also said human smugglers must be stopped.

The head of the Catholic Church has repeatedly expressed his sorrow over the many people forced to flee their homes either due to violence or extremely poor living conditions.

"The Mediterranean has become a cemetery," said the pontiff. Most of these deaths could have been prevented, he said.

But getting migration under control through tougher laws is not the way, Francis said.

"This is not achieved through stricter laws, not through the militarization of borders, not through borders, not with pushbacks."

Instead, he called for "safe and regular pathways" for migration. What is needed is "global management of migration based on justice, fraternity and solidarity."
By Joshua McElwee

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Francis on Wednesday strongly decried the treatment of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to enter Europe, saying it was a "grave sin" not to offer aid to migrant vessels.

"There are those who work systematically and with every means to reject migrants," the pontiff said during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square.

"And this, when done with conscience and responsibility, is a grave sin," he said.

The pope has spoken frequently about the treatment of migrants over his 11-year papacy. But his words on Wednesday, invoking Catholic terminology for one of the worst kinds of sin, were especially strong.

Migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea in simple crafts or home-made dinghies from northern Africa and the Middle East have been the subject of intense debate across Europe over the past decade.

The International Organization for Migration estimates that more than 30,000 migrants crossing the Mediterranean have gone missing since 2014.

In Italy, a rescue ship operated by the Doctors Without Borders charity was issued a 60-day detention order on Monday. Authorities said the vessel, which had conducted several rescue operations on Aug. 23, failed to properly communicate its movements.

Doctors Without Borders refuted those claims. "We have been sanctioned for simply fulfilling our legal duty to save lives," it said in a statement.

Francis on Wednesday called for expanding access routes for migrants and a "global governance of migration based on justice, brotherhood and solidarity." The pope said the issue would not be resolved through the "militarization of borders".

In recent weeks, the pope had been offering a series of reflections about Catholic spiritual matters in his weekly audiences.

At the beginning of Wednesday's remarks, the pope said he was postponing that series this week, to consider "people who are crossing seas and deserts to find a place where they can live in peace and security".

Wednesday's audience was the last before Francis, aged 87, embarks next week for an ambitious four-country visit across Southeast Asia from Sept. 2-13. It is the longest trip yet by the pontiff, who now regularly uses a wheelchair due to knee and back pain.

(Reporting by Joshua McElwee, editing by Alvise Armellini and Sharon Singleton)
Popular Mexican restaurant offers a taste of home in Fresno. Check out this amazing gem

The sweet smell of handmade corn tortillas, fresh vegetables and juicy beef wafted out of the kitchen at Fuego Taqueria y Restaurante in Fresno on an August afternoon, for the customers it felt like home.

Fuego Taqueria, which opened seven months ago at 4631 North Fresno St., specializes in authentic Mexican cuisine such as tacos, quesadillas, mulitas and enchiladas.

The restaurant prides itself in giving its customers the family treatment.

We want everyone to feel like family and eat some delicious food, said Javier Ramirez, co-owner and manager of the taqueria. They are our clients. We dont turn them away.

Fuego Taqueria y Restaurante in Fresno opened in January 2024.

How did Fresno Mexican restaurant start?

Ramirez launched Fuego Taqueria y Restaurante on Jan. 17 with his sons, Aldo and Anton. The restaurant occupies 2,800 square feet of space and has five employees.

Javier Ramirez owns another business on Fresno Street, Princess Dreams Bridal Quinceanera & Wedding Dresses., with his wife, Lorena.

We had been wanting to open a restaurant for quite some time, said Aldo Ramirez, co-owner and front-of-house manager at Fuego Taqueria y Restaurante.

The Ramirezes said they were looking to open a restaurant that felt like a home to the Latino community. In addition, they wanted each customer to have a unique and personal experience while eating the food.

Fuego Taqueria y Restaurante cook Armando Juarez sears pastor meat on the griddle while restaurant co-owners Aldo Ramirez and his brother Anton Ramirez work on orders on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024.

We wanted to create a restaurant that was unique but also authentic and more traditionally Mexican that served fresh food, said Anton Ramirez, co-owner and kitchen manager at Fuego Taqueria y Restaurante.

Ramirez said his love for travel and passion for food inspired him to create the menu, which features dishes from various regions of Mexico.

His favorite dish from the restaurant is taco belicon, featuring a corn tortilla topped with juicy ribeye, avocado and chiltepin, a chile pepper native to the Mexican states of Sonora and Durango that packs quite a punch.

His brother Aldo Ramirez, said his favorite dish at Fuego Taqueria is taco perron.

The taco, which is native to Tijuana in Mexico, features a flour tortilla topped with arrachera  flavorful, tender skirt steak  as well as beans, cheese and guacamole.

Nopal montado is a dish made with grilled cactus and skirt steak and topped with cheese, tomatoes, onions and peppers at Fuego Taqueria y Restaurante in Fresno. The specialty plate is served with homemade tortillas, rice and beans.

What is on the menu at Fuego Taqueria y Restaurante?

According to Anton Ramirez, all ingredients used in Fuego Taquerias food are fresh and prepared in-house. Nothing is pre-made, he said.

In addition to tacos, burritos, tortas and quesadillas, the menu includes papa locas  loaded baked potatoes  as well as mulitas and vampiros. A mulita features two corn tortillas stuffed with melted cheese, while a vampiro is a grilled tortilla topped with cheese and other ingredients.

Customers can also order a Fuego bowl, which features rice, beans, salsa, meat and grilled veggies.

Other menu options on the menu include quesabirria, a favorite of Lorena Ramirez.

Popular in the Mexican state of Jalisco, the dish features a red corn tortilla with cheese and birria. Normally goat meat, but at the taqueria the quesabirria is prepared with beef meat.

The taqueria also serves dishes such as el nopal montado, featuring prickly pear cactus roasted on the grill and served with cheese pico de gallo and arrachera. Thats Javier Ramirezs favorite plate.

Side dishes range from guacomole and chips to french fries.

Drinks include Boing juices and agua fresca in flavors including jamaica, horchata, cucumber and lemon.

The taqueria adds new food items to its menu approximately every three months.

It currently offers about 50 options including family meals and a kids menu.

Yamii Mondragon presses homemade corn tortillas for the griddle while Armando Juarez grills up an entree at Fuego Taqueria y Restaurante in Fresno on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024.

How much does food cost?

Prices for the main menu depend on the kind of protein featured in each dish.

Regular menu items, featuring protein options such as carne asada and grilled chicken, range in cost from about $3.50 to $13.50.

Premium protein options include carnitas and shrimp, and bring the price to about $5 to $17.90 per menu item.

If you want to upgrade to ribeye, considered a prime protein option, the cost goes up to about $9 to $29 per dish.

Aldo Ramirez, left; his brother Anton Ramirez, right, and their father, Javier Ramirez, sit with plates of food including nopal montado, taco perron, taco el jefe and a wet burrito with al pastor at Fuego Taqueria y Restaurante in Fresno. All three own the restaurant.

What do customers say about Fresno business?

Customers have been raving about Fuego Taqueria & Restaurante since it opened, the Ramirez family said.

People from all over the nation have stopped by, Javier Ramirez said. We have had people from Kansas, Sacramento and even New York. People find us on Yelp and they want to try out our food.

Yelp user Long L. of Fresno praised the business as an amazing gem in Fresno.

The owner and his son are the nicest people and shows they love what they do and strive making their customers smile, Long L. wrote on the popular review site. Thats unlike many places that just throw salt on to cover up the lack of quality and culinary details.

The service was great. The workers were so attentive, reviewer Axel O. of Fresno wrote on Yelp, describing the staff as very friendly. The asada was seasoned and cooked well. The handmade corn tortillas were great ....

Customers Reynaldo Perez and Isabel Valencia, who were dining at the restaurant also had high praise.

They have really good service and great food, said Isabel Valencia

The handmade corn tortillas  commonly available in Mexico but harder to find in the United States  have also been a big hit with customers, the Ramirez family said.

Will taco restaurant open another location?

Fuego Taqueria y Restaurante has plans on expanding to more places in Fresno and across the nation.

Lots of people visit us from Clovis, Madera and Kings Canyon, Javier Ramirez said.

We definitely want to open another restaurant, his son, Aldo Ramirez said, but we feel we are not quite ready. We really want to get everything perfect before we decide to open up another place.

The business doesnt currently have a website and relies on Instagram and Tik Tok to share posts about its most popular dishes and upcoming events

In September, we want to do something to celebrate Mexican independence, Ramirez said.

The taqueria is also launching a catering service on Saturday. Its first job will be serving tacos at a quinceanera.

We feel it is a way to give back to the community Javier Ramirez said.

Eventually, Anton Ramirez, said, the restaurant plans to open up another location in California or Florida

The business is also exploring with different food fusions such as Venezuelan and Colombian cuisine, and even bringing in meat from Argentina such as churrasco.

What are open hours?

Fuego Taqueria & Restaurante is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday
Unless you're living under a rockor just don't watch TVyou're probably familiar with the mugshot and fingerprint steps of booking. Fewer are aware of the latest addition: the mouth swab.

On Friday, Herbert Stanback pleaded guilty to the hit-and-run that killed Ruth Buchanan 32 years ago. Investigators with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department identified Stanback by running DNA collected from a joint found in the hit-and-run vehicle through the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). The FBI describes CODIS as a tool that enables "federal, state, and local forensic laboratories to exchange and compare DNA profiles electronically, thereby linking serial violent crimes to each other and to known offenders."

The term "known offenders" might be a bit misleading. The DNA Fingerprint Act of 2005 requires all adults arrestednot convictedof a federal crime to provide a DNA sample. Stanback's genetic profile was available for comparison because he was previously incarcerated for larceny as a habitual felon in 2004, which placed his DNA in the National DNA Index System (NDIS), the national component of CODIS.

Requiring convicted felons to forfeit their identifying genetic information is hard to object toconvicted felons already lose certain privacy and liberties. But those merely suspected of a crime are presumed innocent until proven otherwise. Entering their DNA into a federal database for comparison with crime scene samples challenges this presumption of innocence.

The Supreme Court disagrees. In 2013, the Court ruled in Maryland v. King that taking DNA upon arrest does not violate the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. Since then, warrantless DNA collection and comparison has been widely practiced, much to the chagrin of civil liberties groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union.

According to data from the National Conference of State Legislatures, 20 states do not collect DNA upon any arrest. Of the remaining 30 states that do, most limit this collection to felony arrests, while eight also include specific misdemeanors. Even among felony arrests, the relevance of collecting DNA can vary widely: using DNA from a marijuana trafficking arrest to compare against samples from the crime scene of a serial murder is unjustifiable.

In contrast to fingerprints and mugshots, "genetic information is typically regarded as particularly sensitive data since it's impossible to change," says Jennifer Huddleston, senior fellow in technology policy at the Cato Institute. Given the sensitivity and immutability of DNA, Huddleston notes that "it's important to ask: Are there appropriate cybersecurity precautions in place to protect this information from hackers or other bad actors?"

The DNA Justice Project downplays these privacy concerns, stating that CODIS profiles only contain "20 base pairs or markers out of over 3 billion on the human genome," which "provide no value for disease association, genetic predisposition or physical characteristics." Moreover, CODIS only stores DNA profiles; it does not store "names or other personal identifiers of the offenders, arrestees, or detainees." Therefore, the potential for medical and demographic discriminationeven if all the data were leakedis minimal.

Patrick Eddington, senior fellow in homeland security and civil liberties at the Cato Institute, disagrees with the DNA Justice Project's assessment. Eddington says "governments should not be allowed to collect and permanently store sensitive and unique biological or biometric data on citizens not guilty of a crime. To allow it is to open the door not just to potential government misuse of the data, but to create a digital 'honeypot' for hackers to target and then engage in identity theft."

Resolving cold cases is laudable; collecting, comparing, and retaining DNA from mere suspects is questionable at best and unconstitutional at worst.

The post How Post-Arrest DNA Swabs Threaten Innocent People's Privacy appeared first on Reason.com.
PPL awards $1 million to dozens of nonprofits across Pennsylvania

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (WHTM)  The PPL Foundation announced that it has awarded $1 million in grant funding to more than 50 nonprofit organizations across central and eastern Pennsylvania.

According to the PPL Foundation, the $1 million in grant funding was awarded to 53 nonprofit organizations working to build stronger communities in eastern and central Pennsylvania.

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Specifically, the foundations latest investments through the Empowering Communities Grants are designed to support programs that focus on environmental stewardship and education as well as economic and workforce development initiatives.

Whether its supporting the development of small businesses, preserving and protecting our local environment or helping residents explore viable career opportunities, there are many nonprofit organizations working to better the lives of people who call our region home, Lissette Santana, president of the PPL Foundation said. The PPL Foundation is proud to support the efforts of the organizations that help make our communities safe, strong and sustainable.

The Empowering Communities Grants were awarded to the following organizations:

American Red Cross, Harrisburg

Brodhead Watershed Association, Henryville

Bucks County Housing Group, Warminster

Center for Employment Opportunities, Harrisburg

Chester County Futures, Coatesville

Clinton County Economic Partnership Foundation, Lock Haven

Danville Area Community Center, Danville

Da Vinci Science Center, Allentown

Eastern Pennsylvania Alliance for Clean Transportation, Auburn

Focus Central Pennsylvania, Danville

Friends of Camp Louise Shickshinny, Shavertown

Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania, Camp Hill

Greater Hazleton Area Civic Partnership, Hazleton

Greater Lycoming Habitat for Humanity, Williamsport

Greater Philadelphia YMCA, Conshohocken

Greater Wilkes-Barre Growth Partnership, Wilkes-Barre

Hazleton Integration Project, Hazleton

Lacawac Sanctuary Foundation, Lake Ariel

Lancaster Area Habitat for Humanity, Lancaster

Lancaster City Alliance, Lancaster

LEAF Project, Landisburg

Lehigh Carbon Community College Foundation, Schnecksville

Lehigh Valley Zoo, Schnecksville

Lets Go 1-2-3, Philadelphia

Midwest Food Bank, Middletown

Natural Lands Trust, Media

New Hope Ministries, Dillsburg

North Branch Land Trust, Dallas

Partnership for Career Development, Enola

Penns Northeast, Pittston

Pennsylvania Friends of Agriculture Foundation, Camp Hill

Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation, Harrisburg

Pennypack Farm Education Center for Sustainable Food Systems, Horsham

Regional Engagement Center, Selinsgrove

Rising Tide Community Loan Fund, Bethlehem

Riverfront Parks Committee, Wilkes-Barre

Schuylkill Chamber Foundation, Pottsville

Sparks Foundation, Wyomissing

Susquehanna Health Foundation, Williamsport

The Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation, Harrisburg

The Edible Classroom, Washington Borough

The Greenhouse Project, Scranton

The Institute, Wilkes-Barre

The Susquehanna Greenway Partnership, Lewisburg

Trust for Public Land, Scranton

Upper Delaware Preservation Coalition, Lackawaxen

Wildlands Conservancy, Allentown

Wildheart, Harrisburg

Wildlife Leadership Academy, Lock Haven

Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance, Honesdale

Young Womens Christian Association of Allentown

Moving forward, the PPL Foundations next round of grants, named Energizing Education, will support equitable and engaging high-quality educational opportunities for students.

Applications for Energizing Education grants are being accepted from August 1 to September 15. For more information on this next round of grants, you can click here.

According to the PPL Foundation, they expect to award nearly $2 million in grants this year to support the foundations main focus areas, which include: education; diversity, equity and inclusion; and sustainable communities.

abc27 news will keep you updated a smore information becomes available.

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WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)  A Wichita Falls man is behind bars after he allegedly assaulted his pregnant wife.

According to police, just before 6 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2024, Wichita Falls police responded to a disturbance at an apartment on Johnson Road.

LOCAL NEWS: One jailed in connection to shooting in Cinemark parking lot

The suspect, 36-year-old Faustino Ayala, was detained and placed in handcuffs. They found the 28-year-old victim inside the apartment and could tell immediately she was pregnant and in a lot of pain.

They also noted she had scratches on her face, her left eye appeared to be turning black, and her hair had been pulled from her scalp. She was taken to the hospital by AMR ambulance, where she told police her husband entered the apartment, was very angry and accused her of cheating on him.

A witness said she was inside the apartment when Ayala yelled at and assaulted the victim. She said he hit the victim in the face, threw her to the ground and pulled her by her hair.

A search of Ayalas pockets found a small baggy containing marijuana. He is charged with assault/family violence on a pregnant victim and possession of marijuana.

His bonds totaled $25,500.

This is a developing story. Stick with Texomas Homepage for updates as more information becomes available. All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com.
Prepare for these Wisconsin road closures and delays during Labor Day weekend

Drivers can expect slower traffic during the upcoming Labor Day weekend in major travel corridors and construction zones, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

WisDOT is temporarily pausing most construction projects this weekend, but there are still major road construction projects affecting drivers across the state.

For the most current information on travel conditions, you can visit 511wi.gov or download the free 511 Wisconsin app. Here's a look at the road construction projects that could impact your travel this weekend.

When is Labor Day 2024?

Labor Day falls on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024.

When are busiest travel times during Labor Day weekend 2024?

Peak travel times are expected between the following times, according to AAA:

Thursday (Aug. 29): 1 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Friday (Aug. 30): 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Monday (Sept. 2): 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

What construction projects impact Labor Day 2024 travel in Wisconsin?

According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, here's a list of construction projects impacting Labor Day travel in southeastern Wisconsin. Click here for a full list of construction projects across Wisconsin.

Milwaukee and Ozaukee counties: Drivers should expect intermittent ramp and street closures in certain segments along I-43 between Glendale and Grafton.

Milwaukee County: Expect various ramp closures and single lane closures along I-43 between Capitol Drive and the Marquette Interchange.

Milwaukee County : Drivers will have at least two lanes of travel open in each direction on I-894 between the Mitchell Interchange and 84th Street. The on and off-ramps at WIS 36 (Loomis Road) are closed.

Milwaukee County : WIS 32 (North Lake Drive), between Newberry Boulevard and Edgewood Avenue is closed for reconstruction.

Racine County: Drivers can expect the intersection of WIS 11 and County J near the city of Burlington to be closed for roundabout construction. Detours follow WIS 11/36/83, WIS 142 and WIS 75.

Racine County: Expect the intersection of WIS 75 and County A , northeast of Burlington, to be closed for roundabout construction. Detours are via WIS 20, US 45 and WIS 11.

Walworth and Racine counties: Expect WIS 20 , between East Troy and Waterford, to be closed to through traffic for a bridge replacement and resurfacing project. Detours are via WIS 83, I-43 and WIS 120.

Walworth County: US 12 , between WIS 20 and the WIS 67/US 12 split, north of the city of Elkhorn, is closed to through traffic for a resurfacing and bridge replacement project. Detours are via WIS 20, I-43 and WIS 67.

Walworth County: Drivers can expect WIS 36 , between the city of Burlington and the city of Lake Geneva, to be closed to through traffic for bridge replacement project. Detours follow WIS 11, WIS 83, WIS 50, US 12 and WIS 120.

Washington County: Expect US 45 (Fond du Lac Avenue) to be closed to through traffic between westbound County H and westbound WIS 28 in the village of Kewaskum. Detours are via WIS 67 and I-43.

Which Wisconsin cities have the lowest gas prices?

Gas prices are down after oil prices dipped globally in the last month, according to USA TODAY. According to AAA: here are prices for regular, unleaded gas in Wisconsin cities as of Aug. 28:

Appleton: $3.18, down from $3.21 a week ago

Eau Claire: $3.18, up from $3.13 a week ago

Fond du Lac: $3.16, down from $3.24 a week ago

Green Bay: $3.20, down from $3.25 a week ago

Kenosha County: $3.31, down from $3.40 a week ago

La Crosse: $3.15, down from $3.18 a week ago

Madison: $3.32, down from $3.39 a week ago

Milwaukee-Waukesha: $3.22, down from $3.35 a week ago

Oshkosh: $3.25, down from $3.31 a week ago

Racine: $3.23, down from $3.45 a week ago

Wausau: $3.22, down from $3.25 a week ago

Sheboygan: $3.25, down from $3.28 a week ago

RELATED: Things to do in Milwaukee during Labor Day weekend

RELATED: Wisconsin gas prices are the lowest they've been all summer

Maia Pandey contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Labor Day 2024: Construction, traffic delays in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Hayley Jones is charged with wilful misconduct in a public office - Yui Mok

A prison worker has been accused of having an inappropriate relationship with the killer of Zara Aleena.

Hayley Jones, 33, is said to have had a month-long relationship with Jordan McSweeney, 31, while working as a prison workshop instructor at HMP Belmarsh in London.

McSweeney was jailed for a minimum of 38 years for the murder of Ms Aleena, which was reduced to 33 years on appeal.

He had followed five other women around the streets of Ilford, east London, before becoming fixated on Ms Aleena, an aspiring lawyer, and stamping her to death on a driveway.

McSweeney admitted murder and sexual assault.

Jordan McSweeney is currently serving a 33-year prison sentence for the murder of Zara Aleena - pixel8000

Ms Jones, of Strood, Kent, is charged with wilful misconduct in public office.

She appeared at Wimbledon magistrates court on Wednesday wearing a grey cardigan with her hair in a ponytail.

Ms Jones sat expressionless in the dock and spoke to confirm her name and date of birth.

McSweeney has now been moved to HMP Long Lartin, another Category A prison, in Worcestershire.

He is charged with assisting in the commission of Ms Joness offence by engaging in a relationship with her.

Zara Aleena was killed in June 2022 - Metropolitan Police/PA

McSweeney appeared in court via video link from HMP Long Larkin wearing a grey prison-issue tracksuit.

District Judge Andrew Sweet granted Ms Jones conditional bail ahead of a hearing at Woolwich Crown Court on Sept 25.

Ms Jones was arrested and suspended in April last year.

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The elderly male giant panda named Dai Li died on Aug. 12 at the age of 24, the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas in southwest China's Sichuan province announced on Monday.

Clinical symptoms and anatomical analysis suggest that the panda's death was due to old age accompanied by heart disease and multiple organ failure, according to a notice posted on the center's official WeChat account.

Dai Li was rescued from the wild in Baoxing county, Sichuan province, in 2001. It is estimated that he was born in 1999.

His left hind leg was severely injured and infected when he was rescued. Doctors amputated the leg to save his life. After recovering, Dai Li lived at the center's Ya'an base for a while and was later transferred to the Dujiangyan base.

Dai Li's physical condition gradually deteriorated as he entered his senior years. Starting from July 13, he showed a decreased appetite and almost stopped eating, the center said.

According to the notice, the veterinarians conducted a comprehensive diagnosis and treatment for him, while the keepers provided him with nutritional supplements by preparing liquid feed.

The veterinarians said Dai Li was a caring panda who showed great concern for his fellow pandas. Whenever there was any movement or noise from the young pandas in the adjacent enclosure, he would approach to take a closer look.
Freight railroad BNSF is generally striving to improve safety on a consistent basis, but that message doesn't always reach front-line workers who often don't feel comfortable reporting safety concerns for fear of being disciplined, according to an assessment released Wednesday by regulators.

The Federal Railroad Administration's review of BNSF's safety culture also found that the company continues to be held back by some of the same issues that have been common across the industry for years.

This new report is the second one the agency has completed to address railroad safety concerns following the disastrous February 2023 Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, as it works to review all the major railroads.

The BNSF review is more positive than last summer's Norfolk Southern report, which said executives at that railroad were too often satisfied with only doing the minimum for safety.

The FRA found that company leaders consistently stressed safety as a core value, but at the lower levels of the railroad, some managers still prioritize keeping the trains moving ahead of safety.

Changes in messaging create doubt among front-line craft employees as to the true goals, priorities and commitments of the railroad, the agency said in the report.

Regulators also reiterated their recommendation for BNSF and all the major freight railroads to sign on to the confidential federal safety reporting hotline for workers to report concerns without fear of being punished.

BNSF earned praise for launching a pilot program with that hotline for its dispatchers earlier this year, but the FRA said it needs to be available to all rail workers. The industry has a long history of retaliating against workers who report too many safety concerns, because those issues slow down the trains while repairs are made.

All the major railroads promised to join that federal reporting system after East Palestine, but so far only BNSF and Norfolk Southern have announced limited pilot programs.

Effective reporting systems improve safety by reducing risks and allow for changes and repairs to be made so safety incidents do not recur, according to the report.

BNSF said it would review the FRA report and look for ways to continue improving safety, but said it is proud of its record after recording the lowest number of injuries in the railroad's history last year and continuing to reduce train accidents this year.

We will continue to make strides in our safety achievements and are committed to continuous improvement as we work to achieve our safety vision of operating a railroad free of accidents and injuries, the railroad said in a statement.

BNSF is one of the nation's largest railroads, with tracks crossing the Western United States. It is based in Fort Worth, Texas, and is owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate of Omaha, Nebraska.
A group supporting electric vehicles (EVs) announced Wednesday it is buying six figures worth of advertisements in Michigan.

Joe Sacks, executive director of the American EV Jobs Alliance, the group behind the ads, declined to provide a more specific number beyond six figures.

Asked who was funding the group, Sacks said backers include companies and individuals who support electric vehicles and dont want to see them further politicized.

This includes EV-only companies and companies that sell a mix of electric and gas-powered cars, Sacks said, though he declined to name specific backers.

The ad highlights jobs created by making EVs and asks whether viewers want those jobs in China instead?

Without naming names it says, When politicians bash EVs, America loses.

While the advertisement is not explicitly anti-Trump, the former president has repeatedly criticized electric vehicles on the campaign trail  though he softened his tone recently after an endorsement from Teslas Elon Musk.

And while the United Auto Workers union has endorsed Harris, it has also raised concerns about whether the transition to electric vehicles was being done in a way that supports workers.

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Pro-Palestine protests at LSU not likely to go away anytime soon

Pro-Palestinian students are met with counter-protesters while marching for divestment at LSU (Matthew Perschall / LSU Reveille)

The first week of class at LSU was marked by the first pro-Palestine protest of the semester, with three students being led by police out of a Faculty Senate meeting they interrupted Tuesday.

The students, who represented Students for a Democratic Society, were protesting the senates denial of their request to comment on a resolution calling for LSU to remain neutral on social and political issues. Because the resolution was not on the agenda, the students did not have a right under Louisianas open meetings law to comment.

Neutrality will never slide, humanity or genocide, the three students chanted as university police ushered them out of the room.

Gabriela Juarez, secretary for the student organization, said Tuesdays protest was just the beginning of their plans for the semester. The students were threatened with arrest if they attempted to re-enter the senate meeting, she added

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Since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, student protests have sprung up at universities and colleges across the United States. Israels response has led to the deaths of thousands of Palestinian civilians. Pro-Palestinian groups consider Israels response out of proportion, while pro-Zionist Jewish students have largely supported Israels actions.

Students for a Democratic Society at LSU is one of many organizations spearheading these student protests. Their march for divestment in May drew roughly 100 protesters and a similar number of counter-protesters.

Juarez said her organization is calling on LSU to divest and to back out of an U.S.-Israeli collaboration called the GoMed consortium, as well as the Future Use of Energy in Louisiana (FUEL) project. As part of the partnership, LSU will work with companies in the oil and gas industry, which Juarez said are included in boycotts against companies that invest in Israel.

The school is actively engaging in behavior which bolsters the Israeli economy and strengthens their efforts to eradicate the Palestinian people, Juarez said.

Her organization took issue with the resolution because they view it as a way to silence these student protests.

While protests at LSU have so far remained peaceful, violence has occurred on some campuses. Civil disobedience has also led to the arrests of over 3,000 students across the nation during the spring.

While Juarez confirmed LSU students dont have any immediate plans for more protests, she said they are likely to happen. Similar protests are expected at other universities in Louisiana throughout the semester.

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New emails obtained by Rolling Stone and American Doom reveal how conservative Georgia election officials laid the groundwork for new controversial state election rules designed to give more power to those officials to arbitrarily refuse to certify election results.

Months before the Georgia State Election Board passed the rules, emails show a Donald Trump-supporter on the board solicited a wish list from conservative county election officials of the materials they would need.

Thank you all for agreeing to provide input on this proposed Rule for Certification Documents needed for Superintendents prior to certification, Dr. Janice Johnston, the Georgia State Election Board member, wrote on May 12. What documents and reports do you need to certify the election results?

The documents, obtained through a public records request, show specific election materials that Gwinnett County election board member David Hancock claimed he needed in order to certify results of the May 2024 primary. The materials he mentioned are reflected in the two controversial rules recently passed by Johnston and two pro-Trump colleagues on the State Election Board that give broad power to officials like Hancock to refuse to certify election results.

One hundred years of Georgia case law has made clear that the duty of county election officials to certify results is a ministerial task, not a discretionary one, election experts and Democrats say. Still, election deniers like Hancock who serve in appointed roles as county election officials have demanded more power to refuse certification  power that has been granted in recent weeks by Johnston and two pro-Trump Republicans on the State Election Board.

Refusing to certify results could prevent state officials from counting results in those counties in a timely manner  and potentially delay the results of the presidential election this November, Democrats and election experts warn. Certification refusals also lend credibility to false claims of widespread voter fraud that could aid the Trump campaign in their efforts to challenge the results of the 2024 election.

With Democrats raising the alarm about certification refusals, Trump brought the issue further into focus when he praised Johnston and two other Republican members of the State Election Board at an Aug. 3 rally in Atlanta, calling them pit bulls fighting for honesty, transparency, and victory.

Hancock, an election denier who has repeatedly posted false information about election fraud and commented on the issue of certification, was appointed to his post by Gwinnett County Republicans in January. Officials like Hancock and others argue that intricate, detailed materials from voting machines and polling locations can help show proof of voter fraud.

Despite acknowledging he only found a handful of errors in the results of the May 2024 primary, Hancock shared his enthusiasm for the new rules, one of which allows county election officials to deny certification of results if they decide a reasonable inquiry is necessary to investigate irregularities or fraud.

I am looking forward to moving this process along at the state level! Hancock told Johnston in the May 26 email.

The emails show Johnston corresponding with Michael Heekin and Julie Adams, GOP members of the Fulton County election board who have refused to certify results this year; Debbie Fisher, a Republican election board member in Cobb County who has also refused to certify results; and Bridget Thorne, an election denier who sits on the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.

Johnston, Thorne, Heekin, and Adams did not respond to questions for this story. Fisher declined to comment.

The emails obtained Monday shed even more light on the deep coordination between Johnston and election deniers who serve as county election officials, as well as Hancocks discussions with prominent Georgia election deniers Garland Favorito, David Cross, and Elizabeth Delmas, who is tied to the Constitution Party of Georgia. The emails also show Hancock discussing voter purges with his fellow Republican on the Gwinnett County election board, Alice OLenick, who has refused to certify results herself.

This confirms what weve suspected  Trump and his election denier allies are engaged in a conspiracy to subvert Georgia elections, Lauren Groh-Wargo, CEO of the left-leaning voting rights advocacy group, Fair Fight, says in a statement.

Democrats said the emails were evidence of continued coordination between Georgia election officials and election denial groups like Cleta Mitchells Election Integrity Network because Adams, the Fulton County election board member, received emails from Hancock and Johnston to an email address associated with her role at the Election Integrity Network.

If anyone needed further proof that Donald Trumps pit bulls for victory are working in concert with his 2020 election denying attorney, Cleta Mitchell, here it is, says Georgia Democratic Party Chair and U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams in a statement. Theyre determined to establish a new power of not certifying an election result should their preferred candidate lose  as Trump did in 2020.

While Hancock went on to certify the results of the May primary, the emails show how widespread and coordinated efforts to call results of elections into question have become in Georgia. In March, Hancock, Heekin, and Adams refused to certify the results of the presidential primary. In 2023, Fisher joined Republican election officials in several counties in refusing to certify election results.

Adams is now suing with the help of the Trump-aligned America First Policy Institute for more discretion to refuse to certify results  power that was granted in the past month thanks to two new certification rules passed by Johnston and two of her Republican colleagues on the State Election Board, Janelle King and Rick Jeffares. (Adams lawsuit remains pending.) Those certification rules are now the subject of a lawsuit filed Monday by the Democratic Party of Georgia and the Democratic National Committee, which called the rules not just outside the authority of the State Election Board, but possibly against Georgia law.

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, has also criticized the two certification rules passed by the State Election Board, saying that Johnston, King, and Jeffares engaged in activist rule-making that would undermine voter confidence and burden election workers.

Also on Monday, Gov. Brian Kemp (R) appeared to react to calls from state Democrats to remove Johnston and fellow pro-Trump election board members King and Jeffares, when Kemp asked Attorney General Chris Carr (R) to determine whether the governor has the authority to remove members of the board.

The emails obtained by Rolling Stone and American Doom further expose the involvement of local election denial officials like Hancock in the promulgation of the two controversial certification rules.

On May 26, Hancock provided Johnston with a list of materials he was able to view before voting on certification. He had found only a few errors  and no apparent evidence of fraud.

So far the errors I have found only affect a few ballots, Hancock wrote. Still, he demanded access to more materials.

Cathy Woolard, a Democrat and former member of the Fulton County election board, is one of many Democrats who has said the reasonable inquiry gives election officials like Hancock too much discretion to refuse to certify results.

One of the problems with reasonable inquiry is that we have 159 counties that will interpret that differently, Woolard tells Rolling Stone. There are tens of thousands of documents that cannot be reviewed in time for certification and part of my concern is that reasonable inquiry will include removal of documents from the building for review by people who may not even understand what theyre looking at but can use that information to call election results into question.

At the top of Hancocks list of materials he required for certification are the number of votes cast at each precinct does not exceed the number of registered voters at each precinct. That demand is at the core of the second rule the State Election Board passed in recent weeks, requiring that the numbers of votes cast and ballots line up before certification can proceed.

Election experts told ProPublica that these numbers often dont add up due to machine errors routine in polling locations with large populations, like in large cities where voters tend to skew toward Democrats. On Tuesday, ProPublica also reported that the rule was originally dismissed because State Election Board members thought it went against Georgia law, a potential illegality that Democrats claim in a lawsuit against the State Election Board filed Monday night.

The controversy over certification comes as Republicans continue to pursue voter purges in Georgia and across the country  purges that Hancock and Johnston discuss in detail in the emails. Those discussions include Hancocks claims that tens of thousands of Georgia voters are registered in other states. In the emails, Johnston is receptive to these claims, forwarding an email detailing 27,000 duplicate registrations she calls a perfect match because voters in multiple states had the same first, middle, and last names, as well as the same birth year and some similar address information.

Assuming this data is correct, the systemic problem is either a failure to detect duplicate registrations or a failure to remove duplicate registrations, Johnston wrote.

Hancock tells Rolling Stone he pays the Secretary of State for lists of voters to identify those with duplicate registrations and that even though they are obviously bad registrations, we then attempt to contact them. (Contacting voters whose eligibility has been challenged is required under Georgia law.)

He claimed that changes passed by the State Election Board will guarantee that everything will be in order and reviewed days before the certification vote, adding that while many liberal publications imply that the new rule will allow delay of certification, the new rule actually does the exact opposite for board members like me.

Democrats say thats not true, and that the new certification rules could cause counties to miss their certification deadlines, possibly holding up state-level certification thats required to determine who wins Georgias electoral votes.

At a Gwinnett County election board hearing last week, Hancock and OLenick tried to remove more voters from voter rolls but were outvoted by the boards Democrats in some cases. Democrats on the board said the challenges amounted to disenfranchisement.

In an email to Johnston on Aug. 18, Hancock called the Democrats refusal to uphold some voter challenges in Gwinnett County a travesty.

This story is being published in partnership with American Doom, a newsletter that focuses on right-wing extremism and other threats to democracy.

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Police stand at the cordoned-off crime scene after a suspected attack on passers-by. Alexander Franz/tv7news.de/dpa

A man armed with a knife was shot dead by police in the western German city of Moers on Tuesday, prompting a homicide investigation.

Police were called to the scene after the 26-year-old German man attacked and threatened several people in a residential area on Tuesday afternoon.

"According to current information, the man is said to have attacked the police officers with two knives in his hands," police said in a statement.

Police officers then fired, fatally injuring the man. No other people were injured in the incident.

A spokeswoman for the public prosecutor's office in Moers said the man's motive remains unclear.

Police in the neighbouring city of Duisburg are set to investigate the case. A police spokesman said a forensics team was at the scene on Tuesday evening.

The incident in Moers came just days after three people were stabbed to death at a festival in the western city of Solingen. The main suspect is a 26-year-old Syrian man who had apparently evaded a deportation order.

The attack has reignited a debate on Germany's knife laws and immigration policies.
Nick Moe, an independent progressive candidate for Alaska House District 16, is seen in an undated photo published by the Alaska Division of Elections. (Screenshot)

Nick Moe, an independent progressive candidate for Alaska House District 16, is seen in an undated photo published by the Alaska Division of Elections. (Screenshot)

Nick Moe, a nonpartisan progressive running for House District 16 in West Anchorage, is ending his campaign, he announced Monday.

Why are some Republican candidates quitting Alaskas general election? Strategy.

Theres a path to winning, but its narrow, he said after preliminary primary election results showed him significantly trailing Democratic candidate Carolyn Hall.

I mean, were gonna probably raise another 70 grand in this race fighting against each other. So I think trying to use those resources and energy and time to elect other good people is a smart decision, he said.

Moes decision leaves Hall unopposed for the seat, and both candidates said that the decision will leave more money and volunteer time available for competitive races elsewhere.

Theres a limited universe of people who volunteer on races, and theres a limited universe of donations. So anytime youre putting money toward a race that really isnt going to change the makeup of the Legislature, it impacts all those other races, said Amber Lee, a consultant who has been advising Hall.

Itll send those volunteers that were going to volunteer for Carolyn to the races that do make a difference, and donors can focus their money on those races, she said.

Hall thanked Moe for his decision.

I think what he did was really admirable, and Im really grateful that he was looking at the big picture and recognizing that there are a lot closer races that deserve attention, and that includes his attention, Hall said.

Moe said he intends to volunteer for other Democratic candidates in Anchorage, and he hopes his supporters will, too.

For her part, Hall said she has many goals before joining the new Alaska Legislature in January.

Im thinking that I still have a lot of work to do when it comes to getting out the vote and making sure that were turning up the voter turnout for November, Hall said.

I believe it matters for races up the ballot, making sure that Mary Peltola is getting the support that she needs  I think thats really important to make sure that shes getting reelected, she said.

As of Monday, Moe had 37.7% of the vote in his primary election race against Hall and was about 850 votes behind her, out of more than 3,400 cast.

The seat is currently held by Rep. Jennie Armstrong, D-Anchorage, but Armstrong declined to run for re-election.

In 2022, Armstrong defeated former Republican legislator Liz Vazquez by about 800 votes out of almost 7,700 cast. This year, Vazquez is challenging Sen. Matt Claman, D-Anchorage, and there is no Republican in the House race.

Of the 40 seats in the Alaska House, three Democrats, one independent and five Republicans had been running unopposed for re-election. Moes decision means 10 of the 40 seats now have no challenger.

The deadline for write-in candidates to apply is Oct. 31.

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Projects to improve some Stanislaus County islands begin next fall. One supervisor wants sooner

Stanislaus County supervisors received an update Tuesday on spending $55.8 million in federal funds on improvements for county unincorporated islands. County staff said project construction will start next year.

The long-neglected unincorporated pockets suffer from narrow roads, no sidewalks and streetlights, poor drainage and ponding on roadways, and some are in need of water and wastewater hookups.

County leaders dedicated almost half of the $107 million American Rescue Plan Act funding allocation for Stanislaus to community infrastructure in county pockets in each supervisorial district.

Supervisor Channce Condit expressed concern that Bret Harte neighborhood improvements, set to begin in Fall 2025, are last on the construction schedule. The island projects are expected to go out to bid in October or November.

Condit said its a sensitive issue for his district, including Ceres and south Modesto, because of recent allegations raised by state Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil.

We did have a state senator make some pretty significant allegations regarding certain funding that would go into (Bret Harte improvements), Condit said, adding the allegations had spread mistrust in that community.

Alvarado-Gil in May accused Condit of violating county ethics and conflict-of-interest policies in connection with the approval of $5 million in state funding for infrastructure improvements in south Modesto. Alvarado-Gil suggested that Channce Condit leveraged family connections in seeking state funding.

The supervisor is the son of Chad Condit, who was chief of staff for Alvarado-Gil before he was fired by the senator in December. The Condits have denied any wrongdoing.

County Counsel Tom Boze has said there was nothing wrong with the application for the state funding and the county can use the money.

Condit asked county staff to reconsider the timeline for starting Bret Harte construction. He also favored starting the annexation process for the Parklawn and Bret Harte areas soon after improvements are completed.

With the upgrades, about one-fourth of the Bret Harte area will be prepped for annexation to Modesto, but state laws dont currently allow piecemeal annexation of neighborhoods. Public Works Director David Leamon said getting Local Agency Formation Commission approval for an annexation takes six to nine months.

The updates for specific county island projects were as follows:

Topeka-Santa Fe Project, Riverbank (District 1). Storm drain improvements, sidewalks, ramps, water and sewer facilities, streetlights and road reconstruction. $8.31 million in funding. In design phase, with construction anticipated in spring 2025.





Kenwood-Starr area of Turlock (District 2). Storm drain, streetlights, sidewalks, water and sewer, road work. $4.72 million in funding. In design phase and set for construction in spring 2025.

Riverdale Park Tract near Modesto. (District 3). Storm drain, sidewalks, water and sewer, lighting and road construction. $12 million in funds. In design, with construction anticipated in summer 2025.

Colorado Rouse area of Modesto (District 4). Storm drain, sidewalks, water and sewer, street lights, road work. $10 million in funds. In design, with construction to start summer 2025.

Herndon Project in Ceres (District 4). Storm drain, sidewalks, water and sewer, lighting and road reconstruction. $4.2 million in funds. Construction to start spring 2025.





Bret Harte project in Modesto (District 5). Storm drain, sidewalks, streetlights, road reconstruction. $10 million in funds. In design, with construction to start fall 2025.

Parklawn Project, south Modesto (District 5). Storm drain, sidewalks, streetlights and road reconstruction. $6.9 million in funds. In design, with construction to start in fall 2025.

UPDATE: This story was updated to include the county counsels opinion about Alvarado-Gils allegation.
A conservative-backed push for stricter proof-of-citizenship requirements for voting could complicate efforts to avert a government shutdown next month.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have acknowledged a stopgap of some kind, also known as a continuing resolution (CR), will be necessary to keep the government funded past Sept. 30.

But calls are growing among House conservatives to use that must-pass measure to force consideration of a partisan bill aimed at barring noncitizens from voting  laying the groundwork for a clash with the Democratic-led Senate, which would likely reject such a package.

The hard-line conservative House Freedom Caucus took an official position this month urging Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to attach the measure, dubbed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, to spending legislation next month.

Since then, the GOP conferences right flank has only ramped up public calls for the move, which has also seen some pickup in the upper chamber and among prominent figures such as tech mogul Elon Musk, as the party looks to seize on immigration as a key campaign issue ahead of November.

Deciding which approach to take on spending will be one of the most important decisions Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) makes before the end of the year, with implications not only for government funding but for whether he can keep the support he needs to lead the House GOP next year.

Johnson has not dismissed the idea of attaching the SAVE Act, introduced by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), saying on a press call last week that discussions are ongoing to build consensus to come up with the final decision.

I can verify for you that the SAVE Act is a big part of this conversation, Johnson also said. And it is not just the Freedom Caucus  it is members across the conference who share the same concern that we do about this. And we believe its one of the  perhaps the most urgent issue, the most imminent threat facing the country, is the integrity of this election cycle.

At the same time, however, Axios reported that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnells (R-Ky.) office has been privately pushing against attaching the bill to a stopgap measure next month.

Advocates of pushing the SAVE Act say the legislation would ensure that only citizens can vote in federal elections, partly by making it mandatory for states to obtain proof of citizenship to register voters and also requiring states to purge noncitizens from voter rolls.

However, most Democrats have pushed back strongly against the measure. The Biden administration vowed to veto it when the House considered it last month, noting it is already a crime for noncitizens to vote in federal elections. The White House also argued the bill would make it more difficult for eligible voters to register and increase the risk that eligible voters are purged from voter rolls.

The SAVE Act passed the House in a mostly partisan vote earlier this summer, with five Democrats bucking their party to back the bill.

Were talking about a simple concept that only citizens should vote, in a world in which theyve opened up our country to noncitizens, Roy said, touting the bill this week.

There is also recognition among him and other right-wing proponents that coupling the SAVE Act with a stopgap can be leverage for a bigger priority: extending current government funding into 2025, with the intention of avoiding a sprawling, 12-bill omnibus funding package at the end of the year.

We can always figure out an off-ramp, Roy said, if Republicans can initially unite behind a CR that includes the SAVE Act. Is that a one-year CR? A CR into March? But it sure as hell shouldnt be a CR into December.

But its not just McConnell who is skeptical. There are plenty of House Republicans who are opposed to attaching conservative policy riders to a CR that would be dead in the Senate.

Obviously, I support House Republican policy. But I think, at this point, attaching it to the CR is not the right thing to do.  Im not supportive of that. Of course, I would vote for it if they did, Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) said.

Im hopeful on the first week back that well get an agreement on a CR, probably through the election, the Indiana Republican, who is retiring at the end of the year, also said.

Republicans in both chambers have also been skeptical about the strategy of extending the government funding deadline into next year as a means to provide more leverage to a Republican president, should former President Trump win back the Oval Office.

I think a lot of people on both sides would like to get it done, Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.), top Republican on the appropriations subcommittee that crafts annual funding for the Veterans Affairs Department, told reporters shortly before the Senate left town last month.

We need to get it done this year, regardless of who wins the election, Boozman said.

Its unclear how the SAVE Act would fare on the House floor next month if attached to a measure to keep the government funded at current levels, which have already drawn sharp criticism from hard-line conservatives.

Look, my problem is a CR just keeps the same spending in place. You either end up with an omnibus. Some people want to do a full-year CR, Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) said. Why dont we just actually do the budget bills?  The whole thing is so convoluted, messed up and crazy.

House GOP leadership previously aimed to vote on all 12 of the partys annual funding proposals for fiscal 2025 last month, before leaving for August recess. But the lower chamber ended up heading out early after failing to clear half of them, amid intrapary rifts over spending and policy.

Pressed on whether he thinks Johnson would wind up attaching the SAVE Act to a stopgap bill next month, Biggs, who previously backed the voting bill back in July, responded, I think he actually might do it.

The question really would be, does it get out of the House? he added. And I dont know.

Mychael Schnell contributed.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP)  Pro-Palestinian protestors continued their calls for a ceasefire in Gaza Tuesday evening, holding a rally in front of Congressman Jim McGoverns Northampton office.

Cartledge appointed as Northampton Chief of Police

The pressure is growing for top Democratic leaders to take action over the war in Gaza. Protests broke out during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, and rallies were held here locally.

Demilitarize Western Massachusetts, in front of the Northampton office of Democratic Representative Jim McGovern, came with a strong message Tuesday night. I understand that he is progressive and he has done things for our community. But if genocide is not your red line then none of that matters, says one protestor.

The protesters also called out Vice President Kamala Harris on her DNC speech. Harris reiterated that she will stand up for Israels right to defend itself, but also said its time to get a ceasefire and hostage deal done.

Alligator tears, says Nick Mottern with Demilitarize Western Massachusetts and Veterans For Peace. If she wants to get peoples vote its very simple. She can go to the president and say Im not going to get elected if we keep doing this. We have to stop sending these weapons right now. We need to make it clear that we are not going to attack Iran. We need to make it very clear that we want a ceasefire. Period.

Congressman McGovern says he doing everything he can, urging the parties to reach a ceasefire deal, I voted against sending continued military aid to the Netanyahu governmentI continue to be pushing for a ceasefire, says Neal. We need to get the hostages released and we need a surge of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. We need to figure out a long-term process so that Israels security can be assured and Palestinians can live free from occupation and determine their own future.

According to the United Nations, about 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed over the last 10 months.

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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.

Kristina DAmours is a reporter who is a part of the evening 22News team. Follow Kristina on X @KristinaD_WWLP and view her bio to see more of her work.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
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 Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE:RRX) 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).

10 Dying Professions to Avoid Like a Plague

A technician inspecting a specialized industrial machinery in an engineering lab.

Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE:RRX)

Share Price Upside: 17%

Number of Hedge Fund Investors In Q2 2024: 32

Average Analyst Share Price Target: $195.63

Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE:RRX) is a diversified industrial equipment manufacturer that makes and sells products such as gears, motors, switches, bearings, and other associated items. This provides it exposure to a broad set of industries, including mining, agriculture, food and beverage, and cooling. This means that Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE:RRX) thrives when the economy is growing as the firm has the chance to capture tailwinds from a wider set of industries. However, it also means that the firm struggles when the economy is slow, a fact that is also apparent in its stock price which is up a modest 8.31% over the past twelve months. Amidst this downturn, Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE:RRX) has focused on reducing its debt and preparing itself for the eventual recovery in industrial spending by launching new products such as a new maintenance platform for industrial manufacturing. As per Oppenheimer, Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE:RRX)'s "long-term profit improvement initiativeslook increasingly enabling for broadened share gain momentum and strategic mix management initiatives."

Diamond Hill Capital mentioned Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE:RRX) in its Q2 2024 investor letter. Here is what the firm said:

"Regal Rexnord (RRX) were pressured against a backdrop of macroeconomic concerns which are seemingly making investors hesitant to own leveraged cyclical companies like RRX. However, we maintain our conviction in the outlook for RRX and believe that over the long term, it will capitalize on merger synergies to improve margins, increase organic growth and generate meaningful free cash flow, which should allow it to deleverage."

Overall RRX ranks 14th on our list of Oppenheimer's favorite stocks for the next 12 months. While we acknowledge the potential of RRX 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 RRX 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.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  Rhode Islands largest school district is trying to attract and retain more special education teachers by offering a $10,000 salary bump.

The Providence Public School District announced in a news release Tuesday night it would offer a one-time opportunity for a $10,000 standard base salary increase for any educator transitioning into three specialized instructional areas: Special Education  Behavior Intervention Program (BIP), Exceptional Child Services (ECS), and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

The state-controlled school district said the salary adjustment would also apply to current educators serving in those roles.

In an interview Wednesday, R.I. Education Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green told 12 News that a shortage of special education teachers is not just a problem in Providence, but nationwide.

It is the hardest to fill, Infante-Green said. Providence has taken the lead in this area because they have the most kids, so they really feel the shortage more than other places.

Providence Superintendent Dr. Javier Montanez told Target 12 last week the district still had about 100 vacancies in high need areas, including in the special education department.

Were going to keep going into the first day of school and past that if we need to, to continue to try to hire the best people to sit in front of our students who are certified, Montanez said.

The district announced the salary increase in partnership with the R.I. Department of Education and the Providence Teachers Union.

This initiative recognizes the immense commitment of teachers taking on specialized education roles, PTU President Maribeth Calabro said in a news release.

The district said anyone interested should email careers@ppsd.org for more information.

Alexandra Leslie (aleslie@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter covering Providence and more for 12 News. Connect with her on Twitter and on Facebook.

Alex Torres-Perez contributed to this report.

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The Cape Fear River has been contaminated with forever chemicals, such as PFAS and 1,4-Dioxane from industrial dischargers. This pipe carries water from upstream and discharges into the Cape Fear River in Wilmington. Before Chemours stopped discharging GenX into the river, this pipe was a source of the contamination, according to a former riverkeeper. (Photo: Lisa Sorg)

The Southern Environmental Law Center is petitioning the Environmental Protection Agency to take over the states water permitting authority, an unprecedented move for North Carolina.

The law firm is arguing that political interference has prevented the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) from enforcing the Clean Water Act.

The people of North Carolina deserve clean water, yet the state legislature is preventing the state from limiting toxic pollution of our waterways and drinking water, said Mary Maclean Asbill, director of the North Carolina offices at the Southern Environmental Law Center, in a prepared statement. Legislative-induced failure is not an option when it comes to protecting North Carolinas water and communities, so we are asking the Environmental Protection Agency to step in.

SELC is representing four advocacy groups: the Haw River Assembly, the Environmental Justice Community Network, MountainTrue and Cape Fear River Watch.

The EPA delegates to the states the authority to run their own permitting programs under the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System. EPA rules also allow individuals and groups to petition the agency to withdraw that authority.

The EPA has yet to receive the petition, agency spokesman James Pinkney said, but after a review it will determine next steps.

When EPA receives a petition, it generally works with the state and the petitioner to resolve the issues that the petition raises and strengthen the states program. Since 1989, the EPA has received 50 petitions from groups in more than two dozen states. Of those, EPA data show 12 are pending and the rest have been partially or fully resolved.

Our staff is dedicated to carrying out our delegated authority in a manner that protects the resources and residents of North Carolina, Sharon Martin, DEQs deputy secretary for public affairs, said in response to the filing.

The SELC petition lists several instances when the state legislature and commissions have blocked or delayed DEQs water-quality rules.

Most recently, Inside Climate News reported that the Environmental Management Commission has delayed rulemaking over toxic forever chemicals PFAS in surface and groundwater. The EMC writes rules for DEQ, and is controlled by appointees of Republican state leadership that is often at odds with the Democratic administration of Gov. Roy Cooper.

Business and industry interests have pressed the EMC to postpone the rulemaking, citing costs to companies discharging the harmful chemicals.

DEQ is seeking PFAS rules for surface and groundwater to help public utilities meet the EPAs new drinking water standards. If contamination in the source water is reduced, DEQ hopes water treatment plants can avoid expensive treatment systems, the cost of which is passed on to the ratepayer.

The EMC has similarly delayed rulemaking for another toxic forever chemical, 1,4-Dioxane, which the EPA has designated as a likely carcinogen.

North Carolinas drinking water contained some of the highest concentrations of 1,4-Dioxane in the U.S., according to DEQs Human Health Assessment provided to the state legislature earlier this year.

Average 1,4-dioxane concentrations in drinking water were twice the national average, with most of the detections found in the Cape Fear River Basin. At 9,300 square miles, the basin is the largest in the state and provides drinking water to hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians.

The state legislature has changed the composition of the EMC to favor conservatives. Last year, lawmakers stripped the governor of two appointments and reallocated them to the agriculture commissioner, a Republican.

After accounting for the members appointed by the Republican House and Senate leadership, the majority of the 15-member commission are GOP appointees.

The new state law also prohibits the governor from removing any EMC members that are appointed by anyone but himself, even for illegal or wrongful acts.

The legislature has stacked those commissions with individuals who are ideologically aligned with the supermajority in the legislature that is hostile to environmental regulation, the petition reads.

J.D. Solomon, Environmental Management Commission chairman, said he had not yet seen the petition and could not comment on it.

Solomon was appointed to the commission by Republican House Speaker Tim Moore.

The petition also alleges the legislature and North Carolina courts are undermining the Clean Water Act. In 2011, when Republicans in the state legislature held a supermajority, the legislature voted to give the Office of Administrative Hearings final authority over water pollution permits. This transfer of authority to the OAH violates the delegation agreement between the EPA and the state, according to the petition.

Judges within the OAH preside over cases where groups or individuals are contesting state rules, including those over the environment.

The current chief administrative law judge, Donald van der Vaart, is a former DEQ Secretary who served in the Republican Gov. Pat McCrory administration. Van der Vaart recently ruled in favor of the City of Asheboro, which had contested its DEQ permit that limited its discharges of 1,4-Dioxane.

In two separate cases, Van der Vaart has also ordered DEQ to pay nearly $1 million in attorneys fees combined. That amount is equivalent to 1 percent of the agencys current budget.

Van der Vaart has a combative history with DEQ. During his tenure, he advocated for weaker environmental regulations on several fronts, including coal ash and air and water quality.

After Gov. McCrory lost re-election, Van der Vaart, as secretary, demoted himself in order to keep a job at the agency.

Van der Vaart later resigned after the new DEQ Secretary, Michael Regan, placed him on administrative leave. Van der Vaart had co-written a seven-page opinion piece in a national environmental law journal calling for the elimination of a key air quality rule, which contradicted DEQs own stance.

Regan is now EPA administrator.

This report was first published by Inside Climate News.
(PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo.)  A K9 with the Pueblo County Sheriffs Office (PCSO) helped apprehend four suspects in two separate, unrelated crimes in southern Pueblo County on Monday, Aug. 26.

According to PCSO, around 3:30 Monday afternoon, deputies responded to a suspected trespassing call after a witness reported a suspicious car covered in a tarp on private property near Brian Avenue, about halfway between Pueblo and Colorado City.

By the time deputies arrived, a man had gotten out of the car and was walking east through a field. PCSO identified the man as 29-year-old Bret Seeley. Seeley allegedly refused to follow commands from deputies to get on the ground and show his hands before he ran from deputies.

PCSO said Seeley stopped running when a handler announced he would deploy K9 Zeus, though Seeley continued to refuse commands to show his hands. The deputy used a Tazer, and Seeley was taken into custody on five outstanding warrants, with bonds totaling $70,000.

Courtesy: Pueblo County Sheriffs Office

Later on Monday, in an unrelated crime, deputies responded to a burglary in progress in the 800 block of Highway 165 in Rye. Deputies learned from witnesses that a truck and trailer had pulled up to the property before three people got out and broke into the home.

When deputies arrived, they saw a man coming out of the home carrying several bags, though he went back inside the home when he saw the deputies and K9 Zeus. Once again, deputies announced that they would release K9 Zeus if the suspect did not come out, and the man surrendered without the use of K9 Zeus. The suspect has been identified as 62-year-old Gary Biby.

Deputies and K9 Zeus then searched the property for the other two suspects, and a woman was located hiding under a blanket by K9 Zeus. The woman, identified as 28-year-old Tabitha Brooks, ignored multiple commands from deputies to come out from under the blanket, and K9 Zeus was deployed. Brooks was also taken into custody.

Deputies learned the third suspect, 40-year-old Jake Jones, was on the roof of the home, and after announcing the presence of the K9, Jones surrendered. Some property from inside the home was found inside the truck, and deputies are seeking a search warrant for the trailer.

Courtesy: Pueblo County Sheriffs Office

Jones, Biby, and Brooks were each arrested for second-degree burglary. Brooks was also arrested for criminal impersonation and on six outstanding warrants. All three suspects have been booked into the Pueblo County Jail.

This was great teamwork by our deputies, K9 Zeus, and the public in reporting, locating, and getting all of these suspects into custody, said Pueblo County Sheriff David J. Lucero. I want to thank the individuals who wisely called in when they saw some things that appeared to be suspicious. Their accurate descriptions of the suspects and the suspect vehicles allowed our responding deputies to quickly locate and apprehend all four of these suspects.

Courtesy: Pueblo County Sheriffs Office

I also want to give a huge shoutout to K9 Zeus, who proved to be essential in successfully getting them all into custody, added Sheriff Lucero.

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Eight years after the deadly mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in June 2016, local police closed their investigation into the venues former owners, with no charges being filed.

In an emailed statement to The Associated Press, the Orlando Police Department stated it was closing its probe into Barbara and Rosario Poma after finding no probable cause for involuntary manslaughter by culpable negligence.

More from Billboard

Billboard has reached out to the Orlando Police Department for confirmation.

In 2023, multiple survivors and family members of those who were killed in the shooting filed complaints with the police department, claiming that the owners violations of building codes  including capacity restrictions, unpermitted renovations and inaccessible building plans  prevented first responders from being able to properly access the club after the shooting.

While interviewers were not able to contact the Pomas, the report concluded that renovations to the building did not negatively impact polices ability to respond to the threat and that there was no sufficient proof to determine how many patrons were in the bar the night of the shooting or how the gunman was able to enter the building.

According to AP, the report states that investigators determined the owners did not act with a reckless disregard for human life and concluded that they could not have reasonably foreseen or anticipated a terrorist incident taking place at Pulse.

On June 12, 2016, a shooter entered Pulse nightclub and opened fire, killing 49 people in what was then the deadliest mass shooting on American soil. (It was surpassed the following year when 61 people were killed during the 2017 Route 91 country music festival in Las Vegas).

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QUAY COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE)  Its a massive project thats been decades in the making to bring water from Ute Lake to Clovis and Portales. But now, Quay County is asking for it to be paused while those behind the pipeline are calling the county uninformed on the project.

Story continues below

On Tuesday, Quay County sent the Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority, which is in charge of the project, a letter asking them to stop the work. In the letter, the county said original plans for the pipeline, dating back to 2005, were based on the understanding that water from the lake could be treated into drinking water by conventional methods. But, the letter cites a 2022 study showing water in the lake had harmful chemicals including PFAS, and would require a different treatment. It said ENMWUA wants to continue its construction of a pipeline in Quay County in the spring of next year.

So, all were asking them to do, is hey, if you guys get your act together, you get the amount of funding that you need, design that will work then fine, come down here and build your pipeline. But until then, we dont want you coming down here and disrupting our community and basically tearing up our city, said Warren Frost, attorney for Quay County.

Frost said the county just found out about the results of the 2022 water study after an IPRA request. This new water test came in 2022 and Quay County just learned about it three weeks ago, he said. It was kind of a eureka moment. The proverbial smoking gun.

But the ENMWUA said the information about the 2022 water analysis and the updated need to treat the water with reverse osmosis have been in public view all along.

They seem to believe they found a gotcha with the project that theyve unsuccessfully opposed for years, said Mayor Mike Morris of Clovis, who is also the chair of the ENMWUA.

Mayor Clovis said the initial conventional treatment plant was estimated to be $277 million. The reverse osmosis treatment plant needed based on the recent water analysis is estimated to be $396-$457 million, according to Mayor Morris.

Frost said Quay County now plans to go to municipal leadership meetings in Texico, Portales, and Clovis to plead their case.

And ask them, dont tear up our area until you have the funding and the design available and verified that it will work, said Frost.

Quay County requested ENMWUA to respond to their letter by September 15.

In a statement sent to News 13, Mayor Mike Morris detailed all the entities involved in this project noting it was federally authorized in 2009. He said the agreement between the federal government and ENMWUA promises 75% funding for construction of all remaining components including the water treatment plant, 15% of funding will come from the state, and the ENMWUA will cover the remaining 10% of costs.

This is happening. In fact, we are actively building the system with construction progressing extremely well. Our scheduled completion is in 2031, said Mayor Morris in a statement to News 13. This pipeline system is the single most important piece of infrastructure for eastern NM. So, were getting it right. Its how we flip the script from water scarcity to water security in Clovis and our other members communities. Were committed to being good neighbors and showing respect. But we are building the Ute pipeline. We have committed federal and state partners that understand how critical the Ute pipeline is and were building it.

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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.
Biomedical research like the kind seen here will eventually happen at the Rhode Island Life Science Hub, which was scheduled Tuesday to award a contract to build and operate a commercial wet lab space. But the vote was delayed amid ongoing negotiations. (Daniel Sone/National Cancer Institute)

Creating space for startup companies to research and test drugs, chemicals and other biological material was a key reason why lawmakers and industry leaders wanted a dedicated Rhode Island life science agency.

More than a year after its creation, the Rhode Island Life Science Hub is nearly ready to act on plans for a commercial wet lab incubator. Nearly, but not quite.

The hubs 15-member board of directors met briefly behind closed doors Tuesday, with the original intent of awarding a bid to a company to build and operate a commercial wet and dry lab space and incubator.

But the vote never happened. Chairman Neil Steinberg explained after the executive session that negotiations were ongoing.

It just takes longer, Steinberg said in an interview Tuesday afternoon. Were still dealing with vendors, trying to get the most cost-effective deal we can, with the best terms.

The quasi-public state agency, created as part of the fiscal 2024 budget, issued a competitive solicitation in April seeking a qualified firm to build out and run a lab and incubator space within an existing state building  the location was up to the bidders choosing, though the solicitation suggested the spot contribute to the states growing life science cluster in Providence.

A new state health lab is under construction in the Interstate 195 Redevelopment District, alongside the nearby Wexford Science & Technology Building. Both projects include reserved lab space.

The space envisioned by the Life Science Hub, however, would target entrepreneurs and startup companies.

If theres a couple entrepreneurs starting a life science company, we dont have commercial lab space available, Steinberg said. They have to go somewhere else. We need this so we can attract companies and retain them.

Three firms submitted proposals in response to the April solicitation; the submissions have been reviewed with an unnamed number of finalists chosen  less than three, was all Steinberg would say.

He was not worried by the lack of competition. But, he acknowledged, theres a lot riding on the decision, which will be the most impactful choice the fledgling agency makes since it began meeting in January.

This is a beacon, he said of the prospective incubator lab. Its going to attract a lot of attention.

Its also not cheap. A tentative programming budget laid out by Hub President Patrice Milos Tuesday allotted $10 million to $13 million for the incubator  nearly 25% of the agencys $45 million, three-year budget.

The cost will be firmed up once the deal is settled, a prospect Steinberg hoped would happen by the agencys September meeting.

Also on Tuesday, the hubs board unanimously approved a $2.1 million fiscal 2025 operating budget. The spending plan allots nearly $579,000 to salaries and benefits, including for the yet-to-be-hired CEO. Milos, who was hired as interim president in June, is being paid out of a separate, $341,500 budget line for consultants. Her initial contract covers three months, at $25,000 a month, as the search continues for a permanent, paid leader.

(The 15-member board serves on a volunteer basis).

Phillip Duffy, a principal with hired search firm Korn Ferry, told board members Tuesday that final candidates will be presented for interviews in September, with the goal of naming a permanent president by November. The boards choice must also be confirmed by the Rhode Island Senate, which is on recess until January.

The agency anticipates spending $6 million over three years on operating costs, leaving $39 million available for special programming, including direct grants to industry startups and partners, incubator space, and workforce development, according to an informal framework presented Tuesday.

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FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56)  A commission made up of citizens and state lawmakers is working to identify racial inequalities in Kentucky, especially in the most iconic industries of the Bluegrass state: horses, bourbon, and agriculture.

The phrase we have work to do, was echoed multiple times by lawmakers during Tuesdays meeting of the Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity. While breaking into any of the competitive aforementioned fields is a challenge, it can be made all the more complicated by racial barriers that lawmakers want to learn more about. For example, in agriculture black Kentuckians make up less than one percent of the states farmers.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

If Mother Nature cant see who puts the seed in the ground, then why do we have a $4.9 billion gap amongst the valuation of our products coming into the market, Black Soil KY Co-Founder & CEO Ashley Smith asked during her presentation.

Clark Williams, president and co-founder of the Ed Brown Society, spoke about barriers within the equine industry, where even limited networking opportunities can have a broader effect on who is attracted to the industry. Williams explained how the Society specializes in trying to make these opportunities available to its student members.

Oftentimes when there is not representation, there is also a lack of exposure and a lack of opportunities, you know, to even get introduced to something. You know, things like riding lessons, Williams said.

For husband-wife business partners Sean and Tia Edwards, they broke barriers by establishing the first African-American-owned bourbon, Fresh. However, they said they were not offered the same financial opportunities by banks as other startups. And today they said their product still sometimes gets looked at differently.

LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS:

That has not stopped us from entering into restaurants and being asked, Do we sell bourbon to black people or for black people? And its an interesting concept, yes, I was surprised, too, when I heard it, because Ive never heard that before, Sean Edwards said.

Edwards would love to see lawmakers create an incentive for banks to work with minority startups. Others at the meeting said the state could consider funding endowments or scholarships to encourage more people of different racial backgrounds to take advantage of opportunities in Kentuckys own homegrown industries.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT)- The man accused of gunning down an Illinois Sheriffs Deputy in 2021 is set to make a court appearance today.

New connections made after 2 bodies were found at Ellis Park

Today a judge will hear motions by lawyers for Ray Tate to have his original guilty plea withdrawn. Police say that Tate confessed to shooting and killing Wayne County Deputy, Sean Riley along interstate 64. Tate was later sentenced to life in prison.

During todays hearing Tate will remain shackled at the request of the state, due to his violent history and alleged escape attempts.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).
UPDATE: Raytown police say Peggy Anderson has been located and is safe.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Police are searching for a missing 13-year-old girl who disappeared from a home in Raytown, Missouri Tuesday night.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said an Endangered Person Advisory was issued Tuesday after Peggy Anderson disappeared from the area of East 81st Street and Tennessee Avenue.

Anderson left a foster home on foot just after 8:20 p.m. According to MSHP, she had just been placed in the home the previous day and is said to be unfamiliar with the area.

Shawnee parents continue fight for justice after sons deadly crash

Raytown police described her as being a white female standing at 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing approximately 130 pounds.

She has brown hair and brown eyes, and she was last wearing a white short-sleeved t-shirt, blue jeans, and blue Crocs.

If you or anyone you know has seen Anderson, MSHP and Raytown police ask that you call 911 or the Raytown Police Department (816) 737

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
Wilson strangled Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz within hours of each other in October 2019

WPRI/YouTube Wade Wilson

A Florida man who shares the name of the alter ego of Marvels Deadpool character, was sentenced to death five years after he murdered two women.

Wade Wilson, who was convicted in June of the 2019 murders of Kristine Melton, 35, and mother-of-two Diane Ruiz, 43, was sentenced to death by a Florida judge on Tuesday, Aug. 27, according to reports from the News-Press, WBBH and Fox 4.

A jury previously recommended a death sentence on June 25, and the judge, Nicholas Thompson, agreed, the News-Press reported.

Wilson killed Melton and Ruiz within hours of each other in October 2019 in Cape Coral, Fla., according to the outlets.

Fox 4 previously reported, citing authorities, that Wilson met Melton at a bar and went home with her before strangling her to death the next day. The outlet reported that Wilson saw Ruiz walking home from work hours later and asked her for directions. Her body was found dead in a parking lot after he fatally strangled her.

Kristine Melton/Facebook Kristine Melton

Related: 'Wade Wilson' Is Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool Alter Ego. But Real-Life Man Killed 2 Women 'for the Sake of Killing'

This case was about killing for the sake of the killing, Assistant State Attorney Andreas Gardiner said during closing arguments of his trial, Fox 4 reported. Strangulation is the epitome of life slipping through someones hands.

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.

Diane Ruiz/Facebook Diane Ruiz

Wilson confessed to the murder, telling detectives, I would do it again, Fox 4 reported. According to the News-Press, Wilson also called his father to confess to the murders.

After Wilson was found guilty, Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore released a statement.

"This afternoon in the Lee County Courthouse, I sat with the families of Diane Ruiz and Kristine Melton as the verdict was read: Wade Wilson was found guilty on all counts, Sizemore said. The families expressed to me their gratitude for the hard work of our team.



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Read the original article on People.
Al Seib/Getty Images

Utility stocks are up 19% year-to-date, outpacing the S&P 500's gains.

Historically, utility stocks' outperformance has been seen as a warning for the economy.

Yet, this time, the rally in the sector isn't sending the same signal for one big reason: AI.

Utility stocks are booming, but don't take that as a warning sign for the economy and the broader stock market.

Historically, utility stocks' outperformance relative to the rest of the market has been considered a bad omen, as investors would bid up the reliable slow-growth defensive sector amid concerns of an economic slowdown.

"There are few sectors as 'recession-proof' as Utilities  this is a sector to have exposure when the economy cools off. They offer a margin of safety most other sectors of the stock market do not when the going gets rough," economist David Rosenberg said in a note on Tuesday.

So, with the defensive utility sector up about 19% year-to-date, outpacing the S&P 500's gain over the same time period, it's not surprising to see cause for concern among investors.

"People are kind of worried about utilities, the strength we've seen out of utilities," Carson Group strategist Ryan Detrick said in a CNBC interview on Monday.

But this time around, the ongoing rally in utility stocks doesn't amount to the same warning sign for the economy as it has in the past.

That's because secular trends like AI and EVs are stimulating unprecedented demand for electricity.

The sentiment was on full display during the recent string of utility companies' second-quarter earnings results.

Brookfield CEO Bruce Flatt told investors, "The electrification of industrial capacity, automobiles, heating for houses, and other uses is driving unprecedented growth in the demand for electricity."

The interim CEO of American Electric Power Benjamin Fowke said it has received commitments for more than 15 gigawatts of incremental load by the end of this decade, which represents a 43% increase from its current capacity.

"We continue to work with data center customers to meet their increased demand," Fowke said in an earnings call with analysts.

Duke Energy CFO Brian Savoy echoed similar sentiments during his company's earnings call in early August.

"We are forecasting unprecedented growth in power demand from advanced manufacturing projects across multiple sectors as well as data centers," Savoy said.

Altogether, a transformation is taking hold in the utility sector, which for decades has been categorized as a sleepy but reliable corner of the stock market that experiences growth on par with the rate of GDP growth.

Story continues

And that means the recent outperformance of utilities and the sectors pending breakout to new closing highs on a monthly basis in August shouldn't be seen as a warning sign, but as validation that the broadening in the stock market that investors have been waiting for has arrived.

"If utilities were the only thing going higher, I think that'd be a message of the market that maybe something is off, but we're seeing a lot of other participation," Carson Group's Detrick said, pointing to solid year-to-date gains in other sectors including financials, industrials, and consumer staples.

Read the original article on Business Insider
On this episode of Empowered Hawaii, hosts Jeff Mikulina and Kelly Simek travel to Lahaina, one year after the devastating wildfire, to explore what the future holds for rebuilding this historic community. The episode features conversations with local experts and residents who provide insight into the disasters causes and the steps needed to prevent such tragedies in the future.

Jeff and Kelly first begin the conversation with Archie Kalepa, a renowned waterman, Lahaina resident, and retired lifeguard. Archie discusses the factors that contributed to the wildfire, emphasizing the importance of learning from the past to protect the community moving forward. His insights highlight the critical need for resilience and preparedness in the face of natural disasters.

Next, Kelly speaks with Kaipo Kekoa, President of the Hawaii Farmers Union. Kaipo reflects on Lahainas rich agricultural history, once known as the Venice of the Pacific, where kalo (taro)and ulu (breadfruit) thrived. Kaipo also shares the stories of Mokuula, a tiny island surrounded by a freshwater spring named Mokuhinia. The freshwater source was run dry due to the sugar cane industry and has since vanished. The conversation underscores the importance of sustainable agriculture in the regions future recovery, and the hope of restoring Mokuhinia freshwater pond.

Jeff then speaks with Kapali Keahi, who dives into the impact of old plantation irrigation practices that drained Lahainas water sources, leading to the drying out of the areas lowlands. Kapalis perspective sheds light on the crucial role water management will play in Lahainas revitalization.

Finally, the duo meet with Kalikolehua Storer, Operations Supervisor for Puu Kukui Watershed, to discuss the importance of protecting Lahainas native ecosystem. Kalikolehua highlights the vital role Puu Kukui plays in the communitys environmental well-being, ensuring the flow of water from mauka to makai remains.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
By Jonathan Saul and Mohammed Ghobari

LONDON/ADEN (Reuters) - The cost of insurance for ships sailing through the Red Sea has nearly doubled after Yemen's Houthis attacked a tanker that appears to be leaking oil, with environmental fears growing for trade route, industry sources said on Wednesday.

Iran-aligned Houthi militants first launched aerial drone and missile strikes on the waterway in November in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. In over 70 attacks, they have sunk two vessels, seized another and killed at least three seafarers.

In the latest escalation, the Greek-flagged Sounion tanker was attacked last week by multiple projectiles and appears to be leaking oil, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.

A third party had tried to send two tugs to help salvage the Sounion, but the Houthis threatened to attack them, the Pentagon added.

Insurance industry sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Wednesday additional war risk premiums, paid when vessels sail through the Red Sea, were quoted up to 0.75% of the vessel from 0.4% before the attack, although they were higher at 1% in February according to industry assessements of levels of risk.

The latest upsurge in cost can add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars for a voyage through region, although rates for Chinese-owned vessels have been up to 50% lower since February due to less risk of being targets, sources added.

One industry source said some underwriters were currently not providing cover through the region because of the potential risk of the tanker sinking.

An official with the European Union's Aspides naval mission cited a letter sent on Aug. 28 to maritime rescue coordination centres, saying it was assessing the "feasibility of protective measures" such as towing the Sounion.

"This situation poses a serious and imminent threat of regional pollution, with coastal states at the highest risk," the letter said.

A MILLION BARRELS OF CRUDE AND FIRES

A maritime security source said fires were burning onboard the tanker on Wednesday, which was carrying a cargo of 1 million barrels of crude oil.

"Delta Tankers is doing everything it can to move the vessel (and cargo)," Sounion's manager told Reuters separately.

"For security reasons, we are not in a position to comment further."

The Houthis said they attacked the tanker in part because Delta Tankers violated its ban on "entry to the ports of occupied Palestine," Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree had said in a televised speech.

A Houthi source also told Reuters on Wednesday that the vessel was burning, adding that as a consequence there would not be a leak or any pollution into the sea.

While the crew had been evacuated, the Houthis "appear determined to sink the ship and its cargo into the sea," U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Aug. 24.

The Sounion was the third vessel operated by Athens-based Delta Tankers to be attacked in the Red Sea this month. The attack caused a fire onboard, which the crew extinguished, Delta Tankers said in an earlier statement.

A major oil spill would devastate fishing communities on Yemen's Red Sea coast with half a million Yemenis working in that industry, the United Nations said in a report last year.

"Whole communities would be exposed to life-threatening toxins," the U.N. said.

(Reporting by Jonathan Saul and Carolyn Cohn in London, Mohammed Ghobari in Aden and Eleftherios Papadimas in Athens; editing by Barbara Lewis)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WJHL)  United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia Chris Kavanaugh plans to resign from his position at the end of 2024.

Kavanaugh announced on Wednesday in a news release that he would leave the position as his wife, Jasmine Hyejung Yoon, assumes her role as a United States district court judge in September.

73 hospitalized with COVID-19 as region sees spike in cases

During the few months overlap between Yoons appointment and Kavanaughs resignation, all criminal matters involving the United States will be assigned to other judges in the district.

Serving as United States Attorney has been the highlight of my professional life, Kavanaugh said in the release. I am grateful to President Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, and Senators Warner and Kaine for the opportunity to serve as the chief federal law enforcement official for the Western District of Virginia, and to lead an Office full of public servants dedicated to the rule of law and the pursuit of justice.

Kavanaugh has served in the U.S. Attorney role since October 2021. He also serves on the Attorney Generals Advisory Committee (AGAC) and chairs the AGACs National Security Subcommittee.

The Western District of Virginia includes 52 counties and 17 independent cities.

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Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, shakes hands with Jackson Talley, a political science major at the University of Utah, during the Sutherland Institutes 2024 Congressional Series at the Hinckley Institute on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Speaking to a room full of students at the University of Utah Tuesday, Rep. Burgess Owens stressed the importance of meritocracy and the free market in bettering the U.S. education system.

Owens spoke at the universitys Hinckley Institute of Politics as part of the Sutherland Institutes 2024 Congressional Series, where he said American values can bring respite from todays partisan climate.

Utah is very, very unique, Owens said. The states young residents who serve missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints come back not just with knowledge of different cultures, but also an appreciation for their country, Owens said.

The Beehive State also embodies a culture of compassion and hard work, he said, noting the states status as one with the highest number of entrepreneurs.

His work on the House Education and Workforce Committee focuses on making sure the next generation is capable of generating businesses here and supporting businesses here, Owens said. We dont want to export our kids. We want our kids to grow and stay with us here.

We have the kind of educational system that allows our kids to choose and pick, whether it be higher ed, (or) a high-tech career. We have all those options here, and that choice is very important. Were going to continue to be better at that, Owens said. While theres room for improvement, Utah gets a lot right and can serve as a model for the rest of the country, he added.

School of choice and free market go hand in hand

Regardless of whether a school is private or public, if it fails to teach children, it needs to be out of business, said Owens. According to him, the free market should be given a chance to weed out educational institutions that cant teach children successfully.

In 2017, one in three Black students in Californias public schools passed the standardized test for English, and only one in five achieved grade level in math. Among 13 of the public high schools in Baltimore, Maryland, not one student scored a proficient score in math last year, Owens said. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, test scores across the nation show students struggling with learning loss.

Despite strong support for school choice among parents of color, Owens said, Democrats have time and again voted against allowing parents to pick the educational institution right for their child.

His Educational Choice for Children Act would give parents more autonomy over their childrens schooling. The bill would create scholarships for students in K-12 to pay for tutoring, special needs services, homeschooling curriculum materials, education technology, and other educational needs. Individuals and businesses would receive tax credits for contributing to the scholarships, and a school districts funding would remain untouched.

The House Education and Workforce Committee has also proposed the Parents Bill of Rights Act, which would affirm parents right to know what goes on at school, whether its the curriculum, the schools budget or a violent incident.

We want to protect our children. We want to be heard as parents, Owens said.

Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, speaks during the Sutherland Institutes 2024 Congressional Series at the Hinckley Institute on the University of Utahs campus in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

College culture is changing

When it comes to higher education, Owens said parents need to consider their return on investment in four-year colleges that cost tens of thousands of dollars. Students shouldnt have to graduate with debt, but colleges arent held accountable for issuing a degree (that) means absolutely nothing, he said.

He pointed to the College Cost Reduction Act, a bill he cosponsored. The legislation seeks to double the maximum Pell Grant awards juniors and seniors can receive. According to the American Council on Education, a higher education association, it would also prevent interest from capitalizing on student loans, simplify the student loan repayment process, and require students to only pay back what they would have owed on a 10-year standard repayment plan. Owens said this bill would help level the playing field.

The GOP congressman recalled his time growing up and going to school during segregation. I was so proud to be a Black American, so proud of America, and so excited about going out to prove myself, because thats what our parents were teaching us, he said. But Owens said he has seen the Black family unit crumble in the past few decades, and he worries family values are deteriorating among all young people.

My dad was the disciplinarian in my household, Owens said. His parting advice to the students was to, Learn to love God, country, family and respect women and authority.

Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, speaks during the Sutherland Institutes 2024 Congressional Series at the Hinckley Institute on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News
A day after receiving the endorsement of a major police organization, Rep. Ruben Gallego asked the U.S. Justice Department not to put Phoenix through a lengthy, costly legal process in its efforts to reform its police department.

Gallego, D-Ariz., who is running for the U.S. Senate with the backing of the Arizona Police Association, wrote a letter dated Tuesday, saying he is deeply concerned the three-year probe of the Phoenix Police Department could impose $50 million in costs on city taxpayers and create a staffing crisis.

The five-term member of Congress said he strongly urged the Justice Department to enter into a technical assistance agreement with the city rather than seek a court-supervised consent decree.

DOJ is attempting to impose a consent decree on the PPD, but consent decrees have a mixed record at best of improving public safety results, Gallego wrote. With an average monitoring period of ten years under a consent decree, this process is also tremendously expensive and imposes serious burdens on the PPD. The City of Phoenix expects to spend close to $50 million if a consent decree is adopted  a significant burden on local taxpayers.

U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego takes the stage on Aug. 9, 2024, at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.

Gallegos letter provides support to the citys police officers and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, who is Ruben Gallegos ex-wife.

Whatever the merits of less-intrusive oversight of the department, the timing of the endorsement and Gallegos letter could suggest a political alliance brought the union and Gallego together.

Kari Lake, his Republican opponent in the Senate race, was not immediately available for comment. The APA supported Lake during her 2022 gubernatorial run and provided an on-stage endorsement of former President Donald Trump on Friday at his rally in Glendale.

In June, the Justice Department issued a 126-page report capping its probe of the department, finding systemic problems in several areas.

The department systematically used unlawful force, disproportionately targeted people of color and routinely violated the rights of protesters, unhoused people and others having mental health crises, the report found.

Kate Gallego and the police department separately declined to comment on Ruben Gallegos request.

Phoenix City Manager Jeff Barton said in a statement that the city has worked since the June report to study the federal recommendations and compare that to what the city is already doing and is trying to build trust in the community.

We look forward to collaborative conversations with the DOJ to identify a plan that works for Phoenix, he said. The City is committed to developing a path that moves our City and its police department forward. This means showing long-term and ongoing process improvement, researching and implementing best practices in policing, and holding ourselves and our employees accountable to these standards of excellence.

Darell Kriplean, president of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, a police union, maintained that the Justice Departments findings were not worth the citys efforts.

We are pleased to see leaders from both sides of the aisle publicly voice their concerns about the DOJs bogus allegations against the Phoenix Police Department, he said. Congressman Gallego accurately points out in his letter to the DOJ that their report falls short of substantiating any claims of a pattern or practice of misconduct.

Consent decrees have a 30-year track record of failure and do not work; they result in an increase of violent crime and millions of dollars wasted on for profit monitors. We appreciate Congressman Gallego advocating for a technical assistance letter which would allow the citizens of Phoenix and their elected council representatives to rightfully maintain control of the department.

The APAs endorsement praised Ruben Gallego for backing $168 billion in support for police and for his military background as a Marine combat veteran. The organization also moved away from Lake after she called her former Republican Senate challenger, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb a total coward during a candidate forum in May while discussing her baseless claims of election fraud.

The APA singled out Gallegos support for measures allowing local authorities to use federal funds for recruitment and retention pay and for providing benefits to families of officers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

The issue of flexible use of federal funds overlaps with some of Gallegos language in the letter to the Justice Department.

At a time in which it is increasingly challenging to recruit and retain police officers nationwide, a consent decree could initiate a staffing crisis in Phoenix, he wrote.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Senate race: Gallego asks feds for aid for Phoenix police
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) is urging U.S. airlines to reconsider their prolonged suspensions of flights to Israel in order to prevent the appearance and the substance of discrimination against the Jewish State.



Torres, who serves on the House Financial Services Committee, sent a letter on Wednesday to the CEOs of American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines expressing his concerns over their decisions to suspend flights to Israel without FAA guidance that such flights are unsafe. Torres letter comes just over a week after American Airlines announced that it would extend its suspension of flights to Israel through April 2025.



The suspension has been so prolonged and so pervasive that El Al, an Israeli airline, has become the sole carrier offering direct flights from America to Israel. The lack of competition has made air travel to Israel less available and less affordable, putting customers at the mercy of a de facto monopoly that can easily gouge prices with impunity, Torres wrote to American Airlines CEO Robert Isom, Delta CEO Ed Bastian and United CEO Scott Kirby.



Torres pointed to the Federal Aviation Administrations controversial 36-hour ban on flights in 2014 from U.S. carriers to Tel Avivs Ben Gurion Airport during Israels war against Hamas that summer, noting that the Federal Aviation Administration had not issued a similar order at any point since Oct. 7, 2023. Instead, Torres accused the airlines of arbitrarily and unilaterally imposing its own ban on travel to Israel, independently of an order from the FAA.



Airlines should be prohibited from effectively boycotting or otherwise discriminating against the worlds only Jewish State. It is one thing to temporarily suspend air travel to Israel on security grounds as defined by the FAA. But to unilaterally suspend air travel indefinitely until mid-2025, as American Airlines has done, has the practical effect of a boycott, he wrote. Given the arbitrary length of the suspension, one could be forgiven for thinking that the BDS movement had taken over the American aviation industry without anyone noticing, much less crying foul.



By what logic and in what universe is it safe for El Al to travel to Israel but too dangerous for American Airlines, Delta, and United to do so? It is worth noting that UAE airlines like Etihad, FlyDubai, and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi continue to fly to Israel without incident, Torres asked, questioning the logic of their refusal to fly to the Jewish state.



An American Airlines spokesperson told JI in a statement at the time of the companys suspension of flights to Israel that To provide additional flexibility, we will extend our travel alert allowing customers whose travel plans are impacted by this adjustment to rebook without a fee or cancel and receive a refund. We will continue to work closely with our partner airlines to assist customers traveling between Israel and European cities with service to the U.S.



News of American Airlines suspension until 2025 followed Deltas recent announcement that it will not fly to Israel until Sept. 30 of this year, months after revealing since-scuttled plans to resume flights from New Yorks JFK Airport to Tel Aviv in June. With United Airlines having suspended flights to Israel indefinitely after briefly resuming limited service in March, American fliers have been left with El Al as their only option to travel directly from the U.S. to the Jewish state.



U.S. airlines further suspended flights after Iran launched an attack on Israel in April, firing hundreds of missiles that were almost entirely intercepted by Israeli and regional air defense systems. More recently, Iran has been threatening retaliation against Israel for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas political leader, in Tehran since the strike that took him out last month.



One of the things that Iran is trying to accomplish is to isolate Israel economically. This is just another sign of that, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told JI at the time of the canceled flights.



United Airlines noted the flight disruptions in its earnings report for the second quarter of this year, recognizing the Israel Hamas war as one of the geopolitical conflict[s], terrorist attacks or security events that had interrupted usual travel routes in a section about forward-looking statements.



The quarterly report explained that, [T]he suspension of our overflying in Russian airspace as a result of the Russia-Ukraine military conflict and interruptions of our flying to Tel Aviv as a result of the Israeli-Hamas military conflict, as well as any escalation of the broader economic consequences of these conflicts beyond their current scope, were among the areas where the airlines actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements due to numerous factors.



In the days after Oct 7, American Airlines pilots union ordered its members not to fly to Israel until they could be reasonably assured of the regions safety and security.



Another union associated with the industry has since called for measures against Israel. The Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA), the flight attendants union, joined a coalition of unions to call for an end to the death and devastation in Gaza and a cessation of all military aid to Israel.





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When concerned parents prevail upon social media companies to moderate their content to remove harmful images and hate-filled invective, the firms are often reluctant to do so, citing free speech. Yet when governments leant on them during the Covid pandemic to block the opinions of those who questioned the efficacy of lockdowns, it seems they were only too happy to oblige.

Now the boss of the biggest social media company, Meta, says he regrets doing so. Mark Zuckerberg said that Facebook and Instagram were wrong to censor posts during the pandemic. In a letter to a committee investigating online content moderation, Mr Zuckerberg said that senior White House officials repeatedly pressured the company after Joe Biden was inaugurated in 2021. The president had accused Facebook of killing people by not clamping down on Covid posts more enthusiastically.

The platform 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 vaccine, or suggesting that the virus was developed in a Chinese laboratory. Mr Zuckerberg now says that Facebook made some choices that it would not have made today.

Given the reach and power of these online behemoths, governments will always seek to control them. But much of the so-called misinformation during the pandemic turned out to have been true. There was also pressure during the recent riots for misinformation to be blocked. Who is deciding these benchmarks and on what grounds?

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BOSTON (SHNS)  The average Massachusetts household can expect to save $163 per year on utility bills under appliance energy efficiency standards implemented by the Biden administration, according to a new analysis.

A series of updated standards for appliances like dishwashers, air conditioners and clothes dryers will roll into effect in the next four years, and a report published Tuesday by the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) and Appliance Standards Awareness Project suggests most Americans will pay less for utilities as a result.

The typical U.S. household will save $107 annually over the next two decades thanks to the finalized efficiency standards, the report said. State-by-state savings projections vary from $67 per year in Utah to $285 per year in Hawaii.

The report alludes to the upfront costs of purchasing more efficient appliances, but says the projected utility bill savings for the products outweigh any increases in purchase price by more than a factor of three.

Massachusetts and other New England states are forecast for some of the most significant savings, in part because the regions electricity prices are nearly twice as high as the national average, according to report authors.

These updated standards will save consumers money for years to come, just by using more efficient appliances. Its a clear win for Americans wallets, said Deirdre Cummings, legislative director of MASSPIRG. For Massachusetts residents and businesses, the prospect of sustained annual utility bill savings is welcome news.

Analysts also found that the updated standards will trim 291 tons of nitrogen oxide pollution and 16 tons of sulfur dioxide pollution in Massachusetts per year, with similar reductions also stretching across every state.

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BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK (KMID/KPEJ)  In 2023, 509 thousand park visitors spent about $48.7 million in local gateway regions while visiting the Big Bend National Park and Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River, according to a new report from the National Park Service. Big Bend National Park said this supported 661 jobs, $18.8 million in labor income, $29.8 million in added value, and $56.4 million in economic output in local gateway economies surrounding the National Park.

Im so proud that our parks and the stories we tell make a lasting impact on more than 300 million visitors a year, said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. And Im just as proud to see those visitors making positive impacts of their own, by supporting local economies and jobs in every state in the country.

The report also showed that 325.5 million visitors spent $26.4 billion in communities near national parks, supporting 415,400 jobs, $19.4 billion in labor income, and $55.6 in economic output to the U.S. economy. The lodging sector had the largest direct contributions with $9.9 billion in economic output and 89,200 jobs. The restaurants received the next greatest direct contributions with $5.2 billion in economic output and 68,600 jobs.

RELATED: Big Bend Natural History Association reaches $3 million in donations to local National Parks

People from all over the world travel to Big Bend National Park and Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River to camp, hike, birdwatch, float, and explore this special place. They end up supporting the U.S. and local economies along the way, said Superintendent Anjna OConnor. Were proud that Big Bend supports jobs and generates significant revenue in local communities.

You can learn more about the Big Bend National Park, other national parks in Texas, and how the National Park Service works to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation on the National Park Service website.

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Chilling new details surrounding the targeted shooting of a beloved doctor have been unearthed which indicate he was beaten by several assailants months before his death.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Dr. Hamid Mirshojae, 61, was attacked by three men who beat him with baseball bats several months before he was shot dead in front of his medical practice in Woodland Hills last Friday evening.

While the exact date of the assault was not specified, an employee told the Times that afterward, Mirshojae was fearing for his life.

Investigators seek motive in slaying of L.A. doctor outside clinic

They came and beat him with baseball bats, said the employee, who requested anonymity out of concern for her safety. They were some strangers we didnt know.

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)

Hamid Mirshojae, 61, is seen undated personal photo.

According to LAT, no arrests have been made in the case. It is not known whether the beating was related to the doctors killing.

An online biography indicates the doctor, who was originally from Iran, had more than two decades of experience providing urgent and emergency care and more than 10 years in addiction medicine.

Ex-cop sentenced for stealing, reselling cocaine from police lockup

The bio states that his patients included celebrities, movie stars, athletes and many people from different walks of life.

Mirshojae leaves behind four children and a wife. Viewers told KTLA 5 that his wife was in Turkey with their six-month-old child at the time of her husbands death.

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LAFAYETTE, Ind.  In celebration of its first Indiana location hosting a grand opening in Lebanon on Wednesday, Savvy Sliders also unveiled plans for its second and third locations, to be built in Tippecanoe County.

The Michigan-based fast-food chain focused on sliders opened its first store in 2018. Since then, it has expanded into Ohio, Texas, Tennessee, Florida, Louisiana and now Indiana.

Here's what we know about the two planned stores for Tippecanoe County.

Where will Savvy Sliders open in Lafayette?

A Lafayette store is planned for 2862 Old U.S. 231 S., according to Savvy Sliders' website.

Mike Bauer, a Lafayette-based business owner who owns 22 Subway stores across Lafayette and Terre Haute, is the man behind bringing the Michigan-born chain to the Hoosier state.

Where will Savvy Sliders open in West Lafayette?

The second store in Tippecanoe County will be seated on the other side of the Wabash River at 1060 Sagamore Parkway W. in West Lafayette.

What made Bauer decide to bring Savvy Sliders to Indiana?

Bauer said he'd never heard of Savvy Sliders until he received a cold call from the chain's headquarters.

"They'd told me they'd heard about me as a franchise owner and were interested in having a conversation with me about their brand. Being a business person, I'll never turn down a conversation, so I spent about 20 minutes on the phone with them," Bauer said. "I checked out their social media pages and thought the concept was pretty interesting."

After that initial conversation, Bauer said he and his girlfriend planned a weekend trip to Michigan, visiting nearly two dozen Savvy Sliders locations. Upon witnessing the stores' build-out models, trying the restaurant's variety of menu options and meeting several employees, Bauer said he realized Savvy Sliders was everything he'd been looking for in a restaurant.

With confirmed locations in Lebanon, Lafayette and West Lafayette, Bauer said he has about five other locations around Indiana he is eyeing.

Bauer said he was intentional in the location choices for his restaurants, particularly the Old U.S. 231 location, knowing firsthand the need for more restaurants in that area.

"That is a heavy residential area, and they shouldn't have to drive all the way out to the interstate or to Purdue's campus to get a bite to eat. Having a Subway location already on that side of town and having my offices over there, I've experienced it myself," Bauer said. "I get what national chains are doing when they construct plans to build stores over in those areas, but I am always trying to find ways to serve this community. I'm local, and I'm here in this community, and I want to be where my people need me."

Story continues

What is Savvy Sliders' food and business concept?

These aren't your typical sliders, Bauer said, which appealed to him.

Each slider burger is about 2 ounces, Bauer said, which is on the larger side for a slider. Using fresh, never frozen, meat, battering and marinating chicken made to order, Bauer said everything in a Savvy Sliders restaurant is made to order.

One of the other major appeals to the chain, Bauer said, was Savvy Sliders' "More 2 Love" charitable foundation. Having the philanthropic wing of the business was a similar draw as Subway's model with the "Subway Cares Foundation."

"This gives us the opportunity to continue helping those in our community that we serve every day," Bauer said. "With this philanthropic arm, we can do things like hosting parties for disadvantaged kids, back-to-school giveaways, and listening to other ways our community needs us. Being local is very important to me, and that's what Savvy Sliders offers."

Jillian Ellison is a reporter for the Journal and Courier. She can be reached via email at jellison@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @ellison_writes.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Savvy Sliders fast-food chain to open 2 shops in Tippecanoe County
Report: Visitors spent more than $500M in Rockford area in 2023

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO)  The local tourism industry had a record year last year, a recent report from the State of Illinois shows.

According to the report, visitors to the Rockford region spent $515.4 million at various venues.

Theres a lot to see in the area, said Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, resident Steve Dunn Sr., who visited Historic Auto Attractions in Roscoe Tuesday with his grandson. He and I both have an interest in history and its great place to spend the afternoon with my oldest grandson.

Dunn is like thousands of visitors who spent money last year at area, restaurants, concert venues, hotels and other attractions.

Thats visitation, money coming into our thats supporting those venues, supporting the jobs for the people work there, and ultimately supports our quality of life, Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau President and CEO John Groh said.

Groh said with new attractions like Rockfords permanent Hard Rock Casino coming in, future tourism dollars in the region will only grow.

We want to have more people investing in our quality of life, eating in our restaurants, shopping at our retail establishments, going to our museums because without them, those places go away, just like they did in the pandemic, he said. We have to have those visitors.

Visitor spending accounted for $14.2 million in local tax revenue last year, Groh said.

The report was compiled by global research firm, Tourism Economics, and released by the state.

Tourism is big business in Illinois and Rockford, Groh said. It fuels our economy with jobs, new businesses and so much more. If we didnt have tax dollars generated by visitors, it would take an extra $1,300 in taxes from each Illinois household to cover the difference. Thats a significant illustration of tourisms impact.

Last years tourism revenue surpasses 2019s mark of $483 million.

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Republican Party of Arkansas delegates take legal action against party leaders over refusal to enforce closed primaries

Republican Party of Arkansas delegates take legal action against party leaders over refusal to enforce closed primaries

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Republican Party of Arkansas State Convention delegates have taken legal action against leaders of their own party, following the RPA executive committees decision to not allow the state party to enforce the closed GOP primaries in Arkansas, as passed by delegates at the June convention.

The lawsuit, filed by 2024 State Convention Chairwoman Jennifer Lancaster in the United States East District of Arkansas, claims 18 members of the RPAs State Executive Committee voted to nullify motions passed by more than 600 delegates in June, following an advisory opinion done by the Party Rules Committee chairwoman that pointed to the items not being on the conventions agenda ahead of time for proper notice.

Republican Party of Arkansas Executive Committee repeals delegates approval of closed primaries among other action items

RPA Chairman Joseph Wood told KARK 4 News following that meeting that the vote to deem these actions null and void was because they violated party rules to give proper notice and officially put items on the agenda before discussing or taking votes.

According to the lawsuit, the state executive committee does not have the authority to nullify or change anything done by the RPAs state convention body because, according to the RPA rules, The final authority in allparty matters shall rest in the biennial Republican State Convention.

#NEWS: Legal action within Arkansas GOP  State Republican Convention Chair Jennifer Lancaster & 12 delegates file lawsuit against Secretary of State and RPA Chairman Joseph Wood alleging Civil Rights violations.



In June, delegates adopted a rule to close the Republican pic.twitter.com/n6EaYjonhu  Samantha Boyd (@samanthaboyd98) August 27, 2024

Delegates are claiming the actions taken by Secretary of State John Thurston and Wood violate not only party rules but constitutional rights to freedom of speech and freedom of association.

The Republican Party of Arkansas responded to the lawsuit in a statement shared with KARK 4 News.

The Republican Party of Arkansas (RPA) has retained counsel and will defend the rules of the RPA, including due process, to the fullest extent of the law, the statement read.

Arkansas Republicans vote to hold closed primaries, critics voice concerns on rollout

The lawsuit asks the court to order the defendants to take immediate action to close the RPA primaries and all other rules and platform changes that the party made on June 8.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
Alaskan land is eroding at an alarming pace and isn't being replaced fast enough because of rising temperatures.

According to Phys.org, researchers at the University of Texas at Arlington; the California Institute of Technology; the University of California, Santa Barbara; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Los Alamos National Laboratory; the University of Chicago; and the University of Pennsylvania are studying what happens to permafrost when temperatures are rising.

What's happening?

The team analyzed the land and permafrost along the Koyukuk River in Alaska. Permafrost is permanently frozen land, a mix of soil, sand, and gravel held together by ice. They aimed to see the effect of air temperature on permafrost formation.

While the researchers found permafrost is forming along this river, it isn't forming fast enough to replace eroded land.

Why is eroding land concerning?

Organic carbon is stored in permafrost and can be released when it melts. Once it's released, it combines with oxygen to create carbon dioxide. This toxic gas is one of the gases that is warming the planet.

"Permafrost is a delicate natural resource," Nathan D. Brown, assistant earth and environmental sciences professor at UT Arlington, said. "If it is lost faster than it is regenerated, we endanger infrastructure and release carbon, which can warm the atmosphere."

According to NASA, rising temperatures are significantly impacting weather patterns in the United States. Many regions are experiencing extreme heat, which can cause health risks and affect crop yields. Some areas also experience more dangerous storms, which can damage property and ruin homes.

The melting permafrost is also causing another problem in Alaskan rivers, turning them an orange-rust color via melting permafrost and oxidation. This process happens when iron and oxygen have prolonged contact. When this happens, it can lower the pH levels in water, increasing acidity. This process can have harmful side effects for humans and wildlife.

What's being done about eroding permafrost?

The United Nations says the way to combat eroding permafrost is to reduce polluting gases and the rate at which the temperature rises.

One way you can help is to upgrade your yard. Plant native species and avoid pesticides and fertilizers. You can also switch to electric yard tools, which can reduce the toxic gases you emit and minimize water pollution.

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.
Residents of several villages in Russia's Belgorod Oblast are resettled, authorities report people injured in border areas

The Operational Staff of Russias Belgorod Oblast has taken the decision to move the residents of several villages out of the area. Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov has reported that "many people have been injured and some killed" in the border areas.

Source: Gladkov, cited by Kremlin-aligned news agency RIA Novosti

Quote: "A decision has been made to resettle the residents of the villages of Poroz [earlier, Gladkov admitted that the Armed Forces of Ukraine had been in this settlement  ed.] and Dronovka in the Grayvoronsky district, and the village of Stary Khutor and the settlement of Pavlovka in the Valuisky district. The entrance to the village of Vyazovoye in the Krasnoyaruzhsky district has been closed. Checkpoints are being set up, and it will only be possible to enter this settlement with permission from the administration

Unfortunately, the situation remains tense: many people have been injured and some killed. We must take measures to protect the population."

Details: The official statements issued by the Russian authorities make no mention of combat action.

Gladkov said schools located in a 20-km zone in the border municipalities of Belgorod Oblast would operate remotely.

Earlier, he claimed that "the situation at the border with Ukraine remains challenging but under control", and that Russian troops were "conducting scheduled operations".

Thirty-five settlements are said to be closed to entry "due to the operational situation".

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:

The Armed Forces of Ukraine crossed the Russian-Ukrainian border near the town of Sudzha, Kursk Oblast, on 6 August 2024.

On 10 August, it became known that the Armed Forces of Ukraine had taken control of the village of Poroz in Russias Belgorod Oblast. A counter-terrorism operation regime (CTO) was introduced in Russias Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod oblasts, including increased security, traffic restrictions, document checks and phone monitoring.

On 12 August, the Ukrainian authorities confirmed for the first time that the Ukrainian Armed Forces were involved in a special operation in Kursk Oblast.

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Retired Durham firefighter is among 5 killed in horrific NY dispute over mothers will

A retired Durham firefighter died in New York on Sunday when his brother shot and killed three siblings, a niece and then himself after fearing he would be left out of a family will, police in Long Island reported.

Frank DeLucia, 71, had traveled from Durham to the family home in Syosset on Long Island in New York. His mother, Theresa, had died there about a week earlier.

DeLucias younger brother, Joseph, had reportedly lived there all his life.

The perception of Joseph Jr. was he was being cut out of the will and was going to be displaced without a place to go, said Nassau County Police Capt. Stephen Fitzpatrick in a news conference carried by ABC.

He had past mental issues, psych issues, that were reported to us. Because of that perception, he decided that day to get a loaded, Mossberg shotgun, 12 gauge, approached them in the rear area of the house, and from the kitchen, fired 12 shots, striking all four of them multiple times.

One of the most horrific scenes I have ever seen

The shooter then turned the shotgun on himself on the front lawn of their cul-de-sac, Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said in the ABC footage.

That is probably one of the most horrific scenes I have ever seen, he said.

Ryder told NBC New York that surviving family members assured him the shooter was not being cut out of the will but was to be relocated.

Durham remembers a first-class guy

In Durham, tributes poured in for the longtime firefighter described as a first-class guy.

Frank was a beloved part of the Durham Fire Department and Police Department families, his obituary said, as well as his Thursday night prayer group. He was also a wonderful and faithful husband, uncle, and friend. He was truly one of the good guys who always kept his word, always helped those in need, and always defended those he loves.

The Professional Durham Firefighters local 668 called DeLucia exceptional and well-liked, while Mike Rose posted on Facebook, He was my right-hand man at station 6! Rest in peace brother!

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sept. 7 at Clements Funeral Chapel in Durham. The family will receive friends following the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the memorial fund to assist Durham firefighters going through difficult times: Professional Firefighters of Durham Local 668, 811 Ninth St., Suite 120-154, Durham, NC 27705, with Frank DeLucia Memorial Fund in the memo.

To donate electronically, the fire department Venmo account has the username @Local668.
Retired Durham firefighter is among 5 killed in horrific NY dispute over mothers will

A retired Durham firefighter died in New York on Sunday when his brother shot and killed three siblings, a niece and then himself after fearing he would be left out of a family will, police in Long Island reported.

Frank DeLucia, 71, had traveled from Durham to the family home in Syosset on Long Island in New York. His mother, Theresa, had died there about a week earlier.

DeLucias younger brother, Joseph, had reportedly lived there all his life.

The perception of Joseph Jr. was he was being cut out of the will and was going to be displaced without a place to go, said Nassau County Police Capt. Stephen Fitzpatrick in a news conference carried by ABC.

He had past mental issues, psych issues, that were reported to us. Because of that perception, he decided that day to get a loaded, Mossberg shotgun, 12 gauge, approached them in the rear area of the house, and from the kitchen, fired 12 shots, striking all four of them multiple times.

One of the most horrific scenes I have ever seen

The shooter then turned the shotgun on himself on the front lawn of their cul-de-sac, Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said in the ABC footage.

That is probably one of the most horrific scenes I have ever seen, he said.

Ryder told NBC New York that surviving family members assured him the shooter was not being cut out of the will but was to be relocated.

Frank DeLucia

Durham remembers a first-class guy

In Durham, tributes poured in for the longtime firefighter described as a first-class guy. He won the departments Medical Life Saving Award in 2002.

Frank was a beloved part of the Durham Fire Department and Police Department families, his obituary said, as well as his Thursday night prayer group. He was also a wonderful and faithful husband, uncle, and friend. He was truly one of the good guys who always kept his word, always helped those in need, and always defended those he loves.

In 1994, DeLucia climbed down a 24-foot ladder in the dark to rescue a pair of puppies from a well off Hope Valley Road, carrying the sleeping dogs back to the surface.

They were probably just too inquisitive, he told the Herald-Sun at the time. Theyre both sleepy, scared and cold.

Firefighter Frank DeLucia, left, helped rescue two puppies from a dry 20-foot well near Hope Valley Farms in this 1994 photo. Also in the photo are Chris Miller, Durham Animal Control officer Chris Chappell and Captain Mike Rose.

The Professional Durham Firefighters local 668 called DeLucia exceptional and well-liked, while former fire Capt. Mike Rose posted on Facebook, He was my right-hand man at station 6! Rest in peace brother!

Deputy Chief Chris Iannuzzi added, Frank will be remembered as a great firefighter and friend to many at the Durham Fire Department. He was reliable, friendly, kind, and helpful to everyone. We are all saddened by his death and he will be missed.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sept. 7 at Clements Funeral Chapel in Durham. The family will receive friends following the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the memorial fund to assist Durham firefighters going through difficult times: Professional Firefighters of Durham Local 668, 811 Ninth St., Suite 120-154, Durham, NC 27705, with Frank DeLucia Memorial Fund in the memo.

To donate electronically, the fire department Venmo account has the username @Local668.
A retired FBI agent has been identified by his family as the man killed in a police shooting at Franklin High School during a confrontation with an El Paso Independent School District police officer.

Julio Cordero, 56, was a father of four and a decorated federal agent struggling with deteriorating mental health after retiring from the FBI, Cordero's brother Marco Cordero told Channel 9-KTSM.

East Side police shooting: El Paso police fatally shoot man who allegedly pulled weapon during arrest

The FBI El Paso Division confirmed Special Agent Julio Cordero served in the bureau from 1996 to 2019. "We are saddened at the loss of one of our own," spokeswoman Special Agent Jeanette Harper said.

Cordero was the lead agent in Operation Poisoned Pawns, the 2007 public corruption investigation when the FBI raided the El Paso County Courthouse, resulting in dozens of convictions, including three former county judges, county commissioners, school board members and business people.

A retired FBI agent has been identified as the man killed in an officer-involved shooting by the El Paso Independent School District Police Department on Thursday at Franklin High School in West El Paso.

"He was a very respected lawman in the city. He made a big difference," Marco Cordero told KTSM, explaining his brother's mental health began declining after a suicidal man jumped in front of his car and died in 2014. The accident led to the resurfacing of memories of a crash that killed his sister in 1993.

After retirement, Cordero sometimes didn't sleep for days, experienced paranoia and PTSD symptoms, would take medication, get better and would then stop and the cycle continued, KTSM reported.

Crime: El Paso man convicted in Jan. 6 Capitol riot by Trump supporters to serve prison time at La Tuna

An EPISD police officer fatally shot Julio Cordero during a confrontation before 6 a.m. Thursday when Cordero was reportedly breaking windows before the start of classes at Franklin High School, where his family said his son is a senior.

EPISD and the El Paso Police Department have not publicly identified the man killed in the shooting on campus of the West Side school. Details about the confrontation have not been released.

The shooting is under investigation by the El Paso Police Department and Texas Rangers, as is standard in all fatal police shootings. EPISD is also conducting an administrative investigation into the case.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Retired FBI agent killed in EPISD police shooting at Franklin High
Review board dedicated to holding Miami cops accountable will be disbanded. How come?

For more than 20 years, the City of Miamis Civilian Investigative Panel was the bridge between police and the community  enacting needed reforms within the department, among other key accomplishments. Now, after a new state law went into effect, the panel is slated for disbandment.

On Tuesday, the city announced it would no longer fund the civilian police oversight agency. The city is complying with a bill turned law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis that went into effect on July 1. The bill states that no city can fund or adopt a civilian oversight board.

READ MORE: Who holds Miami police accountable? This Army reservist is stepping up to the job

However, the law allows for a police chief to create their own civilian oversight board and select between three to seven members. The city assured Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales is in the process of establishing a new board.

Rodney Jacobs, head of the CIP, told the Miami Herald he was informed that his department would be disbanded and his six employees would face a possible layoff or firing.

I dont believe in the citys articulation of the law, he said. I think [the law] still gives a pathway for it to still exist.

The current panel functions, in nature, as an investigative unit  combining a staff of former officers and attorneys with a rigorously vetted panel voted on by the Miami Commission.

The agency combs through body camera footage, witness testimony, and sometimes statements from police and internal affairs reports to investigate complaints filed against cops. Jacobs said it handled about 300 cases last year.

He emphasized that the new state law does not cover some of the nuanced and forward-thinking functions created by the investigative panel.

The state law doesnt cover our community police mediation program, reviewing and editing department orders and standard operating procedures, and we can still review and audit closed internal affairs cases, he said.

Jacobs team has made landmark discoveries over the years, including the uncovering of the mismanagement of the departments off-duty program.

READ MORE: Miami police audit: One officer worked 3,714 hours at off-duty jobs in one year

According to the city, the Chiefs Advisory Panel, or CAP, will take many of the oversight agencys responsibilities.

Unlike the CIP, the advisory panel is not inherently an investigative agency. It is an amalgamation of advocacy groups and city residents meeting with Chief Morales to provide feedback on department policies and possible changes. Those groups include the ACLU, NAACP, the Circle of Brotherhood, Parents of Murdered Children and representatives from the LGBTQ community.

The fight to keep the CIP is not over for Jacobs. He said his team is discussing with counsel whether arguing the statutory interpretation of the law is possible.

Jacobs is also asserting that residents make their voices heard by contacting a city representative or attending a Sept. 7 budget.

I think its important for the people to have a voice, he said. This is an organization that is in the citys charter voted by the people.
RFK Jr., who has endorsed Trump for president, must stay on the ballot in two swing states

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will not be able to remove his name from the ballots in Wisconsin and in Michigan, two crucial battleground states that Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are hoping will deliver them a decisive win in November.

Kennedy suspended his independent bid for president last week and promptly endorsed Trump. Polls had shown that Kennedy was more likely to gain support among Republicans than among Democrats, and the suspension of his presidential campaign was seen as more beneficial to Trump than to Harris.

In remarks to his supporters on Friday, Kennedy said he was not formally ending his campaign and that he intends to remain on the ballot in states where he poses little to no threat of splitting the vote with the GOP nominee. But in Michigan and Wisconsin, where polls have been running close, Kennedy has now been barred from removing himself from ballots.

In Michigan, where Kennedy was nominated as the Natural Law Party's candidate, a spokesperson for the secretary of state's office told NBC News that minor-party candidates cannot withdraw their nominations. The Wisconsin Election Commission on Tuesday also declined Kennedy's request to take his name off the ballot; Ann Jacobs, who chairs the commission, said that state law does not permit a qualified candidate who has filed nomination papers to decline nomination, NBC News reported.

Still, Kennedy's insistence on remaining on ballots in non-swing states may speak to a need to prove that his candidacy, no matter how little it is resonating, has appeal. Days after Kennedy suspended his campaign, Kentucky's secretary of state said he had filed on Monday to run for president in the state and will appear on the ballot in November.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Someone opened a mortgage in my name and gave my credit score a boost with timely payments. What should I do?

In 2023, the average U.S. credit score was 715, according to Experian. But falling behind on mortgage payments could send your credit score plummeting, making it harder to borrow money when you need to.

This is a big danger of falling victim to identity theft. If someone takes out a loan in your name and doesnt repay it, your credit score could plunge.

But what if the opposite happens, where someone takes out a mortgage in your name but actually makes timely payments on it? You may not discover that thats happened until you pull a copy of your credit report and see a loan you dont recognize. But its possible for a fraudulent loan to technically work to your benefit, since timely payments on a mortgage for many years could give your credit score a nice boost.

That said, any time you spot a loan you dont recognize on your credit report, its important to follow up immediately and straighten things out.

Credit report mistakes are common

If someone gets a hold of your Social Security number and other identifying information, they can potentially take out a loan in your name. But taking out a mortgage in your name is much harder.

To qualify for a mortgage, applicants generally need to provide lots of financial documentation, including recent tax returns, W-2s, and pay stubs. Its pretty difficult for a criminal to get their hands on all of that information. By contrast, its easier to open a credit card in someones name because you dont have to provide actual tax returns and pay stubs.

Therefore, if you see a mortgage on your credit report that you dont recognize, it may be that the credit bureau in question has incorrect information on file. If you have a common name, or a name thats similar to the person who actually took out the mortgage, it may be that they got a legitimate loan in their name, but its simply being reported as yours.

Consumer Reports and WorkMoney had more than 3,000 people check their credit reports and 44% found at least one error. More than a quarter (27%) of those errors were related to debt. So situations like this arent unusual.

However, if a fraudster is involved it's far more likely they use your identity to rack up charges in your name or borrow money and not repay it. A criminal has less to gain by opening a mortgage in your name but paying that loan on time and allowing you to get credit for it.

Investigate no matter what

Any time you see a loan on your credit report you dont recognize, you must investigate. First, check your credit report from the remaining reporting bureaus. There are three in total  Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion  and they dont always have the same information.

Story continues

Youre entitled to a free copy of your credit report each week from each reporting bureau, which you can access here.

If you notice a mistake on your credit report, you need to contact one of the bureaus to dispute it. Theyll be required to investigate and report back to you. Youll need to also contact the lender in question and see what information they have on file. If they make a correction they have to let all the credit bureaus know to update your reports. If you need to, you can submit a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

If, based on your discussion with the lender and the credit bureaus investigation, you come to the conclusion that youve fallen victim to identity theft, youll need to file an official report with the FTC. Once you do, they should also give you a recovery plan.

You may also need to file a police report depending on your situation. According to Experian, "filing a police report can potentially help the authorities catch and stop the person or group committing the crimes. Additionally, some creditors or companies may require you to obtain a police report in order to help you fix the damage."

In addition, ask one of the three credit bureaus to put a fraud alert on your credit report. They must notify the other two to do so as well. You would have to contact all three individually to place a security freeze on your credit record to prevent further fraud. A credit freeze stops criminals from opening new accounts in your name.

A foreclosure, which can result from nonpayment of a mortgage, stays on your credit report for seven years, per Experian, and would make it very hard to borrow money during that time. Taking these steps could protect your credit score from damage in the event that someone takes out a mortgage in your name and stops paying.

Plus, youll likely have trouble getting a mortgage of your own if theres one in your name already, so youll want to be proactive in getting to the bottom of things as quickly as possible. You may even want to hire an attorney to help you navigate your options.

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
RIP To 'When They Go Low, We Go High'

In her Aug. 20 speech at the Democratic National Convention, former first lady Michelle Obama took her "go high" bar down a few notches. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images

This years Democratic National Convention had everything: A hype delegate roll call featuring a surprise Lil Jon performance circa 2002, a subtle dick joke expertly delivered by one former president aimed at another, more Republicans stanning a high-profile Democrat than what was once thought possible, Oprah Winfrey giving a pointed shoutout to childless cat ladies.

But now that the dust has settled and Vice President Kamala Harris has officially become the first Black and South Asian woman to accept a major political partys nomination for president, the 2024 DNC will be remembered not only as a history-making event but also as the place where When they go low, we go high went to die.

Eight years ago, when Democrats gathered in Philadelphia to nominate former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as their presidential nominee, then-first lady Michelle Obama uttered those seven ill-fated words  a well-intentioned but ultimately doomed philosophy that seemed to condone Democrats long history of bringing a squirt gun to a semiautomatic gun fight.

What followed was certainly not Michelle Obamas fault  from normalizing former President Donald Trumps racist, sexist, xenophobic rhetoric, to historically piss-poor messaging, to lukewarm attempts to fight for reproductive justice and combat anti-abortion lies, the nations progressive party has long been of the mindset that securing the moral high ground is enough to win.

Four years of Trump and a scourge of MAGA conspiracy theorists permeating the House and Senate proved thats not the case.

But that was then. This is now.

Now, instead of placating the hypocritical, ill-intentioned Republican Party under the guise of partisanship, Democrats have finally decided to issue full-throated, unapologetic and righteous attacks against a party that has morphed into a shameless cult of personality.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, has correctly identified the GOP as weird  a slight that has cut the Republican presidential ticket so deep theyre now on a we swear were extremely normal people gaslighting tour.

Meanwhile, Harris is consistently touting her experience as a former prosecutor and attorney general while simultaneously calling attention to Trumps felonies and lawsuits, and the fact that a jury found the braggadocious pussy-grabbing candidate liable for sexual abuse and defamation.

I took on perpetrators of all kinds, Harris has said at multiple rallies. I know Donald Trumps type.

The campaign has been issuing one mic-drop statement after the other following Trumps rallies, speeches and addresses, with titles like Statement on Trumps Whatever That Was, Donald Trump Remains Too Scared to Debate Kamala Harris and (my personal favorite) JD Vance Is a Creep (Who Wants to Ban Abortion Nationwide).

(Happy World IVF Day to Everyone Except JD Vance was a close second.)

But it was the DNC itself that served as the joyous, flag-waving wake for the Democrats When they go low, we go high mentality.

Whether it was former President Barack Obamas jab at Trumps obsession with size; comedian D.L. Hughley telling the crowd that with so many Republicans supporting Harris, Trump finally knows what its like when you get left for a younger woman; or the possibly that the party intentionally spread a rumor that Beyonce was a surprise guest to get more people to tune in and watch, Democrats did not come to play nice.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg took on Trump running mate JD Vances hatred for women, former President Bill Clinton took on Trumps age, and the entire Democratic committee took on Vance, Trump and worm-brained RFK Jr. for being weird as hell.

The party even had Mrs. Obama deliver the stirring eulogy herself.

The former first lady expertly turned Trumps line about migrants taking Black jobs against him, asking the captivated crowd: Whos going to tell him that the job hes currently seeking might just be one of those Black jobs? She went on to attack the Republican presidential nominee for failing up and benefiting from the affirmative action of generational wealth, and, yes, without even saying his name.

With a Shoryuken move, she condemned Trumps limited, narrow view of the world that made him feel threatened by the existence of two hardworking, highly educated, successful people who happen to be Black.

Then, on the final night of the DNC, as Harris accepted her partys nomination for president, she cleaned up what was left of the twice-impeached former president, calling him an unserious man who sent an armed mob to the United States Capitol before he was ultimately found guilty of fraud by a jury of everyday Americans and, separately, found liable for committing sexual abuse.

Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails. How he would use the immense powers of the presidency of the United States, Harris continued. Not to improve your life. Not to strengthen our national security. But to serve the only client he has ever had: himself.

The Democrats the gloves are finally off tactics and the vice presidents acceptance speech were so effective, in fact, that while Trump was angrily shit-posting during the final night of the DNC on his Truth Social platform, he hilariously wrote: IS SHE TALKING ABOUT ME?

The disgruntled candidate then called into both Fox News and Newsmax, so bothered by his political rivals remarks that he was accidentally pressing buttons on his phones keypad while incoherently rambling about fracking and China.

Fed up, Trumps favorite cable news outlet kicked him off the air after 10 minutes.

So while the Democratic Partys presidential campaign is one that centers on hope, joy and a positive vision of this countrys future, I for one am glad that it has also adopted the immortal words of Parks and Recreations very own Tom Haverford:

Ive never taken the high road, but I tell other people to because then theres more room for me on the low road.
International shipping authorities are very worried about a possible environmental disaster in the Red Sea following an attack on a tanker carrying about a million barrels of crude oil.

The Greek-flagged MV Delta Sounion was attacked Aug. 21 by a vessel crewed by the Iran-aligned Houthis, a Yemeni political and military organization, according to the U.S. military. Its currently on fire and appears to be leaking oil into Red Sea waters.

The risk of an oil spill, posing an extremely serious environmental hazard, remains high and there is widespread concern about the damage such a spill would cause within the region, said Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), in a Wednesday statement.

Dominguez said he was extremely concerned about the situation.

On Tuesday, Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder described the Sounion as immobilized in its location in the Red Sea. The ships condition presents both a navigational hazard and a potential environmental catastrophe, he said.

The Greek shipping ministry said the vessel was on its way from Iraq to Greece with a crew of two Russian and 23 Filipino sailors when it was attacked, according to Ryder. The Sounions crew has since been evacuated.

The Houthis have been carrying out attacks in the Red Sea in solidarity with the Palestinians in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Last week, Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree posted a video on social media purportedly showing the Sounion being set ablaze. He described it as showing scenes of the Yemeni Navy burning the Greek ship SOUNION in the Red Sea.

The situation with the Sounion isnt the first time an oil tanker has posed a grave environmental risk to the Red Sea as a result of tensions with the Houthis.

An oil tanker moored off the coast of the Hodeidah governorate in Houthi-controlled territory prompted multiple special meetings of the United Nations Security Council in 2021 and 2020.

The leaking 45-year-old FSO Safer tanker had been serving as a floating storage facility and fell into disrepair following Saudi Arabian-led military actions against the Houthis in 2015.

U.N. Environment Programme Executive Director Inger Andersen warned at the time that a possible spill could impact 28 million people relying on local waters and resources for their livelihoods.

The 1.1 million barrels of oil on board the Safer were eventually offloaded to another tanker in a ship-to-ship transfer that concluded in August 2023.

Despite numerous calls for a ceasefire and de-escalation of tensions around the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, a forthcoming resolution appears unlikely following a spate of assassinations and extraterritorial attacks in the region.

Hamas political bureau chair Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Iran in July, and deputy chair Saleh al-Arouri was killed in Lebanon in January. Fuad Shukr, a senior member of the Iran-backed Lebanese political organization Hezbollah, was the target of an intelligence-based elimination in July, according to the Israeli military, as reported by the BBC.

In April, an Israeli attack on an Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, killed two generals and five other officers, according to The Associated Press, in a significant escalation of the conflict that prompted Iran to launch retaliatory strikes on Israel.

The latest chapter in the decades-long regional conflict was set off by Hamass Oct. 7 attack on Israel, in which the group killed more than 1,100 people and took more than 200 hostages.

Israel responded with a military campaign to eliminate Hamas, in which about 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, a figure that includes Hamas fighters but is mostly civilians.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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OWENSBORO, Ky. (WEHT)  Governor Beshear paid a visit in Owensboro to celebrate the first patients to be admitted to RiverValley Behavioral Healths new young mens facility, The Birch. Team Kentucky says the program is available to boys in the juvenile justice system ages of 12 to 17.

Officials say the 10-bed inpatient program is geared toward those who cannot be served under the existing treatment.

EFD tackling residential fire on Herbert Ave.

Services offered include, evidence based therapy and holistic strategies like music, art and animal assisted therapy.

RiverValleys CEO Dr. Wanda Figueroa-Peralta says the facility name reflects their commitment to helping youth find growth despite the adversities they face.

We chose the birch tree as a symbol of our aspiration and our dedication. The birch is a symbol of persistence, new beginning and community like a birch tree we thrive even in challenging conditions, says Dr. Figueroa-Peralta.

Governor Beshear says everyone deserves a second chance.

They deserve our support in making that second chance happen. As Governor, and more importantly as a dad, I think about that. I care about my kids. And how about your kids? These are children of God, says Governor Beshear.

Officials say the length of stay will be longer than typical inpatient psychiatric hospitals. Leaders say thats usually 10 days or less.

Officials say who is admitted will be determined by an admission review committee.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  The Boys and Girls Clubs of Rochester helped local students get everything they need ahead of the new school year Tuesday, with a backpack giveaway.

The Boys and Girls Clubs partnered with Doctor Bettina Love  a professor, New York Times bestselling author, and Edison Tech Graduate  for the event.

She met with students and handed out backpacks full of school supplies, for a project she said really hit home.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
A Rock Hill man who operated a secret fentanyl pill lab out of a laundry room in North Carolina received 27 years in prison, federal prosecutors said.

Quavion Maurice Pickett, 30, trafficked the fentanyl pills around Fayetteville, N.C. before he was arrested in October 2022 in South Carolina, said Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Police seized more than 6 and a half pounds of fentanyl and counterfeit pills stamped to look like a different opioid and a pill press from the Fayetteville home where Pickett was staying at the time in 2022, Easley said in news release.

Drug agents later arrested Pickett in South Carolina where they seized more than 19,000 pills and other contraband related to the drug trade.

Pickett pleaded guilty in April before being sentenced in federal court in Wilmington, N.C., records show.

These pills are made with zero quality-control, with narcotics being mixed in plastic bins and store-bought blenders by reckless, money-hungry narcotics dealers who care only about money and care nothing for human life, Easley said. Never, ever, take a pill bought on the street or online that isnt prescribed by a real doctor. You are gambling with your life.

Fentanyl is around 50 times more potent than heroin and has been a part of overdose deaths locally and across the country, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and officials in both Carolinas. Law enforcement says fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is cheap, easy to get, highly addictive, and lethal.

In York County near Rock Hill in October 2022, drug agents seized over 60 pounds of fentanyl from a separate secret drug lab near Lake Wylie. Five area men have pleaded guilty in federal court in South Carolina in that case and await sentencing of 10 years to life.
(KRON)  A Rohnert Park man was sentenced to six sentences of life in prison on Tuesday for crimes he committed against three children that he adopted, the Sonoma County District Attorneys Office said. The man and his wife kept the children locked in a bedroom and chained to a bed while they collected government money.

Jose Centeno, 57, was found guilty of three counts of kidnapping for financial gain, three counts of torture, and nine counts involving the sexual abuse of a child. His wife, Gina Centeno, died in jail custody in January.

The Centenos adopted the three young siblings in 2006 when they were 2, 3 and 4 years old, the DAs office said. The children attended John Reed Elementary School until the Centenos pulled them out after a school staffer reported possible physical abuse to Child Protective Services in 2010.

San Francisco will close schools due to dramatic drops in enrollment

After this, the couple hid the children in captivity. They told family members that the children had been given back to the state or sent away. However, the Centenos collected hundreds of dollars from the state each month until 2020.

While the Centenos family members thought the children had been sent away, they were still in the home, locked in an upstairs bedroom, the DAs office said. The window to the room was boarded up, and the children were chained to the beds and abused.

At some point, the oldest sibling, a girl named Kaya, lost consciousness. Her siblings were told she was sent away, and they never saw her again. To this day, Kaya remains classified as missing.

Kaya Marie Kazzee Centeno

One of the other two children was sexually abused for years by Jose Centeno. The only time the girl would leave the room was when Centeno unchained her to abuse her in another room, per the DAs office.

In late 2018 or early 2019, Jose took the other two children to Mexico to leave them with family. There, the children told people what happened to them in the Centenos home.

In 2020, while the children were 17 and 15 years old, Mexico Child Protective Services contacted Sonoma County Child Protective Services about the abuse. The children complied with the investigation, and the Centenos were arrested in August 2020.

While appropriate that Mr. Centeno will be spending the rest of his life in prison, our two brave victims are still missing their sister Kaya. Though justice has absolutely been served in this case, Kaya will always be in our thoughts, Sonoma County DA Carla Rodriguez said.

Jose Centeno was found guilty of every charge he faced and received a maximum prison sentence.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
After some rough years, are Central Valley raisin growers back in the high life again?

A vineyard row soaks up some early sunlight on longtime raisin grower Dwayne Cardozas ranch southwest of Fresno. Cardoza has been experimenting with a new hybrid raisin grape that dries on the vine rather than on trays in the sun, reducing labor costs.

California raisin farmers are heading into this years harvest season with one of the highest prices for their crop ever and a renewed hope for a shrinking industry.

Charles Salmon, president of the Raisin Bargaining Association in Fresno, said he expects the price for this years raisins to be $2,016 a ton. That would be the second highest price in the industrys history, topped by the $2,150 a ton growers got for their 2018 crop.

Salmon said Monday that he has agreements for that price with National Raisin Company, Chooljian Brothers Packing, Lion Raisins, Sun Valley Raisins, Victor Packing and Central California Packing Company.

It is shaping up to be a good year, he said.

That comes as welcome news to an industry that has been battered over the years by low prices, increased foreign competition and shrinking acreage.

For decades, raisins have been synonymous with San Joaquin Valley agriculture. Sun-Maid, the century old farmers cooperative, helped make this tiny, wrinkled piece of dried fruit famous, especially after the launch of the iconic singing and dancing California Raisins marketing campaign in the mid-80s.

But even the wildly popular characters couldnt prevent the monumental shift of farmers abandoning raisins in favor of higher-value crops, such as almonds, pistachios and citrus.

From 2000 to 2024, raisin grape acreage declined from 280,000 to about 70,000, said Kalem Barserian, farmer and former head of the Raisin Bargaining Association, a grower cooperative.

Even the 86-year-old Barserian, a venerated leader in the industry, got out. He sold his vineyards about three years ago.

I left in 2021, but I still miss it, tremendously, he said.

Salmon said the industry is in a better position this year compared to last, largely because the crop is expected to be larger, but still manageable. He estimates growers will produce about 200,000 tons of raisins this year.

The top foreign competitor Turkey is also expected to come in with a smaller crop, potentially improving U.S raisin export opportunities.

About two-thirds of U.S. raisins are consumed in the U.S. and Canada, with one-third exported to nearly 50 countries. Asia and Europe being the top two export markets, according to the Raisin Administrative Committee.

Adding to a better year for the industry is the $90 million purchase of raisins by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The raisins will be used in the school lunch program and distributed to the nations food banks.
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO)  Multiple schools in RPS 205 held an open house Tuesday night to get students and families ready for the 2024-2025 school year.

At Auburn High School, students were able to walk through their schedules and get a feel for it for the first time. Spanish teacher Kevin Knoll said the event is crucial for helping students feel comfortable and he thinks Auburn does a great job at that.

Its a wonderful, wonderful place to be, Knoll said. Its been said over and over again its the people, the wonderful people here, all the adults in the building, all the children in the building, the kids, they make it what it is, which is just absolutely wonderful.

Knoll also said each year, he looks forward to sharing his knowledge with the students.

Its about having a chance to bring our expertise as teachers to the classroom to help the kids get focused and really experience what the world is outside of Auburn High School and make those connections, Knoll said. Its just fun to be a part of that and make that happen.

Over at Spring Creek Elementary, music teacher Amanda Janitzky said shes excited to get back into a routine after summer break.

Its just always great to see them [the students], Janitzky said. Theyre so excited after summer. The kids are so happy to be back and that increases our excitement. Its just nice to be ready for them and get routines back and Im just excited to start making music with them.

One Auburn student said shes ready to take on new opportunities this year.

There were so many opportunities last year that Im just really excited, sophomore Iliana Whittiar said. Freshman year, there was already so much that I could do and so much I could be involved in. It gives it a little bit more questioning in your brain and more optimism to wonder what else is out there.

Rockford Public Schools will begin the school year tomorrow, Wednesday, August 28.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 Russian government seeks "a more objective and clearer position" from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the situation at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, Russian state-controlled news agency RIA Novosti reported on Aug. 28.

A day prior, Rafael Grossi, the director of the IAEA, visited the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant following 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.

After the visit, Grossi warned about the risks associated with the facility amid Ukraine's ongoing incursion into Kursk Oblast, but said the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant was "operating in very close to normal conditions."

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova, in an interview with Radio Sputnik, criticized the IAEA's statement, saying that the agency must speak out more clearly on nuclear security issues.

"We see both the assessments and the work of this structure (the IAEA), but each time, we want a more objective and clearer expression of the position of this structure," Zakharova said.

"Not in favor of our country, not in favor of confirming Moscow's position, but in favor of facts with one specific goal: ensuring safety and preventing the development of a scenario along a catastrophic path, to which the Kyiv regime is pushing everyone," she claimed.

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The fault of the Ukrainian side in escalating nuclear danger at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant is more than obvious, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed on the same day, according to RIA Novosti.

On Aug. 28, Russia's National Guard also claimed on Telegram that its sappers had found a shell from a U.S.-supplied HIMARS multiple launch rocket system 5 km (3 miles) from the plant, as well as a rocket fragment which it said was stuffed with 180 unexploded munitions.

A video published by Russia's National Guard showed alleged fragments of the rocket, which two soldiers claimed had been shot down by Russian air defenses and had partially exploded in the air.

Ukraine earlier refuted Russian Putin's accusations that Kyiv had attempted to attack the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant.

"Russia's desired scenario of Ukraine's Defense Forces attacking the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant to accuse them of nuclear terrorism fell apart, so Putin joined the propaganda," said Andrii Kovalenko, the head of the counter-disinformation department at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council.

Read also: Kursk operation: What Ukraine achieved so far and potential future gains

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Hindenburg Research website displayed on a laptop screen. Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Super Micro Computer stock fell after Hindenburg accused the firm of "accounting manipulation."

The short-seller said it conducted a three-month investigation and spoke to former insiders.

Super Micro shares slumped more than 5% on Tuesday but remain up 89% for the year.

Super Micro Computer stock tumbled on Tuesday after Hindenburg Research  the famed short-seller that's targeted titans including Carl Icahn and Gautam Adani  accused the AI firm of "accounting manipulation" in a new report.

Hindenburg said it reviewed various instances that suggested there were ongoing bookkeeping issues within the $35 billion tech firm even after the SEC charged it with "widespread accounting violations" in 2020. Super Micro stock declined 5% Tuesday morning, though shares are up 89% year-to-date.

The stock was trading at $553 a share at midday Wednesday, paring its loss to about 1.5%.

"Our 3-month investigation, which included interviews with former senior employees and industry experts as well as a review of litigation records, international corporate and customs records, found glaring accounting red flags, evidence of undisclosed related party transactions, sanctions and export control failures, and customer issues," Hindenburg wrote.

Shortly after paying a $17.5 million fine to the SEC, Super Micro began to re-hire executives who were "directly involved in the accounting scandal," the report said, citing legal records and talks with former insiders.

Three senior employees involved with the accounting scandals later returned to the firm as a board member, the vice president of business development, and a close consultant to the CEO, according to Hindenburg. Howard Hideshima, Super Micro's former CFO, was also hired last year by a "key related party" owned by the brother of Super Micro's CEO, the report said.

Workers within the company said they faced pressure to meet high sales quotas, even after the company was charged by regulators. The high quotas incentivized some workers to issue "partial shipments" or ship defective products by the end of the quarter, former employees told the research firm.

Super Micro's business relationships also appear "oddly circular," Hindenburg said, noting that the company sold parts to various entities, who then assembled them and sold them back to Super Micro.

Some of Super Micro's partners appeared to do little business outside their relationship with Super Micro. Ablecom, one such partner, exported 99.8% of its product in the US to Super Micro, while Compuware, another partner, exported 99.7% of its product to Super Micro, the report said.

Story continues

Hindenburg also said Super Micro also ramped up exports to Russia after Moscow invaded Ukraine, which violated US sanctions.

Hindenburg highlighted quality concerns among Super Micro's customers, some of whom have turned to alternative suppliers. Tesla and CoreWeave, two of Super Micro's major customers, have inked high-profile deals with Dell over the past year, the firm noted.

Digital Ocean, one cloud provider that worked with Super Micro, also took its business to Dell after the company experienced "service issues," Hindenburg said, with one Digital Ocean employee telling the firm its relationship with SuperMicro was a "train wreck of sorts."

Former employees at Genesis Cloud, a current partner of Super Micro, also described the firms' relationship as "catastrophic."

"All told, we believe Super Micro is a serial recidivist. It benefitted 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," the research firm said.

A representative for Super Micro did not respond to a request for comment.

Super Micro stock has soared over the past several years amid Wall Street's hype for AI. However, shares stumbled since the firm missed its earnings estimates in its last quarterly report, fueling a 20% selloff over the past month.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Russia's air defenses are being stretched, forcing it to choose where to send protection.

War experts say Ukraine's increased attacks on Russia have exposed and created gaps in its coverage.

Russia has long had the upper hand with defenses, but Ukraine is finding new opportunities.

Russia's air defenses are being stretched, putting the country in a position where it has to decide what to protect.

Air defenses have been one of the most crucial pieces of weaponry in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and both sides have been using them to defend against drone and missile attacks and to stop each other's aircraft from flying into their air space.

But because of Ukraine's successful strikes and recent tactics, Russia now has to decide where to put its air defenses.

And that's giving Ukraine new opportunities to target weaker areas, warfare experts have told Business Insider.

Russia's defenses are eroded

Last month, analysts at the Institute for the Study of War, a US think tank, said in their war update that Russia didn't appear to have enough air defenses to protect everything it needed to  even in supposedly secure areas.

George Barros, a Russia analyst at the ISW, told BI that Russia had arranged its defenses to protect the areas that were most under threat, which meant that other areas were then exposed.

An interceptor launching from a S-400 missile system in southern Russia. DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images

If Ukraine can get past that first line of defense, then it can get deeper into Russia, where the country is "not adequately protected," he said.

Ukraine said it destroyed 59 Russian air-defense systems in June, its second-highest monthly total in the war (after 73 in July 2023).

Those figures aren't independently confirmed, and there's no objective figure for the number of Russian air-defense systems that have been damaged or destroyed.

But Ukraine has been observed destroying a host of systems, including many of Russia's most advanced ones.

Ukraine is hitting Russia more

The experts said Ukraine was forcing Russia to consider where to defend itself by hitting more and more sites in Russia.

Western allies recently gave Ukraine permission to use their weapons to hit some military targets in Russia, whereas before, their use was limited to targets in Russian-held territory in Ukraine.

Ukraine has also escalated its drone campaign, hitting airfields and oil facilities, sometimes hundreds of miles inside Russia.

Justin Bronk, an airpower expert at the UK think tank Royal United Services Institute, said in June that Ukraine appeared to be pursuing a clear strategy to force Russia's air force "to either vacate its bases within several hundred miles of Ukraine's borders or dedicate an inordinate quantity of air defense systems to defending them."

The ISW's update last month said that Ukraine's increasing drone attacks had stretched Russia's capabilities and that the strikes "continue to pressure Russia's air defense umbrella and force the Russian military command to prioritize allocating limited air defense assets to cover what it deems to be high-value targets."

An image purporting to show a destroyed Russian S-400 launcher. Ministry of Defense of Ukraine/Screengrab via X

It added that satellite imagery from May suggested Russia had concentrated some systems around Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence in Valdai, Leningrad Oblast.

Riley Bailey, a Russia analyst at the ISW, told BI that Ukraine's escalating, near-daily strikes put more pressure than ever on Russia's military command.

Michael Clarke, a Russia and Ukraine expert at RUSI and King's College London who's also a UK national security advisor, said Russia never anticipated being in a war in which drones would feature as heavily as they had in this one.

The head of the Russian region of Tatarstan said in April that Russian companies and local authorities must defend themselves against Ukrainian drone strikes instead of relying on the state's defenses after targets in the region were struck.

The ISW called that "a clear acknowledgment and admonition of the Russian Ministry of Defense's (MoD) failure to defend Russian cities and critical infrastructure from Ukrainian drone strikes."

Ukrainian soldiers operating a drone. Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images

Bailey said this was happening "because Russia doesn't have enough assets to widely cover Western Russia against these regular drone strikes."

The problem is heightened in Crimea

Ukraine has specifically targeted Crimea, the peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014.

Bailey said Ukraine had conducted a "pretty consistent" campaign to target Russia's air defenses in Crimea and strain Russian air defenses.

The UK Ministry of Defense said in April that the cumulative effect of Ukraine's attacks on defenses in the peninsula hurt Russia's ability to defend the Crimea airspace.

Clarke, the Russia and Ukraine expert at RUSI and King's College, said Ukraine had been "quite successful, particularly in Crimea, in destroying some of the Russian radars and antiaircraft systems."

He described Ukraine as attacking Russia's air-defense network "and then using the holes in the network that they created to go through and attack the air bases, or in some cases, Sevastopol, the naval base."

He also said Russia's defenses had become more stretched than ever as, with the frontline static, Ukraine had increasingly focused on hitting into Russia's occupied territories and into Russia itself.

A Russian airfield near Sevastopol, Crimea, in March 2023. Image  Planet Labs PBC

Ukraine's repeated strikes have resulted in reports that the Russian military has had to constantly move systems in Crimea, making it harder to continue using the peninsula as a military logistic hub and staging ground, Bailey said.

And Ukraine's attacks elsewhere in Russia appear to be making it harder for Russia's presence in Crimea.

The Ukrainian partisan group Atesh said in June that Russia moved defenses from the peninsula to the Russian region of Belgorod, where Ukraine was attacking.

It's an air-defense war

Analysts point to the current conflict as one that has become largely an air-defense war  and one in which Russia still has the upper hand.

Ukraine's air defenses are much smaller, and it frequently runs low on equipment.

A Patriot missile battery, like the ones Ukraine has been given by allies, firing an interceptor missile in Greece. Anthony Sweeney/US Army

Meanwhile, Russia's air-defense arsenal remains formidable.

Warfare experts said Ukraine was also at a disadvantage because the US wouldn't let it use the long-range weapons it had given to hit deep into Russia, where Russia keeps many of the aircraft it uses to launch attacks on Ukraine.

Getting that permission and more aircraft would create a more-even playing field.

And being able to hit more targets in Russia would allow Ukraine to stop more attacks at their source  probably forcing Russia to make even more decisions about where to put its air defenses and which areas to leave vulnerable to Ukrainian attacks.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Russia has issued an international search warrant for former Latvian MP Juris Jurass, who joined Ukraines Armed Forces during the full-scale war.

Source: statement by the Russian Prosecutor General's Office, as reported by European Pravda

Details: According to the Russian Prosecutor Generals Office, the indictment against Jurass was approved by the Prosecutor's Office of the so-called Donetsk Peoples Republic (DPR). Jurass is accused of "mercenarism" and "spreading deliberately false information" under Russian criminal code articles.

Forty-nine-year-old Jurass has been fighting as a volunteer in Ukraines Armed Forces since August 2022 and receiving a salary as a soldier. He is also being charged for his social media posts and interviews about the war, including reports of Russian military atrocities in the city of Bucha in Kyiv Oblast.

"The accused has been declared internationally wanted and the court has chosen in absentia as a pre-trial restriction that he be remanded in custody," the Russian Prosecutor Generals Office said, adding that the case will be tried in absentia by the Supreme Court of the DPR.

Background:

Juris Jurass, the then chairman of the legal commission of the Latvian Seimas and a member of the New Conservative Party, decided to fight for Ukraine almost immediately after the full-scale war began. He resigned from his office.

Then, the Latvian Seimas amended the national security law to allow Latvian citizens to fight for Ukraine.

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A couple sit in front of their house destroyed by a Russian strike in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko) | Andriy Andriyenko

In the wake of Ukraines march into Kursk, Russia launched a massive air attack on various regions of Ukraine, killing at least seven people and injuring more. According to Reuters, this is the largest air attack Russia has launched since the start of the war in 2022.

Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk called it Russias most massive attack, per CNN.

The Russian defense ministry denied targeting Ukrainian civilians and called the attacks a high-precision weapon strike, Reuters reported.

The first attack began Monday morning, with 15 regions targeted by drones, cruise missiles and hypersonic missiles, according to CNN. More strikes were launched Tuesday morning.

Like most previous Russian strikes, this one was just as vile, targeting critical civilian infrastructure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, per The Associated Press.

The aerial attack fell on the same day the Kremlin publicly addressed potential ceasefire talks and vowed retaliation for Kursk. Such hostile actions cannot remain without an appropriate response, a Kremlin Spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said according to Reuters.

In response, Ukraine shot down some of the drones and missiles, while also launching dozens of drones aimed at western Russia.

Zelenskyy also asked allies to consider joint air defence operations and provide long-range capabilities, Reuters reported.
Russia moves 90% of military planes beyond ATACMS range, US official claims

Russia has reportedly transferred 90% of its military aircraft to bases outside the reach of long-range ATACMS, a United States official told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) in remarks published Aug. 27.

The U.S.-made Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) have a range of approximately 165-300 kilometers. The U.S. first supplied long-range ATACMS to Ukraine in March of 2024.

Russia has responded to Ukraine's acquisition of ATACMS by moving most of its aircraft beyond the missiles' range, the unnamed official told the WSJ, citing a new U.S. intelligence report.

With 90% of the planes out of reach, striking deep inside Russia with ATACMS makes little strategic sense, the official claimed.

U.S. policy currently prohibits Ukraine from using American-supplied weapons to attack targets deep within Russian territory. Kyiv has lobbied Washington to lift these restrictions and allow Ukrainian forces to strike airbases and other military targets beyond the border zone.

The U.S. official also told the WSJ that Ukrainian forces may have better success striking Russian airbases using its own long-range drones.

Ukraine has been scaling up domestic defense production in order to strike key targets in Russia without regard to Western restrictions. The Palianytsia, a newly developed homegrown missile-drone, was designed to strike Russian airfields.

As Kyiv looks for ways to destabilize Russia's military assets, Russian forces over the past two days hit Ukraine with mass attacks. Russia on Aug. 26 launched over 200 missiles and drones as part of its largest-ever aerial attack throughout the full-scale war.

Read also: Kyiv to present US list of targets in Russia it wants to hit with long-range arms, Politico reports

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Russian aerial bomb kills two people and their parents in Donetsk Oblast

The aftermath of the Russian attack on the village of Izmailivka in Donetsk Oblast. Photo: Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office

An entire family was killed in a Russian attack targeting Donetsk Oblast on 28 August.

Source: Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office

Details: The investigation has found that the Russians dropped an aerial bomb on the village of Izmailivka in the Pokrovsk district on 28 August.

The munition landed in a residential area, hitting a house.

An entire family died under the rubble of their home  parents aged 45 and 53, along with their 17-year-old son and 24-year-old daughter. Emergency workers recovered their bodies from under the rubble.

Early reports indicate that the Russians struck the village with a guided aerial bomb.

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Russian forces dropped an aerial bomb on the village of Izmailivka in Donetsk Oblast on Aug. 28, killing a family of four, the regional prosecutor's office said.

The parents, aged 45 and 53, their 24-year-old daughter and 17-year-old son, were found dead under the rubble of a destroyed house.

According to the prosecutors, Russian forces targeted the residential area of the village, most likely using a guided bomb.

Izmailivka is a front-line village some 27 kilometers (17 miles) south of Pokrovsk, a town that has become the focal point of the Russian offensive in Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast.

On Aug. 27, Russian attacks against Donetsk Oblast injured three civilians, authorities said.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Russia redeploys 30,000 troops to Kursk Oblast; Ukraine tests its first ballistic missile, Kyiv says

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least seven civilians and injured at least 36 over the past day, regional authorities reported early on Aug. 28.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Russian attacks killed a 70-year-old man in the Marhanets community in the Nikopol district on Aug. 27, Governor Serhii Lysak reported.

Russian attacks against Donetsk Oblast injured two people in Selydove and one in Kostiantynivka, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin.

One person was killed, and 14 were injured during attacks against Kharkiv Oblast, said the regional governor, Oleh Syniehubov.

An attack against an infrastructure facility in the town of Bohodukhiv on the morning of Aug. 27 killed a 72-year-old man and injured six people. Two others suffered shock, the governor said.

At around 10 p.m. the same day, an attack with a Tornado multiple rocket launcher damaged houses and a bakery in the town of Izium. Five people were injured, one of whom was hospitalized, the governor said.

Seven more people, including four children aged between 3 and 16, suffered shock.

Three more civilians were injured during attacks against the villages of Tsyrkuny, Kozacha Lopan, and Piatyhirske, Syniehubov reported.

Russian attacks against Kherson Oblast killed two people and injured 14, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

In Sumy Oblast, a civilian was injured during a drone attack against the Krasnopillia community overnight on Aug. 28, the regional military administration said.

A Russian drone attack against Zaporizhzhia, the regional center of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, killed two women aged 83 and 86 and a 61-year-old man, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported.

Three women aged 19, 30, and 56, as well as a 59-year-old man, were injured, according to the governor.

Chernihiv, Luhansk, and Mykolaiv oblasts were also attacked, but no casualties were reported.

Read also: Civilians killed, injured as Russia launches large-scale attack on Ukraine for second night in a row

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Russian troops are approaching the town of Selydove in Donetsk Oblast amid Russia's ongoing advance in the region, Ukrainian media outlet Hromadske reported on Aug. 28, citing its correspondent Diana Butsko on the ground.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Selydove has been regularly attacked by Russia, often resulting in casualties. The front line has inched closer to the town since Russia took Avdiivka in February and continues its advance towards the nearby city of Pokrovsk.

Fighting over the town has already begun. The Russian army is actively shelling Selydove, and many civilian infrastructure facilities have been destroyed, according to Hromadske.

Selydove, with a pre-war population of nearly 21,000 people, is located 18 kilometers south (11 miles) of Pokrovsk, which has been a focal point of Russia's offensive for recent months in the Donetsk sector of the frontline.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier that Pokrovsk had become Russia's main target after its Kharkiv Oblast offensive failed.

The military administration of Pokrovsk called on residents on Aug. 15 to evacuate immediately, as the Russian army was about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the town's outskirts.

As of Aug. 28, 38,000 people and 1,900 children remain in Pokrovsk, according to local authorities.

Read also: Thousands flee as Russian troops take one Donetsk Oblast village after another

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Russian forces launched yet another ballistic missile strike on Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on Wednesday, leaving eight people injured. The city had declared Wednesday to be a day of mourning following a Russian attack on a hotel in the city on the night of 26-27 August.

Source: Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration

Details: The Ukrainian authorities say three civilians are known to have been injured in the Russian attack.

Infrastructure facilities and cars have been damaged in the city, and a fire has broken out.

At the time of the attack, the Ukrainian military issued a ballistic missile strike warning.

Update: The Ukrainian authorities later updated the information to indicate that five people have been injured in the attack.

These are four men aged 29, 41, 44 and 60. They suffered shrapnel wounds, bruises, and concussions. All of them are in a moderate condition in hospital.

A woman, 54, has also been injured.



The eighth injured is an 18-year-old boy who will be treated in a hospital.

A garage cooperative and 12 cars were damaged in the city. Windows were shattered in a hotel.

Background: On the night of 26-27 August, Russian forces hit a hotel in Kryvyi Rih with a ballistic missile, leaving civilians dead and injured.

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Russian guided bomb attack on Kupiansk injures at least 14

Russian troops dropped a guided aerial bomb on the town of Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast on Aug. 28, injuring at least 14 people, the Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office reported.

Kupiansk, a crucial logistics juncture that was temporarily occupied by Russia in 2022, has recently come under heavy attacks as Russia has intensified its offensive efforts in the area.

The Russian attack damaged the Kupiansk city administration building as well as a hotel, residential buildings, cars, shops and other civilian infrastructure, according to local authorities. Three policemen are among the injured, prosecutors said.

"The destruction is quite significant, but everyone is alive, there is no information about any killed," Andrii Besedin, head of the city's military administration, told Suspilne.

"People were working inside (the building), there were literally 10 minutes left until the end of the working day."

Attacks on population centers in Kharkiv Oblast, located in northeastern Ukraine, intensified after Russian forces launched a new cross-border offensive in the northern part of the region in May.

While Ukrainian troops have halted the advance, Russia still controls a handful of border settlements.

Read also: Ukraine pushing Russian forces out of Kharkiv Oblast step by step, Zelensky says

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The Euronext Amsterdam has been experiencing a period of optimism, buoyed by expectations of potential interest rate cuts by the European Central Bank. As investors navigate these promising yet uncertain times, companies with high insider ownership often stand out due to their alignment with shareholder interests and long-term growth potential.

Top 5 Growth Companies With High Insider Ownership In The Netherlands

Name Insider Ownership Earnings Growth Envipco Holding (ENXTAM:ENVI) 36.7% 79.2% Ebusco Holding (ENXTAM:EBUS) 33.2% 107.8% Basic-Fit (ENXTAM:BFIT) 12% 78.3% MotorK (ENXTAM:MTRK) 35.8% 108.4% PostNL (ENXTAM:PNL) 35.6% 36.4%

Click here to see the full list of 5 stocks from our Fast Growing Euronext Amsterdam Companies With High Insider Ownership screener.

We'll examine a selection from our screener results.

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: Basic-Fit N.V., with a market cap of 1.52 billion, operates fitness clubs through its subsidiaries.

Operations: Revenue segments for the company include 505.17 million from Benelux and 626.41 million from France, Spain, and Germany.

Insider Ownership: 12%

Basic-Fit demonstrates strong growth potential with high insider ownership. The company's earnings are forecast to grow significantly at 78.3% annually, outpacing the Dutch market's 19.5%. Although revenue growth is slower at 15.1%, it still surpasses the market average of 9.7%. Recent earnings reports show improved performance, with net income rising to 4.18 million from a net loss of 6.12 million last year, indicating positive momentum despite lower profit margins and interest coverage concerns.

ENXTAM:BFIT Ownership Breakdown as at Aug 2024

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: MotorK plc, with a market cap of 272.70 million, provides software-as-a-service solutions for the automotive retail industry across Italy, Spain, France, Germany, and the Benelux Union.

Operations: The company generates 42.50 million in revenue from its Software & Programming segment.

Insider Ownership: 35.8%

MotorK exhibits strong growth potential with high insider ownership. The companys revenue is forecast to grow at 22.1% annually, significantly outpacing the Dutch market's 9.7%. Recent earnings show a slight decline in sales to 21.46 million but an improved net loss of 6.48 million from 7.8 million last year. With new CFO Zoltan Gelencser joining soon, MotorK aims for profitability within three years despite current financial challenges and past shareholder dilution.

Story continues

ENXTAM:MTRK Earnings and Revenue Growth as at Aug 2024

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: PostNL N.V. provides postal and logistics services to businesses and consumers in the Netherlands, rest of Europe, and internationally, with a market cap of 620.11 million.

Operations: Parcels generated 2.28 billion and Mail in The Netherlands contributed 1.35 billion to the company's revenue segments.

Insider Ownership: 35.6%

PostNL demonstrates growth potential with high insider ownership. Recent earnings for Q2 2024 showed a slight increase in sales to 793 million but a marginal decline in net income to 10 million. Despite this, earnings are forecast to grow significantly at 36.38% annually over the next three years, outpacing the Dutch market's average. However, revenue growth is expected to be modest at 2.6% per year, and the company faces high levels of debt and unsustainable dividends.

ENXTAM:PNL Earnings and Revenue Growth as at Aug 2024

Next Steps

Discover the full array of 5 Fast Growing Euronext Amsterdam Companies With High Insider Ownership right here.

Have a stake in these businesses? Integrate your holdings into Simply Wall St's portfolio for notifications and detailed stock reports.

Invest smarter with the free Simply Wall St app providing detailed insights into every stock market around the globe.

Want To Explore Some Alternatives?

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 ENXTAM:BFIT ENXTAM:MTRK and ENXTAM:PNL.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
Russian missile attack on Kryvyi Rih injures at least 9

Russian forces launched a missile attack against the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast city of Kryvyi Rih on Aug. 28, injuring at least nine, authorities said.

Four men aged 29, 41, 44, and 60 were hospitalized with shrapnel wounds, bruises, and other injuries, Governor Serhii Lysak reported following the attack. A 54-year-old woman was also among the injured but did not require hospitalization.

Later during the day, men aged 64, 29, and 18 were also confirmed as injured. The first two of them were hospitalized.

A 46-year-old woman was provided with medical help at the scene, Lysak reported at around 2:30 p.m. local time.

The authorities reported explosions in the city at around 10:50 a.m. local time.

A garage cooperative's building was hit, and over 230 cars were damaged. The attack also damaged windows at a nearby hotel, service station, administrative buildings and a vocational school, according to Lysak.

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.

During a mass Russian strike on Aug. 26, an Iskander missile hit a hotel in Kryvyi Rih, killing at least four people and injuring five.

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.
Russian crude exports to Hungary and Slovakia remained within norms in July as the sanctioned Lukoil oil was offset by supplies from another Russian company, Tatneft, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 27, citing an undisclosed source.

After Ukraine tightened its restrictions on the Russian oil giant Lukoil, the step has effectively halted the flow of the company's supplies to the two EU countries via the Druzhba pipeline since late June.

This led to a diplomatic row between Kyiv on one side and Bratislava and Budapest on the other. The latter two countries claimed the move undermined their energy security, threatening repercussions.

Hungary and Slovakia are among the few countries granted exemptions from EU sanctions on Russian pipeline oil.

Already in late July, the Slovak government proposed a "technical workaround" to the problem to Ukraine, without publishing details. Budapest said last week that it is is close to finalizing talks on "balanced" oil supply.

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Despite the concerns voiced by the two Central European nations, Russian crude supplies in July amounted to 436,000 metric tons to Hungary and 356,000 to Slovakia, according to Bloomberg's source familiar with industry data.

These figures are an increase compared to June and roughly on par with last year's levels. Even though Lukoil supplies were cut off in July, Tatneft boosted its own exports, mostly replacing the missing barrels, Bloomberg wrote.

This appears to be in-line with a statment by Oleksii Chernyshov, the CEO of the Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz, who said in July that the volume of oil transiting through Ukraine has not changed despite the sanctions on Lukoil.

"If the current oil suppliers do not fall under sanctions, Ukraine can continue transit," Chernyshov said.

Similarly, Hungary's leading refiner Mol rebuffed the concerns and said that the country will not suffer any shortages as a result of Ukraine's sanctions.

Following an appeal by Hungary and Slovakia, the European Commission examined the matter but concluded there was "no reason for concern."

Read also: Orbans arguments crumble in Lukoil spat with Ukraine

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Ukraine struck Russia's Kirov Oblast, 700 miles from the border, for the first time as part of its ongoing campaign against Moscow's fuel infrastructure.

Ukraine brought the war to Russias Kirov Oblast for the first time on Wednesday with a drone strike on an oil depot there more than 700 miles from the border. It was one of at least two attacks on Russias fuel infrastructure overnight that included a drone strike in Rostov Oblast and conflicting claims about an attack on one in Ryazan Oblast. The attacks are part of Ukraines effort to severely degrade Russias oil industry, which supports the war and is a critical part of its economy.

The Zenit oil facility in Kotelnich, Kirov Oblast, was attacked by Ukrainian drones starting at 10 a.m. local time, Oblast Gov. Aleksandr Sokolov said on Telegram. As a result of timely measures taken, two drones were shot down and three fell on the territory of the Zenit plant in Kotelnich and caught fire.

The fires were quickly extinguished, Sokolov claimed.

There was no damage, no disruption to the enterprises operations, he added. Emergency services are working at the scene, there was no fuel fire, no casualties.

Videos emerged on social media showing drones approaching the depot. In the one below, residents are seen firing at a drone spotted overhead. It ends with a loud bang, but the camera is pointed to the ground so the result of engagement is unknown.

UAV hits an oil depot in Kirov as onlookers desperately try to shoot it down. pic.twitter.com/gVdSwcMYWc  WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated) August 28, 2024

In the top video that follows, the sound of an explosion is heard followed by smoke rising from the scene of the impact. The video below it shows the drone flying toward the Zenit facility.

2/2

Local channels have videos of some of UAVs drifting towards the oil plant in #Kotelnich which is 1500km from #Ukraine.



The #Kirov governor says 2 drones were shot down, 3 fell on the depot, but "were quickly extinguished" with no disruption to the operations." pic.twitter.com/x1EedofQtQ  Tim White (@TWMCLtd) August 28, 2024

The citys emergency dispatch service said there is slight smoke at the facility due to a UAV hitting a kerosene tank. Foam is being poured, the official Russian TASS news outlet reported on Telegram.

The Russian Baza news outlet offered a slightly different take, saying on Telegram that four drones hit the Zenit facility, with one causing an explosion and fire.

One of the videos below shows what appears to be a drone striking the facility, resulting in a puff of brown smoke, but no resulting fire is seen from that angle. NASAs Fire Information for Resource Management System showed no fire at this location.

At least five drones attacked an oil depot in the Kirov region. Astra publishes the moment of the attack.



This is the first attack on the Kirov region since the beginning of the war. pic.twitter.com/z3sEBK5cxv  NEXTA (@nexta_tv) August 28, 2024

About 755 miles to the southwest, Ukrainian drones also struck the Atlas fuel depot in Rostov Oblast, according to the regional governor. The depot is about 140 miles from the front lines.

A UAV attack caused a fire at a fuel depot in Kamensky District, Vasily Golubev said on Telegram. There were no casualties. Emergency response forces are involved in extinguishing the fire. There is no threat of the fire spreading to residential buildings.

The depot was hit by two drones causing a fire which they still cannot put out, Baza said on Telegram. Several tanks are burning.

Video emerging on social media backs up that claim. The one on the top shows the plant still in flames in the daytime while the ones below show it burning after the attack overnight.

Atlas oil depot: The fire spread to other tanks! https://t.co/KjRS9UmNYHpic.twitter.com/wwZMP4ZBh0  MAKS 24 (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) August 28, 2024

There are conflicting reports about the Ryazan State District Power Plant in the oblasts Novomichurinsk district, about 270 miles from Ukraine and 150 miles south of Moscow.

An explosion and a fire broke out at the facility, Ukrainian journalist Yuri Butusov wrote on Telegram. The station is completely covered in smoke. Meanwhile, some Russian publics are writing about a Ukrainian attack on the power facility, while pro-Kremlin media outlets are reporting spontaneous combustion of dry grass near the power plant.

The regional press service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations told the Russian Readovka news outlet that the video of smoke in the area of the Ryazan State District Power Plant was filmed the day before. There was no fire at the power plant itself, but the footage shows grass burning next to it.

However, the Russian MiG of Russia Telegram channel disputes that.

Information directly from the field on the situation in Novomichurinsk: it is not burning grass, there was an emergency at the power plant, MiG of Russia wrote on Telegram. But it is not critical, and the situation was quickly resolved. MiG of Russia did not explain what caused the emergency.

Video from the scene shows large plumes of gray smoke wafting up into the sky near the facility, but no indication of a fire there.

"Something f*cked up at the power plant! That was a f*cking pop! And now it's burning!"



Russian Telegram channels are spreading a video of the smoke-filled power plant in Novomichurinsk, Ryazan region. According to eyewitnesses, an explosion was heard before the fire.



Some pic.twitter.com/M8wNkkIG1C  Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) August 28, 2024

Meanwhile, a fire at the Proletarsk fuel depot in Rostov Oblast is still raging 11 days after being hit by Ukrainian drones, the U.S.-funded Radio Liberty news outlet said on Telegram.

The intensity of the fire is still decreasing, although not very quickly, the outlet said.

Sentinel-2 imagery from August 27, 2024 show the fuel tank farm in #Proletarsk still burning. It appears that the majority of the tanks were destroyed from the fire. pic.twitter.com/P6xK1vV5pj  OSINT (Uri Kikaski) (@UKikaski) August 28, 2024

Before these attacks, Ukraine struck Russian oil facilities at least 64 times this year, according to an analysis by the BBC Russian Service.

In at least 49 cases, the attacks sparked fires, BBC Russian Service reported, citing Russian media and Telegram channels.

Many were extinguished on the same day, but there were exceptions. In addition, two attacks with subsequent fires were recorded in Russian-occupied Luhansk, BBC Russian Service noted. About a quarter of all attacks (17) occurred in the Krasnodar Territory, and Rostov Oblast is in second place by a wide margin (five incidents).

Ukraines drone campaign, combined with a reduction in Russian gasoline production, has driven costs up, BBC Russian Service noted. However, it is difficult to assess the damage from the attacks, the news outlet pointed out. Most often, oil companies do not disclose how long they have to repair the plants and how much they had to reduce production.

Regardless, there are several reasons for Ukraine to continue hitting Russian oil facilities. Oil and gas exports are major contributors to the Russian economy and striking them hits the Kremlin in the wallet. Moreover, these facilities fuel the Russian war effort, and hitting them impacts logistics. Reducing the flow of fuel also drives up prices at the pump and in grocery stores, making the public feel the sting of this conflict. In addition, as BBC Russian Service reported, these constant strikes are leading to discussions about bringing in additional air defenses, something that hasnt yet happened because they are in such great demand on the front lines far from these depots.

With Ukraine developing new weapons like jet-powered kamikaze drones and ballistic missiles, Ukraine is only set to expand the scope and frequency of its campaign against Russias energy sector.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com
Three civilians have been injured in Sumy Oblast as a result of an attack by the Russians on the civil infrastructure of Mykolaivka hromada [a hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories  ed.].

Source: Sumy Oblast Prosecutors Office; Sumy Oblast Military Administration

Details: The investigation reports that on 28 August from 16:40 to 17:40, using the methods of waging war, forbidden by international law, the Russians launched, presumably, missile attacks on civilian infrastructure of Mykolaivka hromada in the Sumy district.

As a result of the attack, a married couple, both aged 62, and a 65-year-old man have been injured.

Quote by Sumy Oblast Prosecutors Office: "Prosecutors, jointly with other law enforcement agencies, are documenting the consequences of the attacks.

Further, the materials of the criminal proceeding will be handed over to the Security Service of Ukraine in Sumy Oblast."

Photo: Sumy Oblast Prosecutors Office

Details: In total, as stated by Sumy Oblast Military Administration, the Russians launched 66 attacks on border areas and settlements in Sumy Oblast on 28 August. As many as 220 explosions were documented.

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Entry to the city of Kurchatov, which houses the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in the Russian Federation's Kursk Oblast, has been restricted. Checkpoints will be set up along the roads.

Source: Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti

Details: Acting Kursk Oblast Governor Alexei Smirnov said that this was done allegedly because the Armed Forces of Ukraine "do not abandon attempts to penetrate the city".

Quote: "In this regard, as well as to provide additional security measures, the counter-terrorist operation operational headquarters has decided to restrict entry into Kurchatov in the near future. Control over the decision's implementation will be carried out at specially organised checkpoints," he wrote.

According to Smirnov, residents with registration will be able to freely enter the city, and power plant workers will need to get special passes.

Background:

Kurchatov is located near Kursk, about 40 kilometres from the territory controlled by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

On 9 August, Russian media reported that the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant was being prepared for defence in response to the approach of some Ukrainian Armed Forces groups.

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Russian troops have reportedly made significant tactical gains on the Pokrovsk front amid reports that Ukrainian forces had withdrawn from certain areas southeast of Pokrovsk.

Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Details: Geo-located footage released on 27 August confirms that Russian forces have advanced over two kilometres from their previously known positions into north-western Novohrodivka (south-east of Pokrovsk), specifically along Dubinina Street.

This suggests that Russian forces are now also holding positions in the central part of the town.

Additional geo-located footage indicates that Russian forces have made minor gains in south-eastern Hrodivka (east of Pokrovsk and north-east of Novohrodivka) and have captured Kalynove (further south-east of Pokrovsk and south-east of Novohrodivka).

The front line in Donetsk Oblast

Map: ISW

To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 27 August:

Russian forces have made significant tactical advances on the Pokrovsk front amid reports that Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from select areas southeast of Pokrovsk.

Russia's most combat-capable troops are currently sustaining Russian advances towards Pokrovsk, and Russia's offensive operations are emblematic of the wider Russian theory of victory in Ukraine, premised on seemingly indefinite grinding tactical advances. Russia's continuous and complete prioritisation of the Pokrovsk front will likely impact Russia's overall combat capabilities in Ukraine in the aftermath of any Pokrovsk scenario, especially as the Kremlin tries to balance gains in Pokrovsk with defending against the Ukrainian incursion into Kursk Oblast.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Ukraine's incursion into Kursk Oblast was in part an effort to preempt a Russian offensive operation into Sumy or Chernihiv oblasts and noted that the incursion is an aspect of Ukraine's wider efforts to achieve a just and lasting diplomatic solution to the war based on the principles of international law and the inviolability of Ukraines territorial integrity.

Ukrainian forces reportedly attempted to advance into two areas of Belgorod Oblast on 27 August amid continued Ukrainian offensive operations in Kursk Oblast.

Russian officials attempted to use International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi's visit to the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) to falsely portray Ukraine as threatening a radiological incident, likely to undermine Western support for Ukraine by stoking unfounded fears about Ukraine's incursion into Kursk Oblast.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised India's commitment to ending the war in Ukraine to Russian leader Vladimir Putin following Modi's recent visit to Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Kreminna and Russian forces recently advanced near Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and Donetsk City.

The Ukrainian incursion into Kursk Oblast has reportedly heightened willingness among Russian citizens to sign military service contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD).

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Operation of two airports suspended in Russia's Tatarstan, likely due to threat of MLRS attack

The Federal Air Transport Agency of Russia (Rosaviatsiya) has reported that "to ensure flight safety", temporary restrictions were imposed on the airports of Kazan and Nizhnekamsk in Tatarstan [a federal subject of the Russian Federation] on the morning of 28 August, with the probable reason being the threat of a drone attack.

Source: Rosaviatsiya; RIA Novosti, a Kremlin-aligned Russian news outlet; Baza, a Russian Telegram channel; Shot, a Russian Telegram channel

Details: Baza stressed that the Kazan airport had suspended operations due to the threat of a drone attack.

Several departure and arrival flights have been delayed.

Planes heading to Kazan have been diverted to an alternative airfield in Samara.

Update: Russian propagandists also reported the suspension of operations at another airport in Tatarstan, located in the city of Nizhnekamsk.

The Kovyor (Carpet) plan has been triggered at both airports due to the threat of a UAV attack. [A Kovyor plan is an airport operational safety procedure for airport services and personnel when an unidentified object appears in the sky  ed.].

The airports have halted all incoming and outgoing flights. So far, around 20 flights have been delayed in Kazan.

Meanwhile, employees of several Kazan businesses have been evacuated.

Background: On the night of 27-28 August, fires broke out at two oil depots in Russias Rostov Oblast after loud explosions.

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The boss of Europe's largest airline says passengers should be restricted to two drinks per journey to curb what he says is an increase in antisocial behaviour and violence. Thomas Banneyer/dpa

Michael O'Leary, the chief executive of Irish budget airline Ryanair, has called for alcohol limits in airports to tackle a rise in disorder on flights.

O'Leary said passengers should be restricted to two drinks per journey to curb what he says is an increase in antisocial behaviour and violence.

He told The Daily Telegraph violent outbursts are occurring weekly with alcohol, especially when mixed with other substances.

"We don't want to begrudge people having a drink. But we don't allow people to drink-drive, yet we keep putting them up in aircraft at 33,000 feet," he said, adding it was difficult for airlines to identify inebriated people at the gate, especially when boarding in a group.

"As long as they can stand up and shuffle they will get through. Then when the plane takes off we see the misbehaviour."

O'Leary said crew members and other passengers have become targets with delays adding to the problem with longer drinking times at airports.

"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," he said.

"It's the mix. You get much more aggressive behaviour that becomes very difficult to manage."

O'Leary said Ryanair staff search bags before passengers are allowed to board flights to Ibiza, one of the "party destinations" he says are worst affected which include some of the Greek islands.
A new U.S. Army contract award points to Saab having won the services Individual Assault Munition (IAM) competition. The Army plans to replace its existing mix of M72, M136, and M141 shoulder-fired anti-armor weapons with new IAMs, also already referred to as XM919s.

The Pentagons daily contracting announcement today includes a firm-fixed-price award valued at $494,350,000 to Saab Inc. for an unspecified number of XM919s. The notice adds that bids were solicited via the internet with three received. This is in line with reports that General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS; in cooperation with Germanys Dynamit Nobel) and Nammo, headquartered in Norway, had also been competing for this deal.

Saab

The War Zone has reached out to the Army and Saab for more information about this new contract award, which is estimated to cover deliveries through at least 2029. The Army has said in the past that it hopes to begin fielding XM919s in 2025.

Saab already makes the M136 series, also known as the AT4 family, one of the weapons the IAM is set to replace. The companys IAM submission is an evolution of that design that is itself an outgrowth of the famed 84mm Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle, which you can read more about here. Whereas the Carl Gustaf can be reloaded and reused, AT4 variants are single-shot weapons that come preloaded with a single 84mm round. The launch tube is designed to be discarded after firing.

A US Army soldier holds an M136/AT4 launch tube on their shoulder. This example has been fired, as evidenced by the lack of a seal at the front. US Army

Since the 1980s, the US Army has already acquired multiple variants of the AT4, including so-called confined space (CS) versions specially designed to be fired safely from within buildings. Many shoulder-fired anti-armor weapons cannot be employed safely by personnel indoors or within other kinds of concealment due to their back-blast, forcing them to expose themselves to greater risk to get off a shot.

The AT4CS TW variant Saab put forward for the IAM competition further contains a tandem warhead round. Projectiles like this are primarily designed to defeat armored vehicles, especially ones with add-on protection such as explosive reactive armor (ERA). A two-stage warhead has a better chance of breaking through multi-layered defenses. A tandem warhead can also help the round penetrate through other reinforced targets, including the walls of buildings, and then still create lethal effects inside.

The Armys IAM requirements had called for a single-use individual weapon weighing no more than 20 pounds and no longer than 40 inches, and capable of being fired from an enclosure out to ranges of up to 1,640 (500 meters). The XM919 also had to be effective against light armor, earth and timber bunker[s], double reinforced concrete, adobe, [and] triple brick wall[s], according to an official fact sheet.

This covers all of the target sets Army units currently train to engage with M136s, as well as M72s and M141s, but in a single weapon.

The M72, the first version of which entered U.S. military service in the early 1960s, is also a single-shot shoulder-fired weapon, but fires a smaller 66mm rocket. Newer variants of the M72 come preloaded with rockets with warheads designed to provide better effects against targets beyond light armored vehicles. More information about the M72 family can be found in this past War Zone piece.

A US Army Special Forces soldier fires an M72 launcher in training. USAF

The 83mm M141, also known as Bunker Defeat Munition (BDM), which arrived in the late 1990s, is a single-shot derivative of the Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon (SMAW) rocket launcher in service with the U.S. Marine Corps. True to its name, the BDM is designed to be employed against battlefield fortifications and other structures, as well as light-armored vehicles and other targets. American forces notably used BDMs to collapse cave entrances in Afghanistan, as can be seen in the video below. You can read more about the M141 in detail here.

Selecting another AT4 variant to become the new XM919 would provide training and logistics benefits given that versions of the Saab design are already in Army inventory. The service has also called for a dedicated subcaliber version of the weapon, referred to as the XM922, that will fire smaller, shorter-range projectiles ballistically matched to the rounds inside the XM919s, for use on training ranges that cannot handle live-firing full-on IAMs.

AT4CS TWs in U.S. Army inventory could lead to them entering service elsewhere across the U.S. military, as happened in the past with the M136 and other shoulder-fired anti-armor weapons. It might help prompt further sales elsewhere, too, including through the U.S. foreign military sales (FMS) system, though the AT4 family is already very popular globally.

The Armys replacement of M72s, M136s, and M141s with the new XM919 could also lead to those older weapons heading to other allies and partners abroad. Ukraine, for instance, has already received examples of all of those weapons and a slew of other shoulder-fired anti-armor launchers from the United States and other foreign benefactors since 2022.

The ongoing conflict in that country has only underscored the value and importance of man-portable weapons for engaging enemy armored vehicles and hostile forces behind hard cover, including inside buildings, as well as designs that can be readily employed in dense urban environments. Large built-up areas are expected to be the scene of major combat in future higher-end fights the U.S. military might find itself in, even one against China in the Pacific.

If Saab has indeed won the IAM competition, Army units look set to start trading in their older shoulder-fired anti-armor weapons for new XM919 versions of the AT4 next year.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com
SAC CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  A local sheriffs office has turned to its community for support to get a bond passed for a new jail and law enforcement center due to their current facilities age and a lack of space.

The Sac County jail has not only housed inmates for many years, but also used to be where the sheriff and their family lived.

I think its well past when we should have gotten one, and with our recent jail inspection, were barely making it, deputy sheriff Katie Stange said.

The jail was built 85 years ago in 1939, with the most recent update to the facility in 2007. With Sac County using the second oldest jail in Iowa, its not up to modern standards.

Officials begin moving into new Woodbury County jail

With a jail like this, were having to do a lot of excessive inmate movements that in a modern jail we wouldnt have to do, Stange said. The way we see it, the more often you have to move inmates, the more options there are for escape staff assaults, other inmate assaults. So its putting not only those inmates that we house at risk, but the public as well.

On the outside, the Sac County jail looks like an ordinary house, but once you step inside, its one part normal home and the other part a jail. Due to the jails layout, in the past 10 years officers have had five inmates escape the facility.

Weve had staff members that have been put in a cell, Stange said. Weve had inmates going out into the public, and despite drone efforts, foot searches, dog searches, it does take a while to find some of these people. It creates such a safety liability for our staff. We want our staff to feel safe at work, and also the public.

While the jail is the main focus, the Sac County Sheriffs Office also needs improvements.

Weve outgrown our office, Stange said. One example is our communications center isnt properly secure. If there were some sort of large storm, we want to make sure that thats secure, so everybody in that county can get the help they need. Secondly, our deputies have outgrown their workspace. We have six deputies right now, road deputies that are sharing two desks, and its just not working.

To solve both situations, a $10.9 million bond was put onto the November ballot.

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Right now were at a 24 bed capacity. We would go up to 26, Stange said. So the first phase will be the jail and that will be across the street from where it currently is. Theyll build that new jail and then they will tear down our existing structure. From there they will extend on to our office and also update the law enforcement side of things. Its a revamp and essentially modernizing our entire office.

Stange wants to emphasize this is a necessity for the sheriffs departments future.

It very much so is not us asking for a new shiny toy, Stange said. Its us asking for a new jail for public safety and the safety of our staff.

The Sac County Sheriffs Department plans on inviting community members on a tour of the jail, as well as holding several town hall meetings.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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The South Korean market has remained flat over the past year, with the Utilities sector gaining 11% in the last week. As earnings are forecast to grow by 29% annually, identifying strong dividend stocks can be a strategic move for investors looking to capitalize on stable returns amidst these conditions.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks In South Korea

Name Dividend Yield Dividend Rating Kia (KOSE:A000270) 5.35%  NH Investment & Securities (KOSE:A005940) 5.88%  Industrial Bank of Korea (KOSE:A024110) 7.01%  KT (KOSE:A030200) 5.09%  HANYANG ENGLtd (KOSDAQ:A045100) 3.42%  Kyung Nong (KOSE:A002100) 7.04%  JW Holdings (KOSE:A096760) 3.01%  Cheil Worldwide (KOSE:A030000) 6.13%  Korea Cast Iron Pipe Ind (KOSE:A000970) 6.15%  iMarketKorea (KOSE:A122900) 6.95% 

Click here to see the full list of 76 stocks from our Top KRX Dividend Stocks screener.

Let's take a closer look at a couple of our picks from the screened companies.

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: MegaStudyEdu Co. Ltd., with a market cap of 548.89 billion, provides online and offline educational services in South Korea.

Operations: MegaStudyEdu Co. Ltd. generates revenue from various segments including Employment (57.37 million), University (73.40 million), High School (598.46 million), and Elementary and Middle School (220.07 million).

Dividend Yield: 4%

MegaStudyEdu's dividend payments are well covered by both earnings (25.3% payout ratio) and cash flows (21.2% cash payout ratio), but the company has a short and volatile dividend history, having paid dividends for only five years with significant fluctuations. Despite this, its current yield is in the top 25% of South Korean dividend payers. Recent buybacks totaling KRW 9.99 billion aim to stabilize stock price and enhance shareholder value, reflecting managements commitment to returning capital to shareholders.

KOSDAQ:A215200 Dividend History as at Aug 2024

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: Kia Corporation manufactures and sells vehicles in South Korea, North America, and Europe, with a market cap of 40.99 trillion.

Operations: Kia Corporation's primary revenue segment is Auto Manufacturers, generating 103.65 billion.

Dividend Yield: 5.4%

Kia's dividend payments have been stable and growing over the past 10 years, with a low payout ratio of 23% and a cash payout ratio of 32%, ensuring sustainability. The companys current yield is in the top 25% of South Korean dividend payers at 5.35%. Recent earnings growth of 29.2% further supports its ability to maintain dividends. However, ongoing legal settlements may impact financials, but Kia remains committed to enhancing shareholder value through strategic initiatives like patent contributions.

Story continues

KOSE:A000270 Dividend History as at Aug 2024

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: Cuckoo Holdings Co., Ltd. and its subsidiaries manufacture and sell electric heaters and daily necessities in South Korea and internationally, with a market cap of 702.37 billion.

Operations: Cuckoo Holdings Co., Ltd. generates revenue from the production and sale of electric heaters and daily necessities both domestically in South Korea and internationally.

Dividend Yield: 4.9%

Cuckoo Holdings' dividend payments have been stable and growing over the past 5 years, with a payout ratio of 26.7% and a cash payout ratio of 41.2%, indicating sustainability. The current yield is in the top 25% of South Korean dividend payers at 4.87%. Despite its relatively short dividend history, the company benefits from a low Price-To-Earnings ratio (5.5x), suggesting good value compared to the KR market average (11.5x).

KOSE:A192400 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 KOSDAQ:A215200 KOSE:A000270 and KOSE:A192400.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
Iyana Blackwell was looking for a clean slate and a chance to turn her life around in 2018, after beating a drug addiction that she feels likely led to the loss of her job in warehouse management in the Los Angeles area.

The very instant I got off of the plane (in Sacramento), my mother had let me know to dial 211, Blackwell said, recalling that her mother told her: 211 will let you know all the different resources and all the different programs that will help you get back on your feet.

Womens Empowerment was at the top of the list, she said. The nonprofit boosts the confidence of women who have experienced homelessness and shows them how to build careers that can financially support themselves and their families.

Blackwell now earns $75,000 at a new job she landed this summer, and she says its all because Womens Empowerment connected her with an accomplished group of property managers willing to teach her the ropes in their field.

That group, the Sacramento Valley Chapter of the Institute of Real Estate Management, developed a five-week training course on how succeed in property management and offer them the chance to get to know industry veterans who can help them establish their careers.

Property management is something that can be overwhelming, and it can be fearful for someone whos first entering into that type of job and that type of career field, Blackwell said.

Blackwell was a member of the first class in 2018, and IREMs latest training session included Sacramento native Shakela Wade, whose journey through homelessness was the subject of a Bee story earlier this year.

I feel amazing, said Wade, who graduated in August. I feel like this train will not stop rolling to success. Im just so happy to be like the driver. Im not in the caboose anymore. Im the driver at this time.

Shakela Wade, left, is congratulated after getting her certificate from the RENEW training program that could put her on the path to a career in property management earlier this month. Ward was previously homeless and is a graduate of the Womens Empowerment program. Ward said the homeless population keeps growing and growing and she wants to be part of the solution for the unhoused.

Removing barriers

The idea for this training program came in 2016 when Julia Cochran, IREMs executive director, attended an international conference and saw a San Diego chapter of IREM explain how they were giving women escaping domestic violence a start in the real estate industry.

Cochran came back to the Sacramento region and pitched the concept to the IREM board. Real estate companies of all sizes embraced it, she said, and pledged their dollars to help operate it. Many professionals also volunteered their time to teach classes.

Ready to get things rolling in 2018, Cochran wrote the curriculum as IREM Sacramento launched the classes: Our whole slogan our first year was Were building the plane while we fly it.

They teamed up with Womens Empowerment, Cochran said, because the nonprofit could recommend women like Wade and Blackwell who had graduated from its job readiness program. Both women were impressed with the seamless coordination between the two groups.

Womens Empowerment arranged for their grads to take a course in business math, a prerequisite to apply for the IREM program, Cochran said. Once Wade, Blackwell and other candidates passed this course, they still had to undergo a panel interview with several IREM professionals to determine whether they would be a good fit for the program. Wade said Womens Empowerment had even prepared them for that.

They remove all barriers, said Wade, who left a job in shelter intake in San Francisco to return to Sacramento to care for her elderly godmother. When she died, Wade slipped into homelessness, a fate that studies show many caregivers face today.

Members of the program commit to completing the five-week training course that IREM calls the RENEW Program, short for the Real Estate Networking, Education and Work Program, Cochran said. Studies have found that structured learning programs that equip homeless people with specific skills have improved their employment prospects.

While in the program, Blackwell attended lessons five days a week, keeping up with homework and classwork. The course culminated in a 100-question exam at the end, and students must score 80% or higher to pass.

That would be a challenge for anyone to keep up with, but students in our programs often have extra challenges to overcome, Cochran said. How many times have you tried to study where you didnt have internet access or you didnt have a computer to get onto this online book that we had provided or to access Google Classroom? How do you study by flashlight if you live in your car?

Lisa Culp, the leader of Womens Empowerment, directs Shakela Wade, right, who formally was homeless, as she graduates from the RENEW program, a training program that could put her on the path to a career in property management earlier this month. I feel like Womens Empowerment was the catalyst into RENEW, said Ward who earlier graduated from Womens Empowerment.

Paying it forward

The RENEW Program went virtual for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting the camaraderie students could build with one another and the networking with the IREM professionals teaching the classes, Cochran said.

Thats improved since 2022, when IREM began offering RENEW classes through a combination of online and in-person instruction.

Paula Nichols, a regional property manager with Cushman & Wakefield and an IREM board member, has served as a mentor in the program as her way to pay forward the help she has received in the industry. She recalled the first letter that IREM received from a RENEW graduate.

It put me in tears, Nichols said. She was sharing with us how thankful she was because it was very difficult for her and her dog Rufus to live under a bridge and attend our class, and she was thanking us for the food.

A large portion of the budget for this IREM Sacramento program goes to pay for food because Cochran and the board saw firsthand how the students would take a plate of food but eat only a small portion. Then theyd wrap the plate in napkins and tuck it somewhere close to them.

We went, Oh, my gosh, they have kids, they have families, Nichols recalled. So we pretty quickly morphed that into a very big thing with to-go boxes. Theres so many vendors in this industry that have donated the funding to do that.

At Wades graduation ceremony in August, she and other participants got to keep the laptops they were given to do their class work and gift cards to help defray costs of starting a careers. IREM members agreed to hold mock interviews for students to help prepare them, and Womens Empowerment founder Lisa Culp said her team would stand ready to help them update their resumes.

Kikkia Bourn, 22, takes a picture of her mother Shakela Wade earlier this month while attending Wades graduation from the RENEW program, a six week training program that could put her on the path to a career in property management. Wade, who was homeless, is also a graduate from Womens Empowerment.

Iyanas journey

Blackwell said she had run through her unemployment benefits and savings by the time she completed the RENEW training. She had stayed at a procession of cheap motels as she went through first the WEAVE job readiness training, the business math course and then RENEW.

Thanks to her mothers largesse, Blackwell said, she was staying at a two-start extended-stay hotel when she got a call from Renoir Staffing, the temp agency that RENEW instructors had recommended she use to find jobs in property management.

Her first position was just holding down the fort at Hotel Berry for a weekend as management of the property shifted. She received a positive review for that stint, and that led to other temporary assignments at Angelina Apartments in South Sacramento, Capitol Yards in midtown, 800J Lofts downtown.

Then Mohanna Development Co. offered her full-time work and a deeply discounted micro-unit where she could stay. Blackwell said she grew to love the cozy efficiency apartment because there was so little space to clean.

Her RENEW training prepared her to handle anything and everything she would face, Blackwell said: They had a course on fair housing from an attorney working in the field. They learned about the different kind of notices that tenants must be served and how to handle deposits. Leasing agents showed them how to tour, lease and keep up a property. There was training on pest control and fire and water restoration.

At graduation, Wade said she wants to remain a part of the solution to homelessness and hopes to put what she learned one day into owning or operating affordable housing for low-income or middle-income people.

As for Blackwell, all the training, temp assignments and full-time positions paid off this summer when she secured a job in the Bay Area, working with residents either seeking public housing or trying to maintain it. Theres plenty of opportunities for advancement, Blackwell said.

Without RENEW, Blackwell said, I would have never gotten the start that I needed and I would have never gotten the direction that I needed.  I am definitely financially stable now.
Sacramento K9 sniffs out more than 30 pounds of meth in drug bust

(FOX40.COM)  A routine traffic stop in Sacramento led to a massive drug bust, according to the California Highway Patrol Valley Division.

On Tuesday, CHP announced that K9 Olex sniffed out and located 34 pounds of methamphetamine in a TLX Acura. Photos of the bust show a K9 dog posed in front of the vehicle with a mound of brown brick-like packages stacked on top of it.

Over 2,000 marijuana plants and 300 pounds of weed busted in Northern California

Thanks to Olexs sharp senses, weve made our community a little safer today. Great job, Olex! CHP said on social media.

The CHP bust is one of several drug busts that have happened throughout Northern California. Most recently, the Sacramento Police Department near North Natomas said it dismantled an illegal drug operation that led to the discovery of guns, jewelry, marijuana, mushrooms, and over $50,000 in cash.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.
A bill to protect performers from unauthorized AI replicas was approved by the California Senate on Tuesday and will soon head to the governors desk.

SAG-AFTRA, the actors union, has made the bill one of its top legislative priorities this year. AB 2602 would require explicit consent for the use of a digital replica of a performer.

More from Variety

The bill mirrors language in the SAG-AFTRA contract that ended last years four-month strike against the film and TV studios. It would also extend those protections to include other types of performances, such as videogames, audio books and commercials, and would also encompass non-union work.

Were looking to make sure people who arent currently covered by one of our agreements are protected, said Jeffrey Bennett, general counsel of SAG-AFTRA. We dont want to see the next generation of performers lose all rights to voice and likeness because they dont have any leverage or ability to effectuate fair terms.

The Motion Picture Association, which lobbies on behalf of the major studios, initially opposed the bill, arguing that it would interfere with common post-production techniques. Legislators changed some of the language to address those concerns, and the MPA ultimately took a neutral position.

The Assembly approved the bill in May. Because it was amended in the Senate, it must go back to the Assembly for concurrence before it goes to Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The bill is one of several the Legislature is considering to address the potential threats of artificial intelligence.

The union proposed the legislation out of concern over sweeping language in many performance contracts that grant rights to use an actors likeness throughout the universe and in all media whether now known or hereafter devised.

Those contracts  which a performer might sign to do a one-day commercial shoot  could conceivably be interpreted by clever lawyers as granting the right to use AI to create other performances. In the nightmare scenario, an actor might end up competing against their own likeness for work.

The bill would require that the rights to an AI replica must be explicitly bargained for, and the contract must include a reasonably specific description of the eventual use. That language also appears in the SAG-AFTRA contract with the studios.

Contracts without such language would be unenforceable.

We wanted to make sure it was understood those rights dont automatically transfer, Bennett said. You have to explicitly want those rights. You have to mention that you want them, and talk about the uses they would bring.

SAG-AFTRA is currently on strike against the major videogame companies, after negotiations stalled over the AI provisions.

SAG-AFTRA is also pushing for a federal law, the No Fakes Act, that would make it unlawful to create a digital replica of anyone  whether a performer or a regular person  without their consent.

The MPA has warned that if such laws are written too broadly, they can run afoul of the First Amendment by prohibiting the use of historical figures in docudramas. After the No Fakes Act was revised to address that issue, the MPA gave its support.

SAG-AFTRA is also lobbying for AB 1836, which would protect the digital replicas of dead performers. The MPA is neutral on that bill as well.

Best of Variety

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MIDDLEBURY, Conn. (WTNH)  Among the flood victims looking for answers is the family of one of the children killed in the Sandy Hook school shooting.

Nelba Marquez-Greene, who lives in Middlebury, said the flooding caused her family damage worth more than $100,000. Their 6-year-old daughter Ana Graces personal possessions were among the items lost.

Ana Grace died at Sandy Hook Elementary on Dec. 14, 2012.

Connecticut senators visit Oxford amid flood recovery efforts

The piano that she played, she played Come, Thou Almighty King, had to be chopped up by a chain saw, and it currently sits in that dumpster outside, Marquez-Greene said. All of her books, all of her outfits, all of our memories are in a dumpster. We need more from the state of Connecticut.

Marquez-Greene said all of her neighbors are dealing with losses. She said she wants state leaders to do more about preparing for climate change and is counting on them to help with relief and speed up insurance payments.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
A sign reading "Santa Monica Is Not Safe" sparked controversy on Third Street Promenade in 2022. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

For the record:

1:02 p.m. Aug. 31, 2024: An earlier version of this article said Santa Monica is considering changing its anti-camping ordinance to comply with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling. The ruling allows, but does not require, cities to restrict homeless encampments on sidewalks and other public property.



Homeless people in Santa Monica may soon be prohibited from sleeping outdoors as the city considers changing its anti-camping ordinance after a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the contentious topic.

The existing ordinance prohibits tents and makeshift shelters on public property. The revised ordinance would also prohibit the citys unsheltered residents from using blankets, pillows and bedrolls while sleeping outside, removing exemptions that were added in 2022 to comply with a court of appeals ruling.

Santa Monica officials were expected to discuss the proposed ordinance along with other recommendations during Tuesday nights City Council meeting, but officials postponed the item to be discussed possibly as early as next week.

Homeless people have long been drawn to Santa Monica, in particular to its promenade and beaches where tourists gather. They have been blamed for several headline-grabbing crimes.

Last summer, a man who appeared to be homeless assaulted Mayor Phil Brock on the Third Street Promenade. Brock was a councilmember at the time of the attack. This past May, a homeless man assaulted three people on the same street, stabbing at least two German tourists. The following month, Santa Monica police arrested a homeless man who attacked three people on the beach, including an elderly woman and a 17-year-old girl.

Read more: Homeless people will face fines, possible arrest in Long Beach crackdown, city official says

There are 774 people experiencing homelessness in Santa Monica, a 6% drop from 826 in 2023, according to the city's recent homeless count. At least 62% of the unhoused population lives outdoors.

Tuesday's proposed ordinance drew dozens of residents to the Santa Monica council chamber, some of them addressing the item at the start of the meeting.

Wade Kelly, a resident, told the council during public comment that he disagreed with the citys plan to prohibit people from sleeping outdoors and directly addressed the mayor over it.

You dont stand for human rights, Kelly told him.

Brock didnt hesitate to respond to his remarks.

I am beholden to my residents, I am beholden to our business interests and Im beholden to the people who need compassion on our street, he said. The question is, is [it] compassion to let people lay in our streets and die  I tend to say thats neglect, not compassion.

Some residents wrote to elected officials expressing their disapproval of the proposed ordinance; among them was resident Patricia Meyer.

To simultaneously deny an unhoused person a blanket and an alternative place to sleep is both mean and absurd, she wrote.

Kathleen Sheldon, a longtime resident, also wrote to officials, saying that preventing people from sleeping outside would not make the homeless problem disappear.

Read more: Will the Grants Pass ruling on homelessness spur smaller cities to shoo people into L.A.?

It will simply expose desperate people with nowhere to go to even more inhumane conditions, further jeopardizing their health and safety and quite possibly their lives, she wrote. Please do not give in to the loudest and most hateful voices in our community. Instead, withdraw these cruel and counterproductive proposals and do what is best for our city.

The proposed ordinance stems from a July City Council meeting in which Mayor Pro Tem Lana Negrete and Councilmember Oscar de la Torre asked city staff to evaluate and provide options to amend the citys municipal code in light of the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

In June, the countrys high court overturned a ruling by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, known as the Grants Pass decision . That ruling said that camping and sleeping ordinances violate the 8th Amendment by constituting cruel and unusual punishment for people who had no other place to go.

The Supreme Court decision meant cities and counties were free to ban people from sleeping or camping on public property, even if there was no available place to go.

Shortly after that ruling, Gov. Gavin Newsom directed state agencies to begin clearing homeless encampments from state lands; he urged cities and counties to do the same and threatened to take money away from cities and counties that did not make progress in clearing homeless camp sites.

The city of Long Beach recently began enforcing its anti-camping laws by giving police full discretion to issue citations and make arrests when necessary. City officials also sought to clear homeless encampments that posed a threat to public health and safety and prevented people from accessing libraries, parks and beaches. Authorities have also targeted encampments where people had been resistant to services.

In Los Angeles, elected officials said the governors order did not change anything in their approach to clearing encampments.

Although its unclear what elected officials plan to do in Santa Monica, city staffers have also provided them with other recommendations, including taking no action. The citys anti-camping law currently prohibits tents and makeshift shelters on public property but does allow people to use blankets and pillows while sleeping.

Read more: Supreme Court rules cities may enforce laws against homeless encampments

Staff also recommended that the city could wait and observe how other cities are approaching homeless encampments after the Supreme Court ruling.

At the last Santa Monica council meeting, city officials also were due to consider purchasing a commercial building in the 1400 block of Wilshire Boulevard to be used for a permanent supportive housing project.

Many residents who live around the proposed site showed up to speak out against the project, saying it would make their neighborhood more dangerous and less appealing to shoppers and would hurt businesses.

We must do something to assist the unhoused, Mary Stewart, an apartment owner, told the council. This will actually not do much of anything but substantially damage the neighborhood for no benefit to anyone.

She and many of the other residents said they would be OK with the project as long as the tenants were low-income seniors.

George Guttman echoed that sentiment, but also made an additional suggestion to city leaders.

If youre going to do low-income housing, hopefully you can put families there so they can go to our great school system.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Satanic Temple to raise hell over Florida school chaplain program. Its reaction to new rules

The Satanic Temple has vowed to "raise hell" over Florida's new school chaplains program, right after Florida issued guidelines they say were designed to keep them out.

"Throughout Florida, The Satanic Temples members, supporters, and allies are standing up for true religious freedom and confronting encroaching theocracy. Are you ready to stand with us and raise hell in the Sunshine State?" read a signup sheet on the Temple's website.

The program, passed this year, is intended to provide moral support, services, and programs to students. Last week Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz released a model policy to limit school district options for "credible chaplains."

"Florida welcomes legitimate and officially authorized chaplains to become volunteers at their local schools and to provide students with morally sound guidance," Diaz said in a post to X, formerly Twitter.

The Satanic Temple, a nontheistic organization created to oppose efforts to inject religion into public schools and government policies, claims the policy was designed to block Satanists but would also block other faiths with millions of followers around the world.

Florida's 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 Florida Phoenix. 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.

The Satanic Church also now has Florida School Chaplain merch.

By signing HB 931 into law, @GovRonDeSantis opened Floridas public schools to religious Chaplains, including The Satanic Temples Chaplains! Celebrate Americas first Satanic Chaplains with our Florida School Chaplain merch, available exclusively at https://t.co/phqiizVhw7. pic.twitter.com/mdvEq4Dcl3  The Satanic Temple (@satanic_temple_) August 28, 2024

After the new law allowing volunteer chaplains in Florida public schools took effect in April, The Satanic Temple was quick to offer their chaplains as part of their ongoing campaign to keep church and state separate by using the same laws and policies to insert a religion offensive to many Christians. Gov. Ron DeSantis said that would not be happening.

"We're not playing those games in Florida," DeSantis said when he signed the bill. "That is not a religion."

The Satanic Temple received its tax-exempt status in 2019.

What is Florida's school chaplains law?

Under HB 931, volunteer school chaplains may "provide support, services, and programs to students as assigned by the district school board or charter school governing board." Parents must consent and may choose from a publicly available list of chaplains and their religious affiliations, if any.

However, the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibits the establishment or promotion of any specific religion. That's where The Satanic Temple comes in.

Any opportunity that exists for ministers or chaplains in the public sector must not discriminate based on religious affiliation, The Satanic Temples director of ministry, who goes by Penemue Grigori, said in an email to the USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida while the bill was being deliberated. Our ministers look forward to participating in opportunities to do good in the community, including the opportunities created by this bill, right alongside the clergy of other religions.

What are the requirements for a school chaplain in Florida?

According to the model policy released by Diaz:

Chaplain means an individual who is officially authorized by the leadership of a religion under the religions governing principles to conduct religious exercises. Local religious affiliation means current, official membership in a group that is itself officially part of a religion and meets in-person at least monthly at a location within the geographical boundaries of the school district. Religion means 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.

What is the Satanic Temple?

Founded in 2013 in Salem, Massachusetts by Lucien Greaves and Malcolm Jerry, The Satanic Temple gained national attention after holding a rally in Tallahassee praising then-Gov. Rick Scott for signing a bill the previous year allowing public school students to initiate prayer and read inspirational messages at assemblies and sporting events.

The Satanic Temple counters faith-based school programs in public schools nationwide with its After School Satan Clubs, which offer science projects, community service projects, arts and crafts, puzzles and games with what the organization calls a focus on rationalism. And they sue to stay there.

The Satanic Temple also has taken stands against hate groups, corporal punishment in schools, abortion limits and other issues it feels are based on evangelical Christianity, often using images and references that seem to mock religious beliefs. The church uses a cartoonish version of the Christian devil in its logo as a symbol of rebellion and intellectual questioning, although it specifically rejects the concept of Satan as a supernatural being.

Satanic Temple bomb threat: Man charged after transporting homemade explosives to 'blow up' Satanic Temple, prosecutors say

The Satanic Temple in Florida

The display proposed by the Satanic Temple was denied access to the Florida Capitol rotunda after Department of Management Services deemed it grossly offensive.

After the Tallahassee rally, the Satanic Temple has kept a presence in Florida.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Satanic Temple says Florida school chaplain program blocks religions
A voter drops their ballot in a ballot drop box during primary election voting at the Orem Public Library in Orem on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, also known as the SAVE Act, requires people registering to vote in federal elections to provide documentary proof of citizenship.

The proposed legislation has been in the headlines as politicians discuss whether or not to attach it to the September spending bill.

Here is a closer look at what the bill would do if passed.

What is the SAVE Act?

Only U.S. citizens can vote in federal elections. Noncitizens who cast a ballot could face a fine or incarceration (not more than a year) or both if they violate the law.

What the bill aims to do is require proof-of-identification to vote in federal elections and give states the ability to use federal databases to verify citizenship.

The SAVE Act would amend the National Registration Act of 1993. When registering to vote, a person would need to provide an ID consistent with the requirements of Real ID  this also includes passports or U.S. military ID card.

Voter registration agencies would need to ask if a person is a U.S. citizen and verify that the person is through their providing documentary proof of citizenship. If a person could not provide this documentation, the bill directs states to establish a process for U.S. citizens to still have an avenue to register to vote.

States would need to take actions to ensure only U.S. citizens are registered to vote on their rolls. Also, states would be required to remove noncitizens from their official voter rolls. Proof of identification would also be required for mail-in voting.

The bill allows for a private right of action (a lawsuit) against election officials who register individuals to vote without them presenting documentary proof of U.S. citizenship.
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, SC  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.

Freddie Owens

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.

This report was first published by the South Carolina Gazette, which like NC Newsline, is part of the national States Newsroom network.
A South Carolina federal judge on Tuesday ordered the immediate arrest of the kingpin of a billion dollar Medicare fraud scheme, part of which took place in the Palmetto State.

I dont see the defendant today, said U.S. Judge Joe Anderson, looking around a sparsely populated courtroom on the third floor of the federal courthouse in Columbia.

It was a pre-sentence hearing for defendant Herb Kimble, the mastermind of a long-running, widespread Medicare fraud scheme that cheated the federal government out of $1 billion in fraudulent Medicaid payments from 2014 to 2019.

In 2019, Kimble pleaded guilty in a plea deal to conspiracy to commit health care fraud, violating the anti-kickback statute and defrauding the government.

As part of that deal, Kimble had agreed to pay $40 million in restitution when he is sentenced, but authorities recently learned that Kimble only has $27 million available. He is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 19, and Judge Anderson wanted on Tuesday to determine Kimbles financial status and had ordered him to appear in court.

But on Tuesday, Kimble was in the Philippines, an island archipelago nation in the Pacific Ocean about 7,000 miles from the U.S. The Philippines will not extradite defendants in health-care fraud cases, prosecutors have said in court documents.

Kimble, a U.S. citizen, just wasnt any white collar defendant. In government documents, he is described as the architect of a substantial and international healthcare fraud scheme, a conspiracy that was one of the largest healthcare fraud schemes in the history of the United States.

Kimbles attorney, Jim Griffin of Columbia, told Anderson that he was in communication with Kimble, who will be coming to court in Columbia in the next few weeks.

He is coming. I have been assured, said Griffin.

That wasnt quite what Anderson wanted to hear.

On a motion from Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower, Anderson said he would immediately issue a bench warrant  a written order authorizing the arrest of Kimble by federal authorities anytime at any place in the country.

Anderson also granted a motion by Bower to revoke a $5 million bond Kimble had posted in 2019 when he was arrested..

Since 2019, Kimble has been free, providing evidence to federal authorities and testifying in various criminal proceedings around the country against his former conspirators.

In his 2019 guilty plea, Kimble agreed to pay $40 million in restitution to the government for his part in the scheme.

In a 2022 sentencing memo, federal prosecutors recommended probation for Kimble because of his cooperation in the case and because he was going to pay $40 million in restitution when he was sentenced. Because of his help, the government was able to charge some 80 defendants with health care offenses, prosecutions that otherwise would not have been made, they wrote.

Moreover, Kimble voluntarily came to the United States to reveal the entire scheme and to cooperate with investigators, travel he did not have to make because of the Philippines extradition policy, the 2022 memo said

Call centers owned by Kimble in the Philippines were vital cogs in his scheme.

TV and online advertisements encouraged people to call Kimbles call centers, which screened the callers to make sure they were Medicare-eligible. Then, the call centers linked the eligible consumers up with doctors who wrote medically unnecessary prescriptions without seeing the patient, according to prosecutors.

The scheme involved selling cheap, Chinese-made and medically unnecessary arm, neck, leg and back braces to thousands of mostly elderly people, who paid for them with Medicare, according to law enforcement.

At its height, the scheme included doctors, shipping companies and medical equipment companies that went on to bill Medicare millions upon millions of dollars, federal officials said. Numerous bank accounts and straw companies managed the flow of money.

The scheme was based in South Carolina, Florida, California, New Jersey, Texas and Pennsylvania, officials said.

One South Carolinian arrested in the scheme, Andrew Chmiel of Mount Pleasant, was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison in March of this year after pleading guilty to Medicare fraud. He is scheduled to be released from prison in 2032.

In court on Tuesday, discussing the absent Kimble, Judge Anderson looked at federal prosecutor Bower and said, paraphrasing a famous movie line by a NASA astronaut during the Apollo 13 crisis, Houston, do we have a problem?

We do have a problem, Bower replied. At least for today.
(Reuters) -Flight attendants at United Airlines have voted in favor of a strike authorization, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA said on Wednesday.

Over 90% of the flight attendants participated, with 99.99% of the votes in favor of a strike authorization, the union said.

It is the first time since the 2005 bankruptcy negotiations that flight attendants at United voted on strike authorization, it added.

Over 28,000 flight attendants of the Chicago-based carrier affiliated with the AFA have been negotiating for a double-digit base pay increase and higher pay for time at work - including on-ground duties, retroactive pay, schedule flexibility and work rule improvements.

"As Labor Day travel begins, United management is reminded what's at stake if we don't get this done," said Ken Diaz, president of the United chapter of the AFA.

The situation unfolds amid new contract negotiations in the U.S. and Canada, where cabin crews at carriers are also seeking compensation for on-ground duties such as boarding passengers and waiting between flights.

Last year, United's flight attendants filed for federal mediation through the National Mediation Board (NMB).

The union added that it can now request a release from the NMB leading to a 30-day "cooling off" period and strike deadline.

Even though the strike is authorized, the flight attendants cannot walk off the job until they're granted permission from the board after it determines that both parties are at a standstill and further negotiations would not be productive.

(Reporting by Aatreyee Dasgupta in Bengaluru and Rajesh Kumar Singh in Chicago; Editing by Alan Barona and Mohammed Safi Shamsi)
Jeffrey Dowd stayed at Canyon Creek for roughly three years, during which time he repeatedly clashed with residents, sometimes hitting male residents and groping female ones, according to facility records filed in the court case. (Jessica Plance for KFF Health News)

Dan Shively had been a bank president who built floats for July Fourth parades in Cody, Wyoming, and adored fly-fishing with his sons. Jeffrey Dowd had been an auto mechanic who ran a dog rescue and hosted a Sunday blues radio show in Santa Fe.

By the time their lives intersected at Canyon Creek Memory Care Community in Billings, both were deep in the grips of dementia and exhibiting some of the diseases terrible traits.

Shively had been wandering lost in his neighborhood, having outbursts at home, and leaving the gas stove on. Dowd previously had been hospitalized for being confused, suicidal, and agitated, medical records filed in U.S. District Court in Billings show. When Dowd entered Canyon Creek, managers warned employees in a note later filed in court that he could be physically/verbally abusive when frustrated.

On Shivelys fourth day at Canyon Creek, carrying a knife and fork, he walked over to a dining room table where Dowd was sitting. Dowd told Shively to keep the knife away from his coffee, according to a witness statement filed in court. Shively, who at 5-foot-2 and 125 pounds was half Dowds weight and 10 inches shorter, turned to walk away, but Dowd stood up and shoved Shively so hard that when he hit the floor, his skull fractured and brain hemorrhaged, according to a lawsuit his family filed against Canyon Creek.

The doctor said theres not much they could do about it, his son Casey Shively said in an interview.

Dan Shively died five days later at age 73.

Police did not charge Dowd, then 66. He stayed at Canyon Creek for nearly three more years, during which time he repeatedly clashed with residents, sometimes hitting male residents and groping female ones, according to facility records filed in the court case. His anger would flare quickly. Im literally scared to death of Jeff, one nurse wrote in a filed statement describing Dowds dispute with another resident.

In court, Canyon Creek denied liability for Shivelys death. Its privately held corporate owner, Koelsch Communities, declined to answer questions from KFF Health News. Chase Salyers, Koelschs director of marketing, said in an email to KFF Health News that the company prioritizes the health, well-being, safety, and security of our residents.

Dowds relatives said in a statement via text they would not comment because they had no firsthand knowledge.

We were very pleased with the care Jeffrey received at Canyon Creek, they added. Dowd was not named in the lawsuit and his current whereabouts could not be determined.

Violent altercations between residents in long-term care facilities are alarmingly common. Across the country, residents in nursing homes or assisted living centers have been killed by other residents who weaponized a bedrail, shoved pillow stuffing into a persons mouth, or removed an oxygen mask.

A recent study in JAMA Network Open of 14 New York assisted living homes found that, within one month, 15% of residents experienced verbal, physical, or sexual resident-on-resident aggression. Another study found nearly 8% of assisted living residents engaged in physical aggression or abuse toward residents or staff members within one month. Dementia residents are especially likely to be involved in altercations because the disease damages the parts of the brain affecting memory, language, reasoning and social behavior.

More than 900,000 people with Alzheimers or other types of dementia reside in nursing homes and assisted living centers. Many of the most seriously impaired live in the roughly 5,000 facilities with locked dementia floors or wings or the 3,300 homes devoted exclusively to memory care. These places are mostly for-profit and often charge thousands of dollars extra a month, promising expertise in the disease and a safe environment.

Clashes can be spontaneous and too unpredictable to prevent. But the chance of an altercation increases when memory care homes admit and retain residents they cant manage, according to a KFF Health News examination of inspection and court records and interviews with researchers. Homes that have too few staffers or nonexistent or perfunctory training for employees have a harder time heading off resident conflicts. Homes also may fail to properly assess incoming residents or may keep them despite demonstrated threats to others.

As much as long-term care providers in general do their best to provide competent, high-quality care, there is a real problem with endemic violence, said Karl Pillemer, a gerontologist at Cornell University and lead author of the JAMA study.

There needs to be much more of an effort to single out verbal and physical aggression that occurs in long-term care, he said, and begin to create a model of violence-free zones in the same way we have violence-free zones in the schools.

A Danger to Others

The first signs of Shivelys vascular dementia emerged in 2011 as confusion, but the disease accelerated in 2016, according to interviews with his wife and children and his medical records. He began referring to mountains he knew well by the wrong name and forgot how to tie flies on his fishing line.

The decline was so slow at first we thought we could manage, his wife, Tana Shively, said in an interview before her death this year.

As the disease progressed, his outbursts became hard to handle. He took a swing at one of his sons when upset about the temperature in the house. He refused to swallow his medications and fell repeatedly.

He would start walking the neighborhood and get lost, Casey said. He would turn on the gas stove but not light the stove, and the room would start filling up with gas. He would put clothing in strange places. I found socks in a punch bowl. It got to the point where we couldnt do this anymore.

Dowd, meanwhile, had lived in a Santa Fe nursing home and had a long history of dementia with behavioral issues, major depressive disorder with psychotic features, and hypertension, according to medical records filed in court. Dowd entered Canyon Creek in October 2018 to be closer to his brother, who lived nearby in Wyoming, according to an admission notice the facility provided to employees that was included in the court record. The notice said Dowd suffered from dementia caused by excessive and long-term alcohol use.

Two months later, Shively moved in.

Montana licenses Canyon Creek, which has 67 beds, as a Level C assisted living facility, which permits it to house people with cognitive impairments so severe that they cannot express their needs or make basic care decisions. Montana law says these facilities cannot admit or retain a resident who is a danger to self or others.

In the lawsuit, Shivelys family argued that, given that law, Canyon Creek never should have accepted or kept Dowd. The Shively familys lawyer, Torger Oaas, noted in court papers that Canyon Creeks intake assessment form for Dowd categorized his behavior as physically and/or verbally abusive/aggressive 1x per month. Oaas also wrote in court papers that in Dowds first weeks at Canyon Creek, he mocked and threatened to hit other residents and threw someones silverware to the ground during dinner.

In its defense filings in the lawsuit, Canyon Creek said the Montana statute was too broad to be the basis of a negligence claim and argued that all memory care residents are unpredictable. And while Dowd had yelled and cursed at other residents at Canyon Creek, he hadnt had physical confrontations  or any conflicts with Shively, Canyon Creek said.

The accident was not reasonably foreseeable, Canyon Creek argued.

In the days after Shivelys fall, nurses noted that Dowd was more anxious, angry toward others. Dowd yelled at a nurse to get off the phone and do your job, a nurse wrote in a logbook entry filed in court.

He got into my face, the nurse wrote. It looked like he was going to hit me  he had his hand/fist raised.

As Bad as Ive Ever Seen It

People with dementia will lash out because they no longer have social inhibitions or because its the only way they can express pain, discomfort, fear, disagreement or anxiety. Some common triggers  overstimulation from loud noises, a frenzied atmosphere, unfamiliar faces  are hallmarks of dementia care institutions.

We cant expect someone who is constantly and unfailingly disoriented to adapt to our environment anymore, said Tracy Wharton, a licensed clinical social worker and dementia researcher in Florida. We have to adapt to them.

Eilon Caspi, a University of Connecticut researcher, analyzed 105 fatal incidents involving dementia residents and found 44% were fatal falls in which one resident pushed another.

Some people are aggressive, and some are violent, Caspi said, but if you look closely, the vast majority are doing their best while living with a serious brain disease.

Holly Harmon, a senior vice president at the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living, an industry trade group, said in a written statement that conflicts cannot always be averted despite facility operators best efforts.

If they do occur, she said, providers respond promptly with interventions to protect the residents and staff and prevent future occurrences.

But Richard Mollot, executive director of the Long Term Care Community Coalition, a resident advocacy group, said many operators of assisted living centers, including memory care units, are driven by the bottom line.

The issue that we see quite often is that assisted living retains people they should not, Mollot said. They dont have the staffing or the competency or the structure to provide safe care.

Conversely, he said, when facilities have enough rooms filled with paying customers, they are more likely to evict residents who require too much attention.

They will kick them out if theyre too cumbersome, Mollot said.

Teepa Snow, an occupational therapist who founded Positive Approach to Care, a company that trains dementia caregivers, noted that the space inside many facilities, with double rooms, tight common areas, and restricted outdoor access, can fuel conflicts. She said the pandemic degraded conditions in long-term care, as dementia residents with limited social skills atrophied in isolation in their rooms and staffing grew even sparser.

Its as bad as Ive ever seen it, she said.

Very Common Fits of Rage

The following account of Dowds time at Canyon Creek is based on 44 pages of nurses notes, witness statements, and internal resident-on-resident altercation reports; all were contained in the facilitys records and filed as exhibits in the court case. After Shivelys death in December 2018, Dowd was given new prescriptions, although the court record is unclear if the change was because of Shivelys death. Still, the records show, Canyon Creek was unable to head off recurring altercations involving Dowd.

Some were verbal threats. Once, Dowd yelled at residents in the living room to shut up, called them retards and told them they should all die, a caregiver wrote in a witness statement. He grabbed one residents face and threatened to kill him, according to a nurses note. Another time, Dowd went up to a resident sitting on a sofa and grabbed his walker. Dowd shook it and told him to shut up. According to a witness statement, as a nurse took the resident to the bathroom, Dowd muttered under his breath: Stuff his head in the toilet.

Other conflicts were physical. Dowd shoved a resident down on his back so hard his head bounced off the floor, a nurse recorded in a note. In a different incident reported by a nurse, Dowd pushed a resident who had been agitated and cursing into a chair. On separate occasions, Dowd hit two residents on the head, once causing bleeding, according to two resident altercation reports.

The notes detail that Dowd was not always the initiator. Once, Dowds roommate scratched and punched him after Dowd told him to use the toilet rather than pee on the floor, resulting in a fight. Caregivers separated the two. Another day, a resident named Bill wandered into Dowds room and pulled Dowds hair and beard. Dowd told the nurses he felt unsafe and VERY angry, a nurses note said. The nurse led Bill out of Dowds room, but Dowd followed, yelling at Bill that he was a fat bastard and saying he was going to make Bills wife a widow.

Jeff kept making a closed fist as tho he was going to hit Bill, the nurse wrote in a witness statement. I was legit scared because there was nothing I could do to defuse the situation. Im literally scared to death of Jeff. Im scared to approach him and talk to him when he gets into these very common fits of rage.

Dowd ultimately went back to his room and a worker locked his door so no other resident would go in.

The records describe how Canyon Creek caregivers intervened after altercations began, often separating the fighting residents and updating Dowds brother on the clashes. Nurses would remove Dowd or the other resident from a room and discourage such acts.

Tried to explain it was inappropriate to hurt others, one nurse wrote after one incident.

Salyers, the company marketing director, said in his email that the workers at Canyon Creek and other Koelsch facilities are highly qualified and extensively trained. He said the companys memory care communities are distinctively designed and staffed for people with Alzheimers and other forms of dementia.

Its Nice To Have a Girlfriend

The nursing notes and statements in the court file suggest that incidents were frequent enough that nurses commented on Dowds occasional serenity.

No agitated or aggressive behaviors this shift, one note said.

Another nurse note said Dowd continues to isolate at meals, sitting at a table by himself. While Dowd enjoyed reading books and doing puzzles, he was overheard saying he was depressed and was wondering if he wouldnt be better off if he wasnt around anymore.

Nurses noted Dowd repeatedly exhibited sexual behavior that was either inappropriate  making crude oral gestures while looking at younger females  or ambiguous, such as placing his hand on a residents shoulder and commenting, Its nice to have a girlfriend. Someone saw Dowd grabbing on multiple residents[] private areas, a witness statement said. When nurses caught the behavior, they separated those involved and rebuked Dowd. A staff member wrote in a statement that Dowd was inappropriate throughout her shift, making sexual jokes and trying to grab me.

According to nursing notes, in summer 2021, Dowd told one female resident he wanted to see her genitals and later touched her breast. In August, a caregiver walked into Dowds room and found him touching the same resident under her shirt and pants. The caregiver told Dowd to stop it and not ever do that again and brought the woman out to meet her family, who had come to visit her.

After that incident, Canyon Creek sent Dowd to the emergency room at Montana State Hospital, a public psychiatric facility, according to a nurse administrators testimony in a deposition filed in court. The nurse testified Dowd was no longer at Canyon Creek. That is the last mention of Dowds whereabouts in the public record. A spokesperson for the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, which oversees the hospital, would not confirm whether he was a patient.

At a pretrial hearing, the judge excluded discussion about Dowds altercations after Shivelys death. In a court filing, Shivelys lawyer asked permission to share evidence with the jury that Canyon Creek gave its executive director a bonus any month when 90% or more of the beds were filled so he could argue Canyon Creek had a financial motivation to admit Dowd. But the judge also barred that information from the trial, which Canyon Creek said in a court filing was irrelevant.

The Shively case went to trial in 2022 before a federal civil jury in Billings. Despite the exclusions, the jury decided Canyon Creeks negligence caused Shivelys death. It awarded the family $310,000.

For us, the money wasnt a huge factor, said Spencer Shively, another of Dan Shivelys sons, who called the damages so modest as to be a victory for Canyon Creek or its insurer. At least they were negligent per se. But I dont know it really changed anything. For me, I got some closure. I feel like these facilities are just continuing to do the same things theyre going to do because there hasnt been systemic change.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFFan independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.
Several schools have reported closings and early dismissals Wednesday as a dangerous heat wave continues across the area.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

News Center 7 will track any new closings or early dismissals and have the updated forecast LIVE on News Center 7 at Noon and 5.

Summit Academy Transitional High School in Montgomery County will be closed through Wednesday due to the heat.

Several schools have announced they will be dismissing students early on Wednesday due to the extreme heat:

Troy City Schools in Miami County will have a two-hour early release on Wednesday.

Celina City Schools in Mercer County will close at 12:20 p.m. and have a two-hour early release on Wednesday for seventh to twelfth-grade students.

Tipp City Schools in Miami County announced that Broadway Elementary and LT Ball students will be dismissed two hours early.

Valley View Schools in Montgomery County will dismiss students two hours early. Preschool sessions will also be shortened.

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.
A university professor is about to venture out of this world to carry out a science experiment decades in the making.

Robert Ferl, director of the University of Florida's UF Astraeus Space Institute, will be aboard a Blue Origin New Shepard capsule on Thursday when it launches into space in a bid to test the effect of microgravity on cells, specifically what happens to biology as it leaves the surface of the Earth for space and then returns, he told ABC News.

MORE: There was once an ancient ocean filled with magma on the moon, scientists say

Ferl will be on the Blue Origin flight for 15 minutes as it departs from Launch Site One in West Texas before entering space -- past the Karman line, about 62 miles above the Earth's surface -- and returning to Earth.

PHOTO: A screenshot taken from a live handout video, Oct. 13, 2021, shows Blue Origin's New Shepard crew capsule lands in Texas. (Blue Origin/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Also on board the flight will be eight very specialized fixation tubes that serve as a "highly contained, safe environment" for the plants that the researchers will monitor, Ferl said. Two will be activated before the flight; two during the flight; two just after the booster finishes getting the aircraft into space and they enter microgravity; two just before reentering Earth's atmosphere, and two more once the crew lands back on the ground.

"This will give us the ability to sample the four very critical parts of the flight regime in order to understand the transition that biology experiences at the molecular level during the various parts of the flight," Ferl said.

MORE: Climate change is altering the length of days on Earth, according to new research

While Ferl is in space, his colleagues will be on the ground monitoring the activity of the cells in real-time, Anna-Lisa Paul, director of the University of Florida's Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, told ABC News.

This is the first time that NASA has funded an experiment that allows the researcher to conduct the experiment in space, as opposed to a professional NASA astronaut, Ferl said. Ferl and Paul wrote the proposal for the experiment for NASA about seven years ago.

PHOTO: University of Florida professor Robert Ferl will be aboard a flight on the Blue Origin Shepard to test what happens to biology as it leaves the surface of the earth for space and then returns. (John Jernigan/UF/IFAS)

In order to prepare, both Ferl and Paul have flown on parabolic aircraft and experienced zero-gravity force for long periods of time in short increments. Other physical training has included flying in fighter jets under high-gravity or low-gravity conditions, as well as several simulations of the Blue Origin flight.

The rigorous planning has allowed the researchers to operate the experiment at precision-level timing, Ferl said.

MORE: The future of space exploration is a transforming, animal-like robot, scientists say

Many experiments have already been conducted aboard the International Space Station or inside a space shuttle that involve sending up seeds and growing plants in that environment, Paul said. But this is the first time researchers will effectively see how biological organisms -- in this case, plants -- respond to the transition from a terrestrial environment to a spaceflight environment.

The research is the latest in a long line of experiments dedicated to using commercial suborbital vehicles to understand the biology of the cells as they move from Earth to space, Ferl said.

"These suborbital flights allow us to now sample how plants are responding at that transition before they fully adjust," Paul said.

PHOTO: Plants the researchers will be monitoring will be placed into eight very specialized fixation tubes that serve as a 'highly contained, safe environment' for the experiment. (Tyler Jones/UF/IFAS )

The main purpose of the experiment will be to learn how organisms respond to a situation that takes them off their home planet, Paul said. Doing so will allow humans to work on the moon or in orbital environments, such as Mars, for long periods, she added.

MORE: NASA ends mission for Mars rover, Opportunity, after 15 years

Plants are a "foundational component" for supporting humans off planet Earth, Paul said. Because they can provide food but also recycle water and air, understanding how plants respond to space flight will allow humans to better rely on them when they leave the planet, she said.

PHOTO: University of Florida professors Robert Ferl and Anna-Lisa Paul prepare for an experiment aboard the Blue Origin =. (Tyler Jones/UF/IFAS )

The experiment will blaze the trail for future astronaut scientists as space travel becomes more widely available.

"Our science is dedicated to working towards a deeper understanding of what happens to life when it leaves the surface of the Earth," Ferl said.

Scientist becomes first NASA-funded researcher to conduct own experiment in space originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Sean Hannity Brutally Mocked After His Dig At Journalist From NABJ Panel Backfires

Sean Hannitys recent dig at journalist Rachel Scott, who served as a moderator during Donald Trumpscontentious Q&A session at the National Association of Black Journalists convention, did not go over well with many on social media.

During Tuesdays broadcast of Hannity, the Fox News host criticized Scott, a senior congressional correspondent for ABC News, by questioning her as a journalist.

Hannity had referenced the ongoing back-and-forth over debate termsbetween teams for Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, when he accused the ABC network of being openly hostile to former President Donald Trump and most Republicans. (The next presidential debate is scheduled for Sept. 10 on ABC.)

The Fox News host then introduced a clip of Scott asking Trump the first question in the interview at the NABJ convention in Chicago last month.

Take a look at this: Ask yourself, does this sound like journalism, or a talk show host? Hannity asked mockingly.

In the clip from the convention, Scott, who is Black, says to Trump that shes about to address the elephant in the room, before she pointed out that many other Black journalists had objected to his attendance.

Scott then laid out several attacks and accusations that Trump has spewed toward Black elected officials and journalists over the years.

The ABC correspondent noted Trumps history of pushing racist birtherconspiracy theories about former President Barack Obama, as well as times hes insulted prominent Black female journalists, among other attacks.

You have attacked Black journalists, calling them losers, saying the questions that they ask are stupid and racist; youve had dinner with a white supremacist at your Mar-a-Lago resort, Scott said to the Republican presidential nominee.

So my question, sir: Now that you are asking Black supporters to vote for you, why should Black voters trust you after you have used language like that? she asked.

Some people on X, formerly Twitter, mocked Hannitys apparent attempt to discredit Scott, saying that the clip from the convention shown on Fox News was, in fact, a solid example of journalism.

Aww was poor wittle Donny asked hard questions?? one person on X wrote.

Thats actual journalism Hannity. Your network should try it sometime, wrote another.

Trump received wide backlash over his appearance at the convention.

Among the several falsehoods he spewed onstage, he implied that Harris, who is both Black and South Asian, had previously only identified as Indian.

Check out more responses from those criticizing Hannitys attack on Scott below:

Rachels questions had more facts in 45 seconds than Fox has in a week of programming.



Facts are foreign to the network that identifies as News but claims its airchecks cannot reasonably be interpreted as [actual] facts because the general tenor is exaggeration and pic.twitter.com/4OJ2Z4f34Y   (@Seth_Lemon) August 28, 2024

Sean Hannity doesn't have room to talk.   Art Candee  (@ArtCandee) August 28, 2024

Hannity is so full of it. It was perfect journalism, and Trump should have just answered the question. Oh wait, he couldnt because he didnt have a good answer.  Astrowoman (@AstrowomanWings) August 28, 2024

The clip Hannity chooses is a journalist stating facts. https://t.co/Aha3lErcXZ  Steward Beckham   (@iTweetyNerd) August 28, 2024

His first sentence is basically proof of what she was stating.  Melissa Perry (@Melissa05018373) August 28, 2024

Related...
Sean Kingston and His Mother Plead Not Guilty to Fraud Charges of Over $1 Million as They Demand Jury Trial

"Once the true facts come out we are confident of vindication," Robert Rosenblatt, one of Kingston's attorneys, told PEOPLE

Steven Lawton/FilmMagic Janice Turner and Sean Kingston in Las Vegas in February 2011

Sean Kingston and his mother, Janice Turner, have pleaded not guilty on all counts to fraud charges of more than $1 million.

The pleas were accepted by the court at an arraignment hearing before Broward Circuit Judge Ernest Kollra in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, on Monday, Aug. 26, while a legal team for Kingston (real name Kisean Anderson), 34, and Turner, 61, also demanded both a jury trial as well as discovery from the State, PEOPLE can confirm. The news was first reported by The Sun Sentinel.

The judge did not alter the previously set $90,000 bond, the newspaper reported, according to Associated Press.

"Once the true facts come out we are confident of vindication," Robert Rosenblatt, one of Kingston's attorneys, told PEOPLE.

Johnny Louis/Getty Sean Kingston performs in Miami in June 2023

Related: Sean Kingston and His Mother Face Decades in Prison After Federal Wire Fraud Charges

Last month, the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida, issued a press release confirming a Miami grand jury charged each Kingston and Turner with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud for their alleged "involvement in a scheme to defraud victim sellers of high-end specialty vehicles, jewelry, and other goods purchased by the defendants through the use of fraudulent documents."

Per the release, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison on each count.

The department alleged that the mother-son duo "unjustly enriched themselves by falsely representing that they had executed bank wire or other monetary payment transfers" as payment for the goods "when in fact no such bank wire or other monetary payment transfers had been executed by the purported banks."

Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Sean Kingston performs in Las Vegas in May 2022

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.

Arrest warrants released by the Broward County Sheriff's Office and previously reviewed by PEOPLE allege that the duo stole nearly $500,000 in jewelry, $160,000 from an Escalade dealer, $86,000 from the maker of customized beds, and more.

"Through the execution of this scheme, the defendants obtained in excess of $1 million in property," said the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida.

Kingston was arrested on May 23 in California after arrest and search warrants were served at the South Florida mansion he was renting. Earlier that day, his mother was arrested in Florida.



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Read the original article on People.
Have you seen him? Cleveland police search for endangered missing elderly man

Have you seen him? Cleveland police search for endangered missing elderly man

CLEVELAND (WJW)  Cleveland police are looking for an endangered missing elderly man Wednesday morning.

According to information released by the Cleveland Division of Police, 85-year-old Donald Freemen left his home on Parkway Road at around 5 p.m. for a dentist appointment Tuesday and never returned.

Plan to control feral cat population in Mogadore causes controversy

He is on foot and law enforcement are concerned for his safety, the release said.

Freeman is described as being 59, weighing 175 pounds and has gray hair and brown eyes.

Shoppers race to Target for $200 item ringing up for just $60

According to police, Freeman was last seen wearing a burgundy jacket, black pants and a navy blue shirt with white stripes.

Police ask that anyone who sees Freeman call 9-1-1.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Semitruck overturns near UTEP; another near Horizon

Semitruck overturns near UTEP; another near Horizon

UPDATE: Gateway East at Horizon has reopened; main lanes along I-10 are about to reopen, TxDOT said just before 10 p.m.

The closure along I-10 West near UTEP has opened as of early Wednesday morning, Aug. 28.

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A semi-truck has overturned along Interstate 10 West near UTEP in a collision involving what appears to be several other vehicles on Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 27.

The crash happened between Porfirio Diaz and Schuster near UTEP and traffic is being impacted with major backup.

An overturned semitruck at I-10 West and Schuster is snarling traffic. Miguel Paredes/KTSM

One person was transported with serious injuries (Code 3), a fire department spokesperson said.

TxDOT is reporting that all lanes at I-10 West and Porifirio Diaz are closed. Thru-traffic must use the Downtown Exit 19B and the Mesa Exit 19A.

Motorists are urged to seek alternate routes. Clearing time was estimated to be three hours but is now being called until further notice.

Another semitruck has overturned at Horizon and Gateway East. All lanes of traffic are closed there and major backup is being reported there as well, according to TxDOT. Clearing time is until further notice.

Semi flipped at Horizon and Gateway East. Photo courtesy to TxDOT.

Earlier Tuesday, an overturned semitruck snarled the morning commute blocking I-10 West and part of I-10 East for hours. The scene was finally cleared up around noon.

We will update this story when we learn more.

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By Pete Schroeder

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve announced on Wednesday it had set the latest capital cushions for large banks following June's annual stress tests, but agreed to shrink Goldman Sachs' burden.

The new levels, effective Oct. 1, largely mirror the ones the Fed first identified as part of the annual health check of large banks.

The central bank, however, added in its statement that it had lowered the extra capital level required of Goldman Sachs, after the firm asked the central bank to reconsider its finding. The bank now must hold a "stress capital buffer" of 6.2%, down from the 6.4% suggested in the test.

The Fed said it agreed to the change after receiving additional information from the bank, adding it was appropriate to adjust the treatment of some nonrecurring historical expenses under the exam.

In a statement when the results were released, Goldman CEO David Solomon said he planned to discuss the finding with the Fed.

We appreciate the Federal Reserves willingness to reconsider this matter," said Goldman Sachs' Chief Financial Officer Denis Coleman after the results were released.

"We will continue to engage with our regulator to better understand their determinations and to advocate for a more transparent process.

The Fed added it would explore changing how banks report data to refine its collection, as well as possible refinements to its internal stress test models.

(Reporting by Pete Schroeder; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Marguerita Choy)
Sen. Nicole Mitchell worked a shift at the Minnesota Senate booth at the Minnesota State Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 27. Photo by Michelle Griffith/Minnesota Reformer.

First-term Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to a first-degree felony charge alleging she broke into her stepmothers Detroit Lakes home in April.

On Tuesday, Becker County Attorney Brian McDonald and Mitchells defense lawyer Bruce Ringstrom Jr. agreed that Mitchell did not steal a laptop she had in her possession when she was arrested. According to a stipulation filed with Becker County District Court, the prosecution and defense agreed that the laptop could not be used as evidence of burglary.

The state may not argue that the defendant stole the laptop from the residence in question as part of any theory of burglary, the stipulation reads. The prosecution may still use the laptop or evidence found on the laptop in its case, however.

Mitchells next court hearing is scheduled for Friday.

Mitchell has adamantly defended herself and rejected calls from her party to step down after the legislative session ended this year including from Gov. Tim Walz and DFL Party Chair Ken Martin. She has continued to fulfill her Senate duties, even taking a shift at the Senates booth at the Minnesota State Fair on Tuesday.

She declined to discuss the charge against her when approached Tuesday by the Reformer at the State Fair, where she was working at the Minnesota Senate booth. When asked what was the status of the case against her, she said that was public record. She said not a single person had brought up her felony charge at the fair and she said Im here trying to do my job.

Mitchell was arrested at her stepmothers house by Detroit Lakes officers responding to a burglary call. Officers searched the basement and found Mitchell dressed in black clothing and a black hat. According to the charges, while being arrested Mitchell said something to the effect of I was just trying to get a couple of my dads things because you wouldnt talk to me anymore.

Mitchell told a police officer that her father died and her stepmother had stopped all contact with her and other family. Mitchell said I know I did something bad, according to the charging document.

Mitchells arrest came in the middle of the 2024 legislative session, and Republicans repeatedly tried to prevent her from voting on bills, where she was the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Partys crucial 34th vote in their one-seat majority.

Mitchell refused to resign from her seat, and she was barred from DFL Senate caucus meetings and relieved of her committee assignments. Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, has defended Mitchells right to due process and not called on her to resign.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Senator Brent Taylor wrote a letter to Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy and Disciplinary Counsel Marshall Davidson addressing his concerns with the Railgarten shooting suspect being released from jail without paying bond.

Detawn Gunn, 30, is accused of shooting at least four people at Railgarten in Midtown nearly two weeks ago. He walked away from jail after being released on his own recognizance Monday.

Taylor is now requesting the Shelby County District Attorneys Office to seek an emergency writ of certiorari in criminal court, which allows a higher court to review a case, to correct the injustice committed by Judge Anderson of allowing a mass shooter to be released on his own recognizance.

Report: 3 people hit by gunfire over parking spot at Railgarten

This will result in a Criminal Court judge setting a higher bond.

Nothing occurs in General Sessions Court that cannot be fixed in Criminal Court, Taylor said in the letter to Mulory.

In response, the District Attorneys Office released the following statement,

While we appreciate Senator Taylors interest and recommendation, this action was already underway in the DAs Office well before the Senators email was received. Our team met yesterday to assess the legal grounds for filing the emergency writ, which is a rare occurrence. By this morning, we already had a draft in progress to be finalized. That has since been filed.

Texas father shot several times over parking dispute at Railgarten

A second letter was written to Davidson, who serves as the Disciplinary Counsel for the Board of Judicial Conduct and investigates complaints made against judges.

Taylor says he wants to make him aware of the circumstances surrounding Gunns release. He says Judge Anderson violated a new state law requiring the safety of the community to be the first consideration of bail.

Gunns initial bond was set at $500,000 by a judicial commissioner. The District Attorney requested to keep that bond amount, however, the defendants attorney asked for the bond to be reduced to $75,000.

Even though, the defense argued for some amount of bond, Gunn was released from jail without paying anything.

Railgarten shooting suspect released from jail without bond

Taylor wrote, Judge Anderson failed to consider this new prioritization when setting bail and simply addressed various factors as if he were setting bond under the old statute.

The General Assembly recently adopted TCA 40-11-115, which elevates the safety of the community as the first consideration of bail.

According to reports, Judge Anderson allowed Gunn to be released from jail without bond stating Gunn has strong ties to the community, has a job, and is not generally a threat to the community. He says he could not find any reason to detain the Gunn under the law.

Taylor also included in the letter that Judge Anderson was reprimanded by the Board of Judicial Conduct for his public statements on his view of the Tennessee bail system.

The Senator is now requesting appropriate disciplinary action to be taken against Judge Anderson.

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Rick Rose was appointed on Wednesday as director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services. (Photo provided by the Office of the Governor)

OKLAHOMA CITY  A top adviser to Oklahomas House speaker has been chosen to lead the state Office of Management and Enterprise Services.

Rick Rose is Gov. Kevin Stitts pick as the next director of OMES, a state agency that provides a litany of administrative and human resources services for the rest of the state government.

Stitt appointed Rose to the position on Wednesday. Rose will succeed interim director Katie DeMuth, who has led the agency since June 14 when former OMES director John Suter left for the private sector. Suter had led OMES since 2022.

The governor commended Rose for having a deep understanding of state government and firm commitment to serving Oklahomans.

To be a Top Ten state, we need a government that works for the people, Stitt said when announcing the appointment. Im confident that under Ricks leadership, OMES will continue to be a driving force in making that a reality.

Rose served as the chief of staff and senior counsel for House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka. McCall is completing his final year in legislative office because of term limits.

Rose also has been an attorney focused on energy and business litigation as a partner at the Mahaffey & Gore law firm.

He earned a bachelor of science in organizational leadership from Southern Nazarene University and his law degree from Oklahoma City University.

It is an honor to serve my state, Rose said in a statement. I am eager to work with the governor and the team at OMES to modernize state government and make government work for the people of Oklahoma.

Neither OMES nor the Governors Office immediately provided information on Roses new salary and benefits.

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Senior Ukrainian officials to present Biden admin with list of targets in Russia this week, lawmaker says

Two top Ukrainian officials will present the Biden administration with a list of targets in Russia in face-to-face meetings this week, in an attempt to push the US to lift restrictions on the use of American weapons against Moscow, a Ukrainian lawmaker told CNN.

Andriy Yermak, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, will meet with US officials to try to concretely convince the White House to lift restrictions on long-range weapons strikes on Russian territory, the lawmaker said.

They will provide a list of priority targets, without which it will be difficult to change the course of the war in Ukraines favor.

Umerov will meet Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday, US officials told CNN. Its unclear who Yermak will meet. In previous visits to Washington, he has met Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

Politico first reported that a list will be presented.

On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky once again called for allowing Ukraine to carry out strikes deeper inside Russia and lifting the restrictions on long-range strikes for Ukraine now, arguing it would end the war sooner for Ukraine and the world as a whole.

Ukraine is making a concerted push to pressure the US ahead of the presidential election in November with Kiev concerned that a victory for former President Donald Trump could mean the US would withdraw support its war effort.

The visit comes after Ukraine launched a surprise offensive into Russian territory earlier this month. The operation in the Kursk region has so far been limited to a box the US drew in Russia to which the use of American weaponry would be limited, even as one US official acknowledged earlier this month the offensive was not what we had in mind.

Kyiv has repeatedly pushed to use American and Western weapons to strike targets deeper in Russia, especially as the Russian military has moved its high value assets, such as military aircraft and control nodes, farther from the front lines.

No difference how deep the targets are

We consider strikes deep into Russian territory with American weapons no more provocative than strikes with American weapons on Russian territory near the border, the Ukrainian lawmaker told CNN. Both are Russian territory and it makes no difference how deep the targets are.

Instead, Ukraine has used its long-range US weapons, such as Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), to take out advanced Russian air defenses inside occupied Crimea.

Previously, the US has allowed Ukraine to use American weaponry to strike Russian forces near the border as Kyiv defended itself against cross-border attacks. Russia launched a new offensive in the Kharkiv region in May, but after seizing some new territory, Ukraine was able to slow advancing Russian forces, particularly as the Biden administrated eased some restrictions on the use of US weapons.

But the Biden administration has refused to allow Ukraine to use US weapons for long-range strikes deep into Russian territory.

Youve heard us say that the Ukrainians can use US security assistance to defend themselves from cross-border attacks, in other words counter-fire, said Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder on Tuesday. But as it relates to long-range strike, deep strikes into Russia, our policy has not changed.

A senior US official told CNN the Biden administration welcomes the engagement as it works to get a better understanding of Ukraines strategy and how the incursion could change the nature of the conflict. Given Ukraines difficulty recruiting and training soldiers, the US had expected that such a move would not have been possible for Zelensky to carry out until the spring.

Zelensky said publicly at a conference in Ukraine that the incursion is the first step of a multi-phase effort described as a powerful package of forcing Russia to end the war in a diplomatic way, according to a translation of his remarks. Zelensky referenced a broader vision for an endgame  and plans to reveal that vision in September to Biden, Harris and, possibly Trump  an approach that also seemed to take the White House by surprise.

We need to hear from him directly, a senior US official told CNN. He was in public discussing the terms of an endgame  thats the type of (private) conversation that would be helpful to have.

Biden last spoke to Zelensky on August 23  and released a new tranche of military aid  in the leadup to Ukraines Independence Day.

The Ukrainian seizure of Russian land in Kursk earlier this month injected a fresh wrinkle of uncertainty in what had become a grinding war of attrition with only small incremental gains apparently possible for either side.

Putin facing difficult decisions

While US officials expect that Russian President Vladimir Putin will eventually mount a counteroffensive to retake Kursk, the expectation is that that will be a difficult fight for the Russians, CIA Deputy Director David Cohen said on Wednesday.

That may force Russia to make some difficult decisions about where it allocates troops that could create manpower challenges for him along the frontline in Ukraine  even as Ukraine may have to contend with precisely the same issue in order to hold Kursk, as it now appears committed to doing for at least a period of time.

One US military official in the region said that Russia will likely need a three-to-one ratio to eject the Ukrainians, a critical mass of forces that will likely take Moscow at least three weeks to put together.

Multiple US and western officials told CNN that there is no sense that the Ukrainian offensive crossed any kind of red line for the Russian president that might cause him to take dramatic action outside of the bounds of convention warfighting, like using a tactical nuke, for example.

Still, although its impact is yet unknown, the fight for Kursk could have a potentially significant impact on the overall strategic outcome of the war, Cohen and others said.

Putin is not only going to have to face the fact that there is a front line now within Russian territory that hes going to have to deal with, Cohen said. He has to deal with reverberations back in his own society that they have lost a piece of Russian territory.

Recent analysis from the open-source intelligence firm Filter Labs found that sentiment on Russia social media towards Putin has been deteriorating since the Ukrainian seizure of Kursk.

But longtime Russia watchers point out that Putin has faced popularity hits before in the face of significant embarrassments  the Ukrainian sinking of the Moskva, or Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhins march on Moscow, for example  and he has not been forced or persuaded to change course in Ukraine.

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PATERSON, N.J. (PIX11)  Hundreds of politicians and constituents paid their respects to the late Congressman Bill Pascrell at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson on Tuesday.

Pascrell proudly called Paterson his lifelong home. The 87-year-old passed away last Wednesday after being hospitalized for respiratory issues in July.

Pascrell dedicated his life to public service. After graduating from Fordham University, he served in the U.S. Army and spent a dozen years teaching high school before breaking into politics.

Pascrell was first elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 1987, then went on to serve two terms as the mayor of Paterson. He was elected to Congress in 1996, where he served until his death.

More Local News

Pascrell, who was expected to win reelection in November, would have become the oldest-serving member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh remembers Pascrell fondly.

I worked for him for many years, said Sayegh. In fact, in 1996, I volunteered on his first congressional campaign. I learned a lot. He swore me in twice when I was a councilman and twice when I was the mayor.

Sayegh said Pascrell was proud to call Paterson his home.

He never forgot where he was from, said Sayegh. When he was on the House floor, he would fondly say, Im Congressman Bill Pascrell and Im from Paterson.

Pascrell will be laid to rest Wednesday morning. His final resting place will be the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery and Mausoleum in Totowa.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Update 8:29 p.m: The severe thunderstorm warning that was issued for Jackson County has now expired.

Update 8:19 p.m.: The severe thunderstorm warning for Jackson County will continue until 8:30, according to the NWS. The severe thunderstorm warning expired for Jefferson County. The NWS issued a flood advisory for Jefferson County until 10:15 p.m.

TOPEKA (KSNT)  Several counties in northeast Kansas have been issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning.

The National Weather Service (NWS) announced at 7:49 p.m. that Jefferson and Jackson County were issued severe thunderstorm warnings. These warnings come with possible winds of 60 miles per hour and one-inch hail. These warnings are in effect until 8:15 p.m.

Blind Tiger Brewery creates beer fully made with Shawnee Co. products

For more weather news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

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Powerful thunderstorms will ramp up this week across the Central states, AccuWeather meteorologists warn, as a potent storm advancing across southern Canada sparks rounds of severe weather from the Dakotas to the Ohio Valley.

The pattern will usher somewhat cooler and less humid conditions into the Plains and Great Lakes, where highs have been soaring into the upper 90s recently.

"An active stretch of weather is set to continue across the Midwest in the days leading up to the extended Labor Day weekend, with the risk for damaging thunderstorms still in the offing," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said.

Flooding downpours, hail, damaging wind gusts and isolated tornadoes affected portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa Thursday afternoon and Thursday evening.

Another round of severe weather is developing farther east into the Great Lakes on Friday.

From Friday afternoon to Friday night, residents from Chicago to Indianapolis on eastward to Detroit will be face the threat of disruptive storms. Those traveling along interstates 57, 69, 70 and 75 may experience travel slowdowns or delays during the evening commute as the holiday weekend officially begins.

While the area likely to be impacted by storms on Friday is smaller than on Thursday, it includes a handful of higher population centers and metro areas. This region has already faced disruptions from storms earlier in the week, and additional impacts on Friday could double down on those still recovering.

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"Many residents are still without power across Michigan in the wake of the thunderstorm activity on Tuesday, which can pose a heightened risk as additional strong storms are expected again on Friday," pointed out Buckingham.

Into the weekend, pockets of showers and thunderstorms may continue to impact portions of far northern Minnesota into northern Michigan. However, a zone of high pressure migrating into the northern Plains will promote mainly dry weather from the Dakotas to Illinois.

Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  The City and County of San Francisco plans to begin sending Dear John letters to people thought to be engaging in solicitation of prostitution. According to the office of San Francisco Mayor London Breed, the letters will be sent to the registered owners of vehicles seen cruising in areas known for prostitution activity.

The letters are one of three additional measures the city rolled out on Wednesday in an effort to crack down on illegal sex work  specifically in the inner Mission District. Mayor Breed, in partnership with San Francisco Supervisor Hillary Ronen, announced the initiatives following a series of meetings between city agencies and community members.

San Francisco will close schools due to dramatic drops in enrollment

In addition to the letters, the city also plans to deploy barriers along Shotwell Street, similar to those that were installed on Capp Street last year. The city is also working to install cameras that will be highly visible in order to deter people from soliciting prostitution.

The cameras would also capture evidence used in enforcement operations, officials said. The cameras would be authorized under Proposition E.

By working with the community, weve developed solutions that will make the Mission safer

for all, said Mayor Breed. Our police officers will continue to enforce our laws, but

these new strategies will help us build on that work and improve conditions in the neighborhood. This is part of our commitment to address significant challenges in the Mission neighborhood.

My office has given these neighbors and this issue a great deal of attention, and we have been

working with City departments to come up with meaningful solutions, including outreach to sex

workers to get them support and protections, and ultimately off the streets, said Supervisor

Ronen. Real solutions require collaboration and creative thinking to tackle this age-old

issue, not frivolous legal action.

The new initiatives rolled out by the city come the same day that Shotwell area residents announced a lawsuit against the city for inaction in enforcing laws related to sex trafficking and prostitution.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  The Sioux Falls Police Department said department-wide citations are on the rise, and theyre still cracking down on speeding and reckless drivers.

Sioux Falls Police partnered with other South Dakota law enforcement to perform five organized saturations between March and August this year.

Were at 523 DWI arrests as a department whole this year, over 5,532 speeding citations, 555 seatbelt violations and numerous other charges, Sgt. Joel Dalton with the Sioux Falls Police Department said.

Police partnered with Lincoln and Minnehaha County Sheriffs Offices, South Dakota Highway Patrol and Minnehaha County Reserves to fight against the issue. Multi-agency saturations were completed on March 29th, April 12th, May 18th, June 15th and August 9th. Between the five saturations, law enforcement gave out 775 tickets and made over 50 arrests.

These totaled up a significant increase in what we had done in the past for individual agencies when we combined our efforts, Sgt. Dalton said.

Carroll pleads not guilty to stealing $1.8 million

A grant from the South Dakota Office of Highway Safety has allowed officers to spend more time on the lookout for speeding and reckless driving since the beginning of this year. Over 3,600 speeding tickets have been issued under this effort, many happening on roads with more than two lanes divided.

Were continuing pushing forward legislation to address these things, to try and force people from continuing these aggressive maneuvers, these dangerous maneuvers, and solve this reckless driving, State trooper Luke Sieve said.

Police said they notice the communitys support towards saturations, and thats why those efforts are necessary to make Sioux Falls roads safer.

One way you can report unsafe driving is by using the Crimestoppers app, which lets anyone anonymously report unsafe driving to Sioux Falls Police.

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China will consider ramping up support for more families whose only child died, ranging from providing special elderly care and medical services to facilitating their access to assisted reproductive tools and child adoption, the news outlet ThePaper.cn reported on Monday.

A group of families who had lost their only child but had another child later recently submitted a letter to the National Health Commission and met with health officials in Beijing to seek support.

"We have decided to have a baby again in our 40s, 50s or at an even older age to make up for past regrets (of losing a child) and to have more companionship and familial love in our senior years," the letter said.

The letter called on authorities to include families like them in assistance programs and roll out targeted, favorable policies regarding elderly care  for seniors who had children later in life who are not yet old enough to care for them  medical services and household registration, as well as nursery care and education for their second children.

China rolled out an exclusive assistance program for families whose only child had died or has disabilities in 2007. But the program excludes those who have had another biological child or adopted one.

The letter also called for measures to help families who want to have another child after losing their first one to realize their dream.

In its reply to the letter, the commission said it will work with relevant departments to further research the possibility of rolling out a range of policies to support families who have had another child.

The commission also noted that eight provincial-level regions have already made some assisted reproductive therapies and medications reimbursable.

"We will continue to advance support in assisted fertility and child adoption for families who have lost an only child," it added.

However, the commission also reiterated that families who have lost an only child but have another later are not eligible for subsidies from the assistance program.

China began implementing a family planning policy that allowed most families to have only one child in 1979.

The policy has been gradually adjusted over the years, and most couples can now have up to three children.

The plight of families who have lost a single child has been drawing attention from the public and national legislators in recent years.

A study led by researchers from Capital Normal University and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences estimated that there are nearly 2.9 million women age 50 or older who have had children who died.

The study was published in Population and Economics, a Chinese-language journal, in April.

"With declining fertility levels and delays in childbearing age the number of mothers whose only child has died will remain stable," it said.

To cope with the issue, the study suggested encouraging births by boosting nursery care services and other measures aimed at reducing childbearing costs.

It also suggested upgrading support for families who have lost an only child, such as offering psychological consultations and formulating elderly care insurance policies.

Wang Yan, a deputy to the National People's Congress and president of Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital affiliated to Xiamen University, said that families who have had another child after bereavement are often confronted with a series of challenges, such as financial pressure, health problems and a significant age gap with their children.

He said in March that several regions in the provinces of Fujian, Zhejiang and Guizhou have started offering subsidies for such families.

He suggested stepping up care for them, streamlining adoption policies for parents who have lost an only child and bolstering mental health services.
Using A Delaware Statutory Trust In A 1031 Exchange: What Investors Need To Know

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

Real estate investors who have transacted more than one property know the power of a 1031 exchange. Named for a section of the tax code, a 1031 exchange allows an investor to sell a property and buy another investment property without paying capital gains taxes. This can tremendously benefit the investor if the property has increased in value. It allows the investor to keep building their wealth, and a 1031 exchange can be made repeatedly with property after property. Instead of collecting the profit after the sale and paying taxes, the profit becomes part of the next property.

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Of course, you are dealing with the Internal Revenue Service, so there are a lot of rules. Because it is an exchange, an investor has to purchase a like-for-like' property within 180 days of the original sale. Like-for-like means that while you can invest in a more expensive property, it needs to be within the same category. You also can't just invest the profit; you have to invest both equity as well as any debt that was paid off.

One of the toughest requirements is the timeline. You have 45 days to designate a property and 180 days to complete the exchange. Investors also have to use a middleman to complete the deal. The downside of doing 1031 exchanges is that you are mostly still in the business of owning an actual direct investment with both the burdens and benefits of property ownership. However, another option is a Delaware Statutory Trust (DST). A DST is a trust formed by a real estate company that pools together investor funds into one vehicle that then invests in real estate. The DST manages the assets and members of the trust share in the income. DSTs are generally only available for accredited investors, and the minimum investment is much higher than other types of investments.

Because a DST is more hands-off than a traditional 1031 exchange, it is gaining traction with older investors who may have done multiple 1031 exchanges in the past. Earlier this year, Bisnow wrote about the growing use of DSTs by people eager to exit active landlord roles. Research from Mountain Dell Consulting found that in 2023, there were 62 sponsors with active DST offerings, up from 53 in 2022. The amount of money invested in DSTs is rising as well; equity grew to $21.6 billion from 2021 to 2023.

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RealtyMogul, an online real estate investing platform, recently announced it has created a 1031 concierge program that offers 1031 exchange-eligible Delaware Statutory Trust (DST) investment options. RealtyMoguls program includes multifamily offerings from RealtyMogul's sister company, RM Communities. The company has hired Steve Haskell, who previously headed Kay Property and Investment's San Diego office and is an expert in Delaware Statutory Trust (DST) and passive real estate investments. "We are excited to be able to provide our investors access to this range of 1031 exchange-eligible opportunities. At RealtyMogul, we are committed to helping our members build their personalized real estate portfolio and I know Steve will play a key role in empowering our investors to achieve their 1031 exchange goals," said Jilliene Helman, CEO of RealtyMogul.

Other companies have jumped on the DST bandwagon as interest has grown, which is good news for investors ready to leave active investing behind. In the past, there have been efforts to cap or eliminate the 1031 exchange precisely because it is such a wealth builder for real estate investors. The popularity of 1031 exchange usage and the potential fallout for the real estate market has meant that any proposals to restrict it have failed. DSTs and 1031 exchanges should be around for real estate investors for years to come.

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This article Using A Delaware Statutory Trust In A 1031 Exchange: What Investors Need To Know originally appeared on Benzinga.com
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.  A 2017 corridor study for Kearney Street could be revived.

The initial study extends from Glenstone Avenue to Albertha Street and will need a vote by Springfield City Council before it can start again.

The redevelopment plan itself, it expired in 2023 [due to] a provision under the work program in the ordinance that approved this plan has a sunset, Amanda Ohlensehlen with the city said. The timing is really good to look at this plan again and figure out the ways that it could be amended to hopefully be successful in realizing the goals out of forward long term.

City council members heard about the idea at their Tuesday lunch meeting.

Ohlensehlens presentation included ways to incentivize potential developers.

Real property tax abatement is one part of an overall strategy to stimulate reinvestment, Ohlensehlen said. One of the top ten initiatives is really the beautification of the citys corridors, including improve planning, right of way management and multimodal access.

In addition, the plan would also address blighting properties.

Theres a significant number of nuisance or dangerous building complaints within the district. The deterioration of site improvements, kind of diving into this a little bit deeper, 70% of the buildings were in poor or fair condition and only a little bit more than 5% were in excellent condition at the time of this report. Other conditions, you know, theres a lot of vacancies that are prevalent throughout the district that were identified at the time, Ohlensehlen said. The redevelopment itself, the primary objectives to overcome, really are to remove blight from the district and really encourage redeveloping it in the area into a more active retail corridor with more mixed uses.

Councilman Craig Hosmer welcomes the idea.

I think we need to re-extend the redevelopment plan. I think we should take some input from neighborhoods and from the businesses in the district to see if theres any modifications that need to be made to make it more successful, Hosmer said. Hopefully that we will do that and reestablish the redevelopment area.

He added working with the neighborhoods is important too.

I think anytime you make a good development, I think it helps. It helps neighborhoods, as long as theres a development that mixes well with neighborhoods. I think its important to get the information from property owners, whether theyre businesses or residential areas, and get both sides input on it, Hosmer said. Economic development is bigger than just giving somebody incentives to build a building. Broad-based economic development is safe streets, clean streets, safe neighborhoods, clean neighborhoods, law enforcement where people feel safe. I think if we just try to spot develop things, its not its not going to be effective. We need to enforce the laws. We need to keep our city clean. We need to make sure our communities are safe and we need to make sure that theyre properly taken care of and that we enforce the laws that we have in the city of Springfield.

OzarksFirst spoke to Sarah Tinajero, who is on the board of the Robberson Neighborhood Association, about what neighbors would consider an improvement to the area.

Wed like to see some more long-term kind of businesses that would bring people into the neighborhood, maybe some more sit-down restaurant-type things would be great, Tinajero said.

She also said more greenspaces and utilizing the area near Robberson School would be ideal.

Wed especially love to see the park or the playground in the back become a park for the neighborhood, and it would be a nice a nice feature when youre going down Kearney to be able to see, thats part of the community, Tinajero said.

Councilwoman Monica Horton also proposed ideas of using greenspaces in any redevelopment plans, speaking in the meeting about how there are no recreational areas in the Robberson neighborhood.

As of now, theres no set date for when city council would consider formally bringing the study back.

One of the immediate next steps is that we would recommend to staff would be to reestablish the Kearney Street Corridor redevelopment area. We would need to update the Blight Report, and this is a requirement of the workable program, Ohlensehlen said. And we would also want to align that blight report under that new definition, you know, from the state of Missouri.

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Shapiro announces water near train derailment site will be tested for 10 years

HARRISBURG, Pa., (WKBN)  The Shapiro administration announced Tuesday that drinking water near the East Palestine train derailment site will be tested for the next 10 years.

So far, no contamination has been found but the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will continue sampling private drinking water wells within a one-mile radius of the derailment site for ten years, according to a news release from the DEP.

The DEP will oversee Norfolk Southerns testing of three groundwater monitoring wells located in Pennsylvania as well.

A proposed agreement between the EPA and Norfolk Southern includes funding for the work.

The effort to monitor drinking water is supported by Governor Josh Shapiro and the Shapiro Administration who say they are committed to ensuring the health and safety of Western Pennsylvania residents.

Shapiro and Attorney General Michelle Henry are also pushing Norfolk Southern to go a step further than what was detailed in the proposed agreement.

They are asking for expansive testing, payment from the railroad for health treatment costs for those impacted, stronger monitoring provisions to expand monitoring beyond two miles out from the derailment site, and that Norfolk Southern adopt all the recommendations on rail safety from the NTSB final report on the derailment.

Shapiro and Henry submitted a comment on Norfolks proposed agreement Aug. 2 detailing their requests.

Other state agencies also continue to monitor data on the impact of the derailment.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health conducted a second round of Assessment of Chemical Exposure (ACE) surveys in April, assessing the health impacts for residents and first responders.

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Like she handed him an AR-15: Woman could be charged after teenage son killed friend in car crash

Flynn MacKrell, 18, died last November after a white BMW, driven by his friend Kiernan Tague, crashed into a lamp post at 70mph, splitting the vehicle in half. In March, Tague was charged with second-degree murder and could spend life in prison (Getty/iStock)

The family of a boy who died in a car crash is demanding that his accused killers mother also be charged.

Flynn MacKrell, 18, was killed last November after a BMW, driven by his friend Kiernan Tague, crashed into a lamp post at 70mph, splitting the vehicle in half.

MacKrell was declared dead at the scene in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Tague, 17, was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

In March, Tague was charged with second-degree murder and could spend life in prison. He has not been charged as an adult but is adult designated - meaning that a judge could sentence him as an adult, juvenile or impose a blended sentence, according to the Detroit Free Press.

He has been jailed ahead of trial which will be held at Wayne County Circuit Court.

Now, MacKrells family also want Tagues mother, Elizabeth Puleo-Tague, to be charged with involuntary manslaughter over the fatal crash.

At the time of the crash, Puleo-Tague was in Canada and left the keys to her $70,000 BMW at home.

She was sitting on a ticking time bomb, Anne Vanker, MacKrells mother, told the Free Press. She knows hes out of control, yet she basically gets him a weapon. Its like she handed him an AR-15.

Vanker also said that she wants Kiernan Tague to be in jail as long as possible. Why should he get a break? This kid had every break and every privilege there is, the grieving mother said.

The MacKrell family has requested that the Wayne County Prosecutor charge Puleo-Tague in connection with their sons death. An official warrant request for Puleo-Tague has also been made by Grosse Pointe Police Department to the prosecutor, according to the Free Press.

The Independent has emailed the police department and prosecutors office for comment.

Mitchell Ribitwer, an attorney representing Puleo-Tague, declined to comment due to pending litigation when contacted by The Independent.

Text messages between Tague and Puleo-Tague, obtained by the outlet, revealed that the teen had a history of breaking speed limits.His mother was also using a GPS location tracking app on her son, Life360.

On September 14, 2023, Puleo-Tague texted her son: Slow down right now! The app had tracked him travelling at 123mph,

The apps data also showed that he reached speeds of more than 150mph. The highest speed captured was on November 1, when Tague drove 153mph for 20 miles.

Two weeks prior to the crash, the 17-year-old made 94 car journeys and in more than half he reached speeds above 90mph, the Free Press reported.

Tague was also drag racing, according to videos taken from his phone as evidence.

In another text message, Puleo-Tague told her son: Your obsession (word choice intentional) with cars having upwards of 600 hp  Its not healthy. Its not safe. And it scares me to my bone.

Three weeks after sending that message, she bought the BMW.

The boys mother had tried several times to alert police to her sons dangerous ways. The teenager had had 22 documented run-ins with police since 2017.

During the crash investigation, a police report stated: The messages between the two suggest that Kiernans mother has little to no control over Kiernan. Kiernan regularly drove recklessly and took/used his mothers credit cards without permission, despite his mothers repeated orders not to.

The boys parents divorced in 2019 and his father is deceased.

His mother repeatedly told responding officers that she was afraid of Kiernan, an officer wrote in one report.

The last encounter the teenager had with law enforcement before the crash took place on August 30, 2023, when police responded to the boys home because he was yelling and throwing items within the house because his mother refused to get him an American Express Gold Card, a report detailed.

If charges are filed against Puleo-Tague, it wouldnt be the first time a parent has been held criminally responsible for their childs crimes.

James and Jennifer Crumbley were sentenced to ten years on April 9 for involuntary manslaughter after their son, Ethan, carried out a mass shooting at Oxford High School in Oxford Township, Michigan three years ago.
Sheffield man arrested after over 200 fentanyl pills found in search

TUSCUMBIA, Ala. (WHNT)  The Colbert County Sheriffs Office (CCSO) says a man was arrested Monday after a search found over two hundred fentanyl pills.

CCSO said Keyariss Malik McCarthur was arrested Monday and charged with drug trafficking and second-degree possession of marijuana after a search by deputies and the Colbert County Drug Task Force.

SBI investigating after inmate dies in Marshall County

The sheriffs office said the drug task force with help from deputies executed a search warrant Monday in the 900 block of East 10th Street in Tuscumbia.

Authorities said during the search agents found 257 fentanyl pills, 6.7 grams of marijuana and a 9mm semi-automatic handgun.

The sheriffs office said McCarthur was arrested and taken to the Colbert County Jail. He is being held on a $150,000 bond.

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Weathersfield, VT- No one is hurt after a Windham County Sheriffs cruiser slid off of I-91 while transporting a prisoner on Tuesday morning.

The prisoner had told the deputy driving the cruiser that she cut her neck with a metal hook, according to the sheriffs office. Then, while trying to pull over in a U-turn near Exit 8 the cruiser began hydroplaning and slid into the highway median where it bottomed out and was damaged.

Police say the deputy gave the prisoner first aid, but couldnt find any visible injury. The prisoner was brought to Springfield ER where she was medically cleared.

The prisoner was being brought from Southern State Correctional to Chittenden Regional Correctional. The cruiser had to be towed for repairs but the deputy was not hurt.

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Deputies with the Butler County Sheriff's Office made an arrest this week in a shoplifting incident at Liberty Center. Now, Sheriff Richard Jones is calling for the mall to fork over the $5,000 reward.

The sheriff's office offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest after two women were accused of stealing over $2,000 worth of clothes from Dick's Sporting Goods at Liberty Center on Aug. 21. Deputies arrested Tiara Roberts, a 35-year-old woman from Dayton, on Tuesday and charged her with a fifth-degree felony for theft. Deputies are still pursuing the other suspect.

The Butler County Sheriff's Office has received 150 calls for service to Liberty Center, an outdoor shopping plaza in Liberty Township, in the past two months, public information office Janee Lambert said.

This is an ongoing problem at Liberty Center and we will continue prosecuting every shoplifter we can," he said in a statement on Facebook.

In a press conference Tuesday, Jones blamed the Liberty Township shopping center for inadequate security.

The sheriff's office offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in a recent shoplifting at Liberty Center. Now he wants the mall to pay that amount to the sheriff's office.

"From this day, I'm gonna go ahead and charge the Liberty mall for the $5,000 reward. They should have to pay this," Jones said. "They don't do the proper security out there. They don't take care of it."

"Somebody's gonna die," he continued. "Somebody's gonna bump into them when they're stealing out there and I'm not gonna put up with it."

The sheriff's office has received 150 calls for service to the mall in the past two months, including several thefts, public information office Janee Lambert wrote in an email to The Enquirer.

Lambert confirmed to The Enquirer that Jones plans to send an invoice for $5,000 to Liberty Center on Wednesday.

Alexis Bolton, the mall's marketing manager, said Liberty Center employs both private security personnel and off-duty sheriffs deputies to provide security for the mall.

"At Liberty Center, the safety and security of our patrons, tenants, and employees is very important to us," Bolton wrote in an emailed statement to The Enquirer. "We take any concerns regarding safety seriously and continuously evaluate and enhance our security measures in collaboration with local law enforcement and private security experts."

"We welcome further discussions with Sheriff Jones, the Township and other local authorities to collaboratively develop solutions that benefit the entire community going forward," she added.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio sheriff asks mall for $5K reward after shoplifting arrest
Originally appeared on E! Online

Esme Lynch is mourning the loss of her loved ones.

The sister of the late Hannah Lynch, 18, who perished after a super yacht sank off the coast of Sicily following a freak storm along with their dad, Mike Lynch, reflected on her sibling's unexpected passing.

"She is my little angel, my star," Esme, whose mom Angela Bacares was among the 15 survivors, shared in a statement obtained by Sky News earlier this week. "She had even more love to give endlessly to all her friends and passion to give to her incredible studies and goals."

Esme also reminisced about the simple moments she had with her sister, who was set to attend Oxford University this fall.

"Hannah often burst into my bedroom and lay down with me," Esme explained. "Sometimes beaming with a smile, sometimes cheeky, sometimes for advice. No matter what, she brought boundless love to me. She was endlessly caring, passionately mad, unintentionally hilarious and the most amazing, supportive and joyful sister and best friend to me."

More from E! Online

A spokesperson for the Lynch family also shared a statement Aug. 23, per The Washington Post, writing that they were "devastated, in shock and is being comforted and supported by family and friends."

"Their thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragedy," the statement continued. "They would like to sincerely thank the Italian coastguard, emergency services and all those who helped in the rescue. Their one request now is that their privacy be respected at this time of unspeakable grief."

FAMILY HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Hannah was among the six passengers who went missing on Aug. 19 when their luxury boat was hit by a water tornado called a "waterspout." Days after the incident, the Italian Coast Guard confirmed that they had recovered the body of the final passengera woman whose body was found a day after Mikes was also found. Sources close familiar with the matter confirmed to NBC News that rescuers were still searching for Hannah before the body was recovered.

The others who were recovered were Mike's associates, many of whom were part of his defense during his fraud case, including Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy Bloomer; lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo, the Director of Sicilys Civil Protection Agency Salvatore Cocina told NBC News. The body of the ships cook, Recaldo Thomas, was also recovered shortly after the incident.

Angela was rescued with nine crew members and two other passengers. Eight were taken to a nearby hospital and the rest were brought to a local hotel. In total, 15 passengers of the 22 passengers survived.

ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images

The head of the Palermo Emergency Medical Services, Dr. Fabio Genco, recalled what the survivors had told him and investigators after the storm.

"They told me that it was all dark, that the yacht hoisted itself up and then went down," he shared with NBC News. "All the objects were falling on them. That's why I immediately made sure, by asking them questions, if they had any internal injuries."

"They told me that suddenly they found themselves catapulted into the water without even understanding how they had got there," he continued. "The whole thing seems to have lasted from 3 to 5 minutes."

(E! and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)

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Two members of Donald Trump's campaign staff pushed and verbally abused an official at Arlington National Cemetery while the former president was participating in a wreath-laying ceremony on Monday, NPR first reported.

A source with knowledge of the incident told NPR that the official tried to prevent staffers from filming and photographing in Section 60, a restricted area where recent U.S. military casualties are buried. According to the source, officials had already made clear that only cemetery staff were permitted to film and photograph in that area, and when one of the officials tried to prevent Trump campaign staffers from entering, the staffers verbally abused and pushed the official aside.

Arlington National Cemetery, in a statement to NPR, said it "can confirm there was an incident, and a report was filed."

"Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidate's campaign," the statement continued. "Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants."

Trump was in Arlington to mark the third anniversary of a suicide bombing at Abbey Gate at Kabul Airport in 2021 during the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan. Thirteen U.S. service members were killed in an attack, which Trump has cited to criticize President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris over the administration's handling of the evacuation.

On Tuesday, Trump posted a statement from relatives of two service members killed in the bombing. We would like to express our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to president Donald J. Trump for his presence at the recent Section 60 gathering, honoring our children and their fallen brothers and sisters, the Truth Social post read. On the three-year anniversary of the Abbey Gate bombing, the president and his team conducted themselves with nothing but the utmost respect and dignity for all of our service members, especially our beloved children.

The statement also said that the family members accepted the presence of an official videographer and photographer at the event, though their approval does not override existing rules by the cemetery that regulate behavior near the grave sites of many other veterans. In the end, Trump got his photo, which depicts the former president smiling widely and giving a thumbs-up behind the graves of the two Marines.

Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung pushed back on the altercation story in a statement to NPR, saying that "we are prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made." (As of Wednesday morning, no such footage has been released.)

"The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trump's team during a very solemn ceremony," Cheung claimed.

Predictably, reports of an altercation on hallowed ground sparked outrage from veterans and veterans' groups. Liberal veterans organization VoteVets demanded that Trump take action against the staffers who took part in the incident. "If Donald Trump respects the fallen (he doesn't) he will fire the people who fought with Arlington National Cemetery staff," the group said in a statement on social media. "The fact is, Trump staff did this because he wanted them to do it. He sees Section 60 as Suckers and Losers too," the group said, referring to Trump's past alleged comments about veterans.

Former Rep. Max Rose, D-N.Y., who fought in Afghanistan, called the photograph and the alleged altercation that made it possible a "sick and tragic" affair. "Trump and his team care only about using the military as a prop," he wrote on X. "No respect for our nations fallen heroes. Trump only cares about himself."

Rep. Mickie Sherrill, D-N.J., a former Navy lieutenant, said that the former president using Arlington National Cemetery as a "photo-op" was to be expected from Trump, as "disrespecting veterans is par for course."

Criticism over Trump's comments about veterans exploded in 2020 after multiple Trump White House sources provided examples of him disparaging veterans for a report by The Atlantic. According to one story, he resisted visiting the grave sites of American World War I veterans in Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in France because "it's filled with losers" who were "suckers" for getting killed. At a briefing given by then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joe Dunford, Trump reportedly turned to aides and said: That guy is smart. Why did he join the military?

Trump has denied those claims, but some public statements he's made are more difficult to dismiss: In 2015, he described former Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., as "not a war hero" because he was shot down and captured by North Vietnamese forces.

It's not just words that have put a spotlight on Trump's record with veterans. During his administration, Trump gave authority over Department of Veterans' Affairs policy to a trio of business executives with memberships at his Mar-a-Lago club and personal ties to him, sparking a 2021 investigation by congressional Democrats that found the arrangement "violated the law and sought to exert improper influence over government officials to further their own personal interest." Investigations by ProPublica also found that Trump's Veterans Affairs officials enriched large companies while imposing longer waits for benefits on veterans, weakened the department by cutting its staff and retaliated against whistleblowers over reported abuse and malpractice at VA facilities.

If Trump was sometimes reluctant to visit military cemeteries during his presidency, some commentators observe that he now sees the political benefits of putting it in his schedule.

"The idea that any candidate of any party would use, intentionally or unintentionally, use that sacred ground as a prop for a political campaign is beyond condemnation," journalist Mike Barnicle said on MSNBC. "Its terribly upsetting, obviously, to people who have buried loved ones in Arlington National Cemetery."
EDGEFIELD COUNTY, S.C. (WJBF)  The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has arrested a man following the death of a child.

The agency arrested 30-year-old Caleb Jochen Carter on August 23, 2024.

Reports say from July 28, 2020  October 13, 2020, Carter allegedly abused the child in multiple ways, including: bruising to multiple body parts, including but not limited to the chest, back, scrotum, eye, ear and jaw.

In October of 2020, Carter allegedly placed an unsafe mouth piece in the victims mouth, obstructing the childs airway and causing the childs death.

Carter was booked into Edgefield County Jail, but has since been released.

He is charged with 2 counts of Unlawful Conduct Towards a Child

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Vale Selects CFO Gustavo Pimenta As New CEO, Ending Turbulent Succession Process

Vale SA (NYSE:VALE), one of the world's largest mining companies, has unanimously selected its Chief Financial Officer, Gustavo Pimenta, as the new CEO, succeeding Eduardo Bartolomeo. The succession process proved turbulent, as the board's conflicts prolonged leadership selection for this key global producer of iron ore, nickel, and other essential metals.

"After extensive discussions, the board concluded that making the decision earlier would benefit the company and reduce market speculation," Vale's chairman, Daniel Stieler, said in the statement.

Pimenta, who has served as Vale's CFO since 2021, brings over 20 years of experience in the financial, energy, and mining sectors. Before joining Vale, he held leadership roles at AES Corp., a major U.S. power company, and Citibank, where he worked on mergers and acquisitions.

At Vale, he focused on cost efficiency and sound capital allocation. He has also been a leading voice in negotiations with the Brazilian government regarding the ongoing settlements for the 2015 Mariana dam disaster.

Now read: BHP Reports $13.7B Profits, Eyes Additional Copper Expansion

However, the succession process could have been more streamlined, resulting in the resignation of two independent board members, who cited concerns over political interference and manipulation.

Jose Luciano Duarte Penido, who stepped down in March, openly criticized the process in a resignation letter, describing it as "manipulated" and compromised by political agendas that did not serve the company's best interest. He characterized the role of an independent advisor as "completely ineffective, unpleasant, and frustrating."

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva urged his Mines and Energy Minister to lobby Vale's largest shareholders to consider former Finance Minister Guido Mantega for the CEO role, Bloomberg reported in January. The market's reaction was negative, signaling an overreach of governmental influence in a privatized company.

Despite utilizing the services of Russell Reynolds, a leading executive search firm, Vale ultimately opted for an internal candidate, reinforcing Pimenta's deep understanding of the company's operations and challenges. Internal choices, such as Freeport McMoRan's CEO succession earlier this year, signal the company's desire for continuity and stability.

Pimenta is expected to officially start as CEO in January 2025. To ensure a smooth transition, Eduardo Bartolomeo, the outgoing CEO, will remain with the company as an advisor until December 2025.

Story continues

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BOSTON, Mass. (SHNS)With the states commitment to the life sciences sector still tied up in an inter-branch dispute among Democrats, industry leaders acknowledged challenges on Tuesday including a record vacancy rate for lab space in Massachusetts, slower job growth, and a decrease in venture capital funding.

The MassBio trade group, in a new industry snapshot, argued the headwinds are tempered by net job growth, the states prowess in the drug development pipeline, and regional expansion of the sector beyond Cambridge.

EEE mosquito spraying begins in Plymouth & Worcester counties

MassBio CEO Kendalle Burlin OConnell wrote Massachusetts is on the verge of making another commitment to the life sciences, without delving into lawmakers failure to strike a deal on a sweeping economic development bill containing commitments to the sector. The Senate favored a smaller, shorter-term reauthorization of the life sciences initiative, compared to the approach backed by Gov. Maura Healey and approved in the House to inject roughly $1 billion into the sector over a 10-year period.

As we release this report, Governor Healey and legislative leaders continue to work together to finalize a reauthorization of the Life Sciences Initiative, which would deliver the tools needed to expand this industrys reach and impact, Burlin OConnell wrote.

House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka have pledged to bring back lawmakers for a special session once a deal is struck on the economic development package, though it is unclear what progress negotiators have made in recent weeks. Burlin OConnell earlier this month said that approving a Life Sciences Initiative for another full $1 billion over the next decade as part of a broader package is an appropriate recognition that the states competitiveness and economic well-being are at stake.

Mariano, in a statement in the report, called the biopharma industry a major driver of our economy. Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante is also quoted in the report, but not Spilka.

Advancing innovation in health care is what the Commonwealth does better than anywhere else in the world because of the people, institutions, and companies that call Massachusetts home, Mariano said. Im proud of the role the House of Representatives has historically played in making investments in this very successful public-private partnership. This type of collaboration will ensure the Commonwealth continues to deliver for residents and communities through jobs and tax revenues, as well as the patients who need the lifesaving medicines being developed in local labs.

Massachusetts gained almost 3,000 biopharma net new jobs in 2023, bringing the industrys total workforce to nearly 117,000, according MassBios report. The workforce grew by 2.6 percent, compared to 6.9 percent the prior year.

The report notes that economic and industry headwinds stalled Massachusetts push to grow the biomanufacturing sector, with a loss of just over 2% of the workforce.

New Jersey, North Carolina and Florida all managed to grow their biomanufacturing workforces, though MassBio says this increase remains in large batch manufacturing, not the making of advanced precision medicines where Massachusetts stands to grow in the coming years.

Takeda is the commonwealths largest biopharma employer, with just over 6,200 workers, according to the report. The company earlier this year revealed plans to lay off 146 workers in Lexington and 495 workers in Cambridge, and that it terminated an agreement with the state for tax incentives contingent on Takeda creating new jobs.

Watertown-based gene editing startup Tome Bioscience, Inc. plans to lay off 131 workers between Nov. 1 and Nov. 14, according to a new filing with the state under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act. That accounts for nearly all of the companys staff, according to The Boston Globe.

Theres a 16 percent vacancy rate for lab space statewide, which MassBio says is an all-time high.

As the funding environment changes, companies will be able to scale here in a tenant-favored market, Burlin OConnell wrote.

Near the MBTAs Riverside station in Newton, developers for a major project have scrapped initial plans to incorporate life sciences space into a mixed-use complex thats now focused on housing in its initial phase.

The life sciences development world has not improved at all, and so weve been reconsidering the project with the developer with a number of goals in mind, MBTA Chief Real Estate Officer Richard Henderson told the agencys board of directors last week.

Massachusetts-headquartered companies secured $3.26 billion of venture capital funding in the first two quarters of 2024, which MassBio says is the lowest total since 2019. It also marks a 12.6 percentage drop from the first half of 2023, according to the report.

Still, Massachusetts trails only California in terms of national venture capital funding, MassBio says.

Sixty-five percent of venture dollars in the first half of 2024 flowed to companies outside of Cambridge, including 21 percent to Boston, 20 percent to Waltham, 9 percent to Watertown and 4 percent to Framingham.

Massachusetts saw increased merger and acquisition activity in the first half of 2024.

MassBio says 17 Massachusetts companies were acquired for a disclosed total of $28.9 billion, compared to 11 deals for $10.5 billion over the same time period in 2023. Meanwhile, Massachusetts companies acquired 16 companies for a disclosed total of $9.73 billion, compared to seven deals for $649 million over the same time period in 2023.

The report describes the commonwealth as a global leader in advanced therapies, including cell and gene therapy.

Massachusetts accounts for 15.2 percent of the countrys drug development pipeline as of mid-July, trailing Californias 26 percent share, according to the report. Meanwhile, Massachusetts pipeline for advanced therapies surpasses China and competitor states like California.

Massachusetts is where life science ideas are discovered, developed, and scaled every day, Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao said in the report. We are the global hub for healthcare and life science innovation thanks to our best-in-class talent and pioneering startups and companies that employ more than 116,000 people in rewarding, high-paying jobs. Its critical that the state continues to support this key sector and lengthen our lead.

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ST. LOUIS  The start of the school year is an exciting time, but this year has been a bigger hassle than usual for St. Louis Public Schools as the district combats budget and student commute issues.

The school system dispersed gas cards and utilized public transportation and even school employees to pick up and drop off students. An ambassador was appointed at each school to give feedback on the schools overall efficiency, including meals, cleanliness of buildings, and route efficiencies.

Transportation continues to be a national issue, and we appreciate our SLPS team that includes students, staff, parents, and board members in finding solutions to our community, Interim Superintendent Millicent Borishade said at the start of Tuesdays school board meeting.

With an 88% attendance rate of a projected 19,000-plus students, initial issues around transit routes, large metro crowds at pickup, and bus technology upgrades for wheelchairs have been reported by these ambassadors in the first two weeks of school.

Chesterfield Mall is in its final days. Whats next?

There were some concerns with some of the alternative vendors, just making sure they have decals identifiers, those issues have been addressed, Square Watson, SLPS Chief Operations Officer, told the board.

Officials are creating an action plan from this information and working out kinks  if its excused absence when a student missing school to a vendors vehicle breaking down, and when students can expect to be back on their normal buses. School board vice president Matt Davis asked Dr. Borishade at one point to clarify a timeline on when students can expect to be back on their traditional yellow buses and if it would be after Labor Day. Borishade confirmed.

Board leaders are also meeting with the hired alternative bus vendors Friday to discuss this feedback as well as on time performance, safety, and protocols for transporting students. Parents have reported that theyve had difficulties communicating with the school board, but the board stands firm that the best way to contact them is to call your childs school principal, stating that they will get back to you. Parents should expect to have an update by Friday, August 30. After Labor Day, school officials will disclose additional information.

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BARTON COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW)  People in central Kansas may hear sonic booms on Wednesday and Thursday. A Hoisington man told KSN News he had already heard a couple of the booms, and they shook his whole house.

When we called Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir, he had just spoken to officials at Wichita Eisenhower National Airport. They told him the Air National Guard based in Tulsa is operating in the area through Thursday, and one or more of their planes went supersonic.

A sonic boom happens when a plane travels faster than the speed of sound, about 750 miles an hour at sea level.

Kansas school districts fight a chronic condition

An aircraft traveling through the atmosphere continuously produces air-pressure waves similar to the water waves caused by a ships bow, the Air Force says. When the aircraft exceeds the speed of sound, these pressure waves combine and form shock waves which travel forward from the generation or release point.

In 2020, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Kansas Department of Transportation signed a deal to allow supersonic test flights over Kansas. The Kansas Supersonic Transporation Corridor is an 886-mile invisible racetrack. The planes fly at or above 39,000 feet, 7.3 miles above ground, in federal airspace.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
The DNC

Democrats had a great party in Chicago. Peace and love, equality for all. All while the key speakers flew in on their private jets. All millionaires. Seems to me they need to practice what they preach and spread the wealth.

Postal problems

Im 82 and handicapped. For the first time in my life I feel like I am being discriminated against by the Postal Service when to mail an envelope I now have to exit my car, get my stroller out of the trunk and roll into the building proper. If they are vandalized, then put a pneumatic tube like the banks use to draw the envelope in. Why does it seem we are having more things aimed at making seniors lives more difficult?

Trumps words

Donald Trump was responsible for the most peaceful and strongest economic times in this countrys history. If he wants to talk some smack Im fine with that.

Drug costs

President Biden is negotiating with big pharmaceutical companies on lowering the cost of some drugs. He also supports universal health care for all. What is Donald Trumps plan?

Disinformation

FOX News paid almost $800 million for spreading lies about voting machine irregularities in the last election. Despite this fact, and numerous Republican investigations in Arizona that found no evidence of machine fraud, the big lie continues. Disinformation and lies promoted by politicians and unchallenged by media is a threat to democracy. News media and journalists should immediately challenge obvious false statements.

Now what?

Im glad to hear that Donald Trump wants all states to vote on abortions. Unfortunately, Mississippi has killed the ballot initiative that allows us to vote on issues. Itll be interesting to see what happens.

Balance

American culture seems to revolve a lot around Hollywood, star entertainers, athletes, late night talk show hosts and the like. All mistaken for people of importance. Ive needed a doctor and a teacher. I need farmers everyday, and Ive needed a plumber, auto mechanic and other everyday people periodically in my life. But Ive never, not even once needed a pro athlete, media personality or Hollywood entertainer for anything.

Send your Sound Offs to soundoff@sunherald.com.
(Bloomberg) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said the countrys new 10-party unity government is forging closer ties with the business community, with positive spin-offs for the country at large.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The deepening of the relationship between government and business is essential to the growth of our economy, Ramaphosa said in a speech to lobby group Business Unity South Africas annual general meeting in Johannesburg on Wednesday. Our relationship is far too important to fail.

The presidents comments underscore the far more business-friendly stance the authorities have adopted since the African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority in May 29 elections for the first time since it took power three decades ago and a so-called government of national unity was formed to run the country. Its members, which include the main opposition Democratic Alliance, have identified economic growth as a top priority, with a view toward tackling a 34% unemployment rate.

The new administration is working well and has been able to achieve broad consensus on the most pressing issues facing the country, according to Ramaphosa. Its made significant progress in tackling key challenges, including energy constraints, logistics snarl-ups, and high levels of crime and corruption, he said.

Headway has also been made in instituting the measures needed for South Africa to be removed from a global watchdogs dirty-money monitoring list, the president said. The country was placed on the so-called gray list by the Financial Action Task Force in February 2023 because of shortcomings in how it tackles illicit financial flows and combats terror funding.

We will continue on the path of structural and regulatory reform to improve the business operating environment, Ramaphosa said. We are committed to a stable policy environment that stimulates investment.

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  South Carolina's prisons director said Wednesday that state's supply of a lethal injection drug is pure, its electric chair was tested two months ago and its firing squad has the ammunition and training to carry out its first execution next month in more than 13 years.

Corrections Director Bryan Stirling was ordered by the state Supreme Court to submit a sworn statement to the lawyer for Freddie Owens certifying that all three methods of putting a prisoner to death are available for his scheduled Sept. 20 execution.

Owens' lawyers have said they will review the statement, and if they don't think it is adequate, they will ask the state Supreme Court or federal judges to consider it.

It's one of at least two legal issues of contention between the state and Owens ahead of next month's execution date.

Owens has until Sept. 6 to decide how he wants to die, and he signed his power of attorney over to his lawyer, Emily Paavola, to make that decision for him. The state Supreme Court has agreed to a request from the prison system to see if that is allowed under South Carolina law.

The state suggested in court papers that the justices question Owens to make sure he understands the execution method choice is final and can't be changed even if he were to revoke the power of attorney.

The power of attorney was signed under the name Khalil Divine Black Sun Allah. Owens changed his name in prison but goes by his old name in his legal hearings with the state to avoid confusion.

In the sworn statement, Stirling said technicians at the State Law Enforcement Division laboratory tested two vials of the sedative pentobarbital, which the state plans to use for lethal injections.

The technicians told him the drug is stable, pure and under guidelines from other jurisdictions that use a similar method is potent enough to kill, Stirling wrote.

The state previously used a three-drug cocktail but those drugs expired, part of the reason no execution has been carried out in South Carolina since 2011.

Stirling released no other details about the drugs under the guidelines of the state's new shield law, which keeps secret the name of the supplier of the drug and anyone who helps carry out the execution. The law's passage in 2023 also helped restart executions so the state could buy pentobarbital and keep the supplier private.

The state's electric chair, built in 1912, was tested June 25 and found to be working properly, Stirling wrote, without providing additional details.

And the firing squad, allowed by a 2021 law, has the guns, ammunition and training it needs, Stirling wrote. Three volunteers have been trained to fire at a target placed on the heart from 15 feet (4.6 meters) away.

Owens, 46, was sentenced to death for killing convenience store clerk Irene Graves in Greenville in 1997. Prosecutors said he and friends robbed several businesses before going to the store.

One of the friends testified that Owens shot Graves in the head because she couldn't get the safe open. A surveillance system didn't clearly show who fired the shot. Prosecutors agreed to reduce the friend's murder charge to voluntary manslaughter and he was sentened to 28 years in prison, according to court records.

After being convicted of murder his initial trial in 1999, but before a jury determined his sentence, authorities said Owens killed his cellmate at the Greenville County jail.

Investigators said Owens gave them a detailed account of how he killed Christopher Lee, stabbing and burning his eyes, choking him and stomping him while another prisoner was in the cell and stayed quietly in his bunk. He said he did it because I was wrongly convicted of murder, according to a confession read by a prosecutor in court the next day.

Owens was charged with murder against Lee right after the jail killing. Court records show prosecutors dropped the charge in 2019 with the right to restore it around the time Owens exhausted his appeals for his death sentence in Graves' killing.

Owens has one more avenue to try to save his life: In South Carolina, the governor has the lone ability to grant clemency and reduce a death sentence to life in prison.

However no governor has done that in the state's 43 executions since the death penalty was restarted in the U.S. in 1976.

Gov. Henry McMaster said he will follow longtime tradition and not announce his decision until prison officials make a call from the death chamber minutes before the execution.

McMaster told reporters Tuesday that he hasn't decided what to do in Owens' case but as a former prosecutor he respects jury verdicts and court decisions.

When the rule of law has been followed, there really is only one answer, McMaster said.

___

This story has been updated to correct that the electric chair was tested two months ago, not one.
South Korea to ask Telegram, other social media firms to help tackle digital sex crimes

Chairperson of KCSC Ryu Hee-Lim presides over an urgent meeting on digital sex crimes in Seoul

Chairperson of KCSC Ryu Hee-Lim presides over an urgent meeting on digital sex crimes in Seoul

By Hyunsu Yim

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korean authorities called on Telegram and other social media platforms on Wednesday to work together with them in deleting and blocking sexually explicit deepfake content, seeking to appease public and political outrage over the problem.

The steps follow reports by several domestic media outlets that sexually explicit deepfake images and videos of South Korean women were often found in Telegram chatrooms.

A 24-hour hotline for victims will also be set up and the number of regulatory personnel monitoring digital sex crimes will be doubled from the current number of 70, the Korea Communications Standards Commission said.

The Korean National Police Agency also said it will make a seven-month push to crack down on online sex crimes.

The media watchdog plans to set up a consultative body to enhance communication with social media firms about deleting and blocking sexual deepfake content, its chairman, Ryu Hee-lim, told a meeting on the issue.

For companies that don't have offices in South Korea, it wants to set up a face-to-face channel for regular consultation.

"Production, possession and distribution of deepfake sex crime videos are a serious crime that destroys the individual dignity and personal rights," Ryu said.

In addition to Telegram, the commission said it would be seeking cooperation from X as well as Meta's Facebook and Instagram and Google's YouTube.

Telegram said it actively moderates harmful content on its platform including illegal pornography.

"Moderators use a combination of proactive monitoring of public parts of the platform, sophisticated AI tools and user reports in order to remove millions of pieces of harmful content each day," it said in a statement.

The other companies did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.

Criticism of Telegram in South Korea has 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 number of deepfake sex crime cases in South Korea has surged from 156 in 2021 when data was first collated to 297 so far this year, with most of the perpetrators being teenagers, according to police.

The victims are usually female and include school students as well as female soldiers in South Korea's military.

This year, South Koreans have made more than 6,400 requests for help from the Korea Communications Standards Commission to have sexually explicit deepfake content taken down. That compares with nearly 7,200 cases last year in which the commission agreed to help take down content.

Telegram is now the main platform of choice for perpetrators of sexually explicit deepfake content, said Kim Yeo-jin, the head of the Korea Cyber Sexual Violence Response Center, adding that police need to do more.

In many cases, victims have been told by police that filing a report wouldn't be effective because the content was on Telegram, making it tough to catch the criminals, she said.

Police officials did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Information on how social media firms respond to requests by South Korean authorities is hard to come by.

But police data published by lawmaker Kim Young-bae in 2020 showed that police made seven requests to Telegram via email for help with investigations into digital sex crimes between February and August of that year and Telegram did not respond to any of them.

(Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
Overview of the Recent Transaction

On August 27, 2024, Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio)'s firm made a notable adjustment in its investment portfolio by reducing its stake in Bank of America Corp (NYSE:BAC). The firm sold 24,660,563 shares at a price of $39.82 each. This transaction decreased the firm's holding by 2.66%, leaving it with a total of 903,800,376 shares in the bank. This move had a -0.35% impact on the firm's portfolio, where Bank of America now constitutes 12.9% of the total investments, reflecting an 11.65% ownership in the bank itself.

Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio), often referred to as "The Oracle of Omaha," is a towering figure in the investment world. As the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett has transformed a modest textile company into a major conglomerate, primarily focusing on insurance and other diverse investments. Buffett's investment philosophy, deeply rooted in Benjamin Graham's principles of value investing, emphasizes understanding a business deeply, investing with a margin of safety, and choosing companies with favorable long-term prospects and competent management.

Warren Buffett's Strategic Reduction in Bank of America Shares

Bank of America at a Glance

Bank of America, symbol BAC, is one of the leading financial institutions in the United States, boasting over $3.0 trillion in assets. Its operations are spread across consumer banking, global wealth and investment management, and global markets, among others. The bank, which went public on January 2, 1973, has a significant presence in both the domestic and international banking scenes. As of the latest data, Bank of America holds a market capitalization of approximately $307.82 billion, with a PE ratio of 13.97, indicating profitability.

Warren Buffett's Strategic Reduction in Bank of America Shares

Implications of Buffett's Trade

The recent sale by Buffett's firm is significant not only because of the volume but also due to its timing and pricing. The shares were sold at a slight premium to the GF Value of $38.23, suggesting a strategic move to capitalize on the stock's fair valuation. This reduction might hint at Buffett's nuanced view of the financial sector's near-term prospects or a simple reallocation of resources within Berkshire's vast portfolio.

Market and Valuation Insights

Currently, Bank of America's stock is deemed "Fairly Valued" according to GuruFocus metrics, with a GF Value of $38.23 and a price-to-GF Value ratio of 1.04. The stock has seen a year-to-date increase of 17.02% in its price. The GF Score of 82 indicates good potential for outperformance, supported by strong ranks in growth and momentum.

GF-Score

Broader Market Considerations

This transaction by Buffett could signal broader implications for the market, particularly in the financial sector. Other major investors in Bank of America include Dodge & Cox, Ken Fisher (Trades, Portfolio), and Richard Pzena (Trades, Portfolio), who may also reconsider their positions based on these movements. Investors and market watchers often look to Buffett's actions for insights into economic indicators and sector health.

Conclusion

Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio)'s recent reduction in Bank of America shares is a move that aligns with his long-term investment strategy and reflects his assessment of the current market conditions. As always, Buffett's investment decisions are closely watched as indicators of broader economic trends and as benchmarks for other investors. The implications of this trade will continue to be a point of analysis and discussion among investors and market strategists.

This article, generated by GuruFocus, is designed to provide general insights and is not tailored financial advice. Our commentary is rooted in historical data and analyst projections, utilizing an impartial methodology, and is not intended to serve as specific investment guidance. It does not formulate a recommendation to purchase or divest any stock and does not consider individual investment objectives or financial circumstances. Our objective is to deliver long-term, fundamental data-driven analysis. Be aware that our analysis might not incorporate the most recent, price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative information. GuruFocus holds no position in the stocks mentioned herein.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.


A hotelier with bad debt and broken promises in Alabama has been welcomed to the city of Ocean Springs with prospects for government funding.

Anand Patel of Mobile wants to develop a four-story hotel on property at Pine and Government streets that has long been contaminated with chemicals from an old optics manufacturing plant. He wants to buy the property from the current owner, German-based Leica Microsystems Inc., and would have to clean it up as part of the deal.

But federal court records show he has not always honored his business contracts in Alabama, or even obligations imposed on him by federal judges. Four cases, filed in 2015 and 2016 against Patel and associates, detail a loan default, failure to pay franchise fees on hotels and major fire-code violations at one of the hotels.

Patel and his companies in Alabama have been sued over debts totaling around $3 million. How much of that debt remains unpaid is unclear. Patel told the Sun Herald he is working to clear up the debt.

Patel said that he is lining up other investors for the Ocean Springs project and a management company to run the hotel.

Ocean Springs Mayor Kenny Holloway said he was unaware of the legal travails Patel has faced. He said the city did not choose Patel as a partner. Patels deal is with a private property owner, Holloway pointed out. The city did not approach him; he came to the city with consultants to share his plans.

Even though city officials are trying to raise a total of up to $5 million to see the hotel built, no public money will be lost if it doesnt happen, Holloway said.

The city isnt really out anything with this guy if he doesnt do what he says hes going to do, the mayor said. He said Patel is planning to bring in a four-star hotel, which is what downtown needs, as opposed to a big-box chain.

Black barrels sit on the site of a former optics manufacturing plant at the corner of Government Street and Pine Drive in Ocean Springs on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. Mayor Kenny Holloway is hoping the property, long contaminated with chemicals, will be cleaned up for development of an upscale hotel.

Ocean Springs officials support hotel funding

The city of Ocean Springs has taken numerous steps to work with Patel.

To pave the way for development and government funding, the Board of Aldermen has created an urban renewal area that includes 4.8 acres where the hotel would be located. The city has agreed to borrow up to $5 million to reimburse Patels company, OSMS Development LLC, for installation of utilities, roads, drainage, parking and other improvements, plus remediation of chemical contamination on the site, city records show.

Jackson County also has pledged a portion of property taxes to help cover the $5 million loan. The city and county would not reimburse Patel the money unless the hotel is built and the improvements are completed, city documents say..

The Ocean Springs Redevelopment Authority, which oversees urban renewal, recently voted to request a $3 million grant from the state Legislatures Gulf Coast Restoration Fund to help with costs of the hotel conference center, according to the grant application. Any money the city borrows for infrastructure improvements would be reduced by the amount of any federal or state grant money received.

Mayor Holloway has emphasized the need for a hotel in Ocean Springs with a convention or conference center.

He said the city received a list of Patels hotels, projects hes completed and projects hes working on from Donovan Scruggs, a planner and consultant working with Patel. Scruggs did not respond to voice mail messages from the Sun Herald.

We did not know that he had these issues in his background, Holloway said. It has not come up. But the city is not at risk for doing anything until this guy proves he can do what he says hes going to do. If he cant do it, we dont have an agreement with him.

A resident questioned city leaders about Patels OSMS Development during a Board of Aldermen meeting on Aug. 6., right before aldermen voted to reimburse OSMS $5 million for improvements on the hotel site.

Margo Posten, who lives near the hotel property, pointed out that OSMS Development listed a nonexistent address in Ocean Springs on its incorporation papers. A business address for Anand Patel in Mobile, she said, was a post office box.

In my mind, thats not a legitimate business person, Posten said. Im just wondering what due diligence has the city done in order to go into business with this OSMS developer that youre thinking about giving $5 million to.

Posten spoke during citizens comments, when the board and mayor listen without any obligation to respond.

The board then voted, 4-2, to enter the development agreement with OSMS Development. Aldermen Robert Blackman, Rickey Authement, Ken Papania and Michael Impey supported the agreement, with Bobby Cox and Kevin Wade opposed. Alderwoman Jennifer Burgess was absent.

Downtown Ocean Springs on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024. The citys charm is attracting attention from developers, including an Alabama resident who plans a four-star hotel after a string of lawsuits over several hotels there. Developer Anand Patel says hes working to resolve the cases and monetary judgments against him and his companies.

Sale of Alabama hotel ordered

Patel is back and forth between Ocean Springs and Mobile, where he was in federal court last week with his father, Raman Patel. The Patels chose not to contest a federal judges decision ordering the sale of a hotel property in Brewton to help satisfy one of their debts that totals $724,947. Patel and his father, also a party to the civil dispute, did not contest the sale.

Their attorney said in court that the hotel was a Days Inn that the Patels are no longer operating. The attorney, Jene Owens Jr., said he had just been informed that Patels father may live there.

Anand Patel told a Sun Herald reporter after the hearing that hes still working to close on the Ocean Springs property but some issues have come up over the chemical contamination. He said that he would be 100% responsible for cleaning up the property if the sale goes through.

And he denied that he was involved in the Alabama case that brought him to court, although he is a defendant in the case and responsible for the debt.

These arent my problems, he said before his lawyer advised him to stop talking.

Patel did speak with the Sun Herald a couple of days later and, on Wednesday, sounded more confident the Ocean Springs hotel deal would work out. He wrote in an email:

The purchase transaction is on solid footing and will be finalized very soon. We anticipate beginning construction on the upscale hotel, which will include restaurants, coffee shop, banquet space, outdoor event space, spa, fitness center and pool.

This development will provide upwards of 500 construction and permanent jobs. The resort-style hotel will be community oriented, engaging in a wide array of local events. We truly feel this development will be an extension of the charm, attraction and vibrance of Ocean Springs.







Lawsuits over hotels detailed

The development Patel proposes will cost around $60 million, he said. Patel told the Sun Herald that a management company  not him  will run the four-star property. He was not prepared to announce a partnership with a hotel brand.

The cases filed against Patel in Alabama involve a Ramada Inn and Days Inn in Brewton, and a Quality Inn in Atmore.

Ramada Worldwide Inc. filed one of the lawsuits over delinquent franchise fees, noting the hotel had also failed a quality assurance inspection and had fire-code violations.

A second lawsuit over the Ramada in Brewton, filed by Fidelity Bank, detailed 45 fire code violations. Only 19 of 90 rooms were tenable, the lawsuit said, and power had been turned off to half the building over fire-safety concerns because of a dilapidated roof.

Patel told the Sun Herald that the hotel was in an older building. He later said in his email: The Ramada issues with fire safety was (sp) an ongoing compliance matter caused mainly by an outdated structure with aging equipment. We strongly feel no lives were ever in danger and there were ZERO incidents related to safety or fire at this property.

The Ramada was sold at auction for about $40,000 in 2016 to help satisfy a judgment of more than $2 million over a loan default of almost $1.9 million by Patel and Key Hotels of Brewton.

The judge in that case, William H. Steele, found in November 2015 that Patel had acted in bad faith. In a blistering opinion, the judge wrote, in part:

In effect, then, Key Hotels and Patel have stalled all meaningful progress in this case for nearly ten months.

They have failed and refused to work with their own attorneys. They have disregarded multiple court orders, despite clear warning as to the consequences of such a course of action. They have, at a minimum, been less than candid in court filings about their intentions and business prospects for the hotel property.

In another case, a judge found the Patels and Key Hotels continued to display a Quality Inn sign and other Quality trademarked items for several years after Choice Hotels International Inc. canceled a franchise agreement for failure to pay franchise fees on the hotel in Atmore.

The judge ordered the Patels to stop using the Quality Inn marks and ordered the seizure of any signs or other Quality merchandise on the property, The judge awarded damages of $139,755 against Patel and his company.
Employees at the cooling room operation inside Infineon Technologies in Kulim, Malaysia, on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024. Credit - Samsul SaidBloomberg

Employees entering Intels advanced PG8 foundry on the Malaysian island of Penang must take elaborate safety precautions. Not that theyre the ones at risk.

First, staff don blue shoe coverings, followed by a hairnet, plastic hood, facemask, bunny suit, latex gloves, and eye goggles. Finally, plastic boots are placed over those already-covered shoes with a special strap tucked into the wearers socks to ground them. For its not just a stray hair or skin flake that can be deadly to Intels latest artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductor chipseven the static shock from an unsuspecting pinky can measure 10,000 volts and fry their delicate circuitry.

Static is a unit killer, says Phynthamilkumaran Siea Dass, Intels director of assembly test manufacturing in Penang, as he leads TIME through interlocked doors into PG8s cleanroom. And we really dont like killing units.

Its meticulous care emblematic of the precision engineering taking place these days on Penang, a tropical island perched off peninsular Malaysias west coast that for centuries was synonymous with betel trees, before the late 18th century arrival of British colonizers transformed it into a flourishing trading post. Today, Penang rivals South Korea and Silicon Valley as a vital hub producing the semiconductor chips that power the AI revolution.

As a part of this drive, Intel is investing $7 billion in new facilities in Penang, including an advanced packaging site codenamed pelican for transformative 3D semiconductorswhich stack chips on top of each other to boost performanceset to open early next year. As semiconductors chips themselves have exponentially advanced, so has the complexity of the backend work necessary for their deployment. Today, Intel uses its Penang and sister facilities in the nearby Kulim Hi-Tech Zone to assemble and test dozens of products including its Core, Xeon, and latest AI-enabled Meteor Lake chips.

Malaysia is a very, very critical location in Intel's supply chain where we are not only doing manufacturing, assembly, and testing products, but we also have design, says Keyvan Esfarjani, an executive vice president and chief global operations officer for Intel.

And its not just Intel; chipmakers and suppliers including Micron, AMS Osram, and Ferrotec are all investing big in Malaysia as firms look to decouple supply chains from China (a trend dubbed China+1 diversification). Meanwhile, Chinese counterparts are also setting up shop here partly with a view to sidestepping U.S. tariffs and export controls, thrusting backend hubs like Malaysia to the forefront of the $520 billion global semiconductor industry.

In July, foreign investors plowed $1.3 billion into Malaysian bonds, the largest monthly inflow in a year. On Aug. 8, German semiconductor giant Infineon Technologies AG opened the worlds largest 200-mm silicon carbide power fabrication plant in Kulim as part of a $7.7 billion expansion. Penang alone attracted $12.8 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2023more than the total it received from 2013 to 2020 combinedfrom companies sold on its solid infrastructure, decades of engineering expertise, as well as perks like 15-year tax breaks.

Chinese, U.S., and European firms are all converging here, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow tells TIME in his Georgetown office. We welcome all investments and are neutral in the sense that we do not take sides.

Yet geopolitics continues to bubble in the background and many wonder for how long nations like Malaysia can play all sides, with some industry groups fearing the U.S. could start restricting products and equipment built in Malaysia by locally based Chinese companies. Its a delicate balance; while the U.S. is the top source of FDI to Malaysia, China has been its largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has been fiercely critical of Washingtons backing of Israel over the Gaza crisis, and a recent survey found 75.1% of Malaysians thought the nation should align with China if forced to choose between the superpowers.

Speaking to TIME on the sidelines of the Infineon launch, Anwar stressed that Malaysia sought to benefit from the trade war without being dragged into it. Some say maybe we're tilting somewhat, he said. I would say no, we maintain a very fiercely independent foreign policy and continue to engage [all sides]. But it's not easy to navigate this; people become very uptight about being with us or with them.

Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia's prime minister, second from the right, looks at semi conductor wafers during the opening of the company's new semiconductor complex in Kulim, Malaysia, on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Samsul SaidBloomberg/ Getty Images

It was 1972 when Intelthe worlds largest chipmaker by revenuechose Penang for its first overseas production facility. Dubbed A1, that initial factory was constructed on the site of a paddy field so off-grid that the car carrying Andy GroveIntels legendary future CEO and TIMEs 1997 Man of the Yeargot stuck in a bog during an early site inspection and had to be dragged out by local staff.

Over half a century later, Intels facilities across Penang and Kulim are home to some 15,000 staff, working both to the clatter of industrial machinery and hum of climate-controlled offices. Inside its shimmering clean rooms, wafers are precision sliced into individual chips, mounted on a resin substrate, pumped with epoxy underfill, covered with metallic plates, heat-treated, and tested for defects. The only reminder from Intels mud-spattered local origins is Groves famous sayingonly the paranoid surviveemblazoned on a stairwell wall.

Its a maxim that neatly captures todays industrial zeitgeist following a pandemic and simmering technology war that have upended global trade, prompting a frenzy of friendshoring or nearshoringrather than prioritizing costs, partnering with countries more politically aligned and closer geographicallyostensibly to instill resilience into supply chains. In this regard, semiconductors are cruciala typical car contains over 1,000 chipsand are poised to get more so following recent advances in AI.

Given todays geopolitical climate, what non-China customer would accept a supply plan that is anchored on China? says Hassane El-Khoury, CEO of Arizona-based Onsemi, a $31 billion manufacturer of power semiconductors with operations in over a dozen countries including India, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Today, Onsemi aims to offer its products via two completely distinct supply chains within the same company, which is very, very favorable from a customer perspective, he adds.

However, at present Taiwan produces over 90% of the most advanced semiconductor nodes and Chinas repeated threats to invade the self-governing island is a cause of significant anxiety. In response, the 2022 U.S. CHIPS and Science Act allocated $39 billion to semiconductor manufacturers to subsidize the opening of American foundries, including nearly $28 billion shared between Intel, TSMC, Samsung, and Micron, alone.

The semiconductor ecosystem is critical and if you take out one player you could cripple the whole thing, says Daniel Nenni, co-author of Fabless: The Transformation of the Semiconductor Industry. So any type of repetition or redundancy we can build in is always a good thing.

Southeast Asia is also seeing a glut of investment with over $70 billion unveiled by the worlds top tech firms in recent months. Malaysia has in particular emerged as a hub for cloud and AI data centers, with recent pledges of $6 billion from Amazon Web Services, $4.3 billion from Nvidia, $2.2 billion from Microsoft, $2.1 billion from Bytedance, and $2 billion from Google.

In addition, the rise of chipletsmicroprocessors of varying performance and providence fused together into bespoke chipshas boosted the intricacy and importance of back-end semiconductor work. With AI capabilities today being infused into everything from cars to refrigerators, theres an explosion in demand for advanced chips. However, AI chips are extremely expensive and overkill for more mundane functions, making the ability to package small, advanced chips with much older, basic nodes a net win for functionality and cost. Advanced packaging is becoming more and more important and where a lot of the action is going, says Willy Shih, a professor at Harvard Business School.

Of course, Malaysia faces fierce competition as many countries vie to be the plus one in every multinationals China+1 strategy, especially India, Vietnam, Thailand, and Mexico. Each comes with advantages and drawbacks. Proximity to the U.S. makes Mexico favored by firms focusing on American consumers. India is offering many billions of dollars in subsidies, though is hampered by a comparatively unskilled labor force, onerous red tape, and untested infrastructure. Vietnam and Thailand both welcomed huge investments by Apple and Microsoft respectively in recent months, but lack a ready supply of talent or preexisting tech ecosystem. This is where Malaysiaalready the worlds sixth-biggest semiconductor exporter, packaging 23% of all American chipsexcels.

It's a really amazing semiconductor ecosystem they've developed specifically in Penang, says Peter Hanbury, a semiconductor specialist at the Bain & Co. consulting firm. It has all the different semiconductor players, their manufacturers, tool vendors, and assembly tests.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella delivers a speech during an event named Microsoft Build AI Day in Kuala Lumpur on May 2, 2024. Mohd RasfanAFP/Getty Images

Still, Malaysia is only too aware that it cannot afford to rest on its competitive advantage. In May, Prime Minister Anwar unveiled a three-phase $5.3 billion National Semiconductor Strategy including the training of 60,000 new engineers. Malaysia realizes you cannot any longer just offer free land and local workers, says Siobhan Das, CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce in Malaysia. It's about the quality of the people put into those jobs.

While the goal of international firms is to bolster supply chain resilience, for Malaysia and its competitors the impetus is to move up to higher value activities such as wafer fabrication and integrated circuit (IC) design. And rather than just attract foreign firms, they want to leverage that investment and expertise to foster domestic champions. We're not doing enough in IC design and wafer fabrication, because this is where the value-add is, Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Malaysian Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry, tells TIME. Were doing 20%but 80% is what we're not doing, because actually design is about half of the value-add process.

Semiconductor design is not for the fainthearted. After all, not even Japan or South Korea had firms ranking in the top 10 IC designers by global revenue last year. While affluent Singapore serves as a design hub for international companies like Broadcom, Ceres, and MediaTek, it still lacks any native design industry of note. Zafrul knows that to harness the potential of design will require loosening immigration policy for foreign talent to empower the local workforce. Hes also urging the Finance Ministry to bow to demands to match the subsidies offered by other countrieseven if this means diverting billions that could be spent helping local SMEs or other social projects. If we were starting from zero, I can understand [objections], says Zafrul, who formerly served as Finance Minister. But we're not that far behind. And if you look at the spillover, this is justified.

Zafrul points to how Malaysia has already turned from being a hub for semiconductor assembling and testing into an exporter of equipment designed for that purpose. Local firm ViTrox, founded in 2000 by two former Hewlett Packard Malaysia employees, today sells assembly and testing equipment to over a dozen countries including China and the U.S. But talent acquisition and retention are key. As part of its new data center investment, Microsoft has unveiled plans for an AI Centre of Excellence to provide education and training to 200,000 young Malaysians. And as more firms converge here, competition for the best engineers will only increase.

The talent war is not only faced by Malaysia but is actually across this region, says AK Chong, Intel vice-president of foundry manufacturing and supply chain. We face strong competition not only locally and also externally.

Its a problem KS Pua knows only too well. Famed as the inventor of the USB flash drive, Pua was born in Malaysia but founded $3.3 billion flash memory pioneer Phison Electronics Corp. in Taiwan in 2000 after graduating there. With his U.S. customers now demanding that Phison diversify supplies away from Taiwan, and lingering doubts over the merits of India or Vietnam, Pua says he has no choice but to return to Malaysia. However, he says he must train his own staff and offer them equity in the new ventureMalaysia AI Storage (Mai Storage)to prevent them being immediately poached. Malaysia has a big problem in design, he says. It is difficult to get designers, especially IC designers, because they don't have this industry and universities dont produce this kind of talent.

Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Malaysia's international trade and industry minister, far left, during the opening of Infineon's new semiconductor complex in Kulim, Malaysia, on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Samsul SaidBloomberg/Getty Images

Still, today not even subsidies, talent, and an established tech ecosystem are sufficient to ensure FDI. Foreign firms are also highly cognizant of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics for investments. Although Malaysia is politically stable with a secular constitution, the Muslim-majority country of 35 million retains oppressive laws criminalizing same-sex relations that run counter to practically every multinationals commitment to inclusion and fighting discrimination. (Although Das insists we've never really had an issue in this regard as investors respect what the countrys profile is.)

More immediately pressing are environmental concerns given the semiconductor industrys sizable power and water footprint, as well as the looming influx of energy-hungry AI data centers. Owing in part to booming FDI, Malaysia envisions doubling its energy consumption by 2050the same year it intends to go carbon neutralbut as of 2020 had an energy mix consisting of 42% natural gas, 27% oil, 26% coal, and just 4% renewables. Zafrul says one solution already underway is the liberalization of the energy market to allow firms to buy clean energy directly from private renewable suppliers. For one, Nvidias new multibillion dollar data center will partner with local conglomerate YTL Power International, which has been enlisted to provide a 500-megawatt on-site solar facility.

The focus on energy supply is already causing shifts. While most hi-tech investment has until now been focused on more developed peninsula Malaysia, energy concerns are encouraging firms to look at Eastern Malaysias two provinces of Sabah and Sarawak, which hug the northern fringe of Borneo and boast bountiful hydropower. Sarawaks energy composition is currently 70% green and is on track to be 100% within five years, with the province negotiating to sell clean electricity to nearby Singapore. Although comparatively underdeveloped, an enviable green energy mix helped propel Sarawak to rank fourth out of Malaysias 13 states for FDI in the first quarter of the year.

Still, as nations and regions tussle for a piece of the friendshoring boom, the question remains: how much resilience is really instilled, and at what cost? After all, even if the backend testing and assembly is diversified around the world, the most advanced nodes remain centered on Taiwan. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has said she aims to bring home 20% of advanced node production by the end of the decade. But with Apple alone accounting for about a quarter of TSMCs total revenue, even a best case scenario sees American firms relying on Taiwanese imports for decades to come.

There are many other chokepoints. Most crucially, only Dutch firm ASML produces the advanced lithography machines that the most advanced fabs rely on. And while Chinese aggression has spurred efforts to diversify semiconductor chips away from Taiwan, nearly all the worlds supply of memory chipsanother essential component of digital devicesare produced in South Korea, which sits under perennial threat from North Korean missiles. Without memory, there is no logic or chips, says Nenni. And North Korea is much more unstable than China.

Even the boom of chiplets, while economically prudent, isnt necessarily great for resilience. Hanbury points to how the recent shortage of Nvidia GPUs was not due to a scarcity of wafers from TSMC but the specialized tools needed for advanced packaging. Piecing multiple chips together also means having more single points of failure, says Hanbury. Because if one of those five little chip bolts doesn't show up, you have an issue.

Ultimately, existing supply chains were by their very nature already the most cost-effective solution, barring any major contingency, and the friendshoring drive is being driven by politics rather than business. But that shouldntand wontprevent nations like Malaysia from doing their darndest to leverage the trend to get a leg-up.

We have to really work faster, says Anwar. And focus on attracting investments, training, and getting skilled workers.

Write to Charlie Campbell at charlie.campbell@time.com.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A historic collaboration in Dona Ana County aims to improve fire response and medical services for quicker and more efficient emergency services in the region.

The Automatic Mutual Aid Agreement was signed on Tuesday, Aug. 27 with the following agencies: Dona Ana County, the Cities of Sunland Park and Las Cruces, the White Sands/NASA Test Facility and the Town of Mesilla, according to a news release by Dona Ana County.

Pictured left to right: City of Las Cruces Fire Department Chief Jason Smith, Town of Mesilla Fire Department Chief Greg Whited, City of Sunland Park Fire Department Chief Daniel Medrano, New Mexico State University Fire Department Chief Johnny Carrillo and Dona Ana Fire Rescue Chief Shannon Cherry. Photo courtesy to Dona Ana County

The agreement was signed to help with public safety and emergency preparedness across jurisdictions to provide aid as quickly and effectively as possible.

According to Dona Ana County, the agreement highlighted the following guidelines:

Enhanced Response Times: Immediate dispatch of the closest available fire resources, reducting response times, potentially saving lives and limiting damages.

Resource Sharing: Access to specialized equipment and trained personnel across all participating entities, enhancing each departments operational effectiveness.

Improved Coordination: Streamlined communication and operational procedures between fire departments, ensuring a cohesive and efficient response to emergencies.

According to Dona Ana County, when a building fire happens in any jurisdiction, the closest available agencys resources will be dispatched automatically. The same goes for emergencies such as other fire responses, medical attention and mass casualty incidents.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WHLT)  After becoming the first Registered Teacher Apprenticeship program in the state, the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) was awarded an Apprenticeship Building America grant worth $3,800,000 from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Employment and Training Administration.

Southern Miss remains connected to our historical roots of producing teachers that are ready for life, and this substantial grant from the Department of Labor brings us to over $7 million secured this year for innovative approaches to teacher preparation, such as teacher residency and apprenticeship, said Dr. Trent Gould, dean of the USM College of Education and Human Sciences. Expanding the Golden Eagle Teacher Residency program to offer teacher apprenticeship support is one more example of our commitment to impacting Mississippi communities by producing teachers that will persist in the profession.

According to university officials, the Golden Eagle Teacher Apprenticeship program is an earn while you learn opportunity for teacher assistants to gain skills and training for promotion. While working in local school districts, teacher assistants in the apprenticeship program will complete their college coursework online.

Family calls Mississippi guardsmans recovery a miracle after heat stroke

This partnership with the DOL will strengthen our ability to assist K-12 systems in addressing the significant challenges they face attracting and retaining teachers, said Andrea Krell, instructor and director of teacher residency at USM. With our Apprenticeship Building America grant, USM is hoping to support 305 teacher apprentices in over 60 school districts during the next four years.

Fifty teacher assistants enrolled for fall 2024 will participate in the first teacher apprenticeship cohort at USM, with another 50 Golden Eagles joining them in the spring term. Students will receive annual scholarships, payment of their Praxis exam fees, differentiated student supports and technology resources, in addition to focused assistance and professional development opportunities.

Officials said participating school districts will benefit from customized incentive packages that can include professional development offerings, mentor teacher stipends and apprentice support.

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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 WJTV.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.  Billionaire Jared Isaacmans return trip to space on the Polaris Dawn mission is having to wait a little longer after a launch pad issue forced one delay and now weather has taken the next two launch opportunities off the board.

First a helium leak on the launch pad Monday night forced SpaceX to hold off a planned overnight launch attempt of Isaacman and three crewmates aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon Resilience atop a Falcon 9 rocket from KSCs Launch Pad 39-A. Then SpaceX said weather in the recovery area would take off both early Wednesday and early Thursday morning opportunities.

Due to unfavorable weather forecasted in Dragons splashdown areas off the coast of Florida, we are now standing down from tonight and tomorrows Falcon 9 launch opportunities of Polaris Dawn, SpaceX posted on X late Tuesday. Teams will continue to monitor weather for favorable launch and return conditions.

Its uncertain if SpaceX would try for an early Friday morning launch opportunity.

The ascent corridor is go, its the splashdown locations day 5 that are not favorable, Isaacman posted late Tuesday to X.

The delay comes after launch pad problems shut down the first attempt.

Teams are taking a closer look at a ground-side helium leak on the Quick Disconnect umbilical, SpaceX posted on X late Monday. Falcon and Dragon remain healthy and the crew continues to be ready for their multi-day mission to low-Earth orbit.

In a Tuesday update, SpaceX said weather had an 85% chance for good launch conditions for the Wednesday attempt, but that teams were also looking at recovery weather at potential splashdown locations off the coast of Florida. That ended up being what SpaceX said was the reason to call off the attempt, and it has to do with weather five days from now.

Our launch criteria are heavily constrained by forecasted splashdown weather conditions, Isaacman posted to X late Tuesday. With no ISS rendezvous and limited life support consumables, we must be absolutely sure of reentry weather before launching. As of now, conditions are not favorable tonight or tomorrow, so well assess day by day.

He said hes not discouraged by the delay.

As Elon mentioned, Polaris Dawn is a challenging mission with critical objectives, so well wait for the best opportunity to ensure success. Sometimes, the hardest journeys require the most patience, and were ready to wait for the right moment. We know many have traveled to see the launch, and were grateful for your support. Alongside @SpaceX, well do our best to keep you updated.

Whatever the helium leak issue was on Monday, though, was not in line to halt the attempt.

While its a bummer to not step into a launch attempt tonight, Im very proud of the team for identifying an issue and then digging in, posted SpaceX vice president of launch Kiko Dontchev on X regarding Mondays leak. Nothing is more important than the safety of our astronauts and the reliability of our vehicles and operation.

We are grateful to all our friends, family, and supporters who have come out to @NASAKennedy for the launch, Isaacman posted on X. The best aerospace engineers in the world are working on the issue, and we promise to put on a great show soon enough!

Elon Musk weighed in as well.

An incredible amount of work has gone into this historic mission by an amazing team. We are triple-checking everything to make sure there is nothing more we can do to improve crew safety, Musk posted.

More time in quarantine to prepare is never a bad thing, Isaacman later posted. Were well-informed on the issue and resolution. Its immensely comforting to have the full support of @SpaceX & leadership, including Elon, ensuring missions safety. When the call comes, we wont hesitate to strap in.

When it does launch, the first-stage booster, which is making its fourth flight, will aim for a recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas.

The Crew Dragon Resilience is flying for the third time having debuted on the Crew-1 mission in 2020 and also having flown the Inspiration4 mission in 2021.

That second flight was Isaacmans first trip to space, a three-day orbital mission that was the first ever all-commercial spaceflight that raised more than $250 million for St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital.

In 2022, Isaacman announced the Polaris Program in partnership with SpaceX with up to three missions with Polaris Dawn as the first. The final mission would be the first crewed flight of the in-development Starship and Super Heavy.

But first up, Isaacman will be flying with one of his pilot buddies, former Air Force pilot Scott Poteet, and two SpaceX employees, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon.

The highlight of the trip is what would be the first commercial spacewalk, targeting day three of the five-day orbital flight.

Isaacman and Gillis will venture outside the spacecraft that will open its hatch and vent the entire atmosphere out, meaning all four crew members will be wearing the new extravehicular activity spacesuits that SpaceX developed in the last 2 1/2 years, and all breathing 100% oxygen.

Isaacman and Gillis will be connected to a 12-foot-long tether as they each spend about 15-20 minutes outside Resilience.

The flight also will take the spacecraft to a record 870-mile orbital altitude, test out a new Starlink communication experiment and tackle 40 more science and research efforts.

_____
Hot Streak

Say what you will about SpaceX, but there's no denying that its Falcon 9 rocket is one of the most  if not the most  reliable and advanced launch systems in the world. But, alas: even this impeccable performer's years-long flawless record has come to an end.

On Wednesday morning, after making its way back from a successfully completed mission to deliver 21 Starlink satellites to orbit, a Falcon 9 rocket booster crashed while trying to land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship  essentially a landing pad in the form of a barge  in Cape Canaveral, Florida, Ars Technica reports.

By crash, we don't mean like what its ponderously larger cousin, Starship, has often tended to do, which is explode. Instead, the Falcon 9 booster unceremoniously tipped over moments after touching down, according to SpaceX, as a fireball of flames continued to erupt from its engines.

The fiery end of the booster also marks the end of Falcon 9's absurdly impressive streak of 267 successful booster landings in a row  or the first time in over three years that the booster hasn't completed a landing.

Scrub Life

This booster in particular, B1062, was on its record-setting 23rd launch.

Ars speculates that the botched landing could have been caused by an engine burn timing issue. Video of the landing also appears to show one of its landing legs collapsing. But for now, the cause remains uncertain.

While the Falcon 9 rocket's second stage booster didn't run into any issues while delivering the Starlink satellites, the failure of the first stage has given pause at the company. SpaceX said that its second Starlink launch, originally scheduled for early Wednesday morning, would be delayed to review data from the previous launch, it announced in a tweet  and that's probably for the best.

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1828703758928273645

Delays Galore

Before Wednesday's launch  and the delay that followed  SpaceX had also scrubbed the highly-anticipated launch of the Polaris Dawn mission, which would send a team of civilian astronauts through the Van Allen radiation belts, setting the stage for the first private spacewalk.

Of note is that the mission was also slated to use a Falcon 9 rocket, though the delay was attributed to a poor weather forecast and not to any issues with the launch system itself.

With Wednesday's flub, however, there could be even more delays in store for the Polaris mission as SpaceX investigates the cause of the crash.

As Ars notes, it's worth noting that booster landings are considered secondary objectives, so the success of a mission doesn't hinge on whether one is completed or not. That being said, losing a reusable rocket will be costly, and takes some shine off Falcon 9's impressive track record.

More on SpaceX: SpaceX Discovers Starliner-Like Leak Before Launch of Space Tourists
Jose Manuel Albares, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain, has stated that the support for Ukraine "will not falter" and will continue "without breaches" in the face of Russian aggression. He also announced the supply of seven more powerful generators to Ukraine.

Source: European Pravda with reference to El Periodico

Details: Albares visited the headquarters of the Finanzauto company in an industrial complex in Madrid where seven generators are stored. They will be delivered within the next few days through Poland for civilians of Ukraine to use in conditions of the "new winter that will be particularly hard".

Serhii Pohoreltsev, Ukrainian Ambassador in Spain, accompanied the Spanish Foreign Minister during his visit. Pohoreltsev characterised Russias attacks on vital infrastructure for civilians, such as power facilities, as "the absence of humanity" and "violation of international law".

Seven generators, provided by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), three of 200 KV and four of 220 KV, worth 360,000, are the continuation of the Spanish aid for Ukraine, which also includes 14 generators and two ambulances provided in November 2022.

Pohoreltsev stressed that generators would help mitigate the consequences of constant Russian bombardments of critical infrastructure facilities and facilitate a stable power supply.

"Not being able to achieve their goals on the battlefield, Russian troops resort to methods of terror against civilians," the Ukrainian ambassador said.

Background:

Margarita Robles, Minister of Defence of Spain, met with Ukrainian soldiers, who are undergoing training within the EU mission, during her visit to Toledo on 27 August.

Earlier, Robles stated that she had no information about Ukraine using Spanish weapons in the territory of Russias Kursk Oblast but noted that Kyiv itself decided how to use the weapons it had been supplied with.

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Spanish PM attacked over plan for legal migration routes from west Africa

Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish prime minister, is greeted by officials as he arrives in Mauritania for talks on illegal migration - FERNANDO CALVO/AFP

Spains prime minister has been accused of wanting to promote Spain as a destination for migrants as he relaxes entry rules for African nationals.

Pedro Sanchez announced on Tuesday an agreement with Mauritania to develop humane, safe and organised routes in a bid to tackle illegal migration.

Speaking in Nouakchott, Mauritanias capital, alongside his host, president Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, Mr Sanchez said the contribution of immigrant workers is fundamental for our economy.

The west African migration route to the Canary Islands has seen a 154 per cent surge this year.

More than 21,000 people crossed to the islands in the first seven months, according to data from the European Union border agency Frontex.

Spanish authorities believe that opening more legal routes will discourage migrants from taking the dangerous journey across the Atlantic. To that end, Mr Sanchez also agreed to issue temporary work permits for Mauritanians in Spain, and 500,000 (421,000) to train Mauritanian security forces in better policing of migration.

Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish prime minister, held talks with Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, the president of Mauritania, on developing safe migration routes from west Africa - FERNANDO CALVO/SHUTTERSTOCK

However, members of Spains opposition party say the agreement will only worsen a crisis of migration.

It is irresponsible to encourage the pull effect during the worst-ever illegal migration crisis, said Alberto Nunez Feijoo, leader of the conservative Peoples Party (PP).

Santiago Abascal, the leader of Spains third-largest party the far-Right Vox, said Mr Sanchezs policies would lead to an invasion of migrants.

Irregular migration to Spain hit 31,155 in the months this year to mid-August, an increase of 66 per cent on the same period in 2023, according to the countrys interior ministry.

Last year saw 39,910 arrivals, 22,000 of those reached the Canary Islands from Africa in small boats.

Immigration is not a problem

Mr Sanchez is on his second visit this year to west Africa to curb migration to the Canary Islands and to counter the Russian presence in the Sahel region. He is due to sign a similar agreement in Gambia and will also visit Senegal, which already has a temporary migration deal with Spain.

Immigration is not a problem, but a necessity that entails certain problems, Mr Sanchez said.

Spains government has said that between 200,000 and 250,000 immigrants are needed each year to maintain the countrys welfare and public pension systems.

Vox has linked immigration with an increase in some forms of violent crime and has promised to expel immigrants who lack legal residence permits.

Spains government accused the main opposition PP of copying Voxs xenophobic hard line on immigration.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
By Michael Francis Gore and Guillermo Martinez

BUNOL, Spain (Reuters) - The streets of a town in eastern Spain were awash in red on Wednesday as revellers flung overripe tomatoes at each other in a high-spirited battle royale during the traditional Tomatina festival.

Some 22,000 participants wearing white clothes bespattered with tomato pulp engaged in the frenzy that grips Bunol - located 40 km (25 miles) to the west of Valencia - every year in the last week of August.

Seven trucks distributed 150 tons of ripe pear tomatoes to eager roisterers, many of them visiting from abroad. Non-residents pay a fee of 15 euros ($16.70), while Bunol locals enjoy it for free.

"We love tomatoes! That's why we decided to come and we had a fab time," said Taylor, who came from Australia, adding that she and her friends would "make some spaghetti to have with the sauce".

The start of the hour-long fight was signalled by firecrackers ignited once one of the contenders managed to climb up a slippery pole lathered in soap to snatch a leg of ham hanging from the top.

Senam, from Kenya, described the event as "beautiful, wonderful, creative, mind-blowing".

After the fracas ended, a cleaning crew armed with water hoses was dispatched to remove the refuse from the town's streets, which were left gleaming thanks to the tomatoes' natural acidity.

The fruits, grown specifically for the festival, are considered too sour for human consumption.

According to the Tomatina's official website, the festival originated during a brawl that ensued in 1945 when youngsters attempting to get a closer view of a parade knocked over one of the participants. Several people plucked tomatoes from a nearby stand as makeshift projectiles until police restored order.

The following year, youths recreated the altercation, with some even bringing their own tomatoes. The event was briefly outlawed in the 1950s under General Francisco Franco's fascist dictatorship, but resumed in 1959 with certain rules.

($1 = 0.8992 euro)

(Reporting by Guillermo Martinez and Michael Gore; Writing by David Latona; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Jonathan Oatis)
Special Counsel Jack Smith has filed a new version of the indictment against former President Donald Trump on his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election to take into account a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that granted presidents immunity from prosecution for official acts committed while in office. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON  Adjusting for the U.S. Supreme Courts sweeping presidential immunity decision last month, U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith on Tuesday filed a fresh federal indictment alleging former President Donald Trump attempted to overturn the 2020 election in his favor.

In a superseding indictment filed in the late afternoon, Smith emphasized the private nature of Trump and his co-conspirators alleged conduct and omitted allegations that Trump pressured Department of Justice officials to overturn election results.

The new indictment, which will replace the original August 2023 document, comes after the Supreme Court ruled on July 1 that presidents enjoy criminal immunity for their official core constitutional duties while in office, but are not immune for unofficial acts.

The justices returned the case to the federal trial court level following the ruling.

Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan granted Smiths request for more time to assess how the immunity ruling could impact the election subversion case against Trump. The parties are set to meet in court for a pre-trial hearing on Sept. 5.

In his superseding document, Smith left out a substantial section from the original indictment that detailed Trumps conversations with former Department of Justice officials about his alleged scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. Trumps pressure campaign on the department allegedly included urging officials to send letters to state election officials falsely claiming investigations into election results, according to the original indictment.

Smith also focuses attention in the superseding indictment to Trumps lack of a formal role in the states certification of election results.

The defendant had no official responsibilities related to any states certification of the election results, Smith wrote in the revised indictment.

He later added, The defendant had no official responsibilities related to the convening of legitimate electors or their signing and mailing of their certificates of vote.

Core to the charges against Trump are his alleged conspiracies with private attorneys and state election officials to produce and deliver false slates of electors to Vice President Mike Pence and Congress for final certification on Jan. 6, 2021. Those states included Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Both the former and superseding indictments allege Trump repeated false claims about election results on his Twitter account leading up to and on Jan. 6, 2021.

However, the fresh indictment states that while Trump sometimes used his Twitter account to communicate with the public, as President, about official actions and policies, he also regularly used it for personal purposes  including to spread knowingly false claims of election fraud, exhort his supporters to travel to Washington, D.C., on January 6 [and] pressure the Vice President to misuse his ceremonial role in the certification proceeding [.]

Smith also wrote in the superseding indictment that Trumps remarks to supporters on Jan. 6, 2021, at the Ellipse  the park between the White House and Washington Monument  amounted to a campaign speech at a privately-funded, privately-organized political rally held on the Ellipse.

The felony criminal charges against Trump remain unchanged in the new indictment.

Trump is accused of conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of, and attempt to obstruct, an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights.
With shares down 60% in 2024, Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) highlights the importance of diversifying your holdings in the stock market. The technology giant now trades at levels unseen since 2012 -- erasing over a decade of investor returns so far this year. But is the sell-off overblown? Let's discuss what the next 12 months could bring.

What went wrong for Intel?

Founded in 1968 and rising in prominence during the PC boom of the 1990s and 2000s, Intel was the quintessential American chipmaker. The company specializes in consumer and enterprise central processing units (CPUs), which can be considered the brain behind a computer. Like many American tech companies, it also began investing more in AI-related hardware following the release of ChatGPT in late 2022.

Intel seemed to have all the characteristics of a blue-chip stock. Its business was large, established, and usually profitable. However, disastrous second-quarter earnings turned this narrative upside down.

Revenue declined by around 1% year over year to $12.83 billion, which isn't the end of the world. However, management expects revenue to fall 8% in the third quarter. The bottom line was even more dismal, with net income declining from $1.47 billion to a loss of $1.65 billion, driven by weakness in Intel's foundry business, which manufactures chips.

Surprisingly, some underperformance also came from Intel's pivot to AI. While the core client computing segment (which sells chips for consumer PCs) grew 9% to $7.41 billion, the company's data center and AI segment dropped by 3% to $3.05 billion amid rising competition from rivals like Advanced Micro Devices and Qualcomm. Unlike Nvidia, which bolsters its economic moat with software solutions like Cuda, Intel seems poorly differentiated in the AI hardware market.

What could the next year bring?

Intel is failing where others are succeeding. And investors should ask if leadership is to blame. The company has been shuffling through executives quickly, which could hurt its long-term planning. CEO Patrick Gelsinger replaced Bob Swan in 2021, who replaced Brian Krzanich in 2019. After these disastrous results, Gelsinger might not last much longer. But if he does leave, he won't be the only one.

As part of its recovery strategy, Intel plans to lay off 15,000 workers and stop non-essential work to save $10 billion in costs in 2025.

Image source: Getty Images.

Cost-cutting looks like the right move. If Intel can achieve these goals, it could find itself in a much better financial position over the next 12 months -- just in time to execute growth opportunities with new AI PC chips like Lunar Lake, designed to boost battery life and performance to compete with rival Arm-based chips from Apple and Qualcomm.

Story continues

Intel's lumbering foundry business will take longer to fix because the company has fallen behind Asian rivals like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in semiconductor fabrication. That said, Intel is a natural beneficiary of the U.S. government's efforts to nearshore chipmaking technology, earning massive subsidies such as almost $20 billion in CHIPS and Science Act funding this year. This support will benefit investors by helping Intel save on capital expenditures over the coming decades.

Is Intel stock a buy?

Intel looks capable of quickly stabilizing its losses and returning to growth through cost-cutting and new opportunities like AI PC chips. And over the longer term, its struggling foundry business could return to prominence with the help of significant government support.

That said, with a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 85, Intel stock looks far too expensive to be considered a buy. Shares will likely continue to underperform over the next 12 months, and investors may want to wait before considering a position in the stock.

Should you invest $1,000 in Intel right now?

Before you buy stock in Intel, consider this:

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Will Ebiefung has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Apple, Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool recommends Intel and recommends the following options: short November 2024 $24 calls on Intel. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Where Will Intel Stock Be in 1 Year? was originally published by The Motley Fool
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (WDTN)  Dozens of Springfield residents gathered outside of city hall Tuesday night protesting the citys leadership.

Inside and outside city hall, people gathered to air their grievances. People stood outside the doors holding American flags and signs calling for Mayor Rob Rue to step down.

Concerns have been raised over how the city is handling the influx of Haitian immigrants.

Woman who kidnapped kids, left 1 at Dayton Airport gets 23 years in prison

Residents arrived at city hall before its regularly scheduled meetings to protest what theyre calling a mismanagement of the citys resources. Despite the citys request for federal aid, some residents say there needs to be more change.

Among the concerns is housing, especially with homeless living around the city. Others discussed the strain public services are feeling due to the population influx.

The leader of the Haitian Community Support Center was also in attendance. They said theyre confident these growing pains will eventually subside.

Wisconsin woman suspected in suspicious death case in Beavercreek

We are here to help. The Haitian Help and Community Support Center is around just to work with city officials just to see how we can make this better. Every new beginning has its own challenges, said Viles Dorsainvil.

City commissioners spent the night listening to concerns. 2 NEWS is working to learn where Springfields request for federal assistance currently stands.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
St. Francis, Oak Creek and South Milwaukee: Here are new businesses in the south suburbs

From renovating an existing building to totally new construction or the chance to start your own podcast or media empire, there is a variety of employment available in Milwaukee's south suburbs.

Here are three businesses that have done work or are doing work to increase job prospects and options for residents of the south shore:

More flavor, more jobs

Wixon, Inc. recently completed renovations at its R&D Technical Center at 1390 E. Bolivar Ave. in St. Francis.

Wixon, Inc., a food flavoring company in St. Francis, completed a $1.8 million renovation in June at its R&D Technical Center at 1390 E. Bolivar Ave.

The renovations created 32 new jobs in the operations group and four new ones in the technical group at Wixon. These positions are full-time, according to Peter Gottsacker, president of Wixon, Inc.

Work started in fall 2023 on the 6,981-square-foot facility and took about six months to complete.

The main focus of the work was to redesign workstations for better ergonomics along with other updates.

We aimed to evolve the facility into a welcoming customer activation center, Gottsacker said in a statement. Were now even better positioned to support our growing customer base, meet speed-to-market needs, and offer the superior custom flavor systems we are known for.

From renovation to a new rehabilitation hospital

A $35 million, 40-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital is proposed in Oak Creek. Highgate, LLC is working with raSmith for engineering and landscaping shown in this rendering displayed during the City of Oak Creek's Aug. 13 Plan Commission meeting.

Oak Creek will be getting a new $35 million rehabilitation hospital.

The idea of a hospital on the northwestern corner of 13th Street and Drexel Avenue isnt new. In fact, its about six years old.

In 2018, Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin proposed a neighborhood community hospital on the site. That never happened.

Now, Highgate, LLC has proposed constructing the Lifepoint Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital on the site. The hospital is set to include 40 beds and will be for occupational or physical therapy, according to Oak Creek Community Development Director Kristi Laine.

There will be no mental or behavioral rehabilitation at this facility, City Administrator Andrew Vickers told the Journal Sentinel.

Lifepoint is expected to have 100 employees with 50 on staff during peak operation hours. The facility will be open 24 hours.

Construction is expected to start in late 2024 or early 2025 with an 11- to 14-month completion window.

Existing businesses or entrepreneurs can both drop the mic

A new podcast audio, video and post-production company is coming to South Milwaukee.

Drop the Mic Media MKE is opening soon at 1013 N. Chicago Ave. The business Facebook page says its Milwaukees premier studio for podcasting, commercial production, and interviews.

Richard Williams is opening what South Milwaukees August 2024 business newsletter said is his dream business after one of his first jobs as a radio announcer.

The idea came from his wife's dessert business (Georgias Best Cheesecakes) and him wanting to make videos of her instructing bakers, the newsletter said.

Drop the Mic Media MKE is working with MATC for educational work and participates in the Handshake Program where area colleges share a job search and recruit platform for all students and getting them internship and fulltime job opportunities, the newsletter said.

For more information, call 414-238-1008.

Contact Erik S. Hanley at erik.hanley@jrn.com. Like his Facebook page, The Redheadliner, and follow him on X @Redheadliner.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Here are three new businesses in Milwaukee's south suburbs
ST. LOUIS  A St. Louis man appeared in court on Tuesday and admitted killing his neighbor in spring 2022.

The murder took place on May 8, 2022, at the Minerva Place Apartments in the 1300 block of Montclair Avenue, located in the citys Hamilton Heights neighborhood.

Police and prosecutors said Howard Mayes, now 29, shot Damon Hawkins, 47, several times before running from the scene. Surveillance video recorded the murder.

Mayes lived on the same block as Hawkins. The two men were in an ongoing dispute prior to the shooting.

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With a jury trial scheduled to begin this week, Mayes opted for a plea deal with the St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office.

Prosecutors reduced Mayes first-degree murder charge to second-degree. Mayes also pleaded guilty to armed criminal action.

The St. Louis Circuit Court judge overseeing the case accepted Mayes plea and sentenced him to 15 years for the murder charge and an additional three years for armed criminal action.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
The St. Louis NAACP is making another move to improve literacy in local school districts  but this time, its looking to the federal government for help.

The branch filed a complaint Aug. 19 with the U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights against 34 school districts in the city and county of St. Louis because of disparities in reading proficiency for Black students.

Its the second time the St. Louis NAACP is bringing student literacy into the spotlight. Earlier this year, the organization launched a campaign called Right to Read that also focuses on improving reading scores for Black students in city and county schools.

Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter

Adolphus Pruitt, the organizations president, said federal officials will assess the complaint, and if its within the offices jurisdiction, will launch an investigation to determine whether the argument is valid.

In the complaint, the organization said low reading proficiency rates for St. Louis Black students underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions in the regions schools.

The districts are facing one of the steepest post-pandemic climbs, with significant learning losses that require immediate and sustained attention, it said. Addressing these challenges will require a comprehensive approach, potentially involving increased funding, innovative teaching strategies, enhanced support services and community engagement to improve educational outcomes for the regions students.

If the complaint is valid, the office would ask the school districts to take certain actions to remediate things, Pruitt said. Were very early in the process.

In 2023, reading proficiency scores were at 42% for all Missouri third graders, but only 21% for Black third graders, according to state data.

Related

St. Louis NAACP Marshals Local Nonprofits to Help Make Sure Every Child Can Read

In St. Louis Public Schools  one of the districts included in the complaint  14% of Black third graders scored as proficient in reading on standardized tests, versus 61% of their white classmates. The district didnt respond to multiple requests for comment.

The chapter is calling on community members to help boost student literacy. At a press conference Aug. 20, representatives asked the public to support existing reading programs, create new initiatives and dedicate personal time to participating in literacy activities with children.

Pruitt said that since the filing, he has heard mostly positive feedback from local nonprofits and educators.

Theyve called in and said, We think youre doing the right thing. Were glad to see it. Of course, we got some comments from people who say were barking up the wrong tree, Pruitt said. Thats especially with some of the districts that are predominantly white. Even though their kids  Black or white  are performing poorly.

In addition to the 34 districts, the complaint names the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Pruitt said state education officials have to be kept accountable along with schools for low reading scores.

Theyre the ones who make sure that the districts are performing, he said. Its like an employee is doing something that theyre not supposed to be doing, and you got a supervisor thats managing him  well, you have to look at the management.

The department recently focused on improving literacy in a comprehensive plan called Missouri Read, Lead, Exceed, which aims to increase evidence-based literacy instruction  part of the science of reading. The state also passed a literacy law last year, requiring schools to create success plans for students with reading deficiencies.

Related

Helping Teachers Bring the Science of Reading to Life in the Classroom

The St. Louis NAACPs Right to Read is designed to help close the literacy gap between Black students and the state average. Theres a focus on third grade because research has found that 1 in 6 children who arent reading proficiently by then wont graduate from high school on time.

Pruitt said that by 2030, the NAACP branch wants all children in the city and county of St. Louis to receive the materials and support they need to help get them reading well by third grade. But he realized the Right to Read campaign wouldnt achieve that goal without help from the Office for Civil Rights.

We just need to get more people involved in doing certain things, Pruitt said. We [filed the complaint] because once we saw the enormity of the problem, Right to Read  strictly on an emotional and volunteerism point  is not going to work.
From the Boiling Frogs on The Dispatch

Tears and laughter erupted among some Dispatch staffers when this was posted to the company Slack channel on Tuesday.

That was the GOPs way of celebrating the news that Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had been named honorary co-chairs of Donald Trumps transition team, never mind their long histories in left-wing politics. Only one person in that collage considered himself a Republican 10 years ago, one of my colleagues observed cryptically, leaving me to wonder whom he meant.

J.D., perhaps? He sure didnt sound like a Republican eight years ago.

Two things about the image stood out. One is the preposterous idea that America is accurately represented by five populist edgelords, all of whom live in close proximity at the ends of the proverbial horseshoe. But thats in keeping with modern Republican mythology about Trumps movement reflecting a supposed silent majority: If the only people who count as real Americans are those on Team MAGA, then sure, a coalition that runs the gamut from left-leaning Putin apologists to right-leaning Putin apologists is a fair portrait of America.

The other thing that struck me was that Republicans evidently believe this image benefits them politically. Somehow weve arrived at a place as a country where Donald Trump is no longer weird enough in his own right to lock down the weird vote this fall and needs cover on his weirdo flank from the likes of Kennedy and Gabbard. Worse, he and his party seem to think there are more votes to be had by appealing to that weirdo bloc than there are to be lost among normie voters by doing so.

And they might be right. Kamala Harris imagines that she can build a winning coalition by targeting the base of the horseshoe whereas Trump imagines that he can build one by targeting the ends. Would anyone bet heavily in 2024 that there are more gettable votes to be had in the mainstream center than at the kooky fringes, particularly given how intensely mainstream voters are polarized?

What caught my eye about Trumps play for the weird vote is that its playing out in parallel with outreach to some of the GOPs most prominent traditionali.e. normalconservatives. At around the same time I was barf-chuckling over the Unite America tweet, news broke that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp will headline a fundraiser for Trump in Atlanta on Thursday. You remember Kemp, dont you? Hes the bad, disloyal, very average governor who, according to the man hes fundraising for, wants Republicans to lose.

A few hours earlier, Semafor reported that Trump is interested in having Nikki Haley campaign for him. The fact that Trump also regards her as very disloyal and has told donors that he doesnt like her is no obstacle, apparently. No formal discussions have occurred yet because egos have gotten in the way, with each camp believing that the other should make the first move, but the candidate apparently would love to have her go around on his behalf. And no wonder: Haley might be able to reach old-school Republicans who have hung on for nine years but arent sure they can take four more.

She and Kemp are probably the two most prominent Reaganites left in the GOP with staunch anti-Trumpers like Mitt Romney and Liz Cheney headed for retirement and the political wilderness, respectively. Suddenly Haley and Kemp find themselves sharing a political tent with the likes of Kennedy and Gabbard. Can a coalition between left-ish kooks and traditional conservatives endure?

Well, sure. It has since 2015, hasnt it?

Why conservatives will stay.

One of my editors recalled this morning how reassured many conservatives felt in 2016 when Trump, the populist loose cannon, chose sane, sober Reaganite Mike Pence as his running mate. That was a good omen for how Trump would govern as president, they believed.

How are they feeling now, he wondered, with J.D. Vance replacing Pence on the ticket, Trump pivoting to being functionally pro-choice, and Kennedy and Gabbard being empowered to help pick the people who will be running the government if Trump wins?

Honestly, my guess is that they feel A-OK.

Not as good as they would have felt with Kemp and Haley running the transition team, perhaps, but the frogs whove stuck with this loathsome party are surely used to being boiled by now. They trust Trump to do what he thinks is necessary to win; if that means putting anti-vaxxers and excuse-makers for Syrias Bashar al-Assad in charge of personnel to squeeze a bit more support out of the weird vote, well, he must have his reasons.

Most conservatives have already made peace with supporting a pro-tariff, isolationist, coup-plotting convicted felon for president. Tossing Tulsi Gabbard into the mix isnt going to suddenly send them to their fainting couch.

The example of Kemp and Haley proves the point. If the direction of the party as captured in the Unite America image truly bothered their conscience, they wouldnt be gearing up right now to campaign for Trump, would they?

Actually, they might, one might say. They might feel privately disgusted by Trumps horseshoe strategy and quietly hopeful that itll end up costing him another election. Theyre being good soldiers for the party in the expectation that another defeat will send the Republican base in search of an electable conservative in 2028, like Brian Kemp or Nikki Haley. Theyre just being opportunistic.

Eh, maybe. Im sure the thought has crossed their minds. But if Trump loses this fall and the GOP base quadruples down on populism by choosing another Trumpy nominee in 2028 (possibly Trump himself!), do we think at that point Kemp and Haley would say no mas and quit the party?

I do not. Partly thats because theyre both young by political standards and can afford to go on deluding themselves about a looming reversion to Reaganism for years to come. If Brian Kemp ran for president in 2040, hed still be younger than Joe Biden and Donald Trump are right now. He and Haley are playing the long game.

But even if you assured them that theyll never lead their party, I suspect they would find ways to rationalize hanging on and reconciling themselves to political leadership by the likes of Vance, Gabbard, and Kennedy. If they went off to start a third party, for instance, theyd never be more than spoilers. And if they became Democrats, theyd find their new party too anchored ideologically by its liberal base to move far enough to the right to accommodate them. Insofar as they care sincerely about conservatism as an ideological project, its easy for them to justify sticking with the GOP and using whatever influence they still enjoy to nudge the party toward more Reaganite policies.

That logic will end up appealing to many rank-and-file conservatives too. Better to hang around and ensure that the Republican Party is 20 percent as conservative as it used to be than to quit and leave it with no reason not to abandon conservatism altogether, right? How well would conservatism be served if the GOP fractured, guaranteeing easy Democratic victories for years to come?

Therell always be an excuse to staywhich, ironically, encourages Trump and his populist courtiers to go on marginalizing conservatives. The reason he chose Pence in 2016, after all, is because he needed a Reaganite to vouch for him among mainstream conservatives. Those mainstream conservatives have long since either quit the party or joined Trumps cult of personality, allowing him to take their support for granted and pursue new constituencies who are reluctant to support Republicans. Like pro-choicers. Or the weird vote.

Hence the paradox of conservative Trump support: The more blindly loyal to him that Kemp, Haley, and other Reaganites are, the more political freedom he has to make the GOP less Reaganite. Only a man with a blank check from his base to do everything possible to avert Democratic rule would dare risk offending them by wooing the postliberal dregs of American politics.

So congratulations, I guess, to Kemp and Haley on the Kennedy and Gabbard appointments. Trump sincerely couldnt have done it without them. By sustaining the Republican hostage crisis, theyve assured their own ghetto-ization.

Why populists will stay.

Im tempted to say that the Kemp-Kennedy coalition can endure only if the kooks are in charge.

We dont need to theorize about whether partisan conservatives would acquiesce in leadership by populist cranks. Theyve done it. Theyre doing it right now. The theory is proved. QED.

Whether the cranks would acquiesce in a Reaganite restoration is trickier. Not all would: Voters who came from the third-party fringes of politics into the mainstream with Trump will logically be more comfortable returning to those fringes if they dont get their way than longtime mainstream Republicans would be. Crossover cranks like Tulsi and RFK arent sticking around to run cover for Nikki Haley.

Populists are also less prone than conservative partisans to view government by Democrats as a scenario to be avoided at all costs. The point of the uniparty rhetoric among MAGA types is that they dont regard rule by Reaganites as meaningfully preferable to rule by liberals. For all the Flight 93 election windage, some Trump fans are fully willing to let the plane crash by skipping the general election if their man doesnt get to be the pilot.

The prospect of Republicans losing elections just doesnt bother them much. If they dont want to be led by a Brian Kemp or Nikki Haley, but Democrats! might not suffice to convince them to play ball.

The cult of personality around Trump further complicates populists partisan loyalties. The Republican Party is a dictatorship, and hero worship of the dictator does a lot of the traditional work usually done by policy of binding members to the party he leads. When Trump retires or dies, its anyones guess how the bonds between the GOP and MAGA fanatics might or might not fray. It will depend on who succeeds him as leader, how charismatic they are, and how scary the Democrats seem by comparison.

If the right gets a dynamic nationalist demagogue like Tucker Carlson as their new champion, maybe thats enough to maintain populists partisan allegiance. But what if they get Brian Kemp or Nikki Haley?

It can safely be said, I think, that a Kemp-Kennedy or Haley-Gabbard coalition is more likely to endure if the Kennedys and Gabbards are in charge. But might it endure if its led by the Kemps and Haleys?

Sure. Isnt that the story of the pre-Trump GOP in large part?

Trump didnt magically convert millions of right-leaning voters to populism in 2016. The Tea Party movement that preceded him was itself ferociously populist; Trumps trick was to show that most members were willing to ditch its conservative small-government underpinnings if offered culture-war demagoguery as an alternative. Still, the fact remains that many millions of Republicans who happily voted for Trump that year also happily voted for the severely conservative Mitt Romney in 2012, enough so to have given Romney a larger share of the national popular vote than Trump has managed in either of his two campaigns.

To this day, its unclear how much of Trumps support is earnestly ideologically nationalist in the Tucker mold and how much is just free-form anti-elite populism willing to accommodate whichever ideology its leader gloms onto. Does anyone doubt that if Trump threw his full political weight behind demonizing Vladimir Putin or demanding a balanced budget that those positions would quickly become Republican orthodoxy again?

More so than they already are, I mean.

Of course, asking populists to replace Trump with a Romney-esque Kemp or Haley in 2028 is different from asking them to support Romney in 2012. Theyve had a taste of real power in the party now. To revert to Reaganism at this point would mean losing something momentous that theyve gained, and loss aversion is a powerful incentive.

But that works both ways. How willing would influential populists be to forfeit the power theyve gained within the GOP since 2015 by quitting the party instead of grudgingly accepting a primary victory by Nikki Haley or Brian Kemp?

Take Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, one of the most prominent Republican populists in the House. She was a teen mom and high-school dropout who lived the American dream by opening her own restaurant and eventually getting elected to Congress, a classic story of a citizen-legislator. (Her relentless demagoguery makes it a little less classic.) If anyone should be at peace with giving up the loathsome Washington swamp and returning to her average-joe roots, one would think its her.

Nope. Boeberts in no hurry to leave the capital, it turns out. If forced to decide between remaining a member of a party led by Kemp and launching a longshot independent candidacy to keep her seat, which do you suppose shed choose?

Or consider the MAGA wing of the House Republican majority, which has gotten quite comfortable as a largely impotent rump of the conference despite having the most powerful man in the party as a patron. They failed to stop their leaders from raising the debt ceiling or from funding the government or from appropriating billions in new aid for Ukraine. Yet when one member of their ranks sought to oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker as punishment, only eight votes to remove him came from the GOP.

Later, when Marjorie Taylor Greene moved to oust McCarthys uniparty successor, her motion got just 11 Republican votes. That feeble episode of rebellion was ironic, in fact, as Greene herself has gotten chummy enough with the traditional Republican establishment to have made a staunch ally of the noted RINO McCarthy during his speakership.

Populists are used to being in the minority. Why, one might even suspect that they enjoy it, as it gives them the powerful party elite as a popular foil and spares them from having to make the hard compromises required of governing. If Kemp succeeded Trump as GOP nominee, I wouldnt expect Greene to quit Congress in frustration at having been saddled with a uniparty candidate. Id expect her to double her fundraising operations and media appearances and to position herself as the scourge of some members of the new conservative leadership and a useful ally of others.

And to enjoy every minute of it.

Democrats are ahead of Republicans in domesticating their partys radicals, but I wouldnt bet a kidney against Boebert or Greene eventually demonstrating a degree of opportunistic respect toward President Kemp of the sort that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez routinely demonstrates toward President Biden. Kooks influence the institutions they penetrate but those institutions also influence the kooks.

In the end, a Reaganite restoration might damage the party less than the populists responsible for the Republican hostage crisis would have us believe. All itll take to test that theory, perhaps, is another Trump defeat this fall and a clear-eyed assessment by the right afterward that Trumpism is a losing proposition electorally. Only by nominating someone with greater appeal to the middle can the GOP win a majority.

Best of luck with that, America. Youre gonna need it.

Read more at The Dispatch

The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free.
Roberto Orci, a screenwriter for several Star Trek and Transformers films as well as Hawaii Five-0, has been accused of beating and sexually assaulting his wife, actress Adele Heather Taylor.

In a countersuit filed Monday, Taylor claims she has been the target of [Orcis] violent conduct on multiple occasions dating back to March 2018. She accuses Orci of abusive behavior that included sexual assault, beating her until she was bruised and belittling her with insults.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

In one instance in May 2022, Taylor alleges that Orci chased her around their Los Angeles home before pinning her on the ground and threatening to rape her. The following month, he allegedly assaulted her a second time, while telling her, You enjoy being raped.

Taylor also says in the complaint that she was arrested for domestic abuse in April 2020 after Orci called law enforcement when she tried to fight him off after he attacked her. Orci later bailed her out and admitted on tape that the arrest was intended to destroy Adeles credibility and dissuade her from reporting his ongoing abuse to the authorities, the lawsuit states.

In December 2022, Taylor left Orci after she was again assaulted, according to the complaint. During the incident, she recorded some of Orcis threats while he allegedly tried to shove her out of their houses front door. I want you out right now or Ill throw you out the fucking door, he said in the recording, according to the suit. Ill beat the shit out of you right now just to make you compliant enough to get you thrown out the front door.

Following that last incident, Orci filed a restraining order against Taylor before she had ample opportunity to seek protection from the court, the complaint stated.

Orcis attorney, Daniel Paluch, disputed the allegations in an email to THR: My client denies the allegations and is looking forward to litigating the case in the appropriate forum, which is the court.

Taylor states in her suit that she wants to hold Orci accountable for his years of abuse and for breaching his contractual obligation to split his assets with her and support her financially for the rest of her life.

Her countersuit comes after Orci in June filed a lawsuit accusing Taylor of repeatedly and viciously beating him over several years. In the suit, Orci detailed multiple instances of alleged abuse, including Taylor shooting him with a taser, pepper-spraying him, strangling him and throwing glass, among other accusations. He also accused Taylor of manipulating and forcing him to give her property, money and control of his finances.

In Orcis complaint, he acknowledged his struggles with alcohol and addiction, stating he had undergone treatment and rehab on multiple occasions.

Orcis spokesperson, Sallie Hofmeister, also shared in a statement to THR, Ms. Taylors counterclaim is an attempt to retaliate against her husband with fabricated allegations after he got a restraining order against her, filed for divorce, and sued her in June for assault, battery, and financially abusing him when he was vulnerable and trying to get treatment for alcoholism. Her history of violent behavior is well documented, having been arrested at least twice during their marriageonce after she tried strangling her husband and he called the police, and once when a Vegas hotel called the authorities after Mr. Orci showed up in the lobby, locked out of his room by his wife, bloodied and half dressed. Ms. Taylor was also detained after assaulting immigration officials at LAX. Before Mr. Orcis recovery, Ms. Taylor would ply him with alcohol and beat him relentlessly. On separate occasions, she hit him with a baseball bat, shot him with a taser then sprayed him with Mace, threw him down a set of stairs, and punched him multiple times while he was driving. In 2022 and 2023, she transferred without her husbands knowledge at least $1.2 million from their joint bank account to foreign banks. Now, she is fabricating salacious allegations in a desperate attempt to extract more money from him.

Taylors attorney didnt offer any additional statements following a request from THR.

Updated Aug. 29 at 11:20 a.m. with statement from Hofmeister.

Best of The Hollywood Reporter
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  Floridas faculty union is calling a new directive from the state academic censorship.

The United Faculty of Florida is pushing back in response to a directive from Chancellor Ray Rodrigues about universities reviewing instructional materials for antisemitism and anti-Israeli bias.

We reject the premise that this directive is a good faith effort to uncover bias. Instead, we recognize it as another politically motivated attack on academic freedom aimed at chilling speech and intimidating faculty and graduate teaching assistants, United Faculty of Florida said in a statement.

Attorney General Ashley Moody sent a letter this week reminding universities of the states zero-tolerance policy for antisemitism.

DeSantis-backed school board candidates fall short in key Florida races

Last year, my office circulated a memo advising higher education officials of the zero-tolerance policy for antisemitism in our state, Moody said. Florida offered an example to the rest of the country with swift action while other states witnessed their colleges and universities overtaken by chaos and, in some instances, crime. Let this serve as a reminder, there is no room in our state for lawlessness or antisemitism. As a new school year begins, we are renewing our commitment to making Florida a safe state for Jewish students.

A spokesperson with the University of South Florida told News Channel 8 the university has updated its policy on discrimination and harassment to explicitly prohibit antisemitism and islamophobia along with all other instances of hateful expression targeting individuals because of their religion, shared ancestry or cultural heritage.

I think its great that teachers are being more inclusive to Jewish students and making sure everyone is safe on campus, USF student Jay Lappis said.

The United Faculty of Florida sent a copy of the email to News Channel 8. In the email sent to university presidents, Rodrigues said they are going to, conduct a keyword search on course descriptions and course syllabi. Any course that contains the following keywords: Israel, Israeli, Palestine, Palestinian, Middle East, Zionism, Zionist, Judaism, Jewish, or Jews will be flagged for review. This process will ensure that all universities are reviewing the same courses, and nothing falls through the cracks.

We direct faculty and graduate teaching assistants to stand united in upholding the principles of academic freedom and continue teaching with integrity and rigor. We will support them and fight for their right to academic freedom, United Faculty of Florida said in a statement.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
State leaders pushing for more housing at UConn to keep up with increased enrollment

STORRS, Conn. (WTNH)  State leaders are pushing for UConn to offer more student housing to meet the demand for the rising enrollment.

UConn revises campus policies in wake of protests

State Senate President Martin Looney and Majority Leader Bob Duff sent a letter to UConns president Radenka Maric, expressing that they would like to see an investment in housing at the Storrs and Stamford campuses.

Their concern is that the increased competition for spots at UConn means that a large number of high academic performers will choose to leave the state and not return.

We are also looking to renovate existing dorms that we have, and we are also looking into private partnership across the street with Storrs housing and leasing some of those to make sure that we accommodate all the students, President Radenka Maric said in response to their request.

The leaders said that they hope to see a long-term plan for enrollment and housing.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.
A pharmacist takes care of a customer at MAC Pharmacy in Cleveland in May. Some states are forcing drugmakers to continue to sell cheaper medications to a greater number of pharmacies through a federal drug-discount program as part of their efforts to lower prescription drug costs. Sue Ogrocki/The Associated Press

In their ongoing quest to lower prescription drug prices, some states are forcing drugmakers to continue to sell cheaper medications to thousands of pharmacies through a federal drug-discount program.

Under the 32-year-old 340B program, pharmaceutical companies that participate in Medicaid must sell outpatient drugs at discounted prices to clinics, community health centers and hospitals that primarily serve low-income patients. The idea is that providers will use the money they save  between 20% and 50% off the normal price  to expand their services.

But many such facilities dont have in-house pharmacies, so in 2010 the federal government expanded the 340B program to allow many more outside pharmacies  so-called contract pharmacies  to dispense the drugs to eligible patients on behalf of health centers and hospitals. Among the top four pharmacy chains (Walmart, CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens), 71% of locations participate in the 340B program, according to a recent study by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

Drugmakers contend that the 340B program has grown far beyond its original intent, and that some hospitals are pocketing the savings instead of investing the money in more services. Some research supports that contention.

In 2020, seven major pharmaceutical manufacturers announced that they would restrict or halt 340B drug sales to contract pharmacies, since those sales arent required under federal law. As of last September, 25 drugmakers had imposed such restrictions, according to 340B Health, an advocacy group that represents more than 1,500 public and private nonprofit hospitals and health systems.

We as an industry continue to provide those discounts, but were concerned that theres no evidence patients are seeing any improved access or that theyre seeing lower costs, said Nicole Longo, deputy vice president for public affairs at Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, a trade group representing drugmakers.

States are pushing back. This year, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri and West Virginia have enacted laws requiring drugmakers that participate in Medicaid to sell discounted drugs to contract pharmacies. In 2021, Arkansas became the first state with such a law, and Louisiana followed in 2023. Other states, including New York, have considered similar bills this year.

Its very hard to maintain services and keep a hospital open. So, when 340B came into play, it was very helpful, West Virginia Republican state Sen. Tom Takubo, the sponsor of the legislation in his state, told Stateline.

They just unilaterally stopped delivering medications to those peripheral pharmacies, Takubo said. And so, we passed a bill that said you cant do that. You gotta deliver out there. And if you dont do it, were gonna fine you.

340B expansion

One thing is certain: The 2010 expansion of the 340B program to many more contract pharmacies has dramatically expanded access to the discounted drugs. The number of retail pharmacies participating in the program grew from 789 in 2009 to 25,775 in 2022, according to a study published last year in JAMA Health Forum.

Patient spending on 340B discounted drugs also has increased significantly, from $6.6 billion in 2010 to $43.9 billion in 2021, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

The programs intention is not what the program looks like today, and thats why you have so many different people on different sides.

 Karen Mulligan, research assistant professor at the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California

Karen Mulligan, a research assistant professor at the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California, said there are valid arguments on both sides of the debate. The point of the 340B program is not to subsidize drugs for low-income patients, she said. Rather, it is to funnel financial support to struggling community health centers and rural hospitals.

The federal government began allowing those entities to use contract pharmacies because many of them did not have pharmacies in-house, Mulligan said. But she pointed out that the expansion of the 340B program also has brought in some hospitals that make plenty of money without 340B. And because the 340B reporting requirements for hospitals are lax, she said, its not clear that they are using the money they save to improve patient care.

The challenge, Mulligan said, is that efforts to rein in the program likely would harm all providers  those that need the savings to serve low-income patients and those that dont.

The programs intention is not what the program looks like today, and thats why you have so many different people on different sides, Mulligan told Stateline.

A broad range of patients

Some critics of the 340B program claim the discounts end up flowing to hospitals located in wealthier neighborhoods.

But Joey Mattingly, an associate professor of pharmacy at the University of Utah who has been in pharmacy for more than two decades, said the health care providers that use contract pharmacies see a broad range of patients. And the revenue they get helps those hospitals stay open.

When you lose the hospital and its no longer even available in your community, now youve got to drive farther to get to a hospital, Mattingly told Stateline. Thats not to say that if 340B went away tomorrow, you would lose a bunch of hospitals. But I think youd see a lot of changes that would be dramatic.

Mattingly said a lot of hospitals and clinics use the savings to create changes that are both economical and helpful to patients. For example, they may start offering free or subsidized drugs in-house that patients could get right away, increasing the likelihood that they will actually take the medicine and avoid a costly hospital readmission.

Aimee Kuhlman, vice president of advocacy at the American Hospital Association, said the 340B program generates tens of billions of dollars in savings that hospitals use to benefit patients.

The reality is, Big Pharma doesnt want to give discounts to hospitals or the patients these hospitals serve, they want to keep it for themselves, Kuhlman told Stateline. The fact is, 340B is a critical resource to eligible hospitals and the patients and communities they serve.

Participation in Medicaid is optional, and pharmaceutical companies that dont want to provide the 340B discounts can decline to be part of it, said Greg Havard, CEO of the 49-bed George Regional Health System in Lucedale, Mississippi, a city of a few thousand people close to the Gulf Coast.

Pharmacy manufacturers have agreed to sell certain drugs to us at a lower price, and the 340B program is there to help us recoup costs on services or facilities that we operate to treat these folks and try to keep the doors open, Havard told Stateline. The reason we as a group wanted to pursue legislation is because pharmaceutical manufacturers, during the height of the worst pandemic in 100 years  stopped honoring our contract pharmacies that have been a practice in place for 15 years.

Vacheria Keys, associate vice president of policy and regulatory affairs at the National Association of Community Health Centers, also argued that the facilities she represents invest 340B savings into patient care. Keys said the program is essential because the federal funding that community health centers receive doesnt stretch as far as it used to.

Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies are challenging the new state laws in court. Last month, for example, a federal judge denied a bid by drugmaker Novartis to halt Mississippis law. The company told Stateline it plans to appeal the decision.

Robert Dozier, executive director of the Mississippi Independent Pharmacies Association, hailed the new state law and the courts ruling.

Were getting more brand-name drug manufacturers back on board, Dozier told Stateline. That gives us access to more medication to where we can help more people in the community.

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Nike (NYSE: NKE) stock lost ground in Wednesday's trading. The footwear and apparel company's share price closed out the daily session down 2.9%, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Nike stock posted another day of stock decline due to information contained in Foot Locker's second-quarter report and conference call. While Foot Locker actually beat sales and earnings expectations in Q2, the retailer announced moves it will be making in 2025 that suggest headwinds for Nike.

Foot Locker's store closure plans could be a bad omen for Nike

Foot Locker actually delivered some pleasant surprises with its second-quarter report. While the business posted a non-GAAP (adjusted) loss of $0.05 per share in the quarter, the performance beat the average analyst estimate's call for an adjusted loss of $0.07 per share.

The company also returned to delivering annual sales growth. Revenue rose 1.9% year over year to $1.9 billion -- beating the average Wall Street estimate's call for sales of $1.89 billion. Same-store sales rose 2.6% annually in the period, coming in ahead of the average analyst estimate's call for category growth of 1%.

However, while Foot Locker served up sales and earnings beats, the company announced plans to significantly reduce its store counts in some Asian and European markets. That's not a promising development for Nike, and the stock is now down roughly 24% year to date.

Did Nike's road to a comeback just get harder?

Nike shocked the stock market in June when it issued guidance suggesting that the business will see a substantial sales decline this fiscal year. The company guided for a roughly 10% sales decline in fiscal Q1 -- a period that concludes at the end of this month. Full-year sales for fiscal 2025 were projected to be down mid-single digits. Now, Foot Locker could be flashing another bearish signal.

With its Q2 report, Foot Locker announced that it plans to close its stores and e-commerce operations in South Korea, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The company anticipates closing 140 stores in Asia and 629 stores in Europe by the middle of next year.

Nike has been prioritizing its own e-commerce platforms and other direct-to-consumer sales avenues, but Foot Locker remains a key retail partner for the company. The footwear and apparel giant is facing pressures from smaller competitors, including On Holding and Brooks, and the shifting footwear retail landscape could mean that the industry giant continues to lose mindshare and market share.

Should you invest $1,000 in Nike right now?

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Why Nike Stock Fell Again Today was originally published by The Motley Fool
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In the past few months, wildfires in Brazil have burned through the Amazon Rainforest, Pantanal wetlands, and Cerrado tropical savannakilling wildlife and engulfing major cities, including the nations capital, Brasilia, in smoke. While one might assume that a 131,000-acre ecological reserve in the midst of Pantanal, the worlds largest wetland, would always be a humid and leafy haven, in recent years, the Pantanal wetlands have suffered heavily from fires, which have become increasingly harsh as climate change advances. As a result of two widespread wildfires in July and earlier this month, 80% of the area of the Panantal's Caiman hotel reserve burned down this year, forcing the property and wildlife refuge to close down its operations from August 1 to the end of September.

In Sao Paulo, the richest and most populous state of the country, both the Cerrado and rural areas have seen widespread fires (peaking the weekend of August 24). As of August 28, the fires in Sao Paulo have all been brought under control, though a total of 48 cities remained in a state of emergency, according to a statement published by the local government. The governor, Tarcisio de Freitas, says that while its hard to estimate the losses caused by the fires, they will certainly exceed one billion Brazilian realover $180 million USD.

This August saw the most fire outbreaks in Sao Paulo since the states measurements began 26 years ago, according to Brazils National Institute for Space Research, INPE. The figures for Pantanal are also worrying: the biome is facing its worst drought in 70 years, worsened by extreme El Nino events. In 2024, nearly 2 million acres were burned down in the Pantanal by early July, according to INPEs latest data. In the first semester alone, the area burned in the biome increased by 529% compared to the previous year.

Despite the undeniable negative impact on nature, tourism in Brazil hasnt been severely affected by the recent fires. The nations largest hotel associations tell Conde Nast Traveler that no member hotels other than the Panantal's ecotourism Caiman hotel have seen operations impacted. However, experts warn that travelers should be aware of health risks related to air pollution from the fires, and are advised to check forecasts and humidity levels before a trip to Brazil. Heres what tourists should know about the fires in Brazil:

What has been affected?

The July fires in the Northern part of Brazil spread a toxic gray cloud of smoke over most of the country, as shown by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)s satellite images. A brief reprieve came in mid-August when the phenomenon was interrupted by a polar air mass that dropped temperatures and brought some rain to the Center-South of Brazil. However, the corridor of air pollution caused by the wildfire smoke struck again on Wednesday, August 21, reaching 10 states and affecting neighboring countries, according to meteorologists. In late August, pictures of plumes of black smoke painting orange skies in Sao Paulo, the most affected state as of August 28, went viral on social media.

Several roads in Sao Paulo, Goias, and Mato Grosso do Sul have been affected accordingly, and three airportsGoiania, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, and Ribeirao Pretohad to close down for several hours on Sunday, August 25, due to low visibility. In Goiania, the main gateway for the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, two dozen flights were canceled on that Sunday, and normal operations resumed on Monday. In Ribeirao Preto, a local hub in the countryside of Sao Paulo, the closure affected 21 flights, but experts say that the impact on highways for the heavily road-traffic reliant Sao Paulo state is much greater: considering partial or total blockades, at least 17 highways were closed at some point between August 24 to 26. Now, with wildfires under control and most roads back open, those traveling by car or bus from the capital of Sao Paulo can still expect delays and cancellations due to occasional highway obstructions.

Thousands of kilometers away from Sao Paulo, in the North of the country, the city of Manaus was also covered in smoke during the first half of August, which led to poor air quality for several weeks in the city of 2 million that is the entrance for tourists traveling to the Brazilian portion of the Amazon. Jesem Orellana, an epidemiologist working at Fiocruz, one of the most prominent institutions of science and health in Latin America, emphasized the importance of both tourists and locals wearing face masks: He argues that masks with N95 or PFF2 filtration systems are essential for travelers to the region, as researchers are still unsure whether the fire season will last longer this year.

As for the cause of the August wildfires, four arson suspects have been arrested in connection to fires in rural areas of Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Batatais, and Guaraci; the local government says police forces are mobilized to investigate all incidents of arson in the state. Since Friday, August 24, more than 15,000 people have been involved in fighting the flames, providing guidance to the population, and planning the states next steps.

What is most worrying about this year compared to previous years is that we dont know for sure whether what is happening is simply an anticipation of the most critical period for wildfires, or whether, this year, we will actually have a longer period of exposure to this level of fog, Orellana, who is based in Fiocruzs Manaus office, tells Traveler. Last year, air pollution caused by wildfires in Manaus happened only in October.

For tourists going to Sao Paulo, a state of 44 million inhabitants, including 20 million in or around the namesake capital city, hotel associations are assuring visitors that the fires have mostly affected rural areas and that the smoke, which impacted the skies the weekend of August 24, has mostly dissipated.

It is completely safe to come to Sao Paulo now, but it is always worth it checking the weather forecast to see humidity levels and temperatures, which are prone to a lot of variation at this time of the year, and prepare accordingly, says Ricardo Roman Jr, president of the Sao Paulo branch of Brazilian Hotel Industry Association. Overall, if anything happens, the hotels are very well trained to provide assistance and advice.

For travelers looking into how to help in the aftermath of the fires, Roberto Klabin, the founder of hotel Caiman and also of a local NGO called SOS Pantanal, believes that boosting tourism is the most helpful action people can take.

If you want to contribute to Caiman and to preserving our biome, plan a visit to the Pantanal in the future, Klabin says. We can only preserve what we know, and this biome needs more and more people telling the world about its potential.

The Pantanal never tires of showing us its ability to transform itself, and this is what moves us forward, he adds.

Originally Appeared on Conde Nast Traveler

The Latest Travel News and Advice
As the temperatures are still reaching 100 degrees and above in Southern Nevada, safety experts at Intermountain Health are urging drivers to never leave a child in a vehicle  even for a minute  and offering free tools to help drivers prevent injury or even death from a child overheating in a hot car.

We are all aware that temperateures in the Southern Nevada valley get over a 100 degrees and it is critical we dont leave our kids in the car for even a minute, said Samantha Bojorquez, Intermountain Community Health Program manager. Nearly 40 children die in hot cars across the country, and actually 14 children have lost their lives in Nevada.

In Nevada, the 14 children have died in hot vehicles between 1998 and 2022, and others have suffered heatstroke and other injuries in close calls.

Intermountain wants everyone to Stop. Look. Lock. before leaving the vehicle to prevent accidental injury or death to a child. The inside of your vehicle can heat up very quickly. In just 10 minutes, a car can heat up by 20 degrees and become deadly. If the outside temperature is 102 degrees, the car outside can heat up to 145 degrees within 10 minutes in the Vegas sun.

Drivers must be vigilant and use visual aids and tools this summer to prevent tragedy.

The Intermountain Childrens Health team is offering free Forget Me Not window clings to help drivers remember a child is in the car. A vehicle escape tool also will be given to first responder teams in Clark County this summer, to distribute while supplies last.

Safe Kids Clark County have also been working to address heat safety with kids and cars.

Safe Kids works across the United States to help to educate people about just the tips to help so you are not our next statistic, said Erin Breen, board president of Safe Kids Clark County. Many other children have suffered terrible injuries from being left in cars or having a car that is accessible to them, that is left unlocked, when they are doing something like playing hide and seek.

Hot car tragedies can happen to anyone. They can occur when a caretaker forgets a child is in the car. This can be due to fatigue or change of routine  common for families during summer break and vacations  that push a persons brain into autopilot, making it easier to forget.



A childs body temperature can increase three to five times faster than an adults body temperature. Cracking a window has very little effect on the temperature inside the car. It only takes a few minutes for danger to begin to set in for a childs body, especially for an infant. Heatstroke begins when a childs core body temperature reaches about 104 degrees, and a child can actually die when their core body temperature reaches 107 degrees.

Additionally, 1 in 4 hot car deaths happen when an unattended child gains access to a vehicle, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Here are some ways to prevent hot car injuries from Intermountain Childrens Health Team and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

 Stop. Look. Lock. when parking a vehicle.

 Forget-Me-Not / Spot the Tot window clings are available in Intermountain pediatrician offices.

These two-sided window clings go on the drivers door window where they can be seen. They remind drivers to Spot the Tot by walking around the vehicle and checking for kids before backing out. Inside the vehicle, the sticker states Forget Me Not, which is a reminder to check the back seats before getting out of the vehicle.

 Resqme keychain car escape tools are being given to first responder teams in Clark County this summer, to distribute while supplies last. The tool comes with a keychain and visor clip, which can be quickly removed and used to break a window or cut a seatbelt to free a child.

Here are some additional tips from experts to prevent hot-car injuries:

Never leave your child alone in a vehicle  even for a few minutes. Its never a guarantee you will be right back.

Make it a habit to always look in the back seats before getting out of your vehicle.

Keep vehicles locked and keys out of the reach of children. Curious children can get into unlocked vehicles and then often cant get themselves out.

Keep a visual reminder that a child is with you, like a stuffed animal or diaper bag in the seat next to you.

Place something youll need when you arrive at your destination, like your phone, bag, or cell phone in the back seat. That way, when you reach for the item, youll likely see the child.

These kinds of tragedies are 100 percent preventable. Thats why were calling on everyone to work together to help protect kids from this very preventable tragedy. Whether you are a parent or caregiver, police officer, EMS provider, or just a concerned bystander, you can help save lives.

If you see something, say something. If you see a child or a pet unattended in a vehicle, call 911 immediately. Slow down, buckle up and always check your vehicle prior to exiting. So, both you and your loved ones can enjoy this wonderful summer ahead.

For more information about child well-being, safety and injury prevention tips, visit primarychildrens.org/safety. Learn more about Intermountain and find providers at intermountainhealthcare.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 KLAS.
A String of Gay Men in Brazil Have Been Targeted for Robbery and Murder Via Dating Apps

SOPA Images/Getty Images

Since March 2024, at least five gay men in Brazil have been killed after planning meetings on dating apps, according to a report from the Reuters news agency. Dozens of others have reported being victims of armed robberies after being lured into encounters through dating apps.

One of the recent victims of fatal violence was 24-year-old Leo Nunes, who arranged a meetup through Hornet, an LGBTQ+ dating app that is popular in Brazil. On June 12, when Nunes showed up at the alley where he was supposed to meet the person with whom he had been chatting, two men appeared on a motorcycle, grabbed his phone and fatally shot him, per Reuters. The Nunes family told the news agency that one suspect had been arrested, but the Sao Paulo police did not confirm whether there had been an arrest, only stating that they were investigating the shooting as a robbery resulting in a homicide.

The Brazilian outlet Metropoles also reported on the death of Heleno Veggi Dumba, a gay doctor, in April. Authorities found him dead in his car, and witnesses told the outlet that Dumba was approached by three people who shot him at least twice before running away. Sao Paulo police told Reuters that they had arrested three suspects in Dumbas death, but declined to elaborate.

Because of structural homophobia, criminals know that LGBT people are vulnerable. They know they will be more easily intimidated, Wanderley Montanholi, a lawyer who is representing Dumbas family, told Reuters.

Another gay man, identified only as Gabriel, told Reuters that he had been robbed at gunpoint in late March after arranging a date on the same street where Nunes was shot, and that he had been lured by the same dating profile as other victims. One man put a gun to my stomach and asked me the password of my phone, he told the outlet. He said the robbers were able to access his bank account, steal his savings and max out his credit card. Though Gabriel and others reportedly flagged the fake profile to Hornet, he told Reuters that it stayed up for weeks.

"An investigation could have happened before Leos case, Gabriel told Reuters. It didnt have to get here.

Sao Paulo's councilwoman Erika Hilton takes part in a march on the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on May 17, 2022.

In Brazil, Using Homophobic Slurs Is Now Punishable By Prison

A 9-1 ruling made homophobic hate speech illegal.

Gerry Monaghan, the head of operations at Hornet, told Reuters that all reports are looked at and reviewed. He added that the company recently expanded its team that responds to user reports, and that the app changed its reporting system to prioritize more serious issues, though he didnt elaborate on what that meant.

Police declined to comment to Reuters on whether they had identified a pattern of murders linked to gay dating apps.

Though Brazil has a number of legal protections for LGBTQ+ people, the country also reportedly has one of the highest murder rates of LGBTQ+ people in the world, according to the human rights organization OutRight International. LGBTQ+ activists have said that the violence is likely linked to the countrys ultraconservative politicians.

Far-right politician Jair Bolsonaro, who served as president of the country from 2019 to 2023, has a decades-long record of anti-LGBTQ+ remarks, including falsely asserting that the World Health Organization was encouraging children to have same-sex relationships, saying that hed be incapable of loving a homosexual son, and proclaiming that he was very proud of being homophobic.

Get the best of whats queer. Sign up for Thems weekly newsletter here.

Originally Appeared on them.
Student given Narcan after medical emergency at Dunwoody High School, principal says

A medical emergency at Dunwoody High School led to a lockdown today, causing quite a scare among students and staff.

Channel 2s Michael Doudna went to the school Wednesday where people described the incident as an intense situation where school personnel had to administer Narcan to a student who became unconscious.

What is Narcan? What you need to know about the opioid reversing drug

According to a letter sent by the school, a student is believed to have ingested a substance that resulted in a medical emergency  Our trained school staff acted swiftly, administering Narcan, which successfully revived the student before EMTs arrived to continue evaluation and treatment.

This incident comes just months after a tragic event at the same school in May when a 15-year-old student died from a fentanyl overdose during class.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

This incident comes just months after a tragic event at the same school in May, when a 15-year-old student died from a fentanyl overdose during class.

Mia Dieguez was rushed to the hospital after she had what was described as a medical emergency while in class at Dunwoody High School. Dieguez later died at the hospital.

The autopsy report released by the DeKalb County Medical Examiners Office confirmed her cause of death as acute fentanyl intoxication.

The toxicology report shows a positive test for Delta-9 THC and naloxone, which is the main ingredient in Narcan administered to someone with signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose. Police charged a teenager, who hasnt been identified, with involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct in connection to her death.

TRENDING STORIES:

Parents are understandably concerned about the recent incidents.

Its kinda frightening. I have questions now especially being new to the area, said Sadequa Logan.

Fortunately, the student is now recovering at Scottish Rite and the school has returned to normal operations.

Under a new Georgia law, schools are required to have Narcan on hand for emergencies.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Aug 28, 2024, 2:44pm EDT East Asia

The News

Students in China will be learning more about Chinese leader Xi Jinpings political thoughts and the countrys national security this fall. Primary and junior high students will be given new textbooks promoting Chinese language, culture, history, and morality and law, that emphasize the importance of Xis ideologies and ideas, the South China Morning Post reported.

An education official told state media that such measures will forge a sense of community for the Chinese nation and allow students to deeply understand that national security is a top priority and that everyone has a responsibility to safeguard it.

SIGNALS

Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories.

China requires party loyalty from teachers in bid to control education

Sources: Nikkei, Radio Free Asia

In a bid for increasing control over the countrys education system, the Chinese government now requires public school teachers to have loyalty to the ruling Communist Party mandated in their employment contracts and to prioritize the party in their jobs. The government also placed travel restrictions on teachers and students this summer, Radio Free Asia reported, in what one former teacher said was an effort to curb attempts to emigrate. Some parents told Nikkei they are turning to private schools because they believe public school culture places too much emphasis on patriotism.

Chinas national security focus could hurt global academic exchanges

Sources: Nikkei, South China Morning Post, The Economist

Chinas excessive emphasis on national security is hurting its economic, political, and academic exchanges with other countries, Nikkei argued earlier this year. The countrys attempts to reinforce party ideology in education have extended to Hong Kong, which held a National Security Education Day earlier this year. Hong Kong authorities instructed schools to brief students on Chinese leader Xi Jinpings approach to national security and to host activities that encouraged them to share their thoughts on the subject, the South China Morning Post reported. Chinas depiction of the West as a threat to its national security may also be deterring Chinese students from studying in the US, The Economist reported, noting a decline in their numbers in 2022-23.
Recreational drug users are three times more likely to have repeated heart health emergencies than people who don't use, a new study has found. Photo by Adobe Stock/HealthDay News

Recreational drug users are three times more likely to have repeated heart health emergencies than people who don't use, a new study has found.

About 11% of patients admitted to intensive cardiac care units have been using recreational drugs, said researcher Dr. Raphael Mirailles, a physician with the Hospital Lariboisiere in Paris.

Overall, "recreational drug use was associated with a tripling of the risk of a repeat serious cardiovascular event within one year," Mirailles said.

For the study, researchers followed nearly 1,400 patients admitted to ICCUs in 39 hospitals across France during two weeks in April 2021.

All were screened for drug use using urine tests. About 11% had been using cannabis, opioids, cocaine, amphetamines or MDMA, results showed.

The patients were then tracked for about a year, to see whether they had suffered another cardiac arrest, heart attack or stroke, researchers said.

After a year of follow-up, about 7% of the patients had experienced another serious heart emergency.

About 13% of drug users had a follow-up heart health emergency, compared with 6% of non-users, researchers said.

Drug users were more likely than non-users to suffer a heart-related death (5.7% vs. 4.5%), non-fatal heart attack (5.1% vs. 1.3%) or stroke (1.9% vs. 0.6%).

MDMA was the drug most associated with heart risk, with users just over four times more likely to have a follow-up heart event. Heroin and other opioids increased risk by 3.6 times, and cannabis did so by 1.8 times.

Researchers will present these findings Wednesday at the European Society of Cardiology's annual meeting in London. Findings presented at medical meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Current guidelines don't recommend regular drug screening of patients requiring critical care, Mirailles noted.

Given these results, "systemic screening should be considered in intensive care," he added in a meeting news release.

More information

The American Heart Association has more on illegal drugs and heart disease.

Copyright  2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY)  A Suffolk woman who stole more than $1.3 million in a health care fraud scheme has pleaded guilty.

Whitteney Guyton, 43, pleaded guilty on Monday to count of health care fraud and six counts of making false statements relating to health care matters, the Department of Justice announced.

Federal prosecutors say Guyton defrauded the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS), which administers Medicaid in Virginia, from June 2016 to October 2018. Guyton billed Medicaid through her company, Synergy Health Systems LLC, but the companys records were falsified, incomplete and didnt comply with Medicaid requirements.

As part of the scheme, Guyton would instruct her workers to forge signatures to seem like they came from a licensed mental health professional and an RN. Prosecutors say about $480,000 that was billed to DMAS had no documentation that any kind of assessment had been done.

She could face up to 10 years in prison when shes sentenced on Jan. 10, 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 WAVY.com.
(Bloomberg) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan discussed setting up new talks between their presidents in meetings aimed at managing the two nations difficult relationship.

The two sides discussed a new round of interaction between the two heads of state in the near future, Chinas Foreign Ministry said in a readout published Wednesday evening, without saying how those communications will be conducted. A US readout that followed noted that both sides welcomed ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication, including planning for a leader-level call in the coming weeks.

The two sides also agreed to hold a theater commander phone call in the near future, according to the US readout. John Podesta, senior advisor to the president for international climate policy, is slated to travel to China to further discussions on climate cooperation.

Wang repeated Chinas positions on a range of contentious issues from its territorial claim over self-ruled Taiwan to its objection to US curbs on its tech ambitions. The Chinese diplomat also expressed a desire to stabilize ties between the worlds two largest economies that frayed during the Biden administration.

He urged the US to stop arming Taiwan and reasserted Beijings claims in the South China Sea, calling on Washington not to condone violations by the Philippines. The remarks came after US Admiral Samuel Paparo, head of the US Indo-Pacific Command, said the country was willing to accompany Philippine vessels during resupply missions in the disputed body of water amid recurring confrontations with Chinese ships.

For his part, Sullivan conveyed ongoing efforts to prevent advanced technology from undermining US national security, concerns around stability in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea, and Chinas support for Russias industrial base as well as longstanding US policies on human rights. The two sides also raised shared worries about North Korea, Burma, and the Middle East, according to the US readout.

Despite their differences, the two sides agreed to maintain high-level exchanges and cooperation in areas such as anti-narcotic enforcement, climate change and artificial intelligence, according to the Chinese readout.

Sullivan is the first US national security advisor to visit China since 2016. His 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 stance on the worlds No. 2 economy, the Republican has threatened a blanket 60% tariff on Chinese exports.

President Joe Biden and Xi last met at a summit in San Francisco in November 2023, where they held talks that helped stabilize ties and rebuild a series of communication channels.

But while Biden has repeatedly touted spending more time with Xi than any other world leader at about 90 hours, he is set to be the first US president since Jimmy Carter not to travel to China while in office, if he doesnt make it to the Asian nation before January.

Strict Covid controls prevented travel into China during the global pandemic, and saw Xi remain within his nations borders for years  severely curtailing his international travel agenda and removing the opportunity for face-to-face diplomatic exchanges.

Relations between the two superpowers plunged during that period, after then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August 2022, causing Beijing to suspend military talks.

Other issues have hampered ties. Beijing has complained about US efforts to cut off China from advanced tech, including semiconductors, and 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.

Despite those frictions, Sullivan and Wang have met face-to-face every few months in recent years as part of Bidens push to keep open lines of communication, in a mechanism known as the strategic channel.

--With assistance from Colum Murphy, Michelle Jamrisko and Philip Glamann.

(Updates with US readout details starting in second paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCBD)  State law enforcement, the Ninth Circuit Solicitors Office, and Summerville Police have cleared two officers of misconduct after they detained a minor outside a Walmart in April.

Summerville Police announced they received a clearance letter from Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson absolving Sergeant Kathryn Kirkland and Corporal Dante Ghi of wrongdoing after they arrested a 13-year-old selling palmetto rose outside the Summerville Walmart.

Summerville Police Chief Douglas Wright requested the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) investigate the incident after videos of the arrest taking place circulated online. Videos of the arrest raised concerns in the community about over-policing and racial profiling.

SLED completed its investigation on Aug. 14, and the findings were turned over to Solicitor Wilson for final review because the offices Family Court Division will handle the prosecution of the minor who was arrested.

Clearance-LetterDownload

Initially, the minor was charged with assault and battery due to his allegedly punching Sgt. Kirkland in the eye during the arrest. That charge was reduced to violating town code 16-01, which states it is unlawful to resist, assault, or interfere with an officer or employee engaged in official duties and failing to comply with lawful order.

Family attorney responds to bodycam footage released of 13-year-olds arrest

Chief Wright said, I am proud of each of the members of his agency, as they have not let the incident hinder their enforcement actions. Our officers have continued educating citizens and enforcing our town ordinances and state laws daily.

When the incident occurred, police said they received several complaints from business owners around North Main Market about individuals selling Palmetto roses and loitering in front of their businesses.

When they asked the individuals selling the roses to leave, police said the minor arrested refused and began to cuss at them. They moved to detain the teen, and he resisted. A struggle ensued, and that is when Sgt. Kirkland was allegedly punched.

Cpl. Ghi then moved into a top grappling position, sitting on top of the minors back.

The minors family retained state representative Marvin Pendarvis to represent them. The SC Supreme Court suspended Pendarviss law license in May.

According to the order, the court appointed a third party to manage Pendarvis client files, trust accounts, escrow accounts, operating accounts, and any other law office accounts he maintains.

Summerville PDs full release is below.

Press-Release-for-Walmart-IncidentDownload

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.
The chief engineer and a deckhand of Mike Lynch's $39 million luxury yacht that capsized and sank off the north coast of Sicily with the loss of seven lives became the latest crew members to be placed under investigation for manslaughter. File photo courtesy Navi Press Office/EPA-EFE

Aug. 28 (UPI) -- The chief engineer and a deckhand of Mike Lynch's superyacht that capsized and sank off the coast of Sicily with the loss of seven lives are being investigated by Italian prosecutors for manslaughter.

Tim Parker Eaton, the ship engineer, is under suspicion of failing to protect the engine room and operating systems while Matthew Griffith, the deckhand, is being looked at because he was on night watch duty when the 184-foot Bayesian went down in a freak storm in the early hours of Aug. 19, according to a judicial source quoted by The Independent and The Guardian.

The two Britons join the captain, 51-year-old New Zealander James Cutfield, who was placed under investigation Monday, a day after prosecutors questioned him for two hours about how the vessel sank when experts said it should have been unsinkable if operated correctly.

People who are under investigation in Italy must be officially notified before autopsies can be conducted by authorities, so being the subject of a judicial probe does not mean a person is guilty of any offense or that formal charges are likely.

Legal counsel for Cutfield, who had been cooperating with prosecutors prior to a third round of questioning Tuesday, have advised him to temporarily cease answering questions until they are able to get up to speed on the case and to give himself time to recuperate from his ordeal.

"He just exercised his right to remain silent, probably prosecutors were expecting that," said lawyer Aldo Mordiglia.

"Firstly, he is very distressed. Second, we were appointed only on Monday and to mount a thorough and correct defense we need to acquire a set of data that at the moment we don't have."

British tech-billionaire Mike Lynch, his 19-year-old daughter Hannah Lynch, and five other people were killed when his $39 million luxury yacht sank within minutes after being struck by a powerful downdraft during a storm while anchored off the fishing village of Porticello.

Six bodies were recovered by divers from inside the wreck of the Bayesian 164 feet down on the seabed in a major four-day air-sea search and rescue mission that concluded Friday.

The body of the ship's chef Recaldo Thomas, had earlier been pulled from the water in the hours immediately following the sinking which occurred at about 4 a.m. local time when people were asleep.

Cutfield, Parker Eaton, Griffith and the rest of the eight-strong crew, Lynch's wife Angela Bacares and four other passengers escaped on the Bayesian's emergency life raft and were subsequently rescued by other vessels nearby.

The crew remain on the island in case prosecutors require further information from them but the other survivors flew out on a private plane Sunday.

The prosecutor's office in nearby Termini Imerese has been reviewing phone footage and pictures captured by local people on the night of the storm

They have also been provided with surveillance camera video collected by the coastguard from private homes, businesses and public spaces in the hope the images may shed light on what happened.
The governments antitrust victory over Google has cleared the way for a lawsuit against the company from Yelp, a competing online service that lets users find and review local businesses.

In a lawsuit filed on Wednesday in federal court in San Francisco, Yelp accuses Google of leveraging its monopoly power in general search to divert people away from local search providers and toward its own offerings. It seeks a court order blocking Google from further engaging in anticompetitive conduct, as well as unspecified monetary damages.

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The filing of the complaint follows a federal judge earlier this month finding that the tech giant violated antitrust laws by building a moat around its monopoly over search through anticompetitive agreements, such as exclusive deals with Apple and Samsung to have Google as the default search engine on their phones and browsers. The decision is expected to have ripple effects across the digital ad market, with hearings scheduled to start in September that will consider remedies, which could include breaking up the company.

In that case, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta concluded that Google owns roughly 89 percent of the general search market. This, he said, effectively makes it the gateway to the internet. Each day, an estimated 9 billion searches are performed on the platform.

Yelp, which Google attempted to acquire in 2009, is believed to be among the first companies to hold up that decision to bring an antitrust lawsuit of its own. Its long raised complaints to regulators and lawmakers of what it perceives as anticompetitive conduct from Google, including scraping content from rivals.

In a blog post, Yelp chief executive Jeremy Stoppelman stressed that Google exempts itself from the ranking system it uses for other sites. When a consumer conducts a Google search with local intent, Google manipulates its results to promote its own local search offerings above those of its rivals, regardless of the comparative poorer quality of its own properties, he said.

The lawsuit targets Google placing its search results for local businesses above Yelps. When users ask about nearby restaurants, for example, theyre shown Googles sponsored businesses at the top of the page directly above a Google map of others. Competitors vie for space below.

Story continues

This self-preferencing has led to an increasing volume of searches resulting in zero clicks, meaning that several users never leave Googles search results page, Yelp alleges. And even when it does result in a click elsewhere, roughly 30 percent are led to another Google property, according to the complaint.

Google abuses its monopoly power in general search to keep users within Googles owned ecosystem and prevents them from going to rival sites, Stoppelman wrote. This anticompetitive conduct siphons traffic and advertising revenue from vertical search services, like Yelp, that provide objectively higher quality local business content for consumers.

The majority of Yelps revenue is derived from selling local search advertising in competition with Google and other providers. Companies that similarly function as specialized search providers include Expedia for travel, Glassdoor for jobs and Zillow for real estate, among others. Consumers often use Google as a general search gateway to access these platforms.

Yelp brings claims for violations of section two of the Sherman Act over allegations related to monopolizing the local search services and advertising markets, as well as Californias unfair competition law.

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(Bloomberg) -- The US Supreme Court refused for now to reinstate President Joe Bidens latest push to reduce student-loan bills for millions of people, keeping the multibillion-dollar plan on hold while a fresh legal fight over educational debt plays out.

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The court turned away an administration request to lift a pause a federal appeals court imposed on the program in a lawsuit by Missouri and other Republican-led states. The order didnt indicate that any justices dissented.

The court gave no explanation, saying only that it expected the 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals to issue a definitive ruling in the case with appropriate dispatch.

The high court order is likely to mean months of additional uncertainty for eight million borrowers who were already enrolled in the so-called SAVE plan. The Department of Education placed those debtors, who collectively owe more than $400 billion, in temporary forbearance after the appeals court intervened. Other borrowers are currently not allowed to sign up for the program.

We are disappointed in this decision, particularly because lifting the injunction would have allowed for lower payments and other benefits for borrowers across the country, the Education Department said in an emailed statement. The department will work to minimize further harm and disruption to borrowers as we await a final decision from the 8th Circuit.

The Supreme Court last year threw out an earlier Biden plan to make a one-time cut to the debt of more than 40 million people, saying Congress hadnt authorized such a far-reaching step.

This is the second time the Supreme Court has sided with my office against one of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris unlawful student loan cancellation schemes, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey said in an online statement. This court order is a stark reminder to the Biden-Harris Administration that Congress did not grant them the authority to saddle working Americans with $500 billion in someone elses Ivy League debt.

In blocking the SAVE plan, the 8th Circuit said it was even larger in scope than the earlier approach. The appeals court pointed to a private estimate that SAVE would eventually eliminate $475 billion in debt.

The SAVE plan would augment some of the broad metrics by which repayment amounts and timelines are tabulated. SAVE initially capped a borrowers monthly payments at 10% of income over a certain threshold, later bringing that rate down to 5%.

Borrowers would also also be able to bank on reaching forgiveness sooner than the typical 20 or 25 years, depending on how much they initially borrowed for school. Other provisions would prevent ballooning interest, on the condition that borrowers made their monthly payments on time.

Parts of the SAVE plan had been in effect, reducing millions of monthly bills, before the 8th Circuit intervened.

The Supreme Court action comes as borrowers face the renewed prospect of penalties if they dont make payments. When payments on federal loans resumed last September after the pandemic freeze, the Biden administration instituted a 12-month on-ramp period, during which borrowers would not be reported to credit bureaus or collections for missing a payment. That grace period ends next month.

As of July, the Biden administration has forgiven some $168.5 billion in student loan debt, primarily through a program for borrowers working in qualifying public service jobs. Thats less than half of the $400 billion price tag placed on the one-time debt forgiveness program, which promised at least partial relief to a broader swath of borrowers.

The Biden administration is battling two sets of states that say the SAVE plan is as legally flawed as the one the Supreme Court rejected last year. In the case before the 8th Circuit, states led by Missouri said the plan constituted a major question, meaning under Supreme Court precedent that clear congressional authorization was required.

The administration contends that the states lack legal standing to challenge the program and that Congress gave the Education Department explicit authority to set repayment schedules and use income to determine payment levels. The administration says the Education Department and its loan servicers have spent months updating their computer systems and notifying borrowers of their new payment amounts.

The case is Biden v. Missouri, 24A173.

(Updates with Education Department, Missouri statements starting in fifth paragraph.)

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The Supreme Court denied an emergency appeal from the Biden administration, saying it would wait for a further ruling from a U.S. appeals court in St. Louis. (Susan Walsh / Associated Press)

The Supreme Court on Wednesday kept on hold a plan by President Biden to reduce student loan monthly payments for millions of borrowers and cancel loans after they have been paid on for 20 years.

In a brief order with no dissents, the justices denied an emergency appeal from the administration and said it would wait for a further ruling from a U.S. appeals court in St. Louis, which blocked Biden's plan from taking effect.

"The court expects that the court of appeals will render its decision with appropriate dispatch," the order said.

The decision is at least a temporary setback for the administration, and it suggests the court's conservatives remain skeptical of Biden's assertion that the president has the authority to reduce outstanding student debt by hundreds of billions of dollars.

Republican attorneys general from Missouri and 10 other states had sued to block Biden's latest plan, arguing it was extraordinarily costly and went beyond what the law allowed.

They won rulings in June from district judges in Kansas and Missouri. In early August, the 8th Circuit Court in St. Louis issued a nationwide order forbidding the Education secretary from taking any further steps to "forgive approximately $475 billion in federal-student-loan debt."

Two weeks ago, Solicitor Gen. Elizabeth Prelogar urged the high court to lift that order or to narrow its scope.

She said the policies adopted by the Education Department adjust a borrower's payments based on their income and allow for loans to be forgiven after 20 years. She said these provisions have been part of the Higher Education Act for decades.

But the justices instead left the nationwide order in place for now.

Last year, the court in a 6-3 ruling struck down a Biden plan to forgive millions of student loans as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The administration had relied then on a law passed at the time of the Iraq war that authorized education officials to "waive or modify" the loans of people who were affected by the war or a national emergency.

The justices said Congress had not authorized a "mass debt cancellation program," one that was projected to cost the government $430 billion.

Read more: Supreme Court strikes down Biden's plan to forgive millions of student loans

Disappointed but undeterred, Biden said he would look to other education laws that would allow him to reduce or forgive outstanding loans for borrowers who were struggling.

In April, the White House announced a new set of student debt relief plans that would save about 30 million borrowers billions of dollars in total.

One of those programs, dubbed SAVE, would reduce payments for 8 million borrowers, leaving 4.5 million of them with a monthly payment of $0. It was originally projected to cost the government about $180 billion, but the total has grown since then because tens of thousands of other loans were included.

While the revised plan reduced payments instead of canceling loans, it would cost the government even more because it extended help to many more borrowers.

"The Supreme Court tried to block me from relieving student debt. But they didnt stop me," Biden told a rally in May. "Ive relieved student debt for over 5 million Americans. Im going to keep going."

A coalition of 11 Republican state attorneys sued, alleging Biden had again overstepped his authority. And in late June, federal judges in Kansas and Missouri, both of them Obama appointees, blocked different parts of the Education Department's new programs.

"The SAVE Plan is a transformative expansion in regulatory authority" and would cost the government $475 billion over 10 years, said U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree in Kansas City.



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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court on Wednesday rebuffed a Biden administration plea seeking to revive the latest plan to tackle federal student loan debt.

The court in a brief order denied an emergency request filed by the administration seeking to lift a nationwide injunction imposed by an appeals court. There were no noted dissents.

The order said the appeals court that is currently handling the case should "render its decision with appropriate dispatch."

The Education Department issued a regulation finalizing its Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan in July 2023, the month after the Supreme Court ruled the administration lacked authority to implement President Joe Bidens earlier loan forgiveness program.

The new effort, like the previous one, was challenged by multiple conservative-leaning states led by Missouri.

President Joe Biden at an event in Madison, Wis., on April 8.

"This court order is a stark reminder to the Biden-Harris administration that Congress did not grant them the authority to saddle working Americans with $500 billion in someone elses Ivy League debt," Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey said in a statement. "This is a huge win for every American who still believes in paying their own way.

A spokesperson for the Education Department said the administration will keep pushing to lower repayment options for borrowers.

"We are disappointed in this decision, particularly because lifting the injunction would have allowed for lower payments and other benefits for borrowers across the country," the spokesperson said in a statement. "The Department will work to minimize further harm and disruption to borrowers as we await a final decision from the Eighth Circuit."

The new proposal has several provisions, including one that would cap the amount people have to repay for undergraduate loans at 5% of their incomes. Previously the cap was 10%.

Challengers said it would require spending up to $475 billion that was not authorized by Congress. They say it should be blocked for the same reason that the Supreme Court blocked Bidens earlier plan.

Under the major questions doctrine embraced by the courts conservative justices, federal agencies cannot initiate sweeping new policies that have significant economic effects without having express authorization from Congress.

The states argued in court papers that the Biden administrations assertion of unfettered authority to cancel every penny of every loan is staggering.

Other provisions in the new plan would place limits on accrued interest and shorten the payment period for certain small loans, allowing them to then be forgiven.

The states sued in April seeking to block the plan, with a federal judge in Missouri finding only that the shortened repayment proposal should be put on hold.

But in an Aug. 9 decision, the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a more sweeping injunction putting other provisions on hold.

In court papers, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar said the changes to repayment amounts are allowed under a 1993 federal law, which says the Education Department can determine the appropriate portion of income to calculate payment amounts and to set repayment timelines.

She said the vastly overbroad appeals court injunction goes beyond the new plan and blocks implementation of previous changes to repayment terms dating back to 1994, thereby disrupting the settled expectations of borrowers who have made payments for years or even decades.

Around 8 million people are already enrolled in the SAVE plan, with other provisions previously in effect that have allowed for repayment amounts to be reduced.

The plan has also been challenged in other courts, with judges blocking parts of it. But the 8th Circuit's decision has made those cases less relevant.

For that reason, the Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a separate application brought by a different group of states challenging the plan.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the Biden administrations request to continue canceling student debt for millions of borrowers during an appeals process, as more than a dozen Republican-led states challenge its legality. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

Aug. 28 (UPI) -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the Biden administration's request to cancel student debt for millions of borrowers during an appeals process, as more than a dozen Republican-led states challenge its legality.

In the brief unsigned order, the court said it "expected that the Court of Appeals will render its decision with appropriate dispatch." The order had no public dissents.

"The Supreme Court unanimously upheld our court order blocking Kamala Harris and Joe Biden's illegal student loan cancellation scheme," Missouri attorney general Andrew Bailey wrote Wednesday in a post on X.

"This is a huge victory for the working Americans who won't have to foot the bill for the Biden-Harris Ivy League bailout," he added.

The Supreme Court order was in response to the Justice Department's emergency appeal after a federal appeals court blocked the program, known as the Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, Plan last month. The Biden administration vowed Wednesday to fight on.

Student debt relief activists rally outside the US Supreme Court on June 30, 2023, in Washington D.C., after the court blocked President Joe Biden's student loan debt relief plan from taking effect, delivering rulings in a pair of cases challenging the program. File Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI

"Our administration will continue to aggressively defend the SAVE Plan -- which has helped over 8 million borrowers access lower monthly payments, including 4.5 million borrowers who have had a zero dollar payment each month. And, we won't stop fighting against Republican-elected officials' efforts to raise costs on millions of their own constituents' student loan payments," a White House spokesperson said in response to the order.

In July, the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted the request by seven GOP-led states to block further loan forgiveness, stating that the Department of Education had exceeded its authority in setting repayment terms.

President Joe Biden delivers an update on student debt relief in Washington, D.C. On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the administration's request to restart the program during an ongoing appeals process. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

The Biden administration then turned to the Supreme Court with an emergency intervention to temporarily lift the order.

"The states fail to justify allowing that extraordinary injunction to continue to harm millions of borrowers while this appeal is litigated," U.S. Solicitor Elizabeth Prelogar wrote in court filings before the justices rejected the request Wednesday that would have allowed the program to continue during appeal.

Under the SAVE Plan, monthly payments and debt would be reduced for certain borrowers at a cost of hundreds of billions of dollars over the next 10 years. The Education Department already had granted $5.5 billion in relief to 414,000 borrowers before the program was put on hold.

The Education Department estimates it has forgiven $168 billion in debt for more than 4.7 million Americans. It estimates the SAVE plan would cost nearly $156 billion over a decade.

As litigation continues, SAVE Plan borrowers are not required to pay principal or interest as Biden administration lawyers argue that the "extraordinary injunction has scrambled the department's administration of loans for millions of borrowers," creating "widespread confusion and uncertainty."

The White House has repeatedly pushed its program to cancel student debt despite hitting legal roadblocks.

Last summer, the Supreme Court rejected Biden's plan that would have offered up to $20,000 in student loan relief to millions of borrowers. In February, the White House announced a new plan that would have gone into effect July 1. Two federal judges blocked parts of that plan one week earlier.

In Missouri, a judge ruled the administration "lacks the authority" to forgive loans as part of the Income-Contingent Repayment plan and that doing so would "likely harm Missouri" by cutting into administrative fees.

A judge in Kansas blocked parts of the plan in June as both states also filed separate lawsuits. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach accused the Biden administration of illegally bypassing Congress and forcing taxpayers to pay off the student loans of other Americans.

"Blue-collar Kansas workers who didn't go to college shouldn't have to pay off the student loans of New Yorkers with gender studies degrees," he said.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday discarded the Biden administrations request to temporarily reinstate its new student debt plan that would lower payments for millions of borrowers.

The Justice Departments emergency appeal asked the Supreme Court to lift a lower-court ruling currently halting President Bidens plan as a legal challenge proceeds.

The order had no public dissents.

It is not a final ruling, and the legality of the plan could ultimately return to the high court.

The Court expects that the Court of Appeals will render its decision with appropriate dispatch, reads one of the two orders declining to take up the cases at this time.

For now, it drives a sword in the administrations ability to implement its Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan.

Our Administration will continue to aggressively defend the SAVE Plan  which has helped over 8 million borrowers access lower monthly payments, including 4.5 million borrowers who have had a zero dollar payment each month. And, we wont stop fighting against Republican elected officials efforts to raise costs on millions of their own constituents student loan payments, said White House Spokesperson Angelo Fernandez Hernandez.



The first phase began last October, increasing the amount of income protected from loan payments to 225 percent of the federal poverty line and not letting unpaid interest accrue.

The second phase, which was set to begin in July, decreases monthly payments from 10 percent of a borrowers discretionary income to 5 percent. The plan also shortens the repayment period to 10 years for qualifying borrowers, after which their remaining balance would be forgiven.

Roughly 7.5 million borrowers have already signed up for the SAVE plan, and 150,000 individuals have had their debt canceled under the new income-driven repayment plan.

Two groups of Republican state attorneys general have challenged the plan, contending Biden doesnt have legal authority to implement it and that it flouts the Supreme Courts decision last year striking down one the presidents earlier student debt programs.

There is a reason the Final Rule is the Governments backup plan for mass loan forgiveness: the Governments statutory arguments are even weaker than in Biden v. Nebraska, one group of states wrote in court filings, referring to that earlier case.

The other group similarly wrote, This current attempt to unilaterally cancel debt is every bit as unlawful as the first 12-digit effort this Court rejected.

Both lawsuits reached the Supreme Court in recent weeks on its emergency docket after conflicting rulings in lower courts.

Last month, Alaska, South Carolina and Texas asked the justices to reinstate a district court ruling that blocks portions of the plan as the case proceeds. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals lifted the block at the Justice Departments request.

Soon after, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals effectively halted the entire plan in response to the other challenge, which is being led by Missouri. It is joined by six other Republican state attorneys general: Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, North Dakota, Ohio and Oklahoma.

The Biden administration then sought the Supreme Courts emergency intervention to temporarily lift that order.

The States fail to justify allowing that extraordinary injunction to continue to harm millions of borrowers while this appeal is litigated, U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar wrote in court filings.

The justices rejected that request and the effort mounted in the other lawsuit by the three Republican state attorneys general. Both cases will now return to lower courts.

The Supreme Court also turned away an alternative idea proposed by all sides to go ahead and take up the legality of the SAVE plan on the merits for the courts upcoming term.

That wouldve mimicked how the court handled the previous iteration of student debt relief challenges.

But the Supreme Court is staying away this time, at least for now.

Story was updated at 5:27 p.m. ET

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PUT-IN-BAY  Recently located video surveillance footage of an assault outside the Frosty Bar may be the key to solving the case.

A call came in to the Put-in-Bay Police Department at 12:11 a.m. Friday. An Ottawa County Sheriffs deputy found a man unconscious in what is commonly known as Commodore Alley, between Catawba and Loraine avenues, near the rear of the bar.

The call record report notes Put-in-Bay officers found a male lying on the ground. He told officers he was a musician and had been performing at Frostys. He did not know what happened after leaving. Due to bleeding from the head, the man was transported by to a Toledo hospital by a medical helicopter.

Later that day the victim returned to the Put-in-Bay police station regarding pressing charges.

Police Cpl. David Fenstermaker said the case remains under investigation. He confirmed social media reportsthat the victim had a concussion, a fractured vertebrae and possible minor surgery for the cut on his head.

Police searching for a suspect

I might have a possible suspect. Im trying to pursue that. I just dont have a name yet, Fenstermaker said. "I'm hoping someone comes forward, because we don't have a name yet."

The police requested surveillance camera footage. Fenstermaker indicated one camera in the area was found to be non-functional since 2023.

Somewhere between that back patio (at Frostys) and the Commodore, he was assaulted, Fenstermaker said. It would help if everyone had cameras here. We tell them every year to get good cameras, because it would help them.

Police have a basic description of the event and the suspect who may have committed the assault.

Fenstermaker said there was a verbal altercation in the bar between multiple people, based on a claim the victim may have inappropriately touched a woman.

Description of man police are looking for

The suspect is described as being an older male, in his mid-40s to mid-60s, about 6 feet tall and stocky, with short spiky hair, with a possible tattoo on the upper right arm. He was wearing greenish-gray shorts, sandals and a black short-sleeve shirt that had a red American flag on the right sleeve with a Dont tread on me snake logo on the back. The man may have been accompanied by several younger women.

Fenstermaker said the man paid in cash, but may have used a credit card at other establishments.

Put-in-Bay Police are requesting information from the public on the identity of the individuals involved in the assault.

rlapointe@gannett.com

419-332-2674

This article originally appeared on Port Clinton News Herald: Assault investigation at Put-in-Bay helped by surveillance footage
The families of victims killed in the Allen Premium Outlets mass shooting are suing the property manager of the mall and the motel where the shooter was living.

The lawsuit claims Simon Property Group, the owner of the outlets, knew the risks of gun violence at its locations and made promises to provide security but demonstrated negligence in a duty to protect customers. It blames Budget Suites of America, a motel with single-night or short-term rental options, for not seeing signs that the gunman was dangerous and not reporting him to police,

Simon Property Group and Budget Suites of America could not be reached by the Star-Telegram for comment.

The suit stems from the May 6, 2023, North Texas mass shooting that killed eight people and wounded seven others.

The shooter, 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia, was a Latino Neo-Nazi who made posts on a Russian social media site glorifying mass shootings and referring to kill counts of mass killers. His account boasted of scouting the mall before the shooting.

On May 6, 2023, Garcia drove to the Allen Premium Outlets and got out of his vehicle and started shooting, authorities said. He was killed within four minutes by a police officer who was already at the scene and reacted when he heard gunshots.

Surviving relatives of those killed claim in the suit that the property owner had knowledge that mass shootings at the mall were possible and neglected a duty to protect shoppers and employees. It seeks money for damages including loss of life, loss of income, loss of companionship and punitive damages.

Simon Property Group

The suit points to shootings at other shopping centers, like the 2019 shooting at an El Paso Walmart, as proof that the risks of a mass shooting were clear. The lawsuit points to gun violence at one of Simons properties in Texas in 2014, when a woman was held at gunpoint at Tylers Broadway Square Mall.

The suit quotes John Rulli, Simons chief administrative officer, acknowledging that shootings at malls and other public spaces was a risk and saying Simon was doing everything it could to prevent them.

Its not a mall issue, its a societal issue and we are doing everything we can with the resources we have to protect our property, our people and our retailers, Rulli said, according to the suit.

The suit also quoted an annual 10-K filing, which provides an update on the business activities which acknowledged that malls were targets for terror attacks and mass shootings.

Because our properties are open to the public, they are ex-posed to risks related to acts of violence, civil unrest and criminal activity as well as actual or threatened terrorist attacks, the suit quoted from the 10-K filing.

The property group held training in responding to active shootings and worked with FEMA on additional training and resources, according to the suit.

The lawsuit claims awareness of the risks gave Simon a responsibility to increase security to protect visitors and employees but that Simon failed.

Budget Suites of America

The suit also names Budget Suites of America, including a specific location in Dallas at 8150 North Stemmons Road where Garcia was living leading up to the shooting. It claims Budget Suites of America employees had access to his motel room, and would have seen weapons, ammunition and Neo-Nazi belongings, but that they made no report to police.

Budget Suites of America had a responsibility to report those things and their failure to do so allowed the shooter to plan and carry out the attack on the mall, the suit alleges. It says Garcia signed a Nazi lighting-shaped SS instead of his name when checking in for an extended stay at the motel and had items in his room including a patch with RWDS on it, meaning Right Wing Death Squad.

The specific location was the site of other violent crimes and felonies around the time of the attack, according to the suit. It claims those crimes should have led the company to direct employees to report suspicious people or items inside motel rooms.
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH)  A New Haven man has been convicted of the 2020 murder of Ricky Newton.

New Haven police investigating after 4 people shot within 13 hours

Rashad Hardy, 49, shot the 36-year-old victim on Rosette Street on July 10, 2020. Newton was transported to the hospital shortly after, where he died of his wounds.

Hardy was found living in a group home in Maryland and was taken into custody two weeks after the murder. He is set to be sentenced on Nov. 25, 2024.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.
CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI)  One of the two suspects in a Cranston home invasion over the weekend appeared in Kent County District Court on Wednesday morning.

Logan Slezak (Courtesy: North Providence Police Department)

Police said early Saturday morning, two armed, masked men broke into the house on Crest Drive and demanded the keys to a Ferrari convertible and a Chevrolet Corvette. The suspects fled in the Ferrari, leaving the Corvette behind, according to police.

Logan Slezak, 18, of Providence, was arraigned on charges of breaking, using a firearm in a crime of violence, and conspiracy.

He was ordered to be held without bail and is expected back in court on Sept. 5.

Slezaks attorney, John MacDonald, declined to comment.

BACKGROUND: 2 accused of breaking into Cranston home, stealing Ferrari

The second suspect, Johnathan Costa, 19, of Cranston, allegedly led police on a high-speed chase through several states. On Tuesday afternoon, the stolen Ferrari was tracked down in Palm Coast, Florida.

(Courtesy: Flagler County Sheriffs Office)

Florida deputies said they spotted the Ferrari speeding into Flagler County at over 100 mph, nearly colliding with multiple vehicles.

According to the Flagler County Sheriffs Office, two schools were briefly placed on lockdown as a precaution, and several highways were temporarily shut down during the pursuit.

Deputies later found the Ferrari covered with red and blue tarps on Royal Palm Lane, where Costa was believed to be hiding at a friends house.

Johnathan Costa (Courtesy: Flagler County Sheriffs Office)

Deputies surrounded the home and Costa was arrested without incident. He was charged as a fugitive from justice with entering a dwelling with felonious intent, using a firearm during a crime of violence, and conspiracy.

The Flagler County Sheriffs Office released body-worn camera footage Wednesday afternoon capturing his arrest.

In the video, Costa can be heard asking, Am I gonna be brought to Rhode Island? to which a deputy responded, I have no idea. Youve got charges across the East Coast, son.

(Story continues below video.)

Slezak turned himself in to North Providence police just hours after Costas arrest.

12 News learned that Costa knew someone who lived at the Cranston home. Police said one of the suspects had previously been in the home and knew where the keys were.

Florida authorities said the investigation is ongoing and additional charges could be brought against Costa. Hes currently being held without bond.

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LIBERTY COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV)  A suspect involved in a domestic dispute is dead after being shot by a Liberty County deputy Tuesday morning, officials tell News 3.

The shooting took place around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday morning in the area of the 400 block of Old Hines Road in Flemington.

Officer calling for money? Chatham County Police Dept. says its a scam

The officer involved was not injured. The suspect was taken to Liberty Regional Medical Center In Hinesville for treatment and later died.

According to the Liberty County Sheriffs Office, the site is secure and there is no danger to the public at this time.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has been called in to investigate the incident.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV.
A judges ruling last week has put the prosecutions case against a man accused of possessing a large amount of cocaine last year in Fredericksburg in serious jeopardy.

Donald Tyrone Hollinshed, 44, of Stafford, was arrested in October following a traffic stop when nearly a half kilo of cocaine and more than $19,000 in cash were seized. Hollinshed is charged with possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute and has a trial pending in Fredericksburg Circuit Court.

But last week, court records show, Judge Sarah Deneke granted defense attorney Eugene Frosts motion to suppress the evidence recovered from the car, meaning it cant be used against Hollinshed in a trial. Deneke ruled that the traffic stop that resulted in Hollinsheds arrest was improper because police were not certain it was Hollinshed behind the wheel of the vehicle, and there were no traffic violations that merited a stop.

Prosecutor Justin Witt disagreed and said he will appeal Denekes ruling to the Virginia Court of Appeals. If the appeals court upholds Denekes decision, there would be no way to successfully proceed with the case against Hollinshed, and the money that was seized would likely be returned.

According to court records, city detective Stephen Lamar conducted surveillance on Hollinshed on Oct. 9 and 10. Lamar had received information from an informant that Hollinshed, who has prior drug convictions, was returning from the area of National Harbor in Maryland with a large supply of cocaine.

Lamar sat on Interstate 95 for about two hours Oct. 9 waiting for a red Hyundai sedan that he was informed that Hollinshed would be driving. He never saw the vehicle on the interstate, so Lamar continued his surveillance in the area of Hollinsheds home in the Olde Forge area of southern Stafford. He saw the Hyundai, which was not registered to Hollinshed, in the driveway and continued to monitor it until about 2 a.m. Oct. 10.

Lamar returned to the area later that day and eventually saw Hollinshed carrying a backpack and getting into the drivers seat of the Hyundai. He followed Hollinshed to a home on Hughey Court in Fredericksburg. Lamar had been told Hollinshed stored his cocaine at the home.

The red Hyundai eventually left the home, but court records state that Lamar was positioned in a way that he didnt actually see Hollinshed get into the car. He requested the city officers make a traffic stop, as he knew that Hollinshed had a suspended license. Police could not see who was driving the car because of the heavy tint on the windows, court records state.

Officer F.P. Murphy stopped the Hyundai in the 400 block of Riverside Drive and learned that Hollinshed was indeed the driver. The car was towed and a search warrant was obtained, leading to the recovery of the cocaine and other items.

Witt argued that the information Lamar had obtained during his investigation, along with other factors, made the stop a good one. Given the totality of the circumstances ... reasonable articulable suspicion existed for the stop of Hollinshed and the motion to suppress should be denied, Witt wrote.

Frost countered that Murphy had no justifiable reason to stop the Hyundai that day and that neither he nor Lamar had witnessed any criminal activity. He said the search warrant was obtained without merit.

A status hearing on the Hollinshed case is scheduled for Sept. 25 in circuit court.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY)  The Virginia Beach man accused of abducting his three kids after stabbing his ex-wife and stepdaughter earlier this month has been extradited into Virginia Beach Sheriffs Office custody.

Dana Plummer (Courtesy of the Virginia Beach Sheriffs Office)

The case involving Dana Plummer prompted an Amber Alert and culminated in a crash in Maryland that killed Plummers 16-month-old daughter. His two other children were seriously hurt.

Plummer previously appeared in Maryland court in connection to the incident, but this marks the first time hell appear in Virginia Beach court. Hes expected to be arraigned on Thursday.

Previous: VB Amber Alert suspect waives right to extradition hearing

Plummer faces several charges in Virginia Beach, including three counts of abduction by force and misdemeanor assault on a family member.

Look for updates from 10 On Your Side coming up.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
PUTNAM, Conn. (WTNH)  Putnam police say one of their cruisers was struck while responding to a shoplifting attempt.

They were dispatched to a local business for the reported shoplifting attempt around 4:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Yale police investigating 2 drive-by BB gun assaults

Upon arrival, officers immediately recognized the suspect as 35-year-old Kayla Link, aka Kayla Gould, who had numerous arrest warrants, including felonies in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Officers saw the vehicle Link was driving on a short time later, at the intersection of Providence Street and Powhattan Street.

When an officer tried to pull Link over, she reportedly drove into the police cruiser before fleeing. The impact caused non-disabling damage to the cruiser, according to police.

Officers said they pursued the vehicle onto I-395 northbound, but the pursuit was later terminated for the publics safety. No injuries were reported.

15-year-old boy stable after being shot in Hartford

Law enforcement continued searching the area for the gray Hyundai Sonata with unknown Connecticut license plates.

Police said a passenger in the vehicle was identified as 31-year-old Eric Pariseau, who also had numerous active arrest warrants in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Anyone with information leading to the apprehension of Link or Pariseau is asked to contact Putnam Police at 860-928-6565 or on www.putnampolice.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 WTNH.com.
By John Revill

BELLINZONA, Switzerland (Reuters) -The Swiss Federal Criminal Court convicted on Wednesday two executives at an oil exploration company for embezzling more than $1.8 billion from Malaysia's state investment fund 1MDB.

Swiss-British national Patrick Mahony and Swiss-Saudi Tarek Obaid were also ordered to pay back more than $1.75 billion to the fund, which was at the centre of an international kleptocracy scandal.

The difference between the two amounts was interest payments the fraudsters paid back to 1MDB during the scam.

The verdict was the latest episode in the 1MDB affair, a complex tale of international corruption that has buffeted a slew of financial institutions and individuals across the globe since allegations of wrongdoing first surfaced in 2015.

Prosecutors alleged that Mahony and Obaid had helped to set up a joint venture with 1MDB by creating the impression that their company, PetroSaudi, was backed by the Saudi government.

This was not in fact the case, but the accused managed to persuade 1MDB's board into signing up to the scheme in 2009 before going on to defraud the fund, prosecutors said

"The accused deceived the members of the 1MDB board of directors into believing that Petrosaudi had links with the Saudi Arabian government and that PetroSaudi would contribute significant oil assets to the joint venture," the court said.

"These statements were false, and the accused knew this very well."

According to the indictment, the two executives defrauded the wealth fund of $1.8 billion to enrich themselves, with Obaid getting at least $805 million and Mahony at least $37 million

They were both convicted of fraud, criminal mismanagement and money laundering by the court in the southern Swiss city of Bellinzona.

Obaid was sentenced to seven years in prison, while Mahony received a sentence of six years. The court said the sentences differed because Obaid had enriched himself more than Mahony.

"The court took into account the very high amounts involved, the intensity of the criminal activity, (and) the selfish motive," it said.

The two men had denied any wrongdoing. Obaid's lawyer said his client had immediately filed an appeal against the verdict.

"Mr. Obaid has always contested the commission of any offense," said Daniel Zappelli. "The reasoning of the court has not taken into consideration very numerous factual and legal aspects that we had brought before it."

Mahony's lawyer did not respond to a request for comment.

Prosecutors said the two men created the fraudulent scheme with fugitive Malaysian financier Jho Low, an adviser to former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, who is already in prison over his role in the multi-billion dollar scandal.

Initially extracting $1 billion from 1MDB so it could buy a stake in their venture, the accused took a further $830 million from the fund between 2010 and 2011 as part of an Islamic loan that followed on from their tie-up, prosecutors said.

Between September 2009 and at least July 2015 the accused arranged for bank accounts to be opened in Switzerland to help launder the millions, prosecutors said.

They used the money to buy real estate in Switzerland and London, jewellery and private equity, as well as to develop the PetroSaudi business from which they received a sizeable income, and to maintain "a lavish lifestyle", prosecutors said.

Malaysian and U.S. investigators estimate a total of $4.5 billion was siphoned away from 1MDB following its inception in 2009, implicating figures including Razak, Goldman Sachs staff and high-level officials elsewhere.

1MDB, the former sovereign wealth fund which is currently trying to recover its stolen assets, welcomed the judgment.

"We welcome today's verdict.... which means that Patrick Mahony and Tarek Obaid will face justice for their role in embezzling and defrauding the people of Malaysia," a spokesperson said.

(Reporting by John Revill; Editing by Gareth Jones, Jan Harvey and Mark Potter)
CHEATHAM COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN)  The Pleasant View community is mourning the loss of a Sycamore High School student who died suddenly.

According to Cheatham County Emergency Services, the teenage boy died Tuesday night in the Harris Farms subdivision in Pleasant View.

The Cheatham County School District described the loss of the student as immeasurable.

The district released a statement after the students death, which reads:

The Cheatham County School District is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of a Sycamore High School student. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to the students family and friends during this difficult time. The impact of such a loss is immeasurable. Counseling support is being provided this week at Sycamore High School to assist those affected during this grieving process. Communications Director Tim Adkins

The boys body was taken to the Nashville Medical Examiners for an autopsy, results of which will not be available for at least three months.

No additional information was immediately 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.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  Officials in D.C. and Washington County said some AT&T customers were facing issues calling 911 on Tuesday night.

In a post on X made just after 8 p.m., D.C.s Office of Unified Communications (OUC) said AT&T reported network issues that might impact peoples ability to call 911 from a wireless device.

Changes, upgrades coming to DCs 911 system after major outages

If you are unable to dial 911, please use a landline phone, request someone call 911 on your behalf, or visit a local police or fire station to report the emergency, the OUC wrote.

The issue in the District was resolved a short time later.

In Washington County, however, officials announced residents were dealing with a similar issue.

AT&T Mobility has confirmed that their teams are actively working to isolate and resolve the issue. However, the specific cause of the service outage has not yet been determined. We understand the critical nature of this situation and are in constant communication with AT&T to ensure that this issue is resolved as quickly as possible, Hagerstown officials said in a statement.

Residents facing issues were advised to use a landline or a different wireless carrier to dial 911, if possible.

In a statement to DC News Now, an AT&T spokesperson said, in part, We are working to address a software issue that may affect the ability of a limited number of our customers to connect to our wireless network.

FirstNet customers were not impacted, the company noted.

On Wednesday morning, the Emergency Communication Center (911) for Washington County announced that the network service outage had been resolved and that residents could resume calling 911 without any difficulties.

The center said residents are encouraged to test their devices and report any further issues.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
A 32-year-old Tacoma man who used a steak knife to fatally stab his mother may spend the rest of his life in a state mental hospital after he was declared not guilty of the murder by reason of insanity.

Michael Robert Gese was charged with first- and second-degree murder following the Feb. 1, 2023, attack at the Central Tacoma home he lived in with his mother, 66-year-old Gail Gese. The victim was a middle school teacher in the Kent School District.

Gail Gese called 911 that morning and reported that her son was having a mental health crisis. According to Pierce County Superior Court records, Michael Gese stabbed his mother while she was on the phone, then fled the home in the 800 block of South Anderson Street. He was arrested that afternoon when officers found him on Pacific Avenue.

A mental health professional found the defendant to be competent to stand trial in October after Gese was ordered to undergo up to 90 days of inpatient competency restoration at Western State Hospital, but a psychologist also determined he was legally insane at the time of his mothers murder.

Judge Philip Sorensen accepted the defendants plea of not guilty by reason of insanity Aug. 16. According to court records, he concluded that Gese had committed first-degree murder with a deadly weapon, and that he was unable to tell right from wrong in regard to the acts he was accused of due to a mental disease or defect.

Crime scene technicians investigate the scene where a 66-year-old woman was found dead inside her Central Tacoma residence after she called 911 asking for help for her son, who she said was having a mental health crisis, at the 800 block of South Anderson Street in Tacoma, Wash. on Feb. 1, 2023.

In his most recently filed psychological evaluation dated July 29, a licensed psychologist gave the opinion that at the time of the offense Gese was suffering from schizophrenia, continuous, in an acute episode and cannabis-use disorder.

Gese was determined to be a substantial danger to himself or others and likely to commit more crimes unless kept institutionalized. Sorensen ordered him committed to the custody of the Department of Social and Health Services. His commitment to a state mental hospital could last for his entire life because life in prison is the maximum penalty for first-degree murder.

The News Tribune was unable to reach Geses defense attorney for comment.

According to court records, Gese had no prior felony convictions. He had previously been found incompetent to stand trial in 2019 in a misdemeanor harassment case and was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

The defendant had been admitted to MultiCare Allenmore Hospital on several occasions, including on the evening before his arrest in this case. According to his psychological evaluation, Gese arrived at the emergency department at about 7:40 p.m. complaining of vomiting. He was given Zofran intravenously to prevent nausea.

Gese reportedly became irate with staff and left the hospital at about 9:30 p.m. before he could be further examined. His mother called 911 about nine hours later.

Gail Gese was a teacher at Cedar Heights Middle School. The Gail Gese Sunshine Scholars Memorial Fund Scholarship has since been created in her memory, according to the Kent Community Foundation. In a Facebook post about the scholarship, the middle school where she worked in Covington wrote that Gail Gese made everyones experience there brighter.

Gail dedicated her life to education and inspiring students to reach their full potential, the school wrote.

An issue over whether Michael Gese could continue to stay at his mothers house might have led to the stabbing, according to charging documents. Hed lived at the home for more than a year, and after his arrest he told Tacoma Police Department detectives that his mother had asked him to leave, but he said he didnt want to because he would be homeless.

He said that he had to Pop the robots head off, which he was trying to do, stating that would release him for work,  prosecutors wrote in the probable cause document.

Detectives obtained surveillance video from inside the victims house that reportedly showed what happened.

The mother was on a couch in the living room talking with 911 when Gese approached from the kitchen, records state. The man was seen jumping on the woman, stabbing her in the neck and then pushing her to the floor. He then ran from the house and threw the knife onto the couch.

According to court records, Geses father wasnt living at the home at the time. Hed been admitted to the St. Joseph Medical Center in January 2023 for assisted living care for a dementia diagnosis.

Gail Gese (right).

Geses mental health reportedly improved during inpatient treatment at Western State Hospital in 2023. Dr. Michael Stanfill, a psychologist and a clinical professor at the University of Washington, was appointed as a defense expert to determine Geses ability to stand trial and his mental state at the time of the crime. According to court records, Stanfill reported that Gese was in a more stable state but appeared to have very limited awareness of the unintended consequences of his actions.

Stanfill wrote that Gese was aware of the basic facts of his actions, but he held entrenched delusional beliefs that guided him.

He did not in fact, pop the head off a robot from a simulated reality, but instead stabbed his mother in the neck, ultimately resulting in her death, Stanfill wrote.

Even now, when directly asked about his delusional process, Mr. Gese reports that he was in fact an elitist and was elevated to that status due to his actions of disposing of the robot. Additionally, he held a delusional belief that the robots consciousness would be moved to an NSA monitor.

Geses history of mental health treatment reportedly dated back to when he was 13 or 14 years old, according to his most recent psychological evaluation. Gese reported being diagnosed with depression at that age and participated in counseling for a brief time. Gese also used cannabis for the first time at age 14, and he reported experiencing some paranoia from it.
Give me your tail!: OHP trooper rescues opossum from under car hood

Give me your tail!: OHP trooper rescues opossum from under car hood

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper got more than he bargained for when he attempted to jump start a vehicle.

According to OHP, Trooper Ryan Griffith was picking up an OHP pool unit that had been sitting in a lot since December 2023.

GOOD NEWS!: Local pup running for People Magazines Worlds Cutest Rescue Dog

When he lifted the hood to try and jump start the vehicle, he was met with an opossum who wasnt very happy to see the trooper.

Opossum under car's hood.

Give me your tail! Give me your tail! said Trooper Griffith.

OHP says both opossum and trooper were unharmed and the opossum was quickly released.

Well see if he eventually comes back over to make a habitat in another one of our cars. OHP said.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
A billboard welcoming Pope Francis stands above a mural honoring Bishop Belo and three others as national heros in Dili, East Timor, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)

DILI, East Timor (AP)  When Pope Francis makes his trip to Asias newest country, East Timor, it will make him the second pope to visit after John Paul in 1989, and the first since the country gained independence from Indonesia in 2002.

It also comes only two years after the Vatican acknowledged that the Nobel Peace Prize-winning, East Timorese independence hero Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo had sexually abused young boys, and three years after a popular American missionary was convicted of molesting young girls.

The two clergymen still enjoy widespread support among the overwhelming Catholic people of East Timor, for their staunch support of the country during its bloody struggle for independence.

An Associated Press visit to the capital, Dili, ahead of Francis' visit, which starts Sept. 9, found that most people downplay, doubt, or dismiss the claims against the two.

Experts say that if Francis chooses to tackle the issue head-on and apologize to the largely-ignored victims, it could be a landmark moment of his papacy.

Here are some takeaways from AP's report ahead of the papal visit.

Accusations against the clergymen

Belo suddenly retired in 2002 as the head of the church in East Timor, citing health reasons and stress.

Belo, today 76, was then sent by the Vatican and his Salesian missionary order to another former Portuguese colony, Mozambique, to work as a missionary priest where he said he spent his time teaching catechism to children, giving retreats to young people.

It wasn't until 2022 that the allegations against him became widely known, when Dutch journalist Tjiyske Lingsma published a report detailing them.

The day after Lingsma's story went out, the Vatican confirmed that Belo had been secretly sanctioned two years earlier, and that restrictions placed on him included a ban on voluntary contact with minors.

Lingsma also helped bring to light the case of missionary Richard Daschbach to light with a report in 2019.

Rumors had been building against the priest, and by the time the report was published, he had already confessed in a letter to church authorities to abusing young girls from at least 1991 to 2012.

It is impossible for me to remember even the faces of many of them, let alone the names, he wrote.

The 87-year-old was defrocked by the Vatican and criminally charged in East Timor, where he was convicted in 2021 and is now serving 12 years in prison.

Why do they continue to enjoy strong support?

Belo won the Nobel Peace Prize for his bravery in drawing international attention to Indonesian human rights abuses during the long and bloody conflict against Indonesia, sharing it with current East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee, in its citation, praised Belos courage in refusing to be intimidated by Indonesian forces. The committee noted that while trying to get the United Nations to arrange a plebiscite for East Timor, he smuggled out two witnesses to a bloody 1991 massacre so they could testify to the U.N. human rights commission in Geneva.

Similarly, Daschbach, the son of a Pittsburgh steelworker, was widely celebrated for his role in helping save lives in the struggle for independence, particularly in the remote enclave of Oecusse, where he spent decades as a missionary.

More broadly, the church's opposition to Indonesia's military occupation and support for the resistance over years of bloody fighting that saw as many as 200,000 people killed, is so respected that it is even noted in the preamble to the young country's constitution.

That has fostered an environment where it is difficult for victims of abuse to speak out for fear of being labeled anti-church, and where men like Belo and Daschbach continue to receive support from all walks of society.

Even after Daschbach's conviction, Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, an independence hero himself, has visited him in prison  hand-feeding him cake and serving him wine on his birthday  and has said winning the ex-priests early release is a priority for him.

What will Francis do?

Pope Francis will come face to face with the Timorese faithful. But so far, there is no word if he will meet with victims or even mention the sex abuse directly, as he has in other countries where the rank-and-file faithful have demanded an accounting from the hierarchy for how it failed to protect their children.

Even though he faces no pressure from those inside the country to apologize to the victims of Belo and Daschbach, Lingsma says it would be deeply meaningful to them if he did, adding that she also knew of allegations in several other cases that had not yet come to the public's attention.

With the support enjoyed by the two clergymen, including from top levels, their victims must be feeling alone and isolated, but Francis could utterly transform this situation by becoming the victims' champion," said Anne Barrett Doyle, of the online resource Bishop Accountability.

She said it could be a landmark moment for his papacy if he were to show moral outrage on their behalf.

Francis could even address the countrys hidden victims, promising his support and urging them to contact him directly about their abuse  he literally could save lives, she said.

And the impact of such a message would be felt not just in East Timor, but throughout Asia and Africa, where surely hundreds of thousands of clergy sex abuse victims are suffering.

Timorese historian Luciano Valentim da Conceixao suggested, however, that Belo and Daschbach's role in East Timor's independence should not be discounted.

Clergymen are not free from mistakes, da Conceixao conceded. But we, the Timorese, have to look with a clear mind at the mistakes they made and the good they did for the country, for the freedom of a million people, and of course the value is not the same.

___

Rising reported from Bangkok.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Wake Countys Republican-backed school board candidates are campaigning for conservative voters with Michele Morrow, the GOP nominee for state superintendent of public instruction.

The GOP-backed school board candidates joined Morrow and other Republican elected officials and candidates to talk about education at this weeks Western Wake Republican Club meeting in Cary. The candidates mixed a message of religion and politics, arguing that Christian voters need to support conservative candidates to save America.

We know that we are on the brink of collapse, Morrow said. And I have to tell you, I believe the biggest threat to our constitutional republic right now is the indoctrination happening in the public school system around this country.

Charges of public school indoctrination

Morrow is a homeschool parent, conservative activist, registered nurse and former Christian missionary who upset incumbent Catherine Truitt in the March Republican primary for state superintendent.

She is running against Democrat Mo Green, the former superintendent of Guilford County Schools, and former executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, a group that funds progressive causes.

Candidates for N.C. Superintendent of Schools Maurice Green (left) and Republican Michele Morrow (right).

Morrow repeated many of the charges shes made on the campaign trail, including claiming that public schools are telling white students they must apologize for the color of their skin.

Morrow closed her comments by echoing the words of a Christian missionary, William Carey, before he went to India.

Im asking you, on behalf of me and everyone that is on the ballot this year, we are willing to go into the pit, Morrow said. Will you hold the ropes? Thank you. God bless you and God bless America.

Morrow called an extremist

Morrow made national headlines after CNN reported on her past social media posts that talked about killing former President Barack Obama and encouraged President Donald Trump to use the military to stay in power in 2021. Shes said her comments were made in jest or taken out of context.

Opponents have accused Morrow of injecting Christian nationalism into the campaign.

Tonight we were sent some audio, the group Say No To Extremists posted Monday on X. We listened to the broken record that is Michele Morrow.

The election is near, say no to extremist Michele Morrow. Vote for candidates who believe in public education, support our educators & isnt a Qanon j6 insurrectionist. Vote@MoGreenforNC

Mixed GOP support for Morrow

Some Republican elected officials and candidates have been reluctant to publicly support Morrow. Truitt has publicly said she would not endorse Morrow.

This race isnt about politics, its about our children, Mo Green said in a statement Wednesday. Morrow cant be trusted to take care of our public schools, even fellow Republicans know it. This moment requires all of us, regardless of political party affiliation, to stand up in support of public education.

But state Rep. John Torbett and Dave Boliek, the GOP nominee for State Auditor, both praised Morrow at Mondays Western Wake GOP meeting.

State Rep. John Torbett (R-Gaston) talks at the Western Wake Republican Club meeting on Aug. 26, 2024 in Cary. N.C.

Im voting for Michele Morrow, said Torbett a Gaston County Republican and chair of several House education committees. And I look so much forward to working with her and getting our school system back on the correct path the good Lord mean it be on to begin with.

Boliek said Morrow is right in calling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a waste of money and administrative bloat. Supporters of DEI policies say they help historically under-represented groups.

Conservative school board majority sought

Locally, the Wake school board is officially non-partisan. But it has a 7-2 Democratic majority. Five school board seats are on the Nov. 5 ballot.

The Wake County Democratic Party has endorsed incumbents Lynn Edmonds, Sam Hershey, Lindsay Mahaffey, Toshiba Rice and newcomer Jordyne Blaise.

The Wake County Republican Party has endorsed incumbent Wing Ng and challengers Ted Hills, Elizabeth McDuffie, Robert Morales Vergara and Josh Points.

Morales Vergara announced Wednesday that hes withdrawing from the race and is endorsing Rice for the District 4 seat. Morales Vergara cited his disappointment with the leadership of the Wake GOP behind his decision.

Hills said hes running to oppose the school boards adoption of the Biden Administrations new rules that extend Title IX to include gender identity. Hills said he decided to run after Morrow sent out an email saying there were no Republican or conservative candidates running against Edmonds.

If all of the candidates here are voted in ... instead of having a 7-2 liberal majority on the board, we will have a 6-3 conservative majority, said Hills, who is the North Carolina prayer coordinator for the Christian voter group My Faith Votes.

Wake County school board candidate Ted Hills speaks at the Western Wake Republican Club meeting on Aug. 26, 2024 in Cary. N.C.

Hills message was echoed Monday by school board member Cheryl Caulfield, who is not up for re-election.

Please donate, help them, Caulfield said. Provide the time and share, share, share with all of your friends and family.

It is not the time to not talk about politics and religion anymore. We need to talk about it. Too much is at risk.
Welcome back to Waste Watch with Dia Chakravarty. This week, were paying a visit to Wales.

It was reported last week that the Welsh Government is funding a 130,000 project to challenge the dominant paradigm of whiteness in order for Welsh libraries to become less racist. It is part of the devolved authoritys plan to eradicate racism by 2030, wrote my colleague Craig Simpson, who has been reporting on this extensively.

So what is the total budget allocated to achieve the eradication of systemic racism in Wales by 2030?

The Anti-racist Wales Action Plan does not have one specific budget, a Welsh Government spokesman responded to my query, as its goals and actions are distributed across nearly all areas of government. Each policy area has been allocated resources to implement it.

A quick glance through the annual report on the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan indeed reveals figures great and small littered throughout the document. There are incentive grants of up to 5,000 to be paid to increase the number of ethnic minority teachers.

Then theres the over 2.8 million awarded to organisations to engage ethnic minorities to express their creativity, heritage, language, cultural identity and origins. A part of this funding has gone towards understanding of how [museum] collections are connected with slavery and empire.

[A]dditional funding of 70k was awarded to an ethnic minority-led groups to appoint an Anti-Racism Manager to help with their work of providing anti-racism training to housing organisations.

Returning to our original story, the Welsh Government spokesman was able to confirm that the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), the group which has been tasked with ridding Welsh libraries of racism following an open application exercise, has been awarded grant funding of 134,600 over financial years 2022-2025.

Bearing in mind that this amount is larger than the combined starting salaries of four nurses in Wales, and that CILIP is a registered charity which enjoys tax exemptions accompanying that status, lets take a look at what Welsh taxpayers are paying for instead.

Under its Anti-racist Library Collections project, CILIP has produced a guide which it hopes will assist librarians in their journey towards creating anti-racist libraries. It aims to ensure[s] that libraries not only comply with the Welsh Public Libraries Standards but also become proactive champions of racial equity.

The language of the guide verges on the religious: Do not be disheartened by barriers to your implementation. Remember that your efforts are supported and endorsed by CILIPs Anti-Racist Library Collections project and by the Welsh Governments Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan. By taking on this challenge, your organisation will be contributing to a broader movement for social change and making a positive impact on the communities you serve.

The document identifies White fragility as one of the [o]bstacles to effectively receiving anti-racist library training. The concept, which the guide understandably feels the need to explain in a footnote for its British audience, is a deeply problematic American import. The phrase was coined by Robin DiAngelo whose views on race can be summarised  as CNN did, not disapprovingly  as: If youre a white person in America[y]oure a racist, pure and simple, and without a lifetime of conscious effort you always will be.

The American influence on the whole document is striking, even down to the americanisation of spellings (program, emphasize and so on). But more substantively, the recommended reading list to rid the Welsh librarians mind of racism is comprised almost entirely of books by American authors, including an autobiography of Malcolm X and of course, Robin DiAngelos White Fragility: Why Its So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism. Out of the 41 books listed, only three could be identified as written by British authors.

If anyone was under the impression that the point of any of this was to bring communities together through honest conversations about race then they would be gravely mistaken.

Participants, says the guidance, can be asked to write down their privileges and then share them with the group. These privileges can be related to race, gender, ability, or socioeconomic status.

What is apparent is that these organisations and the toolkits they create are philosophically rooted in the assumption that every white individual  thats 93.8 per cent of the Welsh population  is guilty of bias, even if they dont recognise it within themselves.

There has been a distinct shift over the last decade from tackling overt racism to much vaguer objectives of identifying unconscious biases and addressing them, as the document states itself: Anti-racism in the plan goes beyond previous approaches like integration or multiculturalism and emphasizes ethnic minority leadership, challenging structures of power and subconscious biases.

This shift hands over a great deal of power to groups such as CILIP who are at liberty to define racism and unconscious bias in whatever way they choose, and then endlessly extract taxpayer funded grants to monitor and address perceived racism.



Whatever the ultimate goal of this exercise is, it cannot be a happier, more united and cohesive society. Because this relentlessly divisive, toxic approach is the most definitive way of destroying any chance of that ever being achieved.

It is, however, an excellent income generator for so-called anti-racist advocacy groups at the expense of taxpayers money. Meanwhile, with nearly one in five people waiting for treatment, hospital waiting lists in Wales have hit another record high.

Please share share examples of public spending in your personal and professional lives which you consider to be a waste of taxpayers money. You can email us your stories  either in writing or as voice notes  at wastewatch@telegraph.co.uk

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A sign outside posted on July 20, 2024, outside of Kincaid Elementary School advertises job openings in the Anchorage School District. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

A bill aimed at attracting and keeping quality teachers in Alaska classrooms became law on Monday without Gov. Mike Dunleavys signature.

The laws changes to current education policy are threefold: It eliminates a state limit on experience-based compensation for teachers, allows retired teachers to serve as long-term substitutes and provides financial incentives for current teachers to seek certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Rep. Rebecca Himschoot, I-Sitka and a former teacher, sponsored the bill, which grew in the amendment process to include two other proposals written by former teachers. Himschoot said it is an example of educator-led legislation that can make meaningful change in Alaskas schools.

This is exactly the kind of targeted and strategic stuff we need to be doing, she said on Tuesday. Every time we can find a measure, no matter how small it is, and put it together with other measures, collectively, were going to strengthen our education system in Alaska.

Himschoot wrote the part of the law that will allow out-of-state teachers interested in Alaska careers to be compensated for their previous experience at the discretion of the school district. She described it as a recruiting tool for districts. Previously, districts could compensate teachers for only up to six years of their previous, out-of-state experience.

If you have 10 years of experience, and youre only allowed to bring six years of experience with you in terms of your salary placement, then you might consider going somewhere else, or you might leave the profession entirely, she said.

Himschoot said she picked up the idea from reading recommendations from Dunleavys Teacher Recruitment and Retention Working Group.

Rep. Maxine Dibert, D-Fairbanks, authored part of the law that allows retired teachers to serve as long-term substitutes for up to 165 days with licensure from the state.

Schools right now are really having a very difficult time finding teachers to fill classrooms, and this was one little effort to incentivize retired teachers to come back and help, she said.

Dibert said that not all the teaching positions were filled when school started in Fairbanks, so she saw her retired colleagues filling on the first day as long-term substitutes until the districts find full-time teachers.

She added that having retired teachers in classrooms has benefits beyond simply filling the position with an experienced professional: They can be mentors to less experienced teachers. Dibert said she still remembers how a retired teacher named Debbie Richards gave her classroom management tips, recommended articles and helped with classroom tasks.

Also adopted in law is a proposal from Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Kenai, to incentivize Alaska teachers to pursue certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, a merit-based process that denotes excellence in teaching.

When teachers are national board-certified they are more effective teachers, and they are proven to be better at their craft  especially teaching reading to young kids, and thats where the learning begins, he said.

Under the new law, teachers who achieve the certification will receive a $5,000 yearly stipend and teachers who seek the certification may have their certification costs covered by the school district or the states Department of Education and Early Development.

Dunleavy allowed the bill to become law without his signature. His administration did not reply to a request for comment. In March, Dunleavy proposed teacher recruitment and retention legislation that would award direct payments to teachers in the form of yearly bonuses for three years. It was one of the priorities he asked legislators to adopt in exchange for allowing the education bill lawmakers approved in February to become law. Lawmakers did not adopt that proposal, or others from the governor, and Dunleavy vetoed the bill, which contained a substantial increase to the per-student funding formula.

All three lawmakers were excited to see their legislation become law, but said they had more work to do to improve education in the state.

It isnt a silver bullet by any means, Bjorkman said. Dibert called it a small step forward.

After an interview, Himschoot texted another thought: HB230 is great for supporting teacher quality, it read, but the best thing we can do is increase the number of homegrown Alaska teachers.

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Teen accused of killing man in Wake Forest is captured 500 miles away

An 18-year-old man has been arrested in New York state in the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Tyler Ray Wood this month, Wake Forest police said Wednesday.

Issac Mason was taken into custody Tuesday around 10 p.m., in Stony Brook, on Long Island, about 500 miles from the northern Wake County town.

He has been charged with murder and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, according to a Wake Forest news release.

Wood was found shot on East Wait Avenue on Aug. 17 and was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Two days later, police said he had died and that they were now investigating his death as a homicide.

Mason is being held in Suffolk County on Long Island, pending extradition to North Carolina.

The Wake Forest Police Department worked with local, state and federal agencies in North Carolina and New York to find and capture Mason, the release stated.

We will update this story as we get more information.
JOLIET, Ill.  A teen was arrested in Gary, Indiana for a deadly shooting in Unincorporated Joliet.

The Will County Sheriffs Office said at around 3:45 p.m. Wednesday, July 24, deputies were sent to the area of Luana Road and Girard Boulevard in Unincorporated Joliet to investigate reports of a shooting.

Investigators were told the victim was shot while sitting inside of his vehicle near the above intersection and drove himself down the street, where he got out of his vehicle and collapsed.

Deputies found the victim on the ground outside of his vehicle and tended to him until medical personnel arrived and took him to a local hospital where he died from his injuries. He has since been identified as 19-year-old Jayden Valazquez-Garcia of Plainfield.

Northwest Indiana men charged with animal cruelty after 9 dogs die in box truck

Detectives reviewed surveillance video, interviewed persons of interest, and came to the conclusion that the shooting happened during an attempted robbery.

Authorities later identified 19-year-old Landen Brown as the suspect and asked the United States Marshal Service for help finding him.

On Friday, Aug. 23, nearly a month after the shooting, authorities went to a home located in the 500 block of East 21st Avenue in Gary, Indiana that they believed Brown may have been staying at. While conducting surveillance on the home, authorities were able to positively identify Brown as he left and re-entered the home, according to investigators.

Deputies said Brown was taken into custody without incident and admitted his involvement in Valazquez-Garicas murder. He will stay in the custody of the Lake County (Indiana) Sheriffs Office until he can be extradited back to Illinois.

Brown is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, armed robbery and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.

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Teen to be tried as adult after Jonesboro shooting

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  An Arkansas teenager is accused of shooting a man during an argument at a home in Jonesboro over the weekend.

Lawrence Jennings is charged with Battery First-Degree, Terroristic Act, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of Schedule VI with Purpose. The Jonesboro Police Department announced on Wednesday that Jennings will be tried as an adult for the crimes.

According to reports, the JPD responded to the shooting in the 3000 block of Fairview Drive. They say a man had been shot in front of the home and then ended up on Mary Jane Drive.

Police say the man showed up at the residence to diffuse an ongoing dispute that had been occurring. During that time, a verbal altercation began between Jennings and the man.

 See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South.

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Jennings allegedly pulled out a gun during the argument, and the victim and a witness attempted to leave the area. Jennings began shooting at the victims car while they tried to drive away.

The victim was shot in the left shoulder blade, police say.

Two bullet holes were found in the trunk of the vehicle, the back window had been shot out, and two holes were found in the backseat headrest.

A warrant was issued for Lawrence Jennings.

Detectives found him at his home on West Forrest Street, hiding in the attic with a backpack containing marijuana that, according to police, appeared to be in packaging to sell.

He was taken into custody by the Jonesboro Police Department and is being held on a $150,000 bond.

Police have not released his age or mugshot.

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Teens say drunk attendee hurt them at Kenny Chesney concert in Denver

DENVER (KDVR)  A group of teens hoping to make good memories at a concert at Empower Field at Mile High instead left with severe injuries.

They say it happened when they attended the Kenny Chesney concert last month, and a drunk woman came tumbling down on top of them.

Office retreat gone wrong: Man left on Colorado summit overnight by coworkers

Caelyn Kaiser, Alyssa Perez and their group of friends were thrilled to see one of their favorite artists of all time perform live at Empower Field in Denver.

We bought all the tickets, parking, and we were all getting ready together so we were all looking forward to it, Kaiser said.

But the concert did not go as they anticipated. It took a dangerous turn.

Between intermission from Zac Brown Band to Kenny Chesney, this woman threw up behind us, Kaiser said. She fell and lost her balance and ended up rolling down multiple rows of people.

The fall injured Kaiser, Perez and another one of their friends.

All that I knew was that I was folded in half and hit my head on the seat in front of me, Kaiser said.

Teens face pricy medical bills after concert

After feeling instant headaches, the group left the concert before even getting to see Kenny Chesney on stage.

Its upsetting that she couldnt control herself enough and injured innocent people who spent their money, Kaiser said. We werent expecting this to happen. We know that the amount of beers this man sold her is against their policy. At once, she was sold four beers at a time, and that was her second time being served.

Three of the six people ended up with concussions.

I had a bruised back and neck bones. My hip bone was also bruised, Kaiser said.

It left her with a $750 medical bill.

Empower Field contacted about injuries

Its been about a month since the incident. Perezs and Kaisers parents say they have not heard back from Empower Field, despite leaving multiple emails.

FOX31 reached out and in a statement, a spokesperson declined comment, stating that the matter is being handled independently of the venue through its insurance company.

Perez said: Her boyfriend was with her and right after that happened, he just got up and left. Like none of them told us sorry or anything, they just both left.

She said staff at the venue did not check on them either.

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Its a night that they say they will always remember, but not for the reasons they had hoped for.

Its just a great time with all your friends and the last thing you would expect is to go to the concert and see the openers, Kaiser said. You think youre going to see the main performer too, then you have to go to the hospital because of some woman.

Police said they are aware of the situation, but falling is considered a medical event, not criminal.

Both teens parents are asking for the stadium to acknowledge the situation and help them with the mounting hospital bills.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
Telegram app founder Durov released from custody in Paris but may still face charges

A Paris court ruled on Wednesday, 28 August, to release Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov, who had been in custody under investigation for refusing to cooperate with French law enforcement.

Source: European Pravda, citing BFMTV, a French news broadcast television and radio network

Details: The investigating judge in Paris reportedly ordered Durov's release after suspending his detention. This step may mean that the Telegram founder will be interrogated and then charged.

Background:

On the evening of 24 August, Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, was detained in France.

The situation remained without official comment for nearly two days until French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the detention of the Telegram founder had no political basis.

Durov's detention was due to end on Wednesday evening, 28 August.

Earlier, some EU member states had called for Telegram to be regulated.

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The icon of the Telegram app can be seen on the screen of a smartphone. Telegram founder Pavel Durov was brought in front of an investigative judge for questioning following his arrest in France last weekend, dpa learned from Paris prosecutors on 28 August. Fabian Sommer/dpa

Telegram founder Pavel Durov was brought in front of an investigative judge for questioning following his arrest in France last weekend, dpa learned from Paris prosecutors on Wednesday.

Formal proceedings, which could ultimately lead to a criminal trial if investigators believe there is sufficient evidence, could be launched against Durov following the judge's interrogation.

Police custody for Durov, who is wanted in France and was detained after arriving at Paris' Le Bourget airport on Saturday upon arrival from Azerbaijan, was reportedly extended on Sunday evening.

His arrest came amid 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.

In a statement released following Durov's arrest, Telegram said the online messaging service was complying with EU laws and had not violated any regulations.

According to prosecutors, French authorities launched preliminary investigations into Durov some time ago, under suspicion that he was complicit in drug trafficking, fraud and several offences relating to child abuse due to a lack of intervention at Telegram and insufficient cooperation with the authorities.

It was initially unclear why Durov, who was born in Russia and holds French citizenship, had travelled to Paris while being wanted in France. Telegram, a popular messaging app, has long faced accusations of not taking a strong enough stance against hate speech and other illegal activities.
Telegram CEO Durov charged with several crimes related to messaging app in France

Editor's note: The article was updated with the details of Pavel Durov's case published by Reuters.

Telegram CEO and co-founder Pavel Durov was charged in a French court on Aug. 28 with complicity in the distribution of sexual images of children and other crimes, such as drug trafficking through the messaging app, Reuters reported.

Paris prosecutor Laure Beccou said that the judge concluded that there were grounds for a formal investigation into all 12 charges on which Durov was initially detained four days ago, according to Reuters.

The charges include suspicions of complicity in the management of an online platform that allows for illegal transactions, child pornography, drug trafficking, and fraud, as well as refusal to provide information to the authorities, money laundering, and providing cryptographic services to criminals.

Durov was granted bail on the condition that he will pay 5 million euros ($5.6 million), report to police twice a week, and not leave French territory.

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.

On Aug. 28, Politico reported that France issued arrest warrants for Pavel Durov and his brother Nikolai Durov, founders of the Telegram messaging service, already in March.

The document obtained by Politico showed that the French investigation into Telegram is more extensive and was launched several months earlier than previously thought. AFP reported earlier that the investigation was opened in July.

Pavel 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 the Russian social media platform VK, which he subsequently sold.

Durov has claimed he is a pariah and has been effectively exiled from Russia, but on Aug. 27, it was reported he had visited Russia over 60 times since leaving the country, according to Kremlingram, a Ukrainian group that campaigns against the use of Telegram in Ukraine.

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 institutions against the advice of Ukraine's TV and radio-broadcasting body.

Read also: Ukraines Telegram problem goes beyond Pavel Durov, its Russian founder

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
A manhunt and a dog bite resulted in the arrest Monday of a Stafford man who had been involved in an alleged domestic assault a short time earlier, police said.

Stafford Sheriffs spokesman Ryan Wilbur said deputies went to Garrison Woods about 12:20 a.m. in response to a call about a woman who said she had been assaulted. She reported that her assailant had strangled her as she tried to leave the residence and prevented her from calling 911.

Deputy T.G. Croson was told that the suspect, 25-year-old Kayshawn Purdie, fled before police arrived and had a gun. Croson confronted the suspect walking in the area and, after giving the deputy a false name, the suspect took off running.

Croson chased him on Onville Road and saw him run behind trailers on Hanson Lane. The fleeing man discarded his backpack during the foot chase, and a firearm that had been reported stolen in North Carolina was recovered.

Deputies surrounded the area and Sgt. B.U. Demirci eventually released his police dog, Titan. Titan tracked to a freshly broken fence on Barrett Heights Road and apprehended the suspect. Wilbur said the suspect later jumped a fence into the waiting arms of Demirci and Deputy C.M. Sterne.

Purdie was charged with assault and battery, strangulation, preventing a 911 call, providing false identity, obstruction of justice and receiving stolen goods. After receiving treatment for his dog bite at a nearby hospital, he was placed in the Rappahannock Regional Jail under no bond.
The News

French prosecutors formally charged Telegram CEO Pavel Durov with a wide range of crimes related to illegal activity on the app Wednesday, releasing him from custody but banning him from leaving the country.

The news and messaging platform has been linked to the spread of child sexual abuse content, drug trafficking, and hate crimes, but both Telegram and Durov showed a near total absence of communication in response to requests for cooperation with French investigators, said Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau.

Durov has been ordered to pay around $5.5 million in bail and must report to a police station twice a week, she added.

The Russian-born billionaires arrest sparked a free speech debate among right-wing social media figures, including Elon Musk. The Kremlin has framed the arrest as politically motivated, despite Durovs historical opposition to Moscows online censorship.
PARIS (WJET/WFXP)  Following the arrest of Telegram CEO and co-founder Pavel Durov Saturday, the 39-year-old billionaire, Drov has been indicted on multiple charges after appearing in front of a Paris Court on Wednesday.

He has been indicted on charges of Complicity in the administration of an online platform to enable an illicit transaction, by an organized gang. This charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a fine of 500,000.

He was also indicted on charges of refusal to communicate at the request of authorities; Complicity in the offenses in particular of making available without legitimate reason a program or data designed to an attack on an automated data processing system, organized gang dissemination of images of minors of a child pornography nature, drug trafficking, organized gang fraud, criminal conspiracy with a view to committing crimes or offenses; Laundering of crimes or offenses by organized games; Provision of cryptology services aimed at ensuring confidentiality functions without compliant declaration.

Durov has been placed under judicial supervision with an obligation to provide a deposit of 5 million euros and he must report to the police station twice a week and is banned from leaving France.

The charges come after French authorities released Durov to the court Wednesday following the extension of his detainment on Monday.

The preliminary investigation began in February 2024 under the direction of the Paris Public Prosecutors Office, and the initial investigations were coordinated by OFMIN.

By introductory indictment of July 8, 2024, a judicial investigation was opened. The investigating judges entrusted the continuation of the investigations to the C3N (cyber unit of the National Gendarmerie) and the ONAF (National Anti-Fraud Customs Office).

According to the press release, the Paris Public Prosecutor says, Telegram is an instant messaging application created in 2013, appearing in multiple cases relating to different offenses (pedocrime, trafficking, online hatred). The almost total lack of response from Telegram to legal requests was brought to the attention of the section for the fight against cybercrime (J3) of JUNALCO (National Jurisdiction for the Fight against Organized Crime, within the Paris prosecutors office), notably by the OFMIN (National Office for Minors). Consulted, other French investigation services and public prosecutors as well as various partners within Eurojust, notably Belgian, shared the same observation. This is what led JUNALCO to open an investigation into the possible criminal liability of the managers of this messaging service in the commission of these offenses.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that the arrest wasnt a political move but part of an independent investigation.

In Frances first public comment on the arrest, Macron posted on the social media platform 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.

Denouncing what he called false information, Macron said the arrest is in no way a political decision. It is up to the judges to rule on the matter.

Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X who has in the past called himself a free speech absolutist, posted #freePavel in support of Durov following the arrest.

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 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.

Durov is a citizen of Russia, France, the United Arab Emirates, and the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova took to Telegram, saying that the Russian Embassy has immediately started working on Durovs detention, as it supposed to in a case, when information comes that the receiving side has detained a Russian citizen. In an interview, she said that for France, he is first and foremost a citizen of their country.

Wednesday, the spokeswoman said that Russian diplomats are doing everything necessary in the context of the case against Durov. She continued, calling on international organizations to condemn the actions of the French authorities towards Durov.

Durov has maintained that, despite pressures from outside sources, Telegram should remain a neutral platform and not a player in geopolitics.

What is Telegram?

Telegram is an encrypted messaging service that is a cloud-based mobile and desktop messaging app with a focus on security and speed.

The platform was founded by Pavel Durov and his brother Nikolai in the fall of 2013. As of 2024, the app has almost 1 billion active users, making it one of the largest messaging apps behind WhatsApp, WeChat, and Facebook Messenger.

The app largely bypasses the governments oversight of content, with its central privacy feature being its end-to-end encryption in secret chats and calls. This essentially prevents third parties from seeing what is being sent or said in the conversation.

According to Telegrams FAQ page, the company has historically been funded by Durov, meaning your data is not sold to generate revenue. To help with funding, Telegram has implemented several ways to monetize the platform. In 2021, they added minimalist, privacy-conscious advertisements that can appear in certain public channels. The following year, they introduced a premium subscription to support the app and unlock premium features.

The app has become a major source of unfiltered  and sometimes graphic and misleading  content by both Ukraine and Russia after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The app is used heavily by both Ukraine officials and the Russian government.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was formally indicted by a French judge Wednesday on charges he was complicit in the criminal activity taking place on the messaging app, the Paris prosecutors office said in a statement to The Hill.

He was released from custody after posting 5 million euros for bail.

Durov is accused of complicity in administering an online platform to enable the distribution of child pornography, illicit transactions, money laundering, organized fraud and drug trafficking allegedly taking place on Telegram, according to a translated version of the Paris prosecutors office statement.

One of the charges carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail and a fine of 500,000.

When law enforcement requested information or documents related to the illicit activities, Durov allegedly refused to meet their requests, per prosecutors.

Durov faces six charges and was placed under judicial supervision, prosecutors said.

He is prohibited from leaving France and must check in at a police station twice per week.

The formal indictment came hours after Durov, a dual citizen of France and Russia, was freed from police custody following days of questioning over the allegations. Judges had until Wednesday morning to either charge or release him after he was taken into custody Saturday night at the Paris-Le Bourget Airport.

The charges are part of a judicial investigation opened last month into an unnamed individual suspected of complicity in the criminal activity allegedly taking place on the platform.

Prosecutors said Telegram, which was founded by Durov and his brother Nikolai in 2013, appeared in multiple files centered on pedophilia and trafficking crimes and online hate.

Telegrams almost total absence of a response to legal orders was alerted to the Paris public prosecutors cybercrime division, prompting them to open a criminal liability investigation, according to a translation of Paris prosecutors.

Prosecutors said a preliminary investigation began in February and a judicial investigation was opened July 8.

Telegram did not immediately respond to The Hills request for comment.

In a statement following his arrest earlier this week, the platform said it abides by the European Unions 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, Telegram 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.

His arrest was quickly decried in Russia, while some quickly tried to link the arrest to concerns over free speech and the privacy of users content.

Telegram has been long scrutinized by Western governments, which claim a lack of content moderation leads to the potential proliferation of criminal activity on the platform. It offers users the option to send messages with end-to-end encryption, along with large group chats with as many as 200,000 users.

Story was updated at 5:38 p.m. ET

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2017. - Credit: AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana, File

Pavel Durov, the 39-year-old billionaire co-founder and CEO of the messaging app Telegram, appeared before an investigating judge in a Paris court Wednesday evening after being detained and questioned by French law enforcement since his arrest last weekend. That magistrate issued six preliminary criminal charges against Durov for allegedly allowing criminal activity on the app, and the tech executive  who posted bail of 5 million to avoid jail  is not permitted to leave France. He will also remain under judicial supervision and be required to check in with police twice weekly.

The charges listed in the indictment include complicity by making available a platform to enable the distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), drug trafficking, fraud, and illegal transactions  and refusal to cooperate with law enforcement agencies requesting data and documents as part of criminal investigations. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison, according to Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau.

More from Rolling Stone

The move to hold Durov accountable for cybercrime on Telegram comes as the European Union explores possible enforcements of its Digital Services Act, which went into effect last year and gives it broader powers to regulate big tech platforms while setting new standards for privacy and moderation of harmful content including misinformation and hate speech. In a statement on Sunday, Telegram declared that the company abides by the DSA, that Durov has nothing to hide, and that it is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.

Authorities were able to extend Durovs detention for four days beyond the first 25 hours following his arrest, which took place at Le Bourget airport just outside Paris on Saturday night. (Durov was arriving from Azerbaijan via private jet.) After that period, they were compelled to release him or bring charges  the latter at the discretion of the magistrate.

The Russian-born Durov, most recently living in Dubai as a citizen of both France and the United Arab Emirates, is ensnared in what prosecutors describe as a broader investigation into alleged criminal activity on Telegram, which he created with his brother Nikolai Durov. This undercover operation began months ago, with arrest warrants issued for the brothers in March, according to a French administrative document viewed by Politico. The police have been looking into the distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), drug trafficking, and organized fraud on the app, which can be conducted in encrypted secret chats. French prosecutors also indicated that Telegram had been uncooperative in assisting their probe and moderating harmful content.

Telegram has a complex reputation. On one hand, it has proved instrumental for pro-democracy movements in authoritarian countries like the Durovs native Russia (Pavel left in 2014 amid pressure to turn over data from anti-Putin commentators on his social media network VK, and sold his stake in that company; Nikolai and Pavel have each held citizenship in the Caribbean nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis since then). On the other hand, the app has also been a hotbed for extremist hate groups, illegal trade in narcotics and firearms, child exploitation, conspiracy theorists, and terrorist organizations including the Islamic State.

As such, Telegram has been championed by the likes of Elon Musk and Tucker Carlson as a free speech platform even while governments seek to rein in criminal activity there. Apart from frustrating law enforcement agencies by failing to comply with subpoenas, the company has also ignored requests and warnings from child safety watchdogs alarmed by the proliferation of CSAM on the app. In 2017, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, spies from France and the U.A.E. hacked Durovs iPhone, evidently as part of joint counterterrorism efforts between the two nations.

In an ironic twist, Putin allies have condemned Durovs arrest as an outrageous attack on his civil liberties. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said it may amount to a direct attempt to restrict freedom of communication, and, I might even say, directly intimidate the head of a large company. French President Emmanuel Macron has denied that the criminal investigation is politically motivated.

Best of Rolling Stone
Pavel Durov, the CEO and a co-founder of the news and messaging app Telegram, has been charged in France with enabling various forms of criminality in the app, French prosecutors said Wednesday.

One of the charges  complicity in administering an online platform permitting illicit transactions by an organized group  carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of 500,000 euros ($555,750), prosecutors said.

It is one of the few times the CEO of a major internet platform has been charged over allegations of criminal failure to moderate what users do on its platform.

In a statement Wednesday, the Paris prosecutors office said Telegram had almost completely failed to respond to its legal requests for user data in prosecuting cybercrime cases.

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in Barcelona, Spain, in 2016.

Prosecutors alleged numerous offenses in Wednesday's statement, including refusal to communicate with authorities, "complicity" in offenses related to child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, and implementing encrypted technology without proper declaration.

While Durov awaits trial, his bail is set at 5 million Euros ($5.6 million). He will be forbidden to leave France and will be required to report to the police twice a week, the release said.

Durov had been held in French custody since Saturday and was transferred to a French court for questioning Wednesday. A video circulating on social media appeared to show him leaving the Judicial Court of Paris on Wednesday with his lawyer, David-Olivier Kaminski.

French prosecutors said Monday that Durov was detained as part of a larger investigation into an unnamed person that was opened last month. Prosecutors said the person was accused of complicity in various criminal activities, including the facilitation of the transfer of child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking.

Charges the prosecutors office cited seemed to refer specifically to Telegram, including failure to register the platforms encrypted messaging option with the government.

Telegram, under Durovs leadership, has been particularly reluctant to moderate content or cooperate with law enforcement or courts. Durov, born in the former Soviet Union, has presented himself as a free speech absolutist, and he moved Telegrams headquarters from Russia to the United Arab Emirates after, he said, the Kremlin demanded he turn over users data.

Durovs arrest has sparked outcry and speculation from some free speech advocates and high-profile members of the tech community, who have suggested that he was arrested in an effort to control or access communications on the platform.

French President Emmanuel Macron wrote Monday on X: The arrest of the head of Telegram on French territory took place in the context of a judicial inquiry in process. It was not in any way a political decision.

While Durovs approach has earned him praise from far-right and libertarian figures, it has frustrated child safety groups, which say that Telegram has become a central hub for child sexual abuse material and that it is the only major internet platform to be completely uncooperative in their attempts to curb that content.

A Telegram spokesperson told NBC News on Tuesday that Telegram uses a combination of moderators, artificial intelligence and user reports to remove public channels that host child sexual abuse material. Telegram publishes a daily report that claims it removes thousands of channels for child sexual abuse material a day.

But the sites terms of service say that there is no means for reporting illegal activity in private chats and that Telegram has never given any government any information about a user. That is a stark contrast from other major tech platforms, many of which issue regular reports detailing compliance with court orders and warrants from governments around the world.

Telegram did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Durovs indictment.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov indicted in France for allegedly allowing criminal activity on app

Pavel Durov, the Russian-born billionaire CEO of the social media messaging app Telegram, was indicted in France for allegedly allowing criminal activity on the platform, prosecutors announced Wednesday.

Durov was placed under judicial supervision and is banned from leaving the country, according to the Paris Prosecutor's Office.

He avoided jail by paying a 5 million euro bail, prosecutors said. He must report to a police station twice a week for check-ins.

The indictment comes the same day the CEO was released from police custody after being arrested in connection with an "ongoing judicial investigation," prosecutors told ABC News.

PHOTO: In this photo illustration, the Telegram logo is displayed on a number of screens on Aug. 26, 2024 in London. (illustration by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Durov, 39, was arrested at Le Bourget airport outside Paris shortly after landing on a private jet late on Aug. 24. French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed his arrest two days later.

Durov is accused of allegedly being passive with regard to cyber and financial crimes being committed on the Telegram platform and was indicted on 12 charges, according to the Paris Prosecutor's Office.

The charges are related to child pornography, drug trafficking and fraudulent transactions on the platform, prosecutors announced Monday.

In his statement, Macron maintained that Durov's arrest was "not political," saying, "France is more than anything attached to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation and to the spirit of enterprise. It will remain so."

What is Telegram?

Telegram is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, with approximately 800 million active users and a large user base in Russia and Ukraine.

Launched in 2013, Telegram was designed to address growing concerns about digital privacy and censorship. Unlike many messaging apps of the time, Telegram was built with a focus on security, offering end-to-end encryption and features that prioritized user privacy.

The rise of the app's popularity was meteoric, making Durov among the wealthiest people in the world. He is estimated to have a net worth of approximately $15.5 billion, according to Forbes.

The app distinguished itself from competitors such as Facebook Messenger, WeChat and WhatsApp with its commitment to free speech and resistance to government censorship.

MORE: Russian authorities urge citizens to avoid social media, dating sites in areas where Ukraine is attacking

The app has positioned itself as a refuge for activists and journalists. Its features include self-destructing messages, secret chats and robust channel functionalities.

Additionally, Telegram offers a platform for larger messaging groups, allowing 200,000 users to be added to a chat.

Because of the large group sizes, Telegram has been criticized for hosting far-right and extremist groups. Most recently, the U.K. government denounced Telegram for its role in extremist groups organizing riots across the country in July.

Who is Pavel Durov?

Born in Leningrad, now Saint Petersburg, Russia in 1984, Durov began his foray into technology entrepreneurship in 2006, founding the Russian social network VKontakte (VK).

Likened to Facebook, VK quickly gained traction among Russian-speaking users, offering a platform for social interaction, content sharing and networking.

MORE: Social media and youth mental health defining challenge of our time: Surgeon general

However, the platform's success attracted scrutiny from the Russian government, and Durov faced increasing pressure to comply with government requests for user data.

In 2014, Durov was forced to leave VK after refusing to comply with demands to shut down opposition communities on the platform.

PHOTO: Pavel Durov, chief executive officer of Telegram, speaks during a keynote session at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Feb. 23, 2016. (Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images, FILE)

He reportedly refused to block late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalnys page on the platform.

After leaving his position at VK, Durov left Russia and moved to Dubai, where he runs Telegram, which was founded a year prior in 2013.

Frequently traveling to Europe from the United Arab Emirates, Durov was granted citizenship in France in 2021.

Response to Durov's arrest

In the wake of Durov's arrest over the weekend, Elon Musk posted #FreePavel on X, sharing a clip of the Telegram founder's previous interview with Tucker Carlson.

U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden called Durov's arrest "an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association" in a post on X.

"I am surprised and deeply saddened that 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," Snowden wrote.

ABC News' Hugo Leenhardt and Ellie Kaufman contributed to this report.

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov indicted in France for allegedly allowing criminal activity on app originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Telegram has become known for its strict privacy settings and lax approach to content moderation, which, French authorities say, has allowed criminals and terrorists to operate freely.

Pavel Durov, the co-founder and CEO of the messaging app Telegram, who was arrested on Saturday, reportedly has been charged by French authorities with enabling criminal transactions. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of 500,000 ($555,750 USD), NBC News reported.

Durov's arrest stems from the French governments investigation into whether Telegram has encouraged criminal behavior on its platform. The news initially prompted some backlash from those who claim the CEOs arrest violates free speech. Authorities are arguing that the platform failed to moderate posts and conversations involving drug trafficking, fraud, child pornography and the promotion of terrorism.

Heres what you need to know about Telegram, Durov and his recent arrest.

What is Telegram?

Telegram is an encrypted messaging app launched by Durov and his brother, Nikolai, in 2013. Since then it has exploded into one of the worlds largest online communities and is considered to be a central social media, news and messaging platform for people in Russia, Ukraine and India. Telegram now reportedly has 900 million users, and Forbes estimates Durovs net worth at $15 billion.

A big draw for Telegram users is the apps custom security settings, which allow users to have Secret Chats  end-to-end encrypted messages that can self-destruct or delete anywhere from one second to a week after the recipient opens the message, based on a timer set by the sender.

End-to-end encryption is a security method that keeps all communication between users private, eliminating the option to commercially exploit users personal data, which has been an issue in the U.S. (Its noteworthy that only Secret Chats have end-to-end encryption, unlike with Signal or WhatsApp, where encrypted messages are the default.)

In a 2020 post on Telegram, right before the app reached 500 million active users, Durov reassured users that the company would not be sold to a larger media conglomerate (which is what happened with WhatsApp) and that the majority of features would stay free and ad-free.

Durov told the Financial Times in March that Telegram makes money through in-app purchases, advertising and subscriptions and that it was nearing profitability.

But the freedom from advertising or membership fees can come at a price: Because Telegrams messaging and public posts are not moderated as strictly as those of other platforms, it ends up allowing a lot of content  like that of extremist right-wing groups and organized crime  that would be banned elsewhere.

At one point, it was the go-to space for militant groups like the Islamic State to market their beliefs. (Telegram did shut down channels associated with the Islamic State group after the 2015 Paris terror attacks.)

A Washington Post investigation from March also found that children and teenagers were victims of intense cyberbullying on Telegram, with some adults allegedly blackmailing young users into harming themselves on camera. (The Post investigation also noted that this behavior was not limited to Telegram, but was also happening on popular online spaces such as Roblox and Discord.)

Who is Pavel Durov?

Durov, 39, spent his childhood between Italy and Russia, where he was born. In an interview with Tucker Carlson earlier this year, Durov described how he and Nikolai excelled at coding and were creating websites for fun by the time they were in college.

Durov was dubbed the Russian Mark Zuckerberg after launching a social media company similar to Facebook called VKontakte  or VK  in 2006.

In 2013 he and Nikolai launched Telegram, an instant messaging service. Telegram describes itself as a combination of social media, SMS and email.

Why was he arrested?

Durov, who has dual French and United Arab Emirates citizenship, was arrested following a preliminary investigation by French police focusing on the lack of content moderation on Telegram, French publication Le Monde reported. The investigation alleges that Telegram encouraged criminal activity, such as drug trafficking, cyber fraud, child pornography and terrorism, by emphasizing the apps privacy. Police also accused Durov of failing to take action against criminal activity on his platform and said that Telegram has failed to cooperate with law enforcement.

Durov has claimed in the past that Telegram removes any and all inappropriate images and calls for violence, but the platform still remains largely unmoderated, especially compared to others.

In 2014, one year after founding Telegram, Durov fled Russia after refusing to hand over data to the government on Ukrainian users of his first social media company, VKontakte. Its not clear whether he renounced his Russian citizenship after fleeing in 2014.

Backlash to the arrest

The majority of the backlash to Durovs arrest has been about freedom of speech. X owner Elon Musk, Chris Pavlovski, the CEO of Rumble, a right-wing version of YouTube, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who just suspended his independent presidential campaign, all publicly criticized the decision on free speech grounds. Whistleblower Edward Snowden called the arrest an assault on the basic human rights of speech and association. And Tucker Carlson described the situation as a warning to any platform owner who refuses to censor the truth.

There is not a lot of precedent for an arrest like this. The European Union and the U.S. government have both tried to crack down on social media when it comes to misinformation and criminal activity, and while tech leaders have appeared in court to defend their platforms, no executive has been arrested and held personally responsible for what takes place on their app.

Here in the United States, social media platform owners are largely protected from illegal activities of users on their platforms thanks to provisions in Section 230 of the Communications Act, said Walter Scheirer, an associate professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Notre Dame and the author of A History of Fake Things on the Internet.

In an interview with Yahoo News, Scheirer noted that while Telegram remains operational as of Monday, the future of that platform and Durovs fate may be inseparable at this point.

It is an open question as to what impact all of this will have for speech on the internet, he said.

Brian Fishman, former counterterrorism policy manager at Meta, argued that those defending Telegram for free speech reasons should not downplay the platforms problems as an issue of insufficient or light content moderation.

In a post on Threads, Fishman emphasized Telegrams decade-long reputation as a safe haven for terrorist groups, child predators and hate groups thanks to its laissez-faire rules.

Should we watch here for dangerous precedent? Yes, he said, referring to Durovs arrest. But we should also acknowledge how brazenly Telegram has flouted norms adopted by nearly everyone else. Its not just another platform. Its been far worse.

In reaction to the backlash and suggestions that Durovs arrest violates free speech, French President Emmanual Macron said in an X post on Monday that France is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication 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.

Has Telegram responded to the arrest?

In a statement issued on Sunday, Telegram said that it abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act and that its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving.

Telegrams CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe, the statement said. It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.
It's appropriate that, days after the French government arrested Pavel Durov, CEO of the encrypted messaging app Telegram, for failing to monitor and restrict communications as demanded by officials in Paris, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg confirmed that his company, which owns Facebook, was subjected to censorship pressures by U.S. officials. Durov's arrest, then, stands as less of a one-off than as part of a concerted effort by governments, including those of nominally free countries, to control speech.

"Telegram chief executive Pavel Durov is expected to appear in court Sunday after being arrested by French police at an airport near Paris for alleged offences related to his popular messaging app," reported France24.

A separate story noted claims by Paris prosecutors that he was detained for "running an online platform that allows illicit transactions, child pornography, drug trafficking and fraud, as well as the refusal to communicate information to authorities, money laundering and providing cryptographic services to criminals."

Freedom for Everybody or for Nobody

Durov's alleged crime is offering encrypted communications services to everybody, including those who engage in illegality or just anger the powers that be. But secure communications are a feature, not a bug, for most people who live in a world in which "global freedom declined for the 18th consecutive year in 2023," according to Freedom House. Fighting authoritarian regimes requires means of exchanging information that are resistant to penetration by various repressive police agencies.

"Telegram, and other encrypted messaging services, are crucial for those intending to organise protests in countries where there is a severe crackdown on free speech. Myanmar, Belarus and Hong Kong have all seen people relying on the services," Index on Censorship noted in 2021.

And if bad people occasionally use encrypted apps such as Telegram, they use phones and postal services, too. The qualities that make communications systems useful to those battling authoritarianism are also helpful to those with less benign intentions. There's no way to offer security to one group without offering it to everybody.

Durov's Second Clash With an Authoritarian Government

A CNN report on the case (I watch so you don't have to) weirdly linked Durov to Russian President Vladimir Putin, insinuating the two are conspiring. But as Reuters helpfully points out, "Telegram, based in Dubai, was founded by Durov, who left Russia in 2014 after he refused to comply with demands to shut down opposition communities on his VK social media platform, which he has sold."

The Internet Archive contains links to 2014 posts by Durov boasting, in Russian, that he refused to surrender information about Ukrainian users of VKontakte to the Putin regime and balked at barring the late Alexei Navalny's opposition group from the service.

"I'm afraid there is no going back," Durov told TechCrunch after leaving Russia to build Telegram. "Not after I publicly refused to cooperate with the authorities. They can't stand me."

Telegram was initially blocked in Russia, but the ban was unpopular and unsuccessful, and soon dropped. The service is now widely used by both Russians and Ukrainians as a digital battleground in their war.

Given that Telegram was founded by a free speech champion who fled his home country after refusing to monitor and censor speech for the authorities, it's very easy to suspect that Pavel Durov has run afoul of authoritarians operating under a different flag, no matter the protestations of French President Emmanuel Macron that the arrest "is in no way a political decision" and that France "is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication."

This is the same Macron, after all, who last year, after riots he insisted were coordinated online, huffed "We have to think about the social networks, about the bans we'll have to put in place. When things get out of control, we might need to be able to regulate or cut them off."

More recently, free speech groups objected to European Union threats to censor political content on Xspecifically, an interview with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

The U.S. Has Its Own Free Speech Concerns

Matters are better in the United States, but not so much (as we have every right to demand). The Twitter Files and the Facebook Files revealed serious pressure brought to bear by the U.S. government on social media companies to stifle dissenting views and inconvenient (to the political class) news stories. If any further confirmation was needed, Zuckerberg sent a letter to the House Judiciary Committee on August 26 regretting the company's role in succumbing to pressure to censor content.

"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," Zuckerberg wrote to Chairman Jim Jordan (ROhio). "I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it."

Zuckerberg also admitted to suppressing reports about the incriminating contents of Hunter Biden's laptop at the FBI's behest. "We're ready to push back if something like this happens again," he promised.

Fighting a Free Speech Recession

Durov's arrest isn't an isolated incident. It comes amid what Jacob Mchangama, (founder of the Danish think tank Justitia and executive director of The Future of Free Speech) calls "a free speech recession." He warns that "liberal democracies, rather than constituting a counterweight to the authoritarian onslaught, are themselves contributing to the free-speech recession."

"Recession" might be too soft a word to describe a phenomenon that has governments attempting to suppress ideas and arresting entrepreneurs who operate neutral communications channels. These are harsh policies with real costs in terms of human freedom.

Telegram didn't respond to a request for comment, but in a public statement said, "it is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform."

In a post from March, Pavel Durov himself commented, "All large social media apps are easy targets for criticism due to the content they host." He vowed, "we shall solve any potential challenges the same way we do everything else  with efficiency, innovation and respect for privacy and freedom of speech."

Durov's arrest shows that he, like all champions of free expression, must wage their battles for liberty against the active opposition of government officials even in nominally free countries. Free speech is as important as ever, but more besieged than it has been in a long time.

The post Telegram CEO Pavel Durov's Arrest Is Part of a Global War on Free Speech appeared first on Reason.com.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was freed from police custody Wednesday and will appear in court following days of questioning over allegations that his messaging platform is being used for criminal activity, The Associated Press reported.

An investigating judge has ended Pavel Durovs police custody and will have him brought to court for a first appearance and a possible indictment, the Paris prosecutors office said in a statement to the AP.

Durov, a dual citizen of France and Russia, was taken into custody Saturday night at the Paris-Le Bourget Airport, where he was detained on an arrest warrant over accusations the platform was used for money laundering, drug trafficking and other offenses.

Judges had until Wednesday morning to either charge him or release him.

The Hill reached out to the Paris prosecutors office for further comment.

The arrest came as part of a judicial investigation opened July 8 into an unnamed individual tied to charges of complicity with illegal transactions, possession and distribution of child pornography, possession and sale of narcotics, and organized fraud, among other charges.

Telegram, a messaging app that offers one-on-one conversations, group chats and large channels, is accused of being used to circulate child sexual abuse material, along with facilitating drug trafficking, organized crime transactions, fraud and criminal transactions, the AP reported. When investigators requested information or documents, Telegram allegedly refused when required to do so by law, AP added.

Durov and his brother Nikolai launched Telegram in 2013 and have grown the platform to more than 950 million users.

Telegram, in a statement, said it abides by the European Unions 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, Telegram 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.

Durovs arrest was quickly decried in Russia, while some argued it represents an attack on freedom of speech.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday the country is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship.

He maintained the arrest was not politically motivated, as some international and tech leaders have argued.

Telegram has been long scrutinized by Western governments, which claim a lack of content moderation leads to the potential proliferation of criminal activity on the platform.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 icon of the Telegram app can be seen on the screen of a smartphone. Telegram founder Pavel Durov was brought in front of an investigative judge for questioning following his arrest in France last weekend, dpa learned from Paris prosecutors on 28 August. Fabian Sommer/dpa

Telegram founder Pavel Durov has been released on bail after being arrested in France and following questioning by an investigative judge, Paris prosecutors said on Wednesday evening.

A formal investigation has been launched against Durov on suspicion of insufficient cooperation with authorities regarding criminal investigations and aiding and abetting criminal offences on his messaging app, among other things, the Paris public prosecutor's office said.

Durov, who had been wanted in France, was detained after arriving at Paris' Le Bourget airport on Saturday upon arrival from Azerbaijan.

His arrest came amid 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.
ORANGE  Less than two years after being exonerated of murder in the shooting death of her babysitters husband, a Gordonsville woman has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in his death, per a deal with prosecutors that dismisses more recent criminal charges.

On Monday in Orange County Circuit Court, Brianna Cole Knicely, 30, received a 10-year prison sentence for killing James Manning, 36, at his home in Barboursville on June 16, 2021. Judge David Franzen, who presided over her 2022 mistrial, suspended seven years of the sentence for an active prison term of three years and gave her credit for time served.

Knicely admitted to the unlawful shooting of the father of three minor children in an agreement in May that limited her jail sentence to three years. Sentencing guidelines called for up to five years and nine months incarceration in the voluntary manslaughter, according to a special prosecutor.

The plea agreement is an admission of the unjustified taking of another persons life, the judge said at sentencing.

Franzen said Knicely has created a factual mis-construct of what happened the day of the death to be able to live with her actions. He referenced childhood trauma and mental health as mitigating factors.

At trial two years ago, Knicely presented herself as an innocent victim, the judge said, and with the aid of defense attorney Richard Harry, the best the judge said he had ever seen, was cleared of murder.

The family is bereft from the loss of their father, son, husband, brother, said Franzen. Mr. Manning had a distinguished and honorary military career, was hardworking and beloved.

He said the court had heard no other evidence, other than Knicelys testimony, suggesting deviancy or anti-social behavior on the part of the victim.

Knicely originally told police she shot Manning in the kitchen at his house after he pulled her hair, according to testimony.

She later told her defense attorney and others that Manning tried to sexually assault her when she showed up at his house with a loaded gun on her to pick up her children's bathing suits, according to testimony at trial.

Special prosecutor, victim impact, motive

The defendant entered the courtroom Monday handcuffed, wearing an orange jail jumpsuit.

The jury two years ago could not decide on manslaughter charges against Knicely, causing the partial mistrial. Charges were brought later by a special prosecutor from the Albemarle County Commonwealths Attorneys Office.

A special prosecutor was used in the case due to a change in administration in Orange County since the first trial, according to officials.

Prosecutor Armin Zijerdi, an assistant Albemarle commonwealths attorney, tried the case Monday. He put on no witnesses at sentencing while multiple written victim impact statements were submitted to the court from Mannings family. They filled several rows in the courthouse, including his parents who traveled from Arizona, the prosecutor told the judge.

Theyve been through a lot, said Zijerdi. They had to endure a jury trial where things didnt go as expected  is an understatement. This case was a perfect storm  a difficult case for the commonwealth, he said of the 2022 trial prosecuted under the former administration of Diana Wheeler OConnell.

She was voted out in November by local defense attorney Page Higginbotham.

Knicely was the only living witness to Mannings death, said Zijerdi.

She was able to make up a story that fits the evidence. To sell her story better to the jury, she adds the sexual assault.

The commonwealth could not develop a motive as dozens of pages of DSS documents and testimony was not allowed at trial.

The motive, said Zijerdi, was a DSS investigation into allegations made against Knicely regarding her two children.

She drove over there with a gun to have a confrontation with Mrs. Manning."

Jessica Manning, present in the courtroom along with her mother, father, siblings and in-laws, was not at home when her husband, James, was fatally shot. Until a short time leading up to the shooting, she had provided child care on a long-term basis for the defendants children in the Manning home. Knicley did not know James Manning as he worked long hours for UPS.

DUI, assault on officer charges

Knicely left the scene of the shooting with her children and was not in contact with police for hours. She later claimed self-defense in the short encounter with the deceased not captured on the Ring camera, according to testimony.

Testimony was allowed to be introduced that colored and tainted the jurys perception of Mr. Manning, said Zijerdi of the 2022 proceedings.

She is guilty, he said. This happened at Mr. Mannings residence.

Knicelys behavior after the shooting, going about her day as if nothing had happened, does not support a self-defense claim, he continued.

The victim must call the police immediately."

He brought up Knicelys December 2022 charges including assault on a police officer, resisting arrest and DUI in a recorded incident at an Orange County Sheetz.

She spat on an officer, Zijerdi said. Thats the real Briana Knicely.

He asked the judge for the maximum sentence allowed.

We cannot bring (James Manning) back but we can try to make society a little safer."

Knicely testifies at sentencing

Harry said there were two sides to the story.

From the beginning, they took nothing (Knicely) said seriously, he said.

Its a tragic set of circumstances. One person was missing and one person was assaulted. There was never any motive, Harry said in brief remarks. She didnt even know Mr. Manning.

He called Knicely to testify on Monday.

I am very sorry a life was lost, she told the court, saying it was an event out of her control. The defendant said she hopes Mannings children can one day forgive her actions that have forever impacted her and her family.

Knicely referenced a corrupt justice system, saying she would protect herself from anyone who tried to take advantage of her and that her mental state was never a priority. She also stated the prosecution portrayed her as someone she is not, saying she was wrongfully accused and a survivor.

Asked on cross why she did not tell police Manning sexually assaulted her, Knicely said its because she doesnt trust the local police.

They was never there for me, prior to being a victim to other things, she said.

Knicely said she was not upset at Jessica Manning because she thought she had called DSS on her.

My own mother called, she said.

Harry called her mother to the stand who stated she is proud of her daughter, her background as a nurse, her strength and resilience. She added Knicely had a right to protect herself and was attacked.

Aggravating factors, family reaction

Franzen said conflicting evidence at trial resulted in a compromise, adding Knicelys statements in court were inconsistent with the plea agreement.

In listing aggravating factors for sentencing, the judge mentioned positive drug tests and Knicely fighting in jail. Evidence of the wrongful death were also found in the position of Mannings body when he was found, the position of the entry wound and placement of blood on the kitchen floor, he continued.

As part of sentencing, the judge ordered Knicely to three years of supervised probation upon release, 10 years of good behavior, refraining from use of alcohol or drugs, undergo a mental health and substance use evaluation, random drug tests, no contact with the Manning family and to pay court costs.

On the 2022 DUI charge first offense also sentenced Monday, Knicely received a 12-month suspended sentence, one-year loss of license, VASAP classes, ignition interlock system for the first six months, court costs and a $250 fine.

A family spokesperson said all in all she was satisfied with the outcome.

It was nice to see the court was finally starting to see through her lies, said the victim's mother-in-law, Gail Talley. I don't think we could have asked for more other than a murder conviction  I would like to thank all of the law enforcement that showed up to support us.

At least a dozen investigators and deputies who worked the 2021 killing came for the sentencing hearing along with new Orange County Sheriff Jason Smith.

James Manning's mother, Karla Wehr, issued a statement Tuesday night.

"As happy as I am about the outcome of sentencing hearing, I am more satisfied with the judge acknowledging that her fake accusation did not coincide with the evidence and facts, but everyone already knew it was a lie," she said.
Pavel Durov was arrested at Le Bourget airport in Paris on Saturday

Pavel Durov, the Telegram chief executive, has been charged by French authorities who allege he permitted his online messaging app to be used for a range of illegal activities.

Officials said the Russian-born billionaire had been allowed to remain on bail of 5m (4.2m), but told he cannot leave the country and must report to French police stations on a weekly basis.

In a rare instance of the top official of one of the worlds social media platforms being personally charged, officials alleged the 39-year-old was complicit in a number of illicit transactions.

It has been alleged his platform is being used for child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, allegations he denies. Telegram is also accused of refusing to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.

Some of the charges face penalties of 10 years in prison and a fine of 500,000.

Mr Durov, a French citizen who has always presented himself as a champion of free speech, has always denied any wrongdoing.

He was arrested last Saturday at Le Bourget airport outside of Paris. At the time, his arrest triggered outcry among users of the Telegram.

On Wednesday Emmanuel Macron, the French president, addressed the outrage, writing on X (formerly Twitter) that he had seen false information following the arrest of Mr Durov.

France is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship. It will remain so, he said.

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.

Officials have said Mr Durovs arrest was part of a broader investigation that was started last month and he was detained until Wednesday morning when he was released on bail.

Telegram: These charges are absurd

As part of Frances investigative process, judges filed preliminary charges against him on Wednesday night and ordered him to pay bail.

Laure Beccuau, a Paris prosecutor, said in a statement that Telegram has appeared in multiple criminal cases tied to child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking and online hate crimes, but has shown a near-total absence of replies to requests for cooperation.

Mr Durov's lawyer, David-Olivier Kaminski, leaves court in Paris on Wednesday - EPA

She said other prosecutors around France, as well as legal authorities in other European countries, had shared the same observation.

In a statement posted on its platform after Mr Durovs arrest, Telegram has insisted it abided 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.

In addition to Russia and France, Mr Durov is also a citizen of the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he hoped Mr Durov has all the necessary opportunities for his legal defence and added that Moscow stands ready to provide all necessary assistance and support.

Mr Durov left France in 2014 and lives most of the time in Dubai.

Neither he or his company have yet to comment on the latest developments.

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Before Telegrams CEO was arrested in France, the app had gained a reputation for ignoring advocacy groups fighting child exploitation.

Three of those groups, the U.S.-based National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), the Canadian Centre for Child Protection and the U.K.-based Internet Watch Foundation, all told NBC News that their outreach to Telegram about child sexual abuse material, often shorthanded as CSAM, on the platform has largely been ignored.

Pavel Durov, a co-founder and the CEO of Telegram, a messaging and news app thats widely used in former Soviet countries and has become increasingly popular with the U.S. far right and groups banned from other platforms, remains in the custody of French authorities, who arrested him Saturday.

The Paris prosecutor, who hasnt announced charges, said Monday that Durov was arrested as part of an investigation into an unnamed person. The claims against the person include complicity in illegal transactions and possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material, the prosecutor said in a statement.

Telegram wrote in a statement on X that it abides by European Union laws. It said that Durov has nothing to hide and that it is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.

Telegram has long branded itself as relatively unmoderated and unwilling to work with law enforcement. Durov said in April it had 900 million regular users.

John Shehan, senior vice president of NCMECs Exploited Children Division & International Engagement, said he was encouraged by Frances decision to arrest Durov because Telegram has been such a haven for CSAM.

Telegram is truly in a league of their own as far as their lack of content moderation or even interest in preventing child sexual exploitation activity on their platform, he said

It is encouraging to see the French government, French police, taking some action to potentially rectify this type of activity, Shehan said.

Telegrams website says it never responds to any reports of any kind of illegal activity in private or group chats, even if reported by a user. It also says that unlike other major tech platforms, which routinely comply with court orders and warrants for user data, we have disclosed 0 bytes of user data to third parties, including governments.

NBC News asked Telegram to comment on the groups claims that their efforts to flag CSAM have been ignored. In a statement, Telegram spokesperson Remi Vaughan didnt address their comments but said the platform actively moderates harmful content on its platform including child abuse materials.

Moderators use a combination of proactive monitoring of public parts of the platform, AI tools, and user reports to remove content that breaches Telegrams terms of service, Vaughan said. Telegram maintains a channel that gives daily updates on how many groups and channels have been reported for child abuse, and it claims thousands of public groups are banned daily.

In a report last year on platforms enforcement of CSAM, the Stanford Internet Observatory noted that while Telegram says its against its rules to share CSAM in public channels, it is the only major tech platform whose privacy policy doesnt explicitly prohibit CSAM or grooming of children in its private chats.

By law, U.S.-based platforms are required to work with NCMEC, which runs the worlds largest international coordination center among law enforcement, social media platforms and tipsters to flag confirmed abuse material so it can be taken down rapidly. Telegram is based in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, which Durov, who was born in the former Soviet Union, has claimed is a neutral country that doesnt make his platform beholden to any government.

But major tech companies outside the U.S., including TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance; U.K.-based Fenix, which owns OnlyFans; and the Canadian conglomerate Aylo, which owns Pornhub, all remove CSAM that NCMEC flags, Shehan said.

Telegram offers what it describes as an option to encrypt private messages end to end, meaning only users, not the platform, can read them. But while other end-to-end encrypted messaging services, like WhatsApp, allow users to report and forward illegal content, Telegram doesnt have such an option.

NCMEC has received 570,000 reports of CSAM on Telegram in total, Shehan said. The app was launched in 2013.

Theyve been really, really clear on the team that they have no interest. We sporadically reach out, but its not frequent anymore, he said. They dont respond at all.

A spokesperson for the U.K.s Internet Watch Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization that works to curb the spread of CSAM, said that it had made repeated attempts to work with Telegram over the past year but that Telegram has refused to take of any of its services to block, prevent and disrupt the sharing of child sexual abuse imagery.

Theres no excuse, said the groups deputy CEO, Heidi Kempster. All platforms have it within their gift to do something, now, to prevent the spread of child sexual abuse imagery. We have the tools, we have the data, and any failure to stop this known content from proliferating is an active and deliberate choice.

Stephen Sauer, who directs Canadas national CSAM tip line at the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, said in an emailed statement that not only has Telegram ignored its attempts to flag CSAM, but also that abuse material there has become more prevalent.

Based on our observations, Telegrams platform is increasingly being used to make CSAM available to offenders. In many cases, we see Telegram links or accounts advertised on web forums and even on U.S.-based mainstream social media platforms that act as a funnel to drive traffic to illegal Telegram-based content, he said.

Telegrams moderation practices are completely opaque  we really have no sense of how they operate. Likewise, we receive no confirmation or feedback from the company on the moderation outcome when we do report content into them. More importantly, it does not appear the platform itself is taking adequate proactive steps to curb the spread of CSAM on their service despite its known use for facilitating the exchange of this type of material, Sauer said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
As syphilis rates rise at an alarming rate in Tennessee and across the nation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first over-the-counter home syphilis test. While the test won't be available on a large scale until later this year, doctors in Tennessee remain optimistic about the impact it could have on sexually transmitted infection case numbers.

Tennessee's rate of newly diagnosed syphilis cases rose twice as fast as the national rate in the five years ending in 2022.

"Any sort of in-home testing for stigmatizing diseases is going to have a very large impact," Nashville CARES medical director Dr. Kassem Bourgi said. "Patients have not, for example, wanted to go to a doctor's office to get tested for something that sensitive, so the ability to do it from their home might be incredibly helpful."

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection that often does not result in any noticeable symptoms, but untreated over time, it can cause heart and brain damage, deafness and blindness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

However, if identified in the early stages, the infection can be completely cured with just 10 days of antibiotics like penicillin. When the at-home tests become available, patients who test positive will still need to seek care from a medical provider for treatment options.

Syphilis is diagnosed with a blood test and the at-home test requires a finger prick to draw blood.

"When appropriate, screening for STIs should be part of routine care if we really want to control syphilis," Bourgi said. "It gets a little bit muddy because this is not a topic a lot of patients want to talk about and not a topic a lot of physicians feel comfortable talking about."

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the NOWDiagnostics First To Know Syphilis Test for over-the-counter use in August 2024.

Increase in Tennessee syphilis cases over five years: 162%

From 2017 to 2022, the number of syphilis cases in Tennessee increased 162% to 3,813, and cases in women specifically increased 311% to 1,191, according to data from the Tennessee Department of Health.

Another issue arising in the state is the over 400% rise in congenital syphilis cases, or babies born with syphilis.

We are seeing babies with syphilis and syphilis exposure," Vanderbilt pediatrics professor Dr. Walter Dehority said in a statement. "Many infants born to women with untreated syphilis will require x-rays of the bones, an eye exam, a lumbar puncture and blood work just to evaluate for congenital syphilis infection, even if they are not treated."

Nationwide, syphilis cases increased by nearly 80% from 2018 and 2022, according to the CDC.

Potential impacts of decreased state health department funding

The Tennessee Department of Health cut funding for HIV prevention, detection and other treatments in May 2023 by rejecting nearly $9 million in federal CDC grant money that was previously distributed for HIV prevention-related services and STI testing. Instead, Gov. Bill Lee promised to replace the funds with state dollars to have more local control over the programs administered by nonprofits including United Way of Greater Nashville.

But, since the change occurred, the state health department has not released any comprehensive case numbers on sexually-transmitted disease infections and treatment.

While leaders across the state like Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris have criticized the decision to change funding sources for these programs, the direct impact on case numbers in Tennessee is yet to be seen.

"It's hard to tell exactly what's going to happen," Vanderbilt's VIVID Health Medical Director Dr. Chris Terndrup said. "Access to screening is great, which is why we should maintain excitement about the FDA approving additional options for screening, particularly for those that are less likely to access a provider. But in the end, no matter whether people are doing at home testing, they still need to have a provider for confirmatory testing, and they need to get access to treatment, which can be complicated."

Hadley Hitson covers trending business, dining and health care for The Tennessean. She can be reached at hhitson@gannett.com. To support her work, subscribe to The Tennessean.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee rates could be impacted by FDA-approved home syphilis test
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) has been awarded a $34.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to enhance college readiness.

Cookeville High School placed on lockdown after student claims to have gun: reports

The Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) grant is set to run between September 2024 and September 2031. THEC said that the grant has been designed to increase academic performance, high school graduation rates, postsecondary education enrollment and families understanding of higher education options.

The program will offer services that include:

Academic development, tutoring, and support

Mentoring and career exploration

Dual enrollment opportunities

Financial literacy and aid assistance

Family engagement and professional development for school staff

Transition planning and retention services during the first year of college

A quality education can change the trajectory of a students life, Governor Bill Lee said in a press release from the state Higher Education Commission. The GEAR UP grant will help us continue to create greater opportunity and outcomes for Tennessees most vulnerable students while helping our state meet its workforce goals.

GEAR UP will reportedly serve roughly 9,000 students, starting with seventh graders from the Class of 2030. Those students will receive continuous support though their first year of undergraduate study.

The Class of 2031 cohort will be supported through their senior year of high school along with 1,450 priority seniors. The priority seniors will receive targeted services.

The latest grant is the fourth GEAR UP grant secured by THEC since 2005. Previous grants have directly supported more than 66,000 students. This grant will directly engage with high schools and feeder schools in Monroe, Grainger, Cumberland, Jackson, Bedford, and Hardeman counties.

TN Treasury returns $20K unclaimed property to nonprofits

GEAR UP TN has also supported sites in Robertson, Davidson, Overton and Henry counties.

In July, News 2 reported that Tennessees college-going rate increased to 56.7 percent in 2023. Despite that increase, News 2 also found that Tennessees FAFSA application completion rate had dropped.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Tennessee man pleads guilty to killing wife with hammer, burying her in ditch

Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Nashville man Joseph Glynn pleaded guilty Wednesday to murdering his 76-year-old wife, Jackie, with a hammer in January. He faces a life sentence if convicted.

Jackie Glynn's remains were found buried on the couple's seven-acre property in Smithville, Tenn.

Joseph Glynn was charged with criminal homicide, abuse of a corpse and evidence tampering. He pleaded guilty Wednesday morning to the murder charge and the other charges were dropped.

According to Deputy District Attorney Roger Moore, Glynn's family noticed some unusual travel sites revealed by tracking apps. The tracking info led her son Chad Folk to a dumpster in McCabe Park, where police said he found some of his mother's belongings.

Moore said Joseph Glynn confessed to hitting his wife in the head with a hammer at their home on Jan. 1. He then drove her body to property they owned in DeKalb County, burying her in a ditch previously dug by contractors.

She was buried in a vehicle cargo box.

During the guilty plea proceeding, Chad Folk said his mother Jackie Glynn was a loving mother and grandmother.

"My belief in Christ teaches me that hating the man that killed my mother won't make that darkness recede any faster, nor does anger or revenge bring back Jackie," Folk said in court, explaining that he and his family still love Joseph Glynn.
The assistant principal of a North Texas school made her first public appearance to speak on the horrifying events that occurred in her classroom weeks ago. She says the incident left her with permanent injuries.



Collins Intermediate School assistant principal Candra Rogers spoke Tuesday about the incident from Thursday, Aug. 15. She said during lunch, she heard the behavioral teacher call on the radio requesting assistance. When she arrived, Rogers said a group of students as well as the teacher were standing outside the classroom. She said one student was holding his head, having been assaulted by the last student left in the classroom.

Rogers described this student to be irate and claimed the room was ransacked with overturned furniture.

I spoke lowly and slowly so as not to enrage him any further, Rogers said.

However, she said the student picked up a chair and threw it at her which she caught in mid air. The student threw another chair which she blocked with the first chair she had caught, she said. The student then picked up a third chair to throw at another assistant principal who arrived on the scene which Rogers blocked again from making impact.

However, the student wielded another weapon that turned matters into a life-threatening situation.

After blocking the chair thrown at the other assistant principal, he threw a wooden hanger at me but I couldnt stop it fast enough, Rogers said. The hanger hit me in my right eye and knocked it out of the socket. I grabbed my face while blood was pouring out of my head and stumbled out of the classroom.

Following this frightening moment, Rogers said the nurse and 911 were called. She also said she asked for her husband to pick her up from the school, not realizing the extent of the injury she sustained. She said she was airlifted to Parkland Medical Center in Dallas where doctors immediately brought her into surgery.

Rogers said that while doctors were able to reinsert her eye, they told her she sustained permanent blindness and considered removing her eye completely.

Im still believing God for a miracle for restoration of my sight, Rogers said.

Rogers said the Texas Education Code regarding how students are disciplined should be re-evaluated so no educator has to be placed in the way of danger. She also said Gov. Greg Abbott is culpable for what happened to her by his failure to properly fund public schools, therefore, depleting students and staff of their supportive resources to prevent these incidents.

Corsicana Independent School District released a statement saying they are cooperating with local law enforcement and the District Attorneys office in the investigation into the incident. They also said there is no timetable for Rogers to return to work.



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PECOS, Texas (KXAN)  A school district in West Texas built an apartment complex to offer a more affordable housing option to its teachers, a solution that came up this week in a new report released by the state about this growing problem.

The Pecos-Barstow-Toyah Independent School District, which is based in the town of Pecos in Reeves County, now has its own 64-unit teacher housing complex. District leaders spent approximately $19 million to build it because staff members had trouble finding housing there due to its remote location and the demand from the oil and gas industry. Plus, rent for these apartments built by the district is offered at a price below the average for units in the area.

Almost every Texan considers housing affordability a problem, new survey finds

It is very challenging to find good, quality housing and so districts, to attract and retain highly-qualified teachers, are having to find innovative ways to do that, Superintendent Brent Jaco said Wednesday. We took the step of building an apartment complex, and so far thats paid great dividends for us.

Jaco said the district had its lowest turnover this year out of the four years hes served as superintendent. At least 30 new teachers also started at the district to fill openings, and now all but about two of the apartments are occupied at the districts complex.

While it will take a few years for us to recoup the money spent on the apartment complex, which we really werent looking to make this a profit, it was more of a marketing deal and to make sure that we could attract highly-qualified teachers to have in the classroom was a bigger concern, Jaco said. So far, its been very successful and very beneficial for the district.

This is one of the apartments in the complex built to house teachers at the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah Independent School District. (Photo Courtesy: Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD)

This is one of the apartments in the complex built to house teachers at the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah Independent School District. (Photo Courtesy: Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD)

This is one of the apartments in the complex built to house teachers at the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah Independent School District. (Photo Courtesy: Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD)

This is one of the apartments in the complex built to house teachers at the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah Independent School District. (Photo Courtesy: Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD)

This is one of the apartments in the complex built to house teachers at the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah Independent School District. (Photo Courtesy: Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD)

Larger school districts in Texas are also pursuing similar developments. Austin ISD would like to build two apartment complexes for teachers at the Anita Ferrales Coy campus, which currently houses an alternative learning center in east Austin. In July, the citys planning commission approved a rezoning request at that site, which could help move the project forward. If approved by the Austin City Council, crews could break ground on the complex and the modernization of the school sometime in 2025.

The Texas comptroller mentioned employers taking on these kinds of projects in a report released Tuesday that outlined ways to perhaps improve housing affordability in the state. As Glenn Hegar noted in the report, Housing supply is the crux of the affordability issue, and there are no easy, clear-cut fixes to this challenge.

However, some suggestions to encourage more home construction included the state working to reduce property taxes, increasing funding for low- to moderate-income housing programs as well as offering incentives to increase the housing supply at the price range where its most needed. He also advised local governments that they could do their part by possibly making the permitting process simpler and looking into more public-private partnerships to address housing affordability.

Acting on some of those ideas could come next year when state lawmakers return to the Texas Capitol for a new session on Jan. 14.

Education issues are likely to dominate the next regular legislative session beginning in January. Gov. Greg Abbott would like state lawmakers to finally give the green light to families using public dollars to help cover the cost of their childrens private or homeschooling. A Texas House of Representatives committee met earlier this month to begin discussions about creating such a program next year, which made Democratic lawmakers revive their calls to instead raise teacher pay and increase funding for public schools.

Interestingly, something nearly every Texan appears to agree on right now is that the price of housing is a problem. A survey published recently by the University of Houston and Texas Southern University found that 90% of Texans consider housing affordability a problem in their part of the state  with 44% considering it to be a big problem and 46% saying its somewhat of a problem. This came after pollsters talked to 2,257 respondents during the period between June 20 and July 1.

That survey also found that 54% of Texans favor government policies intended to increase the amount of affordable housing for lower and middle-income Texans, while 26% oppose these policies.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Texas has removed one million people from voter rolls as part of controversial reforms

Approximately 1.1 million people in Texas had their names removed from the state voter roll over the last three years (AFP via Getty Images)

Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced on Monday that more than one million people have been removed from Texass voter rolls over the last three years under a set of controversial voting laws that sought to crackdown on illegal voting.

According to a list, approximately 1.1 million people have had their names removed from Texass voter roll call  most of those are people who died, moved to a different state or did not respond to voter status update questionnaires.

He claimed roughly 6,500 were noncitizens, 1,930 of whom had a voter history  though it is unclear how accurate that number is.

Abbott attributed the purge of names to the set of election laws, which he referred to as the strongest election laws in the nation, passed in 2021 after false claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

Those laws, under Senate Bill 1, restricted early voting hours, banned unsolicited mail-in ballot applications, required state ID, expanded poll watchers protections and access, and established a monthly maintenance review of noncitizens with voter registrations.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a piece of legislation in 2021 that created more restirctions around voting in the Lone Star state (Getty Images)

But a local voting rights organization said Abbotts announcement lacks transparency

Year after year, people are taken off the voting rolls for all manner of innocuous reasons, and while Senate Bill 1 did enact stricter barriers for registering to vote, there is no evidence to suggest that the governors data can be attributed to the law, Sarah Xiyi Chen of the Texas Civil Rights Project told The Texas Tribune.

Abbotts press release indicated 463,000 people were dropped from the voter roll list after appearing on the suspense list  a method the state employs to ensure a voters address is updated. Counties will send a notice to an individual if a jury summons or other government form is not returned or is undeliverable.

This process has been used before the 2021 legislation was passed. More than 12 percent of Texass 18.3 million registered voters are on that list, according to KXAN. But many voters can be reinstated once they register again.

What is more unclear is the number of noncitizens with a voting history who were removed from the roll call.

Texas faced a similar controversy in 2019 after the secretary of state claimed 95,000 noncitizens had a voting history. It was later determined that the list was created by cross-referencing registered voters with people who said they were not citizens when they obtained a drivers license or state identification card.

That meant the list could include plenty of people who became naturalized citizens at some point after obtaining a state I.D. A preliminary investigation found that at least 25,000 of those names were incorrectly added to the list.

The scandal resulted in multiple lawsuits, the resignation of the then-acting Texas secretary of state, and eventually the rescinding of the initial claim.
HONOLULU (KHON2)  Has this happened to you? A text was sent from your phone to one of your contacts, and you didnt send the text or participate in the ensuing conversation?

This happened to local Makiki resident Dan Paul Roberts.

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Last night I was at the movie; and after Id gotten out of the movie, I realized I needed to send a text to someone, remembered Roberts. So, I open it; and Im, like, what are these messages? I didnt write these. You know, like, theres, like, three or four back-and-forths between that person and I, except I did not send them. The phone was in my pocket at that time.

Roberts went on to explain that the text that was sent to his contact was phishing for that person to send their email address.

The messages were kind of weird and phishing for their email address, added Roberts

Tropical twists: Discover Hawaiis wild wine scene

This is not unlike the email scam in which someones email is hacked, and the receiver is diverted to a different email address in their response. However, in this situation, the person Robertss phone had texted was not diverted to a different number.

KHON2.com reached out to the Better Business Bureau and spoke with Cameron Nakashima. He explained that there are a couple of different scams happening. The first, were more familiar with, Account Takeover Fraud.

This is when a cybercriminal gains unauthorized access to a victims online account, such as a bank account, email or social media account. Once they have control, they may use the account for various malicious activities, including stealing funds, committing identity theft or spreading malware.

Hawaii residents lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in pig butchering scam. How to protect yourself

But the scam that Roberts experienced wasnt this. It is what Nakashima referred to as phone hacking, mobile device hacking or phone hijacking.

This is a scam where a phone device is hacked, explained Nakashima. This type of scam involves unauthorized access to a smartphone or mobile device, allowing the hacker to steal personal information, intercept communications or install malware.

He went on to explain that these methods are used to hack a phone and can include phishing attacks, exploiting vulnerabilities in the phones software or using malicious apps. In Robertss case, it was using his phone to get personal information from his personal contacts.

Nakashima provided three tips to help decrease the likelihood of your device or account getting hacked:

Dont click links from people you dont know or have not heard from in a long time. These can contain trojan horse malware that lets hackers take over your device.

Avoid suspicious store websites and never shop on unsecure sites. You can look up website scams and vet businesses you are unfamiliar with by looking them up on the BBB website.

Use strong passwords and 2-factor authentication.

Nakashima explained that this is a relatively new scam and that the BBB is still investigating it.

Roberts said hes received many text scams before, but they were from outside his personal phone contacting him for his information.

This one has never happened to me before, added Roberts.

Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHONs morning podcast, every morning at 8

Roberts said he is thankful no one got scammed in this particular situation but certainly cautions everyone to verify, verify, verify.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand  The Royal Thai Air Force has nominated the Gripen E/F fighter jet to replace the countrys aging F-16A/Bs in a hard-fought contest involving Saab and Lockheed Martin, officials announced on Tuesday.

A service committee deliberated for ten months before recommending the Gripen, though government approval is still required before a contract can be signed. It can be concluded that the JAS 39 Gripen E/F attack fighter has the ability to meet the strategic needs of the air force, the panel announced.

A Thai Air Force white paper, released on Feb. 29, stated the warplane program would deliver 12-14 fighters.

The military envisions buying four Gripens with a 19-billion-baht (roughly $560 million) budget from FY2025-2029. The remaining aircraft will be procured through FY2034 to equip 102 Squadron stationed at Korat in northeastern Thailand, which will retire its 1980s-era F-16s in 2028.

The Gripen E defeated Lockheeds F-16 Block 70/72 offering, so the Thai decision represents an important win for manufacturer Saab. Lockheed Martin recently delivered its 4,600th F-16.

The Royal Thai Air Force is familiar with Saabs platform after ordering twelve Gripen C/Ds in 2008; these were recently upgraded under a January 2021 contract.

Sweden goes back to the drawing board for a next-gen warplane

Saabs Robert Bjorklund, head of the Gripen campaign for Thailand, told Defense News earlier this year that the countrys existing fleet is highly reliable, highly versatile and brings a very wide range of weapon options, including its highly effective RBS15 anti-ship missile.

A Saab spokesperson cautioned that the service committee decision in favor new models means no details are decided yet, but noted the company may include MBDA Meteor missiles in its final package.

Saabs and Lockheed Martins final offers were submitted on August 20, and both technology transfer and offset pledges  a term used to broadly describe economic quid pro quos  played a critical part in the selection process.

Thailand eagerly sought offsets under a policy designed to create opportunities for development of its defense industry, according to the Air Force.

Saabs offer may also include upgrades to Thailands two Erieye airborne early-warning aircraft. The Air Force white paper said their dorsal-mounted radars are to be replaced from FY2026-2029, but Bangkok has no money available at present.

Thailand also has a second fighter requirement for 12-14 aircraft slated to replace F-5E/Fs from FY2031-2035, as well as a third project to succeed further F-16A/Bs from FY2037-2046.
(Bloomberg) -- Thailands ruling Pheu Thai Party has invited a former rival to join its coalition, as new Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra aims to finalize her cabinet by early next month.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The Democrat Party will likely meet Thursday to discuss whether to join the multi-member bloc and who it will nominate as potential ministers in Paetongtarns cabinet, deputy leader Pramual Pongthavaradet told reporters.

If the Democrat joins, its 25 lawmakers in the House of Representatives will be added to the coalition, helping cushion the 40 seats lost when Pheu Thai ejected pro-military Palang Pracharath earlier this week. Paetongtarn became prime minister on Aug. 16, after Srettha Thavisin was disqualified for ethics violations by a court ruling after less than a year in power.

A potential alliance between the Shinawatra clan and Thailands oldest political party would shatter a bitter political divide dating back at least two decades. The Democrat Party has long opposed the various parties linked to Paetongtarns father, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whom it has accused of cronyism, populism and corruption.

READ: What to Know About Thailands Youngest Prime Minister: QuickTake

After a coup toppled Thaksins administration in 2006, his supporters formed the pro-democracy Red Shirt movement to protest his removal. They often clashed with already-existing Yellow Shirts, a royalist group who sought to eradicate the billionaire businessman-turned-politician from Thai politics and had paved the way for the putsch.

After several short-stinted administrations and a court-ordered dissolution of a Thaksin-linked party, Abhisit Vejjajiva, the then-leader of the Democrat Party, was appointed premier in 2008. Abhisits Democrat then lost to Pheu Thai in a general election in 2011, which resulted in Thaksins sister, Yingluck, becoming prime minister.

Burying Hatchet

She pushed for an amnesty bill that wouldve allowed Thaksin to come home from exile, which led to another round of protests, this time backed by supporters of Democrat Party, which eventually resulted in another coup in 2014.

But the Democrats current secretary-general, Dej-Is Khaothong, said its time to bury the hatchet. He said voters would like to see the party in the new government.

I feel at ease with this. We have only love and forgiveness for each other, Dej-Is said at a joint briefing with his Pheu Thai counterpart on Wednesday. Its up to the prime minister which cabinet positions she will give us.

Paetongtarn, 38, the youngest of Thaksins three children, has struggled to finalize her cabinet lineup due to the squabbling by the now-ousted Palang Pracharath Party as well as lengthy background checks on ministerial candidates.

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Glaciologist Matthias Huss enters an ice cave at the tongue of the Rhone Glacier in Obergoms, Switzerland, on Aug. 27. (Denis Balibouse/Reuters)

A glaciologist enters an ice cave formed by rapidly melting glaciers in Switzerland; a person digs to find traces of missing relatives in Mexico; and people in India watch protesters seek justice for a female doctor who was killed. Heres why these three pictures matter right now.

Climate change causes dramatic acceleration of melting glaciers in Switzerland

Reuters photographer Denis Balibouse snapped this photo of Matthias Huss, a glaciologist and head of the Glacier Monitoring in Switzerland (GLAMOS), walking into the Rhone Glaciers ice cave on Tuesday in Obergoms, Switzerland.

Swiss glaciers are melting at a rapid pace, according to research from the Swiss Academy of Sciences and GLAMOS, and the acceleration is dramatic. Switzerland lost about 10 percent of its glacier ice in two years due to a lack of winter rain and warming climates in Europe.

Seeker warriors desperately search for missing relatives in Mexico

A female member of the collective Guerreros Buscadores searches for their missing relatives in Jalisco, Mexico, on Aug. 27. (Ulises Ruiz/AFP via Getty Images)

Ulises Ruiz, a photographer in Mexico, captured this image on Tuesday of a member of the group Guerreros Buscadores, which translates as seeker warriors. The person in the photograph was reportedly searching for missing family members in the Jalisco state of Mexico ahead of the International Day of the Disappeared on Aug. 30. The group mainly consists of the mothers and sisters of Mexicos more than 100,000 people who have disappeared without a trace, according to the U.N. Committee on Enforced Disappearances. Guerreros Buscadores is part of a collective of groups looking for their missing relatives, many of whom are presumed victims of crimes in Mexico. Jalisco has the highest number of people reported missing in Mexico, according to Statista.

Onlookers in India watch activists demand resignation of countrys chief minister

People watch as activists march to demand the resignation of Mamata Banerjee, chief minister of India's West Bengal state, in Kolkata on Aug. 27. (Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP via Getty Images)

Photojournalist Dibyangshu Sarkar captured this image of people peeking through a closed shop in Kolkata on Tuesday as protesters called for the resignation of Indias Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Activists have accused Banerjee of mishandling the brutal rape and killing of a 31-year-old female doctor in a state-run medical college and hospital in Kolkata. Her body was found on Aug. 9 in a lecture hall. Thousands of protesters, many of whom are university students and doctors, have since taken to the streets to seek justice for the doctor, clashing with local police, who reportedly fired tear gas and a water cannon on Tuesday. Local shops have been closed during the protests.

See more of our photo features on Yahoo News >>>
HONOLULU (KHON2)  Founder, Kalia Wasson, and Owner of Ocean Creations, Haelee Tallett, joined Wake Up 2Day with all the details on the event and the vendor marketplace coming to Ewa Beach.

Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You

For the very first time, the Third Annual Hawaii Swim Show makes its debut on the island of Oahu! From Friday, August 30 to Sunday, September 1, get ready for the best in resort and swimwear fashion at the beautiful Wai Kai in Ewa Beach. Showcased on a runway over Hawaiis first deep-water standing Wai Kai Wave overlooking the lagoon after sunset, this years show will definitely be an epic splash!



This year the Hawaii Swim Show will highlight 18 locally and world-renowned designers and swimwear brands, each with their own individual exclusive fashion showcase times throughout the 3-day event, again bringing that global spotlight to Hawaii fashion. With a cast of 60 models selected for their uniqueness, diversity, and character, the event remains steadfast in representation for all body types, age groups, and ethnic backgrounds. Through an open call casting, thousands of models apply each year through a very selective process for a chance to be on the iconic Hawaii Swim Show runway.



Besides the swim show, viewers can shop the looks at the Vendor Marketplace that is free to the public from Saturday, August 31 to Sunday, September 1 on the Wai Kai Event Lawn from 10am to 4pm featuring 50 incredible Hawaii -based brands and vendors, including swim and resort wear designers and Hawaiian cultural education booths. One of the vendors, Haelee Tallett, founder of Ocean Creations, shared her pieces that viewers could find. Haelee expressed that customization is an important aspect of her business. Something that started for her and her mom in high school, has now expanded to many stores across Oahu. She prides her business on the customer service experience as well as the fashion and affordability you can expect with her pieces. You can find her at booth 1-2 on both days of the marketplace.



Founder, Kalia Wasson further shared, The first two years were successful and made history in the world of local Hawaiian talent, fashion and swimwear. Each years event hosted thousands of attendees and was featured on prestigious platforms and magazines, as well as attracted more than 20 million viewers worldwide. The show will not be livestreamed to the public, so viewers should purchase in-person tickets. A huge mahalo to our main sponsors this year including Wai Kai, Twin Fin Waikiki, JSS by design, TMR Events, CNHA Kilohana Collective, Hawaii Tourism Authority, and Hawaii Rise Foundation.

For more information on how to secure tickets and brand showtimes, please visit

HISWIMSHOW.COM or see their Instagram at (@hawaiiswimshow).

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Threat of invasive mussels means all boats will be inspected at 2 SLO County lakes

To combat the threat of invasive shellfish, the San Luis Obispo County Parks and Recreation Department is strengthening its boat inspection protocols at Lopez Lake and Santa Margarita Lake.

Zebra and quagga mussels, which are native to eastern Europe, attach to boats and hitchhike from one lake to another, damaging the environment and clogging water equipment, according to Lopez Lake supervising ranger Craig Duprey.

Neither Lopez Lake or Santa Margarita Lake are infected with the shellfish  and the county wants to keep it that way.

Starting Nov. 1, all boats entering the two lakes will be inspected for both mussels, he said.

Our job is to make sure its not getting into the lake, Duprey said. The impacts can be really significant, so were really diligent about inspections.

Zebra mussels are scooped from Minnesotas Lake Pepin, where they carpet the lakes bottom.

Strict shellfish inspection protocols at SLO County lakes

In infected lakes, the mussels congregate and clamp onto boats, clog pipes and carpet the lake bottom, according to Duprey. This can disrupt the food chain, damage expensive equipment and harm tourism, he said.

Infestations at other lakes have been catastrophic, he said.

The mussels are about the size of a dime, but larvae is microscopic and travels in water sloshing around vessels traveling between different water bodies.

Right now, when a boat has a tag showing that it passed a mussel inspection at certain lakes, that boat is allowed to enter Lopez Lake or Santa Margarita Lake without another inspection, Duprey said. Other boats are inspected for the mussels, he said.

Starting Nov. 1, however, all boats will be inspected by park rangers for mussels before entering the two lakes, Duprey said. County parks will implement the change in the fall to give boaters time to adjust to the new rule.

We just didnt want to throw it on them, he said.

Kelley Petersen checks for quagga mussels on Dusty Kahlers boat at the enterance to Lake Nacimiento in 2012.

During the inspection, a trained park ranger checks each boat to ensure that its clean, dry and drained of all water, he said. The plug must be pulled on the bilge, and the ranger must not find any organic matter attached to any part of the vessel, Duprey said.

Sometimes, the park will recruit mussel-sniffing dogs to check the boats after a park ranger performs a first inspection, he said.

To prevent mussel infestations, a county news release instructed boaters to take the following precautions:

Check boat surfaces for mussels, which feel like sandpaper;

Wash the hull of the vessel;

Remove plant and animal material;

Drain water from the vessel and dry all parts of the boat;

Clean and dry all live-wells;

Throw away unused bait;

Empty and dry buckets and compartments.

Mussel-sniffing dogs will inspect vessels at Lopez Lake for invasive quagga muscles on July 3 and July 4, 2023.

Grant funding to hire dogs to assist with inspections

The California Department of Boating and Waterways awarded Lopez Lake a $318,590 grant to increase staffing for invasive shellfish inspections, Duprey said.

The lake has a high calcium content, which supports the mussels in creating their shells and makes the lake more susceptible to a mussel infestation.

The grant will allow county parks to hire two new inspectors and a dog to regularly check boats for the mussels during peak boating season, Duprey said.

A dog inspects a boat for invasive shellfish.

Duprey said hes especially looking forward to a new canine on the team.

They can sniff or smell larvae and mussels in areas we cant see, he said. Theres definitely a sense of security when theres a dog on site.

The rest of the funding will be allocated to public outreach, including signage and brochures, he said.

The county should receive the funding when the paperwork is finalized, Duprey said. The three new inspectors, called the Resource Protection Team, will likely be hired during the fall or winter.

Lopez rangers are excited to welcome these additional resources from the state to help further protect the reservoir, he said.

Quagga mussels approach an inch in length and can vary in color, as these 2006 examples from Lake Michigan illustrate. Quagga and zebra mussels are native to Russia and Ukraine and are believed to have arrived in the U.S. in the 1980s aboard ships that released ballast water into the Great Lakes.
Three arrested in connection with stolen car involved in postal worker robbery

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  Three people are in custody in connection with a robbery that occurred Monday of a U.S. Postal Service worker.

Semone Roth, a police spokeswoman, said Jamel Anthony, 18, and two other teenagers, 15 and 16, were arrested in the 700 block of East London Avenue after officers recognized the vehicle they were traveling in was linked to the postal worker robbery.

Postal worker robbed in Peoria

The officers had seen the car earlier off East Behrends Avenue and followed it until it was on London which is in Peoria Heights. All three were caught after a brief foot chase.

Anthony allegedly was in possession of a loaded handgun.

The two boys were booked in the countys Juvenile Detention Center on charges of possession of a stolen motor vehicle and obstructing police.

Anthony was arrested and booked into the Peoria County Jail on charges of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, having no FOID card, possession of a stolen motor vehicle and obstructing police.

The postal worker was robbed, Roth said, at about 1:30 p.m. near the intersection of Republic and Bigelow streets. The worker told police she was approached by a man with a gun who took her mail bag, some personal items and fled in a car.

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HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  Three students sustained minor injuries when their school bus was involved in a crash Tuesday afternoon.

Horry County Schools spokeswoman Lisa Bourcier told News13 a car rear-ended the bus that was carrying 24 Loris Middle/High School students along Heritage Road and Drew Lane.

Three passengers were sent to area hospitals with minor injuries. No further information was immediately available.

* * *

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.
An Oklahoma County voter fills out a ballot at a polling location in St. Luke's Methodist Church in Oklahoma City on Aug. 27. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice)

OKLAHOMA CITY  Oklahoma voters on Tuesday sent three state lawmakers into early retirement.

Oklahoma House Appropriations and Budget Chairman Kevin Wallace, R-Wellston, lost his primary runoff to Jim Shaw of Chandler.

Shaw was not available for comment.

Shaw will take the office as no Libertarian, Democrat or independent filed for House District 32.

Shaw garnered 54.35% of the vote.

Wallace appeared to be in trouble when he was forced into a runoff.

The change leaves a growing experience void in the state budget process. Wallace was a key budget negotiator for the House.

Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, was removed late in session. Hedecided to resign his seat, taking a job in the private sector.

Sen. Blake Cowboy Stephens, R-Tahlequah, lost his bid for reelection to Julie McIntosh, R-Porter. McIntosh garnered 60.75%.

I am super thankful the voters of this district put their faith and trust in me, she said.

She thanked her supporters, including Gov. Kevin Stitt and Corporation Commissioner Kim David.

McIntosh faces Margaret Cook, an independent from Tahlequah, in the general election for Senate District 3.

Gabe Wooley, R-Broken Arrow, unseated Rep. Dean Davis, R-Broken Arrow, with 50.56%. He faces Democrat Cathy Smythe of Broken Arrow in the general election for House District 98.

Several other legislative seats were left open due to term limits or a decision by the incumbent not to seek reelection.

Kelly E. Hines of Edmond defeated Jenny Schmitt of Oklahoma City with 60.31%.

It is a battle I won, not the war, said Hines, a vice president of an aerospace company.

The winner faces Democrat Erin Brewer of Edmond on the general election ballot.

Stitt endorsed Schmitt for Senate District 47.

She is the true conservative in the race, Stitt said.

Hines said he was happy to gain the support of community and conservative groups.

Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, who currently holds the seat, could not seek reelection due to term limits.

Lisa Standridge of Norman defeated Robert C. Keyes of Norman with 50.51 % of the vote.

She did not respond to a request for comment.

Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, could not run again for Senate District 15 due to term limits.

Lisa Standridge, who is married to Rob Standridge, faces Democrat Elizabeth Foreman in the general election.

In other races:

Jonathan Wilk of Goldsby defeated Mike Whaley of Blanchard with 50.03%. Unofficial results show the race was decided by two votes.

The winner faces Democrat Mitchell Jacob of Newcastle in the race for House District 20.

Rep. Sherrie Conley, R-Newcastle, did not seek reelection.

 Jason Blair of Norman defeated Nick Pokorny of Oklahoma City in the race for House District 53. Blair garnered 62.45%.

No independent, Libertarian or Democrat filed for the post to replace Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore, for House District 53.

 Mike Kelley defeated Ron Lynch with 64.77% of the vote for House Districct 60. Both are from Yukon.

Rep. Rhonda Baker, R-Yukon, chose not to seek another term.

 Stacy Jo Adams defeated Andrew Aldridge in the race for House District 50 with 61.71%. Both are from Duncan. Rep. Marcus McEntire, R-Duncan, chose not to run again.

No Democrat, Libertarian or independent filed for the post.

 Christi Gillespie defeated Shelley Gwartney in the race for Senate District 33 with 55.46%. Both are from Broken Arrow. She will face Bob Willis, a Democrat from Broken Arrow, in the general election.

Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, is term limited.

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Tim Walz is a fan of Menards' 11% rebates. The founder typically donates to Republicans.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic nominee for vice president, has hyped up another Wisconsin-based company with strong ties to Republicans  this time, home improvement store Menards and its 11% rebates.

"Keep your receipts, 11% rebate. But you got to send them in. It's a little bit of a challenge," Walz said. "About six weeks later, you'll get your 11% back."

Walz is referring to Menards' frequently offered mail-in rebates, which become in-store credit for future purchases. After a bit of prompting to sing the words, Walz also recited the jingle "save big money at Menards."

The most neglected part of home ownership is THE GUTTERS  @Tim_Walz pic.twitter.com/JL21BoR7El  SubwayTakes with Kareem Rahma (@SubwayTakes) August 27, 2024

Walz made the comments during an interview with Kareem Rahma, who has a TikTok account called "SubwayTakes" where he asks strangers, typically on the New York City subway, for their hot takes. Walz's "take" is that gutters are the "most neglected part of homeownership" and mentioned he buys his downspouts at Menards.

Both parties have embraced social media influencers during this campaign cycle, including the Democratic National Convention offering a "blue carpet" area for content creators to conduct interviews.

More: Walz appears on popular social media account SubwayTakes, latest stop in influencer battle

As Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate, Walz has sought to highlight his Midwestern background to connect with voters. Speaking to the Wisconsin delegation at the convention last week, he called himself a "Kwik Trip guy" when referencing a recent visit to Sheetz, a Pennsylvania-based convenience store chain.

Both companies are headquartered in western Wisconsin  Kwik Trip in La Crosse, and Menards in Eau Claire. Menards has a wider footprint across the country than the gas station chain: there are Menards locations as far as Wyoming, Missouri and West Virginia, for example.

More: 96% of Wisconsinites live within 30 minutes of a Kwik Trip. Here's how ubiquitous our other brands are.

The founders of both Wisconsin-based companies are also Republican donors. Donald Zietlow, the longtime Kwik Trip CEO who retired in 2023, has given more than $1 million in federal and state donations to Republican groups and candidates over the years.

And John Menard, the billionaire founder and owner of Menards, has given more than $600,000 to state and federal candidates and groups, the vast majority of which were Republican or conservative. That includes $50,000 to the Trump Victory Fund, a leadership fund for former President Donald Trump, Harris and Walz's opponent in November.

Menard did financially support one major Democratic candidate  former Gov. Jim Doyle. Over the years, Menard chipped in $20,500 to the former two-term Democratic governor.

Daniel Bice of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tim Walz hypes up Menards' 11% rebates in SubwayTakes video
A timeline of sex abuse allegations at UNC School of the Arts

Some 60 alumni allege that North Carolina School of the Arts failed to protect them from sexual assault and abuse by faculty members over decades.

Heres a timeline of assault and abuse claims against the school, with allegations spanning from the 1960s to 2018.

A historical marker for the UNC School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, N.C. is pictured here at the entrance to the campus on July 19, 2021.

1965: The North Carolina School of the Arts opened as the nations first public conservatory, enrolling both high school and college-age students.

1969: A 12-year-old student enrolled in the summer and high school ballet programs. Her account includes the earliest allegations in the lawsuit that 56 plaintiffs filed against the school in 2021. Those claims include:

Teacher Gary Burke locked her in a classroom and raped her.

She witnessed dance instructor Duncan Noble molest a young boy in a campus studio.

Dance teachers Richard Kuch and Richard Gain encouraged students to have sex and were rumored to sexually abuse students; Gain groped her in class

1972: The arts school became part of the University of North Carolina System of public campuses.

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, N.C., pictured here on July 19, 2021, is a creative and performing arts conservatory for high school and college students.

1983: Kuch was subject to some inquiry about allegedly sexually harassing a student, according to a 1995 letter from UNCSA Vice Chancellor Bill Pruitt stored in campus archives. Kuch kept his job.

Richard Kuch, left, and Richard Gain, right, taken from a photo of the dance faculty from the 1989 North Carolina School of the Arts yearbook.

1984: Kuch and Gain coerced a 16-year-old dance student into having sex and Gain sexually assaulted the boy at the couples home, a lawsuit claims. At least four other faculty members knew but failed to protect him, the suit says. Kuch booted him from the program, the former student alleges.

1989: Violin teacher Stephen Shipps, who three alumni now accuse of exploiting them sexually, left UNCSA and took a position at the University of Michigan.

1994: In anonymous survey, two faculty members listed staff sexually abusing students as their biggest concerns for the school, Pruitt told the Winston-Salem Journal in 1995. Gyula Pandi, then a dance teacher, told Pruitt that widespread knowledge of Kuch and Gains abuse made it difficult to recruit male dance students nationally, Pandi later told the Greensboro News and Record.

July 1995: The student who accused Kuch and Gain of sexually abusing him in 1984 filed a lawsuit against UNCSA, alleging negligence from faculty and administrators for failing to prevent the abuse.

August 1995: Kuch and Gain resigned from UNCSA, evading a planned campus hearing. UNC Board of Governors chair Sam Neill announced a commission to independently investigate allegations of sexual abuse at UNCSA.

November 1995: The commission released findings saying  incorrectly  that most of a very few alleged perpetrators had left the school. In fact, people called the inquiry hotline to accuse 24 staff and faculty of either abusing or having romantic relationships with students, according to an unpublished commission document the News & Observer and the Charlotte Observer obtained. And 13 of them were still working at the school.

Richard Gain and Richard Kuch owned this house in East Bend, N.C.

December 1995: A judge dismissed the former dance students lawsuit because the plaintiff was in his late twenties. The states statute of limitations for child sex abuse lawsuit was the victims 21st birthday at that time.

March 1996: The UNC system adopted a new policy forbidding romantic or sexual relationships between employees and any underage students, as well as any students they supervise or evaluate.

2005: Alumna Blair Tindall published a memoir describing sexual harassment and sexual relationships with professors while a music student in the 1970s. Amazon adapted the memoir into the 2014 series Mozart in the Jungle. UNCSA never publicly responded to her allegations.

University of North Carolina School of the Arts Chancellor Brian Cole

August 2019: Music dean Brian Cole became interim chancellor of UNCSA.

October 2019: State legislators unanimously passed the SAFE Child Act, which temporarily nullified the statute of limitations in child sex abuse lawsuits from January 2020 to December 2021.

Few child sex abuse survivors seize chance to sue in NC. Time is running out.

October 2020: Shipps, the former UNCSA violin teacher, was indicted on two child sex trafficking charges alleging he sexually abused girls while on the Univeristy of Michigan faculty. UNCSA issued a statement saying it has no record of similar incidents while he was employed at the school.

February 2021: Two 2019 graduates sued UNCSA, alleging that faculty mishandled their sexual harassment complaints against former opera director Nic Muni.

September 2021: Seven alumni represented by attorney Gloria Allred sued UNCSA, accusing it of failing to protect them from sex abuse while underage dance students in the 1980s. Teachers sexually harassed them in class, and in some cases sexually assaulted them at their homes, they allege. The campus issued a statement disavowing sex abuse and highlighting policy and staffing changes implemented since the 1980s.

November 2021: Another 32 plaintiffs join the lawsuit, with allegations dating from the 1960s to the 2010s. UNCSA referred to the allegations as historical and disseminated a list of resources for students to address sex abuse and mental health.

Judge Martin McGee listens to attorney Christian Ferlan, reflected at left, at the Wake County Courthouse in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, October 21, 2021. McGee is part of a three judge panel who listened to arguments Thursday about the constitutionality of temporarily suspending the statute of limitations for child sex abuse lawsuits.

December 2021: A three judge panel rules that the SAFE Child Act window is unconstitutional, ruling against plaintiffs whod used it to sue. Their attorneys announced plans to appeal the decision; 17 more plaintiffs joined the group lawsuit against UNCSA days before the contested window expired.

April 2022: A federal judge sentenced former North Carolina School of the Arts music faculty member Stephen Shipps to five years in prison in a child sex trafficking case. While a professor at the University of Michigan, Shipps took a student to New York and sexually abused her in 2002, federal prosecutors said. She was 16 years old.

May 2024: UNC School of the Arts settles lawsuit for $12.5 million.

For more reporting on this topic, read UNC School of the Arts welcomed banned director after students alleged sexual abuse, suit says
Tragedy Strikes

A tire unexpectedly exploded on a Boeing jet operated by Delta Air Lines on Tuesday at Atlanta's airport, killing two workers and seriously injuring a third, The Guardian reports.

The deadly incident occurred, per The Associated Press, while the workers were performing maintenance on wheel components in a hangar at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport around 5 am.

According to the airline, the parts weren't attached to the plane, a Boeing 757-232, when the explosion occurred.

The deaths come as Boeing is under intense scrutiny for the safety of its aircraft  following a near-disastrous mid-flight doorplug blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight operating one of its jets in January  and even of its spacecraft.

Wheel Deal

As it stands, it's unclear what caused the tire explosion.

We know that Delta's Boeing 757 jet had arrived from Las Vegas on Sunday night, and that its wheel components underwent maintenance at a facility operated by Delta, which owns the largest 757 fleet in the world with over a hundred of the aircraft in active service.

As Quartz notes, citing a 1996 study in the journal SAE Transactions, the immense pressures contained by aircraft tires means that any of them are potential bombs in the making (in fact, even the tires on trucks can be deadly).

"The energy released by a tire burst can be equated to dynamite," the study reads, as quoted by Quartz.

The Aftermath

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration said that it's opened an investigation into the incident, per the AP.

While it didn't speak of an investigation, the Federal Aviation Administration said that it was aware of the deaths and was in contact with Delta. The airline said that it was cooperating with local authorities and that it would conduct an investigation of its own into the incident.

"The Delta family is heartbroken at the loss of two team members and the injury of another following an incident this morning," the airline said in statement, per The Guardian. "We have extended our full support to family members and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time."

It's too early to start pointing fingers yet, but the deadly episode will undoubtedly add to the concerns over Boeing's safety track record.

More on Boeing: Flight Attendants in Boeing Disaster Feared Passengers Had Been Sucked Out Hole in Plane
After much back-and-forth, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have finally agreed to the rules for a presidential debate. The debate will be hosted by ABC News on Sept. 10 at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia at 9 p.m. ET and will be moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis.

This will be the first time Trump and Harris meet face-to-face.

It hasn't been easy getting to this point. Initially, Trump said he didnt want to participate in an ABC News-hosted debate, calling the network by far the nastiest and most unfair newscaster in the business, despite his campaign agreeing to the debate and the network in May. In late August, however, he changed his tune and publicly agreed to the debate.

Another point of contention between the two campaigns has been over the rules. In particular, the Harris camp pushed for the candidates' microphones to be on throughout the 90-minute debate, which could allow more interruptions and back-and-forth jabs. But ultimately, both campaigns agreed to rules that largely mirror those of the June 27 debate between Biden and Trump, including no studio audience and the muting of microphones when a candidate is not answering a question.

What are the rules for the Sept. 10 debate?

ABC News released the rules for the debate last week. They are similar to the CNN debate, and include:

No studio audience.

Microphones will only be on for the candidate answering a question.

Only moderators will ask questions.

A coin flip was held to determine podium placement and order of closing statements. Trump won the flip, and elected to give the last closing statement. Harris chose the podium on the right (stage left).

There are no opening statements, and closing statements will be two minutes per candidate.

Each candidate will be allowed two minutes to answer a question, with a two-minute rebuttal, and an minute for a follow-up for clarification.

Candidates will stand behind the podium, and no props or pre-written notes will be allowed on stage. Each candidate will be given a pad of paper, a pen, and a bottle of water.

Campaign staff may not interact with their candidate during commercial breaks.

What both campaigns have said about the mute button

The use of live microphones has been arguably the biggest sticking point for the debate. The Harris campaign had previously pushed for both candidate's mics to be live throughout the full broadcast.

However, the Democratic nominee's campaign ultimately relented, saying in a letter to ABC News:

"Notwithstanding our concerns, we understand that Donald Trump is a risk to skip the debate altogether, as he has threatened to do previously, if we do not accede to his preferred format. We do not want to jeopardize the debate. For this reason, we accepted the full set of rules proposed by ABC, including muted microphones."

Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Trump, told Politico, We accepted the ABC debate under the exact same terms as the CNN debate.

During a campaign stop in Virginia recently, Trump echoed Miller and told reporters the agreement was that it would be the same as the CNN debate rules. Trump addressed the muted microphone issue by adding, It doesnt matter to me, Id rather have it probably on.

Harris's reluctance to accept the microphone muting stands in contrast to Biden's approach. In May, the Biden campaign said it would only accept an invitation to debate Trump if microphone muting was a rule.

Will there be other debates before the Nov. 5 election?

The Harris campaign said on Aug. 15 that both campaigns had agreed to three debates ahead of Election Day  two for Harris against Trump and one for the vice presidential nominees, Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. JD Vance.

A date for the second presidential debate has not been set yet, but it is expected to be hosted by NBC News. The vice presidential debate will be hosted by CBS News on Oct. 1.

In a Truth Social post from early August, Trump claimed he was dropping out of the ABC News debate and instead proposed a Sept. 4 debate hosted by Fox News. Fox News had originally proposed the idea in July but with a Sept. 17 date.

Trump argued that since the ABC debate was scheduled to be against Biden, who dropped out in late July, it should be terminated. He added that since hes suing ABC Newss George Stephanopoulos for defamation, the hosting would represent a conflict of interest.

Less than a week later, Trump told reporters at a press conference that there were now three different presidential debates, including the one on Fox News on Sept. 4.

The Harris campaign responded that Harris would participate in two presidential debates. In a post from Aug. 19, Trump announced that Harris has just informed us that she will not do the Fox News debate. Instead, Trump participated in a "tele-town hall" with Sean Hannity on Fox News on Sept. 4.

As of reporting, the Sept. 10 presidential and the Oct. 1 vice presidential debates are the only ones both campaigns have committed to.
Tommy Robinson fled the country earlier this year before he was due to appear in court - Chris J Ratcliffe/Reuters

Tommy Robinson is facing jail after a new contempt of court application was lodged against him for repeatedly making false claims about a Syrian refugee.

The far-Right activist, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is alleged to have breached a High Court injunction, made in 2021, in June and July of this year.

The order came after the 41 year-old lost a legal battle against Jamal Hijazi, who had sued him for libel in relation to a video made in 2018.

Robinson fled the country earlier this year before he was due to appear in court over separate alleged contempt proceedings relating to the same injunction.

A spokesman for the Attorney Generals Office confirmed that it had now lodged a further contempt application against Robinson for remarks he made in early summer.

The spokesman said Robinson was served with the latest contempt application, made on behalf of Sarah Sackman, the solicitor general, on his X account on Wednesday after the application was lodged on Aug 19.

The first contempt application is still active, and both applications will be heard in the High Court on Oct 28.

Robinson was successfully sued by Hijazi in 2021 over a video that circulated online in 2018 showing the schoolboy being assaulted by another pupil in a Huddersfield playground.

The High Court was told last month that Robinson fled the country after committing flagrant contempt of court in relation to a film, entitled Silence, which he played at a protest in Trafalgar Square.

Robinson was due to appear at the Royal Court of Justice on July 29 for a contempt of court hearing but was not in attendance.

Adam Payter, representing the solicitor general, said it was believed Robinson left the jurisdiction hours after being released on unconditional bail following his arrest.

Robinson was previously jailed after being found in contempt of court after he filmed men accused of the sexual exploitation of young girls and live-streamed the footage on Facebook  in breach of a reporting ban  outside Leeds Crown Court in May 2018.

He was sentenced to 13 months in jail after being found in contempt of court on the day of the broadcast, but served just two months before being freed after that finding of contempt was overturned by the Court of Appeal in August 2018.

The case was then referred back to the Attorney General and he was jailed again in July 2019.

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TOOELE COUNTY, Utah (ABC4)  A mother from Tooele County is behind bars after being arrested on allegations of child abuse.

Ashley Dawn Solomon, 35, was arrested by the Tooele County Sheriffs Office (TCSO) on one count of aggravated child abuse and one count of reckless endangerment, according to a probable cause statement.

READ NEXT: TRAX train hits car, delays traffic on the Green Line and citywide  one injured

The victim, who was only identified as a male child, was interviewed by authorities and reportedly said Solomon became upset over a discussion of living arrangements after having several alcoholic beverages.

The affidavit states that the victim was thrown onto his bed. Solomon proceeded to sit on his chest, pin his arms down with her legs causing his hands to turn purple and go numb.

The victim then told authorities the suspect then allegedly covered his mouth with her hand and tried to make him pass out.

A short time later, the victim allegedly drove to his fathers home.

The child had a medical examination done and according to the affidavit, the doctor said that he had concerns for the childs safety if the child returned to the home.

Solomon was located and then taken to the Tooele County Sheriffs Office where TCSO reports Solomon admitted to putting her legs over the childs arms.

Solomon also reportedly admitted she held the child down while straddling his upper torso and having his arms under her legs. The suspect admitted she remained in that position for approximately five minutes.

She was arrested and then taken to Tooele County Detention Center.

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At least one deep-pocketed Republican donor is angry Donald Trump has welcomed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard aboard the MAGA train.

Eric Levine, a former backer of Nikki Haley who said this spring hed reluctantly vote for Trump, assailed the former president for embracing the pair of fringe politicians in an email made public Wednesday.

In a subhead of his written rant, Levine questioned if Trump is trying to lose.

Eric Levine went on Fox News in November to explain why he was throwing his money behind Nikki Haley at the time. Fox News

It is hard to imagine a more self-destructive announcement, Levine wrote of the embracing of Kennedys endorsement, reported Jewish Insider.

Levine didnt stop there. He went on to describe the Kennedy scion as an anti-vax kook who goes searching for conspiracies behind every tree and under every bed.

On Gabbard, Levine indicated he was in the shock that the former vice-chair of the DNC and co-chair of the 2016 Bernie Sanders for President campaign now had a spot on Trumps tentative transition team.

Donald Trump attended a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday with Tulsi Gabbard. She endorsed the former president later that day, with him standing next to her on stage. Rebecca Cook/Reuters

There is something terribly wrong with this picture, he said.

Levine, a wealthy New York City lawyer whos made appearances on Fox News, wrote that he is a a former Haley voter and Reagan Republican. He accused Trump of compromising too much in embracing Kennedy and Gabbard, advising that he needs to focus on firing up his base.

I say to you, Mr. Trump, speak to me and my fellow Republicans, he wrote. Reject the fringes. Fight for the middle. If you do not, you will forever be known from this day forward as the Former President.

Trump named Gabbard and Kennedy to his transition team this week, not long after they took to the stage at rallies to throw their support behind the former president. They previously ran fiery campaigns to keep Trump out of the White HouseGabbard as a Democrat, in 2016, and Kennedy as an Independent until he finally called off his campaign on Friday.

USA-ELECTION/TRUMP Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke at a rally for Donald Trump in Arizona on Friday, just hours after he first endorsed him. Go Nakamura/Reuters

Levine wrote that he fears Trump is only further alienating himself with more-traditional Republicans, like himself, by embracing controversial ex-Democrats. He added that Kamala Harris is going after Haleys former supportersparticularly womenand is having success in doing so.

These should be solid Trump voters, Levine said of conservatives now gravitating toward Harris. Harris lies are easily exposed if Trump remains focused on policy and records. Yet, they are up for grabs because Trump seems to be laser focused on narrowing his base rather than expanding it.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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The top House Republican with oversight of foreign affairs is calling for President Bidens national security adviser to sit for public questioning in September about the decisionmaking behind the U.S. pullout from Afghanistan, coming upon the three-year anniversary of Americas chaotic exit from the country.

The demand to hear from Jake Sullivan comes as former President Trump attacks the Biden administration for what he says was a failure on the Afghanistan exit, an issue he is tying to Vice President Harris, the new Democratic presidential nominee.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas) is calling for Sullivan, Bidens national security adviser, to testify over his role in the planning and execution of the administrations withdrawal.

Over the course of the investigation, the overwhelming weight of witness testimony and documentary evidence has pointed to the National Security Council (NSC) as the nerve center for critical decision making regarding the withdrawal from Afghanistan, McCaul wrote in a letter to the White House last week.

Please arrange by no later than Friday, August 30, 2024, for NSC Advisor Jake Sullivan to appear before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs for a public hearing on a mutually agreeable date in September 2024. If Mr. Sulivan chooses not to appear voluntarily, I am prepared to compel his testimony.

The interview request is part of McCauls effort to determine accountability for the violent end of Americas longest war. The Taliban ousted the U.S.-backed government in Kabul over the course of two weeks in August 2021 with little resistance.

Sharon Yang, a White House spokesperson for oversight and investigations, said in a statement that the White House will respond directly to McCaul over his request.

Yang also defended the administrations position on ending the U.S. presence in Afghanistan.

The President refused to send another generation of Americans to fight a war that should have ended long ago, and bringing U.S. troops home has put us in a stronger position to address the challenges of the future and the threats we face today, she said.

The Biden administration had expressed confidence in the stability of the Afghan government and military forces to maintain control of Kabul, despite a lightning offensive by the Taliban that summer.

President Biden was working to remove all U.S. troops from the country in line with an agreement the Trump administration negotiated with the Taliban.

Biden sought to maintain a diplomatic presence in the country, and administration officials said they received assurances from Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani that he would stay in the capital to lead the defense against the Taliban that at that point were marching toward the city.

But Ghani fled the country hours after speaking with Secretary of State Antony Blinken. And as the Taliban entered the capital, the U.S. undertook a hasty and chaotic evacuation of its Embassy.

A bombing at Kabuls airport carried out by ISIS-K, the Islamic State groups Afghanistan affiliate, killed 13 U.S. troops and more than 170 Afghans, wounding scores more. The attack came on top of desperate scenes of thousands of people seeking to flee the country, with people overwhelming the airport and some clinging and then falling from airplanes taking off.

Republicans have criticized Biden as failing to take accountability, while Democrats argue the entire episode must be viewed in context of the policies carried out by Trumps administration and the history of the war.

Trump, the 2024 Republican presidential nominee, has cast Harris as a key player in the failures and criticized her for not taking responsibility for the deaths of the 13 soldiers.

Trump has called for firing those responsible for the evacuation chaos.

We will get the resignations of every single senior official who touched the Afghanistan calamity to be on my desk at noon on Inauguration Day, Trump said Monday in Detroit.

Political appointees in senior positions typically leave their positions with a change in administrations.

McCaul is expected to issue a final report next month on his investigation into the circumstances and decisionmaking of the U.S. withdrawal based on interviews with 18 State Department and Pentagon officials.

Evidence gathered by the Committee in this investigation points to Mr. Sullivan as the principal architect of Afghanistan policy, McCaul wrote in his letter.

Accordingly, he has an obligation to appear before Congress and testify fully without raising any claims of executive privilege. The Committee is not interested in and does not intend to question Mr. Sullivan regarding communications he had with President Biden. Rather, the Committee has reason to believe that the NSC engaged in misconduct with Mr. Sullivan at the helm.

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The Pentagons senior-most uniformed official believes the threat of a larger war in the Middle East has decreased following Israel and Lebanons Hezbollah tit for tat earlier this week that resulted in no further strikes.

But Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. C.Q. Brown told Reuters Monday that even with the lowered risk of conflict, Iran and its proxies are still a major risk as Tehran considers a strike on Israel.

Speaking to the outlet after a three-day trip to the Middle East that included a stop in Israel, Brown said the near-term danger of a regional war had declined somewhat.

You had two things you knew were going to happen. Ones already happened. Now it depends on how the second is going to play out, Brown told Reuters while leaving Israel.

Brown was referring to two major threatened attacks against Israel in recent weeks: Hezbollahs strike and Irans pledge to attack the country over the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month.

How Iran responds will dictate how Israel responds, which will dictate whether there is going to be a broader conflict or not, he added.

Some 100 Israeli fighter jets struck dozens of targets in Lebanon early Sunday morning, with Israel calling the move a preemptive strike ahead of a major Hezbollah attack.

Shortly afterward, Hezbollah launched some 300 rockets and drones at what it claimed were Israeli military sites.

Neither side has sought further escalation following the strikes, the heaviest exchange of fire yet in more than 10 months. Fighting had picked up between the two sides following the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October.

Brown said there are still dangers from Irans allies in nearby Iraq, Syria and Jordan, which have attacked U.S. troops in the region in the past year, and Yemens Houthis, who have fired at ships in the Red Sea and at Israel.

Browns trip, which included meetings with Israels Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, comes as the Biden administration looks to quell further damage from the Israel-Hamas war.

The conflict, in which the Israeli military has destroyed major sections of Gaza, has triggered a humanitarian crisis with at least 40,000 Palestinians killed. And nearly all of the territorys 2.3 million people have been displaced.

The war has also led to more border skirmishes between Israel and Iranian-proxies in Lebanon and Yemen.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The Brockton Public Schools community is mourning the death of a beloved fifth-grade student who was killed in a crash involving an SUV stolen from the Kenny Chesney concert at Gillette Stadium over the weekend.

25 Investigates: Questions remain around timeline leading to deadly crash after Gillette concert

Educators confirmed Tuesday in a heartfelt post on Facebook that 10-year-old Jaylen Bush-Victorian was a rising student at the Downey School.

The district said that the boys siblings, who suffered serious injuries in the wreck on Route 1 in Plainville, attend Brockton schools as well. His mother, also hurt in the crash, serves as a paraprofessional at the Barrett Russell Early Childhood Center.

Its challenging to find the words to describe the sense of loss brought on by this tragedy. Our hearts are with the family and all those who love them as they mourn, BPS said in a statement.

Michael Escolas, 42, of Oxford, was arraigned Monday in Wrentham District Court on charges including motor vehicle manslaughter, operating under the influence, and larceny of a motor vehicle in connection with the deadly crash.

Bush-Victorians family called Escolas a murderer as he walked out of court in handcuffs.

Escolas is accused of stealing a Jeep Cherokee that belonged to a Vermont couple who had parked the vehicle in lot P10 outside Gillette Stadium to attend Chesneys show on Saturday night.

Investigators say Escolas then crashed the Jeep into a Nissan Altima that was occupied by Bush-Victorians family.

Escolas was wearing a bracelet from the concert at the time of the crash and was apparently not clear about his own whereabouts, according to Norfolk County prosecutors.

Escolas allegedly told investigators hed been drinking at concert events since around 1 p.m.

In the wake of the Bush-Victorians death, BPS is making adjustment counselors available at the Downey School on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. for grieving classmates and members of the school community.

Members of our district leadership team have been in regular communication with the Bush-Victorian family and will continue to hold them close moving forward, offering every available resource to support them as they mourn this tragic loss, BPS added.

Escolas was held on $100,000 bail, ordered to have no contact with the victims family or witnesses, must remain alcohol-free, and use a scram device three times a day. He also cant drive without a valid Massachusetts license.

Saturdays crash remains under investigation.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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I-HWA CHENG/Getty Images

A Taiwanese court ruled this week that a transgender woman may update her identification documents without undergoing surgery, nearly four years after she first filed her case.

On Monday, the Taipei High Administrative Court (THAC) ruled that Lisbeth Wu, a transgender woman with dual Taiwan-U.S. citizenship, may have her legal gender changed on identity documents without undergoing surgery on her genitals, colloquially known as bottom surgery. The decision marks the fifth such legal victory for trans people in Taiwan, according to the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights (TAPCPR), an activist group which supported Wus lawsuit through pro-bono legal representation.

Wu began her lawsuit in 2020, after her application for a legal gender change without surgery  which she filed on November 20, International Trans Day of Remembrance  was summarily rejected. But her case dragged on for years, even as similar cases like those of Xiao E and Nemo ended in victory, while Taiwans Constitutional Court delayed its decision on whether to hear the case or return it to the THAC.

From Taipei to Reykjavik, An Insiders Guide to 10 Vibrantly Queer Global Destinations

Nymphia Wind, Jon Kung, and more share their favorite places to eat, drink, and dance in their local scenes.

As it did in the landmark Xiao E case, the THAC eventually ruled against a 2008 Ministry of Interior memo which mandates two mental health assessments and proof of surgery for all gender changes. The court once again found this week that the mandate is not supported by law, and goes against the Taiwanese Constitutions proportionality doctrine, which states that a persons constitutional rights cannot be infringed unless necessary to protect those of another. The existing mandate requires such scrutiny of medical records as to create an undue personal burden on trans people, the court ruled, according to Channel News Asia.

Wu is now the fifth Taiwanese citizen to officially win her legal battle to amend her identity documents without surgery, following similar victories by plaintiffs Xiao Na and L earlier this year. LGBTQ+ rights have steadily expanded in Taiwan in recent years, after it became the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage in 2019  although that victory has proven to be only a partial win, as couples in which one partner is Chinese are still bureaucratically prevented from tying the knot. The countrys 21st annual Pride march is believed to have been the largest in East Asian history.

In their press release this week (which refers to Wu by her Taiwanese legal name), TAPCPR lauded the THACs decision and called on the government to urgently reform the legal gender change process.

Administrative agencies should stop being lazy, change unconstitutional and illegal interpretations as soon as possible, and give transgender citizens the right to gender autonomy, the group wrote. We congratulate Yuxuan, who can finally have her gender identity recognized by law in the land she loves and live the way she wants!

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Originally Appeared on them.
A homeless man was found guilty on a slew of charges stemming from multiple assaults across Santa Monica and Los Angeles that targeted Hispanic people.

According to a press release issued by the Santa Monica Police Department, officers received a call regarding an assault with a deadly weapon in the 3100 block of Main Street on Aug. 20, 2023.

Upon arriving, the officers located a Hispanic man with head injuries who had been attacked from behind with a large wooden stick, police said.

The assault was unprovoked, and the victim did not see the suspect, SMPD stated. The victim sustained a large laceration to his head and required stitches behind his ear.

Two days later, Santa Monica Police officers located another Hispanic man who was the victim of an attempted assault at Palisades Park, located in the 1400 block of Ocean Avenue.

That victim was a maintenance worker for the City of Santa Monica, authorities said.

The victim stated the suspect walked directly towards him and attempted to punch him in the face, the SMPD release read. The suspect then threw a glass bottle towards the victims face but missed.

Report: Slain Woodland Hills doctor severely beaten months before being shot to death

Detectives assigned to the cases found the suspect description was the same in both incidents; in addition, detectives located a Los Angeles Police Department bulletin advising the suspect  later identified as Kevin Mumin  was connected to hate crimes in their jurisdiction.

[Mumin] specifically targeted and attacked Hispanics, police said.

The 37-year-old transient  who has prior arrests for robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, criminal threats, narcotics sales, solicitation, indecent exposure, sexual battery and battery  was taken into custody on Aug. 23, 2023, after investigators looked through surveillance footage and positively identified him as the suspect.

He was charged with multiple felony assaults with hate crime allegations; detectives in Santa Monica filed their cases jointly with the LAPD incidents.

At his trial earlier this month, Mumin was convicted of three counts of assault with a deadly weapon with enhancements for great bodily injury in addition a hate crime. He was also found guilty of one count of felony sexual battery stemming from one of the Los Angeles incidents, law enforcement officials confirmed.

He was handed a sentence of 23 years and eight months in state prison on Aug. 21, a year and one day after the first reported assault in Santa Monica.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
At least 30 travelers from Cuba have brought cases of a potentially deadly virus known as sloth fever to Florida this year, including 10 just in the past week.

The virus, also known as Oropouche, is spread to people by infected biting midges (small flies) and some mosquito species. Health officials and mosquito control staff are on high alert in South Florida, where the species that carries Oropouche, Culex quinquefasciatus, is prevalent.

A new Florida Department of Health report as of Aug. 24 shows five cases reported in each of Broward, Duval and Hillsborough counties, 14 in Miami-Dade, and two in each of Orange, Palm Beach, Pasco, Polk, Lee and Sarasota counties. All cases were from people who had traveled to Cuba.

People who travel and get bitten, come back and could potentially spread it around, said Anh Ton, the director of Broward Countys mosquito control. We are working with other state agencies and the health department to make sure we know when and where theres a travel-related case, and treat around their residence and business to make sure the person bitten doesnt spread it.

The virus can be passed to humans only through an insect bite, but if an insect bites an infected person, then bites another person, the virus can be transmitted.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an alert on Tuesday to warn travelers to Cuba and Latin America to take extra precautions to prevent bug bites during travel and protect themselves from infection using insect repellent. Oropouche virus often is called sloth fever because it is spread from animals, such as sloths and rodents, to mosquitoes, which then transmit it to humans.

So far this year, the virus has caused significant concern in South America and the Caribbean, with more than 8,000 cases reported. In the U.S., the cases have been identified in travelers returning from Cuba and Brazil. Outside of Florida, one case of Oropouche was reported this month in New York.

Not everyone who gets bitten will show symptoms. About 60% of people infected with the Oropouche virus become symptomatic, with a high fever, headache, muscle aches, stiff joints, nausea, vomiting, chills, or sensitivity to light. Severe cases can result in meningitis. Two deaths in previously healthy young persons with Oropouche virus infection were recently reported in Brazil. In the U.S., the CDC reported that most infected people had fever and other symptoms that went away without specific treatment. At least three people had symptoms return after the initial illness ended, a common characteristic of Oropouche.

The CDC also is asking health providers to advise pregnant patients to reconsider non-essential travel to areas with an Oropouche Level 2 Travel Health Notice, currently issued for Cuba.

On Aug. 1, 2024, the Pan American Health Organization issued an epidemiological alert about Oropouche cases, including deaths, in the Americas. There were also concerns about an increase of possible cases of Oropouche virus being passed from a pregnant person to their fetus with negative pregnancy outcomes.

Currently, there are no medicines to treat the virus or prevent infection.

Ton advises everyone in South Florida, particularly those outside at dusk and dawn, to wear insect repellent and to immediately report any potential symptoms after travel to the state health department.

_____
AUSTIN (KXAN)  A Travis County employee filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) last month claiming he was demoted  and threatened with termination  after taking medical leave to treat stage 4 cancer.

Joseph Lee Perrys complaint says he worked in the countys Purchasing Department for almost 20 years and hasnt had documented performance issues in all that time.

The complaint says in February 2021, Perry was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. In February 2024, he applied for and received short-term disability leave, which he began taking in March.

When he returned, a couple weeks later, the complaint says Perrys boss informed Perry he would need to have a one-on-one meetingLess than two weeks later, once he returned from vacation, [name redacted by KXAN] called me into the one-on-one meeting and used the opportunity to inform me that I was being offered a demotion, the complaint says.

By law, the FMLA [Family and Medical Leave Act] requires that if an employee takes leave that that employee be allowed to return to the position that they left, Perrys attorney, Tanner Scheef with Kaplan Law Firm, said. They have to have a reasonable time to come back to work, show that they can still do their job, and thats why we had concerns.

Perry claims the demotion included a lower pay scale, and that he was replaced with someone he had actually hired years prior. In addition, Perry said his boss threatened to fire him if he didnt take the demotion the very next day.

Being demoted for taking care of my health is humiliating, and has caused additional suffering for a family who is already grappling with the fact they may lose their father and husband. I fight, not only for me, but for the next person. No one should have to fear retaliation for taking protected medical leave, Perry told KXAN.

Travis County understands and sympathizes with the challenges Mr. Perry is facing and continues to be supportive of his circumstances. Mr. Perry reports to an independently appointed official, the Travis County Purchasing Agent. The Purchasing Agent looks forward to the continued conversations with Mr. Perry to address his concerns as he transitions back to work from his leave of absence. Out of respect to Mr. Perrys privacy, it would not be appropriate to publicly discuss the details of his employment, Hector Nieto, Travis County spokesperson

But Perry did want to publicly discuss those details through his attorney. Scheff told KXAN that complaints have been filed with both the countys human resources department and through the EEOC complaint. They say its an issue that often goes underreported.

Much like my client theyre dealing with potentially fatal health issues and they dont want to spend that precious time trying to solve an issue that they themselves didnt create, Scheef said.

From this point he is willing to fight in whatever way it needs to be done to make sure that this doesnt happen again.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  Travis County will have 171 Election Day voting sites and 41 early voting sites for the upcoming November election, according to a release from the Travis County Clerks Office.

Additionally, the release confirmed a previous University of Texas at Austin voting location will be moved to another campus location. UT said the prominent Flawn Academic Center (FAC) voting location near the center of campus wont be available due to construction and the re-design of open spaces at the FAC, according to the release.

UT relocating on-campus polling site ahead of November election

A new voting location will be set up at the Texas Union.

Leaders of the University Democrats at UT expressed concerns about the location change at an August Travis County Commissioners Court meeting, saying the Unions size will result in significantly fewer machines than the FAC.

In an email to KXAN, a UT spokesperson previously said voting locations on campus change periodically to balance public participation in the voting process with the Universitys operations. The spokesperson added the move to the Texas Union will allow ADA-compliant access while still being located in a centralized spot on campus.

Travis County Commissioners Court unanimously approved the list of locations.

Extended hours for early voting

Seven Travis County voting sites will be open for extended hours on the final two days of early voting, the release said. These locations will be open from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m.

The locations, provided by the Travis County Clerks Office, are listed below:

Austin Permitting and Development Center

Ben Hur Shrine

Carver Branch Library

Lakeway Activity Center

Pflugerville Rock Gym

Southpark Meadows

UT Union

Early voting schedule

Early voting for the November election starts Monday, Oct. 21, and ends Friday, Nov. 1. Below is the early voting schedule:

Monday, Oct. 21  Saturday, Oct. 26, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 27, noon  6 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 28  Wednesday, Oct. 30, 7 a.m.  7 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 31  Friday, Nov. 1, 7 a.m.  7 p.m. (The seven locations above will be open until 10 p.m. on these two days)

Travis County has polling locations, a wait time map, and voter ID requirements on this website.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Kelsey Thompson contributed to this story.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
HONOLULU (KHON2)  On National Red Wine Day, adults who enjoy red wine might try new types, visit local wineries, or pair red wine with foods that go well with it, such as steak, pasta or chocolate.

Its also a time to learn about how red wine is made and its long history, which goes back thousands of years.

Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You

But in Hawaii, this day takes on a special twist.

Mark Cartland, the Sommelier at Island Vintage Wine Bar, shared his insights into Hawaiis unique relationship with wine and other local beverages. Cartlands journey to becoming a Sommelier wasnt by accident.

I was always interested in wine, he said. But I became fascinated by the stories and the history and anthropology, sociology, science. It all kind of came together for me.

About 15 years ago, he decided to study wine formally while living in San Francisco, a city known for its wine culture.

I studied formally and got my credentials as a certified sommelier and just kind of gone on and continued to learn and enjoy, Cartland shared.

Despite his deep knowledge of wine, Cartland noted that Hawaii has unique challenges when it comes to making traditional wine.

Local wines are a bit tricky because were at a latitude that is difficult to grow Vitis vinifera or classic wine grapes, he explained.

Hawaiis tropical climate isnt ideal for grape-growing, so there are only a few options for locally produced wines.

However, one winery on Maui is making progress.

There is a winery that does some exploration on Maui, Cartland noted. They grow Syrah and some other classic wine grapes. The unfortunate thing is, its very tiny production, and they only sell them to club members and people at the winery.

This Maui winery also produces a pineapple wine thats more widely available across the islands.

Its a fun place, Cartland said, but he focuses more on supporting local breweries and meaderies. Mead, a honey-based wine, is particularly interesting to Cartland.

Meads are, you know, honey wine. Theyre not technically wine, but they share some similarities. Theyre ancient beverages, probably even predate wine, he explained. Hawaiis meaderies, like Manoa Mead, make unique drinks with tropical fruits and local ingredients.

One of Cartlands favorite meads is the Ginger Honey Hopper, made with locally sourced honey and Big Island ginger.

Its got this really kind of punchy ginger sensation but also kind of a smooth finish to it that really lends itself nicely to a lot of these foods that we offer here, he described.

Cartland reminded everyone that wine appreciation can be more than just traditional red blends.

In Hawaii, where the climate isnt ideal for classic wine production, there are still many ways to enjoy and celebrate the culture of fermented beverages.

Whether its a glass of Maui-grown Syrah, a refreshing pineapple wine, or a unique honey mead, theres always something to raise a glass to in the islands.

As National Red Wine Day came to a close, its important to know that wine is a personal experience for everyone.

His advice to anyone intimidated by a restaurants wine list?

Find someone at the restaurant that you feel you can trust, explained Cartland. You know the flavors you like, and the staff wants you to enjoy a wine that caters to your tastes. So, ask and find an ally that can help you navigate the choices.

Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHONs morning podcast, every morning at 8

You can meet Cartland for yourself in the new Island Vintage Wine Bar location in Kapolei. Hes got a great selection and knows how to find a wine youll love.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
WARREN, Ohio (WKBN)  First News has learned ambulances are being diverted from Trumbull Regional Medical Center to other area hospitals.

Read next: Realty Building demolition nears completion

WKBN was told that the emergency room at the Steward-owned hospital is still open, however, the focus is on stabilizing and transferring the patient elsewhere. Scheduled surgeries and diagnostics are still taking place at TRMC but ambulances will go to nearby hospitals.

My gripe is that they had no forethought about it, said Tom Connelly, president of the nurses union at TRMC. None of my nurses know whats going on, which is scary enough.



Connelly said hes most worried about people dying.



Theyll be people that are going to be coming over there that need to come in, and even if its just nothing other than confusion as to where to get and go that delay in their treatment can cost them their lives, he said.

Steward Health announced that it was closing Trumbull Regional Medical Center and Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital, along with other satellite medical facilities.

The medical facility closures come on the heels of the health systems financial breakdown and Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in May. Many of the health systems hospitals across the east, south and southwest of the U.S. are in jeopardy of closing. Some have found buyers while others have closed.

Late last week, city and county leaders gathered to chart out the next steps in a rapidly moving effort to save Trumbull Regional. Movement is being made to help raise money for the $30 million needed to assist the nonprofit Warren City Hospital in acquiring Trumbull Regional.

Commissioners have already approved a measure to utilize $3 million to help the effort, and leaders are reaching out to foundations and community stakeholders to raise additional funds. A donation tab has been set up on the Trumbull County United Way website.

Like Trumbull Regional, St. Joseph is a verified Level III trauma center and is where most diversions are going.

A spokesperson for Mercy Health said they have seen increased volume at the nearby St. Joseph Warren Hospital. The spokesperson released the following statement:

Mercy Health has plans in place to account for surges and increased volumes, which is a standard practice. We have seen an increase in volumes but nothing that we havent prepared for as part of those plans.

Lane LifeTrans COO Tom Lambert says the diversions went well Wednesday.

Mercy Health system has done a great job to step up and accommodate the ambulances and the increase in the volume so hopefully we can keep that running smoothly as possible but thats a lot of moving parts for the hospital system, Lambert said.

If Mercy Health gets full, he says there may be a delay in care  something many are worried about.

Lambert says to avoid straining the hospital systems. If its something minor go to urgent care or primary physicians.

Check back here for updates on this developing story.

Kristen Hephner contributed to this report.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  A Democratic congressman is calling on Arlington National Cemetery to release all information about an incident that happened during former president Donald Trumps visit Monday.

Trump joined a wreath laying ceremony to honor the 13 U.S. service members killed in a suicide bombing during the Afghanistan War withdrawal three years ago.

Video Trump posted to his TikTok shows him in the highly restricted area called Section 60, dedicated to recently fallen servicemembers. The former president is heard comparing his record to the Biden administration.

We didnt lose one person in 18 months, Trump said in a voiceover. And then they took over that disaster.

The cemetery said in a statement, Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidates campaign. Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants. We can confirm there was an incident, and a report was filed.

Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement, An unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trumps team during a very solemn ceremony.

Trumps running mate, Sen. JD Vance, (R-Ohio.), addressed the incident on the campaign trail Wednesday.

There is verifiable evidence that the campaign was allowed to have a photographer there, Vance said. It is amazing to me that you have apparently somebody at Arlington Cemetery, some staff member had a little disagreement with somebody, and the media has turned this into a national news story.

Rep. Gerry Connolly, (D-Va.), wants the cemetery to release a full account of what happened, saying in a statement, Its sad but all too expected that Donald Trump would desecrate this hallowed ground and put campaign politics ahead of honoring our heroes.

A cemetery spokesperson did not reveal specifics of the incident and said to protect the identity of the person involved, no further information is being released at this time.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Two members of former President Donald Trumps campaign reportedly had a verbal and physical altercation on Monday with an official at Arlington National Cemetery who tried to stop them from filming in an area where recent U.S. military casualties are buried.

NPR first reported details of the incident, which took place as Trump held a wreath-laying ceremony to mark the third anniversary of an attack on American troops as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan. Thirteen service members were killed during the attack at Kabul airport, a tragedy the former president has blamed on President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

A source told NPR that staff at the 639-acre national cemetery in Virginia had let the Trump campaign know that only cemetery officials are allowed to take photos or video in Section 60, where recent casualties are buried. But Trump staffers reportedly attempted to do so anyway.

When an Arlington National Cemetery official tried to stop them, the two campaign staffers verbally abused and pushed the official aside, NPR reported.

From NPRs @QuilLawrence: Arlington National Cemetery officials say Trump campaign staff verbally abused and pushed aside cemetery official who objected to filming and photography at gravesites



More below and to follow on NPR pic.twitter.com/xQN2JEbCnG  David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) August 27, 2024

In a statement to media outlets, Arlington National Cemetery confirmed that there had been an incident on Monday, adding that a report had been filed.

Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidates campaign, the cemetery, which is maintained by the U.S. Army, said in a statement. Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants.

The Trump campaign, in remarks to NPR, maintained it did nothing wrong and had video footage to prove it. HuffPost has reached out to the campaign for further comment.

Donald Trump visits Arlington Cemetery on Monday to pay tribute to the 13 U.S. service members killed during the 2021 Afghanistan evacuation. Photo by Andrew Leyden/NurPhoto via Getty Images

We are prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made, Steven Cheung, the spokesman for the campaign, said in a statement. The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trumps team during a very solemn ceremony.

Trump has faced criticism over a series of troubling statements about the military during his political career. He recently drew fierce condemnation after telling a billionaire donor that the Presidential Medal of Freedom  the nations highest civilian honor  he was bestowing on her was much better than its military equivalent, the Medal of Honor.

Thats the highest award you can get as a civilian. Its the equivalent of the congressional Medal of Honor, but civilian version, Trump told GOP mega-donor Miriam Adelson earlier this month. Its actually much better because everyone gets the congressional Medal of Honor, thats soldiers, theyre either in very bad shape because theyve been hit so many times by bullets or theyre dead.

He has also been dogged by comments made in 2020 in which he reportedly called American service members who died in World War I suckers and losers. He has denied making those remarks, but former aides have confirmed he did.

Trump also sparked controversy when he said the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) was not a war hero because he had been captured. McCain endured more than five years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam.

Related...
Officials with former President Donald Trumps reelection campaign are denying reports that they sparred with staff at Arlington National Cemetery during an event Monday, insisting they had permission for photo ops and meetings at the memorial site.

The Republican presidential nominee visited the Virginia cemetery to participate in a wreath-laying ceremony and meet with family members of troops killed in the Afghanistan withdrawal in August 2021.

He also posed for photos with those individuals in Section 60 of the cemetery, where many troops killed in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are buried. Shots of Trump smiling and giving a thumbs-up sign alongside service members tombstones drew criticism from opponents who accused him of politicking at the hallowed site.

NPR reported on Tuesday that during the visit, a cemetery official tried to prevent Trump staffers from filming and photographing in Section 60, but the individual was verbally abused and shoved aside.

Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung wrote on social media that the NPR account was untrue and that we were granted access to have a photographer there.

Republican staffers also posted a message from five family members of fallen troops who said they had given approval for photos to be taken with them and we are deeply grateful to the [former] president for taking the time to honor our children and for standing alongside us in our grief.

In a statement, Arlington National Cemetery confirmed that a report had been filed on the altercation, but offered no further details.

Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidates campaign, the statement said. Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants.

Trumps appearance at Arlington came on the three-year anniversary of the killing of 13 U.S. service members at Hamid Karzai International Airport, during the final days of the American military presence in Afghanistan. Republican officials and family members of the fallen troops have repeatedly criticized President Joe Biden for his decisions leading up to the suicide bombing that killed the service members as well as 170 Afghan civilians.

Shortly after Trumps visit to Arlington, family members joined Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance on a media call accusing Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris  the Democratic nominee for president  of abandoning military families and Afghan civilians by too quickly pulling troops out of Afghanistan.

Arlington National Cemetery isn't a place for campaign photo-ops. It's a sacred resting place for American patriots.



But for Donald Trump, disrespecting military veterans is just par for the course.



It's an absolute disgrace.



We're not going back.https://t.co/MRgU95xx0u  Mikie Sherrill (@MikieSherrill) August 28, 2024

The cemetery fight is the latest in a series of military controversies on the presidential campaign trail.

Last week, Trump backtracked on comments he made during a New Jersey speech where he said the civilian Presidential Medal of Freedom is better than the militarys Medal of Honor, awarded for battlefield valor. The former president clarified that both medals are prestigious, but that the military award, which requires an individuals life to be in danger, is the ultimate honor.

GOP officials have spent the last several weeks attacking Harriss running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, for a series of questions surrounding his 24 years in the National Guard. They have accused him of using the wrong rank in public speeches and leaving his unit ahead of a deployment to Iraq.

Officials with the Harris campaign have denied those charges, and Walz spoke proudly of his military service during the Democratic National Convention last week.
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV)  As Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz prepare for a bus tour of Southeast Georgia, Former President Donald Trumps campaign team has issued a statement skewing the Democratic candidates.

While our highly engaged and energetic operation in Georgia is focused on turning out votes across the entire state, Democrats in Georgia are finally learning an important lessonthere is more to Georgia than just Atlanta. Republicans from Catoosa to Camden County and everywhere in between are fired up and ready to re-elect President Donald J. Trump because his message of putting America first again resonates with Americans of all backgrounds, Republican National Committee Spokesperson and Team Trump Georgia Communications Director Morgan Ackley said in a statement.

The Harris campaign will hold a rally on Thursday night in Savannah. The two Democratic candidates will also sit for their first interview since President Joe Biden dropped out of the race in July, making Harris the presumptive and eventual nominee.

Trump has campaigned in Georgia as recently as early August with a rally in Atlanta. Both campaigns see the Peach State as pivotal for eithers chances at taking the White House in November.

How Georgia has voted for President through the years

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV.
Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump gestures to members of the audience as he leaves a Get Out The Vote rally at Coastal Carolina University on February 10, 2024, in Conway, South Carolina. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

COLUMBIA  The campaign of former President Donald Trump fully paid what it owed Coastal Carolina University for a February rally shortly after the SC Daily Gazette reported in May that the bill was still due, according to newly released records.

An account statement provided Wednesday shows the public university in Horry County recorded receiving a check for $37,409.74 from the Trump campaign on May 23 to zero out what it owed for holding a rally there ahead of South Carolinas GOP presidential primary.

That closed the account six days after the Gazette reported the balance was still outstanding.

In an email earlier this month, the Trump campaign said the check was sent May 17  the same day as the Gazette posted the article about the debt.

In total, the campaign paid the school $61,226.43 to hold the Feb. 10 rally on its campus. The campaign paid the first chunk of nearly $24,000 by wire transfer two days after the event. The rest wasnt added to the tab until March 21, according to the account statement.

The Trump campaign contends it didnt receive a final bill for several months after the rally. The university did not provide the Gazette any records that show when it invoiced the campaign.

The total bill largely covered labor costs, including city and campus police. Other costs included a two-day rental of the student recreation center and parking lot, along with meals and clean up.

Another university in South Carolina where Trump held a rally was paid promptly. Trumps campaign fully paid Winthrops bill of $57,300 for a Feb. 23 campaign rally by March 4, the Gazette reported previously.

President Joe Biden also visited the Palmetto State twice as part of his re-election campaign. His overnight stay on Jan. 27-28 ahead of the states Democratic presidential contest cost the city of Columbia more than $88,000 in unreimbursed expenses. The city of Charleston did not track any costs associated with Bidens Jan. 8 campaign visit.

Dorchester County, however, did bill the Trump campaign for a rally held Sept. 25, 2023, at Sportsman Boats manufacturing plant in Summerville. The county sent a bill for $26,071.22 to pay for local law enforcement and medical personnel to be on hand, according to WCSC-TV.

The county put a due date of Nov. 4 on the bill. That remains unpaid, county spokesperson Michelle Mills told the Gazette on Wednesday.
Former President Trump and his campaign are aggressively ramping up their activity ahead of Labor Day in an effort to get his White House bid back on track and blunt Vice President Harriss momentum.

In a stark contrast to earlier this month, Trump is sometimes holding multiple events a day and traveling consistently to battleground states. His campaign is putting him in front of smaller crowds in an effort to keep him focused on issues such as crime and immigration, with mixed results.

At the same time, Trump is sitting down for podcast interviews, holding larger rallies and posting on the social platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to try to break through the news cycle and reach a wider audience.

The campaign has also sought to shore up key alliances that could prove critical in November. GOP allies helped push for a truce between Trump and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R), and the campaign secured the endorsement of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose independent White House bid was pulling votes from Trump in key battleground states.

Two sources said to expect Kennedy, Donald Trump Jr. and former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii) to hit the trail in the coming weeks, providing the campaign with two additional surrogates who can draw a crowd and media attention. Gabbard, who left the Democratic Party in 2022, endorsed Trump this week.

Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), are expected to spend significant time in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, a campaign official said. The three states make up the blue wall that the Harris campaign can ill afford to lose in November.

As Election Day gets closer and the campaign is in the final sprint, voters can expect to see and hear from President Trump more often as he brings his winning message of making America strong and prosperous again to every corner of our country, campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.

Americans will not tolerate a candidate for president who hides from the press and behind her anonymous campaign staffers, she added.

The flood of activity follows criticism from some Republicans that Trump has struggled to adapt to the new state of the race since President Biden ended his candidacy and was replaced atop the ticket by Harris, who has energized Democrats.

GOP allies have pleaded with Trump to focus more on policy and less on personal attacks, a concept the former president has dismissed. His campaign has scheduled smaller events for Trump intended to focus on a specific issue  the border in Arizona, crime in Michigan, the economy in Pennsylvania  only for Trump to sound unenthused when reading prepared remarks and later veer off script.

Others have argued Trump has failed to successfully define his opponent as he cycles through attacks that Harris is a communist, a far-left prosecutor and a flip-flopper on the issues.

They need to come up with an effective, sustainable message that they can drive through the fall, said Alex Conant, a GOP strategist who has worked on presidential campaigns. He needs to explain what a second term would look like and define what a Harris administration would look like.

They just havent been able to drive a sustained message since Biden dropped out, Conant added.

Since entering the race, Harris has been on an upward trajectory. She has raked in record-setting amounts of cash, erased Trumps polling lead and put states like Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina back in play for Democrats.

A Decision Desk HQ/The Hill updated election forecast gives Harris a 55 percent chance of defeating Trump in November, a significant turnaround from when the forecast had Trump with a 56 percent chance of defeating Biden.

Trump campaign pollsters Tony Fabrizio and Travis Tunis wrote in a memo published Saturday that they expected Harris to potentially get another 2-3 percentage point bump following the Democratic National Convention. They asserted that despite that bump, the race remains a toss-up.

These bumps do not last, Fabrizio and Tunis wrote. The other thing to keep in mind is that while the media is going to focus on the national polls, we need to keep our eye on the ball  that is the polling in our target states. Our goal is to get to 270 and winning these states is how we do it.

One Trump ally argued the campaign is already in a stronger position than it was in just a few weeks ago, when they acknowledged there was something of a scramble to adapt to the new reality of facing Harris.

I think the last two weeks have been really strong on his end, the Trump ally said. It feels like the campaign has found its footing, messaging-wise, and I think the way they bracketed the DNC was extremely smart.

A Decision Desk HQ/The Hill average of polls shows Harris leading Trump in the battlegrounds of Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Trump leads in Georgia and Nevada, and the two are neck and neck in Arizona.

While Trump blitzes the campaign trail, arguably the next major inflection point in the race will come Sept. 10, when the two candidates are scheduled to meet on the debate stage.

Trump assured in a Truth Social post Tuesday that he had agreed to attend the debate, hosted by ABC News, after raising the possibility of skipping the event. Its the only debate on the books between the two candidates, though both sides have indicated they would be willing to discuss a second debate once the Sept. 10 event is finished.

These races are very stagnant, with both candidates largely talking to their own bases, except for the debate when the whole country is tuning in, Conant said. It could dramatically shape the direction of a race.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Trump Campaign Staff Reportedly Had Altercation with Arlington National Cemetery Official During Photo Op

"We can confirm there was an incident, and a report was filed," the cemetery told PEOPLE in a statement, though Trump's campaign refutes the details

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Donald Trump looks on during a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on August 26, 2024

Former President Donald Trumps campaign staff reportedly caused a scene at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

On Monday, Aug. 26, members of the Republican presidential candidates campaign team allegedly had a verbal altercation with a cemetery official that turned physical, according to NPR.

Trump was at the historic military cemetery to participate in a wreath-laying ceremony that honored the third anniversary of a deadly attack on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, the outlet reports.

Related: A Dad-to-Be, a 'Brave Young Man' and 'the Most Patriotic Kid': The 13 Service Members Killed in Afghanistan

Andrew Leyden/NurPhoto/Getty Donald Trump visits Arlington Cemetery

A source told NPR that a cemetery official prevented Trumps team from filming and taking photographs in an off-limits area called Section 60, where service members killed in action in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom are buried, per the cemetery's website.

The insider claimed that Trumps staff were previously made aware of the rule, which states that only cemetery workers are allowed to take videos and photographs in the section. When the official went to stop the staff from entering the area, they allegedly verbally and physically abused the official, and pushed them aside.

Related: Trump Says Highest Civilian Award Is Better than Military Equivalent Because Its Recipients Arent in Bad Shape

Arlington National Cemetery confirmed to PEOPLE in a statement that "an incident" occurred during Trump's visit.

"Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidates campaign," the statement said.

"Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants," the statement continued. "We can confirm there was an incident, and a report was filed. To protect the identity of the individual involved, no further information about the incident is being released at this time."

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Donald Trump lays a wreath during a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery

However, Trumps campaign staff are taking issue with how the incident has been described.

Senior Trump campaign adviser Chris LaCivita said in a statement shared with PEOPLE that "President Trump was there on the invitation of the Abbey Gate Gold Star Families to honor their loved ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country."

LaCivita continued by criticizing the cemetery official, writing, "For a despicable individual to physically prevent President Trumps team from accompanying him to this solemn event is a disgrace and does not deserve to represent the hollowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery."

The senior campaign staffer claimed that NPR's source is "dishonoring the men and women of our armed forces, and they are disrespecting everyone who paid the price for defending our country."

Related: Report Alleges Trump Didn't Want 'Wounded Guys' in a Military Parade: 'Doesn't Look Good For Me'

Meanwhile, Trump communications director Steven Cheung said in a statement to PEOPLE, "There was no physical altercation as described and we are prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made. (When asked for the footage by NPR, the Trump campaign declined to release it.)

Cheung further accused the cemetery official of experiencing a "mental health episode."

"The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trumps team during a very solemn ceremony," he said.

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Following the public appearance on Monday, Trump took to Truth Social to blame the deadly 2021 attack in Afghanistan on Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden.

"Three years ago, Kamala's and Biden's incompetence left 13 dead warriors, hundreds of civilians killed and grievously wounded, and $85 billion worth of the finest military equipment on the planet abandoned to the Taliban," he wrote in a caption.

USA Today reports an inaccuracy in his claim, stating, "The Taliban took possession of an estimated $7 billion in military hardware provided to the Afghan National Army."

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.
Trump campaign was warned not to take photos at Arlington before altercation, defense official says

Bill Barnett, left, grandfather of Darin Taylor Hoover, and Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump place a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider in honor of Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover at Arlington National Cemetery, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

WASHINGTON (AP)  Donald Trump's campaign was warned about not taking photographs before an altercation at Arlington National Cemetery during a wreath-laying ceremony earlier this week to honor service members killed in the Afghanistan War withdrawal, a defense official told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter concerning Monday's events. It came a day after NPR reported, citing a source with knowledge of the incident, that two Trump campaign staff members verbally abused and pushed aside a cemetery official who tried to stop them from filming and photographing in Section 60, the burial site for military personnel killed while fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The defense official told the AP that the Trump campaign was warned about not taking photographs in Section 60 before their arrival and the altercation. Trump was at Arlington on Monday at the invitation of some of the families of the 13 service members who were killed in the Kabul airport bombing exactly three years prior.

Arlington National Cemetery is the resting place for more than 400,000 service members, veterans and their families. Cemetery officials said in a statement that an incident had occurred and a report had been filed, but it did not address details of what had happened. They declined to share the report.

Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidates campaign, the cemetery officials statement said. Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants. We can confirm there was an incident, and a report was filed.

Trumps spokesperson Steven Cheung said the Republican presidential candidates team was granted access to have a photographer. He contested the allegation that a campaign staffer pushed a cemetery official.

The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason, an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trumps team during a very solemn ceremony, he said.

Chris LaCivita, a top Trump campaign adviser, noted that Trump was there at the invitation of the families of the service members who were killed in the airport bombing. The Trump campaign posted a message signed by relatives of two of the service members killed in the bombing that said "the president and his team conducted themselves with nothing but the utmost respect and dignity for all of our service members, especially our beloved children.

For a despicable individual to physically prevent President Trumps team from accompanying him to this solemn event is a disgrace and does not deserve to represent the hollowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, he said in a written statement, misspelling the word hallowed. Whoever this individual is, spreading these lies are dishonoring the men and women of our armed forces.

Michael Tyler, a spokesperson for Trump's Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, called the reports pretty sad when its all said and done."

This is what weve come to expect from Donald Trump and his team, Tyler said on CNN. Donald Trump is a person who wants to make everything all about Donald Trump. Hes also somebody who has a history of demeaning and degrading military service members, those who have given the ultimate sacrifice.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia has called on cemetery officials to release more information about what happened Monday.

Its sad but all too expected that Donald Trump would desecrate this hallowed ground and put campaign politics ahead of honoring our heroes, he said. His behavior and that of his campaign is abhorrent and shameful.

Trump's running mate JD Vance was asked about the incident Wednesday at a campaign event in Erie, Pennsylvania, and said that apparently somebody at Arlington Cemetery, some staff member, had a little disagreement with somebody and the media has turned this into a national news story.

He instead tried to focus on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, calling Harris disgraceful for not firing anyone for the deaths of service members in the terror attack. She can go to hell, Vance said.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack.

A Pentagon investigation into the deadly attack concluded that the suicide bomber acted alone and that the deaths of more than 170 Afghans and 13 U.S. service members were not preventable. But critics have slammed the Biden administration for the catastrophic evacuation, saying it should have started earlier than it did.

Utah Republican Gov. Spencer Cox faced criticism Wednesday for including a photo of him and Trump at the Arlington ceremony in a campaign email soliciting donations for his reelection bid. One of the victims in the suicide bombing was Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover, a Utah resident.

Coxs campaign has apologized for using the photo and politicizing the graveside ceremony.

This was not a campaign event and was never intended to be used by the campaign, the governor wrote in a post on X. It did not go through the proper channels and should not have been sent.

___

Gomez Licon reported from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Schoenbaum from Salt Lake City. Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price in New York and Farnoush Amiri in Washington contributed to this report.
Former President Donald Trump writes in a new book set to be published next week that Mark Zuckerberg plotted against him during the 2020 election and said the Meta chief executive would spend the rest of his life in prison if he did it again.

It represents Trumps most recent attack on Zuckerberg, who he has repeatedly accused of intervening in the last presidential election. And it comes as Meta has taken steps to assure conservatives it will not influence this years campaign.

Save America, a Trump-authored coffee table book being released Sept. 3, includes an undated photograph of Trump meeting with Zuckerberg in the White House. Under the photo, Trump writes that Zuckerberg would come to the Oval Office to see me. He would bring his very nice wife to dinners, be as nice as anyone could be, while always plotting to install shameful Lock Boxes in a true PLOT AGAINST THE PRESIDENT, Trump added, referring to a $420 millioncontribution Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, made during the 2020 election to fund election infrastructure.

He told me there was nobody like Trump on Facebook. But at the same time, and for whatever reason, steered it against me, Trump continues. We are watching him closely, and if he does anything illegal this time he will spend the rest of his life in prison  as will others who cheat in the 2024 Presidential Election.

Trump has made similar remarks about Zuckerberg before. Trump wrote in a July post on Truth Social that if elected he would pursue ELECTION FRAUDSTERS at levels never seen before, and they will be sent to prison for long periods of time. We already know who you are. DONT DO IT! ZUCKERBUCKS, be careful!



A Meta spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Republicans have criticized Meta for suppressing content that would have damaged President Joe Biden in 2020, most notably reporting about the then-candidates son, Hunter. At the time, the FBI warned the coverage may have been part of a Russian-orchestrated effort to influence the election.

Zuckerberg sent a letter on Monday to the Republican-controlled House Judiciary Committee acknowledging it was a mistake to have suppressed the story, saying it has since been made clear that the reporting was not Russian disinformation, and in retrospect, we shouldnt have demoted the story,

In the same letter, Zuckerberg wrote that the Biden administration had tried to pressure Meta to downplay certain content about Covid-19, which he said was wrong for the White House to have done. Zuckerberg also said he would not make similar contributions to fund election infrastructure ahead of this years election, though he also stressed that the funding was not intended to appear partisan in nature.

Save America is being released by Winning Team Publishing, which was co-founded by Donald Trump Jr. and Sergio Gor, a Trump ally.
TechCrunch

Fisker's Chapter 11 bankruptcy has hit a major snag, as the company buying the startup's remaining fleet of electric SUVs says it might not complete the purchase because of a surprising technical issue. The buyer, a New York-area leasing company called American Lease, says in a new filing that Fisker now believes there is no way to transfer the information connected to each SUV to a new server not owned by the bankrupt EV startup. Since American Lease needs that information to operate the vehicles after Fisker is dissolved, the leasing company has filed an emergency objection to the startups liquidation plan.
Donald Trump insisted in a meandering interview with television host Dr. Phil McGraw on Tuesday that he had actually won California, adding that all he needed was an honest vote counterJesus Christ, to be exact.

If Jesus Christ came down and was the vote counter, I would win California, OK? Trump said. In other words, if we had an honest vote counter, a really honest vote counterI do great with Hispanics, great, I mean at a level no Republican has ever donebut if we had an honest vote counter, I would win California.

Dr. Phil, sounding surprised, replied: You think so?

Oh I think so, Trump said. I see it. I go around California, they have Trumps signs all over the place...Its a very dishonest [state], everything is mail-in. They send out 38 million ballots, I think it is, Trump continued, forging ahead into a monologue about how California is a dishonest system.

Any time you have a mail-in ballot, youre going to have massive fraud, he added.

During their talk, Dr. Phil also pressed the former president about his comments at a gathering of Christians last month, during which he said that they wouldnt have to vote again after 2024.

Trump insisted he wasnt implying that he would put a stop to elections.

It doesnt mean were not going to have elections. Youre going to have elections. But you have to vote this time, because we have to win, Trump said when pressed on the subject by McGraw, claiming that hell straighten everything out in less than four years, by a lot.

Christians, for whatever reason, dont vote very muchyou know, proportionately, Trump claimed, without providing evidence. NRA people, and people that feel very strongly about the Second Amendmenttheyre not voters. I dont know why. Maybe its a rebellious streak.

RFK Jr. and Trump Go on Dr. PhilLike Cash Me Outside Girl

McGraw, who fawned over Trump earlier this summer, followed up: So, you didnt mean, Vote me in once cause I aint never leaving? Youre meaning, This is an important one. Vote this time?

Trump replied affirmatively. Of course thats what I meant, he said, claiming that everybody knew what he meant at the time.

Yet after Trumps initial comment, many Democrats took issue with it.

This year democracy is on the ballot, and if we are to save it, we must vote against authoritarianism. Here Trump helpfully reminds us that the alternative is never having the chance to vote again, California Rep. Adam Schiff wrote on X.

Dr. Phil Fawns Over Trump in Softball Mar-a-Lago Interview

Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung responded by arguing that Trump was  talking about uniting this country and bringing prosperity to every American, as opposed to the divisive political environment that has sowed so much division and even resulted in an assassination attempt.

Later in his interview with McGraw, Trump also defended telling Fox News host Sean Hannity that he would be a dictatoronly on Day One, and complained about being taken out of context.

It was said with a chuckle. The audience laughed, I laughed, we all laughed. But they take it and they cut it, he said. These are very dishonest people we are dealing with.

In that exchange with Hannity last December, Trump was given the opportunity to rule out breaking the law if re-elected, but he refused to do so.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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This article was first published in the On the Trail 2024 newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox on Tuesday and Friday mornings here. To submit a question to next weeks Friday Mailbag, email onthetrail@deseretnews.com.

Hello, friends. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox was in Washington, D.C., with former President Donald Trump Monday, and by the looks of it, the two are developing a relationship, after Cox endorsed him last month. A far cry from where Cox was previously.

3 things to know

The big idea

Trumps America Last immigration plan

Many journalists  myself included  are frustrated that Harris, now a month into her tenure atop the Democratic ticket, has yet to release her full policy platform, or speak to the press. Weve seen sneak peeks: she laid out some of her plans on the economy a week ago Friday, and in her acceptance speech at last weeks Democratic National Convention, she touched on her foreign policy strategy.

Anyone frustrated with Harris, though, should also have questions for Trump  who, a year into his second campaign for president, has yet to offer coherent plans as to how hell carry out major parts of his platform.

One of his promises is to carry out the largest deportation operation in American history. Last week, as the Democratic convention came to a close, Trump visited the southern border in Sierra Vista, Arizona. My colleague Brigham Tomco was there and asked Trump how he planned to carry out that deportation operation.

Trumps answer: Well work with locals  and theyre going to bring them (migrants) to us  and well get them over the border, and well make arrangements with the countries, and the countries will accept them back, and if they dont accept them back, we do no trade with those countries, and we charge them big tariffs.

But Trumps plan is missing some important details. A few thoughts:

Local law enforcement cant just bring migrants to ICE officials. Whether local law enforcement  what Trump meant when he said locals, he later specified  can enforce immigration law has long been a matter of debate. Can a local police officer apprehend an individual because they are in the country illegally? No, because they have no authority to enforce immigration law, which is controlled by the federal government.

Some states are pushing to change that, including Arizona, which will vote on a ballot measure this November that would allow local police officers to arrest and jail migrants who they witness crossing the border illegally. In addition, there are some programs  like Immigration and Custom Enforcements 287(g) program  that delegates some authority to enforce immigration law to local and state law enforcement. For the most part, these agreements are between ICE and specific sheriffs departments across the country, and local officials only have authority to question an individuals immigration status after theyve been arrested for a non-immigration-related offenses.

While ICE covers training costs associated with the program, local sheriffs offices bear the brunt for the rest of the costs, which can be big  in Gwinnett County, Georgia, the program costs taxpayers as much as $3.7 million annually, a Niskanen Center report found. And a report by Utah State Universitys Center for Growth and Opportunity found that broad enforcement programs like 287(g) are not effective in reducing crime or enforcing public safety, mainly because they fail to target serious offenders.

Nonetheless, during Trumps first term, ICE worked hard to expand the program  with mixed results. While the 287(g) program has yielded successes, ICE recognizes the program is not universally regarded as the most effective or appropriate model for all stakeholders or in every jurisdiction, ICE told The Washington Post in 2021.

That brings us to Trumps plan to charge countries big tariffs. If we deport unauthorized migrants back to their home countries and those home countries do not accept them, Trump implies, the U.S. will simply stop trading with that country, and/or implement tariffs on goods imported from those countries.

This is bad economic policy, according to Michael Kofoed, an assistant professor of economics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a research fellow at the Institute of Labor Economics. (Hes also a Deseret News contributor.) Everyone forgets that sanctions and tariffs are not a tax on the other country, Kofoed told me. Its a tax on goods brought into our country, and that tax gets pushed back on the American worker.

If Im Ford Motor, and we shut off Toyotas from coming, I have no incentive to lower my prices because I have less competition, he continued. So Im going to push my prices upwards to equal the amount of the tariff, essentially.

It becomes very good populist politics, but very bad economic policy, Kofoed said.

Trump doesnt take into account the cost of deporting millions of people  the bus tickets, chartered flights, nights in detention centers and so on, all paid for by U.S. taxpayers. Nor does it consider the cost of shrinking the U.S. economy by deporting workers. Nor does it account for the humane arguments against mass deportation, especially the mass deportation of peaceful, law-abiding individuals. Trumps order would likely begin with this group, as a significant backlog of unexecuted judge-issued deportation orders exists, but these individuals are still in the U.S. because they have not had a run-in with law enforcement.

So, yes, Trumps plan to carry out the largest deportation operation ever may appeal to some voters, but the implementation would get very messy.

Thanks for reading. See you on the trail.

Editors Note: The Deseret News is committed to covering issues of substance in the 2024 presidential race from its unique perspective and editorial values. Our team of political reporters will bring you in-depth coverage of the most relevant news and information to help you make an informed decision. Find our complete coverage of the election here.
Late summer 2024 has found Trump almost comically torn between two competing political demands. On one side, you have a conservative movement that has increasingly remade itself in his image, grafting radical, revanchist ideas for a new American regime onto Trumps unique, very personal politics. This movement is given form by Project 2025, an initiative that is housed in the Heritage Foundation but which pulls in policy proposals and authors from across the ecosystem of right-wing think tanks. The Christian nationalists who hope for a national abortion ban and, in some cases, legislation that would put an end to many fertility treatments, also go in this bucket. JD Vance is a kind of spokesperson for this crowd.

Then, on the other side, youve got Trumps efforts to appear normal: a common-sense candidate, a candidate who can resist claims that he is a threat to democracy or, simply, in league with people who are weird. His recent outreach to barstool conservatives and alienated young men through a bunch of interviews with Joe Rogan-adjacent streamers more or less fits here.

And so you get the bizarre result: Trumps Jekyll and Hyde act, as he switches back and forth, alternately embodying a burn-it-all-down would-be authoritarian revolutionary and a kind-of-eccentric-but-hopefully-not-too-scary guy from TV. He knows nothing, he maintains, about the radical proposals of Project 2025, though 140 members of his administration worked on it. He will not sign an abortion ban, he insists, and he will not sign legislation that endangers IVF; he is in fact a great champion of womens rights, though he will not articulate a clear platform on abortion policy.

Another chapter in this saga is beginning to emerge, with Trump promising to, at some point soon, release a list of people he would appoint to the Supreme Court. Yet he keeps kicking the can on when exactly that list is coming. Jay Willis outlines the story so far for the legal news outlet Balls and Strikes:

Although hes been the presumptive GOP nominee since the moment he begrudgingly left the Oval Office, Trump has yet to say whom he might nominate to the Court if he wins this time around. In March, he told a conservative media outlet that he would be releasing a new list of about 20 names, in part because he is uniquely aware of the potential payoff. I think its important to reveal who your Supreme Court justices will be, Trump said. There are people who say the list helped me win the election last time. In June, citing sources close to the presumptive GOP nominee, Fox News reported that Trump still planned to share his list in [the] coming weeks or months. The latest progress report is, if anything, even more vague. In an interview with CBS News on Monday, Trump said his list would at last be ready over the next three or four weeksor, at another point in the interview, over the next, probably, month or so. When asked if hed at least tease any of the names under consideration, Trumps slackjawed uhhhh response was indistinguishable from that of a seventh-grader asked to stand before the class and deliver a book report he didnt prepare on a book he didnt read.

Like the disavowal of Project 2025 and Trumps tortured attempt at triangulating on abortion, the phantom shortlist phenomenon reflects his worries that the policies embraced by his most diehard supporters and the institutions of the conservative movement are not going to play well with the voters Trump needs, the voters for whom he hopes to be the champion of common-sense policies. His 2025 shortlist might just be too weird.

Trump did put out a shortlist in 2016, a gift to the Federalist Society that paved the way for the current, deeply unpopular Supreme Court majority  the majority behind such bangers as Dobbs, which scrapped Roe v. Wade, Loper Bright, which undermines federal regulatory agencies by scrapping the concept of Chevron deference, and the last-day-of-term bombshell decision on presidential immunity.

But this years Schrodingers shortlist may in fact be even more of a problem than that 2016 effort. Trump is reportedly annoyed with the Federalist Society  not for its politics, or not exactly. Rather, as Willis of Balls and Strikes points out, its for a more predictable reason: Trump is annoyed because Federalist Society lawyers and judges did not do more for Donald Trump. The New York Times reported in November 2023 that Trump reserves his deepest rage for the Federalist Society-approved officials in his own administration, who largely rejected his attempts to overturn the 2020 election. From that Times report:

At the start of Mr. Trumps term, his administration relied on the influential Federalist Society, the conservative legal network whose members filled key executive branch legal roles and whose leader helped select his judicial nominations. But in a striking shift, Trump allies are building new recruiting pipelines separate from the Federalist Society. [] The Federalist Society doesnt know what time it is, said Russell T. Vought, a former senior Trump administration official who runs a think tank with close ties to the former president. He argued that many elite conservative lawyers had proved to be too timid when, in his view, the survival of the nation is at stake.

In other words, Trumps 2025 shortlist is likely to be far more extreme than the one put out by the 2016 campaign to please business-minded Republicans. It is likely to be far more extreme than the first Trump term. It is likely to have quite a bit in common with those Heritage Foundation- and Russ Vought-backed policy projects that Trump has, in recent months, scrambled to disavow.

It makes sense that Trump does not want it out before the election.

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Trump insists hes not a threat to democracy in Dr Phil interview, suggests God wants him to save the world

Donald Trump insisted that he is not a threat to democracy in an interview with TV personality Dr Phil on Tuesday night, during which he also suggested that he survived an assassination attempt last month because God wanted him to save the US - and possibly the world.

During the hour-long, sit-down in Las Vegas, the former president attempted to clarify previous remarks about wanting to be a dictator for one day and ensuring people would not have to vote again if he wins the White House in November.

Trump once again laid into Democratic rival Kamala Harris over her border policy; baselessly claimed that mail-in voter ballots would result in massive fraud; and pushed the Big Lie that he had won the 2020 election.

Discussing the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, last month, he was asked by Dr Phil McGraw why his life was spared.

I mean, the only thing I can think is that God loves our country, and he thinks we're going to bring our country back. He wants to bring it back. It's so bad right now, Trump replied.

Trump attempted to clarify his previous remarks about wanting to be a dictator for one day during the prime-time interview, broadcast on Tuesday with Dr Phil (Dr. Phils Merit Street)

It has to be God. I mean, how can you say it's luck when it's, you know, 20 million to one? I mean, it's just not possible that I was in that position. It's the only position where that bullet could have missed.

Asked by Dr Phil if he believed that Gods hand had played a part in his survival, the former president replied: I do.

He continued: If I win that, that would really serve to say that if there's some incredible power up there that wanted me to be involved in saving [the US]  and maybe it's more than saving the nation. Maybe it's saving the world.

Trump also said that being president was much more dangerous than a race car driver, or any other profession.

Elsewhere in the interview, Trump claimed that he has been demonized by very dishonest media and that previous remarks have been taken out of context.

At a conservative event last month, Trump said: "Youve got to get out and vote. In four years, you dont have to vote again, well have it fixed so good youre not going to have to vote."

Trump said being president is much more dangerous than a race car driver during interview with Dr Phil on Tuesday (Dr Phil)

But in his interview with Dr Phil on Tuesday, Trump hit back at suggestions that the remarks referred to ending democratic elections.

I said to the Christians, weve got to win this election, he said. We win this election, Ill straighten everything out in less than four years by a lot.

Then you dont have to. It doesnt matter. In other words, Im saying you dont have to vote doesnt mean were not going to have elections. Youre going to have elections, but you have to vote this time because we have to win.

He added: Thats what I meant, and I said it, and everybody knows I said it that way, and everybody agrees that I said it that way.

Trump also claimed that his comments to Fox News host Sean Hannity in December about being a dictator for one day were in jest, and were really referring to his desire to get work quickly.

It was said with a chuckle, he said. The audience laughed, I laughed, we all laughed, but they take it, and they cut it and it says, I want to be a dictator.

These are very dishonest people that were dealing with, very dishonest people  bad people.

Trumps interview with Dr Phil comes a day before former independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr will sit down with the TV host.

Trumps interview with Dr Phil comes shortly after independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy (left) dropped out of the race and endorsed Trumps campaign (AP)

Kennedy dropped out of the race on Friday, and threw his support behind Trump.

Speaking about RFK Jrs endorsement, Trump told Dr Phil: Im very honored. Hes a smart guy, a different kind of a guy, he loves our country. He has some very good views on a lot of things. Ive known him for a long time, were somewhat friendly actually.

I think hes going to be a great asset. Will I have him in the administration? I dont know. We havent discussed it. But he adds a lot to the election.

Tuesdays interview comes as the latest election polls indicate that Trump is beginning to lag behind Harris, as the vice presidents campaign sees a boom in fundraising. Harris has a 3.5-point lead over Trump in the latest average of national polls, collated by FiveThirtyEight.

On average, Harris has been marginally ahead of Trump in national polls, though the race remains tight in swing states.

A new poll from Fairleigh Dickinson University, released on Friday, also shows Harris beating Trump by seven points when race and gender are taken into account.
Former President Trump and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) are patching things up for now as Republicans look to put on a united front in the must-win state ahead of November.

The battle for the Peach State has come increasingly into focus for Democrats since Vice President Harris replaced President Biden atop the ticket. And Trumps spat with Kemp heightened concerns among Republicans that they could see a repeat of four years ago, when the former president narrowly lost the state and launched a vendetta against its GOP leaders.

There was a three-week period where there was a lot of nervousness among the ranks.  Whether the damage has already been done, at least weve stopped the bleeding, one Georgia-based Republican strategist said about the Trump-Kemp detente. There definitely was a concern there. It reminded a lot of people what happened in 2020.

Trumps barbs at Kemp came early in the month during a rally in Atlanta where he went on a lengthy diatribe criticizing the governor, with whom he has had a frosty relationship for years. That prompted Kemp to fire back, including a rebuke of Trump for attacking his wife, Marty Kemp.

Republicans have made it their mission to have peace between the two to get Georgia back into their column. One source with knowledge of the discussions said that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was key in trying to squash their beef.

Graham told The Hill it was a top priority to mend those fences as Trump cant win without Georgia.

Its mathematically possible, but if we dont win Georgia, then we had a bad night because all the dynamics are there for us to reclaim Georgia, Graham said.

He name-checked real estate developer Steve Witkoff, senior Trump adviser Susie Wiles, former Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) and Faith and Freedom Coalition founder Ralph Reed as those who helped bring together the political truce.

All hands on deck, he said. If we had a team like [Kemp and his wife] in every one of these swing states, this race would be over.

Graham also attended a fundraiser for the National Republican Senatorial Committee at Loefflers home in Atlanta days after Trumps attacks and immediately reported that Kemp was ready and willing to lend his extensive statewide operation to help the former president.

I want Donald Trump to win Georgia. I am all in for Donald Trump, Kemp said, according to Graham. I am going to give him my political machine. Ive got a great ground game. Im going to put money behind it, and we are going to win Georgia for Trump because Harris is a disaster for Georgia.

The two sides appeared to make peace last week while Democrats were gathered in Chicago for their convention.

Kemp appeared on Fox News to urge people to support Trump.

We cannot take this for granted, Kemp said. We have got to get the vote out. We got to stay focused. We got to stay focused on the future.

And Trump phoned into Fox News a short time later, where he said Kemp had been very nice.

And hes going to work with me 100 percent. And I think were going to have a very good relationship with Brian Kemp, Trump said.

Trumps grudge against Kemp dates to the 2020 election. The former president narrowly lost the state to Biden and spent the weeks following the election pressuring Kemp and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) to challenge the results.

The relationship between the two men has remained tense.

Trump supported a primary challenger against Kemp in 2022, former Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.). But Kemp easily defeated him and won the general election by a wider margin than he did in 2018 against Democrat Stacey Abrams.

Kemp told CNN he did not vote for Trump in Georgias presidential primary in late May, though he has endorsed Trump in the general election, with allies maintaining he has been consistent about his support for the top of the ticket.

Still, Trumps repeated attacks against the Republican governor of a key state earlier this month left many allies scratching their heads and wondering why he didnt focus more on Harris.

Biden carried Georgia in 2020 by fewer than 12,000 votes, becoming the first Democrat since 1992 to win the state. The state will be pivotal for Trump in November because it is one of the clearest pickup opportunities on the map as he charts a path to 270 electoral votes.

A Decision Desk HQ/The Hill average of polls from Georgia showed Trump leading Harris by roughly 3 percentage points in the state.

But Harriss campaign clearly sees it as a place to play offense. The vice president will make her first campaign stop since the Democratic convention in the key battleground for a two-day bus tour this week, concluding with a rally in Savannah.

Georgia is a must-win state for Trump. It is not a must-win state for Harris, said GOP strategist Ford OConnell. Therefore Trump is making sure hes dotting all the Is and crossing all the Ts.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A person holds a sign that reads Mass Deportation Now on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON  Mass deportation now! is a catchphrase for the Trump presidential campaign, as the Republican nominee proposes a crackdown on immigration that would oust thousands of undocumented people.

Often citing a deportation operation enacted by former President Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s, former President Donald Trump has repeatedly vowed in campaign rallies that he plans to not only go back to the tough immigration policies of his first term in office, but expand them greatly.

Were going to have the largest deportation, Trump said at a June campaign rally in Racine, Wisconsin. We have no choice.

The crowd responded with a chant: Send them back. Send them back. Send them back.

Mass deportation would be a broad, multipronged effort under Trumps vision. The plan includes invoking an 18th-century law; reshuffling law enforcement at federal agencies; transferring funds within programs in the Department of Homeland Security; and forcing greater enforcement of immigration laws.

But whether a Trump administration could accomplish a mass deportation is doubtful. Historians, lawyers, and immigration and economic experts interviewed by States Newsroom said removal of the more than 11 million undocumented people in the country would require enormous amounts of resources and overcoming legal hurdles. The effects on the U.S. economic and social fabric would be profound, they said.

I dont think it will happen, Donald Kerwin, a senior researcher on migration at the University of Notre Dame, said of mass deportations. But what it can do is it can make the lives of the undocumented and their families miserable.

GOP support

Trump repeatedly has pledged mass deportation.

At the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July, delegates waved Mass Deportation Now signs as Trump said, To keep our families safe, the Republican platform promises to launch the largest deportation operation in the history of our country.

In a March rally in Dayton, Ohio, Trump said some undocumented immigrants were not people.

I dont know if you call them people, Trump said. In some cases theyre not people, in my opinion, but Im not allowed to say that because the radical left says thats a terrible thing to say.

Trumps campaign message comes as the Biden administration has dealt with the largest number of migrant encounters at the southern border in 20 years and immigration remains a top issue for voters.

However, since President Joe Biden signed a recent executive order, border crossings have fallen to their lowest level since he took office.

The GOP and Trump have now set their sights on the Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris.

House Republicans already led a resolution disapproving of Harris handling of the southern border and labeling her the Border Czar, a title she was given by the media. Her campaign has argued she never had such an official title and her involvement with immigration has been focused on root causes of migration in Central and South America, rather than domestic immigration.

Even though Biden is no longer in the race, and has undertaken his own crackdown on immigration, he warned in mid-June, during an announcement of protections offered for the spouses of long-term undocumented people, that Trump would undertake mass deportations.

Now hes proposing to rip spouses and children from their families and homes and communities and place them in detention camps, Biden said of Trump. Hes actually saying these things out loud, and its outrageous.

How does the public feel?

Polls have found Americans are split on the idea of mass deportations, but Republicans are more supportive.

A recent CBS News poll that found nearly 6 in 10 voters favor a new government agency that would deport all undocumented immigrants. Of those voters, one-third were Democrats and 9 in 10 were Republicans.

The Trump campaign did not respond to multiple requests from States Newsroom for comment on the specifics of how a second Trump administration would plan to carry out mass deportations.

The massive deportation campaign that Trump often cites in his campaign rallies was conducted under the Eisenhower administration in the summer of 1954, with a pejorative, racist name attached to it.

Following the Eisenhower model, we will carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history, Trump said at a September rally last year in Ankeny, Iowa.

But what the Trump campaign is proposing is not an Eisenhower-style crackdown, said Michael Clemens, a professor in the Department of Economics at George Mason University.

That policy was instituted hand-in-hand with a crucial other arm of the policy, he said  which was that lawful work pathways for Mexicans to the U.S. were nearly tripled at the same time as the mass deportations.

Weve heard zero about substantial increases in lawful migration pathways from the people who are now talking about an Eisenhower-style crackdown, Clemens said. What theyre proposing is not an Eisenhower-style crackdown  it is something that the Eisenhower administration understood would not work and therefore it did not do.

Additionally, the Eisenhower program was not as successful as thought.

The Einshower administration claimed that it deported 1 million people back to Mexico, but the real number is a couple hundred thousand, said Eladio Bobadilla, an assistant history professor at the University of Pittsburgh.

It wasnt really about getting rid of immigrants in any real sense, he said. It was a way to sell to the American public that the problem had been solved.

While one agency of the Eisenhower administration was deporting Mexicans  and often U.S. citizens of Mexican descent  another agency was sometimes bringing those same workers back in through the so-called Bracero program, which was created through an executive order by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1942.

States and local governments worked in tandem with the 1950s deportation operation, something unlikely to happen under a second Trump administration, said David Bier, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank.

You also had the cooperation of the employers in those areas, because the Eisenhower administration was totally explicit that all the people that were deporting, youre gonna get workers back legally through the Bracero guest worker program, said Bier.

Obama deportation

The most recent mass deportation campaign came during the Obama administration, said Clemens, who studies the economic effects of migration.

That was the Secure Communities program, which was a set of agreements between local law enforcement and federal level immigration enforcement officials such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. Localities shared information about noncitizens encountered by local law enforcement, such as at traffic stops.

Our most recent experience with mass deportation at the federal level, mostly under the Obama administration, directly harmed U.S. workers, Clemens said.

The program was slowly rolled out, from 2008 to 2014, but over those six years nearly half a million workers were deported.

For every 10 workers who were deported, one U.S. job was eliminated, Clemens said.

The net effect is that Secure Communities cost jobs for Americans across the country, he said.

In a recent paper for the Center for Migration Studies of New York, Kerwin and Robert Warren found that mass deportations would financially harm U.S. families, especially the more than 3 million mixed-status families.

The household income in those households plunges and drops all of these families, or a high percentage of them, into poverty, Kerwin said.

Of those mixed-status families, meaning some family members have different citizenship or immigration status, about 6.6 million members are U.S. citizens, said Warren, a senior visiting fellow at the center, a think tank that studies domestic and international migration patterns.

So you say, We took out one undocumented immigrant, but you damaged a family of U.S. citizens, Warren said.

Expanded executive authority

The early architects of the Trump administrations immigration policies such as Steven Miller and Ken Cuccinelli have laid out a second term that would expand use of executive authority to carry out mass deportations and curtail legal immigration.

Such policies include limiting humanitarian visas and parole and moving to end Temporary Protected Status, known as TPS, said ManoLasya Perepa, policy and practice counsel with the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Like the first Trump administration, Perepa anticipates that there will be a slew of lawsuits seeking injunctions, such as preventing the ending of TPS.

The Trump administration dealt with a flurry of lawsuits over an order to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protects a little more than half a million undocumented people brought into the United States as children without authorization.

The Supreme Court eventually blocked it and kept the program, but DACA is still at risk of being deemed unlawful in a separate suit that is likely to head again to the high court.

I think anybody with a status that keeps getting renewed is really, really at risk, she said. All youre doing is driving people into the shadows.

With the courts likely to get involved, Trump has said he wants to go back to his policy that expanded expedited removals, which means if an undocumented person is in the country for two years without a court hearing or any type of authorization, they can be deported without a hearing before a judge.

That type of removal is limited to 100 miles from a border zone, but the Trump administration expanded that to the rest of the country.

The reality is, if the [Trump] administration increases interior enforcement, technically, all of these people could be detained, Perepa said.

The Migration Policy Institute, a think tank that researches migration, has estimated that the expansion of expedited removal to the U.S. interior could apply to as many as 288,000 people.

Miller, a senior White House adviser during the Trump administration, said on the right-wing podcast The Charlie Kirk Show in November 2023 that the U.S. military would need to be involved for those mass deportations to Mexico, which is why Trump has talked about invoking the Alien Enemies Act.

Because of the logistical challenges involved in removing  you would need to build an extremely large holding area for illegal immigrants that at any given points in time, you know, could hold upwards of 50, 60, 70,000 illegal aliens while you are waiting to send them someplace, somewhere that would be willing to accept them, Miller said.

The Alien and Sedition Act, an 18th-century wartime law, allows the executive branch to deport any noncitizen from a country that the U.S. is at war with and deport any noncitizen deemed dangerous.

The law can be used for extraordinary measures that are not deportation, including the last time it was invoked after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It led to the internment camps of more than 120,000 people of Japanese descent, more than half of whom were U.S. citizens, as well as German and Italian nationals, during World War II.

Trump has vowed to use a title within the Alien and Sedition Acts to target drug dealers, gang members, and cartel members.

I will invoke the Alien Enemy Act to remove all known or suspected gang members from the United States, ending the scourge of illegal alien gang violence once and for all, Trump said at a campaign stop in Reno, Nevada.

Cuccinelli, a former attorney general of Virginia and acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services during the Trump administration, wrote the policy section for the Department of Homeland Security for the Heritage Foundations Project 2025  a conservative battle plan for the next Republican president.

In that section, he laid out recommendations for an incoming Republican administration to curtail the use of temporary work visas for workers in agriculture, construction, and hospitality; prevent U.S. citizens from qualifying for federal housing subsidies if they live with someone who is a noncitizen; and require drivers license information to be shared with federal authorities; among other policies.

The Heritage Foundation did not respond to a request for comment.

Punishing states

In a lengthy interview Trump conducted with Time magazine, he said he would withhold federal funding from states and local governments that dont cooperate in deportation proceedings.

That could violate the 10th Amendment in the Constitution, said Mae Ngai, a historian and Asian American studies professor at Columbia University.

States and municipalities cannot be coerced to enforcing federal laws, she said, adding that immigration law is a federal matter. You cannot force the police department or sheriffs  to pick up immigrants.

State and local cooperation in detaining immigrants could be a challenge, said Julia Gelatt, associate director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Program at the Migration Policy Institute.

Legal challenges make it costly for local law enforcement to detain people solely to wait for immigration proceedings, and many local governments have decided not to hold people beyond their criminal detentions.

Funding issues

Deploying the military for immigration enforcement and constructing detention camps would also come with a large price tag.

Those large expenses would have to be approved by Congress, which may not be a willing partner.

There are ways to get around the legislative branch, such as reshuffling money within the Department of Homeland Security, but they come with downsides, Bier of the Cato Institute said.

Thats politically risky because if theres any kind of natural disaster, and youre using money to deport people that can have some big blowbacks in the affected areas, he said.

The Trump administration did this in 2019, when it transferred $271 million from the Federal Emergency Management Association to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It also transferred $23.8 million from the Transportation Security Administration to ICE.

Trump could reassign law enforcement agencies to tackle immigration enforcement, Bier said, but he would face pushback from affected agencies that have their own priorities.

Theyre not going to want to cooperate with just giving up on everything theyre trying to do, Bier said.

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A person holds a sign that reads Mass Deportation Now on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 17, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images.

WASHINGTON  Mass deportation now! is a catchphrase for the Trump presidential campaign, as the Republican nominee proposes a crackdown on immigration that would oust thousands of undocumented people.

Often citing a deportation operation enacted by former President Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s, former President Donald Trump has repeatedly vowed in campaign rallies that he plans to not only go back to the tough immigration policies of his first term in office, but expand them greatly.

Were going to have the largest deportation, Trump said at a June campaign rally in Racine, Wisconsin. We have no choice.

The crowd responded with a chant: Send them back. Send them back. Send them back.

Mass deportation would be a broad, multipronged effort under Trumps vision. The plan includes invoking an 18th-century law; reshuffling law enforcement at federal agencies; transferring funds within programs in the Department of Homeland Security; and forcing greater enforcement of immigration laws.

But whether a Trump administration could accomplish a mass deportation is doubtful. Historians, lawyers and immigration and economic experts interviewed by States Newsroom said removal of the more than 11 million undocumented people in the country would require enormous amounts of resources and overcoming legal hurdles. The effects on the U.S. economic and social fabric would be profound, they said.

I dont think it will happen, Donald Kerwin, a senior researcher on migration at the University of Notre Dame, said of mass deportations. But what it can do is it can make the lives of the undocumented and their families miserable.

GOP support

Trump repeatedly has pledged mass deportation.

At the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July, delegates waved Mass Deportation Now signs as Trump said to keep our families safe, the Republican platform promises to launch the largest deportation operation in the history of our country.

In a March rally in Dayton, Ohio, Trump said some undocumented immigrants were not people.

I dont know if you call them people, Trump said. In some cases theyre not people, in my opinion, but Im not allowed to say that because the radical left says thats a terrible thing to say.

Trumps campaign message comes as the Biden administration has dealt with the largest number of migrant encounters at the southern border in 20 years and immigration remains a top issue for voters.

However, since President Joe Biden signed a recent executive order, border crossings have fallen to their lowest level since he took office.

The GOP and Trump have now set their sights on the Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris.

House Republicans already led a resolution disapproving of Harris handling of the southern border and labeling her the Border Czar, a title she was given by the media. Her campaign has argued she never had such an official title and her involvement with immigration has been focused on root causes of migration in Central and South America, rather than domestic immigration.

Even though Biden is no longer in the race, and has undertaken his own crackdown on immigration, he warned in mid-June, during an announcement of protections offered for the spouses of long-term undocumented people, that Trump would undertake mass deportations.

Now hes proposing to rip spouses and children from their families and homes and communities and place them in detention camps, Biden said of Trump. Hes actually saying these things out loud, and its outrageous.

How does the public feel?

Polls have found Americans are split on the idea of mass deportations but Republicans are more supportive.

A recent CBS News poll that found nearly 6 in 10 voters favor a new government agency that would deport all undocumented immigrants. Of those voters, one-third were Democrats and 9 in 10 were Republicans.

The Trump campaign did not respond to multiple requests from States Newsroom for comment on the specifics of how a second Trump administration would plan to carry out mass deportations.

The massive deportation campaign that Trump often cites in his campaign rallies was conducted under the Eisenhower administration in the summer of 1954, with a pejorative, racist name attached to it.

Following the Eisenhower model, we will carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history, Trump said at a September rally last year in Ankeny, Iowa.

But what the Trump campaign is proposing is not an Eisenhower-style crackdown, said Michael Clemens, a professor in the Department of Economics at George Mason University.

That policy was instituted hand-in-hand with a crucial other arm of the policy, he said  which was that lawful work pathways for Mexicans to the U.S. were nearly tripled at the same time as the mass deportations.

Weve heard zero about substantial increases in lawful migration pathways from the people who are now talking about an Eisenhower-style crackdown, Clemens said. What theyre proposing is not an Eisenhower-style crackdown  it is something that the Eisenhower administration understood would not work and therefore it did not do.

Additionally, the Eisenhower program was not as successful as thought.

The Einshower administration claimed that it deported 1 million people back to Mexico, but the real number is a couple hundred thousand, said Eladio Bobadilla, an assistant history professor at the University of Pittsburgh.

It wasnt really about getting rid of immigrants in any real sense, he said. It was a way to sell to the American public that the problem had been solved.

While one agency of the Eisenhower administration was deporting Mexicans  and often U.S. citizens of Mexican descent  another agency was sometimes bringing those same workers back in through the so-called Bracero program, which was created through an executive order by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1942.

States and local governments also worked in tandem with the 1950s deportation operation, something unlikely to happen under a second Trump administration, said David Bier, the director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank.

You also had the cooperation of the employers in those areas, because the Eisenhower administration was totally explicit that all the people that were deporting, youre gonna get workers back legally through the Bracero guest worker program, said Bier.

Obama deportation

The most recent mass deportation campaign came during the Obama administration, said Clemens, who studies the economic effects of migration.

That was the Secure Communities program, which was a set of agreements between local law enforcement and federal level immigration enforcement officials such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. Localities shared information about noncitizens who were encountered by local law enforcement, such as at traffic stops.

Our most recent experience with mass deportation at the federal level, mostly under the Obama administration, directly harmed U.S. workers, Clemens said.

The program was slowly rolled out, from 2008 to 2014, but over those six years nearly half a million workers were deported.

For every 10 workers who were deported, one U.S. job was eliminated, Clemens said.

The net effect is that Secure Communities cost jobs for Americans across the country, he said.

In a recent paper for the Center for Migration Studies of New York, Kerwin and Robert Warren found that mass deportations would financially harm U.S. families, especially the more than 3 million mixed-status families.

The household income in those households plunges, and drops all of these families, or a high percentage of them, into poverty, Kerwin said.

Of those mixed-status families, meaning some family members have different citizenship or immigration status, about 6.6 million members are U.S. citizens, said Warren, a senior visiting fellow at the center, a think tank that studies domestic and international migration patterns.

So you say, We took out one undocumented immigrant, but you damaged a family of U.S. citizens, Warren said.

Expanded executive authority

The early architects of the Trump administrations immigration policies such as Stephen Miller and Ken Cuccinelli have laid out a second term that would expand the use of executive authority to carry out mass deportations and curtail legal immigration.

Such policies include limiting humanitarian visas and parole and moving to end Temporary Protected Status, known as TPS, said ManoLasya Perepa, policy and practice counsel with the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Like the first Trump administration, Perepa anticipates that there will be a slew of lawsuits to file injunctions, such as preventing the ending of TPS.

The Trump administration dealt with a flurry of lawsuits over an order to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protects a little over half a million undocumented people brought into the United States as children without authorization.

The Supreme Court eventually blocked it and kept the program, but DACA is still at risk of being deemed unlawful in a separate suit that is likely to head again to the high court.

I think anybody with a status that keeps getting renewed is really, really at risk, she said. All youre doing is driving people into the shadows.

With the courts likely to get involved, Trump has said he wants to go back to his policy that expanded expedited removals, which means if an undocumented person is in the country for two years without a court hearing or any type of authorization, they can be deported without a hearing before a judge.

That type of removal is limited to 100 miles from a border zone, but the Trump administration expanded that to the rest of the country.

The reality is, if the (Trump) administration increases interior enforcement, technically, all of these people could be detained, Perepa said.

The Migration Policy Institute, a think tank that researches migration, has estimated that the expansion of expedited removal to the U.S. interior could apply to as many as 288,000 people.

Miller, a senior White House adviser during the Trump administration, said on the right-wing podcast The Charlie Kirk Show in November 2023 that the U.S. military would need to be involved for those mass deportations to Mexico, which is why Trump has talked about invoking the Alien Enemies Act.

Because of the logistical challenges involved in removingyou would need to build an extremely large holding area for illegal immigrants that at any given points in time, you know, could hold upwards of 50, 60, 70,000 illegal aliens while you are waiting to send them someplace, somewhere that would be willing to accept them, Miller said.

The Alien and Sedition Act, an 18th-century wartime law, allows the executive branch to deport any noncitizen from a country that the U.S. is at war with and deport any noncitizen deemed dangerous.

The law can also be used for extraordinary measures that are not deportation, including the last time it was invoked after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It led to the internment camps of more than 120,000 people of Japanese descent, more than half of whom were U.S. citizens, as well as German and Italian nationals, during World War II.

Trump has vowed to use a title within the Alien and Sedition Acts to target drug dealers, gang members and cartel members.

I will invoke the Alien Enemy Act, to remove all known or suspected gang members from the United States ending the scourge of illegal alien gang violence once and for all, Trump said at a campaign stop in Reno, Nevada.

Cuccinelli, a former attorney general of Virginia and acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services during the Trump administration, wrote the policy section for the Department of Homeland Security for the Heritage Foundations Project 2025  a conservative battle plan for the next Republican president.

In that section, he laid out recommendations for an incoming Republican administration to curtail the use of temporary work visas for workers in agriculture, construction and hospitality; prevent U.S. citizens from qualifying for federal housing subsidies if they live with someone who is a noncitizen; and require drivers license information to be shared with federal authorities; among other policies.

The Heritage Foundation did not respond to a request for comment.

Punishing states

In a lengthy interview Trump conducted with Time magazine, he said he would withhold federal funding from states and local governments that dont cooperate in deportation proceedings.

That could violate the 10th Amendment in the Constitution, said Mae Ngai, a historian and Asian American studies professor at Columbia University.

States and municipalities cannot be coerced to enforcing federal laws, she said, adding that immigration law is a federal matter. You cannot force the police department or sheriffs  to pick up immigrants.

State and local cooperation in detaining immigrants could be a challenge, said Julia Gelatt, associate director of the U.S. Immigration Policy Program at the Migration Policy Institute.

Legal challenges make it costly for local law enforcement to detain people solely to wait for immigration proceedings, and many local governments have decided not to hold people beyond their criminal detentions.

Funding issues

Deploying the military for immigration enforcement and constructing detention camps would also come with a large price tag.

Those large expenses would have to be approved by Congress, which may not be a willing partner.

There are ways to get around the legislative branch, such as reshuffling money within the Department of Homeland Security, but they come with downsides, Bier of the Cato Institute said.

Thats politically risky because if theres any kind of natural disaster, and youre using money to deport people that can have some big blowbacks in the affected areas, he said.

The Trump administration did this in 2019, when it transferred $271 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It also transferred $23.8 million from the Transportation Security Administration to ICE.

Trump could also reassign law enforcement agencies to tackle immigration enforcement, Bier said, but he would face pushback from affected agencies that have their own priorities.

Theyre not going to want to cooperate with just giving up on everything theyre trying to do, Bier said.
Trump sidesteps his role in Afghanistan exit in trying to link Harris to chaos

Former President Trump is trying out a campaign strategy to attack Vice President Harris as a straw man for the failures surrounding the U.S. pullout from Afghanistan, a chaotic and deadly event that cast a dark shadow over President Bidens term in office but succeeded in ending Americas longest war.

Republicans and Democrats trade blame over which administration holds responsibility for failing to plan and execute the drawdown of the 20-year military operation in Afghanistan.

The end result was the collapse of the U.S.-backed government in Kabul in the face of the Talibans takeover over two fraught weeks at the end of August 2021. The U.S. exit was marred by masses of people overwhelming the Kabul airport; a devastating terrorist attack that killed 13 U.S. soldiers, among others; and an evacuation crisis that put at risk thousands of Afghan allies and those vulnerable to violence from the Taliban.

The Trump campaign has sought to shift blame from Biden to Harris by bringing up an April 2021 interview the vice president gave to CNN, where she said she was the last person in the room with the president when he made the decision to exit Afghanistan and said she was comfortable with the choice.

Its a perfect political attack, said Chris Tuttle, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and who previously served as policy director of the majority staff of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations under Chair Bob Corker (R-Tenn.).

I think the campaign feels like its a good time to remind the general public of what happened and the chaos that ensued as a good line of attack.

Democrats and Trumps critics point to the former presidents decision to cut out the Afghan government and negotiate directly with the Taliban on withdrawing all U.S. troops on a specific timeline as the key factor that left Biden few good choices in crafting and executing a plan.

It was a catastrophe, across the board, a civil, military, right down to tactical, catastrophe, and all Trumps trying to do is to bathe in the blood of those 13 troops, said a former senior officer who served in Afghanistan, who spoke on condition of anonymity to speak candidly.

Still, efforts to focus on the broad but nuanced picture often fail to animate the public in an election season, Tuttle pointed out.

When it comes down to a political campaign, if youre explaining, youre losing, he said.

Its hard for them [Biden and Harris] to come back from what actually occurred on the ground.

And Trump and his supporters are working to frame the former president as a leader who deters violence through tough talk and action, and honors and respects American service members  even as Trump has a history of insulting and disparaging the military, wounded soldiers and those killed in action.

The Trump campaign held a call with family members of three U.S. service members killed in the Abbey Gate bombing on Monday, the terrorist attacks third anniversary, while the former president joined other Gold Star families at a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

Republicans, and some families, have attacked Harris and Biden as failing to adequately acknowledge the sacrifice of those soldiers.

With Trump, we knew our kids were safe, said Cheryl Juels, whose niece Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole Gee was killed in Kabul on Aug. 26, 2021.

You know, hes a New Yorker  he wasnt going to deal with anybody hurting our men and women, or he would have, you know, made em pay for it, and they all knew that. And with this administration, look at the world right now. I mean, well be lucky if were not in a world war three in the next six months.

Mark Schmitz, father of Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, who was killed in the Abbey Gate bombing, said Trump is not perfect but faulted the Biden-Harris administration as failing to take accountability.

I think that this [Biden] administration has shown that theyve treated the withdrawal from Afghanistan like the plague. You know, they have stayed as far away from this as they possibly can, he said.

In contrast to Trumps visit to Arlington, Biden and Harris released separate statements honoring the 13 soldiers killed and paying tribute to the 2,461 killed and the 20,744 wounded over 20 years of war.

When asked by a reporter why Harris or Biden did not host or attend any public events honoring the fallen soldiers, the White House said the administration was focused on its work behind the scenes.

I would say there are many ways that we as a nation and our leaders can observe the third anniversary of Abbey Gate, John Kirby, the White House national security communications adviser, said in a call with reporters on Monday.

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 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.

Its not yet clear if Trumps strategy to portray himself as a tough leader on the world stage resonates with undecided voters.

While there are a number of Trumps former aides who argue against his reelection, even supporters are cautious over the pitfalls of the former presidents personal faults  that hes easily manipulated, susceptible to flattery, and enamored with autocrats.

He can make really sound decisions and disrupt things that need to be disrupted in terms of foreign policy and national security, but oftentimes struggles to hang on to those decisions and see them through, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster said Sunday on CBSs Face The Nation, discussing his book about his time as Trumps national security adviser.

I write about it, at times, he finds it tough to stick with those decisions because people know kind of how to push his buttons, especially buttons associated with maintaining the complete support of his political base.

And Harris is gaining ground in polls against Trump.

Foreign policy is generally an issue that falls behind the economy, immigration and reproductive rights, Americans factor in how they want the U.S. to show up in the world.

Among polling from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, a majority of Americans want to strengthen or expand U.S. alliances abroad, and a majority view alliances as having a benefit for the U.S.

But Trump supporters are more likely to say that the U.S. should follow its own national interests even when allies strongly disagree, according to April polling by the Pew Research Center.

Allison Jaszlow, a veteran of the war in Iraq and who is CEO of the nonprofit and nonpartisan Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), did not put much weight behind Trumps attacks on Harris over Bidens pullout of Afghanistan.

I have to think that the attack falls flat on many people. I just dont think that you can fully shift blame onto another administration when you yourself share a portion of blame for how things were executed in Afghanistan, she said.

Theres some people who might be animated by that attack, but I have to think that most people who observed how things transpired in Afghanistan over time, know that it was his [Trumps] administration that oversaw operations there as well.

IAVA is a group that represents about 425,000 members and advocates for the post-9/11 community of veterans. The group put out statements of support for both Harris and Trump for choosing running mates with military records: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) is a retired U.S. Army National Guardsman and Ohio Sen. JD Vance (R) is a former U.S. Marine who served in Iraq.

But IAVA is watching closely how candidates talk about their future policies, with the group advocating for a repeal or reform of the 2001 and 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force. It was Congresss rubber stamp on America going to war in Afghanistan and Iraq, used today for ongoing counter-terrorism operations.

Administrations of both parties have exploited those AUMFs to continue to deploy troops into harms way  and I think it would be a real sign of character if the next commander-in-chief was supportive of their war powers being reined in, as they should be, she said.

IAVA is also advocating for more to be done to help Afghan allies left in limbo or left behind in Afghanistan that qualify for Special Immigrant Visas for the help alongside the U.S. throughout the war.

We still owe it to our Afghan allies, the interpreters and other folks who helped us on the ground, to help them find safe harbor, she said.

If we fail to keep our promise to our Afghans allies that are still fearing for their lives since the withdrawal. I think that really complicates our ability to effectively wage war in the future, and it shouldnt be seen as just a humanitarian issue, its a national security 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 The Hill.
Native Vote 2024. Former President Donald Trump on Monday, Aug. 26 gave remarks at the 146th National Guard Association of the United States General Conference & Exhibition in Detroit, Michigan. He addressed Army and Air National Guard officers, family members, and others, where he highlighted the critical role the National Guard plays in the nation's security and outlined the stakes of the upcoming election.

"I've had no greater honor in life than to serve as your commander-in-chief. You are 'always ready' and 'always there' for us ... and I'm always going to be there for you," Trump greeted the crowd.

Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning.

During the event, Trump was endorsed by former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), a 17-year veteran of the Hawaii Army National Guard former 2020 Democrat presidential candidate. She will also be present as a moderator of Trump's visit to La Crosse, Wisconsin for a Town Hallon Thursday, August 29, 2024.

"I am confident that his first task will be to do the work to walk us back from the brink of war," she said.

Gabbard, during a Democratic presidential debate in 2020, made the now popular claim against Harris that she put over 1,500 people in jail for marijuana violations and blocked evidence that would have freed an innocent man from death row. This claim has since been debunked and labeled misleading.

A critical investigation revealed that though the laws in California at the time allowed for marijuana possession to be charged, Harriss office never pursued prosecution of any such cases. Under Harriss watch, marijuana sales cases were often charged as misdemeanors when they could have been charged as felonies.

PolitiFact notes in its fact check of this debate that most of the cases where evidence may have exonerated someone unfolded before Harris was Attorney General, and Gabbards claim that inmates were incarcerated longer than their sentences is not backed up by data.

At the event on Monday, Trump said that he will create a Space National Guard, following in his previous creation of the Space Force Branch. He also vowed to end veteran homelessness with an executive order.

"I will sign an executive order to stop every penny that Harris has been spending on the shelter and transport of illegal aliens  and we will redirect that money to provide shelter and treatment for homeless American veterans."

About the Author: "Neely Bardwell (descendant of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indian) is a staff reporter for Native News Online. Bardwell is also a student at Michigan State University where she is majoring in policy and minoring in Native American studies. "

Contact: neely@nativenewsonline.net
The Trump campaign has denied a report that claims two aides on Donald Trumps team verbally abused and shoved an official at Arlington National Cemetery during a wreath-laying ceremony on Monday.

A source with knowledge of the incident told NPR on Tuesday that the Trump staffers became verbally and physically belligerent after a cemetery official tried to prevent them from filming in Section 60, a 14-acre area where U.S. service members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan are laid to rest.

Trump was at Arlington to observe the anniversary of the 2021 Kabul airport attack, a suicide bombing that killed 13 American service members and more than 150 Afghans amid the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

NPRs source said that it had been made clear to the Trump team that only cemetery officials were allowed to take photographs inside the plot.

Trump Emerges From Day of Twitter Silence to Take Credit for Wreath Ceremony Reversal

The Trump campaign refuted the sources characterization of events in a statement to the Daily Beast.

There was no physical altercation as described and we are prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made, campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said. He did not respond to the Daily Beast or NPRs request to share the footage.

The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trumps team during a very solemn ceremony, Cheung said.

Chris LaCivita, a senior adviser to Trump, called the cemetery official a despicable individual who did not deserve to represent the hollowed grounds [sic] of the cemetery.

Whoever this individual is spreading these lies are dishonoring the men and women of our armed forces, he added of NPRs source in the statement, and they are disrespecting everyone who paid the price for defending our country.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

In a statement to NPR, Arlington National Cemetery said it could confirm there was an incident, and a report was filed.

Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidates campaign, it said.

Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants.

Trump Hawks Trading Cards and Pieces of His Suit in Bizarre New Video

Cheung claimed in a Tuesday night tweet that the campaign had been explicitly granted permission to bring a photographer to the site. He shared a cropped screenshot that appeared to show an unattributed email instructing the campaign that Trump was allowed an official photographer and/or videographer outside of the main media pool.

The Republican presidential nominee helped lay wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknowns and spoke with families of the Kabul victims. He was criticized for flashing a thumbs-up and smiling during a graveside photo op while there.

Trump has attracted scrutiny in the past for his remarks on veterans, including an alleged incident in which he, according to his former chief of staff, referred to American war casualties as suckers and losers. He has strongly denied this.

Earlier this month, veterans slammed the former president for describing the civilian-focused Presidential Medal of Freedom as being much better than the Medal of Honor, the nations highest military honor.

Kevin Carter/Getty Images

After his Arlington visit, Trump traveled on to Detroit, Michigan, where he placed the humiliation in Afghanistan squarely on President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, according to the Associated Press. Speaking to a crowd of National Guard members and their relatives, Trump characterized the withdrawal as the most embarrassing day in the history of our country.

In her own statement commemorating the anniversary, Harris said that the 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.

She also praised Biden for his courageous and right decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now.

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Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Trump holds rally in Glendale, Arizona

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Trump holds rally in Glendale, Arizona

(This Aug. 27 story has been refiled to fix a typo in paragraph 3)

(Reuters) - Two members of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's campaign staff had a "verbal and physical altercation" with an Arlington National Cemetery official during a visit by Trump this week, NPR reported on Tuesday.

Trump on Monday participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery honoring the 13 servicemembers killed during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

Later in Detroit, Trump blamed Vice President Kamala Harris, his Democratic rival for the White House, and President Joe Biden for what he termed a "catastrophic" withdrawal.

Citing an unnamed source, NPR reported that when a cemetery official tried to prevent Trump campaign staffers from filming and photographing in an area where servicemembers are buried, the Trump staff "verbally abused and pushed the official aside."

Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung disputed the report. "There was no physical altercation as described and we are prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made," Cheung said.

"The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trump's team during a very solemn ceremony."

Arlington National Cemetery confirmed in a statement that an incident had occurred and that a report was filed.

"Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidate's campaign," the cemetery said.

It did not respond to requests for a copy of the report or an explanation of why the Trump campaign was allowed to visit the cemetery as part of his campaign.

(Reporting by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Michael Perry)
As Donald Trumps team visited Arlington National Cemetery Monday for an event honoring American troops who were killed in a deadly attack in Afghanistan, members of his campaign staff were involved in a physical altercation with a cemetery official, according to NPR.

Citing a source with knowledge of the incident, the outlet said that Arlington officials made it clear only cemetery staff members were authorized to take photographs in the area known as Section 60. Despite this, the source told NPR, two Trump campaign staffers pushed and verbally attacked the cemetery official who was trying to prevent them from entering and taking photos in the area.

When responding from an inquiry over the alleged altercation, Arlington Cemetery confirmed with NPR that there was an incident, and a report was filed.

Cemetery officials also drew a line between graveside photos normally taken by the average visitor and photos taken for election-related activities.

Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidates campaign, read the statement. Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants.

Trump campaigns spokesman, Steven Cheung, pushed back against the allegations and said that they are prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made.

Cheung also claimed, without any evidence, that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trumps team during a very solemn ceremony.

Trump participated in the wreath-laying ceremony on Monday remembering 13 American soldiers who were killed in a suicide bombing at Abbey Gate at Kabul airport. The Republican presidential nominee later traveled to Michigan to speak to the National Guard Association and used the opportunity to slam Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and President Joe Bidens handling of the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan three years ago.

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 to the crowd including National Guard members and their families. According to the Associated Press, Bidens administration had been following a withdrawal agreement that the Trump administration had signed with the Taliban in 2020. In 2022, a government watchdog group said decisions by both Trump and Biden were major factors that fueled the collapse of Afghanistans military.

Trump, who avoided the military draft multiple times (as was common for men from wealthy families), has a long history of disparaging U.S. service members and veterans. He recently doubled down on his claim that the the Presidential Medal of Freedom is superior to the military Medal of Honor because the former involves no sacrifice.

His running mate J.D. Vance has also targeted Harris vice presidential pick Tim Walz, who served for two decades in the Army National Guard, for supposedly dodging a deployment to Iraq, and of engaging in stolen valor garbage. Amid the many baseless claims made by the Trump campaign, Vances accusations remain highly dubious.

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Members of the Trump campaign were involved in a confrontation with Army staff at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday while the former president took part in a photo session in a section for troops who have died in recent conflicts.

The incident, which reportedly involved pushing an employee and verbal abuse, came as former President Donald Trump visited the cemetery to mark the three-year anniversary of the U.S. pullout from Afghanistan, where 13 service members were killed in a bombing at the Kabul airport.

NPR first reported that families of two of the Marines killed at the airport invited Trump to Section 60 of the cemetery, where federal law prohibits political or campaign-related photography. NPR, citing a person with knowledge of the incident, said Trumps team verbally abused and pushed a staffer when that person attempted to block the photographer who was with the campaign.

The photos came after Trump laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The cemetery released a statement confirming there was an incident, and added that federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities at any military cemetery, including photography in direct support of a partisan political candidates campaign. Arlington National Cemetery reinforced and widely shared this law and its prohibitions with all participants.

Trump adviser Chris LaCivita said in a statement to POLITICO that for a despicable individual to physically prevent President Trump's team from accompanying him to this solemn event is a disgrace.

Steven Cheung, a Trump campaign spokesperson, confirmed that an incident occurred but denied there was any altercation.

"The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trump's team during a very solemn ceremony," Cheung said.

Cheung posted on X Wednesday what appeared to be communication between the campaign and Arlington staff that recommended against bringing additional photographers outside the main media pool, but allowed a Trump photographer to accompany him. The communication does not specify the photographer can follow Trump to the gravesite. Staff at the cemetery had worked for days to coordinate the visit with the Trump campaign.



Trumps running mate JD Vance, speaking at an event in Wisconsin on Wednesday, said the media is creating a story where I really dont think there is one and reiterated the campaigns statement that they were allowed to have a photographer there.

It is amazing to me that you have apparently somebody at Arlington Cemetery, some staff member had a little disagreement with somebody and the media has turned this into a national news story, he said.

Appearing on CNN Wednesday, former Trump Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the incident should be investigated and that the cemetery has a lot of rules for what people can or cannot do there. The principle is that no person or party [on] either side should ever use Arlington National Cemetery or any of our cemeteries or battlefields for partisan political purposes, or break the so-called rules.

The incident is the latest in a string of controversies involving Trump and veterans. On Aug. 15, he said the civilian President Medal of Freedom was much better than the militarys Medal of Honor because recipients of the militarys highest award for valor are either in very bad shape because theyve been hit so many times by bullets or theyre dead.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars, which has 1.5 million members, called the comments asinine and said they not "only diminish the significance of our nations highest award for valor, but also crassly characterizes the sacrifices of those who have risked their lives above and beyond the call of duty.

Mia McCarthy contributed to this article.
Trump was treated like a chump by foreign dictators who took advantage of him, former top aide says

Former Trump National Security Adviser HR McMaster has written in a new book that the then-president was treated like a chump by a string of authoritarian leaders.

McMaster, a lieutenant general, writes about an almost two-week-long trip to Asia in his memoir At War With Ourselves, saying that China was the most consequential destination.

On their way to Beijing, McMaster cautioned Donald Trump that Chinese President Xi Jinping would attempt to trick the then-president into saying something that was positive for China but would in effect be bad for the US and its allies.

The CCPs favorite phrase, win-win, actually meant that China won twice, McMaster wrote that he told Trump. While Trump appeared to listen at the time, he later said he agreed with Xi that military exercises in South Korea were provocative and a waste of money. He also suggested that China could have a claim to the Senkaku Islands, which belong to Japan, a US ally.

As his stomach sank, McMaster wrote in a note to then-Chief of Staff John Kelly, a general, that Xi ate our lunch, according to The New York Times.

The national security adviser writes in the memoir that Trump was often treated like a chump by authoritarian leaders.

National Security Advisor HR McMaster and US Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin wait while US President Donald Trump, South Korea's President Moon Jae-in, and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrive for luncheon at the Palace Hotel during the 72nd United Nations General Assembly September 21, 2017 in New York City. McMaster has written a scathing portrayal of Trump in his latest memoir (AFP via Getty Images)

To get on Trumps good side, some flattery and a bit of pomp and circumstance appeared to be all that was needed from leaders such as Xi, Vladimir Putin of Russia, and Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey.

McMaster notes that in 2018, he found Trump writing a note to Putin on top of a New York Post article in which he said he was disappointed at how the US political system was eating itself up but in which he praised Trump, calling him a great communicator.

I have no disappointment at all. Moreover, on a personal level, he made a very good impression on me, Putin said, according to the Post.

Trump asked McMaster to send the note to the Kremlin just as evidence was coming out that Putin appeared to have ordered an assassination in the UK.

The adviser didnt send the note, telling an irate Trump that it would reinforce the narrative that you are somehow in the Kremlins pocket.

In an interview with Phil McGraw, known as Dr Phil, broadcast on Tuesday evening, Trump discussed how President Joe Biden stepped down and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris.

They give you a nice, fresh opponent and so I have to win that, and if I win that, that would really serve to say that theres some incredible power up there that wanted me to be involved in saving, and maybe its more than saving the nation, he said as they spoke about the assassination attempt against him last month. Maybe its saving the world. You know, I get along with all those tough guys.

McMaster writes that Trump staffers threw accusations of disloyalty at each other as they tried to influence the then-president. The national security adviser writes that a vortex of vitriol often undercut what the administration was trying to achieve and that Trumps indiscipline made him the antagonist in his own story.

When the subject of Mexico comes up during a discussion, McMaster writes that Trump asked, Why dont we just bomb the drugs?

The lieutenant general also notes that the failed 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan can be linked to the atmosphere of inconsistency during the Trump administration.

McMaster questions if Trump, 78, can perform well the sometimes grueling job of president, adding that the 13-day trip to Asia left him tired  seven years ago.

Trumps anxieties and insecurities rendered him vulnerable, McMaster writes.
Because Donald Trump alwaysof courseplaces the national interest before his own narrow political needs, he is now prepared to name Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to a second-term transition team, a Trump adviser tells The New York Times. This comes right after Kennedy endorsed Trump, having ended his own crashing-and-burning third-party presidential bid last weekwhich is surely pure coincidence and could not possibly have figured into Trumps decision-making.

The temptation among some Democrats will be strong to treat this as low comedy, by highlighting Kennedys weirdness as part of the broader party strategy of mocking Trump at every opportunity. But Democrats should also cast this movethe idea that Trump would even suggest putting the anti-vax, conspiracy-theory-spouting, whale-head-chainsawing Kennedy anywhere near such an influential roleas a serious danger to the nation and another sign of Trumps towering unfitness for the presidency.

Kennedy himself has confirmed his bargain with Trump. Were working on policy issues together, Kennedy said recently, adding that he has been asked to help pick the people who will be running the government, and I am looking forward to that.

This might give Kennedy a big hand in recommending people for positions in the federal bureaucracy that are instrumental in maintaining public health. Its worth appreciating that these positions comprise a wide-ranging set of roles, from promoting research into human wellness and development, to protecting the environment, to guaranteeing the safety of food, drugs, medical devices and procedures, and much more.

Kennedy has a well-documented history of promoting dangerous quackery and deranged conspiracy theories about vaccines, pharmaceuticals, guns, and other issues related to public health and well-being. So Kennedys influence on a second Trump administration could result in the appointment of people in key positions who are just as devoted to misleading Americans about highly consequential health and medical matters as he is, potentially corrupting government information.

We already saw the concrete effects of anti-vax mania in real time: Thousands of people who died of Covid-19 might have survived if theyd gotten vaccinated. A Kennedy-influenced administrationor Kennedy in an important government position himselfcould facilitate the spread of anti-vax sentiment beyond Covid, not to mention untold other anti-science quackery.

If RFK Jr. were to gain any position of power, theres no question that hed try to staff the Trump administration with anti-vax activists, Jonathan Howard, a neurologist at New York University who closely tracks the anti-vax movement, told me. Howard said this would cause the spread of more misinformation about all vaccines, potentially meaning decreased vaccination rates and more suffering and death.

For Democrats, educating voters about this particular Trump menace is the correct public-spirited thing to do. But theres also a political opening here. Democrats say they will tie Kennedys fringe positions to Trump, and if so, theres an opportunity to communicate to key voter groups the danger a Trump-Kennedy alliance poses.

To see why, consider that when Kennedy was a third-party candidate and President Biden was still running, many Democrats feared he might appeal to voters who pay little attention to politicsyoung people, low propensity voters, people disaffected with our institutionsand who also disliked Biden and Trump. The entry of Vice President Kamala Harris into the race has caused a decline in those so-called double haters, with many moving to Harris.

But there are still untold numbers of them out there. With Kennedy not running, his endorsement of Trump could soften their impressions of the former president. Whats at issue here are not voters who were fully committed to Kennedys third-party runthey are probably not gettable for Democratsbut still-undecided voters who might as yet prove susceptible to Kennedys appeal. They might find the Kennedy nameand his vague associations with environmentalism, hostility to corporate power, and even the health of children, all of which he talks a good game aboutreassuring about Trump. If Bobby Kennedy backs Trump, why, how extreme and crazy can he really be?

Other Kennedy family members are working to undo that effect by forcefully arguing that Robert Kennedy doesnt represent the legacy of his father, Robert F. Kennedy Sr., or his uncle John F. Kennedy. But theres more to be done. Importantly, those lower-information voters are not necessarily anti-vax or red-pilled by conspiracy theories, so a message highlighting the threat of a Kennedy-influenced Trump administration could reduce Kennedys ability to cast Trump as a less extreme, destructive figure.

We have to make clear that Kennedy himself has a lot of extraordinarily dangerous ideas, Matt Bennett, an executive vice president at the Democratic group Third Way, told me. Kennedys renown might help Democrats here, Bennett noted: One challenge is making voters care that the people around Trump are completely crazy. Adding Kennedy to the team is the perfect distillation of this.

This could also help sway swing voters who arent all that ideologically alienated by Trump but recoil at anti-vaxism. The American people, especially suburban parents, viscerally understand the danger of anti-vax lunacy, says Democratic strategist Jesse Lee, who has been warning of the threat a Kennedy appointment poses.

All of this points to a deeper perversity. As Kurt Andersen notes, Trump and Kennedy share a bond in that both are entitled playboy sons of northeastern wealth who have been buoyed by inheritances all their lives despite being people of extraordinarily debased character. Both pose as traitor-to-their-class elite figures who have turned on the establishment.

But a consummated Trump-Kennedy bargainKennedy endorsing Trump, followed by Trump appointing Kennedy to his transition team or administrationwould actually constitute the epitome of corrupt elite self-dealing.

Trump, you may recall, solicited $1 billion in campaign contributions from Big Oil executives while offering to carry out their bidding in office. Trump has also promised roomfuls of wealthy corporate donors that hell keep their taxes low. Kennedythe self-styled heroic environmentalist and scourge of corporate powercan be counted on not to raise a fuss about Trumps corrupt bargains with these financial elites on causes that Kennedy professes to care deeply about, all in exchange for reaping the rewards in boosted influence himself.

And so, the Trump-Kennedy bargain is another indication that Trump would basically strip down the government and sell it off for parts to whomever is willing to humor his passing whims and political needs. That Trump would blithely hand over to this man some measure of control over the staffing of the government illustrates just how dangerous a second Trump term would be to the countryas well as the sheer, unchecked corruption it would unleash. It all demonstrates just how profoundly unfit for the office Trump truly is, and Democrats can say so, clearly and forcefully.
The major proposals pitched by the campaigns of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump would both expand the federal budget deficitthough Trump's plans would require significantly more borrowing over the next decade.

Trump's proposals would add an estimated $5.8 trillion to the deficit over the next decade, according to the Penn Wharton Budget Model, a fiscal policy think tank at the University of Pennsylvania (Trump's alma mater). Most of Trump's deficit-increasing policies result from proposed changes that would reduce Americans' tax burden. He's called for permanently extending the 2017 tax cuts, which would add an estimated $4 trillion to the deficit over the next decade (unless Trump comes up with offsetting spending cuts). His plan to eliminate taxes on Social Security benefits will add another $1.2 trillion.

Harris, meanwhile, rings up an estimated $1.2 trillion in larger deficits over the next decade, primarily by increasing government benefits.

She supports expanding the Child Tax Credit and other welfare benefits delivered via the tax code, which would add $2.3 trillion to the deficit over a decade, according to the Penn Wharton analysis. However, her plan to increase the corporate income tax would offset some of that deficit spending by hiking federal revenues by around $1 trillion.

The biggest difference between the two estimates is the dynamic consequences of Trump's and Harris' tax plans. The tax cuts proposed by Trump would boost economic growth and offset some of the costs of his other proposals. When those consequences are taken into account, the Penn Wharton estimates show that Trump would add merely $4.1 trillion to the deficit over a decade. Harris' proposed tax increases naturally have the opposite impact. As a result, she would add about $2 trillion to the deficit when the economic effects are included.

There is one huge missing piece in the Penn Wharton estimate, which fails to account for the potential costs and fiscal impact of Trump's proposed tariff hikes. The group says that is unable to model that because "key implementation details" are missing, such as what products would be subject to the tariffs and how high the import tax rates would be. "While new import taxes and tariffs could raise several trillion dollars in new revenue over the next decade, they could also lead to revenue losses due to potential retaliatory actions from other governments and other economic dynamics," the Penn Wharton report warns.

It doesn't take an advanced economic analyst to realize that neither Trump nor Harris seem interested in reducing the federal budget deficit. Indeed, Trump borrowed more than $8 trillion during his four years in office, and Harris has been complicit in the Biden administration's efforts to borrow another $4.3 trillion over the past four years. There has been little discussion on the campaign trail of cutting spending or trying to balance the budget (or even stabilizing the debt), even though polls show that voters are worried about the potential consequences of more borrowing.

Some conservatives and libertarians might argue that Trump's deficit-hiking policies should be more acceptable because he's aiming to produce greater economic growth. That might be true if the budget weren't already so wildly out of whack, or if Trump provided some indication that he'd be interested in cutting government spending to offset his planned reductions in future tax revenue.

For now, however, both Trump and Harris are effectively promising to continue the foolish status quo of the past few decades: Giving Americans a more expensive government than we are paying for, and putting the tab on the next generation.

The post Trump's Proposals Would Add $5.8 Trillion to the Deficit appeared first on Reason.com.
As a result of Tuesdays mayoral election in Tulsa, the city will soon have a Democrat in its top spot. The top two vote-getters in Tuesdays nonpartisan election were Democratic candidates who will face off against one another in a runoff this fall.

The outcome suggests waning support for Republicans in Tulsa and in urban areas across the country that are now overwhelmingly run by Democrats.

Democrats take top two positions, head for runoff

The Oklahoman reported that unofficial results indicated that Monroe Nichols, a 40-year-old state legislator, finished first in Tulsas mayoral election on Tuesday, with 33.1% of the vote. That put him just ahead of 70-year-old county commissioner Karen Keith at 32.6% and Brent VanNorman, president of an investment company, who finished with 31.8%. Fewer than 500 votes each separated Nichols from Keith and Keith from VanNorman. As the top two vote-getters, Nichols and Keith will head to a runoff election in November, guaranteeing a Democrat will become the citys new mayor; although the mayoral election is nonpartisan, Nichols and Keith are both Democrats, whereas VanNorman and outgoing Mayor G.T. Bynum are both Republicans.

Potential for first Black mayor

Even though Nichols did not receive enough votes to win on Tuesday, his first-place finish is still historic and gives him a shot at becoming Tulsas first Black mayor. That would be significant for a city that is known for one of the worst race massacres in American history as its Greenwood District, also known as Black Wall Street, was destroyed in a 1921 attack for which justice has largely been denied. In this election, the citys Black Wall Street Times newspaper  which highlights Black news and issues from the Greenwood District, endorsed Nichols earlier this month. In its endorsement, the paper highlighted Nichols advocacy for the massacres survivors and their descendants, as well as his work with Native American and LGBTQ+ communities. The Times also told voters that it is time for us to make history by electing Nichols.

I am honored to have the endorsement of @TheBWSTimes! BWST has been bold in the face of so many issues facing Tulsa over the years and bold is exactly what we need to win the next decade. Thanks to the BWST editorial board, lets go make some history! https://t.co/2HHBZW5Mby  Monroe Nichols (@Monichols) August 21, 2024

Democrats continue to dominate in urban areas

Regardless of whether Nichols or Keith wins in November, Tulsa will come under Democratic control as a result of the election. After 56% of Tulsa County voters cast their support for Donald Trump in 2020, its significant that nearly two thirds of the citys voters supported Democrats on Tuesday. The result also reflects waning support for Republicans in urban areas across the country. According to Ballotpedia, Republican mayors control only 11 of the 50 largest cities in the U.S., a figure that includes Tulsa. Although Tulsa turning blue is unlikely to sway the presidential election results in Oklahoma, the overall Democratic dominance in urban areas could swing results in other states, as well as congressional races as control of the House and Senate are up for grabs.

All of these issues will be decided on Nov. 5, as residents of Tulsa not only vote for the next president but also for their citys next mayor. History could be made in more ways than one that day.
Tulsa City Hall, pictured Aug. 20, is home to the city's municipal government. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice)

Voters in Tulsa advanced two mayoral candidates to a Nov. 5 runoff election.

Of the seven nonpartisan candidates on the ballot, Monroe Nichols and Karen Keith will face off in November. Over 56,000 Tulsa residents voted in the mayoral race during Tuesdays election.

The current mayor, G. T. Bynum, chose not to seek a third term.

Nichols received 33.10% of the vote and Keith followed with 32.62%. Less than 300 votes separated the candidates.

Brent VanNorman received 31.84% of the vote, close behind Nichols and Keith, but only the top two contenders advanced to the runoff.

Nichols, who was elected in 2016 to be the Oklahoma State Representative for District 72, would be Tulsas first Black mayor if elected. He did not seek another legislative term.

Keith has served as the Tulsa County commissioner for District 2 since 2008. She was a broadcast journalist for two decades before that.

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In November 2023, John Marks and his friend Freddie Douglas Jr. were accused of raping Amanda Zawieruszynski, a white woman, while she was in the pool at Marks home in Manvel, Texas.



Zawieruszynski claimed in a police report that she was initially at Marks house because he was hosting a party. She claimed that she was held against her will by both men and raped at night for hours headed into the morning. A month later, they were arrested and charged with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault. However, after the evidence was presented to a jury by the local district attorney, they declined to indict both of them in March 2024.

Now months after they were arrested, Marks is looking to get some get back, filing a lawsuit against Zawieruszynski, the City of Manvel, the Manvel Police Department, Police Chief Keith Traylor, and the two officers involved in the case.

In the complaint, Marks and his attorneys claim that Manvel police arrested him and Douglas Jr. without investigating Zawieruszynskis claims to the fullest extent because of their race. He also adds that they ignored surveillance video from his home that wouldve immediately shown that Zawieruszynskis allegations were false.

Allegedly, the footage showed that Zawieruszynski got undressed and joined both men in Marks pool on her own and engaged in consensual sexual acts. It also reportedly shows Zawieruszynski walking around the house freely, which goes against the claim that she was held against her will.

According to the lawsuit, Manvel Police Chief Traylor was aware of the surveillance footage, but he did not include it in his report to the judge who ended up signing off on an arrest warrant. Another officer, Taner Truitt, allegedly made false statements that would have led to an arrest warrant not being issued

In a statement to ABC13, Justin Moore, Marks attorney, said, What happened to my client shouldnt happen to anybody in this country, not in the year 2024. This is something that goes back to the Jim Crow days. When you hear the details, you start to think about cases like Emmett Till. There is a historical element here. It is a context of Black men being falsely accused of sexual assault against white women.

While Marks main reason for filing the lawsuit was to deter racial discrimination in the future, he added that he is dealing with psychological trauma and that the sexual assault investigation affected his reputation and ability to get jobs in the future. He is seeking compensation for damages, including attorneys fees, medical expenses, and lost earning capacity, according to the lawsuit.

He told ABC13, I dont want anybody else to go through this. I was fortunate enough to be in a position to have cameras and people I could reach out to. If not, I wouldve been a gone brother. I wouldve been gone for something I didnt do.

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EAST STROUDSBURG, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  Two people have been arrested after an undercover investigation resulted in a motel drug operation being shut down.

According to the Stroud Area Regional Police Department, on August 27 around 3:00 p.m., Sean Johnson, 50, and Cathi Jones, 52, were captured in Alabama after a warrant was issued for their arrest in Monroe County.

Between May and June of 2023, Monroe County detectives say they, along with the FBI, executed multiple controlled drug buys from Johnson and Jones at the Super 8 Motel on Greentree Drive in East Stroudsburg.

Mosquito spraying scheduled in parts of Wyoming Valley

Police say during the operation, various quantities of fentanyl were bought from Johnson and Jones. A search warrant was served on the motel room and as a result, quantities of various drugs, paraphernalia, cell phones, and guns were seized.

After searching the phones, police say evidence showed that the purchasing and selling illegal drugs was performed at the motel.

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SPANISH FORK, Utah (ABC4)  Two high schoolers saved a mans life over the weekend at a Spanish Fork cross-country meet after he was found unconscious and without a pulse on the ground, according to the Nebo School District.

PJ Merrill and Traven Elquist  both juniors at Spanish Fork High (SFHS)  were at a cross-country meet on Saturday when they heard a commotion and saw students from another school waving and shouting, the districts post read. The two teenagers ran to the scene and found an unresponsive man on the ground.

READ NEXT: Prosecutors seek death penalty for Utahn implicated in alleged coup attempt in Congo

District officials said the man was an SFHS students father and was starting to turn blue as he had no pulse and was not breathing. Elquist immediately called 911 and Merrill began CPR which he had learned in class the previous year.

After several tense minutes, the man took a sharp breath and began breathing again, the post read.

Elquist directed first responders to the scene over the phone, and the man was transported to the hospital where he received surgery and is now in recovery.

Merrill and Elquists quick actions and the CPR training they received last school year in the class of Rory Eyring, at Spanish Fork High School, undoubtedly saved the mans life, making them true heroes in their community, the post read.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
UPDATE: Third suspect booked on murder complaint after body found in Enid cellar

UPDATE @ 4:00 P.M.

A third suspect has been named in a murder investigation after police found a body in the cellar of an Enid home.

Enid Police say they have arrested 35-year-old Devin Harris on Wednesday afternoon for first-degree murder. Harris has also been booked into the Garfield County Detention Facility.

Devin Harris. Photo courtesy Garfield County Detention Facility.

ORIGINAL STORY

ENID, Okla. (KFOR)  Two men have been booked on first-degree murder complaints after a body was reportedly discovered in the cellar of a Enid residence on Tuesday.

Enid Police say their detectives discovered human remains in the cellar of a home near North 12th Street and East Ash Avenue on August 27. Detectives reportedly found the body while following a lead in a missing persons investigation.

Enid Police find human remains in the cellar of a home near North 12th Street and East Ash Avenue. Photo courtesy Brian Travis.

Enid Police find human remains in the cellar of a home near North 12th Street and East Ash Avenue. Photo courtesy Brian Travis.

While police are still waiting for official confirmation from the Medical Examiners Office, they believe the victim is 27-year-old Colby Sheppard, who was reported missing on January 4.

As a result of the ongoing investigation, 45-year-old Victor Battelo and 55-year-old Charles Jordan were booked on first-degree murder complaints. Both were already being held in the Cleveland County Detention Facility on unelated charges.

Victor Battelo. Photo courtesy Garfield County Detention Facility.

Charles Jordan. Photo courtesy Garfield County Detention Facility.

Detectives believe there may be additional suspects involved in Sheppards death.

According to police, evidence suggest Sheppard was killed in retaliation for his rumored involvement in the disappearance of Kendra Battelo, who has been missing since 2022. However, Enid Police say there is still no definitive proof in the case that proves this allegation.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Two people found duct taped in the back of a van in Connecticut, police say

Two people found duct taped in the back of a van in Connecticut, police say

DANBURY, C.T. (PIX11)  A group of men are under arrest after allegedly kidnapping two people and duct taping them in the back of a van, Danbury police say.

A couple was driving together when they were suddenly rear ended by a van carrying a group of six men, according to authorities. When the couple came out to inspect the damage on their vehicle, officials say thats when the group surrounded them and used bats to attack one of the victims.

More Local News

The couple was dragged into the back of the groups van and duct taped, police say. However they were quickly located by authorities after a witness reported the accident.

Four people were arrested when the vehicle was found and another two were taken into custody from a short term rental home. Officials say the attack appears to be targeted but investigators have not yet determined a motive.

More Crime News

The six alleged suspects each face multiple charges including robbery by carjacking, assault in the first degree, kidnapping in the first degree and unlawful restraint in the first degree.

Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
2 people die in hospital after shooting in Sterling; LCSO investigating

LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now)  The Loudoun County Sheriffs Office (LCSO) said deputies are investigating a homicide after a double shooting left two people dead in Sterling on Wednesday.

Just after 4:30 a.m., deputies were called to the 21000 block of Ridgetop Circle for an argument. There, LCSO said deputies found two people who had been shot.

The pair was taken to the hospital, where they died.

Crash shuts down US 50 East in Anne Arundel County

As deputies continued their investigation, a heavy law enforcement presence could be seen in the area early Wednesday morning.

This is an aerial shot of the crime scene and deputies on the scene of a shooting in Sterling on Aug. 28. (Photo Courtesy: Tim Pruss-MyDrone.Pro)

This is an aerial shot of the crime scene and deputies on the scene of a shooting in Sterling on Aug. 28. (Photo Courtesy: Tim Pruss-MyDrone.Pro)

The LCSO said the names of the victims will be released once the next-of-kin is notified.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Two sworn enemies hold the key to ending the war in Gaza. Does either man want a deal?

This combination of photos shows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, in Ramat Gan, Israel, on June 8, 2024, and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza City, on April 13, 2022. (AP Photo)

The latest flurry of Gaza cease-fire talks  the back-and-forth over now-familiar sticking points and appeals from around the world  obscures a grim truth about the monthslong efforts to end the Israel-Hamas war and free scores of hostages.

Any deal requires the signatures of two men: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

They are sworn enemies, notoriously tough negotiators and know that the outcome of the talks will profoundly shape their legacies. In Sinwar's case, it could mean life or death.

Both have strong incentives to end the war. But they may also think they stand to gain by holding out a bit longer, and that war is preferable to a deal that falls short of their demands.

Here's a look at the two leaders and the constraints they face.

What does Netanyahu want?

Netanyahu has promised total victory over Hamas and the return of all the hostages held in Gaza  goals that many believe are incompatible.

He has come under tremendous pressure from the hostages' families and much of the Israeli public to make a deal to bring them home, even if it leaves a battered Hamas intact. The United States, which has provided key military aid and diplomatic support to Israel, is also pushing for such a deal.

But Netanyahu's governing coalition relies on far-right ministers who want to permanently reoccupy Gaza and have threatened to bring down the government if he concedes too much. That would force early elections that could drive him from power at a time when he is on trial for corruption.

It would also hasten a broader reckoning over the security failures surrounding the Oct. 7 attack in which Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people in southern Israel, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250 others  on Netanyahu's watch. Netanyahu has rejected calls for a government investigation until the war is over.

The longer the war drags on, the more likely Israel is to achieve something that looks like victory  the killing of Sinwar, the rescue of more hostages  and the longer Netanyahu has to repair his political standing and reshape his legacy. But it also comes with risks as the number of soldiers killed in action rises nearly every day and Israel becomes increasingly isolated because of the suffering it has inflicted on Palestinians.

Netanyahu has clashed with his own defense minister over the endgame. Israeli media is filled with reports quoting unnamed senior security officials expressing frustration with Netanyahu, especially his demand for lasting control over two strategic corridors in Gaza. Some have gone so far as to accuse him of sabotaging the talks.

Both Israel and Hamas say they have accepted different versions of an evolving U.S.-backed cease-fire proposal in principle, while suggesting changes and accusing the other of making unacceptable demands.

Yohanan Plesner, head of the Israel Democracy Institute, a local think tank, acknowledged the anger directed at Netanyahu in the local press and among segments of Israeli society but said Sinwar bore most of the blame for the impasse because he had shown little interest in compromising.

If we saw Sinwar was serious about getting a deal, that would force Israel and Netanyahu to expose their cards, Plesner said. The current situation is almost like negotiating with oneself."

What does Sinwar want?

Sinwar wants to end the war  but only on his terms.

Israel's offensive has killed over 40,000 people, according to local health officials, displaced 90% of Gaza's population and destroyed its main cities. Hamas has lost thousands of fighters and much of its militant infrastructure.

Sinwar's only bargaining chips are the roughly 110 hostages still held in Gaza, around a third of whom are believed to be dead. And he needs much more than a temporary pause in the fighting if he hopes to salvage anything resembling victory from the Oct. 7 attack that he helped mastermind.

That begins with assurances that Israel won't resume the war once some or all of the hostages are freed. He also needs Israel to withdraw from all of Gaza to ensure that the lasting impact of the Oct. 7 attack is not a permanent reoccupation of the territory. The release of high-profile Palestinian prisoners as part of a deal is a sacred cause for Sinwar, who was himself a long-serving prisoner freed in an exchange. And he needs assurances that Palestinians will be able to return to their homes and rebuild them.

Sinwar is very much concerned with bringing negotiations to a conclusion, whether with regard to a cease-fire or an exchange of prisoners, because in both cases, Sinwar will have come out as the winner, said Nabih Awada, a Lebanese political analyst and former militant who spent years in an Israeli prison with Sinwar.

There are risks for Sinwar in drawing the talks out: More hostages are likely to die or be rescued as the war grinds on. Death, destruction and hardship in Gaza will continue, and could stoke Palestinian discontent with Hamas, with political implications down the line.

Sinwar himself, who sits atop Israel's most-wanted list, could be killed at any time. But given the centrality of martyrdom in Hamas' history and ideology, he may feel that outcome is inevitable  and preferable to a deal that looks like defeat.

Can any external pressure help?

Egypt and Qatar have served as key mediators with Hamas, but their influence is limited.

Any pressure exerted on Hamas' exiled leadership is unlikely to have much impact on Sinwar, who was appointed the overall head of Hamas after the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran. Sinwar is believed to have spent most of the past 10 months living in tunnels under Gaza, and it is unclear how much contact he has with the outside world.

The United States has provided crucial military support for Israel throughout the conflict and has shielded it from international calls for a cease-fire. Earlier this year, President Joe Biden paused a shipment of hundreds of 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) bombs to pressure Israel not to invade the southern city of Rafah  which it did anyway.

U.S. election politics could also blunt American pressure. Biden has shown little inclination to pressure Netanyahu, and Vice President Kamala Harris has offered no concrete policy changes. Donald Trump has urged Israel to finish up its offensive but would likely be even more accommodating to Netanyahu, as he was during his presidency.

Any U.S. arms embargo is even less likely when Israel faces a potential retaliatory strike from Iran over the killing of Haniyeh. Instead, the United States has poured military assets into the region, taking some of the pressure off Israel.

Sinwar might have hoped that the targeted killings of Haniyeh and a top Hezbollah commander last month would widen the war. But that appears less likely, with both Israel and Hezbollah applying the brakes following a heavy exchange of fire over the weekend.

The cease-fire talks have continued through it all, punctuated by fleeting moments of optimism.

The mediators have spent recent weeks trying to hammer out a bridging proposal with Netanyahu, but it's still a work in progress. It has not yet been submitted to Sinwar.

___

Associated Press writers Melanie Lidman in Jerusalem and Abby Sewell in Beirut contributed to this report.

___

Follow APs coverage of the war in Gaza at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
Indigenous students pursuing nursing careers at the University of Arizona College of Nursing will benefit from additional financial support thanks to a $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Indian Health Service.



The grant will fund the successful Indians in Nursing: Career Advancement and Transition Scholars, or INCATS, program for another five years. The program provides Indigenous students at the U of A College of Nursing with financial support for tuition, fees and a living stipend.

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Additionally, the grant provides resources for dedicated time and personnel to partner with tribal communities in Arizona, fostering outreach and engagement efforts to inspire Indigenous youths to pursue nursing careers.



This grant provides critical resources that not only support our Indigenous nursing scholars but also help us connect with tribal communities in Arizona to strengthen the tribal nursing workforce, said Timian Godfrey, DNP, an associate clinical professor at the College of Nursing and director of the INCATS program.



Indigenous students pursuing nursing careers stand to gain significantly from INCATS funding, with an overall goal to ultimately improve health care in Native American communities. The program was developed to increase the number of highly trained and skilled Native American nurses in tribal health care facilities and create new pathways for nurses with two-year associate degrees to advance their careers.



Godfrey, who is Dine (Navajo), said the program has supported 13 Native American students, 10 of whom have graduated, in advancing their nursing education and careers.



This grant provides a valuable opportunity to educate, train, mentor and graduate more Indigenous nurses from the University of Arizona who will then go on to work with Indigenous peoples and support the health of those respective communities, Godfrey said. The goal of this work is to advance health equity for Indigenous peoples, and education is a key component of health for a community.



This additional funding from the Indian Health Service is a vote of confidence in our program and, more importantly, our Native American students, said Brian Ahn, PhD, dean of the College of Nursing. The INCATS program has a successful record of increasing the number of Indigenous nurses in Arizona, and we look forward to expanding that impact over the next five years.



Godfrey said the grant should fully support four to six Indigenous students during each of the next five years, providing them with the tools and education they need to succeed in the nursing profession.



The INCATS program is a model for the nation about how to diversify the nursing workforce and educate the next generation of Indigenous nurses, said Terry Badger, PhD, RN, a professor, the director of research initiatives and the Eleanor Bauwens Endowed Chair at the College of Nursing.

About the Author: "Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at editor@nativenewsonline.net. "

Contact: news@nativenewsonline.net
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  The U.S. Marshals Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force has captured attempted murder suspect, Parrish Transou.

A Jackson, Tennessee native, 44-year-old Transouis facing several charges out of Shelby and Madison County.

The task force took him into custody after finding him at a Memphis residence around 9 a.m. Monday morning.

First court appearance for woman accused of carjacking man with teens help

Transou was booked at the Shelby County Jail for attempted first-degree murder and aggravated assault.

He is also wanted in Madison County for petition to revoke suspended sentence, failure to report back to court after a positive drug screen, theft of property and 11 counts of forgery.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell turns in her paperwork at the Department of State building in Tallahassee on April 24, 2024. (Photo by Jackie Llanos/Florida Phoenix)

There are fewer than 10 weeks left before the general election, but there has yet to be any announcement of debates in Floridas U.S. Senate race between Republican Rick Scott and his Democratic challenger, former South Florida U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell.

On a Zoom call Tuesday organized by the Florida Democratic Party, Mucarsel-Powell responded to a question from a reporter about criticism from Scott by saying that she was ready to debate him in Spanish, but didnt elaborate.

Enough with the lies, Rick, Mucarsel-Powell said. Lets have a debate in Spanish. Are you scared of doing that? Because the only person whos going to be advocating for freedom and democracy in Latin America is going to be me, not you.

An aide to the Mucarsel-Powell team later told the Phoenix that staff have been in conversations with several Florida television stations about scheduling a potential debate or debates. The aide went on to say that Mucarsel-Powell would be happy to debate in both English and Spanish.

Mucarsel-Powell was born in Ecuador and speaks fluent Spanish. Scott also speaks Spanish and has run television ads speaking in Spanish going back years.

If a debate is scheduled, the announcement probably would come within the first few weeks of September. The first debate between Scott and then Democratic-incumbent Bill Nelson in 2018 was announced on Sept. 10 of that year.

That debate was the only one that took place, and it happened in the Miramar studio of Spanish-language broadcaster Telemundo. A second debate had been scheduled in Tampa to air nationally on CNN but it never took place, with both candidates blaming each other for the cancellation.

The Rick Scott campaign did not return a request for comment.

Race tightening

In the 2022 U.S. Senate race, Republican incumbent Marco Rubio and Democratic candidate Val Demings participated in only one televised debate, which aired three weeks before Election Day.

The most recent public opinion polls show the race tightening. A Public Policy Polling survey released Tuesday showed Scott up by three points, 46% to 43%, with 10% undecided. A Florida Atlantic University poll released earlier this month had Scott up by 4%, 47%-43%. An Associated Industries of Florida survey also released earlier this month had Scott up by 10%, 52%-42%.

Other candidates in the race include Libertarian Feena Bonoan, nonparty-affiliated candidates Ben Everidge and Tuan TQ Nguyen, and write-in candidate Howard Knepper.

The deadline for supervisors of elections to send vote-by-mail ballots to overseas and military members is Sept.21. Domestic vote-by-mail ballots will be sent to voters starting on Sept. 26.
Banks in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been rejecting transactions from Russian companies for electronic components and consumer electronics from China since early August, the pro-Kremlin outlet Kommersant reported on Aug. 28.

The reason is the risk of secondary actions, the outlet claimed.

This comes as another case of mounting obstacles in Russian-Chinese economic relations amid the growing pressure of U.S. sanctions imposed over Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

According to Kommersant's undisclosed sources, Russian firms used UAE-based entities to transfer money to China to ship goods directly to Russia.

Now, transactions for those products that do not arrive directly to the Gulf country are blocked, the outlet said. According to its sources, the restrictions came at China's initiative.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.

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The U.S. unveiled a new set of sanctions against Chinese and Russian companies over their support for Moscow's aggression last week. Despite efforts to avoid or mitigate the impact of the trade restrictions, Chinese institutions have begun scaling back their business dealings with Russia.

Specifically, a number of major Chinese banks have begun blocking transactions for electronics out of fear of secondary sanctions.

Most recently, in June, the Russian subsidiary of the Chinese state-run Bank of China stopped accepting payments from Russian banks.

China has become Russia's key economic lifeline during the full-scale war, as the trade between the two countries surged by 121% since 2021. A functioning payment system is necessary for maintaining trade relations, and Russia was cut off from the international SWIFT system in 2022.

Western countries have also reportedly ramped up pressure on the UAE to stop allowing Russian entities to dodge sanctions. The Gulf country is believed to be one of the main pipelines for sanctioned dual-use goods like electronics being shipped to Russia.

Throughout Russia's full-scale war, the UAE has maintained economic and cultural ties with Russia but has also signed new trade agreements with Ukraine.

Read also: Russia, China discuss barter trade as sanctions hamper payments, Reuters reports

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UC Berkeley's new chancellor, Rich Lyons sings "The Bare Necessities" during a portrait outside the Student Union on campus. (Paul Kuroda / For The Times)

UC Berkeley may be best known as the birthplace of the student free speech movement and for its ranking as one of the world's top public research universities.

But as incoming Chancellor Rich Lyons kicked off the new school year last week, he leaned into a less well-known standing: It is the world's No. 1 university when it comes to producing venture-funded start-ups founded by undergraduate alumni.

Before 9,000 new students at their welcome ceremony Thursday at Haas Pavilion, Lyons highlighted that "grand scale" of campus innovation and entrepreneurship and "the Berkeley way" of questioning the status quo to generate new ideas.

In an interview, Lyons focused on that theme, saying new ideas are needed to help tackle Berkeley's toughest problem: bringing financial strength to a campus struggling under state funding deferrals and an ongoing structural budget deficit. In the last eight years, Berkeley has wrestled with two budget deficits and faces another one of up to $150 million in 2024-25 due in part to rising expenses, such as mandated pay increases. The campus has not yet decided whether to further dip into its reserves.



UC Berkeley's new chancellor, Rich Lyons, gives a pep talk to new students after convocation held at Haas Pavilion on Thursday. (Paul Kuroda / For The Times)

But the campus can potentially generate an eye-popping $1 billion in new revenues over the next 10 years though entrepreneurial ventures, said Lyons, who previously headed the Haas School of Business. A professor of economics and finance, Lyons also served as associate vice chancellor and chief innovation and entrepreneurship officer before taking over in July.

"It needs to be something fresh. It needs to be something new," said Lyons, clad in jeans and a "Berkeley Changemaker" top as he laid out his ideas. "It needs to be large enough ... to be transformative."

Protests: 'We plan to be firm'

Lyons, 63, also addressed protests, which are expected to ramp up this week as students returned to campus. Last spring, pro-Palestinian supporters drew global attention when they set up tent encampments at Berkeley and elsewhere. Some were peaceful gathering spots for solidarity activities  Berkeley managed to reach agreement with protesters to end their encampment voluntarily. Others became conflict zones with counterprotesters and were forcibly dismantled by law enforcement.

Read more: UC Berkeley to consider divesting from weapons makers as pro-Palestinian protesters break camp

Protest activities this fall will draw new scrutiny after the University of California and California State University directed all of their campuses to take a zero-tolerance approach to those who violate rules against encampments, blocking access to buildings and walkways and masking to conceal identity while committing wrongdoing. The directive was driven by state lawmakers who told UC and CSU to develop a systemwide framework to provide consistent enforcement of rules  and are withholding $25 million in state funding from UC until President Michael V. Drake delivers a report on his efforts by Oct. 1. No state funding is directly involved for CSU.

Lyons said he would honor free speech rights but enforce rules about how and when to exercise them.

"There are hundreds of places on the Berkeley campus for students to express their free speech rights," he said. "It's part of our culture. We are a free speech university. But to intentionally break the rules ... now you're in the world of civil disobedience and we're going to think about consequences."

Students line up to fill Haas Pavilion during the welcome convocation at UC Berkeley on Thursday. (Paul Kuroda / For The Times)

He said the key issue of when to escalate action against those who break campus codes under UC's "tiered response" framework will depend on the situation  whether they are students or outsiders, whether they are repeat offenders, whether the action is intimidating and jeopardizes the rights of all students to feel welcome and safe.

"There is no obvious answer here," he said. "As the chancellor, timing is my call. We plan to be consistent and we plan to be firm and we plan to abide by the directive."

Regarding the ban on masking, which has drawn widespread questions, Lyons clarified that Berkeley would not challenge face coverings unless worn by someone who was violating rules or laws. The campus' written policy states, "People are permitted to mask, and campus staff will not ask them why they are masked, as long as they are not violating law or policy while wearing the mask." It also specifies that "people are not prohibited from wearing masks for the purpose of avoiding being doxxed, but they need to comply with policy and law while masked."

Keeping neutral on social, political issues

Lyons said he would move Berkeley toward "institutional neutrality," a policy that holds that colleges and universities should not generally take positions on social and political issues, but should instead encourage students and faculty to debate them. The University of Chicago adopted the policy in 1967. Other universities have followed after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel and Israel's military retaliation in Gaza fueled pressure for statements condemning one side or the other.

USC, the University of Texas system and Johns Hopkins University also announced this month they would refrain from speaking out on social and political issues unless they were directly pertinent to their institutional missions and operations. Purdue, Stanford, Syracuse and Harvard took similar stances earlier this year.

"There are going to be fewer pronouncements about an institutional position for Berkeley, but we're not going to zero," Lyons said.

To help ease the searing divisions over Israeli-Palestinian issues, Lyons said several organizations across campus are working to foster dialogue. Initiatives include training on media literacy, empathetic listening, healing collective trauma and a potential new course on "openness to opposing views."

Pressing needs

On other matters, Lyons noted that Berkeley has increased the enrollment of California students by 25% in the last decade and said funding was needed to continue growth and maintain excellence. Philanthropy can help, he said, noting a $12-million contribution from entrepreneur Scott Galloway to Berkeley and UCLA to support students who are not aiming for a four-year degree but want training in specific fields. Berkeley is using its share to fund scholarships for adults to explore introductory courses in data analytics, facilities management or project management.

Other pressing needs  supporting humanities research, doctoral students, campus libraries  require new ways to finance, he said. Berkeley estimates that potential state funding reductions could amount to $14 million less during the 2024-25 fiscal year than the campus anticipated under the original compact forged by the university with Gov. Gavin Newsom and possibly climb even higher next year.

Enter innovation and entrepreneurship, the subject that most lights up Lyons. In rapid-fire recounting of different ways to raise funds, punctuated by plenty of arm-waving, the chancellor laid out various ventures he said could be financial game changers for Berkeley.

UC Berkeley's new chancellor, Rich Lyons, gives a pep talk to new students after convocation held at Haas Pavilion on Thursday. (Paul Kuroda / For The Times)

He said the campus is negotiating to receive equity positions in startups, often with a lower royalty rate, for licensing its intellectual property and now holds such stock in more than 100 companies. Philanthropists have given the campus about $75 million over the last year to invest in venture capital funds that invest mostly in Berkeley companies involved in biotech and other fields. The campus has been gifted 10% of the returns on six different venture capital portfolios. Berkeley also built a company  Second Lab  that rents out unused scientific equipment, recruiting founders from its alumni to spin it out, and negotiated to retain 16% of the firm's shares.

"People could look at this and say, 'That is just crazy marketplace stuff,' but then you see we have a billion dollars that we've acquired in a values-consistent way," Lyons said. "We're finding fresh ways to deliver into that."

Read more: Retiring UC Berkeley chancellor sounds off on protests, enrollment, housing

Lyons' energy and vision have stirred excitement. While his predecessor, Carol Christ, was deeply admired, she was saddled with multiple crises  the pandemic, enrollment pressures, budget deficits, protests over the Israel-Hamas war, lawsuits and demonstrations against her housing plan at Peoples Park.

"I look at it as going from an age of resilience to an era of hope," said Oliver M. O'Reilly, vice provost for undergraduate education.

Shrinidhi Gopal, undergraduate student body president, also said she is optimistic about Lyons and impressed by his track record of integrating the values of diversity, equity and inclusion in the business school. She said student priorities this year were safety and the future of People's Park, which is slated for student and supportive housing projects after the state Supreme Court removed the final legal barrier to development in June. Gopal said students wanted to continue conversations about the park.

Lyons also won fans at the welcome convocation for new students. After his remarks, the chancellor leaped to his feet to dance with Oski, the Cal Bears' mascot, drawing roars from students as the marching band played on.

"We loved your dance!" one student told him.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
UIPD looking for suspects in vandalism, SJP says they were not involved

URBANA, Ill. (WCIA)  The University of Illinois Police Department has released further information about an act of vandalism at Foellinger Auditorium over the weekend. Meanwhile, Students for Justice in Palestine has denied responsibility but expressed support for the message left behind.

The six columns at the front of the building were painted with the word DIVEST early Sunday morning. UIPD said the crime happened around 2:19 a.m. and it took extensive labor to remove the paint from the columns. The damage was covered up by orange and blue wraps as Quad Day started hours later.

DACC faculty union addresses Danville Mayors allegations against college president

UIPD said two people were seen on cameras spray painting the columns and being in the area before and after the vandalism occurred. They released security camera footage of two people who are believed to have more information about the vandalism.

Byron Kloth, an Urbana resident, doesnt understand why anyone would do such an act.

It just makes life harder for other people who have to clean the mess up, Kloth said. Just the shame that people have to mar up some of the features here on the building.

Divest refers to a call for the University of Illinois to end its relationship with companies that have ties to Israel. Last spring, SJP called for that action during a two-week-long encampment that took place in the grass in front of Foellinger.

On Monday, SJP released a statement on social media saying the group was not involved in this act, but supporting the overall message. It reads:

Yesterday, in a bold act of protest, the word DIVEST was painted in large letters on the columns of Foellinger Auditorium. It appears the university then removed/covered it up for Quad Day. While SJP was not involved in this action, we want to voice our support for the message of demanding the University of Illinois System divest from unethical industries like weapons manufacturing and fossil fuels. The administration has failed entirely to address these demands, which were stated plainly and repeatedly by students and community members from many organizations over the past years. The demands for divestment were voiced even louder during the last academic year, when students launched the Popular University for Gaza encampment. We will always encourage our community to use their voice to advocate for a better U of I that invests our resources in creating a better world rather than investing our money in endless war, environmental destruction and genocide. The people of our campus community are clearly frustrated and fed up with the universitys inaction. When will our administrators decide that people matter more than profit? Students for Justice in Palestine UIUC

U of I police to throw Community Unity Festival

Dylan Lew, a U of I sophomore, viewed the vandalism as a step too far compared to SJPs encampment.

Im all for protests. I think thats a fundamental part of American politics and being a citizen in America, Lew said. These protests last year, just sitting on the Quad, being friendly, theres no issue with that. But as soon as people start vandalizing things and theres violence or any sort of physical things, I think thats where it becomes an issue

WCIA has reached out to the University of Illinois for a response to SJPs statement. We have not heard back yet.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
UK backs idea of Ukraine striking Russia with Storm Shadow missiles, but fears problems with US  The Telegraph

The United Kingdom supports the idea of authorising Ukraine to strike targets in Russia with British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles but does not publicly promote it, fearing the deterioration of their relations with the United States. In particular, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is taking a "consultative approach" to negotiations with the US on the relevant authorisation.

Source: The Telegraph, citing sources in the White House and the UK government, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Journalists noted that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer does not want to "provoke a row" and is taking a "consultative approach" to negotiations with the US on the relevant authorisation following diplomatic scandals under the previous Conservative government.

A White House source told The Telegraph that the administration of current US President Joe Biden is concerned that Ukraines use of Western weapons in the war against Russia, even without US approval, could "escalate matters" and lead to the involvement of US troops in the war.

At the same time, journalists report that earlier in the summer, the UK government requested that the US soften its stance and authorise Ukraine to use missiles against targets in Russia. According to The Telegraph, the US privately expressed frustration with the UK's hasty position on the matter of supplying military equipment to Ukraine.

The Telegraphs sources also highlighted that the UK's decision to be the first Western country to donate main battle tanks to Ukraine, along with its support for supplying F-16 fighter jets, had raised concerns in Washington. Officials felt the UK was attempting to pressure them into making similar decisions.

The Storm Shadow/SCALP is a long-range air-to-ground missile developed by the UK and France. It is designed to strike stationary targets, such as well-protected bunkers defended by air defence systems. The missile features a 450 kg warhead and can be used around the clock and in all weather conditions. The Storm Shadow can also be mounted on Soviet-era Ukrainian jet aircraft.

The authorisation to strike Russian territory would enable Kyiv to create strategic uncertainty for the Kremlin. Additionally, the arrival of F-16s in Ukraine, particularly with the capability to target aerial threats over Russia, would substantially bolster Ukraine's air defence capabilities.

Such authorisations open up new prospects for Ukraine's defence forces. Some military analysts argue that Ukraine could effectively limit Russian aircraft activity if it could strike targets at least 80 km downrange.

Background:

In early July, Downing Street stated that the UK government's policy on the use of long-range weapons supplied to Ukraine remained unchanged. Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Starmer emphasised that the use of Storm Shadow missiles provided by the UK is at the discretion of Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later recalled that he had "learned about permission to use Storm Shadow missiles against military targets in Russian territory" and that he and Starmer discussed this at their first meeting.

Later, the UK government clarified that it had not yet given Ukraine clearance to use the missiles against targets in Russia after many had drawn this conclusion from Starmer and Zelenskyy's statements.

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Vladimir Putin (R) with Anna Tsivilyova (L) in Moscow on June 1, 2024. Stock photo: Alexander Kazakov via Getty Images

UK Defence Intelligence has analysed the rapid career development of Anna Tsivilyova, the cousin once removed of Russian ruler Vladimir Putin.

Source: UK Defence Intelligence update dated 28 August on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Details: The ministry reports that Tsivilyova has been appointed as State Secretary of the Russian Ministry of Defence. At the same time, she has retained her previous position as a deputy minister of defence.

As state secretary, Tsivilyova is above the rank and file of deputy defence ministers (there are seven more) and is responsible for the MoD's relations with the legislature and other government agencies, the intelligence service said.

Before 2023, Tsivilyova had no connection to defence issues: she studied to be a psychiatrist and then made money in a number of companies involved in the supply of medicines.

In 2023, she became the head of the state support fund Defenders of the Fatherland, which organised voluntary donations to support the war of aggression in Ukraine.

Tsivilyova is married to Russian Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev.

Quote: "Tsivilyova's original appointment in June drew muted criticism from the Russian press for the nepotism that tested even Russian tolerance for corrupt practice. There is a realistic possibility that her further elevation is indicative of the increasing insularity of the Russian elite," the review says.

Background:

In a previous update, UK Defence Intelligence noted that although top Russian officials claim they are willing to negotiate, Russia has not abandoned its original goals regarding Ukraine.

Before that, UK intelligence analysed the situation with the Wagner Group and its leaders a year after the death of its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin.

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UK and Germany: No new decisions to lift restrictions on Ukrainian strikes on Russia's territory

The UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday that their countries had no new decisions on restrictions on the use of weapons transferred to Ukraine for further strikes on Russia.

Source: Starmer and Scholz at a press conference in Berlin, The Guardian reports; European Pravda

Details: The leaders of the two governments were asked whether they had discussed lifting restrictions on weapons provided to Ukraine, which would allow them to be used agaist Russia.

Starmer replied that "we support Ukraine, we provide it with weapons and we provide it with support". At the same time, he stressed that "no new or different decisions have been made".

"I'm not going to get into tactical issues about the use of weapons for obvious reasons, but no new decisions have been made," Starmer said.

Scholz emphasised that Germany is one of Ukraine's biggest supporters in Europe and is going to continue this support.

"As for the supply of weapons, there are no new decisions from Germany," Scholz said.

Background:

On 24 August, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Ukraine's friends to put pressure on the allies to authorise Ukraine to use Western-supplied long-range weapons on Russian territory.

The media reported that amid the operation in Kursk Oblast, Ukraine intensified requests to the United States to allow it to use ATACMS to strike at Russian airfields.

The Telegraph, citing its sources, noted that the UK supports the idea of striking Russia with Storm Shadow missiles, but fears problems in relations with the US.

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Updated Aug 28, 2024, 8:37am EDT Europe

The News

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin on Wednesday to discuss a new cooperation treaty that would see the UK and Germany forge closer ties on clean energy, technology, defense, and irregular migration, in what Downing Street described as a once in a generation opportunity to turn a corner on Brexit.

Details of the agreement have not been disclosed, but it will likely be finalized in the autumn, according to a Downing Street statement.

Also on Starmers European agenda is the Paralympics Opening Ceremony in Paris, where he will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron for the fourth time since taking office in July.

SIGNALS

Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories.

UK wants to lock down deal ahead of potential political change in Germany

Sources: UK in a Changing Europe, Politico

While the floated agreement isnt quite once in a lifetime, and the UK is still a long way from dramatic changes like rejoining the single market or the EU itself, Starmer is under pressure to strike a deal with Germany as soon as possible given Scholz risks being replaced by a leader less ideologically aligned to British interests in September elections, Joel Reland, a European expert at UK in a Changing Europe told Semafor. Scholz is languishing in the polls with historically low ratings as the right and far-right gain ground, so Starmer wont be taking any lessons from him on how to keep a center-left government in power, Politico noted.

Starmer only has mandate for a closer relationship with EU

Sources: YouGov, UK in a Changing Europe, Financial Times

A majority of the British public supports reentering the bloc, but also say that Starmers government has no mandate to do so, according to recent YouGov polling. However, 45% think there is a mandate for a closer relationship, suggesting Starmer may not be punching above his perceived station in pushing for new deals with European allies. The proposed UK-Germany agreement is ultimately part of a slow, gradual rapprochement that former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak laid the groundwork for via the Windsor Framework, which stopped the UK-EU relationship from rotting, Reland added. Brexit, and the EU more broadly, have always been structural, and the reality of the UK now being a third country cant be wished away by political warmth, the Financial Times public policy editor argued.

Bilateral ties could be boosted as potential new Trump presidency looms

Sources: Reuters, Center for European Reform

Starmer hopes to build on a separate UK-Germany defense pact already being negotiated, which the countries see as increasingly pressing ahead of a potential scaling back of US military support for Ukraine if Donald Trump wins the upcoming presidential election, Reuters noted. The stakes for European security are significantly higher this time around, an expert argued for the Centre for European Reform: Trumps isolationist instincts would likely be more disruptive (as he would be better able to handle the levers of government, particularly if his alleged plan to remove unsupportive officials comes to fruition), and his choices take on a new significance amid Russias war in Ukraine.
By Jonathan Landay

BETHESDA, Maryland (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin will mount a counteroffensive to try to retake territory in the Kursk region captured by Ukrainian troops, but Russian forces will encounter "a difficult fight," Deputy CIA Director David Cohen said on Wednesday.

Cohen told a national security industry conference that the significance of the Ukrainian incursion, which has overrun some 300 square miles (777 square km) of the Russian province, remained to be seen.

Ukrainian forces crashed through Russia's western border into the Kursk region on Aug. 6 in a surprise offensive that is continuing.

While Kyiv has said it has no intention of annexing the area it has captured, Ukrainian troops are building defensive lines and it appears that they intend to retain "some of that territory for some period of time," Cohen told the Intelligence and National Security Summit.

"We can be certain that Putin will mount a counteroffensive to try to reclaim that territory," Cohen said. "I think our expectation is that that will be a difficult fight for the Russians."

Putin, he said, "is not only going to have to face the fact that there is a front line now within Russian territory that he's going to have to deal with, he has to deal with reverberations back in his own society that they have lost a piece of Russian territory."

Ukraine's success in Kursk "has the potential to change the dynamic" of the conflict "a little bit going forward," he continued without elaborating.

Ukraine has claimed the capture of 100 settlements in its incursion into Russia's Kursk region, while Russian forces continue to inch forward in the eastern Donetsk region.

Cohen said that Russia has been making those gains "at extraordinary cost" in troops and equipment and "may or may not" capture the key Ukrainian logistics hub city of Pokrovsk.

"But at the end of the day, none of it is a game changer in a strategic sense" for the Russians, he continued.

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said 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.

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.

Ukraine says it controls more than 1,200 square km (463 square miles) of the Kursk region.

(Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Franklin Paul and Jonathan Oatis)
Ukraine has invested $7 billion in defense industry this year, Umerov says

Ukraine has invested $7 billion in the domestic defense industry so far in 2024, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on Aug. 27.

Kyiv has sought to dramatically increase its defense production capabalities since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

Speaking at the "Ukraine 2024: Independence" forum in Kyiv on Aug. 27, Umerov said that Ukraine has already invested $7 billion in the defense industry in 2024 alone.

The funds are going towards drones, robotics, and electronic warfare systems, all of which are "already yielding tangible results on the battlefield," he said.

Ukraine is also looking to modernize the Armed Forces by implementing digital solutions in accordance with NATO standards, Umerov said.

Umerov said that Kyiv is working to secure permission from allies to use Western-provided long-range weapons systems to strike military targets. He described this as Ukraine's "key task."

The defense minister's remarks come in the wake of a series of devastating Russian attacks in the week after Independence Day. 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 attacks underscore Kyiv's need to continue arming itself as Western allies limit the use of certain weapons due to fears of escalation with Russia.

Ukraine has its own versions of drones, sea drones, and planned versions of air defense systems.



Earlier this month, President Volodymyr Zelensky said the government will allocate additional funding for the country's missile program.

Read also: Ukraine tests its first ballistic missile, Zelensky says

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Ukraine needs more help, NATO chief says after latest Russian strikes

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg makes a statement during the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit. More military aid "is vital for Ukraine's ability to stay in the fight" against Russia's all-out invasion, Stoltenberg said on 28 August. -/NATO/dpa

More military aid "is vital for Ukraine's ability to stay in the fight" against Russia's all-out invasion, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.

"Ukraine continues to intercept Russian missiles on a daily basis, saving countless lives. But Ukraine's ability to maintain their defences requires increased supply and more support," he said in a statement.

In the wake of recent heavy Russian airstrikes, Stoltenberg called a meeting of NATO allies' ambassadors in Brussels at Ukraine's request to discuss the country's air defence needs.

Speaking via video-link, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov briefed the ambassadors and Stoltenberg on the battlefield situation and Ukraine's priorities for military equipment.

"Allies today reaffirmed they are stepping up their military aid to Ukraine," Stoltenberg said in his statement after the meeting, underlining the importance of increasing supply without providing details.

"We must continue to provide Ukraine with the equipment and munitions it needs to defend itself against Russia's invasion," he added.

NATO met with the Ukrainian defence minister through the NATO-Ukraine Council, a joint body set up in July 2023 allowing both sides to consult each other.

The aim is to deepen the war-torn country's relationship with the alliance. The joint body is also a forum for consultation in crisis situations.
When Pavel Durov, a Russian tech entrepreneur who founded the Telegram messenger app, was arrested in Paris on Aug. 24 on accusations of allowing terrorism to blossom on his platform, Ukraine watched it closely. He was charged by a Paris court on Aug. 28.

In Ukraine, the charges against Durov reinvigorated the public debate about the security of Telegram. Some activists and officials have long sounded an alarm about the fact that while the country is surviving a full-scale invasion by Russia, its most popular messenger app and source of news is a platform founded and run by a Russian.

The popularity of Telegram in Ukraine skyrocketed after the start of the invasion in 2022  particularly due to its anonymous channels that mass-spread information to subscribers while preserving full anonymity of the publisher.

Read also: France issued arrest warrant also for Telegram co-founder, Durovs brother Nikolai, Politico reports

Telegram channels have become the most popular source of news about the war in Ukraine, according to a poll conducted by the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation and the Razumkov Center in late March.

Fifty-three percent of Ukrainians prefer these channels over information from relatives, YouTube, and the Ukrainian TV marathon  a pool of five TV broadcasters formed under the governments directive to share resources and cover the war.

Moreover, while only 20% of Ukrainians used Telegram as a news source in 2021, this number surged to 72% in 2023, according to a USAID-Internews survey.

Some Ukrainians have long sounded an alarm about the dangers of Telegram.

Yaroslav Azhnyuk, a Ukrainian tech entrepreneur, argues that the Telegrams rapid rise has worrying security implications. Azhnyuk has launched Kremlingram, an investigative group studying Telegrams security and its potential ties to the Kremlin.

"Its a Trojan horse that each of us has in the room, since almost everyone has a Telegram app on their phone," Azhnyuk told the Kyiv Independent.

A vigorous debate about security issues with Telegram erupted in Ukraine at the end of 2023. Top officials have openly called the platform a problem for the countrys national security due to its ties with Russia.

Pavel Durov, chief executive officer of Telegram, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016. Durov was detained in France, on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, over claims that the messaging service failed to properly fight crime on the app. (Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The functionality of Telegram is actively used by Russia, its military forces and special services to undermine Ukraines war effort and boost its own. Among such deceiving practices are fake accounts that pose as Ukrainian military or government resources, or bots collecting sensitive information about the Ukrainian military.

Anonymous Telegram channels that pose as Ukrainian but are actually Russian are a problem Ukraine has little means to fix. The channels operate without any oversight, and the platform has no regulations that tackle disinformation.

"The main issue with a certain group of Telegram channels is the anonymity of their owners," said Oleksii Danilov, former secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council. People should know who is responsible for disseminating information that reaches and influences millions.

Rise of Telegram channels: From political gossip to harassment of journalists

During the 2019 presidential campaign, now-President Volodymyr Zelensky and his team relied heavily on social media to communicate with voters. After a landslide victory, the politicians new habit of using social media to communicate directly with the public remained.

Telegram became one of the key platforms used by members of the newly-elected parliament, and those focused on politics.

Several popular Telegram channels emerged in 2019 shortly after the parliamentary elections. Hiding behind names like Joker and Dark Knight (Temnyi Rytsar), anonymous authors published leaks and political rumors.

The leaks and insider access boosted their popularity, quickly earning them tens of thousands of subscribers.

Dark Knight, which promised to publish "the darkest secrets" of Zelenskys team, was allegedly linked to Oleksandr Dubinsky, a notorious lawmaker later charged with treason and currently behind bars. This Telegram channel criticized the leadership of Zelensky's Servant of the People party, which Dubinsky belonged to, compromising some of its members.

"There is chaos in general (in the anonymous Telegram channels); people are making things up, writing about some of our meetings, some kind of nonsense, Zelensky himself said back in 2020.

This chaos has a great impact on the information field, creates chaos in people's minds, doubts, and negative emotions," he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky poses after an interview for French media, including AFP, in Rivne, Ukraine, on July 30, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Genya Savilov / AFP via Getty Images)

A man looks over Kyiv as a woman looks at her phone during a local power outage on Nov. 8, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ed Ram/Getty Images)

Despite Zelenskys comments, the presidential team appears to have learned how to use the anonymity of Telegram for its own benefit.

A group of popular Telegram channels has demonstrated exceptional loyalty towards Ukraines president and his inner circle. Given their flattering content, and the channels access to insider information, many assume they are run by the people inside or close to the Presidents Office.

The Presidents Office has repeatedly denied having control over any anonymous Telegram channels.

"I think it's nonsense to (suggest we) control Telegram channels," said Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to the head of the Presidents Office.

Some of these anonymous Telegram channels have accurately predicted government reshuffles and presidential decisions. A few weeks before the dismissal of Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov in May, the "Joker" channel (which boasts over 250,000 subscribers) started insulting and criticizing Kubrakov for allegedly collaborating with the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, or NABU. In 2023, Kubrakov reportedly helped the anti-corruption watchdog expose a pro-government lawmaker attempting to bribe him.

Kubrakov was dismissed weeks after Telegram channels started to viciously criticize him.

Journalists, anti-corruption activists, businesses, and the opposition have also been targeted by anonymous Telegram channels.

Amid growing pressure on the media, some journalists have raised concerns about a group of pro-government anonymous Telegram channels that they say discredit their work.

In one infamous case, a Telegram channel appeared to be involved in the offline harassment of a prominent independent journalist. Back in January, Yurii Nikolov, the journalist who revealed procurement wrongdoing in the Defense Ministry under its previous leadership, received a threatening visit. A group of people banged on his apartment door, shouting insults, and calling him a traitor.

The video of the visit, shot by the attackers, was then shared by the anonymous Telegram channel Office of Cards (Kartochnyi Ofis, named so as a reference to the popular show House of Cards), which has over 100,000 subscribers. Nikolov reported the visit to the police, who started an investigation.

Both the Joker and the Office of Cards Telegram channels continue to share posts that insult Nikolov.

Millions of followers, zero accountability

There are more than 52,000 active Telegram channels in Ukraine, according to the Telemetrio statistical platform. The most popular ones have millions of subscribers.

On top of the list is Trukha (originally True Kharkiv), counting 2.5 million subscribers.

Founded in 2019, it gained followers by sharing videos of traffic accidents, people spotted having sex in public, drunk brawls, and other trashy content.

After the start of the full-scale war, the channel grew even more. Today, the channel shares dozens of posts a day, a mix of news and advertising. Some of it appears to be unmarked advertising, such as posts about an oligarchs charity foundation helping the military.

More importantly, Trukha became the first big Telegram channel to be acknowledged and effectively endorsed by the Presidents Office. In October 2023, its founder was invited to attend an off-the-record meeting that Zelensky had with journalists of leading news outlets. Soon, the Telegram channels alleged owner, Maksym Lavrynenko, was attending presidential press conferences.

Remaining a Telegram channel of unclear ownership and no accountability, Trukha started to enjoy the access usually reserved for traditional journalists.

Adviser to Zelenskys head office Podoliak, who has given interviews to Trukha, said he doesnt consider it anonymous, as the channel has revealed Lavrynenko as its alleged founder and owner. Lavrynenko didnt respond to the Kyiv Independents questions for this story.

According to an investigation by NGL Media and Grunt news outlets, Trukha is a network of more than 60 Telegram channels sharing similar content.

The popularity of Telegram in Ukraine skyrocketed after the start of the invasion in 2022  particularly due to its anonymous channels. (Illustration: Karolina Gulshani)

A parliamentary source told the Kyiv Independent that Trukha is a purely business project they claimed may have previously been linked to former Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, who comes from Kharkiv, where the channel was first founded. Avakov couldnt be reached for comment. The investigation by NGL Media and Grunt suggests that the Telegram channel is now connected to Kharkiv businessman Volodymyr Lytvyn, a friend of Avakov's son. The journalists couldnt reach him.

Trukha just makes money, the same source told the Kyiv Independent. It rakes in tens of thousands of dollars per month. They had access to certain exclusive videos, and photos from the Interior Ministry database. They used them to promote themselves. Then the war began. They were already hyped up, and people needed to receive information quickly.

Ihor Solovei, head of the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security, told the Kyiv Independent that the unaccountability of anonymous channels like Joker is what attracts subscribers.

Their license to do anything and lack of control attracts the audience, Solovei said. That is why anonymous channels feel especially comfortable on Telegram.

They have no accountability to anyone. Neither for the accuracy of the content nor for its quality, nor for the consequences.

A number of anonymous Telegram channels appear to have access to closed military systems that track Russian missiles and drones attacking Ukraine. When an air raid alert sounds in Ukraine, they inform their followers on what has been launched and which regions are targeted. This isnt reported by officials or traditional media  making Telegram channels an irreplaceable source of information about the aerial attacks.

A spokesman for Ukraine's Air Force said he didnt know how the channels have this access, suggesting that some military units that have access to the radar system may share it with them.

Some anonymous Telegram channels also publish photos and videos from the sites of Russian strikes in Ukraine immediately after the attacks, violating the martial law regulations.

Telegram and Russia: Founders arrest sparks protest

Apart from the anonymity, Telegram has another problematic issue: The most popular messenger platform in Ukraine has Russian origin.

Telegram was founded in 2013 by brothers Nikolai and Pavel Durov. The duo had previously founded Vkontakte, later known as VK  a popular Russian social network that started as a copycat of Facebook. The Durovs sold VK after claiming the Russian security services were pressuring them to share the personal data of users, and left Russia. Their next project, no less successful than VK, was Telegram.

For years, Pavel Durov, the face of the project, has tried to distance himself from Russia. He lived in Dubai and didnt identify as a Russian entrepreneur. A recent leak of border-crossing data found that he had traveled extensively to Russia, including around the dates when Russian authorities were trying to block Telegram.

Read also: Telegram CEO visited Russia over 60 times since exile in 2014, investigation suggests

When Durov got arrested in France in August on charges of allowing financial and cyber crimes committed on the Telegram platform, as well as allowing terrorist groups to use it, he got wide support among Russians. Both war-mongering Russians and anti-war Russians living in exile backed Durov and called for releasing him.

When Durov got arrested, some Russian officials and war supporters even said that Telegram was vital for Russias war effort.

Telegram is used as a messenger by a huge number of our people, including those on the front line, Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev claimed.

Baza Telegram channel, which appears to be close to Russian security forces, claimed on Aug. 25, citing unnamed sources, that Russian officials and businessmen had allegedly been instructed to delete official correspondence on Telegram after Durovs arrest. These claims cant be verified.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug. 27 that the detention of Durov does not affect Telegram's work in Ukraine.

Telegram and war

Even before the full-scale Russian invasion, in 2021, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said it uncovered a network of Telegram channels controlled by Russian special services that involved Ukrainians. Its task was to destabilize the situation in Ukraine and discredit the authorities, the SBU said.

Three years later, some of the channels on the list continue to operate, spreading messages with similar manipulative and pro-Russian narratives on sensitive topics such as mobilization.

Two of them  Legitimnyi and Rezident  have grown their audiences from over 100,000 to more than a million. They usually cite sources in the Presidents Office, Ukraines General Staff, or rumors and concoct pessimistic war scenarios for Ukraine.

Read also: Yaroslav Azhnyuk: Why doesnt Ukraine restrict use of the Russian Telegram app?

The SBU handed over the list of channels that spread Russian propaganda to Telegrams administrators. At least some of them have been blocked, but not the popular Legitimnyi and Rezident.

A source in a Ukrainian law enforcement agency told the Kyiv Independent that after the Telegram administration blocked pro-Russian Telegram channels at Kyiv's request in the beginning of the invasion, Russia also requested the blocking of certain Telegram channels.

The Telegram administration was not satisfied and said: we now work entirely according to our rules. And they have rules: to close a Telegram channel, you need sufficient grounds and a sufficient number of complaints, the source said.

Ukraine has been trying to use Telegram to spread propaganda, too. The platform helps deliver information to the residents of occupied territories, who are flooded with Russian propaganda, said Kyrylo Budanov, the chief of Ukraines military intelligence, known by its Ukrainian acronym HUR.

Solovei said Ukraine had managed to win a certain audience in Russia by creating official communication channels, but the resources of the two countries are incomparable.

Russia has invested a lot of resources both in weapons and in the development of its propaganda networks on Telegram, Solovei said. We simply wont be able to compete on a level playing field with the Russians.

A photo of Russian propagandist and military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky posted on his personal Telegram account, which has over 560,000 followers. (Telegram)

In a recent alarming move, in late April, Telegram blocked chatbots used by Ukraines special services. These bots help to collect information on the whereabouts of Russian troops and equipment, and other intelligence for the war effort.

The channels were unblocked after several hours, but questions about the incident remain. An unnamed Telegram spokesperson told the media the blocking of the channels was a mistake that was quickly fixed.

Multiple reports highlighted one of the main security vulnerabilities of Telegram: the lack of default end-to-end encryption in Telegram chats.

"The real problem is the potential access of Russian special services to correspondence," Azhnyuk said. The risk of this alone is so high. It means that you can get access to the personal data of the military, top officers, to their phones, and through them access to other apps.

Telegram has denied any ties with Russian authorities or special services.

Can Ukraine block Telegram?

There is no sign that Ukrainian authorities are seriously considering blocking Telegram. They are, however, working on two documents aimed at regulating platforms that spread information, including Telegram, as well as countering Russian propaganda on such services.

The first is a draft law by a group of lawmakers aimed at adapting EU approaches in accordance with the Digital Service Act. This requires social media to have a transparent ownership structure, open a representative office in Ukraine, and communicate effectively with Ukrainian authorities.

Women look at their telephone in a subway car during the temporary suspension of transport as a result of missile strikes in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on October 31, 2022. (Viacheslav Mavrychev/Suspilne Ukraine/JSC "UA:PBC"/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

"We need to know who owns (a Telegram channel), and whether Russia has any capital there, said lawmaker Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, the head of the parliament's Committee on Freedom of Speech. We need to know with whom we are communicating if we have questions about the dissemination of information in contravention of Ukraines Criminal Code.

"If the platform does not respond to appeals (from the Ukrainian authorities), then it will be declared non-transparent," he added.

Some lawmakers are developing another draft with the SBU and the anti-disinformation body at the National Security and Defense Council. According to Yurchyshyn, it will restrict Russian propaganda, regardless of where it is spread.

"(Spreading Russian propaganda) should be punished harshly, the lawmaker said. Telegram and anonymity have nothing to do with freedom of speech, because no one is held to account.

Yurchyshyn said he believes that the best option for those Telegram channels that want to be sharing information is to register as online media, which will effectively de-anonymize them.



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Key developments on Aug. 28:

Ukrainian drones hit oil depots in Russia's Rostov, Kirov oblasts

Russian forces approaching town of Selydove in Donetsk Oblast, media reports

Ukraine has invested $7 billion in defense industry this year, Umerov says

Russia moves 90% of military planes beyond ATACMS range, US official claims

UK privately backs Ukraine's use of Storm Shadow inside Russia but avoids spat with US, Telegraph reports

Ukrainian drones operated by military intelligence (HUR) hit oil depots overnight in Russia's Rostov and Kirov oblasts on Aug. 28, a HUR source confirmed for the Kyiv Independent.

The first Ukrainian attack on Kirov Oblast, located some 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) from the shared border with Ukraine, caused a fire at two oil tanks, according to the source.

According to Kirov Oblast Governor Alexander Sokolov, Russian air defenses shot down two drones while three others "fell" and started a fire near the Zenit oil facility in the town of Kotelnich. No casualties or damages were reported.

"The target is located more than 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) away from Ukraine's border. The Zenit oil depot is a facility of the enemy military-industrial complex and provides fuel to the Russian occupation forces," the source said.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.

In Russia's Rostov Oblast, fires are ongoing at the oil tanks of the FDKU Atlas oil facility, located near the Kamensk-Shakhtinsky town, the source said.

The town lies roughly 15 kilometers east of the border with Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine's Luhansk Oblast and around 170 kilometers (over 100 miles) from the front line.

The news follows a statement by Russian regional authorities that a fuel depot in the Kamensk-Shakhtinsky district caught fire following a Ukrainian drone attack. Russian media later reported another fire at a different oil depot in Rostov Oblast.

The source did not comment on the second depot.

According to the Russian Telegram channel Baza, two drones "fell" on the oil depot at around 3 a.m. local time, starting the fire. Three oil tanks were reportedly burning as of 4 a.m. No casualties were reported.

Russian Telegram channels also published purported footage of the burning oil depot, specifying its location near the village of Molodezhnyi, less than 30 kilometers (under 20 miles) south of Kamensk-Shakhtinsky.

"This facility is part of the Russian military-industrial complex and takes a direct part in supplying Russian occupation forces," the military intelligence source said.

The full consequences of the attack are being determined.

The Atlas facility belongs to Russia's Federal Agency for State Reserves and specializes in producing petroleum products for the Russian Armed Forces, according to the source.

Read also: Morning in Sudzha: Inside Ukrainian-occupied Russia as Kursk operation continues

Russian forces approaching town of Selydove in Donetsk Oblast, media reports

Russian troops are approaching the town of Selydove in Donetsk Oblast amid Russia's ongoing advance in the region, Ukrainian media outlet Hromadske reported on Aug. 28, citing its correspondent Diana Butsko on the ground.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Selydove has been regularly attacked by Russia, often resulting in casualties. The front line has inched closer to the town since Russia took Avdiivka in February and continues its advance towards the nearby city of Pokrovsk.

Fighting over the town has already begun. The Russian army is actively shelling Selydove, and many civilian infrastructure facilities have been destroyed, according to Hromadske.

Selydove, with a pre-war population of nearly 21,000 people, is located 18 kilometers south (11 miles) of Pokrovsk, which has been a focal point of Russia's offensive for recent months in the Donetsk sector of the frontline.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier that Pokrovsk had become Russia's main target after its Kharkiv Oblast offensive failed.

The military administration of Pokrovsk called on residents on Aug. 15 to evacuate immediately, as the Russian army was about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the town's outskirts.

As of Aug. 28, 38,000 people and 1,900 children remain in Pokrovsk, according to local authorities.

Read also: Thousands flee as Russian troops take one Donetsk Oblast village after another

Ukraine has invested $7 billion in defense industry this year, Umerov says

Ukraine has invested $7 billion in the domestic defense industry so far in 2024, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on Aug. 27.

Kyiv has sought to dramatically increase its defense production capabilities since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

Speaking at the "Ukraine 2024: Independence" forum in Kyiv on Aug. 27, Umerov said that Ukraine has already invested $7 billion in the defense industry in 2024 alone.

The funds are going towards drones, robotics, and electronic warfare systems, all of which are "already yielding tangible results on the battlefield," he said.

Ukraine is also looking to modernize the Armed Forces by implementing digital solutions in accordance with NATO standards, Umerov said.

Umerov said that Kyiv is working to secure permission from allies to use Western-provided long-range weapons systems to strike military targets. He described this as Ukraine's "key task."

The defense minister's remarks come in the wake of a series of devastating Russian attacks in the week after Independence Day. 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 attacks underscore Kyiv's need to continue arming itself as Western allies limit the use of certain weapons due to fears of escalation with Russia.

Ukraine has its own versions of drones, sea drones, and planned versions of air defense systems.



Earlier this month, President Volodymyr Zelensky said the government will allocate additional funding for the country's missile program.

Read also: Kursk operation: What Ukraine achieved so far and potential future gains

Russia moves 90% of military planes beyond ATACMS range, US official claims

Russia has reportedly transferred 90% of its military aircraft to bases outside the reach of long-range ATACMS, a United States official told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) in remarks published Aug. 27.

The U.S.-made Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) have a range of approximately 165-300 kilometers. The U.S. first supplied long-range ATACMS to Ukraine in March of 2024.

Russia has responded to Ukraine's acquisition of ATACMS by moving most of its aircraft beyond the missiles' range, the unnamed official told the WSJ, citing a new U.S. intelligence report.

With 90% of the planes out of reach, striking deep inside Russia with ATACMS makes little strategic sense, the official claimed.

U.S. policy currently prohibits Ukraine from using American-supplied weapons to attack targets deep within Russian territory. Kyiv has lobbied Washington to lift these restrictions and allow Ukrainian forces to strike airbases and other military targets beyond the border zone.

The U.S. official also told the WSJ that Ukrainian forces may have better success striking Russian airbases using its own long-range drones.

Ukraine has been scaling up domestic defense production in order to strike key targets in Russia without regard to Western restrictions. The Palianytsia, a newly developed homegrown missile-drone, was designed to strike Russian airfields.

As Kyiv looks for ways to destabilize Russia's military assets, Russian forces over the past two days hit Ukraine with mass attacks. Russia on Aug. 26 launched over 200 missiles and drones as part of its largest-ever aerial attack throughout the full-scale war.

Read also: Opinion: Something is rotten in the state of Russian arms industry

UK privately backs Ukraine's use of Storm Shadow inside Russia but avoids spat with US, Telegraph reports

The U.K. backs the use of Storm Shadow missiles by Ukraine for strikes deep inside Russia but will not pursue the call publicly, fearing disagreement with the U.S., The Telegraph reported on Aug. 28, citing undisclosed sources.

Ukraine has long been asking its Western partners for permission to use long-range missiles, like the Storm Shadow or American ATAMCS, inside Russia.

Previous statements by British officials have caused confusion about the U.K. government's stance on Ukraine's use of Storm Shadow missiles.

The Times reported on Aug. 17 that the British government asked the U.S. for permission for Ukraine to use British Storm Shadow missiles inside Russia but is yet to receive a positive response.

In turn, The Telegraph claimed that the U.K. sent no official request to the U.S. on this matter as Washington's concerns about Ukraine using Western-made long-range missiles inside Russia have been made clear to London.

The outlet explained that the U.K. does not solely decide on the use of Storm Shadows as the missiles are used together with classified U.S. systems and, therefore, require Washingtons permission.

British official sources told the Telegraph in July that granting Ukraine the permission to use Storm Shadows to strike deep into Russia would require an agreement among three countries, including the U.K.

Though the sources did not name the other two countries, France appears a likely candidate as it produces its own variants of Storm Shadow called SCALP/T, which have also been supplied to Ukraine.

The stance of Ukraines most prominent allies, including the U.S. and the U.K., on long-range strikes inside Russia has not changed since the beginning of Ukraines incursion into the Kursk Oblast of Russia.

Western partners justified their reluctance by a fear of escalation, a concern dismissed by Kyiv.

Ukraines Foreign Ministry spokesperson claimed that if Ukraine could hit targets inside Russia with long-range Western missiles, the Kursk incursion would be a "less necessary" move.

As Washington remains reluctant on the issue, Ukraine is developing its own means of attacking deep inside Russian territory. President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Aug. 27 that Ukraine has successfully tested its first domestic-made ballistic missile.

Ukraine also recently unveiled its new Palianytsia missile-drone, designed to strike Russian military airfields and "destroy the enemy's offensive potential."

Read also: Opinion: The Wests escalation strategy has failed. Let Ukraine strike Russia.

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(Reuters) -A Ukraine drone attack sparked a fire at an oil depot in Russia's southern Rostov region, while drones also attempted to attack the Kirov region, some 1,500 km (930 miles) northeast of the border with Ukraine, authorities said on Wednesday.

"There are no casualties," Rostov governor Vasily Golubev said on the Telegram messaging app about the attack in the Kamensky district. "Firefighters are extinguishing the fire."

Russian air defence units destroyed four drones over the region overnight, the Russian defence ministry said, without mention of an attack on the depot.

Earlier, the Baza Telegram channel, which is close to Russia's security services, said three tanks were burning at the Kamensky oil depot after two drones fell on the area.

Videos posted on Russian social media showed what looked like large tanks ablaze at night. Reuters was able to identify one of the videos as having been taken in Rostov's Kamensky district.

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.

A fuel storage depot in the Kamensky district was attacked in early August as well.

Wednesday's attack came while tanks were still on fire at another oil depot in Rostov's Proletarsk district, about 10 days after a Ukrainian attack.

Separately, drones attacked an oil products depot on Wednesday in the town of Kotelnich in Russia's Kirov region, regional governor Alexander Sokolov said.

Sokolov said the attack did not result in any casualties or fires at the depot.

He said two drones were shot down, while three fell on the territory of the depot, caught fire but were quickly extinguished. The fire did not reach the fuel stores.

VORONEZH

Alexander Gusev, the governor of Voronezh, which borders Ukraine, said debris from a Ukraine-launched drone over the region had sparked a fire "near explosive objects" but that there had been no detonation.

The fire was doused, Gusev said on Telegram, and residents were returning to homes in two settlements from which they had been evacuated.

The Russian defence ministry said eight attack drones were destroyed over the Voronezh region, but gave no details.

Russian officials often do not disclose the full extent of damage inflicted by Ukrainian attacks.

Both sides deny targeting civilians in the 30-month-old war launched by Russia's full-scale invasion of its smaller neighbour. Kyiv says its air attacks aim to destroy energy, transport and military infrastructure key to Moscow's war effort.

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Stephen Coates, Clarence Fernandez and Gareth Jones)
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will pay visits to Poland and Belgium on Wednesday and Thursday.

Source: Press service for the Foreign Ministry, as reported by European Pravda

Details: On 28 August, Kuleba will arrive in Poland and hold bilateral talks with Radosaw Sikorski, his Polish counterpart. They will participate in the Campus  the Future of Poland forum in Olsztyn, a city in the north of the country.

Afterwards, Kuleba will travel to Brussels to take part in an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers.

Quote: "The key topics of discussion will be strengthening military support for Ukraine by the EU and its member states, enhancing air defence capabilities, advancing negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU, and attracting the widest possible global support for the peace formula on the way to the second Peace Summit," the Foreign Ministry said.

Background:

A meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council will also take place on 28 August due to Russia's large-scale airstrikes on Monday and Tuesday night.

On Monday, Poland reported a violation of its borders by an "airborne object", allegedly a Shahed, which eventually either crashed or flew back into Ukrainian airspace.

Following the large-scale Russian attack, Josep Borrell, the EUs top diplomat, once again called for the lifting of restrictions on the use of Western weapons to strike Russian military targets.

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Ukraine's defence forces have downed a Russian Su-25 attack aircraft on the Kramatorsk front.

Source: Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group of Forces

Quote: "Our military downed a Russian Su-25 aircraft on the Kramatorsk front that was attempting to attack the positions of our defence forces units."

Details: It was reported that anti-aircraft gunners of the 28th Separate Mechanised Brigade named after the Knights of the First Winter Campaign successfully downed the Su-25 with a precise shot from a MANPADS.

"As of today, Russian assault aviation has one less aircraft. Its wreckage now decorates the Donetsk landscape," the military added.

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Ukrainian drones operated by military intelligence (HUR) attacked the Zenit oil depot in Russia's Kirov Oblast on Aug. 28, a HUR source confirmed for the Kyiv Independent.

The attack caused a fire at two oil tanks, the source said, confirming that this is the first drone attack on a Russian facility in Kirov Oblast.

According to Kirov Oblast Governor Alexander Sokolov, Russian air defenses shot down two drones while three others "fell" and started a fire near the Zenit oil facility in the town of Kotelnich. No casualties or damages were reported.

"The target is located more than 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) away from Ukraine's border. The Zenit oil depot is a facility of the enemy military-industrial complex and provides fuel to the Russian occupation forces," the source said.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.

Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that air defense also shot down eight drones over Voronezh Oblast and four over Rostov Oblast overnight.

Earlier in the day, a HUR source confirmed to the Kyiv Independent that Ukrainian drones operated by the military intelligence and the Special Operation Forces hit an oil depot in Rostov Oblast, setting it on fire.

The BBC's Russian service reported on Aug. 28 that drones have attacked oil refineries and infrastructure sites in Russia and on Russian-occupied territories, including Crimea, at least 64 times this year.

Read also: Fires reported at 2 oil depots in Russias Rostov Oblast, local media reports

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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.
The Ukrainian armed forces have taken further areas "near the border of Ukraine" during their invasion of the Russian region of Kursk, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his daily video address on Wednesday evening.

Zelensky did not provide further details, but said that further Russian prisoners of war had been taken for a possible exchange.

"Thank you, warriors! This is something that will help bring home many of our people from Russian captivity," Zelensky said.

Ukrainian troops invaded Russia in a surprise incursion into the Kursk region on August 6.

In his address on Wednesday, Zelensky said the offensive helps to prevent Russia from putting Ukrainian forces in the embattled eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine under even more pressure.

However, so far there has been no visible improvement for troops in Donetsk, with Western military observers attesting to progress made by Russian troops in the Pokrovsk district.

Zelensky also conceded that the situation in Donetsk was "extremely difficult."

"The key Russian efforts and their largest forces are concentrated there," he said.

Authorities have ordered the residents of Pokrovsk, a strategically important city that is home to a railway junction, to evacuate in view of the impending advance of Russian troops, but there are still 38,000 people left in the city, including 1,900 children.

The head of the Donetsk military administration, Vadym Filashkin, announced that all banks in Pokrovsk would remain closed from Monday. Only cash machines would still be working.
The Ukrainian armed forces have taken further areas "near the border of Ukraine" during their invasion of the Russian region of Kursk, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his daily video address on Wednesday.

Zelensky did not provide further details, but said that further Russian prisoners of war had been taken for a possible exchange.

"Thank you, warriors! This is something that will help bring home many of our people from Russian captivity," Zelensky said.

Ukrainian troops invaded Russia in a surprise incursion into the Kursk region on August 6.

Zelensky said the offensive helped prevent Russia from putting Ukrainian forces in the embattled eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine under even more pressure.

However, so far there has been no visible improvement for troops in Donetsk, with Western military observers attesting to progress made by Russian troops in the Pokrovsk district.

Zelensky also conceded that the situation in Donetsk was "extremely difficult."

"The key Russian efforts and their largest forces are concentrated there," he said.

Authorities have ordered the residents of Pokrovsk, a strategically important city that is home to a railway junction, to evacuate in view of the impending advance of Russian troops, but there are still 38,000 people left in the city, including 1,900 children.

Ukrainian drone attack sparks fire at fuel depot

A Ukrainian drone attack has sparked a fire at a fuel depot in the Kamensk district in southern Russia, the governor of the Rostov region, Vasily Golubev, reported on Wednesday.

There were no casualties, he said.

In the Rostov region, a large fuel depot in the town of Proletarsk has been burning for days following a drone attack.

Russia's Defence Ministry said 12 Ukrainian drones had been intercepted overnight - four over the Rostov region and eight over the Voronezh region in southern Russia. This military information could not be independently verified.

In the Voronezh region, residents of two villages had to temporarily leave their homes, according to the regional administration.

Airports shut down due to drone threat

Ukraine's drone attacks appear to be reaching further into Russia. Airports in Kazan and Nizhnekamsk, far to the east of Moscow, temporarily suspended flight operations, according to the Rosaviatsiya aviation authority. Media reports said the suspension was due to the danger posed by drones in the air.

Ukraine has been fending off a Russian invasion for two and a half years and with the increasing range of its combat drones, is also targeting locations far behind the front lines.
Ukrainian President's Office reports "significant process" in agreement on 100-year partnership with UK

Ukraine and the UK held the second round of negotiations about signing a bilateral agreement on transition to a stronger and deeper partnership on 28 August.

Source: European Pravda with reference to the Office of the President of Ukraine

Details: During the second round of negotiations, the Ukrainian and UK sides "agreed on the structure and concept of the future agreement, and noted the significant progress made", the statement says.

Ihor Zhovkva, Deputy Head of the Office of the President and the leader of the Ukrainian negotiating team, states that the sides are "close in understanding the priorities of cooperation between Ukraine and the United Kingdom".

Background:

During his visit to Kyiv in May 2024, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron initiated negotiations with Ukraine about a 100-year partnership.

The future agreement will be based on the provisions of the 2020 Political, Free Trade and Strategic Partnership Agreement and the 2024 Agreement on Security Co-operation between the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland and Ukraine.

The first round of negotiations was held on 13 August.

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (R) speaks during a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the Chancellery, following their meeting during his visit to Germany. Christoph Soeder/dpa

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday ruled out rejoining the European Union as he met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin.

On a two-day visit to Europe, Starmer said he wants to "reset" the UK's relations with the EU.

"That does not mean reversing Brexit or re-entering the single market or the customs union, but it does mean a closer relationship on a number of fronts," the prime minister said at a press conference after talks with Scholz.

Starmer also ruled out a "youth mobility scheme" which would allow young Europeans to work visa-free in the UK and vice versa.

The prime minister also expressed his condolences over the deadly knife attack in the western German city of Solingen on Friday.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer attend a joint press conference at the Chancellery, following their meeting during his visit to Germany. Christoph Soeder/dpa
UK's Starmer again rules out rejoining EU on Berlin visit

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer attends a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the Chancellery, following their meeting during his visit to Germany. Christoph Soeder/dpa

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday ruled out rejoining the European Union as he met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin.

On a two-day visit to Europe, Starmer said he wants to "reset" the UK's relations with the EU.

"That does not mean reversing Brexit or re-entering the single market or the customs union, but it does mean a closer relationship on a number of fronts," the prime minister said at a press conference after talks with Scholz.

Starmer and Scholz agreed on a new UK-Germany treaty which would result in "deeper links on science, technology, development, people, business, culture" and "a boost" to bilateral trading relations, Britain's Press Association (PA) news agency reported.

However, Starmer ruled out a "youth mobility scheme" which would allow young Europeans to work visa-free in the UK and vice versa.

The two countries are also to develop an action plan to tackle illegal migration, PA reported.

The prime minister also expressed his condolences over the deadly knife attack in the western German city of Solingen on Friday.

Starmer's visit aims to give new impetus to German-British relations.

His conservative predecessor Rishi Sunak waited 18 months before making his inaugural visit to Berlin in April of this year.

At the time, Sunak and Scholz agreed on a joint declaration on deepening cooperation in the areas of security and defence.

However, the relationship between the centre-left duo of Starmer and Scholz seems likely to be warmer.

The two centre-left politicians have already met in person twice since Starmer took office in early July: at the NATO summit in Washington and at the European Political Community Summit in England.

Britain left the European Union in 2020 but, like Germany, is a member of NATO, the G7 group of industrial democracies and the G20 group of the world's biggest economic powers.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (R) speaks during a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the Chancellery, following their meeting during his visit to Germany. Christoph Soeder/dpa
The News

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin on Wednesday to discuss a new cooperation treaty that would see the UK and Germany forge closer ties on clean energy, technology, defense, and irregular migration, in what Downing Street described as a once in a generation opportunity to turn a corner on Brexit.

Details of the agreement have not been disclosed, but it will likely be finalized in the autumn, according to a Downing Street statement.

Also on Starmers European agenda is the Paralympics Opening Ceremony in Paris, where he will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron for the fourth time since taking office in July.


German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (R) shakes hands with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a joint press conference at the Chancellery, following their meeting during his visit to Germany. Christoph Soeder/dpa

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday ruled out rejoining the European Union as he met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin.

On a two-day visit to Europe, Starmer said he wants to "reset" the UK's relations with the EU.

"That does not mean reversing Brexit or re-entering the single market or the customs union, but it does mean a closer relationship on a number of fronts," the prime minister said at a press conference after talks with Scholz.

Starmer and Scholz agreed on a new UK-Germany treaty which would result in "deeper links on science, technology, development, people, business, culture" and "a boost" to bilateral trading relations, Britain's Press Association (PA) news agency reported.

"I am pleased with Keir Starmer's announcement that he will seek a fresh start in the relationship with the European Union. We want to take this outstretched hand," said Scholz.

The new treaty is set to be negotiated in the coming months before being signed early next year.

"There has never been such a treaty between Germany and the United Kingdom," Scholz added.

The agreement is also to include an action plan to tackle illegal migration.

However, Starmer ruled out a "youth mobility scheme" which would allow young Europeans to work visa-free in the UK and vice versa.

The prime minister also expressed his condolences over the deadly knife attack in the western German city of Solingen on Friday.

Starmer's visit aims to give new impetus to German-British relations.

His conservative predecessor Rishi Sunak waited 18 months before making his inaugural visit to Berlin in April of this year.

At the time, Sunak and Scholz agreed on a joint declaration on deepening cooperation in the areas of security and defence.

However, the relationship between the centre-left duo of Starmer and Scholz seems likely to be warmer.

The two centre-left politicians have already met in person twice since Starmer took office in early July: at the NATO summit in Washington and at the European Political Community Summit in England.

Britain left the European Union in 2020 but, like Germany, is a member of NATO, the G7 group of industrial democracies and the G20 group of the world's biggest economic powers.
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV)  As of Tuesday, August 27, the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) has recorded 25 human cases of West Nile Virus, along with one death in Madison County.

Officials said they also recorded 120 positive mosquito samples, indicating that West Nile is circulating in the state, and that all residents  should take precautions.

MSDH also tracks the Chikungunya and Zika viruses in this state.

These viruses typically circulate between either birds or small mammals and mosquitoes. These animals can become infected and even die, said Dr. Megan Hamner, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), who is board-certified in pediatric infectious diseases. Most human cases are either asymptomatic or mild. In severe cases, patients may develop neuro-invasive disease [infections of the nervous system], which can lead to meningitis or encephalitis.

Mississippi reports first death from West Nile Virus in 2024

As for the dengue virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health advisory about its looming danger.

In 2024, there have been small outbreaks as close to Mississippi as Florida and Texas, said Lora Martin, a board-certified nurse practitioner in the UMMC Department of Pediatrics Division of Infectious Diseases. Cases of malaria have also been identified as recently as 2023 in Florida and Texas. Humans may experience flu-like symptoms when infected mosquitoes bite them.

According to health officials at UMMC, most species of mosquitoes in Mississippi dont transmit these diseases. Some can be identified by their markings. Only the females bite animals and humans to take their blood. Males are distinguished by their much hairier antennae, smaller size and other less impressive traits.

Still, applying insect repellents is one way to avoid mosquito bites, but Martin recommends using only those products approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Mosquito Protection

Outdoors, wear long-sleeve shirts, long pants, socks and closed shoes, and avoid activities from dusk to dawn  when mosquitoes are apparently at their best, meaning their worst.

Use mosquito bed nets when sleeping outdoors.

Drape mosquito netting over baby carriers and strollers.

If you need to slap on sunscreen, do that before applying insect repellents.

To discourage mosquitoes from haunting your premises, eliminate breeding grounds by saying no to standing water and by making your house mosquito-tight:

Outdoors Cover trash containers, while also disposing of old tires, plastic and ceramic pots and other containers, along with anything else that can hold water. Keep roof gutters clean and free of leaves for proper drainage. Repair drippy water pipes and leaky septic systems. Fill tree holes, puddles and other low spots in the yard. Keep swimming pool water treated and circulating. Aerate ornamental pools. Consider stocking ponds with mosquito-eating fish. Empty or change water in wading pools, bird baths, horse troughs, pet dishes, etc., at least once every week. Keep grass cut short and trash the trash piles. Keep drains and culverts free of grass clippings and debris.

Indoors Keep windows and doors shut and use air conditioning when possible. Use screens on windows and doors and repair them if damaged. Empty or change the water in vases, flower pot saucers and so forth. Fix leaky pipes.



EEE, West Nile, malaria: Know the difference between these mosquito-borne diseases

When camping or traveling, use an insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin regularly before venturing outside, said Hamner. Travelers should also consider treating clothing and gear with 0.5% permethrin which is a mosquito repellent that will last for several washes. Clothes should ideally be loose-fitting with long sleeves and pants. If camping or staying somewhere without screened rooms, use a mosquito net.

For travelers going abroad, there are vaccines available for some mosquito-borne illnesses.

You should check the CDC Destinations pages. This will help you determine what diseases and health risks are a concern based on your destination and activities, said Martin.

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Relatives gather around the bodies of their loved ones who were killed by Israeli forces during a raid near the city of Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank. Mohammed Nasser/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

The United Nations have slammed Israel over its major military operation launched in the northern West Bank that the organization says involves "deadly warfare tactics."

People in the area "are increasingly exposed to deadly warfare tactics that seem to exceed international standards for law enforcement," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN General-Secretary Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday, referring to reports from the UN emergency aid organization OCHA.

"Israeli forces must adhere to international policing standards where lethal force and firearms are the last resort can only be used against imminent threat of death, of serious injury," Dujarric said.

At least 10 people have been killed so far in the large-scale Israeli military operation launched overnight, according to Palestinian reports.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they entered several settlements, including Jenin and Tulkarem, two cities that are considered strongholds of Palestinian militants.

According to media reports, the military deployed numerous infantry soldiers as well as drones and snipers, destroyed infrastructure with bulldozers and blocked all access routes to Jenin.

There were firefights with armed Palestinians. Several wanted Palestinians were detained.

The deployment was prompted by a recent significant increase in the number of attacks on Israelis said to have originated in the northern West Bank, according to the IDF.

Relatives gather around the bodies of their loved ones who were killed by Israeli forces during a raid near the city of Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank. Mohammed Nasser/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

Relatives gather around the bodies of their loved ones who were killed by Israeli forces during a raid near the city of Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank. Mohammed Nasser/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
Relatives of the Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks, mourn as they receive the dead bodies from the morgue of Al-Aqsa Hospital for burial in Dair El-Balah. Omar Ashtawy/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

The United Nations has slammed Israel over its major military operation launched in the northern West Bank, accusing the Israeli army of employing "deadly warfare tactics."

People in the area "are increasingly exposed to deadly warfare tactics that seem to exceed international standards for law enforcement," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN General Secretary Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday, referring to reports from the UN emergency aid organization OCHA.

"Israeli forces must adhere to international policing standards where lethal force and firearms are the last resort can only be used against imminent threat of death, of serious injury," Dujarric said.

Israel launched a large-scale military operation in the northern West Bank, blaming Iran for the spread of terrorist infrastructure there, as Palestinian health authorities reported at least 10 people killed so far.

The military deployed numerous infantry soldiers as well as drones and snipers, destroyed infrastructure with bulldozers and blocked all access routes to the city of Jenin, according to media reports. There were firefights with armed Palestinians and several wanted Palestinians were detained.

Seven of the dead were taken to hospital in Tubas in the northern West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, while confirming two deaths in Jenin and another in a village near the city.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) surrounded hospitals in both cities and blocked ambulances, according to Israeli and Palestinian media. An IDF spokesman said the army was controlling access to the hospital buildings to prevent militants from entrenching themselves there.

IDF: Military operation due to increased attacks

The deployment was prompted by a recent significant increase in the number of attacks on Israelis reportedly originated in the northern West Bank, the spokesman said. He referred to the recent detonation of an explosive device in Tel Aviv, in which the attacker was killed and a passer-by injured.

According to Israel, the target of the large-scale operation, particularly in Jenin and Tulkarem, is a terrorist network supported by Iran. Both cities are considered strongholds of Palestinian militants. Since the beginning of the Gaza war almost 11 months ago, around 150 attacks with firearms and explosive devices have been carried out against Israelis from there alone, the IDF spokesman said.

"We must deal with the threat just as we deal with the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza, including the temporary evacuation of Palestinian residents and whatever steps are required," Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz wrote on X.

"This is a war for everything and we must win it."

The IDF spokesman said that he was not aware of any plans to evacuate the civilian population in the northern West Bank.

Report: West Bank operation could last for days

The Times of Israel, citing IDF sources, reported that the military operation could go on for several days. Katz has blamed Iran for the weapons build up.

He said overnight the army began working intensively "in the Jenin and Tulkarem refugee camps to thwart Islamic-Iranian terrorist infrastructures that have been established there."

He accused Iran of "working to establish an eastern terrorist front against Israel in the West Bank" following a model in Gaza and Lebanon "by financing and arming terrorists and smuggling advanced weapons from Jordan."

The already tense situation in the occupied West Bank has worsened significantly since the Hamas attacks against Israel on October 7, which resulted in some 1,200 deaths and the start of the current Gaza war.

The Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah says more than 630 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed in IDF operations, armed clashes and attacks by extremists since then.

The UN's human rights office in Geneva warned that the major Israeli operation "risks seriously deepening an already catastrophic situation" in the West Bank.

"Many children have been killed while throwing stones at highly protected Israeli security forces, as have other Palestinians posing no imminent threat to life," the office's spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said in a video statement posted on X.

"The Israeli security forces' use of airstrikes and other military weapons and tactics violates human rights norms and standards," she added.

Efforts for Gaza ceasefire continue

Meanwhile, fighting in the Gaza Strip continues, as do efforts to achieve a ceasefire and release the remaining hostages held by Hamas.

An Israeli delegation was due to travel to Doha for further talks on an agreement with Hamas. The indirect negotiations, in which Qatar, Egypt and the US are mediating between the parties to the conflict, have been at a standstill for months.

Israeli forces meanwhile located the body of another Israeli hostage in the Gaza Strip and brought the former soldier back to Israel, according to the army.

The family of the man, who was killed on October 7 last year, has been notified, it said.

It was initially unclear where exactly the body was discovered. Soldiers and employees of the domestic intelligence service were involved in the military operation to retrieve it, the statement added.

According to Israel, Hamas still holds 107 hostages in Gaza. At least a third of them are believed to be no longer alive.

Israeli military reinforcements storm the city of Jenin during the raid, north of the occupied West Bank. Israeli forces raided the cities of Jenin, Tubas, Tulkarm and the Far'a refugee camp, with thousands of Israeli soldiers participating in the raids simultaneously. Eleven Palestinians were killed, dozens were injured and infrastructure, streets and homes were destroyed. Nasser Ishtayeh/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
Smoke rises from an Israeli airstrike on Kfar Kila, a Lebanese border village with Israel in south Lebanon, as it seen from Marjayoun town in south Lebanon, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday demanded a halt to the increasing attacks between Lebanons Hezbollah militants and Israeli forces and warned that further escalation carries the high risk of leading to a widespread conflict.

Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah pulled back after an exchange of heavy fire across the U.N.-drawn boundary between Lebanon and Israel over the weekend. But their decades-old conflict is far from over and regional tensions linked to the war in Gaza are still high.

The Security Council demand that Israel and Hezbollah halt hostilities came in a French-drafted resolution unanimously approved by its 15 members, urging the relevant actors to restore calm, restraint and stability. Council resolutions are legally binding though often ignored.

The risk of open warfare remains real, and we are mobilized alongside our regional and international partners to avoid a regional conflagration, Frances deputy U.N. ambassador, Nathalie Broadhurst, said before the vote.

Israels U.N. ambassador, Danny Danon, told reporters that he had a message for the Lebanese people: You and your government have a choice to make, confront Hezbollah today or watch as your country is dragged into chaos and destruction.

Lebanons representative, Hadi Hachem, was far more diplomatic, thanking the council after the vote for its clear message in favor of stability and a cease-fire. And he urged members: Lets work together, not only to end the escalation but toward a just and comprehensive peace.

The resolution extended for another year the mandate of the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon known as UNIFIL, which was created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon after a 1978 invasion and has been there ever since.

The Security Council expanded the mission after a 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah so that peacekeepers could deploy along the Lebanon-Israel border to help Lebanese troops extend their authority into their countrys south for the first time in decades. That resolution also called for a full cessation of Israeli-Hezbollah hostilities, which has not happened.

Hezbollah supporters in Lebanon frequently accuse the U.N. mission of collusion with Israel, while Israel has accused the peacekeepers of turning a blind eye to Hezbollahs military activities in southern Lebanon.

During the ongoing clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL facilities or vehicles have been hit by shelling or gunfire on several occasions. Earlier this month, UNIFIL said three peacekeepers on patrol were lightly injured when an explosion happened near their vehicle.

Israels Danon blamed Hezbollah for launching unprovoked attacks against Israel starting the day after Hamas Oct. 7 attacks in southern Israel, which ignited the war in Gaza. Since then, he said, more than 8,000 rockets, 300 explosive drones and 1,500 anti-tank missiles have been launched against Israel, forcing over 60,000 Israelis in the north to leave their homes.

Danon accused Hezbollah of firing from southern Lebanon  within UNIFILs area of operations  in violation of the 2006 cease-fire resolution and showed the council photos that he claimed were near some of its facilities.

There will be no stability while Hezbollahs massive military buildup is ignored, he said.

Israel is determined to return its civilians to their homes, and while it favors diplomacy, Danon warned that time is running out. If diplomacy fails, we will use all the necessary means to restore calm and stability to the north of Israel," he said.

Israeli ally the United States supported Israel's right to defend itself against Hezbollah attacks.

Lebanon should not be a haven for terrorist organizations or a launch pad for attacks against Israel, U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood told the council, saying that Iran is violating the arms embargo in the 2006 resolution by providing Hezbollah with the majority of weapons it fires against Israel.

Algeria, the Arab representative on the council, and Russia said the crisis in Lebanon and the wider Middle East has deeper roots.

Nacim Gaouaoui, Algerias deputy U.N. ambassador, underscored the importance of UNIFILs role in ending hostilities but said its a critical moment for our region because of the brutal assault on the unarmed Palestinian people, in particular in the Gaza Strip.

My delegation believes that the leading reason for instability in the Middle East is the occupation of Arab territory, he said. The end of occupation is the condition for peace and security in the region.

That view was echoed by Russias deputy U.N. ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky, who said, It is clear that the current political military escalation is linked directly to the fact that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict remains unresolved and the unprecedented escalation in Gaza.

___

This story corrects in the third paragraph that Security Council resolutions are legally binding though often ignored.



Associated Press writer Abby Sewell in Beirut contributed to this report.


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Throughout their early teens, DakotaRei Frausto struggled with premenstrual dysphoric disorder, a severe form of premenstrual syndrome, as well as anemia and chronic nausea. In 2021, at age 16, Frausto went to a handful of clinics in their home state of Texas to seek out a birth control prescription, hoping it would help address their symptoms. But each of the clinics brushed off their pain or referred them to brochures rather than getting them in front of doctors, and Frausto, feeling defeated, gave up on trying to access birth control.

Soon after, when Frausto was 17, they started to experience more severe PMDD symptoms than usual. A pregnancy test confirmed they were eight weeks pregnant. When I did test positive, I knew for a fact abortion in Texas wouldnt be an option for me, Frausto said, noting that the states six-week abortion ban went into effect in September 2021. My immediate next thought was: How am I going to scrape together the resources to travel?

Out-of-state travel has become the primary option for pregnant people in anti-abortion states to get the reproductive care they seek. But the logistics of visiting a state with fewer abortion restrictions come with legal risks and high costs, especially for teenagers. In Texasa state with some of the most restricted abortion access in the countrya network of nonprofits is working together to usher minors over state lines.

Texass Senate Bill 8, also known as the Texas Heartbeat Act, prohibits physicians from performing abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually at around six weeks of pregnancy. Given the strict law, there are now two primary ways for women in Texas to get abortions after six weeks of gestation. The first is the abortion pill, which is not legal in Texas, even when purchased through the mail, but can be procured through an underground network of online providers. Still, those providers are subject to felony charges if they are caught distributing the pills. Also, the pill is recommended only until the 10th week of pregnancymeaning that many women, particularly teens, wont catch their pregnancies in time and will need to pursue the second alternative: to travel to one of the states where abortion is still protected.

Texas has one of the highest rates of pregnancy among teens between 15 and 19. Nationwide, people pay an average of $478 for abortion care, and nearly half of abortion patients delay other important expenses or sell personal belongings to cover their costs. But adolescents are less likely to have an income, making those costs especially prohibitive, according to a report from the Guttmacher Institute, a sexual and reproductive health research organization. Teens are also prone to irregular periods and mistaking early signs of pregnancy for PMS, meaning they usually find out theyre pregnant later than older women and are more likely to need second-trimester abortions.

In 2022, the rate of teen pregnancy in Texas increased for the first time since 2007, according to the latest data from the University of Houston. That may be because it has become progressively harder in Texas for minors to get confidential sexual health care and contraception. As of 2022, Texas clinics that receive federal funding for reproductive care cant provide contraception without parental consent.

People try to paint abortion patients as irresponsible, says Frausto, who is now 19. But this wasnt my presumed irresponsibility but the negligence of my state legislatures, both when it came to sex education and access to contraception. My situation was completely preventable. It made me feel like a failure, even though I did everything right.

Frausto drove 700 miles to a Planned Parenthood in Albuquerquewith the help of their mother and partnerfor their abortion. They raised money via an awareness campaign on TikTok, which helped cover a portion of the $2,000 travel and clinic costs.

My abortion saved my life, says Frausto, who while in New Mexico got a prescription for birth control that has significantly reduced their PMDD symptoms. It allowed me to find myself and not be stuck as a child in a situation being thrown into adulthood.



The hostility in Texas toward abortion, even in the most egregious circumstances, is a major hurdle for young people seeking care. Women in Texas who become pregnant as a result of rape or incest are barred from terminating their pregnancies. Doctors or providers who perform or aid abortions at any stage of pregnancy in Texas face criminal charges, and they are restricted from performing even medically necessary abortions, threatening the health of mothers. Meanwhile, local governments including those representing Mitchell, Lubbock, and Dawson counties have passed ordinances in the last two years that prohibit Texans from traveling through their jurisdictions for an abortion outside the state.

The purpose of the laws is fear, misinformation, and cruelty, says Neesha Dave, executive director of Lilith Fund, which provides financial support to Texans seeking abortion. Each time new abortion laws are passed, theres new confusion and fear for abortion seekers about what they can and cannot do.

Almost a quarter of Texas women incorrectly believe their state as a whole has passed a blanket law prohibiting travel to another state to get an abortion, according to a 2023 survey by Resound Research for Reproductive Health, a Texas-based research collaborative. And in 2023, nearly 6,000 teens reached out to Janes Due Process, which helps the states youth get birth control and abortions, in many cases to ask whether or not abortion was legal in Texas.

Young people see one scary headline and theyre led to believe that they cant access the care that they want, says Janes Due Process youth advocacy and community engagement manager Ariana Rodriguez. We remind teens that they have the right to travel and make those decisions for themselves.

Courtesy Jane's Due Process

Despite Texass antagonism toward reproductive freedom, organizers there and in other states where abortion is restricted havent given up. The Austin-based Janes Due Process funds travel for minors seeking abortions outside of Texas. That includes road trips or flights to nearby states like New Mexico or Colorado, where people under 18 can get abortions without parental consent. Lilith Fund, also based in Austin, helps Texans of all ages, including minors, book and pay for abortion procedures at out-of-state clinics. Together, the two organizationsalong with others, like Fund Texas Choice and Buckle Bunnieshave built a grassroots network that has maintained Texans access to abortion even as the states laws become increasingly threatening to pregnant people.

Funding for these organizations comes from a number of sources, including donations, national grants, and, in some cases, local governments. Last year, a group of five reproductive rights organizationsincluding Janes Due Process, Lilith Fund, and Buckle Bunniesjoined together to advocate for a reproductive justice fund administered by the city of San Antonio. In September, the majority-female city council approved the fund in its annual budget process, and $500,000 was allocated to the citys health department for reproductive care and out-of-state abortion travel.

Almost immediately after the council approved the fund, anti-abortion advocates filed a lawsuit that aimed to shut the San Antonio program down, arguing that funding out-of-state abortion violated Texass laws against aiding and abetting abortion procedures. In May, the judge on the case threw out the suit because it was prematurethe funds hadnt even been allocated yet.

Abortion access has been found to reduce teen pregnancy rates and increase womens enrollment in college, particularly among Black women. At Buckle Bunnies, which helps young people in Texas get the abortion pill or find funding for out-of-state travel, thousands of people have been equipped with abortion information, and because of that, we get to see them graduate high school or college and be better parents, says founder and co-director Makayla Montoya Frazier.

In 2018before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, rendering abortion effectively illegal in much of the countryMontoya Frazier got an abortion in Texas at age 19. Buckle Bunnies wouldnt exist without my abortion, she said. So many people get to live the rest of their lives the way they want to because I was able to access an abortion.

The lengths these Texas nonprofits go to, to fund and organize abortion care, bring to mind underground networks like the Jane Collective of the 1960s and 1970s, which helped women in Chicago get abortions when they were banned in most of the United States. While modern Texas reproductive organizations operate within the bounds of the current legal environment, there are parallels.

Women speak to women and they almost always find ways around a gender hierarchy that is controlling them, says Mary Fissell, J. Mario Molina professor of the history of medicine at Johns Hopkins University and author of a forthcoming book on the history of abortion. History echoes, it doesnt repeat. But there are moments where you think: Wow, that feels familiar. Thats where we are now.

Lilith Fund operates in broad daylight because we want our organization to be able to serve people for a long time to come, but of course you cannot help but make corollaries and comparisons to what people are facing now and what they faced in pre-Roe America, executive director Dave says. These restrictions hit all pregnant people. Anytime anyones access to health care is restricted, their health outcomes are harmed.

Thanks to a temporary injunction from a federal judge in Austin, organizations that support out-of-state abortion cant be prosecuted for funding a legal procedure outside Texas. But the case is ongoing, meaning the legal landscape could change at any moment.

Even if the decision in Austin holds, San Antonio City Attorney Andy Segovia says he expects the city to be sued if dollars from its Reproductive Justice Fund go to organizations that support out-of-state travel, because of the aggressive nature of both the Texas state government and anti-abortion groups.

While San Antonio is still determining which organizations will receive the funding, it has allocated 40 percent of the total funds for whats known as downstream care, which includes emergency contraception, travel to receive abortion care, and testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, says the citys medical director, Dr. Junda Woo.

The efforts in San Antonio signal that despite Texass strict anti-abortion state laws, organizers and local governments are having some success when it comes to expanding access to reproductive care. Texas may seem to be a red or an anti-abortion state, Dave says. Fundamentally, Texas is a state with anti-abortion state leaders, but its not what everyone in Texas wants or needs.

HK Gray, a youth program coordinator at Janes Due Process, found out she was pregnant at 17, about a year after having a daughter at age 16. At the time, Gray was waitressing to support her family and studying for her GED on the side. She didnt have help from her parents because her father was homeless and her mother was incarcerated, so raising a second child was financially impossible.

Gray, now 23, was able to get an in-state abortion because Senate Bill 8 hadnt passed yet, but she says if she were in a similar situation today, the trajectory of her life would be completely different. Now, I wouldve had to continue the pregnancy because I wouldnt have had someone to watch my daughter while traveling out of state, Gray says. Instead, I live with my daughter, Im able to work from home and dedicate my time resources to her in a way I couldnt if I had two children. At the same time, Im putting myself through college. There wouldnt have been money to pay for school with another child.

Courtesy Jane's Due Process

For all Texas women, particularly those from low-income households, leaving the state to get abortion care is costly and logistically challenging. But minors have more significant barriers than anyone we serve, says Anna Rupani, executive director of Fund Texas Choice.

Many people under 18 dont have drivers licenses or access to a vehicle, and others have never been on a plane. They cant book hotel rooms, rent cars, or go to medical appointments alone, so they need an adult to accompany them when they travel. And many teens have trouble calling out of high school classes or finding substitutes for part-time jobs.

In many states where abortion is legal, parental consent is required to get an appointment, meaning that teens often get later-term abortions because they either have to wait for judicial bypassa petition from a judge that allows a minor to get an abortion with parental consentor face long wait times in states where bypass isnt required, says Rodriguez of Janes Due Process.

And as backlogs mount and wait times increase, requests for assistance are higher than ever. In all of 2023, Lilith Fund committed about $1 million to clientsa figure that was exceeded in the first half of 2024. Fund Texas Choice, meanwhile, gets up to 400 monthly calls from patients seeking abortion travel support, about 10 times the average three years ago. As demand goes up, services are getting more expensive and donations have slowed. Since the ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which overturned Roe, the cost per client at Janes Due Process has tripled.

When people see these terrible things in the news, they want to be part of the solution and this work that they care about, Dave says. But often, the shock can wear off and people are busy with their lives and their challenges, so we have seen a slowing in that outpouring of support.

Reproductive rights organizations are also facing higher expenses, including information security costs and legal fees. We are under such scrutiny and we are targets, Dave says. We work really hard to comply with the laws that are in place, though they are wildly unjust.

The biggest risk for the Texas organizations is the regularly shifting legal environment, which could shut down their services at any moment. Rodriguez says Janes Due Process is gearing up for a brutal legislative session next year.

Out-of-state abortion travel is at risk in a handful of states outside Texas. In Missouri, which also has an abortion ban, the city of St. Louis in 2022 created a $1 million fund for abortion travel that is now held up in court. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey sued the city, arguing that the fundviolated state law, and was granted a preliminary injunction to stop the city from allocating the monies to reproductive rights organizations.

Hope is a discipline, and every day we get up and strap on our shoes and do what we need to do, says Rodriguez. If they do pass more bills, well be out here fighting."

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The Unesco World Heritage sites most at risk from climate change  and four are in the UK

Scotlands Forth Bridge is among the sites most at risk from climate change (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Four Unesco World Heritage sites in the UK are among those at the most risk of climate change devastation, a study has found.

World Heritage sites gain their status for being an outstanding value to humanity and showcase some of the worlds cultural legacy, rich history and natural wonders. Unesco bestows these places with the title to encourage their protection and preservation while incentivising people to recognise their importance.

New data suggests that coastal flooding, droughts, landslides and storm surges are some of the top factors that are putting heritage sites at risk.

In an analysis by Climate X, a global climate risk data analysis organisation, their experts found that four out of 35 of the UKs Unesco Heritage Sites are among the top 50 sites in the world that will be at risk by 2050.

Using Climate Xs Spectra platform algorithm to determine how climate change will affect 500 natural and man-made heritage sites, the analysts discovered how the sites would fare in eight global warming scenarios.

Volcanic archipelago St Kilda in Scotland is at risk of coastal flooding (Getty Images)

They found that the most at risk in the UK, taking third place on the worldwide list, is the Forth Bridge in Edinburgh, Scotland, a structure representing an important milestone in bridge design and construction in the Victorian period.

However, the railway bridge is exposed to a coastal flood risk that could impact the preservation of the marvelled structure.

Volcanic archipelago St Kilda, also in Scotland, featuring at number six on the world scale, is also predicted to be at risk of climate change. Coastal flooding could impact its high cliffs, where colonies of endangered species of birds, such as puffins and gannets, nest.

The third Scottish heritage site to appear on the list is New Lanark, a small 18th-century village in which utopian idealist Robert Owen created a model industrial community.

However, analysts say that this idyllic village, appearing in seventh place in the top 50, is at risk of landslides caused by climate change.

The final UK heritage site to appear is Yorkshires Studley Royal Park, featuring at 27th place, as being at risk of storm activity impacting its preservation.

The park includes the 12th-century Ruins of Fountains Abbey and other buildings from various periods of British history, all placed among an what the UN-body describes as an exceptionally beautiful landscape designed in the 18th century.

There were many other wel-known heritage sites that made a list, such as Australias Sydney Opera House (at risk of coastal flooding), the USAs Olympic National Park in Washington, predicted to be impacted by flooding and landslides, and the West Norwegian Fjords in Norway, at risk of coastal flooding.

The sacred Sansa Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in South Korea are at risk of river and surface flooding (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Taking the top spot at the most at-risk Unesco World Heritage sites is the Sansa Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in South Korea, sacred temples that were established between the 7th and 9th centuries but also structures that analysis believe could be at risk of river and surfacing flooding.

Lukky Ahmed, the CEO and co-founder of Climate X, said that their findings should be a warning to governments and global organisations to recognise the impact climate change also has on our cultural heritage worldwide.

The potential impact of climate change on these sites is profound. But its not just our past heritage thats at risk  its our present, too, he said.

While the loss of these cultural treasures  many of which have endured for millennia  would, of course, be devastating, its also vital to remember the real societal and economic impact of climate change is happening in the here and now.

Our findings serve as a stark warning for governments, preservationists, and the global community to prioritise the safeguarding of our planet  to preserve our ancient monuments and our current assets and infrastructure  and to protect life today and into the future.

For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calders podcast
NEWARK  United Airlines flight attendants held a demonstration at Newark Liberty International Airport on Wednesday and announced that the union had overwhelmingly voted yes on a strike authorization.

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, the union that represents United flight attendants nationwide, opened the strike authorization vote to its United members on Aug. 1 and announced Wednesday at 1 p.m. that 99.9% of members voted yes.

There were nearly 20 picket lines at airports across the country on Wednesday, including a gathering of United attendants at LaGuardia Airport, said the AFA-CWA.

"I'm hoping this vote will be a catalyst to get United management to come to the table and give us the industry-leading contract that we deserve and that we are demanding," said Kim Montgomery, who has been a flight attendant for 38 years and is the president of the Council 6 chapter at AFA-CWA, which represents United Airlines flight attendants based at Newark.

The union has been bargaining with United for nearly three years, said union representative Nathan Janda. The last contract became eligible for an amendment in August 2021, reported Reuters.

Flight attendants' demands include pay raises, a better work-life balance, lower work-duty days and improvements in the use of reserves.

United flight attendants demonstrate at Newark Liberty International Airport Aug. 28, 2024.

Montgomery explained her frustrations about the stalled contract negotiations.

"The company continues to make money hand over fist. Our leaders get pay raises regularly while some of us have not gotten a raise in years. We have flight attendants who are struggling to make ends meet while our CEOs are on private jets," she said. "We want some respect shown in the contract."

A Untied Airlines spokesperson said in an email to NorthJersey.com about the strike authorization vote: "We continue to work toward an industry-leading agreement for our flight attendants, including negotiations this week and every month through November. Both sides have been actively engaged in these negotiations facilitated by the federal mediator requested by the union. We remain eager to reach an agreement."

Some flight attendants argue, however, that the company is not bargaining in good faith.

"We've been in contract negotiations for over 30 months. We have been in direct mediation for four to five months, and have still not seen good-faith proposals come through," said Melissa Chipchak, the secretary of the Council 6 chapter at AFA-CWA.

She referred to the difficulties flight attendants face while on the job, dealing with everything from medical emergencies to safety issues and the different personalities of passengers.

Nearby: Airplane noise continues to wreak havoc on North Jersey residents. Can Bergen fight back?

Flight attendants wants ground pay

Chipchak explained the issue of work-duty days, something the flight attendant is very passionate about. "They are very long," she said. "A lot of the traveling public does not know we can work up to 15 or 16 hours domestic days, but only half of that time is paid."

Chipchak said the union is fighting for ground pay. "We want from the time that you check in, from the time that you leave, like a normal worker, you get paid for all the hours on duty," she said.

On top of those long hours, Chipchak said, flight attendants don't have time to recuperate, with the current contract allowing only eight hours in between duty days.

"When you are fatigued and working that long, it has an effect on your mental and physical health," the secretary to the union council said.

"We were promised an industry-leading contract, industry-leading pay, years ago, but everything the company is offering is pretty much the same or concessionary," she said.

Keturah Johnson, who has been a flight attendant for six years and is the international vice president of AFA-CWA, said she feels disrespected by the company's latest contract offer.

'Flight attendants mean business'

Alex, who wished not to give his last name, is a grievance rep for the union and has been a flight attendant for eight years. He hopes the strike authorization "will show the company flight attendants mean business."

Montgomery said she hopes this vote will push the company to present better bargaining sessions, but that the union is willing to do what is necessary to gain a fair contract.

"We are definitely ready and willing to take the steps of a strike if needed down the road," she said.

Flight attendants would still need the approval of the National Mediation Board before they go on strike, as reported by Reuters.

Montgomery and Chipchak said a successful strike authorization vote has brought tentative agreements to American, Southwest and Alaska airlines.

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA represents over 50,000 flight attendants at 20 airlines, including Delta and SkyWest. The union's branch that covers Newark Airport has 6,000 members.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: United flight attendants picket at Newark Airport, vote to OK strike
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 spokeswoman 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.

More: University of Alabama System to close Diversity, Equity and Inclusion offices

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 Aug. 26 were unsuccessful. In an Instagram post the previous 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.

Lacy Gather, right, prays for Melvon Brumfield after a protest gathering in front of Foster Auditorium on the campus of the University of Alabama Saturday, June 6, 2020, to make their voices heard in the outcry against racial injustice. Foster Auditorium is the site of then Governor George Wallace's infamous stand in the schoolhouse door in an attempt to block the integration of the University in June of 1963. The University of Alabama, in accordance with a recently passed law, has discontinued the office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

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 its 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.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: University of Alabama closes centers for Black, LGBTQ+ students
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  The University of San Diego has been named the most beautiful campus in the U.S. by The Princeton Review.

In its list of the top 25 most beautiful campuses in the nation, the education services company ranked USD in the No. 1 spot, followed by University of Richmond in Virginia. It also made the top spot on the list in 2022.

San Diego ranks second for highest annual home price increases

According to the company, the rankings are entirely based on survey results collected from 168,000 students who attend the schools mentioned in the Princetons book, The Best 390 Colleges, which was published this month.

The survey asked the students 89 questions about their schools academics/administration, life at their college, their fellow students and themselves. Each college was then given a score based on the students answers to each question.

According to the survey results, USD students shared that the weather is so perfect and the campus so beautiful [that] most students spend time outside. The campus was also praised for its location near the beach and city.

Additionally, because of the sunny, more relaxed environment, students described that they enjoyed being able to balance casual with stylish attire.

Last year, USD came in second on the list of most beautiful campuses after University of Richmond.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Meta CEO and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg seemed to express regret to Congress about failing to speak out when the Biden administration pressured the social network to "censor" some COVID-19 posts during the pandemic.

He made the comments in an Aug. 26 letter to Rep. Jim Jordan, the Republican chair of the House Judiciary Committee.

Peter Kafka, who covers media and technology as chief correspondent for Business Insider, joined Brad Mielke on Wednesday's episode of "Start Here," ABC News flagship daily news podcast, to discuss the content of Zuckerberg's letter, Facebook's approach to moderation and how tech companies work with politicians.

PHOTO: Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Meta Platforms Inc., arrives at federal court in San Jose, Calif., Dec. 20, 2022. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

START HERE: When you hear about misinformation, it can sound really academic. Annoying at worst.

In the last few years though, weve seen how impactful misinformation can be. How a series of false stories about stealing elections can turn into a riotous mob. How a war can be justified to a countrys citizens by saying, our neighbors need to be invaded.

And perhaps most dramatically, there was the COVID-19 pandemic which has not only killed 7 million people and counting, but has seen misinformation campaigns leading to long-lasting consequences. The U.S. surgeon general declared this abstract idea a very real risk. You might remember at the peak of the pandemic, sites like Facebook were furiously trying to keep dangerous misinformation off their sites. Well this week, Mark Zuckerberg wrote a letter to the House Judiciary Committee apologizing for doing exactly that.

Lets bring in Peter Kafka, the chief correspondent for Business Insider, where he covers media and technology. Peter, weve heard Mark Zuckerberg apologize before. But he apologizes for doing too little as a company, right? Rarely for doing too much. What was this letter all about?

KAFKA: Well, I'm not entirely sure what this letter is all about. We can talk about what's in it, but the apology you make reference to is a specific thing. That's a pretty short letter saying, look, during the pandemic in 2020, 2021, the Biden White House -- he singles out the Biden White House, I think that's important -- was in touch with us about a lot of stuff they wanted us to take down around COVID-19 and a lot of that advice they gave us, we didn't take.

But we still took stuff down that in retrospect, we wish we hadn't. So he's both saying "Hey, the White House should not have reached out to us in the way they did," which seems a little bit revisionist to me. But also, "We took down some stuff that, in retrospect, I wish we would have kept up." So that's the mea culpa part.

In addition to the COVID stuff that Mark Zuckerberg talks about, there's two other things that he mentions. One is another apology. He's saying look, in October 2020, the New York Post wrote what seemed to be a very sketchy story at the time about Hunter Biden's laptop, with this kind of unbelievable backstory about how it showed up from a Delaware computer repair shop and Rudy Giuliani and Steve Bannon brought it in, and it just seemed bogus. And, and so we made it hard to find that story for a while, and we shouldn't have.

So that was a bad thing we did, as well. The issue there I bring up is that that wasn't a secret. Facebook had mentioned they were doing that in real time in October 2020, and they have subsequently apologized for it multiple times. So there's nothing new there.

And then last, Zuckerberg says, look on my own through my charity with my wife, the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, we spent about $400 million personally through our charity, in 2020 to try to facilitate safe voting. There was a pandemic, we wanted people to know how to vote safely, how they could vote remotely, etc..

That donation has subsequently been weaponized, really by Republicans. They said this was a way for us to sort of influence the election on behalf of Democrats. We don't think that's true at all. But we want to be neutral. And so we're not going to bother doing that again this time. Also, there's no pandemic, so we don't need to do that.

START HERE: Well, I guess I want to know why. Like why would you do this if you're Mark Zuckerberg, you spent the last several years telling everyone like, "Hey, we are stewards of our community. Like we're trying to make the internet a safer place."

And now in this letter, like you said to a Republican-led committee, you're saying we've been overstepping quite a bit. We've been pressured, like we've gotten phone calls from the White House. Like, I'm sure lots of companies have gotten calls from the White House advocating their interest, and we shouldn't have taken that advice, and we actually should have let everyone say whatever they want. Why now?

KAFKA: You know, there's a lot of tech people who started off thinking, "We can ignore Washington and government in general, and we can sort of be on our own." And 20 or 30 years ago, that was a pretty common perception in Silicon Valley.

And over the years, eventually, these big companies, which are almost entirely based in the U.S., say "Oh, we are actually beholden to U.S. law, to foreign lawmakers, especially in the EU. And we have to deal with all these governments one way or another. And so we have to spend a lot of time lobbying them and getting our points across and occasionally showing up in front of Congress, testifying," that sort of thing.

The letter that Zuckerberg sent to Jim Jordan, Republican running the Judiciary Committee, he's been going after this idea of bias in tech for years. He's got a lot of critics who say he's really harassing people, he's not looking for truth.

PHOTO: House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan presides over a hearing of the Weaponization of the Federal Government Subcommittee on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, Feb. 09, 2023. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

But be that as it may, I interpret that as Zuckerberg saying look, here's a way for me to say very little. A lot of it, I've said before. For me to sort of apologize to something that I'm kind of taking blame for, but I'm also blaming the Democrats for. And I'll say this, the Republicans will say "Look, look at the scalp  we got Mark Zuckerberg to apologize and blame Joe Biden. This is great."

And my thinking is, if you're Mark Zuckerberg, you think if I say this to you, and my sense is he probably negotiated this with Jim Jordan and the committee, can we just sort of agree to move on and we can sort of give me a pass?

There are ongoing conversations about what these big platforms -- Facebook, Twitter, YouTube etc. -- should or should not be doing about what's on their websites. And we could spend a lot of time talking about it. But in general, these sites all sort of start off very hands off, doing very little moderation as they get bigger, as they get more valuable, as they have more to lose, as people pay more attention to them, they moderate more and more.

And that stuff sort of came to a head up through 2020, and partly, as I think, a sort of reaction to the pandemic and debates about what is misinformation and what should we have allowed people to not or not say about COVID, partly about Elon Musk taking over Twitter and saying, I'm going to try to have as little moderation as I want.

I think the pendulum and Silicon Valley is sort of moving back away from, let's moderate a lot to maybe let's moderate less. But to be clear, if you run one of these big internet companies, you have to moderate stuff. You will be under tremendous legal liability if you don't. If you don't want to moderate anything, don't run a big platform. And that's going to be the issue with Telegram and France.

START HERE: Right, and that pendulum swinging that you're describing again, how real these effects can be down the road as they filter the way down to just regular users. OK, Peter Kafka from Business Insider, really insightful. Thank you.

KAFKA: Thanks for having me.

Unpacking Mark Zuckerberg's letter to Congress about Biden and Facebook originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The Oklahoman's Steve Lackmeyer has relaunched his chats with readers with the new OKC Central Mailbag, in which he will answer questions submitted via email at slackmeyer@oklahoman.com and on Threads, where he can be found at @stevelackmeyer. Lackmeyer started covering Oklahoma City for The Oklahoman in 1990 and has written seven books about its history and development.

Plans were revised earlier this year for the long-delayed NOVA development, which was renamed Medley Marketplace. The latest plans for the historic Chevrolet Motor Company Building at 1 NW 6 will consist of apartments, micro-market tenants and offices. The development no longer includes a brewery, greenhouse and Urban Agrarian grocery. Allford Hall Monaghan Morris

Urban Agrarian needs more customers, not more locations

Q: I saw your answer about not getting grocery stores downtown. But I still dont understand why were not getting an Urban Agrarian market in Automobile Alley. What happened?

A: Its easier to dream of getting a downtown grocery store than to make it a reality. Brandon Lodge and Patrick Myers first announced plans for a new Urban Agrarian grocery in 2021 as part of Nova, an ambitious redevelopment of the former home of Stows Office Furniture at 1 NW 6 that was also to include apartments, a brewery, shops and urban greenhouse.

In the ensuing months, interest and construction costs skyrocketed, delaying or halting several announced developments. Pivot Project, which redeveloped several historic properties including the Tower Theater and adjacent retail on NW 23, took over the NOVA project, renamed it Medley Marketplace, and eliminated the greenhouse, brewery and grocery.

Medley Marketplace replaces a rooftop greenhouse once part of the development plans, with pickleball courts. Allford Hall Monaghan Morris

Matt Burch, the owner of Urban Agrarian, has been transparent about challenges with his two current locations in the Farmers Market district downtown and along Broadway in downtown Edmond. Burch built up a following with his offerings of fresh produce, meats, cheeses and other fresh food staples brought in from farmers and ranchers across the state.

In addition to a slump in sales, Burch is also needing to replace expensive failing equipment at the Edmond store. Even if the project were still to make sense for the developers, one can understand why Burch isnt looking to add a new store. The good news is the Farmers Market location is on the fringe of downtown and deserves the patronage of those who keep wanting more.

The Gold Dome at NW 23 and Classen Boulevard has stood empty since it went into receivership in 2012.

New TIF district provides new hope for Gold Dome preservation

Q: Any update on the Gold Dome? I keep seeing fencing around it and hearing that there are big plans (including the relatively newly announced Classen TIF district), but I wasnt sure if there was any movement that was worthy of being reported!

A: Were seeing the first application to the new Classen TIF from the development team that built Level and Mosaic in Deep Deuce. The $10.7 million request toward construction of a $81.4 million apartment development in Midtown by SSLM partners Richard McKown, Kara Lewallen and Cooper Scott is set up to also assist in redevelopment of the Gold Dome at NW 23 and Classen.

I know I keep saying this, but based on what Im hearing, there is reason to hope for the best outcome for this landmark. Its a difficult project due to the design of the building and tax increment financing assistance is expected to offset the cost of those challenges.

Prospect of 2028 Olympics adds urgency to fixing up Bricktown to OKANA corridor

Q: With the announcement of the 2028 Olympic events in OKC, are we likely to see any additional development or adjusting of timelines? That seems so far off, and yet, so close!

A: Remember that this is not a done deal until the venues are approved by the Los Angeles City Council. There is no reason to fear that approval wont happen, but its still an important final step. Planners and engineers at City Hall have in past years pretty much brushed past questions about the poor appearance of the Reno Avenue corridor between Bricktown, the $400 million OKANA resort and the Lincoln Boulevard entry to Riversport Adventures.

The challenges, to be fair, are not easily overcome. The corridor is home to two noisy salvage yards, industrial buildings and an abandoned hotel. The city is preparing to tackle some of the appearance issues with MAPS 4 beautification funding. The Olympics could spark enough interest in the private sector to redevelop the problem properties. We shall see.

The former home of Rainbow Records, 2401 N Classen Blvd., is shown in this 2023 photo. It stood empty for more than 20 years. The building has since been gutted and is being rebuilt.

Q: Please update on the following projects: Rainbow Records (NW 23 and Classen), Classen Circle (Donnay Building), Strawberry Fields and the apartments next to the Omni Hotel.

A: I have no update on Strawberry Fields, the mixed-use development announced several years ago for the area west of Scissortail Park. Rainbow Records and the Donnay Building are landmark buildings that faced similar challenges for preservation. Despite the best intentions, developers of these buildings encountered structural problems that required gutting the interiors and pretty much leaving only partial exterior walls intact. Work paused for a bit on both projects, but weve since seen construction getting underway.

Medley Marketplace replaces a rooftop greenhouse once part of the development plans, with pickleball courts. Allford Hall Monaghan Morris

After getting a boost in tax increment financing in 2023, Rose Rock Development Partners promised construction of the long delayed eight-story Boulevard Place apartment tower next to the Omni Hotel that was to begin by that summer. More delays followed and the latest update was that construction should start in 2025.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: New life for the OKC Gold Dome, Olympics 2028, and more questions
(Bloomberg) -- Climate negotiators from the worlds top two greenhouse gas emitters are set to huddle soon in China, with talks aimed at forging progress on cutting global emissions and boosting funding for poor nations.

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John Podesta, the US senior adviser to the president for international climate policy, is set to meet with his Chinese counterpart, Liu Zhenmin, during the first week of September, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be named because the information isnt public.

The meetings are expected to build on earlier discussions between the two countries, including in-person talks held in Washington in May. Negotiators are looking to solidify cooperation on the energy transition and contend with a range of greenhouse gas emissions, going beyond just carbon dioxide.

The White House has confirmed an upcoming meeting, but spokespeople declined to comment on specific dates. When asked about the meeting at a daily briefing on Thursday, a spokesperson at Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs didnt specifically confirm it, but reiterated that China and the US agreed to continue to implement the consensus reached at a meeting between the leaders of the two countries in San Francisco.

The talks come at a critical juncture  less than three months before the COP29 climate summit in Azerbaijan and a US election set to dictate not only the nations next president but also its approach to planet-warming pollution.

The two countries also are developing new pledges for emission cuts by 2035, potential terrain for the discussions in Beijing. The next round of those nationally determined commitments, or NDCs, as theyre known under the Paris Agreement, are due next year, and the submission from China is set to be the first to outline the countrys decarbonization plans following an expected emissions peak this decade.

As the worlds biggest greenhouse gas emitter, China is under pressure to set more ambitious targets for 2035, with a number of models showing the country needs to cut planet-warming pollution at least 30% from current levels to be aligned with goals of limiting warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, said Lauri Myllyvirta, a senior fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institutes China Climate Hub.

Just maintaining the countrys current staggering deployment of wind and solar power would go a long way, Myllyvirta said, and China can build on its plummeting approvals of new coal power plants this year and its decision to halt permitting new coal-based steel factories.

Both countries also are expected to address one of the thorniest issues facing this years United Nations climate summit: a new, post-2025 goal for funding to accelerate the green transition in developing nations and protect them from more extreme weather. Some nations are pushing China to contribute despite its status as a developing nation.

The coming US presidential election is the backdrop for the talks. Under President Joe Biden, the US has sought to find consensus with China on climate change while navigating more treacherous terrain, including tensions over trade policy and human rights. Democratic nominee Kamala Harris is largely expected to follow that course if she wins.

By contrast, Donald Trump, the countrys Republican presidential nominee, has threatened to ratchet up tariffs on goods from China and abandon the Paris Agreement, the treaty that provides the foundation for global climate diplomacy.

Negotiators will continue work to establish deeper US-China collaboration on priorities they outlined last year, including encouraging a circular economy as well as addressing greenhouse gases beyond carbon dioxide and contending with the energy transition. Both countries have sought to foster connections between non-state, non-governmental organizations that can sustain US-China collaboration on climate even if Trump is elected and official interactions chilled.

US-China agreements on climate have found their way into international accords, underscoring the importance of the bilateral relationship, said Joanna Lewis, an expert in international policy at Georgetown University.

It will be important for John Podesta to do as much as possible given the short amount of time thats really left in this administration to put it into a solid position going into the future, Lewis said at a Center for American Progress event Tuesday..

Podestas visit is part of a larger string of US-China diplomacy, including US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivans meetings in Beijing this week. Sullivan and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi underscored the importance of concrete steps to tackle the climate crisis and welcomed further discussions during Podestas upcoming travel to China, according to a White House readout of the diplomats meeting.

--With assistance from Dan Murtaugh, Kathy Chen and Ocean Hou.

(Updates with response from Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the fourth paragraph)

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Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has qualified for Colorados general election ballot as an unaffiliated candidate after turning in the required number of petition signatures, election officials said Thursday  but leaders of the state's Libertarian Party still want to nominate him as their own, too.
Senior officials from the U.S. and China agreed to plan for a call between President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the coming weeks, part of efforts to stabilize the fragile relationship between Washington and Beijing.

The agreement for a leader-level call came during a meeting Wednesday in Beijing between national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Chinas top foreign affairs official Wang Yi.

Sullivan is participating in meetings over the course of three days in China. The call would follow agreements between Biden and Xi reached at a summit in Woodside, Calif., in November 2023 to increase communication between the two sides at the top level.

China also agreed to hold a theater commander telephone call in the near future, the White House said in a readout of the meeting between Sullivan and Wang. A senior administration official, briefing reporters last week ahead of Sullivans trip, said restoring communication lines on the theater commander level was a key goal of the trip.

The U.S. has sought to reestablish military-to-military communication that the Chinese had severed in the wake of a visit to Taiwan by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in August 2022.

Sullivan is expected to host a press conference Thursday following the conclusion of the meetings.

The White House did not expect specific concrete agreements or deliverables to emerge from the meetings but said they were about responsibly managing competition and tensions.

The Biden administration has sought to engage diplomatically with China on specific issues, even as the relationship is extremely strained over several areas.

This includes Chinas support for Russias war in Ukraine; Chinas anger over U.S. support for Taiwans military defense; U.S. concern over what it describes as Chinas unfair trade and economic practices; increasing Chinese provocations in the South China Sea; U.S. concerns over Americans detained in China; and the Chinese governments human rights abuses  with the U.S. recognizing the government as carrying out a genocide against Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang.

Still, Biden has sought to guard against military confrontation by making restoring military-to-military communication a priority area of diplomacy with Beijing. The U.S. has also viewed working with the Chinese to crack down on the export of precursor chemicals for the drug fentanyl as a crucial piece of addressing the opioid epidemic in the U.S.

The administration is also trying to work with China to discuss the future of artificial intelligence over concerns that failure to regulate and manage the development of the technology will present major security and safety risks across the globe.

The purpose of this strategic level of communication is really to get into details on how our strategic intent, intent of policy, how we see different situations, the senior administration official said in the call with reporters last week. It really is about clearing up misperceptions and avoiding this competition from veering into conflict more than anything else.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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US general, pointing to Maduro, says democracy is under attack globally

By Phil Stewart

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - A senior U.S. general accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday of undermining the democratic will of Venezuela's people following July's disputed presidential election, and said it was an example of how democracy was under attack around the world.

Venezuela's electoral council has proclaimed Maduro, in power since 2013, as the winner of the July 28 election, but has not published complete voting tallies. Venezuela's opposition has published its own tallies showing a landslide win for its candidate.

Some Western countries - nearly all democracies - as well as international bodies such as a United Nations panel of experts have called for Venezuela to release full tallies, with some alleging outright fraud by the socialist leader's ruling party.

The U.S. government has cited "overwhelming evidence" that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez received the most votes.

"Democracy and its fundamental values remain under attack globally and we don't have to look any further than Venezuela, where Nicolas Maduro continues to undermine the democratic will of the Venezuelan people," said Army General Laura Richardson, commander of the U.S. military's Southern Command.

Speaking in Chile's capital, Santiago, at a gathering of military leaders from across Latin America, Richardson directly blamed Maduro for causing the flight of millions of Venezuelans.

She also spoke more broadly about global threats to democratic values, including disinformation campaigns to "undermine the fabric of democratic societies."

Maduro and officials from his administration have scoffed at international critiques, citing recent election scandals in the United States and Brazil as evidence of what they say is Western hypocrisy towards Venezuela.

Both the opposition and the ruling party have encouraged their supporters to attend rallies on Wednesday to mark the one-month anniversary of the vote.

Also speaking at the conference in Santiago was Chilean Defense Minister Maya Fernandez, the granddaughter of socialist former President Salvador Allende, who was overthrown in a bloody military coup in the 1970s by General Augusto Pinochet.

That coup marked the start of a series of right-wing, U.S.-friendly dictatorships that governed much of South America well into the 1980s and were characterized by mass arrests, torture and disappearances.

Fernandez didn't cite Venezuela explicitly but spoke of the need for "respect for the self-determination and sovereignty of each country." But Chile's leftist administration has taken a strong line on Venezuela, with President Gabriel Boric earlier this month branding Maduro's government as "a dictatorship that falsifies elections."

U.S. Air Force General C.Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also addressed the forum in Santiago, underscoring the need to work to preserve democracy in the region.

"This is a group committed to upholding an international system that respects democracy and national sovereignty," Brown said, without specifically citing Venezuela.

Venezuelan representatives did not attend the event.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart; additional reporting by Alexander Villegas in Santiago; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
A US Navy carrier strike group and a few other warships fired $1.16 billion in weapons battling the Houthis in the Red Sea

The US Navy fired $1.16 billion worth of munitions fighting the Houthis from October to mid-July.

The substantial figure covers the cost of weapons launched by the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group and a few other ships.

Warships and aircraft affiliated with the strike group fired some 770 munitions.

A US Navy carrier strike group and a few other warships that spent months battling the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in and around the Red Sea fired $1.16 billion worth of munitions during active combat operations, a Navy spokesperson told Business Insider on Wednesday.

This previously unreported figure covers the total cost of the 770 munitions that the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group launched from October 7 to mid-July and underscores the significant financial toll of America's ongoing counter-Houthi mission.

"US Navy ships have maintained a presence in and near the Red Sea to deter threats and protect shipping since the launch of near-daily attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthis in November 2023," the spokesperson said.

"In that effort, a variety of weapons have been employed by the carrier strike group, including aircraft as well as vessels operating with the strike group and independently," they added.

These weapons include surface-to-air missiles, land-attack missiles, air-to-air missiles, and air-to-surface weapons.

The Eisenhower carrier strike group  consisting of the aircraft carrier Ike, several destroyers, and a cruiser  deployed to the Middle East last fall and spent months defending shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden from relentless Houthi missile and drone attacks.

An F/A-18E Super Hornet launches from the flight deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Red Sea in April 2024. US Navy photo

US warships and aircraft attached to the carrier strike group routinely intercepted Houthi missiles and drones and carried out airstrikes against the rebels in Yemen.

The Eisenhower left the region in June and was replaced by the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group. The spokesperson said the cost of munitions expended by American warships between October and July does not cover the Roosevelt's ongoing deployment.

In April, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro shared that US naval forces had already fired nearly $1 billion in munitions to counter threats from Iran and its proxy forces over the previous six months.

The new figure means the Navy fired some $160 million worth of munitions between mid-April and mid-July.

The tempo of Houthi attacks has somewhat slowed, but the rebels remain an active threat to merchant vessels. Last week, for instance, they struck an oil tanker in the Red Sea, forcing a French warship to evacuate its crew.

Last week also marked the most recent US military action against the Houthis. American forces destroyed a rebel missile system in Yemen.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The US Navy has no aircraft carriers deployed in Pacific as Middle East conflicts pull the Pentagon's focus from China

The US Navy has no aircraft carriers in the Pacific as focus remains on the Middle East.

The absence raises some concerns amid tensions in the region and continued Chinese aggression.

The Pentagon has assured that it can respond to conflicts in both the Pacific and Middle East at the same time.

The US Navy currently has no aircraft carriers deployed in the Pacific as ongoing conflicts in the Middle East demand the military's attention.

The carrier gap in US naval power in what the Pentagon has said is a priority region raises some potential concerns about whether the force posture matches stated priorities, especially as China throws its weight around, alarming US allies and partners.

The Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group arrived in the Middle East last week, joining the Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group, which has been in the area since the beginning of the month.

Both of the carrier strike groups came from the Pacific, and the Pentagon has said that both will remain in Middle East for an undisclosed amount of time. Their deployments follow two others by East Coast-based carriers to the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean in response to the ongoing crises.

The latest deployment marks the first time two US carrier strike groups have operated together in the Middle East since 2020. It is also a strong signal of US support for Israel and is intended as a deterrence against Iran and its proxies. And it came at a perilous time as the region braces for further violence and unrest.

An E-2C Hawkeye descends on an aircraft elevator on the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Max Biesecker

But the move has left the Pacific without a deployed aircraft carrier, a powerful combat platform and a visible symbol of American naval power that reflects US interests and security commitments in priority regions.

US aircraft carriers and the other warships in their strike groups bring a tremendous amount of firepower to any situation, making them formidable power projection assets that represent the military's reach and readiness.

All of the US West Coast-based carriers are in port or currently unavailable. The USS Ronald Reagan, which was home-ported in Japan for nine years as the Navy's only forward-deployed carrier, was recently redeployed back to the States. And the replacement, the USS George Washington, remains in San Diego for the time being.

Asked about how long the US military expects not to have an aircraft carrier in the region and whether the absence of carriers is concerning, Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said that the Indo-Pacific was still the US' primary focus, a statement consistent with Pentagon rhetoric consistently identifying China as a "pacing challenge" for the military.

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt transits the South China Sea. US Navy photo illustration by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Aaron Haro Gonzalez

"You know, as we look at global force management and as we look at requirements around the world in support of our national security interests, we're always taking great care to make sure that we can cover those commitments to include, in our priority theater, which is the Indo-Pacific region," Ryder told reporters on Tuesday.

"So we have a significant amount of capability there to include a large naval presence," he added.

Earlier this month, Ryder took a similar question about whether the Pentagon could posture forces in both the Pacific and Middle East at the same time.

He said that "the thing about the US military, as you're seeing this week, is that we have the ability to surge forces and capabilities to where we need them, when we need them."

"The Indo-Pacific Command continues to be our priority theater, and that is indicative of the number of forces that we have that are located within the region," Ryder said.

Bryan Clark, a former naval officer and current defense expert at the Hudson Institute, told Business Insider "the inability of the US to maintain more than one carrier in the Pacific, short of a wartime surge, will require the Navy to rely more on amphibious ready groups and submarines to deter aggression from China or North Korea."

The US Navy presently has the Boxer and America amphibious readiness groups in the Pacific, according to the USNI News fleet and maritime tracker. Submarine activities are not broadcast as clearly as those of other ships.

A US Pacific Fleet spokesperson told BI that the US has "several ships operating across the Pacific to promote adherence to a rules-based international order, as well as maintain the presence and flexibility to rapidly respond to persistent and emergent missions."

The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson transits the Pacific Ocean. Navy Ensign Sarah Weinstein

The recent changes in the force posture of US naval power come amid rising tensions in the Pacific, particularly as China continues its aggressive behavior.

On Monday, a Chinese military spy plane violated Japanese airspace for the first time, and China also continues to confront Philippine vessels and aircraft in the South China Sea. It has also been upping its pressure on Taiwan, continuing to trigger concerns about a quarantine, potential blockade, or invasion.

The US military serves as a security guarantor for Taiwan and American allies in the Indo-Pacific region. As tensions rise, so do the risks, highlighting the value of being able to maintain deterrence in this region the way it is in the Middle East. That doesn't all hinge on a carrier, but the gap is notable nonetheless.

Read the original article on Business Insider
(Bloomberg) -- US intelligence agencies are better-positioned than they were in 2016 to confront foreign adversaries that try to meddle in this years presidential election, officials said.

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The spy agencies had an ad hoc approach when they tried to counter Russias bid to sow discord ahead of the 2016 vote, Central Intelligence Agency Deputy Director David Cohen told the INSA intelligence and national security conference on Wednesday.

It doesnt mean that our adversaries arent going to try to affect the election, it doesnt mean theyre not going to be successful in some respects, but we are much better-postured in 2024 than 2016, Cohen said.

The Mueller report into Russian meddling in the 2016 US elections concluded that the country led a multimillion-dollar effort to criticize Hillary Clinton and support Senator Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. This time, US federal agencies are identifying and sharing information in a much more coordinated way, Cohen and others said.

Were anticipating that type of behavior, and were well-prepared for it, Paul Abbate, deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, said of possible threats from both Russia and Iran. In 2016, he said, threats in the cyber realm initially took the government a moment to catch up with.

This month, intelligence agencies blamed Iran for a hack of former President Trumps current presidential campaign, casting the intrusion as part of an increasingly aggressive effort by the Islamic Republic to disrupt the November election.

In July, the agencies warned that foreign adversaries  including Iran and Russia  would seek to influence the 2024 election in ways that favor their interests. That includes recruiting Americans to spread propaganda, according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Last week CISA, the governments cybersecurity agency, held a tabletop exercise on election security with partners including the national associations for secretaries of states and state election directors.

The exercise, which occurred over four days, allowed officials to plan for potential scenarios to improve response plans within the safety of a training environment, participating officials said in a statement.

State and local election officials from across the country participated virtually. Federal participants included the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, Defense, as well as intelligence agencies and postal service officials.

Our partnership across federal government is just incredibly tight in how were looking at this and sharing information, General Tim Haugh, director of the national security agency, told Wednesdays conference.

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On Wednesday, 28 August, the United States will present the first of the F-35 multi-role fighter jets that are to be delivered to Poland.

Source: RMF24, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The presentation will take place at the production plant in Fort Worth, Texas. The Polish Ministry of Defence will be represented by Deputy Ministers Pawe Bejda and Cezary Tomczyk.

The model to be presented on Wednesday has the factory marking AZ-01. It will come off an assembly line that is over a kilometre long.

Meanwhile, Polish Defence Minister Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz will meet with Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin on Thursday in Washington.

Background:

The Polish Ministry of Defence signed the contract for the supply of 32 F-35A aircraft on 31 January 2020. The contract also includes a package of logistics services and training.

Kosiniak-Kamysz has previously stated that Poland could send its MiG-29s to Ukraine, as requested by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but not until it receives a more modern replacement, including the F-35s ordered from the United States.

Zelenskyy said at a press conference on Tuesday that he would like Poland to agree to give Ukraine its Soviet-era fighter jets, such as MiGs.

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A man who was camping in the Indian Peaks Wilderness west of Boulder, Colorado was found dead Monday afternoon, the Boulder County Sheriffs Office said Wednesday in a statement.

On Monday at approximately 11:30 a.m., the Boulder County Sheriffs Office Communications Center received a call regarding an overdue camper who had been hiking and camping in the area of Lake Isabelle in the Indian Peaks Wilderness.

The 36-year-old male accessed Lake Isabelle from the Brainard Lake Recreation Area, but was due to return Monday morning, however, when he did not check-in or show up, family members reported him missing.

The missing males vehicle was located in the parking lot at Brainard Lake, prompting Boulder County Sheriffs Office Emergency Services to initiate a search, the sheriffs office said. Based on reports from the family as well as using information from the missing partys Garmin GPS device, a search was conducted in the area with ground searchers, dog teams, and a helicopter.

Search teams located a deceased male, believed to be the missing party near Shoshoni Peak at approximately 5:30 p.m., Monday.

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Due to the remote location and technical terrain, it was unsafe to conduct the recovery operation that night, the sheriffs office said.

Rescue teams returned to the area on Tuesday to conduct the recovery.

According to the sheriffs office, rescuers from Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, assisted by a helicopter from the Colorado Department of Fire Prevention and Control, were able to recover the deceased male and transport him to investigators from the Boulder County Sheriffs Office and the Boulder County Coroners Office.

The Boulder County Coroners Office will determine the identification of the climber, as well as the cause and manner of death.

At this time, the death does not appear to be suspicious in nature.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks to the media after the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago

By John Kruzel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Wednesday to revive President Joe Biden's student debt relief plan, giving a boost to Republican-led states that have sued to block it.

The justices rejected the administration's request to temporarily lift a judicial decision that paused the plan, which is designed to lower monthly payments for millions of borrowers and speed up loan forgiveness for some.

Following the Supreme Court's June 2023 decision blocking Biden's earlier plan to cancel hundreds of billions of dollars in debt, his administration said it would continue providing student debt relief to as many borrowers as possible.

The White House in August 2023 launched a policy called the Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan, which it touted as "the most affordable repayment plan ever created."

The plan would cut monthly college undergraduate loan payments from 10% to 5% of a borrower's discretionary income, which would save the typical borrower around $1,000 a year, according to the White House.

Other benefits of the plan include a pause on payments by borrowers making less than $32,000 per year until their income exceeded that amount. It would also provide debt forgiveness for some smaller loans in as few as 10 years, compared to the 20- or 25-year timeline under earlier rules.

The administration estimated that the plan would cost taxpayers around $156 billion over 10 years, but Republican state attorneys general argue that its actual cost totaled around $475 billion. Some parts took effect in February while others were set to take effect in July.

Seven Republican-led states sued to block the program in April 2024, arguing that the Biden administration's U.S. Education Department had exceeded its legal authority by enacting the student debt relief plan.

In June, U.S. District Judge John Ross in St. Louis blocked the administration on a preliminary basis from implementing the provision of the SAVE plan that would grant loan forgiveness to certain borrowers.

A ruling by the St. Louis-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit on Aug. 9 went further, blocking the administration's debt relief plan in its entirety while that case proceeded. This prompted the administration's emergency filing to the Supreme Court.

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said the Biden administration strongly disagreed with the Eighth Circuit's decision, saying it would force millions of borrowers to pay hundreds of dollars more each month.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican, hailed the Supreme Court's decision on Wednesday. Missouri was the lead plaintiff in the suit.

"This court order is a stark reminder to the Biden-Harris Administration that Congress did not grant them the authority to saddle working Americans with $500 billion in someone elses Ivy League debt," he said. "This is a huge win for every American who still believes in paying their own way."

A separate challenge by another set of Republican-led states to the administration's debt relief program is pending in the Denver-based Tenth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling last year, powered by its six conservative justices, blocked Biden's plan to cancel $430 billion in student loan debt - a move that had been intended to benefit up to 43 million Americans and fulfill a campaign promise.

The conservative justices invoked the "major questions" doctrine, a judicial approach that gives judges broad discretion to invalidate executive agency actions of "vast economic and political significance" unless Congress clearly authorized them in legislation.

(Reporting by John Kruzel;Editing by Chris Reese and Aurora Ellis)
The U.S. surgeon general is calling for a "fundamental shift" in how the mental health and well-being of parents is supported and prioritized.

In a health advisory released Wednesday, Dr. Vivek Murthy, himself a father of two, said parents and caregivers are struggling amid a youth mental health crisis, financial difficulties, social media issues and more.

"Parents typically don't talk about this all the time," Murthy said in an interview that aired Wednesday on "Good Morning America." "They tend to focus on their kids' health and well-being, but there's also this sense of shame and guilt, sometimes around struggling as a parent."

Citing statistics that show parents are consistently more likely to report high levels of stress than other adults, Murthy wrote in the advisory there needs to be a culture shift and an all-hands-on-deck approach to supporting parents from employers, government agencies, health care providers and local communities.

According to the advisory, 48% of parents say most days, their stress is completely overwhelming, compared to 26% of other adults without kids.

"Supporting parents and caregivers will require a series of thoughtful policy changes and expanded community programs that will help ensure parents and caregivers can get time off to be with a sick child, secure affordable child care, access reliable mental health care, and benefit from places and initiatives that support social connection and community," Murthy wrote. "It will also require us to rethink cultural norms around parenting."

He continued, "Part of that will involve shifting how we value parenting. The work of raising a child is work, no less valuable than the work performed in a paid job and of extraordinary value when it comes to the impact on the future of society."

PHOTO: A child and their mom walk in this undated stock photo. (STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images)

According to the advisory, more than 60 million parents in the U.S. live with children under the age of 18.

The U.S. is currently one of seven countries globally that does not have any guaranteed form of universal paid leave, according to a petition to pass paid leave on a federal level in the U.S. that was delivered to all members of Congress in July.

Data released by the U.S. Census Bureau earlier this year found that, on average, families pay between 8% to 19% of their income per child on child care.

Parents say they're struggling with their own mental health amid a growing youth mental health crisis

Kaitlyn Niles, a 34-year-old working mom of two, told "GMA" that she feels the pressure to balance her career and family and to meet the often unattainable standard of parenting set by society.

"There's so much pressure on parents to spend all of this quality time with your kids, like sit on the ground and play pretend with your 4-year-old, you know," Niles said. "And when you think about it logically, it's like, there's no way my mom was able to do that with six kids."

Meanwhile, Eric Martinez, a father of two from Colorado, said he has had to learn new strategies in limiting his kids' access to technology and social media.

"Navigating those conversations can be challenging because it's new. It's new for all of us," he told "GMA." "You know, we didn't share this experience growing up. We didn't have access to this technology when we were 7, 8, 9, 10 years old, so we're kind of figuring this out as we go along."

As new data shows kids in a mental health crisis, parents ask, where is the help?

Murthy stated in this week's advisory that the stressors parents are experiencing have made them vulnerable to the nationwide epidemic of loneliness and isolation.

"It also turns out that parents are struggling with loneliness at a much higher level than other adults, particularly single parents," Murthy said, speaking with "GMA."

In his advisory, Murthy noted that parents and caregivers should remember that it's OK to set healthy boundaries and take time for themselves, which in turn will make them better supports for their family.

In addition, parents and caregivers are encouraged to "nurture connections" with other parents and caregivers and to seek professional mental health support when needed.

If you or someone you know are experiencing suicidal, substance use or other mental health crises, please call or text 988. You will reach a trained crisis counselor for free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also go to 988lifeline.org.

US surgeon general issues advisory on parents' mental health originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
(U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo.)  A cadet squadron at the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) has been renamed in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen, a legendary group of African American airmen who fought in World War II.

The squadron has been renamed Red Tails, in honor of the nickname given to the Tuskegee Airmen due to the distinctive deep red markings on the vertical stabilizers of their aircraft. According to USAFA, the P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang crews earned their fame while protecting American bombers. By the end of the war, Tuskegee Airmen crews had completed more than 1,500 combat missions, destroyed or damaged 400 enemy aircraft and numerous enemy installations.

Cadet Squadron 20 will mark the name change at a renaming ceremony on Sept. 21 at 10 a.m. in Polaris Hall. The squadron, which has called itself Trolls since 1972, also changed their motto to fit the new name: Rise Above.

Rising above has a double meaning for us, said Cadet 1st Class Julian Jackson, a Management major. The Tuskegee Airmen rose above segregation, discrimination and all the roadblocks they faced. But they also rose above the clouds as they fought the Axis powers. Today, we are trying our best to emulate what the Tuskegee Airmen did so well, fighting through adversity and being excellent at what we do.

U.S. Air Force Academy  (U.S. Air Force photo/Trevor Cokley)

U.S. Air Force Academy  (U.S. Air Force photo/Trevor Cokley)

U.S. Air Force Academy  (U.S. Air Force photo/Trevor Cokley)

USAFA said the idea for the name change originated during a lunchtime conversation between then- third-degree cadets Jackson and Jillian Howe and other squadron members during Black History Month in February 2023.

Both cadets were astonished to learn many of their friends didnt know about the Tuskegee Airmens accomplishments and impact on civil rights. USAFA said they went directly to squadron leadership with the idea and sought advice from Cadet Squadron 19, which changed its name back to Starship in 2023.

After Squadron 20 learned Cadet Wing leadership had approved the name change, the cadets spent much of their summer rebranding their dormitory to fit the new name. The squadron received items from Tuskegee Airmen and other organizations, and they expect more to arrive soon. They transferred the squadron meeting area into the Ready Room, complete with memorabilia, a Wall of History, a Wall of Squadrons, and a table that features the names of every Tuskegee Airman.

U.S. Air Force Academy  (U.S. Air Force photo/Trevor Cokley)

U.S. Air Force Academy  (U.S. Air Force photo/Trevor Cokley)

U.S. Air Force Academy  (U.S. Air Force photo/Trevor Cokley)

U.S. Air Force Academy  (U.S. Air Force photo/Trevor Cokley)

U.S. Air Force Academy  (U.S. Air Force photo/Trevor Cokley)

Squadron 20 plans to use the room for squadron staff meetings and formal events.

This name change is about people knowing who the Red Tails were and what they did, Jackson said. What we wanted out of this was for people to understand the story of the Tuskegee Airmen.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY)  In hopes of learning more about the region, the USDAs Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Terry Cosby and his political staff paid a visit to Mountain Harvest Farm in Morgantown on Tuesday.

Cosbys visit, alongside many local farming partners like the WV Department of Agriculture, Conservation Agency and many others, welcomed an open discussion on whats working with West Virginia agriculture and what can take place federally that would help make a difference.

Chief Cosby stated that he hoped to learn more about the regions essentials in farming to help achieve policies to better suit local farmers.

Owners and operators of Mountain Harvest Farm, Chico Ramires (left) and Mary Oldham (right) (WBOY image).

We were able to get urban agriculture into the 2018 farm bill so that farm bill dollars can be used for urban agriculture and the Biden-Harris Administration is really taking this to heart and were really doing a whole lot of things now with urban agriculture. Theres no size limit, you find it where you find it, but were here to help people, said Cosby.

LG NOVA officially expands into West Virginia with Morgantown offices

Urban agriculture has grown significantly in places like Cleveland, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and though its name doesnt make it sound applicable here in West Virginia, there is a benefit to its expansion.

NRCS State Conservationist Jon Bourdon works with plenty of private landowners and local farms firsthand and was along during the tour to help provide insight from his perspective.

West Virginia traditional agriculture looks a lot like urban agriculture, its utilizing a limited amount of acres. It usually doesnt have to do with a lot of livestock. If more opportunities are put to community-scale agriculture in Appalachia, I think we would have opportunities to do even more conservation to establish these local markets. West Virginia has many food deserts throughout the state, and I think the best way to overcome is not to bring more food from outside, its to grow that food within and have places that can support a community, said Bourdon.

You can learn more about the USDAs NRCS by clicking here, and the statewide Natural Resource Conservation Service 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 WBOY.com.
The majority of Utah Republicans say they attend church weekly.

By party self-identification and party registration, Republicans were the only group with a majority saying they attend services weekly, with 57% of self-identified Republicans followed by 35% of independents/other and 16% of Democrats reporting weekly service attendance.

Thats according to a Deseret News/Hinckley Institute survey conducted by HarrisX from Aug. 2-9. The survey asked 800 registered voters how often they attend religious services as well as the importance of religion in their lives.

There are a number of ways to look at the data  statewide numbers or by education or geography  but heres a closer look at how the numbers break down by political registration and self-identification.

Are Republicans or Democrats more religious?

DN-Faithattendance2

Among self-identified conservatives, liberals and moderates, conservatives (63%) were the only group to have a majority say they attended church weekly, followed by moderates at 30% and liberals at 12%. In terms of 2024 vote choice, 51% of Utah voters who say they will cast their ballots for former President Donald Trump attend church weekly as well as 28% of Vice President Kamala Harris voters and 39% of undecided voters.

Looking at data from 2020 voters, 55% of Trump voters and 31% of Biden voters said they attend church weekly. More than half of registered voters (51%) who responded other rather than Trump or Biden attend church weekly. 54% of Biden voters and 29% of Trump voters said they almost never attend church.

When registered Utah voters were asked how important or unimportant religion was in their lives, 83% of Republicans and 49% of Democrats said it was either very or somewhat important to them. 51% of Democrats and 17% of Republicans said religion was somewhat or very unimportant to them.

DN-Faithattend1

By self-identified ideology, 87% of conservatives, 66% of moderates and 32% of liberals said religion was important to them. Only 13% of conservatives said it was unimportant to them. Sixty-eight percent of liberals and 34% of moderates said they considered religion unimportant in their lives.

In terms of 2024 vote choice, 82% of Trump voters and 49% of Harris voters said religion was important to them. Seventy-two percent of undecided voters said the same.

Eighteen percent of Trump voters, 51% of Harris voters and 28% of undecided voters said religion was unimportant in their lives.

So how does this Utah data track with national trends?

Gallup released nationwide data on church attendance by political party in summer 2023. This poll found 40% of Republicans attended church, synagogue, mosque or temple in the past seven days, followed by independents and Democrats both at 25%.

In 2023, 62% of registered voters who attended religious services once a month or more aligned with Republicans, compared with 41% of those who attend services less often, according to Pew Research Center.

By comparison, 34% of registered voters who say they align with Democrats said they attend services monthly or more. Fifty-six percent of respondents who say they lean toward Democrats said they attend services less often.

When Republicans, Democrats and independents were asked by Gallup in July 2023 if they were religious, spiritual, both or neither, 61% of Republicans and 37% of Democrats said they were religious.

Forty-one percent of Democrats and 28% of Republicans responded to the question by saying they were spiritual. Only 8% of Republicans said they were neither spiritual or religious, and 21% of Democrats said the same.

Data scientist Ryan Burge wrote in Religion Unplugged that despite efforts to convince the American public that the religious left is a potent force in American politics, the data just does not support that assertion.

In fact, it shows that Democrats are significantly less religious by any objective measure of the term compared to their Republican counterparts, said Burge. He said Democrats who are religiously affiliated attend church at a lower level than Republicans, even when the so-called nones are removed from the data set.

When Republicans and Democrats have been asked about whether or not religion is important to them, Burge said Republicans have been more likely to say it is important to them. While the gap did narrow a bit in the 2016 data to slightly less than 10 points, it then widened again in the 2020 presidential election year, he wrote.

What about gender and age?

Only one age group of Utah voters had a majority saying they attend church weekly (56%) and it was those 65 and older. Forty-five percent of respondents 18 to 34 said they almost never attend church, while 38% in that group said they attend weekly. This age group was not significantly differently than the 35 to 49 group, which had numbers within the margin of error. About equal groups of those between 50 and 64 said they attended weekly (46%) or never attended (44%).

More men (47%) than women (40%) said they attend services weekly. Latter-day Saint men were more likely to say they were very active (72%) than Latter-day Saint women (61%). Factoring in those who say they are somewhat active, Latter-day Saint men and women are only a couple percentage points apart.

More Utah men saying they attend church weekly than women tracks with an emerging national trend. Pew Research Center published data from the General Social Survey from 1972 to 2012 that showed women consistently attending worship services at least once a week more than men. At one point in 1982, there was a 13-point gap, but over time, the gap has narrowed.

The Survey Center on American Life conducted a poll in 2023 and found Gen Z women disaffiliate more from religion than men do  the reverse was true for older generations. There is survey data that shows more women pray every day and consider religion very important than men do.
Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) on Tuesday ripped special counsel Jack Smith for his superseding indictment against former President Trump, accusing it of being an effort to influence the election.

Vance told reporters he had not read the full document but that it looks like Jack Smith doing more of what he does, which is filing these lawsuits in an effort to influence the election.

The reason the Supreme Court threw out his lawsuit is because they said it implicated the presidents official acts  of course, which the president has immunity in conducting those official acts, he added.

Smith on Tuesday filed the superseding indictment in his election subversion case against Trump. The filing retained the same charges but struck some elements of the case in the wake of the Supreme Courts immunity ruling.

The nations high court ruled last month that presidents have absolute immunity for actions that fall within the core responsibilities of their office and are at least presumptively immune for all other official acts.

The ruling sent the case back to a lower court to reconsider whether Trumps actions on Jan. 6, 2021, merit special protection from criminal prosecution. Smith presented the case to a second grand jury, which had not previously heard the matter. It likewise concluded the charges were warranted against the president.

Vance pointed to the superseding indictments reframing of the alleged pressure campaign against then-Vice President Mike Pence.

And yet, Jack Smith tried to redefine Mike Pence as  from the vice president to the running mate, as if somehow changing those words in an indictment undercuts the fact that Mike Pence is still the sitting vice president, and it still directly implicates the presidents official acts, Vance told reporters.

The superseding indictment states, The Defendant [Trump] tried-but failed-to enlist the Vice President, who was also the Defendants running mate and, by virtue of the Constitution, the President of the Senate who plays a ceremonial role in the January 6 certification proceeding.

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 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 decide 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.

The Ohio Republican said he doesnt believe anything has changed legally, reiterating he thinks it is clearly an effort to try to do more election interference.

He [Jack Smith] should be ashamed of himself and its one of the reasons why we have to win, because he should not be anywhere near power, he said.

The Hill reached out to the Department of Justice for further comment.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) said he felt terrible for the woman involved in a viral clip showing an awkward interaction when he visited a doughnut shop.

I just felt terrible for that woman, Vance said Tuesday on his plane, NBC News reported. We walked in, and theres 20 Secret Service agents, and theres 15 cameras, and she clearly had not been properly warned, and she was terrified, right? I just felt awful for her.

Vance, who was chosen as former President Trumps running mate last month, was referring to an instance last week when he walked into a doughnut shop in Georgia while on the campaign trail for a meet-and-greet. Video footage of his interaction with shop workers as he ordered food quickly became an internet meme.

Im JD Vance, and Im running for vice president, he told the woman behind the counter.

OK, she responded.

Vance then ordered a lot of glazed doughnuts, some sprinkle stuff, cinnamon rolls and whatever makes sense.

The employee told Vance she didnt want to be filmed, and he turned to the camera crews to tell them to cut her out of any clips.

The Harris-Walz campaign and users online had a field day with the clip, fueling their past messaging of calling Vance weird.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) was the one who branded Vance, Trump and other Republicans as weird. His political star rose rapidly, and Democrats have sought to use the label as a new way of describing their competition.

Vance said he enjoys talking to people and the campaign wants to make sure it is doing it across the country.

I like to get out there and talk to people, and we want to make sure were doing it, but definitely make sure that people are at least OK with being on camera, or were going to walk in and youre going to have a person who has, practically, a panic attack because shes got 15 cameras in her face, Vance said.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Colorado Springs is forecast for morning sun and afternoon clouds Wednesday, with highs possibly reaching the 90s across the plains, according to the National Weather Service in Pueblo.

"Dry, downslope winds will bring the heat east of the mountains, with Wednesday's highs expected to climb into the upper 80s and 90s on the Plains," Meteorologist Alan Rose with Gazette news partner KOAA said.

"Moisture concentrated over the Four Corners region will stream northward into Colorado today, with our skies turning partly cloudy this afternoon. If we do manage to see any showers or thunderstorms this afternoon, they would most likely form over and near the higher terrain."

Expect increasing clouds throughout the day and a high of 87 degrees. Winds from the north are expected to roll through the area between 5 and 10 mph.

Looking ahead to Wednesday night, there's a 10% chance of showers and thunderstorms in the forecast, mainly before 7 p.m. Expect mostly cloudy skies and a low of 64 degrees.

A cold front moving into the region overnight Wednesday is anticipated to bring cooler temperatures Thursday and linger into early Friday.

"A cold front early Thursday morning will cool our high in Colorado Springs back down to the lower 80s. It will be breezy to gusty Thursday morning behind the front, with peak gusts up around 25 mph. While we're not expecting any rain here in the Pikes Peak Region on Thursday, showers and scattered thunderstorms will be possible on the eastern Plains tomorrow afternoon," Rose said.

"Friday's temperatures will be even cooler, with a comfortable 80 degrees on tap for Colorado Springs. Dry skies will greet us for the start of the holiday weekend, with mid 80s Saturday and lower 80s both Sunday and Monday. A few showers will be possible throughout the weekend in the mountains, with a slight chance of an afternoon shower in Colorado Springs on Sunday."

Featured Local Savings

Here's the 4-day forecast from the National Weather Service

Thursday: Expect partly sunny skies and a high of 82 degrees.

Friday: Sunny skies are in the forecast and a high near 80 degrees.

Saturday: Expect mostly sunny skies and a high of 85 degrees.

Sunday: There's a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Expect mostly sunny skies and a high of 79 degrees.
Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance will speak at the International Association of Firefighters Convention in Boston on Thursday, according to a Vance spokesperson.

The Ohio senator will speak to the firefighters union, one of the largest in the country, in the afternoon  a little more than 24 hours after his counterpart, Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz, spoke at the same convention. Vance's planned appearance was also reported by WBUR.

Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.), a former paramedic firefighter and the only firefighter elected to Congress, will introduce Vance at Thursday's rally, said a person familiar with the plans.



The Minnesota governor made a working-class appeal to the group: "We know exactly who built this country. It's people like the folks in this room: firefighters, police officers, construction trades, teachers and nurses and veterans," he said during his remarks on Wednesday.

Both parties are vying for the endorsement of the group, underscoring the scramble to earn union support in the 2024 election. Teamsters President Sean O'Brien spoke at the Republican National Convention last month, while United Auto Workers Association President Shawn Fain spoke at the Democratic National Convention last week.
Sure, the trip is only 11 minutes, and yes, the rocket-capsule will barely cross the 68-mile-high line into space.

The space tourism flight is suborbital and sub-optimal in a way for a Vanderbilt University cardiologist who has spent a lifetime dreaming of  and, lately, training for  walking on the moon. Or orbiting Earth in the International Space Station, anyway.

But when the Jeff Bezos-owned Blue Origin flight lifts off from West Texas at 8 a.m. Thursday  if weather and other conditions allow, of course  Nashville Dr. Eiman Jahangir will be thrilled to be on it.

First Iranian-American in space. First Nashvillian in space (though Mt. Juliet high school grad Barry "Butch" Wilmore and fellow NASA astronaut Sunita Williams are currently stuck on the International Space Station until next year after their Boeing Starliner spacecraft developed problems on the flight that took them there in June).

"I see the Blue Origin flight as an opportunity to do something amazing," Jahangir told The Tennessean last week.

Dr. Eiman Jahangir poses for a portrait at the Adventure Science Center in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. Jahangir, an associate professor of Medicine and director of Cardio-Oncology at Vanderbilt, will go to space onthe Blue Origin rocket, New Shepard, after receiving a slot in a contest.

"There are still only about 700 people whove gone into space," he said. "And itll give me real world understanding of what this feels like."

Jahangir, 44, said his space dreams are rooted in danger: He spent his first years in war-torn Iran, looking up into the sky for rockets as his family hustled to safety in a basement after air raid sirens went off in capital of Tehran.

'First realization that things could fly'

The little boy, though, wasn't scared.

He was fascinated.

"That was my first realization that things could fly in the sky," he said.

His family  including brother Alex, now also a Vanderbilt physician, who served as Nashville's COVID czar during the pandemic  moved to Nashville when Jahangir was 4.

His first trip to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in nearby Huntsville, Alabama, came only two years later. Little Eiman Jahangir stood under the giant rocket there, staring in awe, thinking repeatedly  wow, this thing goes to the moon?

"I always thought of putting my feet on the moon," he said. "I wanted to touch that surface."

Those dreams grew as Jahangir started visiting, then volunteering at, then working for Nashville's Adventure Science Center, which regularly had displays about space travel. But science-loving Jahangir's more practical side, and a push from his parents, steered him into pursuing a career in medicine.

Dr. Eiman Jahangir poses for a portrait at the Adventure Science Center in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. Jahangir, an associate professor of Medicine and director of Cardio-Oncology at Vanderbilt, will go to space onthe Blue Origin rocket, New Shepard, after receiving a slot in a contest.

His grandfather's stroke pushed him into cardiology. "I saw it devastate his life.... and I wanted to be a part of the solution," he said.

Still, space was Jahangir's first passion, and that was reignited when he visited the Kennedy Space Center in Florida after he graduated from medical school.

"I want to feel that force that allows you to leave gravity," he said.

He did a search online: What are the qualifications needed to become an astronaut? Turns out being a physician gets you pretty far along in the process.

He started applying in 2008, telling friends and family he just wanted to get it out of his system. Funny thing, though  NASA chose him to do a second application. And then a weeklong round of interviews and tests at Johnson Space Center in Houston, where Jahangir met real astronauts.

And then a finalist round interview.

And then .... Well ....

'It was fueling the fire'

He got a call in 2009 saying he didn't make it, but that he should apply again.

"I was so close," he said, wistully adding, "It was fueling the fire; you can almost touch the sky."

He applied again in 2012. He made the final round again. He got rejected again.

The next three times Jahangir applied, he didn't even get to the second application. But Jahangir didn't give up hope.

Dr. Eiman Jahangir poses for a portrait at the Adventure Science Center in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. Jahangir, an associate professor of Medicine and director of Cardio-Oncology at Vanderbilt, will go to space onthe Blue Origin rocket, New Shepard, after receiving a slot in a contest.

He started sending research proposals to the private space companies that were springing up. He joined an online space community, MOONDao, that crowdfunded two spots on the Jeff Bezos Blue Origin space tourism flights.

And for that second flight  the one launching this week  Jahangir won. Kind of by default.

He was the fourth person picked for this week's flight. And then, one by one, the three people in line before him dropped out, for various reasons.

On a Monday afternoon, he got a text from the MOONDao guys to be on a call the next day. The call went something like, "You're going to space!"

Jahangir jumped up and down at his clinic at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and then called his wife, and they jumped up and down together. Then he went to tell his brother who was working on the floor below, and they jumped up and down together.

"I'm ecstatic!" Jahangir said. "I couldn't believe it!"

He'll be on a reusable New Shepard rocket-capsule, and the expected 8 a.m. Thursday launch will stream live on the Blue Origin website, starting at 7:20 a.m. Jahangir will be one of six people on board. The others include a university professor, three rich entrepreneurs and a college student, 21-year-old Karsen Kitchen, a senior at the University of North Carolina.

Jahangir will be wearing portable health data collection devices so Vanderbilt researchers might look at how space affects the immune system, genetic expression and genetic mutations in blood stem cells.

But he mostly will be concentrating on being in the moment and staring out the capsule's oversized windows.

"We're in the beginning of the new space age," he said. "I'm not scared. I couldn't be more excited."

Reach Brad Schmitt at brad@tennessean.com or 615-259-8384.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Blue Origin: Nashville doctor wins space sweepstakes for flight
Vape retailers move to reinstate their legal challenge of 2024 Kentucky law

The Kentucky legislature outlawed the sale of some vaping products, effective Jan. 1, 2025. (Getty Images)

Kentucky vape retailers plan to appeal the dismissal of their challenge to a 2024 state ban on selling some vaping roducts.

A Franklin Circuit judge in late July dismissed their lawsuit challenging the 2024 law.

Greg Troutman with the Kentucky Smoke Free Association, which represents vape retailers, filed a notice of appeal Tuesday with the Kentucky Court of Appeals.

Troutman, on behalf of the retailers, had sued Allyson Taylor, commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and Secretary of State Michael Adams, arguing the new law did not pass constitutional muster.

In a July 29 opinion, Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate disagreed. He dismissed the challenge, saying the law did not violate the state Constitution.

House Bill 11, which passed during the 2024 legislative session, goes into effect Jan. 1. Backers of the legislation said its a way to curb underage vaping by limiting sales to authorized products or those that have a safe harbor certification based on their status with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Opponents have said it will hurt small businesses, lead to a monopoly for big retailers and could drive youth to traditional cigarettes.

Altria, the parent company of tobacco giant Phillip Morris, lobbied for the Kentucky bill, according to Legislative Ethics Commission records. Based in Richmond, Virginia, the company is pushing similar bills in other states. Altria, which has moved aggressively into e-cigarette sales, markets multiple vaping products that have FDA approval.
People in Daytona Beach are concerned about a homeless population in Breakers Park near the Main Street Pier.

Businesses and residents told Channel 9 that in recent weeks, they have witnessed several incidents of indecent exposure that happened there.

They showed us photos of people with their pants down and going to the bathroom in the middle of the park.

Other photos showed people with no clothes, digging through trash cans.

William Kinsella from the Daytona Slingshot has dealt with these issues for a while.

Read: Daytona Beach offers $50K incentives to businesses to boost redevelopment

He said that often, the people from the park come onto his property.

We even had a lady come onto our site the other day and ask some of our customers if they needed to buy drugs, Kinsella said.

The city has a long list of rules for the park posted that prohibit smoking, drinking alcohol, camping and loitering.

While Channel 9 was there, police showed up and their presence seemed to help.

Read: We are back!: Popular Daytona Beach Shores restaurant reopens nearly 2 years after Hurricane Ian

But as soon as they left, the groups came right back.

Kinsella appreciates their support but said he isnt sure what the long-term solution is.

These customers have to get to my place in the first place, and the fact that they have to run through a gauntlet of homeless people -- well, its not good, he said.

Channel 9 spoke with Katherine Bernard, who is currently homeless.

She said that she doesnt agree with what she has seen happening in the park. But she said that once youre in the situation, its not easy to get out.

Some of the homeless people are scum. Bad, bad people. Not all of us are on drugs. Not all of us have a stealing problem. But they shun us out. Once they know youre homeless, they dont what to help you, Bernard said.

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Around 300 filmmakers have signed an open letter opposing two Israeli films set to screen at the Venice Film Festival.

The protest by filmmakers and artists amid the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict is aimed at Dani Rosenbergs Hebrew-language film Al Klavim Veanashim (Of Dogs and Men), which is set against the backdrop of the Oct. 7 terror attacks in southern Israel, and Amos Gitais Why War. The latter stars Irene Jacob, Mathieu Amalric, Micha Lescot and Jerome Kircher and is set for a world premiere on Aug. 31 out of competition.

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Of Dogs and Men, shot in the midst of Israels ongoing attacks on Gaza, whitewashes the genocide. Like Of Dogs and Men, Why War was created by complicit Israeli production companies that contribute to apartheid, occupation and now genocide through their silence or active participation in artwashing, the letter, published by Artists for Palestine Italia, states.

The artists are represented by a number of Palestinian filmmakers and actors, including Oscar-nominated Hany Abu-Assad, Rosalind Nashashibi, Raed Andoni and Saleh Bakri. Other signatories include filmmakers Enrico Parenti and Alessandra Ferrini; actors Niccolo Senni, Simona Cavallari, Chiara Baschetti and Paola Michelini; and screenwriter and David di Donatello nominee Davide Serino.

Tony Award nominee Kathleen Chalfant, Neo Sora, director of Happyend, and filmmakers Saul Williams, Brett Story and Monica Maurer, as well as composer Nitin Sawhney also signed the letter, which claims Venice has remained silent about Israels atrocities against the Palestinian people. This silence outrages us deeply.

Read the full open letter below.

No Artwashing at 81 Mostra Del Cinema di Venezia

We, the undersigned artists, filmmakers and cultural workers, reject complicity with the Israeli regime of apartheid and oppose the artwashing of its Gaza genocide against Palestinians at the 81st Film Festival in Venice. Two films screening at the FestivalOf Dogs and Men and Why Warwere created by Israeli production companies that are complicit in whitewashing Israels oppression against Palestinians.

The worlds highest court, the International Court of Justice, has declared that Israel is plausibly perpetrating genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza and that its regime of apartheid and military occupation is unlawful. The International Criminal Court Prosecutor has applied to the court for arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, on charges of extermination and deliberately starving the civilian population and causing the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent people.

Of Dogs and Men, shot in the midst of Israels ongoing attacks on Gaza, whitewashes the genocide. Like Of Dogs and Men, Why War was created by complicit Israeli production companies that contribute to apartheid, occupation and now genocide through their silence or active participation in artwashing. Palestinian society, including the absolute majority of filmmakers, has called for refusing to screen such productions.

The Venice Film Festival has remained silent about Israels atrocities against the Palestinian people. This silence outrages us deeply. As art and film workers around the world, we call for effective and ethical measures to hold apartheid Israel to account for its crimes and system of colonial oppression against Palestinians.

We say that it is unacceptable that films made by production companies complicit in a regime engaged in continuous atrocities against the Palestinian people should be shown in Venice. The film festival should not programme productions complicit in apartheid crimes, ethnic cleansing and genocide, regardless who perpetrates them, and should refrain from doing so in the future.

Artwashing Israels genocide in Gaza on the international cultural stage, including film festivals, is profoundly immoral.

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Venice Days, an independent sidebar of the Venice Film Festival, has suspended screenings of Georgian filmmaker Rusudan Glurjidzes second feature film Antikvariati (The Antique).

The sidebars organizers have canceled the press and industry screening scheduled for Aug. 28, and the public screenings have been removed from the schedule.

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The move follows an emergency decree by the Court of Venice obtained by three production companies  Viva Film in Russia, Avantura Film in Croatia, and Pygmalion in Cyprus  over a copyright dispute regarding the films script, according to a statement issued by Venice Days.

In its statement, Venice Days  also known as Giornate degli Autori  said: We believe, in the very spirit of Giornate degli Autori, that our chief duty, shared with the Italian filmmakers associations that promote our showcase, is the defense of copyright, hence the defense of the filmmaker Rusudan Glurjidze, present in Venice. We also feel that the decision of the judge at the Court of Venice must be taken into serious consideration, pending further developments.

That said, we will do whatever is in our power, in observance of the law as well as the freedom of expression of the filmmaker, to support the existence of the work itself and its visibility in Venice over the coming days.

It remains unclear what that visibility might mean in any practical sense.

Set around 18 years ago in Russia, The Antique touches on the deportation of thousands of Georgians from the country at the time. Sources close to the film told Variety that there may have been a desire by the Russian government to sideline the film because of its subject-matter.

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Vermont makes $12 million available to businesses damaged by 2023 and 2024 floods

Montpelier, Vt.  Vermont businesses that suffered storm and flood damage the past two summers can begin applying this week for a piece of $12 million in emergency assistance from the state.

The Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program helps businesses, farms, and nonprofits that sustained physical damage from the 2023 and 2024 flooding events. The program has earmarked $7 million for damages suffered this year, and $5 million for the ongoing recovery from the 2023 floods.

The application window for assistance opens at 8 a.m. Thursday, the Vermont Department of Economic Development said.

BEGAP has been an important lifeline for our businesses who often are not eligible for federal disaster grants, said Gov. Phil. Scott. Im pleased we are restarting this program to help more employers receive the necessary support to rebuild, reopen, and bring people back to work.

Department of Economic Development Commissioner Joan Goldstein said her department has been working diligently to relaunch the program.

While we know this funding wont make them whole, we are hopeful that it will provide a crucial step towards recovery, she said.

Check out the Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program webpage to learn more. Individuals can also get help from the Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation through their support request form.

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Montpelier, VT.  Vermont State University trustees have unanimously agreed to extend the contract of Interim President David Bergh through June 2026.

Bergh, a former VSC student, has served as interim president since November 2023, when assumed the role when then-Interim President Mike Smiths contract.

This has been the hardest and most rewarding year of my professional career and there is so much more work to be done, Bergh said. I am so grateful to our students who inspire me with their wisdom and work ethic, and I appreciate and value our staff and faculty who are changing the lives of our students and helping to power our states economy.

Chancellor Elizabeth Mauch said Bergh has done a fantastic job and that the school is thrilled to have Daves continued leadership in the future.

Our focus across the system has been to empower every Vermonter with transformative, high-quality education that transcends financial and geographic barriers. VTSU is stabilizing and preparing to realize much more of its potential, she said. Im confident in the path forward.

Board of Trustees Chair Lynn Dickinson called Berghs leadership tireless and steady as VSC begins its second year.

The entire Vermont State Colleges System has been through a tremendous period of transformation and now is the right time to look to what the future can be, Dickinson said. Dave will be instrumental in helping to shape that future and we appreciate his ongoing efforts.

Bergh said his goals for the school include creating collaboration opportunities across campuses and enhancing integration of online and alternate student involvement.



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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  Two Sioux City veterans served in the Vietnam War with the National Guard, but their long friendship didnt blossom until after they returned home.

Jim Foix was stationed as a security officer during his service.

Veterans Voices: Serving his country during retirement

I was stationed in CARAT Thailand my first session, and then I got transferred down to the security police in U-Tapao where the B-52s came out, Foix said. CARAT had F-4s at the time, and then I went down to CARAT where the B-52s flew out, and at one point if I remember right, I think I seen 30, 35 of them take off one right after another going to Vietnam to do their bombing missions.

Sergeant Gary Carlson was stationed in Vietnam.

I refueled aircraft, Carlson said. I was with the 185th, they got activated over the Pueblo incident and then we went over to the Phu Cat Air Base in Vietnam in May of 1968, was there for a year with the unit.

While Foix and Carlson did not meet during the Vietnam War, they worked together at the U.S. Postal Service.

I started working at the post office as a letter carrier, and then Jim, of course, he was a clerk at the post office, so we got to know each other back then, Carlson said. And then our friendship has grown quite a bit since then.

While Carlson started as a letter carrier before his duty in Vietnam, Foix began his employment after the war, when he lost his arm.

Veterans Voices: Navy veteran recalls working in submarine during Vietnam War

I just looked around and looked around, Foix said. Finally, I got a job at the fire department for a while doing alarm work in the alarm board sending fire trucks out within the city of Sioux City, and then eventually I got married, and then I needed a little better job and I applied for the post office.

The two worked together for 23 years but have maintained their friendship for more than 30 years.

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A man was arrested Tuesday afternoon after threatening a group of people with a deadly weapon near the Colombian Elementary School in Pueblo, according to the Pueblo Police Department.

Police said at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday the department received reports of suspicious activity near the 1200 block of Palmer Avenue.

According to the department announcement, officers on the scene attempted to make contact with the suspect, 30-year-old Samuel Mares, who was allegedly, "menacing parties in the area with a deadly weapon."

Police said Mares refused to comply with law enforcement when asked to leave the residence and a standoff ensued.

After "several hours" police secured an arrest warrant for Mares and a search warrant for the home.

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"Due to the proximity to Colombian Elementary, parents/guardians were notified the school was placed on a secured perimeter and students were able to be safely released at dismissal," police said.

Pueblo Police alongside the department SWAT team, crisis negotiators and drone units arrived on the scene to help manage the active scene.

Police said after multiple attempts, Mares eventually surrendered and was taken into custody without further incident.

According to the department, Mares is facing charges of felony menacing, third-degree assault and criminal mischief.
PINE BLUFF, Ark.  A documentary posted to YouTube has residents of Pine Bluff watching and talking about the challenges the city faces with abandoned homes.

The documentary titled $400 Abandoned Homes in Pine Bluff! The City Left Behind has nearly 1.5 million views since being posted on Aug. 9.

Pine Bluff police officials credit bus driver with saving officers life after crash

Lifelong Pine Bluff resident Joni Robinson was interviewed in the documentary to help explain the character of the city. She said she believes the video was not only a chance for the artist but also the community.

Even in Pine Bluffs devastation, its still an opportunity for a filmmaker, and it has also given this city an opportunity to shed a light on whats going on here, Robinson explained.

Filmmaker Michael Schwarz says he hopes his documentary will provoke change in the city.

At the end of the day, I hope the city sees this as a platform to ask for help, he told KARK 4 News.

Historic church in Pine Bluff destroyed by fire

Schwarz added that while the first episode of the documentary unfolds many truths to the citys decline, there is more to the story.

To be perfectly blunt, there are going to be some more things said about Pine Bluff, he said. There are a lot of opinions. People have stories.

The documentarian said he wants to explore the citys history and restore it through truth. Robinson agrees the documentary can provoke change.

I feel like it has the potential to provide change because it is grounded in truth, Robinson said.

Pine Bluff joins in on National Night Out, working to find ways to end violence in the community

City leaders say efforts have already been underway to address many of the challenges mentioned in the documentary.

In a statement, Mayor Shirley Washington noted that the videos focus, abandoned homes, is a known and pressing issue for the city that officials are addressing through multiple efforts.

While the documentary brings attention to a serious problem, it also serves as a call to action for our community to come together to tackle these challenges, Washington said. We are dedicated to revitalizing our neighborhoods and ensuring that Pine Bluff remains a safe and thriving place to live.

Pine Bluff partners with out-of-state company to form economic development plan

The citys statement went on to describe some of the initiatives that have been already implemented, including the Pine Bluff Green Sweep, demolition & rehabilitation projects and community partnerships.

Pine Bluff is a city rich in history and culture, located in the heart of Arkansas, Washington noted. With a commitment to economic growth and community development, Pine Bluff is working to create a vibrant future for all its residents.

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If you're looking for eco-friendly spirits, then Aspen Vodka may be the brand for you. In a press release, the distillery announced an incredible milestone: a LEEDv4 BD+C Platinum certification.

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a rating system created by the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council.

It's designed to help buildings and facilities meet six goals, according to the website: "Reduce contribution to global climate change, enhance individual human health, protect and restore water resources, protect and enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services, promote sustainable and regenerative material cycles, and enhance community quality of life."

To do that, the LEED rating system encompasses a wide range of building features, including insulation, energy efficiency, water use, and how much a building contributes to air pollution. Platinum is the highest level of certification achievable.

That makes it even more remarkable that Aspen Vodka is the first LEEDv4 Platinum-certified distillery in the world. It's one of three U.S. distilleries with any LEED certification at all and one of three buildings of all kinds in Colorado with a Platinum certification, according to the company's press release.

"We are incredibly proud to lead the industry with our ambitious and innovative environmental practices," founder Matthew Patel said. "Producing a luxury vodka with unrivaled quality, at the world's cleanest distillery sets a new benchmark for sustainability. Our LEEDv4 BD+C Platinum certification is a testament to our commitment to excellence in both quality and environmental stewardship, and we hope to inspire our industry peers to elevate their sustainability efforts."

Aspen Vodka reached this benchmark by creating a distillery where every element works together toward sustainability goals. Through onsite and offsite solar power, the facility generates more clean energy than it uses, per the press release. It treats its own wastewater so it can be returned to the Roaring Fork River cleaner than when it was taken out. Even the land around the distillery has been cleaned up and rehabilitated after its former use as a lumber yard, making the entire project a net positive for the environment.

"LEED certification is the ultimate recognition of global green building leadership, signaling that a space has undergone rigorous third-party verification and meets the highest green building standards," said Peter Templeton, president and CEO of USGBC.

That puts Aspen Vodka at the head of the pack in eco-friendly vodka.

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Wait...Did the Author of White Fragility Plagiarize People of Color In Her Doctoral Thesis??

Screenshot: YouTube

Author Robin DiAngelos 2018 book White Fragility: Why Its So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism became a New York Times bestseller shortly after its release and saw a renewed buzz a couple years later amid the George Floyd protests. She has since enjoyed a career as a diversity consultant who encourages white people to confront their inherit racial biases.

But, according to a recent complaint filed with the University of Washington, DiAngelo plagiarized minorities in her 2004 doctorate thesis. According to the Washington Free Beacon, DiAngelos 2004 dissertation entitled Whiteness in Racial Dialogue: A Discourse Analysis allegedly contains two paragraphs that were stolen from Asian-American professor Thomas Nakayama and his coauthor Robert Krizek.

The Free Beacon notesthat there was never any proper attribution crediting Nakayama and Krizek in DiAngelos work. DiAngelo was also accused of also plagiarizing another Asian-American professor, Stacey Lee.

Image: Washington Free Beacon

An image from the Washington Free Beacon shows how DiAngelo apparently wrote Lees summary of scholar David Theo Goldbergs work nearly verbatim. In total, there were 20 examples of DiAngelos alleged plagiarism cited in the complaint.

It is never appropriate to use the secondary source without acknowledging it, and even worse to present it as ones own words, Peter Wood, a former Boston University and president of the National Association of Scholars, told the Free Beacon. Thats plagiarism.

Ironically, DiAngelos website contains an accountability statement in which she insists that the work of people of color must always be cited if they have informed your thinking.

The statement emphasizes the importance of white people crediting marginalized groups when they use one of their phrases or ideas.

Last year, the Free Beacon also infamously reported on numerous plagiarism claims against former Harvard President Claudine Gay, who ultimately resigned in January.

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I want my $600 back: Homeowner in NYC fined for reporting rats, sparking outrage

I want my $600 back: Homeowner in NYC fined for reporting rats, sparking outrage

NEW YORK (PIX11)  Rats are a big problem in New York City.

Thats why the city wants you to report them if you see them. But one homeowner in Maspeth said she regrets doing just that.

Esther DAlia, 91, has lived in her house in Maspeth for over 65 years.

After noticing rats burrowing in her yard last summer, she called 311 to report them.

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To her surprise, she received two $300 summonses. But DAlia said it was the citys problem.

She believes the rats are coming from holes in the concrete near her homeholes created by growing roots from this city tree.

I appealed it, and they declined the appeal, so I feel why cant I get that 600 back? I did pay two different exterminators I didnt just let things go by, she said.

Councilmember Robert Holden agreed. He said homeowners like DAlia should not be penalized for reporting sightings, especially if the rats come from holes on public land.

The city, to add insult to injury, is ticketing the homeowner or the person who complained, but its not even their land. This is so ridiculous, Holden said.

Holden has written to the health commissioner and the rat czar, asking them to reevaluate how the city handles rat complaints.

He said fining residents, even if the rats are on their property, will only deter people from reporting them.

Theyre not trying to educate. Theyre trying to punish, Holden said. People will say, why should I complain? Then theyll come after me.

DAlia is grateful for Holdens support. Last month, the city fixed the sidewalk near her home at his offices request.

NYC wants you to join the war on rats

But shes still out $1,600 between the summonses and exterminator fees.

I want my $600 back and I want the city to pay more attention to the people when they say its not their fault. Its the tree. The tree was here before I came. Ive been here since 1958, she said.

DAlias appeal decision said the summonses were valid because her mitigation measures were implemented after they were issued.

In a statement, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said:

When it comes to fighting rats, New Yorkers are our best partner-in-arms. And we work collaboratively with community members to fix conditions that lead to increased rats. That includes working with property owners through our Rat Academy, recruiting everyday residents to join the Rat Pack or issuing orders to correct conditions before they lead to violations.



New Yorkers deserve to live in rat-free neighborhoods and our goal is develop partnerships with residents. Well review the letter and happily discuss with the Councilmember ways to work together. NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene spokesperson

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Fair Haven, VT.  A 53-year-old Vermont man was arrested Friday night after police learned he was wanted.

Arthur Stone Jr of Fair Haven was located by police on This-A Way Avenue. Stone was arrested based on the warrant from a Rutland District Court judge, stating that he failed to appear in court last month for cocaine possession charges.

Stone was held at the Marble Valley Correctional center, and there is no current date set for a court appearance.

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WARREN, Ohio (WKBN)  The Mahoning Valley is experiencing a heat wave this week, but the temperatures inside the Warren Family Mission are even hotter.

The organizations building on Tod Avenue in Warren lacks air conditioning. It relies on fans and open windows for cool air.

The mission hopes to install air conditioning at the facility  that way, it could serve as a cooling location for the most vulnerable and provide a better working environment for staff and volunteers.

However, quotes for the buildings air conditioning have come in at about $155,000.

The mission is relying on donations to help with operation cool down.

I think one of the goals is just to get the need out to the community and let the community do what theyre good at by responding to the needs, which weve seen time and time again  that they come through for us. So, were just praying and seeking Gods help for a miracle for this air conditioning unit, said Dominic Mararri, of the Warren Family Mission.

Donations can be made on the Warren Family Missions website or mailed to the facility at 155 Tod NW Avenue in Warren. Donors should specify it is for air conditioning.

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**Watch a previous report on Mayor Brad Sellers above.**

WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, Ohio (WJW)  The FOX 8 I-Team has learned that Warrensville Heights Mayor Brad Sellers has been charged.

According to the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court docket, Sellers was charged Tuesday on charges of tampering with records and petty theft. The docket states that the offenses happened on July 3, 2018.

Sellers is scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 18.

New video: Deputies investigate after handcuffed child attacked by family dog

We reached out to Sellers to discuss the matter but have not yet heard back.

The case was handled by a special prosecutor from Summit County.

Cuyahoga County prosecutors did ask the Ohio Ethics Commission to review Sellers conduct.

The I-Team has previously reported Sellers had signed a document giving himself a property tax break in Warrensville. That tax break caught the eye of investigators.

Back in January 2022, we asked Sellers directly about giving himself a tax break and asking if that was a conflict of interest.

At that time, Sellers responded by saying, no, thats where youre mistaken on this point. Let me tell you why. The document comes straight out of the law department. If they thought there was an issue, they would not have let me sign.

Man wanted in Cleveland Metroparks shooting arrested in St. Louis

Back in 2018, the I-Team also revealed Sellers had fallen behind on paying his taxes.

In January 2022, we revealed it had happened again.

Then, in July 2022, a spokesperson for Cuyahoga County told us Sellers had just paid a whopping tax bill clearing up his back taxes. The county said Sellers caught up by paying $16,000.

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Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), former President Trumps running mate, will speak Wednesday afternoon from a shipping and warehousing company in Erie, Pa.

This will be Vances first visit as the Republican vice presidential nominee to the city on the Keystone States northwest shore. But with a large and politically divided population, the commonwealth as a whole is receiving substantial, ongoing attention from both campaigns.

The campaign stop also comes as Trump and his Democratic rival Vice President Harris are neck and neck in the battleground state. The Hill/Decision Desk HQs aggregate polling index currently has the vice president in the lead with 48.2 percent support compared to Trumps 47.1 percent.

Watch the video replay above.

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Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance (Ohio) appeared Wednesday evening in Wisconsin to promote the Trump campaigns policies for the economy and energy.

Vances Wisconsin visit takes the Ohio senator to building materials manufacturer Amerilux International. It will be his second stop at an infrastructure company in a swing state today, following close on a midafternoon appearance at Hardinger Logistics in Erie, Pa.

Former President Trump and running mate Vance have in recent weeks made the case that the Biden administration has done a poor job of steering the economy back on track  a point with which the Harris campaign emphatically disagrees.

In the Badger State, Vice President Harris is leading the former president by 3 percentage points  49.3 percent to 46.3 percent  according to The Hill/Decision Desk HQs polling index.

Watch the live video above.

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The National Jewish Advocacy Center and attorneys representing Jewish students at Colorado College have filed a federal complaint against the school.

The complaint filed Friday alleges that the college administration did nothing to address increased antisemitic harassment and discrimination on campus after the start of the Israel-Hamas war last year.

The complaint goes on to say that CCs Jewish students civil rights were violated, because of pro-Palestinian events and demonstrations that occurred last year created a hostile environment that was never addressed by administrators, despite repeated requests that action be taken.

Colorado College must be held accountable for antisemitic acts that are occurring on campus and by staff, said Jason Torchinsky from Holtzman Vogel in a news release.

This directly violates the fundamental rights of individuals, and our legal action reaffirms Holtzman Vogels commitment to ensuring every person, regardless of background, can learn in an environment free from discrimination.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 601 specifies that no U.S. citizen on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.

The program, in this case, is the education provided by CC since it receives federal funding. The complaint is requesting that the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights initiate an investigation into the school.

Instances of discrimination mentioned in the complaint include genocidal chants; antisemitic slurs ... and a general atmosphere of palpable hatred directed at Jews and Israelis.

Last year, after the Oct. 7 Hamas assault on Israel, multiple pro-Palestinian demonstrations occurred on campus throughout the school year. A pro-Palestinian encampment was also built on CCs Tava Quad in the days leading up to graduation.

The complaint alleges that these demonstrations were effectively pro-Hamas and antisemitic, and that school leadership did nothing to address them after concerns were raised by multiple Jewish students and parents.

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It goes on to allege that acts of solidarity for Israel by Jewish students didnt receive the same consideration or approval process as the pro-Palestinian demonstrations and that the school failed to prioritize filling its coordinator of Jewish life vacancy after Oct. 7.

CCs official policy on freedom of expression states that students, staff and faculty can participate in protests and demonstrations as long as they dont disrupt college business or activities, endanger others or engage in illegal activity.

Colorado College released a statement Tuesday, saying it wont comment on pending legal matters and specific allegations before stressing in the strongest possible terms that we condemn antisemitism and all forms of discrimination and harassment.

Along with addressing the past instances mentioned in the complaint, the complaint requests that the college develop an antisemitism taskforce, review its existing policies and procedures to comply with Title VI, and ensure that they sanction anyone who doesnt comply with these new measures.

Schools that take federal funding have an affirmative obligation to maintain a discrimination-free environment, National Jewish Advocacy Center CEO and Director Mark Goldfeder said in the release.

Colorado College has repeatedly failed to protect its Jewish community, and, even when they were warned, the administration displayed a painful degree of deliberate indifference. We hope that this complaint will help them find their way, if not to contrition, then at least to compliance.

Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, National Jewish Advocacy Center and Holtzman Vogel have filed multiple lawsuits representing Jewish individuals against pro-Palestinian organizations.

The full complaint can be read below:
Governor Phil Scott and state officials are in Berlin to brief the media and the public on the states ongoing response to flooding in Vermont

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Watch: Walz gives remarks at firefighters convention in Boston

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz addressed members of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Wednesday at their convention in Boston.

The union reports that it represents some 350,000 firefighters and emergency workers in 85 percent of U.S. and Canadian communities.

Walz, Minnesotas governor, is coming off the Democratic convention where he impressed his party with a dynamic speech.

Vice President Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, has been riding a wave of strong poll results since the convention. The support of major unions like the IAFF could prove vital, even as Republicans work to rein it in.

Watch the video replay above.

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The Biden administration pushed ahead with the construction of a humanitarian aid pier off the coast of Gaza despite internal warnings that such an effort would face serious challenges, a government watchdog report said.

The Tuesday report from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of Inspector General (OIG) said discussions before the pier mission was announced cast doubt on the efficiency of deploying a large-scale maritime corridor from scratch to get aid into Gaza.

A Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance official interviewed for the report said USAID staff advocated for land routes instead of a pier system, which would face logistical and technical challenges. They also raised concern that a pier mission would distract from getting aid in through land routes, according to the report.

President Biden announced the pier during his State of the Union speech in March, making the commitment as humanitarian aid into Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war was falling far below what was needed. Palestinians in Gaza are still struggling to access basic necessities like food, water and medicine, the United Nations says.

After the pier was announced, U.S. officials pivoted to ensuring it could work, the OIG report said. But the World Food Programme (WFP) also expressed concern and asked for certain requirements, including locating the pier in northern Gaza to facilitate transfers along a certain route, establishing security for the mission and ensuring humanitarian aid would continue to enter the territory through land routes.

The U.S. instead put the pier in central Gaza, which was closer to Palestinians in need, and did not find a country that could provide security after Israel declined, citing the need for neutrality for humanitarian aid missions, the OIG said.

The pier was expected to be used for about three months, before facing rough seas and storms in the fall. But when it became operational in late May, the pier immediately faced challenges with the weather.

It operated intermittently for 20 days, having to be taken offline multiple times because of high seas, before the Pentagon decided to end the mission in July. The first time the pier broke down, ships marooned onto the beaches of Israel after the causeway broke off. Repairs on the pier were done in the Israeli port city of Ashdod.

On shore, distributors also struggled to get humanitarian aid into the hands of Palestinians, facing numerous challenges with the security environment, the OIG found. That included looting and attacks on warehouses, along with Palestinian hesitancy over a mission they saw as militarized.

The U.S. military has used the pier system, called a Joint Logistics Over-the Shore (JLOTS), in other crisis zones before, but the $230 million Gaza assembly was the first time they had used it in an active combat area, according to the OIG.

The mission goals set out by USAID to supply aid to 500,000 or more Palestinians each month for three months also failed, with enough aid to feed just 450,000 for one month, the OIG report said.

The JLOTS worked with humanitarian aid primarily coming from the island of Cyprus in barges and unloading the aid onto a floating dock a few miles off the shore of Gaza.

Army boats and ships then transported the aid to the pier attached to a beach, where aid workers with the WFP and Israeli troops took them onto the shore to ensure U.S. boots were not on the ground in Gaza.

Sean Savett, a spokesperson for the White Houses National Security Council, said Tuesday that the Biden administration was honest and transparent about the challenges.

From the beginning, we said this would not be easy, Savett said in a statement. But the bottom line is that given how dire the humanitarian situation in Gaza is, the United States has left no stone unturned in our efforts to get more aid in, and the pier played a key role at a critical time in advancing that goal. The United States continues to take all possible action to ensure increased aid flows are sustained at the scale needed to meet needs on the ground.

The OIG said it interviewed officials from the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance and WFP for its report but not Defense Department officials, citing the scope of its review. The watchdog said it closely coordinated its work with the Pentagons inspector general, which is also reviewing the maritime corridor.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Sen. Brent Taylor, a Memphis Republican, is seeking to oust Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy, blaming him for crime in Memphis. Mulroy has been in office less than two years. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Sen. Brent Taylor, a Memphis Republican. (Photo: John Partipilo)

A West Tennessee prosecutor has requested a state investigation into a Memphis senator for allegedly breaking state law by posting documents online containing a defendants personal information, possibly after obtaining it from the Gibson County Sheriffs Office.

District Attorney General Fred Agee confirmed to the Tennessee Lookout he filed a complaint with the Comptrollers Office and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, asking them to investigate whether Republican Sen. Brent Taylor put information on X, formerly known as Twitter, showing a mans birth date and Social Security number, which would be a Class B misdemeanor accompanied by nearly six months in jail.

Agee, a Republican whose prosecutorial district covers Crockett, Haywood and Gibson counties, requested the appointment of a pro tem prosecutor to look into the matter. He said the items were posted online for at least 10 hours.

With all the identity theft that goes on daily, I felt I had a duty to report it and to also ask for a special prosecutor since (Taylors) social media post was directed toward me, Agee told the Lookout.

Taylor responded to questions by text message Tuesday, saying he posted the public record for the benefit of constituents and West Tennesseans to show an example of outrageous plea deals Agee reaches. He reiterated his claim that Agee and Mulroy are soft on crime.

When I discovered one of the dozens of documents, that have been passed around more than a joint at a Willie Nelson concert, may have possibly contained a Social Security number, I quickly replaced them with newly redacted documents out of an abundance of caution, Taylor said.

As part of the investigation request, Agee said he asked the states investigative agencies to see whether the Gibson County Sheriffs Office gave the information to Taylor. Separately, Gibson County Sheriff Paul Thomas has been indicted in connection with directing inmate labor to an outside company he owned as part of a $1.4 million scheme.

The situation stems, in part, from an op-ed Agee wrote Aug. 6 for the Daily Memphian supporting Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy, a Democrat accused of being soft on crime and threatened with an ouster by Taylor and House Speaker Cameron Sexton. Taylor has said he will file legislation to have Mulroy removed from office during next years legislative session.

Taylor posted documents within the last two weeks to paint Agee as a liberal prosecutor by detailing a plea agreement Agees office made with Brewston Lamonte Cole, who has been convicted of multiple DUIs, drug possession, firearms possession, violation of the sex offender registry and violation of probation. Cole was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but that was suspended for probation or supervision by Community Corrections. He had served nearly four months in jail already after having his bond revoked and will receive a harsher sentence if he doesnt comply with probation requirements.

As part of that post, Taylor put up three Google Drive links containing the plea agreement document that listed Coles birthday and Social Security number. The Lookout has obtained screenshots of Taylor posts and those links. which have since been removed and the documents reposted without the personal information.

The state Comptrollers Office declined to confirm it has been requested to investigate the matter.

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LANSING, WV (WVNS)  Good news for rafters, Summersville Lake was still at a great level to release the waters to begin Gauley Season on August, 27, 2024.

ACE Adventure Resort holding their local craft beer showcase

Gauley Season begins Friday, September 6, 2024, but an entire summer with minimal rain begs the question  will this Gauley Season be just as exhilarating as years before?

Skip Heater, owner of New & Gauley River Adventures, said absolutely! He said not to let the news of West Virginias drought dissuade you from booking a trip.

We should have a good Gauley Season, but our problem is the perception of people seeing that West Virginia is in a drought. Locally, we know that the lake has got good water, but out-of-state people dont realize that, hey, the lakes got water in it, thats where the Gauley water comes from. We should have a good river season, explained Heater.

The first rafting trips usually happen in the morning hours starting around 7 for both the upper and lower Gauley runs.

Gauley Season runs on weekends beginning September 6, 2024.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO)  Western Dakota Technical College in Rapid City has been re-accepted as a training program for law enforcement officers.

The South Dakota Law Enforcement Standards and Training Commission made the decision on Wednesday, after hearing a presentation from Western Dakota Tech president Ann Bolman and the college programs new director, Jonni Joyce.

The reinstatement means that eligible students who successfully complete the colleges Law Enforcement Technology program can gain certification from the state commission as a South Dakota law enforcement officer without needing to attend the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigations 520-hour basic law-enforcement certification course.

Mortgage rates are falling, what buyers should know

The commission had previously voted 9-0 in January to terminate the agreement with Western Dakota Tech, effective March 3, 2024, after two years of problems with the college programs management.

One of the issues was false and inaccurate reporting of students grades. President Bolman outlined the changes that have been put in place and stated, Instructors who do not put their grades in will not be asked to return in future semesters.

Joyce, who previously was a criminal justice faculty member at Sheridan College in Wyoming, told the commission that students success will increase as a result of aligning Western Dakota Techs curriculum with the state DCIs law enforcement training curriculum over the entire two years of WDT training, rather than one semester. More training time will also help, she said.

Student success is our priority. Communication with the state is my priority, Joyce said. And, she said, I bring accountability to this program. That includes instructors. If they are not performing, then I am reporting up my chain of command, she said, emphasizing the presidents statement that they wont be retained.

DCI director Dan Satterlee chairs the commission. We all have one goal in mind. That is to put qualified law enforcement officers out on the street, he replied after the Western Dakota Tech group wrapped up.

State Attorney General Marty Jackley called for the rest of the commission to approve the re-instatement. We need Western Dakota. We appreciate the steps theyve taken. Theyve taken it very seriously, Jackley said.

The commission voted unanimously to accept. Congratulations Doctor Bolman and your crew, Satterlee said. Look forward to working with you folks in the future.

Likewise, Bolman replied.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the American Federation of Teachers 88th National Convention on July 25, 2024 in Houston, Texas. The American Federation of Teachers was the first labor union to endorse Harris for president since announcing her campaign (Montinique Monroe/Getty Images).

For the nations chicken farmers, the last nine months have been breathtaking.

Poultry producers have been gamed, we might as well say plucked, for decades by chicken companies. Ever since the 1948 Chicken of Tomorrow contest, Big Poultry has found ways to increase its profitability at the hands of many individual farmers.

In July of 2021, President Joe Biden signed an executive order noting the inequities:

Consolidation in the agricultural industry is making it too hard for small family farms to survive. Farmers are squeezed between concentrated market power in the agricultural input industries  seed, fertilizer, feed, and equipment suppliers  and concentrated market power in the channels for selling agricultural products. As a result, farmers share of the value of their agricultural products has decreased, and poultry farmers, hog farmers, cattle ranchers, and other agricultural workers struggle to retain autonomy and to make sustainable returns.

But it is one thing to point out the problems and quite another to fix them. What is notable is the way in which the Biden Administration is attempting to level the playing field between chicken farmers and their Big Poultry overlords.

Thus far, USDA has proposed not one, not two, but three separate rules in the Federal Register directly targeting the nations chicken companies

Last November, USDA finalized a rule amending the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 by requiring live poultry dealers to disclose to chicken farmers information regarding their tournament systems, including ranking metrics that determine settlement payments. In a nutshell, the rule requires poultry companies to be more transparent regarding what specific investments contract poultry growers might need to make to be successful.

And then earlier this year, USDA proposed the Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement rule. The rule would end a Big Poultry practice of deducting from a chicken farmers base pay for work chicken companies deem inadequate. The rule still would allow Big Poultry to hand out performance bonuses, but under the rule those payouts cant come through withholding money from producers finishing at the bottom of a tournament.

The rule also would require Big Poultry to specifically document how they make fair comparisons between individual growers. The comment period for the rule closed on Aug. 9.

And most recently, USDA has published the proposed Fair and Competitive Livestock and Poultry Markets rule. The rule would amend the Packers and Stockyards Act by specifically defining unfair practices as conduct that harms market participants and conduct that harms the markets. The rule would make it far easier for individual chicken farmers to sue Big Poultry without first having to show a competitive injury.

Public comment on the rule closes later this month.

It cant be stressed enough how laser focused the Biden Administration has been on updating the Packers and Stockyards Act in the name of competitive competition and equality. But with inauguration day less than five months away, USDA will need to move with uncommon speed to publish final rules. And it goes without saying that the November elections will have a lot to say about what happens after inauguration day.

I have no doubts that if Donald Trump wins back the presidency that there will be an effort to undo whatever progress the Biden Administration has made to help chicken growers. After all, the first Trump administration withdrew an interim final rule, written by the Obama administration, that would have protected livestock producers from exploitation.

All of which begs the question: Where does presumed Democrat presidential nominee Kamala Harris stand on agriculture issues, in general, and this frontal assault on Big Poultry, in particular? Up to now agricultural issues have not been in Harris wheelhouse.

Harris endorsement by the United Farm Workers is illustrative, but not definitive on how she views Big Ag. UFW sees its mission as advocating for legislative and regulatory reforms for farm workers covering issues such as overtime, heat safety, other worker protections, and pesticides. In other words, protecting the little guy. Would Harris feel the same?

More telling might be if Harris takes a stand on California Proposition 12, a law upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, which set production standards for meat companies wishing to sell pork within the confines of the Golden State. Since Prop 12 became law, Big Ag has been desperately trying to overturn the law, either through further court litigation or through Congress. The Biden Administration supported overturning Prop 12. Would Harris take a different tact, perhaps calling for Prop 12 and similar laws to stand?

No one really knows. You can expect Big Ag to make it job one over the next few months to understand where Harris comes down on all things agriculture. But Im not sure the industry will have anything close to a full picture of Harris on ag issues before the November election. Not much of a track record and few days to fill in the blanks.

This article first appeared on Investigate Midwest and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Where is the outrage? Politically engaged Kansans might vent fury, but anger has limits.

Kansas Reflector opinion editor Clay Wirestone, editor Sherman Smith and reporter Anna Kaminski speak at a Aug. 26, 2024, town hall in Council Grove. (Jessica Tufts for Kansas Reflector)

Where is the outrage?

That was one of the questions posed to Kansas Reflector staff at our Council Grove town hall event Monday night, and its a question I found myself thinking about throughout my drive back home that evening and all of Tuesday.

Where is the outrage?

Forget the national political scene for a moment. Lets focus on Kansas. How is it possible that a state whose populace stood up for abortion rights by a 59%-41% margin has nevertheless elected legislators who pass appalling restrictions on womens health care? Why do out-of-state groups return each year with an agenda of impoverishing poor Kansans even further? Why do we not yet have Medicaid expansion? What about legalized cannabis?

How have we managed to select a state government so openly contemptuous of the people it supposedly serves?

Where is the outrage?

Answering that question takes time and effort. But I want to take a whack at the task today.

The toxic national political dialogue that has enveloped our country for a decade-plus surely bears a giant share of the blame. We have become desensitized to appalling behavior. Not just from former presidents, arrogant legislators and the supposedly disinterested Supreme Court. Expecting the worst doesnt just brace you against disappointment, but accurately predicts what happens next.

OUTRAGE FUEL

We dont want to make a huge mistake. Medicaid expansion is a huge mistake.  Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins at a Medicaid expansion town hall

This bill was not taken lightly. We just want to have more information. Make sure were making the right decision for these women.  State Rep. Brenda Landwehr on abortion survey law

Incrementalism means that this bill is one step toward the cannabis industrys goal to normalize marijuana use at any level.  KBI Director Tony Mattivi at a medical marijuana hearing

There doesnt seem to be a lot of enthusiasm for her governorship, onetime Senate President Susan Wagle after Gov. Laura Kellys first inauguration

In the face of such toxic garbage, outrage only takes you so far.

As editor Sherman Smith put it at the Council Grove event, paying attention to political news is like hearing someone operate a jackhammer outside your window 24 hours a day. You may feel furious at first. You may try to reason with those doing the work or soundproof your home. Eventually, you simply try to survive.

Where is the outrage?

Another reason must surely be the way in which a system that we once protected Americans from extremism now appears to perpetuate that extremism.

The Electoral College, for example, leaves huge chunks of our nation all but disenfranchised every four years. I havent written about it before because surely Kansas Reflector readers deserve more than an ersatz civics lesson as the world erupts in flames. But surely the 42% of Kansans who voted for Joe Biden in 2020 have a reason to ask why those votes were tossed into a giant flaming Dumpster.

Yes, I understand the ways in which the Electoral College supposedly protects us from the tyranny of a direct popular vote. Similarly, the Roe-reversing U.S. Supreme Court supposedly protects us from overreach from other government branches. But must we preserve archaic institutions without a single adjustment?

Where is the outrage?

From my perspective as opinion editor, I doubt anyone wants to read, and I dont want to write, a string of opinion pieces spewing nothing but indignation. Research shows that human beings do not learn that way. They are much more likely to change their opinions, or at least consider alternate perspectives, when theyre having a friendly conversation. Not an angry one.

When youre agreeing with people, youre looking them in the eye. You have a reciprocity. Youre nodding your heads, gesturing, and signaling facial expressions that are congruent, pleasant agreement, said Joy Hirsch, a professor at Yale School of Medicine. The exact opposite is true in disagreement. Those social (brain areas) appear not to be operative. Whats operative is a primary frontal lobe process where one is competing, strategizing, pushing forward your agenda.

I feel outrage, of course, likely too often. And I deploy it when I believe it makes the most sense. That is, when writing about a free press or other fundamental civil rights.

Come by honestly, outrage serves as an invaluable tool, pushing us to take action and raise our voices in pursuit of justice.

Thats how I try to channel it.

Yet outrage remains, regardless of the circumstances, an emotion. Anyone who has raised a child or worked in an office understands that emotions make us less objective and more likely to stumble in pursuing our goals. Creating lasting change takes persistence, dedication and an absolute willingness to push forward.

Perhaps Americans and Kansans would benefit if they felt more outrage. But I think they would benefit most by working ceaselessly toward the change they claim to want.

Clay Wirestone is Kansas Reflector opinion editor. 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.
Lawmakers and business groups welcomed the governor's decision to convene a special session in order to pass a compromise that offers more property tax relief in exchange for pulling from the ballot two ballot initiatives that seek deeper cuts than what the Colorado General Assembly earlier adopted.

To preserve the integrity of the agreement, Gov. Jared Polis said he will not sign any legislation out of the special session until Propositions 108 and Initiative 50 are pulled from the ballot.

It's the second time in less than a year that Polis has convened the legislature for a special session on property tax.

In giving his blessings to the compromise, the governor rejected pleas from an association representing special taxing districts and the state's biggest teachers' union, which argued against negotiating with Advance Colorado and other proponents of Propositions 108 and 50.

Colorado Concern President and CEO Dave Davia applauded the governor's decision and the imminent compromise legislation.

"Its time to make Colorado more affordable  and focusing on the rising property tax issue is a critical first step for homeowners and small businesses across our state, Davia said.

Michael Fields of Advance Colorado, which is behind the two tax initiatives, said the compromise, which includes a property tax cut and growth cap, provides "permanent tax relief that Coloradans have been demanding and will prevent future spikes in property tax bills going forward."

This is the result of two years of consistent pro-taxpayer advocacy to ensure that we can solve the current property tax crisis for the benefit of Colorado families and businesses, he said.

The groups behind the two initiatives said the compromise means nearly $1.6 billion in annual tax savings to Coloradans.

Lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle agreed the special session is the right step, though they offered different reasons for supporting it.

To Democrats, the two ballot initiatives pose risks to an array of public services.

To Republicans, the compromise offers an opportunity for the state to provide a more meaningful relief to soaring property taxes, though it won't completely erase people's "pain."

Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Brighton, who has been one of the strongest advocates for a compromise, said the deal will benefit Coloradans.

While this doesnt erase all the pain people across the state are feeling, this will provide immediate financial relief to families in Colorado, she said. This framework will also put safeguards in place to ensure 20, 30, or 40% increases in property tax bills do not happen again."

She added: "I am proud to have led this compromise that will make sure our schools and communities remain strong. Schools will remain funded. Higher Education will remain funded. Firefighters, Sheriffs, police and EMS, will remain funded and our state will continue to grow. But most importantly people will get relief.

Democrats, meanwhile, advanced a similar message  the two ballot measures undercut their vision for Colorado.

House Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillion, said Democrats envision a Colorado that provides "a place where everyone, from the youngest learner to working families and older Coloradans, can thrive and afford a good life."

"Initiatives 50 and 108 would do the opposite and risk our states future by defunding public schools, fire response, health care, libraries, water infrastructure, and municipal parks and recreation centers," she said in a statement.

McCluskie said she's grateful for the input of the Property Tax Commission and the "growing consensus" that the state should pursue "further property tax reductions with guarantees that will protect the Colorado we love and the future of our state.

Featured Local Savings

Senate President Steve Fenberg, Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez and House Majority Leader Monica Duran echoed the sentiment. Fenberg called the ballot proposals "reckless and irresponsible," adding they pose an "existential threat to critical state and local services."

Like the House Speaker, they, too, welcomed the special session.

"After years of bipartisan work to address Colorados property tax and affordability challenges, we now face another opportunity to step up, govern responsibly, and ensure that additional property tax cuts are delivered in a way that does not jeopardize Colorados financial future," Fenberg said.

Sen. Chris Hansen, D-Denver, who chaired the special meeting of the property tax commission, said the compromise's framework "builds upon the substantial, responsible property tax relief delivered in Senate Bill 233. We now have the opportunity to make minor adjustments without gutting community services like schools, hospitals, and fire departments."

Meanwhile, Ann Terry, the CEO of the Special District Association of Colorado, said her organization remains "skeptical."

"We remain skeptical of governor and legislative leadership's official explanation of how a promise to remove 108 and 50 from the ballot will be ensured," Terry said. However, we will be vigilant in protecting all of our special districts."

The group represents the interests of special districts, which rely on property taxes for their operations. Local governments are poised to see a big windfall from the dramatic rise in property values. Some, like Douglas County, have decided to unilaterally cut their residents' tax liabilities.

We think there needs to be details to the outlined framework presented by the Governors State Budget Director during the Property Tax Commission meeting this past Monday," Terry said. This feels like death by a thousand cuts.

Denver Metro Chamber President and CEO J.J. Ament earlier said that a previous legislative response to soaring valuations, while "better than nothing, missed the mark on real relief."

Ament said the governor "deserves great credit for bringing groups together to forge a compromise.

He stressed that more than 85% of the chambers members are small businesses, many of which use their homes as the capital backstop for their enterprises.

Thats in part, Ament said, why residential property tax relief is so important for small businesses and entrepreneurs, and why the Chamber has fought so hard for this special session.

House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese said the special session is an opportunity to address the property tax burden that Colorado families face.

"Our goal is to provide effective solutions for property tax relief, while ensuring that local governments can balance their budgets and continue providing essential services," she said. "Its crucial that we work together to get this right."

House Assistant Minority Leader Ty Winter, R-Trinidad, said the state should not have been in this position to begin with.

"The majority party has had multiple opportunities to work with us on a solution," he said. "Instead, their delays and dysfunction have led to a rushed process that could have been avoided with proper planning and bipartisan cooperation. Last special session devolved into theatrics. Let's hope that does not happen again."

This special session, which will be limited in scope and focus on reducing Coloradans property tax burden starting in 2025, will begin at 10 a.m. on Aug. 26.

Marissa Ventrelli contributed to this story.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  The White House is pushing new efforts to stop illegal drugs from entering the country as part of Overdose Awareness Week.

The administration is calling for better drug detection machines and more Border Patrol agents.

So critical to securing our southwest border, Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, said.

Dr. Gupta is calling on Congress to provide funding to stop illegal drugs from coming into the country.

President Biden and Vice President Harris know that far too many Americans understand the pain of losing a loved one to overdose.

Gupta says the White House has already made strides to combat illegal drugs at the border.

In the last two years, weve seized more fentanyl than the previous five years combined, Gupta said.

While the White House wants to beef up efforts at the southern border conservative groups are blaming China for the deadly drugs.

While many Americans may rightly so and should rightly so, or in Mexico and hold those cartels accountable for their illegal actions, we cannot lose sight that the Chinese Communist Party is fueling this. More than many may realize, said Andrew Harding of the Heritage Foundation.

Andrew Harding, with the Heritage Foundation, says the federal government needs to crack down on China because they are the source.

We have to carry a bigger stick and finally use it, Harding said.

Harding says that means placing financial sanctions on China and going after those who are benefiting from the suffering occurring in the U.S.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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If youre connected to the tech world or even slightly interested in it, you probably noticed and were maybe even alarmed by a major event this past weekend: the sudden arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov by French authorities at Le Bourget Airport, outside Paris, late Saturday night. This action was reportedly taken as part of the French governments investigation into illegal activity coordinated across Durovs app, a secretive messaging platform often employed by networks of criminals and scammers (though by no means exclusively so). It took until Monday for the French government to provide an official release on the charges it was investigatingincluding complicity in the distribution of drugs and child sexual abuse materialwith regard to a different suspected criminal. After holding him for 96 hours, French law enforcement transferred Durov from police custody to a Parisian court, where he awaits further questioning and a possible indictment as of Wednesday afternoon. [Update, Aug. 28, 2024, at 4:22 p.m.: Le Monde reported Wednesday that a French judge has indicted Durov on all 12 charges laid out by the French Court of Justice. Per a judicial press release, Durov is to be placed under judicial supervision, with the obligation to pay bail of 5 million euros; to report to the police station twice a week; and to be banned from leaving French territory.]

The charges against Pavel Durov (Telegram) were made public. There are still a lot of question marks that remain. Official press release  pic.twitter.com/lLcgoVT8lQ  Mathias Vermeulen (@mathver) August 26, 2024

There were few other details offered about Durovs prosecution in the immediate aftermath, and there remain plenty of questions, as well as legitimate concerns, about why all this is happening in the first place. So, naturally, the initial reactions sent out even bigger digital shock waves than the arrest itself had. Right-wingers like Tucker Carlson (who interviewed Durov on his postFox News online show back in April and calls him a friend) declared that his arrest was an indicator of democratic backsliding among NATO-member nations like France and the United States. This sentiment was echoed by venture capitalist and podcaster David Sacks, who implied that an international deep-state apparatus had worked to crack down on this free-speech platform. (An odd theory, considering that French President Emmanuel Macron himself uses Telegram and had held a private lunch with Durov in 2018.) Elon Musk acolytes such as Ian Miles Cheong and Naomi Seibt catapulted off Sacks claim to warn that this was all a pretext for these governments to go after X, another supposed free-speech bastion.

Other reactions were more uncertain, due to the vague nature of the case. The New York Times Zeynep Tufekci urged caution before calling Durovs arrest a free speech infringement, as did Stanford Cyber Policy Center expert Daphne Keller. Techdirts Mike Masnick noted that the French press release had not calmed the concerns that this is overreach, but nothing has made it clear that it definitely is overreach either. A legal counselor for the digital-rights watchdog Access Now tweeted that even though Telegram has historically been terrible about protecting its users and abiding by regulations, the French governments actions could still set a troubling precedent for government overreach.

Because Telegram is popular primarily in other countries, Americans may know little about Pavel Durov, his signature app, and why any of this mattersand it does matter, even if youre completely in the dark on the exact reasons. Allow me to break it all down below.

So, who is Pavel Durov?

Durov is a Russian tech entrepreneur who rose to success in the mid-2000s, when he was inspired by the emergence of Facebook to create a similar social network for Russian users. With the help of two university classmates and his older brother Nikolai, Durov launched the website VKontakte, better known as VK, to the public in 2007. It quickly became Russias most popular social network, a status it maintains today.

However, Durov clashed with the Russian government on multiple occasions: in 2011, after officials demanded that VK scrub accounts belonging to opposition politicians contesting that years elections; and in 2014, when Russia requested personal data belonging to various Ukrainian protesters and also asked that Durov obscure famed dissident Alexei Navalnys page from broader access. After these conflicts, Durov was fired from VK, inspiring him to flee Russia and begin working on a different venture.

I assume that venture was Telegram?

Correct! The year before he left VK (and Russia), Durov worked again with Nikolai to develop and launch Telegram, meant to be a secure and fun platform that offered various means by which users could protect from undue surveillance the messages they sent one another: encryption options, lack of ability to forward messages from one established chat room to a different one, increased bandwidth for quickly transmitting large files and attachments, and an option to set self-destruct timers on particular messages.

Such features (particularly the forwarding and storage terms, as well as the wide number of participants who could join one relatively unregulated chatroom) differentiated Telegram from other secure texting apps, like Signal and WhatsAppit also became something of a social network. Telegram rode its creators fame to garner hundreds of thousands of users within months of its launch, earning quick uptake in regions including the Middle East and East Asia, where communicators looked to duck government overreach and censorship. In subsequent years, Telegrams base grew to encompass hundreds of millions of users, many of them based in South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and even Durovs home country of Russia.

Seems like a cool app. Whats the issue?

There have been many. One of them deals with the nature of Telegrams supposed encryption. Unlike WhatsApp and Signal, end-to-end encryption is not the default option for messages on the platform, and its difficult for lay users to manually encrypt each conversation theyd wish to protect, as Johns Hopkins University professor and cryptographer Matthew Green has written. This is before you even get into the custom chat rooms and one-way broadcast channels with large numbers of participantsTelegrams most popular, and least secured, feature. With its lack of default encryption for the vast majority of messages, plus its habit of storing messages in plain text on its servers, Telegrams contents were clearly not as safeguarded as its marketing would have you believe.

Oh, yeah, and it maybe wasnt a great free-speech platform either, given that it granted a 2017 request from the Iranian government to shut down a grassroots protest channel that had called for violent action. Though in fairness, the app has stood firm against other censorship orders from autocracies like Myanmar and Russia, the latter of which temporarily banned the app in 2018.

I respect @durov, but Ptacek is right: @telegram's defaults are dangerous. Without a major update, it's unsafe. https://t.co/pbBt2rHr5x  Edward Snowden (@Snowden) December 19, 2015

Other issues were reputational. If youd heard of Telegram at any point over the past few years, it was probably because youd stumbled across a story of the app being used for crimes: cryptocurrency scams, distribution of unlawfully hacked or stolen data, sales of illegal products like drugs and weapons, and the nonconsensual spread of sexts and pornographic imagesincluding child sexual abuse.

Durovs principled stance against government-driven privacy violations often ran up against the apps lack of 1) user protection, 2) anti-crime provisions, and 3) internal moderation, which allowed many hateful actors to transmit horrific rhetoric and video. Its anti-government stance also meant that it refused to even voluntarily report to regulatory authorities instances of distribution of child-sexual-abuse material, which made international law enforcements job all the more difficult.

So what landed Durov in trouble this time?

The details remain sketchy, but heres what we know for sure. On Saturday, Durov flew from Azerbaijan to France on his private jetalong with his bodyguard and a crypto influencer named Juli Vavilovaand was arrested after disembarking at Le Bourget, where the French child-sexual-abuse investigation agency OFMIN served him a warrant. Per the release from the French Court of Justice, the ongoing investigation, which kicked off July 8, was not meant to specifically target Durov; there is allegedly a different, still-unidentified individual in the crosshairs.

According to a Wednesday-morning Politico report, France sent out arrest warrants for Durov and Nikolai back in March, after the messaging platform gave no answer to an earlier judicial request to identify a Telegram user. This user, according to the French undercover investigation that spurred the warrants, evidently discussed luring underaged girls into sending self-produced child pornography,  threatened to release it on social media, and told the investigators he had raped a young child. Following Telegrams refusal to name the suspect, French law enforcement called the platform out with regard to the other criminal activities that occur there, as well as the Durovs consistent avoidance of government authority.

In addition, Durov is the subject of a criminal complaint in Switzerland, per Forbes, which was filed by a former partner of his who claimed he regularly abused one of the children theyd had together. That case has no bearing on Frances, but it signals further legal trouble for Durov.

So Durov is definitely being held liable for  something. There is only one direct charge in the French courts release (money laundering), and the rest are far more abstract. There are six complaints for which the accused is held to be complicit: possessing and spreading child porn, managing an online platform for illegal transactions, committing organized fraud, providing access to hacking tools without legitimate reason, and selling drugs. One further charge consists of refusal to communicate helpful material to appropriate crime-busting authorities, and yet another involves a vague criminal association with a view to committing a crime or an offense punishable by 5 or more years of imprisonment.

The most worrying charges for free-speech advocates come at the end. There are two counts around the provision of cryptology servicesin this case, privatized messaging encoded to be invisible to third partiesthat dont require users to register their real identities or prove that theyre not criminals. Theres one more count of importing such a service without prior declarationwhich would imply that France sees the use of internationally based, unregulated encryption service as a crime all its own.

If Telegram is being targeted for simply existing as the secretive platform it purports to be, that could certainly spell trouble for digital privacy globally. Whether or not you like Telegram, the fact is that messaging services with options for end-to-end encryption are an essential, popular, and easily accessible means by which users can avoid undue surveillance from repressive governmental authorities, overly intrusive cops, and bad-faith actors whod like to disrupt righteous protests and rallies. If France decides that encryption itself is bad because criminals may use it, its fellow European Union members may wish to follow suitand privacy all over the world will suffer.
The passage of the Nov. 5 transit referendum allows us the real opportunity to speak into the next several decades of Nashvilles infrastructure, so its our responsibility to organize to make sure these investments improve traffic, lower living expenses, protect our environment, and reclaim our time to spend with friends and family.

Thats why Shift Nashville, a newly formed coalition, is committing to help reshape the citys transit landscape with a bold, holistic vision.

Comprising Stand Up Nashville (SUN), the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC), and The Equity Alliance (TEA), our coalition aims to center the voices of communities that have, historically, been relegated to the sidelines. Were saying, No more.

Because this is about more than just buses.

What a transit plan that benefits all Nashville must do

These are five crucial policy points to ensure the new transit plan benefits all of Nashvilles residents.

Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell makes remarks at the official announcement of his transit referendum proposal launch at the Southeast Nashville Community Center on April, 19, 2024.

After months of research and engaging our communities, we believe the following investments will transform Nashville into a haven for all our neighbors:

Freedom Moves: Were fighting for a transit plan that prioritizes communities instead of corporations. By using transit hubs and public land for healthy development, focusing on marginalized neighborhoods, and ensuring electric, zero-emission buses, we can create a system that connects us all. This means less traffic, better air quality, safer streets, and a more accessible Nashville. Joyful Abodes: Safe, affordable housing should always place real people over potential profits. If we can get Metro to commit to: 1) using our public land for permanent, reasonably priced homes with strong tenant protections, 2) putting a stop to harmful displacement practices, and 3) building 52,000 new units by 2030, we can create vibrant neighborhoods that guarantee everyone has a place to call home. Everyone Eats: We're pushing for economic policies that prioritize working people and small businesses over corporate interests. The system should be built with union labor and apprenticeships that create pathways out of poverty, and operated by public sector workers with union representation. By investing in childcare, workforce training, and local businesses, while advocating for fair contracts that promote worker safety and racial equity, we can foster a new kind of shared prosperity. Strong Nashville: If Nashville is going to become a city where every neighborhood is accounted for during natural disasters (rather than prioritizing tourist traps and wealthy developers), Metro must invest in green spaces, emergency response training, and community resource centers to keep our city resilient and prepared. Building this approach into the transit plan will safeguard our most vulnerable communities, leading to healthier, safer neighborhoods that can recover after extreme weather events. We Decide: Every Nashvillian should have a voice in the decisions that will shape our city for years to come. Too often, state overreach and special interests dominate, leaving the residents out. In light of this pattern, were advocating for community-driven plans, open public forums, and transparent decision-making processes to ensure that the peoplenot just developershave control over Nashville's future.

Odessa Kelly

Shift Nashville kicks off at TIRRC

This is our moment to right some of the wrongs of the last decade and to give the people who built this city  our Black, Brown, Immigrant, and working-class communities  a shot at actually benefiting from the vast wealth that Nashville has come to represent.

Judith Clerjeune

We dont need a repeat of the Titans Stadium.

We demand our voices be heard.

Tequila Johnson

Join us this Thursday, August 29 at 6:30 pm at TIRRC if youre ready to Shift Nashville!

Odessa Kelly is executive director of Stand Up Nashville. Judith Clerjeune is the campaigns and advocacy director for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition. Tequila Johnson is the co-founder and CEO of The Equity Alliance.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Shift Nashville unites racial justice leaders on equitable transit
From the Dispatch Politics on The Dispatch

Happy Wednesday! With the sweltering heat that has hit the country this week, Kevin and Doug Whitmer, Michigans first dogs, wanted to remind everyone to keep their pets safe.

Up to Speed

Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will participate in an interview with CNNs Dana Bash that will air on the network Thursday evening, the network announced Tuesday. It will be her first sit-down with a journalist since becoming the presumptive (and eventually the official) Democratic nominee last month.

Special counsel Jack Smith obtained a superseding indictment from a grand jury against former President Donald Trump for his election subversion case Tuesday, reframing the case and attempting to bring it in line with the Supreme Courts ruling on presidential immunity last month. Smith kept the four charges from his original indictment against the former president but removed allegations that Trump used the Department of Justice to conduct phony investigations. In its July decision, the court ruled that Trumps use of the department fell within his official duties, a sphere in which he is immune from prosecution.

Trump confirmed Tuesday that he will participate in ABC News September 10 debate with Harris, but it remains unclear whether the candidates microphones will remain on for the events duration. The former president said in a Truth Social post that the rules will be the same as his CNN debate with President Joe Biden, in which the networks muted the candidates microphones when they were not speaking, but the Harris campaign disputed that. The campaigns disagreement came to light earlier this week after the vice presidents team asked that the microphones remain on, while the Trump campaign had wanted the rules to remain the same as the previous debate.

Trumps campaign announced Tuesday that voters in Pennsylvania may request a mail-in ballot via its Swamp the Vote USA tool. Our unprecedented Election Integrity operation goes hand in hand with our trailblazing GOTV efforts, the campaigns release reads. We have to SWAMP the vote, and patriots should take advantage of vote by mail, early voting, and Election Day voting  whatever method works best for you. The announcement comes amid concerns from some Republican operatives that the former president is neglecting efforts to turn voters out to the polls.

In Atlanta on Thursday, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp will co-headline a fundraiser for Trump alongside his wife, Marty, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, ABC News reported Wednesday. A spokesman for Kemp, Cody Hall, told Dispatch Politics that Pompeo is the headliner and noted that Trump will not be attending. Trump appears recently to have made up with Kemp, thanking him last week in a Truth Social post for his help in the state, just a few weeks after attacking the governor on the platform and in public remarks.

Trump plans to make Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, both of whom recently endorsed him, honorary co-chairs of his presidential transition team, the New York Times reported Tuesday. It is unclear precisely what the two former Democrats will be doing, but Trump senior adviser Brian Hughes told the Times the campaign looks forward to having their powerful voices on the team as we work to restore Americas greatness. While Kennedy was running for president in April, Trump claimed he was far more LIBERAL than anyone running as a Democrat.

The Arizona Police Association, the states largest law enforcement association, split its endorsements for the November election, supporting Rep. Ruben Gallego, a Democrat, over his Republican opponent, Kari Lake, for the states Senate seat Monday days after backing Trump for the White House. 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, Justin Harris, the groups president, said in a release. We believe Congressman Gallego will be that U.S. Senator. In 2022, the group backed Lake, when she ran for governor, and Lake still holds endorsements from other law enforcement groups in the state.

Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is tied with Prince Georges County Executive Angela Alsobrooks in the race for Marylands Senate seat in a poll the AARP released Tuesday. Hogan led Alsobrooks in polling before she pulled ahead just prior to the May 14 primary, when she began consistently topping the moderate Republican in surveys. Hogan would be the first GOP candidate to win a Senate seat in the state since Charles Mathias in 1980, and the race this year could determine control of Congress upper chamber.

Why RFK Jr.s Trump Endorsement Makes Democrats Happy

Former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump, shake hands during a campaign rally at Desert Diamond Arena on August 23, 2024, in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

When Donald Trump publicly accepted the endorsement of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. last week, the Republican nominee greeted his one-time rival on the stage in Arizona to the music of the Foo Fighters classic My Hero.

If he is Trumps hero, why are some Democrats celebrating the demise of the RFK Jr. campaign? If you want to have that endorsement, Im perfectly happy for you to, said Karen Finney, a Democratic operative, on CNNs State of the Union Sunday. Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of John F. Kennedy who spoke at the Democratic National Convention, tweeted dismissively about his cousins decision to drop out of the race, saying the easiest decision of all time just got easier. Good riddance, was how Mary Beth Cahill, a veteran strategist and a senior adviser at the Democratic National Committee, put it in a statement on Friday.

For months, Cahill has helped head a team at the DNC focused on pushing back against third-party and independent presidential candidates. After the collapse of the No Labels movement, Cahill and the team, which also included communications strategist Lis Smith, continued to focus on Kennedys independent bid. Drawing on lessons Democrats learned from the 2016 racewhen third-party candidates such as Jill Stein drew just enough support away from Hillary Clinton to help Trump winthe party made an explicit effort to damage the chances of someone like Kennedy spoiling the race again.

This was our goal, Matt Corridoni, a spokesman for the DNC, told Dispatch Politics. This helps set up the binary choice we always wanted between our candidate and Donald Trump.

The team at the DNC worked throughout last year to define Kennedy as a stalking horse for Trump, highlighting news and information connecting him to the issues and financiers of the Make America Great Again movement. They pressed their case about Kennedys alignment with Trump behind the scenes with reporters and anchors in the news media. They even tailored their message to younger voters on social media services like Instagram and TikTok.

We worked with non-political content creators to caricaturize and meme-ify his oddities and expose his true character and unfitness to the population most at-risk of third party defection: younger and lower propensity voters who were overwhelmingly open to Democrats, but not Trump, read an August 23 memo from the DNCs Ramsey Reid, released a day before Kennedys Trump endorsement.

The premise of these efforts ran counter to much of the conventional wisdom around Kennedy, whose anti-vaccine and anti-establishment rhetoric seemed to draw from the same pool of voters as Trumps most committed fans. In an election where narrow margins in just a handful of states will decide the winner, Kennedys few percentage points of support could be exceedingly valuable to Trump. So if Kennedy, who was polling somewhere between 4.5 percent and 6 percent nationally, dropped out, this ought to be a clear boon to Trump.

The DNC certainly didnt think so. Its theory was that Kennedy drew not from natural Trump voters but instead from low-propensity voters who were disaffected with the political system. Kennedys famous last name, eccentric views, and declaration that both the Democrats and the Republicans were a uniparty reinforced his position as an option for the so-called double haters of both Trump and Joe Biden. But with Biden withdrawing from the race and Harris emerging as the Democratic nominee, Democrats say the threat Kennedy posed, whether in the race or not, had already diminished.

The little support that remains is soft, split across ideologies, and disproportionately among lower propensity voters. With no meaningful base of support and sky-high negatives among Democrats, RFK Jr.s threat to VP Harris was neutralized, reads Reids memo.

Still, the Kennedy endorsement may amount to something significant, if it sways the vote toward Trump in the handful of swing states where he will remain on the ballot. NPR reports that while Kennedy will almost certainly remain on the ballot in Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, and North Carolina, he appears to be successfully off the ballot in Georgia and Pennsylvania, and he has petitioned to do the same in Arizona.

Dane Strother, a veteran Democratic party strategist, told Dispatch Politics that Trump will benefit in those states with Kennedy as a choice, thanks to the lowered threshold necessary to win the state. But, he added, that threshold problem can cut both ways.

I suspect in Georgia the Kennedy name would have garnered him a point or two of [the] black vote that now moves to Harris, Strother said. Advantage, Harris.

Josh Shapiro Makes Hay at the Democratic National Convention

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro joins the Pennsylvania delegation as they cast their votes during the Democratic National Convention on August 20, 2024 in Chicago. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Over on the website, David M. Drucker has a reported look at one rising star who was working hard at last weeks Democratic National Convention: Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. The first-term governor was passed over by Vice President Kamala Harris for a running mate, but that didnt stop Shapiro from making some moves that give a sense of his ambitions for future leadership within the Democratic party.

Heres an excerpt:

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.

And while last week in Chicago was all about boosting Harris and her actual running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, Pennsylvania Democrats werent shy about their hopes for their governor. Heres more:

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.

Read the whole thing here.

Notable and Quotable

Back by popular demand, my TRUMP DIGITAL TRADING CARDS, Series 4: The America First Collection, is available RIGHT NOW, and I think youll love it! For some, therell be an Invite to a Gala Dinner at my beautiful private Club in Jupiter, Florida. Dont wait, have fun  The Cards will go FAST!

Former President Donald Trump in a Truth Social post, August 28, 2024

Read more at The Dispatch

The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free.
Why are flags being lowered to half-staff in Massachusetts this Thursday?

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP)  Governor Maura Healey has ordered all U.S. American and Massachusetts flags to be lowered to half-staff on Thursday.

Federal law requires American Flags lowered to half-staff

The order was issued to honor Navy Petty Officer Third Class Kyle Thomas Duffy of Wareham, who died August 12th at the age of 23. According to his obituary, Duffy was stationed at Naval Base Guam and passed away unexpectedly.

Visiting hours are being held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Chapman Funerals & Cremations in Wareham. The order calls for the flags to be lowered to half-staff on all state buildings from sunrise until sunset on Thursday, the date of interment.

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.
SAN FRANCISCO  For more than a year, Gavin Newsom was everywhere as a star surrogate for President Joe Biden. Since Kamala Harris took over as the nominee, you almost have to squint to see Californias governor.

Newsom has spent little time campaigning in other states since his fellow Californian leaped to the top of the Democratic ticket, an abrupt shift after barnstorming the country for Biden, especially during the turbulent final weeks of his candidacy.

The governor also had a small footprint at last weeks Democratic National Convention, opting to make the rounds on cable TV and some podcasts rather than join most of his colleagues at state breakfasts, fireside chats with reporters and on the main stage.

More than a month after the shakeup, its still unclear what role Harris has for Newsom, a longtime ally and sometimes rival who is a product of the same elite San Francisco political circles.

Newsoms reduced role in the campaign has fueled parlor intrigue in Sacramento for weeks, as political insiders question the governors status as a national surrogate and how his own potential future presidential ambitions could be affected by Harris rise.

Nathan Click, a spokesperson for Newsoms political operation, said the governor is all in for Harris and dismissed any notion that his own presidential prospects could be a factor in his level of involvement.

He is totally focused the next 70 odd days on electing VP Harris, defeating Trump once and for all, and going to the mat for her campaign, Click said in an email, just as he did at the convention, on Fox and elsewhere at the request of her campaign.

Click added that Newsom plans to headline a fundraiser for Harris in San Mateo County just south of San Francisco Wednesday, an event his office and the Harris campaign hadnt previously announced. Newsoms camp said theyre also coordinating with Harris team on September campaign events.

The governor's scaled-back role is also likely a reflection of the stark differences between Biden and Harris.

Biden needed a burst of youthful enthusiasm to shore up support among the partys liberal base, and Newsom was willing to be that voice when few other governors would. There was even some give and take, such as when the Biden campaign last fall indulged Newsoms Fox News debate with Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Harris, on the other hand, can carry her own message nationally, has an abundance of intraparty momentum and needs swing-state supporters who can chip away at former President Donald Trumps foothold in purple battlegrounds.

He was a uniquely good surrogate for Biden. Kamala doesnt need the energy delivery as much right now, said Paul Mitchell, a Democratic consultant and Sacramento-based political data expert.

While Newsom stepped back after the president dropped out, others jumped to the forefront when Harris became the nominee.

Harris has included more House members and senators, as well as battleground state leaders, like Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan  who, as POLITICO previously reported, needed some prodding to get more involved with Biden. Other top Harris surrogates include Governors Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Andy Beshear of Kentucky, who, unlike Newsom, were both part of the veepstakes.

Newsom himself even suggested, in brief remarks last week with the Los Angeles Times, that Harris might not really need a fellow Californian. At the end of the day it will be swing states that will be determinative, and if I can fill a void that others cant, then Ill be there, he said.

The chatter around Newsom was amplified by his subdued showing at the convention. The governor made brief remarks from the floor as he led the state in delivering the final delegates to make Harris the partys nominee, but he was one of the few major statewide California officials not to speak from the DNC main stage.

His camp said he had been offered a speaking slot in the 7 p.m. hour on the first night (outside primetime), but wasnt able to arrive in Chicago in time because of a back-to-school commitment that morning.

Newsom also sparked a minor brouhaha last Friday when he seemed to joke about the unusual nature of Harris' ascension during an interview with Pod Save America: We went through a very open process, a very inclusive process. It was bottom-up, I dont know if you know that. Thats what Ive been told to say.

The governor quickly pivoted, however, telling the podcasts hosts hes amazed by how unified the party has become as he praised Harris.

Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, an earlier mentor to both Newsom and Harris, had prodded Newsom to energetically support Harris. On Tuesday, Brown told Playbook, I still have that attitude.

As for whether the governor will hit the road for her, Brown said its still too early to draw conclusions about any role that Newsom might play in the final stretch. Plus, he added, thats ultimately up to the nominee to decide.

Christopher Cadelago contributed to this report.

Like this content? Consider signing up for POLITICOs California Playbook newsletter.


In connection with his federal securities fraud sentencing in 2018, so-called Pharma Bro Martin Shkreli forfeited to the government his one-of-a-kind Wu-Tang Clan album, Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. A cryptocurrency collective subsequently bought it but then sued Shkreli, claiming that the former pharmaceutical executive had improperly retained copies of the data and files at the time of the forfeiture and had released or intended to release them publicly.

While litigation continues over the unusual matter, a federal judge has given Shkreli, who left prison in 2022, until Friday to sequester and turn over all of his copies, in any form, of the Album or its contents to defense counsel and to file an affidavit swearing under penalty of perjury that he has done so and that he no longer possesses any copies, in any form, of the album or its contents. U.S. District Judge Pamela Chens preliminary injunction order on Monday further requires his counsel to file a letter by Friday certifying that theyve taken possession of the album copies and contents.

The judge also ordered Shkreli to file, by Sept. 30, an inventory and account in the form of an affidavit, under penalty of perjury, that includes: the nature and volume of the copies of the albums data and files that he retained; the names and contact information of anyone to whom he distributed the data and files; when and how he distributed them; and the amounts, source, date and nature of any financial benefits he received from his distribution or playing of the album or its contents.

After hearing legal arguments from the parties, Chen, sitting in the Eastern District of New York, said that a preliminary injunction was in the public interest and that the plaintiff had raised sufficiently serious questions about Shkrelis possible violation of the Defend Trade Secrets Act, misappropriation of trade secrets and unjust enrichment.

Shreklis lawyers had argued that the plaintiff couldnt show sufficient harm to warrant an injunction. They wrote in a filing last month that the government

sold the copy to an unidentified purchaser, who re-sold it to Plaintiff. But, before the forfeiture happened, when Defendant was the uncontested owner of the copy, and the uncontested 50% owner of the copyrights, he made copies as we [sic] was permitted to do so under his original purchase agreement with the original sellers of the work. Neither those copies, nor Defendants copyrights, were forfeited by the Forfeiture order, and Defendant continues to have the right to use them to this day.

The judge further warned Shkreli that any violation of her order can be prosecuted as contempt of court. So the level of his compliance will determine whether there are further legal twists to this saga  which has already been strange enough.

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
Why is Kamala Harris name first on the ballot in NC? How candidate order is determined

The first name North Carolina voters will see on their ballot this year is Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat running for the office of President of the United States.

So, how did her name end up being first on the ballot ahead of competitors like Republican former President Donald Trump?

It wasnt malfeasance, election rigging or voter manipulation, as some conspiracy theorists have suggested on social media. Rather, it was random chance.

North Carolina law requires the State Board of Elections to randomly assign ballot order by the last name of the candidates. Board staff conducted this assignment using a two-step process on Dec. 15, 2023  nearly three months before the primary election.

First, staff selected a ball from a bingo machine that had one ball corresponding to every letter in the alphabet. The letter selected was D, meaning that candidates whose last name began with D would be placed first on the ballot.

Second, staff flipped a coin to determine whether the remaining candidates would appear in alphabetical order or reverse alphabetical order. The coin landed on heads, meaning the rest of the candidates would appear in regular alphabetical order.

This entire process was streamed live.

The first page of a Forsyth County sample ballot for the November 5, 2024, election. The ballot is a composite of all contests in Forsyth County.

Since the randomization occurred before the primary election, board staff could not have even known which candidates would be placed on the ballot in the first place  much less their specific ballot order.

Under the random order that was selected, President Joe Biden actually would have appeared last on the ballot if he had remained the Democratic nominee.

But, because Harris name comes first in alphabetical order when starting with D, she will appear first on the ballot in 2024. Trump will appear second-to-last on the ballot since several third-party candidates come before him, alphabetically.

In 2016 and 2020, Donald Trump was first on the states ballot after board staff conducted similar randomization processes.

NC Reality Check is an N&O series holding those in power accountable and shining a light on public issues that affect the Triangle or North Carolina. Have a suggestion for a future story? Email realitycheck@newsobserver.com
Harris is said to be hoping to copy successful parts of Raphael Warnocks campaign in Georgia (AP)

On Wednesday evening, Vice President Kamala Harris will make her first big swing through Georgia with her running mate, Tim Walz .

President Joe Biden won the state in 2020 by the narrowest of margins. Democrats flipped the two Senate seats in the runoff races in 2021 and Raphael Warnock held his seat in the 2022 midterm. So its no surprise Harris is concentrating on the state today.

Democrats are also making a play for other Southern states like North Carolina and even Florida, which has become a laboratory for MAGA. Some polling shows that Harris has a slight lead there, while other surveys show a lead for Trump.

But the new wrinkle in Harriss campaign strategy is that she is not just relying on the Atlanta metropolitan area and its suburbs, but the rural areas. Harriss tour throughout South Georgia will begin on Wednesday.

On the surface, a Democrat campaigning in the rural areas may seem bizarre, given how much the party relies on cities and their suburbs. But Andrew Heaton, a former adviser on Warnocks campaign, explained why its a strategic move for the Harris-Walz campaign to The Independent.

If you want to win statewide in Georgia, as close as the margins are right now, it can't be an either/or, he said. Yes, the bulk of our votes are going to be in metro Atlanta. Yes, we have to run up the scores there  but we can't rely on that. We also have to turn out the votes and crank up the margins, especially in the areas in South Georgia.

Specifically, Heaton said that Democrats need to compete in areas like the Black Belt, where numerous Black voters live and work in agriculture. He noted that Representative Sanford Bishop, a Black Democrat, represents part of the area.

There are Democrats down there, he said. They might not make up the majority of their counties, but there are... a number of majority Black counties down there that if they feel like a candidate is making the effort is reaching out, they will respond.

He noted that Warnocks 2022 runoff campaign against Republican Herschel Walker relied heavily on this region.

I kept the map after the election because I thought it really spoke to what we were trying to accomplish in going through middle and South Georgia and making sure we left few stones unturned there, he added.

Indeed, Biden and Warnock did better in some of the southern counties on the margins in Georgia than Hillary Clinton did, such as in Lee County and Webster County.

I think that the thing that matters most in the conversation around Vice President Harris going into rural areas is she's doing the things that Democrats should have been doing for the last 15 years, Paolo Cremidis, an executive director of Outrun PAC, which focuses on helping Democrats do outreach in rural areas, told The Independent.

Specifically going to Southeast Georgia is changing the culture of how not just campaigns are being run, but also how presidential campaigns have interacted with Southern Democratic parties, he added.

Cremids also cited Warnocks campaign, which, he said, showed that a Black candidate who runs on progressive policies can win in such areas.

As a Californian and as a Democrat, Harris needs to push back against stereotypes that she is a coastal elite, Andra Gillespie, a professor at Emory University, told The Independent.

Elites would only think about Atlanta, she said.  You don't think about the fact that there's this whole other rest of the state that, geographically, is most of the land mass of the state, and population-wise is half of the state.

Harris does not even need to flip certain counties  she could win big by simply shaving off at the margins to break through Republicans hold on the southern part of the state.

Part of the Republican strategy to win statewide races in Georgia over the last couple of decades has been to build a wall in rural Georgia, Amy Morton, a Democratic pollster in Georgia, told The Independent. Breaking down parts of that wall could be hugely consequential.

This change at the top of the ticket, the performance of the campaign, the message that the Harris campaign is putting forward has made every single one of my legislative races in swing districts easier to win, Morton added.

Of course, this also comes as the Trump campaign hopes to tighten its grip on rural America, with rallies and appearances by both Trump and JD Vance announced in such areas. The message from Harris and Walz is simple and believable, however: Nothing is guaranteed.
Wildcats to take Memorial Coliseum for first time since remodel

LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56)  The first soft-opening for Historic Memorial Coliseum is set for Friday.

Kentucky Volleyball will welcome back fans for the teams 2024 home opener against Northern Kentucky, according to the university.

Read more of the latest Kentucky news

The $82 million renovations began in 2023, marking the biggest investment in womens sports facilities in school history.

Historic Memorial Coliseum Renovation Progress Facility.Photo by Eddie Justice | UK Athletics

Historic Memorial Coliseum Renovation Progress Facility.Photo by Eddie Justice | UK Athletics

. Historic Memorial Coliseum Renovation Progress Facility. Photo by Eddie Justice | UK Athletics

Historic Memorial Coliseum Renovation Progress Facility.Photo by Eddie Justice | UK Athletics

According to the University of Kentucky (UK), the university will host a grand opening in the spring of 2025 to commemorate its 75th anniversary.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

Fans in attendance on Friday will receive a commemorative ticket and volleyball rally towels to help create a home-court advantage during the match, UK said. The opening match is part of the 2024 Bluegrass Battle featuring a round-robin with other Kentucky schools.

Tickets for all Memorial Coliseum games are available here.

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HONOLULU (KHON2)  A new art exhibit by the Windward Artists Guild is being showcased at Honolulu Hale for a limited time.

Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You

Wake Up 2Days Chris Latronic was joined by Liz Corbin, Vice President of Exhibits for the Windward Artists Guild for a sneak peek of Islands of Diversity and to learn more about the guilds history.

Honolulu art, film events taking place this summer

He was then greeted by Kaili Trask OConnell, executive director for the Mayors Office of Culture and the Arts, who explained how artists & non-profits can use this space for these types of exhibits.

Wendy Roberts, Premier Board Member for Windward Artists Guild, explained the layout of the exhibit and how she chose each display as well as her own paintings inspired by her love for hiking.

Other featured artists were also there to present their stunning artworks including George Evan Davis and first-place juror-chosen artist, Kenneth Nakamura.

Heres what you need to know

Most of the work in this show is for sale.

All art must remain on display in the show until Sept. 12.

Shipping will need to be calculated separately. Pick-up or shipping will be arranged by the artist.

In the case of a duplicate purchase, the piece will be sold to the first buyer and a refund given to any accidental duplicate purchases.

PayPal cannot allow purchases over $3000

The exhibit will be on display until Sept. 12. For more information on the exhibit, visit the Windward Artist Guilds website.

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HAMPDEN, Wis. (WFRV)  A 20-year-old Wisconsin man was arrested Monday after leading police on a high-speed pursuit with a stolen truck and trailer.

According to a release, the Columbia County Sheriffs Office was requested to help the Dane County Sheriffs Office regarding a stolen truck and trailer being operated in the town of Hampden.

Wisconsin man steals utility vehicle and crashes into several signs & parked cars

Deputies responded to an address on Monson Road, and as they arrived on the scene, James Dixon, 20, of Marshall, was also arriving on the scene with the stolen truck. After seeing the authorities, he immediately fled at a high rate of speed through a fully-grown cornfield. Law enforcement secured the stolen trailer, which was at the address on Monson Road, while other units initiated a vehicle pursuit.

Dixon eventually crashed the truck into a drainage ditch and fled the crash scene on foot. As deputies and K9s were actively searching for Dixon, deputies received a report of a stolen UTV about half a mile from where the truck crashed.

The UTV was abandoned in the early morning hours of August 26 in Windsor, and Dixon was still on the loose.

On Monday, shortly after 4:30 p.m., the Dane County Sheriffs Office again contacted the Columbia County Sheriffs Office about a stolen vehicle currently in its jurisdiction. Dane County was in contact with the victim of the stolen vehicle.

Near that residence was another abandoned vehicle, later believed to be stolen by the same suspect from a farm just into Columbia County on Highway 51.

Deputies responded to Highway 16 and Highway 60 in the city of Columbus. A Columbia County Sheriffs Office deputy located the suspected stolen vehicle driving westbound in Columbus.

When the deputy attempted to stop Dixon, he stopped briefly and fled quickly. The deputy pursued the vehicle westbound on County Highway K into the county.

The 2006 Chevy Tahoe fled at speeds over 100 miles per hour. Earlier in the day, it had been stolen from the village of Windsor.

The pursuit continued on County Highway K, where additional deputies successfully deployed tire deflation devices. Dixon continued driving recklessly, entering the town of Bristol in Dane County.

As Dixon approached the intersection of County Highway V and County Highway N, Dixon turned into a soybean field and attempted to elude law enforcement. Dixons vehicle became disabled, and he began to flee on foot.

76-year-old Wisconsin man arrested for 4th OWI after police find vehicle stopped near train tracks

After a short foot pursuit, Dixon was subsequently taken into custody. He was transported to the Dane County Jail on several charges from the two days, including theft of movable property, burglary of a building, felony bail jumping, second-degree recklessly endangering safety, operating after revocation, resisting, forgery, and operating a vehicle without owners consent.

This is another example of the importance of remaining vigilant and securing your property at night, said Lieutenant Jordan Haueter, Columbia County Sheriffs Office. This includes removing valuables, firearms, and keys from your vehicles. The Sheriffs Office has prioritized finding, arresting, and charging these suspects and holding them accountable for their actions.

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MADISON, Wis. (WFRV)  A 20-year-old Wisconsin man was arrested on Sunday morning after stealing a vehicle, crashing into several objects, and then trying to blend in with several unhoused individuals.

According to a release, officers with the Madison Police Department were sent to East Wilson Street at John Nolen Drive shortly after 6:00 a.m. for a report of a man driving erratically.

Police in Wisconsin searching for suspect accused of breaking into and vandalizing a school

A preliminary investigation revealed that 20-year-old Nicholas Beckett allegedly stole a vehicle from a Madison Gas and Electric fleet garage and hit multiple signs, sidewalk planters, and parked vehicles.

In total, three parked cars were hit, and several more were damaged through chain reactions. Beckett allegedly ran from the vehicle after it came to rest at North Hamilton Street and East Johnson Street.

An officer spotted Beckett trying to position himself several blocks away, pretending he spent the evening with several unhoused individuals.

76-year-old Wisconsin man arrested for 4th OWI after police find vehicle stopped near train tracks

He was eventually arrested and taken to the Dane County Jail for operating while intoxicated, his first offense, operating a motor vehicle without an owners consent, criminal trespass to an energy provider property, and felony bail jumping.

The Madison Police Department said that Beckett had received several traffic citations in addition to the charges.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Western Illinois University has launched a new phone line dedicated to assisting prospective students and their families who prefer to communicate in Spanish.

This new resource aims to ensure that Spanish-speaking students can easily access information about the opportunities WIU offers, a press release says.



We are excited to add this resource for our Spanish-speaking students and families, Doug Freed, director of Undergraduate Admissions and Enrollment Services, said. We want to provide our prospective students with this option so they can connect easily with WIU.



Spanish-speaking prospective students and their families are encouraged to contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office to learn more about the opportunities available at WIU. The dedicated Spanish-language line is now available to help guide students through the admissions process, answer questions and provide information tailored to their needs.



To speak with someone in Spanish, contact the WIU Undergraduate Admissions office at 309-298-3129.

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Woman accused of assaulting nurse at hospital in Union

UNION, S.C. (WSPA)  A woman was arrested Tuesday in Union, accused of assaulting a nurse at Union Medical Center in July.

According to the Union Public Safety Department, the assault happened on July 17 at the hospital on West South Street.

The police report stated that the nurse had gone into a room in the emergency department to check on a patients blood sugar.

The patient, identified as 33-year-old Shelby Lynn Floyd, refused and grabbed the nurse by her hair as she was leaving the room, the report said.

Floyd then pushed the nurse to the floor and started hitting her in the head and shoulders, according to the report.

Officers said they moved Floyd to Spartanburg Medical Center after the assault.

Floyd was charged with second degree assault and battery and booked into the Union County Detention Center.

She was released on $5,000 bond.

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A woman allegedly killed her friends newborn twin and abused the other. Prosecutors will seek the death penalty

For Ethan Katz and Savannah Roberts, the evening of June 15 was already stressful. They had gone to a Pittsburgh hospital seeking treatment for Ari, one of their six-week-old twin sons, who had a bloody and mysterious injury to his genitals.

Their longtime friend, Nicole Elizabeth Virzi, was visiting from San Diego. She was watching the other twin, Leon, in their apartment.

Later that night, they received a harrowing call at the hospital from Virzi. She told them Leon had fallen out of his bassinet and struck his head on the floor.

By dawn, Leon was pronounced dead at a Pittsburgh hospital. A young family was shattered. And as more details emerged about his final moments, investigators started questioning Virzis story.

Leons CT scan showed a severe skull fracture to the left side of the head, along with multiple brain bleeds. An autopsy determined that they were caused by blunt force trauma and were consistent with child abuse.

Within days, Virzi was charged with homicide and two counts each of aggravated assault and child endangerment. Prosecutors allege she caused Aris injuries. And the injuries to Leon were not natural or accidental, the criminal complaint said.

Leon and Ari Katz were six weeks old at the time of the alleged homicide and assaults in June. - From Isabella Kahhale and Sam Plate

Virzi, 30, has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail, her attorney David Shrager, told CNN.

In a rare decision, prosecutors filed a notice last week saying they intend to pursue the death penalty against her.

The decision to seek such is made only after careful and serious consideration of whether we believe we have evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that the aggravating factors outweigh potential mitigating factors, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. said in a statement to CNN.

Since 1900, Pennsylvania has executed only two women. Of the 109 convicted felons currently on the states death row, only one is a woman, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, which collects data on capital punishment nationwide.

The suspect is a doctoral student in clinical psychology

Virzi has been pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology through a joint program at San Diego State University and UC San Diego. She was scheduled to get her PhD in a few weeks, her attorney said.

In her university bio, she noted health behavior change and clinical health psychology as among her areas of research.

My research aims to explore the complex interplay between psychological factors  such as depression, stress, negative affect, and trauma  and critical health outcomes and behaviors, she wrote.

She was visiting the Katz family from San Diego and was staying at an Airbnb in Pittsburgh, according to Shrager, her attorney. Shes known the parents for years and is devastated by what happened to their infant sons, her attorney said.

Virzi told investigators that shed spent part of the afternoon on June 15 with the family, according to the criminal complaint. She said she noticed injuries on Ari and notified his parents.

There was blood in his diaper and his penis was red and swollen, according to the criminal complaint. She  photographed the injury and sent it to Ethan Katz, it said.

Ari also had additional injuries, including scratches to his right cheek and bruises below his belly button, the criminal complaint said. The parents denied causing the injuries and said they first learned about them from Virzi.

The parents  stated that prior to Virzis contact with the children, they (the twins) had no medical emergencies or treatment, other than routine medical care, the criminal complaint stated.

Virzis attorney declined to comment on his clients assertion that the injuries were caused by someone else. Were going to be litigating those elements at the appropriate place and time, which is in the court, Shrager said.

CNNs efforts to reach Ethan Katz and Savannah Roberts were unsuccessful.

The infant was under Virzis care for hours before his death, investigators say

Leons parents left him in Virzis care around 6:30 p.m. and took his twin to the hospital to get his injuries checked out, the criminal complaint said.

Virzi told investigators that she fell asleep while the baby was in a bouncer seat and woke up later to get him a bottle. She left him unstrapped in the bouncer seat and heard him screaming while she was in the kitchen, she said, according to the criminal complaint. She said she then found him lying on the floor with a bump on his head. Its unclear why she stated on the 911 call that the baby was in a bassinet while the complaint refers to a bouncer seat.

Virzi told investigators she notified the parents before calling 911. Ethan Katz got home around the same time as first responders arrived, the criminal complaint said.

Prosecutors allege the injuries to both children are a result of Virzis abuse. The District Attorneys office cited aggravating factors that it believes make the alleged crimes suitable for capital punishment, including means of torture and a significant history of felony convictions involving the use or threat of violence.

The statute provides aggravating and mitigating factors to consider when determining whether a case warrants seeking a sentence of death, said Zappala, the district attorney.

But Virzis attorney said his client does not have a criminal record. The prosecutors plan to use her alleged abuse of Ari as her felony history in Leons death investigation, he said.

Theyre going to try to say she has a preexisting felony because of the other child being harmed, Shrager said.

He said hes notified his client about prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty.

Shes handling it as well as can be expected. Shes remaining positive. But, of course, thats always difficult news for the defendant and the family, he said.

Pennsylvania law allows prosecutors to seek the death penalty in various cases, including if the victim is a law enforcement officer, a child under the age of 12 or a prosecution witness to a murder.

But the state hasnt held an execution since 1999.

Last year, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro announced he will not issue any execution warrants during his term. He urged state lawmakers to abolish the death penalty.

Virzi is in an Allegheny County jail awaiting a pretrial conference next month. A trial date has not been set.

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A 33-year-old resident of Davis, California pled guilty and was sentenced to time served and a year of federal supervision for a misdemeanor charge of assault after abusing her child on a plane set for Seattle, according to a release published by U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.

Breanna R. Mistler was arrested at Sea-Tac Airport when the Delta flight from Puerta Vallarta, Mexico arrived on May 1, 2024, according to the release.

Magistrate Judge Brian Tsuchida imposed the sentence Wednesday, noting that in September Mistler will begin serving a four-month sentence in California for an arson conviction. Mistlers federal supervision will begin after that state sentence.

Judge Tsuchida noted that Mistler will be supervised not only by the federal probation office, but by Child Protective Services, and California probation officers as well. You are taking steps . I hope you start over with a more stable life  you have a very young child, and she deserves that, Judge Tsuchida said.

According to the criminal complaint, multiple passengers on the flight observed Mistler abusing the child. The child was in the window seat and Mistler was in the aisle seat. The child woke up Mistler, and then according to witnesses, Mistler turned and kicked the child. In her plea agreement, Mistler denies that she kicked the child but admits hitting and shaking the two-year-old. Witnesses reported Mistler struck the child multiple times with her hand, and one witness reported Mistler shook the child like a rag doll. Despite interventions from passengers, Mistler persisted in the abuse. She told the passengers to mind their own (expletive) business.

According to the release, Customs and Border Protection officers detained Mistler at the airport. The Port of Seattle Police and the FBI took over the investigation. Mistler was held at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac for about three weeks.

According to the U.S. Attorneys Office, Mistler is currently taking parenting and anger management classes.

Prosecutors noted the extreme vulnerability of the victim in this case writing to the court, highlighting that the victim was two years old, and trapped in the window seat on an airplane. Given her young age and her physical confinement, she had no recourse to resist or avoid being hit, kicked, or shaken by her mother.

At Wednesdays sentencing hearing, Mistlers attorney Dennis Carroll told the court that the assault came when Mistler hit her lowest point. She is now sober, reflective, and remorseful and currently has supervised visits with her daughter, Carroll said.

For her part, Mistler told the judge I hit rock bottom. I am a better person now. I want to continue to be better.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  Police in D.C. said a woman was taken to the hospital after she was shot in Southeast on Wednesday.

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) told DC News Now that just before 12:30 p.m., officers were notified of a shooting in the 4500 block of Texas Ave.

Once on the scene, police found a woman with a gunshot wound, conscious and breathing.

2 people die in hospital after shooting in Sterling; LCSO investigating

Police said she was taken to the hospital for treatment, but her condition is unknown as of Wednesday afternoon.

The shooting remains under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call 202-727-9099 or text 50411.

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Woman issues warning after car insurance company tries to add daughter to policy

Kim Thie was shocked when she opened a letter from her car insurance company and saw her premium would be going up.

Its between $1,500 and $1,700 every six months, and that just isnt feasible on our income, Thie said.

She said her 23-year-old daughter who lives with her just got her license in May and her insurance company just let Thie know theyd be adding her daughter to Kims policy.

But her daughter has her own car and her own policy with a different carrier.

Fortunately, Thie was able to catch this before her premium was changed.

>> RELATED: Woman sees car insurance rate increase after company adds people without permission

Thie reached out to News Center 7 after a report our sister station KIRO TV about a woman in a similar situation.

It got me thinking that I received a letter from my Liberty Mutual a couple of days beforehand, she said.

The letter let Thie know about the upcoming change if she didnt take action.

Thats the default in your contract. Its actually in the contract, Michael Marchand, Deputy Commissioner, Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner said.

News Center 7 talked to Marchand in our original report.

The way the policy is written, it stipulates that it is inclusive of anyone who is driver-aged in the household, Marchand said.

Thie also says shes upset about how the insurance company told her they got the personal information for her daughter.

She said that they researched through the Ohio Department of Motor Vehicles, and Ive seen that she is a licensed driver that lives in my household, she said.

Thats also a standard practice by insurance companies.

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Thie said to check your bill and make sure everything lines up so youre not paying for coverage you dont need.

People need to know about this, she said.

News Center 7 reached out to Liberty Mutual who responded We do not publicly discuss the details of our customers policies.

They said their consumer affairs team would look into Thies policy and then contact her directly with any concerns.

As of Aug. 28 Thie said new documents from her insurance company do not have her daughter on her policy.

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Woman pleads guilty to killing person with car after being called out during theft in Pell City

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  A woman has pleaded guilty to killing someone with her car after she was confronted of breaking into different cars in Pell City.

On Wednesday, Shawna Masten pleaded guilty to nearly 20 counts of murder, robbery, theft of property, breaking and entering a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of an accident. Masten and Christopher Cody Masters were arrested following the death of Rebekah Poe, who died after being hit by a car in Pell City on November 20, 2022.

4th suspect arrested in fatal Birmingham apartment shooting

Masten and Masters had been on the run before being arrested in Denver last February.

As part of her murder plea, Masten will spend life in prison and the other charges will run concurrent with one another. Masten has waived her right to appeal her murder conviction.

Masters case is still pending in court.

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Waco, Tx (FOX 44)  A 30-year-old Waco woman who had been charged with capital murder has pled to a lesser charge and sentenced to 26 years in prison.

Aleisha Hilliard was one of two people arrested in the October 21, 2021 shooting death of 22-year-old Robert Juarez. In a plea deal, she pled to murder Wednesday afternoon in 54th District Court.

Waco police were called to the 800 block of South 12th Street just before 10:30 p.m. on the night of the shooting and found Juarez suffering from a gunshot wound. At the time multiple individuals had been seen running from the scene. Police at the time said they thought the shooting came during a drug-related robbery.

Man held after 130 mph motorcycle chase in two counties

Anthony Chambers also held in the case had earlier pled to murder in the same case and was sentenced to 45 years.

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Sandra Gathron sat on a bench chatting on the phone and snuggling her 1-year-old granddaughter, Alaysha, near the elevators that lead to eviction court at the Oklahoma County District Courthouse on Aug. 22. Two other women sat alongside Gathron; one entertained Alaysha with a game of peek-a-boo.

Around the corner in the main hall outside the eviction courtrooms, Adonika Fuller waited quietly with her neighbor, Jerry Jones, for information. Fuller was there for her eviction hearing. Jones came as moral support for Fuller and their fellow neighbor, Jennifer Esquivel, who was discussing her eviction case with a Legal Aid attorney.

Next to Fuller and Esquivel, three other women waited for legal assistance. Across from them, one man in his senior years sat at the end of a bench next to five more women.

Look around, Fuller said. What do you see? What do you see? How many women are here?

Women represent about six in 10 eviction filings in Oklahoma County, according to Shelterwell, an Oklahoma City-based housing stability organization. The narrow demographic of Black women tenants with children, however, represents 28% of eviction filings nationally.

Legal Aid Services Oklahoma attorneys said the national trend of Black mothers facing the most evictions is evident in Oklahoma.

Its generally clear which people at eviction court are tenants and who are landlords, mediators and attorneys. On this day, like most others, it was obvious that women of color outweighed any other tenant demographic.

Coincidence didnt stack the days docket with cases against women of color.

Sandra Gathron, chatting on the phone and snuggling her granddaughter, sits on a bench near the elevators that lead to eviction court at the Oklahoma County District Courthouse.

Male tenants were also present and many people had already come and gone, but the majority of defendants present were women, mostly Black, several with their children.

According to Shelterwell, of tenants surveyed while facing eviction in Oklahoma County court, 63% were women, 70% were nonwhite, 61% were households with children and 92% said they were behind on their rent.

Statistically, when outcomes arent good for a white man, theyre going to be slightly worse for a white woman, worse for a Black man and worse than ever for a Black woman, said state Rep. Forrest Bennett, D-Oklahoma City.

More: Evictions are on the rise in Oklahoma. Legal counsel may be made available to help

Racial and gender disparities in eviction court are often attributed to low-wage jobs, child care costs, single parenthood and wage gaps. But centuries of generational poverty, racist housing and credit practices such as redlining and exclusionary zoning still challenge 21st century Black mothers at alarming rates.

The Aug. 22 Oklahoma County eviction docket held 186 cases.

Redlining in Oklahoma: Trees and sidewalks hint at historical racism

A lack of generational wealth impairs many Black families, leaving them struggling financially, working low-wage jobs, paying more than they can afford for rent and facing evictions because of those struggles.

When white families were buying homes and building generational wealth throughout the 20th century, Black families often found themselves living in redlined neighborhoods, areas of town bankers had colored in red on maps to indicate large populations of people they considered poor credit risks and ineligible for mortgage loans. The areas were labeled fourth-grade or hazardous by the Home Owners Loan Corporation.

Desirable areas were shaded in green and blue on the maps.

Redlining was outlawed in 1968 with the passage of the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits racial discrimination in housing.

Despite the law, examples of racial discrimination persist. The U.S. Justice Department in 2023 announced a settlement resolving allegations that American Bank of Oklahoma engaged in ongoing lending discrimination by redlining in Tulsas historically Black neighborhoods that were the site of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

More: Police were called on a visitor outside OKC man's apartment while he slept. It led to his eviction

American Bank was ordered to invest nearly $1 million in a loan subsidy fund, spend hundreds of thousands to increase credit in majority Black and Hispanic neighborhoods and to open a loan production office for Black and Hispanic residents.

Bennetts House District 92 encompasses a swath of Oklahoma City including the downtown area, much of southeast Oklahoma City and part of northwest Oklahoma City. Bennett is part of a project tracking the damage redlining practices have caused to Oklahoma City neighborhoods since they were ostensibly outlawed.

A drive through Oklahoma City neighborhoods gave Bennett a snapshot of areas once redlined on maps. Midtown was once such a district, though modern development has masked its history and rehabilitated its value, Bennett said.

Historic homes with intentionally planted mature trees and streets with sidewalks were usually built in blue or green areas and were owned and occupied by white Oklahomans. Neighborhoods in the urban core lacking sidewalks and landscaping are likely to have been redlined on maps.

Oklahoma Watch, at oklahomawatch.org, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that covers public-policy issues facing the state.

You could have a Black couple and a white couple that were making the same amount, but a white couples ability to get a nice single-family home in a nice neighborhood necessarily meant that they were able to start building generational wealth, Bennett said. While a Black couple who may not have access to buying a home was continuing to rent, not building equity in a property and not having that as leverage later on when they needed it.

A direct line exists from past racist housing policies that have not been fully corrected to todays crisis of evictions among minorities, said Sabine Brown, housing senior policy analyst at the Oklahoma Policy Institute.

Because Black families were largely prevented from purchasing single-family homes, you had Black families that were largely in the urban core, in multifamily housing, Brown said.

Today, 96% of Oklahoma Citys residential areas and 81% in Tulsa are zoned for single-family dwellings only. Multifamily housing is limited to specific areas; many zip codes with the highest numbers of evictions are areas that were formerly shaded red on city maps.

Ongoing racism, gender discrepancies affect eviction rates

Nationally, Black Americans make up just 18.6% of all renters but they account for half of all eviction filings. In Oklahoma, Black tenants make up closer to 60% of eviction defendants.

Black women with children are the largest group filed against, comprising 28.3% of all eviction filings.

In Oklahoma, 61% of households facing evictions include children. That aligns with national statistics that indicate that when age groups are combined, children under 19 comprise more than 40% of people directly affected by the effects of evictions. Moving, changing schools, missing days of school, making new friends and other abrupt life changes can deeply affect children of all ages.

More: Oklahoma tenants are unionizing to demand repairs, neighborhood safety: How it works

Women make up two-thirds of the states lowest-wage workers, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor. And a Black worker is 50% more likely, and a Hispanic worker 40% more likely, than a white worker to make minimum wage or less.

A wage of $19.91 per hour is needed to sustain a moderate two-bedroom domicile in Oklahoma.

Fuller, one of those low-wage workers at age 47, had an appointment after her court hearing for a drug screening to start working a new second job. Although her four kids are grown and live independently, Fuller said she will work about 100 hours per week to make ends meet.

Eviction looms large for Black women

Eviction Lab founder Matthew Desmond, said evictions are to Black women what incarceration is to Black men.

In his 2016 book, Evicted, Desmond wrote, Poor Black men may be locked up, but poor Black women are locked out. That statement still holds, said Jacob Haas, a research specialist at Eviction Lab at Princeton University, which Desmond helped establish.

Black men continue to be locked up and Black women continue to be locked out, Haas said.

Brown said that when men are incarcerated, women are left behind to support themselves and their children.

Evictions leave families scrambling to keep what they have

In 2022, full-time salaried Oklahoma women had a median weekly pay of $769, or 80.8% of the $952 median weekly pay of their male counterparts, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Oklahoma hasnt raised its $7.25 minimum wage since 2009.

Nowadays, its just trying to keep what we have, Fuller said.

Fuller and Esquivels residence, Brickell Apartments, owned by Sand Hills to Brickell Apts LLC, wanted their rent immediately, or the women were out. Neither had the money to pay in full.

Esquivel, a 26-year-old single mother receiving no child support, left the courthouse feigning positivity but resigned to moving, though her three children, ages 4, 5 and 6, just started school.

Well find something, she said.

She said the costs of getting back to school caused her to be late on rent in the first place.

Now, her kids might face another first day at a new school.

Fuller left the courthouse on a quest to come up with $793 for this months rent and late fees plus $93 attorney fees so she could stay until her lease ends in October. She was angry. She said this was her first time ever being late on rent. Court records confirm shes never been evicted. She hoped for some grace.

Even if she does find the money to stay, the eviction filing will always be on her public court record and could make future leases difficult to negotiate. Fuller said she does not receive any government subsidies for her rent.

Jones was frustrated because he wanted to offer Fuller or Esquivel a place to stay at his apartment until they could find a place, but knew having additional residents in his unit could get him evicted.

For people with Section 8 housing vouchers, an eviction can mean losing that benefit altogether.

Oklahoma legislators have failed to act on retaliatory and other evictions

Oklahoma is one of only six states without laws providing tenant protections against retaliatory evictions. Such a bill, House Bill 3095, lost legislative interest this year and died in committee.

About 14 other bills relating to evictions were passed up this session. In 2023, a plain language bill passed the Legislature, requiring eviction documents to be written in clear and understandable language to those receiving them.

Point-in-Time counts in Oklahoma City and Tulsa identified evictions and housing insecurity as forces causing about one in four people to become homeless and a recent Legal Aid Services Oklahoma study found that 27% of the clients they queried had been homeless due to an eviction.

If youre a single person faced with eviction, you might be able to find a friend to couch surf or double up, Brown said. That becomes a lot harder if youre a mom with children. We may not see so many of these women on the streets because they do have children, so theyre more likely to find shelter situations.

Greg Beben, an attorney at Legal Aid Services Oklahoma, said he sees women, particularly Black women, flow through eviction court daily.

This is what created the need for the Fair Housing Act in the first place, Beben said.

When people are boxed in by redlining, or boxed out of other neighborhoods by zoning, there are a lot of negative consequences you can still feel decades later.

He said he considers the inequities seen in eviction court a result of decades of civil injustices and centuries of discrimination.

This is just an unfortunate final consequence, but these discrepancies exist, he said.

Heather Warlick is a reporter covering evictions, housing and homelessness. Contact her at 405-226-1915 or hwarlick@oklahomawatch.org.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma evictions impact women, Black mothers the most
ATLANTA, Ga. (WJBF)  Were just ten weeks away until the 2024 presidential elections and thats why both candidates, VP Kamala Harris and former US President Donald Trump are campaigning heavily in key swing states like Georgia. While the Trump campaign has not confirmed a date yet on when they will be back in Georgia after rallying in Atlanta earlier this month, VP Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will be on a bus tour from South Georgia to Savannah this Wednesday through Thursday.

With sixteen electoral votes, Georgia is one of a handful of battleground states that will see major momentum in terms of political rallies over the next two months.

Our polling has consistently shown that jobs, economy and public safety continue to be concerns for Georgians across the state, said Stephanie Jackson Ali, who serves as the policy director for the New Georgia Projection Action Fund.

ALSO ON WJBF: Ossoff, Warnock announce $1.8 million in resources for CSRA veterans facing homelessness

A recent Emerson college poll shows after the economy, women voters are concerned about healthcare and abortion rights while young voters are concerned about affordable housing.

As Georgia has become more younger, we see votes shift around. One of the biggest factors we see this year is over a million young Georgians who were not eligible are going to be eligible now so we are talking about a younger electorate, said Jackson Ali.

This is a brand new electorate and we are more diverse. We are looking at a Georgia that isnt what it used to be and that will lead to a lot of surprises.

Political experts say most of the larger cities in Georgia are democratic while the outliers, suburban and rural counties are republican.

Whats really going to turn out people is trusted messengers. Its not social media but hearing from people like them like their trusted members whether that is faith leader, a parent, or a coworker, said Jackson Ali.

There is also a significant population of black voters in smaller cities like Augusta, Columbus, Macon, Albany and Savannah that both campaigns are eying.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  The battle over the construction of a CO2 pipeline across parts of Iowa is far from being decided. But if one is built, Woodbury County supervisors say they want to guarantee that the pipeline owners leave the land as they found it.

Woodbury County is one of several considering decommissioning requirements. Woodbury County planning and zoning, along with the countys board of adjustment and legal counsel, are beginning work to put a protection plan in place. The end result would be part of a new ordinance in regards to CO2 pipelines.

Officials begin moving into new Woodbury County jail

Supervisor Jeremy Taylor says decommissioning could include leaving a pipeline in the ground or removing it to monitor and making sure theres a minimum disturbance to the land.

Whether its been for solar or for wind or now carbon pipelines, we want to make sure that we have real teeth in our language that says this is what you have to do if youre going to take this land for this purpose,' Taylor said. We think this is important because its incumbent to bond any company thats coming. Especially using eminent domain to restore the land to what it was once used for and to preserve it for future generations.

Over the next several weeks, county officials will draft a standalone ordinance determining what kind of bond companies could be required to provide. A series of public meetings will also take place before an ordinance is brought back to the board for 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 SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports.
Wounded water buffalo that escaped has been located in Des Moines metro, officials say

DES MOINES, Iowa  An aggressive, and wounded, water buffalo that has been on the run since Saturday has been located and officials are working on a plan to retrieve the animal alive.

Candace Bell, a Communications Specialist for the City of Pleasant Hill, said the water buffalo was spotted Tuesday night in a gravel pit filled with water on the southeast edge of Des Moines. Thats an area just east of SE 36th Street and south of Scott Avenue, near the East Des Moines Girls Softball fields.

Bell says officials have kept eyes on the water buffalo overnight and have been working with partner organizations to contain the animal and retrieve it alive safely, if possible. City officials and the Pleasant Hill Police Department are working with Polk County Conservation, Animal Control, DMPD, the Blank Park Zoo, and the ARL.

Multiple people injured in crash on Des Moines south side

The animal first got loose Saturday in the 2000 block of NE 56th Street of Pleasant Hill around 10:00 a.m. and officers tried to get the animal back to the owners property. The owner warned officers the water buffalo was aggressive. It became aggressive toward the Pleasant Hill Police Department and one shotgun round was fired at the animal, injuring it.

The water buffalo ran into Little Fourmile Creek, heading south toward Scott Avenue and Oakwood Boulevard. Aerial searches with drones and ground searches with ATVs were conducted, but officials didnt find the animal until Tuesday night.

Bell said they hope to provide an update with more details later Wednesday.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com.
Plans underway for Xi and Biden to hold virtual summit in coming weeks

The News

Plans are underway for US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping to hold a virtual summit in the coming weeks following White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivans visit to Beijing.

Sullivan and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also agreed to hold further security talks involving top military commanders in an effort to calm tensions in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea, the White House said.

Establishing a direct line of communication with Beijing has been a priority for the Biden administration amid recent tensions over Chinas aggressive handling of unlawful maritime border claims, particularly with the Philippines.

The US official also pressed Wang on Chinas unfair trade policies and Beijings support for Russias military actions in Ukraine during the meeting.

The United States will continue to take necessary actions to prevent advanced U.S. technologies from being used to undermine our national security, without unduly limiting trade or investment, Sullivan said, according to a White House readout.

Wang said the US must respect Chinas sovereignty and political decisions, calling on Washington to stop suppressing China in economics, trade and science and technology.

Sullivans visit could set the stage for improving China-US cooperation should Democratic nominee Kamala Harris be elected in November.

China has used the opportunity [of Sullivans visit] to reiterate its positions on bilateral relations, in the hope to set rules for the next administration, one China watcher told The Washington Post.
The Scoop

Former New Jersey governor and two-time failed presidential candidate Chris Christie will teach a How to Run a Political Campaign class at Yale University this fall.

The course examines political campaigns increasing dependency on technology, fundraising, and successful leadership. Yale students will receive one college credit for the weekly 1-hour, 50-minute class, according to the description.

Political campaigns in the 2020s are becoming more technology dependent, more confusing and difficult from a communications perspective and even more fraught with pitfalls and personal challenges, the class description reads.

The course is a 15-person seminar for graduate and undergraduate students, a Christie adviser said.

Know More

Christies last unsuccessful attempt to secure the Republican nomination for president ended in January, days before the Iowa caucuses after it became painfully obvious he had no pathway to victory.

Campaigns are run to win. Thats why we do them. Its clear to me tonight that there isnt a path for me to win the nomination, he said at the time during an event in New Hampshire. Im going to make sure that in no way do I enable Donald Trump to ever be president of the United States again. And thats more important than my own personal ambition, he added.

His dramatic departure from the race was punctuated with a hot mic flub where he was heard saying then-candidate Nikki Haley was going to get smoked.

During Christies Trump-themed candidacy, he was the Republican Partys most ardent critic of Donald Trump, calling him disgusting during an interview with CNNs Jake Tapper after Trump said immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country.

Christie also criticized Trump for having an awful temperament when discussing a court-issued gag order handed down by Judge Tanya Chutkan. His conduct is beneath the offices that he was privileged to hold, he said.

Notable

Before he announced his bid, Christie sat down with Semafor for an hour-long interview in which he said Ron DeSantis and Trump werent conservatives and undercut some of Trump-world rhetoric about a rigged 2020 election. The election wasnt stolen. He lost, Christie said.

Anti-Trump Republicans are calling on Christie to support Kamala Harris. The only possible world in which he has a future in politics is: (1) As a token Republican in a Democratic administration; or (2) as a GOP candidate for president from the blue state of New Jersey following a thrashing of Trump so massive and undeniable that it shakes the entire party to its core and creates space for someone who can ride his repudiation of Trump to the nomination, The Bulwarks Tim Miller wrote.
Yelm teachers vote to strike on first day of school if no agreement is reached

Yelm educators plan to strike on the first day of school unless Yelm Community Schools agrees to a fair contract settlement.

Members of the Yelm Education Association, a teachers union, voted on Tuesday to authorize the strike if no tentative agreement is reached. The motion passed with 97.5% of the vote. The first day of school is Tuesday, Sept. 3.

Kat Cullum, YEA co-president and middle school teacher, said educators want manageable class sizes and time to work with students to provide quality education.

Our community expects our district to keep high quality educators and attract new ones, Cullum said in a news release. In order to do so, we need a fair contract that prioritizes student success.

News of the strike authorization comes after the district cut a significant number of its staff this summer. The cuts were intended to make up a $15 million budget deficit that was left by voters defeat of a local property tax measure, The Olympian previously reported.

The association says educators are struggling to get the support and relief they need to do their jobs safely and effectively.

Yelm Community Schools administrators have refused to offer educators a fair deal, one that would secure competitive compensation for Yelm educators, and equitable class sizes, the association said in its news release.

The YEA release describes the proposals by Yelm Community Schools this way:

Cutting daily planning time for elementary teachers.

Eliminating overload payments.

Refusing to put any limits on special education and counseling caseloads.

Eliminating counselor positions and making it harder for them to support students.

Refusing to pass through state-funded salary increases.

Refusing to ensure emergency call buttons are in every classroom.

Yelm Superintendent Christopher Woods did not respond to an inquiry from The Olympian. Instead, Teri Melone, the districts communications director, shared a prepared statement.

Melone said the district has engaged with the teachers union to address a range of important issues.

Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we have not yet reached an agreement; and the union has authorized a possible strike, Melone said. We fully recognize how deeply this affects our students and families. We are committed to working diligently to find a resolution that respects the needs and concerns of our teachers while also ensuring that our students receive the quality education they deserve.

Melone said the district is working as quickly as possible to reach an agreement.

We value our teachers and understand their vital role in the success of our students, and we are striving to find common ground that benefits everyone involved, Melone said.

YEA represents about 350 certified educators in the Yelm School District, according to the release. A state-appointed mediator is working with the association and district.
Yes, it gets hot in metro Phoenix. But here's when the weather cools down

Metro Phoenix weather is often described as three or four months of extreme heat and lovely, mild weather for the rest of the time.

On average, triple-digit temperatures last from early May until late September, with monsoon storms bringing heavy downpours, haboobs and flooding to parts of the Valley.

In the winter, high temperatures hover in the mid-60s with lows typically staying above freezing. While many head to northern Arizona to enjoy the more wintery weather, it has been known to snow in metro Phoenix on occasion.

Whether you're planning a trip to the Grand Canyon State or just want to daydream about cooler weather, here is everything to know about what the weather is usually like each month in Phoenix, including the high and low temperatures and rainfall, according to U.S. Climate Data.

January

The average high temperature is 67 degrees .

The average low temperature is 46 degrees .

The average amount of rainfall is 0.91 inches.

February

The average high temperature is 71 degrees .

The average low temperature is 49 degrees .

The average amount of rainfall is 0.92 inches.

March

The average high temperature is 77 degrees .

The average low temperature is 53 degrees .

The average amount of rainfall is 0.99 inches.

April

The average high temperature is 85 degrees.

The average low temperature is 60 degrees .

The average rainfall is 0.28 inches.

May

May marks the return of triple-digit temperatures, with the first 100-degree day falling on May 2 on average, according to the National Weather Service.

The average high temperature is 95 degrees .

The average low temperature is 69 degrees .

The average rainfall is 0.11 inches.

June

June 15 marks the start of Arizona's monsoon, which typically brings dust storms and heavy rain to the Valley.

The average high temperature is 104 degrees .

The average low temperature is 78 degrees .

The average rainfall is 0.02 inches.

July

The average high temperature is 106 degrees .

The average low temperature is 83 degrees .

The average rainfall is 1.05 inches.

August

The average high temperature is 104 degrees .

The average low temperature is 83 degrees .

The average rainfall is 1 inch.

September

Arizona's monsoon season ends on Sept. 30. The National Weather Service forecasts the average date Phoenix drops below 100 degrees is Sept. 29.

The average high temperature is 100 degrees .

The average low temperature is 77 degrees .

The average rainfall is 0.64 inches.

October

The average high temperature is 89 degrees .

The average low temperature is 65 degrees .

The average rainfall is 0.58 inches.

November

The average high temperature is 76 degrees .

The average low temperature is 53 degrees .

The average rainfall is 0.65 inches.

December

The average high temperature is 66 degrees .

The average low temperature is 45 degrees .

The average rainfall is 0.88 inches.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix weather by month: Here's when it gets hot and cools down
Yes, you need to prove your citizenship to vote in Arizona. Everything to know

It goes without saying: You must be a U.S. citizen to vote in U.S. elections. Even so, the idea of proving your citizenship has been hotly contested.

Proponents say it's crucial to prevent non-citizens from voting in U.S. elections. Opponents say that this creates roadblocks that disenfranchise voters.

In Arizona, the Legislature sought to reinstate a state law requiring residents to provide proof of citizenship to register to vote. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the state Republicans' request on Aug. 22. The request is also backed by the Republican National Committee.

However, the court turned down a request to reinstate the portion of the same law that would bar federal-only voters from participating in federal elections.

A U.S. Supreme Court order requires everyone who registers to vote using a state form to provide documents proving they are U.S. citizens. Previously, people who registered without that proof could attest under penalty of perjury that they are citizens, and they would be allowed to vote only in federal races, such as for president and Congress.

There's still a way to register to vote, even if you don't have your birth certificate handy. This episode explores the debate over proving citizenship and outlines what is now allowed under the law.

In this episode of The Gaggle's monthly series, Election Dissection, hosts Mary Jo Pitzl and Sasha Hupka explain the law and explore what this means for Arizona voters.

Listen to the episode

The best way to listen is to subscribe to The Gaggle on your favorite podcast app, but you also can stream the full episode below.

Read the episode transcript here. Please note that there might be slight discrepancies due to the AI used to transcribe the conversation.

Have a question or comment about Arizona politics?

Send it our way. You can share your thoughts with us at 602-444-0804 or TheGaggle@arizonarepublic.com.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

Catch up on previous Gaggle episodes here:

Reach the hosts at maryjo.pitzl@arizonarepublic.com and sasha.hupka@arizonarepublic.com

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How to register to vote in Arizona without proof of citizenship
New York's controversial mask ban used for first time to make arrest

Booking photo of Wesslin Omar Ramirez Castillo, who was arrested Sunday by Nassau County Police for violating New York's controversial mask ban law. Photo courtesy of Nassau County Police

Aug. 28 (UPI) -- New York authorities arrested an 18-year-old undocumented migrant in Nassau County under its controversial masks ban law on Sunday.

Wesslin Omar Ramirez Castillo became the first person arrested in connection with what is believed to be the first law in the nation that bans wearing masks in public. Police said Castillo was carrying a 14-inch knife when they spotted him wearing a ski mask in the Levittown neighborhood.

"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," Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman told the New York Post.

"Passing this law gave police another tool to stop this dangerous criminal," he said.

Nassau County Police said in a statement on Tuesday that Castillo, from Hicksville, was picked on misdemeanor charges of criminal possession of a weapon, along with the violation of the Mask Transparency Act.

Officers said Castillo displayed suspicious behavior and then refused to comply with the officer's demands when he was confronted. They said he tried to conceal his knife in his waistband.

The mask ban was signed into law on Aug. 15 in Nassau County, which covers part of Long Island. Local officials said that, while the law is meant to help identify criminal suspects, it does have health and religious exemptions.

Violators can receive fines up to $1,000.

Nassau County lawmaker Howard Kopel said masks have been increasingly used in anti-Semitic incidents in connection with the Israel-Hamas war being waged in Gaza.
Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, makes his first appearance at the Fulton County courthouse in Atlanta on Dec. 15, 2022. - Credit: Arvin Temkar/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP

Young Thugs defense lawyer used his long-awaited cross-examination of key prosecution witness Kenneth Woody Copeland on Tuesday to cast Copeland as a career criminal who may have been the one actually responsible for the 2015 murder at the heart of Young Thugs problem-plagued gang and racketeering prosecution in Georgia.

During an entire day of tense questioning, lawyer Brian Steel grilled Copeland over his prior felony convictions, his public boasts about being a gangster, and the claim that Copeland was involved in a heated conflict with Donovan Nut Thomas Jr. over items Copeland allegedly stole from Thomas car shortly before Thomas was gunned down in a drive-by shooting outside an Atlanta barbershop on Jan. 10, 2015. Steel got Copeland to confirm that he had heard Thomas wanted him physically harmed as retribution. The exchange could prove significant if it raises enough reasonable doubt for jurors over who killed Thomas.

More from Rolling Stone

Young Thug, born Jeffery Williams, isnt specifically charged with Thomas murder in the sprawling 65-count indictment that landed the Grammy-winning rapper in jail more than two years ago. But prosecutors allege Williams is the head of a Bloods-affiliate gang called Young Slime Life that carried out Thomas murder to help consolidate power. Two weeks ago, prosecutors played a June 2015 police interview for jurors in which Copeland claimed Williams met a group of alleged YSL members at a Texaco gas station to switch cars and give them a rented Infinity for the drive-by shooting. Williams, who has no prior criminal record, has pleaded not guilty to being the kingpin of a violent gang and vehemently denies having anything to do with Thomas murder. Copeland, meanwhile, has disavowed anything he told police that implicates Williams. He said repeatedly during his direct examination by prosecutors that he concocted the story about Williams alleged connection to Thomas murder because he was under arrest on a gun charge during the June 2015 interrogation and was trying to offer a big fish to make a deal so he could avoid going back to jail.

Before confronting Copeland with questions about his own alleged dispute with Thomas, Williams defense lawyer asked if Copeland was aware that Williams and Thomas were friends who shot a music video together for a song titled In My Blood on Dec. 4, 2014  just a month before Thomas murder. Copeland said he didnt know.

Steel also asked Copeland if he was spinning one of his self-professed lies when he told police that Williams was upset with a man named Kelvin Shell Kell Watts, one of Thomas closest associates, shortly before Thomas was murdered. Copeland told Steel that he fabricated the story he told police in his June 2015 interview about meeting Thomas outside a gambling house shortly before brokering a Facetime call in which Williams allegedly told Watts he wouldnt let shit go until Watts paid for a truck windshield shattered in a purported shooting.

I never had no conversation with Nut outside the gambling house, Copeland testified Tuesday. I never had a conversation with him.

Steel eventually turned more adversarial, accusing Copeland of breaking into Thomas Tahoe and stealing his cell phone, identification, chain, and wallet. What happened was, Mr. Donovan Thomas called his own cell phone, and you answered it and made arrangements to give him back his property, fair to say? Steel asked. Copeland replied, Something like that. Copeland gave the same answer when asked if Thomas showed up with other people in other cars to retrieve his property. Copeland said the group was armed.

And shortly after that, you learned that Donovan Thomas, and others, were going to hurt you, true? Steel asked before the judge ruled he had to rephrase the question. Did you ever listen to Donovan Thomas have a meeting with others where they discussed you? Steel asked.

Yeah, I was told, Copeland responded.

Did you believe that on the date that Donovan Thomas was killed that he and others, his friends, had a plan to hurt you, physically? Steel asked.

I was told that, Copeland responded.

At other points during the cross-examination, Steel stood over Copeland and walked him through a stack of court filings related to his indictments and convictions for crimes including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, making terroristic threats, theft, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Steel showed Copeland a 2020 video interview with Off The Porch in which Copeland said, I dont want to be labeled as nothing but a gangster. Steel further confronted Copeland with a music video for a song titled Homicide that Copeland recorded with his recently deceased friend Travante Threat Turner. The video features Copeland and Turner acting out scenes of a fictional murder. Copeland previously claimed on direct examination that after he and Williams rented an Infinity together at the Atlanta airport, he loaned the Infinity to Turner and didnt see it again until after Thomas murder.

In his opening statement in the case last November, Steel told jurors that Copeland was a violent criminal with possible links to Thomas murder. This is a big witness, Steel told Judge Paige Reese Whitaker two weeks ago, referring to Copeland outside the presence of the jury. I opened on him. I said that Mr. Copeland killed Donovan Thomas.

During the cross-examination Tuesday, Steel asked Copeland if he knew that at one point he was charged with Thomas murder. Copeland said he was locked up on a weapons case at the time but he was aware. The murder charge was later dropped. Prosecutors now allege that a group of men including alleged YSL members Shannon Stillwell and Deamonte Yak Gotti Kendrick were in the car that fired on Thomas outside the barbershop. Stillwell and Kendrick are two of Williams five co-defendants currently on trial with him and have pleaded not guilty.

When he had a few minutes to start his cross-examination of Copeland late in the day on Monday, Steel wasted no time letting the jury know Copeland had been threatened with jail time by prosecutors if he refused to testify or tried to claim that he was the one who murdered Thomas. Steel picked up the line of questioning when Copeland returned to the stand Tuesday.

Did District Attorney [Simone] Hylton tell you that if you testified that you were involved with the Donovan Thomas murder that you would be locked up or arrested? Steel asked, referring to the secret meeting between Copeland and prosecutors in Judge Ural Glanvilles chambers that sparked the series of events that led to Judge Glanvilles removal from the case last month.

After first trying to evade the question, Copeland answered, Yes. He answered yes again when asked if he was threatened with jail time if he refused to testify under his immunity agreement with prosecutors.

During his 12 days of questioning by prosecutors  of which three full days were stricken from the record due to Judge Glanvilles recusal  Copeland rolled his eyes, yawned repeatedly, profusely proclaimed he lied to police to get them off him, and coined the I dont recall catchphrase that turned him into a meme.

Steel is expected to continue his cross examination Wednesday, with lawyers for three other co-defendants expected to follow. After Copeland, the next expected witness in the case is Antonio Mounk Tounk Sledge, an alleged co-founder of YSL who accepted a plea agreement.

According to prosecutors, Williams and his alleged YSL gang carried out drug sales, shootings, and at least three murders as they created a crater of crime in Atlanta. Under the indictment, Williams is charged with racketeering conspiracy, gang participation, and drug and firearm possession. In addition to Thomas slaying, Stillwell also is charged with the 2022 murder of Shymel Drinks. Another co-defendant in the trial, Rodalius Ryan, was previously convicted in the 2019 murder of 15-year-old Jamari Holmes, which is cited in the indictment.

Seventy-five witnesses have testified so far in the high-profile trial. Prosecutors say they intend to call at least 100 more. After that, lawyers for each of the six defendants will have a chance to call their own witnesses. The trial is expected to last through the end of the year, possibly into February or March, Judge Whitaker recently said outside the earshot of jurors.

The proceeding is the longest in state history and has become a pressure point for Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis. Courtney Kramer, the Republican running to unseat Willis, has said that dismissing the YSL case would be her first official action if elected. In a statement, Kramer challenged Willis to dismiss the case immediately and release the accused who are being held without bond.

With no apparent justice in sight, I have become highly concerned and disappointed in the lack of prosecutorial oversight in this case, Kramer said. As time goes on, the public has witnessed a trial that is undoubtedly over prosecuted by attorneys who have repeatedly been admonished for lack of trial preparation: a complete and utter waste of the courts time.

Best of Rolling Stone
Rainbow-colored fentanyl tablets. (Drug Enforcement Administration)

After an unstable childhood, Sheyka Lyon said that she had lost herself as an adult with drug addictions. She made her way to Virginia as a sex trafficking victim, she said, but found recovery when tapping into support programs at Caritas  a Richmond-based nonprofit that supports people in recovery from substance abuse.

It really does take a village, she said as she recounted her journey, from receiving help to now working as a peer navigator at Caritas and earning her degree in social work. After speaking to a crowd at the organizations headquarters on Tuesday, she then introduced Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

The governor focused on the village mindset as he noted various efforts inside and outside his administration to combat fentanyl addictions and support Virginians in recovery. 1,772 people experienced fentanyl-related deaths in 2023, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

Amid the somber moments reflecting on lives lost to fentanyl overdoses were statements of hope as he announced the expansion of the It Only Takes One fentanyl overdose awareness campaign that had piloted in Roanoke earlier this year.

No community is immune, Youngkin said of addiction. We have work to do.

Earlier in the year, Virginia First Lady Suzanne Youngkin visited Roanoke multiple times for awareness events promoting the campaign that urges community members to take a pledge to talk to teens about the dangers of fentanyl.

Youngkin also highlighted other efforts to combat fentanyl use and abuse, including Attorney General Jason Miyares one pill can kill campaign and the Narcan trainings he and First Lady Youngkin have led around the state. Narcan is a commonly used drug to counteract a fentanyl overdose.

Recent legislative efforts to combat fentanyl abuse by Virignias General Assembly include a bill to allow people in recovery from substance abuse whove been convicted of certain crimes to be able to work in treatment centers and a bill targeting fentanyl manufacturers. Both measures succeeded in the House and Senate and were signed by Youngkin.

While there has been bipartisan work to combat fentanyl issues in Virginia, Youngkin has his eye on a proposal to create a felony homicide criminal penalty for dealers whose drugs lead to a fatal overdose, regardless of whether or not it was accidental. Some Democrats had pushed back on the idea over the concern that it could go too far to charge people distributing drugs that they dont know contain fentanyl.

I will put it forward again, and we will do everything we can to get this bill passed, Youngkin told members of the media Tuesday.

Jill Chicowicz is pleased to see various efforts that help bolster her nonprofit organizations mission. After losing her twin brother to an accidental overdose in 2017, she founded 2 End The Stigma and worked to raise awareness about fentanyl. Her brother Scott Zebrowski had been prescribed opioids after an injury that led to the addiction that ended his life.

Now, she said that she talks with her teenage sons about the dangers of black market drugs and the risks of addiction. She said shes pleased to see the Youngkin administration and lawmakers do their part to help families be less likely to experience a tragedy like hers.

I always tell parents, Open the dialog. Talk to your children. Dont be scared, she said. It is an awkward conversation. Its more awkward to bury them.

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Youth admission policy at the SC State Fair has changed this year. Heres what to know

The organizers of the South Carolina State Fair announced a change has been made to its youth admission policy as the 2024 event in Columbia draws closer.

On Wednesday, organizers said that anyone under 18 will be required to be joined by a parent (21 or older) if they wish to attend either of the Friday or Saturday sessions of this years S.C. State Fair. The change will be in effect all day on the Friday and Saturday sessions, according to the updated policy.

Please familiarize yourself and your family on this new policy, organizers said in a Facebook post.

This years S.C. State Fair is scheduled to start on Oct. 9, and run for 12 days through Oct. 20.

The opening day of the South Carolina State Fair on Wednesday, October 11, 2023.

The youth admission policy for the other sessions  from Sunday through Thursday  will remain the same as prior years, organizers said. After 5 p.m. on those days, anyone under the age of 18 must be with a parent to gain access to the state fairgrounds, which is across George Rogers Boulevard from Williams-Brice Stadium.

Minors will be allowed to attend the state fair without being joined by a parent prior to 5 p.m. on those Sunday through Thursday sessions.

With the exception of the opening day and both Sunday sessions when the state fair is scheduled to open at noon, gates will open at 11 a.m. for the remaining Monday-Thursday sessions, according to the events website. Each session will close at 9 p.m., save for the final Sunday when 8 p.m. will mark the end of the 2024 state fair.

But organizers said that those hours are subject to change due to inclement weather or at the discretion of fair management.

The opening day of the South Carolina State Fair on Wednesday, October 11, 2023.

In addition to the youth admission policy, organizers are also making a change to the events bag policy for this years state fair.

This year, all bags must be clear and cannot be any bigger in size than 12x6x12, according to organizers. The only exceptions to the mandatory bag policy are for a diaper bag  as long as there is a baby present  as well as for those with specific medical requirements and those who have previously been approved to bring camera equipment or food because of allergies.

Forms seeking exceptions in those specific cases are available online, and must be submitted at least 24 hours prior to attending the state fair.

All approved bags will still be searched and tagged prior to their owner being admitted, organizers said.

South Carolina State Fair bag policy

Tickets for this years state fair will go on sale Sept. 10, and the presale that includes a 50% discount will run through Oct. 8. Those general admission tickets will cost $10 apiece.

Once the state fair starts, prices at the gate or online for general admission will cost $20.

Children 5 and under will be admitted for free, while admission for anyone whos 55 or older will cost $15, save for on Oct. 16 when that specific rate will be reduced to $5.

There are separate charges for ride tickets, and those will also be available at a discounted price prior to the start of the state fair.

Banned items

A look at some things that are prohibited at the 2024 South Carolina State Fair

Selfie sticks

Non-clear bags

Weapons (concealed carry or open carry are not allowed on the fairgrounds even if you are a permit holder)

Outside food and beverages

Pets

Segways

Tents (unless part of an authorized act or exhibit)

Drones

Source: South Carolina State Fair
(Bloomberg) -- The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, a key political group, has called on the interim government to open talks with politicians and hold national elections within a reasonable time, intensifying pressure on Muhammad Yunus, the leader of the new administration.

Most Read from Bloomberg

People want to vote. There should be a dialog between the political parties for the election, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary general of the party, said in an interview in Dhaka Monday.

People are willing to wait more than three months, he said. Probably, reasonable time should be given to the interim government, but not unreasonable time, like in the past  two or three years. I dont think they will accept that.

The BNP wants to avoid a repeat of the past, where an army-controlled caretaker government in 2006 stayed beyond its mandated three months and delayed the voting by about two years, bringing Sheikh Hasina back to power. Hasinas government rescinded the caretaker system in 2011, making the subsequent elections less competitive and more favorable to her party, the Awami League.

In January this year, Hasina was voted back into power in a third stage-managed election. Her administration hollowed out the BNP by arresting and jailing numerous leaders and supporters, forcing the opposition group to boycott this years election. Khaleda Zia, leader of the BNP and a former prime minister, was kept imprisoned or sidelined for a decade, while her son Tarique Rahman, acting chairman of the party, still lives in exile in London. Islam, 76, a senior leader of the BNP, was behind bars during the election.

Hasina resigned and fled to India on Aug. 5 following weeks of deadly protests by students calling for her to step down. Yunus, the Nobel Prize-winning economist, was appointed to head an interim government, backed by the military, and work towards holding elections. Under the constitution, voting must take place within 90 days.

In a televised address to the nation on Sunday, Yunus vowed to pave the way for a national election but failed to give a clear indication of how soon it will be held.

When the election will be held is entirely a political decision, not ours, Yunus said. The countrymen will decide when we should leave. We came here, responding to students calls. They are the ones who appointed us and the people of the country supported our appointment. We will constantly remind everybody of this issue so that the question does not suddenly arise when we should go.

As part of the reform agenda, the new government will reform the Election Commission and keep it ready to hold ideal elections at any time, Yunus said.

While Islam acknowledged the need for reforms to the Election Commission, Yunuss speech without an election roadmap frustrated him.

Its a vague, totally a vague statement, Islam said, adding that Yunus has to invite the political parties to discuss the election roadmap. Hes well respected in Bangladesh as well as in the entire world. But hes not a politician. A state is run by politicians. A government is run by politicians, he said.

This is true that the new government must act as per the desire of the people. But what is the desire of the people and what is the way? How do you know the people? What do people want to say? So we think that Parliament is the only place where these things can be decided, Islam said.

Bangladesh is grappling with a severe political turmoil. More than 600 people were killed during weeks-long violence, including reprisal attacks on Awami League leaders and supporters and minority Hindus. Some in Bangladesh blamed the BNP for fanning the flames, an accusation Islam rejected.

The situation is already defused, he said. He added that some people in the previous government and media outlets in India had whipped up sentiment around the issue that religious minorities were being targeted.

This is not a communal problem, he said. This was a political problem. Its always a political party versus another political party, not the communal problems, not Hindu versus Muslims.

Islam urged the international community to come forward to help restore democracy in Bangladesh. They also came last time, but that should be more coordinated. They should support the present government until it goes for an election, he said.

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New Zealand tenants kept up at night by cockroach infestation awarded 5,600

New Zealand tenants kept up at night by cockroach infestation awarded 5,600

A group of tenants in New Zealand who faced a severe cockroach infestation that disrupted their sleep and damaged appliances have been awarded 5,600 in compensation.

According to a recently released Tenancy Tribunal decision report, the cockroach infestation also caused two dishwashers to fail and led to other issues at the rental property.

The landlord had failed to address these problems adequately and tried to pass repair costs onto the six tenants of the apartment  the location of which has not been made public  including a stove replacement and a cracked toilet, according to the report.

Tribunal adjudicator Michelle Pollak noted that the landlord failed to take any further action to resolve the issue during the tenancy. However, a receipt indicated that pest control services treated the property for cockroaches two weeks after the tenants had moved out.

The tenants endured a severe cockroach infestation for the duration of their tenancy that interrupted their sleep at night from the sounds of them scuttling across the ceilings and caused issues with the dishwasher appliances, Ms Pollak said.

This ongoing infestation has also led to them having to have all their belongings decontaminated after their tenancy ended and before they could safely move their belongings into a new premise.

When the tenants vacated the property in February 2024, they were required to decontaminate all their belongings.

The tribunal also found that the landlord raised the rent before the legal minimum period had elapsed. The tenants moved into the property on 9 January last year.

The property was rented through PR Property Management Limited, acting as the agent for Bhavika Enterprises Ltd. The Auckland agent mentioned in the decision, Ram Narayanaraja, criticised the tribunals decision and was quoted as saying by NZME: Everything was wrong, the decision was wrong.

The landlord claimed that the tenants did not leave the premises clean and tidy, failed to remove all rubbish, and left the property contaminated with cockroaches that were not present at the start of the tenancy.
(Bloomberg) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will present a plan to force Russia to halt its invasion of his country to Joe Biden just weeks before the US holds presidential elections.

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Zelenskiy said on Tuesday that he wants to discuss the blueprint with Biden during his trip to the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York in September. He will also present it to presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, he said.

The blueprint comprises a powerful package to force Russia to end the war using diplomacy, economic steps and Ukraines place in the global security architecture, Zelenskiy said. Kyivs surprise incursion into Kursk region earlier this month was part of what the president described as his victory plan.

The announcement comes as the outcome of the Nov. 5 election in the US remains uncertain and the two candidates differ significantly on a solution to the conflict in Ukraine, currently well into its third year. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has given little indication that hes ready to negotiate, except on his own terms.

It would be fair to present the plan to the US president first, it depends on him whether the plan will be successful, Zelenskiy said during a four and a quarter hour long press conference with his top officials in Kyiv on Tuesday. And we do want to execute this plan.

The attempt to coerce Russia to pull its troops is likely to face hurdles. Any such initiative from Kyiv will have to rely heavily on continued support from western allies at a time when war fatigue continues to grow.

While President Biden and Vice President Harris have pledged to back Kyiv for as long as needed, Trump has repeatedly raised doubts over US commitments to NATO. Hes also said hell bring the war to an end before his inauguration.

The Kremlin has continued to demand that Kyiv withdraw its forces from the four Ukrainian regions that Russia partially occupies and abandon its bid to join NATO before it will agree to a ceasefire.

Zelenskiy on Tuesday dismissed any prospects of talks with Putin, calling them empty and meaningless.

But his attempt to win over key nations from the Global South, many of which have been sympathetic to Russia, for Ukraines current blueprint for peace largely faltered at a summit in Switzerland in June.

While the meeting included representatives from more than 90 countries, Russia wasnt invited. Several states sent lower-level delegations and some declined to sign a final statement.

Speaking at the same conference as Zelenskiy on Tuesday, presidents chief of staff Andriy Yermak reiterated a plan to hold a second summit in one of the countries of the Global South. Russia is unlikely to ignore the meeting if other members of the BRICS group of states that also includes Brazil, India, China and South Africa were to engage, he said.

Ukraines incursion into Russias Kursk region is also going to feature in the discussion with Biden, Zelenskiy said, calling the operation successful. Its delivered many necessary solutions, he said. Kyivs allies have largely withheld judgment of the offensive.

--With assistance from Maxim Edwards and Kateryna Chursina.

(Updates with more Zelenskiy comments in third paragraph. Earlier version of the story was corrected to reflect the statement about the duration of the war.)

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that he would eventually present a peace plan to President Biden and the current White House candidates, Vice President Harris and former President Trump.

Zelensky, speaking at a news conference in Ukraines capital of Kyiv, touched on the four-stage plan, saying the countrys incursion into Russias Kursk region was the first pillar.

Second direction is Ukraines strategic place in the security infrastructure of the world, Zelensky said, according to CNN. Third direction is the powerful package of forcing Russia to end the war in a diplomatic way, and the fourth direction is economical.

Ukraines leader said he plans to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September. While there, he plans to meet with Biden and will present the plan. Due to the uncertainty of who is going to win the 2024 election, Zelensky said he planned to share the plan with both Trump, the GOP nominee, and Harris, the newly-minted Democratic nominee.

Ukraines surprise incursion, which started earlier this month, forced Russia to divert some troops from parts of eastern Ukraine to the Kursk region, according to Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Syrskyi, Ukraines commander in chief, claimed the silent counteroffensive caused Russia to move 30,000 troops to the Kursk area. The Hill cannot independently verify the number. He added that Ukraines army claimed nearly 500 miles of Russian territory in Kursk.

Despite Ukraines advance inside Russia, the countrys president, Vladimir Putin, said his military would press ahead with the offensive in Donetsk. Russias pressure in Pokrovsk and Toretsk has forced evacuations, and a potential complete takeover would fortify its post in eastern Donbas.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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The past few weeks in the Ukraine war have felt like, to borrow an adage often attributed to Lenin, that decades have happened in them. It is perhaps the fastest moment of change in the conflict since it began, and heralds Kyiv throwing everything it has down on the table to try and bring palpable results before the US election alters its fate, maybe irrevocably.

Since the surprise invasion of Russias Kursk region in early August, Ukraines risk tolerance has rocketed. Its top brass unveiled Tuesday it had taken 100 Russian settlements, as reports emerged of its forces trying to break into Belgorod region too.

The shock incursion is now turning into a longer-term project, although Kyiv insists it is a buffer zone it seeks, and not a revenge occupation. It is remarkable how powerless the Kremlin appears to be to halt Ukraines progress, now three weeks in, despite having diverted 30,000 troops in that direction, according to a Ukrainian assessment given during President Volodymyr Zelenskys annual news conference Tuesday. But this bold move has company.

The past months have seen Ukraine targeting Russias deepest infrastructure at will. Airfields. Oil refineries. Ammunition hubs. All daily. A Ukrainian drone attack last Wednesday seemed to get close to Murmansk, the northern naval hub on the Arctic circle, where much of Moscows nuclear submarine force is based, according to a local Russian official.

This Wednesday, flights were reportedly interrupted in Kazan, a city east of Moscow halfway to the Urals, after another apparent drone threat. The reach of Kyivs drones is a complication unimaginable to Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2022 when he was told his war of choice would see his forces in Kyiv in a matter of days. Billowing smoke is not uncommon in Russias western and southern regions now. At some point, Moscows increased vulnerability, and the vast damage itself, will pierce the sanitary cordon of what state media allows to be said.

Ukrainian servicemen ride a military vehicle near the Russian border in Ukraine's Sumy region on August 11, 2024. - Viacheslav Ratynskyi/Reuters

Zelensky also let slip that another new capability has had an impact: the newly arrived NATO F-16 fighter jets, which he opaquely said had intercepted Russian missiles this week. This step change in Kyivs abilities to project air power will only grow in the months ahead and stymie Russias singular, long-term advantage  control of the skies and the ability to bomb at will. Moscow has responded to attacks on its territory and infrastructure with the only way it has known  in strikes on Ukraines energy infrastructure, hotels, and civilian targets, in horrifying waves night after night. Bu the numbers of dead have been relatively small and those of interceptions large, Kyiv has insisted.

And while Zelensky appears to be throwing all he can into the fight, Putin seems stuck peddling a familiar tune. The Kremlin is casting the Kursk debacle as if it were a natural disaster, some analysts have noted. The billowing smoke is something local officials must extinguish but Putin seems able to mostly ignore. Moscow talks of foreign mercenaries assisting Kyiv while its missiles target Western journalists in a Donetsk hotel.

It may be clumsy and ignorant as a response, but Russias wider aim remains unchanged and in reach. Tens of thousands of Russian troops are bearing down on the Ukrainian military hub of Pokrovsk, as they have been since Moscow captured the last small-ish town in the east, Avdiivka, in February. The goal, the tactics, the geography, the pace  always the same. Yet it is usually successful.

This is the wider gamble Zelensky appears comfortable with. The fall of Pokrovsk may be weeks away, by current assessments of the pace of Russian advance and speed of Ukrainian collapse in both positions and morale. It may, at best, submit to another slow, horrific winterlong grind before it falls. But the fall appears likely.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy signs a national anthem next to F-16 fighting aircrafts during the Day of the Ukrainian Air Forces at an undisclosed location, Ukraine on August 4, 2024. - Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters

After Pokrovsk, there is truly nothing to defend  no major town or position  until the city of Dnipro itself, on the other side of the vast Zaporizhzhia region, about a two-hour drive away. Unless the Kursk gambit causes Russia to stretch so thin that its Donetsk operations stall, Kyiv will need to wildly fortify the rear behind Pokrovsk, or risk a pacy Russian advance across open ground that could truly alter the future shape of Ukraine.

Zelensky is, it seems, happy to accept that risk and has calculated that the damage he can do to Putins prestige  by taking out oil infrastructure and military targets deep inside the Motherland and annexing part of his borders  is a necessary and an urgent war aim, regardless of how oblivious Putin and his public seem to be to this embarrassment.

It gives Ukraine a win, at least, which may fix two of Kyivs urgent problems: the will of NATO allies to provide arms to a losing campaign, and the willingness of Ukrainian men to fight in a losing war. He has assessed that the loss of Pokrovsk may be inevitable, and a sacrifice Ukraine can make in the pursuit of wider damage to the Kremlins borders.

The heavy intwining with US politics was also evident when Zelensky said Tuesday he would in September present his secret plan for victory  likely intense drone strikes, perhaps also using US-supplied longer-range weapons  to President Joe Biden, and candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. He is daring them to refuse him this chance, and trying to make being a Russia hawk part of the November election calculus. It may backfire, but more likely lead to some silent acquiescence, and Kyiv inflicting what damage it can as Moscow adapts again.

Yet an unfamiliar new paradigm is emerging, one which Zelensky addressed directly too. The threat of Russian escalation is almost absent in the conversation. It is as if the limit of their conventional powers has been exposed by the humiliation of Kursk, along with the emptiness of their nuclear rhetoric. The latter cannot be entirely ignored, if the Kremlin feels an existential threat so grave it is willing to risk the overwhelming conventional NATO response it will likely face from nuclear escalation. But Putins powers appear very diminished.

Zelensky has divined Ukraines moment is now, and that after November there is a 50% chance Trump will impose an unpleasant peace, or that NATO cohesion will slowly erode, or that he will struggle to fill his own trenches with willing Ukrainian soldiers. And in the weeks ahead, he is willing to leave huge swaths of territory vulnerable, as well as cross every one of Russias red lines  once hallowed yet now shifting daily  in the pursuit of a point at which Moscow breaks and decides to yield. He must hope the pressure is being felt as acutely by Putin.

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Zelenskyy: Children should go to school in person wherever possible

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, has held a meeting with government officials to discuss preparations for the new school year and stressed the importance of in-person learning.

Source: Zelenskyy in his evening address

Quote: "Today I also held a long meeting with government officials on preparations for the new school year. The priority is obvious. Wherever possible, children should go to school offline this year. The government, regional authorities and communities must ensure all the conditions for this."

Details: Zelenskyy emphasised that this is a strategic priority, maintaining normality in Ukraine and preserving opportunities for children to receive a proper education.

He noted that all government officials have clear tasks to achieve.

"The maximum number of schools should be opened, and the decisions that need to be taken for this are clear to the government," Zelenskyy said.

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Zelenskyy on Kursk operation: We continue to expand territory under our control

Ukraine's defence forces continue to take control of certain territories of the Russian Federation, replenishing the exchange pool with captured POWs.

Source: Zelenskyy in his evening address on 28 August

Quote: "We continue to expand the territory under our control in certain areas near the border of Ukraine. Today, as every day, our exchange pool has also been replenished. Thank you, warriors! This is something that will help bring home many of our people from Russian captivity.

We must also understand now that all the pressure that we have transferred to Russia means that they cannot put even more pressure on our Donetsk Oblast."

Details: Zelenskyy also stated that, as usual, he had listened to the report of Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine's Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief.

He stated that the situation is extremely difficult in Donetsk Oblast, where the majority of Russian efforts and forces are concentrated (specifically on the Pokrovsk front).

"And the resilience of each of our units and our ability to destroy the occupier are very important now. I want to thank every soldier and every commander who is holding their positions," the president added.

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Credit: Elon Musk via X

Elon Musks supercomputing exploits continue to press forward this week, as the technocrat shared a video of his newly renamed Cortex AI supercluster on X. The recent expansion to Teslas Giga Texas plant will contain 70,000 AI servers and will require 130 megawatts (MW) of cooling and power at launch, upscaling to 500 MW by 2026.

Musks video of the Cortex supercluster shows off the in-progress assembly of a staggering number of server racks. From the fuzzy video, the racks seem to be laid out in an array of 16 compute racks per row, with four or so non-GPU racks splitting the rows. Each computer rack holds 8 servers. Somewhere between 16-20 rows of server racks are visible in the 20-second clip, so rough napkin math estimates 2,000 GPU servers can be seen, less than 3% of the estimated full-scale deployment.

Musk shared in Teslas July earnings call that the Cortex supercluster will be Teslas largest training cluster to date, containing 50,000 [Nvidia] H100s, plus 20,000 of our hardware. This is a smaller number than Musk previously shared, with tweets from June estimating Cortex would house 50,000 units of Teslas Dojo AI hardware. Previous remarks from the Tesla CEO also suggest that Teslas own hardware will come online at a later date, with Cortex expected to be solely Nvidia-powered at launch.

The Cortex training cluster is being built to solve real-world AI, per Elons Twitter. In Teslas Q2 2024 earnings call, this means training Teslas Full Self Driving (FSD) autopilot system for Teslawhich will power consumer Teslas and the promised Cybertaxi productand training AI for the Optimus robot, an autonomous humanoid robot expected to begin limited production in 2025 to be used in Teslas manufacturing process.

Cortex first turned heads in the press thanks to the massive fans under construction to chill the entire supercluster, shown off by Musk in June. The fan stack cools the Supermicro-provided liquid cooling solution, built to handle an eventual 500 MW of cooling and power at full power. For context, an average coal power plant may output around 600 MW of power.

We're nothing without our fans.

Cortex joins Elon Musk's stable of supercomputers in development. So far, the first of Musk's data centers to become operational is the Memphis Supercluster, owned by xAI and powered by 100,000 Nvidia H100s. All of Memphis' 100,000 servers are connected with a single RDMA (remote direct memory access) fabric, and are likewise cooled with help from Supermicro. Musk has also announced plans for a $500 million Dojo supercomputer in Buffalo, New York, another Tesla operation.

The Memphis Supercluster is also expected to upgrade its H100 base to 300,000 B200 GPUs, but delays on Blackwell's production due to design flaws have pushed this massive order back by several months. As one of the largest single customers of Nvidia AI GPUs, Musk seems to be following Jensen Huang's CEO math: "The more you buy, the more you save." Time will tell whether this rings true for Musk and his supercomputer collection.
In Latin American countries like Brazil and Chile, messaging platform WhatsApp has become one of the most popular apps to use to buy things online. It was even the e-commerce platform of choice in the region during the pandemic. But WhatsApp is designed to be a messaging platform, not an e-commerce site. A startup called Mercately is building the back-end software to help brands better sell through WhatsApp.

Mercately is a B2B software that builds the infrastructure brands need to sell directly on WhatsApp. The company integrates with platforms like Stripe and HubSpot and uses AI agents to help brands communicate with customers, check inventory, take payments and create purchase orders without the customer having to leave WhatsApp.

Henry Remache, the co-founder and CEO of Mercately, said he got the idea in 2021 while he was doing software development for companies in LatAm. He had a client in Ecuador looking to sell shoes through e-commerce giant MercadoLibre. When Remache discovered this client was doing 90% of its sales through WhatsApp, the lightbulb went on: Brands shouldn't be looking to launch platforms elsewhere; they should try to sell more where they already are.

"It is fairly unusual for a small or medium company [in LatAm] to have a website; they do all the transactions on WhatsApp," Remache said. "The behavior is already there; people are using WhatsApp for buying and talking to their family. We are taking the behavior and making it so much easier for these companies to sell where people are."

Remache said that building the startup wasn't easy. LatAm is a fragmented market with various different currencies and shipping processes. The company launched in 2022 and currently works with more than 1,000 companies across 20 different countries. Mercately is profitable and has surpassed $1.5 million in annual revenue, he said.

"Over the last two years we have been growing 3.5x year over year," Remache said. "The growth has been phenomenal. We have only seen more and more businesses implement this kind of system. Companies realize that they need to adapt to consumer behavior instead of trying to use the old methods like a website."

The startup just raised a $2.6 million seed round led by Inventus Capital Partners and SVQuad with participation from Techstars, Salkantay Ventures and BuenTrip Ventures. Remache said that the capital will go toward hiring more AI engineers to bolster their AI chatbots. It will also go toward trying to build up Mercately's presence in Brazil and the U.S., countries they operate in already but don't have strong market share in yet. Remache said that fundraising wasn't easy.

"First of all, being from Latin America is a little different; there is not that much money over here," Remache said. "What opened the doors for us is we are a Techstars company. Techstars was definitely a big movement for us."

The company also did Meta's "Future of Business Messaging Platform" program in 2022, which is what introduced them to their lead investors, Inventus Capital Partners and SVQuad. Remache said Mercately is both organizations first investment into LatAm. Remache added that their lead investors hail from India, another country that heavily uses WhatsApp, which meant they understand how ingrained WhatsApp can be.

WhatsApp has become a hotbed for startups developing on the platform in recent years  especially in LatAm. Just last week, Magie, a Brazilian company that facilitates the ability for its users to send money and pay bills through WhatsApp, raised a $4 million seed round led by Lux Capital  the firm's first investment in the region. Felix Pago is another that raised a $15.5 million round to facilitate WhatsApp payments earlier this year.

Mercately is not the only company building business services for WhatsApp either. Private equity-backed Infobip is one company that focuses on marketing and customer engagement. Venture-backed Trengo is another focused on communicating with customers over WhatsApp. These companies, or a newcomer, could encroach on Mercately's market share if they add more business services. Meta, of course, could roll these features out as well.

So many companies are building off of WhatsApp because the app is deeply ingrained in LatAm culture, Remache said. More than 90% of internet users in the region utilize the platform. The U.S. hasn't seen as high adoption as other regions  but it is growing. Remache hopes Mercately can take advantage of that trend.

"I just think about how Shopify simplified web-based e-commerce in the U.S. We are simplifying WhatsApp commerce in LatAm," Remache said.
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Thousands of Ukrainian refugees face eviction from Hungarian state-funded accommodation in a move by Budapest that human rights activists say could contravene EU law.

Source: EuroNews



Human Rights Watch reporting on Hungary reports:



The Hungarian government has issued a draconian decree in breach of EU law that cancels state funded shelter for refugees from western Ukraine, leaving many homeless, Human Rights Watch said today.



Approximately 3,000 refugees from Ukraine are affected, the majority women and children, according to the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, which has been monitoring the situation for Ukrainian refugees affected by the decree. The Hungarian government should immediately repeal the decree.



The Hungarian government has stooped to a new low with this cruel law that is putting thousands of people who fled the war in Ukraine on the streets, said Lydia Gall, senior Europe and Central Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch. The European Commission should use all instruments at its disposal to make Budapest scrap the law and fulfill its duties as an EU member state.



The new decree, issued in June 2024, entered into force on August 21. It limits access to state-funded housing to Ukrainian refugees whose registered residence is in what the Hungarian authorities deem a war-torn area, effectively deeming other parts of Ukraine safe to return to. The decree amends a June 2023 decree that had already restricted eligibility to state-funded housing for Ukrainian refugees to those deemed vulnerable: pregnant women, children under 18, people with disabilities, and those aged 65 and older.



An attachment to the decree currently lists 13 oblasts (regions) in Ukraine designated by the Hungarian government as war-torn areas, excluding those in western Ukraine. According to the decree, the government is to review the situation and issue a new list of oblasts covered by the regulation by the 10th of every month.



Meanwhile, on September 4, Russian forces attacked Lviv in western Ukraine, killing seven civilians, including two children, and injuring 66, though the Hungarian government did not modify its list by September 10.



The decree breaches the 2001 EU Temporary Protection Directive, triggered in March 2022 following Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which requires EU member states to grant temporary protection and assistance to all refugees from Ukraine. It also contravenes guidance from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR), which does not differentiate between Ukrainian regions in determining whether a person needs protection.



According to the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, which works closely with affected groups, the decree has already had a devastating impact on approximately 3,000 Ukrainian refugees who fall outside the strict criteria, leading to homelessness and the inability to access social services in Hungary, including health care and education, which require having a registered address in Hungary.



While the decree could affect all refugees from Ukraine from areas not deemed war-torn by the Hungarian authorities and who dont qualify as vulnerable, the majority of those affected are ethnic Roma, and mainly women and children, according to independent news site Telex.hu. This is because most other Ukrainian refugees from areas excluded by the decree do not rely on state-funded accommodation, either because they are Hungarian dual nationals, are staying with relatives, have other support networks, or can pay for their own accommodation.



While the decree set out a procedure allowing people whose accommodation is cancelled to request leniency, the deadline for submitting leniency requests was extremely short, expiring on July 10, and the assessment criteria were unclear. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee said the majority of those who they are aware had requested leniency were rejected.



In other cases, according to the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, members of the same family received both approvals and rejections on leniency requests. It is unclear whether the leniency procedure would cover people affected by the withdrawal of support if further areas of Ukraine were excluded under the decree in the future.



The Hungarian government has a dismal track record with respect to refugees and migrants rights. Since 2015, the government has increasingly cracked down on the right to asylum, engaging in unlawful pushbacks at its borders, unlawfully detaining people in border areas, and effectively dismantling access to the asylum procedure. These unlawful practices relate to non-Ukrainian migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees.



The European Commission should take immediate action over Hungarys latest flaunting of refugee and EU law, Human Rights Watch said. It should initiate infringement proceedings against Hungary under EU law for breaching the Temporary Protection Directive. It should also make funds available to those with a proven track record of providing housing to beneficiaries of temporary protection, including municipalities, civil society organizations, and the UNHCR.



Leaving refugees fleeing a devastating war homeless not only flies in the face of Hungarys international obligations but is also a worrying reminder of the governments consistently inhumane and cruel policies with respect to people seeking safety in Hungary, Gall said. The European Commission should press Budapest to do its duty and ensure that all Ukrainian refugees enjoy the benefits of temporary protection.



For more Human Rights Watch reporting on Hungary, please visit:

https://www.hrw.org/europe/central-asia/hungary



For more Human Rights Watch reporting on refugee and migrant rights, please visit:

https://www.hrw.org/topic/refugees-and-migrants



MTI Stock Photo - for illustrative purposes only
YORK  On Monday, the York school board unanimously approved a resolution to put a $39.5 million bond on the ballot in November to pay for the expansion and renovation of York Elementary School.

The proposed expansion and renovation would address six of the school's major needs, York Elementary School Principal Katie Burger said at the board meeting on Monday night. These are "needs, not wants," Burger said.

The 70,000 square foot expansion would include 17 additional classrooms, a new activity center, an expanded cafeteria and a consolidate preschool space.

YES educators led tours of the building on Monday evening before the board meeting, showing community members the limited special education space, makeshift classrooms along the hallway and a repurposed staff lounge.

"I understand the need  just the fact that the preschool has to be in three different locations is enough to convince me," said Jean Vincent, a former school board member of 24 years, who went on one of the tours.

Adam Kreifels, a kindergarten teacher and former YES parent, said during a tour that every other kindergarten room has a bathroom in the classroom, except for his, which is a repurposed music room. The preschool classroom at the elementary school also doesn't have a bathroom in it.

"It's a great building - we love this building," said Stacy Kohmetscher, a school counselor and psychologist, who led a tour of the building. She said that although she loved it, the population and needs have changed since it was built nearly 30 years ago.

About 30 people toured the building on Monday evening in total, York Public Schools Superintendent Mitch Bartholomew said at the board meeting that night.

The board meeting was heavily attended by high school seniors looking to fulfill a requirement for their political science class. One of them, Tyler Howe, listened to the board's discussion of the proposed expansion.

The $39.5 million expansion and renovation would include 17 additional classrooms for Pre-K through 5, more bathrooms, an expanded kitchen and cafeteria, a preschool facility and additional activity space.

Bartholomew said the estimated tax impact was an 11.77 cent levy increase, which would result in approximately $117.70 in additional taxes per $100,000 assess value.

Howe, who will turn 18 in October and plans to vote in the November election, said the tax increase gave him pause, but he also saw why the school wanted the new building.

Bartholomew said the tax increase per month per $100,000 acre of non-agriculture land would be about $9.83 per month and $4.92 for ag land.

At the board meeting, Burger said she is offering tours during the school day for people interested in seeing the building at its capacity.

During the school day on Tuesday, Burger led members of the media on a tour of the building. The crowded cafeteria and long lines for the bathroom were on clear display.

A lot of the needs relate to space constraints at the current building, which was built in 1995.

Back then, YES had no pre-school students - pre-K started in 2008 - and far less special educational programming, Burger noted in a recent Wonderline question.

In 1995, the school also had a much larger number of students per classroom, something the school has tried to reduce in recent years, in line with changing education philosophies.

That first year the school had 600 K-5 students, but by the 1999-2000 school year, there were only 447 students in the building.

In recent years, enrollment has picked up. The school now has 619 K-5 students. While 19 more students than the first year in the building might not seem like a significant increase, Burger said other factors have changed too.

The building now has smaller class sizes, significantly expanded special education programming and a pre-K class, which means space is now a serious issue. At Monday's board meeting, Bartholomew said option enrollment is not a factor in the space constraints.

Based on recent trends, the school anticipates that the population will grow by about 1.5% in the coming years, meaning the building would have about 660 students by the 2033-2034 school year.

Bathrooms are top of mind due to the space constraints. Sometimes as many as 60 students have to line up in the hallway to use the bathroom. Ninety staff members, meanwhile, share one bathroom. YES has 16 more teachers than when the building opened in 1995.

Classrooms are also overcrowded - some with as many as 25 to 27 students sharing the space. Burger said they try to keep sections at 22 and below.

The 75 Pre-k students are located across three different buildings and have to be transported by bus between locations every day, as do their meals. Despite having to serve more meals than either the middle school or the high school, YES has the smallest kitchen of the three and the cafeteria is often overcrowded.

The board has contracted CMBA Architects and Hausmann Construction for the proposed expansion.

Pepper Papineau, vice president of the York School Board, spoke about the importance of the expansion during the media event on Tuesday, as did Kirby Crawford, head of the Vote Yes for YPS group.

"The board is looking forward to engaging with the community over the next few months to ensure York remains one of the strongest school districts in the state and is something that York residents are proud of," Papineau said.

"By saying yes to this bond, we are saying yes to the safety, education and development of our children," Crawford said.
India is poised to don a grand necklace of Industrial Smart Cities following a pivotal decision by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which approved 12 new projects under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP) with a projected investment of Rs. 28,602 crore. These industrial smart cities will follow the lead of successful models like Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh and Dholera in Gujarat.

This strategic move promises to revolutionize the nation's industrial framework, establishing a strong network of industrial hubs and cities poised to significantly propel economic growth and enhance global competitiveness. Covering 10 states and meticulously planned along six key corridors, these initiatives mark a substantial stride in India's ambition to bolster its manufacturing prowess and economic expansion.

The designated locations for these industrial zones include Khurpia in Uttarakhand; Rajpura-Patiala in Punjab; Dighi in Maharashtra; Palakkad in Kerala; Agra and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh; Gaya in Bihar; Zaheerabad in Telangana; Orvakal and Kopparthy in Andhra Pradesh; Jodhpur-Pali in Rajasthan; and one unspecified location in Haryana.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced post-meeting that the Cabinet had greenlit 12 new initiatives under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP), with an anticipated investment of Rs 28,602 crore.

The NICDP is anticipated to be a catalyst for employment, potentially creating approximately one million direct jobs and up to three million indirect jobs in these proposed regions. These initiatives are expected to unlock an investment potential of around Rs 1.52 lakh crore.

This move is in line with the government's budget announcement regarding the development of 'plug and play' industrial parks near 100 cities, in collaboration with state governments and the private sector, to enhance manufacturing.

Currently, eight cities are at various stages of this initiative. In four citiesDholera in Gujarat, Auric in Maharashtra, Vikram Udyogpuri in Madhya Pradesh, and Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradeshprimary infrastructure has been established, and the allocation of land plots to industries is in progress.

In the remaining four citiesTumakuru in Karnataka, Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, Nangal Chaudhary in Haryana, and Dadri in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradeshthe government's Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) is actively developing essential infrastructure such as roads, water, and power supply.
A day after she was granted bail by the Supreme Court in the Delhi excise policy case, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC K. Kavitha reached Hyderabad on Wednesday to a warm welcome by party workers and supporters. Kavitha, who was released from Delhis Tihar Jail on Tuesday night, arrived at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. She was accompanied by her brother and BRS Working President K. T. Rama Rao, her husband D. Anil Kumar and her son Aditya.

A large number of BRS leaders and workers had gathered at the airport to welcome Kavitha. Amid the beating of drums, they raised slogans in her support and showered petals on her. Kavitha waved at the crowd with the slogan of Jai Telangana. Kavitha, daughter of BRS President and former Chief Minister K.

Chandrasekhar Rao, walked out of jail on Tuesday night, after more than five months. She had turned emotional on meeting her family members and hugged her husband. Kavitha was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate from Hyderabad on March 15 in connection with the corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam and taken to Delhi.

She was arrested in jail by the Central Bureau of Investigation the next month. After stepping out of jail, the BRS leader vowed to continue her fight. "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 outside the jail.

"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. Before leaving for Hyderabad on Wednesday, Kavitha met BRS leaders at the party office in Delhi. "I always believed that truth will prevail, justice will prevail. We will certainly fight back. We will not lose our resolve," she said.
Yesterday on DNA, we showed you how the Bengal police brutally suppressed a peaceful protest by students demanding justice for a female doctor. But the Bengal police didnt stop there. Today, as the BJP called for a 12-hour Bengal Bandh (statewide shutdown), it was once again the police's job to handle the protesters. To make matters worse, TMC supporters were also out in force.

In North 24 Parganas, the situation escalated to the point where shots were fired at a BJP leader's vehicle. Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee issued a chilling warning, threatening several states with unrest if the BJP continued its actions in Bengal.

In todays episode of DNA, Zee News analysed the impact of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's unrest threat to several states and the chaotic scenes from the BJP-led 12-hour statewide shutdown.

Alleging that Modis party is trying to fuel the situation in West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress supremo said, If Bengal is set on fire, Assam, northeast, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Delhi will also be affected. She was addressing a gathering on the occasion of the foundation day of her party's student wing, Trinamool Chhatra Parishad.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has strongly reacted, directly telling Mamata Banerjee not to threaten Assam. He accused her of trying to incite unrest for political gain and labeled her statements as divisive for the country.

He claimed that Banerjee was trying to provoke the public to hide her own failures. Didi, how dare you threaten Assam? Dont show your anger to us, Sarma wrote on X, sharing a 46-second video clip of a speech by the West Bengal CM.

This statement is being viewed as a serious threat to national security. Mamata even tried to portray Bengal as a friend of Bangladesh, suggesting that the cultural ties between Bengal and Bangladesh are strong. Given the rising anti-India sentiments in Bangladesh recently, her comments are being interpreted in various ways.

Watch tonight's episode of DNA for a full analysis here:
Former chief minister Champai Soren on Wednesday resigned from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, claiming that the JMMs present style of functioning and policies forced him to leave the party he served for many years. Soren, who is scheduled to join the BJP on August 30, also resigned as an MLA of the state assembly and a minister in the Jharkhand Cabinet. "Today I resigned from the primary membership and all posts of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. I will continue to fight on the issues of tribals, Dalits, backward and common people of Jharkhand," Soren said.

In a letter to party supremo Shibu Soren, the senior tribal leader said he was forced to quit after being aggrieved by the present style of functioning of the JMM and its policies. "I have never ever imagined in my dreams that I would quit JMM, a party which is like a family to me... The turn of events of the past forced me to take this decision with much pain...I am pained to say that the party has deviated from its principle," he said in the letter. Champai Soren became the chief minister of Jharkhand on February 2, shortly after Hemant Soren resigned as the CM shortly before being arrested by the ED in a money laundering case. Champai quit the post and Hemant took oath as the CM again in July, after he was released on bail.

He lamented that there is no forum in the party left to express one's pain and "you (Shibu Soren) are not active in politics due to ill health but you will continue to be my guide...". Soren, who met Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi earlier this week and announced joining the saffron party, reached Ranchi on Wednesday along with his son and was greeted by a large number of supporters. "My decision (to join BJP) is in the interest of Jharkhand... I am used to struggles," Soren said. Asked about the allegation that he is under "surveillance", the former CM said he is not afraid of any situation and indicated that he will resign from JMM and as minister later on Wednesday. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma earlier in the day alleged that Champai Soren had been under surveillance of his own government's police for the last five months.

Two sub-inspectors (SIs) of Special Branch of Jharkhand Police were caught by Soren's people in a Delhi hotel while they were keeping watch on the ex-chief minister, Sarma claimed. The JMM, however, asserted that the two police officials were deputed for the security of Soren and were soon released after being detained. Demanding an apology from saffron party leaders, the JMM in a statement said, "We will give a befitting reply to BJP soon and thwart any attempt by it to grab power here." Soren said he is not afraid of any conspiracy against him. He said that he does not think it proper to reply to the allegation that he was trapped in operation lotus, a term indicating an attempt to topple governments in states ruled by non-BJP parties. Champai Soren's son Babulal Soren said JMM failed to give respect to them and now BJP embraced them in a dignified manner. Meanwhile, BJP state president Babulal Marandi demanded a probe under a sitting judge of the High Court into the "surveillance" on Champai Soren. Addressing a press conference here, Marandi said, "Two special branch officials have been arrested in Delhi and there are allegations of attempts to honey trap Champai Soren ji.This is a serious issue.

There has been misuse of police machinery to silence those who raise voice against the Hemant Soren government, the former chief minister alleged. On Tuesday, Champai Soren had asserted that he is joining the BJP to save tribal identity and existence, which is at stake in the states Santhal Pargana region due to rampant infiltration from Bangladesh. The senior JMM leader said only the saffron party seems serious over the issue of tribals, while others are indulging in vote bank politics. "Today, Bangladeshi infiltration has become a big problem in Santhal Pargana, the holy land of (freedom fighters) Baba Tilka Manjhi and Sido-Kanhu. The dignity of our mothers, sisters and daughters is in danger," Champai Soren said in a post on X.

These intruders are causing economic and social harm to the local people, and if they are not stopped, the existence of "our society in Santhal Pargana will be in danger", he said. In many areas including Pakur and Rajmahal, the number of infiltrators has become more than that of tribals, Soren claimed. Only the BJP seems serious on this issue and other parties are ignoring it for the sake of vote bank politics, he said, explaining why he decided to join the saffron party. The veteran politician had earlier said he experienced "bitter humiliation" as chief minister, which compelled him to seek an alternative path. He alleged that all his government programmes in the first week of July were abruptly cancelled by the party leadership without his knowledge. Soren started his political career by getting elected as an independent MLA in 1991. Four years later, he contested the assembly polls on JMM ticket and defeated the BJP candidate.
Kangana Ranaut's Remarks On Farmer's Protest: The opposition on Wednesday stepped up its attack on BJP MP Kangana Ranaut over her remarks on farmers' protests. AAP held protests at Chandigarh. Scuffle broke out between police and AAP workers protesting against Kangana Ranaut's remark on farmers' protest.

VIDEO | Scuffle breaks out between police and AAP workers protesting in Chandigarh against Kangana Ranaut's remark on farmers' protest. pic.twitter.com/f6oqvQfL8I August 28, 2024

The MP from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh had posted a clip of her interview with Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar 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 as the House adopted a resolution condemning the remarks.

Thousands of farmers from Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and other places had held an agitation at Delhi's borders for several months over the now-repealed farm laws.
West Bengal Bandh Highlights: Intermittent violence characterized the BJP-led 12-hour shutdown in West Bengal on Wednesday, resulting in a varied impact due to clashes between bandh supporters, police, and Trinamool Congress workers across the state. Significant clashes emerged from Bhatpara in the North 24 Parganas district, where BJP accused TMC members of shooting at the car of local leader Priyangu Pandey, an incident they broadcasted via a video on social media.

While Pandey was unharmed, the driver and another party member reportedly suffered gunshot wounds to their heads and were hospitalized, as per BJP representatives. Authorities reported that the two individuals were assaulted by a group outside the Anglo-India Jute Mill.

This violence led to a confrontation between BJP's Arjun Singh and TMC's Somnath Shyam, escalating tensions as the two groups faced off, making it difficult for police to control the situation. Singh accused TMC-affiliated miscreants of the shooting, threatening to demonstrate the power of the people in the absence of police intervention.

In response, Shyam alleged that Singh was attempting to provoke violence in what was otherwise a peaceful locale. Several BJP figures, including ex-MPs Roopa Ganguly and Locket Chatterjee, Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya, and MLA Agnimitra Paul, were detained for impeding traffic and advocating for the bandh enforcement from the early hours.

The 'Bangla Bandh', initiated at 6 am, was a response to the police's treatment of 'Nabanna Abhijan' marchers, a protest organized by the student group Chatra Samaj against the purported sexual assault and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Hospital.

The bandh led to a partial disruption of daily activities, with many opting to stay indoors to avoid potential unrest.

An official from Eastern Railway reported that bandh proponents obstructed tracks at 49 locations within its jurisdiction across the state, affecting both Sealdah and Howrah divisions.

Although blockades were cleared at most sites, they persisted for extended periods at nine stations, particularly in the Sealdah South section, according to the official.

BJP activists staged protests at various stations in the North and South 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Nadia, and Murshidabad districts to support the bandh.

Suburban railway services faced disruptions as bandh supporters scattered banana leaves on overhead electrical wires in multiple areas, as confirmed by railway authorities.

Clashes between BJP and TMC workers were reported from the government bus stand area in Balurghat, Hooghly's Konnagar, and Asansol in Paschim Bardhaman.

BJP supporters' picketing caused interruptions in public transport services in Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Siliguri, and Malda in the north of West Bengal, as well as in Purulia, Bankura, and other southern locales.

Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition, led a demonstration in Nandigram, Purba Medinipur, his home district.

The chairman of the Indian Jute Mills Association, Raghvendra Gupta, stated that most jute mills, except for a few in the North and South 24 Parganas districts, were operational throughout the day.

Port operations continued as usual, with both Kolkata Docks and Haldia docks in operation, reported Syama Prasad Mookherjee Port spokesperson Sanjay Mukherjee.

The bandh did not affect the Information Technology sector or major industrial firms, according to a business chamber representative.
New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday made a strong statement in response to the alleged rape and murder of a female doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. CM Banerjee asserted, "For this, there is only one punishment to hang till death."

Banerjee added that next week they will call an assembly session and pass the bill within 10 days to ensure capital punishment for rapists.

"We will send this Bill to the Governor. If he doesn't pass, we will sit outside Raj Bhavan. This Bill must be passed and he cannot evade accountability this time," news agency ANI quoted the Bengal CM as saying.

Amidst the 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh', CM Banerjee criticised the BJP, accusing them of not seeking justice and instead aiming to defame Bengal.

"We have dedicated this day to the RG Kar doctor. We want justice but BJP today called for a bandh. They don't want justice, they are only trying to defame Bengal," she said, ANI reported.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal has announced a 12-hour Bangla Bandh today in response to alleged police brutality during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' protest.

She further added, "We don't support this bandh. BJP never demanded the resignations of the CMs of UP, MP and even Manipur. We saw pictures from yesterday (Nabanna Abhiyan rally), I salute the police for handling the situation well."

The BJP in West Bengal has announced a 12-hour Bangla Bandh today in response to lathi charge, use of water cannons and tear gas against the protestors during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' protest and the bandh, scheduled from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Mehbooba Mufti reiterated that she will not be contesting the upcoming assembly elections. She expressed her discontent with the current state of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly, likening it to a "municipal committee," and stated that she will only contest once the lost glory of Jammu and Kashmir is restored.

Reflecting on her tenure as Chief Minister, Mufti highlighted the significant powers she once held, including the authority to withdraw FIRs against 12,000 stone pelters in one go. She lamented the current limitations that will be faced by the upcoming chief minister's office, echoing sentiments shared by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, stating, "What is the use of becoming a weak chief minister who doesn't have any powers at all?"

Mufti emphasized that the PDP remains committed to addressing critical issues, including the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, and aims to foster "peace with dignity" for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

In her remarks on democracy, Mufti stated, "There is a fight of ideas; a person can be imprisoned, but ideas cannot be imprisoned." She welcomed the reports of the possible release of Shabir Shah and Engineer Rashid from jail as a positive step forward.

Addressing comments made by Dr. Farooq Abdullah regarding Jamaat's alleged behind-the-scenes support for the PDP, Mufti said, "Its not the first time that the National Conference and Congress have come together to fight against JEI," recalling the rigging incidents in the 1987 elections that led to the start of terrorism in the region.

Mufti said that the previous alliance with the BJP, despite ideological differences, managed to maintain a positive agenda of governance, while the current alliance of Congress and the NC is without any agenda.

Mufti was addressing a press conference following a new joining function at the People's Democratic Party headquarters.
The Haryana unit of ruling BJP on Wednesday dared Congress to declare Kumari Selja as its chief ministerial candidate for the state assembly polls, to prove how committed it is to the well-being of the SC community. The state BJP also said they nominate Nayab Singh Saini, who belongs to the OBC category, a chief minister. Saini is also the BJP's chief ministerial face for the upcoming assembly elections, scheculed for October 1.

"The BJP has already nominated a chief minister from the backward class. Rahul Gandhi claims to strongly support the SC community. Let them (Congress) declare Selja ji as the chief ministerial candidate from Haryana so that one can know how much of a well-wisher of the (SC) community they are," Haryana BJP posted on X in Hindi.

Notably, Selja, who is a Lok Sabha MP from Sirsa, is a prominent Dalit face of the Congress.Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who is considered as Selja's bete noire, had recently asserted that he is "neither tired, nor retired" but said the Congress high command will take a call on who would be the chief minister after getting a majority in the assembly elections.

Months after winning the Lok Sabha polls from Sirsa, the former Union minister Selja had also indicated her desire to contest the upcoming assembly elections and said she wishes to work in the state but the high command will take a final call on the matter.

Meanwhile, reacting to BJP's post on X, Haryana Congress president Udai Bhan told PTI over phone that the ruling party should worry about itself as its government in the state was on its way out.

Speaking about selection of the chief ministerial candidate, Bhan said Congress MLAs and the party high command will take a call on who would serve as the chief minister only after the poll results are out.

He also said that the party had earlier nominated leaders from the Dalit community as chief ministers in four states, including Punjab and Maharashtra.

"The BJP should tell whom they have made a CM from the SC community. Moreover, they should tell if they declared Bhajan Lal Sharma as CM candidate when they fought the last assembly elections in Rajasthan. Did they fight the polls (in MP) on Mohan Yadav's face. In Haryana, did they fight polls in 2014 with Manohar Lal Khattar as their face?," Bhan asked.

He further said that Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly Tika Ram Jully come from the Dalit community.

Bhan said, "One thing is clear: the BJP has accepted that Congress is coming to power in Haryana..."

"That is why they are coming up with excuse of string of holidays falling around the polling date of October 1 and writing to Election Commission to defer the polls by some days... We are saying even if polling is held even before October 1, we have no objection and we are ready," he added.

The Haryana BJP had last week written to the Election Commission requesting a brief postponement of the Assembly polls slated for October 1, citing holidays before and after the election date that could lead to lower voter turnout.
Kolkata Rape-Murder Case: In a powerful and impassioned statement, President Droupadi Murmu expressed her outrage over the recent rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata. She declared 'enough is enough as she called for urgent action against the pervasive crimes against women in India. Highlighting the deep-seated misogyny and objectification of women that fuel such atrocities, she urged the nation to wake up to these issues and remove the societal and systemic barriers that continue to undermine women's safety and rights. Her remarks come amid growing public anger and protests, demanding justice and a renewed commitment to protecting women.

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said it is time for India to wake up to the 'perversion' of crimes against women and counter the mindset that sees women as less powerful, less capable, less intelligent. Those who share such views then go further and see the female as an object We owe it to our daughters to remove the hurdles from their path of winning the freedom from fear."

Referring to the August 9 rape and murder of a junior doctor in a Kolkata hospital, a dismayed and horrified president said what is even more depressing is that it is part of a series of crimes against women. Murmu said no civilised society can allow daughters and sisters to be subjected to such atrocities. The nation is bound to be outraged, and so am I, she wrote.

The hard-hitting and personalised article, titled Womens Safety: Enough is Enough, is the first time the president has articulated her views on the August 9 Kolkata incident that has once again shaken the conscience of the nation and led to widespread, continuing protests.

Even as students, doctors and citizens were protesting in Kolkata, criminals remained on the prowl elsewhere. The victims include even kindergarten girls, Murmu said.

President recalled her recent meeting with a group of schoolchildren on Raksha Bandhan. They asked me innocently if they could be assured that there would be no recurrence of the Nirbhaya-type incident in future, the president said, referring to the brutal rape and murder of a physiotherapy intern in Delhi in December 2012.

She noted that an outraged nation then made plans and devised strategies, and the initiatives did make some difference. In the 12 years since, there have been countless tragedies of similar nature though only few drew nationwide attention, Murmu said.

Did we learn our lessons? As social protests petered out, these incidents got buried into a deep and inaccessible recess of social memory, to be recalled only when another heinous crime takes place, she said. Taking a macro view of the rights of women, she said they have hadto fight for every inch of ground they have won. Social prejudices as well as some customs and practices have always opposed the expansion of womens rights, Murmu added.

This is a rather deplorable mindset This mindset sees the female as a lesser human being, less powerful, less capable, less intelligent, she wrote. In her view, it is the objectification of women by a few that is behind the crimes against women.

It is ingrained deeply in the minds of such people, the president said, stressing that countering this mindset is a task for both the State and society. Acknowledging that there have been laws and social campaigns, she said, Yet, there is something that continues to come in the way and to torment us.

History, the president said, often hurts and societies scared to face history resort to collective amnesia to bury their heads in the sand like the proverbial ostrich. Now the time has come not only to face history squarely but also to search within our souls and probe the pathology of crimes against women, she said in her impassioned appeal.

Let us deal with this perversion in a comprehensive manner so as to curb it right at the beginning. We can do this only if we honour the memory of the victims by cultivating a social culture of remembering them to remind us of our failures in the past and prepare us to be more vigilant in future, Murmu said.

The society needs honest, unbiased self-introspection, and ask itself some difficult questions, the president said. Where have we erred? And what can we do to remove the errors? Without finding out the answer to that question, the half of our population cannot live as freely as the other half, she said.
Patna: The Patna district administration ordered the closure of 76 government schools in rural areas till August 31, as the water level of the Ganga crossed the danger mark in the state capital.

The decision has been taken for the safety of students and teachers, it said.

According to a circular issued on Tuesday by the District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh, "Total 76 government schools in eight blocks of Patna district will remain closed till August 31 in view of the rising trend of water level in the Ganga river..."

The Bihar government had recently authorised DMs to take a call on the closing of schools if a flood-like situation arose in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

The order also comes close on the heels of a government school teacher falling into the Ganga near Patna and getting swept away by strong currents.
S Jagathratchakan, a 76-year-old DMK MP representing the Arakkonam Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu, has been slapped with a whopping Rs 908 crore penalty by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for violating foreign exchange rules under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). This latest action, announced on Wednesday, follows a prolonged investigation into Jagathrakshakans financial dealings under FEMA.

The EDs adjudication order, dated August 26, 2024, comes after the agency seized assets worth Rs 89.19 crore belonging to Jagathrakshakan and his associates in September 2020. These assets, which include both movable and immovable properties, have now been formally confiscated. The massive penalty imposed highlights the scale of the alleged violations and underscores the severity of the enforcement action taken against the veteran politician.

Who is S Jagathratchakan?

Jagathratchakan is a three-time Lok Sabha MP from the Arakkonam constituency, first elected in 1999. He served as the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry in the UPA government during Dr. Manmohan Singh's tenure. A Tamil businessman, Jagathratchakan is the chairman of Shree Balaji Medical College and Hospital and the owner of Dr. Rela Hospital and Institute.

Jagathrakshakan is a notable Tamil businessman with substantial interests in the medical and hospitality sectors. His business ventures include his roles as the chairman of Shree Balaji Medical College and Hospital and the owner of Dr. Rela Hospital and Institute. His rapid asset accumulation has drawn scrutiny, with a notable increase from Rs 5 crore in 2009 to Rs 70 crore by 2011, marking one of the highest percentage increases among ministers at the time.

Controversies Surrounding Jagathratchakan

Jagathrakshakans financial and political trajectory has been marred by controversies. In 2012, he faced allegations related to the coal scam in Tamil Nadu, accused of facilitating illegal coal allocations to his company. Furthermore, a sting operation revealed inflated fees being charged to MBBS students at his medical college.

The controversies continued into recent years. In 2019, an international investment project involving Jagathrakshakans family came under the spotlight. Sri Lankas Board of Investments announced a significant oil refinery project in Hambantota, with Jagathrakshakans family members listed as directors of the company financing the project. This raised questions about the source of the funds and led to further scrutiny by the ED for possible FEMA violations.
New Delhi: Indian Railway Management Service officer Satish Kumar has been named as the new Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Railway Board, officials announced on Tuesday. He will take over from Jaya Verma Sinha, who is superannuating on August 31 and Kumar's appointment will be effective from September 1.

This makes him the first chairman and CEO from the Scheduled Castes in the board's history, senior officials of the Railway Board said, PTI reported.

"The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Satish Kumar, Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS), Member (Traction & Rolling Stock), Railway Board to the post of Chairman & Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Railway Board," a govt order said, PTI reported.

Who Is Satish Kumar

Kumar, a distinguished officer from the 1986 batch of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME), has made significant contributions to Indian Railways throughout his 34-year career. The offices of the board informed that on 8th November 2022, Kumar took charge as the General Manager of North Central Railway, Prayagraj, which marked another milestone in his journey of public service.

Educational Background

Kumar has an impressive educational background as his professional achievements. He has done a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from the prestigious Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT), Jaipur, and later, enhanced his knowledge with a Post Graduate Diploma in Operation Management and Cyber Law from Indira Gandhi National Open University.

In March 1988, he started his career in Indian Railways and since then he has served in various pivotal roles across different zones and divisions.
Turkish food is full of flavors; eggs are a staple in many of the country's traditional recipes. Turkish egg dishes have something for everyone, whether you're searching for a filling breakfast, a light lunch, or a tasty snack. These five mouthwatering Turkish egg recipes are worth including in your recipe book.

Menemen: A Delectable Scrambled Egg

A traditional Turkish dish called menemen is created with pan-cooked scrambled eggs, tomatoes, green peppers, and onions. To make a creamy, tasty scramble, the vegetables are sauteed until soft, and then the eggs are gently stirred in. Menemen is a delicious and simple dish ideal for breakfast or brunch. It is typically topped with parsley and served with crusty bread.

Clbr: Yogurt with Poached Eggs

Clbr is a classic Ottoman meal that is simple yet attractive. It's made up of poached eggs placed on top of yogurt infused with garlic and melted butter flavored with either Aleppo or paprika. The tender poached eggs and thick, creamy yogurt combine to make a delightful contrast of flavors and textures.

Sucuklu Yumurta: Turkish Sausage on Eggs

Sucuklu Yumurta is a robust and aromatic meal made with eggs and spicy Turkish sausage known as sucuk. After slicing and deep-frying the sucuk to release its fragrant oils, crack the eggs into the pan and cook till desired. The end product is a savory, rich dish that's ideal for a hearty brunch or breakfast.

Braised meat and eggs, or Kavurma Yumurta

A classic Turkish meal called kavurma Yumurta combines eggs with braised meat, usually beef or lamb. After the meat, onions, and spices are cooked gently until the meat is soft, the eggs are added to the pan and cooked until they are just set. This dish is a favorite for a meal that's frequently served with fresh bread.

Yumurta Ispanakl: Eggs with Spinach

Ispanakl Yumurta is a tasty and healthier way to eat eggs with spinach. Add the fresh spinach and saute it with onions and garlic until it wilts, then crack the eggs on top and simmer until set. This meal is a healthy breakfast or lunch option because it is tasty yet still light.

These recipes for Turkish eggs offer a fascinating variety of flavors and textures, showcasing the richness and complexity of Turkish cuisine. These dishes will delight your taste buds whether you're in the mood for something light or heavy.
Drone-Like Objects Spotted At Amritsar Airport: Flight services at the Amritsar airport were disrupted for about three hours after the air traffic control (ATC) tower spotted a sudden movement of three objects resembling drones in the airspace, officials said on Wednesday. This disrupted the landing and taking off operations of all the scheduled flights during the period, they said.

Sandeep Aggarwal, officiating Director of Shri Guru Ramdas International Airport, said the incident happened on Monday at 10.10 pm and movement of the drone-like objects was active almost for three hours. He said the flight operations at the airport remained suspended from 10.10 pm to 12.45 am, after which the services were resumed following a clearance from the ATC tower.

Aggarwal said the airport authorities immediately informed the police after the movement of the drone-like objects was noticed. The police, however, are yet to find if they were drones and who was operating them.

The help of the local Air Force station adjoining the airport was also sought in the matter, Aggarwal said. He said the movement of such objects in the air was reported the first time here and it was a matter of deep concern for the authorities due to the close proximity of the airport to the Indo-Pak border.

When contacted, SHO Airport, Harsimar said a complaint to the police had been made by the Airport Authority. The SHO said after the matter was reported to police, a comprehensive joint search operation with Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) was launched whereupon several people from different villages around the airport were questioned but none had any clue about the objects flying around the airport.

She said usually when drones move in the air, the lights fitted atop blink, but in this case there was a "single spotlight" as per airport authority. Investigation is on in the matter and it is too early to say whether they were drones or some other article.
New Delhi: Mollywood MeToo movement has been flagged off with several actors claiming sexual harassment allegations that have shaken the industry. After Mohanlal stepped out down from the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), it led to the dissolution of the body. Many members have been named by actors who allege molestation charges.

Actresses Speak Out On MeToo

According to NDTV.com, actress Sonia Malhaar is the latest one to file a complaint with the Special Investigation Team formed by Kerala government. She has alleged that an actor molested her on a film set in 2013. However, she urged media not to link actor Jayasurya to her allegations.

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.

MOLLYWOOD 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.

Among the other actors who have spoken out is Bengali film actor Sreelekha Mitra, who has accused film director Ranjith of molestation.

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.

(With ANI inputs)
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated all beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) Today, and thanked those who made this yojana a success, celebrating its significant impact on financial inclusion. Today marks the 10th anniversary of Jan Dhan Yojana

Prime Minister Modi said that Jan Dhan Yojana has been paramount in boosting financial inclusion and giving dignity to crores of people, especially women, youth, and the marginalized communities. (Also read: Captivating Tale: PM Modi's First Bank Account Saw Closure, But Why So?)

The Prime Minister posted on X, "Today, we mark a momentous occasion #10YearsOfJanDhan. Congratulations to all the beneficiaries and compliments to all those who worked to make this scheme a success. Jan Dhan Yojana has been paramount in boosting financial inclusion and giving dignity to crores of people, especially women, youth, and the marginalized communities.

Today, we mark a momentous occasion #10YearsOfJanDhan. Congratulations to all the beneficiaries and compliments to all those who worked to make this scheme a success. Jan Dhan Yojana has been paramount in boosting financial inclusion and giving dignity to crores of people, pic.twitter.com/VgC7wMcZE8  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 28, 2024

The Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day address on August 15, 2014, and was simultaneously launched on August 28, 2014, to foster financial inclusion. This national mission was launched to ensure people have access to financial services, namely, banking, remittance, credit, insurance, pension in an affordable manner.

PMJDY accounts are eligible for Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), 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.

Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman, in a message, said, Universal and affordable access to formal banking services is essential for achieving financial inclusion and empowerment. It integrates the poor into the economic mainstream and plays a crucial role in the development of marginalised communities.

By providing universal, affordable, and formal financial services  including bank accounts, small savings schemes, insurance, and credit  to the previously unbanked, PM Jan Dhan Yojana has transformed the banking and financial landscape of the country over the last decade, the Union Finance Minister said.

The success of the initiative is reflected in 53 crore people having been brought into the formal banking system through the opening of Jan Dhan Accounts. These bank accounts have garnered a deposit balance of Rs. 2.3 lakh crore, and resulted in the issuance of over 36 crore free-of-cost RuPay cards, which also provide for a 2 lakh accident insurance cover. Notably, there are no account opening fees or maintenance charges and no requirement to maintain a minimum balance, Sitharaman added.

It is heartening to note that 67% of the accounts have been opened in rural or semi-urban areas, and 55% of accounts have been opened by women, the Union Finance Minister said.
New Delhi: The countrys largest public sector lender State Bank of India (SBI) on Wednesday announced that it has raised Rs 7,500 crores at a coupon rate of 7.42% through its first Basel III compliant Tier 2 bond issuance for the current financial year.

The bonds are issued for a tenor of 15 years, with call option after 10 years and each anniversary dates thereafter.

"The issue attracted overwhelming response from investors with bids in excess of Rs. 8,800 crores against the base issue size of Rs. 5,000 crores. The total number of bids received was 70 indicating wider participation with heterogeneity of bids. The investors were across provident funds, pension funds, mutual funds, banks etc," SBI said in a statement.

Based on the response, the Bank has decided to accept Rs. 7,500 crores at a coupon rate of 7.42% payable annually for a tenor of 15 years with a call option after 10 years and each anniversary dates thereafter. The instrument is rated AAA with stable outlook from ICRA Limited and India Ratings & Research Private Limited, SBI added.

C S Setty, SBI Chairman said that wider participation and heterogeneity of bids demonstrated the trust investors place in the countrys largest Bank.
New Delhi: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) convened a meeting of the Joint Committee of Regulators (JCoR) to protect consumers from harms of spam and fraud; ensure more secure and efficient telecom ecosystem.

In his address, TRAI Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti stressed the need for a joint effort to tackle the problem of spam messages and calls.

The meeting was held on August 27, 2024, at TRAI headquarters in New Delhi. Members of the JCoR from IRDAI, PFRDA, RBI, SEBI, MoCA, MeitY, and TRAI attended the meeting. Additionally, DoT and MHA representatives joined as special guests. The JCoR serves as a collaborative platform to examine regulatory implications in the digital age and work collaboratively on regulatory frameworks.

Lahoti urged the regulators to discuss and enable implementation of (i) whitelisting of URLs, APKs, OTT links and call back numbers to be sent in SMS, (ii) migration of existing telemarketers making promotional calls to 140 series on DLT platform, and (iii) declaration of entire chain of telemarketers engaged by them for PE-TM chain binding.

The meeting explored potential collaborative efforts and strategies to address UCC and fraud through telecom resources. The key issues discussed are as given below-

- Role of Entities in Whitelisting of URLs, APKs, OTT links, and call back numbers in the content templates and ensuring the traceability of all the messages from Senders to recipients  Many instances of misuse of headers and templates have been observed. Fraud takes place through 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 find the entity that pushed the traffic. Therefore, mandatory whitelisting of URLs, APKs, OTT links, or call back numbers, and declaration of entire chain of telemarketers engaged by them for PE-TM chain binding as per the timelines fixed by TRAIs latest Directions needs to be enforced.

- Addressing the issue of entities using PRI/ SIP channels for making unsolicited calls  Many business entities make commercial voice calls using SIP/ PRI lines with hundreds of indicators in violation of TRAIs 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/ Robo calls/ Pre-recorded calls.

- Leveraging the DCA system established by telecom service providers to obtain digital consent from consumers  DCA system will be of great value to the entities, not only for messaging services, but also for voice calls. It permits the delivery of Messages and calls to the recipients despite their DND preference. The technical infrastructure for DCA is now in place. Regulators were requested to ask the entities under their jurisdiction to start using this facility in time bound manner.

- Use of 160 series by the Entities for making service and transactional calls for easy identification by the consumers - 160 series has been allocated exclusively 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.

- Enhancing information exchange among regulators to control frauds using telecom resources  Emphasis was given to exchange information available with various regulators on their platforms and for its effective utilisation to control frauds.
BEIJING: The number of kindergarten schools in China is witnessing a steep decline, wherein several schools are on the verge of closure and numerous have already gone out of business, Nikkei Asia reported. This current situation poses a serious threat to students alongside the new upcoming academic session in China.

According to the data released by the Ministry of Education, the number of kindergartens in China sunk from 294,832 to 274,480 between 2021 to 2023 resulting in 20,000 school closures. The Nikkei Asia report quoted the example of Angels Kindergarten a private international kindergarten in a western suburb of Qingpu, Shanghai.

The school once had 16 classrooms and two large playgrounds its own medical staff and foreign teachers for its bilingual curriculum. But now the school is out of business after 18 years of business. Currently, schools are struggling to fill admissions ahead of the new session. The current number of children studying in pre-schools has fallen by 5 million in 2023 to 40.92 million, being the lowest figure since year 2014. Whereas, jobs of over 170,000 full-time pre-school teachers have also disappeared within the last year, according to Ministry of Education data, quoted in the Nikkei Asia report.

Amid a critically falling birth rate, depreciating job prospects for youth and a crackdown on profit-driven education in China has added to the crisis. Li, a mother of a 2-year-old daughter in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu said that she cannot afford the education of another child due to economic constraints. Further, she added, "While the quality of education "is important for us, we already spend more than 10,000 yuan (USD 1,380) on [our daughter] every month. I can't afford to have a second or third child right now."

There were only 2.2 million children enrolled in toddler classes in 2022, according to government data, just 5 per cent of all children enrolled in kindergartens. Working parents in China these days rely mostly on their parents to look after newborn children. However, this ongoing practice may be at risk as the country plans to raise the retirement age, which is currently 50 for female blue-collar workers, 55 for female white-collar workers and 60 for men, Nikkei Asia claimed.

According to another report published by Yuwa Population Research Institute, a Beijing-based think tank in February, the average cost of raising a child from birth to the age of 18 years was 6.3 times the per capita GDP of the country. Out of the 13 countries highlighted in the report, only South Korea had a higher figure than China standing at 7.79. The numbers were 2.08 times in Australia, 4.11 in the U.S. and 4.26 in Japan.

In 2018, the State Council banned private kindergartens from listing their shares on the Chinese stock market and also restricted listed companies from investing in them. This move is another factor affecting the kindergarten education sector in the country.
Sean Duffy, a former deputy chief of staff to Gov. Bill Owens, is a communications and media relations strategist and ghostwriter based in the Denver area.
Colorado Springs Councilman Dave Donelson listens to discussion in chambers before a vote censuring him recently. The council also voted to remove Donelson from various boards.
China commercial fleet to more than double by 2043: Boeing

Xinhua) 08:12, August 28, 2024

A Hainan Airlines flight taxis at the Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, Nov. 29, 2022. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua)

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.

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.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
People visit the Potala Palace square in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Feb. 11, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Under the unwavering commitment of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the paired-up assistance program for Xizang has been instrumental in driving the region to achieve historic development.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the country's implementation of paired-up assistance in the Xizang Autonomous Region. This endeavor highlights the socialist system's unique ability to mobilize resources and achieve major objectives.

The institutionalized program has seen the participation of 17 provinces and municipalities as well as dozens of ministries and state-owned enterprises of the country, bringing substantial investment, practical technology and essential talent to Xizang. This support has driven industrial development and improved local medical and education services. Between 1994 and 2022, nearly 12,000 officials and professionals were dispatched in 10 batches to assist the region.

The paired-up assistance system, aimed at improving people's well-being, has significantly boosted Xizang's economic and social development. The region eliminated absolute poverty and achieved moderate prosperity along with the rest of the country. From 1994 to 2023, Xizang's GDP grew from 4.6 billion yuan to 239.3 billion yuan (about $34 billion), marking a surge of over 50 times. For many years, the growth rate of per capita disposable income for urban and rural residents in Xizang has been among the highest in China.

Industrial aid has propelled the upgrade of the local economy. Specialty industries like yak beef and cashmere products, along with high-tech enterprises, have generated job opportunities close to the homes of the locals and significantly advanced the region's high-quality development.

Paired-up assistance projects in afforestation, ecological restoration and monitoring, and clean energy heating have yielded tangible results in Xizang's ecological conservation. Thanks to the concerted efforts, the region's tourism industry is thriving, with a record 55 million visitors from home and abroad last year.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, paired-up assistance to Xizang has reached unprecedented levels in investment, participation and field coverage, with over 9,500 projects implemented. The region has undergone an extraordinary period of development and transformation to ensure the rights of local people to subsistence, development and health. As a result, people of all ethnic groups in Xizang now enjoy a greater sense of fulfillment, happiness and security.

Xizang vividly exemplifies China's commitment to fostering ethnic unity and pursuing common prosperity. Projects in infrastructure, education and the exchanges of civil servants between Xizang and other regions of the country have significantly enhanced interactions among various ethnic groups, strengthening the sense of community for the Chinese nation.

The CPC leadership's enduring commitment to providing Xizang with central and nationwide support has been pivotal. The assistance program will continue to contribute to Xizang's high-quality development amid the country's modernization drive.
Each of the following can be inferred from the information in the passage EXCEPT:

Nature constantly adjusts the atmospheric carbon level. An increase in the level causes the atmosphere to hold more heat, which causes more water to evaporate from the oceans, which causes increased rain. Rain washes some carbon from the air into the oceans, where it eventually becomes part of the seabed. A decrease in atmospheric carbon causes the atmosphere to hold less heat, which causes decreased evaporation from the oceans, which causes less rain, and thus less carbon is washed into the oceans. Yet some environmentalists worry that burning fossil fuels may raise atmospheric carbon to a dangerous level. It is true that a sustained increase would threaten human life. But the environmentalists should relaxnature will continually adjust the carbon level.(A) A decrease in the level of atmospheric heat causes a decrease in the amount of carbon that rain washes into the oceans from the air.(B) An increase in the level of carbon in the atmosphere causes increased evaporation of ocean water.(C) An increase in the level of atmospheric heat causes increased rainfall.(D) A decrease in the level of carbon in the atmosphere causes decreased evaporation of ocean water.(E) A decrease in the level of atmospheric heat causes a decrease in the level of carbon in the atmosphere.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson made campaign stops at several Triad restaurants Monday as he looks to close the gap with his Democratic opponent, N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein.

Robinsons first stop of the day was at the Olympic Family Restaurant in Colfax, the community where he resides.

The Republican candidate met with enthusiastic supporters in the restaurant as he walked around speaking and taking photos with patrons.

Robinson also was scheduled to appear at restaurants in Winston-Salem, King and Reidsville on Monday.

These campaign stops come as polls show Robinson trailing Stein. A High Point University poll released last week put the lieutenant governor 14 points behind Stein among registered voters.

Even with the bad polling, Robinson said Monday he still sees a path to victory in November.

Were not looking at numbers. Were looking at people, and were going after votes, Robinson said, and we know we can still win this race, and we know we still are going to win this race.

Robinson said success in the campaign will come down to reaching voters with their message and bringing out less engaged residents.

Whats going to make the difference is making sure we continue to connect with the people and go after those voters last time that did not vote. Weve got to get those folks out to vote, he said.

In his time in public life, Robinson has often been identified with his statements on issues like abortion and LGBTQ rights. Though he did not refer to those issues specifically while taking questions from media, he did say he wanted to move on and emphasize the economy and education.

Were pushing all the other stuff behind us, Robinsons said. We are getting laser-focused on making sure that North Carolina reaches its next great height. That is being done by working on the substantive issues.

Robinson did release an ad addressing his views on abortion a few weeks ago.

The ad featured Robinson and his wife Yolanda discussing their decision to have an abortion in the 1980s. In the ad, Robinson spoke in support of the abortion policy enacted by the N.C. General Assembly last year which put a 12-week limit on elective abortions while allowing some exceptions for rape, incest and cases where the womens life is in jeopardy.

In the past, Robinson had called for stricter limits on abortion. During a 2023 interview, he said: If I had all the power right now  lets say I was the governor, I had a willing legislature  we could pass a bill that say you cant have an abortion in North Carolina for any reason.

Robinson said Monday that his preference would have been for starting the limitation on elective abortions at six weeks while allowing exceptions in cases of rape and incest and to protect the womans life.

However, he said he can come to terms with the 12-week limit adopted by the legislature.

Theres no sense in arguing about that, Robinson said. Consensus is the will of the people. So now were at 12 weeks with exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother. We can still do the work that we believe we can do to help save lives in the womb but more importantly to make those lives better once theyre here and thats what we intend to do.

Greensboro resident Sheri Celona said being able to meet Robinson and have him sign her Women for Trump cap was the highlight of her day.

Celona said Robinson is a Godly man who wants to make great things happen in North Carolina.

Celona said education was an important issue for her and that she is concerned about recovering learning loss among students from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Greensboro resident Lynn Salsi echoed those sentiments and said there needs to be a change in priorities when it comes to education.

The Democrats just want to focus on having sex education in classrooms, Salsi said, adding that schools needed to focus on subjects and skills needed to ensure our children to be successful in life.

Other supporters pointed to Robinsons personal qualities. Clay Gourley of Rockingham County said he likes the lieutenant governors personable, down-to-earth demeanor.

Greensboro resident Tina Peterson said she sees Robinson as a man of the people.

He understands what we need and what we want and hes ready to stand up for that, Peterson said, adding that she likes Robinsons stances on taxes, election security and womens rights.

Not all who turned out Monday were supportive of Robinson, however. A small group of protestors with signs stood by West Market Street to show their opposition to his candidacy.

I think his positions are awful for women, for our schools, for all of the hateful comments hes made. I see him as sort of a Mini-Trump, who I also oppose, Greensboro resident A.J. Tschupp said.

Another protestor, Melissa Zacharias of High Point, agreed.

I think that it would be a step toward rolling back a lot of rights for some folks who have been historically excluded  women, people of color, the LGBTQ community, anybody who doesnt fit this cookie cutter mold of what we think Americans are, she said.
It is crucial to have a thorough under-standing of laboratory testing proce-dures, biochemistry, biological feedback mechanisms between glands & its target organs

I see a wide range ofin my work as an endocrinologist. Each patient calls for a thorough assessment and appropriate investigations to complete a challenging diagnosis. Differentiating human variation and disease is an important part of my profession. This entails evaluating anomalous test findings to unusual patterns of physical growth to see if they point to the existence of a disease, asserts Dr Jeyapaul.A particularly noteworthy instance was a young girl from a rural family who, at the age of two, began exhibiting signs of pubertal development and early maturation. Besides confirming the diagnosis, informing her family about the illness and making them aware of the need for treatment was especially difficult. Following a comprehensive assessment and education, we started the right course of treatment, and over several years, she has grown and matured normally, continues Dr Jeyapaul.Every clinical appointment at Arka Center for Hormonal Health offers patients a chance to learn. Dr Jeyapaul, in addition to standard evidence-based treatments, educates his patients about their diseases and the need to make lifestyle modifications. Coaching involves managing sick day plans at home and importance of adhering to drug regimens for uncommon ailments. Arka offers 3-4 day long patient education sessions per year that addresses a variety of endocrine issues and include subjects such asand others. Dr Jeyapaul advocates adhering to international agencies norms for sound endocrine practice. He recommends calorie-controlled diets customized to meet specific nutritional requirements, engaging in regular physical exercise suited to individual lifestyles, establish regular sleep patterns and to keep inactive activities within permissible limits.Dr Jeyapaul stays at the forefront of endocrinology by continuously improving his knowledge and abilities. Endocrinology is a dynamic field where no two individuals have the same symptoms upon presentation, necessitating ongoing education and modification. Rapid advancements in laboratory technology have greatly enhanced the diagnostic capabilities. Arkas laboratory, with state-of the-art equipment, can now complete most tests in 4560 minutes. The diagnostic procedure has been made even simpler by developments inand gamma camera imaging.I believe these advancements to be especially intriguing due to ongoing developments in the field of genetics and molecular biology permitting for patient centric precision medicine. This individualized approach is quite helpful in managing less common illnesses such as thyroid cancer as well as more common ones like diabetes. The care of diabetes has been transformed by technological advancements such as closed-loop pump systems anddevices, which make it simpler for patients to control their condition at home. By incorporating the most recent developments and techniques in endocrinology into my practice, our commitment guarantees that we give our patients the most cutting-edge and efficient clinical care possible, concludes
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Russia attacked Ukraine with 81 Shahed combat drones and 10 cruise and ballistic missiles overnight Tuesday in the second attack in two days, the Ukrainian Air Force said in a statement.

The air defense downed 60 drones and five cruise missiles over 16 regions, it said. One drone crossed the border with Belarus, while 10 other detected drones were lost.

As of 9 a.m. local time (GMT 0600), 10 combat drones remained in the Ukrainian airspace.

The attack claimed the lives of two people and injured five others in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, where the strike hit a hotel, the Interior Ministry said.

In the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, a man and a woman were killed and four people were wounded, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov.

Two infrastructure facilities were hit in the eastern Kharkiv region, leaving a 41-year-old man dead and five others injured, said the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration.

About 15 drones and several Kh-101 missiles targeted the Ukrainian capital, but all air targets were intercepted, said the Kiev City Military Administration.

On Monday, Russia launched 127 missiles and 109 combat drones at Ukraine in the largest attack since the start of the conflict. Seven people were killed and 47 others were injured in the attack, according to Ukraine's State Service for Emergencies.
A former Ravalli County Sheriffs deputy facing a slew of allegations that he sexually harassed female suspects while on the job has been separately charged with sexual assault in Missoula.

Jeffrey Alan Gregoire, 44, has pleaded not guilty to a pair of misdemeanor sexual assault charges in Missoula Municipal Court. The case is separate from the one he faces in Ravalli County, where hes been charged with six felonies related to an alleged pattern of sexually targeting women he encountered through his job as a sheriff's deputy.

Ravalli County tip line The Ravalli County Sheriff's Office has established a tip line for anyone with additional allegations or information related to Jeffrey Gregoire. Those with information are asked to reach out to Detective Lt. Zae Hudson, or to call 406-375-4039. Tips can also be submitted through the Ravalli County Sheriff's app.

The first sexual assault citation refers to an incident on Nov. 13. 2023, about three months after Ravalli County officials began investigating him and he was subsequently fired.

The redacted citation states only that Gregoire subjected a person to sexual contact without consent after Jeff placed his crotch against another person.

The second citation refers to a Nov. 20 incident in which Gregoire allegedly touched a woman inappropriately, without her consent.

Court documents state that the assault survivor, apparently the same in both instances, shared an employer with Gregoire. Both citations state that the alleged assaults took place at the same location on Missoulas Southside.

Gregoire had found a job working for a private sector employer, according to court documents, but subsequently left for a different job.

Jordan Kilby, a Missoula-based attorney with Stephens Brooke P.C. Law Offices, is representing Gregoire. She did not respond to attempts to reach her Tuesday.

Gregoire had been scheduled for a jury trial in Missoula Municipal Court in mid-August, but it was vacated earlier this month and a new trial date has not been set. His next scheduled appearance is a hearing on Oct. 3.

Gregoires other case, in Ravalli County District Court, involves allegations that he sexually harassed or attempted to inappropriately contact eight women from June through August of 2023.

He faces two counts of mistreating prisoners and one count each of patronizing prostitution, impersonating a public servant, witness tampering and evidence tampering  all felonies. Gregoire is also charged with seven misdemeanors in that case. He was arrested earlier this month and released on a $10,000 bond.

Ravalli County Sheriff Steve Holton previously told the Missoulian that Gregoire worked for the sheriffs office for several years, but didnt know his exact dates of employment. He declined to say whether investigators were speaking with additional survivors.

RAINN If you or someone you know are a victim of sexual violence, RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is available to help. Call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673 or chat online at online.rainn.org. RAINN is the nations largest anti-sexual violence organization, working in partnership with more than 1,000 local service providers. Online: rainn.org.
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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. [Photo/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.
Data and AI company, Databricks has launched a Data and AI Academy for Queensland State Government agencies, designed to expedite data and AI training and enhance the capabilities of Australian public sector staff.

DataBricks says that upon completing the courses, participants will be able to obtain the necessary Databricks accreditations and certifications.

Databricks Data and AI Academy will upskill more than 100 Queensland Government staff on data, analytics, and AI, helping them to become more proficient with innovative technology to improve productivity and achieve better results, notes Databricks.

The strategic programme will also allow them to then train their colleagues, empowering public sector staff to better leverage the suite of data and AI capabilities at their disposal through the Databricks Platform.

Our organisations digital transformation is well underway, yet a recent review of our data and AI capabilities revealed a skills gap when it came to deploying certain functionalities. Databricks' leading Data and AI Academy offered us the opportunity to empower our staff and ensure skills uplift within our workforce, owing to the programme's inherent knowledge sharing feature, said Peter How, General Manager, Innovation & Delivery, National Injury Insurance Scheme, Queensland.

The learnings from the program will inform and fuel our organisation's capabilities for years to come, enabling our teams to co-design and provide improved services for our participants, external stakeholders and internal staff.

How notes that the Data and AI Academy also promotes citizen data capabilities by automating complex preprocessing, engineering, and model training processes, enabling users to easily build, train, and deploy their own models through a low-code approach.

Key to our departments data strategy is the data and digital literacy of our staff, in a rapidly changing environment. The Data and AI Academy is just what we have been looking for as we face skills gaps across the department in leveraging data and AI processing capabilities and mounting implementations, said Damon Atzeni, Director of Data and Analytics, Queensland Health.

The Academy is our fast track to understanding the power of the solution we have and developing the skills to use it effectively. The program has enabled us to self-manage deployments in reforming our health data, resulting in greater administrative efficiency and patient care insights.

Between Australias tight talent market and the quick rise and rapid evolution of AI capabilities, many organisations understand they must double down on training efforts to run best-in-class operations, said Adam Beavis, Vice President and General Manager for Databricks in ANZ.

Our leading data and AI academy programme uniquely positions us to assist and guide institutions like the NIISQ and Queensland Health in upskilling staff to accelerate the development of different use cases and their implementation to further innovation.

National Injury Insurance Scheme, Queensland and Queensland Healths adoption of Databricks Data and AI Academy procedures follow Databricks audit of the essential state government departments data strategies and need for refined implementation strategies.

Databricks hopes to expand the programme to additional departments throughout the Queensland Government.

About Databricks

Databricks is the Data and AI company. More than 10,000 organisations worldwide  including Block, Comcast, Conde Nast, Rivian, Shell and over 60% of the Fortune 500  rely on the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform to take control of their data and put it to work with AI. Databricks is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices around the globe, and was founded by the original creators of Lakehouse, Apache Spark, Delta Lake and MLflow. To learn more, follow Databricks on LinkedIn, X and Facebook.
Australian supply chains are crippled by data accessibility issues with 66% of surveyed supply chain employees stating that they find themselves working with incomplete, or inaccessible data in their roles, according to research from software company Appian.

The study, which surveyed 300 supply chain workers across the shipping, distribution, and transportation sectors, highlights persistent data-related obstacles despite ongoing digital advancements in the industry.

The lack of unified data significantly affects inbound visibility, creating challenges in predicting what, when, and how much inventory will arrive at distribution centres or factories.

The research found that for approximately 41% of supply chain professionals, the ability to maintain operational efficiency is compromised by poor data accessibility.

Similarly, 31% of the workforce expressed difficulties completing essential inventory management tasks.

This uncertainty around the availability of parts and materials hinders future operational capabilities, impacting production planning and decisions on adjusting output levels.

Australian supply chains have a data problem. They rely on digital processes and accurate data to function yet are asking their workers to operate with incomplete or inadequate information to manage complex, often disconnected operations across critical areas such as logistics management, shipment tracking, and schedule coordination, says Appian area vice president Asia Pacific and Japan Luke Thomas.

"Fragmented, inconsistent or unavailable data creates a lack of real-time visibility that impacts key functions within the supply chain such as inbound visibility, which can have knock-on effects on efficient staffing and warehouse operations.

The risk of inaccessible data

While major digital transformation projects are widespread in the supply chain sector  78% of respondents noted their organisations had adopted new digital initiatives within the last five yearsdata usability has not kept pace.

Today, 43% of workers identify data accessibility as their primary data challenge, 36% of respondents say that data security and protecting sensitive private data is their biggest concern and a significant portion indicated that data overload, where abundant data is available but there is no effective way to analyse and use it, is their largest problem.

When information is inaccessible or unable to be analysed accurately, it complicates decision-making processes and heightens the risk of operational errors or ongoing inefficiencies across supply chain operationssupply chain operations, explains Appian regional vice president broad markets Gordon Maddock.

"Unclear data governance can also inadvertently provide access points for unauthorised users, posing a threat to both operational integrity and confidential information."

To address these challenges, Appian advocates for the strategic implementation of a modern process automation platform enhanced by a data fabric.

"A data fabric is an architectural layer and toolkit that seamlessly integrates data across disparate systems, whether its on-premises or in the cloud, Maddock said.

Creating a centralised and unified view substantially enhances both security and operational efficiency. This integration is crucial for supply chain operations, allowing for precise control over who can view, update, and delete data, and ensuring that every piece of information is accurately accounted for and securely managed, whilst enabling action to be taken on the data.

Data challenges impact customer and employee experiences

Appian research also highlighted the impact of poor data accessibility on the overall customer and employee experience. It found that approximately 39% of workers encountered obstacles in meeting customer service expectations directly due to complications arising from inadequate data access.

Compounding the issue, 33% of those surveyed reported that such data-related challenges adversely affect the employee experience.

This dissatisfaction is particularly problematic for Australian supply chain organisations facing skilled worker shortages, where maintaining a satisfied and efficient workforce is crucial to prevent increased turnover, knowledge loss and to ensure workforce stability.

Lacking unified and visible data needed to forecast productivity fluctuations render proactive staffing decisions impossible. This leads to inefficient labour management, with employers struggling to optimise both casual and full-time labour. Consequently, this impacts the overall experience of both staff and the service output for their customers.

AI: Low adoption, high potential

Despite the growing adoption of digital transformation strategies, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in supply chain operations remains low, with only 3.67% of workers regularly using AI-powered systems.

This slow uptake highlights key opportunities for enhancing supply chain efficiency and responsiveness through advanced technologies.

"Embracing AI and more sophisticated data management tools can revolutionise the way we approach supply chain operations. Connecting and streamlining access to data can transform challenges into opportunities, fostering a more responsive and resilient supply chain ecosystem, concludes Thomas.

Download the full Appian Asia Pacific Data Trends Whitepaper to learn how industries like supply chain can build resilience by improving data access and automating process orchestration to improve visibility, agility, and profitability.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found Radio 2GB Sydney and Radio 3AW Melbourne guilty of breaching broadcasting rules as both failed to disclose commercial agreements between their presenters and companies featured on their current affairs programs.

The ACMA investigated 2GBs Ben Fordham Live program and scrutinised comments made in a broadcast on 3 August 2023 that were favourable to ride-share company Uber.

The regulatory body discovered that a commercial agreement between Uber and the program host at the time of the broadcast was not disclosed.

In a separate investigation into 3AW Afternoons broadcasts that aired in August 2023, the ACMA learned that hosts made comments favourable to automotive manufacturer BMW without disclosing their commercial agreements.

The ACMA said both stations failed to publish details on their websites of commercial agreements made by their current affairs presenters, as is required by the commercial disclosure rules.

Authority member Creina Chapman says adequately disclosing commercial agreements is crucial for transparency in current affairs programs.

These kind of commercial disclosure breaches have the potential to erode the publics trust in current affairs programming, Chapman says.

Listeners deserve to know what commercial agreements are in place and how those deals might relate to what they are hearing on-air.

Following this incident, both stations have informed their affairs presenters, producers, and sales staff to undergo formal training on commercial disclosure requirements to comply with ACMA remediations.

The ACMA ordered 2GB to commission an external audit of the processes it has to comply with rules.

This additional measure has been put in place because 2GB previously breached disclosure rules in 2021.
COMPANY NEWS: At VMWare Explore in Las Vegas, US, this week, Pure Storage is excited to share that it will support the next generation of VMware vSphere Virtual Volumes ( vVols) when it becomes generally available, which is currently planned to be part of VMware Cloud Foundation 9.

Reinforcing Pure Storages commitment to driving enterprise-grade storage needs for VMware environments, support for next-gen vVols will enable our enterprise customers to further optimize storage operations and deliver the performance, scale, and data protection required to address the needs of an evolving set of modern applications and workloads.

Powering Ever-Evolving Enterprise Needs

Next-gen vVols will have three main goals: deliver a consistent, optimized user experience across storage platforms; evolve vVols for modern, large-scale use cases such as AI/ML workloads and Cloud Service Provider deployments; fully integrate with VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF).

Pure Storage has a strong track record of supporting the most up-to-date versions of vVols APIs as the first VMware storage partner to certify both VASA 5 and VASA 6, which will be prerequisites for next-generation vVols. This exemplifies Pure Storages relentless pursuit of excellence. Pure remains committed to advancing its technology stack, delivering cutting-edge solutions that meet ever-evolving enterprise needs.

Pure Storages commitment to next-gen vVols enables the company to deliver unparalleled storage solutions for mutual customers, delivering benefits that include:

Cloud-Like Scale: Ensures cloud-like scale for enterprise-grade VMware environments. Where traditional storage systems do not provide the performance or host scalability needed due to inherent file system limitations, Pure Storage on vVols will increase host access scale, eliminating limits on innovation and growth.

Ensures cloud-like scale for enterprise-grade VMware environments. Where traditional storage systems do not provide the performance or host scalability needed due to inherent file system limitations, Pure Storage on vVols will increase host access scale, eliminating limits on innovation and growth. Unmatched Performance: Using Pure Storage with vVols brings stability, reliability, and high performance to VMware environments. Customers report database restores going from hours to minutes.

Using Pure Storage with vVols brings stability, reliability, and high performance to VMware environments. Customers report database restores going from hours to minutes. Simplified Storage Management & Provisioning: Fine-grain control and storage policy-based management provided by vVols combined with Pure Storages industry-leading storage management interface enable IT teams to spend less time on storage admin and more on business growth and innovation.

Pure Storage has been a VMware Technology Alliance Partner for over a decade, working together to help customers realise the greatest value from their virtual infrastructure and underlying hardware. My conversations with VMware customers in Asia Pacific and Japan validate the value that Pure Storage brings to their deployments in public and hybrid clouds, data protection, Kubernetes and virtualisation. We are pleased to expand our support for VMware environments and the newest VMware technologies with this update.  Nathan Hall, Vice President & General Manager, Asia Pacific & Japan, Pure Storage.

"As customers adopt VMware Cloud Foundation as their private cloud platform, we are meeting customers where they are by supporting an ecosystem of solutions such as Pure Storage that provide flexibility in how they meet their own unique storage requirements. Pures forthcoming support for VMware Cloud Foundation 9 will provide our customers with advanced storage solutions that enable customers to achieve a simpler and more complete cloud experience in their own data centers."  Paul Turner, VP, Product Management, vSphere, VMware by Broadcom.

Pure Storage delivers a seamless data experience to customers leveraging VMware by Broadcom solutions:

"Partnering with Pure Storage has been a game-changer for our VMware environment, delivering critical performance, stability, and data protection. Pure's implementation of vVols has significantly enhanced our data access speed, improved our recovery capabilities, and provided better snapshot management overall. The integration has not only optimized our infrastructure but also brought much-needed predictability while maintaining efficiency and reliability. Pure Storage continues to play a crucial role in our ongoing infrastructure modernization efforts." - Carl Wolcott, IT Manager, KAI USA

"Pure Storage has optimized our VMware environment at Texas A&M, delivering stability and price predictability without compromising on performance, efficiency, or reliability. Their innovative platform, combined with deep VMware co-engineering and integration, has set the benchmark for product features, support excellence, and a true partnership, driving us toward seamless IT operations." - Heath E. Simon, Enterprise IT Technologist, Texas A&M University
COMPANY NEWS: The contract extends the strategic relationship with one of the worlds most diverse providers of employment to nine years; the agreement is designed to help maintain and improve workforce conditions and productivity, including for staff at the US National Health Service and US and UK military facilities.

Serco Group PLC (Serco) has extended its contract with Australian Workforce Management software expert, nimbus Cloud (nimbus), for another three years to support its strategy of continuous improvement in its workforce operation for its thousands of staff worldwide.

Under the contract extension, more than 24,000 Serco staff, from non-clinical medical staff in remote Australian military facilities to National Health Service employees in dozens of British hospitals, UK and US military establishments and Middle East airports, will benefit from nimbus Australian designed Workforce Management software platform.

nimbus' smart technology provides Serco the intuitive tools needed to optimise and maintain a productive workforce. Utilising the platform, Serco has access to advanced AI built technology to efficiently schedule the right staff, with the right skill, across teams, departments, and locations  taking the guesswork out of scheduling and delivering insights for better decision making.

Since 2018, nimbus has enabled Serco to support the productivity and safety of its workers in over 400 locations across Asia Pacific, the United Kingdom, North America, and the Middle East. The nimbus platform has continued to enable Serco scalability for its contracts and automation of its business processes.

Grant Custance, nimbus CEO, said; We have been collaborating with Serco for several years to help them continuously deliver the best service to their customers through the support of our nimbus technology. Serco has one of the most complex and challenging working environments in the world, due its highly diverse markets and skillsets which its staff are required to maintain. Our Australian developed technology has played a crucial role in helping address these unique needs.

The nimbus solution enables Serco to:

View the central operational area on the ground at a site level, providing a real-time snapshot of staffing at any given point in the day.

Automatically schedule to the forecasted demand and respond to the dynamics of daily operations, enabling the business unit to manage the use of staff hours effectively and flexibly.

Facilitate pan-operation scheduling to enhance the utilisation of staff hours.

Capture timesheets electronically and auto-approve based on configurable rules.

Provide centralised skills tracking and schedule forecasting to meet the strict requirements of many Government contracts through the utilisation of nimbus Skills Engine.

Enable employees to interact with the nimbus native application on iOS and Android mobile devices and provide Serco with their upcoming availability, see any upcoming training, and submit leave applications on the go.

The nimbus solution is already being deployed by Serco workforces as diverse as the US Space Force Surveillance System operation, in the US and Mexico; Air Traffic Control Towers located across the US and Airport Services in the Middle East; NHS hospitals across Central London; and the Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth, Australia.

About nimbus

As one of Australias fastest-growing technology innovators, nimbus is at the forefront of the future of work, providing integrated tools to optimise human endeavour, drive positive business results, and create a live anywhere, work everywhere world.

Through future-proofed, cloud, patent-protected software, nimbus transforms employee management capabilities for location-based, remote, and work-from-home staff with compliance, workforce optimisation, and business continuity solutions.

nimbus' suite of Software as a Service products are deployed by some of Australias top ASX companies, and globally by organisations and Government in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Canada, and the Middle East.

www.nimbus.cloud
ISACA, a global association for IT governance, risk management, and cybersecurity professionals, is pleased to announce the appointment of Australian cybersecurity veteran Jamie Norton to its 2024-2025 Board of Directors. With over 25 years of experience in cybersecurity, risk management and governance, Jamie's expertise will further strengthen ISACA's mission to advance trust in technology and equip digital trust professionals for the future.

Jamie Norton, CISA, CISM, CGEIT, CISSP, CIPM, currently serves as a Partner at McGrathNicol, a specialist advisory firm where he provides strategic performance and risk insights to boards and executives across various industries. His extensive career includes serving as the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at the Australian Taxation Office, where he led critical teams in security governance, risk, intelligence, operations, testing and forensics. Jamie's leadership has been instrumental in shaping cybersecurity strategies and resilience in both government and commercial sectors.

Reflecting on his appointment, Jamie commented, "For me, ISACA has always been about the community of like-minded professionals that underpin digital trust in our society. Our local chapters provide opportunities to build relationships that have stayed with me for decades. These chapters offer forums for industry updates, advocacy, learning and knowledge transfer, and support for undertaking industry-leading certifications that have been a cornerstone of my career.

"As a global community, we are confronting unprecedented threats, including the rapid evolution and weaponisation of AI, an unhealthy normalisation of data breaches, and a concerning shortage of experienced cybersecurity professionals. It is critical that we prioritise continuous education and certification to develop skills and talent, a mission that aligns closely with ISACAs objectives. And more than ever, we need to ensure we are providing opportunities for future generations of security professionals," said Mr Norton.

Erik Prusch, CEO of ISACA said, "I am pleased to welcome Jamie to ISACAs Board of Directors. Jamie's dedication and commitment to the industry is demonstrated through his nearly two decades of active involvement with ISACA, where he has contributed at the local chapter board level, organised conferences and participated in the CISM Certification Working Group.

He joins a diverse and dynamic group of professionals focused on evolving and strengthening the support provided to our global members. Jamies wealth of expertise will be invaluable as we navigate a new era of emerging technology and complex digital threats," said Mr Prusch.

In addition to his role at McGrathNicol, Jamie serves on the Advisory Board at Avertro, a cybersecurity startup focused on enhancing organisational cyber resilience and AI safety. His previous leadership roles span notable organisations such as NEC, Tenable, Check Point and the World Health Organisation.

Jamie is based in Australia and is a regular industry speaker and media commentator on cybersecurity issues. He holds formal qualifications in accounting, finance, commercial law, IT and taxation and is an affiliate member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. His appointment to the ISACA Board of Directors is a testament to his dedication and contributions to the field.
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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.
Shaw will focus on enhancing Sunshine Hydro's efforts to scale the business to full commercial operation.

I am delighted to support Sunshine Hydro in its mission of decarbonising the energy system, Shaw says. Sunshine Hydro brings the ingenuity and capacity we need to become world leaders in addressing the massive environmental challenges we face.

Shaw served as New Zealands Minister of Climate Change for six years under Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern from 2017 to 2020.

He was a Member of Parliament for ten years from 2014-2024 and Green Party Co-leader for nine of those years, from 2015-2024.

With a prior career spanning over 15 years in management consulting, sustainability, and business leadership, Shaws insights will inform Sunshine Hydros ongoing growth strategy.

After he left Parliament, Shaw was hired as operating partner at global infrastructure investment management company Morrison.

He is on the board of WWF New Zealand and performing governance and advisory roles with climate change related businesses and NGOs.

On the heels of Shaws appointment, Sunshine Hydro will be closing the latest A-round capital raise later this year, having $20 million committed of the $40 million it is seeking to grow the business.

James guidance will contribute substantially to our broader goal of creating a sustainable future where all energy is renewable generated and nothing is wasted. We welcome his strategic vision, environmental experience and look forward to rapidly scaling with his support, Sunshine Hydro CEO Rick McElhinney says.
ShotSpotter is mounting an intense lobbying effort to persuade Winston-Salems city leaders to keep the service going following an early-August announcement by the Winston-Salem Police Department that ShotSpotter would end here when its contract with the company that provides the service expires in September.

SoundThinking Inc., the company behind the gunfire-detection system, said it is sending letters to Mayor Allen Joines, city council members and other city officials in which Ralph A. Clark, the companys president, argues that an independent study showed ShotSpotter saves lives, helps deter violence, helps solve crimes and saves cities money.

Besides the mayor, the letters recipients include City Manager Pat Pate, Police Chief William Penn and all eight members of the Winston-Salem City Council.

ShotSpotter is an acoustic gunshot-detection system that relies on sensors to detect the location of gunfire. After the automatic system picks up a likely sound, ShotSpotter personnel review the information for accuracy, and if determined to be gunfire, relay the information to police.

The system has come under fire  so to speak  from groups like Hate Out of Winston who object to the placement of the systems in Black neighborhoods.

In Winston-Salem, ShotSpotter covers a three-square-mile area thats northeast of downtown, to the south of Smith Reynolds Airport and intersected by U.S. 52. Its a majority-Black neighborhood chosen by the city because of the high incidence of gunfire violence in the area.

But in dropping the program, city police have focused on the exhaustion of the grant funds that paid for three years of ShotSpotter, as well as the comparatively small size of the coverage area.

The program is very helpful and workable, but it only dealt with a small portion of the city, the mayor said. To expand the program, Joines said, it would require a big expense that the city budget just cant handle.

ShotSpotter cost the city $625,000 to operate over a three-year period, but all that money came from a 2019 grant that paid out for the program over three years. Joines said that when the police department submitted its budget request leading up to the passage of the 2024-25 budget, money for ShotSpotter wasnt on the list.

I talked to police about it quite a bit, Joines said. It came down to a matter of economics. We will continue to utilize our Real Time Crime Center, get those cameras tied in it.

The citys Real Time Crime Center uses independently-owned camera feeds from businesses and the like that are shared with the police department to help police keep an extra set of eyes on the street. The system also lets businesses and individuals share their camera locations with police, so that if needed for a crime investigation, police can look at what the camera has captured.

The city manager said that the police department budget for the coming year includes $225,000 for a pilot program to send out drones in police response. Pate called the drone concept one that is moving around many areas of the country.

The Forsyth County Sheriffs Office also has such a program.

Pate said the concerns raised by groups like Hate Out of Winston around the presence of ShotSpotter in Black neighborhoods played no role in the citys decision.

The police department wants to provide solutions for as many people as they can, and this program was impacting only a small area, Pate said.

SoundThinking is stressing the results of an independent study of the citys ShotSpotter technology that was carried out by researchers at the Center for Crime Science and Violence Prevention at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2024. That study said police response times were substantially faster in the ShotSpotter area, and that area had a significant reduction in firearm crime and aggravated assaults since the system was put in.

SoundThinkings letter to city officials also includes a transcript and link to a video on YouTube in which a Winston-Salem police officer recounts an incident in which he was able to quickly locate a shooting victim and start medical help that the victim wouldnt have gotten in time had police not had the kind of specific information that ShotSpotter provided.

The company is also citing a shooting incident on May 31, 2023, in which ShotSpotter led police to find a 7-year-old child critically injured from a shooting, and were thus able to get the child taken quickly to a hospital for surgery that led to the start of the childs recovery.

In another case on June 23, 2023, the company said, a man who had been shot in both legs was found with ShotSpotter and taken to a hospital for treatment.

SoundThinking, citing the study by the Illinois university, said the Winston-Salem community has saved some $9 million annually by using ShotSpotter, basing that figure on calculations of the cost to society of the violence the system is credited with preventing. The company said the system helps police gather evidence such as shell casings that can be used in prosecution, and that ShotSpotter can be a force multiplier to other technology such as the use of drones.

SoundThinking also took to Facebook to drum up support for ShotSpotter, inviting people to sound their support and sharing the results with the city.

But Council Member Annette Scippio said she would defer to the police department on deciding where to invest in crime prevention:

ShotSpotter seems like a good tool, but they have to deal with their budget and costs, Scippio said. I wish we had all the money that could go to different things we want to do. Im happy that (the police) go for grants to have services because we need that kind of support. We cant do it alone on our tax base.
The Lincoln Police Department along with Lincoln Fire and Rescue and the Nebraska Community Blood Bank are hosting the fourth annual blood drive next week to honor slain officer Mario Herrera.

The "12 Days of Hope" blood drive will be held Sept. 5 at 9th and K streets near the Hall of Justice from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

LPD Assistant Chief Jason Stille said he understands not everyone will be able to donate blood on Sept. 5, but he encourages those who are able to donate blood at any Nebraska Community Blood Bank.

Herrera died at a local hospital 12 days after he was shot in the line of duty. After the shooting Herrera received many blood transfusions and needed more than 100 units of blood, Stille said.

Those who are interested can schedule a time to donate online on the Nebraska Community Blood Bank website.

Top Journal Star photos for August 2024
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Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the United States, on July 18, 2024. [Photo/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.
MOUNT PLEASANT  The village board at its meeting Monday approved a contract to extend municipal water service to the new Educators Credit Union headquarters south of Spring Street on East Frontage Road.

The board voted to award the contract to A.W. Oakes & Son, Inc., which submitted the lowest of six bids for the Tax Increment District 7 Water Main and Sanitary Sewer Extension project.

A.W. Oakes & Son submitted a bid for $4,047,936, according to the village. An engineer estimated the project at $3,843,305.

The water main and sewer extension will ultimately serve the Spring Street corridor, according to the village.

The board also voted to award a contract for the KR Watermain Extension project to A.W. Oakes & Son for the lowest bid of $1.5 million.

Additionally, the village at the meeting awarded a certificate of program completion to Bruce Smith, who worked as an intern with the village through the Racine County Summer Youth Jobs Initiative.

In other business, the board:

Approved the purchase of police body-worn cameras.

Approved a service contract with Riseling Group to perform a fire department culture study amounting up to $25,000.

Approved a development agreement for Seasons at Mount Pleasant, Phase II.
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

View Results
Cheongdo Wine Tunnel (Photo by ChiHon Kim)

During times of extreme weatherwhether its too hot or too cold choosing a family-friendly destination can be a struggle.

Luckily, South Koreas topographical landscape offers many amazing caves and tunnels to explore without having to worry about the weather outside.

Recently, my family and I made our way to Cheongdo-gun for a day trip to check out the famous Persimmon Wine Tunnel. It is a 50-minute drive from Camp Henry and Walker.

The old tunnel was finished back in 1904 and played a role in military transportation during the Japanese colonial period. The tunnel was closed in 1937 as its tracks were an energy-drain for the steam locomotives running through.

In 2006, the tunnel was given new life when a local wine producer purchased it. Now, this former military tunnel is home to locally produced persimmon wine, a specialty of the region. Year-round this cellar tunnel maintains the perfect conditions for wine fermentation at its constant 15-degree Celsius temperature and 60-70 percent humidity level.

As we made our way to the entrance, there were vendors selling dried persimmon, one of my favorite snacks. I grabbed a packet for 12,000 won at a stall and made my way to the tunnel. It was tasty!

Dried persimmon (Photo by ChiHon Kim) Dried persimmon (Photo by ChiHon Kim)

Before my visit, I thought this place was just an ordinary tourist attraction, but it turns out the tunnel has very historic elements. At the entrance, I noticed a stone sign inscription written in Chinese characters above. I looked into the meaning of it and it roughly means completed the task on behalf of the Japanese emperor (who symbolizes sky in Japan).  According to a paper from Yeongnam University, the handwriting came from Terauchi Masatake, the first Government-General of Joseon during Japanese colonial rule. The tiny inscription right next to the stone sign says that the construction work was finished during the Emperor Meiji period.

Inside the tunnel, I thought the ceiling made of thousands of red bricks was kind of exotic and my guess wasnt far off at all. As it turned out, the old and beautiful bricks covered with green moss were from Russia. It is known that the tunnels ceiling bricks were brought as spoils from Siberia, Russia, after Japan won the Russo-Japanese War in 1904.

While admiring the architecture of the tunnel, Id noticed the ceiling was blackened, a remnant of the steam locomotives that stopped running there in the 1930s.

Cheongdo Wine Tunnel (Photo by ChiHon Kim) Cheongdo Wine Tunnel (Photo by ChiHon Kim) Cheongdo Wine Tunnel (Photo by ChiHon Kim) Cheongdo Wine Tunnel (Photo by ChiHon Kim)

Along the railway, you can see thousands of bottles of wine and persimmon vinegar stored in cellars. In the middle of the path, of course, there is a small bar where you can sample the regional specialty at a reasonable price. We made a quick stop at the spot and sampled the sweet wine, enjoying its unique flavor and aroma.

The tunnel is full of a romantic atmosphere and offers not only soft music but great photo-ops, making it a perfect place for couples. Dont forget to snap a photo against the backdrop of the giant illuminated wine bottle.

Further inside the tunnel, tons of wishing cards hanging on the wall of the tunnel were waiting for me. If I had a pen and paper, I couldve written down about my wish for recovering the ordinary everyday life that weve been missing over the past two years.

From that section, we went back the way we came. Our adventure was about an hour long. If you love wine, history or both, then the Persimmon Wine Tunnel is a stop for you!

Address: 100, Songgeum-gil, Hwayang-eup, Cheongdo-gu (ENG),     100 (KOR), Naver Map

Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Weekdays), 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Weekend)

Tel: 054-371-1904

Note: Parking is available but limited. Avoid peak hours if possible.

Speaking Korean

It's a bit humid here in the tunnel. Yeo-gi an-eun jom seub-ha-ne-yo..

Would you like to drink a glass of wine? Wa-in han-jan ha-sil-lae-yo?

That sounds good! Joh-ayo!

No, thank you. Go-mab-ji-man sa-yang-hal-ge-yo.

I dont drink alcohol. Jeo-neun su-reul mot ma-sim-ni-da.

What kinds of wine do you like to drink? Eo-tteon wa-in joh-a-ha-se-yo?

Just a glass of persimmon wine, please. Gam-wa-in han-jan-man ju-se-yo.

Why don't we take a picture over there? U-li jeo-gi-seo sa-jin jjig-eul-kka-yo?

Excuse me. Sil-lye-ham-ni-da.

Could you take a picture of us? Jeo-hui sa-jin jom jjig-eo ju-si-gesseoyo?
I am thrilled to see this program become a reality. I encourage my constituents and those in flood-prone areas to attend this webinar, Oldenburg said. We will be discussing the application process, eligible applicants, and more. I look forward to seeing and speaking with attendees.
Cambodia has celebrated the return of numerous cultural art pieces stolen during the countrys civil war period.

Prime Minister Hun Manet recently led a ceremony to welcome the pieces, called artifacts, back to Cambodia. The event took place at the nations Peace Palace in Phnom Penh. The palace houses the governments official headquarters.

The Cambodian leader said a total of 70 ancient statues had been reunited with the countrys people. Most of the pieces are believed to have been stolen during Cambodias civil war period, from 1967 until 1975.

At the time, the communist Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia. It is blamed for the killings of more than 1 million Cambodians during its rule and years of unrest and economic difficulties.

Multiple international efforts over the years have helped Cambodia get back its artistic and archaeological treasures. The stolen artifacts include ancient pieces from Asia as well as artwork lost or stolen in conflict areas such as Syria, Iraq and Nazi-occupied Europe.

A total of 70 Khmer cultural objects have been returned through a range of different processes, Cambodias Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts said in a statement. These included voluntary returns, negotiations, seizures and legal processes.

The statement said the returned artifacts included important Hindu and Buddhist pieces from the 9th-to-14th-century. Among them were priceless stone statues representing mythical Hindu figures, it added.

Hun Manet said that from 1996 until last month, 1,098 artifacts had been returned to Cambodia. About half were from private collections and half from foreign groups or governments.

Officials said the 70 items presented included 14 that arrived from New Yorks Metropolitan Museum of Art in early July. The rest, from private collectors, arrived in late July.

The pieces that came from the Metropolitan Museum were bought and trafficked by well-known art dealer Douglas Latchford. He had been indicted in 2019 on charges linked to an effort that sought to sell stolen Cambodian artifacts on the international art market. Latchford, who died the following year, had denied any involvement in smuggling.

A statement from the U.S. Embassy in Cambodia said the U.S. government had assisted the country with the return of over 150 ancient cultural pieces. Embassy official Bridgette Walker told ceremony attendees that the United States had long been a dependable partner for protecting the cultural heritage of Cambodia.

Im Bryan Lynn.

The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English.

___________________________________________

Words in This Story

mythical  adj. existing in a myth: an ancient story about gods and brave people, often one that explains historical events

indict  v. to officially accuse someone of a crime

heritage  n. the buildings, paintings, customs, etc. that are important to a culture or society
As students return to college across the United States, administrators are preparing for new activism against the war in Gaza. Some have adopted new rules limiting protests. Last spring, college protests resulted in damage, conflict and arrests at several schools.

The summer break brought most protests to an end. But the results of the damage last spring are still being felt.

At Columbia University in New York City, Minouche Shafik resigned from her position as president earlier this month. In April, Shafik faced strong criticism from lawmakers over her response to protests at Columbia.

New measures for campus demonstrations

Some universities are putting new measures in place to avoid what happened at Columbia. The new rules include banning encampments and limiting the duration of demonstrations. They permit protests only in defined areas and restrict campus access to those with university identification.

Critics say some of the measures will hurt free speech.

The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) released a statement earlier this month condemning overly restrictive policies that would harm free expression.

The AAUP said, Our colleges and universities should encourage, not suppress, open and vigorous dialogue and debate even on the most deeply held beliefs.

The University of Pennsylvania has released temporary guidelines for student protests. Overnight demonstrations are banned, and the use of loud audio equipment is barred after 5 p.m. on days when classes are being held. Signs, posters, and banners must be removed after two weeks. The university says it remains supportive of freedom of speech and lawful assembly.

At Indiana University, protests after 11 p.m. are banned under a new expressive activities policy which took effect on August 1. The policy bars camping or placing a shelter on campus. Signs require approval from school officials.

The University of South Florida now requires approval for tents, canopies, banners, signs and amplifiers. Speech, expression and assembly rules bar demonstrations after 5 p.m. on weekdays and weekends. Protests are completely banned during the last two weeks of a semester.

Risa Lieberwitz is a Cornell University professor of labor and employment law and gives legal advice to the AAUP. Lieberwitz said, I think right now we are seeing a resurgence of repression on campuses that we havent seen since the late 1960s.

However, university officials say free speech cannot interfere with learning. They say the updated rules improve safety on campus.

Why are students protesting?

Tensions at many universities increased after October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel. Hamas killed 1,200 people most of whom were civilians. Hamas also took about 250 people hostage. Israels military operation to answer the attack has continued through the summer.

Many student protesters in the U.S. have promised to continue their activism against the Gaza war. They are fueled by information from Hamass health ministry that says more than 40,000 people have died in the Gaza conflict.

Much of that tension appeared in the spring on Columbias campus. On April 30, police with riot shields raided a building that pro-Palestinian protesters had occupied at Columbia. Earlier, police had cleared out a tent camp that protestors had set up.

Similar protests took place on campuses around the country. It is estimated that more than 3,000 people were arrested in connection with the pro-Palestinian protests.

However, many of the students who were arrested during police actions have had their charges dismissed. Some are still waiting to learn what government lawyers decide. Others have faced suspension from school, had their diplomas withheld or faced other punishments.

Columbia only recently began permitting people with university identification or registered visitors onto campus. Officials said they wanted to limit possible disruptions at the start of the new semester.

Shafik of Columbia was among the university leaders who Congress called on in April to explain what was happening. Lawmakers accused her of not doing enough to deal with concerns about anti-Semitism at Columbia. She announced her resignation weeks before classes are to start on September 3.

Other university leaders have also stepped down in recent months.

University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill resigned in December. She faced pressure after she appeared before Congress and was unable to say whether calls on campus for the genocide of Jewish people would violate school policy.

In January, Harvard University President Claudine Gay resigned after accusations of claiming others writings as her own and her statement about free speech given to Congress.

Im Caty Weaver.

And Im Mario Ritter, Jr.

Nick Perry, Jake Offenhartz and Jocelyn Gecker reported this story for the Associated Press. Mario Ritter, Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English with additional AP reporting and other sources.

Quiz - US Colleges Change Rules for Campus Protests Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

_______________________________________________

Words in This Story

adopt v. to accept and put in place

access

encourage v. to support and get people to do something

vigorous adj. done with energy and willingness

assembly n. the lawful and peaceful gathering of people in public

canopy n. a shelter similar to a tent but without sides

amplifier n. a device that electronically makes a sound louder

semester adj. one half of a school year

diploma n. a document that officially shows that a person has fulfilled requirements for a degree from a school or university

disruption n. an event that interferes with normal or necessary activities

We want to hear from you.

Our comment policy is here.
LINCOLN  Gov. Jim Pillen joined leaders from the University of Nebraska Monday in recognizing the first cohort of students to qualify for a program aimed at increasing the number of production animal veterinarians in Nebraska. Those veterinarians specialize in working with farmers and ranchers who raise cattle, swine, sheep and other livestock and poultry.

Among those students is Haydn Farr. Haydn graduated this year from Maywood Public Schools and is the son of Dallas and Lindsey Farr of Maywood. Haydn is also the grandson of Verl and Monika Jurjens of Eustis and Stan and Ann Farr of Farnam.

Pillen and university leadership announced the creation of the Nebraska Elite 11 Veterinarian Program in February, and the first applications were accepted in March.

Nineteen students are currently enrolled. Each one receives the Nebraska Production Animal Health Scholarship, which covers 50% of their tuition for the first two years of study in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The other recipients and their hometowns are Brooklyn Ahrens (Weeping Water), Meg Anderson (Dodge), Alannah Crabtree (Lincoln), Bailey Denton (Oakland), Peyton Fisher (Hershey), Klayton Hilbers (Hooper), Haylie Hoatson (North Platte), Sydney Hutchinson (West Point), Hannah Kielian (Dix), Lynsie Lancaster (Hastings), Chase Martin (Wellfleet), Presley Nowak (Keystone), Addison Pool (Naponee), Chloe Scheer (St. Libory), Emma Snider (York), Claire Stauth (ONeill), Jack Steenson (Phillips) and Jacob Wood (Palmyra).

These students are embarking on a challenging, yet hugely rewarding career path, said Pillen, who received his doctorate in veterinary medicine. The demand for production animal veterinarians is high. This program is a leader in the United States. It will provide students the top-level training they need, and it will set them on a career path that will allow them to continue practicing, right here in Nebraska.

Up to 25 students can take advantage of the initial scholarship. Following their second year of study, 13 will be chosen for a continuation scholarship that covers 100% of their tuition during their third and fourth years.

From there, the Elite 11 will be selected from UNLs Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine to have all tuition and fees paid for while they attend UNLs dual Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program with Iowa State University.

The Elite 11 program is creating exactly the kind of impact we hoped it would, said University of Nebraska President Jeffrey Gold. Im so pleased to welcome this group of talented young women and men to the University of Nebraska, and I know they will achieve great things for Nebraska agriculture and the veterinary industry in the years to come. I want to thank Dean Tiffany Heng-Moss for her vision on this important effort and Gov. Pillen for his leadership and support every step of the way.

One of the key requirements for consideration and participation in the Elite 11 program is that applicants must be residents of Nebraska. They must also demonstrate a strong interest in production animal health and a commitment to major in animal or veterinary science.

I am thrilled to welcome these 19 scholarship recipients to the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at UNL, said Heng-Moss, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. These outstanding students had their choice of colleges, but Im delighted to be able to say that all have committed to staying in our state both during college and after. This is a big win for Nebraska, our veterinary workforce, and the future of agriculture in our state.

Mike Boehm, NU vice president and Harlan vice chancellor for UNLs Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, also offered his congratulations to the inaugural students.

Its always a joy to be in room filled with so much passion for our state and its agriculture industry, its natural resources and the hardworking people that contribute to our states success, said Boehm. Im grateful to these students for their commitment to Nebraska, to their families and communities for instilling in them the values that got them here today, and to state leaders, including Gov. Pillen, for championing this critical program.

UNL Chancellor Rodney Bennett pointed to the programs goal of meeting critical needs in a state for which the livestock industry contributes more than $6 billion annually to the economy.

The Elite 11 program exemplifies the University of NebraskaLincolns dedication to academic excellence and community impact. By developing these exceptional students into future veterinarians, we are addressing a crucial need in the agricultural sector and ensuring that our university remains a leader in nurturing talent that supports Nebraska communities. This program is a reflection of our commitment to empowering students and advancing the welfare of our state.

As part of their participation in the Elite 11 program and upon graduation, students agree to stay in Nebraska for eight years as practicing production animal veterinarians or they must pay back their school scholarship. The application period for the next cohort of students will be announced this fall.
The grand opening of the 81st Venice International Film Festival in Italy, which will begin with the screening of Tim Burton's new film Beatlejuice Beatlejuice, was attended by a large number of world stars. Celebrities posed for the cameras, showing exquisite outfits, united by a classic style.

ADVERTISIMENT

OBOZ.UA decided to show the best looks that the moviegoers' favorites wore at the event. Interestingly, the cast of the opening film preferred minimalist bows.

Monica Bellucci

Italian actress and model Monica Bellucci appeared at the opening of the Venice Film Festival in a romantic look. She chose a dark fitted polka dot dress, which she styled with a black patent leather clutch and high-heeled sandals. Preferring dark shadows, the artist successfully emphasized the green color of her eyes.

Winona Ryder

The star of the TV series "Stranger Things" tried on a gothic look for the gala event. Winona Ryder wore a monochromatic suit with voluminous ruffles, the accent element of which was a black cape imitating a long skirt. The actress's wavy hairstyle, combined with a dark smokey eye, complemented her unsurpassed appearance.

ADVERTISIMENT

Jenna Ortega

Jenna Ortega, the star of the popular TV series Wednesday, did not abandon her usual restrained style. The actress combined a strict suit in the trendy color of black cherry with an elegant silver necklace.

Catherine O'Hara

The image of the star of the cult family comedy Home Alone stood out among the outfits of her co-stars. Catherine O'Hara attended the opening ceremony in a stylish white striped jumpsuit. The light-colored outfit went well with her wavy blonde hair.

ADVERTISIMENT

Tim Burton

The director of the American comedy horror film Beetlejuice went out in a strict suit. The accent element of Tim Burton's monochromatic look was a printed shirt with blue patterns.

Only verified information is available in our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The fight for racial equality in the United States moved a step closer to victory today as Martin Luther King spoke of his dream for freedom in an address to thousands of Americans.

Reverend King was greeted with rapturous applause as he delivered his heart-felt words to a 250,000-strong crowd of civil rights protesters at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC.

He spoke of the need to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice.

He promised that the struggle for equality would continue until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

Rev King, who has worked tirelessly for an end to racial discrimination through non-violent means, spoke repeatedly of his dream for equality.

I have a dream, he said. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be engulfed, every hill shall be exalted and every mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plains and the crooked places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.

Dr King, who is president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) first came to prominence in 1955 when he led a 382-day bus boycott in an attempt to end segregation on city buses.

Since then he has endured numerous arrests, violent harrassment and a bomb attack on his home.

But his struggle continues and it is believed todays speech will have a lasting impact on all who heard it.

Courtesy BBC News

In context

The Rev Martin Luther King spearheaded the campaign against segregation and racial discrimination in the United States.

But his crusade was cut dramatically short, when he was assassinated on 4 April 1968 in the southern US city of Memphis, Tennessee, aged 39.

He was shot in the neck by a rifle bullet as he stood on a balcony from where he was to lead a march of sanitation workers protesting against low wages and poor working conditions

James Earl Ray was convicted of his murder and sentenced to 99 years in prison.

But he later retracted his confession and said he had been only a minor player in a conspiracy.

However, his appeals for a new trial were rejected and he died in prison in 1998.
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. KIRSTEN GRIESHABER, ERFURT, MDT/AP
Six Macau residents lost over MOP74,000 to credit card theft stemming from fake Bank of China phishing websites between Jan. 24 to 27, Judiciary Police (PJ) reported yesterday.

According to police, three men and three women received text messages claiming their points were expiring, tricking them to enter credit card information into fraudulent Bank of China websites. During the process, victims were enticed to enter credit card details and exchange points for cheap gifts, allowing scammers to steal the cards and make unauthorized large purchases.

One of the larger cases involved a young woman who had 6.93 million in Tanzanian currency stolen, equivalent to about MOP22,000.

PJ has identified this as the first instance where fraudsters have posed as the Bank of China and sent random fake messages to citizens, a concerning trend that has also seen the emergence of similar phishing scams from other large companies.

To prevent further incidents, with fake SMS messages impersonating large companies on the rise, PJ Fraud Prevention Coordination Center warns citizens not to click unknown links, carefully verify website authenticity when providing personal details, and use the Anti-Scam app or hotlines if uncertain. Citizens are advised to be vigilant of phishing attempts via text.

In a different case, the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) announced that three Hong Kong men have been detained in connection with a phone scam that defrauded an elderly Macau citizen of approximately MOP150,000.

According to authorities, the scheme involved dividing the criminal labor.

One suspect first called the victim, posing as the victims son-in-law. The imposter claimed to have been arrested for drunk driving and in need of bail money.

The victim withdrew the funds from the bank and handed them over to a second suspect, who had posed as a legal assistant. Becoming suspicious, the victim then verified the story with his actual son-in-law, thereby exposing the scam.

The MP urges the public to always verify the authenticity of calls or messages, and never provide money or make fund transfers to strangers.

Last week, the PJ reported that the three men were directed by a telecom fraud group, operating under the guise of a guess who I am scheme, to travel to Macau. Their task was to collect MOP150,000 from an elderly local woman, with the promise of receiving a commission ranging from MOP3,000 to MOP5,000 each. VC
The government has launched a website dedicated to the celebration of 25th anniversary of the Macau handover.

Titled Celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR), the website, coordinated by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) is said to have been established to concentrate in one place all the information related to the Celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Establishment of the MSAR, as well as to simplify the consultation of the related information by residents and tourists.

The interface supports three languages, including the official languages and English.

The website gathers information on the latest related news, pictures, videos, and live broadcasts, among other things.

More information on the commemorative activities will be published in the Events section of the website in due course, IC announced.

Residents and tourists can browse the website and, through it, participate in the various activities and share them on social media, helping to further promote them.

The website is already available at www.macao25.gov.mo.RM
As leaders of Pacific nations were welcomed to their annual meeting in Nukualofa, Tonga, yesterday [Macau time], they were greeted first by torrential rain and then by an earthquake.

The magnitude 6.9 quake was deep enough not to cause damage, but the long shudder and ankle-deep water served as a reminder of the natural vulnerabilities of many of the member countries of the Pacific Islands Forum, who are locked in an existential struggle for economic and environmental survival.

It also underscored the tension at the heart of an event that once barely captured the worlds notice and now draws delegations from dozens of countries across the globe  the way a fierce skirmish for geopolitical influence in the South Pacific among major powers further afield threatens to overtake local concerns, often to island leaders dismay.

We dont want them to fight in our backyard here. Take that elsewhere, Baron Waqa, the forums secretary-general and a former president of Nauru, told reporters last month.

Still, there are more than 1,500 delegates from more than 40 countries at this years meeting of Pacific member states, all hoping to further their agendas in a region where oceans, resources and strategic power have grown increasingly contested.

Founded in 1971, the Pacific Islands Forum brings together 18 member states to discuss and coordinate responses to the issues confronting a remote and diverse region, who know that their countries  with populations as small as 1,500 people  attract more notice on the global stage when they speak with one voice. Its leaders  from Pacific Island nations, some of them among the worlds most imperiled by rising seas, as well as Australia and New Zealand  have long been at the forefront of urging action on climate change.

For the first few decades of the forums existence, the annual meetings of its leaders largely escaped wider notice. In recent years that has changed, regular forum-goers say: Chinas campaign of aid, diplomacy and security agreements with leaders across the Pacific has prompted a rapid expansion of the size and scope of the organization and its meetings.

This weeks summit features the forums largest ever delegation from China and a sizeable deputation from the United States, led by Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell.

Both countries are among 21 dialogue partners  a group of nations with interest in the region  in the forum. There is a waiting list for entry, but applications are currently closed while the forum reviews its structure. Observers said that a tiered system  reflecting partners genuine interests and involvement in the Pacific  was a possibility.

Weve been mindful that our region is of great interest from a geopolitical perspective over the last few years or so, Mark Brown, the Cook Islands prime minister and outgoing chair of the forum, told Islands Business this month. But the security issues that are seen by our bigger development partners are not the same security issues that we consider as important.

Where large powers might attend the forum seeking to curry influence while undermining others sway, the focus of the regions leaders sits squarely where it always has been: the perils of climate change and rapidly rising seas.

Reminders are everywhere in the Tongan capital, Nukualofa  metal water bottles supplied as keepsakes to delegates are labeled one less plastic bottle, but at each meeting and meal, plastic bottles of water are distributed. Rising seas and natural disasters, as in many Pacific Island nations, have contaminated rainwater and groundwater and made them unsafe to drink.

This year, the topic has another champion  the United Nations secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, who in a speech at the opening ceremony decried humanity treating the sea like a sewer and applauded Pacific leaders and young people for declaring a climate emergency and calling for action.

Some leaders tried to bring pressing issues at home to center stage: The Tongan prime minister and incoming forum chair, Siaosi Sovaleni, spoke yesterday of the health and education challenges confronting his country  and echoed throughout the Pacific.

Other topics include the legacy of nuclear horrors in the region, the cost of living and debt, and regional security  including a Pacific police training center scheduled for construction in Brisbane, Australia, that is seen as a direct challenge to Chinas eagerness to equip the law enforcement agencies of some island nations.

Fijis prime minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, in June referred to the confluence of problems  also including transnational drug trafficking in his assessment  as a polycrisis, with each challenge exacerbating others.

But the Forums most fraught matter is likely to be the ongoing unrest in New Caledonia. Deadly violence flared in the French territory in May over a longstanding independence movement and Paris efforts to quash it. A failed attempt by Pacific leaders to visit the capital, Noumea, ahead of the summit has further inflamed tensions.

Longtime forum watchers say the test for major powers at the event is whether their leaders can engage in the Pacific way, a kind of humble consensus politics that centers on relationships and holds at its heart the idea of the so-called Blue Pacific family  island nations linked by shared culture and heritage, and distinct from the wider Indo-Pacific, whose interests are seen as more disparate and remote. CHARLOTTE GRAHAM-McLAY, NUKUALOFA, MDT/AP
The Philippine defense chief said yesterday 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 U.S. Indo-Pacific Command amid a spike in clashes between China and the Philippines in the disputed South China Sea and in its airspace. The conference was attended by military officials and senior diplomats from the U.S. and allied countries.

He 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 diplomats and defense officials should determine those stronger steps.

Pressed by reporters to be more specific, Teodoro said a U.N. 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 U.S., is one of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and has power to veto such an adversarial step.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has paid attention to Chinas 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 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 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 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 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.

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. 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.

Japans government also protested to Beijing yesterday, saying that a Chinese reconnaissance plane violated its airspace and forced it to scramble fighter jets.

Sabina Shoal lies about 140 kilometers west of the Philippine province of Palawan, in the internationally recognized exclusive economic zone of the Philippines. MDT/AP
Passing through Macau in a visit that was extended to Guangzhou and Hong Kong, the Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities, Jose Cesario has said that Macau and the Portuguese living in Macau are a priority for the new Portuguese government.

Speaking on the sidelines of a series of events held at the Portuguese Consulate-General yesterday evening, Cesario noted that the Portuguese government is paying attention to the situation of Macau and of the Portuguese and their problems, including the high demand for service from the Consulate and the situation at the Macau Portuguese School (EPM).

Refusing to comment on the school, Cesario said to the media that he would not be visiting the institution this time, but promised to return soon for a visit when the situation is more peaceful.

Questioned on what he expects from the new Chief Executive (CE) of Macau, to be elected later this year, the Portuguese government official said he expects no change, noting that Portugal has maintained great relations with Macau governments and with the Chinese authorities, noting that the same good relationship is expected to continue.

After a first visit to Guangzhou on Tuesday, to take the pulse of the new consulate, Cesario was in Macau yesterday, having had several meetings including with the Council of the Portuguese Communities, the CE, Ho Iat Seng, the Portugal-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Association of Retirees and Pensioners of Macau (Associacao dos Aposentados, Reformados e Pensionistas de Macau) as well as a visit to the Consulate-General of Portugal in Macau and Hong Kong.

In the last of the events, Cesario witnessed the signing of a support contract to the local association Silaba for the production of a project that involves learning Portuguese language, history, and culture through pedagogical materials; as well as the Ceremony of Awarding of two Communities Medals of Merit, attributed by the Portuguese government to Wu Zhilei (posthumously) and Tony da Cruz.

During the meetings with the Council of the Portuguese Communities and the Association of Retirees and Pensioners of Macau, topics said to have been in discussion included the waiting time for several services at the Consulate, namely for the renewal of Portuguese Identification Cards and Passports as well as matters related to the update of the retirement pensions, among others of concern to the community.

According to information from the Council of the Portuguese Communities, Cesario accepted that the services of the consulate-general need to improve and indicated that changes have been ongoing and that more will come soon. He also called for time to enforce the new plans and measures that have already been decided, noting that these changes need time for implementation and to prove themselves effective.

Today, Cesario will continue his tour through several institutions of the Portuguese matrix including the BNU Bank, the Holy House of Mercy, Orient Foundation, and International Institute of Macau.

For tomorrow, the Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities has scheduled a visit to the University of Saint Joseph in the morning, traveling in the afternoon to the neighboring region of Hong Kong for a series of events at the Club Lusitano.
A survey shows that Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong province emerged as the top three most popular destinations among Macau and Hong Kong residents.

Conducted by the Asian Tourism Exchange Center, the survey revealed that other up-and-coming hotspots include Chongqing, Guizhou, and Tibet.

This diversification is partly fueled by reduced international travel options and savvy mainland tourism promotion.

Though the pandemic disrupted travel in 2020 to 2022, the numbers have started to rebound  Hong Kong has recovered to at least 93.7% of 2019 levels, and Macau has increased by over 20%.

Questionnaire data, which involved 1,160 valid questionnaires, indicates that about half of respondents from both cities expect to travel to the mainland more often than in 2019, driven by pent-up demand, the appeal of Chinas cultural attractions, and the favorable Hong Kong dollar exchange rate.

Sightseeing, healthcare, shopping, and leisure remain the primary motivations, with over 80% of travelers citing these as their main purposes. Notably, visiting friends and family constitutes a relatively small portion of trips.

Meanwhile, the survey has revealed striking differences in the travel patterns of Hong Kong and Macau residents to mainland China over the past year.

Data shows that 61% of Macau residents and more than 82% of Hong Kong residents expect to visit the mainland one to 10 times.

In 2019, Macau residents visited 40.4 times on average, while Hong Kong residents visited the mainland an average of 10.7 times.

Compared to 2019, the number of Hong Kong visitors to the mainland has recovered to at least 93.7% as of May 2024. For Macau, the number has increased by more than 20% over the same period.

Moreover, according to the survey, the information-gathering habits of the two populations differ  29% of Macau residents trust recommendations from family and friends, while 26% of Hong Kong travelers rely on TV programs.

Travel agencies also play a significant role, with 24% to 37% of travelers booking through group tours and other agency services.

According to data from the Macau Hong Kong SAR governments, travel to mainland China through agency services has surged in the first five months of 2024. During this period, a total of 150,000 Macau residents traveled to the mainland via travel agencies. Of these, 47,000 Macau residents participated in group tours  an 80.7% increase from the same period in 2023. Moreover, 31,000 of these group tourists visited Guangdong Province specifically.

Despite the surge in mainland visits, the survey shows that Macau and Hong Kong residents still face challenges in trip planning, unfamiliarity with locations, and booking tickets for attractions.
A top White House official has arrived in China for talks on a relationship that has been severely tested during President Joe Bidens term in office.

Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, 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.

On landing, Sullivan was greeted by Yang Tao, the Chinese foreign ministrys chief for the North America and Oceanian department, and the U.S. ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns.

The goal of Sullivans 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.

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.

Sullivan will hold talks with Wang Yi, the foreign minister who also holds the more senior title of the director of the Communist Partys Central Foreign Affairs Commission Office.

Its unusual to hold both positions. Wang had initially stepped down as foreign minister, 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 United States 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. MDT/AP
FILER  There is something about longhorn cattle at the Twin Falls County Fair, even though southern Idaho is a long way from Texas.

4-H leader Shadow Seaman, who runs between 35 and 50 head of the cattle at his ranch south of Filer, recalls that it took 15 years to get the first 4-H longhorn club started here, but once it was formed, things started growing.

Popularity has grown so much that this years fairgoers will now notice the addition of another longhorn barn.

There are now three 4-H longhorn clubs, one in Twin Falls and two in Buhl, and combined with FFA members now raising the livestock, it is the largest such group in the nation, Seaman said.

We are so proud to have those numbers here and the interest, he said.

The novelty of the cattle breed, whose history in the Americas can be traced back to the 1400s when Spanish conquistadors brought them here, is likely a reason for their popularity among 4-H and FFA youth, Seaman said. Plus, their meat is extremely lean.

Numbers grew so much that the groups needed more room to show their animals, and each year organizers had to juggle things to find enough space.

Things have changed with the addition of the new barn with 37 additional pens to house the livestock. Both barns, a stones throw from each other, will be utilized there will only be a few empty stalls at this years fair, Seaman said.

TF County fair, rodeo set for end of August FILER  It's nearing Labor Day, and that means the Twin Falls County Fair and Magic Valley Stampede are gearing up.

The structure is a byproduct of generosity by local businesses, and representatives of companies that donated material and manpower to make the structure possible gathered at the fairgrounds Monday.

The buildings total value is about $165,000, Seaman said.

A common theme rang out among representatives of the various companies that pitched in. It was for the community, especially the kids.

Franklin Building Supply, a primary supporter of the project, has various charitable efforts underway, said Chad Witkowski, general manager of the companys truss factory, and donating toward the longhorn barn was just another way to help the community on a larger scale.

Kyle Brutke of Snake River Metal, which made a substantial donation of metal for roofing, said the company has pitched in with various projects at the fairgrounds for years. He has children ages 3 and 1 who might someday be making use of the livestock barns at the fair.

Im looking forward to the kids getting involved, Brutke said.

The generosity is reminiscent of last years big addition to the fairgrounds, the Pastoor Event Center, made of red brick, which was made possible by a generous donation through the estate of John and Betty Pastoor.

The public loves the Pastoor Building, said Fair Manager John Pitz. The building is the site of the produce, flower, art and photography exhibits during the fair, plus it is rented out 30 to 35 weekends a year.

This years 4-H/FFA longhorn show takes place at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the fairgrounds, while the open longhorn show is 9 a.m. Sunday.
Vietnam will send 150,000 doses of its African swine fever vaccine to the Philippines although it has not yet been approved internationally, according to a report by its state media.

The illness, which does not affect humans, is highly contagious and fatal for pigs, and an outbreak is potentially devastating for the pork industry, experts say.

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The shipment of the vaccine, developed by AVAC Vietnam (AVAC), is part of 600,000 doses ordered by the Philippine government, Vietnam News Agency quoted the companys general director Nguyen Van Diep as saying.

Vietnam approved two African swine fever vaccines for domestic use in July 2023, saying it was the first country to do so.

But neither of the vaccines has been approved internationally.

In October 2023, the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) issued a statement warning veterinary authorities and the pig industry of the risk from use of sub-standard vaccines.

It did not specifically mention Vietnam.

According to Vietnam News Agency, Diep said AVAC had already exported 300,000 doses to the Philippines in 2023. Other state media reports said this batch had been used for an evaluation.

The company is seeking approval for its vaccine in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Myanmar and Nigeria.

A team from the Philippines was in Vietnam earlier in the week to check on the production of the vaccines, he added, according to VNA.

Diep said 2.3 million doses have been used in Vietnam since July 2023.

According to media reports, authorities in Vietnam have been trying to encourage farmers to use the vaccine to prevent African swine fever from spreading among their herds.

The ministry of agriculture and rural development reported in mid-July that Vietnam had recorded 34,000 infected cases since the beginning of the year.

A 2018 outbreak of African swine fever in Chinathe worlds largest pork producercaused millions of pigs to be slaughtered to stop its spread.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives yesterday issued a public advisory assuring the public that local pork is safe to consume despite the ongoing African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak.

Especially during the ber months, pork sales are expected to rise. Theres no need to worry about ASF as it doesnt affect humans, said Representative Nicanor Briones at the Philippine Poultry Show and ILDEX Philippines Trade Fair.

In his message as the industry special guest representing livestock growers, Briones allayed the fears of consumers who expressed concerns about the safety of local pork amid the ASF scare.

Briones is optimistic that the arrival of an ASF vaccine would further alleviate concerns among consumers. He emphasized that the disease poses no threat to human health.

With this assurance, he expressed confidence that pork sales will rebound this holiday season.

He noted that current pork prices are low, with the farm gate price at only P150 per kilo.

To further demonstrate the safety of pork, Briones, along with other officials and special guests, including former Senator Vicente Sotto III and representatives from the Department of Health, sampled one of the countrys famous dishes, the lechon. Maricel Cruz. with a report from AFP.

Editors Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline Vietnam to send its swine fever vaccine to Philippines.
The Philippines and Vietnam will sign a defense cooperation agreement, as both nations are looking to advance their military ties amid Chinas increasing hostility in the South China Sea.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. said Vietnamese Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang is in the country on Friday to sign agreements that can help in building the momentum for cooperation between the two countries defense and military sectors.

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On the state level side, Vietnam was one of the countries our President visited in order to forge greater ties and relationships, intra-ASEAN and I believe that a South China Sea way forward was part of the conversation between our President and the Vietnamese President at that time, Teodoro said.

We can hope to get some agreements signed once clearances are made. And on that basis, we can have a new momentum and impetus for working together on the defense side and on the military side, he added.

In January, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. visited Vietnam, where the two countries agreed to boost cooperation in the South China Sea and peacefully solve incidents at sea.

Teodoro noted he also just signed a defense cooperation agreement with Singapore in July, and sees more cooperation with other Southeast Asian nations.

The intra ASEAN efforts are gaining momentum and I believe, starting this year, there will be a better chance of forging ASEAN way forward in so far as general principles are concerned in the South China Sea, he said.
How Chinese hybrid grass technology is changing the world for the better

08:15, August 28, 2024 By Liu Bowei, Sun Hao ( Xinhua

Lin Zhanxi (1st R) from Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University introduces Juncao technology to African students in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Nov. 2, 2018. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan)

To date, nearly 350 international workshops have trained over 14,000 people in Juncao technology, with introductory papers now available in 18 languages for global use.

"The experimental results were very promising," Professor Lin Zhanxi said. "Juncao is the grass of happiness, a gift from China to all."

KIGALI/FUZHOU, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- It was pleasantly warm and dry in Rwanda in early August, and young farmers in Southern Province were celebrating a bountiful harvest. Their hands were not bunched with corn or rice but with mushrooms, cultivated with the help of a technology transferred from a country far away to this "land of a thousand hills" in Africa.

Joining the celebration was Professor Lin Zhanxi. Since the 1980s, the octogenarian scientist has led a research team on Juncao technology in China's southeastern Fujian Province. The hybrid grass technology enables fungi to grow on grass-based substrates instead of felled trees, a solution to the mushroom industry's threat to forests.

The plant's name means "mushroom" and "grass" in Chinese. Its versatility is a key feature, allowing it to grow edible mushrooms, provide livestock feed and help battle desertification.

Thanks to the active and visionary promotion by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Juncao is thriving in and beyond China, improving livelihoods and fostering sustainable development in developing nations across the Asia-Pacific, Africa and Latin America.

A WAY OUT OF POVERTY

Before known as "the father of Juncao," Lin grew up in the impoverished rural mountains of Fujian. His personal experiences with poverty profoundly shaped his commitment to Juncao technology.

After decades of work, Lin and his team succeeded in selecting and breeding a type of high-yield, drought and salinity-resistant herbaceous plant that can be used as a substitute for wood to grow edible and medicinal mushrooms.

At the ninth Aid-for-Trade Global Review Conference held by the WTO in Geneva in June, Lin reflected on how Juncao technology began its global journey. It was back in 1992 when Lin first presented Juncao to widespread acclaim at an international exhibition on inventions, also in Geneva. There in Switzerland, Lin received many calls to learn more about the technology.

Lin recalled how Xi has passionately supported using scientific and technological means to combat poverty.

In 1997, Xi, then deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China Fujian Provincial Committee, listed Juncao technology as part of the province's poverty reduction efforts with the northwestern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Upon receiving the assignment, Lin immediately took his team, as well as grass and fungus seeds, to Xihaigu, a poverty-stricken region in Ningxia.

Today, Juncao technology is used in 31 provinces across China and has significantly contributed to ending poverty and revitalizing rural areas.

Lin Zhanxi (2nd R) exchanges Juncao planting skills with farmers in Minning Town of Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, March 29, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Peng)

With Xi's support, a pilot project to introduce Juncao technology in Papua New Guinea was launched in 2000, becoming one of the first applications of Juncao technology overseas.

Fuelled by their dedication and pioneering spirit, Lin and other Chinese researchers have since introduced the technology to 106 countries and regions across the globe.

With a mission to end poverty around the world, Chinese scientists have applied Juncao technology to some challenging environments. In Papua New Guinea's Eastern Highlands, they witnessed tribes still practicing slash-and-burn agriculture. In Rwanda, families without access to cattle or tractors labored in muddy fields using only hoes. In the Central African Republic, they observed the devastating impact of post-conflict famine.

Throughout these years, Lin has faced gunpoint robberies, malaria, altitude sickness and long periods in remote outposts without electricity or water. Witnessing extreme poverty in developing countries further strengthened Lin's commitment to Juncao.

"We go to the poorest places with a genuine intent to help the people," Lin stated.

A PLANT OF PROSPERITY

Agnes Ayinkamiye is the first coordinator of the Juncao project in Rwanda.

"One of the things that made me especially happy was how we helped people. The project was well-received, and we trained many people, particularly women's cooperatives and youth groups," she said. "I enjoyed my work immensely and was thrilled to collaborate with experts."

"People can earn money through Juncao technology, and it's become quite popular," Ayinkamiye added.

Lin noted that around 4,000 Rwandan households have benefited from the technology, with some experiencing their incomes double or even triple over the years.

Lin Zhanxi (R), a professor from China's Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, visits a mushroom growing shed in Kigali, Rwanda, on Aug. 2, 2024. (Xinhua/Ji Li)

"Juncao technology is affordable ... This technology is applied in such a way that makes it affordable for people at a very local level, which I believe is the key benefit," said Earle Courtenay Rattray, chef de cabinet to the United Nations Secretary-General.

Seruwaia Kabukabu, an entrepreneur in Serea Village of Fiji's Naitasiri Province, is one of the women trained at the Juncao demonstration center in Nadi, Fiji's third-largest city.

"After the training, every one of us received mushroom substrate bags for free from the center. Under the guidance of technical experts, we began to harvest and sell mushrooms within 7-10 days, earning money for our family," Kabukabu said.

The income from the Juncao project allowed her to improve her family's living standards by purchasing essential appliances, building a concrete toilet and bathroom, and even contributing to a clean water project in her community.

"Fiji faces numerous problems ranging from geographical isolation, susceptibility to natural disasters due to climate change that hinders agricultural, and sustainable development and food security," Kabukabu said.

Over the past decade, over 2,400 people in Fiji have received training on Juncao technology, with the Juncao cultivation area in Fiji exceeding 2,000 hectares.

"Simple to learn and effective to implement," said Lin, emphasizing that Juncao technology should lower its technical application threshold abroad "so that even the poorest farmers can get involved."

To date, nearly 350 international workshops have trained over 14,000 people in Juncao technology, with introductory papers now available in 18 languages for global use.

NEVER-ENDING EXPERIMENT

Apart from cultivating mushrooms, Juncao technology has continued to innovate, expanding its production to include feed and fertilizer.

Since using Juncao as fodder, Tahiya Massawe, a farmer in Bumbwi Sudi, Tanzania, has observed improved milk density and nutrition and increased milk production.

"It has also saved money for me," she told Xinhua, "because the budget I previously spent on other feed is now saved by using this grass."

Farmers multiply Juncao and use it on their farms. Many testimonials show that farmers have accepted the technology simply because the feeds are rich, said Makame Kitwana, director of Planning, Policy and Research at Tanzania's agriculture ministry.

"In a number of ways, scientifically, it has (been proven) that the protein content, as well as carbon content, is high, making cattle more satisfied when consuming Juncao grass compared to other grasses," he said.

Nyambo Obed shows the cultivated mushrooms at his workshop near Muhanga in Southern Province, Rwanda, April 6, 2024. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui)

Juncao can also help with ecological management.

Soil erosion has been a serious problem in countries such as Rwanda. Rwandan officials used to worry that if the soil problem could not be resolved, Rwanda would have no land to cultivate. Lin always kept their concerns in mind.

He still remembers the experimental data in Rwanda during his visit over a decade ago. On one day the rainfall for two and a half hours reached 51.4 millimeters. All the rain was captured by the giant (Juncao) grass, and it was very effective in water conservation and soil retention.

In February in Fiji, Lin also worked on applying Juncao technology to saline soil management, aiming to seek additional solutions to combat climate change for developing countries, including Pacific island nations.

"The experimental results were very promising," Lin said. "Juncao is the grass of happiness, a gift from China to all."

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Wednesday that Shiela Guo would not make a reliable state witness against her supposed sister, fugitive ex-Bamban Mayor Alice Guo.

I cannot believe that Alice Guo would take a fishing boat for three days to reach Sabah, [Malaysia]it is hard to believe if she came from Bongao or Zamboanga, or Tawi-tawi, it is still possible but not for her to come from Zambales and 1,300 kilometers from Kota Kinabalu [Malaysia], he told reporters in Filipino.

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Remulla said that he found Shielas testimonies unbelievable during the joint hearing of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights and Committees on Women, Children,

Family Relations and Gender Equality, and Public Services.

Where can you sleep on a fishing boat? You will be there for three days plus the strong waves of the sea so I dont believe in that, he stressed.

Although Remulla believes the Chinese origins of Shiela may be true, he noted deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing is still the best evidence to prove her claim that she is unrelated to Alice.

He said it is necessary to prove that her testimony is indispensable before she can qualify as a state witness.

In a separate interview at the Senate, Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty admitted the possibility that Shiela is qualified to be a state witness.

I dont want to get ahead of myself, but shes qualified. If youll think about it, she isnt the mastermind behind this illegal activity. If we will believe her, it seems like she was just dragged into it or was brought into it by her companions, he said in Filipino.

While this remains a possibility, Ty said the DOJ and the courts will best determine who may be a state witness.

He pointed out that before a person can be considered a state witness, Republic Act 6981 or the Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Act requires the absolute necessity for his/her testimony, absence of direct evidence available for the proper prosecution, substantial corroboration of statements on its material points, does not appear to be most guilty, and he has not at any time been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude.

Meanwhile, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian urged the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to speed up the filing of cases against the dismissed mayor and her associates.

The senator expressed impatience with the AMLC during Wednesdays hearing, saying it is clear that money laundering was involved in setting up a hub for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) in the Tarlac municipality.

AMLC Deputy Director for Investigation and Enforcement Department Adrian Arpon said his office aims to file the first money laundering case related to POGO activities in Bamban within the week.

He added that the investigation into the Porac POGO case is still ongoing, with the AMLC continuing to gather information.

Gatchalian also inquired about possibly obtaining a hold departure order against all respondents still in the country.

Ty responded that one option is to request a precautionary hold departure order from the court.

Our goal is to ensure that those involved in crime do not escape again, as happened in the POGO incidents in Bamban and Porac, said Gatchalian.

At the same hearing, Gatchalian urged Shiela to cooperate with the government in revealing the irregularities committed by Alice Guo and her family.

As these developed, the House of Representatives quad committee on Wednesday cited Cassandra Li Ong in contempt anew, this time for her refusal to answer questions from legislators.

The quad committee headed by Rep. Robert Ace Barbers reminded Ong she cannot hide behind the right to remain silent given previous Supreme Court decisions on the matter.

She will be detained at Womens Correctional in Mandaluyong City.

Ong earlier was cited for contempt by the House quadcomm after repeatedly failing to attend hearings related to POGO-related crimes, including those allegedly involving Lucky South 99, whose hub in Porac was raided by authorities.

Editors Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline Remulla: Shiela Guo not reliable state witness.

The Bureau of Immigration is downgrading the working visas of POGO employees to tourist visas. BI chief Norman Tansingco said POGO workers have 59 days to leave country from their visa downgrade.
NUKUALOFA, Tonga  Pacific Island leaders endorsed a landmark regional policing plan Wednesday at a summit in Tonga, a contentious move seen as trying to limit Chinas security role in the region.

Leaders unveiled a plan to create up to four regional police training centers and a multinational crisis reaction force, backed by $271 million in initial funding from Australia.

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Under the plan, a corps of about 200 officers drawn from different Pacific Island nations could be dispatched to regional hot spots and disaster zones when needed and invited.

This demonstrates how Pacific leaders are working together to shape the future that we want to see, said Australian Prime Minister Albanese, hailing the agreement.

The Australian leader made the announcement while flanked by leaders of Fiji, Palau, Papua New Guinea and Tonga  a symbolic show of unity in a region riven by competition between China and the United States.

Tongan Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni, the summit host, said the initiative would plug regional security gaps and tackle emerging threats like organized crime.

Tonga, like many other countries, are facing a number of transnational security challenges, including seeing an increase in drug trafficking within the Pacific in recent years he said.

According to Mihai Sora of the Lowy Institute, a Sydney-based think tank, Wednesdays announcement was a diplomatic victory for Australia and for the Pacific Islands Forum, a regional bloc which had appeared deeply divided on the topic.

Chinas Pacific allies  most notably Vanuatu and Solomon Islands  had voiced concern that the policing plan represented a geo-strategic denial security doctrine, designed to box out Beijing.

While all members of the forum have endorsed the deal in principle, national leaders will have to decide how much they participate, if at all.

Tongas Sovaleni said Pacific nations will have the discretion to choose how they would contribute to and benefit.

Australia and New Zealand have historically been the regions go-to security partners, leading peacekeeping missions in Solomon Islands and training in Nauru, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

Policing, however, has increasingly become a cornerstone of Beijings efforts to build Pacific influence.

China tried and failed to ink a region-wide security pact in 2022, but has since been plying some under-resourced Pacific police forces with martial arts training and fleets of Chinese-made vehicles.

Australia and longtime ally the United States were caught napping in 2022 when China secretly signed a security pact with Solomon Islands  the details of which have not been made public.

China now maintains a small but conspicuous police presence there, sending a revolving cadre of officers to train locals in shooting and riot tactics.

Gleaming new police vehicles roam the capital Honiara emblazoned with the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force badge and stark red China Aid stickers.

Earlier this year, Beijing also started sending teams of police advisers to Kiribati.

There are fears in Washington that China may one day parlay these agreements into a permanent military foothold in the region.

According to the Lowy Institutes Sora, Canberra will hope it helps close the window for China to seek a regional security agreement.

Papua New Guineas Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko told AFP on Wednesday that his country was keen to work together with Australia to implement the proposal.

But others signalled lingering misgivings.

Top Solomon Islands diplomatic official Colin Beck told AFP that Honiara would have domestic discussions about the plan before anything is finalized.

We have a national process that we have to dive into it, said Beck, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

We are basically reviewing our national security strategy and everything, so it will be part of the conversation, he said.

The matter is still going on. The forum is not yet done.
Morocco has established itself as a pillar of stability in Africa and focuses its foreign policy on South-South cooperation, said Khaled Hamade, Executive Director of the Observatory of Geopolitical Studies (OGE).

For the chief of this Paris-based research center, the Kingdoms foreign policy, which focuses in particular on strengthening South-South cooperation, bears witness to the Sovereigns commitment to Africas socio-economic development.

This regional leadership role was reinforced by Moroccos return to the African Union in 2017, as a key player in inter-African cooperation in terms of development, stability, and security for the continents countries, he wrote in the OGE newsletter on Tuesday.

Referring to the momentum generated by the support of many countries for the autonomy plan for the Moroccan Sahara, Hamade said that this growing momentum underlines the strategic importance of the Kingdom for the security and prosperity of the African continent, in an increasingly uncertain international context.

OGEs Executive Director, who recalled Frances support for the Kingdoms sovereignty over its Sahara, expressed at the highest level of the State, noted that this recent development marks a decisive step towards resolving the artificial conflict surrounding the Moroccan Sahara, in line with the legitimate aspirations of the local populations and the requirements of regional stability.

He added that increased international support for the autonomy plan for the Sahara, coupled with a strengthened partnership with key players such as France, could pave the way for a lasting political resolution to this artificial regional conflict.
On August 27, Ghanas Ministry of Agriculture announced a temporary ban on the export of cereals, including corn, rice, and soybeans, to ensure domestic supply amid disrupted agricultural production due to a less rainy season.

The regions affected produce about 62% of the countrys annual grain supply, raising concerns about potential food shortages. The export ban is effective immediately and will remain until conditions improve.

To address the shortfall, the Ministry plans to utilize grain reserves from ECOWAS, import additional grains, and collaborate with the private sector. They will also implement measures to support vulnerable farmers.

Finance Minister Mohammed Amin Adam announced on X that the government aims to raise $500 million to bolster food security efforts. Recent erratic and reduced rainfall in northern Ghana has impacted agricultural output, with around 1.8 million hectares at risk, affecting crops such as maize, rice, groundnuts, soybeans, sorghum, millet, and yams. Ghana, the worlds second-largest cocoa producer, faces significant challenges due to the dry weather.
In Uganda, three members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) were sentenced on August 27 for their role in a thwarted 2021 attack. The ADF, formed in 1996 and allied with the Islamic State since 2019, remains highly active in eastern DRC.

The incident occurred in August 2021, just before the funeral of General Paul Lokech, a prominent Ugandan military leader. Police arrested Rashid Katumba the day before the event, discovering a homemade bomb, bulletproof vests, detonators, and ammonium sulfate in his possession. Two accomplices were also apprehended.

Katumba received a ten-year prison sentence for terrorism and illegal possession of explosives, while the other two ADF members were each sentenced to five years for membership in a terrorist organization.

Despite joint efforts by Congolese and Ugandan forces, the ADF has intensified its attacks, particularly in eastern DRC. Last June, 150 people were killed in the region, prompting the African Union to urge neighboring states to combat the growing terrorist threat in the Great Lakes region.
In a heart-wrenching incident that has shaken the local community, nine men lost their lives when a massive pile of gravel collapsed on them at a quarry in Zambia. The tragedy unfolded in Chongwe, not far from the nations capital, Lusaka.

The victims were reportedly working without proper authorization, loading gravel onto a truck when disaster struck. In a cruel twist of fate, the truck driver managed to survive the collapse but sustained injuries requiring hospitalization.

As news of the accident spread, rescue efforts swung into action. Eight bodies were recovered on the day of the incident before darkness forced a suspension of operations. The grim task resumed the following day, with the recovery of the ninth victim bringing the devastating toll to its final count.

This latest incident has reignited concerns about safety in Zambias informal mining and quarrying sector. Its not the first time the country has faced such a tragedy, with a similar disaster claiming nearly 30 lives at a copper mine just months ago.

As authorities launch an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this latest accident, questions linger about how to balance economic necessity with worker safety in Zambias resource-rich landscape. The loss of these nine lives serves as a stark reminder of the dangers lurking in unregulated work environments and the urgent need for improved safety measures.
In a bold move thats sending ripples through international waters, Namibia has barred a ship suspected of transporting military cargo bound for Israel from docking at its port. The vessel, identified as the MV Kathrin, found itself at the center of a diplomatic storm as it approached Walvis Bay, Namibias bustling commercial harbor.

Namibian authorities, citing concerns over the ships cargo, swiftly acted to prevent its entry into national waters. The decision, rooted in the countrys stance on the ongoing conflict in Gaza, has drawn praise from human rights groups who warned of potential complicity in alleged war crimes.

This incident unfolds against the backdrop of heightened global tensions surrounding the Israel-Gaza conflict. With neighboring South Africa pursuing legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice, Namibias move aligns with a growing regional stance on the issue.

The Namibian governments firm position underscores the delicate balance nations must strike between international relations, humanitarian concerns, and maritime commerce. As the MV Kathrin charts a new course, possibly towards the Mediterranean, questions linger about the broader implications of this decision on global shipping routes and diplomatic ties.

In a world where every port call can carry weighty significance, Namibias action serves as a reminder of the complex interplay between national policies and international conflicts, even in the seemingly routine realm of maritime trade.
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Incidence rate of hospitalizations with ICD-10 diagnosis code T78.0-4 among children aged 019 years in Finland and Sweden. ICD-10: International Disease Classification, 10th Revision. Anaphylaxis includes the ICD-10 codes T78.0 and T78.2. T78.0 (anaphylactic shock due to adverse food reaction), T78.1 (other adverse food reactions, not elsewhere classified), T78.2 (anaphylactic shock unspecified), T78.3 (angioneurotic oedema) and T78.4 (allergy unspecified). Credit: Allergy (2024). DOI: 10.1111/all.16282

A new registry study from Karolinska Institutet and Tampere University shows that hospital admissions due to allergic reactions in children have increased in Finland while they have decreased in Sweden. The study, published in the journal Allergy, also shows that the incidence of anaphylaxis is higher in Finland than in Sweden.

The study, which analyzes data from national registers between 2012 and 2020, shows that the incidence of hospital admissions increased by 29% in Finland, while Sweden saw a decrease of 43%. During the study period, the number of health care visits for anaphylaxis in Finland also increased by 120%, compared to an increase of 24% in Sweden. The largest increase was seen among the youngest children, in the age group 04 years.

The study is based on data from national registers of health care visits for anaphylaxis and allergic reactions in Sweden and Finland, and includes all children aged 019 years.

Various strategies have been proposed to reduce the risk of allergies in children. However, the advice given to parents has varied over time and between countries. In Finland, a targeted national allergy program, The Finnish Allergy Program, was implemented from 2008 to 2018 to reduce the frequency of allergies and improve the care of children with allergies.

"Our results show significant differences in the prevalence of allergic reactions between Sweden and Finland. It is important to understand the reasons for these differences in order to improve the care and prevention of allergies in children. This is also important considering the ongoing work on developing a Swedish allergy program," says Inger Kull, professor at the Department of Clinical Science and Education, Sodersjukhuset at Karolinska Institutet and one of the study's senior authors.

As the study emphasizes the need for further research, the researchers are now planning a follow-up study to investigate time trends and causes of severe allergic reactions and anaphylaxis in Sweden and Finland during the period 20202024. They also plan to study the treatment and prescription of adrenaline pens for those who have been treated for anaphylaxis.

More information: Lasse Saarimaki et al, Paediatric hospitalizations due to allergic reactions increasing in Finland and decreasing in Sweden, Allergy (2024). DOI: 10.1111/all.16282 Journal information: Allergy
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Federal statistics suggesting that maternal mortality rates plummeted after the overturning of Roe v. Wade are "highly misleading" and being misinterpreted by abortion opponents, according to new research published this week in the journal JAMA Network Open.

"We want to set the record straight," said co-author Amanda Stevenson, assistant professor of sociology at the University of Colorado Boulder. "Maternal deaths have not, in fact, declined since the Dobbs decision."

The paper shines a light on how statistical artifacts from the COVID-19 pandemic can skew mortality data and calls into question the way the federal government displays statistics on its website. The authors are now calling on policy makers to practice "extreme caution" when turning to such numbers to inform policy.

"We saw an instance where published data was being used to say something that simply is not true about abortion- and pregnancy-related death," said co-author Leslie Root, an assistant research professor with the Institute of Behavioral Science. "This paper is about correcting that."

What the numbers really say

Previous research by Stevenson and others predicted that abortion bans would ultimately increase maternal mortalitywhich the World Health Organization defines as any death while pregnant or within 42 days of the termination of a pregnancy because abortion is exponentially safer than remaining pregnant.

However, published data from the National Center for Health Statistics appears to show a precipitous drop in maternal deaths in the months after the June 2022 Dobbs decision, the Supreme Court ruling which ended the constitutional right to an abortion and led to bans in 14 states.

Abortion opponents have pointed to this data in efforts to expand abortion restrictions, including in a brief submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court in the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) case in June.

As social demographers, Stevenson and Root set out to take a deeper look at the numbers.

Stevenson explains that up-to-date maternal mortality statistics are in high demand, and there are numerous ways to count them: Raw, real-time monthly counts are available upon request, but highly provisional and subject to statistical noise or external variables. As a result, the NCHS displays only "12-month ending sums," which tally all deaths from the previous 11 months and current month, on its official website.

Root and Stevenson analyzed monthly Centers for Disease Control counts of maternal deaths from 2018 to 2023, as well as counts of deaths involving COVID-19 among women of reproductive age from January 2020 to September 2023.

Then they compared monthly counts to the 12-month ending sums.

They found that, in total, 4,802 pregnant people died from January 2018 to September 2023. From September 2022 to February 2023, shortly after the Dobbs ruling, "12-month-ending sums" did, in fact, show a significant decline. But monthly counts stayed stable.

They also found that exactly one year prior to the seeming plummet in maternal deaths displayed on the NCHS website, the delta and omicron waves were surging, with COVID-related deaths on the rise among pregnant women and pandemic-related restrictions making it harder for them to get care.

For instance, based on NCHS 12-month-ending sums, maternal mortality rates appeared to decline by 125 deaths between August 2022 and September 2022 alone (two months after Dobbs). But 93 of the deaths reported in August of 2022 actually occurred 11 months earlier, in September of 2021, at a peak of the pandemic. Similarly high proportions of declines in September 2022 to February 2023 are explained by deaths that occurred 12 months before.

Once those months of COVID surge were no longer counted in the 12-month-ending sums, the maternal death counts dropped.

"We conclude that the rapid decline in the 12-month ending counts after Dobbs is actually driven by events in 2021, specifically the shock to maternal deaths during the delta and omicron waves of the pandemic," Stevenson said.

In an invited commentary published in the same journal, Paula Lantz, Ph.D., of University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy, lauded the authors for filling a "critical need for objective and high-quality abortion policy evaluation research."

"The findings clearly demonstrate that the observed decline in maternal mortality after the 2022 Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health ruling is the result of a resolution of the COVID-19 mortality shock, not because of new restrictive abortion laws being passed by state legislatures," she wrote.

Stevenson and Root caution that similar statistical artifacts from the pandemic may skew other publicly available mortality data and warn policy makers to proceed with "extreme caution" when making decisions based on "seemingly reasonable, but highly misleading" data.

More information: Amanda Jean Stevenson et al, Trends in Maternal Death Post-Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health, JAMA Network Open (2024). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.30035 Paula M. Lantz, Conducting Research in the New Abortion Care Policy Landscape, JAMA Network Open (2024). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.30000 Journal information: JAMA Network Open
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A depiction of the studys experimental set up. Credit: University of Western Ontario

A little bit of movement can go a long way in the classroom for children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

That's according to research from Western's Faculty of Education, which explored whether children with ADHD would perform better on classroom-related tasks while engaging in movement. The study is published in the journal Brain Sciences.

To test the theory, researchers had participants perform attention-demanding tasks while pedaling on a desk cyclea modified stationary bike that allows users to pedal while working at a deskor remaining stationary before comparing the results.

To see how it would impact their brain, participants wore specialized caps that use functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), an optical brain monitoring technique that relies on near-infrared light to measure blood flow changes in the brain.

Not only did children with ADHD perform better when pedaling on the desk cycle, but they also reported an increase in self-efficacy. As for how movement impacted their brains, fNIRS results showed the pedaling group had more blood flow to their prefrontal cortex, the portion of the brain that's associated with focusing attention, problem solving and many academic-related skills.

To learn what the findings mean for families and teachers, Western News spoke to the study's senior author, Barbara Fenesi, an education professor, Western's Canada Research Chair in The Science of Learning and supervisor of The Working to Enhance Brain and Body Research (WEBB) Lab.

Western News: How did this study come together?

Barbara Fenesi: I came across research looking at the role of hyperactivity in ADHD, which encompasses excessive movement in your body, so something like fidgeting. For kids with ADHD, hyperactivity might be something helpful that they do, based on how their brain structures differ from kids without ADHD.

This research gave kids with ADHD attention-demanding tasks and found that if these kids were allowed to fidget while doing these tasks, they performed better than those who were asked to remain still.

When it came to our study, the underlying assumption was that hyperactivity might serve to enhance the blood flow going to the prefrontal cortex of a child with ADHD which could help them pay better attention. Prior research had only inferred this link due to improved performance on attention-demanding tasks, so we wanted to add some neuroimaging to provide a proof of concept.

Were you surprised by the results?

We weren't totally surprised given the previous research. Our results really confirm why children with ADHD benefit from engaging in movement during cognitive performance. We now see that movement helps promote blood flow within this area of the brain that is otherwise typically underaroused and underactive in those with ADHD.

This is something we see with ADHD medication. One of its effects is it promotes blood flow to parts of the brain. In turn, this reduces hyperactive behavior because children taking the medication no longer need it, as they have a medicinal source activating their brain.

Why use desk cycles to test out this theory?

The idea was to use equipment that can also be used in a classroom.

While having one at every desk might not be feasible, teachers could still benefit from having a few desk cycles available for their class. If a teacher notices a student with ADHD struggling to pay attention, then a desk cycle could be provided to help that student get their wiggles out.

This is an initial study. The next step is to take this information and see how it works in a real classroom. Lab-based studies are very controlled, and classrooms have a lot more going on. What we don't want is for a desk cycle to be an added distraction or drawback.

If it doesn't work, we'd also like to explore some alternatives. That could include a standing desk or something as simple as allowing students with ADHD to do the fidgeting that we've historically characterized as "bad."

What tips would you offer for families raising children with ADHD?

I wouldn't say desk cycles are necessary, but consider letting your kid run around for a little bit before starting their homework, let them do their homework standing up or maybe let them sit on a yoga ball they can bounce on.

The crux of my research is that children in general, but especially those with ADHD, need more access to physical activity. It can really function as a way to get them to pay attention, release the energy that they might have and to get the blood flowing up to parts of the brain that are essential for performing attention-demanding tasks.

What else would you want teachers or families to take away from this study?

The research shows that we need a cultural reframing of how we look at children and adults with ADHD.

We need to recognize some of the things they do are not inherently bad, but rather it's the context that has made those habits "bad." In classrooms, the context is that children have to be seated for six to eight hours a day. Everybody's different, so some kids can handle that better than others.

It's important to instead view the symptoms of ADHD as functional. These kids are really smart, and their bodies are highly intelligent in making them do things that will help them pay attention better.

More information: Beverly-Ann Hoy et al, Hyperactivity in ADHD: Friend or Foe?, Brain Sciences (2024). DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14070719
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This 2014 photo provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a female Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito on the skin of a human host. Credit: James Gathany/CDC via AP

More than 20 people returning to the U.S. from Cuba have been infected with a virus transmitted by bugs in recent months, federal health officials said Tuesday. They all had Oropouche virus disease, also known as sloth fever.

None have died, and there is no evidence that it's spreading in the United States. But officials are warning U.S. doctors to be on the lookout for the infection in travelers coming from Cuba and South America.

Here's a look at the illness and what sparked the alert:

What is Oropouche virus?

Oropouche is a virus that is native to forested tropical areas. It was first identified in 1955 in a 24-year-old forest worker on the island of Trinidad, and was named for a nearby village and wetlands.

It has sometimes been called sloth fever because scientists first investigating the virus found it in a three-toed sloth, and believed sloths were important in its spread between insects and animals.

How does Oropouche virus spread?

The virus is spread to humans by small biting flies called midges, and by some types of mosquitoes. Humans have become infected while visiting forested areas and are believed to be responsible for helping the virus make its way to towns and cities, but person-to-person transmission hasn't been documented.

How many cases have there been?

Beginning late last year, the virus was identified as the cause of large outbreaks in Amazon regions where it was known to exist, as well as in new areas in South America and the Caribbean. About 8,000 locally acquired cases have been reported in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, and Peru.

Some travelers have been diagnosed with it in the U.S. and Europe. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday said 21 U.S. cases have been reported so far20 in Florida and one in New Yorkall of whom had been in Cuba. European health officials previously said they had found 19 cases, nearly all among travelers.

Two baby three-toed sloths and the teddy bear which functions as their surrogate mother are cared for at a wildlife center in Alajuela, Costa Rica, Tuesday, April 20, 2004, during preparations to help the animals for release. Credit: AP Photo/Kent Gilbert, File

What are the symptoms and treatments?

Symptoms can seem similar to other tropical diseases like dengue, Zika or malaria. Fever, headaches and muscle aches are common, and some infected people also suffer diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or rash.

Some patients suffer recurring symptoms, and 1 in 20 can suffer more severe symptoms like bleeding, meningitis and encephalitis. It is rarely fatal, though there are recent reports of deaths in two healthy young people in Brazil.

There are no vaccines to prevent infections and no medicines available to treat the symptoms.

Are there other concerns?

In Brazil, officials are investigating reports that infections might be passed on from a pregnant woman to a fetusa potentially frightening echo of what was seen during Zika outbreaks nearly a decade ago.

The CDC has recommended that pregnant women avoid non-essential travel to Cuba and suggested all travelers take steps to prevent bug bites, such as using insect repellents and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants.

 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Brazilian researchers have investigated the effects of delivery date manipulation to avoid the Carnival holiday. Their findings suggest that Brazilian women are giving birth too early, impairing the health of their babies.

The evidence shows that many cesarean sections scheduled to take place during the Carnival holiday in Brazil are moved up or postponed. Researchers at INSPER, a private higher education and research institution in Sao Paulo city, investigated the effects of this manipulation of birth timing on infant health. Their findings are reported in an article published in the journal Health Economics.

According to the article, postponement leads to an increase in gestational age and a reduction in neonatal mortality, while earlier delivery than scheduled entails a reduction in gestational age and birth weight, especially in high-risk pregnancies and at the lower end of the birth weight distribution. In net terms, the Carnival holiday increases gestational age by 0.06 days on average and reduces neonatal mortality and early neonatal mortality by 0.30 and 0.26 per 1,000 live births respectively.

The study was conducted by Carolina Melo and Naercio Menezes Filho, both of whom are economists and professors at INSPER.

"Our study shows that delivery dates are extensively manipulated in the vicinity of the Carnival holiday. This is done by rescheduling C-sections, and mainly involves less vulnerable women with higher levels of schooling," Melo said.

Women with higher levels of educational attainment tend to move delivery up in order to avoid the holiday, she explained, adding that this decision, which prioritizes the convenience of both mother and obstetrician, artificially shortens the pregnancy and may put the baby at risk.

"If, for some reason, a delivery can't be moved up by scheduling a C-section, the mother waits a bit longer, often going into labor naturally and having a vaginal delivery. Our analysis shows this can lead to better outcomes in terms of gestational maturity and neonatal survival," Melo said, noting that a net increase of 3.5 days in gestation for births with manipulated dates can lead to a gain of 60 g in birth weight.

In fact, given that deliveries both brought forward and postponed are included in the calculations, the positive effects on gestational age and birth weight are probably greater in the case of postponements, she added.

If postponement of deliveries because of a holiday can affect such an extreme indicator as neonatal mortality, she continued, it is probable that many births occur very early, owing to these decisions to move up elective C-sections, and that babies are born with worse health than would be the case if pregnancies were extended.

In totally private Brazilian hospitals, which do not take patients paid for by the SUS (Sistema Unico de Saude, the national health service), 86% of deliveries are by C-section, Melo said, compared with an overall average of 55%, which is already very high. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at most 15%. Brazil, with 55%, ranks second in the world, after the Dominican Republic (58.1%).

Although the study focused on the Carnival period, Melo believes the tendency to opt for an earlier delivery is general and not confined to holidays. "The WHO recommends at least 39 weeks for a healthy pregnancy. The Brazilian average is 38.5 weeks. Many deliveries are preterm, too early from the safety standpoint," she said.

The authors of the article stress the need for public policy to limit preterm deliveries without medical justification in order to minimize the risks associated with premature birth and low birth weight.

More information: Carolina Melo et al, The effect of birth timing manipulation around carnival on birth indicators in Brazil, Health Economics (2024). DOI: 10.1002/hec.4858 Journal information: Health Economics
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Dr. Timothy Lishnak does a throat exam in 2019, when he regularly saw patients at UConn Health's family medicine practice in Canton. Credit: Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health photo

Pertussis, or whooping cough, is on the rise as we head into the new school year.

That's compared to the last few years, when incidence was low compared to the years before the COVID-19 pandemic, but, as Dr. Timothy Lishnak, assistant professor of family medicine in the UConn School Medicine points out, it's now approaching levels seen pre-pandemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"It's considered an endemic virus, meaning we've been coexisting with it for quite some time, as opposed to COVID, which was an epidemic virus, new on the scene," Lishnak says. "And as we start to get people back into contained areas and getting back into school and other facets of life, you see this spread because it's spread by breathing out and breathing in the virus. So that's one of the mechanisms that it starts to increase."

Though highly contagious, most people with mature immune systems will recover fully in a matter of weeks, and often sooner, particularly if they're current with their recommended vaccinations. The most vulnerable to serious illness from pertussis are the very young, who haven't been vaccinated or developed their own immunity yet.

"It's the babies that don't have at least some immunity, and so what we've been doing is targeting moms during pregnancy," Lishnak says. "For many years now, it's been a recommendation that moms, as they get into the later part of their pregnancy, their third trimester, they receive a booster vaccine. That is more intended to protect their babies at birth, to give them some protection."

He says about 1 in 3 newborns who catch pertussis end up hospitalized.

The Centers' for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations on childhood immunizations include doses of DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) at 2, 4, and 6 months, with additional boosters at 15 to 18 months and 4 to 6 years.

An overall downward trend in vaccination compliance in recent years is a likely contributing factor to whooping cough's comeback, as is the case with the uptick in measles this past year relative to the trends of the last several decades.

Because it generally starts with symptoms like runny nose, sore throat, congestion, or fever, it can take up to a week for pertussis to distinguish itself from the common cold or other ailments such as flu, COVID-19, RSV, bronchitis, sinus infection, or hay fever.

People are contagious from the start of symptoms and for approximately two weeks after the start of coughing. The cough can feature severe coughing fits and the sudden and audible inhaling that gives "whooping cough" its name.

"It's that cough that can linger for weeks and weeks and weeks, and this is one area where treatment can be helpful," Lishnak says. "If we recognize this as whooping cough, we treat it. What we're doing is we're reducing the potential severity and the potential to spread the disease."

Pertussis is a bacterial infection, treatable with antibiotics. Physicians can test for it, and when the suspicion is strong enough, they often start the patient on antibiotics without waiting for lab results. This can reduce the risks of severe illness, complications, and spread of the illness.

When symptoms appear, the standard recommendations apply: stay home, wash hands frequently, avoid close contact with others, hydrate, rest, and use over-the-counter remedies like acetaminophen to reduce fevers.

"I've found over the years that the most useful tool in my armamentarium, besides rest and fluids, is nasal saline, which helps with a lot of things, including to help clear out a lot of congestion, which then helps to reduce the cough as well," Lishnak says.

Children should stay out of school until they are fever-free without the aid of medication for at least 24 hours and their other symptoms start to improve, he advises. Wearing a mask until symptoms are entirely gone will help prevent the spread of what's left of their illness to their classmates and teachers.

The time to call the doctor is when fever in children persists for more than three days. If children have trouble breathing or speaking, that's an urgent situation.

With the exception of pertussis in infants, Lishnak says, among the highly contagious respiratory illnesses, pertussis is still on the relatively low end of the spectrum of worry.

"We're seeing the uptick right now, and it gets a lot of publicity, but really, we still haven't gotten to where we were before the pandemic, and we probably weren't talking about it at that point, even though the levels overall were higher," he says. "We do know a lot of people will get pertussis and won't really present with many symptoms at all."

And it's another example of prevention, with the best weapon in the fight against pertussis being one that's deployed well before the battle even starts.

"When I am likely to have a conversation with patients about pertussis, it's usually when talking about the vaccine and why the vaccine is recommended, and we kind of start it by talking about vaccine hesitancy and embracing vaccines, particularly as a means to protect the most vulnerable, newborns," Lishnak says.

"The concept of vaccines is, it's not 100%, it doesn't prevent you from getting the illness. The goal is to try to minimize the severity and the complications. It's to prevent hospitalizations. It's to prevent death."
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Identification of PCs in the larval zebrafish brain. Credit: Nature (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07867-2

Researchers are turning to zebrafish to unlock the secrets of place cells, which play a crucial role in forming mental maps of space, social networks, and abstract relationships. Until now, place cells have only been found in mammals and birds, leaving the question of how other species internally represent the external world largely unanswered. A team of researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics has now found the first compelling evidence for place cells in the brain of the tiny larval zebrafish.

When we explore an unfamiliar city, we use various cueslandmarks, a sense of how far we have walked in one direction, perhaps a river we cannot crossto create an internal map of our environment. Deep in the brain, in a structure called the hippocampus, a set of place cells play a key role in building our internal maps of the external world. These place cells fire when we are at specific locations in space and can self-organize into an array of different mental maps.

That much is known for mammals, including humans, and even for birds. However, the existence of place cells in other species is controversial. A group of researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tubingen (Germany), led by Jennifer Li and Drew Robson, has now found the first conclusive evidence for place cells in zebrafish.

The study is published in the journal Nature.

Recording the entire brain during natural behavior

The researchers recorded the brain activity of young zebrafish as they explored their environment. These fish are completely transparent when they are only a few days old, making it possible to look into their tiny brains, which contain only 100,000 cells.

One can even make individual active neurons light up using fluorescent calcium indicators, since all neuronal activity is associated with fluctuations in calcium ion concentrations. An earlier key invention of Li and Robson was essential for observing brain activity during navigation: tracking microscopes that move with the freely swimming fish.

Using this experimental design, the team analyzed what spatial information is encoded in each neuron in the fish's brain. They identified a population of about 1,000 place cells in each fish, most of which only fire when the animal is in a specific location, while a few respond to more than one area. "Collectively, the place cell population encodes spatial information," explains Jennifer Li. "From the firing patterns of the place cells, we were able to decode the location of each fish over timewith an error of just a few millimeters."

Strikingly, most of the place cells were located in the telencephalon, an area of the zebrafish's forebrain, whose precise function has been a source of debate for several decades. "The high concentration of place cells in the telencephalon potentially confirms the longstanding conjecture that this brain region is a functional analog of the mammalian hippocampus, in miniature," comments Drew Robson.

A flexible mechanism that integrates different inputs

However, Li and Robson needed additional evidence to conclude that the cells they had identified were indeed an analog to mammalian place cells. The first feature to be tested was whether place cells use self-motion or external cues. In terms of human experience, a cue such as "I've been walking straight ahead at a brisk pace for about a minute" relies on self-motion, whereas "I can see the Eiffel Tower" is an external cue.

In a series of experiments, the researchers manipulated both sources of informationtaking the fish out of their environment and placing them back, removing landmarks, or rotating the behavioral chamber. They found that the fish integrate both external and self-motion cues to create their internal mapsjust like we do.

Not only do the fish appear to refine their spatial representation map as they become more familiar with an unfamiliar environment, but they can also adapt to change: they use the same neuronal circuits to remember a second environment. When returned to their initial surroundings, they do not have to map it from scratch, but can partially recover the representation map they created previously. Thus, the place cell population exhibits a flexible memory system, a further hallmark of mammalian place cells.

An emerging model organism for a complex neuronal network

The authors of the study plan to use zebrafish as a new model organism to unravel the mysteries of place cells. In addition to their role in creating mental maps of space, these cells are also crucial for forming maps of social networks and abstract relationships, as well as for memory and planning. While mammalian place cells have been intensively investigated since their Nobel Prize-winning discovery more than 50 years ago, scientists still do not fully understand the neural networks that generate place cells or how they support such a wide range of mental functions.

The primary challenge has been the sheer complexity and size of mammalian place cell networks, which make it extremely difficult to study the entire network simultaneously. In contrast, the larval zebrafish brain is one of the smallest biological systems capable of generating place cells.

Robson concludes, "Using this new minimal model, future studies can potentially trace all of the inputs to each place cell and create detailed models for how place cells acquire all their unique properties."

More information: Jennifer Li, A population code for spatial representation in the zebrafish telencephalon, Nature (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07867-2. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07867-2 Journal information: Nature

Provided by Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics
Local and state officials are considering outside options to clean up parts of the old pulp mill in Frenchtown as the public awaits a detailed damage study of the site from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Testing of both groundwater and surface water has been underway from the site's responsible parties since 2023, but the data must be formalized and will likely be released by the end of the year.

Smurfit-Stone Container closed in 2010 after manufacturing liner board for cardboard boxes and paper bags for more than 50 years, leaving thousands of acres with potentially contaminated soil and groundwater.

A gravel berm separates the potentially toxic floodplain from the Clark Fork River. The site is now owned by several companies and sits unused.

Once a risk assessment is completed for the site, the EPA can evaluate and execute a remediation plan that addresses the risk as a federal Superfund site.

Only the EPA has the authority to make the potentially responsible parties, in this case several out-of-state corporations, pay for the cleanup and restoration. The lengthy process has been referred to as the "Superfund Snake."

That process is moving slowly and could only remediate part of the pulp mill. Missoula County officials are examining how local efforts could clean up the river banks through alternative methods.

"We are working on things outside the 'snake,'" county Environmental Health Manager Elena Evans said.

The county met Aug. 20 with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks and cleanup advocates.

County and state leaders bounced the idea of claiming jurisdiction over some old pipes that exit the Smurfit site and enter into public lands  a process known as "trespassing." They also want to explore ways to remove the old berms once restoration is complete.

Evans said the old pipes likely dump effluent into the river and could be dealt with by local and state agencies as a trespassing issue. But there are questions over who would be the owner of the riverbanks and who the owner would have to sue to remove the relic infrastructure. The U.S. Forest Service also owns a portion of land near the river.

"If the berms don't have risk ... that is not something the EPA generally deals with," Evans said. "But it would be great as a community and as people who use that Forest Service land or use the river to ensure that relic infrastructure is also removed as a product of any remediation."

Similar action was taken when the EPA restored the Milltown Dam reservoir in 2014.

This summer, the Legislature also got involved in the legal question, creating a draft report on how the state could trespass old infrastructure that might damage waterways or other natural resources.

The Environmental Quality Council asked the Montana DNRC to investigate the options of legal action against the responsible corporate owners.

In a July response letter, the DNRC said the trespass is possible, but it would take years of lawsuits and still might not be feasible based on the age and location of the infrastructure.

"The DNRC recommends continued cooperation and coordination with private property owners, local, state, and federal regulatory agencies to affect the desired assessment, cleanup, remediation, and redevelopment of the Smurfit-Stone mill site," a letter from Trust Lands Deputy Administrator Ryan Weiss said.

Berms might stay

The berms that separate the toxic groundwater from the Clark Fork are another priority for the county. But a site cleanup might not include the restoration of the floodplain.

While the EPA could enact a cleanup of most of the site, the berms are currently not a part of the restoration because they are not contaminated with toxic materials, Evans said.

Missoula County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier said at the meeting that the county's goal is to restore the site to a natural floodplain.

The commissioners pointed to a recent study from the Clark Fork Coalition and American Rivers this summer that found at least three of the eight berms could fail during a major flood along the river corridor.

If a flood did overtake the millsite, the toxic materials could travel as far as Lake Pend Oreille in northern Idaho, the coalition's study said.

The Clark Fork already has a ban on eating fish from upstream and downstream of the millsite to the convergence of the Flathead River downstream, due to confirmed high levels of industrial toxins in fish tissue and the water column.

The Missoula Conservation District has also spoken out against the berms, writing to the EPA that the structures should not be strengthened because the community seeks to remove the berms.

The county will hear more information this winter, when the EPA is set to release its 2023 and some 2024 data from the millsite to the public.

Once the data is published, a feasibility study can display how the site could be cleaned. There are still several steps remaining before the responsible parties to the site officially start any remediation.
In a way, it was folks from Butte who launched cousins Robert Lester and Braxton Mitchell on their 1,300-mile canoe journey from Silver Bow Creek to the Pacific Ocean last year.

Much of it was filmed and at a free event this Friday night at the Original Mine Yard, theyre debuting the documentary film Columbia River Canoe Project in thanks to arguably their biggest group of cheerleaders.

Its how excited they were for us and just supporting us and encouraging us, Lester said. There were even people from Butte along the route who would reach out and ask if we needed things.

There were people in Portland from Butte and people in Hood River (Oregon) and Sandpoint, Idaho  like Butte people all over the place, saying, `Youre gonna come through our area soon, what can we do for you? Lester said.

Lester is from Butte, attended Butte High School and grew up camping and hiking in the woods behind his childhood home in Elk Park. Mitchell grew up in Plain City, Utah, and sat in a canoe for the first time three days before they set off.

They made the trip to raise awareness about complex issues, including pollution and derelict dams, along the Columbia River Watershed between Butte and Astoria, Oregon, where the Columbia meets the Pacific Ocean.

They pushed off from Silver Bow Creek near the Butte-Silver Bow Chamber of Commerce on May 12, 2023, paddled the Clark Fork and Pend Oreille rivers and took the Columbia the rest of the way. They reached the Pacific 52 days later.

They found all kinds of wonderment along the way, too, and friends who do professional videography filmed at spots along the way. At times, because of dams or passages that were too narrow, Lester and Mitchell carried the canoe through pastures and along roads.

People can imagine that this water eventually ends up in the Pacific Ocean, but to be able to go every foot of the way to see what the whole thing is like  theres hidden pockets of just incredible beauty, Lester said. Theres some environmental cleanups that are needed  but overall, there is some really amazing country out there.

They hope to sell the documentary to Netflix or another streaming service after it debuts in Butte this Friday night.

Lester did a podcast about the trip with Bill Foley, a longtime sportswriter and columnist who produces a podcast about Butte, and showed him some rough cuts of the film.

Foley loved it.

The movie is absolutely incredible, he said. I think they have a real chance to sell it to Netflix or some other streaming service. I was blown away by the movie. It was funny, emotional and educational.
Former Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications, and Digital Economy Eliud Owalo officially handed over his responsibilities to the newly sworn-in CS Margaret Ndungu. The handover ceremony took place at the Ministrys Headquarters in Telposta Towers, Nairobi, on Tuesday, August 27, 2024.

The event was attended by Principal Secretary for Broadcasting and Telecommunication Prof. Edward Kisiangani, Principal Secretary for ICT and the Digital Economy Eng. John Tanui, and other senior ministry officials.

After leaving his Cabinet position, Owalo has been appointed Deputy Chief of Staff, where he will manage performance and delivery for the government.

In his new role, Owalo met with the Public Service Management Unit to start his responsibilities. In my new role as the Deputy Chief of Staff responsible for Performance and Delivery Management in Government, I have today had an early morning meeting with the Public Service Performance Management Unit, he said.

The meeting was led by Secretary for Performance Contracting, Mr. Joshua Mwiranga. Owalo emphasized that the 5th Administration, under President Dr. William Samoei Ruto, aims to enhance and institutionalize performance management and contracting across all levels of government.

Accountability for Results is imperative! Owalo declared.
Public school teachers will receive their salary increments for July and August by the end of this week, following the governments release of Ksh 13.5 billion as part of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

The Ministry of Education insisted it is committed to resolving the ongoing strike affecting some teachers by addressing all pending administrative issues through the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

The Ministry has also reassured parents about the safety of students returning to school for the third term despite the confusion surrounding the strike called by KUPPET. On Sunday, KNUT ended its national strike after engaging with the government. However, KUPPET has urged its members to remain out of schools until issues related to unpaid salaries and promotions are resolved.

Education CS Julius Migos Ogamba stated that the government is working diligently to ensure all pending payments to teachers are processed. He also mentioned that negotiations with KUPPET are ongoing, with the goal of resolving the deadlock to ensure smooth learning across the country.

As part of implementing the 2021-2025 CBA, the national treasury has released Ksh 13.5 billion to ensure that public school teachers receive their July and August salary arrears by Friday, CS Ogamba said.

Despite the ongoing impasse, Ogamba noted that students have continued to return to school following KNUTs decision to end the strike. He made these remarks while addressing the press at Lake Naivasha Resort during the opening of the 54th International Conference of the Association of Technical Universities and Polytechnics in Africa (ATUPA).

The CS also announced that by the end of the year, the government plans to fully employ the 20,000 intern teachers currently working in Junior Secondary Schools. We are seeking additional funds to also employ the 46,000 intern teachers, as the government is committed to addressing the teacher shortage in the country, he added.

During the ceremony, CS Ogamba distributed appointment letters to 2,000 trainers who will be posted to 242 TVET institutions nationwide. He highlighted, With over 7,000 TVET trainers currently in the country, this new batch will help address the acute shortage, as we need more than 15,000 teachers.

Meanwhile, PS for TVET Esther Muoria announced the rollout of the Recognition of Prior Learning program. This initiative aims to evaluate and certify technically skilled Jua Kali personnel with appropriate qualifications. She reported that over 700 graduates have already received formal certification following assessments of their technical knowledge and skills.

Muoria encouraged Kenyans who have acquired skills informally to come forward for certification, which will facilitate access to job opportunities.

We call upon Kenyans who have gained skills informally to get certified through the government assessment framework or our national technical institutions, said the PS.
The Kenyan Police Contingent, part of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti, has achieved significant progress in stabilizing the Caribbean nation.

According to the National Police Service (NPS) Headquarters in Nairobi, the team has been instrumental in enhancing public safety, reclaiming key infrastructure from gangs, and reopening vital roads. These efforts have enabled thousands of displaced Haitians to return home.

Two months into their deployment, the Kenyan officers have closely collaborated with the Haiti National Police (HNP), working tirelessly to restore order in the region. Acting Inspector General of the National Police Service, Gilbert Masengeli, commended MSS Force Commander Mr. Godfrey Otunge and his team for their dedication and patriotism, highlighting their crucial role in the mission.

Despite these successes, concerns have arisen over salary delays. Relatives of the Kenyan officers in Haiti have reported that deployment allowances, expected to be at least Sh100,000 above their regular salaries, have not been received on time. The MSS has acknowledged these concerns, assuring that the disbursement process is nearing completion. Payments are expected to be deposited into the officers bank accounts within the week, and the agency has pledged to implement better mechanisms to ensure timely salary payments in the future.

Undeterred by these challenges, the MSS team continues to push forward with their mission. They have recently received additional equipment, including armored vehicles from France and the U.S., which has significantly enhanced their operational capabilities. The missions focus on combating gang violence and restoring stability in Haiti has seen Kenyan officers take control of critical infrastructure, such as a local port and a national hospital.

MSS Force Commander Godfrey Otunge has expressed optimism about receiving more resources to aid in completing the mission. He emphasized his commitment to utilizing all available resources to support the Haiti National Police. This has led to continuous joint patrols by the MSS and HNP, both day and night, Otunge stated, noting that these efforts will ensure the recovery of all critical government infrastructure.

Otunge also acknowledged the importance of the equipment and weapons delivered during the pre-deployment period, which have played a crucial role in the missions success. The team is currently securing key locations, including the port, main airport, presidential palace, major hospitals, and highways.

In addition to Kenya, several other countries have pledged to send officers to Haiti, including Benin, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Belize, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Algeria, Canada, and France. To further enhance their operations, Kenyan police in Haiti are undergoing linguistic and intercultural training.
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka will take over the leadership of the Azimio Coalition following the departure of co-principal Raila Odinga, who launched his bid for the African Union Commissions (AUC) chairmanship on Tuesday.

Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa confirmed that Kalonzo, as the coalitions second most senior politician, will automatically assume this role, ensuring no power vacuum exists.

There is no vacuum in Azimio. Kalonzo is the second highest-ranking member. He takes over, Wamalwa stated. He urged supporters to choose between the various factions in Kenyan politics, saying, You are either with Okoa Ruto or Operation Okoa Zakayo, or you are with the Kenyans. If you support the Kenyan Constitution and want it implemented, join us.

Despite supporting Railas AUC bid, Kalonzo said he did not attend the launch at State House to reaffirm his status as the official opposition leader.

Im not at State House today because I want to show you Im the official opposition leader, Kalonzo told the media. Azimio will not dissolve.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Azimio coalition expressed its backing for Railas bid at the launch presided over by President William Ruto and attended by dignitaries and several African heads of state.

In a statement, the coalition highlighted Odingas extensive political experience, commitment to Pan-African ideals, and proven conflict resolution skills as key reasons for its endorsement.

Azimio la Umoja called Odingas candidacy a source of pride for Kenya and the continent, declaring, We are donating our best and most renowned leader to Africa and the world.
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) plans to implement a new hiring policy to promote diversity and inclusivity after facing backlash over ethnic imbalances in its recruitment process.

This decision comes in response to a March 2024 High Court ruling that nullified KRAs recruitment of 1,406 revenue service assistants last year. The court found that the hiring process unfairly favored the Kikuyu and Kalenjin communities, thereby disadvantaging other ethnic groups.

The case, filed by Peter Orogo, brought to light these disparities. Of the 1,406 recruits, 785 (55.8 percent) were from the Kikuyu community, while the remaining 621 were from other communities across Kenya. As a result, the High Court barred KRA from further recruitment until it developed a policy ensuring ethnic diversity and regional balance.

In response, KRA announced the development of a new diversity and inclusion policy. This policy focuses on achieving proportionate representation of all ethnic communities, enforcing the two-thirds gender rule, promoting affirmative action for youth and marginalized groups, and progressively realizing five percent representation for persons with disabilities (PWDs).

KRA admitted that representation gaps still exist despite having 38 of Kenyas 48 ethnic communities represented in its workforce, accounting for 79 percent of the nations ethnic diversity. However, two communities remain over-represented, four are under-represented, and ten have no representation at all.

To address these imbalances, the new hiring policy will ensure that all job vacancies are widely advertised, with special encouragement for applications from the 10 non-represented and four under-represented ethnic communities.

KRA noted that shortlisting would follow criteria that support under-represented groups, emphasizing inclusivity regarding ethnic diversity, gender, and opportunities for PWDs.

The tax authority also plans to conduct interviews for entry-level positions (KRA 1 to KRA 3) regionally when possible. If regional interviews arent feasible, KRA will reimburse transport and accommodation costs for candidates. Additionally, KRA will provide reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities during interviews.

As part of its affirmative action efforts, KRA will ring-fence specific jobs and develop succession plans.

The Authority shall develop a succession management plan to include affirmative action programmes, which promote the continued onboarding of the youth and according of training opportunities including mentorship and coaching programs for career progression, the taxman said.

The authority will also implement initiatives to recruit more youth and offer training opportunities, including mentorship and coaching programs, to support career growth.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula expressed his excitement after meeting Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, in Vatican City. On Tuesday, August 27, 2024, Wetangula shared a photo of himself with the Pope at the Apostolic Palace, also known as the Papal Palace, on his X account. He accompanied the image with a heartfelt caption.

Honoured to meet the Head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, at his Apostolic Palace, popularly known as the Papal Palace in Vatican City, Wetangula wrote.

In his praise for Pope Francis, Wetangula described him as a true servant leader who brings hope, equality, and opportunity to the less fortunate. He emphasized that the Pope exemplifies qualities of a role model, showing mercy, love, compassion, and courage as he leads the universal Church.

@Pontifex epitomizes a true Servant Leader, with his commitment to bringing hope, equality, and opportunity to the less fortunate. He also demonstrates the qualities of a role model in mercy, love, compassion, and courage, Wetangula stated.

Although Wetangula, who is currently in the country for official duties, did not provide specific details about their discussion, he conveyed his excitement about the meeting. His brother, Tim Wanyonyi, the Member of Parliament for Westlands, also attended the meeting at the Papal Palace.

Moses Wetangula received the nickname Papa wa Roma in 2022. This nickname, which translates to Father of Rome in Swahili, emerged as a casual reference to him among Kenyans. The term playfully aligns with Wetangulas high-profile role and reputation, likening him to a significant figure in Roman Catholicism.

The nickname gained traction during a period when Wetangula was actively engaged in various public and political roles, and it reflected his prominent status and influence. Wetangula embraced the nickname and has since incorporated it into his social media presence, using it to connect with his followers and add a personal touch to his online persona.
President William Ruto will kick off a four-day development tour of the Luo Nyanza region on Wednesday. He will begin his tour in Migori County, where he plans to visit and launch the Kegonga cluster water project, followed by an inspection of the Lower Kuja irrigation project. Ruto will also launch the Ngere-Mapera road.

On Thursday, Ruto will travel to Homa Bay County to commission the Oyugis water project and inspect the Homa Bay fish market.

He will subsequently launch the Rusinga ring road and attend a thanksgiving ceremony for Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi. This visit follows the recent establishment of a working relationship with ODM party leader Raila Odinga, which saw members of the Opposition join Rutos cabinet.

On Friday, Ruto will arrive in Siaya County, where he will commission the Mageta Island solar project in Bondo. He will then head to Alego Usonga to launch the Siaya Economic Stimulus Programme market. While in Siaya, the President will also launch the Siaya rice mill project and attend the thanksgiving service for Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi in Ugunja later that day.

Ruto will conclude his tour of Odingas backyard on Saturday, with several activities planned in Kisumu County, including the commissioning of the Kisumu Marine School within the port area. He will then visit the Lake Basin Development Authority rice mill at Kibos in Kisumu East constituency, followed by a stop at the Lumumba affordable housing project.

Ruto will wrap up the Nyanza tour with a visit to Nyakach constituency to launch the Nyabondo Trauma Centre.

In preparation for the visit, Interior Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo hosted all the Luo Nyanza Members of Parliament on Monday, emphasizing the visits importance and its potential impact on the local economy.
Salim Swaleh, the former Director of Press Service in the office of Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, is now seeking forgiveness after being implicated in a Kes. 5.8 million fraud case. In a heartfelt video message shared online, Swaleh expressed deep remorse for betraying the trust he had built with Mudavadi over the years.

Your Excellency, you have been my father figure for the longest time that Ive known you. Weve built an unmatched trust between us and for the last one and a half I have served you, served your good office, and served you with unmatched zeal. I broke the trust and Im so sorry about it. Im truly remorseful about it, Swaleh said in the video.

Swaleh recounted the difficulties he has faced since being linked to the fraud case, where he and five others are accused of obtaining money by false pretenses and abusing their positions.

The former media personality described the past few months as incredibly challenging, revealing that he has struggled even to leave his house due to the intense public scrutiny. The situation has taken such a toll on him that he admitted to contemplating suicide.

The last month has been so difficult for me. Ive been unable to even walk out because of the kind of publicity I received, everything people said about me just threw me into some unchartered territory. A lot of things have been running in my mind, very bad things, sometimes I feel like taking my own life, Swaleh confessed.

Swaleh further shared that he lost everything in an instant, leaving him overwhelmed by piling bills and financial obligations. He noted that his salary was abruptly cut off, making it impossible for him to service his loans.

Its the end of the month, bills are piling up, my salary stopped abruptly, and I have loans to pay. Please find it in your heart to forgive me, he pleaded.

Secondly, please help bring this ordeal to an end so I can pick up the small pieces left and figure out where to start again. With the kind of bad publicity I got, its almost impossible to find another place to work. Please have mercy on me.

Salim Swaleh is currently out on Kes. 400,000 bail, granted to him and his co-accused by Magistrate BenMark Ekumbi at the Milimani Law Courts in June.
The Social Health Authority (SHA) has issued a public notice to hospitals within the Primary Care Network (PCN), outlining new directives.

SHA Acting Chief Executive Officer Elijah Wachira announced that county executive committee members must establish a PCN at the sub-county level, in line with Section 18 of the Primary Health Care Act, 2023.

According to Wachira, each Primary Care Network should feature a Level 4 sub-county hospital as the central hub, with Kenya Essential Package for Health (KEPH) Levels 3, 2, and 1 acting as the networks spokes.

Wachira explained, Every Primary Care Network is designated to serve a specific population, as determined by the County Primary Health Care Advisory Committee. Each person within that population will be registered within a specific PCN.

He emphasized that the primary objective of establishing PCNs is to ensure a seamless and coordinated delivery of primary healthcare services, from the community level to healthcare facilities. This strategy aims to improve both efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery.

The Act also establishes a Primary Healthcare (PHC) Fund, financed by the exchequer. Members registered with SHA are eligible beneficiaries of this fund. The PHC Fund will support the procurement of primary healthcare services from Level 2 and 3 hospitals within the PCN, covering essential outpatient care, screening, inpatient care, and maternity services.

Wachira clarified that the payment mechanism for providers will be based on the benefit package approved by the Authoritys Board.

He informed KEPH Level 2 and 3 healthcare providers that the Authority has completed compiling the list of hospitals under the PCN. Providers should visit the SHA website to review the complete list and update their information if it is missing or incorrect.

Relevant regulatory agencies have successfully compiled the list of hospitals under the Primary Care Network, which is now published on the SHA website, Wachira said.

Level 2 and 3 hospitals are requested to visit our website at https://sha.go.ke/resources/categories/2 to confirm their inclusion in the directory. If your hospital is not listed or if any information is inaccurate, please contact us at [email protected] to update our records.

For further inquiries and assistance, hospitals can reach out via [email protected], call *147#, or visit www.sha.go.ke/registration to register.
CALISTOGA  My very first trek to Calistoga was not to take in the atmosphere or sample the delicious food  although that came later  but to tour a performing arts and community center in the making.

This assignment was the perfect mix of two of my favorite things in my decade as a journalist  coverage of the local performing arts scene (often in the form of crashing dress rehearsals for local plays) and tours of new construction. If you have ever been to the Yolo County courthouse in Woodland or the PG&E Gas Safety Academy in Winters, I had several visits during the construction of those and other projects. I am excited to start making these kinds of memories in the Napa Valley.

Therefore, when an email came in from a representative of the Brannan Center asking if I wanted to tour the building during its construction, I jumped at the chance.

Unfortunately, with the Brannan Center I missed the window for my traditional hard-hat selfie  over the years Ive sent many of these to my longtime construction worker dad  but it was a good visit nonetheless.

The Brannan Center is a Calistoga nonprofit organization seeking to revitalize a former Presbyterian church  known among locals as the "Green Church for its striking teal color  and turn it into a performing arts and community space.

On a recent Sunday, I took the Silverado Trail to Calistoga to meet with the Brannan Center's executive director Kyle Clausen, architect Timothy Wilkes and board chair Edward Kozel to get a sense of how the project is going. The trio explained the significant role the church  located at 1407 Third St. with such neighbors as a monastery and elementary school  had played in the Calistoga community.

This structure is one of the oldest buildings in Calistoga, Clausen said, noting the building turned 150 years old this year. When the building was red-tagged due to a major water leak and the congregation was later disbanded  its members aged out, according to Clausen  the closure did not just affect local churchgoers but the community as a whole. That was because the Green Church was used by a variety of community groups and essentially doubled as the citys community center, Wilkes added.

They all came through the Green Church, Clausen said, referring to groups such as the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Alcoholics Anonymous and others. A shuttered church meant those groups needed to be relocated, which has been a challenge. The groups had nowhere to go.

Enter the Brannan Center.

Founded in 2020, the group of Calistogans behind the center embarked on an ambitious restoration and expansion of the historic property, according to the nonprofits website. Named after Calistoga town founder Samuel Brannan, the center, once it opens, will serve the entire community.

Asked how the neighbors feel about the center, Clausen emphasized an outpouring of support, not just from residents on Washington and Berry streets but across the city. Wilkes noted that as the project made its way through the city planning commission process, dozens of community members sent letters in favor of the project.

The Brannan Center broke ground in March 2023 and is on track to open in the fall of 2025.

The total cost of the adaptive reuse and expansion of the building is $11 million, Clausen later explained via email.

The project has been privately funded, primarily by individuals, but with notable support from the Rotary Club of Calistoga and the Calistoga Presbyterian Church, he stated. We are also very focused on fiscal sustainability and ensuring that Brannan Center is a vital community resource for many years to come, so to that end we are raising an additional $1.5 million to pre-fund the first two years of operations while we take time to develop ongoing revenue streams. Overall, our fundraising goal is $12.5 million, and we are approximately 85% to that goal.

Stepping into the former church, which transitioned from a teal green to a more muted olive shade, we first entered the original church structure. The first room we entered was a performance space updated to suit those needs, but the towering Gothic windows remained, a reminder of the buildings past.

Wilkes noted that although hes had a lengthy career as an architect, including 35 years in the Calistoga area, this was his first time working on a performing arts space. The Main Performance Hall, which encompasses the original building, needed to be remodeled so it can accommodate a climate-control system to properly cool the space while the hot stage lights are active. The hall also needed audio-visual and broadcast capabilities. Wilkes also needed to consider the acoustic nature of the space. The longtime architect did extensive research to make the space performance-ready.

The historic building will soon have state-of-the-art infrastructure to serve this need, Wilkes said.

An alcove on one side of the room is just big enough to fit a grand piano.

While the performing arts aspect of the center is certainly at the forefront, the word that came up the most during the tour was flexibility. The center needs to be versatile in the kinds of events and gatherings it can host. That aspect has been imperative throughout the planning process.

And the Green Church has the good bones to accomplish that.

"The fully restored structure will utilize all of the existing 9,287 square feet of the original three-story building as well as an additional 1,492 square feet of new construction," Aime Dunstan, who serves on the center's board of directors as the public relations and marketing committee chair, explained via email. "When complete, Brannan Center will be a contemporary, multipurpose building with two primary performance halls totaling nearly 4,000 square feet with a single performance capacity of 180 people."

For more information on the Brannan Center, visit buildbrannancenter.org.

PHOTOS: Calistoga Charm
Under the bright sunshine of late summer, first-year students excitedly looked ahead to their future on Emorys Atlanta campus as they gathered Monday for the third-annual Gate Crossing + Coke Toast.

Waving Emory pennants and clad in matching T-shirts, members of the Class of 2028 walked through the iconic Haygood-Hopkins Gate together, with faculty, staff, fellow students and alumni cheering them on. They proceeded to the Quad, where President Gregory L. Fenves led them in a Coca-Cola Toast.

You are here on the quad as you begin your journey at Emory, Fenves told students. Think about four years from now. You are going to be here on the quad as you graduate from Emory University. It is going to be a continuous process of learning and growing, starting here and ending here.

The president noted that the toast honors the legacy of Robert W. Woodruff, the late philanthropist and legendary leader of The Coca-Cola Company, a major benefactor whose generosity has helped Emory to be the great university that we are.

To the Emory Class of 2028, congratulations! Fenves said, as bottles clinked and students cheered. I cant wait to see all that you do.

Photos by Kay Hinton, Daniel Kumi and Sarah Woods of Emory Photo/Video.
Emorys faculty educate and mentor the next generation of scholars through teaching, research and service.

This year, 184 new faculty will embark on their Emory journeys to pursue ground-breaking research, transformative pedagogy, outstanding patient care and outreach that will enrich and engage the Emory community and beyond.

University leaders gathered with new faculty during their orientation last week to share their excitement and advice ahead of the new academic year. Additionally, new faculty were welcomed to the university and the City of Atlanta with a reception hosted by the Office of the Provost at the Michael C. Carlos Museum, featuring messages from Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Emory President Gregory L. Fenves.

City and university leaders welcomed new faculty to Atlanta and Emory

Andre Dickens, Mayor of the City of Atlanta

Emory is recognized internationally as one of the top universities because of its innovative research and academic programs...I am grateful for Emorys continued partnership and major impact in Atlantas communities. Congratulations on joining this remarkable institution."

Gregory L. Fenves, President

It is a privilege to be a professor. What other career is there where you have the freedom to think about new ideas? To create knowledge, to ask questions that nobody has asked, or nobody has answered in a way that's satisfactory to you, as a scholar or as a researcher or as a scientist? There's no other job that gives you that freedom, and that is what's special about being a university professor, and that is what's precious about being on the faculty at Emory.

Ravi V. Bellamkonda, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Faculty are the heart of Emory University. When people think of a university, they think about your work, your scholarship and your students. Therefore, Emory is organized to support your scholarship, research and teaching.

Pearl Dowe, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Political Science and African American Studies

"As new faculty, you are joining a community that values your intellectual curiosity, commitment to students and desire to use knowledge to innovate and advance our society. Emory is a supportive and dynamic institution fully invested in seeing your career thrive."

In their own words, here's why a few faculty members chose Emory for the next step on their journey

Jessica Roberts Acting Professor of Law and Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Data Science, School of Law "My research deals with the legal and ethical implications of emerging health technologies, so Emory was an ideal fit. The School of Law is a center for academic excellence in legal research and education. Additionally, the University is committed to being a thought leader in the AI and machine learning space, which has significant implications for health care and health equity. Finally, Emory offers unparalleled opportunities to collaborate across disciplines, including medicine, public health, philosophy, and computer science."

Joseph Nefcy Cheatle Assistant Professor of English and Director of the Writing and Communication Center "I chose Emory because of the excellent caliber, vision, and dedication to education that is apparent in all students, faculty, and staff at the institution. I look forward to working closely with students to develop their reading, writing, and communication skills. I also look forward to helping students cultivate their research abilities while becoming lifelong learners."

Erica Armstrong Dunbar Acting Professor of African American Studies, Emory College of Arts and Sciences "There are only a handful of institutions that offer a learning/research/teaching environment that engage and encourage both students and faculty. The deep commitment to undergraduate teaching, interdisciplinarity, and the exciting new PhD program in African American Studies sets Emory apart from other peer institutions. I feel quite fortunate to be one of the newest faculty members and I look forward to exploring and contributing to the vibrant community here at Emory."

Vineet Menachery Acting Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine I have always been familiar with Emory as a biomedical research powerhouse. With the emergence of COVID-19, Emory's reputation was cemented as I collaborated with numerous researchers including my good friend and colleague Dr. Mehul Suthar. Throughout the pandemic, we worked on several projects, publishing papers and asking critical questions relevant to the ongoing pandemic. When the Health Sciences Research Building (HSRB-II) was commissioned, Emory researchers  including Dr. Suthar  recruited me to be part of the infectious disease program and utilize the new, cutting-edge Biosafety Level 3 space. With its reputation for research excellence, numerous collaborators and access to the CDC, Emory was the right fit for my research program. Proximity to my family and my beloved Clemson Tigers also made it an easier decision. I am looking forward to contributing to the great Emory infectious disease research team here through the Department of Pediatrics, the Center for Childhood Infections and Vaccines and the Emory Vaccine Center.

New Faculty 2024-25
SIUs Paul Simon Institute hosts Illinois House GOP leader McCombie Sept. 9

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill.  Illinois State Rep. Tony McCombie, the Illinois House Republican leader, will visit Southern Illinois University Carbondales Paul Simon Public Policy Institute on Sept. 9 to discuss the partys policy agenda and review the issues she believes will influence the November general elections in Illinois.

McCombie, R-Savanna, will participate in a discussion with John Shaw, institute director. The program begins at 6 p.m. in Student Center Ballroom B. The institute will host a reception in the Student Centers John W. Corker Lounge at 5 p.m.

Registration to attend the discussion is recommended but not required.

We are eager to learn more about the policy agenda House Republicans are advancing under the leadership of Rep. McCombie, Shaw said. We are also interested to learn how House Republicans view the elections in November and how they would like to influence the policy debate in Springfield next year.

Democrats hold a 78 to 40 supermajority in the Illinois House. McCombie, the first woman to serve as House Republican leader in the state, has said she would like to cut into that majority in this falls elections.

A native of Savanna, McCombie earned a bachelors degree from Western Illinois University. She served on the Savanna City Council and as the towns mayor before she was elected to the Illinois General Assembly in 2016. Elected the House Republican leader in November 2022, McCombie formally began her new role in January 2023.

McCombie represents the 89th Illinois House District, which includes all or parts of the northwestern counties Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Ogle, Stephenson and Winnebago. She is a small business owner, operating Blue Appraisals, and is a real estate broker for the Mel Foster Company.

Attendees are encouraged to submit questions on the registration form or email questions to paulsimoninstitute@siu.edu.

More information, a list of the institutes upcoming events and past speakers and events are available.
After a decade of its commencement, the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has achieved a milestone of a total of 53.13 crores PMJDY accounts out of which 55.6 per cent (29.56 crores) Jan-Dhan account holders are women and 66.6 per cent (35.37 crores) Jan Dhan accounts are in rural and semi-urban areas, the Ministry of Finance said in statement on Wednesday. Deposit balances under PMJDY Accounts stand at Rs. 2,31,236 crore. Deposits have increased about 15 times with an increase in accounts 3.6 times, as of 14 August 2024. The average deposit per account, according to the finance ministry stood at Rs. 4,352, as of 14 August 2024. The deposit per account has increased 4 times over August 15. The PMJDY was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day address on 15th August 2014. The Prime Minister had described the occasion as a festival to celebrate the liberation of the poor from a vicious cycle. With the issue of over 36.06 crore RuPay debit cards under PMJDY, the installation of 89.67 lakh point-of-sale (PoS/mPoS) machines and the introduction of mobile-based payment systems like UPI, the total number of digital transactions has gone up from 2,338 crore in financial year (FY) 18-19 to 16,443 crore in FY 23-24. The total number of UPI financial transactions has increased from 535 crore in FY 2018-19 to 13,113 crore in FY 2023-24. Similarly, the total number of RuPay card transactions at PoS & e-commerce has increased from 67 crore in FY 2017-18 to 96.78 crore in FY 2023-24. PMJDY is the National Mission for Financial Inclusion to ensure access to financial services, namely, Banking, Savings and Deposit Accounts, Remittance, Credit, Insurance, and Pension in an affordable manner. On this occasion, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman, in a message, said, "Universal and affordable access to formal banking services is essential for achieving financial inclusion and empowerment. It integrates the poor into the economic mainstream and plays a crucial role in the development of marginalised communities." "By providing universal, affordable, and formal financial services -- including bank accounts, small savings schemes, insurance, and credit -- to the previously unbanked, PM Jan Dhan Yojana has transformed the banking and financial landscape of the country over the last decade," the Union Finance Minister said. "The success of the initiative is reflected in 53 crore people having been brought into the formal banking system through the opening of Jan Dhan Accounts. These bank accounts have garnered a deposit balance of Rs. 2.3 lakh crore, and resulted in the issuance of over 36 crore free-of-cost RuPay cards, which also provide for a Rs 2 lakh accident insurance cover. Notably, there are no account opening fees or maintenance charges and no requirement to maintain a minimum balance," Sitharaman said. "It is heartening to note that 67 per cent of the accounts have been opened in rural or semi-urban areas, and 55 per cent of accounts have been opened by women," the Union Finance Minister said. "The consent-based pipeline created through the linking of Jan Dhan-Mobile-Adhaar has been one of the most important pillars of the financial inclusion ecosystem. It has enabled swift, seamless and transparent transfer of Government welfare schemes to eligible beneficiaries and promoted digital payments," Sitharaman said. PMJDY provides one basic bank account for every unbanked adult. For this account, there is no need to maintain any balance and also no charges are levied on this account. In the account, a free-of-cost RuPay Debit card with in-built accident insurance cover of Rs. 2 lakh is also provided to promote digital transactions. PMJDY account holders are also eligible for getting an overdraft of up to Rs. 10,000 to cover exigencies. Ministry of Finance on Wednesday said in a statement that the PMJDY-led initiatives have produced both transformational as well as directional change. It has strengthened banks and financial institution ecosystems to deliver financial services to the last person in society. PMJDY has enabled savings while providing credit access to those without a formal financial history. Account holders can now show saving patterns, which makes them eligible for loans from banks and financial institutions. The closest proxy is sanctions under Mudra loans, which rose at a compounded annual rate of 9.8 per cent in five years from FY 2019 to FY 2024. This access to credit is transformative as it empowers individuals to grow their incomes.(ANI)
VMPL New Delhi [India], August 28: ELITE Magazine India is thrilled to announce that Varun Chaudhary, the youngest scion of Nepal's illustrious Chaudhary family and Managing Director of CG Corp Global, has been featured on our 10th Anniversary special edition covers titled "Decade of Icons." This exclusive edition highlights extraordinary individuals like Bollywood superstar R. Madhavan and Shashwat Goenka of the RPSG Group, celebrating their remarkable contributions to their respective industries. About Varun Chaudhary and CG Corp Global Varun Chaudhary is at the helm of CG Corp Global, a multinational conglomerate that has grown exponentially under his leadership. With a legacy spanning over 150 years, CG Corp Global operates across five continents, with over 202 companies and 261 brands under its wing. The company is widely recognized for its diverse portfolio that includes fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), hospitality, finance, banking, and telecommunications, among others. Under Varun Chaudhary's dynamic leadership, the company's FMCG vertical, CG Foods, has seen remarkable global growth. The iconic noodle brand 'WAI WAI,' a flagship product of CG Foods, has established a strong presence in nearly 50 countries, driven by strategic expansions into markets like India, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh, and Egypt. Varun's vision has been instrumental in transforming CG Foods into a global leader in the noodle segment, contributing to the broader success of CG Corp Global. Beyond his business acumen, Varun is known for his philanthropic efforts, particularly through the CG Foundation's initiatives in supporting specially-abled individuals in Nepal and India. His commitment to corporate social responsibility reflects his belief in conducting business with a higher purpose, aligning with the values that ELITE Magazine India upholds. Celebrating a Decade of Excellence Varun Chaudhary's feature on the "Decade of Icons" cover is a testament to his role as a global business leader and a youth icon. His story, alongside other influential figures on this cover, provides readers with insights into the journeys of individuals who have significantly shaped their industries and the world at large. ELITE Magazine India, founded by Puraskar Thadani, has been the country's leading luxury media brand for the past decade. As it celebrates its 10th Anniversary, the magazine continues to set the standard in luxury media, known for its comprehensive coverage of the luxury sector. The "Decade of Icons" edition is a hallmark of this legacy, highlighting individuals who have set new benchmarks in their industries. Being featured in this special edition is a mark of prestige and recognition of one's contributions to society. About ELITE Magazine India ELITE Magazine India is the country's premier luxury media brand, dedicated to curating the finest in fashion, lifestyle, and culture. Over the past decade, ELITE has become synonymous with exclusivity and excellence, providing unparalleled access to the world's most influential individuals and events. (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 Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 28: The Bier Library, a well-known literary-themed venue in Bangalore, has opened its second location with the grand launch of The Bier Library Volume 2 in Sarjapur. This new space blends architectural brilliance with the venue's distinctive ambiance, offering an unmatched experience for visitors. Prashant Kunal, Founder & CEO of The Bier Library, shared his enthusiasm for the new launch, stating, "The Bier Library Volume 2 is an evolution of our original vision--a space where architectural excellence meets a welcoming and homely atmosphere. We have designed this venue to create lasting memories in an environment where everyone feels at home." The new location introduces a diverse array of culinary offerings, including wood-fired pizzas, South-East Asian favorites, regional coastal dishes, North-Indian street food, and Mediterranean cuisine. The spacious interiors are enhanced by a large sun window that bathes the space in natural light, highlighting the charm of rustic brick walls and an open, expansive layout that provides a sense of freedom and tranquility. The courtyard setting, adorned with lush greenery, adds to the visual appeal, offering guests different perspectives of the space. The venue also includes an exclusive event area perfect for live music performances, and features cascading water bodies and abundant greenery across three levels, creating a vibrant and refreshing atmosphere. Thoughtfully designed seating areas and ambient lighting on both the ground and first floors contribute to a dynamic setting, ideal for creating memorable experiences. Address: The Bier Library, 138/52, Sarjapur Main Rd, Rainbow Drive, Doddakannelli, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560035 Phone No: 09108180000 Website: https://www.thebierlibrary.in/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebierlibrary (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 28: On August 25, 2024, in the vibrant setting of Karunanidhi Nagar, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, the International Youth Development Foundation (IYDF) and Rio Kids Shoppy joined forces to host a heartwarming charity event titled "Wings of Love." This event was dedicated to providing essential support to children from underprivileged families, aiming not only to meet their material needs but also to plant seeds of love and hope in their young hearts. Spreading Love and Hope The event was thoughtfully organized by A. Usha Nandhini, who led a dynamic team of volunteers including Arun, Rajan, Sindhu, Suraj, Vanitha, Ravikumar, Radha, Shree Varshini, Swetha, Ragupathi, and Raj. Together, these volunteers worked tirelessly to bring joy to 28 children from disadvantaged backgrounds, offering them school supplies, backpacks, notebooks, lunch bags, water bottles, snacks, and gifts. Under the gentle guidance of the volunteers, the children not only received these much-needed items but also learned the value of treating others with kindness and compassion. A Perfect Blend of Business and Charity This event was made possible through the generous support of Rio Kids Shoppy, a company that not only provided the necessary resources but also actively participated in the event. Their involvement highlighted the power of corporate social responsibility, showcasing how businesses can play a crucial role in giving back to society. By partnering with IYDF, Rio Kids Shoppy effectively combined business resources with philanthropic efforts, truly embodying the spirit of "giving back to the community." A Heartfelt Connection Between Volunteers and Children Throughout the event, the volunteers shared moments of joy with the children, engaging them in interactive games and educational activities designed to teach them how to face life's challenges with love and care. As the event drew to a close, Usha Nandhini delivered a touching message to the children: "How you treat others reflects who you are inside, so always treat everyone with love and care." This statement resonated deeply with everyone present, marking the most poignant moment of the day. Carrying the Torch of Hope for the Future This event was more than just a simple donation of goods; it was a transformative experience that touched both hearts and minds. Through their combined efforts, IYDF and Rio Kids Shoppy not only provided material support but also lit a beacon of hope for the children's futures. The smiles on the children's faces, the hope in their eyes, and the sincere dedication of the volunteers are the most beautiful memories of this event. IYDF and Rio Kids Shoppy have once again demonstrated the boundless power of love and compassion. Moving forward, IYDF remains committed to helping more children in need, spreading love and hope, and illuminating their paths to a brighter future. (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)
BusinessWire India Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 28: Otis India, a subsidiary of Otis Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: OTIS) - the global leader in the manufacture, installation and servicing of elevators and escalators, has announced an expansion in capacity and capabilities of its Bengaluru manufacturing facility. The expansion will provide additional capacity to meet growing residential, commercial & infrastructure demand for elevators and escalators in India and expand coverage into more cities in the country. "Otis has been a longstanding partner in India's growth since 1892, and this investment will further strengthen our commitment and growth momentum in this critical market," said Judy Marks, Otis Chair, CEO and President, speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony for the expansion of the manufacturing facility in Bengaluru. "The expansion will help us better serve our customers in India and export markets with innovative mobility solutions that support the rapid pace of urbanisation." Otis India's Bengaluru facility was established in 1996 and has an Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) Gold certification. The Lead Design Centre within the facility has launched over 25 products for India, as well as for the export market. A previous expansion in 2012 doubled the plant capacity, and the current expansion will further increase its overall capacity by about 20 per cent. "We'll be able to double our current escalator production capacity at Bengaluru with this expansion, supporting the growing needs of India's vital mobility infrastructure," said Sebi Joseph, Otis India President. "Bengaluru's capabilities are helping to build modern metro systems, delivering 112 Gen2 elevators for the second phase of the Bengaluru Metro project and supplying 255 units for the Bhopal and Indore metro projects. Additionally, we'll take another step in harnessing the power of digitalization for a smarter factory to meet our customers' needs by innovating and improving productivity in transportation, logistics, and other areas of manufacturing." For more information on Otis India, please visit otis.com. (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)
PNN New Delhi [India] August 28: On August 25, 2024, the International Youth Development Foundation (IYDF) joined forces with SIM Studio Hosur to organize a heartwarming charitable event at Sri Ramkrishna Seva Ashrama in Tamil Nadu, India. This event was dedicated to providing essential living supplies to 42 children and bringing smiles and encouragement through interactive activities. Organizers and Volunteer Team The event was organized by Dhanaseelan, who led a committed team of volunteers, including Jayasuriyan, Dharmaraj, Shahulhamid, Narayanan, Vijaragavan, Bala Sundaram, Antony Innocent, Hilda, Sheela, Sakthiraja, Yeshwant, Arul, and Satya. Their collective efforts made the event a resounding success, filling the day with joy and compassion. Support Provided The volunteers prepared a generous collection of supplies to meet the children's needs, including 6 bags of 25 kg rice, 10 liters of cooking oil, 20 packs of noodles, 10 kg of lentils, 42 bars of bathing soap, 42 bars of laundry soap, 42 packets of shampoo, 4 sets of badminton rackets, a badminton net, 42 packets of biscuits, 20 packs of baked goods, and 2 packs of chocolates. These provisions were carefully chosen to support the children's daily lives and bring some extra cheer. Event Location and Beneficiaries The event took place at Sri Ramkrishna Seva Ashrama, located at Vivekananda Nagar, Titan Township Road, Mathigiri, Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu. C. Rajagopalan, the head of the beneficiary organization, warmly welcomed the volunteers and expressed deep gratitude for their support. Event Activities The event was filled with meaningful activities designed to engage and uplift the children. The day began with introductions to IYDF and the volunteers, helping the children understand the mission behind the support they were receiving. This was followed by motivational speeches delivered by the volunteers, encouraging the children to pursue their dreams with determination. Interactive sessions included group singing, solo performances, imitations, joke-telling, and poetry recitations, creating an atmosphere of laughter and joy. The volunteers then distributed the prepared supplies to each child, ensuring their immediate needs were met. The event concluded with a heartfelt gesture of gratitude from the volunteers, who shared cake with the children, celebrating the special day together. Volunteer Reflections After the event, the volunteers expressed their deep satisfaction and happiness in being part of such a meaningful initiative. They were touched by the children's smiles and positive outlook on life, which left a lasting impression on everyone involved. The volunteers agreed that the event was not only successful in providing material support but also in delivering emotional encouragement to the children. They looked forward to participating in similar charitable activities in the future, bringing warmth and hope to more children in need. This event not only strengthened IYDF's connection with the community but also reinforced its mission to help underprivileged children. Through such charitable activities, IYDF continues to spread love and support, lighting the way for a brighter future for every child in need. (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)
Union Minister of State for Commerce & Industry Jitin Prasada highlighted India's emergence as a premier, cost-effective healthcare destination and a global leader in pharmaceuticals. According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, speaking at the inauguration of the three-day International Pharma and Healthcare Exhibition (IPHEX 2024) organized by the Pharma Export Promotion Council of India (CAPEXIL) and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, Prasada called on the Indian pharmaceutical sector to aim to become the global healthcare steward. He urged the pharma industry to increase exports and seize emerging opportunities for growth. Prasada said that India is already recognized as the 'pharmacy of the world'. It's extremely important that we focus not only on our strengths in the generic sector but also ensure our backward and forward linkages, the Minister added. He further noted that it's important that we try product development and break new ground. The Minister urged the industry to focus on innovation, and quality and work with the world market. "International competitiveness will be very important. It is important to keep abreast of new developments and good manufacturing practices," he said. He also noted that the Government has come up with many schemes like the PLI for APIs and for medical devices. Prasada said, "The three-day pharma expo IPHEX will offer the domestic industry majors from India and all across the world a great platform to connect and do business. It will provide you with an opportunity to meet new and existing customers actively looking for new suppliers, or looking to assess the current progress of existing projects." (ANI)
Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has prepared a flagship report titled 'Building Bridges for the Next Decade of Finance', where it noted that revenues in the Indian fintech sector are projected to reach USD 190 billion by 2030, contributing to over 20 per cent of all banking revenues.

The report comes at a time when the Fintech sector is in maturation mode.

In terms of market size, the fintech sector globally is on track to achieving USD 1.5 trillion in revenues by 2030, predominantly driven by the Asia Pacific, along with the North American region, expected to generate three times higher revenues than the next best region by 2030.

According to the BCG report, the path ahead for India is to leverage critical and emerging technologies - Generative AI and API-based open architecture - across diverse functions such as customer service automation to fraud detection.

Yashraj Erande, Global Head of Fintech and India Head of Financial Institutions at BCG said, "It is also encouraging that Indian Fintechs are demonstrating a path to profitability earlier than what was expected 2-3 years ago."

The BCG report also highlighted how India can internalize its payment solutions.

Indian financial infrastructure and digital payment solutions are highly mature and scalable, capable of supporting the exponential digitization needs of global institutions.

Indian BFSI SaaS players, in particular, have a significant opportunity to expand internationally and drive in revenues, said global consultancy firm BCG.

Unified Payment Interface (UPI) is a key innovation driving India's fintech sector. It is India's leading digital payment platform. Payments through digital means in India are hitting fresh highs, as its citizens are increasingly adopting the emerging modes of transacting on the internet.

Among others, a key emphasis of the Indian government has been on ensuring that the benefits of UPI are not limited to India only; other countries, too, benefit from it. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed decisions taken by the union cabinet including that of building 12 Industrial nodes or cities under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP), saying that it will provide significant infrastructure boost apart from enhancing growth and creating employment opportunities. "The Cabinet has taken a very important decision of building 12 Industrial nodes/cities under National Industrial Corridor Development Programme. Apart from the significant infrastructure boost, it will enhance growth and create employment for many people," PM Modi posted on X. He said the three new railways-related projects approved by the Cabinet today will greatly benefit Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh. "The benefits include seamless transportation of goods and easier travel for passengers," he said. In posts on X, the Prime Minister also hailed decisions concerning hydropower projects, FM radio rollout and progressive expansion of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund. "The Cabinet's approval for financial assistance for hydropower projects in the Northeast will ensure sustainability, energy security and boost the local economy across the region. It will also create job opportunities and boost growth," he said. "The Cabinet decision on the rollout of Private FM Radio to 234 cities and towns will enhance access to diverse and local content, thus encouraging creativity and encouraging local languages as well as cultures. The decision by the Cabinet on the expansion of Central Sector Scheme of Agriculture Infrastructure Fund is yet another example of the importance attached to agriculture and farmer welfare. This decision will ensure a boost of incomes for farmers and encourage sustainability," he added. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved 12 new project proposals under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme. These industrial smart cities will come up with an estimated investment of Rs 28,602 crore. Spanning across 10 states and strategically planned along six major corridors, these projects represent a significant leap forward in India's quest to enhance its manufacturing capabilities and economic growth, an official release said. These industrial areas will be located in Khurpia in Uttrakhand, Rajpura-Patiala in Punjab, Dighi in, Maharashtra, Palakkad in Kerala, Agra and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, Gaya in Bihar, Zaheerabad in Telangana, Orvakal and Kopparthy in Andhra Pradesh and Jodhpur-Pali in Rajasthan. The Union Cabinet also approved the progressive expansion in the Central Sector Scheme of financing facility under 'Agriculture Infrastructure Fund' to make it more attractive, impactful and inclusive. The Union Cabinet gave nod to the proposal of the Ministry of Power for providing Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to the states in the North Eastern Region towards their equity participation for development of hydroelectric projects in the region through Joint Venture (JV) Collaboration between state entities and Central Public Sector Undertakings. The scheme will be implemented from FY 2024-25 to FY 2031-32 and aims to support a cumulative hydro capacity of approximately 15,000 MW. It will be funded through 10 per cent Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) for the North Eastern Region, drawn from the Ministry of Power's total budget. The Ministry's plan includes forming a JV company for each project between a central PSU and the respective state government. "North Eastern Region is set to lead the nation's development with Union Cabinet approving central financial assistance for hydroelectric projects today. This move will empower state govts drive national growth by funding their own hydropower projects. Thank you, PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji, for the visionary step," Home Minister Amit Shah said in a post on X. (ANI)
Universal Language, directed by Matthew Rankin, has been selected by Canada to compete in the Best International Feature category at the upcoming Academy Awards, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film recently won the audience prize for the best film in the Directors' Fortnight section at the Cannes Film Festival. This movie, which is in Farsi and French language, is a tribute to Iranian cinema. The film is set in the Canadian cities of Montreal and Winnipeg, where Rankin imagines a world where Farsi has become a dominant language. The film is described as a mix of a diary, an absurd city symphony, and a reflection of confinement-era emotions. According to the synopsis, Universal Language explores the mysterious interzones where one person ends and the rest of the world begins, creating a dreamlike atmosphere of home, solitude, and our connections to others. As per The Hollywood Reporter, director Matthew Rankin expressed his esxcitement for the film and said, "We are amazed by this improbable selection and we will do our very best to represent Canada at the Oscars. Universal Language is an expression of very great collective joy between myself and my friends Pirouz Nemati, Ila Firouzabadi, Sylvain Corbeil and all the beautiful and hilarious people who created this strange, triangle-shaped, Irano-Winnipego-Quebecois brain which became our film, beh naame doosti (in the Name of Friendship)." The film's ensemble cast includes Rankin, Rojina Esmaeili, Saba Vahedyousefi, Sobhan Javadi, Pirouz Nemati, Mani Soleymanlou, Danielle Fichaud, Bahram Nabatian, Ila Firouzabadi, Hemela Pourafzal, and Dara Najmabadi. Universal Language will also have its North American premiere at the upcoming Toronto Film Festival. The film was directed by Rankin, based on a script he co-wrote with Pirouz Nemati and Ila Firouzabadi. Sylvain Corbeil produced the film under Metafilms, with domestic distribution by Maison 4:3 and international sales handled by Oscilloscope Laboratories. (ANI)
Ranveer Allahbadia, aka BeerBiceps, who is best known for hosting deep and interesting conversations with a wide variety of guests on his podcast, recently shared that he's been trying to get Congress politicians on his show, but they have all turned him down. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Ranveer shared how he has reached out to several Congress leaders, but they have rejected his invites, possibly because they think he's "on the BJP side." "We've reached out to a lot of the Congress politicians who have rejected our invites because they have this impression that I'm on the BJP side and I'm going to destroy them when I get them on the show," Allahbadia said. However, Allahbadia also believes that it's not the politicians themselves who are saying no, but rather the people around them. "So I'm very much open to bringing the Congress side of politicians, but I've always seen that around politicians, there exists this entourage of people who create the opinions within the politician's mind," he said. "And I'm pretty certain that even in these cases of rejection, it's that entourage which has told them, hey, this guy, he's actually going to destroy you. So don't be on his show," he added. Ranveer also said he would love to have Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his show. "And I want to do the same with Prime Minister Modi. I feel like no one has asked him about how he feels about being himself. Because the pro-Modi side worships him like a god. The anti-Modi side looks at him as a devil. And I want to know what he thinks," he said. Ranveer started 'The Ranveer Show,' a podcast series on his YouTube channel dedicated to sharing success stories. The show featured popular personalities such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gary Vaynerchuk, Priyanka Chopra, Dr S Jaishankar, Kunal Shah, Glenn McGrath, Sadhguru, Vikram Sampath, Kareena Kapoor, and others. The podcast discusses money, health, business, celebrity, spirituality, and finance. (ANI)
Actor-turned-politician Khushbu Sundar has reacted strongly to the Justice Hema Committee report, which highlighted serious allegations of sexual harassment within the Malayalam film industry. She took to 'X' and wrote a long note appreciating the women who fought for their rights. She also stated that sexual harassment and the pressure to compromise for job progress occur in all fields. But why should women bear this alone, she lamented in her post. "This moment of #MeToo prevailing in our industry breaks you. Kudos to the women who have stood their ground and emerged victorious. The #HemaCommittee was much needed to break the abuse. But will it? Abuse, asking for sexual favors, and expecting women to compromise to gain a foothold or accelerate their careers exist in every field. Why is a woman alone expected to go through the grind? Although men too face it, it's marginally women who bear the brunt," she wrote on X. Khushbu shared that she had a conversation with her daughter about this issue. "Had a long conversation with my 24-year-old and 21-year-old daughters on this issue. Was amazed at their empathy and understanding towards the victims. They firmly support them and stand with them at this juncture." She added that the most important thing in this situation is to open up about what you are facing without any fears or hesitation. "It doesn't matter whether you speak today or tomorrow, just speak. Speaking up immediately would help in healing and investigating more effectively. The fear of being shamed, victim blaming, and questions like 'Why did you do it? or 'What made you do it?' break her. The victim might be a stranger to you or me, but she needs our support, an ear to listen, and emotional backing from us all. When questioning why she didn't come out earlier, we need to consider her circumstances - not everyone is privileged to speak out." Sundar continued, "As a woman and a mother, the wounds inflicted by such violence cut deep, not only in the flesh but in the very soul. These acts of brutality shake the foundations of our trust, our love, and our strength. Behind every mother, there's a will to nurture and protect, and when that sanctity is shattered, it affects us all." Sundar also mentioned about the time her father abused her. "Some ask me what took me so long to speak about my father's abuse. I agree I should have spoken earlier. But what happened to me, was not a compromise to build my career. I was abused at the hands of the person who was suppose to provide me the strongest arms to hold me if I fell. To all the men out there, I implore you to stand by the victim and show your unwavering support. Every man was born to a woman who endured incredible pain and sacrifice." She talked about supporting other women who need help and wrote, "Many women play indispensable roles in your upbringing, shaping you into the person you are today--your mothers, sisters, aunts, teachers, and friends. Your solidarity can be a beacon of hope, a symbol that justice and kindness will prevail. Stand with us, protect us, and honor the women who have given you life and love. Let your voice be heard in the fight against violence and let your actions reflect the respect and empathy that every woman deserves." "Remember, we are stronger together, and only together can we mend these wounds and pave the way for a safer, more compassionate world. Let's understand that many women don't even have the support of their families. They come from small towns with stars in their eyes, hoping to shine brightly but often find their dreams nipped and crushed at the bud. This should be a wake-up call to ALL. Let the exploitation stop here. Women, come out and speak. Remember, you always have a choice in life. Your NO is definitely a NO. Never adjust or compromise on your dignity and respectability. EVER. I stand with all the women who have been through this. As a mother and as a woman," she concluded. https://x.com/khushsundar/status/1828643082985972072 Meanwhile, on August 27, actor Mohanlal resigned as the president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) in the wake of the 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 him 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 the 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. (ANI)
Veteran actor Shabana Azmi expressed her deep dismay over the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata earlier this month. Speaking with media after attending an event in Pune, Shabana urged people to stop treating women as commodities. " Such incidents are extremely dangerous. It's embarrassing to see that these kinds of heinous acts have not reduced despite the formation of Justice Verma Committee back in 2012 during the Nirbhaya case. We should not treat women as commodities... we need to dismantle patriarchy which is deep-rooted in us," Shabana Azmi said. Earlier, on Wednesday, President Droupadi Murmu expressed anguish over the rising cases of crimes against women in the wake of the gruesome rape and murder of the young doctor in Kolkata. She penned an open letter 'Women's Safety: Enough is Enough' in which she called for self-introspection to uncover the roots of the malaise. Expressing concern over collective amnesia over the memory of criminality, she said the time has come not only to face history squarely "but also to search within our souls and probe the pathology of crime against women". The President called for honouring the memory of the victims to make society more vigilant in the future and said the recent spate of crimes against women should force honest introspection. She spoke of the need to counter the mindset that sees "the female as a lesser human being, less powerful, less capable, less intelligent" and said it is "objectification of women by a few that is behind the crimes against women". "The gruesome incident of rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata has left the nation shocked. I was dismayed and horrified when I came to hear of it. What is more depressing is the fact that it was not the only incident of its kind; it is part of a series of crimes against women. Even as students, doctors and citizens were protesting in Kolkata, criminals remained on the prowl elsewhere. The victims include even kindergarten girls. No civilised society can allow daughters and sisters to be subjected to such atrocities. The nation is bound to be outraged, and so am I," she said. The trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. (ANI)
Siddique had earlier resigned as general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) following allegations made by the young actress. Siddique has also given a complaint to police stating that the allegation by the woman actor is a conspiracy against him.

On Monday, actor Mohanlal resigned as the president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists in the wake of the Justice Hema Committee report and sexual harassment allegations faced by some members of the executive committee.

Mohanlal and all executive members have resigned.

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. (ANI)
All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) has demanded 10 per cent reservation for Muslims in Assam. AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam on Tuesday said that his party has demanded 10 per cent reservation for Muslims in the state. "Muslims in Assam are backward and economically weaker section. We demanded 10 per cent reservation for the Muslims in government jobs and other government schemes in the state," Aminul Islam said. The AIUDF MLA also said that the Muslim population has increased in the state, but not the figure given by Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma. "Muslim population was majority in some districts in Assam since independence. But later that districts were divided and formed a few new districts. According to the 2011 Census report there was 34 percent Muslim population in Assam and there might be increased of 2-3 percent. But what figure has given by the Chief Minister is not true," Aminul Islam said. On the other hand, talking about the recent Dhing gang rape incident and 23-24 rape incidents in the state in the last two months, the AIUDF MLA said that, nearly 300 rape incidents took place in the state in recent times, but the Assam Chief Minister is only talking about selected 23-24 rape cases in which the accused are Muslims. "He didn't mention other rape incidents. He just talked about the selected 23-24 rape cases where the accused are Muslims," Aminul Islam said. Hitting out the BJP-led Assam government, the AIUDF MLA alleged that, one accused person of the Dhing gang rape incident was killed and the government has tried to cover up the actual facts. "If the arrested accused person of the Dhing gang rape incident was alive then might be some new facts could come. May be non-Muslims accused also involved in this crime. But the government didn't want this. We also want that, the rapist should be hanged. We condemn it," Aminul Islam said. Earlier, on August 22, a minor girl was allegedly gang-raped in Assam's Nagaon district, leading to the arrest of two individuals, according to the police. The incident reportedly occurred while the girl was returning home from tuition in the Dhing area. Locals found the girl in a semi-conscious state by the roadside and immediately admitted her to a hospital. Swapnaneel Deka, Superintendent of Police of Nagaon district, told ANI over the phone, "Police have picked up two persons for interrogation in connection with the incident." This incident comes amid nationwide outrage over the murder and alleged sexual assault of a female trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9 in Kolkata. (ANI)
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday asserted in the state assembly that he won't let "Miya Muslim" take over the state. Speaking in the state assembly on the adjournment motions brought by the opposition Congress and AIUDF to discuss the law and order situation in the state in the backdrop of a 14-year-old minor girl gang rape incident that took place at Dhing area in Nagaon district and a recent incident in Upper Assam, the Assam Chief Minister said that - "I won't let Assam become a land of Miyas." When the opposition MLAs charged the Assam Chief Minister of partisan, he said that - "Are you want to capture the entire state? Why the people from Lower Assam will go to Upper Assam? I won't let Assam become a land of Miyas." On the other hand, AIUDF MLA Mujibur Rahman said that his party will continue their fight for the rights of the Miya Muslim people. "We will continue our fights for the Miya people's rights. In a democratic country why people can't go to one state from another state or from one district to another district? The Assam Chief Minister who is also holding the Home Department portfolio, has failed to address this matter. We demand that he should resign from the post. Both Congress and BJP are doing communal politics," Mujibur Rahman said. Earlier, on August 22, a minor girl was allegedly gang-raped in Assam's Nagaon district, leading to the arrest of two individuals, according to the police. The incident reportedly occurred while the girl was returning home from tuition in the Dhing area. Locals found the girl in a semi-conscious state by the roadside and immediately admitted her to a hospital. Swapnaneel Deka, Superintendent of Police of Nagaon district, told ANI over the phone, "Police have picked up two persons for interrogation in connection with the incident." This incident comes amid nationwide outrage over the murder and alleged sexual assault of a female trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9 in Kolkata. (ANI)
Following the alliance with Jannayak Janta Party for the Haryana Assembly Elections, Azad Samaj Party-Kanshiram President and MP Chandrashekhar Azad asserted that the alliance of ASP-JJP alliance will contest the elections and prove to be a strong option in the state for the upcoming elections. Earlier, JJP and Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) allied for the upcoming Haryana Assembly polls that will be held on October 1. "Bhim Army workers have been working in Haryana for the last 7-8 years... We have nominated the most hardworking people in our party who have a good grasp on the ground and are widely popular... Azad Samaj Party- JJP alliance will contest the elections and prove to be a strong option in the state for the upcoming elections," Azad told ANI. He further said that there are 20 seats where the Azad Samaj Party-Kanshiram has a good grasp and can fight really well. "Before this, we have contested elections in Bihar, UP, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan... People have started blessing us for all our struggle over the years, with their votes," he added. The alliance will contest on all 90 Assembly constituencies in Haryana with JJP competing on 70 seats while ASP on 20. Haryana will go to polls on October 1 in a single phase. "Out of 90 seats, JJP to contest on 70 seats and Azad Samaj party on 20 seats," said JJP leader Dushyant Chautala. Reacting over the alliance of the Jannayak Janta Party and Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram), Congress MP Deepender Hooda said that INLD and JJP are on the direction of BJP. "INLD and JJP work on the directions of BJP," Hooda said. The Haryana Assembly, consisting of 90 members, is scheduled for elections on October 1, with the results expected to be announced on October 4. After the last assembly polls in Haryana, the BJP formed the government with the support of the 10 JJP MLAS. In the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, JJP got only 0.87 per cent of the vote share, with none of its candidates winning any seat in the state. In the 2019 elections, the BJP, with 40 seats in the 90-member assembly, formed a coalition government with the JJP, which had won 10 seats, while the Congress secured 31 seats. Earlier this year, the BJP-JJP alliance was dissolved. In 2024, Haryana is likely to witness a four-way contest between the BJP, Congress, Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), and AAP. (ANI)
Due to heavy rainfall in Gujarat, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel's "SWAGAT" (State Wide Attention on Grievances by Application of Technology) programme, scheduled for August 29, has been postponed, according to an official statement. The programme aims to address public grievances through an online platform. The Chief Minister's Public Relations Unit requested all concerned to note this change in the schedule. As heavy rains wreaked havoc in Gujarat, State Relief Commissioner Alok Pandey urged the public to follow the do's and don'ts of the district administration. "About 1700 people have been rescued so far in the entire monsoon. In the entire four months, 99 deaths have been reported," he said. Meanwhile, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Tuesday held a meeting regarding the rain and flood situation in the state with district collectors and municipal commissioners at the State Emergency Operation Centre, in Gandhinagar. Heavy waterlogging was witnessed across parts of Gujarat. Due to incessant heavy rainfall, water from Ajwa Reservoir and Pratappura Reservoir were released into Vishwamitri River, leading to waterlogging. In the Malpur area in Gujarat, incessant rainfall has been witnessed for the last three days. Locals said that it had become difficult to walk on the streets. The Kashi Vishwanath Mahadev Temple complex in Vadodara was submerged due to heavy rainfall and the temple premises were shut on Tuesday. People said that they had never seen so much rain in the last 30 years. Earlier Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel held a video conference to review the work being done by the administration in the situation arising due to heavy rains in the entire state. He reviewed the situation caused by the overflow of 15 rivers, 21 lakes, and reservoirs in the state due to heavy rainfall. According to the data of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), from 8.30 am, August 26 to 5.30 am August 27, various parts of Gujarat received a significant amount of rainfall, apart from Vadodara, Rajkot received 19 cm, Ahemdabad 12 cm, Bhuj and Naliya received 8 cm, Okha and Dwarka received 7 cm while Porbandar received 5 cm rainfall. Meanwhile, on July 26, the CM instructed the district tehsil administrators in the state-level 'SWAGAT' programme to resolve the complaints and problems of the citizens at the district and tehsil levels. He directed officials to adopt a proactive approach to resolve it. The CM said, "It is necessary to remove such a situation where people's problems are not resolved for a long time at the district and tehsil level 'SWAGAT' and they have to come to the state 'SWAGAT' for this." (ANI)
The Uttar Pradesh government approved 13 proposals in a cabinet meeting held on Tuesday. The Uttar Pradesh government granted the maintenance policy 2024 under the Jal Jeevan Mission for the operation of piped drinking water supply schemes in rural areas. This policy is being introduced for the maintenance of villages where work has been completed. Additionally, the government approved the proposal for leasing tourist guest houses under the Uttar Pradesh State Tourism Department, which are currently being managed privately, for a total of 30 years (15+15 years). The proposal is for guest houses that are operating at a loss or have been closed. In the Department of Secondary Education, the cabinet granted the proposal to increase scholarships for Sanskrit students. "Today, policy is being made for social media, Instagram... Now they will be regulated and they will also be given advertisements. A lot of policies have been made," Uttar Pradesh Minister Sanjay Nishad said after the cabinet meeting. After the cabinet meeting, speaking to the presspersons, Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya claimed that the BJP will do well in the upcoming assembly bypolls in the ten seats that were lying vacant in the state. "BJP is preparing strongly from the booth level to the Vidhansabha level in all the 10 Vidhan Sabhas and we are confident that we will not only bring back our seats but will also snatch the seats that the Samajwadi Party has. On by-elections to be held on 10 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh, SBSP chief and state minister OP Rajbhar asserted that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is preparing for all ten seats. "NDA is preparing for all 10 seats. Efforts are being made to win all the seats. Our victory is certain on the Milkipur and Katehari seats," he said. (ANI)
On the first day of the monsoon session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, the Mahila Congress staged a "Vidhan Sabha Gherao" protest demanding enhanced safety and security for women in Himachal Pradesh and across India. This protest is part of the broader "Nari Nyay Aandolan" movement, through which the Mahila Congress seeks to push for a 33 per cent reservation for women in legislative bodies and improved safety and security measures nationwide. "There has been a serious allegation against BJP MLA Hansraj, and so far, nothing has been done. An FIR has been registered, and we are asking the police what action has been taken on the FIR registered against the BJP Legislator in the state, where a young girl has accused him of asking for obscene videos," said Alka Lamba, a senior Congress leader. Referring to a recent statement made by Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, Alka Lamba added, "It is unfortunate that an MP compares farmers with rapists and murderers. The Prime Minister should apologize to the 'Anndata'--the farmers of this country--and the BJP MP should be expelled from Parliament." Jenab Chandel, the Himachal Pradesh Mahila Congress Chief, expressing outrage, said, "There is a hue and cry across the country over the safety and security of women, and here we have a BJP MLA accused of harassment. The BJP always protects those accused of crimes against women. Our government has registered an FIR, and we demand the police arrest the legislator. Our national chief has come here to support us. We want to showcase our protest and the anger of women against these injustices." "The BJP MP's statement about the farmers of this country is unacceptable," added Chandel, underscoring the party's stance against derogatory remarks and advocating for justice and respect for farmers. As part of the "Nari Nyay Aandolan," the Mahila Congress plans to continue its campaign by meeting state governors across India to press for their demands, emphasizing both women's safety and the need for political accountability. (ANI)
All India United Democratic Front MLA, Rafiqul Islam slammed Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over his "Miya" remarks in the state assembly and said that the CM was in favour of one community and against the other. The opposition Congress and AIUDF brought an adjournment motion in Assam Assembly on Tuesday to discuss the law and order situation in the state in the backdrop of a 14-year-old minor girl gang rape incident that took place in Dhing area in Nagaon district and a recent incident in Upper Assam. The AIUDF MLA said, "It is the Chief Minister's responsibility to ensure the safety and security of the 3.4 crore people of Assam. Unfortunately, while giving a reply, the CM was in favour of one community and against the other. These division tactics will not be tolerated at all. He cannot ask people of one part of the state to not travel to another part." Assam Chief Minister said that - "I won't let Assam become a land of Miyas." When the opposition MLAs questioned Himanta Biswa Sarma, he said - "Do you want to capture the entire state? Why the people from Lower Assam will go to Upper Assam? I won't let Assam become a land of Miyas." "My request to the Miya-Muslim community is not to forcefully try to settle in indigenous Assamese areas against their will; this will aggravate societal fault lines and be a possible security issue," the CM further said. "I am not against Islam, but if Hindus' land is being snatched away and girls are being tortured, I will not remain silent. And I know that my life may be in danger for this," Sarma added in a fiery speech in the Assam assembly. On the other hand, AIUDF MLA Mujibur Rahman said that his party will continue their fight for the rights of the Miya Muslim people. Earlier, on August 22, a minor girl was allegedly gang-raped in Assam's Nagaon district, leading to the arrest of two individuals, according to the police. The incident reportedly occurred while the girl was returning home from tuition in the Dhing area. Locals found the girl in a semi-conscious state by the roadside and immediately admitted her to a hospital. (ANI)
The Trinamool Congress party workers on Wednesday staged a protest against BJP's 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' call against police crackdown on peaceful protest during 'Nabanna Abhijan' - march. Train services that were disrupted between Bangaon-Sealdah have also been now being reinstated. Speaking on it, TMC leader Narayan Ghosh said, "They (BJP) want to make poor people suffer. They have come to West Bengal to do dacoity. Common and poor people are with Mamata Banerjee. West Bengal can't be stopped by doing such things." BJP MLA Ashok Kirtania said, "Bandh is going on. Police were not able to do anything, therefore, the workers of TMC are here, and Mamata sent them. We will not move from here; we will continue the fight." At Bengal's Alipurdaur, police also detained protesting BJP workers who were protesting against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led government. On Tuesday, 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 lobbing tear gas shells to disperse them. Following the chaos, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) TMC said in a post on \] "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!" Union Minister and BJP national president JP Nadda attacked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and said that the TMC chief has crossed all limits of "cruelty and dictatorship" in Bengal. 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 number of injured people during the Dahi Handi celebrations on the occasion of Krishna Janmashtami has risen to 238, according to the latest reports by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other private hospitals on Wednesday. Earlier, the number of injured Govinda's was at 206. Reportedly, the Govindas are under treatment at the respective OPDs of various private hospitals. As per the report, 157 people have been discharged from various hospitals. Last year, during the Dahi Handi celebrations, as many as 195 Govindas were injured in different incidents. The BMC reported that out of the 195 Govindas, 18 were admitted to hospital while the remaining 177 were discharged. One of the major cultural activities, Dahi Handi is celebrated by filling an earthen pot with curd, butter, and other milk products. Subsequently, a group forms a human pyramid to reach the matka and break it. The tradition symbolises Lord Krishna's playfulness and innocence, as well as his love for butter and curd. Dahi Handi celebrations commemorate Lord Krishna's act of eating Dahi hung at a height when he was a child. As per the Hindu calendar, Lord Krishna, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, was born on the eighth day of the month of Bhadra. The day mostly falls in August or September as per the Western calendar. The festival of Janmashtami is celebrated by offering prayers to Lord Krishna, with beautifully decorated swings, dance, and music performances along with the Dahi Handi competition. (ANI)
In view of the forthcoming Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana assembly polls, Congress leader and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi has shortened his duration of USA visit to 5-7 days, said sources. As per the sources, Rahul Gandhi's US visit, which is scheduled in September, was about to last around 10-12 days but it has been shortened to 5-7 days. As per the changes, many of his programs have been cancelled. This will be Rahul Gandhi's first visit ever since he became leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha. The sources added that LoP Rahul Gandhi will address the Indian diaspora in Texas. The sources also said that amid Gandhi's planned visit, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will kickstart the campaigning for the party in the second week of September. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra can address 5 to 7 road shows and more than 15 election rallies in both the states, out of which more than a dozen rallies are scheduled in Haryana. In the midst of the assembly elections, Congress has tied up with the National Conference for the Jammu and Kashmir polls, while in Haryana, it has decided to contest the elections alone, dismissing all speculations of tying up with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). 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. The Haryana Assembly, consisting of 90 members, is scheduled for elections on October 1, with the results expected to be announced on October 4. In the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, JJP got only 0.87 per cent of the vote share, with none of its candidates winning any seat in the state. In the 2019 elections, the BJP, with 40 seats in the 90-member assembly, formed a coalition government with the JJP, which had won 10 seats, while the Congress secured 31 seats. Earlier this year, the BJP-JJP alliance was dissolved. In 2024, Haryana is likely to witness a four-way contest between the BJP, Congress, Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), and AAP. (ANI)
In the wake of the Justice Hema Committee report and sexual harassment allegations faced by some members of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) executive committee, Former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that the Hema Committee exposes the asymmetry of power in Kerala's movie Industry and misuse by a few actors of that power to exploit vulnerable women actors. In a post on X, he shared, "Women anywhere in India have a right to work in safe and non-exploitative workplaces, whatever profession they pursue - scientist to driver to actress to soldier to doctor to nurse - That is every woman's fundamental right. In the last 10 years, women empowerment and safety in India has progressed considerably including the Women Reservation Bill." He further shared that a lot still needs to be done. "Male predators continue to torment women as Kolkota rape and the recent Hema Committee report show. Hema Committee exposes the Asymmetry of power in the Kerala movie Industry and the misuse by a few actors of that power to exploit vulnerable women actors. This must be investigated quickly, transparently and fairly under law and those guilty should not be spared. This must not be allowed to be brushed under the carpet," he shared. He further hit out at Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) and said that it failed to create a safe working environment and to protect women. "I am an unabashed admirer and supporter of Malayalam movie industry But this needs to be said about AMMA - the Association of Movie Artistes - it was your responsibility and you had the power - to create a safe working environment and to protect women - you failed to do that! that is simply unforgivable," he further added. Earlier, actor Mohanlal resigned as the president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). All executive members have also resigned. Mohanlal wrote to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informing him 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 the Hema Committee report which revealed discrimination and harassment of women in the 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. 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. (ANI)
Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya has taken a potshot at Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee over ongoing unrest and protest in Kolkata saying that "if there is any dictator after Hitler in today's time, it is Mamata ji." "There is a nexus between the police, anti-social elements and politicians. You must have seen that the rapist went on a motorcycle in a police car and he himself is a member of the social police there. Now tell me, if the person working in the police is a rapist, then how will the women be safe? It is a matter of great shame that in that state where there is a woman Chief Minister, women are not safe," Vijayvargiya told reporters after visiting Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Smruti Mandir here. He further said, "Chief Minister, there is with the criminals, then does such a Chief Minister have any right to remain in the chair? If there is any dictator after Hitler in today's time, then it is Mamata ji, I think so. Because there is no democracy there, (West Bengal) only whatever Mamata Banrejee says is correct. 'na khata, na bahi, jo Mamata ji kahe vahi sahi'. (Only Mamata Banrejee is correct)." Notably, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for a '12-hour Bengal Bandh' on Wednesday, August 28 in protest against police crackdown on peaceful protest during 'Nabanna Abhijan' - march to state secretariat on Tuesday. 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. This follows 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)
Union Minister and BJP West Bengal President Sukanta Majumdar on Wednesday urged West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose to instruct the state police to release the student activists detained during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' protests march and said that detention violates their democratic right to protest. Saying that an "unspecified number" of students have been detained, Majumdar asserted that the state police had used excessive force against the peaceful student activists during protests. The letter reads, "With due respect, I am writing to draw your attention to the recent incidents of excessive use of force by the police against peaceful student activists during today's Nabanna Avijaan protest, organised by Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj. An unspecified number of students have been detained in Howrah, Kolkata, and other areas across West Bengal." "As you are aware, the right to protest is a fundamental democratic right guaranteed to every citizen. Peaceful protests are essential to the fabric of our democracy, allowing citizens to express their grievances and opinions. The actions of the police in this instance appear to be disproportionate and unprovoked, undermining the democratic values that we, as a nation, uphold," the letter added. Majumdar, in a letter written to Governor Bose, further requested to take immediate and necessary steps to address state police's "disproportionate" and "unprovoked" manner during the protests. The letter further reads, "In light of these grave concerns, I earnestly request you to take immediate and necessary steps to address these instances of police excesses. Additionally, I urge you to instruct the state police to release all the student activists currently in custody unconditionally, as their detention violates their democratic rights." The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for a '12-hour Bengal Bandh' on Wednesday, August 28 in protest against police crackdown on peaceful protest during 'Nabanna Abhijan' - a march to the state secretariat on Tuesday. According to Majumder, the bandh was called in opposition to the "violence on the student agitation" during the protest march earlier Tuesday. 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." On Tuesday, 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. (ANI)
Even as the BJP continues its 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh', party leader Priyangu Pandey on Wednesday claimed that people belonging to TMC attacked and fired on his car in the Bharpara area of North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. He also alleged that bombs were thrown on his car and then 6-7 rounds of firing were done. "Today I was going to our leader Arjun Singh's residence. We moved some distance and the road was blocked by a jetting machine from Bhatpara Municipality. The moment our car stopped, around 50-60 people targeted the vehicle. 7 to 8 bombs were thrown at my vehicle and then 6-7 round firing was done. This is a joint conspiracy of TMC and the Police. They planned my murder. The police supported and gave information. My security was withdrawn and then this incident happened," he said. The BJP leader also mentioned that his driver had been shot at. "There are two people who are severly injured among the other seven," he added. Speaking on the incident, former BJP MP, Arjun Singh said that there was a plan to kill Priyangu Pandey. "When the leaders of our party were coming, the road was blocked using a jetting machine and a bomb was thrown. Seven rounds of firing took place and all this was done in the presence of the ACP. There was a plan to kill Priyangu Pandey. Today the situation is such that those who threw the bomb play gambling outside the ACP office," he said. The West Bengal police also detained protesting BJP party workers at Kolkata's Bata Chowk. Earlier today, the Trinamool Congress party workers staged a protest against BJP's 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' call against police crackdown on peaceful protest during 'Nabanna Abhijan' - march. The Trinamool Congress accused the BJP of trying to create anarchy in Bengal. "We all want justice in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. Mamata Banerjee also wants justice...the case is now in CBI's hands...One accused has been arrested...now the CBI is investigating the matter...They (BJP) are trying to create anarchy here, yesterday they attacked the police and today they have called this bandh...Everything is normal in Bengal...The people of West Bengal have rejected BJP's bandh," said TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh. On Tuesday, the rally termed "Nabanna Abhiyan" started from 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 lobbing tear gas shells to disperse them. (ANI)
Rajiv Jasrotia, former minister and BJP candidate for the Jasrota assembly constituency from the Kathua district, was given a warm welcome on the National Highway in Kathua on the August 27 evening upon his return from New Delhi. Jasrotia's name was announced in the third list of candidates on August 27 released by the BJP for the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP workers and supporters danced, burst firecrackers, and raised slogans in favour of the BJP and their senior leaders. They took out a rally at Dr Shyama Parshad Mukherjee Chowk and sought his blessings after offering flowers to his statue. Speaking with ANI on August 27, Jasrotia said, "This is going to be the first election in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370. The people of J&K have decided to elect a Chief Minister from the Bharatiya Janata Party." "This election is going to be a fight between national and anti-national forces," he added. He also questioned the Congress over its alliance with the National Conference. "Congress has to answer the nation, do they want two flags in this country? Do they want two Constitutions in this country?" The Election Commission has issued notification for the first phase of elections in which 24 seats will go to the polls. Jammu and Kashmir is expected to witness multi-cornered contests on most seats. It is the first assembly poll since the abrogation of Article 370. In the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year, the BJP won both the seats in Jammu, again demonstrating its strong support in the region. The National Conference also won two seats. The votes will be counted on October 4. (ANI)
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday accused the Centre of double standards, stating that the Bengal Bandh was not stopped as there is an anti-BJP government in West Bengal while a similar bandh was stopped in the BJP-led Maharashtra government. "When we had given a call for bandh, then we were stopped. Because (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji is running the government here. Here, Amit Shah is running the government. The same incident of sexual assault took place here too," he told reporters here. He was responding to the 12-hour Bengal Bandh given by the BJP in the aftermath of protests triggered by the murder and alleged sexual assault and murder of a woman trainee doctor on August 28 in Kolkata. "We were stopped. But it (Bengal Bandh) was not stopped, as there is a Mamata Didi government in West Bengal. Anti-BJP government. This is our justice system. Double standard," Raut said. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi had called for a Bandh to protest against the alleged sexual assault of two girls in Maharashtra's Badlapur earlier in the month. Raut mentioned that the accused was arrested and the Mamata Banerjee government took the police action in the RG Kar Medical and Hospital incident. "Still, the BJP is attacking the police there," he alleged. Earlier today, the Trinamool Congress party workers staged a protest against BJP's 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' call against the alleged police crackdown on "peaceful" protest during 'Nabanna Abhijan' - march. The Trinamool Congress accused the BJP of trying to create anarchy in Bengal. "We all want justice in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. Mamata Banerjee also wants justice...the case is now in CBI's hands...One accused has been arrested...now the CBI is investigating the matter...They (BJP) are trying to create anarchy here, yesterday they attacked the police and today they have called this bandh...Everything is normal in Bengal...The people of West Bengal have rejected BJP's bandh," said TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh. On Tuesday, the rally termed "Nabanna Abhiyan" started from 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 lobbing tear gas shells to disperse them. (ANI)
Congress MP Manickam Tagore hit out at the BJP and alleged that it was politicising the rape and murder case of the trainee woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital for political gains stating that doing so would not help anyone. Tagore said, "We all know that the Bengal doctor's rape case is very sensitive and now after the Supreme Court intervention it has come to the CBI. We should all try to wait for the correct investigation to happen and the truth should come out. Politicising it for political gains is not going to help anybody." He further said that all governments should work for the safety of women and take it as a high priority. "Government should take the rape crime as a serious mission. Instead of giving speeches, real corrective steps are required by the Modi government. Political parties must take strong actions against people involved in such cases," the Congress MP said. Earlier, BJP called for a '12-hour Bengal Bandh' after Kolkata police resorted to lathicharge, the use of water cannons and tear gas against the protestors in the 'Nabanna Abhijan' Rally. Reacting to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha getting bail following the Supreme Court's decision and being released from Tihar Jail he alleged that there is a closeness between of the BJP and BRS. He said, "We all know about the closeness of the BJP and BRS. Because of that closeness whether K Kavitha has been released is a very serious question, only we can wait for the truth to come out later." Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha on Tuesday 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). (ANI)
In a latest update, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday said that as many as 245 people were injured during the Dahi Handi celebrations on the occasion of Krishna Janmashtami festival. Earlier, the number of injured people during the celebration was given as 238 but in a significant increase, the number increased to 245. Many 'Govindas' who are part of the many human pyramids formed during the celebrations of playing the dahi Handi are under treatment at various private hospitals, while several got discharged after treatment. The injured have been admitted to hospitals including the JJ Hospital, St. George Hospital, GT Hospital, Poddar Hospital, KEM Hospital, Nair Hospital, Sion Hospital, Rajawadi Hospital, Veer Savarkar Hospital, MT Agarwal Hospital, Kurla Bhabha Hospital, Shatabdi Govandi Hospital, Bandra Bhabha Hospital, Trauma Care Hospital, VN Desai Hospital, MW Desai Hospital, Cooper Hospital, BDBA Hospital and Leelavati Hospital. According to the latest reports, around 207 people have been discharged from various hospitals. Last year, during Dahi Handi celebrations, as many as 195 'Govindas' were injured in different incidents. The BMC reported that out of the 195 'Govindas', 18 were admitted to hospital while the remaining 177 were discharged. One of the major cultural activities, Dahi Handi is celebrated by filling an earthen pot with curd, butter, and other milk products. Subsequently, a group forms a human pyramid to reach the matka and break it. The tradition symbolises Lord Krishna's playfulness and innocence, as well as his love for butter and curd. Dahi Handi celebrations commemorate Lord Krishna's act of eating Dahi hung at a height when he was a child. As per the Hindu calendar, Lord Krishna, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, was born on the eighth day of the month of Bhadra. The day mostly falls in August or September as per the Western calendar. The festival of Janmashtami is celebrated by offering prayers to Lord Krishna, with beautifully decorated swings, dance, and music performances along with the Dahi Handi competitions. (ANI)
Union Minister Lalan Singh held West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee responsible for police action on the protesters that took place on August 27, over the murder-rape case at RG Kar Medical College, Kolkata. "In West Bengal, there is no government in the place. There is a climate of anarchy. The CM of the state is a woman. But when there is a demonstration against the violence against women, Mamata Banerjee as the Chief Minister, orders a lathi charge and tear gas on the protesters, " he said, referring to August 27 clashes between police and protesters. "The work done by CPIM earlier is now being done by her (Mamata Banerjee)," he alleged. Replying to a query, he said, "NDA is very strong and NDA is getting stronger. The coming time belongs to NDA ..." Earlier today, the Trinamool Congress party workers staged a protest against BJP's 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' call against the alleged police crackdown on "peaceful" protest during 'Nabanna Abhijan'. Trinamool Congress, on the other hand, accused the BJP of trying to create anarchy in Bengal. "We all want justice in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. Mamata Banerjee also wants justice...the case is now in CBI's hands...One accused has been arrested...now the CBI is investigating the matter...They (BJP) are trying to create anarchy here, yesterday they attacked the police and today they have called this bandh...Everything is normal in Bengal...The people of West Bengal have rejected BJP's bandh," said TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh. On Tuesday, the rally termed "Nabanna Abhiyan" started from 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 lathi-charge and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse them. (ANI)
Former Member of Rajya Sabha, Sambhaji Chhatrapati on Wednesday said that he had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the inauguration of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue, saying that it was not up to the mark. Sambhaji told ANI that the protocols that should have been considered were not taken care off by the concerned authorities. "This is a very sad incident. When it was inaugurated on December 4, the Prime Minister had also come. On December 12, I wrote a letter to him that the statue that was erected was not up to the mark. And today after 7-8 months this happened. The protocols that should have been considered were not taken," he said. "I request the government that whatever protocols are there, they should be maintained and an answer should also be given as to why they were not followed. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj belongs to everyone but for your political benefit, you inaugurated the statue before the Lok Sabha elections. This is not right," he added. Speaking on the incident, Prahar Janshakti Paksh leader, Bacchu Kadu said that people only talk and not connecting to the ideology of Shivaji Maharaj is the reason. "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj used to emphasise every minute detail. But now, some people only talk, they are not connected to ideology. This is the reason there is a problem," he said. The 35-foot statue was inaugurated in December 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Navy Day. 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). Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray took on 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. (ANI)
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav reached All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhopal on Wednesday to meet Governor Mangubhai Patel who is undergoing treatment here. During this, CM Yadav inspected the hospital, looked after the arrangement and also had interaction with some patients here. "Governor admitted here two days ago due to viral fever. He is in very good condition now. I have met him and very soon he will go to his residence," CM Yadav told reporters. The MP CM further highlighted the arrangement of the AIIMS and applauded the efforts of the medical staff. "All the arrangements at AIIMS are good. I have also met some different patients. Director and staff here worked with full devotion, that is why Patients from far-off places in the state come here for treatment," CM said. The chief minister further expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the improvement in the health sector under his leadership. "The way, there is improvement in the health sector under the leadership of PM Modi, I am thankful to him. People are taking the benefits of the health schemes, especially the Ayushman card. I pray for the healthy life of all the people of the state and also express my gratitude to the hospital management who are working with their efficiency," he concluded. Meanwhil, following the success of the Regional Industry Conclave held in Ujjain and Jabalpur districts of Madhya Pradesh, Gwalior is all set to host the next event at Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agricultural University on Wednesday. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will inaugurate the event and hold one-on-one meetings with prominent industrialists and investors. According to an official statement, prominent industrial representatives and investors have been invited to accelerate the industrial development of 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 Rs 2,260 crore in capital investment. This expansion is expected to create employment for over 4,500 people.(ANI)
While the damage has affected vehicular movement in the area, however, repair work has been undertaken by the department concerned and road was opened up for small vehicles, an official said.

Speaking to ANI, Executive engineer Navneet Pandey said, "Due to heavy rain last night, this part of the road has been damaged. we have opened it for small vehicles but for heavy vehicles, it will take some time. Roads ahead, till Mussoorie is open."

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an advisory of isolated heavy rainfall for all districts of Uttarakhand except Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar district

The IMD advisory warned of isolated and heavly rain in parts of Uttarakhand on August 27 and & September 2.

Earlier on August 23, Badrinath National Highway in Uttarakhand's Chamoli was blocked due to the falling of heavy debris from the hill which was later opened for vehicular movements.

"The blocked Badrinath National Highway near Gulabkoti and Paganala have been opened. Work is underway to open the others roads," Chamoli police said on X.

Earlier Chamoli Police informed that the Badrinath National Highway was blocked near Nandprayag, Chhinka Gulabkoti, Paganala and Kanchanala.

Continuous downpours in Uttarakhand have affected day to day activities of the people in the state. (ANI)
Amidst heavy downpours that continued to affect parts of Gujarat, Congress leader and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi expressed condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and whose property has been damaged in the deluge. In a post on X Rahul Gandhi shared, "The flood situation in Gujarat is getting more severe day by day. I express my deepest condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones and whose property has been damaged in this disaster. I hope that the injured recover soon." He further appealed to all Congress workers to provide all possible help to the affected people and the administration in relief and rescue work. He further said, "An appeal is made to all Congress workers to provide all possible help to the affected people and the administration in relief and rescue work. The government is expected to take all necessary steps to reduce the impact of this disaster, so that the affected people can move towards reconstruction and rehabilitation as soon as possible." Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday had a telephonic conversation with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and assured the latter of all possible support and assistance from the Central government. Heavy showers continued to affect parts of Gujarat on Wednesday. Over 20,000 people were evacuated and over 1,500 rescued in different districts as administration carried out relief and rescue operations on a large scale. Chief Minister Patel, taking to his social media platform 'X' posted about having a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the heavy rain situation in Gujarat and inquired about the details of the relief and rescue operations. "The Prime Minister provided guidance on the protection of lives and livestock of citizens. Also, Gujarat was assured of providing all necessary support and assistance from the Central Government," CM Patel shared. Patel said that Prime Minister Modi was constantly monitoring the situation in Gujarat. "Hon'ble Prime Minister is constantly monitoring the situation by worrying about Gujarat. He has a deep affection in his heart for the people of Gujarat. During natural calamities and whenever needed, they always stand by Gujarat and the people of Gujarat, providing warmth and invaluable guidance," Patel posted on X. (ANI) Heavy rainfall continued to lash in parts of Gujarat on Wednesday, worsening the flood-like situation in Vadodara. Six contingents of the Army have been deployed to assist the 14 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 22 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) deployed for rescue and relief work in the State. Earlier on Tuesday, CM Patel conducted a video conference from the State Emergency Operation Center (SEOC) in Gandhinagar to review the relief and rescue efforts being undertaken in response to the heavy rainfall across the state. (ANI)
Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar on August 28 joined the protests amid a 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' called by the BJP to protest the alleged police action on protesters during a protest rally in Kolkata on Tuesday. The BJP leader participated in a rally in Kolkata's Baguiati. Police and other security personnel wearing helmets were also present at the spot. Sukanta Majumdar, who is the also state BJP President, told reporters, that they will start a seven-day dharna from August 29 after the Kolkata High Court permitted them. "Kolkata HC has given us permission for a seven-day Dharna. We will start it from tomorrow...We welcome their verdict...There is no democracy here, police cannot stop firing but only stop BJP's protest. The police can arrest BJP leaders but not the accused," he told reporters. Earlier today, the Trinamool Congress party workers staged a protest against BJP's 'Bengal Bandh'. Trinamool Congress, on the other hand, accused the BJP of trying to create anarchy in Bengal. "We all want justice in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. Mamata Banerjee also wants justice...the case is now in CBI's hands...One accused has been arrested...now the CBI is investigating the matter...They (BJP) are trying to create anarchy here, yesterday they attacked the police and today they have called this bandh...Everything is normal in Bengal...The people of West Bengal have rejected BJP's bandh," said TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh. In West Bengal, BJP called for a '12-hour Bengal Bandh' after Kolkata police resorted to lathi-charge, the use of water cannons and tear gas against the protestors in the 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally. On August 27, chaos broke out in the streets of Kolkata. 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 growing protests over the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. The murder and alleged sexual assault of a female trainee doctor on August 9 at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital caused national outrage and many rallies have been held in different states of the country. (ANI)
The West Bengal Junior Doctors' Forum held a protest rally in Kolkata on Wednesday demanding justice for a fellow doctor who was tragically raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on 9 August. The rally coincides with the BJP's call for a 12-hour Bangla Bandh across West Bengal and is meant to highlight the growing frustration within the medical community over the need for improved safety measures and swift justice. Ahead of the rally, Dr Mazumder of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital said, "Earlier our protest march was only for doctors, but today we have called everyone to join us...Yesterday, none of our doctors were present..." Meanwhile, BJP workers staged a protest in Asansol as well and were seen blocking railway tracks. Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar also joined the protests amid a 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' called by the BJP to protest the alleged police action on protesters during a protest rally in Kolkata on Tuesday. The BJP leader participated in a rally in Kolkata's Baguiati. Police and other security personnel wearing helmets were also present at the spot. Sukanta Majumdar, who is the also state BJP President, told reporters, that they will start a seven-day dharna from August 29 after the Kolkata High Court permitted them. "Kolkata HC has given us permission for a seven-day Dharna. We will start it from tomorrow...We welcome their verdict...There is no democracy here, police cannot stop firing but only stop BJP's protest. The police can arrest BJP leaders but not the accused," he told reporters. On August 27, chaos broke out in the streets of Kolkata. 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 growing protests over the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case. On the other hand, Trinamool Congress party workers also staged a protest against BJP's 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh'. TMC accused the BJP of trying to create anarchy in Bengal. (ANI)
Ahead of Assembly elections, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti highlighted on August 28 that the basic agenda of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) is to provide the people of Jammu and Kashmir peace with dignity. The PDP Chief also said that her party has always fought the elections on its own for the sake of the people. "We have always fought alone. Ever since our party was formed, we have fought alone and with the support of the people. We have fought to remove the sufferings of the people here...," Mufti told reporters. "...The basic agenda of the PDP is to place Jammu and Kashmir into an era of dignity. To give peace with dignity. We are moving forward with that agenda. Whether someone is with us or not, people should be us," the PDP President added. She was responding to queries about the expectations of the PDP in the wake of pre-poll alliance of the Congress and the National Conference days ahead of the Assembly elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier Mehbooba Mufti said that "if the Congress-NC alliance are ready to accept PDP's agenda they are ready to support them." In their election manifesto, the PDP promised efforts to restore Articles 370 and 35A, initiate diplomatic dialogues between India and Pakistan, and ensure the dignified return of Kashmiri Pandits to the valley. Notably, in the 2014 Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the PDP won 28 seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 25, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference won 15, and the Congress won 12. The PDP and BJP formed a coalition government led by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed. However, in 2018, the BJP withdrew its support from the alliance after Mehbooba Mufti took over following Mufti Mohammed Sayeed's demise. Jammu and Kashmir is expected to witness multi-cornered contests on most seats. It is the first assembly poll since the abrogation of Article 370. The Election Commission has issued notification for the first phase of elections in which 24 seats will go to the polls. In the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year, the BJP won both the seats in Jammu, again demonstrating its strong support in the region. The National Conference also won two seats. The votes will be counted on October 4. (ANI)
The BJP Minority Morcha organised a national membership campaign workshop 2024 at the BJP headquarters to make the membership campaign 2024 successful. The campaign workshop was organised on Tuesday under the chairmanship of National President Jamal Siddiqui in order to achieve the target of making 50 lakh members across the country. The workshop was inaugurated by Union Minister Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju by paying floral tributes to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. The concluding remarks were made by National President Jamal Siddiqui. National President Jamal Siddiqui told ANI that the membership drive will run from September 2 to November 10. The primary national membership drive starting from September 1 will be conducted by the Morcha in two phases. The first phase will run from September 1 to September 25, and the second phase from October 1 to October 15. The Minority Morcha has a target of making 50 lakh members across the country. Any person in the country can join the party membership through four modes - missed call, QR code, Namo App, and BJP website. He said that the BJP Minority Morcha will also make members by visiting the Sufi community, for which 14,000 Sufi dialogue teams will work. Similarly, 22 lakh minority sisters connected with the "Shukriya Modi Ji" campaign and "Modi Mitr" will also join this campaign. Additionally, each office bearer at the district, state, and national levels has been given a target of making 100 members. BJP Minority Morcha national chief Jamal Siddiqui told ANI that, "Today, workers from BJP Minority Morcha from across the country have gathered at the BJP headquarters. We are informing them about the membership drive 2024, how to become members, and the targets set for each state. We aim to make around 50 lakh members from the minority community across the country. We will visit Sufi shrines, madrasas, and meet with Christian brothers to make them members. " He further said, "We will also engage with Sikh brothers and make them members. In short, we will reach out to every section of society and inform them that the Indian BJP wants to reconnect with them. The BJP has launched a membership drive, and this is the time to join the party and support Prime Minister Narendra Modi in nation-building. Those who said the BJP is distant from us, Prime Minister Modi has said that the party is open to all, and everyone can join, become a worker, and even contest elections." "I especially want to tell the Muslim community to take advantage of this opportunity, become members, workers, and office bearers, and even contest elections to serve their community. We will contact those who have benefited from government schemes and connect with people through them," said Siddiqui. Dushyant Gautam, in-charge of BJP Minority Morcha, told ANI that the party is running a membership drive at every level, from national to district levels. We will achieve the targets set for each state and reach out to minorities. Under PM Modi's leadership, we are working towards development for all, and now minorities want to join the BJP. Those who have benefited from schemes like triple talaq, LPG connections, and food for 80 crore people want to join the party. I believe we will exceed our first target of 50 lakh members. On this occasion, BJP National General Secretary and Morcha National In-charge Dushyant Kumar Gautam, Uttarakhand Wakf Board Chairman Shadab Shams, National Office Bearers, Presidents, General Secretaries, National In-charges, and Co-Incharges of all states were present. (ANI)
Paired-up assistance boosts growth of plateau county

08:55, August 28, 2024 By Lyu Qiuping, Jiang Fan and Huang Yaoman ( Xinhua

Photo taken on Sept. 23, 2021 shows ripe highland barley against the backdrop of snow-covered mountains at Ombu Township, Nyima County, Nagqu City of southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

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.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday condemned BJP's 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' and called it an attempt to "defame" Bengal. Mamata Banerjee's scathing attack on BJP comes after the latter held a 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' protest, following the 'Nabanna Abhijan' violence. Mamata Banerjee claimed that TMC government wants justice for the victims of R G Kar Hospital and College incident. "We have dedicated this day to the RG Kar doctor. We want justice but BJP today called for a bandh. They don't want justice, they are only trying to defame Bengal," Mamata Banerjee said. She further criticised the 'Bandh' and supported the police actions on the protestors of Nabanna Abhijan rally. "We don't support this bandh. BJP never demanded the resignations of the CMs of UP, MP and even Manipur. We saw pictures from yesterday (Nabanna Abhiyan rally), I salute the police for handling the situation well." she said. She further said that the rapist will be rightfully punished. "For this, there is only one punishment- to hang till death," she said. She furher informed that the West Bengal government will introduce a bill in the next 10 days to ensure the punishment for rapists. "Next week, we will call an Assembly session and pass a Bill within 10 days to ensure capital punishment for rapists. We will send this Bill to the Governor. If he doesn't pass the bill, we will sit outside Raj Bhavan. This Bill must be passed and he cannot evade accountability this time," she said. TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee also opposed the BJP's 12-hour "Bengal Band". "We oppose the 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' called by BJP." "We oppose the 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' called by BJP," Banerjee said. Abhishek Banerjee also demanded legislation for crime against women. "If a time-bound legislation pertaining to the crimes against women is not passed by the Centre in the next 3-4 months, then Trinamool Congress will hold a big movement in Delhi," he said. BJP has called for a '12 hour Bengal Bandh' after Kolkata police resorted to lathi charge, use of water cannons and tear gas against the protestors in Nabnna Abhiyaan' Rally. (ANI)
Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, has won the Baramulla seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by defeating former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Rashid, who has been lodged in Tihar jail, has filed a petition for seeking regular bail in the case.

Additional Sessions Judge Chanderjit Singh has reserved his order on the bail application of Rashid Engineer after a detailed in-camera (not open to public) hearing. The court is expected to pronounce its decision on September 4.

The lawyers related to the case confirmed that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has strongly opposed the bail plea of Engineer Rashid.

Engineer Rashid, who was arrested in connection with a 2017 Jammu and Kashmir terror funding case, has submitted a second regular bail application in Delhi's Patiala House court.

Earlier, the same court had granted Rashid, a two-hour custody parole on July 5 to allow him to take the oath as a Member of Parliament.

In 2005, Engineer Rashid was arrested by the Special Operations Group (SOG) in Srinagar for allegedly supporting militants and was held for three months and 17 days. He faced charges of anti-national activities and was incarcerated in Cargo, Humhama, and Raj Bagh prisons. However, the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Srinagar later dropped all charges against him on humanitarian grounds.

In August 2019, Rashid was again arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). During his incarceration, he filed his nomination for the 2024 parliamentary elections from jail and won by a margin of 204,000 votes, defeating former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. (ANI)
The collapse of a 35-foot Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg in Maharashtra has taken a political turn with the opposition holding the government accountable. Prahar Janshakti Paksh leader Bacchu Kadu said that the government is not connected to the ideology of Shivaji Maharaj. "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj used to emphasise every minute detail. But now, some people only talk, they are not connected to ideology. This is the reason there is a problem," Kadu said. Swarajya's Sambhaji Chhatrapati said, "It is a sad incident. I had written to the PM that the statue was not up to the mark. Months later this incident happened. You can't say that the incident happened due to wind. It is your responsibility and accountability." Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, Aaditya Thackeray had on Tuesday accused the BJP of corruption. 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." The 35-foot Shivaji 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 both at the Centre and the state, knew nothing except corruption. 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." (ANI)
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray questioned the BJP-led Mahayuti government over the incident of the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue at Rajkot Fort earlier in the month. He also spoke about the alleged atrocities on women in the state. "The atrocities on women and corruption in the state are crossing all limits. The leaders of all three parties came together and discussed these issues," Uddhav Thackeray told reporters on August 28. He added, "Two days ago people saw how the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj fell and what kind of statements people are making. Rajya Bhavan is on the seashore but even the Governor's hat never flew and they say that the statue of Shivaji Maharaj fell due to strong winds, how is this possible?..." Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had said that the "statue fell and was damaged due to strong winds." The collapse of a 35-foot Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg in Maharashtra has taken a political turn with the opposition holding the government accountable. Prahar Janshakti Paksh leader Bacchu Kadu said that the government is not connected to the ideology of Shivaji Maharaj. "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj used to emphasise every minute detail. But now, some people only talk, they are not connected to ideology. This is the reason there is a problem," Kadu said. Swarajya's Sambhaji Chhatrapati said, "It is a sad incident. I had written to the PM that the statue was not up to the mark. Months later this incident happened. You can't say that the incident happened due to wind. It is your responsibility and accountability." Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, Aaditya Thackeray had on Tuesday accused the BJP of corruption. 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." The 35-foot Shivaji 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 both at the Centre and the state, knew nothing except corruption. 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." (ANI)
This upgrade involves augmenting the security measures currently provided by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel.

The ASL status brings Bhagwat's security level on par with that of Home Minister Amit Shah.

Officials told ANI that the new directions were issued on August 16 considering fresh threat analysis report submitted to the MHA by the Intelligence Bureau.

They said that the ASL protocol was previously required only during Bhagwat's visits to certain sensitive locations.

Bhagwat is among 10 persons who have 'Z+' armed security cover by CISF personnel. Currently, a total of 200 protectees are being covered by the CISF personnel.

The security enhancement for the RSS chief comes in response to recent assessments revealing vulnerabilities, especially in states led by non-BJP parties. The report highlights threats from various organizations, including radical Islamist groups, and cites intelligence inputs about Bhagwat's increased risk. This prompted the MHA to classify Bhagwat as an "ASL protectee," necessitating enhanced security measures.

All states and Union Territories have been informed of the security upgrade. Under the ASL protocol, local agencies, including district administrations, police, health departments, and others, are required to collaborate to ensure the protectee's security and safety.

Furthermore, helicopter travel for the protectee is restricted to specially designed aircraft and must comply with detailed protocols. The ASL protocol also mandates thorough anti-sabotage inspections and implements multi-layered security rings to ensure comprehensive protection. (ANI)
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia flagged off 'Pashu Seva Rath' to provide health services to animals in Gwalior on Wednesday. In a post on X, office of Jyotiraditya Scindia wrote, "Gwalior has always been a pioneer in the service of animals, especially Gau-seva. To further strengthen this effort, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav ji and Scindia ji flagged off Pashu Raksha Vaahan today." According to the Gwalior Municipal Corporation, many cattle and other animals got injured after getting hit by vehicles. The corporation started 'Pashu Seva Rath' to provide health services to animals suffering from illness and unable to stand on their feet. It will take injured and sick animals to the Gaushala for treatment. The residents can give information about insured and injured animals in their vicinity on phone number 07512438358 and mobile number 9644 08123. Yadav reached here to inaugurate and participate in the Regional Industry Conclave being held at Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agricultural University in the district. CM Yadav, Union Minister Scindia, Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar along with other state ministers, inaugurated the Regional Industry Conclave. Earlier, in the day, CM Yadav told reporters, "Today, Regional Industry Conclave is going to be held in Gwalior, the conclaves held in the state so far have received good response. The conclaves held at divisional level in the state are getting good results, people are trusting us and we are meeting their expectations." Regional Industry Conclave will play a major role in providing employment to youth in all sectors, he added. The Conclaves are being held as a pre-event of the "Invest Madhya Pradesh-Global Investor Summit-2025". GIS-2025 is proposed to be organised in Bhopal on February 7 and 8 next year. The main objective of the GIS-2025 Summit is to establish Madhya Pradesh as a favourable investment destination and to include it among the leading states of the country by highlighting the capabilities, abundant resources and favourable industrial environment of the state. The first event in the series of Regional Industry Conclave was organised in Ujjain on March 1 and 2 this year. Later, the conclave was held in Jabalpur last month on July 20. Besides, Interactive Session on Investment Opportunities in MP events has also been held simultaneously outside the state as part of the pre-event of 'Invest Madhya Pradesh-Global Investor Summit-2025'. (ANI)
The Gurugram unit of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has attached assets totalling Rs 294.19 crore under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in the Sunstar Overseas Ltd case, the agency said on Wednesday. These assets include land, buildings, flats, and fixed deposit receipts (FDRs). The attached assets include land and building (including agricultural land) of 72 acres worth Rs 210.6 crore at Sonipat, Amritsar and Gurugram; two residential houses in Delhi's Civil Lines of more than 5000 sq. mtrs. worth Rs 77 crore, four flats at Karnal worth Rs 1.54 crore, bank balance of Rs 1.27 crore, and FDRs worth Rs 3.78 crore. ED initiated an investigation based on an FIR registered by the Chandigarh branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Sunstar Overseas Ltd (SOL), its ex-directors namely Rohit Aggarwal, Manik Aggarwal, Sumit Aggarwal and others under various sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860 for committing fraud, criminal misappropriation, criminal breach of trust, cheating and causing wrongful loss of more than Rs 950 crore to the consortium of nine lender banks. ED investigation revealed that whereas total admitted claims against SOL were Rs 1,274.14 crore, the entity was taken over through CIRP proceedings only for Rs 196 crore by a resolution applicant Umaiza Infracon LLP (through Ajay Yadav) being a shell entity without having any funds of its own. During the investigation, ED said, it had already conducted searches under PMLA, 2002 in January 2024 as well as arrested three persons namely Rakesh Gulati, Paramjeet and Ajay Yadav in July 2024. They were found to be involved in the conspiracy and aforesaid diversion of loan funds to regain the actual control and business of an insolvent company from NCLT. (ANI)
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday opposed Rashid Engineer's bail plea in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) case and stated that if granted bail, Rashid Engineer, as a Member of Parliament, may misuse his position to influence witnesses and obstruct justice. The agency said a confidential report indicating that Rashid previously misused the telephone facilities in Central Jail, Tihar, leading to restrictions on his call privileges. The NIA fears he might misuse his liberty similarly if released on bail. The NIA claims Rashid defended the 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed's terror activities as a 'political cause,' suggesting a troubling alignment with extremist narratives. The NIA asserts that Rashid is involved in a strategy by Pakistani and secessionist groups to portray terrorist acts as political struggles, aiming to incite separatism in Jammu and Kashmir and given these concerns, the NIA urged the Patiala House Court of Delhi to reject Rashid's bail application. Delhi's Patiala House Court on Wednesday reserved the order on the bail plea of jailed parliamentarian Engineer Rashid in connection with a 2017 Jammu and Kashmir terror funding case. Rashid, who recently won the Baramulla seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by defeating former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, seeks bail as his case progresses. The Additional Sessions Judge Chanderjit Singh has reserved its order on the bail application of Rashid Engineer after a detailed in-camera hearing. The court is expected to pronounce its decision on September 4. Engineer Rashid, who was arrested in connection with a 2017 Jammu and Kashmir terror funding case, has submitted a second regular bail application in Delhi's Patiala House court. Earlier, the same court had granted Sheikh Abdul Rashid, also known as Engineer Rashid, a two-hour custody parole on July 5 to allow him to take the oath as a Member of Parliament. In 2005, Engineer Rashid was arrested by the Special Operations Group (SOG) in Srinagar for allegedly supporting terrorists and was held for three months and 17 days. He faced charges of anti-national activities and was incarcerated in Cargo, Humhama, and Raj Bagh prisons. However, the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Srinagar later dropped all charges against him on humanitarian grounds. In August 2019, Rashid was again arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). During his incarceration, he filed his nomination for the 2024 parliamentary elections from jail and won by a margin of 204,000 votes, defeating former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. (ANI)
Acting on reliable intelligence, vigilant BSF troops apprehended an Indian smuggler along with a large consignment of narcotics, intended for smuggling into Bangladesh.

In a swift and well-coordinated operation, the alert troops of the 157 Battalion BSF conducted a special search operation in the bordering area of District Cooch Behar, West Bengal.

The operation led to the apprehension of one Indian smuggler along with the seizure of 40 kilograms of Ganja and 150 bottles of prohibited cough syrup, which were meant for smuggling from India to Bangladesh.

In other operations, based on reliable inputs, the vigilant BSF troops foiled multiple smuggling attempts, seizing a total of 602 bottles of prohibited cough syrup and rescuing 8 cattle heads from smugglers who were attempting to traffic them across the international border into Bangladesh.

The apprehended smuggler and the seized contraband have been handed over to the local police for further legal action. (ANI)
The Indian Army celebrated Women's Equality Day with significant events in Mariani, Assam, and Taksing Village, Arunachal Pradesh. Women's Equality Day is celebrated annually on August 26. This day is celebrated every year to commemorate the passage of women's suffrage in the US and remind people of the hurdles overcome by the heroic females who faced violence and discrimination to propel the women's movement forward. "In a powerful demonstration of solidarity and respect towards the women of the nation, the Indian Army marked Women Equality Day with significant events in Mariani, Assam, and Taksing Village, Arunachal Pradesh," as per a press release from PRO Defence Guwahati. At Mahadeb Agarwalla HS School, the Indian Army conducted an inspiring session featuring a lecture and the screening of a motivational film. The event, which was attended by 60 girl students, served as a tribute to the indomitable spirit, courage, and dedication of women, both in society and within the armed forces. The students were provided with valuable insights on how to join the armed forces and were guided on the necessary preparations required to serve the nation in uniform, as per PRO Defence Guwahati. "The celebration extended to Taksing Village in Arunachal Pradesh, where the Indian Army focused on raising awareness about gender equality and women empowerment, while also saluting the sacrifices made by women across the country. The event aimed to enlighten and inspire the local community, reaffirming the importance of gender equality in building a stronger nation," as per the PRO Defence Guwahati release. The Indian Army remains committed to promoting gender equality and empowering women, recognizing their invaluable contributions to the nation's progress, PRO Defence Guwahati stated. (ANI)
Noting that the gruesome incident of rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata has left the nation shocked, President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday expressed her sense of outrage at the incidents of atrocities against women and called for self-introspection to uncover the roots of the malaise. The President penned an open letter 'Women's Safety: Enough is Enough' to express her deep sense of anguish at the recent incidents of crimes said women have had to fight for every inch of ground they have won. Expressing concern over collective amnesia over the memory of criminality, she said the time has come not only to face history squarely "but also to search within our souls and probe the pathology of crime against women". The President called for honouring the memory of the victims to make society more vigilant in the future and said the recent spate of crimes against women should force honest introspection. She spoke of the need to counter the mindset that sees "the female as a lesser human being, less powerful, less capable, less intelligent"and said it is "objectification of women by a few that is behind the crimes against women". "The gruesome incident of rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata has left the nation shocked. I was dismayed and horrified when I came to hear of it. What is more depressing is the fact that it was not the only incident of its kind; it is part of a series of crimes against women. Even as students, doctors and citizens were protesting in Kolkata, criminals remained on the prowl elsewhere. The victims include even kindergarten girls. No civilised society can allow daughters and sisters to be subjected to such atrocities. The nation is bound to be outraged, and so am I," she said. The President said that she had shared her thoughts and hopes about women's empowerment in the form of a newspaper article on the occasion of Women's Day last year. "I remain an optimist, thanks to our past achievements in empowering women. I consider myself as an example of that spectacular journey of women empowerment in India. But I myself feel deeply anguished when I hear about brutality against women in any part of the country," she said. President Murmu said she was in a unique predicament when some schoolchildren who had come to celebrate Rakhi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan asked her innocently if they could be assured that there would be no recurrence of the Nirbhaya-type incident in future. "I told them that though the State is committed to protect every citizen, training in self-defence and martial arts is essential for all, particularly girls, to make them stronger. But that's not a guarantee for their security as women's vulnerability is influenced by many factors. Obviously, the full answer to that question can come only from our society. For that to happen, what is needed first of all is honest, unbiased self-introspection," the President said. "The time has come when we as a society need to ask ourselves some difficult questions. Where have we erred? And what can we do to remove the errors? Without finding out the answer to that question, the half of our population cannot live as freely as the other half. To answer it, let me explain it right at the beginning. Our Constitution granted equality to all, including women, when it was only an ideal in many parts of the world," she added. She said the State then created institutions to establish this equality, wherever needed, and promoted it with a series of schemes and initiatives. Civil society came forward and supplemented the State's outreach in this regard, she said, adding that visionary leaders in all spheres of society pushed for gender equality. "Finally, there were exceptional, feisty women who made it possible for their less fortunate sisters to benefit from this social revolution. That has been the saga of women's empowerment. Yet, this journey has not been without its obstacles." The President said social prejudices have been obstacles to the expansion of women's rights "Women have had to fight for every inch of ground they have won. Social prejudices as well as some customs and practices have always opposed the expansion of women's rights. This is a rather deplorable mindset. I won't call it a male mindset, because it has little to do with the gender of the person: there are many, many men who don't have it," she said. "This mindset sees the female as a lesser human being, less powerful, less capable, less intelligent. Those who share such views then go further and see the female as an object. It is this objectification of women by a few that is behind the crimes against women. It is ingrained deeply in the minds of such people. Let me also note here that, regrettably, this is the case not only in India, but across the world. Difference between one place and the next is more of a degree than kind," she said. The President said that countering this mindset is a task for both the State and the society. "In India, over the years, the two have fought hard to change the wrong attitude." Pointing out that there have been laws and there have been social campaigns, she said there is something that "continues to come in the way and to torment us". "In December 2012, we had come face to face with that element when a young woman was gang-raped and murdered. There was shock and rage. We were determined not to let another Nirbhaya meet the same fate. We made plans and devised strategies. These initiatives did make a difference to an extent. Yet, our task remains unfinished as long as any woman feels unsafe in the environment where she lives or works," the President said. She said in the twelve years since that tragedy in the national capital, there have been countless tragedies of similar nature, though only a few drew nationwide attention. "Even these were soon forgotten. Did we learn our lessons? As social protests petered out, these incidents got buried into a deep and inaccessible recess of social memory, to be recalled only when another heinous crime takes place. This collective amnesia, I am afraid, is as much obnoxious as that mindset I spoke of," she said. "History often hurts. Societies scared to face history resort to collective amnesia to bury their heads in the sand like the proverbial ostrich. Now the time has come not only to face history squarely but also to search within our souls and probe the pathology of crime against women. I am of the firm belief that we should not let amnesia prevail over the memory of such criminality. "Let us deal with this perversion in a comprehensive manner so as to curb it right at the beginning. We can do this only if we honour the memory of the victims by cultivating a social culture of remembering them to remind us of our failures in the past and prepare us to be more vigilant in future," she added. President Murmu said the country owes it to its daughters to remove the hurdles from their path of winning the freedom from fear. "Then we can collectively give a firm answer to the innocent query of those children in the next Raksha Bandhan. Let us collectively say enough is enough," she said. (ANI)
In the wake of BJP's 12-hour Bengal Bandh, party workers on Wednesday staged a protest in Asansol over the police action at 'Nabanna Abhijan' protest, and the alleged rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. BJP workers sat on the railway tracks and also stopped trains at Burnpur railway station In a fiery attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, BJP leader Bappa Chatterjee while staging a protest in Asansol said that Bengal Bandh is just a trailer if she doesn't resign from her post as she is unable to safeguard women in the state. Bappa Chatterjee, BJP leader said, "The Bandh has been called for two reasons- the first is regarding the RG Kar incident and the second is yesterday, the youth and students had gathered to put forth their point in Nabanna but there is a dictatorship going on in the state. She (Mamata Banerjee) herself is the police minister, the health minister and the chief minister. Despite being in charge of everything, neither the police administration is doing any work here, nor the health department and this is not for the first time, this anarchy is since she is the Chief Minister. If she can't safeguard women despite being a woman chief minister, then, we, the people of BJP demands her to resign from the post. Bengal Bandh is just a trailer, if she doesn't resign BJP will protest with more intensity. We will see how long she will sit on the chair." Meahnwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned BJP's 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' and called it an attempt to "defame" Bengal. Mamata Banerjee's scathing attack on BJP comes after the latter held a 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' protest, following the 'Nabanna Abhijan' violence. Mamata Banerjee claimed that TMC government wants justice for the victims of R G Kar Hospital and College incident. "We have dedicated this day to the RG Kar doctor. We want justice but BJP today called for a bandh. They don't want justice, they are only trying to defame Bengal," Mamata Banerjee said. She further criticised the 'Bandh' and supported the police actions on the protestors of Nabanna Abhijan rally. "We don't support this bandh. BJP never demanded the resignations of the CMs of UP, MP and even Manipur. We saw pictures from yesterday (Nabanna Abhiyan rally), I salute the police for handling the situation well." she said. BJP has called for a '12 hour Bengal Bandh' after Kolkata police resorted to lathi charge, use of water cannons and tear gas against the protestors in Nabnna Abhiyaan' Rally. (ANI)
Hundreds of unemployed trained physical education teachers staged a Vidhansabha Gherao protest in Shimla on Wednesday. Organised by the HP State Physical Education Trained Teachers Association, the demonstrators called for the filling up of over 870 advertised posts. They have warned of a more aggressive protest outside the Chief Minister's residence if their demands are not met within a month. Ramesh Rajput, President of the Physical Education Trained Unemployed Teachers Association, told ANI that if the government does not fulfil their demands, they will protest along with their families outside the Chief Minister's residence. "This is our 14th day of protest. We want to meet the Chief Minister to address the 870 vacant posts. We are over 22,000 trained individuals in the state. There are more than 2,160 vacancies, and 870 posts have been advertised. If our demands are not met, we will protest with our families outside the Chief Minister's residence. The government is merely passing the buck. We are giving them one month to act," said Ramesh Rajput, President of the Physical Education Trained Unemployed Teachers Association. Soniya, another protester, voiced concerns about the future of those pursuing higher education in physical education. "I am currently pursuing a master's degree in physical education. We are demanding that the advertised posts be filled. We have trained for many years and are left uncertain about our future. If you expect Olympic medals, you need to train students and athletes, which is only possible with physical education teachers," Soniya said. (ANI)
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and senior leader Champai Soren resigned from all posts and primary membership of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Wednesday. In a post on X, Soren confirmed his resignation from the party as he pledged his commitment to continue the struggle on various issues. "Today I resigned from the primary membership and all posts of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. Our struggle will continue on the issues of tribals, natives, Dalits, backward people and common people of Jharkhand," Soren said as he shared his resignation letter. Earlier on Tuesday, announcing his decision to join the BJP, Soren expressed his faith in 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 said. Soren further said that the people of the Kolhan region had stood with him at every step, and rejected his option of taking "sanyaas" from politics. He also stated that "only BJP seems serious on this issue and other parties are ignoring it for the sake of votes." Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday revealed Soren's decision to join the BJP. "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 said in a post on X. Congress accused the BJP of leveraging prominent figures from rival parties who have "high ambitions." "Hemant Soren is the biggest leader there and Champai Soren was the acting CM. After Hemant ji returned, he was elected again. It is not right when he (Champai Soren) says that he is not getting respect. We have seen that BJP goes where they see someone who has high ambitions," Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said while speaking to ANI. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren responded to the news saying, "The people of the state will decide if there were any shortcomings." Independent MP Pappu Yadav criticized Champai Soren's decision, stating that it would erode trust and undermine the leadership of Hemant Soren. "Such behaviour will break the trust. The way Hemant Soren has trusted Champai Soren - instead of making CM to any of his family members, he made a party worker the CM. These are the behaviours and characters which lead to distrust of people in leaders. It's a time when people will come and go but the SC, ST, OBC, Dalits community is more firm with Hemant Soren than ever before," Pappu Yadav said. However, Champai Soren dismissed criticism from his former party, JMM, saying he didn't think it was appropriate to respond. Earlier, 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)
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), in a step towards fostering international cooperation, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SAI Bahrain, the National Audit Office, Kingdom of Bahrain, in Manama. The agreement, inked by the two Supreme Audit institutions, aims to enhance collaboration and mutual cooperation in the fields of audit activities, developing the professional skills of the staff members of the two nations. Through this MoU, a platform will be established for encouraging training activities, visits of experts and the exchange of technical information and research output in the fields of auditing. Girish Chandra Murmu, the CAG of India, expressed his confidence in the partnership, stating, "This MoU will open upon several avenues for operationalising knowledge sharing and capacity building initiatives between our SAIs." CAG of India believed that "the two SAIs' commitment to a robust bilateral relationship is a testament to the shared values and objectives of our institutions and will serve to reinforce the bonds between our SAIs and our nations. Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa, Auditor General, National Audit Office, Kingdom of Bahrain, emphasised the importance of the agreement in developing and strengthening the professional capacity and audit methodologies of both institutions. The signing of the MoU will further strengthen the bilateral relationship and achieve a milestone in promoting closer ties and collaboration among the two SAIs. During the visit of Manama, the CAG of India also interacted with the Odiya community of Bahrain and commended the role of the Bahrain Odiya community for enhancing the identity of Odisha on the global platform. (ANI)
The state of Himachal Pradesh has been experiencing heavy rainfall over the past 24 hours, which has caused significant disruption in the hill resort town of Shimla. The downpour has resulted in several trees being uprooted, due to which the Information and Public Relations Office at Chhota Shimla sustained partial damage because of a tree falling over it. According to the local weather centre in Shimla, the region has recorded 41 mm of rainfall during this period. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow warning for heavy rainfall across various parts of Himachal Pradesh for the next 24 hours. Dr. Kuldeep Srivastava, head of IMD HP, indicated that four districts in the state are expected to experience heavy rain. "During the past 24 hours, we have observed light to moderate rainfall in several districts of Himachal Pradesh. Manali received 42 mm and Shimla received 41 mm of rainfall. Heavy rain is anticipated in the Kullu, Chamba, Kangra, and Mandi regions. While the monsoon is currently 30% below average in the state, August's rainfall remains normal. We have issued a yellow warning for heavy rains for the next 24 hours," Srivastava said. Earlier on August 22, the district administration stated that at least 20 bodies had been recovered from rubble after multiple landslides hit Shimla following incessant rainfall in Himachal Pradesh. The Shimla District Administration held an emergency meeting on August 21 to address the situation and begin road restoration. Meanwhile, the sinking areas of Shimla city are increasingly concerning scientists and geological experts, who have observed a rising number of landslides and ground subsidence in the region. Experts stress that controlling and channelling surface water is crucial to prevent further soil saturation and mitigate the risks associated with these sinking areas. Dr. S.S. Randhawa, Principal Scientist at the Centre for Climate Change within the Department of Environment, Science, and Technology of the Government of Himachal Pradesh, is leading research on this issue. Heading a geological team that studied and reported on last year's floods in Shimla, Dr. Randhawa emphasized the need for a comprehensive plan to guide the city's future development. (ANI)
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday dedicated the new Arunachal Bhawan in Tinsukia, Assam, to the people of the state, especially those residing in eastern Arunachal districts. "This state-of-the-art facility, equipped with amenities at par with a 3-star property, stands as a symbol of the enduring bond between the people of Arunachal and Assam," Khandu remarked during the inaugural ceremony of the new asset. Built on land donated by the Government of Assam, the Bhawan is located in the prime area of Bordoloi Nagar, near Civil Hospital, Tinsukia, adjacent to Chalina Nagar Naamghar, as per a press release from Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Office. The new Arunachal Bhawan replaces the old, dilapidated Inspection Bungalow (IB), and now offers a modern, welcoming space for our citizens who come to Assam for health check-ups, business, and other essential needs. Khandu expressed satisfaction over the quality of work and design of the building and lauded the executing agency PWD (Eastern Zone) and the construction agency. Started in 2022, the building was made ready for inauguration in a record time of two years. "Khandu further observed that the new well-furbished facility will not only benefit people of eastern Arunachal but also the Tinsukia district administration in terms of utilizing it for official purposes as well as cultural meets. The new Bhavan comprises of a state-of-the-art cultural hall," the release stated. He informed that in the last few years, similar assets were started and completed in various other cities like the Arunachal Bhavans in Dibrugarh, Tezpur, Guwahati and Bodh Gaya in Bihar. "A new Arunachal Bhavan is coming up in Dwarka in New Delhi, which will be ready for opening in few months. Plans are also in place for a new building replacing the existing Arunachal Bhavan in New Delhi," Khandu added. Appreciating the presence of local Assam legislator Bolin Chetia, officials of the Tinsukia administration, local community leaders and Assamese cultural troupes, Khandu reiterated the strong bond between the people of both the states since ages. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi the north-eastern states are witnessing unprecedented progress especially in fields of infrastructure and communication. "Assam has to play a big role in development of the North East and I can vouch that Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma is doing commendable job in this regard. We as the North East have to develop as one entity so as to walk shoulder to shoulder with rest of the states," Khandu said. Also present were Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Speaker Tesam Pongte, legislators and administrative officers from several eastern Arunachal districts, officials of the PWD and others. (ANI)
The Centre on Wednesday appointed senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Rajwinder Singh Bhatti as the Director General of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) until September 30, 2025, a government order said. The Central government has also appointed senior Indian Police Service officer Daljit Singh Chaudhary as the Director General, the Border Security Force (BSF) until November 30, 2025. As per the Department of Personnel and Training, "Appointment of Shri Rajwinder Singh Bhatti, IPS (BH:90) to the post of Director General, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) (Level- 16 in the Pay Matrix) from the date of assumption of charge of the post, for a tenure up to the date of his superannuation on 30.09.2025 or until further orders, whichever is earlier." "Appointment of Shri Daljit Singh Chaudhary, IPS (UP:90) presently working as Director General, SSB, to the post of Director General, Border Security Force (BSF) (Level-16 in the Pay Matrix) from the date of assumption of charge of the post, for a tenure up to the date of his superannuation on 30.11.2025 or until further orders, whichever is earlier," as per Department of Personnel and Training. The CISF, which came into existence in 1969 to provide integrated security cover to certain sensitive public sector undertakings with a strength of only three battalions, has since grown into a premier multi-skilled organization with a present strength of 1,71,635 personnel. The CISF at present provides security cover to 358 establishments through the length and breadth of the country. The CISF also has its own Fire Wing which provides services to 104 of the above establishments. The CISF security umbrella also protects 67 airports, Delhi Metro, important government buildings and iconic heritage monuments. The CISF also has a specialized VIP Security vertical providing round-the-clock security to important protectees. Post the Mumbai terror attack in November 2008, the mandate of CISF was broadened to provide security cover to private corporate establishments also.(ANI)
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and senior JMM leader Champai Soren vowed to focus on the development of tribals after he announced on joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He also emphasized that he is joining the BJP with an intent to develop the state and to save the very existence of tribals who are in danger due to Bangladeshi infiltration. Speaking to ANI, Soren highlighted his dedication to advancing the state's development and said, "We don't have the next plan yet. On the 30th, I will join the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the biggest party in the country. Whatever role the party will give me, I will do it." Champai Soren, the former Chief Minister of Jharkhand, confirmed his joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday. Further elaborated on his decision, Soren said, "We will take steps to help the people of Jharkhand, along with the development of the tribals, which is in danger due to Bangladeshi infiltration. I have moved ahead by struggling all the time. I am joining BJP to develop this state and to save the existence of tribals." Earlier on Tuesday, announcing his decision to join the BJP, Soren expressed his faith in 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 said. Soren further said that the people of the Kolhan region had stood with him at every step, and rejected his option of taking "sanyaas" from politics. He also stated that "only BJP seems serious on this issue and other parties are ignoring it for the sake of votes." Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday revelead Soren's decision to join the BJP. "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 in a post on X. Congress accused the BJP of leveraging prominent figures from rival parties who have "high ambitions." "Hemant Soren is the biggest leader there and Champai Soren was the acting CM. After Hemant ji returned, he was elected again. It is not right when he (Champai Soren) says that he is not getting respect. We have seen that BJP goes where they see someone who has high ambitions," Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said while speaking to ANI. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren responded to the news saying, "The people of the state will decide if there were any shortcomings." Independent MP Pappu Yadav criticized Champai Soren's decision, stating that it would erode trust and undermine the leadership of Hemant Soren. "Such behaviour will break the trust. The way Hemant Soren has trusted Champai Soren - instead of making CM to any of his family members, he made a party worker the CM. These are the behaviours and characters which lead to distrust of people in leaders. It's a time when people will come and go but the SC, ST, OBC, Dalits community is more firm with Hemant Soren than ever before," Pappu Yadav said. However, Champai Soren dismissed criticism from his former party, JMM, saying he didn't think it was appropriate to respond. Earlier, 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)
The Jammu Zone Police has established a 24x7 election helpline number, "8899334482," at the PCR Jammu to address and mitigate the potential threat posed by objectionable messages circulated through various social media platforms ahead of the assembly polls in the Union Territory. In line with directives from the Election Commission, this helpline will play a crucial role in combating the spread of messages that violate election laws and the Model Code of Conduct. Citizens who receive objectionable messages that pose a threat to the law and order of the region are encouraged to forward the content, along with the sender's details, to the election helpline number. Upon receiving such complaints, the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Police of Jammu Zone will promptly initiate enquiries to trace the original senders, and appropriate legal action will be taken under relevant provisions of the law as per the instructions and directions issued by the Election Commission. These measures are designed to curb the spread of misinformation and sustain the integrity of the electoral process. The J&K Police Jammu Zone urges all citizens to cooperate in this effort by on-time reporting any such instances of objectionable messages related to the election. Meanwhile, according to the seat-sharing pact, the National Conference (NC) will contest 51 of 90 seats and Congress 32 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 the CPI (M) and Panthers Party. The National Conference announced its list of 18 candidates, while the Congress announced its first list of nine candidates. The BJP on Monday also released its first list of candidates for the Jammu and Kashmir elections. The party subsequently declared its candidate from the Konkernag seat, also naming a total of 16 candidates. The list features candidates from both the Jammu and Kashmir regions. 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)
According to the release, the election will take place at Hansraj Gupta Auditorium (First Floor) and Satya Narayan Bansal Sabhagar (Second Floor), A-Block, Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Civic Centre.

The process of filling nominations has started on Wednesday. The last date for filing nominations is Friday, August 30, by 5 pm.

The elections will be held following the procedure laid down in the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Procedure & Conduct of Business) Regulations, 1958. (ANI)
Expressing his solidarity with the construction workers who have suffered greatly due to the severe floods, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Wednesday announced a one-time financial assistance of Rs 4,000 to give them some relief from the deplorable situation. Saha made this announcement on this social media platform, where he stated that the state government has decided to offer this assistance to help them cope with the financial strain caused by the severe floods that have impacted Tripura since August 19. The funds will be provided from the cess fund of the Tripura Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, Saha also stated. "The construction workers of the state, like other people of Tripura, have also suffered greatly due to the severe floods caused in the wake of heavy rains in the entire state since 18th August 2024. Their livelihood was completely stopped for about 8 consecutive days. To give them some relief from this deplorable situation, the state government has decided that the construction workers will be provided with one-time financial assistance of Rs 4000 from the cess fund of the Tripura Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board," he said in a post in X. Saha highlighted the suffering of construction workers, who, like other residents of the state, have been severely affected by the flood for eight consecutive days. A total of Rs 17,19,24,000 has been allocated for this assistance, which will benefit the 42,981 registered construction workers across the state. The distribution of registered workers by the district is as follows: West Tripura District has 13,148, Sepahijala District has 5,899, Gomati District has 5,698, South Tripura District has 4,133, Khowai District has 4,529, Dhalai District has 3,592, Unakoti District has 3,861 and North Tripura District has 2,121. This measure aims to provide some relief to the workers affected by the recent natural calamity. (ANI)
The court's decision, announced by the division bench of Justices Tapabrata Chakraborty and Parthasarathi Chattopadhyay, directs the School Service Commission to publish the final list within four weeks. Following the publication, counselling will be conducted.

The court's ruling is expected to resolve a nine-year-old issue regarding teacher appointments.

According to lawyer Firdaus Shamim, the School Service Commission had previously invalidated the selection of 1,463 candidates, claiming errors in the "updated interview OMR seats."

The court has instructed that these candidates be reinstated in the merit list and that counselling be conducted for the 14,052 candidates currently on the list. The court found the Commission's previous merit list to be incorrect. (ANI)
West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for advocating violence and said that "shamelessly inciting gathering" by West Bengal CM is nothing less than a blatant endorsement of revenge politics from the highest office in the state. In his letter, the Union Minister called for "immediate attention" against the statements made by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her address to the Student Wing of TMC today in Kolkata. Majumder further stated that she "shamelessly incited gathering" and declared that she "never sought revenge, but now, do what needs to be done." "This is nothing less than a blatant endorsement of revenge politics from the highest office in the state," he said. He further accused Mamata of making "anti-national remarks." "Remember, if Bengal burns, then Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Delhi will also burn," Majumder claimed Mamata said in her address. He also demanded her immediate resignation and stated that she "no longer deserves to hold such an important position." "I respectfully urge you to take cognizance of this serious matter and initiate appropriate actions to address the situation and uphold the rule of law and maintain public order. I look forward to your prompt and decisive action to safeguard the interests of the citizens of West Bengal and uphold the constitutional values of our nation," he stated. Earlier today, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned the BJP's 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' and called it an attempt to "defame" Bengal. Mamata Banerjee's scathing attack on the BJP comes after the latter held a 12-hour 'Bengal Bandh' protest, following the 'Nabanna Abhijan' violence. Mamata Banerjee claimed that the TMC government wants justice for the victims of the RG Kar Hospital and College incident. "We have dedicated this day to the RG Kar doctor. We want justice but the BJP today called for a bandh. They don't want justice; they are only trying to defame Bengal," Mamata Banerjee said. She further criticised the 'Bandh' and supported the police actions on the protestors of the Nabanna Abhijan rally. On Tuesday, 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. 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. 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)
Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel questioned the new government of Chhattisgarh regarding several cases including the investigation into the Mahadev Betting App case. "They (state govt) handed over so many cases to CBI, what were the results? It has been 9 months since the new govt came...now this case, first Police were probing it, then ED entered, Lok Sabha elections were taking place, and we were insulted to the core. Now it has been handed over to CBI. My opinion is that only the central govt can shut Mahadev Betting (App), why are they not doing it?...if they shut it, no scam will take place," Baghel told ANI. Earlier in the week, the BJP-led Chhattisgarh government handed over the investigation of the Mahadev betting app case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Meanwhile, the Mumbai Crime Branch's Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrested Bharat Chaudhary in connection with the Rs 15,000-crore Mahadev betting app scam. Notably, the Chhattisgarh Economic Offenses Wing (EOW) has named Baghel in its first information report (FIR) lodged in connection with the Mahadev Online Book-linked money laundering case. According to sources, the FIR was filed based on a probe report submitted by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED). In November last year, the ED had also conducted searches against the money laundering networks linked with the alleged Mahadev Book Online Betting App, which led to the recovery of cash of Rs 5.39 crore and a bank balance of Rs 15.59 crore. ED is investigating a case against "Mahadev Online Book", which is an umbrella syndicate arranging online platforms for enabling illegal betting websites to enrol new users, create user IDs and launder money through a layered web of Benami bank accounts. (ANI)
On this occasion, CM Dhami said, "I have full faith that the nectar-like conclusion that will emerge from the brainstorming in this meeting will strengthen the organization."

"BJP is the largest democratic party in the world and every worker is important to us. Through the membership campaign, we have to imbibe the ideas of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and take development to the person standing at the last end of the society as well as present the changing picture of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the people," he added.

Earlier on Wednesday, BJP Minority Morcha organised a national membership campaign workshop 2024 at the BJP headquarters in Delhi to make the membership campaign 2024 successful.

The campaign workshop was organised on Tuesday under the chairmanship of National President Jamal Siddiqui in order to achieve the target of making 50 lakh members across the country.

The workshop was inaugurated by Union Minister Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju by paying floral tributes to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. The concluding remarks were made by National President Jamal Siddiqui. (ANI)
A Delhi Court is waiting for Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report for last five years in a case of obstructing public way. Now the court has recommended Departmental action against the Investigation Officer (IO). The court has also issued notice to the Director Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to expedite the inquiry and file the result. This case pertains to an FIR registered at Police Station Dadar Bazar in 2019. It is at the stage of arguments on charge. A reply has also been sought from the Joint Commissioner of Police under his personal signature. Judicial Magistrate (First Class) said, "This court is of considered opinion that IO/SI Parveen Kumar has deliberately failed to take steps despite repeated reminders of this court." "Accordingly, this court recommends that departmental action be initiated against IO/SI Parveen Kumar for failing to get the FSL examination conducted," Judicial Magistrate Gaurav Goyal said in the order passed on August 24. The court also directed that a copy of this order be sent to the Joint Commissioner of Police, Central Range for filing of reply on the next date of hearing (NDOH). "Let copy of this order be also sent along with the notice to the worthy Joint Commissioner of Police, Central Range," the court directed. The court also said that it is impressed upon the Joint Commissioner of Police that the reply be forwarded to this court under his personal signature only. The court has issued a fresh notice to the IO who was absent during the hearing. "Let fresh notice be issued to IO/SI Vikash Rathi, SHO PS Sadar Bazar and ACP Sadar Bazar to appear before this court in person at 10.00 AM on the NDOH," the court ordered. The court said that no exemption shall be entertained by this court from IO, SHO Sadar Bazar and ACP Sadar Bazar on the NDOH. The court noted on August 24, "Today again, SHO PS Sadar Bazar is absent despite service. Today again, adjournment is sought by Inspector Sanjay Kumar for filing of FSL result as the FSL result is still not ready." On the last date of the hearing (LDOH), reply was also received from DCP North stating that request has already been sent to Director, FSL to expedite the inquiry and file the FSL report on the NDOH. The court has also issued notice to Director, FSL to expedite the inquiry and file the FSL result before this court on the NDOH. The court has listed the matter for hearing in September last week. (ANI)
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Wednesday attended Regional Industry Conclave held in Gwalior district and expressed hope that a new door of development and employment will be opened in the state through the conclave. CM Yadav also laid the foundation for 47 new industrial units in the state involving a cost of Rs 1586 crore at Regional Industry Conclave at Gwalior on Wednesday. In a post on X, CM Yadav wrote, "New doors of development and employment are going to be opened in the state through Gwalior Regional Industry Conclave. On this occasion, discussions were held with the famous personalities of the industry and business world and they were made aware of the favourable conditions and opportunities for industries in Madhya Pradesh." This conclave of industrialists and investors in Gwalior-Chambal will create immense employment opportunities for the youth of the state and will accelerate industrial development, he further wrote. After the event, CM Yadav told reporters, "People have shown interest in the MSME industry, machine-based, leather parks, employment-oriented industries, ready-made garments industry and other industries which employ a large scale. More than 4,000 participants have participated in it. Fifteen international delegations have participated in which delegations from Canada, Netherlands, Mexico have also participated today." "I am satisfied that all our arrangements were done with such dignity and pride that the old glorious tradition of Gwalior has been successful. More than 150 distinguished entities have partnered with us. Most of them were industrialists from different sectors like tourism, IT, footwear, Agriculture and various food processing units," CM said. Representatives of over 15 states have shown their interest in investing in Madhya Pradesh. Besides, after seeing the states' policy, many industrialists running businesses in other states also express their interest to bring their units here, the Chief Minister said, adding that he suggests the industrialists continue their business at those locations and can open their new units in the state. (ANI)
According to the Mumbai Police, the incident, which occurred in June, was reported to the Dindoshi Police Station after the girl recently disclosed the abuse to her mother.

"In June, the accused raped his daughter when no one was home and threatened her not to tell anyone. Recently, the girl narrated the incident to her mother. The mother took her daughter to the nearby Dindoshi Police Station and lodged a complaint against the accused husband," Mumbai police said.

Following the girl's revelation, her mother filed a complaint at the Dindoshi Police Station.

"A case was registered against the accused under sections 65 (2), 68 (A) of the BNS and sections 4,10,12 of POCSO," they added.

He was arrested and appeared in court, where he has been remanded in police custody until August 30.

Further investigation is underway.

Earlier in the month, a minor girl and two girls were allegedly sexually assaulted in the Dhing area of Assam and Maharashtra's Badalpur respectively. (ANI)
The first rioter to breach the US Capitol building during the January 6, 2021 riots was sentenced to nearly four and a half years in prison on Tuesday, The Hill reported. In March, a federal jury delivered a guilty verdict against Michael Sparks, a 47-year-old individual from Kentucky, on six counts, including interfering with police and obstructing Congress from certifying the 2020 election results. The United States District Judge Timothy Kelly dismissed the count charging Sparks with obstruction of an official proceeding at prosecutors' request earlier this month, following a Supreme Court ruling in June that narrowed the use of the charge in January 6 cases. But on Tuesday, the judge said that, for purposes of sentencing, he found obstructing the certification was Sparks's intent, according to The Hill. The judge ordered 53 months of prison, along with USD 2,000 in restitution to the Architect of the Capitol. The sentence imposed on Michael Sparks departed from the federal sentencing guidelines, which recommended a prison term of 15 to 21 months. Notably, a probation officer had suggested a sentence of 21 months, according to Kelly. Sparks, while addressing the judge, said that he believes the 2020 presidential election was "taken" and that the United States is "in tyranny." However, he added that he never intended to harm law enforcement. "That's not who I am," Sparks said, according to The Hill. The video during the riots showed Sparks jumping through a shattered Capitol window shortly after another rioter, Proud Boy Dominic Pezzola, busted it open. When he entered the Capitol, he came face-to-face with US Capitol Police Sergeant Victor Nichols. (ANI)
Ahead of the US presidential elections scheduled for November this year, Vice President Kamala Harris has agreed to a joint interview with Tim Walz, who is her running mate for the elections, The Hill reported. Harris and Minnesota Governor Walz will participate in their first joint interview with CNN on Thursday. CNN's Dana Bash will conduct the interview, which is set to air at 9 pm EDT, according to The Hill. Earlier, 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." Notably, Harris was nominated as the Democratic nominee after President Joe Biden quit the presidential race amid mounting concerns over his age, particularly after his poor show in the debate with Donald Trump in June. 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. On the other hand, Trump, who is eyeing a comeback to the White House after a bitter exit in 2020, has named JD Vance as his running mate in the race. He is a venture capitalist and acclaimed author of the best-selling memoir 'Hillbilly Elegy.' (ANI)
Cairo [Egypt], August 28 (ANI/WAM): Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has received Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani, who is on an official visit to Egypt with a high-level Iraqi delegation. The Spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency said the two sides exchanged views on ways to help the region overcome the serious crises it is facing, which threaten its stability and capabilities. The two leaders stressed the need for the international community to exert intensive pressure to complete the calm and ceasefire agreement in Gaza, stressing the need to end the humanitarian plight in the Strip and stop the ongoing Israeli escalation in the West Bank. This is in addition to the need to launch a serious political track that guarantees the Palestinian people their legitimate and just right to an independent state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, being the sustainable way to establish peace, security and development in the region. The two leaders agreed that the current circumstances require intensified joint Arab action, bilaterally and collectively, noting in this regard the tripartite cooperation among Egypt, Iraq and Jordan, and affirming continuing to work to make their projects succeed and achieve their objectives to serve as a model for Arab cooperation and regional integration. At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 105 remaining hostages, more than 30 have been declared dead. Hamas has also been holding captive two Israeli civilians since 2014 and 2015, and the bodies of two soldiers killed in 2014. (ANI/WAM)
Ahead of the presidential elections in the United States scheduled for November this year, more than 200 Republicans who previously worked for former President George W Bush, penned an open letter on Monday endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for president instead of GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump, the Fox News reported. A group of Republican officials, including several former aides to President George HW Bush, has endorsed Kamala Harris, urging "moderate Republicans and conservative independents" to support her. This group had previously opposed Donald Trump in the 2020 election. "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," the letter said, which was published on Monday by USA Today. "We reunite today, joined by new George HW Bush alumni, to reinforce our 2020 statements and, for the first time, jointly declare that we're voting for Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov Tim Walz this November," the letter added. While acknowledging significant policy disagreements with Kamala Harris, the Republican officials emphasized that the alternative is untenable. "Of course, we have plenty of honest, ideological disagreements with Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz. That's to be expected. The alternative, however, is simply untenable," the letter said. Meanwhile, 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." (ANI)
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is closely monitoring the case of Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of Telegram, who holds Emirati citizenship, after his arrest in France and the extension of his detention period by French authorities, Al Jazeera reported. Notably, the founder of the Telegram messaging app, Pavel Durov, who had an arrest warrant issued against him, was detained by the French authorities at an airport outside Paris, CNN reported. Officers from France's anti-fraud office, attached to French customs, took the French-Russian billionaire into custody on Saturday evening after he arrived at Bourget Airport on a flight from Azerbaijan, according to CNN affiliate BFMTV. The UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement early on Tuesday that it was "closely following" Durov's case and that it had "submitted a request to the French government to provide him with all consular services urgently," according to Al-Jazeera. "Caring for citizens, preserving their interests, following up on their affairs, and providing them with all aspects of care are a top priority for the UAE," the ministry said in the statement. Durov, 39, was wanted under a French arrest warrant due to the lack of moderation on Telegram, which allegedly led to the platform being used for money laundering, drug trafficking and sharing pedophilic content. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron after the arrest of Durov said that France is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication. Sharing a post on X two days ago, Macron said, "I have seen false information regarding France following the arrest of Pavel Durov. France is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship. It will remain so. 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." The post further said, "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." Notably, France issued an arrest warrant for Durov on charges of complicity in drug trafficking, crimes against children and fraud due to the lack of moderation on Telegram and his failure to cooperate with law enforcement, the Moscow Times reported, citing French local media. The Russian-born founder of Telegram, which he says boasts over 900 million users, is currently based in Dubai. He became a naturalised French citizen in August 2021. Durov, who is also the founder of the VKontakte social network, left Russia in 2014 after he refused to share VKontakte users' data with Russian security services. Later, Russia unsuccessfully attempted to block Telegram over its refusal to provide users' online communications to security services. (ANI)
The traders' community, have once again called for a nationwide strike on Wednesday as their talks with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) ended in a stalemate, according to ARY News. The Anjuman-e-Tajiran's Central President, Kashif Chaudhry, called the government's negotiations a "drama" and declared that on August 28, there will be a complete closure from Khyber to Karachi. According to Kashif Chaudhry, traders are calling for an examination of the IPP agreements and a decrease in the cost of electricity. Terming the strike a first step in that direction, he stated that the economic system needs to be fixed. The Anjuman-e-Tajiran's central president went on to say that business owners and traders are tired of paying taxes. "Every shopkeeper will close the shutter on August 28 who wants to open the shutter in future," he said, according to ARY News. All major cities, including Gujranwala, Peshawar, Multan, Faisalabad, Karachi, and Lahore, are anticipated to be impacted by the shutdown. Rashid Mahmood Langrial, the chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), had earlier promised traders that their "legitimate" demands would be accepted, but he also stated that the Tajir Dost Scheme would not be discontinued. All "legitimate" demands of traders will be fulfilled, according to Rashid Mahmood Langrial, who made this announcement during a virtual conference with traders from Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Gujranwala, and Peshawar. But the chairman of the FBR stated unequivocally that the Tajir Dost Scheme will not be reversed, reported ARY News. It is important to note that the FBR chairman summoned Pakistani traders to a meeting after they said they would observe a nationwide strike on August 28. Retail and wholesale taxes are not imposed in Pakistan, according to FBR chairman, Rashid Mahmood Langrial, who also stated that it is impractical to tax the powerful more heavily than the weak. (ANI)
Authorities are continuing their search to locate an Indian national, Vijaya Lakshmi Gali, who fell into a sinkhole in Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur on August 23, the Indian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur said on Wednesday. According to the Indian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, search and rescue (SAR) teams have been methodically deducing newer probable paths and likely locations of the missing Indian woman. Vijaya Lakshmi Gali (48) a tourist in the country disappeared after falling into the 8m-deep hole, Malaysia-based The Star reported. She was walking to a temple for breakfast when the ground suddenly caved in. In a post on X, the Indian High Commission in Malaysia stated, "The search continues to locate Indian citizen (Ms Vijaya Lakshmi Gali) who fell into a sinkhole in Kuala Lumpur on Friday 23 Aug. The SAR teams are methodically deducing newer probable paths and likely locations of the missing Indian national. Local authorities, apart from Police, Fire & Rescue Dept, Indah Water Consortium, KL Federal Territories agencies, are now supported by Civil Defence Forces and specialised scientific teams with sophisticated equipment involved in the search." After flushing through portions of the drain system, a search is conducted with specialised techniques like high-pressure water jets to remove obstacles. The Indian High Commission stated addign that that officials remain in touch with family members to extend continued support. "After flushing through portions of drain system, search is being augmented with specialised techniques including high pressure water jets to remove obstacles, remote cameras and ground penetrating radars to map inaccessible areas. @hcikl is in close contact with the relevant agencies engaged in the search efforts as the search has entered its fifth day. @hcikl officers are also in touch with the family members to extend continued support," the Indian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur posted on X. (ANI)
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te met with Ohashi Mitsuo, Chairman of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, on August 27 to discuss strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing regional stability through the establishment of a "democratic umbrella." This initiative seeks to unite democracies worldwide in promoting shared values such as freedom, peace, and prosperity, while countering the growing influence of authoritarian regimes in East Asia, according to Taiwan News. "I warmly welcome Chairman Ohashi Mitsuo back and thank him for his contributions to promoting Taiwan-Japan relations. We are maritime nations and solid partners bound by deep friendship. I hope that through this Taiwan-Japan Maritime Cooperation Dialogue, we can strengthen our cooperation in the maritime field, address global issues, and become a solid force for peace and prosperity in the region," President Lai Ching-te said in a post on X. Ohashi Mitsuo has held a crucial role in Japan-Taiwan relations since his appointment in 2011, overseeing the informal yet strategically vital diplomatic interactions between the two nations. During their meeting, President Lai emphasized the importance of deepening the longstanding friendship between Taiwan and Japan, which he described as being founded on mutual respect and shared democratic values. The "democratic umbrella" concept is seen as a natural progression of these ties, fostering closer cooperation between democracies to ensure regional security. A key topic of discussion was Taiwan's bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a significant trade pact that would enhance Taiwan's economic integration with other member states, including Japan. Lai expressed his hopes that Japan would actively support Taiwan's application, underscoring the strategic benefits of such an alliance for both countries, reported Taiwan News. In addition to economic cooperation, the meeting touched on security concerns, particularly in light of China's growing assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific region. Both leaders acknowledged the critical role of Taiwan-Japan collaboration in maintaining peace and deterring potential conflicts. Lai reiterated Taiwan's commitment to its "Four Pillars of Peace," a strategy that includes bolstering national defence, enhancing economic resilience, fostering international deterrence, and engaging in principled dialogue with China. The "democratic umbrella" is envisioned as a broader coalition of like-minded nations committed to these principles. Furthermore, President Lai announced the appointment of Lee I-yang as Taiwan's new envoy to Japan, succeeding former Premier Frank Hsieh, who had led Taiwan's representative office in Tokyo since 2016. This transition marks a new chapter in Taiwan-Japan relations, with expectations of even closer cooperation under Lee's leadership, Taiwan News reported. This dialogue underscores the strategic importance of Taiwan-Japan relations in the current geopolitical landscape. (ANI)
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday reserved its decision on the requests of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) to keep the intra-party election case pending until the apex court clarified the matter, Pakistan-based The Express Tribune reported. On July 23, the ECP gave time to the Imran Khan-founded party to submit documents regarding its intra-party polls. The ECP had taken up the matter. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Uzair Bhandari Advocate appeared before the commission. At the outset of the hearing, Bhandari stated that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) raided their offices and took all the records, according to The Express Tribune report. He further said they did not have original documents and electronic records. He said that the records could be obtained from the FIA if the electoral watchdog ordered. During the hearing, Bhandari said that the electoral watchdog had sent a questionnaire to PTI, in which the first question was about the current status of the PTI. He further said that the response to the question was given in the short order of the Supreme Court in the reserved seats case. Bhandari said, "The Supreme Court declared that the Tehreek-e-Insaaf was and is a political party." On that ECP's member Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa mentioned that the ECP had never said that the PTI was not a registered political party, The Express Tribune reported. He said, "If we wait for the Supreme Court's detailed judgment, this matter will be clarified." He stated that the ECP had sought clarification from the apex court regarding the reserved seats, saying that Imran Khan's party had no administrative structure. He further said that PTI did not accept ECP in this position. The ECP member told the lawyer that the electoral watchdog had not moved the apex court on the matter of the PTI's intra-party polls. However, it had requested the Supreme Court to clarify as to whose certificate would be recognised in the matter of distribution of the reserved seats to the PTI. Gohar said that 39 lawmakers already recognised by the ECP as PTI members were issued the party certificates by him. The ECP member told the PTI chairman that those were recognised as the PTI members on the orders of the Supreme Court and not due to Gohar's signature, according to The Express Tribune report. The lawyer said that the Supreme Court's decision was before the ECP and emphasised that the ECP could not take a decision on whether the intra-party elections of the political parties were correct or not. Bhandari requested the electoral watchdog not to hear the case further until the apex court releases its detailed judgment. (ANI)
Human rights activists, academics and journalists at the launch of 9th report titled "The State of Peasants' Rights in Sindh for 2023" have called for amending and implementing the Sindh Tenancy Act to protect peasants' rights in the province, Dawn reported on Wednesday. The report, prepared by the Hari Welfare Association, was discussed at a launch ceremony where speakers expressed their deep concerns about the persistence of debt bondage despite the Sindh Bonded Labour Abolition Act of 2015. They noted that District Vigilance Committees (DVCs) established under the act in every district of Sindh have failed to effectively rehabilitate, rescue, and protect bonded labourers. This ongoing ineffectiveness remains a major concern for rights activists and academics, as per Dawn. The report further stated that Anis Harion of the National Commission for Human Rights also spoke at the event, paying tribute to Hari Welfare Association leader Haider Bux Jatoi and highlighting that peasants in Sindh continue to face challenges due to powerful landlords. According to the Dawn report, Akram Ali Khaskheli, president of the Hari Welfare Association criticized the Sindh government for its "anti-peasant stance," particularly its refusal to withdraw an appeal to the Supreme Court of Pakistan against a crucial October 2019 ruling by the Sindh High Court (SHC). This ruling nullified regressive amendments to tenancy laws and addressed issues related to bonded labour. Khaskheli accused the government of supporting entrenched feudal and tribal systems that obstruct the creation of a fair legal framework for peasants. The Dawn report also noted that despite a November 2, 2023, announcement setting a minimum wage of Rs32,000 per month for unskilled workers, this rate is not being implemented in rural areas, where daily wages are around Rs 700 for men and even less for women. The report urges the Sindh government to withdraw its appeal to align with progressive laws, the Constitution, and international agreements. In Pakistan, peasants face severe challenges related to bonded labour, which significantly impacts their rights and livelihoods. (ANI)
Lauding the bilateral relationship between the two nations, US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti on Wednesday said that Americans and Indians feel similarly as people of both countries are aligned as they look at the world. Speaking at the Annual IC3 Conference and Expo 2024 in Delhi, Garcetti said, "What are the things we are trying to accomplish in the US-India relationship. We know that Americans and Indians feel similarly, I think our hearts are very aligned...Our heads are aligned as we look at the world, understanding that an open and free Indo-Pacific is better than something that doesn't have freedom, doesn't have democracy, doesn't celebrate people's rights..." Garcetti said that the power of US-India collaboration is unprecedented. "I recently visited a company here in India that took a breakthrough of American scientists in dengue fever to have a vaccine that was effective in all 4 strains, never yet invented in human history, and gave that breakthrough to a number of Indian companies," the US Ambassador said. "One of whom is now in the third round of clinical trials so maybe in a year or two, India and the world for the first time because of the US and India working together, to have a dengue fever vaccine that will save countless lives...So, the power of this collaboration that we have together, I think, is unprecedented," he added. US and India share warm and friendly ties with each other, and are partners across various platforms, including defence, space, and much more. US Acting Assistant Secretary of Defence for Space Policy Vipin Narang and India's Joint Secretary for International Cooperation, Vishwesh Negi, met for the second annual US-India Advanced Domains Defense Dialogue (AD3) at Pentagon in Washington, DC in May this year. During the dialogue, Narang and Negi discussed opportunities to strengthen space cooperation and identified potential areas for collaboration with US industry, according to the statement released by the US Department of Defence Spokesperson Cmdr Jessica Anderson. Earlier in April, the Indo-US joint working group, operating under the Defence Tech and Trade Initiative (DTTI), convened for a two-day meeting in New Delhi to bolster defence collaboration between the two nations, the Indian Air Force said. The meeting was held on April 29-30. During the meeting, the discussions focused on leveraging the respective strengths of both partner nations to enhance defence cooperation and co-production. During the intensive sessions, key officials, including Brig Gen Joel W Safranek and Air Vice Marshal George Thomas, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Plans), delved into strategic plans aimed at deepening bilateral defence ties. (ANI)
The Taiwan MoFA said a Chinese Shaanxi Y-9 reconnaissance plane entered into Japanese airspace east of the Danjo Islands on Monday and added that Beijing's action "seriously violated Japan's sovereignty and raised regional tensions."

According to the Taiwan MoFA statement, China's continued use of military aircraft and warships to intrude into Taiwan and Japan's air defence identification zones and exclusive economic zones has increased regional tensions, according to Taiwan News report.

It said that China collaborates with Russia in carrying out frequent military exercises in the East China Sea and South China Sea to attempt to use force to change the status quo.

According to Taiwan MoFA, China's military expansion poses a "major threat" to the security of nations in the Indo-Pacific region, including Taiwan and Japan, according to Taiwan News report.

Taiwan's MoFA urged China to "return to rationality and self-restraint" and to cease all actions that undermine peace in the Taiwan Strait and escalate regional tensions.

It stated that Taiwan will bolster its self-defence capabilities, while continuing to cooperate with like-minded nations, including Japan, to "jointly deter the expansion and aggression of authoritarianism," Taiwan News reported.

https://x.com/MOFA_Taiwan/status/1828417440822542377

On Tuesday, Taiwan's MoFA reshared a post by US Ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel on X, slamming the lack of a spirit of "love thy neighbour" in China's "good neighbour" policy. It also slammed China for intruding into Japan's airspace and ramming Philippine vessels.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said China's ambitions have "transcended Taiwan" to menace security in the region and urged democracies to unite to "counter this authoritarian push." (ANI)
In the Jenin area, three armed terrorists were killed in an airstrike and another two were killed in a shootout. In the Jordan Valley, near the El Fara refugee camp, four armed terrorists threatening troops were also eliminated in an airstrike.

Israeli security forces have arrested more than 4,400 Palestinian terror suspects in Judea and Samaria since October 7, of whom around 1,850 are affiliated with Hamas. (ANI/TPS)
Abu Dhabi [UAE], August 28 (ANI/WAM): The UAE National Pavilion is set to participate in the 14th edition of the Special Operations Forces Exhibition and Conference (SOFEX) 2024, which will take place at Aqaba International Exhibitions and Conferences Centre in the Kingdom of Jordan from 3rd to 5th September. Over 300 international defence and security companies from 38 countries will attend SOFEX, one of the region's most significant defence events. The exhibition provides a platform for showcasing the latest advanced products and solutions, bringing together key stakeholders, and fostering international cooperation in the fields of special operations and homeland security. Supported by the Ministry of Defence and Tawazun Council, and organised by the Emirates Defence Companies Council (EDCC), the UAE's National Pavilion will feature leading national companies, including EDGE Group, Al Seer Marine Supplies and Equipment Company, and Houbara Defence and Security. Capital Events will also be present to promote the upcoming International Defence Exhibition (IDEX) and Naval Defence & Maritime Security Exhibition (NAVDEX) 2025, as well as Al Jundi Journal, a military and cultural magazine issued by the Ministry of Defence. The UAE pavilion will serve as an interactive platform for visitors to explore the country's advancements in the defence and security industries. The showcased products will include a wide range of innovative solutions covering various aspects of special operations, from advanced systems and components to cutting-edge technologies. The UAE's National Pavilion at SOFEX 2024 embodies the deep-rooted fraternal ties between the UAE and Jordan. Through this exhibition, the country reaffirms the importance of regional cooperation in defence and security sectors. Anas Naser Al Otaiba, General Manager of EDCC, said, "The participation of the UAE's National Pavilion at SOFEX 2024 reflects our deep commitment to innovation and international cooperation in the defence and security industries. We are proud to showcase advanced national technologies that are in line with the wise leadership's vision to develop our capabilities and empower the UAE's defence and security industries." Al Otaiba added that the UAE's participation in SOFEX 2024 extends beyond product display and marketing; it aims to forge strategic partnerships with leading global companies in the defence sector, foster international cooperation, and exchange expertise and knowledge. "SOFEX provides a strategic opportunity to promote Emirati technological capabilities to experts, specialists, and decision-makers in the defence industry. We are confident that our participation will enhance the UAE's position as a regional center for defence manufacturing and open promising horizons for cooperation with international partners, he added. Herve Dechoux, Head of Solutions at Houbara, said, "This is Houbara's first participation at SOFEX with EDCC, and we are keen to explore new ventures in the region to grow our customer base for modern threat representation, secure SATCOM, and robotics." "We are thrilled to reach out to the regional SOF community and showcase BRACER, our breakthrough secure SATCOM solution designed by and for special operators, as well as our advanced field robotics solutions. We hope that SOFEX will allow us to connect with new potential end-users and create new opportunities for our rapidly expanding business," he said. It is noteworthy that SOFEX exhibition, which first took place in 1996, stands out as a significant opportunity for exchanging expertise, technologies, and strategies in the defence sector and has positioned itself as a pivotal platform for exchanging ideas, technologies, and strategies among defence professionals. The exhibition offers an ideal opportunity for networking and enhancing global security, bringing together leading experts, manufacturers, and suppliers from the global defence industry to engage with official government delegations and decision-makers from around the globe. (ANI/WAM)
A Pakistani parliamentary committee on Tuesday raised concerns over lack of transparency in contracts of the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in Pakistan and demanded that the Ministry of Energy initiate a forensic audit into the matter, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. The Senate Functional Committee on Devolution chaired by Pakistani Senator Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur expressed severe concerns about the functioning of IPPs and the lack of transparency in their contracts. Notably, bringing down the prices of electricity in the country is one of the most crucial issues in Pakistan. In her statement, Taimur mentioned that the IPPs have caused significant problems for the people and must be held accountable for their actions. She also directed that details of standard contracts of IPPs, and a list of the percentage of capacity be provided to the committee immediately, according to Dawn report. Currently, the issue of IPP non-transparent contracts is being highlighted by Pakistani political parties and the trader community, demanding that the government rethink the agreements that have been signed with them as it is crucial in the interest of the public and industries to bring down the electricity tariffs. Earlier in July, Jamaat-I-Islami Pakistan held a sit-in in Rawalpindi and called on the government to revise its policy on electricity to provide relief to the citizens of Pakistan. The members of the parliamentary committee also highlighted the need for a system to be set up for addressing the over-employment of the workforce within the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC). Previously, another report by the Dawn quoting its local source had highlighted that, despite a major burden on the taxpayers in Pakistan the IPPs in the country have received substantial tax breaks of PKR 1.217 trillion from the mid-1990s to 2023-24. According to the same Dawn report, the tax exemption PKR 2.091tr given to these IPPs has gone beyond the capacity of payments in the current fiscal year. Additionally, these IPPs in Pakistan are owned by 40 influential families in the country having direct or indirect connections to major leaders in the powerful government. Official records available quoted by the Dawn report stated that governments repeatedly provided data of providing tax exemption to IPPs in economic surveys until 2018-19, however, when the value of tax exemptions given to IPPs in Pakistan increased, the publishing of related data was stopped. (ANI)
United States Embassy in New Delhi spokesperson Christopher Elms visited the exiled Tibetan community and urged China to start dialogue with Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama or his representatives without preconditions. During this visit, Elms visited the Tibet Museum, Buddhist monasteries and offices of the Central Tibetan Administration and also met representatives of Indian and Tibetan media. Speaking to ANI, Elms said, "The Resolve Act as you know was passed by the Congress in June this year and signed into Law by US President Joe Biden in July. I can't speak on behalf of Congress, but on behalf of the administration and on behalf of President Biden, he signed the Act into law because we agree with the sentiment of the law that is there to protect the human rights of the Tibetan people." "The law also discusses Tibet as a political entity. It's been a long-standing policy of the United States and the President reiterated that the United States government still see the Tibet autonomous region and other Tibetan areas of China as a part of China, that does not change anything from our policy, that's something that President Biden does control how we determine what international borders are. However, I think the next steps are what we have been urging for a long time which is a direct negotiation between China and the Dalai Lama or his representatives," he added. Further, Elms has called on China to engage in direct negotiations with the Dalai Lama or his representatives without preconditions. "It's been 13 years since they have been these district negotiations and we encourage China to engage in negotiations directly with the Dalai Lama or his representatives without preconditions," US embassy spokesperson told ANI. Christopher further said, "The Resolve Act describes the US' position and it's something that we are continuing to carry out our mission here in the US Embassy in New Delhi," adding that "We do that around the world as well." "This has been something that a long-standing and we are continuing to do that and part of my visit is to understand how best US can support the Tibetan people. We continue to call for direct talks and we are open to create solutions. Our government talks with the Central Tibetan Administration and we would really like to see these talks directly without any preconditions as soon as possible," he said. Tibetan spiritual leader the 14th Dalai Lama has just returned to his exile home in Dharamshala after a successful knee treatment in the US. During Dalai Lama's recent visit to the US, he met with various US officials. Talking about the Dalai Lama's recent US visit, Elms said, "I can speak on his entire schedule and I know that he had a private schedule in the United States and while he was there he met with the special coordinator for Tibetan issues from US government, her name is Uzra Zeya as well as the senior director for national security council that covers democracy and human rights." "They had that meeting on the 21st of August in New York and in that meeting, the special Tibetan coordinator Uzra Zeya reiterated the message from the US government that we support the human rights of the Tibetan people as well as the continued efforts to preserve the historical, cultural, linguistic, and religious heritage, that distinct the Tibetan people," he added. "Uzra Zeya also conveyed a message from President Biden to Dalai Lama wishing him a swift recovery and continued good health after a knee surgery in the United States," Elms said. Elms visited the exiled Tibetan community in Dharamshala from 26- 28 August. (ANI)
The European Union and India's Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have launched a joint funding initiative for the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Staff Exchanges, part of the EU's research and innovation programme, the Delegation of the European Union to India and Bhutan said on Wednesday. This new partnership will promote a balanced researcher mobility and long-term collaborations. "Through this scheme, CSIR will top up selected MSCA Staff Exchanges projects, enabling its institutes to engage in joint research projects with European and international partners and second their scientific and technical staff to European research organisations for knowledge sharing and research activities," the statement added. This new partnership will strengthen research and innovation ties between Europe and India and drive forward scientific and technological progress by enhancing bilateral institutional cooperation, collaborative research and researcher exchanges in a plurilateral setting under Horizon Europe. According to the official statement, through its Staff Exchanges scheme, the MSCA promote collaborative research, knowledge transfer and innovation by supporting the secondment of research and innovation staff within international consortia of organisations based in the EU, countries associated with Horizon Europe and third countries. Following this, Ambassador of the European Union to India, Herve Delphin stated, "The Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Staff Exchanges co-funding initiative marks a watershed moment in EU-India research cooperation. This initiative comes in support of our political commitment to enhancing scientific excellence and people-to-people connectivity, as outlined in the EU-India Joint Roadmap 2025." "Facilitating exchanges between our most brilliant researchers, will turbocharge joint innovation in all domains and pool our expertise to better address global challenges that impact our economies and societies," he added. Director General, CSIR, N Kalaiselvi and Secretary DSIR, Government of India expressed their excitement for this collaboration with EU. He stressed that this "programme will not only boost the exchanges of our researchers but also forge stronger institutional ties." "We are excited to join forces with the EU on this transformative initiative. The Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Staff Exchanges co-funding programme will not only boost the exchanges of our researchers but also forge stronger institutional ties and foster ground breaking research collaborations. We look forward to the profound impact this will have on science and technology in both regions," he said. CSIR is India's premier research and development organisation, comprising 37 national laboratories and a dedicated team of over 8,000 scientific and technical staff. The Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions under Horizon Europe is the reference programme for doctoral education and postdoctoral training. They support researchers across any career stage, as well as doctoral training and postdoctoral fellowship programmes and collaborative research in all domains. (ANI)
These operations, which resulted in the deaths and injuries of numerous Palestinians, were denounced in a statement released today, Wednesday, by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration.

Egypt regards these Israeli assaults on Palestinian civilians in the West Bank as a deliberate and systematic violation of international law, international humanitarian law, and the four Geneva Conventions, which are designed to protect the rights of people under occupation.

It also criticised Israel's insistence on escalating tensions and expanding the scope of confrontations within Palestinian territories.

Egypt has called for a unified and effective international stance to protect the Palestinian people and to put an end to the ongoing targeting of unarmed civilians, the imposition of restrictions, and the seizure of private property.

The statement from the Arab Republic of Egypt also warned of the severe risks associated with ongoing Israeli operations, particularly the deliberate targeting of more Palestinian civilians.

This warning comes amid continued Israeli assaults on the Gaza Strip and the violation of Islamic and Christian holy sites in East Jerusalem. Egypt emphasised that these actions further complicate the situation and reflect Israel's persistent desire to escalate, along with a lack of political will to achieve de-escalation. (ANI/WAM)
The number of kindergarten schools in China is witnessing a steep decline, wherein several schools are on the verge of closure and numerous have already gone out of business, Nikkei Asia reported. This current situation poses a serious threat to students alongside the new upcoming academic session in China. According to the data released by the Ministry of Education, the number of kindergartens in China sunk from 294,832 to 274,480 between 2021 to 2023 resulting in 20,000 school closures. The Nikkei Asia report quoted the example of Angels Kindergarten a private international kindergarten in a western suburb of Qingpu, Shanghai. The school once had 16 classrooms and two large playgrounds its own medical staff and foreign teachers for its bilingual curriculum. But now the school is out of business after 18 years of business. Currently, schools are struggling to fill admissions ahead of the new session. The current number of children studying in pre-schools has fallen by 5 million in 2023 to 40.92 million, being the lowest figure since year 2014. Whereas, jobs of over 170,000 full-time pre-school teachers have also disappeared within the last year, according to Ministry of Education data, quoted in the Nikkei Asia report. Amid a critically falling birth rate, depreciating job prospects for youth and a crackdown on profit-driven education in China Li, a mother of a 2-year-old daughter in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu said that she cannot afford the education of another child due to economic constraints. Further, she added, "While the quality of education "is important for us, we already spend more than 10,000 yuan (USD 1,380) on [our daughter] every month. I can't afford to have a second or third child right now." There were only 2.2 million children enrolled in toddler classes in 2022, according to government data, just 5 per cent of all children enrolled in kindergartens. Working parents in China these days rely mostly on their parents to look after newborn children. However, this ongoing practice may be at risk as the country plans to raise the retirement age, which is currently 50 for female blue-collar workers, 55 for female white-collar workers and 60 for men, Nikkei Asia claimed. According to another report published by Yuwa Population Research Institute, a Beijing-based think tank in February, the average cost of raising a child from birth to the age of 18 years was 6.3 times the per capita GDP of the country. Out of the 13 countries highlighted in the report, only South Korea had a higher figure than China standing at 7.79. The numbers were 2.08 times in Australia, 4.11 in the U.S. and 4.26 in Japan. In 2018, the State Council banned private kindergartens from listing their shares on the Chinese stock market and also restricted listed companies from investing in them. This move is another factor affecting the kindergarten education sector in the country. (ANI)
Days after the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) launched a series of coordinated attacks across Balochistan, killing over 70 people, Baloch political leader Mehran Marri described the violence as an inevitable response to decades of subjugation and repression by Pakistan's government. Speaking to ANI, Marri, who is currently based in the UK, stated, "I think that this attack was inevitable. They [BLA] have carried out several attacks in the recent past. When you subjugate and vandalise the people's nation, you will have reactions, repercussions, and consequences. This is what has happened in Balochistan's liberation process." According to media reports, the attacks targeted police stations, railway lines, and highways in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan, marking one of the most widespread assaults by Baloch separatists in years. The BLA, a group fighting for the secession of the resource-rich province, has been engaged in a decades-long struggle against the Pakistani state, particularly opposing major China-led projects in the region. Marri criticised the response of Pakistani officials, including Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who downplayed the severity of the attacks, suggesting they could be handled by a few police officers. "This is how illiterate, unbothered, and unaware they are of the Balochistan cause," Marri remarked. While condemning the loss of lives, Marri emphasised that violence is a natural reaction to years of oppression. "We can't justify violence, be it by the Baloch or by the occupying state of Pakistan. But sometimes you reap what you sow. That is what is happening in Balochistan right now," he said, drawing parallels with historical conflicts, including the creation of Bangladesh. Marri was critical of Pakistan's military, which he described as lacking both the capacity and the will to confront the Baloch fighters directly. He accused the army of targeting vulnerable populations instead. "The Pakistan army can only fight women, children, and the elderly. It cannot fight the real Baloch," he asserted, alluding to the mass surrender of Pakistani forces in the 1971 war with India. He further criticised the identity checks imposed on Baloch residents by Pakistani forces, comparing them to the recent ID checks conducted by Baloch separatists on passengers during the attacks. "If we check your ID on our soil, I think it's not that much of an issue," Marri argued, highlighting the daily humiliations faced by Baloch people. Regarding China's involvement in the region, Marri accused the Punjabi establishment of duping Beijing into investing in Balochistan through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, which he described as unviable due to ongoing conflict. "China is going to pull out of this whole CPEC because it's not viable. It's like setting up a chocolate factory in Gaza and expecting it to work amidst war and terror," he said. Marri concluded with a message of resilience, stating that the Baloch struggle for independence would continue despite the challenges. He called on India and other international actors to reconsider their positions on Balochistan. "Hopefully, we might have sympathisers or countries that understand us. We've been appealing to India for decades now. But let's hope that changes," he said, urging for a shift in global perceptions and support for the Baloch cause. (ANI)
Al Arish [Egypt], August 28 (ANI/WAM): As part of Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 operation, the UAE has provided world-class medical services, successfully performing complex surgeries for wounded and injured Palestinians at its floating hospital established in Al Arish. The initiative aims to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people. The Prosthetics Centre at the UAE Floating Hospital continues to fit artificial limbs for those who lost their limbs during the war in the Gaza Strip. So far, measurements have been taken to manufacture prosthetics for seven patients, and arrangements are being made to finalise the procedures for 25 additional cases from the region. Concurrently, these patients are receiving physiotherapy and rehabilitation. The medical team at the hospital successfully performed a complex surgery on Suha, a 35-year-old patient, replacing her right hip joint with a full artificial joint. After two months of follow-up and treatment, she has returned to her normal life. This kind of surgery conducted at the floating hospital posed a significant challenge, especially since such operations are typically conducted in major specialised hospitals. However, the competence of the medical team and the availability of necessary equipment led to a successful outcome. The UAE Floating Hospital began offering medical services to the people of Palestine on 24th February 2024. An Emirati medical team from various specialities oversees the hospital, which has performed 1,263 diverse surgeries on cases requiring medical intervention, and provided the necessary treatment and postoperative care. Launched as part of Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, the Prosthetics Centre at the UAE Floating Hospital addresses the urgent need to support the injured. The centre is equipped with a wide range of the latest medical devices for orthopaedic treatment and prosthetics. These dedicated Emirati humanitarian efforts by the UAE aim to alleviate the suffering of the wounded and injured under the dire circumstances faced by the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. (ANI/WAM)
India and Israel held the 17th Round of Foreign Office Consultations on Wednesday, during which Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri shared India's concern at the escalating situation in West Asia and emphasized restraint, dialogue, and diplomacy. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian side was led by the Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, and the Israeli side was led by the Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs Yaakov Blitshtein. "Reflecting on the strength of the India-Israel Strategic Partnership, both sides discussed various issues of bilateral interest in depth and reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral endeavours. The two sides also shared views on the prevailing situation in West Asia and the Indo-Pacific," the ministry added. Further, during the event, the Foreign Secretary also reiterated India's strong and unequivocal condemnation of the October 7 terror attacks on Israel and called for the immediate release of all hostages and a ceasefire. "Reiterating India's strong and unequivocal condemnation of the October 7 terror attacks on Israel, the Foreign Secretary called for the unconditional and immediate release of all hostages, ceasefire, the need for continued humanitarian assistance, and adherence to international humanitarian law. At the same time, he also shared India's concern at the escalating situation in West Asia and emphasized restraint, dialogue, and diplomacy," said MEA. https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1828817775667950034 Following this, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in a post on X said, "17th India-Israel FOC held in New Delhi today. Foreign Secretary @VikramMisri reviewed the entire range of - bilateral relations and the strategic partnership together with @IsraelMFA DG Yaakov Blitshtein." Earlier in the day, Blitshtein paid tributes to victims of the 26/11 terror attack at the Nirman House in Mumbai and inaugurated the Advanced Antimicrobial Emergency Room at JJ Hospital in Mumbai. While speaking to ANI, he said. "It is fabulous that the hospital has been taking care of people for 118 years now... We are now in a difficult situation in Israel and we do realize the importance of good healthcare..." Following this, he also highlighted the need for like-minded countries to join forces in fighting terrorism, describing it as a disease that requires collective action to eradicate. "Terrorism is a disease that we must face... It is something which will not stop unless the like-minded countries of the world fight against it," he said. (ANI)
Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director-General Yaakov Blitshtein paid tributes to victims of the 26/11 terror attack at the Nirman House in Mumbai. He later inaugurated the Advanced Antimicrobial Emergency Room at JJ Hospital in Mumbai. Speaking to reporters, he said, "It is fabulous that the hospital has been taking care of people for 118 years now... We are now in a difficult situation in Israel and we do realize the importance of good healthcare..." Following this, he also highlighted the need for like-minded countries to join forces in fighting terrorism, describing it as a disease that requires collective action to eradicate. "Terrorism is a disease that we must face... It is something which will not stop unless the like-minded countries of the world fight against it," he said. Amid the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, Blistein emphasized Israel's right to self-defence and pledged to stop terror attacks, even if no one else took action. "Israel will not allow anyone to harm its citizens. We have the right to defend ourselves. And that is what we will do. Terror attacks against Israel need to be stopped and if no one does it, we will. We need to bring back our citizens home and we need to bring peace to our borders," Blistein said. Recently, Israel's military said it destroyed a 3km-long (1.9 mile) tunnel near the Netzarim Corridor, which the Israeli military set up to split northern Gaza from the south. Members of the military's Yahalom engineering unit worked with troops in the Jerusalem brigade to locate, probe and wreck the tunnel, the military said, sharing footage claiming to show its destruction. The tunnel is among hundreds of pieces of military infrastructure destroyed in recent weeks, the Israeli army claimed. The Israeli forces said on X that they killed Hezbollah member Faras Qassem in an attack on the Syria-Lebanon border. Earlier, Hezbollah said in a statement it was mourning a fighter killed in an Israeli bombing in the Damascus countryside in the Zabadani area. (ANI)
Din Tai Fung, a renowned Michelin-starred Taiwanese restaurant popular for its dumplings, is shuttering over a dozen locations in China. This move comes as the country's economy, the world's second-largest, experiences a slowdown, according to a report by Voice of America. Beijing Hengtai Feng Catering Company, the company's subsidiary on Monday announced that it plans to close all its 14 restaurants in northern China, including one in Xiamen. The brand's parent company in Taipei said that its 18 remaining restaurants across Eastern China, run by another Shanghai-based partner, will remain in normal operation, according to VOA. In a statement, Din Tai Fung expressed apologies for the inconvenience and disappointment this closure may cause to their customers. "We deeply apologize for the inconvenience and disappointment this decision may cause to our many loyal Din Tai Fung customers," the subsidiary said on the Chinese social media app WeChat. It further said that the employees' severance and placement would be handled properly. Notably, some 800 employees will be affected by the decision. Amid the shutdown, a Taiwan-based economist asserted that the consumption power in China is weak. Darson Chiu, a Taiwan-based economist and director general of the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry said, "The current situation in China is that while there is still traffic, the consumption power is weak, including in the restaurant service industry. A high-end brand like Din Tai Fung may not be able to meet the consumers' needs as they downgrade their consumption in China's current economic environment," according to VOA. The company has its stores globally, with ones in the United States, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, Europe, and Thailand. The Hong Kong branch has been awarded a Michelin Star five times. In June and July, Din Tai Fung had opened new branches in California and New York. (ANI)
The United States intensified its crackdown on entities and individuals who are contributing to violence and instability in the West Bank, announcing new sanctions on Wednesday. The US State Department in a press release said, "As part of the United States' efforts to address the extreme levels of instability and violence against civilians in the West Bank, we are taking additional actions today against those who engage in or provide material support for violent activities there." US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller condemned the surge in extremist settler violence in the West Bank, emphasizing that it causes human suffering. In a post on X, Miller stressed the need for Israel to hold accountable those individuals responsible for violence. "Extremist settler violence in the West Bank causes intense human suffering, harms Israel's security, and undermines the prospect for peace and stability in the region. It is critical that the Government of Israel hold accountable any individuals and entities responsible for violence against civilians in the West Bank. The Department of State also imposed sanctions on Hashomer Yosh, an Israeli non-governmental organisation that provides material support to US-designated outpost Meitarim Farm, and US-designated individuals Yinon Levi, Neriya Ben Pazi and Zvi Bar Yosef, the release said. The release further said that after all 250 Palestinian residents of Khirbet Zanuta were forced to leave in late January, Hashomer Yosh volunteers fenced off the village to prevent the residents from returning. The volunteers also provided support by grazing the herds and purporting to "guard" the outposts of US-designated individuals. The Department also sanctioned Yitzhak Levi Filant (Filant), the civilian security coordinator of the Yitzhar settlement in the West Bank. Although Filant's role is akin to that of a security or law enforcement officer, he has engaged in malign activities outside the scope of his authority, the release said. Notably, in February 2024, Filant led a group of armed settlers to set up roadblocks and conduct patrols to pursue and attack Palestinians in their lands and forcefully expel them from their lands. The West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, has seen a surge in violence in the past year, particularly since Israel's war on Gaza erupted in October. About 3 million Palestinians live in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and more than 500,000 Israelis reside in more than 100 settlements across the territory. (ANI)
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has announced plans to host a public rally at Lahore's iconic Minar-e-Pakistan on September 15, according to ARY News. The PTI submitted a request to the district administration for permission to hold the rally. PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub sent the request, citing relevant articles and Supreme Court decisions regarding rally permissions. Omar Ayub also submitted an application to the Lahore administration, seeking permission to hold the public gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan on September 15, according to ARY News. Earlier, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had called off its power show in Lahore which was scheduled to be held on August 27. PTI, founded by Imran Khan has postponed its rally, which was scheduled for August 27 due to administrative challenges, ARY News had reported on Sunday. The local administration was not granting permission for the rally, which has led to its postponement, the report had said. The development came despite a ruling from the Lahore High Court (LHC). According to PTI Information Secretary Shaukat Mahmood Basra, the party had decided to postpone the rallies after local authorities refused permission. According to ARY News, Basra had said that PTI had opted to reschedule the rally since they had not received permission from the relevant authorities. In addition, he declared that he would sue the administration for contempt for failing to follow the court's order. It is pertinent to note that the Lahore rally is not the only one that got postponed as PTI on August 22 put off a public meeting in Tarnol at the last minute due to controversy within the party, with some leaders alleging that party founder Imran Khan, currently imprisoned in Adiala jail, was not consulted before the postponement. Speaking with journalists on Sunday, Pakistan Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif had asserted that Imran Khan would not have cancelled the rally if he believed it would be successful. He had also dismissed any claims of the establishment's involvement in the PTI's decision of cancelling the rally. He further said that the PTI wants to build another "false narrative" to desperately save its diminishing popularity, according to Geo News. (ANI)
Several wildfires are still burning in Central Idaho, including the large and uncontained Wapiti Fire, as well as the Middle Fork Complex, Boulder, Snag, Dollar and Wolf Creek fires.

Firefighters near the 79,000-acre Wapiti Fire were expected to face near critical conditions Wednesday, according to the days fire update. The fires behavior was expected to be adverse and challenging, the update said.

Ive never had such a busy summer, Boise National Forest Supervisor Brandt Peterson said during a community meeting in Lowman on Tuesday evening. This is as busy as weve been, and its been a really trying summer for I think, all of you, of course, and a lot of the folks that do this work.

Heres whats happening at each fire.

https://scontent.fboi1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/457303428_122135056796298243_2774339885631135531_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=bd9a62&_nc_ohc=8zOB8UCcUf8Q7kNvgHlMl00&_nc_ht=scontent.fboi1-1.fna&oh=00_AYDjm63EZDvQD4iK_uhP9s-QvK9Rc9KnURYp_bnsslxrRg&oe=66D56950

Wapiti: The lightning-caused wildfire was reported on July 24 and has more than 800 personnel working to contain it. Residents in evacuation zone one and part of evacuation zone two near Stanley have been told to go. The rest of zone two, the casino zone and zone three are in set status, and zones four and five are in ready status, according to the Custer County Sheriffs Office social media.

Idaho Highway 21 is closed from east of Lowman to Stanley, but Idaho Highway 75 through Ketchum is open. The Stanley Museum is closed, the Sawtooth Interpretive and Historical Association said on Facebook.

Middle Fork Complex: This complex consists of the Bulldog Fire, Nellie Fire and Anderson Fire, though on Aug. 12 the Nellie and Anderson fires merged, according to InciWeb. The blazes were ignited by lightning on Aug. 5.

The fires are just under 48,000 acres with 5% containment, according to a Wednesday Middle Fork Complex update. The complex is continuing to grow eastward, the update said. It also has over 800 personnel fighting the fires.

West Mountain fires: This encompasses the Boulder, Wolf Creek, Snag, Dollar and Goat fires, four of which are within 20 miles of Cascade. The Wolf Creek Fire is 5 miles west of Donnelly, but is almost contained (95%).

The Snag Fire reached a size of 27,000 acres but the rest are less than 3,000 acres. Fire activity Tuesday prompted the closure of Warm Lake Highway and the power corridor. The fire is still too close to the power lines, the Valley County Sheriffs Office said on Facebook on Wednesday, which means power will not be restored yet. Evacuation zones one and two are in ready status.
For the first time since the Republican National Convention in July, former president Donald Trump will return to battleground Wisconsin, for a town hall event Thursday night in La Crosse.

Town halls typically give voters a chance to ask candidates questions, a different format than the high-energy rallies Trump is known for. This year, Trump has held rallies in Racine, Waukesha and Green Bay, and Thursday will be his first time campaigning in competitive western Wisconsin this cycle.

Here's what to know about where and when Trump will hold his town hall, who will moderate the event, the politics of western Wisconsin and more:

What time is Trump's town hall?

The town hall is expected to begin at 6 p.m. CT. Doors will open at 2 p.m. CT.

Where is Trump holding a town hall?

Trump is holding the town hall at the La Crosse Center in downtown La Crosse. The venue sits along the Mississippi River, which is the border between Wisconsin and Minnesota. The center hosts conventions, concerts and other events.

Vice President Kamala Harris also used the La Crosse Center as a venue for a campaign stop in April, before President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and she became the nominee. She rallied a room of supporters around abortion access during that visit.

More: VP Kamala Harris talks abortion in La Crosse, announces minimum nursing home staff levels

The La Crosse Center arena can seat up to 8,000 people, according to its website. The Trump campaign hasn't said how many voters are expected to attend the town hall.

City officials said South Riverside Park and the southern levee area will be closed Wednesday and Thursday to accommodate the event.

Can I get tickets for Trump's town hall?

The campaign has a link where people can sign up for first-come, first-serve tickets. Only two tickets can be registered under each cell phone number.

Who's moderating Trump's town hall?

Former Democratic congresswoman and 2020 presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard will moderate the debate, the Trump campaign said. Gabbard endorsed Trump on Monday.

Gabbard served as the representative for Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District from 2013 to 2021. She left the Democratic Party in 2022.

In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in June, Gabbard didn't rule out joining the Republican Party or serving in Trump's administration if he wins the November election.

More: Ex-Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard meets with Wisconsin GOP groups

How did La Crosse vote in the last election?

La Crosse County voted blue in 2020, with about 56% of the vote going to Biden and 42% to Trump. Eau Claire County is the only other county in that part of the state that voted blue in the last election. Both are home to University of Wisconsin campuses.

Trump's outcome was about the same as in 2016, when he received about 41% of the vote in La Crosse County. Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton took 51% of the vote there.

La Crosse is in Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District, one of the most competitive seats in Wisconsin. Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden will face Democratic challenger Rebecca Cooke, who advanced from a heated primary on Aug. 13.

Donald Trump (left) and Anderson Cooper talk during the CNN town hall on Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee. The CNN town hall was with the three remaining Republican presidential hopefuls: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Donald Trump.

Where else has Trump held town halls in Wisconsin?

Neither campaign has hosted many town halls yet this election year, so Trump's choice of Wisconsin is notable.

Wisconsin is one of a handful of states that will decide the election, and both campaigns are expected to return often ahead of November. Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz and Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz will visit Milwaukee on Labor Day, a few days after Trump's town hall.

During the 2016 campaign, Trump was part of several town halls in Wisconsin, including one hosted by MSNBC at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. CNN also hosted a town hall at Milwaukee's Riverside Theater featuring Trump, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who were still in the race.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Donald Trump's town hall in La Crosse on Thursday; time, tickets
Hyundai Motor Company plans to manufacture up to 300,000 vehicles per year at it's Bryan County facility.

A federal agencys decision to revisit its approval of a key environmental permit for Hyundai Motor Companys electric vehicle and battery manufacturing operation near Savannah could impact how much water can be drawn from hundreds of feet below ground to serve the site, experts say.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Friday that it had launched a reevaluation of action that cleared the way for the automakers $7.6 billion project in Bryan County. USACE noted it had not considered the expected pumping of up to 6.6 million gallons of water per day from the Floridan Aquifer to support Hyundais operations and expected nearby development.

My assumption would be that the Corps could impose permit restrictions that would limit withdrawals from the aquifer, said Stan Meiburg, former deputy administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency who spent nearly 40 years with the agency and now serves as executive director of the Sabin Family Center for Environment and Sustainability at Wake Forest University. This could require the Hyundai plant to either reevaluate how much water it really needs  and explore options for water reuse  or seek additional surface water supplies to meet the needs of the project.

Hyundai says it plans to use treated wastewater for irrigation only at the Hyundai site, and development officials say it would take a quarter-century to fund, permit, design and build a link between the site the nearest surface-water treatment plant.

New information has surfaced

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division has proposed permits for four Bulloch County wells that would draw the water and send it to Bryan County for use at the nearly 2,500-acre Hyundai property and surrounding area.

However, state and local development officials did not mention the planned wells or projected demand in their application for a key permit required by the U.S. Clean Water Act. As a result, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) concluded that the Hyundai project would have negligible impacts on the local water supply and that no state permits for additional water withdrawals would be required.

This determination was made in reliance on the information you provided during our review of your application, USACE said in a letter sent Friday to Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson and Trip Tollison, who leads the Savannah Harbor-Interstate 16 Corridor Joint Development Authority. Based on the release of the Georgia EPD draft permits, the Corps has determined that new information has surfaced regarding the effects the project may have on municipal and private water supplies, and that reevaluation of our permit decision regarding our effects determination for water supply is warranted.

USACEs letter asks Wilson and Tollison to assess how the Hyundai site  where the company plans to begin production early next year  will impact the aquifer and surface water.

We have received a request from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide additional data on the projected water supply for Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, Wilson, Tollison and Savannah Harbor-Interstate 16 Corridor Joint Development Authority Chairman Carter Infinger said in a joint statement. We appreciate the USACEs diligence to ensure that all information is being considered in its permit, and as we have done with all USACE requests, we will deliver this information as soon as possible.

Our plan will provide water for HMGMA while protecting and preserving the local environment, and we remain committed to doing this the right way."

Bryan, bound by a joint development agreement to supply water for the Hyundai complex, is going outside the county because it is subject to state withdrawal limits aimed at limiting saltwater intrusion in the aquifer near Savannah.

EPD estimates the depth of the Floridan will drop by as much as 19 feet near the new wells, and that private wells could decline by up to 15 feet.

More: Experts: Feds should have known  and been told  of water demands for Hyundai site

From left, Savannah Economic Development Authority President and CEO Trip Tollison, Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson and consultant Alton Brown.

Threat of legal action

The Ogeechee Riverkeeper organization filed a notice of intent, or NOI, in June that it intended to challenge the Corps October 2022 approval of the Hyundai permit.

The organization accused USACE of not completing required steps and overlooking water supply concerns during the permitting process for the site.

The Clean Water Act requires USACE to collect information and analyze permit requests that impact or disturb waters of the U.S., including wetlands.

The organization challenged USACEs findings that it would be reasonable to assume that the Bryan County (water) supply is adequate to support the plant and related growth and would not require water withdrawals or a permit from the EPD.

Obviously the Corps took the NOI seriously and found that the decision needed to be reviewed based on information not contained in the original permit application, said Meiburg, the former EPA deputy administrator.

Clearing the way: More than 100 tortoises were removed from burrows at Hyundai site ahead of construction

Need for a new public notice

USACEs letter suggests that it likely will launch an additional environmental assessment of the Hyundai site based on the water information, said Patrick Parenteau, an environmental law expert.

There is a further question about the need for a new public notice since the original (application) did not mention the wells and give the public the opportunity to comment, which is a requirement of the Clean Water Act and Corps rules, added Parenteau, professor of law and senior fellow for climate policy at the Environmental Law Center at Vermont Law School.

Tollison, who also is president of the Savannah Economic Development Authority, told the Savannah Morning News in June that the permit application omitted projected water demand because that is regulated at the state, not federal, level.

We have been and remain committed to doing this the right way, he said at the time. Our plan will provide water for HMGMA while protecting and preserving the local environment, and we remain committed to doing this the right way."

The Clean Water Act does make clear that states are responsible for regulating drinking water, but it also directs USACE to account for probable impact including cumulative impacts on factors including water supply and conservation in its environmental assessment.

"In reviewing a proposed project for compliance with Clean Water Act Section 404 regulations, the Corps and EPA consider the potential effects of the project on potable water supplies, the EPAs Washington office explained in an email.

That portion of the landmark law regulates the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States, including wetlands.

It applied to the Hyundai project because the site contained more than 300 acres of jurisdictional wetlands as defined by the Clean Water Act.

Potential to avoid litigation'

Representatives of the Ogeechee Riverkeeper organization (ORK) met with Corps officials in June to discuss its notice of intent. The gathering included discussion of a path forward including the potential to avoid litigation, according to Fridays letter from USACE.

ORK Executive Director and Riverkeeper Damon Mullis said he welcomed the Corps review of Hyundai sites permit.

These considerations should have been taken into account from day one, he said of the projected water demand. But we are encouraged to see that the USACE will finally review these issues in full. Once all of the data is on the table, we urge the Corps to independently and vigorously vet and verify this information in its reevaluation, and to be transparent with the public during this reevaluation process.

For now, the reevalution construction at the Hyundai will not be impacted by the reevaluation, said Cheri Pritchard, a spokeswoman for USACE's Savannah District.

"The permit is still valid and we have not requested that the permittee stop work," she noted. "Based on the fact that we have requested additional information from the permittee via letter, the review timeline is unknown at this time."

John Deem covers climate change and the environment in coastal Georgia. He can be reached at 912-652-0213 or jdeem@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Hyundai's Georgia site may get less aquifer water than expected
In our Reality Check stories, Idaho Statesman journalists seek to hold the powerful accountable and find answers to critical questions in our community. Read more. Story idea? Tips@idahostatesman.com.

Students in Idaho schools in the past year may have started seeing more prominent posters displaying the national motto, In God We Trust, in their classrooms.

Thats because of a law Idaho legislators passed last year requiring school districts and universities to display these posters or framed copies in conspicuous places if theyre donated and meet certain requirements.

The law applies to all public educational institutions under the control of the State Board of Education or the board of regents of the University of Idaho, which includes school districts, colleges and universities. The West Ada school board approved a new policy Monday to comply with the law.

Rep. Jeff Cornilles, a Nampa Republican who sponsored the legislation last year, said the national motto is historic and represents the countrys founding based on Judeo-Christian philosophies and rules.

Its part of the founding fabric of our nation, he told the Idaho Statesman. And I think some of thats been taken away from society and, in particular, some of our young people.

Idaho law puts strict criteria on displays

The law, which took effect in July 2023, mandates that a school district display a durable poster or framed copy of the nations motto that was donated if it meets certain criteria.

The display must feature a representation of the U.S. or Idaho flag. It must also only contain black, white, gold or silver in the background, lettering and framing, and it cant identify the donor or have any other logos. A poster that meets the requirements can also be purchased from private donations.

A school district or university is responsible for approving the size of the poster or framed copy that would need to be displayed. Administrative rules associated with West Adas new policy state the poster can be no larger than 12-by-20 inches. The district can reject a donation if it doesnt meet all of the parameters.

West Ada general counsel Amy White said last month the district had received two donations over the last school year. Under the legislation, schools can determine where they display the national motto.

Trustees passed the policy Monday with no discussion.

Every child should feel welcome, lawmaker says

The legislation was loosely based on a law passed in Texas, Cornilles told the Statesman, but similar versions have been used in other states.

When Cornilles proposed the Idaho bill, some legislators raised concerns that students who were members of different religious groups could feel alienated by the posters. Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking, a Boise Democrat and former teacher, said its important to be respectful of differing religious beliefs from students.

We have the separation of church and state for a reason, and schools are certainly an area where I walk very cautiously with that, Ward-Engelking told the Statesman. I want to make sure that every child feels welcome, every child feels valued, and that their views are honored, even if theyre not the views that I share.

Cornilles said the national motto has been part of the culture for a long time and is recognized as part of the nations history.

They could also look at it as a historic document, because it is and part of what this country stands for, he told the Statesman. Whether they believe in that or not, its what this country was based on.
'Man for others': Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. mourned at wake in native city of Paterson

Residents and officials alike mourned the death of Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., the stalwart Paterson Democrat who died last week at 87, at a wake held at St. John the Baptist Cathedral in his hometown Tuesday evening.

A native son of Paterson and a lifelong public servant, Pascrell was a veteran of the U.S. Army, worked as a history teacher and served in the New Jersey General Assembly and as mayor of Paterson before he was first elected to Congress in 1996.

He represented the people of his beloved city and surrounding Bergen, Passaic and Hudson county communities for 14 terms.

Don Bak, President of The General Association of Korean Vietnam Veterans of USA, and other veterans are shown after exiting the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, where they were for the wake of Bill Pascrell Jr. Tuesday, August 27, 2024, in Paterson.

But those on hand Tuesday will remember him as a real person who worked to help others.

And while various state and local officials paid their respects Tuesday  including Gov. Phil Murphy and Lieutenant Gov. Tahesha Way  steady stream of mourners made up of people from all walks of life passed through the church as well.

Kathleen Kraemer O'Connor attended with her sister Ann Kraemer Daly. Their family knew Pascrell for years because their parents were friends with Pascrell and his wife dating back to their time at Fordham University, where Pascrell earned a bachelor's and master's degree.

They remember the congressman as a "man for others" who was impressive as the mayor and political leader but was more impressive because he was a "real person."

Don Bak and about a dozen other veterans of the war in Vietnam from throughout the tri-state area also made the trip to Paterson because of the work Pascrell did in Congress to benefit veterans.

Related: These were the causes dear to the late Rep. Bill Pascrell's heart

"We're all Vietnam veterans who feel connected to Pascrell," Bak said. "We remember what he did for us so we will remember him always."

Mass cards featuring an excerpt of the poem "Paterson" by William Carlos Williams were also available.

While guests waited for upwards of an hour in some cases, the cathedral was full of pictures of Pascrell throughout his life. They featured him at home with his family, hard at work in Paterson and rubbing elbows with dignitaries.

A member of the Paterson Police Emergency Response Team is shown carrying an M4 outside the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist during the wake of Bill Pascrell Jr. Tuesday, August 27, 2024.

Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh said that Pascrell would "eat, sleep and breathe Paterson" and that everyone in the city has a story about him because Paterson was the "only home he's ever known."

Pascrell had recently had a 24-day hospitalization during which he needed what his staff said was breathing assistance. He was released, but then on Aug. 11 suffered a medical setback and was taken from a rehabilitation facility in Essex County to Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston.

Pascrell's accomplishments

Pascrell was widely known for being an advocate for first responders, especially firefighters. He worked to bring grants back to his district and spearheaded the Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement Act of 2000 to establish the only federal program that delivers grant dollars directly to fire departments across America.

Pascrell was instrumental in getting his childhood playground, the Great Falls, recognized as the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park during the administration of former President Barack Obama. He also served as co-chair of the Italian-American Congressional Delegation.

People are shown at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist for the wake of Bill Pascrell Jr. Tuesday, August 27, 2024, in Paterson.

In a statement, President Joe Biden called Pascrell a devoted patriot, a gentleman, and an exemplary leader.

A beloved bridge-builder and champion for working-class people, Bill fought relentlessly to ensure their voices and needs were at the center of policymaking, Biden said.

Related: A look at Bill Pascrell's life from growing up in Paterson to decades in Congress

Pascrell attended St. Georges Elementary School in Paterson and St. John the Baptist High School, where was chairman of the student council's advertising committee and, for a time, its president. Out of the classroom, he was an all-league third baseman for St. John's in his senior year, but Pascrell played a variety of positions including pitcher, catcher and outfielder.

Pascrell is survived by his wife, Elsie, three children and five grandchildren.

The county committee for the district will decide on Thursday who will fill Pascrell's spot on the November ballot. State Sen. Nellie Pou is the likely candidate. She also succeeded Pascrell in the Assembly, when he moved on to Congress.

Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: sobko@northjersey.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. mourned at wake in Paterson NJ
Meet three new teachers at Griswold Public Schools: Why they're excited for the new year

Some new teachers in Griswold are getting their start in education, while others are looking for their next chapter.

On Thursday, the 1,750 Griswold Public Schools students will see both familiar and new faces across the district. Eighteen new teachers, staff, administrators, and interns joined the Griswold schools this year, and the district is still looking to fill 16 positions.

The Bulletin spoke with three of the new teachers: Luke Vermilyea, Isiah Lovell, and Lauren Churchill. They each have their own passions, including manufacturing, fitness and music. However, they all share an eagerness to get to know the district and the community. They look forward to a great year of learning ahead.

New Griswold Elementary School Physical Education Teacher Isiah Lovell. He wants to teach his students lifelong healthy habits.

Isiah Lovell, Physical Education, Griswold Elementary School

Lovell just graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University, and is looking forward to getting accustomed to the school, and looking forward to a great school year.

Lovell has always been a physically active person, and understands the value in staying healthy. He wants to share his knowledge, help his students lead healthy lifestyles, and to help them succeed, he said.

The district feels like one big family, and Lovell can connect and learn from others, including teachers who were once Griswold students, he said.

Being a part of that connectedness means a lot as a first-year teacher, he said.

Lovell wants parents to know that he will teach things than can be modified as needed so all students can have success in his classroom, and take those experiences with them.

It may not come all at the same time for students, but all students can have success in physical education, he said.

Luke Vermilyea, Technology Education Teacher, Griswold High School

This is Vermilyeas first education job, after he graduated from Central Connecticut State University in May.

Vermilyea grew up building things with his grandfather, and worked on theater productions in high school. Rather than act, Vermilyea liked helping behind the scenes with sound, set construction, and lights. As a high schooler, Vermilyea had also worked at the Warner Theater in Torrington. While he loved the work, sound engineering didnt feel right as a career path, he said.

As a junior, he didnt know what his next steps would be, but he had to train a replacement. Through teaching the middle schoolers and freshmen his back of house skills, Vermilyea found his passion.

It was even more fun for me than doing it myself, he said.

When Griswold High School offered Vermilyea his job, he wanted to see the campus first. While he visited many schools due to his studies and job search, Griswold High School felt special as soon as he walked in.

The respect the students show everyone and the vibe they give off in the building is really unlike anything I experienced at any of the other schools Ive been to, he said.

What Vermilyea is teaching this year

Vermilyeas classes include woodworking, computer aided design, and manufacturing. This includes an advanced manufacturing course as a part of the Eastern Workforce Investment Boards Youth Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative, teaching students skills from measurement, to operating machinery, and more, he said.

As Vermilyea was passionate about working on theater production and now teaching, he wants his students to be creative and find their passions.

I want them to find something they enjoy, and I want to be there to push them along, he said.

File Photo of new Griswold High School Band and Orchestra Director Lauren Churchill. While she misses Woodstock Academy, teaching in Griswold means a shorter commute, working with her husband, and teaching her daughter.

Lauren Churchill, Band and Orchestra Director, Griswold High School

Churchill, who marched in a band directors group for the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade last year, is now teaching at Griswold High School.

Churchill was surrounded by band music growing up, including from her father, a former band director, and her twin sister, the band director at Norwich Free Academy. Her main instrument is the trumpet, but she can play any band instrument, she said.

Churchills 20th year in education is a new adventure. While she misses her students and colleagues at Woodstock Academy, the change means both working in her hometown, and with family. Churchills husband is the choir director, and her daughter is a junior at Griswold High School.

It seemed like a perfect opportunity, she said.

While shes excited to work with her family, Churchill is also excited to work with new kids and develop new ideas. Before her arrival, the middle school band director was also the high school band director. Now that theres two people leading band programs in the district, were going to be able to build the type of instrumental program that we want, and well have so much fun.

Im super excited to get going, meet everybody, and be a part of this community, she said.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Eighteen new teachers, staff and interns join Griswold Public Schools
Child care providers have been struggling to keep their doors open, and in some cases forced to shutter, due to technical issues with the education departments disbursal of federal funds (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent).

Missouri legislative leaders are demanding answers from state education officials about a monthslong backlog in a child care subsidy program.

Two House committees  the budget committee and the education committee  have scheduled hearings into the matter next month, and a Republican Senate leader has called for her chamber to launch a similar inquiry.

I think it is safe to say The Office of Childhood is a massive disaster, Senate Majority Leader Cindy OLaughlin, a Republican from Shelbina, wrote in a Facebook post Tuesday, referring to the office within the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education that is responsible for administration of the subsidy.

 instead of creating more child care, she wrote, this office is running day cares out of business.

Child care providers have been struggling to keep their doors open, and in some cases forced to shutter, due to technical issues with the education departments disbursal of federal funds.

State education officials have largely blamed a contracted vendor for the monthslong backlogs. The system launched in December after the program shifted from the Department of Social Services to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The subsidy, part of a federal block grant program that is state-administered, helps cover the cost for day care owners serving low-income and foster children. Some day cares rely on the program to pay their staff.

OLaughlin said due to the incompetence of the office, she is requesting that Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden appoint an interim committee to look into the issues.

The technology vendor, along with leadership of the Office of Childhood, parents and child care providers would be asked to testify, she wrote.

The vendor contracted to develop and implement the new system for the subsidy program is World Wide Technology, a large technology services provider headquartered in St. Louis.

In addition to OLaughlin, House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, a Springfield Democrat running for governor, demanded that her chambers leadership create an interim committee to look into the issues surrounding the subsidy.

The problems administering the program have escalated to the point of crisis, with families losing access to care, Quade wrote in a letter last week to House Speaker Dean Plocher, as some facilities have been forced to close, due in large part to the departments failure to remit the payments owed in a timely manner.

The education department has been less than forthcoming in communication, she wrote.

Since members of the House Democratic Caucus are being inundated with pleas for help from desperate families and struggling providers, Quade wrote, Im certain our Republican colleagues are as well.

If the department is unable or unwilling to provide answers, it is our duty to demand them.

Wednesday, Plocher announced the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee will hold a hearing Sept. 10 to investigate the causes and impacts of delays in the state issuing child care payments.

A House Budget Committee hearing was already scheduled for Sept. 11 to discuss child care with the education agency.

At any hearing that is scheduled with lawmakers, the education departments spokesperson, Mallory McGowin, said in an email to The Independent, DESE plans to be transparent about the challenges that exist, and the work being done to address the issues.

McGowin said there are currently backlogs in family applications for subsidy assistance, provider contract applications, and in providers requests to resolve outstanding payment issues.

And there are ongoing issues getting providers their full payment: Payments are being processed daily and providers are getting paid, she said, though some are not receiving full payment due to ongoing technical issues.

Regarding the backlog of family applications, McGowin said the department has contracted with a staffing agency and expects it to be cleared by mid to late September. The department has also cross-trained additional staff to clear the backlog of provider contract applications. That backlog is expected to be cleared by early to mid-September.

Regarding outstanding payment issues, she said the current contractors have doubled their staff working on issues preventing or delaying provider payments. DESE has also contracted with an agency to clear the backlog of subsidy payment corrections and hired part-time workers to help process requests for missing payments. McGowin didnt provide a timeline for the department overcoming the backlog of payment corrections.

DESE recognizes the importance of subsidy payments to the child care industry and the value the program provides to Missouris workforce, in particular for families who provide care to children in foster care, McGowin said.

McGowin encouraged parents and providers with questions to call the subsidy hotline at 573-415-8605.

DESE and its contractors, World Wide Technology and MTX, are working hard to address these issues and sincerely apologizes to the child care providers and families affected by this transition, she said.

UPDATE: This story was updated at 10:20 AM on Aug. 28 to add news of the House education committees hearing. It was updated at 12:45 PM to add comment from DESE and clarify the timing of Rep. Quades letter.

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Supporting Taiwan: Haley emphasized that the resolution has been misused by Beijing to marginalize Taiwan and called for global support in acknowledging the issue. The UN should not allow the Chinese Communist Party to hijack a resolution and claim its about Taiwan, Haley said. She advocated for a hearing, even as a sidebar event, to discuss Taiwans status and the harassment it faces from China. She also argued that Taiwan deserves a nonmember observer status in the UN  similar to Palestine  and criticized the UN for turning a blind eye to Taiwans plight, stressing that the self-governing island has been instrumental in global efforts such as alerting the world to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photos of European influencers were stolen and used to promote Republican candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, in the upcoming presidential election, a joint investigation by CNN and the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR) has revealed.

CNN and CIR used reverse-image search tools to analyze over 54 suspect accounts. Each account used photos of influencers from European countries including Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Russia to pose as conventionally attractive young women who were also Trump supporters.

The accounts all grew suspiciously fast in followers and pushed pro-Trump messaging, using the hashtags #MAGAPatriots and #MAGA2024. The posts also frequently contained English-language errors.

By hijacking images of the influencers, these accounts clearly recognise the value of creating a believable human persona that followers can relate to  they share photographs of the women at the beach, out at a cafe, or doing their make-up, Benjamin Strick, director of investigations at CIR, told CNN.

One X account that has since been deleted, @Luna_2k24, amassed a large following since it was created in March. Posing as a 32-year-old Trump supporter, the account praised the former president and she posted photos of herself to accompany the posts.

But the photos Luna was posting were actually photos of German fashion influencer Debbie Nederlof, a single mother and trained optician in Trier, Germany.

To be honest, what the f**k? was my reaction. That was my reaction, because I have nothing to do with the United States, with Trump, the political things over there. What the hell do I, from a small place in Germany, care about U.S. politics? Nederlof told CNN.

Another account, @queen0_gabriela, used photos of 27-year-old Demi Maric, an Amsterdam-based business student. Another, @eva_maga1996, used photos of 22-year-old influencer Neriah Tellerup Andersen from Copenhagen, Denmark.

I feel used, like someone is taking something from me. Its my image. I dont want to think people think that I do what those profiles are sometimes promoting, Andersen told CNN.

The fake accounts seem to be part of a sophisticated, coordinated effort, Emily Horne, former global head of policy communications at Twitter, told CNN. She warned that the accounts could be a sign of foreign intervention in the upcoming 2024 presidential election, which is less than 70 days away.

This could be a state actor. The level of sophistication indicates it could be any of the hostile state actors, including Russia, Iran and China, she told CNN.
How could you, Bobby Jr.?

Thats the question every scholar of the Kennedys is asking who recalls how much you adored your namesake father  and how much your fathers life centered around three totems: the Democratic Party, the Kennedy family and God.

You have abandoned them all.

Were dumbfounded not just by your endorsing a Republican for president, but also your embracing a demagogue like Donald Trump who has defamed the Kennedys as a bunch of lunatics.

What happened to the RFK Jr. who loved animals?

Ever since you were a kid, the environment was your absolute passion, Bobby. Remember the red-tailed hawk you adopted, kept in your boyhood bedroom and named Morgan le Fay, after the sorceress in the Arthurian legend?

And thanks to you, the family compound at Hickory Hill in Northern Virginia also witnessed a parade of homing pigeons, iguanas, raccoons, possums, cockatoos, squirrels, mice, rats, ducks, rabbits, parakeets, hamsters, geese, chickens, roosters, guinea pigs, lizards, a 4-H calf and a leopard tortoise brought from Kenya in a suitcase that was unusable afterward.

How can you square that love, which became your lifes work at the Waterkeeper Alliance, with backing an ex-president who has dismissed climate change as a hoax, vows to roll back the environmental protections you labored for and whose energy policy centers around the battle cry drill, baby, drill?

Donald Trump, JD Vance and RFK Jr.? 'Weird' doesn't do justice to this loony trifecta.

Although maybe your veneration of the environment  and animals  arent as deep as we thought. New Yorker writer Clare Malone has recounted how in 2014 you picked up roadkill, a dead bear cub, and drove it into Manhattan and staged a Central Park scene to look like it was killed by a bicyclist. You even released a video telling Roseanne Barr about it.

Then this week, an environmental group called for a government investigation after a 2012 magazine interview resurfaced in which your daughter said you used a chainsaw to cut off the head of a dead whale.

Turning your back on the values of Robert F. Kennedy Sr.

Former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. greets Republican nominee Donald Trump at a campaign rally on Aug. 23, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz.

When did your politics veer to the right and into the Trump speed lane?

Not even the ex-president has gone as far as you in denying the efficacy of lifesaving vaccines. Youre on board with sealing the borders to immigrants whom your uncle Jack trumpeted as the backbone of this nation  and ending aid to Ukrainians waging war for the political freedom your dad made the cornerstone of his career.

It's not just your backing a race-baiting Republican that has fans of your father shell-shocked, but also turning your back on a Democratic ticket that loudly echoes precisely what the original RFK championed in his campaign for president in 1968. He ran as a racial healer, a tribune for the poor and the last progressive knight.

His romantic vision for America and the planet made Robert Francis Kennedy the uncommon optimist in an age of political distrust. It would later inspire Ted Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Kamala Harris in their spirited runs for the White House.

Presidential nominee Kamala Harris: DNC showed Harris campaign is dismissing the noise from Trump and pundits. Its working.

Each time a man stands up for an ideal, RFK reminded us, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.

No wonder his audiences swooned.

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RFK Sr. moved in precisely the opposite direction you are, Junior, transforming from cold warrior to hot-blooded liberal. Unlike the divisive Donald Trump, the Bobby Kennedy of 1968 was a builder of bridges  between islands of Black, brown and blue-collar folks, between terrified parents and estranged youths, and between the establishment he had grown up in versus the new politics he heralded.

You once recalled how, when your father piled you and your siblings into the family station wagon for the ride to church, he always carried a Bible with him. And when the priest started talking about the right-wing stuff he would pointedly read the Bible or he would read the Catholic newspapers at the back of the church.

Journalist and author, Larry Tye, on a Cape Cod beach.

Now youre embracing that very right-wing stuff, to the point where nearly all your siblings felt the need Friday to denounce your staining of what the Kennedy name stands for: Our brother Bobby's 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.

Are you really so desperate for attention  or a job  that you are doing this? Is it resenting the spotlight that has shined on your sisters, brothers and cousins, and reasoning that this radical turnaround is the way to make your own headlines? Or is it simply seeking some way to measure up to the fame you inherited by virtue of your name?

Whatever the motivation, the result, as your siblings say, is sad.

Journalist Larry Tye is the author of nine books, including "Bobby Kennedy: The Making of a Liberal Icon."

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: RFK Jr. endorsing Trump betrays his father and the Kennedy legacy
Sick of that political banner? Here's how a few Ohio cities regulate campaign signs

Sick of the candidate names your neighbor has plastered across their lawn?

Are you wondering if that one political banner is bigger than allowed? Or is it too early for someone to display campaign signs in your neighborhood?

Regulations of election posters in yards or on buildings vary throughout Ohio from one city or village to another.

Some towns are very specific about when signs can go up and when they must be taken down, while others have no rules addressing such advertisements.

Commuters on Main Street in Mansfield have plenty of reading material from campaign signs at one south side residence. Mansfield city code says temporary signs may not be placed on sidewalks, curbs, safety strip, street, alley or any other public property.

State campaign laws require ad funding disclosures and prohibit the use of false statements, but placement, length of time and size of political signs are all governed individually by incorporated areas.

Variation in sign laws displayed in Crawford County

The juxtaposition of campaign sign laws across The Buckeye State is on full display in Crawford County.

The county seat, Bucyrus, is to the west with a population of 11,500.

Residents there are free to display campaign signs well before and long after an election, according to Mike Keefe, the city's zoning administrator.

"The city of Bucyrus doesn't have any duration or time limits on how soon a sign can go out, or duration after to have it be removed," Keefe said.

City code does regulate temporary signs in Bucyrus, though. They have to be smaller than 20 square feet, secured to prevent movement, and cannot be placed within a public right-of-way, or affixed to any public utility pole or street tree.

Although it doesn't address campaign signs directly, Bucyrus city code does state: "In no event shall a temporary sign advertising or promoting a specific event be allowed to remain standing for more than 7 days past the date or event highlighted by the sign."

On the east side of Crawford County is Galion, population 10,400. Similarly sized, but very different rules.

Residents there must obey a city ordinance that restricts the display of candidate signs and is enforced by the building inspector, according to Matt Echelberry, the city's communications director.

That law reads: "Signs or posters concerning candidates for elective office, public issues and similar matters to be decided by public election, to be displayed beginning not more than 45 days prior to the first day on which votes may be cast for the election, and to be removed not later than 3 days after such election. Such signs shall not exceed 12 square feet in area, shall not be illuminated and shall not be located within a public right-of-way nor be affixed to any public utility pole or street tree. In addition such sign shall not be located in any manner so as to create a safety or visibility hazard."

Yard signs are seen after being collected at a previous election by the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio. In Marion, "political signs are considered temporary non-accessory signs that can be any size and must come down 14 days after they are useful," says the city's Law Director Mark Russell.

Campaign sign violations in Marion could face $150 fine

In Marion, the only city in Marion County, sign regulations are enforced by the zoning department with assistance from the regional planning commission, according to Mark Russell, the city's law director.

"In summary, political signs are considered temporary non-accessory signs that can be any size and must come down 14 days after they are useful," Russell said.

Sign violations in Marion are subject to a minor misdemeanor citation with a $150 maximum fine for each charge.

Few restrictions on campaign signs for residents of Richland County

Toward the northwest corner of Richland County is Shelby.

There is no ordinance specifically about campaign signs there, according to according to Joe Gies, the city's projects coordinator.

"We would treat them more like a temporary sign," Gies said. "They shouldn''t be out more than 30 days before the election and have to be removed five days after the election."

Shelby has no size restrictions on temporary signs, but they may not block the view of traffic and cannot be placed in the city's right-of-way.

"Offenders can be charged with a minor misdemeanor," Gies said. "We would talk with property owners to get compliance before pressing charges. There really hasn't been much of a problem."

In the center of Richland County are the cities of Ontario and Mansfield, the county seat.

Mansfield city code says temporary signs may not be placed "upon a sidewalk, curb, safety strip, street, alley or any other public property." Signs are never allowed to "obscure traffic or constitute a safety hazard."

The messages written on campaign signs and the length of the time they are displayed are not restricted by the city, which Mayor Jodie Perry said makes sense considering the First Amendment.

"In general, I would say that the right to free speech really limits any enforcement on these," Perry said. "But we do ask for the campaign's cooperation in keeping them in the right of way areas, and typically we have pretty good cooperation."

In Ontario, city code restricts a lot of temporary signs, but campaign signs are not subject to restrictions because of the following city exemption: "Signs advocating political, religious, or philosophical points of view that are located on private property."

Political signs in Ashland allowed 90 days before election

The only place city laws don't apply are near where votes are cast, according to Shannon Johnson, deputy director of the Ashland County Board of Elections.

"Boards of election are responsible to govern the polling location and 100 feet from the entrance," Johnson said. "We teach our workers to ask campaigners to stay outside that perimeter. If they do not comply, we will call law enforcement."

Outside that restricted area, Ashland city code permits: "Political signs not exceeding 6 square feet in area, provided such signs shall be placed no earlier than 90 days before election day and removed within 2 weeks following election day."

An Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown campaign sign is placed in a yard in Wooster. The city's code says signs must be secured against the wind, may not be illuminated in any way and cannot be protrude above the roofline of a structure.

Cities such as Rittman planning to update political sign laws

Some cities, such as Rittman in northeast Wayne County, are still using outdated political sign laws that likely will be updated by the next election cycle, according to Matthew Simpson, the city's law director.

"We are in the process of entirely rewriting our sign ordinance to bring it up to date," Simpson said. "In general, the only provision of the sign ordinance being enforced currently are size requirements, as portions of the ordinance are not appropriate for enforcement as written."

None of the size requirements apply specifically to campaign signs, either, leaving few restrictions this year on political displays in Rittman.

Temporary signs in Wooster are subject to several standards that are outlined in the city's codified ordinances.

In Wooster, "unless otherwise stated, a sign permit for temporary signs shall be required for temporary signs that exceed 12 square feet," city code reads.

"Unless otherwise stated, a sign permit for temporary signs shall be required for temporary signs that exceed 12 square feet," city code reads.

Signs must be secured against the wind, may not be illuminated in any way, and cannot be protrude above the roofline of a structure.

In Orrville, city code only addresses signs that could interfere with traffic: "No person shall erect or string advertising or political signs and banners, or any other device across any street or other public place in the city, except as permitted by the building code or the zoning code."

ztuggle@gannett.com

419-564-3508

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Campaign sign laws vary from city to city in Central, Northeast Ohio
Eric Kimuyu practices an acrobatic move in Wuqiao County, north China's Hebei Province, Aug. 14, 2024. (Xinhua/Bai Lin)

SHIJIAZHUANG, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan acrobat Mathias Kavita was thrilled when he found out he would be traveling to China for a second time, having trained in acrobatics in the country over four decades ago.

The 53-year-old, along with 22 other acrobatics students from Kenya, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone and Eritrea, is participating in a two-month program in north China's Wuqiao County, known as the cradle of Chinese acrobatics. The program, which is sponsored by the Chinese government, began in late July.

"I missed China so much for four decades, and I am very excited to secure this second chance to study acrobatics in Wuqiao County," Kavita said in a recent interview with Xinhua at the Hebei Wuqiao Acrobatic Art School in Hebei Province.

In 1983, Kavita and 23 other Kenyan students arrived at the home base of the Guangzhou Acrobatic Troupe of China in south China's Guangdong Province to study acrobatics for two years, sponsored by the Chinese government.

Kavita then returned to Kenya and worked in acrobatics, establishing a workshop in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, in the mid-1990s. The workshop still operates today, having trained over 1,000 people to date.

Though Kavita first visited China as a student, he has returned to assist the Chinese instructors who are teaching acrobatics to African students of the program.

As Kavita can speak Chinese, he helps the students better understand and master key learning points from the Chinese instructors.

Back in Kenya, many children have been inspired by Kavita and have spent years learning acrobatics from him. When he has the opportunity to perform, he often takes these children along for his shows, allowing them to earn an income as well.

Eric Kimuyu, 26, began learning acrobatics from Kavita about 10 years ago. "Acrobatics has brought me discipline and more friends. Practicing with friends and gaining ideas from them might help me in the future," Kimuyu said at the Hebei Wuqiao Acrobatic Art School.

"I believe that the skills I'm learning here will help me gain opportunities in the future to perform on the global stage," said Judah Patrick, another of Kavita's students, after excitedly demonstrating his newly acquired skills.

"In Africa, we generally only train for physical balance, but after training in China, I've gained more ideas and experience. I'm thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to come to China," Patrick said.

Wuqiao acrobatics can be traced back some 2,000 years to the Han Dynasty (202 B.C.-220 A.D.). In 2006, it was listed as a form of intangible cultural heritage at the state level.

Kavita and many young Africans continue to pass on Chinese acrobatics skills in Africa, and they have become grassroots ambassadors for cultural exchange between China and Africa.

Speaking of his bond with China, Kavita became visibly emotional. He said he hoped this bond of friendship will be passed on to the next generation, and that the acrobatics program will continue as it has made changes in his country.

"I benefited tremendously from China's opening-up and modernization from an early age," Kavita said, noting that he is keeping a close eye on the upcoming 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and hopes it will yield more fruitful results. 

Judah Patrick practices an acrobatic move in Wuqiao County, north China's Hebei Province, Aug. 14, 2024. (Xinhua/Bai Lin)

Mathias Kavita shows his certificate he earned at the Guangzhou Acrobatic Troupe of China four decades ago, in Wuqiao County, north China's Hebei Province, Aug. 14, 2024. (Xinhua/Bai Lin)
Virginia has approved a deal with Norfolk Southern Corp. to extend passenger rail service to the New River Valley and expand commuter rail options in Northern Virginia, while saving the state time and money.

The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority adopted two agreements with the Atlanta-based railroad company on Tuesday after a closed-door meeting of the authority board of directors on Tuesday to discuss the confidential terms of the deal.

The agreements will allow the authority to run passenger trains between Roanoke and Christiansburg on Norfolk Southern's main rail line instead of a previously planned route that would take longer and cost more to complete, while making it easier to extend passenger service further south and west in the future.

"It's a huge win for us," Executive Director DJ Stadtler told the board. "It will allow us to get done faster."

The authority hasn't disclosed the financial terms of the deal but estimated that changing the route in Southwest Virginia would save the state $102 million on the project and accelerate the project's completion to 2027 instead of 2028. The state will own the historic Cambria station in Christiansburg, which operated from 1906 to 1979, and Norfolk Southern will build a new passenger platform at the station as well as a layover facility in Radford.

As part of the deal, the authority will purchase 24 miles of track used by the Virginia Railway Express for its commuter rail line between Manassas and Alexandria. Owning the line will give the state greater control over sharing the track with Norfolk Southern freight trains, allowing it to run trains at night and on weekends. VRE already can run trains at night and on weekends on the former RF&P rail right-of-way that the state partly owns between Richmond and Alexandria under a $525 million deal with CSX Corp. in 2021.

"This will give us the ability to add night and weekend service on both lines, which is critical," Stadtler said.

He said the state also will save money that it pays the freight company now for use of the Manassas Line tracks.

"This will give VRS, slash, Virginia much more certainty, much more predictability in what it costs for service," Stadtler said.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin hailed the deal as "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.

The deal is still not entirely done. The closing for the purchase of the Manassas Line is Sept. 5. The VRE Board of Directors and its parent commissions - the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and Potomac Rappahannock Transportation Commission - will act on the agreements in the next two months. Under the agreements, VRE would contribute $155 million, which would lower the net cost of the New River Valley extension and save the state money.

By the end of the year, the state authority will return the V-Line that it purchased from Norfolk Southern two years ago but proved unworkable in extending passenger rail service from Roanoke to Christiansburg. In return, the state will take ownership of a short segment of track known as the "Seminary Passage" where the Manassas Line meets the former RF&P track running between Richmond and Alexandria.

Owning the V-Line would have given the authority more control over the tracks, but it learned that the route also would have cost $546 million to complete by 2028, while leading to a mountain tunnel that would make it harder and more expensive to extend service further in the future.

By using Norfolk Southern's main line instead and including VRE's expected contribution for the Manassas Line, the state estimates it will cut the net cost to $444 million and complete the project a year earlier.

"It's very positive," said former Sen. John Watkins, R-Powhatan, a member of the authority board.
BEIJING, Aug 29 (News On Japan) - A Chinese influencer accused of defacing a stone pillar at Yasukuni Shrine with graffiti is now under investigation by Chinese police for separate charges.

Dong Guangming, the suspect, allegedly visited Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyos Chiyoda Ward in May this year and spray-painted the word "Toilet" in red on a stone pillar. He was subsequently placed on a wanted list by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

After the incident, Dong quickly returned to China, and by July, Japanese police had arrested one of his associates.

On August 27, the Public Security Bureau in Hangzhou, China, announced that Dong is being interrogated on unrelated charges.

Dong is suspected of conspiring with others in May to threaten individuals involved in online live-stream shopping, coercing them to deposit money into a bank account.

Dong, who operates under the alias "Ironhead" on Chinese social media platforms, has been actively involved in online activities.

Source: ANN
By Ikenna Ngere

Canada is currently witnessing widespread protests as approximately 70,000 international students take to the streets against the new immigration policies implemented by the federal government under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

These demonstrations, which have spread across various provinces such as Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia, highlight the growing unrest among foreign students.

According to a report by City News Toronto, the discontent stems from a series of policy changes that have significantly impacted international students.

In 2021, Canada eliminated the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program, which previously allowed international students to gain work experience after completing their studies.

Further tightening of immigration rules came last year when the federal government introduced a two-year cap on international student visas.

The changes have had a profound effect on the student population. By 2023, international students made up 37% of all study visa holders in Canada, contributing to the strain on housing, employment, and other services.

The new cap on student visas is expected to reduce the intake of foreign students by 35%, further exacerbating the situation.

In response to these challenges, the Canadian government announced in June that foreign nationals would no longer be able to apply for a PGWP at the border, adding to the difficulties faced by international students.

The protests have been fueled by fears that many graduates may face deportation when their work permits expire at the end of the year. The Naujawan Support Network, a student advocacy group, has been vocal in its concerns, warning that the situation is dire for many students.

The situation has been compounded by new provincial policies that have reduced the number of permanent residency nominations by 25%, making it even harder for international students to remain in the country.

Mehakdeep Singh, a former international student now facing deportation, expressed his frustration to City News Toronto: 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.
By Oladipo Abiola

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has ordered all its affiliate unions to commence a nationwide strike should the Nigeria Police Force detain its president, Joe Ajaero, when he honours their invitation.

This is as the NLC also disclosed that all national officers of the congress would accompany Ajaero to answer the Police summon in Abuja on Thursday.

The General Secretary of the NLC, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, made this known in a circular to all affiliate unions, State chapters, and national officers.

The circular also directed all State chapter leaders to mobilize and embark on a peaceful procession to Police headquarters in their various States for a prayer session.

Naija News recalls the Police had summoned Ajaero for questioning over alleged involvement in terrorism financing and others.

However, Ajaero cited previous engagements for his inability to immediately honour the Police invite and instead offered to honour the invitation on Thursday, 29th August.

As the NLC president prepares to honour the Police invite, the NLC circular on the fresh course of action said they are out to show a united stand against actions aimed at intimidating union leaders and all Nigerian workers.

The circular, tagged Mobilization for Peaceful Procession and Prayer Session in Solidarity reads, In response to the recent summons by the Nigeria Police Force for our President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, to appear for interrogation on trumped-up charges on Thursday, August 29, 2024, we call on all NLC affiliates and state councils to mobilize their members in Abuja and across the states to show solidarity.

In Abuja: All CWC members resident in Abuja and other members are expected to assemble at the National Headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress by 8:00 AM on Thursday, August 29, 2024, to accompany the President to the Police for the scheduled interaction.

In State Capitals: Members should gather at their respective state secretariats of Congress. From there, they will embark on a peaceful procession to their State Police Headquarters, where they will hold a prayer session until the Presidents interaction with the Police is concluded.

This peaceful march is a united stand against the unjust actions aimed at intimidating our leadership and stifling the voice of Nigerian workers. We urge all members to remain peaceful and orderly throughout the procession and prayer session.
By Udeze Ekene

Nigerian-South Africa Beauty Queen, Chidimma Adetshina, has said she has no intention of going back to South Africa after the Miss Universe Nigeria Pageant.

Naija News reported that Chidimma Adetshina was racially attacked by South Africans as she contested in the countrys Miss Universe South Africa.

Following the attack on her Nigerian origin by South Africans and South Africas Home Office inquiry into her mothers alleged crime in her registration as a citizen of the country, she withdrew from the contest.

Speaking in an interview on Tuesday with Cool FM, she stated that she would stay in Nigeria and was not contemplating returning back to the country she had known since her childhood because of xenophobic attack.

Chidimma Adetshina arrives in Nigeria

I think its safe to say Im not going back. Its been amazing. Im not even looking forward to going back to South Africa. I just want to explore more. I want to stay longer and see what happens next, she said.

Naija News reported that Adetshina had explained that she had had the dream of being Miss Universe since 2017. She thanked the organizers of Miss Universe Nigeria for giving her the platform.

She also disclosed that the xenophobic attack made her cry herself to sleep.

I think its something I started recently; however, Ive had this dream since 2017 to become the next Miss Universe. Im really glad I have been given the platform and the opportunity to at least try and reach that goal.

It has been a long journey, so hard at times. I would cry myself to sleep, questioning Why me?. I had to shift my perspective to see potential greatness emerging from these challenges, she told Bold Friday Show.
ULAN BATOR, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia's coal exports are expected to reach 75 million tons by the end of this year, local media reported on Wednesday, citing the country's Ministry of Finance.

"When the 2024 budget was approved, coal export forecasts were set at 60 million tons. However, with over 53 million tons already exported to date, the revised estimate anticipates reaching around 75 million tons by the end of this year," the ministry said in a statement.

Coal is a main export commodity of Mongolia, which is abundant in natural resources. In 2023, the landlocked Asian country achieved a historic high by exporting 66.7 million tons of coal. 
Executive Director of the Paris-based Observatory of Geopolitical Studies, Khaled Hamade, has praised the regional leadership of King Mohammed VI and his steadfast engagement for Africas socio-economic development.

Thanks to the royal leadership, Morocco has become a beacon of stability in Africa and a model in south-south cooperation, said Mr. Hamade in an analysis published in the latest newsletter of Observatoire dEtudes Geopolitiques (OEG).

Moroccos return to the African Union in 2017 has strengthened further the Kingdoms role across the continent and contributed to advancing inter-African cooperation serving Africas development, stability and security, underlined the analyst of the French think-tank.

The growing international support for the autonomy plan offered by Morocco for the Sahara under its sovereignty is recognition of the Kingdoms legitimate & historical rights. It also reflects the credibility the country enjoys across Africa under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, said the French expert.

Paris support for the Kingdoms sovereignty over its Sahara is a decisive step towards ending this conflict, underlined the Executive Director of the research center, saying that the realist and credible autonomy plan responds to the aspirations of the local inhabitants and brings in regional stability.

The mounting international support for the Moroccan proposed autonomy plan combined with a strong partnership with key players such as France opens the way for achieving a lasting political solution to the Sahara regional conflict, affirmed the analyst.
Namibia plans to kill 83 elephants and 30 hippos and distribute the meat to population affected by a prolonged drought, the environment minister said.

The Namibian government also plans to cull other species including 60 buffalo, as well as 50 impala, 100 blue wildebeest, 300 zebra, and 100 elands.

The government argues that the move was necessary as animals have been forced to graze in farmlands, already affected by water stress.

Nearly half Namibias population are expected to suffer food shortage due to a drought that lasted seven years.

Namibia has exhausted 84% of its food reserves last month, according to the United Nations.
Egypt has secured the 95th rank in the top 100 science and technology clusters in the 2024 Global Innovation Index. This recognition positions Cairo as the only North African cluster on the list, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) report.

The report noted that from 2019 to 2023, Cairo filed 166 patent applications with WIPO under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, with 18% related to medical technologies. Additionally, 18% of these patents were co-authored with inventors from Boston, Cambridge, and Montreal. Cairo also published nearly 23,000 scientific articles from 2018 to 2022, with 22% focused on chemistry.

Chairman of the Egyptian Intellectual Property Authority, Hesham Azmy, attributed this achievement to Egypts ongoing efforts in innovation and technology, highlighting effective coordination between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Egyptian expatriates, the Permanent Mission in Geneva, and WIPO.

The Science and Technology Clusters index, part of the annual Global Innovation Index by WIPO, assesses patent activity, scientific publications, and the concentration of inventors globally. The collaboration between Egypt and WIPO has strengthened, notably following WIPO Director General Daren Tangs visit to Cairo in September 2022 for the launch of the National Intellectual Property Strategy.
With just 40 days remaining before the presidential election in Tunisia and mounting concerns over the political climate in recent months as many of President Kais Saieds opponents were detained and numerous presidential candidacies invalidated, the Tunisian Administrative court made on Tuesday a surprising decision by validating the candidacy of Abdellatif Mekki, a prominent opponent of Saied.

This ruling came as a shock to the Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH) and other human rights watchdogs, which have harshly criticized the governments influence over the judiciary and raised the alarm about the fairness of the election.

Previously, fourteen presidential candidates had their candidacies invalidated by the ISIE, the election organizing body. Abdellatif Mekki, former leader of the Ennahda party, had faced disqualification and even a life ban for alleged false sponsorship. His appeal was recently accepted by the Tunis Administrative Court, a significant turn of events.

Despite this legal victory, Mekki faces challenges in his campaign, including restrictions on media appearances and movement outside the southern suburbs of Tunis.

Prior to the courts decision, only three candidates, including incumbent President Kais Saied, who is seeking re-election amid accusations of authoritarianism, were considered viable.

The LTDH welcomes the courts decision, viewing it as a potential sign of judicial independence in Tunisia.

Relatedly, the Tunisian organization I Watch, which specializes in monitoring elections and the work of the executive branch, has accused the Election Authority of enabling President Kais Saied to remain in power and blocking his competitors.

The organization stated recently that it had received notification from the Independent High Authority for Elections rejecting its request to observe the 2024 presidential elections. The rejection was justified by claiming that the organization failed to respect the duties of neutrality, independence, and integrity in relation to all participants in the electoral process, without clearly explaining the aspects of this alleged bias.

The organization explained that it had contacted the authority on three occasions to be provided with the basis for the evaluation that deemed it non-neutral, but it has yet to receive any response. This, the organization argued, indicates that the decision lacks objectivity. Consequently, the organization has exercised its right to legal action to annul the authoritys decision to reject the accreditation request.

The organization further claimed that the authoritys refusal to grant it accreditation was not surprising, given that the authority has become an arm serving the interests of the President to secure a second term in the easiest possible way. It is evident that the authority now fears anyone who questions it or the President, especially since the rejection came just days after I Watch announced the results of the Saied Meter, a five-year assessment of President Saieds tenure, which were negative.
The United Nations and the US have called for an urgent meeting of Libyan political leaders to address the crisis of the Central Bank of Libya (BCL) and the blockade of oil production and exports.

The UN Support Mission in Libya expressed deep concern over the worsening situation and convened a meeting to seek a resolution based on political agreements, legal principles, and BCL independence. The US Embassy in Libya called this proposal a viable solution to the BCL crisis.

Libya remains divided since Muammar Gaddafis fall in 2011, with rival governments in Tripoli, led by Abdelhamid Dbeibah and recognized by the UN, and in the east, supported by Marshal Khalifa Haftar. Following the western authorities removal of BCL Governor el-Kebir, eastern factions halted oil production and exports.

A new BCL management team has been appointed, but there are doubts about its effectiveness as the institution remains inactive. Governor el-Kebir, in office since 2012, faced criticism from Dbeibahs camp for alleged bias towards Haftar.

The UN has called for the suspension of unilateral actions regarding the BCL, ensuring the safety of its employees, and lifting the oil blockade. The US Embassy condemned reports of arbitrary arrests and intimidation of BCL staff.
A Muslim in Pakistan abducted and forcibly converted and married a 12-year-old Christian girl as police delayed efforts to recover her, family members said.

Parveen Shaukat, a Catholic widow and mother to eight children, said that Muhammad Asad abducted her youngest daughter, Fairy Shaukat, from the Habibabad Mandi area in Pattoki Tehsil, Kasur District of Punjab Province, on Aug. 9.

Fairy had gone to a nearby shop to buy groceries in the afternoon, but she did not return home, Shaukat told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. My sons started searching for her but could not find her. We then filed a complaint with the police, but their attitude was not welcoming. Instead of helping us, they delayed the registration of a First Information Report [FIR].

She said that a neighbor later informed the family that he had seen Asad abduct Fairy.

We informed the police about the accused, but they still did not take any action, giving sufficient time to Asad to convert the minor child and contract an Islamic marriage with her, Shaukat said.

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The impoverished mother said that police finally registered an FIR on Aug. 10 but were slow to make efforts to recover the child.

On Aug. 13, my sons received the Nikahnama [Islamic marriage certificate] of Fairy through WhatsApp from an unknown number, she said. We were shocked to see the document and urged the police to take action against this underage marriage. When the police finally raided the house of the accused, he was not there. Its nearly 20 days now that I havent seen my child, and we have no information about her safety.

Shaukat said she did not believe her minor daughter could go willingly with the suspect.

Fairy is just 12 years old. She had no access to a cell phone and rarely went out of the home by herself, Shaukat said. She was abducted by Asad, who we have heard is a loafer. He targeted my child for sexual exploitation, and my heart sinks every time I think of how she is being treated in captivity.

After failing to find a trace of their child, the family contacted Christian Advocate Sumera Shafique for legal aid.

Im filing a petition in the Lahore High Court for the childs recovery, Shafique told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. Its very unfortunate that police delay action in cases involving underage minority girls, which allows the perpetrators to scar these children for life.

Shafique said she also intends to charge the suspect with various crimes, including child marriage and rape, after he and the girl appear in court.

Officers have registered a case against Asad with kidnapping a person from lawful guardianship, punishable by up to seven years in prison under Section 363 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

But this charge is not enough, Shafique said. The accused not only kidnapped the child, he converted her and contracted an Islamic marriage to save himself from prosecution, a common practice by kidnappers to sexually exploit underage minority girls.

She called for strict enforcement of anti-child marriage laws as well criminalizing forced conversions of underage girls.

The new anti-child marriage bill submitted in the Punjab Provincial Assembly is a good initiative, but theres a need to ensure that it is implemented in letter and spirit, she said. This is a major weakness in our law enforcement and judicial system, that though relevant laws already exist, they are not implemented.

New Bill

In a bid to criminalize underage marriages in Punjab Province, the provincial government on April 25 submitted the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2024, in the provincial Assembly, which would raise the legal age for marriage for both males and females to 18 years. Previously the legal age for marriage for girls in the province was 16.

Under the proposed bill, anyone who marries a girl or boy under 18 or arranges such a marriage  including parents or guardians  would face two to three years in prison and a fine of between 100,000 Pakistani rupees ($360 USD) and 200,000 rupees ($720 USD).

At the time of marriage registration, the marriage solemnizer, secretary of the union council and marriage registrar would check the Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) of the girl or boy, passport, educational certificate or other documents proving both are at least 18 years old. Attested copies of these documents would be required to be attached with the application of marriage certificate.

Rights activists say that, though raising the legal marriage age to 18 years for both boys and girls will help in preventing child marriages, certain amendments are required to ensure that minority girls also get due coverage of the law. Such amendments would override all special laws related to determining a girls age of maturity, they say, including sharia (Islamic law), which allows girls attaining puberty to be considered adults.

Pakistan ranked seventh on Open Doors 2024 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian, as it was the previous year.
Last week, Donald Trump was photographed visiting Arlington National Cemetery. This immediately raised the question of how Trump was able to use the famous military gravesite as a campaign prop when no other candidate or president has done so.

The answer turns out to be, unsurprisingly, that he couldnt. Trump used the site as a photo op in apparent violation of federal regulations, and when cemetery staff tried to prevent the crime, campaign staff verbally abused and pushed the official aside, reports NPR.

This is one of those scandals that is relatively small-bore by Trump standards but would be catastrophically damaging by normal-politician standards. It highlights two especially disqualifying aspects of Trumps character.

The first is a blatant disregard for the law. While the incident has not yet been subject to an investigation, the facts seem clear. Federal law prohibits political campaign or election-related activities within Army National Military Cemeteries, to include photographers, content creators or any other persons attending for purposes, or in direct support of a partisan political candidates campaign, according to NPR. Arlington staff was aware of the law and tried to enforce it, only for Trumps staff to bully them.

Trumps only defense was to claim, via campaign spokesman Steven Cheung, that the official attempting to enforce the law was clearly suffering from a mental-health episode, and that the campaign was prepared to release footage of the confrontation to support its account of the clash, while refusing several requests to supply said footage.

Neither claim would offer any legal defense. Whatever the footage shows, Trumps own photographic evidence shows him using the site as a campaign photo op:

Thumbs up at the grave today. Nice photo op. Nobody fakes sincerity quite like Trump.



Have fun, everybody. MAGA! pic.twitter.com/3Mv5f5h6hi  Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) August 26, 2024

And even if the Arlington official were suffering a mental-health episode, that does not give Trump the right to violate federal law. The cemetery visit was obviously nowhere close to the same kind of violation as January 6, or even stealing classified documents and refusing to give them back. But like Trumps general pattern of lawlessness, it reveals that you cant do that, its a crime! has no deterrent effect on him. The relevant question you have to ask in the context of any Trump violation is what is the enforcement mechanism? And if that mechanism is one unarmed staffer trying to explain the law to Trumps staff, then the law might as well not exist.

The broader context of the trip is that Trump was obviously trying to address a political vulnerability, which is that he believes putting your life in danger for your country is something only an idiot would do.

Four years ago, The Atlantic reported that Trump objected to visiting military graves because the soldiers who had died in war were losers. That reporting was quickly confirmed by the Associated Press, the New York Times, Fox News (!), and the Washington Post. It also reflected comments Trump has made in public, such as calling John McCain a loser and questioning whether being a prisoner of war is heroic.

The problem resurfaced recently, when Trump announced that the Presidential Medal of Freedom he was bestowing on Republican donor Miriam Adelson to honor her for donating massive sums to his election was better than the Congressional Medal of Honor bestowed upon wounded service members. (Its actually much better because everyone gets the Congressional Medal of Honor, thats soldiers, theyre either in very bad shape because theyve been hit so many times by bullets, or theyre dead.)

The insult was so blatant that the Veterans of Foreign Wars admonished him for it.

This is a serious problem for Trumps coalition. He has always posed as an ally and champion of veterans. This is a key aspect of his general attempt to convince people that his motive for running for office is selfless  he no longer cares about his own wealth and happiness and wants only to create a better world for Americans.

But Trump doesnt actually care about the country. The whole idea of caring about the country is difficult for him to fathom. He believes in the gangster ethos that people are universally selfish, that those who claim to uphold higher values are merely hypocrites, and the only exception are the saps who get conned into risking their lives for strangers.

His goal in the Arlington visit was to smooth over his political liability by creating the false image that he actually cares about the honor of fallen soldiers. Instead, he confirmed once again that he doesnt.
Photo: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg/Getty Images

With the reset of the 2024 presidential election via the substitution of Kamala Harris for Joe Biden, its looking very much like the very close election we originally envisioned for November has returned. And why shouldnt it have? There has been exactly one comfortably decided election in this century (Barack Obamas 2008 victory over John McCain), the two major parties are in equipoise, and three-time Republican nominee Donald Trump has polarized American politics to an almost incredible degree.

Now, an increasingly attentive public is paying a lot of attention to the presidential election, some out of excitement and others out of fear. Its a good time to review some of the mistakes people tend to make in seeking to follow and interpret the polls.

.

When a poll favorable to one candidate or the other comes out, that team is very likely to hype the numbers as absolutely true and predictive of a great landslide to come (thats particularly true of Trumps MAGA fans; Democrats have been burned by poll-driven irrational exuberance too many times). Some pollsters are prone (deliberately or not) to partisan bias, but any one survey by any pollster can, for statistical reasons, turn out to be an outlier.

There are two simple ways to avoid the temptation to overreact to individual polls: (1) utilize polling averages, which tend to greatly reduce the importance of outliers, and (2) look at trends in the results found by specific pollsters over time.

This year, there are a host of polling averages available. Some (notably RealClearPolitics and, to a lesser extent, Decision Desk HQ) use simple arithmetical averaging without any adjustments or weighting of results, while others (FiveThirtyEight, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and FiveThirtyEight founder and now independent analyst Nate Silver) have sophisticated methodologies that seek to place a premium on higher-quality and more recent data. I personally prefer FiveThirtyEights averages, which are easy to navigate and arent quite as loaded with junk polls as RCPs. But any of the above averages are a lot better than reliance on any one pollster or any one result.

.

In close races where small swings in polling results can seem huge (particularly those in which the lead, however small, changes hands), its easy to forget that every reputable poll is accompanied by a margin of error reflecting the size of the sample and thus the likely range of possible underlying numbers (which, in turn, is modified slightly by a confidence interval, which is typically 95 percent). A recent national poll from Emerson College showing Harris leading Trump by a 50-46 percent margin had a margin of error of 3 percent, which means the results for either or both candidates could be off by that percentage. Thus a relatively robust Harris lead is actually within the margin of error (amounting to 6 percent in terms of the difference between the candidates) and could be misleading. To put it another way, no really close lead is safe and could represent an illusion.

The margin of error can become really large in subsamples of particular parts of the electorate (e.g., voters under 30, voters with or without a college education), which some pollsters compensate for with oversamples of particular groups of interest. When you see a poll with a finding that seems really odd (such as Trump leading among young voters or ringing up 30 percent of Black voters), always look for the size of the sample and the margin of error. This is why large-sample polls (all else being equal) are generally more reliable and why state polls are typically less accurate than national polls.

Until fairly recently, there was a very strong preference among polling experts for surveys based on live telephone interviews, until (a) cell phones began replacing landlines in households and (b) the unwillingness of Americans to respond to phone-poll solicitations began making it very difficult (and expensive) for old-school pollsters to get a representative sample. Now there remain gold standard pollsters (e.g., New York TimesSiena or Ann Selzers Iowa poll) that rely almost entirely on live-caller surveys but that now pay extra attention to the design and weighting of samples (e.g., by comparing them to verified voter files from the most recent election). There are also perfectly reputable polls that utilize refined, online voting panels and other methods. Pew found after the 2022 midterm elections (when pollsters had an excellent record) that 17% of national pollsters used at least three different methods to sample or interview people (sometimes in the same survey), up from 2% in 2016.

FiveThirtyEights database of pollster ratings remains an essential tool for separating good from bad polls, based not just on accuracy but on transparency (pollsters who wont tell you how they reach their results should not be trusted). But in general, you should beware of small-sample, one-day polls that are clearly designed to grab headlines.

.

For varying reasons, pollsters (or, more often, the media outlets that pay for and sponsor polls) dont always release polling data the minute its collected. So its possible a new poll will represent old data. For example, some media folk jumped on a Fairleigh Dickinson poll of the Harris-Trump race that was released the day after the Democratic National Convention ended and that showed a post-convention bounce, even though much of the polling was conducted before the DNC began. Keeping in mind the gap between the surveying and the reporting of results is important any time people look for a bounce from some significant event (particularly a candidate debate). Indeed, its wise to wait a few days after such an event to look for polling data since much of the impact is likely to come from secondary coverage rather than live viewership.

.

It obviously matters a lot whether the people polled and reported as favoring one candidate or another actually turn out to vote. But its not always easy to separate the participating sheep from the nonparticipating goats until fairly close to Election Day. This is why most pollsters stick with samples based on registered voters until they conduct a switchover to likely-voter surveys shortly before early voting begins (others, like Times-Siena, offer both registered-voter and likely-voter results much earlier).

There are different forms of likely-voter screens with different strengths and weaknesses. Some focus on stated voter intentions, which can overestimate turnout because people dont like to admit they might find something better to do on Election Day than fulfilling their civic obligations. Others emphasize past voting behavior, but that obviously doesnt work for newly eligible voters and may miss surges in turnout among voters who did not participate earlier (this has been one factor frequently cited as contributing to the underpolling of Trump voters in 2016 and especially in 2020). Likely-voter screens are especially important in non-presidential elections, when turnout is often low and variable.

Much higher percentages of registered voters participate in presidential elections, making assessments of likelihood to vote somewhat less essential. In the past, the application of likely-voter screens has often produced improved numbers for Republican candidates since they were disproportionately drawn from segments of the electorate most likely to vote (e.g., older voters). That may be less true in the Trump era, in which Democrats have improved their performance among both highly educated and older voters, while Republicans are doing better among non-college-educated voters who arent quite as likely to vote.

Finally, it should be noted that some polls (typically issue polls that dont measure candidate preferences and some job-approval or favorability polls) dont even screen for voter-registration status but use samples of adults. These results should be taken with a few grains of salt.

.

One by-product of this era of close elections and partisan balance is that polls can get the outcome wrong even if they are reasonably accurate. Its also important to note that national presidential polls estimate the national popular vote, not the results in the Electoral College (both George W. Bush in 2000 and Trump in 2016 won the latter while losing the former, and in 2020 Trump came within a whisker of winning while pretty decisively losing the popular vote). So, for example, in 2016 the final polling averages at RealClearPolitics showed Hillary Clinton leading Trump by 3.2 percent. She won the national popular vote by 2.1 percent. Thats a pretty small error. But sparse state polling gave no hint that Trump was going to win the historically Democratic states of Michigan and Wisconsin  and thus the election. So when Trump did win by the equivalent of an inside straight, a lot of shocked observers felt betrayed by the polls, and some concluded they were worthless. They werent  at all  but they were, of course, not flawless.

Polling error was actually more evident in 2020. RCPs final averages showed Biden leading Trump by 7.2 percent; he actually won the popular vote by 4.5 percent, a margin small enough to get Trump within reach of another inside straight in the Electoral College. Postmortems of this relatively poor showing didnt reach any clear conclusions, but explanations often focused either on the pandemic conditions that greatly affected both polling and voting or on a continued problem pollsters were encountering in identifying Trump voters. Either explanation was consistent with the excellent record of the polls in 2022, when the pandemic had subsided and Trump wasnt on the ballot. So theres no reason to assume the polls will be right or wrong in 2024. But Harris supporters will pray that she is far enough ahead as voters vote that she can win in the Electoral College. And a big win might also reduce the very high odds that Trump and his supporters will again fight against certification of a defeat.
Dr. Constance Williams Chapman, OB/GYN, performs a postnatal checkup with Katie Pike, 27, and her son Kai, in Monticello, Arkansas. Photo: Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post/Getty Images

Most abortion opponents profess a deep concern for the well-being of women. An interest in their emotional state, or their physical health, perhaps even the welfare of the children a pregnant woman may already have at home. It is possible to love the fetus as much as the woman who carries it, these activists insist. Live Action, which was founded by the prominent abortion opponent Lila Rose in 2003, sells a Love Them Both T-shirt for the low price of $24.99. Crisis pregnancy centers across the country sometimes offer free diapers or car seats while they peddle lies to women in need. But that paltry alternative to a robust safety net leaves many women  and children  behind, as a new story from the Washington Post shows. Though abortion opponents say they embrace women and their needs, the policies they promote create a nightmare world that many women cannot escape.

The Post followed the story of SaRyiah Lincoln, a 15-year-old Arkansas girl pregnant with her first child. Lincoln had already picked out a name for her child by the time she discovered blood in her underwear, a frightening medical emergency. When EMTs arrived, however, she learned that her local hospital no longer delivered babies, and she would have to travel by ambulance another half-hour to a larger facility. One of Lincolns doulas, Hajime White, told the Post that anything could have happened on such a long trip to the hospital. In some ways, Lincoln was lucky. The second hospital stabilized her, and she gave birth to her son a few months later.

The danger in which Lincoln found herself is not so unusual for Arkansas, which prohibits abortion with an inadequate exception for the life of the mother. The state can also be a dangerous place to give birth, especially in its southeast timber country. Arkansas already has one of the nations worst maternal-mortality rates, and mothers in this area die at a rate exceeding the state average, the Post reports, adding, Ninety-two percent of recent maternal deaths were preventable, a state review committee found. Anti-abortion rhetoric may embrace women, but in practice, anti-abortion states value them very little indeed.

Medicaid covers 44 percent of all births in Arkansas, and the state ends postpartum coverage two months after birth for many recipients, according to a previous Pulitzer Center report on the states maternal-health crisis. In 2023, after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the federal government offered states the ability to extend Medicaid coverage a full 12 months after birth. Arkansas was one of only three states to decline, the Center observes. Its a tragedy, Dr. Zenobia Harris of the Arkansas Birthing Project told the Center. Two months after the babys born, they dont have coverage anymore. If people have undiagnosed hypertension or diabetes and theyre not getting care, theyre more likely to die. The Post reports that Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that the states existing coverage rules were extensive enough  but the women and girls of Arkansas are struggling.

State representative Aaron Pilkington, a Republican and abortion opponent, told the Post, 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. Pilkington proposed legislation in 2022 that would have extended Medicaid coverage for postpartum women, but it didnt pass. Were on our own, said White, who was Lincolns doula, to the Post. Were the main ones who are actually dying out here, and no one really understands.

Thats due in part to the states anti-abortion laws, which likely deter obstetricians from practicing in the state. Abortion opponents like Pilkington cant have it all: The right to terminate a pregnancy is linked inextricably to the broader right to determine ones own reproductive fate. Abortion care is one aspect of a comprehensive reproductive-health regimen, and when states heavily restrict access to abortion, womens health suffers overall.

As one recent analysis in Rewire News Group notes that since the end of Roe, physician residency programs in states where abortion is banned or restricted have received fewer applicants, a trend that has continued for the second year in a row. States such as Arkansas, with the most restrictive abortion bans, saw the biggest decrease in applications. While almost all residency positions are filled due to a shortage of training positions, states with reproductive-health-care restrictions may have a harder time attracting candidates of choice, Kendal Orgera, the lead research analyst for the Association of American Colleges Research and Action Institute told Rewire. Because about half of trainees stay to practice in that state, this may have long-term implications for the ability to serve patients across communities in some states.

The Posts Arkansas story also makes a powerful case for reproductive justice. The SisterSong collective, a leading voice for reproductive justice founded by women of color in 1997, defines that framework as the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities. No state guarantees health care or safe housing, which is a colossal national failure, but the situation is often particularly dire in states that ban abortion. Though women may give birth, just as abortion opponents wish, they will often do so in the most difficult circumstances, scrambling for a living while balancing skyrocketing child-care costs. They may even die in the process. Theres no way to solve this crisis without a public safety net  or without the right to a full range of reproductive health-care services. Women need both.
Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The federal governments two pending cases against Donald Trump appeared at risk following the Supreme Courts monumental decision on presidential immunity, which barred official acts as president from prosecution. Special counsel Jack Smith is now attempting to salvage everything he can. First, he appealed the dismissal of the Florida classified-documents case after a Trump-friendly judge dismissed it. Then, on Tuesday, he filed a revised indictment in Trumps election-subversion case, which attempts to address the Courts ruling. Neither case will go to trial before the election, and their chances of surviving at all depend almost entirely on whether Donald Trump wins or loses in November, since he could simply fire Smith if he returns to the presidency. But Smith is using all legal avenues at his disposal to get the trials moving. Heres what we know about how Smith is adapting to this postSupreme Court decision reality in the election-subversion case.

What did the original indictment say?

In the initial 45-page indictment filed by Smith last year, the federal government laid out a winding scheme alleging that Trump and his allies pursued unlawful means of discounting legitimate votes and subverting election results following the 2020 presidential election.

Prosecutors claim that Trump and his several unindicted co-conspirators pushed false election-fraud claims, organized alternate slates of electors in key battleground states, tried to use the Justice Department to conduct fraudulent investigations into election crimes, and attempted to coerce Vice-President Mike Pence into subverting his duties in certifying the election results in Congress. The indictment also blames the president for the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol carried out by Trump supporters.

Trump was hit with four charges: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.

Whats changed in the new indictment?

On Tuesday, the federal government officially filed a 36-page superseding indictment in the election-subversion case, presided over by Federal Judge Tanya Chutkan. Smith and his team wrote that the revised indictment reflects the Governments efforts to respect and implement the Supreme Courts holdings and remand instructions in their immunity decision issued in June. They said the indictment was issued by a new grand jury that hadnt heard evidence in the matter before.

Though those four counts against Trump remain, there are a few key differences between the initial indictment and this revised one. The new indictment notably removes Co-Conspirator 4, described as a Justice Department official who used the agency to open sham election crime investigations and influence state legislatures with knowingly false claims of election fraud. That unnamed figure is largely understood to be Jeffrey Clark, who once served as U.S. assistant attorney general for the Environment and Natural Resources Division under Trump. Clark was likely removed from the list in order to stay in line with the Supreme Court ruling. Unlike the other co-conspirators who were lawyers and a political consultant working for Trump in their private capacity, Clark served an official role in the Trump administration. Clark supported Trump in his attempts to overturn the election results, including circulating a draft letter falsely claiming the Justice Department was investigating voting irregularities in battleground states. Clark was nearly appointed as acting attorney general, but Trump backed down after several members of his administration threatened to resign en masse if Clark was elevated to the role.

The indictment also removes all allegations related to attempts to use the Justice Department to perpetuate the election-fraud scheme, likely an effort to not run afoul of the Supreme Courts determination on official acts. Additionally, the filing takes care to note when Trump was acting in unofficial capacity or when a particular aide assisted in private affairs, another attempt to shore up the indictment against any potential challenges.

Where do things go from here?

The revised indictment was filed ahead of a Friday deadline set by Judge Chutkan for both sides to issue a joint proposal on how to address pretrial proceedings. Smiths team indicated in its filing that it will confer with Trumps defense team to complete the report. A status conference is currently scheduled for September 5. There had been speculation that Smith could attempt to hold whats been called a mini-trial, an evidentiary hearing where he could lay out the evidence his team has compiled for the public prior to the election. But reporting suggests that Smith is expected to stay the course and wont take such an action.

What has Trump said?

Unsurprisingly, Trump railed against the new indictment in a lengthy series of posts on Truth Social, challenging Smiths authority and denouncing the case as politically motivated. 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 wrote.
A man has been arrested in the October wreck in which he allegedly struck an Auburn road worker with his vehicle at a construction zone near Highway 29 South and Distribution Drive, authorities said.

Wesley Denzel Lindsey, 30, of Auburn was charged with manslaughter in the death of 36-year-old Tara Renee Harris. Police found Lindsey on Sunday and transported him to the Lee County Jail.

He was released after posting a $25,000 bond.

Auburn police said the arrest stems was from the investigation into the traffic fatality that occurred on Oct. 26 in the area of Highway 29 South and Distribution Drive. Harris was working traffic control for construction around 4 p.m. when she was struck and killed in a traffic crash, according to authorities.

APD said first responders found Harris on the scene suffering from injuries that were consistent with being struck by a vehicle. Officials performed lifesaving measures on her, but they were unsuccessful.

Her remains were sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Montgomery for an autopsy, Lee County Corner Daniel Sexton said.

At the conclusion of the investigation, the Lee County District Attorney presented the case to a grand jury, which resulted in the indictment for the charge of manslaughter.

No further details were released at this time.
Lea County in New Mexico has seen the fastest growth among U.S. counties in oil production in recent years, becoming a key driver of the shale boom in the Permian basin.

The Permian shale boom has made New Mexico the second-largest U.S.-producing state, second only to Texas.

Lea County, with a population of about 75,000 residents in the southeastern tip of New Mexico, is fueling America's oil production growth and helping the United States keep its status as the world's largest crude oil producer.

While fracking boomed in the shale formations in Texas, the most recent advances in technology and drilling have made the Permian's Delaware basinwhich spans into southeastern New Mexicothe most sought-after drilling location in the Permian. That's due to the heavily stacked pays in the Delaware basin, with two dozen potential drilling targets compared to about half a dozen such targets in the Midland basin in the Texas part of the Permian.

With technological advances and new drilling techniques, exploration and production companies are overcoming the more complex geology in parts of the Delaware basin and reaching oil-bearing layers that couldn't be reached 15 years ago.

New Mexico Drives Permian Growth

The New Mexico side of the Permian's Delaware basin now looks very promising to drillers who seek to tap more oil in the area that hasn't been drilled as extensively as the Midland basin in Texas.

"All the things that made it challenging back in the day are now the things that make it great," Andrew Parker, Senior Vice President of Geosciences at Matador Resources, told Bloomberg, commenting on the New Mexico part of the Permian.

"And they're the reasons that we prefer this side of the basin to the other side," Parker added.

At the center of the New Mexico boom is Lea County which, together with nearby Eddy County, drove much of the recent growth in Permian Basin crude oil output, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said last year.

Related: Big Oils Carbon Credit Strategy Faces Scrutiny

Additionally, New Mexico's part of the biggest U.S. shale play has seen more extensive growth than the Texas part in recent years, data from the EIA has shown.

New Mexico saw the highest crude oil production growth of any U.S. state in 2022, with output gains of 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) accounting for half of America's oil production increase, the EIA said in a report last year.

Lea and Eddy county drove much of the recent growth in Permian Basin crude oil output, accounting for 29% of all crude oil production in the Permian Basin in the first quarter of 2023, averaging 1.7 million bpd, according to data from Enverus cited by the EIA.

Horizontal wells in Lea and Eddy counties accounted for 60% of total growth in the region in the first quarter of 2023, compared with 44% in the first quarter of 2022, the U.S. administration noted.

Large producers with a lot of inventory, including Chevron, can shift their Permian drilling programs to more single-bench, high-return developments in New Mexico, the U.S. supermajor said earlier this year.

Well performance in the Delaware basin has been very strong, Chevron's chief executive Mike Wirth said on the supermajor's Q2 2024 earnings call early this month.

A total of 80% of Chevron's drilling program is in the Delaware basin, which has seen performance up year on year, while early well results in the Midland basin are lower versus last year, Wirth said.

Chevron and other producers see an upside potential in Permian oil production this year.

The Permian is "exceeding expectations for this year. We've raised our full-year guidance, and we've got great confidence in what we'll deliver in 2025," Wirth said.

New Mexico Vs. Texas

Yet, New Mexico has more challenges to overcome than the Texas part of the Permian. Technology is making drilling in multi-stack pays possible but drilling in Delaware is more expensive than in the Midland basin, per Enverus data cited by Bloomberg. That's putting off some smaller drillers from expanding activity in New Mexico.

Moreover, regulations and oversight are stricter in New Mexico than in Texas, while some areas in New Mexico are owned by the state or the federal government, unlike most of the land in Texas, which is in the hands of private citizens.

New Mexico has stricter flaring rules, with associated gas flaring mostly banned.

Last year, for example, New Mexico regulators fined a Texas-based oil and gas company more than $40 million for violating emissions standards and air quality rules. The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) issued an Administrative Compliance Order to Ameredev for violations of state rules, including significant excess emissions of five regulated air pollutants from five facilities in Lea County. NMED identified five Ameredev facilities that actively extracted oil and natural gas without any means to transport the gas to a midstream pipeline as required by New Mexico state law.

Despite the stricter regulatory standards in New Mexico, oil production in the Permian in both New Mexico and Texas is rising and is set to rise further, authorities and analysts say.

Most of the forecast growth in oil and natural gas production in 2025 will come from the Permian region of western Texas and eastern New Mexico, the EIA said in its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO).

Productivity gains, new and expanded infrastructure, and high crude oil prices will support rising production, the EIA noted.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Equinor awaits clarity on the UK tax regime by the Labour government before strategizing and committing to investments in the UK North Sea, a senior executive at the Norwegian company told Reuters on Wednesday.

The Labour Party has pledged to further raise the already high windfall tax on oil and gas profits in the North Sea and scrap tax relief for operators for part of the investments in oil and gas assets they have made.

We need to look at our appetite to invest further in the UK based on the fiscal regime ... it could be that the economics are really, really hard impacted, Philippe Francois Mathieu, Executive Vice President, Exploration & Production International at Equinor, told Reuters on the sidelines of an industry conference in Stavanger, Norway.

Last month, the Labour government said that it intends to raise the rate of the Energy Profits Levy (EPL) to 38% from 1 November 2024, from 35% now, bringing the headline rate of tax on upstream oil and gas activities to 78%, up from 75% currently. The levy will be further extended by a year to

31 March 2030, while the EPLs investment allowance will be removed.

The plans have led to a backlash from North Sea oil and gas producers who have signaled that the uncertainty in the tax regime in the UK will further drive investments away and undermine investments in low-carbon technology and solutions, too.

Producers have already warned they are considering moving to more fiscally stable jurisdictions such as Norway.

Norways Equinor operates the Mariner field offshore the UK and decided last year to invest $3.9 billion (3 billion) in the first phase of development of the Rosebank oilfield, one of the biggest offshore oil and gas projects in the region in years.

If the UK fiscal regime changes again with higher taxes, Equinor will need to look into what we want to do further with the Rosebank project, Mathieu told Reuters.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
The tax revenue could be used to address pressing social and economic challenges, particularly those related to climate change.

A proposed wealth tax on the top 0.5% of earners globally could raise over $2 trillion, with significant implications for Caucasus and Central Asia.

A recent study published by an advocacy group finds that imposing a modest tax on top earners can generate hundreds of millions of dollars in much needed revenue for countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia. The added revenue could go a long way in addressing social and economic challenges connected with global warming and climate change, the study adds.

The working paper, titled Taxing extreme wealth: What countries around the world could gain from progressive wealth taxes, contends that a comparatively small tax paid by the top 0.5 percent of income earners in every country around the globe could collectively raise more than $2 trillion. The paper, published by the UK-based Tax Justice Network (TJN), uses the example of Spains wealth tax as the basis for its global model of super-rich taxation.

Global challenges, in particular the climate crisis, inequality, and the cost-of-living crisis come along with substantial financial needs, the report states. A moderate, progressive wealth tax could help countries to raise these urgently needed funds. The proposed tax would seek a reasonable contribution from the top 0.5 percent wealthiest individuals in each country, who, on average, possess more than 25 per cent of a societys total wealth.

Under the TJN plan, the super-rich in every nation would pay taxes on assets above a pre-determined threshold, calculated on a sliding scale ranging from 1.7 percent to 3.5 percent. The plan sets a high net-worth threshold to ensure that the middle class is not punished by the tax.

According to the working papers estimates, wealthier states of the Caucasus and Central Asia could raise hundreds of millions of dollars in added revenue. In Kazakhstan, the richest state in the two regions, over 61,000 citizens would be eligible to pay the wealth tax. The minimum asset threshold for those facing the tax in Kazakhstan would be $819,381. TJNs estimate, adjusted for existing taxes and other factors, indicates that its proposed wealth tax could generate an additional $3.7 billion in revenue for the Kazakh government. Those funds could have come in handy to speed recovery efforts for areas of Kazakhstan that were devastated by flooding this spring. Residents of at least one hard-hit area staged protests in May over what they contended was inadequate government assistance.

Elsewhere, the introduction of the TJN plan could generate roughly $695 million in added revenue for the Uzbek government, which has been running up big deficits of late as it strives to retool the countrys economy. Under the TJN formula, the Caucasus richest state, Azerbaijan, could add more than $241 million to its state coffers. The poorest nation in the two regions, Tajikistan, could generate about $54 million.

The working paper makes an argument that the super-rich should feel a moral obligation to help defray the consequences of global warming. The wealthiest citizens bear more responsibility for carbon emissions, both due to their more excessive consumption, as well as to their investment habits, the report states.

TJN does not outline an action plan to secure international adoption of its super-rich taxation proposal. For the proposal to work, the introduction of stringent international transparency rules would be needed, the report acknowledges, urging the creation of a Global Assets Registry. The chances that any such mechanism will come into being in the foreseeable future seem slim to none.

Existing tax systems offer opportunities for the super-rich to engage in international tax abuse, primarily through the use of secrecy jurisdictions to shield their fortunes, the report states. Therefore, the implementation of a moderate, progressive wealth tax must be accompanied by a move towards full beneficial ownership transparency for all types of companies and assets.

By Eurasianet.org

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Companies like Sage Geosystems, Fervo Energy, and Quidnet Energy are pioneering different approaches to pressurized storage, aiming for lower costs and wider deployment than traditional methods.

This technology offers a potential alternative to lithium-ion batteries for long-duration energy storage needs.

US startups are developing pressurized water storage systems using hydraulic fracturing technology to store renewable energy from solar and wind.

U.S. startups are developing proprietary technologies based on hydraulic fracturing to drill wells for storing renewable energy from solar and wind in underground pressurized water reservoirs.

As the share of renewable energy in electricity generation in the top American oil state, Texas, grows - so does the need for energy storage, which ensures clean energy is available when needed.

The new pressurized storage technology could be an alternative to lithium-ion batteries if it proves commercially feasible and cost-effective in the new pressurized energy storage systems.

Grid-connected batteries in California and Texas, for example, have started to play a significant role in helping to balance the system, Ed Crooks, Vice-chair, Americas at Wood Mackenzie, wrote earlier this year.

Now, at least three startups based in Houston are working on and piloting projects to store water under pressure in underground reservoirs and release it to turn a turbine when needed to generate power.

Zero-carbon energy storage harnessing oil and gas technology is here, because we can store renewable solar and wind underground, Mike Eros, Chief Geoscientist at Sage Geosystems, said earlier this year, when the companyfounded in 2020announced the first close of $17 million in Series A funding, led by Chesapeake Energy, for a commercial facility.

The 3 MW facility, called EarthStore, will use Sage Geosystems technology that harvests energy from pressurized water stored deep underground. The facility will be able to store energy for short and long periods and can be paired with intermittent renewable energy sources, including wind and solar, to provide baseload, dispatchable power, and inertia to the electric grid.

Last year, the company successfully demonstrated the EarthStore system in a full-scale commercial pilot project in Texas. The pilot produced 200 kW for more than 18 hours (long-duration) and 1 MW for 30 minutes (load-following), generating electricity with Pelton turbines to run equipment on location. The system has a roundtrip efficiency of 70-75% and water losses of less than 2%, Sage Geosystems said in February.

Earlier this month, the company announced the location of the project after entering into a land use agreement with San Miguel Electric Cooperative Inc. (SMECI) for the Geopressured Geothermal System energy storage facility. The EarthStore system will be in Christine, Texas, near the SMECI lignite coal power plant. Sage will operate as a merchant, buying and selling electricity to the ERCOT grid.

Geothermal energy storage is a viable solution for long-duration storage and an alternative for short-duration lithium-ion batteries, said Sage Geosystems CEO Cindy Taff.

Sage will also utilize its proprietary Geopressured Geothermal System to provide carbon-free power to Metas data centers, the company said this week.

Other companies pioneering pressurized storage systems include Fervo Energy and Quidnet Energy.

Fervo Energy boasts it has developed proprietary geothermal technology called FervoFlex, which can deliver in-reservoir energy storage and dispatchable generation attributes. Fervos horizontal well design connects subsurface wells with a set of hydraulically conductive fractures surrounded by impermeable rock. The company says that its technology effectively enables Fervo to operate their assets to achieve multi-day energy storage attributes in addition to the traditional benefits of clean, firm geothermal power.

Fervo Energy is also backed by a U.S. shale firm. Last year, it announced a $10 million strategic investment from Devon Energy.

Fervo said back then that it was the first geothermal company to successfully drill and complete a horizontal well pair for commercial geothermal production, using technologies, skills, and processes pioneered by Devon for oil and gas production.

Quidnet Energy, for its part, aims to develop a modified pumped hydro energy storage system that stores energy via high-pressure water in the subsurface. To charge, the team will pump water into confined rock underground, creating high pressures.

Quidnet Energy is calling the technology Geomechanical Pumped Storage and says that it is widely deployable at very low cost.

Subsurface rock layers are converted into energy storage reservoirs for large-scale renewables integration and grid management, the company says.

The fracking process in these technologies is less intensive than in oil and gas production.

Sages chief geoscientist, Mike Eros, told Inside Climate News that the companys fracking process is about a tenth of the scale and intensity.

We call it an Earth battery, he added.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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